Original subtitles

[puking]

Maybe you got the flu.

It ain't the flu, it's just nerves.

Big trials make me nauseous.

Well, maybe I should open then?

No, no, Mike. I'm okay.

I'm feeling better by the second.

This is a good thing, you know?

It means that I'm ready.

Yeah, but you look white.

Glenn Hall, best goalie in the history of hockey

used to puke before every game.

It means you're ready, that's all. I'm pumped!

Okay. We're gonna leave here at ten, 15 minutes then.

Oh, the judge said the cameras are okay in the courtroom.

Great!

You coming to the staff meeting?

Uh, in a second, I just wanna

go over this a couple more times.

[door opens]

[door closes] Oh!

[theme music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

Okay, people, settle in.

[indistinct chatter] First up.

Happy birthday, Leland McKenzie.

- Happy birthday, Leland. - How old today?

- A 102. - You look good.

- Thank you. - First item.

The big day is finally upon us.

People versus Rikki Davis.

- Michael? - We open in an hour.

- We're ready to go. - Excellent.

We'll have a command post set up here in the conference room.

Any surprises come up at trial,

we'll have lawyers ready to jump.

- Great. We gonna win? - We've got a shot.

I like our jury draw, I like Judge Gates.

Cook's one of the best DA's but his case has holes.

Keep him off guard wherever you can.

Disrupt his rhythm, he's less effective.

We held back a couple of motions in limine,

just so we could spring the objections at the trial.

Put him back on his heels a little.

With all the publicity, we want that acquittal.

Moving on, Leland, you're handling

the Cheevers prospectus.

Ann and I go over the final draft tomorrow,

it'll go out to the client by Friday.

Very good. Victor, any other cases you want reassigned?

Uh, no. I'm back. Fine.

Again let me reiterate everyone's sympathy.

If there's anything you need from us, please don't hesitate.

Uh, I just want to say that

the support that you've all been giving me

is overwhelming and I'll always be grateful

to all of you for that.

Thanks.

Now, as you can see,

Ms. Davis is making her way into the courtroom,

accompanied by her lawyers.

They're obviously not stopping to answer--

No. No comment.

...wearing a sleek, black designer suit.

The defendant is also not wearing her

hair back contrary to previous reports.

It was the perfect crime.

The victim was despondent over cancer,

so he just strung himself up...

grieving, shocked widow discovers the body,

calls the police, everybody cries,

the will gets probated

and Rikki Davis inherits $26 Million.

Now, I'm sure the original plan, when she

married this 70 old man with cancer,

was to just patiently wait out his death.

She had her lover on the side,

it wasn't as if she was making much of a sacrifice.

But when Harold Davis suddenly decided to divorce her,

the game plan was ruined.

She'd lose everything by virtue of a prenuptial agreement.

And she wasn't about to let that happen. Oh, no.

So, she and her lover, David Schaeffer,

motivated solely by greed

staged an apparent suicide

and hanged Harold Davis to his death.

That's what the evidence will show, ladies and gentlemen.

Rikki Davis murdered her husband for his money.

It's as simple as that.

Quite, please! [indistinct chatter]

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

my name is Tommy Mullaney.

My partner is Michael Kuzak

and together we represent that woman sitting right there.

Her name is Rikki Davis.

Now, I'm sure you have read a lot about this lady,

and if you're reading the same papers

as me you've gotta be thinking...

"she's guilty!"

I know I thought that

that day she walked into our office

for the first time,

but then we began piecing together the facts.

Then when she passed our lie detector test.

- We thought she-- - Objection! Mr. Mullaney,

That's out of line. You know better than that.

The jury is to disregard that last remark.

A polygraph test is not deemed liable.

You're to give that statement no weight whatsoever.

Mr. Mullaney, don't test me.

I apologize.

You see, hanging is a very tricky thing.

It's easy for it to go wrong.

Now, Rikki had access to his medication.

She could have drugged him to death.

She knew where he kept his gun.

She had easier ways to stage

a suicide if that's what she wanted to do.

But hanging him?

That's tough.

Why would she choose that

and why would she discover

the body with her lover

and draw attention to her infidelity?

Does that make sense to you?

No, it's too easy!

I mean, sure we got a dead guy.

There's no doubt about that.

And we have got a defendant with a motive,

no argument there either.

But there isn't any case.

Forget about what you've been reading.

You pay attention here.

We're gonna pull the curtain off

the prosecution's dog and pony show.

You just watch us.

My only request here is that you all pay attention.

And if you do, we won't have to ask you for anything else.

I promise.

Oh, now you didn't have to get me anything.

Well, at your age birthdays are at a premium.

Demand and supply, you know.

It's very touching. [chuckles]

Oh my.

It's beautiful!

You like it?

Well, it's superb, but it's too much.

It's way way too much.

There's an inscription on the back.

"Just say yes."

Yes to what?

Leland... will you marry me?

Yes to what?

I'm serious, Leland.

I don't want to shock you.

I mean usually I am the master of subtlety,

but, uh, I just don't know how to tip-toe

into something like this.

I've just been so happy

the last four months, and I'm not a young gal.

And I know what I want.

You want me?

I do.

I want to be your wife.

What about me? When do I testify?

I'm not sure I'm putting you up there.

Why not?

Well, the truth is, Rikki, you come off unlikeable.

I think the jury will read you as cold.

I also think that Cook will tear you apart

on the adultery and no one'll care $0.2 about you after that.

But if I don't take the stand it'll look

like I'm hiding something.

Well, maybe, but I still think that--

Do you really think that it's better to hide

what I am than to let them actually see it?

Listen to me, both of you.

I- I don't want to be buried away in this,

to be shielded from the jury like I'm...

the selfish bitch that the press keeps calling me.

I'm not that person.

I don't want to be treated like that person.

Not by them and not by you. You understand me?

Look, this is a murder trail.

Tomorrow morning I am facing off against

a seasoned homicide detective. The man is a pro.

Now I got a lotta work to do here,

so let us do what we do.

Who the hell do you think you are talking to me like that?

We know you're scared, Rikki.

Everybody is a little scared, but you gotta trust us.

You got to.

Detective, when you arrived at the scene

what did the defendant tell you?

She and Mr. Schaeffer returned to the house and found

the deceased suspended from the ceiling.

She stated it was her belief that

Mr. Davis had taken his own life.

Did the evidence support her belief?

- No, it did not. - Why not, Detective?

Well, first of all, you can see by the scrape marks

around the victim's neck that he tried to free himself.

And second, we dusted the beam

and cord and found one clean print.

It belonged to the defendant.

We also found a partial print which matched David Schaeffer.

They said the prints got there when they attempted

to cut the victim down, after discovering it.

Well, if that were true, their would've been prints

all over the beam and cord.

The fact that we found just the two suggests that somebody

tried to wipe the surfaces clean

and just wasn't careful enough.

What other evidence pointed you to the defendant?

Well, the will and also the fact

the defendant never had an alibi,

except to say that she went for a drive

with Mr. Schaeffer following the brunch.

Did you confront her with your suspicions?

Yes, I did. She said she wanted to speak with her attorney.

Thank you, Detective. Nothing further.

[clears throat]

Was there any sign of a struggle in the bedroom?

- No. - Well, isn't that strange?

Would you think that they put the nose

around his neck and politely asked him

to stand up on a chair while they tied

the other end around the beam?

Well, we believe that he was rendered unconscious first.

Right, according to your initial report

uh, you say you believe the victim was struck

on the forehead with a blunt object

which knocked him unconscious,

after which he was hanged.

Well, we now believe he was suffocated

into a state of unconsciousness.

Oh, really?

Well, why do you believe that, detective?

Because the symptoms of suffocation and hanging

are the same so there would be no evidence of it.

So, in other words,

there is no evidence of it.

And, detective, if in fact,

he was suffocated into unconsciousness

before he was hanged then how do you explain

the scratch marks on his face and neck

that he got while he was supposedly trying

to free himself?

He probably regained consciousness

right before the hanging.

Ah.

Well, is there any evidence of that?

Yeah, the scratch marks.

They clearly show this wasn't something

that he wanted to do.

Well, maybe he changed his mind.

I mean hanging is a very brutal, horrible way to go, isn't it?

- Yeah. - Yeah.

In fact, you yourself investigated

another hanging suicide

three years ago in which the victim

also tried to claw himself free.

Isn't that right, detective?

There was one such incidence, yes.

Thank you.

Okay, onto the fingerprints.

Now, there were a lot of smudged unusable prints

all over the cord and the beam, right?

Yeah.

Now, isn't it possible that in their panic

in their frantic attempts to free Mr. Davis from the noose,

that they smudged a lot of their own prints

and only left a few clean ones?

- It's not impossible-- - Thank you, Detective.

And in fact, from all the physical evidence

Harold Davis could have committed suicide, right?

Yes, but I don't think so.

Thank you, Detective.

That's all.

I still think we have a problem with the profit definition.

It's ambiguous at best and that's gonna be

construed against us if anything goes wrong.

Are you listening to me?

- Oh, yes. Uh... - What's the matter, Leland?

Come on, this stuff is tough enough

without you drifting off into outer space.

I'm sorry.

Okay, so... uh...

Ann, last night Rosalind Shays proposed to me.

Proposed what?

Marriage.

She gave me a beautiful Cartier watch

and asked me to be her husband.

- How exciting. - Do you think--

Well, what do you think about the two of us as a couple?

You seem...

Very cute.

Could you see yourself standing at our wedding ceremony?

I'm sure it would be lovely.

The truth, Ann.

I would sooner dive head first into my own vomit!

- Ann. - Dating her is one thing.

Sleeping with her is another.

But to exchange wedding vows with a person

who can shed her skin and swallow

large rats whole is something--

I don't need that much truth.

Leland, how can you even think of marrying that woman?

I'm lonely, Ann.

And Rosalind and I, we laugh together.

We have a wonderful intellectual relationship.

See, I'm 62 years old...

and loneliness is everything they say it is.

Do you love her?

I'm very fond of her.

You're very fond of her.

Um-hm.

[sighs]

I'm sorry, Leland.

Hey, I am certainly no authority on marriage.

My first one ended in divorce and Stuart and I...

well, we still have our problems,

but at the core of it all I love him and trust him

more than anybody I've ever known... or ever will know.

Can you say that about Rosalind?

Oh, I'm not asking myself those kinds of questions.

It's a much simpler test.

I know my life without her, and I've seen my life with her.

I'm happier with her.

Your Honor, People call Marian Davis to the stand.

Your Honor, the defense objects to this witness being called.

No relevance, Your Honor.

She's the victim's daughter, Judge.

Mr. Davis made certain statements

to her regarding the defendant--

- That's hearsay, inadmissible . - Dead man statue applies.

- What, are you nuts? - It does not apply!

Gentlemen, gentlemen, quiet.

We're not gonna discuss this in here.

Let's go.

[indistinct chatter]

Offer of proof?

The victim told her that the defendant had been

acting strangely, that she seemed up to something.

Now this was one week before the murder--

That is prejudicial hearsay.

- We can give instruction. - Oh, come on!

The daughter hates Rikki Davis. The father knew it.

He could been saying' this crap to appease her,

we have no means of assuring reliability here.

He's right, I'm not gonna put her up

there to say, that stuff.

It'd be reversible error to next witness.

- Your Honor! - Next witness.

Mark Chelios is the victim's lawyer.

Objection! We object to him, too.

- It's also hearsay. - Plus, attorney-client.

Privilege doesn't extend beyond the client's life.

- That's a debate. - It is still hearsay.

Your Honor, I need this witness to establish motive

he is the only person who can testify

as to the victim's intent to divorce the defendant.

That's why they want to shut him down.

It's an out-of-court declaration being admitted

for the truth, it's black letter hearsay.

I'm going to allow it.

- What?! - Your Honor.

- You can't! - Yes I can.

Then I want Mr. Chelios' files for discovery.

- Work product. Privilege. - Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

You can't have it both ways, Mr. Cook.

If you want the lawyer to testify, fine.

But first, you give all his files

to the defense by 3 o'clock this afternoon.

Not 3:30, not 3:15.

3 o'clock, he'll be on the stand tomorrow.

[door opens]

- All rise. - Here we go.

Attorney Michael Kuzak staggered the prosecution

badly with his cross-examination of Detective Foley.

[cheering]

- Good. - Listen to this.

Rikki's lawyers blocked the victim's daughter,

Marian Davis, from even taking the stand.

The daughter was also considered

to be a key prosecution witness,

and right now, John,

the district attorney's office is reportedly scrambling.

From the Los Angeles Superior Court, this is Joyce Kulhewic.

John.

It's not over here. We've still got serious work to do here.

You bet your ass we do.

Tommy. Hit it.

Tomorrow's witness, attorney Mark Chelios. Victim's lawyer.

He's produced six boxes of files on Harold Davis.

I've been through four already.

They're very well organized, nothing unusual.

Yeah, he'll testify about the will and who takes what.

No surprises there.

Stuart. You've checked off on that?

Yeah. It's very simple, no codicils.

He left everything to the American Cancer Society

unless survived by Rikki

in which case she takes everything.

Nothing ambiguous about it.

Only thing is... it may not have been witnessed properly.

- Meaning what? - Probably nothing.

If he dies intestate, she gets everything anyway.

C.J. you got any dirt on this guy?

Not yet.

Single man, dates various women,

clean living. Basically pretty dull.

Rick Stephan's the PI assigned

so if there's anything under this guy's nails we will know.

Okay, Jonathan,

give Abby a hand with the rest of those files.

Now, the prosecution should rest tomorrow

with strong motive and shaky physical evidence.

I'll move for the directed verdict...

but it probably won't go.

That means we start off with our forensic expert

then move on to the shrink.

Now, are you gonna put Rikki on the stand?

- We don't know yet. - Oh, do it! They'll suspect--

- She's gotta testify. - Hey! Hey! We don't know yet.

Alright? Jonathan, Abby, get to work on those files.

Tommy... you and I should get some sleep.

Who can sleep?

[instrumental music]

You had been Mr. Davis' lawyer for how long, sir?

Since 1978.

And under the terms of his most recent will,

how much money did the defendant,

Rikki Davis, stand to inherit?

As the lone beneficiary, she stood

to inherit the entire estate,

valued at about $26 Million.

And sir, if they were divorced...

Prenuptial agreement limited her to $500000.

Mr. Chelios, when was the last time you spoke

with the deceased, Harold Davis?

Five days before his death.

Could you tell us what was said?

- Objection! - Objection, hearsay.

Overruled.

Mr. Chelios, what did Mr. Davis tell you?

He told me he wanted to file

for divorce from his wife, Rikki.

She was being unfaithful and he wanted

to terminate the marital relationship.

And five days later he was found hanged to death.

Yes.

And, sir, who besides the defendant

stood to gain from Mr. Davis' death?

Nobody. At least no individual.

If she survived him, she took all.

And if she didn't, it went to the American Cancer Society.

And, sir, do you have any reason to believe

Harold Davis was suicidal?

- Objection! - Objection!

- Overruled. - Answer the question.

He was not suicidal.

He was upbeat, he was--

Oh, you gotta be kidding! No foundation--

Sit down, Mr. Kuzak, or I'll hold you in contempt.

Continue, Mr. Chelios.

His spirits were up.

In fact, on the day he called me about the divorce,

he asked me to establish contact

with the oncology departments

at both the Sloan-Kettering Hospital

and the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

What for?

To determine whether they had any

experimental treatments for liver cancer.

This man wanted to live.

- Move to strike. Narrative-- - Both of you!

Both of you, don't make me warn you again.

The testimony is allowed.

I have nothing further.

Do you have any psychiatric training, Mr. Chelios?

No, I do not.

You got any clinical or educational training

which would allow you to determine

whether or not a person is suicidal?

- I knew, Mr. Davis-- - Answer my question, sir.

I have no formal training.

One second, please.

I have nothing further, your Honor.

Thank you, Mr. Chelios.

Mr. Cook.

The people call as its last witness...

Mr. David Schaeffer.

- Move for a continuance, - Objection!

your Honor, this is a surprise.

He's on our witness list.

Well, they put more than a hundred people

on their witness list, Your Honor .

The chances of this man being called

were almost nil, he's up on the same charges.

But he's on their list, Mr. Kuzak.

He can call the witness.

I'll give you an hour recess.

[indistinct chatter]

[camera shuttering]

Son of a bitch!

- What's going on? - He cut a deal!

If he's testifying, he had to cut something.

Rikki, if you've been holding anything back

now is the time to come clean.

- What can Schaeffer say? - Nothing.

He's innocent, we're both innocent.

What about when you broke up?

This Schaeffer guy got an axe to grind?

- He was hurt, yes. - But so, what?

He can't testify to anything, except

to the fact that I was an unfaithful wife.

Listen, if we are not prepped for him

we could get killed out there. Think hard.

Does he have any information that could be of use to them?

There isn't any information for him to have, Michael.

[sighs]

[knocking] Knock knock.

Rosalind. What a surprise.

I just dropped Leland off from lunch.

- Do you have a second? - Um, sure.

- Can we sit? - Of course.

[door closes]

[sighs]

- How have you been? - Fine, fine. You?

Fine.

I know we're not very close so what I'm about

to say may hit you like a depth charge.

Two nights ago, I asked Leland to marry me.

Wow.

Yeah. Wow.

[sighs]

He said he needed some time to think about it,

and it's my feeling he will probably come to you.

Why me?

Because nobody else here is married except Stuart.

And you, no doubt, will have the strongest opinions.

Knowing Leland, he would want

to confront the thickest part of the wall.

What do you want from me, Rosalind?

An open mind.

I love him very much.

[sighs] I didn't think I'd ever fall in love again, but I did.

He's on the fence, Ann.

I'd just like for you not

to impulsively push him to the other side.

The truth is, Rosalind,

Leland did come to me on this.

I might've nudged him a little.

Nudged?

Actually, I was kicking him with both feet.

I don't think he should marry you.

I'm sorry.

Okay.

Rosalind!

Nobody has done a bigger about face on you than I have.

A year ago, I probably considered

you to be the most unredeemable person

I had ever had the displeasure of meeting.

Now, I not only admire you,

I actually like you.

But with you and Leland...

I just don't see it.

Well...

as always, you're honest.

Thank you for that.

I really do love him.

Rosalind.

I didn't change his mind.

Could you state your name for the record, please?

David Allen Schaeffer.

Mr. Schaeffer, could you state your relationship

with the defendant, Ms. Rikki Davis?

Between the period of September of 1989

and October of 1990, we were lovers.

Sir, I call your attention to the date August 19, 1990.

Were you with the defendant on that day?

Yes, I was.

We had brunch at Mirabelle restaurant on Sunset.

Then we went to her Beverly Hills home.

That's where we discovered the body.

- Mr. Davis' body? - Yes, sir.

He was, uh...

hanging from the ceiling in his bedroom.

What did you do?

Well, we tried briefly to get him down.

He was clearly dead.

So we called the police, they came.

Three days later Rikki and I were arrested

and charged with the crime.

Did you have anything to do

with this man's death, Mr. Schaeffer?

No, I did not.

To your knowledge, did Rikki Davis

have anything to do with his death?

Well, I certainly didn't think so at the time but...

now I think she did.

[indistinct chatter] Order!

I want you to tell us why.

Objection! This man's opinion is--

Overruled!

Every time we get to the good parts

you start objecting. [crowd laughing]

- I object to that! - Go ahead, sir.

Well, first off, Rikki had been acting strangely all week.

The second thing is, she would never take me back

to her house in Beverly Hills. Never.

But on this day it seemed very important that I go with her.

I think it was to establish an alibi.

- Objection! - Objection!

Again, sir, just tell us what you know.

Keep your opinions to yourself.

Anything else, Mr. Schaeffer?

Yes.

About a week before that day

I was riding with her in her car.

That's when I noticed a book in the backseat

with a bookmark in it.

Did you open this book?

Yes, I did.

It was a book on knots.

Excuse me?

All kinds of rope knots.

And the page that was marked was a chapter

on bunt line knots.

Bunt line knots.

Which meant nothing to me at the time.

But about three weeks ago my lawyer asked me

to go through all the reports on my arrest.

And that's where I saw it.

That the knot on the cord used

to hang Mr. Davis was a bunt line knot.

[crowd whispering]

Mr. Schaeffer, you're giving this testimony in exchange

for charges against you being dropped, isn't that right?

But I'm telling the truth.

I didn't want to believe this.

I loved her very much,

but I can't ignore the facts.

Thank you, Mr. Schaeffer.

That's all.

[crowd whispering]

Let me see, Mr. Schaeffer.

According to your testimony here

you had all the pieces to this puzzle three weeks ago.

Why didn't you speak up then?

I did, the district attorney

didn't want to make a deal until yesterday.

Let's cut to the bone, Mr. Schaeffer.

Yesterday, you're up on murder charges.

And today, you're a free man in exchange

for this ridiculous story.

I am telling the truth.

Of course, you are.

Why would you lie?

Just to avoid ending up in the gas chamber?

- No. - Move to strike that.

Withdrawn. No further use for this witness.

I-- I have a couple of more questions.

Mr. Schaeffer, was this Rikki Davis' car

or was this the family car?

It's the one she used to drive most of the time.

To your knowledge, did Mr. Davis ever drive this car?

Yes.

Mr. Schaeffer, did you ever have occasion

to go sailing with Harold Davis?

Yes.

Now, the book that you found in the back seat of the car,

the title of that book was

Nautical Knots. Isn't that right?

Yes.

It's possible that that book belonged

to Mr. Davis, isn't it sir?

It was the car that she used to drive most of the time--

Yes, but it's possible that the book belonged to him.

- Right? - Yes, I supposed it's possible.

[indistinct chatter]

[engine revving]

I don't know. I don't think he really nailed us.

I mean, the jury saw him for what he was, don't you think?

I don't know.

I mean at this point, it's hard to know nothing.

Okay. Our witnesses.

Witnesses.

Kris Harris, forensics, going first, he's yours.

Psychiatrist, Dr. John Bucyk, second, also yours.

I'm taking all the character witnesses.

Wake up call, gentlemen.

One of the women Attorney Mark Chelios

has been dating is Marian Davis,

daughter of the victim.

- What? - Um-hm.

This was taken two nights ago

even though you can't make her out.

This was taken last night,

that's definitely her and note the shoes... the same.

Also, Rick showed her picture around the various

eating establishments frequented by Mr. Chelios

and people there remember seeing her,

as far back as six months ago.

Tommy, get Stuart on the phone. Get him in here!

It's a quarter to 12:00 a.m.

I don't care. Wake him up.

CJ Mark Chelios' office building videotape records

everyone who goes in and comes out. You told me that, right?

Yeah. Paltech Security, I got a buddy who works there.

They're supposed to keep the tapes

for 30 days before they erase.

Alright.

Take Ann, Abby, Jonathan,

even Douglas and Leland if you have to,

but go through those tapes.

Tommy, call your friend at Paltech.

Have him clear the brush for CJ then call Stuart.

Tomorrow we are going to put Mark Chelios back on the stand.

Let me take them, Michael. I'll pop the puss right out of him.

Uh-uh. This one's mine.

I'm gonna get him.

Mr. Chelios,

you previously stated that you drafted

Harold Davis's most recent will.

That's correct.

I show you this, sir and ask you if you recognize it.

It's a memo dictated by me after we executed the will.

Would you please read paragraph three for the record, sir?

Mr. Davis, indicating his accord with the provisions

contained therein, executed his signature as testator.

I then affixed my signature as witness to the foregoing.

Mr. Davis then confirmed to Julia Delaney

that the testator's signature was in fact his,

and Ms. Delaney then affixed her signature

as the second witness.

You say that Mr. Davis

then confirmed to Julia Delaney

that the signature was in fact his.

Didn't she see him sign the will?

Well, I'm sure she did.

Well, then why did he have to tell her

what she already saw?

Well, I'm not really sure.

I mean, this took place many months ago.

Mr. Chelios, I have here

a signed declaration

of Ms. Delaney, obtained from her this morning

which I offer the court.

She states that she was not in the room when he signed.

That's why he had to tell her that the signature was his.

There's no question he signed the will. Are you trying to--

But the actual signing of this will was not witnessed

by two people, was it, Mr. Chelios?

I guess maybe it wasn't.

And what does that fact do

to the validity of this will?

Technically, it makes it invalid.

In other words, Mr. Davis died with no will at all?

It doesn't matter.

If a spouse dies intestate,

California law states that the bulk of the estate

goes to the surviving spouse.

Rikki Davis would still be the main beneficiary.

If Rikki Davis is convicted of murder,

she would be disqualified.

And with no valid will the Cancer Society is out.

Who then gets all the money

under California law, Mr. Chelios?

Surviving children.

And who would that be in this case?

His only child is a daughter, Marian Davis.

So Marian Davis...

that woman right there,

stands to inherit everything if my client is convicted.

Isn't that right, Mr. Chelios?

I doubt very much that she would be well versed

in the validity of wills.

Well, she would be if she had a clever lawyer

with lots of inside information advising her.

Do you have a personal relationship with Marian Davis?

Objection!

Getting to the good part, Judge.

Overruled.

Do you have a personal relationship

with Marian Davis?

We've had dinner together.

Mr. Chelios,

I show you a photograph

taken two nights ago.

Mr. Chelios, would that be you and Marian?

Yes.

And would you please describe

for the court what it is you're doing in the picture?

We're kissing.

[gasps]

How long have you been seeing her?

Your Honor, a brief recess.

Sit down.

- How long? - About 8 months.

And, Mr. Chelios, she knew that will

would be declared invalid, didn't she?

All she had to do was challenge it.

Marian Davis could never have killed her father.

You purposely saw to it that will

would be invalid so that he would die intestate!

Didn't you, Mr. Chelios?

I'm asserting my fifth amendment rights.

I refuse to answer any more questions.

That's okay. I don't have anymore.

Mr. Cook?

Nothing, Your Honor.

You may step down, sir.

- Let's stop right here. - What?

Michael, I don't care who we put up there we will

never have more momentum than we got right now.

- Mr. Kuzak. - Uh, one second, Your Honor.

You're serious.

Michael, you just dropped a bomb here.

Let's get the jury back in there deliberating'

while the room's still shaking.

- Are you ready to close? - Are you kidding?

[clears throat]

Your Honor, the defense rests.

[indistinct chatter]

Closing arguments, 2 O'clock. We're adjourned.

[indistinct chatter]

[sighs] We're not going out to lunch?

Well, I thought we'd talk here first.

Rosalind,

I'm very happy being with you. You--

You don't have to preface anything, Leland.

Your answer is no.

I realize I may never meet anyone again

whom I'll come to love but

it would be wrong to marry you out of default.

But do you think in time you might love me?

Did you ever think I could be so ridiculous?

Oh, you're not ridiculous.

You have no idea how scared I was in that restaurant.

You don't know how close I was to saying yes.

So, what do we do now?

I don't want to stop seeing you.

Well, I guess it would be stupid for us not to,

I mean... at our age.

We enjoy each other's company, and...

love is for the young, right?

Listen.

Let's skip lunch, huh?

I've got some errands and...

we're still on for dinner, right?

Oh, sure, sure.

Good.

Maybe Italian tonight.

I feel like pasta.

Fine.

You're right, Leland.

This is the right thing.

See you later on.

[door closes]

[clears throat]

I don't know about you people,

but I am more confused now than when we first started.

Let's just start with what we do know for sure.

First, all of the physical evidence, all of it,

could be consistent with suicide.

Their star homicide detective told you that under oath.

So, the main thing against Rikki Davis was motive.

She was supposedly the only one with motive.

Now, the witness who was selling that

was the attorney Mark Chelios.

Then suddenly, turns out that's wrong.

The will was invalid.

The daughter stands to get everything if--

If she can get Rikki disqualified

with a murder conviction. And she knew this.

She knew because she was sleeping with, guess who?

Mr. Chelios, the attorney

who carefully arranged for the will to be invalid.

What a scheme, huh?

Wow.

Well, people, right now,

I don't know, maybe Marian Davis

killed her father for the money.

Maybe the guy did really commit suicide.

I can't know.

The prosecution, they definitely do not know.

They're over there suddenly droppin' charges

against the boyfriend, David Schaeffer.

One day he's up on first degree, next day he's not.

They don't have a clue what's going on.

What a mess.

Reasonable doubt all over.

What a terrible mess!

The defendant's a wealthy woman

who hired the best lawyers money could buy

and they've done everything possible to confuse you.

And they're good.

These lawyers are very good.

But let's reduce this thing to the basic facts.

Rikki Davis had a $26 Million motive.

Rikki Davis' fingerprints were found on the cord

that was used to hang the victim.

Rikki Davis doesn't have an alibi.

Her own lover concluded she had to have done it.

There was a book describing how to make the knot

that was found tied around the victim's head.

That book was found in her car.

Common sense, ladies and gentlemen.

Rikki Davis killed her husband.

Mr. Mullaney may be confused, but I'm not...

nor should you be.

- What's going on? - Jury's in. It's on TV.

- What?! - They're covering it live.

[indistinct chatter] ...criminal courthouse. Joyce.

Deliberating less than an hour.

A very short deliberation.

We expected to at least go overnight.

They're just filing in now.

- They don't look happy. - There's Mike and Tommy.

They're acquitting. They came back that fast.

- They're definitly-- - That doesn't mean anything.

- Sush! - Now, listen.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

- Yes, Your Honor. - And how do you find?

We, the jury, in the matter of the People versus Rikki Davis,

on the charge of first-degree murder...

find the defendant... not guilty.

[cheering]

[indistinct chatter]

I'm gonna answer all questions in the back.

We have a press room, I'm gonna answer all questions.

[indistinct chatter]

They got a press room set up.

Uh, I need a few minutes.

You start with them Tommy. We'll be in in a minute.

Mr. Mullaney!

I'm absolutely numb.

Yeah, well, you should be.

You pulled it off.

What do you mean I pulled it off?

It was too easy, Rikki.

The whole thing just fell together too neatly.

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about you and Mark Chelios.

We got a hold of the videotaped security recordings

from his office building.

You've been in there twice in the last month.

So?

So, you two killed your husband.

Not you and David Schaeffer.

You and Mark Chelios either did it...

or had it done.

That's absurd.

Oh, I don't think so.

Mark Chelios is a brilliant attorney.

That screw up on the will was a mistake

even a rookie wouldn't make.

He did it to give the daughter a motive!

He romanced Marian Davis to set her up

and he set himself up to be impeached on the witness stand.

I've completely lost you now.

You follow me exactly.

You both knew there was no way Harold Davis

could possibly be murdered without suspicion

falling directly on you.

You could try to stage a suicide sure,

but that would be 50/50 at best.

The only way to guarantee your getting away with it

was double jeopardy.

To be tried and acquitted.

So Mark Chelios sets himself up as the big witness against you,

the guy who's gonna provide motive.

He put's his memo into the files,

then he gives the files to us.

He kisses Marian Davis

when he's gotta know we're having him followed.

You insisted that we tail the daughter.

You insisted that we tail Mark Chelios.

Perfect.

Why would he take the stand and make himself a suspect?

Probably because he has an airtight alibi.

Maybe because he knows that since

you made all the arrangements

there'd be no way for anybody to trace anything

to him even if he was investigated.

It's a nice story, Counselor.

Too bad you can't repeat it.

Well, sometimes I forget my ethical obligations.

You'd risk disbarment.

And like you said double jeopardy applies.

I'm free no matter what you do.

Yeah, well I sure as hell can screw up your inheritance.

I doubt it. I was found not guilty.

And anything you say in probate will be inadmissible

because I'll assert attorney client privilege.

Not to mention the fact that I could

stick your firm with a $26 Million lawsuit.

You want to expose your partners?

You got two choices here.

There's a big press conference going on.

You can walk in there with a long face

and claim you were completely duped by your client

or you can say nothing

and just be the brilliant star defense attorney

the whole country now knows you to be.

A winner or a loser.

It's up to you, Michael.

I believe I'm free to go.

[door opens]

[door closes]

Well, I knew they were dead the second

that they made the deal with Schaeffer!

That showed the jury right then that the prosecutor

- had no rudder on his boat. - Mr. Kuzak.

Uh, Mr. Kuzak, could you elaborate--

Where's Rikki? Where's your client?

Uh, Ms. Davis is a little too

emotionally spent to join us right now.

But obviously, she's delighted with the verdict as we all are.

Well, Mr. Kuzak, how does it feel

to win the biggest case in the country?

How does it feel?

- Feels great. - Great!

Great.

Can we get a picture of the two of you?

[indistinct chatter]

Did you feel like you had the case won all the way?

[indistinct chatter]

[theme music]