03x03 - Romancing the Drone

Episode transcripts for the TV show "L. A. Law". Aired: September 15, 1986 – May 19, 1994.*
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High-powered law firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak handles both criminal and civil cases, but the office politics and romance often distract them from the courtroom.
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03x03 - Romancing the Drone

Post by bunniefuu »

previously on l.a. Law...

Hey, congratulations,
both of you.

- Thank you.
- It's great.

Thank you. I am the
luckiest guy in the world.

You're telling me to prosecute

With an unconstitutional
confession.

You're telling me
to break the law.

I'm just hoping to
god, you remember

You're a public servant.

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

A guilty man was convicted.

It's rewarding to see
that the system works

And justice was served.

So if we get started

I'm not sure where
it's gonna lead.

Me neither.

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 wanna be.

The doctor said it
will take at least

Six months to get pregnant
and a year totally normally.

Stuart, maybe you
should get tested.

Me?

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

I stopped using birth
control over a year ago.

Well, it's a simple procedure.

You ej*cul*te
into the container.

We do a few tests to
measure your sperm count,

See how many live ones
you have, how well they swim.

I got to tell you, it's a
little embarrassing for me.

Which is exactly why

We try to create a totally
private environment.

We have a very nice room.

You throw a deadbolt
red light goes on.

And believe me, no
matter how long it takes,

As long as that light is on,
no one is gonna disturb you.

Yeah, right.

Ever tried to drink
a cup of coffee

While the waitress is
waiting for the table?

No, no. We have three rooms.

If you need an
hour, take an hour.

If you need two
hours, take two hours.

Don't really think
time is a problem.

Well, if you're worried
about stimulation

We have a variety
of magazines in there

From playboy to penthouse,
sports illustrated,

The bathing suits,

And just some more
hardcore publications

If that's what
your tastes run to.

Roslyn.

Well, I guess I'll give
it the ol' college try.

Not really my
sport, but... Umm...

We have a shelf full
of x-rated video tapes,

Watch 'em, enjoy 'em. And
let nature take its course.

Roslyn, show mr. Markowitz
to a room please.

Follow me.

You come here often? Never mind.

It's very strange.

I don't think it's
strange at all.

[Man making noises]

Okay. Now there's
a buzzer inside

Call me if you need
anything. All right?

mr. Zackheim, is
everything all right.


Aye-yay-yay, I can't
get the lid off the jar.

rox!

rox, you gotta here this.

Can we talk about it
tonight, dave? I'm running late.

You've heard the expression,

If you have lemons make
lemonade, textbook case.

Please, honey, not now.

Well, let me just tell
you what happened.

Seth rosencrantz called
a couple of weeks ago

I told you about him.

Dave it's...

Anyway, to make
the long story short

He calls me from
paramus, new jersey,

Where he's got most
of his operations

To say that he is
stuck with a warehouse

Full of audio cassettes.

One side is environmental
ocean sounds

And the other is
subliminal self-hypnosis

For getting rid
of facial twitching.

Now you put it into a
unit with auto reversing

You play it in your sleep.

The trouble is

The whole thing is
recorded at the wrong speed.

The hypnosis sounds like
alvin and the chipmunks

And the ocean sounds
like the indianapolis .

Are we out of milk?

So I take them off his
hands for a nickel each,

I pay a recording
studio $ to degauss

And record my latest offering.

P.s. I have a sh*t at
. Percent response

And very possibly a
silver eco award as well

Because you see instead
of sending out a letter

I am sending out a cassette.
And you've got to hear this.

Honey, I really can't
concentrate right now.

It'll only take a minute.

All I want to do right
now is get ready for work.

But just listen to it while
you have your coffee,

How much am I asking?

Do me a favor,
don't ask anything.

Just let me clomp around
and get myself together

And don't ask anything.

One listen. One listen.

[Music playing]

whoever you are

please don't waste one more
second listening to this tape


unless like thousands
of satisfied customers


- you too long...
- david!

home, at a fraction
of the prices charged


by leading department store...

[Phone rings]

Hi, how was the appointment?

Actually, wasn't bad.

They have... They
have visual aids.

Don't get to like it too
much, you know what I mean?

First of all, I would like
to express our sadness.

But today is miss
perkins last day.

We're gonna miss you, abbs.

And also, we'll be
here for you, support,

Use of the facilities,
maybe a client or two.

- Thank you, leland.
- So where's the new office?

Why don't I just pass out
the new business cards?

Business cards already?

This girl doesn't
waste any time.

Having just given my new
landlord two months rent,

Paid my first premium in
malpractice insurance,

Printed up stationery,
turned on the telephones,

Bought a secondhand typewriter

And one thing I am convinced
of is that I can't waste time.

Well, on that wise
and thoughtful note,

Lauderbach versus lauderbach.

Arnold!

Is this the fatted
calf, it looks to be?

Hard to say.

Her old lawyer got her
a miserable settlement,

And I've brought a
motion to set it aside.

But... I've got a feeling there
may be a better way to go.

Let's hope so,

With that much
money in the balance.

Descending rapidly from
the golden to the grim,

People versus sholes.

Trial starts today.

Lemme ask you a
question, michael?

Do you seek out
these loss leaders

Or they seek you out?

Well, well, it's nice to
hear someone beside myself

Asking that question.

I'd like to go on
record here saying that

I didn't want this case.

And I feel no particular
empathy for the client.

But the public defender's
office had a conflict,

And they asked us
to represent him

Seeing as how I passed
on the previous four cases

They asked me take.

Seriousness of our commitment

To doing pro-bono work
was called into question.

Now do we honor that
commitment or don't we?

Of course, we do.

[Arnie] you think
he is innocent?

Not my call.

Yeah, but you can't
ignore the fact

He's been convicted
of r*pe before.

Not only can I ignore it,

As far as this jury is concerned

He's never been convicted
of anything before.

So you won't hesitate to drag

The woman through
the mud, will you?

They're not quite
the same thing, abby.

And why aren't they?

A defense lawyer's job

Is to challenge the prosecution.

That means attacking,
accusing witnesses.

Now in most r*pe trials
the purported r*pe victim

Is the only accusing witness.

So if you're doing your job,

You go after that
witness hammer and tongs.

Which is probably why

I draw the line at
representing rapists.

Accused rapists.

Who I am convinced
are guilty? Yes.

Abby, I thought you
wanted to be litigator.

I thought you wanted to
depend on things like evidence

And cross-examination to
prove guilty or innocence.

I do, but not for
creeps like this.

Okay. So no r*pes.

What about m*rder?

Forget it, mike.

Only if it's in self-defense?

Can we get on with things here?

Armed robbery?

But only if it's for food.

I have no qualms

About making moral distinctions
about whom I'll represent.

Well, look. I may not like
this anymore than you do.

But right now the
only way that someone

Who can't pay for a
lawyer can get one

Is through an overworked
public defender's office

Or through firms like ours

Who are doing our fair
share of pro-bono cases.

Now until you can
come up with better idea,

Do me a favor, and spare
me the moral indignation.

I'm late for court.

I'm sorry, I brought it up.

You didn't do too good. Did you?

You could say that.

Well, it was the clean-up
show that k*lled you.

Were you on dr*gs
when you signed that?

Just in love.

Heaviest drug of all!

Look... Am I wasting my
time trying to appeal?

Appeal from the
divorce judgment, yeah,

That would be wasting your time.

But I think there may be
other ways of going after him.

For what?

Let's talk about it.

Did, uh... Did he ever hit you?

No!

Carry on any h*m*
affairs while you were married?

No, not that I know of.

Hired prostitutes?

Mr. Becker, what's the point?

I thought we had no
fault divorce here.

There was a recent case
in texas, that allowed

A wife to sue her husband
for emotional distress.

I think the time may be right

To test something
like that out here.

You were pretty young
when you married him, right?

I was .

And lauderbach was in
his 's, captain of industry,

America's cup patrons,
san diego yacht club, he...

Must have been a pretty
powerful figure to you.

You could say that.

What did he do
with all that power?

What do you mean?

Well, I was looking
at the expenses

That your old lawyer put down

And you go to a shrink
four times a week.

What's the problem?

There are some things

I really can only talk
about with my therapist.

Standing up for yourself,

Acting effectively against
someone who has wronged you,

That's as much a
part of getting better

As talking to a therapist.

I've always been a good
little girl, you know.

Good little girls who make
the men in their lives happy.

When their husbands
ask them to do something...

It's really hard
for them to say no.

I stopped being a dancer.

I stopped... Going to school
because richard wanted me to.

Another thing richard wanted was

To see me in bed
with another man.

How many times?

- Was it like , or ?
- I just don't know.

Went on for two or three years.

He'd setup situations. He
became obsessed with it.

Venereal diseases?

No.

Aids?

I tested negative.

If you're willing
to go for it, jane,

I believe I can make him pay.

I'm not looking to get rich,

I just need enough to
get my life back together.

And you're finally
taking a positive step

Towards doing just that.

I don't think I
can talk about it

With people looking at
me and asking questions.

Take off the
scarlet letter, jane.

We're gonna nail him.

[Sholes] chick's gonna cr*ck.

Mark my words.

You just make her tell the jury
about the things she wrote down.

She's done.

We've been through this before.

The diary can only come
into att*ck her credibility

Not her character.

Buddy says you're a real
sharp lawyer, you'll get it in.

My job is to provide you
with a competent defense.

Not b*at up on norma heisler
because you wanna watch.

Whose side are you
on? The bitch's or mine?

Take your hands off
me, calvin, right now.

You ever do that again
you can find someone else

To represent you,
you understand?

She wanted it, mr. Kuzak.

Just the way I gave it to her,
that's the way she wanted it.

Well, that still
leaves the problem

Why she called
the cops. Doesn't it?

Well, maybe she liked
it a little too much.

You know, you might do
better when we get into court.

You looked a little less
pleased with yourself.

Ms. Heisler, can you tell us

How you came to
know the defendant?

He was a handyman where I lived.

Where was he working
on april , ?

In my apartment,

The tenant upstairs had
let his bathtub overflow.

And he was patching
my bedroom ceiling.

Would you describe to the
court what happened on that day?

Umm... About three
o'clock in the afternoon,

I went in to ask him if
he'd like a cup of tea

And some cookies
that I just baked.

He grabbed me and told me that
if I screamed he would k*ll me.

He made me crawl around
on my hands and knees.

He said that I was his sl*ve

And put on this
earth to service him.

He knocked me down,

And then he r*ped me.

Again...

And again... And again.

Thank you.

I have no further questions.

Ms. Heisler,
characterize for us,

If you will, your relationship

With the defendant
prior to april th, ?

Friendly, I guess.

Did you ever suggest

That he stop by your
apartment after work?

Objection!

Goes to the issue of
consent, your honor.

It has nothing to
do with consent.

These two people
knew one another.

Their relationship is
directly relevant to this case.

I allow it.

Ms. Heisler?

Well, he came over once or twice

To learn how to use
a word processor.

And on those occasions
did he r*pe you?

Of course, not.

And on the occasion that
you claim that he did r*pe you,

- Did he have a g*n?
- No!

- Kn*fe?
- No!

In fact, he had
no w*apon at all.

He had his fists.

- Did he b*at you?
- He would have.

But he didn't.

Now tell me, ms. Heisler,

Is it possible that mr. Sholes
was ever made to believe

That you wanted to have
sexual relations with him?

No!

Ms. Heisler...

Do you keep a journal?

Objection!

Your honor, at this
time I would like to

Make a formal motion
under section

Of the evidence court
of the state of california,

Pursuant to my papers

For the witness to
produce her journal.

Your honor, the people
oppose such a motion.

Ms. Schindler, as you
know, the law requires me

To hear argument for
defense council's motion

Outside the
presence of the jury.

The court officer
will escort the jury out

And clear this courtroom.

Once again, ms. Heisler,
do you keep a journal?

Yes, I keep a journal.

Did you ever show
it to mr. Sholes?

Of course not.

And where did you
put it on the day

That he was working
in your bedroom?

In my dresser drawer.

Are you sure it wasn't
on the night table?

Yes, I am sure.

Object to the inference.

Inference withdrawn. I'll
make it a direct question.

Didn't you in fact want

Kelvin sholes to
read that journal?

Because you would've liked

To have told him your
desires, but couldn't?

No!

Would it come as
much of a shock to you

If I told you that he
had in fact read it?

No!

And why is that, ms. Heisler?

He was reading it when I
walked into the bedroom.

Counsel, approach.

As painful as this
maybe, ms. Schindler,

I think I'm going to
have to see that diary.

Your honor, with
all due respect,

I believe that would be
absolutely grotesque.

The defendant was never given
permission to read that diary.

The fact that he invaded
her privacy by doing so

Doesn't give this court
license to follow suit.

Now whether he had
permission isn't the point.

He read it.

And he reasonable believe

That she consented
the sexual relations.

Your honor, may I speak?

Of course.

The things I write
in that notebook

Are the most private
things in the world to me.

I have never shown
them to anyone.

But the defendant has read them.

But I tell you there's
nothing in there.

I just jot down little
things that occur to me.

My dreams, my poems...

And my thoughts,
they're nothing.

I am sorry, ms. Heisler.

I have to determine
whether they are nothing.

I am ordering you to provide
the court with your journal...

By nine o'clock
tomorrow morning.

Mr. Becker, I think you'll agree

Your case has a few problems.

Which is precisely why I
need expedited discovery.

If ever there was a case
of intentional infliction

Of emotional
distress, this is it.

I can document behavior,
I can document damages.

All the behavior alleged

Occurred while the
parties were married.

There's no statutory preclusion

Of all tort claims
between parties

Because they happen
to have been married.

What's your authority for that?

There've been recent
cases in other jurisdictions,

Which are set forth at
some length in my papers.

Your honor, for all of
mr. Becker's lofty pretentions

This is a shake down.

His client is unhappy with
the divorce settlement

And sees this as
a way to get more.

We've had no-fault divorce
in this state since ,

Specifically to prevent
lawsuits like this one.

The no-fault stature
was never intended

To allow abusive,
sadistic people

To ruin the lives of
others with impunity.

The truth is, I don't think

Either one of you has
made your case sufficiently.

What I am going to do

Is order limited discovery
to take place forthwith,

And I want you both
back here... Thursday.

Prepared to reargue.

Your honor, I am
not sure that my...

Client can be available
on such short notice.

Make him available.

Can i... Can I talk to you?

I have nothing to say to you.

Is this the way you get on

With the rest of your life?
By dwelling on what's the past?

Hey, she doesn't
want to talk to you.

Jane, this isn't you.

Isn't it? What is?

Another girl in those
videotapes that you

Trade with your friends
like baseball cards.

Tight little blonde whose
husband liked to watch

French, english, greek

Into anything and
everything, giving and getting.

You know, she is out of control?

I just wanted a
normal life, richard.

Why did you want everything
so weird and dangerous?

Didn't you see what
it was doing to me?

[Becker] what the lee-marvin
case did for marvin mitchelson,

This case is gonna do for me.

As I recall, michelle triola

Came away with very
little in that case.

That's not the point.
The case broke ground.

When you thought palimony,
you thought marvin mitchelson.

Well, after lauderbach
when you're thinkin'

Ex-spouse or tort claims
you're gonna think arnold becker.

Thank you.

I tell you right now. If
this case was before me,

I'd throw you out on
your ear with costs.

And by doing that,

You'd miss a
tremendous opportunity

To enhance your own reputation.

And that's what it's
all about, isn't it?

I mean what better basis to
establish legal precedence

Than the professional
ambition of lawyers and judges.

You're turning into
a cynic, it worries me.

A vulnerable woman
places herself in your hands.

You plan a legal
strategy designed

Only to maximize
your own publicity.

Probably at the expensive of

What little self-esteem
she's got left.

And you call me a cynic?

You know, sometimes I
think your being a judge

Carves out more of the
appealing sides of your character.

Which are what in your opinion?

Nurturing. Caring.

A source of support,
even dare I say enthusiasm.

Well, like most people I have
a number of different sides.

It would be nice to think
that the man I am with

Respected all of them.

Monica, what has
gotten into you?

For the last couple of months,

It's like we've had a bad
connection or something.

I can't seem to get
through to you.

Here I am. Let's talk about it.

Monica, I am
looking for an ally.

Somebody to be there for
me, what's to talk about.

Okay.

Okay, what?

If you don't want
to talk, we won't.

[Sighs] great.

Three more less than...

- Hi.
- Hi! I was in the area.

I'm pretty busy right now.

Look, I know lately
I have been getting

A little carried away

But it's just that I get so
excited about what I'm doing

I expect you to get excited too.

We just have to get our
timing in better sync that's all.

[Dave] having you run all the
time still makes me giddy, I guess.

Mr. & Mrs. Myer... Hi, guy.

Arnold, how's your
new case coming?

My pr people are b*ating
the bushes as we speak,

It hits the paper tomorrow a.m.

Forgive me for
interjecting here,

But I'll bet you're
overlooking something.

Arnie, ben is running off copies
with supplemental affidavits.

Lawyers, and I love you guys,

Have been a little slow to
appreciate the basic axiom,

Direct mail works.

Excuse me.

Dave, we don't advertise.

This particular development
would only have significance

For people who are
getting divorced.

Okay. That's okay. But
you still wanna reach

As many of 'em as
possible, am I right?

Of course we do.

You pick the target.
I hit the target.

Women over applying
for credit cards.

Men over buying porsches.

Now that'll give you a start.

I use what I call a split run,

That's different mailings
for different areas.

Say one letter to encino,
tarzana, calabasas, agoura.

Another letter to alhambra,
el monte, azusa, glendora

Then we track the results.

Excuse me.

You know, you might also
want to track categories like

Women who have gotten
their real estate licenses,

Men or women who
joined health clubs...

Abby, let me help you with that.

There's always club med,
name changes on deeds,

Men who make large
purchases in house wares,

New subscriptions
to mizz magazine...

Can't miss with mizz, huh?

So did you get the test results?

Yeah. There's nothing
wrong with you.

The reason you can't
get pregnant is me.

Low sperm count. Low motility.

Anyway, he gave
me a sh*t in the butt

And a prescription which
he's not too optimistic about,

What the hell,
I'll try anything.

- So we'll see what happens.
- Yep!

I guess I wasn't
the guy to marry

If you wanted
to have kids, but...

Stuart, whatever kids
I have or don't have,

You are the guy I'm
gonna have them with.

I just don't think
you ever gonna

Look at me the same way again.

Is that what would've happened

If there was something
wrong with me?

Would you never have looked
at me the same way again?

No, i... I...

I just never thought of
myself like this, that's all.

Like what?

Like someone
incapable, that's what.

I always imagined sending
forth a stream that held life,

Not these little dribblings
that don't hold anything.

Why are you doing
this to yourself?

It's strain' me
in the face, ann,

I'm not making it up but...

Here it is.

All my life I thought
of myself is this admiral.

Who was sending forth his
legions to swarm the beachhead.

And what I really was
all this time was this

Little chubby guy
watching a few refugees

Get washed up on the rocks,

It's a little adjustment
I gotta make.

Why don't you think
of it as a platoon of

Specially trained
commandos on a secret mission.

Definitely a more
inspiring image.

Yeah!

And maybe, you know,

Who knows? Come christmas
morning that junior frogman set

Might be sitting
there under the tree.

That's very funny.

- Get the prescription filled.
- I will.

Tell the high command

To plan an invasion
for hours tonight.

Rox, I got to tell ya,

This cassette just might surpass

Side freedman's
cool out mailing.

Listen to me, and listen good.

I don't want you ever, ever
coming into my office again.

What?

Do you think, dave,
you should've asked me

Before you started making
a sales pitch to my boss?

Hey, I think I had him hooked.

Besides law firm marketing
strategy is something

You could play a part in.

Try and understand
something here.

I'm not interested
in playing a part.

Junk mail may make up your life,

But it has nothing
to do with mine.

- Junk mail?
- That's right. Junk mail,

What people are disappointed
to find in their mail boxes.

Listen this is what I do.

This house, those
cars in the garage,

All this stuff, we
wouldn't have any of it

If it weren't for junk mail.

That's right. That's right.
Throw it up in my face.

I am not trying to
throw it up in your face.

Yes, you are.

And next thing I know
you'll start preening about

How well you're
providing for me.

Let me tell you something.

I was poor when I met
you. I can be poor again.

The thing that I can't do is
listen to anymore of your...

Your sales letters,
your brochures,

Your catalogues, or
your incentive offers.

I am sick to death of
hearing you drone on about...

About turtleneck dickies,
a regular stretch jeans,

Or musical paperweights,
or decorated door stops,

I don't care about it, dave,
I don't care about any of it.

Ms. Perkins.

- You're my temp?
- That's me.

Great! I have to get to court.

- What's your name?
- Ronnie page.

Hi, I am abigail.

Ah, I don't have anything
for you to type just yet

So I think you'll probably
just be answering the phone.

You know when you'll be back?

Uh, no. I'm gonna be down there

Until I get an assignment.
That could be all week.

If sara stanton calls,

Tell her that I will be taking
the kids to school tomorrow.

How do you want
your phone answered?

Ah, good question.

Umm... I guess just
abigail perkins.

Law office abigail perkins.

Law offices.

Law offices of abigail perkins.

Yeah! Yeah, that's fine.

Mr. Lauderbach, your wife

Was with the american
ballet theatre

When you met her, was she not?

She was a dancer, yeah.

And isn't it a fact
that you urged her to

Give up being a dancer?

Well, she wanted
to have a family.

I told that'd be tough
to do, if she was traipsing

All over the world
with a ballet company.

You also discouraged her

From finishing
college, why was that?

Well, she wasn't all that
motivated in the first place.

Besides like I have said,

We were oriented
towards having a family.

Ah-hah!

When you photographed your
wife in various sexual positions

With members of your yacht crew,

Was that part of being
oriented toward having a family?

[Sighs] she is gonna make

A whole opera outta
this thing, isn't she?

January , , did
you take your wife

To a bar called the top
hatton in oakland, california?

So what if I did?

Are you gonna stand
in judgment of me?

No. I want a jury to do that.

And it'll cost you.

Ask her what she did.

Ask her about the
things she suggested.

Come on, richard, stay calm.

This afternoon, we conduct
our discovery and I'll ask her.

All right.

I watched cal today
through the blinds

As he hefted sacks of
cement on his shoulders

And thought of what it
would be like to be held by him.

To feel those sinewy
arms close around me

Like steel cables.

Who is cal, ms. Heisler?

Your client, mr. Kuzak,
calvin sholes.

March th,

Last night I dreamt some great
weight was holding me down.

Dogs bayed outside
the windows as

The sound of grunting
grew louder and louder

Until it was the only
thing I could hear.

It was cal, I was dreaming of.

And of course that is

As close as I will
ever come to him.

You will always keep
your distance, norma,

Fearful that if you didn't

He would break you like
a dry stick under foot

Or disrupt your perfect
quite little world

With his sweating
and his grunting,

And his final constricted
cry to be followed

By the sound of him snoring
contentedly by your side.

What would it be like?

Ms. Heisler,

I'm gonna repeat the
question I asked you yesterday.

Was calvin sholes
ever made to believe

That you wanted to have
sexual relations with him?

You're grinning, cal.

Your honor, I ask
that the witness

Be directed to
answer the question.

- Ms. Heisler...
- Do you think you know me?

Ms. Heisler, you're directed
to answer the question

And stop addressing
the defendant.

No matter what's in that book...

- Your honor.
- Ms. Heisler.

No matter what I dreamt
or thought or wrote,

You don't know me.

[Judge] ms. Heisler!

And I never, ever

Gave you permission
to do what you did.

Now then... [Sighs]

Mrs. Lauderbach, uh,

Did your husband
ever prevent you

From pursuing your dance
career such as it was?

He made it pretty clear
that he didn't want me to.

No that's not what I asked you.

Did he do anything
to prevent it?

Didn't break my legs
if that's what you mean.

Did he do anything to
prevent you from obtaining ah...

A college degree?

He belittled me.

He'd say my only job was
to look good for him...

I am not asking
you what he said.

I am asking you what he did.

Come on, rona, she's
telling you what he did.

He never took me seriously.

He convinced me
that I should just shop

And look good for him...

Except you didn't need all
that much convincing, did you?

I mean you were always
drawn to the jet-set life.

That's why you married

Richard lauderbach
in the first place.

That's not true. I loved him.

But I had dreams of my own.

It wasn't until after
we were married

That he started destroying them

And turning me
out in the process.

Right. Let's talk
about that a little.

You stated in your papers
that you and your husband

Went to this bar in oakland
on or about january , .

You were taking quaaludes
that night, weren't you?

I am sure I was.

Correct me, if I
am wrong, ma'am.

But... Uh, isn't the relaxation
of sexual inhibitions

The main reason a
person takes that drug.

How does she know
why a person takes it?

Whose idea was it to take them?

His. Always his.

He loved to watch me fall
down when I tried to dance.

You were dancing
that night, didn't you?

Yeah. I was dancing.

Dancing the only
way I still could.

Oh! How was that,
mrs. Lauderbach?

Dancing with other men?

Dancing to make
your husband jealous?

Yes. Okay? Dancing
to make him crazy.

I knew exactly what I
was doing. It was all me.

Jane.

I mean it, arnie.

Maybe this woman is right.
Nobody held a g*n to my head.

Excuse me. I gotta get some air.

I'll be right back.

Memory's a funny thing.

In varying degrees,

We all revise our own personal
histories to accommodate

A view of ourselves that
we are comfortable with it.

The only problem

With the revision
that you've heard here

Is that man is facing
years in prison because of it.

Now you've all heard
norma heisler's diary,

And I think you'll agree
that it paints a portrait

Of a woman who's lead
a rather cloistered life.

Ambivalent about her sexuality,

Profoundly troubled
by her own desires.

Was calvin sholes
wrong to have read it?

Absolutely.

Was the r*pe committed?

Well, when you examine this case

With an objective
dispassionate eye,

When you consider
that no w*apon was used,

No screams were heard,

And no signs of a physical
struggle were detected

Then at the very least

You must find a
reasonable doubt exists.

Does that mean that
this woman was lying?

Not really.

She's convinced that
what she told you was true.

If she clings to an illusion,

It's because the memory
of not simply consenting

To sexual relations
with defendant

But inviting them is so painful

That she now seeks
extricate herself from its grip.

The truth is, ladies
and gentlemen,

She's not lying.

She is remembering,
the only way she can.

A bright... Articulate...

-Year-old woman,

Calls the police and
says she was r*ped.

She submits to a
physical examination

Which shows the presence
of semen in her vag*na,

And she names the defendant
as the man who r*ped her.

Now he never denies his
presence in her apartment,

He never denies
the semen was his,

And all he offers in
his defense is the claim

That she wanted
him to do what he did

And all he offers
as proof is her diary.

Imagine. This...

This temptress had the temerity

To actually write down some
of her thoughts about sex.

According to mr. Kuzak,
what she really should've done

Was send the defendant a
monogrammed cigarette lighter,

Instead of going to a
district attorney's office

And sobbing her eyes out.

According to mr. Kuzak,

She should be
grateful to that man,

Who terrified her
for six and half hours,

Who stripped her naked, who
penetrated her repeatedly,

And left her quivering with fear

On the floor of her own home.

She should be
grateful. Oh, no, no, no!

Don't listen to norma heisler

When she tells
you she was r*ped.

Because these two
gentlemen know better.

You know what they'll tell you?

When it comes to sex,

Poor little norma doesn't
know what she wants.

Well right here and right now,

I want to tell them
and I want to tell you,

That r*pe isn't sex.
r*pe is v*olence.

Norma heisler
wasn't a participant.

She was a victim.

Calvin sholes wasn't her
lover. He was her r*pist.

And whoever tells you otherwise,

They are the ones
clinging to the illusion.

And what a brutal,
brutal illusion it is.

These just need your signature.

Tell betsy I'll make
myself available

For interviews all day, friday,

And ask her if she thinks

I ought to have some
new headshots taken.

Okay.

Hey, you're out
kinda late, aren't you?

You wanna talk about it?

I know I'm probably
setting myself up with a big

"I told you so"
but... The truth is

I've actually been envying
people who wake up alone.

There's an upside and
downside to everything, rox.

Come on, arnie, don't
be such a philosopher.

You've been against this
marriage from the start.

Yes, I was.

But only because I thought

You're getting into it
for the wrong reason.

Well, now that you're in it,

I think you gotta
give it a fair sh*t.

What makes you think I haven't?

You're not in
love with him, rox.

I think he knows it.

Of course, he knows that.

I've been honest with him
about that from the start.

He said it doesn't matter.

Well then, he's a liar.

Look you're it for him,

He needs to think
that he's it for you.

And I don't care
what he tells you,

He needs for you
to be his biggest fan.

Well, that's gonna
be pretty hard, arnie.

The truth is... He
embarrasses me.

I hate to admit it.

But I see the way
people react to david.

He starts to talk it,
and their eyes wander.

They get this
little forced smiles

At the corners of their mouth

And they take the first
possible chance to get away.

You've done it,
hell, I have done it.

Being boring isn't the
worst thing in the world, rox.

Dave's decent. He's
kind. He did marry you.

Now either own up to that
and start acting like his wife

Or let me know I'll drop
some divorce papers.

As far as being
embarrassed goes,

The only thing you have
to be embarrassed about

Is the way you've
been treating him.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, your honor.

How find you?

We find the defendant guilty.

The court thanks
the jury for their time

And their diligence.

The defendant is
remanded to custody

Sentencing is set
for december th.

This court is now adjourned.

- Congratulations.
- Oh, thank you so much.

Ms. Heisler, I want you to
know that I hope you're okay.

I am not altogether
uncomfortable believing that

The interests of justice
have been served here.

Mr. Kuzak, as far
as I am concerned,

The only difference
between you and your client,

Is that he's the one
who got convicted.

I am a defense lawyer.

All I was doing was
putting on a defense...

You're much too modest.
You turned me inside out.

You destroyed whatever
last scraps of dignity

And privacy I had left.

You took what was mine
what belonged to me.

And you distorted it.

So that you could
watch me wither.

Well, I didn't wither, did i?

Ms. Heisler, look I
may not have been sure

Of my client's innocence,
but I can't do my job halfway.

You see, I on the other hand,

Have always been dead
sure of your client's guilt.

So you will understand

If I don't thank you
for your good wishes.

I believe the critical
question, your honor is,

"Did this man's behavior exceed

The reasonable balance
of marital conduct?"

If it did, the no-fault stature

Should not make him
immune to the consequences.

Mr. Becker is making
this up as he goes along.

My client is a damaged woman.

Do you deny that?

Where is your
client, mr. Becker?

I am not sure, your honor,
I expect her any time now.

Whether she is damaged
or not is irrelevant.

There's no standing to sue,
there's no cause of action...

Ah, excuse me.

Please be seated,
ms. Lauderbach.

No, I am not staying.

I can't do this. I'm sorry.

- Your honor...
- Your honor, please,

I need a short recess
to confer with my client.

Jane?

Arnie, please, I just can't
go through with this.

Ms. Lauderbach, are you stating

That you intend
withdraw your compliant?

Right. Whatever you call it,

Richard has offered to
increase my support payments

Until I get back on my feet.

That's all I ever
wanted to do...

- Did you know about this?
- No!

Wait!

Your honor, please,
all I need is a minute.

Ten minute recess.

Jane, jane, what
you're doing to me?

Listen, arnie, I appreciate
you're trying to help

But I just can't
go through with it.

Does this guy really
have you that wrapped

Around his finger?

It's not that.

Well, what is it then?

Is humiliating me, serving
some therapeutic end for you?

Did your shrink
tell you to do it?

Please, arnie, don't turn on me.

I just can't go through with it.

Are you sure you
want to be seen with me?

Patriarchal t*rror1st,

Brutalizer of woman,
courtroom bully.

If you think I'm gonna jump in

And tell you how much
I admire you... Forget it.

Am I about to get b*at up
again for being a lawyer, grace?

Not for being a lawyer...

For being
single-mindedly devoted

To putting the vicious bastard

Like calvin sholes
back on the street.

I have to hear this from you?

It occurs to even me.

That there just might be one
or two things more important

Than all of the
officers of the court

Playing our assigned roles.

Right. And mussolini made
the trains run on time.

That is a tired old
speech, michael.

And I have spent too many years

Watching dangerous
people slither out

For paying the price
for what they did,

Only to do it again.

In case, you forgotten I lost.

And my client can expect

To be behind bars for
the next decade or so.

Yeah, well don't feel too bad.

You got your licks in.

You made sure there'd
be yet another woman

Who thinks long and hard
before enduring a trail

The next time she is r*ped.

You're gonna take him
out and sh**t him? Fine.

Let me know. I'll stop
knocking myself out

And find another
country to live in.

But until then,

I'll pass on joining
the lynch mob.

Thank you very much.

[Knock on door]

- Hello?
- Hello!

- Hello!
- Hello.

You know, you really
oughtta keep the door locked

When you're here after hours.

Yeah, you never know
who'll come walking in.

Really, you mean like you guys?

You know what I
am talking about.

Well, to tell you the truth,

Right now I wouldn't
be that picky.

Well, then let us
toast to the day

That you can be just
as picky as you want!

No! I've got cup, wait, wait.

And from two associates
you left behind...

What? Huh... You guys...

A dictator is born.

- You got me dictating machine.
- Dictating machine!

You guys are the greatest.

Miss us?

- Hmm - hmm.

I'm gonna tell you
something, abby,

This took a lot in there.

Yeah, probably a
lot more than brains.

- You love it.
- Yeah, I do.

Well, then let's toast to that.

You know, I still
can't get over that

She would do this to me.

It's unbelievable!

Call me crazy,
but maybe she felt

Her welfare was just
a little more important

In this instance than yours.

Yeah, well you see,
there's part of the problem,

Right there.

I hate to say this, but
betrayal is something

Of an occupational
hazard with female clients.

They come in pleading for me

To be their knight in
shinning armor and I do it,

And then an ex-husband comes in

And he makes 'em
some promises or

He throws them one between the
sheets and I get hung out to dry.

Did it ever occur to you

That this woman might have
done what was right for her?

What's with you, monica?

Can't you just give
it up a little bit?

Can't you just say, hey,
arnie, you got shafted?

How about let me
make you feel better?

How about... Let
me run you a bath

Or how about let me
fluff up your pillows

Or how about let me
bring you some cocoa?

I don't think I have ever known

A more self-centered man.

Others work at it, but
you are truly gifted.

You know something
you're unbelievable.

You and roxanne
have a lot in common.

You both dole out your
affection with a medicine dropper

While the guy dependant on
it drifts slowly in the wind.

That's the thing
about women, isn't it?

They'll fail you every time.

Well, my mistake was thinking
that you might be different.

Oh, no, arnie.

Your mistake was
not knowing that I am.

I sincerely suggest you consider

Where's this
relationship is headed.

It's headed out the
door, just like me.

Monica, if you go out
the door don't come back.

Oh, I won't come back.

Monica!

[Knock on the door]

- Hi!
- Hi!

- Hungry?
- No, I already ate.

- Tired?
- Little.

Why don't you sit down
and I will put on some music?

- No little sinatra, maybe?
- No!

I am not in the mood
for sinatra right now.

- Can I make you a drink?
- Sure!

[Voice on recorder]

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