All he could think about was Lily at home. alone and sick, waiting for her daddy to come back with medicine. The news of Robert’s arrest spread quickly through their small town. Mrs. Henderson, their elderly neighbor, found Lily crying in the apartment and took her to the hospital. The doctors gave Lily the medicine she needed, but they also told Mrs.
Henderson that Lily would have to go into foster care until her father’s legal troubles were sorted out. Judge Katherine Westbrook had been assigned to Robert’s case. She was known throughout the county as a fair but strict judge who didn’t accept excuses, even sad ones. 3 years ago, Catherine had been in a terrible car accident that left her unable to walk.
Since then, she had thrown herself into her work, becoming even more focused on upholding the law. The morning of Robert’s trial, the courtroom was packed with people from the community. Some came to support Robert, knowing he was a good father in a terrible situation. Others came because they believed stealing was wrong, no matter what the reason.
Robert sat at the defendant’s table in a borrowed suit. His hands folded and his eyes read from crying. He hadn’t seen Lily in 2 weeks, and Mrs. Henderson told him that his daughter asked about him every single day. Judge Catherine rolled her wheelchair up to the bench and looked out at the crowded courtroom. She had read Robert’s file the night before and knew all the details of his case.
a desperate father stealing medicine for his sick child. It was the kind of situation that made her job both difficult and heartbreaking. All rise for the honorable judge Katherine Westbrook announced the baiff. Though everyone could see that the judge herself could not rise. The prosecutor, a young man named David Chun, stood up and began presenting the case against Robert.
He spoke about how stealing was against the law, how businesses needed to be protected, and how making exceptions for sad stories would lead to chaos. “Your honor,” David said, adjusting his tie. “While we all feel sympathy for Mr. Mitchell’s situation, we cannot allow emotions to override justice. He committed armed robbery when he threatened the security guard and stole merchandise worth over $100.
