Earlier this year, my mom was mugged at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia on her way to Florida. The man was caught on surveillance and has already been to prison for a similar crime this year.
Today I met her at the train station and we made our way to court for the preliminary hearing.
Let me just say, that I had no idea we would have to sit in the small court room, in the pew type seats WITH the
defendants! (no handcuffs on them, no lawyer next to them, just us and them HANGING OUT!) and that the judge would be late, by like an hour and a half...and me and my mom would be stared out by the mugger for that long. (and let me just add, that this is not a guy who randomly mugs people. He does it all the time, according to detectives is "a REAL BAD GUY and a lifelong criminal."
He kept leaving the court room and going out into the hall. There were plenty of cops around, but they weren't close enough when I headed to the ladies and there was Mr. Mugger alone in a hall and standing about 2 feet from me...do you think I was going into an empty restroom with him outside the door? think again!
Because a piece of evidence was missing the trial was postponed until September.
Don't worry Mr. Mugger, I'll be there so you can stare at me and my mom all you want again. We might be the last women you see for a long while.
If you are ever a victim or a witness in a case like this, bring someone and watch your back. We had to watch ourselves regarding what elevator we took, that we left the courthouse after he did, that we got a cab right away etc.
I am nearing completion of Max's "Hit the Road" room, based on the bedding collection from Target- I've been working on this mural the past few days.
