Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law. Jane Halliday.

Pass. Why pass?

Because she's a member of the religious right. Wait a second. All we know is

that she's a young woman who happens to believe in God.

Is that all we know?

I was involved in a prison escape of a Black Panther named Horace Washington.

I supplied the getaway car.

This particular case will in all likelihood entail winning the trust of

-Black Panthers to induce them to testify on our client's behalf.

Quite frankly, I think I'm in a better position to do that than Eli is.

No, I just thought you and I got off on the wrong foot the other day, Mr. Shale.

I'd like to see if we can't rectify that.

Okay.

Your guys made the arrest because it's their job to make the arrest. I fully

understand that.

Barry is a fugitive. You saw the opportunity to bring him in. You brought

in. I'm glad you've come to see it that way.

What I'd like to address now is how can we dispose of this thing?

How would you suggest we dispose of it?

I think he should plead guilty to a lesser charge.

And then you and I work out some sort of combination of jail time and community

service. Uh -huh. And I should do this?

Why? Well, mainly because I think it's fair.

You think it's fair?

Yes, I do.

I also think that since some 25 years have passed, this is going to be a

hard case to prove.

Okay.

As far as what's fair is concerned...

A correctional officer was killed as an indirect but proximate result in your

client's actions.

What's fair is that he served the next 20 years of his life in prison. Now, as

far as this case being hard to prove, let me worry about that.

If you don't mind my asking, Mr. Shale, why all the venom?

This is an old case.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself, Mr. Markowitz.

I got this job through Richard Kleindienst, who I count as one of my

friends.

I served proudly in the Justice Departments of John Mitchell and Edwin

I'm sure that you, like most liberals, gleefully welcomed the fall from grace

those men.

I take a somewhat different view.

And what does that have to do with this case?

It has everything to do with this case.

Your client was devoted to armed insurrection. He was a willing combatant

effort to undermine our way of life. Now, I view him and his comrades in arms

and the so -called 60s the same way now as I viewed them then.

The only thing that's different is that now I've got him. And this is the

position of the Justice Department?

Or is this some sort of personal vendetta of yours?

Until Janet Reno has me removed from this case, Mr. Markowitz, I am the

Department.

Can someone tell me who Gordon Hike is and why we paid him over $10 ,000?

He's a security consultant, Douglas.

And?

And he's been hired to evaluate our situation here and recommend various

to improve our security.

What is it you're worried about? What is it that I'm worried about?

I'm worried about being killed. Driving around in that Bentley wouldn't have

heightened your sense of vulnerability, would it? Lawyers get killed, Leland.

They get harassed. They get ambushed.

They get killed. You remember what happened up in San Francisco? It could

happen here. So what are you going to do, live in fear all the time? No, what

you do is you take precautions. Arnie's absolutely right.

And it's not just physical violence you have to worry about. It's your phones,

the mail, the security of your files. It also makes sense that if we're going to

do anything about it, we do it before the renovation's complete. Well, I'm not

so sure it makes sense at all. Before we spend another dime, I want to talk to

this gentleman.

Security consultant.

U .S. versus Ellison.

I'm sorry,

you go ahead.

The bail hearing is set for this morning.

Is there a deal to be made here?

Not unless we get a different prosecutor assigned to the case.

If it remains John Shale, we're headed for trial. Let us know what happens.

Wheaton v.

Value Square.

Carl Bullen, the founder and CEO of Value Square, fired his attorneys on the

of trial, and thanks to a formidable bit of rainmaking on the part of Leland

McKenzie, hired us.

The company's being sued by an ex -employee for violation of privacy and

emotional distress related to their having had her under surveillance.

Surveillance for what?

She was having an affair.

And you're representing the company now? We're representing the company, Arnie.

I see it as exercising legitimate managerial prerogative. And with 1 ,200

all across the country, this is a client that could stand to make us a hell of a

lot of money. Am I right, Leland? Right you are. And Kelsey, you're beautiful

when you're mercenary. Hear, hear.

I'm going to need some help on this one. How about Jane?

Okay.

United States of America versus Jay Ellison.

Mr. Rollins, I trust that you and Mr. Markowitz have decided who's handling

case? We have, Your Honor. Good.

Proceed. We ask that bail be set for Jay Ellison at $100 ,000.

The United States strenuously objects to that, Your Honor. Jay Ellison has been

a stable member of the same community for more than 15 years, Your Honor. He's

successful garment manufacturer, and he's got two young children. And he was

preparing to turn himself in. That's what he says now.

The truth is he had 25 years to turn himself in. We know he was about to turn

himself in because discussions had already been initiated by my colleague,

Markowitz. You ordered that Mr. Markowitz be followed for the purpose of

an arrest.

You think he's a flight risk, is that right, Mr. Shale? Yes, I do. If he's

convicted of these charges, he stands to lose his family, his business, and go

to prison for 20 years. That, I believe, represents a sufficient motivation for

him to run.

I could be wrong about this, but I have to believe that Mr. Ellison is tired of

running. Bail is set at $1 million.

Thank you, Your Honor.

You put the house up, we'll have you out of here in an hour.

The whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

Mrs. Wheaton, what was your position on February 12, 1993, the day you resigned

your job?

I managed the Value Square department store in Valencia. Prior to your

resignation, had the company given you any indication that they were

dissatisfied with your work?

No. I had received good to excellent job evaluations throughout my 15 -year

tenure with Value Square.

Mrs. Wheaton, would you please describe the events that led to your resignation?

The district supervisor asked to meet with me and my assistant manager, Donald

Ferris. During that meeting, he confronted us with a 200 -page report

by Company Security.

And what was contained in this report?

Transcripts of personal conversations Mr. Ferris and I conducted on our office

telephones, a very personal e -mail letter I had written, and a surveillance

record of our movements during the previous six months.

There were photographs as well.

And what was the import of these transcripts, surveillance reports, and

photographs? They documented a romantic relationship involving Mr. Ferris and

myself. Mrs. Wheaton, were you married to another man during your relationship

with Mr. Ferris?

Yes. I'm now in the process of getting a divorce.

What, if anything, were you told during this meeting?

We were told that Value Square prohibited relationships between

urged to end the affair. And how did you respond?

I resigned.

Why?

I felt as though I had been violated.

I have nothing for you.

Mrs. Wheaton, at the time that you and Mr. Ferris were having your affair, you

knew that company policy forbade such relationships, did you not? Yes.

And because of that, Mr. Ferris and I took great care to maintain a strict

business relationship while on the job.

So you concealed the nature of your relationship?

Scrupulously. It never disrupted our job performances, and I am certain Mr.

Bullen never would have known about it had he not been tapping our office

phones. You were also aware, were you not, that the company had a stated

of monitoring all business communications.

These were not business communications.

These were private and personal.

Except that they were conducted on the telephone and computer in your office,

weren't they?

Yes, and you were on actual notice that they weren't private. They told you you

might be listened to. I wasn't told that men with cameras would be following me

to restaurants and hotels.

Isn't it a fact that the places where you were followed and photographed were

all public places?

My life is not public. What I do on my own time is my own business.

Except for the fact that what you were doing on your own time was violative of

an express company policy, wasn't it? I gave him eight and a half hours a day,

six days a week. I did not give him the right to spy on me.

I have nothing further. Or persecute me or judge me.

Thank you, Mrs. Wheaton. You may step down.

I'm confused, Ms. Kelsey. What about?

I am very much aware that we have some damaging personal information on Mrs.

Wheaton. You neglected to use it. Why?

The strength of our case lies in defending your legitimate business

not in tearing down the plaintiff. This woman is attacking the way I do

business. I mean, I think we should fight back as vigorously as we can. If

doesn't pertain to her employment, it's inadmissible.

Unless we argue that Miss Wheaton's personal conduct is inconsistent with

Square's image.

Hell, that's what we should be arguing.

Look, I've promoted my stores as places where traditional American values are

respected.

Value square, square values.

Values, values, values.

I built a business on values, and I want that out there.

And that, my dear lady, is why I'm sitting in the courtroom personally.

Mr. Bullen, I've got 15 years litigation experience, and I'm telling you that if

I go in there and start braying about values, we will lose.

I think as long as you are sitting in the courtroom, you'd rather that we won.

Now, in response to your inquiry, Mr.

Brackman, What I did was as follows. I conducted background checks on all of

your employees, and I've begun a process of screening all of the building's

maintenance and janitorial staff, which have access to these offices.

You screen the cleaning people?

I screen everyone who comes through that door.

I love this.

I've designed a record retention and refuse disposal system, which I believe

is...

What is a safe room?

Very simply put, it is a room.

It could be a bathroom. It could be a closet.

It could be an office. This is the room your employees go to when they are under

attack. Attack? What kind of attack?

It could be from a variety of sources. It could be a disgruntled ex -employee.

It could be an individual who's aggrieved about an illegal matter you're

involved with. An embittered spouse, psychotic adversary, an obsessed

not to mention the usual random acts of violence devoid of motive.

What makes this room safe in the event of such an attack?

Primarily the door.

We use an oversized steel pocket door. This is held closed by an electromagnet,

which is designed to resist any level of force which may be applied against it,

including explosives.

My God, you think those sorts of precautions are necessary? This is a law

not the Pentagon.

Hey, Leland, my philosophy on the issue of security, let's err on the side of

caution. Let's be too safe.

I'd sure as hell rather that than in the interest of not seeming foolish or

fearful, finding out that we're not safe enough.

You were right, Leland. It was the Bentley.

Tell him about the Bentley.

Arnold spoke to me about feeling that this was a more overt and extreme

expression of affluence than his Porsche had been. He's fearful of becoming a

target for any predatory individual who may seek to rob or kidnap him. He enjoys

owning the vehicle and does not desire to drive anything less conspicuous, so I

advised him that for a fairly reasonable amount of money, we could equip it with

bulletproof glass and doors.

Did you do that? It's secure to NATO level three.

You've gone mad, Arnold.

Gordon doesn't think so. Gentlemen, I don't know about you, but the way I look

at the world, the state of readiness is nothing more than a prudent response to

circumstances.

I think you should plead guilty to aiding and abetting and not guilty to

conspiracy. Is that possible?

Sure, it's possible.

But you recognize the error of your ways.

We attribute it to your youth, to the times, then we line up a whole series of

character witnesses who will harp on the fact that you've been a solid citizen

for over 20 years.

Faith, what do you think?

You know what I think.

Would you like to tell Stuart and Mr. Rollins what you think?

What I think.

is that Barry did nothing wrong.

The United States government, and in particular, the prison authorities, were

engaged in a campaign of systematic extermination of the Black Panther

acted to save a man's life. Okay, can we prove that? Well, we can try, Stuart.

And I think that if we harp on that, maybe there's a chance he'll get off

altogether. A very little chance. And he won't have to apologize for what he

did. Faith, let's not predicate our entire defense on whether he has to

apologize or not. Why not? Because we have to do what we have to do. If

apologizing means he's going to get a more lenient sentence, we'll apologize.

Stuart, it's not just an apology.

It's a denial of the legitimacy of everything I believe in. Jonathan, would

explain to them the pitfalls of turning this into a political trial?

Well, we risk alienating the jury, angering the judge, and if we lose, we

much stiffer sentence.

On the other hand, if we can prove that Horace Washington's life was in jeopardy

because he was a Black Panther, we can also claim that there was a legal

justification for aiding and abetting his escape attempt.

Except we can't prove that his life was in jeopardy. How do you know?

Oh, excuse me, you're right. I don't know.

But my judgment tells me that it's highly unlikely.

My judgment tells me that this is an extremely stupid risk to take. And I am

dumbfounded that as an attorney you would be willing to even consider it. If

there is a way that he can walk out of this free and clear, my inclination is

take it. Barry, hear me. I think this is utterly insane.

The prison guard was killed.

Mr. Rollins.

Since, as I understand it, you'll be the one trying this case, I would like to

know if you are willing to defend my husband in the manner in which he wants

be defended.

Well, Stuart's absolutely right that this is a long shot.

As long as you understand that, I'm willing to see where the evidence leads.

If we can build a credible case that Horace Washington's life was in danger,

then, yeah, I'm willing to go to court with that.

Mr. Collins?

Let's redo the office and telephone system suites. We may want to double

these panels. Let's check the electrical conduit.

New computer. Hey, what's going on? Mr. McKenzie, I spoke to you yesterday about

the need to scrutinize your janitorial personnel.

This is the reason why.

What's the reason why? Who are these people?

This individual, for the price of uniform, gained access to your offices.

He was found in your file room.

In point of fact, he's not a janitor. He's a private investigator hired by

Bullen to obtain background information on your firm.

How did you manage to find that out?

We obtained a list of all janitorial personnel.

When my operative asked him to identify himself, he provided a name that was not

on this list. Once he did that, we investigated further.

I don't know about you, Leland, but I'd rather like having this gentleman

working for us.

Mr.

Boland, why do you conduct investigations on your employees?

Because it makes good business sense.

Since we've been doing it, we've reduced employee theft by 65%. On -the -job

drug and alcohol abuse has been reduced by half.

Why the policy of prohibiting co -workers from becoming romantically

These relationships frequently deteriorate into quote -unquote sexual

type situations.

How did you learn that Mrs. Wheaton was having an affair with her assistant

manager? Through routine monitoring of office communications, both on the phone

and on the computer.

A practice which, I may say, we make no secret of. Why did you have your

investigators conduct surveillance on Mrs. Wheaton's behavior off the job?

of all, the surveillance was conducted in an entirely legal manner.

The reason we had to do it was that Mrs.

Wheaton's personal behavior suggested that she could pose a serious threat to

the company.

How so? She deceived us, and she deceived her husband.

Now, this indicates to me that Mrs. Wheaton is fundamentally dishonest, not

necessarily the kind of person you would want overseeing millions of dollars'

worth of merchandise. In addition, every value -square employee is expected to

reflect company values, traditional family values, a love of country. Thank

Mr. Bull, and I have nothing further. I'm not through.

Miss Kelsey?

Nothing further.

Mr. Bullen, do you believe adultery is immoral?

Objection! I'd like to answer that, if I may. You may not, sir.

Objection sustained.

Mr. Bullen, am I correct in understanding that you think the fact

Mrs. Wheaton a paycheck entitled you to monitor whom she associated with, ate

with, and slept with on her own time?

You're the lawyer, sir.

but I think legally I have the right to monitor employee activities which affect

business, whether those activities are conducted on the job or off. Do you have

any evidence whatsoever that Mrs. Wheaton's personal relationship with Mr.

Ferris in any way affected her job performance?

No, but it could have. Mr. Bullen, you mentioned that you believe your

are obligated to reflect company values, traditional family values. Is that

right? That's right. Do you monitor your employees' behavior as a means of

enforcing... Your moral vision?

Objection. I do what I can to maintain the highest standards of honesty and

integrity among my employees.

And I'm not ashamed to say that. And that's why you conducted this invasive

surveillance into Mrs. Wheaton's personal life, isn't it? It was not

thought she was a threat to business. It was because you thought she was a loose

woman who needed to be yanked into line. It was both.

Thank you, Mr. Bullock. I have no further questions.

Sorry to keep you waiting. No problem. Barry Glassman, formerly Jay Ellison.

My attorney, Jonathan Rollins. This is Franklin Hogan. Very pleased to meet

I understand you wanted to talk about the old days.

The old days are upon me.

So, it seems.

We thought your perspective would be very valuable to us. My perspective or

testimony? Both.

You know, I saw you speak at a rally in Oakland once. You were...

Truly incredible.

I'm glad you liked it. We were also hoping that you could provide us with

names of other potential witnesses.

Why did you think to call me? Why? Yeah, why? You don't know me. You know some

things about me, but we have no personal knowledge of one another. Why did you

think you could call on me for anything?

I was involved in the same struggle you were involved in. And now, now I need

your help.

We also felt that since we're planning on making this into a political trial,

you might want to participate.

I don't.

Now, see, we'd be putting the policies of the United States government on

COINTELPRO, the assassinations of Fred Hampton, Mark Clark.

Potentially, all of this would be relevant.

We don't know how much the judge will let in, but our intention is to mount a

defense based on the lives of Black Panthers being in danger. And I wish you

best of luck, but as I said before, I have no interest in participating. If

don't mind me asking, what is it that you're worried about?

I'm worried about being identified as a Black Panther. I'm worried about the

effect that it will have on my employer.

I'm worried about people coming back into my life who I would rather not come

back into my life.

Are you going to tell me I shouldn't be worried about those things?

Are you going to tell me that I owe it to your client because we were involved

in the same struggle?

All right, look, you asked if I was willing to testify. I said I wasn't.

really is nothing more to say on that subject. Only that if you're not willing

to testify voluntarily...

You should expect to be subpoenaed.

I put in my time, gentlemen. I served nine and one -half years in a federal

penitentiary. Whatever your problem is, it's your problem. I'm telling you, I

don't want to be dragged into it. I can't help that.

Get out of my office.

You want me to sit second chair to Jane Halliday? This isn't personal, Ann. Carl

simply feels that Jane has a better grasp of the issues.

Then Carl is an idiot, and if you let Jane take over this case, you're a

idiot. I know this is difficult for you. It's only natural that you want to

protect your turf.

This isn't about turf, Douglas. This is about losing the case.

We're not going to keep this guy as a client if we don't win.

As managing partner, I have a responsibility to protect the client's

the client wants Jane. The client wants someone he can control so that he can

use this trial to promote his Neanderthal social philosophy.

What he needs is someone to protect him from himself.

Are you sure you're not letting your personal feelings cloud your

judgment? What does that mean? You've had a jaundiced view of Jane from the

start. You wouldn't be suffering from QBS, would you?

QBS? Queen Bee Syndrome.

Hmm?

Carl.

Leland. Can we expect any more clandestine attempts to infiltrate our

staff? I'll have you know that you guys are the only ones who have ever

intercepted one of my covert operatives. I'm very impressed.

But you haven't answered my question. You sound a bit testy for a man who is

defending my right to conduct these investigations.

How you manage your business is your business, but when you start snooping

around mine, that's a different story, and I won't tolerate it. I appreciate

your candor, Leland.

Now I'll be candid with you.

Based on our background check, we are very secure in doing business with

Mackenzie Brackman, although some of your colleagues are, shall we say, a bit

too colorful for my taste. I take that to mean that you're done.

You have my word on it.

Tell us, Miss Wheaton, during your interview for store manager, were you

that Value Square had an interest in maintaining high moral standards among

executives? Yes, I was.

And when asked about your own moral character, how did you respond?

I said I considered myself a moral person.

Were you having an extramarital affair at that time?

Objection. Overruled. Witness may answer.

No, I was not.

You did, however, have an affair while you were working at Value Square.

Yes. At the time that you were conducting the affair, were you living

with your husband?

Yes. We were trying to work things out. Tell us, Miss Wheaton, in December of

1992, did you go to the Women's Health Clinic for the purpose of aborting an

unwanted pregnancy?

What? Objection! That is totally irrelevant!

I believe I'm entitled to explore the plaintiff's character, Your Honor. Only

insofar as it affects her work, Miss Halliday.

The objection sustained.

Did it affect your work to find that you were pregnant, Miss Wheaton?

Objection. I wasn't pregnant very long.

Did having an abortion as a means of getting rid of an inconvenient pregnancy

affect your work?

Objection. Sustained. I agonized over that decision.

I was 39 years old. I desperately wanted to have a baby. You stated that you

were a moral person.

Ms. Holliday.

Adultery, promiscuity, aborting a baby conceived while sleeping around.

Objection. Are these examples of what it means to you to be moral? Your Honor.

Ms. Holliday, one more word and I'll hold you in contempt.

Ms. Whedon, you may step down.

I'm instructing the jury to disregard defense counsel's questions. They are in

no way relevant to this case.

I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, Counselor, but let me tell

find your conduct in this courtroom to be highly unprofessional as well as

personally reprehensible. If I have to declare a mistrial, believe me, I will

hold you in contempt.

In the interest of trying to avoid that, I suggest strongly that you change your

approach. Yes, Your Honor.

Court's in recess.

I need for you to do the summation.

Why? Were you unhappy with some aspect of your performance yesterday?

I think that both the judge and the jury perceive me in a fairly unsympathetic

light.

Consequently, I think I'm probably no longer effective.

You weren't effective to begin with.

Maybe not.

The truth is you don't know enough to know when you're being effective.

You told a client what he wanted to hear and then you patted yourself on the

back because he agreed with you. Look, I made a mistake.

I was humiliated for it in open court. I am asking you to try and contain the

damage that's been done. If you have to take your pound of flesh, go ahead and

take it. I don't want a pound of flesh, Jane. I just want to win this case.

Toward that end, you bet your ass I'll do the summation.

Lighting pocket door.

Electromagnetic locking system.

Cellular phone will stash in there.

And your toilet.

In the event of an attack, you retreat in here.

Call for help and wait.

Is it all right to use the space for other things when we're not under

Absolutely. Has the world really changed this much?

What do you mean?

I mean we've been in business here for over 40 years.

No one's ever thought of installing a safe room or doing background checks on

the cleaning people or any of this.

Do we need to do it before?

Probably not. So why do we need to do it now? Because the world has changed that

much, and our capability of neutralizing those who would do us harm must change

with it.

This door will be fully operational by the end of business Friday. I would not

advise using it before then.

Let's just hope we don't find ourselves under attack before then.

I assume you're being sardonic.

Yeah. If you're genuinely concerned, there are some alternatives we can

consider. That really is not necessary.

For 15 years, Leslie Wheaton was a conscientious employee of Value Square

Stores. She was loyal to her employer.

She trusted her employer.

Now, Leslie Wheaton has done absolutely nothing against the law. She has never

once let her private life interfere with her professional responsibilities.

Yet her phones were tapped, her email monitored, a private investigator sent

follow her every move.

And Value Square says that because they told her this was company policy, that

makes it all okay.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, that does not make it all okay.

By their intrusive surveillance techniques, Value Square has clearly

Leslie Wheaton's privacy and in so doing have caused her enormous emotional

distress.

Now most of us, we spend the majority of our time at work and our employer is

entitled to our full commitment during work hours, but they are not entitled to

invade the privacy of the few hours that we have left.

They are not entitled to decide whom we sleep with, how we spend our free time,

and most importantly, how we choose to live our lives.

Nobody likes the idea of someone spying on them.

If a stranger listened in on our phone conversations, we'd be outraged, and

rightfully so.

The difference here is that Value Square wasn't a stranger. Value Square was

Leslie Wheaton's employer.

And that makes all the difference in the world.

It is a well -settled point of law that employers have the right to monitor

their employees at work, whether that means telephone calls, email, or

observation. What Value Square did was legal. Now, you might well ask, was it

necessary?

I'd like you to imagine for a moment that you are value square.

You employ over 20 ,000 people.

Legally and financially, you are responsible for what each and every one

does while he or she is working for you.

Carl Bullen did what anyone who runs a company that size has to do. He set up a

code of conduct.

He told his employees what it was.

He told them what he would do to enforce it, and he told them that he expected

everyone to abide by it.

If Leslie Wheaton found any part of that objectionable, she had a very simple

and a very effective alternative. She could have worked for someone else.

She chose to work for Carl Bullen.

She's not entitled to be compensated because he did what he's entitled to do.

So, in the event of an attack, this is where you go.

What kind of an attack?

Any kind of an attack.

At the first sign of engagement, you come in here, slide the door shut, throw

the switch, which activates the electromagnet.

They are now secure.

I thought the first sign of engagement is usually a shot.

Not necessarily. From what Gordon says, there are any number of incidents where

somebody shows up and waits quite a while before turning violent.

Well, I guess you'll have to have the receptionist stall them while all the

lawyers tiptoe to hide in here, huh? You go ahead and laugh, but the truth is

attorneys are on the front lines of potentially violent conflicts every day.

Clients hire us to be gunslingers. Their enemies become our enemies.

Look, Arlen, you've convinced me, but I gotta go home. Can you open the door? I

just want to say one more thing.

What? These measures aren't just to protect the attorneys. They're to

everyone who works here.

I'm just as concerned for your safety as I am about my own. Well, I love you for

it. Now, open the door. I want to go, okay? All right.

What's wrong?

The door appears to be stuck.

What do you mean it's stuck?

I can't get it open.

Maybe somebody can open it from the outside.

Hello? Hello?

Hello?

Hello? Hello?

Open the door!

What about the cleaning people? There are no cleaning people.

Gordon didn't want any cleaning people coming in until he could do background

checks on them. Oh, that's just great. Is there a phone here?

That's right. There's supposed to be a cellular phone somewhere, which they

apparently have not put in yet!

So what are you telling me? We have to stay here till tomorrow morning? I guess

so.

You'll have to admit it's an occasion, not without opportunity.

Yeah.

Let me call you back.

You here with a subpoena?

No, no. My client doesn't want to serve you with a subpoena. He wants to...

Respect your wishes.

And you weren't able to talk him out of that?

As a matter of fact, I wasn't. You're gonna get your name in the papers on

one, aren't you?

I might.

Ain't no might about it. Do you think that's important?

You think it's important? You know that you've really got yourself a hot case.

The Black Panther Party's about due for a revival now, don't you think?

It must be the 20th or 25th anniversary of something.

We'll see black leather jackets and berets in the stores, and you'll be

in on all of it. You know, Mr. Hovey, I understand your desire to stay out of

this.

What I would ask you to understand is that I'm representing my client the same

way I'm sure you want your lawyer to represent you.

I also think since my name is going to be in the newspapers, you might as well

be there for doing something useful.

I always get frightened when I'm up at this hour.

What's there to be frightened of? We're in a safe room.

A safe room protects you from other people. It doesn't protect you from

yourself. Why don't we just get as comfortable as we possibly can? You can

over there, and I'm going to lie over here.

Maybe we can get some sleep.

And in the morning, somebody will come and let us out.

Denise? Hmm?

Do you mind talking for a while?

Just a little while?

I'm sure.

The only way I have of bridging the abyss, so to speak, is to swaddle myself

human contact to stave off the realization of one's own mortality,

one's insignificance, the difficulty of establishing

intimacy, the impossibility of maintaining it.

I don't know about mortality and insignificance, but I thought as far as

intimacy was concerned, you did okay in that department.

I used to think I did.

I used to validate my very existence by the endless conquest of women.

Beautiful women.

Models.

Playboy playmates.

Movie star.

I can say who it is, but I once went to bed with a very famous movie star. She

was nominated for an Academy Award.

She's on the cover of a different magazine every month.

She's a very, very famous movie star. Okay, okay, Arnold.

I get it already.

The point is, it didn't matter.

I'm alone, and I'm desperately unhappy.

Are you?

Yes, I am.

People are always so shocked to hear me say that.

You're alone and you're scared.

When the truth is at 3 o 'clock in the morning, all the things that you own,

clothes, the house, the Bentley, they don't even matter.

No, they don't. Being a big shot lawyer, that doesn't matter.

No. And all the women you slept with, they don't matter either.

What does matter?

What matters is having someone to hold you and talk to you and lull you back to

sleep.

What matters is loving and trusting a person enough to survive 3 o 'clock in

morning.

You see right through me, don't you?

Yeah, I do.

I have to tell you something, Denise.

What?

I think you could be that person for me.

You could talk to me and hold me and lull me back to sleep.

I could love and trust you.

Stand clear.

Clear, clear, clear.

I believe I told you this door was not yet functional.

Oh, thank God.

How did you know that we were in here? No doubt you're unaware of it, but

there's a microphone and a transmitter in here in the event that a person's

inside or incapacitated or the cellular phone is inoperable. Wait a second.

You just heard everything we said in here.

I myself did not. The members of my staff who monitored the frequency, they

would have.

You'll excuse me. I have to get to rearming this door.

Uh, Gordon.

Thank God he showed up, huh?

Denise. What?

What about what I just said?

What? What?

What I said about you being the one.

Me? Forget about it.

Members of the jury, have you reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor. What say you? In the matter of Wheaton v. Value Square,

the issue of the intentional infliction of emotional distress, we fine for the

defendant. On the issue of invasion of privacy, we fine for the plaintiff and

award the sum of $1.

Well, my thanks to the jury.

We're adjourned.

Ms. Kelsey, I want to thank you.

You're very welcome. I'm glad it worked out.

No thanks to me, right?

Lawyers and clients don't always see eye to eye. Well, I hope you'll accept my

apology and my business. I'd like to put Mackenzie Brackman on a permanent

retainer. Great.

Miss Halliday, could I speak to you for a moment?

I'll see you back at the office.

I also owe you an apology.

Not necessary.

Well, I believe it is necessary.

Why going to Douglas Brackman put you in an awkward position with your firm? I

wasn't thinking about you.

I should have been thinking about you.

Thank you for saying that. You're an excellent attorney, Miss Halliday.

I hope it's possible that we can work together again.

Given that you've retained our firm, I'm sure it is possible.

I know this is out of the blue, but I'm doing business in Dallas this weekend,

and I was hoping you might accompany me.

This weekend?

Yes, we could take the company jet and stay in my condo at Turtle Creek.

You know what?

I can't this weekend, but maybe one of our other attorneys is available. Let me

find out. Jane, it's your particular point of view I need.

It's you I want.

Mr. Bullen, you're a married man, and I am your attorney. That means taking care

of legal matters. So I'm going to forget that we ever had this conversation. I

sincerely hope that you will do the same. I think you misunderstood me. I

understood you perfectly.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work.

Yeah, come in.

Mr. Ovi.

Uh, can I talk with you for a minute? Sure, sure.

You can't imagine what the world out there looks like after you've been to

prison. The simplest things, driving a car, going to the store, playing with

your kid.

You know what I used to dream about when I was in prison?

Not very political.

Pretty human, though.

How much do you know about Horace Washington?

Just what I've read. He started out being just another hoodlum and

himself into one of the smartest, bravest men I've ever known.

Do you believe his life was in danger? If you were a member of the Black

Party, your life was in danger. That's a given. Did prison authorities do

anything to make that danger imminent? Did they threaten him in any way?

The prison authorities murdered him, okay? They wiped him out. However they

it look about him escaping, whatever they may have said about him carrying a

gun, they murdered him.

Will you help me prove that?

You were right about me treating you disrespectfully.

You have a just cause. As far as I know, you're an honorable man.

If nothing else, you should be treated with respect.

I apologize.

Your apology is accepted.

I've been very careful since I got out of prison.

I go to work in the morning. I come home at night.

I don't make any noise. I don't associate with anyone I used to know.

It's like I made this deal in my mind that as long as I didn't make anyone mad

at me, they'd leave me alone.

I'd be allowed to hold on to whatever it is that I have.

You want me to testify, Mr. Rollins?

Yes, I do.

Because no one ever got hurt for standing up and speaking the truth,

You tell me where and when you want me to show up.

I'll be there.

Do you have a minute? Come in.

After you left in the court hallway, Carl Bullen propositioned me.

Did he?

Said he was looking forward to our working together and asked me to go to

with him for the weekend.

I guess old Carl's not as much of a believer in family values as he says he

You'll understand if I don't appear to be all that shocked.

I never thought coming.

There's no reason you should have.

I'm sure I've confirmed your worst suspicions about me and Christian women

general. We've all misjudged people.

I don't want you to think that I don't know what it's like being a young

attorney starting a career.

What it's like being a young woman attorney.

I don't want you to think you're all alone here.

Because you're not.

We don't have to be enemies, do we, Ann?

No, we don't.

I'm glad.

What do you mean? Oh, I mean you trifled with me and you did it brilliantly.

I don't know what you're referring to. You led me on.

You invited me to reveal more and more of myself. You said all the right

And then you crushed me like a bug. Gee, I'm so sorry. Oh, no, it's quite all

right. You inspired me.

I learned from the experience.

Someday I'm going to do the same thing to someone else.

How are the kids holding up?

They're okay.

I think Josh is actually pretty impressed. His old man tried to bust

out of jail.

How long have you known about him?

I've known him a long time. I'm one of the people he hid out with in Paris.

How did he come to hide out with you?

He was an underground. I was part of it.

People we knew contacted us, told us he would be coming.

Though the first time I saw him, I thought he was just an American tourist.

She fell in love the minute she laid eyes on you.

I don't think so.

So Frank Hovey is willing to testify, you know. Yes, I know. I think that's

great.

I hope so.

You sound dubious.

Well, you know how I feel about it, Faith. I think it's risky to make this

be about the Black Panther Party.

That's not what we're doing, Stuart.

Hovey was in the same cell block as Horace Washington. He's in a position to

testify that Washington's life was in danger. Yeah, okay.

But if we start getting into a lot of rhetoric, it's going to hurt us.

You know, I've got to ask you guys something.

Are you worried that being involved in this case is going to hurt business?

What? I mean, we've been friends a long time, Ann. Let's be honest with each

other. Wait a minute, Faye.

What makes you think that we're concerned about that? When I hear that

representing people like Carl Bullen, it makes me wonder about the politics of

your firm. My representation of Carl Bullen has nothing to do with politics.

Come on, Ann.

He contributes to every right -wing cause on the map. Yeah, but she's not

representing him in any of his right -wing causes. She's representing him in

employment dispute.

Stuart, I think it's safe to say that Carl Bullen wouldn't be crazy about the

idea of you representing me.

What if he did? What if he did? I'd tell him what I'll tell you. It's not your

concern. You're getting a little defensive, aren't you? Am I?

Maybe I don't like having our commitment to you questioned.

Maybe I don't like having to submit to a political consciousness test because of

the clients I represent.

Well, forgive me, Ann.

But I can't be all that concerned about your delicate sensibilities. Your firm

is representing my husband. I have to be concerned about your commitment. If I

were a lawyer, I know what the degree of my commitment would be. But then again,

if I were a lawyer, I wouldn't be representing Carl Bullen. Well, you're

lawyer, Faith, and you weren't asked to represent him.

I think we should steer clear of politics as a topic of conversation.

Yeah, right.

The prosecutor thinks I'm radical.

They don't think that we're radical enough.

Yeah, I think we should definitely steer clear of politics.

How is everything?

Everything's fine.