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Biased Justice
Literary Fiction
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In the future, crime and punishment as we know it now no longer exists. In the future, the traditional judicial process has been removed and a new procedure takes its place. One of the new procedures is regarding victims. If someone commits a crime against someone else, or is suspected of such a crime, the family of the victim is responsible for gathering evidence, bringing charges, and convicting or aquitting the perpetrator. There are rules set by the current government that must be followed during this process. If the accused person is found guilty, the family also decides the punishment. But is this new law fair? Is it biased? For one woman accused of killing her husband, this is the case. She's innocent but her husband's family cannot see the truth through the biased hatred they have for her. This is a journey through the impossible, a story of courage, perseverance, strength and ultimately, truth
Chapters
- 1Chapter 1Elara is widowed with a young son,named Leo. when her husband Damien dies in a fall at their home. Under the new justice system, Damien's family—led by his mother, Helena—initiates an investigation, suspecting Elara of murder. Elara protests her innocence, but the family's bias against her becomes clear. The chapter ends with Helena formally filing charges, and Elara facing an uncertain future.
- 2The Right to DefendElara contacts her sister Lina for help in building her defense. Together they begin gathering evidence and interviewing potential witnesses. Meanwhile, Helena and Marcus find a neighbor who claims to have heard a violent argument the night before Damien's death, casting further doubt on Elara's account.
- 3Chapter 3Helena and Marcus bring their evidence before the Family Justice Council and receive clearance to charge Elara with either first- or second-degree murder, both carrying life in a work camp. Elara learns the severity of the charges and realizes she is alone, with Damian's wealthy family against her and her own family in another jurisdiction. She begins to grasp the true extent of the bias she faces.
- 4Chapter 4Helena returns home and begins calling shady contacts from a hidden address book, seeking help to ensure Elara's conviction. She meets with a former associate who owes her a favor, planning to manipulate evidence and witnesses. Meanwhile, Elara and Lina start building their defense, unaware of the looming threat.
- 5Chapter 5Helena's true motivation is revealed: she believes Elara is an unfit mother and wants to raise her grandson Leo herself. She pushes for an early trial date, finalizes her false witness Patricia, and feels confident in her plan. Meanwhile, Elara and Lina make a small but troubling discovery about Damien's secret work.
- 6An Unexpected AllyElara and Lina are stunned when Sterling Vance, Damien's estranged father, visits them. He reveals his disgust with Helena's manipulative plan and offers his wealth and resources to help Elara prove her innocence. With his support, they gain access to Damien's hidden safe and discover troubling evidence about his secret dealings, giving Elara a glimmer of hope.
- 7Chapter 7Sterling presents evidence suggesting Marcus may have killed Damien, but the trial is imminent. Lina requests an extension from the Family Justice Council, which is denied. Sterling must race to submit the evidence and have it reviewed before Elara is convicted, as Helena's plan to take Leo looms.
- 8The Law of the FamilyAt the pre-trial hearing, the Family Justice Council rules that Sterling, as a member of the victim's family, cannot submit evidence in support of Elara. Lina must first notify Helena of the evidence, then Helena may review and submit it to the council. The council states there is no time for this process before the trial, and the evidence can only be used on appeal if Elara is convicted. Elara, Lina, and Sterling are devastated but resolve to fight on during the trial.
- 9Chapter 9The trial proceeds swiftly under Helena’s control. The jury convicts Elara, and Marcus sentences her to 25 years in a work camp. Helena then petitions the council to hold Sterling in contempt for supporting Elara. Sterling offers Lina all evidence and $50,000 in cash, but she refuses, fearing it could jeopardize the appeal. Lina realizes she is Elara’s only hope and resolves to work tirelessly for justice.
- 10Chapter 10Elara struggles to survive in the brutal New Horizon Work Camp, facing cruel inmates and harsh conditions. Meanwhile, Lina, with emotional support from Sterling, uncovers new evidence that directly implicates Marcus in Damien's murder. Lina devises a plan to submit this evidence to the Family Justice Council without Helena's interference, offering a glimmer of hope for Elara's appeal.
- 11Chapter 11Elara is attacked and injured by another inmate who accused her of stealing. Sterling is arrested for contempt of court because he helped Elara. Lina submits all evidence to Helena, who has no choice but to surrender it to the council and schedules the appeal date
- 12Chapter 12While Sterling is in jail, he learns of a legal loophole that would allow him to remove Helena as lead prosecutor of Elara and appoint him in her place. His plan then would be to dismiss the conviction and have Elara released. His next plan would be to remove Leo from Helena's custody and return him to Elara. Meanwhile Elara is struggling being away from Leo and not hearing any updates. She finds an Ally in prison named Nina who helps her manage her time there. Lina tries to visit Leo and faces pushback from Helena and Marcus
- 13Chapter 13Sterling finalizes his petition to remove Helena as prosecutor and submits it, but faces obstacles from prison bureaucracy. Lina, denied access to Leo, decides to confront Marcus directly with evidence of his involvement in Damien's death. Elara receives an unexpected visit that forces her to make a difficult choice. The chapter ends with the council's abrupt decision to hold a closed hearing on Sterling's petition, leaving all outcomes uncertain.
- 14Chapter 14Helena is up against a wall, having no choice but to admit her crimes, step down as lead prosecutor of Elara, having Sterling take her place. She then will have to face charges from Sterling, and face the consequences. Lina gets word to Elara that the end is near and she and Leo will be reunited. At the work camp, Nina betrays Elara and puts her in a dangerous situation
- 15Chapter 15With the clock tickingSterling is released from jail, & urges the council to expedite the motion for dismissal so Elara can be freed. In the meantime Marcus tries to escape with Leo but Lina is one step ahead of him. At the prison camp, Elara wakes up in the infirmary with 11 stitches to her neck. Feeling hopeless she wonders if her fate is sealed and begins to lose her will to live
- 16Chapter 16Lina summons public marshalls to arrest Marcus for attempted kidnapping, while Sterling finalizes the charges against Helena and murder plus extortion charges against Marcus. But Marcus won't face charges.. while fleeing from marshalls, he runs in front of a truck and is struck and killed. The motion is finally granted and Elara s release is effective immediately.. but will Lina and Sterling make it in time?
- 17Chapter 17Helena is sentenced to 30 years in the work camp,which at her age is a death sentence. Elara is reunited with Leo and he's released from the hospital with a broken arm but otherwise okay. Elara expresses her appreciation to Sterling and Lina during the car ride home, and as they pull up the drive, Elara is overwhelmed with excitement and anticipation for the new chapter of her and Leo's journey
- 18Chapter 18Elara and Leo settle into their new life, but the shadows of the past linger. Sterling reveals the council's report on the trial's failures, and Elara learns that Damien's secret dealings could have saved them all. She chooses to release the evidence to the public, hoping to prevent future injustices. The chapter ends with Elara receiving an anonymous letter threatening her son, forcing her to realize the fight for justice is not over.
- 19Chapter 19Elara, Lina, and Sterling investigate the anonymous threat against Leo. They discover the sender is a former associate of Damien's who fears Elara's release of the evidence. With the marshals' help, the man is arrested. Elara decides to stay in her home, and the family begins to heal, finally finding peace and closure.
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