Unfinished Business

We were very busy the  next few days....In court that is....

I'm David Charles, Staff Attorney for the Wrongful Conviction/Conviction Integrity Unit..

Together with my wife, Fellow Staff Attorney, Natalie Charles

and my other partner, her best friend, Staff Attorney Brooke Marks..

We represented William Tate, on Pennsylvania's Death Row for 2 years for killing and robbing a maid at a Motel... He swore for three years that he was innocent..That it was a case of mistaken identity.

In Fact, Ms. Virginia...Once a very celebrated Attorney herself, who had served time in prison with Tate's older sister had wrote a few briefs on his sister's  behalf. had brought up her brother's case... Now paroled and disbarred...Ms. Virginia was employed as a Office Manager/Consultant at the Satellite Office of McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt  where Ms. Yvette, Keith, Bee Bee, Sofia, Kahlil and Jade worked. She had helped his sister gain her early release from prison and was now advocating for the woman's brother, who was imprisoned around the time both his sister and Ms. Virginia were being released from prison.

A floor up and in the same building we all worked in, Yvette Jones and her team assisted us on the case...

Jessica and Chip of the INNOCENCE PROJECT came across a brief and petition written by William Tate  and brought it to our attention... They also asked Olivia, Beverly and their team of Nelson, Donnie Ray, Josie and Bresha. to look into it,

They borrowed the husbands of two of Olivia's Attorneys, Josie and Bresha to work with us also..

Paris , a promising para-legal almost  finished law school and Tony, a young Attorney who worked with Kayla's husband, Ray.

And of course the investigative skills of Olivia's husband, Donnie Ray Alexander, an ex-homicide detective and Jade.

Working a case with Olivia and Beverly was always fun...It was like a vacation away from work, even though it was work..

We loved working at their Office /Duplex

We had Breakfast ,Lunch and Dinner there everyday....

Beverly's mom, Ms. Alfreda made sure we all had three piping hot meals and took care of anything else we needed logistically every day we were there...

We studied the case in their law library...

 and their media room...

and we made two trips by train to Stanga State Prison and finally to Death Row at Green State Prison...Staying at an AIR BRB over the night....

After going to three appellate courts, we got his death sentence overturned...and a new trial ordered...A

trial we won...

 

Winning William an acquittal and freedom after 2 years on Death Row....It was very satisfying for all of us involved...

Three days after that case concluded. We got involved in another case...

This one was placed on our docket by our Boss Lady, ADA Karen Page..

Once Again, our old friends, Jessica Sanchez Burrows and her husband, Charles "Chip" Burrows of the Innocence Project were involved.

Brooke, Natalie and I were called to defend a recently convicted man...A Rapper named  Joseph "Joey Badass" Brown

 accused of killing a man he said , pulled a knife on him and tried to kill him after a concert....He was facing 25 years to life in prison...We felt as though he could have had better legal representation...

We again hired Yvette Jones-Lockwood, our upstairs neighbor and her team of Sofia Garcia-Ahmed...Beatrice Evans-Jones, Kahlil Ahmed and Keith Jones, along with investigator, Jade Lee Ho to assist us..

We merely traveled an elevator ride upstairs....

to their suite....

We worked out of their law library /conference room... and we had a lot of our meals ordered and brought in through UBER/DOORDASH/GRUB HUB. It was also fun working with them.

Excellently co-ordinated by Ms. Virginia.. who sat in with us  and gave sage legal advice and looked over and proof read all of our motions and briefs....It was great having her around...

We went to court and had another slam dunk win!!!!We won him an acquittal in a second trial.....

We felt good about what we were doing, getting innocent people out of jail...

Our boss, Karen Page called us into her office..

"You guys have been doing excellent work...excellent work...You work well with other attorneys...and you work well period... You just won two landmark cases... I'm giving you all four days off...It's Thursday....I don't want to see any of you back here until next Thursday..." she said.

Brooke and Natalie yelled "YAYYYYYYYYYYYY! and leaped up and high fived each other the way Olivia and Beverly did when they won in court.....

I smiled.. "Thank You Boss Lady..." I said.

"You are sooooo welcome...You three are a godsend....You've made life for me so much easier....

Go home, relax, do something fun." she said..

That night at home....

''Well, with a week off...I guess I'm free to be your little porn star" joked Natalie, who joked that since she started seeing me, 

Her Bra and Panty collection and Lingerie collection increased as well as the frequency in which we had sex...making her feel like a porn star..

My eyes got as wide as saucers and a big bright smile was on my face....as she folded panties and bras and put them in her drawers...

"Look at you....You're all happy...OUUUUUU LOOK AT YOU!" laughed Natalie .

as we began kissing.....

"Ummmmmmmmmmm you feel like you are ready....Of course you always feel like that...OUUUUU!" she said, laughing...

"I can't believe I'm actually with you." I said.

"David...We are married...You're more than just with me.." said Natalie.

The kissing got hotter....

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU DAVID....YOUR LIPS ARE SO SOFT..." she said.

"SO ARE YOURS NATALIE..." I said.. I was near delirium....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, AWWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWD!" I moaned..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU SOMEBODY IS HAPPY TO SEE MEE.."Natalie cooed.

I slipped her panties down...She slowly stepped out of them..

"You are just too smooth at getting my panties off.." she laughed..

"I fantasized for years about doing that...I've got it down to a science.." I joked..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU YES YOU DOOOOOOO!UMMMMMMMM" she laughed...

I rubbed her butt...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU DAVID!!" she cooed....

I lifted her up and slowly entered her, she gasped....

"OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!" she moaned....She had an embarrassingly quick orgasm!

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM NATALIE." I moaned.

I placed her petite body on the dresser drawer and spread her legs, entering her again, while we kissed passionately.....Natalie had another intense orgasm, her body trembling, her head turning from side to side.....

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MYY GODDD!! YOU ARE THE BEST!! OUUUUUUUU THE BEST I'VE EVER HADDDD!" she moaned..

This did wonders for my ego......

Soon we on the floor in our bedroom ,really going at it..

"DAVIDDD, OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU,OH MY GODDDDD!" she moaned..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU...UMMMMMMMMMMM" I moaned....

We sat on the side of the bed...Natalie moving up and down on me and kissing me softly, slowly..

She had another intense orgasm....Her body trembled something fierce.....Her legs shook...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH "I moaned...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU ..OHHHHHHHHHHHH MYYYY GOD!!!!!!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MEEEE?" she cooed..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHH NATALIE!!!! BABYYYYYYYY!" I moaned...

We were lying across the bed, making love eventually......

"DAVIDDD, OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU,OH MY GODDDDD! I THINK I'M GOING TO CUM!!! OUUUU!" she moaned..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU...UMMMMMMMMMMM" I moaned....

"DAVID ,I LOVE YOUUU!" she moaned.

"NATALIE, I LOVE YOU TOOO!" I said...

And for the next EIGHT TO NINE HOURS , we made crazy love until we were both spent...

Natalie lie on top of me ,catching her breath.....Her left leg still shaking.....

"Wowwwwwwwwww! That was something else Mr. Charles...WOWWWWWWWWW!!!" she said.

I smiled broadly...

"OH , Stop looking so satisfied..." she said, she gave me a wet, sloppy kiss....

smiling at me as she dozed off.

It was a nice way to end several weeks of work....

II-

FIVE DAYS LATER-

Our Boss, Karen Page was at the food truck getting coffee and churros when Lt. Tragg walked up behind her..

His face was unrecognizable...Both eyes still swollen shut...Lip still swollen...cotton still in his nose..

"Hello Karen." he said..

Karen was shocked.. "Arthur!!! Oh my God!  what happened? were you fighting?" she gasped.

"I need information...I was at Olivia's house..

and I was at Yvette's Office-

They are never there when I go there.... and I don't know where the others work who hang out with you guys... I just know you work down here.... I need information...I need to know the name and the address of that young man who is presently dating State's Attorney Tanya Mosley..." he said.

Karen didn't want to laugh, so she exercised extreme control.... "Did he do this to you?" she asked, trying mightily to control a smile...

"I need to know his name and where he works...That's all..."

"I don't know him....I just know his first name is Joe...Joe something...other than that, I can't help you."said Karen.

"That's what Olivia and company said..like I said I couldn't locate Yvette and her bunch and I don't know where the others work...I'm going to swear out a warrant for his arrest, Assaulting an officer of the law." said Lt. Tragg.

He had been beaten nearly senseless two weeks before in Curley's while Karen and everyone else had been at Game Day at Renee and Tyrell's house...He had spent the night in the cooler and been told to take a few days off...He looked like hell...He wanted revenge... He didn't know the name of the man, his profession or anything about him...Neither did any of us...We had seen him at the Day Party with Tanya...but hadn't been introduced and didn't relly know him...none of us.

"What about your kids..?" he asked.

''They're not here..I gave them some time off. They've been in court a lot." Karen lied..She prayed none of us came out of the building...

''So I've heard." said Lt. Tragg.

" Sorry...Good Luck!" said Karen as she walked into our building..

Glad that for now....Lt. Tragg had no idea of the total population of our building..

The OFFICE OF STAFF ATTORNEY DAVID CHARLES

Natalie and I were in my office kissing passionately...

"It's a good thing your lips are so soft...or I wouldn't be in here kissing you when I should be working." laughed Natalie..

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm I knowww...."I said..

We broke our embrace.....

"WOWWWWW!" I said.

"You're so crazy...."laughed Natalie as she left my office and headed back to her office...

"Hey Guys, come out, I've got Coffees  and Churros...and news." she said.

"Ouuuuuuuu" said Brooke , emerging from her office...

Her husband, Sean also emerged...

He had her lipstick imprint all over his face and his lapel...

"Hiiii Sean," said Karen , smiling sheepishly and using a disinfectant wipe to wipe lipstick off of his face and his lapel..

''We just dodged a bullet...Lt. Tragg was outside.. He got the crap beat out of him by that guy who was with States Attorney Tanya Mosley at the Day Party...and he spent a night in the Cooler.. Apparently the fight happened at Curleys the night we all were at Renee and Tyrell's house for "Game Day." said Karen.

"You know I wondered who he would pick with , with all of us gone that night." I said.

"Guess he bit off more than he could chew..."laughed Natalie...

''Why can't he just go into the bar and sit down and order a drink like someone with some common sense?" asked Brooke...

"What fun would that be?" laughed her husband, Sean....

"Right.... He looked bad....His lip is swollen, both of his eyes are nearly closed shut, that's how swollen they are and his face is so puffed up..it's hardly recognizable..He has been beaten to a pulp by that guy..

He wants to swear out an arrest warrant on that guy for assault ....."said Karen.

"Good Luck with that...I'm betting there are witnesses who will say he started it...I'm certain he was asked to leave their table...several times...Just like we do and he never moves until he is ready...He stands there and stares at us balefully and warns us on drinking and driving."said Sean...

"Ouuuuuu I hate when he does that..I imagine people get tired of that and aren't as nice as we are.  We just ignore him as much as possible.." said Natalie..

"Ouuu so do I.....I can imagine how angry they both got...when he walked in...They're sitting alone, having a drink, having quiet conversation...and here he comes.."said Brooke.

Attorney Justin Brown walked into our suite.....

"Hello Everyone." He said.  We remembered that he had just worked a case with Olivia and Beverly recently and our friends, Jessica and Chip....

"Heyyyyy you!" said Karen, smiling...

"Heyyyy How are youuuuu?" asked my wife, Natalie.

"Justin, how are you?" asked Brooke...

"Heyyy Man, how you been doing?"I asked.

"You been taking it easy since you got out of the hospital?" asked Sean....

"I've tried to, but I got caught up with a case...an old case...A wrongfully convicted case...which is why I'm here... A Case from your past Mr. Charles...A Case I think you might want to assist me with.." said 

Justin Brown.

III-

We all went to our conference room....

"You said you wanted to see me...What is this about?" I asked.

Natalie interlocked her arm with my arm and leaned her head on my shoulders...that made me feel relaxed.

"Babe you'd better be getting back to work." said Brooke to her husband, Sean.

"Yeah, you're right.,I'll be going....My two hour lunch break is over....I'll see you guys tonight." said Sean as he headed back to the Federal Building.

"See You Sean." said Karen...

''So...What is this about?" I asked.

"Your record as a Public Defender was impeccable...You didn't lose too many cases...I can count on my hand how many cases you lost...One in particular was Michael Rennie.... He's on Death Row..or rather...He was on Death Row..." said Justin..

"I regretted losing that one....I was bogged down with four other cases at the time, all of em Capital Murder cases... I didn't devote as much time to his case as I would have liked to and I lost it.. I swore up and down when I got the time I was going to try and do something for him...Damn....I forgot about Mikey." I said.

"Well His case came across my desk....via a brief he filed with the Legal Defense Fund....My firm takes a few of their cases... I went to Greene State Prison and visited him.

I used an investigator named Milt Lewis, suggested to me by Olivia and Beverly... We found enough compelling evidence to ask for a new trial..

I went to five state appellate courts before I got his conviction overturned and a new trial ordered....He's here in Philly at the Men's Prison.....Which leads me to you Davey Boy....I'd like you to take it from there." said Justin Brown...

"You look like you're doing a good enough job..."I said Smiling and patting him on the back..

"Hanging John Wiltshire fought me every step of the way...He was pissed when I finally prevailed and he has vowed to fight me in a retrial....I would like your help in a retrial...You and your team....

"And I would think you'd want to be in on this...Since he's the one who beat you...You could get a little revenge , a little unfinished business." said Justin.

"I would love to exact some revenge on him...He taunted me unmercifully when he won in court....I thought that was very unprofessional." I said.

"When I collapsed and had my heart attack during my trial against him... He laughed and made jokes while I lay on the ground in front of the courthouse awaiting an ambulance... He said "You seriously should consider eating more salads and less cheese-steaks...." Only he thought that was funny...The people around him cringed and groaned...Including that harpy Judge..and she was the primary reason I had the heart attack...Slapping that $5000.00 judgement on me and holding me in contempt of court.."said Justin.

"That wasn't very nice....What an asshole."said Brooke.

"Boss Lady?" I said looking at Karen Page.

"Take the case...it's a wrongful conviction case... If he gives you any static, send him to me...And Justin, you take it easy....de-stress...We got you." said Karen..

"I'm all in."said Natalie.

"You've used Olivia and Beverly's team and Yvette's team a lot..and you've used Jessica and Chip a lot... I thought I would get two additional attorneys to work on this case with you...Give those guys a break...

"Crystal Cantrell Jones.....I've worked with her before 

and her husband, Tyrell Jones...both very good attorneys....

And Investigator Milton Lewis....He has often worked with Olivia and Beverly, helping Donnie Ray out..He's a good investigator." said Justin...

"Give us your notes and we'll get on it right away....We've got a good team...." I said.

''A Very good team." said Natalie.

"I'll ask Sean if he wants to help."said Brooke.

"Good." said Justin...

"The Important thing is that you get some rest....and de- stress." said Karen.

IV-

DINNER TIME-

We all retired to the dining room....Our last meal of the day....

"Wow...it seems like since the Day Party and Game Night, our work has intensified, how about yours?" asked Jazzy.
 

''Same here...Those two events..were like early gifts, because it was known we were gonna get bogged down."laughed Dabnis." I got enough help...Tony and Ray are holding it down...Paris is still in school and I'm lending Tyrell to Wrongful Conviction for a case..." said Dabnis.

"Same here...Kayla , Zoey ,Lem and I are holding it down...I lent Renee to Wrongful Conviction too!"said Jazzy.

''We can hold it down until she comes back."said Kayla.

''Same here...and soon Paris will have graduated and passed the bar and we'll be straight..Full strength." said Ray.

"Well we are resting...We've had two or three big cases the past few weeks."said Jessica.

"Yeah and you guys are getting ready to take on another case eh Karen?" asked Chip.

"Yes we've got a good one." said Karen.

"I remember how horrible "Hanging John" was to Brooke and Me when we were ADA's... Jazzy said he wasn't too nice to her either.He has a problem with ariculate ,opinionated women and Black women in particular." said Natalie.

"Sounds like his Racist-Sexist ass. That's why we are going to give him a black eye..." I said.

"Would you like to help us babe?" asked Brooke.

"Sure....I'm all in baby." said Sean....

"I'm so glad we went to that Day Party and had "Game Day"said Zoey.

"Yeah, We needed we are going to be busy for awhile...but that's okay...That's what keeps the lights on and the water running at home." laughed Lem.

"I'm going to enjoy working with Karen, David, Natalie and Brooke." said Renee.

"Me too , but I'm especially going to enjoy working a case with you....and of course them." said Tyrell.

,hugging his wife...

"Ouuuuuuuuuu" cooed Renee.

''Sounds good..." said Paris.

"Yeah, Good stuff." said Tony.

Justin was indeed, eating salads and not the least bit fazed by what everybody else around him was eating.

 

 "Wow.... we are getting a little bit of a break after all of those cases..." said Yvette.

"Yeah, let's just breathe and wait for the next batch of cases.," said Keith Jones..

"Let's go home and get some good sleep."said Bee Bee.

"I hear that." said Sofia, smiling.

"Good Luck to you guys." said Kahlil.

"If they need an investigator...I'm available." said Jade.

"I'm available too if they need legal advice or counsel." said Virginia.

"When is the next party?" joked Jetty.

The next three days , we were dinner guests of Olivia, Beverly, Donnie Ray and Nelson.. we joined Josie, Paris, Bresha ,Toni, Alfreda and Rockland..

"We are soo glad to have  you guys here with us tonight." said the always ever welcoming Olivia.

 

"I remember nights when it was just the four of us eating dinner..." said Donnie Ray.

"Now it seems like a party every night." said Beverly

''One thing is for sure.There won't be any leftovers." said Nelson, which brought the entire room to laughter.

"If we can help in any way, just let us know." said Josie.

"Yeah, this is great education for me." said Paris.

"I heard you've made the Deans list , the past two semesters....You're just like me.." said Bresha.

"Yeah...He's smart like you, but not near as sexy." said her husband Tony, squeezing her tight.

"Ummmmmmmmmm....ouuuuuuuuuuu" cooed Bresha.

"You love that girl don't you? Well, you're supposed to."laughed Alfreda...

"Just like I love you." laughed her husband Rockland, squeezing her butt...

"Ouuuuu cut it out.." Alfreda laughed..

 

"I always feel like I'm getting a refresher course in law, everytime I'm here." said Tyrell.

"You're never too old or too learned to learn something." said his wife, Renee.

"She's telling you right Tyrell." said Sean.

"Thank you soooo much Olivia...We've been here so much the past few weeks." said Brooke.

"Yes, thank youuuuu so much." said Natalie.

"Hey this keeps you from having to work downtown at that law library....Here you're comfortable and when you're finished....You can walk home...or drive." said Olivia.

"And we are very grateful." I said.

For the next three nights, our team did our research at Olivia and Beverly's law library in the building adjacent to their Office/Duplex..It was so cool , them having their whole operation right here.Them never having to leave.

Beverly helped Brooke,Natalie and me  research Capital Cases, Laws concerning Capital Cases and Predicates...

Josie and Bresha helped us look at trial transcripts from my original case and from Justin Brown's notes from his 5 appellate court cases....
 

On our last night.. Nelson helped me look at the juror pool, decide what kind of jurors we wanted and pick from likely jurors..Tony and Paris sat in with Nelson and me..For Paris, it was a good education, him being a law student and all..It was good education for Tony too...I loved the air of co-operation amongst all of us.

We returned home tired but satisfied that we could put together a good case. We had only just begun...

(TO BE CONTINUED)