Chapter 695: Court Hearing

Michael Erickson woke up before the officers came to collect him.

For a few seconds, he remained on the narrow bed, looking at the ceiling of the holding area. He had slept badly, waking several times during the night, and his body felt stiff from spending so many hours in the same position. The room was quiet apart from the sounds coming from the corridor, where officers were beginning their morning duties.

Today was the day of his hearing.

He had known it was coming, and his lawyer had explained what to expect, but the thought of appearing in court had stayed with him throughout the night. He had spent years making decisions that affected other people's lives, usually from the comfort of his office, with lawyers and executives available whenever he needed them. Now he was waiting for officers to tell him when he could stand, where he could go, and what would happen next.

Michael sat up and reached for the small cup of water beside his bed. He drank what remained and placed it back on the table, then looked toward the door as footsteps approached. The previous day's message was still on his mind, particularly the promise that certain people would help him if he kept their names out of the investigation.

He had already decided what he would do.

When investigators had questioned him about his own activities, he had admitted to the things he believed he could no longer deny. He had answered questions about financial arrangements, misuse of funds, and decisions he had made while running his company. However, whenever the questions turned toward the identities of other people who had benefited from those arrangements, his response had remained the same.

No comment.

The investigators had recorded his answers and continued with the matters they were examining. They had not spent the interviews repeatedly demanding names after he refused to provide them. Michael had noticed that, although he did not know whether it was simply because they already had enough information for the immediate case or because someone outside the investigation had made it clear that there was little to gain from pressing him further at that stage.

He suspected the latter, but he could not be certain.

What mattered to him was that he had not exposed the people who had contacted him. He had cooperated enough to acknowledge his own conduct, while refusing to provide information that could connect other powerful people to the arrangements under investigation. He knew that decision might limit the value of his cooperation, but he also believed that revealing more could put him in a worse position.

A knock sounded against the door, followed by an officer telling him that his lawyer had arrived.

Michael stood, straightened his clothes, and waited until the officer opened the door. He was escorted to the room where his lawyer had been permitted to meet him before the transfer. The lawyer was already seated at the table, with a folder open in front of him and several pages arranged in order.

"Did you get any sleep?" the lawyer asked as Michael took the opposite chair.

"Some," Michael replied. He looked at the papers rather than at the man across from him. "How much has changed since we last spoke?"

"Nothing that changes the immediate arrangements for today. I've reviewed the latest information, and we're going to deal with the matters scheduled before the court. You need to listen carefully to every question and let me advise you when necessary."

Michael pulled the folder closer and looked through the first few pages. The allegations were serious, covering financial misconduct, tax evasion, assault, rape, and other claims relating to his treatment of people who had worked with or for him. Some matters had already resulted in formal charges, while other allegations remained under investigation. His lawyer had explained the distinctions before, but seeing the material gathered together reminded Michael how many parts of his life were now being examined.

"I understand what I'm facing," he said. "I'm not going to waste time pretending that nothing happened, but I am not giving them other people's names."

His lawyer paused over the page he was reading. "We've discussed this. If you are asked a question, you need to follow my advice and understand what the law requires of you. You cannot provide false information, and refusing to answer may have consequences depending on the question and the circumstances."

"I'm not planning to lie. I'll answer for what I did, but when they ask who else was involved, I'll say no comment."

"That may affect how your cooperation is viewed."

"Then that's how they'll view it." Michael closed the folder and pushed it back across the table. "I've already told them what I did. I have given them information about my own dealings, and I'm not going to start handing over every person who ever did business with me."

His lawyer studied him for a moment before returning the papers to their proper order. He clearly wanted Michael to reconsider, but he also understood that another argument would not change the decision. Instead, he went over the hearing arrangements once more and reminded Michael to remain calm when the proceedings began.

By the time the meeting ended, Michael had settled on the approach he intended to take. He would allow his legal team to handle the case, acknowledge what he had already decided to acknowledge, and avoid volunteering information about the people he was determined to protect. He did not know whether their promised assistance would make a meaningful difference, but the thought of facing prison without any support was frightening enough to make him cling to the possibility.

An officer returned shortly afterward and informed him that the transfer was ready. Michael followed the instructions he was given, accompanied by the officers responsible for escorting him. He had spent years moving between offices, hotels, recording studios, and private meetings, rarely having to wait for anyone to tell him where he could go. The journey to the courthouse was different, and he spent much of it looking through the vehicle window without speaking.

He knew the hearing would attract attention because the allegations had already spread through the media. What he did not know was how much the situation had grown while he had been cut off from the outside world. He had received limited information during custody, and the brief updates provided through his legal team had not fully conveyed the public reaction.

That changed when the vehicle approached the courthouse.

Reporters were gathered outside the building, standing behind barriers with cameras ready. Photographers moved between the waiting journalists, while members of the public watched from the pavement. Several news crews had positioned themselves near the entrance, and the number of people waiting made it clear that the hearing had become a major public event.

Michael looked at the crowd through the window and felt his stomach tighten. He had expected reporters, but he had not expected so many people to be waiting for him before the day's proceedings had even begun.

The vehicle stopped in the designated area, and the officers prepared to escort him inside. As soon as Michael stepped out, the reporters began calling his name.

"Mr. Erickson, is it true that you've admitted to some of the allegations against you?"

"Are you going to identify the politicians and business figures connected to your financial arrangements?"

"Several artists have accused your label of mistreating them. Do you have anything to say about that?"

"Are you prepared to answer the rape and assault allegations in court today?"

The questions came from different directions as the officers guided Michael toward the entrance. Camera shutters sounded repeatedly, and several reporters moved along the barriers in an attempt to keep him in view. One journalist called out that artists were seeking to leave his label, while another asked whether he accepted responsibility for the financial allegations.

Michael kept his head lowered and continued walking. He did not answer any of them, and the officers maintained their position around him as they moved through the entrance. Even when a reporter asked whether he regretted what had happened to the people who had accused him, Michael gave no response.

The doors closed behind him, cutting off the noise from outside, but the scene remained in his mind. He had once been able to decide which interviews he gave and which questions he answered. Today, he had walked past a crowd that wanted explanations from him, and he had no intention of providing them.

A short distance behind Michael, Dayo Jason entered the courthouse with Felix.

Felix wore a nose mask, which helped him move through the crowd without drawing attention. He was not widely recognized outside the people who worked with him, and he rarely appeared in public settings connected to JD Records. Most people knew little about his role in the company, so he had no reason to expect the same attention that followed Dayo.

Dayo kept his appearance ordinary and followed Felix toward the entrance. Neither of them had come to speak to reporters, and they made no attempt to approach Michael as he was escorted inside. Their purpose was to observe the proceedings and see how the case against him would move forward.

Once they had entered the building, Felix checked the directions they had been given and led Dayo toward the area designated for people attending the hearing. They found a place where they could wait without drawing unnecessary attention to themselves. From there, they could see court staff moving through the corridor and other people arriving for the day's proceedings.

Felix looked toward the courtroom entrance before turning to Dayo. "What do you think will happen today?"

Dayo took a moment before answering. "I think they'll deal with the case against Michael first. The evidence we've provided is already with the authorities, and the police have been examining what he did. He's going to have to answer for his own actions."

"Do you think he'll give them the names of the people who worked with him?"

"I doubt it," Dayo replied. "He has already decided to protect them. From what we know, he's been cooperating when the questions concern his own conduct, but he hasn't been giving names. I don't see why he'd change his mind now."

Felix considered that while watching a court officer pass with a stack of files. "If he keeps refusing, the investigators might have to rely on the evidence they already have."

"They can continue examining the records and whatever else they've collected," Dayo said. "They don't need Michael to name everyone before they can look at the information. But I expect they'll focus on the allegations against him during these proceedings. That's what matters today."

Felix agreed that the immediate case should take priority. He had no desire to see the proceedings turn into a public spectacle, even though he understood why so many people wanted to know what would happen to Michael. The allegations were serious, and the case had already affected people who had spent years working under the label.

"Let's see how the hearing goes," Felix said. "We've done what we can on our side. The rest is for the court and the investigators."

Dayo looked toward the courtroom entrance. He had supplied evidence because he wanted the people responsible for Jennifer's kidnapping and the other crimes to face the consequences of their actions. He had no intention of interfering with the process now that it had begun. Michael had made his own decisions, and the court would have to deal with the evidence presented.

Inside the courtroom, Michael was brought to the designated area with his lawyers nearby. He took his place and waited while the court staff completed the necessary arrangements. The room was quieter than the crowd outside, although the number of people present showed how much attention the case had attracted. Journalists who had been granted access settled into their places, and members of the public waited for the proceedings to begin.

Michael looked across the room and noticed people studying him. Some appeared to be reporters following the case, while others had come because of the allegations against him or the reports about his label. He could not tell what each person thought, but he knew many had already formed opinions based on what they had read.

His lawyer leaned toward him and quietly reminded him to listen carefully. Michael turned his attention to the front of the courtroom as the judge entered, and the people present rose before taking their seats again. The formal proceedings began, and the immediate matters before the court were outlined.

The prosecution addressed the allegations and the evidence relevant to the case. Financial records, the handling of funds, and the claims of misconduct were among the issues being discussed. The lawyers also dealt with the procedural questions that needed to be settled before the case could progress. Michael listened as the details were presented, occasionally consulting his lawyer when a point required clarification.

The hearing was serious but orderly. No one shouted across the room, and the judge kept the proceedings focused on the matters that needed to be addressed. The allegations were grave, but the court still had to consider the relevant evidence and legal arguments rather than treat every public accusation as an established fact.

When questions arose about the financial arrangements under investigation, Michael's lawyer addressed the matters within the scope of the proceedings. Michael remained quiet until he was asked whether he intended to provide further information about other individuals connected to the transactions. He looked toward his lawyer before giving the response he had already chosen.

"No comment," he said.

The answer was recorded, and the proceedings continued. The court did not stop to turn the hearing into a separate investigation of every person who might have dealt with Michael. The immediate focus remained on the case before it, while any wider inquiry would depend on the evidence available and the decisions of the relevant authorities.

Dayo listened from the public seating area. He had expected Michael to remain guarded, but hearing him refuse to identify anyone else confirmed that he was still following the plan he had made before the hearing. Michael was willing to accept some responsibility for himself, yet he was not prepared to help investigators build a broader picture through his testimony.

That did not mean the other people involved were safe. The records already supplied could still be examined, and any further action would have to be based on what investigators could establish. Dayo understood that the process might take time, and he did not expect every part of the wider case to be resolved in one morning.

During a short pause, the news coming from outside the courtroom continued to spread. Reporters published updates about the hearing, including descriptions of Michael's arrival and the allegations being addressed. Several outlets also revisited the statements made by former artists who had spoken about their experiences at his label. Their accounts had added to the public interest, although the details still needed to be considered individually and investigated where appropriate.

Online, people continued debating what the hearing meant. Some were shocked that the allegations had reached court, while others said they wanted to see the legal process completed before reaching conclusions. The fact that Michael had once controlled one of the world's largest record labels made the proceedings particularly significant to people who followed the music industry, and the questions surrounding his leadership were unlikely to disappear quickly.

When the hearing resumed, the lawyers continued addressing the matters before the court. Michael followed the proceedings with his lawyer beside him, understanding that the day's events were only one stage in a longer process. He had hoped that cooperating selectively would help him limit the damage, but he could not tell how much it would matter once the court considered the evidence.

Dayo remained until the immediate proceedings had concluded for the day. He did not try to approach Michael or make a statement to the reporters waiting outside. When he and Felix finally left their seats, the case had moved forward, but no final decision had been reached about Michael's guilt or sentence.

As they walked toward the exit, Felix asked whether Dayo thought Michael would change his position and begin naming the people he had protected. Dayo said he did not expect that to happen soon, especially while Michael still believed those people might help him. For now, the authorities would have to work with the evidence available and follow the process wherever it led.

Outside, reporters were still gathered near the courthouse entrance, waiting for updates from the lawyers and court officials. Dayo and Felix moved past them without stopping, leaving the questions and cameras behind as they headed away from the building.

Michael's hearing had begun, and the case against him was moving forward. He had chosen to protect the people whose names he refused to provide, but that decision had not settled the allegations against him or guaranteed that anyone would come to his aid. Dayo knew there was still more to be established, and he was prepared to wait while the authorities continued their work.