A few moments later the judge entered the courtroom as everyone stood. She saw two gentlemen speaking to her dad and assumed that they were their attorneys. What she didn’t know was they were two of the best attorneys in the metropolitan Detroit area. The clerk handed the judge several dockets. One of the attorneys came over to the jury box and approached Khiala. “Khiala, I’m Don Yates and I’ll be representing you and your fiancé.” Khiala forced a smile. “Don’t be alarmed when the prosecutor starts to make his case. He’s doing his job, but I’m doing mine too.” Khiala looked relieved. “Thank you.” He then walked over to Brandon and gave him the same speech. Khiala assumed they were using the “ladies first” rule when the first name the judge called was hers. Her attorney motioned for her to stand. The judge read the docket number, repeated her name and then looked over the rim of his glasses. “The people of the State of Michigan hereby charge you with ten counts of money laundering and ten counts of racketeering, how do you plead?” Khiala was speechless and the attorney cleared his throat, “Your honor, Don Yates on behalf of Khiala Williams. My client enters the plea of not guilty and we request a personal recognizance bond, as she has no prior convictions.” The prosecutor rose to his feet and slammed his fist on the table. “Personal recognizance! The State is seeking no bond at all.” Mr. Yates became livid. “No bond? This is not a murder trial!” he barked. “The State has absolutely no basis for not granting a bond.” The prosecutor responded, “This is going to be a high profile case, your honor. People don’t just wake up and decide to launder money,” he said sarcastically as he looked at Khiala. “This is mafia organized crime, drug and racketeering. If the defendant is allowed to make bail, the mafia will surely insist she flee the country.” Khiala could not believe her ears. She could not imagine spending another hour in jail, let alone a long period of time. Mr. Yates began to pace the floor carefully, formulating his thoughts. Deep down this made Khiala even more nervous. “Your honor, the State’s decision is based on mere speculation. My client has been charged but not found guilty. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Holding her here on the basis of what ifs is clearly unethical.” The prosecutor and Khiala’s attorney locked eyes. They were acting as if they were in a boxing match. “Your Honor,” the prosecutor continued, “the State has the authority to request no bail or high bail when it has reason to believe there are risks involved.” “Risks? What risks,” Mr. Yates yelled. “Look at her! What danger does she impose on society?” “As I was saying your Honor,” the prosecutor rolled his eyes at Mr. Yates, “due to the circumstances surrounding the case, there is probable cause that Ms. Williams will be a flight risk.” The judge looked from prosecutor to attorney and then to Khiala. She stood there teary eyed and numb. The judge wiped his forehead with his handkerchief. “This is a complicated situation and I need to recess to give it thorough consideration. Court is in recess for thirty minutes.” The judge banged his gavel and left the courtroom. Khiala turned and saw her and Brandon’s mother holding each other, crying, as her dad spoke to the attorneys. Khiala sat down, lowered her head and sobbed uncontrollably. The court clerk stood. “All rise.” The judge had been out of the courtroom for over thirty minutes. Khiala and Brandon were both afraid that they would not make bail. The judge sat in his chair and rubbed his hands across his face. “You may be seated,” he said. Everyone sat down. “Will the defendant please stand.” Khiala and her attorney stood. “As I’ve said before, this is a very difficult decision due to the magnitude of what’s to come. This arrest has already made the front page of the local newspapers. However, as a judge, I must weigh all factors when deciding whether or not a defendant should be granted bond. In this case I have evaluated all of the pros and cons.” He looked at the paperwork before him and peered over the rim of his glasses. “I’ve concluded that although I can understand the State’s apprehension in this regard, there is no conclusive evidence presented that would make me believe that this young lady is a flight risk based on her own personal background. She has never been arrested before, she is a college student and from the looks of it,” he said looking at the people in the courtroom, “she has great family support. Therefore, I set bail at fifty thousand dollars, ten percent.”