fiat iusticia

— BIOGRAPHY

TW: Child abuse, parental death

Riley’s parents were career military officers, having met and started their relationship while they were both serving overseas with the Marines, and they started their family while stationed in Camp Pendleton. She grew up half on that base, though her mother insisted that she also attend public school, so she had exposure to the world outside of the armed forces. It was honestly one of the only good things that her mother did for her because it made Riley realize that she didn’t have to follow in her parents’ footsteps, even if it was obvious that they expected that of her, and it gave her an opportunity to explore interests outside of their supervision.

As she got older and learned more about how the world operated, she began to challenge the worldview that she had been raised under, much to her father’s consternation. He was a traditional man who demanded respect in the form of total obedience from his wife and child. He had made it obvious from her childhood that he was disappointed she hadn’t been a boy, and had little interest in being involved in her life outside of making sure that she wasn’t a disappointment to him. To bring home anything less than perfection would earn her a backhand or lashes with a belt, under the guise of trying to prepare her for the military, but really just trying to exert whatever control he could over her.

The first time that she learned these systems weren’t worth shit, Riley was 13 and she had worked up the courage to tell one of her teachers about the abuse. When CPS showed up at her home, they took one look at the medals decorating the family home and were effortlessly charmed by the all-American military man. After they left, he broke Riley’s arm in two places as punishment for running her mouth. He warned her that people would never believe her over him and now she had proof of that.

From that day forward, Riley threw herself into her studies because it had the dual effect of keeping her father off her back and also setting her up to be able to get out. She got a scholarship to NYU, leaving shortly after graduating high school and never looking back. She took out loans and worked third shift to put herself through college, and on a professor’s encouragement, she went on to law school in the area.

Learning about the state’s and country’s legal systems radicalized Riley further. It was proof of what she had known since they were 13: that justice was not the priority of most of those who had the power to do something about it. With her grades, she could have gone to any law firm in the city and worked a cushy corporate job, and she was certainly recruited for the diversity points, but Riley went to law school to help people and that’s what she intended to do.

She’s been with the Bronx County Public Defender’s Office for nearly three years at this point and she’s earned a reputation for being a stickler for the rules but also fighting to be fair. They’re just starting to get a little more responsibility in their cases, taking the lead on simpler matters while making it known that they want to work on the high-profile ones. They still have a bit of an idealistic view of the world, believing that they can stay neutral amongst the various criminal groups while also pissing off the police. Debatable how long that view lasts.

Over the last several months, Riley has taken personal leave from the PD's office to care for her mother who had fallen ill. It's been emotionally difficult, given her strained relationship with her mother, but she also knew that her mother had no one else. The illness progressed quickly, both a blessing and a curse for Riley, and she's finally returned to the city after her mother's death. Being out of the loop for even just a couple months has set her more off-balance than she expected, and is trying to re-establish herself within her office and the fabric of the city.

update (5/12/24)

Due to Riley's budding relationship with Theo Langley, and a perfect storm of events that culminates in Theo's arrest during a protest, Tristan taps Riley to get him out of jail. This is their first true understanding of the organization both Theo and Tristan are a part of, and a leap of faith to become part of it. They still maintain their position with the public defender's office for the time being while trying to keep their head above water in a world they were only tangentially involved with up until this point.

— WANTED CONNECTIONS / PLOTS

CLIENTS - People whose legal matters she’s handled over the years. These could be gang members, civilians, anyone who doesn’t have the money to hire private defense. They could be happy she saved them from getting railroaded by the DA’s office, or they could be pissed because she didn’t do enough to get them off. Riley has a bleeding heart and always wants to believe the best in her clients, even when they might not deserve it.

PROSECUTORS - Lawyers on the other side of the table or the “Dark Side” as they like to affectionately call them. More than likely, despite representing different interests, there will still be some professional overlap, potentially old classmates or co-workers, etc. They can be cordial, butt heads, have rabid theoretical discussions, be really nerdy about law things, and more.

COPS/LAW ENFORCEMENT - Probably something more antagonistic here, regardless of whether they’re corrupt or not. On one hand, she’s fighting to defend “criminals” and on the other, she might be throwing a wrench in carefully-laid plans. But she could also use some allies on that side of the system, someone who either also believes in working through the system, or someone who is willing to take advantage of her shortsightedness.

MANIPULATORS - Riley is in a very specific place in her life where she still has some of the bright-eyed optimism of saving the world while also becoming increasingly more jaded at how slowly the system works. While she currently still believes there is justice to be had by playing by the rules, it’ll only take one or two big things to sway her in one direction or the other. Having an up-and-coming public defender in their pocket would be a boon to anyone playing the long game.

They talked with Tristan into the early morning, who shared with them all he knew about Theo's arrest, anything that they can use in their arguments. They learn so many things that leave them breathless, almost nauseous, and Riley questions more than once whether this was the right decision to make or if they'd just done something dumb and impulsive again.

But the thing about dumb and impulsive is that eventually, they do something they can't take back. It's happened before, it's happening now, and it will happen again.

Their next stop is the police station, to pick up the evidence and file against Theo, filled with information that the man himself has yet to give to Riley. It feels a little invasive almost, to see pictures of Theo as a younger man, to read the names of his mother and father and brother and ex-wife, all people that Riley knows exists, but only because of the circumstances. It wasn't like a normal relationship, but when have they ever been normal? Fuck, are they even dating? Is that even important right now?

Riley makes an effort to sleep for a few hours before they have to show up at the courthouse, if only so they don't look like they're strung out on something worse than energy drinks. Their jacket and slacks are pressed, hair neatly combed back, and the click of their shoes on the marble floor cuts through the ambient sounds of the room. It's packed, filled with defendants and loved ones, a handful of other defense attorneys ready to start their day.

Theo is brought in by the bailiff, hands cuffed in front of him like a common criminal and he sits in the chair beside them. Riley has to look away because there is too much sitting in their chest that threatens to spill out of them. This is not the time nor place.

"All rise. Court is now in session under the honorable Judge Simpson. First on the docket, the People versus Langley. Counselors, state your name and identification for the record."

The prosecutor goes first, rattling off his name and bar number in practiced fashion. Riley stands, on shaky legs like it's their first fucking time in front of a judge.

"Riley Takeda for the defense, your Honor."

It's just an arraignment but Riley pushes forward with a motion to dismiss, arguing that the arrest in and of itself was unlawul and any information found while processing Theo is inadmissible. They lean on the judge's clear irritation, and how full the courtroom, pointing out that there's no time to waste on frivolous cases. They pull out every trick in the book, and by some miracle... it works.

The gavel bangs, and the case is dismissed. The bailiff comes over to unlock the metal rings around Theo's wrists, and Riley lets out an unsteady breath. There's a moment that Riley thinks about channeling the relief in their body into a hug, but they resist. They don't even look at him. The next defendant is already being brought in and Riley shoves the remainder of their files and their laptop back into their briefcase before beelining for the double doors at the back of the courtroom.

There's more work to be done, more clients who need their help and expertise but the nervous energy that has kept them moving forward up until now is bleeding away faster than they can help it. Fishing their phone out of their pocket, they stare at the chat bubble with Theo's name for a long, excruciating moment. People move around them, annoyed that they've all but stopped in the middle of a hallway, but they pay no attention to any of it.

They could step back. Say this was a one time deal, promise that they'll never speak a word of it to anyone and move on. It's not like they haven't done it before. It's probably the only thing they're actively good at. But Riley makes another dumb and impulsive decision, typing out a message and sending it off to Theo before they can talk themself out of it. It'd take him some time to recover his personal effects, and the phone battery is probably dead and the message would be waiting for him whenever he got around to it. But it also gives Riley time to think about what exactly they just did and what it means moving forward.