The Courtroom That Fell Silent

Margaret Chen sat in courtroom 4B of the Cook County courthouse, hands trembling in her lap. For three years, the weight of what she had done pressed against her chest like a stone. The evidence was overwhelming. The witnesses were lined up. She had no defense left to offer. The judge reviewed the file, flipping page after page. Margaret could feel the eyes of everyone behind her — some pitying, some angry, some simply curious.…