Lincoln Lawyer Resurrection Walk Audio Book Part 2 of 2. Book 7 Michael Connelly.
Here is part 2 of 2 Michael Connelly audiobook for the novel Resurrection Walk.
Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller enlists the help of his half-brother, Harry Bosch, to prove the innocence of a woman convicted of killing her ex-husband.
Defense attorney Mickey Haller is back, taking the long shot cases, where the chances of winning are one in a million. After getting a wrongfully convicted man out of prison, he is inundated with pleas from incarcerated people claiming innocence. He enlists his half-brother, retired LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, to weed through the letters, knowing most claims will be false.
Both Parts on channel.
Novel #7 in the Lincoln Lawyer series.
Released – February 2, 2023
Author – Michael Connelly
#LincolnLawyer #audiobook #thelincolnlawyer #Reversal #MichaelConnelly #MickyHaller #TheReversal #LawOfInnocence #ResurrectionWalk #HarryBosch
Emails no texts right nothing will have to turn over to the AG there you go you’re thinking like a defense lawyer again I hope not embrace it it’s the new you Harry BOS disconnected without further comment or denial part six the truth trap chapter 24 the eagle had angry righteous eyes it
Looked as if given the opportunity it would drop the arrows an olive branch had grasped in its sharp talons swoop down from the wall and tear your throat open for having even thought of coming here for justice I studied it as I grew accustomed to my new
Surroundings I had spent most of my decades long practice trying to avoid being in federal courtrooms the US District Court for the central district of California was where defense cases went to Die the feds operated with a near 100% conviction rate defense cases here were managed not often tried and almost never
Won but lucenda Sands versus the state of California was different a habus petition was a civil motion my opponent wasn’t the federal government I was in a battle against the state with a federal judge presiding as referee and that opened the door of Hope after I took in
The seal with the angry Eagle affixed to the wall above the judge’s bench my eyes moved about the August room with its deep rich Woods Flags in the front corners and textured oil portraits of former jurists on the sidewalls this room had stood the test of time better than any lawyer who had
Ever stepped in here with a prayer for justice this was what legal seagull had taught me so long ago breathe it in this is your moment this is your stage want it own it take it I closed my eyes and repeated the words in my head ignoring the sounds
Around me people shuffling into the benches of the gallery behind me Whispers from the A’s table to my left the court clerk in his Corral muttering into his phone to the right and then came an intrusion I could not ignore Mickey Mickey an urgent whisper I
Opened my eyes and looked at Lucinda she nodded toward the back of the room I turned and saw the reporters in the first row and the courtroom artist working for one of the TV stations since cameras were not allowed in federal court and Beyond them I saw Deputy
Stephanie Sanger sitting in the last row it was the first time I had seen her in person since the habius was a civil motion I could have deposed her but that would have given her and the AG a heads up on my case strategy I didn’t want
That so I gambled and skipped the depot and I would question her for the first time when I called her as a witness I locked eyes for a moment with Sanger she had sandy blonde hair and pale eyes her stare was as cold and angry as the Eagles up on the wall she
Was in full uniform badge and commodation pins on display this was the oldest trick in the book when it came to reminding a jury of the authority of a testifying law enforcement officer but this wasn’t a jury trial and the uniform most likely would not impress the
Judge can she do that lucenda asked sit behind us like that I I looked from Sanger to my client she was scared don’t worry about her I said when Court starts she’ll leave she’s a witness and they’re not allowed to be in court until they testify that’s why Harry Bosch isn’t
Here before lucenda could respond the courtroom Marshall stood at his desk next to the door to the Courtside holding cell and announced the arrival of Judge Ellen Coello the timing was perfect as people in the courtroom stood the door behind the bench opened and the black robed
Judge took the three steps up to the black leather chair from which she would Pride be seated she said her voice Amplified by the coffered ceiling and the other Acoustics of the courtroom as I sat down I leaned toward lucenda and whispered there will be some discussions with the judge and then it
Will be your turn like we talked about be calm be direct look at me or the judge when you answer don’t look at the other attorneys lucenda nodded hesitantly she still looked scared her light brown complexion turning pale it’s going to be okay I said you’re ready for this you’ll do
Fine but what if I don’t she said don’t think like that these people at the other table want to take the rest of your life away they want to take your son away be angry at them not scared you need to get back to your son Lucinda
They are trying to stop you from doing that think about that I noticed motion behind her and looked up from our huddle to see Frank Silver pull out the chair on her other side and sit down sorry I’m late he whispered hi Lucinda do you remember me before she could answer I
Put my hand on Lucinda’s arm to stop her and leaned across her to address silver as quietly as my anger would allow what are you doing here I whispered I’m co-counsel he said that was our deal I’m here to help what deal Lucinda asked there is no
Deal I said you need to leave Frank now I’m not going anywhere silver said listen to me carefully I said you can’t be here it will throw I was cut off by the judge in the matter of sans versus the state of California we have a habus corpus petition is Council ready to
Proceed Hayden Morris and I stood at the same time at our Separate Tables and affirmed that we were ready to proceed Mr holler the judge said I have no record of you having a co-counsel who is seated next to your client silver stood up to answer the question
Himself but I beat him to it Mr Silver is the plaintiff’s original defense attorney in this case I said he just came by to show his support for her he is not co-counsel Coello looked down at the paperwork in front of her on the bench
He is on your witness list is he not she asked I recall that name I believe yes your honor I said he is and he just wanted to be here at the start as I said to show his support he will step out now in fact your honor
Plaintiff requests that all Witnesses be excused from the courtroom until they are called upon to testify Morris who had already sat down shot back up to his feet and told the judge that the witness I was referring to was Sergeant Stephanie Sanger who was in the courtroom for a state motion to
Quash her subpoena for improper service all right wek get into that Coello said but first Mr Silver you are excused from the courtroom I was still standing readying for the argument about Sanger and I’d already dismissed silver from my thoughts I had to keep my eyes on the prize and not be
Distracted Morris obviously wanted to keep Sanger off the stand and as far away from the case and my questioning as possible I could not allow that in my peripheral vision I saw silver slowly stand and push back his chair I turned and gave a quick nod so it looked like
We were playing close colleagues and of one mind on this miscarriage of Justice he played along giving Lucinda a pat on the shoulder before moving by me to the gate he smiled and nodded in a supportive way while he whispered you and I’m not testifying good luck hitting me with a
Subpoena I nodded as though he had just whispered words of great inspiration and then he was gone I remained standing for the argument to come while opening a file on the table with a copy of the subpoena Bosch had dropped on Sanger I had no idea how Morris was
Going to challenge this judge Coello waited until silver was almost to the courtroom door before continuing Mr Morris you may proceed she said for the next 5 minutes Morris argued that the subpoena served on Sergeant Sanger should be quashed because opposing Council me was on a fishing Expedition with no evidentiary
Basis for putting Sanger on the stand Sergeant Sanger is involved in ongoing investigations that could be compromised if Council Strays willy-nilly in his questioning he is trying to grandstand with this witness your honor and it could come at the expense of Justice in other cases additionally council’s application for
The subpoena is based on an identification made by the plaintiff that was highly suspect and did not conform to standard procedures for photographic identification that alone makes the subpoena invalid tell me about the photo identification coo said yes your honor plaintiff’s investigator showed her a series of photos in the VIS visiting
Room at the prison where she was housed this allowed him to steer her identification to Sergeant Sanger this then became the basis for the subpoena you signed as the court knows a proper photographic display to a witness would be what is commonly known as a six-pack where the individual is shown six photos
At once and without any outside influence as to which photo if any to choose but now it is too late the identification is tainted and the people asked that the subpoena be quashed Morris sat down I was relieved the assistant A’s argument was complete Morris was clearly grasping at straws which
Told me how concerned he was about Sanger testifying I now just had to make sure I could get her on the stand Mr holler the judge said your response thank you judge I said I would love to respond first of all I’ve practiced law in this town for decades
And this is the first time I’ve ever heard the term willy-nilly put forth as the basis of an objection I must have missed that in law school but to use my colleague’s word his argument is willy-nilly and I’ll add absurd my investigator Harry Bosch spent more than
40 years as a police officer and detective with the Los Angeles Police Department he knows how to conduct a proper photo lineup he first asked the supervisors at the prison for a private attorney room to meet with Miss Sans but he was denied that so he met with Miss
Sans in a booth in the visitation room and proceeded as outlined in my request for a subpoena he showed Miss Sans one photo at a time and did not pick the phone up until after she had seen all six photos that was when she made the identification there was nothing
Untoward nothing sneaky nothing even willy-nilly whatever that means and your honor a prison camera recorded every moment of it if there were any truth to the accusation of a tainted identification then Mr Morris would have shown us the video from that camera if we want to delay this hearing and
Further the illegal incarceration of Lucinda Sans we can halt everything while the court orders that the video be brought forward for review your honor Morris said not yet Mr Morris Coello said Mr holler a response to the first part of the objection Mr Morris makes reference to other investigations of a confidential
Nature I said HEK clearly desperate I have no intention of bringing up any investigation other than the flawed and corrupt investigation into the killing of Roberto Sans the witness he is trying to keep from testifying was kneed deep in that investigation and Mr Morris wants to prevent the court
From finding out the truth about this matter no other investigation will be mentioned I stipulate to that right now if I Stray From it the court can shut me down there was a pause and then Morris tried for a second bite of the Apple your honor if I could respond briefly he
Said that won’t be necessary Coello said do you have a video recording of the investigator showing the plain of the photos no your honor I don’t Morris said have you seen it Coello pressed was it the basis of your motion no your honor Morris said meekly our basis was The subpoena request from
The plaintiff then you are unprepared to support your argument Coello said the motion to quash is denied Sergeant Sanger is excused from the courtroom until such time as she is called to testify anything else gentlemen before we start hearing from Witnesses in this matter Morris stood up at his table
Again yes your honor he said very well Coello said what have you got as the court knows this motion was sealed by the court at the request of the state Morris said this was to prevent it from being played out in the media as opposing Council has shown a propensity
To do in past cases I stood up objection I said your honor the Assistant Attorney General is doing anything and everything in his power to distract the court from the fact Mr holler Coello said forcefully I don’t like Council interrupting each other if I deem that Mr Morris’s argument has Merit you will
Get your chance to respond now sit down please and let him finish I did as I was told hoping my objection would at least throw Morris off his game thank you your honor Morris said as I was saying this motion was sealed by the court until such time as a
Hearing on the matter began which is right now Mr Morris Coello said I know where you are going with this I see representatives of the media in the gallery and have approved a request for a courtroom artist this matter is no longer sealed we are are in open court what is your
Objection the court received the request for a courtroom artist on Friday Morris said we were all copied at that time this matter was still under seal and yet the media was somehow alerted to it the state asks for sanctions against plaintiff’s counsil for violating the court order sealing the
Petition I stood once again but did not interrupt I just wanted the judge to know I was ready to respond but she held out a hand and patted the air a signal for me to sit down again I did Mr Morris you are doing what two minutes ago you
Accused Mr holler of Coello said playing to the media I am sure that if I asked Mr holler whether he alerted the media to this hearing before the seal was lifted he would say he did not and that there is no evidence to the contrary frankly me is too smart to have done
Such a thing himself so Mr Morris unless you can provide such evidence then all you doing here is grandstanding I would rather you did not I would rather get to what we are actually here to do there will be no sanctions now Mr holler are you ready to
Proceed I stood up this time buttoning my jacket as though it were a shield and I was going into battle we are ready I said very well the judge said call your first witness chapter 25 I had turned down an offer from Judge Coello to allow lenda Sans to dress in
Street clothes supplied by her mother I didn’t want to agree to anything that would distract from the fact that this woman had been in prison for 5 years for a crime she did not commit I wanted her appearance to be a constant reminder to the judge of how a wrongful prosecution
Had taken everything away from her her son her family her freedom and her livelihood and left her with a blue jumpsuit with CDC inmates stencl on it front and back sitting in the witness chair Lucinda seemed small her face barely Rising above the ornate wooden railing
In front of her her hair was pulled back in a short ponytail the line of her jaw was sharp she looked scared but Resolute I would question her first that would be the easy part Morris’s cross-examination was where the danger lay he had the transcripts from the first interview she’d given
Investigators almost 6 years ago and the deposition taken at Chino 2 months ago while I had avoided using the deposition option that came with a civil action Morris had elected to depose lucenda a clear sign of his strategy if he could catch her in a single lie he could discredit her and
The whole claim that she was innocent is it all right if I call you Cindy I asked uh yes she said Cindy please tell the court where you live and how long you have lived there before lucenda could speak Morris cut in your honor the aspects of Miss his
Incarceration for a crime she confessed to are well known to all parties and the court he said can we just move to matters Germain to the petition is that an objection Mr Morris Coello asked yes your honor it is very well sustained Mr holler move on and get
To the reason we are here today I nodded so it was going to be like that yes your honor I said Cindy did you kill your ex-husband Roberto Sans I did not lucenda said but you pleaded no contest to manslaughter in the case why would you plead to
Something you now say you didn’t do I’m not saying it just now I have said it all along I told the sheriffs I told my family I told my lawyer I did not shoot Roberto but Mr Silver told me the evidence was too much that a jury would
Find me guilty if we had a trial I have a son I wanted to see my son again I wanted to hug him and be part of his life I didn’t think I would get so many years it was said in such a heartfelt manner that I paused and looked at the
Legal pad in front of me on the lect turn so I could let Lucinda’s words hang in the courtroom like a ghost but the judge who had been a appointed for life more than a quarter of a century ago had witnessed every trick in the book and wasn’t having it
No further questions Mr holler she said no your honor I have more I said Cindy why don’t you tell the court what happened that night nearly 6 years ago this was the dangerous part Lucinda could not stray from what was already repeatedly on the record we could add to
It which I intended to do but we could not deviate from what was there to do so would give Morris all he needed to send her back to Chino to finish her sentence Roberto had our son for the weekend lucenda began he was supposed to
Bring him home at 6 so we could go to my mother’s house for dinner but he didn’t bring him till almost 8:00 and he’d had dinner already at Chuck-E-Cheese did that upset you I asked asked yes I was very upset and we had an argument me and Robbie and he
Before we get to that did Roberto tell you why he was late he just said he had a work meeting and I knew that was a lie because it was Sunday and his unit didn’t work on Sundays okay so you didn’t believe him and you argued is that what happened yes
And then he left I slammed the door because it had ruined my plans for that night and what happened next I heard the gunshots two how did you know they were gunshots because I grew up hearing guns in boil Heights and Roberto when we were
Married took me to a gun range to teach me how to shoot I know what a gunshot sounds like so you hear two gunshots and what do you do I thought it was him Roberto shooting at the house because he was mad you know
I ran back to my son’s room and we got on the floor but that was it no more shots did you make a 911 call I called yes I told them my ex-husband is out there shooting at my house what did they tell you to do to
Stay with my son and hide until they checked it out did they tell you to stay on the line yes then what happened I don’t know how much time went by but then they said it was safe outside and that I should go to the door because a
Deputy was there did you do that yes and that’s when I saw him Roberto was lying on the ground and they said he was dead I paused and asked the judge to allow me to play the recording of the 911 call Lucinda had just described Morris did not object and the recording
Was played on the courtrooms AV Equipment it did not deviate from the description Lucinda had just given but her voice on tape had an urgency and fear in it that was absent in her recounting of the event all these years later I felt that it was good for the
Judge to hear it and was surprised that Morris had not tried some sort of objection to block after the call was played I pivoted to a new line of questioning now Cindy a few minutes ago you mentioned that when you and Roberto were married
He took you to a range to learn how to shoot can you tell the court more about that like what like how many times you went to the range it was two or three times it was before our son was born once he was born I didn’t want to have guns or
Shoot but at that time before your son was born did you own a gun no they were Robbie’s guns all of them how many guns did he have I’m not sure like five and he had bought all of these no he told me he took some of them away from people bad
People if they found them with guns they would take them away sometimes they kept them who is they Cindy his unit it was more a subjected but not fast enough mention the unit was out there Morris argued that the answer should be stricken from the record and
That the story and whatever else lucenda was about to say would be hearsay based on the alleged statement of a man who is now dead the judge sustained the objection without giving me a chance to argue it but that was okay because everyone in the courtroom including and
Most important the judge knew who they were the other members of Roberto sans’s anti- gang unit okay I said Cindy tell us about the training at the range you did with your then husband well lucenda began he taught me about the different parts of the gun and
How to stand and point when firing we shot at Targets do you remember what stance you were taught to take yes and what was it called Oh I thought you meant if I remembered the stance I don’t remember if it was called anything are you saying you could
Demonstrate it if the court allowed it uh yes I asked the Court’s permission to have Lucinda step down from the witness stand and demonstrate the shooting stance her husband had taught her Morris objected arguing that such an exercise would waste the Court’s time because the demonstration could not be connected in
Any way to the shooting of Roberto Sans your honor I countered I plan to prove that Lucinda Sans did not fire the shots that killed her ex-husband this demonstration is one of the dots that will be connected along the way I’ll allow it Coello said but I will hold you
To your promise to connect those dots proceed thank you judge Cindy would you show us what you were taught by your husband Lucinda stepped down into the well the open space in front of the judge’s bench she spread her feet at least 2 feet apart for stability and
Brought her arms up straight and extended at shoulder height she used her left hand to steady her right the index finger pointing like the barrel of a gun like this she said okay thank you I said you can return to the witness stand as Lucinda returned I went to the
Plaintiff’s table to get a file I opened it and asked permission to show two photographs to the witness I gave copies to Morris even though he had already received these in Discovery and they had been part of the so-called evidence against lucenda 5 years before I also gave copies to the judge
They showed Lucinda at the range holding a gun in the same stance she had just demonstrated in the courtroom Mr holler I’m concerned the judge said after revie viewing the photos you are asking to place into exhibit two photos that would tend to show that your client had access to a
Firearm and knew how to use it are you sure this is wise it’s one of the dotts your honor I said and the court will soon understand that the photos are exculpatory not damning to my client’s cause very well Coello said it’s your show I walked to third set of photos to
The witness stand and put them down in front of Lucinda Lucinda can you identify when and where those two photos were taken I asked I don’t know the exact date Lucinda said but it was when Robbie taught me how to shoot this was the range we would go to in Sand Canyon Sand
Canyon is that in the Antelope Valley I think it’s Santa Clarita Valley but nearby yeah yes not too far okay in that second photo who is that man next to you that’s Robbie your husband at the time yes who took that photo it was one of his friends from the unit he was
Teaching his wife how to shoot there too do you remember his name Keith Mitchell okay and in the pictures the gun you were holding where is that now I don’t know when you and your husband divorced did he leave you any of the guns he possessed no none I didn’t want them in
My house not with my son there I nodded as if her answer were important and looked at my legal pad where I had outlined my examination I used a pen to check off the different Avenues of questioning I had covered okay I said let’s go back to the
Night of your ex-husband’s death what happened after after you opened the door for the deputy and saw Roberto’s body on the lawn was he face down or face up face down lucenda replied and what happened next with you they took me and my son and made us sit in the back of a
Patrol car and how long were you there um it seemed like a long time but then they took me and put me in a different car from my son an unmarked car you were eventually driven to the Antelope Valley substation and questioned yes before that were you asked to allow your hands
And clothes to be tested for gunshot residue yes I was asked to step out of the car and they tested me you were swabbed with a foam disc yes and who conducted this test a deputy a woman now there came a time when my investigator Harry Bosch visited with
You at the prison in Chino and asked if you would look at some photographs yes he wanted to see if you could identify the female Deputy who swabbed you correct yes he showed you six different photographs yes and did you pick one of those photographs and identify the person who swabbed you
Yes I gave copies of the photo of Stephanie Sanger from Bosch’s photo lineup to Morris and the judge permit mission was quickly granted to enter the photo as plaintiff’s exhibit two and show it to the witness is that the woman you identified as the deputy who tested you for gunshot
Residue yes that’s her lucenda said did you know her no you didn’t know she was in your husband’s unit with the sheriff’s department no I didn’t know her but she told me she worked with Robbie did she seem upset that Robbie was dead she was calm professional I
Nodded I had gotten everything I needed on the record most of it would pay dividends at later points in the hearing I was pleased I now had to hope that lucenda would stand up to a cross-examination from Morris if she survived that I knew we had a solid
Chance I have no further questions I said but I reserve the right to call the witness back to the stand very well Mr holler the judge said Mr Morris would you like to take a break before you begin your cross-examination Morris stood the state would welcome a short break your honor
He said but I only have two questions for this witness and they require only yes or no answers perhaps the break could come after the witness is excused very well Mr Morris the judge said proceed to say I was surpris Ur rised would be an understatement Morris was either a lot
Smarter than I’d given him credit for or a lot Dumber it was hard to tell because I’d never seen him in court before this day the AG usually hired the best and the brightest and for most of them habus hearings were a walk in the park but based on his previous motions
And his habit of contesting what he called my lack of good faith Discovery he hadn’t seemed to be mailing it in so his letting the petitioner off the stand with just two questions gave me pause maybe he sensed that he could not Shake Lucinda’s story because she was telling the
Truth I watched attentively as Morris went to the lecturn to ask his two questions Miss Sans you reside at the State Prison for Women in Chino correct Morris asked uh yes listen said correct do you know another inmate there named Isabella motor lucenda looked over at me a
Momentary flash of what do I do Panic entering her eyes I hoped the judge didn’t see it I simply nodded there was nothing else I could do lucenda looked back at Morris yes she said she was in my cell then she got transferred to another prison with that answer I knew exactly
What the state strategy was and how Morris planned to play it chapter 26 I talked to Lucinda and then came out of the courtroom like an escaped prisoner moving fast looking up and down the hall I saw Stephanie Sanger sitting on a bench against the wall opposite the courtroom
Entrance she smirked when she saw me as if she knew what Morris had just done I didn’t have time to throw a smirk back at her I kept scanning the hall until I saw Bosch standing by the elevator he looked like he was chatting with the Marshall who ran the metal
Detector the courtrooms on this floor were used primarily for criminal cases thus the security scan in addition to the metal detector on the first floor of the building Bosch glanced over saw me and held up an I’ll be right back finger to the Marshall I stopped and waited for
Him to join me halfway down the hall so we would be out of earshot of both Sanger and the deputy Bosch had been conversing with how’d she do fine on the direct I said but it took only two questions from the assistant H to undo everything what
What happened he’s going to sandbag us with a prison informant I need you to find out everything you can by tomorrow morning about an inmate named Isabella motor I think it’s m o r what about handling the witnesses I’ll have to do it I need you on motor now okay is she a
Chino who is she she was Lucinda’s old cellmate but they moved her about 6 months ago about the time I filed the habius and her name didn’t come up in Discovery isn’t that a v Morris didn’t need to put her in if she was going to
Be used for rebuttal so no violation a good clean sandbagging I should have seen it coming so what’s the hurry if Morris isn’t going to call her until after your case because the best defense is a good offense I need to know if we’re going to be able to neutralize her
Whenever they put her on the stand got it did Cindy tell you what she told Moor she didn’t tell her anything motor’s a jailhouse snitch she’s going to lie she’s going to say Lucinda admitted to killing her husband that’s it doesn’t matter that’s why I want you to
Get out of here and find out everything you can about her find me something I can burn her to the ground with I’m on it call Cisco if you need help no stone left unturned but you’re working against the clock I should be finished with my Witnesses tomorrow that’s when Morris
Will bring motor in if I’m on this I won’t be able to get Dr RS Lany into court tomorrow morning I’ll deal with her you go call me as soon as you have something court is dark this afternoon because Coello has a judge’s conference I’m going to put Sanger on the stand now
Arlenian and the rest tomorrow that includes you so get going on motor I’ll call you good luck with Sanger luck won’t have anything to do with it Bosch walked off toward the elevator I checked my watch there were still a few minutes left in the break I went
Into the restroom cued my hands under the cold water at a sink then held my hands to my face there was a heaviness growing in the center of my chest it was the feeling of being unprepared I hated that feeling more than anything in the
World on my way back to the courtroom I saw Sanger still posted on the bench not going so good is it she said I stopped and looked at her she had that smirk again it’s going great I said and you’re next with that I opened the courtroom
Door and went in the marshals were returning lucenda from the courtroom lockup to the plaintiff’s table a sign that the judge was ready I took my seat next to my client as the shackles came off her wrists and ankles and one wrist was locked to the steel ring on the underside of the
Table what will happen now she whispered I’m going to call sang her put her on the record then tomorrow we prove she’s a liar no I mean what happens now with Isabella Harry is working on it trying to find something we can impeach her with impeach prove she’s lying you sure
You never talked about your case with her never we never talked about her case either all right I need you to think Lucinda is there anything you know know about her that will help us I can almost guarantee she’s going to come in here and testify that you told her you killed
Roberto I need to come back at her with something is there the Marshall interrupted us with his call to rise we stood and the judge entered the courtroom and bounded up the steps to the bench Ellen Coello had been on the federal bench for nearly 30 years she
Was a Clinton appointee which tended to put her on the liberal side which was good for us but when push came to shove I had no idea what her view of jailhouse snitches would be continuing in the matter of sans versus the state of California she said Mr holler call your next
Witness I called Stephanie Sanger since Bosch was no longer in the hall to Wrangle Witnesses I asked the judge to send one of the courtroom Marshals to get her the judge seemed annoyed but complied and while while we waited I turned back to my client I need
Something to go at Isabella with I whispered try to remember what you talked about when they put the lights out at night did you two talk yes it’s hard to fall asleep I can imagine did she ever the rear door of the courtroom opened and the Marshall entered followed
By Sanger who walked down the center aisle and through the gate she stopped by the witness chair and took the oath from the clerk before sitting I moved to the lectar with my files and notes your honor I said before I begin I asked the Court to declare Deputy Sanger a hostile
Witness she’s your witness counselor Coello said on what grounds should I declare her to be hostile to the petitioner I wanted Sanger declared hostile because it gave me more freedom during direct examination I could pose leading question questions to which only a yes or no was required this would allow me
To stock those questions with facts I wanted the judge to hear even if Sanger denied them the information would still get through as you saw this morning she has already attempted to avoid testifying your honor I said add to that a short conversation I just had with her
During the break she clearly doesn’t like me my client or being here moris stood to respond but Coello held her hand up like a stop sign letun just see how it goes Mr holler she said proceed with your examination Morris sat down and Sanger seemed pleased with my failure to
Persuade the judge thank you judge I said Deputy Sanger you are employed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department correct I am Sanger said and it’s Sergeant when did you get that promotion 2 years ago what is your current assignment with the Department I’m assigned to the Antelope
Valley substation where I’m in charge of the gang intervention unit you have been with that unit for several years yes yes and now you’re in charge of it I just said that yes thank you you were assigned to that unit at the time of Deputy Roberto sansa’s death
Correct I was were the two of you Partners no we don’t have Partners per se on the unit there’s six deputies and a sergeant we work as a team and on any given day depending on vacations and sick outs you could be partnered with any of the five other deputies it
Changes all the time thank you Deputy for that cler Sergeant I’m sorry Sergeant thank you for the clarification so based on that sort of round robin of interactions and Partnerships is it correct to say you knew Deputy Sans well yes we worked together for 3 years before he was murdered by his
Ex-wife I looked up at the judge your honor I said I’d say that’s pretty hostile the witness is revealing a belief that is counter to my client’s cause just proceed Mr holler Coello said I looked at my notes and quickly regrouped I had to move carefully now
And walk Sanger into a truth trap if I got her under oath and on the record saying something I could later prove false it would go a long way toward making the case that Lucinda was corruptly or at least wrongfully convicted let’s talk about the murder of
Deputy sanss I said it happened on a Sunday do you recall how you found out that he had been killed I got a Sour’s text Sanger said like everybody in the department can you tell the judge what a sores text is the Special Operations reporting system is a texting service that allows
The department to get messages to all sworn personnel a text went out that said there had been a deputy involved shooting in the AV Division and that we had lost one of our own AV as in Antelope Valley correct I then made a call and found out
That the deputy killed was Roberto Sans from my unit and what did you do I called another deputy in the unit and we proceeded to the scene to see if we could be of any help which Deputy was that Keith Mitchell why did you only call him when
You say the unit consisted of six deputies and a sergeant because Keith was closest to Robbie Sans I opened the file I had brought to the Lecter and took out three copies of a document I distributed them to Morris the witness and the judge and ask Coello for permission to enter the
Document as the next plaintiff’s exhibit and to question the witness about it permission was granted what is that Sergeant it’s a copy of the sours text that went out Sanger said and what time does it say it went out 2018 hours or 88:18 p.m. in non-military time correct
Correct how soon after that went out did you arrive at the crime scene probably no more than 15 minutes later the AV as you call it is a big place how was it that you were so close you could be there within 15 minutes I happened to be eating dinner at a restaurant
Nearby what restaurant was that bry’s Cafe were you with anyone I was alone at the counter I got the text put down some money and immediately left I called Keith Mitchell on my way she said it in a tired tone as if I were asking irrelevant questions with no
Bearing on the case the judge must have felt like this as well she interrupted me Mr holler she said is this line of questioning really necessary it is Judge I said that will become clear when other Witnesses testify well please hurry through this so we can get to those Witnesses sooner
Rather than later we would get there sooner if my examination was not interrupted if that remark is intended as a rebuke to the court we have a problem sir I’m sorry your honor it was not intended as a rebuke in any way may I continue please but
Hurry I nodded and checked my notes to make sure I picked up where I had left off Sergeant Sanger were homicide investigators on the scene when you arrived I asked no not yet Sanger said who from the sheriff’s department was there a lot of deputies had arrived to
Secure the scene for the homicide unit rolling from the stars center in Whittier that would put them as much as an hour out correct yes most likely so during that time of waiting for the homicide team you decided to do their job for them didn’t you no that’s not
Correct well didn’t you take Lucinda Sans from the car she had been placed in and conduct a test for gunshot residue on her body and clothes yes I did that it’s best to conduct such a test as soon as possible after a shooting crime has been committed
Was it procedure for a deputy who worked with the victim to swab the arms and hands of a suspect for a gunshot residue test she was not a suspect at that time it not a suspect why was she put in the back of a patrol car and swapped for GSR
If she was not a suspect moris stood up and objected your honor he said council is badgering the witness and not allowing her to finish her answers Mr holler Coello said let her complete her answers and dial back the tone there is no jury here to impress I nodded
Contritely yes your honor I said Sergeant Sanger by all means please continue and finish your answer as I said it is important to test for gunshot residue early in an investigation Sanger said otherwise the evidence can dis ipate or be removed or transferred I knew in this case that it
Might be an hour or more before homicide investigators were on scene so I swabbed the defendant and secured the swab discs in an Evidence bag she’s the petitioner not the defendant Sergeant once you completed this test you say was required so urgently what did you do with that evidence bag containing the swab
Discs I turned it over to Deputy Mitchell who later gave it to the homicide team it should be noted in the evidence chain of custody report which I’m sure you’ve seen what if I told you it is not in the chain of custody report then that would be a slight
Oversight on Deputy Mitchell’s part nice of you to throw Deputy Mitchell under the bus but why didn’t you just turn it over to the homicide team yourself you conducted the test were you trying to hide that sergeant I wasn’t hiding anything I was going to leave the crime scene I went to
Tell Deputy sansa’s girlfriend at the time what had happened I thought she should hear it from one of Robbie’s friends before she saw it on the news that was very Noble of you Sergeant Sanger thank you she said it with such a solid tone of sarcasm I was near the end
Of my questioning I decided it was time to rock her boat with a big time wave Sergeant Sanger were you aware that at the time of his murder Roberto Sans was in a sheriff’s gang Sanger actually did Rock back in her seat a few inches Morris quickly
Stood and objected assumes facts not in evidence he said your honor council is on a fishing Expedition hoping the witness will misspeak and give him something he can blow out of proportion I shook my head I walked to the petitioner’s table and opened a file containing several copies of the photos
From Roberto sansa’s autopsy I made sure Lucinda did not see them your honor this is no fishing Expedition and I think Council knows it I said I am prepared if the court will indulge me to show this witness proof that her colleague was a member of a sheriff’s
Click if the court needs it I can also bring in an expert on the internal investigation by the Sheriff’s Department and the external investigation by the FBI into these clusters of gangsters with badges probes that resulted in a former Sheriff going to prison and wholesale changes in personnel and training within the
Department it was a bluff the expert was the FBI agent mckisic and so far I hadn’t been able to get to him if pressed by the court I would bring in the Los Angeles Times Reporter who exposed the Scandal and covered its multiple investigations luckily I needed
Neither I don’t think we need an expert to tell us about the well-known problems in the sheriff’s department at the time of this murder Coello said the witness will answer the question All Eyes in the courtroom returned to Sanger I asked if she needed me to repeat the question no she said I
Was not aware of Roberto being in a click or a gang or whatever you want to call it if the court allows I’m going to show you two photos I said they were taken during the autopsy of Roberto Sans I approached the bench and handed the judge a set of photos showing
Sansa’s body on the autopsy table and the closeup of the tattoo on the body’s hip I turned and gave moris set he immediately stood and objected to the inflammatory nature of the photos this man was a hero your honor he said Council wants to flaunt these photos that purport to show gang
Affiliation when they show and prove nothing your honor I countered the petitioner can bring in an expert on this subject who will identify the tattoo on Roberto sans’s body incidentally located in a place that would not be seen by the public if necessary but just a casual Google
Search by the court or anyone else would confirm that sansa’s secret tattoo directly connects him with a so-called click that operated in the Antelope Valley the judge did not take long to render a decision you may show the witness she said I approached the witness stand and
Handed Sanger a set of photos do you recognize that t Sergeant Sanger I asked I do not Sanger said you did not know of your unit members association with the Cucos a known Sheriff’s click I did not and I don’t think a tattoo is proof of that do you have such a tattoo
Sergeant I do not I paused there and in my peripheral vision saw moris stand anticipating that my next move would be to ask the court to have sanger’s body inspected for tattoos but I didn’t I wanted that possibility to hang over the judge’s eventual decision on the
Petition I have one more question for now I said Sergeant what was your phone number that was linked to the Special Operations Reporting System Morris who was in the act of sitting down suddenly bolted to his feet he spread his arms wide and displayed an exaggerated look of shock and horror on
His face objection your honor he said what could the plaintiff possibly want with the revelation of this law enforcement officer’s private number other than to expose it to the media and the public can you answer that Mr holler the judge asked your honor I am not trying
To expose her private number to the public I said but she testified to having received notice of the sans’s killing on her cell phone and the petitioner is entitled to that phone number as part of the evidence in this case if the court would order the witness to privately disclose the number
To me through Mr Morris or the clerk of the court that would be fine but why would he need the number other than to harass the witness with phone calls Morris said judge I will never distribute or call the number I said and you can hold me in contempt if I
Do then why do you need the number Mr holler the judge asked I spread my arms in surprise in the same way Morris had just moments earlier your honor please I said are you asking me to stand here and outline my case strategy for Mr Morris let’s just calm things down here the
Judge said she seemed to understand her misstep she considered her ruling for a long moment before responding very well she finally said the court orders the witness to provide the clerk with the phone number requested and it will be turned over to the plaintiff’s councel your honor Morris said the state
Asks that the number be sealed is that necessary Mr Morris Coello asked yes your honor Morris said to protect Deputy Sanger from harassment it’s Sergeant Sanger I said Sergeant Sanger Morris corrected himself very well Coello said there is to be no distribution or use of the number by the plaintiff it is under
Court seal to violate this seal Mr holler will be to incur the wrath of this court thank you your honor Morris said his tone suggesting that he had just attained some sort of Victory thank you your honor I echoed because I knew that the victory was mine chapter
27 it was late when I got the text from Bosch I was working at the kitchen table because my home office was still as shambles I had been writing out questions for Shamy Arslanian on a legal pad when my phone buzzed with the message it was an address in Burbank a
Third floor apartment Bosch told me to come quickly and provided the combo for the building security gate I left the legal pad on the table took the Navigator down the hill and cut through Laurel Canyon to get to the valley I reached the destination near the Burbank
Airport in 40 minutes the gate combo Bosch had sent worked and I was knocking on the door of a apartment 317 2 minutes later Cisco answered the door and brought me in Bosch was in the tiny apartment’s living room sitting on a garish green couch next to a man with
Unkempt red hair and pale white skin he looked to be in his late 20s but that was just a guess because the scabs on his face disguised his true age he was an obvious tweaker and that meant he could have been 50 or 20 I almost turned around and walked Tweakers were bad
Witnesses Mick this is Max motor Cisco said his sister is Isabella motor pointed at me with recognition in his eyes hey you you’re the guy on the Billboards right motor said I seen you up there yeah that’s me I said what have you got for
Me motor turned turned to Bosch as if to get his approval Bosch nodded giving him the go-ahead well about 3 or 4 months ago my sister called me from the prison where she is he said she asked me to go to the library where they keep the old
Newspaper archives she told me to try to find stories about a murder case a sheriff’s deputy that got killed up in Courts Hill so did you do it I asked yeah I went motor said had to go to the big library downtown and what did you find there I found the stories she
Wanted okay what did you do then motor glanced at Bosch and then up at Cisco is this guy going to take care of me he asked them Cisco and Bosch stayed silent I answered the question I need to know what you know first I said we can
Talk about what I can do for you after after what did you do when you found the newspaper stories I had to pay them to print them out for me motor said then when she called me back I read them to her each one she called you collect from the
Prison or did she have a cell phone in there she borrowed a cell I don’t know how she got it but she called you on your cell right yeah my cell where is that phone uh I don’t have it anymore I sold sold it I needed the
Money when when did I sell it you mean yes when did you sell it a couple months ago there abouts where did you sell it uh actually I traded it to a guy for drugs he didn’t need to add that part everyone in the room knew it do you have
Any bills from the carrier I asked from the phone company not really motor said I wasn’t that good at paying the bill to tell you the truth they cut me off and then I traded it what about the number do you remember it I don’t really remember the number then what about the
Printouts from the library where are they I think I left them in my last place they’re gone I nodded of course he didn’t have them that would have been too easy I thought about whether to pursue this further drug addicts were extremely unreliable Witnesses who could hurt you
More than help you on the stand there appeared to be nothing I could use to back up his story are you going to pay me motor asked I need to get well man I don’t pay for Testimony I said all I can give you is a get out of jail free card
What’s that mean it’s my business card you call the number on it the next time you’re arrested and I’ll get you out and take your case motor looked up at Cisco with a scowl what the man he said you said he’d pay me I never said that
Cisco said I said if he likes what you say he’ll take care of you that’s it motor said calm down I said you no you calm the down motor yelled I need real money man I’m hurting man the only Witnesses I pay are expert Witnesses I said and and I don’t think
You’re an expert in anything but getting high on crystal meth then get the out of here all of you just get the out I ain’t over my sister for a business card get out Bosch got up from the couch and started for the door Cisco didn’t move
He was waiting for me so he could be the last man out in case motor foolishly decided to get physical I pulled out my wallet and retrieved a business card you already her over I said I tossed the card onto the coffee table and followed Bosch out the
Door the three of us didn’t speak until we got back to the street and stood around the Navigator what do you think Cisco asked it’ be nice if I had something solid to back up his story I said but I think I can make do if push comes to shove with the
Sister saena him no I said I don’t want the AG to know we found him how did we find him Bosch lifted his chin and Cisco’s Direction Cisco’s the man I found out where she used to live in Glendale and asked around the neighborhood Cisco said people didn’t
Like her or her brother it got easy from there I nodded approvingly so what is she inside for I asked DUI man SL Cisco said ran through a light in Sun Valley and T-boned a nurse coming home from work at St Joseph’s she blew a three got 15 years
For it the nurse had a family what do you think Harry I asked what could she get in exchange for snitching on Lucinda I mean going back to the sentencing judge is a non-starter no judge is going to chip time off the sentence on a case like that that doesn’t win you any
Votes don’t know maybe just a promise from the AG to try she’s already been in 8 years she’ll start getting parole hearings in a year maybe Morris will put in the word there yeah got to be it I said good job fellas I’ve got something I can work with if need be neither
Investigator responded to the compliment so anybody hungry I said I’m starved musos is still open and I’m buying I could eat Cisco said you can always eat I said Harry sure okay then I said I’ll call Sunny at the bar and see if he can get us a good table meet you both
There chapter 28 eating late at muso and Frank had been a mistake I consume no alcohol but couldn’t say no to a New York strip with all the trimmings in the morning morning I felt heavy and sluggish luckily Bosch was waiting on the front deck when I
Stumbled out he drove while I pulled out the legal pad and got reacquainted with my case as we headed downtown Who you calling first this morning well first we see what comes up when Morris crosses Sanger I said I might need to take another go at her I’m
Hoping she wears her uniform again today why is that oh just a little groundw work I forgot to lay yesterday okay then who Keith Mitchell yeah we’ll go with Mitchell get him on the record with his story and then we bring in shammy I need you to get her
After you drop me at the courthouse just in case Sanger and Mitchell go down in a hurry you got it my strategy was twofold first and foremost I had to show that the investigation of the case was off the rails from the beginning there was either tunnel vision that led
Solely to Lucinda Sans or worse a cover up in which Lucinda was set up and sold down the river the second part of the strategy was to somehow hand the judge a villain I needed to point the finger at someone convincingly enough to show that Lucinda Sans should be declared innocent
Or at the very least allowed to pull back her plea and go to trial exactly who that villain would be was yet to be determined but thanks to Shamy aran’s computer modeling I had an idea Bosch made good time my eyes were on the paperwork and I didn’t notice the
Turns he made but I got to the courthouse and threw the two security screens early enough to ask Nate the main courtroom Marshall to allow me back into the holding area so I could visit with my client Lucinda was in the same short sleeved blue jumpsuit but on this day
She wore a heavy white long sleeve t-shirt underneath it didn’t matter what time of year it was Federal lockup was always a cold place to be Cindy I said you doing all right I guess so she said when does Court start they’ll get us in a few minutes I just
Wanted to come back and tell you so far so good I think we’re on the right track with how we want to present our case also so I don’t think you need to worry about Isabella motor we have that covered what do you mean you have it
Covered if the AG puts her on the stand and she testifies about you we should be able to show her to be the lying jailhouse snitch that she is okay then what happens today well we put on our main case and we hope it’s enough to force the judge to allow me to
Bring agent mckisic in to testify he’s the key but we haven’t been able to get him into court the feds are playing hide the ball with him why won’t he come well because what the feds did is embarrassing to the bureau they looked the other way when you got charged Cindy
And that wasn’t right and you can prove this I think so if I can get him on the stand the door behind me opened and Marshall Nate came in time to go he said I turned back to Lucinda and told her to stay strong a few minutes later we were
Seated at the table in the courtroom and judge Coello took the bench Sergeant Sanger was called back to the stand for cross-examination I was pleased to see that she was once again in uniform Morris’s cross was pedantic he painstakingly walked Sanger through her 17-year career with the sheriff’s department detailing her different
Postings promotions and commendations he went so far as to present as an exhibit the plaque she had received the year before from the Antelope Valley Rotary Club as law enforcement officer of the year in doing so Morris was revealing his strategy the case would come down to the believability and character of the
Deputies involved that’s why he was laying it on thick he finished strongly with questions that went to the heart of Lucinda sans’s claim of feasance in her conviction Sergeant Sanger are you aware of any sort of corruption or wrongdoing in the investigation of Roberto sans’s
Death he asked and I remind you that you are under oath no sir sang responded the reminder that the witness was under oath was grandstanding but Morris’s message to the judge was clear this is a professional and highly decorated law enforcement officer and it is her word against that of the
Petitioner who previously pleaded no contest to this crime when Morris was seated it was my turn again I moved quickly to the Lecter brief redirect your honor I said proceed Mr holler the judge intoned Sergeant Sanger when Mr Morris went over your career and commendations he seemed to
Have left one item out I said isn’t that correct I don’t know what you’re talking about Sanger said well I’m talking about that pin you’re wearing on your uniform above the breast pocket what is that for sergeant Sanger I’d seen the pin the day before but it was only after reviewing sanger’s
Testimony that I realized what I could do with it that’s a badge for qualifying at the sheriff’s range Sanger answered the shooting range you mean I asked yes the range to get a pin like that for your uniform you have to do more than qualify don’t you it’s given to the top
Percentage of Shooters what percentage is that top 10% I see and what is a pin like that called I don’t know it means you are an expert Marksman does it not I don’t use gendered words okay how about the word shooter instead of Mark man that pin you proudly
Wear in your uniform means you qualified as an expert shooter does it not I’ve never use those words in a show of frustration I raised my hand and then dropped it down on the Lecter with a thud I asked the judge if I could approach the witness to show her an
Exhibit previously accepted by the court after permission was granted I carried over the photos of Lucinda at the shooting range can you identify the people in that photo I asked yes Sanger said it’s Robbie Sans and his then wife the defendant Lucinda Sans you mean the petitioner yes the
Petitioner she said it in a sarcastic tone thank you I said now in the second photo in your possession you have the man you identified as Robbie Sans using his hands to improve the posture and stance of his then wife is that correct yes Sanger said as you are a law officer
And a shooting expert with accommodation to go with it can you tell me what stance the petitioner is learning in that photo it’s the high ready stance thank you Sergeant Sanger I have no further questions your honor but the petitioner reserves the right to recall the witness at a later stage of the
Hearing okay Coello said Mr Morris do you wish to recross no your honor Morris said the state is ready to move on Sergeant Sanger you are excused Kell said Mr holler call your next witness keeping to my plan I called Deputy Keith Mitchell he was brought in
From the hallway placed under oath and seated in the witness stand he was a large black man with a shaved head his bicep stretched the sleeves of his uniform shirt to their limit I moved back to the Lecter with my legal pad I didn’t bother asking the judge to rule
That Mitchell was a hostile witness after a few preliminary questions that established that Mitchell was a member of the same anti-gang unit as both Roberto Sans and Sanger I got down to the meat of his testimony you are a big man sir I began how tall are you Mitchell looked confused by the
Question uh 64 he said moris stood up your honor can we keep the examination to things pertinent to the case he asked sorry honor I said I’ll move on Coello frowned don’t Meander Mr holler she said I won’t your honor I said Deputy Mitchell you were at the crime scene on
The night of Roberto Sansa murder correct that is correct Mitchell said but you were off duty were you not I was how did you come to be there the department sent out a text alert that there had been an officer involved shooting in the AV and then like maybe
10 minutes later another member of our unit called me and said it was Robbie who got shot we were close Robbie and me so I went to the house and that was Stephanie s Sanger who called correct correct Sergeant Sanger was she a sergeant at that time
Uh no not then and where were you when Deputy Sanger called you I was at my home in Lancaster what is your home address Mitchell hesitated and Morris jumped up to object to revealing the witness’s home address to the public your honor Morris said this could put this witness and his family in
Danger I withdraw the question I said before the judge had to rule very well the judge said proceed Morris nodded his approval like he had once again scored some kind of point over me Deputy Mitchell let’s go back to that night I said were you part of the investigation of Deputy sans’s
Death no I was not Mitchell said but on the evidence report it says you had possession of The Gunshot residue pads taken during the examination of Lucinda Sans is that true yes that evidence was handed to me by another deputy to safeguard until investigators were on the scene when the
Homicide investigators arrived I handed the evidence over what exactly was the evidence as I recall it was two GSR pads in an Evidence B bag and which Deputy gave that bag to you to as you say Safeguard Sergeant Sanger I mean Deputy Sanger at the
Time I paused and looked down at my pad and braced myself for more push back on my next line of questioning Deputy Mitchell I finally said were you aware that Deputy Roberto Sans was a member of a sheriff’s click that had become the focus of an FBI invest objection Morris practically
Shrieked before I could finish my question he jumped to his feet assumes facts not in evidence he said Council for the petitioner is again trying to Cloud these proceedings with innuendo he has absolutely zero evidence to support Mr holler response the judge said thank you your honor I said if
Allowed to continue with the petition these facts will come to light the judge considered this for a long moment before responding once again I’m going to hold you to that Mr holler she said the witness May answer your honor Morris said This is highly Mr Morris did you not hear the
Court’s ruling Coello said yes your honor Morris said thank you your honor Morris sat down and All Eyes returned to Mitchell for dramatic effect I asked the question again Deputy Mitchell were you aware that Deputy Roberto Sans was a member of a sheriff’s click that had become the focus of an FBI
Investigation Mitchell hesitated in case Morris wanted to try a new objection but the assistant AG remained quiet no I was not aware of that Mitchell said at the time of sans’s death were you a member of a sheriff’s click called the Cucos I asked no I was not were you
Ever questioned by the FBI in regard to being a member of a sheriff’s click no I was not do you have a tattoo anywhere on your body that indicates that you are a member of a sheriff’s click called the cucko Morris stood up again your honor the state adamantly objects he said Council
Has a habit of trying to smear his own witness what comes next will he ask the witness to take off his clothes so he can look for tattoos Coello held a hand up to stop me from responding I want to see Council in chambers before we proceed further down this path she
Said with that she adjourned court and left the bench for her Chambers Morris and I soon followed chapter 29 judge Coello didn’t bother removing her black robe as she took a seat behind a massive desk that dwarfed any I had ever seen in the Criminal Courts Building where State jurists
Presided well gentlemen she said the gloves have certainly come off and before things get too combative out there I thought we’d have a little sit down to discuss where we’re going in this hearing Mr holler you went down this road with Sergeant Sanger and here we are back again with Deputy Mitchell I
Nodded as I collected my thoughts I knew that my response would determine how the rest of the hearing would go your honor thank you for this opportunity to explain I said if we’re given the chance to present our full case the court will see that Roberto Sans was killed because
He had become an FBI informant he was in fact talking to an FBI agent an hour before he was killed Lucinda Sans was set up to take the fall for his murder and coed into taking a plea your honor this is crazy Morris said he can’t prove any of this so he’s
Going to use open court to make outrageous and slanderous claims against law enforcement officers who were just doing their jobs thank you Mr Morris the judge said but don’t speak until I ask you to now Mr holler how do you plan to show this there is nothing in your moving papers
That supports it your honor the petition does state that we have evidence of a conspiracy to frame Lucinda Sans I said this is that conspiracy I could not outline it in detail because that would give the conspirators a heads up and they would cover their tracks I need the Court’s
Latitude now so I can bring it out my next two witnesses will make it abundantly clear and I believe the court will then order the appearance of Roberto sans’s FBI Handler agent mckisic so he can be questioned under oath about what really happened on the day Sans was
Murdered your honor Morris said if I could be heard no Coello said that won’t be necessary because I know what you’re going to say Mr Morris but as I said in the courtroom I am the Trier of fact in this hearing as such I am obligated to seek the facts before rendering a
Decision Mr holler I am going to let you go forward but I warn you to move carefully if you stray from the provable facts I will shut you down hard and you don’t want that neither will your client am I making myself clear yes judge I said you’re
Clear very well Coello said you can return to the courtroom and I will be there presently to continue the hearing Morris and I got up and headed out the door I followed him into the Hall that ran behind the courtroom as we approached the door that led to the
Court clerk’s Corral Morris suddenly turned and confronted me you he said you don’t care who you drag through the mud as long as you can make a play in front of the media how do you sleep at night holler I don’t know what you’re talking about Morris I said Lucinda Sans is
Innocent and if you had given the case a full workup you’d see that the people I drag through the mud belong there and you’re going to get splashed with it too he turned and grabbed the handle on the door but then looked back at me The
Lincoln Lawyer my ass he said more like the lying lawyer no wonder your wife left you and your kid moved away I grabbed Morris by the jacket collar turned him and drove him into the wall next to the door how do you know about my wife and daughter I
Demanded Morris held his hands up against the wall maybe hoping that somebody would come into the hall and see he was being attacked get your hands off me h or I’ll have you arrested for assault he said it’s common knowledge how you blew up your marriage I released my and reach
For the door handle I swung the door open and looked back at him he still had his hands up you I said I walked back into the courtroom the marshals had kept Lucinda in place anticipating that the meeting in Chambers would be quick I said sat
Down next to her and filled her in as best I could I tried to be reassuring as soon as we get through with Mitchell we go to our forensics expert and then I think things will start turning our way so let’s see where we are by the end of the day we should
Know a lot by then the judge returned to the courtroom and we were back on record Morris initially helped move things along by passing on cross-examining Mitchell the big Deputy was excused from the courtroom and that left me down to my last two witnesses and the recall of
Stephanie Sanger that is unless I was able to convince the judge to order agent mckisic to testify I also had Frank Silver on my witness list though I had done that largely to keep him out of the courtroom I now had to consider calling him to the
Stand it would be a risky move and he most assuredly would be a hostile witness if I could find him I called Shamy Arslanian to the stand and Morris immediately stood up to object on what grounds Mr Morris the judge asked well your honor as you know plaintiff’s council filed a request with
The court yesterday afternoon Morris said the request was to use the courtroom audiovisual equipment as of this moment your honor the state has received nothing in Discovery that would would require AV Equipment council is clearly planning to Spring something on us that we are not prepared for and the state
Objects the judge turned to me Mr holler I did receive and Grant your request yesterday afternoon she said what do you plan to do with my AV Equipment that has Mr Morris so bothered thank you your honor I said may I first state that there has been no violation of the rules
Of Discovery as Mr Morris suggests today I plan to call Dr Shamy Arslanian as a witness she is a world-renowned forensics expert who has testified at more than 200 trials including several times in Los Angeles in both state and federal court she has examined this case and the circumstances of Roberto sans’s
Murder and will use the AV Equipment to project her findings if Mr Morris had paid attention he would have seen her name on the plaintiff’s witness list from the start he could have deposed her at his Leisure any time during the past 6 weeks to find out what she was going
To do in court but he chose not to and now complains that I’ve sandbagged him before I’ve even called Dr Arslanian to the stand project Mr holler Coello said what does that mean exactly she has produced a recreation of the crime I said it is based on forensics witness statements and
Photographic evidence from the crime scene all of which I might add Mr Morris has had access to for longer than the petitioner the judge’s attention swung back to Morris your honor council is leaving out a few facts he said my office did reach out to Dr Arslanian on three different
Occasions to set up a deposition but each time she said she was still reviewing the case and was not ready to be deposed now on the eve of her testimony we find find out that there’s going to be some sort of smoke and mirrors Recreation that we are not prepared for
And that may not conform to rule 702 I didn’t wait for the judge to turn her attention back to me I jumped in smok and mirrors your honor I said Dr aslanian has testified as an expert forensics witness for the prosecution more often than for the defense according to council’s statement all
Those times she helped convict a defendant were smoking mirors too okay Council let’s leave the semantic bickering for another day Coello said what the court will do is hold the dabert hearing in which we will hear Dr renan’s testimony and see this demonstration at that point as the Trier
Of fact in the proceeding as I said before I will make a decision under 702 as to whether it helps the court understand the evidence or determine a facted issue Mr holler we are losing the morning please bring in your witness so we may proceed for a moment I Stood Still and
Tried to digest the judge’s ruling Mr holler is your witness here the judge said sternly uh yes your honor I said the petitioner calls Dr Shamy arsenian I sat down and waited while one of the courtroom Marshalls went out to the hall to retrieve aranan almost immediately Lucinda
Grabbed my arm what is going on she whispered what is dabert it’s a hearing within the hearing I said do arsenian will testify and show her video Recreation so the judge can determine if it is valid and useful to her in making a decision in the case
That’s where rule 702 comes in it requires expert witnesses to prove their expertise I’m not worried about it Lucinda I mean if this were in front of a jury I would be unhappy but the judge will make the call on this so one way or the other she’s going to know what Dr
Arsenian came up with but she can kick the whole thing out if she wants yes but remember you can’t unring a bell have you heard that saying before no it means that even if the judge kicks out everything she is still going to know what Dr a
Found so let’s just see what happens okay okay I trust you Mickey now I had to make sure her trust wasn’t misplaced Chapter 30 Dr arsenian entered the courtroom carrying a slim computer case she put it down on the witness chair while she raised her hand and swore to tell the truth
I was already at the lecturn and had with me a copy of the federal Rules of Evidence the toome opened to a page that listed the parameters of rule 702 governing the admissibility of expert testimony I wanted to be ready for any objections from Morris Once arsenian Was seated I began my direct
Examination Dr arsenian letun start with your educational background I said can you tell the judge what degrees you have earned and from where sure Arslanian said I have a bunch I got my masters in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology I then went down to New York and got a PhD
In criminology at John J College where I am currently an associate professor what about your undergraduate degree I have two of them too I graduated from Harvard with a Bachelor of Science and Engineering and then I went went down the road a bit and got a bachelor of music from Berkeley College
I like to sing I smiled I wished at that moment that she were testifying in front of a jury I knew from experience that they’d be eating out of her hand at this point but judge Coello almost 30 years on the bench seemed less enamored I moved on
And what about honorary degrees I asked do you have any of those oh sure Arslanian said I have three of those so far let’s see from the University of Florida gogators and from its cross state rival florid state in forensic sciences and then another degree in forensic Sciences from forom in New
York I flipped a page on my legal pad and asked the judge to approve Arslanian under rule 702 as an expert witness she did so surprisingly there was no objection from Morris okay Dr ranan I said for the record you are being paid as an expert witness in this case correct yes I
Charge a flat fee of $3,000 to review a case she said more if it requires any travel and more if it requires giving testimony about my findings in court how did you come to review the evidence in this case well you hired me plain and simple to review the known evidence in
The case have I hired you in the past yes this was the sixth time you hired me over a span of 16 years and what is the ethical standard that you hold yourself to when you review a case it’s simple I call them like I see them I review a
Case and let the chips fall where they may if I think the evidence points to the guilt of your client I won’t testify to anything but that you said that I hired you six times did you test testify for the defense in all six of those cases I did not in
Three of them my review led me to believe that the evidence pointed to your client as culpable I reported this and my involvement in the case ended there I flipped a page and checked on the judge to be sure she was listening to the witness many times in state court
At least I had noted that the judges appeared distracted during a witness’s testimony many judges thought that once they ascended to the bench whether by appointment or election they had the power and ability to multitask while hearing a case they were up there writing opinions or reviewing submissions in other cases while
Presiding over my cases one time a judge started snoring into his microphone while I was questioning a witness the clerk had to wake him but none of this was true of Judge Coello she had turned in her seat and was looking directly at our SL Lan as she testified I continued
But here you are Dr ranian I said can we take it by your testifying today that you believe that Lucinda Sans is possibly innocent in the killing of her ex-husband it is not about guilt or innocence for me arsenian said it’s about the forensics do they add up and
Point in the direction of the accused that is the question when I reviewed this case the answer I came to was no can you walk us through what made you arrive at that answer I can show you I asked the judges permission for the doctor to project images from her
Digital Recreation of the crime onto the large screen on the wall opposite the jury box moris subjected under rule 702c which requires expert testimony to be the product of reliable principles and methods of forensic investigation this would apply to any sort of recreation of a crime thank you Mr Morris Coello said I
Am going to allow the witness to proceed with the demonstration and then I will make a ruling under 702 Morris sat down and I saw him make an angry slash with a pen across the top page of his legal pad aranan connected her laptop to the courtroom AV Equipment
And soon there was a table of contents for various versions of her presentation so from the investig ative file we know the states version of what happened she said what I’ve done here is produce a recreation of the crime based on known parameters such as body location projectile trajectory and
Witness statements take a look on her laptop she ran the program I watched the judge and saw that her eyes were sharply focused on the wall screen the recreation began with a front view of Lucinda sans’s house from a photograph arsenian had taken on the field trip with
Bosch the door opened and a male Avatar a generic digital creation exited the door was slammed by an unseen hand behind him the man went down the three steps of the stoop left the stone path and started slowly crossing the lawn on a diagonal the front door opened
Again and a female Avatar emerged carrying a handgun in her left hand as the man crossed the lawn away from her she raised the weapon to a high ready position aimed and fired the man was hit he dropped immediately to his knees and then pitched forward to the ground the
Woman fired again and this bullet struck the man while he was down the bullets left red Tracer lines from gun to Target this is what the investigators and prosecutors originally said happened Arslanian said and is what they said happened possible I asked not in the world of physics that I know arsenian
Said please tell the court why because your honor there are variables such as the victim’s speed in crossing the lawn as you saw from the recreation after the door was slammed shut he had to walk very slowly across the lawn in order to be at the spot
Where he was shot and fell to the ground moris stood and objected your honor this is pure conjecture and speculation not fact he complained before I could even begin to reply coella responded to the prosecutor she called it a variable Mr Morris the judge said I would like to hear the
Variables and hope they are supported by facts before rendering a decision on this demonstration continue Dr aranan I took it as a good sign that the judge addressed arsenian as Doctor arsenian continued in every interview Lucinda Sans has given from the night of the murder to the most recent interviews
With her attorney and investigator she has maintained that she slammed the front door after her ex-husband left the house she then would have had to reopen the door to step out to shoot that is a variable of time which includes the question of where and how she retrieved the gun and it makes
It highly unlikely that Roberto Sands was only 14 ft from the stoop when he was shot let’s look at it again with Recreation number two which has Roberto Sans walking at an average speed of 2.8 mph arlenian went back to her keyboard and chose the second Recreation from the
Table of contents this time time the male Avatar stepped off the stoop quicker and was well past the 14t Mark when he was shot so as you can see that doesn’t work Arslanian said and Mr Morris you are right this is speculation but it is based on known facts now let’s
Add in more facts shall we please more facts Morris said sarcastically he shook his head in a show of disbelief Mr Morris I can’t do without the tone and the theatrical performance the judge said yes your honor Morris responded Dr arlenian I said what are you showing us
Next well the coroner’s people did a good job with the body they probably took extra care because the victim was a law enforcement officer they checked the wound tracks and bullet trajectories and were able to determine that the bullet bullets that struck Deputy Sans hit him at very different angles the first which
Struck him while he was walking hit him at almost no angle it severed his spine and we know from abrasions on the legs that he immediately dropped to his knees and fell forward he was then hit with the second shot which came at a very
Sharp angle what I will show you next is a recreation that illustrates that the physics of this shoe in do not match the official story this Recreation doesn’t show the shooter it shows the angle of the bullets and where the weapon would have had to be located to make those
Shots arsenian played a third Recreation on the big screen once again the male Avatar came out of the house and the door was slammed and then reopened this time no female emerged but the trajectories of the bullets were traced in red AC across the screen they clearly
Showed that both shots had to have been fired from a low angle if they came from the stoop these shots incorporate the trajectories arrived at by the coroner’s report Arslanian said and what did you conclude from this Recreation I asked that it is highly unlikely that the
Shots came from the stoop arsenian said the shooter whoever it was would have had to be crouching like a baseball catcher on the stoop to make the shots did you measure the height of the stoop when you were conducting your research Doctor yes I did each of the
Three steps is 10 in high putting the stoop at 30 in high so what you were saying Dr aslanian is that the shots that killed Roberto Sans did not come from the stoop correct that is correct yes I GL glanced at the judge before moving on she was staring at the screen
Another good sign doctor did you form an opinion as to where the shots did come from I asked I did yes can you share that with the court yes I have a final Recreation that I believe based on the known facts regarding trajectory and victim location shows where the shots were fired
From as arsenian started the final Recreation on the big screen I watched Morris there was a look of dread on his face on the screen the male Avatar emerged from the house and the door was slammed behind him this time as the figure crossed the lawn red Tracer lines
Started from the front wall of the house to the left of the stoop the male figure was struck went down and was struck again arsenian stopped the playback what other facts were you able to determine from this Recreation doctor I asked well arsenian said if you place the shooter
Against the front wall of the house you can create a triangle with the sides being the ground the wall and the bullet trajectory that gives us an approximate height from which the shots were fired and what height was that between 5’2 and 5’6 would be a liberal
Range and if you had a woman who was 5’2 like Miss Sans could she make those shots from a high ready stance no she would not be tall enough for a woman that height to make that shot at that angle she would have to be holding the weapon about eye level over
Her head in fact when you take into account the proximity of the impacts in the victim’s Center Mass I believe that it would be impossible for her to make one of those shots let alone two in a short space of time Morris stood and weakly objected again citing unfounded speculation by
The witness and again I didn’t need to respond Mr Morris you did not object when I accepted Dr aslanian as an expert witness the judge said now that her expertise runs counter to your case you object I find the factual basis behind her opinions and testimony sufficient and the objection is
Overruled I wanted to see if Morris would make a different challenge but he remained quiet proceed Mr holler the judge said Thank you judge I said at this time I have no further questions for drenan but I reserve the right to recall her if needed Mr Morris do you care to question
The witness Coello said your honor it is approaching noon Morris said the state asks for a recess now so that we have the lunch hour to digest the witness’s presentation and opinions and decide whether to conduct a cross-examination very well we will break Coello said all parties will
Return at 1:00 to continue with the witness and Mr Morris please check your sarcasm at the door we are adjourned the judge left the bench Morris was left chin to check at his table I didn’t know if it was the judge’s final rebuke or the weight of
Arsenian testimony but he looked like a man on a sinking ship that hadn’t come with the life raft I turned to Lucinda and saw that she had been crying her eyes were rimmed in red and there were smear marks on her Cheeks from wiped away tears I realized
That I had forgotten to warn her about the Recreations which showed the man she had once loved and had started Ed a family with being shot down in her front yard I’m sorry you had to see that Lucinda I said I should have prepared
You for it no it’s okay she said I just got emotional but you have to know Dr arenia did us a lot of good with it I don’t know if you were watching the judge but she was all in I think she’s convinced then it’s good the Marshall
Came to take her back into holding he paused to let us finish our conversation a nicity he had not shown previously I took it as an indicator that he too had been swayed by what he had seen on the big screen I’ll see you in a little while I said and we’re going
To go from this to another strong witness in Harry Bosch thank you she said Marshall Nate released her from the bar under the table and then cuffed her wrists together for the short walk to the courtroom lockup where she she would spend the lunch hour she walked toward
The door not needing to be led by Nate I watched her go her head was down and I thought maybe more tears were coming Nate opened the steel door and then she was gone part seven Case Killer chapter 31 holler was buoyant as he and Arslanian climbed into the Navigator by
The Los Angeles Street exit from the federal courthouse Harry you should have seen it Shamy nailed it the judge couldn’t take her eyes off the screen the whole damn time Bosch didn’t like hearing such talk he knew anything could happen in the courtroom and didn’t want holler to jinx
What sounded like a good morning for the team where are we going Bosch asked someplace good we earned it this woman is a giant slayer I’m not sure Arslanian said that we should celebrate until the judge rules on the petition I agree but I think she’s going
To walk you nailed it and after lunch Harry will deliver the knockout punch don’t forget Morris still gets to take his shot at me Arslanian said there’s no way he just asked for the lunch break because he knows he’s and it’s only going to get worse
For him when Harry gets up on the stand with the cell data don’t get ahead of yourself Bosch said oh come on grumpy old Harry let’s go over to the Water Grill we’ll get some good food for lunch and hold off on the celebration till this thing is over I’ll take you over
There Bosch said but I’m going to wait in the car I need to go over everything again before I testify maybe you should think about going through it with me get our ducks in a row I’m not worried about it your testimony will be the frosting on the
Cake that Shamy baked for us I’m telling you Harry she clearly demonstrated that Lucinda could not have fired those shots you give me too much credit Arslanian said then you still have to finish presenting your case you need to be ready for anything you told me that a long time
Ago a few minutes later BOS dropped the off in front of the restaurant on Grand Avenue he then drove down the block until he found a parking space and pulled in he reached back to the floor behind his seat and grabbed a file containing the printouts from AT&T that holler
Would offer as exhibits to the court he started reviewing the printouts and checking the numbers against the map he’d unfolded on the passenger seat he was rehearsing because he was nervous he had taken new digital technology and reduced it to a distinctly analog presentation he hoped it would be
Defining evidence in the case for Lucinda sans’s innocence chapter 32 Bosch sat in the last row of the gallery waiting to see whether Hayden Morris was going to cross-examine shami Arslanian or if it would be his turn on the witness stand when the assistant AG called Arslanian back
No one seemed to notice that Bosch was in the courtroom so he stayed put holler had been so enamored with Arslanian direct examination that Bosch wanted to see how well she did under cross as it turned out he witnessed the case for Lucinda sans’s innocence begin to crumble like a sand
Castle and it took Morris no more than 5 minutes to do it it began when Morris asked Arslanian to put her Recreation programs table table of contents back up on the big screen she quickly complied with a few Taps on her keyboard now I want you to draw your
Attention to the bottom right corner of the screen Morris said that’s a copyright protection notice correct yes she said technically it’s been applied for but we are confident we will get it project Amy is the name of the recreation software yes am I saying that right like
The woman’s name Amy yes so that is a capital I not a lowercase I correct why is it spelled that way the program is built on a machine learning platform I developed with my partner Professor Edward Taffy at MIT by Machine learning you mean artificial intelligence don’t you yes thank you no further
Questions Coello excused arsan Bosch looked at holler and saw the lawyer drop his head something was going wrong before aslanian was even through the gate to the gallery Morris addressed the judge your honor he said the state moves to have the testimony and presentation of the witness Struck from the record
Under Federal Rules of Evidence section 702c holler stood up to be heard Arslanian quickly slipped into the bench where most of the members of the media were sitting your honor not yet Mr holler the judge said you’ll get your turn Mr Morris do you wish to elaborate thank you judge Morris said in
Regard to expert testimony section 702c states that the testimony and presentation of an expert witness must be the product of reliable principles and methods the use of artificial intell elligence has not been approved in the US District Court for the southern district of California therefore the witness’s presentation as well as any
Testimony derived from her presentation must be rejected the judge was silent for a long moment and then turned her attention to holler Mr holler I’m afraid he’s right she said this district is looking for a test case for the use of artificial intelligence but it has not yet come to
Pass may I be heard you may Quello said this is flat out wrong holler said pointing at the screen that program proves that Lucinda Sans did not shoot her ex-husband and now you’re going to take it away from her on a technicality she has been incarcerate it’s not a technicality Morris said it’s
The law Mr Morris do not interrupt the judge said continue Mr holler she’s been in prison for something she didn’t do for five 5 years that program proves her innocence and everybody in this courtroom knows it if it’s not approved then make this the test case your honor overrule the
Objection and we move forward and the AG can appeal or I could sustain the objection and you could file the appeal Coello said different means to the same end a higher Court would decide this and you would have your test case and how long is that going to take
Another 3 years in prison for my client while we wait to be heard on the matter the court is behind the times judge AI is here it’s used in surgery it’s driving cars it’s buying stocks it’s choosing the music we listen to your honor the applications are endless don’t
Send this woman back to prison because the courts are archaic and lagging behind the technology of the day Mr holler I understand your concern Coello said I truly do but I am sworn to uphold the the laws we currently have and I cannot anticipate the laws of the
Future judge this hearing is supposed to be about finding the truth what does it say about us if we know the truth and throw it away I’m sorry Mr holler it doesn’t work that way Coello said it pains me but the objection is sustained the witness’s presentation and testimony is stricken
And will have no bearing on the Court’s eventual ruling on this matter shame on us that we can’t bring ourselves to do the right thing when it’s there in front of us Mr holler you are now on thin ice with this court Coello said holler put his hands down on
The table and bowed his head Bosch felt a deep Hollow open up in his chest holler turned and looked at Morris who was staring straight ahead and you Morris how do you sleep at night you’re supposed to be a guardian you’re supposed to look for the the
Truth but you hide behind Mr holler the judge barked you are out of order sit down now holler threw up his hands in a gesture of giving up and sat down he turned to Lucinda and whispered to her Bosch could not remember ever seeing an attorney seemingly so upset by a judge’s
Ruling he wondered how much was performance and how much was true anger koella poured water from a pitcher into a glass she took her time with it perhaps believing that moving slowly would restore calm to the courtroom now she finally said would you like to call another witness Mr
Holler holler did not acknowledge the question he kept whispering to Lucinda apparently trying to explain what had just happened to her hopes of Freedom Mr holler the judge prompted do you have another witness holler broke away from the huddle with Lucinda and stood up when he spoke his voice sounded
Strangled yes I do the petitioner calls Harry Bosch with a tension in the room still as thick as the Marine layer on the Santa Monica bite Bosch got up and moved forward through the gate he was sworn in by the clerk and took the seat on the witness stand he watched holler move
Slowly to the Lecter still reeling from the loss of Arslanian testimony he started with basic questions about Bosch’s pedigree Mr Bosch how are you currently employed I work part-time as an investigator for you Bosch said and what is your expertise in investigating criminal matters I was a detective with the Los
Angeles Police Department for 40 years most of them working homicides after I retired I worked a few years as a volunteer Cold Case Investigator with the town of San Fernando and later back with the LAPD you know your way around a murder I guess you could say you could say that
Yes I’ve worked on more than 300 homicides as either lead or backup investigator is it safe to say you have put a lot of bad people killers in prison yes yet here you are working to free a person who the state says is a killer why is
That this was the only question holler and Bosch had rehearsed after this they would be winging it because I don’t think she did it Bosch said in reviewing the case I found inconsistencies in the investigation contradictions that’s why I brought it to you I remember that now as part of
Your investigation did there come a time when you served a subpoena on a company called AT&T yes I did that last week and what before holler could get the question out Morris interrupted with an objection your honor he said if Mr holler is going to ask about cellular data collection
Then again we are going to have a discovery issue how so Mr Morris the judge asked I seem to recall this was reported on the most recent discovery inventory Mr holler filed with the court yes your honor Morris said he turned over a print out of more than
1,900 pages of data from 6 different cell towers and now just 4 days later he plans to introduce his specific findings in court are you asking for a continuance of the hearing so you have additional time to study the material Coello asked no your honor Morris said the
State asks that the petition be disqualified from using this material because of bad faith in meeting even basic Discovery standards well that is certainly an extreme remedy coella said I’m sure the petitioner has something to say about that Mr holler your honor there is no bad faith here and I’m tired of having
To defend myself in regard to these matters that Morris brings up like a broken record the rules of Discovery are clear I was under no obligation to turn this material over to him and his team until I decided that I intended to use it in court I made that decision when
Briefed Friday morning by my investigator Mr after he reviewed the materials please keep in mind judge that I am a solo practitioner with one associate attorney and one full-time and one part-time investigator Mr Bosch received the data from AT&T last Tuesday afternoon and reported his findings to me on Friday
Morning he is just one man Morris on the other hand has the power and might as well as the Personnel of the entire Attorney General’s office at his disposal he is also representing the LA County DA’s office in this matter and last I checked there are 800 prosecutors
And 200 investigators across the street in that office and he couldn’t get someone to help him look through this material over the weekend your honor that’s where the bad faith is what happened was that Morris guessed that I was dumping this material on him because it was worthless and he’d be spinning
His wheels reviewing it so he ignored it all weekend and now he finds out that maybe it is not so worthless that there is actually exculpatory material here and he wants to cry foul I’ll say it again judge this is supposed to be a search for truth but Mr Morris is not
Interested in that he’s only interested in putting up roadblocks to the truth and that to me is bad faith in its ugliest form Morris spread his arms like they were Wings your honor really he said Mr holler up there on his high horse is conveniently forgetting the facts the
Court approved the subpoena for records from AT&T more than 3 weeks ago he waited until the eve of trial to execute it and gather the data that was a planed delay judge and he isn’t fooling me or you the people stand by the complaint and the suggested
Remedy your honor may I respond no I don’t think you need to Mr holler Coello said I have a good idea of what you would say I’m not going to disqualify this material from introduction in the hearing we’re going to proceed with Mr Bosch’s testimony and when direct
Examination is completed I will give Mr Morris time to prepare his cross if time is indeed needed now let’s take a 10-minute break go back to our corners and cool off and then we will continue the hearing chapter 33 BOS spent most of the 10 minute break keeping holler separated from Morris in
The hall outside the courtroom holler was no doubt crestfallen by the Arslanian setback as was Arslanian she’d been scheduled to fly out on a Redeye that night but she insisted on delaying her return home so she could watch Bosch’s testimony and be part of a brainstorming session afterward no name calling or physical
Scuffles broke out in the hallway and soon Bosch was back on the stand awaiting the arrival of the judge and the Prisoner Lucinda came first and after she was placed next to holler he immediately leaned toward her and started whispering Bosch could tell by his gestures that he was trying to console
Her and tell her that losing Arslanian testimony and presentation did not constitute the end of the world the trouble was BOS wasn’t sure holler believed that himself the judge came through the door took her position at the bench and went back on the record telling holler to
Proceed holler took his legal pad to the lecturn when we were interrupted you were about to tell us about a collection of cell tower data obtained with a subpoena but don’t you walk us through the steps you took in getting that data he said to Bosch well we were interested in knowing
Roberto sans’s movements on the day he was murdered Bosch said we knew he carried a cell phone and we got the number from lucenda his phone records she had called him several times on the evening he was killed so from there I went to a website where you plug in a
Cell number and it tells you which company is the carrier for the record what website was that it’s called free carrier lookup.com I put in Roberto’s number and it determined that his carrier was AT&T from there he prepared a subpoena for all data on all of AT&T’s cell
Towers in the analou valley for the day of the murder holler whistled that must have been a lot of data it was Bosch said the print out was almost 2,000 pages single spaced in layman’s terms can you tell us what kind of data it was well every company has its own cell
Tower some Geographic areas have more than others and that’s why you see in the tv ads for these companies how they talk about the best coverage and so forth if you have a cellone phone it is constantly in contact with all the towers in your area and as you move the
Connections move sort of like Tarzan swinging on vines from tree to tree your connection moves from Tower to Tower uh I never thought about it that way but yes I guess it’s like that so you were able to find Roberto sans’s number in these 2,000
Pages I was and I got a map of AT&T cell tower locations throughout the AV and AV sorry antalope Valley and how did that help you like I said a cell phone is connected to many of its carrier’s Towers at once but the connection is strongest to the tower nearest the phone
And the data transmitted from the phone to the tower includes decel strength based on proximity and GPS coordinates that’s why when you use a mapping app like ways or Google Maps you see your exact location on the screen are you saying that this data you collected with the subpoena showed
Exactly where Roberto Sans was located throughout the day of his death correct and I was able to chart it on a map do you have that map with you yes holler turned his attention to the judge and asked if Bosch could step off the witness stand and display the map on
A courtroom easel so that he could better explain his findings with no objection from Morris Coello allowed it and the court clerk retrieved the easel from an equipment closet 5 minutes later Bosch’s unfolded map was clipped to the easel there were three lines red blue and green charted
On the map Bosch had carefully drawn the lines with the map spreading across his dining room table he had hoped his inclusions would be clear and understandable to the judge okay so what do we have here to detective Bosch before Bosch could answer Morris objected he is no longer a
Police officer or a detective he said he should not be referred to as detective sustained Coello said holler threw a look at Morris that clearly said it was a chicken objection then moved back to his direct examination of Bosch I see three lines on your map which is Roberto
Sans this one Bosch said the green I’m sure we will get to the others soon enough but let’s stick with the green what did you find that was significant about Roberto sans’s movements in the hours before his death BOS pointed to a spot on the green track this place right here in Lancaster
He said the data showed that he was here for nearly 2 hours and what is significant about that well two things one is that this location is a hamburger place called flips and this is where Roberto Sans had gotten into a shootout with four gang members the year
Before the second is that it was established in the original investigation that Roberto was 2 hours late bringing his son home to Lucinda and he told her he had had a work meeting but it was determined that there had been no meeting involving his Sheriff’s unit so this is new
Information placing him at this business during those two hours the place where he had been in a shootout the year before and now looking at your map I see the red line intersects Roberto sans’s green line at that location am I reading that correctly yes those two phones were
There almost the same amount of time the red phone was actually their first arriving 6 minutes before the green then they both left an hour and 41 minutes later and what did you take from that Morris objected stating that Bosch’s answer would be speculation and not fact the judge sustained the objection and
Holler started another path toward the answer he wanted how did you come up with the red line I thought that the length of time that sanss was at flip seemed excessive Bosch said it’s a fast food place and he’s there an hour and 41 minutes besides that it was where he had gotten
Into a shootout so why would he go there unless the location was important to what was happening that day so I concluded that he was meeting someone there this led me to search the data for another cell phone exhibiting the same GPS coordinates at the same
Time Bosch looked at the judge as he answered hoping to get a read on whether he was explaining himself clearly the judge’s eyes were focused on the map and she gave no indication that she was confused Bosch’s attention was drawn back to holler with the next question but couldn’t it have been a
Phone with a different carrier that wouldn’t show up in the data that was the risk Bosch said but I knew that AT&T gave discounts to Military and law enforcement Personnel so I thought if he was meeting someone there was a good chance it was a fellow Leo Leo law enforcement
Officer got it so what did you find when you search for another phone that was at flips I found the red phone and I concluded that Sans was meeting with the holder of that phone I assumed it was a car toar meeting in the parking lot Morris made the same objection
Calling Bosch’s conclusion speculation and not fact before holler could counter the judge overruled the objection stating that Bosch’s Decades of experience as an investigator made his assumptions more valid than blind speculation she told holler to continue with his examination were you able to identify the owner of the Red
Phone yes Bosch said how I called it and A man answered with his name MC Isaac he basically hung up on me when I asked a question but I already knew that name from my investigation of Roberto sans’s activity on the day of his death I’d
Learned that Sans had a meeting with an agent mcisaac an hour or so before he was killed from there it was not hard to confirm that there was an agent Tom MC ISAC on the roster of the Los Angeles field office you’re talking about the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Yes you said he hung up on you when you asked a question yes I identified myself told him what I was doing and asked if he’d had a meeting with Roberto Sans on the day of sans’s death at that point he ended the call I called back but he
Didn’t answer I then texted him but he didn’t respond he still hasn’t holler looked down at his notes letting the last answer float in the room okay let’s talk about the Blue Line your chart shows that the holder of the blue phone was tracking along with the green phone
Correct yes Ando Bosch said the data includes timestamps it shows that while the blue phone followed the same path as the green phone it lagged behind each Geographic marker by 20 to 40 seconds until the green phone stopped flips does that indicate that the blue phone was following the green phone it
Does Bosch got the answer out as Morris was standing to make the same objection that it was speculation but once more the judge overruled the objection saying that Bosch’s conclusion was acceptable based on his experience and his expertise with the Tower data what happened when Roberto Sans the
Green phone pulled into flips to meet with agent mizak this time Morris was quick with the objection assumes facts not an Evidence Morris claimed again I am allowing the answer the judge said Mr Morris I think you know where this is headed and I find your constant Interruption of the flow
Of testimony to be disruptive to the Court’s understanding of the case wait until you have a real objection please objection overruled continue Mr holler holler waited for bosain answer but he didn’t do you need me to ask the question again holler asked if you don’t mind Bosch said not a
Problem according to the data and your charting what were the movements of the blue phone when Roberto Sans pulled into flips to meet with agent mizak Bosch used his finger to trace the blue phone’s path as he answered the blue phone drove by and stopped at the
Next corner at the Arco gas station it remained there for at least an hour what do you mean by at least an hour isn’t the data complete it is but the blue phone stopped transmitting GPS coordinates to the cell tower at that point just disappeared correct does that mean the
Phone was turned off yes or put on airplane mode so it no longer sent signals to the towers in the area okay let’s go back how did you come upon this blue phone yesterday at the end of the court session the clerk gave you the cell phone number of Sergeant Sanger which
You asked for when she was testifying I took that number and looked for it in the Tower data received from AT&T I found it and tracked it holler pointed to the map on the easel and spoke with exaggerated astonishment that was sanger’s phone she was following
Sans it appears so Bosch said but at the Arco the phone suddenly went dark correct and when did it come back online according to the data that number which is carried by AT&T does not come up on any cell tower in the analou Valley from that point at
The Arco station until 22 minutes after Lucinda sans’s 911 call reporting gunshots that indicates that during that time the phone was either turned off on airplane mode or Out Of Reach of the area’s towers and where’s the phone located when it does come back up after the
Shooting it reappears in Palmdale at a restaurant called bry’s Cafe did you track it from there Bosch pointed again at the map yes the second blue line on the map it goes from the cafe to the scene of the shooting at Lucinda sans’s house all told how many minutes was the
Blue phone offline 84 minutes and Roberto Sans was shot during those 84 minutes correct Morris leaped to his feet shouting objection your honor this is fantasy I begged the court to stop the sheer speculation and innuendo when there is not an ounce of evidence that supports any conclusion
Other than Lucinda Sans being the shooter of her ex-husband your honor the witness has worked 300 murder cases he he knows what he is doing and knows what he is saying Mr Morris with his barrage of objections is just trying to enough coo cried the objection is overruled for reasons
Previously stated continue Mr holler thank you your honor Mr Bosch other than Sergeant Sanger turning off her phone putting it on airplane mode or being Out Of Reach of the towers is there any other explanation as to why her phone dropped its connection to the cell tower hours
In the Antelope Valley no nothing that I can think of holler looked up at the judge from the Lecter your honor I have no further Questions part eight subpoena ducas takum chapter 34 the rooftop Lounge at the Conrad gave us a great view across downtown it was the kind of view that made you love this city because it reminded you that anything was possible down there on the street but we were having none of that
Bosch arsenian Cisco and me we sat there silently mourning the losses of the day Bosch’s testimony had been the lone Shining Moment for Lucinda sans’s cause but even that it turned out was too good to be true judge Co granted the AG’s request for more time to study the cell
Tower data we had presented she recessed the hearing until the following Monday morning giving Morris and his minions three days five if they kicked into overtime and worked through the weekend to find ways to undermine the impact of Bosch’s testimony and evidence but that ruling was minor compared to the loss of arcanian
Testimony and crime Recreation that ruler was a Case Killer and I found myself not only angry at Morris but also deeply disappointed in the judge for not making law and approving the AI based Recreation so he sat there with a stunning view of the city in all
Directions but none of us could see the beauty in it the sky was growing dim and so were Lucinda sansa’s chances of Freedom I’m so sorry Mickey arsenian said if only I no Shamy I said this is on me I should have seen it coming I should have asked you about the
Platform you’re going to appeal the judge’s ruling right Bosch asked of course I said but like I said in court in the meantime lucenda goes back to Chino and waits it out we’re talking about years and years even if we win in the nth it will go up to the Supreme
Court that’s a 5 to sixe ride we may get lucky and May make new law but Lucinda will have served her sentence and be out by then what about what you always say about not being able to unring the Bell Cisco said the judge saw the whole thing
Didn’t she she might have kicked it out but she knows it was good stuff I shook my head there’s that but the judge knows she’s got the eyes of the AG on her I said she’ll bend over backward not to let it be part of her ruling this is my fault
Arsenian said come on give that a rest I said I’m the captain of this sinking ship it’s all on me and I go down with it not if you put Sanger back on the stand and prove the LIE the judge owes you one and she knows it prove Sanger a
Liar and she might give you Mick Isaac if we get him on the stand we get the true story and it points to Sanger not lucenda I took a long pull on my cranberry and soda and shook my head again I don’t think Coello thinks she
Owes me anything I said fed judges are appointed for life they don’t look back unless the ninth circuit tells them to that Drew another long silence I drained my glass and looked for the waitress another round I asked I’m good another beer Cisco said I’m good aranan
Said there was no waitress in sight I stood up with my glass and grabbed Cisco empty I turned to go to the bar I wish we had those GSR pads Arslanian said I turned back around wouldn’t matter I said these people weren’t stupid they would have replaced the pads they used
On Lucinda with pads loaded with GSR I know that arsenian said and I know the evidence was destroyed after the case was adjudicated but I’m not talking about testing them for GSR if those pads were wiped over Lucinda’s hands they would have picked up skin cells along with any GSR most people including
Defense lawyers weren’t really thinking about touch DNA back then but testing is so sophisticated now that we’d be able to prove whether those pads were actually used on her I almost dropped the two glasses from my hands I quickly put them back down on the table wait a
Minute I said you may have just I stopped speaking my mind was racing through the documents I had seen from the original case against Lucinda what arcanian prompted the DA’s file from the original prosecution I said we got a copy and Discovery there was an Evidence transfer
Order in there Frank Silver was going through the usual moves he asked for an Evidence split so he could have a private lab test the GSR there were two pads and the judge had one of them transferred to Silver’s lab but then he pleaded lucenda out and it didn’t matter
You’re saying that the pad might still be at the lab Cisco asked stranger things have happened I said the files in the back of the Lincoln be back in 5 minutes Bosch said he got up and headed toward the elevator I looked at Cisco Cisco give me your
Phone I said silver probably won’t take a call from mine Cisco pulled out his phone punched in the passcode and handed it over I took out my wallet and dug through it until I found the business card I had taken months ago from the slot next to
Silver’s office store I had kept it in case I needed to reach him I called the cell number listed and silver answered cheerfully Frank Silver how can I help you don’t hang up who is this it’s holler I need your help you need my my help you need my help hanging a
504 around my neck have a nice night silver don’t hang up I mean it I need your help and you know I never filed the 504 it was a prop there was a beat of Silence this better not be a trick silver finally said it’s not I said I
Need you to think back to when you were working the case you got an Evidence split order so you could have a private lab t one of the GSR pads supposedly taken from Lucinda you remember if it’s in the file then I did it you don’t
Remember I’ve had a few cases since then believe it or not I can’t remember every detail about every case okay okay I get it neither can I but do you know what lab you used and whether you or the court ever got the evidence back after testing I don’t remember seeing any lab
Report in the file again there was silence and it was almost as if I could hear Silver’s mind grinding on how to play this you want the name of my lab he said come on Silver don’t blow your chance at this I said does the lab still have the GSR
Evidence as a matter of fact I think it does but they won’t give it to anybody but me that’s fine we need to confirm it still exists if it does then you might come out the hero in all of this I’ll call you in the morning that he
Disconnected I gave the phone back to Cisco what lab did he use arlenian asked heun being koi I said won’t give that up or pull the evidence if it still exists unless he’s sure he gets to be the hero guy’s a loser Cisco said yeah I said but
We need to play along or we may not get our evidence Bosch returned with the file from the Lincoln I quickly brought him up to date so we wait until tomorrow he asked let’s see what’s in the file first I said I opened the file and flipped
Through the early motions of the case until I found Silver’s request for an independent analysis of evidence the request was approved with an order from Superior Court Judge Adam Castle to transfer one of the collected GSR pads to an independent lab called applied forensics in Van nise we might have just
Gotten lucky I said one of the GSR pads was transferred to applied forensics silver got a court order for the transfer so it’s likely that applied forensics would not have been allowed to destroy or transfer the evidence without a court order and if such an order
Existed it would be in this file it means the evidence should still be there even after 5 years then how do we get it Cisco asked we don’t I said I’ve never used applied forensics but they’ve pitched me for my business they have a
Full DNA lab all we need to do is get silver to tell them to test the evidence for touch DNA not just that arsenian said there will likely be touch DNA from whoever wiped the pads and whoever was wiped we need to get cinda’s DNA to the lab for a
Comparison do we have her DNA Cisco asked not yet I said but I have a plan for getting it the question is can we get a comparison done by Monday when we’re back in court if I stay on top of Applied forensics we can Arslanian said I’ll
Camp out there and walk them through it no Shamy you need to get back home I said please let me do this she said I need to I nodded okay I said so you three go to applied forensics in the morning silver will likely go there too so be there as
Soon as they’re open I’ll go see the judge I’ll wait to hear from you before I knock on our door how do we know silver won’t try to run a game on us Bosch asked I’ll call him in the morning I said if he becomes a problem Cisco
Will make him see the light everyone looked at Cisco he gave us a nod chapter 35 on Wednesday morning at 10: I was posted on the hallway bench outside judge Coo’s courtroom I knew the courtroom would be dark now that the habius hearing was continued while I was checking my phone
For messages the courtroom door opened and out stepped one of the journalists who had attended the hearings Monday and Tuesday she was young dark-haired and attractive and had a serious air about her I had not recognized her among the other journalists I knew from previous trials and
Cases Mr holler I’m surprised to see you here she said I mean with the case put over till Monday I need to see the clerk about something I said you’re a journalist right you were here both days of the hearing yes British shoot she said as
She held out her hand I shook it shoot I asked really yes she said I know it’s a little coincidental since this case is about a shooting who do you work for for myself mostly I’m a freelancer but I’ve had my stories published in the New York Times
The guardian the New Yorker a lot of Publications I often write about technology and I’m working on a book about geofencing how it’s increasingly being used Us by law enforcement and some defense attorneys like yourself and the Fourth Amendment privacy issues and all of that interesting how did you hear about this
Case uh A source told me that Geo fencing was going to come up and boy it sure did yesterday with your witness Bosch I’d like to interview him and you if you have time it will have to wait until this is over federal judges aren’t too keen on attorneys and Witnesses from
Their ongoing cases talking to the media it’s a long-term project the judge would not see anything until the book comes out but I can wait I know you have your hands full especially after the ruling on the recreation AI in the courts is another story I’d like to write
About she put her computer bag down on the bench next to me unzipped it and gave me a business card it just had her name and phone number on it that’s my cell she said 415 you’re d from San Francisco I asked yes I’m going back up
Later today but I’ll be sure to be here Monday yeah don’t miss Monday why got a surprise maybe we’ll see what were you in the courtroom for I wanted to get a copy of your subpoena for the Tower data and a copy of what you entered as an exhibit I got
The subpoena but the cost of the data printout is a little over my budget yeah they char something like a buck a page for copying costs here I pulled out my wallet dug out a card and handed it to her if you come back Monday
I’ll give you a copy I said thank you very much she said you sure yeah not a problem that’s really nice you’re saving me money and time I can get back on an earlier flight now I held up her card cool I said maybe someday you can do me
A favor interview me if for your book or maybe a profile in the New Yorker huh she smiled maybe she said see you Monday Monday I said I’ll be here I watched her head down the hall to the elevator I wondered who her Source was and guessed it was probably someone
In the AG’s office who knew about the subpoena I had gotten for the cell tower data I pulled my phone out and Googled Geo fencing because I’d never heard the term before I was halfway through a Harvard Law review article on the fourth amendment issues surrounding the use of cell data
To track individuals when my phone buzzed it was Bosch give me good news I said good and bad the evidence is still here and when they did their testing they only used half of the piece they got so there is a pristine half in Colt storge okay what’s the bad news Second
Place Silver stiff them back then after Lucinda went to prison he didn’t need a report on the GSR and decided not to pay for it so they don’t like him too much for that they’re not giving up the evidence till somebody pays how much is the tab
1,500 you have a credit card Harry put it on that in expense it you’ll get it back that’s what I thought there’s one other thing silver is making noise about getting paid himself weasel nobody getting paid on this where is he let me talk to him hold on he’s with
Cisco and shami I think Cisco wants to put him in a headlock and squeeze yeah not yet put silver on and then see if they’ll take a credit card on the past invoice hold on I heard a door open and close and knew Harry had called me from his car there was the
Sound of another door as he entered applied forensics I heard some muffled voices and then Frank silver was on the phone Mick you heard the good news I did I also heard you’re making noise about wanting money this is only coming together because of me and my time is
Money I want a couple Grand that’s all first of all we don’t know what we have there yet second I’m going to have to pay the bill you skipped out on 5 years ago and last and most important you’re a witness in this case if I pay you a dime
Before you test testify and the AG finds out you aren’t a witness anymore I told you I’m not testifying I’m not letting you throw me under the bus on an ineffective wrap that ship is sailed Frank you don’t have to worry that’s not why you’re a witness if this
Pans out with applied forensics I’m going to need you to get on the stand and set it up tell how the evidence got there and whyatt still there 5 years later it’ll be your moment to be the hero I like that but then I get paid
Listen there may be some CGA money when this is all said and done but you don’t get paid until we all get paid cja what’s that it’s Federal money for defense lawyers the criminal justice act it won’t be a lot but it will be something and whatever we get you’ll get
It all I’m about to talk to judge Coello and I’ll bring it up now put Harry back on the phone okay Mick by the way I like Harry but I don’t like that big guy you got you’re not supposed to put Harry on I stood up and paced in the hall
While I waited I was trying to contain my excitement over what this could mean Bosch’s voice came back on the call Mick yeah they taking your credit card yeah I gave it to them okay what’s Shamy doing she’s on a tour of the lab now they love
Her I guess she’s sort of famous in her field that she is when she’s finished with the tour tell her to prep them for a court order directing them to test the evidence for DNA and then compare it to a sample that should be coming in by the
End of the day we’ll do and we want to rush on it right we will pay for expedited testing need this back by Monday okay what about you I’m about to go see the judge to try to get this rolling good luck with that thanks I’ll
Need it I dis connected and headed to the courtroom door chapter 36 the lights in the courtroom were out except for the bulb positioned above the clerk’s Corral to the right of the judge’s bench Coo’s clerk was a young man fresh from USC Law named John Brown
He was more than used to me coming in over the past 6 months to drop off motions and subpoena requests for the Judge Brown told me each time that this task would be much easier on me if I just emailed the documents and requests but I never did that I wanted him to
Know me to get used to me I wanted him to like me I learned he enjoyed a caramel macchiato on occasion and brought them to him from the building’s cafeteria even though each time he protested that the gesture would earn me no favors with him or the judge I always
Said that I wasn’t trying to procure favors because I didn’t need any but now I did Mr holler you do know that we’re dark today right Brown asked must have forgotten I said he smiled and I smiled then let me guess you have a motion for us Brown said I
Have an ask I said a big ask I need to see the judge about an sdt that is very time sensitive is she here uh she is brown said but she’s got her do not disturb on he pointed to a small red light on a panel on the Corral’s half wall next to
It was the button he pushed when all parties were present and ready for the judge to enter the courtroom well JN I need you to call her or Buzz her because she’ll want to hear what I’ve got to say I said um please John it’s important to the case it’s
Important that it be brought to her attention as soon as possible in fact I think she will be upset with you if she learns there was a delay because of a little red light okay well let me just go back and see if her door is open do that thank
You if it’s closed knock on it we’ll see just stay here and I’ll be back he got up and went through the door at the rear of the Corral into the Hall that led to the judge’s Chambers I waited 3 minutes and then the door finally opened Brown
Came through without the judge he was shaking his head her door is closed he said well did you knock I asked no it’s clear she doesn’t want to be disturbed without a second thought I stood on my toes and leaned over the half wall of the Corral I reached my
Hand toward the judge’s call Button my feet were in the air and I was balanced on the 6-in wide wall cap hey Brown exclaimed I pushed the button and held my finger on it until my weight pulled me back back and my feet were on the
Floor what the hell do you think you’re doing Brown yelled I need to see her John I said it’s an emergency doesn’t matter you had no right to do that you need to leave the courtroom now I raised my hands and started backing away from
The Corral I’m going to be in the hall I said I’ll be there all day or until she I heard buzzing from the Corral Brown walked to his desk and picked up the phone yeah yes judge he said as he listened I started returning to the Corral it’s Mr holler Brown said he
Pushed the button because I wouldn’t disturb you I got to the Corral and leaned over the half wall judge I need to see you I said loudly Brown put his hand over the phone and turned his back to me he said it’s an sdt and there’s a Time issue he said
Yes that was him he’s still here Brown listened for a few seconds and then hung up he spoke with his back still to me she said she’d see you he said you can go in thank you John I said I owe you a macchiato don’t bother extra
Caramel I went through the Corral to the hall judge Coello was standing in the open door to her Chambers instead of a black robe she wore blue jeans and a button-down corduroy shirt shirt this better be good Mr holler she said she turned and led the way into her Chambers
Please excuse my casual dress she said as she walked behind her desk because of the continuance we are dark all day and my plan was to catch up on my writing I knew that meant she was writing decisions and court orders she took the seat behind her desk and
Pointed to one of the chairs across from her subpoena ducas takum she said said you are up to something you don’t want Mr Morris to know about yet yes your honor I said sit down please talk to me thank you time is of the essence judge we learned this morning that evidence
From the original case was not disposed of after it was adjudicated 5 years ago Lucinda sans’s original attorney had received a split of evidence for independent testing one of the gun shot residue pads allegedly wiped over sansa’s hands and clothing and you’re saying it’s still available it’s at the independent lab
That her attorney Frank Silver took it to applied forensics in Van nise we also learned that they did not use all of the material when they conducted a gunshot residue test back then they are still holding a piece of a GSR pad that was untested and just what do you want to do
With it judge I need a subpoena from you for a DNA swab from my client in the Federal Detention Center then I need you to issue a sealed order directing applied forensics to compare her DNA to that of the untested evidence held at the lab
There she stared at me for a long moment trying to connect the dots okay walk me through it she finally said our contention has always been that the G GSR evidence in the original case against Sans was planted I said it had to have been planted because she did not
Shoot a gun so she was wiped by Deputy Sanger with GSR pads but then somewhere along the line the pads were switched with contaminated pads that then tested positive for GSR the DNA test we are asking for should find sansa’s touch DNA skin cells on the pad at applied forens
PHS if it was actually swiped on her skin then the test you are asking for will cut both ways if her DNA is found on that pad your contention is proven wrong are you sure you want to take that chance Mr holler absolutely judge we are all
In we you’ve discussed the risks with your client if her DNA is on that GSR pad you know where this will go she knows what’s going on and she’s all in too she’s innocent she knows her DNA won’t be on that pad it wasn’t a lie Lucinda had called collect from the
Detention Center the night before and I had told her that there might be a remaining GSR pad from the original investigation I walked her through what a DNA test could prove she told me what I had just told the judge that she was innocent and if given the chance would do the test
Your honor I added the cell tower data and the crime Recreation though disallowed by the court show my client’s innocence this test will as well I admire your confidence in your client and what you believe the evidence will show Coello said but then why do you need the subpoena and court order to
Be under seal because until we have a result my fear is that there could be an obstruction of justice oh come now Mr holler do you really think so someone is going to break in and applied forensics and steal the evidence it’s a possibility judge since taking on this
Case both my investigator and I have had break-ins at our homes although seemingly nothing was taken my home office was ransacked and my computer destroyed maple syrup poured onto the keyboard these were acts of intimidation and I would ask the court to seal this until we have a test result once we have
That the court can share it with the world if it so wishes are there police reports on these break-ins yes we both made reports and I can request copies from the LAPD if the court needs them but as I said time is of the essence here I also filed an
Insurance claim to cover a new computer and pay for the cleanup in fact they wouldn’t take a claim without a police report anyway in the old days when people wanted to intimidate you they they’d urinate or defecate on your stuff but with DNA tracing they got smarter
They used a bottle of my own maple syrup a gift from my daughter lovely she paused for a moment as if considering whether to believe me about the break-ins without seeing the official documentation how fast can this testing be done she finally said if we get
Lucinda sansa’s DNA to them by the end of the day we’ll have results by Monday I said that will be a task getting the marshals at detention to act that quickly you could give me the subpoena and an order from you allowing me immediate access to my client Coello
Shook her head she started writing on a legal pad no we’re not going to do that she said I want the US Marshall service to handle the collection of DNA and its delivery to the lab that way there will be no issues later later with chain of
Custody should this work out the way you think and hope it will yes your honor I said very smart don’t be obsequious Mr holler it doesn’t look good on you yes your honor I’ll prepare these now and have copies for you within the hour it will
Probably take me the same amount of time it will take you to go to the cafeteria and get my clerk an apology macchiato I was silent she looked up from her writing yes he told me about those she said each time he told me he didn’t want there to be any question of
Favoritism understood I said you can go wait in the courtroom Gian will bring you copies when they’re ready yes your honor thank you I got up and headed to the door I was elated but trying not to show it I put my hand on the knob but then looked
Back at the judge she had already turned her seat to face the computer on a side table but somehow she knew I had not left the room something else Mr holler she asked you said you were using the day for writing I said because of the continuance yes I
Am would you reconsider the ruling on Dr Arslanian crime Recreation judge think you have a chance to make a Sig don’t push it Mr holler if I were you I’d leave while I was ahead yes your honor I opened the door and stepped out chapter 37 on Sunday the Lucinda Sands team now
Grudgingly including Frank Silver gathered without our client in the mock courtroom at Southwestern Law School as an lumus who was a minor donor but had a mostly positive public profile especially after the AOA case I was afforded access to the school’s facilities when they were not in
Use and so we set up shop in the small courtroom that featured a judge’s bench a witness stand and a small Gallery Monday would be the day we won or lost our habous motion and I wanted those who could rehearse to rehearse the DNA results from applied
For SX which we’d expected on Friday were late and I’d spent the past two days working on my witness lineup the way a baseball manager works on a batting lineup for the first game of the World Series I had to figure out who was up
There to bunt who might be able to steal a base and who could bat cleanup I had to figure out what the opposing team would be pitching to my hitters and how best to prepare them the marshals hadn’t delivered the DNA swab from lucenda s stands to the
Lab until Thursday afternoon and that was only after I had gone back to the courthouse talked my way past a still angry Gian Brown and asked the judge to light a fire under the marshals with the delay the earliest applied forensics could guarantee we’d have the results was noon on Monday I
Had to schedule Witnesses and rehearse on the assumption that I would have those results and they would be exculpatory for my client first bat would be Harry Bosch I had no choice there unless Hayden Morris had taken his 5 days to analyze the cell tower results and decided not to
Cross-examine him but I thought this unlikely at a minimum Morris would ail Bosch’s credibility Bosch was old and largely out of the game he had Decades of experience working homicide investigations but he had never before used geofencing the term I learned from Bri shoot in an investigation this made Bosch ripe for
Attack and I had to admit that this was what I would do if I were a prosecutor on this case so I needed to make sure that Bosch was well armored and ready for Monday morning my Hope was that Bosch’s cross-examination would run through the morning and that I would have the
Applied forensics results in hand when it was time to call new witnesses to the stand if Morris finished his cross early I would need to wait in with a redirect examination of Bosch that would take us to the lunch break and possibly even further into the day once Bosch was dismissed from the
Witness stand Frank Silver was up he would tell the judge how a piece of a GSR pad allegedly swiped over Lucinda sans’s hands had been found in pristine condition in a vanise lab five years after it was transferred there Frank would be followed by a recall of
Shamy arsenian and then the labtech who conducted the DNA comparison though Stephanie Sanger was certainly not a member of my team the main event would be her return to the witness stand no rehearsal could prepare me for that it would be up to me and all I knew
Was that my questions to Sanger had to carry the information I needed to get to the judge my feeling was that Sanger would not break on the stand and would confine herself to as few words as possible when answering questions under oath that was the lineup as I knew it so
Far but there were always contingencies the plan was to use the DNA evidence and sanger’s denials to force the judge to take action and compel FBI agent mckisic to appear for questioning that was the ultimate goal an FBI agent confirming under oath that Roberto Sans was cooperating in an investigation of his own
Unit if I got it there I had no doubt that Lucinda Sans would walk free overall the rehearsal went well I put Cisco wowski up on the judge’s bench so that there was an intimidating presence looking over the shoulder of the witnesses as they testified Bosch was good on the stand
He’d spent hundreds of hours testifying in his career Shamy Arslanian was her usual charming and professional self Jennifer Aronson sitting in for Stephanie Sanger gave onew and sarcastic answers but I was able to hone my questions in response and deliver the goods the one fly in the ointment was
Silver who steadfastly inflated his own worth and legal Acumen in answer to my initial question questions it forced me to reshape how I would question him when the testimony was for real I felt that it had been a successful day we broke at 5:00 p.m. and
I took everybody even silver to an early dinner in the private wine room at muso and franks there was solid camaraderie on the team and we all held up our glasses whether they contained alcohol or not toasted Lucinda and promised to do our very best for her the next
Day it was after 88 when I parked in the garage beneath my house my intention was to go directly to sleep so I would be rested and ready in the morning I closed the garage and slowly climbed the stairs three steps from the top I saw a
Man sitting in one of the bar chairs at the far end of the deck his back was to me and his feet were propped up on the rail it looked like he was relaxing and staring out at the lights of the city the only thing missing was a bottle of
Beer he spoke without turning to look at me I’ve been waiting for you for a couple hours he said I figured on a Sunday night you’d be home the key to the house was in my hand the door was at the top of the stairs I
Knew I could get to the knob and get it open before he got to me but something told me that if this had been a plan to intimidate or hurt me it wouldn’t be one man sitting leisurely at the end of the front deck I moved the keys in my hand so one
Was jutting between my fingers and would do some damage if I had to throw a punch I cautiously walked over as I got close a jolt went through me the man was wearing a black ballistic mask that covered his whole face relax he said if ID wanted to put
You down you’d already be down I steadied myself tightened my fists and moved closer but not close enough for him to reach out to me then what’s with the mask I said and who the are you he lowered his feet to the foot rail of the bar chair and turned away from The
View I thought you were smarter than that h he said I obviously don’t want you to see my face I suddenly realized who he was The elusive agent mckisic I said Bravo he said something tells me you’re not here to tell me you’ll testify I’m here to tell you I will not
And that you need to stand down on that I’ve got an innocent client and I think you can help me prove it I can’t stand down helping you prove it doesn’t necessarily mean me testifying I thought about those words for a long moment as I stared at the
Eyes behind the oval cutouts in The Mask before I could come up with my next question he asked one why do you think I can’t testify why is the US attorney will to defy a federal judge if it comes to that because the bureau will be embarrassed by what is revealed in court
That the FBI was willing to let Lucinda Sans go to prison as long as it didn’t come out that its agent’s actions got her ex-husband killed mizak laughed it was muffled behind the mask but I heard it and it made me angry you’re going to deny it even here
I I said Sanger watched you and sans’s meet an hour later he was dead and lucenda goes down as the Fall Guy meanwhile the bureau and you look the other way I want to help you but you don’t know about what went down mckisic said so School me Agent
Mckisic why won’t you testify and what’s with the mask can we just go inside I don’t like talking out here in the open no we’re not going inside not until you tell me why you’re really here if we’re staying out here because you want to keep me on camera that’s not
Happening I turned and looked up at the ring camera I’d had installed under the roof Eve after the break-in 6 months earlier there was a Dodgers baseball cap hung over the lens what the the I said I’m not even supposed to be here okay mizak said I came because I
Understand what you’re doing but your case is more than 5 years old we’ve moved on and I’m working on something else something that cuts across lines of National Security I can’t appear in court because I can’t take any risks with that case people could die do you understand
You’re telling me you can’t show your face because you’re working undercover that’s part of it yes there are no cameras in the courtroom we could even arrange for you to testify in the judge’s Chambers you could wear your mask for all I care he shook his head I
Can’t go anywhere near that Courthouse it’s watched by who I’m not getting into that it’s got nothing to do with your case the point is is I need you to stand down we can’t have this blow up in the media there might be photos out there
They could use if that happens I’m dead and the case I’m working is dead so I’m supposed to just let my client rot in prison while you go on about your national security business look I thought she did it okay all those years I was mad at her because killing him ended the
Investigation but then you come along and I’m following the case and I start seeing what you’re seeing I think you might have something but I can’t help you in court then what can you do for me for her I can tell you that Roberto Sans was no
Hero but in a way he was trying to be the shootout at flips was no Ambush he was ripping those guys off tell me something I don’t know he agreed to wear a wire that day we met he said he would do it we were going to take down the
Whole unit and then an hour later it was over because Sanger saw you two I didn’t know obviously let me ask you something did he come to you or did you go to him he came to us he wanted to clear his conscience try to make things right The
Click he was in was taking things too far just tell me this he got killed right after you met with him so how could you think it was his ex-wife mizak seemed to consider the question for the first time arrogance he finally said we’re the FBI we don’t make mistakes like that I
Thought the meeting was clean I had a backup and they didn’t see anybody shadowing him and then when I read about the evidence against your client the GSR and all of that I guess I believed what I wanted to believe we shut down the investigation
And moved on to the next one and an innocent woman has been sitting in a Cell for 5 years great story our tax dollars at work but you need to give me something to cut where this is all going to come out with or without you on the stand I’ll get it
Out there I’ve already started and if I get the judge to compel your testimony and it blows your cover I don’t really care Lucinda Sans is not going back to that cell you understand that I understand and I have something for you that’s why I’m here I want to
Trade Sans told me things in that meeting the click was just a ground team they were working for something bigger who more like what but we go inside to talk about it what is the obsession with going inside my house we’re exposed out here I knew not to trust this man inside
Or outside my house but I had to know what he knew I realized that my right hand was still bald into a fist with the teeth of my house key protruding between my fingers I released my grip and the key fell into my palm okay I said let’s go in part nine True
Believer chapter 38 BOS was worried the rehearsal the day before had gone well posing as Assistant Attorney General Hayden Morris Mickey holler had cross-examined him intensely hitting him most harshly on his lack of experience in using cellular data and homicide investigations Bosch had held up well by
His own and holler’s estimation and he thought he was ready for whatever Morris threw at him on Monday morning but now sitting on the witness stand and waiting for for the judge to convene Court Bosch was worried because Morris was not alone at the AG’s table next to him was a woman Bosch
Recognized as a former County prosecutor she was good and tough and been known in those days as Maggie mcfierce she was also Mickey holler’s ex-wife and the mother of his only child Maggie mcferson had taken a leave of absence from the Ventura County District Attorney’s office to Aid her ex-husband when he was
Wrongly accused of murder holler was eventually cleared and mcferson had gone back to Ventura where she was in charge of the major crimes unit at the DA’s office but that intel was obviously old as it was now clear to Bosch that she worked for the AG she was huddled with Morris at the
Opposing council’s table in a whispered conversation on the table in front of her was the thick stack of printouts of cell tower data holler had turned over in his Discovery Morris had pulled in a ringer Bosch knew that mcferson would handle his cross-examination Bosch looked over at
The petitioner’s table to see if holler was exhibiting any concern or giving any indication of how he was going to play this but holler was preoccupied with the arrival of Lucinda Sands from the courtroom holding cell when she was finally seated and Shackled to the table ring by the
Marshals holler looked around the courtroom he noticed the journalist he had told Bosch about gave her a nod and continued his scan Bosch caught his eye holler made a hand gesture a flat Palm down that told Bosch to stay calm Bosch assumed that holler was as surprised about Maggie McPherson’s
Appearance as he was but The Lincoln Lawyer looked cool calm and collected Bosch took his que from that testifying in criminal cases was nothing new to Bosch he had been in the witness box hundreds of times when he had thought about it over the weekend he realized that the first
Time he’d been called to testify was in a drug case in 1973 he had been in Patrol then a P1 stripe on the sleeve of his uniform he had found an ounce of marijuana during the pat down of a man loitering near dorsy High School all these years later Bosch
Clearly remembered the suspect he had arrested his legal name was junior teodoro he was 20 years old in a Dropout from dorsy the alert had gone out in that morning’s roll call about a dealer setting up near the school Bosch and his partner at the time
Had spotted theodoro did a stop and hop so fast he couldn’t run away and caught him with the goods during the pat down Bosch’s testimony came in a preliminary hearing on the case after Theodora was bound over for trial he and his attorney negotiated a plea agreement BOS remembered it so well
Because Junior teodoro pleaded guilty and got a term of 5 to seven years in prison for something that 50 years later was no longer a crime BOS had often considered how time changed something that was righteous back in the day into something far from it today he thought about how that bust and
The harsh sentence that followed had changed the course of theodor’s life when Bosch was still with the LAPD he kept tabs on him through the California law enforcement tracking system running his name from time to time the prison gate became a revolving door for teodoro whenever Bosch looked him up he
Was either back in prison or recently released and on parole 50 years later Bosch was still haunted by his part in setting Junior teodoro on that path and that was his worry now that his testimony under cross examination might somehow contribute to Lucinda sans’s losing her bid for
Freedom and that it would haunt him for the rest of his days mcferson and Morris finished their whispered conference and mcferson reached down to a slim briefcase on the floor and withdrew a legal pad she wrote A Few notes on it and then placed it on the top of of the printouts
Ready to take it all with her to the lecturn she glanced over at Bosch and caught him staring at her possibly sensing his alarm she smiled of all his cases over the years none had landed on her desk for prosecution yet he knew she was a courtroom killer so Bosch understood that her
Smile carried no warmth for him it was the kind of smile a cat might offer a cornered Mouse there was finally a call toise from the courtroom Marshall and judge Coello took the bench she noticed BOS on the witness stand please be seated she said I see
Detective Bosch is already in place but before we begin cross-examination we have some business to attend to rather than sitting down Bosch turned to step out of the witness stand that’s all right detective Bosch Koo said this shouldn’t take long you may sit Bosch sat down noting that she had called him detective
Bosch Mr Morris I see you have expanded your team today Coello continued Morris stood to address the court yes your honor he said Assistant Attorney General Margaret mcferson will handle the cross examination of Mr Bosch she has expertise in the matters he testified to last week well that answers the question of
Whether there will be a cross-examination the judge said Mr holler do you have anything you would like to bring to the attention of the Court holler stood good morning your honor as a matter of fact I do the petitioner objects to the addition of Miss mcferson
To the state’s team as a conflict of interest Morris stood back up just hold it right there Mr Morris Coello said What conflict is that Mr holler Miss mcferson and I were married at one time Bosch turned to check the judge’s reaction it was clear clear she had not
Known of the marital history of the two lawyers before her interesting Coello said I was not aware of that when were you two married it was quite a while ago your honor but there is an adult daughter and ongoing connections as well as ongoing upset over the dissolution of the marriage and its
Consequences how so Mr holler the judge said your honor I Believe Miss mcferson Harbors resentment over her career as a prosecutor for Los Angeles County being thwarted by her relationship with me I would not want to interfere with my client’s ability to get a fair and impartial hearing on the facts of this
Petition the judge turned her attention to Morris Mr Morris are you attempting to inject outside conflict into this proceeding not at all your honor Morris said as I already stated on the record Miss mcferson is the expert on sell data in the California Attorney General’s office last year in fact she was hired
Away from the Ventura County prosecutor’s office because of her expertise in this field this is an area of the law that is fairly new and that comes up frequently as alleged new evidence in app pellet and habius pre this material was sprung on us last week and with the continuance the court
Granted I took it to our expert Miss mcferson who has been analyzing the material and preparing for this witness’s cross-examination there is no conflict your honor my understanding is that the marriage has been over for more years than it had existed there are no custody disputes because their one child is an
Adult and lives independently of her parents there are no disputes at all judge in fact two years ago Miss mcferson took a leave from the Venture a prosecutor’s office to provide legal help to Mr holler when he was charged with a crime is all that true Mr holler Coello asked
It is true there are no custody or other legal disputes judge but on more than one occasion I was blamed for setbacks demotions and changes in M McPherson’s career and as I said earlier I don’t want any possible Grudge to hinder Lucinda sans’s right to a fair and impartial hearing on the
Petition the judge frowned and even Bosch knew why it was the judge who needed to be fair and impartial holl argument was misdirected but before the judge could speak Maggie mcfierce did your honor may I be heard she said everyone is talking about me I think I should be allowed to
Respond go ahead Miss mcferson coella said but be brief this is not family court and I don’t want to turn it into an examination of a broken marriage and what grievances may exist therein I’m happy to be brief mcferson said the fact is I hold no grudge against my
Ex-husband it was indeed a complicated Union between a prosecutor and a defense attorney but it ended a long time ago I have moved on he has moved on and our daughter is a grown woman making her way into the world Mr Morris did not even know of my marital history when he came
To me last week and asked me to take a look at the material turned over in Discovery it wasn’t until I started working on it that I noticed that it was my my ex-husband’s case and that the witness was Mr Bosch whom I have met on occasion I immediately informed Mr
Morris but told him as I am telling the court that Mr holler and I have no conflict of interest our relationship as the parents of a young woman is not conflicted in any way and I hold no grudge against him his client or his witness I am not sure that was brief but
The court appreciates council’s honesty Coello said anything else Mr holler submitted holler said it in a tone that dripped with defeat he knew how this was going to go very well the judge said it is this Court’s responsibility to remain fair and impartial in hearing evidence and
Determining the truth of things I intend to do that the objection is overruled now Mr holler is there anything else you would like to bring up with the court before we proceed with witness not at this time judge Coello paused and looked at holler Vos knew that she was expecting
Him to announce that he had new discovery material to give to the AG but there were no results yet from the DNA analysis begun the week before this meant that holler wouldn’t know until he heard from shami Arslanian who was stationed at applied forensics monitoring the work whether or not he
Had new evidence to help Lucinda sans’s case very well the judge said again then let’s proceed miss mcferson your witness chapter 39 verbos it was a reminder of how far he had gone off Mission Maggie mcfierce was a True Believer a career prosecutor who had never been lured away from the
Pursuit of Justice to join the high- paid private sector she had stayed on Mission and though jobs and agencies changed she never wavered from the cause and here was Bosch here to for a True Believer about to be pounded on the witness stand the way he had seen so many witnesses
For criminal defendants get pounded in the past mcferson would be out to prove that Bosch was a gun for hire who would also Lie For Hire who would cut corners and look only for the thing that would obscure the truth or hide it completely she had no doubt done her homework on
Bosch and knew his vulnerabilities she attempted to exploit them right out of the gate Mr Bosch how long have you worked as a defense investigator she asked uh actually I never have Bosch said you are working for Mr holler are you not I am working on a specific project
For him that doesn’t involve Defense work did you not work for Mr holler’s own own defense when he was accused of a crime I was more of an adviser like you were do you believe you’ve never worked for the defense I’m not the one answering questions here
Sorry so what you’re telling the court is that you don’t consider working for Lucinda Sans an admitted and convicted killer Defense work Mr holler hired me to go through cases involving convicted people who claimed they were innocent he wanted me to review them to see if any seemed plausible or worth another look
Lucenda sans’s case was one of them and thank you Mr BOS I didn’t ask for the whole history of the case but you would say that working on the lucenda sanss case is not Defense work correct it’s not Defense work it’s truth work that’s clever Mr Bosch what happens
In your so-called truth work if you come across evidence that someone is guilty of the crime they were convicted of I tell Mr holler that it’s a noggo and we move on I look into the next case and has that scenario ever occurred as you just outlined uh yes happened just a couple
Months ago tell the court about that well it was this guy named Coldwell who was convicted of hiring a killer to murder his partner in a business investment he was convicted largely on the testimony of the contract killer who was also charged but was cooperating with the prosecution he testified that he was
Paid $25,000 in cash to do the hit the other evidence included colwell’s bank records the prosecution was able to show that exactly 25,000 had been accumulated through ATM withdrawals and personal checks Coldwell wrote to friends who cashed them and gave him the money what made you think he was
Innocent I didn’t I thought that his case might be worth another look I interviewed him and he said he could account for the 25,000 give information he picked up in prison that would impeach The Contract Killer I’ll spare you the full history on it but I determined that Coldwell was
Guilty and we dropped it no please don’t spare us the details what made him guilty in your eyes he told me he’d given the money to a mistress and then he couldn’t have brought that up at his trial because he was still married then and his wife’s
Money was paying his trial lawyer if they brought forth the mistress coldwell’s wife would have cut him off financially as it turned out his wife divorced him a couple years after he was convicted so now he was ready to use the mistress he also told me that an inmate
Who had been transferred from the prison where the Hitman ended up solidad said the Hitman was bragging up there about setting up Coldwell for the murder okay let’s stop there I think we need to move to the case at hand holler stood up and objected your honor she opened this door
And now all of a sudden she wants to slam it close because she knows that finishing the story might show that the witness has integrity and that doesn’t fit with the state’s plan to attack his credibility the judge didn’t hesitate in sustain aining the objection council is Right coo said this
Door was flung open by the state I’d like to hear the end of the story the witness will continue his answer if he has more to say holler nodded towards Bosch thank the judge and sat down I called the Department of Corrections Bosch said with the help of
An Intel officer at solad I was able to determine that the Hitman and the transferred inmate cwell mentioned had never been in the same cell block and would not have crossed paths while they were both housed there so that knocked that part of his story out then I talked to the mistress and
She wasn’t a good liar took me about 20 minutes to break her story she admitted that calwell hadn’t given her $25,000 that she had lied about it because he’d promised her money when he got out and sued the state for wrongful conviction and imprisonment so that was
It we dropped the case Mickey and I so Mr Bosch mcferson said what you want the court to know is that you call them like you see them I don’t know if that was a question but yes I call them like I see them okay well then let’s talk about the
Sans case and how you saw it okay Mr Bosch that’s what I’m here for do you know what geofence is Mr Bosch yes it’s kind of a fancy word for tracking the locations of cell phones through cellular data it has become a useful tool for law enforcement hasn’t it
Yes in your direct testimony you said you have worked on hundreds of homicide cases correct yes correct in how many of those cases did you use Geo fencing none it was was a technology that really didn’t come out until after I retired okay then how many times have
You used it as a private investigator none what about is a non-defense investigator working for Mr holler this case was the first time one case would you say that makes you an expert on geofencing an expert I don’t know know what would make one an expert I know how to read and map
The data if that’s what you mean how did you learn to read and map the data I had some help from Mr holler who was familiar with Geo fencing from prior cases but I learned the most when I studied the FBI’s internal field resource guide for agents in this area of
Investigation it was put together by the bureau’s cellular analysis survey team and is basically a how to do it for agents it’s very detailed over a 100 pages and I read it twice before I started work on the DAT he received in this case mcferson had not expected an answer
That complete and quickly went to sarcasm to cover her err in asking the question simple as that she said take an online course and you’re an expert it’s not up to me to say whether I’m an expert Bosch said but it was the FBI’s online course if you want to call
It that it was designed so that any agent could trace and map the movement of cellular devices if you’re suggesting that I did it wrong or got it wrong I would disagree I think I got it right and a raises a lot of questions about Lucinda sans’s cul move to strike the witness’s
Answer as non-responsive mcferson looked up at the bench but before the judge could respond holler stood nonresponsive he didn’t get the chance to finish his response the judge wasn’t interested in parrying with the lawyers let’s just move on to the next question Coello said continue Miss mcferson holler sat down Bosch looked
Over at him for the first time during the cross holler nodded and did a small fist shake with his hand close to his chest Bosch took it as a not so secret stay strong gesture Mr Bosch mcferson said said pulling Bosch’s attention back are you ill holler jumped up from his seat your
Honor what is this Council has no business asking about the witness’s health what does it have to do with any question before this court the judge cast a Stern eye on mcferson Miss mcferson what are you doing here she asked your honor mcferson said if the court will indulge me it
Will become quite clear what I’m doing and Mr h caller is well aware of what I’m doing the witness’s health is an issue if it affects his work you may proceed the judge said cautiously thank you your honor mcferson said focusing again on the witness stand She
Asked Mr Bosch are you presently being treated for a medical condition no Bosch said mcferson looked surprised but quickly covered it then have you recently been treated for a medical condition she asked BOS hesitated as he thought about how to phrase his answer I was being treated earlier this year he finally
Said treated for what mcferson said holler apparently sensing where this could go stood again to object your honor last week my asking a witness for her cell number had Mr Morris jumping out of his shoes but now it’s okay to drag a witness’s personal medical history into the case aren’t there
Limits to invasion of privacy in this court Mr holler makes a good point misss mcferson Coello said your honor the witness’s medical status is important to this case and I can demonstrate why if I’m allowed to continue mcferson said Mr holler knows this and that is why he is jumping out of his
Shoes make it fast miss mcferson the judge said my patience is wearing thin holler sat down and the judge told BOS he must answer the question I was being treated for cancer Bosch said I was part of a clinical trial that ended almost 6 months ago and was the treatment successful
Mcferson asked the doctors seem to think so they said I’m in partial remission and this clinical trial was it to test a drug therapy yes using what drug it was an isotope actually I believe it is called Lum 177 you were being treated with this isotope while you worked on this
Case yes it was just one morning a week for 12 weeks and what are the possible side effects associated with lutetium 177 uh well there’s nausea tentis exhaustion there there’s a whole list but other than those I just mentioned I didn’t really have any side effects what about confusion and memory
Loss uh I think those were on the list but I haven’t experienced them have you experienced any cognitive impairment while working on this case holler stood arms out in an imploring gesture your honor really the judge pointed pointed to his empty chair your objection has been overruled she said sit down Mr
Holler holler slowly sat down do you need me to repeat the question mcferson asked no Bosch said I can remember thank you the answer is no I have not experienced any cognitive impairment have you asked a doctor about it or taken a cognitive test in the past 6 months no I have not
Mcferson looked down at a document she had carried with her to the Lecter earlier this year did you report a break-in at your home she asked uh yes I did Bosch said and was this while you were being treated with the isotope litium 177 yes mcferson asked the judge to
Allow her to approach the witness with a document she called States exhibit one first mcferson dropped off off copies to holler and the judge Bosch watched holler read it and noticed alarm come into His Eyes he stood and objected stating the document had not been submitted to him through
Discovery offered as impeachment your honor mcferson said the witness just testified to having no cognitive issues yes I’ll allow it Coello said Bosch braced himself as mcferson came to him with a copy of the document and then returned to the Lecter Mr Bosch is that the police
Report from the alleged break-in at your home on woodro Wilson Drive she asked uh looks like it BOS said that’s my address but I’ve not seen this before well you were a police officer does it look official to you yes then could you read the paragraph in the responding officer’s summary that I
Have highlighted in yellow uh yes it says say upon questioning victim seemed confused and unsure if a break-in had occurred victim is ill and being treated possible dementia walkthrough of residence conducted no evidence of burglary no further followup as required Bosch felt his neck and back
Start to burn he was stunned by what the responding officer had written I wasn’t confused he said because nothing was taken I wasn’t sure there had been a Breakin that’s all and dementia was his word not your honor moved to strike the witness’s last comment as non-responsive mcferson said
So moved Coello said do you have any other questions Miss mcferson no your honor she moved from the Lecter and sat down next to Morris a silence engulfed the courtroom and Bosch noticed that no one was looking at him not even holler it was like everyone was
Embarrassed for him he wanted to shout I have not lost my mind but he knew that would support Maggie mcf’s implication Mr holler the judge finally said redirect holler stood and slowly moved to the lect turn thank you judge Mr Bosch during the course of this investigation how many times have you
Gone out to the state prison in Chino to visit our client l into Sans BOS looked up from the police report that was still in front of him four times he said once with you three times by myself that’s about an hour out correct yes do you use one of
The GPS apps to find your way out there uh no I know where it is so you’ve never gotten lost or taken the freeway too far and gone past your exit no you drive me often while we are working correct yes I don’t think I’ve ever seen
You use a GPS app why is that I don’t use them I know where I’m going thank you I have nothing further part 10 the Grand Master of smoke chapter 40 I asked for the morning break as soon as Bosch was excused from the witness stand the judge gave us 15 minutes Maggie
Mcfierce grabbed her thin leather briefcase and was out of the courtroom and gone before I could get to her it didn’t matter because I was more concerned about Bosch I met him at the railing don’t say anything here I said let’s go out and grab a conference
Room we exited the courtroom the hall was empty no sign of Maggie we walked to an attorney meeting room that was one courtroom down a small space with a table and chairs and four windowless walls I felt claustrophobic as soon as we walked in sit down I said
Harry I don’t know what you’re thinking but Let It Go the cop who wrote that report was full of and so were Maggie and Morris them how did she know about UCLA that could not possibly be Discovery stuff she I’m sorry man that’s on me last time we
Had dinner together with Haley I mentioned that you were working for me and that I’d gotten you into that trial it was before she even took the job with E I can’t believe she used it I’m sorry Harry boss shook his head well how bad
Does it hurt us I don’t know I said I think the Judge could see that you don’t have any kind of problem the whole thing is and what it shows shows is that their so-called Geo fencing expert had to resort to character assassination because she could find nothing wrong
With your direct testimony about Geo fencing that’s not going to be lost on the judge I took out my phone turned it on and waited for it to boot up it’s always been the defense lawyers who pulled the Kill the Messenger sort of not the da not the
AG it was low I said and I’m going to make sure she knows it don’t father it’s over have we heard anything from applied forensics shami’s over there last I heard they’re still working on it I opened up a text to Maggie and started typing now I know why you didn’t invite
Haley to watch us in court that was low mags how could you do that I reread what I had typed and then sent it I checked my watch we needed to get back into the courtroom in 5 minutes okay are you good I asked I’m fine but I
Don’t think my saying I don’t get lost while driving is going to be enough to fix the damage it’s the best I could come up with on the spot but it’s not just about that you testified thoroughly and professionally last week you were in complete Command of the cell tower data
And the judge saw and heard that she won’t make any decision based on what just happened I think we’re fine what I need now is for you to go and find silver and bring him in we’re going to need him to testify if and when we get
The results from Shamy what about Sanger she’s last after we have the DNA and mcisaac no mcisaac I’m not going that route what I thought this whole thing was going to get the judge to all of that’s changed we’ll never get mizak on the stand so we go without him how do
You know she won’t order him to testify because he paid me a visit last night what after dinner when I got home he was sitting on my porch he’s working Undercover on a national security thing and they’re not going to let him near the courthouse they use that National Security crap anytime they
Don’t want to I believed him why because he gave me something something I can use against Sanger what I can’t say at the moment I have to figure a few things out and then I’ll tell you Bosch looked at me as though I just said I didn’t trust
Him look I’ll bring you into the loop as soon as I can I need to get back to court now and you need to find Second Place Silver Bosch nodded okay he got up and turned to the door and I’m sorry Harry I said about what Maggie pulled in there it’s not on
You Mick I’ll let you know when I have silver ready to go in the hall he went one way and I went the other toward the courtroom before I got there Maggie hit me back with a text a lawyer once said that all was fair on The Proven CR of the courtroom
Oh yeah I think that lawyer was you I decided not to respond instead I called Shamy aranan where are we I asked we just got results she said I’m looking at them now I braced myself this was the case and I prompted there was DNA on the swab she said it’s not
Lucinda I suddenly almost involuntarily moved to one of the marble benches lining the hall and sat down the phone pressed against my ear in that moment I felt that we would win that Lucinda Sans would walk free Mickey are you there arcanian said uh yeah I said I’m just this is
Incredible there is a complication what’s that the DNA that’s there comes from two other people one is unknown but we already matched the other because it belongs to a former labtech at applied forensics they always run matching to their own Personnel to guard against contamination what does this mean
Shamy the labtech it matches has not worked here in four years it means that at some point when the evidence was brought here it got mishandled and contaminated with his DNA again we’re talking about touch DNA which at the time they didn’t have a protocol for I closed my eyes Jesus Christ every
Time I think we’ve grabbed the brass ring something goes wrong and we’ve got I’m sorry Mickey but the important thing is that Lucinda’s DNA is not on the GSR pad this proves your theory of the crime are you saying you won’t be able to use this in
Court I don’t know I really don’t know but I need you to get back to the courthouse as soon as you can with whatever reports you have there get the name of the tech from before and whatever documentation there is about the contamination you’ll probably have to explain everything in an evidentiary
Hearing before the judge I’m going to go ask for that now okay Mickey I’ll KB an Uber I disconnected and tried to compose myself channeling the ghost of legal seagull breathe it in this is your moment this is your stage one it own it take
It I got up off the bench and re-entered the courtroom chapter 41 over my objection judge Coello held the evidentiary hearing behind closed doors the Latin term for it was in camera which sounded like the opposite of a private meeting I had opposed it because if the judge ruled against the
Introd uction of the DNA findings I wanted the world to know it and share in my outrage but my argument for an open hearing fell on deaf ears and I found myself sitting next to Hayden Morris in front of Coello at her massive desk in Chambers my client was deemed
Unnecessary to the hearing and was waiting in the Courtside lockup for me to tell her how things shook out before we begin we need to inform Mr moris of what has transpired over the past 5 days Coello said last Wednesday Mr holler came to me and informed me that evidence from the earlier
Adjudicated case had been located he asked for sealed orders that would allow him to pursue the testing of this evidence what was the evidence Morris asked and what tests are we talking about it gets complicated Mr Morris the judge said I’ll let Mr holler explain the
Details she nodded to me and I took up the story yes your honor I said during the initial prosecution of the case 5 years ago defense counsil a lawyer named Frank Silver asked for a split of evidence so he could conduct independent testing there were two gunshot residue
Pads presumably used to swipe Lucinda sans’s hands arms and clothing as you know G Sr was a key piece of the prosecution’s case the court gave him one of the two pads to have independently tested for gunshot residue this was before the plea agreement Morris asked exactly I said
The pad was transferred to applied forensics an independent lab out in vanise that still operates today while that was happening plea negotiations began and as we all know Lucinda Sans took the plea deal she went off to prison after pleading noo and silver never bothered going back to applied
Forensics to retrieve the evidence we learned of this Wednesday checked it out and the evidence was still in storage at the lab largely because silver never paid the lab’s bill you’ve got to be kidding me Morris said shaking his head this sounds like a setup if ever I’ve heard one your honor
Why are we even considering this let Mr holler continue Coello said think what you want I said but I came to the judge Wednesday and asked for orders to have the remaining pad tested for DNA because if the pad was actually swiped over my client’s hands and clothes we would find
Her DNA her touch DNA on the pad I have a forensics expert who backs me up on this the judge then ordered the US Marshals to swab Sands and take her DNA sample to applied forensics I don’t care who backs you up Morris said this is incredibly unusual
And the wrong protocol this should have been handled by either the sheriff’s lab or the State doj’s Crime Lab not some Fly by Night lab in the valley he said it in a tone that suggested all of the San Fernando Valley was a Haven for Fly by Night businesses and
People Mr holler asked me to seal the orders the judge said he wanted the evidence analyzed privately because of his concerns over obstruction from within the government agencies I agreed the orders were sealed until there were results if this goes any further you will have the opportunity to test the
Evidence at the lab of your choice Mr Morris now Mr holler I assume you called for this session because you have results yes your honor I said the lab results are in the GSR pad did contain gunshot residue two unique DNA profiles were also identified and compared to my client’s
Profile there was no match that pad was never swiped over my client’s body and this is proof that she was framed for her ex-husband’s murder it’s proof of nothing Morris said this is incredible the court has been manipulated by this this Grand master of smoke your honor this evidence if you
Want to call it that is clearly not admissible I believe that is a decision for the court to make Mr Morris the judge said and perhaps you would like to explain how the court has been manipulated I’m sure Mr holler has Witnesses and documentation of every
Step of this process over the past 5 days I’m sure his forensics expert whom we have already heard testimony from is standing by to render her expert opinion that a pad wiped over a person’s body and clothing would have to pick up that person’s DNA where is the manipulation of the
Court your honor I’m sorry if I impune the Integrity of the Court Morris said quickly that was not my intention but this story is too far-fetched it’s 11th Hour pyate Technics by Council designed to distract the court from the the evidence of direct culpability that has always been
There if it is 11th Hour pyrotechnics I’m sure the state’s lab will bring it to light Coello said annoyance in her voice there is also a bit of a complication I said Coello turned her annoyance in my direction what complication she said as I said there were two unique d
Profiles found on the GSR pad I said one remains unidentified the other has been identified as a labtech who previously worked at applied forensics Morris threw his hands up in exasperation then the whole thing’s tainted he said it’s inadmissible no question again there is a question and
It’s for the court to decide Coello said I would argue that it’s not tainted I said the evidence was submitted for GSR analysis and was handled by the labtech according to that protocol not DNA protocol not touch DNA protocol 5 years ago there were very few Labs that even had protocols for touch
DNA but that was not the purpose of Frank Silver’s original submission doesn’t matter Morris said it’s tainted it doesn’t come in inadmissible your honor I looked at the judge my argument had been directed toward her not Morris but I didn’t want her to make a ruling
Yet your honor I said I would like to make a motion to the court Morris rolled his eyes here we go he said Mr Morris I’ve grown weary of your sarcasm Coello said what is your motion Mr holler I leaned forward over the edge of her desk shortening the distance between us and
Cutting Morris out of my peripheral vision this was between me and the judge judge if we want the truth if this is truly a search for the truth the court should issue an order to have the unidentified DNA found on the GSR pad compared to DNA swabbed from Sergeant
Sanger no way barked Morris that is not happening and it would prove nothing anyway so what if sanger’s DNA is on it she on record as having collected the evidence it proves the setup I said that she turned over dirty GSR pads that were never wiped over sansa’s hands it’s
Proof of sansa’s innocence and proof that Sanger is guilty as Sin your honor Morris said you can’t I’m going to stop you right there Mr Morris the judge said this is what we’re going to do I’ll take Mr holler’s motion as well as the question of admissibility under
Advisement and will issue my decisions after some research and deliberation I frowned I wanted her to rule on everything right now judges and juries were the same the longer they took to decide the more likely the outcome would be adverse to the defense we’re going to take our lunch
Break now and we’ll reconvene court at 1:00 the judge continued Mr holler have your next witness ready to go then your honor I can’t put my next witness on I said and why is that Coello asked because I won’t know whom to put on until I know your rulings on these
Matters I said they will dictate my next move Coello nodded very well she said letun push the afternoon session until 2:00 and you will have my rulings on these matters then thank you judge I said thank you your honor Morris said you can leave now gentleman the judge
Said I have work to do would you ask Gian to come back here to get my lunch order I won’t have time to leave Chambers yes judge I said Morris and I stood up in unison and I followed him out once in the hall I
Spoke to his back I don’t know how this is going to shake out I said but just so I’m ready for anything have Sergeant Sanger back at the courthouse at 2 not my job man he said she’s your witness and she works for you and takes
Calls from you have her there or I tell the judge I told you I was recalling her and you refused to cooperate you can explain it to her then fine when we got to the door to the courtroom he looked cautiously over his shoulder at me but I made no move to pin
Him against the wall as I had done before and he made no comment comment that spurred me to do so but the moment made me realize something I reached forward and put my hand on the door preventing him from opening it what are you doing he said are you going to attack me
Again you knew didn’t you I said knew what about my ex-wife you brought her in here to stir things up knock me off my game because you knew about us I don’t know what you’re talking about I had no idea you two had been married yes you did you knew who’s The
Grandmaster of smoke now Morris I took my hand off the door and he opened it and went through without another word to me chapter 42 team Sans had a long working lunch at Drago Centro during which I reported on the in camera hearing and we planned the
Endgame of the case which would depend on how the judge ruled if the lab results were admitted the strategy was obvious I’d use silver and arsenian to introduce the timeline and evidence and then I’d bring it all home by calling Sanger back to the stand and confronting her with solid evidence
That the GSR pads she had turned in had not been wiped over Lucinda sans’s hands but if Coello ruled the lab results inad missible I was left with only Sanger and not allowed to back up any sort of confrontational examination agent mcac had given me a tip but it was nothing more than
Innuendo Sanger might be able to bat it away like a fly buzzing around her face if you were betting which way do you think she’ll go Bosch asked at one point first of all I wouldn’t bet I said it’s too close to call it’s going to come
Down to whether she makes the legal call or the moral call what do the law tell her to do what does her gut tell her is the right thing to do Cisco said then you’ll have nothing to go after Sanger with game over maybe not I said I had a visitor to
My house last night agent mcac he was there to let me know that he would never testify in this case and the US attorney was ready to back him on that and even defy a subpoena from a fedal feral judge but he didn’t come empty-handed he told me why Roberto Sans
Had gone to the bureau and volunteered to wear a wire it was about Sanger I gave the Intel that mizak had given me and we spent the rest of the meal brainstorming ways of getting it into court it was clear it would come down to my questioning of Sanger and
Finding the opportunity to confront her easier said than done after our pasta we bundled into the Navigator and Bosch took us back to the courthouse as we came out of the elevator and approached Coo’s courtroom I saw a sergeant Sanger waiting on a bench in the hall she stared
Unflinchingly at me as we passed by as if daring me to challenge her I knew then that one way or the other I would do everything I could to take her down after the judge made her rulings I sat at the petitioner’s table and waited for Lucinda to be brought to the courtroom
And for the judge to follow I didn’t unpack my briefcase I wanted to know which way I was going first I looked up at the angry Eagle composed myself and waited the questions came fast and furious from Lucinda once she was brought from lockup to the table Mickey
What’s going on she asked I didn’t know what was happening and I was waiting so so long in there I’m sorry about that Cindy I said we’re going to get answers very soon we went into the judge’s office and I presented evidence that showed that The Gunshot residue test was
Wrong was a setup actually who set me up somebody in your ex-husband’s unit probably Sanger since she’s the one who did the test on you does that mean she killed Robbie I don’t know that Cindy but put it this way if I need to convince the judge that it
Was somebody other than you I’m going to point at her she’d smacked dab in the middle of this and if it wasn’t her then she knows who it was Lucinda’s face grew dark with anger she had served 5 years for somebody else’s crime and now she might have a
Name and face to focus that anger and blame on I understood her but listen I said there are complications with the evidence we uncovered and we have to see if the judge is going to let it be part of what she considers that’s why everything’s been delayed the judge has been back
There in Chambers working on it okay lucenda said I hope she does the right thing me too I went quiet and thought about how I would react to each of the judge’s possible rulings this led me to a plan I thought might help me Salvage the case should
The ruling not go my way I quickly fired off a series of texts with instructions to Harry Bosch and Shamy Arslanian Bosch was in the hall watching Frank Silver in case he decided to hight tail it before testifying arsenian was out there too waiting to see if she would be called
Back to the witness stand before Bosch responded to confirm that he understood my plan the judge emerged from chambers and I had to turn off the phone Coello got right down to businessall right back on the record with Sans versus the state of California she said continuing the habus hearing
Gentlemen is there any new business to discuss before I make rulings on the Motions before the court I half expected Morris to try to continue the arguments he’d made in Chambers though it was pretty clear the judge was past all that and ready to rule but Morris declined to add anything
To the record and I had nothing to add either I looked at Lucinda and gave her an encouraging smile but she didn’t know how important the next few minutes would be very well the judge said in regard to the Motions brought before the court this morning let’s start with the
State’s contention that the evidence is inadmissible because of contamination and mishandling by the lab that conducted analysis of The Gunshot residue pad submitted by the defense the fact pattern shows that the contamination by a lab tech occurred several years ago when the evidence was submitted under different circumstances and
Protocols the contamination did not occur during the most recent analysis conducted it also should be noted that the text DNA Exemplar was available for compar as it is standard practice in certified DNA labs to check findings for contamination by lab Personnel I could tell that Morris’s contamination argument was not going to
Carry the day the judge was going to shoot it down I began to get the stirrings of Hope and excitement I believe that what is most important here is not whose DNA was found on the evidence but who wasn’t Coello said the petitioner’s DNA was not
Found on the evidence and that is as troubling to the court as it is exculpatory to the petitioner I looked at Lucinda it was clear she could not follow the legal leas threaded through the judge’s words but I gave her a half smile of reassurance so far this was going our
Way something was wrong about this case and the investigation from the very start the judge continued and it is this Court’s hope that a proper investigation of the investigation will follow these proceedings however the court is also troubled by the petitioner’s defense in regard to the original charges against
Her and now I felt it the other shoe was going to drop the judge was not going to allow the evidence into her ultimate decision on the petition the foundation of the habus Corpus motion is to bring forth new evidence that proves the unlawful detention of the petitioner Coello said I’m sorry to
Say this evidence is not new it has been sitting undisturbed in a lab for 5 years and it clearly could have been accessed and tested for the petitioner’s DNA from the very beginning of the prosecution of the case the claim by the petitioner that touch DNA was unavailable at that
Time is not correct there are notable criminal cases involving the use of touch DNA much earlier than this including the Casey Anthony case in Florida and the John Benet Ramsey investigation in Colorado so the court must decide whether this evidence is new or if it was available to be pursued and
Analyzed 5 years ago before the petitioner plea of no low contendre to the crime I couldn’t believe this I lowered my head I could not even turn to look at my client the court finds the latter Coello said this evidence could have possibly should have been pursued by the Defense
5 years ago and is therefore excluded from these proceedings the petitioner may very well be left with a valid claim of ineffective assistance of council regarding the initial pleading of this case but that is not part of this motion and hearing I shot up out of my seat your
Honor those cases you mentioned are outliers I said they were massive investigations that took time and money this science wasn’t used in more ordinary cases the original attorney on this was ineffective yes but not in this regard no one was using it then but someone could have Mr holler Coello said
And that’s the point no you’re not doing this the judge looked at me for a moment stunned by my Outburst excuse me Mr holler she finally said you can’t do this I said I just did Mr holler and you need to it’s wrong I object it is proof of Innocence judge
You can’t just throw it away because it doesn’t fit with the rule of law the judge paused then continued in an even tone Mr holler be careful she warned the ruling has been made if you think it is an error then there are remedies you can pursue but don’t you dare challenge me
Here if you have another witness then call that person to the stand and we will proceed no I won’t I said this is a sham you killed the recreation and now you kill this my client is innocent and at every turn you have disallowed the evidence that proves
It the judge paused for a moment but her anger toward me did not Abate it seemed to boil up into her eyes she stared daggers at me are you quite finished Mr holler no I said I object the evidence is new it’s not 5 years old it was
Determined in a lab this morning how can you claim it’s not new and send this woman the mother of a young boy back to prison for a crime she didn’t commit Mr holler I will give you one chance to sit down and close your mouth Coello said
You are dangerously close to being in contempt of this court I’m sorry your honor but I won’t be muzzled I said I must speak the truth because this court will not you kicked out the crime Recreation and that’s okay I can live with that but the
DNA the DNA proves that my client was set up for this murder how can you sit there and say it’s inadmissible in any other court in this country it would be proof of Mr holler the judge yelled I warned you I find you in contempt of this court marshall take Mr holler into
Custody this is a federal court Mr holler walking back to the court and insulting its rulings might work for you in state court but not here you can’t shut me up I yelled this is wrong and everybody in this place knows it I was pushed forward by Marshall Nate
And bent over the table my arms were roughly pulled behind my back and my wrists cuffed tightly a hand gripped the back of my collar and I was pulled into a standing position the Marshall then turned me and shoved me toward the door to Courtside lockup perhaps a night in jail will
Teach you to respect the court Coello called after me Lucinda Sans is innocent I yelled as I was pushed through the door you know it I know it everybody in the courtroom knows it the last thing I heard before the door was shut was Coello adjourning
Court for the day it was just what i’ hoped would happen part 11 A Chorus of horns chapter 43 Bosch was driving the Navigator arsan and in the passenger seat next to him they were moving in slow traffic on the Northbound 101 freeway do you think she’ll hold him
Overnight Arslanian asked sounds like it Bosch said sounds like he really made her blow a gasket so sort of wish I’d been in the courtroom for it do you think he’ll be in danger in there they’ll likely isolate him the last thing the judge wants is a lawyer
She’s stuck in there to get hurt well will he be kept in the court holding cell all night no they’ll take him to MDC what’s MDC Metropolitan Detention Center it’s the federal jail they don’t keep any overnighters in the courthouse jail everybody is busted back to MD see at the end of the
Day he’s probably on a bus now or the marshals might move him solo because of his VIP status I hope so he’ll be all right I’m sure he factored it all in before he went nuts with the judge when he got accused of murder a few years ago he
Spent 3 months in county and managed to stay safe you heard about that right oh yes I was ready to come out if needed but then you and the others on the team got it done yeah including Maggie mcfierce who tore me up pretty good on the stand
Today you know I considered becoming a lawyer maybe adding a law degree to the others but then I thought nah too many gray areas and shifting loyalties I’ll stick with the science side of things good plan anyway I just can’t believe the judge’s ruling on the science Bosch didn’t
Reply it had been as Hollard had said at lunch the judge chose to go by the book not by what was right no gray area there she’s exiting he said Arslanian looked through the windshield Bosch switched Lanes so he could follow the car they were tailing where do you think she’s going
Arsan and asked no idea BOS said I don’t think she lives this far from The Av Sanger was driving a rivan pickup truck there were so few of these on the road that it was an easy follow allowing Bosch to fall far back and not be
Noticed but as he went down the Ventura Boulevard exit he realized he was going to end up only two cars behind her at the traffic light if Sanger checked her mirrors she might recognize the Navigator and the two people in it it was a two-lane turn the rivan was in the inside Lane
With another pickup truck behind it Bosch stopped behind the second pickup and lowered his sun visor the bed of the truck in front of him had a pip rack and other air conditioning maintenance equipment that worked well as a blind a homeless man stood on the
Shoulder with a sign asking for help in any form when nothing came from the rivan he started walking down the shoulder holding up his hand lettered carboard sign the light stayed red from his Vantage Point Bosch could see the side of the truck in front of him as well as sanger’s
Truck he saw the driver side window of the rivan go down he saw cigarette smoke escape a Sanger extended her hand an arm out the window and threw something onto the shoulder by the homeless man’s backpack and plastic milk crate she just threw something out the
Window he said I think it was a cigarette butt that’ll work right yes Arslanian said definitely do you see it I think so letun get it we’ll probably lose her if we stop it’s okay the cigarette is all we need we go straight to the lab with
It the light turned green and the rivan took off went left across the overpass and down to Ventura Bosch checked his rear view and saw that he now had two cars behind him he hit the emergency blinkers and pulled the Navigator onto the shoulder as far
As he could but there wasn’t enough room for him to get completely out of the traffic lane and still have space to open his door and get out A Chorus of horns followed this move undaunted Bosch put the vehicle in park and got out to find the homeless man
Standing in the thin Channel between the navigator in the concrete retaining wall that lined the exit ramp hey what the the man said you almost hit me sorry about that Bosch said he closed the door and walked to the spot by the milk crate pulling out his phone as he
Approached he crouched at the spot his knees sending stress signals to his brain rain he surveyed the area and saw the cigarette butt on the loose gravel he opened his camera app and took a photo of the cigarette butt in situ as it had been found just in case the evidence
Collection was challenged in any way he put the phone away and pulled a Ziploc bag out of his coat pocket using the bag as a glove he picked up the discarded butt and sealed it inside he got up turned and headed back to the Navigator the homeless man was still
Standing there a puzzled look on his face hey man that cigarette is mine he said this is my spot I own it it’s just a butt Bosch said she smoked it down at the filter doesn’t matter it’s mine you want to buy it how much $10 for a cigarette butt $10 man that’s
The price Bosch reached into his pocket and pulled out his money he had a 20 and a 10 he held the 10 out to the man do you mind stepping back so I can get back in the car Bosch said sure thing boss he grabbed the T and backed away
BOS got in the Navigator and closed the door he handed the zip lock to Arslanian as he checked the rear view to see if it was clear to enter the traffic lane she examined the contents of the bag without opening it this is going to be perfect she said we got lucky about
Time Bosch said I thought we’d be following her all the way to the analou valley and then some then have to look through her trash me too so applied forensics Absolutely I’ll call ahead so they’re ready for us if we get this in now we could have what we need by
Tomorrow the light turned green and Bosch muscled the Navigator into into the traffic lane in front of a car garnering another angry horn rebuke from the driver Bosch held his hand up waved his thanks and drove on as they headed toward van eyes Bosch put things together she broke into my
House he said who did Arslanian asked Sanger when was this like 7 months ago I wasn’t sure till now I smelled cigarette smoke when I came home and found the place open did she take anything no she just wanted me to know it was an intimidation tactic Bosch smiled and shook his head
But it didn’t work cuz I wasn’t sure if I had left the door open and was just losing my mind he said you know like Dementia or something I thought the cigarette smell might have been a side effect from the isotope they were putting in me then I guess it must
Be nice to know there really was a break-in which sounds weird said out loud yeah I guess you’re right Bosch thought about the police report that Maggie mcfierce had used to embarrass him in court and suggest he was losing his mind he now felt Vindicated Part 12 The Proven ground chapter
44 in the morning the marshals moved me back to the federal courthouse on the 7:00 jail bus I then spent the next 2 hours in the main Courthouse jail with other detainees awaiting transfer to specific courtrooms and their holding cells I was wearing Federal Blues I was
Unsure what had happened to my clothes wallet and phone I was eventually moved to the cell off judge Coo’s courtroom Lucinda sanss was already in the cell next to mine we couldn’t see each other but we could hear each other Mickey are you okay she whispered
I’m fine I said how are you feeling Cindy I’m good I can’t believe they made you stay the whole night the judge wanted to make a point Marshall Nate came into the holding area unlocked my cell and handed me a brown paper bag your clothes he
Said get dressed the judge wants to see you I dug through the bag my suit was crumpled into a ball on top of my shoes where’s my phone I said and my wallet and keys locked in my desk Nate said you get it back when the judge tells me to
Give it back You’ve Got 5 minutes get dressed no I’m not getting dressed in this stuff the suits wrinkled if you’re going to take me to see the judge I’ll go like this suit yourself no pun intended good one Nate do I need to put the belly
Chain and cuffs back on or are you going to behave no need he walked me out of the cell and passed lucenda on the way to the courtroom door hang in there lucenda I said I was walked through the courtroom which was dark except for the single
Light over John Brown’s Corral all right to take him back Nate asked shek waiting for him Brown said he gave me and my attire the once over are you sure you don’t want to change into your clothes Brown asked I’m sure I said the Marshall opened the half door
To the Corral and we walked through to the hall that led to the judge’s Chambers Nate knocked on the judge’s door and we heard her call to enter Nate walked me in and sat me down in one of the chairs in front of the desk judge
Coello sat on the other side of it I gave instructions to put you back in your suit Mr holler she said the suits toast I said it’s a Canali Italian silk that’s been bowled up in a paper bag overnight I need my phone so I can get a fresh suit
Delivered we’ll get you your phone Nate please have that ready for Mr holler when we’re through here you can go back to the courtroom now Marshall Nate looked hesitant are you sure I shouldn’t stay judge he asked I’m sure I will be fine Coello said I’ll call when it’s time to
Retrieve Mr holler you can go now Marshall Nate left the room and closed the door behind him the judge looked at me for a long moment assessing me and determining what to say I’m sorry it came to this Mr holler she said but the disrespect you showed
The court yesterday could not be allowed to stand it is my hope that you used the night to reflect on how you handled yourself in my courtroom and that you can assure me it won’t happen again I nodded I reflected on a lot of things judge I said I apologize for my words
And actions I am contrite it won’t happen again I promise you the only thing I had resolved during my overnight in a cold solo cell was never to address Coello as your honor again very well Coello said apology accepted you are released from contempt and perhaps we can get a rush on your
Suit so that we don’t lose the entire morning I will tell all parties to be in court by 11 to proceed thank you I said I’d like to get out of this outfit as soon as possible I just buzzed Jen and Nate will have your property out
There when you put out the word about resuming the hearing can you make sure that Sergeant Sanger is on notice to return to court she’ll most likely be my next witness I will order her return 5 minutes later I was sitting in the courtroom taking my phone out of a
Plastic property bag the first call I made was to Bosch Mick you’re sprung yeah just now what’s happening where are you we’re at applied forensics we brought in a cigarette butt from Sanger and 15 minutes ago shami said they need two more hours okay I can deal with that as soon
As you know something text me you got it I disconnected and then called Lorna Taylor oh my God Mickey are you all right I am now where are you in the courtroom I need you to get me a suit shirt and tie and bring them to me here
Not a problem which suit I think the Hugo Boss the gray with the light Pinstripes a light blue ox and just pick any tie you know where the key is Right same place same place my next words were spoken in a low whisper so Gian and Nate could not
Overhear Lorna listen don’t hurry don’t get here with the suit until at least 12:30 Harry and Shamy need the time got it I raised my voice to its normal pitch and said okay I’ll probably be back in holding so just bring it to the courtroom Marshall his name is Nate got
It I’m leaving now to go to your place thanks I disconnected and got up I presented myself to Marshall Nate and said I’d like to wait in holding so I could visit with my client and then change when my fresh suit arrived I realized as I was taken back into
Holding that I had not eaten anything and should have asked Lorna to bring me a power bar The Emptiness in my stomach was accentuated by the anxiety I was feeling about what was happening at applaud forensics I knew I was taking my last shot with the Gambit I had played over
The last two days it was going to be Do or Die time very soon chapter 45 the hearing on the habius motion did not get back underway until almost 2:00 thanks to Lorna’s delay in bringing my suit the judge wasn’t too happy about the late start but I was pleased because
I now had everything I needed to face Stephanie Sanger one more time on the witness stand Bosch and arsenian had come through arsenian was outside in the hallway and ready to testify and Bosch sat in the first row of the gallery next to the channel 5 courtroom sketch
Artist after judge Coello convened court and told me to proceed I recalled Sergeant Stephanie Sanger to the witness stand the judge reminded her that she was still under oath good to see you again Sergeant Sanger I began I want to start today by asking you about some
Testimony and evidence that came in last week specifically the cell phone data that was examined by my investigator is there a question in there Sanger asked not yet Sergeant Sanger but let’s start with this one on the day Deputy Roberto Sans was murdered on the front lawn of his ex-wife’s house
Were you following him Sanger stared at me with her dagger eyes once more before answering yes I was she said I nodded and jotted down a note on my legal pad no matter what Maggie mcfierce had done to Bosch’s credibility on the stand the data contained irrefutable facts and
Sanger was in no position to deny them but I was still surprised by her straightforward answer to my first question it knocked me off my game because I was expecting to have to ask several questions before I finally got her to admit that she had followed Roberto
Sans my legal pad was covered with follow-up questions that I no longer needed it made me jump to an improvised set of questions I should never have asked you admit that you were following Roberto Sans on the day of his death yes I just did why why were you following
Him because he asked me to there it was with one ill-advised and improvised question we were off in Uncharted Territory and I had no doubt that what would come out would be a concocted story that explained the incontrovertible cell data I knew that if I didn’t bring it out and attempt to
Control it Hayden Morris would do that on his recross I had to handle this right now and then get back to my intended path why did Roberto Sans ask you to follow him I asked because he was meeting with an FBI agent and he was worried that he was being set up Sanger
Said he wanted me to watch in case something went wrong and he needed me to come to the rescue Sanger and the AG were doing exactly what I had been doing throughout the hearing taking the negatives and owning them if it looks bad that you were following the murder victim then
Say the murder victim asked you to there was nobody alive to refute it he would need you to rescue him from an FBI agent I asked not necessarily in that moment Sanger said more like later if someone had to vouch for his story that he had met with the FBI and turned down
Whatever it was the bureau wanted he never told you what the bureau wanted he never got the chance then how do you know he used the meeting to turn down the FBI he told me ahead of time that’s what he planned to do it was a story that didn’t make a lot
Of sense on close inspection but I knew if I waited into the bog any further there might be all manner of hidden traps below the Merc for me to stumble into I had already done enough damage by giving Sanger the chance to explain the cell data I improvised as best I could
In the moment and you never filed a report on this or told the investigators of sans’s murder about it I asked no I didn’t Sanger said Sans gets murdered after a clandestine meeting with an FBI agent and you didn’t think the homicide investigators would want to know that I
Didn’t and why is that I thought it would taint Robby sans’s reputation he was dead his ex-wife had killed him and I didn’t think it had to be brought up once again I had opened an exit for her I had to find my way out of this
Bog all right let’s move on Sergeant Sanger I said please describe for the court the protocol you followed when you conducted The Gunshot residue test on Lucinda Sans on the night of her ex-husband’s murder it’s pretty simple really she said the stubs come in a package of two and let me interrupt you
There can you explain what you mean by stubs were they are round foam discs with a carbon adhesive that pick up The Gunshot residue when wiped over a person’s hands and arms so you opened a package containing two stubs when you tested Lucinda Sans correct did you wear gloves when you did
This yes I did why is that Sergeant Sanger so I would not possibly contaminate the stubs I carry and handle a weapon so my hands could have GSR on them it is standard protocol in the department and all other agencies to wear gloves while conducting a GSR test
On a suspect you were saying that at the time Lucinda sanss was already a suspect no I was talking about General protocol in the case you were specifically referring to miss Sans was not considered a suspect at that time we viewed her as a witness primarily until we gathered all the facts
Why were you so quick to test her for GSR if she was just a witness because first of all gunshot residue sheds from the skin it is best to take a GSR test within 2 hours of a gun incident after 4 hours it is useless because of shedding and second we didn’t
Know what we had out there so we wanted to cover all the bases I conducted the test and it turned out later to be positive I think I already testified to all of this well that’s okay Sergeant Sanger we want to make sure we get it
Right how did you find out that the test was positive the lead investigator called me to tell me and to thank me for running the test so early it was a very solid positive response for GSR he said I asked the judge to strike the second half of sanger’s answer as
Non-responsive to my question but Coello overruled me and told me to move on so you did everything by the book isn’t that correct Sergeant Sanger correct you gloved up conducted the test then sealed the stubs in a lab bag correct no contamination correct and you gave that
Lab bag to Deputy Keith Mitchell to turn over to the homicide investigators yes yes Morris stood up and objected your honor Council has already been over this in his direct examination he said why are we wasting the Court’s time with this I was wondering the same thing Mr
Holler Coello said judge my next questions should pretty much get us into new territory I said very well she said but I’m putting you on a short leash proceed I looked at my legal pad and composed myself and the next question Sergeant Sanger are you familiar with touch DNA
Morris was quickly up on his feet again your honor sidebar he said Coello signaled us forward with her hand come up she said Morris and I went to the bench and the judge leaned forward to hear his objection your honor council is straying into an area of questioning the Court
Ruled inadmissible yesterday Morris said I don’t know if he is trying to set up another outburst followed by a rebuke from the court but he is obviously heading toward the forbidden zone not true judge I said quickly I don’t intend to ask this witness anything about the
Lack of Lucinda sans’s DNA on the GSR pad the Court’s ruling was crystal clear to me yesterday I would think that a knight in jail would keep you far away from what was ruled out yesterday Mr holler Coello said it has Judge I said and you can put
Me back in the cell if if I bring up my client’s DNA or lack thereof very well proceed Coello said carefully objection overruled we went back to our places and I checked my notes again Sergeant Sanger are you familiar with touch DNA I asked I know what it is Sanger said but I’m
Not an expert on it we have a lab for that well you don’t need to be an expert to answer this how is it with the protocol you say you followed in collecting GSR from Lucinda Sans that your own DNA ended up on at least one of
The GSR stubs you allegedly swiped on Lucinda sans’s hands and arms Morris bolted up from his chair as if he had received an electric shock he spread his arms wide your honor Council has done exactly what he just said he would not do he said no I did not I said quickly I
Asked the witness if let me stop you there Coello said I’ll see both of you in Chambers right now everyone else can take a 15-minute break she left the bench in a swirl of black robe Morris and I followed chapter 46 still in a robe the judge looked at
Us from behind her desk sit she commanded Mr holler I find myself losing patience with you once again I can’t believe it’s because you find the accommodations at the Metropolitan Detention Center to your liking no judge I said not at all then I don’t understand what you’re doing she
Said as Mr Morris has already pointed out you are walking dangerously close to fire I Ruled the lab results proferred yesterday inadmissible and here you are ask asking the witness about lab results I nodded in agreement as she said it judge you ruled that the GSR pads could
Have been tested for Lucinda sans’s DNA by the defense at the time of the initial prosecution of this case I said you ruled that it wasn’t new evidence brought to light under the requirements of habius but rather a misstep by the defense attorney back then and therefore inadmissible as I said during the
Sidebar I am not going there then where are you going Coello asked the witness just testified to the protocols she allegedly followed when she tested Lucinda Sans for gunshot residue she gloved up opened the testing package swiped the stubs over Sans and re sealed them in the package I am prepared to
Provide the court with evidence that Sergeant sanger’s DNA is on the stub turned over to the Defense 5 years ago and held secure at applied forensics ever since you did a comparison with her DNA yes judge and where did you get her DNA since this was not a court-ordered
Analysis Sanger is a smoker her DNA was taken from a cigarette butt she discarded yesterday after court my investigator and forensics expert collected it and took it to applied forensics for comparison to the unidentified DNA found on the stub from the sans’s case just so you know this
Analysis did not not require examination of the GSR pad which is evidence and would have required an order from you this was a comparison of DNA from the collected cigarette butt to the unknown DNA profile found during the earlier analysis of the evidence we got the results just before court convened today
It’s sanger’s DNA and I am entitled to ask her how it got there Morris made a groaning sound that he rolled into an objection it’s just as inadmissible as yesterday he said plus it’s impossible to get a DNA analysis done in less than 24 hours
Not if you’re willing to pay I said and if your forensics expert is nationally recognized and overseeing the work Mr holler where do you think you’re going with this the judge asked where we have always been going with this case I said Lucinda Sans was set up for her
Ex-husband’s murder the key piece of evidence in this setup was the GSR found on her hands not only did it indicate that she had fired a gun but it appeared to catch her in a lie and from there the investigators never looked at anybody else it is the petitioner’s theory and
Belief that at some point after Sanger swabbed Sans and before Mitchell handed the evidence to the homicide investigators the pads or stubs were replaced with pads dirty with GSR so judge you want to know where I’m going I’m going right at Sanger I want to know how her DNA ended up on that
Pad coella was silent as she tracked my argument I took the time to pile on before Morris could this is New Evidence judge I said it’s not something the original defense could have come up with because sanger’s name is not even in the police reports now you kick out the
Crime Recreation and the DNA from yesterday but together these things make clear what happened Stephanie Sanger now even admits to seeing Roberto sans’s meeting with an FBI agent but not reporting it to the investigation why because she’s the one who killed Sans and set up his ex-wife to take the
Fall the judge continued to stare at me without really seeing me she was going through the steps checking the logic of my theory Morris had apparently already dismissed it probably because it had come from a defense attorney and he was trained never to agree with one this is fantasy
He said your honor you can’t possibly be considering this as valid it’s smoking mirrors exactly what Mr holler is known for Coello stopped analyzing and looked at me is that what you are known for Mr holler she asked smoking mirror uh I hope it’s for more than that judge
I said she nodded her expression unreadable but then she said the magic words I’d been waiting for I’m going to allow it she said Mr holler you can ask your questions and we’ll see where it goes your honor I have to object Morris said this is pure Mr Morris you already
Objected and I just overruled the the objection Coello said is that not clear to you yes judge he said weakly thank you your honor I said with her ruling she was now redeemed in my eyes the judge stayed behind when we left her Chambers I followed Morris back to the courtroom he
Was silent the whole way walking fast as if to get away from me cat got your tongue Morris I said or is it the weight of knowing you’re on the wrong side of this one he didn’t respond other than to hold up a fist the middle finger
Extended he went through the door to the courtroom and didn’t bother to hold it open for me nice guy I said in the courtroom I saw that the spot where Bosch had been sitting was empty I headed out to the hall hoping to find him and Arslanian before the judge took
The bench and convened the hearing again I found sh on a bench next to the courtroom door but there was no sign of Bosch the judge is going to allow sanger’s DNA I said you will have to testify about the cigarette butt the collection of it and everything else
Mickey that’s great arsenian said I’m ready where’s Harry we may need him if the judge wants to see his photos of the cigarette when Sanger left the courtroom he followed her out he told me he wanted to keep an eye on her in case she made a run for it
Seriously cop instincts I guess I had never doubted Bosch’s cop instincts arsenian answer gave me pause as I thought about how I would continue the case if Sanger was in the Wind part 13 The Man in Black chapter 47 Bosch wanted to get closer so he could hear their conversation but he couldn’t
Risk it he was obviously known to Sanger and he had seen the man in the back row of the courtroom if either saw Bosch they would more than likely shut down what looked like a heated conversation soos watched from afar using a bus stop shelter in front of the courthouse on Spring Street
As a blind Sanger and the man she was talking to were in the designated smoking area on the north side of the courthouse she stood next to a concrete ear that served as a trash can siiz ashtray Sanger was smoking but the man she was talking to was not he appeared
To BOS to be Latino he was short with brown skin jet black hair and a mustache that extended beyond the corners of his mouth their conversation seemed confrontational the man was dressed completely in Black like a priest and leaned slightly towards Sanger as he spoke and Sanger leaned toward him
Shaking her head emphatically as if she disagreed with whatever the man was saying Bosch checked his watch the courtroom break was almost over and he needed at least 5 minutes to go back in through security and take an elevator when he looked back at the smoking section he saw the man lean in
Even closer to Sanger and grabbed the front of her uniform with one hand it happened so quickly that there was almost no struggle from Sanger with his free hand the man pulled sanger’s weapon from her holster pressed the muzzle to her side and fired three quick shots using her body to muffle the
Reports he then pushed her into the n and she toppled over it to the ground a woman passing on the sidewalk screamed and started running away from the courthouse the man with the gun didn’t even look up he stepped around the N extended his arm and fired one more time
Finishing Sanger with a head shot he turned and walked calmly out of the smoking area he crossed the front steps of the courthouse moved quickly out to the sidewalk and headed south on Spring Street he carried the gun down at his side BOS stepped out of the bus shelter
And ran up the steps and into the smoking area Sanger was dead her eyes open and staring blankly at the Sky the final bullet had hit her in the exact center of her forehead blood soaked her uniform in the concrete next to her body Bosch turned the killer was now a block away
On Spring a uniformed Marshall had stepped through the heavy glass doors of the courthouse after hearing the shots and The Pedestrian shout Bosch moved toward him a deputy’s been shot he said that guy walking down spring is the shooter Bosch pointed toward the man in in Black where’s the deputy the Marshall
Asked in the smoking area Bosch said she’s dead the Marshall ran off toward the smoking area as he pulled a radio from a holster on his belt and yelled in the call shots fired Officer Down Northside smoking area repeat shots fired Officer Down Bosch looked down Spring Street the
Killer had passed City Hall and was almost to First Street he was getting away BOS started down Spring Street in Pursuit he pulled his phone and called 911 an operator answered immediately this is 911 what is your emergency there’s been a shooting outside the federal courthouse a man
Killed a sheriff’s deputy with her own gun I’m following him South on Spring Street I’m unarmed okay sir slow down who got shot you said a deputy yes a sheriff’s deputy Sergeant Stephanie Sanger the Federal Marshals are there and I’m following the shooter I need backup to Spring in First Street he’s
Literally walking by the PAB right now the police administration building was on the east side of spring as Bosch followed he saw the killer cross over to the west side of the street and continue walking along the old Los Angeles Times building towards Second Street as he’ crossed the street he had
Glanced back up Spring as if looking for cars but Bosch knew he was checking to see if he was being followed Bosch was more than a block away and did not attract the gunman’s attention I think he’s going to turn west on second he said sir are you law
Enforcement the operator asked retired LAPD then you need to stop and wait for the police officers to arrive they have been dispatched I can’t he’s getting away sir you need I was wrong he didn’t turn on second he’s still on Spring heading South toward third sir listen to
Me you need to stop what you’re doing and Bosch disc connected and put the phone in his pocket he knew he needed to pick up speed if he was going to keep the gunman in sight he got to the corner of spring and second just as the gunman
Reached third and turned the corner out of sight Bosch started to run and crossed to the west side when there was an opening in traffic at third Bosch turned right and saw the gunman halfway up the block to Broadway he had crossed over to the south side of the street Bosch stayed on
The sidewalk on the North side slowed his pace and tried to regulate his breathing Third Street ran slightly uphill and Bosch started huffing the adrenaline flood that had hit his bloodstream when he saw Sanger murdered in broad daylight was starting to EB the gunman crossed Broadway against
The traffic light and turned left on the other side by the time Bosch got to the corner the light had changed and the walk signal was flashing botch crossed and watched as the gunmen ducked into the Grand Central Market Bosch could hear sirens now but they weren’t close his guess was that the
Officers he had asked for had responded to the shooting scene rather than to the location he had given the 911 operator the market was crowded with people buying groceries or in line to order from the many different food stalls Bosch entered and at first did not see the man in Black then he
Appeared on the stairs at the Midway point of the split level Market at the top of the stairs he looked back but did not focus on Bosch in the sea of Shoppers Bosch guessed that he was looking for uniforms not an old man in a suit Bosch noted that the man was no
Longer carrying the gun in his hand but his shirt was now out of his pants that told BOS he had not ditched the gun it was tucked into his pants under his shirt the gunman went through the block-long market emerged on Hill Street and without hesitation waited out
Into traffic and crossed the the road Bosch came out of the market in time to see the man go through the Turn Style at Angel’s flight and climb into the waiting train car Bosch knew he had to hold back he could not get into the train car without exposing himself to
The killer he stayed across the street and watched as the door closed and the car started to move slowly up the tracks toward the Terminus at the top of Bunker Hill Angel’s flight was a funicular that was built as the shortest train route in the world it had twin antique rail cars
That went up and down 150 ft of elevated track they were counterbalanced with one going up while the other came down passing each other at the midpoint of the tracks botch crossed Hill Street as the second car arrived at the lower Turn Style he got on along with a handful of
Other passengers and sat on one of the wooden bench seats he waited anxiously as a train car rumbled up the tracks at the top of the tracks was a plaza surrounded by The Towering glass buildings of the financial district BOS had moved to the upper door
Of the train so it could be the first one off when it reached its Terminus the Angel’s flight ticket booth was there and he had to pay a dollar before he could get through the upper Turn Style he pulled his money out and saw that the smallest Bill he had was a
20 he pushed it through the opening in the Booth’s glass keep the change he said just let me through he went through the Turn Style and once out in the open Plaza did a 360° Sweep with his eyes but did not spot the man in Black Bosch saw an opening between one
Of the towers and the Contemporary Art Museum to his right he headed that way breaking into a trot when he reached Grand Avenue he did another 360 but there was still no sign of the Man in Black he was gone he said he was panting he bent over and put
His hands on his knees so he could catch his breath he was sweating badly you okay sir Bosch looked up it was a woman carrying a bag from the Museum Store yes I’m fine he said just a little winded but thanks she moved on and BOS straightened
Up and scann the streets a final time in both directions once more looking for the man in Black nothing caught his attention no pedestrian no car the gunman could have gone a dozen different ways after getting off Angel’s flight Bosch’s phone buzzed and he saw it was holler calling
Mick Harry where the are you I need you back here something’s going on the clerk got a call and sanger’s dead what she’s dead somebody shot her with her own gun when she was on the smoking patio outside oh oh I followed him but I lost him on Bunker Hill you saw it
Happen from a distance I’ll need to talk to the police and give them what I know absolutely what happens now with the case I have no clue I assume the judge will adjourn for the day this is unbelievable did she kick out the DNA
Again no it’s in she ruled for us but I don’t know what will happen without Sanger Bosch realized that holler would not have been allowed to use his phone in the courtroom where are you he asked the hall outside the courtroom the judge sent me out to find you and Sanger
Who was the shooter I don’t know but he was in the courtroom today back row I saw him a Latino guy yeah I saw him too I don’t remember him from previous days I don’t either I’m heading back but I’ll probably be tied up with the police for
A while got it I’ll go see what the judge wants to do BOS disconnected and walked North on gr turned right on First and headed to the Civic Center he was thankful it was downhill most of the way by the time he got back to the federal courthouse the entire Spring Street side
Of the building was cordoned off with crime scene tape and the area was overrun with officers from the LAPD the sheriff’s department and the US Marshall service Bosch walked up to an LAPD officer standing at the Yellow Tape his name tag said French the courthouse is closed sir
French said I’m a witness Bosch said who do I talk to a witness to what to the deputy getting shot I fed the shooter but lost him the officer suddenly looked alert all right you need to stay here fine officer French took a step back and started talking into His Radio as Bosch
Waited he saw a van from Channel 5 pulled to the curb a woman with perfectly quaffed hair jumped out of the passenger side with a microphone already in her hand part 14 El Capitan chapter 48 late Friday morning I was summoned to judge Coo’s courtroom it had been 3 days
Since she had adjourned the habius hearing in the wake of Stephanie sanger’s murder I had spent most of that time watching and reading news reports on the killing waiting for the media to connect the dots finally there was a story this morning in the Times by their veteran
Crime reporter James quey that delved deeply into sanger’s background and activities and most likely that had prompted the summons from the judge quy reported that Sanger was a member of a sheriff’s click called losos and that investigators of her murder had found connections between her and a Mexican
Cartel that had compromised her and forced her to do its bidding which may have included a series of contract killings of cartel rivals in California the story also detailed the Roberto sans’s case from his murder to his ex-wife’s curent bid to be exonerated the Times report was the
First to reveal that Sanger had been testifying in that habus case just minutes before she was killed outside the courthouse unnamed sources told the newspaper that the working theory of the investigation was that Sanger had been killed to prevent her from testifying further and being pushed to cooperate with
Authorities I had talked to quy off the Record telling him both what I knew as fact and what I believed without naming agent mckisic I reported what mizak had told me at my house earlier in the week that on the day of his murder Roberto Sans had
Informed the FBI agent that Sanger and other deputies in the Cucos were controlled by members of the caloa cartel operating in Los Angeles I also told quy my own working Theory based on the fact that she had followed Roberto Sans and had seen with the FBI that
Sanger had killed him the reporter had taken it from there confirming the facts and fiting out new ones and the story was on the front page above the fold of the print edition and was the lead in the newspapers digital Edition when I got to Coo’s courtroom
Morris was already there waiting he did not acknowledge me he sat Stone silent at the state’s table not even responding when I casually said hello to him and as well as to the Court’s Clerk and the stenographer Millie Gian Brown called the judge in Chambers to say all parties were present
And she told him to send us back to her along with the stenographer we went silently Morris looked like he’d experienced a couple of sleepless nights the judge’s robe was on a hanger on the back of the door to her Chambers she was dressed in black pants and a
White blouse gentlemen thank you for coming she said let Millie get set up and then I’d like to go on the record in the Sands matter should Lucinda be here I asked I don’t think it’s necessary for this meeting Coello said but I did tell the marshals to bring her over from MDC
For the afternoon session that told me that the case wasn’t over yet we sat silently as the stenographer moved into the corner behind the judge’s desk sat on a padded stool already there and poised her fingers over her Steno machine okay on the record again with Sans versus the state of California
Coello said Mr holler where are you with the presentation of your case I’d known she would ask this question and was prepared for it your honor in light of what has transpired and the fact that I can’t continue with Sergeant Sanger as a witness I’m prepared to rest my case and proceeded
With final arguments if finally arguments are even necessary Coello nodded having expected that answer Mr Morris she said the prosecutor seemed to sense that the case was on the line his tone was Defensive from the start the state is ready to proceed your honor Morris said we have
Witnesses including a witness who will testify that lucenda Sans confessed to her that she killed her husband I smiled and shook my head you can’t be serious I said your witness is a little leaky Hayden she’s a convicted killer who concocted this confession from newspaper stories she had her brother pull from
The library downtown and read to her over the phone I could tell that the brother was new information to Morris and that he was realizing that his team had failed to properly vet the witness one day I went on that’s all it took to find the brother I was going to destroy
Your witness on the stand but it doesn’t matter now have you read the paper today Sanger was a killer and she killed Roberto Sans there is no doubt about that and my investigator witnessed her Murder She was arguing with a guy she obviously knew she let him get close
Enough to grab her gun Bosch spent an entire night with the cops the DEA and everybody else looking at mug shots the guy he identified as the shooter is a s Ario for the caloa cartel a Hitman Morris shook his head as if to ward off the truth she pleaded no contest he
Said he’d gone back to his case Mantra Lucinda pleaded no contest to killing her ex-husband innocent people didn’t do that she had no choice I said that’s what this is about she got railroaded she had a bad lawyer and the key piece of evidence against her was manufactured
By Sanger we were in the middle of proving that when Sanger was put down Morris looked at the judge ignoring me judge we are entitled to present our case he said he got to present his now we present ours you’re not entitled to anything Mr Morris Coello said not in my
Courtroom not until I tell you what you are entitled to apologies your honor Morris said I misspoke what I meant was I don’t need to hear it the judge said cutting Morris off I’m prepared to rule on the petition I just wanted to give you gentlemen a
Heads up at 2:00 we will convene in the courtroom and I will announce my decision that will be all for now you may go you can’t do this Morris said the state strenuously objects to the Court’s rendering of a decision before the state has presented its case
Mr Morris if the state disagrees with my ruling it can take the matter up on appeal Coello said but I think your appellate Branch will look at the case closely and decide not to embarrass itself we are adjourned and off the Record now I will see you both in the
Courtroom at 2 in the meantime go have a nice lunch thank you your honor I said I stood up Morris looked paralyzed he seemed unable to get up from his chair Mr Morris are you leaving Coello asked uh yes I’m leaving Morris said he rocked back then forward using the
Momentum to launch himself out of the chair this time I led the way back to the courtroom and when I got to the door I opened it wide for Morris to go through first after you I said you he said I nodded I had seen that coming in the courtroom I checked the
Time and saw that I had a solid 2 hours before the hearing resumed and Coello gave the ruling that I believed would end the case still I didn’t think there was enough time for me to get over to MDC to prep Lucinda before they started procedures to move her to the courthouse
I texted Bosch and told him to pick me up out front I took the elevator down and saw Bosch in the Navigator when I stepped through the heavy Lobby doors I glanced along the front of the building to the designated smoking section on the North side it was still taped off and I
Wondered whether the tape had just been forgotten or if there was still an unseen investigation on the spot where Sanger was killed I opened the front door of the Navigator and jumped in Harry we just climbed elcap I said let let’s go eat where and what’s that mean I told you
About climbing El Cap the judge is going to rule on the habius this afternoon and she’s going to rule for us let’s go over to Nick and stephs and get steak for lunch I always eat steak when I win how are you sure it’s a win the judge told
You this not in so many words but I feel it my courtroom barometer tells me this is over and Lucinda is going to walk depend depends the judge could vacate the conviction and set her free but she could also send the case back to the district attorney’s office and let them
Decide whether or not to take her to trial if that happens she could keep Lucinda incarcerated until the choice is made or until the AG’s office decides if they’re going to appeal we’ll know for sure it too Bosch whistled as he pulled the Navigator away from the curb and all
Because you pulled a needle out of a hay stack I said amazing we make a good team Harry yeah well come on man Don’t Rain on the parade no rain but I’ll wait till it’s official I don’t have a courtroom barometer I got to call Shamy she’ll
Want to be in court for this what about silver Second Place Silver can read about it in the news I’m not doing him any favors he cost lucenda 5 years of her life B nodded in agreement him him I repeated what about her kid
Should we get him to court yes good idea I said I’ll call Muriel at lunch see if they can come down I’ll need her to bring some clothes for Lucinda just in case as Bosch drove to the restaurant I worked my phone texting news about the 2:00 hearing to James quey British shoot
And all the other reporters I knew I wanted everybody there chapter 49 the courtroom was packed by 2:00 in the first two rows of the gallery members of the media were sitting shoulder toh shoulder the Sanger killing and the Mysteries surrounding it was the biggest story going at the
Moment and thanks to the Times article it was clear that the Nexus of the case was courtroom 3 in the US District Courthouse the two rows behind the media contained several members of Lucinda sans’s family including her mother son and brother as well as a variety of Citizen observers defense attorneys and
Prosecutors who knew this courtroom was the place to be in the last row all the way in the back corner sat Maggie mcferson with our daughter Haley I was happy to see my daughter but puzzled by my ex-wife’s decision to be there especially after her efforts against my client’s
Cause there was a palpable sense of momentousness in the air the feeling that something unusual maybe even extraordinary was going to happen ramped up another notch when Lucinda was brought through the door from holding for the first time not in MDC Blues her mother had brought clothes for her and I
Got them to her in holding in time for her to change before the hearing she wore a light blue Mexican house dress with short sleeves and flowers embroidered along the Hem her hair was not in a tight ponytail but down and framing her face a hush fell over the
Gallery as Marshall Nate escorted her to our table and cuffed her to the ring hopefully for the last time you look great I whispered I think it’s going to be a good day your son and mother and other family members are here to see it
Is it okay for me to turn and look she asked of course it is they’re here for you okay she turned and looked back into the gallery and tears immediately came to her eyes she clasped her free hand into a fist and held it to her
Chest I don’t know if I had ever been more moved by something I saw in a courtroom when Lucinda turned to the front to hide her tears from her family I put my arm around her shoulders and leaned in close to whisper you’ve got a
Lot of love behind you I know that they never gave up on me they knew the truth and they’re going to hear it said today I hope so I know so the Silence from the gallery seemed to increase the tension in the room and it doubled when 2:00 came and went
Without the judge emerging from chambers the minutes ticked by like hours finally at 2:25 Marshall Nate gave the order to rise as the judge took the bench Coello carried a thin file and seemed to be all business from the start please be seated she said we are back on the record with
Sans versus the state of California it looks like we have a full house today I want it known that the court will not tolerate any outbursts or demonstrations of any sort from those in the gallery as we proceed this is a court of law and I expect a quorum and respect from all
Those who come through these doors she paused and scanned the gallery as if looking for dissenters I saw her eyes hold for a moment when she reached the area where Maggie mcferson was sitting her Focus then moved on and with no challenges to her Authority Coello
Finally brought her eyes down to me and then over to Morris she asked if there was any new business before she proceeded to issue her ruling on the habius petition moris stood up yes your honor he said the state of California representing the people of California renew our objection
To the Court’s decision to LeapFrog the state’s case in this matter I stood up and was ready to argue the point if needed Leap Frog the judge said an interesting choice of words Mr Morris but as I said earlier in Chambers the state’s remedy here is to appeal the
Rulings of this court then the state asks that this hearing be continued until there is an appell at ruling Morris said not happening Mr Morris Coello said you file your appeal but I am ready and I am going to rule today anything else no your honor Morris said
No your honor I said very well Coello said she opened the file she had brought with her put on a pair of glasses and began to read her decision aloud I looked over at luenda sitting next to me and nodded the RIT of habius Corpus is a fundamental pillar of our justice system
Coello said Chief Justice John Marshall wrote nearly 200 years ago that habius Corpus is the sacred means of allowing for the liberation of those who may be imprisoned without sufficient cause its safeguards are Freedom protects us from the arbitrary and Lawless actions of the state it is my job today to decide if
The state made a lawless action in imprisoning Lucinda Sans for the murder of Roberto Sans the question is Complicated by the fact that the petitioner Miss Sans pleaded no contest to a charge of manslaughter after carefully reviewing the evidence and testimony presented during this hearing and considering what
Happened outside of Court this week the court holds that the petitioner saw the plea agreement she was offered as the only light at the end of a dark tunnel whether she was coerced by her attorney at the time not you Mr holler or concluded on her own that she had no
Choice but to accept a plea agreement does not matter to this court what does matter is the clear Mandate of the Constitution and Bill of Rights that habous relief be granted when the state Court’s determination of a case is an unreasonable application of the law this court finds that the petitioner has
Established that by producing clear and new evidence of the manufacturing of evidence against the petitioner I made a fist and turned and whispered to Lucinda you’re going home what about a trial not when there’s manufactured evidence this is over because I was turned toward Lucinda I didn’t see Mora stand to object your
Honor he said Coello looked up from the document she was reading Mr Morris you know better better than to interrupt me she said you will sit down I know what your objection is and you are overruled sit down now Morris dropped down into the seat like a bag of dirty
Laundry continuing Coello said as I expect no further interruptions she looked down and it took her a moment to find the spot where she had left off the actions of the sheriff’s department particularly those taken by the late sergeant Sanger so damaged the Integrity of the investigation and subsequent prosecution
As to permanently embed it with Reasonable Doubt therefore the ruling of this court is to Grant habous relief to the petitioner the conviction of Lucinda Sans is vacated the judge closed the file and took off her glasses the courtroom remained silent she looked directly at Lucinda Miss Sans you are no longer
Convicted of this crime your freedom and civil rights are restored I can only offer you the apology of this court for the 5 years you have lost God speed to you you are free to go and this court is now adjourned it seemed that it wasn’t until
The judge had gone through the door and left the courtroom that everybody remaining took a breath but then the sound of excited voices exploded in the room Lucinda turned and hugged me throwing her free arm around my neck Mickey I thank you so much she said her tears smearing my freshly dry cleaned
Canali suit I can’t believe this I really can’t while she held me Marshall Nate came to the table and unlocked her wrist he started to remove the cuff can she leave from here I asked or does she have to go through the MDC no the judge set her free man
Marshall Nate said she’s free to go unless she left property behind at the jail and wants to get it lucenda turned from my chest to look up at Marshall Nate no nothing she said and thank you for being kind to me not a problem Marshall Nate said good luck to you he
Turned and walked back to his desk by the holding cells door Lucinda you heard him I said you’re free why don’t you go see your family now she looked over my shoulder at her family waiting in the gallery her son with her mother brother and several cousins to a person they had
Tears running down their faces even those whose clothing couldn’t hide the tattoos affirming their allegiance to White Fence I can just go she asked you can just go I said if you want to talk to the media after you see your son and everybody I’ll tell them they can find
You outside the courthouse where they can set up cameras you think I should yes I think you should tell them what you’ve been through these last 5 and A2 years okay Mickey but first my family I nodded she got up walked through the gate into the gallery and was soon being
Hugged by her son and all her family members at once I took it all in for a long moment and then I heard my name called from the front row it was quy I walked over to the rail And the reporter squeezed together to hear me for those
Of you who need film my client and I will hold a press conference outside the courthouse on the Spring Street side bring your cameras and question s and I’ll see you there I turned to look at the AG’s table and saw that Morris was already gone he had probably slipped out
While Lucinda and I hugged and celebrated our Victory and his loss when I looked at the back of the courtroom I saw my daughter and ex-wife still seated in the last row I walked through the gate went down the center aisle and slipped into the now empty Row in front
Of them congratulations Dad Haley said that was am amazing I call it the resurrection walk I said you don’t get too many of them thanks for coming hey I would have missed it if mom hadn’t called me she said I looked at Maggie Unsure how to proceed luckily she took the lead
Congratulations she said I obviously was on the wrong side of this one please apologize to Harry for me well heun’s around here somewhere I said maybe you could say that to his face apologize for what Haley asked I’ll tell you in the car Maggie said I nodded that
That was okay with me now what Maggie asked are you going to sue the county for Millions if my client wants me to I’ll have to talk to her come on you know you’re going to sue and you’re going to win there was an edge to her voice she
Still had to B on me even though I had won the day I let it go Maggie didn’t have the same hold over me she’d once had I had reached the point where her disappointments in me no longer mattered we’ll see I said it helps when the other side has manufactured
Evidence Haley pointed behind me and I turned to see Gian Brown standing at the railing the judge would like to see you in Chambers he said right now I asked he he nodded and I realized it had been a dumb question I’ll be right there I
Turned back to my daughter can you come out tonight and celebrate with me I asked sure she said where you going to go I don’t know dantana musos MOA you pick no you pick just text me where and when I looked at Maggy you can come too
You know I said I think you should celebrate with your daughter she said have a great time you earned it I nodded well I guess I should go see what the judge wants I said don’t keep her waiting Maggie said I walked down the road to the center aisle and got there
Just as BOS came through the door from the hall were you here I asked we won Lucinda is free I saw I was standing in the back where’s Shamy did she see it she was here but she went back to the hotel she’s going to try to get her red
Eyee back to New York tonight I’ll take her to the airport a sudden involuntary need took over and I reached out and hugged him he stiffened but didn’t pull away we did it Harry I said we did it you did it no it takes a team I said and an innocent
Client we awkwardly disengaged and both looked at Cinda still surrounded by Family her once mancl hand grasping her son’s that’s a beautiful thing it is I said we watched silently for a moment and then I saw Gian standing and staring at me from his Corral I nodded to him I
Was coming I got to go see the judge but two things Harry I said as soon as I’m finished with her we’re going to have a press conference outside on the the Spring Street side I know it’s not your thing but I would like you there if you
Want to be there and the second dinner tonight to celebrate Haley’s coming bring Maddie if you want that’s something I’m up for I’ll check with Maddie where when I’ll text you I started walking toward the railing H to see you downstairs I said you deserve to
Be there call Shamy and see if she’ll come back for the press conference and for dinner we’ll get her to the airport afterward I’ll call her I left him there went through the gate and crossed the proven ground to go see the judge the door to her Chambers was open
But I reached in and knocked anyway she was behind the desk no longer wearing the black robe come in Mr holler she said have a seat I did as she instructed she was riding on a Le legal pad and I said nothing to interrupt she finally
Put her pen into the holder of an ornate desk set with her name engraved on a brass plaque and looked up at me congratulations she said I believe the petitioner in this case had a formidable Advocate at her side I smiled thank you your honor I said and thank you for
Cutting through all the distractions and smoke screens to get to an incisive and just ruling you know I rarely Venture into federal court because well it’s kind of David versus a bunch of goliaths most of the time but after this ex I know what you did Mr holler she said I
Paused her tone had grown too serious for a POS hearing meeting between a judge and attorney what I did your honor I tried I took the long lunch to review everything that was presented before before I made my determination she said that included my prior rulings and actions and I
Realized what youd done in my courtroom I shook my head well judge I said I think you’re going to have to share it with me because I don’t really you intentionally drew me into holding you in contempt Coello said judge I don’t know what you needed time to
Conduct your DNA test before continuing the case don’t sit there and deny it I looked down at my hands and spoke without looking at her uh judge I think I’m going to have to take the fifth on that she said nothing I looked back up
At her I should file a complaint with a California bar for conduct Unbecoming an attorney she said but that could significantly damage both your record and your reputation as I said you are a formidable Advocate and we need more of them in the justice system I started to
Breathe easier she wanted to scare me not destroy me but your actions cannot go by without any consequences she continued I’m holding you in contempt Mr holler again I hope you have a toothbrush in your briefcase you’re going to spend another night at MDC she picked up the desk phone and
Pushed one number I knew Gian was on the other end of that call please send Marshall Nate back she said she hung up the phone judge isn’t there a fine I could pay I said a donation to The Court’s favored charity or no there’s not she said Marshall Nate entered the
Room Nate please take Mr holler to holding Coello said he’ll be spending the night at MDC Nate looked puzzled and didn’t move he’s being held in contempt the judge explained Nate moved forward and grabbed me by the arm let’s go he said chapter 50 it was a long night marked by a
Fellow inmates incessant howling there was no Rhyme or Reason to it just a repeated announcement of mental illness since sleep was not an option I spent the time in the dark of my solo cell sitting on its thin mattress my back to the concrete wall toilet paper stuffed
In my ears thinking about prior moves and next moves in my life and work the Lucinda Sans case felt like some sort of pivot to me as though it might be time to move in a New Direction chasing cases to feed the Machine cbhe Head head lines and pay for Billboards and bus
Benches I could not see it being my final destination I could no longer see it as even valid but a pivot to what my long night of discontent ended an hour before Dawn when my breakfast was delivered an apple and a balone on White Bread sandwich I
Hadn’t eaten since lunch with Bosch the day before and the jail breakfast tasted as good as any anything I’d ever had at dupar or the Four Seasons the cell had a 3-in wide escape prooof window soon after Morning Light started to filter in through the glass A
Detention officer opened the door of my cell dropped a bag containing my suit on the floor and told me to get dressed I was being released there were men and women in this place who had been held for weeks or months but my 16 hours of sleep deprivation and isolation were enough
For me this time they changed me something had started with Jorge AOA and reached to Crescendo with lucenda Sans it was a need to change at the release unit I was handed a Ziploc containing my wallet watch and phone I looked at these things and wondered if I needed them
Anymore a few moments later I stepped out through a steel door into the Sun and began my own Resurrection walk this has been a haset audio production of Resurrection walk written by Michael Connelly read by Peter Giles and Titus Welliver with Christine Leen executive producer Michelle mcgonagle produced and directed by
Dennis Koo recorded at Literati audio Studios Resurrection walk is also available in print and as an ebook from Little Brown and Company a division of aett book group for more AED audio Productions visit us at AED audio.com thank you for listening text copyright 2023 by heronimus Inc audio production copyright
2023 AET audio All Rights Reserved AET book group supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright the purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture the duplicating uploading and distribution of this audiobook without permission
Is a theft of the author’s intellectual property if you would like permission to use material from the Audi book other than for review purposes please contact permissions at hbg usa.com thank you for your support of the author’s rights this audiobook is a work of fiction names characters places
And incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead events or locals is entirely Coincidental
3 Comments
What a great audiobook thanks for the upload one of the best of this Harry Bosch series and Lincoln Lawyer
Thank you, another great book and the ending makes one look so much forward to the next story.
Maggie McFierce made a HIPA violation. If Haller started it among family, it wasn't in a public forum.