Dear Justyce

Justyce and Attorney Friedman meet with the district attorney, Attorney Baldwin. Justyce brings his concerns about Quan’s case to the district attorney, laying out the lack of evidence: Quan’s firearm does not match the murder weapon. Quan’s confession was likely coerced. Attorney Baldwin is disturbed by this information and commends Justyce for speaking up on his friend’s behalf. He says that unfortunately, “in the majority of cases like this one, the young men involved don’t have any true advocates’'' (229). He promises Justyce that he will do his due diligence and take a close look into Quan’s case.

Quan’s mother comes to visit him in prison for the first time, despite the fact that she “never answers when he calls” and “hasn’t sent any letters. Or care packages” (231). Liberty and Quan’s counselor, Tay, are concerned about what this visit could do to Quan and try to prepare him for the visit. Mama tells him that his sister, Dasia, has been diagnosed with leukemia. She says that Quan’s friend Trey came to check in on their family. Trey brought groceries, money, and a team of other people to clean the house. Quan is heartbroken when Mama leaves without saying any warm words to him, but he writes to Justyce to tell him how touched he is that “my crew has been helping her out” (242).