"No more questions for him, I'd like to speak with Violet, now."

A few people gasped, Franklin rolled his eyes, Violet cringed, getting up.

"You know you just screwed up, James," Feldstein whispered.

"I have a feeling I might have, letting my anger get the best of me."

"We had a plan James."

"Violet… Ms. Gray, did you know about James… condition?"

"His bigotry?"

"Yes."

"No. Not at first. Not until that day at home with Franklin, I mean, he's been over there countless times. He pointed it out to me, and I saw it, I got really upset. I started thinking at some point, it might be of consequence, but things I thought were normal over the years, suddenly weren't."

"Can you show an example?"

"When we go out to eat, if we have a black server; they never tip, even if they go above and beyond. We never drive through the east side, they'll take the long way around, if we need to go through it."

"What about when Franklin was at your parties?"

"My dad said he didn't have a problem with him there, since if he tried anything; we were basically numbers against him, to stop him, physically, or just by seeing him, but it was out of line for him to be there by himself."

Clark raised an eyebrow, "Ms. Gray, what happened between him leaving and your first recording?"

"They were calling Franklin all sorts of obscene things, demanding I break up with him, my mom slapped me for cussing them out. He said he was taking my car, so I gave him the keys and had to walk to school."

"How's your home life been so far?"

"Horrible. My moms been drinking a lot. But before my dad got locked up, I was afraid of what he would do to me or Franklin. I've had several panic attacks."

"How many African Americans do you think James employs?"

"I don't know."

"Have you seen him interact with any, whether he employs them or not?"

"Employees, not really. Others, he's- if not rude, had been condescending to, impatient compared to other white people."

"Remember; racism isn't always as blatant, as smashing windows of somebodies car. It's often subtle as to not arise too much attention. I have no further questions."

"Feldstein?"

"No… no questions, Judge," he sighed.

"You may step down, Ms. Gray."

"Your honor, may I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"My friend gave me this idea yesterday; I want to become emancipated. No matter how this turns out, I'm scared I won't be safe at home, less so if he's declared innocent, unless they send me away."

The judge just stared.

"Plus I think Franklin might incur their wrath, especially without a restraining order."

"We'll talk about it after the case, okay?"

"Okay, thank you," she stepped down.

"We'll take a brief concession, while the jury determines Mr. Grays fate."

Violet walked over to Franklin giving him a hug, catching a glare from Heather.

"Let's hit up the vending machines, Vee."

They walk downstairs to the vendatorium, running in to one of the people that were at the gas station, waiting for a sandwich to heat in the microwave.

"You did great, Violet."

"I tried my best, I just want this over with by now. Nobodies ever cared so much about me, other than my friends."

"Hey, how're you two doing, it's a damn shame what happened."

"I know, right, two people who're supposed to be all cultured and shit, debonair and wealthy, dealing with people oughta know better."

"I'm so ashamed of my parents."

"Whatever happened to your truck?"

"I paid to have all the windows fixed."

"That had to be pricey."

"Oh well, I couldn't have my man riding around like that, as happy as he makes me, the peace I feel with him."

"I watched the whole thing, he's lucky that guy didn't beat the fuck outta him, when he took that tire iron."

"That was our friends dad, he knows him, and honestly he should've after calling our friend a dyke. I probably could've fought back, but I stopped there on purpose so I didn't have to, that punch of his kinda stung, but wasn't that bad."

"Did his car get towed, those tow fees are a bitch."

"I have it, we went back up there to get it, since he took my keys."

"The cop that arrested him gave me the keys."

"Is it nice to drive?"

"Oh yeah," she smiled hard.

"Seems like you two have been through a lot, hopefully this is over with today."

"I'll still be stuck dealing with my shitty mom."

"I'm shitty!? Oh you haven't seen shitty yet, bitch," Heather yelled.

"You and your husband wouldn't be in this situation, if you wasn't racist pricks, you don't even care about your daughters happiness, you don't deserve a kid."

"Sir, this is not your business."

"The courts made it my business when I watched your trashy husband bash this kids windows in. Should I get one of these cops to settle the issue, so you can join your husband," he glared.

Heather stared at the three of them walking off with a huff.

"Has she been drinking?"

"She hasn't not been drinking. I had to fend her off once with my backpack, she tried to beat me with a empty wine bottle."

"Jesus fucking Christ!"

"I know, I've never wanted to hit a woman so bad."

"Anybody for the Gray case, please return to the court room," blared over the P.A.

"That's us."

The court room slowly filled up, Heather had taken her spot behind her defendant husband, trying to fight back the tears watching him be brought back out in shackles.

"Hey, can I talk to you, Jerry," Violet walked up to Feldstein.

"Sure Violet, Let's step outside," he lead her out.

They walked a little ways from the court room.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"I want to be emancipated. I don't know if you're going to keep being our lawyer or not, but you're pretty good. It's been bad at home, if he gets off, it's going to be worse."

"After this is said and done, we'll talk about it. I don't think he's going to win, with all the evidence against him. I don't agree with James actions, but I have to do my job to the best of my abilities."

"I understand."

"I might not be able to do it, but I'll see what I can do. We should get back in there."


"They're almost done, and will be coming out shortly. I must say, as somebody who's supposed to be a pillar in this community; I'm ashamed of you James, you should be better than this, assaulting a minor," she shook her head, "you should be better than this, better than that sundown town you came from in Arkansas. Why do you have so much hate?"

"Mexican bitch," Heather muttered.

"What was that, Heather?"

"Nothing, your honor."

She glared at her as the jury walked out from the back room and sat down, the lead juror stood up with his paper.

"James, you know you can't come back from this."

"I'm just trying to uphold righteous family values… proper traditions. Things you people don't know anything about."

"James Gray has been charged with one count of assaulting a minor, threatening a government official, trespassing on school grounds, destruction of private property, three counts of committing a hate crime against an African American, one count of child abuse. We declare James Gray guilty."

"Bullshit," he yelled.

"All right. James Gray is guilty, and is sentenced to five years in prison, I wish I could give you more. On top of that, you must pay Franklin for the damages to his vehicle, one thousand dollar fine for trespassing and menacing on school property," she banged her gavel.

"This is all your fault, you stupid bitch, you, you nigger lover," Heather jumped up, rushing to Violet.

"Damn beaner is in cahoots with this chicken eating, nappy headed mongoloid," James yelled.

"Hey, what are you doing," Franklin yelled.

Heather rushed over to them flailing her fist at both of them.

"No daughter of mine is going to get away with this, you ruined your family over this coon, she punched at them both.

The Bailiffs rushed over to pull her off, Violet landed two good punches before Franklin tried to cover her up.

"Wait till you get home, damn it!"

"Arrest that woman!"

"Ma'am have you been drinking," a Sheriff asked.

"What would you do, if your husband was arrested for protecting his family?!"

"Mrs. Gray, you came in my courtroom drunk?! Get her out of here! Violet, I understand why, now."

"Are you two okay?"

"For the most part, yes officer," Franklin answered.

"You'll pay for this boy! I won't forget you, I will never forgive you for this," James spat at him.

"Get these two out of here, courts adjourned," she banged her gavel.