01x06 - Occam's Razor

[bunniefuu]

[MONITOR BEEPING]

- [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

-

♪

[GROANS] I can't move.

[GROANS]

Why can't I move?

Chris?

[GROANS]

Where's Chris?

- Try to relax.

- Where's Chris

- Doctor's going to come in

- Duntsch? He's my doctor.

take a look and see what's going on.

Nothing's going on. I can't

Nothing works.

♪

I can't feel sh*t.

[GROANS]

Chris!

Chris!

Chris! [WHIMPERS]

Chris!

♪

And move your shoulders.

Shrug up

and down.

That's it.

Some mobility. That's a good sign.

f*ck some mobility. I want it all.

Jesus Christ!

Jerry

do you remember me?

[LIGHT CLICKS]

I'm Dr. Ivers.

I was the anesthesiologist in your case.

- What's happening to me, Doc?

- We're not sure.

I'm here to ascertain whether

your partial paralysis

Paralysis?

is being caused by the anesthesia.

Dr. Ivers

I need Chris

Duntsch my doctor.

Please, call his ass.

Page his ass. Hunt his ass down.

♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

♪

Excuse me?

Excuse me? Where are you taking me?

[INDISTINCT CHATTER CONTINUES]

Where are you taking me?

Dr. Rosario ordered some images.

Who the f*ck is Dr. Rosario?

[WAILING]

Worst part's over.

Now, remember to lay very still,

or else we'll have to

start all over again.

♪

[SOBS SOFTLY]

[GRUNTS, BREATHING RAPIDLY]

♪

[MACHINE BLARING]

[KNOCKING]

[BLARING]

[DOORBELL RINGS]

Hi, there, my name is Michelle Shughart.

I'm the Assistant District Attorney

overseeing the Christopher Duntsch case.

Uh-uh. We don't want

to have nothing to do

- with that assh*le.

- I just need a few minutes of your time

Our family has been through enough.

Yes, ma'am.

It feels like there's an

ice pick in my back.

He always talked about being the best.

My experience you got to

preach it, probably isn't true.

But I didn't feel that way

about him. I liked him.

We tried.

No lawyer would take up the case

'cause of the reform

down there in Austin.

Tort reform. House Bill 4.

Politicians.

I can't believe that I voted

for that dipshit Rick Perry.

I can't even bring a malpractice claim.

Well, I mean, I suppose I could,

but no matter what happens

no matter what somebody does

to you or the people you love,

all you're gonna get is $250,000.

Now, what's the lawyer's cut of that?

Not a whole heck of a lot.

Who wants to get all tied up and twisted

for "not a whole heck of a lot"?

Meanwhile, Slick Rick and his cohorts

and his lobbyists line their

w*r chests with donations

from insurance companies

and hospitals

like Baylor.

My husband made me go to Duntsch.

He wanted me to be able

to get back to work

and help more with the

kids, but now he's gone,

and I'm alone and worse

than I was before.

♪

I looked into the operating

lights, said a prayer

"Protect me from all

danger. Keep me safe."

♪

He spun a good tale.

For every one of his victims

I've spoken to too many of them

and he made them all feel

comfortable until it was over.

You want my help, hmm?

If you can testify

it'll go a long way to

putting him in prison.

Will it make me whole again?

No.

But it could bring justice.

I'm too old to go looking for justice.

I'd settle for a peaceful heart.

♪

So you want m*rder?

How are we going to prove intent?

He k*lled two people.

Any good defense lawyer

would bar other victims from testifying.

With no other victims, we

have no pattern of behavior.

It's just a medical misadventure.

What about manslaughter?

Second-degree felony. Carries 2 to 20.

And since this is a doctor,

I'm taking the under, at best.

I mean, honestly, Steph,

if you heard these people

their stories,

saw what he did to them

and they have no recourse.

Can't sue anybody.

The state of Texas took

that option away from them.

I feel bad.

About what?

I want Duntsch to die in jail.

You know you're a prosecutor?

Dying in jail is an oft-pursued

avenue of justice.

♪

I don't know.

Let's focus on aggravated as*ault.

Jury might buy he purposely

caused serious bodily harm.

How could they not?

Well, "purposely" is the

keyword there, Steph.

- [MACHINE BEEPS]

- Hi, there, Dr. Henderson.

It's Paul Racconti with "Dr. Phil."

I heard about your involvement

in the Dr. Duntsch story

- down there in Texas

- [MACHINE BEEPS]

Dr. Henderson, my name's Liz Geller.

I'm with "The New York Times."

We're planning on doing a piece

on Dr. Christopher Duntsch

- [MACHINE BEEPS]

- Hi, Dr. Henderson,

this is Maya Comici of The Blaze.

Please call me back at your

earliest convenience at

What is The Blaze?

Yeah, I thought about looking it up,

but then I decided life is too short.

And incredibly irritating.

You could have your 14 minutes of fame.

Now, there was a story I

thought you'd find interesting.

A journalist in town did a piece,

and Duntsch commented on it.

Where?

In the comments section, Bob.

It's a bunch of rambling nonsense

about how this is all a witch

hunt, a scam, a hoax.

He says he can't wait to get

back and clear his name,

"My patients need me."

Are you commenting back?

I am now.

[CHUCKLES]

"Dear Dr. Death" [CHUCKLES]

"I wish you knew how satisfying it felt

"to rip your medical license

"out of your grubby

paws this past summer.

"I sleep better at night

"knowing you'll never practice in Dallas

or the state of Texas again."

You're gloating.

Don't complicate Michelle's case.

And you shouldn't be out

there harassing the defendant.

Gloating feels so good.

[CELL PHONE BEEPS]

Heavenly Father, we thank You

for blessing us with this meal

and for our health.

We thank You for this opportunity

to break bread with our son.

Thank You for leading him home.

And we pray, with Your wisdom,

that You will guide

him back to the light.

Amen.

Amen.

Lovely.

[DON SIGHS]

[SIGHS]

You know, Dad, this is only temporary.

I mean

I'm sure it's awkward

having me in your home.

If it were up to me, all my

boys would be under one roof.

Well, look, I'll be gone soon.

I'm planning on heading back to Dallas.

I'm gonna start practicing

just as soon as this bullshit

with the Medical Board is cleared up.

I'm gonna have my medical

license back before you know it.

What about your son and your girlfriend?

Do they factor into your plans?

Well, yeah. I mean, of course, they do.

You know, I-I've got,

uh, visitation with Mason

once a month, and

it does piss me off that I have to spend

all this money flying back and forth

and pay her child support,

but, you know,

once things are back to normal,

money won't matter.

[POUNDS TABLE]

[MACHINE BEEPS]

This is an attempt to collect an

outstanding debt, Mr. Duntsch.

Give us a call back, as your American

Express card is in danger

- [MACHINE BEEPS]

- This is Bank of America.

Concerning your loan payment

- [MACHINE BEEPS]

- Chris, you keep ignoring my calls,

I'm gonna have to sue. Call me.

Stay out of my business.

Your business keeps coming to me, Chris.

Why can't you just support me?

All I do is support you

and your family.

Now, this is simple

if you're gonna stay here,

you will do as you're told.

You're gonna declare bankruptcy.

I can't have these pe

I will not have these people

coming after your mother and me.

Just wipe the slate clean, Chris.

You start over

not just for you, but for your son.

You'll still have a chance

at a future if

♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER, TELEPHONES RINGING]

Hi.

I know normally people mail these in,

but I always like to

give a personal touch.

You're certainly taking the initiative.

- Carpal tunnel?

- [SIGHS] All the typing.

Do you mind if I take this off?

If you approve my medical license,

with my stem cell research,

we'd be able to relieve the

pain on the median nerve

[SNAPS FINGERS] eradicate the problem.

Free up all those little nerves,

and your pain'd be gone.

- Wow.

- Wow's right.

And just like those nerves,

I believe that we are all connected

to a greater purpose.

And I'm really hoping that you

can help me achieve mine.

Oh

well, you got my vote.

Not sure it'll help much,

but I'll be sure to put your application

at the top of my supervisor's pile.

Great.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪

[SIREN WAILING]

♪

I hear you're having

some muscle weakness

- in your extremities.

-

Where you been, Dump Face?

I had an L4-L5 lumbar

procedure right after yours.

Look, Jerry, once you're out of my OR,

your case and care are transferred

to other hospital staff.

It wouldn't be appropriate for

me to leave another patient

to come see you.

Well, they really sucked

at taking over my care.

But f*ck it. You're here now.

What's going on with me, man?

The anesthesiologist administered

an incorrect dosage.

This led to swelling in your spinal cord

and the quadriplegia,

but you give it a week,

a course of steroids,

you'll be better than

before, as promised.

Okay, Chrissy.

You say it's temporary

I'll believe you.

- I'll chill out.

- Good.

Hey, Chrissy

thanks.

♪

Why did you tell him that?

It's clear from the images that

The swelling is not going

down I am aware.

We need to alleviate the

pressure on his spine.

I want you to prep an OR.

We're going back in

posterior this time.

Are you going to tell him?

No. He'll just freak out

more than he already is.

But he needs to sign the consent forms.

I spoke to his grandma. She signed off.

Are you sure you want to do this?

Maybe Dr. O'Connor could

take over the case?

♪

- We were doing eight balls.

- Excuse me?

Christopher Duntsch and me

Cocaine.

You hear me?

All night long.

The night before my surgery

we were blowing coke all night long.

Chris Duntsch and me.

All f*cking night!

Cocaine?

Amy, seriously?

Given the seriousness of what

he's claiming, I have to ask.

Well, now you have, and it's ridiculous.

I mean, maybe he was. I don't know.

Honestly, I think he's suffering

from ICU psychosis.

His nurse told me that he hasn't slept

since the night of the second surgery.

That would make anybody

crazy and hallucinate.

He just needs to sleep.

He's hallucinating that

you did cocaine together

the night before surgery?

Well, I-I don't have

another explanation.

I d I don't know what Mr.

Summers is talking about.

I have an OR to grace

Please sit back down, Dr. Duntsch.

In light of the poor surgical outcomes

- of Mr. Summers surgeries

- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Whatever poor surgical outcomes,

while unfortunate, they're not my fault.

Mr. Summers should've had

that surgery done years ago.

Our internal investigation

will hopefully confirm that.

In the meantime, Baylor is

suspending your privileges.

This is bullshit!

You'll have to undergo

a psych evaluation

with Baylor's board psychiatrist,

and both of you will have

to take a drug test.

Give me the cup. I'll do it right now.

This is totally and completely baseless!

♪

I mean, yes, of course, so will I.

I mean, if that's what we got to do,

that's what we got to do.

[SIGHS]

I'm sorry, Chrissy.

I didn't know what to do.

♪

I feel like I ain't getting the truth.

Like

after my first surgery

I could move a little

but now I can't move at all.

So what the f*ck's going on?

Am I gonna be able to walk again?

I mean

"swelling and steroids,

and I'll feel better than I did before"?

♪

How do I know you're not lying to me?

♪

Don't you have anything

to say about all this?

♪

You ruined everything for me.

♪

Good luck.

♪

[DOOR CLOSES]

No. I-I'm I'm driving around

looking for the lab right now

I can't find it anywhere.

No, I'm standing outside right now.

They're telling me they're closed.

[STAMMERS] Of course I

know they close at 4:30.

They're just saying there's

not enough time today.

Yeah, Preston Road

I'm on it now. [SNIFFS]

[TOILET FLUSHES]

What's that?

It's traffic.

You're not going to believe

this, but I forgot my ID.

They won't let me take it.

Yes, of course,

absolutely loud and clear.

I will be there first

thing Monday morning.

Okay, thank you.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

[SIGHS] Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday.

♪

[SNIFFING]

♪

Hey.

f*cking pathetic.

[GROANS]

[BABY FUSSING]

I warned you no dr*gs

around Mason, ever.

- He was napping.

- [SIGHS]

I told you, I got this

all under control.

Was all this part of

your big Dallas plans?

- What?

- Wind up a junkie

- You can't take Mason.

- without a job?

[STAMMERS]

I got a job!

- This isn't right!

- No, it isn't right.

But you know who is right?

Your dad, about you.

Mason and I do deserve better.

♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER ON TV]

♪

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ON TV]

[MONITOR BEEPING]

I have a relationship with Dr. O'Connor.

I talked to him.

He wants to take over your case

see if he can help make this

as normal as possible for you.

[BEEPING CONTINUES]

I know it won't ever be the same, Jerry.

We're here to help.

I'm here to help.

[BEEPING CONTINUES]

k*ll me.

I can't.

Get the f*ck out.

[BEEPING CONTINUES]

I'd like to start our time together

by offering my condolences.

Your friend, Jerry.

We went to the same high school.

Well, at any rate,

you surgeons have so much

pressure on you to perform.

dr*gs and alcohol can become a crutch.

[SCOFFS]

Look

I drink as much as the next person.

Glass of Malbec here, Glenlivet there.

Never within 12 hours of operating.

These allegations against

me are completely baseless.

And what about dr*gs?

I mean, sure.

I have tried cocaine back in college.

It wasn't for me.

What about Summers's surgery?

[SIGHS]

I understand you're just doing your job.

They told you I needed a psych eval.

I was just doing my job, too,

to the best of my ability,

which is pretty g*dd*mn good.

Do you regret the outcome?

Of course I do. I'm human.

But you have to get back on the horse.

I just need to get back on the horse.

You don't feel the

need to take time off?

I already have, too much.

I'm talking about personal time

not ordered by the administration.

I read somewhere once

that if, from time to

time, you don't have

negative surgical outcomes

in your practice,

you're not operating.

My patients mean everything to me,

and the longer I'm here on this couch,

the longer they're out

there in crippling pain.

Okay, I hear you.

[INHALES DEEPLY] I'll let Piel know

I've determined you're fine to operate.

[PEN SCRATCHING]

Thank you for your time, Dr. Roman.

Let me know if you ever need anything

ever need to talk.

♪

You know, there is something

I've been having trouble with lately.

- What kind of trouble?

- Ah, with

concentration, since the suspension.

- Ever during surgery?

- No, no, no, no, never.

I was just wondering

if maybe you could

just give me something to bridge the gap

between suspension and surgery.

♪

All right. There's that.

And [CHUCKLES]

I remembered this time.

Thank you.

Um, hey, I'm taking Ritalin

prescribed by my doctor.

I just want to make sure it's not

going to cause a positive test.

Dr. Roman already called,

told us all about it.

Great.

♪

I'm not after you.

So he first shows up here in Dallas

with a job at the Minimally

Invasive Spine Institute?

MISI. Yes.

But he wasn't there for very long.

- Do you know why?

- Baylor recruited him, hard.

Why?

Neurosurgeons make big bucks.

What about dr*gs?

You ever witness any of that?

I flushed it.

Was it cocaine?

I don't know.

What were you doing in his

bathroom late at night?

What are you getting at?

The defense will ask you, too

under oath.

Briefly, and I ended it.

- May I ask why?

- What's next?

Jerry Summers

his surgery.

Any truth to those

eight ball allegations?

I don't know.

Did Jerry do dr*gs the night before?

I couldn't know. I don't live there.

Is there anything that you can think of

that would point to how

all of this happened?

♪

He sent me an email.

But I want to be clear here.

I didn't think a damn thing of it.

Duntsch was always spouting,

self-aggrandizing

nonsensical bullshit.

May I see it?

The email?

♪

I didn't second-guess the email

until after Jerry's surgery.

Duntsch refused to see him.

He was so

He was so dismissive of him

of his fear and his pain.

♪

And then Shelley Brennan comes in.

♪

And she's dead.

20 minutes into her surgery, she's dead.

♪

And I start thinking

about that email.

What were you thinking?

Was he

♪

Was he doing it on purpose?

♪

Like banging your head on a cupboard

- Mm.

- Or grabbing a hot pot.

One little missed step.

Didn't even fall,

just slipped a little bit off the ladder

hanging Christmas lights.

Work's been near impossible ever since.

I'm an elementary-school teacher.

- The kids keep me on my feet.

- [CHUCKLES]

Surgery is a big decision, Mrs. Brennan.

I hear you. PT, steroids,

none of it worked.

Surgery seems all that's left.

Going on a cruise with my husband,

another couple.

- That right?

- Yeah, Antigua

in a couple months.

I haven't been on a vacation in

I don't know

whoo, a long time. [CHUCKLES]

How did you hear about Dr. Duntsch?

He came recommended by

my family doctor highly.

I checked all his reviews online.

Everyone loves him.

Are you sure you don't

want to find a doctor

closer to where you live?

[KNOCKS AT DOOR] Mrs. Brennan.

You're the man who's gonna

make everything better.

Dr. Duntsch.

I've been speaking with your GP

- about this spine of yours.

- Mm-hmm.

It sounds like we need to

relieve some pressure

on that nerve right here.

[CHUCKLES] But it's a simple micro lami.

We should have you in

and out in 20 minutes.

- 20?

- Yeah.

It takes longer to boil a pot

of pasta at a high altitude.

What's the schedule looking like?

Um, I'm not sure, Dr. Duntsch.

Did Baylor clear some of their

operating rooms for our use?

Why don't you give them

a call and find out?

We'll get you in first available.

Now

-

- Do you have a drug

and alcohol problem, sir?

No, sir, never have.

We caught up with Dr.

Duntsch outside Denver

where he now lives.

I talked to a doctor

who said you're a

sociopath and a k*ller.

Do you have a response?

Yeah, I'm gonna deal with that

in the context of libel later

when I'm defending myself.

His patients all say there's

a more fitting punishment.

Ms. Shughart, this is amazing.

You know, I may have

bitten off a mouthful.

- We get it.

- How can we help?

I need to prove that Duntsch

assaulted these people,

that he should've known what

he was doing to his patients.

- Mm-hmm.

- The only way to do that

is to differentiate between

a normal medical procedure

and what he did.

And the only way to do

that is to be able to teach

a stripped-down version of

neurosurgery to the jury.

So

I need you to teach me neurosurgery.

"Pain.

"Pain is the most common reason

patients seek medical care.

"Pain has sensory and

emotional components

"and is often classified

as acute or chronic.

Acute pain is frequently

associated with anxiety,"

and that's how my mother

slept with my father.

[BOOK THUDS LOUDLY]

Uh-oh, Bob, looks like

we've lost the class.

No, no, no. Um, maybe. Yes.

Well, maybe you're more

experiential learners, huh?

All right, you. Come on up here,

lose the shirt, and bend over the table.

I'm a doctor. You are all lawyers.

Come on. [CLAPS HANDS]

[CHUCKLES]

Okay, pay attention.

Here we have the prominent vertebra

in the lower neck, the C7.

Okay, I'm just going to

mark it out here C7.

No, no, no. Doctor,

Doctor, Doctor, Doctor.

You're marking it too big

because it's going to

overlap with the T1.

How am I supposed to see that

if I'm not actually inside of his body?

Well, if you don't operate

as fast as you talk

Eh, Randall Kirby is the

preeminent surgeon

I'm calling it. Time

of death is right now.

Uh, let's try again tomorrow?

Anybody want to grab a bite?

There's a neat little

place around the corner

with an early-bird special.

You are nothing if not consistent.

Short rib sliders, $3.

Why don't you throw your AARP card down

and maybe you can get it for $2.75.

Well, that's not exactly

how it works, but

Let's hop on your Rascal and find out.

- Elder abuse.

- Thank you.

- He's not that old.

- No, no.

Madeline Beyer's over 65 years old.

She qualifies.

Injury to an elderly person or a minor.

With that charge, there's no limit

to the scope of the complaint.

We can introduce all of our victims,

even the ones outside our jurisdiction.

Show intent,

and the maximum sentence

is life in prison.

Hmm.

sh*t. She doesn't want to testify.

Why don't you let me talk to her?

We may need a lighter touch, Dr. Kirby.

No no offense

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

No, we had an agreement.

We said once a month.

- This would be twice a month.

- Wendy, please.

No, fly away.

- No.

- Hey! [GRUNTS]

- Hi.

- Hey, buddy.

- I brought you something.

- Thanks.

That's for you.

Hey, what is with this

little dinky ball?

We got to get you a regulation ball

if you're ever going to

play for the Broncos.

Okay, I'm calling the

cops for trespassing

- and kidnapping.

- He's my son, too, Wendy,

and I pay for this apartment.

No, your dad pays for this place.

Get the f*ck out of here, fat boy.

Ow. sh*t. Who the f*ck is Ow!

Stop it! Both of you!

Shawn! Shawn, stop! Shawn, stop!

Stop, Shawn!

♪

[DOOR CLOSES]

♪

[LINE TRILLING]

Dad?

Dad, I need help. I was I was robbed.

I need some I need

you to send me money.

[WHIMPERS, CRYING]

I was robbed. I need some help, please.

Please, just send me

some money, to Dallas.

Please, Dad.

♪

- I sent you money, Chris.

- I'm not in the mood, Dad.

- You asked me, and I sent you money.

- I know.

Shoplifting? Shoplifting.

First, it was a DUI, and

now it's shoplifting.

- I told you I'd pay you back.

- How are you going to do that?

You gonna borrow some more money from me

to pay me back the money you owe me?

- It's Wendy.

- It's not.

- It is.

- Stop it, Chris.

It's Wendy.

You know, you keep playing to the edges,

and you wonder why you're falling off.

- She won't let me see Mason.

- Well, good for her.

You deserve what you get.

[CAR DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

Want?

- [SIGHS]

- [OBJECTS CLATTER LIGHTLY]

[LID CLATTERS]

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

Texas is never gonna

reinstate my medical license.

Well, maybe that's a good thing.

Nobody'll even hire me to do research.

After everything I've done,

everything I've achieved

I got nothing left.

It's not nothing, Chris.

It's just going to be different.

Nobody robbed me

in Dallas last year.

[SNIFFS] Um

I lied to you.

Luke 15, verses 3 through 7.

"The shepherd that left his flock

to find the one lost sheep."

[CHUCKLES]

I doubt the sheep got

beaten with a plastic bat

by a meth-head shepherd, but all right.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

I know it's not going to be easy, Chris,

but go back to Dallas with a pure heart

and make things right with Wendy.

The first step to atonement,

and the hardest, is confession.

And you've already taken it.

Oh.

It's nice to see that you're

back out in your garden.

Mm-hmm.

I had to hire someone to help,

and they're trying their best. But

- If you want it done right

- [CHUCKLES]

Ms. Shughart sent you?

Yes.

She's young.

Yes. [CHUCKLES]

But no one else would help

us until she came along.

I'm gonna cross a line here,

but I'm asking you to testify.

I consider myself a fairly

intelligent person,

a decent doctor.

I can open and fix and

close a living being.

And I can't get my brain around the case

that Ms. Shughart is building.

But I do know this

without you, there's a chance

that Duntsch may walk away

with just a slap on the wrist.

[INHALES DEEPLY] You're asking me

to relive something

I'd much rather forget.

I don't see how you can do that.

You live with the reality of

this wheelchair every day.

Duntsch belongs in prison

for the rest of his life.

Now, I came in too late to save you.

I can't give you anything back.

But your testimony will ensure

that Duntsch never does this

to another patient ever again.

- What would I have to say?

- The truth.

Just tell your truth, and

everything will be okay.

You're old enough to

know truth in our world

rarely works out for the teller.

Mm.

What choice do we have?

Morning, fellas.

You're on my to-do list.

We got eyes on Florence

Nightingale's motel.

- Booked to be here in 72 hours.

- Great. Thanks.

Duntsch's trips are getting

a little few and far between.

If he ever stops coming,

Denver police are slow as f*ck

when it comes to extradition.

I'm on it. Trying to slip into an

already convened grand jury.

We've got one chance

to get this indictment.

You know, I can't believe

this is for a doctor.

You should arrest my

elementary-school nurse.

She diagnosed me with measles.

I had the chicken pox.

[CHUCKLES]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

[SIGHS]

I'll see you back at the office.

Did we win?

It's gonna be a few hours.

Well, we cleared our schedules.

- Thank you.

- I had a tee time.

I booked it months ago.

Thank you.

♪

Thank you.

♪

When the gods wish to punish us,

they answer our prayers.

What does that mean?

- She got the indictment.

- [SCOFFS]

♪

Ahh.

Ahh.

♪