All language subtitles for LA Law s01e20 Sparky Brackman RIP 1987

Previously on L .A. Law.

We, the jury, sentence the defendant to
death.

Grace, you god, lady, you dead meat!
Dead meat!

I'm putting two uniforms on you.

They'll walk you to and from your car
and they'll park outside your place at

night. That's not enough. The man's in
custody, Michael. Well, his gang friends

aren't. Grace, let me ask you something.
You got a gun? I have never even fired

a gun.

What is going on? I'm sorry. I found him
on the freeway this morning coming in.

For God's sakes, call the pound.

What happened? My dog is gone.

Mr. Brackman took it.

Since you're having a hard time placing
him, why don't I take him? Do you want

it? I've always had a way with animals.

I prefer their company to some people in
many cases.

I lost my first case, too. Oh, and you
just love rubbing my nose in it, don't

you? Not really.

Then why did you come down here?

To ask you out on a date.

A date?

Oh, wait a minute.

Don't spend it, because it's a magic
dollar bill.

That was fantastic.

Thank you.

It's my pleasure.

Sell your condo. Stuart, it's my only
asset.

Well, and the whole thing doesn't make
sense unless you move in with me.

Whoa. Back up.

It's a big step. Can I think about it?

Absolutely.

Okay, I thought about it.

Then let's go home.

Gallagher versus Martin.

How do we stand, Victor?

Lousy, we lost.

Appeal and notify the client.

That was the appeal, Douglas, and he is
no longer a client.

Michael, Abrams versus Bertrand. Jury
was impaneled yesterday.

We start today.

Why haven't we settled this?

Because we haven't been offered anything
worth settling for, Douglas.

This case is a loser at trial.

How do you prove sexual assault when she
willingly went back to his room?

Well, she wasn't willing to be raped.

Isn't the boy a first -round draft pick?
I would think an instant millionaire

should be willing to come up with a few
dollars to keep this nastiness out of

the papers.

All right, Douglas, let's move along.
Michael has the case in hand.

Miss Kelsey, perhaps you could inform us
of this new matter in the list entitled

In Ray Kelsey?

I've got my condo up for sale. Leland
said I could open up a file for

administrative convenience.

Fine. Just be aware that these things
are never as simple as they appear, and

don't want a lot of office time piled up
on this.

Oh, please.

Can we discuss?

Item six on the list, Karras versus
Brackman. That's a legitimate lawsuit,

did not initiate it. No, but you
enlisted Abby to defend you, which means

your little barking dog is costing this
firm the time of one associate and one

partner for at least one full trial day.
For your information, I happen to be a

victim here.

I'm being sued by a senseless and
vindictive neighbor who's attempting to

Sparky destroyed.

I've enlisted Miss Perkins because, A,
she knows the dog, B, sympathy happens

be our strong suit in this matter, and
she's best able to exploit it, and C,

last time Douglas represented himself,
he got pasted by Andrew Taylor. That's

it. I will not sit here and tolerate
this abuse.

Douglas! That psychotic is after my dog.

And when I come into this office looking
for a little support, I don't need to

be mocked and ridiculed by a group of
people completely insensitive to my

feelings. An innocent pet is being
maligned and persecuted.

Excuse me.

Bye.

Then when I called to complain about it,
he was rude. He called me an animal

hater, a bad neighbor. He refused to
even consider that his dog could be a

nuisance. Cross, Miss Perkins.

Mr. Carrot, since you're representing
yourself, you have the right to object

questions you find improper.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, your complaint states that the dog
has been barking incessantly since last

October. It never stops.

Yep, yep, yep.

At Thanksgiving dinner, I could hardly
hear Grace.

Are you aware, sir, that the dog did not
come to live at the Brackman residence

until early December?

He what?

December 5th, to be exact.

Well, it's been so nonstop that I
probably don't ever remember not hearing

Objection. Conclusory, argumentative,
and self -serving. Mr. Brackman, you're

not the attorney of record here.

Could I take a moment to confer with my
counsel, Your Honor?

Hurry up.

Ask him how he can hear it all day when
he's at work.

Ask him why his wife never complains.
Ask him about the last time he sued me.

Question him about... I'll get to it.
You've got to be more aggressive. I'm

starting. I understand. Let's go, Miss
Perkins.

Mr. Carruth, isn't it true that you sued
my client two years ago, also for

nuisance, claiming that he failed to
keep the lids fastened tightly to his

cans? A good easterly breeze and the
reek of his garbage would walk right

through my kitchen.

Objection! Prior bad acts are
inadmissible.

Mr. Brackman, your lawyer asked him
about it. But his answer was non

to her question, which was merely
designed to establish that the witness

personal vendetta and he's been
initiating frivolous and baseless

against me. Mr. Brackman, sit down.
Could I take a moment to confer with

counsel, Your Honor? No. Now sit down
and be quiet.

You want to meet me for lunch later?

Not if my trial gets started.

It's a loser. Settle it.

We could take the whole day. We could do
something fun for a change.

God knows my office won't miss me.

Just say so and I'll tell them to get
lost.

Has the team or the league offered any
sort of settlement on Bertrand's behalf?

I have no comment on that. Does that
mean that it's going to trial? I have no

comment.

If I were you, I really would try to
drop this case.

You're starting to sound like a broken
record.

I'm just trying to get you to look at
this realistically.

Michael, if there really was a case, my
office would have prosecuted. But this

is civil, not criminal. We're not asking
a jury to send this guy to jail.

I think we got one hell of a shot.

Don't bet on it.

What? Are you saying there was no
assault here? I am saying that date rape

hard to prove in court.

I'll call you.

Good luck.

$50 ,000 conditioned on no disclosure to
the press.

I'll take it to my client.

But I have to advise against it. Come
on. You got no case.

Are you kidding?

I like my case just fine.

Your guy signs an MBA contract.

My client, the victim, she has to drop
out of school.

She's been in therapy. She's broke. Her
family's been humiliated.

I know just what I've got, Counselor.

75 grand.

That's it. That's as high as I'm
authorized.

See, for my client, this case is not
just about money.

Well, you bounce.

75 grand on the card. We'll see what
it's about.

Well, they're offering 75

,000. That's it? They also want a
stipulation barring you from any

the terms of the settlement.

You mean they want to buy my silence?

Pretty much.

Forget it. If I take this offer, the
truth will never come out.

Lori, this thing will get ugly.

They've got one of your ex -boyfriends
to testify against you. They've

subpoenaed one of the therapists who
treated you. They're going to do

they have to.

Michael, he raped me.

Nothing those lawyers do to me could be
worse than that.

The dog does bark at strangers.

An excellent watchdog.

But other than that, he's a very quiet
little fellow. I see.

Mr. Brackman, what are you doing?

Nothing, Your Honor.

Could you tell us what steps you took to
solve this problem with Mr. Karras? I'm

not sure I understand your question. I
think what you mean to ask is, what does

the whole neighborhood think of him?

They hate him. He's been nothing but a
source of disruption and discontent for

the whole block.

Now, that's not true. He's the one. Sit
down, Mr. Karras. But, Your Honor... Sit

down.

Continue.

Would you say, then, that there is a
good deal of animosity between the two

you? I'm not sure I follow.

I think what you mean to ask is, how
does he behave when I attempt to work

things out?

He verbally assaults me. He's more
interested in an argument than he is a

solution. Could you tell us what
transpired? I'm sure the court would

know what he said to my wife last week.
The court is getting very annoyed.

The court would like the lawyer to ask
the questions, not the witness.

And I think the court has heard from
both sides by now. Mr. Karras, do you

anything further?

I'll know, Your Honor, but I would like
to add, for the record, that Mr.

Brackman is a liar.

Objection.

Now, let me say this to the both of you.

The courtroom is not a place to play out
neighborhood squabbles.

Barking dogs are a fact of life, Mr.
Karras, and I don't find these

circumstances to be so aggravated as to
constitute a deprivation of your quiet

enjoyment of your property.

Accordingly, I find the facts to be
insufficient to support your nuisance

And I'm entering judgment for the
defendant.

Judges and lawyers, you're all together.

That's enough, sir.

And Mr. Brackman, though this thing has
not risen to the level of nuisance yet,

I remind you that it still could. And
there is nothing to stop Mr. Kerrison

instituting an action at that time.

I suggest you try keeping the dog quiet.

Yes, Your Honor.

This court's adjourned.

Very good, Miss Perkins.

I never had a moment's doubt.

Thank you.

You think you're going to get away with
this, Brackman?

Well, I'll get justice in my own way.
You wait.

Just you wait.

Laurie, I want you to tell us everything
that happened between you and the

defendant before leaving the party.

We were just talking.

There wasn't even any dancing going on
at this party. It was just a lot of

drinking and celebrating.

Do you remember what it was you were
talking about?

Lots of things.

In fact, I remember being really
impressed that he wasn't totally

the game.

The basketball game?

Yeah. They had just won the
championship, and everybody was intent

the thing play by play.

And here he was, this big star, and we
talked about a lot of things.

I met him a few times before, but this
was the first time I'd really gotten a

chance to know him.

And he seemed really personable and
unassuming.

You were attracted to him. I thought he
was great.

So, what time did the two of you leave
the party?

It was about midnight.

It was getting really noisy and rowdy,
so we couldn't even hear each other

and his dorm was right across the way,
and we thought we'd go over there.

Just the two of you? I know how it
looks, but we just wanted to go

quiet where we could talk.

And what happened when you got there?

We sat on the couch in the living room,
and we talked some more, and we had some

wine.

And we kissed.

Voluntarily? Yes.

And what happened next?

Well, we kissed for about a minute. I
don't think it was any longer than that.

And then suddenly, he started to climb
on top of me.

And I said, what are you doing? And then
he turned to me and pushed me into the

cushions on the couch.

And I yelled at him to stop.

And then I felt his knees digging into
my thighs.

I tried to get free.

And the next thing I knew...

He was reaching up under my skirt and
ripped down my panties from the back.

And then he started to force my legs
apart with his knees.

And before I could even register what
was going on, he was ramming

himself into me.

And I couldn't... I couldn't get up.

You said that you were trying to get
free during this time.

Yeah.

He had my arms pinned down with his
elbows.

And his legs were on top of my legs.

And he was too strong. I couldn't fight
him.

And I took a deep breath.

And I screamed as loud and hard as I
could.

And I must have surprised him because he
jumped off of me.

And I left.

How long, approximately, did this attack
take?

I can't remember. It would happen so
fast.

But it was like in slow motion. It was
like it wasn't happening.

It was like it was somebody else.

But it was me.

He was inside of me.

And he... And he wouldn't stop.

Mr. Cusack.

Since it's now four o 'clock and this
seems like an appropriate time for a

recess, I'm inclined to adjourn till
tomorrow morning.

That would be fine, Your Honor.

easy, it's only me, okay, going to work
now, and be a good boy, okay, be

a good boy.

I just get the sense that George wants a
lot from me right now, and I don't

really know if I'm in the position to
give it to him.

In other words, he's asked you to go to
bed with him.

The subject has come up, and I just
don't know.

I mean, we both come with so much
baggage, and it's... it's all so

I... Sometimes I just think, let's
forget the whole thing.

I mean, what is so terrible about
celibacy, anyway?

On the other hand, what's so great?

I am serious, Anne. Having sex with
someone is a big deal to me, and I am

not comfortable with one -night stands.

You've been out with him at least a
dozen times.

And maybe I shouldn't be tying myself
down right away.

I mean, right after a divorce, just
jumping into another commitment?

Is that what George wants?

That's what he says. But who knows?
Maybe he's just talking.

I mean, what if I go to bed with him and
he never calls me again?

He doesn't sound to me like that kind of
guy.

Besides, I'd like to live long enough to
dance at my son's wedding.

What? AIDS.

You have heard of it.

Before you go to bed with him, you're
certainly entitled to ask about his

history. Or you could buy him some
condoms.

Well, that's very romantic.

Besides, where are we supposed to do it,
anyway? We each have a young child at

home, and there is no way that I'm going
to some tacky motel.

Look, Abby, if you don't want to go to
bed with him, don't go to bed with him.

You don't have to explain it to me. I
know.

But I'm so attracted to him. So go to
bed with him.

Would you like the keys to my place?

I'm never there. It's just sitting
empty.

So that if you do decide to make love
with George, you wouldn't have to worry

about logistics.

I've been looking all over for you.

In my office, right away.

What's wrong? That lunatic has just
slashed my tires. We're going to sue him

blind.

I want one count for property damage,
one count for trespassing. I want

negligent infliction of emotional
distress and intentional infliction of

emotional distress.

Municipal court? No, superior court.
Jury trial. He's going to have to hire a

lawyer this time and it's going to cost
him big.

Let's hit him with interrogatories and a
request for admissions. Then we'll

depose the filthy roach.

Ask for damages in the amount of $500
,000.

Half a million for four steel -belted
radials.

We're talking emotional distress and
punitive damages.

When I get through with him, he's going
to have to sell his house. I want a

draft copy of the complaint on my desk
by 5 o 'clock. I want to be ready to

it tomorrow.

This sounds kind of big. Are you sure
you don't want Michael to handle it?

be silly.

You're my lawyer.

You beat him once, you can whip him
again.

Ann? Ann.

Hey, what happened with the open house?

Nothing much.

No offers?

Some airline pilot and his wife.

Airline pilot?

That's great.

Not really. It's a lot less than I'm
asking. Thanks.

How much less?

$20 ,000.

I'll tell you, Ann, it's not so far in
the line.

Plus, they only wanted to put 10 % down,
and they wanted me to carry a second.

I told the realtor I didn't think it was
going to work out.

Wait a minute. You didn't come back with
a counteroffer?

What for? We're miles apart.

Ann, it's a negotiation. They come up a
little, you go down a little. Forget it.

I don't have the time or energy to
hassle over this thing like some rug

merchant. You want me to get into it?

No, that's all right.

No problem. I'll call your broker. I'll
set up a meeting.

Hey, all they can do is say no.

So, I'll expect you Thursday at 11.

May I validate your parking ticket, Mrs.
Havens? Thank you much.

Hi.

Hi.

Oh,

thank you much.

Ciao, Arnie.

Bye.

Meow.

Beautiful.

Cosmopolitan. Going through a rough
divorce.

Doubting her own attractiveness?

I can tell.

Some guy could be the beneficiary of all
that smoldering passion, Victor.

Pass. After my last two disasters, I've
taken a vow of celibacy.

Thank you.

Great.

Who sent flowers?

They're for me.

Oh. From Leon.

Not much of an arrangement.

Why do you keep putting him down?

Fox, I'm not putting him down. I think
Leon's a perfectly nice guy.

I just don't think he's good enough for
you.

Leon happens to be a wonderful person.

He's kind, understanding.

Cheap?

Take a look at this. He couldn't even
spring the extra 20 bucks for roses.

I think they're beautiful.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to
put them in water.

Miss Abrams, you testified yesterday
that while at this party, you became

attracted to my client.

Yes. Physically attracted.

Part of the attraction was physical,
yes.

And it's likely that Mr. Bertrand sensed
this, isn't it?

I guess so.

Is it conceivable that my client thought
you wanted to go to bed with him?

No. Really? A young woman who is
physically attracted to him leaves the

and goes back to his room with him after
midnight?

Both people are a little tipsy from
alcohol.

Is it your testimony before this jury
that it's inconceivable for a young man

under these circumstances to think that
the woman might be interested in having

sex?

It's conceivable that he could have
thought that at first, maybe.

But when he started to climb on top of
me, he knew damn well I didn't want him.

Because you resisted him. Yes, I did.

And have you ever had sex with a man
after initially resisting him?

What?

No.

Mr. Nesson, would you please rise?

Have you ever had sex with this man,
Miss Abrams?

I renew my objection to Your Honor's
previous ruling on this entire line of

questioning, and I object to her method
here.

It goes to state of mind and
credibility, Your Honor, and as for my

can do it this way, or I can call Mr.
Nesson to the stand and then recall Miss

Abrams when I conclude with him.

I'm going to allow it.

You may sit down, Mr. Nesson.

Miss Abrams, will you tell the court
whether or not you engaged in sex with

Nesson prior to the evening in question?

We had been going out for four months.

Yes, I had sex with him.

And on the first occasion that you
engaged in intercourse with him, you

him at first, didn't you?

Answer the question, Miss Abrams.

Yes. In fact, you told him no, didn't
you? You even pushed him away at first,

right? I didn't think it was a good idea
at first.

And then you engaged in intercourse. Was
that rape, Mr. Brooks? No.

It's not the same.

So you're telling the court that in some
instances when you push away and say

no, it's rape. And in other situations,
it's not.

With Mark, it was a matter of judgment.
I wanted to have sex with him. I didn't

want to rush into it. So even though you
said no, you wanted it.

Objection. Overruled.

I was reluctant with Mark, but I did
consent.

With him, it was rape. I said no, and he
raped me.

How do we know when to believe a little
girl who cries no?

Objection. Sustained.

Miss Abrams, you told your therapist
that you felt this whole event was

partially your fault, didn't you?

Objection. Communications between the
witness and her doctor are privileged.

Well, she's seeking to recover mental
pain and suffering, Your Honor, thereby

putting her mental condition at issue.
Any statements she made to her doctor in

regard to that condition are therefore
not privileged.

I'm going to overrule the objection.

Tell us, Miss Abrams. Did you not, in
fact, tell your therapist that you

yourself for much of what happened?

At first, I blamed myself a little.

But then as I thought about it... No
further questions. I realized it wasn't

fault, and I shouldn't be blamed.

There are no questions before you, Miss
Abrams. That's all.

Redirect, Mr. Cusack.

Do you still blame yourself?

No.

He did it to me.

I didn't do anything wrong.

The only thing that I was guilty of is
trusting him.

Thank you.

Look, I love the place. I really do, but
I just can't swing 225.

And even if I could, I'd never get the
financing.

Well, that's it, I guess.

I feel terrible. For you, too. I mean,
all that work and no commission.

Well, it's a real shame.

You know, there is a way we could
salvage this.

How? Well, you know, you... Never mind.

Oh, what?

We could cut the purchase price to 2
.15, and you'd take a 3 % commission

instead of 6. What?

That was drastic, I know, but not when
you consider that 3 % of 2 .15 is a hell

of a lot better than 6 % of nothing.

But... Yeah, I know.

2 .15 is still a little high for you,
but we could give you 100 % financing,

completely relieving you of the burden
of a down payment.

What? You take a note for, say, 12%,
interest payable only, with a balloon

payment for the principal to 2 .15 at
the end of five years.

Sweeten it, no?

Stuart. I mean, no...

Down payment at all? Works out very
nicely. Solves your cash flow problems.

Gorgeous condominium.

Well, Ned?

Sounds good to me.

Stuart, can I talk to you for a minute?

Yeah. Excuse me.

Yeah, what's up? I don't want to wait
five years for my money. Ann, Ann, look.

If you get your money right now, you're
going to plop it down on a savings

account and get a 6 % return on it,
right?

I'm giving you 12%. Plan to get to defer
your capital gains taxes for five

years. Ann, it's a deal. Believe me. No,
it's too convoluted. Are you nuts?

Look, this way you're getting more than
your asking price because of the

commission cut and the investment yield
of a lifetime.

I can't.

Ann.

I'm sorry. I just can't accept those
terms.

Thank you for your interest, and I
apologize for the inconvenience.

Give it until the morning, and I'll talk
to her.

I'll have to call her back. She says
it's a crisis.

What?

Sheila, stop shrieking.

Take a moment.

What?

What do you mean he's dead?

Are you sure he's not just sleeping?

Oh, my God.

I'll call you right back.

Hilda, get me the police.

For God's sake.

Sparky.

So, you thought that she wanted this to
happen? Oh, yeah. I mean, I thought she

was expecting to have sex and that I'd
be kind of a wimp if I didn't, like,

charge.

But her resisting didn't suggest to you
that she was less than willing?

Well, a lot of women resist.

Not that I've been with that many, but
some think it's...

More sexy if they're sort of
overpowered.

Why is that?

I don't know. I think some women are
turned on by the macho thing.

And do you think that Miss Abrams was
turned on by it that night?

Yes, I really thought she was until she
screamed.

What happened when she screamed?

Well, it was sort of like a blood
-curdling yell.

I could tell something was wrong, so I
got off of her, and that's when she got

up and ran out of the room.

Nothing further.

Is it your testimony, sir, that women
are turned on by having their panties

ripped off and their legs forced apart?

Hey, look, I'm not a rapist, all right?
She wanted to have sex with me. What

about these bruises?

Did she want these, too?

Objection.

Overruled. Take a look at these, people.

Now, here is a girl having fun.

Objection. Sustained.

She was yelling at you to stop.

She was struggling to get away. Now tell
me, Mr. Bertrand, what exactly does a

woman have to do in order for you to get
the message?

I don't know. Maybe she shouldn't have
come to my room.

And why is that?

Do you only rape at home?

Objection! Sustained. No further
questions.

No, Mr.

Brackman, over here.

It's good to see you.

I must have driven by this place five or
six times.

You said dark and out of the way.

Listen, everything all right, Mr. B? If
you don't mind my saying so, you sounded

terrible on the phone.

I'm in a nightmare, Vinnie.

Please, I need your assurances that we
never had this meeting.

Oh, let me say this.

PI, 15 years now.

Client swears me to secrecy, goes with
me to my grave.

You want some lunch? They make a nice
brisket here. I'm too upset to eat.

My dog's been killed.

What? My neighbor poisoned him.

We haven't had an autopsy, but the vet
thinks it was strychnine.

That's terrible.

Sparky, my wife found him in the back
corner of the yard.

He must have crawled over there to die.

You call the police?

They say they can't do anything.

I'm a dog lover myself. I know what you
must be going through.

Some spookbowl did this to my little
queenie. I mean, I want to go nuts here.

You know, I think I want to kill
somebody.

Exactly.

What about that?

What about what?

Justice.

Justice? Surely you must know some
people out there, people in the

who could give me justice.

Justice? How?

As in Hitman.

Hitman? Shh.

Look, time out here, Mr. B. I mean, this
is extreme.

If you're talking about murder, you're
going to have to let me out right here.

All right.

Just break his knees.

Look, Mr. B, if you're serious, and I
only pray that you're just very

overwrought and emotional here, I mean,
what you're thinking about doing, it's

just plain wrong. I can't just let
Sparky's death go unavenged. Could I

a piece of advice here?

Now, look, whatever your differences are
with this guy, and I'm not trying to

make light of it, I mean, how do you
know he even did this terrible thing?

Go see him. Talk to him.

Confront him directly.

It's the only way. You're a very wise
man, Vinnie.

Thank you for the good advice.

Anytime, sir.

It's all part of the service.

This isn't about sex, ladies and
gentlemen.

Sex is something that's shared.

What we're talking about here is one
person physically overpowering another.

What we're talking about is a man
sexually assaulting a woman.

What we're talking about is a rape.

that's not mitigated by the fact that
they knew each other, or by the fact

she liked him, or even by the fact that
she kissed him.

Now, I don't care how benign the setting
was. The fact remains that he

physically forced himself onto her, and
he raped her.

I know that this is not your standard
guy jumps out of dark alley with ski

and a knife scenario. This is worse.

Worse, because after what he did to her,
she's not only afraid of strangers,

she's afraid of friends.

And she was raped.

By someone she knew.

Someone she had made a judgment about.

And she was betrayed by that judgment.

She no longer can trust friendship.

She no longer can trust her own
instincts.

And she no longer has faith in her
ability to tell the good guys from the

But because of what he did to her, every
time she meets a man, she asks herself,

could this guy be a rapist?

Believe me, folks, that's one hell of a
scar to walk around with.

The damage done to my client by this man
is irreparable.

Absolutely irreparable.

And for the sake of this scared young
woman, I ask you

to make him pay for it.

It's a strange phenomenon sometimes when
boy meets girl.

Everything is so unstated. There are no
pronouncements of affection or

declaration of attraction, just the
opposite. We send signals, a little

maybe a squeeze of the hand.

Sometimes signals get mixed.

And the problem with playing this little
guessing game is that people guess

wrong. According to the plaintiff, my
client did just that.

But the thing you people have to
consider here is not whether his guess

right or wrong, but whether it was
reasonable under the circumstances.

They meet at a party.

Both have been drinking.

She's attracted to him, he to her.

And they leave after midnight to go back
to his room together. They sit on the

sofa. They embrace.

They kiss.

And then it goes further. Then she now
says she wanted it to go.

And she now claims that he must have
known that she wanted him to stop.

Because she said no, well,
unfortunately, one of the little signals

women are schooled to flash is the sign
of resistance.

It's simply not proper to give sex
freely.

Now, we can all say, hey, this is the
80s, but every woman in this courtroom

knows that it is more respectable, more
feminine, and sometimes more alluring to

manifest the sign of resistance, at
least initially.

You know something else?

The men know it too.

The simple fact is that sometimes we say
no when we really mean yes.

And sometimes we say no when we really
mean no.

And sometimes men can't tell which is
which.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the
plaintiff is asking you to punish my

client for not being a better mind
reader.

But before you do, I want to remind you
of a few indisputable facts.

She admitted...

that it was conceivable for my client to
think that she wanted to have sex with

him. She admitted that she had said no
in the past when she really didn't mean

no, and she admitted that as soon as she
cried out, he retreated, and she

admitted that she blamed herself for
much of what happened.

Two kids and a lot of suffering already.

There's no rape here.

Did things get out of hand? Sure.

But rape?

You know better.

Can I help?

Herb, wait a minute. Stand up, you
murderer.

What?

If you want a piece of me, you know
where to find me.

Somebody call the police.

Mr. Carrot, are you all right?

All right.

Be seated.

Mr. Foreman, has the jury reached a
verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

In the matter of Abrams v.

Bertrand, we, the jury, find in favor of
the plaintiff, Laurie Abrams.

We further find that the defendant,
Richard Bertrand, be held liable to pay

damages to the plaintiff in the amount
of $1.

The jury is dismissed.

The court is adjourned.

Ms. Abrams, what does the verdict mean?

The jury reaffirmed our belief that Mr.
Bertrand sexually assaulted my client.

Ms. Abrams, are you disappointed in the
monetary amount?

Oh, it's great. After legal fees, I get
60 cents.

Can we change?

This stinks.

I want a new trial.

I don't know that we have grounds for a
new trial. And even if we did, I'm not

sure it would do any good.

How can you say that? The man raped me.
Laurie, look.

You knew this was going to be a tough
case going in. You were drinking, you

go to his room, and at least initially
you consented to what was going on. So I

deserve what I got? I didn't say that.
But I think the jury was saying with its

verdict that even though you were
assaulted, you have to take some measure

responsibility for what happened.

The next jury will probably say the same
thing, or even worse, we could flat out

lose.

You never really believed in me, did
you, Mr. Cusack? I mean, you took my

because you thought you could win, and
because you didn't, it isn't worth any

more of your time.

I'm suggesting that it isn't worth any
more of your time.

Let it go, Laurie. You had your day in
court. You established that he raped

Now, for your own good, just drop it.
Get on with your life.

I'll tell you something, Mr. Cusack.

The only thing that I'm thinking of
dropping is you.

You got a minute?

I think we better discuss the situation.

What's to discuss?

Well, you left those people hanging. Are
you going to take their offer or not?

No. I shouldn't have to explain this to
you, Ann. Then don't.

Ann.

Look, these people negotiated in good
faith. If you pass on it, that's it. You

lose the sale. I'm aware of that,
Stuart. And are you aware of the fact

opened yourself up to a lawsuit?

Your broker could sue you for this. Will
you stop browbeating me? I'm not

browbeating you. I'm explaining. Yes,
you are. You're selling my home out from

under me.

My things, my privacy, my space.

I didn't put your house on the market,
Ann. You did.

Well, whose idea was it? Hey, go kill
yourself, will you?

Don't you dare talk to me like that,
Stuart.

Not you, Ann.

Them.

Look, I've got a lot of work to do,
Stuart, okay?

Ann, if you have a problem with me, then
deal with me.

If you have a problem with our living
together, then somehow we'll deal with

that. But you're giving me mixed
signals. It's not fair to me, Ann.

It's not fair to you. It's not fair to
these people.

Dude, I'm really busy. I'm running late.

Can we please talk about this later?

I have to call your broker. What am I
supposed to tell her? Tell her anything

you want. The deal is off.

So I just have to go and clean up your
little mess, is that it?

You are some piece of work, lady.

And you are a manipulative, controlling
piece of... Anne!

The world according to Garpowitz.

Hey, do you mind?

Close the shutters.

Shutters don't close.

Let me do it.

I can't get any work done in this place.

Home.

I got to work late. I'll be home late.

Not your home. My home.

Michael, there's a woman here to see you
about the Laurie Abrams trial.

She says it's real important.

Well, tell her to come in.

Mr. Cusack?

Fran Winston.

Hi. What can I do for you? It's about
the Abrams case and the man that raped

her.

He raped me, too.

What?

About a year ago.

It was the same kind of thing. We were
on a date, and on the way home, he

over to the side of this mountain road.

He pulled right to the ledge so that
there was no way out on my side. It was

sheer drop.

And then he raped me.

Well, did you tell the police?

No, and I'm not going to either, or
anybody else for that matter.

But he raped you. It doesn't do any
good.

The police won't prosecute, and you can
see what happens when you try to sue.

Why didn't you come forward before now?
I could have put you on the stand. We

could have nailed him.

I don't want to tell anybody about this.
I'm married now.

I won't let it destroy my life any more
than it already has.

Then why are you here today?

I want you to tell your client. I just
want her to know that she's not crazy.

That man is a rapist.

Mrs. Winston.

And just so you know, that's not my real
name.

I just found out that the guy who raped
Lori Abrams raped somebody else before.

Well, that information would in all
probability be inadmissible.

think I was casting the same presumption
as everyone else. That somehow she

brought this on herself.

That she deserved it. When the fact is,
she was every bit as wrong as she says

she was.

Do you think your feelings in this case
compromised your performance?

Yes, dammit.

When I lost a part of me.

turned on her. It was easier for me to
blame her than it was to blame myself.

Excuse me. Mike, Doug Brackman's on
three. He says it's an emergency.

Douglas?

Where are you?

No, no. I'll be right down.

Douglas has been arrested.

Oh, my God.

I'm so sorry.

Thank God you're here.

You've got to get me out. I'm going
crazy. Okay, then. Douglas, take it

You take it easy?

They deliberately put me in a cell with
homosexuals. What?

Homosexual rapists.

They've all been eyeing me.

I've only been safe so far by keeping my
back to the wall. Douglas, what is

going on with you? This business has
gotten way out of hand. Out of hand?

He killed Sparky and they throw me in
jail? He's got a concussion. You could

have killed him. You could get jail time
for this.

He killed my Sparky.

Okay, Douglas.

You loved your dog.

But come on.

That dog was the only creature on this
earth who loved me for me.

And this bastard took him away from me.

Forever.

When he killed Sparky, a part of me
died.

You can't just let him get away with it.

All right.

All right.

But there's nothing we can do about it
tonight, so first things first. Now

get you bailed out.

Okay.

You alright?

Busy? Yeah, as a matter of fact, I am.

Too busy for an apology?

I'm sorry for all the chaos, Stuart. I
was worried that I would lose all my

autonomy, and I panicked. Ann, all I
ever wanted was for you to do whatever

makes you happy, all right?

I'm trying to.

So what do you want?

Did you call the realtor?

Yeah. Yeah, I told her the deal was off.

Oh.

Well, you said that's what you wanted,
right?

I'll call her in the morning, and we'll
make it work, okay?

Thanks.

Hey.

Home?

Home.

I love you, Garbowit.