Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law. I have a confession, Stuart.

Now? You were right about Ned.

He's wonderful with Matthew.

I was being a chauvinist.

I had a knee -jerk reaction to a male nanny. Oh, and if you read him My Little

Pony, he goes right to sleep.

But he won't go in the bathtub without Kermit. I'll go again. You've got all

emergency numbers by the phone, both ours and the car.

See you tonight.

You're not a litigator, Stuart.

Yeah, well... I don't want to spend my whole life as a lawyer without doing at

least one trial, and this is a pretty simple case, right? I think the client

would be more likely to expect one of our regular litigators on this. With all

due respect, Leland, your regular litigators are scoffing at it. I think

client would like to see the case in the hands of a lawyer who took it

seriously. Your Honor, this is interference with the defense.

Perception is fair game at any trial, except apparently this one. You're in

contempt, Kittredge. I move for a mistrial. Denied. You're getting a

when this is over, and probably a jail cell. I continue this trial under

protest. So noted.

Now, shut up. The jury will disregard Mr. Kittredge's outburst and his bad

manners. Frank Kittredge, my new associate. I promise the hired gun. I

The eminent Leland McKenzie. Pleased to meet you.

This is Gwen Taylor. We've met.

My client is a respected businessman.

This hearing is prosecutorial harassment.

Is it true you expected Miss Thomas to drop the murder one charge against Mr.

Viola? Well, let's put it this way.

It's going to take our new district attorney some time to get her bearings,

if she'll look at a map, she'll find that Hollywood is north off the 101.

Hollywood is where this mafia fiction belongs.

Senator Stefanini wasn't whacked by monsters in a movie. He was executed in

own garage.

And Pauly the boss Viola was indicted for that crime by a grand jury. He

be in custody.

On what grounds do you hope to revoke Mr. Viola's bail? There he is!

In answer to your many questions, it's a boy.

Seven pounds, six ounces.

Is this a big event for your family? Oh, yes.

And I'm still not answering to Godfather, Sally. But as of today, you

me Gramps. What do you think of today's hearing, Mr. Villalba?

I just want to get it over with so I can go home and bounce my new grandson on

my knee.

So you expect the bail decision to be upheld? I give four to one over the

prosecution. If they were a gambling man.

Case number 17537, People v.

Viola. Your Honor, the people move that the court reconsider its decision to

grant bail to the accused.

Your Honor, this is an outrageous request on the eve of trial.

Nothing's changed since the original bail hearings except the personnel in

district attorney's office.

Mr. Viola's no flight risk. Here he sits.

The prosecution's already exhausted its attempts to paint him as a threat to the

community. What are we doing here? When Mr. Viola posted his bail of $2 million,

it was said to come from legitimate business assets, primarily the 3V

Company. That is correct, Miss Thomas.

My inquiries revealed that only a small portion of the money came from this

business. Most could be traced to deposits and offshore accounts.

Bail monies cannot be the result of criminal activity.

Your Honor, I'd like to show this deed.

as proof of Mr. Viola's ownership of his ancestral home in Palermo, Sicily.

Please note the signature of Mr. Antonio Viola, attesting to the mortgaging of

this farmland for two billion lira, roughly one and a half million dollars.

And what distant relation is this Antonio Viola to the accused?

I hope Miss Thomas isn't suggesting it's criminal to be part of a large family.

Your Honor, it's human nature to resent Mr. Viola's prosperity. I don't resent

Mr. Viola's wealth.

The people resent his murder of Mr. Stefanini. Well, let's save that for the

trial, shall we? Miss Thomas, the bench doesn't want to hamper your vigorous

pursuit of this case, but this document satisfies the court.

Mr. Viola's bail is continued.

He's free to go pending the outcome of his trial.

I couldn't have done better myself.

Don't smoke that yet, Mr. Kittredge. When I'm finished, your new family will

have nothing to celebrate.

Thank you.

Next, the shooting stars versus the Hollywood hoopsters. Wrongful

I don't believe you took this on. All you do is handle their taxes.

Yeah, and I'm not a litigator. I'm really getting old, Douglas.

You have no case to it. These women breached their contract. They were hired

perform with the hoopsters. Yes, and they had the unmitigated goal to

win a game. Everybody knows they're supposed to lose.

That is part of the show. Yeah, but it doesn't have to be that way, Arnie. The

stars get carried away, both teams start to play basketball, and the crowd goes

crazy. To me, that's entertainment.

And the fact that the stars win, there's no reason to dump them. I agree. I

don't. I think you have major problems.

Oh, my God.

Speaking of problems.

Oh, no.

Don't tell me. Our new tenant offered you rent you couldn't refuse.

This isn't a laughing matter.

I can't believe we're sharing offices with a mob lawyer. It's not clear he's a

mob lawyer.

Susan Bloom assures me Mr. Kittredge doesn't make a practice of defending

type. That is not the point. This is organized crime, and if he wins, they're

going to want him on retainer, and they don't like to hear no for an answer.

Are we saying Viola isn't entitled to representation?

No, we're saying our firm could be jeopardized by this association.

Obviously, we don't as yet know Mr. Kittredge. We know he's ambitious, and

builds in the high six figures.

On that note, we're adjourned.

It's all right, Sarah. I was expecting Mr. Kittredge. I got your messages.

Pardon the mess. I am still moving in. Where are you putting the trophy you

expect for framing my client?

Trophies are kind of a male thing.

I'm planning this whole wall for Mr. Viola's ugly head itself.

Soft and mounted.

Too bad your case isn't stronger.

My client didn't care about Vincent Stefanini. He was nothing but a low

employee. He was an old rival.

And he was marrying his daughter into a drug empire. That kind of power play

enraged Viola. If you could prove that, you wouldn't need to lean on me the

first day of trial. What is this garbage?

Every client I have with a plea bargain pending has been turned down. A 17 -year

-old kid has been denied his juvie status.

This is extortion. Not at all.

I'm new here, getting to know people.

I've gathered you're an important man.

An asset to Mr. Viola and his friends, and in light of that, I've decided to

review all your cases. And screw with my clients' rights. If you're so concerned

about your clients, tell them to get other representation.

Are you trying to threaten me into pleading this case out? I'm trying to

your attention.

If I wanted to threaten you, I would mention a conversation between you and

Viola, which the FBI may have on tape.

Whatever conversation you're referring to, it's protected by attorney -client

privilege. Not if it suggests conspiracy to commit perjury, like inventing a

cousin in Palermo.

Are you charging me with something, Miss Thomas?

Not at the moment.

Then excuse me.

I'm due in court.

Dan, good morning. Stuart. How are you?

I think you all know each other, right? Yeah, look, we're a little short.

Time -wise. So, uh, maybe we should just get started.

Yeah. Right.

Which, uh, which one is Mr. Lipscomb?

Right here. Dan Lipscomb.

Eddie Fastbreak Foster.

Jeff Kramer.

Mr.

Lipscomb. You're the, uh, general manager of the Hoopsters?

So it was your decision to hire my clients, wasn't it?

Yeah. Girls were a novelty to help spice up the act. And at first, though, they

were fine. They did just what they were supposed to.

What exactly was that, Mr. Lipscomb?

To look good, help with the trick shots, then back off and let the hoopsters

shine. In other words, they were supposed to lose.

But it doesn't specifically state that anywhere in the contract, does it? It

don't state anything about a game, either. Page four.

The shooting stars agreed to participate in an exhibition of basketball

wizardry. performed by the incredible Hollywood hoopster. But there was a

and referees and time periods. I mean, this could be construed as an exhibition

game, couldn't it? Nope. In the definition section, page 34, we define

wizardry, i .e., the demonstration of extreme hoopsterism, preferably at the

expense of the opposing team.

Does that sound like a real game to you?

Well, it could under certain circumstances.

Then you don't know the definition of hoopsterism, huh?

No, I don't. What page is that on? This one.

Yeah. Here we go. Here we go. Yeah.

Do it, baby. Yeah. All right. All right. Here we go. Here we go. Oh, yeah. All

right. All right.

Is it coming? Is it coming? All right.

I'm ready.

Whoa.

Psych.

I woke up to what I thought was a car backfiring. It was 4 .30 in the morning

my wedding day.

Were you surprised that your father was getting home so late?

Not really. He'd been at the bachelor party.

What did you do after you woke up?

My father didn't come inside, so I went out to the garage.

I thought maybe he'd had too much to drink.

What did you find in the garage?

My father was lying on the floor beside the open car door.

Blood was splattered inside the car.

And I saw the bullet holes in his chest.

Just a few more questions.

What did you do next?

I ran inside and called an ambulance and our priest.

A few minutes later, Uncle Nick, my father's brother who lives with us, got

from the bachelor party. Did your father ever regain consciousness?

Yes.

Father Joseph was giving last rites while I was trying to stop the bleeding,

Uncle Nick kept asking him, Who did this to you?

And finally, my father opened his eyes.

Did your father say anything?

Objection. Calls for hearsay. Dying words exception, Your Honor.

Overruled. There's no evidence the man knew he was dying. Yes, he did. He asked

Father Joseph to take care of me.

The objection is overruled.

Continue, Miss Flanagan.

What did your father say?

He said, Polly.

Polly did it.

Were any of your father's associates called Polly? Yes.

Paul Viola.

Nothing further.

Miss Stefanini, Paul Viola wasn't just an associate of your father's, was he?

No, he's my godfather.

And would you have wanted to hear your father accuse your godfather with his

dying words?

Objection. I'll rephrase.

Isn't it true that you've had a grudge against Paul Fiala for 15 years?

We barely speak to each other. Because you ran away from home when you were 16?

Objection. Relevant.

Establishing bias, Your Honor. I'll allow it. Did you resent your godfather

bringing you home after you'd run away?

Yes. And also, didn't you know that your godfather was opposed to your upcoming

marriage? He was unhappy that I was marrying a Colombian. So at the moment

your father's death, you knew that your godfather did not endorse your marriage.

I'm a grown woman. It was nobody's business.

Right. You resented Paul Viola's interference, and now you allege you

father say Paulie. You're twisting what happened. I heard what I heard. I have

nothing further.

Carmela, can you tell us more about what happened when you were 16?

I'd run off with a guy who worked at a carnival, and my godfather came and got

me. And did you ever see your boyfriend again?

I wasn't supposed to, but he found me at my girlfriend's a week later.

His arm was in a cast.

He said my godfather's men had broken it. Objection! This is complete hearsay.

The jury will disregard.

Please, Miss Stephanini, just stick to the facts that you know.

I know his arm was in a cast, Your Honor.

So, rather than resenting your godfather, wouldn't you say that you

of him?

Yes, I'm afraid of him.

Then why are you here?

Because this was my father, Miss Flanagan.

I can't bring him back, but I know who killed him. Move to strike.

So ordered.

I have nothing further.

See the golden flame at the base of your spine.

Breathe in slowly.

Feel the glow rise up into your solar plexus.

I was thinking about my case while I was shaving.

That's good you didn't wait.

Feel the glow at the base of your skull, like the moon shining on the calm lake

which is your mind.

You know, I've been gone at this wrong.

Leland doesn't see it, but I think I can get sex discrimination.

Let everything go.

Feel in harmony with the universe.

Is the machine on?

Might be important. I better get it.

You guys go on without me.

Bye, Matty.

And breathe in.

Should I be in there?

Emergency meeting. Partners only.

What's Jonathan doing in there?

Don't ask.

To me, it's dollars and cents.

If Jonathan is going to take over Frank's client... Susan, I've taken them

Kittredge asked for my help because the D .A. was freezing him out.

And I said yes.

Yeah, well, the problem is you said yes to more than that.

Kittredge has asked Jonathan to represent him if the D .A. pursues

charges. What charges?

Suborning perjury, maybe conspiracy.

I don't want this firm tainted. Leland, she's blowing smoke. She's got nothing,

and she's trying to strong -arm him. More power to her. The woman's got...

I'm looking for a genderless word here. Guts. That's what it takes to go after

somebody like Viola. Wait a minute. Whatever happened to due process?

Thank you. That's not our concern right now. You are, Jonathan. You locked horns

last year with the district attorney's office. Yeah, I was right. Why should we

poison our relationship with the new DA over a guy whose ethics are anybody's

guess? He's your associate. How close are his ties with Viola?

Frank's an independent.

Now, I chewed him out when he took Viola on, but I could not get him to back

down. Well, he must know they're auditioning him for a permanent job.

Well, I don't think he'd take it.

Look, if anybody can defend these guys without getting sucked in, it's Frank.

That still doesn't address how it looks to our corporate client.

I don't care how it looks.

I care that clients' rights are being jeopardized. I care that the DA is using

her power to influence the outcome of a trial.

And I care, Douglas, that my firm is buying right into it.

All right.

Provided... If you don't compromise our relationship with the DA's office, I'm

willing to let you continue for now.

Great. Unless another partner has a strong objection.

Well, there you have it, Jonathan.

Our underwhelming support.

Mr. O 'Hearn, how long did you direct surveillance of Paul Viola for the FBI?

For seven years.

I ask you and the jury to turn to page 178 of the FBI's transcript of that

surveillance. And beginning with paragraph number 98, who are the parties

talking? Mr.

Viola's talking to Stefanini's brother, Nick.

I got this from a bug we planted at Viola's club. Could you read aloud and

explain to us the first three exchanges?

Objection. This man has no foundation for explaining. This man is an expert at

interpreting these tapes.

Overruled. Proceed.

Please. Viola says, these Gonzales are lori de porci.

That means evil pigs.

Who are the Gonzales? The family Stefanini's daughter was going to marry

Viola goes on, the Gonzales swim in la roba.

That means stuff or drugs.

La povere, rocks, coca.

Terms for heroin and cocaine.

Then Nick says, the cola can make trouble.

That's probably another reference to coke.

Viola answers...

Vinnie doesn't know trouble.

You hear what I'm saying?

Everybody's coming to me asking for the job.

Tell Vinnie that.

Ask him how long does he expect me to say no to guys who want him clipped.

Clipped? Killed.

When did this conversation take place?

Two months before Vincent Stefanini was shot to death.

And when was the last time you saw Vincent Stefanini?

On the night of the bachelor party.

We were watching from a van outside the Bay Social Club.

Around 1 a .m., Viola and Stefanini came out and drove off together.

And a little less than four hours later, Vincent Stefanini was found bleeding to

death on the floor of his garage.

Isn't that correct?

Yes, it is.

I have nothing further.

Mr. O 'Hearn, can you explain to me the FBI's goal in collecting these wiretaps?

Yes, they've been used to convict 25 members of organized crime on various

federal charges.

And was my client one of those convicted?

No. In fact...

These tapes have never been successfully used to prove any criminal activity by

Paul Viola, have they?

That's right.

Well, I can see why you're so eager to recycle them here.

Objection. Withdrawn.

Let's talk some more about paragraph 98, which I'd now like the jury to find in

the defense's transcript.

Can you explain to the jury why they've gotten two different transcripts from

the same tape?

In a trial like this, each side prints their version of what's on the tapes.

Because different people can hear vastly different things.

Sometimes.

Now, in paragraph 98, don't we simply have two men agreeing that drugs are a

distasteful business?

As a prelude to Viola making a threat on Vincent Stefanini's life.

Threat?

I ask the court's permission to play this section of the tape.

Proceed, bailiff.

I've really got to congratulate you. I can barely hear that conversation.

But Mr. Viola's tone is clear. Would you call it threatening?

A lot of times people mask a threat in a friendly tone.

So you would describe Mr. Viola's tone as friendly?

He sounded concerned.

I agree.

And didn't he say he had declined invitations to clip?

Mr. Stefanini, whatever that means.

Right, but Viola... And isn't it fair to say that paragraph 98 is the most

damning exchange you could come up with out of seven years eavesdropping on my

client? Yes, as we interpret it, the context... Exactly.

As you interpret it.

Nothing further.

The problem

is, you're going after Frank Kittredge.

And my clients are paying the price.

Okay. I came on strong with him, but it burns my ass when a lawyer who defends

scum starts playing his civil rights violin.

I'm not here to try to talk you out of prosecuting Viola.

Good, because I got him and I'm not letting go.

He's wiggled through the cracks too many times, thanks to the Kittredges of this

world. Viola has a right to counsel. I didn't interfere with Mr. Viola's

miserable rights. I only let his lawyer know I'm watching him. Harassing him

from where I sit.

Oh, look.

I respect you. I respect where you came from and the fact that you may end up on

the state Supreme Court someday. Can we skip the flattery?

The point is, you're important to the African -American community, which is

sensitive to due process.

This could hurt you.

You seem pretty ambitious yourself, Mr.

Rollins. Don't you worry about your relationship with Zoe Clemons, how that

might be perceived in the African -American community? Can we just stick

business? Then don't pull out my race and put it on the table.

I appreciate your concern for the clients you inherited from Kittredge.

Don't worry about them.

They'll find us cooperative.

Thank you.

But understand me.

I'm going to go on looking into Mr. Kittredge himself.

And if I find enough, I will go after him. With a big smile on my face.

My days are endless, too.

You're a busy man.

Went well today.

I think I neutralized the wiretap evidence.

Congratulations.

You know, I wanted to ask you to take over my clients.

I figured you'd never consider it.

You were right.

I almost asked you anyway. I wanted to hear what you'd say.

I just said get out now.

Your client problems are only the beginning.

Viola isn't worth it. I know I've prosecuted these people.

So have I.

I was a U .S. attorney for five years. I know what I'm dealing with.

A few years ago, a man like Viola tried to enlist me.

I said no.

And then he was shot to death right in front of me.

And you know something? I was relieved.

Got him out of my life.

Once these people have you, they never let go.

Well, the trick is not to let them have you.

I've never seen that trick work.

The shooting stars are a pickup team, right?

We were all first string in college. Two of us went to the Olympics. But nobody

ever paid you to play basketball competitively.

No.

So, you were well aware, weren't you, that when your team signed the contract

with the Hoopsters, you were being hired as performers.

It was a job. That's all we cared about. It was a job with a script.

And the night that you were fired, you didn't follow the script, did you? Look,

we got carried away.

We were out there.

We were hot. The crowd was with us. Answer the question, Miss Sprung. Get

Stan. She's not on trial for murder.

Well, I'll ask again.

On the night in question, did you perform as the hoopsters expected you

played us.

When the game got serious, they were just as pumped up as they were. Did you

perform as they expected you to? There was no performing.

For a few minutes, it was a real game.

Stay calm, Angela. No, I have something to say.

You know, in college, we worked just as hard as the guys did.

Playing basketball meant just as much to us as it did to them. When they got

out, they were looking at million -dollar salaries for doing what they

we got told, sorry, you're only entertainment.

So we were motivated. You understand?

We worked hard.

We got real good.

And that night with the hoopsters, our reflexes took over.

When we saw we had a chance, we knew we had to play.

Play to win.

And you know what happened?

When it was all over, the crowd gave all of us a standing ovation.

Your Honor, the people have one more witness to call.

Sidebar, Your Honor.

Approach.

What's going on here?

Display, Miss Flanagan.

An ex parte application was made to protect the anonymity of this witness.

This is an unfair surprise. I don't have grand jury testimony for any additional

witnesses. Take it easy, Mr. Kittredge. You'll have sufficient time to prepare.

You may call the witness, Miss Lanigan.

The people call Michael Messina.

Please, tell us, what is your occupation?

I run a bar, The Wayfarer, in San Pedro.

And who came into the bar on September 9th of last year? Paul Viola came in

Vincent Stefanini. It was close to last call.

Did you know these two men?

I'd seen them.

They used to be regular customers 20 years ago when my dad ran the place. Can

you describe their arrival on this particular night? They came in with

arms around each other.

They'd already had a few, and Mr. Viola told me that Mr.

Stefanini's daughter was getting married the next day. Then they ordered out a

set for old time's sake.

So initially the two men were congenial.

Did that change?

What do you mean?

Did their mood alter as the two men drank together?

Oh, I really couldn't tell. They were sitting at a back table. I was busy

cleaning up.

Mr. Messina, did you hear the two men argue?

Not really.

Didn't you hear Mr.

Viola pound on the table and threaten Mr.

Stefanini? Objection. She's leading her own witness. Request permission to treat

this witness as hostile, Your Honor. Granted. Mr. Messina, didn't you testify

the grand jury that you, quote, heard the two men argue violently, then you

checked on your own gun because you feared for your life?

I did say that.

But I was lying.

Your previous statement was sworn testimony.

I know.

But the deputy D .A. told me if I cooperate, it would be good for me. I

problems.

Told me you can try to make them go away.

You're saying you were asked to lie.

No, no. I lied on my own. But I'm telling you the truth now. The two guys

in. They had a drink.

I didn't hear anything.

You are under oath, Mr. Messina.

Did you talk to anyone who suggested that you change your testimony? No. You

didn't talk to your father? Your father who ran the bar in the old days? The one

who knew Paul Viola when he was called Paul the Trigger?

Objection. Overruled. I want to hear the answer.

Yeah, I talked to my dad.

To tell him my conscience wouldn't let me lie.

You lied under oath before.

But now you expect us all to believe that you are telling the truth.

That's right. I have nothing more for this man.

Mr. Messina, you understand that by contradicting your earlier testimony,

admitting to perjury and could face a jail sentence.

Yes. And the DA's offer to fix your tax trouble will evaporate. I know. And you

still swear that my client only had a friendly drink with Mr. Stefanini and

had their arms around each other.

That's true.

Nothing further.

can't happen again frank you're an attorney you know if i'd impeach that

the witness stand it would have been a lot more convincing you think a

witness bothers the jury it bothered me i'm running this case and i was

blindsided paulie told you are you asking if we got to the witness frank no

telling you i don't need outside help i have my own investigators and how's

their progress any news from brother nick his alibi is full of holes

He clearly benefited from his brother's death. When I get him on the stand,

we'll make reasonable doubt. Doubt is only a beginning.

A guilty man hopes that his lawyer will make reasonable doubt.

This jury has heard vivid details.

A deathbed accusation. They need something more than doubt.

Frank, I told you when I hired you I'm not guilty.

Sometimes I sense you don't believe me, so I'll say it again.

I'm not guilty.

Then act like it.

Get out of my way and let me win.

Anything less will be unacceptable, Frank.

Hey. I just buzzed you.

I'm done with the Kravis due diligence.

Do the tax returns go back to you or the general files?

General files is fine.

Everything okay?

No, I'm thinking about my case.

You think it's a loser, too, right?

I don't know.

I like the stars, though.

I saw them burn up the boards at San Diego last year.

Oh, yeah?

Did you notice the power forward, Angela Sprung? Yeah. She's incredible, right?

She led the country in scoring in her senior year.

She deserves to play basketball. I just can't get these guys to admit it. I know

how she feels.

I was the best guard in my junior high.

Then everybody grew, and I didn't.

They laughed at me when I tried out for the high school team.

I could consistently score eight out of ten free throws.

You know what I always wanted to do?

Drive the lane.

Yeah, right. Take it right to their faces. Not pass the ball off, not shoot

the perimeter.

Power drive right to the board.

Oh, me too, man. I knew their egos would get in their way.

I'm trying to find enough reasonable doubt to save my neck.

You think you're in that deep?

I'm damned if I win, and damned or worse if I lose.

If you try to get out, assuming you could, it tells Ruby Thomas that her

work, right? I don't want to lose or get out.

I took this because I thought I could win and walk away. Now I don't know.

And it scares the hell out of me.

Frank, you know how to litigate.

When you got here, your reputation said killer. Just concentrate on the case.

And what do they really have on your gut?

Too much.

And it doesn't make sense.

Paul Viola is way too smart to drive off in front of a hundred witnesses with a

man he planned to have killed.

Unless that's what he wanted everybody to think.

It's too risky. The families don't operate that way.

All right, well, who else had motive?

A dozen hoods.

Stefani and his own brother stood to take over his business.

Listen to this.

What color?

What did he say?

What did he say?

Maybe it doesn't mean drugs at all.

What does it mean?

Where's that statement?

Am I good to help?

Yes. Look for the telephone records from the Stefanini house. They're over on

the fourth floor someplace, or we can order up another coffee.

What am I looking for?

September 9th, last year.

We're going to need some luck to put this together.

Your Honor, the people rest.

Mr. Kittredge may call your first witness.

Your Honor, we recall Carmela Stefanini.

Come forward, Miss Stefanini.

I remind you that you're still under oath.

Miss Stefanini, was your father a religious man?

Not really, no.

And yet, what were his dying words when he asked the priest to take care of you?

Predicura della mia piccola.

Piccola? My little one. His name for me.

Piccola.

Which is not slang for cocaine.

Of course not.

So when your Uncle Nick said on the tape that piccola could make trouble, he

meant you.

I don't know.

But your father knew, didn't he? When he was dying, he knew you had made

trouble. That's why he asked the priest to take care of you.

No, he knew I was religious.

And yet you refused to attend your own matrimonial instruction classes with

fiancé. Or did you have reservations about marrying a man you hardly knew?

Objection. This is irrelevant.

Move on, Mr. Kittredge. Why did you telephone the priest on the night that

father was killed?

To ask him to come help.

But the telephone records from that night show that you and Father Joseph

for 15 minutes before you bothered calling an ambulance.

I was upset. Father Joe calmed me down. For 15 minutes?

While your father bled to death?

I was... I don't remember.

I thought my father was already dead.

In fact, didn't you think you'd killed him?

Objection! Overruled. You killed him because you were desperate not to marry

Eduardo Gonzalez, weren't you? That's not true.

Your father wasn't forcing you? No. You were a happy and willing bride? Your

Honor, this is outrageous.

Asked and answered.

All right, move on, Mr. Kittredge.

Miss Stefanini, I have something I would like you to look at.

Is this your signature?

It looks like it. Isn't this your signature on the receipt for the

.38 caliber pistol, the same kind of gun somebody bought to kill your father?

I didn't buy it to kill my father. I bought it to kill myself.

Why, Carmilla?

You were marrying the man you loved, weren't you?

I bought it a month before.

I was confused then. Where's this gun today, this gun you bought? I threw it

away. I changed my mind and threw it in the ocean. Come on, Carmela.

Confession is good for the soul. I didn't do anything.

This is badgering.

Dane. Maybe you did buy the gun for yourself.

You were desperate. You didn't want this marriage. But your father was

controlling you the way he always controlled you. You tried to plead with

didn't you? He wouldn't listen. The gun went off. I loved my father. And when he

was dying, when he accused Viola, wasn't he protecting you?

Objection. I didn't kill him.

That's enough, Mr.

Kittredge. Carmela.

If I asked Father Joseph, wouldn't he tell me that you've confessed to him

you... He can't do that.

Right.

He can't.

I have no more questions.

We have no questions at this time.

No more witnesses, Your Honor. The defense rests.

So even though you hired these women to play basketball, you didn't really want

them to play basketball, did you? They were there to put on a show.

We're the Hollywood hoopsters, man.

We're entertainers.

Right, and it wasn't very entertaining for them to actually play you, was it?

It's not what we hired them to do. No, you hired them to lose.

You got it.

Okay, fine.

Let's go to that night in Bakersfield.

Now, you had done all your showboating, made all your trick shots.

There's two minutes left on the clock, and all of a sudden...

The shooting stars made it a game. All of a sudden, they got off eight

unanswered points, didn't they? It was a fluke. They took us by surprise.

But you continued to play, didn't you?

You missed a layup, then you missed a three -pointer. They weren't supposed to

play real defense. But they did play defense. They shut you down is what they

did. Then they got off two fast breaks. Oh, no way. Angela Strong drove down the

lane, faked you out of your jock strap, and scored the winning basket. I could

have blocked her shot, but I backed off.

The stars didn't win on their own. They won because you let them win. Hell,

yeah.

Five women did not beat the Hollywood hoopsters. So my clients didn't breach

their contract by winning the game. Your team breached it by allowing them to

win.

Your client just admitted wrongful termination, Stan.

Psych.

Paul Viola is a professional criminal. At the top of his field.

That's why they call him the boss.

He's spent a lifetime laughing at the law.

Big Paulie. Why, he's a virtuoso.

He plays our legal system like a violin.

You saw a dramatic display by Mr. Viola's lawyer. But it proved nothing,

that Mr.

Kittredge is capable of wildly creative scenarios and of browbeating a young

woman into hysterics. It cast no doubt on Mr. Viola's guilt.

Today, Mr.

Viola sits before you on a charge of premeditated murder.

His motive was clear and cold -blooded. You heard the tapes.

Having personal problems with an unruly employee like Vincent Stefanini?

Have him clipped. Rub him out. That is the solution in Mr. Viola's line of

The only hitch was that after he was shot, Vincent Stefanini lived long

to tell witnesses who did it.

Polly. Paul Viola committed murder.

Do not let him get away with this.

Ladies and gentlemen, has the prosecution met its burden?

Have they proven to you, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Paul Viola must

killed Vincent Stefanini, or do you think it's possible that Carmela

killed her father because he was forcing her to marry a man she didn't love?

Forget the gangster nicknames.

Forget the references to Mr. Viola's business.

Our legal system doesn't allow you to convict a man for his reputation. Your

is clear and specific, and your conclusion is clear if you stick to the

Carmela had motive. Carmela had a gun.

Carmela heard the dying man's alleged accusation and knew it was a lie.

The prosecution has pursued Paul Viola with all the urgency of a runaway train.

Luckily, we have a braking system on runaway prosecutions in this country.

You are those brakes, ladies and gentlemen.

Slow this train down to the plain facts. Bring back the only verdict you can.

Not guilty.

We can go for damages, you know.

The Hoopsters are in the red.

You can check it out. Big settlement could put them out of business.

We're aware of them.

My clients don't want the money, Stan.

They want to play.

They deserve it.

Attendance was up 20 % when they were touring with the Stars.

What do you want me to do?

I want you to talk them into honoring the contract.

But let them really play basketball.

The Hoopsters have nothing to lose.

And it could be the best deal they ever made.

Okay.

Maybe I can get him to go for it.

You know, you were great in there.

Well, I didn't waste any time.

Good. I like that.

Have you reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

What say you? In the matter of the people versus Paul Viola on the charge

first -degree murder, we find the defendant not guilty.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. You are dismissed.

This court is adjourned.

Mrs.

Thomas, it's been a pleasure.

Don't get too comfortable with your new lawyer.

He's only won the first round.

Hi.

I just got back from the Bodhi tree and I found a yoga book that even you are

going to love.

What's this?

It's just playing a little one -on -one with Billy during lunchtime. Not too bad

for an old guy.

You look very sexy.

I want my case.

You're kidding.

The shooting stars have a new contract with the Hollywood Hoopsters for ten

exhibition games.

Win, lose, or draw. That case was unwinnable.

I'm unbelievably proud of you. Thank you. You are a true hero.

Yes, I am.

I may not be in harmony with the universe, but I'm definitely learning

Where's my Mustang?

I thought you might feel more comfortable in this.

You paid for my services.

This is an extra thank you.

Well, I appreciate the thought. To turn down such a gesture would be to slight a

man's heartfelt gratitude.

I'm old -fashioned.

I'm fond of my Mustang.

You're a good lawyer, but you still have a lot to learn.

Frank, you should have implicated Nick instead of Carmela. Nick didn't kill

anybody. Carmela did.

But it's too bad to see a woman indicted.

And it's of no use to us.

You'll do better next time.

Take a test drive, Frank.

See how she responds.

With all due respect, I'll walk.