Original subtitles

Last season on L .A. Law. Hi, how are you?

Hi, Abby. How are you? I'm fine.

Guess what? I'm going to come back to work at McKenzie Brackley.

You are?

We'll see each other every day just like we used to. That's great.

Abby, I have a new friend.

She's a girl.

Really?

Her name's Alice.

Here's a picture of her.

She seems very pretty.

So here we are, platonic friends.

Seems perfectly natural.

The Cusack sarcasm.

Oh, I miss it.

I miss you, Michael.

I miss you too, Grace.

Fanny.

Come on in, Alice. It's getting late.

Arnie, can I talk to you for a minute?

Sure, Ben. I'll come on in.

What's up?

Friend Alice, she's going to the hospital for an operation.

What sort of operation?

One that makes it so she won't have a baby.

An abortion?

Benny, is Alice going to have an abortion?

I don't know. Benny?

Are you and Alice having sex?

Look, if you're going to get me involved here, you're going to have to tell me

what's going on.

Are you and Alice having sexual intercourse?

No.

So, what you're trying to tell me is that... Alice

is pregnant?

Thank you.

Before we go any further, an announcement to all.

In preparation for Friday's softball game against Sheertaf and Heilbrunner,

booked Roxbury Park at 1 o 'clock Wednesday for a practice.

Wait a second. We're missing two working days for this game?

It's just an hour on Wednesday for the practice. The game isn't until 3 o

Friday, so we can all easily bill a half day. How much is the bet this year?

Paul, there's no bet.

No, wagering would be inappropriate.

This game is simply for fun. Right. The rules are the same.

It's co -ed with only one male non -lawyer allowed to play per team.

Regrettably, Abby has attended an invitation to Benny, who can neither hit

field. Oh, come on, Abby. If he wants to play, make him catch her. Catch her?

Then there's Roxanne.

What's the matter with Roxanne?

Her diet, that's what. This sudden weight loss has got to affect her

hit the long ball.

All right, that's enough from the game. Move on, Douglas.

Shelby versus Carpell.

Pre -trial is filed. We start in three weeks. Ann, you're doing it?

Yes, I am. Is there a problem?

It's just that by then, you'll be almost seven and a half months pregnant and

too fat to approach the bench.

I'll manage, Douglas, but thank you for your sensitive concern.

Michael, where are we on people versus Williams?

We go next week. That is if we can settle the documents beef.

We're getting a lot of phone calls from the press on this. Well, murder cases

spark a lot of interest. What can I say?

Moving along.

Randall Furriers versus Save the Animal Foundation.

I'm back in court this afternoon.

We've taken a lot of heat on this one. I think we deserve the heat. Sometimes

that kind of protest is exactly what you need.

All right, let's not start this again.

We never finished it.

Abby. Killing animals to make fur coats is barbaric, and I'd still like to know

why we take on clients like this. We took on this client 12 years ago when

were still in junior high school. I'm sorry you weren't consulted. There's

certainly nothing illegal about making furs, Abby, and if... Legal doesn't make

it moral, Douglas. That's your opinion. Oh, what, we have a morality clause for

clients now? All right, let's end this debate now.

We're in this case, like it or not, so we have to see it through.

Move on, Douglas.

That's it.

We're adjourned.

It's a healthy release, you know that, Liam? I mean, two law firms battling it

out on a softball field. It's wonderful.

Sure, sure. What's the bets?

Well, since we've taken you for 25 each of the last two years...

Figured we'd double it, give you a chance to pull even.

$5 ,000?

Well, that's an awfully big bet on the softball game, Sam.

Always a smooth -talking fundraiser, Leland.

Except when it's time to put up your own nickel.

Excuse me a second.

Can we win this game?

Definitely.

That's 2 ,500 apiece, Douglas, right out of our pockets. We lost by one run last

year without Victor and Abby. This is the strongest team we've ever had.

Are you sure?

Make the bet. We're gonna crush them.

You're on, Sam. 5 ,000.

Bring a bank check if you don't mind.

See you next Friday.

are you doing on that thing well it saves gas i can skirt through traffic

it's fun i've just never seen you with anything so lethal between your legs

well i have never been on top of anything quite so responsive that's for

you shake from zach how you doing anyway

huh i'm fine good

What brings you to my building?

Well, I was in your building on a discovery matter.

Oh, your big murder case, huh?

Mm -hmm.

As a matter of fact, maybe you could help me get a little more cooperation

some of your colleagues.

Now, I never cut you any favors when we were sleeping together.

What makes you think you're going to get any now?

Well, helping people gives one a sense of power, superiority.

And as I recall...

You like to feed off that.

Wear a helmet, Counselor.

You can get hurt.

Give me a call sometime, huh?

I will.

Could you describe the nature of these fashion shows for the

court, Mr. Randall? Yes, it's how we display our furs for designers,

wholesalers. They're supposed to be pleasant events, but they haven't been

working out that way. Why not? Because as our models come down the runway,

members of the defendants' group throw animal blood on them. On the models?

the models, the coats.

It's happened over a dozen times in the last three years, and lately it's

happening even more frequently.

Now, what consequences, if any, have resulted from these incidents, sir?

Well, the main consequence is that my wholesale buyers are staying away.

My sales in the last year have dropped almost 32%. And how does that translate

into dollars?

It translates into about $1 .3 million.

Thank you, sir.

Anything further?

Your company traps and kills animals in Canada to make these furs, right?

That's correct.

And these animals often suffer very painful deaths, do they not? Objection.

Whether or not the animals suffer has no relevance here. The defendant's actions

are on trial, not the plaintiff's. Your Honor, I'm trying to establish what

caused my clients to act.

They were voicing society's outrage at the plaintiff's... If society's

then they can pass the law. Because trapping is completely legal. It's legal

because they make enough money off these slaughters to lobby Congress.

Objection. Both of you. Congress is lobbied by both sides on this issue, Mr.

Trasciuta. And if you don't like the way they've responded, then take it up in

Washington. All right.

Now, everybody be quiet. Mr. Cifuentes, sit down.

Mr. Trasciuta, I'll give you a little latitude. And Mr. Randall, just answer

questions you're asked, please.

Thank you, Judge.

How many minks do you murder to make a stall?

Objection. Sustained. Your company kills animals for profit, isn't that right?

Yes, and cigarette companies kill humans. Why don't you chase them? With

cigarettes, at least people have a choice. What choice do these animals

People have a choice with birds, too.

Let them make it. What about the animals? You people are lunatic.

Yeah, and you're a murderer. You're sick. You should be in jail. All right,

everybody, be quiet, or I'll clear this courtroom right now.

I'll seal this place. I'll lock up the parties for contempt and the rest of you

for disorderly conduct.

Now, if you think I'm kidding, just try me.

That tape is inflammatory, and it would be an abuse. It depicts the truth,

Judge. I will stipulate that my client traps animals. I will stipulate that

animals suffer. But there is no point in playing that footage. You haven't even

seen it. I don't need to see it, nor does anybody else. All right.

Mr. Sifantes, I'm going to allow the videotape. Your Honor, that is an abuse

discretion. The jury's entitled to see the activities that motivated the

defendant's conduct. Their motivation is totally irrelevant.

Your claim for punitive damages makes it relevant, doesn't it?

The tape is in.

I'll see you at 2 o 'clock.

That's all.

Well, that was a cheap stunt, John.

Cheap crap.

Some of you wouldn't use it if you were in my shoes. I would not be in your

shoes. Your clients are fanatics.

So maybe they love animals too much.

They're well -meaning people, Victor. Yeah.

What happened in there? Any chance of settlement, Counselor?

There's been no settlement at this time, and I don't even have any further

comment.

Murderers! You defend murderers!

Are you out of your mind?

Hey,

how the hell do you let these people in here like that?

Get the hell out of here! You better stay out of my

face, man.

I'm really sorry.

That's a hell of a client group you got there, John.

Good, well -meaning folks, huh?

Murder! Murder!

Murder! Murder!

What are you doing?

Nothing.

The, uh...

Softball uniforms came in. I was trying mine on.

Stuart, you're not thinking of playing in that game, are you?

The team needs me, Ann.

We have a Lamaze class on Friday, don't you remember?

The class voted to do it in the afternoon so everybody could leave early

weekend. Yeah, I know, but since we're doing one tomorrow, I thought I could

skip Friday.

I'm third base, Ann.

I don't believe this.

I have spent the last seven months nurturing our child inside me.

And you're willing to risk everything to be third base.

And you skipped out of the class last week five minutes early so you could get

home to watch 30 -something.

That was an episode on childbirth. It was responsible television.

Right. Every time you do something, it's justified. Every time I do something,

I'm being unreasonable, right?

You really think it's reasonable to skip a Lamaze class to run around in spandex

knickers?

It's only the biggest game of the year.

Do whatever you want, Stuart.

And... No!

Fine. Fine?

Fine.

I've asked Miss Perkins to join us. She's very close to Benny. I don't give

damn. This is none of your business.

It's none of hers either. Well, I don't disagree with that, but we've become

almost de facto guardians of Benny, and I thought since this does involve him,

it would be... How the hell does it involve him?

I assume it's Benny's child that's being aborted here? Whoa, whoa.

I don't know what Benny's told you, but my daughter is not pregnant and she's

not going in for any abortion.

Then what's going on?

Alice is going in to be sterilized.

Sterilized? Why?

Because she and Benny are having sexual intercourse, that's why, and she could

never take care of a baby.

With all due respect, Mr. Hackett, there is birth control.

Yes, there is.

I put her on the pill and she kept forgetting to take it.

IUDs aren't safe.

And she can't get the hang of using a diaphragm.

Look, I'm sure that you have given this a lot of thought.

But to sterilize her, that's the most radical thing you could ever do.

Believe me, Miss Perkins, I've agonized over this more than you could ever know.

But she is growing up. Now, like it or not, if I want her to be normalized, I

have to be willing to let her have a sex life.

The reality is she has the operative intelligence of an eight -year -old.

She's incapable of practicing birth control. She's incapable of raising a

An abortion or an adoption would be devastating for her.

As radical as a sterilization may be, it's still the most responsible thing I

can do.

Okay, third base.

Place the first. Here we go. Here we go.

Come

on.

Pick it up.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Come on, Benny.

Be alert.

Catcher's got to be alert.

He's the backbone.

You're late, both of you. Hey, sorry, coach.

Okay, turn two, turn two.

Looking sharp, looking sharp.

That's the way, that's the way. We're a team, we're a team.

Let's hear the chatter.

And between the years of 1981 and 1986, you in fact trapped animals whose furs

you sold to the plaintiff, correct?

That's correct. And is this tape we're about to see a fair and accurate

representation of the trapping process?

It is. Your Honor, I renew my objection to the introduction of this evidence.

Yes, and I overrule you again.

Play the tape.

Mr. Trishula, we've seen enough. Turn it off.

Could you describe this thing for us, Mr. Calder?

It's a standard one and a half.

It's got the double jaws, which most trappers want nowadays.

Why do they want a double jaw?

Well, most trappers can't check the traps on a daily basis.

If you give the animals enough time, they'll chew off their legs to free

themselves.

They chew off their own limbs.

Right. They gnaw at their feet right below this jaw right here. Now, the

jaw clamps on a part of the leg that they can't get at. So even if you have a

wolf or a fox or whatever and it chews its foot off, the trapper doesn't lose

his catch.

And how long does an animal stay trapped like this?

A couple days, maybe a week.

Depends on how fast the trapper gets back to his trap.

And then what happens? Well, if it hadn't already bled to death, you'd have

kill it. And how is this accomplished?

How do you kill your catch?

Well, if you're near water, we usually drown them.

That's the best way. That way you don't hurt the pelt. If that's not possible,

you club it to death, or if you have a gun, you shoot it.

Some trappers have a long spear, and they stab it.

There's all kinds of different ways.

Thank you, sir.

Nothing further.

I don't have any questions.

Well, you can't pull out now, and you know that.

It would be a mistrial.

Not if someone else in the firm took it over. Maybe Michael or Jonathan. Oh,

come on, Victor. That's crazy.

I just can't do it, okay? I can't. You've defended murderers, drug dealers,

rapists. Now you've got a law -abiding client.

Who's a legitimate victim, and you say you can't do it? I know, I know.

It's just that after seeing that tape, Leland, how they make those furs, I just

can't stomach being their lawyer.

Well, you will stomach it.

Anything else will be malpractice. I'm willing to risk that.

Well, I'm not.

You'd also be risking our contingent fee, which could be upwards of $200

Oh, come on, now. Well, we've invested over $100 ,000 in time on this case. I

don't intend to give that away.

Everything can't always be about money, Leland. Oh, it's not always about money

with me, Victor, and you know that.

The truth is, we haven't had a big win around here in over four months. The

revenues are down, and this is a good chance to make some of it up.

You're gonna have to do better than that with me. I don't have to do better than

that. You want a good reason to keep going, Counselor? Here it is.

Consider it an order from the senior partner.

Leland... I'm just not sure, given the way that I feel, that

I'd really be that effective.

Ah.

You'll be great.

And that's exactly what bothers you the most.

You guys can have a seat.

Okay, um, I talked about your operation with your father.

And what I need to find out, Alice, is if you know exactly what this operation

is for.

Yes. What?

Alice, you can tell me.

It's because Betty and I had sex.

Okay.

Now, why does that mean that you have to have an operation?

Because whenever you have sex, you need one, so you don't have a baby.

Alice, I want you to listen to me very carefully, okay?

Very carefully.

This operation that you're going to have is going to make it so that you can

never have a baby.

Do you understand that?

Not ever?

Not ever.

Is that what you want?

Alice, is that what you want?

I don't know.

Well, you should tell your father that, then.

No.

He wants me to have an operation.

Alice, it's what you want that matters.

I'm scared.

Okay. I'll talk to your father again.

Okay? But you're going to have to talk to him, too. And you're going to have to

tell him what you want.

He'll be mad at me.

But daddy will get mad at me.

Allison.

Inhale.

Exhale. One more time.

Exhale.

And we're done.

Great.

Anybody have any questions today?

Ann? I think Stuart has a question he'd like to ask the class.

Very well, Stuart.

I may have to miss next Friday's class.

My firm has a softball game. It's arch rival.

It's once a year kind of a thing.

You're going to skip Lamaze for softball?

Yeah.

Well, look, I promised my wife I wouldn't do it unless you people said it

okay.

No way.

I think you better quit while you're only slightly behind, Markowitz.

Yeah. I know you may consider that childish.

I'd like you to think of something else here.

Now, we're all about to become parents, right?

And to the extent that each of us can...

recapture our own childhood and our dreams of growing up. And then, my

in this game is a chance for all of us to remember that a dream, whatever that

dream may be, must never be repressed or ignored.

Play the game.

What?

You should definitely play. I'll tutor you on what you missed Friday.

I can play?

All right!

I don't believe this. Play ball, Markowitz.

I don't apologize for cutting into their profits when those profits are derived

from killing innocent animals.

But throwing blood on people, vandalizing private property, that's a

extreme, isn't it? First of all, it isn't real blood. It's a dye.

And yes, we are extreme. We have to be to get attention.

It's only through exposure that we can create public awareness.

But what about working to change the laws instead of resorting to violence?

We are working to change the laws, but it takes a long time. So you see fit to

break the law?

None of us enjoys being arrested, but if we have to go to jail to stop the

atrocities being committed by these corporations, that's a sacrifice we're

prepared to make.

Thank you, Mrs. Barrett.

Nothing further.

It's not just the corporations you attack, isn't it?

Barrett, your group members have also splashed people on the streets wearing

furs, right?

Again, I wish we didn't have to take actions like this. But you do, don't

Yes. And sometimes you've hit people wearing synthetic furs, correct? We

mean to victimize these people, but some... But you do, don't you?

It's happened.

It's happened. And sometimes some of the people that you've hit wear furs that

come from fur ranches and not traps, right? Makes no difference. The fur

are cruel, too. Wait a second.

This big presentation we had here about the evils of trapping and suddenly it

makes no difference? The point is, anybody who buys furs is guilty of

contributing to the killing of innocent animals. Well, what about the people who

eat meat?

The people who eat beef, chicken, and fish contribute to the killing of

animals too, don't they?

Yes. And people who sit in leather seats?

They're guilty too, aren't they? Leather is the skin of an animal, Mr.

Cifuentes. Uh -huh, so that when we see kids kicking leather soccer balls in the

park, we should just splatter them with blood?

Objection! We never threw blood on anybody.

Sustained. How about the folks who wear wool, Mrs. Barrett? Wool shearing causes

sheep to suffer stress and overexposure to the cold. The sheep suffer sores that

infect... I see, I see.

And ma 'am, how does your organization feel about using animals for medical

research? We are against it. Well...

Better for a little child to die of cancer than to kill a mouse, right?

for restaurants to be infested with vermin than ever call an exterminator.

Sepuente. Better to save a rat than to wipe out a plague.

Objection! Mr. Sepuente, that's enough.

Withdrawn, animals matter more than people to you, don't they?

Animals are more deserving than people.

A lot of times.

Thank you, Mrs. Barrett, for showing us exactly where you stand.

Nothing further?

She's afraid to tell her father, and he doesn't believe me when I tell him, so I

think... We can't afford to butt in here. It's none of our business.

Involuntary sterilization is illegal.

We cannot just look the other way while this guy... Come on.

No doctor's gonna do it unless he's convinced of the consent. You're talking

about risking a million -dollar client.

And for what? So Alice can get pregnant one day and have a kid?

Does anybody here really believe she should be a parent? Retarded people can

make very good parents.

But more likely, they'll make bad ones.

Alice's IQ is lower than Benny's, and to tell you the truth, I... I don't think

Benny could raise a kid.

Look, we could argue all day and never agree.

The only thing we can and should agree on is that it would be stupid for us to

get involved.

You know, we may not have a choice.

What? Like Ann said, forced sterilization is illegal in California.

And if we know that Alice is about to be sterilized, we also know that a crime

is about to be committed. In which case, as officers of the court, we may have

to come forward.

That's crazy. No, we don't. We have no standing.

There's a conflict of interest.

Well, if not legally or ethically, then at least morally. We don't have time to

go around taking moral stands.

Then make time.

Cancel the damn softball game. You're overreacting.

All right, that's enough. Now, look, regardless of our personal feelings,

sterilization is legal in other states. Even if we stop this here, Leo Hackett

can just fly his daughter to another state where they won't stop him.

So why alienate a million -dollar client when no purpose will be served?

So let's stop him here and then enjoin him from taking her to any other state.

Well, we can't do that, and you know it. Now, the bottom line is, if Leo Hackett

is determined to sterilize his daughter, there is nothing we can do to stop him.

It is, therefore, the position of this firm not to try.

This meeting's adjourned.

The issue here is not whether animals should die needlessly to satisfy human

wants.

Like it or not, that happens.

Animals die because they please our palates. Not because they're necessary

our diets, but because they taste good.

They die so that we can wear leather, so we can make footballs out of pigskins.

They die sometimes because wool feels softer than polyester. This is the human

race, ladies and gentlemen, and we are higher up on the food chain.

Now...

You don't have to feel good about that.

Nor do you even have to like my client. That is a matter of individual choice,

also known as a freedom.

But whatever your beliefs are on anything, if you break a law and resort

violence to impose your beliefs on others, then you are guilty of

And if you endorse that, if you say that it's okay to disregard a law just

because you don't like something, well, then we're all in trouble.

As a direct result of the defendant's illegal activity, my client lost $1

.3 million.

It is that simple. And all the protesting, all the blood, all the

-pointing, can't change that.

And shouldn't keep you from recognizing it.

Where do we start drawing the line?

He's right.

If you're going to get upset about fur, then what about meat?

I mean, we shouldn't have to be a vegetarian society.

And leather?

Well, leather's not as bad either, since leather goods, unlike fur, are

byproducts from animals killed specifically for food.

And laboratory research?

Like Mr. Cifuentes said, those experiments could lead to a cure for

something. Yeah, I guess you can always legitimize killing animals if you look

hard enough.

Except, except when animals are murdered for no other reason

than to serve our sense of vanity.

I have no trouble drawing the line there, ladies and gentlemen.

When animals are slaughtered so that we can prance around exuding luxury,

you can draw your damn line right there.

Now, we can't have people running around breaking laws just because they don't

like something. I agree. But my client's people were arrested for it. They did

jail time. They paid their debt to society.

What we have here is a civil trial, folks. And a civil trial is not about

punishment. It's about compensation.

They are here asking you to award them money.

You saw that tape.

You saw what they do.

I don't know whether to appreciate all your concern or just sue you for

harassment.

Well, I'm not here to do battle, Bill.

If you wish still to sterilize your daughter, my firm won't stand in your

Nevertheless, you didn't show up to help deliver the morning paper.

No, no.

Well, I just wanted to see you because, personally, I think that what you're

about to do is wrong.

What would happen if she ever had a child?

I'm a widower, Leland, pushing 60.

I could never take on that kind of responsibility.

And if I didn't, they'd take the baby away.

My daughter could never recover from a pain like that.

I'm told your daughter isn't sure about this.

One minute she agrees, the next she doesn't know. She's retarded.

She doesn't know what's best for her.

Are you sure that you do?

No. Parenting is a very inexact science, my friend.

All you can do is love your child and do what you think is best.

And that's what I'm doing here.

I don't doubt that.

And you may be right.

The fact is, I have a hard time seeing Benny as a parent.

But what I have seen...

an enormous capacity to develop and grow, and a still bigger capacity to

And that combination makes it difficult to preclude the fact that he could be a

parent.

I really think I'm making the right call, Cleveland.

Could be right, could be wrong. The only thing I'm telling you is that it's

premature.

And what do we do in the meantime?

In the meantime, I talk to Benny.

I make sure he wears a prophylactic.

And if he doesn't?

It's not like you'll be there at the appropriate moment, Leland.

But I trust him.

And if I'm not sure he's being responsible about it, then we chaperone

Well, that's still less extreme than a sterilization.

Okay. For now, I'll hold off.

I just pray to God this works out.

So do I.

Mr. Foreman, has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor. What say you? In the matter of Randall Furrier's ink

Save the Animals Foundation, we find in favor of the defendant.

Your Honor.

Motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or in the alternative of a new

trial. Opposed?

I'll see counsel in my chambers immediately.

Members of the jury, it is my custom at this time to dismiss you and to thank

you for your service.

Unfortunately, however, all I can do here is dismiss you.

And I would be remiss if I didn't convey to you just how disappointed I am in

your decision.

If you had found for the plaintiff but denied punitive damages, I could have

that stand.

If you had awarded nominal compensatory damages, I could have let that stand.

But an outright verdict for the defendant when the facts were so clearly

uncontroverted suggests to me that you were not impartial.

That you disregarded the law in order to punish a plaintiff that you didn't

like.

Now, yes, my stomach was turned by that videotape, too.

And I'm sure the lawyers were affected by the footage as well. But we all

continued to do our jobs. You people didn't.

You let yourselves become inflamed, and you ignored your obligation to be

objective.

Now, I blame myself for admitting the tape into evidence, but more than that,

blame myself for putting so much trust in you because you failed miserably.

Motion for JNOV is denied, but the verdict is set aside. Motion for a new

is granted.

I'll see counsel in chambers.

That's all.

It's time for a change.

I'm just finding my rhythm, Leland. Now you're coming in straight and flat.

Look, it's only the third inning. Just let me... Look, you got us down by three

runs already. I can't wait for you to turn around.

Abby! This is ridiculous.

If I was a lawyer, I wouldn't be young. This is typical of the type of respect

secretaries get around here. Second base.

I get no support. The fielding stinks.

Second base, Roxanne.

Just give him a jump.

In and out. Move it around.

Only jump.

What happened to the game?

I left after the first inning.

Why? Well, I got a little winded running the bases, and I started to pant and

gasp, and naturally I thought about all of you.

And I figured that as good as childhood dreams may be, parenthood dreams are

better.

If I could get up, I'd kiss you, honey.

Lie there and wheeze.

I'll take over now.

Okay, transitional breathing.

Why didn't you just direct the verdict if you weren't going to let it stand?

Because I expected the jury to follow the evidence.

You can't just throw a whole trial down the dumper like this. Oh, the jury threw

the trial down the dumper.

Since I'm the one that's wearing the robe, I'm the one that's got to fix it.

So, let's fix it, gentlemen, right now.

What are you saying, Your Honor?

I'm saying that he's about to make an offer of $100 ,000, and you're about to

accept. Well, that's not enough.

No, no, no, no, no, no. You people don't seem to understand.

Now, Mr. Fuentes,

the negative publicity from another trial will be very bad for your client's

business, and you know that, plus which you'll probably lose if today's verdict

is an indication.

And, Mr. Trishuta, the expense of a new trial could easily cost you more than

$100 ,000.

Ten times that if you should somehow get beat. My hands are tied, Your Honor. My

client refuses to cough up a nickel. Well, then untie your damn hands and

your client that she better settle this thing.

And if she still refuses, then you remind her that I'm going to be sitting

the bench for any retrial.

Now, are we getting a clear picture?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Sepuentes?

Oh, yes, I know you're going to lose your big contingency fee.

But at least your client can claim a victory here, which is probably more

he'll get from a second trial, which could take years, given the way that

cases can get buried in the court of ducats.

I'll recommend the offer.

Oh, good.

Well, you both can go now.

Thank you. Thank you, Your Honor.

playing for the Finches. Just singles. No need to panic. There's one out.

on. Last inning and we're losing. I'll panic if I want to.

All

right,

Jonathan.

I'm not up, Leland.

Benny's up after mine.

He's back out.

Benno, it's good that you whiffed. I prefer to get my game -winning homers

two outs.

Back it up, boys.

Come on, Arnie, let's fly them in.

Wait your pitch, Arnold.

Hey, forget it.

They were all good pitches.

I stink.

Come on, that's up.

Come on now, pitch, give me something I can hit.

Smacking it right out of here.

Probably left center.

Stretch it out a little. That's all.

He's almost.

Just meet the ball.

I didn't have to get the operation.

That's good.

Yeah.

Alice?

Do you ever want to have a baby?

I don't know.

Do you?

No.

How come?

Because I couldn't take care of it.

Retarded people can have babies.

But what if they weren't retarded? What if they were smart?

So? I wouldn't be ashamed.

No, I wouldn't.

But what if something really bad happened to it?

Like what?

I don't know.

We can take care of it.

We could help each other.

I love you, Benny.

I love you too.