Laura Snider - Unexpected Defense

Ashley Montgomery Legal Thrillers

Unsympathetic Victims

Undetermined Death

Unforgivable Acts

Unsolicited Contact

Unexpected Defense

Unconditional Revenge

To find out more about Laura Snider and her books, visit

severnriverbooks.com/authors/laura-snider

April 28

The jury filed into the courtroom, all silent, solemn. Ashleys heart thumped, her blood pressure rising. These moments, the few seconds before the pronouncement of her clients fate, were the worst part of her job as a public defender. Her work was done. It had been one of her more difficult trials. Shed taken a lot of risks. She didnt have a choice. The facts were the facts. They couldnt be changed. Manipulated, sure, but never changed.

Some lawyers claimed they could determine a jurys verdict before it was announced based on the jurors behaviors as they entered the courtroom. If the jury convicted, they wouldnt look at the defendant or their attorney. If acquitted, they would try to catch the lawyers eye, sometimes even smile.

That wasnt Ashleys experience. Shed had plenty of acquittals throughout her lengthy career, and, in her experience, the jury members had always kept their heads down, staring at their feet as they shuffled into the courtroom. Which felt appropriate, at least to Ashley, because she believedor maybe hopedthat this reaction was due to the weight of their decision. They had been handed a great deal of power, forced to decide the trajectory of someone elses life, and they were taking that responsibility seriously.

No matter the result of the trial, conviction or acquittal, there was no true happiness in the end. Not for either side. Because the verdict didnt change the fact that a life had been lost. A person was forever gone. Those left behind were forever changed, people in mourning. Nothing about the verdict would change any of that. It would only decide whether one more life would be swallowed by the iron walls of a prison.

Is that everyone? Judge Ahrenson asked, his eyes sweeping across the jury box and settling on the court attendant. This was his last trial on the bench. He was turning seventy-two, forced retirement age, in less than a week.

Yes, your honor. The court attendant was a small, round woman, with ruddy cheeks and short, curly hair.

Very well. Judge Ahrenson turned to speak to the entire courtroom. You may be seated.

Feet shuffled behind Ashley and the bench seats in the courtroom gallery creaked as the onlookers in the packed courtroom reclaimed their seats. Ashley and her client remained standing until after the entire jury had sat down. The judge and prosecutor did the same. It was a sign of respect, a way to say, We see you. We understand your responsibility. We appreciate you.

Once everyone was settled, the judge turned back to the court attendant. Has the Jury reached a unanimous verdict?

Yes, your honor, she said.

He motioned for her to approach, and she came forward and handed him a stack of documents, careful to keep them face down. The jury verdict forms. There would be multiple options, all on separate pages, ranging from, We the jury find the Defendant, Lucas Mitchell Campbell, guilty of Murder in the First Degree, to, We the jury find the Defendant, Lucas Mitchell Campbell, not guilty.

There were multiple options between the two ends of the verdict spectrum. Second degree murder. Voluntary manslaughter. Involuntary manslaughter. Willful injury causing death. Willful injury causing serious injury. Assault with a dangerous weapon. Assault. Each one of these options, these lesser offenses, had its own page sandwiched between the verdict forms for guilty and not guilty.

Judge Ahrenson put on his reading glasses and looked down at the stack of documents. Then he began flipping through. Nobody in the courtroom moved, all frozen with anticipation. Ashley was finding it hard to even breathe in that moment. Her heart seemed to stutter as she waited for the judge to speak, to say the words that would seal Lucass fate. She couldnt imagine what he was feeling in the moment. It had to be something far worse.

Once hed reached the last page, the judge looked up, ready to pronounce the verdict.