07x19 - Vindaloo In The Villows

[bunniefuu]

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

There he is. How's it going, chief?


-Dominic, hi.
-Put out your hand.


-How come?
-Put out your hand?

I got something for you.

Ha
-ha! I wheeled an exacta in the eighth race

at a
-to
- sh*t.

Bingo!

He has no idea what I'm talking about.

You had a very big day today, Ben.

There's three large right in the palm of your hand.

Benny, we'd like you to tell us a little bit more about this friend of yours.

What do you wanna know?

For starters, we'd like to know

why it was that he gave you $,.


-The horse he bet on won.
-But why did he give you money?

He always gives me money when the horse wins.

I give him money to bet with,

and he gives me money if the horse wins.


-Where are you going?
-I gave out the mail,

and I put extra paper in the copier,


-and I cleaned up the kitchen.
-Benny.

Tell her where we're going.

We're going to Vegas.

You're taking advantage of someone who is mentally Ret*rded.

I'm not taking advantage of anyone.


-So it happens, Ben's an adult.
-A Ret*rded adult.

An adult, a grown man, who doesn't have to answer to you

or anyone else about how he spends his money.

Ben, give me another here, would you?

Yeah.

So tonight's the big night, huh? You ready?


-I guess so.
-You guess so?

Ben, "you guess so" is not the right attitude.

You remember what we talked about?

You can't be tentative, all right?

He who hesitates is lost.

You snooze, you lose.

You sleep, you weep. You follow me?

If you want this woman, you have to go after her,

and you have to go after her strong.

What if she doesn't like me?

She said she'd go out with you, didn't she?


-Uh
-huh.
-What more do you want?

You think she...

just likes me because...

well, she's Ret*rded?

She likes you, Ben, because you're a likable guy.


-Uh
-huh.
-Let me tell you something, Ben.

Women are different from men.

Women know what they want and what they don't want.

And one thing for sure they don't want is weakness.

And they can smell weakness the way a shark smells blood.

You deal from strength, and they're yours to do with as you will.

How are you today?

Do you mind not smoking in here?

Absolutely not.

Tell me something. You like Italian food?

Ben and I were just discussing our plans for this evening,

we thought you might be interested in a little dinner,

some wine,

a little veal scaloppini.

I don't eat veal.

A little linguine with white clam sauce,

a little steak pizzaiola.

Or in the alternative,

we can dispense with the restaurant altogether.

I can bring my Jerry Vale records over to your house,

then we can send out for Chinese.

Look at that.

I can't get a rise outta this one no matter what I do.

Come on. I'll see you tonight, Ben.

Last chance.

No?

Okay.

♪♪ [theme]

♪♪

Rawner v. Jayaraman, Poondar and Chandra.


-What on earth is this?
-STUART: It's mine, Douglas.

We represent three men who work in an Indian restaurant

who are being sued by a couple

who claim top have been beaten by them while dining there.

How were we so fortunate as to have this one fall on our laps?

Stuart made the mistake of telling the owner of the restaurant


-that we were attorneys.
-It's a great restaurant.

Is this one on the cuff, Stuart?

Absolutely not. Ollie Jayaraman is a paying customer.

I happen to like Indian food. Sheila prevailed on me one night to give it a try.


-I found it to be rather good.
-We'll take you to Ollie's place. You'll love it.

DOUGLAS:Lake v. Seaverson.

Lucille Lake is the direct descendant

of a sl*ve named Dandridge Bright.

Dandridge Bright was a painter.

Twenty of the paintings that he made while he was a sl*ve

are now in the possession of Mr. and Mrs. Seaverson
-
-

Mr. Seaverson being the direct descendant of the sl*ve owner
-
-

and Mrs. Lake would like her paintings returned to her family.

She's suing over this now? How do you get past statute of limitations?

The value of the collection was only made known to her recently.

I also intend to argue that title in the paintings

never vested with the Seaverson family,

because Dandridge Bright was their sl*ve.

This is a case you're entertaining


-some chance of winning?
-Yes, it is.

It's also a case that could lead to lots of other cases.

If we're even slightly successful,

if we come away with anything,

this could lead to an expl*si*n of subsequent litigation.

And we, in all likelihood, would be the first place


-that these plaintiffs come.
-No, I think you're dreaming.

I think no matter what platitudes people mouth regarding sl*very,


-nobody gives anything back.
-We're looking to break new ground, Jonathan.

I think it's a risk worth taking.

It's not as though we've got anything to lose.

What about the client?

We're handling this on a contingency basis.

She's really got nothing to lose.

And that makes it okay for her

to go along thinking she's actually got a chance.

I think she has a chance.

If I didn't think so, I wouldn't be representing her.

[scoffs]

Let me make this as clear as I can.

I've got a medical malpractice and a wrongful death

both scheduled for trial.

The last thing I need on my calendar is a food fight.

The defense agrees, Your Honor. We're ready to settle.

I'm prepared to write a check this instant.

And in the spirit of reconciliation,

I will also provide to the plaintiff

Mr. and Mrs. complimentary meals at my restaurant

for one month tax included.

First of all, my clients have no interest

in eating at Mr. Jayaraman's restaurant ever again.

Secondly, he's only offering $.


-You have a figure in mind?
-$,.


-For spilling food?
-There was no spilling.

The waiter and busboy att*cked us.

Please, sir, it was but a tragic misunderstanding.

He hit Warren with the lamb vindaloo

while the other one pelted us with chutney.

These are vicious lies.

The man and woman were the aggressors.

They are responsible for the v*olence.

What Rupesh means is we must put blame aside

and seek accommodation.

STUART: Your Honor, the Rawners have no medicals.

Their losses are nowhere near six figures.

Because of the associations with that night of terror,

an entire subcontinent of gastronomia

has been poisoned for both of us.

For us, it is a loss you cannot put a price on.

Try, Mr. Rawner.

I'm sorry you can't enjoy Indian food anymore,

but I suggest you lower your sights and settle,

and I suggest you make it well south of $,.

Your Honor, I'm not going to allow my clients to enter settlement negotiations

until I've had a chance to depose the defendants.

I am not extending discovery beyond this week, Counselor.

Either finish by then, or I'll invite a motion to dismiss with prejudice.


-Got it?
-My God, I like this woman.

Not as an admission of fraud or guilt

but as a gesture of goodwill,

the Seaversons would like to offer you

% of the royalties from the book

that they had just written about Dandridge Bright,

They would also like Mrs. Lake to write a forward to the book.

What kind of numbers are we talking about, Mr. Richards?

If this book sells to colleges as a text,

your clients could make up to $,.

And if it doesn't sell to colleges?

Publisher estimates to $,.

No.

No? That's it?

Mama, I think we should discuss this.

We're not rich people, Mrs. Lake,

and we don't plan to sell the paintings.

What we want to do is continue lending them to museums,

giving everyone a chance to look at this great artist's work.

It still comes down to you deciding

what to do with my great
-grandfather's paintings.

Could I have a moment with my mother, please?

I don't need a moment. The answer is no.

Mrs. Lake, if you win and sell the collection in pieces,

or, God forbid, sell it to a foreign buyer,

you've lost an invaluable piece of American art and heritage.

Mrs. Seaverson,

I see the results of the heritage

of sl*very and oppression

every time I open my eyes.

My daughter's little girl is smart enough to be a doctor,

but nobody she's ever known has ever been that.

We don't have enough money to send her to medical school,

so you know what her highest aspirations are?

To have a nice car.

And to keep from getting pregnant until she's .

My grandson doesn't believe he'll live past ,

so he doesn't even bother to think about future.

I want my grandchildren to have at least a chance

at the kind of life your children take for granted.

And if selling a few of my great
-grandfather's paintings

will help me to do that,

I'd think he'd say, "Go to it."


-♪♪ [accordion plays]
-♪♪ [man singing "Santa Lucia"]

♪ Santa Lucia ♪

♪ Santa ♪

♪ Lucia ♪

We having a great time, huh?

Is this place great or what?

An do look what else we got here.

Italian good luck cookies.

What are you doing?

What am I doing?

Wait and see.

Huh?

The higher it floats, the better the luck.

[gasps]

Not bad, huh?

[chuckles]

So, Rosalie, you having a good time?


-Yes.
-Mm
-hmm.

They make a good marinara sauce here,

you know, not too heavy.

Hey, I gotta hold up the conversation up all myself here?

What's the story? Usually, I can't get him to shut up.

And here he's got a beautiful woman sitting next to him,

he's speechless.

Doesn't Dominic have a beautiful voice?


-Yeah.
-I love this girl. She never says no.


-Hi, Mama.
-Hello, Rosalie.

I hope I'm not too early picking you up,


-but you did say :.
-Mm
-hmm.

This is my mother. This is Dominic.


-Pleased to meet you.
-[chuckles]


-And this is Benny.
-Hello, Benny.

Hello.

So you ready to go home?

Ah, what's the rush? Come on.


-Sit down. Take a load off.
-Well, I don't know
-
-


-Have a cup of coffee.
-[snaps fingers]

Would you like to stay a little longer?

Dominic just sang a song.

Really?

They were playing "Santa Lucia." I couldn't resist.

And he knows all sorts of tricks, too.

Show her the one with your hands.

I'm not sure which one you mean.

You know, Ret*rded Three
-card Monte.

Ah, I'm not sure that's really such a good one, Ben.

There's other games that are a lot funnier.

I'd really like to see that one.

Sure! Um, put your hand on the table.

Like that, yeah.

Now I put my hands like this.

And then...

[hands tapping]

Oh. Which hand is yours?

I don't know. [laughing]

That's why they call it Ret*rded Three
-card Monte.


-[Rosalie giggles]
-Okay, so, hey, Fran,

can I interest you in a little spumoni?

I really don't find games like that amusing.

Oh, we were just having a little fun, you know?

I think you were jut having fun at someone else's expense.

Hey, come on, Fran, let's not ruin a nice evening here.

Rosalie, I think it's time for us to go home.

Benny, very nice meeting you.

Dr. Haverford, as an historian,

what is your area of specialty?

African
-American life in the Antebellum South.

Are you familiar with the work of Dandridge Bright?

Yes. I've done considerable research

and published a number of articles

on Mr. Bright and his works,

as well as other African
-American sl*ve artisans and artists.

What makes these paintings of Mr. Bright's so valuable?

HAVERFORD: They represent a very rare look at plantation life

from the point of view of a sl*ve.

Beyond that,

examples of arts and crafts of this quality

or any quality for that matter,

done by slaves are almost non
-existent.

What they did was not generally recognized as odd,

and vey little was preserved.

What were your sources in researching, Mr. Bright?

The overseer's book from the Seaverson plantation,

as well as a detailed journal

kept by Dr. Phillip Seaverson.

Who want Dr. Phillip Seaverson?

He was Dandridge Bright's owner

and the great
-great
-grandfather

of the gentleman sitting over there.

What was Dandridge Bright's job

as a sl*ve on the Seaverson plantation?

Initially, he was a stable boy.

As he got older, and the Seaverson children

took a fancy to him,

he was moved into the house

as a butler and babysitter of sorts.

Is that when he started painting?

To the best of our knowledge, yes.

Mr. Haverford, in your expert opinion,

did Dandridge Bright freely give his paintings to Dr. Seaverson?

No, a sl*ve had no property.

He was property, just like livestock.

It would be impossible for a sl*ve

to make a gift of something that his master already owned.

Thank you, Dr. Haverford.

Dr. Haverford, is there any indication

in Phillip Seaverson's journals

that he forcibly took those paintings from Mr. Bright?


-No.
-Well, in your opinion,

is it impossible for a sl*ve of his own freewill

to make the gesture of giving a gift to his master?

In my opinion, a sl*ve by definition has no free will.

Dr. Haverford, in the interest of serving justice here,

I have to ask you this.

Do you think as an African
-American yourself,

that it is possible for you to render

an unbiased opinion on this subject?

I was unaware, Mr. Richards,

that the condemnation of human sl*very

was a bias.

I have no further questions for Mrs. Lake's witness.

Mr. Rawner, in looking over the order slip for the meal that night,

I noticed that there's a dish I couldn't find on the menu.

He means the chicken "karihai."

It is "karahi." If the woman can not

pronounce the Hindi properly,

perhaps she should stick to English.

Please forgive my cousin's playful chiding.

Actually, the missus' dialect is quite good.


-Most authentic.
-We asked the chef to prepare the "karihai,"

because we desired a dish from the Punjab.

And how did you find the "karahi"?

The chicken was overwhelmed with fenugreek,

and with no cayenne to stand up to it,

the dish was unbalanced.


-So you sent it back.
-Yes, it was in edible.


-They'll think you're a hard man to please.
-Is that a question?

Mr. Rawner, let's turn to the events

that immediately precipitated the alleged as*ault.

How would you describe it?

Our waiter, that dangerous
-looking one

they call Rupesh,

brought a serving of lamb vindaloo.

I took one bight, and I was overwhelmed with nausea.


-Too hot for you?
-No!

He could not eat it. I could not help myself but laugh.

In my village, small girl scan eat vindaloo

twice as spicy, that's why you're dead.

It was you who att*cked.

When I told him to take back the vindaloo,

he got this strange look in his eye,

and started mumbling in Hindu.

The next thing I knew, the plate of vindaloo came crashing down on my head.


-And what did you do?
-Well, I was fighting for my life and for Lois.

So you admit that you hit them back.


-He had to, it was self
-defense.
-Oh, not so!

Mr. Rawner, isn't it possible this entire melee resulted

because you overreacted to having food spilled on you?

No. It was an att*ck
-
-

a brutal, vicious att*ck.

[overlapping shouts]

Hi, Benny.

Hi.

This is where you work.

Yeah, I'm making copies.

Mmm.

I had fun last night.


-I did too.
-Good.

[chuckles]

Dominic wasn't mad at my mom, was he?


-I don't think so.
-I hope not,

'cause she said she was glad to meet you.

She said she was especially glad to meet Dominic.

[chuckles]

She has to meet everyone now.


-Anyone I'm with, she has to meet.
-Oh.


-Ever since this thing happened.
-What thing?

This thing that happened with this guy.

Well, he goes to the rec center sometimes,

and
-
- and this thing happened.

What happened, Rosalie?

Well, this guy came into the locker rooms while I was

changing into my bathing suit,

and he did some things to me that
-
-

He did some things that were not very nice.

What kind of things?

You know.


-Sex?
-Uh
-huh.


-Did you tell the police?
-No.

Oh, Rosalie, you gotta tell somebody about this.

I did. I told my mama. I told you.

You gotta tell somebody that can do something about it.


-Somebody like my friend Tommy.
-What can he do?

Well, he works in a district attorney's office.

He can make sure that man goes to jail.

I don't
-
- I don't wanna talk to anybody.

It'll be okay.

I'll go with you.

Mrs. Lake, how much do you know about your family?

We can trace our family history back five generations,

when my great
-great
-grandfather Moses Bright

was brought to South Carolina

from the Niger Delta in Africa by sl*ve traders.

Dandridge was born in and sold to the Seaversons

away from his own family in .

Where you close with your great
-grandfather, Mrs. Lake?

I didn't get to know him very long.

When his wife d*ed in , he just disappeared,

and nobody could find him,

until he showed up on my aunt's doorstep

in Cleveland in .

Apparently, he had been living on the streets.

He didn't like to talk about it much.

And then three years later he d*ed.

When did you discover that your great
-grandfather was a recognized artist?


-About six months ago.
-How did you make that discovery?

I got this call from an art dealer in Chicago,

and he said that he had recently seen the Seaverson collection.


-Why was he calling you?
-He said that he had traced

the family tree of Dandridge Bright

in hopes of finding some descendants

who might have paintings that they were willing to sell.

What did you do then, Mrs. Lake?


-I called the Seaversons.
-How did they respond to you?

Well, at first they treated me like I was visiting royalty.

They invited me out to their house in Pasadena

to look at the paintings.

They even came to Nickerson Gardens and picked me up.


-What happened?
-They said they were ashamed

that their great
-great
-grandfather had owned slaves,

and they hoped they were making some amends

by allowing the paintings to be seen and appreciated by the public.


-What did you say?
-I said if they really wanted to make amends,

they would give the paintings back to Dandridge Bright's family.

They thought I was joking,

till I got a lawyer.

Then they stopped returning my calls.

Thank you, Mrs. Lake.

I have and further questions.

Mrs. Lake, is it your testimony

that you did not know that your great
-grandfather was an artist?

I knew he liked to paint,

but I didn't know how much his paintings were worth.

So, prior to contacting the Seaversons,

you never made any attempt

to locate any of his paintings.

That's right.

This is a newspaper account of a family reunion

at your aunt's home in .

Would you please look at the accompanying photograph

and tell us whether or not that is in fact your aunt's house?


-Yes.
-And is the man in the photograph

your great
-grandfather Dandridge Bright?


-Yes.
-Would you please describe for the court

what Mr. Bright is standing next to?

He's standing next to his paintings.

What became of those paintings, Mrs. Lake?

Objection! Dandridge Bright's total output

is not in dispute here, Your Honor.

What is in dispute are the paintings

currently held by Chet and Janet Seaverson.

It goes to the question of reasonable discovery.

I'll allow it.

Do you know what happened to those painting, Mrs. Lake?

My aunt did not have a big house in Pasadena, Mr. Richards.

Mrs. Lake just answered the question.

When my grandfather d*ed,

the only way my aunt could make ends meet

was to rent his room.

She didn't have anyplace to put his paintings.

What became of the paintings of Dandridge Bright

that your family owned?


-My aunt threw them away.
-Thank you.

♪♪

I've loved these paintings since I was a kid.

Why is that, Mr. Seaverson?

Because I couldn't believe that someone who had lived as a sl*ve

could still view life in such a luminous and vibrant way.

When did you discover that the paintings were valuable?

Well, initially, they weren't very valuable.

They became valuable when I started taking

the collection to
-
- to art critics

and galleries and pushing for exhibitions and reviews.

And why did you do that?

Because we believe we had an incredibly important piece

of American artistic history

that belonged to the public domain,

not in our living room in Pasadena.

Did you know that Mr. Bright had any living relatives?

Not until Mrs. Lake called us.

Did you ever do anything to conceal the existence of these paintings from them?

The collection had been on exhibit in museums

across the country almost continually for the past years,

including four months in Los Angeles.

And Mrs. Lake could have as easily walked

into that exhibit as anyone else.

Thank you.

This collection has been appraised at half a million dollars.

Is that correct, Mr. Seaverson?

Yes, but that's really irrelevant

since I don't plan to sell it.

Well, you don't have to sell it

to reap the benefits of it, though, do you?

I'm not sure what you mean.

Your connection to these paintings has helped you

get a seat on the board of directors of the American Folk Art Museum,


-isn't that so?
-Well, yes,

but my work there is completely voluntary.

I receive no compensation for that.

What about the numerous lectures you've given

at museums across the country?

What about the book you're about to publish on the work of Dandridge Bright?

The remuneration from those things does nothing more

than offset the cost of my participation.

But it has given you a high profile in the art world, has it not?

Ms. Paros, an artist,

especially a folk artist like Dandridge Bright,

does not get to be well known,

unless somebody makes it his business

to show his works to the world.

I am that person.

And I've done so, because I believe that Dandridge Bright

was an extraordinary talent

whose work could benefit a lot of people.

Do you believe that one man should benefit from the forced labor of another man?


-No.
-Well, if you don't believe that, Mr. Seaverson,

and if your only intention in all of this

is to bring Dandridge Bright's art to the people,

why don't you sell these paintings to a museum,

and give the proceeds to the descendants of Dandridge Bright?

We shouldn't have to sell these paintings.

My family preserved them for five generations.

I have tended this collection. I have promoted it.

And I am entitled to keep it.

And the fact that it came to you through sl*very


-has no importance here?
-Objection. Badgering, Your Honor.

I didn't own slaves. Why should I have to pay for a crime I didn't commit?

Why should you get to benefit from it?


-Objection, Your Honor.
-Withdrawn.

I have no more questions.

You claim you lost control of the tray.

Yes, it bobbled, and the vindaloo toppled onto the customers,

quite accidentally.

And before I could apologize,

the mister grabs me by the throat

and begins to squeeze the breath out of my body.


-Oh, please.
-I thought I was a dead man.

Had my cousins not intervened, who knows what he would have done.


-Exactly.
-Ollie, let's just get through this.

Mr. Poondar, how long have you been a waiter?


-Five years.
-Is it your life's ambition to be a waiter?

No. I am an engineer with a PhD.

It must be difficult for an educated man such as yourself

to take orders all day.

When the customers are well
-mannered

and respectful, I am content.

I imagine the Rawners posed quite a challenge

given their demanding personalities.

Oh, they were most discourteous,

always bossing and yelling.

I attribute this to low breeding.

Is it true they sent back two dishes


-prior to sending back the vindaloo?
-Yes.

We should have sent back the whole meal.

And each time, did the cook then have to prepare

an entirely new dish from scratch?


-From scratch, yes.
-How long did this go on?


-More than two hours.
-Two hours?

The Rawners didn't even arrive at the restaurant until after .

Are you telling me they kept you

running back and forth to the kitchen till one a.m.?

And then they took one bite of the vindaloo, and send it back too.


-They were impossible.
-Didn't you just wanna k*ll them?


-Yes, I wanted to k*ll them!
-There's no jury.

So you took the vindaloo and you smashed it over Mr. Rawner's head.


-Yes!
-Don't answer that.

Then you took the chutney and you threw it at Mrs. Rawner, didn't you?


-Yes! I threw it!
-Don't answer that!


-Your cousin b*at them too?
-Yes!


-STUART: We want a recess here!
-We hated them!

We b*at them because they deserved to be beaten!

And if they ever sit at my table again,

I shall b*at them again.

Oh, Rupesh, Rupesh, Rupesh.

Rosalie, this happened six weeks ago?

You said you remembered 'cause it was right after your birthday.


-Yeah.
-Okay.

Now, this man Clark Simms.

You knew him?

He came to the rec center sometimes.

Can you remember what happened after he followed you into the locker room?

He told me he wanted to talk to me.

And was anyone else around?

No. It was late.

Tell me what happened next.

He...

...told me that he
-
- he liked me.

And then he asked me if I liked him.

And he asked me if I
-
- if I wanted him to be my friend.

And did you answer him?

It's okay to tell Tommy.

I said yes.

Tell me what happened next.

He touched my hair.

And then he pushed me down on the bench,

and, um...

and he laid down on top of me.

And I tried to get up, but he was too big.

And then he, um...

he pu
-
- he pulled down my swimsuit bottoms.

Rosalie, did he have any kind of a w*apon?


-Um, no.
-Did he hit you,

or thr*aten you with v*olence?

No.

Did you tell him no?

I told him I had to go home.

I told him that I wanted to go!

I did.

Rosalie, I'm gonna ask you a question.

But I want you to think real hard

before you answer it, okay?

Did you tell this man that you didn't want to have sex with him?

Yes.

Okay.

If that's what happened, I think we have a case against him.

But I wanna be sure you understand this isn't gonna be easy.

You're gonna have to talk to a lot of people you don't know.

You're gonna have to answer a lot of questions

about a lot of different things.


-I'll help her.
-Okay.

Rosalie, are you sure this is what you wanna do?

This is what I wanna do.

Okay then.

The body of our country bears many scars

from a violent and tragic history.

But if we hold our contemporaries responsible

for wounds inflicted by our remote ancestors,

we risk descending into chaos.

Should we tear up the railroads because the tracks were laid

by exploited Chinese laborers?

Should we dismantle our cotton and rice and tobacco industries

because they were built on the back of black slaves?

Should we turn back our clothing because

somewhere in our history

a child was forced to work or hours a day

at a sewing machine?

Or should we lay these tragedies to rest

and move on?

There is no one in this courtroom who is making an argument

in favor of sl*very.

You are not here to pass judgment on sl*very.

What you are here to determine

is whether or not to penalize the man

for something that his great
-great grandfather did.

Not his father, nor his grandfather,

nor even his great
-grandfather,

but his father's father's

father's

father.

This man has done nothing wrong.

The events of another century do not give us the right

to take away that which is his.

That which is his.

That which he inherited.

That which was in his family.

That which is his.

Though the defense counsel would disagree,

I maintain that it is entirely acceptable

for you to ask yourselves,

"How did it get to be his?"

Chet Seaverson has directly and personally benefitted

from the work of a sl*ve.

He has built a reputation in the art world

and increased his net worth by a half a million dollars

based on paintings that his great
-great grandfather acquired

without the consent of the artist.

He stole them. I mean, that's not what it was called at the time,

but that's what it was.

Stealing.

And to say that Dandridge Bright

gave his paintings to the Seaversons

is to imply that he had a choice about keeping them.

He was a sl*ve, he had no choice.

Not about keeping his freedom.

And not about keeping his family.

And not about keeping his paintings.

I think if Dandridge Bright came before you

and asked to have returned to him that which he lost

as a result of his enslavement,

the answer would be very simple.

You give him what he asked for.

He wasn't allowed to make demands then,

and he can't be here now,

but his direct descendent is here.

Tell her what you can no longer tell him.


-That was a fine speech, Miss Paros.
-Oh, Thank you.

I thought my mother was crazy bringing this lawsuit.

Now, I think we actually might win.


-[chuckles]
-So you thought I was crazy, huh?

He admitted to the battery during the deposition, Your Honor.

We see no reason why we should be the ones to back down from our position.

Because your clients don't have a quarter of a million in damages,

and my clients don't have a quarter of a million, period.

And they have no insurance.

They best they can scrape up is ,.


-Garnish their wages.
-No, please, Your Excellency.

Mr. Gaffney, if you and your clients

are foolish enough to proceed to trial,

I foresee a strong chance you'll wind up with nothing.

On the other hand, the court would look favorably

on an agreement that achieves the following.

The Rawners get , in compensatory damages,

broken up over two years.


-And punitives?
-No punitives.

Mr. Poondar will enter a psychological counseling program

to help him control his dangerous temper.

Finally, for the next six months,

while he undergoes treatment,

Mr. Poondar should be kept away from customers.

In the wrong circumstances, a loaded vindaloo could be a deadly w*apon.


-I don't wanna take any chances.
-I could put Rupesh in the kitchen.


-Pete?
-Done.

And Mr. Jayaraman, keep an eye on the little guy, too.

I'm not so sure about him.

Oh, I certainly will, Your Excellency.

And I want you to know you're cordially invited

to come down to my restaurant free of charge

and enjoy a full
-course meal for you and a dining companion.

No, thanks. I've got a peptic ulcer to take care of.

My sympathies, Your Excellency.


-Good
-bye, Mr. Jayaraman.
-Good
-bye, Your Excellency.


-Tommy Mullaney?
-Yeah.


-Can I help you?
-Fran Hendrickson,


-Rosalie's mother.
-Oh, of course.


-Please, come on.
-Thank you.

Your daughter's very brave.

Going through a r*pe trial under any circumstances is an ordeal.

I don't need to tell you how much she's gonna need your full support.

That's what I wanna talk to you about.


-Of course.
-Rosalie told me what you discussed,

what she's going to have to testify to on the witness stand.

She's just gonna have to tell the truth.

I'm not worried about what she's gonna do.

I'm worried about what you're gonna do.

What do you mean?

Is the fact the Rosalie is developmentally disabled

going to factor into your case?

Yeah. The fact the Rosalie's Ret*rded

goesdirectly to the issue of consent.

So you're gonna say that she wasn't capable of consent.

I'm gonna say that, in this particular instance,

she was not capable of consent, yes.

So you're gonna put my daughter in front of a courtroom

as, um, Exhibit A,

as the perfect example of how the mentally Ret*rded

are not responsible for their actions.

I am gonna do my best to see

that the creep who r*ped your daughter gets convicted.

No matter how much you might damage Rosalie's self
-esteem in the process.

Mr. Mullaney, ever since Rosalie was a little baby,

I devoted myself to treating her like any other child.

I encouraged her independence.

I insisted that she be treated like a human being.

And she has grown into a beautiful, capable woman.

I won't let you put her on the stand and destroy that self
-confidence

all for the sake of obtaining a conviction.

Your daughter was r*ped.

She has the right to see her attacker brought to justice.

Tell me something. If Rosalie wasn't Ret*rded,

would you still be prosecuting this case?


-No, I would not.
-Why wouldn't you?

She didn't file a police report,

she didn't seek medical attention,

there's no physical evidence, and there are no witnesses.

Besides, it's a month and a half after the fact.

I've agonized over what happened to my daughter that day,

and I want very much for the man who hurt her to suffer,

but presenting my daughter not as a woman who was r*ped,

but as a helpless Ret*rded girl who was incapable of making her own decisions,

I believe you will be doing her far more damage,

and I won't let you do that.

I wanna withdraw the complaint.

That decision has to come from Rosalie.

You'll hear from my daughter by the end of the day.

It is good.

I'm ready to open myself up

to different kinds of restaurants

different kinds of ethnic eating experience.

There are so many ethnic groups in this city.

I think we should take advantage of them all.

STUART: Absolutely.


-Welcome, honored friends.
-STUART: Hi, Ollie.

These are friends of ours.

This is Douglas and Sheila Brackman.

Honored to have you here with us.

May I take your order, or would you like a little bit more time?

No, I think we're ready.

I'll have the aloo chaat to start

and my usual saag paneer.

I always get the same thing.


-Madame?
-Oh, let someone else go first.

Yeah, I'll have the tandoori chicken.

And I'll have my own saag paneer,

since I know my wife won't give me any of hers.


-One saag.
-Ollie, what is the difference

between the saag paneer and the matar paneer?

Saag paneer is with spinach,

matar paneer is with green peas.

Would you excuse me for a moment?

I have to take care of some people.

Uh, Rupesh will take the rest of your order.

What is the difference between

the dal makhani and the dal gosht?

Ah, the dal gosht is with lamb.

And the dal makhani is with what?

Dal makhanis. Lentils. Only lentils.

The murgh musallam, what is that?

Murgh musallam. It's chicken served over minced meat.

Oh, so it's chicken and meat? I think I'm better off with just chicken.

Why don't you try the chicken curry?

I'm not too big on curry.


-How about chicken korma?
-What is chicken korma?


-ANN: It's a crème sauce.
-You don't want crème.


-You're right.
-How about tandoori chicken?

That sounds good. That sounds good.

Ooh! What is baingan bharta?


-Douglas, just order something.
-ANN: Let him ask, Stuart.

How else is he gonna learn?


-What is baingan bharta?
-What is narvatan korma?

And what is the difference between paratha, papadums,


-kulcha and naan?
-MAN: Rupesh, no!


-[Douglas cries out]
-[gasps]


-Has the jury reached a verdict?
-We have, Your Honor.


-JUDGE: What say you?
-In the matter ofLake v. Seaverson,

we find for the plaintiff

and award to the sum of $,.

Your Honor, move for judgment notwithstanding the verdict.

Your Honor, there are no grounds to overturn this verdict.

Sit down, counselors.

I'm prepared to do this on the court's own motion.


-What's going on?
-I'm not sure yet.

Having reviewed all the testimony

and considered the arguments put forth in thisthsi courtroom,

I find that this case turns on questions of law

rather than questions of fact.

At the time Dandridge Bright produced the work in question,

he belonged to Phillip Seaverson.

As reprehensible as we may find that now,

this collection of paintings came into the Seaverson family

through legal means.

Whether we like it or not,

sl*very was a perfectly legal institution

prior to the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment.

That amendment abolished sl*very.

But it said nothing, absolutely nothing

about transactions between sl*ve and master.

Given that, there is no basis for interfering

with present
-day property rights.

To do so, in my opinion,

would be tantamount to a taking

and would itself be constitutionally prohibited.

I also find the statute of limitations not to have been told.

Accordingly, plaintiffs action is barred

as a matter of law.

Jury verdict is set aside.

Judgment is hereby entered for the defendant.


-This case is dismissed.
-WOMAN: Damn!

How could I be so foolish?

How could I look for justice from a system

designed by old white men to protect what they've got

and keep us begging at the door?


-This is neither the time
-
-
-How could I even consider

that you would leave anything to chance?

That you would relinquish control of your safe little world

to people who might just maybe

shake things up a bit?


-Oh, baby, wait!
-Oh, Mama, it's a mockery!

Wait, wait! Wait a minute!

Wait!

All right, we knew it would be a longshot.

Well, I managed to forget all that.

I managed to fool myself into thinking

that we were actually being listened to.

If you want me to, I can take it up on appeal.


-What would our chances be?
-Not great.

Miss Paros, we appreciate all the hard work you put in, and we thank you.

I'm willing to keep going with this.

If my daughter wants to pursue it, she's free to do so.

But for me, once is enough.

Mama.

Rosalie, hi.


-I'm not gonna do it, Benny.
-Do what?

I'm not gonna talk to Tommy anymore.

I'm not going to court.

My mom says that Tommy's gonna say

that I can't make up my own mind

because I'm Ret*rded.

My mom says that that is not true.

What do you say?

I say...

I'm gonna listen to my mom.

Okay.

So...

So you're not mad at me?

No.

I like you, Benny.


-You do?
-Yeah, I really do.


-Well, I like you too.
-Come here.

Come here.

[whispering]


-Want me to?
-No!


-Why?
-Because.


-Because why?
-Because it's wrong.

Sex is wrong?

Well, it's wrong

if you don't love the person you're doing it with.

I'm sorry.

[stammering] No, it's okay.

I guess you want me to go.

No.

I want you to stay.

[crying]

It's okay.

It's okay.

♪♪ [theme]