02x03 - The Necessity Defense

[bunniefuu]

You're my brother,
and I love you.

But it's time for everyone
to move forward.

I'm moving in with Marie.

I haven't seen Darius around.

He moved out.

Scotty Williams.

I'm your probation officer.

A man just getting out of prison

needs to have some degree
of financial stability.

You get that I'm a lawyer,
right?

Spencer Richardson
called me yesterday.

Can't hurt to hear
what the man has to say.

I know you got
no good reason to trust me.

But I can offer you something

more fulfilling
than maybe you'd imagined.

It sounds like he really wants
to do some good.

And it would be
for a lot of money.

I gotta have my independence.

I got one case... Hmm?

I want you to take.

We made a compromise.

I gotta do
this onething for him.

Thank you.

For hearing me.

I don't want to lose you again.

...Captions by VITAC...

♪ Call me crazy

♪ When I see you, baby

♪ Got a smile about you

♪ Something red wine about you

♪ In the evening, hazy

Mm.

Hey.

Hey.

♪♪

Is this real?

I think so.

[ AJ crying ]

[ Sighs ]

When did that happen?

Like 3:30.

[ Crying continues ]

Let me seeif Jazz is up to feed him.

Okay. Okay.

Grandma got you. I got you.

I know. I know.

[ Shushing ]

Hey.

Hmm?

You're beautiful.

♪♪

You should go overto that storage unit.

Those, uh, empty drawers
are getting lonely,

and I have half a closetwaiting for you.

Oh, I seriously doubt it's half.

[ Chuckles ]

Just get over there.

[ Chuckles softly ]

Okay, okay.

[ Chuckles ]

♪ Mad about you

♪ Breaking my heart
at the first sight ♪

[ Music plays over radio]

♪ Leaving me lost
in the morning light ♪

Hey.

How'd yousleep?

Better than on the couch.

Oh, I'll bet.

Watch it.

Oh, I will. [ Chuckles ]

So, Mom says you have
a big case and a new office.

That is true.

Which you're gonna show me.

What about your schooling?

I'll bring my work.

And Mom is dropping off AJ
with Ronnie's mom.

She even said
we could take her car.

Okay. Let's do it.

[ Chuckles ]

Oh, my God. Aaron W...
Mr. Wallace.

[ Door closes ]And Jasmine, too.

I-I'm so honored
to meet both of you.

I, uh... I've known
Charlotte's father for years.

She heard about what we're doing
and is prepared

to take a leave of absence
from NYU Law School...

For the year, if you'll have me.

To work for us. Any and all grunt work,

and I wouldn't even need
to draw salary.

Or you could pay me minimum
wageif you need to for liability.

Part secretary, part paralegal.

I guess she's hired.

Really?!

I am so...

That is just... I...

Thank you.

Thank you.

I promise
you will not regret this.

Good. Should we go
see our client?

Yeah.

You gonna hang here
and do your homework?

I can't come?

No, we're going
to a women's jail.

It's a very sensitive situation,
sweetie.

I can get into the research

on racial biases
in city hospitals,

and I'm sure Jasmine can help.

Some of your deep background
on systemic flaws and trends

were out of this world.

Y... On your website, I mean.

Thanks.

As long as it doesn't interfere
with your schoolwork, alright?

Okay.

♪♪

You got my number, right?

Okay. You can call
or text whenever.

Okay.

Alright.

Alright.

Hey, Jazz.

[ Buzzer ]

I knew something was wrong
right away.

I mean, Josh, he's 11 years old.

He's hit his head before,
but this was different.

I could just tell.

And so you took him
to Westchester United Hospital?

I know you're gonna ask me
why I didn't go to Bronx County.

I grew up in the Bronx.
I think I get the idea.

It's like a w*r zone
in that place,

and they always keep you
waiting for hours,

no matter what's wrong with you.

That's what I remember.

I just wanted
to get my boy real care.

Mm-hmm.

That's why I drove
the 20 minutes to Westchester.

But when you got there...?

They took his blood pressure

and looked in his eyes
for five seconds,

but then it was just...

nothing.

I kept asking the nurse
when could he see a doctor,

and they kept putting me off
and putting me off.

I kept telling them,
"He's getting worse,"

and they kept saying

his symptoms were normal
for a head injury.

After like three hours,

they put us
in this patient room,

almost like, "Give 'em a room.
That'll shut 'em up."

And then what?

We're there for another hour,

and I can see
he's woozy and fading

and starts babbling.

So now I'm losing it,

and I'm asking any doctor I see

would they look at him,

and everyone's
just blowing me off

or ignoring me.

So, more time goes by.

How much more time?

Another 45 minutes, maybe.

And then he starts vomiting.

That's when I knew
enough's enough.

But, again,
they tell me that's normal,

and I knew in my bones
I was gonna lose him.

♪♪

So, you're there
almost six hours,

and that's when
you take out the g*n?

I'm a schoolteacher.

I just wanted them
to pay attention.

[ Sighs ]

When the doctors came,
I put the g*n down.

We know that, Alice.

The doctors
took one look at Josh,

and they rushed him
into the O.R.

If I'd waited
another 10 minutes,

[Voice breaking]
he would've died.

If you ask me on the stand,

I'm not gonna say
that I apologize,

and I can't say
that I regret it.

I can't.

I wouldn't either.

Well, tell me the truth here.

Do I have a chance?

♪♪

We'll find a way.

Somehow.

You realize
we have no play here.

Right?

Aaron?

Yeah, I'm thinking.

I just don't understand

why Richardson even wanted us
to take this case.

Oh, he doesn't care
if we win or lose.

He's just counting on us
making a larger point

about racism
in the healthcare system.

So, we're supposed to use her?

For a good cause.

Roswell: It's called
the necessity defense.

If the judge would even
consider it, which is a big if,

we'd have to prove her actions

were not only necessary
to save her son

but also that no other
lawful action she could've done

would've gotten the doctors
to treat him.

Sounds like a very high bar.

[ Sighs ] The other alternative
is that w-we try to make a deal.

And let them get away
with that behavior?

She's inclined to fight,
assuming we can offer a path.

Is there any way to corroborate

what happened in the hospital
that night,

in terms of
those other white patients

all being seen ahead of her?

That would require us to get
our hands on the intake docs...

Which you could subpoena.

A judge would never allow us

to see confidential
medical records.

What if I were to tell you

there was a lawsuit
against that same hospital

for racial discrimination
settled two years ago?

Yeah, that would help.
What do you know about it?

Black man gets
treated differently

than a dozen white people
with the same symptoms.

The details are locked behind
a confidentiality agreement.

Then how do you hear about it?

That, I can't say.

But it's what made me feel
like we had a shot here.

A shot at what?

I don't think
I understand the question.

Well, are we defending her

or grandstanding
to attack the system?

I would say both.

You really want to help her,
what is she doing

sitting behind bars when
you could post bail for her?

I already told her
I'd post the bail.

Why do you think
she fired her other lawyer

and kept the meeting with you?

Then why is she still
sitting in jail?

I wanted to make sure
you didn't get cold feet.

I can see you still have
certain reservations.

Yeah, not about her.

You're acting like you made
some deal with the devil,

when you know how important
this case could be

for our community.

Now, should I get you
what I have

on that discrimination lawsuit?

Or not?

♪♪

I got a whole study here
from the CDC.

That's good.
I didn't get to that yet.

According to this,

Black women are 243% more likely

to die in childbirth
than white women.

Okay, that's great.

See how much of that

is tied to treatment
and level of care

and how much to overall health.

I'll cull through this
University of Chicago study,

and I'm printing out
the one from Mass General.

You're really taking
a whole year off from law school

to do this?

What your father accomplished,

becoming a lawyer insideprison

and then to get himself
exonerated...

When I read about him,
I was so blown away.

I thought, if I could
give something back,

when I'm in a position to do
that because of my privilege...

He's just so inspiring.

Yeah.

He's pretty amazing.

[ Chuckles ]

I can't even imagine what
it must have been like for you.

A-And your mom...
To have to wait all those years.

I always believed in him.

That's what kept me going.

And now he's back.

Mm!

Yeah, I knew it.

[ Laughs ]And less than 72 hours.

Ha! [ Chuckles ]

Girl. Yeah, I know.

[ Breathes deeply ]

And? How was it?

Like...

Like we didn't skip a beat.

Well, all I know is,
I just won a hundred bucks.

Why?

We had a pool going...[ Gasps ]

...for how long
it would take.
Oh, my God.

Everybody else was banking
on you having more restraint.

Oh, really? Okay.

[ Both chuckle ]

You know, we haven't really even
talked about anything yet...

Like, you know, Darius,

so many things.

Well, I think
"bed first, talk second"

is absolutely
the correct procedure...

Mrs. Wallace.

[ Both chuckle ]

♪♪

[ Door closes ]

This would be my probation
officer, Scotty Williams.

Pleasure to meet you,
Mr. Roswell.

Likewise. Glad to see
you're making yourself at home.

Courtesy of
Spencer Richardson, huh?

Well done.

I guess you met my daughter.

I did.

Seems like she's got her head
on her shoulders.

I thought we were gonna arrange
an appointment for that.

Well, I came
to check out your digs.

Didn't know she'd be here.

So, you came up
with some good stuff, huh?

With Charlotte?

Yeah.

She's like a groupie, Dad.
[ Chuckles ]

Well, I got you
to thank for that.

Your website.

I mean, you make me sound
like I walk on water.

[ Glass shatters ]

You alright?

[ Sighs ]

Yeah.

It's just...

I noticed the other night,

the first night you came home...

there was a siren
down the street,

and you kind of wigged out.

Like you did now.

Guess I'm just a little jumpy,
you know?

It's nothing.

I read on the Internet
some stuff,

people having...
PTSD sort of, like,

when they come home.No. No, no, no.

It's nothing like that,
sweetheart.

I swear I'm good.

How about you?

What do you mean?
I'm... I'm great.

It really feels like
you're not sure

that this is gonna stick.

Like maybe I'm not
gonna stay around

or you're worried
something's gonna happen to me.

Well, you're on probation.

And he seems pretty serious.

Look, he can be
as serious as he wants.

I'm not gonna do anything

to give him any ammunition
against me.

Oh. Okay.

Are you worried
about me and your mother?

It's got to be hard...

Being in that house.

♪♪

You know, the two of you
is what I was fighting for.

My whole time in there.

And she's the only woman
I've ever loved.

♪♪

But listen, alright?

No matter what...

till my dying breath...

whether you come to the office
with me every single day

or not... [ Laughs ]

...I am gonna be there for you.

Alright?

Yeah.

♪♪

[ Beep, door closes ]

Hey, Mom. Marie: Hey.

Where's my AJ?

He's sleeping upstairs.

Thanks.

Good day?

Aaron: Complicated.

Tell me.

[ Exhales deeply ]

I'm not sure I trust Richardson,

and I think Jazz is
kind of having a bad time.

Well, yeah, it's gonna be
kind of hard for her

to believe you're really here.

And to admit, you know,

it's... it's all kind of
blowing mymind.

[ Chuckles ] Yeah. Mine too.

I, uh, found Darius' shoes
in the garbage can.

[ Sighs ]

Well, he doesn't live here
anymore, so I threw 'em out.

Okay, well...

I think we should talk about it.

Nothing to talk about.

He texted me yesterday.
He wants your number.

What'd you say?

I told him I didn't think
it was a great idea right now,

but I'd ask you.

What do you want to do?

I don't know.
I guess... give me his.

[ Sighs ]

So... how's your... case going?

Yeah, it's alright.
It's a long shot.

I don't even know what it is.

Black woman takes her kid
to a hospital in Westchester.

He's got a brain injury,

and they don't see him
for six hours.

And she goes postal?

That'sthe case you're on?

Yeah. They're gonna charge her
with kidnapping.

She could get 25 to life.

Well, yeah. She pulled a g*n
on doctors and nurses.

Because she was asked
to sit at the back of the bus

while her son was dying.

You don't know that. You can't know
what was going on in that hospital.

I will when I get the records.

Okay.

If you win this,

you realize the message
it's gonna send?

That anyone can walk
into my hospital

and wave a g*n at me

if they're not happy
with the level of attention?

Do you know
what the people at my hospital

are gonna say to me
when they find out?

You walked out of here,
and you didn't even tell me.

[ Sighs ]

You told me you wanted me
to take the job with Richardson.

That's what it required.

Well, I didn't say
you shouldn't take it.

I'm just saying
that we should've discussed it.

Maybe you could've
gone back to him

and asked for something else

or we could have found
some other solution,

especially when you're telling
me you don't trust the man.

Look...

you should've recognized
it might affect me,

and we should've
talked about it.

[ Sighs ] You're right.

I...

Baby, I get you've been
on your own all this time,

but you got to start
including me.

I hear you, Marie. I...

Listen.

No more lone wolf.

I swear.

♪♪

I, uh... I got you something.

Since you're so big time.

♪♪

♪♪

"ASW, Esquire."

[ Chuckles softly ]

I like the sound of that.

I do, too.

Thank you.

[ Chuckles softly ]

♪♪

Sun: This is absolutely absurd.

Hospitals have
a sophisticated triage system

to code and evaluate
relative need.

"Relative" being the operative
word here, Your Honor.

That makes the entire situation
completely subjective.

Complex systems are in place,
systems constructed

by years of research
with complicated protocols...

Which require
subjective judgment.

And ordinary citizens do not
get to substitute theirjudgment

for that of the professionals

and start waving a loaded g*n
around to prove it.

If the court even entertains
this necessity defense,

what would be the end game?

Anyone can take
doctors and nurses hostage

if they think
they need more attention?

Is that the new standard
we want to create?

It isn't anyone, Your Honor.

And it isn't every situation.

It's this particular situation.

Which is?

A black woman walks into
a predominantly white hospital

expecting a certain level
of care.

Instead, she's ignored
and treated like a hysteric

precisely because she was black.

You can't possibly prove that.

I could if I was allowed

to subpoena
the intake logs and records

of all the other patients
from that night.

[ Chuckles ]
I would've thought he'd be
more familiar with HIPAA.

There will be no HIPAA issue
here, Your Honor,

if the names and addresses

of all the other patients
were redacted.

This is a fishing expedition,
Your Honor.

Then I guess
you don't know about

the racial-discrimination
lawsuit brought and settled

with Westchester United
two years ago.

Makes you wonder
if there's a pattern here.

♪♪

And how would you get around
the privacy issues

in Northwestern v. Ashcroft?

Subsection 514 of section 164

of the Code
of Federal Regulations

allows disclosure of exactly
this kind of information

as long as the subpoena requires
de-identification.

♪♪

I want to hear all the arguments
in front of the bench...

Before I ever let it
get to a jury.

That sounds fair, Your Honor.

Thank you.

♪♪

They crossed out all the names,

but their ages, ethnicities,
and conditions are all there.

Roswell: According to the logs,
there was a white man,


came in at 6:02 p.m.,

complaining of abdominal pain.

That was 28 minutes
after you'd already checked in,

but he was seen by a doctor,
diagnosed with heartburn,

and discharged at 6:48 p.m.,

at which point,
Josh still hadn't been treated.

Heartburn.

Do you remember seeing this man

or overhearing
anything about him?

No.

But there wasa soccer mom

with her daughter,
who had a broken arm.

They were in the room
next to mine.

Got X-rayed
and the whole nine yards.

Came in after, treated first.

Same as you just described
with Mr. Pepto-Bismol.

I hope you're not gonna have
that attitude in the courtroom.

Is she going to have to explain

why she was carrying a g*n
in the first place?

Prosecution's likely
to bring that up. Yeah.

And her explanation

that she got robbed
in the neighborhood.

Josh: Mom?

What's going on here?

Oh.

These are the men
that are helping us.

This is Aaron Wallace...
He's my lawyer...

And his associate, Mr. Roswell.

Nice to meet you, Josh.

If you need me
to answer any questions

about what happened that day,
I was there, too.

[ Chuckling ] Alright.

That won't be necessary, sugar.

They know all about
what happened.

Maybe I'll take Josh
for something to eat.

Want to get some pizza,
little man?

My husband's definitely having
a hard time with all this.

He didn't even know I had a g*n.

And now he's hearing

that I'm whipping one out
in a hospital.

♪♪

Do you love him?

Of course.

Does he love you?

We've been together
since we were 18.

There's never been nobody else.

Then you just got to hold on
to your truth.

James will come around
when he can.

♪♪

I read about your case.

Your wife...

she waited?

Nine and a half years?

♪♪

I'm home again.

That's all that matters.

♪♪

Alright, you have plenty of milk
in the fridge now.

Mom.

What? Shh.

I told you, don't worry
about being quiet.

You can't be on eggshells
around him.

[ AJ crying ]

Yeah? Well, now you woke him.

Just leave him be, Jazz.
He'll work it out on his own.

I just feel like
he's hungry, Mom.

Those are sleeping sounds,
honey.

Look, he's...

he's getting out
of the newborn stage.

You know,
his habits are changing.

[ AJ cooing ]

See?

Your father and I used to argue

about how long we should wait
before somebody picked you up.

He was a softie.

[ Chuckles ]

He couldn't stand it
for more than two minutes.

[ Chuckles ]

What's this?

Oh. Looking up new houses.

For us?

Yeah.

I mean, we don't have
a third bedroom for AJ

or anywhere for, you know,
your father to stay

or Dad's parents to stay
when they come.

Mm.

Dad told me
he's getting a good salary.

Well, he's got
a six-month agreement

with Spencer Richardson
ifhe gets through this case

andRichardson is happy
with the result.

So, I asked
if they'd provide me something

for the postoperative pain,

and this nurse asked
if I would rate my pain

on a scale from 1 to 10.

I say an 8.

She says, "Let me go check
with the doctor."

Hours go by. Now I'm in agony.

And I called the nurse again...
Different nurse this time.

The other one's off her shift.

She asked the same question,

said she's gonna go check
with the doctor.

It took them almost a whole day
to bring the painkiller.

And they go on and on
about how addictive it can be

and how they didn't want
to give me too high a dose.

Couple days later,
I go into work.

I tell my colleague my story.

She says she was
at the same hospital.

With a very different story.

I had my appendix out
two weeks before,

and I go there and tell them
it's still hurting.

They check me out,
tell me all is fine.

They ask me about my pain index.

I say I am at a 5.

And they zip in
with a bottle of Oxy

and ask if I want a prescription
for another one,

in case I need it.

And you're both on
the same insurance plan?

Of course.
We get it through our employer.

I mean, I never would've known

about the difference
in treatment

if I hadn't happened
to mention it to Elise at work.

But then I did my own research,

and I found that this is a trend
all over the country.

Black people being perceived

to have a higher tolerance
for pain.

That's why I felt like
I had to bring the suit.

And the settlement?

It wasn't for much.

What I wanted was
for them to make some changes.

Of course,
they put it in writing.

How they were going to
look at their protocols,

have sensitivity training.

And here we are.

That poor woman looking
at 25 years in prison

for trying to save her son.

♪♪

This is a map of income
by ZIP code.

♪♪

Could you please show me
where Bronx County Hospital is?

♪♪

I want to ask the court...

to take judicial notice
the, um...

[ Both chuckle softly ]

So, this is the mad genius
at work.

[ Sighs ] My curfew.

Mm.

Otherwise, I'd be doing this
at the office.

Don't worry...

The tape won't peel the paint
from the walls.

[ Chuckles ]

Maybe this is why

Jazz is looking up new houses
on the Internet.

She never mentioned
anything to me.

Well, I-I told her
it was too soon,

but I understand the instinct.

Yeah.

[ Inhales deeply ]

So, you want to run
some of this by me,

pretend I'm the judge?

Hold on.

I thought you were rooting
for the other side.

It's called role play...

Counselor.

[ Telephone ringing ]

Take a seat.

[ Taps ]

So, what'd you find out about
this new case he's working on?

Well, he's not interacting

with anyone
in the criminal element,

if that's the concern.

And what did he tell you
about his relationship

with Spencer Richardson?

Just that Richardson's paying
his overhead and his salary.

Seemed like a move
in a positive direction.

I think maybe you should drop in
on Richardson,

since now
he's the ward's employer.

Is there anything in particular
you want to know?

I just want to make sure

he's not taking advantage
of Wallace,

pushing him to do things

that his army of legitimate
attorneys won't touch.

And how hard
do you want me to go?

Just ask your questions, Scotty,
matter of fact.

♪♪

I can tell this isn't
very comfortable for you.

Asking these questions.

I'm doing my job, sir.

You're trying
to thread the needle

between doing your job
and being used as an errand boy.

[ Chuckles ]

That's a needle I have to thread
every day, sir.

And I bet you got
all kinds of people asking you

why you're working
inside a system

that holds our people down.

Hmm.

I'd like to think I do some good
from time to time.

Making sure people like Wallace
stay on their feet.

And what about me?

You have your doubts?

I admire what
you've accomplished...

sir.

I also know you've been
a big friend to law enforcement.

I'd imagine that's why
people on my end

are a bit... confused
about your intentions.

Your boss is just the messenger.

This is the Bronx DA's office

having you do
their bidding for them.

You want to know
what we're trying to do,

I suggest you come to court
tomorrow and see for yourself.

♪♪

The defense is trying
to make a false connection

between this one anecdote
from over two years ago

and how Ms. Martin was treated
on the night in question.

The connection is clear,
Your Honor.

Conscious or unconscious,
deliberate or not,

Josh Martin's head injury
was not taken as seriously

as a white girl
with a broken arm

or a white man
with a stomach ache.

So now you're speculating
about the intentions

of the doctors and nurses.

[ Door closes ]

♪♪

Judge Mitchell: Mr. Wallace?

Ms. Martin was treated
differently, and she knew it.

The same way Mr. Wilson was.

You cannot cherry-pick
two instances

and try to argue a pattern.

Which is why
we all have to understand

the larger context of the system
she walked into that night.

And you're gonna educate us?

No.

But the hospital's
administrator is.

Mr. Kent, are you familiar
with Opticlear?

It's a software algorithm

that helps us
with care-decision making.

And it's used
at thousands of hospitals?

It's the gold standard.

And are you aware

that medical researchers
have determined

that this gold standard
dramatically underestimates

the healthcare needs
of black patients?

I-I believe
that is still up for debate.

Well, not according to the CDC,

the University of Chicago,
and Mass General.

And are you aware
of the proven underdiagnosis

of depression in black patients?

Uh, in general, yes.

Overdiagnosis of schizophrenia?

Also true.

And are black patients


to receive pain medication?

I-I-I don't know if it's 50%.

And no one is arguing
that this is okay, Mr. Wallace.

I'm not asking if it's okay.

I'm asking if it's real.

Sun: Objection, Your Honor.

Is Mr. Wallace putting

the entire American
medical system on trial here?

Yes, sir, I am.

Because I thought
what we're talking about here is

a single incident
on a single day
at a certain hospital.

As I said before,

Ms. Martin's experience
at Westchester United

exists within the context
of a broader issue, Your Honor.

That's my point.

I'll allow it
if you can find a way

to tie it together, Mr. Wallace.

Now, this is a map of income
by ZIP code.

I would ask the court
to take judicial notice

that Ms. Martin's ZIP code
in the Bronx

has a median family income
of $33,456

and is 82% people of color.

And what is the median
family income of the ZIP code

where your hospital is located
in Westchester?

Roughly... 110,000.

So, would it be fair to say

that when Ms. Martin drove past
Bronx County on that day,

headed to your hospital,
that she thought

she would be going
to a better-funded hospital

with better facilities
and better care?

I can't dispute that.

But it's not supposed to
be that way, is it?

I'm s...

Uh, uh, I'm not sure
I understand the question.

There are government programs
already in place

designed to close the gap

between private
well-funded hospitals like yours

and the county hospital
in the Bronx

that Ms. Martin was avoiding.

Are there not?

Are you talking about
the Indigent Care Pool?

A billion-dollar fund
designed for resources

to flow into
underserved communities.

That's right.

And based on the idea
of that fund,

you'd expect the hospitals
in inner-city areas

to be getting
most of that money.

In theory, yes.

But not in practice.

In fact,
a lot of that money goes

to private well-funded hospitals
like yours.

Uh, I am not aware
of the exact allocations.

In order for Westchester United

to get their hands
on some of that money,

you had to apply
for a grant, yes?

Of course.

And on what basis

did your hospital apply
for funds from the ICP?

Well, 18% of the people who
come into our emergency rooms

are from the indigent community.

♪♪



That's what justified
your money grab.

Objection.

Your Honor?

Withdrawn.

♪♪

So, since your hospital

and other private
well-funded hospitals

make a habit of siphoning money
away from inner-city hospitals

on the premise
that you also treat

members of
the underserved community,

when Ms. Martin walked
into that hospital

as someone from the poorer
socioeconomic demographic,

she should expect to be treated
as though she belonged there.

I...

I-I think it goes without saying
that she, uh...

should expect good treatment
in anyhospital she walks into.

Including ours.

Yeah.

Yeah, that is
what she should expect.

But that isn't what happened.

Was it?

[ Pen clicks ]

♪♪

♪♪

[ Dramatic chord strikes ]

[ Heartbeat thumping ]

[ Indistinct conversations
in distance ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

The point is,
you're in a very good position,

and we need
to keep pushing this.

Hey. Henry.

'Cause we got 'em
on the run now.

Just keep push...

Keep pushing what?
What's going on?

Mr. Richardson says
they're offering us a deal.

Mm.

How do you know that?

Westchester DA called me.

Instead of her lawyer.

We know each other.

He was trying to convince me
to pull the plug.

I told him
we weren't giving in so easily.

What's the offer?

They'll drop the kidnapping
down to unlawful imprisonment

and fold the g*n charge into it.

They're asking for
a five-year sentence.

That's four years
on good behavior.

Sounds like you think
we should take it.

And I think
that would be premature.

If you don't mind,

I'd like to have a word
with my client and her family.

Alone.

Aaron:
Now, listen to me, alright?

I understand you feel beholden
to Mr. Richardson.

Maybe you think he knows
the right thing to do.

But he has another agenda
besides you.

And that's to attack
the healthcare system

and to embarrass
Westchester Hospital,

to use your case politically
to influence change.

Now, that's a worthy goal,

but I can't take you
down that path

without telling you the risks.

Now, you keep pushing this,
and it goes to trial,

the offer...

♪♪

...that goes away.

And we're back to 25 years
if we lose.

What makes you think
we won't win at trial?

If they're already dropping
the charges down so much now?

What do you think the jury's
gonna look like in Westchester?

How do you think
all those soccer moms
and Pepto-Bismol dads

are gonna take
to what we're arguing here?

I thought for sure,
you'd be the one saying

we got to fight this.

♪♪

I was in your position once.

I had a deal on the table,

and I barely even
let my lawyer negotiate it down.

Because I was innocent,

and I was convinced
that somehow...

That somehow it was all
just gonna work out for me.

And then when it didn't...

♪♪

I spent so many nights
in that place...

staring up at the ceiling,

beating myself up
about what I did...

knowing the... the agony
my family was going through.

♪♪

Thinking I was
never gonna make it out.

Hoping I would, but...

never really knowing.

♪♪

[ Inhales deeply ]

I wouldn't wish that
on my worst enemy.

And if I could,

I would do anything
to get some of that time back.

If I could turn those nine years
into seven or even eight,

I...

I'd do it.

♪♪

I would trade anything...

to not have lost that time.

♪♪

[ Sighs ]

♪♪

He'll be in the ninth grade
when I get out.

♪♪

If we lose, he'll be...



With kids of his own.

♪♪

Listen, I know it'll be hard.

But that's still plenty of time.

♪♪

Four years?

[ Sniffles ]

[ Breathing shakily ]

[ Voice breaking ]
Y-You take care of him.

♪♪

[ Voice breaking ]
This is what you really want?

We can't risk it.

♪♪

[ Sighing ] Alright.

I'll be waiting for you
on the other side.

♪♪

You were willing tomake a martyr out of her
to make a point?

Causes need people
willing to stand up and fight.

Well, that's easy for you to say
standing in the penthouse.

That woman never asked
to be a part of a cause.

And that doesn't mean you
needed to talk her out of it.

[ Sighs ]

This is why
I can't work for you.

Because we have
a difference of opinion?

Because I can't have you
poking your head into my cases

like you did today... ever.

Listen, you say
you want to do right by me.

If you can stand by that,
that's great.

But if you got to
take back the money...

...I can live with that.

You did great work.

Better than I even hoped for.

And I'm certainly disappointed
to find you thinking so small.

Her life and her family
aren't small.

Not to them.

We made a deal.

Mm?

And I'm gonna stand by my word.

But you still have
a lot to learn.

♪♪

How'd that go?

Well, he's not
pulling our funding.

Well done there.

Can't work with somebody
I don't trust.

I get it.

I wish it was different,
but I hear you.

You know, this is why
I used to drink.

Well, partof the reason.

The clients. All that pain.

And it's gonna be
a thousand times harder for you.

Because you understand it...
In your bones...

The way no other lawyer can.

It's gonna be a blessing
for your clients,

but sometimes, it's gonna be
a curse for you.

Is this supposed to be
a pep talk?

Let's get you home, huh?

I have another stop to make,
if you don't mind.

[ Casey Kalmenson's "Flood"
plays ]

♪♪

♪ How'd you like me to be

♪ Quietly pretend
I missed the part ♪

♪ Where you left me

♪ Didn't I, didn't I tell you

♪ Didn't I, didn't I tell you

♪ Didn't I, didn't I tell you

♪ How cold nights could be

♪ Didn't I, didn't I tell you

What you doing over here?

Posting about your case.

And everyone is
talking about it.

Don't you think you ought to
change the name of the website?

I don't need to.

I mean,
it has two different meanings,

and this is what
the "free Aaron Wallace"

is doing now.

Hey, um...

are you alright
about what we talked about?

Yeah, of course.

Are you?

Yeah.

Yeah, I'm good.

Marie: Hey, Grandpa.

Hey.

[ Smooches ] Mm.

Jazz said you were spectacular
in court today.

Yeah? Mm-hmm.

I'm sorry I missed it.

I went to the storage area.

Oh, really?

Did you bring anything back?

It was so much to go through.

I brought a couple of boxes.

They're downstairs.

So, why don't you bring them up?

It was hard, Marie.

Seeing all those boxes.

And your handwriting,
Magic Marker.

So... neat and...

And organized.

My God. [ Sighs ]

That was so long ago.

How long?

What's that?

Well, when exactly
did you pack up all my stuff

and put it in that warehouse?

♪♪

I, uh... I don't...
I don't know.

I... It must have been
[Sighs] around when...

I moved in here.

I guess like seven years ago?

Mm.

This place is so small.

There was nowhere
to put any of it.

♪♪

Yeah, I understand.

It's just, seeing
a life's worth of stuff in...

[ Sighs ]

I just...

♪♪

I don't know.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪