Chapter 10 - Justice Delivered
Six months later.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York was packed to capacity for the sentencing phase of United States v. David Thorne, Chloe Bennett, and Martha Thorne.
The trial had been short, ruthless, and absolute. Faced with mountains of digital video evidence, forensic toxicology reports, offshore banking ledgers, and the testimony of former company accountants who turned state's evidence, the jury had returned guilty verdicts on all counts after less than forty minutes of deliberation.
Inside the courtroom, David, Chloe, and Martha sat at the defense table wearing dark blue federal inmate jumpsuits.
David looked completely unrecognizable. He was emaciated, his hair thin and graying, his posture slouched, his arrogant smile gone forever. Chloe sat beside him with dark bags under her dull eyes, her manicured beauty completely stripped away. Martha sat in a wheelchair, staring blankly at the floorboards.
Judge William Mercer slammed his heavy wooden gavel down, restoring absolute silence to the courtroom.
“David Thorne,” Judge Mercer declared, his voice echoing off the high marble walls. “For your leadership in corporate fraud, RICO conspiracy, environmental destruction, and your heinous indifference to the physical torture of your own minor child, I sentence you to thirty-five years in federal prison, without the possibility of parole.”
David collapsed forward onto the table, letting out a broken, pathetic sob.
“Martha Thorne,” the judge continued, turning his stern gaze onto the matriarch. “For premeditated poisoning, wire fraud, and child endangerment, you are sentenced to twenty-two years in federal custody.”
“Chloe Bennett,” Judge Mercer fixed his eyes on the mistress. “For felony assault against a minor, battery causing bodily injury, and corporate conspiracy, you are sentenced to fifteen years in state prison.”
The gavel struck the wooden block with a thunderous CRACK.
Court marshals immediately took hold of the chains attached to the three prisoners, marching them out through the side doors toward the holding cells. As David was pulled away, he turned his head toward the gallery one last time, searching for Catherine.
Catherine sat in the front row, wearing a tailored cream blazer, her posture regal and composed. She did not look at him with hatred. She looked at him with the quiet, absolute indifference reserved for a stranger who no longer mattered.
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The heavy steel doors closed behind the convicts with a final, definitive THUD.
Justice had been delivered.
