Chapter 5 - Carter’s Uncle Gets One Phone Call
Carter called his uncle.
Martin Hale was not the district attorney.
He was a senior assistant prosecutor in a neighboring Virginia
jurisdiction.
Powerful enough to impress Carter.
Not powerful enough to erase evidence.
Martin arrived at the hospital and made a mistake immediately.
He asked an officer whether the situation could be “handled as a family
matter.”
The officer documented the request.
Then Martin saw my father.
His expression changed.
Dad did not threaten him.
He did something worse.
He introduced himself politely.
“Mr. Hale, because of my position, I will have no operational
involvement in any investigation concerning my daughter.”
Martin swallowed.
Dad continued:
“I expect the same ethical distance from you.”
Martin understood.
Within an hour, he notified his office of the conflict and stepped away.
Carter had spent years telling me his family knew how the system worked.
Now the system’s most important rule was the one he never expected.
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Conflict had to be disclosed.
And everything was being documented.
