The Simple Truth

Knight hid a smile. I understand you are a little perturbed that I led the way forU.S. v. Chanceto be put on the docket at the end of the last term.

Ramsey sat up straight. Dont believe everything you hear around here.

On the contrary, Ive found the clerk grapevine to be extraordinarily accurate.

Ramsey sat back once more. Well, I have to admit that I was a little surprised about it. The case presents no unsettled question of law that requires our intervention. Need I say more? He threw up his hands.

In your opinion?

A tinge of red eased across Ramseys face. In the published opinions of this Court over the last fifty years. All I ask is that you accord the Courts precedents the respect they deserve.

Youll find no one who holds this institution in higher regard than I do.

Very happy to hear that.

And Ill be delighted to entertain your thoughts further on theChancecase after we hear oral argument.

Ramsey looked at her dully. It will be a very short discussion, considering that it doesnt take long to say yes or no. Bluntly speaking, at the end of the day, Ill have at least five votes and you wont.

Well, I convinced three other justices to vote to hear the case.

Ramsey looked as though he might laugh. Youll quickly learn that the difference between votes to hear a case and votes to decide it is enormous. Rest assured, I will have the majority.

Knight smiled pleasantly. Your confidence is inspiring. That Icanlearn from.

Ramsey rose to leave. Then consider this other lesson: Small mistakes tend to lead to large ones. Ours is a lifetime appointment, and all you have is your reputation. Once its gone, it doesnt come back. Ramsey went to the door. I wish you a productive day, Beth, he said before leaving her. ["C3"]CHAPTER THREE

Rufus? Samuel Rider cautiously pressed the phone to his ear. How did you track me down?

Aint many lawyers up these parts, Samuel, Rufus Harms said.

Im not in the JAG anymore.

Being on the outside pays good, I guess.

Some days I miss the uniform, Rider lied. He had been a terrified draftee, fortunately with a law degree in hand, and had chosen a safe role in the Judge Advocate Generals Office or JAG over toting a gun through the jungles of Vietnam as a pudgy, fear-soaked GI, a sure beacon for enemy fire.

I need to see you. Dont want to say why over the phone.

Everything okay up at Fort Jackson? I heard you were transferred there.

Sure. Prisons just fine.

I didnt mean that, Rufus. I was just wondering why you looked me up after all this time.

Youre still my lawyer, aint you? Only time I ever needed one.

My schedules kind of tight, and I dont usually travel over that way. Riders hand tightened on the phone with Harmss next words.

I really need to see you tomorrow, Samuel. You think you owe me that?

I did all I could for you back then.

You took the deal. Quick and easy.

No, Rider countered, we did the pretrial agreement with the convening authority, and the trial counsel signed off on it, and that was the smart thing to do.

You didnt really try to beat it none on the sentencing. Most try to do that.

Who told you that?

Learn a lot in prison.

Well, you cant waive the sentencing phase. We put on our case to the members, you know that.

But you didnt call no witnesses, didnt really do much that I could see.

Rider now got very defensive. I did the best I could. Remember something, Rufus, they couldve executed you. A little white girl and all. They wouldve gone for first degree, they told me that. At least you got to live.

Tomorrow, Samuel. I put you on my visitors list. Around about nineA.M. Thank you. Thank you kindly. Oh, bring a little radio with you. Before Rider could ask him why he should bring such a device, or why he should even come to see him, Harms had hung up the phone. Rider eased back in his very comfortable chair and looked around his spacious, wood-paneled office. He practiced law in a small rural town some distance from Blacksburg, Virginia. He made a fine living: nice house, new Buick every three years, vacations twice a

As John Fiske rose from the counsels table he glanced over at his opponent, Paul Williams. The young assistant commonwealth attorney, or ACA, had just finished confidently stating the particulars of his motion. Fiske whispered, Your ass is grass, Paulie. You messed up.

When Fiske turned to face Judge Walters, his ma

Your Honor, in the interest of not wasting the courts time, I would like to make an offer in open court to the Commonwealth Attorneys Office regarding its motion. If they agree to withdraw with prejudice and contribute one thousand dollars to the public defenders fund, I will withdraw my response, not file for sanctions and we can all go home.