Weird Day Today

Today I testified in the case made by the city against the young man that the police identified as one of my attackers. It was a strange experience for a couple of reasons.

First, (and everyone that has seen a single, lonely episode of Law and Order should have been prepared for this, although I inexplicably was not) the whole deal was very hostile. The DA was very hostile toward the defendant and the defense attorney was very hostile toward me. For example the attorney for the defense, in her closing said, “I even got the victim to admit that she didn’t even see the defendant!!” Touché and point! Except that I was not keeping the fact that I could identify NO ONE in the robbery a secret. In fact, the defendant was paraded in front of me on a street corner in is own neighborhood--schlepped out of the back of police paddy wagon in the pouring rain, held in hand-cuffs while I sat in the police car, “Is that him?? That’s who we saw running from you!” And, nope, I got nothing. So, the defense attorney was not, how shall I say?, the victorious stealthy word jouster she wished to think herself. And I, not the hostile victim trying to nail the bastard to the wall.

After the child was found guilty (he is 16 I think), the DA demanded that the there be a protective order, so that the kid, nor any of his family, could come near me or my home. I didn't request that and, to be honest, I thought it unnecessary—salt in the wound, I mean they got him and if he planned on coming after me, he already would have. He had my address for Christ’s sake. When the judge granted it, the DA turned and pointed to me sitting in the audience and said "Call 911 if he comes anywhere near you!"...oh the dramatics. Why act like the kid is a monster? A crazy experience.

The second reason the whole thing was weird…well, let me first say this, I wanna be a judge! So much fun! I get to decide, I get to pronounce, I get to be the final arbiter…weeee! Okay, that’s out there, now I can move on. The judge, in his infinite wisdom decided to give the kid a firm talking to about how “I grew up in the city. I know what it’s like. If you need money, steal a bike, sell some drugs…I can get that, I can understand that, but grabbing a woman, throwing her to the ground and stealing her purse??? What is wrong with you? What if she was your mother or sister and someone did that???” My mind is squirming in my head trying to make sense of this diatribe but I can’t make any sense out of it. I guess I’m supposed to feel good about it, right? I mean, take care of the ladies, treat us kindly-I’m down with that. Or maybe I’m being appreciated for the symbolic role I play in each and every family. Or maybe this guy was just telling this kid to sell drugs to the other kids in his community rather than bothering a nice lady like me?? He couldn’t have been. To be honest, I’d rather this kid steal my pocketbook than sell drugs to his friends, even if they do 'live on the other side of Broad Street.'

Okay, clearly bleeding-heart liberal. All I could think through the whole thing is, “Here’s our chance to save this kid, to steal him away and give him books and a yoohoo. Why is no one giving this kid a nice chocolate drink???”

The court case ended with a pronouncement of guilt and everyone dispersed. The police stopped me on my way out and asked me if they were going to see me on Friday, for the case of one of the two “adults” that jumped me and I said they would. They said it was important because these guys, after jumping me, in the same month, jumped two pizza guys and then shot and killed someone, the “trigger man” was already in jail. While walking out of the courthouse I thought how sad it was that the world is so hard and that a yoohoo really couldn’t have fixed everything for this kid.