Courtroom 302

Judge Locallo sees Larry Bates again on June 4. During his time in lock-up, Bates was evaluated by Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC) and “deemed suitable for treatment” (193). Bates’s public defender, Kathryn Lisco, requests probation and drug treatment “in exchange for [Bates’s] guilty plea” (193). Judge Locallo would prefer boot camp for Bates—partly due to his bet with another judge “regarding who [would] send more defendants to the boot camp this year” (193)—but Bates is too old. Bates admits that he has never really addressed his addiction but would like a chance to do so now. Judge Locallo is skeptical of putting Bates into a treatment facility, worrying that he might take a bed away from someone who is serious about recovery. Lisco defends her client’s integrity, and Locallo gives in, but Bates has to remain in jail until a bed opens up for him at the treatment facility, which could take weeks—or even months. Locallo also allows Bates to attend his daughter’s high school graduation. Bates will be properly sentenced when he returns to court on Monday. Lisco worries about Bates “getting carried away during his weekend of freedom” and relapsing (196), which would make her look like a fool.