Chapter 8: The Arraignment

Chapter 8: The Arraignment
I attended Preston’s arraignment, sitting quietly in the back row of the courtroom.
He was led in wearing a bright orange jumpsuit, his hands shackled to a waist chain. The perfect haircut was a mess. The arrogant swagger was gone, replaced by a nervous, twitching shuffle.
My parents sat in the front row, weeping.
The judge, a no-nonsense woman with sharp eyes, looked over the docket. "Mr. Vance, you are charged with felony aggravated battery of a child. Given the premeditated nature of the false accusation and the extreme violence captured on video, this court deems you a flight risk and a danger to the community."
"Your Honor, my client is a respected professional!" his expensive lawyer pleaded.
May you like
"Your client bludgeoned a second-grader with a piece of furniture," the judge snapped back. "Bail is denied. Remanded to county lockup until trial."
Preston looked back at my parents, sheer terror in his eyes. Then he looked at me. I didn't smile. I didn't frown. I just stared right through him.