Gut Instinct

January 13, 2015

The Tale

Thursday couldn't arrive fast enough, this would be Greg's first chance at getting bail.  I just could not believe that  the American justice system would be like this.  Greg was facing an 'accusation'.  He had not been tried and found guilty nor serving a sentence at this point and yet he was being treated as a guilty villain.  I was 60 and did not know that is how the justice system was set up.  Guilty until proven innocent would be something we had to endure for the next eleven months.

Abe had said there was a chance that the judge could deny bail.  Karina and I were a bag of nerves driving from Nashville at 5:00 AM.  We were bringing Greg some grooming things and had to be in Tuscumbia before 8:00 AM.  We were at the law office before anyone else had arrived, and saw that a media was setting up a camera in front of the courthouse.  My heart was going to jump out of my chest.  I was terrified.

There is nothing worse than the fear of going to jail that I know of.  I have never faced the threat of bombs falling from planes buzzing above my head, I guess I am just a lucky coward and I don't know how people manage to keep sane when facing death, but I almost killed myself out of fear.  I don't know how any of the hostages made it through their personal ordeals either.  The Alabama legal system might be unique from the other 49 states, I do not know for a fact and I would defer to an expert for an answer but this was my first experience as a Canadian with what I knew to be American law, and I thought it was most unpleasant and felt that our entire family was hostage.

Abe told me not to go to court, he did not want me there and he did not want Karina there either.  I was powerless and just had to comply with his request but I knew that Greg would be looking for our support in the courtroom.  Handcuffed and wearing shackles Greg crossed the street where he was intercepted by the waiting media camera.  This is exactly what his enemy wanted,  video and pictures for the internet, still out there today to shame him for eternity.

The staff of the law office were absolutely fabulous people.  Brother John was a retired minister and comforted us.  The two secretaries could see the fear in our eyes and did the best to calm us.  At one point during the morning, the Toronto lawyer ran from the courthouse to the law office and announced to Karina "They have thrown everything out, and Greg is free to go" "Really???" Karina replied excitedly, "No, hahahahahaha, just kidding".

How were we to respond to such behaviour from a professional?

The day dragged on and finally we got word that the judge had granted bail, and because the bond included so much Canadian real estate, Greg would have to wear an electronic ankle monitor and he would be restricted to a three county area. in North Alabama until all of the documents could be verified.  This was the biggest case the court had ever dealt with we were told and everyone wanted to make sure they were doing everything correctly.  We waited another several hours for Greg to be released and were told that they did not have one of these monitoring units in Tuscumbia, and that it might be possible that Greg might have to go back to jail for the night if it did not arrive by 5:00 PM.  The stress game was unimaginable.

Finally, at around 3:30 November 21, 2013, Greg walked into the law office.  I didn't really care at this point about the monitor, Greg was out of jail and he was sort of 'free' now, it was just a matter of days to clear the paper work which meant a short stay at a Residence Inn and we would be able to head home to Canada to prepare for trial, and worst case scenario, go to our Florida house until the trial.  With the amount of real estate put up as bond it was a sure thing that it was just a matter of time before Greg was able to go 'home'.

I thanked Abe for successfully getting Greg out of jail, and he and his two sons left for Montgomery.  That was the last time I saw and or spoke to him.

And that is how I learned my lesson to always listen to your gut instinct.