Got a phone call one Wednesday afternoon.
"Mr. Currie?"
"This is Les Currie'"
"My name is Janet Greensmith and I've been told that you might be able to help. Please."
"Help with what? This is the Public Defenders Office."
"My daughter is in jail."
Wednesday afternoon was not the best time to get a call like this. The courts are digesting the morning's arraignments.
I had nothing pressing for once so... "What happened?"
"Well, it was my Tiffany's, my daughter's, party last night and..."
My first thought was DWI. Good luck!
"...her fiance's ex showed up and they got into a fight and Tiffany was arrested and taken to jail."
"What was your daughter charged with?"
"Aggravated battery but she was..."
Aggravated battery! Jesus!
"What did she hit the, er, ex with?"
"A chair but..."
"She is in jail now?"
"Yes but she has to be let out."
"Of course but the next available court day for bond hearings is Monday."
"You don't understand. She is getting married Saturday."
Real TRS. "Give me your phone number Ms. Greensmith. I'll get back with you."
I drove up to the jail.
If the ex had been hit with a chair Ms. Greensmith Jr. looked as if she had been hit with a tank track. Black eye, bloody nose, bruised forehead.
"I'm with the Public Defenders Office. Your mother asked me to see if I can help. What happened?"
"It was my bachelorette party and we was having a good time when that bitch showed up."
"Showed up where?"
"The Wooden Nickel"
A real shitkicker dive. Starting to make sense.
"And?"
"She said something and I said something and then we was fighting. Then the cops came."
Must have been quite a scrap for the Wooden Nickel to call the police. That place gets in the papers any night there isn't a fight.
"Did you ask for a lawyer when you were arrested ?"
"No. Didn't think I needed one."
"Did you talk to a lawyer at court this morning?"
"No. I didn't think they would send me back to jail. I'm getting married Saturday."
'Did you tell the Court?"
"No."
She started to cry. "What am I gonna do?"
"I can't get you in for a bail hearing before Monday."
She looked broken.
"I can ask the Court to grant temporary release. Friday and Saturday so you can get, er, cleaned up and married but you will have to return to the jail Sunday. If the Court grants it."
"Can you do that?"
"Yes but no guarantees."
"Thank you."
I filed the pleading an hour later and Judge Price granted it.
I was invited to the wedding but declined.
"Mr. Currie?"
"This is Les Currie'"
"My name is Janet Greensmith and I've been told that you might be able to help. Please."
"Help with what? This is the Public Defenders Office."
"My daughter is in jail."
Wednesday afternoon was not the best time to get a call like this. The courts are digesting the morning's arraignments.
I had nothing pressing for once so... "What happened?"
"Well, it was my Tiffany's, my daughter's, party last night and..."
My first thought was DWI. Good luck!
"...her fiance's ex showed up and they got into a fight and Tiffany was arrested and taken to jail."
"What was your daughter charged with?"
"Aggravated battery but she was..."
Aggravated battery! Jesus!
"What did she hit the, er, ex with?"
"A chair but..."
"She is in jail now?"
"Yes but she has to be let out."
"Of course but the next available court day for bond hearings is Monday."
"You don't understand. She is getting married Saturday."
Real TRS. "Give me your phone number Ms. Greensmith. I'll get back with you."
I drove up to the jail.
If the ex had been hit with a chair Ms. Greensmith Jr. looked as if she had been hit with a tank track. Black eye, bloody nose, bruised forehead.
"I'm with the Public Defenders Office. Your mother asked me to see if I can help. What happened?"
"It was my bachelorette party and we was having a good time when that bitch showed up."
"Showed up where?"
"The Wooden Nickel"
A real shitkicker dive. Starting to make sense.
"And?"
"She said something and I said something and then we was fighting. Then the cops came."
Must have been quite a scrap for the Wooden Nickel to call the police. That place gets in the papers any night there isn't a fight.
"Did you ask for a lawyer when you were arrested ?"
"No. Didn't think I needed one."
"Did you talk to a lawyer at court this morning?"
"No. I didn't think they would send me back to jail. I'm getting married Saturday."
'Did you tell the Court?"
"No."
She started to cry. "What am I gonna do?"
"I can't get you in for a bail hearing before Monday."
She looked broken.
"I can ask the Court to grant temporary release. Friday and Saturday so you can get, er, cleaned up and married but you will have to return to the jail Sunday. If the Court grants it."
"Can you do that?"
"Yes but no guarantees."
"Thank you."
I filed the pleading an hour later and Judge Price granted it.
I was invited to the wedding but declined.
Comment