Chapter 7 - Breaking the Defense
Three weeks later, the preliminary hearing convened before Judge Robert Campbell at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse.
Vanessa appeared in bright orange jail scrubs, her wrists and ankles shackled. Without her designer silk dresses, salon blowouts, and diamond jewelry, she looked hollow, gaunt, and pathetic.
Her court-appointed public defender attempted to argue for reduced bail, claiming Vanessa suffered from "acute stress-induced dissociation."
Judge Campbell leaned forward over his bench, his face thunderous.
"Counselor, I have reviewed the video retrieved from the victim's toy," Judge Campbell stated, his voice echoing across the packed courtroom. "Your client placed a terrified five-year-old child in an iron dog cage, fed him animal feed, destroyed his deceased mother's final voice recording, and conspired to commit him to an asylum for money. That is not dissociation. That is cold-blooded, predatory depravity."
Judge Campbell struck his gavel with a resounding crack.
"Bail is denied in its entirety. The defendant is remanded to state custody without bond pending trial."
As the bailiffs escorted Vanessa toward the holding cells, she caught my eye in the front row of the gallery.
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"Adrian!" she cried out, tears streaming down her hollow cheeks. "Please! I loved you! Don't let them lock me away!"
I didn't answer. I didn't even blink. I simply turned my back on her, walked out of the courtroom, and went home to my boy.
