All language subtitles for L.A. Law S03E17 America the Beautiful

Previously on L .A. Law.

Abigail Perkins?

Yes? I'd like you to leave everything
exactly the way it is, please. Stand up,

put your hands on your head.

What? I have a warrant for your arrest,
ma 'am. You're being charged with

engaging in a monetary transaction
involving criminally derived proceeds.

Grace, when we first met, we had
passion.

I want to know where that went.

I don't know.

I know this will cause you devastating
pain.

Oh, no.

I hereby find the circumstances of Tammy
Harris's life too significantly

changed, making reasonable the
withdrawal of her consent.

Your Honor, could we at least have
another day to say goodbye?

You have to say your goodbye now.

What's this, Hawaii?

I thought maybe we could get away.

We just filed the appeal.

No. Victor will let us know if anything
happens. In the meantime... Stuart, I

have to stay here.

It's over, Ann. Stuart. It's over.

Even if the appeals court finds abuse of
discretion, they are not going to move

the baby again.

So we just give up? Is that the... We're
gone.

and we have to accept it, and we have to
try to get on with the rest of our

life. Please don't push me on this,
Stuart.

She was our whole life for three months.
Don't ask me to just let go of her.

What if Tammy calls? She's not going to
call. You don't know that.

She's unstable.

First she didn't want the baby, then she
wanted the baby.

I know you need time, but I don't think
Tammy Harris is going to change her

mind.

I have to let it go.

For me.

Are we ever going to survive this,
Stuart?

I don't think we have all that much
choice.

Vincent Kyle might have been homeless,
but he was still part of the community.

To those of you who see the homeless as
also faithless, nameless, and worthless,

you should at least know this.

They grieve for their own the same as
anyone else, and they also demand

At this trial, there will be 12 of the
defendant's peers in that jury box.

Well, I'm here to tell you that there
will be 12 of the victim's peers in the

courtroom. and they will be watching.
Feeling any pressure, Ms. Van Owen? When

man's been killed for going through a
garbage can, I don't need any pressure.

The life of a homeless person means as
much as the life of any other human

being. Well, thank you, ma 'am. Thank
you, thank you, thank you. We can do

without the nonsense today, Leonard.
Come on, Father.

I think we ought to show a little
gratitude around here.

I mean, we get a meal, we get to be on
television, and hey, if somebody kills

one of us, they actually arrest him.

I'm not asking for gratitude.

Like hell you aren't. You think you're
some kind of saint.

I'm just doing my job, sir.

Oh, don't be so modest. You're the
champion of the downtrodden, concerned,

compassionate Joan of Arc on the nightly
news.

That's enough, Leonard.

I'm not doing this for the news.

Well, there's the TV cameras.

And as soon as they turn them off, you
get back in your little sports car and

you drive home as fast as you can. And
let one of us come anywhere near your

house and you kill us just as quick as
that guy who's on trial. I am

this man because I believe he belongs in
prison.

Nobody goes to prison for killing one of
us.

We'll see about that.

Just like stepping on a bug, lady.

It don't mean nothing.

On a potentially bright note, I'm
meeting with the CEO of Hackett

Corporation this afternoon.

They're looking for new general counsel,
and if I'm successful in setting the

hook, this could mean an annual billing
revenue in excess of $600 ,000.

Good luck. Go get him, Dougie. Thank
you.

Hurrying along.

Meyer versus Meyer.

Yeah, Dave Meyer is coming in this
morning undoubtedly to try and talk me

talking Roxanne into taking him back.

Is he represented by counsel?

Uh, not yet as far as I know.

And what about the Davosky divorce?

Mr. Davosky keeps calling me.

I'll get to it as soon as I can,
Douglas. I'm a little backed up. I

have a new associate by now. Perhaps if
you'd contribute to the interviewing

process, we would. I thought Dorothy and
Diana were going to solve the manpower

crisis. Swamped as it is. And Diana
Moses is a part -time clerk, not a full

-time associate, plus which I notice she
herself has now become a client.

You're divorcing her husband, and I
opened up a file for administrative

convenience. It's real simple. She'll be
doing it herself.

Fine. So we pay her to do her work
instead of ours.

She'll do the work, Doc, but don't
worry. Why should I worry?

Arnie spends his days representing
Roxanne, pro bono. Diana Moses will

herself, pro bono.

Michael's gonna represent Abby, I
assume, pro bono. By the way, Mike,

deal on that? Money laundering. She's
being charged with knowingly accepting

drug money.

With all the time we spend representing
each other, it's a small wonder anybody

has time for paying clients.

All right, Douglas, you've made your
point over and over again.

No, actually, you left out the most
important point of all.

You forgot how Victor represented Ann
and me pro bono last week and how Arnie

did all the legwork with the baby
broker.

I have no quarrel with that. I know you
don't, Douglas, which brings up the

point that I want to make.

Ann and I would like to thank you all
for your support.

It's one thing to offer compassion.

But you people, each in your own way,
actually managed to provide it somehow.

And we'll never forget it.

Okay.

I guess we're adjourned.

He's in there.

Did you talk to him? Did he say
anything?

He wouldn't talk to me. He just said,
tell Arnie I'm here.

Oh, boy.

Dave, we've had some happy visits,
Arnie.

It's fair to say this will not be one of
them. You know, until this thing is

settled, you and I really shouldn't be
talking unless you have a lawyer

I thought you were my friend.

Oh, come on, Dave. I don't have many
friends. I know a lot of people, yes,

don't have many friends.

I am your friend. I care about what
happens to you. You don't give a rat's

about what happens to me.

That's not true.

Look, there's someone lying in the
gutter. Never mind. It's only Dave.

Stop the car. You ran over him. Never
mind. It's only Dave. You're not the

one involved here.

Roxanne is also devastated.

Now, she's come to me for support. What
should I do?

Send her away?

Yes.

There are some things you don't do.

You don't sell solid cakes of
insecticide as teething biscuits, and

betray your friends.

That's not the way I see it.

Now, your wife wants out. It can either
be amicable or it can be bloody.

Trust me on this.

You join forces with that faithless
Herod, and it's going to be as bloody as

Battle of Bull Run.

They're saying I had to know that
Weiland was paying me with drug money.

chart, just laundering. So, no
indictment yet, right? The grand jury

Thursday. This is so unfair. I did
nothing illegal.

Well, I think it sounds more like
politics than anything else.

How much money did you get from Weiland?

Altogether, about $70 ,000.

In a month?

I went by the book, Mike. Everything was
on the up and up.

I think we've got a good chance of
suppressing.

Wiretap looks very shaky.

And I know Flaherty. I set up a meeting
for tomorrow.

Maybe we can work something out.

No way.

He's looking for a trophy to hang on his
wall. If it can't be Weiland's head,

he's gonna get mine.

Well, just the same. His case stinks.
It's worth a shot trying to talk him

from his perch.

Yeah, I'll say it's worth it.

I could be looking at disbarment here.

I could go to prison, Mike.

Hang in there, Abby.

We're gonna pull out all the stops on
this one.

Thank you, Michael.

Thanks.

Mr. Broder, what were you and Vincent
Kyle doing that night?

We were going through garbage cans.

What were you looking for?

Food. But it was pouring rain that
night. We were hungry.

Did you go through the defendant's
garbage?

Yes. Would you describe your encounter
with the defendant, Mr. Broder? He came

out and told us to get away or he was
going to call the cops.

And what did you do?

Vincent asked him how come we couldn't
have his garbage.

What was his response to this, sir? He
just went back in through the gate, and

he came out in a little while, and he
had a gun in his hand, and he pointed it

at Vincent, and he said, get the... get
the F away from my house.

Vincent bent down to pick up this pair
of sneakers he'd found, and that's when

that man shot him.

And what did you do?

I ran.

Thank you, sir.

I have nothing further, Your Honor.

Where'd you sleep last night, Mr.
Broder?

Objection. Offered to impeach.

Overruled.

I got a room downtown.

Who paid for it?

Ms. Van Horn.

She pay for that new jacket you're
wearing?

Yes. She pay for the new shoes?

Yes. Do you really think it's life for a
pair of shoes?

Or did you just enjoy shaming him?

The down father.

Tell us.

Did you ever know Vincent to be a
violent man?

Vincent took care of me.

He used to cut my hair. He made me brush
my teeth.

When I had pneumonia, he got me a
blanket and he stayed up all night so

bother me.

He also had a knife with him the night
you two went to Richard Jeffrey's house,

didn't he?

He had everything he owned with him. Was
he holding a knife when Richard Jeffrey

shot him? Vincent wouldn't threaten a
guy with a gun in his hand.

You sure about that? Yes.

Vincent didn't want to die.

Is that right?

Tell us, Mr. Broder.

Did Vincent ever attempt suicide?

Objection. Overruled. He attempted
suicide last Christmas, didn't he?

Yes. And he was kept under observation
at Camarilla State for six weeks

following that, wasn't he? Your Honor,
this line of questioning is inflammatory

and irrelevant.

A history of psychotic behavior is
irrelevant?

He stayed in the hospital so he could
sleep.

So he could sleep?

Yes. When you sleep outside during the
night, the crackheads rob you during the

day the cops chase you.

Vincent was tired.

He was crazy, Mr. Broder, not tired. No,
no. He was dangerously crazy.

You live on those streets for six and a
half years.

You see how crazy that makes you?

No further questions.

Okay, Mr. Brackman, better get your
people in.

We're in.

Just the two of you?

How many people did the other firms
bring?

Bundy, Speck sent four partners.

You'll be fine.

Packet development.

Benny. Yeah?

I want you to sit next to me in the
meeting, okay?

Like a lawyer.

I don't know. It'll be fine.

Sit next to me. Just take a yellow pad
and write.

Don't talk. Don't look around.

Just look down at the pad and write.

Mr. Brackman?

Put these on.

Great. And get rid of the gum.

Head down.

Right.

Mackenzie Brackman may not be all things
to all men, but we think our strength

and your needs make a very nice fit.

I think it's only fair to express my
concern about no Bay Area office.

That's what airlines are for.

Look. We're severing our ties with Gacy
Whitman because I want to be able to

pick up the phone and talk to my
attorneys.

I don't want to wait three days for a
return call.

Of course not. What's going to make this
work is compatibility.

Because if you don't like the way I do
business, if you're constantly having to

be the bearer of bad news, it's going to
affect your commitment to us. Rest

assured, Leo, that our professional
obligation... What does your associate

think?

You.

You've heard all this how would you
assess this match in terms of

I Don't know I Don't know either Ben,
but I appreciate the candor

For once a lawyer doesn't bluff an
answer when he doesn't have one Thank

Arnie, look at this. Dave's bringing an
expedited motion to disqualify you. He

says you have a conflict of interest.

You've got Sheldon Gans representing
him.

Big Dave's not fooling around here, Rox.

What happens if he wins this motion?

It means nobody in this firm can
represent you. You'll have to go outside

counsel.

And there aren't too many out there as
good as Sheldon Gans.

I promise.

I've got the credit card bill in front
of me.

$1 ,200.

Daryl, for God's sake.

Hang on.

I'm sorry, Victor.

No, I'm sorry. I didn't want to
interrupt.

This isn't work.

Interrupt. Okay, here's the order. It's
Mike's research, it's mine, then mine.

Just check with me before you do my
stuff, okay?

Michael, then you, then you.

Right. Bye.

Sorry, Daryl.

Daryl? Hello?

You heard.

All these agreements we made to talk
about being good to each other, and he

off to Mexico with somebody on my credit
card.

You sure?

She's an ER nurse at the theater.

I'm sorry.

Jonathan, when you offered help, were
you serious?

Very serious.

Help.

Not up to me, Michael, if the grand jury
wants to return an indictment. You're

the one pushing this, Terry, not the
grand jury.

Because your client broke the law.

Give me a break.

Come on, we all know what's going on
here. You're mad as hell because you

Weiland and you're taking it out on
Abby. If she's innocent, she's got

to worry about.

Innocence or not, this puts a big stain
on her reputation, which... She should

have thought about reputation before
defending dirtbags like Weiland. You

to fry Weiland, go after Weiland, but
attacking her is unprofessional and you

damn well know it. What is
unprofessional is your waltzing in here

guise of friendship to climb up my back
for a dismissal. You think I'm climbing

on you now, Terry. This thing goes to
trial. My footprints will be up and down

your head.

Grand jury meets tomorrow.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Let me testify.

Abby, I don't need to let you do
anything.

You want to tell your story? Let me tell
mine.

Are you afraid they're going to see
through you like a storefront window?

You want to testify, Counselor? I will
roll out the red carpet.

Two o 'clock.

Don't be late.

I wouldn't testify, Abby. If I don't,
there's no avoiding the indictment.

so. But the main thing we have to do is
avoid a conviction.

We've got to look down the road.

They will not convict me, Mike.

Oh, just the same. You're testifying for
the grand jury, hands him free

discovery. He'll be better prepared for
you at trial.

I'll take my chances.

I can't go in there with you, you know.

Grand jury's closed to counsel.

I'm just going to have to beat him all
by myself.

May I talk with you a second, Father?

Sit down.

I found that juries tend to get a little
spooked with outbursts in the court.

You want me to mind my P's and Q's? I
just think that disrupting the courtroom

can work against us.

We disrupt the courtroom just by showing
up. Courtrooms are public places.

These people aren't part of the public,
Ms. Van Elwyn. Then at least let's not

make it any worse.

No promises, but I'll try.

Thank you.

Excuse me, are these people here with
you?

Why? We can't have them taking up all
these tables here at lunchtime. These

people are attending a trial upstairs,
sir. They can't sit over a cup of coffee

for 45 minutes.

Then buy them lunch.

I should buy them lunch.

Very simple. Either they're out of here
in five minutes, or I'm calling the

cops.

I thought we'd go over a few specifics
of an agreement, and then, if you have

the time, I'd like you to meet the other
partners.

Bye.

Will Ben be joining us?

Ben?

No, he's unavailable.

Well, make him available. I'd like him
at this meeting.

Mr. Hackett, Ben is Benny.

Benny Stolwitz. He's not an associate.

He's the firm's messenger, and he's
retarded.

I asked him to sit in with me at our
first meeting because we didn't have an

associate who could come.

I assure you that we are in the process
of finding another associate, and in

fact, our ability to serve Hackett
Development would not be affected in any

case, because the partners will... That
man is retarded?

Yes.

I regret very much... I want to talk to
him.

Vinnie!

Yes, sir?

Mr. Brackman told me that you're not a
lawyer, that you work here as a

for the firm.

Yeah, yeah.

I'm sorry.

Don't be sorry.

You're not mad at me? Of course not.

Tell me, Benny, do you like working
here?

Yeah.

Besides the mail, what else do you do?

I get donuts and I file stuff.

I go to the cleaners a lot for Arnie.

But I like delivering the mail aback.

Benny, I wonder if you'd do me a favor.

I have a daughter named Alice.

She's also retarded.

Would you be willing to talk to her
about your job?

What do you mean?

Well, just say what you did to me.

Alice is scared of people. She doesn't
like to leave the house.

Oh.

When she was a little girl, she got
lost.

And we couldn't find her for days.

It was terrible.

But that was a long time ago.

She's grown up now.

And I would like her to come to work in
my office, but she's afraid.

I get scared when I get lost, too.

Would you talk to her?

Tell her about your job, about how you
get from place to place by yourself.

About the mail.

And about your friends.

I don't know.

I'm not so good at explaining things.

Besides, I'm real busy all the time.

Well, would you at least think about it?

Okay.

But I gotta get back to work.

Mr. Jeffries, we've heard Henry Broder's
version of what happened that night.

I'd like for you now to give us yours.

I heard someone going through my
garbage.

I went outside and asked Mr. Broder and
his friend Mr. Kyle not to. I didn't

think I was being disrespectful or
impolite.

I just told them I was concerned about
rodents and I wanted my garbage to be

left sealed.

And what was their response?

I guess they thought I had insulted
them.

Objection. This witness is in no
position to know what they thought.

Sustained. But what did they say, Mr.
Jeffries? I don't remember his exact

words. But Mr. Kyle said something like,
if it's in the alley...

It's ours.

Then he said some other threatening
stuff. He had a knife in his hand the

time. What did you do?

I beat it back into the house.

Did you call the police?

Yes, I did. I told them there were two
transients going through my garbage,

they threatened me. They refused to
leave.

I was told it was a low -priority call
and that they would get to it when they

could. Your Honor, I have here a
transcript of that phone call.

I ask that it be admitted into evidence
as defense exhibit number one.

So ordered. You didn't stay in the
house, did you, sir?

My wife and I were going out to dinner.
I didn't feel safe leaving the kids home

alone. I went outside with the gun just
to scare them away.

And what happened?

They didn't scare.

This guy, Vincent, stared at me with
this knife in his hand.

He crouched down and came toward me with
this crazed look on his face. Objection

to that characterization.

Sustained. I yelled at him to stay back.

But he just kept coming at me.

I had to shoot him. He would have killed
me.

I have no further questions.

So you were afraid they'd break into
your house, but you killed him in the

alley. I didn't want to wait until they
got inside.

What made you think that they would
have?

The way they cursed at me. The look on
their faces.

The look on their faces. That's not the
only time the look on their faces got to

you, was it, Mr. Jeffries?

Objection. Overruled.

You've lodged more than 15 complaints
with the police department about

transients in your neighborhood, haven't
you?

My daughters were afraid to play in the
yard. You complained about them being in

front of your office.

They sweep in the doorway. What does
this have to do with anything, Your

I submit that the defendant wasn't
defending himself that night in the

There was nothing to defend himself
from.

Richard Jeffries was obsessed with
driving the homeless out of his

He shot Vince and Kyle to make them go
away.

Objection! My family was in that house.

Look out here, Mr. Jeffries, just across
from your family.

Objection! Tell us, how would you make
them go away?

Ms. Van Owen, that's enough.

I have nothing further.

He said business dealings with my
client, they're partners, he can't

I'm not betraying that partnership, nor
am I breaking any duty owed to David

Meyer. Mr. Becker has a warped sense of
duty, Your Honor.

He's had direct access to my client's
financial affairs, as well as to

privileged interspousal communications
between the parties. The only thing

warped here is Mr. Ganz's sense of the
law.

The fact that David Meyer shared those
communications with me automatically

waives the privilege.

Frankly, Mr. Becker, I'm more concerned
about her.

Now, how can I trust you to fight her
battles against a man you're partners

with? She's fully aware of this
partnership. She wants me as her lawyer.

Moreover, my professional responsibility
is beyond reproach. You're not looking

at some sleazy schlockmeister here.

That's a business venture with some sort
of video thing. That's correct.

Arnold Becker's home guide to divorce.

With all due respect to the presumption
of dignity this video gives him, his

participation here is both undignified
and unethical. This man has no

to comment on dignity or ethics or any
other concept that's foreign to him.

All right.

I've heard enough.

Mr. Becker, you have no business being
in the middle of this.

Mr. Meyer is your business partner.

You have a fiduciary responsibility to
act in his best interest.

You could even be a witness to this
thing.

And it is totally irresponsible for you
to be representing the wife.

It's her choice. It's what she wants.

I don't care.

Now, I will let you participate in
discovery and settlement negotiations.

But if this thing goes to trial, you're
out. And furthermore, I want you, not

your client, but you to pay the cost of
this motion.

Now, that's all.

We're adjourned. I want it on the record
that my client is being denied the

representation of her choice.

She can go rent her video.

Thanks.

David. If you have anything to say,
speak with my attorney.

Danny.

I wanted to tell you what a good
impression you made on Leo Hackett.

The only reason we're still in the
running for his business is because of

Did he tell you about his daughter?

Yeah. He'd really like you to talk to
her.

He said I could think about it.

I understand your reluctance, but I want
you to know how helpful it would be to

the firm.

It would also be a very nice thing to do
for her.

And we'd give you the day off.

Say, tomorrow?

I would consider it a personal favor if
you'd say yes.

Okay, I'll try.

Good man.

And during the last five weeks, Mr.
Weiland retained you to represent 12

different drug trafficking defendants.
Is that right?

Including Mr. Weiland, there were 12,
yes. And in consideration for which, he

paid you $72 ,000 in cash, did he not?

That's correct.

Well, now, tell me, Ms. Perkins, from
where did you think Mr. Weiland got this

money? I didn't know, Mr. Flaherty. Did
you ever ask him where he got it? No, I

didn't. Because you know, like we all
know, that that money is the proceeds of

drug transactions.

It's not incumbent upon the attorney to
ascertain the source from which a client

pays his fee. No, no, it isn't, but you
knew the source. You knew it was drug

money when you took it. No, I didn't
know that, and I still don't. Come on,

Counselor, you're a sharp woman. Can't
you put it all together?

Why don't you tell us how you put it all
together?

The only reason you know the $72 ,000
amount is because that's the amount that

reported to the federal government for
tax withholding purposes. Well, thank

you. Thank you, Counselor. I never tried
to cover up anything, Mr. Flaherty.

Quiet, Ms. Perkins. What are you trying
to cover up now? I said be quiet. Excuse

me.

I'd like to let the witness make her
statement.

Thank you.

There are a few things that Mr. Flaherty
forgot to tell you.

He forgot to tell you that I've never
tried to conceal anything.

He forgot to tell you that my
representation of those 12 defendants

completely within the bounds of the law.

And you know what else he forgot to
mention?

11 of those 12 people were never
convicted because the prosecution could

make its case.

That's what that means, ladies and
gentlemen.

is when he stands here today and he
tells you that these 12 people were drug

traffickers. He's asking you to believe
something that he was unable to prove in

a court of law.

And the reason he's coming after me is
exactly because he could not get them.

So he's angry.

He's angry and he's upset because I
successfully defended people that he

to convict.

And he's angry because I've put a big
dent in his track record two years

he runs for lieutenant governor. Very
good, Miss Perkins. So what are you

to do if you can't get me, Mr. Flaherty?
Go after the jury next? Miss Perkins.

Run them through the computer for old
parking tickets? Quiet now, or I will

you up for contempt.

Now, that was a very nice little song,
Miss Perkins, but you never answered my

question. From where did you think Mr.

Weiland's money came?

I answered your question.

I told you I didn't know.

Now, why don't you tell us, if you're so
sure that my clients are criminals, why

you can't prosecute them? I will
prosecute them. After you get their

out of the way, right?

You live on the same street as the
defendant. Is that right, Ms. Mack?

Yes. Did you ever know him to be a
violent man?

Absolutely not.

How about those two men who were going
through his garbage?

Had you ever seen them before?

Sure, I'd seen them. Will you tell the
court what you had seen them doing?

Besides going through the garbage?

I'd seen them drinking.

I'd seen them fighting.

I'd seen them urinating on the street.

They are homeless. Where are they
supposed to urinate?

Order. Where are they supposed to
urinate?

Father, that's enough.

Were you ever accosted by these men, Ms.
Mack? Every single day.

There was a whole group of them.

They'd come up to me in the street and
ask for money. Except they weren't

asking.

They'd glare at me.

They'd glare at my kids.

The only way to deal with it is just
never make eye contact and never break

stride. Some would say that's not a very
charitable approach.

I'll choose my own charities, thank you.

We're not talking about mothers with
children.

We're not talking about elderly people.

These are able -bodied men.

But they're homeless.

We'd be homeless, too, if we spent all
day drinking and taking dope.

Move to strike.

Sustained and stricken.

Were you frightened of them? You bet I
was.

I'll never forget going outside one
morning and seeing one of them tearing

garden across the street.

He was stomping on the flowers and
throwing dirt at people as they walked

How can you not be frightened of a
person like this?

Thank you. I have no further questions.

Mrs. Mack, if you made it a point of
never making eye contact with these men,

how is it you're sure Vincent Kyle was
one of them?

I saw him going through my garbage, too.
Did you ever ask him not to?

I don't have the nerve for that.

I also don't have a gun.

Would you use a gun to keep a man out of
your garbage?

I'd use a gun to protect myself.

How about to drive him out of your
neighborhood?

It's not our neighborhood anymore.

It's theirs.

What's theirs, Mrs. Mack?

All the garbage you let them eat?

Objection. How dare you sit in judgment
of me? How dare you pretend to know a

man whom you've never met? To you?

They're just carcasses.

Load them on a truck and haul them out.
These people scare me to death.

What do I do about that?

What do I tell my kids when they ask me
why they can't play in the park anymore?

What do I tell them when they ask me why
there are men picking through our

garbage cans?

Tell them there's four people in the
world. Father Higuera. Tell them not

everybody's lucky enough to have a roof
over their heads.

Will the court officer remove that man?
Tell them not everybody's lucky enough

to eat every day.

Not everybody can go to a doctor when
they're sick.

Just tell them the truth. That's all.
Just tell them the truth.

Should Richard Jeffries have permitted
those two men to pick through his

garbage?

That's not the issue.

Should he have asked them in for a bowl
of beef stew?

That's not the issue.

The only issue is whether Richard
Jeffries could have reasonably believed

Vincent Kyle was about to attack him.

For six and a half years, Vincent Kyle
had been sleeping on the street.

For six and a half years, he'd been
chased away by cops, by shopkeepers.

He'd been shunned by anyone less
wretched than himself.

He was sifting through soiled diapers,
maggots, and putrid

meat in the pouring rain, looking for
food.

He was staring at Richard Jeffries with
a knife in his hand.

He was staring at the warm, dry house in
which Richard

Jeffries lived.

The district attorney maintains that my
client had nothing to be afraid of.

Before you send him to prison, imagine
if Vincent Kyle

had been staring at you.

What kind of person eats out of garbage
cans?

or keeps all their worldly goods in a
shopping cart they push around in the

rain.

Richard Jeffries remembers when people
like that could only be found on

Skid Row. They were called bums,
derelicts, hobos.

Now they're the homeless.

Children call them the dirty people, and
now they are everywhere.

He sees them near his office, near his
gym, outside of restaurants and

supermarkets. They skulk by with their
matted hair and filthy clothes. They

smell worse than any human being he's
ever known. In fact, to the defendant,

they weren't human at all.

They were more like a pack of rabid dogs
that just kept growing.

A blight of vermin and disease and
madness that had invaded his perfect

Richard Jeffries could never wind up
homeless. You or I could never wind up

homeless.

The homeless did something wrong to get
that way. We don't owe them anything.

Not a dry place to sleep, not even the
right to eat out of garbage cans. And it

just makes it a lot easier to think
about them that way.

The only trouble is, once we do...

Once we can look at people living in
such misery, no matter what the reason,

feel nothing, then it is us who have
ceased to be human.

Vincent Kyle got too close to Richard
Jeffries' world.

But that is not something he deserved to
die for.

It is not something that allowed Richard
Jeffries to kill him.

Tell Richard Jeffries that.

Tell them.

Arnie?

I've been thinking.

I don't want to make a war of this.

Hey, kiddo, your husband's already
declared war.

Your only choice is to fight or
surrender.

Well, then maybe I should surrender.

I mean, I don't want his money. We've
been married less than a year. I'm not

entitled to it.

The law says that you are. I don't care
about the law.

I still have to live with myself after
this is over.

That's very admirable, Rox.

But pride isn't going to pay your rent.
Besides which, you earned a percentage

of that video money.

You brokered the deal.

You'd be getting a chunk of it even if
you weren't married to him. Why should

you forfeit it just because you were?

I never thought of it like that.

It's my job to think of it like that.

As your lawyer, which I still am, and as
your friend, which I'll always be, I'm

telling you, we have to fight.

Sheldon Ganz is going to try and crush
you, and your only shot at a fair

settlement here is for me to try and
crush Dave.

I just want to be free of all this.

Being alone isn't being free.

Being alone with two million bucks,
that's being free.

Leland? Abby.

Well, fresh off the victory trail.

Michael told you? Oh, he's been telling
everybody.

As well he should.

You know how unusual it is for a grand
jury not to indict?

What did you say in there?

I don't know, but it worked.

And the money?

It looks like I get to keep it. No
forfeiture.

Well,

congratulations.

Thank you.

And thanks for letting me borrow Mike. I
would have been lost without him. Well,

the people in this firm feel very
strongly about you, Abby.

Which brings me to the reason why I
asked to see you.

We'd like you to come back.

Excuse me? We've been interviewing would
-be associates for three months. Not

one more qualified than you.

I'm flattered, Leland, but I left here
for a reason.

Yeah, you left because you weren't
considered partnership material. You

because, however much we liked you...

We didn't think you were tough enough.
Well, we've been watching you.

Daring to do what most lawyers wouldn't
even try.

And succeeding at it.

Yeah.

Yeah, you're tough enough.

And you are exactly what this firm is
looking to build its future with.

I have my own practice now.

I'll bring it with you.

There would be some objection to drug
defense work, but I suspect that's not

what you want anyway.

Now, Abby, I know, I know. It's exciting
to be out on your own.

But there's a lot to be said for going
to work with people, too.

Especially people who care about you as
much as we do.

I don't know exactly what to say.

Let me see you think about it.

Okay. I will.

Afternoon, sir.

Hi.

Pretty, isn't she?

The car.

Oh.

It's the most beautiful car I ever saw.

Benny.

Nice to see you, Benny.

Come on in.

You're right on time.

I like that in a person.

I took the wheelchair bus.

Alice, meet Benny Stolwitz.

He came all the way here on the bus by
himself to visit you.

Benny, this is my daughter, Alice.

Hi.

Why don't I leave you two to get
acquainted?

Your father, he wanted me to tell you
about my job at McKenzie Brackman.

I deliver the mail.

I don't want a job.

You'd like it where I work? I have lots
of friends.

I don't need lots of friends.

I have Edward.

Who's Edward?

He's my friend.

Edward drives the car. I go places with
Edward.

In the car.

Well... I go places by myself.

Sometimes that will let me drive.

You can drive?

You can drive?

You want to see me do it?

Yeah.

Will the defendant rise?

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor. What say you? We
find the defendant not guilty.

Not guilty?

Thank God.

Thank God. Don't go thanking God. He had
nothing to do with it. That'll be

enough. Your Honor, I want the jury...
Paul, didn't you think Vincent had some

value? Didn't you think this was a life?

Didn't he account for anything?

Anything? My country...

Sweet land of liberty.

I want order in this courtroom.

Land where I belong.

Ready? Ready. Drive carefully.

I can do it.

I always wanted to drive my mom's car,
but she wouldn't let me.

You could drive this one.

No, I couldn't. It's easy.

See down there?

That pedal makes it go, and the other
one makes it stop.

Will Edward be mad at me? Edward is my
friend.

Come on.

You have to do this.