Looking ahead

I talked with two people tonight at church events with insight into what might await Vincent Friday. Paul, a lawyer, said that Vincent might be diverted into community service and expected to write an essay explaining why he now believes what he did was wrong. I also talked with Chris, who used to work as a social worker with kids going through the court process. Chris said that once upon a time what Vincent said might just be considered a prank. Today, however - all the more so with several shooting sprees in this country and around the world this past week - "terrorist threats" might ultimately land one in Guantanamo Bay. Our pastor, Pastor Jane, also volunteered to go to court with us Friday. One of them - Chris or Paul - also said Vincent could use a character witness (like a pastor?). Ultimately, we might need a lawyer (and Paul is one of several in our church - and may be the one with the most kind of experience like that). I mentioned to Chris that Vincent had been in in-patient mental health care for a week, and Chris suggested that it'd be great if we had some paperwork from professionals at the health care facility saying they were releasing Vincent because they judged him to be neither a threat to himself or others. Both Paul and Chris asked us the million dollar question - exaclty where are we to go on Friday afternoon - whcih I had to confess I didn't remember. Where we go - whether it's to the Hall of Justice or some place less forboding - indicates to an extent what we might expect, they suggested. And the answer is . . . neither the Hall of Justice nor the other building they mentioned - It's the Republic Building (pictured above) - at 4th and Muhammad Ali - near 4th Street Live