Original subtitles

Previously on The Practice.

This case is completely circumstantial. We have a very good shot.

Plus, we have grounds for an appeal. Let's not forget that.

You guys have nothin' to worry about. There's no way they're gonna convict your client.

- Oh, you were in the courtroom? - I'm on the jury.

I had a communication with a juror. I gotta go to the judge.

But you didn't communicate with him.

But even so, technically, under the rules, we have a mistrial.

I don't see how it has any effect. I say we don't tell.

[ Woman ] On the matter of the Commonwealth versus Kenny Tripp,

we find the defendant... guilty.

[ Judge ] Sentencing next Tuesday, 9:00.

[ Ellenor ] Don't say anything. I'm coming right back to talk to you.

Okay? Just don't say anything. I've got a plan.

The guilty verdict stands. As for the two of you,

I'll be recommending immediate disbarment.

You risked your careers. You completely jeopardized the reputation of this entire firm.

You got a murderer off on the moral integrity of his cold-blooded execution.

What exactly do you think our reputation is here, Bobby?

It wasn't suicide.

You can state that for a medical certainty?

Mr. Wiggins had no suicidal tendencies, in my professional--

You can state it to a medical certainty it wasn't suicide?

I'm a psychiatrist, not a medical examiner, but--

[ Bobby ] So you can't rule out suicide as a cause of death. Correct, Doctor?

That would be correct. But I-- Thank you, Doctor.

And, Doctor, have you had other patients who did commit suicide?

Yes. How many?

I'm not sure. [ Bobby ] More than five?

Probably. More than 10?

I'd say between five and 10. I'd have to check my files.

And of those suicides, was there ever one you didn't see coming?

For most of those occasions, I saw some symptomology--

Was there ever an occasion where the suicide surprised you?

Someone you didn't deem suicidal took his or her life--

Has that ever happened? Yes, but--

Thank you. So it does happen, doesn't it, Doctor?

A patient with no apparent suicidal tendencies takes his life. It happens.

- That's argumentative and badgering. - This is a cross-examination.

I would submit the doctor is being argumentative.

Let's just have a nice, civil murder trial, shall we?

Doctor,

according to your testimony, Mr. Wiggins became upset to learn of the affair...

between his wife and Mr. Forsythe, didn't he?

Upset, yes. I didn't say despondent.

Well, is it possible he could have become despondent...

to learn his wife of 12 years was sleeping with another man?

To me, he seemed more enraged than depressed.

Are you telling this court he wasn't depressed about it?

I'm telling this court I don't think he committed suicide.

Of course you don't want to think that. You were his treating psychiatrist.

Suicide would represent yourfailure, wouldn't it, Doctor?

Hey. I prescribed medication. He refused to take it.

- He refused to take drugs. Any drugs. - Move to strike. Nonresponsive.

There is no way he would willingly take Seconal.

Move to strike!

You were way too aggressive.

Too aggressive? He was throwing dirt on the coffin.

He put the final nail in. Andrea, have you been paying attention? We're losing.

It's still all circumstantial.

Two lovers last seen with a dead husband?

They found her drugs inside of him. This is a nightmare.

They're innocent, Bobby. You know that as well as I do. It doesn't matter what we know.

I'm tellin' ya. I could see it in the eyes of the jury.

We're goin' down.

[ Line Ringing ]

[ Cell Door Opens, Closes ]

[ Sirens Wailing ]

Come on. You know Ellenor Frutt.

She's an honest lawyer. So's Lindsay Dole. They communicated with a juror.

Your Honor, if you file this complaint, it will stain their careers forever.

That's the point. You never made a mistake?

Not the one you're asking me to make right now.

My decision stands. It stands to be corrected.

Counsel, maybe I should direct the board to investigate you.

Damn it. Didn't fly.

Nope.

So we're still basically suspended?

Basically.

[ Sighs ]

This is, uh, a little awkward, Jimmy.

I mean, you said you had some kind of specialist on disability claims, so I--

Well, he is. He used to be a P.I. This is his wheelhouse.

Yeah, well, all the same, I--

Whoa, whoa. What's goin' on here, Mr. Rydell?

Is there a problem with my being, uh,

bald?

You're black.

Oh.

Which is fine in most instances, but...

this instance--

What's the problem, John? A black lawyer can't argue a bum knee?

We ain't talkin' about a bum knee here, Jimmy.

The disability I'm claimin' is racism.

What?

I've been seein' a shrink. I can document it official.

You're saying racism is a disease...

to qualify you for disability pay?

Mr. Young, I've been workin' the beat for 18 years.

I ain't just talkin' job stress here.

I'm talkin' every time I see an African-American suspect,

my hand is automatically goin' for my gun.

Am I proud of that?

No.

Is it the truth? Yeah.

- And you expect to be awarded an early pension for this? - I didn't expect to get fired.

When I told my superiors, they bounced me.

I-- I-- I should be suing to get my job back, but I shouldn't get it back.

I got no business bein' out on the beat.

But I got a family, a mortgage.

And I got fired for tellin' a truth that was pretty hard to fess up to.

And I'll tell you somethin' else. These racist tendencies--

I never used to have 'em.

This job has done this to me.

Listen. Our gut reaction, plus the polls from our jury consultants,

it doesn't look good.

We might have to think about a deal.

A deal? A deal?

We're innocent. What-- What-- What kind of a deal?

I don't think they'd offer anything better than manslaughter.

- Do you think we did this? - No.

Then how could you possibly suggest we agree to manslaughter?

I'm-- I'm not suggesting it. But let's face it.

You two are the only ones who can account for your whereabouts.

By your own admission, you were sleeping,

while you were alone at a movie.

Your husband was found dead in a bathtub with his blood full ofyour Seconal.

Two lovers, last seen with him, no alibi, plenty of motive.

We didn't do it.

Your husband's psychiatrist just blew a hole through our suicide theory.

I didn't kill my husband.

And I certainly will not get up and say that I did.

Okay.

Okay. Um,

it comes down to putting you on the stand.

Both of you.

That's-- That's fine. Now look.

Pratt is gonna come at you hard on the affair, the prenup, the motive. It'll be ugly.

You'll be painted as greedy adulterers who killed a rich, older man for his money.

That picture's already been painted, Mr. Donnell. Do you read the papers?

Mary Jane, the newspapers have done nothing...

to prepare you for what you're in for once you get in that witness chair.

Now, we'll start with you, Doug.

And then you'll follow, Mary Jane.

Let's meet after lunch, and we'll go over what to expect.

All right?

Listen, you-- you better go out the back. Corridors are crawling.

[ Exhales ]

Remember when we were lying in bed worrying about our con law exam?

Yeah.

We were talkin' about how great it would be once we got out of school.

Maybe someday cocounseling a big case together.

And here we are.

This isn't fun.

Not a bit.

Are you actually going to take this guy's case?

Think about it. He got punished for admitting he was being racist.

What kind of message does that send to the force?

"Keep it to yourself. Don't come forward"?

To me, that keeps more racist cops on the street.

That's one way of looking at it.

Another way would be this guy is looking to get paid for being prejudiced.

Now, have you put that to your smell test?

I got the whole file faxed over. We-- We could--

Oh. Hi.

Hi.

I wish you the best of luck in your disbarment proceeding.

How long have you and Mrs. Wiggins been lovers, sir?

[ Doug ] A little over two years.

And you met how?

I was employed as a senior vice president at Wiggins Corrugated Steel Company.

You were sleeping with your boss's wife.

- Yes. - At some point, he found out about it.

Yes. [ Bobby ] What was his reaction?

- [ Doug ] He terminated my employment. - Did you ever see him again?

Yes. I saw him the day of his death. Where?

[ Doug ] At his house. What happened...

on the day you went to see him, Mr. Forsythe?

I tried to express how bad I felt. And I--

I suppose I really wanted to get some kind of forgiveness.

- Did you? - No.

No. He accused me of being a liar.

Then he asked me to, uh, leave his house.

- [ Bobby ] Did you leave alone? - No. Uh, Mary Jane was with me.

Uh, she tried to stay and reason with him a little,

but, uh, he screamed at her too.

When you left the house, where did you go? To my house.

We were gonna go to a movie, but, uh, I decided to just crash.

I took a nap, and, uh, Mary Jane did go to the movie.

So, you were deeply upset when you left Mr. Wiggins's house.

- Yes, sir. - So troubled that you laid down and took a nap.

Any difficulty sleeping?

The sleeplessness from the last two weeks probably made it easier.

Can anyone verify that you were home, sleeping?

No, sir. Except for Mary Jane.

[ Pratt ] Who went to the movies. Yes.

That's a funny thing.

You know, you both have busy lives.

Active schedules, lots of people to see.

But for the actual time Mr. Wiggins died,

neither of you have anybody to account for your whereabouts.

That's kind of a coincidence. Don't you think?

Would that be a coincidence, Mr. Forsythe?

I suppose it would. And, by Mr. Wiggins dying, instead of divorcing his wife,

you and your lover stand to be very wealthy people together.

- [ Together ] Objection! - Overruled.

- No worry about that prenup now, is there, Mr. Forsythe? - Objection!

- Sustained. - Did you go back to that house and poison Mr. Wiggins?

No. [ Both ] Objection!

- Did you drown him in that bathtub? - Your Honor.

- Counsel. - Did you murder him for his wife and his money?

Move to strike! Objection!

Mr. Pratt, that is enough.

Don't you think if we were going to do something like this...

we would have made sure we had an alibi?

Well, that's a good thought, Mr. Forsythe.

Did you think of that before or after you killed him?

- Mr. Pratt. - I'm sorry. That's all.

[ Judge Hiller ] The witness may step down.

[ Spectators Murmuring ]

You held up well, but-- It still looks bad.

Doug, I gotta ask you a tough question.

Mary Jane said she went to the movies.

- In your mind, is there any possibility that she-- - No.

I know you love her, but if there is the remotest chance--

[ Sighs ] At this point, it's every man for himself.

I represent you. I don't represent her.

Hey. If either of us were to be singled out as more likely, it would probably be me.

- I-- I don't follow. - [ Sighs ]

She still loved him.

In fact, a couple of days before he died, she said she was thinking of going back with him.

The two of us were fighting. Why didn't you tell me this before?

'Cause it doesn't matter. At the end of the argument, we were all settled and-- and--

and staying together.

The point I'm making is this:

though she couldn't live with John anymore, she still loved him a lot.

She never would have considered hurting him.

She-- She wasn't worried about the prenup?

She didn't care about his money. She didn't even want his money.

What about pointing the finger at somebody else?

There are two employees at Wiggins...

who were in a big power struggle tryin' to squeeze him out. So they kill him?

Nah. The first rule in defense law is don't offer a theory you can't prove, remember?

Well, we gotta think of something, Andrea.

What about accident? We could go back to that.

No. You heard the M.E. He said it was way too much Seconal to be accidental.

He could be wrong. All we need is doubt.

You realize we got two people who basically, because they committed adultery,

are about to be convicted of a homicide?

Yeah. The problem is that the Seconal was mixed with wine.

If the guy wanted to commit suicide, why wouldn't he just swallow the pills?

Why grind it up and mix it with wine? That's the question we gotta answer.

Maybe he was hoping it would look like murder.

I mean, that would be a great way to get even, wouldn't it?

Yeah. Another theory we can't prove. But keep thinking.

That little mind of yours is bound to come up with something. Mmm.

Come on. [ Sighs ]

- I lied. - What?

When I said that this wasn't fun.

I mean, the case isn't, but working together--

[ Chuckles ]

I love the way you grilled the psychiatrist.

Your little cheeks got all flushed.

I'd forgotten how your cheeks flush up.

- [ Door Opens ] - Bobby?

- Oops. Uh, sorry. I'll just-- - No, no. No, I was-- I was just going.

Uh, I'll see you in court.

Yeah. 9:00.

Sharp. Uh, night, Ellenor.

Good night.

I'm sorry.

You need me?

Yeah. Um, Lindsay said that you were going to go to another judge for us.

Judge Hiller is the presiding superior court judge in Suffolk. She's on my murder trial.

I'm gonna try to grab her during a break, see if she'll pull rank over Judge Stevens.

I'm not optimistic, but it's-- it's worth a try.

She's the fairest judge going, and we get along.

Okay. Thanks. Yeah.

Bobby, I wanted to apologize for--

I never meant to jeopardize you.

You know that.

I do.

Okay.

Thanks again.

[ Door Closes ]

[ Sighs ]

Under Massachusetts law,

Officer Rydell suffers a permanent partial disability,

which constrains him from working in his selected field.

Racism is not a recognized disability.

The law recognizes mental distress produced by prolonged work-related anxiety.

Mr. Rydell did not suffer this condition of irrational discrimination based on race...

prior to his employment by the department.

Mr. Rydell,

you've been before this panel before, haven't you?

Yes, sir. That time, I was tryin' to stay on the force.

You took a bullet, if I recall correctly.

Nine years ago, a stray shattered my kneecap.

They offered me the pension then and said I wasn't fit.

- I told them I wanted to stay on the street. - You recovered?

Yes, Your Honor. I have some pain. That's all.

-You know the implications of the claim you bring here today? -I do.

You're going on record that the Boston Police Department--

your department-- our department-- turned you into a bigot?

The claim is that working this job has caused him to suffer racist tendencies.

Nobody's blaming the department.

The conclusion people will draw is obvious.

And frankly, Mr. Rydell, I'm a little sickened by this petition.

Let me tell you what sickens me, Mr. Crane.

Last summer, me and my partner were investigating a "B" and "E" call.

At the scene, I-- I see a man I think has a gun.

A black man. I opened fire and killed him.

He didn't have a gun, Mr. Crane.

He had a lighter.

I.A.B. determined it was an honest mistake, and I was cleared.

This hearing addresses issues of law as they relate to your claim.

This is symptomatic of his condition and entirely relevant.

Let him finish.

I.A.B. lets me off on "perception of danger"...

with some mandatory stress recovery.

During my sessions, the psychiatrist--

I-It started to become clear.

If this man with the lighter was white, would I have fired on him?

It keeps coming up. He's black, so I see a gun.

This man had a wife, two daughters, runs a shoe shop.

He was the man who called in the "B" and "E."

Now, as sure as I'm sitting here,

I know I was quick to pull the trigger because he was black.

I can't tell another judge what to do.

You could talk to her. And say what?

Your associates talked to a juror?

They were wrong. Judge Stevens was right. Technically.

That's the way we do things here, Bobby: technically.

Seven years ago, I had a client who raped and killed three children.

The police coerced a confession out of him. I stood before a certain judge...

and argued that the confession be tossed on constitutional grounds.

The judge went by the book, even though she knew he was guilty.

She released the defendant on technical grounds.

Two weeks later, he killed another child.

The lawyer cried for a week.

And I suspect the judge did too.

Are you comparing that case to this one?

I'm suggesting doing what's right, by the book, doesn't always work.

Let me suggest to you judges and lawyers take an oath to this judicial process,

and that oath isn't waivable.

We both need to cling to that, don't we?

That case isn't this case.

Both cases involve doing what's technically right,

resulting in a greater injustice.

Ellenor Frutt and Lindsay Dole were both wrong. No dispute.

But to face disbarment-- that-- that's a much greater injustice.

Beck, we need a quick check...

on Dr. Wolfman, our testifying shrink.

We don't want to get surprised by any skeletons.

This the psychiatrist that says racism is a handicap? Yeah.

- H-He's got good credentials, but just to be safe-- - Oh, I'm sure he's legit.

- How's the hearing going? - What?

Oh, fine. Things are proceeding well.

It's fine.

Excuse me.

What's going on? What?

Nothing.

Why? Because every time my eyes happen to catch yours,

you-- you give me this look like you killed my mother.

Oh. Well, I'm sure your mother's fine.

- Jimmy. - It's private.

It's got nothin' to do with you. I mean, it does, but--

It's none of your business.

I'm not tellin' you, Lindsay.

Jimmy, if whatever this is has something to do with me, as you say, you owe me an explanation.

You don't want to know this. Trust me. Tell me.

I'm not comfortable-- Now.

Okay.

The other night,

I kind of had this erotic dream.

We were both in it. We were both naked.

Nude.

And you were... very rigorous.

See? I knew you wouldn't want to know.

Well, I don't think you have to feel guilty about a dream, Jimmy.

People dream.

No. I know. But, see,

I got certain hang-ups when it comes to sex.

I see. Whenever I have relations with a girl,

it's hard for me to look at her after, on account of my Catholic guilt.

And in my mind, it's as if you and I had sex.

And it was... rigorous.

[ Mary Jane ] And, um, when I got home--

or rather, when I got to Doug's home, the police were there.

And, um, they told me my husband was dead.

Mrs. Wiggins, the autopsy revealed that your husband died from an overdose of Seconal.

The prescription for this drug was yours.

Yes. I take Seconal for insomnia.

Did you give this drug to your husband? Of course not.

Do you have an explanation as to how he came to take it?

Well, I could only guess that he was upset.

And he either took some,

hoping to relieve his own anxiety,

and accidentally took too much, or maybe--

maybe he did it on purpose.

So, he ground it up and mixed it with wine. Why would he do that?

I don't know.

How much money do you stand to inherit from your husband's estate?

I'm not exactly sure.

Would it surprise you to learn it's 3.7 million?

That sounds about right. If you and your late husband had divorced,

do you know how much money you were entitled to under the prenuptial agreement?

It was considerably less.

Considerably less. $410,000.

- Did you murder your husband for his money? - No, sir. I did not.

You were at the movies when he died.

Yes. By yourself.

- Yes. - [ Pratt ] Anybody else see you there?

Nobody recognized me, Mr. Pratt.

I suppose if I went today, it would be different.

Mrs. Wiggins, you'd have to admit how this looks.

You had motive, opportunity, you were the last one seen with your husband alive,

you have no alibi.

All you have here is your word, isn't it?

I suppose that would be so.

And are you good for your word, Mrs. Wiggins? Are you somebody to trust?

- Objection. Argumentative and badgering. - Overruled.

- Your Honor. - Overruled. Sit.

[ Pratt ] You lied to your husband for two years, didn't you?

Did you not hear my question, ma'am?

Did you not lie to and continue to betray your husband's trust for two years?

- I'm not proud about deceiving my husband. - He did trust you, didn't he?

I suppose he did. Yes.

I suppose if you were to offer him a glass of wine, he'd glady accept without a second thought.

- Objection. - Sustained.

I didn't kill him. I didn't kill my husband.

Yes. We have your word on that. Your word of honor.

Officer Rydell suffers from a neurosis that prohibits him from performing his job.

Doctor, would you read the final paragraph of your evaluation.

"Officer Rydell's irrational assumption...

"that persons of color are more likely to present a physical threat...

"makes him a hazard to himself, his coworkers and the citizens of the commonwealth.

"Before recovery can begin,

the subject must be removed from the situation that created the condition."

Thank you, Doctor. [ Man ] Doctor.

In your report, you use this word "irrational."

That have a special psychiatric meaning?

It means that the patient responds...

inappropriately to real-world conditions.

If a child was punished by his parents in a garage, for example,

he may have an irrational fear of cars.

What if it's rational...

to believe he has more danger coming from a person of color?

If that's the lesson learned from years on the street, the voice of experience--

Then I feel the Boston Police Department has a serious institutional problem.

I'd like to quote someone who's not an officer.

A man of color, in fact.

Reverend Jesse Jackson, uh, Wall Street Journal, December 17, 1993.

[ Clears Throat ]

"There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life...

"than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery,

then look around and see someone white and feel relieved."

Would that statement make Jesse Jackson irrational or prejudiced?

I never treated Jesse Jackson.

I would say, however,

an idea can be widely held and still constitute a psychiatric condition.

I take issue with the suggestion that Mr. Rydell's ideas...

are widely held by the Boston Police Department.

And I take issue with your automatic rejection of that suggestion.

The issue is whether Officer Rydell has a diagnosable condition...

and whether that condition is job-related.

So let's keep the debate right there, shall we?

[ Door Opens ] I think we got a shot. I really do.

With that panel? Don't hold your breath.

That Adams guy was hangin' on every word.

Case going well?

Don't judge me, Rebecca.

I'm judging your client. I'm not defending the man.

I'm representing the idea that racism could be a sickness in that department.

Now, how many times have you been pulled over because your license plate light was out?

Too many. And you were yanked out and beaten once for fitting a general description, remember?

This isn't about that. Maybe not.

But the idea that the cop who did that...

could get disability pay and an early pension...

makes me a little sick.

Would you please stop this.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Look. You know, I know it was just a dream.

I-- I know this.

But, uh--

Well, the first time I ever hit a home run in Little League,

I had a dream about it the night before.

Sometimes my dreams can be like omens.

You think maybe-- I don't know--

after work we can go for a drink sometime?

Are you mulling it over?

Jimmy,

since we work together, I don't think it would be a good idea.

We should keep things completely professional.

Yeah. You're probably right.

Well-- Yeah, you're right.

Can I ask you one thing? Sure.

You ever dream about me?

Um-- [ Stammers ]

I don't really remember my dreams. And, uh,

I suspect, knowing myself, I'd probably try to keep my dreams professional too.

Yeah. Well--

Anyway, I thought I'd ask.

You're a very supple person.

Thank you.

I just still can't understand.

If he were planning on taking a medication, why wouldn't he just swallow the pills?

Why would he grind them up and mix them with wine?

I don't know. So,

after your husband took the poison and became unconscious,

did you and Mr. Forsythe carry him to the bathroom,

take off his clothes and put him in the bathtub?

Objection. [ Bobby ] Objection.

Sustained. [ Pratt ] Mrs. Wiggins,

I have one last question.

When the police informed you that your husband of 12 years was dead, did you cry?

I--

I think I was in shock.

[ Pratt ] You didn't cry, did you?

Not when the police were there maybe.

But after they left, I did. When it looked like you were going to get caught.

Objection! Move to strike.

- Sustained. Get on with it. - Did you ask the police how he died?

Of course I did. Really?

The detectives don't remember you asking.

Well, I did. Okay.

If you say so. We'll just have to accept that...

on your word.

That's all I have.

[ Judge Hiller ] Any redirect, Ms. Wexler?

- No, Your Honor. - The witness may stand down.

Uh, Your Honor, I'd like to ask a couple of questions.

[ Whispers ] Try to stay stoic. Don't react.

Wh-What's goin' on? I'm your lawyer. I know what I'm doing.

Don't react.

Mary Jane,

just a few things I'd like to clear up...

because I-- I suddenly became troubled by your testimony.

You met with your lawyer three days before your husband's death, did you not?

Maybe I did. I-- I met with him a lot.

Yes, but-- but on this meeting,

he discussed the terms of the prenup, didn't he?

- [ Mary Jane ] Yes. - [ Bobby ] And those terms were unfavorable,

as Mr. Pratt pointed out.

I didn't really care about my husband's money.

- Now, that's a lie, isn't it, Mary Jane? - Objection!

- Hostile witness, Judge. - Conference!

I want to ask this witness questions now, before she has time to think up answers.

- Move to strike that! - Get up here, all of you.

What the hell is going on?

- I'm entitled to ask questions. - You are cocounsel for the defense.

Your client's story doesn't serve the interest of my client's story.

Unfair surprise. I'm not the prosecution.

- Be quiet. - We should suspend right now.

I said be quiet! He has the right to ask questions. You can redirect.

- I knew nothing about this. - Neither did I till a minute ago.

- He is blindsiding me. - [ Bobby ] The reason each client has a lawyer...

is because there may be conflicts. What the hell is this?

- Stop it. - I move for an immediate mistrial.

- Denied. - Your Honor!

Be quiet. Step back, and let's get on with it.

I'd like to remind the jury...

that Mr. Donnell is counsel for Mr. Forsythe only.

He does not represent Mrs. Wiggins.

Proceed. [ Bobby ] Mary Jane,

after you met with your lawyer, did you decide divorce was not in your best interest?

I certainly did not decide that.

Did you go to Mr. Forsythe and tell him...

that you suddenly wanted to get back with your husband?

- Didn't you tell him that? - [ Mary Jane ] Not in that context. Uh--

I was, uh--

- I couldn't bear hurting him. - [ Bobby ] "Couldn't bear hurting him"?

Are you telling this court you cheated on your husband for two years,

told him it was over, then suddenly, after meeting with your lawyer,

where you were informed you'd be out three million dollars,

you suddenly didn't want to hurt your poor husband?

- Objection! - Overruled.

You did try to get back with him, didn't you, Mary Jane?

And the thought of losing all that money--

- Move to strike that! - Counsel, I don't want to tell you again.

But he wouldn't take you back. So you killed him.

I did not! As an officer of this court, Your Honor,

I can no longer escape the truth.

- This woman poisoned her husband! - You've got to be kidding me!

That remark is stricken!

- [ Doug ] It's a lie. - It wasn't. She said she was thinking of getting back--

It had nothing to do with his money. You son of a bitch! Listen.

She's gonna think I betrayed her. You made it look-- Doug-- Shut up!

Look. We are facing a double conviction here.

She was getting harpooned like a beached whale in there.

Your only chance here was this. I had to turn against her.

You sacrificed her. She's not my client. You are.

- [ Door Opens ] - Lying bastard!

That was the most despicable thing I've ever seen anyone do! Calm down.

I'm not gonna calm down, you lying--

I did what I had to, to save my client. It may have saved yours. Yeah.

I didn't plan it. It was a last-second Hail Mary. Oh!

We were both dead. We probably still are.

Mary Jane's definitely more dead now, isn't she? I represent him!

Kill yourself! You want to turn right around and point the finger at him?

- Go ahead! I'd almost welcome it. - What?

If we start accusing each other,

the jury might think they have to pick one or the other, and they couldn't possibly.

You did it. She did it. Both did it. Neither did it.

It all adds up to reasonable doubt. What I did in there was desperate. I know.

But we are desperate.

Everything is-- is spinning right now.

And that's a plus. Half hour ago, everything was settled.

And it wasn't settled for the better.

What's to stop any officer from, uh, deciding,

"Hey, I don't want to do my last three years. I'll just, uh,

decide that I'm a racist and start collecting my pension early"?

What's to stop any police officer from claiming post-traumatic stress disorder?

You have to prove it clinically.

But you have to admit, counsel,

that even if racism were a disorder,

even if it were caused by the job, it's contributory.

He doesn't get it like the flu.

He has to have some predisposition.

This hearing is not about blame.

If he'd shot himself in the foot, he'd be to blame,

but it wouldn't disqualify him from disability.

This man has got a sickness.

The evidence suggests he got it in the course of duty.

He came forward. If he's penalized for it, the others out there--

and there are others out there--

they won't come forward.

Still, to call it a disease? I don't like--

Then call it an epidemic. Who gives a damn? Your department's got it.

I thought you said this wasn't about blame, counsel?

Uh, it isn't. But part of the issue is-- Look. Look. Look.

I think we'd all agree racism is a cancer.

You do whatever you can to root out cancer and destroy it.

The idea that he killed a black man for carrying a cigarette lighter is hateful to me.

The idea that he's trying to collect disability for it doesn't make me feel any better.

But the idea of him staying out on the streets, and others like him staying out there,

there can't be anything more hateful than that, can there?

Again, I thought you said this wasn't about blame.

- Let's just focus on-- - May-- Maybe we should all be blaming you.

Blaming the institution that allows people like him--

[ Clears Throat ]

Maybe it's time...

you all started owning some blame.

Nothing ties him to the scene.

Yes, he was there earlier. But she took the car to go to the movies.

The tire prints from only one car were found at the house.

It was her drugs. She wanted the money.

She was desperate to keep that money.

So desperate that he tried in the eleventh hour to blame her.

He claims he loves this woman.

But then, in a dastardly attempt...

on the last day of the trial, he points the finger at her.

And what about accident? What about suicide?

The prosecution couldn't medically rule out either, could they?

He did it. She did it. No, it was suicide. Accident.

Gee, they included everything but act of God.

It's all a ploy of spin.

They figure, by suddenly going at each other, you're gonna go,

"Wow, it's no conspiracy after all.

"So, who's guilty? Which one?

Can't be sure. Must be reasonable doubt."

Don't fall for this. Don't you dare fall for this.

[ Door Opens ]

[ Door Closes ]

The likelihood is that every police force in the country...

discriminates against minority suspects.

Sometimes in obvious ways. Sometimes not.

There's even the possibility that the job could even breed racism.

In defense of police departments, however,

I would say that the disparate treatment is no better,

and maybe even worse, in the justice system.

You might consider that, Mr. Young, when you tighten the knot on your tie,

preparing to go to work at your law firm.

You accusing me, Judge?

I am suggesting that if this is a battle that you want to fight,

you need look no further than your own backyard.

Well, today we're in your yard.

The issue here, as you have stated, however contrary to your agenda,

is whether this man has a disability which qualifies him for an early pension.

Mr. Rydell, we salute your coming forward.

We admire your willingness to get help for an attitude that most officers would deny having.

And we hope that other officers, should they suspect themselves...

of being so prejudiced that they pose a danger on the force,

would also choose to come forward.

But when they do, this panel will not be rewarding them.

You say what you want about the Boston Police Department.

We may have our share of racist officers, but we will never be apologists for them.

Your request for pension is denied.

You want to take something with you as you leave this room?

Take this: As bigots go, you're one of the better ones.

This matter's adjourned.

Interesting move, ambushing your cocounsel like that in open court.

I can't say I've ever seen it.

I'm not sure it'll have any effect.

Oh, but it already has.

I've prevailed upon Judge Stevens...

not to send your associates before the Board of Bar Overseers.

I don't understand.

Things don't happen in a vacuum, Bobby.

I mean, maybe you have some inner compass that gives you clear directions.

I don't really know. But if others try to take direction from you,

I have no doubt but they'll be lost.

Bottom line, if Ms. Frutt and Ms. Dole were taking their cues from their senior partner,

it mitigates their offense.

Judge Stevens has agreed to recommend probation.

Thank you.

Bobby, what you did yesterday was disgraceful.

I have a client and a duty. What am I supposed to-- You have 50 clients. Maybe more.

- Meaning? - Meaning...

when you step into a courtroom, you walk in with your reputation.

You compromise it, all your clients suffer.

I'll be less likely to trust you now, and that hurts your next client.

Do you think any lawyer in this town would agree to have you as cocounsel now?

Do you think the D.A.'s will trust you to be straight with them?

A liar makes a lousy advocate.

Hey, you think I lied in there? Then throw me in contempt.

It's so easy for you to sit up there wearing the robe.

I'm the guy with the client's life in my hands.

I'm speaking as someone who likes you, Bobby-- who always has.

That Gerald Braun trial--

standing up there, arguing your client was, uh,

morally correct for having shot a man in cold blood.

Had you lost, you would have been admired.

The lawyer who put up the noble defense, who fought the good fight for the client.

But in victory, you're despised.

That's the way it works.

And now, on the heels of the Braun trial,

pulling a stunt like yesterday's.

Be careful, Bobby.

If you lose your integrity in that room, you lose it all.

I may not know everything,

but I've been around long enough to know that.

[ Knocks ]

They have a verdict.

Oh. Well, that was fast.

So, I guess this is where we see if you're a winner.

Thank you.

[ Judge Hiller ] The defendants will rise.

- Madam Foreperson, has the jury reached its verdicts? - We have.

What say you?

On the matter of Commonwealth versus Douglas Forsythe,

on the charge of murder in the first degree,

we find the defendant not guilty.

[ Spectators Murmuring ]

On the matter of Commonwealth versus Mary Jane Wiggins,

on the charge of murder in the first degree,

we find the defendant guilty.

[ Spectators Gasping, Murmuring ]

[ Judge Hiller ] Members of the jury, this does complete your service. We thank you.

The court officers will take Mrs. Wiggins into custody.

[ No Audible Dialogue ] Mr. Forsythe, you are free to go.

We are adjourned.

Mary Jane--

[ Chattering ]

[ Jimmy ] I'm sorry it didn't work out.

- I think we came close. - Yeah. Well, uh, thanks.

- Thanks. - Good luck, Mr. Rydell.

Uh, next time you don't want to take a case,

don't take the case, okay?

Don't be takin' a client that goes against whatever it is you're tryin' to win...

when you should be tryin' to win for the client if you're gonna take his case.

I make myself clear?

No.

But I understand what you mean.

How can I be happy? I mean, I'm glad I got acquitted.

Don't get me wrong. But, uh, my God.

Doug, I told you. My job was to defend you, to get you off.

I'm sorry that Mary Jane-- If they acquitted me,

maybe they were gonna find her not guilty too.

- Maybe you convinced them. - You don't know that.

She's going to jail for murder!

How can this be? It can be like that.

We said it probably would be. Don't you listen?

We've been telling you. For God's sakes, you two were with him.

It was her Seconal, no alibi.

We're lucky you both didn't go down. And you know what, Doug?

You love her. You don't believe she could do this, but maybe she did.

Who are we to know? Nobody saw her at the movies.

- Maybe she went back there, and she killed him. - No, she didn't.

You weren't there. Maybe she did. Stop it!

You can't know for sure. How could she have carried the body to that bathtub?

She would have had to drag it, in which case...

there would have been carpet fibers all over his clothes.

There were no fibers. He had to have been carried!

There was nothing introduced about carpet fibers.

I never gave you the investigative reports.

Doug, did y--

Did you go back to that house?

All I'm telling you--

Mary Jane didn't.

I know she didn't.

[ Woman ] You stinker!