Part Twenty-Eight

“All rise,” the court officer called out and the door at the back opened and Judge William Harding stepped through and towards his bench.

“You may all be seated now,” the same officer called out after the judge had taken his seat.

He opened the file and read through it for a few minutes before looking up and closing it. He poured himself a glass of water and drank slowly from it, irritating me because I was ready to get this under way.

“Let’s get this show on the road,” Judge Harding said and looked at Nathaniel. “The prosecution may start.”

“Your Honour we’ve spoken at length to Darius White over the weekend and I believe that we have a plea deal on the table,” Nathaniel said and my head snapped up. I was sitting in the back row of the court room.

“We have Your Honour,” Darius said.

“Your Honour, may I approach?” I asked as I stood up and every head turned to look at me.

“Mr. Woods, you may,” Judge Harding said.

I picked up my brief case and walked towards the judge’s bench, followed