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Nicole Rodriguez entered the court room and sat in the back. She pulled out her notebook and a pencil. She was writing a new story on sentencing reform and excessive sentences in the criminal justice system. She had been working on the CUC story for three months, but she’d gotten nowhere. Nicole kept plugging away and had been spending more time in the courtroom of Kyle Smith and Stewart Decker, as they had become notorious in South Florida for being tough on crime and handing down long sentences.
“All rise. Court is now in session. The Honorable Kyle Smith is presiding.”
“Thank you. Please be seated,” said Kyle. What is she doing here again? he asked himself as he saw Nicole sitting in the last row.
The court room was packed with the family members of Josh Wells, a thirteen-year-ol
