Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

Yeah, uh, our gross income is down 11%. Malpractice premiums are up again.

And, uh, there's this balloon payment due next month on the office

We're sluggish and bloated.

We need to be lean and mean.

Maybe I'm lowlife, but I know what I saw.

Pinnock was on the pipe. He killed the girl. That guy there had nothing to do

with it.

I was just being thorough.

You're being too thorough.

Prepare your case, yeah.

But if you're too over -anxious, everybody's going to smell a knob.

Okay.

I've listened to the testimony of Philip Holden. To warrant my setting aside the

jury's verdict and ordering a new trial, Mr. Holden needs to be credible.

He wasn't even clothed.

Accordingly, your motion for a new trial is denied, Mr. Cusack.

historian versus togetherness dating service. Yeah, that's mine. The idea is

complete. We go to trial this afternoon.

This case really can't be settled, Stuart?

In all good conscience, I wouldn't recommend it, Leland. Why not?

Because the gravamen of the plaintiff's case is such that we're going to beat

her cold.

Couldn't that still end up costing us more than a settlement?

Not if I'm successful in my motions for costs, disbursements, and legal fees.

Plus, let's not forget, if we settle, there'll be more plaintiffs coming out

the woodwork.

Gravamen? Giant Sequoia Tourist Council versus Giant Sequoia Beverages. That's

mine. We're representing a small mineral water company that's being sued for

using the name Giant Sequoia. They claim it's a fraudulent misrepresentation of

where the water comes from. Where does it come from? El Segundo.

They have mineral water in El Segundo?

It's municipal water. It's been filtered and flavored with juniper extract and

bottled. Can we expect this to go to trial, too?

Actually, no. Our guy is trying to come up with another name so we can make this

whole thing disappear quietly.

As well he might.

Partners meeting.

Tonight. 8 p .m. Hmm.

Little party after dark to split up the pie, eh? To the partners go the spoils.

What can I say? We all have a part to play.

Yeah. Good, Benny. Good.

What's this?

Melons by mail.

A cut -rate produce outfit that ships by mail.

Saves money.

Saves lugging it up here from the store.

I ordered 30 pounds of cantaloupe for a third of what you'd pay in the store.

Oh, my God! Get it!

Come on. Come on. Get it. Come on. Get him, Douglas.

I'm not getting it. Hey, why do I have to get it? Because you've been away for

it. That's why.

You better get it. It's on the floor.

Benny, could you get in here for a minute?

There he goes. There he goes. Whoa.

Two years, minimum security.

No chance. Any kind of guilty plea, my guy loses custody.

Oh, what a horrible thing that would be, a child molester losing custody of his

daughter. How could we sleep at night? Hey, Grace, he's no child molester until

you prove it, which we both know is a hard thing to do. And I'm telling you,

was a very convincing guy at the family court hearing.

Yeah. Yeah, I saw how convincing he was when he failed the polygraph test.

Which we know is inadmissible.

Doesn't it bother you, Brian? You know he's guilty and you're actually helping

him to keep custody.

I took the case.

It's my job to advise him of his options and his chances and then carry out his

wishes. He wants the big NG. He wants unsupervised visits. So I got to do what

got to do.

And what made you first suspect that your daughter was being molested by her

father? Last December, Lisa came back from a weekend with him, and she was

upset. I asked her what was wrong, but she wouldn't tell me.

And then she started to cry, so we sat in the rocker, and that's when she told

me... Objection. Hearsay. Sustained. Did you notice anything unusual about your

daughter that night?

Yes. When she was undressing for her bath, I noticed that her underwear was

inside out. Did you ask her why it was on inside out?

Objection. Sustained.

What else, if anything, unusual did you notice about your daughter that night?

There were bruises on her leg, way up on the inner thigh.

And then on her vagina, there were more marks.

Did she have these marks before going to visit her father? No, she did not.

And as a result of these marks, and as a result of your conversation with your

daughter, what did you do next?

I took her to the hospital, and then I went to the police and reported my ex

-husband for sexual child abuse.

Thank you, ma 'am.

I have nothing further.

Has your daughter ever had a bruise? Well, of course.

She's a little girl. Exactly.

Little girls get bruises all the time.

But not there. She's never... In all the time that you were married, did you

ever see your husband touch your daughter in any improper way?

No. Not then. Not then.

Or ever.

Would you describe your divorce as amicable or bitter, Ms. Haley?

I'd say it was bitter. Who wanted the divorce, you or he?

We both did by that point. Who asked for the divorce, Miss Haley? You or your

husband? Ed asked for the divorce. In fact, didn't you ask your husband the

before the divorce became final if you could have another chance?

I didn't know he was molesting our daughter then. Motion to strike. What's

with you? Your Honor.

He's five years old, Ed. Mrs. Haley, be quiet.

I'm going to call a mistrial right now. You want that?

No, Your Honor.

I just want that bastard to keep his hands off my little girl.

And it was at this point you decided to hire the defendant's dating service.

I'm not proud of it, believe me. But I'm a working woman, I put in a lot of

hours, and I just don't have time to meet people.

So I figured, why not, and I paid the $3 ,500.

And did they match you up with suitable men?

Please. Objection. Non -responsive, argumentative. Move to be stricken.

Sustained.

Ms. Dorian, could you tell the court exactly how the defendant failed to live

to its promise?

Objection. Leading, assuming facts not in evidence, argumentative in

Overruled? The witness can answer. I have very specific criteria on

physical attractiveness, normalcy. What I got was unstable, sometimes imbalanced

individuals who... Objection!

This witness has no foundation to render psychiatric opinion. I move to strike

that characterization or in the alternative a mistrial.

Mr. Markowitz, why don't you come this way?

I will note for the record your very thorough command of the rules of

But can we get through this, please?

Your Honor, I believe this witness has been coached. And I'm sure that you've

prepared your witnesses as well.

Yes, but within the bounds of B &P 6077.

Go back to your table.

Ms. Dorian, could you please state for us the defendant's specific failure?

Well, it was as if they threw my questionnaire in the trash. I'd say

only two men with whom I shared any common interest. The one man I did like.

Turned out he couldn't, well, function.

What do you mean he couldn't function?

He was, you know, with a capital I.

Objection. Calls for a medical conclusion. You have to let me object to

All right.

Sustained.

Did you voice your complaints to the defendant, ma 'am? I did.

They basically said, too bad, they wouldn't refund my money, and that's why

suing them. I have nothing further.

According to your testimony, ma 'am, you did, in fact, meet a man who you did,

in fact, find to be compatible, did you not?

No, I did not, in fact.

Then how is it, Miss Dorian?

That one of your dates progressed to a point which occasioned you to discover

the man's sexual incapacity. He volunteered at a dinner. He said the

delicious. By the way, I'm impotent. These are the kind of men they send me.

And you engaged four other dating services before going to my client, did

not? Objection relevant. It's offered to show the witness's pattern of

discontent, Your Honor.

I'll allow it. Miss Dorian, how many men did these other dating services touch

up with?

Probably about 20 apiece.

So you've rejected over a hundred men?

Were they all imbalanced?

They were all unacceptable, yes.

Not one met your standards?

That's correct.

Thank you, Miss Dorian.

I have nothing further.

This is unbelievable.

This cannot be right.

It's right.

This is 23 ,000 less than my split last year. Try 37 ,000 for me. We're all

making less.

Leland, what the hell is going on?

Firm revenues are down.

That's what.

But there's been no hint ever that we were facing rollbacks like this.

I was counting on my same share, maybe a little less, but God.

Well, you don't see me celebrating, do you?

Fact is, this firm is struggling.

Our rent is up.

Michael. Your murder defense of Earl Williams is going to cost this firm in

excess of $200 ,000.

We lost over 100 in fees in the Furrier case.

We've lost big cases before.

Yes, yes, we have. But this is the first time in 25 years that our client base

is shrinking.

Now, you are all great lawyers. There's no question about that.

But none of you, with the occasional exception of Arnold, none of you brings

high -paying clients.

The role of recruiting cash cows has always been on my shoulders. It's still

my shoulders, but I'm getting older. I can't do it like I used to.

So we've got to make some choices.

Hard choices.

Such as? Such as considering a merger again. No way. No.

No, I don't want to merge.

Or, in the alternative, bringing in a major rainmaker.

As a new partner?

That's the usual way.

Douglas and I have been working with a headhunter for the past few weeks.

He's put us in touch with a few heavy hitters with substantial client bases.

I'd like to call a meeting with one of them. Exactly where did this new partner

fit in on the totem pole?

That would be negotiable.

Now, this thing... Arnold, I'm not getting pushed down the line for a new

partner. If we don't pull in a rainmaker and pull him in fast, this little

family could be breaking apart.

For good.

And Dr. Bisland, what conclusion did you draw based on your physical examination

of Lisa Haley? My conclusion is that Lisa Haley was the victim of sexual

molestation. On what evidence do you base your belief?

First, there's behavioral evidence.

When you examine a child who's been the victim of sexual abuse and you touch the

child's vagina, she will automatically relax that muscle.

Normal children will just tense up. Also, when you touch the abused child...

They seem to leave their bodies.

Their eyes glaze as if they've lost contact with their physical being.

Elisa displayed both of these symptoms.

And what about the physical evidence?

I examined her genitalia, both macro and microscopically, and found scarring.

Several crescent -shaped scars around the periphery of the hymen. Can you

explain the significance of the scar?

Yes. It means it was penetrated by an outside object.

These are the telltale signs of sexual abuse. Did Lisa tell you anything about

the scars?

Objection. Hearsay.

Spontaneous utterance, Your Honor. Exception to the hearsay rule. Objection

overruled. This is prejudicial. It's grounded. Objection is overruled. Mr.

Laporte, sit down, please.

What did Lisa Haley tell you about the scars, Dr. Bisland? When I examined her

vaginal area, she said that that was where her father would touch her.

Thank you.

I have nothing further.

Doctor, there was no penile penetration here, was there? No, I believe this to

have been digital penetration.

But I do not exclude the possibility of penile contact against the vulva of the

vagina. Are you saying that happened?

I'm saying it could have happened.

Any traces of semen?

No. Any pubic hair?

No. So there's no evidence whatsoever that this girl was even touched by a

penis? No conclusive evidence.

And doctor, as for this digital penetration, is there any evidence

a specific person?

No. There's no physical evidence which suggests that Lisa was touched by this

man right here? No, but... Thank you.

Doctor, have you ever known of a case where a child has claimed she was

by a parent when it hasn't been true? I've never had such a case. Well, have

ever heard of such a case where a child, through displacement, will blame a

parent for something that didn't happen? There have been cases, yes.

And, Doctor, as for this vaginal scarring we're talking about...

Could have happened in a tricycle accident if she came down too hard in

right? I don't believe that's how it happened. It's possible, isn't it? Well,

suppose anything is possible. In fact, doctor, you can't conclusively prove

sexual abuse here, can you? You can never positively establish sex abuse

Thank you, doctor.

I have nothing further.

There's a number of different ways you can go with this. Whatever works.

Let me just outline the options. I always say the more a client knows about

it is I do, the better. Mr. Dumka. Call me Steve.

Okay, Steve.

We have one rat loose in our office. We would like it if you could get rid of it

as quickly as possible.

This is a standard snap trap. I bait it with peanut butter, then place, I would

say, in the neighborhood of a dozen at various points around the office.

Your rodent takes the bait, whack.

Spring mechanism breaks its neck. That sounds great, Steve.

We can always go with liquid bait stations, but let's go with this

first. Okay.

Tom Capet's control has taken on a lot tougher jobs than yours, little lady.

I'm sure you can take care of this one.

Wish me luck.

Rosalind, first off, let me welcome you.

I'm only stating the obvious when I say that we all have the highest regard for

your reputation as an attorney.

Let me state the equally obvious, which is that the admiration is mutual.

That said, I'm sure there's a plethora of questions that need to be asked.

Ready on the left, ready on the right, ready on the firing line.

I guess I'll start.

You've been successful where you are. Why do you want to make a move at all? A

large law firm can get very bureaucratic.

I found myself fighting that too much of the time. And as my visibility grew, It

became somewhat of a threat to other members of the firm. You don't have to

worry about that happening here. We're all very secure.

Let's talk portables for a minute.

While you've got an all -star client roster now, how many of them will follow

you here? There's a simple rule at my firm, Douglas. You eat what you kill.

So any clients I brought in over there, I will bring here with me if I come

over. I love the sound of that.

Bringing them is one thing, and keeping them is something else. Do you

anticipate a problem?

I have some concerns.

Like what?

Well, let's start with your tax department. I understand that Stuart

is that his name?

He's it.

So what's your concern?

First off, where is he?

Stuart's in court today.

On a tax matter. As a matter of fact, it's not a tax matter. He just jumped

the breach, so to speak. His forte is strictly tax.

I hope he'd be adequate.

Well, he hasn't been found wanting up until now.

We're also fully prepared to make whatever adjustments are necessary.

Assuming any are necessary.

What else? Your litigation department.

What about it? Well, other than your tax attorney having to fill it, I want to

be certain that you're not about to lose one of your aces.

Who's that?

Victor Cifuentes.

He's been an associate for three years. Well, with his reputation, he's got to

be looking for a partnership.

Well, Rosalind, the truth is that a partnership offer is not contemplated in

near future for Victor.

On the other hand, I expect that one ultimately will be made.

And I have no reason to believe that we're in danger of losing him. Good.

And while we're speaking about associates, I should let you know that I

bringing one with me. I see no reason that we can't accommodate you there.

we should first get a better idea of what that accommodation entails.

Before we do that, maybe we should ask ourselves if this is really a place

Rosalind can be happy.

Let me say something.

Right now, we're very wary of each other. We should be very wary.

If this venture is going to go forward, we're going to have to adjust to each

other. I'm willing to go halfway.

If you're looking for more than that, you got the wrong day.

Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth, to

you God?

I do.

Your Honor, I renew my objection to this. The fact that the plaintiff had a

date with this witness... He's being offered to prove the defendant's willful

disregard of my client's wishes. He is totally relevant.

All right, quiet.

The objection's overruled. The witness is in. But let's move through it. Thank

you.

Could you please state your name for the record?

Howard. Your full name, please.

Howard Hulse.

Mr. Hulse, did you employ the defendant to get in a dating service?

I did.

And as a result of that employment, were you matched up for a date with the

plaintiff, Diana Dorian?

Yes. I'm holding in my hand a copy of my client's pre -date questionnaire

setting forth her requirements.

Item 23, she lists leadership. Are you a leader? I could be.

Given the right set of circumstances, I could be.

Dynamic. I'm as dynamic as the next guy. With a rapier -like intellectual wit.

Objection. Counsel's mocking the witness.

I'll overrule it, but I want you to move fast, Mr. Sanderlin. You know, people

find me to be a very lively conversationalist, and that's on a wide

topics. How about emotionally stable?

How about it? Isn't it true that you refused to park in an underground garage

because of what you referred to as, and I quote, an overwhelming sense of

claustrophobia?

Eccentricities don't necessarily indicate instability, sir. You sniffed

food and you sniffed Ms. Dorian's food at the restaurant. Why?

I sniffed mine for signs of putrefaction.

It would have been rude of me not to have sniffed hers as well.

Tell me, what's wrong with that?

Nothing, Mr. Hulse.

Nothing at all.

I have no further questions.

Um, boy, sounds like a pretty horrible date.

Yes, it was a horrible date.

Mr. Hulse, I have both your questionnaires here.

Seems like you both like opera, you both like the theater, Julio Iglesias.

You like to take long walks on the beach.

Boy, on paper, sounds like you guys have a lot of potential.

Oh, yes. On paper, I do very well.

Then what happened when you went out with her?

What happened? She was basically very polite.

I brought her flowers, and she thanked me for them.

And then we had our date, which was very horrible.

Afterwards, I took her home, and she told me that she felt drained and

depressed.

I took that to mean she didn't want to see me again.

Did you like her?

How can I like her? She subpoenaed me here as proof of a lousy date.

No, I don't mean now. I mean back when you met her. Did you like her then?

You know, it's funny because actually I did.

In fact, when I first got the summons, I didn't think it was real. I thought

this is a creative way of asking me out.

Stupid me.

I have nothing further.

What was Lisa doing that day, Mr. Haley? She was riding her trike down the road.

I could see that she was going too fast, so I called out to her, slow down.

It was right around then that she hit the bump. And then what happened? She

forward off the seat and came down hard on the crossbar. It really shook her up.

And me too. Is it your belief that that is how Lisa got her scars?

It's the only possible explanation because I certainly didn't molest her.

Haley, have you ever touched your daughter in an inappropriate manner?

I've kissed her.

I've hugged her.

I've extended affection to her like any father would his daughter. But I've

never done any of the things my ex -wife says I did.

I couldn't even think about anything like that.

Thank you, sir.

Nothing further.

Are you asking this court to believe that the vaginal scars found on your

daughter were the result of a bumpy trike ride?

Like I said, it was pretty rough.

How do you explain that there were no cuts or even scratches on her legs after

being thrown off the curb? The trike went over the curb, but she didn't lose

balance. I see. Were there any witnesses to this accident?

No. Nobody? Nobody out on a beautiful Sunday afternoon? Just you and

Lisa? That's right, Ms. Van Owen.

You ever give your daughter baths, Mr. Haley?

Sometimes. Where do you touch her when you bathe her, sir?

I wash her and dry her off. Where do you touch your daughter when you bathe her,

sir? I wash her and dry her off. You've never touched your daughter's vagina

saying daddy has to clean inside?

Objection. I never did that.

Objection's overruled.

Does your daughter sometimes sleep in the same bed with you?

Sometimes. If she has a bad dream, she'll come into my room and get in the

And do you sometimes hold her? Of course. If she's scared, I hug her. I

what do you wear to bed?

I sleep in the... I'm naked, but I mean, you know, that's how I

sleep. Well, have you ever gotten an erection when she was in the bed?

Objection. Can she do this?

Overruled. Just answer the question, Mr. Haley. When you are lying naked with

your five -year -old daughter, do you get an erection? Your Honor. Ms. Van

no, I don't.

I have nothing further.

You said we wouldn't have to do this.

I said I hoped we wouldn't have to. God, I can't. I can't put her through this.

She's five years old.

Charlotte, if Lisa doesn't testify, we're looking at a not guilty.

I can't believe this.

Believe it.

For every doctor that we have put up there, he has put up two.

He has paraded in all these character witnesses. His own testimony was pretty

damn good.

I think he's got reasonable doubt.

Lisa is the only one who could change that.

And what will that do to her?

Getting grilled on a window stand, what's that going to do to a five -year

Or growing up knowing she put her own father in jail?

But it's either that or more unsupervised visits with Daddy.

We had an offer, an acceptance.

My client paid consideration in the amount of $3 ,500.

A valid contract was formed, legally obligating them to

proffer men suitable for a compatible relationship.

Instead, they sent cologne -soaked foreigners.

They sent ex -cons.

They sent Howard. They breached that contract.

They breached faith with my client, wreaking havoc with her emotions for

the rest of her life.

You people represent society.

You people are Diana Dorian's only hope for justice.

A relationship, ladies and gentlemen, can't be secured by a contract.

Oh, sure, a dating service can help the odds.

They can introduce you to people with common interests and help your chances,

but there's no guarantee.

My client promised to bring Diana Dorian together with men, and they did so. But

in all those dates, what did Diana Dorian bring?

I'm sorry, this is not a very compassionate person.

We all saw what she put poor Howard through.

And all this talk about whether these men had all the qualities on her list...

is insulting.

Because those of us who have been there know love isn't getting all the

qualities on your list.

Love is accepting all those things that aren't on your list.

And until Diana Dorian learns that, until she's willing to give of herself

much as she's ready to ask of others, then she will never be accessible to a

real relationship.

And no dating service can be held responsible for her misery.

See, your common rodent, Mus deco manus, Mus rapus, is what's known as

comensile. Huh?

It's adapted to living with humans.

I've seen them make a three -course meal out of what gets put in a trap and

avoid the spring mechanism entirely.

What happens after you catch them?

Depends. If it's a glue gourd that they're on, I generally dispatch them

blunt instrument to the cerebellum.

Most of the time, though, poison's the agent of mercy.

Central nervous system shuts down. All of a sudden, Mickey can't breathe so

good. A couple of faint, dry gasps and mort.

Mort? Dead.

Done. Finished.

What do you do with them then?

Landfill, buddy.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

The paths of glory lead but to the grave.

I'm sorry. It feels to me like we're panicking. Ann, the wolves are at the

You're gone in February on maternity leave, further reducing our income.

Financially, this firm is in dire straits. I don't think that she is our

salvation, Douglas. She would, however, increase our billables by some $1 .5

million per year.

I find that alone pretty hard to give up. She's bringing over clients that are

accustomed to a large firm. Why do we have any confidence that they'll stay?

Well, it's her feeling that they will.

Well, that doesn't really give us a hell of a lot to go on, does it? Given our

current makeup, Anne, I would have thought you'd be only too glad to get a

little estrogen in here.

I'd say that we are dealing with a real prima donna.

Fundamentally, she is not a team player.

Fundamentally, neither are you.

Now, what speaks loudest of all to me right now is that she is a rainmaker of

the first order. That's what we need. That's what we'd be getting. I guess the

kind of rain is beside the point.

Rain is rain.

I disagree.

Look at the clients she represents.

Banks involved in slum refinancing. Real estate syndicates, a personal favorite

of mine. And she's a lawyer representing clients.

Now, if we want to continue to do pro bono work, we have to have a client base

that'll keep us on our feet.

Rosalind can give us. Michael, there is no guarantee that she's going to break.

We've all spoken our piece.

I vote yay.

Same. Nick.

I vote yes.

I vote no.

What about Stuart?

He gave me his proxy.

What is it?

Stuart votes yes.

You're kidding.

No, I'm not kidding. Oh.

That's it, then. We can open up negotiations and see where it goes.

Lisa, you know what it means to tell the truth, don't you?

And, Lisa, if you don't understand a question or if you need any help at all,

you just tell me.

All right?

Yes.

Lisa, do you know why you're here?

Yes. Can you tell us?

Daddy cut me in bad places.

Okay. I want you to pretend that this doll is you.

Renew my objection to the doll.

Overruled. Lisa, I'd like for you to show us on this doll where it is that

touches you.

Okay?

Okay. It's pretty scary here. I know that. All right?

Now, can you show us where Daddy touches you?

Let the record reflect that the witness has indicated the legs.

Let the record reflect that the witness has indicated the chest.

Let the record reflect.

that the witness has indicated the buttocks.

Let the record reflect. She has indicated the vagina.

You're a very brave little girl, Lisa.

Now, can you tell us when it is that Daddy touches you?

When I...

Take a bath in his bed.

Okay.

And what parts of Daddy's body does he use to touch you with?

His hands.

Just his hands?

His mouth.

Anything else?

Does he touch you with anything else, Lisa?

Lisa, does your Daddy touch you with anything else?

penis how do you feel about his touching you this way i don't like it

do you want him to stop yeah thank you lisa i'm all finished honey

and mr laporte has a few questions to ask you and then we'll be finished that

was very very good

It was very good.

Very, very good.

You were excellent.

Did your mother help you go over what you were going to say today?

Yes.

She did. And did Miss Van Owen also help you to prepare for this?

Yes. Did they tell you what to say?

A little bit?

Yes. Tell me, Lisa, where did you first hear the word penis?

From Mommy.

And was it Mommy who first told you that Daddy touched you in bad places?

I think so.

Okay. Now, Lisa, this weekend that you were at your Daddy's house, the weekend

that we're talking about, did you fall down on your tricycle?

I don't remember.

Well, have you ever fallen on your trike when riding it at Daddy's house?

Yes. Thank you very much, Lisa. You did a good job.

Lisa, just a couple of more questions, okay?

Did Daddy cut you in the places that you pointed to on this doll?

Yes. Now, did this really happen, or did you just say that because Mommy or I

told you to?

It really happened.

Thank you very much, Lisa.

I have nothing further.

Mr. LaPorte?

Nothing. All right, Lisa.

You can step down now.

Thank you.

Okay, honey, let's go.

Has the jury reached its verdict, Mr. Foreman? We have.

What say you? In the matter of Diana Dorian versus Togetherness Dating

we find in favor of the defendant.

Yes, I won!

Oh, congratulations.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you've all had a very pleasant time.

We're adjourned.

Great. Here we go.

Congratulations.

Excuse me.

Great. Mr.

Markowitz. Yeah. Oh, hi.

Look, ex parte. Oh, it's okay. Look, I want to say congratulations.

And also, I may have lost, but I'm not walking away from this with nothing. You

gave me a lot to think about.

Thank you.

Figures you're married.

Stuart.

Stuart Markowitz.

Dave, how are you? Another time, another place.

What are you doing here?

Just picking up some lists of judgment debtors.

Really? Let the other guys go after the Mercedes owners. I want to know who had

their truck repossessed. Why?

Why? You're asking me why.

Because I have the field to myself.

What makes you think that a guy a little down on his luck isn't interested in

the occasional purchase?

Well, what can he afford to buy?

Oh, how about a serpentine silver neck chain to buoy up his spirits? A trifold

leatherette wallet with a gold -toned clasp? Both. Less than five bucks, yet

conceivably priceless to a drowning man.

Dave, this is Diana Dorian. Diana, Dave Meyer. How do you do?

If you two have a minute, I would love to show you something. Actually, Dad, I

really have to go.

Well, I have a minute.

Do you know much about the direct mail game, Dad?

Beyond a reasonable doubt, that's the standard they have to satisfy here.

And they don't even come close.

The medical evidence is conflicted.

Even their own doctor admitted it was impossible to conclude there was sexual

abuse here.

Impossible to conclude.

There's no medical evidence whatsoever which suggests penile penetration, and

there's no medical evidence whatsoever which specifically implicates Ed Haley.

The only evidence they have, which points to my client, is the testimony of

five -year -old girl.

A girl whose testimony was prepared by her mother, still bitter over the

divorce. A girl whose testimony was prepared by the district attorney.

Five -year -old girls can be very impressionable.

They can be influenced into saying what you want them to say. And while no one

wants to call Lisa Haley a liar, I'll remind you of the psychiatric evidence

introduced on how little girls...

sometimes make these charges up. Sometimes to blame parents for not

enough time with them.

There's plenty of doubt, ladies and gentlemen.

Plenty of it.

He didn't do it.

Well, I suppose you're not out of line if you think he did. I'll admit, it's

possible to suspect him.

But... Beyond a reasonable doubt, not a chance.

It was the opinion of the doctor who examined her that the vaginal scarring

caused by sexual abuse.

Somebody's fingers.

No, you can never medically establish this with 100 % certainty, but her

diagnosis was corroborated by Lisa Haley herself. In the most

terrifying of settings, she came up to this witness stand and asserted one

unshakable fact.

That man touched her on her buttocks, on her vagina.

And while they offered the best expert testimony that money could buy to cast

doubt wherever they could, they offered you nothing to contradict that

fact.

Yes, we talked to her before she testified. We talked to all our

And yes, sometimes little girls do tell lies.

But as she told you...

As Lisa told you, her daddy really did molest her.

And let me tell you something, ladies and gentlemen.

It's a terrible thing to put a little girl through the ordeal of a trial.

But I made her do it. I made Lisa come in here and relive what happened.

it was the only way I could keep it from happening again.

Because Edward Haley is...

A child molester. He did it. He did it.

And for Letha's sake, please don't give him the chance to do it anymore.

Thank you.

And that was the piece of artwork that I was telling you about when I was a

junior librarian here.

You see who's going into Mackenzie's office?

Mm -hmm.

Looks like they pushed the button. She won't start off with any associate,

that's for sure. What's going on?

Look who's with him.

Did you pump anything out of Michael?

No, only that there are going to be changes.

Yeah, well, there goes the first change right there.

I'll tell you, if they're bringing in a new partner, we all better start

updating our resonance.

Oh, come on.

Hey. There's them, and there's us.

And when they start plotting behind closed doors, they are not trying to

out how to benefit us.

She's overreacting. No, she's not overreacting. Oh, come on, Victor, you

you're a lock for partnership.

No, nobody's a lock here, Jonathan.

Don't get me wrong, they like us all, but nobody's ever said that.

Abby's right.

Never trust them.

Totally.

Did you ever admit when you're wrong? You're wrong. You misplaced it. No, I

didn't. Hi, Benny.

What's up, buddy?

It's Dad.

Wow. It certainly is.

It didn't harm anybody.

Hey, Benno, he's happier this way.

He doesn't look happy.

He's at peace now, Benny. He's gone to heaven.

My mom is in heaven. Oh, hey, hey, hey, hey. He's not going to bother your

mother.

He's in rat heaven, and your mother, she's in... mother heaven.

Do you think that... that that hurt him?

No.

Defendant, please rise.

In the matter of the people versus Edward Haley, we, the jury, find the

defendant not guilty.

Congratulations.

Oh, God.

Members of the jury, we thank you for your time. Oh, God.

This matter is concluded.

The defendant is free to go.

Court is adjourned.

I don't believe it.

Are you okay?

I'm so sorry. Are you all right?

I'm so sorry, Charlotte.

Double jeopardy won't stop me from going after him again. If he touches her

again, tell me, and I'll get him. You said you'd get him this time, and he's

free? My God!

I'm sorry, Charlotte. You're sorry?

She's been through 37 interviews.

Policemen, detectives, social workers.

gynecologists examining her with microscopes, and for what? So she can be

dragged into court to relive it and then sent back to Daddy?

Oh, I'll tell her, Ms. Van Owen. I'll tell her the district attorney is real

sorry. That's not fair. Tell me about fair.

He molested her, and nothing happens.

This system can't even keep him from raping my little baby.

Can you get some kind of restraining order to keep him away?

Not after an acquittal.

What happens if I just take Lisa and we disappear?

Charlotte, he has custody rights. You'd be charged with kidnapping.

Uh -huh.

Oh.

What if I do that?

That's the only way I can keep him away from Lisa.

Isn't it?

As a district attorney, it would be inappropriate for me to encourage an

illegal act.

Give me another choice!

I can't let this happen to her again!

As a district attorney, it would be inappropriate for me to encourage an

act.

I hear you, Ms. Van Owen.

I hear you loud and clear.