Original subtitles

[indistinct chatter]

Brackman: First up, the real estate syndication

for Alex Pappachristou.

I'm executing all the documents today with counsel,

but Abby, I'll need you to cover

the closing for me on Thursday.

I can't. I'm not free.

What do you mean you're not free?

I mean I'm not free.

I have an appointment Thursday afternoon.

This is a big client.

You mind telling me what on earth could be

so important that you would--

I am interviewing for an associate's position

at Sheer, Heilbronner. And I'm not missing it.

You're still a valued member of this family, Abby. And I--

Leland, this is not a family, it's a law firm.

And you're only a "valued member" here to the extent

that you are able to generate revenue.

I'm free, Douglas, I'll cover the closing.

Very well. Moving on to Richardson vs. Richardson.

Motion to dismiss this afternoon,

and I've never even heard of it.

I just got it.

Our client, Matthew Richardson, age thirteen,

was slapped by his father, Kevin Richardson.

So Matthew slapped him with a lawsuit

for assault and battery.

Wait a minute.

A kid is suing his own father?

He got a guardian ad-litem

and Legal Aid filed the papers for him.

Later since he comes from a rich family,

he was ruled ineligible for the assistance.

So how'd we get it?

Camille Hendrickson was the Legal Aid lawyer.

She's a personal friend, she asked me to do it for her.

And naturally you accepted, with no regard

as to how we'd be compensated.

Douglas, he's a child.

I'll probably be rid of it by the end of the day.

This is great. I can't wait till the day

when kids start divorcing themselves from their parents.

At least you'll be able to represent

your emotional contemporaries for a change.

That was funny, Mike.

Excuse me, may I help you?

No. I just need to talk to Leland for a minute.

- Jennifer?! I-- - Shh, Leland.

I just wanted to thank you for last night

and to let you know that if you have any anxiety

about your abilities...

you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

Jennifer, now this-- this is totally inappropriate!

Oh, come on, Leland, no it's not.

This would be inappropriate.

Leland... Leland!

- Earth to Leland. Leland! - Huh, uh?

- Are you listening? - Of course, I'm listening.

I was uh... thinking about another matter, that's all.

Let's move along, there Douglas. Move along.

[theme music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

And I can't help think that a lawsuit

might do more harm than good.

He hit me hard, Ms. Kelsey.

He knocked me down.

But as I understand it, that is the only time he ever hit you.

And you did swear at him first.

And maybe...

it just makes more sense to forgive and forget

than dragging your whole family into court.

Yeah, but when he punishes me,

he always tells me it's for my own good.

Maybe this is for his own good.

But a trial.

That's a really big thing, Matthew.

He always taught me to stand up for myself

if I was treated wrong. I'm standing up now.

I'm doing what he taught me.

What if I get him to apologize?

[sighs] He won't.

Let me try.

If I can't we'll go forward

with the hearing this afternoon.

That would be really excellent.

Tell your mother to have you at the courthouse by 3 o'clock.

Okay.

- See ya then. - Bye.

Arnie? Can I talk to you for a minute?

Little busy, Rox. Can it wait till tomorrow?

It's important.

[sighs] Okay. Let's hear it.

It's David's sister.

She split up from her husband and she's afraid

he's gonna sell the house and hide the money.

If you're about to ask me to represent her, Roxanne.

- You can stop right there. - Arnie--

- I am totally swamped. - Arnie, please.

She's my sister-in-law, my family.

She's desperate! You gotta help her.

Okay, okay, okay. When? My week is jammed.

Tomorrow lunch.

Don't I have something?

Yeah, I'm having lunch with Monica.

That's social. This is an emergency.

You can change it.

I have no statement at this time.

Not now, please! I'll be with you in a minute!

Excuse me.

- How you holding up? - Fine.

I could do without the police department

breathing down my back.

The guy killed two cops.

- They have an interest here. - I know.

You need any help or any back-up, just tell me.

No Bruce, I'm doing okay.

Nail him, Grace.

We can't afford to lose this one.

I came running out as soon as I heard the shots.

And I saw it.

What exactly did you see, ma'am?

Blood. Everywhere.

And th...

[sighs]

I couldn't even tell if they were men

because their faces...

I just saw the uniforms.

The blue uniforms covered with blood.

What else did you see, Mrs. Chesbro?

I saw a man running away.

It was dark but I could see he had a gun.

He had it right in his hand.

And do you see that person

in the courtroom today?

- The defendant. - Thank you, ma'am.

Nothing further.

This man you saw had his back

to you the entire time, didn't he?

I could see him from the side.

From the side. And...

When you singled out

my client in the police lineup you said...

you couldn't be a hundred percent sure, right?

Not a hundred percent, no.

And the following day, ma'am,

you reported to the emergency room,

complaining of headaches and numbness.

What did the doctor tell you, Mrs. Chesbro?

He said I was suffering from a mild form of shock.

From seeing the two bodies.

I see.

So when you thought you saw my client

in the hallway that night,

and when you picked him out later at the police station

you were suffering from shock, weren't you?

Objection! This woman is not a doctor.

Sustained.

Cullen: Under oath, Mrs. Chesbro,

under oath.

It's possible the man you saw in the hallway that night

was not my client, isn't it?

- It looked like him. - It looked like him.

But it's possible it wasn't him, isn't it?

Anything is possible.

Thank you, Mrs. Chesbro.

That's all.

Nelson: A parent has the right to discipline a child!

Civil Code, Section 203 states--

There's no statutory authorization

for smashing a little boy to the floor!

It was a parent spanking his kid.

Judge London: I, I must admit, Mrs. Kelsey.

this seems like a father chastising his son, here.

Your honor, I don't mean to vitiate parental discretion.

But the line was crossed.

We're talking about a hundred- and-seventy-pound man

whacking a ninety-pound boy to the ground.

Judge London: Young man.

Do you really want to be suing your dad?

I'm willing to settle for an apology, judge.

Cash alternative, twenty-thousand.

This is ridiculous!

- Judge: Alright, hold on! - Your Honor, if I may.

And you are?

Scott Reynolds, also for the defendant,

you have my appearance.

Why does he need three lawyers?

I'm a corporate counsel, Your Honor.

In as much as the alleged assault took place

at Mr. , Richardson's place of work,

our little plaintiff had the ingenuity

to sue my client in his capacity

as CEO of Weyburn Technology,

as well as personally.

And I'm attorney Robert Clark,

representing Lifenet Insurance Company.

I, too, would like to add my outrage

to the abrogation of parental immunity

in this matter.

I'm so glad.

Reynolds: Your Honor, with all due respect

to Ms. Kelsey's quixotic desire

to litigate frivolous claims, we are clearly--

- I object to that! Reynolds: I'm sorry.

But perhaps if you'd read Goller vs. White,

the pre-eminent case on point here,

you'd know that immunity exists

when the alleged negligence

involves the exercise of parental authority.

Thank you.

And perhaps if you'd reread Goller vs. White,

you'd see that it's a Wisconsin case

decided over twenty-five years ago,

which is not binding in this jurisdiction.

You might also see that Goller does not give parents the right

to be negligent, but instead says

that they must act "within reason.

Whacking a thirteen-year-old to the ground

is not within reason,

and it's not within the scope of Goller,

and if you ask me, parading three lawyers

in here to misquote cases is a hell of a lot more frivolous

than my client's cause of action!

Alright, that's, that's enough.

Now, Mr. Nelson and group,

the case here is, colorable and I can't dismiss it.

What I am going to do, however, is order

expedited depositions so that we can flush out

the facts quickly and maybe settle this

before too much harm is, uh,

done to the family.

I'll see counsel in chambers.

- That was wicked. - Thanks.

Hey, Dad! You goin' home now?

No, I have to go back to work.

Because of all this, I'm running behind, Matthew.

Could you please make him understand

how embarrassing this is?

I've tried. C'mon, let's go.

- Is he coming home for dinner? - I don't know, honey.

Wasn't my lawyer great, Mom?

You think dad thought she was good?

[indistinct chatter]

Ann... I, uh, I just talked to the doctor.

He said you canceled tomorrow's appointment.

Had to. I'm deposing Matthew's father at two.

Ann, this guy's the

hottest infertility specialist in town.

I had to pull all kinds of strings

just to get the appointment in the first place.

Stuart, I'll, I'll, reschedule

as soon as I dispose of this case.

I thought you were going to settle this case.

I tried, but Mr. Richardson refuses

to apologize and Matthew won't budge.

Oh, Ann, c'mon.

You know, Stuart, I kind of admire the little bugger.

I mean, here he is standing up for what he believes in against

the most powerful man in the whole world.

- His own father. - It's stupid.

You said yourself the kid's just vying for attention.

That doesn't change the fact that his cause of action

is legitimate.

And I don't think Matthew should be the one

to cave just because daddy can afford

three lawyers instead of one.

Markowitz: Oh, ho, ho, ho,

Now we have it.

You see yourself as little Miss Underdog,

three against one and you're gonna move them out.

I see myself as a lawyer representing her client.

Yeah? Well, I see a hardball litigator,

losing the forest for the trees.

Thank you. You many leave now.

conveniently schedules a deposition

at the exact moment she's supposed to visit the doctor.

That's right, Stuart, I orchestrated

this whole trial just to avoid a stupid fertility test!

Ann, you don't want to find out what's wrong?

You don't want to ever have a baby? That's fine!

- Fine! - Fine!

I was arrested for suspected assault.

And they put me in the cell right next to his.

And you said that you and the defendant knew each other?

Off and on, about six years.

Not best friends or nothin' but

yeah, we know each other.

And did you and Mr. Torrey have a conversation

that night pertaining to--

Your Honor, I renew my objec--

Overruled, for the fourth time and if you object once more

to this, Mr. Cullen, I will cite you for contempt!

Mr. Marchant. I want you to tell the court

what Mr. Torrey told you that night in the cell.

- He said he did two cops. - That's a lie!

Judge: Sit down, sir! - He's lying!

Sit down, or I will have you removed.

Continue, Mr. Marchant.

He said he was in the apartment building,

waitin' to move some crack.

When these two cops come busting down the corridor.

And he was braggin'...

'bout how he killed 'em.

How was he bragging, sir?

He was saying

how cop skulls pop different than other peoples.

He said he shot one right in the eye

and... the could see the bull's brains

splatter out the back of his head.

He said both their heads just kind of exploded.

Thank you, sir.

Nothing further.

You were arrested that night for aggravated assault,

isn't that right?

Yeah.

- Pardon me? - Yeah.

Well, you made a deal,

whereby they'd reduce the charges

to simple assault if you'd testify

against my client, right?

Everything I said's the truth.

Everything you've said is a blatant lie!

You made up the whole story to spare yourself jail time!

- Objection! - Overruled!

He did the cops!

You've been arrested and convicted

on four separate occasions, haven't you?

- Van: Your Honor-- Cullen: Goes to credibility

of the witness, judge! This man's a convicted felon!

- I'll allow it. - Robbery!

Attempted rape!

Assault!

Tell me, why should the jury bother

to believe a lying criminal like you?

- Objection! Judge: Sustained!

Ten-minute recess, judge, illness of counsel.

This witness makes me sick.

- Hey! - That will do, Mr. Cullen!

The jury is instructed to disregard that last remark.

[siren wailing]

What's disturbing is she's blaming us.

She thinks we're discriminating against youth.

- Are you sure you're not? - Oh, come on.

Jonathan Rollins is younger than she is.

Well, maybe you're just discriminating

against younger women.

Why, you know that isn't so.

Are you telling me you've never been predisposed

to dismiss a woman simply because she was, say,

twenty-five years old?

You're talking about something completely different.

I am talking about a man

who makes certain presumptions about women,

about how he might interact with women

solely on the basis of age.

You're the beloved senior partner, Leland.

It wouldn't be at all surprising

if a few of your value judgments

trickled down through the firm.

McKenzie Brackman is not sexist.

How many women partners do you have?

One.

And in the firm's history,

how many female partners?

One. But--

Do you have a maternity leave policy?

No. Because--

Because the ol' boys probably never contemplated

a partner giving birth.

Because you never contemplated a partner having ovaries.

Jennifer, You are wrong.

Leland, I adore you, you know that.

And for the most part, I think

you are incredibly open- minded.

But when I hear you talk about Abby...

it's like you see her as a daughter

or a niece.

I never get the feeling

you see her as another lawyer.

And if she's as bright as you say she is,

she has to sense that.

And as soon as I started my own business

the big building contractor couldn't take the competition.

Gesundheit.

It's absolutely true what she says.

I watched it happen. As she became

less dependent on him,

he became impossible to deal with.

But impossible.

You think I don't feel terrible

about having to come stay with my brother and his new wife?

It's my dog that's making him suffer like this.

Has he locked you out of the house?

He didn't have to. He just turned off all the utilities.

Now how can I conduct business from there?

You see, the house is community property, Arnie.

And I think Madeline's biggest fear,

Madeline you correct me here if I'm wrong,

but I think her central, biggest fear

is that he'll sell it and bury the proceeds,

and she won't have any means to satisfy a judgment.

Just like he's buried everything else.

Oh, what-- you think what he shows

on his tax returns or his bank statements is everything?

But you can get this real estate attachment, right?

Or you can make sure that she gets her chunk of the sale.

Which would be really great

because my business is at a critical point,

and my share of the sale would really allow it to explode.

Madeline is really quite an entrepreneur.

Hey, I wanted her to join my company.

[chuckles] Please.

I love my brother but direct mail bores me to distraction.

No, I started my own business.

It's called Aisle Master.

You have a product, I get it into the supermarket.

Did I tell you about the lamb chop analogs?

Yeah, a processor from Sunnymeads has lamb chops

he makes them from spun soybean fiber and wheat gluten.

I place them in six locations in the Simi Valley.

Cannot keep them on the shelves.

She did the same thing with a skeptically packaged

guava shakes in Chula Vista,

with chutney-flavored potato crisps in Fullerton...

Oh. Oh, tell them about the carbonated milk.

Oh, I have an even better one.

Arnie, I notice you leave over

the dark meat on your chicken.

- Uh, uh, yeah, I was gonna-- - Well, a great many people do.

Now you can't make an all- white-meat chicken.

[both chuckle]

But I have a client who has the next best thing.

He takes the dark meat, perforates it, okay?

Then he runs it through a solution of hydrogen peroxide,

then he shapes it into fillets, breasts, drum sticks,

mini-drumsticks, patties, giblets, what have you!

This is the first I'm hearing about this.

Madeline: It's gonna be huge, huge.

But I need to build an organization

and that takes money.

Now, this is a client you can grow with, am I right?

This is what careers are made of.

Well, I was never in that building. Never.

So...

why did you start running

when you saw the police?

Well, I was carryin' drugs.

I thought it was a bust.

I thought maybe somebody set me up.

Next thing I know, I'm being handcuffed

and they tellin me I killed two cops.

- Did you? - No chance!

Look, I ain't no great citizen or nothing.

But no way I'd ever shoot a cop.

'Cause everybody knows... you kill a cop,

then they get you.

You heard Mr. Marchant tell this court--

Torrey: Yeah, well he was lying.

He asked me what I was in for and I told him.

I never said I did it.

- You're quite certain? - I'm positive.

Cause even if I was crazy enough to kill a cop,

I wouldn't be so dumb as to tell someone like him

who I hardly know. The man is lying.

He knows it. I know it. And God knows it.

Cullen: Thank you, sir. Your witness.

You never told him anything about the killings?

I didn't know nothing to tell.

So when Mr. Marchant came out of the cell and told the police

how one of the victims was shot in the eye,

that must have been just an incredible guess.

Well, maybe he heard it from some cops who brought him in.

No, sir.

The police themselves didn't know

until the autopsy report came out 48 hours later.

He could only have heard it from you.

He was lying.

Mr. Torrey. What happened to these drugs you were carrying?

I tossed 'em, I heard the police coming

I started running and I chucked 'em.

But the police searched the area and found nothing.

Well, maybe they didn't search too good.

Two of their colleagues were murdered, Mr. Torrey.

And you don't think they searched too good?

- Objection. - Sustained.

This was a double cop killing, Mr. Torrey,

they combed the area for three days and found nothing!

Because you didn't just casually

toss those drugs away when you saw them.

You very carefully disposed of them

before the police arrived!

Objection!

Along with the gun and the gloves you were wearing.

- Objection! - Overruled!

Look, I never had any gun or gloves!

Mr. Torrey. You said you started running

when you heard the sirens

and you saw the police coming at you, right?

Yeah.

But according to the officers in that unit,

you were already running before they put on the sirens,

before they shined the lights on you.

Would they be liars too, Mr. Torrey?

Probably.

Gee, between them

and Mr. Marchant and Ms. Chesbro

you'd think with all those liars and all those lies,

we'd be able to trip them up at least once.

Isn't it funny, the only one

we've been able to trip up is you,

the one man telling the truth.

Wouldn't it be historically funny

if you turned out to be the liar?

Cullen: Objection! Judge: Ms. Van Owen--

On the other hand, murderers lie all the time, don't they?

- Objection! - Nothing further.

[dramatic music]

How did your interview go?

Okay.

It's been suggested to me that

maybe we made some unfair

presumptions about you, Abby.

I know. I was the one who suggested it.

Well, this came from someone else, actually.

You know, when you first came to this firm,

your personal life fell right down to our doorstep.

The divorce, which Arnie represented you...

the kidnapping of your son,

which became everybody's crisis.

Between your personal tragedies

and the fact that we've all invested in you

so much, personally...

maybe we neglected to regard you enough, professionally.

While that may have been your fault,

I suspect that it's ours as well.

I just want you to know

that your review was just that.

A review.

We haven't made any final decisions.

I'm afraid I have, Leland. I'm leaving.

For Sheer, Heilbronner?

No,

if I join another law firm,

I'm not going to be improving my stock any.

I won't get any guarantees.

I'll just be working longer hours

for partners I care less about,

who in addition to wanting my blood, sweat and tears,

are also gonna be wanting my urine.

- Sorry, I don't, a-- - Drug testing.

Sheer, Heilbronner actually wanted a urine sample.

So, you're not going there

then where?

Solo. I'm going to to hang out a single.

Oh, you can't be serious.

Life in a law firm doesn't really suit me, Leland.

- I'm gonna open my own office. - Abby.

The odds against that... why they're enormous.

This is the only way that I will get a chance

to be the kind of lawyer that I want to be.

Or find out that I can't be.

- Yeah, but it-- - I know.

I know, there are a thousand good reasons not to do it.

I'm going to do it anyway.

As they say, it's a big world out there, Abby.

I'm a big girl, Leland.

Here's your bloody restraining order.

Your sister-in-law's husband cant sell the house now.

- I hope you're happy. - You did it!

Yeah, well I had to sit in motion session for

over an hour and missed a couple of appointments

and probably lost some prospective client,

and I scuffed by Pachiodies coming out

of the God awful court house.

Benny. Could you get a shine on those as soon as possible.

I really appreciate this. Oh, Arnie.

Never mind. Rox, just bring me my briefcase--

- Aahhh! - Sit, Oliver!

- Sit. - What... what the... Rox,

would you get this off my

Rox what is this thing doing in my office?

David's allergy took a turn for the worse

so I had to get him out of the house.

- So I brought him here. - Oh, so you brought him here?

Can't you keep him, Arnie? Just for a day or so?

No I can't. Get rid of him.

It's an emergency or I wouldn't ask you.

Roxanne!

If I wasn't in a pinch, Arnie,

I wouldn't ask. Can't you help me out?

- No! - Arnie!

Look, first you marry him!

Then it's his sister! Now it's his sister-in-law's dog!

What's it going to be next, Roxanne?

Oh, God.

I just stepped in something brown.

Bad dog, Oliver. Bad dog, bad dog.

My French lisle socks.

Shame. Shame.

Richardson: He kept showing up at my office unannounced

when I told him not to. And this time

it was right before a hugely important meeting.

I came in after the meeting.

It was before, Matthew.

Matthew, please.

So what happened after you asked him to leave?

We had words, which escalated

into his swearing at me. He swore at his own father.

And so you slapped him.

He was extremely disrespectful.

I feel I was fully justified in disciplining him.

What?

If you have something to say, young man, just tell me.

I beg your pardon. He does not have to tell you.

And I'd appreciate it if, for the rest of this deposition

you do not speak directly to my client.

- He's my son! - Kevin--

She's telling me not to talk to my son.

That's exactly what I'm telling you

and if you don't cooperate, I'll suspend this proceeding

and get a court order.

What the hell is this?

Ms. Kelsey, that won't be necessary.

She's going to get an injunction to stop me

from having a conversation with my own kid?

It's not conversation. It's threats and intimidation and--

- Have I ever threatened you? - You hit me.

- You hit me! - Mr. Richardson, I--

You kicked me in the shins last year.

- Stop talking to him! - Did I sue you?

You shouldn't have knocked me down like that!

Mathew. Stop!

[indistinct yelling]

Hey! Hey!

You people are unbelievable.

- Who the hell are you? - Stuart, please--

My name is Stuart Markowitz.

I'm a lawyer in this law firm you happen to be disrupting.

Fine, now, if you'll excuse us,

this happens to be a private matter.

No, excuse me, it's a public matter!

The problem may be domestic,

but when you waltz it into a courtroom,

it becomes public, doesn't it?

He, he's the one who brought it into the courtroom.

And you're the one who hit him.

- Who is this guy? - I told you who I am.

Your son is thirteen years old, Mr. Richardson .

He's intelligent, he's articulate...

I don't think you need violence to express yourself with him.

And it seems to me, when a father

works sixteen-hour days, including weekends,

he's never home, it's not such a criminal act

for his son to drop by his office now

and then for a visit with the old man.

And you might think about this...

Come home every now and then

to play a little catch in the back yard,

then maybe he won't have to schedule the deposition

just to spend a little time with you.

Look at the two of you. Look at you.

You're sitting here like you think you're right,

like you're proud of yourselves.

You should be ashamed.

Fathers and sons...

Fathers and sons hug each other.

They don't sue one another.

And any man who loved his wife,

and any son who loved his mother...

they could never put her through anything

as painful and destructive as this.

Not in a million years.

Ms. Kelsey.

If it's alright

with your client,

I'd like to schedule a settlement conference.

Perhaps for tomorrow.

That would be fine.

Ms. Van Owen? Peter Duble.

Attorney for your star witness, Geoffrey Marchant.

Sorry to bother you, I know you're in the middle

of a trial here, but ah,

I got a little problem with the deal

my client cut with you folks.

Seems they want to ship him to Vacaville

when he was promised minimum security.

I wasn't the D.A. on his case, Mr. Duble.

I understand but you are the D.A.

on the case he's delivered for.

He did his part, at great personal risk, I might add.

And I'd be happy to vouch for his cooperation.

Other than that, it's not up to me.

I might remind you, that when this case gets appealed,

and death cases always do,

you might need his testimony again

and he might not be so inclined to help.

- Is that a threat, Mr. Duble? - No threat.

I just don't see much fairness going on around here.

When you sent him in there to milk that confession--

What do you mean, when we sent him in?

You know what I mean. Torrey asked for his lawyer.

You guys had to stop questioning him.

So you sent my guy in there to squeeze the song.

- And you promised-- - Are you telling me

that the police deliberately put your client

in that cell so that he could extract that confession?

What, Rogoff didn't tell you?

There was never a real reason to tell you!

That's crap!

You have me prosecuting a case

with an illegal confession

and there's no reason to tell me?

You would've thrown Marchant's

testimony out, Grace.

Damn right I would've!

He went in there as a police agent, for God's sake!

The whole thing is unconstitutional.

And Torrey should get a new trial.

Yes.

Which we'd never win without Marchant.

Mrs. Chesbro's I.D. is shaky at best!

Oh my gosh, he should be kicked right--

Look, I wasn't there,

if I'd of been there I would've stopped it!

But look at the choice we got!

We either go with this confession

or we turn a cold blooded murderer loose.

This prosecution is completely illegal

and I won't have a part of it!

- Grace, for God's sakes-- - I'm dismissing the case.

You listen to me!

There isn't a shred of doubt that he did it!

We've been after this bastard for six years!

Bruce!

He killed these two cops, Grace!

He's been linked to half a dozen drug-related murders.

- It doesn't justify-- - Kidnapping.

Rape as a juvenile!

We missed a murder rap in '85

because of a warrantless search.

It doesn't make a damn bit of difference!

Not in your Ivy league textbook maybe,

but in the real world it makes one hell of a difference!

Kids die of overdoses because of Lyle Torrey.

Cops' wives get widowed.

He's a stone killer!

I can't ditch my professional responsibility.

- I am a district attorney. - So am I.

You know damn well I've never done this before

and I probably never will again.

But this once, this once,

I've decided to look the other way.

And I'm telling you, I can't!

If you dismiss the case,

you take me down,

you take the department down,

and you put a cold-blooded murderer

back on the street,

who will surely kill again.

You're telling me

to prosecute

with an unconstitutional confession.

You're telling me to break the law.

I'm not telling you anything.

I'm just hoping to God you remember

you're a public servant.

And you'll do the thing that serves the public best here.

Cullen: No fingerprints.

No reliable witnesses.

No residue indicating he'd ever fired a gun.

Nothing,

except the unsubstantiated say-so

of a convicted felon,

desperately trying to reduce his own jail time.

The only verdict,

the only verdict supported by the facts before you...

is not guilty.

Lyle Torrey is innocent.

Thank you.

Ms. Van Owen?

This is not an easy job.

Standing up here day after day,

convincing people like you to punish other people.

And many times...

the evidence or circumstances are such...

that it is

hard for me to be totally unconflicted.

This is not one of those times.

Lyle Torrey is

a cold-blooded, killer.

No evidence, says his lawyer.

Well, how about a witness

who saw him running away from the bodies

with a gun in his hand?

How about the policemen

who spotted him running away from the area?

And yes how about the testimony of Geoffrey Marchant,

who heard the defendant admit to the killings,

and then gloat as to how policemen's skulls pop?

Defense counsel says that Geoffrey Marchant is lying.

But consider this.

He had the facts,

the accurate facts,

when he came out of that holding cell.

There was only one possible source

for those details.

It is the man sitting right over there.

It's the man who splattered the heads

of officers Gregory Britz and Thomas Murray

who widowed these two women.

The man who was

sick enough to commit murder,

and then stupid enough to brag about it.

Lyle Torrey is a vicious and violent murderer.

Find him guilty.

Kelsey: And at all times hereafter,

defendant agrees to accommodate

reasonable office visitations by plaintiff.

Conditioned on three-hour express notice

by plaintiff to defendant with regard to said visitation.

Agreed.

No profanity shall hereinafter

be directed by the plaintiff towards the defendant.

Agreed.

No corporal punishment shall be issued

by the defendant upon the plaintiff.

Agreed.

Well, I think that's about all of it.

Not quite.

When I come upstairs to kiss the plaintiff

goodnight, no claiming by the plaintiff

that said plaintiff is too old for that.

- Dad! - Never mind "Dad."

I want it written right into the settlement.

No kissing me in front of other people.

- Ever! - Except your mother.

Agreed.

Now let's go and get some lunch

while the lawyers do all the paperwork.

We'll be back in about an hour, okay?

Agreed.

was gonna hold out for five Dodger games this summer

but my lawyer said "No."

Yeah, well I had a clause

requiring you to paint the garage.

- Get out! - No kidding.

The language was drafted.

He's bulldozing the house!

- What? - Freddy!

He is furious about the restraining order.

He's out there plowing the house down with a bulldozer!

- You gotta get out there! - I can't!

- I'm in the middle of-- - He's gonna level the house!

Dammit, Roxanne!

You got to get out there right now. Come on.

This is unbelievable!

Alright, uh, call the police

and have them meet me there.

You're coming with me you stupid mutt.

I'm gonna leave you there!! Come on, down.

- Hurry! - I'm hurrying!

[dog barks]

[engine revving]

Do something! You've got to do something!

Stay! Stay!

Hey, why aren't you stopping him?!

He's got a permit. It's all legit.

Look, I've got a court order on this house!

You can't do this, you've got to stop it!

No, no, this just says he can't sell it.

Doesn't say anything about bulldozing it.

This is a catastrophe!

Arnie, you can't let him! Arnie!

- Shut up! - The slime!

David!

This enjoins him from encumbering the property!

This demolition clearly circumvents

the underlying spirit of the order!

Now look, Pal, I can sympathize,

but I don't know anything about circumventing

spirits here, alright.

- It means-- - Now listen, what I do know

is he's got a legitimate

construction demolition permit that--

[clamoring]

Madeline: He's heading for the kitchen with my new

granite counter tops!!

Arnie? Arnie?

That bulldozer is, is unregistered!!

It's what?

Do you see a flatbed around here?

Well, he must have driven it on the street.

It's not registered!

Keep them here!

[whistles] Hey, hey!

D'you drive this thing on the street?

So what? I got a permit!

Not to operate on a public way, you don't.

Well, just get out of the way.

Stop the vehicle now!

I am completely legal!

That pinstripe is full of--

Stop the vehicle now!

Now listen, we're gonna stop all this

until we find out if your permit

supersedes his court order or vice versa.

No, no more legal crap! That house is coming down!

Back it up or you're going to jail.

Simple as that. Now back it up.

You damn lawyers! I'm so sick of you lawyers!

Hey, it's over!

Now back it up!

He was just about to level the sun room.

[engine revving]

Listen, if I were you, I'd get the court

to clarify this order of yours.

'Cause I don't see nothing to keep this guy

from plowing the joint.

[crashing]

- My dog! - My Porsche!

In the matter of People vs. Lyle Torrey,

criminal complaint number three-three-seven-three,

we find the defendant, Lyle Torrey,

guilty of murder in the first degree.

On the question of special circumstances, Ms. Foreman,

how does the jury find?

We find special circumstances to exist.

Ms. Van Owen?

Any modification to your sentencing request?

- No, Your Honor. - Judge: Very well.

Members of the jury, we will reconvene tomorrow at 10 a.m.

for the penalty phase,

where you will decide between life imprisonment

and the district attorney's request

that the defendant be sentenced to death.

That's all. We're adjourned.

Mr. Rogoff, Mr. Rogoff,

what's your reaction to the verdict?

A guilty man was convicted.

It's rewarding to see

that the system works, and justice was served.

And Ms. Van Owen,

would you like to make a statement at this time?

We are very happy with the jury's verdict.

Did you think that--

I'm sure that Mr. Rogoff can handle all of your questions.

If you'll excuse me.

You know you really ought to try and contain yourself,

- Gracie. - It's just one case.

You expect me to break into verse?

It's a huge case. You should be thrilled to have won it.

I am. I'm thrilled.

Hey. Counselor. What's wrong?

Nothing. I'm just really tired.

You sure that's all?

Yeah. That's all.

[instrumental music]

- Coming to bed? - In a little bit.

You wanna talk about it?

I just keep thinking about

what you did in that conference room.

And what I did.

And?

You're going to be such a wonderful father, Stuart.

And I'm going to be such a crummy mother.

You know what they say... hmm?

It's okay to have a crummy mother

if you have a really wonderful father.

I just keep thinking, maybe

I'm not meant to be pregnant.

Maybe I'm not meant to be a parent.

C'mon honey, that's silly.

I'm not so sure.

There's a reason for everything, you know.

You see.

You're gonna be a mom and I'm gonna be a dad.

And we're gonna have a kid.

And it's gonna grow up...

and it's gonna love you...

as much as I do right now.

[instrumental music]

All we gotta do is keep trying. Hmm?

[music continues]

It, it's

just all the hours I've wasted on this thing.

I, I have to work late tonight, Monica.

Well, I'm sorry that you feel that way.

Yeah, yeah, you have a nice week, too.

Okay, yeah--

Bye.

Arnie?

What are you doing here at this hour

and what could you possibly want now?

I have a little surprise for you.

[Oliver barks]

Oliver! You're alive!

Oh, careful--

The police found him.

I just thought you might like to know.

We're going to keep him in the garage. C'mon boy.

What the hell.

I can keep him for another day.

- Are you sure? - Yeah.

I can use him to scare away a few noisy cats.

Goodnight, Arnie.

Thanks again for everything.

Okay.

If you ever run away again

I thought you were dead! C'mere, c'mere.

Yeah, yeah,

you're so ugly.

Yeah... good boy.

I missed you.

Oh, Oliver.

Rox! Rox!

Roxanne!

[theme music]