Eventide - Kent Haruf [54]
She stared across the table at him. She took up a pen and began tapping it on the table. Listen. Mr. Raines.
Yes ma’am, he said. You got my entire attention. He grinned at her and leaned forward.
You know what, she said, I don’t think I do. Because you need to stop playing these stupid games. I don’t need this from you. I’ve got seven other cases to deal with this morning besides yours. You keep this up and we don’t get this resolved today, I’ll see you next month and you can go back downstairs and sit in jail till then. Now do you think you heard that?
Hell. He sat up straight and pulled down the cuffs of his coveralls onto his thin wrists. Take it easy, will you? You’re all strung up here. I never meant nothing. You’re just a good-looking woman, that’s all I’m saying. I haven’t even seen a woman for a month.
That’s only one of your problems, isn’t it.
Yeah, he said. But not for long. Soon as I get out of here I’ll take care of it.
She studied the expression on his face. She thought of saying something to him but then just shook her head. All right, she said. I’ve already spoken to the district attorney and I’ve negotiated the option of two plea agreements on your behalf.
What am I pleaing to?
What do you plead?
Yeah. What do I plead.
You plead guilty to a charge of misdemeanor child abuse. As stated in the police report. With the stipulation that there would be no additional jail time. You agree to have no more contact with the two children and to stay away from their parents’ house. Do you accept all of these conditions?
You think I want to go back to that place after all the trouble they got me into?
That’s not what I asked you.
All right, yes, I accept them. Yes, I’m not going back there again and I won’t contact those kids no more. Does that suit you? What else have you got to say?
Before you’re released the judge will set a period of probation.
How long is that going to be?
A year, maybe two. That’s one possibility. The positive for you in this option is that you’ll be getting out of jail today. The negative is that if you violate your probation you’ll potentially receive a flat jail sentence because of it. Do you understand what I’ve said so far?
Yeah. What else?
Then there’s the other possibility. The charge could be reduced to attempt to commit child abuse. If you accept this option you leave the sentencing to the judge. The positive here for you is that if you violate your probation you’d probably have less jail time in the future. The negative is that you might not get out of jail today. Depending on what sentence the judge hands down.
She stopped and looked at him.
What? he said.
You understand what I’ve just told you.
It’s not that difficult. I got it.
Which option do you want me to negotiate?
I already said what I want. I want out of jail today.
Then you enter a plea of guilty. And you sign this form I’ll give you.
I have to sign something?
You need to commit yourself before we go into court.
She removed two sheets of paper from his file and turned the top sheet so they could both see it, then leaned over and began to read each section aloud, looking up at him frequently as she went through them. The Advisement Per Colorado Rule of Criminal Procedure, Rules Five and Eleven, Plea of Guilty stated his rights and the terms he would agree to in waiving his right to a trial, made sure that he understood the elements of the offense, that he was entering a guilty plea voluntarily, and that he wasn’t under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Those are the terms, she said. If you understand the terms and agree to them, you sign it.
What’s that other paper you’ve got there?
Standard Conditions.
What’s that?
It’s a list of conditions you’ll be expected to adhere to while you’re on probation.
Like what?
She read through these aloud too. Sixteen conditions saying he would not violate any law or harass any prosecution witness, that he’d maintain a permanent residence, that he wouldn’t leave the state of Colorado without permission, that he’d get a job or at least try to get one, that he