"You are before me on charges of first-degree rape, assault with intent to rape, battery, and sodomy." Her round face was impassive as she detailed the horrible crimes he was accused of. She went on to give him a trial date three weeks ahead, and he remembered that every suspect must be given a trial date not more than thirty days away.
"On the rape charge you face life imprisonment. On the assault with intent to rape, two to fifteen years. Both these are felonies." Steve knew what a felony was, but he wondered if Porky Butcher did.
The rapist had also set fire to the gymnasium, he recalled. Why was there no charge of arson? Perhaps because the police had no evidence directly linking him to the fire.
She handed him two sheets of paper. One stated that he had been notified of his right to be represented, the second told him how to contact a public defender. He had to sign copies of both.
She asked him a series of rapid-fire questions and keyed the answers into her computer: "State your full name. Where do you live? And your phone number. How long have you lived there? Where did you live prior to that?"
Steve began to feel more hopeful as he told the commissioner that he lived with his parents, he was in his second year at law school, and he had no adult criminal record. She asked if he had a drug or alcohol habit and he was able to say no. He wondered if he would get the chance to make some kind of statement appealing for bail, but she spoke fast and appeared to have a script she had to follow.
"For the charge of sodomy I find lack of probable cause," she said. She turned from her computer screen and looked at him. "This does not mean that you did not commit the offense, but that there is not enough information here, in the detective's statement of probable cause, for me to affirm the charge."
Steve wondered why the detectives had put that charge in. Perhaps they hoped he would deny it indignantly and give himself away, saying, "That's disgusting, I fucked her, but I didn't sodomize her, what do you think I am?"
The commissioner went on: "But you must still stand trial for the charge."
Steve was confused. What was the point of her finding if he still had to stand trial? And if he, a second-year law student, found all this hard to follow, what was it like for the average person?
The commissioner said: "Do you have any questions?"
Steve took a deep breath. "I want to apply for bail," he began. "I'm innocent - "
She interrupted him. "Mr. Logan, you are before me on felony charges, which fall under rule 638B of the court. Which means that I, as a commissioner, cannot make a bail decision upon you. Only a judge can."
It was like a punch in the face. Steve was so disappointed he felt ill. He stared at her unbelievingly. "Then what's the point of this whole farce?" he said angrily.
"At this time you are being held at a no-bail status."
He raised his voice. "So why have you asked me all these questions and raised my hopes? I thought I could get out of this place!"
She was unmoved. "The information you've given me about your address and so on will be checked by a pretrial investigator who will report to the court," she said calmly. "You go for bail review tomorrow and the judge will make the bail decision."
"I'm being kept in a cell with him!" Steve said, pointing at the sleeping Porky.
"The cells are not part of my responsibility - "
"The guy is a murderer! The only reason he hasn't killed me yet is that he can't stay awake! Now I'm formally complaining to you, as a court official, that I'm being mentally tortured and my life is in danger."
"When the cells are full you have to share - "
"The cells aren't full, look out your door and you can see. Most of them are empty. They put me in with him so he would beat me up. And if he does I'm taking action against you, personally, Commissioner Williams, for letting it happen."
She softened a little. "I'll look into it. Now I'm handing you some papers." She gave him the charge summary, the probable cause statement, and several other papers. "Please sign each one and take a