Her Offense? Bad Timing

Jimmy Breslin

October 21, 2001

Observing the sellout crowd of defendants on the second floor of the federal court in Brooklyn, attorney Joel Winograd, voice throbbing with patriotism, announced, "This is America. Here we have whites, blacks, Hispanics, Russians, women. There is no Mafia anymore. This is the poor stealing in a group. How could anybody want to bomb a country like this?"

There were 61 defendants and it seemed like 150 lawyers. The defendants were there for an auto accident insurance scheme. The defendants did not make much money, lawyer Winograd noted. "They can't say they're involved in so many accidents. The neck can't sustain very much."

Outside the courthouse, there were terrorists and fear, and with newspapers and television spreading fear in easily their worst performances ever, auto accident fakery seemed insignificant at first. Then lawyer Winograd pointed out the importance of the day. And his lighthearted approach was a reason for feeling no guilt in leaving funerals and fear for a day.

Of course the many defendants had no way of getting around the rule of civic conduct set by the late Sam Taub during an open court hearing on Broadway some long years ago.

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"They never should of done it in time of war."

"You waiting for somebody?" a young woman seated alone on a hall bench was asked.

"For the door to open," she said.

It turns out that she was there because she needed a second job, which is the worry of the young in Brooklyn. She gave her name as Myrna. She said she had a year in college and then typed out a resume that read responsible, she says. Simultaneously, she sent an amended copy of her resume to the company of Quentin Hawkins, also known as "Flint Hawkins." His office is on Tennis Place in Brooklyn. His business is the promotion of auto accidents that insurance can pay for.

The legitimate resume drew a call from a large utility company and after interviews, she got the job.

The resume to Hawkins was a bid for a job as accident victim. She listed as qualifications:

Like riding in ambulances.

I look real in a neck brace.

Can walk, stand or sit without moving my neck or making my back do much. Am always on the lookout for insurance investigators.

I can make a face like I'm in bad pain.

I can moan when I move an injured leg or arm.

I can faint or cry.

She got a call from Hawkins, who said he could use her. She went to his office and arranged to be called for duty as accident victim.

She then heard that her company was going to have a work stoppage. She called Hawkins and said that she needed an accident right away. Hawkins told her to bring her car and a couple of passengers around the next day and they'd have a money-making crash. Myrna showed up with her mother, sister and cousin. Myrna and another car bumped into each other. Her mother appeared unconscious when police arrived. Myrna moaned. The sister and cousin pleaded for a doctor.

The boss, Hawkins, had them all attend storefront medical centers. All went except Myrna. She told Hawkins that she could not because of her job with the utility. They might have a stoppage any day. She had to protect her job, she said. Hawkins says, "Sister, going to the doctor is, is, is a job."

She went to the medical center once. "I don't like it much," she said. "They're makin' me wait to see a doctor."