the people are represented
by two separate, yet
equally important groups:
the police, who investigate crime,
and the district attorneys,
who prosecute the offenders.
These are their stories.
The second our share price stops moving,
they start agitating.
It's like, it doesn't
work that way, people.
It's time to put the big boy pants on
and see the big picture.
I know. Q1 wasn't great.
Turns out...
I'm not the tooth fairy.
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
Do we really believe Jalen's sick,
or did he just want to miss
the longest CompStat meeting in history?
No, he's really sick.
Big guy got hammered.
Waiting for a chest scan, but naturally,
they can't see him until, like, 2028,
so his only alternative is to
wait in the ER for 11 hours.
- That's the game.
- Mm-hmm.
My wife is constantly convinced
I'm on the verge of death.
Now she wants me to
get this cutting-edge
calcium scan on my heart.
Which is free if I'm in the network,
but if I go out-of-network,
it's, like, 350 bucks.
So now you're about to pay $350?
Just to get my wife to stop bugging me.
That's right.
Well, that sounds like a nice dynamic.
- [CHUCKLES]
- I'm happy for you both.
Healthy margins, healthy profit,
healthy stock price.
That, plus some value accretive M&A.
Hell, maybe I am the tooth fairy.
Okay, I'm here.
I'll see you up there in a minute.
[g*nsh*t]
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
[GASPING AND CHOKING]
[TENSE MUSIC]
[GASPING SOFTLY]
All units, hold traffic, 10-10, 10-10.
Multiple reports of shots fired.
GSW down.
OptiShield corporate headquarters.
49th between Park and Lex.
- The insurance company?
- Yeah.
We're right on top of it.
[SIREN WAILING]
Plainclothes officers responding.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
- NYPD. Move.
- Back up, back up. Look out.
- Make room, make room.
- NYPD. Move.
Police.
Central, 10-10 is confirmed.
White male, 50s. GSW to the chest.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
DOA.
Where are we at?
Get these people behind some tape
and pull all the exterior cameras.
- Copy that.
- Thanks, Danny.
All right, everybody back up.
Sir, you're standing on evidence.
Back up. I won't say it again.
We got three shell
casings here, 9-millimeter.
All their personal effects are here.
Watch, wallet, phone.
Oh, my God, is that Andrews?
- Is he dead?
- You know this man?
Yeah, it's Logan Andrews.
He's our CEO of our company, OptiShield.
- OptiShield.
- Did anybody see anything?
Did anybody see what happened?
It was, um, it was a man.
A-a white guy.
What did he look like?
I couldn't really see his face.
He had his... his hood up and a mask.
One of those gaiters.
It was so fast.
Was he tall? Was he big?
Tall, thin, built like you.
I was waiting for my Uber
and the guy was here the whole time.
The second he saw him, he just shot him.
Did he say anything?
No, he just pulled out a g*n.
A handgun.
Did you see anything else?
Every detail will help us.
Uh, his jacket, it was camouflaged.
It had white fleece inside the hood.
Black pants, a black backpack.
Then what happened? Where'd he go?
He just walked off.
- He walked?
- That way.
Go. Go, go, go.
We'll get you everything you need.
- Danny, on me.
- I got you.
♪
Listen up. Lieutenant
Brady is three minutes out
and wants a command post up
and running when she lands.
She wants to pull any cameras
we can get our hands on.
CCTV, Argus, anything.
Manhattan North and South
task forces are responding.
I'll ask for Brooklyn North too.
I'll get Aviation and Harbor online.
[CAR HORNS HONKING]
Come on, where are you?
There.
We're in pursuit!
Northbound 3rd Avenue and 52nd Street!
Police!
[CAR HORN HONKS] Whoa!
♪
God damn it.
He's heading east on 53rd on
the back of EnExpress truck.
Heads up.
Truck's last known was 53rd eastbound
towards 1st Ave just
west of Sutton Place.
Lou, got him on Argus.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
You've got to be
kidding me with this guy.
Give me something, Lou.
We are not losing this prick.
We are on foot northbound on 1st Ave.
Hang tight. We got
a drone coming online.
♪
I got him.
Give him the 20.
York Ave between 61st and 62nd
in front of a grocery store.
Copy that. We're two blocks out.
There.
♪
Clear.
♪
"People over profits.
Sorry I took your truck."
Who is this guy?
No visual of suspect.
Bringing two additional drones online.
We running that note for DNA?
Yeah, the lab's hustling on it.
No sign of the sh**ter.
The guy can't just disappear, right?
A'ight, listen up.
I want a grid search block-by-block,
every available unit in the area.
On it, Lou.
Now we gotta start coming
at this from the other side.
Which is?
Which is, who would want to k*ll the CEO
of the country's biggest
health insurance company?
Yeah, I get it.
- Where's the victim's wife?
- Westchester.
We've got two detectives out there.
All right.
I need to talk to her, see
if she'll agree to come in.
The g*nman abandoned the vehicle
roughly nine minutes ago.
There's been no reports
of stolen or carjacked
vehicles in the area.
It was on foot, so you figure
one minute per street,
three minutes per avenue,
that's a containment grid
of 27 blocks, give or take.
Vince, Martinez, you hot?
Yeah, go ahead, Edgar.
We got a hit on one of the drones.
Tall, thin, camo.
Walked into a hardware
store about a minute ago.
- It's gotta be him.
- All right, copy that.
We got a cruiser, so we got wheels.
[BELL RINGS]
♪
Is it him?
Yeah.
You hurt?
No.
He said he was sorry for scaring us.
What'd he take? Money?
No, nothing at all.
He told us to stay here,
and then he went down there.
Listen, officers are
pulling up right now.
I need you guys to move outside quickly,
quietly, with your hands raised, okay?
♪
Clear.
Clear.
[HINGE CREAKS]
- Stop! NYPD!
- [BYSTANDER GASPS]
Stop!
Stay down, stay down.
[BUS HORN HONKS]
[CAR HORN HONKS]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Lou, he's gone again.
Damn it.
Lou.
Just caught him on Argus.
in front of a coffee shop.
Yeah, that's our boy.
What are they doing?
Are they flirting?
Oh, she saw his face.
Where are Vince and DeLuca?
Not far. They're over by New York Press.
- Get them rolling to the coffee shop.
- Copy that.
Is it him?
Yeah, it was him.
What'd you give him? In the bag?
Bottle of water.
And a crumbonne.
It's like a muffin with chocolate.
Why?
I thought he'd be hungry after all this.
I mean, the whole city's following it.
Did you see his face?
Would you recognize him?
Sure.
All right, good.
We can get a sketch artist
here in about five minutes.
We'll plaster his
face all over the city.
Yeah, um... [CLICKS TONGUE]
That'd a hard pass.
A hard pass on what?
Helping you find him.
Are you serious right now?
I feel like there's a
language barrier here,
so what I'm saying is, I
don't want you to find him.
[SCOFFS] Like he said,
people over profits.
OptiShield is the devil.
You know that, right?
They bankrupted my uncle's
family when he got sick.
This guy k*lled an innocent man.
Do you understand that?
Innocent? Nah, not even close.
Ask me, this guy you're looking for,
he's a hero.
♪
Got him.
Where?
Nolita.
Drone picked him up on Mott Street.
Okay, he's on the move.
Southbound on Mott Street,
two blocks north of Canal.
Okay, here we go.
- [SIREN WAILING]
- Nolita.
How the hell'd he get way down there?
- Jesus, I don't know.
- [TIRES SCREECHING]
I wouldn't be surprised if
this guy showed up on Mars next.
He's turned onto Spring Street.
Westbound, heading towards Little Italy.
Copy that. We are three minutes out.
[SIREN WAILING]
- Wait.
- What?
What wait?
This is an Argus camera
on West 8th Street.
Is it the same guy?
No, that's not possible.
That guy and this guy are
and these images were
taken almost simultaneously.
What is going on?
We have two subjects and two locations.
Both fit the description.
One is in Nolita, the other is in Noho,
heading west on 8th Street.
So which is it? Nolita or Noho?
There's only one way to find out.
We gotta split up.
Here, pull over up here.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
DeLuca, your guy is
still on Spring Street,
approaching Lafayette.
Vince, your guy is heading
towards Washington Square Park.
I'm Westbound on Astor Place,
three blocks from the park.
I'm 84 with the Nolita subject.
♪
NYPD.
Yo! Okay, man! Relax.
Where'd you get this jacket?
Where'd you get this jacket?
About 20 minutes ago.
I have the receipt right here.
Get the hell out of here.
[SCOFFS] Whatever, man.
All right, I'm 84 in
Washington Square Park.
♪
My man.
Yo, what's up dude?
What's up? I love your jacket.
- Hey, you got good taste.
- The Three Amigos.
Hey. Hey, fellas.
NYPD. What the hell?
Is this some kind of joke?
What, you got us out here
chasing our tails for nothing?
- [LAUGHTER]
- Holy crap, it worked!
No way!
Yeah. Yeah, great job. Hey, guys.
Book these three on obstruction
of governmental administration.
Hey, hey, we're... hey.
We're just trying to help this guy out.
Relax, bro.
Hey, I'm not your bro,
you sick little twerp.
And this isn't a game.
Get him out of here.
Victim's wife is here.
Okay.
So we now have 37 reports
of tall, thin men walking
the streets of Manhattan,
camouflage jackets, hoods up,
not one of them our sh**ter.
- [SIGHS]
- This is a thing.
Yeah.
This is their "I am Spartacus" moment.
You know,
a way for them to stand up
for what they believe in.
Which is that a m*rder*r should go free?
Provided the victim
is a wealthy health insurance
executive, apparently so.
Ms. Andrews.
I'm Lieutenant Brady.
I'm very sorry for your loss.
Everyone's celebrating this guy.
What's the matter with people?
I don't know. The world is very...
complicated right now.
I can't imagine how
hurtful that must be.
The irony is, my husband
was a self-made man.
People are acting like
he was born on Park
Avenue with a silver spoon.
He's from Bushwick.
His father was... wanted him
to be a plumber like him and...
told him Wharton was a waste of time.
Well, this is a very fluid
and dangerous situation.
But if we can figure
out why this happened,
we can find who did
this to your husband.
Can you think of anyone
who might want to hurt him?
Damn right I can.
You can't possibly think I
had anything to do with this.
You tell us, Mr. Walden.
You were OptiShield's
COO until three days ago
when Logan Andrews fired you.
We call that motive in our line of work.
- You've got this all wrong.
- Really?
"You hurt people.
I'm going to put an end
to it one way or another."
Jerry.
You write that, Mr. Walden?
You sent that to Logan
Andrews yesterday,
one day before he was assassinated.
Yes, I swear, but I didn't k*ll him.
Then what is all this about?
Logan Andrews recently
rolled out a new algorithm
that we were going to use
to approve or deny claims.
Andrews needed me to
sign off. I refused.
Why?
Didn't work.
When it denied claims, it
was wrong 85% of the time.
We knew it.
Our own people identified the issue.
So stick it on a shelf and fix it?
Exactly, but Andrews, he... [SIGHS]
He didn't see this problem as a problem.
He saw denying a disproportionate number
of claims as a good thing,
a way to improve our margins.
So what, so he's making people push back
to fight for what they're
already entitled to?
[CHUCKLING] Hell, the vast
majority of our clients
don't even know they can appeal.
We're a $350 billion company.
When we fight back, people give up.
They don't have the energy.
To Andrews, it was just math.
And when you refused to
sign off, he fired you.
Which brings us back to
that thing we call motive.
Look, I definitely didn't like the guy,
but I didn't k*ll him.
If anything, I needed him
alive so I could sue him.
Where were you this morning?
We have a house up in Old Chatham.
We just got back an hour ago.
We have credit card
receipts, anything you need.
I was with him.
He didn't do this.
All right, we will confirm all that.
Thank you for your time.
Be advised, we've got three new reports
of subjects who match the
suspect's description.
Camo jacket, hood up, similar build.
Hudson Yards, Tribeca, 55th and Lex.
Jesus, this is crazy.
People are dressing up like the sh**ter,
trying to help him get away.
Got us running all over
the place for nothing.
That may be, but I'd take
that last one seriously.
- 55th and Lex.
- Why is that?
headquarters of EverVita.
Another big health insurance company.
[TENSE MUSIC]
What do you got?
Working on it.
Okay, drones overhead. EverVita Plaza.
♪
There.
He has a g*n.
Perp is 20 yards from the entrance
standing underneath
that big sculpture thing,
and he is armed.
Copy that, Lou. We're here.
♪
Police! Get down!
[g*nsh*t AND GLASS BREAKING]
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
Stay down.
Stay down!
Police. You good?
- Yeah.
- You good?
♪
Calling docket ending in 1525.
People vs. Ethan Weller,
m*rder in the first degree.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
- [GAVEL BANGS]
- Order!
Order in the court!
[GAVEL BANGS]
- Order!
-
How do you plead, Mr. Weller?
My client pleads not guilty.
Ms. Maroun?
People seek remand, Your Honor.
Ethan Weller hunted down
and assassinated OptiShield's CEO,
Logan Andrews, a prominent member
of our business community
and a beloved father,
son, husband, and brother.
The evidence is overwhelming.
The m*rder was captured on camera.
The sh**ter was wearing
the same clothing
that the defendant was
wearing when he was arrested.
Police also recovered the m*rder weapon
in the defendant's hand,
and ballistics concluded
with 100% certainty
that the weapon seized
from the defendant's hand
is the same weapon that fired the shots
that ended Mr. Andrews' life.
Police also recovered a notebook
filled with the
defendant's extremist views,
wherein he essentially
states his objective
was to k*ll as many
health insurance executives
as possible to incite social change.
Police arrested the defendant
in the process of opening
fire on Steven Jeffries,
the CEO of EverVita,
which is another large
health insurance corporation.
We will file separate charges
on that matter later this week.
Okay, then.
Ms. Stratton.
My client is a recent
graduate of Williams College.
And I went to SUNY Stony Brook.
Get to the point.
Mr. Weller grew up in
Manhattan and has deep ties
- to the community...
- [GAVEL BANGS]
The defendant is hereby remanded.
Your Honor.
Just saving us both time, Ms. Stratton.
- Excuse me?
- There is literally nothing you can say
that might convince me
to let this man go free.
[GAVEL BANGS]
Order! Order in the court!
Order! [GAVEL BANGING]
- Biggest story in America.
- I know.
But... [CHUCKLES]
Might just be the strongest
case I've ever had.
We have more smoking g*ns
than I know what to do with.
I don't know.
The city loves this kid.
- For now, but once we present the evidence...
- No.
It's more than that, Nolan.
This guy has hit some
kind of populist nerve,
galvanized a divided country.
He m*rder*d a man in cold blood.
I am well aware.
And people love him for it.
Don't lose sight of that.
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
Hey.
I went over Weller's emails and texts,
and I finally get it.
Get what?
Why Ethan Weller
wanted to decimate
the insurance industry.
Check that out.
The evidence will establish...
beyond a reasonable doubt
that the defendant lay
in wait for Logan Andrews
outside his office building,
then assassinated him.
The reason?
Mr. Andrews' company
refused to pay for a drug
that the defendant believed
would help cure his mother's
terminal breast cancer.
He advocated relentlessly on her behalf.
The OptiShield claims
department ruled that
Mrs. Weller's insurance policy
did not cover this particular treatment.
She passed away a short time later...
and the defendant was
determined to seek revenge.
On the morning of January 13th,
he waited for Mr. Andrews to arrive,
and then...
calmly and methodically,
he shot and k*lled him.
Ms. Stratton.
Your Honor, the defense
elects to reserve its opening
until the people rest.
Ms. Stratton, can you explain
why you delayed your opening?
- [CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING]
- What is Ethan Weller's defense?
Never seen that before.
I don't know what the defense
was hoping to accomplish.
[CHUCKLING] She can wait
as long as she wants.
The whole world knows Weller
m*rder*d Logan Andrews.
Means the only potential
defense here is insanity.
Yeah. Why wait to tell the jury that?
Let's just focus on our case,
make it clear that Weller's
actions were intentional,
he knew what he was
doing was against the law.
If we do that,
there's no way the jury can conclude
that he was legally insane.
So twice that day, you
almost captured the defendant?
Yes. Then, fortunately, we did.
It was...
it was quite a day.
Each time you confronted Mr. Weller,
did you identify yourselves
as police officers?
Absolutely. We're required to by law.
We shouted at him very loudly,
he showed him our shields,
he saw our service weapons, and he ran.
Did that strike you as a... [CHUCKLES]
As a reasonable response?
I mean, if you're trying
to evade arrest, sure.
When you did take Mr.
Weller into custody,
did you recover any
of his personal items?
Yes, we recovered a 9-millimeter GL*CK,
which ballistics confirmed
was the m*rder weapon.
- Anything else?
- His backpack.
Inside, we found a
water bottle, Chapstick,
a half-eaten chocolate muffin thing,
and a notebook.
Did you review the
contents of the notebook?
We did.
Previously marked as
People's Exhibit 24,
a photocopy of the defendant's notebook.
Could you please read
the highlighted section for the jury?
"Americans spent $7.5 trillion last year
on health care, and
what did they get for it?
are because of medical expenses,
because somebody got sick, needed help.
But every time somebody gets sick,
the insurance company loses money.
Rather than help, they hide.
They delay, they deny, they defend.
Their business model is designed
to profit off of human pain.
Now it's our turn.
I love my country.
I'm not a violent man,
but history has shown
that every inch of America
is soaked in blood, was
won at the point of a g*n.
That's what patriotism
has always looked like.
Fighting for each other
for a more perfect union
has never been easy.
It won't be easy this time, either,
but I am prepared to live
with the consequences of my actions."
Thank you.
Nothing further.
Ms. Stratton.
No questions, Your Honor.
[TENSE MUSIC]
The people rest.
Detective Riley, you may step down.
Ms. Stratton,
are you ready to present
your opening statement?
Yes, Your Honor.
♪
You've heard Mr. Price's
version of events,
and we agree with virtually
everything he said.
There is no question
Ethan Weller shot and
k*lled Logan Andrews.
But there's a reason he did it,
a legal reason.
He was trying to save lives.
Logan Andrews caused the death
of thousands of innocent people.
By denying their
legitimate insurance claims.
Thousands more were about to die,
are about to die,
because of Mr. Andrews'
callous disregard
for human life.
So Ethan Weller k*lled Logan Andrews
before Mr. Andrews could k*ll again.
And his actions are
completely and unequivocally
legal under the laws of New York.
♪
Your Honor... [SIGHS]
Can we talk in chambers?
This defense is preposterous.
Y-you can't possibly
allow them to move forward.
It'll make a mockery of the
defense of others doctrine.
Ms. Stratton is simply exploiting
society's disdain for the
health insurance industry
and people's fascination
with Ethan Weller.
The relevant statutory language
explicitly supports my client's actions.
Conduct is justifiable if it's
necessary as an emergency measure
to avoid imminent
public or private injury,
which is of such gravity...
That it outweighs the desirability
of avoiding the
original... we know the law.
That language is meant
to protect someone
who was forced to k*ll in order
to save another human being
in real-time.
There's no case law
anywhere on this Earth
that supports this interpretation.
My client acted in order
to save people's lives,
people who are sick and will die
because they were being abandoned
by the American health care system.
There is nothing in
the statutory language
that requires that the
people that he saved...
[PRICE SIGHS]
Need to be standing next to him
at the time he acted on their behalf.
Y-Your Honor, there is no basis
in law or logic that could
possibly support this defense.
Okay, enough. I get it.
The statute was not drafted
with this type of fact pattern in mind.
Exactly. Thank you.
But I'm going to allow Ms. Stratton
to move forward with her defense.
Your Honor?
It's up to the jury to determine
if this is preposterous,
Mr. Price, not you.
This trial is k*lling us, Nick.
This clown, Stratton, has
claimed that Logan Andrews,
a CEO of a Fortune 500 company,
has k*lled thousands of innocent people.
Which means, as a health insurance CEO,
that I, too, have k*lled
thousands of people,
as did Mark and David.
We're all mass murderers.
- This is absurd.
- Of course it is.
But the judge believes
the jury should decide
whether or not this defense is valid.
I have looked into this judge.
And he has donated to seven politicians
over the last five years,
all of them avowed socialists.
And he's entitled to do that.
But you're not wrong.
I know Judge Moscatello.
He is quite progressive.
So now we're all on trial for this?
Yeah, and for what?
Because we had the audacity
to make money for our shareholders?
This judge and this
defense lawyer are basically
telling the world that it
is okay to just hunt us down
like... like we're a bunch of pheasants.
Look, I understand what
you guys are saying,
but it's not that simple.
This book is insane.
A best-seller.
Which means we have a problem.
People are angry.
They're looking for anything
to justify their rage.
I just talked to Stratton.
She's open to a plea.
- Wait, she called you to...
- No, I called her.
We've known each other for years.
She's lovely.
And she's a damn good lawyer too.
Why would we consider a plea?
Her client assassinated an innocent man.
[SCOFFING] This is on video.
The whole damn country has seen it.
Yeah, and nobody seems
particularly upset about it.
That's not our problem.
Except that it is.
It means we could lose.
That's a pretty jaded view, Nick.
Or pragmatic.
We can't... [SIGHS]
Overreact to Weller's folk hero status.
Right? That is all just
noise, social media nonsense.
Not to mention Logan
Andrews is the victim here.
He deserves justice.
And so do his wife, his
kids, friends, colleagues.
Yeah, we're not talking
about a saint here, Nolan.
Guy ran a soulless
company that made him rich.
So what, he deserved to die?
No, of course not.
I'm just saying that's...
that's what's in the jury's head.
Let's say that he was consumed
with maximizing profits.
That is not only legal,
it's required of someone
who runs a company like this.
But the way OptiShield
treated Ethan Weller's
mother was despicable.
- That's a business issue, Sam.
- No, but it's...
No, no, it has no legal
bearing on this case.
We're not litigating whether
the insurance industry is fair
or benevolent or whether Andrews
was a cold-hearted b*stard.
We are litigating whether
Ethan Weller m*rder*d him.
You're right.
Sam's right too.
This groundswell of
anger didn't just happen.
It has been brewing for a long time.
People are tired of being beaten down
by these massive corporations,
tired of being told,
no, we're not going to pay
for that, that thing you need
to be, you know, healthy.
Meanwhile, your premiums keep going up.
Some of these people are sitting
on your jury. I guarantee it.
Do we really want to
take on that kind of risk
that a k*ller could walk?
Attempt to beat back
this political firestorm?
Yes.
Cutting a deal here is a cop-out.
We need to stop worrying about politics
and present our case.
It's as simple as that,
and I'm confident the jury
will choose to follow the law.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
I admire your optimism.
I don't necessarily share it.
But if you feel this
strongly, play it out.
But let's be very clear.
We need a conviction here.
♪
In your book, you talk a
lot about the three D's.
Can you please tell the
jury what that means?
Delay, deny, defend.
These are, in essence, the three words
that define OptiShield's business model.
Based on your extensive
research in this field,
can you approximate
how many people have died
as a result of this business practice?
Objection. Calls for speculation.
Overruled.
Your Honor, this is the very
definition of a speculative question.
Sit down, Mr. Price.
Please continue.
Based on the statistical model
I built with my coauthors, both
computer scientists from MIT,
the number as of two days ago
is 46,456 in the United States.
Just so we're clear,
because of OptiShield's
insurance-related delays and denials?
[SCOFFS SOFTLY] Meaning that...
if OptiShield shield approved
the legitimate requests
of their customers,
requests clearly covered
under their insurance policy,
there would be another
at this very moment?
Correct.
Nothing further.
Mr. Weiss. [CLEARS THROAT]
Despite all the research
that you have conducted,
you would admit it's actually impossible
to determine whether
someone might live or die
based on the policies of
an insurance executive?
Perhaps, on an individual basis.
But statistically, if you
analyze the probabilities,
it's possible to come up
with a reasonable estimate.
So it's more theoretical than real?
And this number you just threw out,
A highly educated guess
from three dedicated,
highly skilled experts
using mathematical models
incorporating extensive
medical and scientific data.
And these nameless people
that you claim are dead,
they never actually met
or talked to Logan Andrews?
Probably not.
So the idea that Logan
Andrews k*lled them
makes absolutely no sense.
It is literally impossible.
Objection.
Sustained.
Nothing further.
My father died when I was two,
so my mother raised me by herself.
We didn't, you know, come from
money or anything like that.
She used to joke around a lot,
telling me my inheritance was
a good work ethic and
a bad credit rating.
But the truth is, it
was really hard on her.
A lot of people in her position
would have just cracked.
She found a way to make it happen.
She worked two jobs,
she sent me to good schools,
made sure I had decent clothes.
Nothing too fancy, but she
sent me to summer camps.
She was an amazing mother.
When you learned that your
mother had been diagnosed
with metastatic breast cancer,
do you remember your response?
I swore to fight for her as
hard as she ever fought for me.
I read everything I could
find about this disease,
took her to every appointment,
lobbied for the very best care.
And what did her oncologist,
Dr. Ellen Flom, recommend?
A drug called sacituzumab govitecan.
Why?
Because it's the best therapy
for her specific type of cancer.
And did Dr. Flom believe
this therapy would
extend your mother's life?
Yes, and only this therapy.
And did your mother
receive this therapy?
No.
OptiShield refused to approve it.
Even though it is legal and
has been approved by the FDA?
Yes.
What was their reason?
They didn't give one.
And they told me they didn't have to.
They just denied it.
Why do you believe they said no?
Objection. Calls for speculation.
Overruled.
Your Honor, how could the
defendant possibly know?
Overruled.
[SOFT SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Why do you think OptiShield said no?
I mean, it's obvious, isn't it?
Because the drug is expensive.
It costs almost $20,000 per cycle.
And how long does one cycle last?
A little less than a month.
And you do it ideally for a
couple of years, maybe more.
Goes without saying we didn't
have that kind of money.
I begged OptiShield shield
to approve this treatment.
I sent 22 emails,
I spoke to 13 different executives,
including Logan Andrews.
I waited in the lobby of his office
for eight days until I saw him.
And what happened?
I introduced myself,
told him about my mother,
that she needed this.
He just looked at me and
said, "I'm late for a meeting."
When did your mother
pass away, Mr. Weller?
It's been, uh, seven months.
Closer to eight, I guess.
So you've had time to bury her?
Cremation. That's what she asked for.
I spread her ashes at Orchard Beach.
She... she loved it there.
She...
"The only public beach in the Bronx"
is what she used to say.
♪
"We are public beach people.
And don't you forget it."
Do you believe your mother
would be alive right now
if she had received this drug?
- Objection.
- Overruled.
Your Honor, the defendant
is not a medical doctor.
Overruled.
Mr. Weller?
Of course, yeah, I think
my mom would be alive.
I have nothing further, Your Honor.
Mr. Price.
♪
Logan Andrews never met your mother,
and he was nowhere near your
mother when she passed away.
Correct.
Your mother died of natural causes,
complications due to
metastatic breast cancer.
- Yeah.
- So Logan Andrews didn't k*ll your mother.
He just worked for a company
that denied her request
for an experimental drug.
[SHAKILY] I mean, he
obviously didn't sh**t her
or stab her, if that's
what you're suggesting.
- Thank you.
- But his policies, his refusal to pay
for certain kinds of therapies,
that's what k*lled her.
He chose money over her life.
Thank you. You answered the question.
Can I finish, Your Honor?
- Your Honor...
- He's entitled to finish.
Your Honor.
[STERNLY] He's entitled to finish.
[GENTLY] Go ahead.
Thousands of people have
died because of this.
So I chose to do something about it.
Because if I didn't, even more
people would be left to die.
I wasn't going to let that happen.
I chose to fight for all
the hardworking people
who get kicked around
by these corporations.
I did this, right?
I did this.
And I'll accept whatever punishment
you think is appropriate.
♪
Got a minute?
I know you talked to Nick
about a possible plea?
And you politely told me to go to hell.
[CHUCKLES]
Well, maybe we can revisit the idea.
Sorry, window just closed.
m*rder Two.
I will recommend a sentence of 15 years.
You saw the jury just now.
Half of them are ready
to grab a pitchfork
and join the revolution.
Unless you're willing
to dismiss the case,
we're taking this to verdict.
Still no verdict.
But...
[INHALES DEEPLY]
I'm not feeling great.
And the jury has been
asking a lot of questions.
Mm.
[CHUCKLING] Concerning questions.
- Like what?
- Um...
"Can we acquit even though
we don't believe Logan Andrews
actually k*lled anyone?"
"Does the person being saved
by the defendant's actions
actually have to be present
at the time of the sh**ting?"
And about ten more in a similar vein.
[NOTEPAD SLAPS ON TABLE]
And the judge's responses
have been stunning.
He's practically begging
the jury to ignore the law
and, I quote, "follow their
collective conscience."
I think we should file a motion
to have Judge Moscatello removed.
He'll never concede he's biased.
And even if he does, what then?
We try this whole case
over again with a new judge?
Sounds good to me. [CHUCKLES]
By then, the disenchanted masses
will have moved on to some
other cause or industry.
So you want a mulligan?
No, I just think...
[SIGHS]
You think what?
I may have underestimated
how strong the current was here.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Can we still win?
Maybe.
If people still believe
in the rule of law.
Well...
whatever happens, we just
have to live with our decision.
You mean my decision?
No, our decision.
♪
Whatever the jury decides,
I urge you to remain
calm and respectful.
I will not tolerate any outbursts.
Those in violation will be
charged with contempt of court.
Understood?
Madam Foreperson, have
you reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
In the matter of the People
of New York vs. Ethan Weller
on the charge of m*rder
in the first degree...
we find the defendant...
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[WOLF HOWLS]