"Now Carver, everything we talk about in here is strictly protected by attorney-client privilege, which means nobody can force you to tell them what we discuss. That goes for your parents too, because they're necessary parties to your defense. And that privilege exists so that we can be completely open and honest with each other, so I can best defend you if it comes to that, all right?"
"I nod."
Glide: 2
I feel like I do that moment right before I'm about to slip on ice. I try to blink away my tears welling up in my eyes but some spill.
"so I need to ask: were you aware, when you texted Mars, that he'd probably text you back"?
"Yes."
"Were you aware Mars was driving at the time?"
"Pretty sure."
"Why text Mars and not one of your other friends in the car?"
I whisper. It hurts to say this in front of my parents. I know I'm letting them down.
"Um."
"If you need a minutes."
I'm crumbling.
"Um. Because Mars always answered my texts the quickest. Even if he was driving. I was being impatient. I wasn't thinking."
"Okay."
A tear splats on the green carpet of the conference room and slowly expands. My mom rubs the nape of my neck
Mr. Krantz says softly, and leans back in his chair. He sets down his pen, pulls off his glasses, and chews on one of the earpieces for a moment, apparently deep in thought, allowing me to pull myself together. Or at least try.
Glide: 3
"It's obvious he didn't intend to hurt anyone," this is ridiculous."
"Well,"
Mr. Krantz says, still chewing on his glasses.
My mom says.
"yes and no".
He rises, walks to a bookshelf, he puts his glasses on and leaf's through it quickly. He sits.
"Folks, I wont sugarcoat. Under Tennessee law, there's an offense called criminally negligent homicide. used to be called involuntary manslaughter. Criminally negligent homicide happens when someone takes substantial and unjustifiable risk' and 'the failure to perceive it constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise under all circumstances as viewed from the person's standpoint.'"