04x06 - The People vs. Lois Lane

[bunniefuu]

Here on Metro 103, the heartbeat of Metropolis.

So far, between your stuff and my stuff we've got two coffee pots, two irons, two toasters, two blenders " and" two Crock

-Pots.

I don't even know what a Crock

-Pot does.

It takes up room and collects dust.

I'd have this whole room wallpapered in about three seconds, if I could just No, no.

Just do it the old

-fashioned way.

According to "Newlywed Magazine " these projects are important to the bonding process.

Somehow, when I think of newlyweds bonding wallpaper is not the first thing that comes to mind.

Oh, Clark, this is so exciting.

Our first place.

Maybe we can finally settle down and start acting like a normal couple.



- Hello?

- Lois Lane, Elroy Sykes.

How you doing? I hear you got hitched.

Sykes.

I thought you were in Prison? No, I just got paroled.

But listen, don't worry, I'm willing to let bygones be bygones.



- Great, have a nice life.



- "No, no.

Wait a second.

" I know who dusted Big Mo Zabrinski, plus I know how it went down.

I got it from a bunkmate on the inside.



- I'm listening.



- "You want more " meet me in Centennial Park.

And don't forget my lunch money.

She's coming, professor.

Of course she is.

The great Lois Lane could never pass up a scoop like this.



- You know what to do, right?

- Yeah.

Get Lane to threaten me so we can blackmail her.



- Piece of cake.



- Very good.

Memo to self, cut Sykes in for a bigger piece of the cake.



- I'm gonna go with you.



- I'll be fine.

Sykes has been a source for years.

He's kind of squirrelly.



- Lf he sees anyone else, he'll bolt.



- Then I'll just hide in the bushes.

I just don't want you to go alone.

Clark, honey, you're not suggesting I stop following my own leads " just" because we're married, are you?

- No, but

- Good.

I'll be back soon.

It's third and 12 for Metropolis with the ball resting on the 27

-yard line.

Long is back to pass.

Sgriccia is open.

He fires to Sgriccia.

He's going all the way.

Touchdown! Sykes.

Glad you could make it.

Hey, hey, wait a minute.



- Hey, relax, Lois.

It's not loaded.



- It's for demonstration purposes only.

g*ns aren't something to fool around with.

Afraid you're gonna break a nail? Want me to show how Big Mo was offed, right? Listen.

Okay, okay, okay.

So I'm Big Mo, right? Six feet, 5 inches of repressed anger and body odor.

You're the guy whose facial features I'm gonna rearrange for ratting on me.

Do you wanna keep the g*n up higher, please? Thank you very much.

Surprise, surprise, all of a sudden, he's not so tough anymore.



- He starts pleading for his life.



- Memo to self, cancel previous memo.

"Hasta la vista," baby.

Miss Lane, why did you k*ll him? Why did you do it?

- Lois.



- How about a statement? Clark, thank God! It's all right, it's her husband.

Sykes was reenacting Zabrinski's m*rder, and then the g*n just went off.



- By itself.

I didn't even touch the trigger.



- It's okay, we'll get through this.

Mr.

District Attorney, care to make a statement? What's the DA doing here? The DA's here because he takes m*rder very seriously, Mr.

Kent.

m*rder? There wasn't even a clip in the g*n.

This is ridiculous.

She's innocent and you know it.

Do I? She's got gunpowder burns and a dubious history with the victim.

That's enough to hold her for questioning.

If you'll excuse me.

This is my wife we're talking about here.

I'm warning you, do not try and turn this into some kind of campaign stunt.

I suggest you keep your emotions in check, Mr.

Kent.

You obviously have no idea who you're dealing with.

Yeah, neither do you.

Book her.

It's okay, Clark.

I'll be okay.

It's all going to work out, I know it.



- Yeah, but

- We've been in worse jams before.

I think I can handle a couple of nights on the inside until I'm cleared.

Just have faith in the justice system.

Isn't that what you always tell me? Every m*rder in this city deserves our full attention.

It doesn't matter who the victim is or who the suspected perpetrator is.

Nobody is above the law in Metropolis not even a well

-respected figure like Lois Lane.

That is why I will be personally overseeing this investigation.

Does this have anything to do with you trailing " by" 12 points in the governor's race? The DA has taken on this case because it's "important " " not" because it's political.

Thank you, there will be no more questions at this time.

Sir.

This is almost too easy.

k*ll Sykes, frame Lois maneuver the DA into prosecuting her.

I'm bored.

Memo to self, find hobby.

All right, Wolcott, time for phase two.

Is it ready? See for yourself.

Fantastic.

Do you see them too? Yeah, the image targets the cerebral cortex directly.

Anyone will think that they're seeing the "butterflies " or anything we want them to see.

I feel like a proud father.

Gee, professor, thank you.

Not you, Wolcott.

The hallucinator.

I spent years in prison developing it.

Finally, it's ready to be implemented.

What's wrong? I don't know.

Must be a glitch.

You were my assistant, you must have learned something.

Check the frequency modulator.



- That's not the problem.



- Then find the problem! I don't just want Lois Lane behind bars.

I want that c*ck little reporter to rot in a hellhole prison the rest of her miserable, worthless life.

Okey

-dokey? Turn to your left.

Your other left.

Thank you.

Just relax your thumb.

Personal effects, please.

Matron.

Hey, where's my magazine, matron? So, Lane, how'd you like check

-in? It was everything I expected.

Humiliating, embarrassing, degrading.

I told them to go easy on you.

If you, or the indifferent system you serve think I'm gonna crack, think again.

I'm an investigative reporter.

I'm used to tough jams.

I thrive on society's tawdry underbelly.



- Think I can get a hypoallergenic pillow?

- No.



- Well, the human spirit is stronger than

- Than what? Than you'd expect.

I just thought that would be something you'd want to know about the human spirit.

I'm a social worker.

I don't care about the human spirit.

I wouldn't mess with her if I was you.

She abuses the prisoners?

- You see that?

- She did that? No.

My late husband.



- He's dead.



- No, he was due here two hours ago.

Well, I'm an investigative reporter.

Who thrives on underbellies.

I know.

See, I'm using my brief time here in stir to explore it from the accused perspective.

Would you mind telling me what an average day inside is like? Average.

Same as every other day, of every month, in every year.

This is my 10th appeal in 10 years.

You'll see.

Well, actually, I probably won't because I'm innocent.



- And?

- And what? I'm innocent.

Oh, great.

Well, I hope it works for you.

But if it doesn't, miss, maybe it's time you got real here.

Because this place is as real and mean and forever as it gets.

The Caped Crusader! That's Batman.

You all right? Well, you know me.

The glass is always half full.

I'm being serious.

Seriously.

This is an opportunity a journalist never gets.

I'll be fine.

Other than the fact that I miss my husband.

He misses you.

We're newlyweds, you know.

I know.

I miss his arms.

His neck.

His lips.

So does he miss those things of yours.

He's working on getting you a first

-class attorney, so you can get out of here.



- I've heard that before.



- An attorney? I guess that means they don't have other suspects.

You can see why your husband is worried that this may be too tough a situation here.

If it is too tough, all you have to do is say the word and he can lift your spirits.

He already has.

Well, I better go.

Thanks for stopping by.

You really do have friends in high places.

I'm still losing, aren't I? Not as bad as before putting Lois Lane behind bars.



- Really?

- Listen the only profession voters hate worse than politicians is reporters.

You get a conviction on her, and they'll "forget " all about those three cases you blew.



- What if she's innocent?

- We can't afford for her to be.



- Superman, what a surprise.



- Mr.

District Attorney.

Oh, I hope you don't mind, I've taken the liberty of inviting the press.



- I'm afraid I don't

- Smile, damn it.

Straighten your tie.

Thanks for coming on such short notice.

I wanted to announce that I've decided to help Mr.

Clemmons with his investigation into the Sykes case.

That's great, Superman.

Why? Because I want to get to the truth as badly as you do.

You do want to get to the truth, don't you? Of course, Superman.

Absolutely.

After all, just like you I stand for truth, justice and the American way.

Whatever you need, big fella, just name it.

I need Lois Lane.

You've got it.

You want the truth " and" she's the best at uncovering it.

Plus, I'd say she has a little bit of added incentive.

I'd consider it a personal favor if you would release her on her own recognizance.



- But Lois Lane is a m*rder suspect.

I mean, we can't very well have her just walking around free as a jaybird.

I'll give you my personal guarantee that she won't try to skip town.



- How's that?

- Yeah, but You do trust me, don't you, Mr.

Clemmons? She's all yours, Superman.

Welcome to my team.

Spineless fool.

Memo to self: Resist despair.

Turn lemons into lemonade.

Now this is good.

This is good.

Let Miss Lane have a taste of freedom.

Give her the cruelest of all emotions: Hope.

Then we'll dash that hope as quickly as it came and tighten the noose around her lovely neck a little tighter.



- Okay.

Let's get down to work.



- Okay.

Honey, I don't know about you, but last night was hell for me.

So if you can't take "it " I'm okay.

You would tell me, wouldn't you? I'd never put up with anything hurting you.

I completely know that.

So let's just figure this mess out and get me cleared so I can be home with you.



- Okay.

So I was standing right here.

And Sykes was A little closer.



- Right there.



- And he tossed me the g*n.



- Which you thought wasn't loaded.

I saw him take the clip out.

There must have been a b*llet in the chamber.

Okay.

All right, so then you pointed the g*n at him, and it just went off.

Oh, God.

What on earth was I thinking? My mother spanked me when I pointed a water p*stol at my sister.

I was thinking, "Get the story.

" That's what I was thinking.

I wasn't paying attention to where the g*n was.

What are you doing? The police never recovered the b*llet shell.

Since the b*llet fired by itself, maybe the answer is in the missing shell.

I'll take this to the crime lab, have it analyzed.

Miss Lane, Mr.

Kent.

Yes, detective.

That's us.

Mr.

And Mrs.

Lane Kent.

Lane and Kent.



- How are you?

- Fine.

Just fine.

The district attorney and I hope you enjoyed your apricot muffin and cappuccino this morning.



- You followed us? Accompanied, from behind.

You are fast walkers.

Took us a minute to catch up.



- Oh, well, gee, sorry.



- That's okay.

The DA's office felt it might reassure you, Miss Lane, to feel our presence.

Everywhere.

Well, thank you.



- I hope it isn't a burden.



- It isn't.

See you.

Constantly.

It's okay, Lois.

So that's how it's gonna be.

I may be out, but they'll never leave me alone.

Once you're marked as a criminal, they treat you like a criminal forever.

Hey, you are no criminal.

You're my wife.

I won't comment on an ongoing investigation other than to say that we're gathering new evidence all the time and that Lois Lane remains the prime suspect in this case.

Tell me I didn't vote for that guy.

Okay, thanks.

The police did a scan on the b*llet casing and couldn't find anything suspicious.

Great.

Meanwhile, Clemmons is using me as a stepping stone to the governor's mansion.

Over my dead body.

Guys, I got ahold of Sykes' bank records.

Turns out he deposited 5000 in cash the day before you shot Before that g*n somehow shot him.



- A payoff to set me up?

- Could be.

If Sykes was in on it, how come he ended up dead? Maybe he wasn't in on everything.

Maybe someone wanted to frame me and k*ll him at the same time.

I want you to go through all my case notes involving Sykes.

Get a list of everyone he helped me put away.

You got it.

Lois, I want you to meet a good friend of mine.

Angela Winters.

It's a pleasure to meet you.

Pleasure to meet you too.

I wish it were under better circumstances.



- And you must be

- Oh, Clark Kent.

I covered the Venturi trial last month.

I have to say I think your defense strategy was absolutely brilliant.

Thank you.

Of course, it helped that Mr.

Venturi was innocent.



- So is Lois.



- That's what I'm here to prove.

I'm a little confused here.

Aren't we jumping the g*n a little? I haven't even been charged yet.

"Yet" being the operative word.

The DA's trying to convene a grand jury now.

They've uncovered some new evidence.

What new evidence? I heard something about some woman named Danko and a videotape.

A videotape? In the meantime, I have a lot of catching up to do.

Lois, I need you to tell me everything you know about Elroy Sykes.

Keep digging, Jimmy.

And don't forget to check the old archives.

I upgraded my computer a couple years ago.

I think I put the old files on disk.

Thanks.

Call me.



- Lois.

Honey

- I'm fine, really.

Yeah, okay, but why don't you just relax for like a minute or even 30 seconds.

Honey? Look, honey I wallpapered the entire house by myself, super

-speed.



- You can yell at me for a while.



- Yell? You? I love the wallpaper.

Oh, I think I have another box of files.

I'll get it.

Mom, Dad.

Oh, Clark.

Are you all right? We took the first flight out.

How's Lois?

- She's okay.



- Oh, it's awful.

The moment you move into your first home at last able to put down roots and the love of your life is wrenched away from you like some common criminal.



- Mom.



- We must never show our fears to Lois.

Oh, honey.

I am so sorry.

It's okay, Martha.

Really.



- Do your folks know?

- We tried to call them.

It seems they're on safari.

Leave it to them to attempt a reconciliation in a country in the middle of a civil w*r.

Well, we're gonna go check into the Metropolis hotel.

You need anything, you call us, we'll be here.

Thanks.

Clark, why don't you give them a ride.

You sure you'll be okay by yourself? I keep telling you, I'm fine.

Besides, I got a lot to do.

Okay.

Oh, yeah.



- She's alone.



- Excellent.

Look out, she's got a g*n! Oh, my God, it's Lois Lane! She's got a g*n! Sir.

Help, help! She's got a g*n! Lois, hold on, why don't you It worked.

The hallucination didn't fluctuate.

It may have fooled those dullards on the street but it obviously didn't fool Superman.

If we're gonna succeed in putting the final nail in Lois Lane's "coffin " we're gonna have to "get " Mr.

Super

-Pain

-in

-the

-Butt out of the way.



- Good luck.



- Luck has nothing to do with it, Wolcott.

Preparation is the key.

And I've had years of preparation.

Years and years in a 9

-by

-7 cell, courtesy of Lois Lane.

And now it's time to return the favor with interest.



- Lois?

- Clark, what's the matter? Ms.

Lane, I think you'd better come with us.

This is ludicrous, I never left the house.

But, Lois, even I thought it was you until you walked right through me.

It must have been some kind of hologram but it was not like anything I have ever seen before.

There's nobody who can vouch for you?

- A mailman, anybody?

- No one.

I was all by myself.

So here I am, back in jail, waiting for the grand jury to decide my fate.

Any idea who might be after you? All I know is, whoever it is has gone to a lot of trouble.

Well, it's all just circumstantial evidence, right? I mean, Lois is innocent.

Isn't that the most important thing? It should be.

It will be.



- The hearing's over already?

- Yes.

Well, that was fast.

Not too fast.

That's a positive sign? Sometimes, but not today.

I'm afraid you're being bound over for trial, Lois.

On one count of harassment with deadly intent and one count of m*rder in the first degree.

Order in the court.

The case of "The People v.

Lois Lane" is now in session.

Mr.

Clemmons, call your first witness.

Prosecution calls Sheila Danko to the stand.

I was taping Bobby's skateboard tricks.

Check out those moves.

Then, I heard people arguing and being naturally inquisitive, I sort of turned the camera on them.

Then, all of a sudden I totally freaked.

I never saw anybody get k*lled before.

Well, except on TV, I mean.

Then, I'm sitting in the restaurant, minding my own business and there she is, trying to g*n me down too.

Objection, Your Honor.

Move to strike.



- Overruled.



- Thank you, Miss Danko.

No further questions.

This is going better than I thought.

And I'm climbing in the polls.

Don't get c*ck.

No comment.

No comment at this time.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, gentlemen, ladies.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Yeah.

It's him.

All right, who is this? This is your guardian angel.

Now shut up and listen.

You have to make that b*llet casing in evidence inventory disappear today do you understand?

- "Are you crazy?" Tamper with evidence in a capital case? I can't compromise myself like that.

Oh, stop whining.

I hate it when you whine.

Do you want to be governor or don't you?

- I'm simply saying

- I gave you that videotape.

I made your case.

And I can unmake it just as easily.



- Do you want to win or not?

- Of course I want to win.

You won't if that casing's examined too thoroughly.

So lose it, understand? And stop slouching.

Clark, son, it's late.



- Go on home and get some shut

-eye.



- Yeah.

Go ahead.

I'll run this stuff over to you as soon as I'm done.

Yeah.



- The firing pin.



- C.

K? Every g*n leaves a distinctive firing

-pin indentation on the b*llet casing.

Didn't they already check that out?

- "Metro.

"

- Detective?

- "Yeah.

"

- Yeah, hi.

This is Clark Kent.

When your lab did an analysis on the shell did they cross

-match it with the firing pin? You got the report already.

I know, but since Lois says she never pulled the trigger maybe the b*llet was rigged to fire by itself somehow.

Yeah, and if that's the "case " then the indentation on the shell wouldn't match.



- "I'll check that out.

"

- Okay great.

Thanks.

Way to go, Clark.

Unfortunately, it's a waste of time.

Angela.

What do you mean? I mean the b*llet casing is mysteriously missing from evidence inventory.



- I just found out.



- How is that possible? Well, if I was a suspicious person, I would say it smacks of conspiracy but that even makes me more determined.

Perry, tell me about Lois' relationship with Sykes.

I mean from way back when.

Oh, well, you know, Sykes, he was just one of Lois' informants.



- Until he went to prison.



- That was just before you and Lois met.

Sykes tipped Lois on a baby

-for

-sale ring, and she ran with the story.



- But?

- Sykes' info was a little shaky.

A lot of bigwigs got wrongly implicated.

Must have undermined her credibility.

Hell, happens to the best of us.

See, Sykes had always been fairly reliable.

I bet she was furious.

Well, ballistic is more like it.

But, you know Lois, she can go ballistic when she runs out of cream for her coffee.

Fact is, she forgot all about Sykes the next day.

She didn't carry a grudge?

- Now, just a damn minute

- Look.

The prosecution is looking for a motive.

If I put you on the stand as a witness, you can't just give it to them.

You listen to me, Sykes was a first

-class sleazeball period, end of discussion.

Now, he may have had words with Lois, but that's as far as it went.

So, yeah, you put me on the stand and do it pronto " so" I can clear Lois' good name, and we can all get back to our lives here.

You hear me? See you in court.

You coming to Bible class? No, I got 500 more.

You go ahead.

Two thousand nine, 2010, 2011 2499, 2500.



- You cheated.



- Where did you come from?

- The usual.



- Dumb question.



- I love when you do that.



- Yeah.

How about this? I can't imagine how I slept all those nights alone before us.

Me either.

Lois, honey, are you afraid? No.

Not even a little bit? Could you be more specific? I can't help but feel like we're being swallowed up by A heartless, hungry animal? A hurricane that's mowing down our lives and leaving nothing but rubble in its wake?

- Is that how you're feeling?

- Yeah.

Of course, I do my best work when I'm on edge.

I can't believe you've been sitting on all your fears holding all this stuff inside you.

You told me you'd tell me if things got too bad.

And if I did, you would go off and do something crazy.

Yeah, you bet I would.

You're my wife and I love you.

Anything that helps you isn't crazy.

Breaking me out is, that's what you're thinking.

I was not thinking that.

I was just sort of feeling that.

Oh, Clark.

Not only do you give me hope, you give the world hope and you do that by obeying the rules.

You lend your strength to help everybody get a fair deal.

If anybody deserves a fair deal, it's you.

Even if you weren't my wife.

But if you help me by breaking the rules you're gonna damage something you are a symbol of decency.

Of fairness.

I'm gonna get you out of here.

I know you will.

The right way.

Through the door, not the window.

I better go.

I love you.

I love you.

Good night, Mr.

White.

Are you ready to call your next witness? Yes, Your Honor.

The prosecution calls Superman to the stand.

Excuse me.

Maybe somebody ought to yell, "Help.

" Please state your full name.

Kal

-El, son of Jor

-El Superman is fine.

I think we know who the witness is.

Very well.

Raise your right hand, please.



- Do you solemnly swear to

- I think we can skip this part too.

Mr.

Clemmons, your witness.

Thank you, Your Honor.

The defense is up next, Wolcott.

Wait for my command.

Superman, isn't it "true " that right after I released the defendant into your custody she was seen stalking a key witness with a g*n? No.

It wasn't Lois.

It was a hallucination.



- A what?

- A hallucination.

Superman, please.

We've got several citizens who saw Lois Lane at the scene with their own eyes.

I can't explain how it works, I don't know.

But the image of Lois walked right through my body.



- I see.

Then was it also some kind of hallucination that shot and k*lled Elroy Sykes?

- Objection!

- Withdrawn.

I take it you can verify Lois Lane's exact whereabouts at the time of this alleged hallucination? No, I can't.

Were you at the scene when Mr.

Sykes was shot?

- No.

Yet, you still believe that Lois Lane is innocent.

Why? Because I know her.

Superman, are you infallible? Would the court please inquire as to where this is going, if anywhere? Your Honor Superman's an undisputed hero to the people.

His opinion carries great weight.

But, I submit, that beneath that seemingly flawless exterior lies a normal

-beating heart.

A heart somewhat like yours or mine that can cloud judgment or testimony with real feelings.

That implies you have a heart.



- Ms.

Lane.



- I'll be good.

The witness will answer the question.

London Bridge is falling down Okay, professor.

Here goes.

How would you characterize your relationship with Lois Lane? We're friends.

Good friends? I'm not sure what you're getting at.

Well, she's married to your close friend

- Clark Kent, isn't she?

- Yes.

So would you say you're as close to her as you are to him? I'd say that would be fair.

In fact, you've saved her life on more than one occasion

- isn't that right?

- Yes.

Is that what you're trying to do now, Superman? Isn't it true you'd do anything to save Lois Lane's life?

- Yes, but

- Even at the expense of justice? Objection, leading the witness.

Isn't it true that you're more than just good friends with Lois Lane? Isn't it true, I dare "say " that you might even love Lois Lane? Your Honor.

I repeat the question: Do you love Lois Lane, Superman? I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Clark Kent loves Lois Lane.

And I respect that love, just like I respect the truth.

And my job is to uphold the truth and that is what I would do anything for.

We just received word that a giant meteor is about to hit London at any moment.

Your Honor, excuse me, but there's an emergency.



- Prosecution rests.



- Ms.

Winters? The defense calls Perry White to the stand.

Now, Wolcott.



- Please state your name for the record.



- My name is Perry Jerome White.

Please be seated.

Superman, there is a terrible pileup in Piccadilly Circus.

We need your help.

Oh, I've known "Lois " ever since she first started as a research assistant at the "Planet " eight or 10 years ago.

And how would you describe your relationship with her? I describe it more father

-daughter than editor

-reporter.

So you would describe her as a good reporter? No " I'd" describe her as being a great reporter.

The best there is.

Would you tell us about Ms.

Lane's dealings with Elroy Sykes? He was just her snitch, until he double

-dealt her and went to jail.

Did she ever mention Mr.

Sykes while he was serving his time? The truth is, Lois was pretty upset with him for hurting her credibility.

But she got over it, isn't that right? Not really.



- Lois has a bit of a temper, you see.



- Perry.

I'm sorry, honey, but I'm under oath.

Your Honor, I'd like a five

-minute recess to

- No, let's get this

- No, let's get this over with.



- It's hard enough as it is.



- It's hard enough as it is.

Sykes almost ruined her career.

Sykes almost ruined her career and she told me in no uncertain terms that one day she'd get even with "him " and those are the cold, hard facts, ma'am.



- That's a lie.

Why are you doing this?

- Order.

Ms.

Lane, sit down or I will hold you in contempt.

This voice synthesizer makes me sound just like you, doesn't it? I'm sorry, Lois, but my conscience won't let me lie for you anymore.

No further questions with this witness, Your Honor.

I don't blame you.

Mr.

Clemmons, would you care to cross? Why bother? I hope you're enjoying the "show " because you're not gonna remember any of this after it's over.



- Lois.



- Clark.



- Where have you been?

- London.

There was a meteor headed for the city, but it was just another hallucination.

Anyway, it left the place in a complete mess.



- I heard what happened in court.



- I don't understand it.

Perry got up there and started telling all these lies.

I looked for him, but he's nowhere to be found.

There has to be some explanation why he did it.

Maybe the explanation is obvious.

I'm guilty.

What? I said, I'm guilty.

Of arrogance.

Of thinking that because I'm "famous " and popular and educated and polite well, not always polite, but all those other things that I was special.



- Honey, you are special.

And even though I know the system can be unfair to some people I never thought it would be unfair to me.

Lois, we're gonna get to the truth.

The truth is I don't know.

Maybe I deserve this.

Honey, stop it.

Now remember, no matter what happens we're together through everything.

V erdict's in.

Let's go, Lane.

Will the defendant please rise.

The people of Metropolis have found you guilty of m*rder in the first degree.