Original subtitles

There was a small fire over on Melrose. I sent Rosenthal.

He put it out.

Good man, Rosenthal.

We ought to send him to the Middle East.

Take a look.

Why you don't print my letters?

What letters?

You know why you don't print them?

Because Esteban is not Anglo. If it was an Anglo in jail, you would print them.

Hold it. Can I ask a question?

Who is Esteban and how did you get in here?

I'll call the guard.

Oh, sure. Call the guard and the police and the army, too.

I'm dangerous. Can't you see that? Now, wait a minute.

Nobody's going to call anybody. Will you relax, Billy?

Why are you calling her?

She speaks Spanish.

But I'm speaking English.

She speaks that, too.

What's up?

I'm not quite sure. Just sort of hang around.

Look. I wrote three letters.

I don't get letters. That's another department.

What were they about?

My boyfriend, Esteban.

He got in trouble a couple of months ago in a bar.

He hit a man, and the man died.

No, wait.

He didn't get a fair trial.

The crazy old judge made faces at the jury, and he whistled, and he did all

kinds of local things.

The jury found him guilty.

Manslaughter. But it was an accident.

But if it was manslaughter, he could get out in a year, even less.

He might even get off with a suspended sentence.

You don't know this judge.

He'll hang him. He'll put him away forever.

What's his name?

Rushman. Felix Rushman.

He's a crazy old man. Listen, Miss Louisa Sanchez, I'm Billy Newman.

Why don't we talk about this? We could go up to the cafeteria and talk, have

some coffee. I don't want talk.

I want my man to have his life back.

Okay. But maybe there's something we can do.

I don't know.

Come on.

Let's talk.

Come on.

You know this judge? This Rushman?

Rushman? Oh, yeah, I've heard all kinds of stories about him. He's been on the

bench so long they may make him an historical landmark.

It's lunchtime.

I think I'll grab a bite to eat with our courthouse guy. What's his name?

Simmons? I don't recommend the courthouse cafeteria.

There was talk of using it to replace the death penalty.

People in trouble, not much room for joy, not outwardly anyway.

Do you remember anything at all about the Murillo case?

No, cases like that pass through these courts like a muddy river.

What about Rushman?

A brilliant man. He's had a great career on the bench.

She said he was crazy.

No, everybody's got a beef in here.

Besides, the jury found him guilty, not the judge.

She didn't say her boyfriend was innocent.

She said the judge did all sorts of nutty things to influence the jury.

Well... Look, the man's an eccentric.

There's no denying that. Everybody knows the things that he does.

Like what?

Well, he likes to take his shoes off when he's on the bench.

Let's see, what did he say?

Something about an Indian yoga sect that believes we need to breathe through the

soles of our feet.

That doesn't sound too crazy.

No, it's just an absent -minded thing.

Like you putting on that tie with that suit.

I bought the tie for this suit.

74. Be seated and come to order. Superior Court, County of Los Angeles,

Department 4 is again in session.

Put all reading material away, no smoking.

The Honorable Felix Rushman, Judge, presiding. All parties present?

Yes, Your Honor.

Yes, Your Honor.

All right, let's get on with it. Let's get on with whatever this is.

I call Genevieve Dussault.

And then on the 14th, I wrote to them again. I didn't want to, but my sister

said, write to them again.

I didn't want to write to them again.

She's always telling me what to do. So I sat down. I took a pencil.

No. You know, off the record, this is a very boring case.

Don't you think so, Mrs. Patterson?

It's the court, please. I would like the record to show the remark your honor

just made in the hearing of the jury.

Oh, they're not going to pay any attention to that little thing like

Crying out loud.

Besides, from the looks of them, they already concur.

I want the record to show my objection.

Sit down, Mr. Bailo.

Now, look, before we continue, I want to caution the jury about that restaurant

across the street. Now, you've got to be very careful when you order the

cheesecake, especially the strawberry cheesecake.

I don't think they're honest people.

I don't think they're refrigerated.

Well, that woman back in the office may have something. This guy is a little

weird.

Should I proceed, Your Honor? Could any of us stop you, ma 'am?

I strongly protest to the court. Sit down, Mr. Bailo. You're constantly

interrupting the judicial process.

Your Honor. If you don't sit down, Mr. Bailo, you'll be eating bologna

sandwiches in the holding tank.

Are you threatening me with a contempt citation?

Try me.

All right. Go on. Go on. Go on with your story.

I don't remember where I was.

I don't remember who you was.

After Jenny, uh, that is, Mrs. Douceau, called me, I... No.

No, it was before she called me.

Uh, you see, I'd heard that her son was in town.

I've got to get back. I've seen enough.

You know, I'll talk about this later.

So, then... Excuse me.

Excuse me. But I couldn't find her, and then she called me.

Hey. Hey, you.

The bald -headed fellow.

Yeah.

Yeah, you. Where do you think you're going?

I'm going back to work.

Come on. Sit down.

I don't have anything to do with this case, Your Honor. You're interrupting

trial.

You're walking out in the middle of important testimony.

Excuse me, but I have to get back to my... Have you ever heard...

You know the power that you're challenging?

I'm not challenging anything, Your Honor. I just want to leave.

All right, then. I'll grant your wish.

Bailiff, remove this man.

Book him and hold him. I'll send the necessary paperwork down.

What's going on? Take him out of here.

Take him out of my sight. I want him out of here now.

Come on, mister. Let's go. I'm being arrested. Simmons, what's going on? Get

out of here.

This is a court of law. I'm not a treatment agent. Hey, come on. You can't

serious. I didn't do anything.

Nothing.

Yeah, me too.

What they say you've done?

I don't know.

What do you think they say you've done?

Oh, don't worry, fellow. This is a nice jail.

It is?

Yeah.

You sure took your time. I've been here three hours.

I'm sorry.

Sorry.

Tell me, Lou, what's it like to go that long without a woman?

I guess it's a lot like being without a job.

Okay.

Grant. Lou.

Rushman never sent the paperwork down, never filed a contempt order.

I think he cooled off. I'm glad everybody is so understanding.

I'm glad the judge cooled off. I haven't cooled off.

See the time?

Rossi.

Well, well, your old job's still waiting for you, Lou. Always glad to give an ex

-con a break.

You busted out of the joint, huh, Duke?

I knew there was no slammer that could hold you, Chief.

We have a very serious problem here. This is not a joke.

I want to find out about this cuckoo, this judge.

I want to know why he's still on the bench.

Talk to people, court clerks, bailiffs, other judges, lawyers, the DA. Can we

get a transcript of the Murillo trial?

Sure, if we pay for it.

We'll pay.

Get on it.

Simmons will fill you in.

A little wrought up, aren't you, Lou?

You'd be wrought up too, Charlie, if he threw you in a cell like a sack of old

chicken feathers.

I don't think chicken.

Maybe buzzard.

I throw my garbage out with more sympathy and compassion than he showed

Listen, correct me if I'm wrong, but what I'm getting here is an

picture of a personal vendetta.

A man is a menace.

If what happened to me happened so quick, so easy, how many other poor

sitting in a cell somewhere because he decided to have one of his little temper

tantrums? You sure you want to tangle with him?

Okay, go at it if you want to.

But keep me posted.

Sure.

Tell me, Lou.

What's it really like inside?

Donovan, you're a good reporter.

Thank you.

And how come you haven't caught on yet that I don't think this is funny?

I think I just got it.

And in case you didn't understand it the first time, I'm going to repeat it. And

I want you to pay close attention.

Now, you made a motion for a mistrial based on Corey versus Goodman.

Well, sir, here's my ruling.

In other words, your motion stinks.

Overruled, sir.

Overruled.

Oh, I've got to get some air.

All rise.

Court will recess for 20 minutes.

I'm going to start upstairs with Simmons.

The judge is a real pistol at me. I think we ought to take it easy. We're

against the toughest kind of guy there is, and not with power.

Charlie Hume tells me you have a couple of reporters sniffing around Felix

Rushman.

That's right.

Do you think that's wise?

I don't know how wise it is, but I sure feel it's necessary. Why?

Well, this isn't just any guy who's a little weird. The man's a superior court

judge. And you spent a number of hours behind bars because of him.

Yeah.

So? Well, I just want to make certain our motives are clear.

You know, people, when they reach a certain age, especially people who have

certain amount of what is considered to be power, these old people can become

easy targets.

I'll be very sure.

And careful.

Keep me informed.

Yes, sir, I've known him for seven years, and a better judge and a more

respectful man you won't find.

Do you know if any other judge would ask his bailiff's advice right before a

decision? He asks your advice.

Lots of times.

In front of everybody.

Jury, counsel, and he listens.

He takes my advice.

He does.

But haven't you seen things lately that make you wonder if maybe he isn't

getting on?

No, sir, nothing.

Oh, sure, he might nod off a bit sometimes, but that's usually after

Heck, it's a long afternoon.

I'd do it myself if I thought I could get away with it.

What happens if he has to make a ruling?

Oh, he picks up pretty fast.

You've got to understand, some of these cases will put anybody to sleep.

You know what he does sometimes?

He takes off his robes, comes down and sits at counsel's table and questions

witness himself.

And he puts on his robes, gets back on the bench.

Great, huh?

Terrific.

Here's someone who could tell you stories about his honor. She's been his

clerk 12 years now.

This is Miss Newman. She's a reporter from the Trib.

Oh, how do you do?

Does Judge Rushman know that you're talking to his staff?

Do you think he'd object?

Well, that's not the point.

Well, he sounds like a fascinating man, and I just... I think you'd better talk

to him before you talk to us.

Sure. Okay.

Thanks, Richard.

I appreciate you taking the time.

Why is she asking questions?

She says they're doing a story on the judiciary.

What kind of a story?

Well, you were talking a long time. What did you tell her?

Nothing.

Don't worry, Emily.

You didn't mention... You know what I mean.

What kind of a question is that? You think I don't know what I'm doing?

Rushman, he's a prince.

Everybody in my office thinks so.

We go in with a case, he's on our side.

What side is that?

Law and order, Mr. Rossi. Law and order. It's a great double play combination.

Police apprehend, we prosecute. Judge Rushman puts the offender out.

So you'd call him a tough judge.

Like iron.

I wish we had more like him.

Eccentricities and all.

Well, we all know about those.

They're harmless, of course.

Sure.

I mean, all of us have our little idiosyncrasies that might seem odd to

else. Even you might have some, Mr. Rossi. Oh, listen. I've got some great

But I'm not a superior court judge.

There's really no reason to interview me. It's all in the record.

The machine doesn't lie.

But judges often do edit the record. They're proud men, so they edit out the

little grammatical mistakes.

They're proud men. That's all the editing is done.

Look, I really have nothing else to tell you. I'm sorry.

Do you sometimes edit for them?

There's nothing irregular here. Judge Rushman is a fine man.

The man is obviously a lunatic.

You mean he's mentally unsound?

Well, I'm not an M .D.

But I think I do know my law.

Some of my friends consider me one of the top three criminal attorneys in the

country. To my enemies, I'm in the top five.

Then you have tangled with Judge Rushman.

Well, I wouldn't use the word tangled. I may have to tangle with him again.

I have a very important practice to protect with clients who depend on me.

You're off the record here, Mr. Lindsay. That's been agreed to. And may I say

that I'm very proud to be invited to this room where presidents and heads of

state have broken bread.

I don't know how I can.

What about, what about Rushman?

Are you familiar with the term eye contact?

Yeah. Has it's used in the courtroom?

No. Oh, it's a very subtle form of unspoken question and answer. How?

Well, not all judges use it, but Rushman does.

I come into his courtroom at the beginning of the case. We establish eye

contact. His look says, are you going to make trouble in here?

Now. If my answering look is a bold one, I'm in for it.

But if I smile and lower my eyes, the message is plain.

Your Honor, I will not rock the judicial boat.

Your authority is unchallenged. Do you know of any instances where a rushman

behaves strangely?

Look, I don't like the man, but I will not attack him.

There's a problem here.

It has to do with some judges who are still on the bench in their 70s and 80s.

And the problem is?

Senility. What do you think we're talking about, measles?

At the same rate, I drove a LaSalle for over 200 ,000 miles.

I'm talking about the machine that does wear out. Right.

This one judge is out of whack.

And what gets done about that?

Well, the Commission on Judicial Performance has the power to investigate

recommend removal or retirement.

So what's the problem?

Well, it's all very confidential and secret, except that the judge under fire

may find out who lit the match.

And if the commission decides that the charges are unfounded, the man who

started it all is clutching a very thin, swaying limb.

But what constitutes unjudicial behavior?

Aha. That is indeed the question of questions.

Is it only eccentricity?

Has he interfered with the judicial process?

In the Murillo case, Rushman's behavior was outrageous.

Well, if that's so, then the man you should be talking to is the attorney who

defended Murillo.

Five will get you ten that he won't even appeal the case.

No, I'm not going to appeal.

But if those things really happened, I should think you'd have to ask for a new

trial. Miss Newman, from the time we enter law school, we are taught respect

judiciary, honor the judges.

And let's face it, most of us want to eventually wind up on the bench.

It just doesn't pay to lose friends.

To be known as a troublemaker along the way.

You see that guy over there?

He's a fat cat.

He and his associates look at a million dollars every year.

I am not a fat cat.

An appeal would help no one and it would hurt me.

How? I'd have to make the motion for the new trial before the same judge who

tried the case. That means Rushman would have to reverse himself if he grants

it. And of course he never will.

He never has.

Well, what can be done?

Murillo could appeal to a higher court, but he won't. Then you have to.

I have a young family, Miss Newman.

I depend on these judges for income. That's how I got on the Murillo case.

public defender's office was swamped, so they authorized an outside attorney.

The bucks are a joke, but they're the only bucks I've seen in three weeks.

That's the beginning and the end of it?

The bucks?

What about a guy like Murillo, who's facing four years in state prison?

I have a few bad nights.

But then the milk bill comes or the pediatrician calls.

I don't have an answer.

If you've got one, please tell me.

I really would like to know.

He answered an attorney with a raspberry?

People can laugh at that old man. It's beyond me.

So what do you think?

I think maybe we ought to take a run at him.

Maybe focus on one case, like the Murillo case.

Has anybody talked to him? He couldn't make bail. He's being held downtown

pending sentencing.

Get down there.

No, please.

It was all right.

Everything was all right. You don't understand. We are trying to help you.

way you can help me is not to help me.

The judge is a good man.

The trial was fair. The judge was fair.

There was nothing wrong.

Aren't you afraid that this judge is going to give you the maximum sentence?

Listen, mister.

He is the judge.

Me, I just pump gas and rose mid -boulevard.

Whatever he does, it's all right.

You believe me, it's all right.

I don't need no help.

My girl said that. She the crazy one.

You think he's afraid to say anything against Judge Rushman?

They can't do anything to him for speaking the truth.

That's easy for you and me to say. We are outside.

But he's stuck inside, in a cage, like an animal.

He's afraid.

What happened that night at the bar?

He don't start the fight.

The man comes in already drunk.

He wants the money Esteban owes him.

Esteban says he don't have it.

So the man gets ugly.

And Esteban leaves.

See, because he don't want no trouble.

But he makes a mistake.

And he comes back.

For the weapon?

No.

With the ten dollars that he was keeping for my birthday.

He tries to give it to the man.

Did he take it? No.

He gets more drunk and more ugly.

He don't want the ten dollars.

He wants it all.

So he grabs Esteban.

And he don't want to listen. No way.

So Esteban hit him.

And the man falls.

And he dies.

Has he ever been in trouble before?

Esteban.

Yes.

He used to cut school.

Him and me cut school and went to the movies.

Mr. Alcorta, you recently served as a member of the Commission on Judicial

Performance. That's true.

Please sit down.

I was one of the two lawyers appointed by the bar.

The others are judges, private citizens.

And your job is to investigate and act on reports of judicial impropriety.

That's right.

Why haven't you acted in Judge Rushman's case?

I don't get it. What's so funny?

Oh, I was just thinking of all the letters we've gotten asking the same

question.

They're probably still getting them. And then what? You all sit around the

envelopes chuckling at them?

The work of the commission is very sensitive.

There's the problem of potential damage.

Of character assassination.

Do you understand?

Yes. Good.

Since what we do is secret, how do you know we have not acted in the case of

Judge Rushman?

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Are you hinting that the commission admonished him and he's ignored it?

Did I really say all that?

Let's take a hypothetical case.

All right, let's talk about Judge X, a man with an illustrious career behind

him. Let's say that he's been on the bench too long and he's breaking down.

No intentional malfeasance, just breaking down.

But intent doesn't matter, does it? The man's dangerous because he can't cut it

anymore. My point is that in a case like that, the commission might move with a

little more humanity.

Then I can say that the Commission on Judicial Performance is moving now in

case of Judge Rushman. Judge Rushman?

Surely we were discussing Judge X.

Having gone over the transcript of the Murillo trial, to my untrained, unlegal

eye, seems like it was fair.

Oh, it does, huh?

Yes.

Absolutely.

Well? The trial was a joke. Like that transcript's a joke.

How so?

Well, for one thing, it's been edited.

Heavily edited.

It's not supposed to be, but occasionally it happens.

Can you prove it?

No, I've only got my memory. There's no one to back me up about what really

happened. You know, it's a serious charge.

Tell me about what really happened.

Well... Take this redirect to one of my character witnesses for Murillo.

Now, you have to imagine the setting.

Full jewelry in the box.

and His Honor Justice Felix Rushman on the bench, exhibiting his usual keen

awareness of the proceedings.

Asleep. You didn't find that in the transcripts, did you?

Would the record please indicate that the judge is sleeping?

The record doesn't show that, does it?

Not that I can find.

And look at this right here.

That doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary. You asked a question, the

witness answered.

Does it say anything about what Rushman did?

He didn't open his mouth.

He didn't have to.

Now, Mr. Ramirez, on the night of the accident... On

the night of the accident, you were in the bar with Esteban Murillo?

Yes, he's my friend.

And to the best of your knowledge, had he been drinking?

Maybe a beer.

Stella Mourieu is not a drinker.

Your Honor, this is becoming very difficult.

Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing.

Strike those last remarks.

I would like the record to show that the judge was making faces while I was

questioning the witness. I would like to learn that counsel never shut his trap.

Strike those remarks, too.

He sat there making faces at the jury? That's what his girl said happened.

It's true.

Too bad they don't allow cameras during a trial. And there were other things.

A couple of times he made veiled references and not -so -veiled

my client's ethnic origin. How?

He called him a beanie. A beanie?

It's a little hat.

No, he meant bean -eater.

Chicano? Mexican?

That's incredible.

Of course, the jury had already been taken out for the day, so they didn't

it. But still, it shows where his head is at.

You're going to appeal this case, right?

No.

I can't.

I told your reporter why.

Well... Somebody has to.

Because Murillo's too scared to walk across the room.

I mean, here's this killer, sitting in a cell, shaking with the thought of

making waves against a judge or anyone with authority.

He's not the only one.

That's the way it is.

Well, that's not the way it is here.

And if it really is that way, I mean, if everybody thinks that this man's antics

will just go away like a bad dream, then we'll do something.

I'll do something.

Do what?

I don't know.

Can we talk over some options available to us?

Including hands -off?

I hadn't thought of including that, no.

Would you if I told you I got a call from Judge Rushman this morning?

Only if he called to announce his retirement from the bench.

Ah, that would take the wind out of your sails, wouldn't it?

No, I'm afraid that didn't come up in our conversation.

Other things did.

Subjects like, uh, oh, journalistic harassment, million -dollar lawsuits.

Flander and libel?

You know, the usual banter you get from a man who's livid with rage.

He threatened us?

Was he belligerent? I've known him for many years, Mr. Grant.

He is always charming, even when he threatens.

Well, I've been doing some homework on our legal position.

There have been many court cases where newspapers have taken on the judiciary.

Each time, maybe with one exception, the Supreme Court has backed the press.

So you think we should do what?

Take a stand.

Publish everything we know about him. He is an argument for mandatory retirement

of judges at age 70. I don't believe in mandatory retirement.

Justice Warren served until 78.

Brandeis until 83.

And Oliver Wendell Holmes was 91.

Well, I don't remember any Supreme Court decisions that said...

Barney Hush.

Whatever we do, I'd like to see what he has to say. Can we get him up here for a

talk?

Why, Mr.

Grant, what a tolerant gesture on your part.

I wish you didn't seem quite that surprised.

You say they've been all over the building?

Yes, Judge.

What's that game?

What kind of questions are they asking you?

I don't know, Your Honor.

It's very nice of you to say that.

But we both do know, don't we?

Come on. Come on, Emily. Get out of here.

I

won't

do it.

Poking at a bear.

I'll be sorry they ever started this, those damn fools.

I'll get it.

City desk, grab.

I'll be right up.

Ernibs? How'd you know?

Stop taking catches in the throat. We all do it.

I depend.

The mastermind behind this insidious campaign of harassment.

There is no campaign of harassment or anything else.

What there is, is concern.

Oh, a much overused word, a good smokescreen.

The high priests of Jerusalem, they were concerned about Christ's popularity

with the people. The Inquisition was concerned.

Oh, boy, were they concerned with heresy.

One man's concern about the thoughts and actions of another man.

That's done a lot of good in this world.

The reason... For example, right now I'm concerned about you and this newspaper.

There's no telling what form my concern might take.

I'd be very cautious if I were you.

Is that a threat, sir? I'm sure that the judge wouldn't stoop to make... No, I'd

stoop. I wouldn't stop at stooping, no, sir.

Judge Rushman, we are planning to publish a story.

About your behavior on the bench. And I thought you should know about it

beforehand because it's not going to be very kind, I'm afraid.

And I thought you should have a chance to look at it beforehand.

Oh, you think you're on to a hot story, don't you? A big, exciting story, huh?

Well, it wouldn't be very exciting if I retired, would it?

What would you write about then, huh?

Are you going to retire?

Sure.

When they don't re -elect me.

You know, that's the rotten thing about a democratic republic.

You can't impose your will on the people.

We can let them know about you, as long as you stay on the bench.

You know, I came over here to talk to you about the laws dealing with libel

slander, part of our civil code.

Now we can also discuss blackmail, which I'm happy to say is a felony.

Wait a minute. Oh, boy, have you gotten into it with your feet now, huh?

Let's go into specifics.

I'd like you to hear the specific points we're going to raise about you.

All right, all right, go ahead.

And I'll start thinking about that brief I'm going to file against you and your

canary -colored tabloid.

On March 18th, you left the bench in the middle of an attorney's motion and came

back with a magazine which you started to read while the trial went on.

Do you have any comment on that?

Yes. It was a very dull article. Go on.

I have one, two, four instances documented here.

where you went to sleep during a trial, all in the past month.

Well, it was a particularly boring month.

Judge Rutherford, your attitude is frightening. My dear lady, I'm up on

bench to adjudicate.

The case is presented to the jury, not to the judge.

An effort's all over, and their verdict is in. Well, then I impose the sentence,

as prescribed by the California Criminal Code.

But you have latitude.

I pride myself that I don't turn criminals loose on society one minute

than I have to.

Are you including Esteban Murillo in that?

Oh. Oh.

That's what this is all about, huh?

The poor minorities, the downtrodden, the victims of society.

That wasn't my point.

Oh.

I was the same way when I was young.

After 34 years on the bench, Watching them all parade before me.

Them?

You know what I'm talking about.

Bigotry.

Realism.

Has the Commission on Judicial Performance contacted you in any way?

Now, that's something you'd really like to know about, isn't it?

Off the record, we know their work is secret.

Off the record? Yes.

Well...

Off the record, I'm not going to tell you.

I'm 74 years old, and I'm tougher than you are.

Is your digestion good?

Mine is.

Your feet get pins and needles when you sit too long?

Can you count above 100?

Yes, I'm 74 years old, and you all thought I'd fall apart when you sprung

charges on me, didn't you?

No, sir.

You would have loved that. You and all my other enemies. You would have loved

that, wouldn't you?

I've seen them parade in front of me.

I know what they're thinking.

I hear the lives being ripped apart by guns and knives.

I see those faces.

Those sullen faces in the jungle.

That's what it is. It's a... It's a jungle.

And none of you can touch me.

None of you.

Because I'm up there, looking down, looking down from a tree, seeing you all

stalk me.

All of you.

You damned animals.

You.

You enemies.

newspaper man, I covered the courts.

The saddest stories I remember are the justices who stayed on the bench too

long.

There's more to life than there's to you.

How's it going?

If we polish it anymore, you could cut a diamond with it. Just want to be sure

it doesn't hurt.

What was the legal department's reaction?

They only had one suggestion.

Throw the whole thing out.

They're always nervous.

Wait till they read about that incident with his clerk.

Which incident?

We had to do a lot of digging. Nobody wanted to talk about it.

One day, she was helping him off with his robes and chambers, and he was dark

naked underneath.

Poor lady. She screamed. The bailiff came on the run.

I think we got enough about his being naked. Let's lose it.

Another cover -up.

Where are you going?

You know, this guy, he's not a criminal. He's done a lot in his lifetime, a lot

of good stuff.

The least I can do is show him this story ahead of time as a courtesy.

What are you yelling at me for?

Well, I don't know.

Of course, I

can't stop you from publishing that.

That would be prior restraint.

But there are laws designed to punish even the press after publication.

Every word is true.

Fortunately, the truth is no defense.

Craig v. Harney, 1947.

Supreme Court ruling that whatever transpires in open court is public

There are at least four recent trials that we know of where you gave the

defendant a very pointy stick.

Now, that's your opinion.

Mine is diametrically at variance.

Am I really so terrible, Mr. Grant?

I think you've stopped listening from up there.

You rely on other less qualified people's judgments.

Or you've made up your mind before the first pitch.

What kind of ballgame is that?

You know, when I was a young boy, I thought I had to go to court.

And I saw him standing there.

nervously turning his fat in his hand, looking up at that man in the black robe

sitting high above him.

And I thought, who is this man?

What power does he have that my father, my strong father, standing there with

his head bowed, his voice so small, so faint?

Well, I became that man in the black robe sitting high in judgment.

I became that...

that reduced my father to a frightened man.

I think I've used that power well.

Until recently.

You're not going to get rid of me without a fight.

Judge Rushman, it's not going to take a fight.

You've got the commission closing in on you. You've got this article coming out

tomorrow.

You're not going to be able to hang on.

I think you've got enough left to know that.

If I were you, that's just what I'd say.

What will happen inside?

Oh, he'll ask if there's any legal reason why a sentence shouldn't be

at this time.

And I'll say yes and get up and make the usual motion for a new trial.

And then he'll say denied and hit him with the maximum.

You think he'll get the maximum?

Are you kidding? After what's happened over this, Rushman's probably upset we

don't have a devil's island for Esteban.

He's in a foul mood. He almost swung on his bailiff, I heard. Oh, that's great.

Good luck. See you later.

Be seated and come to order. Superior Court, County of Los Angeles, Department

is in session.

Put all reading material away. No smoking.

The Honorable Felix Rushman, Judge presiding.

Are all parties in the case, the people versus Mario, present?

Yes, Your Honor.

Present, Your Honor.

Is there any legal reason why sentence should not be pronounced at this time?

Your Honor, if the court please, I would like a ruling on my written motion for

a new trial.

Do you plan to argue your motion orally?

I don't think so, Your Honor.

It's all in the submitted brief.

Very well, Counselor. Make your formal motion for the record.

I move a new trial be granted to defendant Esteban Murillo.

Motion is granted.

Court will recess for 20 minutes.

I'll be damned. I think he's finished.

The man reversed himself.

Good God. Good God.

Very good.

Mr. Grant.

Judge Rushman would like to see you in chambers.

Oh, yes.

Sure.

to know about the story?

No.

I was actually wondering whether you could recommend a good book on trout

fishing.

I understand some people get positively religious about it.

Fanatical about its relaxing properties.

I'll see what I can do about it.

the Rushman piece.

I think it wound up on page 35 or 36.

History was made in Superior Court today when a veteran judge who was never

reversed in his 34 years on the bench reversed himself.

Judge Felix Rushman, 74, granted Esteban Murillo, 26, a new trial on the motion.

Some of the people here thought we should have run the whole story on

anyway. Play it all up.

No.

It's over.

Come on.

I'll buy you a drink.

Only if I can buy the second.

Okay.

I'll take the third and fourth.

The fifth is mine.

I was going to say I'll take the fifth, but...