06x13 - Steal It Again, Sam

[bunniefuu]

Previously on "L.A. Law"...

We give thanks for this family,

that we can be together like this.

On this occasion where Victor

brings to us his beautiful friend.

Grace Van Owen.

Hey, I bring at least girls home for dinner.

None of them get mentioned in the blessing.

[speaking Spanish]

Grace, we're going to be parents.

We owe it to the child to be living...

You've never even told me you love me.

But now you suddenly want to make this lifetime commitment.

Grace, he stinks.

This is good to know, Charlie.

[laughing]

You are in deep trouble, here.

Why?

[screaming]

It looks like the brother will have permanent brain damage.

Oh, God.

Guy who hit him registered ., drunk driver.

Okay, I'm hereby granting your petition.

The life support equipment shall be disconnected.

I'm sorry about the baby.

I know got your note, thank you.

How is Victor?

Victor and I...

Victor and I are separated.

Um...

I'm no longer practicing with him and Michael.

No, I can't think about anything else but this case.

So if there's a client that you can't put off for any reason...

What is this?

We can finish up later, okay?

What are you doing, Victor?

My parents are suing the man that k*lled Charlie,

and I'm representing them.

Your father isn't well enough to leave his house.


-You Mother
-
-
-Grace.

They want this.

And we need you as a witness.

And this is how you tell me, with a subpoena?

Look, you didn't return my phone calls.

What exactly do you want me to testify to?

I didn't see anything that's gonna
-
-

You saw the accident, you saw how drunk William Boyd was

when he got out of his truck.

I can't prove that he was drunk.

He could have been in shock from the accident.

That is the first thing his lawyer will say.

You don't have to prove anything.

You say how he reeked of liquor

and how he could hardly stand up.

You can't win this, Victor.

They didn't charge Boyd with manslaughter

because the D.A. didn't have enough evidence.

He got six months because the D.A. wasn't even sure

he could make felony DUI.

Boyd got off easy.

Okay, he was blind drunk and he was driving like a maniac

when he k*lled Charlie and the law...

the law let him get off with a slap on the wrist.

The jury isn't going to care.

I want him to pay for what he did.

So this is about revenge?

No, it's about justice.

You're the last person to be objective here, Victor.

William Boyd is a k*ller.

Now, he m*rder*d Charlie just as if he'd picked up a g*n

and pointed it to his head.

If I have to put you up on the stand,

that's what I'm gonna do.

I'm gonna do whatever it takes.

I'll be damned...

I'm not letting him get away with a m*rder.

Grace...

♪♪

♪♪

First, I'd like to welcome our new associate,

Alex DePalma, who along with Tommy Mullaney

put together the very lucrative Halifax chemical settlement.

Bravo.

Good, we could use the help.

Now, I wasn't too sure about hooking up

with a firm like this, but so far so good.

Thank you.

Moving on, Keller vs. Sergio?

C.J. referred it to me so we're splitting the fee.

And don't keep us in suspense, are we going to be able

to buy Illicit one of these days?

Not if my client gets an injunction.

Okay, I'll bite, what's Illicit?

It's a new fragrance by Sergio.

Sergio who?

Oh, you know the guy in all the ads.

Uta Keller's bad boy designer.

That's the problem, he's trying to leave Keller's company.

She's claiming he breached their contract

and doesn't have permission to use his name and likeness.

We slapped a restraining order on the thousand crates

of Illicit she was about to ship out.

Is this serious business?

Sergio's men's cologne generated million in sales last year.


-[whistles]
-Serious enough for me.

On a personal note, you are testifying

in Sifuentes vs. Boyd?

Yes.

I'm not sure my testimony will help,

but Victor wants it.

Tell him we're pulling for him.

Give him our love.

I hope he nails the guy's ass.

How does it look?

Well, it's hard to say.

The driver is young, he is nice looking.

He is sorry that he ever got behind a wheel after a few too many.

And it will be hard to find a member of the jury

who hasn't done the same.

Well, I guess we're adjourned.

Did Arnie tell you about the switch?

He mumbled something.

It works out well, actually.

Arnie's got a slow week,

so he doesn't mind taking my assistant for a while,

letting me borrow you.

Oh, doesn't he?

You better gather your essentials and camp out

at the desk near my office.

Unless you don't want to.

No, I like being passed around like a used car.

I thought Arnie explained, it's completely up to you.

But it's a textbook civil procedure case.

When you're studying contract law,

there's nothing like a live demonstration.

You mean you were being nice?

Mostly, I was being greedy.

I need a top
-notch sl*ve.

Depositions start tomorrow.

Thanks, I would like to be involved

but there's one thing we need to clear up first:

We got off on the wrong foot.

And I'm sure that kiss under the mistletoe

didn't reassure you.

But in fact, I don't like office flirtations.

I promise you won't have to field advances from me.

I value your help too much.

I'll be at your office in minutes.

See if you can make it five.

Officer Hawkins, what did you find

when you first arrived at the scene of this accident?

The car belonging to Charles Sifuentes was crushed

between the defendant's pick
-up truck and another vehicle.

The wreckage was so m*nled we had to use the jaws of life

to free Mr. Sifuentes.

His injuries were severe and he was taken

to St. Jude's hospital by ambulance,

where he d*ed several days later.

Yes, and what about the defendant, William Boyd?

He had minor cuts,

but his behavior indicated that he was drunk.

Objection, that's Officer Hawkins' conclusion.

Ma'am, you've been a police officer for years.

How many drunk drivers would you say you've booked?

Over a hundred.

Your Honor, I think Officer Hawkins'

knows a drunk driver when she sees one.

Objection overruled.

Now, did you administer a field sobriety test to Mr. Boyd?

Yes, he failed.

So we took him to Rampart division where he was booked

on suspicion of drunk driving.

How fast was Mr. Boyd going

when his vehicle struck Mr. Sifuentes?

Objection, the officer wasn't a witness to the accident.

Your Honor, we offer tests

on the defendant's vehicle performed

at the request of Officer Hawkins

to determine the speed at which the defendant was driving.

These tests aren't universally accepted, Your Honor.

I'm going to allow them, Mr. Echeverria.

Officer? What did those tests show?

A phenomenon called "hot shock"

which happens to headlights at high speed collisions.

There's a burn inside the lamp

which doesn't occur at lower speeds.

And did Mr. Boyd's headlights indicate that "hot shock" had occurred?

Yes, they did.

Based on these tests and skid marks at the scene,

we calculated that he was traveling

at least miles an hour at the time of the collision.

Thank you. No more questions at this time.

Isn't it true, Officer Hawkins,

that Mr. Boyd actually passed the field sobriety test that you gave him?

Objection, asked and answered.

We believe Officer Hawkins was in error, Your Honor.

Your Honor, this is maneuvering on counsel's part.

Objection overruled, I'm going to allow it.

How did Mr. Boyd fail the test?

He was unable to walk a straight line.

Now according to your report,

he "made the turn unsteadily."

But the law says all he had to do was

walk the straight line.

Was Mr. Boyd in fact able to do that?

Yes.

So then he actually passed that test.

In spite of having just been in a serious accident.

Yes.

Thank you. Nothing further.

Redirect, Your Honor.

Officer Hawkins, was walking a straight line

the only field sobriety test given to Mr. Boyd?

No, we also tested his hand
-eye coordination

and the steadiness of his peripheral vision

among other things.

And did Mr. Boyd pass those tests?

No, he did not.

Thank you, Officer. No more questions.

Hey, Rox. Where's Benny?

Sam! What happened?

What do you mean?

Come on.


-Ow!
-I'm sorry.

Forget this, I'll go back and let them finish the job.

I thought Benny told me you stayed with friends after school.

Not this week.

Jason's family went up north for some old dude's funeral.

So I'm on my own.

Maybe that's not such a good idea.

Sam, what happened?

Hi. Is that for me? You shouldn't have.

This is for Douglas.

Now who hit you?

Do I have to tell him?

Oh...

It's humiliating.

They got my allowance, Benny.

But at least I fought 'em for my shoes.

The, uh...

night Charles Sifuentes was k*lled,

you had dinner with him and myself

at the Imperial Gardens restaurant.

What time did we leave?

It was a little after eight,

because we were supposed to go bowling.

We were joking about it.

We'd all come from work, so we had separate cars,

and Mr. Sifuentes was going to get his car.

And then what happened?

I was still in front of the restaurant,

and I heard the sound of brakes and a car skidding,

and when I looked at the intersection,

I saw a yellow truck

slam into the side of Mr. Sifuentes' car.

And Charles Sifuentes was trapped in the wreckage?

Yes.

We could... we could see him through the window.

He...

He was unconscious. He was bleeding.

But we couldn't get to him.

Did you happen to see the driver of the truck, William Boyd?

Yes.

He got out of his truck and he seemed uninjured.

Then he staggered, and then he vomited.

Did Mr. Boyd appear to be drunk?

Objection, calls for a conclusion.

Sustained.

What else did you notice about Mr. Boyd?

He smelled strongly of alcohol.

Thank you.

Nothing further.

Miss Van Owen...

is it possible that Mr. Boyd's behavior after the accident,

his staggering and vomiting could have been due to shock?

Objection, witness is not a doctor.

She's not qualified to make that judgment.

I'll allow it.

Have you seen a lot of shock victims, Mrs. Van Owen?

No.

Well, then, how do you know Mr. Boyd wasn't in shock?

It's possible but it looked more like he was drunk.

Was he incoherent?

Did he slur his words?

I didn't talk to him.

I was more concerned with taking care of Mr. Sifuentes.

Then you weren't really paying attention

to Mr. Boyd, were you?

Your observation was fleeting

and understandably colored by emotion.

I know what I saw.

Miss Van Owen, during dinner,

did Charles Sifuentes drink any alcohol?

Objection, that is irrelevant.

Comparative negligence is relevant, Your Honor.

Overruled, witness will answer.

He had two beers during dinner.

Did his behavior at that time

reflect the influence of alcohol?

No.

You said you were joking as you left the restaurant.

Does that mean Mr. Sifuentes was more buoyant than usual?

Not really, no.

Isn't it possible he could have been feeling

the effects of two beers?

I don't know what you mean by the effects
-
-

Isn't it also possible that Mr. Sifuentes judgment

might have been impaired
-
-


-Objection!
-When he pulled into the intersection

without seeing Mr. Boyd's truck.

Your Honor, counsel's making up fiction here.

Objection overruled.

I don't think that's what happened.

Yes or no, Miss Van Owen?

Is it possible Charles Sifuentes judgment was impaired?

He wasn't at fault here.

You said yourself he had two beers.

He could've been feeling the effects.

His judgment could have been impaired.

It is remotely possible.

So it is possible that Charles Sifuentes

was at least partially responsible for the accident?

Yes.

Thank you. Nothing further.

Gave them comparative negligence.

What was I supposed to do, perjure myself
-
-

You were supposed to help.

You made it sound like it was Charlie's fault.

I never said
-
-

The hell you didn't, Grace! I needed you in there!

You needed me?

You needed me?

Where were you when I needed you?

I lay in that emergency room for three hours after the
-
-

the miscarriage and you never came in,

you never even spoke to me.

I couldn't talk to anybody!

For weeks, you were like that.

Like a stranger.

You cut me off, and then you left.

And I came back.

After months.

When I could deal with it.

When it was convenient for you.

I came back to you, Grace.

I came back to
-
-

Baby, you wouldn't let me in!

You wouldn't even listen to me.

You had no right to expect me to.

I was trying to tell you what I felt.

Tell me now, then.

The miscarriage was my fault.

I wanted the baby so much because of Charlie.

And then we lost him.

This was a punishment to you.

I took my brother's life.

I took him off the respirator. I took his life.

God just takes away my son's.

He was my son, too.

You still don't see it, do you?

You still don't see me, or my hurt.

All you can think about is yourself and your dead brother.

Well, go ahead, Victor.

Wallow in your grief.

I don't care anymore.

Sergeant Faraday, did you administer a breathalyzer test

to William Boyd at Rampart division station

on February th...

Your Honor, I move to suppress this testimony.

What? On what grounds?


-The test is invalid.
-That is ridiculous.

My chambers, counsel. Now.

So what are you trying to pull here, Felix?

I want the breathalyzer results excluded.

Opposed.

His client blew a BAC of ..

That is over twice the legal limit.

The records at Rampart show that previous tests

were performed on the machine used to test my client.

Now state law requires that machines

be checked and recalibrated after tests.

So what? That is a minor technicality.

It goes to weight of evidence, not admissibility.

I'm not finished.

The machine at Rampart is a computerized breathalyzer.

And computerized machines have not been approved by

the department of transportation as accurate.

So let him challenge with expert testimony,

but the test rest result should not be excluded.

Mr. Sifuentes, can you prove that machine was accurate?

Of course not, there's no way that I could prove that.

Then I have to agree with Mr. Echeverria.

Wait a minute.

Your Honor, you can't do this.

You are excluding the proof that he was drunk.

Look, as far as I'm concerned,

if that machine had never been approved

or certified accurate, then it's not a minor point.

Motion granted, the jury will hear no testimony

concerning the defendant's blood alcohol content.

Well, then I move for a stay to appeal.


-Denied.
-Damn it, Judge!

This cripples my case! You have to reconsider.

You get yourself under control, Mr. Sifuentes.

I have made my ruling.

This discussion is over.

So you agree, Miss Keller, that Sergio designs

virtually resurrected Uta Keller Incorporated.

He helped.

That's why I agreed all the ads and labels

should read Sergio for Uta of California.

Now he's trying to sabotage our fragrance.

Our fragrance.

Yes, ours, Sergio.

Meaning Sergio developed and designed the fragrance

and you were supposed to market it.

I'm aware he thinks my advertising budget for Illicit is inadequate.

Didn't you also agree to manufacture a line of lingerie

designed by Sergio?

That line is unacceptable.

The Uta woman is bold but she is not provocative.

The line was too extroverted.

Uta Keller is for the woman confident in her sensuality

who chooses the quieter garments.

In what she shows to the world.

But lingerie is the secret life.

Who's to guess what a woman's choice of lingerie might be?

Sergio, please.

This woman is a stranger to me.

But I can only wonder what is under her clothes.

Maybe it's not what we see on the outside at all.

I don't speak for just any woman.

No offense, darling.

I only address the Uta woman.

And I require my designers do the same.

So you exert considerable control over your designers?

I would be a poor chief executive if I did not.

Does that control extend to your employee's personal lives?

I fail to see the relevance of this line of questioning.

Then let me bring you up to date.

This morning we amended our complaint

to include a charge of sexual harassment in the work place.

Now wait a minute, where did this come from?

There is no proof of a sexual relationship here.

They don't need proof, dear. I admit it.

Uta, please!

The Uta woman does not apologize for her appetites.

Let's take a break, shall we?

As your employee, wasn't my client manipulated

into accepting a certain arrangement?


-Don't answer that!
-What?

I manipulated him into six months of healthy abandon?

And when he ended it,

didn't you refuse to accept or market his designs?

He ended it?

I, I, I ended it

when I realized his passion was nothing but pretense...


-We're terminating this right now.
-...to further his career.

My passion could not withstand your jealousy!

Jealousy! Oh, la, la, la, la.

You were threatened by Illicit!

You keep saying the bottle is too erect.

It is a fragrance for women!

The erection is a monument to women!

Yes, I'm sure it is. Thank you very much.

Goodbye!

[shouts]

Your standard textbook case?

Benny, there's a problem with
-
-

Benny's in the john.

But if it's about the watch for your son's birthday,

Rox already told him.

He's going to take it back tomorrow to get the engraving fixed.

What are you doing...

What are you doing here?

American history, the w*r of .

Don't be smart, young man.

Nice watch.

Don't let your kid wear it to school.

If he wants to hang on to it.

Roxanne?

Mr. Boyd, are you an alcoholic?

Yes, I'm in recovery now.

I haven't had a drink since the night of the accident.

But at the time you were still drinking

a fifth or more of alcohol a day, isn't that right?

Yes, I did, for several years.

So you had a high tolerance?

Objection, Mr. Boyd is not an expert or a doctor.

Overruled, witness may answer.

I did have a high tolerance.

So even though you had several drinks

on the night of the accident,

you didn't think yourself impaired.

No. When I got in my truck, I was feeling okay.

Were you angry?

I was upset. I won't deny that.

My girlfriend had just moved out.

But it was more pain than anger.

Mr. Boyd, did you set out to hurt somebody

when you got behind the wheel?

No.

I was thinking about my problems,

not about my driving.

But I didn't mean to hurt anybody.

Did you intend to k*ll Charles Sifuentes?

No.

I didn't even see him until he pulled out in front of me.

I'm sorry it happened.

He's dead...

I'll carry that with me for the rest of my life.

Thank you. Nothing further.

You're sorry?

So you admit Mr. Sifuentes' death was your fault.


-Objection.
-It was an accident.

It was a terrible accident.

But you caused it.


-Asked and answered, Your Honor.
-Sustained.

The night of the accident,

you were at Kelly's Bar & Grill from six p.m. until :.


-Right?
-Yes.

How many drinks did you have during that time?

I wasn't counting.

According to the bartender, you had two boilermakers.

That's beer chased with sh*ts of bourbon

and then four straight bourbon sh**t.

That true? I guess so.

ounces of liquor in a little more than an hour?


-You didn't feel drunk?
-No.

Before this accident, were you every arrested for drunk driving?

Objection, irrelevant and prejudicial.

Goes to the knowledge of the dangers of drinking and driving.

Overruled.

I had two DUIs.

I got probation both times.

But the second time, the other driver was injured, wasn't he?

His leg was severely fractured.

Yes.

Did you feel drunk when you got into your vehicle

before that accident?

No.

And after that accident,

after having injured someone,

you continued to drink and drive

as you did on the night you hit Mr. Sifuentes, right?

Like I said...

When I left the bar, I didn't feel drunk.

Yeah.

At the time of the accident, where were you going?

Home.

On downtown surface streets?

You live in the San Fernando Valley.

I was lost.

Maybe you were just cruising around looking for a fight.

Objection, argumentative.

I'll rephrase.

You weren't just angry, were you, you were furious

at your girlfriend, at the bartender

who wouldn't serve you more liquor.

You threatened to b*at him up, didn't you?

I'm a big talker, I never would have done that.

Come on.

You wanted to make somebody feel as bad as you did.

Objection! Argumentative.


-That's not true.
-Sustained.

The only person I wanted to hurt was myself.

So when you got into your truck, you were out to k*ll yourself.

And you didn't care who you took with you.

I wasn't thinking.

Because you were too drunk, right?

Because you were in too much of a rage.


-Objection.
-Sustained. Watch yourself, counsel.

You were so drunk and so angry that it didn't matter
-
-

He's badgering, Your Honor.

You didn't care, did you? You just wanted someone to die.


-Move to strike!
-Mr. Sifuentes, that is enough.

I'm done here.

♪♪

Sergio called again.

Now cable news wants to do a piece.

As long as he doesn't comment directly on the case.

Did you review the contract?

Yes, and I don't think you'll win an injunction.

The contract protects her. She wasn't in breach.

Lucky for us there's a question of harassment.

Lucky for Sergio he's got a lawyer

who can manipulate the situation,

I didn't fabricate that she had sex with her employee.

No, but you're calling it harassment

when anyone with two eyes can see that

that man is a consenting adult.

He was her protégé, at the mercy of her whims.

I can make that argument.

Yes, you can, but it isn't true.

You're exploiting the law to prop up a weak case.

It's called developing a strategy.

And you don't care what really happened between them.

My job is to represent my client.

It's naive to think that what really happened

is necessarily useful in that pursuit.

So wanting to know the truth is naive.

The truth is only pertinent up to a point.

Then it's a matter of amateur curiosity.

You know, I really appreciate you

letting me look over your shoulder,

but there is a lot I don't want to learn from you.

Okay, here's the proposal.

Billy Boyd's parents have $, equity in the house.

They're willing to refinance, give you .

No.

Come on, Victor.

They don't have to do anything.

They're just trying to help.

Fine, you tell them not to, 'cause I'm not walking away.

For God's sake, you might not even win.

And even if you do, Billy Boyd's uninsured.

There's nothing to collect on.

Then I'll get my judgment, and I'll just wait.

He gets a job, he makes any kind of money,

I'll attach his wages.

If I have to get it from him nickel by nickel, I'm gonna do it.

When we're both dead, my lawyers will still be chasing his relatives.

I don't care.

Listen to yourself.

No, listen to you, Felix.

You're expecting me to settle for $,.

My brother was m*nled in that car.

We're supposed to be friends.

I am not talking to next of kin, here.

I am talking to opposing counsel.

And your rejecting that offer is malpractice.

Well, then you just report me to the bar.

No, I'm going to do more than that, Victor.

You wanted to be in the middle here, I'll put you in the middle.

I'm calling you as my next witness.

That's right, your parents waived conflict of interest at the pre
-trial,

so get yourself ready to testify, counsel.

'Cause you're going on the stand.

Hi
-ya.

What's up?


-I think you know.
-Douglas.

Sam, Mr. Brackman has a problem.

And, um...

He thinks it's 'cause of you.

Did you see the watch that Mr. Brackman was giving to his son?

Yeah, he brought it in here yesterday.

Are you saying you didn't go into my office?

I was looking at your fish, man,

I didn't even touch your crummy watch.

I didn't even see it in there!

Sam, settle down, nobody's accusing you.

We were hoping you might know something about it.

We were hoping you'd own up to what happened.

[scoffs]

Sam, if you know anything, you have to tell us now.

No, look at me and tell the truth.

I didn't take his watch.

I don't know nothing about it.

See, I told ya.

Stay out of my office in the future.

I'll talk to the custodial staff.

You'll be wasting your breath.

All finished?

Oh, finally.

But I'm well prepared for my deposition.

And I'm starving.

Oh, it's late for lunch, but maybe I can still get you

something from the deli downstairs.

Is that one of mine?

Sorry?

Oh, no, I see, it's a knock
-off.

Not a bad one.

Do you mind?

Of course.

They imitate me better than anyone.

Yours was silk gabardine.

Mmm.

And early homage to the Uta silhouette.

She thought the cut was too playful for business.

But that was before I showed Uta

how much fun business could be.

It's probably the kind of comment you won't

want to make in your deposition.

She's right.

That's what I've been telling you.

Your humor could be misconstrued to imply

you took an active role in romancing Miss Keller.

Ah!

Right.

Do you want me to call the deli?

I would rather go out.

If you'll join me.

I know he's a sl*ve driver, but you must get a lunch hour.

I do, I do, but
-
-

Let's get out of here. Hmm?

Okay, I'd like that.

Excuse me.

No, no, no, no, no, you think only the woman is vulnerable?

When I love...

It is as if my soul were drawn out of me

and is lost, circling her.

Stalking her.

You are too American.

Number one who wants to always be on top.

[chuckles]

It is no fun if you can never throw back your arms and surrender.

Am I right?

I can't remember.

Gwen, if a woman like you is not falling in love often,

she is fighting it.

Close your eyes.

Please.

A language without words.

This is why I love working with fragrance.

It is part essence, part song.

It's wonderful. Illicit?

Shh.

Ah.

[speaks French]

One simple rule and you choose to flaunt it here.


-Uta
-
-
-No other women.

Uta, please.

This is my attorney's assistant, remember?

Miss Taylor?

Oh, yes. Hello.

I think we should avoid an ex parte conversation.

Why am I smelling this?

Smell what?

Betrayer!

Uta!

Uta!

I'm very sorry for your loss, Mr. Sifuentes.

After your brother's condition stabilized at the hospital,

what did his doctors tell you and your family?

The doctors said

that the left side of Charlie's brain

had been destroyed. He was in a coma.

The doctor's said he could come out of this coma, did they not?

With a quality of life no better than a dog's.

He would be paralyzed.

He would never be able to speak or understand language.

Did they say that he was brain dead?

See, that is a legal term.

Excuse me sir, that's a medical term that the law recognizes.

Medically, your brother's brain was not dead.

The neurologist on the case agreed with me

and he said that the quality of Charlie's life


-would be so
-
-
-The neurologist acknowledged life.

At whatever quality.

And the hospital so recognized that Charlie was living

that they refused to disconnect him from the respirator.


-And you fought them.
-Yes, I did.

You went into court with a lawyer.

You advocated that Charlie's life should end.

You obtained a court order mandating

that the plug be pulled

and you went back to the hospital

and you ex*cuted it, didn't you, Mr. Sifuentes?

Charlie's life was over.

He ended it the night he crushed his skull!


-No, you ended it.
-You son of a bitch.


-All right.
-This is your lawsuit, Victor. You're pushing the ball here.

I am here because that drunken bastard over there

let may brother lay like a vegetable!


-Gentlemen, that's enough
-How many days did you wait, Victor?

There is anecdotal evidence of people coming out of these comas.

Miracles are happening. How many days did you wait?

Two days? Three days?

Did you give your brother a week?

I was not going to sit around and watch my brother

lay there like that.

So then who's suffering were you ending, Victor?

Charlie's, or yours?

Mr. Sifuentes, sit down.

Sit down, now.

I've known you for a long time, Victor.

I've never met a lawyer that I respect more,

both personally and professionally, but...

personally and professionally,

you're messed up here.

Argumentative.

Now, Your Honor, I ask that counsel ask questions.

Sustained.

Okay, here's a question.

After your wife Grace had the miscarriage several months ago,

didn't you say in a hospital waiting room

that this was God's punishment to you for Charlie?

I had just lost my son

and I was barely holding on at that point.

But you said it.

Now, tell me.

If you think God would punish you,

doesn't that mean you blame yourself some?

I have nothing further.

[door opens]

Sam?

Are you sick?

Sorta.

Oh, Sam.

I guess I screwed up, huh?

Yeah.

This is bad.

Why did you do it?

I don't know. Brackman's such a jerk.

Mr. Brackman, and that's not nice to say.

And that doesn't make stealing okay.

I believed you.

I already have my stuff packed to go back to McLaren.

You're gonna leave?

Aren't you gonna make me?

No.

You did something bad.

But now you're doing something good.

You came and you told me.

That doesn't fix anything.

You still got to take it back to Brackman
-
-

Mr. Brackman and tell him what really happened.

No.

I don't.

♪♪

Of course, I don't know for sure,

but it would explain a lot, don't you think?

I think you have an over
-active imagination.

Just because she may still be in love with him
-
-

What if it's more than that?

Gwen, please stop wasting my time.

Are you being like this because I went out with him?

I'm being like this because I'm running late.

And because, if you must know, you were right.

Working with Sergio yesterday, it became fairly clear

that his claim of harassment is shaky,

so now I have a client who's a loose cannon with an unsubstantiated claim

about to be deposed.

If I'm right, then the deposition doesn't matter.

Gwen, we'll need coffee.

And that's all I could say for myself, 'cause...

I don't have any excuse.

I knew better.

And I want to apologize to Roxanne, too,

'cause you did all those nice things for me

and I go and do something like this.

Your apology is accepted, young man.

As Benny told you, theft is a serious transgression

and lying is worse.

But it isn't easy to come forward and own up to mistakes.

I respect that.

Thank you, Douglas.

Don't mention it.

This is just a taste of the difficulties

of being a parent, Benny.

You should feel good about how well you handled this.

I don't.

I still feel bad.

Nonsense, let it go.

No hard feelings, Samuel?

Nah, we're cool, Mr. Brackman.

So you understood when you signed your contract

that Miss Keller would not market every whim that crossed your mind?

Illicit is not a whim.

It took years of hard work to create.

Morning.

But didn't you wait until the campaign had been launched

before you complained?

The first plans had been scaled back without my knowledge.

The bottle was too small.

[chuckles]

I bet your pardon?

Oh, sorry.

And when did that happen?

I can't recall the exact date.

And you allege that suddenly, for no reason at all

Miss Keller stopped talking to you.

Well, not for no reason.

Tell him about how jealous she gets.


-Gwen?
-What is this?

Oh come on, she knows. I know she knows I know.

What did you tell her?

I told her nothing!

Sergio, you told me the whole plan.


-Let's go off the record
-What's going on here?


-What did you tell her?
-Nothing.

I swear to you.

Uta, this girl is crazy.

Come on, another woman will add spice to the story.

It'll make the plan even better.

No, it's the end of the plan.


-What plan?
-What plan?


-It was her plan.
-There is no plan.

You just said there was.

All right, what the hell's going on?

Nothing is going on, I'm stopping it right here.

I won't participate in this charade another minute.

You spoiled it, Sergio.

The Uta Keller woman never plays the victim.

Don't tell me I'm hearing that we've all been involved in a fraud.

Not a fraud, an ad campaign.


-Is this true?
-You did tell her.

I did not tell her!

Why should I tell her? It was all your idea.

I had to do something, your expenses were bankrupting me.

I assure you, Miss Keller, his expenses will be nothing

compared to the sanctions for perpetrating a fraud on the court.

That's it, I'm out of business.

I warned you.

Frank, so far the court's involvement has been minimal.

Thank you, Miss Taylor, I think Mr. Klein and I can handle this.

Mr. Sifuentes?

There is no real issue of liability here.

It is clear whose fault this is.

Charles Sifuentes is dead

because of the willful of negligent act of the defendant.

This trial isn't about that.

This trial is about compensation for loss.

For pain.

Uh...

I...

They always say time heals.

Give it time.

In time, things will be okay.

Sometimes, time does nothing but ferment.

And it makes the pain more malignant.

The hurt just...

it just can grow inside you like a cancer

until you...

It can be so pre
-emptive that you can't function.

You can't love.

You can't be there for anybody

because all you have to offer is anger.

And that anger turns to hatred,

and instead of trying to get rid of it,

you cling to it because somehow you feel less a victim

if you can be active.

If you can hate.

I hate you so much.

Mr. Sifuentes.

And yes, maybe I hate myself.

Maybe I blame myself.

[grunts]

But I know one thing.

Charlie wouldn't want to live like that.

He was strong.

He was proud.

They had taken away his life.

He didn't deserve to lose his dignity as well.

Your Honor, may we have a recess?

'Til tomorrow. The jury is excused.

Look...

There is nothing I hate more than being made a fool of.

And I don't handle it very well when I am.

I owe you a thank you.

If I felt like an idiot at the deposition,

I hate to think what I would have felt like

if that rubbish had come to trial.

You weren't an idiot,

someone else just had a better strategy than you.

Thank you for pointing that out.

You're welcome.

Well...

I guess you've got your car.

Yeah?

And it is kinda late.

Are you asking me out?

We can go to the Santa Monica pier

and rent tackle and fish all night

and tell each other how we ended up at McKenzie Brackman.

I thought you didn't like office flirtations.

We're not in the office.

What was that?

I don't like you making all the first moves.

[doorbell rings]


-Hi.
-Hi. I
-
-

Come on in. Come on in.

I'm glad you're here. I was worried about you.

Sit down.

I settled the case.

Good.

Yeah.

Do you want something to drink?

Grace, I'm sorry.

For the baby and...

for not being there for you.

I wasn't there for you, either.

Can you forgive me?

Always.

Look, I know... I know I've got things to work out.

I've got all this...

Stuff to deal with.

But Grace... our marriage...

Do you want to try again?

I don't know.

I don't want to lose you.

But I'm not ready right now.

I love you.

But I have to go on with my life.

So do you.

Yeah.

No, stay.

Um...

We'll talk, right?

Sure.

I do love you, Grace.

I know.

♪♪ [theme]