Baltimore Chronicles Read Free Page A

question? If I wasn’t nervous to bring him down in his own hood, why would I be nervous about facing him in a court of law?” Derek replied, giving the reporter a bit of heat. After he set the media straight, Derek smoothed the front of his Brooks Brothers suit and continued his stride up the courthouse steps.
    It was no better inside the courtroom. There were throngs of cameras and reporters lined up around the back and sides. Derek sat on the bench directly behind the prosecutor’s table and looked around. He could feel more than one pair of icy eyes on him. There were numerous members of Scar’s crew peppered throughout the courtroom crowd, and they weren’t hiding their glares. Derek didn’t care because it just added to the drama of the scene and made him look better.
    Derek turned around just in time to see the court officers leading Scar to the defendant’s table. Scar had a huge smile plastered on his face, and he stared directly at Derek.
    Knowing that all eyes would be on him, Derek frowned at Scar and shook his head. “Ain’t this a bitch?” Derek mumbled when he noticed that Scar donned an expensive Armani suit, complete with a tailor-made French cuff shirt with diamond cuff links, and to top it off, what looked to be an authentic Cuban cigar sticking out of the breast pocket of his suit jacket.
    Scar looked down at his suit and back over at Derek. Speaking with his eyes and facial expression, Scar was letting Derek know that he was still the man, regardless of the bust.
    â€œAll rise. The honorable Judge Irvin Klein presiding in the matter of the State of Maryland versus Stephon Johnson,” the court officer called out. Everyone in the courtroom stood.
    Derek broke his gaze on Scar, turned around, and stood as the judge slid into his seat on the bench.
    With a bang of his gavel, the judge started the highly anticipated court proceedings. An eerie hush fell over the courtroom, and all eyes were front and center.
    â€œIs the state ready to present its case? If so, prosecutor Fuller, you may begin,” Judge Klein stated.
    On cue, the prosecutor, who Derek thought was the most beautiful, sexy caramel specimen of a woman he had ever laid eyes on, stood up to start. My wife is not only beautiful, she is on point. She got this shit, Derek thought to himself, smiling proudly. She moved her sexy frame from behind the table and opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Scar’s defense lawyer, a shark named Larry Tillman, jumped to his feet.
    â€œYour Honor, I would like to move to have this case dismissed immediately,” Mr. Tillman announced.
    Everyone in the courtroom was looking at him like he was crazy. Not only was he interrupting the prosecutor, he was stepping on the toes of one of the most hard-ass judges in the Maryland court system. Hushed murmurs passed amongst the onlookers.
    â€œMr. Tillman, you will speak when spoken to,” Judge Klein said.
    â€œYour Honor, with all due respect, I am requesting to approach the bench,” Mr. Tillman said.
    Prosecutor Fuller looked around, confused. She was seething mad. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. She ran her hands over her skirt and cocked her head to the side in an attempt to compose herself.
    â€œYour Honor, please tell me you will not allow the defense to turn this trial into a sideshow,” she said through clenched teeth.
    â€œApproach!” the judge yelled.
    Derek looked around and saw that Scar was smiling from ear to ear. The members of the media were going crazy, writing and recording.
    The two attorneys approached the bench. The judge leaned in and spoke to them, while everyone else seemed to be holding their breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
    Finally, the judge spoke somberly. “Mr. Tillman, you may proceed with your argument for dismissal,” the judge said.
    â€œI would be glad to,” Tillman replied, smiling like a Cheshire cat.
    â€œYour