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K.T. Bruster, or Cat Bruster as he was known, was the only one-eyed black millionaire in Memphis.  He lost his eye in Vietnam where he fought side by side with Carl Lee.  Carl Lee had saved his life but not before taking a bullet on his leg.  But he carried Cat and managed to get help for them so they remained good friends throughout the years.

Cat owned a string of of black topless joints in town, which he operated legally; he owned blocks of rental properties; and he owned two churches in south Memphis which he owned legally.  He also owned the pastors that came with it.  Many considered him a hero to his people.

It was Saturday morning and Carl Lee and Lester went to see Cat for the purpose of buying an M16.  Cat normally charged $1000 but for Carl Lee he charged him nothing.  They went to pick it up in one of Cat’s limo.  After they picked it up, they went to one of Cat’s other saloon’s and had lunch.  Cat did not ask any questions as to what Carl Lee intended to do with the M16.

Jake was at his office reading decisions from the Supreme Court.  He called Sheriff Walls wanting to talk with him.  Jake met with Ozzie.  He told him that he was concerned with Carl Lee and Carl Lee talking about killing Cobb and Willard.  Sheriff stated that they were safe and that Carl Lee was talking like any another person would in his shoes.  He told Jake that he should not be concerned that “the boys” were safe and that he had received death threats from other people also.   Jake told the Sheriff that Carl Lee considered him as his attorney and he appreciated if the Sheriff did not repeat what Jake had told him.  Jake then went home.

On Sunday, Carl Lee went to the hospital to pick up Tanya who was going home.  A crowd gathered at the hospital and followed her home.  Her father picked her up from the front seat of the car and carried her to the couch.  Her mother held her feet while cousins, aunts, neighbors, and everyone walked to her, touched her and smiled - some through tears and some said nothing.

If you were Tanya, would you want so much attention or would you want to be alone?  Was it okay for Jake to speak with the Sheriff about Carl Lee or did he violate client attorney privilege?  If Carl Lee kills “the boys”, should Lester and Cat also be arrested?  Cat provided the gun but he does not know what Carl Lee intended to do with the gun or does he?  Let’s read the next chapter of the book.

Lester Hailey married a white Swedish girl from Wisconsin.  The family was not too happy with his choice since he was the only one in the family that had married outside his race.  Lester decided to leave her at home since he knew how the family felt about her.  Lester was on his way to see Carl Lee. 

When Lester got to the hospital, Tanya had already been moved from the ICU unit to a private room.  There were lots of people in and out of her room.  They brought her flowers, toys, and candy.  The television was on showing a picture of Cobb and Willard but Tonya could not see their face because her eyes were badly bruised.  Lester and Carl Lee went to get some coffee and discussed Carl Lee’s plan to kill the rapists.

Carl Lee went to the courthouse and hid.  The courthouse throughout the weekday closed at 5:00 p.m. but on Friday it closed at 4:30 p.m.  After everyone was gone, he walked throughout the courthouse getting a layout of it.  Once he was sure of the entire layout, he opened a window and left.

Jake and Carla discussed Carl Lee.  Carla felt that Jake should tell someone that Carl Lee intended to kill Cobb and Willard.  Jake did not know for sure if Carl Lee intended to kill anyone.  Carl Lee spoke like any man who was grieving because someone hurt his daughter just like Jake would have felt and spoken.  In addition, Carl Lee spoke to Jake as his attorney so any communication was privilege.

Attorney client privilege is taken very seriously both by attorneys and clients.  In this case, was Carl Lee Jake’s client or were they just having a conversation like any other ordinary people?  If they were attorney / client, if Jake believed that Carl Lee was going to commit a crime, is he under obligation to tell the authorities?  What would you do if you were Carl Lee’s attorney?  Let’s keep reading the next chapter of the book to find out what happens next.

Percy Bullard would be the judge presiding over the rape case.   He was fidgeting in his office just thinking about all the people in the courtroom waiting to hear the outcome of the preliminary hearing.  Most of the people in the courtroom were blacks.  There were lawyers gathered around the coffee machine gossiping about the rape.  Mr. Pate, the courtroom deputy, knocked on the Judge’s door to alert him that a camera crew wanted to come into his courtroom.  The Judge would not have it and ordered them to go away.

The public defender was Drew Jack Tyndale.  The prosecutor was Rocky Childers.  The hearing started.  Jake went to the hearing.  Sheriff Walls testified for the prosecutor.  He gave all the gory details of the rape and how Willard signed a confession.  Cobb was astounded when he heard that Willard had signed a confession.  No one else testified.  The hearing was bound over to a grand jury.  Judge denied bond.  A bail hearing was set for another day. 

Some attorneys will waive the preliminary hearing and the case will automatically go to the grand jury to straight to court.  But if you have a preliminary hearing, you will hear witnesses’ testimonies and be better prepared.  In this case, Cobb just found out that Willard signed a confession about the rape.  Will that signed confession tear them apart?  Will they have to get separate attorney because now it will be a conflict of interest for the public defender?  

Carl Lee met with Jake after the hearing.  They spoke about Tonya and what would Jake do if black men would have raped his daughter.  Carl Lee told Jake that he wanted to kill Willard and Cobb.  Jake told him not to do it.  Carl Lee asked Jake if Jake would represent him if he killed Willard and Cobb.  Jake told him that he would. 

Will Jake take matters into his own hands?  What would you do if you were Carl Lee?   Read along the next chapter of the book and let’s find out together. 

Jake Brigance was one of the best attorneys in Clanton, Ford County, Mississippi.  He was married to Carla and had a 4 year-old daughter, Hanna.  At 32, his hairline was already receding.  He drove the only Saab, which was red in color, in Ford County.  He had rules that he kept to get his day going, such as waking up at 5:30 a.m., getting to the coffee shop by 6:00 a.m., not answering clients phone calls until 11:00 a.m., and not seeing clients unless they had an appointment.

Clanton had three coffee shops in the square:  two for the whites and one for the blacks.  However, it was not uncommon for the whites to eat at Claude’s, the black cafe shop.      And since the 70’s, it was also safe for the blacks to eat at the whites cafe: Tea Shoppe or Coffee Shop. 

While he was at the Coffee Shop eating breakfast, Marshall Prather asked him if he had defended Cobb in the past.  Jake stated that he had not and inquired why.  Prather told him about Tanya’s rape.  Jake knew the family.  They talked about if Cobb and Willard got the maximum for rape, kidnapping, and aggravated assault, they could get out in 13 years.  Jake lost his appetite at the thought of them brutalizing Tanya and getting out of prison.

At the hospital, Carl Lee was still at the hospital with the Sheriff Ozzie Walls.  Gwen was given a sedative and sent home to her mother’s house.  The boys were sent home with Gwen’s brother.  Tanya was in serious condition but stable.

Jake arrived at the office.  He had the most beautiful office in Clanton overlooking the courthouse.  The office belonged to his predecessor, Lucien Wilbanks, who was disbarred for outrageous conduct unbecoming a member of the bar.  Lucien was an alcoholic who made public appearance in court while being drunk.  His secretary, Ethel, worked for him and after he was disbarred, Jake kept her on.  She did not arrive to work until 8:30 a.m. 

When Ethel arrived at work, there was a lady there to see Jake already.  She did not have an appointment.  Her name was Earnestine Willard.  She wanted to retain his services.  Jake refused to take her case.

Sheriff Walls started interrogating Willard.  He read him his rights prior to interrogation.  He recorded the interrogation.  During interrogation, Willard asked for an attorney.  Walls stopped the tape recorder.  He explained what would happened to him in prison once the blacks inmates found out he had raped a black young girl.  He told him that all he wanted was Cobb and if he talked that he would tell the DA that he had cooperated and he would get a reduced sentence and maybe not go to state prison.  Willard told what happened and asked that Walls not tell Cobb that he told.  Walls said he wouldn’t.     

Do you think Willard’s confession would stand up in court?  Most cops use scare tactics to get confessions all of the time.  But Willard asked for an attorney.  Should they have stopped all interrogations at the time and not use scare tactics?  What do you think?  Do you think Cobb will talk?  Do you think it matters anyway that they confessions?  You have Tanya description of the car and she can make a positive identification of the men or can she?  Cannot wait until the next chapter of his book?

Sheriff Ozzie Walls was the only black sheriff in Mississippi.  He took his job very seriously.  He took pride that Ford County was 74 % white.  He was related to most of the blacks and a few of the whites. 

Sheriff Walls went to the hospital to check on Tonya.  She was in surgery.  She had broken broken bones.  He verified that she indeed had been raped.  From the description that Tonya had given, Sheriff Walls knew that Cobb was involved.

Sheriff Walls solicited the help of an informant, Bobby Bumpous.  Bumpous had been on parole for possession of drugs.  He had helped Sheriff Walls in the past when Sheriff Walls needed help.  Sheriff Walls had Bumpous go into Huey’s bar and stir up conversation with Cobb and find out if Cobb would brag about what he had done to Tonya.  Cobb and Willard did brag and laughed about it.

Several hours later, Bompous came out drunk.  He stated that Cobb and Pete Willard were bragging about what they had done to Tonya.  Sheriff Walls and Deputy Willie Hastings and others arrested the two.  Willard went peacefully but not Cobb.  Sheriff Walls had to use force to arrest Cobb. 

Tonya gave an accurate description of Cobb’s car which led to his and Willard’s arrest.  You have a drunk informant that can testify that he heard Cobb and Willard bragging about it.  But will that be enough?  What will happen in the next chapter of this book?

Billy Ray Cobb was the younger of the two rednecks.  He spent time in prison when he was twenty-three, selling drugs to the blacks and the guards.  In the year when he was release, he prospered, still selling drugs to the rich people in Ford County.  He was a business man and could afford to pay $17,000 cash for a canary yellow pickup truck with fancy chrome.  He had a stolen rebel flag hanging across the rear window.  The pickup truck was Cobb’s most prize possession.

Willard was four years old than Cobb but mentally slower.  He had never been in serious trouble and had never been seriously employed because of a bad back he suffered working in an oil rig.  He worked part-time with Cobb who really did not pay much but gave him drugs. 

Cobb and Willard had gone to the lake with some friends with a boat where they were to meet some easy girls and have some fun.  Unfortunately, the girls did not want to party with them so they left frustrated.  While they were driving, they saw Tonya, a black ten-year-old female.  Tonya was walking home from the grocery store.  Willard hit the back of Tonya’s head with a beer can.  They dragged her to the woods and bound her elbows with nylon rope and spread her legs and tied one to a fence and the other to an oak sapling.  They repeatedly raped and beat her and threw beer cans at her.  After they were done, they attempted to hang her but were interrupted by a passerby driver.  They wanted to toss her body over a bridge but could not find one unoccupied by blacks fishing.  Cobb finally took her body and dumped it down a ravine.

Tonya was found by some people who were fishing down by Foggy Creek when they saw Tonya lying in the middle of the road.  Tonya told them who her father was and they brought her home.  Paramedics were called and Tonya was on her way to the hospital.

Tonya was brutally raped and saw her attackers.  She knows the vehicle she was put into.  Will she be able to identify her attackers?  I cannot wait to read the next chapter of this book.

John Ray Grisham was born February 8, 1955.  He is a retired attorney and novelist.  He writes legal thriller novels.  As of 2008, his books have sold over 235 million copies worldwide.

Grisham received a Bachelor of Science in accounting in 1977 from Mississippi State University and his law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981.

In 1984 while Grisham was in court, he witnessed the testimony of a 12-year-old raped victim.  According to Grisham’s official website, her testimony inspired him to write his first book, which “explored what would have happened if the girl’s father had murdered her assailants.”  This inspired him to write and finally finish “A Time to Kill” in 1987.  The book was first published in June 1989.  The movie “A Time to Kill” was released on July 24, 1996.  

Like Grisham, I am also an attorney receiving my law degree at Penn State Dickinson School of Law.  I have never enjoyed reading.  But when I picked up one of Grisham’s book, I could not put it down.  I hope to read a chapter every day on one of his book and blog on it.  I hope to chat with his readers who love his books just as much as I do and form a Grisham fan club.

I love watching Lifetime Movies.  During the weekend, I cannot get enough of them.  Repeats are not a problem.  You can watch them over and over again or just buy the dvd. 

Today, I watch Suzanne’s Diary For Nicholas.  It was about two simultaneously unfolding romantic stories which involve a writer, Jonathan Schaech, who stuns his girlfriend, Kathleen Rose Perkins, on the most important night of their relationship, by ending their affair without explanation because of unresolved feelings for a past love, Christina Applegate.

Soon after, Schaech sends Perkins a package containing a diary written by his departed wife, Applegate to their son.  As Perkins reads it, she learns of the Martha’s Vineyard marriage between the housepainter who dreams of being a writer and the woman doctor with a diseased heart who yearns to be a mother. 

This was a romantic drama.  Christina Applegate played an amazing part as a doctor.  I’m used to seeing Applegate play comedy roles and not dramatic role but she was great.  Jonathan Schaech scruffy look made him look sexy.  The movie was heart warming and sad but I could not get enough.  It was great!

 The book Paranoia was written by Joseph Finder, who was born in 1958 in Chicago, Illinois.  He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Power Play, Killer Instinct (named Best Novel by the International Thriller Writers), Company Man (winner of the Barry Award), as well as High Crimes, the basis of the Morgan Freeman / Ashley Judd movie.  A member of the Association of Intelligence Officers, he has written about espionage and international affairs for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The New Republic.  

Paranoia is about Adam Cassidy who is the quintessential slacker tired of his job at Wyatt Telecom.  He diverts corporate funds to throw a large retirement party for a loading dock employee, and he fully expects to be fired for it.  But instead he is threatened with criminal charges if he does not agree to steal highly confidential product plans from Trion, a rival of Wyatt. 

With the help of the Wyatt’s CEO, security chief, and executive coach, he is groomed for an executive job at Trion.  He is taught to breach the tightest corporate security and turn over his findings.  Thus begins his life as a corporate spy, where the game he is playing becomes more and more treacherous, his loyalties to his friends and employers are stretched to the limit, and he is caught in a web of deceit from which there seems to be no exit.