She tells him the hearing is confirmed. “Rowe's attorney called yours,” she says. “You left your call log open this morning,” he replies without looking up. She pours orange juice. “What did Tompkins want?”
“To understand the scope of our complaint and whether we intend to pursue the civil claim under section 1983.” He pauses. “We do.” She looks out at the bare oak tree and the tire swing he hung years ago. “The cell number from the cruiser,” she says. “It's being traced.”
He looks up. She sets the glass in the sink. “How long does the civil case take? Months? Could be longer?” He watches her.
“Amina, you understand the post hearing is the beginning, not the end.” “I know,” she says. “I've always known that.” He holds her gaze. His daughter who reads registration documents and counts badge numbers and memorizes detention handbooks, who spent time in a holding room and came out with a complete, accurate record of everything that happened.
Who was scared and did not show it and did everything right anyway. “I know you know,” he says. The post hearing takes place on a Thursday. The room is small, 12 seats, a low railing, fluorescent lights. Examiner Okafor calls the proceedings to order.
The record is entered. The attorneys for Amina present the evidence in order. The short low priority dispatch call, Rose incident report with its discrepancy from the log, the body cam excerpts at the critical moments, the unlogged phone, the statutory analysis of the detention window, and the email from Brooks to Lang late that night. “Need reports aligned before hearing. Get to Sedgwick first.”
Rose sits with his hands flat on the table, jaw working, eyes fixed on a point 18 inches in front of him. The effort of that stillness is its own kind of confession. Selden watches the footage of herself looking at her phone during the stop. Her expression does not change. Brooks testifies as a witness.
He admits he sent the email because he was concerned Rose report would not match the dispatch record. He admits he became aware of the DOD notation on the father's name and that it factored into his decision to contact Rose before the report was filed. The gallery remains very still. Examiner Okafor issues preliminary findings days later. For Rose, violation of use of force guidelines on restraints for non-resisting subjects, violation of documentation accuracy standards, and an ongoing investigation into the personal cell call pending tower log analysis.
Recommended: 30-day suspension without pay pending full post review. For Selden, violation of evidence intake procedures for failing to log a minor's phone. Recommended: written reprimand and mandatory retraining. For Brooks, no formal post violation. The email reflected poor judgment but did not order false reports and did not produce falsified documentation.