Previously on "L.A. Law"...
Roger Beekman is out front.
We shared a cell at county.
I told him to look me up when he was released.
I listened to this tape.
The story you tell is touching.
It even bears a remarkable resemblance to my own adolescence.
Two men who share a six by nine room have no secrets.
Roger disappeared.
Now, I'll never see how my life story ends.
Did you notice, since we started dating,
no weird gifts, no midnight hang ups on the phone.
You're too smart, Gwen.
You're right. It was me all along.
[chuckles]
I, uh, took a home pregnancy test.
We're gonna have a baby?
We're gonna have a baby.
Not long ago, I had to raise capital
and take on a silent partner.
You're referring to Eric Schuller?
-Have you met my husband, Mr. Becker?
-No, ma'am.
Where is Schuller?
Right under your nose.
♪♪
-Oh...
-[door opens, closes]
[grunts]
What's for breakfast?
Uh, depends on what you're making.
Ow! [laughing]
How does this thing work?
Um, actually, I don't know,
I use it mostly as a clothes rack.
So, how do you stay toned?
Got high metabolism.
I worry a lot and chase after Lucy.
She's still sleeping.
Come on, show me how this contraption works.
[grunts]
What part of your body do you want to concentrate on first?
Boobs.
You mean pecks.
-Daniel.
-Yeah?
My life is finally making sense.
Mentally and physically, I'm approaching my peak.
Me, too.
Going to law school
-
-
Mm, being with you, having Lucy in my life,
-I couldn't be happier.
-That's good, Gwen.
What are we talkin'
-
-
working out?
Let's go for the burn.
♪♪ [theme]
♪♪
Times a wasting, colleagues.
There's much to be discussed. Let's get started.
First up, People vs. Emory Lewis and Gary Stubbs.
I'm assisting Tommy Mullaney
in prosecuting Stuart's attackers.
What? What's going on here?
[laughing] Why is this table so sticky?
Something seems to have affected this finish.
Real bargain on the cleaning crew, Douglas.
MELINA: Holy cow.
What a mess.
[sighs]Tempus fugit, pressing ahead.
I'm afraid to ask.
People vs. Claudia Van Rault, AKA Mistress Xenia.
My client is facing a rap for involuntary manslaughter
in the wrongful death of Eric Schuller.
I thought Ben Flicker was charged with that crime?
Had been until the police investigation revealed that
Schuller actually d*ed during a BND session.
McKenzie Brackman defending a bondage and discipline dominatrix?
Not while I'm drawing breath.
Douglas, no one is more aware than yours truly
that image is everything,
but this case and its ramifications
could affect our firm.
Ben Flicker, World Wide Studios.
I've been with this every step of the way
as lead counsel.
[muttering]
Move along, Douglas.
DOUGLAS: City of Santa Monica joined by the NAACP as amicus
-vs. Alan Ajamian.
-Judge Wishburn
-
-
Is hearing the city's emergency application
to remove a statue of Martin Luther King from Mr. Ajamian's building.
Yeah, I saw a picture of that statue.
It was, uh, a little too reminiscent of a lawn jockey for my taste.
-Why are you defending him?
-The right to expression
should be at the heart of any free society.
Wait, so you don't think he's perpetuating
a r*cist stereotype?
I find the statue offensive.
You won't feel like a token black defending
-
-
I
-
- I have to interrupt.
Alan Ajamian is a long time client.
When this controversy arose,
Jonathan approached me about this case
feeling strongly that he was the only attorney at this firm
who could walk into court and not be called r*cist.
-I wouldn't have any problem
-
-
-LELAND: Now, now, now.
I admire Jonathan's ability to put aside
all personal conflicts in pursuit of the greater good.
DOUGLAS: If no one has anything to add,
this meeting's adjourned.
This table is finished.
Roxanne, it's about time.
I don't work for you, Douglas.
Uh, does that give you the right
to traipse in here minutes late?
Arnie knew I had a doctor's appointment.
-Are you ill?
-No.
Well, then, you haven't any excuse.
[sobbing]
[sighs] What did I say?
Mr. Baker,
you represent Santa Monica in this suit.
Describe your one percent public art program.
The ordinance was conceived to foster a partnership
between developers and city hall.
Approvals for new structures
depend upon one percent of building costs
being allocated for major works of art.
Does the ordinance specify subject matter or medium?
BAKER: No, that's left up to the developer.
However, the preamble states that
the art should enhance our urban landscape.
ATTORNEY: In your judgment,
as chairperson of the arts program,
has the statue commissioned by Mr. Ajamian
enhanced the urban landscape?
Absolutely not. There have been demonstrations;
rocks and bottles thrown, windows broken,
not to mention continued threats of v*olence.
Have you been forced to take action?
Yes, the chief of police
assigned officers to patrol Mr. Ajamian's building.
ATTORNEY: Why protect the statue at all?
We're on notice.
If the demonstration escalates or if something happens,
in my opinion, Mr. Ajamian would sue the city in a second.
Your witness.
Mr. Baker, there's a
-
- a mural on th Street
that has the likeness of Louis Farrakhan.
That mural was not part of our program.
Yes, but nevertheless, a picture of Mr. Farrakhan
might offend some of your Jewish citizens.
We want art to contribute to the community,
not disrupt and destroy.
And the connoisseurs at city hall will tell us
which art contributes and which does not?
Objection, your honor, argumentative.
Sustained. Anything further?
-No, no.
-JUDGE: Counsel.
I have chosen to make this a closed hearing.
However, I was unable to clear more court time
until : tomorrow.
Until then,
in light of the rowdy crowds which continue gathering
outside Mr. Ajamian's building,
I urge you to meet in private.
Try reaching an accord that's acceptable on all sides
before it's too late and there's real trouble.
We're adjourned.
Let Claudia cop to reckless endangerment.
Prosecutor won't go for that.
-What's the plan?
-Arnie, relax.
We'll see how it unfolds.
The judge could suspend sentence
if Claudia pleads to as*ault with a deadly w*apon,
-and agrees to hand over the whip.
-FLICKER: Becker.
Ben, attending this trial is a lousy idea.
Noorische,I have to protect my interests.
Besides, I've been cleared of obstructing justice.
We all would have been better off
if you hadn't hidden Schuller's body in your ice rink.
What would you have done? I was staring down the barrel
of a major scandal at the shareholders' meeting.
I had to try keeping my partner's current affair
out of the hard copy.
Yeah, I know, only your conscience got the better of you.
Plus, there's no such thing as bad publicity.
-Say cheese.
-[camera shutter clicks]
You're smiling now, Ben. This may be your last picture.
To you, Eric Schuller was a business partner,
to me, he was a life partner.
I've lost my husband.
You don't think I'm sensitive to your situation?
I took the law into my own hands,
hoping to spare you the humiliation of
of discovering the cause of Eric's death.
This wasn't a personal favor, Ben.
You've been buying time, trying to keep this quiet
until after World Wide's annual stockholders' meeting.
Claudia's here. I suggest Ben leave,
and the rest of us retreat to opposite corners,
otherwise, there will be a scene we'll all regret.
-Ben.
-All right, I'm going, I'm going.
-Hello, Arnie, Daniel.
-Claudia.
So, you're the one who k*lled my husband.
For a whore,
you disguise your sickness well.
See you inside, Beatrice.
Let's go.
[toilet flushing]
-Hiya, Fender.
-Don't you Fender me.
Where in the living Hades have you been?
We had an agreement. A man's word is his bond.
-I've been writing.
-My book?
-Our book.
-Whatever.
I'm almost finished.
Roger, you don't know what a relief this is.
All these weeks, my stomach's been in knots.
Yeah, I know.
I heard you in the stall.
You need more bran.
[exhales]
Roger, I must say,
you're looking rather respectable.
Thanks to you for giving me your father's old suit.
Ah, it was nothing.
Well, not nothing.
After all, you are wearing percent worsted wool,
worth $ when you correct for inflation.
These clothes have proven invaluable;
influenced my storytelling by helping me think like a Brackman.
Roger, you're a far cry from the ex con
who shuffled into these offices almost a month ago,
and began writing my book.
-Our book.
-Whatever.
The manuscript. Only two more chapters to go.
"In The Bowels of the Brute." Bowels. I like it.
Has a certain resonance.
"I'd written my name a million times before,
"but never on the wall of a roach
-infested jail cell
"alongside the names of rapists, muggers and thieves.
"I, Douglas P. Brackman, Jr.,
"born into the hallowed temple of the American legal system,
was now behind bars, imprisoned."
-Like it?
-Love it.
As worthy as your earlier effort,
this reeks with feeling.
Now, let's get busy and finish my book.
-Our book.
-Whatever.
Any chance this is about the Fraska deposition?
No. No, this concerns our new insurance carrier.
They want to exclude you from coverage
because you fall into a high risk category.
Apparently, a doctor sent them some information.
Well, the letter doesn't specify what sort.
And you'd like an explanation?
Well, I am concerned.
But your health is your business,
I only wanted to apprise you of the situation.
Thank you.
Leland, this is between us.
Of course.
My father d*ed of Huntington's disease,
it's a neuromuscular disorder, there's no cure.
I'm sorry.
And that's why you believe you're being denied coverage?
Recently, my brother was diagnosed.
Uh, the disease is passed on genetically,
children have a / chance of inheriting Huntington's.
Symptoms don't appear until a person's late s, early s.
I believe there's a way to detect this beforehand?
Yeah, there's a blood test.
I'm not sure if it's a blessing or a curse
to see the future.
I take it you've elected not to find out.
Well, it's a long process, Leland.
First, you're counseled,
told in detail about the disease.
I guess the doctors want to see whether you'll be suicidal
if you get the bad news.
Anyway, I've decided against the test.
Uh, I'm trying to go on like everybody else
thinking I'll live to be , or tomorrow,
get hit by a bus.
Gwen, if it's all right, I'd like to pursue this
with the insurance carrier.
Well, what's the worst that could happen?
I take the test,
I find out I have Huntington's,
and I decide I'd rather be hit by a bus.
[door opens, closes]
-Thank you.
-Dr. Patrick,
you examined Eric Schuller after the autopsy?
-PATRICK: That's correct.
-What was the cause of death?
Technically, coronary arrest.
But the condition of the body suggested a possible homicide.
Could you explain further?
Mr. Schuller had been frozen in ice for some time.
After he thawed, I discovered roughly second degree welts
on his buttocks,
approximately eight inches in length.
People offer into evidence this whip,
-recovered from Mistress Xenia's room.
-BOTH: Objection.
Defense has already stipulated to the evidence.
-This is unnecessary.
-Sustained.
-Please.
-GRAPHIA: Please continue, doctor.
There were also contusions in the ankle area
indicating the deceased had been suspended upside down.
GRAPHIA: Given Mr. Schuller's medical history
of heart failure,
in your professional estimation,
-was the b*ating administered
-
-
-BOTH: Objection!
The word b*ating is a value judgment.
JUDGE: [sighs] Sustained.
Last question shall be struck from the record.
-You mind?
-Jump in quicker.
Give me a chance.
Was the... treatment Mr. Schuller received
at the hands of Mistress Xenia
sufficient to cause a second and fatal heart att*ck?
Yes. The shock of blows from that whip
along with the inverted position
would have been sufficient to induce a heart att*ck
in someone whose circulation was already compromised.
Nothing further.
Dr. Patrick, you were Mr. Schuller's physician
for nearly years.
In fact, according to your records,
you saw him every other week after his first heart att*ck.
-Correct.
-Did you advise your patient
he could resume sexual activity?
-There isn't
-
-
-Yes or no, Dr. Patrick.
Did you advise your patient, Eric Schuller,
he could resume sexual activity?
-Yes, however
-
-
-Thank you.
Nothing further.
Tommy. Glad you got here early.
-Let me find Stuart
-
-
-Oh, gee, Ann, actually
I came early so I could talk to Roxy.
Oh. Well, uh, I'll be in my office.
Oh, sure, it won't take but a minute.
Hey, gorgeous.
My body chemistry's out of whack.
I'm an emotional train wreck.
This morning, Douglas yelled at me,
and I actually took it seriously.
Ah, the heck with him. How's our baby?
-Oh, Tommy
-
-
-ANN: Tommy.
Only Arnie and Stuart know.
I've got a client in minutes.
-Maybe we could get started?
-Sure. Okay.
Roxanne, I can't make heads or tails out of
Roger's dog
-eared mess.
What do you want, Douglas?
I need these typed on the QT, ASAP, and PDQ.
That's alphabet soup to me, but I'll do the best I can.
-Two dollars a page.
-How's that?
You wouldn't want me using company time
to do your personal business.
You're not the only hen who can hunt and peck around here.
-Douglas.
-Stuart.
Ann, let's go take a walk.
Actually, Stuart, we have to go over your testimony.
Mm
-mm, it's a beautiful day and I want to take a walk.
Stuart, you've been avoiding me for weeks.
Uh, no, no, I haven't. I, uh
-
-
I have an audit starting soon,
and if I dredge up what happened and clog my head with testimony,
I'm not gonna be able to concentrate on the audit.
Okay, we go to trial in a couple of weeks.
How about tomorrow? I promise. Okay?
Sorry.
Roxanne, you're the only person I can trust.
Would you? Please?
Two and a quarter a page.
The hen comment was uncalled for.
Deal.
Single spaced, narrow margins.
And not on your computer,
I don't want this coming up on someone else's screen.
Well, the question is,
is it legal to deny Ms. Taylor coverage
for a condition which she doesn't currently have?
There is nothing in the California insurance code
precluding insurers from making underwriting decisions
-based on genetic make up.
-That's discrimination.
What's next, excluding people with family histories
of heart disease or cancer?
Genetic links to cancer and heart disease are tenuous.
In Ms. Taylor's case, there's a definite chance
of her developing Huntington's.
And an equal chance that I won't.
I'm sorry, but in order to cover subscribers
at affordable rates,
we need to screen for bad risks.
I refer to page of your policy
where you list conditions excluded from coverage.
Huntington's disease is not among them.
No, but page , subheading F,
excludes all pre
-existing conditions.
If Ms. Taylor does have Huntington's,
she's had it since the day she was born.
In addition, on your policy application,
question asks, "Are there any pre
-existing conditions?"
You wrote no.
There wasn't any pre
-existing condition
and there still isn't.
I don't mean to sound glib,
but why not find out whether you have the Huntington's gene?
If the test comes back negative, we can cover you.
What if it's positive?
At least you'll be able to prepare for the future.
Almost finished.
Roger, I'm not sure you're aware
how much that phone call meant
from Marvin Rosenthal, long time friend,
senior editor at Harper, Dutton and Rowe,
wants to read my book.
-Our book.
-Whatever.
As soon as Roxanne types the first three chapters,
I read and messenger them over,
give Marvin a whiff to whet his appetite.
Fender, don't you think we should wait?
Until at least you've gone through the entire book yourself.
-When will you be done?
-Just two more words.
The. End.
Excellent. Tell you what.
-Where are you staying?
-The YMCA.
I have a clean bed, a hot shower,
and I'm learning Judo.
You rush back to the Y, get a full night's sleep.
Tomorrow, we meet back here,
work on a strategy to sell my book.
-Our book.
-Whatever.
Uh, uh
-
-
I did it.
-You're so smug.
-It's only that I am unaccustomed to
this role of patron of the arts.
[scoffs] Ajamian, you wouldn't know art
-
-
Gentlemen, please.
AJAMIAN: I will pound that statue into floor tile
if that's what you want.
Mr. Ajamian.
City hall wants that eyesore removed,
so be it.
The cost is $,.
-You arrogant slob.
-If you want,
I will take a ten year tax abatement.
By the time the voters wake up,
this administration is long gone.
Jonathan, I am wasting my client's time.
How about you give him a break on the next project.
Ajamian has b*rned his bridges in Santa Monica.
See you in the morning.
[sighs] Fallen from grace.
How is one to carry on, I ask you?
Mr. Ajamian, is this just a big joke?
I'm afraid so.
And not a very good one.
I can understand how someone would find that statue offensive,
but that is not my problem.
You're responsible for putting up the statue.
How do you separate yourself from what you did?
This is business.
In the future, the city will think twice
before they start telling developers
how to spend their own money.
-Perhaps I should testify.
-Perhaps you shouldn't.
[sighs]
-Lee.
-[door closes]
You are a beautiful sight.
You know, ever since we met,
I haven't been able to forget you.
You've been on my mind, too, Jonathan.
That's why I called your office.
But when I found out you were down here
actually protecting this guy,
-how can you
-
-
-Hey, I don't like defending this Ajamian guy,
but I believe in the First Amendment.
The First Amendment was written by sl*ve owners.
If we let ourselves be threatened by
someone else's expression, then who is the master?
I'll never understand how lawyers detach themselves
from the people they defend.
Lee, I chose this case because
during the short time I was on the road,
I traveled through Nigeria, Zambia.
m*llitary rule, one party states,
places where the government dictates your rights.
No one has a choice, there is no choice.
And you can't hide behind an
-
- an American Express card.
You know what? I don't have time for this.
I don't need it. Not tonight.
Maybe that's what you're about;
always running away when there's a problem.
GRAPHIA: I know testifying has been difficult, Mrs. Schuller.
Just a few more questions.
I'll do my best.
It's Mistress Xenia's contention
the punishment given your husband,
was not extraordinary,
that, in fact, he had submitted to such treatment
on a regular basis for quite some time.
Objection, assumes fact not in evidence.
Mistress Xenia has not testified.
Sustained.
The jury shall ignore the last remark.
Mrs. Schuller, can you think of a reason why
Mistress Xenia would want your husband dead?
-Objection.
-Overruled.
I'd like the witness to answer.
Not long ago, my late husband rewrote
his last will and testament.
His executor plans on making those changes known next week.
Until I'm proven otherwise, I have reason to believe
that Ms. Van Rault coerced Eric into leaving
the controlling interest of World Wide Studios to her.
GRAPHIA: One final question.
Did you ever notice welts of any sort
on your late husband's body?
Never.
Thank you, Mrs. Schuller.
Mrs. Schuller,
how would you describe your marriage to Mr. Schuller,
especially during the last ten years?
Not without its ups and downs.
DANIEL: Actually, the two of you were heading for a divorce,
-isn't that true?
-Yes.
You once warned Arnold Becker, and I quote,
"If you ever meet my husband,
"make sure you have firm footing,
otherwise, he'll cr*pple you, too."
Correct?
My husband could be a cruel man.
-Yes or no, Mrs. Schuller?
-Yes.
DANIEL: Is it true, in fact, you and Mr. Schuller
barely remained civil these last ten years,
sleeping apart,
sometimes not exchanging a word for weeks on end?
-Yes.
-And is it also true
there was no physical intimacy whatsoever
-between the two of you?
-Yes.
Since my spinal injury, I've been unable
-
-
What difference does this make?
For starters, if you didn't see him naked,
how could you have known about welts
that may or may not have been on your late husband's body?
Nothing further.
Hi.
Have a seat and roll up your sleeve.
Does it matter which arm?
Either one.
And make a fist.
Weather's gorgeous this time of year in California.
Almost like we have seasons.
I'm originally from New York.
Whereabouts?
Small town called Armonk, Westchester County.
Rolling hills, lots of trees.
Sounds pretty.
Not this time of year. Too cold.
Now, relax your hand.
Sorry.
The worst is over.
♪♪
♪♪
CLAUDIA: There's dominance and submission
in all human sexuality.
When someone hugs you, part of them is possessing,
holding you c*ptive.
But submissive people, those like Mr. Schuller,
outnumber dominants seven to one.
What position of submission was Mr. Schuller in
when he suffered his heart att*ck?
He was bound and gagged
hanging upside down by his ankles.
It was the first time in more than a decade of sessions
that he dropped the ball.
DANIEL: Dropped the ball?
Whenever one of my clients is gagged,
we put a ping pong ball in their hand.
If the pain becomes too severe,
or there's any undue discomfort,
they let go of the ball and we stop immediately.
And there is no sex in these sessions.
None.
Clients may have an orgasm,
a tremendous release of tension, but no contact.
DANIEL: When Mr. Schuller dropped the ball,
what did you do?
Immediately had one of my assistants dial
-
-,
then we administered CPR until the paramedics arrived.
Where you aware Eric Schuller had had a previous heart att*ck?
Yes. However, he told me his doctor said
exertion of a sexual nature wasn't a problem.
DANIEL: Ms. Van Rault,
was it necessary to strike Mr. Schuller repeatedly,
-and with force?
-Yes.
-The therapy session
-
-
-Objection.
Defendant is not a qualified therapist.
Defendant has a PhD in behavioral sciences.
Overruled. Witness may continue.
Mr. Schuller had a high threshold.
If I didn't hit hard, he felt I didn't care.
-DANIEL: Did you care?
-CLAUDIA: He was a dear friend.
It broke my heart to know the burden of guilt he carried.
Any idea what caused this guilt?
-Objection.
-Overruled.
Unresolved trauma involving his deceased mother.
Mr. Schuller felt he never lived up to her expectations.
DANIEL: To the best of your knowledge,
did his mother strike him?
Never. That is significant.
Freud suggested children who aren't punished
and never spanked, and then forgiven in love
sometimes become masochistic.
Eric Schuller paid me to be his mother,
to whip him.
And afterwards,
put my arms around him and say I loved him.
What would happen then?
He would break down and cry.
Thank you.
GRAPHIA: Mistress Xenia,
this honorable profession of yours
-
-
Actually, Mr. Graphia, I do consider it honorable.
I help people.
I know I helped Eric Schuller.
Does it give you sexual satisfaction?
-Are you turned on?
-Occasionally.
Were you aroused when you b*at Eric Schuller?
Sometimes.
Mostly, I felt sorry for him.
Well, at $ an hour, I'd feel sorry for him, too.
-DANIEL: Objection.
-JUDGE: Sustained.
The money is important, it helps remove the guilt.
I see. You felt compassion for Eric Schuller,
so you b*at him to death.
-DANIEL: Objection!
-GRAPHIA: Withdrawn.
MAN: The human figure is a sculptural tradition
old as Pericles.
Aren't you concerned that many have found your work
to be offensive, even r*cist?
My art demands that be of no concern to me.
In Mexico City, an angry mob defaced
Diego Rivera's mural at the Hotel del Prado.
The Mona Lisa was considered revolutionary.
[chuckles] Frankly, I am surprised that
my statue was such a point of controversy.
Thank you. Nothing further.
Mr. Verdiramo,
how can you be surprised by the controversy?
Where is your nude statue of Margaret Thatcher?
To the best of my knowledge,
in a warehouse in Brighton, England.
ATTORNEY: Because when you tried to exhibit it,
you and the statue were pelted with fruit, were you not?
That's right. However, I would
-
-
A moment ago, you mentioned a riot caused by Diego Rivera.
What part of that mural was defaced?
The words, "Dios no existe."
God does not exist.
Fighting words in a Catholic country, wouldn't you say?
-Perhaps.
-ATTORNEY: A bit like shouting fire
in a crowded theater, isn't it?
Isn't that what you're trying to do with your work, Mr. Verdiramo,
shout fire in a crowded theater?
So when, to your delight, there's a stampede,
you can sit back and simply say, "Who, me?"
-Objection.
-I have no further questions for this artist.
You may step down, Mr. Verdiramo.
Stuart, describe the man who pulled you from your car.
STUART: I
-
- I remember the breaking of the glass,
and, uh, the swing
-
- the door swinging open,
but I
-
- I can't
-
-
Stuart, the night of the police line up,
you said he was wearing a blue shirt.
Did I say blue shirt?
If you're not razor sharp on these answers,
your credibility as a witness will come into serious question.
Yeah, I know, Ann. Uh, look,
can we wrap this up? I
-
- I'm really tired.
Okay, Stuart, can you describe the man
who allegedly swung the bat?
[sighs] He was six feet tall,
and he wore, uh, sweatpants.
Originally, you said dungarees.
-Ann, maybe you should
-
-
-I'm done.
TOMMY: Stuart, I need your statement.
Just put me on the stand, all right?
-I'll be fine.
-We're trying to help.
No. No, you're not. You're not trying to help.
You're trying to convict these people.
Who's to blame here, Ann?
The people in South Central for not getting their fair share
or the rest of us?
[door opens]
[door slams]
Stuart's our key witness. If he can't testify
-
-
He'll be okay, Tommy. I'll make sure.
This is not a case about an artist
who, in the privacy of his own studio,
created an offensive statue.
This is a case about a developer
who was so upset by the requirement that he devote
a small fraction of his projected cost to the public
that he purposely incited civil unrest.
Alan Ajamian has violated the public's trust.
Now, Mr. Rollins will ask what is more fundamental than
the First Amendment right to free speech and expression.
But when certain forms of expression
so disrupt the functioning of society,
that freedom must be suspended to preserve order.
When the social fabric is torn,
all the art and all the words are meaningless.
Your honor,
we might not share the perspective of
an Alan Ajamian or Vincent Verdiramo,
but an insecure totalitarian regime
controls and censors its artists,
sends them to Siberia.
But a free society
exposes its art to public scrutiny,
and we can't always have the good without the bad.
Some art endures.
This abominable disgrace may not.
Let's not confuse the messenger with the message.
The issue, your honor, is one of tolerance;
a measure of our compassion as a society.
-Douglas.
-That the rest?
Except for the first three chapters
that we sent over last night.
Roger came by and picked up the originals.
Maybe I should make a copy.
Not yet. I can't put this down.
If the other chapters are as good as those I've read so far,
I should begin the sequel.
You actually helped write this?
What do you think? It is my autobiography.
Well, ever since the riots,
and
-
- and you were tossed into jail,
I've doubted that you've changed.
But you exposed yourself.
That took courage.
I know.
Oh, I worked fast. There may be some typos,
especially in some of the racier sections,
like chapter .
That's why the Monkee's mom invented White Out.
-Racier sections?
-[door closes]
Chapter , chapter .
"I put my arms around Roger and nestled against him.
"My heart leaped with ecstasy even in our bleak, dank cell.
I had found love and felt no less a man."
Where is he?
I'll roll up his rib cage like a Venetian blind.
What are you ranting about?
They'll need two stretchers to carry out his body.
-Who's body?
-Hiya, Fender.
Don't you Fender me! We never made love.
No, we didn't.
But I used to climb down from my bunk,
and wrap myself against you, feel your heart b*ating.
-You did what?
-I held onto you for dear life.
And you let me. Bless you, you let me.
I was asleep. I sleep like a heavy appliance.
Every night, Fender. Be honest.
You're living a fantasy, and this book is libelous.
My word against yours.
Hey, it makes for a good story,
and controversy sells.
How dare you print bald faced untruth.
-Douglas
-
-
-Then give me back our book.
Your book, mister. I want no part of this.
Douglas, that was Marvin Rosenthal on the phone.
He wants to option the manuscript.
Not so fast.
[grunting] Gimme, it's mine, Fender.
Out of my way, miscreant.
JUDGE: This case leaves me with agita.
I am suspect of Mr. Ajamian's intentions,
and dubious of Mr. Verdiramo's artistic integrity.
However, freedom of expression is, on occasion,
the right to make some people furious.
I am, therefore, denying the city's application
for a restraining order.
The statue remains in place.
My fervent hope is the outraged citizens
will be as forgiving as is our constitution,
and that this unrest will fade with time.
We're adjourned.
[sighs]
You did a commendable job.
Right.
Why are you angry? You won.
Mr. Ajamian, to be perfectly honest,
I don't care what you think.
Ms. Van Rault has not been put out of business.
She's still at the same address,
whipping away, charging $ a stroke.
But Mistress Xenia is not a sexual deviant.
In fact, she only occasionally gets her kicks b*ating men.
Instead, she is an entrepreneur of horror.
A pain merchant,
and total cynic.
There is a limit, even as adults,
to what we may consent.
Eric Schuller did not consent to his own m*rder,
and yet, that's exactly what he got.
Knowing full well of his weakened condition
and earlier heart att*ck,
Ms. Van Rault b*at him to death,
and kept the money.
You must not let her get away with that.
Manslaughter is defined as unlawful k*lling
without premeditation.
What Ms. Van Rault does for a living
may be considered by most to be distasteful.
Warped, even.
But criminal? Not by law.
Eric Schuller assured Ms. Van Rault
of his physical condition,
and voluntarily consented to everything she did.
She knew Mr. Schuller's body, his life story,
better than his own wife.
Claudia Van Rault and Eric Schuller
trusted one another.
It was not her intent to hurt,
but to heal.
How'd you make out?
I managed to grab random pages
before Roger ran off with the others.
I'm sorry your manuscript wasn't on a disc.
"In The Bowels of the Brute" would have ruined me anyway.
It was filled with lies and hallucinations.
-Yes.
-People in the legal profession
would have needed an exhumation order to find me.
-Uh
-huh.
-Roxanne,
you were the only one to read the entire manuscript.
What was your opinion?
Runaway best seller.
That's what I was afraid of.
Sorry, Douglas.
Roxanne, I want to, um
-
- to apologize.
Yesterday, I made you cry.
Not entirely your fault.
Lately my hormones have been a little schizo.
-Change of life.
-[chuckles]
In a way.
New life.
I'm gonna have a baby.
Do you know who the father
-
- I mean, who is the father?
-Tommy Mullaney.
-Mullaney?
He didn't force himself on you
-
-
-Douglas.
-Roxanne,
this is wonderful.
Give the papa
-to
-be my congratulations.
I will.
And tomorrow, if you'd like,
we could begin reconstructing your autobiography.
I thought you'd never offer.
Tommy. Hi.
Hey. Did you tell Brackman if he picks on ya,
he's gotta deal with me?
Douglas says congratulations on the baby.
That's better. I'll walk you home.
Hm. I'll even carry your books.
[elevator dings]
Oh, Gwen. Oh, I'm glad I caught you.
If you go along, I'd like to initiate action
against our insurance carrier.
On what grounds?
Well, under California law, we have no recourse.
But the Americans with Disabilities Act
appears to offer some protections.
Sounds like a long sh*t.
Now, this would be a test case,
and there could be the usual publicity
which accompanies such actions.
I appreciate your effort, Leland,
but I prefer to keep this private.
Oh, by the way,
I took the test. We'll know soon.
JUDGE: Have you reached a verdict?
-We have, your honor.
-What say you?
In the matter of the People vs. Claudia Van Rault
on the charge of manslaughter,
we find the defendant not guilty.
-Congratulations.
-Thank you, Arnie.
Ms. Van Rault, you are free to go.
-Congratulations.
-JUDGE: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
thank you for your service. You're dismissed.
-Jay.
-JUDGE: Court's adjourned.
[indistinct chatter]
Good job, my son.
Thank you, Fa
-
-
-Ben?
-It's not "The Exorcist."
Although, I did have lunch in the cafeteria,
so watch your shoes.
Pretty good, huh?
One fitting at wardrobe.
ARNIE: What are you doing back here?
Never spent much time in a courtroom.
Riveting. "Inherit the Wind,"
" Angry Men," "To k*ll a Mockingbird"
can't hold a candle to this kind of drama.
How do you think this will affect
the World Wide shareholders' meeting?
I was hoping you had the answer.
Don't look sobechotted.
Well, it's just when Schuller's will is read,
if Beatrice does assume controlling interest of the studio,
I can't imagine she's gonna want either of us around.
Light a candle, Becker.
Thank you, Arnie.
You're welcome.
-[winces]
-Did that hurt?
Worse in person, isn't it?
And you just spent two days
pouring every drop of your energy
into insuring that statue remains up there.
I hate this.
But I'll still defend Verdiramo's right to sculpt it,
and Ajamian's right to display it.
[scoff] That trash is a free pass into the white man's mind,
and how he sees us.
Lee, a single artist created this.
I'd rather see the statue crushed into a million pieces
and used to fill the potholes of our streets.
Martin Luther King fought for civil rights.
Next you'll say we should turn the other cheek.
My father always warned me,
when your heart's running in front of your head,
take a deep breath and let your head catch up.
[indistinct shouting]
My heart wants this statue removed.
The city's seen enough division.
My head says we can't afford another provocation.
Tear it down now! Tear it down!
Tear it down!
-It's time to go home.
-Not this time, Jonathan.
For once, follow your heart, not your brain.
Lee, there's gonna be a riot.
Tear it down! Tear it down!
OFFICER: Fire tear gas!
[indistinct shouting]
All right, come on, somebody! Give me a hand!
If you can't take a stand, leave without me.
-Tear it down!
-Come on, everybody!
[indistinct shouting]
ALL: [chanting] Tear it down! Tear it down!
Tear it down! Tear it down!
Tear it down! Tear it down!
Tear it down!
[indistinct shouting]
Come on, let's go.
Scientists uncovered a man's body, check this out.
Figure it's almost , years old.
No one's sure why he was up in the Italian Alps.
Probably lost.
Too stubborn to ask directions.
Touché.
Daniel, can I ask you a hypothetical question?
I hate hypotheticals.
Before my wife d*ed, she used to play games like
if something happened to her, would I remarry?
Would I find Lucy a new mom?
No time for needless speculation.
Uh, Daniel, there
-
- [clears throat]
There might be a chance that I have
-
-
-[doorbell rings]
-[Lucy crying]
-Baby days.
-You want me to rock Lucy?
Uh, no, why don't you grab the door,
and I'll, uh
-
-
I know how to put her back to sleep.
[crying continues]
-Hello.
-Hi.
Who are you?
Bad dream.
Your worst nightmare.
[grunting]
-Who are you?
-I'm the wicked witch.
The evil queen.
Didn't you get my little gifts?
You shouldn't hang up when I call.
Why are you doing this to me?
You refuse to stay away from my husband.
Who are you?
I'm Allison Morales. Daniel's wife.
Lucy's mother. That's who I am.
No, you're dead. You're dead.
Daniel. Daniel!
[footsteps departing]
♪♪ [theme]
07x10 - Spanky and Art g*ng
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High-powered law firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak handles both criminal and civil cases, but the office politics and romance often distract them from the courtroom.
High-powered law firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak handles both criminal and civil cases, but the office politics and romance often distract them from the courtroom.