03x02 - The Son Also Rises

[bunniefuu]

previously on l.a. Law...

So, you free for lunch?

Oh, I don't have a lot
of free time, david.

It's really kind of
important, roxanne.

I need to talk to you about
an extremely important matter.

Okay.

Based on my performance
during the last two years,

Do you anticipate
that I will eventually

Be invited to be a partner?

That's a premature question.

Give me a premature answer.

At this time, we don't
anticipate extending

That invitation.

- But that doesn't mean...
- Thank you, thank you.

I think I get the
gist of my review.

- Hey rox!
- Hey arnie!

- How was your weekend?
- I got married.

You what?

Jennifer, I'd like to, uh...

We're having an impromptu
wedding celebration

Here at the firm.

And if you get this message,

And, uh, you'd care to join us,

Um... Me, uh or I was...

Perhaps we could have
some dinner afterwards?

These last few
weeks together, it's...

I never knew that
it could be like this,

The way you look at me,
the way you make me feel.

The doctor said
it'll take at least

Six months to get pregnant,
even a year is totally normal.

Stuart, maybe you
should get tested.

Me?

Ann, we've only been
trying for a few months!

It hasn't only
been a few months.

I stopped using birth
control over a year ago.

- Hi, jennifer.
- Hi.

I'm so glad you got my message.

I thought maybe
after our little party

- We could get some dinner?
- Yeah, I'd love that.

Uh, michael, grace, benny,

I'd like you to meet
a friend of mine.

First up,

The real estate syndication
for alex papachristo.

I'm executing all the documents

Today with counsel, but, abby,

I'll need you to cover
the closing for me

On thursday.

I can't, I'm not free.

What do you mean
you're not free?

I mean I'm not free!

I have an appointment
thursday afternoon.

This is a big client.
You mind telling me

What on earth could be so
important that you would...

I'm interviewing for
an associate's position

At schier heilbrunner,
and I'm not missing it.

You're still a valued
member of this family, abby.

- And I don't think you...
- Leland, this is not a family

It's a law firm.

And you're only a valued member

Here to the extent that
you're able to generate revenue.

I'm free douglas, I'll
cover the closing.

Very well.

Moving on to richardson
vs. Richardson.

Motion to dismiss this afternoon

And I've never even heard of it.

I just got it.

Our client, matthew
richardson, age ,

Was slapped by his
father, kevin richardson.

So matthew slapped
him with a lawsuit

For as*ault and battery.

Wait a minute?

A kid suing his own father?

He got a guardian ad litem

And a legal aid to
filed the papers for him.

Later, since he comes
from a rich family,

He was ruled ineligible
for the assistance.

So how'd we get it?

Camille hendrickson
is a legal aid lawyer,

She's a personal friend,
she asked me to do it for her.

And naturally, you
accepted with no regard

As to how we'd be compensated.

Douglas, he's a child!

I'll probably be rid of
it by the end of the day.

This is great.

Can't wait 'till
the day when kids

Start divorcing themselves
from their parents.

At least, you'll be
able to represent

Your emotional
contemporaries for a change.

That was funny, mike.

Excuse me, may I help you?

No, I just need to talk
to leland for a minute.

Jennifer! I... Shh...

Leland, I just wanted to
thank you for last night

And to let you know that
if you have any anxiety

About your abilities,

You have absolutely
nothing to worry about.

Jennifer! Now...

This-this is totally
inappropriate.

Oh! Come on,
leland! No it's not.

This would be inappropriate.

[Douglas] leland... Leland!

Earth to leland!

- Leland!
- Huh? Huh?

Are you listening? Of
course, I'm listening,

I'm just, uh, thinking about
another matter, that's all.

Let's move on there,
douglas. Move on!

And I can't help think
that a lawsuit might do

More harm than good!

He hit me hard ms. Kelsey.

He knocked me down.

But as I understand it,

That's the only
time he ever hit you.

And you did swear at him first.

And maybe...

It just makes more sense
to forgive and forget

Than dragging your
whole family into court.

Yeah, but when he punishes me,

He always tells me
it's for my own good.

Maybe this is for his own good.

But a trial...

That's a really
big thing, matthew.

He always taught me
to stand up for myself

If I was treated wrong.

I'm standing up now.

I'm doing what he taught me.

What if I get him to apologize?

He won't.

Let me try.

If I can't, we'll go
forward with the hearing

This afternoon.

That would be really excellent!

Oh! Tell your mother to
have you at the courthouse

- By o' clock.
- Okay.

- See you then.
- Bye.

Arnie, can I talk to
you for a minute?

Little busy rox. Can
it wait 'till tomorrow?

It's important.

[Sighs] okay. Let's hear it.

It's david's sister. She
split up from her husband

And she's afraid he's gonna
sell the house and hide the money.

If you're about to ask me
to represent it roxanne,

- You can stop right there.
- Arnie!

- I am totally swamped.
- Arnie! Please!

She's my sister-in-law,
my family, she's desperate.

- You've gotta help her.
- Okay, okay, okay.

- When? My week is jammed.
- Tomorrow lunch.

Don't I have something?

Yeah, I'm having
lunch with monica.

That's social. This
is an emergency.

You can change it.

[Indistinct conversation]

I have no statements
at this time.

Not now, please! I'll
be with you in a minute.

Excuse me.

How ya holdin' up?

Fine... I could do without
the police department

Breathing down my back.

The guy k*lled two cops,
they have an interest here.

I know.

If you need any help, or
need backup, just tell me.

No bruce, I'm doin' okay.

Nail him, grace.

We can't afford
to lose this one.

I came running out as
soon as I heard the sh*ts...

And I saw it.

What exactly did you see ma'am?

Blood... Everywhere... And...

I couldn't even
tell if they were men

Because their faces were...

I just saw the uniforms,

The blue uniforms
covered with blood.

What else did you
see, mrs. Chesborough?

I saw a man running away.

It was dark, but I
could see he had a g*n.

He had it right in his hand.

And do you see that person
in the courtroom today?

- The defendant.
- Thank you ma'am.

Nothing further.

This man you saw, had his back

To you the entire
time, didn't he?

I could see him from the side.

From the side... And...

When you singled out my
client in the police lineup

You said

You couldn't be
a % sure, right?

Not %, no.

And the following
day, ma'am, you reported

To the emergency room,

Complaining of
headaches and numbness.

What did the doctor tell
you mrs. Chesborough?

He said I was suffering
from a mild form of shock,

- From seeing the two bodies.
- I see...

So when you thought,
you saw my client

In the hallway that night,

And when you picked him out
later at the police station,

You were suffering
from shock, weren't you?

Objection. This
woman is not a doctor.

Sustained.

Under oath, mrs. Chesborough...

Under oath, it's possible

The man you saw in
the hallway that night

Was not my client isn't it?

- It looked like him.
- It looked like him,

But it's possible it
wasn't him, isn't it?

- Anything is possible.
- Thank you, mrs. Chesborough.

That's all.

A parent has the right
to discipline a child.

Civil code section states...

There's no statutory
authorization

For smashing a little
boy to the floor.

It was a parent
spanking his kid.

I-i must admit, ms. Kelsey,

This seems like a father
chastising his son here.

Your honor, I don't mean to
vitiate parental discretion

But the line was crossed.

We're talking about
-pound man whacking

A -pound boy to the ground!

Uh, young man... You really
wanna be suing your dad?

I'm willing to settle
for an apology, judge.

- Cash alternative, , .
- This is ridiculous!

- Alright, hold on.
- Your honor, if I may?

And you are?

Scott reynolds, also for the
defendant, you have my appearance.

Why does he need three lawyers?

I'm corporate
counsel, your honor,

In as much as the alleged
as*ault took place at

Mr. Richardson's place of work,

Our little plaintiff had the
ingenuity to sue my client

In his capacity as ceo
of weyburn technology,

As well as personally.

And I'm attorney robert clark,

Representing lifenet
insurance company.

I too would like to add my
outrage to the abrogation

Of parental immunity
in this matter.

I'm so glad.

Your honor, with
all due respect to

Ms. Kelsey's quixotic desire
to litigate frivolous claims,

- We are clearly...
- I object to that.

I'm sorry, but perhaps if
you read goller vs. White,

The preeminent case on
point here, you'd know that

Immunity exists when
the alleged negligence

Involves the exercise
of parental authority.

Thank you.

Perhaps if you'd
reread goller vs. White,

You'd see that it's
a wisconsin case

Decided over years ago,

Which is not binding
in this jurisdiction.

You might also see that
goller does not give parents

The right to be negligent

But instead says that
they must act within reason.

Whacking a -year-old to the
ground is not within reason.

And it's not within
the scope of goller.

And if you ask me,
parading three lawyers

In here to misquote
cases is hell of a lot more

Frivolous than my
client's cause of action.

Alright, that's...
That's enough.

[Clears throat]
mr. Nelson & group,

Uh, the case here is
colorable, and I can't dismiss it.

What I am gonna do, however,
is order expedited deposition

So that we can flush
out the facts quickly,

And maybe settle this
before too much harm is, uh...

Is done to the family.

Alright? I'll see
counsel at chambers.

- That was wicked.
- Thanks.

Hey dad! You're going home now?

No, I have to go back to work.

Because of all this, I'm
running behind, matthew.

Could you please
make him understand

How embarrassing this is?

I've tried.

Come on, lets go.

Is he coming home for dinner?

- I don't know, honey.
- Wasn't my lawyer great mom?

You think dad
thought she was good?

Ann... I-i just talked
to the doctor.

He said you cancelled
tomorrow's appointment?

Had to. I'm-i'm deposing
matthews' father at two.

[Sighs] oh. But
this guy's the...

The hottest infertility
specialist in town!

I had to pull all kinds of strings
just to get the appointment

- In the first place!
- Stuart, I'll reschedule

As soon as I
dispose of this case.

Thought you were
gonna settle this case?

I tried, but mr. Richardson
refuses to apologize

And matthew won't budge.

- Oh, ann, come on!
- You know, stuart?

I kind of admire
the little bugger.

I mean, here he is standing
up for what he believes in

Against the most powerful
man in the whole world,

- His own father.
- Stupid.

You said yourself the kid's
just vying for attention.

That doesn't change the fact

That his cause of
action is legitimate

And I don't think matthew
should be the one to cave

Just because daddy can afford
three lawyers instead of one!

Oho, oho! Now we have it!

You see yourself as
little ms. Underdog,

Three against one
and you're gonna

- Move 'em out.
- I see myself as a lawyer

- Representing her client.
- Yeah, well, I see

A hardball litigator losing
the forest for the trees.

- Thank you,
you may leave now.
- And by the way,

Conveniently
schedules a deposition

At the exact moment she's
supposed to visit the doctor.

That's right, stuart.

I orchestrated this
whole trial just to avoid

A stupid fertility test.

Ann, you don't wanna
find out what's wrong?

You don't wanna ever
have a baby? That's fine...

- Fine.
- It's fine.

[Door slams]

I was arrested for
suspected as*ault.

And they put me in the
cell right next to his.

And you said that you and the
defendant knew each other?

Off and on, about six years.

Not best friends or nothin', but

Yeah, we knew each other.

And did you and mr. Torrey
have a conversation

That night pertaining to...

- Your honor,
I renew my objection...
- Overruled...

- ..to this testimony on the ground...
- ..for the fourth time,

And if you object
once more to this,

Mr. Cullen, I will site
you for contempt.

Mr. Marchant, I want
you to tell the court

What mr. Torrey told
you that night in the cell.

- He said he did two cops.
- That's a lie!

- Sit down, sir.
- He's lying!

Sit down, or I will
have you removed!

Continue,
mr. Marchant. He said...

He was in the
apartment building,

Waiting to move some cr*ck,

When these two cops come
busting down the corridor

- And he was bragging.
- Bout how he k*lled 'em.

How was he bragging sir?

He was saying

How cop's skulls pop
different than other people's.

Said he sh*t one
right in the eye,

And he could see the
bull's brain splat out

The back of his head.

He said both the heads
just kinda exploded.

Thank you, sir.

Nothing further.

You were arrested that
night for aggravated as*ault,

Isn't that right?

- Yeah...
- Pardon me?

- Yeah!
- Or you made a deal,

Whereby they'd reduce the
charges to simple as*ault

If you'd testify
against my client, right?

Everything I said is the truth!

Everything you
said is a blatant lie!

Objection!

You made up the whole story
to spare yourself jail time.

- Objection!
- Overruled.

He did the cops!

You've been arrested
and convicted

On four separate
occasions, haven't you?

- Your honor...
- It goes to credibility of the witness.

Judge, this man's
a convicted felon.

- I'll allow it.
- Robbery, attempted r*pe...

as*ault...

Tell me...

Why should the jury
bother to believe

A lying criminal like you?

- Objection!
- Sustained!

Ten-minute recess,
judge, illness of counsel.

- This witness makes me sick.
- Hey!

That will do mr. Cullen.

The jury is instructed to
disregard that last remark.

What's disturbing
is, she's blaming us!

She thinks we're
discriminating against youth.

- Are you sure you're not?
- Oh, come on!

Jonathan rollins is
younger than she is!

Well, maybe you're
just discriminating

Against younger women...

Why, you know that isn't so.

Are you telling me you've
never been predisposed

To dismiss a woman simply
because she was, say years old?

Well, you're talking about

Something completely different.

I am talking about a
man who makes certain

Presumptions about women,

About how he might
interact with a woman,

Solely on the basis of age.

You're the beloved
senior partner, leland.

It wouldn't be at all surprising

If a few of your value judgments
trickled down through the firm.

Mckenzie brackman is not sexist.

How many women
partners do you have?

One!

And in the firm's history,
how many female partners?

- One... But would...
- And do you have

A maternity leave policy?

- No, because we've never...
- Because the old boys

Probably never contemplated
a partner giving birth.

Because you never contemplated
a partner having ovaries.

- Jennifer, you are wrong.
- Leland, I adore you.

You know that.

And for the most part,
I think you're incredibly

Open-minded.

But when I hear
you talk about abby,

It's like you see her as
a daughter, or a niece.

I never get the feeling you
see her as another lawyer.

And if she is as bright
as you say she is,

She has to sense that.

And as soon as I
started my own business,

The big building contractor
couldn't take the competition.

- Achoo.
- Gesundheit.

It's absolutely
true what she says.

I watched it happen.

If she became less
dependent on him,

He became impossible
to deal with.

- Quite imposs...
- Achoo.

Ah! You think I don't feel
terrible about having

To come stay with my
brother and his new wife?

It's my dog that's making
him suffer like this.

Has he locked you
out of the house?

He didn't have to.

He just turned
off all the utilities,

Now how can I conduct
business from there?

You see the house is
community property, arnie.

And I think madeline's
biggest fear...

Madeline, you correct
me here if I'm wrong...

But I think her central
biggest fear is that

He'll sell it and
bury the proceeds,

And she won't have any
means to satisfy a judgment.

Just like he's buried
everything else.

Oh, what, you think what
he shows in his tax returns

Or his bank statements
is everything? Ohh, yeah...

But you can get this real
estate attachment, right?

Or you can make sure that
she gets her chunk of the sale.

Which would be really
great because my business

Is at a critical point
and my share of the sale

Would really
allow it to explode.

- So what we prob...
- Madeline's really quite an entrepreneur.

Hey, I wanted her
to join my company.

Oh! Please!

I love my brother, but
direct mail bores me.

The distraction...

No, I've started
my own business.

It's called isle masters.

You have a product? I get
it into the supermarket.

- Did I tell you about
the lamb chop analogues?
- No!

Yeah, a processor from
sunny meat has lamb chops.

He makes them from spun
soybean fiber and wheat gluten.

I placed them in six
locations in the cv valley.

Cannot keep them on the shelves,

Cannot keep them on the shelves.

She did the same thing
with aseptically packaged

Guava shakes in chula vista with chutney
flavored potato crisps in fullerton.

Oh! Oh! Tell him about
the carbonated milk.

Oh, I have an even better one.

Arnie, I notice you leave over
the dark meat on your chicken.

But, uh, oh, yeah,
I was going to...

Well, a great many people do.

Now, you can't make an
all-white meat chicken.

But I have a client who
has the next best thing.

He takes the dark meat,
perforates it, okay?

Then he runs it through a
solution of hydrogen peroxide.

Then he shapes it into
fillets, breasts, drumsticks,

Mini drumsticks, patties,
giblets what have you.

This is the first I'm
hearing about this.

Well, it's gonna be huge, huge!

But, I need to build an
organization and that takes money.

Now this is a client you
can grow with, am I right?

- Hm...
- This is what careers
are made of.

Well, I was never
in that building.

Never!

So,

Why did you start running
when you saw the police?

Well I was carrying dr*gs.

I thought it was a bust.

I thought maybe
somebody set me up.

Next thing I know I'm being handcuffed
and they tellin' me I k*lled two cops.

- Did you?
- No chance!

Look, I ain't no great
citizen or nothin' but...

No way I'd ever sh**t a
cop 'cause everybody knows

You k*ll a cop and they get you.

You heard mr. Marchant
tell this court...

Yeah, well, he was lying!

He asked me what I
was in for and I told him.

I never said I did it.

- You're quite certain?
- Positive!

'Cuz even if I was crazy enough
to k*ll a cop, I wouldn't be so dumb

As to tell somebody
like him who I hardly know.

The man is lying. He knows
it, I know it, and god knows it.

Thank you, sir.

Your witness.

You never told him
anything about the killings?

I didn't know nothing to tell.

So when mr. Marchant came out
of the cell and told the police

How one of the victims
was sh*t in the eye,

Well, that must have been
just an incredible guess.

Maybe he heard it from some
cops who brought him in...

No, sir.

The police themselves didn't know until
the autopsy report came out hours later.

He could only have
heard it from you.

He was lying.

Mr. Torrey, what happened to
these dr*gs you were carrying?

I tossed 'em. I heard
the police comin',

I started running,
and I chucked 'em.

But the police searched
the area and found nothing.

Well maybe they
didn't search too good.

Two of their colleagues
were m*rder*d, mr. Torrey,

And you don't think
they searched too good?

- Objection.
- Sustained.

This was a double
cop k*lling, mr. Torrey.

They combed the area for
three days and found nothing,

Because you didn't just casually toss
those dr*gs away when you saw them,

You very carefully disposed of
them before the police arrived.

- Objection.
- Along with the g*n and
the gloves you were wearing.

- Objection!
- Overruled.

Look, I never had
any g*n or gloves.

Mr. Torrey, you said
you started running

When you heard the sirens

And you saw the police
coming at you, right?

Yeah.

But according to the
officers in that unit,

You were already running
before they put on the sirens,

Before they shined
the lights on you.

Would they be liars
too, mr. Torrey?

- Probably.
- Gee!

Between them and mr. Marchant
and ms. Chesborough,

You'd think with all those
liars and all those lies,

We'd be able to trip them up
at least once? Isn't it funny?

The only one we've been
able to trip up is you,

- The one man telling the truth?
- Objection.

Wouldn't it be
hysterically funny

If you turned
out to be the liar?

- Objection.
- Ms. Van owen...

On the other hand, murderers
lie all the time, don't they?

Objection! Nothing further.

How did your interview go?

Okay.

It's been suggested to me

That maybe we made some unfair
presumptions about you, abby.

I know, I was the one
who suggested it.

Well, this this came from
someone else, actually.

You know, when you
first came to this firm,

Your personal life fell
right down to our doorstep.

The divorce, in which
arnie represented you,

The kidnapping of
your son, which became

Everybody's crisis.

Between your personal
tragedies and the fact that

We've all invested in
you so much personally,

Maybe we neglected to regard
you enough professionally.

While that may have
been your fault,

I-i suspect that
it's ours as well.

I just want you to know

That your review was
just that. It's a review...

We haven't made
any final decisions.

I'm afraid I have, leland.

I'm leaving.

For schier heilbrunner?

No.

If I join another law firm,

I'm not gonna be
improving my stock any.

I won't get any guarantees,

I'll just be working
longer hours

For partners that
I care less about,

Who in addition to wanting
my blood, sweat, and tears,

Are also gonna be
wanting my urine.

- I'm-i'm sorry, I don't uh...
- Drug testing.

Shier heilbrunner actually
wanted a urine sample.

So, if you're not going there...

Then where?

Solo!

- I'm gonna hang on a shingle.
- Oh, you can't be serious!

Life in a law firm doesn't
really suit me, leland.

I'm gonna open my own office.

Abby...

The odds against that...
Well, they're enormous.

This is the only way
that I will get a chance

To be the kind of
lawyer that I want to be.

- Or find out that I can't be.
- Yeah, but...

I know...

I know there are a thousand
good reasons not to do it.

I'm gonna do it anyway.

Well, as they say,

"It's a big world
out there", abby.

I'm a big girl, leland.

Here's your bloody
restraining order.

Your sister-in-law's husband
can't sell the house now.

- I hope you're happy.
- You did it!

Yeah, well I had to sit in
motion session for over an hour,

And missed a couple of appointments,
and probably lost a prospective client,

And I scuffed my paciotti's coming
out of that god-awful courthouse.

Benny, could you get a shine
on those as soon as possible?

I really appreciate this!

Oh, arnie!

Never mind.

Rox, just bring me
my briefcase, qui...

- Ah!
- Sit! Sit!

What the... Rox! Would
you get this... Off my...

Rox! What is this thing
doing in my office?

David's allergy took
a turn for the worse,

So I had to get him
out of the house.

- So I brought him here.
- Oh, so you brought him here?

Can't you keep him, arnie,
just for a day or so?

No I can't. Get rid of him.

It's an emergency
or I wouldn't ask you.

Roxanne!

If I wasn't in a pinch,
arnie, I wouldn't ask!

- Can't you help me out?
- No!

- Arnie!
- Look!

First you marry him,
then it's his sister,

Now it's his
sister-in-law's dog!

What's gonna be
next, roxanne? Ohhh!

God! I just stepped
in something brown.

Bad dog, oliver.

Bad dog, bad dog!

My french lyle socks!

Shame! Shame!

He kept showing up at my office

Unannounced, when
I told him not to,

And this time it was right before
a hugely important meeting.

- I came in after the meeting.
- It was before, matthew.

Matthew, please.

So what happened after
you asked him to leave?

We had words, which
escalated into his swearing at me.

- He swore at his own father.
- And so you slapped him.

He was extremely disrespectful.

[matthew whispers to ann] I feel I
was fully justified in disciplining...

What?

If you have something to
say young man, just tell me.

I beg your pardon, he
does not have to tell you.

And I'd appreciate if for
the rest of this deposition,

You do not speak
directly to my client.

- He's my son.
- Kevin.

She's telling me not
to talk to my son.

That's exactly
what I'm telling you.

And if you don't cooperate, I'll suspend
this proceeding and get a court order.

- What the hell is this?
- Ms. Kelsey.

Kevin. She's gonna
get an injunction

To stop me from having a
conversation with my own kid?

It's not conversation, it's
threats and intimidation...

- Have I ever threatened you?
- You hit me!

- Mr. Richardson i...
- You kicked me in the shins last year!

- Stop talking to him!
- Did I sue you?

You shouldn't have
knocked me down like that.

[Loud arguing]

Hey! Hey! Hey!

You people are unbelievable!

- Who the hell are you?
- Stuart, please.

My name is stuart markowitz.

I'm a lawyer in this law firm.
You happen to be disrupting.

Fine. Now if you'll excuse us,

This happens to
be a private matter.

No excuse me, it's
a public matter.

The problem may be domestic
but when you waltz it into

A courtroom, it
becomes public, doesn't it?

He-he's the one who brought
it into the courtroom.

And you're the one who hit him.

- Who is this guy?
- I told you who I am.

Your son is years
old, mr. Richardson.

He's intelligent,
he's articulate.

I don't think you need v*olence
to express yourself with him.

And it seems to me when a father
works -hour days including weekends,

He's never home, it's not such a criminal
act for a son to drop by his office

Now and then for a
visit with the old man.

And you might think about this

Come home every now and then.

Play a little catch
in the backyard,

Then maybe he won't have
to schedule a deposition

Just to spend a
little time with ya.

Look at the two
of you, look at you.

You're sitting here like
you think you're right,

Like you're proud of yourselves.

You should be ashamed.

Fathers and sons...

Fathers and sons hug each other.

They don't sue one another.

And any man who loved his wife

And any son who
loved his mother,

They could never
have put her through

Anything as painful
and destructive as this,

Not in a million years.

Ms. Kelsey,

If it's alright

With your client,

I'd like to schedule a
settlement conference

Perhaps for tomorrow.

That would be fine.

Ms. Van owen,

Peter duble, attorney for
star witness, jeffrey marchant.

Sorry to bother you, I know
you're in the middle of a trial here,

But, uh... I got a little
problem with the deal

My client cut with you folks.

Seems they want to
ship him to vacaville,

When he was promised
minimum security

I wasn't the da on
his case, mr. Duble.

I understand. But you are the
da on the case he's delivered for,

And he did his part at great
personal risk, I might add.

And I'd be happy to vouch
for his cooperation.

Other than that,
it's not up to me.

I might remind you that

When this case gets appealed,
and death cases always do,

You might need
his testimony again,

And he might not be
so inclined to help.

Is that a thr*at, mr. Duble?

No thr*at.

I just don't see much
fairness going on around here.

When you sent him in there
to milk that confession...

What do you mean
with "we sent him in?"

You know what I mean!
Torrey asked for his lawyer,

You guys had to
stop questioning him,

So you sent my guy in there to
squeeze the song and you promised...

Are you telling me that the police
deliberately put your client in that cell,

So he could extract
that confession?

[Scoffs] what?

Rogoff didn't tell you?

There was never a
real reason to tell you.

That's crap.

You have me prosecuting a case

With an illegal confession
and there's no reason to tell me?

You would have thrown
marchant's testimony out, grace.

Darn right! I would've!

You went in there as a
police agent, for god's sakes,

The whole thing is
unconstitutional!

And torrey should
get a new trial.

- Yes!
- Which we'd never
win without marchant!

Mrs. Chesborough's
id is shaky at best.

Then the guy should
be kicked, right?

Look, I wasn't there.

If I'd have been there,
I'd have stopped it,

But look at the
choice we've got.

We either go with
this confession

Or we turn a cold-blooded
m*rder*r lose.

This prosecution is
completely illegal

And I won't have a part of it.

- Grace, for god's sakes...
- I'm dismissing the case.

You listen to me!

There isn't a shred
of doubt that he did it.

We've been after this
bastard for six years.

- Bruce!
- He k*lled these two cops,
grace.

He's been linked to half a dozen

- Drug-related murders!
- It doesn't justify!

Kidnapping! r*pe as a juvenile!

We messed a m*rder up in '

Because of a warrantless search.

It doesn't make a
darn bit of difference!

Not in your ivy
league textbook maybe!

But in the real world,

It makes one hell
of a difference.

Kids die of overdoses
because of lyle torrey.

Cops' wives get widowed.

He's a stone k*ller!

I can't ditch my
professional responsibility.

- I am a district attorney.
- So am i!

You know darn well, I've
never done this before

And I probably never will again.

But this once... This once!

I've decided to
look the other way.

And I'm telling you, I can't.

If you dismiss the case,

You take me down,

You take the department down,

And you put a
cold-blooded m*rder*r

Back on the street

Who will surely k*ll again.

You're telling me

To prosecute with an
unconstitutional confession.

You're telling me
to break the law.

I'm not telling you anything.

I'm just hoping to god you
remember you're a public servant.

And you do the thing that
serves the public best here.

No fingerprints, no
reliable witnesses,

No residue indicating
he'd ever fired a g*n,

Nothing,

Except the unsubstantiated
say-so of a convicted felon,

Desperately trying to
reduce his own jail time.

The only verdict,

The only verdict
supported by the facts

Before you is not guilty.

Lyle torrey is innocent.

Thank you.

Ms. Van owen?

This is not an easy job,

Standing up here day after day,

Convincing people like
you to punish other people.

And many times,

The evidence or
circumstances are such

That it is...

Hard for me to be
totally unconflicted.

This is not one of those times.

Lyle torrey is a
cold-blooded k*ller.

No evidence, says his lawyer.

Well how about a
witness who saw him

Running away from the
bodies with a g*n in his hand?

How about the
policemen who spotted him

Running away from the area?

And yes...

How about the testimony
of geoffrey marchant,

Who heard the defendant
admit to the killings?

And then gloat as to how
policemen's skulls pop.

Defense counsel says that
geoffrey marchant is lying,

But consider this,

He had the facts,

The accurate facts when he
came out of that holding cell.

And there is only one possible
source for those details.

It is the man sitting
right over there.

It's the man who's splattered
the heads of officers,

Gregory britz and thomas murray

Who widowed these two women.

The man who was sick
enough to commit m*rder

And then stupid
enough to brag about it.

Lyle torrey is a vicious
and violent m*rder*r.

Find him guilty.

And at all times hereafter,

Defendant agrees to accommodate

Reasonable office
visitations by plaintiff.

Conditioned on
three-hour express notice

By plaintiff to defendant

With regard to said visitation.

Agreed.

No profanity shall
hereinafter be directed

By the plaintiff
towards the defendant.

Agreed.

No corporal punishment
shall be issued

By the defendant
upon the plaintiff.

Agreed.

I think that's about all of it.

Not quite.

When I come upstairs to
kiss the plaintiff goodnight,

No claiming by
the plaintiff that

- Said plaintiff is
too old for that.
- Dad!

Never mind dad,

I want it written right
into the settlement.

No kissing me in front
of other people... Ever.

Except your mother.

Agreed.

Now let's go and get some lunch

While the lawyers
do all the paperwork.

We'll be back in
about an hour, okay?

Agreed.

I was gonna hold out for
five dodger games a summer,

But my lawyer said no.

Yeah, well I had a
clause requiring you

To clean the garage.

(Matthew) get out!

(Kevin) no kidding! The
language was drafted.

[Growls]

He's bulldozing the house!

- What?
- Freddy!

He is furious about
the restraining order,

He's out there ploughing the
house down with a bulldozer.

You've got to get out there.

I cant, I'm in the middle-

He's gonna level the house!

Darn it, roxanne!

You've got to get out
there right now, come on!

This is unbelievable!

Alright, uh... Call the police
and have 'em meet me there.

You're coming with
me, you stupid mutt!

I'm gonna leave you
there, come on, down!

- Hurry!
- I'm hurrying!

[Oliver barks]

[Bulldozer demolishes]

[Demolition continues]

Do something! You've
got to do something!

Hey stop, stay, stay.

[Demolition continues]

Hey!...why aren't
you stopping him?

He's got a permit,
it's all legit.

Look, I've got a court
order on this house.

He can't do this,
you've got to stop him.

[demolition continues]
[columns collapse]

No, no, this just
says he can t sell it.

Doesn't say anything
about bulldozing it.

- It's a...
- This is a catastrophe!

- Hold it.
- Arnie!

You can't let him, arnie.

- You slime!
- Shut up, shut up, david!

This enjoins him from
encumbering the property.

This demolition
clearly circumvents

The underlying
spirit of this order.

Now look, pal. I can sympathize,

But I don't know anything about

Circumventing
spirits here, alright?

- It means...
- Now listen! What I do know

Is he's got a legitimate
construction

- Demolition permit and...
- I'm telling you...

He's heading for the kitchen

With my new granite countertops!

Arnie, arnie

That bulldozer is unregistered.

It's what?

Do you see a
flatbed around here?

Well, he must have
driven it on the street.

It's not registered.

Keep them here.

[policeman whistles] hey! Hey!

You drive this
thing on the street?

So what? I got a permit!

Not to operate on a
public lane, though!

Well, just get out of the way!

Stop the vehicle now!

I am completely legal.

That pinstripe is full of...

(policeman) stop
the vehicle now!

[bulldozer stops] now
listen, you're gonna stop

All this until we find out

If your permit supersedes

His court order or vice versa.

No, no more legal crap!

- That house is comin' down!
- Back it up!

Or you're goin' to jail!

Simple as that! Now back it up!

You darn lawyers!

I am so sick of you lawyers!

Hey, it's over, now back it up.

He was just about
to level the sunroom.

[engine rumbles] [oliver barks]

Listen, if I were you,

I d get the court to
clarify this order of yours,

'Cause I don t see nothing

To keep this guy from
ploughing the joint.

[frantic shouting]
[metal crunches]

My dog.

My porsche!

in the matter of
people vs. Lyle torrey,

Criminal complaint number ,

We find the
defendant, lyle torrey,

Guilty of m*rder
in the first degree.

On the question of
special circumstances,

Ms. Forman, how
does the jury find?

We find special
circumstances to exist.

Ms. Van owen...

Any modification to
your sentencing request?

- No your honor.
- Very well.

Members of the jury,

We will reconvene
tomorrow at a.m.

For the penalty phase,

When you will decide
between life imprisonment

And the district
attorney's request

That the defendant
be sentenced to death.

That's all.

We're adjourned.

Mr. Rogoff! Mr. Rogoff!

What's the reaction
to the verdict?

A guilty man was convicted.

It's rewarding to see
that the system works

And justice was served.

(All) and ms. Van
owen ms. Van owen,

Would you like to make
a statement at this time?

We are very happy
with the jury's verdict.

Wait, did you think that...

I'm sure that mr. Rogoff can
handle all of your questions.

If you'll excuse me.

(All) mr. Rogoff mr. Rogoff

One at a time, one at a time

Hey, now you really
oughtta try to contain

Yourself, gracey.

It's just one case,

You expect me to
break into verse?

It's a huge case,

You should be
thrilled to have won it!

I am, I'm thrilled.

Hey, counsel,

What's wrong?

Nothing.

I'm just really tired.

Are you sure that's all?

Yeah, that's all.

(stuart) coming to bed?

In a little bit

Wanna talk about it?

I just keep thinking about

What you did in that
conference room.

And what I did.

And...

You're gonna be such a
wonderful father, stuart.

And I'm gonna be
such a crummy mother.

You know what they say hm?

It's okay to have
a crummy mother

If you have a really
wonderful father.

I just keep thinking, maybe

I'm not meant to be pregnant.

You know, maybe I'm
not meant to be a parent.

Come on, honey. It's silly.

I'm not so sure.

There's a reason for
everything you know.

See

You're gonna be a mom
and I'm gonna be a dad.

And we're gonna have a kid.

And it's gonna grow up.

He's gonna love you,

As much as I do right now.

All we gotta do
is keep trying hm?

I-it's it's just,

All the hours that I've
wasted on this thing, I've...

[Sighs] i-i have to work
late tonight, monica.

Well, I'm sorry that
you feel that way.

Yeah, yeah. You
have a nice week too.

Okay.

Yeah, bye.

Arnie.

[Sighs in disgust]

What are you
doing here this hour

And what could you
possibly want now?

I have a little
surprise for you!

[oliver barks]

Oliver! You're alive!

Oh, careful.

The police found him, I

I just thought you
might like to know.

We're gonna keep him in
the garage... Come on boy!

What the hell?

I can keep him for another day.

Are you sure?

Yeah.

I can use him to scare
away a few noisy cats.

Goodnight, arnie.

Thanks again for everything.

Okay.

Yes, if you ever run away again!

I thought you were dead.
Come here! Come here!

Yeah you are so ugly.

Yeah, good boy.

[Sighs] I missed you.

Oh, oliver.

Rox! Rox!

Roxanne!