04x03 - When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

[bunniefuu]

Previously on "L.A. Law"...

Your client got caught in a little h*m* activity

while stationed at Fort Benning, Stuart.

She told you that?

I think it's left him feeling

like he has something to prove.

Maybe beating up on his wife in

a divorce settlement is one way to do that.

Why don't you shut your mouth?

Look, I played rough,

yes, but I got you what you wanted.

I didn't want for my little girl

to grow up breathing poison.

Look... it'll pass.

Who deals with it if it doesn't pass?

Corrine?

Fresh semen was found on Nina Corry's bed sheets

at the time her body was discovered.

Objection, move to strike.

Overruled.

Whose semen was it?


-Objection!
-Overruled, Mr. Kuzak.

Whose semen was it?

Your Honor, I object.

It was the defendant's, Earl Williams.

Do you think I'm exploiting Diana Moses?

Look, it's obvious, you take your relationship

with Miss Moses seriously.

I wouldn't assume that.

Right now, the only thing you can assume

about my relationship with Miss Moses

is that it will never be any of your business.

If you'll excuse me.

[ chattering ]

People vs. Gustafson.

Mr. Kopeski, tell us please

the authority on which the police searched the suspect's car.

Um... the search was conducted under the authority

of Carol vs. United States,

where it was held that

a warrantless search is justified

when there's a danger of losing the evidence,

as in the case of an automobile

which can quickly be driven out of the jurisdiction.

Where was Mr. Gustafson's car when the police searched it?

At the station.

The had the vehicle in their possession.

Yes.

Then what danger was there that it

could be quickly driven out of the jurisdiction?

I guess it was pretty slight.

So then Carol vs. the United States doesn't apply.

Does it?

Well, um,

the underlying rational for Carol was exigent circumstances.

Sit down, Mr. Kopeski.

Ms. Moses.

What justified the warrantless search?

It was conducted under an expanded application

of Chimel vs. California.

How does Chimel apply?

The, um... search was incident to the arrest.

The suspect wasn't present,

and the search took place

more than four hours after the arrest.

How could it possibly be incident to the arrest?

I don't think it was, actually.

Um, in my opinion the search was illegal.

Then why did the court hold it valid?

I don't know.

Did you read this case, Miss Moses?

Yes, sir, I read it.

Yeah, you read it.

You read it, but you didn't understand it.

I read it, and I found it inconsistent

with the veil of ruling.

What about Chambers vs. Maroney,

did you read that case?

Um... I don't think that case was assigned.

No, it wasn't,

but the holding in Gustafson was specifically based on Chambers.

And anyone wishing to understand the Gustafson case

would have looked up Chambers.

What happens if and when you become a lawyer?

Do you intend to march into court and tell a judge,

gee, I didn't think that case was assigned?

No, sir, I don't.

Sit down, Miss Moses.

Between you, Mr. Kopeski,

we've wasted nearly five minutes here.

Mr. Aronowitz.

♪♪

♪♪

[ no audible dialogue ]

What is it you want to know?

Whether or not I'm making a mistake

putting you up on that witness stand.

Why would you be making a mistake?

Look, I know this hasn't been easy for you.

You don't know the first thing

about how it's been for me.

All right.

Don't you concern yourself with my state of mind, Mr. Kuzak.

Well, forgive me, Mrs. Williams, but I have no choice.

As long as I'm your husband's lawyer,

I'm the guy his life depends on.

Now, if you're going to hurt him, I gotta know about it.

Do you think that because my husband was unfaithful to me

I want to see him sent to the gas chamber?

No.

You just put me on that witness stand.

Trudging along...

Leland, the Schneiderman meeting

is scheduled for tomorrow at :.

Will that conflict with law school?

My class is over at :. I should be back.

Diana says you're pretty tough in there, Leland.

Law school professors should be tough.

What's your style?

Strictly Socratic.

Ooh.

Moving on there's good new and bad on Dorothy Wyler.

The good news is she's fully recovered

from Epstein Barr disease

and stands ready to return to work.


-Good for her.
-ANNE: Great.

The bad news is I fired her.


-What?
-You fired here?

We had to write down her billables so often

we were losing money on her.

Wait a minute, don't you think that's something

we should have discussed? Get our input on it?

I did get your input.

I read your evaluation forms for associate review.

Douglas and I discussed this, and as unpleasant as it was,

the decision was warranted. Let's move along.

Has anybody talked to Michael on the Williams case?

He's up against it.

He expects to go to jury by the end of the week,

but he's struggling.

Arnold, Hammond vs. Hammond.

Corrine Hammond is coming in today

to sign the settlement papers. Looks like a wrap.

I believe congratulations are in order.

I understand you worked a very favorable division of property.

Mrs. Hammond must be thrilled.

Yeah. Yeah, sorta.

That's it, people. We're adjourned.

Mrs. Whedon?

Yes.

Oh, thank you so much for seeing me.

No problem.

If you don't mind my asking, how'd you find me?

Well, I saw your name in the Martindale Hubble book,

and I prefer young attorneys.

They're not so hard bitten.

You're black, aren't you?

Yes, ma'am, I am.

Doesn't matter to me.

Negroes can do anything, that's what I always say.

I appreciate that.

Have we reached the point where you're billing me

or is this still introductory free time?

No, ma'am, this is all free.

No, we don't charge unless we accept you as a client,

but before I can do that,

I need to know why and for what you need an attorney.

Well, eight months ago I slipped on

some spilled papaya juice in Kendall's food mart.

I sprained my wrist in the fall.

The pain, you cannot imagine.

The store manager admitted it was their fault,

but the insurance people won't even take my calls.

My friend Gladys saw the whole thing

only she can't testify.

Why not?

Dead.

Got sick in her sleep last summer

and drowned in her own vomit.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Mrs. Whedon...

I'm afraid I can't take your case.

Why can't you take it?

A sprained wrist, even with liability clearly established

would be worth about $, tops

and this firm doesn't take $, matters.

Why not?

Well, with our overhead and everything...

it'd be impossible for us to make any money

on a claim like this.

Don't you ever take a case

just because somebody needs your help?

Not really.

Never mind.

I don't know why I'm surprised.

Every lawyer has told me the same thing.

I just thought maybe you would be different.

I'm sorry to have taken up your time, Mr. Rollins.

Mrs. Whedon.

Let me make a phone call or two, but that's all I can do.

Oh, thank you.

Well, now, this is the number for Kendalls.

Okay.

And this is the name and number of the insurance adjuster,

All right.

And this is all I have by way of evidence.

The shoes I was wearing at the time.

You can see, that's very good traction.

Okay, yes.

Do I need to sign these copies here?

No, these are just for your records.

We're all done.

Very good.

Thank you.

Corinne...

I was wrong. I'm sorry.

Okay.

If you ever need any help with Chloe, I'd like you to please let me know.

I've dealt with a number of first rate child psychologists over the years.

What is it, kind of a package deal?

You screw 'em up, they straighten them out.

Listen, I said I was wrong.

Try and remember things were bad before I got involved.

You just made them a little worse.

Yeah, I did.

I, um...

I got this book for Chloe.

What is it?

One Morning in May by Robert McCloskey.

It was one of my favorites when I was a kid.

I guess I just...

I wanted her not to think that I was

just some mean man with a briefcase.

Does that really matter to you all that much?

Yeah, it does.

Why?

What do you mean, why?

I behaved badly, and that weighs on me.

Don't let it weigh on you.

Look, I really have to go, I'm already late.

I'd still like to be your attorney.

I don't know.

Do you think that once the air clears

that maybe we can put what happened behind us?

Like I said, I don't know.

Arnold.

Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow, we can talk about this.

Arnie...

Come on.

I'll think about it.

Good.

Tuesday, November th, .

Between and : P.M.

Would you please tell the court where you were?

I was home.

Were you alone?

No. My husband was with me.

How long had he been with you?

He got home around :.

What do you remember about that day, Jackie?

The kids were at the library.

Earl and I had the house to ourselves.

Nina Corry was k*lled

between : and : P.M.

Was your husband with you then?

Yes.

Are you sure?

Yes.

Why are you sure?

Earl and I watched the Nightly News with Tom Brokaw.

Tom Brokaw comes on channel every weeknight at :.

Thank you, I have no further questions.

Miss Williams, do you consider your husband a violent man?

My husband is not a violent man, Ms. Flanagan.

Yes, on September , ,

the Inglewood police department responded to a report

of domestic v*olence at your home, did they not?

Objection.

Offered to impeach, Your Honor.

Overruled.

Things were different then.

Ms. Williams, please just answer

the question you've been asked.

Earl and I have had our problems.

Did the police come?

Yes.

Did you sustain injuries about the neck and face

as the result of your husband having hit you?

I don't remember.

Would you like to see the police report?

Your Honor, the incident that Ms. Flanagan

is referring to took place more than five years ago.

You've made your point, Miss Flanagan. Move on.

Did you know that your husband had had

sexual intercourse with another woman on the day in question?

No.

Did you know that he was carrying on an affair

with one of his students?

No.

Well, forgive me, ma'am but this does seem

to raise the question of just how well you know your husband.

I know him well enough to know he's not a k*ller.

And would you tell the truth if he were

or would you lie to save him?

I'm not lying now.

But you would lie to save him.

Asked and answered.

What are you afraid of, Miss Williams?

That your husband's going to take a baseball bat to you

if you don't testify for him?


-Objection.
-Sustained.

Get something straight, lady.

The only thing I'm afraid of is that

those people will believe you and not him.

Did my husband lie to me?

Yes, he did.

Do I feel betrayed by him?

Yes, I most certainly do.

Did he k*ll this young girl?

As sure as I know that I breathe,

I know that he didn't.

We know each other almost years.

And in that time have you ever known him to be violent?

Not really.

The answer's no.

Earl does have temper, Mr. Kuzak.

Yes, but the question is have you ever known him to be violent,

and the answer to that is no.

Fine, no.

Good.

Um... how would you characterize

Earl William's relationship with his students?

I think it depended on the student.

That's the wrong answer.

It did depend on the student, Mr. Kuzak.

Yeah, but I'm putting you on the stand

as a character witness.

That means you have to make the jury like Earl Williams.

Mr. Kuzak, Earl Williams and I

were in graduate school together.

I consider myself his friend.

I resent your coaching me on how to express that.

Well, you can resent it all you want

and I'm not asking you to lie,

but if you can't express your friendship

with some conviction, then...

I can't put you up there.

I teach literature.

I'm trained as an historian.

I see shades of grey in everyone.

Earl Williams is no saint.

Sir... excuse me.

I am trained as a trial lawyer.

Right now, history and literature don't interest me.

But if you care about this man,

if you really want to help him,

then you'll get up there and you'll testify that

Earl Williams is a gentle and a caring individual.

And that from everything you know about him going back years,

he is utterly incapable of the brutality

he is charged with.

Now, can you do that, or not?

Dr. Craig...

would you say the defendant was popular with his students?

Yes, very much so.

To what do you attribute that?

Earl loved to teach.

He was patient and enthusiastic,

and I think his students have always responded to that.

Have you ever seen the defendant outside of work?

Yes, many times.

We were graduate students together,

and over the years our families have become rather close.

Ever seen him to be violent or abusive?

No, sir. Never.

Now based on your having known him for
-odd years,

would you please describe him for the court?

Earl Williams is a gentle, caring individual.

I believe he's utterly incapable of the brutality

with which he's been charged.

Thank you, Dr. Craig.

I have nothing further.

You're on the tenure committee

of the English department, is that right, sir?

Yes.

That would make you Earl Williams' superior.

I think of us a colleagues.

Well, nonetheless, since you do evaluate his performance

and have a great deal to do with granting him tenure,

it's fair to say he understands

the value of staying in your good graces.

Earl never put up a front for me or anyone else.

Is that right?

Tell us, Dr. Craig, were you aware

he was having an affair with Nina Corry?

No.

So somehow, Earl Williams kept a side of himself hidden.


-Objection.
-Sustained.

Tell us, did you ever suspect the defendant was involved

romantically with this student?

No.

With any other students?

Objection, no foundation.

Sustained.

Did you harbor any suspicion

that Earl Williams was cheating on his wife with anyone?


-Look...
-Yes, or no, sir.

I can't collapse everything I know

into a simple yes or no answer.

I'm afraid you're going to have to, professor.

No, I had no idea he was being unfaithful to Jackie.

That does seem to raise the questions of

just how well you knew him, doesn't it professor?

I know him as well as anyone did.

No, there was a year old girl named Nina Corry

who knew him better.

And with a badly sprained wrist,

clear liability, pain and suffering.

, take it or leave it.

Come on, Mr. Clancy, we're talking about

a sympathetic elderly woman
-
-

Yeah, yeah, she took a header into the kumquats.

Two grand.

I'm trying to deal in good faith here, Mr. Clancy.

You're trying to flush me.

We both know this pimple would cost you much more

than you would ever make.

There's no chance you'd be crazy enough to try the thing.

You're rolling dice for a quickie settlement

and two grand is all you're gonna squeeze.

Nice view.

Look, Mr. Clancy, the claim is worth .

At least give me five, that way
-
-

Oh, no, I can't do that.

But how about, say... two?

You're disappointed in me, aren't you?

I could add on a claim for punitive damages.

I'm all a
-quiver.

Look, you can't afford to litigate this.

You'd have to be a total lunatic to pursue it.

Take some friendly advice

from a guy who's been around the block.

Tell grandma to take the two Gs,

buy herself a new walker

and steer clear of fruit juice puddles.

Is that city hall?

Will you forget the view?

Talk to you client,

tell her she can have the money as early as tomorrow.

These really are great digs.

♪♪

But something hit me the day I saw your daughter.

I was so pleased with myself

for engineering this firestorm.

Then I looked at who was in the middle.

And it got to me, you know?

This can't be the first time you've handled a divorce

where children were involved.

No, it isn't but the truth is

it never bothered me before.

All that really mattered was that I was good,

I lived up to my reputation, and people were afraid of me.

Clients themselves, their families, their children,

those were just details.

What happened to change that?

I looked in your little girl's face

and I couldn't make her a detail.

Still hate me?

No.

Am I still your lawyer?

How come I still need one?

The settlement papers have been signed.

You may have to enforce that settlement.

People sign agreements one day and dishonor them the next.

Randy's not like that.

Hope you're right.

If I'm wrong, you're the one I'll turn to, okay?

Good.

Well, thanks for lunch.

How about dinner?

Dinner.

Why not?

Well, my daughter for starters.

She doesn't want to be left with a sitter right now.

So don't get a sitter.

Don't get a sitter?

No, bring her along.

I'll call you.

Detective Vitali, you were originally assigned to

investigate Nina Corry's m*rder, is that correct?

That's right.

And during the time that you were on the case,

was the defendant ever a suspect in your mind?

In my mind? No.

And why was that?

Cash was missing, credit cards were missing.

Jewelry was missing.

To me, it looked like a robbery.

Did you pursue robbery suspects?

In my opinion, not to an adequate degree.

When a viable suspect was not immediately forthcoming,

it was the decision of my superior officers

that we pursue known acquaintances

of the victim.

Can you tell us why they came to that decision?

Objection.

Calls for the witness to look into the mind of another person.

It calls for an opinion as to the workings of

a police department that the witness

was a member of for years.

Objection overruled. The witness can answer.

Bird in the hand, right?

Got the department off the hook.

Are you saying that there was pressure on the department

to make an arrest?

Pressure? It was like the whole world

was breathing down our neck.

Detective, in your opinion,

is this the right man?

No, sir.

In my opinion, it is not.

I have nothing further.

Approximately two feet from

where the victim was situated,

an expensive looking watch was in plain sight

yet not taken, is that correct?

In fact, that watch proved to be

a cheap watch, Miss Flanagan.

A thief would have stopped to appraise it

before sticking it in his pocket?

A thief would have known by looking at it.

Does a thief generally stop in the middle of a robbery

to batter their victim to death?

It happens, believe me.

Did the baseball bat lead you to a thief?

The prints we got off the bat didn't lead us anywhere.

There was no sign of forced entry, was there, Mr. Vitali?

That means absolutely nothing.

It means Nina Corry opened the door to her k*ller.

It means Nina Corry knew her k*ller.

She might have opened the door for anybody who knocked.

Tell us, sir,

would you feel differently if it had been you

who brought Earl Williams in?

No, I would not feel differently.

It would have been a hell of a collar for you.

He just said it wouldn't have mattered.

You got passed up for promotion, did you not, sir?

Yes, I did.

And you took early retirement soon after.

Right again.

Boy, this is really an ego thing with you,

isn't it, Mr. Vitali?

You didn't turn out to be the hero, and you're miffed.

Let me tell you something, whether I'm miffed or not,

if I thought he was responsible for this crime,

I wouldn't be sitting here.

Don't forget:

I saw what that girl's body looked like.

♪♪

Flanagan's offering second degree.

And?

It's your decision.

You recommend I take the deal, though.

Well, I can't recommend that you spend

years in jail for something you didn't do.

On the other hand if I did it,

years isn't bad, right?

Like I said, it's your decision.

Tell Flanagan no.

In that case I'm going to put you on the stand this afternoon.

Okay.

See you in court.

Wait, what do you want me to do?

Do?

I want you to testify exactly like we said.

I know that.

What I'm asking is what should I do?

What should I act like?


-How should I be?
-How should you be?

That's right, I'll be anything you tell me to be.

Now look, Earl...

If the jury thinks that you're putting on an act,

we're finished.

You have got to be dead real out there, you understand?

Yeah.


-Dead real.
-Yeah.

Good.

You'll do fine.

♪♪

[ knocking ]

Come.

Here's the memo on RICO forfeiture.

I'll have the citations later today.

If I was unprepared for that class, it's because

I was up half the night researching this memo for you.

And that entitles you to special treatment?

It entitles me to fair treatment.

I've been putting in a lot of hours around here,

and you can't expect to bleed me from both sides.

A lot of law students have jobs, Diana.

They don't get any favors, nor should you,

just because you happen to work for me.

You're trying to drive me out of here, aren't you?

Excuse me?

You disapprove of my relationship with Jonathan

and you're trying to remedy the problem by forcing me out.

What happened yesterday was that a student was unprepared.

And a teacher got tough to prevent that from happening again.

That's all.

Uh
-huh, what happened yesterday

was one individual treating another with disrespect.

And that's a premise I will not accept.

Sorry.

Diana?

Have those citations on my desk by :.

Well, hello, there.

Hi.

Jonathan, what's this Whedon

vs. Kendall's food mart thing?

I'm helping out this old woman in a slip and fall.

You've indicated a liability ceiling of $,.

She's getting steamrolled by an insurance company.

You had no right to accept this case.

I'm not going to run up a lot of hours, don't worry.

I'm having one more meeting with the claims adjuster

and I'll be out of it, I promise.

I wish I could believe that.

You have a tendency to turn the slightest

conflict into a protracted catfight,

and I won't allow you
-
-

Would you like to take over, Douglas?

Maybe you should do it.

Perhaps my counsel could prove fruitful.

I'm an excellent negotiator.

I'll bring you the file. The meeting's at two tomorrow.


-Good.
-Good.

Would you describe your relationship

with Nina Corry, Mr. Williams?

Her freshman year, she was just a student in my class.

Very bright, very enthusiastic.

Her sophomore year, she became my research assistant.

We worked long hours on a paper I was doing.

and the more time we spent together,

the harder it became

to fight the impulse we both felt.

Finally, we gave in.

You became lovers?

Yes.

You lied about that, Earl.

Yes, I did.

You sat here and you let me

repeat that lie to the jury.


-Yes.
-Why?

I was afraid that if it came out

that I were there that day,

no one would believe I didn't k*ll Nina.

Then there's my wife.

I think I can face anyone easier than I can face her.

I'm scared to death of losing her.

You went to see Nina Corry the day

she was k*lled, didn't you?

Yes, I did.

What time did you arrive?

About :.

Would you please tell the court what transpired

during that visit?

We talked for a while.

She showed me some clippings she had torn out of a newspaper.

Then we went to bed.

You had sexual intercourse.

Yes.

Then what?

I took a shower.

Nina made tea.

What time did you leave?

Around :.

Earl...

did you ever strike Nina Corry?

No, sir.

Was she alive when you left her apartment?

Yes, sir.

She was alive.

Thank you.

I have no further questions.

Tell us, Mr. Williams, why did you take a shower

after having sex with Nina Corry that day?

I don't know.

It's just what I'm in the habit of doing.

Really? You mean you always wash the smell

of another woman off before going back to your wife?


-Objection.
-Sustained.

The truth is you were desperate

to conceal this affair from your wife, weren't you?

It was important to me that she not find out.

I said that, yes.

Yet as desperate as you were about that,

you were just as desperate that the affair continue,

weren't you?

I cared about Nina,

but I wouldn't call it being desperate.

No?

What would have happened to your standing at the University

if it got out you were sleeping with a student?

I don't know.

Would it have helped you? Would it have hurt you?

The witness said he didn't know.

Except that the witness does know.

He knows full well the kind of risk he was running.

Make your point, Miss Flanagan.

The only reason you ran that risk

is that you loved her.

I cared about her. I said I cared about her.

And I say you loved her.

desperately and passionately, you loved her.

And wouldn't let her go.

Your Honor, argumentative.

Sustained.

Tell us how you felt about her wanting

to end the affair, Mr. Williams.

She never gave any indication that she wanted to end it.

You heard Todd Arron
-Price testify.

He and Nina were going away for Thanksgiving.

She was leaving you for him.

Even if it were true,

I was hardly in a position to object.

Oh, you were in a position to do whatever you wanted.

You were bigger than she was.

Objection. Move to strike.

Sustained and stricken.

You were in the apartment,

you had sex, she told you about Todd.

How did you feel about her going off to Palo Alto

with this rich white boy?

Objection.

Overruled.

Look, I was a married man, she was a young girl.

I felt bad, okay? But I did not k*ll her.

I think you did.

I think you went into a murderous rage

that didn't end until she lay dead on that floor.

I'm not capable of doing something like that.

I think you are.

You saw this pretty young girl with a will of her own.

You couldn't break her down, so you beat her to death.

Your Honor, I ask that the prosecutor be instructed

to stop badgering this man.

Miss Flanagan, that's enough.

Mr. Williams, you know asking that all these people believe

that you went to Nina's apartment on the day she was k*lled,

you had sexual intercourse,

she told you she had someone else,

you kissed her goodbye, and you left.

Then a short time later,

some unknown, unseen person showed up

and beat her to death?

That's exactly what happened.

Because you're incapable of m*rder?

Yes.

Incapable of brute force?

Yes! I'm not a brute.

I am a professor of Russian literature.

I am a learned man.

That doesn't mean you're not a savage k*ller.


-Objection!
-I am not a savage!

I am not a wild beast

no matter what you would like these people to believe,

no matter how you see me, I am a human being,

and I did not k*ll anyone.

The law says that I can fold my arms and stand mute

and if the prosecution has not proven guilt beyond

a reasonable doubt you have to acquit this man

and let him go free.

Okay, given that,

let's look at what the prosecution has proven:

that the defendant and the deceased were having an affair.

The defendant was in the deceased's home

on the day that she was k*lled.

That's it.

None of that, none of it

proves that the defendant committed m*rder.

Now, the prosecution's eyewitness

made her identification in the dark

when she was scared out of her wits.

A detective who was assigned to the case

testified that it was a thief

that committed the m*rder.

And we have the unrefuted testimony of Jacqueline Williams

that Earl was at home with her

at the time the k*lling occurred.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could all go home

feeling as though this horrible crime has been avenged?

It would seem to resolve this tragedy

if we could ignore the lack of proof,

declare this man guilty and dispatch him to his fate,

but what distinguishes us from a lynch mob, however,

is that we choose to do that which is just

over that which is easy.

I don't know who k*lled Nina Corry,

but I do know in my heart that this man did not.

The police department and the district attorney's office

in their desperation to solve a crime

have created a runaway train.

I beg you, ladies and gentlemen.

I beg you to stop it.

Who is Earl Williams?

We know he's a liar. He lied to protect himself.

He steadfastly denied having an affair with

Nina Corry until we identified

the semen on her sheets as his.

He denied being in her home at the time of the m*rder.

And his wife backed him up.

We produced an eyewitness

who was positive she saw him leave.

Various friends and family members have testified to his gentleness

because that's the side of him they knew.

We're here, ladies and gentlemen.

because of another side.

The side that only Nina Corry knew,

the murderous side.

The side that battered the life out of the girl

simply because she wouldn't bow to his will.

Did anyone see him do it?

The answer's no.

People seldom k*ll in the presence of others.

Besides, Nina was willing to be alone with Earl.

For nearly a year, she had been willing to give Earl

anything he wanted.

And this man wanted everything.

He wanted his marriage,

he wanted his job, and he wanted his affair.

And no woman was going to take that away,

especially not some year old girl,

Who was she to cause him such pain?

Who was she to back away from him?

So this '" pound man

took a baseball bat to a girl

who stood '", and weighed .

He shattered her legs.

He pounded on her mid
-section until her insides burst.

He crushed her skull.

He did this, ladies and gentlemen.

this man who sits before you did this.

Find Earl Williams guilty and punish him for what he did.

You have all the proof you need.

And I thought if the three of us sit down

as reasonable men, we could, perhaps
-
-

Nice. Birch?

Imported oak.

Mr. Clancy, young attorneys

sometimes fall victim to their passion.

You and I should be more disposed

to extoll common sense.

You're absolutely right, Doug.

I'll give you .

You see?

You're a shrewd businessman, sir.

But shrewdness is often the calling card of compromise.

Don't start whacking me with proverbs, Dougie.

I told our little victim of passion here

that I'd spot you two bills.

Now, since you're obviously not going to bite,

and since we both want it to go away,

I'll bring it up to .

but that's all.

Three, and you've got a deal.

Done, with a signed release today.

No!

Jonathan.

No! Her medical bills are almost .


-Jonathan!
-She's my client, Douglas,

I'm not going to let her go for this.

You'll do what I tell you to.

Damn it, Douglas.

Oh, gee, here he goes.

You want to see me go? You watch me go.

Jonathan...

This may cost us $, to litigate,

but it's gonna cost you a lot more.

Bluff away.

No bluff.

The complaint will be filed tomorrow, you son of a bitch.

The interrogatories will be on your desk next week

and the depositions will start after that.


-Mr. Rollins!
-You're crazy.

That's right, Mr. Clancy,

you're going to w*r with a crazy man.

I'm gonna haul your fat ass up and down

those steps three times a week

for what's going to seem like the rest of your putrid life.


-Jonathan!
-Shut the hell up, Douglas.

There's nothing you can say that'll stop me.

I'm gonna bury this cheap bastard.

You're gonna fire him, right?

I wish I could.

What do you mean, you wish you could?

You're a partner, he's an associate.

Yes.

But he's a valued associate,

and I can't just terminate him.

He just screamed at you, for God's sake.

Are you going to stand for that?

The point is, Mr. Clancy, he wins his cases.

And if he's determined to litigate this,

there's nothing I can do to stop him.

Did he fold?

Like a cheap umbrella..

Phew.

,.

What?

I told you it would work.

She'll have the check tomorrow.

You're the greatest.

Thank you.

Well, the idea was good,

but I must admit,

your little performance, really brought it home.

It was sensational.

Just following your direction,

Let's see, on a /rd contingency,

the firm just made $ for less than an hour's work.

And a little old lady gets a fair settlement for her pain.

That, too.

Good work, Jonathan.


-Hello.
-Oh, Diana, come in.

I just wanted to tell you, your RICO memo is excellent.

Thank you.

You're doing excellent work, Diana. Keep it up.

I don't quite get it.

Around this office, you're so charitable and nice

and in that class...

The jobs are different.

In here, it's my function to cultivate loyalty.

But there, I have minutes three times a week

to push people up a hill

that isn't too much fun to climb.

And I have to use everything I can

including scare tactics.

I think I understood that.

Until I became the victim.

It was nothing personal, Diana.

And about my trying to drive you out of here...

I didn't mean that.

I was feeling a little wounded,

and I shouldn't have said that.

The truth is, I am a little uncomfortable about

an associate here dating a law clerk.

It's not a great precedent.

But do I disapprove of your relationship with Jonathan?

No.

Would I be more comfortable if you didn't work here?

Absolutely not.

You're sure?

Extremely sure.

Now, get back to work.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

I don't like the red thingies.

How is everything else?

Do the hot dogs measure up to your standards?

They're okay.

I hope you saved some room for desert.

Chloe's always got room for desert.

My dad takes me to a different place for hot dogs.

Does he?

My dad has a special place for hot dogs.

Well, you like Chinese food?

I hate it.

That's too bad.

Because I've got a special place for that.

You like Chinese food.

No, I don't I hate it.

That's news to me.

Are you my mom's boyfriend?

Well, let's see.

I'm a friend.

I'm a boy.

My dad said you were here boyfriend.

Did he say that to you, honey?

I heard him talking on the phone.

Well...

You made my dad cry.

I didn't mean to.

Well, you did.

How'd he do that, honey?

When I told him Mr. Becker came to the house,

he started to cry.

Well, mommy and daddy both cry sometimes, Chloe.

I cry sometimes, too.

May I go on the dragon now?

Do you want to go by yourself?

Yes.


-You sure?
-Yeah.

Okay.

She's got a lot of questions.

Me, too.

Oh, yeah, like what?

What if at some point Randy decides

to fight you for custody?

A lawyer's professional judgment can't conflict

with his personal feelings.

A lawyer himself can't be made an issue

on which you are vulnerable.

A lawyer can't keep questioning himself

because he's afraid he could be falling for his client.

I think maybe you need another lawyer.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

Will the defendant please rise?

In the matter of the People vs. Earl Williams,

Criminal Complaint number ,

we the jury find the defendant, Earl Williams,

guilty of m*rder in the first degree.

[ gasping ]

We further find special circumstances to exist,

namely that the m*rder involved the infliction

of extreme physical pain.

Miss Flanagan?

Your Honor, at this time the people ask that

the defendant be sentenced to death.

Members of the jury,

we will reconvene in four weeks time

to commence with the penalty phase of this trial.

The sole issue to be determined is whether this defendant,

Earl Williams, receives life imprisonment

or death by the infliction of lethal gas.

♪♪