Chapter 8 - The Plea Hearing
The plea hearing was three days later.
I didn’t want to go.
Lena said I had to.
"The judge wants to see you," she said.
"She wants to make sure you understand the deal and that you agree to it voluntarily.
It’s just a formality.
Michael will be there in cuffs.
He won’t be able to touch you.
It will be ten minutes and then we leave and you never have to see him again." Emily came with us.
She held my hand on the drive over.
"You don’t have to be brave," she said.
"You just have to get through it.
I’m right here." Dad carried Tyler on his shoulders.
Tyler was wearing his favorite superhero shirt.
He had no idea what was happening.
He just knew he was going to a big building with lots of people and then afterward we were going for ice cream.
The courtroom was the same one from the first hearing.
Judge Alvarez sat on the bench.
She looked tired again.
Michael was led in.
He was wearing an orange jumpsuit.
His hands and feet were chained.
He looked smaller somehow.
Weaker.
Without his suit and his confidence, he was just a man.
A small, angry man who had destroyed his own family.
He didn’t look at me.
He didn’t look at anyone.
He just stared at the floor.
"Mr.
Henderson," Judge Alvarez said.
"You are charged with felony domestic battery by means of a deadly weapon, felony child endangerment, misdemeanor intimidation of a witness, felony conspiracy to commit assault, felony solicitation of a violent crime, and three counts of witness tampering.
The state has offered you a sentence of twenty years in the state penitentiary, no eligibility for parole, in exchange for your guilty plea and a full waiver of your right to appeal.
Do you understand the terms of this agreement?" "Yes, Your Honor," Michael said.
His voice was flat.
Empty.
"Are you entering this plea voluntarily?
No threats?
No promises other than what is stated in the plea agreement?" "Yes, Your Honor." "Very well.
How do you plead to each of the charges?" "Guilty," he said.
"Guilty." "Guilty." He said it eight times.
May you like
One for each charge.
Each word a nail in the coffin of his freedom.
