23x09 - Family Ties

[bunniefuu]

In the criminal justice system,

the people are represented

by two separate, yet
equally important groups:

the police, who investigate crime,

and the district attorneys,
who prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

Do you solemnly swear
that the testimony you give

to this federal grand jury will be

the truth and nothing but the truth,

so help you God?

So help me God.

Please be seated.

Are you here under subpoena?

Yes.

And you are not represented by counsel?

They told me I didn't need one.

You understand that your
testimony is being recorded

and everything you say
is subject to the pains

and penalties of perjury?

I'm here to tell the truth.

But I do have one question.

Yes?

He doesn't know I'm here, does he?

What do we got?

Eileen Porter.


trauma to the head.

Guy in the gurney?

Her husband, Tom Porter.

We found him unconscious.

Still breathing.

There's a spare room back there.

Does anybody else live here?

Neighbor's saying they use
it as a kind of home office.

Looks like we got a
lot of dried blood here.

Must have been here a few hours.

MLI says it happened sometime
between 8:00 p.m. and midnight.

Any witnesses?

No.

How about cameras in the building?

Nope.

Unis are out checking street footage.

No signs of forced entry?

Locks are undisturbed.

Well, nothing seems out of place.

So probably not looking at a robbery.

Her coat's still on.

The k*ller could be someone
they know and invited in.

Maybe somebody followed them inside.

I found this in the trash.

Looks like someone
tried to rinse it off,

but there are definitely
still traces of blood.

Let's get that tested
for DNA and prints.

Who found them?

Neighbor said they
heard their dog barking.

They said it went on for hours.

She finally called 911 to
make sure everything was OK.

Well, everything was definitely not OK.

I wish I'd called the police sooner.

Did you happen to see
or hear anything unusual?

Just the dog barking.

Anyone coming or going from
the apartment last night?

I wouldn't know. I live upstairs.

Did anyone have a problem
with Tom or Eileen?

Maybe someone that
lived in the building?

They were both so polite.

Tom works for a nonprofit.

Eileen is in public service.

She's an aide to that
congressman, you know,

the, uh, family values guy.

Might have to be a little
more specific about that one.

Rhett Richards. That's his name.

Tom Porter's got a serious head wound.

He's in surgery right now.

Doctors haven't determined

the full extent of his injuries yet.

Did forensics get back
to us on the hammer?

Yeah, DNA shows that the blood
came from three sources...

Tom, Eileen, and a third
subject not in the system.

So our k*ller must have
been cut in the scuffle,

which gives us something to work with.

Computer crimes has been
analyzing Eileen's devices.

And when they were looking
at her phone, it rang.

Who was it?

Federal prosecutor.

I called him, but I got the runaround.

Those guys wouldn't tell
you if your coat was on fire.

They're claiming grand jury
secrecy, but I looked him up.

He works in the Public Corruption Unit.

Yeah, and Eileen worked
for Congressman Richards.

I just read an article in the "Post"

about the turnover in his office.

His chief of staff resigned,
and she refused to say why.

Hmm.

I bet she'll be a little
bit more forthcoming

if you two paid her a visit.

Eileen told me she saw something weird

in the congressman's finance reports.

What do you mean by weird?

The congressman used campaign funds

to pay for his wife's Botox.

Eileen thought maybe it was a mistake.

So she did a little digging,
found out he was using

the campaign credit card
for expensive dinners,

trips to the Caribbean,
luxury car leases,

jewelry for his wife,
himself, and his mistress.

So what did Eileen do?

She called the FBI.

And then we both resigned.

Did Eileen speak to
a federal prosecutor?

She was supposed to testify against
the congressman in the grand jury.

Did the congressman know that?

Two nights ago, I was
at Eileen's apartment.

He called her.

Said if she kept lying
about him, she'd regret it.

Mr. Family Values.

At the end of the day,

the only thing that matters,

really matters,

is our family and our faith

and how we marry those values
as we navigate the world.

In my house, we swear
by the Golden Rule...

do unto others as you'd
have them do unto you.

Thank you.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Thank you so much for being here.

Thank you.

Congresswoman Richards?

I'm Detective Jalen Shaw.

This is Detective Vincent Riley.

Yes?

Is there somewhere we can
go and speak in private?

Now's not a good time.

We're asking for your
cooperation, Congressman.

Trying to make a federal case out of

a couple of trips to Aruba
and a tennis bracelet?

We are not here about
some trips or a bracelet.

No, but if you don't
want to come voluntarily,

we could always set you up
with a pair of our bracelets.

Right this way.

I'm sorry to hear Eileen d*ed,

but I had nothing to do with it.

She was testifying against
you in the grand jury, right?

You threatened her and
told her not to cooperate.

Then 24 hours later, she winds up dead.

You realize you're speaking
with a United States

congressman, accusing him of m*rder?

We're just laying out
the facts, counselor.

Look, the investigation into my
expenses is a total witch hunt.

So you're not concerned
about the grand jury?

Yeah. Not one bit.

In fact, I'd welcome a public trial.

Probably rile up the base,
give me a boost in the polls.

Wow, good for you.

That being said, where
were you last night

between 8:00 p.m. and midnight?

At a fundraising event.

With about a dozen donors.

- And my wife.
- We'll look into that.

In the meantime, will
you consent to a DNA swab?

Like I said, I have nothing to hide.

Let's assume for now
that you're not involved.

Do you have any thoughts
about who might have

wanted to k*ll Eileen?

Well, a couple of days ago,

one of my volunteers went
out to lunch with her.

She said a man came in, saw Eileen,

and started swearing, yelling.

It almost got physical.

We'll need the name of that
volunteer and the restaurant.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I remember her.

She was having lunch.

This guy came in, drunk,
holding a can of beer.

Brought his own beer?

That's dedication.

Yeah, he... he was very aggressive.

He beelined to this
woman and yelled at her.

Did you hear what he said?

Something about money, how
she stole from him or...

anyway, he put the can
down, lunged at her,

and then two waiters had to intervene.

Nobody called the police?

I offered, but the lady
said she'd handle it.

So she left, and the
guy followed her outside.

And you have no idea who this guy was?

No.

Do you still have that beer can?

You know, recycling isn't
picked up till tomorrow,

and we don't sell cans of beer.

So it'd be the only one in there.

All right. Thank you.

So where are we?

Spoke to the hospital.

Tom Porter is now in a
medically induced coma.

He's got a brain bleed.

Is he gonna make it?

Doctor says it's 50/50.

Lab pulled prints off of the beer can.

They belong to Kevin Marshall,
date of birth 7/11/89.

Get this... Eileen's brother.

Does he have a rap sheet?

He sure does.

Public intoxication, DUI,
and one as*ault conviction

for what looks like a bar fight.

This is interesting.

Looks like he filed a civil lawsuit

against Eileen a couple months ago

- in probate court.
- Hmm.

Do we have an address,
know where he works?

He's a set carpenter at a
theater off of Christopher Street.

Kevin Marshall?

Yeah? What's this about?

Step this way.

We need to talk to you
about your sister, Eileen.

Are you kidding me?

That bitch called the police on me?

So I'm guessing you
two not so close, huh?

Look, guys.

Where's your hammer?

Uh, I don't know.

We borrow each other's tools.

- What's going on?
- Let's find a place to talk.

Seems like you were
pretty mad at your sister.

Eileen and I had our differences,

but she was the only family I had.

You filed a lawsuit against her.

What was that about?

Our parents are both gone.

They left us about a 100 grand each.

My parents appointed Eileen trustee,

and she wanted to give
me a monthly allowance.

I've had some problems with addiction,

but I felt like I should be
able to handle my own money.

So you guys had a
contentious relationship?

Yeah, but I didn't k*ll her.

Where were you two nights ago

between the hours of


Here, breaking down the
set until about 2:00 a.m.

with about 20 other people.

Would you be willing to take a DNA test?

Sure.

I want to know who k*lled my sister too.

OK.

All right, Kevin, think.

Do you know of anyone who might
have wanted to hurt your sister?

The last decent conversation we had,

Eileen said she was volunteering
at a homeless shelter.

She'd hired one of the
guys to do odd jobs.

And what makes you think this
guy had something to do with it?

He was an ex-con. Did time for burglary.

I told... I told her it was dangerous,

letting strangers into
her place like that,

but she never listened to me.

Do you know what shelter
she was volunteering at?

No, but it was near her apartment.

OK.

Benny Kramer?

NYPD.

- Come with me.
- For what?

Get up.

Come on. Come on.

Let me ask you a question.

How many times have you been
in Eileen Porter's apartment?

All, right, listen, man.

This can go one of two ways, OK?

You can talk to us, or we
can call your parole officer

and get him involved.

I'll pay back the money.

The... tell us about that.

Last time I was at Eileen's,

I saw a couple of 20s on the counter,

and I pocketed the bills.

I didn't think that she'd report me.

I'll pay her back.

See, that's not possible.

Benny, Eileen's dead,

k*lled two nights ago
in her own apartment.

She had her head bashed in.

Where were you two nights ago?

Same place I always am, this shelter.

Check the logs.

We will.

Is Eileen's husband OK?

He's in a coma, so no, he's not OK.

What about the other woman?

Other what... what
are you talking about?

What other woman?

The one that lives in the guest room.

I painted it last week.

Look, I took a picture.

See?

Is that the woman there?

Yes.

Do you know her name?

Uh, no, I never really met her.

Guys, how'd you make out
at the Porters' apartment?

Found a hairbrush in the guest room.

It matches the unknown
DNA of the hammer.

We don't have a hit in the profile yet.

Somebody's got to know who she is.

Check this out.

I was looking into the
Porters' financials,

thinking maybe somebody
was paying them rent.

Came up empty on that front,

but I found something that's just...

it's off.

A few months ago, it looks
like Tom wired somebody $50,000.



For a guy who works in nonprofit,

that's a lot of money.

- Exactly.
- Who'd he send it to?

Looks like a company called
Family Services Consulting.

The owner's name is Pavlo Golub.

There's a business with
that name in Staten Island.

Found the website.

"Think you can't afford a family?

Think again.

I can help make your dreams come true."

So what?

So Tom Porter sends $50,000

to some cut-rate adoption agency?

I smell a field trip.

Hop on the ferry, go find out.

I'm a family services
consultant, you know,

like a matchmaker.

I help families who want children

but can't afford the
services in this country.

I find them pregnant women
or surrogates in Ukraine.

We know the Porters wired you 50 grand

a couple months ago, yeah?

Were they looking to adopt a child?

Sorry, I don't want to
betray any confidences.

Can you just ask him?

We'd like to,

but somebody put a
hammer through his skull,

so now he's in a coma.

The Porters were
looking for a surrogate.

And you charged them $50,000?

Yes.



Well, that's a hell of a business plan.

The woman carries the
baby for nine months

and you pocket 80% of the fee?

$10,000 to a woman in
Ukraine is life-changing.

So you connected them to
a surrogate in Ukraine?

Exactly.

Where is this woman now?

After the pregnancy took,
we arranged with the Porters

to have her come here to
live with them in America.

We'll need a name.

You need more information,

you're gonna have to have a subpoena.

Darina Meleshko.

That's the name of
the Porters' surrogate.

She's 24 years old. She's from Kyiv.

She's here on a travel
visa, and she used

the Porters' address
on her visa application.

So she's the one who was
living in the guest room?

For all we know, she
might be our k*ller.

All right, when's the last
time anybody had eyes on her?

Actually, she opened up a
new bank account yesterday,

deposited a check for $2,000.

Where'd the money come from?

A guy named Dennis Leverett.

He lives in Riverdale.

Well, let's see if he
knows where to find her.

Sure, we know Darina.

She just moved into our guest room.

Yeah, and how do you know her?

A friend of a friend
told us about Pavlo Golub.

He introduced us to Darina.

We're going to adopt her baby.

She told you it was her baby?

Pavlo said she was pregnant,

not in a position to care for a child.

It's a girl.

And how much did you pay Pavlo?

$250,000.

It's the going rate.

And he never mentioned
anything about another couple?

No, why?

Do you know where Darina is right now?

We sent her on a staycation for
a couple of days at a nice hotel.

Darina Meleshko, we've
got some questions for you.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Hey, hey, don't move, all right?

We just want to talk to you.

Please don't hurt my baby.

How'd you get that gash on your hand?

What do you want?

You can start by telling
us how your DNA got

on the hammer that k*lled Eileen Porter.

No, no, no, no, no,
that's not happening.

- That's not happening.
- Don't do that. Don't do that.

Darina Meleshko, you are
under arrest for m*rder.

- No.
- Come on.

Please don't hurt my baby.

Ah! Oh!

- Whoa.
- Stop.

Whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

- Hey.
- I think I'm going into labor.

- Oh, oh.
- OK.

- I need to go to a hospital.
- All right. OK. All right.

- Oh, oh, please.
- Hold on.

Oh, I'm serious.

Oh! Call an ambulance.

No, no, no, we can get you there faster.

Let's go. Come on. Come on.

Calling docket ending in 9076,

People versus Darina Meleshko.

Charging one count of
m*rder in the second degree

and one count of attempted
m*rder in the second degree.

How do you plead?

My client pleads not guilty.

I'll hear you on bail.

Your Honor, there are two
victims in this case...

Eileen Porter, who
was brutally m*rder*d,

and her husband, Tom, who was recently

released from the hospital.

The defendant was a surrogate
for Tom and Eileen Porter,

but after she got
pregnant with her embryo,

she sold their baby to another couple

who could afford to
pay a lot more money.

On the day of the
m*rder, the Porters caught

the defendant moving out of their home.

The victims told her she
could not leave with their baby

and threatened to call the police.

So she k*lled Eileen
and tried to k*ll Tom.

That's pure conjecture.

The m*rder w*apon, a hammer,

had both victims' and the
defendant's blood on it.

She had a cut on her hand
when she was arrested.

She had motive and opportunity,
and she's a flight risk.

People seek remand.

Ms. Stratford?

My client is not a flight risk.

She has no money, no resources,

and nowhere to go.

Your Honor, my client
gave birth four days ago.

She's nursing a newborn.

She can do that in
the nursery at Rikers.

The defendant's remanded.

You're really gonna send her to Rikers?

She tried to sell the Porters' baby,

then bashed them in their heads.

This has all been a
terrible misunderstanding.

A misunderstanding?

Pavlo Golub lied to Darina.

He told her the Porters
were having second thoughts,

that they weren't even sure

they wanted to raise the child anymore.

He said he found a loving couple,

and Darina trusted him.

Have some compassion, Sam.

What's this?

Your Honor, I filed a motion to suppress

the so-called m*rder w*apon.

On what grounds?

The search and seizure was in
violation of the Fourth Amendment

to the United States Constitution.

Where was the evidence found?

It was a hammer found in a trash
can at the Porters' apartment.

The police shouldn't
have touched it until

they had obtained a search warrant.

We shouldn't even be
having this discussion

because the defendant has no standing.

Only the lawful
residents of the apartment

have the right to challenge the search.

At the time of the seizure,

my client was still
living in the apartment.

Some of her personal items
were in the spare bedroom.

Was she on the lease?

No.

She lived there for two months.

She had her own set of keys.

She hadn't filed a change of
address with the post office.

She was in the process of relocating
but hadn't officially moved.

It's a close call.

But I find that the defendant still had

a reasonable expectation
of privacy in the home.

The motion to suppress is granted.

We lost the m*rder w*apon,

which is a huge blow to the case.

So what else do you have?

Who's your strongest witness?

The baby broker, Pavlo Golub,

the man who arranged the surrogacy.

He can testify to Darina's state of mind

that she was a willing participant,

that she agreed to pretend
the baby was her own.

Isn't Golub part of the scam?

He wasn't just part of it.

He was the mastermind.

But he didn't k*ll anyone.

The problem is that he's
demanding full immunity.

Golub has run this con on
two other desperate families

with two other desperate refugee women.

We can't just give him a free pass.

I agree.

My sister adopted a child from China.

She was so anxious and vulnerable.

To prey on people looking
to create a family,

it's repugnant.

I'm not gonna reward someone like that.

In fact, I want to open
up a case against him.

The victim's husband's gonna
be your most emotional witness.

Kick off your trial with him.

Eileen and I met during freshman
orientation at Georgetown.

It was one of those "love
at first sight" moments.

And you wanted to start a family?

Eileen had survived childhood cancer.

She couldn't carry a baby,

so we arranged to have our
embryo implanted in a surrogate.

That surrogate being the
defendant, Darina Meleshko?

Yes.

Do you have any memory of what happened

between you, your
wife, and the defendant

on January 15th of this year?

The last thing I remember
is coming home from dinner.

Eileen went to see Darina to
let her know that we were home,

see if she needed anything.

- Was Darina there?
- I can only guess.

Like I said, I don't remember.

We trusted her,

welcomed her into our home,

treated her like family.

I... I can't believe that she would

do something like this to us.

Objection. Not relevant.

My baby is living in a prison.

- Your Honor!
- Mr. Porter.

Please, Darina, just let me see her.

I just want to hold her.

Mr. Porter, there's no
question before you, sir.

Anything else, Mr. Price?

No, I have nothing further.

Cross examination.

Is it possible that
you startled my client,

scared her, yelled at her?

I never raised my voice with her before.

But you must have been angry
to see that she was leaving.

You... you could have threatened her.

I may have been angry.

I doubt I threatened her.

But you can't swear to that?

Correct, I can't.

Did Darina tell you
about her life in Ukraine?

A little.

Did she talk about the Russian soldiers?

Yes, she did.

The constant barrage of g*nf*re,

the unrelenting bombings?

She did.

Did Darina tell you
she witnessed the death

of her husband and young son?

Your Honor, I fail to see the relevance.

Sustained.

Anything else?

No, thank you.

Dr. Thomas, did you perform the autopsy

on the victim in this
case, Eileen Porter?

I did.

What did you determine
to be the cause of death?

Blunt-force trauma to the head.

Could you describe the nature and
severity of Ms. Porter's wounds?

She had eight separate and
distinct att*cks on her skull.

And is it true that any
one of those head wounds

could have k*lled Ms. Porter?

That is my opinion, yes.

So would you characterize this att*ck

as unnecessarily vicious?

I would.

Thank you, Doctor.

I have nothing further.

Ms. Stratford?

Did this incident appear to be
the result of rational thought?

I'm not sure what you're asking.

Then let me rephrase.

Are you familiar with
post-traumatic stress disorder?

- I am.
- Your Honor, may we approach?

This doctor is not an expert in PTSD.

And even if he were,
what's the relevance?

Where are you going
with this, Ms. Stratford?

We are changing our defense.

To what?

Not guilty by reason of insanity.

This is trial by ambush.

The defense realizes
we have a strong case,

so they've decided to
completely change course.

We are allowed to present
any defense we choose.

Sure, if you provide notice

and comply with the rules of discovery.

I don't condone their tactics,

but I can't deny the
defense an opportunity

to present relevant
evidence and witnesses.

I will give you time
to prepare, Mr. Price.

Ladies and gentlemen,
we're adjourned for the day.

Dr. Galen, are you a
board-certified psychiatrist

with a practice in New York?

I am.

I specialize in the
neurobiology of trauma.

And did you conduct a forensic
examination of my client?

The National Center for
PTSD has a standard set

of questions used to
evaluate the intensity

and frequency of symptoms.

I administered that test,

and I asked Ms. Meleshko about her life.

What did Darina tell you?

Darina was a preschool teacher.

Her husband was an engineer.

They lived in Kyiv
with their infant son.

When Ukraine was invaded,
her home was bombed.

Did Darina show you this photograph?

Yes.

She told me it was what her home

looked like after the att*ck.

Was Darina in the building
at the time it was hit?

Her husband was decapitated
right in front of her.

Her infant son was k*lled by a mortar.

And Darina managed to survive?

She and her mother went
to a refugee shelter.

Did all this have an effect on Darina?

Most definitely.

She has all of the
classic symptoms of PTSD...

flashbacks, nightmares,
intrusive thoughts.

And can PTSD alter
one's brain chemistry?

It can increase vigilance,
impulsivity, stress responses,

and memory intrusions.

Dr. Galen, in your professional opinion,

did Darina's mental
disease render her unable

to understand the wrongfulness
of her actions on January 15th?

Yes.

Thank you.

Nothing further.

Do you know that Tom and Eileen Porter,

or the victims in this case,

had no evidence of offensive wounds?

No, I did not know that.

All of the evidence in this case

indicates that this was
an unprovoked att*ck.

Yes, but in Darina's
mind, it was warranted.

The defendant was
never treated for PTSD.

She's never complained
about her symptoms

until after she saw that the
evidence against her was mounting.

- Objection. Argumentative.
- Overruled.

Unfortunately, many of those
who suffer from the disorder

do not seek professional help.

Dr. Galen, according to UNICEF,


at risk of depression,

anxiety, and PTSD due to
the Ukrainian-Russian w*r.

As far as I know,

none of them have committed
this kind of atrocity.

Objection.

Sustained.

Anything else?

No, thank you.

I've been reading about our
defendant's life in Ukraine.

Seems pretty tragic.

I think we should consider a plea.

I don't want to diminish
what she's been through.

But I just don't think
she was legally insane.

Everything she did before and after

the att*ck was intentional,

required rational thought and planning.

She was in survival mode.

My parents and grandparents fled Lebanon

during the civil w*r, and
I saw what it did to them.

I'm sure they went through hell,

but they didn't turn around and bludgeon

innocent people to death with a hammer.

All I'm saying is
that the trauma exists.

And it has a residual effect.

What do you think we should do with her?

I don't think she should be spending

the next 25 years in prison.

Eileen Porter d*ed a
horrific, painful death.

And Tom Porter easily could have d*ed.

I've been consulting
with some local refugee

and resettlement organizations.

They make a strong case that Darina

is a victim of global v*olence,

that we should treat her accordingly.

I tend to agree.

Call her lawyer, see
what you can work out.

We are prepared to
offer Man One, 15 years.

We're willing to accept five years

and help with immigration.

Darina isn't a citizen,
which means after

she serves her sentence, she's
likely to be deported back to Ukraine.

Please, I can't go back there.

I can't agree to five years.

And we don't have control
over the immigration process.

Surely you can make some calls.

We have something else to offer.

If you agree to the terms,

Darina is willing to
terminate her parental rights

and give her baby to Tom Porter.

The baby already belongs to Tom Porter.

No, Darina signed the birth certificate.

Tom was in a coma
when the baby was born.

It's his child.

According to the state of New York,

Darina is the only parent of record.

I don't understand.

I did the research myself.

The paperwork can be filed at any time

before or after the baby is born.

Darina gave birth.

She signed the birth certificate.

The law presumes the baby is hers.

But we had an agreement.

Darina changed her mind.

She's not going to sign the papers.

You can take it to
court, challenge custody.

That could take years.

It'll cost money that I don't have.

There's no guarantee that I would win.

And in the meantime, I don't
have access to my daughter?

She'll be living in a prison.

In a prison.

Darina is asking us
to give her five years

for what she did to
you and to your wife.

I haven't even held my baby yet.

This is going to be her nursery.

I want to give her a name, baptize her.

Please, I'm begging you, make the deal.

Please, Mr. Price, give
her whatever she wants.

Just let me have my daughter.

Five years is low,

but it's what's best for the baby,

and it's what the
victim's husband wants.

Well, he is desperate, but the defendant

is essentially holding his baby hostage.

I was hoping there was
a deal to be made here,

but I cannot allow someone

to use a child as a bargaining chip.

That's a line I can't cross.

Then I will continue with the trial.

Can you bring it home?

They put on a strong defense,
and it's about to get stronger.

The defendant is gonna testify today.

And like it or not,
she is very sympathetic.

I'm concerned it'll look like I'm
b*ating up on a traumatized woman.

There's a solution to that.

You do the cross.

Because I'm a woman?

No.

You've told me about
your family's history.

I think you have unique
insight into Darina's

backstory and her psyche.

I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that.

I'm not asking you to do
anything unethical or illegal.

I know, but...

Go into the courtroom and do your job.

You're part of the team,
and you need to step up.

I thought Tom and
Eileen would be out late.

I was startled when Eileen
came in and saw me packing.

She confronted me, told
me I couldn't leave.

Did she physically
prevent you from leaving?

Did she block your path?

Yes, she yelled,

said she was going to
call the authorities,

get me deported.

I panicked.

I didn't want to go back to Ukraine.

There was a hammer on the dresser.

So you hit her?

Yes.

And Tom must have
heard what was going on.

He came in, started
yelling, grabbing at me.

And so I hit him too.

You thought you were under att*ck?

Yes.

Your witness.

Ms. Meleshko,

what exactly did Tom and Eileen say

that made you feel threatened?

That they were going to call the police.

Did they say you couldn't leave?

Yes.

And that triggered you?

It did.

So you're saying that

that made you feel like
you were under att*ck?

Yes.

Ask for a recess.

Do it now.

Your Honor, may we have a brief recess?

Let's all stretch our legs.

Be back in 15 minutes.

What the hell is going on?

You're lobbing them softballs.

Are you intentionally throwing the case?

No, I'm doing the best I can.

Really?

One of my earliest childhood memories,

it was this massive power outage,

and the whole city went dark.

My father instinctively packed our bags,

got us all in the car.

My family was halfway to Canada
when the lights went back on.

My point is my parents
believed we were under att*ck.

You need to find a way to put
your personal feelings aside.

I'm not sure I can.

Last year, I tried a death penalty case.

I advocated in favor

of sentencing a man to his death.

That went against
everything I stood for.

Why'd you do it?

McCoy told me to.

And he had every right to do so.

You and I, we serve at the pleasure

of the district attorney.

We are part of his team.

When push comes to
shove, he calls the sh*ts.

So you have two choices...

tender your resignation

or figure out a way to
rise to the occasion.

Ms. Meleshko, before we went on a break,

I was asking you about
your state of mind.

Yes, I remember.

You were saying that you felt
like you were under att*ck?

Yes.

And that is based on your
experience from Ukraine?

Yes.

Now I'd like to turn to the victims.

When you were bashing
Eileen Porter in the head,

did you happen to
notice that brain matter

was seeping out of her skull?

No, I didn't.

Did she cry out in pain,
beg you to stop hurting her?

I wasn't in my right mind.

But you were thinking clearly enough

to wash Tom and Eileen's
blood off your hands.

It wasn't like that.

And you washed the hammer,

tried to get rid of
your fingerprints, DNA.

I was afraid.

You were afraid of getting caught.

So you destroyed evidence,
then you fled the scene.

You left Eileen Porter dead.

You left Tom Porter bleeding out.

You didn't call for help.

I wish I had.

And if that wasn't bad
enough, the next day,

you went to Riverdale to sell their baby

to a couple with more money.

Isn't that true?

Isn't that true?

I have no more questions
for this witness.

Members of the jury, in the matter of

People versus Darina
Meleshko, how do you find?

We find the defendant guilty.

Members of the jury,
thank you for your service.

We are adjourned.

Nice work.

So what does all this mean?

Well, it means that we
got justice for your wife.

I know, but what about my little girl?

What does this mean for her?

I don't know.