201 is the justice complex for Memphis and Shelby County. It houses several courtrooms as well as the pokey. This ain't no Barney Fife-type pokey either. This is the real deal! It's like the inner sanctum of HELL! There some live-ass criminals up in there! And I had to mingle with those criminals as I made my way to traffic court.
As I entered the complex, I had to walk through a metal detector and my belongings were scanned on a little conveyor belt like those in the airport. I was stopped and questioned by the guard. Apparently, I had a "weapon" in my purse. He showed me the screen and asked if I was carrying scissors. Yikes!
No sir. I don't have any scissors, officer sir.
"Ma'am, they are right here on my monitor."
Uh...I guess I'll just dump out the contents of my purse?? Sir, yes sir?
He was right; I was armed. I had to forfeit a pair of eyebrow tweezers that were in my cosmetic bag. Guess I'll be sporting the au naturel uni-brow from here on out...
When I got upstairs to the courtroom area, I sat near a young brotha and his peeps. Apparently, he "had caught a drug charge." He claimed the weed was his, but not the pills. Damn those cops! as if it were their fault that he "had caught a charge." Not that his stupid ass was involved in a criminal act and should be punished!!! NO! He and his mama were cutting up like they were at the Comedy Club. Apparently, this was not his first trip to 201.
When the courtroom doors opened, people were piling in. They packed us all into the courtroom like sardines. Sergeant Hardass wouldn't let us sit where we wanted to. We were seated in the order we came in. "Slide on down, folks! Don't leave any room."
On my way in, I noticed a court clerk. She was an extremely LARGE woman with hideous taste. She was wearing some black polyester pants, white sports socks, and some black Merrell's (like the MIL from hell wears). I tried to capture her ensemble with my cell phone, but she got away too quickly. THAT, I thought, was the most felonious thing I'd seen all morning. Other moments that made me gasp??? People going to court LATE! People wearing shorts and undershirts! People wearing their hats and sunglasses in front of the judge! What happened to Contempt of Court??? I was appalled.
After my ticket was dismissed, I had to go down to the basement area to pay the court costs. As I descended down the escalator, I noticed all the camera crews and the gazillion people lined up waiting to get into another courtroom. I walked passed them on my way to pay my fine. Being the hopeless rubber-necker that I am, I could not help but stare and wonder.
By the time I'd paid my fine, the news anchors were interviewing this small, unassuming black woman. She looked like a normal person; not a celebrity. Then it dawned on me. Ah-ha! The Lester Street murder case was going on today! This must be one of the family members. The Lester Street murders are famous in that they featured on my favorite show, A&E's The First 48 Hours! Dude killed his brother, his wife, and some of the kids -- seven people in all. And my man, Tony Armstrong, and his team got him to confess ON THE SHOW! Sucks for his attorneys...
If that courtroom wasn't standing room only, I would have stayed. Most people would have hated spending their day off at 201. Not me, though. That was the best free entertainment I've seen in a very long time!!!
3 comments:
That sounds like so much fun. Does the fact that we like stuff like that make us sick in the head?
Inquisitive, Liz, inquisitive...
Ok first a meme is a like a quiz about yourself, things you like all about "me" .. lol it took me forever to figure that out :). I see a lot from facebook come over here.
OH no unibrow is so not a cool look, just ask hubs he had to have his waxed the other day he's still crying like a baby ... lol.
Actually that would be really interesting! I would have gone with you :).
Thanks I couldn't get over my MIL and the break up comments. She's clueless and has never met her grandkids, I've only met her 2 times. Didn't even come to the wedding. Just a sad person, misery loves company I guess! UGH
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