Speaking From the Heart
“I watched the videos. I read everything,” Amara said with a grip on the bench so tight her knuckles were white. “People claim he was at that warehouse, but he wasn’t. He couldn’t have been.”
The prosecutor scoffed. “Your Honor, this is a child.”
“Let her speak,” the judge interrupted.
Amara walked down the aisle, her small steps steady. “My brother Malik admired Ethan. He was part of Ethan’s mentorship program. We didn’t have much—no Wi-Fi, no computers—but Ethan gave the kids in our building tablets and internet. Malik was finally going to college because of him. But last year…” Her voice caught. “He’s gone now.”
A silence heavy as stone settled over the room.
“I want to speak for Ethan because no one else will,” she said. “And if that’s not allowed, maybe the truth doesn’t matter here.”
The judge leaned back, face unreadable. Ethan sat frozen, watching her like she was the only light in the room. Cameras kept rolling, capturing the moment.
