Chapter 7 - The Interrogation Room
Inside the downtown Denver precinct, Ryan sat across from Detective Miller in a cold, windowless interrogation room.
His high-priced criminal defense attorney, Arthur Pendelton, sat beside him, tapping his fingers nervously on a legal pad.
"Mr. Bennett, we have the security video from the penthouse elevator lobby," Detective Miller said, sliding a tablet across the table.
"The audio track clearly records you telling your wife, 'Stop fighting, Claire. You embarrassed Dad. Let him teach you some respect.'"
"That statement, combined with the physical burn evidence documented by the ER physician, constitutes clear intent to facilitate assault."
Attorney Pendelton leaned over to whisper in Ryan's ear, but Ryan pulled away, his eyes wild with desperation.
"It was a family argument!" Ryan shouted, leaning over the metal table. "She was disrespecting my father at our New Year's table!"
"I'm her husband! I was trying to calm her down because she was being hysterical!"
Detective Miller leaned forward, placing his hands flat on the stainless steel table.
"Your wife sustained a second-degree burn to her pregnant abdomen while you physically restrained her wrists, Mr. Bennett."
"In the state of Colorado, committing an assault against a pregnant victim carries a mandatory sentence enhancement."
"If convicted, you are looking at five to twelve years in a state penitentiary without the possibility of early parole."
Ryan's hands began to shake violently as the full weight of his legal nightmare crushed his arrogant posture.
"Can... can I talk to Claire?" Ryan whimpered, his voice cracking like a child's.
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"Mrs. Bennett has secured a permanent restraining order," Detective Miller replied coldly.
"If you so much as send her a text message, your bail will be revoked instantly."
