Original subtitles

Previously on The Practice.

To the world and to the potential jury pool, you are the man who murdered his

pregnant wife and unborn son. I need you to start demonstrating the zeal that

comes with defending an innocent man.

Daddy! Hey, baby!

Your client murdered my sister, Miss Frutt. I won't be cooperating much with

defense. Do you think your mom killed herself?

I know my dad didn't kill her. He loved her.

So I think she must have committed suicide.

Alan, what's up? Something came up at Crothers.

I left.

Now I'm looking for new employment.

What exactly came up at Crothers, Alan? I embezzled.

Allegedly. Alan. I'm going through an enormous character growth. Just the

And I need a break.

This agreement that you had me type up? Tantamount to insurance fraud.

Is that wrong?

Why are we whispering?

She has a headache.

She? God.

She gets headaches?

And cramps.

Explains a lot, don't you think?

Sheila. Alan.

Sheila.

Alan. I want you to allow me to settle this case.

No. Sheila.

Alan.

Assuming you do hear God's thoughts, persuading a jury of that reality will

be difficult for me.

I win my cases.

I had the highest winning percentage of any litigator in my firm.

They had no right to fire me.

Sometimes we need to forgive those who trespass against us.

Not.

Are you rolling?

We're on day three of Bradley Stanfield's double murder trial.

It's not known when the prosecution is going to rest. Sources say... Damn it!

Cause of death, cyanide poisoning.

And the cyanide entered Mrs. Stanfield's system how, doctor?

Injection. Traces found in coffee.

Doctor, you're aware that a suicide note was found.

Ridiculous. I'm sorry?

Cyanide poisoning, violent death.

Nobody commits suicide that way.

Doctor, did the cyanide come in liquid or solid form?

Powder. Powder.

So one way for it to have gotten into the coffee would be for somebody to

pour it into her cup. Right, Doctor?

Yes. And another way, somebody could have put it into the coffee grounds.

that correct, Doctor?

Could happen. So the poison could have been put into the coffee long before.

Perhaps days before it was bought and consumed by the victim. Isn't that

Doctor? Could happen.

Doctor, what can you tell me about Molly Stanfield's personality?

Nothing. Not psychologist.

Well, Doctor, suicide goes very much to the psychology of the victim. You're up

here trying to rule out suicide, and you know nothing about Molly Stanfield. You

can't rule out suicide, can you, Doctor?

The cause of action is wrongful termination under the state's Employment

Practices Act. We already filed with the MCAD to no avail.

When were you fired?

June. We have a settlement conference scheduled for 11 o 'clock.

Failing settlement.

Excuse me, could I just stop you for a second?

Surely. Jimmy, I don't mind you looking at me. In fact, I'm even flattered. But

would you mind keeping each share to eight seconds total in duration?

longer than that is just an invasion of my privacy.

Eight seconds or less, Jimmy.

Okay?

Sure.

Now, if we don't settle, I'd like to have you second chair of the trial.

Your plain folk style could be an asset.

A lot of jurors today relate to the phonetically challenged.

Excuse me?

I mean that as a compliment, Jimmy.

You're the everyman.

I'm not a simple person.

I'm very deep.

Yes.

And what I'd be looking for is for you to go to your depths and say to the

not fair.

Can you do that?

One, two, three.

A drug overdose is one thing, but cyanide?

Why not? It's quick and violent.

There are headaches, vomiting, possible suffocation. It's an ugly death.

It's not possible Molly Stanfield wanted to die ugly? I suppose it's possible,

but as I said, I've never seen it. Also the note.

When people leave notes, typically it's to provide explanation or to say

goodbye. Here we have, I do not choose to live, typed, unsigned.

You think the note was a fake?

Yes.

Scripted by somebody who wanted us to think it was a suicide.

Sounds like whoever did this was pretty sloppy.

Certainly unconvincing. Or maybe very clever.

Maybe the victim made it look like a phony suicide, hoping the police would

suspect her husband of murder.

I beg your pardon?

This marriage was marked by a lot of anger, Doctor, if not hatred.

Isn't it possible Molly Stanfield decided to check out and take her

in the process?

Is that what you think happened?

Or... Somebody else killed her, knowing the police always look to the spouse.

Can you positively rule that out, that somebody else killed her?

Let me put it this way.

Who besides my client did you investigate?

You can't be willing to take the trial.

Oh, but we can. She was terminated for a disability. That's against the law.

She was terminated for not being able to fulfill the function of the job. One

such function being client relations.

She claims God talks to her for God's sake. She claims bald men access her

thought. You seem upset.

I am upset. We're wasting valuable time here.

How can you be willing to go forward with this? She will be publicly revealed

a loon, which you are, Sheila. May I speak off the record?

As recently as five months ago, you, Mr. Lambert, and my client had rather

vigorous sexual relations. Do you recall that, Mr. Lambert?

Do you, Sheila?

Vividly. What is this, an extortion attempt?

Oh, extortion is a very bad thing. I would never.

However... One of my favorite words, however.

Don't you like that word?

Love it.

I would have to introduce this carnal episode as an admission on Mr. Lambert's

part that he considered my client to be both competent and sane.

How do you figure that?

Well, Mr. Ginsburg, certainly if he had relations with a person who, to his

mind, lacked capacity to consent to said relations.

What's the word I'm looking for now?

Heavens? Rape.

In Massachusetts, having sex with the incompetent, was it heavens?

Rape.

Right.

You're now using the threat of a criminal trial to advance a civil claim,

Shore. That's grounds for disbarment. I don't believe I did that.

But why don't you go report me? See how it all unfolds.

$2 .6 million, gentlemen.

That's your route.

I want to see my niece.

When the meeting's over, they will come out. I am that child's guardian.

Actually, her father is still the legal guardian, and it's my understanding you

want him convicted.

If you interfere with our defense, what you'll be doing is giving him grounds

for a new trial.

I don't think you want that.

Now, please, sit over there and wait while I check on your niece.

This Shore guy is totally corrupt.

Second, the client is nuts.

She thinks God talks to her. Excuse me? She also thinks bald men access her

thoughts. And if you stare at her more than eight seconds, you invade her

privacy. And Shore, he just tried extorting the lawyer.

He's a crook.

Come on, honey. Christine.

Listen, I know you're not sympathetic to our case here. You're using a ten -year

-old girl as a trial prop.

How could anyone be sympathetic to that? If you try to interfere with Emma's

involvement, we will assert our rights against you.

Come on, honey.

You calling the daughter?

I don't know.

All she has to say is that her mother seemed sad.

We're thinking about accusing Christine.

Her? The sister?

She has no alibi. They didn't get along.

Basically, we've got nothing else.

I think I can sell it.

Are you out of your mind?

It's called Plan B.

We use it on occasion when Plan A is sure to fail.

What about Emma's testimony? She'll support suicide.

None of us feel Emma will help us.

In fact, we think trying to exploit her further could even hurt.

Well, my testimony... And we don't think you should testify either. There's too

much to impeach you with.

Right now, your domestic assault isn't in evidence. If you testify, Bradley, it

comes into play.

What is our defense?

Reasonable doubt.

All we need to show is that it's possible somebody else did it, including

possibly your sister -in -law.

We know it's desperate. We're not kidding ourselves, but it's something,

Bradley.

We do not commit blackmail in this firm.

We do not resort to extortion or any other criminal offenses to settle our

claims. Eugene, I give you my word. I would never get caught.

I will report you to the bar myself.

Jimmy, I brought you in on this case because it's a connection between us.

You brought me in because you think I'm simple.

Simple would be speaking directly with the person you have issues with, Jimmy.

Going behind my back, that makes you complicated.

You're no longer invited to play on my team, Jimmy.

My sister was a devout Catholic.

Suicide is considered against God.

She also was not a woman to indulge in self -pity.

Nothing kept that woman down, no matter what the setback.

Could she have privately been unhappy?

No. If anything, she seemed happier lately.

She was in love.

In love with?

She had a boyfriend.

I didn't approve, but I was at least hopeful that it would get her out of her

involvement.

With him.

Him? You observed your sister with him?

Yes. It was increasingly more and more angry to the point that I felt that it

was extremely unhealthy for Emma.

Clearly it turned out to be unhealthy for Molly as well.

You said she was a devout Catholic.

Are you?

Yes, I am.

Is it possible, knowing how opposed you were to suicide,

That your sister concealed her plans to take her life?

This was not a suicide, and I am finding this repulsive. You seem angry.

I am.

You and your sister often got angry with each other, didn't you?

We had our differences.

Primarily over the war zone they subjected Emma to.

Just out of curiosity, where were you the day your sister died?

I beg your pardon? I don't mean to be rude, but if my client should be

of this murder... He'd be disqualified from inheriting, and you'd get more of

your sister's money, wouldn't you?

Are you suggesting I killed my sister? I am just suggesting that you had keys to

her house, that you knew her coffee drinking patterns. Did the police ever

investigate you?

No, they did not. A year ago, you tried to get custody of Emma.

Because you considered your sister to be an unfit parent. I considered them both

unfit because of the way they fought continually in front of Emma. You love

very much. Like a daughter, yes, I do. And if your sister dies and your brother

-in -law gets convicted of this crime, you would get custody of Emma, wouldn't

you, Christine?

Everything would work out.

You are disgusting.

One dollar?

Yes, Mr. Shore.

That is our offer.

One dollar, and it's final.

We were offended by your little extortion attempt yesterday, and we're

willing to go to trial on Thursday.

And when we do, it's going to get out that your client is insane.

Her peers are going to learn that she is deeply, deeply deluded, and she will

likely be unemployable forever.

So, go ahead, Mr. Shore.

Advise your client to move forward with this claim.

Counsel her that it is in her best interest to do so.

And you, why don't you just talk it over with God?

Let me tell you something.

Mr. Ginsburg, what you've done, unwittingly or not,

is turn the matter personal.

When a case becomes personal to me, Mr. Ginsburg, my priorities shift.

My goal becomes not so much to vindicate, but rather to avenge.

My mission now is to get you.

The meeting is over. You may go.

Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the meek for they will possess the land.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice for they will get their

fill.

Rest.

What about my testimony?

We agreed you shouldn't testify. I never agreed.

You agreed.

If you take the stand, your domestic assault comes into evidence.

And if I don't go up there, we have no defense.

Our case is reasonable doubt. It's burden of proof.

We've already established the possibility of suicide. We've

possibility of somebody else killing her.

That's the best we can do here.

No, it isn't. If you take the stand, you are guaranteed a guilty... You listen

to me.

From my perspective, I've already bought the guilty verdict.

I do not want to rest.

If you get... I'm talking.

Like you said from the start, everyone thinks I'm guilty.

I'm the sick bastard who killed his pregnant wife and unborn child.

Well, people need to hear from me now.

My daughter needs to hear from me.

Then do it behind closed doors. I will do it in that room.

I have made a life out of being liked, Eleanor.

Look at my face.

Every job I've got, every woman, it's because I'm trustworthy.

I'm sympathetic. I make a favorable impression.

Brad, I agree with Eleanor.

You testifying would not be a good idea.

I will take that stand, and I will make a favorable impression.

I will tell my story, and they will cry for me.

You understand me?

We understand you perfectly.

I'm actually really excited about the trial.

There's no greater rush of adrenaline.

And I'm looking forward to working together again, you and me too. I

gelled perfectly at that first settlement conference. You know, our

together. It was kind of like sex.

What do you think about me presenting the open? There's no better way of

off my skills as a litigator.

Did you get a message just then?

From God?

As a matter of fact, I did.

Why?

I was just wondering.

So what do you think about me opening?

I think it sounds good.

Okay. Listen, I need to meet with your doctors tomorrow.

Why? To prepare their testimony.

Why would we be calling doctors?

We're basing our claim on disability law.

So I'll need to present evidence of... My disability? I have none, Alan.

When I try cases, Sheila, I don't like surprises.

Therefore, I would like to meet with your doctors.

Well, I'll give you all the surprises right now. I have no doctors.

You're not being treated by anybody?

Why should I be?

Because God speaks to me?

That doesn't make me ill.

And it doesn't make me any less of a lawyer.

I thought I'd have meat.

I'm on the Atkins diet, so I'll bring on the protein.

In what certainly promises to be the most dramatic moment of the trial, Brad

Stanfield will sit in the witness chair and presumably deny that he killed his

pregnant wife, Molly, and their unborn son, Michael.

You called, Eugene?

Yes.

I wanted to meet our new client.

Ah, Sheila.

Oh.

Sheila Carlisle, Eugene Young.

Why is she hiding behind you?

You're bald, Eugene. You can access her thoughts.

May I have a word with you, please, Alan?

Certainly, Sheila.

Are you serious about trying this case?

Quite. The woman thinks God speaks to her?

She does.

As senior partner, I'm directing you to either settle or enter your withdrawal.

This firm cannot and will not proceed to court with that cause of action.

May I respond?

Please.

The client merely thinks you can access her thoughts because of your baldness,

Eugene. But if I'm not mistaken, you're not bald. You shave your head, if I may.

Just as I thought.

Nubs. It's all a big misunderstanding.

I'll let her know.

You do not amuse me.

I sense that.

It wasn't a perfect marriage.

I had an affair once.

Turns out she was having one.

But still, you didn't want a divorce.

No. We had a daughter.

For both Molly and me, Emma was everything.

And, uh... And what, Brad?

And despite our battles...

My love for Molly was as strong as ever.

I resisted the divorce simply because I couldn't imagine life without her.

That may make me weak, but it's the truth.

Did you kill your wife, Bradley?

No, I didn't.

She was pregnant with my son.

A son I had dreamed of.

The idea that I could take a life, any life,

But to accuse me of killing Molly or Michael?

You heard it mentioned that your sister -in -law, Christine, might have had both

motive and opportunity. I can't believe Christine could be capable of this.

She and Molly had battles, and I know she wanted custody of Emma, but this was

her own sister.

Did Molly have any other enemies?

I mean, obviously...

She had secrets I didn't know about the affair, but no enemies that I knew of.

Brad, you have to understand why you're a suspect.

You have a troubled marriage, your wife wants to leave you, and she's suddenly

found poisoned to death in your home with no signs of anybody else being

but you.

I would never be capable of taking a human life.

I could never hurt.

The woman that I love more than life.

You could never hurt her.

A year ago, the police were called to your house once because you hit her.

Once, during an argument, I lashed out.

I'm ashamed of that.

You're ashamed.

And when the police questioned you after finding her dead, you didn't tell them

of your affair, did you?

No, I was... Ashamed? Jackson?

The police asked if you and your wife had any domestic problems.

You answered no.

That was a lie, wasn't it, Mr. Stanfield? I didn't imagine that I was a

at the time of that question.

I thought my marriage was a private matter.

I see.

You also told the police that you tried to revive your wife.

Yes, after I found her, I performed chest compressions, mouth -to -mouth.

you said you tried to breathe air into her lungs.

And yet, we found no traces of your saliva on her mouth. In fact, there was

smudging even of her lipstick, Mr. Stanfield.

Did you not touch her lips as you performed mouth to mouth?

I thought I did. You thought you did.

The night before Molly's death, neighbors heard you and your wife

each other from inside your home.

What was the fight about, Mr. Stanfield?

We... argued a lot in our marriage. I said so.

That particular argument, she complained that I worked too much, that I was an

absentee husband.

That's what the fight was about?

Yes. One neighbor, Martin Reed, who was seated right there, he heard you

screaming at your wife, do you love him?

Did she love who, Mr. Stanfield?

I do not recall saying that.

You stated to the police and testified again today that you didn't learn of

wife's affair until after her death.

And yet the night before, you were heard screaming, do you love him?

As I said before, I don't remember saying that.

I knew nothing about her affair.

Not good.

How bad? All six voted guilty.

Unequivocally.

What are you talking about?

I hired a focus group to monitor the trial.

They found your testimony unconvincing and unanimously rejected it.

All right.

Look, I would like to explore murder, too.

Absolutely not.

Brad. That is a life sentence, Eleanor. With the possibility of parole.

I don't know what to tell you. We are going to lose here. We are dead.

Daddy, let me tell. Emma, please be quiet.

Daddy, you said you... Emma?

Tell what?

Nothing.

Could I have a moment alone with my daughter, please?

Hey. Hey.

I'm working on my opening. Do you want to hear it?

In a second.

I need you to listen to me, Sheila. Yeah.

The reason I so readily took this case aside from my tremendous affection for

you is because I know your eccentricity is notwithstanding. You've always been a

fierce and brilliant litigator.

And I have never, ever known you.

to be off on the law.

But I'm concerned, Sheila.

Because now, you are off on the law.

How so?

The basis of our claim lies in employment discrimination.

Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 151. You drafted the complaint, Sheila.

We must, as a matter of law, Make a showing that you're handicapped within

meaning of the statute.

We will need a doctor to testify that you have a mental illness because you

And if we cannot make a showing that you're mentally ill, we cannot win this

lawsuit.

What are your thoughts?

Talk to me.

Please don't abandon me, Helen.

I won't.

I was initially diagnosed with schizophrenia.

I had excellent premorbid functioning.

I was later re -diagnosed with a non -bizarre delusional disorder.

Delusional and not schizophrenic because the voices were within my head and not

from external sources.

I was treated with antipsychotic medication. The voices remitted.

I went off the medication and she came back.

There you have it.

I'll make the doctors available to you.

Though I haven't been treated in over two months.

I'll let you get back to your opening.

Alan.

I need you to win this case for me.

Can you win it for me, please?

Done.

We know you love your dad very much.

And he loves you.

We're his lawyers.

All of his secrets are safe with us.

Are you the person who poisoned your mother?

I told you I don't really want to talk about it right now.

Emma, I don't think you really want your dad to live the rest of his life in

prison. There may be a way for us to help him and to protect you at the same

time. But we need to know the truth, Emma.

Did you poison your mother?

Can you tell us why?

She was ruining everything.

She lied to protect me.

I don't think so.

Where is she?

She's with Tara.

Listen. I killed...

Molly.

All right?

Look, Emma's just trying to protect me. Leave it at that.

Oh, so now you're suddenly saying that you did it?

You've been protecting your daughter.

This doesn't help her. She's ten.

She'll be destroyed. She'll most definitely be destroyed if she's locked

That doesn't have to happen.

There's probably an insanity defense. She's ten.

Plus, for God's sake, if she's ever to have any chance of psychological or

emotional health, she's going to need you on the outside.

You accepting guilt for her crime. Accept guilt because I'm at fault,

She was raised in an environment of hatred.

Her mom and I fought.

Emma.

Whatever caused her to do this, I absolutely accept fault.

Let us try to work this out.

Just make the deal on murder, too. I'll take it.

We're not allowed to do that.

As Emma's legal guardian, I am directing you to hire independent counsel for

her.

That you have to do.

She's a gifted attorney, and I mean gifted.

She has the highest winning percentage of all our litigators.

But God speaks to her.

She claims bald men access her thoughts as much as

we adore Sheila Carlisle, and we do.

She's ill.

And her delusions simply shake client confidence in our firm.

Now, you'll hear lots of evidence during this trial from many people documenting

her illness. And you'll understand our position.

But you'll truly come to appreciate it, I'm afraid, once you hear from

Sheila.

Imagine being considered insane for endeavoring to communicate with God.

I've been so ostracized by my firm these days.

God was the only one who talked to me.

You talk to her, Margaret, every night.

And though you think she's a he, that's okay.

And Ward, I know you don't believe in her, but when your wife survived cancer,

you were heard to mutter, thank.

God.

What is going on here?

I'm giving my opening remarks, and I'd appreciate being allowed to finish.

And this?

It's fraud.

Objection? Agnostic, Mitchell.

Shame. Ms.

Carlisle. Chambers.

Now.

Just as well.

Shirley has to pee.

Obviously, she managed to find personal data on the jurors. This is unethical.

Where did you get this information, counsel?

God. I'm not fooling around, Ms.

Carlisle. If you have access to the clerk's office, if you gained access to

file... This is probably why she relates so well to juries. She gets inside

information, which... You're absolutely right, Albert.

If you'd like a mistrial, fine.

We can do this over and over again.

My source will always be there. All right.

Regardless of where you get your information, it is improper for you to

personal contact with jurors. I haven't. Yes, you have. The fact that you had it

in open court doesn't change things.

This is a mistrial. She told me that you'd do that, but I wouldn't listen.

Mr. Ginsberg, given you don't know her source,

and that she might be more subtle the next go -around, I seriously suggest you

think about settling this.

Your wife would be happy.

You could take that trip to Mexico.

They're in a rut.

The cyanide came from her mother's photo lab.

Evidently, it's used in developing pictures. It explains the simple suicide

written by a ten -year -old.

I need to talk to her. I can't allow that. Look, you're going to have to help

out a little here, otherwise... It's fine to help the girl, not you.

Trust me, she's not talking. And if I were to subpoena her?

She'll plead the fifth.

Unless, of course, you'd like to grant total immunity.

Well, if I can't speak to her, I have no new evidence, and therefore...

Actually, you do.

Jamie and I are witnesses, as is Tara Wilson, our assistant.

We heard the girl confess.

And I'm to take your word.

You represent the guy. No, actually, we would have to recuse ourselves now

because we've become witnesses.

Look, I pull a lot of stunts. And this trial alone, pointing the finger at the

sister, it was a tactic, a part of the game.

But as an officer of the court, I am here before you now, as is Jamie,

you this was not a stunt.

Thank you for coming in.

I understand you've had opportunity to talk to your niece.

Miss Pepper, I need you to be a friend of the court. Hold on a second. Miss

Singleton, you represent the girl, not the aunt.

This is improper, Your Honor. Well, that's my call, not yours, and I'll

you to be quiet.

Miss Shepard, none of us...

Once the wrong person convicted here, did your niece indicate to you that she

poisoned your sister?

I asked you a question I would like you to... I am not going to incriminate my

niece.

But I'll say... It

appears Mr. Stanfield did not commit the crime.

Members of the jury, new information has come to light.

As a result of this new information, the district attorney feels he is duty

-bound to withdraw the complaint.

The charges against Bradley Stanfield are therefore dismissed.

The defendant is free to go.

The minor, Emma Stanfield, will be taken into custody, and we are adjourned.

Try and be brave, sweetheart.

They're not taking you back.

What? They can't be forced to employ you, Sheila. You know that.

Well, then let's not settle.

Five is not enough.

You don't need them.

Being alone is not good for me, Alan.

I need voices on the outside to balance.

Being alone is not good for me. Let's not settle.

Nobody's going to hire you.

Except maybe me.

You?

Here? Why not?

Do you even have the authority to hire people? No.

I'll figure it out.

You're a good friend, Alan.

How did you learn the identities and backgrounds of all those jurors?

You got a second?

Sure. Emma's lawyer.

Is she qualified?

Well, she was assigned by the courts. Her reputation is good. Can you take

I suppose, but... Good.

I want to move quickly.

I don't want her to be locked up.

She's going to be locked up.

She committed murder.

There's... Actually, she didn't, Jamie. She just said she did.

All right, look.

I'm embarrassed to say I haven't been...

truthful with you.

I killed Molly.

I maintained otherwise for obvious reasons. I didn't want to spend my life

jail. As the case went south, Emma and I devised a backup plan, a plan B of our

own, I guess you'd call it.

It involved manipulating you, getting you to think that she did it in the hope

that maybe you'd find a way to write an apparent travesty of justice, which you

did. And I'm grateful.

Now we need to help her.

Assuming double jeopardy will prevent me from being retried, one strategy might

be for me to come forward now and admit my guilt. Is that right?

Do I assume correctly, Eleanor?

You killed your wife?

Yes. And I'm not proud of using my daughter to secure my freedom.

Actually, you two gave me that idea.

Anyway, the mission now is to fix things and get her out. So we all need to get

on board.

Again, I totally apologize for manipulating you. I thought that was the

way.

When can we proceed?

Brad, you're going to have to give us a little time to absorb all of this.

But let's not waste any time, okay?

An innocent 10 -year -old girl is in jail.

We need to help her.

Whatever we choose to do, by the way, it cannot involve me going to jail.

That is not an option.

Okay.

Thank you.

I think I could be sick.

We need to figure out a way to take him down.

How?

There's double jeopardy.

Privilege. Jamie, he just used us as puppets to defraud the court.

We need to take him down.

Next on The Practice.

Certainly you don't plan to allow your daughter to stay locked up. Let's see

Emma's trial goes. She probably has a legitimate temporary insanity defense.

I don't think that's going to work.

I got myself off.

Now I'll get Emma off.

Did you hire her? I've got to keep this woman close to me until I can persuade

her to get back on her medication.

So she works here?

Temporarily. She will not draw a salary. And most importantly, we are not to

give her clients ever.

Sheila, it's important at the beginning for you to keep a low profile here. Just

give me a case to work on.

I don't like to be alone with my thoughts.