point," Mason said. "Some officers like publicity. In return for publicity, they give some friendly newspaper reporter a tip when they're going to make an arrest of some young woman who is photogenic.
"The newspapers play up the story, the officer gets his name in the paper with a favorable bit of publicity. Under these circumstances, be prepared to read that the value of the narcotics in your suitcase, at current retail prices, amounted to several thousand dollars."
Her face showed her dismay.
"And after I'm acquitted," she asked, "then what will happen?"
"Probably nothing," Mason said. "Perhaps a few lines on an inside page of a newspaper."
"I will be aquitted, won't I?" she asked hopefully.
Mason said, "I'm an attorney, not a fortuneteller. We'll do our best and you'll have to let it go at that."
CHAPTER FIVE
Mason escorted Virginia Baxter to a seat inside the rail of the courtroom.
"Now, don't be nervous," he said reassuringly.
She said, "That's like telling a cold person not to shiver. I can't help being nervous. I'm shaking like a leaf on the inside, if not on the outside. I feel full of butterflies."
Mason said, "This is a preliminary hearing. It is usually a matter of routine for the judge to bind a defendant over to the higher court. When he does that, he quite frequently increases the amount of bail. Sometimes he makes the bail almost prohibitive. You're going to have to face that possibility."
"I just can't raise any more bail, Mr. Mason, that's all, unless I sell my real property at a loss."
"I know," Mason said. "I'm just telling you what may happen. However, real property in your name will influence a judge in fixing the amount of bail."
"You don't hold out much hope of… getting me out on this preliminary hearing?"
"Ordinarily," Mason said, "the judge binds the defendant over if the prosecutor wants to go ahead with the case in the higher court. Sometimes, of course, we get a break.
"It's almost unheard of to put a defendant on the stand at the time of a preliminary examination, but if I think there's even a faint chance of getting the judge to dismiss the case, I'm going to put you on the stand so he can take a look at you and see the kind of a person you really are."
"That horrid newspaper story," she said, "-and that picture!"
"From the city editor's standpoint, it was a wonderful picture," Mason said. "It showed surprise and consternation on your face and, as far as your case is concerned, the picture may do you some good."
"But it blasted my reputation," she said. "My friends are avoiding me in a big way."
Mason started to say something but checked himself as the door of the judge's chambers opened.
"Stand up," Mason said.
Every person in the courtroom arose as Judge Cortland Albert took his seat at the bench, then glanced appraisingly at the defendant.
"This is the time heretofore fixed for the preliminary hearing in the case of the People versus Virginia Baxter. Are you ready to proceed?"
"Ready for the defendant," Mason said.
Jerry Caswell, one of the younger trial deputies who was frequently sent in to handle preliminary hearings and who was eagerly trying to make a record which would attract the attention of his superiors, was on his feet.
"The prosecution," he announced dramatically, "is always ready!"
He waited a moment, then seated himself.
"Call your first witness," Judge Albert said.
Caswell called the porter from the airport.
"Are you acquainted with the defendant?"
"Yes, sir. I saw her."
"On the seventeenth of this month?"
"Yes, sir."
"You are one of the porters at the airport?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you make a living from transporting baggage?"
"Yes, sir."
"Now, did the defendant, on the seventeenth of this month, indicate to you a suitcase?"
"She did. Yes, sir."
"Would you know that suitcase if you saw it again?"
"I would. Yes, sir."
Caswell nodded to a police officer who came forward with the suitcase.
"Is that the one?"
"Yes, sir, that's the one."
"I
"The newspapers play up the story, the officer gets his name in the paper with a favorable bit of publicity. Under these circumstances, be prepared to read that the value of the narcotics in your suitcase, at current retail prices, amounted to several thousand dollars."
Her face showed her dismay.
"And after I'm acquitted," she asked, "then what will happen?"
"Probably nothing," Mason said. "Perhaps a few lines on an inside page of a newspaper."
"I will be aquitted, won't I?" she asked hopefully.
Mason said, "I'm an attorney, not a fortuneteller. We'll do our best and you'll have to let it go at that."
CHAPTER FIVE
Mason escorted Virginia Baxter to a seat inside the rail of the courtroom.
"Now, don't be nervous," he said reassuringly.
She said, "That's like telling a cold person not to shiver. I can't help being nervous. I'm shaking like a leaf on the inside, if not on the outside. I feel full of butterflies."
Mason said, "This is a preliminary hearing. It is usually a matter of routine for the judge to bind a defendant over to the higher court. When he does that, he quite frequently increases the amount of bail. Sometimes he makes the bail almost prohibitive. You're going to have to face that possibility."
"I just can't raise any more bail, Mr. Mason, that's all, unless I sell my real property at a loss."
"I know," Mason said. "I'm just telling you what may happen. However, real property in your name will influence a judge in fixing the amount of bail."
"You don't hold out much hope of… getting me out on this preliminary hearing?"
"Ordinarily," Mason said, "the judge binds the defendant over if the prosecutor wants to go ahead with the case in the higher court. Sometimes, of course, we get a break.
"It's almost unheard of to put a defendant on the stand at the time of a preliminary examination, but if I think there's even a faint chance of getting the judge to dismiss the case, I'm going to put you on the stand so he can take a look at you and see the kind of a person you really are."
"That horrid newspaper story," she said, "-and that picture!"
"From the city editor's standpoint, it was a wonderful picture," Mason said. "It showed surprise and consternation on your face and, as far as your case is concerned, the picture may do you some good."
"But it blasted my reputation," she said. "My friends are avoiding me in a big way."
Mason started to say something but checked himself as the door of the judge's chambers opened.
"Stand up," Mason said.
Every person in the courtroom arose as Judge Cortland Albert took his seat at the bench, then glanced appraisingly at the defendant.
"This is the time heretofore fixed for the preliminary hearing in the case of the People versus Virginia Baxter. Are you ready to proceed?"
"Ready for the defendant," Mason said.
Jerry Caswell, one of the younger trial deputies who was frequently sent in to handle preliminary hearings and who was eagerly trying to make a record which would attract the attention of his superiors, was on his feet.
"The prosecution," he announced dramatically, "is always ready!"
He waited a moment, then seated himself.
"Call your first witness," Judge Albert said.
Caswell called the porter from the airport.
"Are you acquainted with the defendant?"
"Yes, sir. I saw her."
"On the seventeenth of this month?"
"Yes, sir."
"You are one of the porters at the airport?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you make a living from transporting baggage?"
"Yes, sir."
"Now, did the defendant, on the seventeenth of this month, indicate to you a suitcase?"
"She did. Yes, sir."
"Would you know that suitcase if you saw it again?"
"I would. Yes, sir."
Caswell nodded to a police officer who came forward with the suitcase.
"Is that the one?"
"Yes, sir, that's the one."
"I
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