Chapter 20.   Contest Interrupted

In the aftermath of the meeting at Slendabond, as it turned out, Morgan was able to corroborate much of Edgar Miller’s story about having been a whistleblower at his former bank.  Green then contacted Edgar’s former attorney and it was determined that a separate action would be filed by the other attorney seeking Edgar’s freedom.  The two attorneys felt that they could share some common research expenses because of the common legal issues in the two cases.

Roger Maxim arranged to have his training director call Masterson Automotive and recall Edgar for more slave training.  This was, of course, a ruse such as had been used in Stephanie’s case, but this time to keep Edgar safe until his hearing.

I day or so after this I got a phone call from attorney Green.

“I have some very good news, Bill.  An attorney representing a benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous has just contacted me.   The attorney advises that the anonymous donor had a concern that funds be available for legal research and to hire a private investigator and perhaps a forensic accountant to follow the money trail and find out who, exactly, is behind those two companies that falsified debts against Stephanie.  He advised further that funds up to $100,000 would be put into a blind trust account for that purpose.”

“That is really great news!” I responded.  I did not want to tip my hand to Green that I already had some knowledge about this “anonymous donor”.

“I have already started the ball rolling.  I called Jim Phelps, the attorney representing Edgar Miller, the whistleblower.  He and I have jointly hired a 3rd year law student to help us with the legal research.  He too had been contacted by that same attorney on behalf of the anonymous donor providing a trust fund of $75,000.  Both of us have hired detective agencies to start working our respective cases.  We will also use the discovery process to compel production of documents and call in some people to testify before a court reporter.”

About three weeks later I got another call from Green indicating that he had enough facts to go forward with Stephanie’s case and that Phelps was very nearly to the same point on Edgar’s case against the bank.  He advised that his detective had found, by following the money trail, that Mel Zigler was the apparent principal in both of the dummy companies that fabricated the phony debts against Stephanie.  

Jim Phelps had also called Green to report progress on his defense of Edgar Miller.  Phelps’ detective had discovered that Leland Bank and Trust of White Plains, NY had been Edgar’s former employer. The detective had also found that Morris Leland, the bank’s president had acted in concert with one Sally Rigers, a teller there at that time, to falsely accuse Edgar of embezzlement.   The embezzlement charge had been a private prosecution resulting in the bank owning Edgar.  The bank then sold Edgar to Masterson Automotive and its president had used his influence to land Sally Rigers a job at Masterson where she could keep a close eye on Edgar.

Green filed the necessary “Petition for a Determination of Wrongful Enslavement” to obtain a hearing where he could show that Stephanie had been framed on manufactured evidence.  All parties including Greg Masterson were served with copies of the petition and notice of hearing.  In connection with that petition Green also filed a “Motion for Temporary Restraining Order Concerning Publication of Photographs”.

A week later Jim Phelps filed a similar petition to show that Edgar Miller had been framed by his employer, the bank, to stop Edgar’s whistle blowing activities.  Morris Leland and Sally Rigers were named as witnesses in this action.  He also filed a motion for a temporary restraining order concerning the publication of photos by Slavery Today magazine.

When the day of the hearing on Stephanie’s petition came I went with Morgan and Green to court.  Stephanie remained safely boarded at Richmond Slendabond pending the outcome.  Fortunately Masterson Automotive did not file a petition to repossess Stephanie during the period prior to hearing her petition.

Stephanie’s original judge, Alfred P. Morelock, banged the Court to order, the bailiff called the case and Roger Vandenberg, who had originally prosecuted Stephanie, announced that he was here today representing Masterson Automotive, her present owner and defendant in this case, while Green announced representation for the Petitioner, Stephanie.

Green stated that his case would be based on falsified documents, that Ms. Glenn had never owed the $10,000 amount required for a statutory enslavement and that he was prepared to call handwriting experts to show that documents had been forged.  Mr. Green further stated that he would show that some of the witnesses, Masterson employees, knew at the time they were called to authenticate the documents that the documents had been forged.  More than that, he continued, he would show that two dummy corporations called JR Finance Company and DJ Leasing Ltd were the alleged creditors on these forged documents and apparently had no other business on their books than the alleged loans to Ms. Green, and that these dummy corporations were owned jointly by three Masterson employees: Mel Zigler, Ted Duncan and Tom Jenkins.

In rebuttal Vandenberg stated that some of the debts charged against Ms. Glenn had indeed not been valid, but that the Masterson employees who testified at the original trial had been unaware of this and had testified in good faith and truthfully as to what they knew at the time.  He also argued that there remained substantial debts that were not in question and that stability of the law required that a person once enslaved remain enslaved.  He cited the case of State of New York v. Cutler where there had been a finding by the Court that where it could be shown that a master had communicated business trade secrets to petitioner in the good faith belief that she was a slave and had been legally enslaved, that to free her to disseminate such trade secrets outside her master’s business would work an injustice on the master.

Green tried to rebut this precedent by pointing out that it only applied in a very limited set of circumstances and cited another case more favorable to our position.  He also directed the Court’s attention to the fact that a master seeking this type of relief must come to Court with completely clean hands.  He stated that he would show at trial that Masterson employees did not have clean hands in this matter and that, therefore, the company that employed them could not claim clean hands.

Just then a messenger came in, approached the table where Vandenberg was sitting, and placed some document in front of him.  Vandenberg then rose to address the Court.

“Your Honor, if it please the Court, Masterson Automotive would like to drop all opposition to the Petition now before the Court.”

“Counselor?”  the judge said with a puzzled look.

“I am acting on instructions of my principal, Greg Masterson, your Honor.”

“Very well then.  I will render summary judgment in favor of Ms. Glenn’s petition.  Who has custody of Ms. Glenn?” the judge wanted to know.  Morgan Richmond rose.

“I have temporary custody, your honor, for training purposes.”

“The Court takes notice of the fact that slaves are commonly subject to some form of mind control and/or post-hypnotic suggestions.  Was that done to Ms. Glenn?”

“Yes, your Honor” Morgan replied.

“How much time and expense would be required to undo these mind controls?”  the judge pressed.

“My organization can accomplish this in a week or less, and there will be no charge for this work.” Morgan replied.  Vandenberg was now on his feet to address the Court.

“I would move, on behalf of my client”, Vandenberg intoned, “that Ms. Glenn’s deprogramming include erasing from her mind any knowledge of trade secrets of Masterson Automotive, and further that her deprogramming remove from her mind any memory of what may have been done to her sexually by Masterson employees or by clients of the firm.”

“Objection, your Honor”.  Green was on his feet.  “Ms. Green may wish to pursue criminal charges against some of these employees that may have conspired to enslave her for sexual purposes.  Depriving her of her memory of how they used her would prevent her from pursuing her legal remedies.”

“Point taken, counselor.  I will order that erasure be limited to trade secrets and to any sexual usage by the firm’s clients.  None of her interactions with Masterson employees are to be erased at this time, pending further legal actions.”

“I am also issuing a permanent injunction against the publication by the magazine Slavery Today of photographs depicting Ms. Glenn nude and/or performing sexual acts.”

“A newly freed slave has no financial resources by definition”, the judge continued “so the law requires that the freed slave be turned over to the custody of Rehabilitation Services until he or she can find work and become independent again.  That is unless there is a sponsor.”

“I have agreed to be that sponsor, your Honor, and have already filled out the appropriate forms that accompany the petition”, Morgan replied.

“This Court will now stand adjourned until one week from today at which time I will direct you, Mr. Richmond, to present Ms. Glenn to the Court for her emancipation.”  With that the judge banged his gavel and left the courtroom.

                      **********************************************************************

A week later Court was banged to order again.  Ms. Glenn appeared naked and handcuffed as would be considered proper form for a slave pleading for relief from a Court.  Morgan appeared next to her, holding her arm, controlling his charge.

“Has this slave been deprogrammed?”  The judge directed his question to Morgan.

“Yes, your honor.  All programming and post-hypnotic commands have been removed.  Memory erasures have been carried out within the boundaries set out in the Court’s Order”, Morgan replied.

“Then there is the matter of the bio-implant,” the judge continued.  “I must have it de-commissioned before I can truly give this lady back her freedom.  Bailiff, call the Medical Officer.”

Soon a medical doctor appeared and hooked up a strange looking collar around Stephanie’s neck with a bunch of wires leading from the collar to an elaborate control console he had wheeled in.  He pushed a button and we all observed a series of cascading lights on the console.  Shortly thereafter he disconnected the collar and prepared to leave.

“Will you state for the record, Doctor, “ the judge required, “That the young lady’s bio-implant device has been rendered non operative for both incoming and outgoing signals?”

“I so state”, the doctor replied.  With a wave of his hand the judge dismissed him.

“Ms. Glenn, you have been restored to the condition of personal autonomy and mental privacy in which you were before your enslavement.  Fortunately your implant was of a newer two-part type known as a Dalton implant.  This means that, while there is a part of the implant that cannot be safely removed, there is a surgical procedure that can safely remove the part that actually allowed your former owner to remotely monitor and control your mental and bodily functions.  Part of my order today will be authorization for any surgical facility with the necessary skills to remove that Dalton controller from your neck, and for the costs of the surgery to be chargeable back to your former owner.  Such surgery will make permanent what we have already done today.  You may consult the Court’s Medical Officer for further details.”

“Ms. Glenn, I now enter the Court’s Order of Emancipation.  Bailiff, remove the lady’s handcuffs and furnish her a robe to wear.  You are a free woman as and from this moment!   I must enjoin you, however, to go with your sponsor, Morgan Richmond, to such place as he shall arrange for your temporary living quarters and to be accountable to him for your comings and goings until such time as you can, with his help, re-establish yourself in independent life.”

With that the judge banged the gavel and left the courtroom.  

Stephanie, Morgan and I all went then with Green to his office near the courthouse.  I had brought some of Stephanie’s clothing from my attic to Green’s office before the emancipation, anticipating that she might want to wear real clothing again.  She excused herself for a few minutes and changed from the robe into these clothes and rejoined us.  Green opened his liquor cabinet and we all named our poison.

It was a joyful occasion because we were celebrating Stephanie’s freedom.  We had also just gotten word from Edgar Miller’s attorney that Edgar’s freedom had been won in a jury trial and that the permanent injunction had also been granted against publication of Edgar’s nude sex photos.  The attorney was considering a possible criminal action against Morris Leland and Sally Rigers.

As we were starting to unwind, I remembered that I had some news for Stephanie.  

“Greg Masterson fired both Mel Zigler and Ted Duncan last week, is now acting CEO himself, and brought in a new Human Resources Director.  I thought that might please you.”  I announced brightly.

“But what about Tom Jenkins?”  She shot back at me.

“He is still there, as manager of the accounting department.”

“That is no justice for what those guys did to me.  I want to pursue criminal charges against all three of them!”

“But the public prosecutor may very well decline to prosecute”, Green chimed in.  “After all, he has to run for re-election next year and a lot of people wouldn’t vote for him if he had damaged a local company like Masterson Automotive that employees so many people.  Not only that but I believe he and Greg Masterson belong to some of the same clubs.”

“But we have the option under Capitallia law to bring a private criminal prosecution” I responded.

“That is true, but the public prosecutor has the right of first refusal”, Green replied.  “If he declines to prosecute, then the door would be open for us to do so.   Bear in mind also that the outcome of such a prosecution is far from certain.  It would be necessary to prove the motives and intentions of those two.  And Greg Masterson may decide to provide full financial support to the defense.  He will want to save his Accounting Manager and a conviction against any of these three men would tend to sully the reputation of his firm.   But if you are sure you are up for this, I will request an appointment with the prosecutor in the next few days.”

“Absolutely!” she said, and I gave her a look of approval.

By now we had gotten quite comfortable with our drinks and conversation turned to the wider significance of the legal battles we had been fighting.

“Bill, why do you think abuses like this happen in our system?” Morgan asked.

“One factor is that it is not necessary to prove any willful wrongdoing in order to enslave someone”, I said.  “One need only show that the person is insolvent for whatever reason.”

“That’s only the half of it”, Stephanie chimed in.  “Add to that the fact that the debtor, once enslaved, loses all her rights of communication with the world outside her master’s premises and the right to seek redress in the courts.”

“I think you two have nailed it”, Morgan replied.  “Are you up for doing something to bring about change, Bill?”

“What did you have in mind?”  I replied.

“There is a political organization called “Reform Slavery Now” having a meeting tomorrow night”, Morgan continued.  “They deal with issues like this.  Let us go to their meeting and see if we can move them to take up these particular issues.”

“Count me in!” I said.  Stephanie gave me a look of approval.  

“Stephanie I have something pleasant planned for you in the near future”, Morgan continued.  “I have leased an apartment for you for six months, until you get a job and get on your feet.  Bill here has been good enough to arrange for all your furniture, clothing and personal effects to be transferred from his attic to your new apartment.  Soon you should find everything you need there for awhile.  But they are still painting the place.  So for tonight and the next few days you will be staying with me in my Manhattan penthouse.  My wife will help you get settled in tonight.  I know it has been a long day for you so I think you and I will take our leave now.”

With that Stephanie and Morgan said their goodbyes and Green and I linger a bit longer to plan our next move.

A few days later Stephanie, Morgan, Green and I were in the prosecutor’s office making out a case for criminal prosecution for Zigler, Duncan and Jenkins.  The prosecutor agreed to review the material we had submitted and get back to us with his decision.

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