Javier's Defense

A criminal defense attorney is retained to represent a man accused of accessory to murder--a cold-blooded shooting. The client's family has risked everything to come up with the money for a retainer. The evidence seems damning. Nonetheless, the lawyer becomes convinced that his client is not guilty and sets out to prove his innocence at trial. The prosecutor, an ambitious and beautiful young woman in the Office of the District Attorney, presents the lead detective as her key witness. The lawyer puts his client on the stand to testify. The courtroom is charged with action and suspense. Is there justice? The ending of the story compels a shocking answer.

A short story by Ralph Shamas, the author of The Homicide Chronicle: Defending the Citizen Accused. Kirkus Reviews has said that the author’s “...prosaic approach…is deeply engrossing” and “…a welcome change in the genre of legal fiction.” Javier's Defense displays the author's intriguing style in a fascinating courtroom drama.