04x05 - One Rat, One Ranger

[bunniefuu]

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

Yeah, uh, our gross income is down percent,

malpractice premiums are up again,

and, uh, there's this balloon payment due next month on the office renovations.

We're sluggish and bloated.

We need to be lean and mean.

MAN: Maybe I'm low life, but I know what I saw.

Penham was on the pipe, he k*lled the girl.

That guy there had nothin' to do with it.

I was just being thorough.

ABBY: You're being too thorough.

Prepare your case, yeah.

But if you're too overanxious,

everybody's gonna smell a novice.

Okay.

JUDGE: I've listened to the testimony of Philip Holden

to warrant my setting aside the jury's verdict,

and ordering a new trial.

Mr. Holden needs to be credible.

He wasn't even close.

Accordingly,

your motion for a new trial is denied, Mr. Kuzak.

Dorian vs. Togetherness Dating Service.

Yeah, that's mine.

Voir direis complete, we go to trial this afternoon.

This case really can't be settled, Stuart?

In all good conscience, I wouldn't recommend it, Leland.


-LELAND: Why not?
-STUART: Becausegravamen of the plaintiff's case

assessed that we're gonna beat her cold.

Couldn't that end up costing us more than a settlement?

Mm
-mm, not if I'm successful in my motions for cost,

disbursements and legal fees,

plus, let's not forget, if we settle,

there'd be more plaintiffs coming out of the woodwork.


-Gravamen?
-DOUGLAS: Giant Sequoia Tourist Counsel

vs. Giant Sequoia Beverages.

That's mine. We're representing a small mineral water company

that's being sued for using the name Giant Sequoia.

They claim it's a fraudulent misrepresentation of

where the water comes from.


-Where does it come from?
-El Segundo.


-[chuckles]
-They have mineral water in El Segundo?

It's municipal water. It's been filtered

and flavored with juniper extract and bottled.

Can we expect this to go to trial, too?

Actually, no.

Our guy is trying to come up with another name

so he can make this whole thing disappear quietly.


-As well he might.
-DOUGLAS: Partners meeting.

Tonight. p.m.

Hmm, little party after dark to split up the pie, eh?

JONATHAN: And to the partners go the spoils.

What can I say? We all have a part to play.


-Here.
-Good, Benny. Good.


-What's this?
-Melons by Mail.

A cut rate produce outfit that ships by mail.

Saves money.

Saves lugging it up here from the store.

I ordered pounds of cantaloupe

for a third of what you'd pay in the store.


-Ah!
-Oh, my God!

Get
-
- Get it! Go on, go on, get it!


-LELAND: Get him, Douglas!
-I'm not getting it.

Why do I have to get it?

ANN: Because you sent away for it, that's why.

Somebody better get it, it's on the floor.

Benny, could you get in here for a minute?

VICTOR: There he goes, there he goes.

♪♪ [theme]

♪♪

Two years, minimum security.

No chance. Any kind of guilty plea,

my guy loses custody.

Oh, what a horrible thing that would be,

a child molester losing custody of his daughter.

How could we sleep at night?

Hey, Grace, he's no child molester until you prove it,

which we both know is a hard thing to do.

And I'm telling you, Edward was very convincing guy

at the family court hearing.

Yeah, yeah, I saw how convincing he was

when he failed the polygraph test.

Which we know is inadmissible.

Doesn't it bother you, Brian?

You know he's guilty and you're actually helping him to keep custody.

I took the case.

It's my job to advise him of his options and his chances,

and then carry out his wishes.

He wants the big NG.

He wants unsupervised visits,

so I gotta do what I gotta do.

GRACE: And what made you first suspect that

your daughter was being molested by her father?

Last December, Lisa came back from a weekend with him,

and she was very upset.

I asked her what was wrong but she wouldn't tell me.

And then she started to cry,

so we sat in the rocker and that's when she told me.


-Objection. Hearsay.
-Sustained.

Did you notice anything unusual

about your daughter that night?

Yes. When she was undressing for her bath,

I noticed that her underwear was on inside out.

GRACE: Did you ask her why it was on inside out?


-Objection.
-Sustained.

What else, if anything, unusual did you notice

about your daughter that night?

There were bruises on her leg way up on the inner thigh.

And, uh, then on her vag*na there were more... marks.

GRACE: Did she have these marks

before going to visit her father?

No, she did not.

And as a result of these marks,

and as a result of your conversation with your daughter,

what did you do next?

I took her to the hospital and then I went to the police

and reported my ex husband for sexual child abuse.

GRACE: Thank you, ma'am.

I have nothing further.

Has your daughter ever had a bruise?

Well, of course. She's a little girl.

Exactly. Little girls get bruises all the time.

But not there. She's never
-
-

In all the time that you were married,

Did you ever see your husband touch your daughter

in any improper way?

No. Not then.

Not then. Or ever.

Would you describe your divorce

as amicable or bitter, Ms. Haley?

I'd say it was bitter.

LAPORTE: Who wanted the divorce, you or he?

We both did by that point.

Who asked for the divorce, Ms. Haley, you or your husband?

Ed asked for the divorce.

In fact, didn't you ask your husband

the day before the divorce became final

if you could have another chance?

I didn't know he was molesting our daughter then.


-Motion to strike.
-What's wrong with you?


-Your honor.
-JUDGE: Mrs. Haley
-
-

She's five years old, Ed!

JUDGE: Mrs. Haley, be quiet.

Or I'm gonna call a mistrial right now.


-You want that?
-No, your honor.

I just want that bastard to keep his hands off my little girl.

And it was at this point you decided to hire

the defendant's dating service.

WOMAN: I'm not proud of it, believe me.

But I'm a working woman, I put in a lot of hours,

and I just don't have time to meet people.

So I figured, why not, and I paid the $.

And did they match you up with suitable men?

[scoffs] Please.

Objection. Non responsive, argumentative.


-Move to be stricken.
-JUDGE: Sustained.

Ms. Dorian, could you tell the court exactly how

the defendant failed to live up to its promise.

Objection. Leading, assuming facts not in evidence,

argumentative and conclusory.

Overruled. The witness can answer.

I have very specific criteria.

On education, physical attractiveness,

normalcy.

What I got was unstable, sometimes imbalanced individuals who
-
-

STUART: Objection.

This witness has no foundation to render psychiatric opinion.

I move to strike that characterization,

or in the alternative, a mistrial.

Mr. Markowitz, why don't you come this way.

I will note for the record your very thorough command

of the rules of evidence,

but can we get through this please?

Your honor, I believe this witness has been coached.

And I'm sure that you've prepared your witnesses as well.

Yes, but within the bounds of PNP .

Go back to your table.

Ms. Dorian, could you please state for us

the defendant's specific failures?

Well, it was if they threw my questionnaire in the trash.

I'd say there were only two men with whom I shared any common interests.

The one man I did like, turned out he
-
-

couldn't, well
-
- [sighs]

function.

ATTORNEY: What do you mean, he couldn't function?

He was...

you know?


-With a capital I.
-STUART: Objection.

Calls for a medical conclusion.

You have to let me object to that.

All right. Sustained.

ATTORNEY: Did you voice you complaints to the defendant, ma'am?

I did. They basically said too bad,

they wouldn't refund my money,

and that's why I'm suing them.

ATTORNEY: I have nothing further.

[clears throat]

According to your testimony, ma'am,

you did, in fact, meet a man

who you did, in fact, find to be compatible, did you not?

No, I did not, in fact.

Then how is it, Ms. Dorian, that one of your dates

progressed to a point which occasioned you

to discover the man's sexual incapacity?

He volunteered it at dinner.

He said, "The salad's delicious.

By the way, I'm impotent."

These are the kind of men they send me.

And you engaged four other dating services

before going to my client, did you not?

Objection. Relevance.

It's offered to show the witness' pattern of discontent, your honor.


-I'll allow it.
-STUART: Ms. Dorian,

how many men did these other dating services set you up with?

Probably about a piece.

Whew! So you've, uh
-
- You've rejected over men.

Were they all imbalanced?

They were all unacceptable, yes.

Not one met your standards.

That's correct.

STUART: Thank you, Ms. Dorian.

I have nothing further.

♪♪

This is unbelievable.


-This cannot be right.
-It's right.

This is , less than my split last year.

Try , for me.

We're all making less.

Leland, what the hell is going on?

Firm revenues are down. That's what.

Yeah, but there's been no hint ever

that we were facing roll backs like this.

I was counting on my same share, maybe a little less, but God.

Well, you don't see me celebrating, do you?

The fact is, this firm is struggling.

Our rent is up.

Michael, your m*rder defense of Earl Williams

is gonna cost this firm in excess of $,.

We lost over in fees in the furrier case.


-We've lost big cases before.
-LELAND: Yes, yes, we have.

But this is the first time in years

that our client base is shrinking.

Now, you are all great lawyers,

there's no question about that.

But none of you
-
- with the occasional exception of Arnold
-
-

none of you brings in high paying clients.

And the role of recruiting cash cows

has always been on my shoulders,

it's still on my shoulders, but I'm getting older,

I can't do it like I used to.

So we've got to make some choices.


-Hard choices.
-Such as?

Such as considering a merger again.


-No way.
-KUZAK: No.

No, I don't want to merge.

Or, in the alternative, bringing in a major rainmaker.

As a new partner?

That's the usual way.

Douglas and I have been working with a headhunter

for the past few weeks.

He's put us in touch with a few heavy hitters

with substantial client bases.

I'd like to call a meeting with one of them.

Exactly where does this new partner fit in

on the totem pole?

That would be negotiable.

Oh, this stinks.


-Arnold.
-I'm not getting pushed down the line

for a new partner.

LELAND: If we don't pull in a rainmaker,

and pull him in fast,

this little family could be breaking apart.

For good.

And Dr. Bizland, what conclusion did you draw

based on your physical examination

of Lisa Haley?

My conclusion is that Lisa Haley

was the victim of sexual molestation.

On what evidence do you base your belief?

BIZLAND: First, there's behavioral evidence.

When you examine a child who's been the victim of sexual abuse,

and you touch the child's vag*na,

she will automatically relax that muscle.

Normal children will just tense up.

Also, when you touch the abused child,

they seem to leave their bodies.

Their eyes glaze as if they've lost contact

with their physical being.

Now, Lisa displayed both of these symptoms.

GRACE: And what about the physical evidence?

BIZLAND: I examined her genitalia,

both macro and microscopically,

and found scarring;

several crescent shaped scars

around the periphery of the hymen.

Can you explain the significance of the scars?

Yes, it means it was penetrated by an outside object.

These are the telltale signs of sexual abuse.

GRACE: Did Lisa tell you anything about the scars?


-Objection. Hearsay.
-Spontaneous utterance, your honor.

Exception to the hearsay rule.


-Objection is overruled.
-This is prejudicial.


-It's ground
-
-
-Objection is overruled, Mr. LaPorte.

Sit down, please.

What did Lisa Haley tell you about the scars, Dr. Bizland?

When I examined her vaginal area,

she said that that was where her father would touch her.

GRACE: Thank you.

I have nothing further.

Doctor, there was no penile penetration here, was there?

No, I believe this to have been digital penetration,

but I do not exclude the possibility of penile contact

against the vulva of the vag*na.

Are you saying that happened?

I'm saying it could have happened.

Well, any traces of semen?

BIZLAND: No.


-Any pubic hair?
-BIZLAND: No.

So there's no evidence whatsoever

that this girl was even touched by a penis.

No conclusive evidence.

LAPORTE: And doctor, as for this digital penetration,

is there any evidence linking it to a specific person?


-BIZLAND: No.
-LAPORTE: There's no physical evidence

which suggests that Lisa was touched by this man right here?


-No, but
-
-
-LAPORTE: Thank you.

Doctor, have you ever known of a case

where a child has claimed she was molested by a parent

when it hasn't been true?

I've never had such a case.

LAPORTE: Well, have you ever heard of such a case

where a child, through displacement,

will blame a parent for something that didn't happen?

BIZLAND: There have been cases, yes.

And, doctor, as for this vaginal scarring we're talking about,

it could have happened in a tricycle accident

if she came down too hard on the bar, right?

I don't believe that's how it happened.

LAPORTE: It's possible, isn't it?

Well, I suppose anything is possible but
-
-

In fact, doctor, you can't conclusively prove sexual abuse here, can you?

You can never positively establish sex abuse percent.


-All I
-
-
-LAPORTE: Thank you, doctor.

I have nothing further.

There's a number of different ways

you can go with this.

Whatever works.

Let me just outline the options.

I always say, the more a client knows

about what it is I do, the better.


-Mr. Tumka
-
-
-Call me Steve.

Okay, Steve, we have one rat loose in our office.

We would like it if you could get rid of it

as quickly as possible.

This is a standard snap trap.

I bait it with peanut butter,

then place, I would say, in the neighborhood of

a dozen at various points around the office.

Your rodent takes the bait,

whack
-
- spring mechanism breaks its neck.

That sounds great, Steve.

We can always go with liquid bait stations,

but let's go with this approach first.

Okay.

Tumka Pest Control has taken on

a lot tougher jobs than yours, little lady.

I'm sure you can take care of this one.

Wish me luck.

Rosalind, first off, let me welcome you.

I'm only stating the obvious when I say that

we all have the highest regard for your reputation as an attorney.

Let me state the equally obvious,

which is that the admiration is mutual.

Well, that said, I'm sure there's

a plethora of questions that need to be asked.

ROSALIND: Ready on the left, ready on the right,

ready on the firing line.

ANN: I guess I'll start.

You've been successful where you are.

Why do you want to make a move at all?

A large law firm can get very bureaucratic.

I found myself fighting that too much of the time.

And as my visibility grew,

it became somewhat of a threat to other members of the firm.

You don't have to worry about that happening here, we're all very secure.

DOUGLAS: Let's talk portables for a minute.

While you've got an all star client roster now,

how many of them will follow you here?

There's a simple rule at my firm, Douglas.

You eat what you k*ll.

So any clients I brought in over there,

I will bring here with me if I come over.

I love the sound of that.

Bringing them is one thing,

and keeping them is something else.

Do you anticipate a problem?

I have some concerns.

Like what?

Well, let's start with your tax department.

I understand that, uh, Stuart Markowitz
-
-

is that his name?

He's it.


-So what's your concern?
-First off, where is he?


-Stuart's in court today.
-On a tax matter?

As a matter of fact, it's not a tax matter.

He, uh
-
- He just jumped into the breach, so to speak.

His forte is strictly tax.

I hope he'll be adequate.

Well, he hasn't been found wanting up until now.

We're also fully prepared to make

whatever adjustments are necessary.

Assuming any are necessary.


-What else?
-Your litigation department.


-What about it?
-Well, other than

your tax attorney having to fill in,

I want to be certain that you're not about to lose one of your aces.


-Who's that?
-Victor Sifuentes.

He's been an associate for three years.

With his reputation, he's got to be looking for a partnership.

Well, Rosalind, the truth is that a partnership offer

is not contemplated in the near future for Victor.

On the other hand, I expect that one ultimately will be made,

and I have no reason to believe that

we're in danger of losing him.

Good. And while we're speaking about associates,

I should let you know that I will be bringing one with me.

I see no reason that we can't accommodate you there.

Maybe we should first get a better idea of

what that accommodation entails.

Before we do that,

maybe we should ask ourselves if this is really a place

where Rosalind can be happy.

ROSALIND: Let me say something.

Right now, we're very wary of each other.

We should be very wary.

If this venture's going to go forward,

we're going to have to adjust to each other.

I'm willing to go halfway.

If you're looking for more than that,

you got the wrong dame.

Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

Your honor, I renew my objection to this.

The fact that the plaintiff had a bad date with this witness
-
-

He's being offered to prove the defendant's

willful disregard of my client's wishes,

he is totally relevant.

All right. Quiet.

The objection's overruled. The witness is in.


-But let's move through it.
-Thank you.

Could you please state your name for the record?


-Howard.
-Your full name, please.

Howard Hulse.

Mr. Hulse, did you employ the defendant,


-Togetherness Dating Service?
-HULSE: I did.

And as a result of that employment,

were you matched up for a date with the plaintiff, Dianna Dorian?


-Yes.
-ATTORNEY: I'm holding in my hand

a copy of my client's pre
-date questionnaire

setting forth her requirements.

Item , she lists leadership.


-Are you a leader?
-I could be.

Given the right set of circumstances, I could be.


-Dynamic.
-I am as dynamic as the next guy.

"With a rapier
-like intellectual wit."

Objection, counsel's mocking the witness.

I'll overrule it, but I want you to move fast, Mr. Sanderland.

You know, people find me to be a very lively conversationalist,

and that's on a wide range of topics.

SANDERLAND: How about emotionally stable?


-How about it?
-Isn't it true that

you refused to park in an underground garage

because of what you referred to as, and I quote,

"an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia"?

Eccentricities don't necessarily indicate instability, sir.

You sniffed your food and you sniffed Ms. Dorian's food at the restaurant.


-Why?
-I sniffed mine for signs of putrification.

It would have been rude of me

not to have sniffed hers as well.

Tell me, what's wrong with that?

Nothing, Mr. Hulse. Nothing at all.

I have no further questions.

Um... boy.

Sounds like a pretty horrible date.

Yes, it was a horrible date.

Mr. Hulse, I have both your questionnaires here.

Seems like you both like opera, you both like the theater,

Julio Iglesias.

You like to take long walks on the beach.

Boy. On paper,

sounds like you guys have a lot of potential.

Oh, yes, on paper I do very well.

STUART: Well, then, what happened when you went out with her?


-What happened?
-She was basically very polite.

I brought her flowers and she thanked me for them.

And then we had our date, which was very horrible.

Afterwards, I took her home, and she told me that she felt

drained and depressed.

I took that to mean she didn't want to see me again.

Did you like her?

How can I like her?

She subpoenaed me here as proof of a lousy date.

STUART: No, I don't mean now.

I mean back when you met her. Did
-
- Did you like her then?

HULSE: You know, it's funny 'cause actually I did.

In fact, when I first got the summons,

I didn't think it was real.

I thought this is a creative way of asking me out.

Stupid me.

STUART: I have nothing further.

♪♪

What was Lisa doing that day, Mr. Haley?

HALEY: She was riding her trike down the road.

I could see that she was going too fast,

so I called out to her, "Slow down."

It was right around then that she hit the bump.

And then what happened?

She fell forward off the seat

and came down hard on the crossbar,

it really shook her up, and me, too.

Is it your belief that that is how Lisa got her scars?

It the only possible explanation,

because I certainly didn't molest her.

LAPORTE: Mr. Haley,

have you ever touched your daughter

in an inappropriate manner?

I've kissed her,

I've hugged her,

I've extended affection to her

like any father would his daughter,

but I've never done any of the things

my ex wife says I did.

I
-
- I couldn't even think about anything like that.

LAPORTE: Thank you, sir. Nothing further.

Are you asking this court to believe

that the vaginal scars found on your daughter

were the result of a bumpy trike ride?

Like I said, it was pretty rough.

How do you explain that there were no cuts

or even scratches on her legs

after being thrown off the curb?

The trike went over the curb, but she didn't lose her balance.

I see. Were there any witnesses to this accident?


-No.
-Nobody?

Nobody out on a beautiful Sunday afternoon,

just you and Lisa?

That's right, Ms. Van Owen.

Hm. You ever give your daughter baths, Mr. Haley?

Sometimes.

GRACE: Where do you touch her when you bathe her, sir?

I wash her and dry her off.

Where do you touch your daughter

when you bathe her, sir?

I wash her and dry her off.

You've never touched your daughter's vag*na,

saying, "Daddy has to clean inside?"


-LAPORTE: Objection.
-I never did that.

Objection's overruled.

Does your daughter sometimes sleep in the same bed with you?

Sometimes, if she has a bad dream,

she'll come into my room and get in the bed.

And do you sometimes hold her?

HALEY: Of course. If she's scared, I hug her.

I see. And what do you wear to bed?

I sleep in the nu
-
-

I'm
-
- I'm naked but, I mean
-
-

You know, that's how I sleep.

Well, have you ever gotten an erection

when she was in the bed?


-LAPORTE: Objection.
-Can she do this?

Overruled.

Just answer the question, Mr. Haley.

When you are lying naked with your five year old daughter,

do you get an erection?


-Your honor
-
-
-JUDGE: Ms. Van Owen.

No, I don't.

I have nothing further.

♪♪

♪♪

You said we wouldn't have to do this.

I said I hoped we wouldn't have to.

God, I can't
-
- I can't put her through this.

She's five years old.

Charlotte, if Lisa doesn't testify,

we're looking at a not guilty.

I can't believe this.

GRACE: Believe it.

For every doctor that we have put up there,

he has put up two.

He has paraded in all these character witnesses.

His own testimony was pretty damn good.

I think he's got reasonable doubt.

Lisa is the only one who can change that.

And what will that do to her?

Getting grilled on a witness stand,

what's that gonna do to a five
-year
-old?

Or growing up knowing she put her own father in jail?

But it's either that...

or more unsupervised visits with Daddy.

Oh, God.

We had an offer, an acceptance.

My client paid consideration in the amount of $.

A valid contract was formed...

legally obligating them to proffer men

suitable for a compatible relationship.

Instead, they sent cologne
-soaked foreigners.

They sent ex cons.

They sent Howard.

They breached that contract.

They breached faith with my client,

wreaking havoc with her emotions

for maybe the rest of her life.

You people represent society.

You people are Dianna Dorian's only hope for justice.

A relationship, ladies and gentlemen,

can't be secured by a contract.

Oh, sure, a dating service can help the odds.

They can introduce you to people with common interests

and help your chances,

but there's no guarantee.

My client promised to bring Dianna Dorian together with men,

and they did so.

But in all those dates,

what did Dianna Dorian bring?

I'm sorry. This is not a very compassionate person.

We all saw what she put poor Howard through.

And all this talk about whether these men

had all the qualities on her list is insulting,

because those of us who have been there know...

love isn't getting all the qualities on you list.

Love is accepting all those things that aren't on your list.

And until Dianna Dorian learns that,

until she's willing to give of herself

as much as she's ready to ask of others,

then she will never be accessible to a real relationship.

And no dating service can be held responsible

for her misery.

See, your common rodent, musdec omanus musrattus,

is what's known as commensal.

Huh?

It's adapted to living with humans.

I've seen 'em make a three course meal

out of what gets put in a trap,

and avoid the spring mechanism entirely.

What happens after you catch 'em?

Depends.

If it's a glue board that they're on,

I generally dispatch 'em with a blunt instrument to the cerebellum.

Most of the time, though, poison's the agent of mercy.

Central nervous system shuts down,

all of a sudden, Mickey can't breathe so good.

A couple of faint dry gasps and mort.


-Mort?
-Dead.

Done. Finished.

What do you do with 'em then?

Landfill, buddy.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

The paths of glory lead but to the grave.

I'm sorry, it feels to me like we're panicking.

Ann, the wolves are at the door.

You're gone in February on maternity leave,

further reducing our income.

Financially, this firm is in dire straits.

I don't think that she is our salvation, Douglas.

She would, however, increase our billables

by some $. million per year.

I find that alone pretty hard to give up.

She's bringing over clients

that are accustomed to a large firm.

Why do we have any confidence that they'll stay?

Well, it's her feeling that they will.

Well, that doesn't really give us

a hell of a lot to go on, does it?

Given our current make up, Ann,

I would have thought you'd be only too glad

to get a little estrogen in here.

I say that we are dealing with a real prima Donna.

Fundamentally, she is not a team player.

Fundamentally, neither are you.

Now, what speaks loudest of all to me right now

is that she is a rainmaker of the first order.

That's what we need, that's what we'd be getting.

I guess the kind of rain is beside the point.

Rain is rain.

I disagree.

Look at the clients she represents.

Banks involved in slum refinancing.

Real estate syndicates, a personal favorite of mine.

Ann, she's a lawyer representing clients.

Now, if we want to continue to do pro bono work,

we have to have a client base that'll keep us on our feet.

Rosalind can give us that.


-Michael, there is no guarantee
-
-
-LELAND: All right.

All right.

We've all spoken our piece.


-I vote yea.
-Same.


-Nix.
-I vote yes.


-I vote no.
-What about Stuart?

ANN: He gave me his proxy.

What is it?

Stuart votes yes.


-You're kidding?
-No, I'm not kidding.


-Oh...
-That's it, then.

We can open up negotiations and see where it goes.

[traffic noise]

GRACE: Lisa, you know what it means

to tell the truth, don't you?

And, Lisa,

if you don't understand a question,

or if you need any help at all,

you just tell me. All right?


-Yes.
-Okay.

Lisa, do you know why you're here?

Yes.

Can you tell us?

'Cause Daddy touched me in bad places.

GRACE: Okay.

I want you to pretend that this doll is you.

I renew my objection to the doll.

Overruled.

Lisa, I'd like for you to show us on this doll

where it is that Daddy touches you, okay?

GRACE: It's okay.

It's pretty scary here, I know that. All right?

Now, can you show us where Daddy touches you?

Let the record reflect that

the witness has indicated the legs.

Let the record reflect that

the witness has indicated the chest.

Let the record reflect

that the witness has indicated the buttocks.

Let the record reflect she has indicated the vag*na.

GRACE: You're a very brave little girl, Lisa.

Now, can you tell us...

when it is that Daddy touches you?

When I take a bath.

And in his bed.

Okay.

And what parts of Daddy's body does he use to touch you with?

His hands.

Just his hands?

His mouth.

GRACE: Anything else?

Does he touch you with anything else, Lisa?

Lisa,

does your Daddy touch you with anything else?

His penis.

GRACE: How do you feel about his touching you this way?

I don't like it.

Do you want him to stop?

Yes.

Thank you, Lisa.

I'm all finished, honey.

Now, Mr. LaPorte has a few questions to ask you.

And then we'll be finished.

That was very, very good.

That was very good.

Very, very good.

You were excellent.

Did your mother help you go over

what you were going to say today?

Yes.

She did? And did Miss Van Owen

also help you to prepare for this?

Yes.

Did they tell you what to say?

Uh, a little bit?

Yes.

LAPORTE: Tell me, Lisa,

where did you first hear the word penis?

From Mommy.

LAPORTE: And was it Mommy who first told you that

Daddy touched you in bad places?


-I think so.
-Okay.

Now, Lisa,

this weekend that you were at your Daddy's house,

the weekend that we're talking about,

did you fall down on your tricycle?

I don't remember.

Well, have you ever fallen on your trike

when riding it at Daddy's house?

Yes.

LAPORTE: Thank you very much, Lisa.

You did a good job.

Lisa, just a couple of more questions, okay?

Did Daddy touch you

in the places that you pointed to on this doll?

Yes.

GRACE: Now, did this really happen,

or did you just say that because Mommy or I told you to?

It really happened.

GRACE: Thank you very much, Lisa.

I have nothing further.

Mr. LaPorte?

Nothing.

All right, Lisa.

You can step down now.

Thank you.

♪♪

CHARLOTTE: It's okay, honey. Let's go.

[indistinct whispering]

♪♪

JUDGE: Has the jury reached its verdict, Mr. Foreman?


-We have.
-What say you?

FOREMAN: In the matter of Dianna Dorian versus

Togetherness Dating Service,

we find in favor of the defendant.

Yes! I won!

Oh! Congratulations.

JUDGE: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

I hope you've all had a very pleasant time.

We're adjourned.

Great. Here we go.

Congratulations.

[clears throat] Excuse me.

Great.


-Uh, Mr. Markowitz.
-Yeah?

Oh, uh, hi. Look,ex parte.

Oh, it's okay. Look, I want to say congratulations.


-Oh.
-And also, I may have lost,

but I'm not walking away from this with nothing.

You gave me a lot to think about.

Well, thanks.

Figures you're married.

Stuart. Stuart Markowitz.


-Dave, how are ya?
-Another time, another place.

Yeah, what are you doing here?

Just picking up some lists of judgment debtors.


-Really?
-Let the other guys

go after the Mercedes owners,

I want to know who had their truck repossessed.


-Why?
-Why?

You're asking me why?

Because I have the field to myself.

What makes you think that a guy a little down on his luck

isn't interested in the occasional purchase?

Wh
-
- What can he afford to buy?

Oh, how about a serpentine silver neck chain

to buoy up his spirits?

A tri
-fold leatherette wallet with a gold tone clasp.

Both less than five bucks, yet conceivably priceless

to a drowning man.

Dave, this is Dianna Dorian. Dianna, Dave Meyer.

How do you do?

If you two have a minute, I would love to show you something.

Actually, Dave, I really have to go.

Well, I
-
- I
-
- I have a minute.

Do you know much about the direct mail game, Di?

Beyond a reasonable doubt.

That's the standard they have to satisfy here.

And they don't even come close.

The medical evidence is conflicted.

Even their own doctor admitted it was impossible to conclude

there was sexual abuse here.

Impossible to conclude.

There's no medical evidence whatsoever

which suggests penile penetration,

and there's no medical evidence whatsoever

which specifically implicates Ed Haley.

The only evidence they have which points to my client

is the testimony of a five year old girl.

A girl whose testimony was prepared by her mother

still bitter over the divorce.

A girl whose testimony was prepared by

the District Attorney.

Five year old girls can be very impressionable.

They can be influenced into saying

what you want them to say,

and while no one wants to call Lisa Haley a liar,

I'll remind you...

of the psychiatric evidence we introduced

on how little girls sometimes make these charges up.

Sometimes to blame parents

for not spending enough time with them.

There's plenty of doubt, ladies and gentlemen.

Plenty of it.

He didn't do it.

Oh, I suppose you're not out of line

if you think he did.

I'll admit it's possible to suspect him.

But beyond a reasonable doubt?

Not a chance.

It was the opinion of the doctor who examined her

that the vaginal scarring was caused by sexual abuse;

somebody's fingers.

No, you can never medically establish this

with percent certainty,

but her diagnosis was corroborated

by Lisa Haley herself.

In the most terrifying of settings,

she came up to this witness stand

and asserted one unshakable fact.

That man touched her on her buttocks,

on her vag*na.

And while they offered the best expert testimony

that money could buy to cast doubt

wherever they could,

they offered you nothing

to contradict that fact.

Yes, we talked to her before she testified,

we talked to all our witnesses.

And, yes, sometimes little girls do tell lies,

but as she told you
-
- as Lisa told you
-
-

her Daddy really did molest her.

And let me tell you something, ladies and gentlemen,

it's a terrible thing to put a little girl

through the ordeal of a trial,

but I made her do it.

I made Lisa come in here and relive what happened

because it was the only way I could keep it from happening again.

Because Edward Haley is a child molester.

He did it. He did it.

And for Lisa's sake,

please, don't give him the chance to do it anymore.

Thank you.

And that was the, uh, piece of artwork that I was telling you about.

Mm
-hm.

Do you see who's going into McKenzie's office?

Mm
-hm. Looks like they pushed the button.

She won't start off as any associate, that's for sure.

What's going on?

Look who's with them?

Did you pump anything out of Michael?

No, only that there are gonna be changes.

Yeah, well, there goes the first change right there.

I'll tell you, if they're bringing in a new partner,

we all better start updating our resumes.

Oh, come on.

Hey, there's them, and there's us.

And when they start plotting behind closed doors,

they are not trying to figure out how to benefit us.


-She's overreacting.
-No, she's not overreacting.

Oh, come on, Victor, you know you're a lock for partnership.

Nobody's a lock here, Jonathan.

Now, don't get me wrong, they like us all,

but nobody's ever safe.

Abby's right. Never trust 'em.

Not totally.

WOMAN: Excuse me, Victor?

ARNIE: Why can't you ever admit when you're wrong?


-You misplaced it.
-No I didn't. Hi, Benny.

What's up, buddy?

It's dead.

Wow. It's certainly is.

It didn't hur
-
- hurt anybody.

Hey, Benno, he's happier this way.

He doesn't look happy.

He's at peace now, Benny,

he
-
- he's gone to heaven.


-My mom is in heaven.
-Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, hey, hey, hey.

He's not gonna bother your mother,

he
-
- he's
-
- he's in rat heaven,

and your mother, she's in, uh...

mother heaven.

Do you think that
-
-

that that hurt him?

No.

♪♪

Will the defendant please rise?

In the matter of the People versus Edward Haley,

we, the jury, find the defendant...

not guilty.


-[sighs]
-Congratulations.

Oh, God.

JUDGE: Members of the jury, we thank you for your time.

Oh, God.

This matter is concluded. The defendant is free to go.


-[sighs]
-JUDGE: Court is adjourned.

I don't believe it.

Are you okay?

I'm so sorry. Are you all right?

I'm so sorry, Charlotte.

Double jeopardy won't stop me from going after him again.

If he touches her again, you tell me and I'll get him.

You said you'd get him this time, and he's free?

My God!

I'm sorry, Charlotte.

You're sorry?

She's been through interviews.

Policemen, detectives, social workers.

Gynecologists examining her with microscopes.

And for what?

So she can be dragged into court to relive it,

and then sent back to Daddy?

Oh, I'll tell her, Ms. Van Owen.

I'll tell her the District Attorney is real sorry.

That's not fair. I
-
-

Tell me about fair. He molested her!

And nothing happens.

This system can't even keep him from raping my little baby.

[sobbing ]

How?

How?

Can you get some kind of restraining order

to keep him away?

Not after an acquittal.

What happens if I just take Lisa

and we disappear?

Charlotte, he has custody rights.

You'd be charged with kidnapping.

Uh
-huh.

So... what if I do that?

That's the only way I can keep him away from Lisa.

Isn't it?

As a district attorney,

it would be inappropriate for me

to encourage an illegal act.

Give me another choice.

I can't let this happen to her again.

As a district attorney, it would be inappropriate for me

to encourage an illegal act.

I hear you, Ms. Van Owen.

I hear you loud and clear.

♪♪

♪♪