Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law. Hello.

Ah, you're... Jane Halliday.

I'm Douglas Brackman.

This is Dan Kelsey, Jonathan Rollins, and Arnold Becker.

Why did you ask me to lunch, Mr. Becker?

I was very impressed with you the other day.

I was hoping I could interest you in the field of matrimonial law, working

directly under me, so to speak.

I just wanted to let you know that I'll be recusing myself from any cases in

which you're the prosecutor.

Why?

Because I find you extremely attractive.

You do?

Yes, I do.

Are you involved with anyone?

No. Do you find me attractive?

Yeah.

You know, I'd like to make a date right now, but I think we ought to let the

dust settle on the Turner case, don't you?

Yeah, I do.

So, I'll be in touch.

Okay.

Food is great.

What did you say the name of this restaurant is?

La Talpa. La Talpa. Yeah, I want to remember that.

Are you planning on coming here with someone else?

Would you rather I didn't? I'd rather that every time you came here, you came

here with me.

Okay?

Enjoying your dinner, Judge?

Do I know you? You know my cousin, Walter Stovick?

You gave him three to five, and you gave it to him for nothing.

Hey, this really isn't the time and place for this, is it? It's okay, Tommy.

First of all, I don't give three to five for nothing.

Second of all, you're out of line.

Now, I suggest you go back and finish your meal, and we'll finish ours.

Should I tell you what my cousin's kids are going through? I'm going to ask you

one more time to move away from this table.

Why? Is there a law against interrupting a judge's dinner? There's a law against

harassment. There's also a law against threatening an officer of the court. And

if you insist upon making the further mistake of becoming physically violent,

you'll be arrested and prosecuted. And in the end, you'll be in prison long

after your cousin comes home.

Now, that being the case, I suggest you go back to your table.

Cheers.

I'm not going to do it, Douglas.

I'm not going to do what?

I'm not going to use an appointment book and a calendar from a bail bondsman

just because we get them for nothing. It's a new calendar year, and I thought

rather than buying expensive new ones, we could make use of the ones we're

given. I want an expensive new one. That's one of the few benefits of the

passage of time.

A memorandum, no less.

You sent us all a beautiful memorandum about it.

Trestman versus Freeling.

That's mine in depositions. We're representing Ed Freeling, whose

suing him for sexual fraud.

Meaning what? She claims that he represented that he was a cop, and with

understanding, she entered into an intimate relationship.

When he turned out not to be a cop, she felt defrauded. What? Sounds like

precedent -setting stuff.

I'll say. If you lose, every man who ever lied to a woman to get her in bed

be facing a court date.

Why is everyone looking at me? Why indeed, Arnold?

Are you suggesting that I'm guilty of sexual fraud? I didn't hear anyone

anything. Well, I know what you're thinking. It's written all over your

think you're jumping to an altogether wrong conclusion, Arnie.

Of course, there are those of us who remember your claiming to be a direct

descendant of Tsar Nicholas. That was an honest mistake. I have Russian

ancestry. I thought that somewhere there was a Romanov in my family. Was it an

honest mistake when you claimed that Simone de Beauvoir was going to be a

guest? That was a joke.

And I know you were completely sincere about your Bible studies.

I was sincere. I was utterly sincere.

I wouldn't worry about it, Ernie, whether Ann loses or not. I wouldn't

another second's thought.

I think we best make sure that Ann gets all the help that she needs.

Yeah.

So, Mr. Oskala, I understand we're here to discuss a criminal matter.

Yes.

Our son Luis was involved in a robbery.

But he wants to turn himself in.

I work with a woman, Mrs. Calderon.

She said when her son Manuel was arrested for drugs, you were his lawyer.

Manny Calderon, yeah.

Yes. And she said that you made it so he didn't have to go to prison.

We were hoping you could make a similar arrangement for Luis.

Mm -hmm.

There are mitigating circumstances that would point to probation as the

likeliest sentence.

Luis has no prior conviction. The gun he used was a starter pistol. He was

drunk. and he was induced to steal by loan sharks to whom he owed money.

Something tells me I'm not the only lawyer in the room.

Ramon is in his second year of law school, Stanford.

Good school.

And I suspect you're probably right about the mitigating circumstances.

But I need to hear the details of the robbery from Luis, and I'm sure you

understand why that conversation should be private.

To protect the attorney -client privilege, we should go outside.

Mr. Morales, I think I should mention my wife and I don't have a great deal of

money. Let's not worry about that now.

Thank you. You bet.

What happened?

I, uh, I held up a convenience store. When?

Last night.

Anybody get hurt?

No. Good.

Where's the starter pistol?

I stashed it in the bushes outside the store.

Any chance your fingerprints are on it?

No. I had on gloves.

What about witnesses?

I had a bandera over my face.

But when I drove off, I saw the cashier had written down my license.

The car is registered to you?

To my father.

Why did you do it, Luis?

I was with some guys who I owed money to.

I was drunk.

You could sit tight, you know. You could just sit tight and see what happened.

No, I don't want the cops coming to my parents' house.

My parents are honest people, and I don't want them to lie because of me.

It's my responsibility.

Okay, you're sure this is what you want to do?

Yeah.

You just give me the best deal you can, huh?

You live in Beverly Hills, Miss Trestman? Yes, I do.

You met Mr. Freeling at Peachy's Bar and Grill.

That's in Silver Lake, isn't it?

That's correct.

That is a long way to go for a drink. Is the food particularly good there?

That's not really relevant, is it? Oh, it was my friend's idea. She thought it

would be fun.

I take it they have entertainment?

It's a cop bar, okay? I know that. You know that.

He knew that.

I never said I was a cop.

So it was just you and your girlfriend out for a little excitement, an

adventure. You want me to say I went there to meet a policeman? Yes, I did. I

went there to meet a cop.

What I got was him. You subsequently initiated a relationship with Mr.

did you not? I don't know. Who initiated what?

Whoever initiated it, the two of you went out for a period of over three

did you not?

Yes. He took you to the fights, to hockey games, to the racetrack. Had you

been in places like that before?

No, I hadn't.

I also hadn't been on a stakeout before either.

And for two weeks, every night, we would tell some guy all over the city that

Mr. Freeling said he was sitting on. You would have sexual relations with Mr.

Freeling in the front seat of his car while you were on these stakeouts, would

you not? Yes, I would. Would you do so willingly?

Does the concept of false pretenses count for anything? He willingly took

advantage of the fact.

that at heart, I am a very trusting person. You went out looking for an

adventure, and you found one.

Ultimately, the only thing you were missing was a uniform. The only thing I

missing was the man.

Yes, I was stupid. Yes, I was gullible. I willingly made a fool of myself.

I willingly accommodated him sexually. All I asked for in return was that he be

the man he said he was. I would have settled for half.

Look, the midterm for robbery is three years. I'll recommend two, okay?

By three, you mean probation.

Christmas is over, Morales. I'm not handing out presents. My client came in

voluntarily. He has no priors. He's willing to make restitution.

The cops had his plate number. He was going to get nailed, and he knew it. Two

years in. We both know the judge will give him probation. Why waste

time with the sentencing hearing? We're just going through the motions. Look,

we've been getting all sorts of heat for cutting deals that are too soft. It

might just be a matter of going through the motions, but I've got to do it. I've

got to go through the motions.

People versus the scholar.

Morales representing Mr. Escala, Your Honor. The client's charged with robbery

under the California Penal Code Section 211. How does he plead?

Guilty, Your Honor. Ms. Knight, is there an agreed -upon recommendation?

No, Your Honor. I assume you'll want a sentencing hearing.

Yes, Your Honor.

Sentencing to take place in Superior Court Department 35.

See the Probation Department about preparing a report.

Application for bail, Your Honor.

I'm listening. Mr. Escala has no priors, has ties to the community, has shown

his willingness to cooperate by surrendering voluntarily. That being the

we ask he be released O .R. pending sentencing. Ms. Nida?

No objection.

Mr. Escala is to be released on his own recognizance until such time as he's

sentenced. Call the next case.

People versus DePaul.

So, no deal?

No deal.

Does this mean a hearing? Yeah,

we'll go before a judge and present our reasons why we should be treated with

leniency. You know, being a judge might not be so bad.

Nothing else should get an office close to court.

You want the job?

No, thanks.

Come in.

I'm sorry to interrupt, Your Honor, but there's a Mr.

DiStefano here to see you. He says it's important and they can't wait.

Tell him I'll see him tomorrow, Kevin. I'm going to be leaving here as soon as

finish speaking with Mr. Mullaney.

Oh, I think you might want to hear what I have to say, Your Honor, before I file

my appeal.

We can finish this later. No, actually, what I have to say concerns you both,

Mr. Mullaney. With the judge's permission, you might want to stay.

I have a dinner reservation at 6. I'll give you five minutes.

Thank you.

I'm here to ask you to grant a mistrial in the Rick Turner rape case and to

disqualify yourself from any new trial.

And why would I want to do that? With all due respect, Your Honor, you and Mr.

Mullaney have been observed conducting an other -than -strictly -professional

association.

It is my contention that the two of you were carrying on a romantic liaison

during the trial, and my client was the victim of judicial bias.

First of all, that is not true. And second of all, your client was convicted

a jury. The judge made evidentiary rulings that were highly prejudicial to

client. So that's it?

No. As a matter of fact, it's not. I want to know if I get my mistrial,

Make a formal motion, Mr. DiStefano, and I'll rule on it.

Okay. Here's what I do first thing tomorrow.

Number one, I file a complaint about you to the Judicial Qualifications

Committee. Number two, I file a complaint about him to the District

Office. I said good day.

You know, the two of you might have had the affair, Your Honor, but it was my

client that got screwed.

I'll see you in court.

How the hell does he know about us?

How do people know anything about anybody?

Someone sees something and they make assumptions.

Sometimes they're right and sometimes they're half right. It doesn't matter.

What do you mean it doesn't matter?

Carolyn, even if his motion doesn't go anywhere, you can bet that the press is

going to pick up on it. Tell me, don't worry about anything.

Nothing's going to happen.

Okay?

Mr. Freeling, I take it you are not a member of the Los Angeles Police

Department? Right.

You ever been a member of any police department anywhere?

At one time, I thought about taking the test for the Mahwah, New Jersey Police

Department. But you didn't.

I was young. I wanted to do a lot of things I didn't do.

What do you do for a living, Mr. Freeling?

I run and manage a franchise food service operation.

To be more specific?

I run a Dunkin' Donuts.

Oh, I can't believe I was that stupid.

But when you met my client, you represented otherwise.

I was at a bar. I had a couple of drinks. I told her a story.

People do that in bars. If they gave out polygraphs with every Mai Tai dating as

we know it, it would disappear from the known world.

But this wasn't just a story in a bar.

For the next three months, you actually lived out this lie.

I thought we were having a good time.

Was I wrong?

You carried a gun, did you not? It was a fake gun, just like the badge was a

fake badge.

Both were strictly placebos. That's the right word, isn't it?

Close enough.

Okay.

Did you ever feel the need to warn this woman while you took her on your make

-believe stakeouts that if anything were to happen, you couldn't do anything

about it? I'd never let anything happen to her. If you encountered violence, you

would have, what, pulled your placebo?

Can we save this sarcasm for the courtroom?

I told her what she wanted to hear.

So it was under the guise of being a policeman that you persuaded my client

have sexual relations with you.

Didn't take much persuading.

That came out totally wrong.

This was not an effort on my part to get her to go to bed with me. What exactly

was it, Mr. Freeling? It was a love affair, Mr. McDermott.

Two lonesome souls who found each other.

A beautiful, classy broad and a hard -bitten cop who'd long since given up

believing such a thing was possible.

Ed? Mr. Freeling, you're not a cop.

You make donuts for a living.

That's a detail, my friend.

Do you have any further questions, Mr. McDermott? No, I think we're done.

Mr. Bardash, would you describe the events that took place on December 28,

I was standing behind the counter at the convenience store where I used to work.

Around 1 o 'clock in the morning, this guy with a mask over his face comes in,

points a gun at me, and tells me to empty out the register.

What did you do?

I emptied out the register.

And what then did he do, sir?

He took the money, and then he walked back to the refrigerator case and took

a beer.

He had me open it for him. He stood there drinking it with the barrel of the

pushed up against my ear.

Would you describe for us, sir, how this incident has affected you?

It made it impossible for me to continue working outside the house.

Now I stay at home. I do...

phone sales for my kitchen. It wasn't the first time that I was held up. It

wasn't the first time that I had a gun pointed at me.

But I don't remember ever being as scared.

This guy wasn't doing it for the money. He was doing it because he wanted to.

Objection. He wanted to see me beg.

Objection. Objection sustained.

I have no further questions.

Did Mr. Escala strike you at any time, sir? No. Did he tie you up or restrain

you in any way?

No. Did he threaten you with retribution if you should go to the police or

testify? No, he didn't. Are you aware of the fact that the gun he used during

the robbery was actually a starter pistol?

I'm aware of it now.

I wasn't aware of it then.

Is it likely, sir, that an experienced thief would risk capture by standing

around drinking a beer in the middle of a robbery?

Maybe not.

But I looked into his eyes, and let me tell you something.

He's dangerous.

There was no doubt in my mind that he would have killed me just to watch me

How would he have killed you if he was holding a starter pistol?

That's okay, Mr. Barnash. You don't have to answer.

I have no further questions.

Come.

I really appreciate you seeing me on such short notice, Leland.

You don't need any notice around here, Tom.

What seems to be the problem?

I'm dating a judge.

Ah. Carolyn Walker.

A problem.

A couple of weeks ago, I tried a rape case in front of her. Now, nothing was

going on between us at the time. I got a conviction, fair and square.

And? Yesterday, the defense attorney came to Carolyn's chambers and accuses

of misconduct during the trial.

He's filing a motion for mistrial, claiming judicial bias.

Can he make a case?

Well, that's what I wanted to know. You've been around the courthouse a lot

longer than I have.

What kind of problems are we looking at here?

For her or for you? For both of us.

She's a lot more vulnerable than you are.

Judges have to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

So what do I do?

Start by going through the transcripts of that trial.

Brief each and every ruling the judge made.

And keep a lower profile as possible, romantically speaking.

If I need representation, can I come to you?

Absolutely. Thanks.

I assume you know that a prosecutor who gets involved with a judge is walking

through a minefield as well. Oh, I know we would.

The problem is that I'm already involved.

Hi.

A moment?

Sure.

It seems to have become a standing joke around here that Arnold Becker lies

whenever and however it serves his purposes to do so. I'd like to know if

share in that view.

I couldn't really say. I don't know you as well as the others.

Based on how well you do know me.

Tell me if you think it's true.

Based on how well I do know you, I think there are probably times when you are

somewhat less than sincere.

Like when like when you expressed an interest in the Bible because you wanted

go to bed with me Are those things mutually exclusive?

Well, I think in your case One led me to question the legitimacy of the other my

desire for spiritual guidance was sincere My desire for you was sincere

I want to feel the presence of God in my life.

Yes. I want to see you naked Why can't those concepts exist simultaneously

Maybe they can, although I should say you have a better chance of

the former than the latter.

You're humoring me, Jane.

You don't believe for one split second that I could be sincere about my

religious feelings.

That's okay.

But I suggest, however, that your cynicism is blinding you to the true

a fellow pilgrim. Is it?

Yes, it is.

Whatever I may be, I am not cynical.

My eyes tell me when to trust a person and when not to.

My eyes look into their eyes, and based on that, I have an unerring ability to

know when someone is sincere.

With it, your Christian heart allowed you to do the same.

Mrs. Escala, in the last few months... How often have you seen your son Luis?

He lives with us.

I see him every day. Did you see him the night of the robbery?

Yes. I heard him crying downstairs with my husband and Ramon.

He said he committed this crime.

How did you react?

I didn't believe it.

Did Luis say why he did it?

He said he owed money to some men.

They said they were going to kill him unless he paid them that night.

He got drunk.

And he robbed the store.

Did he say how he came to owe money to these men? He said he felt guilty about

not being able to contribute more for the rent and the food.

Luis is a simple boy.

He does what people tell him to do.

These men offered to loan him money, and he took it. They said to rob the store,

and he did it.

He's never been in trouble before in his life, Judge.

Not until now.

I'll keep that in mind.

I have nothing further.

Is it possible, Mrs. Escala, that your son committed this crime for the same

reason that most people commit crimes? It beats working for a living. Luis does

work for a living.

It was just the circumstances he was in. He was afraid he was going to be

killed.

Tell me, have you ever seen the men who your son claims told him to rob the

store? No. Do you know their names?

No. Mrs. Escala...

Have you considered that Luis may have invented these men in an attempt to

reduce his responsibility for the robbery? No.

Mrs. Escala, assuming what you're saying is true, how can we be assured that the

next time Luis falls into debt, he won't react in the same way?

We will take care of him, my husband, my son, and me. If he needs money, we will

give it to him.

I promise, Your Honor. I promise to God this will never happen again.

Miss Snyder?

I have nothing further.

On the evening of September 7th of last year, I was called to investigate a 602.

Illegal trespass. The two of them were parked in front of the house of a Mr.

Takayodo who had called in a complaint.

Would you describe for us what they were doing? They were engaged in activity of

a sexual nature.

Did Miss Trestman appear to be participating willingly in these

He's in no position to testify to that. Did Miss Trestman complain that Mr.

Freeling had forced her to do anything against her will?

No, she did not. You arrested both Mr. Freeling and Miss Trestman, is that

right? Right.

What was the charge?

Indecent exposure.

314 .1.

Misdemeanor. So, Mr. Freeling wasn't arrested for impersonating an officer?

No, he was not. Why?

While in my presence, he never represented himself to be a police

Did you at any time take Mr. Freeling for a police officer?

Not for a moment. Well, what about the clothes and the car and the overall

demeanor? He's a buff.

I run into guys like him all the time. They learn a few words. They try to

up to you. Generally, they're harmless.

But no way would I take this guy for a cop. I beg to differ. In most respects,

I'm indistinguishable from a cop. Ed, will you let me handle this? Hey, pal,

no respect are you anything like a cop. Can we wrap this up? Why do you say

that? Because you're soft.

It just so happens I am not soft.

You wouldn't last 15 minutes on a job. Your problem is you're living in a

fantasy world. You're not a cop. You're never going to be a cop.

That's that.

I have nothing further, Detective.

You're a big boy, Ed.

Get over it.

Ever since he was nine, Luis has worked to help support the family.

Because he did that, I didn't have to work. I could concentrate on school.

How would you describe your relationship with your brother growing up?

Luis was my protector.

And when he couldn't be there, he made sure there was someone else to look out

for me.

Was it necessary to have a protector?

When you grow up in La Gerdiloma and you're skinny and asthmatic and good at

school, believe me, it was necessary.

And what kind of influence, if any, did your brother have on you?

When I was 13, I thought about joining a gang.

Luis said he'd beat the crap out of me if I did.

I told him that he had nothing to say about it because he himself was in a

at the time. How did he respond?

He got jumped out of the gang. He got jumped out of the gang. Tell us about

that. What does it mean to be jumped out?

It's like a reverse initiation.

They tie your hands behind your back, and all the gang members get to take

best shot.

When they brought him back, I thought he was dead.

His eyes were all swollen shut. He couldn't walk.

Well, I never had anything to do with gangs after that.

How do you feel about your brother, Ramon?

I love him.

And I owe him more than I could ever hope to repay.

No further questions.

Mr. Scala, do you consider your brother to be a violent person?

No, I don't. But as a gang member, wouldn't it be fair to assume that Luis

part in such activities as fights, violent initiations, perhaps drive -by

shootings? He joined the gang for his own protection.

The truth is, Luis was never much of a fighter.

Really?

As recently as two years ago, your brother was arrested and charged with an

assault. Are you familiar with that incident, Mr. Escala? They dropped those

charges. You witnessed that incident, didn't you, Mr. Escala? I caused it,

Nida.

I had just gotten a scholarship to Stanford.

My picture was in the paper.

We were at a neighborhood bar celebrating when this drunk starts in on

calling me vendido.

So the guy starts getting physical.

Luis takes him down.

So it wasn't Luis's fault.

That's right.

And last week when your brother terrorized and robbed a store clerk,

his fault either. My brother is not a criminal.

Your brother pleaded guilty to a crime. That makes him a criminal. Objection.

The prosecutor's making speeches.

I have nothing further.

Yeah, come in.

Ah, here filing your complaint with my boss, Mr. DeStefano? No, I'm not. I'm,

uh... I'm here to apologize.

About yesterday in Judge Walker's chambers, my accusations were out of

You seemed pretty sure of yourself at the time.

I was obviously mistaken.

See, Rick Turner, Stifle Records, they're big clients for my firm.

No one was very happy I lost the case. I was upset.

I'm sorry.

Apology accepted.

Good.

And as far as I'm concerned, we can act as though none of this ever happened.

Okay. Okay.

Do you have a minute?

Sure.

Maybe your religious impulses and your sexual impulses can exist

side by side.

Maybe the same is true for me.

What do you mean?

There are thoughts in my head.

There's desire.

I have sexual desire.

And I'm curious about doing things that good Christian girls don't do.

Things that they shouldn't even think about.

Like, uh... What kinds of things?

Before I could even say those words, I'd have to...

Let go a little.

Let go a lot.

I'd need to lose myself.

I'd need to... I don't know what I would need. I would need a drink.

That's not necessarily a bad idea.

Alcohol can be very helpful in allowing us to free ourselves of that which holds

us back.

What kind of drink should I have?

Vodka martini.

Well, then, I think that what we should do is...

Go someplace, and I could have four or five or six vodka martinis,

and then we could see where that takes us.

Oh, let's go right now. Let's go right now, Jane. Let's not think about it.

Let's not discuss it.

Let's put what I see to be a very brilliant plan into motion, and as you

see where it takes us.

Arnold? Yeah?

You know how you say that your eyes...

Can tell when a person's being sincere.

Yes, I remember saying that.

How your eyes looking into their eyes.

And based on that, you can always tell.

Let's talk about this more at the bar, okay?

Have you ever been to Musso and Frank?

Well, I think you should have your eyes checked.

They're not as reliable as you think they are.

Yeah.

Hi. Ed, we're not doing court till tomorrow.

I don't think I want to go to court.

You pretty much have to be there.

I want to settle.

Wait a minute.

We have a better than even chance of getting this case dismissed before it

goes to trial.

I don't care.

I did what you said I did.

I pretended to be something I'm not.

Well, that doesn't necessarily make you liable for damages.

I think it does.

I think it makes me a fraud and a fake.

I have no right asking you or anyone else to help keep me from paying for

The only real asset I have is the donut shop.

I want to give it to her.

Ed, I am not endorsing what you told that woman, but I don't think it

putting yourself into financial ruin.

You know, somewhere along the line, I probably could have become a cop.

I could have taken the test and gone on the job and found out what I was made

of.

I could have seen how I did when confronted with physical danger. When I

know what was on the other side of a door, whether I would have panicked and

away or chambered around and gone in.

I didn't do that, Ann.

I never found out.

I chose a comfortable, predictable way of life, selling coffee and doughnuts

curling up in my beddy at night.

Just pay the woman.

Just pay her whatever she wants.

Ramon, what are you doing here?

I'm worried about Luis.

Why is that DA so intent on putting him away?

That's her job.

Do you think he'll go to prison?

I don't know.

He shouldn't be thinking about sending him to prison.

It was always a possibility.

Not in my mind. In my mind, it was never a possibility.

I never would have agreed to let him do this otherwise.

Agreed to let him do what?

Luis is innocent. I robbed the store.

You? I never meant for it to happen like this.

Wait, wait a minute. You let your brother take the rap for you? It wasn't

idea. Whose idea was it? My parents. Who do you think?

A conviction would wipe out my chances of ever becoming a lawyer.

Why'd you rob a store, Ramon?

Where do you come from, Morales?

Mission Hills.

Mission Hills.

That's a nice neighborhood.

Maybe you going to law school wasn't such a big deal. Well, for me, it was a

deal.

I had everyone from the city councilmen to the abuelitas in the park watching my

every step, planning my future like I belonged to them, like they each owned a

piece of me.

From grade school on, I was the one who had to get the A's.

I was the one who had to be the class president, captain of the team,

valedictorian, and I was.

I got the scholarships, the pictures and the paper. Everything they wanted, I

did.

I can't do it anymore.

Why did you rob the store, Ramon? Because I had to do something to tell my

parents and my teachers to get the hell off my back.

What the hell am I supposed to do?

You come clean.

You go to the judge and tell him exactly what happened.

I want to. You have to.

That's the only way you're going to be able to live with yourself.

Your Honor, with no disrespect intended toward Mr. Morales, this smacks of a

ploy. It's not a ploy.

Ramona's ready to confess.

When? He'll be here in an hour. Your Honor, I think that the timing and the

circumstances cast considerable doubt on the reliability of such a confession.

Oh, that may be.

But when an officer of the court tells me someone's confessed to him

I have to take that seriously.

Meantime, I want a thorough review of all the evidence in this case.

Now, let's ascertain if anything ties the younger brother to the crime.

I want the report by the end of the day.

Mr. Morales?

Yes, Your Honor. As soon as the youngest Mr. Escala arrives...

Get him in here. Thank you.

I just had a very weird visit from Michael DiStefano.

What was weird about it?

He apologized for accusing us of having an affair during the Turner trial.

Well, it was a false accusation. He should have apologized.

And you didn't have anything to do with this change of heart?

Of course I did.

What'd you do?

Well, I called one of the senior partners at Mr. Stefano's firm.

That's all it took, one phone call from you?

Is that an abuse of authority, in your opinion?

No, I didn't say that. Because I can assure you that I am scrupulously honest

my judicial and my personal life. Carolyn. I regard integrity as being

above anything else.

Carolyn, you don't have to defend yourself to me.

I don't have a problem with you being able to pick up the phone and do what

did. You don't?

No. As a matter of fact, I like it.

What gives, Counselor?

If you have a minute, I think we can settle this thing.

Always willing to listen to reason.

Where'd you... In here.

You guys wait out here?

Hi.

How's it going?

Fine.

Your color?

Just handing them off.

Where do you guys work out at, Rampart?

Do I know you?

You might have seen me around.

Don't like that, sir.

Nice move.

Anytime.

Good morning.

I take it you've apprised everyone of your decision?

Ramon's only decision is to return to his classes tomorrow.

What does that mean?

It means that whatever Ramon might have said to you yesterday, you

misunderstood.

You're going to let them do this?

What kind of lawyer do you expect to be?

What kind of a person are you going to be? Mr. Morales. How are you going to

through your life doing this? Mr. Morales, you want to talk to someone?

Talk to me.

Okay.

You think my wife and I aren't in agony over making this decision?

We love our sons equally.

For 35 years, we have struggled to give them a chance for something.

Ramon is that chance.

So what, you just sacrificed, Luis?

Oye, didn't you hear my father?

I mean, what difference is it going to make?

Having committed a crime is not going to change my life, but it's going to turn

his life upside down.

Nobody's forcing me, Morales.

I want to do this.

And if it doesn't matter to me, why should it matter to you, huh?

Because I am your lawyer, and I know you're innocent.

Judge McGrath's waiting.

Luis?

See you, Pa.

Okay.

Let's go there.

You have to sign the deed and the franchise agreement.

Am I the red arrows or the blue ones? Red.

Come in.

Hi.

Oh, the papers won't be ready for a few more hours yet. I told your attorney

that... I've changed my mind.

How so?

I don't want his donut franchise.

I don't want anything.

What do you mean?

Well, when I found out that I had been fooled, that you weren't who you said

were, I was angry and I wanted revenge.

And that is no longer the case?

The way I feel now is...

If I got fooled, then I deserve to get fooled.

So, I'm sorry for putting you through all this.

Maybe I should start to go to therapy again.

Find out why this is so important to me.

Can I venture an opinion about what it was that was so important to you?

Sure.

This city, is a human sewer.

Every day there are those of us who go out there prepared to do battle against

that element which would cause us harm.

In addition to being a beautiful woman, you happen to be a citizen.

The thin blue line is all there is to keep you safe.

Um, Ed, I think... Oh, Ed.

Ed, you made me feel safe the whole time I was with you.

And then again when you stopped that guy in the courthouse.

You made me feel safe.

Boy, was that a stupid move.

What do you mean?

That building was full of real cops.

That guy had no chance of escaping. No one was in danger. So why did you put

yourself in the middle of all that?

It's what I do.

Miss Trestman, am I right in assuming that you're interested in dropping this

action?

Yeah.

In that case, I'll draw up papers to that effect.

Fine.

Can I buy you a cup of coffee?

Sure.

My unit's downstairs.

Hey, my mother got this on 47th Street today for me.

It's really pretty. Thank you. Sign here.

Not very nice.

Excuse me? What you did was not very nice.

What did you do?

In the case of people versus a scholar, I have reviewed all relevant materials

presented in this matter and find no evidence of fraud as charged by the

defendant's attorney.

Now, absent a more compelling set of proofs...

I have no choice but to accept Mr. Scala's plea and pass judgment

Your Honor, as I do not believe in my client's guilt, and as I'm convinced

a fraud is being perpetrated on this court, I would ask the court's

to withdraw as defense counsel.

Permission granted.

Mr. Scala, do you wish to have time to retain new counsel or proceed without an

attorney?

To proceed, Your Honor.

Rise for sentencing.

Mr. Scala, based on the testimony presented, I find the evidence of

circumstances in your case to be slight at best.

Now, before I sentence you, do you have any legal cause to show why judgment

should not be pronounced against you?

No, Your Honor.

Very well.

For the charge of robbery, I hereby sentence you to three years in the state

penitentiary. Bailiff, take charge of your prisoner.

Court is adjourned.

Judge, could you please allow us a moment before you take him?

I'm sorry, mijo.

I didn't know this would ever happen. It's okay.

Your mother and I will come and visit you every week. If there's anything you

need, we'll bring it to you. If there's...

If there's anything we can do for you, we'll do it. Don't, Papa.

Please.

Everything's going to be okay.

I could never be as proud of anyone as I am of you right now.

I love you, mijo.

I love you too, Papa.