All language subtitles for Accused.2023.S01E02.WEB.x264-TG.Hi

(journalists'
questions, indistinct)

- Why'd you do it, Ava?

- Can we get just one word for the
Herald? Can you talk about the baby?

(silence)

- She has no comment, okay? And she
can't hear you. Just let us through.

- Where's the interpreter?
- She's stuck in traffic.

- We need an interpreter. It's the law.
- Yeah, I know!

And if she'd taken the plea
deal, we wouldn't be here.

- Right, she'd be in prison.

- Look, I, I just...

I'm worried the jury won't
find her sympathetic.

Okay? Juries, uh... they... they
feel very protective about babies.

(He sighs.)

Hi!

Hi.

I was grocery shopping. I
just bought a few things.

I have a green juice for you.

It's much healthier than these.

- A cookie or two won't hurt.

- I know. God, I'm sorry.

I just overthink everything.

If I was carrying my own baby

I would have eaten all
the cookies by now.

Oh... it's just so unbearable.

I worked full-time through school,
built a business in a world of men,

stayed married through IVF but I
have this stupid incompetent cervix

so I can't do the one thing women
are supposed to be able to do.

That clueless
teenagers do every day!

Oh, I, I'm sorry. I didn't...

- She says she was 16 and
she didn't know anything.

She's glad that she
can carry your baby.

- Um so, I have to go teach.

- Oh, of course! We're good.

Right?

- He is such a good guy.

I know this must
be weird for him.

- Can I?

- I just...

I want her to hear my voice.

I want her to know me.

You know, I'm afraid

that when she gets
here she won't know me.

You know?

Oh! What a kick!

Hi, little one!

I'm here! I'm your mama!

Oh, I can't wait to meet you!

Yeah. She takes after you!

- Let me make you some lunch!

(liquid spilling)

- Oh, is that?

Oh, Ava!

(♪♪)

(phone buzzing)

- Hey! What's goin'
on? I'm just workin'.

- Get your ass to the
hospital! We're havin' a baby!

- Oh, my God! We're
havin' a baby! Okay. Whoo!

(panting)

- Push, Ava! Push!
- You got this, Ava!

(silence)

(baby crying)

- Oh.

- Oh... hello.

(silence)

(baby fussing)

- It's okay.

- So, your baby is
healthy and strong,

with an excellent Apgar score.

Great color, great heart
rate, great reflexes.

- Uh, what about the...
the hearing thing?

- Newborns fail hearing
tests all the time.

For fluid in the ears, for
reasons that aren't significant.

- Yeah.

- Um, if she can't hear, it's not
because we had a deaf surrogate, right?

- No. No, no.

There might be a
genetic component,

but I understand you two
were the gamete providers?

- My great-aunt Margo was deaf.

- Oh! Then we'll definitely
want to follow up.

I'll schedule it now.

- Your who?
- My grandmother's sister.

She was an artist.

She used to give
me drawing lessons.

They're gonna do more tests.

Max, it'll be okay.

It'll be okay.

(door closing)

(music in the earphones)

(music stops)

- Can we talk a minute?

- Uh, I kinda need
to finish this.

- It's just that we have
the audiology appointment.

And I know these tests have
been upsetting for you.

- Yeah, well, she cried
through half of them.

Weren't they upsetting for you?

- They were.

But I think it would help
if we talked about it.

About...

her being deaf.

(sighs)

- I don't really
know what to say.

- You could tell me
how you're feeling.

Because not talking
about it is killing me.

- Okay...

I'm feeling betrayed.

- Betrayed?

- You know, I just can't figure out why you
didn't tell me about your deaf great-aunt.

- Oh... I guess I
never thought about it.

- So she's not why you
chose a deaf surrogate?

- No! I loved the
statement Ava wrote.

She was so genuine and kind.
And she lives so close.

So we could be involved.
- Yeah, I just, I...

I keep thinking how you were so
obsessed with every little detail.

All the organic groceries.

And so I wonder why you
didn't think of this...

kind of crucial genetic fact.

Or why you would
keep that a secret.

- I didn't keep it secret.

What do I know about
your great-aunts?

- That none of them are deaf!

(soft music)

- Let the record show that
the defendant is charged

with kidnapping and reckless
endangerment of a child.

The jury has received my
preliminary instructions.

We are proceeding to
opening statements.

(theme music)

(woman): Hello.

(woman giggling)

Yeah.

Yeah.

I've never seen
that face before.

Are you comin' to bed?
- Look at this. Look.

- Hello!
- Look at her face when she hears her mother's voice.

- She looks surprised.

- Well, she looks amazed.

(video): I've never seen that...

- Please come to bed.

Don't you want
skin time with her?

- You know, our
insurance company

is not going to cover the
cochlear implants until she's 2,

that's way too late.

You know thank
God for royalties.

We don't even know
if she's a candidate.

(baby cooing)
(Jenny chuckling)

I know you wanted a musical kid.

- And that is still possible.

The technology now,
it's just so good.

I mean, sometimes people can't
even tell their kid is deaf.

It's okay.

You're okay.

Let's go to bed, my love.

- I was nearby. I thought you
might want to see the baby.

And you said you had milk?

- Yeah, and she's
gaining weight.

All on track. 96th
percentile in height.

So maybe she'll be a supermodel!

Or a rower.

A volleyball player.

- Uh, can I sit down?

- Yeah.

- No, no, no! Of course not.

Uh, my great-aunt Margo was
deaf, so maybe it's that gene?

And you can see,
she's wonderful!

- Not so good.

He's having a hard time.

Uh... can I ask you a question?

I don't know if
this is rude. Uh...

The audiologist talked
about hearing aids

and sign language and
cochlear implants.

Right. Did you ever
think about getting them?

- But some people use them,
right? Like KJ has hearing aids.

(woman's voice): The computer
processes sounds to send to the nerve.

Not the same as hearing.

- Is it close, though?

Max really wants her to hear.

Music is everything to him.

And honestly, I want her to
hear, too, if it's possible.

It's an easier life, right?

Um, Max is my partner

and my baby's father

so I have to make these
decisions with him.

- Parents make decisions for
their children all the time.

- Yeah. Yeah.

Um, she's called Lucie.

(Lucie fussing)

- Ava! Hi.

- Oh! Well, that is so
generous of you, but...

- Um, come on in.

- Hey! Ava!

- I was driving around,
hoping she might sleep.

Ava brought milk!

- Fantastic!

Hey, uh, Ava, I've been
watching this documentary.

It's called "Moonlight Sonata."

It's about a deaf kid
with cochlear implants

who's learning
Beethoven on the piano.

- Right, but the implants are...
they're so much better now. Right?

Um, you know Jenny told me
about your... your headaches.

But everything's just so much more advanced
now so I guess that's just science, right?

(Max): Oh...!

"Dear Max and Jenny.

I wanted to try and communicate
something better than I did in person.

Jenny says you're considering
cochlear implants.

Some people may think you
should let a child decide later.

There are benefits to deafness.

There's a beautiful culture,
and a beautiful language.

If you knew Lucie was gay, and
would belong to that culture,

you wouldn't get her a straightness
implant to try to make her life easier.

Right?"

Um, it's not like being gay.

- She said, "How do you know?"
- No, I, I know what she said.

But it's just not the same.

No, no, we don't... we
can't wait. I mean...

The implants work best if you
get them as soon as you can!

- Max, can I talk
to you for a second?

- Excuse... excuse me.

(door closing)

- I told you we
can do the surgery!

Just stop talking about it!
- Why do you want to lie to her?

- I don't! I just don't
want to be insensitive!

- I'm not being insensitive,
I am being honest!

- And incredibly rude!

- If you'd been honest about your
aunt Margo, we could have tested.

We wouldn't be in
this situation.

- Are you saying you'd
rather not have Lucie?

Our baby, that we
tried so hard to get?

- Jenny, be serious!

- This is a child's life
we're talking about!

- I know! Are you
a eugenicist now?

- No! No! I'm being rational!

- You're being a nightmare!

- No! I am being a parent!
I am being a father!

- Did I marry a guy who
throws things at his wife?

- I don't know! I don't know.

Are you gonna throw
things at Lucie?

- No! No. No.

I'm sorry.

I'm...

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry.

- We've got to get back to Ava.

- I know.

- Where's Ava?

- Where is she?

Ava?

Ava!

(phone ringing)

(urban soundscape)

- Stop! Stop! Stop!

- Mrs and Mrs Peterson,
please follow me.

We've reached Ava's mother.

Do you have family that Ava trusts, or
people that she might be heading toward?

- No. It's just
us, just us two.

I was an only
child. So is Ava.

- What about her father?
She mentioned him.

- I bet she said he left because she
was deaf and that I blame her for it.

Ava tends to make
everything about herself.

- I've always found her incredibly
generous and altruistic.

- Does Ava know where
her father lives?

- No. I mean if she did,
she wouldn't tell me.

But he's long gone now.

- Well, she might
have looked for him.

- Ava does what Ava wants.
She's always been stubborn.

- Well, please call us
if she gets in touch.

- I'm telling you, she won't.

- You're her mother. Why
wouldn't she talk to you?

- Just because you rented
my daughter's uterus,

you don't get to
speak to me that way.

I have to go now. My
tour bus is leaving.

- Yes, thank you for
joining us on your vacation.

- I knew surrogacy was going
to be too much for Ava.

I warned her.

- Ava said her mother
was tough, but wow.

Poor Ava.
- Poor Ava?

- Imagine growing up
with a mother like that!

- She stole our baby, Jenny!

It's hard for me to get worked
up about all the why of it.

- Well, we put out a description
of Ava's car and plates.

We'll keep you apprised when we
know something. (Jenny): Thank you.

(phone vibrating)

(car door closing)

(engine starts)

(sighs)

- Ava...

(dramatic music)

- So I'll be in touch when
we know something, okay?

- Whoa. Wait, wait, wait,
what? You're not arresting him?

- He says he doesn't know anything.
- And you believe him?

- There's no evidence
that he was involved.

And he came in of his
own accord, to talk.

- Please, KJ.

I'm Lucie's mother.

If there's anything you know
about where my baby is...

- The baby you
wanted to mutilate

and to send back like a
broken damaged package?

- She's our child, dammit!

- Yes, and I teach kids who
have parents just like you two

and they feel like failures
because they can't hear,

and that's all their
parents care about.

Do you know how deep that goes?

- Max!
- Hey.

- How dare you! - Max!
- Hey!

- You want an assault charge
mixed up with all this?

No, you don't.

- What'd he say?
- I don't know. Something you deserve.

- Why am I the bad
guy? Ava took our kid!

- Because she thought
we were gonna hurt her!

And because her
mother's a nightmare!

How do you not understand that?

(silence)

- Oh, Lucie!

Oh!

Oh, Lucie.

I love you.

I will always.

I'll always be here.

(Lucie fussing) Oh, God.

I considered her a friend.

I trusted her completely

and I thought she trusted me.

- It must have felt like a
betrayal, when she took Lucie.

- Objection. Leading the witness.
- Overruled.

- It did feel like a betrayal.

I'm so sorry. It did.

- I have no further questions.

- No questions, Your Honor.

- Are you kidding?
No questions?

- Order, please.

- Are you familiar with
postpartum depression, Rose?

- I've heard of it.

- So you know it can be debilitating,
and can impair judgment?

- I don't know about that.

- Did you see any signs of
depression or stress in Ava,

when you saw her
after the birth?

- No. She seemed fine.

- Do you remember
when Ava was born?

Uh, how it was for
you, afterward?

- Yes. It was a long
and difficult labor.

And Ava cried.

She cried all the time.

But I still went to work.

I still fulfilled
my commitments.

- I, um...

uh, no further questions.

- No questions, Your Honor.

- Let the record show that the State
has chosen not to cross-examine.

Let's adjourn for today.

We'll reconvene
at 9 am tomorrow.

Thank you all for your time.

- We told you not to
put her on the stand!

But you... you were
so sure you had it!

- Look, I mean, who throws
her own kid under the bus?

- Ava tried to warn you
but you just didn't listen!

You have to do something!
- I'm doing the best that I can, okay?

I'm just trying to avoid her
getting 15 years, you know.

So she said no to the 2-year
plea deal but won't...

Good morning.

Uh, this is Sari.

I've briefed her on the case.

And given her the football.

KJ was right. I'm no the
right lawyer for you.

(interpreter): The football?

(interpreter): Can I have
a moment alone with Ava?

(interpreter): Can you tell me about
growing up in a family that didn't sign?

(interpreter): I'm nervous saying
this, in front of my mother.

We've never had this
conversation before

and I don't want to
hurt her feelings.

When I was growing up

I was always trying to read lips

to catch what people were
saying at home and at school.

Hearing people always
forget to look at you.

And when I would ask
why are people laughing,

they would say, "Oh,
it's not important."

But it is important to me.

When I was 10 years old,
I went to a deaf school

and finally, I was
able to catch up.

But I'd missed so much.

- Do you know why your
family didn't sign?

- Objection. Irrelevant.
- Overruled.

- When I was two,
my father left.

My mother raised me alone.

She was working all the time.

- You've given birth
before, correct?

That's required for surrogacy.
- Yes.

- When I was in high school I was
pregnant for six months and I didn't know.

And I would imagine if the adults in my
life were able to communicate with me,

if they were... motivated,

if they really wanted
to communicate with me,

that wouldn't have happened.

But that experience
led me to this one.

And Lucie...

she's so wonderful.

When I was pregnant with her,

she would kick and I would think about
how she would be such a good dancer.

After she was born,

her parents didn't seem happy.

And then they started fighting.

And I could see, or I
thought I could see,

that all of the
pain that I endured

for all those years

was about to come to
her, someone I cherished.

And at that moment

all I could think to
do was to protect her,

to make sure she was safe,

to give her all of the love,
and for her to be wanted.

Back in high school, the
baby that I had was hearing.

And maybe someday in the future I
might have a hearing child of my own.

I know that might not happen now

but I would sign with them,

I would give them options.

I would give them a hearing role
model, and music, and speech.

Surgery and devices
might be helpful,

but they're not going
to make Lucie like you.

She isn't like you.

If you give her sign language,

she will learn everything
so much faster.

She will be able to study
all different things

and not just focus on
learning how to use her voice.

She will find who she is.

She will have a complete
language from the start.

I think you have to
consider the child

for who they are,

not what you expect them to be.

Just... let them be themselves.

- Thank you.

I have no further questions.

- Would the State
like to cross-examine?

- One moment,
please, Your Honor.

(whispering)

May we approach the
bench, Your Honor?

Your Honor, the parents
don't wish to continue.

- You represent the
State, not the parents.

We've taken a lot of
people's time to get a jury.

- I know.

But they're very insistent.

- Well...

I do think, based
on what we've heard,

that it would be a
miscarriage of justice

to convict on
kidnapping charges.

And no one has established
that the child was endangered.

If the parents are
truly in agreement,

I would look favorably
on a motion to dismiss.

(soft music)

- May I talk to Ava
for just one minute?

Thank you.

I promise. I heard you.

We're gonna find
teachers, a school.

And maybe you can come
see us sometime...

with the baby.

- Um...

- Bye.