Original subtitles

I was reading in my bedroom...

when all of a sudden, I heard it.

At first, I thought backfire,

but then I heard two more and I knew it was gunshots.

Then what did you do, Mrs. Russ?

I got up and went over to the window.

And that's when I saw my son lying in the street.

Ms. Fusco: You knew immediately that it was him?

Yes, ma'am.

By his gold jacket.

And what did you do then?

I ran out to him.

He had blood coming out of his back.

And then, I turned him over...

there was blood in his mouth, too.

His eyes was open, but he wasn't there.

Ms. Fusco: Your son was dead. - Yes, ma'am.

Mrs. Russ, did you see anyone else in the alley?

I saw that man.

Ms. Fusco: Let the record reflect that the witness

has indicated the defendant, Brian Chisolm.

What was he doing, Mrs. Russ?

He was standing there with his gun.

And then, he came over to us,

But then he ran away, he just ran away.

Thank you, ma'am. I have nothing further.

[murmuring]

How long did it take you to get to your son

from the time you first heard the shots?

Fifteen-twenty seconds.

Jonathan: It would be fair to say, as you were running

toward him, the only place you were looking,

the only thing you saw at that time, was your son, William.

- Isn't that probably true? Mrs. Russ: Probably.

Jonathan: So, Mrs. Russ...

it could've been maybe 20 to 30 seconds

between the time you heard those shots

and the time you looked around to see

anything else or anybody else.

I don't know how many seconds it was.

No, no, no. Of course not.

You-- you were concerned about William.

But it could have been 20 to 30 seconds.

Well, ma'am, you're sitting in this courtroom suggesting

my client was the only other person in that alley.

When, in fact, there was plenty of time for--

No, I'm sitting in this courtroom

because my boy is dead.

I'm sitting in this courtroom because

he was shot in the back by that man!

- Objection! Move to strike. - Mrs. Russ, that'll do.

Mrs. Russ: That's why I'm here, Mr. Rollins!

Can you tell us why you're here?

- Mrs. Russ. - He shot my boy!

But it was an accident!

The bullet hole is in my boy's back.

How can that be an accident?

[theme music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[theme music]

People versus Chisolm.

Prosecution's supposed eyewitness

takes the stand today.

- How's it going? - It's tough.

Anything we can do to help, let us know.

Moving along. Totten tax audit.

- How's it coming, Stuart? - It's not.

I think I persuaded the IRS to call off the dogs.

Wonderful. And how are you feeling?

- Fine. Fine. Douglas? Fine.

Well, I'm not so fine.

August Oberzan of Oberzan Development

is in my office right now and he is very unhappy.

The king of the Mini-malls?

Evidently an outspoken student

has been gathering up signatures,

trying to block his zoning variance,

and the movement's beginning to pick up steam.

Stuart, Douglas, I'd like you both at the meeting.

- See what we can come up with. Stuart: Okay.

And last but not least, Lowens versus

America's Most Embarrassing Practical Jokes.

Couldn't settle. Looks like we're gonna have to try it.

Are you kidding, don't you think this guy's taking

this a little too seriously?

He had his toupee lifted off on national television.

Douglas: How would you feel? - Can't relate, Doug.

Arnie: How would you feel? - Well, I think he has a case.

These television shows make money from embarrassing people,

why not share the profits with the victims.

- Alright, are we done? Douglas: Done.

- Best of luck, Victor. - Thanks.

If I don't get that variance, I can't build the mall.

Now, I am not gonna be run into the ground

by some little "Save The Trees" activist.

Offer the kid nuisance value. $10,000.

Oh, great, what's to keep everyone else

from lining up for their money?

Oh! Come on!

You have got to do better than that,

I am set to break ground next month.

Why don't we hit them with a SLAPP suit?

- Excuse me? - Well, uh, SLAPP suit.

Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participants,

i.e., SLAPP.

Basically, what you do is sue the protestors for harassment.

You tie 'em up in court, make 'em spend

all their money on lawyers.

An-- and the thing is, you do it publicly.

And that intimidates other would-be protestors.

- They don't dare speak up. - I like it.

How soon can we file a complaint?

By the end of tomorrow.

Well, I'm not sure we wanna--

August: Oh, it's perfect!

You add every count you can think of,

we'll tie that little bastard up till his junior year.

SLAPP suit. [laughs]

[door opens] Great job, Stuart! Way to go.

[sighs] Thank you.

Well, what did you think you were taping, Mr. Lowens.

I thought I was taping a rebuttal to a news editorial.

I'm a professor of Soviet history,

they asked for my views on perestroika,

I thought the whole thing was legitimate.

And, sir, when did you first discover

that your hair... had left your head?

Mr. Lowens: When I saw it on television,

along with 20 million other people.

The defendant's never told you they were going to air this?

Yes, but I didn't know what had actually

happened until I saw the tape.

Sir, could you tell the court, and I know this is difficult...

But could you tell the court what it was like

to see yourself become bald on national television?

I can't really describe it.

I was held up to ridicule, my friends snicker at me...

- I even lost my job. - Because of this?

Mr. Lowens: Yes. The dean told me he couldn't have a professor

who the students didn't take seriously. He fired me.

Victor: And have you been able to find other

employment since then, sir?

After a couple of months, I found another teaching job,

but at less pay and with virtually no shot at tenure.

This thing has just devastated me.

Thank you, Mr. Lowens. I have nothing further.

You gave my clients a signed release

authorizing them to air the tape, didn't you?

I didn't know my toupee had been dislodged

when I signed the release.

[laughing] Oh, come on, Mr. Lowens,

they yanked your rug off your head and you had no idea?

- Objection to the term "Rug." - Overruled.

Mr. Lowens: I didn't feel the fishhooks in my hairpiece.

But when they lifted it off, how could you not feel that?

Yes, I did feel a draft.

But I put my hand up and everything felt okay.

I thought some of the wires might have moved it a little.

- Don't you... glue it on? Mr. Lowens: No, I use tape.

But I didn't use tape that day because I knew

I was gonna be under hot lights

and heat sometimes makes the tape gooey.

Plus, when I sweat, the thing smells.

Judge 1: I see, alright, look,

I don't know how far this joke went or how humiliating it was.

- I want to see the tape. - Oh, my God.

Judge 1: We'll set up some video monitors, take a look at it

tomorrow so we can all see for ourselves.

Your Honor, my client would request that

the courtroom be sealed.

I think not. We all able to take it.

That's tomorrow, two o'clock. We're adjourned.

[indistinct chatter]

[traffic bustling]

And you were walking in the next alley?

Yes, and when I heard the shot I ran around the corner.

And what did you see?

I saw this kid running straight at me and...

cop was right behind him, maybe 30 feet.

Do you see that cop in this courtroom?

- The defendant. - And what did you see next?

Well, the cop was screaming at the kid to stop or something.

And when he didn't, he... shot him.

He just shot him! [indistinct chatter]

Ms. Fusco: And what did you do?

I just stood there like in disbelief.

Then, I just took off.

You didn't go to the boy's aid?

I was afraid I might get shot, too.

Ms. Fusco: Mr. Bailey, you didn't come forward

for almost two months.

[sighs] I didn't think it'd do any good,

telling on the police, I was afraid they'd come after me.

Ms. Fusco: Well, why have you come forward?

Well, Mr. Holloway convinced me.

He said I had a responsibility to my community

and if I saw something, I should say what I saw,

and that's what I'm doing now.

Ms. Fusco: Thank you, sir. I have nothing else.

Mr. Holloway tell you what it was you saw?

Ms. Fusco: Objection! Judge 2: Overruled.

Jonathan: Did he tell you what to say?

Or would you like to confer with him before answering?

He didn't, he didn't tell me what to say, I saw it.

Mr. Holloway's your lawyer now, isn't he?

Ms. Fusco: This has no relevance.

Judge 2: Sit down, Ms. Fusco.

Is Mr. Holloway your lawyer?

- Yes. Jonathan: Yes. Now...

Mr. Bailey, you said you just stood there

as Officer Chisolm was shooting at William Russ?

Yeah, th-- that's right.

Well, now since you testified that the boy

was coming right at you, that means

you were in the line of fire. What, you just stood there?

Don't look at Mr. Holloway, you look at me.

You just stood there while he was shooting right at you?

Well, [stammers] it wasn't right at me,

it was more like to the side.

Now, wait a minute, just a minute ago

you said under oath that he was coming right at you.

- Did you lie? - I made a mistake.

Jonathan: A mistake? Oh, okay.

The night of the shooting you told the police you saw nothing.

Was that a mistake, too?

I told you, I was-- I was afraid to tell the police what I saw.

- Are you afraid of your mother? - What?

Jonathan: According to your mother's statement

you never told her you saw anything.

Come on, Jerome, two months go by,

you don't tell a single friend. You don't tell anybody!

Are you afraid of your friends and relatives, too?

Why are looking at him?

Ms. Fusco: Objection. Judge 2: Overruled.

Why didn't you tell anybody what you saw?

I don't know.

Jonathan: Because you saw nothing.

Holloway, got to you and you're here lying.

You're the one telling lies.

Judge 2: Mr. Holloway, get yourself down now.

Mr. Rollins, don't badger the witness.

Now, do you have anything more?

Nah, I don't think so.

[murmuring]

[mechanical whirring]

I really don't think this was smart.

Well, it's too late to reconsider, now.

I'm aware of that.

But I've lost the feeling in my hands.

Yeah, well maybe you should unclench them a little.

No. No. No. [laughing]

Oh, man, look!

Look, you can see the whole park from up here.

Isn't that incredible!

It's beautiful, it's beautiful, it's beautiful.

[screaming]

- Wasn't that incredible? - Uh-huh.

- I'm not having fun. - C'mon, don't suppress so much.

- Let it out. Yeah! Come on! - Really?

[screaming]

You know, our first date was a four-star French cuisine.

- Now, we're down to hot dogs. - Oh, yeah.

But they're great with mustard and they're cheap, too.

But the problem is, I'm not getting any better

at figuring out the real you.

Who is it, this power lawyer or the kid on the roller coaster?

You know the kind of person who is really great

at career stuff, but not too good at life stuff?

- Yeah, me. - No, no, me.

Oh no, you seem to be pretty good at the life stuff.

You... you seem to know how to have fun.

Yeah, well, the truth is, I've probably had more fun

in the last four days than I've had in the last four years.

Come on, you're supposed to say "Me too."

Well, four years is a long...

Okay, okay, okay, okay. Two years.

- Two years? - Two years.

Alright, me too.

- What time you got? - Uh, 4:15.

4:15? Okay, we can either go back to work right now

or we can ride the Dragon.

I vote for the Dragon.

I think I like you.

I think I like you, too.

[indistinct chatter]

[mechanical whirring]

Stuart : Hi, Benny. - What's that?

It's a treadmill. It's good exercise.

I can walk three miles a day and never leave my office.

That's 'cause you had a heart attack?

Yeah. Yeah, it's exercise for my heart.

And for everything else for that matter.

You should try it sometime.

Arnie says heart attacks can make you croak.

I'm not gonna croak, Benny.

I just had a little tiny heart attack.

Stuart, Dennis Brayton, the tree activist,

hired a lawyer to defend against our SLAPP suit.

Solo practitioner, coming in this afternoon for a meeting.

I want to get as many of our lawyers

as possible into that room.

I want to send the message that they are up against an army.

Good. I-- I'll be there.

Woman 1: Why hasn't there been any White public outcry?

The reason there's no White public outcry

because it was just a Black life that ended.

Cheaper market value, don't you know?

Maybe 'cause some of us get bought so cheap.

But not you, counsel,

I'm sure you're just leased with an option.

Can I talk to you a minute?

Hadn't you better clear this with Mr. Kuzak first?

No, you and me alone, or maybe you don't talk to people

unless there's a microphone around.

Excuse us.

Woman 2: Mr. Rollins... Man 1: Mr. Holloway...

[indistinct chatter]

I wanna say this just once, for the record,

there has been nobody, no lawyer anyway,

I've admired more than you, Mr. Holloway.

I can't tell you how many times over the years

I've looked in the mirror wanting to see some reflection,

some-- some hint of what I've always seen in you.

But after watching you

and listening to you for the last three weeks,

I don't think there's anybody I'm more sickened by.

This your closing summation?

You talk about the system, y-- you talk about the process,

then you stand in front of cameras and film crews

and willingly pervert it.

The perversion is the system.

The system was gonna free that man on involuntary manslaughter.

You don't know that it wasn't that!

Nobody knows, because the system

wasn't even gonna ask the questions.

Now you get sick over me as much as you want to,

but get more sick by the fact that that system

was gonna let that man walk without even a trial.

I mean the only reason you've seen witnesses,

the only reason jurors are weighing evidence right now

is because of those cameras,

because of those microphones and because of me.

And if that kid had been White, you wouldn't be here right now.

Oh, man. Where have you been?

If that kid had been White, I wouldn't have to be here.

But-- but when that day comes, when society cries

for Black children with the same passion

that it does for Whites...

When the senseless death of an African-American

is just as unacceptable, then I'll stop!

I'll stop, but the truth is, Mr. Rollins,

that racism is gonna outlive me.

What sickens me is to think that one day

my dream will then rest in the hands

of Black lawyers like you.

The unification of Germany has to be considered

not simply urgent, but utmost to the economic future of Europe.

Judge 1: Uh, do we have to fast forward?

No, it comes up pretty quickly,

as soon as he starts in on Gorbachev.

If Gorbachev succeeds in his reform policies, the Soviets

can easily participate politically...

Let the record reflect that the sound effects

were added by the defendant.

[laughter]

[crowd laughing]

[laughter]

Objection.

- Move for a mistrial! - Oh, come on.

- Um, shut it off. - Okay.

The...

[laughter]

Your Honor! [crowd giggling]

Your Honor, this is prejudicial.

[laughing] Come on! No, it's not. It's not!

The fact that we laugh is not the issue.

It's of no relevance.

The jury should give no consideration

to my reaction, nor should they give...

uh... [laughs]

- Objection! - It's a ten-minute recess.

We're adjourned.

[laughter]

[knock on door]

Hi.

- Hi. - You ready?

We're not going out.

We're gonna have lunch right here.

- We are? Grace: Yeah.

You got my stomach on the roller coaster.

So I'm going after yours with Moo Goo Gai Pan.

Oh, boy, I don't know.

What's the matter? You don't like Chinese food?

Unh-unh. You're gonna shut up and eat.

Oh, I'll eat.

It's just that I don't know

how personally I should take all this.

What do you mean?

In the Amazon rainforest,

if a blonde lawyer

takes the hunter into her lodge for lunch,

that means that she just likes him as a friend and will

never feel waves of passion equal to a thousand waterfalls.

- Napkin? - Thank you.

So, I was just wondering how personally I should take this.

Egg roll?

[indistinct chatter]

Ms. Lamb.

- Leland McKenzie. - Hi.

- This is Ann Kelsey. - Hi.

- And Stuart Markowitz. - Hi. Wow.

I was only expecting one attorney.

Sit.

Ms. Lamb, as innocent as your client's protests may seem,

they're generating a backlash against our client

and that's not acceptable.

This meeting is to inform you that Oberzan Development

is filing today a one-million dollar lawsuit

against Mr. Brayton for interference

with economic advantage,

interference with contract and defamation.

As always, an easy settlement is preferable.

Stuart : But, should your client persist in making

public statements derogatory of our client's plans

to develop the shopping mall,

then this firm intends to avail itself

of all its resources in protracted litigation.

Protracted?

Meaning paper wars, court appointments, make work,

all the stuff that can bury a solo practitioner.

Okay, look,

this is a SLAPP suit and I'm a little disappointed.

Bringing in four lawyers, trying to scare me,

that isn't very nice.

I bet at least one of you doesn't even know

the facts of this case.

And it's probably... you.

May I? Excuse me.

See, if you'd done your homework, you'd have known

you stood a much better chance with a pretty boy,

trying to flirt me into settling.

What's his name? Becker? Mm.

Saw his video.

Anyway...

ganging up on me was a mistake.

File your suit.

Uh, will all of you be coming to court

or should I say some of my good-byes now?

You're making a big mistake.

I'm young.

And what happened after the boy got out of the car?

Brian: He started to run away, and then I got out

of my unit and went after him.

When I came around this corner, I saw two Black males

engaged in what appeared to be a drug transaction.

Jonathan: And what did you do?

Well, I didn't have time to do anything.

One of them just pulled a gun and shot at me.

I dropped to my knee and returned fire.

Then what happened?

The two males ran down a side alley.

I got up and started to go after 'em...

And that's when I saw the boy.

Jonathan: The boy being William Russ?

Yeah. He was-- he was face down.

Jonathan: Did you know what had happened?

Uh... Yeah.

I knew it had to have been one of my bullets.

The other guy was shooting towards me,

so it had to have been my bullet.

What did you do?

I... I... I froze for a minute.

And then the mother came out.

I ran to my unit and radioed for an ambulance.

Mr. Chisolm...

why did you shoot back when William Russ

was in your line of fire?

I don't know.

I made a mistake.

[murmuring]

I'm sorry. I screwed up.

But I didn't shoot your son on purpose.

I know you can never forgive me, but please know

that that was an accident.

Please know that.

Jonathan: I have nothing further.

Do you have any explanation why nobody else

ever saw these two Black drug dealers?

Any explanation as to why we could never find the bullets

from the gun of the guy who shot at you?

When you radioed for help, you said

"Suspect down," didn't you?

Brian: I'm not sure. - Yeah, you did.

Here's the transcript, you didn't say "Bystander down,"

you said "Suspect down," suggesting

that your bullet hit the one you shot at.

- Objection, argumentative. - Sustained.

You didn't say anything about drug dealers,

you didn't say anything about "Tragic mistake."

- You just said "Suspect down." - Yeah. An-- and then I said...

Then I said "Send help, send an ambulance," over and over.

I was panicked, the only thing I was thinking about

was get-- getting an ambulance for that kid.

Yeah, the ambulances come faster if you say "Citizen down",

fastest if you say "Officer down."

You said "Suspect down."

Move on, Ms. Fusco.

Last year, you asked to be reassigned

to a different partner, didn't you?

What was the problem with Officer Kenneth Sims?

Personality differences mainly.

I see. What was Mr. Sim's race?

- Objection! - Overruled.

- What was his race? - He was Black.

- But that has nothing to-- Ms. Fusco: Thank you.

Ever been investigated for police brutality, Mr. Chisolm?

I was totally cleared. That was just--

You were investigated for committing

an unprovoked assault on a teenage suspect.

Investigated and cleared.

Yes, by other police investigators.

What was the race of that suspect, Mr. Chisolm?

- Objection! - Overruled.

What was the boy's race?

He was Black, but that has nothing--

Thank you. I have nothing further.

Judge 2: Mr. Chisolm, you're dismissed.

Does the defense have anything more?

Where are we?

I don't know, Jonathan, but she just did some damage.

You think I should put him up there?

Michael: You think you can take him?

I think we should take the risk.

Then do it.

Your Honor, the defense calls Derron Holloway.

Ms. Fusco: Objection. No foundation, no relevance.

The defense submits this man is relevant to this proceeding.

- He has no information-- - Overruled, Ms. Fusco.

Judge 2: The defense wishes to call a witness,

the defense can call a witness.

Tomorrow, 10:00 A.M.,

Mr. Holloway will take the stand.

[murmuring]

[traffic bustling]

How can Mr. Lowens act surprised?

- Didn't you get his permission? - He signed the release.

We were fully authorized to air it.

Man 2: He claims he didn't know what you'd done.

Well, we're certainly sorry about the misunderstanding.

But believe me, we would never put anything

on our television show without the consent

of all the participants. And here we had it.

Thank you, Mrs. Eagan. Nothing further.

You didn't bother to show my client the tape

before airing it, did you?

- No, we don't do that. - You don't do that?

And so, my client had no reason to know that you'd also be

putting in these little sound effects that you do, did he?

Those are creative choices we make in post-production.

You profit off of other people's misery, don't you?

Listen to the lawyer here, who takes train wrecks

on a contingency.

You don't ever profit off people's misery?

- We don't willingly inflict it. - No!

You're all here to make the world a better place.

- Objection! Judge 1: Alright.

Touchés all around. Go on.

Why, why would you pull off

a man's hairpiece and embarrass him like that?

- Why? - Again, we though he okayed it.

Well, I mean, would you yank the false teeth

from the mouth of a senior citizen?

Would you pull the prosthesis off an amputee?

Of course not. That wouldn't be funny.

Victor: But it's funny to victimize this man.

The Judge laughed.

And as Executive Producer of this top-ten show

how much do you personally make?

- Objection. - Overruled.

How much?

I make $45,000 per episode.

You got paid $45,000 to have his hair go up like a rocket?

Ms. Eagan: Not just for that, there were three other gags.

Victor: The point is, Ms. Eagan, the point is you got rich

and Mr. Lowens lost his job.

- We're sorry about that. - You're sorry about that?

Nothing further.

Mr. Holloway, I'm curious...

the day after William Russ was killed,

you went on record publicly, calling it a murder.

What information could you have possibly had that fast

that allowed you to conclude this was a murder?

A White man has a gun, a Black kid is running away,

the Black kid ends up face down with a bullet in his back,

that to me is murder.

[indistinct chatter] Quiet! Please!

So, the fact that Mr. Chisolm is White influenced your thinking?

Well, yes.

And what is that, sir, if not racism?

[chuckles] Well, if I'm a racist, Mr. Rollins,

and, you know, I suppose I am,

but it's by necessity.

To combat a much larger White racism

built into the framework, not only of society in general,

but specifically a judicial system

which does not render fair treatment to Black Americans.

[cheering] Quiet!

Now, I don't want to warn you people again!

So, the system is not fair?

The only reason this criminal was even brought to trial here

was because I generated enough public pressure

to stop the District Attorney's office

from blindly looking the other way,

which otherwise it would've done.

You admitted that your presumption of my client's guilt

was directly influenced by the color of his skin.

This is a speech...

If William Russ had been White,

you would not have publicly come forward.

If he had been White, you would not have staged

that rally to produce Jerome Bailey, isn't that right?

If the victim had been White

there would have been no need for me to make noise.

Answer my question, Mr. Holloway!

You're under oath.

If William Russ had been White,

Derron Holloway would not be involved here today.

Isn't that what you told me, sir?

Isn't that what you told me, yes or no?

Yes or no?

Yes, I told you that.

[murmuring]

Then how can this trial be anything

but a product of your bigotry?

I have no doubt that you hurt him.

The question is, will it count for anything.

Benny: Help! - What the hell?

Benny: Help! Help!

- Help me! - Benny, hang on.

- Keep going, Benny. - Stop it! Stop it!

Where's the button? Where's the stop button, Mike?

- Help me. Help me. - Let's pull the plug.

[screams]

Benny! Oh, my God.

- Okay, okay, okay! - Are you okay? Are you okay?

St-- Stuart, he said I could!

- It's okay, Benny. It's okay. - Are you alright?

Grace: Oh, what happened?

Jonathan: Oh, it was just a little accident.

- Are you okay, Benny? - I cut myself.

Michael: Well, it's just a scratch, Benny.

Jonathan: Come on, let's, let's go wash it off.

[panting] Stuart, he said I could.

I'm sure he did, Benny. It's okay.

You'll be okay, Benny.

[sighs]

Wow!

Oh, [laughs]

I'm going to this black-tie thing tomorrow

and I had to try it on. Do you like it?

- [chuckles] You look fantastic. - Thanks.

This thing is with Jack Sollers?

Yeah.

You like this guy, huh?

Well... yeah.

Uh, you look great.

Thanks.

[indistinct chatter]

Ms. Lamb.

- Hi, how are you? - Good. Fine.

Leland: We weren't expecting you.

Well, I was in the neighborhood.

- Here. - What's this?

It's a complaint in federal court

alleging civil rights violations,

abuse of process, harassment, and punitive damages.

You have McFadden Arps as co-counsel?

Yeah, Jay McFadden owed me.

I got his daughter Madonna tickets.

Plus, which the civil rights claim provides for attorney fees

so they were happy to jump in.

Uh, "Protracted" to them means more money.

It's so thick.

I think they put 12 lawyers on it.

Okay, well, you have it. Tell Ann I'm sorry I missed her.

Leland: This is awful. - Good going, Stuart.

- SLAPP suit. Great idea. - You liked it, too, Douglas.

- I never liked it. - Alright, that's enough!

Now, look we've gotta make this thing go away and fast.

- Set up a meeting. - You know...

- We could add another claim. - No!

Leland: Get that woman back here tomorrow.

In the meantime, I've gotta figure a way

to break this to Aug Oberzan. God.

If Jerome Bailey had seen what he said he saw,

don't you think he would've told his own mother

or his best friend? Come on!

Jerome Bailey came forward two months later

only after being addressed by that man, Derron Holloway.

A self-admitted racist, who by his own testimony,

established that the only reason we're here today,

and the only reason Brian Chisolm is on trial

is because he's White and the victim's Black.

The boy's mother admitted that it could've taken 30 seconds

for her to look around that alley

after hearing the shots.

That's plenty of time for the drug dealers

who shot at my client to run away.

There's been no evidence, ladies and gentlemen,

other than Jerome Bailey,

to controvert Brian Chisolm's testimony

that he was shot at that night.

No evidence other than a liar influenced by a racist.

And no motive.

No motive.

The prosecution is here before this court

not only without any physical evidence

or any real testimonial evidence,

but they have no motive whatsoever.

They're asking you to believe that Officer Chisolm

just suddenly turned into this psychotic killer.

Where is this coming from?

The prosecution has no case.

Yes, we have a tragedy here,

and yes, it was a horrible, horrible mistake.

But that's all it was... a mistake.

For all the prejudice and the outrage

and the hurricane of anger surrounding this trial...

the facts will tell you that Brian Chisolm is innocent.

Thank you.

The facts.

Two witnesses swore under oath

they saw no one else in the alley.

Can the defense offer any evidence of drug dealers,

any evidence of bullets being fired? No.

So those two Black men are not a factual part of this case.

Officer Brian Chisolm

was the only other person seen in that alley.

Ballistics reveal it was Chisolm's bullet

found inside the boy's body. Those are the facts.

The question is whether you're gonna let him go

simply because he's White?

The question is whether we're gonna let hate crimes

continue to go unpunished in our courts?

A White police officer shot and killed an unarmed boy.

You can do something about that...

or I guess you can choose not to.

Imagine if you will, ladies and gentlemen,

the humiliation...

the shame that my client must have felt that night

as he sat there and watched his hair

just go up to the sound of twin booster engines

and then the way it sputtered before it came crashing down.

[chuckles] My client was wronged, ladies and gentlemen!

They snatched it right off with a fishhook.

[laughing]

- Your Honor. - Yes?

I'd like to do my own closing.

Judge 1: It's his right, Mr. Sifuentes.

[groans] Go ahead, sir.

It's okay to laugh.

[laughing]

No, really, it's okay.

[laughing]

I know that by wearing a toupee I set myself up for that.

[sighs] But the issue here

isn't whether my hairpiece is funny,

or-- or that tape was funny. We all know it was.

This is about respect. [sighs]

It's about people showing other people simple respect.

Now, these shows, this one and that home video one,

they reward individuals for capturing

the embarrassing misfortunes of others,

and people like me,

occasionally we get caught in it.

But no matter how humorous it is,

or how clever, it's disrespect.

If you watch these shows you know

that the more embarrassing it is,

the more it hurts...

the funnier it is.

When you go back to the jury room and laugh at me,

I hope you'll remember that.

And I hope you'll remember that all the giggles

caused by these people in here have been at my expense.

Thank you.

We're gonna make it away, Aug, don't worry.

Aug: How?

We'll bring a motion to dismiss,

starting with subject matter jurisdiction--

Oh, for God's sake, I'll be tied up in court for months,

I'll lose the financing.

I'm sorry, am I early?

No, come in, come in.

Ms. Lamb... Mr. Oberzan.

Hi.

[clears throat]

Uh, let's get rid of this.

I'll give your client ten grand

to keep his mouth shut and to drop

this ridiculous federal claim.

Ten won't do it, sixty-five will.

There is no way in this world's hell

I will ever pay your client--

No, no, no. You don't pay, they do.

- Excuse me? - Okay, this is how it works.

Officially, we dismiss the complaint.

You pay Mr. Brayton nothing,

then you hire me to represent your corporation.

- Now, hold on a moment. - What? Pardon me.

Since I'm all by myself I will need help

in servicing all your needs, so I in turn

would have to refer your business

out to a bigger firm, say these guys.

For that, I hit them with a referral fee

of $65,000, $50,000 of which I pay to Mr. Brayton.

- Yeah, but you can't do that. Ms. Lamb: Yes, I can.

And if you don't want to pay the $65,000 to keep his business,

plenty of other firms who would, including McFadden.

Wait, wait, wait, just a second here.

Are you telling me that this would all go away,

they would still be my lawyers, and I pay nothing.

- Yeah, exactly. - But you can't do that!

You keep saying this, but we can.

The only other thing I ask is that

you give Dennis Brayton an audience,

'cause all he really wants besides the $50,000

is to be heard.

And you agree to provide him

with pro bono legal services.

- Done! I said done. - Oh, Aug!

But that kind of referral arrangement is unethical--

No, no, no, no, not with disclosure,

come on, you know better.

It's done. It accomplishes everything I want, Leland.

I like you. Let's draw up the papers.

Oh, I love it when things work out.

In the matter of Lowens versus

America's Most Embarrassing Practical Jokes,

we find in favor of the plaintiff,

and order the defendant to pay damages

in the amount of $45,000.

Judge 1: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury.

This matter is now adjourned.

- Congratulations. - Thank you, thank you!

Look, I'm sorry I sort of...

[indistinct chatter]

It was unprofessional, I'm sorry I started to laugh.

You don't have to apologize, Victor.

It's permissible to laugh at bald people.

Maybe because society doesn't think it's so bad to be bald...

Maybe we're just insensitive to it because it's no big deal.

- You think I'm being silly? - No, no!

I think you sued these people because you felt

your dignity was assaulted.

But I also think, every time you put that on...

you're saying you don't like yourself the way you are.

You wear an earring.

My wife likes her girdle.

We all do what we can to make us look better

to make us feel better.

So why can't the bald guy indulge himself?

I like myself just fine, Victor.

I just like myself better with the hair.

Okay.

Okay. [chuckles]

Has the jury reached it's verdict?

- We have, your Honor. Judge 2: What say you?

In the matter of People versus Chisolm,

criminal complaint number 8-2-1-2,

the jury finds the defendant guilty

of murder in the second degree.

[cheering]

Quiet! This trial is not over!

I want everybody quiet now. I have something to say.

Sit down!

I think it's important for all of you to listen.

Last year I saw one of my courtrooms erupt in a riot.

Mr. Rollins, you were here, too.

And it was also a case of White America trampling Black America

and the hatred rose up and took that room.

And I've seen that hatred in this room, too.

And as a Black man, I understand that hatred.

I grew up in a poor neighborhood.

I've seen innocent Black people shot dead by White policemen.

I've seen it.

And every day as I sit up here, I carry that baggage.

But first, and foremost...

I sit up here as a judge.

And as a judge my job is not to effect race relations,

but to effect justice in this courtroom.

The only evidence that incriminated the defendant

was the testimony of Jerome Bailey.

A witness that I find, as a matter of law, is not credible.

I know I failed to instruct the jury

to disregard his testimony,

the reason being I wanted to avoid an eruption here.

But if my choice is between another riot

and an unjust verdict, I have to opt for the riot.

I find, as a matter of law,

that no reasonable jury could have reached this verdict

on the basis of the evidence presented.

I hereby set aside the jury's verdict,

the defendant is free to go.

[indistinct chatter] We are adjourned.

[indistinct chatter]

You, uh, you wanna keep me in the dark all night

or let me know what's going on?

Well, I guess I'll tell you.

I wanna hire McKenzie Brackman.

Excuse me?

Besides Oberzan, I've got a lot of commercial

litigation I can't keep up with.

Your trial lawyers have good reputations,

I'd love to farm some of my stuff over.

- You give me 40% of the bill-- - I've got a better idea.

Why don't you come to work for me?

- Excuse me? - The same deal.

You take 40% of the business you bring in.

We supply you with space, administrative support,

the ability to quadruple your work output.

Wait a minute, you're offering me

more than I came here asking for.

What's in it for you?

The right to call you ours.

- I loathe law firms. - Yeah, so do I.

I'd only work in a place that would allow me to be myself.

McKenzie Brackman is that kind of place.

I'd have to think about it.

You are interested?

Yeah, I'm interested.

I'm this way.

- Okay, see you tomorrow. - Jonathan.

Great job.

Incredible job.

- Thank you. - Go home.

Get yourself some sleep, don't let it go to your head, huh?

[chuckles] Okay. Goodnight, Mike.

I guess this makes you the winner, huh?

I was expecting some shouting,

noisy press conference, something.

Maybe I'm just tired.

Or maybe there's nothing to shout about.

You really handed it to me, didn't you?

Hm, on the stand?

You gave me what I needed.

Let's just say that I think justice was done here.

If you didn't believe Chisolm was guilty...

why'd you go after him?

[chuckles]

Yeah, I thought I had explained that.

I didn't know for sure whether he was guilty or not guilty.

But I knew if we didn't put him on trial,

we'd never find out.

Did you tell Jerome Bailey to lie?

Nope. I didn't totally believe him either,

not after your cross-examination.

That's when I knew it, the DA had no case.

So, so what now? You'll just lay off?

- Let it be? - Lay off?

Couple of weeks from now, maybe sooner,

another Black lad will be dead by a White cop's gun,

and I'll be there,

making the same noise all over again.

Making sure questions get asked.

Maybe I'll meet you there.

That would be my pleasure.

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