All language subtitles for Close.To.Home.S02E02.A.House.Divided.1080p.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-squalor_track3_[eng]

[Instrumental music]

Jay.

[Music continues]

[Music continues]

[Music continues]

[Music continues]

[Dramatic music]

[Music continues]

[Music continues]

Okay, I did it.

[Music continues]

Why am I here?

Partial confession at the scene.

Partial?

- She caught me by surprise.
- How?

- She said, "I did it."
- So, what's the problem?

I ask her about the blood
and she blurts out, "I did it.

Please don't arrest
me in front of my kids."

'Her son starts accusing her'

we pull her off to
the side, put the cuffs

bring her down here.

After you mirandized her?

I was rattled, it wasn't
until we got in the car.

Your actions may have resulted
in a questionable confession.

It sounds so much
better when you say it.

Her son accused her?
What did he say, exactly?

"You finally did it, didn't you?

You killed him, just like
you always said you would."

Talk to me about the victim.

Peter Stratton,
psychiatrist. 62-years old.

'Thriving practice at the
university med center.'

married karena
Stratton when he was 40.

She was 18.

Creepy, but not criminal.

Is the confession
going to be a problem?

Wouldn't hurt to shore it up
with corroborating evidence.

Here's what we got so far.

Somebody crushed his skull

with a blunt object,
probably wood.

Techs recovered wood
particles from the scalp.

'Body temperature indicates
time of death around 9:00 P.M.'

son found the body
approximately 12 hours later.

She let her kid
discover the body?

Talk about a freudian moment.

Bloody prints on the front walk,
pointing away from the house.

'And a bloody
fingerprint on the leash.'

'which she wiped down,
but she missed a spot.'

his blood, her print, their dog.

Killed her husband, then
took the dog for a walk.

First things first.

Anyone else there
other that the son?

Younger sister. They're
with the grandparents now.

The Stratton's
have two other kids.

One in Florida and one in
college here. Karli and David.

- Murder weapon?
- Unrecovered so far.

She could've chucked the
weapon when she walked the dog.

Pd did a sweep.
Came up with zero.

She's been vague on
where she went that night.

Question her again.

'It's too late.
She lawyered up.'

public defender.

'Alright, look.'

talk to the kids before
they've a chance

to contaminate
each other's stories.

And I wanna know
more about these threats

she might've made
against her husband.

And find that murder weapon.

She's been threatening
to kill him for years.

Ever since I can remember.

You know where she might
have went that night, with the dog?

I don't know. She usually
just takes her around the block.

Was it unusual to come to the
kitchen and your mom not up yet?

Yeah, but it's obvious why.

She wanted me to find him.

I never heard my
mom threaten my dad.

Not once, my whole life.

Jay said it was
an everyday thing.

He says she's paranoid.
He hates my mom.

Always has. He's a fanatic.

My dad treated
some very sick people.

Very disturbed people.

Psychotics. I mean, maniacs.

It had to be one
of his patients.

I just know it.

One kid says, she
did it, one says no way

and another is in
complete denial.

- What about the older sister?
- Karli.

We got through to
her in boca raton.

She's not coming
back for the funeral.

She's not coming in for her
own father's funeral? Interesting.

Have her deposed down there.

In the absence of the weapon,
can we charge Mrs. Stratton?

A confession should be
enough, if it isn't thrown out.

I understand there's
a new sheriff in town.

Thought I'd pop up
and pay my respects.

Doug hellman, Jim conlon.

Jim, it's nice to meet
you. Annabeth, Maureen.

By the way, I'm gonna need
all your evidentiary material

on the Stratton case so far.

You're representing her?

Mrs. Stratton called
a few hours ago

and asked me to take,
so, as soon as you can.

And I have a few
things to drop off here.

Here's a motion to
suppress initial interview

motion to suppress
the second interrogation

and motion to suppress
the so-called confession.

I assume you are charging her?

With murder.

Well, I'll see you at
the arraignment then.

Jim, it's nice to meet you.

Annabeth, Maureen,
always a pleasure.

Better call the babysitter.
It's gonna be a late night.

- You worried about these?
- Not if we're prepared.

Doug hellman's a big bump
up from public defender.

Yeah? Well, I'm a giant
step up from my predecessor.

State of Indiana versus
Stratton. One count of murder.

(Male judge) 'How do you plead?'

not guilty, your honor.

Ask the defendant
be held without bail.

Surely, not even our
exuberant prosecuting attorney

is suggesting that Mrs. Stratton
is a danger to the community.

We have forensic
evidence and a confession.

Which has no chance of
surviving the motion to suppress.

She was fully mirandized.

Well, after she was
taken into custody

by an over zealous
police officer.

She freely admitted
to the crime.

She was attempting to spare
her children further trauma.

She would've said anything.

Including "I did it?"

Counsel has not yet
addressed my question.

Now, how is Mrs. Stratton
a danger to anybody?

She callously left her
husband's bloody body

where her own
children could find it.

'She's a danger
to them at least.'

she killed her
husband, your honor.

Res ipsa loquitur. The
thing speaks for itself.

That remains to be
seen, Ms. Chase.

Indiana criminal
code, section 353382.

'A murder charge is bailable
when the proof of guilt'

is not sufficiently evident.

Bail is set at $150,000.

'The minor children will
remain in the custody'

of the maternal grandparents.

Assuming you make bail

'you're not to go
near the children'

'or I will revoke your bail'

sooner than you can say
Jack Robinson, you hear me?

- Yes.
- Your honor.

- Your honor.
- Next case.

- Okay, we did well.
- 'Case number 52745.'

you know and I
know she did this.

We know your evidence is
weak. Wanna make a deal?

You're out of your mind.

When you come crawling back.

I promise to be gentle.

Hellman's tryin' to see
if he can make us blink.

Dig into this and find a motive.

We're arranging for
depositions from the kids.

We've asked Dr. Parent to
do a walk-through of the scene.

See if she can get an insight
into the psychologist and wife.

Takes one to know one. Let
me be clear about one thing.

There will be no sweetheart
deals in murder cases.

(Maureen) 'Amazing
how normal they look.'

'notice anything
about these pictures?'

uh, the kids. The kids and mom.

The kids and mom and the dog.

The kids at school.
But where's dad?

She excludes him from her
domain, and she advertises it.

Look in here.

'Kids' clothes
meticulously stacked.'

'mom does hers out of sight.'

classic act of martyrdom.

And she won't even touch
the husband's laundry.

So he leaves it out, to
remind her of her misbehavior.

All that from a pile of laundry.

Dad does the same thing.

He wants everyone to
know he worships his kids.

No shrine to mom or
karli, the oldest daughter.

The one who got away.
And just one picture of David.

And look.

- His eyes are closed.
- Now, is that symbolic?

Like he's blind
to something or..?

I don't know what
Dr. Stratton saw in this picture.

But we can assume from the fact

that he chose to display it.

He obviously didn't like David
as much as the other two.

(Dr. Parent) 'David
was on mom's side.'

[Instrumental music]

That's interesting.

[Music continues]

Annabeth, I hope you're in
a receptive frame of mind.

Save your breath, we
got a really strong case.

I'll save mine, but karena has
something you'll wanna hear.

We found the
murder weapon, Doug.

Which she tried to destroy.

It's a match.

It was self-defense.
He attacked me.

Bruises on her
back and shoulder.

(Annabeth) 'That's a
shadow, not a bruise.'

'she bashes his head in'

'leaves his body
overnight in his study'

where her children can find
it, then goes upstairs to bed.

What part of that
argues self-defense?

Don't forget, she was so injured

that she walked to get
rid of the murder weapon

'then walked back home again.'

my adrenaline was pumping.

Yeah, I bet it was.

What precipitated
this alleged attack?

I finally got up the
courage and I went to him

that night and said it was over.

I wanted a divorce.

And custody of
Jay and Francesca.

'He slammed me
against the wall.'

shoved me into a table.

(Maureen) 'Any evidence
of this, a witness?'

(karena) 'Francesca was
upstairs and Jay was out.'

I thought he was
going to kill me.

And I grabbed that bat.

His precious cricket
bat, which was a joke.

He never played cricket, except
the summer he spent at Oxford.

Mrs. Stratton.

What happened
after he attacked you?

- I whirled around and hit him.
- Then left him for dead.

- I didn't know he was dead.
- 'Why didn't you call 911?'

I didn't think he
was hurt that badly.

'It was all a blur.
I walked Maggie.'

I went upstairs
and I went to bed.

Burning the bat,
was that a blur?

I thought he'd use it
against me to take the kids.

You mean your assault
with a deadly weapon?

My defending myself.

I had to get rid of
the bat, so I burned it.

Doug, come on,
are you kidding me?

Now look, we are prepared to
accept a charge of involuntary

manslaughter for four
years, two suspended.

- Voluntary man, ten years.
- 'Four suspended.'

- she'll do six.
- Stop. Four years?

Six years, that's completely
unacceptable, I'm innocent.

Why should I go to prison?

Karena, just let me...

You're not listening
to me, any of you.

I am listening. We
are all listening here.

When I was 15, I was
Peter's psychiatric patient.

Is this part of the show?

At the moment, I have to say
we're a little bit off the map.

I was 15.

I was troubled, vulnerable.

He was my doctor.

'He was supposed to help me.'

and instead he seduced me.

He seduced you?

He had sex with me.

Did he ever coerce
you into having sex?

Coerce, what does
that mean? I was a kid.

But you grew up and married him.

You had four children with him.

I was young. I didn't
know what else to do.

He was the only man I..

Getting married made us normal.

It made everything okay.

'For everyone else.'

for my parents.

As far as everyone
else was concerned

we were the all-American family.

Mrs. Stratton, even if
what you're saying is true

it doesn't justify you murdering
your husband 25 years later.

You have to admit, it
makes a hell of a story.

So, the self-defense was
predicated on the abuse.

The story may ring
true to some people.

Guarantee hellman'll milk
it for everything its worth.

You gotta push back.

Talk about the victim's
standing in the community.

A respected psychiatrist
with a 30 year practice.

Spin the wife as
greedy and conniving.

This is not New York. People
are not big on psychiatrists.

And this one molested
his teenage patient.

If we hammer on this,
we give it credence.

Look, you gotta play hardball.

Which I'm saying could backfire.

I just got a fax from
Peter Stratton's lawyer.

He says, Dr. Stratton
wanted the divorce.

He was all set to file.

He told his lawyer he
was afraid of his wife.

- Feared for his life.
- Hearsay.

Though we could get it in.

I know the existing
mental condition exception.

If divorce was his idea,
it's hard for her to claim

that he attacked her
when she brought it up.

[Instrumental music]

Well, you've had a busy week.

Two radio shows, an op-ed.

Yes, which generated
three letters to the editor

calling Peter Stratton a
pervert of one sort or another.

And Indiana, grandmas, who
happen to make up at least half

of all jurors, are just
gonna hate your victim.

You really think you can
spin the jury pool so blatantly?

Yeah, well, I prefer to
think of it as setting the table

to insure people
keep an open mind.

Speaking of setting
the table. Thanks.

Defense attorneys don't usually
ask the people out to lunch

unless they're up to something.

So how are you doing by the way?

I'm okay.

Thanks for asking.

I just wanted to give you a
heads-up, uh, corinna wants

to be present at
the kids' depositions.

- No. Not a chance.
- She has a legal right.

She has a restraining order.

She can't come within
two miles of her kids.

Already run it past judge Cooper

and long as a bailiff's pre...

You and I know, she
wants to intimidate

the witnesses,
a.K.A. Her children.

I've got her word she
won't open her mouth.

Yeah, that's legally binding.

Doug, come on, who's interested
in depositions except lawyers?

Well, apparently Mrs. Stratton

takes an avid
interest in the law.

I'm sure she does.

And while you were
talking to your dad?

My mother came in.

I was tired, so I said
"goodnight", went upstairs.

Did you hear them arguing
after you went upstairs?

I heard them, but my
parents don't argue.

They're both really good at
talking about their feelings

things like that, so..

It's not so much arguing,
more like, you know, discussion.

- Heated discussion.
- Normal.

Could you hear what
they were discussing?

I-I was listening to music.

And chatting with
my friends online.

[Instrumental music]

Jay calls me up,
"mom killed dad."

"Mom killed dad!"

[Sighs]

I'm like, "did you
see mom kill dad?"

"Uh... no."

"Well, how do you
know that, Jay?"

"She just did."

I tried talking to him
but you can't talk to him.

- He hates my mom.
- Why does he hate your mom?

To be on my dad's side.

Anything that comes
outta my brother's mouth

it's like it's coming
outta my dad's mouth.

So your father also
hated your mother?

He was always trying to
convince you that she was wrong..

Or stupid, or crazy.

He was a master manipulator.

He'd make you think anything
he said was your idea first.

You thought he was
agreeing with you

'but it was you
agreeing with him.'

(Doug) 'Was he that
way with your mom?'

(David) 'He was that
way with everybody.'

when I was like 11 or
12, mom finally caught on

and started doing
it back to him.

'And he really
didn't like that at all.'

she stood up for me.

She gave me the
spine to stand up for her.

Did your father resent you
for standing up for your mom?

That's when things
really got bad.

Ever since then, it was like
non-stop warfare in our house.

She'd fight with my
dad over anything.

It's like a full-time job.
Fighting with my dad.

'She was fighting with
him the day he was killed.'

- what was that fight about?
- One of their favorites.

The garage door opener,
there's nothing wrong with it.

She's helpless,
she can't figure it out

so it became all about
my dad keeping her

in prison for the
rest of her life.

He deliberately provided
me a non-working remote.

- Doug.
- Corinna, you cannot address...

But it's true, he did.

Did you ever hear your mother
threaten your father's life?

She was always threatening him.

It's like, "I'm going
to poison you."

"I'm gonna throw a
hairdryer in the bathtub."

Like a joke but not a joke.
Ha-ha, real funny, right?

Try hearing it
everyday of your life.

Did you father take
these threats seriously?

Sure he did. He was scared.

Did you ever hear your mother
talk about getting a divorce?

If she got a divorce,
who'd she fight with?

The only reason I never left
your father was to protect you.

I don't need your protection!

- I don't need your mind games...
- My mind games?

Baby, he was the manipulator.

This is not a family therapy
session, Mrs. Stratton.

One more word and I'll
have your bail revoked.

That's the deal, corinna.
You cannot talk to the kids.

Okay, i'm.. Okay.

Did your father ever
mistreat you or your siblings?

- No.
- 'He yelled at all of them.'

- especially David.
- You can't talk to me either.

Well, shouldn't you
object or something?

- Don't believe what he says.
- Can't object at a deposition.

He might as well be his father.

Listen to me, this
is off the record.

Now, listen, this is
not the way we do this.

Now, I need you to trust
me and have Patience

and let me handle things.

Let me tell you something,
I've been patient.

I've been patient my entire life

'waiting for somebody
to listen to me.'

'and you stand
here and you tell me'

I should let you handle things.

I don't want you
handling things.

I want you gone.

I think we could use
a little recess here.

I mean, off this case.

Corinna, you don't mean that.

Think about what
you're saying here.

Please inform the judge. I no
longer require your services.

The next time you find
yourself talking to a lawyer

young man, you'll
be talking to me.

(Doug) 'Corinna, this
is not a good idea.'

I have a constitutional
right to represent myself.

Don't tell me I don't.

[Dramatic music]

This situation is highly unusual
and potentially problematic.

The defendant will
be cross-examining

her own children who
are arguably ancillary

victims of the crime.

Counselor is the
attorney of record.

I would simply say, your honor

that I believe Mrs. Stratton
would be more effectively

represented by counsel.

Mrs. Stratton.

The supreme court
affirmed in faretta v. California

the sixth amendment
right to self-representation.

'Even where such
self-representation would be'

'to a defendant's
own detriment.'

I would like to
invoke that right.

- You've done your homework.
- I always do, your honor.

'I'd like to state for
the record that I think'

this is a misguided idea.

Mrs. Stratton, would you
please acknowledge for the court

reporter that you've heard me?

Yes, your honor, I understand
you think it's a bad idea.

'Counselor, this
is your lucky day.'

you will sit second chair
and participate as needed.

So ordered.

[Instrumental music]

I heard.

Pro se cases rarely
work out for the defendant.

I know. I should be happy to
have her representing herself

but why do I have
this uneasy feeling?

Be careful. It's
like playing tennis

against someone
worse than yourself.

You play down,
you'd end up losing.

We're not gonna play down,
but corinna's going to be

talking to the jury
all day, every day

destroying her dead
husband's reputation.

- If hellman's smart.
- Which he is.

That's exactly what
he'll get her to do.

Harp on what a creep he was.

Hope to peel off a sympathetic
juror or two and hang the case.

I got the oldest daughter's
deposition from Florida.

'Fills out the family portrait.'

Jay hates mom, David hates
dad, Francesca's in denial

and this one, Carly,
hates them both.

Sounds like a perfect storm.

Look, I know you're
swamped but I still need

those indictment status
reports in before you leave.

The entire seventh
floor got theirs in early.

Alright, how'd you
want to divvy this up?

You take the m.E. And
shrinks. I'll take the kids?

Delicious.

The victim was sitting with
his back turned to his assailant.

The location of the
wound clearly indicates

that he was struck from behind.

In your professional opinion,
were the victim's wounds

consistent with a
claim of self-defense?

In my professional opinion,
they were not consistent

with self-defense.

Your witness.

Not consistent.

- Does that mean impossible?
- I've never seen it.

Objection, your honor.

- What are you objecting to?
- His tone.

'You can't object to his tone.'

'counselor, please
educate your client'

'on the basics of
courtroom procedure.'

'move on, Mrs. Stratton.'

do you recognize this?

It's the autopsy
report on Dr. Stratton.

Can you read what I've
highlighted on page seven?

"Evidence of silent
cerebral infarction."

Is that from getting
hit on the head?

No. It's a small
cerebral stroke.

Many people have silent

non-fatal strokes,
Mrs. Stratton.

'Some estimates, they're
found in 12 percent of autopsies.'

what brings on a stroke?

High blood pressure.
Genetics, stress.

Is it possible that this
stroke was brought on

by the stress of
Peter attacking me?

Objection. Facts
not in evidence.

Mrs. Stratton, please
rephrase the question.

'Make it more hypothetical.'

is it possible that a person
could attack someone

have a stroke and die?

- Well, of course it's possible.
- Thank you.

I'm finished, your honor.

Redirect, your honor.

Is that what
happened here, doctor?

Did Dr. Stratton have
a fatal stroke caused by

the stress of his fight
with Mrs. Stratton?

The state of fibrinoid
necrosis indicates that

this trauma happened a
minimum of 12 to 15 months ago.

- This stroke was an old event.
- Refresh our memory, doctor.

What was the official
cause of death again?

Massive blood loss as a
result of severe head trauma.

If somebody hadn't
hit him on the head

with a heavy, blunt object..

None of us would
be sitting here today.

Objection, your honor.
There he goes again.

I agree with you. Sustained.

I noticed the light under
the door in my dad's office.

Keep thinking if I'd have
gone in to say goodnight..

And he was still alive, maybe...

I could have saved him.

What happened the next morning?

I found my dad lying
on the floor of his office.

First thing I thought, "she
did it. She finally did it."

- Speculating.
- Objection, your honor.

The witness was not
asked what he was thinking.

'Sustained.'

- Hi, Jay.
- Hi, mom.

Your honor, the restraining
order requires Mrs. Stratton

to keep her distance.

Mrs. Stratton,
move back, please.

Did you ever know anybody
named Danny depaul?

You know I did.

Can you tell the
court who he was?

He was my best
friend in junior high.

What happened to
Danny depaul, your friend?

He... killed himself
with his father's gun.

Please tell the court
what your father

got you for your 15th
birthday, just six months later.

What he gave me? It
was from both of you.

No, it wasn't.

Whatever..

It was a hunting rifle.

'And didn't that
strike you as strange?'

I'd asked one the year before.
You guys said I was too young.

Did you ever wonder
if he wanted you

to do what Danny had done?

Mom... you-you need help.

There's no way I
ever thought that.

You reminded
him I'd asked for it.

You told him to buy it.
You can't make stuff up.

That is your father talking,
putting words in your mouth.

Objection! She's testifying.

'Sustained.'

tell me this, did
you ever go hunting?

No. I-I wanted a guitar.

I told dad, took the gun
back and got me a guitar.

That's what happened.

[Intense music]

I wonder what she was
trying to accomplish today.

Did she think Jay was
suddenly gonna take her side?

Well, let's hope
the jury sees corinna

for what she is, controlling
and border line delusional.

- You okay?
- Yeah.

It's 8:30, I got to get
another report out to conlon.

Change can be good.

Believe me, I've had enough
change to last me a lifetime.

This is hard.

I should be home.

Sometimes I worry that
Haley pulled the short straw.

I'm all she has now.

Hey, I was raised by a single
working mom and look at me.

Yeah.

Question is, do I
really want my daughter

to grow up to be like us?

[Both laughing]

So who's her first witness?

David, the loyal one.

Welcome to the Stratton
family, home of parallel universes

and alternative realities.

[Instrumental music]

David, can you
please tell the jury

how you feel about spiders?

Spiders?

'You know, spider world.'

you want me to talk
about spider world?

Please.

When I was about eight

you took me and
Jay to a nature movie.

Only it wasn't for little kids.

It was a 3-d movie and the
spider was, two stories high.

We both started crying.

Jay wet his pants.

It was awful.

David, can you read from this?

Your honor, Mrs. Stratton
needs to identify that document.

These are psychiatric
files on my children

kept by my late husband.

Side bar, your honor?

Mrs. Stratton, you
cannot withhold evidence

so that you can bushwhack
the people at trial.

Your honor, these
witnesses are minors.

Their mother
cannot exploit access

to their confidential
medical records.

Your honor, I
wrestled with this.

There's stuff in these
files that'll be very painful

for my family, I finally
decided last night

that I had to share them.

What Mrs. Stratton
means is that her right

to defend herself outweighs

any patient's right
to confidentiality.

These children
have privacy rights

under state and federal law.

Not when the defendant is
facing a murder charge, they don't.

I'm inclined to agree
with you, Mr. Hellman.

Mrs. Stratton, you may continue.

Your honor, the people need time

to prepare for
cross-examination.

After this witness, we
will adjourn for the day

so that the people may
review this new evidence.

I do not like surprises,
Mrs. Stratton.

(Cooper) 'Don't do it again.'

step back.

Can you tell the
court what it says there

'the part I highlighted?'

"August 12th.

"I took the boys
to see spider world.

"It was a significant stressor.

"Later induced hypnosis..

"suggested their
mother took them.

(Karena) 'Can you open that
second file, and read what's on top?'

this is from the day after your
brother Jay's 15th birthday.

"January 10th.

"Jay very upset over gun.

"Calmed him.

"Induced hypnosis.

"Suggested gun
was his mother's idea.

"Suggested I wanted
him to have a guitar.

"Upon awakening,
Jay asked for guitar.

"Affirmative data.

Stressors seem to
increase suggestibility."

Your honor, I would like to
enter into evidence these files.

Which document years of
psychological experimentation

including behavioral
modification and hypnosis

performed on my kids, at
the hands of their father.

All of which was raw
data for a clinical trial

at Indiana university
on adolescent behavior.

My husband used his own
children as Guinea pigs.

The defense rests, your honor.

[Intense music]

[Sighs]

Thirty years of
confidential patient files.

Where did the children's
files come from?

She claims they were
mislabeled among his patient files

and she finally broke the code.

Smart lady, she knows how to
lie to a judge and get away with it.

He turned his
children into lab rats.

He deliberately stressed them
out, and then measured them

for their susceptibility
to being hypnotized.

It's safe to say, she
gained points with the jury.

If she knew where those files
were, she knew what he's up to.

She's complicit.

And we need to use that
complicity for our rebuttal.

This is interesting.

Hypnosis with Francesca

dated a couple of
months before the murder.

"Suggested she'd
choose to live with me

not her mother, after divorce."

According to her deposition

Francesca was in her
father's study that night.

What if he was hypnotizing her
when karena walked in on them?

Using it to influence her
in a divorce proceeding.

So she sees him
doing to their daughter

what he's been
doing to her for years.

Controlling her,
manipulating her.

(Dr. Perrin) 'She
might even feel jealous.'

Francesca's taking her place

as an object of the
doctor's attention.

But she hates him.

Still, it's the only
attention she gets

the only dynamic that she knows.

She's a control freak, too.

Now she's losing
control of the situation.

So she grabs the cricket bat.

If Francesca can remember
anything about that night

she may be our rebuttal witness.

Assistant prosecuting
attorney annabeth chase.

Hi. I'm Carly.

We were told you
were in Florida.

I just got in last night.

I came up to be with
my brother and sister

lend them some moral support.

Come in.

Uh, I was actually hoping
to talk to your sister.

My grandparents are out,
and I'm pretty sure grandma

doesn't want Francesca
talking to anyone.

Can I ask you a question?

Why didn't you come
home for your dad's funeral?

'Cause I'm selfish,
according to my mom.

Never mind. You
don't know my family.

I'm beginning to.

Carly, were you aware of
what your father was doing?

The hypnosis thing?

I figured that one out,
my first year of college.

Twisted, huh?

Why do you wanna
talk to Francesca?

I think she can
help us establish

what really happened
that night, definitively.

You mean, convict my mother.

Carly, you realize, if
your mom's acquitted

she'll have custody
of Francesca and Jay.

Francesca, you
need to talk to her.

Tell her whatever you know.

I already have.

When you went into your
father's study that night

what exactly did the
two of you talk about?

Francesca, don't you realize?

He was hypnotizing you.

- No, he wasn't.
- Yes, he was.

And you have to understand,
franny, he did it to all of us.

The worst part is, mom knew.

She let it happen.

You don't understand, I can't.

You need to tell the
truth, franny, in court.

Can you make me?

I can. But I'm not going to.

No, I mean, can you make
me, like legally? Because..

If you make me, then my
mom won't be mad at me.

He called it his
calm down voice.

When I was upset about something

dad would take me into
his office and start talking.

I'd listen and breathe.

Like a game, kind of.

Is that what
happened that night?

I was upset. We
went into his study.

He got down this file,
like he usually did, and..

He started talking.

(Annabeth) 'What
were you upset about?'

(Francesca) 'It was something
my mom had told me.'

she said, I needed
to come live with her.

(Annabeth) 'And
what did she tell you?'

she told me what my
dad had done to her

when she was his patient,
when she was my age.

(Francesca) 'I didn't
believe her at first.'

- so what did you do?
- I went to talk to my dad.

- I told him what she had said.
- What did he say?

He said he'd made
a terrible mistake..

And that my mom had held
it over him their whole lives.

Objection! She shouldn't
have to talk about this.

She was under hypnosis,
her memory is unreliable.

Strong vs. State excludes
evidence derived from hypnosis.

I'm merely establishing
whether the hypnosis took place.

Overruled.

(Cooper) 'Go on.'

Francesca, did he talk to
you in his calm down voice?

That's the thing,
he didn't that night.

He didn't use his
calm down voice.

(Francesca) 'He
said he was too tired.'

(annabeth) 'Then what happened?'

my mom came in.

She said..

"You can't just put her under

"and turn her
against me like that.

You can't get rid
of me that easily."

What do you think
she meant by that?

At the time, I had no idea

but... now I realize she
thought I was under hypnosis.

(Annabeth) 'Did she
say anything else?'

she said she was going
to ruin his reputation.

And he said..

"You've been saying that
for 20 years. Go ahead.

I'm retiring anyway. I
don't care anymore."

(Annabeth) 'Did your
dad sound angry?'

he was tired, not angry.

Just..

Really, really tired.

Of everything.

Thank you, Francesca.
Nothing further, your honor.

I'm sorry, darling.

I know you didn't
wanna be here today

and the prosecution forced you.

(Karena) 'You're a brave girl.'

I want you to tell the truth.

If you had to decide..

Would you choose your
father or would you choose me?

I wish I'd chosen you.

Good girl.

Can you tell us why?

Because..

Maybe then you
wouldn't have killed daddy.

The facts are
clear in this case.

The defendant does
not dispute them.

She murdered her husband,
and tried to destroy the evidence.

The children are
the real victims here.

No matter what Peter
Stratton did or did not do.

No matter what crimes and
injuries he may have committed

'against his family
and his wife..'

murder was not the remedy.

And karena Stratton
is guilty of murder.

I was 15 years old.

He was my doctor.

And I had a big crush on him.

One day, I let him
know how I felt.

He stood up, and
he locked the door.

And then he asked me if he
could sit next to me on the couch.

(Karena) 'I had no experience.'

when he sat next to
me, I started to cry.

He was very gentle.

Hugging me, brushing
away my tears.

I thought I was in love.

And I thought I was healed.

(Karena) 'So when you ask
yourself, "why didn't she leave him?"'

think back to that little girl.

So trusting, so vulnerable.

And the only way she
could make sense of her life

was to marry her seducer.

And I did want to leave him,
many, many times over the years.

But I just could not walk away
and leave my children with him.

Believe me, if anyone knew
what he was capable of..

It was me.

[Instrumental music]

(Cooper) 'State of Indiana
vs. Karena Denise Stratton.'

'the jury finds the defendant'

on the charge of murder..

Guilty.

[Indistinct chattering]

Hey, hey, congrats.

'You out-lawyered
the mother of the year.'

if she's the standard
for motherhood

I guess I'm doing pretty well.

Speaking of motherhood,
child protective services called.

The eldest sister Carly
is going for custody.

They'd like you two to testify.

(Maureen) 'She's
taking them to Florida?'

she's returning
home to Indianapolis.

She wants joint custody
with the grandparents.

- I'll support that, happily.
- Me, too.

You know what I think?

You won, don't rub it in.

I think they lived to
fight with each other.

Conflict was their relationship.

Yeah, and the relationship
was her whole life.

He threatened to take
that away, so she snapped.

They were both getting
something out of that sick dynamic.

I went through a pretty horrible
divorce a few years back.

I know.

Yeah. Well..

The pain eventually goes away.

I mean, mostly. But,
uh, the loneliness..

You know, when I have a good day

I still catch myself picking
up the phone to call her.

So, annabeth, how are you doing?

- I mean, really.
- Up and down.

Good days and bad. Like you.

[Phone ringing]

Excuse me.

Hello.

Hi.

Yeah. Oh, okay.
Well, I am on my way.

See you there.

- Ex-wife?
- 'Ah, it's a new girlfriend.'

she's just getting
back from a trip.

Her plane just got
in, I gotta meet her.

Airport rendezvous?

Clearly getting serious.

Well, serious is
meeting the parents.

Airport run is strictly romance.

'Winner gets the check?'

that would be me.

- Goodnight, counselor.
- Goodnight, counselor.

[Instrumental music]

Hi. It's annabeth.

She's doing good?

Okay.

Stay tuned for scenes
from our next episode.