01x04 - Episode 4

[bunniefuu]

Colby: These are 12 ordinary
people with 12 ordinary lives

and we need to persuade
them that you loved Claire,

that you would never
do anything to hurt her.

Your phone, pin
and any passwords.

You need to get out of my
room. This is my private space.

You have no privacy
while you are a minor,

living under the
roof that I pay for.

Ah!

I had an assignment due.

Hope: Did you hand it in?
Nah, I missed the deadline.

Maybe this is actually the reason
why you keep missing deadlines.

Nathan is pressuring
am it a to lie.

The way to get justice
is to avoid a mistrial.

Stay away from
court until we call you.

Corrie: My parents are dead.

What do you reckon about
having your entire debt cleared?

All you have to do
is secure an acquittal.

Nah, mate, I'll... I'll go
to f*cking jail. [Laughs]

You've just taken a bribe for
information on your jury mates.

Kate Lawson walks
free, so do you.

Sam: Belinda bain was a


It would be ill*gal for the press
to make reference to that case,

even after 30 years.

She was already dead.

Are you telling me Kate
Lawson k*lled belinda bain?

He made me do stuff.

Stuff I didn't want to do.

It's all my fault!

[Cries]

I've got something!

So, yeah, I know
that I f*cked up but...

Good girl.

We were taking photos.

It's all my fault.

Doctor kantor, was your lab able
to identify the brown substance

found on the corner of
Kate Lawson's artwork?

Ah, yes, it was dried blood.

And was it human blood?

Dr kantor: Yes.

And were you able to
identify whose blood it was?

We identified two
separate DNA profiles.

The one on the right
matched with Claire Spears

and the one on the
left with Kate Lawson.

Bloom: And what about
exhibits o, p and q?

The blood spatters found
on the studio work table?

Ah, yes, exhibit o also returned
DNA matches for Claire Spears.

Exhibit p matched
with Kate Lawson,

and exhibit q
matched the dead crow

found in the bush
outside her studio.

Did your analysis reveal anything
about how that crow was k*lled?

As you can see in the photos,

these are very
limited trace samples.

Bloom: Was there anything else
found in these blood samples?

Yes, we found strong
traces of sodium hypochlorite.

Bloom: What is that? Yeah, sure.

It's a bleaching agent.

You can find it in a lot of
household cleaning products.

But we determined this was
not a commercial product.

How did you come
to that conclusion?

In commercial applications,
it's heavily diluted.

It's about a 3% to 8% solution.

What we found in these samples
was highly concentrated, about 12%.

So, what does the presence of highly
concentrated bleach in these samples

suggest to you?

That ms Lawson's studio
had been thoroughly cleaned

with industrial-grade bleach.

Bloom: And this
industrial-grade bleach,

was it found in any other
samples in ms Lawson's studio?

Ah, yes, on the wheelbarrow.

Bloom: [Distorted then
becomes clear] ..The blood found

in the blade from exhibit I?

Dr kantor: Yes, we did.

Bloom: And was that
animal or human blood?

Human.

Bloom: And could you
determine whose blood it was?

Dr kantor: Yes, it matched
Claire Spears' DNA profile.

Bloom: Did your lab
conduct any other analysis

of Claire's blood sample that
was found on this particular blade?

We tried to date the sample,

using a technique called,
"raman spectroscopic probing."

Bloom: And what did you find?

We concluded that the
blood sample could be dated

to within a month of
Claire's disappearance.

[Indistinct whispering]

My cousin k*lled birds
when we were kids.

He turned out to
be a total spaz.

Trevor, you cannot
say that word.

What? Why not?

Because it's offensive.

It's a free country.

He can use whatever
word he wants.

He can, and I'm free
to tell him it's offensive.

Yeah, look, I know
he stresses you out,

but that's what teachers do.

Look, I promise that I will...

No, I told you I've given up.

I know, I don't.

Not even those patches,
just the nicotine gum.

Listen, I've got
to go back inside.

I promise we can...

We will talk about
it in the morning.

[Speaks foreign dialect]

Sorry, I didn't
mean to bother you.

It's just the only place outside
I can still get the court Wi-Fi.

[Grunts]

You should nap.

If you keep falling asleep in
court, they'll kick you off the jury.

Yeah, right.

You ok?

Why wouldn't I be?

f*ck you!

What's wrong?

Nothing.

Thanks.

Cute tatt.

You wouldn't say that
if it was your daughter.

Actually, Simon, I would.

Hey, that expert witness,

she didn't say that Kate
actually k*lled that bird, did she?

What other explanation is there?

She might have found it
already dead in the bush.

Yeah, yeah.

Maybe she just brought it
into the studio already dead,

'cause she was photographing it.

Yep, bringing dead animals
home? I don't know that's any better.

What sort of person would use
their own blood in their artwork?

Lily: Or their niece's,
for that matter.

Just because she's a bit
unconventional in her art,

that doesn't mean
she's mentally unstable.

Yeah, but for some,

asking Claire to put a bloody
thumbprint on her artwork

could suggest a
violent, disturbed mind.

Yeah, but you would
say that, wouldn't you?

What's that supposed to mean?

Oh, I'm just saying you might not
be able to be objective about this,

considering your
personal history.

[Door opens] Sheriff:
Judge is ready for you.

You're due back in court.

I brought my running gear today.

Judge muir: Mr Colby,
we are ready to proceed.

You ok?

Colby: As you
please, your hon our.

f*ck that guy.

Doctor kantor, in
her police statement,

ms Lawson testified to a
number of industrial chemicals

in her studio,

explaining that she was
experimenting with them

to see how they reacted
with photographic paper,

including...

Can we bring up
exhibit r, please?

Is that the same chemical

that you found in the blood
samples from the work table?

Yes.

And if that bottle spilt,

would that explain its
presence in the blood samples?

I suppose, technically,
that's possible, yes.

Now did you find any
evidence of sodium hypochlorite

on the retractable blade?

That's exhibit I.

No.

So, was no attempt
made to clean the blade?

Not that we found.

Is it possible that the
blood was put on the blade

at the same time as the
thumbprints were made?

Dr kantor: There's no way
for us to determine that.

Very well.

Now doctor kantor,

of all the swabs that were
submitted by the police to your lab,

how many came from
ms Lawson's home?

I would say 90% of them.

What was the other 10%?

We received additional
swabs from the passenger seat,

backseat and boot
of ms Lawson's car.

Did you find any
blood in those samples?

No.

Did you test any swabs
from Nathan Spears' home?

Dr kantor: No.

Did you test any swabs from
Nathan Spears' place of work?

No.

Did you test any swabs

from the passenger seat
of Nathan Spears' car?

No. Why are we talking
about Nathan Spears?

I'm sorry, your hon our, does...

Does my learned colleague
need a moment or two?

I'd hate for her to miss
this important line of inquiry.

Madam crown?

On the contrary, your hon our.

I was just admiring my learned
colleague's line of inquiry.

Thank you, madam crown.

It seems you can
continue, mr Colby.

With pleasure, your
hon our. [Clears throat]

Doctor kantor, did
you test any swabs

from the backseat of
Nathan Spears' car?

No.

Did you test swabs from the
driver's seat of Nathan Spears' car?

Dr kantor: No.

Did you test swabs from the
boot of Nathan Spears car?

Obviously, no.

Colby: Why do you
say, "obviously?"

I mean, the evidence
we were asked to analyse

obviously focussed on Kate
Lawson as the primary suspect.

Thank you, doctor kantor.

You've been very helpful.

Colby.

We'll be moving Nathan
Spears up the witness list.

Ah.

Yeah, I thought I heard Jenny say
something about a sh*t sandwich.

Well, I figure if we give
you the man himself,

you may not need to badger our
other witnesses so much about him.

Just doing the
best for my client.

And my best is rather
good, don't you think?

Did he just wink at me?

...Today's proceedings
being a case of the defence,

once again, pointing
out the police failure

to investigate Claire
Spears' father, Nathan...

[Via television] ..And his possible
role in her disappearance or m*rder.

There's a reason the
cops didn't swab your car.

You were never
a f*cking suspect.

I know that.

Reporter: [Via television]
..And have many media

and legal pundits...
How are you this calm?

I got nothing to hide.

Diane's at court every day,

whispering to journalists,
spreading lies about you.

...Tomorrow and..

We have to go back.
..Continue for some time.

Ok.

[Laughing] Yeah!

Yeah, she's here! [Screams]

[Laughs]

How was court? [Kisses]

f*cking insane.

Get this.

She used her own
blood in the artwork.

Wow. Yeah, and like
dead birds and sh*t.

Ew, no. No, that just reminds
me of that Damien hirst artwork

where he put the
dead shark in the tank.

Yeah, and then it decomposed.

How is that art?

Like what's the concept?

Activating your gag reflex? Oh!

Wait, so why was she using
her own blood in her art?

Beats me. But get this...

Her niece's blood
was on there too. Oh!

Oh, that b*tch totally did it.

[Laughs] Ah, guys, guys.

Ness isn't really supposed
to talk about the case.

Oh, come on. We're family.

Yeah, officially.

Jay was just telling us they got
the spermiogram results back.

And?

Gold medal swimmers.
[Screams] Yeah!

I mean, not to brag,

but this is some virile
semen I'm giving you here.

Yeah, he's got some real
thorpeys down there, just like...

Oh!

[Kisses]

[Chuckles]

Well, let's toast
to your virility!

Yes! What are we drinking?

Oh, it's gotta be bubbly, right?
Like [makes popping sound]...

Ooh, mama, I gotta
cram in the bevs

before this virile
b*stard knocks me up.

[Laughs]

Professor Porter, you
didn't Mark my essay.

You missed the deadline, jarrod.

It's an automatic not complete...
It wasn't even that late.

If you want to appeal the grade,
you have to go through the school.

You want me to go through
the uni's bureaucratic bullshit?

Why can't you just do it?

I think it's pretty rich of
you to come storming in here

and expect me to fix everything.

You missed three of my lectures

and you didn't submit
your essay on time...

Yeah but... And now
you're expecting me

to, what, wave a magic wand
and make everything ok for you?

I'm just asking for some
f*cking consideration

for the things that
were out of my control!

He bothering you, miss? It's ok.

You know what's bothered me?

Your assumption
that I'm bothering her.

Alright son, time to go.

Yeah, I'm not your son.

Get the f*ck off me!

Whoa! Jarrod, for god's sake!

Sir, he's not bothering me.

It's ok.

You sure, miss?

Yes, I'm sure.

Off with you, then.

They keep giving me
bloody broken remote.

[Speaking in Greek] Hmm?

Papa, which channel?

The footy.

[Speaking in Greek]! Contract.

Where it is?

[Speaking in Greek]

To the Chinese guys, remember?

[Speaking in Greek]? Yeah, yeah.

She's not.

Because she's been
dead for eight years, dad.

f*cking hell, Lex.

[Whispers] What do
you want me to say?

I'm not going to lie to him.

You don't have to.

Just don't tell him
every f*cking ugly truth.

It's cruel.

When did you know about this?

Been losing that battle
for over a year, Simon.

Alone.

You want parmesan?

Yeah.

Trying to give
me a heart attack?

I think your job
will do that for me.

Come on.

It's not heroin.

Or pregnancy.

A tattoo is going to haunt
her for the rest of her life, em.

Where is she, anyway?

I don't know.

She said something
about the Rose and crown?

You let her take
the car to a pub?

It's not a pub, it's
some shop in Dee why.

Family meeting, tomorrow.

I'm going to have
it out with her.

Tomorrow's Thursday.

And?

And I play netball,
like I do every week.

Ok, sure, if you want
to fight the tattoo w*r,

I'm more than happy to
come home late and sweaty

and tend to the wounded.

Just tell her to come home
after school so I can talk to her.

Should I ring your
pa to confirm, or...

Hey, guys, just careful
getting out of the car, please.

Careful.

Right?

Alice, don't forget
your racquet, ok?

You right? Got
your drink bottle?

Gabby's picking you
up after school, ok?

Child: Bye! [Kisses]

Ok, love you guys!

Bye.

Tahlia, hi.

Sam.

I didn't realise you
were the officer on this.

Always good to see you.

You're a solid expert
witness. Thanks.

Sam, I don't understand why
we can't talk about the dokic case.

I mean, it seems to be extremely
relevant to Kate's state of mind

at the time of the
disappearance.

Yeah. Ah...

The judge ruled it prejudicial.

When I read the
transcripts of the first trial,

particularly the
first police interview,

I mean, well, it's clear to me

that she's re-enacting
that specific trauma.

Yeah, right.

Anyway, I'll convey what I can.

I hope it helps.

Bloom: Ms Lawson said
in her police statement

that she was diagnosed with
borderline personality disorder.

Could you explain to the
jury what that is, please.

Our current definition of
borderline personality disorder

is a pervasive pattern of
instability of relationships,

image, mood and
impulsive behaviour.

Bloom: Does the disorder diminish
a person's capacity to reason?

No, I'd say it's more of an
emotion deregulation disorder.

But it's important to note that
bpd ranges vastly in its severity.

People with this disorder can
be extremely high functioning

and these personality types can
have very attractive qualities, too.

They're often spontaneous,
imaginative, charismatic, creative.

Could you please explain this
aspect of the bpd diagnostic criteria,

"intense relationships with
idealisation and devaluation?"

Well we often call this
phenomena "splitting."

Bpd sufferers will
swing between idealising

and being completely
infatuated with the person,

and then suddenly
hating and vilifying them.

So, would you expect
a sufferer to experience

unstable and intense
personal relationships?

That's likely, yeah.

Bloom: And what about
outbursts of anger?

That's also very likely.

Is there any consensus as
to what causes this disorder?

The aetiology is presumed to
be disrupted forms of attachment

in childhood and
early adulthood.

Individuals with bpd typically
suffered chronic forms

of emotional neglect or abuse.

But there is evidence to
suggest it is an inherited trait.

Man: Yeah, I don't know...

Yeah, it was like
a full-on like k*lling,

and it was in 'the daily
telegraph' for like, for a week.

So, yeah.

I can't believe you
guys don't know about it.

I can't even
imagine. Poor corrie.

Yeah, it's pretty brutal, hey?

That's an... [Sighs]

That's an awful story

and to happen in her
own home, as well.

Garry.

What are you doing?

You shouldn't be
telling people that.

Why not, mate? I
mean, it was in the news.

You can Google
it. And it affects us.

How the f*ck does
it affect you, garry?

Her parents were offed
by a violent psycho.

How can she be a
juror in a m*rder trial?

Have a think about it.

Does anyone other than garry
think that I shouldn't be on this jury?

No?

What about that I should
no longer be jury foreperson?

Well, I think it could be worth
a vote, just to clear the air.

Ok.

Well, farrad, you did put
your hand up for it earlier, so...

That's right. Oh,
no, no, no, no.

I think corrie's a
wonderful foreperson.

I agree. She's been great.

And what about you, garry?

Since you're the one
with all the concerns.

Yeah, no, as I said,

I don't think it can
hurt to take a vote.

Let's take a vote.

Ok, great, yeah.

Let's vote.

Ok, all in favour of garry
replacing corrie as foreperson.

It's ridiculous!

Tea?

Thank you. Come on
guys, put your hands up.

Don't be shy.
Yeah, come on guys.

If you want to vote me
out of this symbolic position

because I'm such a
traumatised mess, be my guest.

Ok.

All those in favour of corrie

staying in this completely
symbolic position.

Aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye.

Can we leave it at that?

Lunch, folks.

Keep that up and I'll soon
be able to match your pace.

Would you just...

...Calm down?

Sorry?

I don't need you to keep checking
in or defending me in there.

We're grown ups. We f*cked.

It doesn't need to be
more complicated than that.

Ok, I get it, yeah.

Uncomplicated.

Good.

[Crying]

[Screams] I need help!

Borderline personality disorder.

I'm sure this is something very
few of us here are familiar with.

I'm interested in the
terminology here, "borderline."

By "borderline," do you mean,
borderline not much of a thing?

Tahlia: It's a
recognised condition.

Or perhaps arguable,
arguable as in,

I myself have been
described as borderline genius,

but that's at best arguable.

[Laughs]

But let's agree
that it is a thing.

How common is it?

Well, it's actually the most
commonly diagnosed disorder

in Australia.

Really?

It's 4% of the population.



So, the sufferers of this bpd,

are they more likely to
self-harm or harm others?

Well, I don't see a
difference between the two.

When you harm yourself,

you're also harming
the people around you.

I'd like an answer. Which is it?

Self-harm.

And is this likelihood
significant or is it borderline?

It's significant.

People with bpd are at much
higher risk of harming themselves.

Hey.

Stand there.

[Giggles]

[Camera clicks]

[Chuckles]

Are these to impress
your sleazebag boyfriend?

Shut up! Whoa!

[Screams]

What the f*ck, Kate!

[Chuckling]

What? Oh, come on!

It's not f*cking funny!

[Chuckling]

Ok, I'm sorry.

[Coughs]

Ok, I'm sorry, I'm
sorry, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. Hey, look,
you can push me in.

No, I'm not.

I'm not gonna push you
'cause I'm not a f*cking psycho.

Don't, don't call me that.

People with bpd have issues
with a lack of self-control.

They're highly vulnerable to act on
impulse without much forethought.

So they're impulsive.

Does that mean that they're
less likely to have the capacity

to make long-term plans?

I'd say they'd find it more
difficult than the average person.

So would ms Lawson's
supposed condition

help or hinder her to pull off a
planned, complicated m*rder?

Bpd varies widely
from person to person.

I'd say it depends on how well ms
Lawson was managing her disorder.

Did you know?

Did you know
about the diagnosis?

Of course, I did.

What, and you didn't think it
was a good idea to tell me?

It wasn't mine to tell. You
left our daughter with her.

I told you she was
f*ck crazy! Shh!

Why are you still defending her?

Do you even know
who she really is?

Yeah.

She's my sister.

[Mellow music]

[Birds chirp]

[Exhales deeply]

Ah!

[Birds chirp]

Ah, it's beautiful.

I can see them. [Chuckles]

Oh, Christ, ma, I'm
working on it. [Giggles]

Your Zoe, she's got good genes.

You know the baby's
not going to have Zoe

how do you think this works, ma?

What, you think we're going
to combine our eggs together?

[Laughter] I don't know!

I can't keep up with
how they do it these days.

Yeah, well I can promise you

that medical technology
has not advanced that far.

Here you go.

[Birds chirp]

Hey ma, they were
talking about this...

...Condition in court today.

Borderline personality disorder.

I mean she had,

she had really bad
mood swings, didn't she?

Why do you want to
talk about ba ngaio?

I... Look, I just
want to know if she...

...I mean, did she
ever get a diagnosis?

She ever see, I don't
know, a therapist?

Therapy is for white people.

[Tense music]

[Suspenseful music]

Ava!

Ava!

[Pacing music]

[Tense music]

[Hip-pop music]

Hey, how are you doing?

Hey, can I help you?
[Ink machine buzzing]

Hey, excuse me!
And you must be Joe.

Who are you?

Ava's dad.

One call to the cops

and they will shut this whole
underground operation down.

Underground operation, he
reckons. What are you talking about?

I'm talking about you
tattooing underage kids

without their parents'
consent. Hey mate, listen.

This is a licensed venue.

No one else works on Ava.

Oh, yeah, no one but you, right?

Come here.

♪ Opp boy down opp boy down... ♪

Babe.

Babe.

I'm working.

Someone here to see
you. [Ink machine buzzing]

♪ We some lads in the hood

♪ raised in that 27

♪ always up to no good aye aye

♪ we some lads in the hood

♪ raised in that 27

♪ always up to
no good aye aye. ♪

I come bearing gifts!

Zoe, f*ck! I'm doing the dishes.

Someone's shitty!

Well, just try being in
a mood when you see...

[Gasp] ..This!

[Chuckles]

They were selling them at
that stand by the bus stop.

I just had to.

Isn't it precious?

Yeah, by precious you
mean gender nominative.

Doesn't have to be for a girl.

This baby's going to have two
sets of flamingly q*eer parents.

I think we're ok on
the gender norms front.

Zoe, if you put that
thing on our baby,

I'm gonna f*ck strangle
you to death with it.

Wow.

I can't talk to you
when you're like this.

I'm gonna put out the rubbish.

Um, Vanessa.

Vanessa!

[Bangs cardboard]

[Cutlery clangs]

[Glass shatters] f*ck!

[Breathing heavily]

[Tense music]

[Cries]

Ava, you're not listening to me.

It's one thing you doing this on
other people, or as a vocation,

but it's another thing
doing it to yourself.

Your brain isn't even
fully developed yet.

Ohh! You shouldn't
be making decisions

that will affect the
rest of your life.

Dad, this is exactly
why I didn't tell you.

I won't work there till I turn


Happy? Ava, I'm
not forbidding it.

Can we just have a
conversation about it?

I think it's beautiful.
I think it's art.

And you think it's
me scarring myself

because what, my
brain's undercooked?

There's no f*cking
conversation to be had here!

Ava, please!

For god's... [Slams door]

Kate: [On laptop]
He made me do stuff.

Stuff I, I didn't wanna do.

But I never thought
that he was...

...I never thought that he...

...It's all my fault.

Police officer: Why do you
think it's your fault, Kate?

Because he asked
me to bring her.

[Door opens]

It's barely warm.

It'll be perfect.

Ah.

So she's gonna throw my work up

on those hideous
screens again, is she?

Ah, Kate.

She's gonna make me out to
be some psychopathic paedophile

that would strangle
a child for a photo.

Best be prepared.

Oh, god, this...

...This is a,

a beautiful bird that I
found dead in the bush.

So why does that
wigged b*tch in there

get to turn it into some
f*cking metaphor for m*rder?

I think it could
work in our favour.

Plus I find your
photographs beautiful, mm?

They show your love for Claire.

[Whispers] Maybe
we should tell them.

Maybe we should
tell them about dokic.

About belinda.

Kate, the judge
has ruled it out.

Then how, how will they see it?

The fragile line
between flying and falling.

Between succumbing
and surviving.

[Whispers] It's
just so precious.

Hey, look at me. How?

How will they see? Kate.

I see it.

And maybe the jury will too.

And what if they don't?

Mr bell, how long has your gallery
been presenting ms Lawson's work?

We held her first
exhibition in 2002.

I have known her a long time.

And do you consider Kate Lawson
to be a friend as well as a colleague?

Yeah, I do.

It is an intimate relationship
between a gallerist and an artist.

You develop a lot of trust.

Your hon our, we would like to pass
out copies of the exhibit catalogue

to the jury, please.

Thank you.

If you could take one and
pass the rest on, please.

So how long after
Claire's disappearance

did the gallery
exhibit this series?

About four weeks after
Claire's disappearance.

And the series was mainly featuring
images of Claire Spears, correct?

Yes, it did.

Was the police investigation
into Claire's disappearance

still ongoing?

Well, yes, it was.

And yet ms Lawson was willing
to go ahead with the exhibition?

Ah, no. No, she
was very against it.

She was distraught,

but I had buyers
champing at the bit,

and so I put my foot down

and if I had known then...

...Well in retrospect, it
was insensitive, yeah.

In an email exchange the night
before the exhibition opened,

ms Lawson asked you
to rearrange the display

because of the missing piece.

What does that refer to?

Well, Kate intended to close
out the series with one final image.

And that image was?

All I know is that Kate had arranged
another photo sh**t with Claire

and yeah, for obvious
reasons, that never happened.

Indeed.

[Audience coughs]

Throughout this catalogue,

you consistently refer to ms
Lawson's work as abject art.

What does that mean?

You know, we use lofty
terms like that in the art market.

Please explain
the term, mr bell.

Alright.

Abjection is a term,

a concept I believe first coined
by the French feminist theorist,

Julia kristeva.

And the concept is?

Abjection describes a
moment of existential horror

a person experiences
when they are confronted

with their own corporeality.

The finiteness of
their human body.

So abject art tries to depict

the existential horror of
confronting your own death?

No.

No, not exclusively.

I'd say abject art is,

it draws visceral
attention to the body,

which is what ms
Lawson's photographs do.

Quite stunningly, I might add.

Mr bell, I'm going to direct
your attention to page two

of the catalogue,

where you have written,

"Lawson's latest series is
preoccupied with bearing witness

"to the violence of lost youth.

"She renders this through opposing
visual languages of corruption

"and innocence, decay and
fecundity, death and birth."

So in this series,

ms Lawson was specifically
trying to depict violence,

lost youth and death?

Specifically?

Look, there is a degree of
hyperbole to that language.

I'm trying to sell the
artworks, after all.

Well, in your own
words right now, mr bell,

what would you say that the central
theme of ms Lawson's series was?

Well, to try to articulate a central
theme is to reduce Kate's work.

Like all great art, it is evocative
and it is not prescriptive.

It's open for interpretation.

And what was your interpretation
of ms Lawson's photo series?

That it was provocative
and very beautiful.

[Mellow music]

Is anybody else
having trouble eating,

after seeing those pictures?

Well, I think the value of art

lies in the impression
it leaves on the viewer.

See that?

And her work clearly left a pretty
strong impression on all of us.

I disagree.

I think art should
be about creation,

celebrating life and
beauty, not death and decay.

Hey, those works are gonna be
worth a motser if she gets acquitted.

I'd buy some if
I could afford it.

Good investment.

I think she's just
working out her issues,

making art like that.

I think it's quite
sad, actually.

It's one thing an adult
working through her issues,

but Claire was 14 years old.

Adults are meant to
protect vulnerable teenagers.

I actually thought her
photos were kind of epic.

Well, I mean yeah, they
were dark, sad and messed up,

but so is life.

Well, I don't like them.

That's the value of
art. It's subjective.

Exactly my point.

It's not about what
the artist intends,

it's about your interaction
with the artwork.

Mm.

You're not the only one who's
read 'the death of the author'.

Yeah, but he seems
to have understood it.

[Chuckles] sh*t.

Mr bell, could you identify the
printouts of exhibit 16, please?

Yes, these are scanned photographs
emailed to me by Kate Lawson.

They are lovely shots
of the foreshore at night.

When did you receive them?





Did Kate Lawson often share
work in progress like this?

All the time.

I pride myself on
being her first audience.

So, now, did the provocative
nature of ms Lawson's work

as discussed before,

did this ever-present any
legal issues for your gallery?

Never.

Kate was, and remains, our
most commercially successful artist.

What about her use of
Claire Spears as a model?

Did that ever-present
any legal issues?

God, no.

We're not talking child
nudity or exploitation here.

These are fine art photographs.

Now did you know
Claire Spears personally?

Of course.

I saw her whenever I
went to Kate's studio.

At various events,

sometimes Kate would
bring her along to openings.

Mm.

Did you ever get the sense that
she was being coerced by ms Lawson

into modelling for her work?

Not at all.

Claire was
incredibly precocious,

funny, high-spirited,

often more well versed
on the art world than I was.

She struck me as a
burgeoning artist herself.

Now, what about
potential buyers?

Did they ever express any discomfort
with the nature of ms Lawson's work?

Look, I'm not saying
it's for everyone.

But art isn't always about
making people comfortable.

It is there to
provoke, to challenge.

So you're saying ms Lawson wanted
to confront people with her artwork?

Look, Kate Lawson is an artist

who powerfully and perfectly
creates the illusion of death.

And if Kate were
to be convicted,

then she would never
sell another piece again.

Is ms Lawson the
only artist that you know

that uses bodily substances like
blood or dead animals in her work?

Not at all, no.

There are innumerable.

Andres serrano, acclaimed
American photographer,

comes to mind.

He famously submerged
a crucifix in his own urine.

Then he photographed bodies
in morgues across america.

Yes, well as you
say, not for everyone.

I was thinking more
perhaps of Damien hirst.

So in this context, nothing
unusual about ms Lawson's work.

Not in the least.

A bloody thumbprint,
a dead crow.

This is comparatively
tame in the art world.

So how credible do you
find the crown's theory

that ms Lawson became so
obsessed with authentically capturing

the moment of death that she
orchestrated her own niece's death

for her artwork?
It is ridiculous.

The idea that Kate would actually
k*ll someone is pure insanity.

Yes.

Thank you, mr bell.

That's all I have, your hon our.

[Indistinct children playing]

Yeah, I got that one.

[Indistinct chatter]

[Laughs]

Bro, hurry up.

Pint and parmy
special's only on till 8:00.

Yeah, I'm almost done.

What subject's this for?

Critical theory.

Mm, sounds critical.

So far it's about a
bunch of white dudes

arguing about the
nature of reality.

Hold on, heidegger?

Didn't you already do
an essay on this guy?

No, that was a tute
presentation on the readings.

Yeah, so just buff up the word
count using your notes from that.

Bro, copy and paste.

Control c, control v.
Boom, we hit the pub.

Yeah, alright. f*ck it.

Yeah, yeah.

[Mellow music]

[Mellow music]

[Birds chirp]

[Melancholy music]

Oh, no.

Oh, f*ck no.

f*ck no, no, no. f*ck!

[Slams door]

[Cries]

I think the trial is
really getting to you.

Pick up, pick up, pick up!

Flip, answer your f*ck
phone! [Kicks tyres]

[Mellow music]

Yes, I...

...I knew they were
underage, but...

...Listen to me. The whole
thing was Kate's idea.

Police officer: Why
would two 14-year-old girls

go to the house of
a 29-year-old man?

We were taking photos.

And you see, Kate brought her
around to model for me and f*ck.

Yes, we went to
bed together, ok?

But when I came...

...When I came back
from the bathroom,

she was...

...She was already on the floor.

She was...

...Look I know how this looks.

I know that I f*cked up,
but I didn't hurt that girl, ok?

I swear it.

I didn't hurt her.

Yes, I knew that
they were underage,

but you know,

the whole thing was Kate's idea.

Gentle.

Just take the edge of it.

You got it. Mm.

Back and forward.

I told you. [Chuckles]

You're an artist.