Courtroom Nine
2001
The courtroom was strangely quiet on this first court day of the new year. The holiday weekend had an amble number of arrests for the usual "drunk and disorderlys" as well as arrests of the tourists who, on return from their "first night" celebration, decided to pay for a "date" on their way home. However, there seemed little desire for the Clerk of the Court, nor the court officers to get the session under way. As a matter of fact there were few court personnel to be seen.
"Did you hear,...Did you hear...?" an overly awake college student named "Sean," awaiting
arraignment for "minor in possession of alcohol," whispered to the young women "escort"
next to him. "Judge Murphy's left the bench...retired...or something...supposedly ran off to
California with some young prostitute who had appeared before him..." "It's all over the rag
sheet..." "Apparently he left quite a bit of baggage.. A wife, three kids and a house
mortgaged to the hilt..... that girl better look as good as you for it to be worth it..." he
continued,.... as he now noticed, with interest, that you truly can get what you pay for..
All of a sudden, four court officers burst through the courtroom doors and began rolling in
two large projection televisions to the front of the courtroom. In came several men and
women dressed in identical uniforms who began hooking up wires and microphones at
several strategic locations in the courtroom. Everyone was looking back and forth at the
busy workers and themselves, caught between curiosity and bemusement.
No one tried to leave the courtroom, but if they did it would have been to no avail. As the
uniformed personnel were doing the wiring, another group was installing infrared reflectors
and locking gates in front of the courtroom doors. As soon as one person in the back of the
room noticed the gatekeepers at work he yelled out... "Hey, what's going on here... I have to
go to work today..." Soon the whole courtroom was yelling out... but there was no court
personnel to answer. Even the prosecutors and defense lawyers were absent...
"Testing" .. A voice boomed from what sounded like the ceiling... "GOOD MORNING
ladies and gentleman.. ...I am pleased to announce that today we are beginning a test of the
automated arraignment , detention, and disposition proceedings. This is the first courtroom
in the State to participate in this unique, cost effective and efficient mechanism for the
orderly administration of justice. We expect to swiftly handle each and everyone of your
cases, with most of the cases being able to be disposed of today, all without the bureaucratic
and systematic delays that are all to frequent in our court system."
"Now, let me explain what will be transpiring"....the voice continued, booming from above,
as people turned in their seats looking for a way out... "If you focus attention to the front of
the courtroom at the two monitors, Judge Swift will inform you about your constitutional
rights to counsel, trial and so-forth.... Your name will then be called... at which time 'a duty
lawyer of the day' will appear on the left screen and be able to assist you, albeit, you all
must be mindful that we have many cases here, with the arraignment process. You will
then be given a choice of pleading guilty or not guilty... Those who do plead guilty will, and
I promise you this, be given the best sentence they can ever expect for the particular offense
for which you have been charged."
"You see, we have now compiled sufficient datum to know what all judges sentence for a
particular crime. We then take the average sentence and offer you, today, and only today a
50 % discount on the average sentence. Now I am sure you all see the benefits that can be
achieved by an early admission.... For those who plead not guilty, well, their cases will
continue on....but they will be detained until they either get to trial or post the required bail
according to the newly increased uniform bail schedule.... So I hope you all sit back,
consider the consequences and take the benefit of this truly wonderful program once your
name is called...."
Sean and the rest of the people in the courtroom were truly bewildered...There was no way out . The gatekeepers had secured the place.. "How much time do you do for 'minor in possession' he thought as he heard the first person called before the bench, tv, or whatever you call it...... As he tried to take his mind off of what was going to happen, and whether he was going to be able to return to school after the Winter break... He heard the voice from above say... "90 days... Next" and three court officers moved to the front of the room towards the defendant.. As he looked again towards the gatekeepers thinking there must be a way to escape he heard... "Bail...$25,000 remanded until bail is paid or time of trial"...
" Sean Edwards...Please step forward.." "Mr. Edwards.. Please step up to the podium" ... All of a sudden Sean felt a tugging on his shirt... As he opened his eyes he looked up at Judge Murphy leering down at him with disdain... "Did you have a good weekend Mr. Edwards? Are you ready to join us?"
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