03x17 - America the Beautiful

[bunniefuu]

Previously on l.a. Law...

- Abigail perkins?
- Yes.

I'd like you to leave
everything exactly the way it is.

Please... Stand up... Put
your hands on your head.

What?

I have a warrant for
your arrest ma'am.

You're been charged with

Engaging in a
monetary transaction

Involving criminally
derived proceeds.

Grace, when we first
met we had passion..

I want to know where that went.

I don't know...

I know this will cause
you devastating pain.

Oh no!

I hereby find the circumstances
of tammy harris's life

To have significantly changed,

Making reasonable the
withdrawal of her consent.

Uh, your honor...

Could we... At least
have another day?

To say goodbye?

You have to say
your goodbye now.

Goodbye honey...

- What's this, hawaii?
- Mm-hmm.

I thought maybe
we could get away.

We just filed the appeal.

No, victor'll let us know

If anything happens
in the meantime...

Stuart, I have to stay here.

It's over, ann.

- Stuart.
- It's over.

Even if the appeals court
finds abuse of discretion,

They are not gonna
move the baby again.

So we just give up? Is that it?

She's gone.

She's gone.

And we have to accept it

And we have to try to get
on with the rest of our life.

Please don't push
me on this, stuart.

She was our whole
life for three months.

Don't ask me to
just let go of her.

What if tammy calls?

- She's not gonna call.
- You don't know that!

She-she's unstable.

I mean, first she
didn't want the baby,

- Then she wanted the baby.
- Ann.

I know you need time, but...

I don't think tammy harris
is gonna change her mind.

I have to let it go... For me.

Are we ever gonna
survive this, stuart?

I don't think we have
all that much of a choice.

Vincent kyle might
have been homeless,

But he was still part
of the community.

To those of you who see the
homeless as also faceless,

Nameless, and worthless,
you should at least know this.

They grieve for their own
the same as anyone else,

And they also demand justice.

At this trial

There'll be 12 of the
defendant's peers in that jury box.

Well, I'm here to tell you

That there will be 12 of the
victim's peers in the court room

And they will be watching.

Feeling any pressure,
ms. Van owen?

When a man's been k*lled for
going through a garbage can,

I don't need any pressure.

The life of a homeless person

Means as much as the life
of any other human being.

Well, thank you ma'am! Thank
you, thank you, thank you!

We can do without the
nonsense today, leonard.

Come on, father,

I think we oughtta show a
little gratitude around here.

I mean, we get a meal, we
get to be on television,

And, hey, if somebody
kills one of us,

They actually arrest him!

I'm not asking for gratitude.

Like hell, you aren't.

You think you're
some kind of saint?

I'm just doing my job, sir.

Oh don't be so modest!

You're-you're the champion
of the downtrodden,

Concerned, compassionate.

Joan of arc on the nightly news!

That's enough, leonard.

I'm not doing this for the news.

What's with the tv cameras?

And as soon as
they turn them off,

You get back in your
little sports car

And you drive home
as fast as you can.

And let one of us come
anywhere near your house

And you k*ll us just as quick
as that guy who's on trial.

I am prosecuting this man

Because I believe
he belongs in prison.

Nobody goes to prison
for killin' one of us.

We'll see about that.

Just like stepping
on a bug, lady.

It don't mean nothin'.

On a potentially bright note,

I'm meeting with the ceo of

Hackett development
corporation this afternoon.

They're looking for
new general counsel,

And if I'm successful
in setting the hook,

This could mean an
annual billing revenue

In excess of $600,000.

- Good luck.
- Go get 'em, dougie.

Thank you.

Hurrying along, meyer vs. Meyer.

Yeah, dave meyer is coming
in this morning undoubtedly

To try and talk me into talking
roxanne into taking him back.

Is he represented by a counsel?

Uhh, not yet, as far as I know.

And what about
the divotski divorce?

Mr. Divotski keeps calling me.

I'll get to it as soon
as I can, douglas.

I'm a little backed up. I thought
we'd have a new associate by now.

Perhaps if you'd contribute to
the interviewing process, we would.

I thought dorothy and diana were
gonna solve the manpower crisis.

I'm swamped, as it is.

And diana moses
is a part time clerk,

Not a full time
associate, plus which

I notice she herself
has now become a client.

She's divorcing her husband

And I opened up a file for
administrative convenience.

It's real simple, she
should be doing it herself.

Fine, so we pay her to do
her work instead of ours?

She'll do the work,
douglas, don't worry.

Why should I worry?

Arnie spends his days
representing roxanne, pro bono.

Diana moses will
represent herself, pro bono.

Michael's gonna represent
abby, I assume, pro bono.

By the way, mike,
what's the deal on that?

Money laundering.

She's being charged with
knowingly accepting drug money.

With all the time we spend
representing each other

It's a small wonder anybody
has time for paying clients.

Alright, douglas, you've made
your point over and over again.

Nope, actually, you left out

The most important point of all.

You forgot how victor represented
ann and me, pro bono, last week,

And how arnie did all the leg
work with the baby broker?

I have no quarrel with that.

I know you don't, douglas,

Which brings up the
point that I wanna make.

Ann and I would like to thank
you all for your support.

It's one thing to
offer compassion,

But you people,
each in your own way,

Actually managed
to provide it somehow.

And we'll never forget it.

Okay.

I guess, uh, we're adjourned.

He's in there.

Did you talk to him?
Did he say anything?

He wouldn't talk to me, he
just said, "tell arnie I'm here."

Oh, boy.

- Dave.
- We've had some
happy visits, arnie.

It's fair to say this
will not be one of them.

You know, until
this thing is settled,

You and I really
shouldn't really be talking

Unless you have
a lawyer present.

I thought you were my friend.

Oh, come on, dave.

I don't have many friends.

I know a lot of people, yes,
but I don't have many friends.

I am your friend, I care
about what happens to you.

You don't give a rat's butt
about what happens to me!

- That's not true.
- Look!

There's someone
lying in the gutter!

Never mind, it's only dave.

Stop the car, you ran over him!

Never mind, it's only dave.

You're not the only
one involved here.

Roxanne is also devastated.

And she's come to me for
support, what should I do?

- Send her away?
- Yes.

There are some
things you don't do.

You don't sell solid
cakes of insecticide

As teething biscuits,

And you do not
betray your friends.

That's not the way I see it.

Now your wife wants at it.

It can either be amicable,
or it can be bloody.

Trust me on this.

You join forces with
that faithless heradon,

And its gonna be as bloody
as the battle of bull run.

They're saying I had to know that
wiland was paying me with drug money.

No repo charges,
just laundering.

So, no indictment yet, right?

The grand jury meets thursday.

This is so unfair, I
did nothing illegal.

Well, I think it sounds more
like politics than anything else.

How much money did
you get from wiland?

Altogether, about $70,000.

In a month?

I went by the book, mike.
Everything was on the up and up.

Well, I think we got a good
chance at suppressing.

Wiretap looks very shaky.

And I know flareighty.

I'll set up a meeting
for tomorrow

And maybe we can
work something out.

No way.

He's looking for a
trophy to hang on his wall.

If it can't be wiland's
head, he's gonna get mine!

Well, just the
same, his case stinks.

It's worth a sh*t tryin' to
talk to him down from his perch.

Yeah, I'll say it's worth it.

I could be looking
at disbarment here.

I could go to prison, mike.

Hang in here, abby.

We're gonna pull out
all the stops on this one.

Thank you, michael. Thanks.

Mr. Broder,

What were you and vincent
kyle doing that night?

We were going
through garbage cans.

- What were you looking for?
- Food.

But it was pouring
rain that night.

We were hungry.

- Did you go through the
defendant's garbage?
- Yes.

Would you describe your encounter
with the defendant, mr. Broder?

H-he came out and
told us to get away,

Or he was gonna call the cops.

And what did you do?

Vincent asked him how come
we couldn't have his garbage.

What was his
response to this, sir?

He just went back
in through the gate,

And he came out
in a little while

And he had a g*n in his hand,

And he pointed it at
vincent, and he said,

"Get the... Eb, uh, ug...

Get the "f" away from my house."

Vincent bent down to pick up

This pair of sneakers
he'd found and...

That's when that man sh*t him.

- And what did you do?
- I ran.

Thank you, sir.

I have nothing
further, your honor.

Where'd you sleep
last night, mr. Broder?

- Objection!
- Offer to impeach.

Overruled.

Uh, uh... I got a room downtown.

Who paid for it?

Ms. Van owen.

She paid for that new
jacket you're wearing?

Uh... Yes.

- She paid for the new shoes?
- Yes.

Did you really think he'd
lie for a pair of shoes?

Or do you just
enjoy shaming him?

Sit down, father.

Tell us, did you ever know
vincent to be a violent man?

Vincent took care of me,

H-he used to cut my hair,
he... He made me brush my teeth.

W-when I had pneumonia,
he got me a blanket

And he stayed up all night
so nobody'd bother me.

He also had a Kn*fe with him
the night you two went to

Richard jefferies's
house, didn't he?

Well, he had everything
he owned with him.

Was he holding a Kn*fe when
richard jefferies sh*t him?

Vincent wouldn't thr*aten
a guy with a g*n in his hand.

- You sure about that?
- Yes.

Vincent didn't wanna
die... Is that right?

Tell us, mr. Broder,

Did vincent ever
attempt su1c1de?

- Objection.
- Overruled.

- He attempted su1c1de
last christmas, didn't he?
- Yes.

And he was kept under
observation of camarillo state

For six weeks following
that, wasn't he?

Your honor, this line of questioning
is inflammatory and irrelevant.

A history of psychotic
behavior is irrelevant?

He stayed in the hospital
so he could sleep.

- So he could sleep?
- Yes.

When you sleep
outside during the night,

The cr*ck-heads rob you, and
during the day the cops chase you.

Vincent was tired!

He was crazy,
mr. Broder, not tired!

No, no...

- He was dangerously crazy.
- No...

You live on those streets
for six and half years!

You see how crazy
that makes you!

No further questions.

Okay, mr. Brackman,
better get your people in.

- We're in.
- Just the two of you?

How many people did
the other firms bring?

Bundy specks had four partners.

You'll be fine.

- Benny.
- Yeah.

I want you to sit next to
me in the meeting, okay?

Like a lawyer.

Uhh... I dunno.

It'll be fine.

Sit next to me, just take
a yellow pad and write.

Don't talk, don't look around,

Just look down at
the pad and write.

Mr. Brackman.

Put these on.

Great.

And get rid of the gum!

Head down, write.

Mckenzie-brackman may
not be all things to all men,

But we think our strengths and
your needs make a very nice fit.

I think it's only fair
to express my concern

About no bay area office.

That's what airlines are for.

Look, we're severing our
ties with gacey-whitman

Because I wanna be
able to pick up the phone

And talk to my attorneys.

I don't want to wait three
days for a return call.

Of course not.

What's gonna make this
work is compatibility,

Because if you don't
like the way I do business,

If you're constantly having
to be the bearer of bad news,

It's going to affect
your commitment to us.

Rest assured, leo, that
our professional obligation...

What does your associate think?

You!

Uhh... Ben!

You've heard all this.

Uh, how would you
assess this match

In terms of compatibility?

Uh, I don't know.

I don't know either, ben,
but I appreciate the candor.

For once,

A lawyer doesn't bluff an
answer when he doesn't have one.

Thank you, ben.

Arnie, look at this,

Dave's bringing an expedited
motion to disqualify you.

He says you have a
conflict of interest.

He's got sheldon
ganz representing him.

Big dave's not foolin'
around here, rox.

What happens if
he wins this motion?

Means nobody in this
firm can represent you,

You'll have to go
outside for counsel.

And there aren't too many out
there as good as sheldon ganz,

I promise.

I've got the credit
card bill in front of me.

$1200?

Darrel, for god's sake!

Hang on. I'm sorry victor.

No, I'm sorry, I didn't
want to interrupt, uh...

This isn't work... Interrupt.

Okay, here's the order.

That's mike's
research, that's mine...

And mine.

Just check with me before
you do my stuff, okay?

Michael, then you, then you.

- Right... Bye.
- Bye

Sorry darrel... Darrel... Hello!

You heard?

Yeah.

All these agreements we made

Just talk about being
good to each other

And he runs off to mexico
with somebody on my credit card.

Your sure?

She's an er nurse at cedars.

I'm sorry.

Jonathan, when you offered
help, were you serious?

Very serious.

Help.

It's not up to me, michael,

If the grand jury wants
to return an indictment.

You're the one pushing this,
terry, not the grand jury.

'Cause your client
broke the law.

Give me a break!

Come on, we all know
what's going on here.

You're mad as hell
because you lost wiland

And you're taking
it out on abby.

If she's innocent, she's
got nothing to worry about.

Innocence or not,

This puts a big stain on
her reputation which...

She should have
thought about reputation

Before defending
dirt bags like wiland.

You wanna fry
wiland, go after wiland,

But attacking her
is unprofessional

And you damn well know it.

What is unprofessional
is your waltzing in here

Under the guise of friendship

To climb up my
back for a dismissal!

You think I'm climbin'
on you now, terry,

This thing goes to trial,

My footprints will be
up and down your head.

Grand jury meets tomorrow.

I'll let you know
how it turns out.

- Let me testify.
- Abby.

I don't need to let
you do anything.

You wanna tell your
story, let me tell mine.

Are you afraid they're
gonna see through you

Like a storefront window?

You want to testify counselor?
I will roll out the red carpet.

2 O'clock... Don't be late.

I wouldn't testify, abby.

If I don't there's no
avoiding the indictment.

Maybe so,

But the main thing we have
to do is avoid a conviction.

We gotta look down the road.

They will not convict me, mike.

Well, just the
same, your testifying

For the grand jury
hands him free discovery.

He'll be better
prepared for you at trial!

I'll take my chances.

I can't go in there
with you, you know.

Grand jury's closed to counsel.

I'm just gonna have to
b*at him all by myself.

May I talk with you
a second, father?

Sit down.

I found that juries tend
to get a little spooked

With outbursts in the court.

You want me to
mind my "ps and qs?"

I just think that
disrupting the courtroom

Can work against us.

We disrupt the courtroom
just by showing up?

Courtrooms are public places.

These people aren't part
of that public, ms. Van owen.

Then at least, let's
not make it any worse.

No promises, but I'll try.

Thank you.

- Excuse me, are these people
here with you?
- Why?

We can't have them taking up all
these tables here at lunchtime.

These people are attending
a trial upstairs, sir.

They can't sit over a cup
of coffee for 45 minutes.

Then buy them lunch.

I should buy them lunch?

Very simple, either they're
out of here in five minutes,

Or I'm calling the cops.

I thought we'd go over a
few specifics of an agreement,

And then, if you have the time,

I'd like you to meet
the other partners.

Fine.

Will, uh, ben be joining us?

Ben? No, he's unavailable.

Well, make him available.
I'd like him at this meeting.

Mr. Hackett,

Ben... Is benny, benny stulwicz.

He's not an associate.

He's the firm's messenger,
and... He's Ret*rded.

I asked him to sit in with
me at our first meeting

Because we didn't have an
associate who could come.

I assure you that we are
in the process of finding

Another associate, and in
fact, our ability to serve

Hackett development
would not be affected,

In any case, because
the partners will...

That man is Ret*rded?

Yes. I regret very much...

I wanna talk to him.

Benny!

Yes, sir.

Mr. Brackman told me
that you're not a lawyer,

That you work here as a
messenger for the firm.

Uhh, yeah, yeah, uh...

I'm... I'm, I'm, I'm sorry.

Don't be sorry.

Uh, uh, you're not mad at me?

Of course not.

Tell me benny, do
you like working here?

Yeah!

Besides the mail,
what else do you do?

I, uh, get donuts,
and I file stuff.

I go to the cleaners
a lot for arnie,

B-b-but I like delivering
the mail the best.

Benny, I wonder if
you'd do me a favor.

I have a daughter named
alice, and she's also Ret*rded.

Would you be willing to
talk to her about your job?

W-w-what do you mean?

Well, just say
what you did to me.

Alice is scared of people,

She doesn't like
to leave the house.

Oh!

When she was a little
girl, she got lost.

And we couldn't
find her for days.

It was terrible.

But that was a long time ago.

She's grown up now.

And I would like her to
come to work in my office,

But she's afraid.

I-i-i get scared
w-w-when I get lost too.

Would you talk to her?

And tell her about your job,

About how you get from
place to place by yourself.

About the mail.

And about your friends.

Uh, uh, I don't know, uh...

I-i'm not so good
at explaining things.

And besides, I'm-i'm
real busy all the time.

Well, would you, uh,
at least think about it?

Okay.

But I gotta get back to work.

Mr. Jefferies, we've heard

Henry broder's version of
what happened that night.

I'd like for you now
to give us yours.

I heard someone going
through my garbage.

I went outside and asked

Mr. Broder and his
friend, mr. Kyle, not to.

I didn't think I was being
disrespectful or impolite.

I just told them I was
concerned about rodents,

And I wanted my
garbage to be left sealed.

And what was their response?

I guess they had thought
I had insulted them.

Objection,

This witness is in no position
to know what they thought.

Sustained.

But what did they
say, mr. Jefferies?

I don't remember
his exact words.

But mr. Kyle said
something like,

"If it's in the
alley, it's ours."

Then he said some
other threatening stuff.

He had a Kn*fe in his
hand the whole time.

What did you do?

I b*at it back into the house.

- Did you call the police?
- Yes, I did.

I told them there were two
transients going through my garbage,

That they threatened
me, they refused to leave.

I was told it was
a low priority call

And that they would
get to it when they could.

Your honor, I have here a
transcript of that phone call.

I ask that it be
admitted into evidence

As defense exhibit number 1.

So ordered.

You didn't stay in the
house, did you, sir?

My wife and I were
going out to dinner.

I didn't feel safe leaving
the kids home alone.

I went outside with the
g*n just to scare them away.

And, what happened?

They didn't scare.

This guy, vincent, stared at
me with this Kn*fe in his hand.

He crouched down

And came toward me with
this crazed look on his face.

Objection to that
characterization.

Sustained.

I yelled at him to stay back,

But he just kept coming at me.

I had to sh**t him!
He would've k*lled me!

I have no further questions.

So you were afraid they'd
break into your house,

But you k*lled him in the alley?

I didn't wanna wait
until they got inside.

What made you think
that they would have?

The way they cursed at
me, the look on their faces!

"The look on their faces."

That's not the only time
"the look on their faces"

Got to you, was
it, mr. Jefferies?

- Objection.
- Overruled.

You've lodged more
than 15 complaints

With the police
department, about transients

In your neighborhood,
haven't you?

My daughters were
afraid to play in the yard.

You complained about them
being in front of your office.

They sleep in the doorway.

What does this have to do
with anything, your honor?

I submit that the defendant

Wasn't defending himself
that night in the alley.

There was nothing to
defend himself from.

Richard jefferies
was obsessed with

Driving the homeless
out of his neighborhood.

He sh*t vincent kyle
to make them go away.

- Objection!
- My family was in that house!

Look out here, mr. Jefferies,
just across from your family!

Objection!

Tell us, how would
you make them go away?

Ms. Van owen, that's enough.

I have nothing further.

He's had business
dealings with my client,

Their partners,
he can't possibly...

I'm not betraying
their partnership,

Nor am I breaking any
duty owed to david meyer.

Mr. Becker has a warped
sense of duty, your honor.

He's had direct access to
my client's financial affairs,

As well as the privileged

Inter-spousal communications
between the parties.

The only thing warped here
is mr. Ganz's sense of the law.

The fact that david meyers

Shared those communications with
me automatically waves the privilege.

Frankly, mr. Becker, I'm
more concerned about her.

Now, how can I trust
you to fight her battles

Against a man
you're partners with?

She's fully aware of
this of this partnership.

She wants me as her lawyer.

Moreover, my professional
responsibility is beyond reproach.

You're not looking at some
sleazy schlockmeister here.

This, uh, business venture
was some sort of video thing?

That's correct, arnold
becker's home guide to divorce.

With all due respect

To the presumption of
dignity this video gives him,

His participation here, is
both undignified and unethical.

This man has no foundation
to comment on dignity,

Or ethics, or any other
concept that's foreign to him.

Alright, I've heard enough.

Mr. Becker, you have no
business being in the middle of this.

Mr. Meyers, as your
business partner,

You have a fiduciary
responsibility

To act in his best interest.

You could even be a
witness to this thing.

Yet it is totally
irresponsible for you

To be representing the wife.

It's her choice,
it's what she wants.

I don't care.

Now, I will let you
participate in discovery

And settlement negotiations.

But if this thing goes
to trial, you're out.

And furthermore, I
want you, not your client,

But you, to pay the
cost of this motion.

Now that's all. We're adjourned.

I want it on the record
that my client is being denied

The representation
of her choice.

She can go rent your video.

Thanks.

- David.
- You have anything to say,
speak with my attorney.

Benny, I wanted to tell you

What a good impression
you made on leo hackett.

The only reason we're still
in the running for his business,

Is because of you.

Did he tell you
about his daughter?

Yeah.

He'd really like
you to talk to her.

Uh... He said I could
think about it.

I understand your reluctance,
but I want you to know

How helpful it
would be to the firm.

It would also be a very
nice thing to do for her.

And we'd give you the day off,

Say, tomorrow?

I would consider
it a personal favor,

If you'd say yes.

Okay, I'll try.

Good man.

And during the last five weeks,

Mr. Wiland retained
you to represent

12 Different drug
trafficking defendants,

Is that right?

Including mr. Wiland,
there were 12, yes.

And in consideration for which,

He paid you $72,000
in cash, did he not?

That's correct.

Well now, tell me, ms. Perkins,

From where did you think
mr. Wiland got this money?

I didn't know, mr. Flareighty.

Did you ever ask
him where he got it?

No, I didn't.

Because you know,
like we all know,

That that money is the
proceeds of drug transactions.

It's not incumbent
upon the attorney

To ascertain the source
from which a client pays his fee.

No, no it isn't. But
you knew the source,

You knew it was drug
money when you took it.

No, I didn't know
that, and I still don't.

Come on, counselor,
you're a sharp woman,

Can't you put it altogether?

Why don't you tell us
how you put it altogether?

The only reason you
know the $72,000 amount,

Is because that's the
amount that I reported

To the federal government
for tax withholding purposes.

Well, thank you. Thank
you, counselor but...

- I never tried to cover up
anything, mr. Flareighty.
- Quiet, ms. Perkins.

What are you trying
to cover up now?

I said be quiet!

Excuse me.

I'd like to let the witness
make her statement.

Thank you.

There are a few things

That mr. Flareighty
forgot to tell you.

He forgot to tell you that

I've never tried to
conceal anything.

He forgot to tell you
that my representation

Of those 12 defendants
was completely

Within the bounds of the law.

And you know what else
he forgot to mention?

Eleven of those twelve
people were never convicted,

Because the prosecution
could not make its case.

So what that means,
ladies and gentlemen,

Is when he stands here
today and he tells you

That these 12 people
were drug traffickers,

He's asking you to
believe something

That he was unable to
prove in a court of law.

And the reason
he's coming after me

Is exactly because
he could not get them.

So he's angry.

He's angry, and he's upset,

Because I successfully
defended people

That he tried to convict.

And he's angry because

I've put a big dent
in his track record,

- Two years before he runs
for lieutenant governor.
- Very good, ms. Perkins.

So what're you gonna do if
you can't get me, mr. Flareighty?

- Go after this jury next?
- Ms. Perkins

Run them through the
computer for old parking tickets?

Quiet now! Or I will put
you up for contempt.

Now, that was a very nice
little song, ms. Perkins,

But you never
answered my question.

From where did you think
mr. Wiland's money came?

I answered your question,
I told you I didn't know.

Now why don't you
tell us, if you're so sure

That my clients are criminals,
why you can't prosecute them?

I will prosecute them.

After you get their
attorney out of the way, right?

You live on the same
street as the defendant.

- Is that right ms. Mac?
- Yes.

Did you ever know
him to be a violent man?

Absolutely not.

How about those two men who
were going through his garbage?

Had you ever seen them before?

Sure, I'd seen them.

Will you tell the court
what you had seen them doing?

Besides going
through the garbage?

I'd seen them drinking,
I'd seen them fighting,

I'd seen them
urinating on the street.

They are homeless, where
are they supposed to urinate?

Order.

Where are they
supposed to urinate?

Father, that's enough.

Were you ever accosted
by these men, ms. Mac?

Every single day,

There was a whole group of them.

They'd come up to me in the
street and ask for money.

Except they weren't
really asking,

They'd glare at me.

They'd glare at my kids.

The only way to deal with it is

Just never make eye contact,
and never break stride.

But some would say that's
not a very charitable approach.

I'll choose my own
charities, thank you.

We're not talking about
mothers with children,

We're not talking
about elderly people.

These are able-bodied men.

But they're homeless.

We'd be homeless
too if we spent all day

Drinking and taking dope.

Move to strike.

Sustained and stricken.

Were you frightened of them?

You bet I was.

I'll never forget going
outside one morning

And seeing one of them.

Tearing up the garden
across the street.

He was stomping on the flowers,

And throwing dirt at
people as they walk by.

How can you not be
frightened of a person like this?

Thank you, I have no
further questions.

Mrs. Mac, if you made it a point

Of never making eye
contact with these men,

How is it you're sure
vincent kyle was one of them?

I saw him going
through my garbage, too.

Did you ever ask him not to?

I don't have the nerve for that.

I also don't have a g*n.

Would you use a g*n to keep
a man out of your garbage?

I'd use a g*n to protect myself.

How about to drive him
out of your neighborhood?

It's not our neighborhood
anymore... It's theirs.

What's "theirs", mrs. Mac?

- All the garbage
you let them eat?
- Objection.

How dare your sit
in judgment of me?

How dare you pretend to know
a man whom you've never met?

To you, they're just carcasses.

Load 'em on a truck
and haul 'em out.

These people scare me to death!

What do I do about that?

What do I tell my
kids when they ask me

Why they can't play
in the park anymore?

What do I tell them,
when they ask me

Why there are men picking
through our garbage cans?

Tell them there's poor
people in the world.

Father higuera.

Tell 'em not everybody's
lucky enough

To have a roof over their heads!

Will the court officer
remove that man?

Tell 'em, not everybody's
lucky enough to eat every day,

Not everybody can go to
a doctor when they're sick.

Just tell 'em the truth, that's
all, just tell 'em the truth!

Should richard jefferies
have permitted those two men

To pick through his garbage?

That's not the issue.

Should he have asked them
in for a bowl of beef stew?

That's not the issue.

The only issue,

Is whether richard jefferies
could have reasonably believed

That vincent kyle was
about to att*ck him.

For six and a half years,

Vincent kyle had been
sleeping on the street.

For six and half years

He'd been chased away
by cops, by shopkeepers.

He'd been shunned by anyone
less-wretched than himself.

He was sifting through
soiled diapers, maggots,

And putrid meat
in the pouring rain,

Looking for food.

He was staring at
richard jefferies

With a Kn*fe in his hand.

He was staring at
the warm, dry house

In which richard
jefferies lived.

The district attorney maintains

That my client had
nothing to be afraid of.

Before you send him to prison,

Imagine if vincent kyle
had been staring at you.

What kind of person
eats out of garbage cans,

Or keeps all their worldly
goods in a shopping cart

They push around in the rain?

Richard jefferies remembers
when people like that

Could only be found on skid row.

They were called "bums",
"derelicts", "hobos".

Now, they're the homeless.

Children call them
"the dirty people,"

And now they are everywhere.

He sees them near his
office, near his gym,

Outside of restaurants,
and supermarkets.

They skulk by,

With their matted
hair, and fitly clothes.

They smell worse than any
human being he's ever known.

In fact, to the defendant,

They weren't human at all.

They were more like
a pack of rabid dogs

That just kept growing.

A blight of vermin, and
disease, and madness

That had invaded
his perfect world.

Richard jefferies could
never wind up homeless.

You or I could never
wind up homeless.

The homeless did something
wrong to get that way,

We don't owe them anything.

Not a dry place to sleep,

Not even the right to
eat out of garbage cans.

And it just makes it

A lot easier to think
about them that way.

The only trouble is, once we do,

Once we can look at
people living in such misery,

No matter what the reason,

And feel nothing,

Then it is us who have
ceased to be human.

Vincent kyle got too close
to richard jefferies's world,

But that is not something
he deserved to die for.

It is not something that allowed

Richard jefferies to k*ll him.

Tell richard jefferies
that, tell them.

Arnie...

I've been thinking.

I don't wanna
make a w*r of this.

Hey kiddo, your husband's
already declared w*r.

Your only choice is
to fight or surrender.

Well then, maybe I
should surrender.

I mean I don't want his money.

We've been married
less than a year.

I'm not entitled to it.

The law says that you are.

I don't care about the law.

Uh... I still have to live with
myself after this is over.

That's very admirable rox,

But pride isn't
gonna pay your rent.

Besides which,

You earned a percentage
of that video money.

You brokered the deal.

You'd be getting a chunk of it

Even if you weren't
married to him,

Why should you forfeit
it just because you were?

I-i never thought
of it like that.

It's my job to
think of it like that.

As your lawyer,
which still I am,

And as your friend,
which I'll always be,

I'm telling you,
we have to fight.

Sheldon ganz is gonna
try and crush you,

And your only sh*t at
a fair settlement here,

Is for me to try and crush dave.

I just wanna be
free of all this.

Being alone isn't being free.

Being alone with
two million bucks,

That's being free.

Seventeen and we have... Leland.

Abby!

Well, fresh off
the victory trail.

Michael told you?

Oh! He's been telling everybody.

As well he should.

You know how unusual it is
for a grand jury not to indict?

What did you say in there?

I don't know, but it worked.

And the money?

Well, I guess I get to
keep it. No forfeiture.

Mm-hmm. Well, congratulations!

Thank you.

And thanks for
letting me borrow mike,

I would've been
lost without him.

Well, the people in this firm

Feel very strongly
about you, abby.

Which brings me to the
reason why I asked to see you.

- We'd like to you come back.
- Excuse me?

We've been interviewing

Would-be associates
for three months,

Not one more qualified than you.

I'm flattered, leland, but
I left here for a reason.

Yeah. Yeah, you left because

You weren't considered
partnership material.

You left because,
however much we liked you,

We didn't think you
were tough enough.

Well, we've been watching you.

Daring to do what most
lawyers wouldn't even try,

And succeeding at it.

Yeah... Hey, you're
tough enough,

And you are exactly

What this firm is looking
to build its future with.

I have my own practice now.

Well, bring it with you.

There would be some
objection to drug defense work,

But I suspect that's not
what you want, anyway.

Oh, abby, I know, I know,

It-it's exciting to
be out on your own,

But there's a lot to be said

For going to work
with people too,

Especially people
who care about you

As much as we do.

I don't know
exactly what to say.

Just say you'll think about it.

- Okay, I will.
- Alright.

- Afternoon, sir.
- Hi.

Pretty, isn't she?

The car.

Oh! Uh, uh...

That's-that's the most
beautiful car I ever saw.

Benny!

Nice to see you
benny. Come on in.

You're right on time.
I like that in a person.

I took the wilshire bus.

Alice, meet benny stulwicz.

He came all the
way here on the bus,

By himself, to visit you.

Benny, this is my
daughter, alice.

Hi.

Why don't I leave you
two to get acquainted?

Uh... You-you-your father...

He wanted me to tell you about
my job at mckenzie brackman.

Uh... I-i deliver the mail.

I don't want a job.

You'd like it where I work,

I have lots of friends.

I don't need lots of
friends, I have edward.

Who's edward?

He's my friend.

Edward drives the car.

I go places with
edward in the car.

Well, I go places by myself.

Sometimes, edward lets me drive.

You can drive?

Shhhhhhh!

Y-you-you can drive?

You wanna see me do it?

Yeah!

Will the defendant rise?

Has the jury reached a verdict?

- We have, your honor.
- What say you?

We find the
defendant not guilty.

Not guilty?

Thank god, thank god.

Don't go thanking god, he
had nothing to do with it.

That'll be enough.

- Your honor, I want the jury poll...
- Father higuera.

Didn't you think
vincent had some value?

- Sir, come on!
- Didn't you think
this was a life?

Didn't he count for
anything? Anything?

My country tis' of thee,

Sweet land of liberty,
stop this outburst.

Of thee I sing.

I want order in this courtroom.

Land where my fathers d*ed,

You wanna sit in the front?

Ready?

Ready.

Drive carefully.

See, I can do it.

Ah!

Oh, I always wanted
to drive my mom's car,

But she-she wouldn't let me.

You could drive this one.

No, i-i couldn't.

It's easy, see down there.

That pedal makes it go,

And the other one makes it stop.

W-w-will edward be mad at me?

Edward is my friend. Come on.

You have to do this.

Whoa!

Ah! Ah! Alice, I'm doin' it!

I'm drivin'!