Original subtitles

- You are still sore about what happened

to that client of yours--

what was his name?

- You know damn well his name was Dante Everson.

You killed him just as much as if you shivved him yourself.

- Your Honor, I'm requesting all records

related to Valerie Thompson's divorce proceedings

against the defendant.

- I want to know who leaked the goddamn transcript.

- I have a legal obligation

to keep those transcripts confidential.

- But you're so pissed that I took Lester

you'd betray any legal obligation.

- I would never do that!

- You know, you don't get beat up

if you bring a gun.

- Did you use my client to trick one of your suspects?

- He wanted to do it.

- He doesn't know what he's getting himself into.

- I did what I had to do, and I'm not gonna apologize.

- I'm going through Lester's police statement.

What if he got that statement from a story?

- "I'm watching a man battle with himself

for his own sanity."

- He didn't just option that script.

He wrote it himself.

- Pellegrini had our impersonator murdered.

- You didn't just cover for Lester going missing.

You set the whole damn thing into motion.

From this second on, you're on your own.

- I know you stole that story. - Okay, hold on.

- And now I want the real one.

- Okay, I killed him!

I killed him.

- Well, here we are.

I gotta tell you, I didn't anticipate

every twist and turn here along the way,

but here's the thing.

When this trial is over, the 12 of you,

you are going to go home,

and hopefully your lives are the same as they were before.

Lester Thompson's won't be,

because the verdict that you collectively reach,

that is going to dictate the course

of the rest of his life.

What you don't know...

is that it's also going to dictate the rest of mine,

because I have staked my career

and the career of everybody that I work with

on you finding Lester Thompson innocent.

And I did that

because Lester Thompson

is not a murderer.

- Yes, I took that story from the script.

But I am telling you, most of it is true.

- Except for the part where you pulled the trigger.

- See, that right there--

that you think that I could murder my own partner,

when you're supposed to be on my own goddamn team--

that's exactly why I knew the police would never believe me.

So when they got there, those words just...

came out.

And once I said them, there was no going back.

But yes.

I killed Simon.

- Why?

- Because he was about to kill me.

I told him that I knew

about the money that he stole from the studio.

I told him we could put the money back.

No one would ever know.

And that's when he started freaking out.

He kept saying, "You know. You know."

And then all of a sudden, he said,

"There's only one way out for me."

I really did think he was about to kill himself,

until he pointed the gun at me and said,

"I'm going to kill you, Dester."

- You mean Lester.

- No, uh, it's a long story, but...

he had a nickname for me.

He called me Dester.

So I lunged for the gun.

You know, I...

but he was really strong.

And I knew that if he got his hand free...

and then all of a sudden,

he stepped on some uneven grass,

and he stumbled a little, but it was enough.

And I realized the gun was pointing right at his head,

and it was him or me.

[dramatic music]

So I squeezed.

♪ ♪

And the gun went off,

and Simon went down.

It was over just like that.

And that is the whole truth.

I swear, every word.

- I believe you.

- [scoffs]

[inhales deeply]

For what it's worth... [exhales deeply]

It feels good to be able to finally let it all out.

- Good.

Because you're never going to let it out again.

- ♪ See the money, wanna stay for your meal ♪

♪ Get another piece of pie for your wife ♪

♪ Everybody wanna know how it feel ♪

♪ Everybody wanna see what it's like ♪

♪ I'll even eat a bean pie, I don't mind ♪

♪ Me and Missy is so busy, busy making money ♪

♪ All right ♪

♪ All step back, I'm 'bout to dance ♪

♪ The greenback boogie ♪

- Erica, can I talk to you for a second?

- About what?

- We both saw what happened in court yesterday.

I think we both know this was a long shot from the start.

- Walk the hell away from me, Stuart.

You say another word, I'll go right upstairs

and tell Ted you're poaching.

- No, you won't,

because he's in the middle of the trial of his life,

and he's losing.

We both know you're not gonna go up there and distract him.

- Doesn't matter, because whatever you're asking me,

the answer is no.

- All I'm saying is, when this is over,

you're gonna get flooded with offers.

I just want you to remember we came to you first.

- Let me ask you something, you smug son of a bitch.

What the hell kind of terms are you even offering me, hmm?

- [sighs] Erica...

you're missing the point.

Your ship is sinking.

I'm offering you a spot on the lifeboat.

You can either take it

or worry about what section you're sitting in.

- I'm not missing anything, Stuart.

I picked my team.

Ted's my guy. You're not.

This is the last time we're gonna have this conversation.

Excuse me.

[dramatic music]

- You heard both the ballistics expert and coroner

testify this morning that the evidence

does not support the theory that Simon killed himself?

- I did.

- And did Simon ever discuss suicidal thoughts

or ideation with you? - No.

- Did he ever confide in you that he was having an affair

with Lester's wife? - Yes, he did.

- And did he ever say what he thought

Lester would do if he found out?

- He said Lester would kill him.

- Given that,

in your expert opinion, psychologically,

is it more likely that Simon killed himself

or that Lester murdered him?

- Objection. - Sustained.

- Lester murdered him. - Your Honor.

- Strike that from the record.

The jury will disregard that answer.

- No more questions.

- Doctor, it sounds to me

like you knew Simon Shrager very intimately.

- I pride myself on my relationships with my patients.

- Did he tell you that he was stealing money

from his own movie studio?

- No, but that--

- So isn't it true that the guilt

of stealing money from his own movie studio,

coupled with the guilt

of having an affair with Lester's wife,

all the while under the influence of a psychedelic,

might have greatly increased the chances

of Simon becoming suicidal?

Don't look at her.

You can look at the 12 people that you just misled

about Simon's capacity to kill himself.

- Objection. Testifying. - I'll rephrase.

Is it possible that Simon killed himself?

- I suppose it's possible.

- One more question.

Do you feel protective of Simon?

- Of course I do. He was my patient of 15 years.

- Isn't it possible, psychologically,

that you'd rather believe that he was murdered

than face the possibility that you failed him so badly

that he killed himself?

- How dare you? - Objection!

- Mr. Black. - I'm sorry, Your Honor.

I just--I thought the good doctor was more interested

in the truth than protecting her reputation.

♪ ♪

No more questions.

- Mr. Claxton, how would you describe Lester's reputation?

- He's considered a liar.

He'll do anything to get his own way.

- Does he have a temper? - [chuckles]

Let's just say he makes Charles Manson

look like a pacifist.

- And because I know defense is gonna make

a big deal of the fact that Lester was trying

to sneak the stolen money back to you,

what would you have done if you'd found that out?

- I wouldn't have cared if he was paying us back or not.

I would have fired them both.

- Presuming Lester knew that, would he have been furious

at his business partner?

- He'd be more than furious.

He'd want to kill the man.

- I think that's a nice note to end on.

No more questions.

- Bill,

isn't it true that there's a history of animosity

between you and my client?

- Not uncommon in this business.

- Is it uncommon to say that you, in fact,

hate Lester Thompson? - I wouldn't exactly say I--

- In fact, haven't you hated him

since he humiliated you when you were a low-level executive?

And didn't you used to call me

just to tell me that you hated him?

- Objection. Badgering. - And that's the only reason

that you're saying what you're saying about him today...

- Your Honor.

- Because you, Bill, are clearly out for revenge.

- Mr. Black. - Yes, I hate him.

- Just to be clear,

why do you hate Lester Thompson?

- 'Cause he's a lying, thieving, violent bully.

- Interesting you bring up violence.

Are you aware of what Mr. Thompson was shooting at

the night Simon was killed with Mr. Thompson's gun?

- No, I'm not.

- I happen to have the target right here.

Can you identify it for me?

- My eyes are drawn

to the bullet holes in the forehead,

but there's no mistaking, that's a picture of me.

- Hmm.

Prosecution rests, Your Honor.

Oh, in case you were wondering,

that's what a bull's-eye looks like.

♪ ♪

[cell phone vibrating]

- Samantha.

To what do I owe the pleasure?

- I heard you had a rough day. - I've certainly had better.

- I just wanted to say, the Ted Black I knew

took plenty of hits but always came up swinging.

- I thought the reason that you left was,

you wanted me to stop swinging and I wouldn't.

- I might have said that,

but what I really wanted was for you to put your bat down

and be with me for a while.

♪ ♪

- You do realize I can't get out

if you're parked here, right?

- You're not going anywhere until I get some answers.

Did you tell Stuart about Lester stealing his statement

from that script? - What? No.

- Then why the hell did Stuart come to me last night

offering me a job, because he's sure we're going to lose?

- I have no idea.

But not 24 hours ago,

you told Kevin that you trusted me with your life.

So why don't you stop accusing me

of something I would never do?

- I'm sorry. He just pisses me off.

- Yeah. Take a number.

So what's Lester's story, anyway?

- He killed his partner, but it was self-defense.

- You believe him?

- Kevin's taken about 100 confessions,

and he believes him, so I do, too.

- You going to tell Ted?

- Would you?

- I have no idea.

But I'm glad I'm not the one who has to make that decision.

- [humming]

[apple thuds] Boop! [chuckles]

Mmm. Erica.

What can I do you for? - What's the plan for tomorrow?

- Well, Ted's trying to get Amanda

to undermine Smith's credibility.

But if she won't do it or if it doesn't work--

- He's going to put Lester on the stand, isn't he?

- Yes, and before you say what you're about to say,

no, I'm not telling him.

- Well, I think we should.

If Lester gets up there and tells a lie

and somebody finds out--

- They're not going to find out.

- We're keeping information from him.

- For his own protection. - You're not a lawyer.

- And you've never been to a murder trial.

Were you there today? They are kicking our ass.

- I don't care. I don't want to hang Ted out to dry.

- You are not hanging him out to dry.

You are giving him a chance to win.

[dramatic music]

Erica, look, if he knows Lester's lying,

he won't put him on the stand.

- I understand everything you're saying,

but if you don't tell Ted, I will.

- Then go ahead. There is the door.

But I told him something I shouldn't have once,

and I'm not doing it again.

- Ted. What are you doing here?

- Well, you didn't come home last night,

and you weren't answering your phone.

- So you just assumed I'd be at the Waldorf?

- I assumed that you'd be upset and this is where you'd go.

- You should have known I needed space from you.

- Samantha--

- How could you let this happen?

- I didn't let anything happen.

- Let me lay it out for you.

You're working a case that involves the Mafia.

You used my client to get a witness.

Then my client got killed.

And you think it's not your fault?

- Samantha, there's a leak in our office,

and if I had known,

I never would have asked Cameron for help.

- Well, I didn't know there was a leak,

and I still knew it was a bad idea.

So why the hell did you ask him in the first place?

- Because Pellegrini is a monster

and he needs to be put away.

- No, because you don't care about anything but your case.

- No, I swear, I'm gonna find the leak.

- I don't care about the leak.

Cameron is dead.

- And I didn't kill him, Samantha.

Pellegrini did.

- Well, I can't confront Pellegrini.

Now, I just-- - I get it.

I'm gonna get them.

- Great.

Go get 'em, Ted.

♪ ♪

- Do you have a second?

- You're unbelievable.

- [sighs] Look, I know what I did was wrong,

but I did it because I believe in my heart

that Lester didn't murder Simon.

So, unless you think I'm wrong,

don't punish him for something that I did.

- Oh, no, no, I am not punishing anyone.

You're perfectly capable of trying your own case.

- I know that.

I need to go on offense.

- And what exactly does that mean?

- It means that Smith is

tightening the noose with facts.

But juries don't just go by facts.

They go by feel, okay?

If I can make them dislike her,

they are not going to trust her.

And if they don't trust her--

- Then anything that you say afterwards

has more of a chance of landing.

- Exactly.

- You want me to talk about Dante Everson,

which I will not do.

- Amanda.

- I'm not using the memory of a dead man

to get Lester out of hot water.

- "Hot water"? His life is at stake!

- Then defend him to the best of your ability!

But I'm not going to lay myself bare to help

some slick producer.

- I put everything on the line for this trial

because I know in my gut Lester's not a murderer,

the same way I know you hate the idea

of another innocent man

being wrongly convicted.

Please.

I need your help.

♪ ♪

Ms. Stevens, have you ever gone up

against Ms. Smith before in court?

- Your Honor, what possible relevance

does a five-year-old case have?

both: Goes to establishing a pattern.

- I'm sorry, are you a witness or a lawyer?

- Evidently, today, she's both.

And your objection is overruled.

Witness may answer.

- I had a 19-year-old client.

Dante Everson.

He was young and very bright,

and he had his entire future ahead of him

until Ms. Smith used every trick in the book

to have him convicted of a murder he did not commit.

- Were you able to prove

that Ms. Smith did anything out of bounds?

- No, we never found proof,

but exonerating evidence that had somehow gone missing

turned up seven months later.

We used that evidence to file an appeal,

and we were going to overturn his conviction.

- So what did Ms. Smith do?

- She planted an article

alleging Dante was a suspect

in the shooting of a gang member.

- Why?

- Because she wanted him murdered in prison,

rather than face the fact

that she had convicted the wrong man.

- Has Ms. Smith done anything like that in this case?

- Well, for one thing, she planted that article

in the "Times" about Valerie Thompson

so that she could get that divorce transcript admitted.

- If Ms. Smith discovered that Simon had killed himself,

do you think that she would bury the evidence,

as opposed to facing the fact

that she is prosecuting another innocent man?

- Objection. Prejudicial. Inflammatory.

- You bet your ass I do.

- The jury will disregard that answer.

- [sighs]

- [whispering] Will they?

[normal voice] No more questions, Your Honor.

- I have to say,

you sure know how to make me sound like a monster.

- Well, I am under oath.

- Then under oath, is Simon Shrager still alive?

- You know he isn't.

- And did he die from a bullet to the head?

- Yes, he did.

- Well, someone fired the gun.

You'd have the jury believe it was me,

but I'm not on trial for murder here.

Lester Thompson is.

- Is there a question? - Yes.

Does anything you say about me change the fact

that Simon was killed by Lester's gun?

Does it change the blood spatter

or the ballistics or any of the evidence at all?

- No.

- And remind me,

was Dante Everson also accused of murder?

- Yes.

- Was he convicted? - Dante didn't kill--

- That's not what I asked.

Did a jury of his peers find him guilty?

- Yes, they did, but--

- Do you remember the name

of the victim's father in that case?

Because I do.

It was Lawrence.

He had one son,

and he will never see him grow up

because your client gunned his child down in cold blood!

- Your Honor! - That's enough.

- I have one last question.

If the evidence shows Lester did kill Simon,

which it does, and you were on the jury,

would you find him guilty?

- Objection! - Sustained.

- That's okay, Your Honor.

I think we all know where this defense attorney stands

on admitting her client's guilt.

♪ ♪

...

- [sniffs]

[door closes] You busy?

- Actually, I am, unless it's really important.

- Uh, it is.

Turns out that Cameron was impersonating my witness

during his act.

Somehow, that got back to Pellegrini.

[sighs] So that's why...

- So you want to make it clear it was his fault, not yours?

- No. Samantha--

- You know what I'm busy doing right now?

I'm working on what I'm gonna say at his funeral tomorrow.

- Maybe we should have this conversation another time.

- No, we're gonna have it right now,

since you're so intent on interrupting me

to make sure you're not in trouble.

- I'm not trying to get out of trouble.

I'm trying to get you to talk to me

because you haven't said three words since it happened.

- Because I'm grieving.

I lost someone very dear to me

that you don't seem to care about at all.

- I care about you.

- Then stop trying to get out of it

or implying that I'm overreacting

or telling me how I should feel.

- I'm not telling you how to feel.

I'm trying to...

get you to stop being mad at me.

- Not everything's about you.

I'm mourning, and yes, I'm mad,

but I know it's really Pellegrini.

And I'm just trying to get ready for this funeral.

So if it matters to you at all,

I just need you to be here for me.

And right now, that means leaving me alone

so I can finish this.

[serious music]

♪ ♪

- Here you are.

- I'm surprised you came to find me,

you got out of court so fast.

- I've learned that sometimes people need their own space.

- You were right.

I did.

- You okay?

She beat you up pretty good in there.

- Yeah, she beat me up, but...

[sighs] Damn it, it felt good.

Getting her. Getting it out.

And now it's on the record.

- You sure as hell put reasonable doubt

in the mind of the jury.

- Do you think it was enough to convince all 12?

- No.

- So what are you gonna do?

- Only thing I can.

Swing for the fences.

- Stuart, can I talk to you for a second?

- Sounds like I'm in trouble.

- I just--did I not tell you

that Peterson has a severe nut allergy?

- Of course. You told me last week.

- Then why is there a huge jar

of Extra Crunchy Jif in the kitchen?

- Because that's not a real jar of peanut butter.

- I don't get it.

- Peterson thinks it's real.

It scares the bejesus out of him.

He has to think about his mortality

every time he looks at it.

[laughs] It's genius, am I right?

- Stuart, I don't have the emotional maturity

of a 13-year-old boy.

Therefore, I don't find that funny.

- Ted would.

- Get rid of it, and get rid of it now.

- Let me leave it in there one more day.

I didn't even get to see him see it.

- Did you know? - Know what?

- Last night, I found out he offered Erica Rollins a job.

- No, I didn't.

- Then with all due respect,

if either of you are gonna make decisions

about the entertainment division,

either fill me in or let me go.

- What the hell were you thinking?

- That they're gonna lose this case.

At best, it's 50-50.

If they go down, people are gonna poach.

It might as well be us. - That's a load of crap.

You did it to hit Ted when he's down.

And all it did was make you look stupid

and me look like I don't have control of my own firm.

- How come no matter what Ted does,

he gets away with it?

No matter what I do, I look like a jerk?

- Instead of asking me that, Stuart,

you should be asking yourself.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

[phone buzzing]

- Ted? - Lester.

- What's going on?

- I think it's time you tell the jury

what happened in your own words.

- Are you sure?

- I will walk you through anything

Smith might say to make it seem like you shot Simon.

Remember, we have something on our side that she doesn't.

We're telling the truth.

- Anyway, he pulled the trigger

and slumped to the ground.

The next thing I know,

I was being arrested by the police

for a crime I did not commit.

- Do you miss Simon?

- Yeah, of course I do.

- Even though you found out later

that he was...

cheating with your wife.

- I'm not saying I'm not mad at him.

I am.

♪ ♪

But he was my partner, and he was my friend...

and I wish he were still alive.

- Okay.

Anything else that you'd like to say?

- Just that I could never murder another human being.

I wish there was proof of my innocence, but...

there was only two of us there that night, so...

I guess the truth died with my friend.

- No further questions.

♪ ♪

- That was very moving.

But let me ask you, what if I have a witness

who saw you shoot that dear friend of yours

who you miss so much? - Objection!

- Both of you up here now. - What kind of crap is this?

- Your Honor, a witness came forward yesterday.

I wasn't going to call them, but I am now.

- She rested her goddamn case.

- A rebuttal witness

to specifically refute that nonsense we just heard.

- Your Honor. - Back up, Mr. Black.

This is a court of law.

She can call a witness.

- Thank you, Your Honor.

♪ ♪

Can you tell us why you didn't come forward until last night?

- Because the only reason I saw what happened

is that I was bartending a party at a house

that was being illegally rented.

I had to sign an NDA

prohibiting me from admitting I was ever there.

- But?

- I realized if I didn't come forward,

I'd never be able to live with myself.

- Please, tell us what you saw.

- I went out to smoke a cigarette,

and I heard grunting and yelling.

It was pretty far, but I saw two men struggling.

And then I heard one of them say,

"I'm going to kill you dead, sir."

That's what I heard--

"I'm going to kill you dead, sir."

Then a second later,

one of them shot the other one in the head.

- Can you identify the man who pulled the trigger?

- Yes.

That man right there.

[jurors murmuring]

...

[knock at door]

- Thanks for coming with me. - Ah, no thanks needed.

A man died helping us. [inhales deeply]

I'd go to his funeral even if he wasn't Samantha's client.

You ready? [cell phone chimes]

- Let's go.

What's going on?

- Nothing. We should go.

- Wait, do you think I don't know you?

It's work. It's important. What is it?

- No, I'm not telling you, not--not today.

- It's Pellegrini, isn't it?

- Samantha needs you at that funeral.

- Kevin, if this is about the case

that I have risked my life for and you don't tell me...

- They're arresting Pellegrini in an hour.

- We're not going to that funeral.

- Teddy-- - I don't want to hear it.

We are going to that arrest.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- You tell me right now--

was that woman telling the truth?

- Yes, okay?

Yes, but it's not how she made it seem, all right?

It was self-defense. - Was it?

How am I ever gonna believe another word

that comes out of your lying mouth?

- Teddy, he-- he's telling the truth.

- You knew. [sighs]

- Yeah, I knew.

And the last time I ignored my gut,

I told you something I shouldn't have,

and you missed Cameron's funeral,

and your life fell apart.

- This isn't that, and you know it.

- Well, great. You can be pissed at me later,

but I stand by what I did,

and I won't lose a minute's sleep over it.

- I will be pissed at you later.

For now, what's done is done,

and we need to figure out what we're gonna do next.

- Why can't I just go back up on the stand

and tell the truth?

It was self-defense. The tape proves that.

- Whatever tape you're talking about, it doesn't matter.

- Why not?

- Because even I know you can't change your plea

to self-defense mid-trial.

- Then what are we going to do?

♪ ♪

I need your help. - Don't come anywhere near me.

- Stuart, Lester told me the truth.

It was self-defense.

- Which is exactly the strategy I insisted on

before you stole him from me

by saying, "Oh, Lester, I believe in you.

"I love you.

We can live happily ever after in innocent land."

- Okay, are you done? Because we need to change the plea.

- Oh, it's too late for that now.

- No, there's always a solution.

- You know what? There is. Argue ineffective counsel.

Pray you get a mistrial and get him a competent lawyer.

- You know, if you were going to tell me to screw myself,

you should have just started with that!

- I did start with that, and I meant it.

Your only chance is to tell the court

that you didn't properly advise your client,

but you won't do that because you're too selfish.

- You want the case? You can have it.

- I'm not putting my name anywhere near that,

because you've turned this whole thing

into a steaming pile of excrement.

You stole Lester from me.

You accused me of leaking my own client's transcripts.

Then you punched me in the face!

You're not gonna weasel out of this!

- You once told me you put your clients first

and you always will.

You were Lester's attorney before me.

He needs you.

Did you mean what you said or not?

♪ ♪

- Give me the goddamn file.

[sighs]

♪ ♪

[lock clicks]

- Samantha, thank God. [door closes]

I called the hotel, but you weren't there.

Where have you been? - You know where I was.

Cameron's funeral. - That was yesterday.

- I kept waiting for you to show up and be by my side,

but you never did,

so I spent the night at my mother's.

- Okay.

There was a reason that I wasn't there.

- I needed you there with me.

- We got him.

We got Pellegrini.

And I didn't just arrest him.

I got a photo of him on the toilet

after we busted in.

He's going to be humiliated.

- You really think this makes it better, don't you?

- [scoffs] - I told you I was concerned

about what this man might do before he killed Cameron,

and you just went and poured gas on the fire.

You don't care about my needs at all.

- What is that supposed to mean?

- It means I don't feel safe for you, me, or Eddie.

But you can't--

- Samantha, we have been over this.

- Then give up the case and prove to me I'm wrong.

- I can't do that.

[somber music]

- I know.

I love you, Ted, but I'm gonna accept an offer

from one of the firms in Los Angeles.

- No, please don't do this. - I'm sorry.

I can't stay here anymore.

♪ ♪

- We've been at this all night.

- And we're gonna keep at it until the last second.

- [grunts]

I got to tell Lester that he's going back on the stand

and tell everyone what really happened.

- How many times have we been over this?

The second he starts talking,

Smith says we can't change our plea

because nothing she's presented will argue for that.

Damn it! [echoing thud]

- Since we're taking a box-throwing break,

I'm just gonna say this.

Now that I've been a defense attorney for...

all of one case, I'm...

starting to understand the mountain

that you have to climb with each case.

So, for what it's worth, maybe I didn't...

treat what you do with the proper amount of respect.

- "Maybe"? - Probably.

- How about definitely?

- Maybe definitely probably.

♪ ♪

- We also gonna revisit the flea thing?

- I think we just did.

- You didn't. - Are you sure?

- I can have the court reporter read it back to you.

- I know what I said.

I don't need to have it read back to me

like I'm some kind of-- - Wait a second.

That's it, the transcript. - That's not the line.

It's, "Why the two orders?"

They don't discuss transcripts.

We're quoting "A Few Good Men," Stuart.

- No, I know what we're quoting, you idiot.

I switched over to winning your case for you.

- What are you saying?

- I'm saying Smith entered Valerie's transcript.

That's your ticket out.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Hey. You busy?

- Just catching up on some paperwork.

- Just wanted to say I read the transcript

of your testimony yesterday.

That couldn't have been easy.

I mean, the whole thing is just gut-wrenching.

- Guess you don't have too many clients

get murdered behind bars in the television business?

- You know I do movies, too, right?

- [chuckles] I, um,

I actually came in early to check on Ted.

Can you imagine

finding out Lester was lying the whole time?

You knew? - Amanda.

- I don't believe you. You--you hung him out to dry?

- No, I was trying to protect him.

- Are you out of your mind?

You're his number two. You owe it to him to--

- She wanted to tell him,

but I was the one that told her not to.

- Why?

- Because he's my brother

and we have a code to protect each other.

That's what I thought I was doing.

- Got one hell of a messed-up code.

- Eh, maybe I do,

but he knows I knew, and he's okay with it.

And there's no reason for him to ever know about Erica.

- I won't say a word.

- About what?

Just trying to lighten up the mood.

Everything doesn't have to be life or death,

except in Lester's case.

Too soon?

- Too soon. - Okay.

[elevator bell dings, telephone ringing]

- [French accent] Bonjour. Railsback Lane.

How may I direct, uh, the call?

Oui. One moment.

[normal voice] Rick Dodson.

No, that wasn't me who answered the phone.

I don't care how long you've known me.

That--you did not recognize my voice.

Mom, I got to go.

[French accent] Au revoir.

[receiver clatters]

- Rick, can we talk for a minute?

- [normal voice] Actually, I'm having a pretty good morning--

- I just wanted to say-- - Actually,

since you're so hot to trot,

I've been thinking about after you got in that fight with Ted

and you apologized to me.

You called me, and you said

I should be setting a better standard.

And I believed you, but you didn't mean any of it,

because you were so obsessed with getting back at Ted

that you offered my job to somebody else!

So, until you get over being butthurt

about whatever Ted did to you, stay the hell away from me.

- I made up with Ted. - What, now?

- I forgave him.

We worked on his case all night.

He just went out the back elevators.

- The back ones? - Yeah.

- And you couldn't find a place

in the middle of my rant to tell me that?

- I was going to, but you were so hot to trot...

I just figured I'd let you ride to the finish line.

All right, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to mosey on home...

- Yeah. - Crack open a can of beans,

sit by the fire, and maybe get some shut-eye.

- Mm-hmm.

You're not gonna let me forget that I said "hot to trot,"

are you?

- Giddyup, cowboy!

Whee-hee!

- Yeah, that's fair.

- Hey. - What are you doing here?

- Oh, I just came to support the team.

- Oh. - Not you. Lester.

I worked with him, you know... - Mm.

- Because I'm a better lawyer than you.

- Wow, you're really gonna say you're a better lawyer than me

today of all days? - Every day.

- You know, it's a crime to lie in court.

- Isn't that what you let Lester do yesterday?

Too soon?

- Is defense ready to call their next witness?

- Yes, Your Honor.

The defense would like to recall Lester Thompson,

but, first, I would like to file a motion

to change our plea to not guilty

by reason of self-defense.

- You've got to be kidding me? - My chambers, now.

[dramatic music]

- What's she doing here?

I thought she isn't counsel anymore?

- He invited me back to see the fun.

- What fun?

Your Honor, I didn't prepare to prosecute

against a self-defense plea because they didn't make one.

They can only change a plea mid-trial

with evidence admitted prior to me resting my case.

And nothing that implies

Lester's life was being threatened

had already been admitted. - Yes, it had.

Because Valerie Thompson is on the record

saying that Simon wanted to kill Lester.

- Are you dreaming? She didn't say that.

- Not on the stand.

She said it during the divorce negotiations.

- The transcript of which you specifically entered

right after you planted that article.

- Nothing to say?

- Your Honor--

- Ms. Smith, you wanted the transcript entered,

and I hated letting you have it at the time.

Well, this is the chickens coming home to roost,

and I'm not going to stop it.

- What do they call that--

"being hoisted on your own petard"?

- I think they call it "losing."

- For the record, this is the fun.

[dramatic music]

[door closes]

[door opens]

- When I was eight years old,

Jimmy Galuska stole the bake-sale money.

Everyone knew it was him, but...

they all thought it would be fun to blame me.

I was small.

Things didn't really come easily to me.

- The teacher, Mrs. Metzger,

didn't question it for one second.

I still remember the sneer on her face

when she sent me to the principal.

That was the first time.

The next year, when Greg Fox pulled the fire alarm,

it happened again...

and again and again.

So, when Simon died and--and the police came

with their lights and their faces

that all looked like Mrs. Metzger, I...

I lied.

But I am telling the truth now.

I loved my friend.

And I have to live with the fact that I pulled that trigger

for the rest of my life.

[somber music]

But if I hadn't, he would have killed me.

- Lester, is there anything that you can say to the jury

to help convince them that you're telling the truth?

- Yes.

What the witness heard wasn't me saying,

"I'm going to kill you dead, sir."

It was Simon saying,

"I'm going to kill you, Dester."

- What's Dester?

- It was Simon's nickname for me.

You can ask 100 people in town. They all knew.

- Thank you.

No further questions.

- [sighs deeply]

That was a very moving story...

touching.

I almost believed it myself,

especially the part about that Dester nonsense.

However, isn't it true you didn't tell this story

to a single soul until after I produced a witness

who saw you kill Simon? - No.

I told it four days ago. - What?

- Your Honor, I have a videotape

of Lester's confession date-stamped four days ago,

sent certified mail four days ago.

I'd suggest we let the jury watch it,

because once they do...

this trial is going to be over.

- Ms. Smith, unless you have grounds for objection?

- No objections.

[dramatic music]

- You see that look?

That tape was me.

Saved the day.

- So...

what now? - We watch the tape.

The jury's convinced.

I do my closing argument, and you...

start thinking about your next movie.

♪ ♪

- Not bad for your first time as defense attorney.

- Couldn't have done it without you.

- I wasn't gonna come out and say it, but...

duh.

- And I realized the gun was pointing right at his head,

and it was him or me.

- Well, here we are.

I gotta tell you, I didn't anticipate

every twist and turn here along the way,

but here's one more thing.

When we started this trial,

the--the prosecution said

that I am nothing more than an entertainment lawyer.

What she doesn't realize

is that an entertainment lawyer builds his career

by finding the right people to believe in.

I have known that Lester Thompson was innocent

from the very start.

And after looking at your faces watching that tape,

I know that you know it now, too.

♪ ♪

- We, the jury, find the defendant...

♪ ♪

not guilty.

♪ ♪

[camera shutters clicking]

♪ ♪

- So since I know that you're gonna find him innocent,

between you and me,

I'm not just an entertainment lawyer.

I'm the best damn entertainment lawyer you've ever seen.

- ♪ Na-na, na-na ♪

♪ Na-na, na-na ♪

- So please...

get to deciding,

because I've got the rest of my life to keep living.

- ♪ You say you want to start a fire ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Turn my pain into power ♪

♪ My fear to desire ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ Fall apart when I try to be strong ♪

♪ Gotta learn how to cry, oh, oh ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Can you hear my cry? ♪

♪ ♪

- It was my fault Cameron died.

♪ ♪

It was always my fault...

♪ ♪

And I should have said that from the beginning.

I should have gone to the funeral.

I should have...

been there for you.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

♪ ♪

- ♪ Na-na, na-na ♪

♪ Na-na, na-na ♪

♪ Na-na, no, no, no ♪

♪ Fire, fire, fire ♪

♪ Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na ♪

♪ Say you want to start a fire ♪

♪ Na-na, no, no ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Turn my pain into power ♪

♪ My fear to desire ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ Fall apart when I try to be strong ♪

♪ Gotta learn how to cry, oh ♪

- Aaron. Aaron!