Chapter 838 Motivation (Part 1)
You can't blame Jack for thinking too much. After all, the FBI today is no longer the same as it was in the Hoover era, and the internal structure is not as monolithic as the outside world thinks. All forces have their own spokespersons in the bureau.
For example, it is said that there is a "secret group" in the FBI General Counsel's Office that opposes the current president, which caused a big disturbance in the previous presidential election.
The disturbance ended with a deputy director being fired 26 hours before his scheduled retirement, and was deprived of his pension and other benefits, privileges and rights for his entire law enforcement career.
In fact, let alone Jack, Jubal was still a little nervous after the call. The reason why the higher-ups turned a blind eye to the radical style of the wanted criminal team was that they were protected by the female boss of the New York office, and because their radicalism was only aimed at those vicious criminals.
The reason why an extremely sharp knife is easy to use is that its blade faces outward, but when it hurts the owner, no matter who is responsible, the knife will be regarded as ominous or harmful to the owner.
"In any case, let's first investigate the motive of the judge's behavior." Jubal finally made the decision.
——
An hour later, Jiejie knocked on the door of the office of Howard Rourke, the criminal court judge, on the second floor of the court. Jack and Jubal were sitting face to face in front of the judge's desk, staring at each other with a pile of information at hand.
"The sheriff failed to contact Howard Rourke. The state police have issued a nationwide wanted notice for the Dolanger 'TAHOE'. Did you find anything interesting in his information?"
"Nothing. As far as the judge is concerned, Rourke's resume can only be considered ordinary or even mediocre."
Jubal sighed, "Born in Forrest, graduated from Georgetown Law School in 1996, and then worked in the Baltimore District Attorney's Office for more than ten years. In 2010, he returned to Forrest and became a judge.
After that, he worked in the civil court for a few years, and then competed with a judge for the chief justice of the criminal court. After winning, he has been working until now."
Georgetown Law School is not a second-rate law school. Although it is not as ranked as top schools such as Stanford and Yale, it has a superior geographical location.
The main campus of this university is located in the center of Washington DC, close to the Federal Supreme Court and Capitol Hill. As a graduate of this law school, he is still a judge in the local criminal court at the age of nearly 60. It can only be described as mediocre.
Jack continued with a slightly sarcastic tone, "This mid-life crisis seems to have come a little late. He is almost 60 years old before he plans to change his career. He has changed from a respected judge to a serial killer."
"Then he killed all the prosecutors who had prosecuted criminals in his court. Why?" Hannah lowered the curtains and left the window. The view of this judge's office is very good, and you can directly overlook the lawn and sculptures in front of the court.
"I think I have found the answer here." Alice, who had been sitting on the sofa and busy with her laptop, answered Hannah's question.
"I remember that you used Catherine Sloan, one of the three prosecutor assistants, as the main victim, right?"
"Yes, but what kind of conflict can there be between a fledgling lawyer and a criminal court judge?" Aubrey flashed to the seat next to Alice's sofa, and the others could only stand behind the sofa and look at the computer screen in her hand.
Alice clicked on a video and said, "Half a year ago, Katherine Sloan prosecuted a case in Howard Rourke's court. A defendant was charged with two felony sexual assaults."
"She won, didn't she?" Jack thought of what Katherine Sloan's father had said before, that she had never lost a case before.
"Yes, she was convicted, but the sentencing didn't count. Katherine Sloan advocated a minimum of 10 years in prison, while Howard Rourke only sentenced him to two years, and then there was this"
While speaking, Alice played a news video on the computer, and the news headline was very eye-catching, "Assistant prosecutor questions the judge's sentencing."
In the video, Kathryn Sloan was a little emotional when facing the microphones of reporters.
"To say that Judge Rourke's ridiculous sentencing is disappointing is an understatement. In conservative southern states, victims of sexual assault have suffered enough damage by being willing to appear in the public eye, and their experiences should not be despised by judges."
Jubal grinned and commented, "Ambitious and passionate, this girl regarded a criminal court judge as her stepping stone in her first year of work.
But it is obvious that this is only one of the motives. If a judge just killed people because he couldn't stand the public accusations of a small prosecutor's assistant, we would have been too busy."
Jack agreed with this, "This happened half a year ago. We still need to find the fuse that triggered his collapse. How about visiting the judge's wife? As a pillow, she may be the person who knows Howard Rourke best."
--
If there is anything more famous than Little Rock in Arkansas, then Hot Springs is probably one of them. As early as the 19th century, the hot springs here were commercially developed.
This is also the smallest national park in the United States, covering an area of only 22 square kilometers. It is surrounded by a small town with various luxurious baths imitating the style of top European hot spring baths.
In the center of the park stands a small extinct volcano, called Hot Spring Mountain. The hot water flowing down from the top of the mountain, with a temperature of up to 62 degrees, is collected and flows into these bathrooms through pipes.
Jack and Jiejie did not find Howard Rourke's wife at his residence. After some inquiries, they learned that his real home, or the residence with his wife, is located in the hot spring town more than 200 kilometers away from Forrest.
After driving along the I-40 highway in the state for three hours, the two finally met Mrs. Rourke, who looked worried, in an extremely luxurious villa in the town.
"Just call me Cynthia."
Obviously, bad news runs much faster than wheels. Seeing the two FBI who came to visit, this white lady, who was not very young but still well-maintained, very kindly invited the two into the backyard, where the servants had already set up tea and snacks in advance.
The salary of a local judge obviously cannot afford all this. Looking at Mrs. Rourke's slim figure in her 50s, the answer is obvious. Judge Rourke must have climbed up the social ladder.
"I don't want to have anything to do with that person anymore. My lawyer is handling everything." Although she was very friendly to the two FBI agents, the lady in front of her was not calm.