Crime in America

Occasionally, as part of my job, I get subpoena'd for court cases. Usually I'm expected to discuss what I saw in the aftermath of whatever went down. Usually the event was several months or years before the trial. Usually there was nothing outstanding about the case, from my perspective, and therefore I have no independent memory of it.

That's (part of) why we write notes. Frequently, I can review my notes from a case and actually remember the case in question. Even if I can't, the notes give me clear indications of what happened and therefore I can testify as to those events, within my area of understanding.

As you can imagine, if I don't have the notes I'm not much use.

A couple of months ago, I got a subpoena for a court case. I've been trying to get in touch with the attorney in question since then. I had no idea who they wanted to talk to me about, what had happened, or even what facility I was in when I saw it. In other words, I had no way of getting the notes (which is the attorney's responsibility anyway).

The attorney called me last night.

She described the case to me, hoping I'd remember it. Guy with a European-sounding name, stabbed in the belly. A couple of years ago, when I was working at the city's main trauma center. He wound up getting admitted, and having surgery. Do I remember him?

Are you fucking kidding me? Was that the guy with toes? Like, 10 of them? On his feet? He may or may not have been breathing? Well, if we could get the records before the trial I could go over them and give you something. You don't have the notes yet? And it's after business hours, so the medical records department is closed for the night? Oh, the trial is tomorrow?

And they wonder why crime is so bad in this part of the world.