01x10 - The Trial

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Miss Donckers.
-Mrs. Sneyers.

You're looking forward to it, I see.

A bit like an appointment
at the gynecologist.

There's your gynecologist.

Shall we?

I think you better
can take over from me.

Why?
-I don't think I'm good at that.

Doubt is the engine of failure.

That's true.

Good morning. Today the
lawsuit against Dirk Seynaeve.

Who occasionally opens a newspaper,
know that.

Ladies and gentlemen, the court.

You can sit down.

The investigation was conducted by
the team of Superintendent Rabet.

One of the members of his team
is a former student of mine.

I asked her to come
tell how things turned out.

She immediately reacted enthusiastically.
Inspector.

Hello.

The evening of March 19,
around 9:31 p.m....

there is a call at the control room
entered from a silent alarm.

That alarm makes no noise,
but does alert the police.

The silent alarm was coming from the...

The Old Cathedral.

That's an estate...

Please
you can pass that on.

That's an estate in Brasschaat
and there is a castle on it.

That's inhabited by...

Victor Vermaelen, 54 years old, a rich
industrial, together with its...

with his wife, Viviane Deneuter...
and his stepson Jens Deneuter.

Those were at the time
of the facts not present.

When a police patrol arrived at the scene
it turned out that the side door was open.

Victor Vermaelen had one g*nsh*t wound
in the heart zone.

Dirk Seynaeve stood by the body
by Victor Vermaelen...

This is Dirk Seynaeve.

... and the m*rder weapon
lay on the coffee table.

Seynaeve claimed that he
found his boss like that.

His statement sounded convincing
until we went to see him at his house.

There we found objects
that were stolen from Vermaelen.

You can go to that list later
look.

It wasn't the first time
by Dirk Seynaeve...

but the first time
that he was caught.

Then he shot his boss.

The case is clear, isn't it?
He's been caught.

That's going to be an exciting process.

That man keeps denying it?
-Yes.

What does he say about those things
who have been found?

He says he got it,
but there is no evidence.

That's not a problem, the burden of proof
is with the Public Prosecutor's Office.

Just like the OM
the jury must convince...

that Seynaeve k*lled Vermaelen.

That won't be hard, I think.
-You are mistaken.

I am convinced
that Dirk Seynaeve is innocent.

You haven't thought about it
to tell me that?

Thought of it, but this was more fun.

It was just an excuse
to get that file.

I'm very curious what the
Commissioner has to say that.

Professor. If you are interested,
here lies the price list.

My wife and I lived
on the estate in the caretaker's house.

How long has it been?
-About eight years.

The previous owner wanted
that we lived nearby.

That was easy for work.
-What exactly did you do there?

The estate. The gardens and all that
and the maintenance of the buildings.

And your wife also worked for Vermaelen?

My wife did the housework.
She cooked, washed.

Cleaning someone else did.

I would love your version of the facts
hear, Mr. Seynaeve.

From the beginning.

It was a Thursday night,
we were watching TV.

Around half past ten sir called.
He sounded serious, I had to come right away.

Did he also say why?

He was upstairs, and he had downstairs
strange sounds heard.

What did the Commissioner say?

If Seynaeve hasn't done it,
who then?

Seynaeve is not the type.

In everyone there is a m*rder*r,
your words.

Correction, by Jef Vermassen.

It must be: everyone is to m*rder
able. That's not the same thing.

The side door was open?
Yes, Madam Speaker.

There you then have Victor Vermaelen
found?

Yes, he was lying there on the ground.
He had been shot.

Seynaeve is a hard worker
who has his principles in a row.

He is capable of m*rder,
but not to theft.

If he shot Vermaelen
has, which I doubt...

there must be another reason.

Did you check if he was still alive?
-No, he was dead.

You may sit down, Mr. Seynaeve.

The caretaker's house is located
a kilometer from the castle.

According to Seynaeve, he is in his car
jumped and drove up there.

Was there a break-in?
-No, no traces of vomit.

No strange tire tracks, nothing.

How did he get there himself?
-According to him, the side door was open.

He's gone in.
and has found his boss...

with the weapon next to him on the table.

Has Seynaeve been tested for gunpowder traces?

There were no residues of gunpowder.

Not on his hands
and not on his clothes either.

So, no gunpowder marks.

Madam Speaker,
master Coudron knows...

that lack of gunpowder traces
is not a relieving element.

It has been demonstrated
that when firing a weapon...

sometimes there are no traces of gunpowder
are found.

I have an article here
of the NICC which states...

that when firing a weapon...

there are normally gunpowder marks
be found.

Exactly as you say: normally,
so not always.

We make here
no welles-nietes game of.

The jury should remember that there is
no traces of gunpowder have been found.

Should we not inform the public prosecutor's office?

That's a little premature.
-You know what you're doing, don't you?

As I said: Doubt
is the engine of failure.

Bye Christina.

This is my colleague, Frank Smits,
of Committee P.

Christina Flamant, director.

You know why we're here.

Sit down.

Tomorrow they start.
-And I have to first?

They want to question everyone.

Have those assholes
nothing better to do?

Is it possible that a mistake was made?
-In the Seynaeve case? No.

It's Paul's first case.
-Please.

That case was clear, wasn't it?

We get our instructions
of the investigating judge.

The prosecutor's office continues,
the council chamber decides.

If something is wrong,
we would have known that a long time ago.

For you, everything is so simple.

No, I mean that well.
Really, it's a compliment.

I wish I had that more, you're looking for
no problems where there are none.

That's not necessary either.
I think so, at least.

Remember, your date with Debbie?
-My date with Debbie.

Deborah Raskin.

Status: single,
but that's for now.

I remember that, vaguely,
somewhere long ago.

Maybe we should
do it again...

but without Debbie.

I have to start preparing my lesson.

I've thought again
about what you said recently.

Police work has
changed my life.

You know I have things
like to keep clean.

The phenomenon that people like me feel
be aware of the risk of contact.

You fear of blemish, then.
And what's with that?

It doesn't bother me as much.

Other things too: a student
asked me for a reprieve for her paper...

and I have allowed that.
I think that's weird.

It's probably a phase.
-Do you think?

We all have moments
that it goes less.

Don't worry,
soon you will be the hardest again.

I hope so.
-Me too.

Chess.

Can you tell us exactly
what happened that day?

We conducted an investigation into
a double m*rder together with Brussels.

And then came...
-Inspector Fouchet.

Die Fouchet came with a moronic theory
that Paul had done it...

and it could be
that they've given each other a push.

Paul.
-m*therf*cker.

Paul, please.

A push?
-Yes.

This is a medical report
of Fouchet's injuries.

Not directly the result
from someone who gives you a push.

Nevertheless?

So it's enough.

Now I know it again.

Paul was saying goodbye
of his wife.

All of a sudden, that Fouchet
mega-aggressive.

Paul couldn't do anything else
than defending themselves.

Look Ms. Donckers,
we do our job too.

A complaint has been lodged,
we need to look into them.

I wouldn't make your career
put on the line...

for someone
which has gone over the top.

I don't have time for this.
I need to start teaching.

The silent alarm has come in
at the control room at 9.31 pm.

Five minutes later, at 9:36 p.m.,
there is another call...

from the castle to the Seynaeves.

That's consistent with his statement.
-There may be another explanation.

Vermaelen only just had that alarm
installed. Seynaeve didn't know that.

He comes in, faces
his boss, pops him down...

and to create an alibi
he calls to his own house.

Then he starts the tracks
to wipe out: he washes his hands...

he wipes the weapon clean,
and then the patrol comes in.

That's just your opinion, isn't it?

My opinion? We don't become
supposed to have an opinion.

An opinion clouds
the interpretation of the facts.

What are we talking about here?
What else happened?

He stood next to the corpse
with a wiped weapon.

Who owned that weapon anyway?

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, look
please very well to that weapon.

Forensics has
demonstrated that this is the m*rder weapon.

You remember well
that Mr. Seynaeve was caught...

at the body of Victor Vermaelen with
next to him on the table that same weapon.

Mr. Seynaeve, do you recognize this weapon?
-Yes, it was next to the body of sir.

But you had never seen it before?
-Nope.

Mr. Seynaeve, I find that difficult
to believe...

because if I am not mistaken
you had a shotgun.

Had, I had a shotgun.

I sawed it into pieces
and discarded.

When was that?

When with that hassle that you
needed a permit.

Why don't you have that weapon
brought in to the police...

as was foreseen
in a transitional measure?

Okay. Madam Speaker, I would like to
Calling Jens Deneuter as a witness.

You may sit down, Mr. Seynaeve.

You are Jens Deneuter,
stepson of the victim?

Yes, Madam Speaker.

And you know the suspect?
-Yes.

Dirk worked for my stepfather.
We used to do things together.

So what did you do?
-Gardening, building camps, fishing.

But you probably mean the day
that Dirk taught me how to sh**t.

Indeed, yes.
Is it true that Mr. Seynaeve...

you then learned to sh**t
with his own shotgun?

Would you recognize that weapon if you saw it?

Absolutely.

That's the g*n
with which I have learned to sh**t.

He's lying, that's not my weapon.

Suppose Seynaeve is innocent,
and the stepson lies.

Do you mean that?
-Okay. Why would he lie?

Because he's involved himself.
-That's how I can do it too.

That's possible, right?
-Men, please.

Yes, it could be, but there
is no indication of...

and he has a watertight alibi.

He is in his final year
medicine, internship orthopedics...

and he worked in the hospital.
-What is that?

It's a twenty-minute drive away
to Brasschaat, twenty back...

and he has ten minutes
to commit the m*rder.

No one misses him
when he's gone for fifty minutes.

She says anyway that there
no clue is...

that Deneuter
has anything to do with it?

Mr. Deneuter.

You were very sure when you
recognized the m*rder weapon.

Yes.
-I think that's weird.

It seems difficult to me
to keep those weapons apart.

If you will allow me, I would like to
want to do a little experiment.

I have some pictures here.

Madam Speaker, I think
that the witness has been clear.

He recognized the m*rder weapon.

So photos of the m*rder weapon and a
number of similar shotguns.

If you are so sure,
then it can't be difficult...

to my client's weapon
a second time.

Yes, Mr. Deneuter.

Can you say the song out loud,
Mr. Deneuter?

Number three.

No more questions.

The jury should note that the witness
the wrong photo has chosen.

It was number five.

For us, the facts are
sufficiently proven.

We just want to know why.

We had a suspect, and then comes
who arrest our boss.

That happened to be the man
who drove Rabet's daughter to death.

That has nothing to do with it.

A colleague of yours has stated
that Fouchet...

attacked your boss
and that he has defended himself.

Inspector?

When she says that Fouchet Rabet
has attacked, is so.

It's there.
-Yes, okay.

Could it not be that Rabet
for example had other reasons...

to totally lose control?

His daughter had just died.

Maybe he was looking for resources
to ease the pain.

If you know it so well,
why do you ask?

Because I want to hear you say it.

Was he drunk at the time
of the facts?

Absolutely not, okay.

After his sick leave, he
no drop touched anymore.

Who said that?
-Does that matter?

I drank for a while, yes.

In the beginning alone at home...

and later also here.

Did your colleagues know that?

In the long run, yes, huh.

And then?

Yes, I stopped.

That incident with Fouchet, I stood
been dry for at least three weeks.

Booze has nothing to do with that.

Was director Flamant informed
of your alcohol abuse?

Why do you ask?
-Yes or no, superintendent.

I wouldn't know.

Are we done?

Thank you.

Paul... sorry, really.

Never mind, Daan.
Never mind, boy.

Damn.
I should have been lying, like you.

Good evening.

Women find honest men
attractive though.

Aren't we just skipping that date?

Otherwise, I had big plans:
restaurant, walk, fireworks.

Sounds exhausting.

Of course, we can also just...

What do you think?

Mrs Vermaelen.

How would you enter your marriage
with Victor Vermaelen?

Very good.
-Very good?

That's pretty strange.

I have the copies here
of a police report...

that has been drawn up
following a complaint...

which you own last year
has filed against your husband...

due to blows and injuries.

I was angry then.

We had a fight,
but we've made that a decision.

Did your son know that your husband mistreated you?
-These kinds of questions, what does that mean?

Victor didn't mistreat me,
it was just a fight.

Master, you can stick to the matter,
please?

Where were you at the moment
of the facts?

I left around six o'clock
to visit my mother.

She still lives alone, but we are
looking for a solution.

She's demented.

A demented mother as an alibi,
that's handy.

Madam Speaker.

Master, you can get to the facts
stay, please?

Please continue, ma'am.

Around half past eleven I got that call
with that terrible news.

I went home immediately
Left.

No more questions,
Madam Speaker.

Or maybe one more question.

How would you evaluate your relationship
on a scale of one to ten?

Being ten:
I was with my demented mother...

and one: I was just at home
to k*ll my husband.

Men.

Hey, not all at once,
please.

If the woman was abused,
she has a very strong motive.

Yes, but that's only one of three
conditions we need...

to be able to suspect someone.
The others are means and possibility.

She had no weapon and can't
be linked to the crime scene.

But the son did.

That he has that weapon
lied to, makes him very suspicious.

Who says the son lied?

The son is convinced...

He is convinced that Seynaeve
m*rder*d his father.

He therefore sincerely believes
that is the coat of arms of Seynaeve.

Maybe he's right,
maybe not.

In any case, he has
an opinion formed.

The inspector has it before
already said:

An opinion clouds
the view of the facts.

That is exactly what you have had in the past few days
illustrated together.

A number of you were there from the beginning
convinced that Seynaeve was guilty.

So they went all the facts
interpreting to his disadvantage...

and exclude the other hypotheses.

And the rest is even worse.

They shift established facts
under the table for a hypothesis...

for which no proof has been provided,
because they believe...

that Seynaeve is innocent.
-Wait a minute.

You also said that
that Seynaeve is innocent?

You were just an opinion
proclaiming?

That is the disease of our time.

We hear opinions,
and we take them over indiscriminately.

Whether they're right or wrong, it's
no matter, we have an opinion.

A lawsuit is not an episode of
The Voice and the jury do not vote by text message.

Keeping an open mind: facts,
statements, points of view...

rationally and objectively analyze.

That is, I hope, what you
will learn at this university.

Finally, and perhaps especially,
accept that sometimes you...

insufficiently know to a well-founded
to be able to have an opinion on something.

Unless you are in politics
or want to join the union.

Were you aware
of Rabet's alcohol abuse?

Yes, that's right.

Strange that we have nothing there
about retrieval.

No medical record, no record,
nothing.

You know there's such a thing
as a reporting obligation?

He functioned properly.
-I think you don't understand us very well.

It's not about how you assess it.

There are fixed procedures,
they have to be followed.

Paul, don't.
-Although they suspend me forever...

i'm going to take those two rats
tell me what I think:

I made a mistake.

I have been drinking during my shift
and I will bear the consequences...

but the commissioner
leave you out of here.

She has shown
that she has a heart.

She doesn't lower herself
for your click system.

If you drag her into this,
I know where to find you.

Then you only have to think of one thing:

I have nothing to lose,
I've lost almost everything.

Assholes. g*dd*mn.

That is then clear.

Do you have that list
with stolen items?

I just opened it.

We need to talk.
-I will call you back later.

Sorry, he was too quick for me.
It is all right, Mrs Sneyers.

I won't ignore it.

We can't stand each other,
I know that, you know that.

But we put ourselves over it,
because I need your help.

Not for me, for Flamant.

Is there anything with Christina?

Yes, I got her in trouble
brought.

She didn't report my drinking problem
and Committee P has found out.

Maybe you know someone
or can you put some pressure somewhere?

You also know that all those bags-
fillers have to do with each other.

As someone in your position
says something, is it listened to, right?

I just don't want to
that she be punished...

because I've been weak.

Professor?

Someone should give me as soon as possible
to Brasschaat.

That will be difficult,
I'm taking the tram.

I'm by car,
but I have a meeting.

What is so urgent?
-You'll see.

Where are we going?
-You will see that automatically.

You've done this before, haven't you?

You'll see.

It might be better
that you are waiting here.

On television, policemen are
also always as a couple.

Usually a good one and a bad one.

I'll play the bad ones though.

Professor Teerlinck, I am an advisor
of the federal police.

I would like to ask you a few questions.

Everything you need to know
is in the file.

I am convinced
that your husband is innocent.

When he says that, it usually is.

I have a list here
with the objects...

who your husband with his employer
would have stolen.

A porcelain salt and pepper set.
A Chinese vase of less than ten euros.

Handkerchiefs with the initials V.V.,
Victor Vermaelen.

Kleptomania is
a mental illness...

which is classified
in the impulse disorders.

Research has shown
that there is a connection with depression.

A kleptomanian does not steal
to enrich themselves.

Professor.

Therefore, do you have all these
worthless items stolen?

To make yourself a little bit better
to make it feel?

Now just answer the question.

Everything is in the file.

Why did your husband
that's not just said?

Why didn't he say:
My wife suffers from kleptomania?

I didn't steal anything,
I'm not a thief.

There can only be one reason for this:
that the truth is much worse.

Is it not, Mrs Seynaeve?

Your husband is about to
to be convicted of m*rder.

I would like you to leave.

That you?
-Leaves.

You are not going to tell me that you
have become wiser from this.

I know enough,
but how are we going to prove that?

That's so annoying
to those TV series.

A policeman who says
that he knows enough...

while as a viewer you never know
what he knows, so to speak.

According to Seynaeve, he is
jumped into his car.

Back to the faculty?

Inspector, I have the number
of Seynaeve's lawyer needed.

You are Jasper Teerlinck, professor
in psychological criminology?

That is correct, Madam President.

Master Coudron, your witness.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Professor Teerlinck, you are also
advisor for the federal investigation?

Yes, but I just want to mention:
not yet at the time of this case.

Right, no, but you are
aware of this file?

In fact, you are up to a
curious conclusion has come.

Mr. Seynaeve is innocent.

Madam Speaker, is this a joke?

On what basis do you base that conclusion,
professor?

I have based myself on this.
on the PEN model of Eysenck.

PEN stands for psychotism, extra-
version and neurotic lability.

Mr. Seynaeve is within this model
an example of a...

extremely stable introvert.

Mr. Seynaeve is shy, just,
reserved, does not like excitement.

He is reliable
and against any form of violence.

So if I understand correctly,
do you mean that my husband...

does not have the profile
of a criminal?

You mean that my client is not
has the profile of a criminal?

Most criminals are
extremely neurotic and extroverted.

Mr. Seynaeve would never
k*ll his employer.

Not even when he knew his
wife was abused by him.

Silence.

Mrs.

I have kept quiet about Annemie
to save the shame.

Vermaelen was a b*stard,
he r*ped her.

I went to the castle that night
Driven...

I looked him in the eye
and I shot him.

Madam Speaker, he is lying.

Professor, that man has just confessed.
-He's lying, and I can prove it.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
I want to emphasize...

that this reconstruction
serves as lawful evidence.

This car is the same way
prepared as on the evening of the facts.

Mr. Seynaeve, can you tell us
what happened that night?

After the phone call from sir I am
drove here with the car.

Could you also show us what you
did that night exactly?

I drove here, got off
and entered through the back door.

Do you want to get in, so that we exactly
can see how it went?

Get in, Mr. Seynaeve.

Mrs. Seynaeve...

If you would like to be so kind.

That evening is not Dirk Seynaeve, but
drove his wife to the castle.

She has with her husband's r*fle
Victor Vermaelen shot.

Then she called home
to say what she had done.

Dirk Seynaeve is only at the place
crime arrived when it was too late.

Dirk Seynaeve never has anything
stolen from his employer.

It's stronger than myself.

Every now and then I have to take something.

A vase, a glass, cutlery.
It doesn't matter what.

Dirk didn't know anything about that.

I was busy in the kitchen...

with dinner.
There was such a salt and pepper...

set, set-thing.

And before I knew it, I had it
put in my bag.

He was suddenly behind me.

He had seen it.

He punched me in the face.

Then I wanted to give that thing back.

He grabbed me
and he has me on the counter...

That was my punishment.

It wasn't the last time.

I thought it would pass
if he would be fed up with me.

That last time...

his wife was to her mother,
was the worst time of all.

And when I got home, something broke.

I caught Dirk's shotgun...

and I've gone back.

I looked for him.

All of a sudden he was standing there.

I didn't hesitate.

And then?
-Then I called Dirk.

I told him
what I had done and why.

He came immediately?

Then all of a sudden the police were there.

We couldn't both leave,
our car was at the door.

Dirk found that I did not
had to be punished...

for something where he doesn't give me
for could have protected.

I'm through the other door to
went outside and walked home.

When he was in pre-trial detention, I
trying to talk to him.

He didn't want it any other way.

He really believed
that he would be acquitted.

Just like Annemie Seynaeve
couldn't resist to steal...

she couldn't resist the urge
to sh**t her r*pist.

Irresistible urge, that's what
her lawyer will no doubt plead.

Jasper, there's someone for you.
You're coming in.

Professor.

I wanted to take you personally again
come and thank you.

Professor T. is ok.
With him, everything is always not so bad.

Go Jasper, go Jasper, go Jasper.

We know where to find you
if we need advice again.

If the dean agrees.
-Of course.

Thanks again, huh.

And... if i agree something
can do for you...

you know where to find me.

Madam Speaker.

Maybe there's something
what you can do for me.

Thank you, thank you,
and have a nice day.

There's someone happy to see it like that.

Acquittal. What more could you want?
-And you?

Three times along half a sole to
say I won't do it anymore.

Not a psychologist, right? What goes
discovering all about you?

Be sure.

Paul told me
what you've done.

What did I do?
-My suspension was already on paper.

All that was left was a signature
under.

You think I helped you. Why?
-Why what?

Why would I have helped you?

Maybe to make something right.

Something from a long time ago.

You think I feel guilty
and therefore helped you?

Just like Seynaeve.

He felt guilty and wanted to
save his wife a second sentence.

Interesting.

Why would you do it differently?
-Out of self-interest.

Let's say you're suspended...

who then says that your successor
would also take me as an advisor?

And I like it.

Someday there will be a crack in that
armor of yours. You know that, right?

And in the sequel,
if someone comes to thank you...

then just say thank you back.