Phillip Margolin: Wild Justice

What occurred inside the motel room?

I asked the defendant to explain the price of the various sex acts, and she mentioned rates ranging from fifty dollars to two hundred dollars for something she described as ' a night of ecstasy.'

What exactly was this ' night of ecstasy,' Officer Powers?

Quite honestly, Mr. Dart, it was too complicated to remember, and I couldn't take out my notebook at that time because I was undercover.

Darryl Powers had baby blue eyes, wavy blond hair and the type of smile Amanda had seen only in a toothpaste commercial. He had even blushed when he answered the night of ecstasy question. Two of the female jurors looked as if they were about to leap the railing of the jury box and tear off pieces of his clothing.

Amanda grew more despondent as Powers continued to explain the circumstances leading up to LaTricia's arrest for prostitution. Her cross examination was pathetic. When she was through, Rodney Dart said, The State rests. Then he turned toward Amanda, his back to the jury, and smirked. Amanda thought about giving Dart the finger, but she was too depressed to defend herself. What she really wanted to do was finish her first trial, go home, and commit seppuku. Besides, Dart had every right to smirk. He was riding roughshod over her.

Officer Powers smiled at the jury as he left the stand. All five of the women jurors smiled back.

Any witnesses, Ms. Jaffe? Judge Robard asked, but Amanda did not hear him. She was thinking about the previous afternoon when the senior partner in her law firm, her father, Frank Jaffe, had given her LaTricia's case and told her to be ready to try it in the morning.

How can I possibly try my first case without interviewing any of the witnesses or doing any investigation? Amanda had asked in horror.

Believe me, Frank Jaffe had replied, with LaTricia as your client, the less you know, the better off you are.

Amanda had read over the file in State v. Sweet four times before marching down the hall to her father's office, planting herself in front of his desk and waving it in his face.

What am I supposed to do with this? she' d demanded angrily.

Put on a vigorous defense, Frank had answered.

How? There's only one witness, a sworn officer of the law. He's going to testify that our client promised to do things to him for money that I'll bet ninety-five percent of humanity has never heard of.

LaTricia can take care of herself.

Dad, get real. She has thirteen priors for crimes like prostitution, prohibited touching and lewd behavior. Who is going to take her word over the cop' s?

Frank had shrugged. It's a funny world, Amanda.

I can't try a case this way, Amanda had insisted.

Of course you can. Trust me. And trust LaTricia. Everything will work out just fine if you go with the flow.

Judge Robard cleared his throat, then repeated himself.

Ms. Jaffe, any witnesses?

Uh, yes, Your Honor.

The skirt of her black Donna Karan power suit rode up her long legs as Amanda stood. She wanted to tug it down, but she was afraid that everyone in court would see her, so she stood before the court with her thighs partially exposed and color rising in her cheeks.

The defense calls LaTricia Sweet.

Before leaving her seat to cross to the witness box, LaTricia leaned over and whispered in Amanda's ear.

Don't worry about nothin' , honey. After I swear to tell the whole truth, you ask me what I do for a living, what I said to that police and why I said it. Then sit back and let me do my thing.

Before Amanda could reply, LaTricia sashayed across the room. Her bust and butt were so huge that Amanda was afraid that they would rip her tight red sweater and black leather mini skirt. A blond-orange wig, slightly askew, sat atop her head. Amanda compared her client to the radiant Darryl Powers and moaned inwardly.

Since she had no plan, Amanda decided to follow her client's instructions.

Ms. Sweet, she asked after LaTricia was sworn, what do you do for a living?

I walk the streets of Portland and sell my body, Ms. Jaffe.

Amanda blinked. The confession was a surprise, but she was relieved that her client was not lying under oath.

Can you tell the jury what happened on the evening of August third of last year?

Yes, ma' am.

LaTricia composed herself and turned toward the jury.

On August third I was working on Martin Luther King Boulevard when Officer Powers drove by.

Did you know that he was a policeman?

Yes, I did.

You did?

Oh, yes. I've seen Officer Powers run a game on several of my friends.

Then why did you ... Uh, what happened next?

LaTricia straightened her skirt and cleared her throat.

Officer Powers asked me if I would have sex with him. Now, I knew what he was trying to do. I've seen him arrest my friends, like I said. But I knew he couldn't arrest me if I didn't mention money. So I told him that I had a room in the motel across the street and I would feel more comfortable discussing our mutual interests there. Officer Powers asked me what those interests might be, and I described a few things that seemed to perk him up. At least I thought they did, because his face got all red and I noticed that something more than his temperature was rising.

Two of the jurors glanced at each other.

What happened then? Amanda asked.

LaTricia looked at the jurors, then down at her lap.

Officer Powers parked in the motel lot and we went to my crib. Once we was inside I ... This is a little embarrassing for me, Ms. Jaffe, but I know I got to tell the truth.

Just take your time, Ms. Sweet, Amanda advised her. LaTricia nodded, took a deep breath and continued.

Like I said, I' d seen Officer Powers around and I thought that he was about the sweetest thing I ever did see, so young and shy. All those friends of mine he' d busted said he was polite and treated them like ladies. Not like the other police. And, well...

Yes?

LaTricia cast her eyes down. When she spoke, her voice was barely audible.

The truth is, I fell in love with Officer Powers and I confessed my love as soon as I shut the door to my room.

The jurors leaned forward. Someone in the back of the room giggled.

I know that sounds crazy, LaTricia said, directing her comment to the spectators, and I know Officer Powers didn't say nothin' ' bout my confession when he was on the stand. I don't know if he left that out because he was embarrassed or because he didn't want to embarrass me. He's such a gentleman.

LaTricia squared her shoulders and turned back to the jury.

Soon as we was alone I came clean and told him that I knew that he was a policeman. Then I told him that I knew that I was just an old whore, used up by life, but that I had never felt about any man the way I felt about him. Officer Powers, he blushed and looked like he wanted to be anywhere but with me, and I can understand that. He probably has himself a fine white woman, someone foxy. But I told him that all I wanted was one night of love with him and that he could take me to jail when it was over, because one night of his sweet love would be worth an eternity of jail.

A tear trickled down LaTricia's cheek. She paused, drew a handkerchief from her purse, dabbed at the tear, then said, ' Scuse me, to the jurors.

Do you want some water, Ms. Sweet? asked Amanda, who had been swept up in the drama of the moment. Rodney Dart leaped to his feet.

Objection, Your Honor. This is too much.

Oh, I don't ' spect you to believe any of this, Mr. DA. An old bag like me trying to find love with a man half her age. But can't I dream?

Your Honor, Dart begged.

The defendant is entitled to put on a defense, Mr. Dart, Judge Robard answered in a tone that let the jurors know that he wasn't buying LaTricia's act, but several of the jurors were casting angry glances at the prosecutor.