05x13 - Dances With Sharks

[bunniefuu]

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

LELAND: The partnership agreement authorizes me to make

a pro tem designation unilaterally,

and that's what I'm doing.

Douglas, for the next six weeks, you're in charge.

We've had these two great kisses.

They were great for me, too.

But you know, if we start something here it's, um
-
-

it would be very complicated.


-Why is Roxanne here?
-She's here as my assistant.

To safeguard against administrative oversights

during my tenure as senior partner.

ROXANNE: Moving on, Becker vs. Becker.


-Where are we, Arnold?
-ARNIE: Why don't you tell me, Roxanne.

You're the one giving testimony against me.

During Mr. Becker's engagement to Miss Hammond,

do you have knowledge of sexual relationships

with any other women?


-One.
-Oh, God.


-ATTORNEY: Who was it?
-Her name is Gwen Taylor.

She's a secretary here.

Um, think maybe we could
-
- maybe we could just separate for a while?

No, Arnie, I
-
- I have to be done.

I can't
-
- I can't live in the middle of this.

I can't survive where I am now.

Let's just do it.

We really are over, aren't we?

Yeah, we've over.


-How's Zoey doing?
-Zoey?

She's a DA. She's also my ex wife.


-That woman is your ex wife?
-Yeah. She thinks it's funny

you representing a guy with multiple personalities,

when you yourself don't even got one.

[chuckling]

[car approaching]

[siren wails]

Was I going over the speed limit, officers?

OFFICER: Let's see some ID.

I don't have my wallet with me.

I don't usually carry it with me when I run.

Will you please step towards the car slowly?

Wait a minute. I'm an attorney.

I live two miles from here.

Yeah, sure. Move.

What's your reasonable suspicion?

You don't belong here.

You don't fit the profile of the neighborhood.

That's my suspicion.

We asked you to step toward the car.


-Get your hands off
-
-
-Shut your mouth!

Hey, hey, hey, hey! [grunts]

Ahh!

[grunts]

Ahh!

[grunts]

Happy now, smart guy? You happy now?

♪♪ [theme]

♪♪

All right, let's get going, shall we?

ARNIE: Where's Roxanne?

Attending to other matters this morning.

She may join us later.

First up, revenues for McKenzie Brackman, you'll be pleased to know,

rose percent for the month of January.

Excellent work, people. Let's keep it up.


-KUZAK: About time.
-DOUGLAS: Next,

on a truly disastrous note,

I'm the object of libel in this weeks Inquisitor.

I show you page one, "Vanna Dumps Bald Bore."


-Nice picture.
-Yeah, what's, uh
-
-

what's the deal on that, Douglas,


-she got married?
-Yeah, she told me she was going skiing.

Oh, well. Anyway, it's filled with malicious lies.

I want immediate action.

Ann, you b*at these tabloids before.

Call their lawyers, make some heads roll.

Moving on, the Barclay pre
-nup.

Yeah, I'm meeting alone with them tomorrow.

Her lawyer isn't even coming.

But I have got to get a secretary, Douglas.

We've sent you nine this past week,

you fired every one of them.

Yeah, because you send bimbos.

I'm telling you, Douglas, Roxanne's got a lot to learn

about personnel recruitment.

I'm also telling you that this Barclay pre
-nup

could be very complex,

and it is inconceivable for me to take this meeting

without a qualified, able assistant.

DOUGLAS: I'm assigning Gwen Taylor.


-She's excellent, and
-
-
-No way.


-She's mine.
-Stuart, you no longer need two secretaries.

Yeah, well, fine, give him Mary Beth,


-but I need Gwen.
-You do not need Gwen.

ARNIE: I don't need her, I don't want her,


-I don't like her.
-Well, you're getting her.

At least until the Barclay deal is done.

This is a million dollar client.

My decision is final.

When are his six weeks up?

Jonathan Rollins is calling in. He's in jail.


-Why?
-DOUGLAS: Jail?

ROXANNE: He was arrested. He left a message last night

on Victor's answering machine.


-I didn't get it.
-DOUGLAS: What happened?

Uh, he didn't say. He just said that

he's being arraigned this morning, and he needs you or Victor.


-I'll take it.
-No, you both take it.

DOUGLAS: Get down there right now. See what he needs. Move.

Grace, put in a call to Rogoff.


-Maybe he can help.
-Sure.

Let's adjourn. We'll cover the other items later.

Gotta get my coat.

[door closes]

CJ: Hey, it's okay. Settle down.

Just tell me what happened.

Okay, uh
-
-

Jim took Josh for the weekend.

you know, he gets him every other weekend.

I know, and?

And he's not bringing him back.


-What?
-His lawyer just showed up this morning,

and, uh, he says he's bringing a new petition for custody

in Indian court.

CJ, can they do this?

Where is Josh now?

He's still with Jim on the reservation in Arizona.

Okay, uh, look,

I'll go into court and get an order.


-When?
-This afternoon.

Leland McKenzie can get me in with Judge Lobel.

We'll jump all over this.

And then they'll
-
- they'll bring him back, right?

They can't just keep him, right?

I don't know.

I know the law, Janice,

but I have to be honest with you,

I don't know the first thing about Indians.

Number ,

People vs. Jonathan Rollins,

disorderly conduct, resisting arrest,

aggravated as*ault on a police officer, two counts.

Waive reading, defendant pleads not guilty.


-Question of bail?
-Your honor,

the accused is a respected attorney,

no criminal record, we'll be looking for OR.

There's a police officer in the hospital with a broken jaw, judge.

KUZAK: Which police officer att*cked Mr. Rollins


-without provocation.
-He was resisting arrest.

Your officers wouldn't be pressing this

to avoid brutality charges, would they Mr. Graphia?

The defendant assaulted a police officer, your honor.

VICTOR: We ask for a preliminary hearing

at the earliest possible date.


-GRAPHIA: Your honor
-
-
-So that we can refute the ridiculous charges,

and spare further damage to Mr. Rollins' reputation.

Tomorrow morning, I'll do it myself.

The defendant is released OR.

Mr. Graphia, sit down with your officers.

If they made a mistake.

I don't want them compounding it in this courtroom.

Next case.

MAN: Case number , State vs. Boucher.

I find that acrimony, if properly channeled,

can result in excellent productivity.

Now, since you two don't get along,

let's simply set some ground rules

so we can at least be clear on needs and expectations.

Arnold, you first.

This won't work, Douglas.

DOUGLAS: Tell her your needs.

Now.

All right. First and foremost,

I need someone who realizes that she is support staff.

Not somebody to second guess me,

not somebody to burden me with problems or questions,

but a person who will help me be a productive lawyer.

Now, if that means getting me coffee, you get me coffee.

If it means picking up my dry cleaning, you get my dry cleaning.

You don't bitch, you don't even throw

a resentful look in my direction.

You'll come in early some days, you'll stay late others.

You'll bring enthusiasm to your work,

you'll bring effort to your work,

and most of all,

you will offer up total subordination.

Those are my ground rules.

Very simple.

[sighs] Very good. Gwen.

I type words per minute, I take excellent shorthand,

and I write a pretty good letter.

I will get you coffee on an occasional basis

as a function of courtesy, not employment.

I will not go near your dry cleaning.

I come in at :, I leave at :.

If I have a question, I'll ask it.

If I have problems, I'll address them.

As far as your notions of subordination go,

I will be treated with respect at all times.

You'll keep your sexist delusions to yourself.

Your grabby paws will not even brush against me.

And if you mentally undress me,

I will feed your groin into the shredder.

Those are my ground rules. Very simple.

Well, looks like we're all clear.

I think we have a team.

CJ: What Mr. Long did amounts to kidnapping.

We have already had a custody hearing,

which custody was awarded to my client.

ATTORNEY: In your courts. Now we go to ours.

Counsel, the order of this court stands.

Your honor, the Indian Child Welfare Act

is federal law that gives the tribe exclusive jurisdiction

over the placement of Indian children.

JUDGE: It's not exclusive.

And that act exempts final divorce decrees in our courts,


-including custody decisions.
-Yes, but the ruling here


-prejudiced my client in the tribal court.
-I am order you right now

to bring back that boy.

That's not going to happen.

I will lock you up for contempt.

I'm not the one disregarding your order.

Ms. Long, I would send the police if I could.

But I am afraid that I have no enforcement power

on the Navajo reservation.

What does that mean?

JUDGE: What I'm saying is I can't do anything.

If you want your son back any time soon,

it looks like you'll have to go to tribal court.

My client is white, your honor.

Mr. Long is an Indian.

How can we expect to get an impartial hearing

in a Navajo court?

I don't know, counselor.

Mr. Wauneka, you tell your client

that if this is the way he wants to play,

he better hope to hell he wins.

Because if she does get her son back,

I'm cutting out all unsupervised visitation.

I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help, ma'am,

but you'll have to take your case to the Navajos.

♪♪

Problem is, it's not just the best interest of the child.

His people factor in the welfare of the tribe as well.

Then how can I possibly win, really?

Well, I'm told that Navajo tradition

does favor the mother.

Not white mothers, they don't. Trust me.

Hey, listen. Whatever your attitudes are,

you have to show respect in there.

If you alienate that court, we will lose before we begin.

And the only thing I want them to see in you is a loving mother.

Okay?

Okay.

Josh.

Hi.


-Oh, yeah.
-[baby fussing]

Oh, I know, I've missed you so much.

How have you been, sweetheart, huh?

I just wanted to let you say hi.

How can you do this to me?

Can you take him back to his grandparents, please?

[crying]

[sobbing]

You're not taking away my little boy.

You're not gonna do this, he's all I have.

I didn't want to do it this way.

[door opens]

[door closes]

Officer Janssen,

why did you detain Mr. Rollins on February th?

We had a serial r*pist working the area.

An hour earlier, he b*at and r*ped

a year old woman half to death.

The defendant matched that description.

And what happened when you stopped Mr. Rollins?

JANSSEN: After identifying ourselves as police officers,

we asked for some identification.

The suspect refused, and then became abusive and belligerent.

GRAPHIA: Verbally or physically?

He called my partner a bastard,

and then attempted to flee the scene.

When Sergeant Cobb moved to detain him,

the suspect assaulted him in the face,

at which point, I then subdued the suspect,

and placed him under arrest.

Thank you, officer.

So you thought my client was the r*pist.

He matched the general description.

I'll show you a print out copy of the APB report

giving a general description of the suspect.

Would you read it?

"Black male, height '", weight ."

VICTOR: Mr. Rollins is '" and he weighs .

He's four inches shorter and pounds lighter than your r*pist.


-It was dark.
-And he was black

in an all white neighborhood.


-Objection.
-Withdrawn.

Did you direct racial slurs to my client?

Nobody made any racial slurs.

Did you tell him that he didn't fit the profile of the neighborhood?

He didn't. This was a white neighborhood,

your client is black.

We've questioned white people in black neighborhoods, too.

Do you put them in choke holds and punch them in the kidneys?


-GRAPHIA: Objection!
-JANSSEN: I didn't punch him.

When he broke my partner's jaw,

I tried to restrain him and he fell against the car.

[scoffs] That's your testimony,

Mr. Rollins fell against the car.

Yeah, that's what happened. Were you there?

I'm done here, your honor.

You may step down.

Anything further, Mr. Graphia?

No, your honor.

Defense requests immediate ruling,

so I'm gonna give it.

Unfortunately, it's not what you want to hear.

Given Officer Janssen's testimony,

the signed statement of Sergeant Cobb,

and their exemplary records as police officers,

I find sufficient evidence to bind Mr. Rollins over for trial.

I'll hear scheduling motions tomorrow.

We're adjourned.

Good. Why don't we all just sit.

Now, before we start drafting,

we just want to get a general idea

as what you would want this pre
-nuptial to accomplish?

JOHN: Well, basically, this is coming from my family.

They just want to protect my inheritance.

Anything I already have or anything I make,

Sarah can have.

Is this okay with you, Sarah?

Fine. Whatever makes the uncles and aunts happy.

I just want John.

That's sweet.

If I may, though, I'd like to ask you,

and I don't mean to sound contentious,

I'd like to ask you both, before I start drafting,

to give some very serious thought

as to what this agreement represents.


-Meaning what?
-Meaning that there is the possibility,

in fact, the probability, that in the state of California,

this marriage will fail.

Mr. Becker, this marriage is not going to fail.

ARNIE: I certainly hope it doesn't.

And you both outwardly seem very committed,

but let's at least recognize the seed of doubt

that's giving rise to this very meeting.

We don't have any doubts, Arnie.

ARNIE: I wouldn't be doing my job as a lawyer, John,

if I didn't play a little devil's advocate.

Now, we're here planning for a contingency.

Should that contingency become a reality,

neither of you are gonna be feeling as charitable

as you do at this moment.


-Sarah, suppose he sleeps around
-
-
-Arnie.


-What is this?
-ARNIE: Oh, I'm not saying

you would do it willingly, John,

but Got forbid you should fall ill.

Recent studied show a rising occurrence of satyriasis,

as well as sex addiction.


-If this
-
-
-Arnie, I think that's a little remote.

Excuse me, are you an attorney?

What happens if you have children, Sarah?

Are you gonna want to snatch the kids

from the fruits of their inheritance

as well as the love of their father?


-This is ridiculous.
-It's not ridiculous.

You two have to see marriage as the plank walk that it is.

Statistically speaking,

you two could end up hating each other.

And it is with an eye for this hatred

that you should draw up this agreement.

We'd only been back on the reservation eight months

when she left.

She filed for divorce in L.A.

WAUNEKA: Where she was afforded full custody


-and you got visitation rights.
-Yes.

But this last time you took him for a visit,

you decided to keep him.

My son's a Navajo, Mr. Wauneka.

In the white world,

he'll be raised to be ashamed of that.

You don't think he could be raised

to appreciate his culture in Los Angeles.

I lived there.

Do you think all white men hate the Indian?

There are two kinds.

The ones who dismiss us just because our skin is red,

and the others who welcome us and encourage us to be white.

Do you have any reason to believe that your ex wife

would be guilty of this kind of discrimination?

She will make him forget his Navajo culture.

Objection. This man does not know my client's intent.

I know her.

I know she'll raise him with white man's dreams,

chasing white man's success,

and he'll end up with white man's contempt

for the Indian.

WAUNEKA: I have nothing further.

You yourself were brought up on an Indian reservation,

yet years ago, you left to pursue

white man's success, is that right, Mr. Long?

I made a mistake.

Yes, but the truth is growing up on a reservation

doesn't prevent one from chasing western dreams, does it?

Maybe not.

CJ: And the only reason you came back to the reservation

was because your painting business in Los Angeles


-went bankrupt, is that right?
-So?

So you came back to a place where you could feel safe,

and you're sitting here today looking to get custody

not so you can pass on your hopes to Joshua,

but rather your fears;

your fear and hatred of the white world.

You don't know the first thing about me.

I know that you're lying to this court.

Objection!

Why do you call this man a liar?

Is it true when you married my client,

you told her you wanted opportunities for your son,

chances you never had growing up on a reservation?

I said I was mistaken.

I show you a picture.

A picture you yourself drew for my client.

This is a drawing of your reservation.

Do you remember this?

Yes.

Did you draw these, uh, coyotes and owls around it?

Let me see that.

Did you draw this?

Sorry, your honor.

[speaking Navajo language]

For the record, could you tell us

the symbolism of the coyotes and the owls.

They're messengers of...


-illness and bad luck.
-And death.

This picture, in your opinion,

means that the Navajo reservation is dying.

Is that right, Mr. Long?

I have nothing further.

Right here.

GRAPHIA: All right, look, this is the situation.

Upon a closer look at the events,

we agree that it's possible
-
-

possible
-
-

that the officers were a little reactive.

Reactive? I don't think you
-
-

Jonathan. And?

Well, nevertheless, you did resist,

and a policeman got hurt.

We can't dismiss.

But we'll plea it out to misdemeanor battery.

You're just looking for a conviction

to insulate the department from a civil suit.

That's not gonna happen.

Then we got another problem.

See, the grandmother that was r*ped,

we showed her your picture.

With others, of course.

And while she couldn't conclusively ID you as the r*pist,

she couldn't rule you out, either.

Come on. [scoffs]

What the hell is this, Rogoff?

ROGOFF: Hey, I don't suspect him,

at least, not with what I've seen so far.

But you were in the area of the r*pe

at the time of the r*pe.

The victim's fingered you as a possible
-
-

Bastards. You won't get away with this.

GRAPHIA: We're not accusing you, Mr. Rollins.

We're just trying to apprise you of all the circumstances.

Look, let's get to the bottom line here.

What the hell is your message?

Let's get rid of this.

The fact that she said it could be you,

well, those officers will be screaming that as loud as they can,

if they're forced to defend themselves.

Take the plea, the book on this gets closed.

Refuse the plea, everything stays open
-ended.

There's your message.

Sons of b*tches.

♪♪

What do you mean, I have no case?

They said I slept with my stepmother.

Well, you had that affair with Rusty, Douglas.

And she did give birth to your half brother.

While she may not technically be your stepmother,

you won't make libel here.

What about the part saying I like sex with

senior citizens and prostitutes?

Well, Rusty was in her s, and, uh, Marilyn,

even thought she's a legitimate surrogate,

basically engages in sex for money.

What about this one.

This... was in Star Gazer.

"His shiny head hurts my eyes!"

I'll, uh
-
- I'll look it over.

You rang? Oh, sorry.

John Barclay wants to leave the firm. What happened?

I don't know, the guy's an egg shell. I just pointed out that
-
-

He stands to inherit his father's company.

This could potentially be one of our biggest clients.


-I'll get him back, Douglas.
-A simple pre
-nup.

And you end up costing the firm
-
-

I said I will get him back, so just lay off.

Do you hear me, senior partner?

Lay off.

[door closes]

MAN: In addition to being a doctor of psychology,

I am also a professor of anthropology.


-And you're a half breed.
-Yes, I am.

So I feel I can tell you

both personally as well as professionally,

raising Indian children in white families


-does not work.
-Why, doctor?

Because they are raised white

with absolutely no sense of their Indian culture.

WAUNEKA: What's so wrong with that?

MAN: When they hit adolescence, they run head first into

a society that will be telling them they are not white.

And since they have no Indian heritage to fall back on,

they virtually become non
-persons.

This type of situation is extremely destructive.

But, doctor, what if Mrs. Long were careful

to make Joshua aware of his culture?

Well, that is a very nice idea.

But the reality is,

if you assimilate this child

into a totally white environment,

he's still gonna grow up with a white social identity.

This identity will eventually be stripped away

no matter what Mrs. Long does.

It is in any child's best interest

to see their race preserved.

The American Indian is facing extinction.

So whenever you take an American Indian child off the reservation,

and assimilate them into a white society,

you're fostering cultural genocide.

It's certainly not in Joshua Long's best interest

to see his people wiped out.

Thank you, Dr. Landale, that's all.

You never made an examination of this particular child

to determine which parent he'd be better off with,


-did you?
-No, I did not.

And, doctor, what would happen to a boy's ability

to bond and trust

should he be taken away from his mother?

LANDALE: It could be compromised.

CJ: Compromised?

The damage could be irreparable, hm?

Separation for a child more than six months old

rarely causes long term harm.

But it could.

Severing the boy's ties to the American Indian tribe

could be just as devastating.

What is the leading cause of death on the Navajo reservation?

Alcoholism.

CJ: And what is the life expectancy

of an Indian man on the reservation?

It is approximately years of age.

Did any of this factor into the consideration of

Joshua's best interests?

Medically, maybe the Indian is not that advanced, yes, but
-
-

What about education? What about unemployment?

What about the fact that half the Indian population

lives below the poverty line?

You're raising the subjective standard of the white man.

CJ: I am talking about the thr*at of hunger.

The thr*at of poverty, illiteracy and death

being greater in the Indian world

that it is in western society.

Are those subjective standards to you?

It is the white man's obliteration of the American Indian

that has caused this.

I am not asking you what did the damage, doctor,

I am just asking you to admit the damage.

It is my professional opinion

that this child is better off in the Indian community.

Yes, your opinion is very clear.

And where do you live, Dr. Landale?


-Objection.
-JUDGE: No.

Where do you live?

Phoenix.

Thank you.

I have nothing further.

Come on, we gotta be able to do something.

Are you sure they didn't say anything

that we could go public with?

No, it was all scripted.

They were careful to paint the thr*at

without crossing the line of extortion.

But the message was there, if Jonathan fights,

they put it out he's a r*pe suspect.

I don't like to give in to this kind of crap,

but I don't know what else to do.

I'm not pleading out, Michael. I can't.

I make that deal and those two cops walk away,

heads high, totally vindicated.

Jonathan, if you don't plead,

the stain of that woman IDing you
-
-


-She didn't ID me.
-GRACE: As a possible, she did.

I don't care how inconclusive or tainted the make was.

Do you realize that all they have to do is say

that there is evidence against you

but insufficient to prosecute.

Your career, it'll be dead forever,

not to mention your reputation.

I can't take a plea here.

I would never be able to live with myself.

Victor, man, come on. You have to know what I'm saying.

I know exactly what you're saying, Jonathan.

But if we fight here,

you get hurt worse.

[scoffs]

Oh, for God's sake, people, we're all smart lawyers here.

We gotta be able to come up with something.

We can't just let him die on the vine.

John, can we please just talk a little?

Forget the talk, just give me the check.

You tried to sabotage the whole wedding, for God's sake.


-I don't
-
-
-Would you just hear me out?

No. One thing I will not do is hear you out.

The things you said. My God!

How can anybody spew out that kind of crap

to two people about to get married?


-Thank you.
-I was just being honest.


-If I offended
-
-
-You did. Goodbye.

Um, if I could be so blunt, Mr. Barclay,

I think you're being a little silly.


-Gwen
-
-
-That's okay.

Why am I being silly?

Well, a lawyer is supposed to protect a client from disaster,

not play emotional cheerleader in praise of marital bliss,

that's the minister's job.

Now, as for Arnie, specifically, come on.

He doesn't know the first thing about

what it takes to build a relationship of any kind.


-Excuse me?
-No offense, Arnie.

He just came out of a failed marriage

that he himself wrecked.

He has no concept of fidelity.

He's devoid of any ability to trust.

And he wouldn't share a stick of gum, much less his feelings.

But, when it comes to the breakdown of relationships

and all the legal consequences that are involved,

that he knows.

That, Arnold Becker knows better than anybody.

So I guess the question here is

are you looking for a guidance counselor or a divorce lawyer?

Well, I'm looking for someone a little less destructive

to the welfare of the marriage.

Did he say anything that even remotely threatened

your relationship to Sarah?


-No.
-No.


-No, but he tried.
-It's his job to try.

To look for the seams and to build a pre
-nup

that will protect you if those seams should ever split.

Give me back the check, Mr. Barclay,

let's put that money to good use.

Sweetheart.

Baby.

Hi.

Hi.

How much?

No, I don't need money this time, I promise.

Oh, God.

Last time you showed up unexpected

not wanting any money, you proposed.

Please, let me write you a check.

I need a favor, kiddo. It's a big one.

Uh
-oh. The tone.

Yeah, the name Jonathan Rollins mean anything?

Come on, Tommy,

the whole department's talking about that one.

He works in my firm, and he's a friend, Zo.

You know what's going down?

Yeah, I hear some things.

He's innocent.

And you know that, too, don't ya?

Look, honey, I don't mean to get you in trouble,

but your people here are making him take a fall

for something he didn't do.

Now, that kind of stuff don't sit too good with you, we both know this.

What do you want from me, Tommy?

I want you to get involved.

If you can make it go away, I want you to make it go away.

I can't help you on this.

This isn't just the police

protecting a couple of reckless cops.


-This is bigger.
-How much bigger?

[sighs]

Well, word around the office is that Rogoff owes the police

some serious political payback.

They've come collecting on this.

Dig it up for me, Zoey, you gotta get me something I can use


-so I can
-
-
-I don't have anything you can use.

You can't win this, Tommy. Don't try to be a hero.


-The kid needs a hero.
-Tommy.

Look, Zo, I'm sorry.

I know I got no right putting you in the middle.


-Yeah.
-But this thing.

It's just a little hard to walk away from.

I wish I could help you. I do.

Yeah. Me, too.

Cindy
-
- Never mind.

Cindy, wait. Uh...

get me the Brian Chisholm file, all of it, right now.

JANICE: I don't doubt Jim's ability to be a good father,

and I know he loves his son very much.

But I've taken care of Joshua all his life,

I've been with him every day.

I can't
-
- He should be with me.

CJ: I think the fear is

if Joshua lives with you,

he will lose out on his Indian culture.

I don't intend to make him forget he's an Indian.

And maybe I can't give him

some of the things you talk about,

some of the Indian ways.

But I'm his mother,

and I'm the only one that can give him that.

Whatever any little boy may need growing up

in any society or culture.

My God, he has to have his mother.

Thank you, Mrs. Long.

I have nothing further.

You yourself rejected the Indian way of life,

didn't you?

I rejected living on a reservation, yes, I did.

What's a healing way, Mrs. Long?

I'm not sure. It's Navajo
-
-

It's an Indian ceremony.


-What's a flint way?
-Objection.

WAUNEKA: Your honor, the witness suggests that

she won't cause the child to abandon his heritage,

when it's clear that she herself

doesn't know anything about how we live.

Well, let me tell you how I lived on your reservation, Mr. Wauneka.

I had to chop wood and lug water every day.

Move to strike.

No. I want to hear her answer.

I was ostracized because I couldn't herd sheep

or speak Navajo.

I had to live in a
-
-

a hogan without electricity, without running water.

And as a white person,

I was the enemy.

And none of you can deny that.

I was treated as an outsider.

If I rejected you, Mr. Wauneka,

it's because you rejected me first.

My son is Indian.

And I want him to know that.

And I want him to be proud of that.

And more than anything else, I want to try to teach him that

people are people are people.

Race doesn't matter, at least not to me.

Are you telling us that his Indian race doesn't matter?

No, it matters.

It matters.

But what matters more is that I'm that boy's mother.

I gave birth to that little boy.

And he shouldn't lose me...

just because I'm white.

I don't think there's much doubt that

both parents love Joshua very much.

But under the Indian Child Welfare Act,

the federal law as passed by the United States Congress,

you also have to take into account

what's best for the tribe.

The Indian culture is faced with genocide.

Thirty percent of our children are taken away.

Ninety percent of those going to white families

who cause these children to abandon their heritage.

You heard Janice Long.

She rejects us.

How can any child raised under her influence

grow to love or even respect what we are?

The only means of saving our world is the child.

And with every one that slips away,

our race is one step closer to extinction.

It's a desperate thing, I suppose,

to cling to children as a means of propagating a race,

but genocide is a desperate thing.

I understand your pain, ma'am.

I hope that one day

you will come to understand ours.

They call America a melting pot;

a place where all cultures come together as one.

The trouble with the American Indian is

we're trying to melt the entire race.

We took your land.

We assimilated your people.

As Mr. Wauneka says,

your tribe is being eroded away,

and that should stop.

But this isn't the way.

You cannot attempt to serve your heritage

at the expense of a two year old boy,

and that is what they are asking you to do.

He has lived all his life with her.

When he cries, she's the one he runs to.

When he's happy,

she is the one he wants to share his joy with.

This woman is that boy's life.

There is no one he trusts more,

and there is no one he loves more.

He lives in Los Angeles.

Let him go home.

Let him go home with his mother.

Last chance, Jonathan, you sure you want to go through with this?

Guess I have no choice.

WOMAN: Case number ,

People vs. Jonathan Rollins.

Your honor, the parties are prepared to offer a plea.

All as*ault counts dropped.

Mr. Rollins agrees to plead guilty to

misdemeanor battery on the resist.

Joint recommendation for days probation.


-Defense so agree?
-Your honor, Zoey Clemmons, Assistant District Attorney.


-If I may be heard?
-Approach.

Your honor, I have information which calls into question

the legality of this prosecution.


-What are you doing?
-Shut up, Billy.

What's going on?

Your honor, several months ago,

this office prosecuted a police officer

by the name of Brian Chisholm,

who was charged with the fatal sh**ting of a black teenager.

Ironically, it was Mr. Rollins himself

who defended this officer.

JUDGE: I remember. So what?

Your honor, because of the racial tension

surrounding this event,

Mr. Rogoff was faced with a tremendous backlash

at a time when he needed the black vote

to win his re
-election.

It is widely believed within the department

that Mr. Rogoff prosecuted Brian Chisholm

for the sole purpose of appeasing his black constituency,

in turn, to secure that re
-election.


-That's a bald faced lie!
-Mr. Rogoff, be quiet.

ZOEY: Further, upon information and belief,

Police Chief Kevin Vance

was prepared to publicly condemn Mr. Rogoff

for what he believed to be

the political sacrifice of one of his officers.

Chief Vance and Bruce Rogoff then struck a deal,

whereby the chief agreed to stay silent on the Chisholm issue.

Bruce Rogoff in exchange agreed to back

the police department at every turn

after he was re
-elected.

Vance is sticking Rogoff for the payback in this case.

Your honor, this isn't about politics.

The fact is, Mr. Rollins committed a crime
-
-

Nobody believes that Mr. Rollins is a criminal.

This is about ass covering.

Your honor, it is also widely believed within the department

that Mr. Rollins is being blackmailed

into accepting today's plea.

If he does not capitulate,

the department is prepared to cite him

as a possible r*pe suspect

despite a total absence of good faith belief

that he committed any such crime.

They hangin' r*pe over your guy?

Yes, your honor, they did.

GRAPHIA: You can't prove any of this.

ZOEY: I am in that office, Billy, I know what's going on.

Everybody knows what's going on.

This is one of our top ADAs, judge.

Why would he be assigned a simple felony?

Why is Bruce Rogoff monitoring this case?

Why is he in this room for a plea bargain?

Guess I could ask, uh...

why are you here?

I'm coming forward as an officer of the court

to prevent what I believe to be

a gross violation of the judicial process.

Bruce Rogoff abused his power.

Jonathan Rollins is an innocent man.

I am here in what could be my last act as an ADA...

asking the court to remedy an extremely unjust situation.

Thank you.

Well, I don't know where that came from but
-
-

Shut up.

Don't worry, Mr. Rogoff, I only believe every word.

A warrant is hereby issued for your arrest

for obstruction of justice.

You don't have the authority to do that.

Watch me.

Court officer will place Mr. Rogoff into custody.

And be thankful, Mr. Graphia, I don't lock you up as well.

The complaint against Jonathan Rollins

is hereby dismissed on all counts.

This is a complete farce.

JUDGE: Put than man in lock up now.

And don't forget to read him his rights.

Son of a bitch.

What?

Listen, uh, Rox, I, uh
-
-

I'm kinda messed up, I, uh
-
-

I acted out all my hostilities the other day

over this Corinne thing,

and I nearly lost a client,

and I've been dumping secretaries,

I fired you.

I want you to come back, Rox.

I'm working for Douglas now.

I know, and I hear you're doing great.

I
-
- I'll
-
- I'll match whatever he's paying.

I think I'll just stick where I am for a while.

I can't take Gwen, I can't.

According to John Barclay,

Gwen's the reason he stayed with the firm.

I don't care. Do you know what she's been saying?

She
-
- She says that I have no concept of fidelity,

that
-
- that I'm not to be trusted.

I
-
- I
-
- I'm not even capable of having a relationship.

You should hear some of the stuff that's coming out of her mouth.

I need you, Rox.

No.

For years,

I've done nothing but nurture your esteem, Arnie.

I loved you, I
-
- I
-
- was in love with you,

admired you.

It must have been so great

for you to come into work every day

and
-
- and look at yourself through my eyes.

I'm sure Corinne gave you the same thing.

What you need, Arnie, is to see yourself for who

and what you really are.

Gwen may be the best thing that happened to you.

I'll just fire her. You can't stop me.

You're right. I can't.

Hi. I brought you some coffee.

As a function of courtesy.

Parties approach. Lawyers too, please.

As a Navajo, I bring to the bench my subjective beliefs;

that the white man is a nemesis

who destroys the land,

and he will eventually bring ruin to himself.

I also believe that

since Congress has trusted me to protect the tribe,

I am authorized to fight the white man's dominance.

The genocide that Mr. Wauneka speaks of,

we've all seen it happen,

and we all desperately want to stop it.

What's steeped even more in our traditions

is the protection of the child's relationship to his mother,

and without any evidence

that this mother is unfit to raise her son,

I am not going to strip her of that custody.

Your honor, please.

JUDGE: Bring in the boy, please.

Mrs. Long,

just as you prayed that I would not overlook

the truth that this child is your son,

I pray that you will not overlook the other truth

that he is a Navajo.

Order of the California Superior Court is upheld.

Give the boy to Mrs. Long.

Please, let me hold him first.

[baby fussing]

[speaking Navajo language]

♪♪

[baby crying]

District Attorney Bruce Rogoff, meanwhile,

is steadfastly denying all allegations.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Shear

will become acting DA for the duration of the investigation.

[knocking]


-Hi.
-Hi.

I got somebody here wants to meet you.

I'm sorry that you had to go through such an ordeal.

I don't know how I can ever repay you, Ms. Clemmons.

Zoey.

Zoey.

Nobody's ever gone out on a limb for me

as much as you did today. Ever.

And you don't even know me.

It's him.

He makes me do crazy things.

That's why I had to leave him.

Yeah, well, I owe him, too.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Give me a minute, would you Jonathan?


-We'll be right out.
-Yeah, sure.

You gonna be okay here?

It's a little scary.

If Rogoff's out, I'm okay.

If he comes back into power, I go into private practice.

It's about / right now.

You know...

sometimes it's hard to believe that

you were such a God awful wife.

'Cause you are still the greatest person

that I ever met.

Can I quote you on my resume?

Absolutely.

You are such a bad influence.

I know.

I know.

♪♪ [theme]