Knock, knock...

Except I'm lying. Seems no matter how many times I tell myself I don't care, or what language I use, I still let myself get caught.

I had a story come calling, today, currently called Arrested. Something simple and straightforward, about the arrest of a man for public indecency that spirals out of control when he refuses to take a deal and the case goes to trial.

Except it can't be that simple. Oh, no.

ARRESTED

Location:Barrington Township, Ohio Fictional town near Columbus

Characters:1. Simon Delevan, 67a. Gayb. Archivistc. Semi-retiredd. Lives in Buffalo, NY

2. Frank Paley, 30a. Cop for Barrington Townshipb. Powerbuilderc. Straight, he says 

3. Brian Walstead, 32a. Assistant District Attorneyb. Very good-lookingc. Divorced 

4. Elissa Manville, 30a. Walstead’s second chairb. Rubenesque but prettyc. Boyfriend not very attentive 

5. Judge Oliver Denton, 49a. Municipal Courtb. Distinguished but right wingc. Married, 5 daughters, three grandchildren 

6. Dr. Elon Aristide, 36a. PhD in Jurisprudenceb. Attractive and well-dressed.c. Married, 2 sons and a daughter

7. Raymond Harver, 54a. District Attorneyb. Self-satisfied about selfc. Married twice, son and daughter from first marriage don’t speak to him.

I've worked out a rough outline of the story to about the halfway point, and it's getting into territory I know little about. How a trial for a misdemeanor works and what an ADA would actually do. I mean, if the case is just a misdemeanor and questions are reaised about the legitimacy of the arrest, would they still press on to the end? Or withdraw the charges? 

Or would other aspects factor in? Like the possibility the defendant would file a claim with the city for false arrest, imprisonment and prosecution? Would a guilty verdict in the trial mitigate that? Would this be something the ACLU would get involved with?

Damn...am I getting myself into another PIA situation? Because I have no idea how far this is going to go.