Law and Disorder Read Online Free

somewhat at odds with the sleek stainless appliances in the modern kitchen, but congruity has never been Alvin’s strength.
    “He has?”
    “Sure. Why do you think this case has been dragging on for so long?”
    “I really don’t know. Can you fire your lawyer?”
    “Happens all the time.”
    “But why does that hold up the case?”
    “Because you are entitled to representation.”
    “Yeah but…”
    “And you are also entitled to be represented by someone you believe has your best interests at heart.”
    “You think that’s a good thing?” Alvin magically produced a glass of ice tea. “There’s mint in this. Give it a try.”
    “Some accused misuse this right. They fire perfectly competent counsel, just to stall.”
    “But what does it get them?”
    “It gets them a delay. In Brugel’s case, it has gotten him two delays before this latest setback.”
    “Why would anybody want a delay? Don’t they want to get the whole thing over with?”
    “Not if they know they’re guilty and they’re pretty sure they’re going to be convicted and be stuck behind bars for a damn long time. There are two solid reasons for delaying, Alvin. The first one is that if the person has been in custody during the trial, they might get two for one credit for that time served.”
    “What does that mean anyway?”
    “Two days taken off his sentence for every one served.”
    “Really? Do you think that’s—”
    “It’s the way it is in our system, Alvin. Although the current government is trying to change that. And the other point is, and this is much more important, the longer the trial drags on, the harder it will be for the Crown to control or even locate key witnesses.”
    “What do you mean, control? You mean the Crown tries to control witnesses? That’s just plain wrong.”
    “I mean they encourage them to stick to their stories. And remember them. They get them to show up. They get them to stay clean and sober if they can.”
    “Oh, that’s all right. I guess.”
    “And they don’t want them recanting their testimony either. It goes without saying.”
    “They do that?”
    “Sure. Often, in criminal cases, some of the witnesses are going to be criminals too. Or they’re going to be connected with the accused in some way—relatives, neighbours. But the most important thing is to keep them from leaving town or worse, disappearing.”
    Alvin’s eyes bugged out. “Disappearing?”
    “Sure. Some of them will just drift away. A couple will get arrested here or somewhere else. Some might be discredited. Others will die from disease or even lifestyle. And a few will take off in the hope that they won’t have to testify.”
    “Why?”
    “Lots of reasons, Alvin. But the main one is that they’re scared. A guy like Brugel needs time to make the kind of threats that can drive a witness away. The longer he waits, the more time his associates have to intimidate key witnesses. Or worse.”
    “You don’t think they’d actually kill anyone, would they?”
    I rolled my eyes. “Alvin! We’re discussing Lloyd Brugel. He’s on trial for murder. This is the first time they’ve actually had a chance at getting a conviction. And as far as killing someone, remember Laurie Roulay—she died because of the incredible stress she faced from this. She had threats from people. She knew they were watching her. It was bad enough that she’d lost her husband and one of her children, but she knew they could still get into her apartment. She knew they watched the schools where her remaining children went. She got notes too. That’s the kind of thing the notes hinted at.”
    “That must have been a nightmare.”
    I nodded. “No one should have to go through anything like that. Even behind bars, Brugel is very dangerous.”
    “But didn’t this Rollie Thorsten have a chance of getting him off?”
    “Rollie’s strategies were working well. Even so, I have to ask myself if Rollie wasn’t worth more dead than alive, in terms