Page 34 of Precise Justice

Maddy Rivers had entered the office. Maddy claimed she never tried to create a fuss and said she did not like it; Marc knew she was lying. Who would not want to be as popular and welcome as she always was? Marc tried to deny something also,

due to their working relationship. He could not help it. He was totally smitten with the lovely Ms. Rivers.

Marc had a meeting scheduled with what he labeled the Kangaroo Court of the University of Minnesota. He was representing an expelled student, Branson Fellows. A young woman, also a student, accused him of rape. No investigation, no opportunity to be heard, the U’s Kangaroo Court, following policy, expelled Branson immediately. The accusation alone was good enough.

Branson’s father was a business client of one of Marc’s officemates, Chris Grafton. Chris, who had taken a vow of celibacy when it came to courtrooms of any kind, handed Branson off to Marc.

Maddy had done the investigation and found friends of the girl who were willing to testify that it was clearly consensual. Meeting with the Kangaroo Court members, Marc wanted her there.

There was a knock on Marc’s door and Maddy entered before Marc could respond. In fact, he did not even bother to say come in, he knew she would.

“Hi!” she said then sat down in a client chair.

Marc was handwriting on a document while she did this. Without looking up, he replied, “Hello and where do you want me to take you for lunch?”

“Oh, is it lunch time? I hadn’t noticed,” she replied.

Marc looked at her and saw the intentional disingenuous look on her face.

Marc laughed then said, again, “Where do you want to go?”

“You choose, I don’t care,” she said.

“Oh, no you don’t. I’m not playing that game with you. I start suggesting places and like every woman back to the Stone Age, you shoot them down. When I finally get to the one you want, that’s where we go.

“Just tell me, where do you want to go?”

“We don’t really do that!” she indignantly replied.

“Yes, you do. Now tell me.”

“Well, if you insist. I’m in the mood for Italian. How about Mario’s?”

“Mario’s it is. See, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?”

“We just want you men to think it was your idea,” Maddy said.

“Since when? It’s never our idea; you know it and we know it. Let’s go. I don’t want to be late for the Kangaroo Court.”

“Please, come in and have a seat,” one of the five members of the discipline committee said.

Marc, with Maddy Rivers right behind him, entered the room. There was a table set up for them with two chairs. Approximately ten feet away was the seating for the committee members.

There were five of them, three women and two men, seated at another table facing the table for Marc and Maddy. The table for the committee members was set up on a platform two steps above where the respondent table was located. There was a sixth person, another woman, seated on the end of the committee table. This woman was much younger, maybe mid-thirties, than the committee members. Her name plate identified her as Susan Thorn, and she was a lawyer.

There was a third table to Marc’s left. This was for the complainant if that person’s attendance was required. It was empty today.

“You’re recording this?” Marc asked the lawyer.

“Yes,” she politely replied.

“I’ll want a copy.”

“No problem. I’ll see to it,” she replied.

“Thank you for allowing us this opportunity to meet with you,” Marc began.

While Marc spoke, Maddy was busy taking notes. There were name plates for each member placed in front of him or her. Maddy wrote them all down.