Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

So don't you understand, you two still love each other. You need each other.

That's not true! It is! It is!

You love her.

She loves you.

Simple. Don't let go of her, Jonathan.

I could never take your place, man.

Oh, you don't want my place.

Hi.

I'm sorry.

About a month ago, these, uh...

Images started popping in my head.

I decided to prosecute him.

Who? Who are you talking about?

My father.

I watched my father murder my sister.

Well, we can't prosecute. It's a conflict of interest. She's asking the

charge her father with a 30 -year -old murder that may never have happened.

sister wasn't murdered.

Then the death certificate's wrong because it wasn't an accident. Margaret.

Colleen overdosed on alcohol and a tranquilizer called Miltown.

It was suicide.

I don't have to tell you how hard it is to base a case on repressed memory.

They changed the law. A civil suit can be filed when the memory surfaces, no

matter how long after the crime.

Still his word against yours about things that may or may not have happened

years ago. My father started raping me when I was eight years old.

He raped my sister and drove her to suicide.

I want him exposed for what he is.

Miss Flanagan, you can't imagine the damage you've already done to your

You haven't seen anything.

Wait till I talk to the press. If you do, we won't settle. We'll sue you.

threaten us, Miss Halver. You want to file a claim. Both of you, please.

This is precisely the type of confrontation we have to avoid.

Something far more serious is at stake here.

Our wonderful family.

You're damn right.

Chris, stop. No. I want to know.

How can you do this to him? He raped me.

He raped Colleen.

Why do you think she killed herself?

He is not the man you think he is. Your child is living in that house. Get her

out of there. Margaret, what's happened to you?

Don't you have any feelings left for me at all?

I despise you.

You made me feel ugly and dirty.

Margaret. Please let us help you.

Your father is so hurt by this. All I want is for us to be a family again.

Miss Flanagan, your father is prepared to pick up the total cost of your

psychiatric care, whatever the amount. It's not enough.

Is it money?

Is that what you want?

I want you to say the words, I raped my daughters.

Oh, God. This meeting is over.

I want you to have the nightmares.

I want you to feel the humiliation and the shame. Margaret.

I want you to feel the pain.

Did everyone see the morning paper? Who has time to read the paper?

Margaret Flanagan sued against her father. Frank's representing her. Trial

starts today.

I happen to know Charles Flanagan. I've served on several committees with him.

I find it impossible to believe he committed the act she's accused him of.

one to prove. But here we're talking about three decades ago.

I'll say one thing explains a lot about Margaret Flanagan. What did you say?

Oh, yeah.

Assuming it really happened.

Let's move along, Douglas.

Gloria Lee versus Meredith Tudor. Arbitrator is Leland McKenzie.

Gloria Lee? She's still alive?

She's my age, C .J. Oh, sorry. My mother used to use her cookbook for authentic

American cuisine. That was ages ago.

Miss Lee is accusing Miss Tudor of stealing recipes for her new cookbook.

cookbook is expected to sell millions of copies. Miss Lee's claim is trade

secret theft.

She says that Miss Tudor planted a spy in her test kitchen.

What does she want? Credit in the book, part of the royalties.

They opted for arbitration because they need a quick decision. Miss Tudor can't

go to press until this is resolved. And speaking of food, I think Leland

deserves a big round of applause. Today is day seven of his slim, quick diet,

and he's lost five pounds.

And on that note, we're adjourned.

Dad, I hope you weren't waiting too long.

You look great.

Thank you.

How was your flight?

Bumpy. Your mother's lying down.

She'll meet us for lunch. Good, good.

I'm not interrupting your day, am I? No, no, no. I had a court date canceled

this morning anyway.

You have a legal problem, I'm at your service.

Yes, ma 'am. That's what I do.

So,

Econodine Corporation approached you about the job. They do consulting work

former East Bloc countries. Right.

I'd been thinking about leaving teaching, so the timing was perfect.

Dad, do you have any proof that their failure to hire you was racially

motivated? Not really.

But they've got a bad record for hiring minorities.

Didn't you tell me there was a vice president on your side?

Dick Williamson. Right, right. The only black executive at Econodyne.

He's on the personnel committee.

If anyone knows where the bodies are buried, it's him.

Question is, will he tell us?

I guess all that money spent for law school was worth it.

If I'm going to be your attorney, I also have a duty to tell you if I think you

have no case.

Agreed? Oh, absolutely.

All right. But one way or another, send me a bill. It's not necessary. Jonathan,

I taught economics for 25 years.

No son of mine is going to give away his talent.

My cookbooks were a Bible in every kitchen in America. Cooking isn't about

measuring cups and ingredients anymore. It's about the total dining experience.

You were always one for a shortcut, but I never thought you'd stoop to stealing

my recipes. They're not your recipes.

All right, that's enough.

And what is that?

Origami. It relaxes me.

Mr.

Penerelli, I'm finished.

Well, we've obviously reached an impasse.

Miss Lee, you can't produce that spy.

Miss Tudor, you can't explain why your recipes are so strikingly similar to

Lee's. I had hoped that we could reach some sort of compromise here, but I

know. How about a cook -off? A cook -off? Didn't those go out with quilting

bees? Now, what would that accomplish, Miss Lee?

There are 16 recipes in dispute.

We each cook our own version and then see if there's any significant

If there isn't...

That proves she's a thief.

Who would do the tasting?

You would.

Oh, no.

That would be highly irregular, and I'm really not qualified for that. You eat,

don't you?

And you're the one who's arbitrating this case?

Would you agree to a cook -off, Miss Tudor?

Why not?

My recipes are unique.

All right. Bring the food in on Thursday, but only very small portions.

It was the summer my sister Colleen died.

We were all in shock, and my father decided it would be good for us if we

went away to Lake Arrowhead.

We'd been there about a week, and my father announced that he was taking me

fishing. I was terrified.

Why? My earliest memories of my father are at night in the bedroom I shared

my sister.

He would tuck us in.

I'd fall asleep and wake up to hear Colleen crying.

He was forcing her to have sex with him.

Objection. No foundation.

Overruled. Margaret, what happened when your father took you fishing?

We went out on our boat to the far side of the lake.

And he asked me why I was so sad.

He wanted me to be happy.

He started to tickle me.

And for a moment I thought maybe I was wrong.

That nothing bad was going to happen.

And then?

I was laughing.

And suddenly things changed.

The way he was touching me was different.

I tried to get away, but he grabbed me.

He was fumbling with the front of his pants.

What happened, Margaret?

He pushed me down on my knees, put his hands on the back of my head and pulled

me towards him.

I can't breathe.

I hit him, but he just pressed harder.

He forced you to perform oral sex on him?

Yes. Was that the only time your father sexually abused you?

No, that night he came into my room and kissed me goodnight.

He said if I told anyone about what we did, he'd kill me.

Then he put a pillow over my face.

He pried my legs apart, and he raped me.

How old were you, Margaret? I was eight years old.

Despite his threats, did you ever say anything to anyone?

I tried to tell my mother.

But I was so young, I didn't know the words.

I told her that he had been mean to me the way he'd been mean to Colleen.

She said I was wrong.

And my father loved me.

But the abuse continued.

Yes, for years.

But prior to December of last year, you had no memory whatsoever of any of this

taking place.

My father did terrible things.

Blocking it out was the only way I survived.

Until recently, my childhood was a complete blank.

Thank you. No further questions.

I'm sorry, Miss Flanagan, but I find that very hard to believe, that for 30

years you had no memory of any of this. I was eight years old. My father was

raping and sodomizing me on a regular basis.

Then suddenly, two months ago, it all came back to you? No, Miss Hopper. I

struggled for nearly a year to understand why I kept hearing the sound

sister crying.

When the truth finally began to surface, it came in pieces.

Horrible images.

Are you still experiencing flashbacks about your father?

Yes. Well, I'm a little uncomfortable, Miss Flanagan, and I'm sure the jury is,

too. Objection! Condemning a man based on evidence that's constantly evolving.

Save it for the closing, Counselor. I am the victim here, not my father.

Your father is a respected member of this community and of the Bar of the

of California. Other prominent men have committed incest.

Sustained. I am telling the truth.

Isn't it also true, Miss Flanagan, that you accused your ex -husband of

threatening you physically and that you tried to obtain a restraining order

against him? My marriage was ending. We were having terrible fights.

Did your husband ever, in fact, abuse you?

I was afraid that he would.

Yes or no, please.

Did your husband ever physically abuse you?

No. Miss Flanagan, two weeks after your divorce, weren't you hospitalized in the

psychiatric unit of Brentwood Hospital?

I was there for less than a week. I was emotionally exhausted.

Wasn't it more serious than that? Hadn't you locked yourself in your apartment

and refused to eat? You must understand I was under a lot of stress.

I do understand, Miss Flanagan. You were emotionally disturbed and made wild

accusations with no basis in truth. Objection. And you're doing the same

now, aren't you? Objection. Move to strike. Withdrawn.

Nothing further.

Mr. Williamson, how many other people did the personnel committee approach?

Well, we narrowed it to a field of ten, of which, in my opinion, your father was

the most qualified.

Yeah, but he wasn't hired.

Father's reputation, as distinguished as it is, was made in supply side, and

upper management felt that we needed someone, quote, more in touch with

world economies, unquote.

That's absurd. And in the last three years, you're the only black hired in an

executive position there?

Look, attitudes are changing. Maybe not fast enough to suit you and me, but

companies like this need time.

That's an excuse.

If we can show their reasons for rejecting black applicants or just

hold... Impossible.

Now, it's been tried.

Econodyne's rejections are always plausible enough to deflect charges of

They strung me along for six months, making it seem like I was a shoo -in.

the university pressured me to decide whether I was staying on or not, I took

the chance on Econodyne. Professor Rollins.

I know how you feel. I mean, I'm in the trenches over there. I fight this stuff

every day.

But a lawsuit isn't going to get you anywhere.

You can't win. We might, with your help. If I could, I would.

But I'd lose my job.

I mean, even this meeting was risky.

I'm sorry.

Take my advice.

Just get on with your life.

It was nice meeting you both.

Well, can you go back to Minnesota?

No, the department had a replacement lined up.

That's why they put my feet to the fire.

Besides, your mother says she could live the rest of her life without seeing

another snow tire.

She really wants to come home to California.

You know, Dad, if you go ahead with this, they're sure to bring up your

politics. You're on record against affirmative action.

How do you think that's going to sound in court?

Jonathan, I don't oppose real affirmative action. I do oppose

hiring on the basis of race, which is exactly what this is. Okay.

Let me see what else I can turn up on Econodine.

In the meantime, Zoe and I will see you tonight for dinner.

Absolutely. I'm looking forward to meeting her.

What about Mom?

I'm looking forward to that, too.

I knew you were a man who lunched at his desk.

Miss Tudor, I'm afraid I cannot meet with you unless Miss Lee and the

are present. Oh, but this has nothing to do with the case.

None of these recipes are in dispute.

I just had this overwhelming urge to feed you.

I appreciate that, but you see, I have to be concerned about how this appears.

Oh, you poor man. You look like you're starving to death.

No, no, I'm fine.

I'm not hungry, no. I'm not hungry at all. I think presentation is everything,

don't you?

Oh. The true artistry in cooking is creating an experience for all the

Miss Tudor, this is entirely improper.

I'm going to take a short walk.

When I come back, I want you out of my office.

Unable to prevent the abuse, Margaret found another way to escape.

She separated her mind from what was happening to her body.

She disassociated?

Yes. The memories continued to exist, but they were deeply buried.

And this led to the form of amnesia that Margaret experienced.

Incest survivors often lose years of their lives. Doctor, what causes these

memories to return?

Oh, a dream, sound of a laugh, a certain smell.

Every patient's different. And in Miss Flanagan's case?

Well, the occasion was her father's 70th birthday.

The family was going up to their home on Lake Arrowhead.

When Margaret was asked to join them, she began to experience an overwhelming

terror she couldn't explain.

And it was at this point that she became your patient?

Yes, and as the memories began to surface, the reason for Margaret's panic

became evident.

She had been sexually abused by her father throughout her childhood.

And you concluded this based solely on Margaret's repressed memories?

Her recollections were very specific and highly detailed.

Her teachers noted a distinct personality change between the second

grade. A previously happy child became depressed and withdrawn.

Dr. Naaman, is it unusual for a child to have this sort of experience and tell

no one? A child in an abusive situation sees herself as completely trapped.

She's convinced the abusive parent will be believed, not her. So there is no

doubt in your mind that Margaret Flanagan was the victim of sexual abuse

father? I'm certain Margaret Flanagan was a victim and is a survivor of

Thank you, Doctor.

Doctor, when Miss Flanagan came to you, was she claiming she'd been abused by

her father? No. Who first mentioned incest?

Look... Margaret Flanagan was depressed.

She had difficulty with intimate relationships.

She had an aversion to being touched.

These are all symptoms that are common to incest victims.

Symptoms that could have been caused by a lot of things. The question is, who

first raised the subject of incest? I guide my patients, Miss Halber. I don't

force them into... People do fantasize about incest, don't they? Don't belittle

the problem. We believe one in three women in this country has been abused as

child.

One in six boys.

Unproven statistics, doctor.

But they create a climate of hysteria in which innocent parents like my client

are victimized. Objection argumentative. Sustained. How many patients have you

treated where you diagnosed incest? About 60.

And in how many of those cases did someone else confirm that the incest

happened? About five or six.

But in this case, you don't have any independent evidence showing incest, do

you? It's likely that incest occurred... But you don't know for sure, do you?

No, but in this situation... Thank you, Doctor.

No further questions.

Slim quick, a little rich for you, Leland?

I wish it were that simple.

Something wrong?

Meredith Tudor came to my office today.

Trying to sway my decision with food.

That's terrible.

Well, I threw her out. But she left a meal that was... It was delicious.

I ate it. Oh. I gave in to temptation.

I compromised my diet.

My integrity. For the momentary comfort of some herb bread and Bearnaise sauce.

I won't say it isn't serious, Leland.

But it's not the end of the world.

No, no, but it's not just the food, Douglas.

First, I'm sharing memories of Ruth with a chimp. Then I'm kissing Grace by the

elevators. And now this.

I mean, I just don't recognize myself.

It hasn't been an easy year for you.

Losing Rosalind.

Then Michael.

And Victor.

And dieting.

Dieting can make anyone a little crazy.

Williams. I love brunet sauce.

It was good.

Do you like creme brulee?

My favorite.

Ah, I shouldn't.

There's no conflict of interest for you, Douglas.

Well, maybe just one bite.

So you believe in the death penalty?

In certain circumstances, yes.

But David Lee was insane.

David Lee knew what he did.

I can't tell you I felt good about it, but I would rather live with David Lee's

ghost than the ghost of those two little girls he killed.

Well, I can't fault you for that.

So, Zoe, you think I have a case against Econodyne?

Isn't it amazing how the first time a black conservative is denied something,

suddenly decides that discrimination does exist after all?

Mom. Sweetheart, I already know what you think of my case.

I was asking Zoe.

Right.

Go ahead, Zoe.

Well, the law says de facto discrimination isn't usually enough.

You have to prove intent, which will be hard.

I'll say.

But not impossible.

So how would you call it? Hey, uh, mom, dinner or a moot court?

Sorry, babe.

You're not required to give closing arguments with dessert.

True. And there isn't a good one anyway.

Damn it, Jessica, I'm doing this for you.

You've got that standing offer from McKay Carter. We both could have had

back here. And we still can.

UC Irvine has always wanted you.

Why do you have to work for some...

Faceless corporation, especially one with a racist hiring record like

I'm 55 years old. What's wrong with a man wanting a little success?

It's your definition of success that's wrong.

You're already successful, but you won't believe it. My God, why does everybody

in this family want to be white?

Very good, Jessica.

Did you ever consider a career in diplomacy?

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that.

Come in.

You look like you're lying in state, man.

Parents. I mean, I love them, but sometimes, man, they just make me crazy.

Whose parents don't? I don't know. My mother's a civil rights attorney. She's

worked with the ACLU. She lobbied against Clarence Thomas and Robert Bork.

My dad's a Republican who voted for Reagan.

What's up?

Yeah, I was wondering if you could give me a hand.

I know you've done a lot of labor law.

I need someone who knows the political landscape at Econodyne.

Econodyne.

I might know someone who knows someone.

Let me see what I can turn up.

That'd be great.

I'm from South Boston.

When I came here, my father used to call me late at night, bitching about

everything going on in the old neighborhood.

Drove me crazy.

Mr. Delancey and his damn dog that barked all night. Mrs. Benedetti's

grandsons. Ernie Barger cheesing blind at penny poker.

He died two years ago.

But every time the phone rings late at night, part of me hopes it's my old man.

Just calling to drive me crazy.

Margaret was never a happy child.

She had few friends.

She suffered what I now understand were bouts of depression.

Objection. This witness lacks the qualifications to make that diagnosis.

Your Honor, one hardly needs a Ph .D. to identify depression.

I agree with Ms. Halbert. Go on.

Was she treated for this?

I'm sorry to say no, she was not.

Back then, taking a child to a psychiatrist was unthinkable. We

Margaret's problems were caused by the death of her sister, and that in time,

she'd outgrow them.

Margaret and Colleen were close?

Oh, they were inseparable. To truly know Margaret, you'd have to have seen them

together. We should have realized how devastating Colleen's suicide was for

Margaret. I made that mistake, among others.

Could you elaborate?

I wasn't there enough for my children, Miss Huber.

And when I was, I was too demanding, especially of Margaret.

And why was that?

Oh. Even at an early age, it was apparent how bright she was. I was

that she should maximize that potential.

And today, your daughter is a highly respected attorney?

Yes, but I'm afraid our relationship paid the price.

I realize now that the last thing she needed was me pushing her.

Mr. Flanagan, four years ago, Margaret cut off all contact with her family. Do

you recall the reason?

Well, her marriage had recently ended.

Margaret took it very badly. She became hysterical.

She would call her mother at all hours, day and night, and just, well, just cry.

We urged her to get help.

And her response?

She stopped calling us.

We have neither seen nor talked to Margaret until, well, until all this.

contrary to Margaret's testimony, you never touched your daughters?

No.

If anything, I was not affectionate enough.

I can remember the girls used to ask me for pack rubs. That's a lie.

Miss Flanagan. You can't let him get away with this. Miss Flanagan, I'm

you. That is not how it happened. Your Honor. Miss Flanagan. I begged you not

touch me. Can't you see she needs help? I pleaded with you. Didn't you hear me?

Miss Flanagan, sit down. Your Honor.

Mr. Kittredge gets her client under control. Please don't touch me. Or I'm

declaring a miscarriage. Please, someone help her.

Jessica, hi.

Jonathan's gone to lunch.

I just stopped by to say hello.

Oh.

This isn't easy, is it?

Tell me about it.

Zoe, I like you.

You're a bright, strong woman.

And you obviously care about Jonathan, but... You'd rather I were black.

The black family is almost an endangered species in this country.

Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves here? I mean, Jonathan and I

haven't even discussed marriage.

I've met some of his other girlfriends.

I haven't seen him look at one the way he looks at you.

So doesn't that count for something, that we love each other? If that were

it took, this would be a much nicer world to live in.

But it's not.

If my parents said to me, though Jonathan is a great guy, he's kind and

and smart, and we'd be happy to have him as your boyfriend if he were white,

what would you call that?

This is not racism.

Racism is about oppression.

This would only be racism if blacks could oppress or exclude whites. You're

trying to exclude me from Jonathan's life on the basis of my race. What's the

difference?

I probably should be having this talk with Jonathan.

You probably should.

Ladies and gentlemen. I hope we can get through this quickly.

My breeze about to liquefy.

Mr. Ventorelli, as you may or may not be aware, your client visited me

yesterday, ex parte, offering me bribes in the form of food.

I got carried away. I'm sorry.

I am embarrassed to say that I could not resist the temptation.

And since the food was, well, technically it was evidence in this

feel that I have no choice other than to recuse myself from these proceedings.

What about my book?

If it doesn't go to press by the end of the week, I'll have to reschedule Oprah.

See, I have a list of other arbitrators in this district, and I'm sure a speedy

hearing would be... Look, I said I was sorry.

Why should I have to suffer just because you couldn't resist stuffing your face?

What kind of an arbitrator are you anyway?

Shut up, Meredith.

Oh, and you.

You've always resented my success. I resent your making cooking into a

competitive sport.

Well, if you can't take the heat, Gloria.

Miss Lee. Gloria.

Miss Tudor.

This is outrageous.

Stop that. Stop that lady.

Stop her.

This is a legal procedure.

Now put that down.

You didn't seem so serious then.

Jonathan, I don't think you've given enough thought to how difficult this is

going to be.

For you, for her, for your children.

Jessica, for God's sake, they're in love.

What else matters? We're not even living together.

They don't have the slightest idea of the kind of anger and bigotry they'll

face. No? Try going into a restaurant where the maitre d' tries to escort you

a table for one, because you couldn't possibly be with a white woman. Try just

holding hands on the street.

Dirty looks you get from white folks.

And black.

Especially black women. Can you blame them? They're tired of black men as soon

as they become successful marrying a white woman as another token of their

success. Are you saying that's what I'm doing?

You think Zoe's some kind of status symbol to me? Is that what you think?

Jonathan, look at your choices.

You went to an Ivy League college.

You've joined a lily -white downtown firm.

You bought a condo in Brentwood and a Mercedes.

The only thing missing was the right kind of woman. You know, some mothers

actually be proud their sons accomplished all that.

I'm not belittling your achievement.

It's just... This isn't about Jonathan dating a white woman.

It's about just what you said.

Choices.

His were too much like mine.

That's what you're really angry about.

Maybe I am.

So? So.

I'm not dad.

He's right.

I wouldn't have risked my career taking on the LAPD like he did.

I wouldn't have had the nerve.

I don't think that's true.

Yes, it is.

I've taken the safe road a lot of the time.

Not all the time, but a lot.

Jessica, just because he's with Mackenzie Brackman and not the ACLU

him any less a fighter.

And just because he's dating a white woman doesn't make him any less black.

I don't think that.

I just want him to think about what he wants and why he wants it.

That's all.

Andrew Parks copped a plea.

They've agreed to eight years.

What about Scripps?

The judge denied our request for bail. He's O .R. Listen, we don't have to

finish this now.

I want to.

They said it was all right if I waited for you.

I'll call you tomorrow.

No, stay.

This won't take long.

I already know what she's going to say.

What a wonderful man my father is and how I'm destroying him.

I didn't come here for that.

There was so much talk about Colleen in the courtroom.

I almost felt like she was there. These were hers.

I packed them away the day we buried her, and I want you to have them.

Just a few things.

Girl Scout pins and books she loved. Why didn't you tell me you had them?

You and Chris were so young.

I thought we were doing the right thing. I'm sure it was easier for you that

way.

There hasn't been a day I haven't thought of her.

Or you.

I love you, Margaret.

Do you know where I'd go in my mind when it would happen?

I was with you.

You would stroke my hair and tell me it would be all right.

I need you to believe me.

In June, I will have been married to your father for 50 years.

That's most of my life.

I'm doing the best I can.

Mr. Rollins, I don't know what's to be gained by this. I told you, I don't

you can win this case. Hon, I feel we don't have to win.

Have a seat.

We're negotiating a settlement with Econodyne, and once they heard what we

to say, they were anxious to avoid a lawsuit.

I don't understand. I wasn't informed of this.

You will be.

We did a little research on Econodyne, Mr. Williamson, and when our source took

a straw poll of the personnel committee, it came out that a majority of them at

first wanted to hire my father.

I was never approached by anyone taking a poll. That's right.

Because we assumed you'd also favored his hiring, except you didn't.

Did you?

That's not so. Okay, at first you supported him, but as time went on, you

more and more reasons not to hire him until you eventually tilted the

against him. And the funny thing is, that seems to have happened to all the

black applicants during the three years you've been on the committee, my

brother. I don't have to listen to this. You kept your job secure by shooting

down every other minority applicant at Econodyne and the last two companies

you've worked for. You told this load of garbage to upper management? Oh, yeah.

And to the California Department of Fair Employment. Well, you wasted your time.

The conodine will fight any claim that you make. No, they won't.

Once they heard our case, they decided to make a generous lump sum payment to

father to compensate him for his loss of his teaching position and any expenses

he may have incurred. That should tide me over until I can find something else.

It's a pretty grim job market out there, which I have a feeling you're about to

discover firsthand.

Come in.

Miss Lee.

I came by to apologize.

I've done a lot of things with food in the last 40 years, but this is the first

time I ever used it as a weapon. I honestly don't know what came over me.

Whatever it was, it must have been contagious.

I'd like to pay the cleaning bill.

I did start it, after all. Well, that's very generous, but it's as much my fault

as anyone. I should have exhibited more willpower when Miss Tudor brought me

lunch. Oh, it all worked out as far as I'm concerned.

Oh, I know Meredith.

She gets a little carried away, but she never forgets her own best interests.

It didn't take much to convince her that missing her publication date would be

far worse than being associated with a has -been.

You don't really think of yourself that way.

Not usually, no.

But I do feel the time speeding by.

You know, the first time that I voted in a presidential election...

It was for Adlai Stevenson. And most of the people in this office only know

Stevenson through the history books, like George Washington.

I like Dyke.

Ah.

Mr. McKenzie, I hope you won't think me too forward, but would you let me fix

dinner for you sometime?

Well, right now I'm on this diet.

I make a mean baked halibut with yogurt dill sauce.

Guaranteed low fat.

It would be my pleasure, Miss Lee.

Gloria.

Gloria?

I'll bring the mineral water.

So you would characterize yourself as a loving but flawed father.

As I said, I've made my share of mistakes with my children.

And that's why your daughter says you raped her? My daughter's disturbed.

Her delusions focus on me. I think she'd say anything at all to hurt me. What

about your daughter, Colleen?

Do you in any way see yourself as responsible for her suicide?

Any parent would feel responsible after a tragedy like that.

But if you're suggesting that some aberrant behavior on my part drove her

death... I'm not suggesting it.

Your other daughter is saying it. Your Honor, we have traveled down this road

numerous times and always to the same place.

The word of his client against the word of my client. And the only person who

can shed light on the truth is dead.

Mr. Kittredge, I agree with Ms. Halber.

Unless you have something new to offer, please move on. Your Honor, I wish to

enter into evidence these documents authenticating this book as the diary of

late Colleen Flanagan written in her hand.

With the court's permission, I would like Mr. Flanagan to read it. Where did

get that?

Sidebar, Your Honor.

This document was not on their list.

I demand adequate opportunity to verify the authenticity of this so -called

diary. Those are declarations of experts attesting to that. I want to cross

-examine them. I will hear the diary, Ms. Halbert, but the jury will be

pending my ruling.

Would you read the first paragraph of the entry dated May 26, 1961?

Is it going to be you or me?

My daughter was troubled.

For God's sake, she killed herself.

Then I'm sure you'll read it with compassion.

Starting with, he drove me to school this morning.

He drove me to school this morning.

He made me stay in the car till the bell rang.

I don't have to do this.

I'm sure the other kids could see what he was doing, where he was touching me.

I want to die.

I think about dying all the time. I'll be safe in heaven. I swear I didn't

her. She tells me it's my fault that I make him do those things.

Maybe if I cut my face, if I had scars, maybe he wouldn't want me.

What if he's right, diary? What if it is my fault?

Would God even let me into heaven?

A week after she wrote this, Colleen Flanagan committed suicide.

She was 14 years old.

I have nothing further.

Your father's returning the rental car.

But we could take a cab to the airport if you're too busy. No, Mom, it's okay.

It's no problem.

We would have been here sooner, but we got into sort of a heated debate at the

hotel.

Mom, I got to ask you something.

How have you two kept from killing each other over the last 30 years?

No sharp objects in the house.

In spite of our differences, your father and I fit.

We make a hole out of two halves.

Like me and Zoe.

That's what the heated debate was about.

Mom, I do love her.

She's not a status symbol. She's someone I really care for.

I know.

But it hurts seeing you with someone so

different. Maybe on the outside.

But inside, she's a lot like you.

Believe me.

So you didn't pick her out of some deep -seated resentment of me?

$500 ,000.

No admission of liability. We have two conditions.

One, your client enters a program for sexual offenders.

Like hell I will. I refuse to be treated like a common criminal. If you prefer,

Mr. Flanagan, we can go back to court.

What's the second condition?

All unsupervised contact with the grandchild, Emma Flanagan, is forbidden.

And if there's any evidence you laid a hand on her, I promise you, you'll face

criminal charges.

Are you going to agree to this?

Dad, I can't risk it.

I love that child.

I would never hurt her. You won't have a chance to.

These are my terms.

Then to hell with you.

Charles, I don't think you have a choice.

After all the sacrifices we made for you, for what?

For this?

Come on, Vivian, let it go.