The Schadenfreude Society Ch 12
The celebrity news analysts and pundits called it The Trial of the Century. After having conveniently forgotten that they had said the exact same thing of the Eddie Newman Trial of only last year.
Emory Chance, Nathaniel Freed, Toby Gillis, and Steven Sokolov…
They had all been found guilty of the charges brought against them, had all been sentenced to death.
Adam Roberts, Daniel Carrera, Roger Hall.
The Schadenfreude Society had ordered the death of Daniel Carrera to frame an innocent writer. They had planted cocaine on Adam Roberts to discredit him; which led to his suicide. They had Heidi Ellison killed to frame Eddie Newman. All to increase magazine sales and gossip TV ratings…
The other three, Lana Lerner, Samuel Gardinski, and Dr. Dan Duval, had been sentenced to eight to twelve in return for giving testimony against the Defendants. Duval, had also been required to give up his license to practice medicine.
"You okay with the verdict?" Jack McCoy, sitting at his desk, asked Ben Stone.
"My opinion on the Death Penalty is irrelevant," Ben Stone shrugged. "It's what the People wanted. Are you satisfied?"
"Ben…" McCoy sighed. "Emory Chance, and his friends, made…millions…trading on the bad behavior of the rich and famous. But it wasn't enough. They had to play God. They picked out particular celebrities, framed them. They acted with callous disregard for peoples' lives. They had people murdered, and used the DA's Office to do their dirty work. Can you honestly say they don't deserve the Death Penalty?"
Now, it was Ben Stone who sighed.
"Jack…We're human beings. Even with the best will in the world, and the greatest care; on occasion, prosecutors make mistakes. We sometimes fail to convict the guilty, and we sometimes convict an innocent person. The Death Penalty is final. Once the person is dead, you can't undo it."
Abruptly, memories of Claire Kincaid filled McCoy's mind.
We always had arguments over the Death Penalty.
What I wouldn't give to have her back, arguing with me…
"Claire would have agreed with you," saying those words to Ben Stone was the hardest thing Jack McCoy had ever done. "We argued about it after Mickey Scott's execution…"
Now, there was a man who truly deserved the Needle.
He raped and murdered a woman in public, in front of applauding witnesses. All for denting his car…
…..
Claire would have agreed with you…
Ben Stone bowed his head at McCoy's statement.
"Jack…" There was really nothing he could say to that.
Time to leave, I guess…
"The case is done, Jack," He stood to take his leave. "You got what you wanted, so...Jack?"
McCoy was chuckling, the muted laughter dark and bitter.
"Adam said that to me after Eddie Newman was sentenced to death," he said after a bit. "Began with a killing, ended with an execution. You got what you wanted. Take the rest of the week off…"
"What do you expect?" Stone asked. "He's not a fan of the Death Penalty either."
"No," McCoy nodded. "Guess that makes me the odd one out…"
"Maybe it's time to rethink things…" Stone suggested.
McCoy shrugged uncomfortably.
"Where are you off to now?" he asked.
"I'm going to help Lynn set up a trust fund for Angelique Carrera and her children."
"Lynn?" McCoy was momentarily at a loss.
"Anais Van der Hooten's real name," Stone explained. "She still feels guilt over what happened to Daniel Carrera."
"Not her fault," McCoy stated.
"I know," Stone nodded. "She still needs to make things right-her own words."
Ben Stone paused.
"I'm staying in Manhattan, Jack, and I know what this job can be like. You ever find yourself in need to someone to talk to, or scream at, I'm only a phone call away."
"Yeah…" McCoy stood, held out a hand. "Thanks for the help, and you can be sure I'll take you up on that offer…"
fin