05x21 - On the Toad Again

[bunniefuu]

Sollers: It's still not too late to accept the plea.

Second degree, you'll probably get ,

could be out on parole in .

But I didn't k*ll him.

Suzanne, you repeatedly threatened

to k*ll him, fibers found on your clothing

place you at the scene.

Their case is going pretty well so far,

and we don't know what we can do for you.

You can stand up there and tell those people

how much I loved Michael.

You can tell them how I cherished his life

more than I do my own.

How it would be inconceivable

for me to have committed such a crime.

He was the reason for my being, make them understand that!

See, that kind of talk does not help us.

Especially since they're portraying you as obsessed.

Michael Walker was an angel,

worthy of any obsession or delusion.

I didn't k*ll him.

The plea is rejected.

You get me an acquittal.

[sighs]

[theme music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

Let's move it, we have a busy day.

First and foremost, People versus Hamil.


- How goes it, Jack?
- Lousy.

Police detective traced her to the scene,

we couldn't shake him. Widow testifies today.


- We lost our expert shrink.
- Again?

None of them will say unequivocally

that she's incapable of the v*olence.

I don't believe we agreed to defend her.

Sollers: We agreed to defend her because

this is an extremely high
-profile case,

it's every bit as big as the Rikki Davis trial.

And our being involved puts it out there that

McKenzie
-Brackman is still a firm for the big cases.

And I'm also not positive that she is guilty.


- Yeah, right. Becker: You gotta be kidding.

Come on! She may be crazy, but the evidence

is still circumstantial.

Brackman: Excellent, Benny.

You've been doing an excellent job since your return.

Keep up the good work.

Next up. In re
-arbitrator Leland McKenzie.

I've agreed to judge some arbitrations.

I'll probably be trying two, three matters a month.

I start today with a Gospel singer

who's suing the Hawks.

He contracted to sing the National Anthem

before a playoff game and they evidently reneged.

They're comin' to me for justice.

Arnold: As well they might.

Lastly, with the exodus of two partners

and an associate, we are looking to hire another body.

Any candidates, let us know.

Again, Jack, Ann, continued good luck.


- Thanks. Brackman: That's all.


- We're adjourned.
- She isn't innocent.


- You are so jaded. McKenzie : Alright.

And sir, could you tell us what you saw

when you entered the rec room that night?

I observed of our senior citizen residents...

dancing. They were not clothed.

What else did you see, Mr. Mueller?


- Mueller: Frogs.
- Frogs?

Well, it was subsequently brought to my attention

that they were toads.

They were hopping all over the room.

The defendant had one of the larger ones in his hand.

Maynard: And did you see the defendant

doing anything with this toad?

Yes. I saw him lick it, repeatedly.

Maynard: Do you have any idea why the defendant

was licking this toad?

Certainly not.

Maynard: Your Honor, I offer the parties

stipulation that these were cane toads.

I also offer the signed declaration of James Ilitch,

Assistant Commissioner of

the Drug Enforcement Administration,

indicating that the cane toad

produces a toxin called bufotenine,

which is an illegal hallucinogen

and that when licked, these creatures

can effect a mind
-altering euphoria.

It's so prevalent in Australia that the government recently

had to classify toad slime as an illegal substance

under its Drug Misuse Act.

Anything else, Ms. Maynard?

No, your Honor. That's all I have.

You didn't see my client dispense these amphibians

to the other people, did you?

And you didn't see any of the other

senior citizens do any licking, did you?

No. But they were experiencing some form of euphoria.

Well, is it your testimony that it would be impossible

for the residents of your home to be happy

without drug enhancement?

That is not my testimony.

Thank you, that's all.

And, ma'am, could you tell the court

when did you first discover that your husband

was having an affair with the defendant?

Last summer, I received a videotape

in the mail, sent by her.

Blake: A videotape of what?

Of her and Michael making love.

Blake: And what did you do?
- I confronted my husband.

He said it had been going on for a couple of years,

and, well, he admitted it.

Blake: And then, what happened?

We both cried a lot.

We went into counseling to try to save our marriage

and he told her that the affair was over.


- Objection, totem pole
-
-
- Move to strike, hearsay.

Judge: Overruled.

Bake: And, ma'am, to your knowledge,

what happened after your husband broke off

his relationship with the defendant?

Jeanette: First, she started calling

and if I'd answered, she'd say that

Michael belonged to her, that it was their destiny

that they be together.

And if Michael answered, she'd thr*aten to k*ll him.

And then, she started showing up.


- At your home. Jeanette: On the street.

She'd park her car across the street from our house

and just sit there and watch.

Sometimes, she'd stay all night.

I'd get up to go to the bathroom

and I'd look outside and see her red car.

Did you notify the police?

Yes, but they said they couldn't do anything

because she was parked on a public way.

They finally gave her warning after the doll came.

Blake: What doll?

She sent a doll to our house with a picture

of my husband pasted on the face part.

There was an icepick sticking through the head,

and a note attached saying,

"Dearest Michael. Thinking of you. Love, Suzanne."

[murmuring]

Were you afraid of this woman?

Yes, of course we were afraid. We were scared to death.

We had no idea what she might do.

Okay, ma'am, now turning your attention

to the night of January nd, .

Could you please tell the court what happened?

I went to bed around ten o'clock.

And Michael said he had work to do in his office,

that he'd be up late.

I was asleep

when the g*nsh*t woke me.

[voice breaking] And I, I ran down the stairs...

and he was on the floor.


- Your husband? Jeanette: Yes.

There was a...hole in his head

and there was blood everywhere.

And Corey, our son Corey

was coming down the steps and I tried to stop him.

I didn't want him to see his father like that.

Ma'am.

Did you see what happened that night?

I
-
- I...I didn't see what happened,

but when Corey told me that he saw the red car
-
-


- Objection! Kelsey: Objection!

Mrs. Walker, only tell us what you saw

and what you know.

Well, we know, we all know

that she m*rder*d Michael.


- Move to strike, Your Honor!
- Sustained.

The jury will disregard that last statement.

I have nothing further.

We will let the witness collect herself.

Defense can begin cross
-examination tomorrow.

I've been waylaid.

That's what they've done.

Uh, this contract, Your Honor, obligates

the Hawks and their parent ownership

to allow my client to perform

the National Anthem before the game.

We had no idea at the time of the deal

as to how he would sing it.

Mr. Miller, you're a blues singer?

And jazz, and gospel. And good.

Yes, well, since you weren't even

being paid for this performance,

can you tell me how you were harmed

by not being allowed to sing?

'Cause it's an insult.

They say I sing unpatriotic.

That's it? You simply feel insulted?

C'mere, let's talk

Come on.

You see, I ain't educated.

My face ain't pretty.

I got two things,

a big, big voice and my image.

Now, when they tell me I sing un
-American,

they take away my image.

That leaves me with just a voice,

which no one want to hear no more

'cause I ain't got no image.


- It's a catch
-.
- Beg your pardon?

Catch
-.

Basically, Your Honor,

this was the first playoff game.

There was substantial exposure.

It was broadcast on cable.

He was not only denied the economic benefit

of that exposure, but to be deemed unbefitting

to sing the National Anthem... it tarnished him.

We offered to let him perform it.

Only if I lip sync it.

So many performers lip sync National Anthems
-
-

The Wompman don't!

Mr. Wayne, this contract is enforceable on it's face.

You have your client here tomorrow.

I want to hear from him why Wompman

shouldn't sing live. That's all.

We should've renewed our objection to the doll.

Prior bad acts, prejudicial.

Nah, he just would've overruled us again.

We would have looked desperate to the jury.

Which we are, we've got no alibi,

no physical evidence, we can't even come up

with a decent character witness.

You know, we have to give 'em another suspect.

Show the jury it could've been somebody else.


- Who?
- I don't know.


- The wife.
- Oh.

She was in the house, she certainly had opportunity.

She had to be upset about the affair,

we can scratch out motive.

Alright, I don't like it any more than you do,

but we have to do what we can, even if it means
-
-

Come on, Jack, there's a difference between

a zealous defense and assassinating

the character of an innocent person.

Do you know for a fact that the wife didn't do it?

She just lost her husband for God's sake.

How are you gonna stand up in court and accuse her?

We have to do whatever we can

to get Suzanne Hamil an acquittal.

Now, I
-
- I think we would come off

more sympathetic if, uh, you do it.

Oh, no! No, this was your idea.


- You do it.
-Wedo it, Ann, us.

I'll lead the charge, but if we go this route

we have to be together.

Well, then, Mr. Mead, what was going on

in the rec room that night?

We were just dancing.

It got hot, so we just decided to take

our clothes off, that's all.

'Cause of the heat.

Were you licking toads?

Absolutely not.

Mr. Mueller says he saw you.

Look, I was holding Cicero, that's... that's my toad,

and he was a little anxious because of all the excitement,

so I gave him a little kiss and told him to relax, I...

I never licked him.

CJ: Thank you, that's all.

You were very upset when the home banned

alcoholic beverages last January, weren't you, Mr. Mead?

Well, I filed a complaint, yes, I did.

And when they refused to budge, you switched from Bourbon

to the Cane Toad as a desperate means of getting a buzz.

That's ridiculous! Why...

They're my loving pets.


- Then why did you abuse them?
- I what?

Mr. Mueller, as well as two of the floor orderlies

state that you would often yell at them.

Sometimes they're little rascals
-
-

Oh, come on, Mr. Mead.

The toad will secrete more toxins when it's threatened.

You antagonize them so that you can get a bigger rush.

Well, I'm shocked.

I'm just an old man looking for a little companionship,

any place I can get it.

My God, they, they limit our visitation,

they tell us what to eat, they take all our money.

Now they want to take my toads,

my... my little green friends.

Your Honor, I need a moment.

[murmuring]

You ready?

Ready as I'm ever gonna be, I guess.

Judge: Counsel, let's go.
- Okay, Mrs. Walker...

We've got a lot of ground to cover here

so I'm just gonna get right to it.

First off, you never saw my client at your house

during the night of the m*rder, did you?


- I didn't actually see her, b
-
-
- No, you didn't.

And since her relationship with your husband was over,

I'd like you to tell us how it could be

that she could enter your house

with no struggle, or even so much as an argument.

Objection! She has no foundation
-
-

Sollers: Your Honor, this woman boldly shouted out

her conclusion that she knew my client did it.

I'm sure that we are all interested

in the reasons underlying that conclusion.

The witness will answer the question.

I don't know how she got in.


- Perhaps she was never there. Blake: Objection!

You said, ma'am, that when you learned of the affair,

you confronted your husband and he terminated

the relationship with Ms. Hamil.

Well, it wasn't as simple as that, was it?

In fact, your husband continued to see her for another month.

On top of that, he continued to lie to you, isn't that right?

He was trying to break it off during that month,

but she wouldn't let him go.

That's what he told you when you caught him again.

Yes.

How'd it make you feel, Mrs. Walker...

to learn that he'd been sleeping

with another woman for two years,

to watch it on videotape?

And then after catching him once and hearing his cries

of contrition, to find out he was doing it again?

Objection! This has no relevance!

Sollers: It has relevance, Your Honor.

It's loaded with relevance.

The defense will show

this woman m*rder*d Michael Walker!


- What? Blake: Oh, this is ridiculous!

Not so ridiculous.

Are you telling me that the police

did not consider her a suspect?

Mr. Sollers, don't address the District Attorney.

Sorry, your Honor, let me address her.

The police took your fingerprints and asked you

to submit to a polygraph test, did they not?

Mr. Sollers, get up here right now.

[murmuring]

Knock it off. If you have facts, raise your facts.

But you will not use the mere existence of police questions

to confer guilt on this witness.

Step back.

You told your marriage counselor you didn't think

you'd ever get by your hatred for your husband, did you not?

Objection, this is doctor
-patient privilege!

She can waive the privilege, or are you afraid

she's gonna spill all your dirty little secrets?

I object to this blatant intimidation!

Well, excuse my rudeness, but I have an innocent client

being charged with a m*rder that this woman committed!

That's enough, Mr. Sollers! Stop it!

You're currently under psychiatric care right now!


- Are you not?
- Yes!

Do you discuss your hatred for your husband

with this doctor, too?

I never hated my husband!

Your questions are out of line!

It was perfect for you, wasn't it, Jeanette?

You had my client making these public threats,

she was known to be a kook.

You could get revenge in your own house,

everyone would still suspect her.


- Objection!
- That's sick!

The adulteress bastard dies and the wacko slut goes to jail.

Two birds, huh, Jeanette?

Judge: Mr. Sollers! That is enough.

That's all I have.

For now.

Kelsey: Obviously, the grieving widow has a lot to hide.

We've said from the beginning this case

wasn't as simple as the police were saying,

now you're beginning to see why.

What's in those psychiatric reports on the wife?

We'll never know, maybe, because of the privilege,

but we're gonna do what we can to flush out

all the dark secrets and expose the truth.

Sollers: No further comments at this time.

Sollers: That's all.

[indistinct chatter]

Okay, we've dropped the accusation b*mb, now what?

Now what? Now, we let it tick.

In the meantime, we concentrate on what they're missing.

No m*rder w*apon, no real eyewitness.

The fact that they didn't call the kid shows

they know his testimony is shaky.

The fibers, the repeated threats that you'd k*ll him,

and the overall assumption that you're a psychotic,

that's their case.

Unfortunately, the only thing we have

to counter all that... is you.

I'm gonna testify?

I don't think we have any choice, do you?


- No.
- Alright, now listen to me...

You are under an obligation to speak the truth up there.

Is your... "Truth" going to incriminate you?

Of course not.

My God, I loved Michael, I'll make them see that.

Yeah, Suzanne, as fond as you are

of your obsession, you're gonna have to play that down.

Distraught is great, erratic is even okay,

but obsessed or possessed and we've lost.

I understand completely.

You just try to be as honest and as real as you can.

If you explode up there, you're looking at conviction.

If you stay cold and unemotional you're looking at a conviction.

I want to see vulnerability in the woman who threatened

to castrate her lover and shellac his testicles.

I want to feel empathy with the woman who could run

an icepick through a doll of a person's likeness.

I want to feel compassion for the woman who would make

a videotape of herself making love to a man

and then send that tape to the man's wife.

You beginning to appreciate the enormous challenge

that lies ahead of you?

Yes.

If not, you tell me, you tell me right now...

I think we can still plead second degree.

I'm ready to testify.

I'm anxious for them to know me.

Okay, Ms. Hamil.

This trial is now in your hands.

This country's incredibly sensitized right now

when it comes to patriotism.

A bastardized version of the National Anthem

can have real corporate consequences.

Wompman: Oh, come on.
- Ask the Padres.

What's wrong with Mr. Miller's version?

Man : It's extremely undisciplined.

He also has a slight saliva problem.


- Hm?
- What do you mean?

Let's just say bombs aren't the only thing

bursting through air when he sings.

Kumpel: There's a little moisture on the 'S' words,

otherwise this is not a factor.


- And what about the "free
-ah"? Kumpel: Objection!


- The what?
- The word "Free."

He makes it sound like a four
-syllable word.

Then he goes up into an octave that could bring rain,

which the people in the loges will think

he's doing anyway because of all the spit!

Now can't you modify your pitch a little on "Free?"


- It's my best note.
- It distorts the song.


- It doesn't distort
-
- Wompman: What do you know?


- It's good music! McKenzie : Alright.

Now, look, I don't know whether your interpretation

is un
-American or what, I just want to hear it.

Tomorrow, you sing.

I can't sing it in here. I need better acoustics.

Alright, we'll do it in the conference room.

Eleven o'clock tomorrow, everybody be here.


- Fine.
- Bring your umbrellas.

Insults!

Un
-American, un
-American, my ass.


- How's it goin'?
- Good.

Name's Elliott Miller. My friends call me Wompman.


- Benny Stulwicz.
- Nice to meet you, Benny.


- How're you doin'?
- I'm depressed.

Oh, you mean you got the blues.


- What do you mean?
- The blues?

That's what you got, that's what I sing.


- You sing?
- Any time, any place, friend.

And it ain't unpatriotic, I tell you that.


- Can I hear you sing?
- Hey, look man...

I'm mired in controversy right now,

and I don't do so good when I'm distracted.

But I tell you what, when I'm through with my ordeal,

I have a little somethin' for ya.

How's about that?


- Okay.
- Okay.

They say I spit.

They don't know spittin'. I'll show you some spit!

I don't deny making the threats.

I was a desperate woman, doing anything

to cling to this relationship.

But, Ms. Hamil, threatening to k*ll somebody,

that goes beyond desperate.

I know, I was acting crazy.

I sent the doll, I...

I was a total wreck, doing everything I could

to break up their marriage.

But at the heart of all of it was love.

I loved him.

And the reason I couldn't let him go

was because I knew he loved me, too.

Ann: If he loved you, why did he leave you?

Well, that's just it, he never left me.


- He didn't leave you? Suzanne: Well, he tried to.

We did break up, he did vow never to see me again.

But then, we'd get together,

whether it was to fight or to try to resolve it as friends.

Or for him to tell me to stop harassing him,

whatever the pretext of our meeting...

it would always end the same way.

And how was that?

We would make love. [crown murmuring]

So, it's your testimony that Michael Walker

did not, in fact, leave you?

It is my testimony that he left many times...

but it always proved to be temporary.

Ann: Meaning what?

Meaning that on the afternoon of Michael's m*rder

I did go to his house.

And we made love again.

[murmuring]

Judge: Settle down.

The day that he was k*lled

you two had intercourse?

For over two and a half hours.

[murmuring]

Ann: And what happened after this session?

He told me it had to stop.

And I said "I know.

I know."

But both of us knew it wouldn't.

As long as we continued to find ourselves

in the same room...

it would never stop.

And when you left him, that day... was he alive?

Barely. [Jury chuckling]

Alright.

And, Ms. Hamil, did you go back again that night?

No, I did not.

Ann: Thank you. I have nothing further.

Any witnesses who saw you at the house that afternoon?

It was an illicit affair, Mr. Blake.

We were careful not to be witnessed.

Ms. Hamil, you expect us to believe

that while you were threatening to carve this man up,

to puncture his heart with an icepick,

that he would respond by making love to you?

I think he saw my threats for what they were, Mr. Blake.

Emotional cries for help.

I think he was flattered by how

utterly dependent I was on him.


- Move to strike that.
- Alright.

You sent a mutilated doll to his house.

You told him, told him flat out,

that you would m*rder him if he didn't
-
-

And maybe I would've, Mr. Blake.

God knows, I was crazy enough at the time,

maybe I would've k*lled him.

But I didn't.

Because somebody else b*at me to it.

[murmuring]

[instrumental music]

Man on TV: The entire courtroom sat motionless,

riveted by Suzanne Hamil's testimony.

Even Prosecutor Anthony Blake

seemed mesmerized by the defendant's account.

Seems to me like the momentum has shifted.

I swear to God, Stuart, as I listened to her

I started to believe, maybe she is innocent.

Oh, come on, honey.

If she made love with the guy that afternoon

why did she wait until she got on the stand

to tell you about it?

She said she was scared to admit to anybody

she was in the house the day of the m*rder.

She thought it would make her look more guilty.

Man on TV: Next, the District Attorney then surprised

everyone by announcing his plans

to call the boy, Corey Walker to the stand.

They're putting the kid on the stand?

They have to now, he's the only one

they have to contradict Suzanne.

[sighs] Boy, once in my life I would like

to try a case like this, just once.

It's scary, you start out thinking about

guilt and innocence, right and wrong.

But with the press and the media,

suddenly, the only thing that matters is that you win.

A person is m*rder*d, a woman is widowed,

a little boy has to face the trauma of a trial,

and last night I'm praying "Dear God, let me win.

Just let me win."

Chester, I'd like to plead this out.

I think I can chop it down to misdemeanor

possession, no jail
-
-


- I'm innocent.
- You are not innocent!

You were lying up there on the stand.

You don't raise these things as pets and the jury knows it.

But did they get one witness to testify against me?

None of the residents came forward.

Because they all adore you.

Let 'em convict. Heh!

I'll appeal it, all the way to the Supreme Court!

[chuckles] Look at me.

You're on the toad right now, aren't you?

Why, what are you talking about?

You stay still.

What the hell are you doin'? Now quit that. Quit...

That, that's illegal search and seizure,

Fourth Amendment
-
- [croaking]


- It's Cicero.
- I don't know how he got there.

This is a drug, it may have legs, it may be cute,

but it could make you sick, it could even k*ll you.

[croaking] Dammit!

I can get you into a program,

and I can get you off with probationary slap,

but I can't help you unless you wanna be helped.

This isn't funny anymore, do you hear me?

[croaking]

I'm gonna get the DA and I'm gonna cut the deal.

[croaking]

[door closes]

Oh, dear.

There you are, big boy. There you are.

[croaking]

[croaking] Ah...

Corey: I heard the noise from the g*n, it woke me up.

Then I heard my mother run by my room, going downstairs.


- And what did you do then?
- I got up.

I ran to the window and I saw the red car.

It was driving away.

Blake: And, Corey, had you ever seen this car before?

Yes. It was her car.

I'd seen her in it a lot when she'd park across the street.

And you're sure that this is the same car

that you saw that night?

Corey: Yes. Blake: And, Corey...

What did you do after you saw the car?

I ran downstairs, and I saw my mother and my father.

Now, how much time elapsed

between the time you heard the g*nsh*t,

and the time you heard your mother run by your room

and head downstairs?

Maybe a few seconds.

And between the time of the sh*t,

and the time you heard your mother

run down the stairs, did you hear anybody run up the stairs?


- No.
- Thank you.

I have nothing further.

Okay, Corey...

You said you heard this big bang and then

you heard your mother running down the stairs.

Did you hear anything else? Any screams?

No.

You heard nothing else except the g*n,

and your mother in the hallway, is that right?


- Yes.
- Well, then I'm curious...

Why'd you run to the window?

You're hearing things in the house,

you ran to the window.

Well, I heard the car, too.

Son, I just asked you if you heard

anything else and you said "No."

Now did you forget that you heard the car

or did you just forget to say that you heard the car?


- Objection. Sollers: Withdrawn.

According to the police report, you gave them

a partial reading of a license plate.

"L," you told them that the license plate,

the first three numbers were "L."


- Is that right?
- Yes.

For the record, my client's license plate number is LTPE.

Now, the survey of your house indicates

that it's about feet from your window to the driveway

where you saw the car. Would that be about right?


- I guess.
- Okay.

Now, I'm gonna hold up a license plate...

and I want you to read it for us.

Oh, would you take off your glasses, please?

You told the police that you leave your glasses

on the dresser, right?

And you ran right to the window from the bed,

so, didn't have 'em on, did ya?

Corey: No. Sollers: Okay.

Would you take 'em off now, please?

Remove your glasses, son.

Okay, read this for me, Corey.

I'm only feet away, sitting in a lighted room.

You could read a license plate from feet

in the dark that night. Go on.

Can't read it, can ya?

No.

You can put your glasses on now, son.

You didn't see any car that night.

As a matter of fact, you memorized

my client's license plate because you'd seen her

parked across the street so many times before
-
-

Blake: This is argumentative!

Mr. Sollers, ask questions.

Sollers: Okay. [sighs]

My question, Corey, are you trying to protect your mother?

No!

Sollers: Okay, son.

Okay.

[murmuring]

♪ That our flag was still there ♪

♪ Oh, say does that

♪ Star
-spangled banner

♪ Yet way
-ee
-aye
-aye
-eve!

♪ Ore the land

♪ Of the free
-eee
-eeee

♪ Eeee
-eeee

♪ Eee
-ow!

♪ And the home of the

♪ Bravee
-aye
-eve

♪ Mmmmm! ♪

[cheering]

[applause]

Oh, yes, she made threats, ladies and gentlemen.

But Suzanne Hamil's not being charged with making threats,

she's up on m*rder.

And for m*rder, there's no evidence.

No g*n, no witnesses, except Corey Walker who claims

that he picked off that license plate in the dark

at feet, when we all know, we all saw

that he doesn't have the eyesight to substantiate that.

And the fact that the District Attorney

didn't even include Corey

as part of his principle case

tells you something about his credibility.

The fibers, well, Suzanne Hamil was in that house,

that very day, making love on the carpet, so, of course

fibers were found on her clothing.

And think about this...

through all the threats,

all the harassment, Michael Walker

never pressed charges.

He never even sought

a restraining order to keep her away,

because as Suzanne Hamil told us,

he didn't really want her to go away.

What we have here, ladies and gentlemen,

is definitely a crime of extraordinary passion.

Suzanne Hamil sits before you today

very much guilty of the passion.

Michael Walker had the passion.

As for the crime...

that belongs to Jeanette.

She looked at her husband on the videotape.

Two years this had been going on.

We heard of her anger and her hatred...

doctor
-patient privilege prevents us

from knowing the true scope of that hatred.

But when he went back...

when Michael Walker went back to the love of this woman,

when it became clear that he couldn't escape

his own passions... Jeanette couldn't cope.

And she probably knew, maybe from

the trace of Suzanne's perfume in the air,

maybe from a fleeting look on Michael's face,

she probably knew what went on in her house

that very afternoon.

That for two and a half hours...

Michael Walker had made passionate,

uncontrollable love to Suzanne Hamil.

And that was never going to happen again.

Oh, no, ladies and gentlemen, Jeanette was going to make sure

that would never happen again.

The defendant threatened to chop the victim up into pieces,

vowed she would k*ll him.

Now, I don't think I have to take up your valuable time

getting you to believe that sitting here

is a mentally
-deranged human being.

There were no witnesses to support this concoction

that she was with the victim,

making love the afternoon of his m*rder.

No witnesses to support her claim

that she was home alone the night of the m*rder.

And what about the g*n?

Jeanette Walker never left the scene.

If she had been the sh**t,

then we would have found the g*n, or the gloves

she had to have used because there was

no gunpowder residue on her hands.

Come on, ladies and gentlemen...

here we have a woman

with no criminal or psychiatric history...

and here we have a borderline psychotic,

self
-admittedly obsessed with the victim,

who repeatedly claimed she would k*ll him.

Who sent a doll to his house

with an icepick stabbed through it.

Round of applause for her performance on the stand.

Bigger round of applause for her lawyers...

but let's get this person locked up, please...

before she develops a crush on any one of us.

[murmuring]

I've got nothing against accepting your plea, Counsel...

but I'm not going to do anything

in the absence of your client, as well as the DA.

My client will be here, Your Honor.

He's been very prompt for all his court appointments
-
-

He won't be prompt today, Ms. Lamb.

I'm afraid Mr. Mead won't be appearing.

What are you talking about?

He's in the hospital. Officer.

He was found in his room unconscious an hour ago.

Next to him, on the floor, the police found... this.

Judge: What is that?

Maynard: These dentures have been identified

as belonging to the defendant.

Obviously, Mr. Mead bit his toad,

probably, looking to get a bigger secretion.


- It was almost fatal.
- I begged him to get help.

Maynard: Your Honor, given the severity of this problem,

the people can only agree to probation

conditioned upon Mr. Mead entering rehab.

Well, I have no objection to that.

Alright. So ordered.


- Is he alright? Maynard: He's stabilized.

The doctors say he'll make it.

No such luck for the toad.

[CJ sighs]

You hear anything?

Just that they stayed in until : A.M.

last night before breaking.

They gotta be close. [elevator dings]

I wish I knew what that means.

[clamoring]

As far as I know is that the deliberations are continuing.

I know just as much as you do.

[indistinct]

No comment.

Reporter : Where is Suzanne, right now, Mr. Sollers?

I have no comment right now. All any of us can do is wait.

How long do they usually take?

Well, you never know. This one's close.

But, uh, it could be any minute.

I don't think they believed the boy, do you?

I don't know, we tripped him up,

but he didn't really come off as dishonest.

No. He's a good boy.

Has his father's eyes, you know?

Something about him, I was watching him as he testified.

He doesn't belong with that woman.


- Excuse me?
- His mother.

The connection wasn't there at all.

I bet Michael would prefer he be with me.

Well, I'm not saying hewillbe with me, Ann.

I'm just saying...

I felt some sort of... destiny there.

Reminded me of Michael. [door opens]

Jury's back. Let's go.

Judge: Mr. Foreman, has the jury reached its verdict?


- Yes, we have, Your Honor.
- What say you?

In the matter of the People versus Suzanne Hamil,

on the charge of first degree m*rder,

we find the defendant... not guilty.

[clamoring]

Judge: Alright! Alright! Settle down.

Members of the jury, your service is completed.

You are dismissed. The defendant...

is free to go. We are adjourned.

Man : People are saying you're getting away with m*rder,

is this true?

[indistinct chatter]

Mr. Sollers, do you think, uh, charges

should be brought against the wife?

I will not speculate as to the intentions of the DA.

Reporter : Suzanne, do you believe she did it?

All I know is, it wasn't me.

Ms. Kelsey, could we have your reaction?

I have no comment. Mr. Sollers speaks for both of us.

[indistinct chatter]

Mrs. Walker. Mrs. Walker. I'm sorry.

Wait, Jeanette, wait!

Suzanne was talking about Corey in a way...

I think there might be some danger.

What are you talking about?

She was rambling a little bit about Corey and destiny.

It might not mean anything. I don't know.

Reporter : Mrs. Walker, could we have your reaction?


- Are you angry at the verdict?
- Mrs. Walker!

Reporter : Mrs. Walker, were you shocked by the verdict?

McKenzie : I must say, Mr. Harden,

except for the occasional precipitation,

I quite enjoyed Mr. Miller's performance,

and I'm curious as to what you found offensive.

Oh, I personally don't think it's offensive.

I, I'm just worried about

sponsor pullouts on our telecasts.

Which sponsors would be offended?

Oh, I don't think the sponsors would be offended.

It's just, they're afraid that people out there,

they might be offended.

Oh, I see.

And you'd rather cater to an unreasonable intolerance than

stand behind what you believe to be reasonable content?

Well, we have to be concerned with the sensibilities

of the American public and today's
-
-

You sound like a network executive.

I object to that.

I'm certainly enlightened enough to appreciate

the artistic content of Mr. Miller's rendition.

But Joe and Jane American

aren't gonna look at it that way.

Well, I don't think Joe and Jane American

would appreciate the continued assumption

by you and people like you

that you're more enlightened than they are.

I don't think Joe and Jane would appreciate

youdeciding what's appropriate for them and what's not.

Oh, so if he wants to swear,

or use the Lord's name in vain, then
-
-

This isn't about profanity.

This is about you controlling expression.

And that's totally inconsistent

with the song you hired him to sing.

I'm ordering judgment in the amount of $,.

Now, try to do somethin' about that spit, will ya?

[laughing]

[knock on door]

Wow.

Here's to the winners.

We called the police. They won't do anything.

She didn't make any overt threats.

I just feel so helpless.

There's nothing more you can do, honey.

You've already violated attorney
-client privilege.

We just put a psychotic k*ller back on the streets.

I'm not gonna lose any sleep over attorney
-client privilege.

Okay.

♪ I was raised up on Jimmy Reed ♪

♪ Cornbread, collard greens and black
-eyed peas ♪

♪ Took my first bath in Muddy Waters ♪

♪ All of you mamas better watch your daughters ♪

♪ I'm a blues man

♪ Hey! I'm a blues man

♪ I spell B

♪ L

♪ U

♪ E
-S

♪ That spells "Blues" y'all

♪ That spells Blues

♪ I am

♪ A blues man

♪ Ow! ♪

[cheering]

Yeah. Yeah.

[applause]

[dog barking]

[indistinct chatter]

[police radio chatter]

I'm Ann Kelsey, the attorney handling the case.

Alright.

Ann Kelsey, attorney.

You might want to hold off, Counsel.

Let me through, please.

Detective: The victim, Suzanne Hamil, appears to have

two b*llet wounds, both frontal.

One in the forehead, one in the abdomen.

Woman : Bill, the lawyer's here.


- Where are they?
- In there.

Let her in.

Close the doors, please.

What happened?

You agree to be our lawyer now, right?


- This is privileged?
- Yeah. What happened?

I called her, told her to come over.

And when she came in...

I sh*t her.

Oh, God. Why?

I was afraid she'd get us.

You said there was danger.

Did you know that he called her?

No.

Where did you get the g*n?

I bought it from a kid at school.

I...

Should I tell? [sniffling]

[crying] Yeah, honey. Go ahead.

I used it to k*ll dad.

[gasps]

I didn't know, Ms. Kelsey.

He just told me.

[sobbing]

Evidently, she was here that afternoon

and Corey saw them.

Oh, God.

Oh, God.

I just, I just got my own client k*lled.

What are we gonna do?

I don't know.

I don't know.

[instrumental music]

[theme music]