As the Assistant U.S. Attorney headed back to his seat he nodded at Fast Eddie as if to say, “I got you.” Fast Eddie showed no facial expression. His motto is and has always been, “Never let them see you sweat.” He knew there was an art to playing the cards you were dealt, and he did it well.
“Mr. Steinley, does the Defendant have anything to say?” the Judge asked.
“Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Smith would like to address the court,” he said as he patted his client on the back.
Proceeding to stand, Fast Eddie with both hands behind his back, looked Judge Davis directly in his eyes and said, “Your Honor, I am a man of morals and principles. I am a husband and a father to my children. All of these things Mr. Newberry failed to mention in his description of me and who I am. I have been called many things in my life, but never a spineless coward. He spoke of how I haven’t accepted responsibility for my actions, and how I have no empathy for my victims. As I said before, I am a man and part of being a man is holding your own and taking your own rap. That I never had a problem with, then or now. It’s the responsibility of the other people that I have a problem with taking. Six of the nine people that testified for the government I don’t even know. I never saw them prior to my trial. Never had any dealings with them. So yeah, I have a problem with showing empathy to people who are not victims and are nothing more than liars and rats trying to desperately wiggle themselves out of trouble. I’m sorry, but I’d rather die like a man than live like a coward.”
Fast Eddie sat down without looking back at his family. He knew that regardless of what he said at this point, it had no bearing on the Judge’s decision. The Feds had what was called mandatory minimum sentencing, by law the Judge had to sentence you within the federal sentencing guideline range. Therefore, there was no need to kiss ass and say a bunch of sorries. He knew in life a man chooses his own journey, where he ends up was purely a reflection of the decisions he made along the way.
After seating himself, Fast Eddie’s Attorney stood up to address the court. He had a plan. “Your Honor, I have a lot of issues with what Mr. Newberry says in terms of it being dishonest. Not illegal, just dishonest. Mr. Newberry went into great detail about my client’s criminal history. He said that my client has been arrested, released and rearrested only to be released again since the age of twelve – only having done a total of sixteen months throughout his life. Basically what he was implying is that the system has failed, and because it has failed he wants you to make up for it and give Mr. Smith double time for only having done sixteen months in jail. I think that’s inappropriate.
He talked a great about disparity and I agree. He stated there was a difference in communities, I agree. But if we talk about the disparity in communities, we also have to talk about the disparity in the background of my client. Mr. Smith is a thirty-one year old black male who was raised on the dangerous streets of Milwaukee – Northside to be exact. His world is far different from the world we know. Mr. Smith lived in a world where it was do or die. Since the ripe age of ten he had to fend for himself. No father figure, no proper guidance, just trial and error. Excuse me, Your Honor, if you will – he comes from a different world. Does he accept responsibility for his actions? Absolutely. He told you that. Is he remorseful? Absolutely. He told you that also.”
“Look, Your Honor, seven kilos of cocaine is seven kilos of cocaine whether its here in Milwaukee or Chicago, LA or any place else. And should a person be sent to prison for possessing seven kilos of cocaine? Absolutely. Should a message be sent to him about his conduct? Absolutely. But should you sentence him to death by sending him to prison for twenty-five to thirty years? Absolutely not!”
Mr. Steinley reminded Judge Davis about the recent U.S. Sentencing Commission ruling that changed the sentencing guidelines regarding the disparity between crack and powder. He hoped that Judge Davis would exercise his authority and sentence his client below the guideline range. It was a long shot, but still worth the try. “Thank you, Your Honor,” Mr. Steinley said after he was done with his testimony.
Fast Eddie was satisfied with his Attorney’s rebuttal. He knew Michael Steinley was good at what he did. That’s why he retained him at a hefty fee. Money was no object when it was a matter of life and death.
“Mr. Smith,” Judge Davis started, “as I sat and listened to all of the testimony that was presented in this courtroom today, I thought more about what would be an appropriate sentence for Eddie Lee Smith. I learned of a man who held some promise and when I use that in past tense, it doesn’t mean that it’s over. There will be life after you serve the sentence you are going to be required to serve. Obviously that promise faded away when you succumbed to the lifestyle that dealing drugs would bring you.”
“Last night Channel 4 News ran a segment about a former UWM Professor of Science and his plight to overcome his drug addiction. A sad, sad story to say the least. Mr. Newberry hit the nail on the head when he pointed out how drugs devastate communities and individuals as well. There is absolutely nothing positive about the sale and use of illegal drugs. And whatever you thought you gained along the way really is nothing when you think about now many lives you’ve helped ruin and how many dreams you’ve helped shatter. Mr. Newberry was correct in saying that had someone reached you sooner, your kids, who I suspect love you dearly, wouldn’t be here witnessing their dad being taken away from them. The sad reality of all this is that the kids of every one of us in the courtroom today will probably meet someone like you in their lifetime. Someone who has the ability to turn that innocence, that promise and that dream, into a living hell. I hope that during your prison stay, your family doesn’t suffer with you. Because they’re clearly affected by the choices you made or may not have made.”
“So in sentencing you, Mr. Smith, I took everything into consideration and I sentence you to three hundred months in prison. The Bureau of Prisons will determine where you will serve your sentence. You are remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals. I wish you well Mr. Smith. This court stands adjourned,” Judge Davis said as he slammed down his gavel.
Fatima’s cries could be heard throughout the courtroom, she had just witnessed the only man who she had ever loved and cared for taken away from her. “This can’t be happening,” she thought to herself. She hadn’t done her calculations so she was unsure how much time three hundred months were, but she knew it was a long time. She gathered up her things and the kids and made her way out the door. She noticed that her kids’ grandmother had already made her exit. No hellos, goodbyes, no fuck you’s, nothing. Shit wasn’t right. It wasn’t supposed to be that way.
Fast Eddie’s face showed no expression as always. A lot of shit was heavy on his mind – his freedom, kids, his wife, his crew and also what lies ahead. He had heard so much about the Federal System from his people who had lived and died there, now he was about to experience it firsthand for himself. As the U.S. Marshals led him out the courtroom, he held his head high and one couldn’t tell he was a man doomed to twenty-five years.
CHAPTER TWO
Sitting in the courtroom stunned to the sentence the Judge handed down to Fast Eddie, her friend, boss and lover – Michelle, aka Shells, hurried out of the courtroom so she could call the rest of the 2-4 homies to give them the bad news that it would be twenty-five years before Eddie would see the streets again.
“Hello!” Shells spoke.
“Yea, what’s good Shells?” Replied Murder.
“Not a damn thang my nigga. These crackers done gave