03x13 - Crib Job

[bunniefuu]

Ma'am, please. Who are you?

I'm not going to hurt
you, I swear. Look, look.

Please, lady, Get out of here.

I'm not going to touch
you, lady, I swear.

The last time I saw a brain like this, it
belonged to a punch-drunk middleweight.

I didn't hit her with anything.

Some of them will get divorces.

A few will even press
criminal charges.

However, those cases
hardly ever get to court.

Well, he is 1% responsible
for that lady's death!

The other 99%
goes to her husband!

If you were out of control,

then you wouldn't have
stopped until you k*lled her.

And to me, that
indicates an intent to k*ll!

Gentlemen, you
are about to enter

the most fascinating
sphere of police work,

the world of forensic medicine.

Yeah, they're both very,
very eligible, and well-to-do.

One's a psychiatrist.

What's he going
to do? Analyze me?

Naturally. But maybe
that'll just be for openers.

Look, Cicely, let's just wait
until the divorce is final. Okay?

Well, that's up to you, but
they're both very attractive.

I just want the chance
to catch my breath.

You have been catching your
breath for five months now.

This might be your last sh*t.

Okay, you win.

I'll see you later.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Ma'am, please. Who are you?

I'm not going to hurt
you, I swear. Look, look.

I'm not going to touch
you, lady, I swear. Cicely!

Lady, look!

I'm just as afraid as you are. Let
me just leave this stuff on the floor.

Please, I'll leave this stuff here
on the floor, and leave like nothing...

Don't reach for the phone!

Hey, lady, lady! Hey, lady!

Lady, hey, Lady,
what's the matter? Lady!

Martha, are you okay?

Martha!

Good morning, Sam.

Good morning, Quince.

You want to take a
look at the x-rays?

They going to tell me anything?

Maybe more than
you need to know.

What are you doing? Drawing
road maps for me now?

I can find the fractured rib.

Yeah, judging by the calcification,
I'd say it was a year ago.

At least, maybe 18 months.

Mmm.

That's just the
beginning. Broken left arm.

Ulna, now, this has got to
be at least two years old.

And number three.

Wow, fractured clavicle.

With a pseudoarthrosis
from improper healing.

Now, with all these terrible things,
we still don't have a cause of death.

I've got it nailed.
Cerebral hemorrhage.

You got up early this
morning, didn't you?

I can see you began the
postmortem on the head.

Yeah, and you might find
that even more interesting.

Sam, what is this?

It's my lunch.

Hmm.

Four contusions.

The last time I saw a brain like this, it
belonged to a punch-drunk middleweight.

I guess the same injuries that caused
the contusions caused the hemorrhaging.

Yeah, they're at
least six months old.

See how they've yellowed?

Mmm, plaque jaune lesions.

Yeah, look there.

It left her with a
subdural hematoma.

The brain mass was pressing
tightly against the floor of the skull.

In other words, she already
had one foot in the grave.

Oh, yeah, any blow at
all, no matter how mild.

The brain had no place to swell.
The blood supply was pinched off.

Any blow at all?

Quince, I still can't figure out
what the burglar hit her with.

Well, if you gentlemen would like to come
along with me, you can ask him yourself.

You caught him, huh?

Yeah, a few minutes ago.

We traced him from a description
by the woman's neighbor.

She saw him coming
out of the apartment.

We got him and the jewels.

So, as soon as you finish your
report, why, we can put this baby to bed.

So you want to know when
I'm going to give it to you, huh?

You put your finger on it.

Well, this time, Monahan, I'm
going to play it really straight with you.

Since I haven't even
started the autopsy yet,

I don't know.

I didn't hit her with anything.

I swear. I swear to you
I did not touch that lady.

My client has volunteered to
submit to a polygraph test, Lieutenant.

Yeah, anything, anything.

You going to tell us
the whole thing, Joey?

Yeah, sure, all right.

All right, I was in the
other room, the bedroom...

Stuffing the
pillowcase with jewelry.

We don't deny the burglary. We are
willing to plead guilty to the burglary.

Look, I came out when I
heard her in the other room.

I mean, I was trapped,
okay? I couldn't go anywhere.

I didn't want to hurt that lady.

I swear to you, I didn't
want to! And I didn't!

I wasn't any closer than, I
don't know, 10, 15 feet maybe.

She just kept backing away, she tripped
on a stool or something, fell on the couch,

and hit her head on a pillow.

I mean, a pillow. How much
damage can a pillow do?

Quincy?

No fresh marks on the skull,
no lacerations on the scalp.

You see?

You see? I never touched that lady, I told
you! I swear to you, I never touched her.

You caused her to fall during
the commission of a felony.

That's m*rder number one,
buddy. Ask your counselor.

Jackson, let us out of here.

But, Doctor, you said no
fresh marks on the skull?

No. There was evidence
of earlier damage.

Severe damage? Very severe.

Then her condition could be
an extenuating circumstance.

That might reduce the
charge. Right, Lieutenant?

That's between you
and the DA, Henderson.

Thank you, Doctor.

Quincy, I don't mean to offend
you, but whose side are you on?

Victim's.

There are two possibilities. Either Mrs.
Steele was very, very accident prone,

or somebody b*at
the heck out of her.

Repeatedly. Over
a period of years.

And you want to
know which one it was?

I've got reason to believe it's the
second. I'd like to know who it was.

Well, isn't it academic?
I mean, she's dead,

and we got the man
that's responsible.

You got the man who's partly
responsible. You don't have his accomplice.

So, you had the
Lieutenant track me down?

It wasn't hard. The papers
were full of the divorce.

Yeah, Mr. Steele's a
very prominent man.

What were the grounds,
Ms. Kellogg, for the divorce?

Incompatibility.
It was a cop-out.

Martha and I both wanted
to go for extreme cruelty,

but Steele's lawyers threatened
to fight the settlement if we did.

Is that mental
cruelty or physical?

According to her, he struck
her regularly. Like a gong.

Doesn't go with his image, does
it? Fine reputation, well-to-do.

You think it only
happens to slum-dwellers?

I know a husband who hits
his wife with a polo mallet.

Now, that's class.

Did she ever do anything about these
beatings? I mean, before the divorce.

Yeah, about
two-and-a-half years ago,

I made her file an as*ault
charge against her husband.

What happened?

Well, the judge persuaded her to drop
the charge. She wasn't very strong-willed.

Turkey sandwich? No, I had
a big breakfast, thank you.

Made it myself.

It's got mayonnaise, doesn't it?

No, a little mustard.

Mustard? Mustard and turkey?

Mmm-hmm, it's good.

Okay, thank you.

What are you after, Doctor?

Well, a burglar's being
held for the m*rder.

My autopsy shows that
the primary cause of death

was a brain injury she
got about six months ago.

Then Steele did it.

I mean, it was right after that last
b*ating that she walked for good.

Well, are you sure that Steele
was the one who b*at her?

Oh, I'm sure.

But proving it is something
else, and you want to prove it.

Yeah, if it really happened.

Oh, I'm sure it really happened.

But where do I start to
prove it? That's the thing.

Mmm. Martha came to me directly
from a place called Refuge House.

Maybe they can get you started.

Refuge House. Refuge for whom?

Battered wives.
Lots of them around.

Hello.

I'm Dr. Quincy. I have an
appointment with Mrs. Hayes.

Oh, she should be out here in a
minute. If you'd just like to sit down.

Thank you.

Excuse me, how
do you spell "fillet"?

Filet? Yeah, like in fillet
of sole. Is it one "L" or two?

Filet, I think it's one. Fil... Maybe
you can get away either way.

Filet.

How about if I just call it
boneless sole. How's that?

I think that would be terrific.

You know, I don't
really work here.

The regular girl,
she's at the dentist,

and I'm just sort of helping
out, typing up the menu.

Bonnie?

What are you doing here?

I got your girlfriend
Nancy to tell me.

I just want to
talk to you, babe.

If Mrs. Hayes sees you, you're
going to be in a whole lot of trouble.

Listen, I just want
to talk, all right?

Tony, not here, please.

All right, where then?
Just tell me where.

Look, if I ever want to talk
to you again, I'll call you.

If?

I got a lot of thinking to do.

Okay, think of this, then.

Okay, I love you. And I'm not
going to make it without you.

I know that now.

I promise what I did,
I'll never do it again.

Oh, Tony, how many times
have you promised that before?

This time it's different,
babe, you never left before.

I'll call you, okay?

That was my husband.

Yeah, I figured that.

He gave you that?

Yeah.

But he didn't really mean to.

Sometimes he just can't
control his temper, you know?

He's a musician, you
see. He plays piano.

And, well, things haven't been
going too good for him lately.

And, sometimes, he
just gets a little uptight.

But he does love me. I mean, you
heard him say that and he meant it.

And I feel the same about him.

You know, some of my friends
say I should divorce Tony.

But if I did,

what would I do?
Where would I go?

There's no money,

and I don't think I
could ever get a job.

Why not?

When I came in, you
were typing very well.

You're an attractive girl.

Thank you.

Now that Tony knows I'm here,

I may have to leave.

Or maybe I should just go home.

As a matter of fact, there is an
opening down at the coroner's office.

A filing clerk.

It's not much of a
job, and it's temporary.

That's why we got
such a turnover.

But it'd be good for you, give you
work experience, pick up a salary.

Oh, I don't know.

Well, you don't have to
make up your mind right now.

Why don't you think about it? If you want
the job, just give me a call, will you?

There you go.

I'll do that.

Oh, Dr. Quincy?

Mrs. Hayes? Yes, Mrs. Hayes.

How do you do?
How nice to see you.

Welcome to our shelter.

Thank you.

Can I offer you some
coffee? Yes, please.

Oh, good. Just step this way.

- I'll see you later.
- Yeah.

Doctor.

Oh, yes.

Do you have facilities
for all those women?

Well, we make room for them.

How long do they stay?

Oh, anywhere from a day to
a week. Occasionally longer.

You see, Doctor, what we try to
do here is give them counseling.

And legal help if they want it.

Why would they
refuse legal help?

Well, intimidation,
fear, a million reasons.

Where do they
usually go from here?

Well, some of them
will get divorces.

A few will even press
criminal charges.

However, those cases
hardly ever get to court.

Why not?

It's a family matter.

Eileen, hello, sweetheart.

How are you? Have I got
something wonderful for you.

How about that?
Hmm? Now, run along.

It's almost a national pastime.

Do you realize, Doctor,

that there are better than three million
battered wives running around this country,

or rather, staggering around?

You know, for some reason
or other, most of these women,

they will go right back home.

Like that young girl I
was talking to out there?

Mrs. DeMarco? Yeah.

Oh, yes. Oh, yes,
she'll go back home.

I'll bet she'll be
gone by tomorrow.

And in a month, or six months,
whatever, she'll be right back here.

Unless she's beaten too badly.

Ladies, lunch is ready.

Mrs. Steele was
too badly beaten.

Oh, yes. I pulled her
card right after you called.

She came to us just a
little over six months ago.

It was late evening.
Was she examined?

Uh-huh. We have a
physician on call. Dr. Rivera.

Well, she d*ed of a
subdural hematoma.

I think the brain injury was
about at least six months old.

Could it have
happened that night?

Well, our clinic isn't really
equipped for a thorough examination,

but Dr. Rivera said she had all
the symptoms of a concussion.

He really wanted her to go
to a hospital, but she refused.

And she left the next morning.

You haven't spoken
to Mr. Steele yet?

No, that's my next step.

Well, I wish you luck, Doctor.

But I'm afraid that
you won't have any.

Oh, excuse me. Sorry.

You've lost me, Dr. Quincy.

It was my understanding that
the police have the man in custody.

Well, he was in the same
room with her when she d*ed.

Oh, I see what
you're getting at.

He didn't actually hit
her, I understand that.

But he did frighten her.
He caused her to fall.

Now, doesn't that
make him responsible?

Well, in this case, it makes
him partially responsible.

Partially? Somebody has
to share that responsibility.

Like the person who b*at your
wife about, oh, six months ago.

That b*ating gave her
severe head injuries.

They were slightly
aggravated, and k*lled her.

I see.

And you're saying I
caused her injuries?

Oh, no, no. I didn't say...
Well, then you're asking?

Assuming that you
have the right to ask,

and I'm not all too
sure about that.

You know, the fact remains

that I am under no obligation
to answer your questions.

Oh, of course not. You
don't have to say anything...

But I will answer.

No, I did not b*at my wife.

Yes, I did strike her.

We were having a
rather heated argument.

I hit her once. I slapped
her face with my open hand.

Now, that blow couldn't
possibly have hurt her.

It couldn't have
hurt a small child.

That's the only
time you hit her?

The only time.

And I felt remorse
immediately afterwards.

I'm going to be frank
with you, Doctor.

Martha and I hadn't been
getting on for, oh, several years.

What was once a very
affectionate relationship

had turned into something
approaching hate.

When I heard about
her death, I wept.

But not very long.

Now, if that makes
me cold and callous...

But I'm not a violent man.

That one light slap was the only
time I ever raised my hand against her.

Okay, Mr. Steele.
Thank you very much.

Dr. Quincy,

I'm grateful to you.

I pay very high
taxes to this county.

And it's nice to know that
some of my money goes to pay

for a public servant who's as
diligent and dedicated as you are.

Thank you.

Even when you're wrong.

Oh, what a performance he gave.
You should've been there, Sam!

It was a beauty. Laurence
Olivier couldn't have done better.

He looked me
straight in the eye,

oozing all that truth
and dignity, the whole bit!

He made me ashamed
that I suspected him!

And he was lying
through his teeth.

Are you sure, Quince?
Are you really sure?

Oh, come on, will you, Sam?

Maybe she was accident-prone.

She fell down a flight of stairs,
she tripped over something,

she ran into a door. Could
have been any of them.

Over a period of time, it
could have been all of them.

You believe that, then you
believe in the tooth fairy.

It was Steele, all right?
I'd stake my reputation on it!

I have a feeling,
Quince, you may have to.



Hello. Yes, sir.

Sure. Right away.

Astin?

Yeah, he wants to see me.

I figured.

At the deputy DA's office.

You think he'll be reasonable?

Quincy? Oh, no, no.

Sometimes I'm rather
grateful for that, though.

Quincy, this is Steve
Carter of the DA's office.

Doctor. Nice to meet
you. Have a seat.

Thank you.

I was going over your
report on Mrs. Steele.

Hope it's all in order.

Let's see...

"Broken left arm,
fractured... Cause of death.

"Cerebral hemorrhage
as the result of

multiple contusions
feloniously aggravated."

Aggravated, Doctor? Yeah,
about six months ago...

"Aggravated by a blow
received during a fall.

"The original injuries were inflicted
approximately six months earlier

"by a party or parties unknown."

That's right.

Well, the district attorney's not
exactly going to be overjoyed with this.

Why not?

Well, it clouds the issue. It
implies there's a second suspect.

Oh, you bet there is.

Oh. And who might that be?

The victim's husband.

William Steele? Yeah.

Well, Doctor, that's even more
reason for you to modify your report.

Why is that?

Because the name rings a bell?
Because he's a big sh*t? Is that why?

I resent that, Doctor.

I resent that very much.

Now, Mr. Steele doesn't carry any
influence with me or with this office.

But you're half right.

You see, this report is going to
become a matter of public record.

And Mr. Steele and his
wife, if they weren't prominent,

well, then it would just be filed away
some place. Disappear into limbo. Right?

But a lot of people are
going to read that report.

And a lot of people are
going to ask questions.

And they're going to come
to the same conclusion I did.

I hope. I mean,
I really hope so.

Do you really?

Well, excuse me, I'm
getting a little confused here,

but in our present system, a
man is innocent until proven guilty

in a court of law, right?

Now, you don't even have obviously
enough information for an indictment.

I'll get enough.

Maybe. Maybe not.

In the meantime, Mr. Steele
will be tried in the newspapers.

Because he's so prominent,
if you will, a big sh*t.

But what if he's
not guilty, Doctor?

Then you will be responsible for smearing
him and dragging his name through the mud!

Quincy, Quincy, he
does have a point.

Yes, he does. You do have
a point, sir. Yes, you do.

He does have a
point, but so do I.

If I changed my report, take out that
last part, I'd be doing less than my job.

That's not what
you pay me for, sir.

Look, Doctor, nobody's...

If Steele is guilty,
which I believe he is,

I think he's guilty as hell,

that doesn't matter, does it? Because
you've got a patsy to take the rap.

Well, listen, he's only 1%
responsible for that lady's death.

The other 99%
goes to her husband!

What happens then?
Nothing. He goes loose!

Maybe he'll pick up another wife,
maybe he'll b*at her brains out, too!

Then you'll pick up
another patsy, right?

Come on, Dr. Quincy!

It is almost impossible... Almost
impossible means it's possible!

Now, I'll get you all
the evidence you need

against the eminent Mr. Steele!

I'll nail him to
the wall for you.

It better be awfully conclusive,

because if it's not, I'm
not taking it into court.

Believe me, I speak from
long, painful experience.

Anything less, and
they will throw it out.

Now, I trust that you and I will see
each other again sometime soon?

Oh, I guarantee it. Good, good.

Next time, bring me just
a little more evidence.

And I promise you
I'll be on your side.

I hope so.

Dr. Quincy?

Yeah?

Oh, yeah.

Dr. Astin, see you
back at the lab.

Well, I thought
that was very useful.

Of course, I will keep in touch.

And you're grateful for
that obstinance, huh?

He is hard to stop, isn't he?

Hey, hon, where's the beer?

Oh, I'm sorry. I
forgot all about it.

Why don't you run down to
the deli, and pick some up?

Oh, come on, I've been running around
all day. I got to do the marketing, too?

I'm sorry.

You're always sorry.

I only got enough
money for a six-pack,

and I know the deli is not
going to give us any more credit.

I think I've got a couple
of dollars in my purse.

Bonnie. Bonnie!

What?

Come here.

What is this?

A card.

What am I holding up, a slide
trombone? Who is this Quincy?

You saw him yesterday
at the Refuge House.

And is he a friend of yours?
A good friend? Is that it?

Tony, please don't yell.
The neighbors are gonna...

What is this all about?

Come on!

It's about a job.

A job?

In the Coroner's Office, but I
don't think that I'm gonna take it.

Wait a minute. What are you
trying to say, I can't support you?

My last gig, I brought
home five bills a week.

Five bills a week! How many
guys bring home that kind of bread?

Tony, I know that, and you're
gonna get even better jobs.

I mean, you deserve it. You're
as good as they come, but...

Don't patronize me,
Bonnie. Don't patronize me!

"You deserve it, Tony.
You're as good as they come.

"But in the meantime, I gotta
get a job to support you." Is that it?

Honey, I didn't say that. Look,
I don't have to take that job.

You're always putting
me down, aren't you?

Always putting
me down! You're...

Tony, Tony! No! No!

You want more money?

Huh?

Why don't we use the company car
and I'll bring you back right after dinner?

You mean the hearse?

I prefer to think of
it as a limousine.

Where do you wanna have dinner?

Danny's? The food's good,
but the service is just as bad.

But you have to admit
the prices are high.

Hello?

Do you need an ambulance?

You sure?

Where are you?

Yeah, I know where it
is. Now, you stay there.

We'll be there in 10 minutes.

We have to make a detour.

He sure did a job on you.

I didn't want to call the police.
And your number was just near me.

We would have come
to your apartment.

No, I was afraid he
might come back.

Did he take off?
Yeah, just to cool down.

I don't feel good.

Sam, let's get
to a hospital fast.

Go, Sam.

You're the officers that were
called to the Steele house, huh?

Yeah, about six months ago.

Usual family
argument, that's all.

Usual family argument.

Well, he had been b*ating her.

We didn't see nobody
get beaten, Klein.

I mean, she said he did.

Were there any
marks on her face?

I'm trying to remember. I mean,
it was more than six months ago.

We had an awful lot
since. She had a fat lip,

that's all. She wanted
us to lock him up.

But you didn't. We
went by the book.

What book is that?

The book on how a cop survives.

Which is?

Most family disputes are personal
matters involving no direct action.

Once inside the house, the
officer's sole duty, sole duty,

is to preserve the peace, attempt to
soothe feelings and pacify the parties.

Do you know what
the official book says?

Yeah, I know what the
official book says. What?

The senior officer is supposed
to make some kind of a decision.

Did you?

Well, I took one look at her,
she looked all right to me.

You're a doctor?

Well, I decided to
call it a misdemeanor.

Misdemeanor.

Hey, this wasn't some
boozer hitting on some floozy.

This was Mr. William
Steele, her husband.

Oh, well, that
makes it all right.

That makes it open season
for wife-b*ating, right?

Hey, I told you, we
didn't see her get hit.

Well, I was going
around back, and...

What?

Nothing, really.
It's like Harris said,

we saw no evidence of
any blows being struck.

Well, how'd you pacify them?

I walked Mr. Steele
around the block.

He got well pretty quick.

You stayed with the wife?

Yes, sir, but she left
after a couple of minutes.

She said she was afraid to
be alone with her husband.

So she packed her bag, she
called a cab and she took off.

What kind of shape was she in?

Well, I was a little bit
concerned about that, sir.

While she was waiting for
her cab, she almost fainted.

So I got her a drink
of water. I even offered

to call an ambulance,
but she said no.

Well, at that point I figured she
was going to go see her own doctor.

Just the usual family
argument, huh?

Like I told you, we
went by the book.

Maybe somebody
ought to rewrite the book.

Well, look, we have
to make roll call.

Doctor, Lieutenant,
if you'll excuse us?

Yeah, go ahead.

Why didn't he charge
Steele with a felony?

Look, Quincy, can I give you
a couple of facts about life?

I mean, a policeman's life?

Go ahead. Now, whether you
like it or not, the book makes

a lot of sense.

You cannot blame a cop for walking
on eggs when they got a family dispute.

Sometimes it's
worse than a sh**t.

Look, Quincy, look
at the back of my neck.

Under the collar.
What do you see?

A scar. That's right.

That happened 20 years ago. Back
when I was working patrol, we got a call,

a guy b*ating up his
wife. We responded.

When we got there
he was still doing it.

I pulled him off. I got hit with a beer
bottle. You know who did it? His wife.

She said it was a family argument.
We had no business mixing in.

So nobody's supposed
to make waves, is that it?

No, no, I'd do the same thing
over again. Any good cop would,

if he actually saw the physical thing
going on. But they didn't see anything.

The young cop did. Klein?

He saw something. He was
gonna talk. He came pretty close.

Maybe. But I'll tell you, he's
not gonna come any closer.

Because he's not gonna
get his partner in trouble.

Now, that's the way it is.

You going back to the lab?

No, I'm gonna see a doctor.

You okay?

Yeah, I'm fine. I wanna see if
he's going to make some waves.

A subdural hematoma.

That's right. Four
contusions on the brain.

About six months ago? Yeah.

As you can see, it's been more
than a year since she'd been here.

Do you know if she'd
gone to see another doctor?

I wouldn't have any idea.

Dr. Bellamy, there seems to
be a series of omissions here.

Oh?

In no case did you
enter the cause of injury.

I wasn't sure of the cause.

Mrs. Steele was here on
three different occasions.

For broken bones, facial
injuries, a fractured clavicle.

That's correct.

Did she tell you that her
husband was b*ating her?

She told me that, yes. I
couldn't be certain it was the truth.

She wasn't my most
responsible patient.

Did you consider the possibility
that she was telling the truth?

Of course, it was possible.

But it was none of your concern.

You didn't want to know the truth
because you would have to get involved

and call the police!

Doctor, if Mrs. Steele had wanted
to, she could have reported it.

I don't... Then it is possible that
a woman was being m*rder*d,

slowly, by degrees, and you
could have done something about it.

But the bottom line is you didn't.
You stood by and let it happen!

I couldn't have prevented it.

Perhaps Mrs. Steele could
have in any one of a dozen ways.

But she didn't.

I have another patient
now. If you'll excuse me.

I don't have that power.

Can you excuse yourself?

Oh!

Hi. The bruises are
fading, aren't they?

Yep, they're
healing up real good.

They want to keep me here till
after lunch for some observation.

Then where you going?

Tony sent all these flowers.

Aren't they beautiful?

Yeah.

How'd he know you were here?

Well, you're not gonna believe
this, but did you know that he called



just trying to find
out where I was?

Bonnie, I've got to...

Doctor, it's all right. I
already talked to Mrs. Hayes,

and she told me all
the things that you did.

I hope it helps.

Well, it sure helped me.

Now, I'm not saying that
every bone in my body

doesn't just ache, wanting
to run back to Tony.

But I told him I'm not coming
back, not unless he gets some help

from a head doctor or something.

You think he believed you?

Well, an hour later
he called me back.

He had appointments
with two different doctors.

Isn't that great? Yeah.

So, I'm just gonna go stay with
a girlfriend till things blow over.

That job as a file
clerk, it's still open.

Yeah, well, I
think I'll take it.

I don't think I'll get too many
modeling offers with a face like this.

All right, Doctor, let's
look at what you have.

You have all kinds of
forensic evidence to indicate

that Mrs. Steele was badly
beaten. All right, fine, no issue there.

You even have a number of people who
are willing to say that her husband did it

because Mrs.
Steele told them that.

What you do not have
is a single eyewitness.

Not one man or woman
who saw him strike his wife.

So you're not gonna
prosecute, huh?

I told you before. You give
me conclusive evidence,

that means an eyewitness
or something just as good.

Otherwise, we settle
for what we've got.

A second-story man, and you're
going to hit him with a m*rder charge?

He's not exactly a pure
innocent, you know.

He's a burglar.
He's not a m*rder*r.

A woman d*ed as a result
of his committing a felony.

Legally, that makes
him responsible.

That 1% we were talking
about? Yeah, maybe.

But that 1% represents
all that we have,

because we don't
have the other 99.

All right?

Well... Astin.

I want a coroner's inquest.

When? Thursday.

No, no, no inquest on Thursday.
What purpose would that serve?

I want to point a
finger at Steele.

Steele could not be mentioned
by name, you know that.

The most you could
get, the very most,

would be a verdict
against an unknown party.

Well, at least it would
be something. No.

Look, if we can't get a legal
victory, let's go for a moral one.

And who knows? If we get lucky, just
maybe, maybe, something might develop.

How about Friday?

I'm willing to bend.

This coroner's inquest
will please come to order.

I recognize the so-called
interested parties,

that is with the
privilege of being heard,

Mr. Carter, the Deputy District
Attorney, Mr. Henderson,

representing Mr. Joseph Kling.

Dr. Astin, I am Morton
Downing of the law firm

of Miller, Downing and Yates.

I am here to represent the interests
of my client, Mr. William Steele.

You are so recognized.

Now, in this inquest, Dr. Quincy
will handle the proceedings.

You may proceed, Dr. Quincy.

And you didn't touch her?

I didn't even come close to her.

All I wanted to do was
get out of there, you know?

She just kept backing away from me.
She tripped and then bumped her head

on the arm of the sofa.

Was it a severe blow?

There was a pillow there. It
was like she was hit by a feather.

You took a polygraph
test. Voluntarily?

I asked for it.

You said fundamentally
the same things?

I said exactly the same thing.

Ladies and gentlemen,

the autopsy findings
corroborate Mr. Kling's testimony.

We discovered no fresh bruises
or contusions of any consequence.

Certainly nothing which, by itself,
could bring about Mrs. Steele's death.

Now, the only way that blow, that
very light blow, could have k*lled her

was by aggravating a
previously existing condition.

That condition was a
subdural hematoma.

That's leakage of blood
between the skull and the brain.

It was the primary
cause of death.

You will hear evidence that it
was inflicted by the husband

of the deceased.

Dr. Quincy, are you referring
to eyewitness evidence?

No, I'm referring to pathological
and circumstantial evidence.

Much of which, I suspect, would
not be admissible in a court of law.

Mr. Downing, may I remind
you that this is not a trial?

It is an inquest to
determine the manner

and circumstance
of a woman's death.

It is a continuation
of the investigation,

The jury will hear all pertinent
facts, circumstantial and otherwise,

and then, as you know, make its
recommendation and its decision,

which will be referred to the
grand jury or district attorney.

They alone will determine if any
legal action is further warranted.

Dr. Quincy.

You may step down.

I'd like to call Dr. Thomas
Rivera, please.

She had all the symptoms of
a severe cerebral concussion.

Now, that's an hour after she
ran away from her husband,

because she was
afraid for her life.

That is what she said.

Dr. Astin, may I
approach the witness?

You may,

Dr. Rivera, are you a member
of the staff at Refuge House?

No, sir. I'm on call.

I see.

In any event, you did not personally
witness this alleged b*ating?

No, sir.

You're merely repeating
what Martha Steele told you.

Yes, sir. But I can't think
of any reason why she'd lie.

Then may I suggest one?

I say this with great reluctance out of
my personal fondness for the deceased.

A week or two before
the alleged b*ating,

she told me that her
husband was having an affair.

Her suspicions were
totally unfounded.

But she was given to intense
jealousy, vindictiveness.

Oh, come on, Mr. Downing.

Are you saying that she hurt
herself severely just to spite him?

No, I am not saying that.

I merely point out that however
the injuries were received,

it afforded her an opportunity
to get back at Mr. Steele.

I'm finished with this witness.

Thank you, Dr. Rivera.

Mr. Downing, you say Mrs. Steele
told you about this imagined affair

a few weeks before she
went into Refuge House?

That's right. That's
about seven months ago?

Mmm, about that. Thank you.

I'd like to call to the stand
Judge Howard Erickson, please.

Let Judge Erickson be sworn in.

That was
two-and-a-half years ago.

Mmm.

So, the beatings
go back that far.

Did she tell you on that occasion
that her husband had hit her?

Of course. That was the
basis of her complaint.

Oh, did she also tell
you on that occasion

of the alleged affair,
Mr. Steele was...

Dr. Astin, I recognize that normal
courtroom procedure does not apply here,

but there's got to be a limit!

You do seem to be going
pretty far afield, Dr. Quincy.

Why?

I'm merely trying to show that Mr. Steele
did b*at his wife on several occasions.

That the pattern that led to
her death started years ago.

Now, Judge Erickson, why did Mrs. Steele
drop her complaint against her husband?

- I persuaded her to.
- Why?

Well, I thought it was an
overreaction on her part.

You think
wife-b*ating is normal?

No, I thought it
was a family affair.

It was and is quite common.

I must admit that there have been
times when I was seriously tempted...

To strike your wife?
Did you ever do it?

Of course not.

Because that separates us
from the animals, doesn't it?

As you know, they don't
put us in jail for our thoughts.

Otherwise, the prisons
would be packed.

But Mr. Steele did b*at his wife over
and over and over until he k*lled her!

I won't bother to
object anymore.

May I ask a few
questions? No, you can't.

Please, gentlemen, can we
just calm down? Just calm down.

Now, this inquest does wish to
hear all sides, does it not, Dr. Quincy?

Mr. Downing?

Judge Erickson, you observed at the
hearing that Mrs. Steele was battered.

The bruises were partially
healed, but not completely.

Did Mr. Steele acknowledge
that he had struck her?

No. Was there any evidence,

other than Mrs. Steele's word,
was there any evidence at all,

that her husband was the
man who inflicted her injuries?

I can't say there was.

Thank you.

You can step down.

I call William Steele.

And that's the only
time you struck her?

The only time, and
then with my open hand.

Now, I told you
that before, Doctor.

I also told you how
much I regretted that.

Yes, you did, you told me.

Can you explain how,
over a period of five years,

your wife suffered
so many injuries?

She was given to accidents.

She fell down a lot?

Yes.

Three fractured ribs. She fell?

Yes.

How? Where?

The stairs. The stairs?

A broken left arm. Stairs?

A fractured clavicle. I guess
the stairs were the culprit again.

I honestly don't remember
how that happened.

Do you have any idea why your
wife was so given to accidents?

Yes, Doctor. Yes, I
have a very good idea.

I lived with it for a long
time, as long as she did.

It was very painful for us both.

We tried to keep it
quiet for her sake.

Well, to be honest,
for my sake, too.

It broke up our marriage.

My wife was an
alcoholic, Doctor.

For the past seven or eight
years around our house,

she was drunk
more often than not.

It was a wonder that she hadn't
destroyed herself a lot sooner.

I just witnessed a
remarkable thing.

You're more powerful
than I thought, Mr. Steele.

You just told a lie, a big lie,

and they all believed
it because you said it.

I swore I wouldn't
object anymore,

but Dr. Quincy leaves
me no alternative.

Your client is under oath. He
says his wife was an alcoholic.

I challenge it. Now, before you
get your feathers all ruffled again,

just remember, I did an autopsy
on Mrs. Steele. I know the real truth!

Now, what do you want to do?

I withdraw my objection.

Let's talk about something else.

On that night when you so gently
slapped your wife with your open hand,

two policemen
came to your house.

Now, what if I were to tell
you that one of the policemen,

on his way to the back,

looked through the window,
and he saw you punch your wife

with your closed fist?

I'd say you were making that up.

There is a subpoena out for that
police officer. You are under oath!

Charges of perjury can
be brought against you!

All right, maybe I have hit her on a
couple of... On different occasions.

Yes, on other
occasions. Maybe three.

Yes, yes, three, what of it?

It was a nightmare living with
that woman. She was impossible.

She deserved a lot
more than I ever gave her.

And the three times we know are for sure,
something stopped you from b*ating her.

Once it was the neighbors, once she ran
away and hid, and once it was the police.

But suppose nobody had stopped
you, how far would you have gone?

If you knew what you were
doing, if you were in control,

that's kind of
premeditated, isn't it?

And if you didn't know what you
were doing, if you were out of control,

then you wouldn't have
stopped until you k*lled her.

And to me, that
indicates an intent to k*ll!

Mr. Steele, you may step down.

Dr. Quincy, do you have
any other evidence to present?

No.

Ladies and
gentlemen of the jury,

I would like to remind you
again that this is not a trial

to determine who might be
responsible for Mrs., Steele's death.

This is an inquest. Your sole
responsibility is to determine,

based on the evidence
that you've heard,

the circumstances resulting
in the death of Mrs., Steele,

to the best of your ability.

Would you now withdraw
and consider your verdict?

Superimposed on an old,
traumatic injury to the brain,

we consider her death to be the result
of two separate and isolated events.

One, occurring on
the day of death.

The other inflicted
approximately six months earlier.

It is our judgment that the party
who inflicted the earlier injuries

must share culpability for
the death of Martha Steele.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, members of
the jury, you are dismissed.

Okay, you said you
wanted conclusive evidence.

All right, all right, all right,
I'll file charges. All right?

Voluntary manslaughter and I'll
reduce the charges on Joey Kling, okay?

Dr. Quincy, may I see
you for a moment, please?

Congratulations.

Thank you.

So, with Steele, what
kind of chance do we have?

I don't know. In this state, I think
we might have a good chance.

In this state?

Yeah, well, it's different
every place else.

Other states might not touch a case
like William Steele in a million years.

Quincy. Yeah.

It was a bluff,
wasn't it? What was?

You know, threatening
Steele with a young cop.

Hey, Quincy, what am I gonna
do with this subpoena for the kid?

He might need it.

Why'd it take you so long
to get down here with these?

It's that new file clerk
you got us, Quince.

Bonnie?

Hi, Ed. Sam.

Speaking of Bonnie...
She's nice, isn't she?

Mmm, terrific.

I asked for the Dominic file,
she gave me the Domingues files.

Well, they both begin
with a "D." Shh, will you?

Hi. Hi.

Here's the file you
asked for. Thank you.

How's it going? Oh, just great.

Listen, I want to thank you very
much for this job. It's just wonderful.

And Tony?

You know, he asked me
out on a date the other night.

Opened up the car door
for me and everything.

Kissed me goodbye
on the forehead.

Is he still going to the doctor?

Psychiatrist? Yeah.

Yeah, twice a week.

You know, I think things
are gonna work out fine.

Oh, look, I gotta get
going. Bye. Okay.

Bye-bye.

What's the matter?

You know Joe Boob's
Diner on the corner?

Yeah.

She just gave me his menu.