A Wednesday Afternoon at the Law Firm run by my wife, Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander
and her niece,
Attorney Beverly West...
I'm Donnie Ray Alexander, an extremely lucky New Orleans Homicide Detective whose path crossed with a lonely woman from Philadelphia named Olivia Bennett one night during Essence Fest and had his entire life changed..
In a year I had left the force, gotten my P.I. license and moved to Philadelphia, where I looked her up and became an investigator for her and her niece's fledgling law firm...Oh yeah...We got married along the way..
Her niece, younger by nine years married Attorney Nelson East
who had worked with her and her aunt at the Public Defenders Office for years....He eventually joined the firm as an associate attorney....
and now we were joined by Ms. Josie Boyd, here from the beginning as an Administrative Assistant/Office manager , then as a Para-legal and now a newly minted Attorney herself..
We started in the conference room....
"It's been a good month guys...I'm almost afraid...We've been winning so much and making so much money...we've got to face a downturn soon.It's just inevitable."said Olivia.
"Don't jinx us Auntay, just enjoy the moment."said Beverly, who was pleased as punch her husband was now an Associate Attorney with us..
Olivia and Beverly had successfully finished three individual cases and three cases together...
Nelson himself had successfully finished three cases of his own....
"Mannnnnnn you know, at first I missed the male bonding at my old firm, Robert Foxworth and associates...buttttt I think I like this just as well.."said Nelson..
''What's not to like? You're here with Beverly.....and you know you missed me."laughed Olivia...
"No argument there."said Nelson, who hugged and kissed his wife, Beverly..
who giggled...
and our newest attorney
Josie Boyd had finished up another three cases all on her own....
"Wowwww this is great... I'm just waiting on a big case that we can all work together." she said.
"Be careful what you wish for baby girl..I got a feeling one is coming down the pike." I said.
I was exhausted....Being the investigator for all of them...but it was no different than my life as a Homicide Investigator in New Orleans, working four or five different cases at a time sometimes..
Today however was a rest day..A day to reflect...
Beverly's mother, Alfreda Johnson , who had Beverly with Olivia's much older brother, Jimmy was now our Office Manager...She served us hot coffee and doughnuts..
as we discussed the past cases and filed them away....
Alfreda's significant other, Assistant District Attorney Rockland Cambridge had stopped by
He was once a bitter opponent of ours...No longer...He was almost like one of the family...
They were in the front office kissing passionately....
"You are the horniest man alive...Would you calm down before. somebody sees us..?" pleaded Alfreda, giggling...
"You're the sexiest woman alive..I can't help it.." he said..
''Am I? or do you just want some?" laughed Alfreda.
"Ummmmm both!" he moaned in between kisses...
The door opened up...Attorney Jessica Sanchez poked her head in...She blushed...
"Oh Excuse me...The uh door was open...I'm uh sorry." she said..embarrassed at seeing them making out..
"That's alright baby...I should apologize to you....He can't seem to control himself when he's around me..You wanted to see Liv?" asked Alfreda, who eased out of Rockland's embrace...Her lipstick was all over his face and his lapel....
A young man popped his head in...He was young, Handsome....
"This is my fiancé..I-I .I mean my associate... My Fiance and my associate...Chip Burrows..He is an Attorney with the Innocence Project."said Jessica nervously...
"It's okay baby...If he's your man and your associate...Fiance' huh? You've got good tastes..."laughed Alfreda..
"I'll take you to Liv and them.."said Alfreda..
She looked at Rockland..
"Calm yourself down.."she whispered to him... His trousers were standing out like a circus tent..
Rockland smiled and sat down..
"Liv, Beverly, guys...You have visitors.."said Alfreda..
"Hi Olivia, Beverly, Donnie Ray, Nelson and congratulations Ms. Josie....Attorney Josie Boyd.."laughed Jessica, hugging Josie...
"Hi Guys...I finally get to meet the legends.."laughed Chip..
''Well Hello and congratulations on your engagement...Come in sit down, have some coffee and doughnuts."said Olivia.
''Heyyy Jessie, Chip...Congratulations on the engagement.."said Beverly..
Nelson had brought Chip to me a few weeks ago,,, He needed an Engagement ring and wedding bands....Nelson and Chip had worked a couple of cases together and had become good friends!
I took him to my guy and got him a ring.. For which I got a nice healthy commission. Just Like I had for Nelson, Elwood, Dabnis and a few others in the past!
and a few nights later he took Jessica to a nice Rooftop Bistro..
Where he popped the question and she accepted......They had since moved in together.....
Olivia took them both to her realtor, Sepia Morris , who was showing them potential houses they might like to move into.
"You better grab some doughnuts before Nelson here eats them all.."I said, laughing..
Nelson cracked up laughing..
"Come on over partner." he said.
"Hi guys...."said Josie..
"This a social call or business" asked Olivia..
"Welllllll, Kinda Both!" said Jessie.."Is this a bad time?" she asked.
"It's the perfect time...Nothing is on our dockets."said Beverly..
"What's up?" I asked.
II-
A DAY LATER-
At the new headquarters of her law firm, Attorney Jasmine Jenkins was happy today..\
She was engaged to be married...She was filing away a stack of successful cases she had either tried or negotiated for the firm and was back in their good graces again, though not on the fast track to partnership...She no longer cared anymore..She was fulfilled at work, She had a new man, a fiancé! and was enjoying their new home..
which was around the corner from her old friends and not too far from some new friends...She was in a nice area with other successful African-Americans...There was shopping, Movies, Three great Clubs and several restaurants....A Hairdresser, A Nailery, A Gym and her church...She couldn't ask for more...
Across the hall from her Law Firm was Assistant District Attorney Karen Page's office...
An office her job had given her in an agreement with the city that she herself had negotiated.. Karen was the sole Member of the D.A.'s Wrongful Convicition Unit. She didn't have an Administrative Asisstant yet , nor even a Staff Attorney...Instead, she contracted her cases out to talented Defense Attorneys she knew...so Far it was a huge success...She had reversed the convictions of 30 people..Not bad for a start....
Karen Page was also that at work Girlfriend she hadn't had since her days as a Public defender, working with
Olivia Bennett-Alexander....Olivia Barnes back then
And her niece, Beverly West-East , who she had attended Law school with...The wife of her former
co-worker and boyfriend, of six months...
Nelson East....Nelson had been a real sweetheart....but his heart belonged to Beverly from day one..
Karen Page was nine years older than Jasmine and white, but had been in law school with Olivia Bennett and Yvette Jones and had been married to a Black man once.. She was real down to Earth and not pretentious...She spoke the language you might say...
Anyway...Jasmine and Karen often sat in her office and had coffee and talked at lunch...They even ventured in town and shopped occasionally...
Today, Karen had called her and asked to see her..
''Hey Karen what's up?" asked Jasmine.
"I was impressed with the way you handled yourself during the Jason Biggs case... I have another case I'd like for you to work on with me...and some other attorneys...You know them all...If you're interested I'll arrange with your firm to hire you as a consultant as I did during the Biggs case.."said Karen..
"Sure..who are the attorneys?" asked Jasmine..
"Well your neighbors, Olivia Bennett-Alexander, Beverly West-East, Nelson East,Donnie Ray Alexander and Josie Boyd are five of the seven...
said Karen..
"YAYYYYY! OH MY GOD! I was sooo jealous that my fiancé got to work with them twice and that he worked with Yvette and her guys before I did.."said Jasmine....So who are the other two?" asked Jasmine.
''Uhhh Attorney Charles "Chip" Burrows, your ex...and his uh New Fiance….Jessica Sanchez....If you're going to feel at all uncomfortable...You can sit this one out..."said Karen...
"Noooooooo , Nooooo Chip and I are good...We went out and had dinner recently...Me,him and his fiancé.. We are totally good...
I love Jessica...and as for Chip...I apologized to him...I was cheating on him with two other guys and he caught me...I was wrong....He was nothing but good to me...Even after that he defended me before the Ethics Board and kept me from getting disbarred...I owe him my career...I've got nothing but love for him...He left this firm, took a pay cut to work for the Innocence Project...he's happy now, practicing the kind of law he wants and he's met someone nice, down to Earth who makes him happy.. I would love nothing better than to work with the both of them.." said Jasmine.
"Ohhh Wonderful, Therapy really worked for you huh?....Two other guys huh? You've got to tell me your secret....WOW! Okay...then it's set...Let me tell you about the case... Oh there is my phone..I have to take this...I'll stop by and fill you in on the particulars.." said Karen..
Jasmine smiled...She hadn't been this blissfully happy in a long time.. She remembered this morning at home.. She was blissfully happy then too!
She was washing the breakfast dishes when Dabnis walked up behind her and put his arms around her.
"Girl you got to wear some clothes around here...You can't walk around in your panties like this..We aint gonna make it to work." he laughed...He smelled good as usual...
"I thought you like me walking around in my panties....This way, you don't have to ask me what color they are for the day.."she said..
"I do like it...Ummmmmmmmmmmm, you know I love you girl..." he said..
"I know you do baby...ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, oh my godddd Dabnis!...Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.." she moaned...He had slipped her panties down and unzippered his trousers..
He had entered her doggie style and was thrusting inside her slowly....
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Jazzzy….Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmph.." he moaned hard as he thrusted away....
FORTY FIVE MINUTES LATER..... He found himself cumming and cumming hard...but so was Jasmine.. Both of her legs were shaking furiously, her hands were flapping...her head was turning from side to side and her mouth was wide open..She was having a hugely intense orgasm!
She slipped her panties up...
"Gotta get another shower...Can't wear these today.." she said..
"Wowwww! You are so soft...So wet....Wowwwww! and you smell sooo good...You drive me crazy" said Dabnis..
They kissed passionately for a few minutes..
"I drive you crazy Dabnis? That's good to know." said Jasmine as she headed for the shower..
III-
THE DAY BEFORE-
''I have a case..A Blatant case of wrong conviction...Rather than try to go to an appellate court...I took this to the Wrongful Conviction Unit.. I heard Yvette Jones and crew got a death penalty verdict thrown out in one day..I thought I might go that route with this case if possible..I talked to Karen Page and she suggested I bring you guys in on this because she said you handled a case like this before..
My Fiance here is learning a lot about defense law and advocacy, So I brought him in on this so he could learn as much as possible."said Jessica.
"This is great Jessie...I'd be honored to help you."said Olivia..
"That makes two of us."said Beverly..
"So you get me by default.."I said, smiling at her..
"These are the kinds of cases I love to work.."said Nelson eagerly...He had helped us many times as a paid consultant ,before he joined our firm..
"You know I'm down..."said Josie, smiling..
"Great...I have dreamed of working with you guys " said Chip..
''So Jessie..What is the case?" asked Beverly..
"Our Client is Tiffany Brown...and here is the kicker..she's not on Death Row...she's not even in Prison..She has served her entire sentence....Five Years and been paroled..but she still has to wear an ankle bracelet and register as a sex offender..All for something that never happened. In my 8 1/2 years of doing this work, this is one of the worst travesties of justice I have encountered. Tiffany was released from prison last November 17. But she is NOT free. One would think that once you’ve served your full sentence and were released, that would be it; and you should be able to start rebuilding your shattered life, albeit with a prison record, but NO. Tiffany has been fitted with a GPS ankle bracelet, and registered as a sex offender – a life sentence. And get this – she is not even on probation; she’s on parole (“community supervision”) with harsh conditions, just like she’s still considered a prisoner. And indeed, she is still under the custody of the Department of Corrections, which limits her ability to take any kind of legal action. AND THIS IS ALL FOR A “CRIME” THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
She was a school teacher...She taught High school....She and her husband divorced... Divorced and with a new job at the high school, Tiffany was finally sticking a cautious toe into the dating pool. At the high school where she now worked, she found teenagers willing to babysit for her. Some of them had challenged home lives.
She did her best to assist them, even taking in one wayward 16-year-old, Brittany Hall whose mom had kicked her out of the house. For Tiffany Brown, it was the Christian thing to do.
She did not know it, but her days of normalcy were numbered. On February 11, 2014, Tiffany Brown was arrested outside her home by Philadelphia police on suspicion of child molestation. It was only after she had been held for 66 days, then finally released on $100,000 bond, that she would grasp the full extent of the allegations against her.
The state alleged Tiffany Brown had engaged in a mutual grope and kissing session with a 16-year-old named John Valley.
Incredibly, she was supposed to have done this in a room full of teenage witnesses, some of whom had babysat her daughter.
John Valley claimed to authorities that Tiffany had kissed him on two different occasions before the alleged incident on the afternoon of February 5 2014. Jon said Mrs. Brown molested him during a visit she made that day to the home of Jack and Diane Kohler, where Jon and his older brother Nick had been living since early January.
In the bedroom of his friend Donnie Kohler, with Brittany Hall, Nick, and others present, John claimed, Mrs. Brown pulled a blanket over them as the pair sat or lay on the floor.
Beneath the blanket, where no one could see, John said Mrs. Brown unbuttoned her pants and his, placed his hand down her pants into her panties onto her vagina, and she stuck her hand down his pants, fondling his penis over his underwear. This fondling supposedly occurred anywhere between two and 15 minutes, until John rose to get a drink of water. Donnie and Brittany, in the room making out with each other, stated they observed John and Mrs. Brown kissing beneath a blanket, though evidence later emerged to undermine Donnie's and Brittany's accounts. "said Jessica.
Chip continued.."That night, John and Tiffany Brown spoke by phone. Mike Kohler, Donnie's father, claimed he listened in through a bedroom extension as the two discussed running away to New York. Tiffany Brown later disputed this, saying she was admonishing John for trying to kiss her, and that the New York reference was a sarcastic one, taken out of context. Kohler told police he called John's mother, Janette Sloan, on a cell phone and placed the phones side by side, allowing her to listen in.
The next day, Ms.Sloan filed an order of protection against Tiffany Brown, then reported details of the alleged molestation to the Philadelphia police.
Two weeks following her arrest on February 11, Tiffany Brown was charged with three counts of child molestation and three counts of indecency. The media lumped her in with various high-profile cases of improper student-teacher relations, Even though John Valley was not her student. Rather, he attended another High School, across town. Tiffany Brown pleaded not guilty, aced a polygraph test, and passed a rigorous screening designed to sniff out pedophiles. Still, she was convicted after a six-day bench trial in early 2015. Despite conflicting testimony and a lack of physical evidence, Superior Court Judge Warren Granville believed Ms. Brown's accuser and found Tiffany Brown guilty on two counts of child molestation, resulting in a sentence of 3-6 years in state prison. She served it all at Dolly Madison Women's Correctional Facility for Women. He was paroled after serving four and a half years in prison..She is still on probation for another year..thus and ankle bracelet." he said.
"Despite the fact she was a first offender, she was denied parole and served five years of the six year sentence before being released..Tiffany Brown lost everything. Her home. Her career. Her good name. Her freedom. Plus, more than $400,000 in legal and consulting fees. And, most importantly, Taylor Lee, whom she has not seen or heard from since losing custody of the girl in 2015, because of the alleged molestation of John Valley.
Yet, after almost three years of confinement in Dolly Madison Correctional Facilty for women, there's some hope for our client.
In 20i7, Jon's elder brother Nick recanted his testimony against Mrs. Brown in a sworn affidavit; he accused his mother and his brother of concocting the tale to establish grounds for a lawsuit.
Since the trial, other witnesses have maintained that John lied about Biown.
Numerous individuals have communicated this information to now Former ADA and Judge H. Stanley Stanlinson, to no avail. The conviction took place under his watch, and legal experts assert it was his' duty as a seeker of justice to investigate this new information.
Until the Wrongful Conviciton Unit agreed to look her case."said Jessica.
"When you told us, you were the patron of lost causes...You weren't kidding." I said,laughing..
"H.Stanley Stanlison is the worst..."said Olivia.
"We went up against him in court and beat him as an ADA..
''We also successfully had him censored as a Judge, which is why he's no longer on the bench, he's in private practice...
''While on the bench, he slept with an ADA's wife...That ADA hired us and we successfully sued him and won."I said.
"I remember that." said Josie.
"As well they should.."said Olivia.
"I'm Angry just hearing this story...Let's go for it." said Beverly..
"This is why I became a lawyer..I'm in." said Nelson.
"Me too!" said Josie..
''Well it's unanimous." I said.
''GREAT!"said Chip.
"OUTSTANDING" said Jessica.
IV-
THE NEXT DAY- SAM MOTHER'S DINER..LUNCHTIME...
"Ummmm my mouth is watering for that Cheeseburger..."said Olivia..
"So is mine..I'm starving.."I said.
"Me Too!"said Beverly...
"Here he comes now."said Nelson..
"WOW! Look at it.."said Beverly..
We all sat in a booth at Sam Mother's Diner...
"I shouldn't be eating this...I want to be able to fit in my wedding dress."said Jessica.
"Oh Stop it...You'll be fine." said Chip.
Jessica and Chip sat with us... Sam Mother brought us
Today's special His Fat Cheeseburger
and Cokes...
Karen and Jasmine walked in just then....
"Hi Liv, Bev, Donnie Ray, Nelson and Josie.. Jasmine will also be working with us on the case.."said Karen..
''WOW! This will be like old times in the Public Defenders Office huh?" said Jasmine.
"Sure Will...This will be fun."said Beverly.
"I'm Looking forward to it." said Olivia.
"The Gang is back together." said Nelson..
"This will be a learning experience for you two."said Jessica to Chip and Josie.
"I'm ready as I'll ever be."said Chip..
''Me too!" said Josie.
''Ouuuu I love the passion..What's good here?" asked Karen.
"The Special, The Fatburger with Cheese"said Olivia..
"Ouuuuu I can't eat that...Just listen to that name.. The Fat Burger...I want to be able to fit in my wedding dress.."said Jasmine..
"Okayyyy, I was just telling Chip the same thing."said Jessica as the two women high fived..
Nelson and I sat in amazement at how well the two women were getting along..
Chip observed us and just smiled...
Jasmine, Karen and Jessica instead ordered a salad
and Ice tea..
We all laughed and talked and chowed down for awhile..
"Uh Ohhh Girl...Trouble just walked in.."whispered Jasmine..
''Oh Hell!" said Karen..
Lt. Tragg walked in....He scanned the restaurant as usual...
''Having the special Artie..?"asked Sam Mother.
"Nah, give me the Fish sandwich and Ice Tea.."said Lt. Tragg..
he said...He looked at Karen..
"Karen, come sit with me.." he said...It was almost a command..
"Arthur...I'm with my task force...We are having a business lunch..." she explained..Which wasn't exactly true..We had barely mentioned Business..
"Wait a minute...You have a different team every week? A few weeks ago you had Yvette Jones and her guys in here.."he said..
ATTORNEY YVETTE JONES
ATTORNEY SOFIA GARCIA
ATTORNEY BEATRICE "BEE BEE" EVANS
ATTORNEY KAHLIL AHMED
ATTORNEY KEITH JONES
JADE LEE, INVESTIGATOR
GARY LOCKWOOD ,INVESTIGATOR
JASMINE JENKINS, ATTORNEY, FORMER ADA
He said, remembering the line up....
''Different Case, Different Team...Nobody is permanent...I contract out....I don't have any staff attorneys..."said Karen...
He looked around...
Olivia Bennett-Alexander, Attorney
Her smart alec niece, Beverly West -East., Attorney
Josie Boyd, her new attorney...
Olivia's husband, Donnie Ray Alexander, ex cop, Investigator
Beverly's husband, Nelson East, Attorney
A guy he didn't know...Probably an Attorney...
Jessica Sanchez, the former Public Defender....who he was not too fond of...
and Jasmine Jenkins, a former ADA, now in Private Practice....She and Karen had certainly gotten chummy. He had heard that she had gotten Karen an office in her law firm's building on her floor even..but he had no idea what floor that was.
Everyone was different on this so called "Task Force" except Jasmine Jenkins...He just hoped they weren't reviewing one of his former cases..
As it turned out..We weren't.
"Will you be utilizing Gary Lockwood?" he asked..
knowing that Gary, An Investigator for the D.A.'s office was also the lovesick boyfriend of
Attorney Yvette Jones, whose team was on the last task force..
"Actually I will be...I share him with ADA Rockland Cambridge..
. He'll be assisting Donnie Ray in the investigation.." said Karen.. "Now if you don't mind...we are having a meeting here."said Karen,who whispered to us..
"Tomorrow I'll have a catered lunch..."
Sam Mother passed her his card...He realized that Lt. Tragg was a constant pest to Karen...
''Karen, we deliver...This is my card...It has my email address..We deliver through UBER EATS" he whispered..
''Sam you are a doll.."said Karen..who kissed him on the cheek.
We all paid our bill and we got up and quietly left...Karen told everybody to email her their breakfast and lunch orders and she'd have Sam Mothers deliver it to her building..That way there would be no interference from Lt. Tragg.
"What did you pass her Sam?" asked Lt Tragg..
"None of your business Artie...that's between me and her...but in case you're worried...I aint tryin to make time with B.L.'s girl." said Sam Mother..
"B.L.'s girl....I'm gonna nail that broad...She's gonna be mine yet.." said Lt. Tragg.
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