- [Andrea] Yeah.
I'd think twice about doing this case,
too, if I were you.
I've b*at you so many times.
I've lost count.
[Mickey] Bondurant was bleeding money
from The Terrazzo,
and he wanted Alex Grant
to share the burden.
We found a straw man.
Now, Mr. Grant,
would you care to explain to the court
what suspicious activity
Mr. Bondurant was alluding to?
It's possible Grant
will plead the Fifth rather than risk it.
And what if he does?
Can't lose him before the trial starts.
I need him in front of a jury.
You're gambling this entire case
on Alex Grant not taking the Fifth?
Are you insane?
One email may have been enough
to goad Mr. Grant into testifying.
It is not enough
to prove he is relevant to this case.
Remember I said the police
confiscated Lisa's toolkit?
Supposed to have pieces,
but it only has .
Wanna guess which one's missing?
The prosecution has come into possession
of a new piece of evidence.
The m*rder w*apon.
Mr. Kim, is this the photo you took
of the protest on that date?
Yes, it is.
René?
In the recordings, did the defendant
ever discuss her specific plans
to stop Mr. Bondurant's development?
Yes.
[Lisa] We learned everything about him.
Where he parked his sports car
in his garage.
I have to take a risk.
This isn't a risk, Mickey. It's like
the rules don't apply to you anymore.
[judge] Mr. Haller, are you ready
to call your first witness?
I am, Your Honor. The defense
calls Lisa Trammell to the stand.
[dramatic music playing]
Mickey, wh... what are you doing?
Not here.
[tense music playing]
[Lisa exhales]
You said you weren't going to call me.
I know, but it's Friday afternoon, Lisa.
I can't let Dahl's podcast be
the last thing the jury hears
before the weekend.
We've gotta strike back.
Okay, but what if I screw up
or say the wrong thing? I mean...
Just tell the truth, okay?
Let them see you the way I see you.
You can do this.
Ms. Trammell, can you tell the jury
what you do for a living?
Um, I'm a chef.
And I own a restaurant
called Elysian in Frogtown.
We've been there for about years.
Eleven years. That's... That's a long time.
You must really love what you do.
Oh, it was my dream all my life.
I grew up in that neighborhood.
My father bought the building
for next to nothing. He made cabinets.
So he ran a shop on one side
and raised a family on the other.
I wanted to do the same thing.
You live there as well?
Yes, it's my home.
That's why I didn't want to sell it
to Mitchell Bondurant or to anyone.
My whole life is in that building.
When you told Mr. Bondurant
that you wouldn't sell, what happened?
Oh, that's when the real t*rture started.
Bulldozers at : a.m.,
and construction dust at happy hour.
- He did everything to run me out of there.
- Objection, narrative.
The witness will only answer
the questions asked.
[Mickey] It's okay, Ms. Trammell.
Yesterday, we heard
from your neighbor, Valerie Stern,
about your relationship
with your former husband.
Can you tell us why
you and your husband separated?
I'm not the easiest person to live with.
I mean, I can be stubborn.
And when I want something,
I want it with all my heart.
And I had a dream
that I wasn't willing to let go of,
and Jeff, my ex, he had other ideas.
So we just grew apart.
Did growing apart lead to fights?
[Lisa] Yeah. Of course we fought.
But no more than any other couple,
and there was never any v*olence.
[Mickey] Now, I'd like to talk about
the podcast interview we heard.
You seemed pretty fired up.
Is that fair to say?
Uh, I guess.
[hesitates] But that was the seventh take,
I think.
Seven? Well, why so many?
Well, Henry kept saying
that I didn't sound passionate enough
and that he needed "the sound bite."
So, Mr. Dahl was pushing you
to sound more dramatic?
[Lisa] That's what it felt like.
Is it true, then, what you said to him
about your tactics against Bondurant?
Yes, more or less.
Including your knowledge
of where Mr. Bondurant parked his car?
-
- Yes.
Why did you tell Detective O'Brien
you've never been
inside Mr. Bondurant's parking garage?
[Lisa] Because I haven't been.
There's this photo of Mitchell Bondurant
posed next to his car in some magazine.
No, I didn't have to go into his garage
to know where he parked his car.
He advertised it.
It was all part of his image.
[Mickey] Defense Exhibit G, Your Honor.
Is this the photo you found?
Yes.
[Mickey] So, you've never
been in his garage?
But you did have some run-ins
with Mr. Bondurant?
Plenty. [chuckles]
Yeah, but he kept running into me.
He was harassing me.
He loved to shut down the street
during the dinner rush.
I mean, the noise and the dust,
it made it impossible for our customers
to eat out on the terrace.
It was endless.
Seems like Mr. Bondurant
wasn't so easy to deal with.
Oh God, he was an assh*le.
[hushed laughter]
Um, I'm sorry. Can I say that?
It's okay, Ms. Trammell.
Look, honestly, I couldn't stand him.
I don't deny that.
In my experience, he wasn't a good man
or an honest one.
But I didn't hate what he was doing to me.
You didn't?
[Lisa] No. I mean, I didn't love it.
But it really wasn't about me.
[somber music playing]
I hated what he was doing to my community.
Because I watched him
kick out my neighbors one by one
just so he can put up
some shiny new playground.
It was heartbreaking.
Heartbreaking enough
for you to want to take revenge?
No, I didn't want revenge.
What good would that do?
The construction is still going on.
I can't stop the city
from remaking itself.
It's gonna happen
whether I like it or not.
No.
I just wanted to save my home.
[bell dings]
- [distant car horns blaring]
- [footsteps approach]
Hey.
[somber music continues]
You did great today.
You know, they built all this
when I was a kid.
I used to come here with my dad
when they were putting it up.
We used to ride the train.
Even then, it was always changing.
So, what now?
Now we prepare you for cross.
We have the weekend to get you ready,
and we're gonna use it.
Today was the easy part.
Monday morning, Andrea's gonna
come after you with everything she has.
[opening theme music playing]
[Lorna] I sent you the prep questions,
and I left a copy on your desk.
There's only so much
you can ever prepare anyone.
After that, it is what it is.
Well, we knew it was a risk
when you called her.
At least it'll make for
an interesting presentation.
[Mickey] Presentation?
[Lorna] In my criminal practice clinic.
That reminds me.
I have to find someone to vet it.
- I thought that was my job.
- [Lorna] No, you're my mentor.
You're supposed to teach me.
Someone's gotta judge
the job you're doing.
[Mickey] All right, what about Legal?
There's nobody better. Trust me.
[Lorna] Would he do it?
[Mickey] I bet he'd love to.
It'd give him an excuse
to come down to court.
[Lorna] Hmm. Thank you.
Hey, listen, Mickey.
Try to get some rest this weekend.
I know you're buried,
but you have to be sharp on Monday.
[Mickey] I'll try.
Good night, Lorna.
Good night.
[Elena] What are you saying, Doctor?
You mean he'll never wake up?
He'll be like this forever?
Oh, no.
After everything
my family has been through.
I don't know if
they can handle any more tragedy.
[Mickey, in Spanish] What's all this?
[in Spanish] I have an audition.
Can you believe it?
They're making me read.
I thought actors just sent video now.
[Elena] If they're gonna make me read,
they are getting the full experience,
whether they like it or not.
[both chuckle]
That reminds me. You have a driver, yes?
Yes. I have a driver.
Good, I need to borrow her.
She's not a taxi, Mama.
She takes me to court.
So she can take you to court
and then take me to my audition.
Where is this audition?
- Burbank.
- Burbank?
Uh-huh.
[in Spanish] The courthouse is downtown.
That's hours away in traffic.
It won't work. I'll get you an Uber.
[sighs]
[mellow music playing]
Pothole.
[short rumble]
You nervous?
- Well...
- [Elena] Darling.
I was the lead of the second
most popular telenovela in all of Mexico.
Nerves are for people
who have something to prove.
I watched a couple episodes.
I thought you were great.
[Elena] Thank you, sweetie.
You're already a bigger fan than my son.
It's because you're a performer like me
that you get it. This one, never.
I don't know about that.
You should see him in court.
No. No, she shouldn't.
Drop me off. Take her to her audition.
Then straight home.
[in Spanish] Did I say I wanted to go?
[sighs quietly]
[Andrea] You seem to make
a lot of enemies, Ms. Trammell.
We all know about Mitchell Bondurant,
who had a restraining order against you.
All I did was protest.
Yes, times,
according to the application for the TRO.
Twenty-three times you'd led
demonstrations to his office.
- His building was vandalized...
- Not by me.
No, I was there to make my voice heard.
Peacefully and lawfully.
That's all.
So, you weren't the one
who left repeated threatening messages
on Mr. Bondurant's voice mail?
No, I was not.
Or the one who threw a raw egg at him
on September th of last year?
Is that funny?
I didn't do it.
But I can't say it wasn't funny.
[hushed laughter]
And then there's your husband.
Jeff, is it?
That's right.
I would say "ex-husband," but you two
never actually divorced, did you?
I'm sorry, is that a crime?
[Andrea] It's unusual.
A couple must not get along
for one of them to leave the marriage
without even bothering to legally end it.
Objection, relevance.
My client's relationship
with her husband is not on trial.
[judge] Overruled, Mr. Haller.
You opened that door.
Ms. Freemann is free to walk through it.
How often would you say you
and your husband fought, Ms. Trammell?
[hesitates] I don't know
the exact frequency.
Once a month? Every day?
It wasn't a regular schedule.
Why did your husband leave you?
I guess he couldn't handle
the responsibility.
Of your restaurant?
Among other things, yes.
Not because you were
difficult to get along with?
[scoffs] I was difficult?
That's a good one.
Ms. Trammell, please answer the question.
Look, I don't know why he left.
You'd have to ask him.
Okay, maybe I will.
- Where's your husband now?
- [Lisa] Couldn't tell you.
You don't know?
On a beach in Mexico, last I heard.
He had to get as far away from you
as possible, huh?
- Objection!
- That piece of sh*t was lucky to have me.
Order! I will not tolerate outbursts
in my courtroom.
[tense music playing]
We can all see why he left, can't we?
- Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
Redirect.
Ms. Trammell, one question.
Did you k*ll Mitchell Bondurant?
No, I didn't.
Nothing further.
[cell phone vibrates]
- [Cisco] Baby.
- Please tell me you have good news.
[Cisco] Half and half.
Doctor's on her way,
but Manny's running late.
You have to get him here, Cisco.
We're already in a hole. Hurry up.
Babe, I'm on it.
As soon as he touches ground, we're there.
[Lorna] Okay, drive safe.
The universe is aligning in my favor.
The universe is aligning in my favor.
The universe is aligning in my favor.
[René] Lisa's taught me so much.
She's really been a mentor to me.
Do you have any complaints
about the way she runs her kitchen?
I admire it.
She's very level-headed,
even under pressure.
And would you say that Mitchell Bondurant
added to that pressure?
[René] Oh, definitely.
We all had run-ins with him or his crew,
but Lisa was always
the one keeping us calm.
Can you elaborate on that?
[René] It was always something
with the construction.
We'd get so mad about it.
We'd joke about, like,
leaving rotting meat over there.
Silly stuff like that.
But she'd be like, "No.
No, we can't be like them." You know?
"Don't lose hope.
It's gonna be okay." Stuff like that.
You seem quite fond
of the defendant, Mr. Morales.
[René] Like I said, she's a great boss.
I'm sure. But has she ever
crossed a line with you?
[René] A line?
In terms of her temper
or how she treats you or the staff?
No, I don't think so.
No?
People's , Your Honor.
You posted this four years ago,
Mr. Morales.
Can you please read it?
[René] "To all our loyal customers
at Elysian."
"Thank you so much for your patronage,
but I can't take this sh*t anymore."
"On to the next."
Can you tell us
what this post was in reference to?
[René] I, um...
That day Lisa and I
kind of got into a little bit. That's all.
Enough to make you quit your job?
It wasn't our best moment, but...
I mean, I came back a week later.
Okay. Well, what did you fight about?
[René] I... didn't like the way
she talked to me in front of a customer.
She just snapped at me.
She lost her temper with you?
I... I guess so. But, you know,
this is a very unusual occurrence.
Was it?
Can you read this reply from foodienista
and then your response to that?
They wrote, "It happened again?"
And I said,
"She's crazy when she gets like this."
"You can't talk to her."
- Look, I was just angry, but...
- I have no further questions, Your Honor.
[suspenseful music playing]
I thought we checked
everybody's social media.
I did. It must have been an old account.
It was four years ago.
- [sighs] Lorna.
- [cell phone vibrates]
Let me take this.
Hey, Izzy. You survived?
[chuckles] So far. I don't think I'm gonna
make it back in time to pick you up.
What? Where are you?
Culver City.
Culver City?
I thought the audition was in Burbank.
[Izzy] The audition was in Burbank.
But then there was a meeting
in Santa Monica and lunch in Brentwood...
Oh my God. Izzy, just tell her, "No."
[scoffs] Have you met your mother?
[sighs]
Fine, whatever.
Just get her home.
Okay. I'll try.
[alarm buzzes]
[mellow music playing]
[Cisco] Pardon me. Excuse me. Pardon me.
Sorry.
I don't know. That way.
[Mickey] You flew in this morning?
Yes. I apologize for cutting it so close,
but the United Nations
couldn't reschedule.
That's okay, Dr. Arslanian.
I know you have a very busy schedule.
Now, I asked you to study the evidence
in this case, correct?
- Police reports, autopsy findings.
- That's right.
You asked if I thought
it would've been possible for your client
to commit this crime which,
to cut to the chase, I don't.
- You don't?
- [Dr. Arslanian] Definitely not.
Can you tell us why?
I could, but it would be easier
if I could show you.
Sure.
[suspenseful music playing]
- Uh... Your Honor...
- [door opens]
[excited chatter]
[Dr. Arslanian] Ah, perfect.
Your Honor, I'd like to bring up
my associate to help me demonstrate.
- Is this man your associate?
- Not him. The one in the box.
Ladies and gentlemen,
this is my associate, Manny.
[cameras clicking]
[upbeat music playing]
Just one thing, Your Honor.
If Ms. Crane here could help
me and Manny out with something?
So Mr. Bondurant was six-foot-three.
As you can see, Manny is the same.
And Ms. Crane is wearing four-inch heels
to simulate Ms. Trammell's height of ' ".
Lovely choice, I might add.
The injuries to Mr. Bondurant tell us
that he was k*lled by blunt force trauma
to the top of his head.
A single blow delivered with great force.
In fact, we know the w*apon was a hammer,
which is why I've procured
the same model for this demonstration.
So, have at it.
Stop.
There's your problem right there.
As you can see,
Ms. Crane is reaching as high as she can.
She's even on her tippy-toes,
and yet the hammer
is hitting the back of Manny's head.
Mr. Bondurant's injuries
weren't to the back of his head.
They were right on top.
And, clearly, she can't reach it.
Not well enough to deliver a blow
with sufficient force.
Which means Ms. Trammell
wouldn't have been able to either.
Thank you.
[quiet laughter]
Okay, that all makes sense,
but what if Bondurant was bending over?
Couldn't he have
bent down to, say, tie his shoe?
He could have, but Mr. Bondurant
sustained injuries to his knees
at the time of death,
which indicate that he fell forward
after he was struck.
If he had been bending over, the distance
between his knees and the ground
wouldn't have been great enough
to create those injuries.
So, there's no way
someone of my client's height
could have hit Mitchell Bondurant
on the top of his head with a hammer?
Under the circumstances
as we know them, no, there is not.
It's not possible?
It's physically impossible.
[hushed chatter]
Thank you, Doctor.
Ms. Freemann.
- May I?
- [Dr. Arslanian] Of course.
-
Why did you tell Detective O'Brien
you've never been
inside Mr. Bondurant's parking garage?
[Lisa] Because I haven't been.
There's this photo of Mitchell Bondurant
posed next to his car in some magazine.
No, I didn't have to go into his garage
to know where he parked his car.
He advertised it.
It was all part of his image.
[Mickey] Defense Exhibit G, Your Honor.
Is this the photo you found?
Yes.
[Mickey] So, you've never
been in his garage?
But you did have some run-ins
with Mr. Bondurant?
Plenty. [chuckles]
Yeah, but he kept running into me.
He was harassing me.
He loved to shut down the street
during the dinner rush.
I mean, the noise and the dust,
it made it impossible for our customers
to eat out on the terrace.
It was endless.
Seems like Mr. Bondurant
wasn't so easy to deal with.
Oh God, he was an assh*le.
[hushed laughter]
Um, I'm sorry. Can I say that?
It's okay, Ms. Trammell.
Look, honestly, I couldn't stand him.
I don't deny that.
In my experience, he wasn't a good man
or an honest one.
But I didn't hate what he was doing to me.
You didn't?
[Lisa] No. I mean, I didn't love it.
But it really wasn't about me.
[somber music playing]
I hated what he was doing to my community.
Because I watched him
kick out my neighbors one by one
just so he can put up
some shiny new playground.
It was heartbreaking.
Heartbreaking enough
for you to want to take revenge?
No, I didn't want revenge.
What good would that do?
The construction is still going on.
I can't stop the city
from remaking itself.
It's gonna happen
whether I like it or not.
No.
I just wanted to save my home.
[bell dings]
- [distant car horns blaring]
- [footsteps approach]
Hey.
[somber music continues]
You did great today.
You know, they built all this
when I was a kid.
I used to come here with my dad
when they were putting it up.
We used to ride the train.
Even then, it was always changing.
So, what now?
Now we prepare you for cross.
We have the weekend to get you ready,
and we're gonna use it.
Today was the easy part.
Monday morning, Andrea's gonna
come after you with everything she has.
[opening theme music playing]
[Lorna] I sent you the prep questions,
and I left a copy on your desk.
There's only so much
you can ever prepare anyone.
After that, it is what it is.
Well, we knew it was a risk
when you called her.
At least it'll make for
an interesting presentation.
[Mickey] Presentation?
[Lorna] In my criminal practice clinic.
That reminds me.
I have to find someone to vet it.
- I thought that was my job.
- [Lorna] No, you're my mentor.
You're supposed to teach me.
Someone's gotta judge
the job you're doing.
[Mickey] All right, what about Legal?
There's nobody better. Trust me.
[Lorna] Would he do it?
[Mickey] I bet he'd love to.
It'd give him an excuse
to come down to court.
[Lorna] Hmm. Thank you.
Hey, listen, Mickey.
Try to get some rest this weekend.
I know you're buried,
but you have to be sharp on Monday.
[Mickey] I'll try.
Good night, Lorna.
Good night.
[Elena] What are you saying, Doctor?
You mean he'll never wake up?
He'll be like this forever?
Oh, no.
After everything
my family has been through.
I don't know if
they can handle any more tragedy.
[Mickey, in Spanish] What's all this?
[in Spanish] I have an audition.
Can you believe it?
They're making me read.
I thought actors just sent video now.
[Elena] If they're gonna make me read,
they are getting the full experience,
whether they like it or not.
[both chuckle]
That reminds me. You have a driver, yes?
Yes. I have a driver.
Good, I need to borrow her.
She's not a taxi, Mama.
She takes me to court.
So she can take you to court
and then take me to my audition.
Where is this audition?
- Burbank.
- Burbank?
Uh-huh.
[in Spanish] The courthouse is downtown.
That's hours away in traffic.
It won't work. I'll get you an Uber.
[sighs]
[mellow music playing]
Pothole.
[short rumble]
You nervous?
- Well...
- [Elena] Darling.
I was the lead of the second
most popular telenovela in all of Mexico.
Nerves are for people
who have something to prove.
I watched a couple episodes.
I thought you were great.
[Elena] Thank you, sweetie.
You're already a bigger fan than my son.
It's because you're a performer like me
that you get it. This one, never.
I don't know about that.
You should see him in court.
No. No, she shouldn't.
Drop me off. Take her to her audition.
Then straight home.
[in Spanish] Did I say I wanted to go?
[sighs quietly]
[Andrea] You seem to make
a lot of enemies, Ms. Trammell.
We all know about Mitchell Bondurant,
who had a restraining order against you.
All I did was protest.
Yes, times,
according to the application for the TRO.
Twenty-three times you'd led
demonstrations to his office.
- His building was vandalized...
- Not by me.
No, I was there to make my voice heard.
Peacefully and lawfully.
That's all.
So, you weren't the one
who left repeated threatening messages
on Mr. Bondurant's voice mail?
No, I was not.
Or the one who threw a raw egg at him
on September th of last year?
Is that funny?
I didn't do it.
But I can't say it wasn't funny.
[hushed laughter]
And then there's your husband.
Jeff, is it?
That's right.
I would say "ex-husband," but you two
never actually divorced, did you?
I'm sorry, is that a crime?
[Andrea] It's unusual.
A couple must not get along
for one of them to leave the marriage
without even bothering to legally end it.
Objection, relevance.
My client's relationship
with her husband is not on trial.
[judge] Overruled, Mr. Haller.
You opened that door.
Ms. Freemann is free to walk through it.
How often would you say you
and your husband fought, Ms. Trammell?
[hesitates] I don't know
the exact frequency.
Once a month? Every day?
It wasn't a regular schedule.
Why did your husband leave you?
I guess he couldn't handle
the responsibility.
Of your restaurant?
Among other things, yes.
Not because you were
difficult to get along with?
[scoffs] I was difficult?
That's a good one.
Ms. Trammell, please answer the question.
Look, I don't know why he left.
You'd have to ask him.
Okay, maybe I will.
- Where's your husband now?
- [Lisa] Couldn't tell you.
You don't know?
On a beach in Mexico, last I heard.
He had to get as far away from you
as possible, huh?
- Objection!
- That piece of sh*t was lucky to have me.
Order! I will not tolerate outbursts
in my courtroom.
[tense music playing]
We can all see why he left, can't we?
- Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
Redirect.
Ms. Trammell, one question.
Did you k*ll Mitchell Bondurant?
No, I didn't.
Nothing further.
[cell phone vibrates]
- [Cisco] Baby.
- Please tell me you have good news.
[Cisco] Half and half.
Doctor's on her way,
but Manny's running late.
You have to get him here, Cisco.
We're already in a hole. Hurry up.
Babe, I'm on it.
As soon as he touches ground, we're there.
[Lorna] Okay, drive safe.
The universe is aligning in my favor.
The universe is aligning in my favor.
The universe is aligning in my favor.
[René] Lisa's taught me so much.
She's really been a mentor to me.
Do you have any complaints
about the way she runs her kitchen?
I admire it.
She's very level-headed,
even under pressure.
And would you say that Mitchell Bondurant
added to that pressure?
[René] Oh, definitely.
We all had run-ins with him or his crew,
but Lisa was always
the one keeping us calm.
Can you elaborate on that?
[René] It was always something
with the construction.
We'd get so mad about it.
We'd joke about, like,
leaving rotting meat over there.
Silly stuff like that.
But she'd be like, "No.
No, we can't be like them." You know?
"Don't lose hope.
It's gonna be okay." Stuff like that.
You seem quite fond
of the defendant, Mr. Morales.
[René] Like I said, she's a great boss.
I'm sure. But has she ever
crossed a line with you?
[René] A line?
In terms of her temper
or how she treats you or the staff?
No, I don't think so.
No?
People's , Your Honor.
You posted this four years ago,
Mr. Morales.
Can you please read it?
[René] "To all our loyal customers
at Elysian."
"Thank you so much for your patronage,
but I can't take this sh*t anymore."
"On to the next."
Can you tell us
what this post was in reference to?
[René] I, um...
That day Lisa and I
kind of got into a little bit. That's all.
Enough to make you quit your job?
It wasn't our best moment, but...
I mean, I came back a week later.
Okay. Well, what did you fight about?
[René] I... didn't like the way
she talked to me in front of a customer.
She just snapped at me.
She lost her temper with you?
I... I guess so. But, you know,
this is a very unusual occurrence.
Was it?
Can you read this reply from foodienista
and then your response to that?
They wrote, "It happened again?"
And I said,
"She's crazy when she gets like this."
"You can't talk to her."
- Look, I was just angry, but...
- I have no further questions, Your Honor.
[suspenseful music playing]
I thought we checked
everybody's social media.
I did. It must have been an old account.
It was four years ago.
- [sighs] Lorna.
- [cell phone vibrates]
Let me take this.
Hey, Izzy. You survived?
[chuckles] So far. I don't think I'm gonna
make it back in time to pick you up.
What? Where are you?
Culver City.
Culver City?
I thought the audition was in Burbank.
[Izzy] The audition was in Burbank.
But then there was a meeting
in Santa Monica and lunch in Brentwood...
Oh my God. Izzy, just tell her, "No."
[scoffs] Have you met your mother?
[sighs]
Fine, whatever.
Just get her home.
Okay. I'll try.
[alarm buzzes]
[mellow music playing]
[Cisco] Pardon me. Excuse me. Pardon me.
Sorry.
I don't know. That way.
[Mickey] You flew in this morning?
Yes. I apologize for cutting it so close,
but the United Nations
couldn't reschedule.
That's okay, Dr. Arslanian.
I know you have a very busy schedule.
Now, I asked you to study the evidence
in this case, correct?
- Police reports, autopsy findings.
- That's right.
You asked if I thought
it would've been possible for your client
to commit this crime which,
to cut to the chase, I don't.
- You don't?
- [Dr. Arslanian] Definitely not.
Can you tell us why?
I could, but it would be easier
if I could show you.
Sure.
[suspenseful music playing]
- Uh... Your Honor...
- [door opens]
[excited chatter]
[Dr. Arslanian] Ah, perfect.
Your Honor, I'd like to bring up
my associate to help me demonstrate.
- Is this man your associate?
- Not him. The one in the box.
Ladies and gentlemen,
this is my associate, Manny.
[cameras clicking]
[upbeat music playing]
Just one thing, Your Honor.
If Ms. Crane here could help
me and Manny out with something?
So Mr. Bondurant was six-foot-three.
As you can see, Manny is the same.
And Ms. Crane is wearing four-inch heels
to simulate Ms. Trammell's height of ' ".
Lovely choice, I might add.
The injuries to Mr. Bondurant tell us
that he was k*lled by blunt force trauma
to the top of his head.
A single blow delivered with great force.
In fact, we know the w*apon was a hammer,
which is why I've procured
the same model for this demonstration.
So, have at it.
Stop.
There's your problem right there.
As you can see,
Ms. Crane is reaching as high as she can.
She's even on her tippy-toes,
and yet the hammer
is hitting the back of Manny's head.
Mr. Bondurant's injuries
weren't to the back of his head.
They were right on top.
And, clearly, she can't reach it.
Not well enough to deliver a blow
with sufficient force.
Which means Ms. Trammell
wouldn't have been able to either.
Thank you.
[quiet laughter]
Okay, that all makes sense,
but what if Bondurant was bending over?
Couldn't he have
bent down to, say, tie his shoe?
He could have, but Mr. Bondurant
sustained injuries to his knees
at the time of death,
which indicate that he fell forward
after he was struck.
If he had been bending over, the distance
between his knees and the ground
wouldn't have been great enough
to create those injuries.
So, there's no way
someone of my client's height
could have hit Mitchell Bondurant
on the top of his head with a hammer?
Under the circumstances
as we know them, no, there is not.
It's not possible?
It's physically impossible.
[hushed chatter]
Thank you, Doctor.
Ms. Freemann.
- May I?
- [Dr. Arslanian] Of course.
-
- [camera clicking]
How about now?
[tense music playing]
Sure.
In a scenario in which Mr. Bondurant
was staring straight up into the sky,
it might be possible.
But there's no evidence
to indicate that was the case.
[Andrea] Did you examine the crime scene
yourself, Doctor?
No, but I did examine
every police photo of it.
I also checked
the maintenance logs from the garage.
There were no leaky pipes
or b*rned-out light bulbs.
Nothing he would've been staring up at.
What about a spider?
A spider?
You know, lowering itself from its web.
You see something
out of the corner of your eye
or feel something on your head,
and instinctively...
It's possible, isn't it?
Perhaps, but forensics
is about the likely probabilities,
not the endless possibilities.
The truth is, though, Doctor,
that you have no way of knowing for sure
what happened in the garage
that day, do you?
None of us do.
[clicks fingers]
Thank you. Nothing further.
[hushed chatter]
[suspenseful music playing]
[sniffling]
Izzy, what happened?
She made me stop for the wine,
but I talked her out of more Botox.
[Mickey] Mama.
[in Spanish] What happened?
[in Spanish] Time, son.
[she sniffles]
I was dropped.
My agent dropped me.
Me.
I was a star.
Now I'm begging for scraps.
[Elena cries]
Mama.
Maybe this is a sign.
The universe is telling me
it's time for something else.
Time to focus on my family, maybe.
Mama.
I think sometimes the universe
likes to knock you around a little bit
to remind you that you have to fight back.
Mama. Why don't you
come to court tomorrow?
You don't really want me there.
I do. I'm asking you to come.
I could use the support.
Really?
[Mickey] Mm-hmm.
Okay. If you really need me...
I'll come.
Okay.
I can do that for you.
[Mickey speaks Spanish]
[Elena speaks Spanish]
I think I'll even wear my new sweater.
[Legal] All right, kid, lay it on me.
[Lorna] Well, the problem all along
was the evidence.
It was just too strong.
Sure, we could put our experts up there
to poke holes in the prosecution's theory,
but at the end of the day,
the m*rder w*apon was our client's hammer.
They had her gloves
with the victim's blood on it.
Just saying those things were planted
wasn't enough.
We had to tell the jury
who planted them and why.
[Mickey] The defense calls Alex Grant.
Mr. Grant, can you tell us
what you do for a living?
I'm an entrepreneur.
[Mickey] In what field?
My primary business is Argel Construction.
It's a commercial contractor
in the Los Angeles area.
A pretty major contractor, no?
I can't complain.
Now, this guy is a total asshat
but a predictable asshat.
After the motion to quash,
we knew we had to play him a bit.
You know, stroke his ego,
which was plenty inflated to begin with.
Can you say "asshat" in your presentation?
In fact, your company has
a very important bid out. Is that correct?
The Olympic Village?
Yeah.
They haven't made a decision yet,
have they?
There have been some delays
in the approval process.
[Mickey] Ah. Still, very exciting.
And is construction your only business?
No. I have investments in other areas.
Uh, entertainment, for one.
I own a small production company
called PanMedia.
I own a management consulting firm.
A courier service?
Eagle Couriers, yes.
- All different kinds of things.
- And they're all profitable businesses?
I mean, clearly,
your track record speaks for itself.
[upbeat music playing]
[Lorna] We got our inside man to tell him
we didn't have anything on him.
The podcaster?
- Henry Dahl.
- Also an asshat, but that's another story.
For this to work,
we really had to rope-a-dope this guy.
You know, lower his defenses,
and then let the games begin.
[Mickey] Can you tell us
what this email was about?
Mitch was, uh, up to his eyeballs in debt.
I guess he thought he could
strong-arm me into helping him out.
Bondurant was in debt?
Yeah, to the tune of
a couple hundred million.
The Terrazzo, that's the high-rise
that he hired us to do some work on,
was stalled due to inspection issues.
He started hemorrhaging cash.
But wouldn't an issue
with building inspection
involve the contractor?
Sure, but when we were on the job,
the inspections passed.
The holdup came after,
during final approval.
I don't know if Mitch had hired
finishing contractors
who were doing subpar work
or if he had architectural problems,
but all I know is it had nothing to do
with me or my company.
[Lorna] Yeah, right.
Our investigator
found the inspection paperwork.
Turns out everything was approved
when Grant's company was on the job,
but as soon as it finished,
the city found a bunch of issues.
Which means he was probably
spreading bribes around
so his company's half-assed job
could get approved
so they could do it on the cheap.
Sorry. Keep going, babe.
You're doing great.
Right. Well, there was no way to prove it.
Not directly, anyway.
So we did the next best thing,
which was to heavily imply it.
It's called circumstantial evidence.
I would've hoped
somebody might have taught you that.
[Mickey] This FBI target letter
was introduced to the jury earlier.
Do you recognize it, Mr. Grant?
I do.
[Mickey] This letter identifies you
as a person of interest
in an ongoing federal investigation
into construction fraud, correct?
Theoretically.
Theoretically?
Contractors get scrutinized all the time,
but I had nothing to hide,
which is why nothing came of this letter.
It was sent months ago,
and they never even followed up.
I see.
Can you read the date
on the target letter, Mr. Grant?
January th.
Let's take a look at
the email Mitchell Bondurant sent you.
What's the date there?
It looks like January th.
Eight days after Mitchell Bondurant
sent you this threatening email,
you received a letter from the FBI.
Were you worried
he reported you to the feds?
Real estate is a messy business.
Nothing would surprise me.
Again, I have nothing to hide.
Is it possible this investigation
had something to do
with the holdup on your Olympics deal?
I wouldn't know that.
[hushed chatter]
All in all, your life would've been easier
if Bondurant was out of the way.
Objection.
Apologies, Your Honor, withdrawn.
[judge] Color inside the lines,
Mr. Haller.
[Mickey] Understood, Your Honor.
Grant. That's not your real name, is it?
My legal last name is Grant, yes.
But you weren't born Alex Grant, were you?
Objection. What does the witness's name
have to do with this trial?
I'll make that clear
in a few minutes, Your Honor.
See that you do.
Your last name, Mr. Grant.
I was born Alex Kazarian,
but I legally changed my surname to Grant
some years ago.
Kazarian. That's a nice name.
Why change it?
I was trying to find my footing
as a businessman in America,
and Armenian last names
are difficult to pronounce.
Yeah, but there's a very large
Armenian community in Los Angeles, no?
Yes, but xenophobia is everywhere,
especially when you're dealing with
the LA City Council.
[quiet laughter]
Sad but true.
Although you were born here, correct?
That's correct.
[Mickey] It's your father
who first came to Los Angeles.
- Can you tell us about him?
- Objection. Again, relevance.
Overruled.
Your Honor, if I may be heard.
I am Jacob Zimmer.
I represent the witness, and if I could
get a moment with my client?
I see no reason
to go down that rabbit hole at the moment.
But your rope is running out, Mr. Haller.
Get to the point.
Of course, Your Honor.
Thank you. Mr. Grant?
What is it you wanna know about?
Your father, Sasha Kazarian.
Isn't it true he's currently serving time
in federal prison
for multiple counts
of racketeering, fraud,
association with organized crime,
even conspiracy to commit m*rder?
[cameras clicking]
[somber music playing]
Yes, it's true.
My father's background is public knowledge
to anyone willing to dig deep enough,
which clearly you have.
Did changing your name have anything to do
with hiding from your family history?
Of course it did.
But you told the court
you wanted to Americanize it.
[Grant] Both things can be true.
I wanted to distance myself
from my father's past,
and I wanted
a consumer-friendly last name.
I know what you're trying to do,
Mr. Haller,
but I have no ties to my father's world.
You can dig as deep as you want.
You won't find anything.
It wasn't enough
just to show his dad was a criminal.
We needed more.
That's where this one came in.
It was just simple detective work, babe.
You are too modest. He's too modest.
[Mickey] This is a photograph
taken by my investigator on April th.
Is this you in the picture
entering the Taron Bakery?
Yeah, looks like it.
And can you tell us
the significance of this bakery?
They have the best baklava in town.
[laughter]
Is that the only reason you go?
My uncle owns the place.
What, is it a crime
to visit my uncle's bakery?
Your uncle, Armen Kazarian?
Didn't he also go to prison
for being associated with organized crime?
Yes, but he turned his life around,
which is why he opened a bakery.
To become an honest businessman
like myself.
Defense Exhibit R, Your Honor.
Offered for impeachment.
These are visitation records
for the prison where Sasha Kazarian,
the witness's father, currently resides.
Sidebar, Your Honor?
[suspenseful music playing]
[clears throat]
Judge, I think it is clear
what Mr. Haller is trying to do here.
I'm doing exactly what I said I'd do.
Paint Mr. Grant as an alternate suspect.
The court told me
to find more evidence, so I did.
I'm afraid I have to agree, Ms. Freemann.
There's nothing here that should be
a surprise to the prosecution.
You can't possibly think this will work.
Just pointing out this guy's family
has mob connections?
[Mickey] Mr. Grant,
you'll notice from these records
that you visited your father
on April th.
Do you recall this?
[hesitates] It sounds right. Yeah.
This is one day before my investigator
took that photo of you
entering your uncle's bakery?
If you say so.
The evidence says so, Mr. Grant.
Defense S, Your Honor.
Mr. Grant's travel records.
So, it seems you visited your father,
returned to Los Angeles the next day,
and went straight to your uncle's bakery
even before going home.
[exhales] I was hungry.
It's minutes out of your way.
Objection, counsel is testifying.
Sustained. The jury will disregard
that last editorial comment.
Mr. Grant, you mentioned before
a number of legitimate businesses
you've invested in,
including a courier service,
Eagle Couriers.
Is it true that your uncle,
who owns the bakery,
is also a partial investor
in Eagle Couriers?
I mean, I have the records
if you can't recall.
My uncle's bakery
has been successful enough
that, yes, he's been able
to make some additional investments.
That's the American dream.
Indeed, it is.
I don't know, kid.
A guy like this is a pro.
He's spent years covering his tracks.
This prosecutor, Andrea,
she's beaten him ten straight times.
- I don't think it's ten.
- It is. I counted. It was ten.
What were you thinking?
A good DA could tear this all to shreds.
That's why we had to make sure
she never got the chance.
These are three more photographs
taken by my investigator.
Each time you visited your father,
you flew back the next day
and went straight to your uncle's bakery.
About once every six weeks on average.
So you mean to tell us, Mr. Grant,
that after every visit to your father,
currently in prison for his association
with a crime syndicate,
you visited your uncle,
a former member of that syndicate
and your business partner,
and it's just for the baklava?
Objection, badgering.
Overruled.
- [suspenseful music continues]
- [scoffs]
- [Grant] I...
- [cameras clicking]
This is not what it looks like.
Here's another possibility.
Maybe you're passing information...
- Objection, speculation.
- Overruled.
...from one member
of a criminal organization to another...
- Badgering!
- Overruled, Ms. Freemann.
...which would make you a member
of that criminal organization as well.
Is that what it is, Mr. Grant?
That's what it looks like.
[sighs]
Your Honor, uh...
"On the advice of counsel,
pursuant to my Fifth Amendment right,
I respectfully decline to answer this
or any further questions."
- [cameras clicking]
- Order! Order!
I will have order,
or I will clear this courtroom!
[clamoring continues]
And I will see counsel
in my chambers right now!
[suspenseful music swells]
[Legal] Holy sh*t!
"Nemo tenetur seipsum accusare."
"No man can be made to accuse himself."
That goes back to the th century.
That's why the prosecution
can't force the defendant to testify
if he doesn't want to.
And the jury's not supposed to
infer that he's guilty
if he doesn't want to answer questions.
Usually applies to the defendant,
but if the defense
puts somebody else on the stand
and corners them into taking the Fifth,
there's no way the jury's not gonna think
that they're guilty of something.
That was kind of the idea.
You know how risky that is, kid?
The hot water you could get into?
If I did it on purpose, sure,
but if it just happened...
Mr. Haller, you know damn well
it is your duty to inform the court
if you have any indication
that a witness might be even
thinking about pleading the Fifth.
I had no way to know
what this witness would do on the stand.
- You gotta be f*cking kidding me.
- [judge] Ms. Freemann.
You will conduct yourself
with professionalism
when you are in my chambers
and in my court, is that understood?
I apologize, Your Honor.
She's got a f*cking point, Counsel.
Mr. Grant agreed to testify
at the motion to quash.
He didn't plead the Fifth then.
I had no way to know he'd do it now.
No. [exhales deeply]
He planted the story in the jury's minds.
Now that his witness has pled the Fifth,
I can't cross-examine him.
Your Honor, he has manipulated
the entire trial with this stunt.
Oh, come on.
Mr. Haller, if I find any evidence
that this was premeditated,
I will bring you up
on disciplinary charges with the bar.
As it is, I am striking
the witness's testimony. All of it.
Your Honor,
there's no unringing this bell.
I understand, Ms. Freemann,
but unless you have proof that Mr. Haller
was planning this from the start,
I am not granting a mistrial.
I will instruct the jury
that they may not infer guilt
from Mr. Grant's refusal
to answer questions.
You still had a problem though.
Sure, once you got this guy
to plead the Fifth,
the jury would assume he was guilty.
But guilty of what?
All you did was show that
he might be a criminal.
You still didn't have anything concrete
to connect him to the m*rder.
Well, we did have
one more trick up our sleeve.
Mr. Wojciechowski, is it okay if
I make our court reporter's life easier?
Just call you Dennis?
Works for me.
Can you tell us what you do for a living?
I'm your investigator.
[laughter]
[Mickey] And on this case,
did your work for me lead you
to investigate any person in particular?
Yes. Uh, Alex Grant.
What did you learn about Mr. Grant?
Well, I followed him repeatedly
from the airport
to his uncle's bakery in Glendale.
[Andrea] Objection.
Mr. Grant's testimony has been stricken.
It's no longer relevant to our trial.
To the contrary, Your Honor.
This witness's testimony
will demonstrate the relevance.
[sternly] Just get on with it.
Understood. So, Dennis,
why did Mr. Grant's visits
to his uncle interest you?
Because I discovered something else.
Something that seemingly tied Mr. Grant
directly to Mitchell Bondurant's m*rder.
Can you tell us what that was?
Well, Mr. Bondurant's garage only had
cameras at the entrance and the exit.
There were no unusual vehicles
coming or going that day.
Yes, we established that.
[Cisco] But on the building
across the street,
there's a camera, an old one,
that takes still photographs
once every minute,
and it captures
the side of the Bondurant building.
[Mickey] Defense T, Your Honor.
This footage was previously
given to the prosecution in discovery.
Well, I studied the photos
to see if Ms. Trammell was in any of them.
She wasn't.
But I noticed someone else who was.
Eagle Couriers, which is co-owned
by Mr. Grant and his uncle.
How long was this truck parked
outside Mr. Bondurant's building?
Truck was there from : a.m. until : .
And why was this of note?
[Cisco] Because,
according to the medical examiner,
the m*rder occurred
between : and : a.m.
[hushed chatter]
[suspenseful music playing]
[cameras clicking]
Thank you, Dennis. Nothing further.
All right, we're already behind
on our afternoon break,
so let's take it now.
Thirty minutes.
Then we'll reconvene
for cross-examination.
[Legal] Unbelievable. Excellent work.
I give you an A for your presentation.
You, on the other hand,
I give you a D-minus for legal ethics
but A-plus for strategy.
Kid, even he wouldn't have
come up with this one.
It's quarter to : .
Your recess is almost over.
Now, you're gonna go back in there,
and she's gonna cross-examine you.
And then the jury will go home
and stew on this all night.
It's brilliant.
I just got one more question.
You came up with this on the fly?
[Lorna] Uh,
not exactly.
Like I said,
we knew all along
that the evidence was too strong.
So, Mickey knew we had to have
the press there for the pre-trial hearing.
I couldn't have him take the Fifth then.
Because you had to get him to trial,
so he could do it now,
in front of the jury.
[elevator dings]
Well, thanks for sticking around.
You kidding me?
Being back here is like oxygen.
You go ahead. I'll be right in.
Agent Vasquez,
what brings the FBI to State Court?
This wasn't our deal, Haller.
What are you talking about?
I gave you what you needed
to get Alex Grant to testify,
not to plead the Fifth.
You used me.
Well, I think that goes both ways,
don't you?
You have your job to do, and I have mine.
Well, I'll tell you what the Bureau has.
A long memory.
I'll see you around, Counselor.
[mysterious music playing]
Ms. Freemann, cross-examination?
No, Your Honor.
I have no questions for this witness.
[judge] Very well. The witness is excused.
Mr. Haller?
[clears throat]
Your Honor, the defense rests.
Excellent. Rebuttal witnesses?
None, Your Honor.
Even better.
In that case,
seeing as it is late, why don't we...
Your Honor, the people are ready
to move to closing now.
[Mickey] Uh,
may I suggest we adjourn for the evening
and begin closing in the morning?
- We have minutes left.
- It's okay.
I'll only need ten.
[suspenseful music playing]
Well, that was quite a performance,
wasn't it?
Mr. Haller pulled out all the stops.
I mean, a dog and pony show.
He could give the magicians in Las Vegas
a run for their money.
[laughter]
But, just like a magician,
all the defense is trying to do
is distract you.
That's all they've got.
Now, Mr. Haller wants you to believe
that just because a man named Alex Grant
has a questionable family history,
that makes him a k*ller.
Or that he had a vague business dispute
with Mr. Bondurant,
and that was motive for m*rder.
Or maybe he doesn't actually care
if you believe those things or not.
Maybe he's just happy if
it diverts your attention from the facts
because the facts of this case
are immutable.
The m*rder w*apon
was not Alex Grant's bloody hammer.
That belonged to the defendant,
Lisa Trammell.
The gloves we found
with Mitchell Bondurant's blood on them,
again Lisa Trammell's.
Unlike Alex Grant,
Lisa Trammell had the motive, the means,
and the opportunity to commit m*rder.
Unlike Alex Grant,
Lisa Trammell repeatedly made
damning, even threatening, statements
to and about the victim.
In fact, her conduct was so threatening
that it forced Mitchell Bondurant to
take out a restraining order against her.
But, of course,
a restraining order only works
if the person being restrained
chooses to obey it.
Just like a magic trick only works
if the audience allows themselves
to be fooled.
Don't let yourselves be fooled.
See through Mr. Haller's parlor tricks.
See through them...
[suspenseful music playing]
...to the truth.
[music fades]
[inhales shakily]
I'm sorry. I'm just finding it difficult
to breathe at the moment.
Oh, Jesus.
I can go to prison tomorrow, Mickey.
Hey, hey.
Lisa, I'm doing everything in my power
to make sure that doesn't happen.
Okay?
[knocking at door]
[Lorna] Andale, Mickey.
We have to work on your closing.
I'll be right out.
I have to go. It's gonna be a late night.
Right.
I can bring you some food.
I'm not sure that's the best idea.
Well, I mean,
René can bring you something.
It's the least I can do, Mickey.
Maybe some of that pozole, then?
[knocking at door]
Come on.
[Lisa sighs]
Get home safe.
Come on, Lorna.
[tense music playing]
[Lorna] She k*lled us with that closing.
Now we gotta hit back.
What do you think?
Start with the evidence and work your way
to the emotion or the other way around?
- I think we should...
- [René] Hello?
[gasps] Yes, dinner.
[Mickey, in Spanish] Come in. Thanks.
[René and Lorna speak Spanish]
[in English] Can I ask you something?
What's this guy got to do with it?
- [Lorna] The building inspector?
- Yeah.
I saw him at the courthouse, too,
but isn't he with the Health Department?
Health Department?
Walter Kim is a city building inspector.
No, no. That's the same guy.
He came by the restaurant
to do a surprise check.
I remember 'cause it was the day
before Lisa got arrested.
[hesitates] The day before?
When he was inspecting the restaurant,
did he have access to Lisa's garage?
Yeah. The gas line runs through it.
Did you go in with him?
[René] No, I mean,
it was the middle of a lunch rush.
[Mickey] Where are the files
on The Terrazzo?
Here.
[pensive music playing]
It was Walter Kim. He's the one
who signed off on the inspections.
That's who Alex Grant
was paying the bribes to.
[scoffs]
When Bondurant sent the email
threatening Grant,
he was threatening Kim too.
Kim's signature is on the paperwork,
so he had no protection.
Which means he had everything to lose.
His home. His family.
His American dream.
He knew about
Lisa's anger at Bondurant too.
He's the one who took this picture.
He knew she'd be perfect to frame.
You think
Walter Kim k*lled Mitchell Bondurant?
Maybe. Maybe he knows who did.
Maybe Alex Grant put him up to it.
- There's only one way to find out.
- I'm already on it.
["Catch Me Falling" playing]
[cell phone ringing]
- Anything?
- [Cisco] Nothing good.
Walter Kim is MIA.
[Mickey] What do you mean, MIA?
We need him.
Well, his wife reported him missing
two days ago.
He never came home from work.
We've rested our case, Cisco.
If I can't produce Kim,
there's no way to reopen it.
I'll find out what I can.
♪ I'm not a statue, not a saint ♪
♪ I'm far from perfect, see my mistakes ♪
♪ I won't hide them ♪
♪ No, I won't run away ♪
♪ If you're gonna win the race ♪
♪ Catch your drift and break away ♪
♪ From the pack they're keeping pace ♪
♪ So what to do
With the voices in your head? ♪
♪ They'll drag you down into the dregs ♪
♪ The sewers overflow
With those who second guess ♪
♪ They will hold you to the flame ♪
♪ Where all that's temporary burns away ♪
♪ To be eternal
You will need your sanity ♪
♪ Falling ♪
♪ Falling ♪
♪ Falling ♪
♪ Falling ♪
♪ I just really wanna be ♪
♪ Someone you can look up to ♪
♪ Someone who inspires you ♪
♪ I just really wanna be ♪
♪ Someone you can look up to ♪
♪ I just wanna light a fire in you ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ If you see me in the light of day ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ If you see me in the light of day ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ If you see me in the light of day ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
How about now?
[tense music playing]
Sure.
In a scenario in which Mr. Bondurant
was staring straight up into the sky,
it might be possible.
But there's no evidence
to indicate that was the case.
[Andrea] Did you examine the crime scene
yourself, Doctor?
No, but I did examine
every police photo of it.
I also checked
the maintenance logs from the garage.
There were no leaky pipes
or b*rned-out light bulbs.
Nothing he would've been staring up at.
What about a spider?
A spider?
You know, lowering itself from its web.
You see something
out of the corner of your eye
or feel something on your head,
and instinctively...
It's possible, isn't it?
Perhaps, but forensics
is about the likely probabilities,
not the endless possibilities.
The truth is, though, Doctor,
that you have no way of knowing for sure
what happened in the garage
that day, do you?
None of us do.
[clicks fingers]
Thank you. Nothing further.
[hushed chatter]
[suspenseful music playing]
[sniffling]
Izzy, what happened?
She made me stop for the wine,
but I talked her out of more Botox.
[Mickey] Mama.
[in Spanish] What happened?
[in Spanish] Time, son.
[she sniffles]
I was dropped.
My agent dropped me.
Me.
I was a star.
Now I'm begging for scraps.
[Elena cries]
Mama.
Maybe this is a sign.
The universe is telling me
it's time for something else.
Time to focus on my family, maybe.
Mama.
I think sometimes the universe
likes to knock you around a little bit
to remind you that you have to fight back.
Mama. Why don't you
come to court tomorrow?
You don't really want me there.
I do. I'm asking you to come.
I could use the support.
Really?
[Mickey] Mm-hmm.
Okay. If you really need me...
I'll come.
Okay.
I can do that for you.
[Mickey speaks Spanish]
[Elena speaks Spanish]
I think I'll even wear my new sweater.
[Legal] All right, kid, lay it on me.
[Lorna] Well, the problem all along
was the evidence.
It was just too strong.
Sure, we could put our experts up there
to poke holes in the prosecution's theory,
but at the end of the day,
the m*rder w*apon was our client's hammer.
They had her gloves
with the victim's blood on it.
Just saying those things were planted
wasn't enough.
We had to tell the jury
who planted them and why.
[Mickey] The defense calls Alex Grant.
Mr. Grant, can you tell us
what you do for a living?
I'm an entrepreneur.
[Mickey] In what field?
My primary business is Argel Construction.
It's a commercial contractor
in the Los Angeles area.
A pretty major contractor, no?
I can't complain.
Now, this guy is a total asshat
but a predictable asshat.
After the motion to quash,
we knew we had to play him a bit.
You know, stroke his ego,
which was plenty inflated to begin with.
Can you say "asshat" in your presentation?
In fact, your company has
a very important bid out. Is that correct?
The Olympic Village?
Yeah.
They haven't made a decision yet,
have they?
There have been some delays
in the approval process.
[Mickey] Ah. Still, very exciting.
And is construction your only business?
No. I have investments in other areas.
Uh, entertainment, for one.
I own a small production company
called PanMedia.
I own a management consulting firm.
A courier service?
Eagle Couriers, yes.
- All different kinds of things.
- And they're all profitable businesses?
I mean, clearly,
your track record speaks for itself.
[upbeat music playing]
[Lorna] We got our inside man to tell him
we didn't have anything on him.
The podcaster?
- Henry Dahl.
- Also an asshat, but that's another story.
For this to work,
we really had to rope-a-dope this guy.
You know, lower his defenses,
and then let the games begin.
[Mickey] Can you tell us
what this email was about?
Mitch was, uh, up to his eyeballs in debt.
I guess he thought he could
strong-arm me into helping him out.
Bondurant was in debt?
Yeah, to the tune of
a couple hundred million.
The Terrazzo, that's the high-rise
that he hired us to do some work on,
was stalled due to inspection issues.
He started hemorrhaging cash.
But wouldn't an issue
with building inspection
involve the contractor?
Sure, but when we were on the job,
the inspections passed.
The holdup came after,
during final approval.
I don't know if Mitch had hired
finishing contractors
who were doing subpar work
or if he had architectural problems,
but all I know is it had nothing to do
with me or my company.
[Lorna] Yeah, right.
Our investigator
found the inspection paperwork.
Turns out everything was approved
when Grant's company was on the job,
but as soon as it finished,
the city found a bunch of issues.
Which means he was probably
spreading bribes around
so his company's half-assed job
could get approved
so they could do it on the cheap.
Sorry. Keep going, babe.
You're doing great.
Right. Well, there was no way to prove it.
Not directly, anyway.
So we did the next best thing,
which was to heavily imply it.
It's called circumstantial evidence.
I would've hoped
somebody might have taught you that.
[Mickey] This FBI target letter
was introduced to the jury earlier.
Do you recognize it, Mr. Grant?
I do.
[Mickey] This letter identifies you
as a person of interest
in an ongoing federal investigation
into construction fraud, correct?
Theoretically.
Theoretically?
Contractors get scrutinized all the time,
but I had nothing to hide,
which is why nothing came of this letter.
It was sent months ago,
and they never even followed up.
I see.
Can you read the date
on the target letter, Mr. Grant?
January th.
Let's take a look at
the email Mitchell Bondurant sent you.
What's the date there?
It looks like January th.
Eight days after Mitchell Bondurant
sent you this threatening email,
you received a letter from the FBI.
Were you worried
he reported you to the feds?
Real estate is a messy business.
Nothing would surprise me.
Again, I have nothing to hide.
Is it possible this investigation
had something to do
with the holdup on your Olympics deal?
I wouldn't know that.
[hushed chatter]
All in all, your life would've been easier
if Bondurant was out of the way.
Objection.
Apologies, Your Honor, withdrawn.
[judge] Color inside the lines,
Mr. Haller.
[Mickey] Understood, Your Honor.
Grant. That's not your real name, is it?
My legal last name is Grant, yes.
But you weren't born Alex Grant, were you?
Objection. What does the witness's name
have to do with this trial?
I'll make that clear
in a few minutes, Your Honor.
See that you do.
Your last name, Mr. Grant.
I was born Alex Kazarian,
but I legally changed my surname to Grant
some years ago.
Kazarian. That's a nice name.
Why change it?
I was trying to find my footing
as a businessman in America,
and Armenian last names
are difficult to pronounce.
Yeah, but there's a very large
Armenian community in Los Angeles, no?
Yes, but xenophobia is everywhere,
especially when you're dealing with
the LA City Council.
[quiet laughter]
Sad but true.
Although you were born here, correct?
That's correct.
[Mickey] It's your father
who first came to Los Angeles.
- Can you tell us about him?
- Objection. Again, relevance.
Overruled.
Your Honor, if I may be heard.
I am Jacob Zimmer.
I represent the witness, and if I could
get a moment with my client?
I see no reason
to go down that rabbit hole at the moment.
But your rope is running out, Mr. Haller.
Get to the point.
Of course, Your Honor.
Thank you. Mr. Grant?
What is it you wanna know about?
Your father, Sasha Kazarian.
Isn't it true he's currently serving time
in federal prison
for multiple counts
of racketeering, fraud,
association with organized crime,
even conspiracy to commit m*rder?
[cameras clicking]
[somber music playing]
Yes, it's true.
My father's background is public knowledge
to anyone willing to dig deep enough,
which clearly you have.
Did changing your name have anything to do
with hiding from your family history?
Of course it did.
But you told the court
you wanted to Americanize it.
[Grant] Both things can be true.
I wanted to distance myself
from my father's past,
and I wanted
a consumer-friendly last name.
I know what you're trying to do,
Mr. Haller,
but I have no ties to my father's world.
You can dig as deep as you want.
You won't find anything.
It wasn't enough
just to show his dad was a criminal.
We needed more.
That's where this one came in.
It was just simple detective work, babe.
You are too modest. He's too modest.
[Mickey] This is a photograph
taken by my investigator on April th.
Is this you in the picture
entering the Taron Bakery?
Yeah, looks like it.
And can you tell us
the significance of this bakery?
They have the best baklava in town.
[laughter]
Is that the only reason you go?
My uncle owns the place.
What, is it a crime
to visit my uncle's bakery?
Your uncle, Armen Kazarian?
Didn't he also go to prison
for being associated with organized crime?
Yes, but he turned his life around,
which is why he opened a bakery.
To become an honest businessman
like myself.
Defense Exhibit R, Your Honor.
Offered for impeachment.
These are visitation records
for the prison where Sasha Kazarian,
the witness's father, currently resides.
Sidebar, Your Honor?
[suspenseful music playing]
[clears throat]
Judge, I think it is clear
what Mr. Haller is trying to do here.
I'm doing exactly what I said I'd do.
Paint Mr. Grant as an alternate suspect.
The court told me
to find more evidence, so I did.
I'm afraid I have to agree, Ms. Freemann.
There's nothing here that should be
a surprise to the prosecution.
You can't possibly think this will work.
Just pointing out this guy's family
has mob connections?
[Mickey] Mr. Grant,
you'll notice from these records
that you visited your father
on April th.
Do you recall this?
[hesitates] It sounds right. Yeah.
This is one day before my investigator
took that photo of you
entering your uncle's bakery?
If you say so.
The evidence says so, Mr. Grant.
Defense S, Your Honor.
Mr. Grant's travel records.
So, it seems you visited your father,
returned to Los Angeles the next day,
and went straight to your uncle's bakery
even before going home.
[exhales] I was hungry.
It's minutes out of your way.
Objection, counsel is testifying.
Sustained. The jury will disregard
that last editorial comment.
Mr. Grant, you mentioned before
a number of legitimate businesses
you've invested in,
including a courier service,
Eagle Couriers.
Is it true that your uncle,
who owns the bakery,
is also a partial investor
in Eagle Couriers?
I mean, I have the records
if you can't recall.
My uncle's bakery
has been successful enough
that, yes, he's been able
to make some additional investments.
That's the American dream.
Indeed, it is.
I don't know, kid.
A guy like this is a pro.
He's spent years covering his tracks.
This prosecutor, Andrea,
she's beaten him ten straight times.
- I don't think it's ten.
- It is. I counted. It was ten.
What were you thinking?
A good DA could tear this all to shreds.
That's why we had to make sure
she never got the chance.
These are three more photographs
taken by my investigator.
Each time you visited your father,
you flew back the next day
and went straight to your uncle's bakery.
About once every six weeks on average.
So you mean to tell us, Mr. Grant,
that after every visit to your father,
currently in prison for his association
with a crime syndicate,
you visited your uncle,
a former member of that syndicate
and your business partner,
and it's just for the baklava?
Objection, badgering.
Overruled.
- [suspenseful music continues]
- [scoffs]
- [Grant] I...
- [cameras clicking]
This is not what it looks like.
Here's another possibility.
Maybe you're passing information...
- Objection, speculation.
- Overruled.
...from one member
of a criminal organization to another...
- Badgering!
- Overruled, Ms. Freemann.
...which would make you a member
of that criminal organization as well.
Is that what it is, Mr. Grant?
That's what it looks like.
[sighs]
Your Honor, uh...
"On the advice of counsel,
pursuant to my Fifth Amendment right,
I respectfully decline to answer this
or any further questions."
- [cameras clicking]
- Order! Order!
I will have order,
or I will clear this courtroom!
[clamoring continues]
And I will see counsel
in my chambers right now!
[suspenseful music swells]
[Legal] Holy sh*t!
"Nemo tenetur seipsum accusare."
"No man can be made to accuse himself."
That goes back to the th century.
That's why the prosecution
can't force the defendant to testify
if he doesn't want to.
And the jury's not supposed to
infer that he's guilty
if he doesn't want to answer questions.
Usually applies to the defendant,
but if the defense
puts somebody else on the stand
and corners them into taking the Fifth,
there's no way the jury's not gonna think
that they're guilty of something.
That was kind of the idea.
You know how risky that is, kid?
The hot water you could get into?
If I did it on purpose, sure,
but if it just happened...
Mr. Haller, you know damn well
it is your duty to inform the court
if you have any indication
that a witness might be even
thinking about pleading the Fifth.
I had no way to know
what this witness would do on the stand.
- You gotta be f*cking kidding me.
- [judge] Ms. Freemann.
You will conduct yourself
with professionalism
when you are in my chambers
and in my court, is that understood?
I apologize, Your Honor.
She's got a f*cking point, Counsel.
Mr. Grant agreed to testify
at the motion to quash.
He didn't plead the Fifth then.
I had no way to know he'd do it now.
No. [exhales deeply]
He planted the story in the jury's minds.
Now that his witness has pled the Fifth,
I can't cross-examine him.
Your Honor, he has manipulated
the entire trial with this stunt.
Oh, come on.
Mr. Haller, if I find any evidence
that this was premeditated,
I will bring you up
on disciplinary charges with the bar.
As it is, I am striking
the witness's testimony. All of it.
Your Honor,
there's no unringing this bell.
I understand, Ms. Freemann,
but unless you have proof that Mr. Haller
was planning this from the start,
I am not granting a mistrial.
I will instruct the jury
that they may not infer guilt
from Mr. Grant's refusal
to answer questions.
You still had a problem though.
Sure, once you got this guy
to plead the Fifth,
the jury would assume he was guilty.
But guilty of what?
All you did was show that
he might be a criminal.
You still didn't have anything concrete
to connect him to the m*rder.
Well, we did have
one more trick up our sleeve.
Mr. Wojciechowski, is it okay if
I make our court reporter's life easier?
Just call you Dennis?
Works for me.
Can you tell us what you do for a living?
I'm your investigator.
[laughter]
[Mickey] And on this case,
did your work for me lead you
to investigate any person in particular?
Yes. Uh, Alex Grant.
What did you learn about Mr. Grant?
Well, I followed him repeatedly
from the airport
to his uncle's bakery in Glendale.
[Andrea] Objection.
Mr. Grant's testimony has been stricken.
It's no longer relevant to our trial.
To the contrary, Your Honor.
This witness's testimony
will demonstrate the relevance.
[sternly] Just get on with it.
Understood. So, Dennis,
why did Mr. Grant's visits
to his uncle interest you?
Because I discovered something else.
Something that seemingly tied Mr. Grant
directly to Mitchell Bondurant's m*rder.
Can you tell us what that was?
Well, Mr. Bondurant's garage only had
cameras at the entrance and the exit.
There were no unusual vehicles
coming or going that day.
Yes, we established that.
[Cisco] But on the building
across the street,
there's a camera, an old one,
that takes still photographs
once every minute,
and it captures
the side of the Bondurant building.
[Mickey] Defense T, Your Honor.
This footage was previously
given to the prosecution in discovery.
Well, I studied the photos
to see if Ms. Trammell was in any of them.
She wasn't.
But I noticed someone else who was.
Eagle Couriers, which is co-owned
by Mr. Grant and his uncle.
How long was this truck parked
outside Mr. Bondurant's building?
Truck was there from : a.m. until : .
And why was this of note?
[Cisco] Because,
according to the medical examiner,
the m*rder occurred
between : and : a.m.
[hushed chatter]
[suspenseful music playing]
[cameras clicking]
Thank you, Dennis. Nothing further.
All right, we're already behind
on our afternoon break,
so let's take it now.
Thirty minutes.
Then we'll reconvene
for cross-examination.
[Legal] Unbelievable. Excellent work.
I give you an A for your presentation.
You, on the other hand,
I give you a D-minus for legal ethics
but A-plus for strategy.
Kid, even he wouldn't have
come up with this one.
It's quarter to : .
Your recess is almost over.
Now, you're gonna go back in there,
and she's gonna cross-examine you.
And then the jury will go home
and stew on this all night.
It's brilliant.
I just got one more question.
You came up with this on the fly?
[Lorna] Uh,
not exactly.
Like I said,
we knew all along
that the evidence was too strong.
So, Mickey knew we had to have
the press there for the pre-trial hearing.
I couldn't have him take the Fifth then.
Because you had to get him to trial,
so he could do it now,
in front of the jury.
[elevator dings]
Well, thanks for sticking around.
You kidding me?
Being back here is like oxygen.
You go ahead. I'll be right in.
Agent Vasquez,
what brings the FBI to State Court?
This wasn't our deal, Haller.
What are you talking about?
I gave you what you needed
to get Alex Grant to testify,
not to plead the Fifth.
You used me.
Well, I think that goes both ways,
don't you?
You have your job to do, and I have mine.
Well, I'll tell you what the Bureau has.
A long memory.
I'll see you around, Counselor.
[mysterious music playing]
Ms. Freemann, cross-examination?
No, Your Honor.
I have no questions for this witness.
[judge] Very well. The witness is excused.
Mr. Haller?
[clears throat]
Your Honor, the defense rests.
Excellent. Rebuttal witnesses?
None, Your Honor.
Even better.
In that case,
seeing as it is late, why don't we...
Your Honor, the people are ready
to move to closing now.
[Mickey] Uh,
may I suggest we adjourn for the evening
and begin closing in the morning?
- We have minutes left.
- It's okay.
I'll only need ten.
[suspenseful music playing]
Well, that was quite a performance,
wasn't it?
Mr. Haller pulled out all the stops.
I mean, a dog and pony show.
He could give the magicians in Las Vegas
a run for their money.
[laughter]
But, just like a magician,
all the defense is trying to do
is distract you.
That's all they've got.
Now, Mr. Haller wants you to believe
that just because a man named Alex Grant
has a questionable family history,
that makes him a k*ller.
Or that he had a vague business dispute
with Mr. Bondurant,
and that was motive for m*rder.
Or maybe he doesn't actually care
if you believe those things or not.
Maybe he's just happy if
it diverts your attention from the facts
because the facts of this case
are immutable.
The m*rder w*apon
was not Alex Grant's bloody hammer.
That belonged to the defendant,
Lisa Trammell.
The gloves we found
with Mitchell Bondurant's blood on them,
again Lisa Trammell's.
Unlike Alex Grant,
Lisa Trammell had the motive, the means,
and the opportunity to commit m*rder.
Unlike Alex Grant,
Lisa Trammell repeatedly made
damning, even threatening, statements
to and about the victim.
In fact, her conduct was so threatening
that it forced Mitchell Bondurant to
take out a restraining order against her.
But, of course,
a restraining order only works
if the person being restrained
chooses to obey it.
Just like a magic trick only works
if the audience allows themselves
to be fooled.
Don't let yourselves be fooled.
See through Mr. Haller's parlor tricks.
See through them...
[suspenseful music playing]
...to the truth.
[music fades]
[inhales shakily]
I'm sorry. I'm just finding it difficult
to breathe at the moment.
Oh, Jesus.
I can go to prison tomorrow, Mickey.
Hey, hey.
Lisa, I'm doing everything in my power
to make sure that doesn't happen.
Okay?
[knocking at door]
[Lorna] Andale, Mickey.
We have to work on your closing.
I'll be right out.
I have to go. It's gonna be a late night.
Right.
I can bring you some food.
I'm not sure that's the best idea.
Well, I mean,
René can bring you something.
It's the least I can do, Mickey.
Maybe some of that pozole, then?
[knocking at door]
Come on.
[Lisa sighs]
Get home safe.
Come on, Lorna.
[tense music playing]
[Lorna] She k*lled us with that closing.
Now we gotta hit back.
What do you think?
Start with the evidence and work your way
to the emotion or the other way around?
- I think we should...
- [René] Hello?
[gasps] Yes, dinner.
[Mickey, in Spanish] Come in. Thanks.
[René and Lorna speak Spanish]
[in English] Can I ask you something?
What's this guy got to do with it?
- [Lorna] The building inspector?
- Yeah.
I saw him at the courthouse, too,
but isn't he with the Health Department?
Health Department?
Walter Kim is a city building inspector.
No, no. That's the same guy.
He came by the restaurant
to do a surprise check.
I remember 'cause it was the day
before Lisa got arrested.
[hesitates] The day before?
When he was inspecting the restaurant,
did he have access to Lisa's garage?
Yeah. The gas line runs through it.
Did you go in with him?
[René] No, I mean,
it was the middle of a lunch rush.
[Mickey] Where are the files
on The Terrazzo?
Here.
[pensive music playing]
It was Walter Kim. He's the one
who signed off on the inspections.
That's who Alex Grant
was paying the bribes to.
[scoffs]
When Bondurant sent the email
threatening Grant,
he was threatening Kim too.
Kim's signature is on the paperwork,
so he had no protection.
Which means he had everything to lose.
His home. His family.
His American dream.
He knew about
Lisa's anger at Bondurant too.
He's the one who took this picture.
He knew she'd be perfect to frame.
You think
Walter Kim k*lled Mitchell Bondurant?
Maybe. Maybe he knows who did.
Maybe Alex Grant put him up to it.
- There's only one way to find out.
- I'm already on it.
["Catch Me Falling" playing]
[cell phone ringing]
- Anything?
- [Cisco] Nothing good.
Walter Kim is MIA.
[Mickey] What do you mean, MIA?
We need him.
Well, his wife reported him missing
two days ago.
He never came home from work.
We've rested our case, Cisco.
If I can't produce Kim,
there's no way to reopen it.
I'll find out what I can.
♪ I'm not a statue, not a saint ♪
♪ I'm far from perfect, see my mistakes ♪
♪ I won't hide them ♪
♪ No, I won't run away ♪
♪ If you're gonna win the race ♪
♪ Catch your drift and break away ♪
♪ From the pack they're keeping pace ♪
♪ So what to do
With the voices in your head? ♪
♪ They'll drag you down into the dregs ♪
♪ The sewers overflow
With those who second guess ♪
♪ They will hold you to the flame ♪
♪ Where all that's temporary burns away ♪
♪ To be eternal
You will need your sanity ♪
♪ Falling ♪
♪ Falling ♪
♪ Falling ♪
♪ Falling ♪
♪ I just really wanna be ♪
♪ Someone you can look up to ♪
♪ Someone who inspires you ♪
♪ I just really wanna be ♪
♪ Someone you can look up to ♪
♪ I just wanna light a fire in you ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ If you see me in the light of day ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ If you see me in the light of day ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪
♪ If you see me in the light of day ♪
♪ Don't catch me falling ♪