Original subtitles

[indistinct chatters]

Woman 1: Thank you so much.

Hi, Mike.

You want to tell me your thinking, George?

You got a million drug busts backing up like sewage.

There aren't enough courtrooms to handle your current caseload

of axe murderers, and yet you continue

to press for a jury trial on a lousy hooker beef?

Hello, George, how are you? I'm fine, Mike, thanks.

Smogs a bitch, ain't it?

Can we cut through the crap here, please?

You want to slow down and tell me what you're talking about?

Lurline Connors. This case never should have

gone to court in the first place.

And if it hadn't, there's an outside chance

that Sid Hershberg would be alive today.

Sid wanted that trial, not me.

I offered him a lousy fine and credit for time served,

so get the hell off my back before I knock you down.

I'm sorry. I thought that...

Think again.

- Well, is the offer still good? - Of course it is.

I'm not looking to build a career

on 50 buck hooker trials for God's sake.

George... I'm sorry about the attitude.

I've been under a lot of pressure.

Forget it.

You took his caseload, didn't you?

Yeah.

Don't ask me why, because I don't know.

I'll see you in court.

Mike, you alright?

Yeah. Why?

Because I'm not.

Ever since Sid ate his gun, I've been having nightmares.

I'm afraid to go to sleep at night.

I'm depressed, I'm anxious.

I had to go back to my shrink.

That's the most awful thing I've ever seen in my life.

[sighs] Man, it makes you stop and think about stuff

you don't want to stop and think about.

[theme music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

People versus Joseph Sears.

Hit and run vehicular man slaughter.

Sid Hershberg's case.

Douglas: People versus Connors, a prostitute.

- Sid Hershberg. - Sid Hershberg.

How about it, Mike? Do you want me to take one of them for you?

It's under control.

Douglas: Just because the man's dead, there's no reason for us

to pick up every case he ever handled.

It's just these two cases and I'm doing them.

Kuzak: If you don't like it, too bad.

What about Cromwell Aircraft?

[phone rings]

Please not again. [phone rings]

Excuse me, I've almost got it.

Douglas: You've been saying that for a week.

We spend thousands of dollars

updating our phone system and all we get in chaos.

Douglas, I've got a client sitting

Victor: in my office who's a computer genius.

Forget it. This is sophisticated equipment...

Douglas: not a toy for some computer hack.

Victor: The kid's a whiz.

He can have this phone mess straightened out

in a couple of hours.

I think I know what it is now.

[phone continues to ring]

Mm-hmm.

Back to Cromwell Aircraft.

Douglas: This is a huge chance for us

to land a major, major client.

George Cromwell will be in town this afternoon

to interview the five biggest firms in the city, and us.

How do we rate?

Vice president is a friend of mine,

and he was kind enough to put us on the list.

Leland: He was also good enough to give me

a profile on Mr. Cromwell.

This should give us an edge at this afternoon's meeting.

This is major litigation, and I don't want to blow it,

Michael, just because our top trial lawyer

is too busy with one of Sid Hershberg's streetwalkers.

- I can handle it, Douglas. Douglas: Mm-hmm.

Well, just the same, let's have Ann

Leland: give you some backup on this.

I'd like the two of you to review this file

and reconvene in my office in 15 minutes.

[phone ringing]

That's it, we're adjourned.

[phone rings]

Mike, I was serious in there.

Let me take some of the weight off.

- I'm okay. - You sure?

You look like hell.

What did I just say, Victor?

Hey, you were standing ten feet away

from a guy who blew out his own brains.

I just think now's a good time to take

a couple of days off, you know?

Take the long weekend.

Look, when I want your advice, I will ask for it, okay?

Look, Mr. Kuzak, I've been thinking... yeah.

I've been thinking the whole thing over...

and, uh, well, here's the brainstorm.

How about when my aunt gets up there

to testify about the car registration,

I get her to say that we were together all afternoon.

Sears: Say we went to the beach or something.

Suborning perjury is not the way

I do business, Mr. Sears.

Right.

I'll tell you one thing,

Sid Hershberg would not have given me a hard time.

If you are unhappy with the way I'm representing you,

feel free to find yourself another lawyer.

You think you can get me off?

The prosecution has to prove guilt

beyond a reasonable doubt.

And you don't think they can?

Their whole case comes down to showing that you were

driving your aunt's car at the time of the accident,

and all they have to establish

that is one unreliable eyewitness.

What about the videotape?

Obviously I will try again to have that excluded,

but even if they show it, the images are so murky

that it's less than convincing.

- So you think 50/50? - Hmm?

50/50?

Oh, I think actually better than that.

Look, Mr. Sears, I understand your concern,

and I assure you that I will give you

the best defense I legally can.

Um, if you'll excuse me, I gotta run.

- I'm late for a meeting. - Right.

I'll see you in court. Wear a coat and tie.

Why is he meeting with everyone at the same time?

I never heard of anything like that.

Well, he's pressed for time.

It's the only way he's able to see everyone.

What a bunch of crap.

You have to be at this meeting.

What's Cromwell going to think if...

Douglas, I have a 995 motion scheduled.

I'll go to the meeting and I'll explain to Mr. Cromwell

that my chief litigator is in court and can't...

I think I should go, Leland.

I've read this guy's profile,

and he thinks of senior partners as self-contented and fat.

Not that you are, but he likes

a hungry fighter type, and that's me.

But a fight may not be what's needed here.

This case should probably be settled.

Excuse me, did we read the same file?

How many civil cases have you won, Ann?

Besides which, this should be a simple insurance matter.

Michael, if you read the file carefully,

then you would know that Mr. Cromwell

is refusing to settle, and frankly, I agree with him.

The FAA said it was human error,

there was nothing wrong with the jet.

And if he settles this one, he's on the hook

for the five other deaths as well.

Product liability can drag on forever

with the discovery, the expense.

I say it makes more sense to avoid the war.

But he has already decided to go to war.

What he is shopping for now is a soldier.

If we tell him to shy away from the battle,

he's just going to hire another gun.

Fine. You want to take this on, be my guest.

- Michael. - Look, do what you want.

Send me a memo. I'm late.

[phone rings]

Ann: I can handle this, Leland.

I think I've got a feeling for this guy.

Okay. Meet me here at 3:30, and we'll head over.

Leland, let me bang the drum alone.

Trust me, I will get you this client.

And in light of the fact that this is his first offense,

Your Honor, I'd request that you accept

our joint recommendation.

Victor: Defendant pleads guilty to Count One,

Counts Two through Seven are dismissed.

I don't take computer fraud lightly, Counselor.

Your client accessed the records of

the telephone company and deleted

all his friend's phone bills.

As Christmas presents, Your Honor.

He didn't act for personal gain.

I see.

Defendant, please rise.

Judge John : Step up to the bench.

Son, you're 18 years old, and the things you pulled here,

I can see you're a very gifted young man.

Judge John : I think you'd do well to take advantage of your

talent and not fall victim to your boyish mischief.

Now, I'm going to grant your lawyer's request

and drop the remaining six counts in the sincere hope

that you use your special skills to accomplish

all the good things you're capable of.

Please don't disappoint me.

Judge John : Formal sentencing to take place

when defendant meets with probation

and I get the report.

Thank you, Your Honor.

- Andrew, about your legal fees. - Yeah.

Well, I think I've got a way for you to work it off.

You really that good with telephones?

Am I good? Here, watch this.

What are you doing?

This is just to get by all the security checks.

[phone ringing]

Man 1: Oval Office, may I help you?

Yes. Is President Reagan in?

Give me that.

Mrs. Fields: I came out of the video store

and walked across the street to my car.

So you had a clear view of the crosswalk?

- Yes. - Mrs. Fields...

Would you please tell us what happened next?

The young lady was in the cross walk,

and then the car came out of nowhere and knocked her down.

Mrs. Fields: It didn't even stop. He kept right on going.

Mrs. Fields, I know this all happened very fast,

but did you get a good look at the driver?

He was a white man, about 40 years old and he had a mustache.

Would you recognize him if you saw him again?

I believe I could.

Do you see him today in this courtroom?

Yes. Right there.

Please stand, sir, and state your name for the record.

- Jason Cooper, Your Honor. - What?

The record will indicate, Your Honor, that the witness

has failed to identify the defendant,

Joseph Sears who is sitting right behind me.

Mr. Cooper is a paralegal working in my office.

He's assisting me on this case.

Your Honor, I ask that Mr. Kuzak be sanctioned

for this deceptive maneuver.

Hey, I do not have to tolerate that.

Take it easy, Mr. Kuzak.

Continue Ms. Gylkowski.

- They look a lot alike. - I agree.

- Objection. - Withdrawn.

Gylkowski: Mrs. Fields, I show you a photograph

and ask you if you recognize it.

Mrs. Fields: Yes. The police showed me about

ten pictures on the night of the accident.

I picked this one out as being the man driving the car.

At this time, I would like to introduce

into evidence a picture of Mr. Joseph Sears

taken at the Culver City Police Department

at the time of booking.

No objection, Your Honor.

No further questions for Mrs. Fields, Your Honor.

No questions.

You may step down.

Your Honor, at this time I would like to ask

for a brief recess in order to give me time

to set up the video monitor.

And I would like to restate my objection to the introduction

of the videotape on the grounds that it's inflammatory

and there's nothing to tie the events recorded to my client.

Thank you, Mr. Kuzak, motion denied.

We'll take a ten-minute recess.

What are you doing here?

Just being sociable. I had a free hour.

Like hell, you're babysitting me.

Take it easy, Mike.

So how did I do? Do I get your approval?

Come on, we got a break, let's

get a cup of coffee or something.

Get out of here, Victor. Let me get my job done.

See, I was having trouble with the light meter.

Man 2: That's the salesman next to my girlfriend.

It's at this point you can see the lady go around them,

and then I lose her for a minute.

Slow the tape, please.

And... that's where he hit her.

[gasping]

[continued gasping]

Man 3: Driver didn't stop.

Since my grandfather, a direct descendant

of Oliver Wendell Holmes,

Man 4: began this firm over a hundred years ago,

Ambrone and Fine have been regarded

as one of the finest

and most prestigious firms in this country.

But I want to be honest.

The integrity and reputation of every firm

here today is beyond reproach,

and you will be well represented whichever you choose.

But if you'll look through those national

legal publications I've given you, you'll see that

our performance record is at the very top.

Man 4: And if you truly believe that Cromwell Aircraft

deserves the best, well, here we are.

Thank you.

Ms. Kelsey?

My firm, Mr. Cromwell, hasn't been around

for a hundred years, and I haven't

read anything about us in the national journals.

Kelsey: But I have read this complaint and I can tell you,

you don't have to be a descendent of

Oliver Wendell Holmes to know that this thing stinks.

It's tragic that the pilot and those five passengers died,

and I don't doubt that we all sympathize with their families.

But the fact remains, this tragedy was not your fault,

and I'm dismayed that anyone in this room

would even think about entering into settlement discussions.

A trial is war, and there's supposed to be casualties,

and if I'm confronted by an empty complaint like this,

I don't go out waltzing with settlement feelers.

Have you thought about the cost of such

a litigation, Ms. Kelsey?

Yes. I've thought about the cost, Mr. Merithew.

I've also thought about the fact that

McMay and Kramer is here

with two partners and an associate.

If the meter was running, an hour-and-a-half meeting

with an hour travel time would bring your firm's bill

for this little get together to almost $1500.

1500 bucks and all he tells you is to think about

rolling over on a worthless bluff.

I'm here by myself, saying more,

and prepared to do more, and my time for this meeting

would run you about $300.

Kelsey: These are all great firms, Mr. Cromwell,

and they're absolutely right.

If you want fine, respectable representation

with years of tradition backing you up,

pick one of them.

But if you want a firm that despises defeat,

if you want someone who will stick it

right back to shameless lawyers rolling the dice

for litigious clients, if you want to win,

then we're it, Mr. Cromwell.

We're it.

I was a jerk.

Damn near bit his head off, and it turns out

it was Sid Hershberg who wanted a trial.

Sid Hershberg wanted an audience.

You look awful, mister.

Would everybody get off my back?

All I need to do is make it to the weekend

and get a little rest.

I'll be okay.

But why are you doing this to yourself?

You don't need his skuzzy cases.

Grace, please don't lecture me.

Okay.

If you're interested, I pulled a favor.

Lou Corrigan is going to take my Friday night shift.

We can hit the road by 5:00...

be in Palm Springs at 7:30.

We'll spend the weekend eating, sleeping,

sunning, groping each other.

What do you say, stranger?

- Sounds great. - Great.

I gotta go, but you sit as long as you want.

Think about life, think about death,

and don't forget to turn the lights out when you leave.

See, and by bypassing the main board,

each extension has a direct connection.

Now, here's a neat little feature

that I've put in just for you.

See, it's this... excuse me.

It's this foot pedal right here, and it's connected

to the voice terminal, so now you don't have

to use a free hand to answer a call, right?

So, uh, you're typing... Oh, God, I'm sorry.

And, um, you can't reach, you just hit the pedal

with your foot and there it is.

Now, let's talk call forward.

Arnie: Who is that boy dismantling our phones?

- Brackman. - Yeah.

Mr. Sifuentes brought him in.

Arnie: I want him out. Roxanne: Are you kidding?

Roxanne: Thanks to him it's the first time

these phones have worked in a week.

You see, sir, what it is that I'm doing is that

by eliminating the direct dial,

office communications won't be racking up message units.

It should save the firm about $12,000 annually.

Arnie: Oh.

Now, Ms. Melman, how about a nice little override system,

any intercept tone you want.

No, thank you.

It's really no trouble at all.

You know, if you want, I could hook up a nice monitor

screen right here so that you could get cable.

It'd be no trouble.

Ann, how'd it go?

Um, I think we got a good shot.

Look, I'm sorry about this morning.

It's okay.

Let me change a few appointments.

I ought to be able to free up some time tomorrow

for breakfast if Cromwell wants to sit down with me.

It's okay, everything's under control.

Ann.

Michael, Lurline Connors is on the phone for you.

I'll call her back.

Woman 2: She's calling from jail, Mike.

Stuart?

Hang on a second.

Damn. Hi.

- Listen, I gotta break dinner. - Everything alright?

George Cromwell wants me to meet with him.

No kidding. That's great.

Gee, that's sounds really promising.

You sure you don't mind?

I can probably find something that will keep me busy.

Knock him dead.

[door slams close] Couldn't you at least have waited until

we pled you out on the other beef?

A person has to eat, counselor.

Bail per schedule at $2500.

Talk to Barney's Bail Bonds.

Ask for Barney Rosetti personally.

He'll take care of it.

The arraignment is tomorrow afternoon.

I may have to ask for a continuance.

No problem.

By the by, is it okay if I pay you like I paid Sid?

Look, why don't you just pay me tomorrow

at the arraignment, okay?

You sure?

How did you and Sid do it?

Usually in his car.

Our safety record speaks for itself.

No, thank you.

That plane is one of the safest in the sky

if you've been trained to pilot it.

I know, I went over every inch of it myself.

You're a deep pocket, Mr. Cromwell.

Those lawyers probably think they can flush out

some quick money.

- But you think we can win? - I do.

Furthermore, I think there's a chance that

they'll fold before we get to court, but it's critical

that we communicate right from the outset

that we mean business.

Well, I must say, I have a very good feeling

about us working together.

I'm very impressed with your intensity,

your grasp of the subject...

your competitiveness...

your eyes.

Well, that's very nice.

Please don't take this wrong.

I'm not very good at indirectness,

so I'm just going to say it.

I'm very attracted to you.

I should tell you, George, that

I'm involved with someone.

- Stuart Markowitz. - You know him?

No.

But like you, I do my homework.

I like to check out the competition.

Well, then you know how deeply committed

I am to the relationship.

I see.

I hope I haven't offended you.

Only if getting the job is tied

to my romantic interest in you.

No, that was never a question.

The job is yours, and please accept my apology

if I've made you feel uncomfortable.

[instrumental music]

And I'm completely coded the Sentrex

so you can reach each extension

with a one or a two-digit number.

- I made you number one. - Thank you, Andrew.

You know, I'd be happy to come to

your house and program your system.

My mom can run the dish washer from the bathroom.

That's really something. Will you excuse me?

Oh, okay.

That young man is in love with you.

Go on.

Trust me, his hormones are in flames.

Arnie, you're teasing me.

Don't break his heart, Rox.

[knock on door]

- Hi. - Hi.

I just heard the good news. Congratulations.

Thanks, Stuart.

I... I called you last night.

I guess you got in late, huh?

It was almost midnight, I didn't want to wake you.

Nice flowers.

George Cromwell sent them.

Yeah, I know.

Look, I'm trying not to overreact here or anything,

but I'm... I'm jealous of this guy.

Stuart, it was a pleasant dinner.

We discussed the case.

It was entirely professional.

And he just sends people entirely professional

hundred dollar baskets of flowers, right?

Is that a crime?

It's not a crime, no.

You're making it sound as if I did something wrong.

No, Ann. I don't think you did anything wrong.

Want me to send them back?

No. I don't want you send the flowers back, Ann.

I'm sorry. Okay?

Maybe you would prefer it if I just didn't enjoy them.

Yeah. I think I would prefer that.

It's George Cromwell on 26.

Detective Zacchino, calling your attention

to the evening of July 10, 1986, were you dispatched

to an address at 416 Higuera Street in Culver City?

- Yes, I was. Gylkowski: And why was that?

We received notification that a vehicle

believed to have been involved in a hit and run accident

Zacchino: had been recovered, and it's registration

traced to an Ellen Pearl who resided at that address.

Detective, what happened when you arrived

at 416 Higuera Street?

We were admitted by a man matching

the description of the driver.

He identified himself as Mr. Joseph Sears.

Did you have occasion to question Mr. Sears at that time?

When I asked him to account for his whereabouts

at the time of the accident, he became abusive.

Gylkowski: How so?

He made disparaging remarks about my relations

with an intimate member of my family.

Gylkowski: Detective Zacchino, was there anything about

Mr. Sears' appearance or conduct which indicated

to you that he'd been drinking?

Objection. Leading.

Overruled.

You may answer the question.

He was slurring his words, and I detected

Zacchino: the smell of alcohol on his breath.

Did you ask him to take a breathalyzer test?

Zacchino: Yes. He refused.

Gylkowski: And what happened then?

Well, believing there was sufficient evidence

that a crime had been committed, I advised Mr. Sears of

his constitutional rights and placed him in custody.

Thank you, Detective. No further questions.

No questions, Your Honor.

Gylkowski: The State rests, Your Honor.

Mr. Kuzak?

Ready to proceed, Your Honor.

Call... Ellen Pearl.

Thank you.

Ms. Pearl, are you the owner of a 1978 Ford sedan?

It used to belong to my late husband.

I know I should have sold it, but I guess somewhere

I keep hoping I'll get better and can start driving again.

And yet you continue to maintain the vehicle

and keep it insured and registered in any case.

Oh, my nephew does.

As far as you know, does Mr. Sears

ever drive your car?

Oh, why would he want to?

I mean, he has two cars of his own.

Does anyone have permission to drive your car, Ms. Pearl?

There's the boy who lives across the street

and does my marketing.

I hang a nail... I mean, I hang a key on a nail

in the garage so if he needs the car he can borrow it.

So really, any number of people

could have access to your car.

Pearl: I don't understand.

My point is that any number of people could have taken

the key down from the nail and driven away

in your car is that correct?

Oh, no. They're all very nice people.

Pearl: None of them could have done this awful thing.

And it wasn't my nephew either.

And how do you know that?

Because he was with me the whole afternoon.

Pearl: Oh, Your Honor, please forgive an old lady

her infirmities, but it would be so much easier

if I could just explain what happened.

- Your Honor. - Your Honor, wait a minute.

I'll allow the witness to proceed

in a narrative fashion.

John: Ms. Pearl? Pearl: Thank you.

My... my nephew took me to the beach that Saturday.

We were there the whole afternoon.

He's so thoughtful.

Pearl: He knows I get cooped up in that house all week.

Anyway, we had a little lunch

and then we sat out in the open air,

so he couldn't have been in that accident.

John: At what hours were you and your nephew at the beach?

We left at 11:00 in the morning,

and we got stuck in awful traffic coming home,

and we didn't back until nearly 5:30.

And the next thing I knew, we were having a small cocktail

and suddenly the police officers came

and said that my car had been in a terrible accident.

And then that...

That's when they took Joseph away.

I'm sorry.

[sniffing]

I'm sorry.

Your Honor, approach the bench?

Approach.

If I could see you in chambers, Your Honor.

John: Alright, Mr. Kuzak.

We're in recess.

Your Honor, I have reason to believe

that one of my witnesses has lied on the stand.

Did you knowingly present this alleged perjured testimony?

No, sir. It-- it came as a complete surprise to me.

The problem then?

Well, now that this evidence has been admitted,

if I argue it in my jury summation,

it's like I'm putting my stamp of approval on it.

So don't argue it.

Well, then I'd be shirking my responsibility

to zealously defend the client.

Then what do you want from me?

Remove me from the case.

You're no virgin, Mr. Kuzak.

You know if I relieve you and declare a mistrial,

I could be reversed by the Appellate Court,

Judge John: which means your client could go free

because of double jeopardy.

On the other hand, as far as I can tell,

no judge has ever been reversed for allowing

purportedly perjured testimony.

If you won't relieve me, I'll withdraw,

and then Sears could get a new trial.

And what's to prevent him from playing this same time

and money-wasting game with his next lawyer,

and the one after that?

No, Mr. Kuzak.

Withdrawing is not the answer to your dilemma.

The answer is to let the system work.

You do your job, let the DA do her job, and the jury

will do their job of sorting out the truth

and the falsity of the testimony.

That's a comforting homily, Your Honor, but you know

as well as I that Sears will be acquitted.

That sweet little old lady had the jury

eating out of the palm of her hand.

This was a Hershberg case, wasn't it?

[scoffs] So what?

So I'm going to do you a big favor

and take the problem out of your hands.

I'm ordering you back into that courtroom

and if you refuse, I'll cite you for contempt, okay?

Now, I'm the bad guy, and you're still

the noble torch carrier going forward in an unperfect world.

Well, that doesn't solve much.

Witnesses lie on the stand every day, Mr. Kuzak.

You want to debate the ethical conundrum?

We'll have dinner after this thing is over.

In the meantime, let's just do our jobs, huh?

People are ready, Your Honor.

Mr. Kuzak?

Ready, Your Honor.

Ms. Pearl, you testified that on the evening

of July 10 you were visited by police officers

is that correct?

Yes.

Mr. Kuzak, are you alright?

Oh, yes, Your Honor. Yes, I'm fine.

Then let's move along.

[laughing]

I'm unwilling to proceed, Your Honor.

I'm withdrawing from this case.

Do you understand the significance

of what you're doing?

I do, sir.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we have a mistrial.

Judge John: What that means is, your obligation to this court

is concluded and you're free to go.

We thank you for your patience and your time,

and apologize that you were unable

to complete the work you were called here to do.

Mr. Sears, you have ten days to get a new lawyer,

then we'll schedule a hearing

and set a new trial date at that time.

Miss Pearl, thank you, you're excused.

Ladies and gentlemen, we'll see you all again.

Attorneys approach.

You're really a piece of work, aren't you, Mr. Kuzak?

You're going to find out there's a price to pay for everything.

You're in contempt of court.

Anything to say before I pronounce sentence?

Oh, I assume I'll be granted the automatic

three-day stay, Your Honor.

You assume wrong, Mr. Kuzak.

Bailiff.

Judge John: Take Mr. Kuzak into custody.

And by the way, while you're serving

your five-day sentence, I'd like you

to know I'm getting an early start on my vacation.

I'm going skiing in Utah.

Think of me on the slopes, Mr. Kuzak, because I'm going

to be trying very hard not to be thinking of you.

[indistinct announcement]

How's your cell?

They got me in isolation.

You know, the Deputy Sheriff, he's all excited.

They can't remember when they had

a former DA in here before.

You're gonna make the newsletter.

Great.

Look, Mike, I could go ahead and file a writ,

but the hard part is getting somebody to read it.

It's not real sharp getting hit with contempt

on a Friday afternoon, but McKenzie

says he's gonna find another Judge

before everybody goes away for the weekend.

So if worse comes to worse,

you gonna be okay till Monday?

Gracie and I were hoping to get away for the weekend.

Yeah. I think you're gonna have to change your plans.

Hey, call her again for me, will you?

Sure thing.

Thanks, Victor.

Oh, one other favor.

I got a client who's scheduled to appear

in Division 40 at three o'clock, Lurline Connors.

- One of Sid's cases? - Yeah.

But I made a deal for her.

All you gotta do is show up and plead her out,

but in the meantime she's been arrested on another charge.

So if you just get a continuance on that one,

I'll hand it when I get out, okay?

Why don't you let me just clean them both up?

That way you get out of here,

you don't have to think about Sid Hershberg anymore.

I hate to ask, Victor.

No hay problema.

Oh, yeah, Mike, stay out of the shower room.

Judge Forstenzer: It's my understanding the DA and defense

counsel have come to agreement on a plea bargain.

A $200 fine and credit for time served, is that correct?

Yes, Your Honor.

Actually, Your Honor, the deal was cut with

Ms. Connors' previous attorney, Michael Kuzak.

So what are you saying, you don't want the deal now?

Not necessarily.

It's merely if the court will peruse the paperwork,

Your Honor will notice that Ms. Connors

has had a subsequent arrest.

So you're saying the DA doesn't want the deal now?

Actually, I was hoping that we could save

the Court's time by consolidating the two cases.

Consolidate how?

$200 fine and credit for time served for both cases.

I beg your pardon?

In the interests of fairness and justice,

kind of throw the last one in at no extra charge.

Would you care to enumerate exactly

what interests you're talking about, Counselor?

Your Honor, my client was originally represented

by Sidney Hershberg and was in fact

Victor: present in court when Mr. Hershberg

tragically and violently took his own life.

Which unfortunate occurrence

we all deeply regret, I'm sure.

And I may be missing something here,

but I still fail to see any issue of justice or fairness.

Can you not imagine the trauma my client

suffered witnessing this tragic event?

And can you not further imagine her even

more severe traumatization if you were to deny my motion

Victor: and leave her sentencing on the second matter

to the vagaries of some less compassionate jurists

Victor: who might even go so far as to incarcerate her

while still in this fragile psychological state.

And given the fact that the Court was arguably negligent

in appointing for her an attorney well-known

for erratic and dangerous behavior in the first place...

Are you threatening a lawsuit, Mr. Sifuentes?

I'm merely stating the grievous wrongs

the criminal system has inflicted upon Ms. Connors.

Not to mention her also being deprived

of her second attorney due to his present incarceration

at the hands of yet another of your brothers.

Mr. Handelman, do you have any feelings on this matter?

None, Your Honor. None whatsoever.

I thought you went home.

Oh, I was just finishing up here.

Finishing up what?

It's dumb.

I was just sitting in his chair...

looking at his picture,

Andrew: wondering what it would be like to be handsome

and to have women falling at my feet.

You have your own kind of handsomeness, Andrew.

Sure, king of the geeks.

Arnie would kill me if he knew

that I was showing this to you.

Is this Arnie?

A fat boy with glasses.

People change.

Well, I'm a nerd at 18, and I'll be a nerd at 30,

and I'll be a nerd at 60.

God.

Now you must think I'm a total wimp.

Not a wimp.

You are sweet and sensitive.

Yeah. Well, that and 50 bucks is the only way

I'm ever going to get a woman.

Is that all you want, Andrew? Sex?

No. I just want somebody to love me.

I know.

Some day, believe me,

some day when you're-- when you're older,

there will be women who appreciate a man like you.

Really.

You'll be fighting them off.

Yeah.

I probably shouldn't say this.

Don't hate me for it,

but I think I love you.

- Andrew-- - No really.

Whoops, sorry.

Oh, excuse me, I gotta go.

I told you, you're playing with fire.

He's seriously in love with you, Rox.

He's just a boy.

But his hormones don't know that.

He's feeling very real, adult emotions.

Arnie, all he did is fix my phones.

The question is, are you gonna fix his phones?

Would you stop?

You know, I was a young boy like Andrew once,

low self esteem, zits all over my face.

Christmas vacation my family went to Hawaii

with the Bouchet family.

God, she was mesmerizing.

- Who? Arnie: Mrs. Bouchet.

So elegant, so feline.

I'd do anything just to be around her,

just to smell her perfume.

Arnie: Just before the big hotel luau,

I ordered three Tom Collins from room service,

and I chugged them down just for the courage

to ask her to dance.

She turned you down.

She never had a chance.

Mr. Bouchet overheard me asking her

and started to make fun of me in front of my parents.

Most humiliating moment of my life.

- What'd you do? - I ran.

I hid out by the pool on a chaise lounge

in the pitch black nursing my first hangover.

God, I felt like the loneliest person in the whole world.

I know what that's like.

Except suddenly, there she was,

wearing this strapless backless dress,

which I couldn't figure out how it stayed up.

I guess she had come looking for me.

She sat on my chaise, stroked my forehead,

and she asked me if I was okay,

and I couldn't hold it in anymore.

I started to cry.

God, oh, I was so embarrassed,

but she said that was okay.

She said I shouldn't be.

She said I was very sensitive and deep

Arnie: and she said I was a very old soul

and someday women would appreciate a gentle man like me.

What happened?

Mrs. Bouchet held me to her bosom

and she comforted me.

Hmm, just like you were holding Andrew.

And that did it for the dress.

It just slithered down and I guess I started getting

kind of grabby and she took me hand

and she told me to slow down and she showed me what to do.

And I started thinking, my God, this is it.

This is it. I'm gonna get sex.

And then, like she was reading my mind,

she whispers in my ear and she says,

no Arnie, I'm going to teach you all about love.

You mean, right there?

The next morning I woke up in my bed.

At first I thought it must have been a dream,

only I had these waffle weave black and blue

marks all over my legs,

and my complexion was totally cleared up.

Did anyone every find out?

Uh-unh.

After that one-night she pretended like

it never happened,

but it was the most wonderful thing

that ever happened to me.

What a sweet story.

Oh, boy, I gotta go.

Be gentle with him, okay?

I mean, I thought by this time tonight

we'd be halfway across the desert with the top down

and the stars over our heads and

we'd have the whole weekend to look forward to.

I mean, this is not exactly what I had in mind, Kuzak.

First I do not see you for days on end.

It's not my fault.

Then the first weekend in months we have a chance

to spend some time together...

and you get yourself thrown in jail.

It's not like I planned this, Grace.

I heard you goaded him.

You know me better than that.

Michael, ever since Sid Hershberg killed himself,

I don't know if I know you anymore at all.

I don't know if I know myself anymore at all.

Talk to me, Michael.

I went for a walk during the lunch recess...

and I decided to compromise.

That I wouldn't use the old lady's testimony

in my jury summation.

So why didn't you?

I don't know.

I got back into court, I started to pick up

my direct examination of the old lady.

I opened my mouth to ask her a question

and Sid Hershberg came out.

What?

I know that this sounds nuts...

but he's in me, Grace.

He's inside of me, and I'm trying to understand him

so that he doesn't take me over.

[soft music] Does that make any sense?

Oh, Mickey, I'm so sorry.

No, it's okay.

It's not so bad in here really.

It sort of puts everything in limbo for a while.

It gives me a chance to sort of see where I am.

Yeah.

I love you so much. [soft music]

That's all I can be sure about right now.

Man 6: Visiting hours are over, Counselor.

[music continues]

[theme music]