DOCTORING JUSTICE

 At Rise MOTHER is meeting DOCTOR at SR. SL freezes.

MOTHER: (Very choked up) How long do you think she has?

DOCTOR: She’s a fighter.

MOTHER: I know – but give it to me straight – how long does she have?

DOCTOR: Try to stay positive – she’s on the top of the waiting list.

MOTHER: (A bit irritated) Without a transplant, how long does she have?

DOCTOR: A week, maybe two.

MOTHER: Since my husband died fighting in Iraq – she’s…

DOCTOR: I know.

MOTHER: All I have.

DOCTOR: We’re doing all we can to make her comfortable. I know you want to be with her, but she needs her rest. She always exerts herself when you’re in the room to put on a brave face but that’s not helping her.

MOTHER: I feel so useless not being able to do anything.

DOCTOR: Keep praying. I’ve been praying for her too. Every day.

SR freezes.

LAWYER: You know there are a DOZEN eyewitnesses saying you shot those three people dead in broad daylight without any provocation. And most of them are reliable – I won’t be able to break down their testimonies.

INMATE: But I WAS provoked.

LAWYER: (Skeptical) Provoked?

INMATE: I heard voices.

LAWYER: I guess that answers my next question – we’re going with the innocent-by-insanity plea, then?

INMATE: Whatever it takes. Well, not the “affluenza plea, though”.    That’s just nuts.

LAWYER: (Mildly interested) So you “heard voices”? How many? What did they tell you?

INMATE: I didn’t really count – they told me to shoot those guys before they shot me.

LAWYER: But they weren’t even threatening you nor did they have weapons! Why would you think they would kill you? And how many voices did you THINK there were?

INMATE: You’re stressing me out with all these questions at once, dude.

LAWYER: (Trying to be patient) OK, let’s focus on how many voices – two or three or was it one big family reunion?

INMATE: I guess three – I didn’t take roll call.

LAWYER: And all three — for now, let’s call ’em Huey, Louie, and Dewey — said “Kill those guys?”