Michelle Bauer, seated at her desk, agreed. Yeah Kenny, you’re right but Dunham’s not going to let the Integrity Bureau handle that case. Mark my words, homicide gets it. And even if he did let our bureau handle it, whoever he assigned it to would have a lot more experience than either of us do.”
Bando hung up the phone, confused as to the nature of the conversation. She then looked at the front page of the newspaper that Machado had been reading. The photo on the front page was graphic but she hadn’t heard what happened. “What are you guys talking about?”
Machado was quick to respond. “You didn’t hear what happened last night?” He gave her a perplexed look. “It’s been all over the news this morning.”
She shook her head. “No. What happened?”
Machado was eager to explain. “A detective beat a guy to death last night. There were half a dozen witnesses who said the attack was brutal and unprovoked.”
Bando immediately had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Where did it happen?” She felt her voice slightly shaking.
“In a South Jamaica housing project in the 113th precinct.”
In her heart, she knew the answer but had to ask the question anyway to be certain. “What are the names of the detectives involved?”
“According to the article, there was only one guy involved; says his name is Thomas Galvin.”
Although she had expected the answer, she let out an uncontrolled gasp. “Oh my God!” She felt her hands begin to shake and knew that she needed to take control of her emotions.
“Do you know him?” Bauer asked.
Bando quickly recalled their agreement to keep the relationship a secret and did her best to remain stoic. The anger she was feeling towards Tommy only minutes earlier had given way to guilt. She become conscious of the fact that he would need her support…and help if at all possible. “Yeah, I actually have a case going on with him right now; he seems like a great guy.”
She grabbed the newspaper from the desk and began to read the article.
Machado offered an unflattering smile. “I had a few cases with him when I was still assigned to the Grand Jury. He really did seem like a good guy but that wouldn’t stop you from prosecuting him, would it Laurie?”
Bauer responded instead. “Hell no! This is the type of case that careers are built on,” she added.
“Exactly my point”, said Machado as he walked out of the office to pick up breakfast. “I wish Dunham would assign me the case.” Machado took his pale yellow, necktie wrapping it around his neck, making a makeshift noose. “I’d hang the cop—nice guy or not.”
Bando felt light headed and couldn’t wait to get back to her office. She took the newspaper with her. She never even heard Machado once again ask for her opinion on the case. She closed the door behind her; her back falling against it. She clutched the newspaper in both hands. She made the way to her desk and let out an audible sigh. She sat quietly at her desk, reading the article—her heart pounding as she did. She was in total disbelief. She deliberated as to what her best move to help Tommy would be. She closed the newspaper and called the computer room.
“Hi Marie, it’s Laurie. I need you to do me a really big favor.”
*
With over eighty thousand new cases flooding the system each year, being the highest ranking law enforcement official in Queens County is a difficult job. Walter Dunham, however, makes it look easy. His salt and pepper hair and neatly groomed mustache lends a touch of charisma to his intimidating six foot plus frame. Being a gifted orator and an even more talented barrister, Dunham was the perfect man for the job.
He takes his job very seriously but enjoys it thoroughly at the same time. While some shy away from making the tough decision, Dunham embraces them. He also enjoyed the public eye and could often be found holding a press conference on any and all high profile cases. There were no regrets on his part having stepped down from the bench years ago to take the position.
It was shortly after eleven a.m. when the phone in his office rang. Dunham expected it to be his wife to confirm their noon lunch plans; he was surprised to hear his secretary’s voice in her place. He looked down at his Movado wrist watch before responding. “Okay, show her in.”
Dunham, always wanting to appear professional, stood up putting his tailor made navy blue suit jacket on over his light blue shirt. He adjusted the lilac and blue striped Calvin Klein neckwear and waited by the door. I hope there are no surprises with the Groff case.
Laurie Bando, escorted by Dunham’s secretary, entered the office. “Come in Laurie, so nice to see you. Have a seat.”
Dunham escorted her to his desk as the secretary closed the door behind her on the way out. Dunham pulled out the maroon colored leather chair for her.
“Thank you Mr. Dunham,” she said as she sat.
Dunham considered Laurie Bando to be a rising star in the Queens District Attorney’s office and would try to help her as much as he could, especially if it had to do with the highly publicized Groff case. “Now what can I do for you Laurie?”
She drew a deep breath—the nervousness once again attacking her stomach. “I wanted to ask you about a case.”
I knew it. Dunham began to stroke his mustache; a nervous habit. He asked in a soothing and reassuring manner, “Is there a problem with the Groff case, Laurie?”
“No. No that’s going as well as can be expected, sir.”
Dunham sensed that Bando was getting flustered and he began to feel confused. His eyes narrowed and his head cocked slightly to the left. “If not Groff, than which case is bothering you?”
She began to explain. “Mr. Dunham, have you read the newspapers this morning about the cop who killed the man in the South Jamaica houses?
Of course she knows that I’m aware of the case. Where is this going?
He nodded his head at her in confirmation. “Now Laurie, why would you want to be involved with that case? You’re already on a career case. Don’t forget the promise that I made to you; it was not an idle promise—you win that case and you will be the new Bureau Chief of the Integrity Bureau. You need to concentrate on winning that conviction and nothing else.”
*
Laurie felt flustered. She forced a smile. “Of course I remember the promise, sir. I thank you for your confidence and the opportunity…it’s just that I’ve heard some of the younger assistants talking about the case and…”
“Now you don’t worry about that,” interrupted the District Attorney. “I am assigning that case to Allison Summerfield in the Homicide Bureau; the Integrity Bureau will have to take a back seat on that one,” he explained. “Allison is a great assistant and has much more experience at handling cases like that than anyone else in the office. She has had great success prosecuting similar cases in the past.”
“That’s just it, Mr. Dunham. Galvin shouldn’t be prosecuted.”
Dunham crinkled his eyebrows at her. He seemed to be caught off guard by her comments. “Well that is up to a Grand Jury to decide, now isn’t it?” he retorted.
Bando could feel the anxiety building up. She had started to make her pitch but now she had to close the deal—for herself, as much as Tommy. She handed Dunham a pile of papers which had been recently printed out. “Take a look, Mr. Dunham. I took the liberty of running the sheets of both the victim as well as the eye witnesses. They are all career criminals. The so called witnesses would love nothing more than to take part in getting a hard working cop in trouble.”
Dunham examined the documents presented to him of the arrest and conviction records of the victim and witnesses. He looked suspiciously at her. “Okay, so what is your concern over this case; why the personal interest?”
She could feel her heart race just a bit faster. “I don’t want to see an innocent man indicted and have his life placed in the hands of a jury,” she explained, hoping Dunham would be satisfied with her answer.
She could sense his skepticism. “Is that the real reason Laurie?”
&
nbsp; She looked deeply into her bosses eyes. He was a fair and honest man, she knew that. Maybe I should tell him the truth. She could feel her face begin to go flush. Is it possible my relationship with Tommy is not the secret that I think it is? She decided that was not possible. They’d been too careful to have been found out. She took a steady breath, building her confidence back up.
“Yes, Mr. Dunham. That’s the real reason…the only reason. I’ve had a couple of cases with this officer in the past and he seems like a hard working, honest cop. I’d hate to see him railroaded to further someone’s career.”
She could see his eyes soften and knew that now was just the right moment to close the deal. “In the interest of fairness and justice, I’d like to be the one to present this case to the Grand Jury.” Her confidence continued to increase. “If the Grand Jury indicts him, then so be it—as long as the case was presented in a fair and unbiased manner. But I have to be totally honest with you (the irony) I don’t think that he is guilty by any stretch of the imagination.
*
Dunham carefully listened to the argument. His decision, as it should be, would be based on the interest of justice just as she had argued. Dunham, who had already been fond of Laurie Bando, now found a deep admiration for her as well. He felt many of the attorneys in his office would love the opportunity to take on such a high profile case and make a name for themselves. Bando clearly did not want that. She actually went out of her way to request to handle the case so the truth could be brought to light…regardless of what the truth was. He had come to his decision.
“Okay, Laurie. I’ll make a deal with you.”
Laurie felt elated, regardless of the caveat. “Anything, Mr. Dunham.”
“You have to promise me that you will not let this case interfere with the Groff case.”
“I promise it won’t. Thank you.” She extended her hand.
He gently accepted and shook on the deal but had to add a warning. “I’m serious though Laurie, if I see this case interfering with the other case I will take it away from you for your own good. I’d hate to see you waste an opportunity for promotion on a case someone else could be handling.”
“I understand Mr. Dunham. Thank you so much.”
Dunham glanced back at his watch; noting it was now a quarter of twelve. He stood up from behind his desk and Laurie Bando stood as well. “You’re welcome, Laurie. And speaking of bosses, I’m supposed to meet my wife for lunch in fifteen minutes so you will have to excuse me.”
Laurie laughed at the joke as she left Dunham’s office. She couldn’t believe that she had pulled it off. The only downside for her was that she would now have to consent to the July 15th trial date that Joseph Schilling had been pushing for. She needed time to investigate the witnesses against Tommy and she knew that she couldn’t investigate the witnesses and properly prepare for the trial of her career without a postponement. Choices had to be made and priorities had to be clearly defined. Tommy was the top priority. She couldn’t wait to call him with the good news.
###########################
Chapter 11
Tommy Galvin had testified in front of a Queens Grand Jury hundreds of times during his career as a Police Officer—today however would be different—much different. In the past, Galvin had always testified as the arresting officer or another type of witness for the prosecution. Today, he was in the position that all police officers fear; he was the subject of the Grand Jury investigation.
It is sometimes said that police officers have to toe the line between law and lawlessness—once they take the oath of office they have one foot in a jail cell and have to go twenty years making sure the other foot doesn’t join it. There is no other job in the world where one minute you are on the side of the law and the next you are facing the possibility of jail. Cops deal with the use of deadly physical force and the rights of citizens on a daily basis. If they make a wrong decision—even if their intentions were good, they may have committed a crime.
The Grand Jury had heard almost a week’s worth of evidence up to this point; mostly forensic and crime scene testimony. Galvin was at the courthouse each and every day, anxiously awaiting his turn to testify and tell his version of events from that fateful night almost two months earlier. Although he knew that he had not done anything wrong, he also knew that his future would be in the hands of the twenty-three strangers who made up the grand jury.
Galvin had all the faith in the world in Laurie; he had to. He still couldn’t believe that she had convinced Walter Dunham to allow her to present the case to the grand Jury—especially with the case against Peter Groff set to begin in a few weeks. He thought of Laurie and how supportive she had been throughout the entire ordeal. She had assured him that there would not be an indictment handed down against him, but until he heard the words No True Bill, he could not rest easy. He had argued with her how the negative press would sway the jury against him. She argued back that all of the press was not negative. He reminded himself to call Brian McGregor when this was finally behind him and thank him for the support in a series of recent articles.
Galvin sat on the wooden bench outside the jury room. He couldn’t help but to think what would happen to him if he was indicted and God forbid convicted. It was possible for Laurie to be wrong. He looked up at the old fashioned clock hanging on the off-white walls. It was just before eight a.m. The Grand Jury convened earlier than usual today to hear his case. Galvin hoped that the jurors would not be upset with him for having to have gotten up so early this morning.
Today was the make or break day for the case. Not only was Galvin set to testify but so were the rest of the eyewitnesses as well as the medical experts. If all went according to plan, the jury would vote the case today.
Laurie Bando arrived at the Grand Jury building a few minutes after Galvin. She wore a red blouse and a tan knee length skirt. She looked very nice today, he thought. Bando looked around once she entered the waiting area. There was nobody else there. She took Galvin by the hand and led him into an office behind the benches.
“Listen Tommy, the other witnesses are going to be here any minute. I don’t want them to say that you threatened them or anything crazy like that. Stay here until I come and get you. If they don’t see you, then they can’t make any absurd accusations.”
She looked him in the eyes, seemingly empathizing with his worries. She forced a smile as she adjusted his burnt orange tie and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. “You look very handsome. Did you wear the tan suit today because you know that it’s my favorite?”
“Laurie, I’m scared. What if they…”
She put her hand to his lips. “Shhh. I told you not to worry,” she said as she wiped away the traces of her lipstick from his mouth. “I could just as easily indict a ham sandwich in there as have Al Capone walk a free man. You need to trust me…I promise, you will be fine.”
She embraced him tighter than she had ever done before. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Positive thoughts,” she instructed as she walked out of the office, closing the door behind her and leaving Galvin alone with his thoughts.
Shortly before eight-thirty, Laurie Bando was set to begin presenting today’s witnesses to the grand jury. The majority of the witnesses that she had expected to be there were; Mark Jenkins and Tyrone Walker were not. This didn’t come as too much of a surprise to Bando, in her experience through her years in the District Attorney’s office, she had seen many witnesses who lied about an incident not show up on the day they were scheduled to testify.
From three eyewitnesses to just one…Lance Porter.
Bando nodded her head approvingly upon learning the other two men had not shown up. She greeted Mr. Porter as he was escorted into the building by two members of the Queens County District Attorney’s Detective Squad. She was surprised to see Porter wearing a tie; albeit, it was worn in conjunction with blue jean shorts and Timberland work boots. Bando invited Porter, as well as Charlene Waters, who was also escorted by the D
.A.’s squad, to have a seat on the wooden benches outside of the Grand Jury room.
Bando took one of the detectives by the arm and pulled him aside. “What happened to the other two guys…Jenkins and Walker? Bando inquired—a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
The detective offered a surreptitious smile and shrugged his shoulders. “Nobody answered the door.”
Good.
“What a shock. Do you think that there’s any chance that they show up on their own?”
His initial response was a sarcastic snicker. “Not a chance,” the detective confidently reassured her. “We’ve left messages for them on the cell phone numbers they originally gave us. Guess what, both numbers have since been disconnected. Also, when I went to Jenkins house last week for you, his mother said that he went to Virginia for the summer. There’s no way these clowns will show up today. I’d bet my house on that.”
Relieved, she bestowed a smile. “Thanks Phil.”
Bando walked away from the detective and over to the white-shirted court officer standing just outside the entrance to the Grand Jury. “Good morning, Pete. Are all of the jurors present?”
“Yes they are Laurie. They’re all waiting on you.”
She nodded her head and took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
Laurie Bando entered the Grand Jury. She felt a nervousness which she had not felt in years. Today would be one of the biggest days of her life—not so much professionally but more personally. She needed to make sure this jury did not indict Tommy Galvin. She looked over the jury and presented them with the most sincere smile she could muster.
The Blue Executions Page 14