QUOTE : David sat down in the only unoccupied chair in the room. <br /> <br /> The kid scooted his chair a few inches in the direction of the door. David frowned at his new attorney. “You think I did everything they’re saying about me.”<br /> <br /> “Ah… ah… no… “the kid said, sweat popping out on his brow. “Let’s get started.” David made a sudden move, his hands shooting out across the table. The lawyer jumped back, his chair scrapping against the concrete floor. His face paled, his hand trembled, his finger above the orange button on the radio. <br /> <br /> “Great, just what I needed, an attorney who believes I’m guilty.” <br /> <br /> “Mr… er… Reverend Padgett, I’m trying to help you.”<br /> <br /> “Am I your first client?” The boy cleared his throat. <br /> <br /> “I assure you, Reverend Padgett, I will defend you to the best of my ability.”<br /> <br /> “You just passed the bar, didn’t you?” <br /> <br /> “Ah, yes, but I did so on my first try. Some don’t pass until their second or third try.” <br /> <br /> “Wonderful, well we have something in common; this is the first time I’ve been on trial for my life.” <br /> <br /> “I have some good news for you,” Barlow said, picking up a piece of paper he handed it to David. <br /> <br /> “What’s this?” David said, his eyes scanning the sheet. <br /> <br /> “It’s a plea agreement. I persuaded the prosecutor to only sentence you to 50 years; you will be eligible for parole in 25.”<br /> <br /> “You want me to plead guilty to something I didn’t do and spend the next 25 to 50 years in prison?”<br /> <br /> “If we go to trial, the prosecutor is going to ask for the death penalty.”<br /> <br /> “Have you even looked at the evidence?<br /> <br /> “I’m sorry, as you know I was just assigned the case this morning.”<br /> <br /> “Get out!”<br /> <br /> “Excuse me?”<br /> <br /> “Press your talk button on the radio and tell them you want to leave.” <br /> <br /> “But we haven’t discussed...”<br /> <br /> “If you persist I will fire you as my attorney, how will that look on your record?”<br /> <br /> “Okay, okay, Reverend Padgett,” confused, Barlow pressed the orange button, “I’m ready to go now.” Somewhere an alarm sounded. Suddenly there was a rumbling of running feet coming down the hall. <br /> <br /> “You pushed the wrong button,” David shouted. With hands trembling, he reached for the radio. “Here let me have it.”<br /> <br /> Keys jingled in the lock. Five officers rushed in, pulling David from the chair. They threw him face down on the floor, he cried out in pain as one of the officers put his knee in the middle of his back. Another grabbed David’s hands, snapping the handcuffs on his wrists.