February 27, 2004

Alex,

It sounds like you've been keeping busy considering. Your job sounds like a lot of fun, and definitely less stressful than what you faced every day. I can't say the same about my job, but at least it has its moments.

You were right about Casey. For a while we were all thinking that she wouldn't settle in and then she delivered-really delivered. We had three major cases in the past month alone. You would not believe what I've worked. The first case involved a little boy who was found murdered in Central Park (I won't tell you the details, it still makes me sick). But we ended up making a new friend with the Haitian embassy. With her help, we saved over 60 kids who were being smuggled into the country, and nailed the smuggler (with a little "incentive" by our new friend and our ADA).

The next case was weird. We were called out to see a kid who was found eating out of a trash can. What was weird was *how* he and his older brother were being abused and manipulated by their mother. This woman was freaky-like Norman Bates freaky. She was absolutely paranoid, and convinced her sons that the world was far too dangerous for them to live in, using home schooling and healthy food to rein them in. To make a long story short, she manipulated her eldest son into shooting one, and then killing himself-but the gun jammed. Casey really worked her ass off finding the truth. It turned out that she had three sons, not two, and the third was very sane, having lived in foster care and served the Navy, and helped break her hold.

Then, as if things couldn't get more intense, this has got to be the most emotional case for me. A teenager was murdered by her friends over stealing a boyfriend! We found out that these girls were bullies, and two of them almost got away with murder. This is where Casey really proved herself. She has an extraordinary power of observation. While examining one of the defendants on cross, she noticed that the school ring she was wearing was not hers. You see she noticed that her birthday was in February, while the color of the birthstone was for September. That got both defendants to blow their defense strategy. The verdict came through in fifteen minutes! Fifteen! So if you ever want to nail everyone you ever hated in high school, call Casey Novak.

Sadly, one of the girls that they were bullying had shot and killed another bully. Her name is Agnes and it was so sad. I interviewed her during the initial investigation. You know, during High School, I kept mainly to myself because of my mom; she was an alcoholic. Her parents were caring, but not as well off, and she's not as attractive as her peers. What was cruel was that we found that one of the girls Casey convicted had taken a picture of her in the locker room with her camera phone and sent the picture to everyone who had one in the school, including her brother. High school may not have been the best time for me, but I can't remember anyone being so cruel in my life. I think the worst thing we had in my school was spit wads! They used voicemail, text messages, digital cameras, and even fake blood.

Fortunately, Casey has plead her out to Man 2, the minimum, and she'll receive counseling. I've visited her in jail, and we've talked some more. I can see so much of myself in her at that age. It'll be a hard road for her, but at least she's gotten out of that school.

Anyway, I've talked to Elliot about letting Don in on our letter writing and he agreed. Donald respects and cares for you as much as we do. We're also thinking of approaching Munch, Fin and Huang, but we're going to wait until after talking to Don. He'll be shocked, even a little angry for not telling him about you in the first place, but he'll get over it.

Your friend,

Olivia