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Erin was surprised to see Rich Rudolph, a reporter for the Newark Journal, sitting in the courtroom on Friday morning. Wearing a wrinkled white shirt, with the top button undone and his tie askew. Erin had gotten to know Rudolph, who covered the state courts, back when she was a PD. She wasn’t sure who had tipped him off, but it likely meant there were going to be some fireworks at the hearing.
It was a strange tableau. Ann Parsons sat at counsel table with two attorneys she was giving the silent treatment to, complete with angling herself toward Erin and Duane, who were sitting behind her at the courtroom railing. On the other side were prosecutors Ted Willis and Jay Carver, backed by Detective Sergeant Ed Kluska. When she walked in, Kluska had acknowledged her with a simple nod.
‘A
