Three months later, the trial opened at the courthouse. Every seat in the gallery was filled. The victims' families were there, the ones Caden had wronged over the years, clutching memorial photos, their eyes wet with tears.
When the gavel came down, the judge's voice rang out clearly through the chamber. "The defendant, Caden Harlow, having been found guilty of s****l assault, money laundering, leading an organized crime syndicate, and additional charges, is hereby sentenced to the death penalty, with lifetime loss of civil rights and asset forfeiture."
The room erupted. Applause crashed through the gallery. Some people wept openly; others shouted for justice. At the defense table, Caden crumpled. He tried to protest his innocence, but no sound came out. Sometime during his time in the
