exposing myself to some legal jeopardy by telling him. Were he to take flight to avoid arrest, I could be subject to an obstruction of justice charge. I’m confident I could beat it, but in the hands of a prosecutor who disliked me, it would be a major annoyance. And the percentage of prosecutors who dislike me hovers right around one hundred.
I still haven’t decided what to do when Steven comes back with the pizza.
I take a bite. “This really is good,” I say.
End of discussion.
I CAN SEE THEM as we approach Steven’s apartment.
There are at least half a dozen men standing and sitting in strategically positioned places within a hundred feet of the entrance to the building. To me they are so obvious that they might as well be singing the Miranda warning a cappella, but Steven has no idea what awaits him.
I only walked back here because my car is parked along the way, but I decide to pass the car by and continue walking. I may not have prepared Steven for what is about to happen to him, but I’m not about to abandon him when it does.
As we approach I see the men pretending to be carefree and moving aimlessly, but actually executing a pincer movement. Suddenly they close in, and their actions are so swift and stunning that they take me by surprise—and I knew exactly what was going to happen.
One of the officers grabs Steven and turns him toward the building, while another moves me away so that I can’t physically intervene. Obviously, being New York cops, they don’t know me, so they are unaware that I am not a physical intervener. But I’m a hell of a verbal intervener.
Steven is stunned and is muttering something unintelligible as the officer tells him that he is under arrest, and then quickly recites his rights to him. The officer concludes with, “Do you understand what I have just told you?”
Steven does not answer; it’s possible he isn’t even aware that the man is speaking.
“Do you understand what I have just told you?” the officer repeats.
Finally Steven nods and says, “Yes… yes.”
“Do you wish to speak with me now?” the officer asks.
This time Steven doesn’t speak; he just turns to me. The look on his face is a desperate plea for help.
“No, he does not wish to speak to you now,” I say.
“Who are you?” the officer asks, looking at me for the first time.
“I’m his attorney.”
“Well, isn’t that a happy coincidence.”
Steven is taken to the Manhattan County jail, where he is booked and fingerprinted. Before they leave, I instruct him not to talk to anyone at all, and I assure him that I will meet him down there.
I do so, and while I am there I formally agree to waive extradition so that he can be transferred to New Jersey. Lieutenant Dennis Simmons of the New Jersey State Police expresses his appreciation for my cooperation, though we both know I had no choice. Refusing permission would have only delayed the process by a day or so, while Steven would have been sitting in a jail either way.
By eight o’clock in the evening, Steven has been rebooked and is probably not very comfortably settled in the Passaic County jail. I know from having other clients recount their experiences what he is going through; the fear is palpable, and unfortunately warranted.
I won’t be able to see him until the morning, so I go home and call Kevin. I bring him up to date on the day’s events, and assure him that for the moment we have a client who is not another canine.
“Andy, you and I both know that it doesn’t matter whether he is guilty or innocent; he’s entitled to the best defense he can get. And he’ll get it no matter who represents him.”
That is such an obvious statement that I have no idea why Kevin felt the need to voice it. “I know that, Kevin.”
“Do you also realize that if he’s guilty, then he left the house that day thinking you were going to go inside and get blown apart? Along with his stepmother and the dog?”
Amazingly, that hadn’t occurred to me. “I hadn’t thought about that until you just said it.”
“Do you still want him as a client?”
“You know what? I’m not sure.”
“Think about it, Andy. Because if they really wanted to, they could charge him with attempted murder of his own attorney.”
I call Laurie to discuss it with her, but she’s not at