Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law. My findings are that this is an erratic, at times

strife -torn and tumultuous organization.

What's your recommendation?

My recommendation is that the firm be placed in receivership for a period of

months in the alternative, Your Honor. It would be my recommendation that

McKenzie, Brackman, Cheney, Cusack and Becker be dissolved as a law

Betty!

Somebody get security, Vinny.

Call security.

Vinny. Call an ambulance.

He's non -responsive.

Did they say what?

Yeah. Severe depression.

Yeah. Caused by trauma.

At this time, we would like to withdraw our petition for receivership. Why?

Because I cannot stand here as an officer of the court and tell you that

firm is no longer viable.

I think it's time for the child to leave the parent now, Leland.

I really want to try this.

Okay.

I'll always love you, you old man.

Jonathan and I are coming back to work here.

We'll be co -workers again.

I thought maybe we could go out tonight and celebrate.

Let's get Tommy and Jonathan. We'll make it a party.

Well, actually, I was thinking maybe it could be just you and me.

Alone.

Sweetheart, could you stick mine up front? I got a B &E set to go in

No further continuances. I owe you big.

Thanks. Yeah, yeah.

Uh -oh.

I thought Vance was on today.

Conover did the reassigning. Looks like we've got Judge Beal. Tell me I'm not

hearing what I'm hearing.

Forget about buying time, Billy. You know how he is when he plays music.

Vance was on the list for God's sake.

Well, Billy, he ain't on it now.

All rise.

Hear ye, hear ye, this court is now in session.

The Honorable Adam Beale presiding. Draw ye near and ye shall be heard. God save

the people. First up, people versus Chekhov. William Castroverti for the

defense. Your Honor, we'd be seeking a short continuance. Of course you would.

You want to continue long enough to claim that your client is being denied

constitutional right to a speedy trial.

Or, until all prosecution witnesses are dead... I assure you, I won't be raising

that defense. I'm merely asking for... Will it be your practice to interrupt

No, Your Honor.

And how's my favorite student?

Still learning.

Your Honor, I just got this case. In the interest of justice... And those

interests aren't served by clogging the lungs of our judicial process with a

phlegm of continuance and postponements and tactical delays.

Truth doesn't pick you up on the bus corner. You must march on to uncover it

beneath whatever bowels it may lock.

So says the Constitution.

So says God.

Glory, glory, hallelujah. His truth is marching on.

Motion denied.

Trial starts 2 o 'clock today.

Next case, Clarence.

First up, status on Benny Stelworth. He's still out, evidently too depressed

leave the house.

I'm going to visit him today. Victor and I are bringing lunch. Excellent. I

trust now that all the fighting is behind us, we can each take steps to

this a kinder and gentler law firm.

Arnold, I trust your therapy's going well? Shove it, Doug.

Moving on, Inray Crossland Corporation. We've got a restless client here. Not

for long.

Abby and I figured out a way of saving them three -quarters of a million

in legal fees.

How? Consolidation of counsel.

We've got conflict waivers and we can centralize files for other divisions.

And since the bulk of the work is federal antitrust, one firm can do it

That firm would be us, which means the client pays less, we make more. You two

make quite the team. Actually, Doug, since this consolidation amounts to new

business, it should be considered as business brought in by Abby and myself.

you don't. This is business originating with a firm client. You don't get a

percentage here.

Well, it's just a thought.

Move along.

Next up.

People versus Mark Wright. What is this?

Yeah, my client got in a high -speed chase with the police.

Two officers were hurt. They're pressing charges.

Why were they chasing him? He allegedly ran a stop sign. A stop sign? Why didn't

he just pull over?

Because it was the police. He was afraid to.

We're going with self -defense.

Well, wait a second. Did the police do anything to your client?

No, because he didn't give them the chance.

Wait, wait, wait, wait. This is your defense?

He was afraid, so that gives him the right to run away?

Come on.

I think we can win. Well, what sort of a victory is that?

If I get an acquittal, it's a victory for the client. At least that's... I

a big problem with a lawyer in this firm, an officer of the court, standing

and endorsing anarchy.

I'm just as afraid of anarchy as you are, Leland.

Trust me.

Well, administrative notes.

Effective today, Leland McKenzie returns as senior partner. I'm the executive

managing partner, Roxanne Millman, executive office administrator.

Be advised, new stationery will be out today bearing our new firm name,

Brackman Chaney.

And Becker.

I like it. That's all. We're adjourned.

I don't know. I dropped Chaney.

Arnold, you've only been in therapy a month.

Things don't happen overnight.

I just feel like we keep going over the same old ground, that's all.

Then let's try to break some new ground.

You haven't said much about your mother.

Other than that she was overbearing.

Guys, is that what you guys always fall back on when you're at a dead end?

Blame it all on Mommy.

Fear of intimacy can often be traced to parents' destructive... Whoa, whoa,

whoa. Fear of intimacy?

If anything, I want too much intimacy.

Arnold, intimacy is the last thing you want.

Sometimes the best way to avoid it is to pretend to be... What kind of fortune

cookie cycle babble is this? Most people use sex as a way to connect with

someone. You use it as a way to insulate yourself, but still pretend that you're

trying to connect. I don't need to listen to this.

Arnold, don't you see you're doing the same thing now?

You can't let yourself get too intimate with me.

Look, check's in the mail, Doc. Why don't you give my appointment to someone

really needs it, huh?

When he was out, I went into his apartment.

I got the key because I'm the super.

There it was, my TV, VCR, sitting right on the sofa.

I told the police, and then they arrested him.

but I didn't know nothing about the drugs they found.

Thank you, Mr. Johnston. Nothing further.

Did the police know you were the superintendent of the building when they

you to get more evidence?

Yes. Your Honor... Counsel, approach.

You could have a big problem here, little lady. As the person who taught

criminal procedure, I should be shocked.

If the police directed him to go in there, he was acting as their agent.

Their warrantless agent, which means the drugs they found incident to his arrest

are poisonous tree fruits, which means you got no case.

The police never told him to search that apartment. He was not their agent.

We'll find that out right now when he asks the questions.

Step back. Step back.

Sir.

The police knew you had access to my client's apartment, did they not?

Yes, I did. And, Mr. Johnston, was it clear in your mind after you left the

police that you should check this apartment to look for evidence? Move to

strike. Strike two.

Three and two.

One out.

Nobody on. Bottom half of the fifth.

Pete Rose should be banned for life. He gambled.

Forgive these little digressions, people.

But I find it a pity that sometimes our national pastime has afforded more

respect than our judicial process.

I mean, if a baseball game were interrupted with continual, meaningless

protestations, the umpire would simply eject the offender, give him the thumb,

the old heave -ho.

But here in court, I'm forced to accommodate endless repetitions and

by defense attorneys and prosecutors.

whose tactics sometimes subvert the very process we're here to uphold.

Sir, did the police suggest to you that you should search the apartment or not?

No, but... Did they hint that you should?

Or did you do this on your own?

I did it on my own.

Fantastic. Well, we don't have a problem then.

Splendid.

Move on, Mr.

Castroverti.

That stuff about Pete Rose? God, I've never heard him ramble like that.

He's Judge Beale. What else is new? No, but he's being weird even for him. He

never misses on the laws, though. He may be crazy, but his rulings are right on

the money.

Reckless evasion plus the fine. I'll go for one year, nine months suspended.

Come on, Carrie, give me straight probation.

We can take a long lunch.

Very long. I'd be fired.

He was genuinely afraid, and the jury's going to see that. I'll go down to three

months if you please.

But if we go through trial on this, I'm going for at least a year. No deal.

Jonathan, this thing's serious.

I couldn't agree more.

This thing is serious.

After seeing the vehicle go through the stop sign, I followed and signaled with

my siren he just accelerated.

So then what'd you do?

We chased him. My partner called for backup and we were off.

And how fast was he going?

60 miles per hour in a residential neighborhood.

One of the responding backups tried to block the suspect's car at an

intersection, and it was at this point two of the police units collided. The

suspect eventually pulled into a residential driveway where he then fled

vehicle and entered the residence.

Then what happened? The suspect then stated that he had a gun and that he'd

shoot if we tried to enter.

Continue. We secured the premises.

After about 45 minutes, a man representing himself as his lawyer

scene. This gentleman here? No, it was another attorney. He went inside, and

after about 20 minutes, they both came out. We then placed the suspect under

arrest and took him into custody.

And, officer, do you see this man in the courtroom today? The defendant, sitting

right there.

Thank you, sir.

I have nothing further except to offer the party's stipulation, Your Honor,

Officers Cleary and Petrovic were injured in this collision.

Officer Robert Cleary suffering a broken pelvis, Officer Petrovic bruises and

lacerations.

Thank you.

Once my client's lawyer arrived, he did come out voluntarily, did he not? I

don't think he had much choice. We had 30 officers surrounding the house. Did

offer any resistance after his attorney arrived?

No. But before that, he threatened to shoot us. Did you find the presence of

gun either in my client's possession or in the house?

No, we did not. And how many police did you say were at the scene?

About 30. And to your knowledge, sir, has the LAPD ever been guilty of

against... Objection. This witness... I'm just asking what he knows. That's

This thing has been so overblown, it's... Wait, wait, wait. Yes or no?

Has the LAPD ever been guilty of brutality? Every force. At one time...

no?

Sir.

Yes. Thank you.

Nothing further.

I didn't roll through the stop sign. I came to a complete stop.

Well, sir, if you really felt you'd done nothing wrong, why didn't you pull over

when you heard the siren? Because I wasn't carrying my driver's license, and

wasn't about to deal with the police there.

What do you mean, there?

I mean in that neighborhood, the same place as the man on the tape.

Your Honor, the parties stipulate the witness is referring to a videotape you

saw on the television news, which tape depicts an encounter between a speeding

suspect and the Los Angeles Police Department in the same area. The people

its objection on the grounds of relevance... Overruled. It goes to state

mind. Play it.

How many times prior to the night you were chased had you seen this tape?

Many times. You couldn't watch the news without seeing it. And what, if

anything, did it make you think about the Los Angeles Police Department?

There was no way I was going to get out of my car that night. I wasn't going to

fall into their hands.

Okay. So you drove home, kept them at bay till you could get a lawyer?

Yes. And Mr. Wright, have you personally ever been assaulted by a police

officer?

When I was 16, I was handcuffed.

I was thrown face first into a sidewalk and kicked.

What for? I was never told.

They made me lay there for about an hour or so.

Then they said, mistaken identity, and they let me go.

Do you think all policemen are capable of this kind of violence?

No. I know the police have got a tough job, and most of them are good, but

there's a lot of them like the ones in that tape, a lot of them.

And I couldn't be sure that some of them weren't chasing me in the car that

night. I was not going to hang around to find out. Thank you.

I have nothing further.

You ignored those sirens and instead drove your car in excess of the speed

to elude the police.

Yes or no?

Yes. And after you went into your house, you told the police you'd shoot anybody

who tried to enter.

Yes or no? Yes. And you did this because of that videotape?

I did this because I was afraid for my life. Would it be fair to say that as

drove your car 60 miles per hour in the residential neighborhood and caused 30

police officers to bear their arms around your house, that the only safety

were concerned with was your own?

Absolutely.

Thank you.

I have nothing further.

Hey, Victor.

Back already?

Yeah.

It's about Benny, honey.

You know, he's not doing too good.

Yeah, tell me about it. He won't even come into work.

The dry cleaning is stacked up like cordwood.

So how come you haven't gone to see him?

I'll get there.

When?

Excuse me?

When? Everybody's gone to see him, Arnie. You know something, Victor? Maybe

of the reasons I haven't got there is because I'm up to my ass filling it for

lawyers who deserted this place.

Hey, this isn't about that. Don't make it about... Don't you come strutting in

here like Mr. Concern, Mr. Guardian Angel.

What's the problem, Victor?

Benny not responding to you when you reach out?

Well, maybe he sees the blood on your hands from what you did here. Go to

One of the problems Benny is probably having is all you guys showing up ten

times a day trying to cram cheer down his throat.

You ever stop and think maybe he doesn't need everybody pouncing on him, telling

him to get better? You ever stop and think about that for a single second?

some help, okay? Oh, yeah, right. It's me. It's always me. Well, let me tell

something, Victor. It's you.

My friend Mark Corey asked me if I could put the guy up for the night. I didn't

even know him.

He was a friend of a friend who needed a bed.

And it's your testimony that this person stole the merchandise.

He had to. It wasn't me.

And the drugs were his, too.

I never do drugs, man.

And that's the truth.

Thank you, Mr. Checkels. That's all.

What wonderful hospitality you have, Mr. Checkels, letting a complete stranger

stay in your apartment.

Like I said, he was a friend of a friend.

I see. And your friend, Mark Corey, he won't provide you with the name of this

person? Do you know how much you remind me of my daughter?

Your Honor? Do you have the slightest notion of what it's like for me to see

like this, so grown up?

Good God.

You're a woman, and you're an attorney.

Excuse me, Your Honor.

Members of the jury, I'm going to let you in on a little secret.

I'm a chauvinist.

When I see women like Miss Clemens, I look at them like they could be my

daughters. That would be my inclination, albeit a wrong one.

My job, however, as a judge, is to see her as a district attorney.

Most jurors tend to look on defendants as criminals.

That is your inclination. Your job, however, is to presume innocence and not

gauge this man's testimony based on any preconceived notion on your part.

Most judges wait till the end of the trial before giving such instruction.

Sometimes, however, I find it more timely if given during the testimony of

accused.

Continue, Miss Clements.

Uh, did you ever see this person before you let him stay at your place?

Only once before.

And Mr. Checkels... I'm sorry.

We'll have to have a short recess.

Clarence!

All rise.

What is going on?

Glory, glory, hallelujah? The diatribe on Pete Rose, the daughter business? Oh,

come on, don't...

You took three classes from me in law school. I swore you in as an attorney.

You've tried a zillion cases before me, and you're just figuring out now that

I'm a total kook?

I am not talking about your eccentricities or about your being crazy

Beale. You lost it in there, and it scared you. Listen to this.

Completely restored. This is like being in the same room with the orchestra.

Ma!

She's making eyes at me.

Ma, she's awful nice to me.

Ma, she's awful. I dedicate this to you.

Are we done?

Your Honor.

Your Honor. Your Honor, I don't feel like dancing.

I certainly hope you didn't come in here to discuss the case.

That would be ex parte and totally inappropriate.

I am here as an officer of the court, concerned about the mental fitness of a

judge. I'm the most published jurist in this district.

Here, look at this.

I'm developing a de novo trial system which will redefine the superior court

calendars. This is a breakthrough.

I'm not challenging your intellect.

You're challenging my mental fitness. You called me your daughter in open

That was an analogy, for God's sake, just to show the jury... The analogy was

cover -up.

There is something wrong with you. There's nothing wrong.

Jean Valjean is nothing more. Another story must begin.

That's a lyric from Les Miserables.

When Valjean decides to erase his past.

I've heard you listening to that before.

Your Honor.

I have a virus.

I can barely pronounce it.

It's called Jakob Kreuzfeld.

It makes me have these short lapses, nothing more.

It's nothing I can't handle. It's affecting you.

Affecting me?

My rulings of law are still beyond reproach. You see this system?

Look at it, though.

Look at it.

This will cut the backlog of cases by 23%. This thing that you have, is it

curable? I'm on medication.

It'll all be over in a couple of months, they say.

I'll be a good boy, counsel.

I promise.

So, sometimes you do remind me of my daughter.

Night. See you tomorrow.

Wow.

Ah, ta -da.

Family law center benefit Becker wrote me into going. With him? No, no, in his

place. He said he didn't feel up to it.

Look, Abby, I... CJ?

My date.

He had to pick me up here. I was in court till... Hey.

God.

Let's just skip the dinner and lock the door.

Play Jones, Abby Perkins. Oh, excuse my manners.

She has that effect on me.

I've got to go. No, no, no. Don't let me drive you away. I promise I can be

civilized. Don't let him fool you.

Well, I fooled you, didn't I?

We have to go.

Hates to admit that she fell in love with you. Out, Clay. I'll see you

Bye.

Doctor, did you make an examination of Mark Wright?

Yes. And I concluded that his anxiety could likely be traced to two incidents.

The false arrest as a teenager when he was arbitrarily pushed to the sidewalk

and kicked. And the videotape he saw on the news the week before he was chased.

Wait a second. The videotape?

That wasn't really his own experience.

In fact, it is.

Videotape footage, if graphic enough, can easily penetrate into the viewer's

psyche. Are you telling us that it's the same as being there? Of course not. But

videos like this don't simply transmit information.

They convey the trauma as well. Many people in this country, for example,

suffered from post -traumatic stress disorder over the war in the Persian

People whose only connection to the war was watching the news.

And you think by watching the footage of the police beating, it contributed to

my client's fear the night he was confronted by the siren? My God, how

not?

That tape shows policemen engaging in violent criminal behavior, beating and

kicking a person who was not even resisting.

How could any man?

especially a black man, look at that and not be afraid.

Thank you, Dr. Michelson.

Nothing further.

Are you telling us, doctor, that it is reasonable for a person when signaled to

pull over by the police, that it's reasonable to engage in a high -speed

in a residential neighborhood, barricading himself inside of a house

threatening to shoot? I'm saying his fear is reasonable. I'm not talking

his fear. I'm talking about his response, the way he acted on that fear.

afraid for his safety.

That kind of panic can easily compromise your judgment... So then, in fact, you

do agree his judgment was compromised.

He did the wrong thing, didn't he, Doctor?

I don't know that.

The circumstances were such that... The circumstances were that the police

signaled him to pull over and he tried to outrun them.

Now, if it's okay under this scenario for a civilian to initiate a high -speed

chase, when would it not be?

I have nothing further.

Leave your clothes on the floor the laundry please come and take you away.

know that don't you?

Hey buddy, the doctors say that you're ready to come back to work.

I don't wanna.

Why?

Because.

Look, Benny, you can't just sit here all day.

You need to work.

You need your friends.

I don't want any friends.

Why would you say something like that?

Friends go away.

Victor's going away.

Michael's going away.

Benny, I know it hurts. You don't know. You don't know.

I... I do know.

I lost Corrine.

I lost Chloe.

I've lost every woman who ever tried to get close to me, and I did it to myself

just like you're doing now.

You can't stop trusting, Benny, or you stop living.

You can't just walk away from people who are trying to help you.

Counsel, we're not back in till tomorrow.

I know.

Sit, sit.

I did some checking on your illness.

Jock, uh... Kreutzfeld.

Yeah.

It causes dementia.

There's no cure.

It's probably going to kill you.

Well, if it kills me, we'll appeal, that's all.

You're going to keep slipping into these delusions more and more.

Maybe lawyers who don't know you as well as I do won't be able to tell.

Pretty soon, you won't even be able to tell. I revel in being a judge.

I do. I live for it.

I love the very process of justice and my participation in that process.

The day I can serve it no longer, I'll step down.

I think that day is here.

No, no, no, no, no. I have spells, yes.

But even with this inane virus, I'm a better judge than most.

As soon as I finish restructuring the districts, my de novo system can work.

It's simple.

Jury -waived bench trials, automatic appeals.

We can slice right through our dockets.

So this is big.

I am a district attorney with knowledge of a judge with a mental infirmity. I

have an obligation to disclose this.

Let me tilt at windmills a little while longer.

I promise the day they start tilting back...

I'll get out.

You have to resign.

If you go back in to resume that trial, I'll have to move an open court to have

you disqualified from the case, and I'll be forced to give the grounds.

I'm sorry.

But I have no choice.

I can't be removed because of an illness.

That's handicap discrimination.

I'll bring a 1983 action.

Title VII, 14th Amendment.

Don't threaten me, Counsel.

You can't win this.

Hi.

Hi.

Um... I thought you might be avoiding me. Maybe a little.

Listen, about what happened with Claire...

Clay is none of my business.

Yes, he is.

And I didn't want you to meet him that way.

So, you and he are... Were.

We lived together for six months. We broke up two years ago.

When I went into your office last night, I was going to tell you that I didn't

think we should pursue this.

And then when I saw you with him, I felt jealous.

I mean, I couldn't believe it, but I was.

I love Clay, and I always will, but we are just friends now.

I still have to deal with how I felt.

I can't stay. I have to be in court in half an hour. I should get back to work

anyway. I'm glad you came by.

Yeah, me too.

CJ. Uh -huh?

Can we have dinner tomorrow night?

Sure, where?

Your house.

Eric's spending the weekend with a friend.

Abby, maybe we should talk about this.

I'll see you at eight.

Okay.

Okay, simple misdemeanor.

Operating a vehicle in an unsafe manner, straight probation.

No.

Excuse me?

I said no.

I'm offering to let your guy walk. How can you... Because you're afraid of

losing. Carrie, your offer is rejected.

Are you going to take this to your client?

I don't have to. My client wants a not guilty.

He's not interested in pleas.

And does he know that the lawyer advising him has a personal grudge

LAPD? Does he know his attorney has a civil suit pending against the police?

That is not relevant to this case.

Come on.

You're on a mission here that goes beyond your client and this case. What's

mission, Carrie?

We got a police chief with a life tenure. We got a mayor who is powerless

remove him. The police department is going on wilding sprees, costing the

taxpayers $10 million a year in civil lawsuits, and you pretend like nothing's

going on. The police did nothing wrong here.

Two of them were injured, one very badly. What happened to you, maybe they

away with that, and if so, I'm sorry.

Hey, I've been stopped by the police, sometimes probably for no other reason

than that I'm black, but that has nothing to do with this case.

Whatever your personal baggage is, you gotta let that go.

You don't let that go.

They throw you face down onto a hood of a car, they beat you with a nightstick,

and they want to prosecute me.

You don't let that go.

Listen to yourself.

Forget about listening to me.

Do your client a favor and listen to yourself.

You ready?

Look,

Mark, you realize with the plea you're guaranteed no jail time, right?

Yeah, yeah, you've explained all of that, so let's go. What I didn't explain

maybe was my own agenda.

The police roughed me up a couple of months ago.

Their track record of brutality... I've steered you away from the plea to make

a point about stuff that really has nothing to do specifically with you or

case. I'm a law -abiding citizen, and I'm scared of the police.

In my own neighborhood, I have to be afraid.

This stuff you're talking about, how can you say it has nothing to do with me?

The plea is rejected.

Go in there and make your point.

To protect and to serve.

That's the motto of the Los Angeles Police Department.

But this department does not instill a sense of safety.

Right or wrong, deserved or undeserved, the LAPD has one of the worst

reputations for brutality of any urban force in this country.

Mark Wright.

was aware of that reputation.

He saw that tape and believed, like the majority of L .A. residents believe,

this kind of police violence goes on all the time.

But you see, usually, it's not on tape.

Usually, it's just the say -so of one suspect versus two or three or 20

whose motto is to protect and to serve.

I know it's tough being a police officer, really.

They're fighting gangs armed with automatic weapons, and they're risking

lives. But the thing is, they encounter so many bad people every day, they've

forgotten that also living in this society are good people.

This department has lost the trust of those people.

The community, the neighborhoods, we the people don't respect

you.

You scare us.

During a week where we had opportunity as Americans to be so incredibly proud

our armed forces, a time where we could take pride in our president and the

soldiers who truly served us in the fight for civil liberties, we had to

that tape and see what your fellow officers did.

We would turn on the news and see our military in the desert treating

surrendering Iraqi soldiers with humanity and civility.

and we see our own public servants kicking and beating an American citizen

our streets.

We would all love nothing better than to be able to trust and respect our

police, to not feel fear and threat at the sight of them.

But we can't.

What a horrible tragedy that Mark Wright felt compelled to run that night.

But what's even worse is that most of us feel the same way.

The defendant illegally tried to flee the police after running a stop sign.

He caused a high -speed chase that resulted in serious injury, and he

to shoot the police.

Basically, his defense to this is, since I'm afraid of the police, I'm exempt.

That's ridiculous.

What we saw on that tape was clearly reprehensible.

As a public servant, I was shocked and disgraced by the behavior of those

officers.

As for the department's relationship to the public, it's also a disgrace.

But this relationship is bilateral, ladies and gentlemen. If you want the

department to show you the respect you deserve, it goes both ways.

Of the six largest forces in this country, LAPD has the fewest per capita

officers. They are outmanned and outgunned by the gangs, and they're shot

every day during the six weeks of combat in the Gulf.

119 of our American soldiers were lost in action.

During that same period, over 3 ,000 American citizens were murdered right

here at home.

Over 270 ,000 cases of aggravated assault.

Over 20 ,000 rapes. So don't think for one second that they're not in a war.

If you don't want the police department resorting to street justice, fine.

Show them they don't have to this guy broke the law show them the system works

So

Were we having ex parte fun?

Uh, Billy, so you know, uh, I've asked Judge Field to disqualify himself and

call a mistrial.

Well, I don't want a mistrial. I think... I do.

And the reason he is not here, I think he's going to disqualify himself from

bench.

Why?

With any luck, you'll never know.

Well, you guessed wrong, Counselor.

That's his charge music he's playing. The 1812. That means he's on the attack.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

Oh, God.

What happened?

I'm in Judge Beale's chamber.

Get an ambulance up here immediately.

I was, uh, ten.

Ten, I guess.

I went over to my dad's office, you know, just to see him, just a surprise.

When I got there, there was already someone in his office.

A woman.

She was tall.

Red hair.

And he was...

Touching her.

Touching her.

I ran home. I never told them.

Never told Mom.

That night, I heard them yelling at each other.

Calling each other names. Whore lover, that was her favorite phrase. He'd call

her a bitch.

She'd call him a whore lover.

How did that make you feel?

Like I wanted to run.

Like I wanted to run and never be like that, be like them.

Not ever.

Have you succeeded?

What do you think?

We had a temp in here. We screwed up the mail like you wouldn't believe.

I know, but it's okay now. I took care of it.

I gotta go pick up Ernie's dry cleaning.

Ernie, it's good to have you back.

This place runs so much better with you here.

Has the jury reached its verdict?

We have. What say you? In the matter of the people versus right, on the account

of reckless evasion, we find the defendant guilty.

On the count of assault with a dangerous weapon, we find the defendant not

guilty. On the count of resisting a law enforcement officer, we find the

defendant not guilty.

Sentencing next Tuesday. The jurors and parties are free to go.

That was Mother Dominica. She bailed me for skateboarding into the nun's chapel.

You skateboarded into the nun's chapel?

Yeah, during Vespers. Well, I didn't mean to. They left the doors open.

Mother Domenica didn't see the humor I'd taken.

In anything, least of all me.

Too bad.

You're pretty funny.

No, more of that, please.

Oh, that's terrible.

No, no.

You sure? Yeah, I'm fine.

Me too.

Mm -hmm.

Then why do you look so scared?

Why?

Because... you and I... I've never done this before.

What makes you think something's going to happen now?

Because I'm... ready.

Well, first of all, I never said I was ready.

Well, I'm... You're not ready at all.

You've been jittery ever since you arrived, nervous laughter all through

You haven't demonstrated enough honesty to make for a decent friend, let alone

anything more than a friend.

I like you very much, but I don't want to jeopardize our relationship because

you're trying to satisfy your curiosity. It's not just curiosity.

Maybe it is and maybe it isn't.

But nothing is going to happen tonight.

You can consider yourself two things, dumped and relieved.

You told me you gave me all the keys.

I did, except for one.

Thank you for coming.

If I'd known what had happened, you wouldn't have had to call.

Maybe it was a blessing, you know?

I mean, they say the disease would have eventually rotted his brain away.

It was probably a blessing.

You had to do what you did.

You're a DA. You got wind of a judge losing his mind. You got to blow the

whistle. No discretion.

He was still getting the job done, Tommy.

He was shaky, but... I didn't have to put the gun to his head.

You didn't do that.

I'm not strong enough for this job.

I'm not.

You? Yeah, you are.

I'm so sorry. I still need you.

need you anymore.

But I can't help it.