Philadelphia Regional Court.
A dull thud brought an end to months of clamor.
Judge Harrison lowered his gavel.
The air in the courtroom seemed to freeze in that instant.
All eyes—from the jury, the lawyers, the reporters, and even the plainclothes agents in the back of the gallery—were fixed on the young man's back in the defendant's box.
The judge's voice carried through the microphone to every corner of the courtroom.
"This court accepts the jury's verdict."
"Defendant Luigi Randall is found guilty of third-degree murder."
"Regarding the sentence."
The judge paused, his gaze sweeping over the mountains of case files.
He felt the pressure.
Pressure from Washington demanded a harsh punishment to deter the mobs who dared to challenge the established order.
Pressure from the streets of Philadelphia demanded leniency, for the young man was a hero in their eyes.
He had to find a balance.
