Chapter 9 - Judgment Day
The jury deliberated for less than three hours.
On a cold Friday afternoon, the bailiff announced that a verdict had been reached.
Judge Arthur Sterling—no relation to David, much to our collective irony—sat behind the high mahogany bench, his expression grave as he reviewed the jury’s findings.
“On the counts of aggravated domestic assault resulting in bodily injury to a pregnant individual, grand larceny, wire fraud, and embezzlement,” Judge Arthur announced, his voice echoing through the silent courtroom, “the jury finds the defendant, David Sterling, guilty on all counts.”
David slumped forward, burying his face in his shackled hands, letting out a dry, ragged sob.
“Mr. Sterling,” Judge Arthur continued, leaning forward over the bench. “You used your position, your wealth, and your physical dominance to terrorize the very people who trusted you most. You treated human lives as disposable commodities and believed your status placed you above the law. You were wrong.”
The gavel came down with the force of a thunderclap.
“This court sentences David Sterling to fifteen years in federal prison for financial crimes and fraud, consecutive with ten years in state prison for aggravated assault, with no possibility of parole for the first eighteen years.”
Gavel slam.
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Twenty-five years. By the time he walked out of prison, he would be an old man, stripped of every cent, every title, and every illusion of grandeur he had ever clung to.
As marshals snapped the cuffs back onto his wrists and led him away through the side door, David didn't look back. He vanished into the holding cells, a prisoner of the wreckage he had created.
