[news: vegas]
[Blake Thorne is sentenced on a Friday. His lawyers are all in attendance, as is his father, flown out from New York. The younger Thorne is noted in the press for not making eye contact with anybody but the judge, and is sketched looking drawn, dressed, uncharacteristically, in a suit. It's rumpled, though, and McQueen. He still has his self-esteem.
The sentence is eight months house arrest, with possible early release for good behavior. The list of approved locations is bound to be small, and he will wear an anklet for the duration. Regular drug and alcohol testing will be part of the sentencing, and failure to comply will result in an extended stay.
There are a few gasps from the court, and frowns from the lawyers, as much emotion as they can convey. Thorne doesn't seem to react at all, looking through just about everyone.
The projected outcome of the imprisonment is a reduced sentence, after the team of lawyers appeals the verdict and Blake proves he can behave himself. Three months, perhaps four. Still an eternity for a billionaire playboy, though, and the reporters are in an absolute paroxysm of glee. Nancy Grace even gives it a bit of air time. People reference OJ Simpson's conviction for grand theft - only right that he should get punished for something after all the suspicion surrounding that kidnapping and murder case. They might not have gotten him on the original charge, but one slip up now and it would be ten years, not a few throwaway months.
Blake is led from the court through a sea of screaming reporters with a laconic smile and not a single word. Not a one.]