Friday, January 12, 2018

Illegal or Not



        

     Nico Arquero was a handsome young man originally from Ponce, Puerto Rico, but currently living in New York City. He’s a regular at the gym with a black belt in karate. He’s 25, 6’tall and 180 lbs of pure muscle. Being Puerto Rican, he had a slight brown tone to his skin with dark brown hair and eyes. When he wasn’t in the gym, he worked with immigrant groups. Recently, Hurricane Maria had devastated Puerto Rico, and when tens of thousands of his fellow islanders had to evacuate to Florida, he volunteered to go to Florida and help them. He was assigned to a small town in the panhandle of Florida, Port Jackson. The port had silted up years ago and it was a tiny hamlet of about 150 people, and now the governor had approved 100 refugees to settle there.

     

    

     Nico arrived and took a small apartment in an abandoned office building downtown. The bottom floor was used as office space to process the refugees and the apartment was on the second floor. Nico could simply come downstairs and open the doors at 9AM to start working. Another advantage was that there were stairs leading directly down from his apartment on the rear of the building, allowing him to come and go without being seen. 

    

   



     He brought his weight equipment with him, so that he could keep in shape; this town was too small to have a gym. That turned out to be a good idea, because some of the townsfolk didn’t realize that Puerto Ricans were American citizens and treated them as if they were illegal aliens.

     He had been in Port Jackson for about a week and everyday there were protests outside the office, usually led by Ned Davis, a loud-mouthed bigot despite his size. Ned was 28, 5’6”, 120 lbs with blonde hair and blue eyes and lily-white skin. Nico had complained to the Sheriff, but the sheriff was Billy Davis, Ned’s older brother. He just told Nico they didn’t need his kind in Port Jackson and refused to silence his brother. He even told Nico that Ned was exercising his right to free speech, something Nico should know if he was really an American citizen. No amount of arguing would get the sheriff to stop his brother from harassing Nico and the Puerto Ricans.

     Since he was getting nowhere with the sheriff, Nico decided to take matters into his own hands. He closed the office at 5PM as usual, and looked out to see Ned protesting by himself. He approached Ned, hoping to talk sense to him.

    
   





    
     “Hi, Ned! I’m Nico Arquero, the liaison for the Puerto Rican refugees. Can we talk?”

     “Only if the talk leads to you and all these other illegals leaving Port Jackson! Trump was right, we need a wall to keep your kind out!”

     “Now wait a minute! These folks aren’t from a foreign country, they’re American citizens just like you and me!”

     “I’m American, but no damn Hispanic is! Now pack up and leave if you know what’s good for you, Mr. Illegal!

     “Look, Ned. I have an apartment right over the office. Please come to my room and let’s discuss this over a beer.”

     “Everyone knows about your apartment, Mr. Illegal! We’ve been watching you and seen you bring young Hispanics up to your room. You’re a damn faggot! You ain’t gonna fuck me!”

     “Trust me, you’re not my type.” Nico turned to walk away, but Ned pulled his pocketknife and tried to attack him. Luckily for Nico, he saw Ned’s reflection in the storefront mirror and spun around, knocking away the knife with his leg. He then hit Ned in the back of the head, knocking him out. He quickly looked for the knife, but in the dark he couldn’t see it. He grabbed Ned and his sign and dragged him up the stairs to his room.

     Once he got to the room, he secured Ned to his bed with manacles that he used when having rough sex with some of his friends. Then he sat down, trying to figure how he could get out of this mess.

     A short time later, Ned woke up, moaning. “What the fuck is going on? Where am I and why am I tied up?”

     “Ned, you shouldn’t have attacked me. I’m not only bigger and more muscular than you are; I am second dan in karate. Now why did you try to stab me down there?”

     “I did no such thing, you faggot Spic! And you better let me go, or I’ll file assault and battery charges. You know you’d never get off in this town, Spic!”

     “What did you call me?”

     “I called you what you are, a faggot Spic! And if you ain’t careful, you’ll be a dead faggot Spic!”

     “You better take that back, Ned!”

     Ned saw that he was getting under Nico’s skin, and decided to egg him on further. “You ain’t nothing but a damn illegal faggot Spic, an abomination, and you and the rest of your kind need to leave now, if you know what’s good for you!”

     That was one step too far for Nico. He threw a right cross and knocked Ned out with one punch. He knew now that there was just one way to make Ned leave him alone.

     He turned Ned onto his stomach and re-secured him to the bed. He also took a knife and cut away all of Ned’s clothes, leaving the homophobic bigot naked. He now waited for Ned to wake up. He didn’t have to wait long.

     Ned woke up, and tried to move. He found he was bound and naked. “What the fuck, Arquero! You better let me go now! Do you know what my brother, the sheriff, will do to you if he finds out you kidnapped me?”

     “Oh, I see we’re awake. I told you, none of this would have happened if you hadn’t tried to stab me.”

     Ned got cocky again! “If I tried to stab you, where’s my knife? You stripped me naked after knocking me out! You’re in big trouble, boy! You better let me go. I won’t tell my brother anything, but you need to leave town!”

      “I don’t think so, and I don’t trust you, Ned. Now what can we do about that? I seem to remember you saying that the men I brought up here were my lovers. Up to now, that’s been true. But I don’t think I can count you among my lovers. Let’s find out, Ned. Maybe you’ll like being fucked!”

    

    

 



     “You ain’t raping me! Get away from me, you damned faggot! HELP!!!!!”

     “Go ahead, I soundproofed this room. Only I can hear you and I love hearing fear in a man! It turns me on sexually! See?” Nico drops his pants, revealing a hard, seven inch, cut cock!

     “You ain’t putting that Spic cock in me, boy! Get away!”

     Nico didn’t reply. He just climbed atop the much smaller Ned, began massaging Ned’s nipples and suddenly shoved all seven inches into Ned’s virgin hole without lube!

     “AAAHHH!!! You’re ripping me apart, you faggot! Take it out!”

     “Not until I show you the joys of man to man sex. See how hard your own dick is getting?’

     Ned began to cry. He could feel his own body betraying him. He’d never felt such humiliation!

     Nico continued to rape Ned. His dick went in and out, in and out, like a well-oiled pump.

     “Ned, I think you’re liking this! You’ve got pre-cum on the tip of your bigoted dick. See?” And he scooped some up, and smeared it on Ned’s face. Ned was stunned that his body was giving in to the rape.

     About five minutes into the rape, Nico yelled out, “Here it comes Ned! What a ride!”

     He shot several ropes of cum deep up Ned’s ass and as he did, Ned came all over the bed.

     “You raped me! I’ll get you for this, Nico! You’ll never leave Port Jackson alive!”

     “I wish you hadn’t said that, Ned. I was hoping that we could have a new relationship, but now I see that’s impossible. Do you remember that I told you I’m a black belt?”

     “Yeah, so what?”

     Without answering, Nico struck a blow to the back of Ned’s neck, instantly severing his spinal cord. Ned gave out a short cry and then relaxed into the arms of death. Now Nico had to think fast. He had to dispose of Ned’s body. He quickly bundled the body in the sheets and took it down to his car, a 2005 Ford Focus. It was a small car, but the trunk was as large as a Ford Crown Victoria. It was dark and the town was asleep. He dumped the bundled up body into the trunk. Then he started the car and headed out of town to a local lake. He knew there were lots of alligators and he was counting on them to be hungry. He got to Lake Louisa and dropped the sheet-covered body into the shallows. He could see several alligators nearby.
    

  

   



     Then he went back to the car and drove home. What he didn’t notice was Pedro Cabrera’s truck parked nearby, one of the Puerto Rican refugees that Nico had helped resettle.

     Pedro thought it was odd that Nico was here parked by the lake. He’d never seen Nico out here before on his fishing trips. He saw Nico leave, and then got his fishing gear and headed to the lake for some fishing. He got to the lakefront and was getting his gear ready when he saw what looked like a bundle of sheets tied and floating right next to his spot. He grabbed the sheets and pulled them ashore. The alligators watched but kept their distance, they had not lost their fear of man.

     He was about to cut open the sheets when he saw a hand protruding. He left the sheets and body there and quickly called 911 on the cell phone that Nico had given him when he signed up for his family’s assistance. “Hello, 911, what is your emergency?”

     “This is Pedro Cabrera. I’m out by Lake Louisa. I just found a man’s body wrapped in sheets floating in the lake. Please, come quick!”

     “We have deputies on the way. Stay there, they’re about ten minutes away.”

     “Thank you!” Pedro stays with the body and a few minutes later, Deputy Bubba Williams arrives in his cruiser with County Coroner Mike Roberts and the coroner’s van close behind.

     The deputy walks up to Pedro. “You say there’s a body in those sheets?”

     “Yes, sir! Oh, why did I go fishing tonight?”

     “Did you kill him, Pedro?”

     “No Sir, I just got here and found him. But I don’t think he was in the water long.”

     “Why is that?”

     “Well, the gators were swimming towards him, but hadn’t got there yet.”

     “Okay, did you see anything else that might help us in our investigation?”

     Pedro was nervous and shaking, but he knew he couldn’t lie to a county deputy. “Yes, sir! I saw a vehicle leaving just as I parked.”

     “Okay, can you describe the car and did you see who was behind the wheel?”

     “Yes, sir. I have seen that car many times. It was Nico Arquero’s car and Mr. Arquero was in the driver’s seat. But it must have been a coincidence. Mr. Arquero is a nice man, he helps people, and he’d never kill anyone.”

     “We’ll find that out when we interview him. Since he was here so close to the finding of the body, he might be a witness. Hey, Mike, have you ID’d the body or found out anything yet?”

     “Normally, I’d need to do some work at the lab, but I know who this man is. It’s Sheriff Davis’ younger brother, Ned Davis!”

     “WHAT! I better call the sheriff right away! Anything else before I call him?”

     “Yeah, Ned’s had sex with someone shortly before death.”

     “Well, what’s so unusual about that? Ned always was known for fucking the ladies.”

     “You don’t understand. There is cum oozing out Ned’s ass. Some guy fucked him recently, and since he’s dead, it was probably rape. I’ll run a rape kit as soon as I get to the morgue, but I already took a sample, and I’m bagging his ass to make sure that we don’t lose any evidence. And there’s something else. Look at his wrists and ankles; do you see those slight abrasions? That’s a sign that he was restrained, probably with manacles. If we find the killer, be sure and look for some kind of restraints!”

     “Oh, fuck! The sheriff’s gonna blow a gasket! Not only is his brother killed, but raped first while he’s restrained! Hey, Mike, who do we know in this town that’s queer?”

     “Only one that I know of, that Spic that helps the Puerto Ricans, Nico Arquero.”

     “Exactly! And Pedro here saw Nico’s car at the crime scene. Hey, we’re in luck, the ground was soft from rain. I can get a perfect tire tread, then I’ll match it to Arquero’s tires. I better call the sheriff. He’ll probably want to head out to Arquero’s apartment and hold him as a person of interest.”

     “Hello, this is Sheriff Davis. Do you know what time it is? I was just falling off to sleep.”

     “Sheriff, I know it’s late. It’s Deputy Williams. I’m out by Lake Louisa, we just found a body wrapped in sheets that a Puerto Rican fisherman pulled out of the lake.”

     “Damn it, Williams! Why couldn’t this wait until morning? Just have the coroner bring the body to the morgue tonight.”

     “Well, normally, I would. But we’ve ID’d the body. It’s Ned, sir!”

     “WHAT? You mean someone killed my baby brother? That Spic probably killed him. Arrest him! I’ll be right out.”

     “It’s not that simple, Sir. There were two vehicles out here at the lake tonight. Pedro Cabrera saw the other vehicle and I got a tire track impression. He said it was Nico Arquero, Sir. One more thing, the coroner’s pretty sure that Ned was raped!”

     “Why that bastard queer! He’s one of the only homos in these parts! How long ago does the coroner think the body was dumped?”

     “Well, he can’t be sure till he gets back to the morgue. But he’s guessing no more than 30-45 minutes, probably less. Pedro’s only been here about 25 minutes.”

     “Okay, I have to get dressed. I’m going over to Arquero’s apartment; he’ll be home by then. We both know that bastard homo killed Ned. I want to be there when he gets the needle! Tell Mike that this autopsy is top priority. I want it done by tomorrow!”

     “Will do, Sir. I’ll bring Pedro in too, so he can be interviewed. You might get Judge Johnson up, we need a warrant for Arquero’s car, so I can compare the treads.”

     “Okay, Deputy. I’ll see you back at the sheriff’s office.”

     The sheriff woke up Judge Johnson, and the judge issued three warrants, a search warrant for the apartment, another for Nico’s car, and one to arrest Nico on a charge of suspicion of murder and rape. Then Sheriff Davis headed over to Nico’s apartment with two of his best deputies, Mark Robinson and Jeff Moore. The sheriff ordered that they not use lights or sirens; he didn’t want to do anything that might alert Arquero. Once they arrived, he gave the men their final orders.

     “Okay, men. We’re going up the stairs in back, they end right outside his apartment. Tiptoe up those stairs, I don’t want him hearing anything until we bust that door down. That SOB killed Ned, and I don’t want him escaping! Is that clear? Good. One more thing, the SPIC is a black belt in karate, so when that door breaks, everyone make sure your guns are drawn. I want the bastard alive, but shoot if you have to. Try to just wing him. Now let’s go catch us the SOB who killed Ned!”

About twenty minutes earlier, Nico had finally arrived back at the apartment and gotten ready for bed. Nico loved how fit and muscular he looked, so he always slept in the nude. He also had a habit of falling asleep quickly, a habit he’d wish he didn’t have before this night was over. Nico had just entered deep REM sleep when the sheriff and deputies arrived at the landing outside his apartment and kicked in his door. He sprang up from his bed, but confronting him were the three law enforcement officers with their guns pointed directly at Nico!

     Nico looked at the men and said, “Sheriff, what’s the meaning of this? How dare you barge into my apartment?"
    

    

   



     “Nico Arquero, you are under arrest for suspicion of murder and rape of Ned Davis. Stand against the wall, I need to handcuff you.”

     “I did no such thing, Sheriff!” He saw the guns all aimed directly at him.

     “I hear you’re a black belt in karate, Spic! Please resist, nothing would give me more pleasure than to fill your sorry carcass with lead, except to be there with the other witnesses when they give you the needle and you take that long dirt nap, Fucker!”

     “Okay, I’ll let you handcuff me, but first let me get dressed. I don’t want to be paraded around town naked!”

     “You should have thought about that before you stripped poor Ned’s body. He had to come back into town naked in a body bag, and if I have any say, that’s what you’ll be in soon! Now hands against the wall, or does Deputy Moore have to taser you?”

     Nico realized that he was outnumbered, and that even his skills with karate weren’t a match against their guns, so he did as he was told. He stood facing the wall, and the sheriff handcuffed his hands behind his back. As he was cuffed, the sheriff read him his rights.

     “You have the right to remain silent. Should you waive this right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. Should you be unable to afford one, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights, boy?”

     Nico gritted his teeth and said, “Yes, sir! And I’d like to see those warrants now!”

     The sheriff showed Nico the warrants, one allowing them to search the apartment for evidence, a second allowing them to seize Nico’s car to process it for evidence and finally the arrest warrant on suspicion of murder and rape.

     They conducted a search of the apartment. Since Ned had been wrapped in sheets, they suspected that Nico had put on fresh sheets after dumping the body. They stripped the bed, and found fresh cum stains on the mattress, so they seized the mattress for further study. They looked on the bed, and noticed scratches in the wood consistent with a struggle. They looked in the drawers of Nico’s dresser, and mixed in with his socks, they found four iron manacles with some paint transfer, probably from the bed. They seized the manacles, headboard and footboard and then the three law enforcement officers led Nico down the stairs, naked, and put him in the back seat of the sheriff’s waiting car. 


     After the short drive to the sheriff’s office at the Andrews County Jail, Nico was given a standard issue prison uniform to wear and had to put it on in front of three deputies with their guns drawn in case Nico tried to escape by using his karate skills. He was re-secured with the manacles and leg irons and was then taken into an interrogation room for questioning by the sheriff.

     “Arquero, why not tell me what happened? Things might go easier for you if you confess!”

     “I ain’t saying anything without my lawyer! Ned was a bigot, and most of this town is the same. I won’t get a fair trial! Now I need a lawyer!”

     “Sure, SPIC! Who is your lawyer?”

     “I can’t afford one on the small pittance the government pays me to help these refugees of Hurricane Maria. You said the court would appoint one for me.”

     “Very well! You go before Judge Johnson in the morning for arraignment. He’ll appoint one for you then. In the meantime, here’s one more warrant that the judge signed. It authorizes us to take a cheek swab for DNA. Open wide, faggot!”

     “I’ve gotta give you the sample, although you don’t have to use ethnic slurs. You could ask nicely!”

     “Oh, forgive me, where are my manners, Mr. Killer of my brother! You better just be glad that I brought you in for trial instead of finding the closest tree, homo! Now I want that DNA swab!”

     Nico opens wide, and the sheriff swabs his cheek and then places the swab in an evidence envelope. He gave the swab to the deputy to be sent to the State Crime Lab. “Deputy, take this Spic homo and put him in a cell. But treat him real nice. I don’t want him accusing us of police brutality, plus I want him nice and healthy when they strap him down for the needle! Oh, and those manacles and leg irons stay on even in the cell. Feed him yourself if you have to, but I don’t want that Spic escaping the scales of justice”.

     Once that was done, Sheriff Davis called the coroner for an update. “Hey, Mike! It’s Sheriff Davis. What do you have on my brother’s murder?”

     “I just finished the preliminary autopsy. Ned was killed by a sharp blow to the back of the neck that broke his spinal column, I’m writing it up as murder caused by blunt force trauma.”

     “Do you have any idea what the killer used, Mike?”

     “I can’t be sure, but it might have been his hands. The bruise is long and thin, like the edge of a hand. I have to research it more, but it might be a karate chop!”

     “That makes sense. That Spic we arrested has a black belt in karate. Did you run a rape kit?”

     “Yes, Sir! And it came back positive! Ned was definitely raped, I even got some live sperm that we can send out for DNA if you have a sample to match it to.”

     “I sure do! I just got a cheek swab from Arquero and sent it to the State Crime Lab, send yours there too.”

     “Yeah, I will. They’re the best at DNA and it rarely takes more than two weeks. That will give me time to get the toxicology results back on Ned. You know, sheriff, see if he was drugged. Also, one more thing, can you get a search warrant for a mold of Nico’s hands, I want especially the sides of his hands. Then I can compare it to the wound and see if it’s consistent”

     “Sure, no problem! Well I need to run, Deputy Williams just walked in. I’ll have him get you the warrant. I think he has the tire impression comparison and also the report on any evidence he found in Arquero’s car.”

     “Well, Deputy Williams, do you have good news for me? What did you find in going through that Spic faggot’s car?”

     “I think you’ll be happy, Sir. First, as to the tire impression that I found at the lake, it’s a perfect match for the tread on the defendant’s right front tire. So Arquero was definitely at the crime scene. Next, I did check out the car. I didn’t find anything of note in the passenger compartment, but the trunk is a different matter. I found fibers that are microscopically similar to fibers from the sheets that Ned’s body was wrapped in. I also found some very faint white stains on the trunk liner where I found the fibers. I sent a sample of those stains to the State Crime Lab for DNA analysis. We’ll know for sure in two weeks. I’m also going to go back out to the lake in the morning when it’s light so we can see if we missed anything.”

     “Very thorough, Williams! I’m impressed! I’m going home for some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning, the prisoner has a 9:00 AM arraignment time with Judge Johnson,”

     At daybreak, Deputy Williams returns to the crime scene with an evidence specialist. “Deputy Williams, is this where the car was parked?”

     “Yes, it is! Did you find something?”

     “Yes, look here? There are two sets of footprints. There’s a heavy set leading to the lake, and a lighter one returning, but the same shoe made both impressions.”

     “You’re right. The deeper set must be when Nico was carrying Ned’s dead body to the lake, and the lighter one is when he returned to the car to flee. We need a cast of these, then I’ll go to his apartment with a warrant and look for those shoes!”

     They collect the cast, and then they head to the courthouse, where court is already in session. Judge Johnson is on the bench. “The next case on the docket is State of Florida v Nicholas Arquero aka Nico Arquero. The charge has just been upgraded to First Degree Murder, First Degree Rape, and Armed Kidnapping! Is the defendant present, and is he represented by counsel?”

     “Nico rose at the defense table and said, “I’m here, your honor, but I’m not represented by counsel, I have no money for a lawyer.”

     “Very well, the court appoints Roberto Gonzalez as your attorney.”

     “But your honor, Roberto is one of the refugees from the devastation from Hurricane Maria! He’s never tried a case in Florida!”

     “If the prisoner does not wish Mr. Gonzalez to represent him, that is his right, but he would then have to pay for his own attorney. Is that what you want to do, Mr. Arquero?”

     “No, Sir! I don’t have any money to pay for one. I guess I’ll accept Mr. Gonzalez as my counsel.”

     “Very well! You may confer with your attorney, and then I need a plea to the charges.”

     “Your honor, may we have a five minute recess to discuss the plea?”

     “Certainly, counselor! Court is adjourned for five minutes.”

     “Well, Roberto, what is your advice? How should I plead?”
    
      “Nico, I’ve looked at their case. So far, it’s mainly circumstantial, but I hear that they’re waiting for DNA evidence to come back. If that implicates you, you’re in big trouble. The State Attorney has already announced that he’s seeking the death penalty. But before I advise you further, did you kill him?”

     “Yes, Roberto I did. But it was self-defense. He came at me with a knife!”

     “Where is the knife? I haven’t heard of any being found.”

     “That’s the problem. I was able to disarm him, but it was dark and I couldn’t find it.”

     “Okay, it doesn’t look good. But for now, we’re going back in the courtroom, and you’ll plead not guilty, and announce that we’re going for self-defense. It’s a pretty easy argument in Florida with the Stand Your Ground law.”

     “Court is back in session in the case of the State of Florida v Nicholas Arquero aka Nico Arquero. How does the defendant plead?”

     “Your honor, Roberto Gonzalez, attorney for the accused. Mr. Arquero pleads not guilty, due to self-defense.”

     “Very well, the court accepts the plea. What is the people’s recommendation on bail?”

     “Your honor, the defendant is originally from Puerto Rico, and is currently a resident of the state of New York. Since he has no ties to this community, and due to the seriousness of the charges, the people request no bail!”

     “Very good. Mr. Gonzalez, do you wish to be heard on bail?”

     “Yes, your honor. While what the State Attorney said is for the most part true, he does have substantial ties to the community. He came here specifically to assist other Puerto Ricans in settling here after the devastation caused on the island by Hurricane Maria. He is well-liked, even beloved by the Latino community. I ask that he be released on his own recognizance, and I will let him live with me should you grant this request, and be responsible for his appearance in court.”

     “The court has considered both arguments, and to a degree they both have merit. However, these are extremely serious charges, and due to the death penalty being sought on the top charge, any release from custody would bring with it a very strong possibility of flight! Also, the court is aware that the defendant is a black belt in karate, which the state argues that he used to kill the victim. He was only captured so quickly and peacefully because he was sleeping naked in his bed when the sheriff and his men broke down the door. Should he flee, they might not be so lucky next time. The court also notes that the prisoner has been brought from the jail in manacles and leg irons, further showing how dangerous the defendant may be if released into society. Therefore, I am denying bond, and the defendant is remanded to the custody of the sheriff!” As the bailiffs approached Nico to take him back to jail, Nico turned to his attorney and asked him what would happen next.

     “Well, I’ll come by the jail later today. I need to hear your side of the story. That will probably be all for a few weeks until the DNA evidence comes back. Also, Judge Johnson granted a search warrant for the shoes you wore the night of the killing. It seems they found footprints leading from your car to the lake and back, and they want to compare them to yours. I’ll also try to see if the State Attorney is willing to offer a plea deal.”

     “But, Roberto, I killed him in self-defense. I don’t want to go to prison!”

     “Would you rather do 10-20 in prison, or get the death penalty? In this part of Florida, that’s probably the only realistic choices. Now go with the bailiffs and I’ll be around this afternoon.”

     About 3:00 PM, Attorney Roberto Gonzalez entered the jail, and asked for a meeting with his client, Nico Arquero. The deputy on duty directed him to a conference room, and came back a few minutes later with Nico, who wore both manacles and leg irons. The manacles were then attached to bolts in the table to prevent the possibility of escape. Nico was furious. “Hey, guard! Why am I being chained like an animal? I haven’t given you any trouble, but I’m chained 24/7 even when I’m locked in my cell!”

     Attorney Gonzalez interrupted him. “Nico, they have to restrain you. You heard the judge, with your karate skills, you’re too dangerous. Guard, would you leave us please. I need to confer with my client.”

     Once the guard left, Gonzalez looked at Nico. “Okay, I have some good news. I talked to Scott Wilson, the State Attorney. He’s willing to accept a guilty plea to second degree murder and drop the rape and kidnap charges to save the people an expensive trial. He’ll recommend a sentence of 10-20 IF the DNA comes back negative.”

     When he finished talking, he saw a look of worry in Nico’s face. “OK, Nico. I’ve seen that look before. There’s something I don’t know. Tell me in your own words what happened that night. If I’m going to defend you, I need to know everything.”

     “I had just closed the office, and Ned and his buddies had been outside all day picketing and hurling ethnic and homophobic slurs. I had just had enough! I went outside to lock the front door when I saw Ned all alone, so I decided to try and talk to him. But that man had a one-track mind. He just kept hurling the insults! Then as I turned, I saw a flash and realized he’d pulled his pocketknife. I spun around and kicked it out of his hands. He started to yell, and I was afraid he’d get one of the Sheriff’s men to arrest me, so I struck him on the back of the head, knocking him out cold. I made a quick search for the pocketknife, but couldn’t find it. It must have gone into some bushes. It was dark, but I couldn’t risk a deputy on patrol seeing Ned out cold in the street, so I picked him up and went up the rear stairway to my apartment. I just wanted to reason with him, so I threw him on my bed, and used some manacles to restrain him just in case he tried to attack again. You know I’m gay, and some of my partners like it rough, so I had a set with me. When he woke up, he denied attacking me and began insulting me and threatening me again. I’d had enough; I lost my temper and connected with a right cross to his jaw. Suddenly, I was enraged and knew that he had to be taught a lesson and also that he’d never give me a moment’s piece as long as he was alive. While he was out cold, I repositioned him and stripped him, so that I could fuck him by placing him on his belly. When he woke up, I fucked his ass, but good! I was hoping he might be so humiliated that he’d offer to leave me alone, but he kept saying how he’d get his brother to arrest me for rape. You know I’m a second dan in karate, so I know exactly where to strike a man to kill him. I brought the side of my hand down HARD on that asshole’s neck, breaking his spinal column. Then I removed the restraints, bundled him in the sheets and put him in my car trunk for the trip to Lake Louisa. It’s usually deserted, how was I supposed to know that Pedro would decide to go fishing that night? If he’d just been a little later, the alligators would have eaten Ned’s remains before he could be discovered. That’s the truth! Now, how much of a jam am I in?”

     “Nico, I can’t mount a defense of self-defense. What you described is premeditated murder!”

     “But he tried to attack me with his pocketknife!”

     “Says you. The police never found a weapon. But even if they had, the attack happened outside. You could have knocked him out and left him there, but you made the conscious decision to take him to your room, which is kidnapping, then to restrain him, and finally you made conscious decisions to rape and murder him. No, the only way to save your life now is a defense of temporary insanity!”

     “But I’m not insane!”

     “No, but the stress of being threatened and attacked unhinged you temporarily. Either we go with that, or you better write out your will, because you’ll be taken to the prison in Starke to await execution by lethal injection. It’s your choice, Nico. And forget about the plea deal. As soon as State Attorney Scott Wilson gets the DNA reports, he’ll pull that offer.”

     “So what happens if I’m found not guilty by reason of insanity?”

     “Well, it’s a long shot. Is there a history of insanity in your family? No? That’s a problem. But if we somehow get you off on an insanity defense, you’d be taken to one of Florida’s state mental hospitals for an evaluation and then once they realize you aren’t currently insane, you’d be released as a free man. I’d advise leaving Florida, Ned had a lot of friends who won’t take kindly to you getting off. But I have to be honest. It’s far more likely that you’ll be convicted and sentenced to death. There’s just too much evidence, and you had multiple opportunities not to commit your crimes, which shows premeditation and planning, which is a big point against you not knowing the difference between right and wrong. Listen, I need to do more research. There won’t be another hearing until after the DNA and toxicology come back. Just go back to your cell and behave yourself and I’ll be in touch! Guard, we’re done. You can return the prisoner to his cell!”

     The guard returned Nico to his cell, and nothing major transpired in the next two weeks. Then State Attorney Wilson called Nico’s attorney on the phone. “Hey, Roberto. I just got the DNA back from the rape kit and also the sperm stains on the mattress, sheets and the white stains on the trunk liner. The odds of anyone other than Nico Arquero being the contributor of the sperm we found in Ned’s ass and in the trunk are 15 billion to one, and the stains on the mattress and the sheets the body was wrapped in were a combination of two individuals, in this case Nico Arquero and Ned Davis. Again, the odds of anyone else being the contributor are about 15 billion to one. Also the fibers in the trunk were a match for the sheets Ned was wrapped in. Toxicology showed that Ned was drunk at the time of death, which isn’t that surprising because he was always drunk! Under the circumstances, I have to withdraw the plea deal, but I’ll make a new offer if you’re interested.”

     “What is the offer, Scott?”

     “If your client is willing to plead guilty to all counts and accept a sentence of life without parole, the state will agree to avoid the expense of a trial. The family doesn’t like this, but they’ll go along if the defendant also waives his right to appeal.”

     “I think that’s a fair offer, Scott, but you know I have to discuss it with my client first. I’ll go see him and then call you back with our answer.”

     “Okay, Roberto, but this is a one-time offer. If he refuses, we go to trial on Monday, and I will be seeking the death penalty.”

     Roberto went over to the jail, and told Nico about the DNA and toxicology, as well as the plea offer. “Life without parole and give up my appeals, Roberto? Just rot in a hole! Fuck, no! He deserved what happened to him! You said you were mounting an insanity defense. Well, get me off, counselor! Do your job! I refuse that offer!”

     “Okay, Nico. I’ll file the paperwork for an insanity defense. They’ll appoint a couple experts; one for us and one for the state who will both have to examine you. If you can’t convince them that you were temporarily insane, then all I can do is try to show that it wasn’t first degree, maybe second degree or manslaughter.”

     The court date for Monday was pushed back a day to allow for the experts to interview Nico. After the interviews, the judge read the reports and denied the defense motion for an insanity defense. Attorney Gonzalez brought Nico the bad news.

     “Nico, neither expert believes that you were suffering from temporary insanity at the time of the crimes, so the judge has barred us from using an insanity defense. Even our expert didn’t think you were insane. Tell me, did you lose it when they hurled homophobic and ethnic slurs at you?”

     “You’re damn right I did! Where did you find that so-called expert? I expected the state’s shrink to be an ass, but ours was too! You should have heard what they were calling me.”

     “You should have maintained control, Nico. They do stuff like that to see how you’ll react. Both reports said that you have anger-management issues when it comes to being insulted like that. You really fucked up big time, Nico!”

     “Okay, I screwed up! Now how do we fix it?”

     “When we go into court on Monday, you need to plead guilty to both kidnapping and rape. Yes, I know they both carry long prison terms, but the main charge is first-degree murder. There’s no way that I can get a jury to bring back a not-guilty verdict, so we need to try for a lesser included felony, like second-degree murder or manslaughter. Because if that jury comes back guilty on first-degree murder, you’re almost certain to get the death penalty!”

     “What would be the possible sentences if I’m convicted on a lesser charge and plead out to the kidnap and rape?”

     “We’re talking hard time, Nico. Judge Johnson is a fair man, and he’ll probably run the sentences concurrently, but you’re still probably looking at 25 to life, but with a chance of parole. If it’s first-degree murder, then it’s either death or life without parole, those are the only options.”

     “Either way, it’s a long sentence. Still, after 25 years, I’ll only be 50, I could make a fresh start. OK, Roberto, I’ll plead guilty to the kidnap and rape.”

     Roberto conveyed to the State Attorney that Nico would not accept the plea deal, but would be pleading guilty to kidnapping and rape, going to trial only on the first-degree murder charge. The State Attorney made it clear that he’d be seeking the death penalty, but was relieved that the defendant would be pleading to the other charges.

     The following Monday, the courtroom was packed for the start of the case, State of Florida v Nicholas Arquero aka Nico Arquero. They were waiting for jury selection to begin, when Judge Johnson gaveled the hearing to order. “I understand that the defendant wishes to change his plea. Before I hear the new plea, I admonish the courtroom that if there is any outburst either for or against the defendant, I will clear the courtroom! Is that understood? Good. Nicholas Arquero, please rise! I understand you wish to change your plea, is that right?”

     “Your honor, Roberto Gonzalez, attorney for the defendant in the case at bar. The defendant wishes to withdraw his pleas of not guilty to the charges of kidnapping and rape, and change those pleas to guilty! As to the murder count, the defendant maintains his innocence and wishes to continue to trial.”

     “Mr. Arquero, are you in agreement with what your counsel has just stated?”

     “Yes, your honor!”

     “State Attorney Wilson, do you have an objection to the change in plea?”

     “No, your honor, although let the record reflect that the State Attorney’s Office has offered no guidelines as to what sentence we will be seeking regarding those counts of the indictment. Also, we will continue seeking the death penalty on the remaining count of first-degree murder.”

     “So noted! The court accepts your change of plea from not guilty to guilty on the charges of rape and kidnapping. Sentencing will be scheduled at the end of this trial.

     They then continued to jury selection. About a day later, a jury was seated. There were 8 men and 4 women on the jury, with an ethnic breakdown of 11 white jurors and one Hispanic male juror. There were also 3 men and 3 women selected as alternates, all white.

     Following opening arguments, the state called its first witness, Pedro Cabrera, who testified to seeing Nico’s car at the crime scene and to finding the body in the lake. He tried several times to interject that he knew Sr. Arquero would never harm anyone, but the State Attorney objected every time to the remarks as being non-responsive, and the judge upheld the objection, striking the statement from the record. There was no cross-examination, since Attorney Gonzalez knew that upcoming evidence would prove Nico was at the scene.

     The next witness was Deputy Bubba Williams, who corroborated Pedro Cabrera’s statements, discussed viewing the body, and presented evidence of the tire tracks that Nico’s car had left at the scene as well as the footprints matching Nico’s shoes and the fiber and sperm evidence from the trunk. Attorney Gonzalez cross-examined the deputy as to if anyone else had handled the evidence, but none had, just Deputy Williams. He also tried to question the tire and shoe impressions, but the deputy showed that the tire and shoes had minor defects unique to items owned by the defendant, so that didn’t help Nico’s case, either.

     The final witness for the state was Coroner Mike Rogers, He testified to identifying and autopsying the body. He stated that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the back of the neck, consistent with a karate chop. He further testified that a cast of the defendant’s right hand was consistent with the wound. The DNA concerning the rape and the manacles used to restrain Ned was not presented, due to Nico pleading guilty to those charges. However, the DNA from the cum stains on the sheets was admitted into evidence since it proved that the sheets used to wrap the body were the defendant’s property.  There was really no point in cross-examining the coroner, so Attorney Gonzalez declined to do so. Following this, the state rested.

     There was a recess until the next day. Attorney Gonzalez met with Nico that evening at the jail. “Well, Roberto, how are we doing?”

    “I won’t lie to you, Nico. It doesn’t look good. They have placed you at the scenes of the crime, both your apartment and the lake. When court convenes, I’ll try to call a few witnesses from the Puerto Rican community to testify that they’ve never seen you lose your temper and hopefully the jury will come back with second-degree murder. But you need to be prepared for a conviction on first-degree murder. If it does come down that way, it’s very important that you show no emotion! That might be your only chance to avoid the death penalty. Frankly, I’m glad I’m not on the jury, because I’d have to vote for first-degree based on the evidence. Oh, don’t be surprised if the state objects to my witnesses, arguing that they’re character witnesses, who should really be heard in the penalty phase of the trial. I hope he doesn’t object, because he’d be right, but it’s our only shot at a lesser verdict.”

     After a sleepless night, court convened and Attorney Gonzalez called a series of witnesses to testify to never having seen Nico Arquero lose his temper. However, State Attorney Wilson objected to each one, and the judge concurred. Nico turned to his attorney. “Roberto, put me on the stand!”

     “The State Attorney would eat you for lunch. You’d be signing your own death warrant! Is that what you want, Nico?”

     “No, I just want some kind of defense.”

     “I’m sorry, Nico, but we’re boxed into a corner. The best I can do now is to try to get you life in the penalty phase.” Attorney Gonzalez rested his case.

     After a two-hour recess so that the judge and attorneys could agree on jury instructions, the court was re-convened. State Attorney Wilson presented the state’s closing argument.

     “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you have heard evidence proving beyond the shadow of any doubt that Nicholas Arquero, on the night of December 23rd, 2017, did willfully and with premeditation kill Ned Davis, most likely by using his knowledge of karate to deliver a karate chop to the back of decedent’s neck with such force that it broke his spinal cord, killing him instantly. You have heard the coroner testify to going to the crime scene at Lake Louisa and observing Ned’s body wrapped in sheets, those sheets confirmed by DNA evidence were covered with the defendant’s DNA. You have heard Deputy Williams testify as to the tire treads at the lake being consistent with the defendant’s car, and the two sets of footprints, one heavier going to the lake as if the person was carrying a bundle or weight, and lighter ones coming back. Those shoeprints matched the defendant’s shoes. There can be one and only one verdict, the state demands that you find the defendant, Nicholas Arquero, guilty of the crime of first-degree murder!”

     Now it was Attorney Roberto Gonzalez’ turn to present the closing argument for the defense.

     “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, Ned Davis was a bully! For a week, all that he did was verbally harass my client by using every ethnic and homophobic slur on the books. Meanwhile, my client was trying to help his fellow Puerto Ricans who were forced to come to Florida due to the devastation from Hurricane Maria. Only when the abuse continued and even the sheriff would not help my client, did he take the law into his own hands. I am not excusing my client’s behavior, it is never right to take a human life, but the crime he committed should be second-degree murder, the guidelines of which are a reckless disregard for human life. Thus, I ask you to bring back a verdict of guilty not to first-degree murder, but to the lesser-included charge of second-degree murder. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury.”

     Following the closing arguments, the judge read the agreed-upon final instructions to the jury, and then the jury retired to the jury room to begin deliberations. First, they had to elect a foreman, and to his surprise, Jose Altidor, the only Hispanic member of the jury, was elected. Jose was the 21 year-old son of a family that Nico had assisted, but was allowed to sit on the jury because he had not had contact with Nico; just his parents had met with Nico.

     “Thank you for having such faith in me. Now, let’s start by writing down our preliminary vote as to the charge against Sr. Arquero of premeditated first-degree murder. Just write your vote on these slips of paper, and I will tally them.” He collects the ballots and then reads the results. “Guilty of pre-meditated first-degree murder-12, not guilty 0! Well that was easy. Of course, with all the evidence against him, even I’m not surprised. Now let’s do an official vote, even though we know the results. Then I’ll fill out the form and tell the bailiff we’ve reached a verdict.”

     Jose then sent out a note to the bailiff that after 30 minutes, they had reached a verdict. The judge ordered the court to rise as the jurors were led back into the courtroom. Nico looked at Roberto. “That was fast! What does it mean?”

     “It most likely means guilty, but remember, no reaction! We still have a chance to get you life in the penalty phase.”

     “Yes, Sir!”

     “Mr. Foreman, I understand that you have reached a verdict. Is that correct?”

     “Yes, we have your honor.”

     “Give the jury form to the bailiff who will hand it to me.”

     Once the judge has read the jury form, he has the bailiff return it to the jury foreman.

     “Mr. Foreman, you may read your verdict! The defendant will please rise!”

     “We, the jury, in the Andrews County Courthouse, in the case of State of Florida v Nicholas Arquero aka Nico Arquero, as to the count of Premeditated First-Degree Murder of Ned Davis find the defendant, Nicholas Arquero, guilty as charged, so say we all, this 29th day of December, in the Year of Our Lord 2017!”

     As he hears the verdict, Nico remembers his attorney’s words. He shows no emotion, although there is a visible slumping of his shoulders.

     “Thank you for your service, jurors. You are ordered to report here one week from today, which is January 5, 2018 for the start of the penalty phase of the trial where you will fix the defendant’s punishment as either death or life in prison without possibility of parole. Return the defendant to the jail. Court is adjourned!”

     Nico is returned to jail, and over the weekend, Roberto comes to visit him.

     “Sr. Gonzalez, what will happen at the penalty phase?”

     “Well, both the state and I will put on witnesses. He will put on witnesses as to your past crimes, if he finds any, as well as witnesses to you losing your temper. I’ll put on witnesses as to your past civic duty, especially with the Hispanic community here in Port Jackson. Then the jury must decide whether your aggravating factors outweigh your mitigating ones. If they do, you’ll be sentenced to death, if not, to life without parole. And due to a recent change in Florida law, the vote for death must be unanimous. Anything less, and you get life without parole. Oh, we met in the judge’s chambers after court. Judge Johnson will impose the sentences for Armed Kidnapping and First-Degree Rape and Sodomy at the same time he sentences you for the murder charge. I still hope that I can get you a life sentence.”

     “So, either I get taken to Starke, where the death row is, and await death by lethal injection, or I’m taken to a prison and forced to live out my life there, with no possibility of parole! Some choice!”

     “I know it sounds bad, but who knows, the laws may change one day, and you may get a chance at parole. The change to a unanimous verdict for death is very recent. Before, a simple majority could sentence you to death, 7-5, or even less if the judge overrode the jury. He can’t now.

     “Okay, I don’t have a choice anyway!” With that, Nico is returned to his cell to await the penalty phase. He notices a distinct change in the attitude of the guards.

     “Hey, Billy, I wonder what vein they’ll use to give this killer his well-deserved dirt nap?”

     “I don’t know, Joe. I know the sheriff can’t wait to see that rabid Spic faggot put down like the dog that he is!”

     “It’s just a damn shame that he’ll have a lot easier death than poor Ned.”

     This went on all week, plus they began to give Nico less to eat, and less nutritious food at that! Finally, it was Friday, January 5, 2018 and court was again in session.

     “All rise! Court is now in session, the Honorable Judge Jefferson Johnson presiding.”

     “Be seated, the court notes for the record that the attorney for the state, the attorney for the defense, the defendant, and the jury are present. You may proceed, Mr. State Attorney!”

     “The court calls Mr. Arnold Smith, DNA specialist for the State Crime Lab!”

     Mr. Smith is sworn in and takes the stand.

     “Mr. Smith, you worked the rape kit for the decedent, is that correct?”

     “Objection, your honor, relevance?”

     “Your honor, the state is allowed to introduce evidence from past crimes to show the propensity for violence in a penalty phase.”

     “But, your honor, my client hasn’t been sentenced yet for that crime.”

     “The court has weighed the arguments and looked up case law. It is well settled that past crimes may be brought up in a penalty phase of a death case, even when the defendant has yet to be sentenced on those crimes. The witness may answer, the objection is overruled!”

     “Yes, I worked the rape kit.”

     “And what were your findings?”

     “The chances of any other man being the contributor of the semen found in Mr. Davis’ ass is 15 billion to one! It’s the defendant’s semen.”

     “Thank you, Mr. Smith. Cross-examine?”

     “No questions.”

     The state calls the coroner, Mike Roberts to the stand.

     “Mr. Roberts, we know about the findings from the autopsy that you reported at trial. Did you find anything else that you did not cover in the trial?”

     “Yes, Sir! I found a series of abrasions on the skin of Jed’s wrists and ankles?”

     “And did you form and opinion as to what might have caused those abrasions?”

     “Yes, Sir! They were consistent with someone being restrained with metal manacles.”

     “Your honor, I would like these metal manacles, found in the defendant’s apartment, introduced into evidence.”

     “Objection! Relevance!”

     “Oh, I think we both know where the State Attorney is going here, Mr. Gonzalez. Objection overruled. The manacles are allowed into evidence, marked as State Exhibit 18.”

     “Mr. Coroner, could these manacles have caused those abrasions?”

     “Not only could they have, they did cause them. I found microscopic skin cells on the manacles, and the DNA from those cells matches the decedent, Ned Davis!”

     “Cross-examine?”

     “Not at this time?”

     “Roberto, my life’s on the line. When are you going to put on a defense?”

     “What could I have asked them? They’re both expert witnesses. The more they talk, the more you look like you deserve the death penalty!”

     The state then called several men who had protested alongside Ned Davis. They all said what a nice man Ned was, and how out of control Nico got trying to prevent Ned from exercising his rights to free speech. Mr. Gonzalez cross-examined them, but the best he got them to admit was that Ned used ethnic and homophobic slurs aimed at Nico. After that, the state rested.

     Now it was Attorney Gonzalez turn to put on his defense. He called several members of the Puerto Rican community. They all testified as to how kind and helpful Nico had been when they had to leave their homeland for Florida. However, on cross-examination, several of them recalled Nico saying that Port Jackson would be a better place without Ned Davis in it. Of course, they also said that they knew Mr. Arquero would never kill someone. “And yet, he stands convicted here today of exactly that, doesn’t he Mr. Garcia?” Mr. Garcia hung his head and said, “Yes, Sir!”

     “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it may be true that the defendant, Nicholas Arquero, came to our community to help his fellow Puerto Ricans, but it is also true that he now stands convicted of three separate felonies, Premeditated First-Degree Murder, First Degree Rape and Armed Kidnapping. The fact that he pled guilty to the latter two is no different than if a jury had found him guilty. Thus the state asks that you sentence Nicholas Arquero to the ultimate punishment, death by lethal injection, for the Premeditated First-Degree Murder of Ned Davis!”

     “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my client, Nicholas Arquero, stands before you today convicted of the heinous murder of Ned Davis. Indeed, had I been on the jury, I would probably have come to the same decision as you did. But as you have heard, other than this incident, my client has led an exemplary life, helping his fellow man at every turn. You have to decide whether this crime deserves the ultimate punishment of death by lethal injection, or if the ends of justice would be better served by the defendant being incarcerated for the rest of his life, never having a chance at parole. Life without parole means just that, Nicholas Arquero will die in prison, never again being allowed the privilege of walking among us as a free man. I suggest that would be a more than just punishment for the heinous crime that he stands convicted of. Thank you!”

     The jury then retired. They took several preliminary votes, but it was soon clear that the foreman, Jose Altidor, and a white man, Mark Anderson, both were leaning towards NO on the death penalty. The others tried to change their minds, asking them how they could let such an evil dog live? Jose and Mark both argued that Nico had done a lot to help the community, although in Mark’s case, it seemed to ring hollow. They finally voted, and the final tally was 10 for death and 2 for life. Jose then told the bailiff that they had reached a decision.

     The jury entered the courtroom, and then Judge Johnson ordered the defendant to rise, and asked the foreman, Jose Altidor, to read the sentencing verdict. “We the jury, in the case of State of Florida v Nicholas Arquero aka Nico Arquero, vote 10 for death by lethal injection and 2 for life in prison without parole.” A small smile crossed Nico’s mouth as the foreman read the vote. While he would die in prison, at least he wouldn’t be put to death!

     “Thank you, jurors, for your hard work. You are now excused. Mr. Arquero, have you anything to say before sentence is passed?”

     His attorney tried to stop him, but Nico ignored him. He wanted to proclaim his innocence. “Your honor, I have been framed. Yes, I did take the life of Ned Davis, and for that I apologize to the town and to his family. But Ned Davis was a homophobic, racist bigot who never gave me a moment’s peace since I came to Port Jackson. If he hadn’t tried to attack me, I would never have killed him.”

     “Nico, now you’ve done it! You didn’t show a shred of remorse! Judge Johnson looks furious!”

     “Nicholas Arquero, you stand here in front of me today convicted of the Premeditated First-Degree Murder of Ned Davis, and having pled guilty to the crimes of Armed Kidnapping and First-Degree Rape of said Ned Davis. I have never seen such an arrogant defendant in all my years on the bench! Indeed, you show no shred of remorse for what you did to Ned! I hereby sentence you on the Armed Kidnapping charges to Life in prison with a possibility of parole after 40 years! I sentence you to the same on the First-Degree Rape charge. Now we come to the conviction on Premeditated First-Degree Murder! Due to liberal Justices, I no longer have any discretion in your sentence, but let the record show that if you were being tried under the old Death Penalty law, that I would have gladly sentenced you to death and even been a witness at your well-deserved execution. I have never seen a case where the Death Penalty was more appropriate than your case. However, I do not have that luxury. Accordingly, Nicholas Arquero, I sentence you for the Premeditated First-Degree Murder of Ned Davis, to Life in prison with no possibility of parole! The sentences are to run consecutively, with the murder sentence to be run first. Now get this murderous Spic, homo scumbag out of my court! You are remanded to the custody of the sheriff, to remain in the county jail until next Monday, January 8, 2018, when the State Marshals Office shall take you into their custody and deliver you to whichever prison the State Prison Board decides is an appropriate location for you to live out your sentence! Court is adjourned!”

     Nico is taken back to the jail and a few hours later, his attorney meets with him to discuss his appeals.

     “Nico, I told you not to speak! If you’d have stayed silent or just apologized, you probably would have gotten 25 to life on the lesser charges and you might be going home before you hit 50. But now, you’ve made the appeal harder, and even if we win on the murder charge, you’re still looking at 80 years on the other ones before you’re freed!”

     “But, Roberto, I was being railroaded, you saw that!”

     “Of course you were! But that would have been an issue for appeal, an easy one, I might add. Now, it’s so much harder. But I’ve already filed your first appeal. I’m trying to get you transferred to a state prison near Miami. There are several Hispanic judges on that appeals court, and they might look favorably on your case. Just behave yourself, and I’ll see you after the transfer.”

     “Thanks, Roberto! I’m sorry that I screwed up, maybe I do have anger management issues.”

     Nico was then taken back to his cell where he spent the final weekend before his transfer. The guard came in Sunday afternoon and asked him what he’d like for his last meal.

     “What do you mean, last meal? That’s for guys on death row. I’m sentenced to Life in prison, not death!”

     “Oh, sorry, Arquero. It was a slip of the tongue. I meant since you’re being transferred to state prison tomorrow what would you like for your last meal here? It’s kind of a tradition.”

     “Okay. Let’s see. Steak frites, medium rare; a rioja; maybe some chicken empanadas for an appetizer.”

     “I think we can do that. There’s a new Hispanic restaurant in town for all of you damn foreigners!”

     The guard returned about an hour later with the food and wine. Nico greedily ate it all, it was the best Hispanic food he’d had in ages. Then, that night, he laid down on his bed and fell asleep.

     Monday, January 8, 2018, Nico was asleep when the guard came back, unlocked his cell, and told him that the transfer van had arrived to take him to the South Florida State Penitentiary.

     “What time is it? It’s dark still.”

     “Just after midnight, boy! They wanted to take you while it was dark in case some of the locals decided to take the law into their own hands. Personally, I wish they would, Spic! Ned was a friend of mine! Now let’s go!”

Nico was marched out to the front desk, where three burly men in State Marshal uniforms signed the papers accepting the prisoner and then almost dragged him to the waiting van.

     “Hey, what the fuck! I’m still manacled and wearing leg irons. Take it easy, officers!”

     They just laughed at him and threw him in the back of the van. They attached his manacles to restraints on the wall, but didn’t even turn on a light.

     “Guys, it’s dark in here. Can’t you turn on a light so I can see where we’re going?”

     “Listen, you Spic piece of shit! We’re trying to get you to South Florida in one piece, and there are lots of guys in Port Jackson who’d like to stop us. So until we get to our destination, we’re leaving all the lights off.”

     “Okay, but take it easy on the name-calling. I may be your prisoner, but I have rights, too, and if you don’t stop it, I’ll complain to the warden when we arrive.”

     “Listen, half the state is pissed that you didn’t get the needle, the warden included. Now shut the fuck up or we’ll gag you!” Nico nodded in submission.

     A little while later, the van began to rock back and forth, as if it had left the roadway.

     “Guys, what happened? It feels like we’ve left the highway.”

     “Yeah, you Spic homo murderer, we’re almost at your final destination! I can see a lot of lights through the trees. Quite a crowd to see you off!”

     “But you’re taking me to the South Florida State Penitentiary to serve out my sentence. We can’t be anywhere near Miami!”

     “We aren’t! We’re in the woods just outside Port Jackson.”

     “What? What are you talking about? Let me see those badges again!”

     “We borrowed them from some buddies of ours. Once we told them that we had to put a rabid Spic homo dog down, they were happy to oblige. In fact, they’re waiting by the big oak right in the center of the woods.”

     ‘NO! HELP!!! YOU CAN’T KILL ME! SOMEBODY!”

     “Hey, Carl, go ahead and cut off his prison uniform, he ain’t gonna need it anymore.”


     

    

   



     “And stuff his prison underwear in his mouth. I’m sure he’s sucked a lot of cock, so his mouth is already dirty! I don’t want to hear anymore from him till we deliver him.”

     “MMMPPPHHH!!!!!!”

     “Perfect, there’s the oak right there. Go ahead and park.”

     The van parks and the men drag a naked Nico out and towards a clearing near a huge oak tree with a noose hanging from its branches. He tries to scream, but he can’t with his mouth gagged. He’s held tightly between two huge guards. He looks around and recognizes most of the men. There’s the sheriff, most of the deputies, the coroner, even Judge Johnson in his court robes. And what’s this? Mark Anderson, the white juror who voted against the death sentence is here! What the hell is going on? Suddenly Judge Johnson speaks.

     “Nico Arquero, I am vacating my prior sentence as to your crimes.  I will now re-sentence you on the First-Degree Rape and Premeditated First-Degree Murder charges. For the crime of First-Degree Rape, you are hereby sentenced to be fully castrated, both dick and balls!”

     Nico struggles to get free. He tries to protest but his dirty underwear are still in his mouth.

     “For the crime of Premeditated First-Degree Murder of my son-in-law, Jed Davis, the court hereby sentences you to death by hanging, and your body is to be left to rot as a warning to other illegal immigrants that might try to start a crime wave in our town! Remove the prisoner’s gag. I want to hear his screams!”

     Nico takes a breath and then begins to rant! “You can’t do this! It ain’t legal! This is nothing more than a lynch mob! You better release me if you know what’s good for you!”

     Judge Johnson said, “Why don’t you just confess what you did? It’ll make it easier on you when you meet Jesus, although personally I think you’re going straight to HELL!”

     “Judge Johnson, if Ned was your son-in-law, you should have recused yourself! The whole trial was a farce!”

     “You know, I’ve had about enough out of you! Guard, would you be so kind as to silence the prisoner?”

     “With pleasure!” The guard turns and strikes Nico with his police baton across the back of the head, not hard enough to kill Nico, but hard enough to knock him out. They then lay him out flat on the ground, face up. There are stakes at his sides, and they attach manacles to the stakes and to his wrists and ankles. Everyone waits for him to awaken.

     “Ah, welcome back, Arquero. Struggle all you like. Those manacles should feel familiar, they’re the same ones you used to restrain Ned when you raped and killed him! Now, is Mark Anderson here? Hi, Mark. I think you know Mark, he’s the white juror that voted to give you life.”

     “If you thought I deserved Life, why are you here, Mark?”

     “Oh, Arquero, you piece of shit! I was put on the jury to make sure you didn’t get the easy way out with the needle! We wanted to give you some good old Panhandle Florida justice! Did you know I’m a farmer, Arqueero?”

     “The name’s Arquero!”

     “You’re a homo Spic who killed one of our men. As far as any of us are concerned, you’re Arqueero, and that’s how we’ll refer to you in your final minutes of existence. You ready for me to do my job, Judge?”

     “Yes, Mark. You may proceed!”

     “Okay, first thing I have to do is get this fucker nice and hard. It makes it so much easier to get it all with my tools. Does that feel good, Arqueero? It must, because you’re sure getting hard. That’s good, keep getting harder!”

    “Get your hands off me! You damn motherfucker! I hope you all rot in HELL! Won’t somebody help me?”

     “Gee, Arqueero, listen to you begging! I’ll bet Ned sounded just about like that when you were raping and murdering him! You probably tore him apart with that rod; it’s a good seven inches long, and six inches around. Fuck, that had to hurt!”

     “Ned got exactly what he deserved! It wasn’t murder!”

     “Suit yourself, Arqueero! It don’t matter to me. Now I take this band and tie it tightly at the root, entrapping both his balls and cock. He’ll stay hard, but with the band in place, he can’t possibly cum.”

     “Now I take my tool here and put it right behind the band. The beauty of this is that there’s almost no blood but it hurts like fuck! Still, the coroner has offered to cauterize it so the fucker don’t bleed out!”

     “I’m ready, Mark! Let’s geld that Arqueero!”

     Mark squeezes the handles, and with one cut, Nico’s dick and balls come away in his other hand. Nico begins screaming in agony!

 “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

     “Okay, Mark. I got the little bit of bleeding stopped. What’s next?”

     “I’m going to poke two holes, one into each ballsack. Then I’m going to run a cord through them so it’s like a necklace. Doesn’t that look hot? Oh, looks like Arqueero passed out from the pain. Lucky I have some smelling salts! Wake up for your hanging, Arqueero!”

     “You damn assholes! What have you done? Fuck, it hurts like HELL!”

     “It won’t hurt much longer, Arqueero, at least not in this life. I figure that you’ll have plenty of pain and suffering in HELL once Satan gets hold of you!”

     “Okay, boys. Let’s get him up under that noose.”

     They undid his wrist manacles from the post, and then quickly re-secured them behind his back while he was too weak to resist. Then they removed the manacles from his ankles and walked him to a stool under the noose. With Nico still weak from the castration, two guards had to help hold him upright.

      “Sheriff, would you do the honors of giving Arqueero his new jewelry?”

     “Jewelry, what jewelry, sheriff?”

     “This, Arqueero!” He shows Nico his genitals hanging from a rope. Nico tries to move his head, but the sheriff has no trouble putting the necklace around his neck. Nico hangs his head in shame, both from his nakedness and from having his genitals hanging from his neck and resting on his chest.

     The sheriff now gets the honor of placing the noose around Nico’s neck. Nico again tries to resist, but he’s too weak to avoid the sheriff. Once it’s in place, he reads the death warrant.

     “The court sentences Nico Arquero, Spic, homo rapist and murderer to hang by the neck until dead. The hanging is to occur on Monday, January 8, 2018 at dawn in the woods outside Port Jackson, Florida. The body to be left hanging as a deterrent to other members of the illegal alien community, and to deprive this worthless son of a bitch of eternal rest! Signed this 8th day of January, in the Year of Our Lord, 2018. Signed by Honorable Horace Johnson, Circuit Judge for Andrews County, Florida.”

     Once the sheriff finished reading the death warrant, Judge Johnson told him to carry out the sentence at once.

     The sheriff smiled at Nico, who was still in shock from the castration, and shaking with fear, knowing that he was just a few minutes from death. “Arqueero, do you have any last words before the sentence of the court is carried out?”

     Nico struggled, but found one last reserve of strength towards these men who were about to murder him. “Yes, sheriff! FUCK ALL OF YOU!!!”

     Sheriff Davis replied, “You wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t used your dick as a weapon, Arqueero!”

     He then kicked away the stool. The rope had been set to give Arquero no drop, so he just hung there a few feet from the ground as the noose began to tighten and strangle him. Nico began to bob around on the noose, with his legs moving and reaching in vain for the forest floor, while he struggled to free his wrists from the manacles. The crowd began taunting him.

     “Hey, Arqueero, show us some of them Spic dance moves!”

     “Man, the last time I saw anything jerk around like that, it was a fish on my line at Lake Louisa!”

     “Look at his wrists! If he doesn’t stop struggling, he’s gonna rub them raw!”

     “Hey, Arqueero, I thought you were a black belt in karate! How much is that of use with you hanging to death?”

     “Why don’t you say something, Arqueero? Noose got your tongue? HAHAHAHAHA!”

     Nico continued to hang, his body turning a light red as it starved for oxygen. He kept jerking on the noose as his blood slowed, causing some of it to pool in his extremities, also he’s now rubbed his wrists raw and a small amount of blood drips from them onto the ground.

     Now the men decided to humiliate Nico even more. They all dropped their pants, encircled the dying man, masturbated their cocks and then shot load after load of cum on Nico.

     “We know you’re a homo, Arqueero, and figured that you’d like one last dose of cum! HAHAHAHAHA!”


     A few minutes later, Nico’s body begins to slow in its gyrations as his complexion goes from red to purple to blue. His tongue begins to protrude from between his lips.

     “Hey, Arqueero, didn’t that bitch of a mother of yours teach you it’s not polite to stick your tongue out? HAHAHAHA!”

     “Are you out of dance moves? Hell, my dog has better moves!”

     “Looks like he’s about done! He just stopped moving, just slowly rotating around. Yeah, he’s done! He just pissed himself!”

     Nico finally lost consciousness and died, his last sensation being a mixture of warm piss and blood oozing from his groin and slowly wrapping itself around his legs, until finally reaching his toes where it dripped onto the forest floor like a gentle rain. The men waited about an hour, and then left the corpse to rot where it hung, with the following sign draped around its neck.

     “SPICS WHO CAUSE TROUBLE IN THIS TOWN END UP LIKE HIM”.