Page 22 of A Pawn for Malice
The courtroom disrupted into pandemonium, asthe victim’s grieving families broke into tears. Those, who sat inwitness from the beginning of the trial, until the trial’sconclusion, stood and cheered their approval. The Judge’s gavelthundered continuously, as it struck home time and again, demandingsilence.
“Order! Order! There will be order in thiscourtroom,” the Judge howled. “I will clear this courtroom ofeveryone, do you hear me?” The Judge’s countenance was severe,making the courtroom come to some sense of order. He waitedmomentarily, until not a whisper could be heard. “Will thedefendant please rise?”
Sylas’ brother wasn’t as accommodating.Stoically, he sat there, staring ahead like a lifeless figure, hiseyes leering devilishly.
“Don’t play me, Mr. Corbat,” Judge Atkinswarned. “You can either rise under your own power, or by God, I’llhave the officers of this court suspend you from this ceiling.” Thecoldness of his tone and the steely anger reflected in his eyes,was enough to convince anyone of his intention.
Sylas knew his brother’s sentencing would notgo in his favor. He never played his cards right throughout theentire hearing. His brother had belted one of the guards, breakingthe man’s nose, he infuriated the Judge with his foul outbursts,and continuously knocked his lawyer for a loop, until he wasshackled forcibly. Each act of violence, simply added another nailto his coffin. His brother was born mean, with a heart that pumpedice through his veins.
Sylas knew he wasn’t an angel either. But,Christ, he wasn’t mad like Luther. He liked that people stayedclear of him, and knew most times than not, not to provoke him. Heliked it that way.
His brother though, loved conflict, loved toprovoke people into giving him a reason to end their lives. Hehated school. He hated any kind of authority.
Sy, at least, made it past the ninth grade.He never killed no one … beat the shit out of many … but fuck, hisbrother was crazy.
He watched as his brother finally rose.
“Luther Corbat, you have been found guilty bya jury of your peers. It has been the first time in the history ofmy court, that such a decision has been made so quickly andaccepted by me, as a fair one. In any other circumstance, sir, Iwould have deemed such a quick decision as unjust. In only honesty,I cannot. The evidence against you is airtight, and due to youroutright admission of guilt, I have no other recourse, but tosentence you accordingly. Do you have anything to say to the court,Mr. Corbat, before I pass judgement on you.”
Dead silence prevailed over the small room.All whispering and hushed conversations muted. Each person hung onthe words they expected the now convicted killer to speak. They hadno idea what was to come.
Corbat turned ever-so-slightly and sneered atthose sitting behind him. Most gasped and hunkered down lower intheir chairs, cowering under his satanic glare. Spittle ran fromthe corners of lips, as his long, greasy and disheveled locksswayed from his constant nodding, and his eyes glassy reflected hisrancor and void of remorse.
Sylas almost expected horns to start breakingthrough the top of his brother’s crown, as he too, looked on.
The Judge broke in. “Apparently, you havenothing to share, Mr. Corbat.”
Sylas’ brother ignored the judge and turnedto glare at the jury. Even though his hands were shackled behindhim, as were his ankles, the men and women still flinched in theirseats and a few of them gasped in shock.
Luther looked back at the Judge and answeredwith a hiss to his deep, raspy voice.
“Fuck all you sons of bitches. I killed themand won’t grovel to no one. Finish what you got to say, so I canget the fuck out of here!”
The Judge rebuffed his outburst.
“God have mercy on your soul, Luther Corbat.Your evil past has finally caught up with you. Your final act ofviolence sir, will prove the death of you. Under the only remainingportion of this State’s death penalty statute, I sentence you todeath by lethal injection. I only hope the leaders of our Statesuccessfully pass this law soon, so the decent people of this Statewill get some satisfaction in knowing, that justice is carriedout.
In the meantime, sir, you will spend yourdays on death row. You will never again enjoy the sunshine for anyextended length of time, nor will you enjoy the comforts of home,or socializing with decent, honest people. You will serve your termbehind bars at Fishkill State Prison, until that time you’re put todeath. It is my hope, that this sentence, brings some sense ofcomfort to those people you have caused severe harm and sadness tooduring your lifetime.”
With those words spoken, the Judge’s gavelstruck one last time. “This court is dismissed.”
Sylas stood and felt no deep loss for hisbrother. He pitied the bastard for losing his freedom and gettingcaught. He knew his brother would go mad locked up. He hated thathe’d be used as an example for those pricks to make that bill alaw. He hated that their family name would be tied to it as well.People would look at him like he was scum of the earth for hisbrother’s mistake. He turned, after watching his brother being ledout of the courtroom. He heard someone call out the name SenatorGallagher and spun about quickly.
His gaze zeroed in on a well-dressed manstanding to the back of the room. He saw him in the courtroomduring the trial many times and on the news. He was the prickassociated with that death bill, always talking himself up to wipeall killers off the face of the Earth.
Yah, that was the guy, he surmisedquietly.
He watched as the families gathered aroundhim. He hated men like him, who thought they were all else.
He exited the courtroom and was immediatelyapproached by a well-dressed man he never saw before.
The guy extended his hand in greeting, butSylas just looked at it like it was a foreign object.
“What the fuck do you want?”
The guy snickered at him and the urge topunch him in the mouth, was almost too hard to ignore. He lookedaround quickly, noting security and cops in the corridors.
“Your Corbat’s brother, aren’t you?”
