Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

Miss Perkins, please be so kind to tell your firm that the next time they look

to send inexperienced attorneys out to cut their teeth, that they stay away

my courtroom.

You're selling out the integrity of this firm because you want to distance

yourself from me.

That's ridiculous.

And I'm going to make it easy for you.

Our relationship is over. I'm not going to bother you anymore.

Buy a lady a drink?

What would the lady be drinking?

You know how to make a Venus butterfly?

Oh, no, I'm sorry. That one's not in my repertoire.

That's okay.

It's in mine.

Your husband is involved with another woman.

You're lying.

Trying to turn me against a man who has never done anything to hurt me.

Unfortunately, this videotape doesn't lie.

Sweetie, disgusting lying piece. I thought you slept with my sister.

Carol, I don't know what you're talking about.

I hate you.

Carol, let's go. I hate you. I hate you.

And saving the best for last, it is my profound pleasure to congratulate Mike

Kuzak on landing this firm's first Fortune 100 client, Northland

They were sufficiently impressed with Mike's performance in the Stacey Gill

that they've engaged us to handle the $100 million products liability suit.

A suit brought by five people who suffered serious neurological impairment

result of taking cold 20.

I take that sometimes.

Well, these people were also taking a drug called Benadol that's prescribed

the treatment of severe schizophrenia.

That I don't take.

And a combination of the two is what did it.

Aren't they going after the makers of Benadol as well? Well, unfortunately,

company has gone into receivership following a rash of lawsuits over

drug it was manufacturing, which just leaves Northland. Anyway, no pressure,

Mike. But a trial like this could kick us into lunar orbit. Well, I'm not quite

ready to conclude that a trial is what's indicated here. Who knows? This may be

one to settle.

Well, we should have a better idea this afternoon when we meet with Northland's

chief house counsel.

And two people from a consulting firm they use called the Taggart Group.

to consult?

Jury selection, I guess.

What points to hammer on, what points not to.

I thought that's what they hire us for. I don't know exactly what they have

planned, but what's wrong with getting a little help? You didn't need any help

on the Stacey Gill case.

I mean, you won that on your instincts and the facts.

As I recall, my instincts told me to settle before the verdict came in.

Well, why don't we just keep an open mind and see what they bring to the

We're adjourned.

Stuart, you got a minute?

I need to ask you a big favor.

Yeah, what's up? I think I'm going to need some help with my taxes.

Ann, I'm honored.

You mean it?

Sure, just give me a couple of weeks. Let me get my desk cleared.

Oh.

That's a problem?

Oh, the thing is, I'm a little strapped. I was hoping to get my refund back

early. Okay.

No problem.

You're the best, you know that? Mm -hmm.

I'll make it up to you. Yeah, well, I'm very expensive.

I was thinking maybe you could take it out and trade.

Bye.

Sorry I'm late. I'm... 10 .30.

My car broke down. I had to have it towed.

It's the second time this month.

As if I didn't know. What are you looking for? One lousy fresh pencil. Is

too much to ask?

Thank you.

Points.

How old's your car?

In dog years.

You want my advice or you're throwing good money after bad?

You want to tell me exactly what's my alternative?

Get a new car.

Rox, I want you to read through this and make sure it's coherent. I need it

typed up before land data comes in.

Arnie, we need to have a talk. What about?

A raise.

Rox, can't this conversation wait till later?

No. What'd you get last year?

Cost of living, but that won't do it this time. What will?

A hundred dollars.

A hundred dollars a week? I don't eat in restaurants, Arnie.

I don't buy clothes that aren't on sale. I have a ten -year -old car that spends

more time in the shop than it does on the streets, and with all of that, I've

still got to worry about my rent check bouncing. Rox, I gotta tell you, this is

not the year to be pushing for a big raise.

I'm underpaid as it is, plus which I probably average four to six hours a

extra doing your personal chores for which I receive nothing.

Nothing? You call my love and appreciation nothing?

Will it buy me a new car?

Okay.

Okay, look, I will talk to Brackman. I'll see what I can do.

Thank you.

Mandetta, tick -tock.

This criminal case of mine, Stowitz, I was hoping to kick it around with you a

little. How come?

I value your opinion.

Benny Stowitz walks into a shoe repair store, beats up the proprietor, and

off with over $200.

All true.

What's also true is that Benny's IQ hovers around the mid -two -figure

Some lowlife he knows told him that the shoe repair guy stole the money and

asked Benny to get it back.

Key question.

Could Benny form the criminal intent necessary to convict?

Interesting question.

Good luck.

Yeah.

Thing is, this case has been assigned to Judge Fortenser.

Very bad blood there from when I was in the PD's office.

I hate to see it all turn on that.

Forget it.

If you were looking for another trial lawyer, you're in the wrong office.

Isn't it a little early in your career to be making those kind of

pronouncements? After what happened the last time out?

I'd say it's staring me in the face.

The thing is, you can't let it stare you down.

I wouldn't even dream of asking you to go into court on this if I wasn't sure

my own mind that you could handle it. I mean, I'm not about to try to build up

your confidence at the expense of a poor sap like Benny.

You could do the job, Abby.

I'm telling you.

What we've done, Mike, is to assemble a focus group that should substantially

approximate the real jury you want to have at the trial.

The people will also be representative of those you're most likely to draw from

the jury pool.

Aren't we being a little premature here?

How so?

Well, I still haven't seen a file on this case, and you're getting ready to

a jury. Mike, that's my fault.

I was in court all morning getting rulings on a set of interrogatories.

have the file this afternoon without fail.

I also need to talk to some of your technical people about safety testing

FDA approval criteria.

We have five plaintiffs with serious injuries.

I need to see medical reports. Believe me, everything's at your disposal.

Let's just run through this now.

When you've had a chance to read through the file, we'll get into a huddle, fill

in the blanks and see where we're going.

Fair enough?

All right.

we call the former experiential, or ex -pothead for short, 37 years old, earns

$40 ,000 a year, married, one child, manages a muffler franchise in Encino.

Traits would be low organizational loyalty, tending towards cynicism,

he can be counted on to identify with the corporation's objectives, their

and size.

Whatever previously held anti -establishment leanings he may have had

more or less lost in a conservative shift.

precipitated by aging, family responsibilities, and the feeling of

his peers.

He's a long way from compassionate, so you don't have to be afraid to portray

the plaintiffs as whiners with this one.

Bridget.

This individual we call martyred and loving it. 53 years old, housewife,

husband's income in the low 50s.

Heavy association with fictional television characters.

High personal bitterness quotient. Her psychological pivot is greed.

She can be expected to respond well to the notion that the plaintiff's attempt

to collect big bucks is nothing but a chance to cash in on the kind of

unfortunate tragedy life is full of. She's also going to love your looks.

He freaked out, Rox. I went to the mat for you. But he said if he gives it to

you, he's got to give it to every other secretary in the firm.

How much will he give? Cost of living, like last year.

Rox, I swear, I'm not going to let him off this time. We'll stay on him. And if

I have to, I'll even go to Leland, okay?

I guess.

And a girl.

Hey, we're going to shake it out of him eventually. It just may take some time.

Thanks for trying on me.

Rox, are you kidding?

You're my girl.

Okay?

The thing to remember is that there's more to finding Benny guilty than

or not he took the money.

Benny's never been in any kind of trouble before, Miss Perkins.

I'm scared to go in front of a judge.

Everybody's nervous when they go to court, Benny.

You're not nervous.

Of course she's not nervous. She's a lawyer.

The main thing is to just listen to the questions and answer them.

Listen to the questions.

Okay.

A short answer is usually better than a long one.

All right.

And we have a good case, so I think we'll do okay.

I've never been in any kind of trouble before.

It's true.

I know it.

You just get a good night's sleep and try not to worry about it.

Put on a jacket and tie for court. It would be better.

Okay.

See you in the courtroom.

You have the address and the room number?

210 West Temple, 409. Right.

You'll meet us at the courtroom?

I'll be there.

Okay. Thank you, Miss Perkins.

Do you really think that things look good for Benny?

There's no guarantee.

But I think we have a good case.

He'd die in prison, Miss Perkins.

He'd just die.

Come on, Mom.

We're at a meter.

I'm coming, baby.

Mike, good morning. Hi.

Good morning, Mike. Hi.

What's all this?

Oh, not to worry. Just some tricks of the trade.

Ready for a little transformation?

Well, what I'm ready for is that huddle you promised me. It looks like we have a

very reasonable settlement to close along the table.

Uh, so?

Yeah. Uh, look, Mike, you've got quite a bit of ground to cover here.

Maybe if we just get started, then you and I can sit down on that later this

afternoon. Wait a minute. I don't know what all this is for, but it seems to me

we've got to sort through some of the hard facts in this case before we get

to anything else.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you.

Northland's not just looking for the quickest way out of this thing, but what

want to suggest is we've got Malcolm and his people here.

They've got to be in Chicago tomorrow, and we don't have a lot of time before

the mock trial. Well, what about the five people who suffered massive motor

function impairment and memory loss? I am every bit as aware of the gravity of

this situation as you are. We're not adversaries.

But let's avail ourselves of the help we're being provided with today, if only

for scheduling purposes. And if settlement's in the cards, so be it.

Okay?

All right.

Let's do it.

We on track?

I'm out of here, Mike.

I'll call you right after lunch.

Hey, now, Mike, that's Shelly and Candy, our stylists.

And basically what we're all here for today is to see if we can't sharpen up

your instrument a bit.

And believe me, the adjustments are minor.

You see, by polling the Stacey Gill jury, we've uncovered a few minor

weaknesses. They're all subject to easy correction.

You polled the Stacey Gill jury? Well, that was the basis of our recommendation

that Northland engage you. You were quite a hit, but you could have been

stronger. Really?

A few of the jurors felt you were a bit smug and aloof, but hey, we can knock

out those characteristics one, two, three.

May I?

Yeah.

Okay.

Now, this to me reads sincere.

And physical and self -reliant.

No.

I think we can start accessorizing. Mike.

Yeah, let's get some pictures.

There was one other read we got from the guild jury, and that was youthfulness.

Which isn't necessarily bad.

Unless it impacts negatively on credibility.

There's a way of nipping that in the bud that's real fast and dirty.

That band of gold.

This is not going to work, Leland.

What's not going to work?

I am not going to put my conscience and my professional responsibility as a

lawyer on hold in order to serve as Northland Pharmaceuticals' equivalent of

Pillsbury Doughboy.

Oh, back up a little bit.

I think I missed something.

I was here until 2 o 'clock in the morning last night going over the

file.

The plaintiffs in this case have suffered catastrophic injuries.

Due to Northland's negligence?

Approximately do?

Approximate enough so that the settlement proposal made by the

attorneys makes a hell of a lot of sense.

This isn't a game, Leland. These people suffered devastating injuries.

And you couldn't find 12 people in America to sit in a courtroom and give

people any lesson they're already asking for.

Have you taken up the settlement proposal with Northland? Who am I

take it up with? The people I've been dealing with think in terms of how many

buttons there are in my coat.

What about Zweibel?

The consummate corporate game player.

We go to trial and we win, he gets the credit. We go to trial and we lose, we

get the blame.

Look, I know that this is a very big client for us.

But either I get to function as an attorney in this case, or Northland can

an ad in Variety and find themselves another spokesman.

Well, before you do anything rash, might I suggest that you do what you have to

to make your feelings known.

And if that means marching into Baldred Townsend's office and talking directly

to him...

That's what it means.

Are you very busy right now? Just getting my tax stuff together. What's

It's the Stolowitz case.

In the long run, you know, you're going to be happy you took it.

You should meet him. He is so sweet and trusting.

And if I blow it for him, I swear to God I'll kill myself.

Maybe that's a little extreme.

Don't worry, the first few are always the worst.

I've been roughing out some notes on my closing argument.

Do you think you could stand to listen to it?

Shoot.

Our system of jurisprudence recognizes the element of mens rea, or guilty mind,

to be essential to a finding of guilt.

But where was the guilty mind in Benny Stulwitz?

The prosecution hasn't shown any to have existed.

And what you have before you now, Your Honor, is a simple man, a man given to

trust, not cunning.

For Benny Stolowitz, there was only one possible response when asked for a favor

by a friend.

Is this too preachy?

Sounds good.

This doesn't sound like a law school moot court brief.

No, it sounds thoroughly professional.

I'm gonna go work on it.

Thank you.

Morning. Hi, Stuart.

You ready for me?

Yeah, I brought everything with me.

You sure you don't mind this, Stuart?

Let's do it.

You have all your receipts in the shopping bag, huh?

Is that all right? That's the way I always used to bring it in to Irwin.

Who's Irwin?

My accountant.

If you have an accountant and he knows your history, why don't you just send it

over to him? Well, that's the problem.

Irwin is in New Zealand, and I don't think he'll be coming back unless they

extradite him.

I won't ask.

Stuart, when it comes to managing my own finances, Stuart, I admit it, I'm just

not too sharp.

Look, if this is too much trouble, I'll try to find another accountant.

No, no, no, it's fine. I was just afraid you weren't going to be organized.

What I would like from you, Mr.

Townsend, is authorization to settle this case for between five and six

Joe? Mike, I can't help but feel you're throwing in the towel a little early.

Well, I don't consider it throwing in the towel to recognize that Northland

an accountability for what it does.

Now, there are five people with 100 % disability as a direct result of taking

cold 20 together with other medication.

I'm not about to sit here and tell you that your corporation ought to ignore

that because it's what you want to hear. Mr. Cusack sounds to me like you've

bought the other side's argument.

You think I've got a responsibility to cross -check my products with every

substance on the face of the earth?

Because if that were true, a bottle of aspirin would cost about 50 bucks,

assuming you could buy it at all.

People assume some risks in this world.

I'm not about to sit still and take a direct hit because of some freak

occurrence. Well, you go to court on this issue, and you could be faced with

jury award that makes this settlement proposal look like chump change.

Taggart seems to feel differently, Mike. Well, Taggart, for all of his dog and

pony shows, doesn't know juries. Let me tell you something. As far as I'm

concerned, there's nothing magical about a jury.

It's 12 American consumers waiting to be sold.

In addition, Mike, the mood of the country seems to be shifting away from

awards to plaintiffs.

I mean, besides the fact that that's an excellent case to be made for all the

good Northland does, we've got five plaintiffs that were diagnosed chronic

schizos. I mean, you could punch holes in the other side's case with that

Oh, that's great.

I'll just march into court and say as long as the plaintiffs were nuts anyway,

they might as well be paralyzed, too. Come on, Mr. Cusack, get in there and

fight, will you? That's what we're paying you for. You're paying me to be

lawyer.

Which is exactly what I am doing.

Since we've already got this mock trial scheduled, why don't we wait to see what

the outcome is before we make our decision on how to proceed?

That's what I've had in mind right along.

We're not locked into anything.

Whether this trial is mock or not, I've only had the file for one day.

I'm not exactly prepared to go to court on this.

Don't worry about it.

Taggart's got your script all written.

Forget meaning and substance.

They're lost forever.

A juror in a courtroom, a voter in an election booth.

They might as well be staying in a supermarket aisle deciding what brand of

mouthwash to gargle with.

Hi, I'm Mike Cusack, attorney.

I eat cold 20 with every meal.

Oh, my God.

Can you believe this? A sports jacket to go in the court?

Oh, they want me to be my own man, to dispel the corporation image of slick

uniformity. Kind of like one of those giant wine companies pretending to be

bumpkins sitting on a porch.

I, uh... I think... I think you look great.

This is packaging, you understand? That's all it is.

So what?

So you're telling me that all you're drawn to here is the package?

Just what was it that drew you to me?

Seems like a skirt and a pair of high heels had something to do with it.

Package, huh?

Yeah.

And I get to unwrap it.

Benny Stolowitz believed that Ron Shaw was his friend.

We may disagree with that, but in Benny's mind there was no doubt.

Nor was there any doubt that when asked to do a favor by a friend, You did it.

Rox, it's Wednesday. Where are my shirts?

At the laundry.

Roxanne, I am walked while meetings through dinner. I don't have time to get

shirts. Neither do I.

Would you come on? What is the problem?

The problem is I can't just accept another cost of living raise. Not and

with myself.

I understand you're disappointed, but do you have to take it out on me?

Who else is there?

Rox, come on, I sympathize. But what can I do?

Arnie, don't you think I'm worth another hundred dollars a week?

If it were up to me, you'd be worth another thousand a week.

But do you want me to pay you out of my pocket?

That's like me taking a pay cut. Is that fair?

I could live with it.

Could you give us a minute?

You want me to take a pay cut?

Arnie, you spend $100 on flowers every week. What is going on here? I have

heard you so, I don't know.

Assertive. Try hostile.

I am finally starting to take responsibility for my life.

I can't be a doormat anymore.

I can't let you wipe your feet on me and then say, thank you, Arnie. Thank you

for letting me be your slave.

Thank you for letting me take your dirty shirts to the laundry.

Rox. This is not you talking. Yes, it is me.

With a little help from my therapist, maybe, but it's me.

You're unhappy?

Yes!

What do you need with a shrink?

When you don't have a life?

When you let people walk all over you?

When the only man you ever want to be with is totally unavailable?

When you start dating 18 -year -old boys? It is time to take a good hard

yourself! Fox!

Did it ever occur to you that if you weren't seeing the shrink, You wouldn't

need such a big pay raise.

What I do with my raise is my business.

Do I get it or not?

I'm going to have to think about it.

Tick -tock, Arnie.

You wanted to see me?

Sit down for a second, would you?

I have to tell you, I'm very concerned about the state your finances are in.

Look at this.

Do you have any idea how much you spent on clothes last year?

Over $7 ,000.

That's what clothes cost.

You don't think that's a trifle excessive?

Well, that's why you're 36 years old and you have $540 to your name.

For example, you spent...

Over $5 ,200 in various charitable contributions last year. Now, the

for the Homeless, I understand, but the Fund for Rare Welks?

And he can't afford to be that magnanimous.

Irwin didn't think it was a problem.

Yeah, well, Irwin must have been on drugs.

Because I just went back and reviewed your 83 and 84 returns.

And? And I can't believe what this guy did.

Worse, what you allowed him to do.

Like what?

Like taking a depreciation allowance on a car you paid for ten years ago. Ann,

you can't do that. Like deducting the sofa in your living room as office

furniture. I work there sometimes.

Yeah? Well, I hope you aren't audited.

Because my idea of a relationship isn't driving 200 miles every Saturday to

visit you at the women's penitentiary at Lompoc, you know?

What is the point of this little diatribe, Stuart? Okay, the point is I

to sit down and do some long -term financial planning. I want you on a

Ann. Stuart! Look.

I've taken the liberty of putting together some investment options for

perusal. Hold on a minute. I did not ask you to do all of this. Well, if you

didn't revert to infancy the minute you started thinking about managing your

money, I wouldn't have to do it. Excuse me. How I choose to manage my money is

my business and not yours.

I should have known better than to think you were capable of having a

professional relationship with me without letting it become a forum for

personal feelings.

Wait a minute.

I had to spend two hours putting that stuff in a little pile. But it's my tax

return. I'll file it. Fine. Go get indicted. See if I care. I will. Fine.

Oh, that's fantastic.

Yeah, now that reads pure JFK to me.

Young JFK.

Oh, uh, I did take the liberty of making one change.

I hope you don't mind.

I asked someone else to play the lawyer for the plaintiffs.

What, a different actor?

A lawyer.

A lawyer?

What about the script?

Well, I thought we might get a tour reading if we had someone who wasn't

from a script.

I'm troubled by that.

It shouldn't make any difference.

As long as you don't deviate from the script.

Absolutely not.

Take a look at this guy.

This is supposed to be the plaintiff's attorney?

He's totally wrong.

Totally.

Mr. Stolwitz, how old are you?

Benny Stolwitz, 38.

My birthday's the day after the 4th of July.

And where do you live, Benny?

On Orange Grove Street.

With your mother?

And Hogan, he's my dog.

Are you presently employed?

Do you have a job, Benny?

Sometimes I do the grass and leaves for Mrs. Ratner.

She's a lady down the block.

And once I had a paper route, only the man said I took too long getting them

there. Do you know Ron Shaw, Benny?

Sure. He's my friend.

He lets me go to the liquor store for him.

And do you remember the day you were arrested by the police?

Sure.

Did you go somewhere with Ron that day?

I went to a store where they fix shoes.

Can you tell us why?

Ron told me the man in there had stole money from him.

Ron said he wanted his money back.

Only he wasn't strong enough.

So what did you do, Benny?

I went in there and I said, give me Ron's money.

And the guy just looked at me.

So I said it again.

Give me Ron's money.

And then the guy picked up this hammer, and it looked like he was going to hit

me with it, so I went like this, and I pushed him.

And I took the money, and I gave it to Ron.

And what happened then?

Ron told me to walk home, so I did.

And when I got to my house, there was two policemen there waiting for me.

I never seen Ron again after that.

Did they arrest you, Benny?

Yeah, they did.

My mom was crying when they put me in the police car.

I'm sorry, Mom.

Thank you, Betty.

I have nothing further at this time.

Mr. Van Gogh.

When Ron Shaw asked you to steal money, you agreed to do that, didn't you?

He won't ask me to do that.

You agreed to get the money for him when he asked you to, though, didn't you?

Sure.

Ron's my friend.

I have nothing further.

The witness may step down.

You can return to your seat now, Mr. Stolwitz.

Do you have any further witnesses, Miss Perkins?

No, Your Honor. I am prepared to begin my closing argument.

I don't believe that will be necessary.

From testimony presented, expert and otherwise,

It is my opinion that the defendant was incapable of forming the requisite

intent to commit this crime.

Accordingly, I find the defendant, Benny Stulwitz, not guilty.

Does that mean you don't want to hear any closing arguments?

How not guilty do you want me to find him?

You won, Counselor. Case dismissed.

Miss Perkins, you were really something in there.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you've done for Benny.

Well, I'm just glad that everything worked out. And if that bastard shows up

here again, I want you to stay away from him, do you hear?

Mr. Shaw's all right, Ma.

What am I going to do?

Well, good luck, Benny.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

And you take care, okay?

Doctor, how common is the use of Benadol for the treatment of schizophrenia?

Objection.

Outside the witness's stated expertise.

I'll allow it.

It's quite uncommon.

Have you yourself ever prescribed the drug, Doctor?

Oh, yes, I have.

Do you continue to prescribe it?

No, I haven't prescribed it in four or five years now.

Why is that?

Well, because there are other drugs that attain the same, if not better, results

without the side effects.

Uh -huh.

Now, to the best of your knowledge, is that opinion shared by the medical

community at large?

Yes, it is.

Thank you.

Oh, by the way, doctor, what is your opinion of cold 20?

It's one of the better over -the -counter cold remedies available.

No further questions.

Counselor.

Dr. Schwartz, before you would prescribe Benadol or any other drug for that

matter, do you inquire as to what other medications a patient might be taking?

If a patient is under my care, I expect to know exactly what medication that

patient is taking.

What about over -the -counter medications?

I'd like to know about those, too.

Do you have your patients keep logs, recording every time they take a cold

or an antacid? No, I don't. Why not?

Well, it seems excessive, unnecessary.

Isn't it because you assume the over -the -counter medications to be safe,

doctor, or it wouldn't be on the market?

I would assume them to be safe, yes.

Isn't it a fact that the reason that you assume these over -the -counter

remedies to be safe to be taken with other medications is that there would be

warning printed on the label if they weren't?

That would be one way to tell.

The other being your faith in a major pharmaceutical company like Northland.

Isn't that right?

Well, I've placed my faith in Northland for more than 35 years.

What would it do to your faith, Doctor, if five of your patients were rendered

permanently disabled by one of Northland's products?

Objection. Withdrawn.

By the way, doctor, how much do you receive to testify here today?

My rate is $3 ,500 per day.

No further questions.

Pretty good.

Who's that could blow him away in summation?

He wears an earring, for God's sake.

It would be easy to think of this case as being five innocent and unfortunate

people against a huge, profit -hungry corporation.

But it wouldn't be true.

Northland Pharmaceutical.

is working men and women, chemists, secretaries, factory workers, truck

drivers, all working toward providing the public with the most recent advances

in pharmacological research, all doing their part as health care providers.

Now, keep in mind, ladies and gentlemen, that it was risk -taking by drug

companies that brought us such modern -day miracles as insulin and acillin.

Tetracycline. It gave us vaccines for polio, smallpox, whooping cough.

And Northland is proud to be part of an industry that accomplished all of that.

The reaction of five plaintiffs to cold 20, a cold remedy that has been used

safely by millions for more than 18 years, were freak occurrences that no

of research or planning could have been expected to predict.

How?

We are all familiar with the human desire to find a villain, particularly a

villain with a great deal of money.

But each of you as jurors has a moral obligation to weigh facts.

We may feel for the plaintiff's pain, but if the facts indicate that Northland

could not have reasonably expected that cold 20 would be used in conjunction

with Benadol to the detriment of the user, then you as jurors.

have an obligation to find in favor of the defendant.

I wish to thank you in advance for your lending a careful eye and ear to the

arguments raised in this courtroom. How's the basal skin response?

Excellent.

Plus, the rough body language analysis shows that we're hitting on all

cylinders. Jurors 5 and 10 look like they'd give it up to Cusack on the first

date. Well, let's just get through Clarence Darrow's summation, and we've

what we need.

Stephen O 'Neill, Ruth Hodges, Gordon DeGeneres.

Not long ago, all five were struggling mightily to overcome their mental

and succeeding.

Their friends and their families were proud of them, happy to have them back.

Then one winter, they, along with millions of other people, caught cold.

Each of them went to a drugstore, looking for the pill that they had seen

advertised countless thousands of times on television.

The cold remedy that promised fast, effective relief.

without drowsiness, without side effects, safely and instantly and

doubt.

They each bought a bottle of cold 20, went home, took it without a second

thought, and had their lives shattered like a wine glass thrown out of a

They will never work again, nor will they be able to walk through a park or

to a movie.

Their existences will be maintained only by elaborate...

Enormously expensive and intrusive care. All semblance of independence and

spontaneity. Gone.

Forever.

Now, Northland Pharmaceutical has told you that this was a freak occurrence.

They have told you how careful they are, how sorry they are, how despite their

massive advertising and promotion to have people buy their products and

them into their systems, they owe these five people nothing but a shrug of their

shoulders.

But the simple fact is that these five lives might very well have not been

destroyed if Northland would have given them a simple warning.

A little extra ink was all it would have taken.

While it is true that money will never make these lives whole again,

money is all that Northland now has to give.

At least let it give them that.

All right.

On my read, earring was close, but no cigar.

What do you think?

How's the basil?

No.

How was he tracking?

I'm not sure.

What do you mean you're not sure?

All right, jury number six.

Could you give us some of your immediate impressions, please?

Particularly about Mike Cusack and how you would vote?

It's a tough one.

I mean, well,

you can't expect the company to babysit everyone who takes one of their pills.

Cusack seems like a straight shooter to me.

I don't know. I mean, you know, if they'd received a warning, I'd say it

tough break. But without a warning, maybe give them a couple million dollars

apiece and call it a day.

Juror seven.

I thought the doctor was very good.

I thought Mr. Cusack was terrific.

But fair is fair.

These people can't even work. What are they supposed to do, go on welfare?

I'd make the company pay.

And excuse me, but two million each is nothing for people who have suffered the

way they have.

I think they deserve at least five million apiece.

Sure, number eight.

I thought Mr. Cusack was very sincere.

And I don't mind saying I think he is gorgeous.

It's just that, well, what are you going to do?

I mean, you have to give these people some money for what happened to them.

not like Northland can't afford it.

I'd give them maybe 20 million altogether.

Mr. Cusack, can I see you for a minute?

Thank you very much. We'll pick this up in a moment.

Mike, you've got your authorization to settle. Malcolm.

I'm not going near a jury with this one. Hold on a second. This is one focus

group. The data we're getting is very raw.

It seems to me I recall you saying this was a representative sampling, Malcolm.

Don't tell me your methods are anything less than fully accurate.

Well, perhaps the delivery wasn't all it could have been.

I mean, the script is only as strong as the one speaking the lines.

That's not where the problem lies. We've got an exposure.

Why don't you just accept it?

Pay the $2 like the man says and be done with it.

It's your $2. I'm just here to pinpoint your options.

And you do a damn good job of it, gentlemen.

I'm gonna be around to pick up the clothes tomorrow.

This isn't any fun.

For either of us.

Look, if you're unhappy, if you can't live with things the way they are, maybe

you ought to think about another job.

That's a good idea.

I'm gone all next week anyway for jury duty.

You can start interviewing then.

In my office.

What's the point? Can we talk about this in my office, please?

Look, I'm sorry. I was way out of line in that business about replacing you.

That's your option.

Rox, nobody can replace you.

Then pay me what I'm worth.

You are absolutely refusing to see this thing through my eyes.

I'm sorry, Arnie.

I'm worth what I'm worth.

And if I can't get it here, then I'll get it somewhere else. I thought we were

friends.

I thought... I thought that we could count on each other.

Your idea of friendship is a little uneven, if you ask me.

You are driving a skewer through my heart, Roxanne.

I have never been so hurt in my entire life.

Honey, please don't say that.

I am not trying to hurt you. Ever since Carolyn Glassman shot her husband, never

mind that I could have been killed, I have been living with a nightmare.

I have had to wrestle with the question of whether or not I was responsible for

what happened in there. It has been the worst two weeks of my life.

Plus which, I have just moved into a new house. I'm financially on the ropes

myself.

Roxanne, I thought that we loved each other.

But to find out that you've reduced our relationship into nothing more than a

couple of lousy dollars and all I am to you is a paycheck?

Andy, please.

No!

Hi. Hi.

Can we just pretend that this whole thing never happened and be friends

What about your taxes?

I'll figure something out.

Actually, I could forward all your docs over to Alan Duke at Krauskopf Climate.

He'd like them. He's your basic everything in a shopping bag kind of

Ann, I really feel like I have to get to the bottom of this.

Don't you care what happens to you after you're 65?

Maybe I don't want to retire. Maybe I just plan to work until I drop.

What if you got sick, I forbid?

Okay.

When I talk to Alan Duke, I'll ask him about setting up a retirement plan.

Okay?

Can we stop talking about it now and go have some dinner?

One more thing?

Stuart.

It'll help, but next to your taxes, okay?

Sell your condo.

What?

Given your situation and property values in your neighborhood, it's really the

best time.

I mean, the market's absolutely topped out.

Interest rates have got to go back up.

Stuart, it's my only asset.

Right. So convert it and make a quick $60 ,000, $70 ,000 profit.

You remember what I told you about capital gains taxes?

Got all that money to play with.

Great, if I want to live under a park bench.

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

Back up.

Are you saying I should move in with you for tax purposes?

No, not primarily.

I mean, you're there most of the time anyway.

Certainly not the most romantic proposition I ever imagined.

Well, I was... I was gonna propose you move in because... because I love you.

And because you give my life meaning.

And because the thought of waking up next to you is my profoundest happiness.

But I thought if I did that, I might scare you off.

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

Absolutely.

Okay, I thought about it.