Divas Prison Ch 2
Just as she thought, Paige didn't get much, if any sleep. She had never been in any trouble before and yet, here she was, in jail facing a charge of armed robbery. She couldn't believe she had let things get to this. She had had money troubles for a while and had let a friend convince her that she could solve all of her problems by stealing, only afterwards did she fully realise that's what it was that she had done, stealing from a family jewellery store. He had given her a gun which she had to use, but not fire, as they didn't take her seriously at first. The police were there in such quick time that she barely had a chance to get the goods before they were there, with their guns drawn and pointed at her. She had had no choice but to surrender and was arrested. Now she was in a cell and her friend had abandoned her, threatening her if she dared to say anything about him. She hadn't talked to anyone properly yet but had been told that she would be seeing a lawyer and a judge today.
All of these thoughts, the guilt over everything, just kept circling around her mind but the noise would have prevented much sleep anyway, you could hear the keys on the guards as they went around, looking into her cell all the time, plus there were several other women in cells next to hers who were making all sorts of noise. Yelling abuse at the guards, demanding to be released, demanding more phone calls. Of course all of these calls fell on deaf ears, not that they understood that as they just kept going. Paige would have tried the same if she thought there was a point, she might have joined them, she wanted to just go home but that wasn't going to happen and she wanted more phone calls. She needed to try and convince her friend Scott to help her. He was the only person who knew about it and she wanted it to stay that way, but he wanted nothing to do with her and had even threatened her if she brought him into it. She knew he was serious too. He'd never spoken to her like that before, he'd been a good friend to her until that point and was only trying to help her. Wasn't he?
The hatch on the cell door clanged and opened and a tray slid in. "Breakfast" came the booming yet deadpan voice from outside. Paige walked over and took the tray. She didn't feel hungry but it had been nearly 24 hours since she ate. There was a small amount of what looked like oatmeal, two small slices of bread with some butter packets and a plus a small container of orange juice. The bread was ok but the oatmeal was horrible. She ate what she could the the guard came to take the tray so she had to slide it back. Then it was back to waiting for something to happen.
There was no way to know how much longer she waited but it certainly felt like hours. As she had no money, she had to wait for a court-appointed attorney to come and they were all very overworked. Eventually a guard came and unlocked the cell door. "Ok, a lawyer is here to see you." He took her down to a small room with a desk and two chairs. There was a metal loop on the desk and as Paige sat down the guard handcuffed her to it. "Is that really necessary?" She asked him. "You are charged with a violent crime so you must be restrained at all times not in a cell." Was the response. When the lawyer arrived the guard left the room to give them privacy.
"Good morning Miss Knight, my name is Mr. Otunga and I have been appointed to you by the court." He seemed very deadpan in his voice.
"It's good to meet you Mr Otunga, I really hope you can help me"
"Well I have reviewed your case and talked to the prosecutor. I do have some good news. As this is your first offence of any kind and the evidence against you is so strong, they are willing to offer you, in return for you pleading guilty to armed robbery, that they will recommend you are given the minimum sentence available."
"That sounds good, what would that sentence be?" Paige felt a glimmer of hope for the first time since her arrest but that was about to be dashed too.
"Ten years"
"Ten years in prison? TEN YEARS?" Paige jumped up in shock but the handcuff on her right wrist stopped her. "I cant do ten years in prison, please, you've got to help me."
"I am helping you Miss Knight. This state has a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years for crimes where a gun is used but not fired. They have you on security tape with a gun, witnesses who saw it, and the gun itself was recovered from the scene of the crime. I strongly recommend you take this deal, if you don't you will go to trial and you will be found guilty. In that situation the maximum sentence is life imprisonment."
Life in prison. She couldn't do that. Paige felt sick. She now was pleading with her lawyer. "Is there no defence we can make to help me? Please?"
"Not from everything I've seen on your case. Unless there is anything new you can tell me that I can take to the prosecutor?"
Paige stopped and thought for a second. She could tell him about Scott and his contacts, but if she did then she was putting her life in danger, plus it didn't affect what the lawyer said about her being on tape. She put her head in her free hand. There was no way out of this. It was ten years or possibly life. That wasn't a choice at all.
"No I don't. I'll have to take the deal."
"Are you certain? If so, we can get you into court late this afternoon. I can contact the prosecutor right away."
Paige took a deep breath, trying to comprehend what had caused just happened. "Yes I'm sure. I'll plead guilty for the deal".
"Right, I have to go now, I will see you in the courtroom later on today. Do you have anything you want to ask me?"
Paige shook her head and Mr Otunga left. The guard came in and returned Paige to her cell. Lunch came in on a tray but Paige couldn't even look at it. She was in disbelief. She just wanted to turn back time and make sure she never entered that store. She never considered that anything like this could have happened. Scott made it sound so easy, they hadn't even talked about her getting arrested. Now she was going to prison for ten years, losing some of the best years of her life.
These thoughts were cut off when the cell door opened and two guards came in, one carrying cuffs and chains. "We need to transport you to court now." One said. A chain was wrapped around her waist again. She was handcuffed, but in front this time and the cuffs were attached to the waist chain. She also had cuffs placed around her ankles, linked together and a chain attaching those to her waist too. She had to take small steps but got to the transport van without falling down.
On arrival at the courthouse, Paige was placed in a holding cell. This was just a bench behind bars instead of a cell with a door. She wasn't there long as a bailiff came for her and took her to the courtroom. She had to keep her restraints on through all of this. Mr Otunga was there waiting for her, along with others who must be the prosecutors. Paige looked to the public area but saw no familiar faces. She did spot several people were looking at her and making notes. She knew they must be journalists which means what she did must have made the news. That means everyone who knows her knows about her crime and soon would know her fate too.
"Are you ok Miss Knight? You haven't changed your mind?" Otunga asked. Paige just shook her head and sat down next to him where she was shown to by the bailiffs.
Moments later everyone stood as the judge entered. He read out the details of the case and the moment of truth came swiftly. "Miss Knight, how do you plead to the charge of armed robbery?"
"I plead guilty your honour"
The judge addressed Paige directly. "Miss Knight, a guilty plea may have been part of a deal with prosecutors, but it was an unavoidable plea with the sheer volume of evidence against you. The state of Florida will not show any leniency to those who use a gun in the commission of a crime and the punishment handed down by the court must reflect this. That said, I am willing to accept the sentencing recommendation of the prosecution due to your previous clean record and clear show of remorse. Paige Knight, you are hereby sentenced to ten years in state prison. Sentence is to begin immediately. Bailiff, please remove the prisoner."
The bailiff took Paige by the arm and led her from the court room. She expected to go back to the holding cell but she went to a different cell, more like the one at the jail. The bailiff said there would not be a transport till later on the next day so she would be kept there till then. The restraints were removed and the cell was locked. Paige sat down on the bed dwelling on the last word the judge said. 'Prisoner'. "That's what I am now" she thought to herself as she started to wonder what was in store for her tomorrow and for the next ten years.
A/N Thanks for the reviews/follows/favourites. They inspired me to just keep writing and got this done much quicker than expected. Next time Paige will arrive at the prison and meet some staff and other inmates. Any idea who her cell mate will be?
