All language subtitles for L.A. Law S02E15 The Bald Ones

Previously on L .A. Law.

My father kept a mistress who made porno
movies?

I was also the mother of his child.

Your?

My mother?

Not your.

Your brother.

Who is he?

His name is Errol Farrell.

And I am very happy to say he's a lawyer
right here in Los Angeles, like you and

like your father.

Errol Farrell, I'm Douglas Brockman.

He wants us to represent his nephew in a
criminal matter. John Vincent is

reputed to be one of the most powerful
figures in organized crime in the

United States. I think the key word
there is reputed.

Charles told me you were a little
reluctant.

My mind's made up.

Some mistakes are very hard to live
with, Ms. Van Horn.

I seriously suggest you rethink your
position.

She's still drinking the champagne.

The guy's dead.

It gives us a chance to start over with
a clean slate.

You start over, Charlie.

Alone. Please.

I wish you'd reconsider.

Not a chance.

All I'm asking is a little favor, which
is let me partake in some of your primo

office space when no one's using it.
Where's the harm?

The answer is unequivocally no.

Out of curiosity, does your wife know
you're carrying on with that nearsighted

tootsie? Sheila. I'm sick of it,
Douglas.

I'm sick of you.

With your sickening little affairs.

My lawyer will call you a lawyer Monday.

Mother?

What?

Like someone who's dying.

What a stupid question.

What are you doing here, anyway?

I wanted to see you.

Why?

Afraid I'll disinherit you before I die?

No, Mother.

Maybe I already have.

It's of no interest to me one way or the
other.

You're a disappointment, Douglas.

You always were.

You're like your father.

Emotionally ungiving.

Humilist.

Petty tyrant.

Mean -spirited.

Tenurious. Those are your qualities,
mother.

I'm not dead yet, don't you?

Dare use that donut. Please.

Please, Mother.

I don't want to argue.

I love you.

Far too little.

Far too late.

Thank you.

Michael, where are we in your court
-appointed killer? I got a suppression

hearing scheduled for later this
morning. I don't see how you can

bat for this guy, Michael. I got no
choice.

The court assigned this case to me.

I gotta do my best.

Yes, well, since these court
appointments usually don't generate fees

commensurate with hours put in, may I
submit that a plea bargain of some sort

might be prudent?

Well, not if I can get him off
altogether.

How are you gonna do that? He did it.
Well, the only evidence they have is

circumstantial. If I can have his prior
convictions included...

Case against and falls apart.

Stokes versus Megan Manufacturing. We
answered the complaint. Certification

hearing is Friday.

What is this case? It's one lone
disgruntled shareholder claiming he

client's stock due to false statements
he made in their annual report.

He lost $2 ,000 when the stock went
down. $2 ,000?

That's a pimple. That pimple could
become a cancer. He's trying to bring a

action on behalf of 1 ,000 shareholders.

Can we stop it, Abby? I think we have a
good chance, but I need help.

There's a ton of documentation to go
through between now and Friday.

Jonathan?

Help her.

My week's a little tight, Douglas. Maybe
Ann... Loosen it. The stakes on this

are huge.

Moving on.

Wheeler versus Redding. Victor?

I'm hoping we can effect the settlement
before we go to trial, but I... I don't

know. Aside from my personal distaste
for suing a fellow attorney, it would

that the chances of getting a judgment
against someone like August Redding are

slim to none.

Listen, I'm not doing this as sport.

Jeanette Wheeler is an uneducated woman
who relied on August Redding to get her

compensation for the death of her
husband.

I mean, the settlement he came back with
wasn't even close.

And nevertheless, proving a case like
this is tough against somebody who isn't

legend. I don't know.

Last time I saw him in court, he seemed
to be having a hard time remembering his

own client's name.

Well, I'm having lunch with Gus Redding
today.

Maybe we can still work something out,
hmm?

Well, as that concludes our agenda,
we're out of here.

How's mother, Douglas?

Not good.

The doctor says she could go any time.

I'm sorry.

This is the last one, Abby.

Great. Could you take them to the
conference room for me?

What is all this?

Annual reports and projections.

The rest are printouts of stock
transactions.

And we've got to wait through all this
crap?

We have to distinguish the shareholders.

If we can show that they're not all the
same, they won't get certified as a

class. But basically they are the same.

They all bought and sold the stock and
lost money.

Some bought preferred stock, some bought
common. Some bought and sold directly,

some went to brokerage houses. No, the
distinction's without a difference,

Not so.

If we can separate all the plaintiffs
into a zillion different categories, the

judge might not lump them into a single
class.

But you're going about this the wrong
way. The focus of our defense should be

Rule 23. We should be moving to
disqualify the named plaintiff. I

key is commonality.

waltzing in there with a list of trivial
distinctions will not... I don't intend

to argue them as trivial.

Wait a second.

You're not arguing this motion.

I most certainly am. It's my case. But
I'm the litigator here. Do you really

think that... I am just as much of a
litigator as you are, Jonathan. Maybe,

I think one of the reasons Douglas
assigned me to this... He assigned you

this to assist me, which makes you my
assistant.

Now, here's a list of the categories.

Pick a box.

Mr. B.

It's Dr.

Connolly, line one.

Yes,

doctor?

I see.

I'll be there shortly.

Thank you.

Your mother?

She's gone.

If anyone needs me, I'll be at the
hospital.

The convictions are relevant, Your
Honor.

They go to modus operandi. That's crazy.
Those crimes have nothing to do with

this case. It would be prejudiced... No,
we're talking about a man's pattern for

committing late -night armed robberies.

A pattern which is probative... The
bottom line is he is trying to use old

convictions to show that my client had a
propensity to commit this crime.

You can't do that. I'm afraid he's
right, Mr. Platt.

It would be prejudicial to allow
evidence of those prior robberies,

in a Murder One case. If the defendant
takes the stand, you could use those

convictions to impeach his credibility,
but you're not going to submit that

stuff as independent evidence. I'm also
going to exclude the prior conviction of

Mulaney, the co -defendant.

Which brings me to a different problem,
gentlemen.

Attorney Michael Greenbaum, representing
the co -defendant in this matter, has

apparently taken ill and can't continue.

So we're going to have to suspend our
trial schedule temporarily until we

appoint somebody else.

Any ideas?

I want somebody with murder one
experience.

Well, I don't know if she'd be
interested, but I could ask former

Grace Van Owen. She's done plenty of
capital cases.

Well, I know her.

Will she do it? I don't know. I'd have
to ask her.

I'd like her appearance filed by the end
of the week.

Are we done, gentlemen?

I always hated suing other lawyers,
Leland.

That didn't stop you. You can rest
assured it was never with a case as

the one you have against me. You've got
to learn to be more selective. You can't

let your associates pick your path.
Guys, I don't rally suing another lawyer

either. Particularly you, when I do
think it's a strong case.

Nice to see you, Mr. Reddick. All right.

August?

I asked you for this lunch out of
respect for our long friendship.

This case is just not going to go away.

Jeanette Wheeler has a legitimate cause
of action against him. Which is what,

exactly?

Disappointment that our settlement
wasn't bigger?

That settlement was a fraction of what
it should have been had you done your

job. I did my job? Damn it, Gus, listen
to reason.

You went to sleep on that woman's case,
and it's not the first time something

like this has happened to you. I may not
be as sharp as I once was, but I can

forget more law than these young guys
will ever know.

Gus, you've got a real exposure here.

No one's trying to embarrass you or hold
you up.

Are your numbers appreciably different
from what Santiago communicated to my

office in the past?

Cifuentes. Cifuentes.

Are they?

We're prepared to accept a five -year
layout on half a million dollars, all

terms to be kept strictly confidential.

No, sir.

The truth is, this is not a case about
money, Leland. It's about my reputation.

My ability as an attorney.

Who steals my purse steals trash, but he
who filches from me my good name robs

me of that which not enriches him and
makes me poor indeed.

Victor Cifuentes is a very able
attorney, August.

You would do well not to underestimate
him.

Your cautionary is noted.

I look forward to watching him work.

This woman had a husband and his company
killed him.

Just as surely as if they'd taken a
shotgun and pointed it towards his

they killed him. She wanted a good
lawyer.

And people told her that when she hired
August Redding, she'd have herself a

great lawyer.

Imagine then how she must have felt.

when he told her that $20 ,000 was all
that her husband's life was worth, or at

least all that he had settled for.

When you have the facts of this case
presented before you, I believe that

see that there are only two possible
explanations for this.

One is that August Redding is a
painfully bad lawyer.

And no one in his right mind would say
that.

The other is that he is a great lawyer
who can't be a lawyer anymore.

We will present evidence to show that
depositions were scheduled but never

taken, that discovery motions were
allowed to expire.

Ladies and gentlemen, $20 ,000 does not
reflect a man's life cut short at the

age of 47 with a widow and two children
left behind. It reflects a lawyer's

failure and neglect.

The evidence will represent an attorney
who invited trust, but couldn't keep his

end of the bargain.

What you're being asked to do is to hold
him accountable.

Having August Redding for a client is,
frankly,

a little intimidating. I don't think
there's anyone who's ever seen him in

who hasn't been awed by him.

In a career that spanned five decades,
he's shown himself to be a legal scholar

and a man of great compassion for those
whose cause he's championed.

And while my adversary will take pains
to portray that $20 ,000 as evidence of

Gus Redding having lost it, the truth is
there aren't very many lawyers around

who could have gotten that.

Jeanette Wheeler wanted a silk purse
from a sow's ear.

Gus Redding made her one. Now she's
suing him because it wasn't big enough.

A disappointed plaintiff looks for
someone to blame.

Well, that's understandable, ladies and
gentlemen.

But it isn't malpractice.

I'm terribly sorry about your mother,
Douglas.

Her heart finally gave out.

But the truth is, considering my pending
divorce, it comes at a very good time.

It seems she left me her entire estate.

Do you need any help with arrangements?

No.

She left instructions with her attorney
for a small memorial service and a

simple cremation.

Would you like to get some dinner? Thank
you.

No, I'm not very hungry.

Douglas, I know that you and your mother
were never that close, but still.

I remember when my mother died.

She was the last buffer between me and
my mortality.

She never loved me, Leland.

I always thought it was my fault.

That if I could be a better son or a
more successful lawyer, she'd soften

me.

She never did.

And now, here I am.

Soon to be single, suddenly quite
wealthy.

Whole new vistas open before me.

So why is it that I feel...

That's three down.

Seven to go.

Abby, we're not going to make it. Sure
we will.

It's taken one full day to get through
just three.

So we'll work tonight and tomorrow night
if we have to. What do we have to do is

cut out some of these categories. No,
no, no. The more categories, the better.

Some of them aren't even relevant.

Take the amount of the shareholders
lost. That means nothing for class

certification purposes.

That means a lot. The named plaintiff
lost $2 ,000.

Some people lost as much as $10 ,000,
which means that you cannot acquit...

That's stupid, and when the judge sees
you wasting his time... Jonathan, just

it! I can't take this. Oh, you're
bitching because you don't like the

chairing a case. I'm bitching because
you're using this thing as a power trip.

Bossing me around gives you goosebumps,
and you know it, and it all goes back to

my salary.

The wrong grading or miss... I am bossy
because you refuse to cooperate. You

find it degrading to work for me. What's
degrading is kowtowing to a legal

strategy that stinks. Oh, what the hell
do you... You don't even know about

legal strategy. You've never even tried
it, Kate.

At least I've got a good excuse for
never having won one. Okay, I've had

of you. I have put up with your
attitude. Hey!

What is going on here? I am trying to...
See, it's just an arguing emotion in a

way which is guaranteed to lead to...
Stop it!

Let me remind both of you.

If we don't defeat this class
certification, our client faces

liability in excess of a million dollars
in light of that serious possibility.

I suggest you stop this unprofessional
bickering and get this job finished.

Mr. B, your brother's here to see you.
Get rid of him. He won't leave. He said

he has to see you right away.

What are you doing here? I came down the
minute I read the obituaries. Why

didn't you call me, Dougie?

I brought you a basket of dried fruit to
help you through your bereavement.

I'm deeply touched, but I'm very busy.
Now, if you'll excuse me. At a time like

this, Dougie, you need family.

At a time like this, I need you to leave
me alone.

We need to talk.

I have nothing to say to you. Well, I
have something to say to you,

Uh -oh.

You're not a beneficiary, so forget it.
A preliminary read of the situation

tells me that the residuary of my
father, our father's estate, was

transferred. Are you out of your mind?

His will was executed according to his
terms. And the statute of limitations

long expired on it anyway.

See, you're jumping to conclusions that
could take a probate court years to

reach.

What are you looking for, you slug? I
paid my dues while the old lady was

living. I played by you people's rules.

And now I want what's right.

I'm going to draw up a full waiver of
any and all claims, Errol. And when you

sign it...

I'll pay you $15 ,000.

Fifteen? She left you millions. If it's
not acceptable, I suggest you and your

crack secretary get busy.

I'll be slapping you with papers it'll
take a hand truck to carry. You owe me

better than this.

You are a jackal preying on other
people's misery.

And I owe you nothing. Now get out!

Before I have you thrown out.

Given you're going through an emotional
bad time, I'm going to forget the harsh

things we said here.

I'll take the 15.

But don't throw it on those papers,
because I may change my mind.

So, what do you think? Will you do it?

Well, I don't know. I'm having a lot of
fun doing nothing.

And you can't imagine how busy I've been
doing it.

Aren't you getting a little bored?

Uh -uh.

You know, I went to the library
yesterday.

And the museum the day before. And I
spent two hours this morning shopping

didn't buy anything.

But it was wonderful.

It was relaxing.

I don't know.

Interior.

I like it.

I'm not sure I want to stop doing it
yet.

The thing is, this is just a short -term
situation.

You can find out how you feel about
going back to work without actually

to make a full -time commitment.

As I recall, you never would have taken
this trial if you'd had the choice.

But your guy's innocent.

All he did was fit in the car.

My guy did the crime. They both say so.

Come on, Gracie. It'd be fun to work
together, wouldn't it?

Don't you think?

Yes, it would.

So, am I supposed to take that as a yes?

I'll meet with him, okay?

Okay.

And did you make a diagnosis relative to
that finding?

Yes. Based on the lesions found in the
colon and bowel wall, we determined he

was suffering from colorectal carcinoma.

Once more in English, Doctor.

Mr. Wheeler died from rectal cancer.

And as an industrial toxicologist, did
you form an opinion as to the cause of

this cancer?

I did.

It resulted from breathing the
carcinogenic powder or dust in the air

Aviation. Have you known other employees
of Simmons Aviation to have been

diagnosed with... Objection. Other
diagnoses have no relevance to this

proceeding. I intend to show that there
are other plaintiffs with identical

afflictions that have prosecuted and won
cases against Simmons Aviation. This

witness has no confidence... She was an
expert witness at those trials, and she

has independent knowledge of their
claims.

She's seen million -dollar verdicts of
similar plaintiffs. Hey! And she's

competent to give an opinion as to this
man's decision to throw away Mrs.

Wheeler's claim for a lousy $20 ,000.

Objection! Self -serving and false.

Your Honor. The objection is sustained.

Your Honor, I'd like to state my
objection on the record.

You're represented here, Mr. Redding.
I'm being represented by my own firm.

And since I personally filed an
appearance, I'm entitled to state my

to opposing counsel's irresponsible
speechifying.

So noted. Now, if you... I'd also like
to point out that opposing counsel's

inexperience as a trial lawyer and his
ignorance of negligence law...

...is no excuse... Objection! Mr.
Redding... He knows I did nothing wrong.

You did everything... Everything's
wrong.

Mrs. Wheeler, sit down.

I make a motion to strike this, Your
Honor. You're in violation of 128 .5, my

friend. Your Honor. That's enough.

Now that everybody's made his little
speech, I'm going to instruct the jury

disregard all of it, which I trust
they've already done.

Mr. Cifuentes, proceed with direct
examination.

Mr. Redding, sit down.

And Mr. Spitzer, control your client.

And I just stayed in the car while Andy
went inside.

I thought he was going in to buy beer.

Didn't you hear the gunshot?

I had the radio going, so I didn't hear
anything.

Until Andy gets back in the car real
quick and tells me to take off.

Between you and me, Tommy, do you think
the shooting was intentional?

Look, Andy's no killer, Miss Van Owen. I
mean, he can be pretty wild and

everything, but he'd never hurt anybody
on purpose.

It had to be an accident.

Okay. Since you tell me you're broke,
there's no use moving for a bail

modification. We could never get O .R.

Well, the first attorney I had said that
I should plead to manslaughter.

Well, that wouldn't be my strategy, and
I doubt the state would go for it.

Why not?

Felony murder rule.

What's that?

It means that as long as you helped out,
you might as well have pulled the

trigger. But I... I didn't know what was
going on.

I know, but as far as they're concerned,
you drove the getaway car.

You mean they're going to give you the
death penalty for that?

Tommy, I know how frightening this is,
but from what you're telling me, I think

your chances are pretty decent for an
acquittal.

Please, Ms. Maddow, I'm begging you.

Take my case, please. I didn't do
anything.

I'm taking your case, Tommy.

I'll be in touch.

And in your opinion, then, sir, how did
Mr. Redding handle this case? I renew my

objection as to foundation, Judge. This
man doesn't know the facts of the

Wheeler -Simmons Aviation. This man has
been a personal injury lawyer for 15

years, Your Honor, and I think that he's
quite capable of evaluating another

lawyer's performance.

He can answer the question.

In your opinion, Mr. Evans, my opinion
is August Redding was guilty of gross

neglect. He let the discovery deadline
pass without bothering to subpoena

environmental or medical records. He
never deposed anybody.

You can't even begin to evaluate your
case until you meet the witnesses and

ascertain their demeanor and
credibility.

And do you have an opinion, sir, of Mr.
Redding's decision to settle this

matter?

I consider that to be offensively low.

Liability was clear. The damages were
obviously high. Mr. Wheeler was young.

This case was worth half a million
dollars.

Easily. Thank you, Mr. Aronson. I have
nothing further.

I'm a little confused, Mr. Aronson.

Now, you said it's impossible to even
evaluate a case without meeting the

witnesses, seeing their demeanor, and so
forth. Is that correct?

Yes. Well, did you meet the witnesses in
the Wheeler case?

No. Here you are evaluating its worth at
half a million dollars. I admit it's a

ballpark estimate, but... Do you know
the amount of medical expenses incurred

Mr. Wheeler as a result of the cancer?

It was in the neighborhood... No, I'm
not interested in neighborhoods, sir. Do

you know?

Not the exact amount. What about Mr.

Wheeler's pre -existing colitis
condition?

How long did he have that?

I believe it was quite some time.

Quite some time.

I must say, Mr. Aronson, you certainly
have a strong command of the details

here. The point is, a lot of that
information wasn't even in the file

your client failed to collect it. The
point is, you yourself don't have enough

information about this case to really
evaluate its worth, right?

Of course, I need more, but I can
certainly... Thank you.

Mr. Aronson.

Did you ever have occasion to try a case
against Mr.

Redding and see him in action firsthand?

Yes. What happened?

He won.

Well, in fact, sir, he beat you for a $7
million verdict.

The worst pasting you ever took. I
object, Your Honor. There is no evidence

here. The relevance is this man is
bitter. Objection! He's jealous.

He's envious with a big fat chick. I
object, Your Honor.

Mr. Spitzer, that will do.

I'm sorry, Judge.

Mr. Aronson, one last question. To make
sure we all understand what's going on

up here, you're a lawyer criticizing
another lawyer who once

soundly whipped you, and you're passing
judgment on a case that you don't even

have all the facts on.

Now, isn't that exactly right?

In a manner of speaking. No further
questions.

In a manner of speaking.

Let us be honest with death.

Let us not pretend that death is less
than it is.

It is separation.

It is sorrow.

It is grief.

But let us not pretend that death is
more than it is.

It is not annihilation. As long as
memory endures, the influence

of Hazel Brackman will be with us.

It is not an end to joy or laughter.

Nothing would less honor this woman than
to make our lives drab and counterfeit.

What are you doing here?

Just came to pay my respects.

By the by, did you get around to cutting
my check yet?

If you don't stop badgering me, I'll
come down on you like the wrath of God.

Dougie, lighten up. It's a funeral.

And like the glory of an autumn sun has
lit the world through its day. It's so

terrible. I can't believe his wife
didn't even show up.

There are strange drugs here. What
difference does that make? His mother

A light we trust still shineth beyond
the distant peaks of this world's

horizon. For life goes on. What are you
doing?

No death.

Who are you?

Rejoice. I'm your brother, Gordon.

A devotion to loved ones, friends, and
family.

For hers was a generous...

The fact that our genetic tide pools may
overlap cuts no ice with me, mister.

I've gotten rid of one freeloading
brother already.

What'll it take to get rid of you?

Hey, look, I want nothing from you.

I was here. I was attending a
conference.

I read your mother's obituary in the
paper.

I wanted to reach out to you.

Under the circumstances, I perfectly
understand your suspicions. Bartender,

check. I've never heard of you. I've
never heard from you.

Why should I even believe you're my
brother?

Douglas Brackman, Sr.

And Little Gordon Salt.

It's a pony ride on La Cienega.

1948. I was four years old.

Okay.

So you're my brother.

It doesn't mean anything.

You're right.

Kinship is earned. It's not imposed.

I wish you well, Douglas.

And if you're ever in Seattle, if you
feel like looking me up, I'd be honored.

Wait!

What do you do in Seattle?

I'm a psychotherapist.

I should have known.

I suppose you have some probing insights
to bestow on me.

It's nothing to probe, really. It's all
pretty obvious.

Such as?

Such as you were the dutiful and
obedient son, yet your mother gave

herself.

Yes. You were the strong and devoted
husband, father, yet your wife and kids

didn't even come to the chapel in your
hour of grief.

Yes. Harold Farrell asks you to be a
brother while he acts like a parasite?

Yes.

You're always on the giving end.

Douglas, isn't it time you were the one
doing the receiving?

I find it so hard to do that.

This might sound like some glib
psychological homily, but if you can't

yourself to receive, then giving is not
generosity, it's manipulation.

You know, that's interesting you say
that.

People have offered me their kindness,
and I've sent them all the way.

The lawyers in my office?

It sounds like you're in a lot of pain.

My mommy died, Gordon.

Now she did.

Because she was an unloving parent, it's
the worst rejection of all.

But what do you do with the hurt?

Cleanse it with love.

You forgive her.

And you move on.

God.

Where were you when my marriage was
breaking up?

I'm here now.

It's too late. Oh, is it?

Are you too frightened to try?

I have to get back to my office to check
on a couple of associates right now.

But if I can convince her, would you
meet with Sheila and me tomorrow?

Well, my morning is jammed, but I have a
free hour at one o 'clock.

If you can come to my suite at the
Beverly Hills Hotel, we can order up

lunch. If I have to drag her kicking and
screaming, we'll be there.

She has to want it, Douglas.

Because if she doesn't, we can't force
her.

It's that simple?

Brotherly love.

Abby.

Abby. What?

Down to our last box.

Great. We're doing more than 12 hours. I
don't ever want to see another computer

stock logged for as long as I live.

An annual report.

I can't read anymore.

Yes, you can.

You're almost done.

I don't know where I'm going to die.

I got an idea.

I might just have something... We're
saved.

Oh, what's that?

Self -motivation tape?

Better. It's temptation.

What? One of my professors used to tell
us that you just can't study anymore,

but you've got to keep going.

Dance. I'm too tired to dance. Trust me,
Abby, this work should be energized in

three minutes.

Yeah, I need three weeks on a beach.

I know you won't believe me, but I
refuse to let you go.

If I have...

Oh, my God.

It's gratifying to see both of you have
worked out your differences.

Good night.

Different plaintiffs will be relying on
different sets of facts to prosecute

their claims. Depending on the date of
the transaction.

The means of purchase. The amount
involved.

The way in which... Hold it, will you
please?

Why does it take two of you to argue
this matter?

I'm speaking as to liability for the
company, Your Honor, while Mr. Rawlins

focusing on the individual officers and
directors. Which directors also have

separate defenses available to them?
Depending upon the specific plaintiff

involved. The information actually known
to them. The circumstances surrounding

the entire... Time out.

The ping -pong twins have a point, Mr.
Mosher.

The common questions don't predominate
here. I realize that, Judge, but this

would be completely impractical to
litigate on a case -by -case basis.

Each shareholder only lost a few
thousand dollars.

I mean, the victims are going to spend
more on legal fees than they'd ever

to recover. The ability to finance a
lawsuit is not relevant to typicality.

attorney fees are recoverable in 10b -5
actions. I mean, not only that... I'm

sorry. Go ahead. No, that's all right.
You go.

No, I insist.

Hey, I'll go.

Mr. Moshe, the common questions don't
predominate here. Your motion is denied.

Next case.

You did it.

You were great.

So were you.

So, I guess we should get back to the
office. Let the client know there's only

one plan to sue him instead of
thousands. Yeah.

Yeah, better let him know.

Abby,

I want to clear the air about last
night.

Oh, what about it?

Well, it's no great secret we're kind of
attracted to each other. I just don't

want you to get the wrong idea.

About what?

You know, us. I'm just not ready for a
heavy office romance.

Oh, God.

You really are a jerk.

Hey, it's not like I forced you into it.
Now, Jonathan.

Look, if in the course of killing
ourselves for 72 hours, we got a little

Maybe even a little curious?

What's wrong with that?

Nothing. I... I just thought... You just
thought that you were the greatest

thing since pimento loaf.

Look,

I think that we both realize it's a lot
better for us to be friends for a long

time instead of lovers for a short time.

Okay? Okay.

Now, do you think we can properly
congratulate one another?

Absolutely.

I don't even know what I'm doing here.

Why are you here?

Because of his hangdog look. His
manipulative begging.

I hate it!

You're free to go. Sure. Then it's all
my fault. Well, isn't it? All you ever

is take, demand, bitch about what
everyone else has without being grateful

what you've been given. Oh, please.
Please, you've given me nothing.

You're an absentee husband, a cold,
disinterested, predictable lover.

Well, what do you expect?

Every time I get into bed, I have to
compete with Bjorn or Roger or my own

brother Errol, not to mention God knows
who else.

Aurelio. Aurelio?

Who's Aurelio?

He's the packaging supervisor at
Gelson's. A box boy, for God's sakes?

I don't know why I even brought it here.

What's the point?

What is the point, indeed?

All right, the point is this. You two
have armored yourselves with so much

hostility that you have forgotten how to
love. What's to love?

His bald head?

His hairy shoulders? His knobby knees?

Stop it!

How can you let her keep saying those
things?

Expressing anger is safer than admitting
pain. Mumbo jumbo. And your anger is

your excuse.

For not changing.

More mumbo jumbo. Or is it?

Well, now that you're single, are you
experiencing your freedom? Or are you

still imprisoned by pain?

By rage? By a life of unmet
expectations?

Yes. And it's not fair. He promised me
things.

But there are no promises. There are no
guarantees. It is your life.

You have to take responsibility for it,
whether you're with this man or not.

I don't know how.

I think there's a secret Sheila inside
you.

A loving, creative, nurturing Sheila.

She's bursting to be free.

You can see that?

Mm -hmm.

You release her and you will never again
look to a man to give you what you can

only give yourself.

I want to throw pots.

You've already broken half the dishes in
the house. That's not what she means.

Is it?

No.

I want to be an artist. I want to sit at
the wheel, my hands in wet clay.

Then do it.

Reach into your dark, moist well of
talent.

Explore it with your heart and your
hands and your soul.

Release the anger. Let it go.

You're essential.

Earthy woman with an infinite capacity
for giving.

I know it.

But did he?

How could he?

Have you ever given yourself to him?

Not given in.

But really given.

I want to try.

Me too.

Mr. Redding, Jeanette Wheeler signed the
settlement papers with Simmons

Aviation, is that right? I witnessed it,
yes.

You recall putting a gun to her head at
the time? My arsenal of persuasive

devices has never included firearms, Mr.
Spitzer.

You recommended that she sign?

You bet.

Can you tell us why? Well, let me start
by offering some objective reasons.

Questionable causality of Tom Wheeler's
condition.

contributory negligence in the form of
his refusal to use personal safety

devices on the job, the fact that
Jeanette Wheeler was already making a

for herself.

All this goes into the hopper. Now, let
me add, though, that there's no formula,

there's no book you can read that'll
tell you which one's to settle and which

one's to try.

43 years of practice tells you that. And
you can't summarize what that means on

a witness stand because it'd take
another lifetime to even come close.

but you can rest assured it's all up
here.

Thank you, sir.

I have no further questions.

Good afternoon, Mr. Redding. My name is
Victor Cifuentes.

I believe we've met.

Does the name Kate Morrison mean
anything to you, sir? No, should it?

She's a registered nurse who was
employed by Simmons Aviation and was

to testify to the prevalence of cancer
victims at that company.

I'm sure you'll forgive me if a few
obscure names from two or three years

elude my powers of recall.

Ed Popoff?

Cleve Dortmunder?

Nelson Moon? Ron Nicolaitis? Any of
those names ring a bell, sir? Objection.

This isn't a quiz show. What's the
significance of these names?

They were all co -workers of Tom
Wheeler.

All diagnosed with varying forms of
malignancy.

I'll allow it.

Mr. Redding, do any of these names ring
a bell?

None of them.

I suppose you never took time to take
their depositions either, is that right?

I won't waste time with meaningless
discovery exercises, Counselor. Isn't it

true, sir, that the lawyers for Simmons
Aviation knew full well that your

failure to carry out even minimal
discovery would have resulted in a

judgment against you if you did try and
take the case to trial? Not so far as I

know. And wasn't the $20 ,000 a scrap
they were throwing to you?

A nuisance settlement?

Objection. Absolutely not. And didn't
you grab for that scrap knowing that it

was that or nothing?

Objection, Your Honor. This is
argumentative badgering.

Sustained.

What's my name, Mr. Redding? Why, was I
supposed to depose you too?

My name is Victor Cifuente.

What cases did you rely on, sir, in
deciding that $20 ,000 was all you could

for cancer?

They're in my head. And let me tell you
something, Johnny. If I couldn't get her

more than that, no one could.

Did you stand up in court, sir, during
this trial and state an objection for

record? I think I did.

Was the objection sustained or
overruled? I'm not sure.

What was the objection, sir? I don't
remember.

What's my name?

Objection! Overall.

What's my name? I don't remember.

Victor C. Fuentes, where did you have
lunch today?

Objection. Goes directly to the
witness's short -term memory and

practice the law. I ate lunch at
Jimmy's. No, sir. You ate lunch at the

Club. You're trying to trap me.

Yes, sir. That is exactly what I am
trying to do. I am trying to trap you

your own inability to remember the
simplest, most basic pieces of

I've broken the backs of insurance
companies in six states.

What's my name, sir?

Counsel is badgering this witness. This
witness has been a trial lawyer for 43

years, Your Honor, and I am asking him a
simple question.

You know how many times I've made law?

Common carrier liability.

Ferguson v.

St. Boniface ski tour, 6 Cal, 2nd 42.

Indemnification of agent by principal,
Bullock v.

Sakowski, 50 Cal, 309.

Look it up. Your Honor.

What's my name, Mr. Redding? You want
names? Delia Maldonado.

Giesler called me, begged me to take her
case.

The woman owes her life to me. Will the
court direct the witness to either

answer the question or indicate that he
is unable to answer the question?

Mr. Redding. They all know me. Percy
Foreman, Ed Williams, Jerry Spence. Ask

Weitzman about me. He'll tell you he's
seen me in action.

Gus. Mr. Redding, can you answer Mr.

Sifuente's question?

What's the question?

What's my name? I don't know.

Your Honor, I would ask for a 20 -minute
recess.

Court to resume at 4 .15.

This court is in recess for 20 minutes.

All interested parties should return at
that time.

Can we find a room and settle this out?

Yeah.