Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen Page B

their arms handcuffed, hooked together in a line by waist chains. They took seats in the jury box, slumping down in the chairs, some looking bored and disinterested, others eagerly scanning the room for familiar faces in the crowded gallery.
    “We will take care of the in-custody arraignments and changes of plea first, and then we’ll move on to other matters.” The referee’s voice was deep and smooth, and he called the first arraignment case on the calendar.
    As the juvenile stood up and the prosecutor began to speak, the man next to Jeremy said, a little more loudly this time, “I want a judge to hear my son’s case, not someone called a referee . What is this, a friggin’ soccer game?”
    Jeremy, not knowing why he even cared, leaned in toward the man and said quietly, “They’re called referees, but they are experienced lawyers. They just haven’t been formally appointed as state judges. He knows the law, and he knows what he’s doing; don’t worry.”
    The man didn’t look convinced, slumping back in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest, but his wife threw Jeremy a grateful look. Jeremy could see the lines of worry and tension on her face, and he followed her gaze to the jury box to see a thin blond boy looking back at her with desperation. His eyes were reddened like he’d been crying, and even from across the room, Jeremy could see his lips trembling as he tried to hold back more tears.
    “Oh, my poor baby.” Jeremy could hear the woman’s broken whisper, and her husband snorted derisively.
    “Yeah, poor ‘baby.’ Such a fucking pansy that he can’t manage to stand up for himself, letting that punk bully him right into jail.”
    “He was just trying to fit in, Joe,” the woman whispered urgently. “He didn’t know what they were going to do, and he was just happy to be invited to go along with those guys. Everyone makes mistakes!”
    “Kid has no thought of his own. He’s a spineless wimp. And now he’s paying the price.”
    The woman started to retort, but suddenly the referee called out, “In the Matter of Craig Justin LeClaire, charged with trespass in the first degree, criminal mischief in the second degree.”
    Jeremy dismissed the people sitting next to him and turned his attention back to the front of the courtroom. Craig LeClaire was the only reason he was here today, so Jeremy could hear him answer to the charges that had been brought against him for what he’d done to Jeremy’s property.
    The public defender stood up from her table. “Liliana Moore for the defendant.”
    “Ms. Moore.” The referee acknowledged the attorney, then nodded at the court security officer, who unlocked Craig’s waist chain and walked him over to the defense table to stand next to his lawyer. Jeremy clenched his teeth as he realized it was the kid the people next to him were talking about. Fucking great , he thought disgustedly. Just my luck, sitting next to the parents of this little asshole.
    “Proceed,” the referee intoned.
    “Your Honor, Mr. LeClaire wishes to enter a plea of guilty to the charge of trespass.”
    “Is that true, Mr. LeClaire?”
    Craig shuffled his feet and nodded his head, blurting out a subdued “yes” when the referee admonished him to make his answers audible.
    “For purposes of the record, the charge of trespass in the first degree was entered on August twenty-fourth, alleging that Craig Justin LeClaire did so trespass onto private property at address 1080 F.S. Road NW, Bend, Oregon. Are these the facts that are in evidence, Ms. Moore?”
    “Yes, Your Honor.”
    “All right. Mr. LeClaire, to the charge of trespass in the first degree, how do you plead?”
    The boy’s voice was inaudible, and the referee admonished him once again to speak up.
    “Guilty!” His voice was shaky but clearly heard, and the woman sitting next to Jeremy gave a muffled sob.
    “Ms. Moore, to the charge of criminal mischief in the second degree, I understand there will be a plea