04x19 - Bang…Zoom…Zap

[bunniefuu]

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

Your little executive committee is you, Rosalind and Leland.

That means pro bono will be voted down two to one every time.

I don't think that's fair, Michael.

I take whatever case I want to take, Rosalind.

I hope to God, young man, that you realize that

because of what you did,

a very good man is dead.

I am releasing the defendant to his parent's custody.

He will be under house arrest for two years,

except for school.

I don't know Jimmy Hoffs, but I do know Victor Sifuentes.

He is not at all deluded.

If he says he has a case, I believe him.

I know all about Mr. Sifuentes, he's very good.

I've even thought of turning our business over to this firm.

Of course, I can't right now because of the conflict.

I cleared this through the executive committee, Rosalind.

Recommend the settlement to the client, Victor.

I don't agree with the recommendation.

Now, this is a litigation matter, Rosalind,

so I'll thank you to defer to my judgment.

Jimmy Hoffs built this case, you understand?

He did all the leg work on this case.

Jimmy Hoffs was giving bad advice.

And as co
-counsel, it was my obligation

to point that out to the client.

Co
-counsel?

You blindsided him, you blindsided me.

I came to you! You wouldn't listen.

Oh, that's crap.

Reynolds vs. Mendez. Stuart, you're really doing this.

Yep.

You're sending Stuart into federal court, Michael?

I'm ready, Rosalind, for this case, I'm ready.

Stuart's been working his pants off on this one.


-Nervous?
-Oh, yeah.

If he loses, it won't be for lack of preparation,

I can tell you that much.

Not gonna lose.

DOUGLAS: All right, Rosalind,

I noticed you opened an account for a Knowlstead Company.

Is this a potential new client?

Just some introductory talks.

We don't have to go into it here.

Excuse me. Knowlstead, the liquor company?


-Let's move on.
-VICTOR: No, no, no.

Is Knowlstead gonna become a client here?

I just opened some dialog, that's all.


-Like hell.
-Victor.

We had a client who was in litigation with this firm last week,

then Rosalind goes behind my back,

and she convinces the client to accept the settlement offer

which was way too low.


-It's wasn't low.
-VICTOR: It was low!

And suddenly, Knowlsteads is now coming to us for representation?

What are you saying, Victor?

What am I saying? I'm saying you were bought, Rosalind,

I'm saying you sold out our client.


-How dare you?
-Victor.

Oh, please, don't give me this "how dare you" crap, okay?


-Victor, that's enough.
-No, it's not enough.

You really think you're gonna get away with this?

LELAND: Sit down, Victor.

There's no reason for you to be talking like this.

I'm going to recommend to the client

that she sue this firm for malpractice.

I'm gonna recommend to Jimmy Hoffs

that he sue us for interference with contract.

You do that and you're fired.

No need for that.

As soon as I finish up my trial next week,

I quit.

♪♪ [theme]

♪♪

Do you know for a fact she made a deal with Knowlstead


-to sell out your client?
-Figure it out, Leland.

Do you know for a fact?

You mean, can I prove it?

No.

You never can with her, she's too damn good.

But she can't hide what she is, Leland.

I know what happened here.

So do you.


-Let me look into it.
-Yeah, you go ahead and check it out.

I'm sure there's gonna be a really big investigation.

[knocking]


-How you doin'?
-I'm ready.

I know how much this case means to you, Stuart,

and I know how much you want to win.

Yeah, but...

from the beginning, we all know this has been

more than just a case for me.

Speaking from having been there,

I can say that sometimes that can hurt you.

Mike, I'm not gonna let it hurt me.


-Good luck.
-Thanks.

Miss Melman, it's an untenable situation.

Your father's been very disruptive around here.

What are you telling her for?

She's your daughter.

It's just an accident of birth.

In what way has he been disruptive?

He goes through constant mood swings.

He's, uh, wild and boisterous one minute,

and nearly catatonic the next.

I think your father's increasingly losing touch with reality.

In what way?

He takes on the persona of a television character.

Your father goes in and out of thinking he's Ralph Cramden.

You haven't the slightest idea what I'm thinking.

It sounds to me like my father's just

trying to get a rise out of you.

He
-
- He often does that sort of thing to amuse himself.

Well, all I'll tell you is that, uh,

whoever he assigns the role of Ed Norton is not amused.

Why? What does he do?

He throws them out of whatever room they're in,

and then he makes some elderly woman Alice Cramden,

and he yells at her

for not ironing his bowling shirt,

or not having his dinner ready.

Why is it I get the feeling like

I'm sitting in the principal's office?

We are just a retirement community

for people on a fixed income.

What your father needs is professional help.

No, no, no, no.

What I need is to be treated with some respect.

Daddy, if you're not happy, then don't stay here.

Pack your things and we'll find another place.

I don't need a ride.

There's a bus stop on the corner.

Come on, will you?

♪♪

WOMAN: Case number ,

People vs. Franklin Leonard, sentencing.

William Sanderland for the defendant, your honor.

You'll recall that my client was convicted of larceny

by false pretenses.

You'll also recall that my client is a medical doctor.

The District Attorney and I have agreed on

a joint recommendation of six months probation,

plus community service.

Dr. Leonard will provide free medical service

for four designated homeless shelters

for the next months

at a minimum of six hours per week.


-This is acceptable to you?
-Yes, your honor.

Well, it's not acceptable to me.

Two years state prison, one suspended, one served.


-Your honor.
-What?

GRACE: He stole, Mr. Sanderland.

The fact that he's a doctor makes him no less of a thief.

And you, Miss Harris,

why'd you cut a deal like that?

Because he's rich?

Your honor, I don't think that Dr. Leonard

poses a serious thr*at to society.

You don't?

Let me tell you that when a licensed physician

starts falsifying Medicaid claims,

when he starts taking money out of tax payers's pockets,

he is definitely a thr*at to society.

I would ask the court to take into consideration

my client's distinguished commitment to public service,

as well as charities,


-and I think
-
-
-GRACE: I'll take it under consideration.

I'll also take it under consideration

that the defendant is a fairly wealthy man,

which makes his decision to steal even more reprehensible.

And I will further take it into consideration

that this larceny was accomplished systematically

over six separate occasions,

totaling more than $,.

Dr. Leonard's a criminal.

He's going to jail.

Next case.

STUART: Why were you in Argentina in , sir?

I was one of a number of Americans there

with the Agrarian Reform Movement.

We were trying to bring about a redistribution of land.

I had been there about six months

at the time of my arrest.

What were you arrested for?

No one ever said.

They just came in the middle of the night,

and took me to prison.

When did you first meet the defendant?

REYNOLDS: A few days later.

They took me to a room,

there were three men there.

He was one of them.

STUART: What happened in that room?

They told me to take off my clothes,

they strapped me to the machine,

Mr. Mendez poured a pail of ice water over my head,

and wired an electrode to my genitals.

He pushed a switch and a...

jolt of electricity hit me.

My... head snapped back.

My whole body shook.

And... then he did it again.

And after each time, he would turn a dial

so that the next one would be just that little bit worse.

Finally, the pain got so bad that I passed out.

Was this type of session ever repeated?

Over the two years that I was held,

there were such sessions.

STUART: And did Mr. Mendez himself

always administer the t*rture?

Yes, it was always Mr. Mendez.

After you were released from prison,

when did you next see Mr. Mendez?

REYNOLDS: Three years ago.

His photograph was in the paper.

"American dream come true.

"Penniless immigrant makes good,

opens eight new dry cleaning locations in one year alone."

And what about you, Peter?

How do you support yourself?

REYNOLDS: I can't work.

My mother...

gives me enough for a furnished room,

and cigarettes.

And I do odd jobs when I can.

At night, I can't sleep.

During the day
-
-

Well, I
-
- I take medication.

It keeps me... pretty even,

but... mostly, I just walk around.

STUART: I have nothing further.

You said that Mr. Mendez wasn't the only one present.

He was the one at the machine.

Was he the one giving orders?

Nobody had to give orders.

ATTORNEY: Isn't it a fact, Mr. Reynolds,

that the other men present were the defendant's commanding officers?

REYNOLDS: I don't know who they were?

ATTORNEY: Isn't it a fact that he emptied their ashtrays?

Isn't it a fact he saluted every time they entered the room?

He was the one at the machine.

Did he or did he not salute

every time they entered the room?

Yeah, he saluted. So what?

I have no further questions.

What, is that supposed to let him off the hook?

He was the one at the machine.


-I said no further questions.
-Mira me.


-JUDGE: Mr. Reynolds.
-Mira lo que me has hecho.

JUDGE: You may step down, Mr. Reynolds.

I can still feel the metal against my skin.


-ATTORNEY: Your honor.
-JUDGE: Mr. Reynolds.

I can still see you reaching to turn up the voltage.


-I can still see you sitting back
-
-
-JUDGE: Mr. Markowitz,


-get hold of him.
-REYNOLDS: To watch what it did to me.


-STUART: Peter.
-It doesn't go away.


-Peter.
-No matter what you do, it doesn't go away!

STUART: Peter, Peter, Peter. That's enough. That's enough.

That's enough.

Dr. Kravitz,

how do you know Mr. Mendez?

He's been my patient for the last three years.

Would you tell us what it was that occasioned him

to seek psychiatric care?

Initially, it appeared that he was suffering from

feelings of intense guilt

over what he'd done in Argentina.

After a period of analysis,

it became clear to me that, in fact,

what he felt was powerlessness.

Objection to the introduction of self
-serving statements

masquerading as medical expertise.

This woman is a psychiatrist, your honor.

She's in a position to discern

what's real and what's not.

Objection is overruled.

ATTORNEY: Based on your examination of him, doctor,

do you consider the defendant

to be a cruel or violent person?

KRAVITZ: I do not.

ATTORNEY: Then how could he have done these things?

He was years old,

and absolutely terrified of authority.

It's my opinion that he simply lacked

an ego formation strong enough

to do anything but obey.

I have nothing further.

How's the defendant's ego formation these days?

Very different from what it once was.

Doctor, are you familiar with

the definition of criminal insanity?

Yes, I am.

When he committed acts of t*rture,

was Carlos Mendez criminally insane?


-KRAVITZ: No.
-STUART: When he committed acts of t*rture,

was Carlos Mendez able to differentiate

between right and wrong?

He wasn't necessarily able to act
-
-

Once again, when he committed acts of t*rture,

was he able to differentiate between right and wrong?

Yes.

STUART: Is it fair to say that when he wired electrodes

to this man's genitals,

and sent thousands of volts of electricity through his body,

and sat back to watch the convulsions
-
-


-I object to this.
-I'm asking a question.

Then ask it, Mr. Markowitz.

Is it fair to say

that he knew inflicting t*rture was wrong?

Yes.

STUART: I have no further questions.

♪♪

[door closes]

Why did you take a secret meeting

with Victor's client?

I went to Victor first, Leland.

It was only when he refused to recommend

the settlement offer to the client

that I went to him myself.

Convincing her to take a low offer.


-And then you
-
-
-Are you in a position

to evaluate that offer?

I know Victor.

And he evaluated the case.

Incorrectly, in my opinion.

We have an obligation to our clients, Leland,

and if I believe that one of my lawyers

is not fulfilling that obligation,

then I, as senior partner, have to act.

And then after you act,

Knowlstead suddenly wants to become our client.

Yes. I had a pre
-existing relationship with Knowlstead,

but I was totally up front about it with both Victor,

and the client.

I am shocked that Victor would cast such an aspersion,

but I'm mostly disappointed

that you would attach any credence to it.

You're very good, Rosalind.

Once again, no tracks.

And exactly what does that mean?

It means I don't trust you.

It means when you tell me you did what you did

because of an obligation to your client,

I don't trust you for a second.

Thank you.

I'll be out of your hair by tonight.

Daddy, you can't live on Third and Main.

That's Skid Row.

What's the difference?

What, you're planning on visiting?

I'd like to, yeah.

Look, don't worry about me.

I'll be fine.

I'm sure you will.

You seeing anybody these days?

Nobody special.

Your mother seeing anybody?

I don't know.

Oh. You don't want to say.

All right.

Are you doing this to punish me?

Doing what?

Taking a room in a flop house,

refusing to let me help you.

I don't need your help.

All right, you don't need my help,

but why don't you just accept it anyway?

Do it because it makes me feel good.

Boy, oh, boy, oh, boy.

You and your mother. Two peas in a pod.

You don't let up.

You don't know how to give a guy some room.

You walked out on us, Daddy. How much more room could you want?


-[pounding]
-Why couldn't your mother

let me go on that fishing trip without her?


-Huh?
-What fishing trip?

The Raccoon Lodge annual fishing trip.

Your mother and Trixie.

They put it in their heads that they gotta come along.

Why? Two stinkin' days. I can't be alone with the boys?

[grunts]

ROXANNE: Daddy.

That's an episode of "The Honeymooners."

I know that I should have visited you

more often than I did.

People drift apart.

Forget it.

We're not people.

I'm your daughter. And you're my father.

Doesn't mean we have to have a relationship.

We have a relationship, and if I could,

I would like to make it better.

[sighs]

Okay. Whaddaya got in mind?

You could come and stay with me.

Until you find a decent place to live.

Look, I, uh
-
-

I appreciate the offer.

But I just don't want to do that.

I got my own reasons.

How about if I help you fix up the room?

Sure.


-If you want to.
-I want to.

Terrific.

[traffic noise]

[knocking]

Oh, thanks for coming in.

How are you?

Pretty good.

Little curious as to why I've been summoned.

Well, I am a presiding judge, remember?

I'm supposed to summon colleagues

two or three times a month.

It's in my job description.

Oh. Okay.

Well, actually, Grace, you've been doing great.

You've got a great command of the courtroom;

lawyers seem to be afraid of you,

that's always good.

But?

But you've been getting challenged on appeal

more than any other superior court judge,

especially on sentencing.

My sentencing has been within my judicial discretion.

Maybe. But when you give a life sentence to a
-year
-old,

you guarantee an appeal.

When you order a bank chairman

to take out a full
-page ad in the L.A. Times

telling everyone that he's an embezzler,

when you lock up a pregnant woman

on a misdemeanor
-
-

She was on cocaine.

Locking her up kept her off the dr*gs,

and that gave her baby a chance.

I'm sure it did.

But you've got to realize that creative sentencing

invites challenge.

Yes, and you told me not to be afraid of that.

Yes, I did.

But I expect you to use common sense.

The court dockets are jammed to the point where

the system can barely function.


-Michael
-
-
-As a judge, you have an obligation to make

some of these matters go away.

And when your cases regularly get kicked to appellate court

because you want to play hardliner,

you're not doing any of us any good.

So I should play ball, and I should agree to

plea bargains that make me sick?

The courts are clogged with crap, Grace.

You're gonna get sick every single time trying to deal with it.

But we have to deal with it.

And you're not.

What was your rank, Carlos?

I was a private.

During the interrogations

that we've heard Mr. Reynolds describe,

who else was there?

Colonel Pisaro was usually there.

Captain Diaz was always there.

Who gave the order to use electric shocks?

Colonel Pisaro.

Did you ever question that order?


-No, sir.
-ATTORNEY: Why not?

MENDEZ: There were two other soldiers

that I know who did.

One day, they disappeared.

Everyone assumed that they had been sh*t.

Did you fear the same fate for yourself had you resisted?

Yes, I did.

ATTORNEY: Thank you, Carlos. I have nothing further.

So, you were drafted into the army?

No.

You joined of your own free will.

I joined in order to eat.

STUART: How did you come to be assigned to the prison?

I volunteered.

What made you do that?

I was a coward.

I did not want to be sent to the jungle.

The Argentine army didn't assign the cowards

to its prisons, Mr. Mendez, they assigned the sadists.

Objection. I want that remark stricken from the records.

Objection is sustained. The remark is stricken.

Soldiers received a variety of assignments in the prison,

didn't they, Mr. Mendez?

Yes, they did.

Some guarded the cells, others guarded the perimeters.

Some worked in the office, some cooked.

Does plaintiff counsel have a question?

Yes.

Plaintiff counsel wants to know why

you were always assigned to administer t*rture?

Because I begged not to be.

STUART: You begged not to be.

MENDEZ: Yes. I begged.

And I wept.

Colonel Pisaro, he saw this as a sign of weakness.

He punished me for it.

Inside of that room, I was being tortured, too.

STUART: Why didn't you leave?


-MENDEZ: I wish I had.
-But you didn't.

You didn't leave until the army was overthrown.

You only left so you wouldn't have to look into

the faces of the people of Argentina.

Look into his face, Mr. Mendez.


-ATTORNEY: Your honor
-
-
-STUART: Look into his face.

I see their faces. I see his face.


-Every time I close my eyes.
-JUDGE: Mr. Mendez.

MENDEZ: That's right, Peter.

I still see your face the same way that you still see mine.

Come in.

Got a minute?

Yeah. Sure, sure.

I know the timing for this stinks,

but...

I've been offered a job in New York, Leland.

A Wall Street firm.

And I'm thinking very seriously of saying yes.

I'm from the east and I
-
-

I've been thinking a long time...

about going home.

Michael.

If you walk out on us now,

well, we'll
-
- we'll fall down like a deck of cards.

This firm isn't McKenzie Brackman anymore.

You know that.

Bottom line politics? Executive committees?

It's just not the same place, Leland.

Suppose I take it back?

What if I'm senior partner again?

I'm not sure that's even possible.

I also don't know if it would definitely make a difference at this point.

Don't walk out on me, Michael.

Don't.

It wouldn't be walking out on you, Leland.

It'd be walking out on Rosalind.

[sighs]

Yeah, I'm sorry.

Sorry I ever let this place get away.

Well, if there's any blame, it should be on us.

For not bringing in our own clients.

And for letting you carry us for so long.

I can still carry us.

I don't think so.

I hate to be pessimistic.

I hate to be blunt.

But I don't think so.

♪♪

In , more than , Germans

attended a n*zi rally in a town called Nuremberg.

And then in , the Nazis were put on trial there.

And one by one, the world listened to men

who had carried out countless acts of brutality.

Men who had systematically set out

to wipe off the face of the Earth

an entire race of people.

And their defense...

was that they were only following orders.

It didn't excuse them.

And it doesn't excuse him.

You see, if we are to believe that even in w*r

there are certain acts that so offend us,

that so violate basic standards of human conduct

as to be called w*r crimes,

then we must stand ready to punish those who have committed them.

We have to believe that even a private

bears responsibility for his actions.

Even a private has to answer for what he has done.

Carlos Mendez

repeatedly sent thousands of volts of electricity

into Peter Reynolds's body.

He did it with his own hands.

Look at these two men.

Peter Reynolds sits before you

broken and impoverished.

A highly articulate intelligent man

is now barely able to function in the world.

Carlos Mendez sits before you

hale and affluent.

He's living the American dream.

Look at these two men side by side,

and tell me that the past doesn't matter.

Carlos Mendez was drawn to our standard of living.

Let him answer to our standard of justice as well.

If all he can do is pay Peter Reynolds a sum of money,

the least we can do, ladies and gentlemen,

is to make him pay it.

It's a powerful analogy, Nuremberg.

If only it were appropriate.

You see, at Nuremberg,

it wasn't the privates on trial,

it was the generals.

Goöring, Hess,

von Ribbentrop, Jodl.

These were men who gave orders.

These were men with power.

What power did Carlos Mendez have?

Yes, he strapped prisoners to that machine.

What you have to realize

is that he was strapped to it himself.

They were on one side, he was on the other,

neither of them had a choice.

Generals didn't do the dirty work in Argentina;

they ordered someone to do it for them.

Carlos was one of those someones.

Now, you've heard character witnesses paint a portrait

of a compassionate, decent man;

a man who could never inflict pain

on another human being willingly.

A man who could only have done it

in order to survive.

There are no villains in this courtroom, ladies and gentlemen.

There are only victims.

I ask that your compassion extend to them both.

I ask that you not lay blame

where it doesn't belong.

[traffic noise]

Thank you.

It's been a long time since you and I had lunch, Leland.

Well, you're my biggest cash cow, Scotty,

I gotta pay you a little lip service now and again, huh?


-What's up?
-There's gonna be

a little friction at the firm,

it could get divisive.


-I'm listening.
-Rosalind Shays.

She's not working out as senior partner.

I'm thinking of, uh, forcing her out.

Listen, Leland, uh...

I'm not sure how to put this,

but the quality of the work we've been getting

has never been better than when Rosalind Shays took over the account.

She put together our public offering.

The value of our subsidiaries quadrupled

because of decisions she specifically made.

She can't help you without a firm to back her up.

Pretty soon, she's not gonna have one.

Don't put me in this position.

I need you, Scott.

I hate to call on a friendship,

but I need you.

For my personal matters, I'll stay with you, Leland.

But I'm a CEO...

who has to consider the interest of the shareholders

and over , employees.

And I think the interest of Petramco Industries

are better served by Rosalind Shays.

Alice! Honey, I'm home!

Hi.

I wanted to see where you was workin'.

What are you wearing?

Same thing I always wear.

Norton, pal of mine!


-What?
-ROXANNE: Daddy.

I thought we were supposed to meet for lunch today.

I dropped by the sewer and you weren't there.

Daddy, this is Benny Stulwicz.

What, are you crazy?

Come on, tell her how far back we go.


-Daddy, stop it.
-What happened,

manhole cover hit you on the head again?

[laughs]

You live at Chauncey Street, don't ya?


-Uh, no.
-Daddy, would you come with me for a second?

You work in a sewer, you're married to Trixie.

I'm marryin' Alice.

What are you, an idiot? I'm married to Alice.


-No, you're not.
-Daddy!

Oh, this guy's got a screw missing someplace.

Get in there.

Now, that man's name is Benny Stulwicz,

he's mentally Ret*rded, and he works in this office.

Oh, yeah?

So what?

So why would you make him the butt of one of your jokes?

I don't know what the hell you're talkin' about.

You don't know what I'm talking about?

No.

Yesterday, you said you wanted to mend fences.

Today, I figured I'd drop by to see ya.

Dressed like that?

What the hell's the difference how I'm dressed?

Boy, oh, boy, oh, boy.

Nothing has changed, has it?

You still wish you could trade me in for another model.


-No, I don't.
-Oh, yes you do.

You always wanted a father who made more money,

who dressed better, talked better.

All I want is for you to not go out of your way to embarrass me.

Hey, do me a favor, huh?

Stay a stranger.

This way, I'll never embarrass you again.

[door closes]

Come here.

Clearing a table. Grace, look...

you've only been on the bench for a couple of months, right?

You can't expect that at this point
-
-

Michael, last week
-
-

Last week, I sat there in juvenile court helpless,

helpless because I was unable to make a difference.

But then, when I do try to make an impact,

I'm called in on the carpet for being unorthodox,

and
-
- and for inviting appeals.

[scoffs] And the lawyers.

Don't even get me started on the lawyers.

I mean, where do these people come from?

How did they ever pass the bar?

They
-
- They either come to me unprepared
-
-

Grace, why don't you have another beer?

Michael, I can't have another beer.


-Why not?
-Because I'm a judge,

and I can't have two stupid beers

in a place frequented by lawyers.

You know what happens? It gets around.

Judge Van Owen was drinking.

Judge Van Owen had two beers.

Judge Van Owen was having a good time.

You had a bad day, Gracie.

You have a bad day, you hate your job,

and that could happen to anybody, even judges.

I don't think it's just a bad day, Michael.

I don't like sitting up there high and mighty.

I don't like having to be objective,

and detached.


-So what are you saying?
-I'm saying that

my days on the bench are numbered.

Has the jury reached a verdict?


-We have, your honor.
-JUDGE: How say you?

WOMAN: On the issue of pain and suffering

stemming from the t*rture of the plaintiff,

we find the defendant not liable for damages.

JUDGE: And that concludes this matter.

The jury is discharged with the thanks of the court.

[indistinct chatter]


-Mr. Reynolds
-
-
-Carlos, hang on.

I
-
- I want to say something.

What do you want to say?

I don't want for you to come away from this with nothing, Peter.

If you need a hand, I can give you a hand.

I can give you a job.

Maybe we should discuss this at another time.

Come on.

♪♪

I'm trying to imagine what it would be like

to work for you.

Mr. Reynolds, nobody's forcing you.

That's true.

I think that it would be good for you.

You never even looked away, Carlos.

I'd piss all over myself, I'd cry.

You'd drink coffee and look right at me.

Stuart, maybe you should tell your client

the trial's over.

We have to put it behind us, Peter.


-We?
-Yes, we.

We were both victims.

You were not a victim.

But since it's so important to you

to think of yourself as one,

you can be a victim now.

ATTORNEY: Come on, Carlos, let's go.

Sit down.

Sit!

Peter, what are you doing?

I'm illustrating something.

Do it without the g*n.

Without the g*n, Mr. Mendez would leave.

He would get a very distorted view

of what it means to be a victim.

ATTORNEY: Mr. Reynolds, please.

Don't do this, Peter.

You see?

A soldier can leave, he can dessert,

but a prisoner always has a g*n pointed at him.

I'm sorry I didn't dessert.

You're sorry, you're just not guilty.


-My God, don't.
-I think it is very important

that Mr. Mendez uses precise language

in characterizing our respective roles.

He poured ice water over me

so that the electric current would travel better,

so that it would hurt more.

Peter. Peter!

REYNOLDS: I was wet, he was dry.

Now he's wet, and I'm dry.

What do you want from me?

I want you to understand the distinction.

MENDEZ: I'm begging you, please.

We were not both victims!


-Stop!
-He has to understand.

No, he doesn't. You understand, Peter.

You understand that you're alive,

and that you're free.

You were strong enough to survive all that.

Now, just be strong enough to walk away.


-ATTORNEY: Oh, my God.
-Peter, don't.

[hammer clicks]

[exhales]

If I were strong...

it'd be loaded.

♪♪

[door closes]

The other day you told me

that the people here don't go behind each other's backs

having secret meetings with clients.

Nice lunch with Scott Perot?

There was nothing inappropriate about that meeting.

No?

Well, whatever you told him, he's under the impression that

you and I will not be working together in the future.

Are you planning on leaving this firm, Leland?

Are you planning on leaving this firm?

No, I am not.

Are you under the impression that I'm leaving?

I want you to step down, Rosalind.

Have I done anything wrong?

It's not that you've done anything specifically wrong,

but you don't breed any loyalty among the people here.

The other day, Michael Kuzak was telling me he was thinking of leaving.

Why, I can replace him in a minute.

I know several litigators that
-
-

But you see, I couldn't do that.

He
-
- He's very close to me.

I couldn't replace him in a second.

See, that's where you come up short.

Leland, I didn't want this job.

But if you suddenly take over again after just a month,

I'll be humiliated in front of the entire legal community.

I may never get another chance like this.

I think, in time, the people here will be

much more comfortable with me.

We don't have that time.

If I don't take over now, this place will fall apart.

I'm not stepping down.

You're only in power by my consent.

If you and I do battle, you couldn't possibly win.

I'm not stepping down.

Then I'll have to break you.

You want a w*r, Leland?

Fine.

You've got one.

[traffic noise]

[sighs]

Quite a scene in here today, Markowitz.

[sighs]

You all right?

Mm
-hm.

My dad had an uncle.

Uncle Heshe.

He was a Shakespearean actor.

He used to play King Lear in Yiddish.

[chuckles]

I have pictures of him at home.

He was this imposing character.

Wore these great clothes.

People would come from all over the countryside

to watch him perform.

He d*ed in Buchenwald.

Honey...

how about if you and I go home?

All those Jews, Ann.

They were tortured in places like Dachau and Bergen
-Belsen.

Majdanek, Auschwitz.

They disappeared into night and fog.

Nacht und nebel.

And I was brought up to believe that

every last German was to blame.

You were also brought up to condemn v*olence, Stuart.

Yeah. I think the worst thing

I've ever done to anybody is sue them.

Well, that can be pretty bad.

It's not revenge.

It's not violent revenge.

It's not revenge.

So what do you do?

You hold onto the hatred.

That's what you do.

You hold onto it?

Ann, the people who d*ed in those camps...

they're people like me.

So, you can't ever get beyond the hatred?

Never.

Hey, Ralphie boy.

Somebody's here to see you.

What's going on, Dad?

Well. It's about time you showed up.

I got a lodge meeting tonight.

Then you shouldn't have stolen a bus.

Seventeen years I've been workin' for that company.

Seventeen years!

In the summertime, dying from the heat.

In the wintertime, freezing from the cold.

The rain, the sleet, the snow.

You know that sign,

the mail goes through no matter what?

You know why? Do you know why?

Because the mailman rides with me.


-What's your name?
-Ralph Cramden.


-Murray Melman.
-Ralph Cramden!

Ralph Cramden is a TV character, Daddy.

He was played by an actor named Jackie Gleason.

Don't be a wisenheimer, Alice.

Don't be a wisenheimer.

You're not gonna talk me out of this.

It's just like you to try,

but you are not gonna talk me out of this.

I'm not gonna post bail, Daddy,

unless you promise to get help.

A man's home is like a ship.

Oh, God.

And on that ship, I am the captain.

And you are nothin' but a lowly third class seaman.

My job is just to swab the deck,

get the mess, and see that the captain is happy.

Alice, where are you goin'?

Seaman Cramden reporting to the poop deck

until this big wind blows over.

You remember that one?

I watched it with you.

That was a long time ago.

Daddy, why are you doing this?

I don't know.

Please...

let me take care of you.

No.

Thank you.

You can't be on your own anymore.

I'm not gonna leave you alone.

Do whatever you have to do, kid.

Only leave me the hell out of it.

♪♪