Two days later, Uriel Zander sat once again in the same chamber that had become so familiar to him; however, today was very different. It was not some run-of-the-mill case in which the defense of his client, whom he hardly knew, resided. It was Daniel, a law school friend, and it meant much more this time around.
Daniel sat beside him at the defense table, his eyes fixed almost nervously, his hands clenched together in his lap. The accusation was grave—second-degree murder. It was more than an argument gone wrong; it was deliberate—the prosecution was painting a picture; they want to argue intent. Uriel had been preparing for the last two days, but he knew the bail hearing would be a battle.
As *Honorable Judge Lenore Mitchell* entered the courtroom, it buzzed in anticipation. He had stood before Judge Mitchell on various occasions; tough, yet reservedly fair. The prosecutor assigned to the case, Ellen Price, had already been waiting, her face a mask of calm determination.
"All rise," the bailiff announced, and the courtroom came to attention. Judge Mitchell took her seat, glancing briefly at the case file in front of her.
"The State of New York versus Daniel Reiss," she began. "This is the arraignment on charges of second-degree murder. How does the defendant plead?
Uriel stood and his voice came out steady, calm: "Not guilty, Your Honor."
Judge Mitchell nodded, unsurprised, then turned to Ellen Price. "Ms. Price, the court will now hear arguments regarding bail."
Price stood smoothly. She cut through the dead silence of the courtroom with her voice. "Your Honor, the State requests that no bail be granted in this case. The charge is second-degree murder. It's born from a violent and fatal altercation between Mr. Reiss and the victim. Mr. Reiss has exhibited volatility on at least one occasion and puts the public at risk. We believe that there is a significant risk that, if released, he may flee or be a continued danger to others."
Uriel had expected Price to take this hard line, and he had prepared for it. He could feel Daniel's anxiety beside him, but Uriel kept calm, cool and collected rising to his feet.
"Your Honor, the defense strenuously objects to the State's characterization of my client as either a flight risk or a danger to the public. Daniel Reiss is not a criminal. He is a law-abiding citizen with no prior criminal conviction on record. The incident in question was an accident, not an act of violence. My client has strong ties to the community—family, professional—which prevent him from being a flight risk." Uriel turned to Daniel briefly before turning back to the judge. "Daniel called me himself immediately after the incident, and we called the authorities together. He has been fully cooperative since the beginning and has not tried to flee at any point in time. We would request that the bail be suitably set, leaving the option for Mr. Reiss to spend the time with his family while we prepare his defense."
Judge Mitchell listened attentively, her face masked with neutrality. She looked over at both Uriel and Ellen Price before returning to the case file in front of her and pondering a decision.
"Ms. Price," said the judge, "what is the State's position regarding the defendant's flight risk?"
Price's response was sharp, yet controlled. "Your Honor, though he did not immediately flee, we cannot turn a blind eye to the seriousness of the charge. The facts will reveal this to be no accident, and based upon the potential sentence Mr. Reiss has every reason to flee the jurisdiction." We pray that bail be refused."
Uriel knew he had created tension in the room as every word had been embraced by the judge, prosecution, and audience. He had one more shot to argue Daniel's side.
"Your Honor," Uriel said, stepping forward, "Daniel is a young lad who out of mere momentary passion has taken a wrong step. But that was not premeditated, and it was certainly not murder in the second degree. This narrative the prosecution has made my client out to be a menace when, in fact, it was an incident in context. We are fully prepared to address those facts during the trial, but for now, Daniel deserves to have the right to be released on bail while we prepare his defense. We firmly believe that if the evidence is fully presented, the court will understand what this case is, in fact, about."
Magistrate Judge Mitchell started slumping back into her chair, introspective. The courtroom was silent for what felt like an eternity. Finally, she spoke.
"Mr. Zander has pointed out validly that Mr. Reiss does have substantial ties to the community and that he has cooperated up to this point in time. But in consideration of the charge and the severity of the crime, the court cannot be lenient."
Uriel held his breath.
"The bail is thus set at $500,000," Judge Mitchell ordered. "Defendant to be released on condition that he surrenders his passport and a GPS monitor that keeps him in the state. The court is adjourned."
Uriel exhaled, feeling the stream of relief cascade down him. It was a high bail, but it wasn't a flat-out denial. Daniel looked white and shaken, but he glanced to Uriel with a spark of hope in his eyes. It would be a long slog yet, but at least now Daniel wouldn't be rotting in jail while they prepared for trial.
They emerged from the courthouse; the fresh air slapped Daniel like a wake-up call as he let out a shaky breath, running his hands through his hair.
"Thanks, Uriel. I didn't think… I didn't think I was going to get out of there."
Uriel gave him a reassuring nod. "It's not over yet. We still have to gather evidence, work on the case, and prepare for trial. But for now, you'll be able to go home. Just remember—you can't leave the state, and you have to wear that GPS monitor. Do not give them any reason to revoke your bail."
Daniel nodded quickly, his expression one of both fear and gratitude. "I won't. I'll do whatever you say. I just… I don't know what I'm going to do."
Uriel laid a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "First thing you do is take it one step at a time. We'll get through this."
Later that evening, back in his office, Uriel sat alone, reviewing the file in front of him. The evidence was incriminating; still, he couldn't help but feel that there was more to it than what met the naked eye. Daniel had been frantic that night, but Uriel knew him well enough to realize the situation might just not be as cut-and-dried as the prosecution portrayed.
There were too many questions that needed to be answered. What really occurred during the argument? Had it really been a heat-of-the-moment accident, or something more beneath the surface? Why was the prosecution hard-pushing for second-degree murder when manslaughter seemed the more logical charge?
Uriel rubbed his temples, the weight of the case weighing in upon him. It was different because Daniel was a friend, the person who trusted him with his life completely. When Uriel failed—and that was not the case—Daniel's life would be over.
He closed the file, deciding to invest tomorrow in investigations. He had to interview witnesses, dig into the forensic evidence for anything, and find any crack in the prosecution's case. He knew full well that Ellen Price would be relentless, but Uriel wasn't one to back down.
The phone buzzed with a text from Karen as he got ready to leave for the night.
Karen: It go well today? Everything cool with the bail?
He smiled slightly at the message and replied.
Uriel: The bail was set at $500,000. We got him out. Now it's all about building the case.
Her response came back fast.
Karen: Good. You'll figure it out. You always do.
Uriel pocketed his phone and then jingled for his coat. A long battle lay ahead, but he was never one to shy away from a fight when someone's life was on the line.