Chapter 8 - The Bail Hearing
On Thursday afternoon, I walked into courtroom 4B of the Municipal District Court wearing a sharp dark suit, my head held high, my bruised face completely uncovered.
I didn't wear makeup to hide the yellow and purple marks on my cheekbone. I wanted the judge, the jury, and the press to see exactly what my family was capable of.
Arthur stood at the defense table in an orange jumpsuit, his hands cuffed at his waist. He looked smaller, older, and stripped of the blustering authority he had used to rule our household for decades. Beside him stood a public defender who looked exhausted and overwhelmed.
In the second row of the gallery sat Eleanor and Paige. Eleanor refused to look at me, staring straight ahead with her jaw clenched, while Paige kept her hood pulled low over her face, trying to avoid the local news camera stationed near the door.
“Your Honor,” the prosecutor stated, stepping up to the podium. “The State requests that bail for defendant Arthur Hayes be maintained at $250,000. The defendant engaged in an unprovoked physical attack on his daughter in the presence of a minor child, while attempting to extort funds to cover fraudulent debts.”
Arthur’s lawyer stepped forward. “Your Honor, my client is a sixty-two-year-old lifelong resident with deep ties to the community. He poses no flight risk. We ask for a release on personal recognizance so he can return to his family home—”
“His former home,” the judge interrupted sharply, looking down over her spectacles at the defense attorney. “The victim is the sole owner of the property, counsel. Your client has no legal right to step foot within five hundred feet of that address.”
The judge looked directly at Arthur.
“I have reviewed the video evidence submitted by the prosecution,” the judge continued, her voice heavy with disgust. “The violence displayed in that kitchen was abhorrent. Bail is maintained at $250,000 cash or bond. A full protective order is issued, effective immediately. If the defendant attempts to contact the victim or her child directly or through third parties, his bond will be revoked instantly.”
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The gavel came down with a loud, final thud.
Arthur was turned around by the bailiff. As he was led toward the holding cell door, his eyes met mine. For the first time in my life, I didn't look down. I looked straight into his eyes until he was forced to turn away in shame.
