Read The Accused for Free Online Page A

case?”
    â€œThat was back when I worked with the ACLU. Back when I was young and foolish.”
    The other man didn’t see the humor in that.
    â€œBut since then,” Will added, “I’ve experienced a major shift in my worldview—a spiritual realignment, you might say.”
    Marlowe kept pressing. “I would like you to represent me as civilian counsel in these charges. All I need to do is meet you in person and size you up, eyeball-to-eyeball.”
    â€œLike I said,” the lawyer replied, “I may need some time to think about this. These are serious charges. How many charges of murder, did you say?”
    â€œTwo charges—four specifications on each charge. Each specification represents one of the four victims.”
    â€œColonel, to put it to you straight—there are a number of lawyers inside the Beltway that do a lot more military criminal defense than I do. With charges as serious as these, you may want to consider that.”
    â€œTo repeat myself, Mr. Chambers, I want you to represent me as civilian counsel. I have military counsel already detailed to my defense. The two of you would work together. All I need to do is meet with you in person.”
    â€œSo you’re asking for a snap decision from me?”
    â€œWith all due respect,” Marlowe replied, “in the marines we have a rule—it’s called the seventy-percent rule. Have you ever heard of it?”
    â€œCan’t say I have.”
    â€œWell, it goes something like this: If you have to make a critical decision, better to be seventy-percent correct at the right time than to be one-hundred-percent correct when it’s too late.”
    â€œThen let me ask you a question,” Will responded.
    â€œTake a shot.”
    â€œWhy are you so insistent on retaining me as your legal counsel?”
    â€œA couple of reasons. One in particular. But I’d rather discuss that with you in person.”
    The lawyer paused. He flipped open his calendar and glanced at the next two months. His schedule was only moderately filled—he had tried to leave it as light as possible following his return from his honeymoon. The most time-consuming matter was the lawsuit against General Kurtzu Nuban, the despot and ruler of Sudan. Nuban had been responsible for the torture and death of several American missionaries, and Will was representing their families. He and the government of Sudan had hired two large Washington, DC, law firms to defend him. For the last year those two firms had been trying to bury Will in an avalanche of paperwork, technical objections, and jurisdictional arguments. He would have to gear up for a major hearing on the jurisdictional issue in a few weeks. But other than that, his calendar was relatively clear. He was convinced he could fit in Colonel Marlowe’s case.
    â€œAll right—I’ll tentatively agree to represent you. But when we meet in person and I get the facts of your case, if for any reason I do not feel comfortable taking on this matter, I reserve the right to bail out immediately.”
    â€œThat’s affirmative,” Marlowe said. “They’ve got me in custody—confined to the grounds here at Quantico. You’ll have to come up here. I’ll arrange for a conference room and have military defense counsel at that meeting. I’ll call you tomorrow to let you know which building we’ll be meeting at.”
    â€œI’ll wait for your call.”
    â€œOne other thing,” the colonel added.
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œAs far as my case…where it goes from here…and the possibility of plea-bargaining—I just want to let you know what my position is. Up front.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œAs we go into this, I’ve determined a level of acceptable losses.”
    â€œAnd—what level of loss are you willing to accept in your case?”
    Colonel Marlowe did not hesitate.
    â€œNone, counselor.