No Way Out Ch. 02

Ruby: "Donald Troy's abusive tactics are abhorrent, and now we're learning that he may have raped---- well, had sex with a woman in his custody. This man is reprehensible, and I hope the FBI will bring the proof that will put him in prison for a long, long time." The audience cheered strongly.

"And even worse," said Rosie Berkmar loudly, as was her wont, "Troy took the Fifth. Do you realize what that means? To take the Fifth, rather than answer the FBI's questions? I ask you: what does he have to hide? If he's innocent, why doesn't he come out and say so, and say the FBI is lying?"

"I'll play Devil's Advocate on this." said Zara Zeigler, taking the role normally exercised by Ruby Russell. "First, if the FBI were accusing me of a crime, my attorney might advise me to invoke until they knew exactly what the FBI had on me. My guess is that the FBI and the U.S. Attorney will be convening a Federal Grand Jury and obtaining an indictment of Donald Troy, and then we'll know what they have."

Connie: "That's a good point, Zara. Point well taken."

Rosie Berkmar: "What I want to know is why SBI Inspector Britt Maxwell has not opened an investigation of Donald Troy, and called for him to be suspended or restricted to desk duty pending the outcome of the investigation? Why is she holding back? Is she a crony of Donald Troy, and trying to protect him from the State equivalent of the Federal charges?"

Connie: "You bring up an interesting point: The FBI has a document they claim Donald Troy signed, but Troy says the signature is a fake. So how can the FBI prove these allegations? Betty Morelli, the woman the FBI alleges Troy had sex with, died in prison several weeks ago."

"Isn't that suspicious in itself?" Ruby Russell said witheringly. "The one woman that can tell the world Donald Troy sexually assaulted her conveeeeeniently dies in prison just before this become public? And allegedly of suicide, the same way Jeffrey Epstein died in prison?"

Zara Zeigler: "Or maybe Mrs. Morelli died because she could've exonerated Donald Troy."

Rosie Berkmar: "And it was Commander Troy and SBI Inspector Britt Maxwell that were asked to investigate that crime. And Commander Cindy Ross, too... Troy's closest crony. How many of you are going to take their word of the investigation's results?" The audience chuckled loudly.

Donna Roselle: "Well, we know Donald Troy sleeps around, and cheats on his wife. So who would be surprised that he had sex with Betty Morelli, who was a beautiful woman? And he's fathered several children by several different women, including one halfbreed child!" That certain segment of the audience cheered loudly.

"Donna, we don't need that kind of talk." said Connie Chen reproachfully. "You're better than Lester Holder."

"But it's true!" shouted Donna Roselle hatefully, and openly challenging Connie Chen. "And I'm most ashamed that a black woman spread her legs for that Cracker, Donald Troy, and had his halfbreed child! It's shameful! It's disgusting!" That certain segment of the audience cheered even more loudly, and had some support amongst others in the audience...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"You get the idea that the Press is in collusion with the FBI on this?" growled Sheriff Griswold, as he, Chief Moynahan, Lt. Cmdr. Croyle, and I watched in the Chief's Conference Room.

"Even I can see the orchestration on this." said Teresa. "It was obvious that this rogue Fed team shared information with Bettina."

"And it's just getting started." I said. "I hope I'm not the only one that sees the 'Point Taken' show being here on the University Campus right at this time as anything but a coincidence. The Swamp must have more planned for later this week."


"What would that beeeee?" drawled the Chief.

"What they think is a 'smoking gun'." I said. "Or at the very least, they want to be here when the Feds make their move against me."

"But why?" asked the Chief. "Why the cooperation with the Press ahead of time? Why not just build their case, then make their move against you?"

Teresa said "For the same reasons the Consultant of Crime acted as he did. He tried to destroy Don's reputation first before killing him. The FBI seems to be doing the same thing: destroy Don in the Press first, then move against him."

"That's Iron Crowbar thinking there." I said. "And you're absolutely right. But there's another component to it."

"What's that?" asked the Sheriff.

"Intimidation." I said. "Creating an atmosphere of fearful anticipation."

"Harumph!" growled the Sheriff. "You're the last man on earth their intimidation tactics would work on."

I looked over at the Sheriff and said "Sir, it's not me they're trying to intimidate..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

4:00pm, Tuesday, January 21st. Mike Todd came to my office. I turned the bug-killer on.

"As Alison McFarland says on her podcasts... here's what we know." said Mike. "The Feds are not trying to convene a Grand Jury, at least not in this Federal District. We're not hearing anything at all. And that has me concerned they're going to try something underhanded. U.S. Attorney Richard Baldwin may be gathering data to go to Judge Ruth B. Taney for an arrest warrant."

I nodded, then asked "You heard anything from the U.S. DOJ Civil Rights people?"

"No." said Mike. "And neither has Mayor Allgood's attorney nor the City Attorney, who is representing the Police Force, of course. But they may wait until this Fed Team hits you before they take any action."

"Sounds about right." I said musingly.

"You know, Don," said Mike, "the Feds may just not have very much on you, if anything at all. All they've got is this document, and from what my research is showing, that whole thing with Betty Morelli was thin. She took the Fifth when she got to the City and the Grand Jury, and by all accounts it looks like the whole thing was just to get you to expose yourself so Jerry Morelli could kill you. And Les Craig was the FBI Agent in charge of that whole operation, and he's dead now."

"Yeah, but you know how the Feds work." I replied. "If they don't have something, they just dig all the harder until they do find something. And if they don't find something, they make something up. It's bad enough that I'm just a local cop they want to destroy. I'd hate to see what they'd do to a President they didn't like."

Mike whimpered a laugh. "Well, I'm ready on the legal end of things. But the next move is theirs. And we may just have to wait until they do it, to see what it is..."

Part 7 - A County Divided

6:30pm, Tuesday, January 21st. I went to the Chief's Conference Room.

"The Council is meeting tonight, Crowbar." growled Sheriff Griswold. "Some airhead minion working for Kelly Carnes called and ordered you to appear there. I took the liberty of asking upon whose authority that demand was made. Since I didn't get an answer, I told her that you would not be appearing without a warrant or a subpoena issued by a judge."

"Am I the only onnnnne..." drawled the Chief, "... that thinks it's a little too quiet right now?"

"Calm before the storm, Chief?" I quipped. Then I got serious and said "You're right sir. With your permission, I'm going to head out, and I'm leaving both my cellphones here, in my desk. Neither you nor anyone else will be able to get in contact with me until I return."

"I'll walk you out." said the Sheriff. The Chief stood and shook hands with me, and the Sheriff led me back to my own office. Once inside, the Sheriff said "You can stay at my house tonight, you know."

"Thanks, Sheriff," I said, "but I am extremely dangerous to be around, right now. So dangerous, that it's better for my family that I'm not around them. And that family includes you."

Griswold nodded. "This cannot be easy for you, Crowbar. Whatever your sins of the past, you're paying for them now. But you'll come out all the better on the other side." He extended his hand and I shook it, and it turned into a man-hug...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

7:30pm, Tuesday, January 21st. The Town & County Council Members filed into the Public Council Chamber, in front of a packed audience. The vast majority of those attending were black, and they were wearing either red Antifa shirts or black shirts with 'Black Lives Matter' or 'Black Voices Raised' printed on them. Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle had a strong contingent of armed and armored TCPD Officers, augmented by number of armed and armored Sheriff Department Deputies.

After the initial business was taken care of, Councilwoman Kelly Carnes wasted no time in going into the attack. "I move that Donald Troy be immediately suspended without pay, and that the Inspector General's Office be ordered to begin a Board of Inquiry to terminate Donald Troy's employment in any capacity with the Town & County."

The crowd burst into applause, causing Mayor Allgood to bang his gavel with increasing force until he obtained order. "The audience will comport themselves with decorum and show respect, or I will have this Chamber cleared." The audience settled down, for the moment.

"I second." said Sheila Sorrells, a mere instant before Malinda Adams and Susan Weston said the same words.

"Let the record show that Councilwoman Sorrells seconded the motion." said Mayor Allgood.

"Point of order, Mr. Mayor." said John Colby.

"Councilman Colby is recognized." said the Mayor.

"Per the new Charter," said Colby, "the Council can no longer require the Inspector General to form Boards of Inquiry. Those no longer exist. We can request a Board of Inquest, but the Inspector General has the right to refuse unless a motion passes the Council or Assembly with 60% majority."

"Mr. Mayor, I object to the point of order." said Susan Weston. "The language of the Charter does not specifically forbid the Council from requiring a Board of Inquiry, nor directing the Inspector General to investigate a Police Officer for that Police Officer committing crimes."

"Actually, it does." replied Colby. "After the abuse by Council Democrats of the Board of Inquiry process, the Council was and is prohibited from forcing the I.G. to form a Board of Inquiry. You have to go through the new Inquest process."

"And who wrote that Charter?" sneered Kelly Carnes.

Mayor Allgood banged his gavel. "Councilwoman Carnes is out of order. Her statement has no relevance to the topic at hand."

"Mr. Mayor, I disagree with Councilman Colby's position." said Weston. "And one reason for this law is to establish fully the Council's right to require the I.G. to bring this matter to the Board of Inquest, or for the Council to be able to have its own investigation of the serious crimes that are alleged to have been committed----"

Mayor Allgood tapped his gavel some more. "The debate about the legitimacy of this motion is a legitimate point, but do not use it to make arguments about the underlying allegation."

"And I have a Point of Order to that very thing Mr. Mayor." said Councilwoman Dagmar Schoen. "Should this not be being debated in Executive Session, as it is ultimately a personnel matter?"

"What are you trying to hide?" yelled Kelly Carnes. "Why can't we talk about Donald Troy raping a woman in his custody in front of everyone---"

The Mayor was banging his gavel as all the Republican Council members vociferously objected to Carnes's comment. The audience began applauding loudly again, as if suddenly realizing they needed to. Lt. Commander Croyle had the Deputies take positions in more visible and closer locations to the audience.

"Mr. Goldman is recognized." said Mayor Allgood, seeing that Mr. Goldman had taken the 'extraordinary' step of standing up.

"I demand that Kelly Carnes be arrested and removed from this Council Chamber!" yelled Goldman. The audience began booing, and the Mayor made use of his gavel some more.

"One final time!" the Mayor pretty much shouted. "Keep quiet, or I will have the audience cleared out! Mr. Goldman, finish your statement, please."

"There has been no allegation of rape against Commander Troy!" shouted Goldman. "Kelly Carnes has committed actionable slander! I want to make a Citizen's Arrest!"

The Chamber exploded with shouts and screaming, and not only in the audience. All of the Council Democrats had risen and were shouting unprintable curses at Goldman. Teresa Croyle directed the Deputies to begin clearing the Chamber, but the Mayor intervened as it got quiet.

"Councilwoman Croyle will be given one chance to retract that unproved allegation." said Mayor Allgood.

"I retract the assertion that Donald Troy committed rape." said Kelly Carnes bitterly.

"Commander Croyle!" shouted J.P. Goldman, "that is not enough for me. I insist upon making a Citizen's Arrest. Please execute it for me."

Teresa went up to Goldman and covered his microphone with her hand, then whispered "It would be better if I don't. It'll only get you in trouble if I do. I'll tell you why later." Goldman looked displeased, but took his seat.

As Teresa walked back to her post along the side of the Chamber, Reginald B.F. Lewis said "Mr. Mayor, there is a seconded motion upon the table."

"And a point of order concerning it." replied the Mayor. "I agree with the point of order that personnel discussions should be in Executive Session. As to the point of order about the I.G., the veracity of the motion is debatable, meaning that it isn't shown that it's illegal. Therefore, we have a motion on the floor. Debate?"

"Mr. Mayor," said Dagmar Schoen, "I move we go into Executive Session for debate on this motion, as it's a personnel matter."

"I object!" yelled Kelly Carnes. "This vote should take place in public, in front of this audience! The People of this County should see who is supporting removing this---"

"There is a motion on the floor, Mrs. Carnes." said Mayor Allgood. "Are you seconding it?"

"No." spat Carnes.

"I second the motion." said J.P. Goldman, his face still looking furious...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As the Council Members filed up the stairs to the private chamber, Teresa took the opportunity to talk to J.P. Goldman.

"If you'd made that citizen's arrest," Teresa quietly to Goldman, "you could be sued, and you could very well lose, especially since the Mayor let Carnes publicly retract it."

"You still should've done it." said Goldman. "It's out there now, what she said. That can't be put back in the bottle, no matter what she says about retracting it."

"I agree." said Teresa. "But someone with standing needs to bring the charges, or a lawsuit against her. Let's just be patient. Once this works out, she'll get what's coming to her. The Iron Crowbar does not let insults pass." Goldman just nodded acquiescence.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As the Council Members sat down, with only Lt. Commander Croyle and the Sergeant-At-Arms also in the room, Mayor Allgood said "The Rules of Order apply, and will be strictly adhered to. There is a motion on the floor, and seconded. Raise your hand to be recognized to speak."

Kelly Carnes immediately raised her hand and was recognized to speak. "Donald Troy, a Police Officer who took an oath to uphold the law, is the subject of a serious FBI investigation. The FBI has supporting documentation of the allegations they are making----"

"Point of order." said J.P. Goldman, raising his hand. The Mayor nodded at him and he said "The FBI has not made any formal allegations, they have not brought criminal charges, there has been no Grand Jury convened----"

The Mayor tapped his gavel. "Those are worthy points, but should be made as part of the debate, not as a point of order. Mrs. Carnes, finish your narrative."

Carnes said "As I was saying before I was wrongly interrupted: the FBI has supporting documents which show that the reasons for their investigation of Donald Troy are based upon solid facts, and that the alleged crimes are very serious. The FBI does not make scurrilous nor specious investigations; therefore, we can take this matter very seriously, and we should."

"Furthermore to the point," Carnes continued, "for Donald Troy, a Police Officer who took an oath to uphold the law, to plead the Fifth when being questioned by the FBI, is reprehensible. Don't bother with the crap that he has the right, or that he's innocent until proven guilty; the fact that a Police Officer would not cooperate with the FBI, then would take the Fifth rather than tell the truth, is all the more reason why he should be suspended without pay until this matter is fully resolved."

Carnes was not done: "And since Chief Moynahan won't do it, and you know Sheriff Griswold won't step up and do the right thing, it is incumbent upon us, the Council, to do the right thing on behalf of the People of this County, and enforce the suspension."

Dagmar Schoen took it up: "I will bother with the concepts that Commander Troy has rights, and that he's presumed innocent until proved guilty, because those concepts, as well as the Constitution itself, are the foundation and cornerstone of our Nation and the Rule of Law. Commander Troy is under no obligation to help the FBI build a false case against him; indeed, it is the abuse of Federal Government power that caused the Founding Fathers to write and pass the Fifth Amendment."

Dagmar: "And those fundamental Rights are exactly the reason we are obligated not to take action against Commander Troy, an outstanding and heroic Police Officer, at the very least until a formal indictment is brought against him by a Federal Grand Jury."

Reginald B.F. Lewis: "I guess now might not be a good time to bring up how faithfully all those rights you claim on Donald Troy's behalf are equally applied by Police to People of Color, but I digress, I digress..." he quickly said as Mayor Allgood was about to use his gavel again.

Lewis continued: "My point here is that with Police Officers, and especially high-ranking Officers like Commander Troy, a higher standard applies. To even give the impression of impropriety must be acted upon dealt with very quickly in order to maintain any perception of integrity of the Town & County Police Force. And therefore, suspension is absolutely warranted, if not outright called for."

Malinda Adams: "I want to make the point that these specific allegations are that Donald Troy had sex with a woman in his custody. It may not be a formal rape accusation, but my colleague Kelly Carnes was fundamentally correct that a charge of this magnitude is on the order of a charge of sexual assault. And like my colleague Mr. Lewis said, the standard to which Police Officers must be held, especially with this charge that is by nature specific to people who can take persons into their custody, requires that we take immediate and strong action."

Sheila Sorrells: "I totally agree with Ms. Adams's comments, that because the charges involve alleged sex crimes against a woman, it is imperative that we suspend Commander Troy immediately, and until the allegations are completely resolved."

Susan Weston: "I just want to make two points. First of all, Commander Troy's actions besmirch the Town & County Police Force, and we are called upon to take action to show our Police Officers that we have their backs when one of their highest ranking leaders allegedly commits a crime of this magnitude."

Weston: "And I will say in response to Councilwoman Schoen's comments that while these allegations originated with the FBI, they are by no means only a Federal issue. The alleged crime occurred within the boundaries of this State, and if SBI Inspector Britt Maxwell would do her job instead of covering for Donald Troy---"

The Mayor tapped his gavel and said "It's not our place to evaluate the SBI Inspector's actions. Confine your comments to the motion at hand."