HOW TO TEMPT A CROOK

Chapter 5

AS MUCH AS KELLY DISLIKED Spencer, it was hard not to admire his work ethic. They'd both been working in Chambers & Quinn for just close to a month, but the man had already cleared three cases and won them all. He was often the first at the office and among the last to leave while preparing his cases. And when he was in court... well, it was a sight to see.

"Ladies and gentlemen, a man is dead. And my client took his life." Spencer paused to let his words sink in as his gaze swept over each member of the jury. He paced in front of the jury box. "But we're not here because my client took that man's life. We're here because the prosecution thinks that my client deserves to go to jail for it. But does he?"

One by one, he stared at the members of the jury as he continued, "Mr. Assistant District Attorney here keeps on waxing on about the sanctity of Derrick Mosley's life and how my client, Brian, didn't respect it." Spencer turned to face the A.D.A. "But what about the sanctity of Brian's life? What about the fact that Derrick Mosley trampled on the sanctity of my client's life over and over again, in every way possible, short of killing him?"

The jurors glared at the A.D.A as if he was personally to blame for this situation. Though the A.D.A maintained a stoic expression, you could tell that Spencer's words were getting to him.

His tone grave, Spencer continued, "This man whose sanctity of life my client was supposed to respect abused my client for over sixteen years. Brian is twenty-two right now, which means he was six years old when Mr. Mosley began to sexually abuse him. Six years old."

Several jurors winced. The A.D.A frowned.

"The A.D.A wants you to be offended that Brian defended himself after sixteen years. You know what offends me?" Spencer spun around to fix his piercing gaze on the A.D.A. again. With a sneer, he said, "That there were several reports made to the government in the course of those sixteen years about my client's abuse. That his teachers and neighbors said something was off in that family and yet no one did anything."

Frowning, he continued, "If the government had investigated just one of those reports, we wouldn't be here today. If they had taken my client out of that house, Derrick Mosley wouldn't be dead, and my client wouldn't be dealing with the crippling effects of sixteen years of abuse. But hey, let's spend over fifty thousand dollars to prosecute the boy because he finally got big enough to defend himself because they wouldn't. Hey, let's spend another fifty thousand to imprison him because the person he dared to kill is the nation's most beloved football coach."

This time the A.D.A. actually squirmed in his seat.

"If this was any other man, the prosecution would've put a lid on it." Spencer laughed but there was no amusement in his tone. "Let's face it, the only reason we're here is because Derrick Mosley is a celebrity. His death makes for good TV. It's a good platform for the District Attorney's office to flex its muscles and show us that they're doing their job. But the only thing they've shown us today is that a celebrity's life is more sanctified than that of everyone else, than ours. That the celebrity can do anything to us, to our children, as long as he keeps bringing us those trophies..."

Kelly, who was watching Spencer weave his spell around everyone in the courtroom, was in awe. Though she was his second and had watched him prepare for this trial, she still couldn't quite believe how good he was. Goodness, the man had a tongue like the devil; seductive, eloquent and oh so convincing.

And the jury ate it all up.

They were listening keenly, and some were now even nodding in agreement as he spoke. Any fool could see that he had them right where he wanted them – in the palm of his hands. No wonder he'd had a ninety percent conviction record when he was at the District Attorney's office. He was a beast! When she grew up, she wanted to be just like him.