01x10 - Fry Me to the Moon

[bunniefuu]

- Previously on "L.A. Law..."

- There's a child matching
Eric's general description

in St. Anthony's Hospital.

- How sick?

- This child is dead.

- Mrs. Perkins, I'm sorry.

I just found out the body was
already sent to county morgue.

- My apologies, Ms. Perkins.

- Did you find him?

- The baby John Doe
was mistakenly cremated.

- I have a missing child,

and if that little
boy was my son,

then how am I
ever going to know?

- AIDS is 100% fatal.

There's no effective
cure at this time.

- Did you buy this g*n with
the intent to k*ll Mr. Gates?

- Glen was in horrible agony.

He didn't want
to live any longer.

- If I was dying

and I'd lost all human
dignity and quality of life,

I sure would hope someone would
love me enough to do it for me.

- We, the jury,
find the defendant

guilty of m*rder
in the first degree.

- Bigamy, do you
know how rare it is?

I mean, this is the
divorce lawyer equivalent

of a hole in one.

- This man that you
all loved so much

stole everything you had,

and I'm not just talking
about your property.

He stole your love.

You're no Cary Grant.

You know, you got
11 quite attractive,

very wealthy women to marry you.

I'm just curious how...

- The Venus Butterfly.

- What is the Venus Butterfly?

- I always felt that if it
fell into the wrong hands,

it could sexually
enslave a woman.

- I have never, I mean
never in my entire life

ever experienced anything
like the Venus Butterfly.

- Whereas Norman L. Stone

did on March 11, 1986
m*rder Roberta Johnson

and whereas Norman L. Stone

was found guilty of
m*rder in the first degree

and was sentenced to death,

the Supreme Court upheld
the sentence of death...

- Do issue this warrant directly

to cause the sentence
of death to be ex*cuted.

- The Supreme Court
upheld the sentence of death

to be performed
on Norman L. Stone.

Executive clemency
is not appropriate.

- To cause the
sentence of death...

- And was sentenced to death

in accord with the
provisions of the law.

Guilty of m*rder
in the first degree.

- Caused a sentence of death

in accord with the
provisions of the law.

- What? What is it, Mickey?

- A nightmare.

- The same one?

Oh, I wish you'd never
taken this damn case.

- Yeah, well, I did.

- You want something,
some warm milk or something?

- No, no, no. I'm okay.

Go back to sleep.

- U.S. vs. Lindley is on hold.

Moving on, where is
Troutman vs. Troutman,

Troutman, Troutman, et al?

- We've annulled
all the marriages,

and the ladies have agreed
to drop all criminal charges

in exchange for return
of the stolen property.

- It's still a little
sticky with the IRS,

but I think we'll be all right.

- And I'm having dinner

with his attorney
tonight, Lynette Pierce.

We just have to dot
the Is and cross the Ts.

- Dirty work.
Somebody's gotta do it.

- What is that horrible noise?

I cannot hear myself think.

- Sorry. I'll take care of it.

- And what is
People vs. Lily White?

- Yeah, I wanted
to talk about that.

My client's accused
of robbing a john.

- A men's room?

No, a john.

She's a prost*tute, Doug.

- I can't help
suggesting, Victor,

that a firm of our stature

shouldn't be associating
itself with prostitutes.

- You mean like Harold Osborne.

- I beg your pardon.

- This firm's biggest client
happens to be my client's alibi.

- Explain, please.

- She says she couldn't
have robbed the john

on the date in question
because she was shacked up

with Mr. Osborne
in his Malibu condo.

He denies it.

- What are you going to do?

- I might have to subpoena him.

I don't know yet.

- Well, there's a clear
conflict of interest here.

I assume you'll
withdraw from the case.

- I haven't made up
my mind about that.

- There are only
about 10 million

other qualified attorneys

who could handle
this matter, Victor.

- I will think about it
and I'll let you know.

- Victor and I will
discuss this later.

- What is going on?

- I'm sorry, but I found him

on the freeway this
morning coming in.

He has no collar. Someone
must have abandoned him.

- I can smell him from here.

- I'll have him cleaned
up at lunchtime.

I'm trying to find
a place for him.

- For God's sakes,
call the pound.

- Absolutely not.

Do you know what
they do to them there

if no one claims them?

He'll be quiet if he's with me.

He'll just sit at my feet.

Come on, boy. Come on.
- It's all right, Douglas.

Michael, where do you stand
with People vs. Petrovek?

- I'm arguing his
appeal this afternoon.

- You know, I still can't see

why you took this animal's case.

- A, because the Legal
Defense Fund asked me to,

B, because I have seen
the death penalty in action,

and C, because I happen to feel

that capital
punishment is barbaric.

- As opposed to raping
a pregnant woman

and then executing
her and her husband

while their six-year-old
son hides in a closet.

- Arnold.

- What if you get him
off on a technicality?

How are you gonna feel

if he's back out
walking the streets?

- Well, what are you
saying we should do, Ann,

suspend the guy's
constitutional rights

because you're
offended by the crime

he's accused of committing?

- Convicted of committing.

- Now, people, now, let...

- How would you feel
if this was your family?

If he m*rder*d your family,

wouldn't you want
him put to death?

- Executing a m*rder*r
may be viscerally satisfying,

but it's a disgrace to
an enlightened society.

- I disagree.
- Thank you.

- Now, now, now, that's enough.

Now, I enjoy a good
debate as much as anybody,

but surely this is not
the appropriate forum.

As we all have work to do

and as I'm sure we won't
settle this issue here and now,

I suggest we adjourn, hmm?

- Arnie, don't forget your
11:30 with Mr. Herscowicz.

You've got to be all
the way across town

for a 12:30 lunch
with your mother.

- Oh, God.
- Better not be late.

- Hey, puppy dog.
- This way.

Come on.

- Ann, a minute?

- Yes?

- About the dog, I hope
I can enlist your wisdom

in search of a solution.

- Leland, Abby is
very fragile right now.

- Oh, I'm mindful
of her situation.

Nevertheless, what if
the dog bites someone?

We could be liable.

- You want me to talk to her?

- You're close to her.

I'm sure you'll handle it

far more tactfully than I could.

- And you don't have the guts.

- There's that, mm-hmm.

- Counselor, the
factual record shows

the police found the g*n
in the defendant's car,

placed him under
arrest at that time,

advised him of his
constitutional rights,

and after waiving his rights,
he confessed to the murders.

- Assuming all of that
to be true, Your Honor,

what I am arguing
as a matter of law

is that the police had no right

to stop and detain
Mr. Petrovek in the first place.

Accordingly, any
search or confession

incident to that detention
should not be admissible.

- The factual record shows
the police received a radio call

of a m*rder suspect.

It matched the
description of the defendant

and the defendant's vehicle.

- Yes, but if you examine
the police report carefully,

something which
Mr. Petrovek's defense counsel

unfortunately neglected
to do during trial,

you will notice that
the radio transmission

wasn't recorded until 11:32 A.M.

My client was stopped at 11:20.

- Mr. Adler?

- The officer simply
made an error on the time.

- All three arresting officers
listed 11:20 on their reports.

- I'm sure there's some
explanation, Your Honor.

- Of course there
is, and we all know it.

Mr. Petrovek was snagged

in one of the police
department's infamous dragnets.

- Totally unfounded.

- 14 drug busts on this street

have been overturned on appeal.

The police stopped my
client looking for dr*gs,

found a w*apon in his car,
and coerced a confession.

- Mr. Adler, if that call
was not made until 11:32...

- Your Honor, this man r*ped
and tortured a pregnant woman

while he forced her
husband to watch.

Then he put a g*n in
her mouth and blew...

- Mr. Adler.

- Her head off and
then her husband's.

All the while, a
little six-year-old boy

crouched in a closet,
trembling, hiding,

listening to the
anguished screams

of his mother and father.

- How is this even
remotely relevant

to the constitutional
permissibility

of stopping the
defendant's vehicle?

- The defendant is and was

a deranged and
suspicious-looking individual,

Your Honor, observed in an area

known to be frequented
by violent criminals.

- You're telling
this court, in effect,

that the defendant was subjected

to a substantial invasion
of his constitutional rights

because he didn't look nice?

- These veteran officers
have an instinct, Your Honor.

They reasonably
suspected that Mr. Petrovek...

- Come on, Counselor.

Without that radio call,

there was no probable
cause to stop him.

That means the g*n
and the confession

are fruits of the poisonous
tree and therefore inadmissible.

Now, it's our custom to take
these matters under advisement,

and we shall do
so accordingly here.

But start assembling
your evidence, Mr. Adler,

because unless the
Constitution is repealed

before we can
adjourn to chambers,

this case is headed
for a new trial.

That's all.

- The People vs. Appleton

ready to proceed for
sentencing hearing?

- As Mr. Appleton has
been briefly hospitalized,

Your Honor, I would ask for
a continuance until Thursday.

- May I enquire as to the
nature of his incapacity?

- He has a bronchial
infection, Your Honor.

He's due to be
released later today.

- Any objection, Ms. Van Owen?

- No objection, Your Honor.

- This matter is continued

to Thursday, 3 P.M.
in this courtroom.

Next matter.

- Mr. Dallas would request a
continuance, Your Honor, due...

- Free for a beer?
- Sure.

- Presently in
Key West, Florida.

- Your table's right there.

- Hi, Mom.

How are you?

- You're late.

- You look great.
- Another inch of forehead.

In four years, you'll be
as bald as your father

before the transplant.

- Great tan.

Looks like desert life
must be agreeing with you.

- Oh, yeah, major excitement

lying in the sun
every day like a lizard.

Just another one of
your father's brainstorms.

- How is Dad?

- We're getting a divorce.
- What? What happened?

- It's none of your business.

There are certain things you
do not discuss with your child.

Now, here are the bank accounts,

a list of all of our
stocks and bonds,

the 10 last years' tax returns.

Ballpark figure,
how much alimony

do you think we can
squeeze out of him?

- Mom, stop.

I can't represent you
in a divorce action

against my own father.

- Well, I don't see why not,

unless you love him
more than you do me,

which is funny considering,
had it been left up to him,

you'd have never
gone to law school.

"Oh, the boy has no
head on his shoulders."

Now, that is what this
so-called father said

until the mother
stood up for the son.

- Mom, please, I don't want
to get in the middle here.

- After 40 years of
hell on this Earth,

I'm entitled to a
little happiness.

I've been told that I'm still
a very attractive woman,

and he doesn't function anymore.

- I thought he still
goes into the office.

- As a man in the bedroom.

- Mom.

- Always had his
tootsies and his whores.

The only thing that would
have made me happier

is if his business
fell off altogether.

- Mom, please.

What's this?

- Well, you were late,
so I ordered for you.

- I don't eat red meat anymore.

- Well, who can keep up
with you and your fads?

All this fussiness, you're
just like your father.

- Okay. It's okay.

I'll eat it.

- I am going through the
most traumatic period of my life,

and there is no one
there, no one to help me.

- Mom, I'll take a
look into it, okay?

I'll see what I can do.

- I'll find someone else.

- Oh, I said that I would do it.

- Maitre d'. Maitre d'.

- Yes, ma'am.

- I specifically asked for my
steak charred, medium rare.

It's raw, cold as ice.

- I'm very sorry.

- Thank you.

- Oh, this is my
son Arnold Becker.

He's one of the finest
divorce lawyers in the city.

Are you married?

- Very happily.

- Well, you never know.

You may need a
good lawyer one day.

Arnold, give the man your card.

- I'm not blind, Mark.

I've read the
editorials in the papers.

I've received copies of the
jurors' letters to Judge Ruben,

and I know he's
looking for a way out.

- What about you?

- I continue to believe deeply

we cannot allow individuals

the right to determine
for themselves...

- Thank you, Grace.

I've already heard
your closing arguments.

I'm sure you didn't invite me
here to have an instant replay.

- I invited you here to tell you

that my heart goes
out to Chris Appleton.

- That's very humane of you.

- I'm not looking
for a crucifixion here.

I was arguing a principle.

- Right. Right.

And now you just
don't have the courage

to be responsible for it.

You want it both ways, Grace.

You're rattling
your saber in court,

and then you try to
squirm out of your guilt

by offering a backdoor deal.

I just find that reprehensible.

- What's reprehensible here
is that you didn't do your job.

- Please, give me a break.

- Have you ever heard
of AIDS stress syndrome?

- What about it?

- It's a theory, advanced
by Dr. Freedman,

an expert on delayed stress.

He's willing to testify

that under the constant stress
of caring for his dying lover,

Chris Appleton was
incapable of forming

a specific intent
to commit m*rder.

You should have
raised it at the trial.

It might have supported a
diminished capacity defense.

- Diminished capacity
only makes sense

if you're willing to settle for a
conviction on reduced charges.

- Yes.

- I didn't want to let
the jury off that easily,

especially since given
Appleton's situation,

it still would have
been a life sentence.

No. I firmly believe that
under the circumstances,

I made the right choice.

- You made the same
choice as I made,

to defend a principle,
except you defended yours

at the expense of your
client's best interest.

- And you didn't?
- He wasn't my client.

- Why do I need to sit
here and listen to this?

- Wait, please.

Take this stuff. Read it.

It might be grounds
for a new trial,

and a new trial
could buy you a year.

- It's one doctor's
completely untested theory.

Besides, it wouldn't
do any good.

I didn't raise it at
the trial. It's waived.

- How do you know until you try?

- Grace...

- And if that doesn't work,

there's one other
thing you could try.

- Yeah, what's that?

- I think you know.

- I'll take it under advisement.

- Regarding Harold Osborne
as a witness in your trial,

I want you to
take a look at this.

- What is it?

- Oh, just take a
minute to go through it,

then we'll discuss it later.

- Arnie. Arnie, wait.

There's someone in your office.

- Someone?

- Your father.

- Oh, God.

Hi, Dad.

How are you?

- So-so, but you, it's quite
a palace you got here.

- I didn't realize you've
never been here before.

- You never invited me.

It's too bad it took something
like this to get me here.

She told me she was
having lunch with you.

- Dad, this is crazy.
After all these years,

isn't there something
you can do?

- She's your
mother. You tell me.

Remember the time we
went to Tahoe together?

She's still talking
about it 20 years later.

She says I took you to whores.

I can go out to buy a newspaper,

she says I'm going with whores.

- Dad, please, I don't want
to get in the middle here.

- I told her that's what
you were gonna say.

I knew you couldn't go
against your own father

in a court of law.

That is what you told her.

- I tried to tell her.

- Tried means you didn't.

- Dad, come on. You
know what she's like.

- Who went with you to
every Little League game?

I'm not just talking
about the home games.

I drove to Torrance,

to West Covina, for God's sakes.

And who bought you
your first car? Huh? Huh?

Not to mention your first
pack of latex protection.

- You have to understand
this has nothing to do

with the way I feel about you.

- You were smart
never to have children.

You can't believe the pain.

It's like having your heart
sliced up like a pimento loaf.

- Dad, please, I never
meant to hurt you.

- Forget it.

It's probably a
blessing in disguise.

- What do you mean?

- I wasn't gonna tell you.
- What?

- We'll know more after surgery.

- Surgery?
- Exploratory in the prostate.

Dad, I feel terrible.

- Oh, don't.

The truth is I was
actually worried

up to this minute about dying.

But now to know that my
own son has turned on me...

- Dad, I have not turned on you.

Okay, I'll call her.

I'll tell her that I
can't take her case.

- I knew you wouldn't
let your old man down.

You tell her to pack.

- Validate your parking
ticket, Mr. Becker?

- Thank you.

- Arnie?

- Call Mark Pressman.

Tell him I need to renew
my Valium prescription.

Yo.

- Vinnie.

- I brought you a burrito.

- Great.

Sit down.

You get a chance to
talk to the witness yet?

- The star witness
for the prosecution

is not going to be
talking to anybody.

- What do you mean?

- She's a broccoli.

She had a stroke
about three months ago.

Terrible thing, this
stroke business.

My Great Aunt Theresa,
one day, healthy as a horse,

next day, stroked
out like a side of beef.

- Well, is there any way
she's gonna recover?

- Dear God, no.

I keep telling Uncle Sal,
send her back to Italy.

- Vinnie, I'm talking
about this witness.

- Oh, no, no, that poor woman,

she's got more tubes
running out of her

than Goodyear's got tires.

It's not even something you
want to talk about while you eat.

- Vinnie, is there any chance

that this witness
is going to recover?

- Not in this lifetime.

- Well, I appreciate
this on such short notice.

- Any time, Mr. K.

Shall I leave my
bill with your gal?

- That's fine.

- Or if you want to recommend
my work to some of your colleagues,

we could just run a tab.

- Okay. Run a tab.

- In that case, the
burrito's on me.

Enjoy.

How's it going?

- Puppy, down.

Um, it's going great.

I'm almost done with
the Moriarty deposition,

and I'll have something
for you by this afternoon.

- What are you gonna
do about the dog?

- Well, I have signs up at
the vet's and the supermarket.

It's hard to find someone
who wants a big dog.

- If you don't find a
place for it by tonight,

you should probably leave
it at home from now on.

- My landlord
doesn't allow pets.

- Abby, unless he's
got a law degree,

you can't keep
bringing the dog to work.

- Well, what do you want
me to do, destroy him?

We're so obsessed
with this crummy job

and this crummy office

that we've lost
sight of our values.

And if I try to do
the humane thing,

then I don't think I
should be persecuted for it.

- Abby, no one is
trying to persecute you.

- Well, I'm under a lot
of pressure these days,

and I would appreciate
having a little support

and understanding around here.

- You have it.

All I'm saying

is that we should try to
find a home for the dog

in the next few days, okay?

- Okay.

- Nice little trick, Leland.

All the dirt on Harold Osborne,

but since I've learned
it from office files,

it's privileged information
and now I can't use it.

- You want to sit
down, talk about it?

- It's a little late for that.

I could have k*lled his
credibility with this stuff,

but now it's unethical for
me to take advantage of it.

I have to withdraw
from the case.

- Ms. White can
find another lawyer.

- That's not the point,
Leland. You suckered me.

- Victor Sifuentes
does whatever he can

to protect his client.

So do I.

- No good. A client of mine

is supposed to be
a client of this firm's,

and my client just got screwed
over by the senior partner.

- Victor, PetramCo
is our biggest client.

We can't run the risk.

- You couldn't have come to
me and discussed it openly?

- Well, it sounded to me like
you'd already made up your mind.

- If it'd been Mike Kuzak,

you would called the
surrogate son in here

and let him make the decision.

Me, you blindside.

- Now you listen to me.

I am the senior partner here,

and one of my
burdens is to determine

the best interests of this firm.

You're an associate,

and one of your burdens

is to live with the decisions
of the senior partner.

- Well, I won't
live with it, Leland.

You know, Andrew
Taylor was right.

There are different shades
of treatment around here.

I quit.

- I'm gonna ask for a
continuance of the new trial.

I'd really appreciate your
cooperation in waiving time.

My caseload's pretty
jammed up right now.

- But you lost the g*n.

You lost the confession.

You got a witness
who in all likelihood

won't even be able to testify.

You don't have a case.

I'm gonna have to
move for dismissal.

- How the hell can you want
this guy back out on the street?

- When I took this case,

I wasn't looking to get
him back out on the street.

I was looking to get
him off death row.

Like it or not,
now that I'm into it,

I have the legal and
ethical responsibility

to make you prove your case.

- You know damn
well he's guilty.

- The law says
you have to prove it.

If you can't, don't blame me.

- Well, I can get a continuance
without your assent.

- You need time to build a
whole new case, Counselor.

You tell the judge that,

he just might dismiss
this thing sua sponte.

You willing to run that risk?

- All right, I'll agree to bail,

but this guy is a time b*mb.

If he explodes, the
blood's on your hands.

- Come on. Come on. Come on.

Now, I have to go to a
meeting for about an hour.

I want you to be a good
boy while I'm gone, okay?

I want you to be a real
good boy while I'm gone.

No more peeing.

Here's your paper.

Okay? Okay.

That's a good boy, huh?

That's a good boy.

Okay. Here's your chew toy.

Good boy.

Oh.

- Pursuant to our
telephone conversation 10/5,

I am confirming the MSC

we'll go in Department
Six on 12/17 unless we trail,

in which case the IME

will supplant said
MSC preparatory to...

Will somebody do something
about that miserable dog?

Hello?

Aha.

Bad dog. Extremely bad dog.

- Arnie?
- Huh?

- Lynette Pierce is here.

Should I tell her
you're in a meeting?

Ms. Pierce, I told you
to wait in reception.

Oh.

That's okay, Roxanne. Thank you.

- I'm sorry to
bother you, Arnie.

- I was, uh, I was
meaning to call you anyway.

- I just spoke to the DA.

He'll agree to probation

as soon as I've got
letters from the wives

that Foster's agreed
to make restitution.

- Well, I'll talk to my
clients. No problem.

- You're a prince. Thanks.

- Lynette, about last night...

- Arnie, please, there's
nothing more to say.

You're making
too much out of it.

These things happen to men.

- Not to me.

- You've been
under a lot of stress.

Your mother, your father,

all this Oedipal drama stuff
could drive anyone crazy.

I understand completely.

- So you're not gonna
hold it against me?

- Of course not.

- So how about Saturday,
dinner catered at my place?

- Actually, I was hoping to
get Foster out by the weekend,

and once Foster's out, then...

Arnie, you're a very sweet boy,

and I'm sure that
you're very adequate

when you're not so distracted.

But Foster... I guess
I'm kind of spoiled,

if you know what I mean.

- Uh-huh.

- So once you've had a
chance to review with the ladies,

give me a call

and I'll take you
out for a nice lunch.

Bye.

- Where's my prescription?

Why didn't my prescription come?

- Mark Pressman's on vacation.

I told you.

- I can't take this anymore.

When it's dark, I
won't be able to sleep.

I just lie there
all night, shaking.

- So you'll come home with me.

- No, Rox, I can't.

- When you were a little boy
and you stayed home sick,

did you ever have tomato soup

with crackers all
crumpled up on top?

- Yeah, in a big blue bowl

so I wouldn't
spill it in my bed.

- And a glass of milk and Oreos.

- I don't like that yucky
white stuff in the middle.

- I'll scrape it off for you,

and you'll be real
warm and snuggly.

I have this soft blankie
my grandma made.

It's feathers inside and
fleecy cotton on the outside.

And we'll just watch old shows
on TV until you can fall asleep.

I have all the old "Star
Treks" on cassette.

- Even one with the Tribbles
where they start multiplying?

- Yep. Does that sound good?

I really don't like
the Oreos, though.

Could we stop and get
some graham crackers

and maybe some
chocolate syrup for the milk?

Remember the straws that bend?

- Anything you want, Arnie.

- What happened? My dog is gone.

- Mr. Brackman took it.

- Where is he?

They said you took my dog.

- We took a little
walk to the pet shop.

He's not a bad dog, really.

He just gets anxious
when you leave him alone.

- Thank you, Douglas.
I really appreciate it.

- You know, I brought a stray
home once when I was a boy,

but my father gave
him to the gardener

because he was always
jumping on the furniture.

- Where's his leash?

I'll take him back
to my office now.

- It occurred to me,

since you're having a
hard time placing him,

why don't I take him?

- Do you want him?

- I've always had
a way with animals.

I prefer their company to
some people, in many cases.

I don't mean you.

I've taken the liberty of
giving him a name: Sparky.

- I'm very grateful, Douglas,

but do you really think
this is gonna work out?

- He'll have a nice
backyard to run in.

It's better than
destroying the office.

While he was in the file room,

he made rather a meal out
of the Rona vs. Gradinger file.

- Oh. Bad dog.

- He doesn't understand
why you're yelling at him.

Unless you discipline him
at the scene of the crime,

it just confuses the issue.

Isn't that right, Sparky?

Hmm? Isn't that right?

- And in addition to
the evidentiary errors,

Your Honor, I would
ask for a new trial

on the grounds of
AIDS stress syndrome.

- What?

- Recent studies have shown

that psychological and emotional
trauma associated with AIDS

might impact the
ability to act freely.

- You're talking diminished
capacity, Counselor.

You didn't raise it
at trial, so it's waived.

- Well, the thing is these are
new studies, Your Honor, and I...

- Nice try, Mr. Gilliam,

but you're not gonna
get another bite with that.

- Well, the truth
is, Your Honor,

I didn't raise it at trial
because I didn't know about it.

I just learned of the AIDS
syndrome defense yesterday.

Ms. Van Owen told me about it.

- Ms. Van Owen
counseled you on this?

- Yes, Your Honor,

and in light of my
complete lack of knowledge

of this vital defense,

I feel that I must, as
an officer of the court,

move for a new trial on the
grounds that I was incompetent

in my representation
of Mr. Appleton.

- Ms. Van Owen, did you in fact

discuss these matters
with Mr. Gilliam?

- Yes, Your Honor, I did.

- Well, I'm gonna
require briefs on this,

but my inclination is to
grant Mr. Gilliam's motion.

Briefs due in 10 days,

the defendant to remain free
on bail until my final ruling.

20 minute recess.

- Thank you.

Ms. Van Owen?

I owe you my gratitude.

- You don't owe me anything.

- I appreciate you
seeing me as a person

and not as a cause or
a disease or an issue,

but a human being.

- Good luck, Mr. Appleton.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

- Who made my bail?

- Your mother.

She put up her
house as collateral.

- Great lady, man.

- Where you going, Jimmy?

- Places. I got friends.

- Your mother wants
you to move in with her.

That way, I can keep
tabs on you for a while.

- Oh, yeah, sure.

11 months on death row, and
I'm gonna move in with mom.

- Well, I'd like you to
consider a halfway house...

- Hey, you're my lawyer,
man, not my social worker.

- I am also responsible

for putting you
back on the street.

- Yeah, well, take a
load off, Counselor.

I'll take responsibility
from here.

- Jimmy.

- I appreciate what
you done, Mr. Kuzak,

but, listen, while I'm free,

nobody's gonna tell
me what to do. Nobody.

- Don't make me regret this.

- Life's full of regrets, man.

See you around.

- What?
- Nothing.

- Do you have
something to say to me?

- You bet I do.

- Well, then why
don't you say it

instead of slamming
around like the dragon lady?

- Now, I have tried
to keep my mouth shut

about the Petrovek case.

I have tried not to
let my disagreements

with your beliefs in this matter

get in the way of my
personal feelings for you.

But getting this crazy
animal out on bail,

it's unconscionable.

How could you?

- The man was wrongfully
convicted, Grace.

- Are you saying
he didn't do it?

- I'm saying that his
conviction was tainted.

- Michael.
- And he deserves a new trial.

He's innocent
until proven guilty.

That's a principle you
don't turn your back on

just because he's accused
of committing a heinous crime.

- It is one thing to
stick up for a principle,

but you have carried this
anti-death penalty thing

to the point where you are
jeopardizing innocent people.

- In other words, if people
are frightened enough,

it's okay to suspend
certain constitutional rights?

- The man is a crazed k*ller.

He did it, he will do it again,

and when he does,
it'll be on your hands.

- Oh, you've got a
hell of a nerve, Grace.

- Why, because
I dare to disagree

with the great
civil libertarian?

- Look, I don't punish
you for your opinions.

Don't punish me for mine, okay?

Hello.

Yeah, this is Michael Kuzak.

When?

Yeah.

Great.

What the hell happened?

- Your man knocked
over a liquor store.

That's what happened.

- And four plain
clothes detectives

just happened to be there,
ready to g*n him down?

- He pointed a p*stol at them.

They were justified.

- It was an ambush,
and you know it.

- That punk was sticking
a g*n in people's faces

less than 10 hours
after his release.

- Those cops ex*cuted
Petrovek, and you set it up.

- If you mean did I tell
the police to follow him,

you're damn right.

Am I glad he got k*lled before
he k*lled somebody else?

You bet.

- You just bought yourself
a wrongful death action.

- Take your best sh*t.

You've got about as
much chance of that

as I had of keeping that sleaze
locked up in the first place.

- Arnie, what's this all about,

summoning your mother to
your office like a total stranger?

I had to break a 3:00
date with Louise Swanson

at the Polo Lounge,
for God's sake,

and this man tells
me that my son

is representing him in
the divorce proceeding.

- Go ahead, Arnold.

Tell her that you're my lawyer.

- How dare you do this to me.

Like father, like son.

- Lucky for him.

You'd have turned him into
a back-biting, bedwetting,

flute-playing,
little fat boy wimp.

- Enough, both of you.

Just sit down and be quiet.

Thank you.

Now, Ms. Melman is taking notes

to reflect that in the
matter of Becker vs. Becker,

both parties have requested
that their son, Arnold Becker,

represent them
as their attorney.

The record will further reflect

that Arnold Becker hereby
refuses upon pain of death

to represent either
party in a legal capacity.

In his capacity as son, however,

he would like to state

that it's about time
both parties grew up

and stopped using
the aforementioned son

to bludgeon each other.

He would further suggest

that in recognition
of 40 years together,

the parties might at least
attempt some counseling

before they decide to throw
in the towel on this marriage.

In the event, however,

the parties choose to
disregard this advice,

they are of course
free to seek counsel,

get a divorce,

and split up their property
any way they want,

leaving their son
totally out of it.

You see, Mom,
Dad, your only child,

your baby boy is 36 years old,

and neither one of you
is gonna get custody.

Is that clear?

- If we have to sell the house,

there won't even be enough left

for two lousy
one-bedroom condos.

- Social Security
goes down, too.

- I guess if you really
hate Palm Springs,

we can talk about moving back.

- Al, a bill came
from the proctologist

for a surgical consultation.

- I didn't want to worry you.

Don Wallastein went
through the same operation.

He was in and out in a week.

- Arnie, it just came.

It's so beautiful.

- You really like them?

- I can't believe it.

It's nicer than the
Christine Amorelli.

- That's 'cause it's
the Roxanne Melman.

I told Bennett's it was for the
most special lady in my life.

- Arnie, thank you.

- No, no, thank you, Rox.

Last night was really,
really special for me.

- Would you like to
again... I mean, come over?

- No, I don't think so, Rox.

- Oh, you've got a date.

- Oh, no.

The truth is, I'm
just not so sure

I could trust myself to be
such a gentleman again.

I love you.

You're the best.

- It's a police state, Lester.

Who's kidding who?

Once your boys got together,

they decided to take the
law into their own hands.

- The man shouldn't have been
on the streets in the first place.

- Oh, so it's my
fault he's dead?

Is that what we're saying here?

- We're saying it's his fault,

unless they changed the law
about holding up liquor stores

whilst I was relieving
myself in the men's room.

- Yeah, well, he didn't
deserve to be gunned down

by a bunch of fascist,
g*n-toting cowboys

who knew damn well they
were gonna get away with it.

- To tell you the
truth, Counselor,

the deceased was not
a righteous individual.

The deceased
was a total freaking

degenerate drug-humping k*ller

who I, for one, will not lose
one minute's sleep over, huh?

- Yeah, well, what
about the next guy

these hot dogs
decide to blow away?

Is it gonna be because they
don't like the color of his skin

and they figure
their own department

is willing to wink
at what amounts

to sanctioned m*rder, Lester?

- Internal Affairs will
investigate the sh**ting,

all right, and if it
was out of policy,

the officers involved

will be dealt with
accordingly, all right?

- This is a recorded
message, Lester.

- Huh. You looking for
a fight, huh, sport, huh?

And I'm looking for a
good night's sleep, all right?

- Do you find it ironic, Lester,

that I took this guy's case
to prevent an execution,

and I did my job so
well, it got him k*lled?

- Lonny, do not let this
philosopher drive home, huh?

- I'll call him a cab.

- No, no. No cab. No.

Here, call this number...

And tell the lady that
I need a ride home.

Lonny, one more till
my ride gets here, huh?

- No, Lonny.

Come on, Counselor.
I'll walk you out.

The air will do you good.

- Evening, officers.

- Everything all right, sir?

- Oh, yeah, it's great.

Everything is just great.

- I'm afraid we're gonna have
to ask you to move along, sir.

- Well, what if I don't?

- Well, we'll have
to arrest you.

- Why don't you just g*n me
down right here in the street, huh?

- Well, why don't we
just help you up, sir?

- You touch me,
you're gonna be sorry.

I happen to be an attorney.

- Oh, well, in that case...

- But I happen to be
waiting for my ride.

- Maybe you ought
to wait in the unit, sir,

till your ride shows up.

- Am I under arrest?

- Not yet, sir.

- Well...

Now am I under arrest?

- I'm DDA Van Owen.

- Is that you, Gracie?

- Yeah.

I'd take it as a personal favor

if you'd help me get
Mr. Kuzak into my car, officers.

- Oh, yes, ma'am.

- I am not drunk.

- Gosh, no.

- Oh, boy.
- Oh, boy. Come on.

I gotta get you
into a cold shower

and some hot coffee
and then into bed.

- The truth, I am
glad the guy's dead.

What if he'd done it again?

I couldn't have
lived with myself.

So, tell me, does that
make me a hypocrite?

- No, it makes you human.

- Thank you, Gracie.

I love you

and I feel terrible about
everything that's happened

and I'm gonna feel like
a jerk in the morning.

- Mm-hmm.

- But I still think you're wrong
about capital punishment.

When I become Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court,

there are gonna be
some changes made.

- Okay.

Come on, Mr. Chief Justice.

- Oh.

You'll feel better.

Here you go.

- Wait a minute.

- Come on.

I'll take your watch.

- Oh, that's cold.

- Yeah, that's the whole idea.

- Whoo!

- No, no.

Aah! Aah!

- I love you,
Gracie. I love you.

- I love you, too.