#retaliation attorney near me

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The Interrogation (Part 15 of Alley Cat)

(Image Description: Matt Murdock as red-suit Daredevil against nighttime city background in one block, Shadowy couple leaning against each other surrounded by candles overlooking a city in second block, under second block is text saying Alley Cat by Shiori_Makiba, the third block is a orange medium haired tabby laying on a table and looking up at the camera playfully. End ID)

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Reader

Word Count: 8710

Summary: The police have a few questions.

Warning(s): Nudity and near nudity. Referenced p in v sex, oral sex (f and m receiving), hand job (m receiving), dirty talk, love bites. Kissing, dirty talk, Matt being mildly possessive. Low-key workplace sexual harassment, rear of retaliation for rejected sexual advances. Frank discussion of sex. Swearing. Police interrogation, fears of and actual police misconduct, fear of police violence. Emotional hurt/comfort.

Alley Cat Masterlist

My General Masterlist

Tag List: @loves0phelia

Please let me know if you wish to be tagged for this series.

Special thanks to @ceterisparibus116 and @appellatedefender for answering my question about attorney-client privilege.

Part 15 - The Interrogation

Your eyes fluttered open. You knew immediately that you were alone in the bed because there was no human octopus plastered to your back with his muscular leg slung over your legs and equally heavy arm resting just under your bare breasts. And it was too cold. In addition to being an octopus, Matt was a living furnace. And you could – just barely – hear someone moving around beyond the bedroom door.

You rolled onto your back and stretched. You smiled when you noticed a pleasant soreness in certain parts of your body. Part of you wanted to stay in bed. You were rather comfortable. You wouldn’t object to spending more time with Matt. In more ways than one. But you had to go to work today. And before you could get to work, you needed to go back to your apartment for fresh clothes and to take care of Houdini.

With that goal in mind, you sat up in the bed and looked around. You hadn’t really looked at it last night due to being distracted. Very distracted, you remembered with a flush. Along with the first stirrings of arousal. Which you did your best to ignore. As much as you enjoyed having sex with Matt (and wanted to do it again), you had responsibilities.

The bedroom matched the rest of his spaces – collection of mismatched furniture, neat as a pin. No obvious frills. The sheets might have been silk but they weren’t shiny like most silk you had seen. You wondered if it was raw silk. You think you remember your sister Beth saying something about raw silk not being as shiny. But you weren’t sure. Sewing and fibercrafts was her big hobbies, not yours.

There is something shaped like a pyramid on bedside table that you weren’t sure was. Curious, you pressed the big button on the top and a mechanical voice said the time. A clock. So that’s what a talking clock looked like. Neat.

You started looking for some clothes. You weren’t going to walk around naked. Matt had very big windows with no curtains. Yes, this apartment was six stories up but plenty of nearby buildings had a sixth floor. Yes, that obnoxious billboard was a very good distraction for any would be oglers. That wasn’t the point.

Actually your biggest reason was that it was going to be hard enough to resist sex with Matt this morning without walking around naked. Especially now that you knew how good the aforementioned sex was.

At some point, Matt had gathered up your clothes into a tidy pile. But in the pile was something that wasn’t yours. A white men’s button-down shirt that you had slipped on during the night after waking up feeling thirsty. You discovered two things as a result of that glass of water. One was that billboard outside of his apartment poured enough light into Matt’s bedroom and main room that you didn’t need to turn on any lights to avoid running into furniture or the walls. The second was that wearing his shirt and no panties really did something for Matt.

As soon as you had crawled back into bed, his hands were roaming over your body and he was whispering dirty promises into your ears. Promises that had you rising your arms so he could strip off the shirt and lavish your breasts with the same attention he had given your thighs last night. Promises that had you spreading your legs for his fingers, then his cock. Having him inside you had felt just as good as it had the first time.

The memory made your face flush and got you even more worked up. Given that, putting that shirt back on was probably tempting fate but your only other option was your date clothes. You didn’t want to give Matt the impression that you were itching to get out of here. You fished your panties out of the pile and slipped them on. Panties that only had enough fabric to cover the required areas weren’t much of a barrier to sexy times but better than nothing. Especially since you already knew how he reacted to his shirt with no panties.

You made a quick detour to the bathroom on the way to the kitchen. While washing your hands, you couldn’t help but notice that your predication about getting a hickey was accurate. Especially since he hadn’t ignored that spot during the shirt incident. You inspected the mark in the bathroom mirror. It was very noticeable. Especially since it was too high on your neck to be hidden by your shirt collar.

You wondered if the placement was a coincidence. It could be. It was a sensitive spot. Maybe he had paid so much attention to that part of your neck because he enjoyed how your body reacted. You had no idea if he found love bites appealing. He couldn’t see the resulting marks but it could appeal to him for other reasons.

Shrugging it off for the moment, you continued your journey to the kitchen. You were pretty sure that you smelled coffee . . . but the moment you rounded the corner, you froze. All thoughts of coffee were driven out of your mind. Because Matt was standing there with his back to you, doing something at that island that divided the kitchen from the living room, wearing nothing but his black boxers.

The morning light coming in from the windows bathed in his skin in a warm glow, highlighting all those beautiful muscles in his back, arms, and legs. And that glorious ass . . .

“You’re staring again, sweetheart.”

The sound of his voice was enough to make you jump a little. You tore your eyes away from his ass to see him grinning at you from over his shoulder. Busted.

“Sorry,” you said softly, looking down at your feet and feeling a vague sense of guilt. Probably from the memory of those admonishments to ‘don’t stare at people, it’s rude’ ringing in your mind.

“Don’t be,” he said, turning around to face you. “I don’t mind you admiring my ass.”

Warmth flooded your cheeks. Which only got worse when he walked over to you and wrapped his arms around your waist. The startled squeak you made when one hand immediately slide down to grab your ass only made his teasing grin even wider. Having his big warm hand squeezing your ass did nothing to quench the fire trying to build between your legs.

“Besides,” he said conversationally. Like he wasn’t groping your ass. Or wasn’t aware that you were getting turned on. “I rather admire your ass.”

“Y-you do?” you managed to squeak out. His answer was pull you against him. You gasped, then shuddered as he pressed his growing bulge against your groin. A deep rumble came out of his chest as he squeezed your ass again.

“Yes. Very much,” he whispered, his eyes were dark with hunger. His hand continued to grope your ass. “You’re wearing panties this time.”

It was official. Your face was hot enough to cook breakfast on. And you could feel your resolve to not have sex this morning starting to crumble. Then a random thought popped into your mind and since your mouth has almost no filter around Matt, you said that thought out loud.

“Oh God, I’m dating the princess was from the Princess and the Pea!”

A moment of silence before Matt threw back his head and laughed. You buried your face into your hands. Well, that ruined the mood. But you didn’t think you were wrong. If there was someone who could feel a single pea under forty layers of bedding material, it was Matt.

After he got his laughter under control, he gave your ass one last squeeze then stepped away from you. You tried not to feel disappointed about that. You don’t have time this morning, you reminded yourself. But it still took more willpower than was pretty to resist the urge to reach inside those boxers and wrap your hand around his cock . . .

You took a deep breath and did your best to push away those thoughts.

“Your coffee is on the upper counter,” Matt said, moving toward a small stove built into the island. There was a skillet sitting on one of the burners. A carton of eggs sitting on a work area beside the stove along with a spatula, a partial stick of butter, a salt shaker, and small pepper mill.

You looked up on the upper level of the counter and there, to the side of a basket with jars and bottles with either little tags attached to them or what looked like buttons pasted on them, was a white coffee mug. Steam was rising softly from the mug into the morning air. Also sitting on the counter were two plates with bacon and toast already on them.

You picked up the mug and cautiously sipped. It had been doctored to your preferences. It warmed your heart to know that he had remembered a little detail like how you like your coffee.

“Thank you,” you said, taking another sip. And remembering your other manners, added, “Good morning, Matt.”

“Good morning, sweetheart,” he said. “How do you want your eggs?”

You thought about it for moment, then answered, “Fried.”

He nodded, then did that trick of cracking open eggs with one hand. Without breaking the yolk or ending up with eggshells in the pan. Which is what always seemed to happen whenever you had attempted doing that. Most of the time you didn’t have the patience to bother trying. You didn’t cook and bake to fight with eggs.

You sipped your coffee and watched him cook. You tried not get too distracted by his lack of attire. Or thoughts like how easy it would be to peel those boxers down and . . . You weren’t very successful. Judging by that smug smirk being flashed in your direction as he plated your eggs, Matt was completely aware of the effect he was still having on you.

It didn’t take him long to cook his own eggs. He picked up the plates of food and moved them to the small table and chairs in front of the counter. You grabbed what you assumed was his coffee mug off the counter. It was pretty low.

“More coffee, Matt?” you asked.

“Yes, thank you,” he answered. You refilled his mug and doctored it the way he had it at your apartment that morning before topping off your own mug. You then picked up the mugs and carried them over to the table.

“Your coffee is at your two o’clock,” you said as you put it down. As you sat down, a thought occurred to you and you asked, “Do you actually need that kind of rundown?”

“Yes and no,” he said. “I can tell that there are objects on the table and where said objects are. With a little concentration, I can make a pretty good guess about what those objects are or what they contain by their shape, smell, temperature, etc. It won’t take me long to find, for example, the salt shaker if you just put it on the table without telling me what or where it was but I can’t say that is necessarily something I want to spend my time doing. Generally I’d rather save my mental energy for something more important . . .”

“Like noticing the guy behind you swinging a baseball bat at your head?” you asked.

He smiled at you. “Exactly. Or building a good case for my clients.”

After taking a swallow of his coffee, he continued, “And there are certain things that my senses just can’t tell me. For example, what color anything is.”

You nodded, considering the information as you chewed. After you swallowed the bite, you said, “Let me test my understanding. If you were, for example, playing pool, you could tell that there are balls on the table and where those balls are. But you cannot tell if you are aiming your cue stick at a striped ball or a solid ball unless someone tells you that particular detail.”

“Exactly,” he said, then took a bite of his breakfast.

“You don’t need a rundown but, generally speaking, giving you one allows you to save time and effort that you would rather spend elsewhere.”

“That’s right.”

You nodded thoughtfully as you took another bite of your breakfast. After you swallowed, you said, “This is good. Thank you for making breakfast.”

“It’s just bacon and eggs,” he said, waving it off.

“It’s a hot meal that I didn’t have to cook,” you said. “And you didn’t overdo the seasoning.”

“But someone has?” he asked.

“My brother,” you said. “He’s a good cook but likes spicy food. Sometimes he forgets that I don’t have the same heat tolerance as him and our sister.”

“Duly noted,” Matt said. The rest of the meal was eaten in comfortable silence. When you both had finished eating, you collected the dishes and carried them to sink. Then you turned on the water.

“What are you doing?”

“Uh? Washing the dishes?” you said, confused.

“You don’t have to do that,” Matt said.

“I don’t mind,” you said. “You cooked. I can do the clean up.”

“But you’re my guest – ”

“Matt, I’m trying to procrastinate. Work with me,” you said.

“Oh?” He arched his eyebrow at you. “And what is it that you are trying to put off?”

“Leaving,” you said with a sigh.

“You don’t have to rush off,” he said, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you back against him. “And if you need an excuse to delay, I can think of something more fun to do than washing dishes.”

He nuzzled your neck and pressed a kiss to that sensitive spot on your neck, where the hickey was. You shuddered. He made that deep rumbling sound that you more felt than heard. One of his hands slid down, coming to a stop just short of where your body would really like it to be.

“Tempting,” you said, your voice sounded breathy. “Very, very tempting.”

“But?”

“But I have to go to work,” you said. “And that means getting back to my apartment with enough time to get ready. And Houdini needs fresh food and water, at the very least.”

He sighed. “All very good reasons.”

But he kept nuzzling your neck. “How much time do you have?”

“Not that much,” you answered.

“That’s a shame.”

“Insatiable,” you said. “Does wearing your shirt turn you on that much?”

“It’s not just my shirt,” he said, his arms around your waist tightened. “I like having my scent on you, smelling like my pheromones. I like it a lot.”

He nipped at that sensitive spot. You shuddered again and had to swallow a moan. You managed to say, “That’s not the only thing you like.”

“No, I also enjoy how you react to me. It’s very pleasurable feeling your body respond to me, hearing all those noises you make, smelling your pheromones, tasting you . . .”

“Giving me hickeys,” you said.

“Oh?” You felt him smirk against your neck. “You have a hickey?”

“Yes,” You said. “One too high on my neck to be hidden by most of my shirts.”

“Is it?” he said, not sounding at all remorseful. “Real shame there.”

“A turtleneck would cover it,” you pointed out.

“In this heat and humidity? Sweetheart, you’ll melt.”

He was right. You would melt. And Jo would tease you about it for the rest of her life.

“Oh sure be all logical about it,” you said, pretending to pout.

Matt chuckled. You looked over your shoulder at him. He looked entirely too pleased with himself. Between the scent thing and the hickey, you getting the impression that Matt had a bit of a possessive streak.

After one last squeeze to your waist and nipping kiss to your neck, he stepped away from you. You tried not to feel so disappointed about that. You said that you didn’t have time for sex this morning and he was respecting that. Which was a good thing. A very good thing. That didn’t make it easy to watch him, still half naked and judging by the tenting in his boxers at least half hard, walk away from you.

And then, he started washing the dishes.

“Hey, I meant what I said. I don’t mind doing the washing up,” you said.

“I know,” he said. “But I need a distraction.”

“From what?” you asked.

“How much I want put you on this counter, throw your legs over my shoulders, and bury my face in your pussy until you’re screaming,” he said.

Blood immediately rushed to your face and between your legs. He looked hungry and only looked hungrier as his nostril flared and his tongue darted across his lips. He could smell it, taste it in the air, your cunt’s immediate reaction of ‘yes, please’ to that idea.

It took a lot of willpower to step away. But when you checked the time on your phone, you realized that it was necessary. You really didn’t have time. Damnit.

“I really do need to get going,” You said, not bothering to hide your disappointment “Rain check?”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Matt answered.

Not trusting yourself to avoid making yourself late for work if you lingered much longer, you went back to the bedroom and exchanged his shirt for your own clothes. You did your best to smooth down your rumpled clothes and turn your bedhead into something tidier but between those things and the hickey on your neck, it was going to be very obvious that you hadn’t spent the night in your own bed.

Matt had slipped on clothes while you were fighting with your hair but gray sweatpants and a plain tee shirt didn’t make him any less hot. The very thorough kiss good-bye really tested your resolve but you were a responsible adult.

Houdini wasn’t pleased about being abandoned all night, giving you the cold shoulder. It probably didn’t help that you smelled liked his eternal rival. You decided to bribe him with one of his favorite treats – a can of the fancy cat food. It worked. He let you pet him while he ate his food. Hopefully he would get used to you spending time at Matt’s place. And Matt spending time here. Without the need to constantly bribe him with the more expensive cat food.

Fresh clothes along a shower and access to your hairbrush helped but that hickey was an obvious I just got laid sign. You did your best to cover it up with make up but it still looks pretty noticeable to you. But it would have to do if you didn’t want to be late.

Marci Stahl narrowed her eyes when she saw you and it seemed like she was looking at your neck. But that might just be you being a little self-conscious. If she could see it, she chose not to say anything about it. Just informed you that the court dates on one of the cases had been changed and some things now needed to be completed sooner rather than later.

You were getting ready to break for lunch when another member of the firm came in and told Marci she was needed for a meeting. Just her. Didn’t or couldn’t say what it was about and judging by the look on Marci’s face, she didn’t know either.

“Ms. Stahl?” you said as you gathered your purse.

“Yes?” she said, with a hint of irritation in her voice as she gathered a notepad and pen.

“Do you want me to pick you up some lunch while I’m getting mine?” you offered.

She looked surprised but recovered quickly. “Yes. Thank you. Where are you headed?”

“Schmidt’s Deli.”

“I love their pastrami on rye,” she said. “Save the receipt, I’ll pay you back.”

“Coming right up,” you said, shouldering your purse and headed for the elevator. When the doors slide open, you hide a grimace. Don Everett, one of the firm’s attorneys, was on the elevator. He was one of your least favorite people. The reasons were threefold.

The first was that he was borderline incompetent and lazy but absolutely convinced that he was the best attorney on the East Coast. It had made the few times you had been assigned as his paralegal extremely frustrating. Always guaranteed to flick your on-again, off-again desire to go back to school and get your JD into the on-position if it wasn’t already. And if it was already in the on-position, make that desire even stronger.

Last time it had gotten to the point that you brought practice books for the LSAT. Regardless of whether or not you ultimately decided to retake the test, the mental exercise was good for you. When you weren’t so frustrated that all you could do was pace around your apartment and mutter about idiots.

The second reason how little respect he had for women. He seldom looked at your face when speaking to you. Gun to his head, he probably couldn’t tell anyone what color your eyes were. But he could probably give a reasonably detailed description of your breasts. When he wasn’t interrupting you or ignoring what you said, he was talking down to you. Like you were a particularly stupid child who couldn’t locate their own backside with both hands and an atlas. An attitude that you found extremely irritating.

You weren’t alone in that boat. He treated every woman in the firm like that, regardless of position or education. You thought Marci was going to kill him the last time they had been made co-counsel on a case. He got away with it because he was the beloved grandson of Bob Everett, one of the firms’ founding partners. The scuttlebutt was that the elder Mr. Everett had always indulged his grandson more than he should but it had gotten even worse since his son Chris Everett was killed during The Incident.

You sympathized with the elder Mr. Everett’s understandable grief at the loss of his only child but wished it didn’t mean having to either tolerate the younger Mr. Everett or find another job. While the later notion was (very) tempting sometimes, you liked most of your co-workers and enjoyed your work at Lee, Everett, & Kirby.

The third reason was the most recent and that was he simply couldn’t get the message that you weren’t interested him. You were pretty sure he wasn’t actually interested in you either. You were intriguing simply because you said ‘no, thank you’ to his offer of a date. Being good looking and affluent, Don Everett didn’t get turned down very often. He seemed to think it was only a matter of time before your ‘no’ turned into a ‘yes.’

Which it never would. Even if you hadn’t meet Matt, the answer would still be no. You were dreading the day he figured that out. Either on his own or because you finally had to stop being polite about it. You didn’t think he would get violent about it but spreading ugly, untrue rumors? Entirely possible. And whining to his grandfather until you were fired or otherwise encouraged to ‘voluntarily terminate your employment’ with the firm? Also entirely possible.

You did your best to avoid him. You especially tried to avoid being alone with him. He hadn’t tried to touch you or anything like that. He seemed to think his so-called charm was enough to convince you sooner or later. But you couldn’t be sure that it would stay that way. So witnesses just in case – if his hands ever did wander, you didn’t want to be just your word against his. You had an ugly suspicion about who the partners would side with in that scenario.

If it had just been him in elevator, you would have pretended to have forgotten something and came back later. The stairs were technically an option but this was a highrise and walking down over a hundred flights of stairs did not sound appealing. But lucky for you, there were others on the elevator and even luckier, several of them were also getting off on the ground floor.

You made the short walk over to Schmidt’s Deli. Looking over the chalkboard menu, you decided to get a meatball sub for yourself. Plain chips and bottles of tea to round it out . . . your planning was interrupted by a familiar voice calling your name. You looked up to see your best friend approaching you.

“Hey Jo,” you greeted. “Covering another Upper East Side animal charity?”

“Follow up on the same charity,” she said. “But at the moment, I’m on a different fact-finding mission.”

You gave her a curious look as she joined you in line. She flashed you a wicked grin. “You got laid. By Matthew the Hot Lawyer. I want details.”

You felt blood rush to your face. “How did you know?”

“Besides the fact that you had it pretty bad for him last time we spoke?” Jo asked. “You just told me. Through that big hickey on your neck was also a clue.”

You covered your face with your hands, groaning. “Is my make-up job on it that bad?”

“It’s not the worse,” she said. “But I’m also looking for stuff like that. Might be less obvious to someone who isn’t really looking.”

“Great,” you said.

“So details?” she prompted.

“I have get back to work soon,” you pointed out. “I’m just here to pick up some lunch for myself and a coworker. And I’m pretty sure you have a deadline to meet.”

“Spoilsport,” she said, pouting. “Come on, give me something to hold me until we can get together and dish.”

“Like what?” you asked.

She leaned in and asked in a low voice, “Rumor has it that Mr. Murdock loves eating pussy. Can you confirm?”

If you thought you had flushed before, it was nothing compared now. It didn’t help that blood had rushed to . . . other places . . . as her word triggered your memories of the activity in question. And Matt’s offer this morning . . . you had to press your thighs together.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Jo said, watching you squirm with a sly grin. “Is his tongue as magical as they say?”

“Jo!” you sputtered. You were glad that you were not – probably – within Matt’s particularly keen earshot. You were even happier about the fact that you had reached the counter and Jo had to stop asking you sex questions in the middle of a crowded deli. You ordered your sandwiches, picked up the rest of food and drinks, and headed for register. Jo followed shortly after with a meatball sub of her own.

“Turns out I’m should be free tomorrow night,” Jo said. “Want to check out that bar with me?”

“Sure,” you said, knowing that you couldn’t neglect spending time with your friends. “What’s it called again?”

“Josie’s,” she answered and gave you the address. “Call me when you get off work?”

“Will do,” you said, knowing full well that she wanted to dish about your sex life and Matt. Specifically those two things together.

“See you later,” you said, turning in the direction of your office.

“Bye!” Jo said, waving as she headed off in the opposite direction.

Marci wasn’t done with her meeting with you returned. Which wasn’t unexpected since it hadn’t taken you long to get lunch. For the moment, you placed her lunch on her desk. You would move it to the mini-fridge if the meeting started to run long.

You were about halfway through your sub when your phone rang. Seeing that it was Matt, you hastily swallowed your bite and answered it. “Hi, Matt.”

“Hello sweetheart,” he greeted you. “Taking your lunch break?”

“Yep,” you said. “I assume you are too?”

“Yep,” he said, echoing your response. “Karen is getting us some lunch.”

“Her turn or do they still think you are going to get distracted and leave them hanging?”

“The later. But Justice Nelson and Justice Page have agreed to give me a hearing later this week.”

You giggled.

“Do you have plans tonight?” he asked.

“Work,” you said. “Some dates got moved around and I need to finish some things sooner than originally expected.”

“I understand,” he said. “Think you’ll be done by tomorrow night?”

“Yes,” you said. “But Jo wants me to check out a bar with her.”

“A new bar?”

“No,” you said. “Think this one has been open for a while. She’s just been trying to find us a new hangout place since her ex owns the old one.”

“Ugly break-up?”

“More like a very loud one. Lots of naming calling. Jo might have declared to all and sundry that her ex was a little . . . lacking . . . in certain respects. And didn’t make good use of what he had.”

Matt chuckled. “Hence the need for the new bar?”

“Correct,” you said. “She thinks she’s found a good place. Said it looks a little rundown but we both like a place with some character. I’m going to meet her there tomorrow.”

“Do I need worry about you getting lost and winding up in Queens?”

You rolled your eyes. “No. The bar is in Hell’s Kitchen.”

“Oh? What’s the name of the place?”

“Josie’s. Ever go there?”

“Sometimes,” he said and you could hear the grin. You had the feeling it was a lot more than sometimes.

“So I might see you there,” you said.

“That’s a distinct possibility.”

Faintly you could hear a murmur of voices from his end. “Do I hear Karen?”

“You do,” he said. “She’s back with our lunch.”

“What did she get you?”

“Pad Thai.”

“Sounds yummy. I’ve got a meatball sub,” you said. You looked at the clock. “Which I should probably finish and get back to work.”

“I didn’t mean to keep you from your lunch. I just missed the sound of your voice.”

Your heart gave a little leap and your face warmed. “Me too. You have a nice voice.”

“Thank you sweetheart,” he said and you could hear the smile. “Do me a favor and let me know when you get back to your apartment?”

So I know you arrived safely was unspoken but clearly understood. “I will. Talk to you later?”

“Sounds good. Bye.”

“Bye.”

You gave yourself a moment to hold your phone in your hands against your chest and sigh dreamily. But only for a moment. You were at work. You had to be professional. You put your phone away and quickly finished your sub. It didn’t look like Marci was getting back anytime soon so you grabbed a post-it note and wrote ‘Property of Marci Stahl – Steal It At Your Peril.’ You attached the note to little bag with the food and stowed it in the mini-fridge.

It seemed to amuse her when she finally got to retrieve her lunch an hour later. She smiled. Just a little one but it was a vast improvement over the thunderous expression on her face when she came back to the office. You didn’t know what had put that look on her face and wasn’t going to ask. It might be something confidential that she couldn’t discuss. Even if it wasn’t, that didn’t make it any of your business. You liked Marci and you wouldn’t mind becoming friends with her but you weren’t friends yet.

You turned our attention away from Marci and back on the work you needed to finish.

By eight, you had most of it done but your brain was feeling like much. Scattered mush that couldn’t concentrate well enough to organize its thoughts, let alone translates those thoughts into words on paper that someone else could understand. You needed a break. Some food. You stretched, feeling a stiff. Maybe a change of scenery would help. That sometimes helped jump-started your brain when it was stalled.

You glanced over at Marci but decided not to bother her. She had that intensely focused look of someone who was on a roll and would get very cranky at anyone or anything that disrupted that roll. Or maybe that was projection since that sort of thing irritated you. You quietly collected your work papers, put them in your briefcase, and locked it before gathering up your personal items like your phone. Before you slipped your phone into your purse, you sent out two messages – one to Jo, another to Matt – letting them know you were leaving work.

You were walking toward the subway station when you were heard your name being called by a vaguely familiar male voice. You slowed and looked back, curious. A couple of feet behind was a man staring at you as he rapidly approached, accompanied by an equally interested woman. Both of them looked somewhat familiar but it took you a minute to place them. The detectives who were investigating those gangs but had seemed far more interested in Daredevil . . . Vaughn and Reynolds.

“Yes, Detectives?” you asked.

Through your tone had been perfectly polite, the already sour expression on the man – Detective Vaughn – face only deepened.

“We have some questions for you,” he said with thinly veiled hostility. A lot of hostility. You knew you had gotten on his nerves with your clipped non-answers in the alley and knew he (and his partner) suspected you of knowing more than you saying but this seemed like a lot of hostility.

“If that’s not too much trouble?” added Reynolds with a fake little smile. As before, being the good cop to his bad cop. But something was a little off. You hadn’t believed it but Reynolds was pretty good at projecting that old my partner is mean old bear but I am as soft and gentle as summer rain vibe. She was trying the same thing today but there was a peculiar stiffness to the performance. A tension around her eyes and mouth. Almost like she was frightened.

Of what you had no idea. Didn’t seemed to be her partner. Assuming you were correct about it being fear in the first place. You didn’t know Detective Reynolds. She could be having a bad day (or days) and just wasn’t fully up to pretending to be nice to someone she didn’t like.

Despite her words, you knew that neither considered you taking the time to answer their questions optional. Legally it was. You weren’t under arrest. In theory, you could just say no and walk away. But in practice . . . you had the feeling that they were absolutely willing to arrest you on something like obstruction of justice to prevent you from doing exactly that. And, judging by that scowl, Vaughn would enjoy it.

“Here?” you asked. You doubted it. You were already getting people shouldering past you and the detectives with irritated mutters for being too slow. It was only a matter of time before that shouldering and muttering turned into a shove and swearing. New York City foot traffic waited for no one. You were pretty sure that Jesus would get pushed aside with an angry shout of ‘Out of the way, hippie!’

“At the precinct,” Vaughn said with more than a little impatience.

“Please,” Reynolds added, upping the wattage of her pretend smile. It still didn’t reach her eyes.

You could refuse. It was your right. But as noted, you didn’t think they would accept that answer gracefully. Foggy could probably get whatever charge they would arrest you for dropped easily but that wouldn’t make being arrested any more pleasant.

“Alright,” you said and started reach for your phone to call Foggy . . .

“What are you doing?” Vaughn snapped, his hand now resting on the gun on his hip. He didn’t grip it or even actually draw it. Just rested his hand there. Not an outright threat – something he could chalk up to his superiors as a subconscious reaction, an artifact of training – but an implied threat. It was enough to make you freeze, your hand hovering over the outer pocket of your purse.

“I was just reaching for my phone, Detective Vaughn,” you said, sounding calmer than you felt. Matt wouldn’t have been fooled. He would have heard your heart racing, smelled the fear coursing your body . . . you wished he was here. Not because he was an attorney – through that certainly wouldn’t hurt – but because you felt safe with him.

“What for?” Reynolds demanded. You risked glancing over at her. She wasn’t touching her gun but that would change in the instant.

Legally you didn’t have to answer that question. Or any other question from them. But you also would like not get to shot. Maybe Vaughn was bold enough to actually draw his gun and shot an unarmed person in the front of this many people. Maybe he wasn’t. You weren’t willing to bet your life on it.

“To call my attorney so he can meet us at the precinct.”

“Do you really think bringing lawyers into this is necessary?” Reynolds asked, a current of irritation undercutting her attempt to sound friendly. “We just have a few questions.”

Did she really think you were going to fall for that? Because it certainly looked like it. Under your fear, you felt a spark of anger. It seem to you that this expectation spoke to how often they had interrogated someone who didn’t know their rights well enough to know when they were being violated. This spark allowed you to pushed past the fear for a moment to look her dead in the eyes and answer, “Yes.”

“I don’t care what you were reaching for,” Vaughn snarled. He still hadn’t drawn the gun but the hand resting on it twitched. “Keep your hands where I can see them. Move them away that purse. Now.”

You obeyed, hoping neither noticed the fine tremor in your hand. They were probably aware that you were frightened. But you still didn’t want them to know just how much they were scaring you. To that end, you pasted on what you called your customer-service face. The one you had developed while working retail but found that it came in handy as paralegal. You had been reliably informed that your customer service face was the closest you ever got to a good poker face.

It wasn’t much further to their car but you were careful not make any sudden movements. You didn’t move when Reynolds approached you and took your purse off of your shoulder and your briefcase out of your hand. Or when she patted down you down, despite how little you wanted her touching you. Her searching hands were professional, almost clinical, but it still made your skin crawl.

You remained still and silent while she searched your purse. You hadn’t missed the way Vaughn watched you, an almost eager glint in his eyes. He wasn’t touching his gun anymore but seemed to waiting for you to make a mistake. You really hoped that you didn’t sneeze and get tackled to the ground for it.

Reynolds made a frustrated sound.

“Problem?” Vaughn asked, his eyes never leaving you.

“The briefcase is locked,” she said. She pasted on her own fake smile, “Will you give me that combination?”

“No,” you said, your voice as firm and stern as you could make it. “Absolutely not.”

“Why not?” Reynolds demanded.

“You hiding something in there?” Vaughn added.

You smiled at them. It was the smile that went with the customer service face. A polite, little smile that you used when you wanted to tell someone to go fuck themselves but, one reason or another, couldn’t. At least not using those exact words. “Attorney-client privilege.”

Both of them scowled.

“You aren’t an attorney,” Reynolds pointed out.

“I am not,” you agreed. “But I am still obligated to assert our clients’ privilege on their behalf. My briefcase contains privileged information. Information that I will not give you access to.”

“We’ll get a warrant,” Vaughn said, making it sound like a threat.

‘Good luck with that,’ you thought, feeling another spark of anger. He was very unlikely to find a judge willing to authorize such a warrant. Heck, you’d wager that he would have a hard time finding someone in the DA’s office willing to try to convince a judge in the first place. And that wasn’t counting that you knew that Marci Stahl would fight such a warrant (or subpoena if they went that route) tooth and nail. And she’d very likely win.

The anger only grew when it took a couple more tries for them to realized that you were serious and couldn’t be persuaded. The feeling seemed to be mutual because Vaughn all but shoved you into the backseat of the car. You still weren’t handcuffed. You – probably – weren’t actually under arrest. But it certainly felt like you were.

You watched as Reynolds, your purse and briefcase in her hand, popped the trunk of the car and stowed them in there. None too gently if that thud was anything to judge. You hide a wince, hoping that nothing in them got damaged. She slammed the trunk closed and moved around to the front, you took a deep breath. Then another one.

You needed to sit on your fear. On your anger. You could shake, yell, cry, or whatever else you needed to later. When it was safe. Until then you would need to keep your head and remain as calm as possible. It wasn’t going to be easy. They were going to try to upset you. Because upset people forgot to do what they should to in this situation – demand a lawyer, then shut up.

You got a lucky break in the first part of the drive was made in silence. You suspected that you weren’t the only one who needed a moment to make sure that you had control of yourself. A suspicion that seemed to be confirmed when Reynolds started talking again. The previous annoyance had disappeared. Her voice sounded warm, amiable like you were old friends having a casual conversation.

Your only response to her seemingly trivial question was, “I will not answer any questions. I am exercising my right to remain silent. I want to speak to my attorney.”

You had to give Reynolds credit – she was persistent fisherman. She kept trying to draw you into seemingly trivial conversation. Like it wasn’t a trap, a lure to get you to lower your guard so you’d stumble when she or more likely Vaughn suddenly started hitting you with the questions they actually wanted to ask.

You refused to be baited. Reynolds managed to keep her cool. You couldn’t tell if the growled ‘out’ when he yanked open the car door was a sign that Vaughn was already getting frustration, part of his ‘bad cop’ routine, or if grumpy was simply his personality. It could be all three.

There was another detective in the bullpen when they walked you to interrogation. A black man somewhere in his thirties who looked tired. Except for his eyes. They were alert, wary. “Vaughn, Reynolds, who is this?”

“Witness,” Reynolds said. “Just doing a little follow up interview in Room 2. Shouldn’t take too long. Should it?”

That last bit was directed at you. Another gambit. The faster you talk, the faster this is over and the faster you can go home.

You smiled at her again. “Lawyer. Franklin Nelson or Matthew Murdock, Nelson & Murdock. The number is . . .”

The eyebrows of the detective at the desk raised as you rattled off the number that you had memorized. Eyebrows that rose higher when Vaughn started frogmarching you into what you assumed was Room 2. You guess he was tired of the song and dance because he immediately started hammering away. All of his questions were about Daredevil.

What does he look like? Was that really the first time you had met the vigilante? Did you know who he is? Being an accessory is a crime . . . you don’t want to be in prison as Daredevil’s flunky . . .

He didn’t seem to like that your only answer to those questions was, “Lawyer.”

Neither did Reynolds who had joined you sooner after Vaughn had started. Her questions were different – trying to appeal to emotions like Didn’t he scare you? Aren’t you afraid of him? Is he threatening you?

Not one question about the events of that night, the gang, or their fleeing victim. Which struck you was a little odd. You would have thought that, once they realized that Daredevil questions were getting them nowhere, would switch to one of those in hopes of that you might be receptive to answering those questions. Get you comfortable answering other questions then abruptly switch back to the ones about Daredevil. It was common and often very effective tactic that they were just leaving on the table.

Maybe they thought it wouldn’t work since you hadn’t taken Reynolds’ bait during the drive. Maybe they were just fixated, wanting to be the ones who collared Daredevil. Maybe they were questioning everyone who had encountered the Devil like this – you had no way of knowing. Surely they didn’t think you knew something more simply because Daredevil hadn’t been an asshole to you. You knew perfectly well that you weren’t the only frightened civilian he had been gentle with. You had seen the forums. And the social media posts.

Or because you weren’t being particularly forthcoming. Again, you knew perfectly well you weren’t the only one. The internet was filled with people who were disinclined to assist the police in arresting the man who saved them being robbed or worse. Very disinclined in some cases – you distinctly remembered several posts that could be summarized as: He might be the Devil but he’s our Devil. Fuck the police.

It wasn’t like those posts were difficult to find. Daredevil had his own subreddit for crying out loud. And had been known to trend on Twitter and similar apps.

You had no idea how long this questioning went on. It felt like days. As you continued to maintain your silence, both detective began to get frustrated. Vaughn, predictably enough, got angrier as he got more frustrated. Yelling and getting in your face. Looming over you. Doing everything to remind you that you were trapped in a small room with an angry man who was bigger than you.

It was Reynolds’ reaction that seemed odd. When her amiable facade cracked, there was anger and annoyance. But there was a moment or two where it seemed like she was scared of something. Or someone. Not Vaughn. She didn’t jump or otherwise get twitchy when he yelled or slammed his hands on the table or prowled around the room like a caged lion. Assuming she was frightened at all. Those moments were just that. Moments. There and gone.

But there was something else . . . a tension, an air of . . . desperation? Which was a little strange. It wasn’t like they were going to lose their jobs if they couldn’t figure out who Daredevil was.

Maybe you were just projecting. You knew it was going to be hard. And it was. Hard to hold your tongue when they called Matt a brainless thug. Hard to withstand that constant barrage knowing there was no end in sight. Because neither had left the room since the interrogation began and Reynolds hadn’t delayed her entrance long enough to have contacted Nelson & Murdock. Meaning you were relaying on that other detective calling – ha! – or Matt getting worried when he didn’t get your ‘I’m home’ text and looking for you.

Hard not to start crying because you were getting tired. You had worked all day. Tired of questions. Tired of being yelled at. You wanted them to leave you alone. You wanted to go home. You wanted cuddle your cat. You wanted a hug . . .

Suddenly the door to the interrogation room slammed open, hitting the wall with a loud bang that made you flinch. But the sight that greeted your eyes when you looked over made relief flood your system. Matt stalked into the room, his mouth pressed in a hard, thin line. Foggy followed closely on his heels, looking equally angry.

Tears pricked your eyes as they flanked you – Matt on your right side, Foggy on your left – but you blinked them away. You weren’t going to cry here.

“Detective, is my client under arrest?” Foggy asked with a razor-sharp smile, his voice hard as steel.

“She’s hi–” Vaughn started but was cut off.

“Answer the question, detective. Is our client under arrest?” Matt repeated, his voice deceptively soft. But even without the growling rasp, you recognized that deeper register. This wasn’t the mild-mannered attorney standing next to you. It was the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.

“No,” Reynolds answered. “She’s not.”

“Then we’re leaving,” Foggy said. “If you wish to speak to my client again, I strongly suggest you made an appointment with my office.”

His tone made it clear that this wasn’t really a suggestion.

Foggy looked over at you, after flicking over the rigid form of his partner. “Let’s go.”

“Wait, my briefcase . . .” you started.

“They have your briefcase?” Foggy finished.

You nodded. “There is work product, privileged client communication in it . . .”

Foggy squeezed your shoulder. “I’ll take care of it. Matt, get her out of here.”

“Gladly.”

You got to your feet. Part of you wanted that hug right now but the rest of you didn’t want to give away how stressed you were. No sense in giving the detectives ammunition. So for the moment, you contented yourself with Matt’s presence at your side as you walked out of that room with your head held high.

You didn’t know what Foggy said to accomplish it but in short order, he was walking over to where you and Matt were waiting with your things in his hands. After a brief snippy conversation between Foggy and that black detective from earlier, who was apparently named Brett Mahoney and had known Foggy since grade school, the three of you were walking out of the police station.

The walk was honestly a bit of blur. You weren’t sure where you were going at first. Just followed Matt’s lead, trusting that he was taking you somewhere safe.

That somewhere turned out to be his apartment. And in the elevator, the adrenaline crash hit. Your hands started shaking and your legs threatened to buckle. But Matt was there, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you against him. Suddenly all of the emotions that you had been squashing down bubbled up to the surface. With tears spilling down your face and a stuttered breath, you buried your face against his chest.

“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he said, one hand raising from your waist to rub your back. His voice was still in the deeper register but the tone was all gentleness. “I’ve got you. You’re safe. It’s okay.”

You nodded your head, having too much of a lump in your throat to talk. You leaned against him, closing your eyes. You knew you couldn’t stay like this forever. The elevator ride wouldn’t last forever. You needed to let Marci know that police had threatened to get a search warrant for your briefcase in case they actually tried to get one. Or a subpoena. You needed to call Jo – she was probably worried that you hadn’t called yet. Along with what felt like a thousand other things before you could take a well-deserved nap.

But for this moment, those things could wait. For this moment, you were going to press your ear against Matt’s chest and listen to his heartbeat. Take comfort in his strong arms around you and his scent in your nose.

Ending Notes:

New York judges are called justices for . . . reasons. I haven’t seen a reason why. Maybe they just like it better. Or maybe New York just likes to be different in this regard since the Supreme Court of New York is actually their trial court while the Appellate Court is what everyone else in the country calls a supreme court . . .

A police officer asking you questions isn’t your friend. My life advice to ask for a lawyer, then shut up. And remember that the police can (and will) lie to you in interrogation.

Attorney-client privilege is the privilege that confidential communication between an attorney and their client in the course of their professional relationship cannot be disclosed without the client’s consent. According my dictionary of legal terms, this privilege extends indefinitely and does not terminate when the client-attorney relationship ends or when either party dies.

Reader isn’t an attorney but ceteriparibus116 and appellatedefender – who are attorneys IRL – both agreed that a paralegal would have the same duty to assert that privilege on the client’s behalf to protect that communication and the work product related to it as the actual attorney.

The police misconduct is how Reynolds and Vaughn didn’t contact or allow Reader to contact her legal representation. They are not supposed to do that.

[remembertheplunge]

Kind of a magical day

4/10/2023

Kind of a magical day, a total “the mysteries plan” type day——Jury duty morphed into a possible 3 week trial experience!, Although—the chances of me being chosen are less than infinitesimal.

3 jurors told profound Criminal Justice System failure stories. Two said that they couldn’t be fair in a trial where police would be witnesses because of their past negative interactions with the police.. The 3rd, her eyes welling with tears,  said “The police killed my brother and my son after a high speed chase in Oakland”.

When the judge asked if she could be fair to both sides as a trial juror, she screamed out “The system’s not working!” 

 I have picked many juries prior to that and had never heard such dramatic  statement’s of hostility towards the police uttered by potential jurors. We potential jurors were asked to return to the jury room. We latter learned that the case settled, probably in part at least to what the 3 potential jurors had said about the police earlier.

First warm day in an ice age, really warm. After leaving jury land, I treadmilled at Valley gym for 36 minutes. On the way home, at the  Palendale and Mc Henery red light, there was a homeless man and his dog. He was flying a sign (asking for help). I gave him $5 and two bottles of sparkling water. As I waited at the light, he drank in the heat. And, as he drank, I healed.

He healed me.

It was the perfect gesture “at”.” At" the callous hardness of the  jury court experience.

 The homeless man , a white maybe 35 year old, was blackend from sleeping out side. It’s been  a brutal cold wet stretch out there—But, today it was warm and he and his dog now had water.

Note:

Re: "the mystery’s plan", above, the Inuit Indians have a saying that there are two plans every day: your plan and the mystery’s plan. 

I had been a trial lawyer for about 40 years before I was called to jury duty in April of 2023. I have been in many jury trials as a criminal defense attorney during those 40 years. Because I was a criminal defense attorney, it was not likely that the District Attorney would leave me on the criminal case in which I was potential juror.

When we are picking a jury, we ask potential jurors questions to attempt to determine if they could be fair given the facts of the trial. I think that jury selection is the hardest part of trial work. It involves a lot of mind reading and guess work.

I have  passed that light at Palendale and McHenery many times on my way home from Trader Joes or the gym. The homeless man and his dog were there on a little island one lane from the curb many times. If I stopped at the light by them, I’d give the homeless man money and or water. He camped in a grassy area 1/4 mile down Mcherey near rthe road. I would see him there as I drove passed at times. 

He may have moved on because I haven’t seen him there for awhile

When I did a lot of work with the homeless in 2017 and 2018, I would say to myself when I handed a bag of food to a homeless person that this gesture was “At” the harshness of society that I had experienced. In other words, instead of retaliating against people who had wronged me , I passed out a bag. I had a healing encounter with the homeless person. In accepting the bag, they healed me. So, my response to hostility, which demanded a response, was a healing gesture, passing out the bags.

[qldtattooist]

If you’ve experience discrimination and harassment attorney unfair treatment in the workplace, Knoll Law’s discrimination and harassment attorneys are here to help. Our experienced team is dedicated to advocating for employees who have been subjected to discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. We fight to protect your rights and ensure you receive the justice you deserve. Reach out today for expert legal support.

[title9atty453]

Title 9 Attorneys Near Me

Title IX Attorneys Near Me: Why You Need a Pro Introduction Navigating the complexities of Title IX law can be daunting, especially for those directly involved in Title IX investigations, whether as complainants or respondents. Title IX, a federal civil rights law passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972, was designed to prohibit sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Over the years, Title IX has become synonymous with cases involving sexual harassment, assault, and gender discrimination in educational institutions.

For students and employees facing a Title IX investigation, the stakes are incredibly high. The consequences can range from suspension or expulsion to loss of scholarships and reputational damage that can have lifelong implications. Given the gravity of these cases, having an experienced Title IX attorney by your side is not just advisable; it's crucial.

In this article, we will explore the importance of hiring a Title IX attorney, what to look for when searching for "Title IX attorneys near me," and how these legal professionals can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.

The Importance of Title IX Attorneys Understanding the Nuances of Title IX Title IX law is incredibly complex, encompassing a broad range of issues, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, gender discrimination, and retaliation. Each of these areas requires a deep understanding of not only the legal statutes but also the procedural guidelines that govern how educational institutions handle these cases.

A Title IX attorney specializes in this area of law and is well-versed in both federal and state regulations. They understand the intricacies of the legal framework and how it applies to different situations, ensuring that your rights are protected throughout the process. Without this expertise, you may find yourself at a significant disadvantage, especially when dealing with institutional processes that are often skewed in favor of the complainant.

Protecting Your Rights One of the most critical roles of a Title IX attorney is to protect your rights during the investigation and any subsequent hearings. Title IX investigations can be incredibly invasive, often involving extensive interviews, the gathering of evidence, and cross-examinations. Without legal representation, you may inadvertently say or do something that could harm your case.

A skilled Title IX attorney will ensure that you are treated fairly throughout the process. They will advise you on how to respond to questions, help you gather and present evidence, and advocate on your behalf during hearings. This level of protection is essential for ensuring that your rights are upheld and that the outcome of the case is as favorable as possible.

Mitigating Consequences The consequences of a Title IX violation can be severe, ranging from disciplinary action by the educational institution to criminal charges, depending on the nature of the allegations. Even if you are not found guilty, the mere accusation can have lasting effects on your academic and professional future.

A Title IX attorney can help mitigate these consequences by building a strong defense on your behalf. They will work to ensure that the investigation is conducted fairly and that any penalties are proportional to the alleged misconduct. In some cases, they may even be able to negotiate a settlement or alternative resolution that minimizes the impact on your life.

Navigating Institutional Bias Educational institutions have a vested interest in protecting their reputation, which can sometimes lead to biased investigations and disciplinary processes. This bias can manifest in various ways, from inadequate investigations to unfair disciplinary actions. A Title IX attorney is experienced in identifying and addressing institutional bias. They will hold the institution accountable for following proper procedures and ensuring that you receive a fair and impartial investigation. If necessary, they can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) or pursue legal action against the institution.

Finding the Right Title IX Attorney Near You Experience and Expertise When searching for a Title IX attorney near you, one of the most important factors to consider is their experience and expertise in handling Title IX cases. Not all attorneys are familiar with the complexities of Title IX law, so it’s crucial to find someone who specializes in this area.

Look for an attorney who has a proven track record of successfully representing clients in Title IX cases. This includes both complainants and respondents, as each side of the case presents its own unique challenges. An experienced Title IX attorney will have a deep understanding of the law, as well as the ability to navigate the often-confusing institutional processes involved in these cases.

Local Knowledge While Title IX is a federal law, the way it is implemented can vary from one educational institution to another. This is why it’s important to find an attorney who is familiar with the specific policies and procedures of the institution where the investigation is taking place. A local Title IX attorney will have knowledge of the local educational landscape, including the specific Title IX coordinators, investigators, and decision-makers involved in your case. This local knowledge can be invaluable in building a strong defense and ensuring that your rights are protected throughout the process.

Personalized Attention Title IX cases are deeply personal and often involve sensitive subject matter. It’s important to find an attorney who will provide you with the personalized attention and care that you need during this difficult time.

Look for an attorney who takes the time to listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and develop a legal strategy that is tailored to your specific situation. A good Title IX attorney will be compassionate and understanding, while also being a fierce advocate on your behalf.

Reputation and Reviews In addition to experience and expertise, it’s also important to consider the reputation of the Title IX attorney you are considering. Look for reviews and testimonials from past clients to get a sense of the attorney’s success rate and client satisfaction.

You can also check with your state’s bar association to see if the attorney has any disciplinary actions on their record. A good reputation is a strong indicator that the attorney is respected in the legal community and is capable of handling your case effectively.

The Role of a Title IX Attorney in the Investigation Process Initial Consultation The first step in working with a Title IX attorney is the initial consultation. During this meeting, the attorney will review the details of your case, explain your rights, and outline the potential legal strategies that can be used to defend you.

This consultation is also an opportunity for you to ask questions and get a sense of whether the attorney is a good fit for your needs. A good Title IX attorney will be transparent about their fees and will provide you with a clear understanding of what to expect throughout the legal process.

Building a Defense Once you have hired a Title IX attorney, they will begin the process of building your defense. This involves gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and reviewing the policies and procedures of the educational institution involved in the case.

Your attorney will work with you to develop a legal strategy that is tailored to the specifics of your case. This may involve challenging the credibility of the complainant, presenting evidence that supports your version of events, or arguing that the investigation was conducted unfairly.

Representation During Hearings One of the most critical stages of a Title IX case is the hearing, where the evidence is presented, and a decision is made regarding the alleged violation. Having an experienced Title IX attorney by your side during this hearing is essential for ensuring that your rights are protected.

Your attorney will represent you during the hearing, making legal arguments on your behalf and cross-examining witnesses. They will also ensure that the hearing is conducted fairly and that the decision is based on the evidence presented, rather than any institutional bias.

Appeals and Post-Hearing Actions If the outcome of the hearing is not in your favor, your Title IX attorney can assist you with filing an appeal. The appeals process can be complex, involving strict deadlines and specific procedural requirements, so it’s important to have an experienced attorney guiding you through it.

In some cases, your attorney may also pursue legal action against the educational institution if there were significant procedural errors or if your rights were violated during the investigation or hearing process.

Why Hiring a Title IX Attorney is Crucial Leveling the Playing Field Title IX cases often involve a significant power imbalance, with the educational institution having access to legal counsel and resources that the respondent may not have. By hiring a Title IX attorney, you level the playing field and ensure that you have a strong advocate on your side.

Your attorney will have the legal knowledge and experience needed to challenge the institution’s case and protect your rights. They will also be able to navigate the often-complex procedural requirements involved in Title IX cases, ensuring that you have the best possible chance of a favorable outcome.

Reducing Stress and Anxiety Facing a Title IX investigation can be incredibly stressful, especially if you are unfamiliar with the legal process. Hiring a Title IX attorney can help to reduce this stress by providing you with the guidance and support you need throughout the process.

Your attorney will handle the legal aspects of your case, allowing you to focus on your studies or career. They will also be able to provide you with peace of mind, knowing that you have a skilled advocate fighting for your rights.

Protecting Your Future The consequences of a Title IX violation can be severe, potentially impacting your academic and professional future for years to come. By hiring a Title IX attorney, you are taking proactive steps to protect your future and ensure that your rights are upheld.

Your attorney will work tirelessly to build a strong defense on your behalf, ensuring that the investigation is conducted fairly and that any penalties are proportional to the alleged misconduct. In some cases, they may even be able to negotiate a resolution that minimizes the impact on your life.

Conclusion Title IX cases are complex, emotionally charged, and can have life-altering consequences. Whether you are a student, faculty member, or employee facing a Title IX investigation, it is essential to have a skilled and experienced attorney by your side. A Title IX attorney will protect your rights, build a strong defense, and guide you through the often-confusing legal process.

When searching for "Title IX attorneys near me," look for someone with experience, local knowledge, and a reputation for providing personalized attention to their clients. By choosing the right attorney, you can level the playing field, reduce stress, and protect your future.

Remember, the outcome of a Title IX case can have long-lasting effects on your life, so it’s crucial to take the necessary steps to ensure that your rights are upheld and that you receive a fair and impartial investigation. Hiring a Title IX attorney is one of the most important decisions you can make in this process, and it can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.

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[lawassociate45]

Wills, Trusts, Residing Wills, Estate Tax, Probate

The best way to keep away from issues, combating with household, and authorized proceedings is to wait until after you meet with an attorney to distribute household heirlooms and another possessions. If someone mentions the decedent said they could have something after they died, inform them you’ll write it down and examine to see if it’s in the will or trust whenever you meet with an attorney. Fiduciaries who are personal representatives of estates are subject to the Maryland income tax - in addition to the Maryland inheritance tax - and may need to file Maryland Form 504 and pay the Maryland earnings tax. Personal representatives are exempt from paying estimated taxes during the first two taxable years of the estate. The duly appointed private representative of the decedent's estate should file the return.

Once creditors find your property or your estate’s heirs, they'll file a lawsuit to gather the debt. There are no time constraints to file the action, and there could be no formal claims course of. Beneficiary designations are also important parts of an estate plan. Some possessions and property can be handed on to heirs without being explicitly dictated in a will. If you have insurance policy, pensions, or different assets, it is necessary to be positive that the appropriate beneficiaries and contingency beneficiaries are specified.

If they do put their private pursuits above the interests of the opposite beneficiaries, they danger authorized retaliation. Don’t let worries about value stop you from consulting with a belief litigation lawyer. As a half of an preliminary consultation, a trust lawyer can evaluate your options inheritance lawyers near me with you and assist you to select a path that aligns together with your finances. While every trust dispute is unique, purchasers in need of trust services have most of the same questions.

If you've a Michigan statutory will, this formula will apply to the residue of your property. The residue is what is left of your property after your gifts of money and personal gadgets. If you get married after making your will, it’s a good suggestion to make and sign a new will that names your new partner. Even when you don’t, Michigan law protects the inheritance rights of surviving spouses. Generally, if you are nonetheless married if you professional executor services near me die, and your will was signed earlier than the wedding, your partner will inherit from your property as if you had died with no will. Keep in thoughts that the clerk of court can't give authorized recommendation so, if your paperwork needed for probate are carried out incorrectly, the clerk cannot inform you the method to appropriate your varieties.

The bond payment is usually paid by the property earlier than the final distribution of property to the heirs. There is not any greater reward you can give your loved ones than making a will. When you work with a Salt Lake City attorney to create this important probate attorneys near me legal document, you safeguard your family’s future. Your will lays out exactly what happens in the event of your dying and makes managing your property a lot easier on your loved ones.

An skilled Bacolet estate lawyer is professional and knowledgeable in understanding the major points, details, problems, and circumstances that arise in a trusts and estates case. In complicated situations, it may be significantly simpler to implement an property plan than leave asset distribution up to the courts. If you would possibly be involved that your baby could not inherit from your property, I may help develop a plan that may present for the long run welfare of your baby. Not all property will pass intestate; instead, solely property that might switch through a will are affected by intestacy laws.

Ask how the attorney expenses; some charge by the hour, others have a set charge for writing wills, and some charge a percentage of the entire worth of the estate. Also find out how long the attorney has practiced property law and whether or not he or she has handled wills just like yours. An example might greatest illustrate the differences between the effect of a Power of Attorney and joint account possession at dying. Suppose that a mother executes a Will that divides her residuary property among her three kids. At the time of her dying, the mother owns a house, a financial savings account, and a checking account. By jointly-titling the financial savings and checking accounts, the ownership of those property will move by operation of law to the eldest youngster upon the mother’s dying.

Schedule a free consultation with certainly one of our trust attorneys who can provide you with a cost estimate after learning more about your case. If your county isn’t listed above but you’re in California, attain out to us to see if our belief lawyers should be capable of serve you. At an early listening to, and with out requiring a trial, the courtroom ruled in Keystone’s client’s favor. Below you will find some of the ways our belief dispute lawyers can help resolve numerous points surrounding disputed trusts.

Finally I determined to approach them,lead india had prior experience dealing with such cases and helped me out of this horrible scenario. We specialize in helping the human beings who're regularly omitted and forgotten, the widows and young folks of these who have exceeded on. Inheritance regulation is not one thing you prefer to take lightly. It’s a posh regulation that can be obscure, specifically for these who are grieving their loss. This is why it’s vital that you discover the right authorized professional for your case.

You can be relaxation assured that our probate attorneys will do everything in their power to acquire a positive end result for you. Even if you can’t afford or don’t wish to spend cash upfront on a probate attorney, we will allow you to shield your inheritance. We will fight for the reality, honor your loved one’s needs and recover what you deserve… All without any fees upfront. Traditionally, probate attorneys & inheritance lawyers require an enormous retainer upfront. They bill 1000's of dollars on a monthly basis…without an end in sight. This has unfairly posed a roadblock for many beneficiaries who need expert probate attorneys to guard their inheritance.

[thehistorybuffgangsters]

Earl J. "Hymie" Weiss (born Henryk Wojciechowski) was born on January 25, 1898 and died on October 11, 1926. He was a Polish-American mob boss who became a leader of the Prohibition-era North Side Gang and a bitter rival of Al Capone. He was said to be "the only man Al Capone feared". Hymie Weiss became a petty criminal while still a teenager. After he knocked over a fragrance shelf during a botched burglary, police dubbed him "The Perfume Burglar". He befriended gangsters Dean O'Banion. With Weiss and George "Bugs" Moran. Dean O'Banion established the North Side Gang. Around that time Hymie started to use the name Earl. The criminal organization that his new friends founded eventually controlled bootlegging and other illicit activities in the northern part of Chicago. At that time, he was nicknamed "Hymie" and "Hymie the Pole", later in his career. Despite the "Jewish-sounding" name, he was Polish-Catholic known for carrying his gun and his rosary. During Prohibition Hymie Weiss wasthe first to coin the phrase "one way ride" when he was last seen driving off with local criminal Steve Wisniewski who had hijacked a Northside beer shipment, in July 1921. Five years later in 1926, Hymie's brother Fred was questioned about his whereabouts. He replied, "I've seen him once in twenty years...that was six years ago when he shot me." When photographers tried to snap his picture, Fred glared at them and said in a low voice, "You take a picture of me and I'll kill you." His close friend Dean O'Banion was killed inside his headquarters flower shop on November 10, 1924. Hymie Weiss succeeded him as North Side gang leader and took revenge against the Torrio-Capone Gang and the Genna Brothers. He didn't care about his own safety during the attacks because he was terminally ill with cancer. In January 1925, the North Siders shot up Al Capone's car on 55th and State St., missing Capone but wounding several members of his entourage. Later that month, Weiss, Moran, and Drucci ambushed Torrio outside his southside home, shot him several times and left him for dead. But Torrio survived and recovered in a local hospital. Shortly after this incident, Torrio relinquished control of his gang to Al Capone. After Torrio's flight to New York City, Chicago got hit with a city-wide gang war. Weiss joined his North Side Gang with the Westside O’Donnells, the Saltis-McErlane mob, and the GKW gang. In August 1926, Weiss and Drucci and their entourage were attacked by a group of Capone gunmen, including Paul Ricca, who was arrested at the scene. The gun battle took place on South Michigan Avenue, near the Standard Oil Building. The North Side Gang leaders survived the attack, reportedly due to Drucci’s personal efforts in driving off the assailants. Hymie Weiss retaliated against Capone on September 20, 1926. A procession of ten vehicles unloaded gunfire into Capone’s Hawthorne Hotel, on 22nd St. in Cicero. Over 1000 rounds were fired. Police at the time believed Weiss, Drucci, Moran, the Gusenburg brothers, and other North Siders were the gunmen in the attack. Capone was on the premises at the time of the shooting, but was able to flee out of the back of the building during the ambush. Paul Ricca, who was wounded in this attack, reportedly warned Capone and others just as the North Side convoy came down the street. Jury selection for a murder trial of Joe Saltis began on October 11, 1926. Weiss and four of his men were sighted there, with Weiss's bodyguard Sam Pellar, gangster Paddy Murray, attorney William W. O'Brien, and Benjamin Jacobs (an investigator for O'Brien). At four o'clock that afternoon, Weiss and his men left for their State Street headquarters inside Schofield's Flowers, parked their cars on Superior Street and rounded the corner to cross State when two gunmen hidden in a nearby rooming house opened fire with a submachine gun and shotgun. Weiss and Murray were fatally wounded. William O'Brien was hit four times and staggered into a nearby stairwell. At the initial sound of gunfire, a panicked Sam Pellar drew his .38 and instinctively fired a shot in the general direction of shooters. This is the bullet that unintentionally struck Weiss as he collapsed onto the sidewalk. Pellar and Jacobs, both wounded, staggered back the way they had come as bullets rained down and chipped the cornerstone of the Holy Name Cathedral directly across the street. According to the Chicago Police, Jack McGurn was behind the tommy gun that day. Sam “Golf Bag” Hunt, was supporting McGurn from a nearby building, where police found his signature golf bag with a shotgun inside it after the murder. Frank Nitti was credited with masterminding the use of the machine-gun nest in Weiss’ assassination. Hymie Weiss died on October 11, 1926 at age 28. He is buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, the same place as Al Capone and Dean O'Banion. Vincent Drucci took over as leader of the North Side Gang.

[96thdayofrage]

She got fired instead, according to federal court filings.

Now the former employee is suing in North Carolina federal court, saying Family Dollar discriminated and retaliated against her for reporting the harassment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bars race-based discrimination in the workplace.

A lawyer representing the woman did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on Thursday, Dec. 30, and a representative from Family Dollar declined to comment on pending litigation.

According to the lawsuit filed Dec. 27 in the Middle District of North Carolina, the woman works during the week as an intake coordinator at a mental health facility. In 2018, she took a second job as an assistant manager at a Family Dollar store in Durham.

The woman was frequently assigned to work with the same white man, who she said was hostile toward her from the start.

He would “yell in her face, tell her to hurry up, and threaten that ‘something bad’ would happen to her if she did not close the store quickly,” the complaint states. The woman subsequently asked her manager to work with someone else, saying “working with him made her uncomfortable, and she feared that he may become violent.”

But her manager ignored the request, her lawyer said.

According to the complaint, the woman asked her colleague why he was so aggressive during their interactions.

“Is it because I’m Black or because I’m a woman?” she said. “It’s because I’m Black, isn’t it?”

“There, I didn’t have to say it,” he reportedly replied. “You said it for me.”

About six months after she started working at Family Dollar, there reportedly was a break-in at the store while the woman was not working. When she returned, her lawyer said, the same colleague accused of harassing her demanded to know where she had been.

She questioned why he was asking, according to the lawsuit, and he reportedly responded that “of course, it was someone Black who robbed the store.”

A short while later, someone from another store filled in for their regular manager. The woman had worked past the end of her shift and tapped the manager on the shoulder to ask about leaving, her lawyer said.

According to the complaint, the manager “whipped around and responded, ‘What the hell is your problem?’”

The white, male colleague then reportedly came running from his register, screaming, “leave her the f--- alone, you Black b----.”

“Plaintiff felt completely unsafe and feared for her safety until two customers in the store came and got between (them) and assured her that they would not let (him) near her,” the lawsuit states.

The colleague subsequently reported her to their regular manager for “causing problems,” her lawyer said.

Without help from her supervisor and “after months of attempting to endure (the) derogatory comments and threats,” the complaint states, the woman called Family Dollar’s district manager and requested a transfer. He reportedly agreed.

But according to the lawsuit, the woman’s regular manager was angry she went “straight over her head” with upper management and asked her to resign.

Believing the district manager was handling the situation, the woman didn’t resign but agreed to turn in her keys to the store. She later called Human Resources to ask about the transfer and was told it was no longer an option because she didn’t accept the transfer offer in time, the complaint states.

The district manager had supposedly given the woman the option to transfer to six different stores, Human Resources told her.

“When plaintiff attempted to explain that (the district manager) had not communicated any of those options to her, the HR representative accused plaintiff of lying and stated that plaintiff was fired effective immediately,” her lawyer said.

According to the lawsuit, the expired transfer offer was a cover-up for the real reason Family Dollar fired the woman, which her attorney said was motivated by race.

The woman is seeking more than $75,000 in compensatory damages as well as punitive damages, all unpaid compensation and attorneys’ fees to cover the cost of the litigation.

Family Dollar has not responded to the complaint, court filings show.

[sethshead]

“What bothers me most here is the total lack of due process and respect for due process rights,” Cynthia Anderson Barker, the civil rights attorney who represented August, said of the incident. “To impound a vehicle, you have to have probable cause. So to say, ‘They were in the area near the protests,’ well, anyone could have parked their car in that area. This is a total disregard for basic constitutional principles that law enforcement is supposed to abide by.” 

[...]

The recent graduate of the California State University system, who plans to attend law school, was ordered out of her vehicle at gunpoint. Then the commanding officer on the scene yelled at Lizzy to put her hands up, lift her shirt above her waist and walk backward as a group of officers aimed their handguns at her.

“I started crying. I was having a panic attack,” she said. “I really believed in my heart that I was gonna get shot that day.” Her voice trembled as she sobbed over the phone. As a person of color from an immigrant family, she was terrified. “I really believed I was going to die.”

Lizzy was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car for over an hour while the officers searched her car. The officers told her the reason her vehicle was flagged was because it had been at a crime scene, possibly a homicide. An officer suggested that the flag included the designation “armed and dangerous” — which might explain the guns.

[...]

To get their cars back, both women had to furnish proof of their whereabouts on the day in question, evidence which affirmed they attended the protest, but did not loot. They turned over some combination of text messages, Instagram photos and videos, parking lot receipts or written statements. Anderson Barker persuaded the Pasadena Police Department to waive its fee for August, but she still paid more than $300 to the tow company to release her car. Lizzy was not as lucky: It cost her more than $700, and she said she had to forfeit a scheduled root canal due to the expense.

[...]

August claims that when she and her lawyer conferred with Sergeant Malcolm Evans, the officer on her case, he suggested she think twice before attending another protest.

“He said, ‘I don’t want to lecture anyone and I believe in your First Amendment right, but I do want this to be a lesson to you the next time you join one of these protests. Even if you don’t think you’re doing anything wrong, how easy it is for you to get caught up and mistaken for someone who’s involved in criminal activity,’” August recalled Sergeant Evans saying.

“I found that to be, I don’t know, a thinly veiled threat,” August said.

[...]

“This is not a tactic to intimidate individuals,” the spokesperson said via email. “Detectives are following up on leads obtained through evidence and submissions to our online portal. In our commitment to our community, we will follow up all these leads to ensure full prosecution of those involved.”

A healthier alternative, Gonzalez suggested, would be to identify the owners of these vehicles, call them up, ask them questions and request permission to search their cars.

“They did not have probable cause to believe these people were involved in the looting such that they could arrest them,” Gonzalez said. “And if they didn’t have probable cause, what are they doing? Either they’re ‘fishing’ or they’re hoping to put a message out there: Don’t come to our city and get involved in protests.”

Holy perverse incentives, copman. This is civil asset forfeiture in miniature.

Impound cars on the flimsiest of cause and charge the innocent for the privilege. Maybe even put them in stressful situations in which their lives might be forfeit. And all the while you gain more photos of protests and faces to identify and harass. Clearly cops are retaliating against random protest attendees, not seriously seeking looters. Which means the only answer is more protest. Clearly the authorities have not figured out that their on the wrong side of the this one, and are only digging in on their wrongness.

[knollawgroup]

Whistleblower Retaliation Lawyers

If you have faced retaliation for reporting workplace misconduct, Knoll Law provides a seasoned whistleblower retaliation attorney to defend your rights. Our firm specializes in cases involving workplace retaliation, ensuring that those who expose illegal practices are protected under the law. Contact us now to safeguard your rights and pursue justice.

[justsomeantifas]

This secretly taken photo comes from a Texas courtroom during mass trial where dozens of immigrants are chained and tried all at once. Here’s what’s happening:

· Lawyers Are Representing Dozens of People At Once (Literally)

What you see is somewhere between 20 and 40-something people, all triple-shackled, not to each other but individually, their hands in handcuffs chained to their waists, and their feet shackled. And they clunk and clang into court. I mean, there’s this clanging sound of chains. And they go through these mass processes in less than an hour, usually. And they often—they are instructed to answer in groups or answer en masse. So you’ll hear like 40 people being asked a question, and they’ll say, ”Sí,” all at once, or they’ll say, “No.” And it’s just—it’s really uncanny. It’s shocking. It doesn’t feel like due process. One after one after one after one after one, with only one lawyer, they plead guilty: ”Culpable,” ”culpable,” ”culpable,” ”culpable.”

They’re getting somewhere between seven and 10 minutes of counsel right before the proceedings. 

...

There were 60 defendants, and they were split into 20—into three groups of 20. And so, each group of 20 had a lawyer. And I interviewed one lawyer who told me that, of his 20, not one of them had been separated from a child, and not one of them had an asylum claim or a credible fear claim. So, then, in the third group, I was able to interview the attorney, who spoke Spanish, unlike the first one, and seemed very concerned about the immigration issues. And he told me that, of the 20 that I saw him representing, 10 of them had been separated from a total of 15 children, including one woman who was separated from three children. And, you know, he obtained that information by just really speaking with these people.

· International Law is Being Broken

Denying people the right to request asylum:

Traditionally, you go to the port of entry, and you—which is this big building at the bottom, you know, in Brownsville. It’s the big curved bridge. You go to the bottom of the bridge to the U.S. side, to the port of entry, and you tell the agents that want to request asylum. And that is your legal right. You’re in the United States at that point, and you request asylum.

So, what’s been happening up and down the border is—and this has been going on probably for at least a year and a half, that I’m aware of, anyway—is that they’re putting agents up at the top of the bridge, because, you know, there’s sort of an invisible line, which is often marked with a plaque, but there’s a line dividing the United States and Mexico. So, they want—what the government wants at this point is for people not to be able to step into the United States at that invisible line, because then they can’t apply for asylum. And so they’ve got these agents at the top of the bridge, and they’re standing there. And they’re asking everybody who they’re suspicious about—you know, and suspicious of not—you know, of maybe they’re going to apply for asylum, but asking people for their documents. And then they won’t let people go into the United States. So, I mean, it’s almost like they’re not even in Mexico. Technically, they’re in Mexico, but they’re like six inches from the United States. And that’s illegal. I mean, that’s against American law, and it’s against international law. But that’s what’s happening up and down the border.

Separating families: 

Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International, said in a statement that the U.S. government’s separating children from their parents as they seek asylum is “a flagrant violation of their human rights. Doing so in order to push asylum seekers back into dangerous situations where they may face persecution is also a violation of U.S. obligations under refugee law.”

· Border Patrol is Lying About Violence

Multiplying the number of assaults:

CBP claimed that there were 454 assaults on agents nationwide in 2016, a 20 percent increase from the previous year. In 2017, according to CBP, there were 786 assaults, a 73 percent spike from the previous year. But The Intercept obtained data from CBP showing that the agency was using an unconventional method to count assaults.

I started investigating the claims the Border Patrol has been making for about, oh, the past several months, that it’s a very dangerous job and that their assault statistics were way, way up from last year. And I got data from the Border Patrol which showed that, in fact, assaults were down and injuries are down, but they were using this accounting method—they were counting in this very strange, unconventional way. 

And, for example, what I was told from law enforcement people is that, you know, police and law enforcement officials usually—like, if somebody is assaulted, that’s considered one assault. I mean, somebody could throw seven rocks at you, and that would be—and you’re one agent, so that’s counted as one assault. But the Border Patrol was—or still is, I guess—multiplying the number of agents assaulted—and, by the way, an assault doesn’t necessarily cause an injury, and in most cases with the Border Patrol it doesn’t—but multiplying the number of agents assaulted by the number of perpetrators and the number of weapons. 

So, the example that they gave me was six agents assaulted by seven perpetrators who used a water bottle, a rock and a tree branch. So, when you multiply and multiply and multiply, you get 126 assaults. Conventionally, that would be counted as six assaults.

Immigrants who are tried and acquitted for assault are also included in these inflated statistics:

A recent trial in south Texas provides a good case in point. In November, Border Patrol agent Steven Yackanin chased Eliseo Luis García, a young Guatemalan migrant, through a field near the Rio Grande. The area was only about a mile from where Claudia Patricia Gómez González would later be shot to death.

After Luis was apprehended and taken to lockup, another immigrant there noticed that Luis had blood coming out of his ear. Luis explained that he had been trying to escape and that, as a result, Yackanin and some other agents beat him up.

Yackanin claimed it was he who was assaulted by Luis, and he filled out a Department of Labor form to authorize medical care. He was diagnosed with an elbow sprain and a bruise.

Luis was charged with assault and went to trial. His public defender attorney introduced into evidence photographs of the immigrant and the Border Patrol agent, each standing next to a door with markings. The markings suggest that the Guatemalan immigrant stood about 5 feet tall and weighed perhaps 100 pounds. Yackanin was a full head taller and appeared 60 pounds heavier. The jury apparently believed Luis. He was acquitted.

Even so, the Border Patrol will likely fold the charges against Luis into its fiscal year 2018 assault statistics. Likewise for Claudia Patricia Gómez González, the young Guatemalan woman shot last week. Her death will probably be analyzed as the outcome of a purported assault against a Border Patrol agent.

· Parents and Children are Being Separated

Public defenders unable to find their defendant’s children:

One woman who spoke about her children in open court was from Honduras. “Is my little girl going to go with me when I get deported?” she asked Morgan.

“Your Honor,” interjected Jeff Wilde, director of the Federal Public Defender’s office in Brownsville, “both she and the man next to her have their children with them. They had a credible fear claim [for asylum]. … Their children have been separated from them, and I’ve been unable to figure out where their children are at this point.”

A young father then said he’d been separated from his 6-year-old and was very worried.

Threats and taking children away:

Another parent who appeared in Morgan’s court was from a Central American country that provides no meaningful protection to women and children who are victims of homicidal domestic violence. She asked for her identity to be concealed, because she fears retaliation by the U.S. government. We will call her Delia. Before fleeing her country, she was for years beaten up, cut, assaulted with guns, and threatened with death by her partner. He also threatened to kill their young child. When she hid in another city, he found her and dragged her home.

Delia said she fled her country weeks ago and went on the road to Mexico, eventually crossing the Rio Grande with her child on an inner tube. She saw three Border Patrol agents watching her and floated in their direction, so she could turn herself in.

Delia said that when she arrived later that night at the hielera — the Border Patrol processing office — she told the officers that she and her child needed asylum. She described the beatings and assaults and death threats. “Oh, come on!” she said the officers snickered. “You and everyone else with that old story!”

“You’re going to be deported,” she remembers them telling her. “And your child will stay here.” The next morning, the child was taken. Delia fell on her knees during the removal, wailing and begging not to be separated. Officials looked on indifferently, she said, as her child screamed incessantly.

Uncertainty of policy: 

In Brownsville, Judge Morgan also started alluding to biblical matters. It was Thursday, the fourth day of “zero tolerance” in his court, and defendants were telling their stories. The judge had just asked Holly D’Andrea, the assistant U.S. attorney handling illegal entry prosecutions that day, if it were true that families were being reunited in detention. D’Andrea sounded uncertain, but answered that she thought it was true.

“Tell you what,” the judge said slowly, with a hard edge in his voice, “if it’s not, then there are a lot of folks that have some answering to do.

· Sources

I’d suggest reading these in full:

Hidden Horrors of “Zero Tolerance” - Mass Trials and Children Taken From Their Parents

Border Patrol Continues to Exaggerate Danger to Agents to Justify Violence Against Immigrants

“Hidden Horrors”: Reporter Debbie Nathan on Mass Trials & Kids Separated from Parents at the Border

[phoenixmaiden-reading]

The Outsider Book Review

The Outsider by Stephen King

Read: October 29, 2019 - October 31, 2019

Wow, wow, wow! I just couldn’t put this book down. It took me 2 days to finish it and I read most of it at work. I really couldn’t put it down.

It was about a man who was accused of murder but he didn’t do it, even though there were witnesses. It all was too neat and tidy and caused despair and anger in its wake. Only there were also witnesses to the accused being somewhere else. He couldn’t be in two places at once. So the arresting detective starts asking questions and digging further with help with others to uncover the truth of the Outsider.

Stars: ★★★★★

Spoiler Summary Ahead!!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In the book, a man named Terry is arrested for murdering & raping a child, but he insists he is innocent. Yet the police have forensic evidence and eyewitnesses of him with the kid and covered in blood later. Should be an open and shut case, but there is also video and eyewitnesses that Terry wasn’t even in town during the murder. How is that even possible? He can’t be in two places at once, yet that is exactly what it looks like.

Anderson, a detective on the case, starts to think that things don’t add up. Like how come Terry, who had grown up in the area, not know where the local clinic was or the name of a woman he knew. It was strange, so he started looking into it. That was when things started getting weird.

For one, there was just one tragedy after another with the victim's family.  They are still in mourning of their youngest son and his murder had just been caught when suddenly the mother has a heart attack and dies. The father and son are then left to plan another funeral. It was too much for the son to handle and as Terry was going to the courthouse for arraignment, he drew a gun and shot and killed Terry. Anderson was there and retaliated and killed the son. Unable to handle the death of both his sons and his wife, the father attempted suicide, yet he survived only to end up in a coma.

Terry’s youngest daughter saw a man that had her father's eyes but a face that was “like playdough” and it told her that Anderson had to stop investigating or bad things will happen. But Anderson didn’t stop, he kept questioning; finding new evidence that Terry wasn’t in town when everything happened. Plus, during the walk up to the courthouse when Terry was killed, there had been a man in the crowd that looked like he had been burned...kind of like the man Terry’s daughter saw.

A crime scene had been found where the bloody clothes with the victim’s blood. Everyone was gone already and Detective Hoskins gets there late. While there, something touched him and told him that it just gave him skin cancer. If he did what he said, he will take it away. He doesn’t believe it at first but soon starts seeing signs that he does have cancer, plus he got a call from telling him what to do about the group looking into the murder of the little boy.

A new woman can in named Holly, (though she wasn’t completely new, she was from King’s previous book Finders Keepers). She is an investigator and she digs around and finds out that a similar crime had happened in a town 2 hours from there. A man had been accused of murdering twin girls, there was a lot of evidence against him, but he kept insisting he was innocent. Yet he was convicted and sent in jail where he eventually committed suicide. What’s more, is his mother also committed suicide after finding one of the twins' bloody shirt in the basement. She also found that the van that Terry had supposedly used to kidnap the boy had been stolen from the other town. Terry and his family did go to that town to visit his father, but not until 2 days after the van had been stolen. So he couldn’t have stolen it. Someone else did...or something.

Later, the same man that had visited Terry’s daughter visited Anderson’s wife to threaten them to stop investigating. Only the man that was there didn’t seem like he really was and he looked different. The man had tattoos on his hands similar to one of the witnesses that saw Terry at a club, Bolton. But he wasn’t in town at the moment. He was visiting his mother in a different state.

Holly gathers everyone involved in it, the prosecuting lawyer, Terry’s lawyer, Anderson, Terry’s wife, and an investigator to tell them about what she found... and about her theory that the man they were chasing wasn’t a man at all, but a shapeshifter, a “El Cuco” that feeds on death and despair and uses the blood of children to gain immortality. It was an Outsider. It meant that Terry was innocent and most likely the man from the other town. And now it was on the way to commit another crime using someone else's face. Only he wasn’t “done” yet. It took time for him to change. It usually had time to “rest” but because they were on to it, he left early. And since he likes death, the places he’s comfortable at are near graveyards. Holly had found evidence of some substance at the other town where the man had shed his other identity. The same that had been found at the other crime scene where the bloody clothes “Terry” had been wearing. What was more, this thing had come into contact with the accused murders at some point.

So whatever this thing was, was planning to strike again. From what Anderson’s wife and Terry’s daughter described, the man was transforming into Bolton and he was in danger. So Terry’s attorney, an investigator, Holly, and 2 detectives including Anderson drive down to Texas to warn Bolton and find this Outsider. They go to an old cave attraction that had been shut down years before when some kids got lost in the tunnels and then some rescuers got caved in. They had all clearly died in there and it was the perfect place that the Outsider would like. The other detective Hoskins was there under the Outsider’s orders lying in wait and he started shooting when the group pulled up killing the attorney and the investigator and injuring the other detective. Anderson was able to kill Hoskins and he and Holly are able to go down into the caves. 

It was at the bottom where they are able to confront the Outsider that was still in the process of changing. He said that he had to leave sooner than he wanted too since they had been on to him. They couldn’t kill him with a gun since the bullet could ricochet and cause a cave-in. Luckily, Holly brought a sock full of ball bearings and hit the Outsider a few times, killing it. It didn’t die in the usual way either. The head caved in like it was dough and it collapsed into a pile of maggots. Gross! But it was finally dead.

After, Anderson and the prosecutor that was against Terry went about to prove Terry’s innocence. They questioned the witnesses again and proved that they didn’t really see Terry, just someone who looked like him. The evidence they had also seemed to be disintegrating with the Outsider being dead. With nothing else to be had. Terry’s name was cleared of murder and his family was able to live in peace. Though it was too late for Terry himself.

What a rollercoaster. I really loved this book and hope there are more like it.

[youngwombatpenguin]

Workplace Harassment Attorney

Workplace harassment attorney - While it should be the first expectation that employees work in a workplace free of harassment, many are subject to harassment or other discriminatory acts. These acts are illegal, but employers often fail to address workplace harassment. Employees can be subject to discrimination, unfair treatment and hostile work environments.

Everybody deserves a safe workplace that is free from harassment and bullying. Millions of Americans experience harassment at work every day. Employers often fail to take necessary steps to protect their employees, despite harassment being illegal.

 You may be subject to discrimination, unfair treatment, or inappropriate behaviour, creating a hostile work environment.

 Employees who are members of a traditionally underrepresented group or minority can face harassment from their supervisors and coworkers every day. This could be because they have to go to work each day regardless of whether they are black, white, or religious. You can also visit here workplace harassment lawyer.

 This treatment should not be offered in exchange for employment. Mansell Law, Workplace harassment attorney , advocates for employees who have been victims of harassment. They hold employers accountable for their mistakes and force companies to improve their employee relations. Mansell Law can help you if you have been victim to workplace harassment in New York City.

 A coworker, a manager or supervisor, repeat clients, vendors or visitors, contractors or any other employment staff who have close contact with employees can create hostile work environments. Not every incident, petty minor, or annoyance can cause a hostile work environment to escalate to illegality.

 All of our workplace harassment attorney have been interviewed and passed a screening process. Every lawyer we recommend has significant experience and knowledge about ethics codes, rules, and law office practices. This includes customer service skills, handling fees and billing.

 You should investigate your options for a workplace harassment suit if the behaviour is so severe that you cannot do your job, have trouble sleeping at night, or feel ill-equipped to work. The best and most effective way to stop the harassment or hold the perpetrators accountable is to file a lawsuit. For emotional and psychological damage, you may be eligible for monetary damages. You can search or details about workplace harassment attorney.

 You should investigate your options for a workplace harassment suit if the behaviour is so severe that you cannot do your job, have trouble sleeping at night, or feel ill-equipped to work. The best and most effective way to stop the harassment or hold the perpetrators accountable is to file a lawsuit. For emotional and psychological damage, you may be eligible for monetary damages.

 The Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act gives employees who have been adversely affected six months after the adverse action the right to file a claim with Maryland Commission on Human Rights. An employee has 300 days to file a complaint with the EEOC. It would help if you spoke with an workplace harassment attorney immediately. There may be other claims that have shorter statutes of limitation. An undue delay could cause you to miss the filing deadline. You can go through employment attorney near me for further details.

 Your work is important, and you rely on it for your income. However, workplace harassment can cause you to lose these benefits and your job satisfaction. Employer harassment is not only harmful but also illegal. Too many employers ignore harassment and fail to take corrective action. Employers may not be aware of their rights and how to enforce them. The actor may make you feel embarrassed, but you are powerless to correct his conduct. You may also be afraid of being retaliated by your employer if you file a claim.

[dispatchesfrom2020]

2020

Week 42: October 12-October 18

12:The United States Senate scrambles to begin the hasty vetting process for Trump’s newest pick for the Supreme Court, Judge Amy Coney Barrett. It’s not smooth sailing. On the second day of senate hearings, Texas Senator John Cornyn asks Barrett to hold up her notepad - it’s completely blank. Republicans celebrate this as evidence that she’s a brilliant jurist with a mind like a steel trap - so smart she doesn’t need to partake in something so mundane and academic as taking notes. But for Democrats it demonstrates her inexperience. It betrays the insincere and unserious nature of the vetting process. The case for Barrett’s brilliance is further diminished when she’s unable to answer a softball question. When asked to name the five freedoms guaranteed by the first amendment she forgets the right to protest. Makes sense - it hasn’t been very popular under the President who appointed her, Mr. Law-and-Order Trump.

The fact that this woman now sits in Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat is absolutely fucking galling. Like, they really thought this cutesy photo-op ‘gee ma, no notes’ stunt would make her look like a brilliant jurist  - Susan Walsh/Pool

13: Across Indonesia, protesters take to the streets for the second week in a row. They object to a large omnibus bill that critics believe will hurt both workers and the environment. It will reduce severance pay and cut leave, allow longer working hours, and would allow employers to replace full-time positions with contact gigs and part-time work. They fear that the bill will allow for the destruction of primary rain forests. Indonesian forests are an important carbon-sink and help slow climate change. The government believe the bill is necessary to reinvigorate the country’s flagging economy and boost foreign investment. Police begin to arrest high-ranking members of an opposition group known as KAMI, accusing them of inciting riots and demonstrations. 

14: The Hunter Biden laptop sideshow begins. A New York tabloid alleges that the Democratic presidential nominee Joseph Biden and his son have traded influence for money and engaged in corruption in the Ukraine. Their proof? Emails on a laptop supposedly abandoned by Hunter Biden at a computer repair shop in Delaware. The story was given to the publisher by Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Guiliani after he shopped it around to more reputable publishers first. Most refused - even right-leaning outlets like FOX - because of the story’s complete lack of credibility. Within hours the Washington Post will report that Guiliani was repeatedly targeted by Russia intelligence operations, hoping to spread disinformation.

At Tampa’s Luv Child restaurant, channels are set on the competing town hall events - Octavio Jones/Reuters

15: The government of Thailand bans gatherings of more than five people after yesterday’s continued pro-reform protests. Trump and Biden square off in competing town hall events after the week’s presidential debate is cancelled following the President’s COVID diagnosis. I can’t recap it any more succinctly than The Week who wrote: “The candidates' contrasting styles were on display, with Trump sparring with the moderator and Biden offering soothing policy proposals unlikely to endanger his polling lead.” Biden was asked about a controversial 1991 crime bill he authored that resulted in increased incarceration, especially for black men. He admitted that parts of the bill were a mistake. Listening to a politician admit to making mistakes felt soothing - that’s how low the bar is now set. On rivalling NBC, meanwhile, Trump is fighting with Savannah Guthrie who is surprisingly adept at countering his disinformation. He refuses to denounce QAnon and evades questions about his leaked tax returns, calling his $421m debt to unknown creditors ‘peanuts’. With the town halls airing simultaneously, it becomes a ratings battle and, within a few days, Biden is crowned the winner with nearly 4m more viewers than the incumbent President.

16: Every day, now, is accompanied by a flurry of COVID reports as countries caseloads climb. Czechia and Italy are now adding nearly 10k new cases each day, an all-time high for both countries. Malta implements a mask-mandate and Azerbaijan announces it will suspend public transportation and secondary schools in an effort to curb the spread the virus. The small Oceanic islands of Wallis and Fortuna, a french protectorate, record their first case of COVID-19. They were formerly the only COVID-free region under French administration.

17: Kiwis head to the polls for a national election, re-electing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in a landslide. Ardern’s Labour Party is the first to win a majority since the proportional system was introduced in the mid-90s. New Zealand’s government’s handling of the virus has been pretty much the envy of the world - a long and heavy lockdown early during the crisis, paired with stringent travel restrictions and mandatory quarantines, has resulted in the country having virtually no community spread. Ardern’s successful handling of the virus is one of the things that propelled the young Prime Minister to such a resounding victory at the polls. Azerbaijan captures another city in their dispute with the majority-Armenian Artsakh province - Armenians, allegedly, retaliate by firing missiles at the Azeri city of Ganja, killing 13 civilians. 

Under Jacinda Ardern’s leadership, New Zealand had seen only 25 death to COVID-19 by election day in mid-October. She handily won, securing a rare majority government - Hannah Peters/Getty Images

18: It’s another busy day so lets just rip through some headlines - wildfires in Colorado have forced thousands of residents to evacuate their homes near Boulder. A judge blocked the White House’s efforts to end foot stamp benefits for 700,000 unemployed people - food insecurity in the United States has ballooned under the Trump administration. Food banks are feeling the strain of new customers as the economy contracted during 2020, shedding millions of jobs. And at a Michigan rally in yesterday, Trump warned the crowd against the state’s Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer. “Be careful of her and her attorney general because you know they’re like in charge of the ballot stuff”, he said. In a refrain of Trump’s 2016 refrain about Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, the crowd roars “Lock her up” and Trump replies “Lock ‘em all up”. In an Interview, today, Whitmer told press “It’s incredibly disturbing that the president of the United States, 10 days after a plot to kidnap, put me on trial and execute me ... is at it again ... inciting this kind of domestic terrorism”. Trump’s daughter-in-law and campaign surrogate Lara Trump claims he was merely having some fun. 

[nancydhooper]

Bloody Masks and Fevers on Shift: Immigrant Workers Face Abuse in Nebraska Meatpacking Plant

Last spring, as people across the globe raced to shut themselves indoors and shelter away from the threat of COVID-19, meatpacking workers in America suddenly found themselves exposed, vulnerable, and directly at the front line of the disease’s spread. By early April, the coronavirus was tearing through plants in states like Iowa, South Dakota, Texas, and Nebraska, infecting tens of thousands of mostly immigrant workers who’d been drawn to remote towns and cities by the meatpacking industry and its jobs.   Nervous health officials urged some hotspot plants to temporarily shut down, warning that crowded and enclosed processing rooms were vectors for the disease and were facilitating its spread into nearby communities. Recognizing the threat that the outbreaks posed to their operations – and their bottom line – some producers began implementing rudimentary protections for their workers including paid sick leave, on-site testing, and increased spacing on production lines.   Others, however, did little to protect workers, even after the scale of the danger they faced was obvious and undeniable. Noah’s Ark Processors, a plant operating in Hastings, Nebraska, is a glaring example of the dangerous and abusive treatment that meatpacking workers have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This week the ACLU filed suit against Noah’s Ark, alleging that the company pressures workers to remain on shift even when they become symptomatic, isn’t replacing blood-stained masks during their long shifts, has done nothing to facilitate social distancing inside the plant, and is failing to provide onsite testing to identify emerging infection clusters.   “Noah’s Ark has refused to implement even the most basic protections against a coronavirus surge in the plant,” said Spencer Amdur, an attorney at the ACLU. “At this point in the pandemic, there is no excuse for failing to do even the bare minimum to protect workers and the surrounding community.”  Alma was one of the workers on the production line at Noah’s Ark and is a plaintiff in the ACLU’s lawsuit. After emigrating from Cuba in 2012, she was hired to work in the plant in late 2018. It was a tough job. Her hands and wrists often ached from grueling hours spent on the “kill floor” – an enclosed room where cow carcasses are butchered and prepared for cold storage – but it paid decently. She and her husband Antonio, also a Noah’s Ark employee, were raising four children, and the family needed the money. (Note: the ACLU is using pseudonyms for them due to their fear of retaliation by management.)   Like many meatpacking plants, the majority of the plant’s workforce were immigrants, and Isabel says that even before COVID-19 emerged she and Antonio were unsettled by the way management treated them. But things took a sharp turn for the worse when the pandemic began.   “People were scared, but [management] made it seem like it wasn’t a big deal,” she said. “The first thing they said was that nobody could miss work. They would say that [COVID-19] was just nonsense. Even when things got more serious, they didn’t care.”   Then, in late April, workers at the plant began to fall ill.

The Noah’s Ark Processing meatpacking plant in Hastings, Nebraska.

Calla Kessler for the ACLU

Antonio worked closely with a team of two other co-workers on the kill floor. During their shift, the three spent hours nearly shoulder-to-shoulder. After one contracted COVID-19 and had to be hospitalized, it wasn’t long before Antonio also became symptomatic.   “I told my supervisor that my eyes were hurting and that I had symptoms that were getting worse, and he basically told me to f-off and go back to work,” he said.   Feverish and ill, Antonio went back to the line and finished his shift. But that night, he grew sicker. To make matters worse, Alma had also begun to feel unwell. Noah’s Ark wasn’t providing COVID-19 testing for its workforce, but fortunately for the couple, they had a contact in a local clinic and arranged for a test on their own. The results came back positive for both.   For weeks, the couple battled the virus at home, moving into the basement so they could limit contact with their children.   “It was really hard because the kids were just upstairs, but we couldn’t touch them,” Antonio said.   His case was worse than Alma’s. At one point, he developed shortness of breath and went to a local hospital, but staff there told him that resources were limited and they could only treat the sickest patients. In all, the pair were out of work for seven weeks at home while they fought to recover.   When they returned to Noah’s Ark, they discovered they were only going to be paid for two of the seven weeks they were sick, and at a lower hourly rate. Later, they’d discover that other workers hadn’t been paid at all for the time they spent at home sick.    Since they’d been out, Noah’s Ark had hired a nurse to perform cursory temperature checks of workers, but there was still no on-site testing, even as it became clear that people without fevers could spread the virus. Workers in the cramped, stuffy processing rooms were given masks – but only one per shift. When the masks became soiled with blood and sweat, workers were forced to pull them down below their noses so they could breathe, or take them off altogether. In the windowless cafeteria/break room, they squeezed together at small tables separated by thin, flimsy nylon barriers that provided little protection.   The virus continued to spread among the workforce at Noah’s Ark through April and May. Still, working conditions didn’t get better.   Alma says that managers continued to send a clear signal to sick workers that if they missed shifts their jobs would be at risk. At one point in late summer, a colleague of hers was instructed to stay on the line despite a rising fever. When the woman missed the following two days due to her illness, she was nearly fired. Alma managed to convince her manager to keep her on, but it was a warning to the rest of the workforce. An older worker, who Antonio was close with, died of complications related to COVID-19.   “They think that we are like slaves, not workers,” Alma said. “You aren’t allowed to get sick.”   Noah’s Ark has a record of failing to follow laws meant to protect workers. In October 2019, a district court in Nebraska found the company in contempt for failing to comply with an order to negotiate in good faith with a local meatpacking union. In its ruling, the court said Noah’s Ark had illegally attempted to block workers from joining the union as it sought to slash benefits and workplace safety protections. And federal regulators fined the company in 2019 and 2020 for not paying sick leave or securing dangerous equipment.   “What they’re interested in is money,” Alma said. “They want the factory to produce and they don’t care about the cost.”   Nine months into the pandemic, and in the midst of another alarming rise in infections and deaths, little has changed at Noah’s Ark. Employees working on the production lines and kill floor remain packed together in close quarters, the company still does not have a testing program in place, sick-leave policies have not been publicly posted, and workers are given only one mask per eight-hour shift, even when it becomes soaked in sweat and spattered with blood.

Workers in the cafeteria (left) and kill floor (right) at Noah’s Ark Processing meatpacking plant in Hastings, NE.

“Our lawsuit seeks to establish that Noah’s Ark – just like all other plants – needs to implement basic COVID protections: distancing, masks, sick leave, and testing,” said Rose Godinez, an attorney at the ACLU of Nebraska. “By refusing even these most simple protections, the plant is a public nuisance that threatens to spread the virus throughout Hastings and the broader Tri-City community.” Godinez says she hopes the court will set standards that can apply to all meatpacking workers, adding that poor safety measures in the industry’s plants don’t just endanger those workers – they put the general public at risk. In fact, an analysis by The Guardian found that nearly half the counties in the U.S. with the highest per-capita infection rates featured an outbreak related to a meatpacking plant. And cases in Nebraska are rising fast – on November 17, the state recorded its highest single-day positive case count since the start of the pandemic.   Despite the risks posed to the wider community by plants like Noah’s Ark, it’s been difficult for the public to understand where the worst hotspots have been, or to ensure that workforce outbreaks are addressed before they get worse. In May, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts announced that the state would cease providing the public with data on infection rates at specific plants.  The vast majority of workers in Nebraska’s meatpacking plants are immigrants, following a long history that began near the turn of the century with an influx of emigres from Europe. According to statistics released by Nebraska’s Department of Health in July, despite only comprising 11% of the state’s overall population, people who identify as Hispanic accounted for 60% of coronavirus cases in the state — largely due to meatpacking plants’ immigrant workforce. “Prior to filing this lawsuit, we have advocated for workers at all levels of government, to no avail,” said Godinez. ”With both the private sector and our local, state, and federal officials refusing to enforce laws requiring a safe workplace, workers were forced to turn to the judicial system.”    Alma and Antonio worked at the plant through the start of Fall. But their working conditions continued to deteriorate.When Antonio took off Labor Day – a federal holiday – he was fired. By October, Alma had also had enough, and decided to quit. “There, holidays are not observed. When other companies aren’t working, this one has to work. There’s no law and order,” she said.   Both say they worry for the safety of their former co-workers at Noah’s Ark  – who regularly update them on what’s been happening since they left  – and are frustrated that federal agencies with a mandate to oversee meatpacking plants haven’t stepped in to help. Alma hopes her suit will hold the company’s owners accountable for their treatment of the plant’s workers during the pandemic.   “I hope things change and get better there,” she said. “Being an immigrant doesn’t make people animals. They are like you and me – they’re just trying to make a living.”

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8247012 https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/bloody-masks-and-fevers-on-shift-immigrant-workers-face-abuse-in-nebraska-meatpacking-plant via http://www.rssmix.com/

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/spc-vanessa-guillen-missing-fort-hood-soldier-was-murdered-and-body-hacked-to-pieces-attorney-says-fox-news/

Spc. Vanessa Guillen, missing Fort Hood soldier, was murdered and body hacked to pieces, attorney says - Fox News

A Texas soldier missing since April was killed by another soldier on the same military installation where they served, the lawyer for her family said Thursday.

Spc. Vanessa Guillen was killed April 22, the day of her disappearance, by Spc. Aaron David Robinson inside an armory room where she was working on Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, attorney Natalie Khawam said during a news briefing.

Khawam said she met with officials with the Army Criminal Investigation Command who provided her with the information, the Army Times reported.

Guillen’s car keys, barracks room key, identification card and wallet were found in the armory room, according to investigators. Officials said the 20-year-old was last seen in the parking lot wearing a black T-shirt and “purple fitness-type pants.”

VANESSA GUILLEN’S BODY FOUND, FELLOW SOLDIER KILLED SELF, ANOTHER SUSPECT IN CUSTODY: FAMILY LAWYER

An attorney for the family of Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old soldier stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, said Thursday she was killed by another soldier inside an armory room where she worked in April. (Fort Hood Press Center)

Both Guillen, who entered the Army in 2018 as a small arms repairer, and Robinson, also 20, were assigned to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment’s engineer squadron but were on different troops.

Guillen, who was promoted from private first class to specialist on Wednesday due to her time in service, was allegedly attacked with a hammer and dismembered with a machete.

Robinson allegedly had his married girlfriend, the estranged wife of a former Fort Hood soldier, help bury her “bloody body,” Khawam said.

“At first they tried to set her on fire, but she wouldn’t burn,” she told the Times. “Then they dismembered this beautiful U.S. soldier’s body with a machete.”

Robinson, from Illinois, entered the Army in October 2017. He fled Fort Hood late Tuesday and fatally shot himself Wednesday morning as authorities closed in on him, Killeen police said. The woman identified as Robinson’s girlfriend was booked into the Bell County jail for an unknown offense, the Times reported.

Cecily Anne Aguilar, 22, of Killeen, was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree felony tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair a human corpse, according to KTBC-TV in Austin. She also faces a federal conspiracy to tamper with evidence charge.

Guillen’s sister, Mayra, said Wednesday that she recognized Robinson from meeting him in the past.

‘EXTENSIVE SEARCH’ FOR MISSING SOLDIER, 20, LAST SEEN ON TEXAS ARMY BASE CONTINUES AFTER KEYS, WALLET FOUND

Cecily Anne Aguilar, 22,  (Bell County Sheriff’s Department)

“I met him not knowing that he had something to do with it,” Mayra Guillen said, according to KTRK. “I felt something was telling me that he did something and I wasn’t wrong, apparently. He still had the nerve that day to laugh in my face. And apparently now, he kills himself. Why? I don’t know. But whoever is responsible has to pay and we demand a Congressional investigation.”

Partial human remains suspected to be Guillen were found Tuesday near the Leon River, about 26 miles east of the base. A medical examiner in Dallas still was working to identify the remains.

Tim Miller, of Texas Equusearch, who was assisting in the search for Guillen, told KHOU Thursday that investigators found a lid last week that belonged to a container consistent with one a witness saw loaded into a car at 8:30 the night Guillen disappeared.

Base officials said two parallel investigations are being conducted: one into Guillen’s death and another related to sexual harassment claims made by her family.

“She was afraid to [report it] because the sexual harassment was coming from her superiors, so her concern was the retaliation, being blackballed,” Khawam said during the press conference. “We believe the person that killed her is that person that sexually harassed her.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP

Army CID Senior Special Agent Damon Phelps said no evidence has yet been found to substantiate the claims.

“We have made significant progress in this tragic situation and are doing everything possible to get to the truth and bring answers to the family of Pfc. Vanessa Guillen,” CID spokesman Chris Grey said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.