Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry about the baby.

I got your note, thank you. How is Victor?

Victor and I are separated.

Elsa Chandler is a murderer.

She put a gun in her purse, she took it to her husband's office, and she killed

him with it. Didn't she say that her husband had forced her to come to his

office that night? And didn't she tell you exactly why she killed him? She said

he raped her.

but not that night.

But didn't she tell you that he had raped her as recently as that morning

physically abused her for 12 years, that he had burned her with cigarettes? With

straight self -defense, you're taking too much of a gamble. Don't second

me, Tommy. I know what I'm doing. So do I. You're acting out. You've got an

awful lot of anger about the baby, and you're letting it cloud your judgment.

Now, as your friend, I know it's got to be killing you.

I will not consider renting space to Susan Bloom.

Her practice is phenomenal.

She represents half of Hollywood. They call her Jaws, Douglas.

You are a stubborn old fart.

Get out of here. Don't sputter at me, Leland. This is too important.

We can do each other a lot of good.

I would rather swim in nuclear waste.

Can you believe it? I am paying these jets a golden overtime.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Now, these officers are really tacky, but they have huge possibilities.

moving in.

Regrettably, yes.

Battered women come from all social classes. It's a myth that they're poor

uneducated. Some studies have shown that there's a higher incidence of abuse in

places like Bel Air, Beverly Hills.

Why don't these women leave these relationships?

They think like victims of concentration camps.

When human beings are subjected to daily terror, to constant punishment, options

like escape cease to exist. They focus on avoiding the beatings. And when that

failed, to surviving them.

What if they try to get out? They're even more likely to be attacked by the

abusive partner.

Shelters, even police, can't seem to protect them.

Dr. Carter, is it probable that Elsa Chandler's husband would have continued

abuse her? There's almost no doubt. The violence would have become more frequent

and more severe. And in your opinion, the night that he ordered her to his

office, was it reasonable for Elsa Chandler to believe her husband would

her?

Absolutely.

With that kind of long -term abuse, Mrs. Chandler's life was in danger every

time she was alone with him. Thank you, Doctor. I have nothing further.

Doctor, aren't these studies anecdotal? Your Honor, we reserve the right to

recall this. That won't be necessary, Your Honor. What, we just forgot about

insanity? I told you I'm dropping it. Judge, I need a ten -minute recess.

You said you were thinking about it. I did.

Now, you're really going to do this, lose temporary insanity, hang your whole

case on self -defense, and hope the jury believes her? Killing her husband was

probably the most rational thing Elsa Chandler ever did. She doesn't belong in

psychiatric ward. She shot him before he ever laid a hand on her. Grace, you

know the law as well as I do. You've got to show immediate threat or you don't

make self -defense.

This is how I am trying the case. If you don't like it, you can get out.

Anything you say.

Settle down, please. We have a full agenda.

Where's Arnold? He's getting a shot for his allergies.

Ouch. First, the Elster Chandler trial.

Tomorrow, I have one witness to corroborate abuse.

Then Chandler is up.

Tommy is no longer on the case.

Well, that'll enhance our image.

Just move along, Douglas.

In re James Riley.

Captain Riley was shot down over North Vietnam in 1970.

He was officially listed as missing in action.

Three months ago, his wife died and left her entire estate to her husband. She

believes he's still alive?

And still a POW? Come on, it's been over 20 years. Amazing how anyone can still

believe those men are coming home. How can you say that?

What about all the sightings after the war?

Anyway, Riley's youngest son, Mike, is petitioning to have his father declared

dead, and he wants to divide the estate.

Our client, Sean Riley, is fighting it. He wants to use the money to find his

father. Any chance for a settlement?

No. I've tried. The brothers are barely speaking. Next up, are there questions

about office assignments?

Just one question.

Why did Susan Bloom get Mike Kuzak's office before it was offered to any of

partners? You could have put in for it.

You didn't.

And with the kind of rent she's paying, we can't very well give her your office.

No, we can't do that.

I'm glad you understand.

We're adjourned.

Tom, see you for a moment.

I'd like you to reconsider.

He'll never beat the odds, Leland. We both know that. Well, the jury could

nullify. They could come in not guilty.

Sure. And when have you seen it happen?

I mean, in the real world, a burning bed defense has to include insanity.

If Chandler was in her right mind, they won't acquit. But you don't know that

for sure.

Grace is damn good, Thomas. Now, don't underestimate her. Well, she's the best,

but she just lost her baby. Her marriage broke up.

Do you agree with her?

No, but it's a legitimate defense, and it's her case.

She's an independent now. I can't dictate strategy.

If she wants to take this risk, I can't stop her. But everything I know says

it's wrong.

I don't think I can back her. It's up to you, of course. I'm not going to force

you. I'm only going to tell you that right now, more than a second chair,

probably needs a friend.

My father was a pilot assigned to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing. On May 2nd,

1970, he was shot down over the Hua Bin province.

He radioed the plane was on fire and he was going to eject.

Was he ever heard from again?

No. By the time the search and rescue team reached the area, there was no sign

of him. The plane exploded on impact.

And at that time, the Air Force classified your father as missing in

Yes, but in 74...

My mother was notified that his classification had been changed to KIA.

Killed in action.

And do you agree with that conclusion?

I've read the file over and over, trying to find something, anything, that would

let me believe that he's still alive, but he's not. He's gone.

My father died in that crash.

Thank you, Mr. Riley.

You have no memory of your father, do you, Mr. Riley? Objection, Your Honor.

Relevant? His perception of his father's loss is directly relevant, Your Honor.

I'll allow it.

I was two years old when the plane crashed.

I remember a man who swung me over his head once, that's all.

Okay. In 1973, when 591 POWs were returned to this country in Operation

Homecoming, you were five years old.

Do you remember that day, watching it on TV?

Yes. Do you remember what your mother did during the broadcast if each man got

off the plane and was reunited with his family?

She kept saying my dad's name over and over again.

Jim.

Come on, Jim. Please, Jimmy.

She knew he wasn't on any of the lists, but she couldn't help it. And when he

wasn't one of the men that got off that plane, she started to cry.

Then what did you do, Mr. Riley?

I threw a picture of my dad against the wall.

I was five years old, Mr. Rollins. I blamed my father for making her cry, but

grew out of that. But over the years, there were other family disagreements.

and Sean couldn't stop hoping. But they did have information that justified

hope. The United States government reviewed my father's case and determined

was dead. As part of a blanket ruling, a ruling that resulted in all MIAs being

declared dead. All 2 ,300 of them. Get to the point, Mr. Rollins. You stand to

benefit from this proceeding, don't you? What do you mean? About to be married,

maybe have a family.

Inheriting $350 ,000, that's not a bad start. Don't tell me about bad starts,

Mr. Rollins.

I grew up watching my mother wait her life, waiting for the phone to ring.

Don't tell me about bad starts.

Hi, we haven't met. I'm Susan Wood.

Oh, hi, Otto Becker. Nice to meet you.

You know what I expected.

Yeah, well, I left my fangs, my death ray at home. Makes a lousy first

impression.

Nice office.

Oh, thank you. I just redecorated. Yeah, I hear you're hell on lava lamps.

You all right if I smoke?

Actually, I prefer... Thanks.

You know, something's come up I think you might be interested in.

You know Steve Graham?

Yeah, a legal reporter, Channel 3? Well, he's going on vacation.

Station needs someone to cover for him for a couple weeks.

Now, the exec producer is a client of mine.

I told him I'd look around.

Well, I'm flattered, but...

I'm no journalist.

You don't have to be.

They have reporters to do the research, writers to write the copy. All you have

to do is read it. Plus, once a week, you take phone calls, do a little

improvisational legal advice. But I'm a divorce attorney.

But you went to law school. You know the difference between a crime and a tort.

This is only a temporary thing, right?

That's what they're saying.

But my hunch is they're looking to dump it. I could be wrong.

Look, sleep on it. Let me know tomorrow.

They want to jump on this by week's end.

Nice to meet you.

What's in this for you?

Favor for a client. Why me? What are my qualifications?

Are you kidding?

Every woman between 18 and 34 is simply going to lose herself in those big blue

eyes.

I still think you're wrong, but I'm willing to compromise. If Chandler still

wants to play it your way, I'll back you up. I don't need any favors. I'm not

doing any.

Fine. She'll be in tomorrow.

It is true a blanket ruling of death was made, but the Department of Defense

continues to operate under the assumption that some of those men might

survived. What exactly is the government doing, Colonel? Our Defense

Intelligence Agency has a special team deployed in Southeast Asia.

Every lead about missing Americans is pursued and tracked down. And yet not

soldier has emerged as a result of all of these efforts.

You think maybe you're chasing rainbows, Colonel?

Well, maybe we are. But even if only one serviceman is still alive, we owe it to

him to get him out.

Then, in your expert opinion, is there any evidence here that would warrant

continued hope on the part of this family?

I hate giving up on any man, but in this case, I see no evidence to support a

claim that Captain Riley is still alive.

Thank you, Colonel.

Colonel, it's a matter of record that over the last 18 years, your agency

received 11 ,933 reports concerning Americans in Indochina, some as recent

the last few weeks, correct?

Yes. Of those 11 ,933 reports... How many have been worthy of further

investigation by your agency?

Approximately 100 are still under investigation.

So, out of over 11 ,000 reports, any one of which might lead to the rescue of

their father, you've determined that only 100 are worthy of further action?

know how many con artists are out there peddling false hope to MIA families,

Counselor? Faking sightings for money? Bogus photographs?

Most of this information is no better than a rumor. Is it true that in 1985,

after repeated petitionings from Mrs. Riley, you finally permitted her to see

partially declassified report of one of these rumors which related to her

husband's capture?

It did not relate to her husband. The reported incident pertained to the

of another pilot, John Harwood, whose remains have already been repatriated.

Major Harwood flew an F -4 jet. The witness stated he saw a pilot parachute

an F -105, the plane James Riley flew. The date indicated Harwood. But the

location of the observer was, in fact, closer to Captain Ross.

Yes,

but we also have a responsibility to their families.

We're not going to mislead them. Encourage them to wait for men who are

coming home. And despite the evidence in your own files, Colonel, you insist

that Captain James Riley is one of those men.

The so -called evidence is not in our judgment enough to support the belief

he's still alive.

Short of Captain Riley handing you the file himself, Colonel, I wonder what

would make you believe it.

With self -defense alone...

There is no compromise for the jury. They have to acquit or find you guilty.

And if they convict, you could get the death penalty.

Now, if we give them a fallback, not guilty by reason of insanity, they'll

probably take it. You won't go to prison, but the judge will have to

To a mental hospital?

Well, chances are it wouldn't be for long, but there are no guarantees.

Ralph. He used to tell me that I was crazy and for a long time I believed

I will never believe that again.

I want to go with self -defense.

Is lunch over?

Are you still hungry?

Douglas is going to be wondering where I am. Just tell him to stop by the barn

for something quick and easy.

Let me out.

Not that we have to do this. We both have perfectly good beds.

I always wanted a quickie with you.

So what are you going to tell Susan Bloom?

God, I don't know.

I don't want to be a celebrity.

Hell, when I did the video, I wound up getting kidnapped. I mean, who needs a

third? There is that.

That is probably not the image the firm wants to project.

Being on the news is one thing, but a phone -in lawyer?

Leland would probably think I was undignified.

Douglas, on the other hand, would probably jump at the chance.

Are you kidding?

High profiles attract high -profile cases, Arnie. If I took the job, Douglas

would have my baby.

The people in the industry, power junkies, narcissists, what the hell do I

in common with people like that?

I can't imagine.

No, it's not for me.

I'm just not cut out for it. I'm a little too sensitive.

They eat guys like me for breakfast.

Speaking of eating, do you think we could stop at the cafe downstairs and

quick sandwich?

Yeah, sure.

I also want to stop at a newsstand. I think they carry variety.

Where did you serve in Vietnam?

I did three tours of duty in Saigon with Army Intelligence.

I monitored and analyzed enemy radio transmissions, basically eavesdropping.

that capacity, did you have access to information about POWs? Yeah, our

equipment was very sophisticated.

If the VC radioed that they had a prisoner, more than likely we'd pick up

We were able to track hundreds of our men this way.

Would a prisoner like James Riley have had value to the North Vietnamese?

Absolutely. They wanted live prisoners, especially men with technical training

like pilots.

And after our troops pulled out in 1973, what did you do?

Well, most of my civilian work in Saigon is still classified, but I served on

and off until 1975 as the translator for the American team discussing the return

of the MIAs with the North Vietnamese.

Meetings that took place for two years after President Nixon announced that all

POWs had been returned.

Right. It was no secret. It was part of the Paris Agreement.

Then it's your expert opinion that American POWs were held in Vietnam after

1973 release.

Like I said, I tracked several hundred POWs during the war.

They were alive when I left.

Not a single one of those men ever came home.

But Captain Riley wasn't among the hundreds of men that you tracked.

No. In spite of your sophisticated technology, you have no knowledge

not he even survived the plane crash.

No. Mr. Byerly, you were asked to resign your civilian position with Army

Intelligence. Is that correct?

We had a difference of opinion. You were asked to resign, yes or no? Our

government knew there were men left behind. I was told to shut up and stay

of it. Answer the question, Mr. Byerly.

Yes, I was asked to resign.

In fact, for an adequate job performance.

It's a load of crap.

Is it, Mr. Byerly?

Since 1975, you've lost four other positions due to poor work performance,

attitude, and absenteeism. Why don't we talk about the jobs I've held

successfully? Why don't we? For the last eight years, most of your income is

derived from your status as an expert on POWs, hasn't it? If this issue

disappeared, so would your livelihood.

Not true. You've made over $35 ,000 alone in this year in speaking

and magazine articles.

I don't make that much every year.

So this has been a good year in the MIA business. Is that it, Mr. Byerly?

I have no further questions.

Miss Novak, what was your relationship with Ralph Chandler? We slept together

for a while.

During his marriage?

Yes.

From 1986 to 1988.

Your Honor, both parties stipulate that Ralph Chandler's engagement calendars

for those years show appointments with Miss Novak several times a week. Miss

Novak, during those times, did Mr. Chandler ever exhibit abusive behavior

towards you?

At first, it was only verbal.

He liked to insult me.

It aroused him. Then it got heavier. One day, he went too far.

He started to slap me around.

It got pretty ugly.

Miss Novak, exactly what happened?

Let's just say it wasn't a game anymore.

He knocked me out cold.

When I came to, both my eyes were swollen shut.

I was bruised all over, and my shoulder was dislocated.

Did you ever see Mr.

Chandler after that? He tried to force me. He wouldn't back off.

I was so scared.

that I had to move and change my phone to a different number.

Thank you, ma 'am.

Miss Novak, did you accept money from Ralph Chandler? Objection, relevance.

Goes to the witness's credibility.

Overruled. Did you accept money from Ralph Chandler? I'm not a call girl.

But you let him pay your rent for a year.

He bought you expensive clothes and jewelry.

Doesn't give him the right to use me as a punching bag. Well, in fact, there's

no proof that Ralph Chandler ever did anything to you. You never sought

treatment for your injuries. You never told anyone. We really only have your

word that Ralph Chandler beat you.

It's the truth.

Is it?

Or did you agree to testify so that you could sell the film rights to your

story? Objection. That's totally without foundation.

No, it isn't. Miss Novak signed a contract last week with Creative Talent

International for film and television representation.

I'm an actress.

Oh, I agree. You're giving quite a performance right now. But that's not

profession. Objection. This whole line of questioning is irrelevant.

It's on point, Your Honor. It establishes the witness as a publicity

profit motive.

I'll allow it. I repeat.

Are you trying to sell the story of your relationship with Ralph Chandler to

Hollywood?

Yes.

No more questions.

There were four Americans at Grythin.

They were kept at their own place, away from the rest of us.

You were also a prisoner there, Mr. Fong? It was one of the camps that I was

sent to for re -education. How did you know these four men were Americans?

The guards called them GI No. 10, an insulting term for Americans.

Could you describe the appearance of these men?

They were very thin. Their uniforms were torn and dirty.

And how were they treated?

Life in the camp is very harsh, Mr. Rawlings.

But for Americans, it was particularly cruel.

Some mornings they were marched down to the yard, and the guard made them stand

there for many hours. No talking, no shade, no sitting.

And did you ever have any direct contact with any of these men? Several times. I

brought them water.

One time I saw on the earth, next to a tall man, the letters

R -I -L -E -Y.

The man has driven them with his foot.

Then the guard moved closer, and when I looked down again, the letters were

gone. When did this happen?

Five years ago, in April 1986.

Was this the man you saw?

Yes. That's a lie!

Mr. Riley.

That's the man. The picture is 20 years old! How could you possibly tell? Why

can't you believe him? Both of you, this is enough. Would you tell him he's

under oath here? Mr. Riley!

He's telling the truth! My mother sponsored his entire family. She paid

to come over here. I will not tolerate this.

Counselors, you have 20 minutes.

Don't bring your client back into my courtroom until they're under control.

All right, listen.

We'd like to make peace here.

My client wants to propose a settlement.

I don't know if the court will approve it, but let's hear it.

$50 ,000.

And the rest goes to guys like Fom. Forget it, Sean.

How do you do it? How do you hear a story like that and not feel anything? I

gave up on the stories. After that commando with the phony dog tags, you

get taken in by that nut.

We have to move on, Sean.

We have to forget.

No!

He's my father. If it takes the rest of my life, Mike, I'm going to find him.

Well, then the judge can declare us all dead.

We died that day he crashed in the jungle.

We've gone over this a million times. I know we rehearsed. I know that we've

gone over all of this, but I can't do it.

I just can't get up there.

Maybe there's a plea bargain.

Well,

I am guilty.

I'll just go to prison.

We have no case without you. The prosecutor has no reason to make a deal.

of people get scared.

It goes away once you're up there.

I let my husband humiliate me. I let him take away all of my dignity.

How can I explain that to those people?

You don't have to explain it.

You just have to tell him.

If you don't, he'll hurt you all over again, even though he's dead.

I don't know if the words will come out of my mouth.

They will.

You can do this.

We're gonna help you.

Gotta trust us.

Madeline Riley spent 20 years tenderly keeping a memory alive.

We're all moved by the loyalty that she felt for James Riley.

She never stopped loving him.

But she never remarried either. She never even considered it.

Madeline Riley gave up her life for her husband.

And now Sean Riley wants to chase the same false hope.

Would James Riley have wanted this?

Or would he have wanted his family to get on with their lives?

Your Honor, there is no credible evidence that James Riley is still

There's only the testimony of one Vietnamese refugee who owes his family's

relocation to Madeline Riley.

That's not proof.

That's a shred of hope that Sean Riley has convinced himself is a fact.

But Mike Riley doesn't want to live on hope any longer. He wants a life of his

own.

In Vietnam, they say the spirits of the dead can't rest until their bodies are

given a proper burial.

Please give James Riley a proper burial here, Your Honor.

It's time to let his spirit rest.

Your Honor, in 1969, the U .S. government told Madeline Riley that her

was needed to stop communism in Vietnam, and she believed them.

In 1970...

The government told her Jim had been shot down, but that everything possible

being done to secure his release, and she believed them.

By 1974, when the government issued its blanket death certificate for all MIAs,

she stopped believing them.

These are the facts.

A witness near where Captain Riley was shot down saw a pilot parachute from the

same kind of plane as his. In 1986, a Vietnamese prisoner saw a man write the

name Riley in the dirt and later identified him from a picture of James

In 1986.

Your Honor, there is credible evidence that Captain Riley is still alive.

The government has abandoned him.

Please, don't force his family to do the same.

It would always start the same way.

Something would make him angry.

He didn't like what I cooked.

The house wasn't clean enough.

He would start by yelling at me, and then he would slap me.

I would try to calm him down.

But I could always feel it coming.

He would, um, lose control.

Last Christmas, things got so bad that I thought perhaps he would let me leave,

and so I asked him for a divorce.

How did he respond?

He threw me out. He said that he was going to teach me a lesson in survival.

I slept in the yard that night.

Did things get worse after that?

The beatings got worse.

They became more frequent, and he wouldn't let me go anyplace without him.

cut me off from any contact.

It was like I was a prisoner.

Mrs. Chandler, can you tell us what happened in the 24 hours prior to your

husband's death?

The night before, Ralph was drinking, and he called me into his study, and he

told me to sit down.

He grabbed me by the throat and he put a gun to my head.

He told me to look at the clock.

He said that there was one bullet in the gun and six chambers and that he would

pull the trigger whenever the clock would strike the hour.

And then I would either die or I would live another 60 minutes.

Did he pull the trigger?

Yes. How many times?

Four times. In four hours.

Until he passed out.

And then he continued to abuse you the next morning, didn't he?

I woke up to... pain shooting through my

body. It was like I was being torn apart.

What was he doing?

I know how hard this is.

But we need to know.

What was he doing?

He was sodomizing you, wasn't he? Objection. Leading the witness.

Sustained. Elsa, what was he doing?

He was sodomizing me.

And when he left, I tried to get up. The bed was covered with blood.

And when was the next time you heard from your husband?

That night at 7 o 'clock, he called me from his office. He ordered me to get

over there right away and to bring him his gun. And what happened when you got

to your husband's office? He screamed at me that I was late.

He told me to give him the gun.

So I took the gun out of my purse.

And he stood up.

And then what happened?

I shot him.

I didn't mean to, but he was going to kill me.

I know that he was going to kill me.

Thank you.

Nothing further.

How did you know, Mrs. Chandler?

How did you know he was going to kill you at that moment?

Did he say so?

No. Did he move toward you?

No, but he would have. But he never did?

No. Now, you claim that you were a prisoner for 12 years, but you never

a friend, you never told a family member, you never called the police.

Ralph told me he would kill me if I did.

Mrs. Chandler, you're still living in that prison, aren't you?

I don't know what you mean. The $5 .3 million house.

your husband bought in 1989.

Now, he's been dead almost a year, but you still live there.

Yes. Aren't the memories too painful?

Argumentative, Your Honor. Sustained. Watch yourself, Mr. Graffia. And what

about your husband's money, Mrs. Chandler? You gave $20 ,000 to your

Stephen Waring.

Objection. No, he was not my lover.

Sustained. We never slept together.

He was the only person who understood me. Mrs. Chandler, if it really was that

terrible, why didn't you leave the night your husband locked you out?

Why couldn't I? I was too ashamed. You could have gone to a neighbor's house.

You could have called Stephen Waring.

Now, why didn't you?

Why didn't you, Mrs. Chandler?

Can you understand?

He tore off my nightgown and threw me out. I couldn't go anywhere.

I was naked.

Please be seated.

After reviewing the records of this trial, as well as the government files,

concluded that the evidence is sufficient to overcome the presumption

and to justify the conclusion that Captain Riley may still be alive.

Therefore, Mr. Riley, I'm refusing to declare your father dead.

In the matter of your mother's estate, I have no choice. I direct that a trust

be established.

and that Sean Riley be named trustee.

He may use the money under court supervision to look for your father.

My ruling notwithstanding, it saddens me that the Vietnam War continues to claim

your family, and I sincerely hope that you can find a way to be brothers again.

This case is adjourned.

Good luck. Thank you.

Hey, if you change your mind, I could use your help.

I don't think so.

Mike, Mike, I never wanted to cut you off.

I'll talk to the judge. I'll try to get you something.

They'll don't get it to you.

It wasn't about the money.

It was never about the money.

Elsa Chandler shot her husband.

No one disputes that.

She went to his office, pulled out a gun, and she shot him in cold blood.

She claims that it was self -defense, that she was a battered wife, that she

been abused and degraded by Ralph Chandler for 12 years.

But strangely, she told no one, ladies and gentlemen. Not a friend, not a

member, not the police. The only person to corroborate her story...

Is Stephen Waring, the man she was seeing behind her husband's back, the

whom she gave $20 ,000, was Elsa Chandler abused by her husband?

I doubt it. But even if you think she was, even if you believe Ralph Chandler

deserved to die, there is no law that justifies what Mrs. Chandler did. There

no law.

that allows a wife to kill her husband in revenge for past abuse or to protect

herself from future abuse.

It's self -defense if and only if Elsa Chandler's life was in immediate danger

that night. And it wasn't, ladies and gentlemen.

Ralph Chandler was more than 20 feet away from her, behind a desk.

He hadn't hit her. He hadn't even moved toward her. But Elsa Chandler shot him

anyway. Now, she could have gone to the police.

She could have run away.

She could have called a friend. But she didn't make any of those choices. She

chose to kill another human being.

The law says Elsa Chandler is guilty of murder.

Is there a difference between a man's perception of immediate danger and a

woman's?

Ralph Chandler first beat his wife on her 28th birthday.

She knew that he was particular about the way that she looked, and she wanted

please him, so she spent the whole day getting ready. She picked out the

dress.

She decided to try a new hairstyle.

Ralph Chandler walked in that night and called his wife a whore.

He ordered her never to change her appearance again without his permission.

then he hit her over and over until Elsa lost consciousness.

And she woke up in agony to find that her husband had cut off all her hair.

For 12 years, Elsa Chandler endured that kind of abuse.

She was trapped in an endless cycle of violence and apologies, of

terror and apologies, of rape.

Now, when these things happen in our society, we want to turn away. We want

somehow to believe that it's the victim's fault. Why didn't she leave?

didn't she? Why didn't she?

Tell someone.

Elsa Chandler didn't because she knew her husband would kill her if she did.

wasn't just a threat.

He forced her to rehearse her own death.

Elsa knew what her husband planned that night.

He'd been promising to do it for 12 years. She was going to die. He was

finally kill her.

Yes, she did.

Have a choice, ladies and gentlemen. Rather than let her husband murder her,

Elsa Chandler chose to live. She is not a criminal.

She is a human being who was tortured nearly to death and in that one moment

found the will to survive.

Please, don't punish her for it.

30 seconds to floor. Hey, buddy. Jake, listen, this earpiece thing, it's a

little snobby. It's okay. You can take it out when we go to tape. Everybody

does. Listen, small change in plans. We couldn't get clearance on Chris Parker's

piece, so we had to yank it and bump up the dating service feature.

Excuse me? Look, I know it's short notice, and nobody expects you to be

perfect on a cold read, okay? So you got a copy in front of you. You got the

rest on the telephone. Are we ready, Arnie?

10 seconds to floor.

Break a leg, babe.

Settle down, people. And three, two, one.

Dating services.

Sometimes it seems like there's more of them than there are single people in L

.A. They promise romance, but do they deliver?

For the story, sitting in for vacationing Steve Graham is prominent

attorney Arnold Becker. Arnie.

Thanks, Julie.

What exactly are you buying when you go to a dating service?

If the ads are to be believed, you're buying happiness, romance, love.

That's how it was sold to Diana Dorian, a secretary from Sam Demas. She signed a

contract, spent hours on end looking at videotapes. Over a period of six months

in New Horizons, she selected over two dozen men and got only three

responses. We're clear.

One was from a 75 -year -old plumber. Another, a guy who'd done time in San

Quentin. Number three didn't quite speak English. I think he was from Mars.

Arnie. Arnie. You're on.

Oh,

God. I hope his mother isn't watching. Arnie, why don't we open up the phones

and take some calls, shall we?

Right. We're going to the phones. I knew that.

Okay, first caller wants to know about insurance premiums. Okay, our first

caller wants to know about insurance premiums.

Hi, caller number one, you're on the air. What can I do for you? I forgot to

my car insurance premium for a month. I just didn't have the money.

It expired on September the 30th, and I had an accident on October the 3rd.

Would I be covered? No.

Thank you for calling.

Arnold Becker for News at Noon.

Julie, Michael.

Food for thought.

Tell me, Arnie, is there any chance of some lucky girl pulling your tape?

Uh, no.

Not, uh... Not unless she's into

candlelight dinners, long walks on the beach, and, uh...

Midnight swims.

Don't tell me that under that lawyerly suit you're really a romantic.

Well, if by that you mean I believe every woman has one special light in her

that can only be seen by one special man, then I'm guilty as charged.

Nolo Contendre, lock me up and throw away the key.

Oh, good save, Arnie.

Yeah, good save.

Be seated.

Has the jury reached its verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

The defendant will please rise.

In the matter of the people versus Elsa Chandler, on the charge of first -degree

murder, we find the defendant... Not guilty.

I

kept

hoping for an earthquake.

There was a huge spotlight overhead, and I thought, one good jolt, and it's

over.

Arnie, they switched copy on you at the last minute. Now, anybody could have

missed a couple of cues.

I felt like my mouth was filled with cotton. I mean, the words, they just

totally lost their meaning, like I was reading Esperanto or something. I don't

even know what the hell I was saying.

Managed to do okay with Julie.

Oh, shoot me now.

Arnie. It was a reflex action. I just went on autopilot. I was coughing up

blood. I had to do something.

Well, don't be so hard on yourself. It was your first time.

You don't suppose my mother was watching, do you?

Arnie, Tony Berkman, the producer from KCYB.

Tell him I died.

He knows.

He was there.

Is that what I have to put up with here?

Tony, hi.

Listen, man, I am so... You did?

They did.

She did?

I think I called from almost 200 women asking if I was coming back.

Who's she? Julie Rayburn. She thinks I might have a huge TV queue.

I'm sure she does.

No, no, no, no. I'm here. This is terrific. Listen, but what about Stephen

Graham?

Uh -huh.

Well, I suppose I can make the time, but how much money are we talking about?

Yeah.

Wasn't me.

It was you.

I was lucky.

That too.

You risked her life, Grace,

so you could have something to hold on to, so you could prove that you were a

hell of a lawyer.

And you did it.

You won.

It's not enough.