Chapter 23 Revised.   Just Deserts

This revision involves some substantive changes for clarity.

In the aftermath of my being attacked and violated Bill became increasingly necessary to my sense of security.  When I had called him from the taxi he had immediately given me the address of his town house.  He pointed out, sensibly, that it would now be unsafe for me to return to my own apartment.  He had also asked me in that call if I had noted the street address of the place where I had been held captive.  I assured him that I had.

When I arrived at his place I fell into his arms.  I needed so badly to feel safe again.  The tigress in me had collapsed by this time and I just wanted someone stronger than me to hold me and tell me that everything would be all right.   His powerful arms held me tight for what seemed like a very long time.  At last he escorted me to his sofa and offered me a drink I much needed.  He called the police for me and they took a brief statement by phone. 

“Miss Glenn”, Sergeant Withers began, “Now that you have taken the oath just now and agreed to give your statement under penalty of perjury, I would like to go over the key points. 

“After the street assault by the boys”, the officer continued, “you say the last thing you remember was that you had subdued the boys and were walking away?”

“Yes”, I replied, “but then I woke up tied to a bench in what appeared to be a laboratory of some kind.  I found that I could not move and that I was naked.”

“And who was the first person you saw there?” the officer asked.

“It was Mel Zigler, the General Manager at the last place I worked.”

“Are you quite sure that it wasn’t just someone who looked like Mel Zigler?”

“It was Mel Zigler!” I replied.  “I knew Mr. Zigler well over a period of more than a year when I was illegally enslaved at Masterson Automotive.  I knew him more intimately than I ever wished to know him.   I would know that face and that voice anywhere!  I even recognized his cologne.”

“Who else did you see in that room?”

“The two boys who had assaulted me on the street.  One was a tall slender redhead, who I later heard addressed as ‘Erin’.  The other, a boy I later heard called ‘Kim” was a shorter and stockier boy.”

“And what happened next?”

I gave him a complete statement of how Zigler had electrically tortured my sex, how he had tried to re-activate my implant, how he had then suddenly left me in the custody of the two boys to attend to some urgent business.   I reported that the boys had taken their own clothes off because they planned to rape me.  I explained how I was able to take advantage of a moment when they were flipping me over on the table to gain the upper hand, even though handcuffed.

“In your earlier comments, before I swore you in, you said the boys wound up injured and handcuffed.  Go over that part again.”

“I used my kickboxing skills”, I explained,  “to subdue the boys until one was unconscious and the other barely conscious.  Then I found the key to unlock my own handcuffs and put cuffs on both the boys.  After that I went upstairs, found my clothes and purse, made my escape out of the building, and hailed a cab.”

There was a very long pause and I wondered if the officer was finding my story too fantastic to be believable.  Finally he spoke.

“You are one tough lady.  And you caught some lucky breaks.  My hat’s off to you.  Do you know where this place was where you were held?” the officer wanted to know.

“Yes.  As I fled out into the street and hailed a cab, I made a point of writing down the street address.”

I gave the officer the exact address in lower Manhattan.

“Very well, Miss Glenn.  I think we have enough to get a search warrant for that place, an arrest warrant for Zigler, and we will get further particulars from him that will help us find and arrest the boys.”

“Thank you, Sergeant Withers”, I replied.

“I must advise you that if you intend to pursue a rape complaint against the boys, you will need to go immediately to a nearby hospital and have a rape kit done to preserve evidence.”

“I think there will be charges enough without the rape charge”, I replied. “And I am exhausted.”

“I can believe that Miss Glenn.  In the morning, when you are more rested, we would like you to come down to the station.  We will require a fuller statement.  And we will have a typed copy of the testimony you just gave me which we will need you to sign.”

With that the police interview ended.

Bill offered to sleep on the couch that night while I enjoyed the comforts of his bedroom.  I learned, at a later time in our relationship, just how much he had wanted to fuck me that night.

In the morning we both got up early and Bill took me to a 24-hour emergency medical clinic near his apartment.  I didn’t feel there was anything wrong with me other than a few bruises and scratches that would heal on their own.  But Bill was insistent that I get checked out.

At the clinic they wanted my most recent blood tests from my last physical.

“Miss Glenn”, the clerk inquired, “are your medical records stored with one of the major medical storage services?”

“Yes”, I replied, naming the service.

“Then if you will just step into one of those computer cubicles over on the left wall, you can insert your medical access card into a terminal, key in your password and download the blood work to our system, along with any other medical records you think might help us today.”

As it turned out I had only minor bruises and cuts but it was good to have that belief confirmed.  As I was leaving the clinic the clerk handed me a slip of paper with a case number written on it.

“Miss Glenn, if you wish you may go back into one of those cubicles and key in this case number, and the results of your visit today will be uploaded to your master medical record.” 

“That sounds like a good idea”, I replied.

After that we went to the police station. Two detectives interviewed me at some length.  We were advised the scene had been dusted for prints and samples of DNA evidence had been taken.  The police had been able to match the prints of the two boys against a database they had of juvenile offenders.  They had picked up the boys and had me identify them in a lineup.  They would be held in a pre-trial detention facility at least until they could be arraigned.  A warrant had been issued for Zigler’s arrest, but he had not been found at his home and his present whereabouts were unknown.  The police said they would let us know as soon as the prosecutor decided how to proceed with this case.

A few days later we learned the public prosecutor had decided not to pursue this assault on me.  He had said the evidence was just too circumstantial and it would be a case of “he said, she said”.  So the boys were turned loose and the warrant for Zigler was dropped.  I was not completely surprised at this turn of events since Zigler had boasted to me of his friendship with this prosecutor.

We still had to wait out the rest of the month for the prosecutor’s decision on the charges I had requested against Masterson employees for my earlier enslavement.  Finally we were informed he would not pursue that case either.   The prosecutor’s friendship with Zigler was surely a conflict of interest that the prosecutor should have disclosed by law and the ethical standards for lawyers.  Fortunately the option of a private criminal prosecution was still open to me.  

My attorney filed the necessary papers with the Court to begin my quest for justice.   A week later there was an ex parte hearing to establish our standing to prosecute on both cases and whether there was probable cause for the court to issue arrest warrants.   For the wrongful enslavement case my attorney had to show that I was the principal party who had been damaged by the alleged criminal conduct.  Then there had to be a prima facie showing of fraud committed by the defendants.  This was established first by Bill Steelforth’s testimony under oath as to what he had discovered about the forged documents and the dummy corporation.   For the kidnapping case we were fortunate that the police had done their work and we supplemented that by bringing sworn depositions from all three of the slaves from the convenience store as to what they had witnessed of the street assault.  We were soon green lighted to proceed with our twin prosecutions.

A charge of “willfully taking the freedom of an innocent citizen” was filed against Jenkins and Duncan, the two men I hated most in this world.  There was also a lesser charge of “depraved indifference” against both men.   On the more serious of these charges I would be entitled to lifetime enslavement of these two men if we proved my case, or even possibly death penalties.  We were entitled, under private prosecutor status, to have arrest warrants issued and to have the county sheriff arrest Jenkins and Duncan and bring them to Court.  At this point we did not yet know of Zigler’s full involvement in my enslavement though we suspected it.

Charges for the more recent kidnapping, however, were filed against Zigler and the boys and they too were arrested and brought to court for their arraignments. 

These arrests came as a complete surprise to all of the defendants since, by using the ‘ex parte’ hearing, we had not been required to give them any notice before that time that we were bringing private criminal prosecutions.  This feature of the law was to avoid the danger that people facing criminal prosecution might flee the jurisdiction.  The defendants had all thought they were home free when the public prosecutor declined to prosecute.  The defendants all pled innocent and were released on their own recognizance. 

Bill advised me that there had to be a fourth person responsible for the miserable way that I had been treated as a slave at Masterson Automotive when I was legally only an indentured servant.  That would be the person from the slave advocate agency responsible for monitoring conditions of servitude at Masterson Automotive.  By subpoena of Masterson records we learned that this person was a Cheryl Clifford, federally licensed as a slave advocate.  Obviously she had not done her job.  In fact I had never seen her or heard of her during my time at Masterson.  This was, at the very least, gross neglect of duty. 

We needed more evidence if we were to file charges of wrongful enslavement against Zigler.  The most likely source of such evidence would be testimony by Duncan and Jenkins.  I was present with my attorney when they were brought in for questioning in his office pursuant to a subpoena.  A Mr. Stafford represented them both.

“Mr. Duncan”, my attorney began, “we wish to know if the actions you took to enslave Ms. Glenn were taken on your own initiative, or were you following orders from one of your superiors.”

“We do not admit”, Stafford replied, “that either of my clients took actions designed to enslave Ms. Glenn.  In order to implicate someone higher up they would have to first admit that they did something illegal themselves.  My clients both stand on their Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate themselves.”

It was true, of course, that they could not be forced to testify against themselves under the Fifth Amendment to the Capitallian Constitution, which largely paralleled 
the Fifth Amendment under laws of the old USA.  To get them to waive their privilege we had to engage in a bit of bargaining.  

“You have informed your clients, no doubt, that “willfully and unjustly taking the freedom of a citizen” is a capital offense?”

“They have been so informed”, Stafford replied.

“Suppose then, just hypothetically, we were to take the death penalty off the table?  Would that motivate your clients to cooperate in this investigation and to make certain other concessions?”

“If we agree not to seek the death penalty, we would want your clients to agree that, in the event they are convicted, that they would waive any objection to swift preliminary punishment while their appeals are pending.”

“What is this ‘preliminary’ punishment?”  Jenkins wanted to know.

“It is not that big a deal.  It is just to make an example of you by administering an embarrassing bare assed spanking in front of a crowd in Central Park”, his lawyer responded.

“I don’t like the sound of that!” Jenkins responded.

“For God’s sake, man!  Even with the death penalty off the table you are looking at possibly being enslaved for up to 20 years.  The preliminary punishment is the least of your worries.  If a little embarrassment gets the death penalty off the table and still lets you appeal the conviction, then I would strongly recommend you take the deal!” Stafford rebuked.

Upon questioning the two Masterson employees revealed under deposition before a court reporter that Mel Zigler had also been involved, and had full knowledge of the forged documents used against me.  In fact he had ordered Duncan to work with Jenkins to create the forged documents and also to begin the legal enslavement action in order to placate Tom Jenkins and retain his loyalty to the company.  A deposition was obtained from Duncan against Cheryl Clifford as part of the same plea bargain.  We added the necessary charges of “willfully taking the freedom of an innocent citizen” as well as “depraved indifference” against Zigler and against Miss Clifford.  

We entered into separate negotiations with Cheryl Clifford’s attorney.  We wanted her testimony against Zigler as well.  She was clearly very frightened and readily agreed to testify and to waive any objection to preliminary punishment if only we would take the death penalty off the table. 

Finally the day for trial came.  I was excited.  I had learned that if these four defendants were convicted of even the lesser offense, that enslavement to me would be their most likely punishment.  While I told myself that I had no particular desire to own them personally on a long-term basis, I knew that I might have some fun at their expense and then have them sold at public auction and realize the proceeds of the sale.  I also knew that I would have my vindication since these three men and the woman would find loss of their freedom extremely distressing as well as humiliating.  The case had received quite a bit of publicity, so the courtroom was full of spectators, much to the chagrin of the defendants.

Judge Morelock was again presiding.  Mr. Green laid out my wrongful enslavement case, chiefly that the men had forged documents purporting to show my debts in excess of $10,000.  They had also set up a dummy corporation, owned by the three of them jointly, to which these debts were supposedly owed.  A handwriting expert testified that the forged documents were in the handwriting of Jenkins.  The dummy corporation appeared to have no other purpose than to generate phony debts against me.  Masterson records were produced to show that Miss Clifford had hardly ever visited the facility and never conducted any inspections or interviewed any slaves.  Duncan testified under oath that Zigler had heavily bribed her to ‘look the other way’ concerning any abuses she might hear of.

The defense was pathetic.  They claimed they had no knowledge of what they were doing at the time.  Jenkins said he wrote my signature on some loan notes because Duncan told him to do so.  Duncan said he submitted all these documents to an attorney to prosecute me because he relied on the information given to him by Jenkins.  And because he had been ordered to do so by Zigler.  Zigler claimed he had only told Duncan to do what he could to keep Jenkins happy, but had never told him to do anything illegal.  Miss Clifford said she was new to her job and had been assigned too many workplaces to monitor and that “nice Mr. Zigler had agreed to lighten my load” by assigning a Masterson employee to do the required inspections and interviews.  All she had to do was sign the inspection and interview reports.

The jury took less than an hour to find Zigler, Jenkins and Duncan guilty of the more serious charge of “willfully taking the freedom of an innocent citizen” and found Cheryl Clifford guilty of the lesser charge of “depraved indifference”.  The Court later noted in its opinion that there was neither a federal law nor a New York state law forbidding an employer from compelling a slave to bear a child, but that there were existing laws prohibiting an indentured woman from being so compelled.

The kidnapping case was handled as a separate trial before a different jury.  We brought in the three slaves from the convenience store to testify in person and be cross examined as to what they had seen of the street assault and kidnapping.  The boys had agreed to testify against Zigler in this case when we agreed to take off the table lifetime enslavement, the most serious penalty that would have been possible for them.  As we had done with Duncan and Jenkins we also made it a condition of the bargain with the boys that, if convicted, they would waive, through their attorneys, any legal objection to the swift imposition of preliminary punishment while pursuing any possible appeals.  The jury quickly brought in a verdict of guilty against these three defendants.  

A separate session of the court was held the next day to hear the judge’s instructions concerning preliminary punishments and sentencing for both cases.  In all there were six defendants from the two trials present.  Bill escorted me to court that day and I was glad of his company and his support throughout this trial and its aftermath.  He explained to me that Capitallian courts, under most state laws, treated the victims of crime far differently than did courts of the old USA where a crime victim had no say in anything and was, at most, only a witness.  This had already become clear in that I, as a crime victim, had been allowed to bring a private prosecution against my tormentors.  It was to become even clearer as I learned the extent of my role in the sentencing process.   The courtroom was packed with spectators as the case had been well publicized.  The judge addressed me.

“Under the criminal laws of New York State a crime victim who wins a private criminal conviction is entitled to determine the sentence to be imposed – limited of course to penalties which have been authorized by statute for the severity of crime committed.  The three adult male defendants and the two boys have all been convicted on charges that could carry the death penalty, though you have already, during plea bargaining, taken that penalty off the table for all but Mr. Zigler.  

“Miss Cheryl Clifford has been convicted on a lesser charge that could carry a maximum penalty of ten years enslavement.  My clerk will give you the statutory guidelines on exactly what punishments you may impose.”
 
I looked at Bill.  I could hardly believe the power that had suddenly been conferred upon me.  I was starting to feel a bit giddy and was glad that Bill was by my side and was squeezing my hand.

“You should also know, Miss Glenn”, the judge continued, “that our statutes also prescribe some very specific public punishments for persons convicted of these crimes.  The rationale for the public punishments is not only to punish but also to punish in a way that will serve as a deterrent to others from committing similar crimes in the future.  These punishments then are mandatory and do not depend on any decision left to your discretion.” 

The judge then turned to Mel Zigler and ordered him to rise and face me.

“Mr. Zigler”, the judge intoned, “since you have not waived any of your rights the Court may not, at this time, order any preliminary public punishment for you pending the outcome of any appeal you and your attorney may elect to pursue.   You are technically still a free man subject to continuation of your bond.  I am ordering that the Court Officer affix an electronic tether to your person.  Should you fail to appear for any further proceedings I will order you be held without bond.”

We waited a few moments while the tether was affixed to Zigler’s ankle and he was allowed to leave the courtroom.  

“A week from today”, the judge continued, “there will be a “Punishment Fair” open to the public in Central Park just off of Fifth Avenue.  This display will have been well advertised to the public.  If past experience is any guide we may anticipate tens of thousands of interested spectators.  The five of you will be the main entertainment for these crowds.  You will suffer the punishment known as “virtual crucifixion”.  You will be affixed to vertical high tech metal crosses with magnetic restraints in such a manner as will best display your nakedness to the throngs of people who will come to see you.  Among them will be your friends and business associates who will all have been contacted individually in advance.  You will not die from this punishment, but you may wish you had.  It is not only humiliating but it is a stress position and will exhaust you.  A medical doctor will be in attendance and your cross will periodically be tilted into a horizontal position to provide stress relief whenever you faint or experience extreme difficulty in breathing.”

“For you, Miss Clifford, the punishment will be for one day from sunup to sundown.  For the three adult males and the two boys the punishment will last three days from sunup to sundown.  You will be allowed rest each night.”

Just then the attorney for Cheryl Clifford was on his feet seeking recognition from the judge.

“If it please the Court, my client, Miss Clifford, is a single mother with two small children, ages 4 and 7.  Pursuant to the Family Impact Law, I would move that she be released at this time on her own recognizance, until the day scheduled for public punishments, so that she may attend to her children.”

“We have no objection, your Honor”, my attorney offered, “so long as she is also fitted with an electronic tether”.

“So ordered”, the judge responded, directing the bailiff to make the necessary arrangements, and instructing Miss Clifford on when she must present herself to a Court officer for the preliminary punishment.
Miss Clifford was then allowed to leave the courtroom.

“If there are no more Family Impact motions I think we may proceed to the next order of business”.  

The judge then turned to the remaining four defendants and ordered them to rise and face me.

“It is the Order of this Court that, pending final imposition of your sentences by Miss Glenn, that the four of you are, for now, property of the State of New York.  As such you will now be stripped, here in this courtroom, of your clothing, any possessions on or about your persons and your freedom.  If you undress quickly there will be no need for the bailiffs to forcibly strip you.  Each of you is asked to place your valuables, including wrist watches and jewelry, in an envelope to be provided by the bailiffs.  Then you are to neatly fold each item of clothing as you remove it and place it in a basket with your name on it that the bailiff will provide.  You will not need clothing again for quite some time.”

Bill was watching me for my reaction.  I felt my breathing deepen and my pulse rate speed up.  The bailiff placed a basket and an envelope on the defense table in front of each of the defendants.  The two men and two boys removed their shoes and socks and placed them in the basket.  They emptied their pockets and removed their wristwatches and placed these items in their envelopes.   Coats and jackets were next, then shirts, then slacks.  

Many of the defendants thought the undressing would now be considered complete.  But the bailiff indicated by a gesture that the men’s briefs must also be removed.  Just then 16-year-old Erin shouted to the judge.

“No fucking way, you old pervert.  Nobody’s making this lad show his dick in public!”

With that outburst the slender youth began to run at top speed for the double doors at the back of the courtroom.  As he was clad now only in his briefs, I could admire his long lean legs, his washboard abs and his well tanned skin as he made his very athletic run for the doors.  I could not help but notice there was an impressive bulge in his briefs and some stray reddish colored pubic hairs escaped the leg openings on either side.  I could see the look of fierce determination in his eyes as he ran.  

Two guards near the back doors intercepted him, struggled with him, got his briefs off and frog marched him back to the defense table.  The judge ordered that the youth was to receive a whiplash across his now bared buttocks for his act of disobedience and this was done.  The boy cried out with the pain and tears ran down his face.

I watched, fascinated, as the other three people reluctantly removed their last vestiges of modesty.  If any of them thought of rebelling they had been disabused of that notion by what happened to Erin.  I had not seen Duncan without his clothing before.  Of course I had seen Jenkins and the two boys naked before because they had all raped me.  But it was different seeing them naked in this very public courtroom setting in front of all these spectators.  I was not witnessing their sexual aggression under these circumstances.  I was witnessing their shame.  I was looking at four very red faces and the chill of this drafty courtroom was beginning to affect all of them.  They shivered, attempted to conceal their private parts with their hands and their eyes were all looking down at the floor and not at me.  The judge addressed them.

“The Court will have no cowering and no false modesty from the prisoners.  You are all instructed to stand up straight, keep your hands at your sides, face your victim and make eye contact with her.  Remember that she has the power to determine your futures, so it would be prudent of you to show her every respect.”

I never thought I could enjoy another’s suffering before, but I really enjoyed seeing these two adults and two teenagers who had so wronged me, stripped of their clothing and their dignity in that courtroom.  

The judge then turned a severe face toward Tom Jenkins.

“There is one more thing, unfortunately for you Mr. Jenkins.  Because your offense has been proved to be sexually motivated, the law requires me to impose upon you the punishment of castration.  This will be done publicly at the conclusion of your three day ordeal on the cross.”

Jenkins had suddenly turned white.  His attorney was suddenly on his feet.  I was ecstatic with pleasure that I would finally receive this exquisite vindication!

“Your honor, we object!  We waived objection to preliminary punishment earlier but this is hardly a preliminary punishment.  My client will never be able to get his balls back in the event we are successful with his appeal!”

“Sit down counselor!  I have made my ruling.  You can file an emergency stay if you wish.  Sometimes the appeals court will grant a preliminary stay within 72 hours and you have a week.”

The judge then turned to me.

“Miss Glenn, it would be the Court’s suggestion that you observe these public punishments first, before deciding on the long term punishment sentences which are within your power.  It has been the Court’s experience that crime victims often experience a sense of having been vindicated, at least partially, by the public punishments and are therefore inclined to be more moderate in imposing the long term private punishments.  The Court will ask you to take three more days after the public punishments are over to consider your sentencing decisions.  Court is adjourned until that time.  When we reconvene I will review your sentencing decisions to make sure they are within the range of statutory punishments permitted for these offenses.”

The judge banged his gavel and rose and exited the courtroom.

    ________________________________________________________

As Bill and I exited the courthouse he broached a new topic with me.  He said Greg Masterson, owner of Masterson Automotive Group, would like a private meeting with me.

“Bill I don’t think I am up for that!” I said. “Mr. Masterson may have helped me in the end, but it was, after all, his company that did these terrible things to me!  He may not have intended what happened to me, but he surely was negligent in putting that guy Zigler in charge and spending so much time in South America without following up on what Zigler was doing!’

“Greg has already told me how sorry he is for what happened to you, Steph.”

“So now it is ‘Greg’ is it?  You are on a first name basis with this guy?”

“I had lunch with him – that is all.” Bill responded.  “We reached a certain level of comfort with each other over a meal and some drinks.  This was about two months ago.  Since then I have spoken to him once or twice.  He called me yesterday to say he would like to meet you and apologize in person and that perhaps he would have a business offer for you. “

“Bill – I can’t be sure I wouldn’t blow my top at him!”

“Just meet him Steph, and hear him out.  If you don’t like what he has to say you aren’t obligated in any way.”

“If you think it is for the best, I will go.  You have guided me well in everything to do with this case, so I will trust your judgment Bill.”

“Let me try his cell.  Perhaps I can reach him now.”

With that Bill was dialing.

“Hello Greg?  This is Bill Steelforth.  Fine.  I am with her now.   We are just coming out of the courthouse.  Your office?  Tomorrow morning at ten?”

Bill looked at me for confirmation.  I nodded.

“Fine.  Ten o’clock it is then.”

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