Solemnly SwearA Chapter by Joe Porrazzo Alex Porter in a courtroom Scene. SOLEMNLY SWEAR An Alex Porter Novel Joe Porrazzo Chapter
6 Boston, Massachusetts May 27 5:00PM Because
of the high visibility of the case and the inevitable political interference,
Vince Vionelli’s arraignment was combined with the preliminary hearing, and had
taken place almost immediately. I had nervously
entered the courtroom with my friend and lawyer, Joe Prater. “What can I expect
on the stand?” I asked, not for the first time. Joe kept walking. He was a few inches taller than me, still
physically fit, and had preserved his soldier-like posture. “Expect anything
and everything,” Joe said without looking back at me. Okay, that helps. We took a seat three rows behind the prosecution. We rose
on command, and I got my first look at Judge Harold Brennan, who had a
reputation for stern sentencing when it came to the Mob. He was a
barrel-chested bear of a man, stood at least six foot five, and couldn’t have
weighed less than 350 pounds. I turned to make a comment to Joe, but his eyes
and a slight nod of his head told me to stifle my opinions. Apparently, this
wasn’t the first time that Joe had been in Judge Brennan’s courtroom. I scanned
the room and was not surprised to see that the courtroom had exceeded its
seating capacity; it was standing room only. People hugged every wall and some
were standing in the aisles. More voices could be heard outside the courtroom.
It was a big news day in The
arraignment had already been delayed for forty-five minutes and showed no signs
of starting anytime soon. I spotted District Attorney O’Donnell speaking to the
defense. Seemingly, every practicing attorney in I had an
awkward feeling that someone was staring at me. I nonchalantly glanced to my
left and saw that it was one of the defense lawyers who was seated between
Vince and his primary attorney. He was one of Vince’s backup lawyers, according
to Joe, and he had his elbows on the table and was resting his head on his
hands as he focused on me. I thought he resembled Larry, one of the Three
Stooges, with his receding hairline and curly, shoulder-length hair. I stared
back. The man slowly lifted his head, shook it from side to side, and then
faced front. What was that all about? The judge
began the proceedings and one of his first actions was to dismiss me. Joe had
warned me that, as the state’s star witness, I probably would be asked to wait
outside the courtroom during the reading of charges and the entering of the
plea. I rose and was again met with a blatant stare from the backup attorney. I
glared at him and turned away. Mr. Vionelli, however, hadn’t looked at me at
all. As I made
my way out of the courtroom, I sensed hundreds of pairs of eyes following my
progress. The most threatening belonged to Michael Vionelli. If intimidation
was his purpose, then he had met his goal. I squared my shoulders and walked
past him and out of the courtroom. Instantly mobbed by reporters, I pushed my
way past them with the help of the door guard, who guided me into an empty
office. The room was dark and quiet, and I took advantage of the solitude. I
was informed that my wait might be minutes or hours. I found a People magazine and began to read about
the distinguished career of the great movie director, Martin Scorsese. Two hours
later, the same guard came in to tell me that it was time to return to court. I
felt eerily similar to a convicted killer about to take the last march down
death row to the electric chair. I kept telling myself that I was just an
innocent bystander of a hideous crime and that it was just a witness chair that
I was walking toward to fulfill my duty as a citizen. Why didn’t it feel like the right thing to do? The guard
opened the courtroom door, and all conversation abruptly ended. I walked down
the aisle, passing Michael Vionelli without as much as a glance in his
direction. Larry the Lawyer was now sitting sideways, with his arm resting on
the top of the chair. His eyes seemed to be trying to burn holes right through
me. I gave him a quick wink as I passed his table and watched as he quickly
found someone else to stare at. The
bailiff directed me to the witness chair. The view was unnerving as I sat down
and looked out at all the observers. Judge Brennan asked me a few quick
questions: Was I there of my own accord? Had anyone involved in the trial tried
to contact me? He also reiterated that this was just a preliminary
hearing to discover if there was enough evidence to force
the defendant to stand trial. I knew the main purpose was deciding
whether the government has produced enough evidence to convince a reasonable
jury that the defendant committed the crime charged.
The judge told me not to be nervous and to just state the facts as I had
witnessed them. But it was too late. His questioning had already made me
nervous. The lawyer
for the prosecution spoke first, asking me to state what had happened on Revere
Beach on that late July evening. I told the court that the Vionellis had passed
me at a high rate of speed and that they appeared to be fighting for control of
their SUV. When I described the near-miss of an accident with my car, the crowd
in the courtroom collectively gasped, and the judge threatened to close the
court if there were any more outbursts. But their outbursts became even louder
when I described the details of the scene of the accident. Judge Brennan pounded with his gavel, and the courtroom
quickly became silent once more. Again, he warned the spectators to display the
proper decorum or he would clear the courtroom. The judge nodded for me to
continue. I described the amount of broken glass and the blood that seemed to
be everywhere. As I spoke, I glanced over at Vincent Vionelli. His elbows were
on the table, and his face, which seemed quite flushed, was in his hands. Larry
the Lawyer had his arm around Vince, as if he were trying to console him. Two
rows back, Michael Vionelli sat staring at me, his eyes unblinking. I looked at Joe as I wrapped up my testimony. He gave me a
wink for support. My hands were visibly shaking, so I put them on my lap, out of
view of the court. This arraignment was turning out to be more difficult than I
had expected, and I suspected things were going to get much worse before they
got any better. Joe had told me that I might be on the stand for hours. I
looked around the courtroom again. The number of hostile faces in the crowd far
outnumbered the friendly or neutral ones. I was glad I had made Kate promise to
stay away from the proceedings. Vionelli’s
defense attorney had money written all over him. It didn’t surprise me. I knew
the Mob had deep pockets; they could easily afford this big-name lawyer. Johnny
Shepherd looked the part, from his expensive suit to his gold watch and rings
to his Gucci shoes. This career consigliore was notorious for protecting the Mob�"he
had a track record to back it up. Joe had also warned me that the defense’s strategy would be
to discredit my testimony. I just didn’t know how low they were prepared to go.
It took fewer than five minutes to find out. I could smell Shepherd’s cologne as he approached the
bench. He smiled at me, showing his perfect teeth. Laugh lines creased
his tanned skin at the corners of his eyes, which were green and piercing,
reminding me of a cat. He seemed like the type of guy
I might befriend�"until he pounced. “Mr. Porter, please state your full name for the court,” he
said. I thought his tone was annoyingly condescending. “Alexander James Porter.” “Mr. Porter, had you been drinking on the night of the
accident?” I glanced at Joe; he smiled and nodded. “I had one beer
with dinner,” I answered. “Are you sure it was just one beer?” Shepherd asked smoothly. “Yes,” I quickly replied. “I’m quite certain.” “How long after having that drink did you witness the
accident?” Joe was on his feet in an instant. “Objection, your honor!”
“Overruled,” the judge said. “The information has
relevance. But I remind you, Mr. Shepherd, this is an arraignment, not a trial.
Stop speeding in my courtroom and adhere to arraignment procedures.” He turned
to look at me. “You may answer the question, Mr. Porter.” “About forty-five minutes,” I said. Shepherd smiled. “Mr. Porter, I understand you live in Where was he going with this? “I … I just felt like driving to the beach. It was always
a favorite spot for my wife and me.” “Where is your wife now, Mr. Porter?” I felt the blood rush to my face. This a*****e knew my
background better than I did. Joe was back on his feet, but the judge waved him down.
“Continue, Mr. Shepherd�"but tread lightly.” I took a deep breath. “She died over six years ago.” “Mr. Porter … didn’t your wife kill herself?” I exploded. “What the hell does that have to do with
anything?” “I object to this
line of questioning, your honor!” Joe called out. The court was now a madhouse, and the judge banged his
gavel repeatedly until order was restored. “Sustained.” Then he looked at me.
“Mr. Porter, please restrain yourself.” He pointed his gavel at Shepherd.
“Counselor, one more infraction will result in a charge of contempt.” “I withdraw the question.” Shepherd took a moment to look
contrite for the judge. Then he stared at me for a few seconds and asked, “Mr.
Porter, how long did it take you to reach Mr. Vionelli’s car after you
witnessed the accident?” “A few minutes,” I answered. “Mr. Vionelli’s statement indicates that the accident
caused him to lose consciousness, and when he came to, he found his wife with a
shard of glass protruding from her neck. Isn’t it possible that you arrived on
the scene just as he was trying to dislodge that shard of glass?” “No,” I replied without hesitation. “He was drawing the
glass across her neck, not pulling it out.” “Bullshit!” Michael Vionelli leaped from his chair, red
faced and pointing at me. “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Again the courtroom erupted, and again the judge pounded
his gavel and demanded order. Michael Vionelli was removed from the courtroom
by two guards. Through all of this, Vince hadn’t moved. Larry the Lawyer bent
over and whispered into Vince’s ear, but Vince held up his hand, as if telling
Larry to stop. The judge took a deep breath. “One more outburst,” he said
evenly, “and I will clear the courtroom. This will become a private
arraignment, complete with an official gag order.” I looked around the room; people were staring in eager
anticipation as if they were attending a Broadway show instead of sitting in a
court of law. Shepherd continued. “Mr. Porter, isn’t it possible that Mr.
Vionelli was, in fact, attempting to save his wife’s life and that it was your
guilt�"and your guilt alone�"over not being able to save your own wife that�"” I was on my feet and reaching for his throat before I knew
what was happening. The place went crazy, and guards quickly restrained me. The
judge ordered one of the guards to escort me back to the holding room. Joe later told me how close I had come to being held in
contempt for my outburst. The judge did slap Shepherd with a contempt charge.
And the case was ordered to trial. Keep reading for book
information and author reviews of Solemnly Swear… Solemnly Swear What if a man witnesses the brutal murder
of a mafia boss' wife, by the mafia boss himself, subsequently receives bribes
and threats not to testify--including a bomb wired to his car--only to find
there is someone more sinister that wants him dead? After
a career of excitement and danger, former U.S. Air Force special agent Alex
Porter retires and looks forward to leading a simple, civilian life. He
celebrates the successes of his daughter, a college honor student and pilot
candidate in the ROTC program, and is just starting to dip his toe into the
dating pool again. But
when he comes upon an accident-turned- crime scene involving New England Mafia
don Vince Vionelli, Porter lands in serious hot water. Vionelli is charged with
murder, and Porter is the U.S. Justice Department's star witness against the
crime boss. With the trial just days away, Vionelli's son terrorizes Porter and
his daughter, forcing Porter to choose between testifying against the Mob and
saving his own and his daughter's lives. But when other, even more deadly
threats begin surfacing, Porter suspects there's yet another player in this
ruthless game-one who wants him eliminated no matter what. Full
of danger, deceit, and revenge, Solemnly Swear is an action-packed suspense
thriller that explores the fragile balance between justice and
self-preservation. Book Critic Acclaim for Solemnly Swear “Joe Porrazzo’s debut
novel is an accomplished first effort. Solemnly Swear takes the reader on an
exciting, top-down and pedal-to-the-metal ride in a Mercedes SL…and the story
flows effortlessly toward its excellent ending.
Joe Porrazzo has clearly
written what he knows best. The author is a retired U. S. Air Force officer and
the experience shows clearly in the composition of Solemnly Swear. The editing
of Solemnly Swear is up in the stratosphere with the best. Although I love
the taut editing, Joe Porrazzo's compositional style could easily have retained
my interest through twice the page count. Solemnly Swear is a very technically
competent book, certainly professional enough to sit with its peers on the
Barnes and Noble shelf.
I know what you're
thinking at this point: Come on, Mr. Nitpicky Book Critic, drop the other shoe.
Surprise! The second shoe boots Solemnly Swear into the five-star bracket!
As Alex Porter begins to
defog his brain and take the offensive against his mobile captors, the author
picks up the pace and heads for the goal line…the final chapters and the ending
are five-star-excitement quality!
Don't you dare pick up
this book and begin reading in the middle, particularly toward the end! You
will seriously regret spoiling the story for yourself. When Joe Porrazzo whips
out the plot twists from Alex Porter's brain, Solemnly Swear kicks some serious
butt.”
�"Floyd M. Orr, Author of Timeline of America
Book Critic Acclaim for Solemnly Swear “Solemnly Swear is
retired U.S. Air Force Officer Joe Porrazzo’s first, in hopefully a long line,
of suspense novels.”
Mr. Porrazzo’s portrayal
of the lead character Alex Porter gives the reader an instant connection with
Porter’s well-developed and believable military personality. The reader bonds
with Alex, a trustworthy and incorruptible friend, and Porrazzo gives us more
than enough reasons to care about what happens to him.
Alex is a former U.S. Air
Force special agent whose retired life isn’t far removed from the dangers of
his previous life as an American soldier. Riddled with guilt over the untimely
death of his wife, troubled by nightmares associated with witnessing a grizzly
crime scene involving a powerful mafia boss, and struggling with the obstacles
of fatherhood, still Alex stands strong and resilient against the pressures of
the untouchable antagonist; mobster Vince Vionelli.
Mr. Porrazzo’s
thought-provoking storyline draws the reader in with one of the most impossible
dilemmas a person (fictional or otherwise) can ever find themselves in �" doing
what’s morally right no matter what the cost �" or protecting oneself and the
ones we love.
The narration is smooth
and easy to read. The dialogue is refreshingly realistic. And each chapter ends
with just enough enticement to make the novel impossible to put down.
If you’re in the mood for
a good mystery/thriller, I highly recommend, Joe Porrazzo’s Solemnly Swear. The
plot is unique … the pace is fast … the direction is unpredictable … and the
final pages are shocking. What a great book with which to spend a weekend!”
�"Claudia Pemberton, Author of Love Leads the Way
COMING Fall 2018 DELIBERATE DECEPTION AN ALEX PORTER NOVEL By
JOE PORRAZZO Alex Porter is back…and the
stakes just got higher! What if the shooting of a Congresswoman on the streets of Tucson
by a deranged young man; an event related to seemingly random murders, and
financed by a multi-million dollar raffle fraud, is actually a sinister plot to
lure and assassinate the President of the United States? Following the award-winning mystery
thriller, SOLEMNLY SWEAR... DELIBERATE DECEPTION heralds the welcome return of
Alex Porter; United States Air Force retired OSI Agent, turned private
investigator, in another Joe Porrazzo heart-pounding suspense thriller. Seven months after leaving New England,
and some unfinished business with an angry Mob boss; Alex…still grieving the
tragic deaths of his wife and daughter…is asked by friend and lawyer, Joe
Prater, to investigate the mysterious death of an old Army Ranger buddy in
Arizona. Alex, now living in Tucson, takes on much more than he bargained for
in this action-packed adventure. A crooked raffle is creating False
hopes… people aren’t winning, they’re dying! The drama begins when a greedy
corporation rigs its client's multi-million dollar raffle in order to finance a
masterful plot resulting in suspicious deaths…that leads Alex to follow a
ruthless killer from Southern Arizona to the Caribbean, to Washington D.C., and
back to Tucson for the heart-racing finale. Alex finds himself teamed with the very
person hired to kill him as they race against the clock to prevent a mysterious
group from striking in Tucson and shocking the world. Do not miss the nonstop
action…the deception is deliberate and the results are deadly. Joe Porrazzo is a former U.S. Air Force officer and currently works for the Department of Defense. He earned a bachelors degree from Southern New Hampshire University and a masters degree from Central Michigan University. He also taught Aerospace Science for Air Force ROTC at the University of New Hampshire. A native New Englander, Porrazzo currently resides in Tucson, Arizona. You can visit his official web site at joeporrazzo.com © 2018 Joe PorrazzoAuthor's Note
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