Forced to Defend

By Dwayne L. Taylor

A man stands accused of killing an investigative reporter, and the individual who harbors the deepest animosity toward him is compelled to act as his defender.

In the heart of the case lies a man, facing allegations of having committed the grave crime of murdering an investigative reporter. What adds a fascinating twist to this

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aspire Publishing Hub, LLC
• Release date: Nov 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9781962611176

Book preview

9781962611176-cover.jpg

A man is accused of murdering an

investigative reporter. The one person, who

despises him most, is forced to defend him.

A novel by

Dwayne L. Taylor

Produced by

Dwayne L. Taylor

Forced to Defend

Copyright © 2023 by Dwayne L. Taylor

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

ISBN

978-1-962611-16-9 (Paperback)

978-1-962611-17-6 (eBook)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. For showering me with His love, grace, mercy, joy and peace and injecting me with inspiration and the gift to write, I thank Him. I would also like to thank my family, friends and fans for their love and support. I pray this novel will be a blessing and joy to everyone.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

Jeremiah 29:11-12

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 1

Horns were blowing, taillights flashing and cars piled on top of one another during the morning rush hour traffic. Most of the morning smog had finally lifted over the freeway of spaghetti roads, but not before creating a traffic accident in the middle of the four- lane highway. Firefighters and ambulance personnel were busy treating the injured people involved in the accident, that had cars jammed for miles.

On the other side of the road, construction workers were arduously repairing a damaged section of the freeway. Nonetheless, these were all typical commuter problems that drivers faced on the 110 freeway in Los Angeles. Everyday it was the same situation, but on Mondays it was always worse. Most of the commuters were trying to make it to work before their 8 a.m. clock-in time. Today was no different for a young, energetic attorney named Marian Gibson. She knew her day was clear of morning appointments, and there was really no reason to rush to the office. While moving slowly behind a Cadillac, she decided to call, alerting her staff that she was on the way.

Marian Gibson’s law office, answered Denise, her secretary.

Hey girl, it’s me. I just wanted to let you know that I am running late. I will be in after I pick up my coffee and bagel, Marian said. "You know I’ve got to get that coffee.

Ok Marian. Would you please pick up a newspaper? The delivery man forgot us again.

Gotcha. By the way, do I have anything scheduled for this morning?

No, you are clear until this afternoon. Mrs. King is coming in at 2:30 to discuss the situation with you about little Alex.

Good, I am looking forward to meeting her. We have been missing each other. I need to get some more information about her son’s case. Listen, I have got to go. I’ll see you in a little while.

After discontinuing the conversation, Marian turned her radio’s volume up to listen for a traffic and weather report. While scanning the stations, she stopped to listen to an old, familiar song. She unconsciously began to sing along. The beat had Marian bouncing up and down in the car, attempting to groove to the music. After several minutes of stop and go, the traffic finally broke and she made her way through all the delays.

Marian Gibson, a juvenile defense attorney, took her typical downtown exit to her law office. Her two-year-old law practice was thriving and she had reached a point where she must turn away new clients. Her caseload had grown by leaps and bounds. After working on some high profile cases, she had gained a reputation in the legal community among her peers for being successful. Marian had been very triumphant in the courtroom, with the majority of her cases. Those she hadn’t won resulted in reduced charges during pretrial negotiations.

The slender built Marian stood just less than six feet tall. She was a beautiful, intelligent, black attorney who made one of her childhood dreams come true by starting her own law practice. As a young girl, she became fascinated with the judicial system. One of her favorite television programs was LA law; Marian fell in love with the series and never missed an episode.

When Marian graduated from high school, she knew she wanted to practice law. After she received her undergraduate degree, she immediately applied to law school and was accepted. From the first day of her arrival on campus, she became very active. By her third year of law school, Marian was the chief editor for the Law Review, the college’s law magazine that published a monthly newsletter, addressing a variety of legal issues that students faced.

Graduating in the top five percent of her class, she was offered a job in the Public Defender’s Office, dubbed the PDO. Marian worked two years in the juvenile division, litigating a variety of cases from car theft to murder. During her stint at the PDO, she met two of her best friends: her administrative assistant Denise and a sharp witted paralegal assistant, Lenny.

Denise, a street-wise young woman, started working for the PDO as part of a government program for single mothers. The program was designed to empower women with social, economic and intellectual skills, providing them an opportunity to survive within a professional work environment. Because of Marian’s influence, Denise had become self-sufficient and went back to college to pursue a bachelor’s degree in legal studies.

Lenny, a thin, tall, white man, had quit law school after his second year to take care of his bedridden pregnant wife. Skilled in the area of research and brief writing, he was the cornerstone of Marian’s law office and often worked overtime to prepare for many of her court cases. He had been out of law school for over 10 years and had been contemplating going back, but was unable to do so because of financial reasons. They all enjoyed working together, so when Marian decided to start her own practice they both joined her firm.

Because of her love for children, Marian had limited her practice only to juveniles. She sincerely believed she could make a difference in a child’s life and that all children need a second chance. She also believed children are a product of their environment and only get into trouble because of bad parenting. She made frequent visits to local schools and organizations to talk about overcoming teen pregnancy and better parenting. The PDO juvenile section was recently inundated with so many new cases, that they were unable to properly address them. Marian’s office represented as many as she could.

Making it through the traffic and all the delays were just part of her daily drive to work. The other half was to find decent parking. Marian purchased space in a garage not far from her office, but it was always full, which became a problem. If she were late, like this particular day, someone would always park in her designated space. Although the parking attendant would have the thief’s car towed, waiting for the space to be available consumed too much of her time. Therefore, Marian continued searching for a space to park her gray Lexus GS 300. After circling inside the garage several times, she found an open spot close to the elevator. Marian stepped out of the car with her purse, reached inside the trunk for her briefcase, then made a quick stroll towards the elevator.

It was another hot and sunny day in southern California. Thousands of people were scurrying to their offices in the busy downtown district. Marian made her habitual coffee shop stop, ordered a bagel with cream cheese and a large coffee with two creams and sugars. The shop was always busy, with many people standing in line to purchase freshly brewed coffee and daily baked bagels. It was a very popular stop among the yuppies. Because Marian was a little later than normal, she only had to wait a few minutes before her order was filled and she on her way again. Marian then headed over to a news and magazine stand to pick up a newspaper for the office.

Good morning Jim, Marian said, speaking to the newsstand cashier.

Well, top of the morning to you Marian. How are you? The Irish speaking Jim responded.

I am doing fine Jim. How is that grandson of yours? Marian inquired.

He is doing quite well, thanks to you. We owe you a lot. I will never forget what you have done for my family.

Jim, it’s no big deal. I am just glad I could help.

You are such an angel.

Well, I have got to get to work. Here is a dollar for the paper.

Your money is no good with me. This paper is on the house.

Jim refused to take any money from Marian, but gave her the newspaper. She casually glanced at the story headlines and tucked the paper under her arm. Marian resumed her hike to her office, carefully navigating her way through the busy downtown crowd.

Her office, located in the midtown section of downtown, was sandwiched between the Thurgood Marshall Hall and the Frederick Douglas building. She finally arrived shortly before 9:30 a.m.

Good morning gang, Marian said, entering the glass door.

Good morning Marian, Lenny said. Traffic really heavy again?

It was murder. There was another accident, Marian replied. They really need to do something about this traffic situation.

Marian walked past Lenny’s office and made it to her workspace. She placed her briefcase, coffee and newspaper on her desk.

Good morning Marian. You really look cute in that suit girl, said her legal secretary.

Good morning Denise and it’s not the suit. It’s what’s in the suit, she said, jokingly.

You better go girl. I placed some messages on your desk. A couple of newspaper reporters called.

Did they mention to you what they wanted? Marian asked, with a puzzled look.

They said something about a woman who was murdered early Sunday morning. Did you read the newspaper about that reporter being killed?"

No, I haven’t had the chance.

Lenny, did we receive the contract files from the PDO? Marian asked.

Yes. Jeff came by already and I placed them immediately on your conference table. I haven’t had a chance to look them over, Lenny replied. Jeff asked about you. He still likes you, you know.

I know. The time was never right for the two of us.

Jeff Carter, the PDO mail courier who delivered the court appointed cases, made his stop at Marian’s office to drop off more work. Delivering the cases was not really his job; he only stopped at Marian’s office in an attempt to see her. He was also an attorney and liked Marian very much. The two of them met while she worked at PDO and he had been trying to date her since then. But, she liked him only as a friend. Because Marian had been unable to get over her first love, she was reluctant to open up and date anyone else.

Marian walked over to the table and picked up five files Jeff delivered that morning, then went back to her desk. She began to thumb through documents, pausing to read one of the files, while drinking her coffee. All of a sudden, she spewed out her coffee. Oh my gosh! Marian yelled out, while trying to sit down. She missed her chair and fell.

Lenny and Denise rushed into her office only to find her getting up from the floor. She appeared to be choking and hyperventilating. It was obvious that she was having a hard time speaking.

Marian are you all right? Lenny and Denise asked, while trying to assist her in cleaning the coffee off her clothes and at the same time, coaching her breathing patterns.

Marian did not answer; instead she picked up the telephone and quickly dialed the PDO, clinching one of the files in her hand. Placing her hand up in the air, she gestured to Denise and Lenny, telling them to hold on, while she sat in her chair.

May I speak with Larry Joy, please? Marian asked, with desperation in her voice.

Both Denise and Lenny looked confusingly at each other and watched Marian get up from her chair. She began pacing back and forth, behind her desk. This was usually a warning sign that she was nervous or something had gone wrong. Lenny and Denise knew their boss and this was not a characteristic she displayed daily. After all, she was calling Larry Joy, her former supervisor at the PDO. She did not like him one bit. Marian and Larry had heated debates, in the past, about the amount of time she used representing children and researching juvenile laws. Larry thought Marian was spending too much time and money trying cases, instead of pleading them, even if the child were innocent. He also thought Marian became too involved in her child clients. This would hinder her ability to plea out most cases, which could save the department some money.

Marian asked Larry for a smaller caseload and a salary increase, but he refused to do either one.

The receptionist came back to the phone. I’m sorry. Mr. Joy is in court all day and will not return until tomorrow. Is there something I can help you with?

Yes, this is Marian Gibson. I would like to know which judge assigned the Stevens case to me, Marian said. The receptionist placed Marian on hold while she went to research the weekend judicial assignments. Marian covered the telephone with one hand and began to sip her coffee, while briefly making small talk with Denise and Lenny.

I will explain to you guys in a moment, she whispered.

They both nodded their heads in acknowledgement. Denise and Lenny had never seen their boss act this way before, so they were anxious to find out what was wrong.

On the other end of the phone, the receptionist was busy trying to find the information Marian had requested. It took quite a while, so Marian assumed that she was answering other calls and also placing those callers on hold. She located the ledger from the weekend judge’s appointments and scanned down to the Stevens name.

She returned to an impatient and nervous Marian, waiting on the phone. Marian that would be Judge Susan Smyth.

Thank you, Marian said, after she hung up the telephone.

Marian, you are supposed to say thank you while she is still on the phone, Lenny suggested.

Oh, yeah, you’re right. Sorry.

A still frantic Marian began to look through her rolodex for Judge Smyth’s telephone number. She found it and started to dial the judge’s chambers.

Hello, may I please speak with Judge Smyth? Marian asked the receptionist.

I’m sorry, but Judge Smyth is not in at the moment. She is in court and won’t return until 11:30 a.m. May I take a message?

No! Marian said, sounding disgusted and agitated.

Marian slammed the phone down and made a mad dash to the door, with the Stevens’ file and her purse in hand. Denise and Lenny attempted to stop her.

Where are you going? What’s going on Marian?" Denise and Lenny asked, while following Marian to the door.

I will explain when I get back, said Marian, bursting out the office like an Olympic sprinter, running out the blocks.

Marian, Marian what’s wrong? Denise shouted from the door.

I’ll tell you when I get back.

You have Vanessa King coming in this afternoon for a conference about Alex. What do you want me to do?

Marian ignored her and continued to walk the crowded sidewalk, headed downtown. Denise continued to stand at the door for a few moments, then walked back inside and began talking to Lenny.

I have never seen her this way before. Have you? Denise asked.

I can’t say that I have. There must be something seriously wrong, but I don’t know what.

She had a file in her hand. I think it was one of those delivered this morning. Did you get a chance to look at any of those files that Jeff delivered?

No, I immediately looked into Alex’s brief. I kinda wish that I would have at least peeked now.

Marian’s office workers and best friends continued to chat about her weird and bizarre behavior. They also discussed the news of the murdered reporter, before returning to their morning, designated assignments and routines.

Chapter 2

Marian briskly walked to the courthouse located in the lower downtown district area, about 10 blocks from her office. She was very familiar with Judge Smyth and the two of them did not like each other. This was the only Judge in the world that could really get underneath her skin. For some reason she and Judge Smyth never got along. Marian always tried to avoid speaking and appearing before her. She thought their adversarial relationship might have stemmed from her days of working with the PDO.

Judge Smyth, then an assistant district attorney, worked with the State Prosecutor’s Office and was Marian’s chief litigant in the courtroom. They met many times in the halls of justice. As a lawyer, Smyth was able to win only a few cases against Marian. However, those cases were inconsequential. Marian believed she harbored ill feelings towards her for defeating her so many times. It was quite evident when Judge Smyth was