Chapter 6 - Dominic’s first defense
Dominic hired an attorney before sunset.
Smart.
His explanation came through counsel.
The Sofia contract allowed limited relocation during:
“extraordinary occupancy compression.”
True.
He argued the pharmaceutical convention qualified.
Maybe.
But the hotel had not been sold out.
His lawyer also defended what happened in the lobby.
Dominic believed:
An unidentified man was soliciting money from a minor.
He acted to protect guests.
He did not know I owned an interest in the property.
None of those facts justified knocking money from my hand.
None justified pushing a wheelchair user toward an exit without consent.
But law does not require villains to have zero arguments.
Then came the uncomfortable part.
Dominic filed a police complaint against me for the slap.
I had struck him after I had stopped the wheelchair.
Was he still threatening me?
Not clearly.
I could have called security.
I did not.
My criminal lawyer, Dana Kellerman, said:
“You may have a good argument that he had just committed an unwanted physical interference and you were still reacting.”
“Good.”
“That does not make hitting him smart.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Apparently every lawyer in my life used that sentence.
I cooperated.
No claim of mob privilege.
No private settlement in a back room.
The lobby cameras were preserved.
May you like
Good evidence remembers everyone.
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