All language subtitles for The Practice s05e03 Officers Of The Court

Previously on The Practice.

When we ask you, did your sister seem
suicidal, a response of, I didn't think

so, isn't going to do it. She was
murdered. If you know it, she did not

suicide. You absolutely know it. She
said that if she turned up missing, that

should call the police, because Scott
probably did something to her.

Objection! You want me to sign this?

An affidavit saying I coached a witness
to lie? He made that stuff up about his

sister being afraid. Helen, I told him
what his testimony needed to accomplish.

I never said lie. I'm convinced that
Kyle Barrett lied on the stand after

coached by the prosecution.

I don't think Mr. Bay crossed the line.
I see no evidence that he solicited

perjury. The conviction, therefore,
stands.

This thing was built to bring children
joy and it's toxic.

We have consistently found that it does
not pose an unreasonable risk to either

children or adults.

I have a boy whose body convulses and a
daughter who keeps falling down and a

son who can't read and you people have
known for 30 years.

We signed in favor of the plaintiff and
ordered the defendant to pay damages in

the amount of $72 million.

I'm granting defense's motion to remit.
The knockdown number is $135 per child.

That's less than they offered.

I don't care. Your case was pure
speculation, counsel. We have a right.

To a new trial. If you take a new trial,
you'll be right back before me, Ms.

Frutt. And if you do win, I might remit
the next knockdown to $75 ,000.

I'm going to get him.

That judge, I'm going to get him.

That's something.

You don't have to do that. Take it, take
it. You pay me back when you get it.

Listen, Jennifer, you're a smart girl.

A good girl.

I can judge character.

Don't be doing this.

Thank you.

Go. Wipe that stuff off your face.

I will pay you back.

Well, in the meantime, get a paper out
or something.

Don't be doing this.

Jimmy. You're having a kid?

You didn't tell me that.

I didn't want you to get mad.

How could you still be doing drugs?

It was just this one time.

Billy left me. He left me like this.
What about rehab?

I called that number that you gave me,
but they said that I couldn't interview

for two weeks.

And then I lost the number.

How far along are you?

Eight months.

Can you get me out?

Jimmy.

You're smoking crack with an eight
-month baby. It was just once, I swear.

it wasn't.

Jimmy, I'll do the rehab. I'll do
anything that you want me to do. Please

get me out.

If I get you out, and I'm not saying I
can, but if I do, you go into rehab

immediately.

Straight from the courthouse.

I promise.

Tell me about the arrest.

Okay, everyone, let's get started.

Did somebody make it official that
you're in charge?

Brain's beating in character.

Don't knock it.

Okay, let's go. Jimmy.

Jennifer Cole, possession of crack
cocaine.

Again?

I got a motion to kick at nine.

She's eight months pregnant.

What? And she's smoking crack?

Believe me, I tore into her already.

She better hope her baby doesn't die.
She could be charged with murder. Did

tell her that? I'm not positive I did,
but I will. Thank you, Lindsay. She

should be shot.

All right.

Beck, how's the research coming?

Okay. Can you give me something a little
more than okay? I'm seeing Scott

Wallace later.

Sure.

We can argue reversible error when Judge
Wolfe didn't have an evidentiary

hearing on whether Richard Bay suborned
perjury. Now, since we have Helen Gamble

with us, I think that's our best shot.

What else?

Well, the neighbor's testimony that he
heard lots of fights between Scott

Wallace and his wife, prior bad conduct,
inadmissible. We could argue reversible

error there, too.

All right.

Lucy, keep dogging the clerk's office.
Eleanor, jump in with Rebecca on the

brief. I can't, actually. I'm a little
jammed.

Not on my calendar, you're not.

I have an appointment with the chief
judge of the district court today.

About what?

Judge Aldrich.

I didn't know.

I'm keeping you out of it. Eleanor, we
can't afford to be alienating. One

meeting, the appointment's made, I'm
doing it.

Aldrich is out of line, I'm not staying
quiet.

Forget it.

I was observing 4323 South Holden Green.

It's a known crack house.

I witnessed Jennifer Cole exiting.

She was stumbling and disoriented, her
appearance consistent with being under

the influence of drugs.

What did you do?

I exited my vehicle, approached the
suspect, identified myself as a police

officer, and then engaged her in
conversation.

Her behavior confirmed my suspicion that
she was high.

Could you describe that behavior?

She was sweating and jittery and was
slurring her speech.

What did you do then, officer?

I conducted a quick pat -down search for
weapons, and I could plainly feel an

object in her jacket pocket.

It was immediately apparent to me that
the object was a rock of crack cocaine.

How did you know?

Well, I received extensive training in
recognizing crack.

I felt a small object, asymmetrical,
rough edges, a rock of crack.

Then what?

Then I reached inside the defendant's
jacket and removed approximately 100

milligrams of what was determined to be
crack cocaine wrapped in paper.

This rock of crack.

How big was it?

About a half an inch in diameter.

So that's no bigger than what, an
aspirin?

About that size.

And this tiny little thing was, as you
put it, wrapped in paper?

That's correct.

In fact, it was inside a scrunched up
brown paper bag, right?

Yes. And the bag was inside a jacket, a
big winter overcoat, in fact.

I don't recall exactly.

Officer, I'm showing you what's been
admitted as people's free.

This the jacket Ms. Coble's wearing?

Looks like it, yeah.

So, you do this one pat of Ms. Cole's
body, through this thick down overcoat,

and through this crumpled up paper bag,
you feel this tiny little lump, and you

immediately know it's crack cocaine.

Yes. No way it was jewelry, candy.

No. All this from just one pat?

Yes. We receive comprehensive and
extensive training. How many times have

used these comprehensive and extensive
training techniques to frisk suspects

crack cocaine, officer?

Probably ten times. And how many arrests
resulted from these comprehensively

trained pat -downs, officer?

Two or three.

So the other eight people you frisked
were innocent?

Nothing further, Your Honor.

Ms. Alexander, the witness may step
down.

Did the Commonwealth have anything else?

No. But I would like to remind the court
that in addition to pat -downs being

constitutionally permissible, this woman
is eight months pregnant, and I would

like to ask the court to seriously
consider the consequences of... The

against Ms. Cole are dismissed without
prejudice.

You bring me some new evidence, you can
refile.

Ms. Cole, you are free to go.

I want to thank you, Your Honor, for
being gracious enough to see me. Well,

there was nothing gracious about it. You
somehow got my home number and woke me

from a deep sleep.

I had no idea what I was saying yes to.

We were basically blackmailed, Your
Honor.

Judge Aldrich told us to accept the
knockdown number, Orel.

And the Orel's being that he would order
a new trial, keep the case, and steer

us into defeat.

You're talking about one of my most
respected colleagues.

Who committed gross abuse of discretion.

What he did did not respect you, Your
Honor, or the court.

It was blackmail.

You can substantiate this?

Yeah. My co -counsel Lindsay Dole was
present, as was opposing counsel.

Duh.

If you thought the judge was out of
bounds, you should have asked the court

reporter to step in. He never would have
said that on the record.

But you need a record in order for me to
act, Miss Frutt.

At minimum, you should have appealed the
reduction. Instead, you agreed to the

knockdown and you took the money. My
clients took it under duress. Well, that

was a big mistake.

Then you made it.

Maybe that's what's eating you.

What's eating me is being blackmailed by
a judge.

What he did was corrupt.

I don't see that on any appellate
record.

What would be my options?

You could move for a new trial, request
that Judge Aldrich recuse himself.

But Judge Aldrich would be the one who
would rule on those motions.

Correct.

Is there another option?

You could file a motion with the Circuit
Court of Appeals to have him removed

for bias.

That's what I want to do.

It would be your word against his.

And these judges would be federal
circuit court judges. Do you understand?

He doesn't just get a jury of his peers
here.

He gets his friends.

That's what I want to do.

I'd think long and hard about that, Miss
Rudd.

Well, now it sounds like you're
threatening me.

No.

I'm giving you some advice.

Richard, is this it? We're never talking
again?

There's nothing really to talk about,
Helen.

Aw, would you at least give me 20
seconds?

Look, I know this goes against your
fiber, but sometimes the people we

with crimes are innocent.

Scott Wallace is not innocent.

My point being, I think he is.

I also believe a witness lied after you
coached him.

Richard, we're officers of the court. It
has to mean something.

I understand that, Helen.

I also understood you to be my friend.

And you cut my legs out.

You basically accused me in open court
of being dishonest.

Taking it a little too personally.

Let me tell you something, Helen.

I get called a lot of things.

The defense attorneys call me the
midget. The judges call me little

I take a lot of abuse.

But I get through it every day because I
also have a reputation for being good

at what I do.

And I have a reputation for being an
honest person.

That reputation is dear to me.

And when a colleague, a friend, stands
up and obliterates that reputation, it's

personal.

Hello?

Jimmy. Hey, I thought I could drive you
to the hospital.

Hospital? Rehab.

I got you all set up. You can do it
outpatient.

Well, I was going to go see my aunt
today. You can see her after, Jennifer.

You promised.

Okay.

What's up?

Mr. Belluti, please step aside.

Jennifer Cole, you're under arrest.

What? Arrest? Please put your hands
behind your back. What the hell is going

Susan? Distribution of a controlled
substance to a minor.

Distribution? Distribution of what?
Don't say anything. What the hell are

talking about? Distributing to who? The
baby. My baby?

You've got to be kidding. You're smoking
crack for two now.

What is she talking about? What are you
doing?

Jimmy. Jimmy. You have the right to
remain silent.

Anything you say can and will be used
against you in a court of law.

You have the right to talk to a lawyer
and have him present with you while

you're being questioned.

Just calm down and hear me out. I won't
hear you out. This is so ridiculous.

There's never been a case made for
distributing to a fetus, and you know

Just because it's never been made
before.

She distributed cocaine to her baby
through her bloodstream. I'll be moving

sanctions on this, and I'll get them.
How sure are you she won't use again,

tomorrow?

She has a viable baby.

If she hasn't done any damage yet, she
might the next time. I'm just looking to

get her off the street until the child
is born. I got her in rehab.

Yeah, voluntary outpatient. Come on. You
still can't arrest her.

Technically, I can make the case. You're
deluding yourself.

There's no way you can win this, Susan.
It could be blood to blood. You can't

win. I can if you don't fight me.

You're asking me to conspire with you to
keep her in jail?

One month until the baby is born.

I know you care for this woman.

I do, and I'm telling you, she'll go
crazy inside. She needs help, not jail.

This is the only way she's going to get
help.

If she walks, it'll be straight to the
local crack house. We don't know that.

Do you know what crack does to a baby?

It cuts off the blood flow, oxygen,
nutrients.

Seizures, heart attacks, brain damage.

Let's plead this out.

Inpatient rehab, no jail.

You're asking me to cop to a bogus
charge.

I'm asking you to consider you really
have two clients here.

Susan. If she gets out, she'll OD,
miscarry, who knows what'll happen. She

trusts you, and you can help her.

It's a complete long shot.

This is a very popular judge, and the
other judges aren't likely to sanction

him. And what about the settlement that
we agreed to? Well, if we undo it,

hopefully we can get you more.

In defeat, you keep what you have.

So what happens?

Well, we have a hearing scheduled for
tomorrow at 3 .30.

There's nothing to lose.

Okay.

You filed a formal motion against
Aldridge?

What's the problem? The problem,
Eleanor, is this is not something

Why? Because the federal court is like a
club as far as judges go.

They have tenure. They stick together.

And the only thing that will come out of
this is this firm will be retaliated

against. Oh, please. What can they do to
us? What can they do to us?

You just saw firsthand what they can do.

They can cut damage awards, overturn
verdicts, give lousy instructions, deny

bail, cut fees. What can't they do?

Not to mention they could put all their
cases at the bottom of the docket and

we'd never even get the trial.

What you're doing here could hurt all
our clients, at a minimum.

This should have been the subject of a
partnership meeting.

Well, I've had bad experiences with
partnership meetings.

Snide isn't what I was looking for.
Bobby, I have a plan, okay? I was hoping

avoid the hearing against Aldrich.

How? I have a meeting scheduled with the
lawyers for the EPA.

I think with just a threat of the
knockdown number being thrown out, I can

the number up a little. Somehow I don't
believe this is about shipping up a

number.

I am only trying to help the client.

This is not about vengeance.

I don't understand.

You plead guilty to distribution.

They'll recommend straight probation for
a year.

Probation. So long as you get
residential treatment. I hate those

All those freaky junkies and weirdos.
It'd be like poison for the baby. You

help, Jennifer.

You got an addiction.

I do not.

I can stop whenever.

Then why haven't you?

Eight months pregnant. Why the hell
haven't you?

I'll go to my aunt's house.

There's this little room. It's like the
perfect size.

I got no curtains yet because they're
either going to be blue or pink, you

Jennifer. Rehab's no place for a baby.

A baby should be at home.

Please, Jimmy, what do I do?

They got a case here.

And they're real serious.

I think you ought to take the play.

It's the best thing for you.

You really can't make it go away?

No.

How long?

We're hoping next week.

No, no, no. You gotta push it out,
Bobby. I can't take this.

I mean, they see me as some rich guy.

I mean, I'm going to be meeting up with
the end of a broomstick in here.

Yeah, you got to get me out. Scott. I
mean, minimum security, something, work

release. Scott. Get me out!

We're trying to push up the appeal as
soon as possible, Scott.

I'll get a new trial, right? I mean, the
judge made all those mistakes.

I've got to get a new trial.

Give me a brand new trial.

That's what we're hoping for.

So you've got to hurry, Bonnie.

I thought I was okay, but I'm feeling
I'm... maybe I'm not.

Do you expect us to laugh?

No, I don't expect that, Mr. Myers.

We have a hearing set up for tomorrow.

These are your subpoena to appear as
witnesses. If you refuse... And you

if you call us as witnesses, we'll
testify that Judge Aldrich was guilty of

blackmail? I think if called as a
witness, you will give truthful

yes. And we all know what happened in
that room.

Ms. Frutt, I truly do admire your
fortitude.

But if you have any notion that we will
compromise our client's interests... You

wouldn't be lawyers in this proceeding.

You'd be witnesses.

You're insane.

Look, we're not really here trying to
secure you as witnesses.

Why are you here?

If we're successful at overturning Judge
Aldridge, that $72 million verdict

could be reinstated.

You have to be concerned about that.

We're not.

Do you really want to risk it? The odds
of that panel overturning Judge

Aldridge... Do you want to risk it?

$72 million.

Why don't you get to the punchline?

For $6 million, we'll drop the complaint
against Aldrich.

Once again, I must ask, do you expect us
to laugh?

You won't be laughing if the 72 comes
back.

I think we'll run that risk.

Anything else?

The hearing is scheduled for tomorrow at
3 .30.

You've received your summons. Yes, in
between now and then we'll be sure to go

over our testimony.

You really are an ass.

You know that?

Tell a friend.

He's extremely erratic. He's going on
and on about buying his way out of jail.

Is he talking about Fiji again?

No, but... I just got off with the clerk
from the appellate court. They can hear

you next Tuesday.

Scheduled. Can you have the brief,
Freddie? Yeah, it'll be done.

What time's the hearing?

3 .30.

I'm gonna go see Aldrich now.

What? Why?

I'm gonna try the velvet glove first.

You really think this guy's going to
listen to you after you file a motion

against him?

Docket number 3542, Commonwealth versus
Jennifer Cole. Susan Alexander for the

Commonwealth, Your Honor. James Valuti
for the defendant. Wave reading. We're

entering a plea of guilty pursuant to an
agreement.

Let's hear it.

One year in the House of Corrections.

Suspended. One year probation as long as
she enters the detox center today.

Upon release, she immediately goes to a
halfway house, then to a sober facility

for the term of her probation.

Just a second. This is the same offense
as yesterday?

No, Your Honor. This has nothing to do
with the search.

The defendant was seen by witnesses
ingesting cocaine.

The charge is distribution.

She is in her eighth month of pregnancy.

She ingested cocaine, distributing the
drug to her unborn child.

Come again?

The distribution was to her fetus.

What's going on? We're fine. Don't
worry.

Mr. Berluti.

Yes, Your Honor. You have fully
explained to your client the nature of

charges? Yes, Your Honor. Miss Cole
understands the charges against her.

Miss Cole, did Mr. Berluti explain that
it's extremely unorthodox for a pregnant

woman to be charged with this crime?

I don't know.

He said I should take the plea.

Did he say why? Your Honor, I am
addressing the defendant.

Did he say why you should take the plea?

He said we probably wouldn't win this.

Mr. Berluti, Ms. Alexander, Chambers.

I have never seen this law enforced
against pregnant women.

That doesn't mean it can't be. I'm not
sure you're right about that.

But even if you are...

I see no basis for a defense attorney to
surrender.

What did you two do?

Decide on a punishment?

Then flip through the general laws in
search of a crime?

I don't believe you have the right to
change a plea agreement.

I certainly have the right to reject
one. On what grounds?

Due process, unethical behavior, lack of
legal basis, collusion.

Take your pick.

What's our role today, Mr. Berluti?

Lawyer or mother?

I advised my client. The fact that you
may disagree with my advice does not

me unethical. You took an oath to
zealously represent your client's legal

interests, counsel.

Getting her into rehab doesn't qualify.

Did you inform her that this case would
likely not make... I told her I couldn't

be sure.

Mr. Berluti.

You might as well answer my question,
because next I will be asking her. Did

your client, when agreeing to this plea,
fully appreciate that she would

probably not be convicted of the crime
with which she was charged?

My client is a crackhead. She can't even
fully appreciate that she's killing her

baby.

The plea is rejected.

I'm reporting both of you to the state
bar.

Get out.

Ever see a cocaine baby, Your Honor?

Mr. Berluni, you are an officer of the
court who is one word away

from contempt.

We really don't want to go after you.

I'm touched by that.

Your Honor, we have great respect for
both you and your position.

But our feeling is you did cross a line
here.

Let me tell you something, Ms. Dole.

I was at that trial every day.

There was no case. You people should be
laughing to get $400 ,000.

But that's an evaluation of the merits,
which is the jury's function. The jury

blew it.

Okay.

but to go from 72 million to 400.

If I could prevail upon you to revise
the knockdown number, I could certainly

prevail upon the client to pull back on
their complaint.

The client isn't pushing this.

Eleanor Frutt is the driving force here.
Don't you think I know that? Well,

here's something she should know.

I have life tenure.

I will be here a long, long time with a
vivid memory, and you people will not

intimidate me.

We're not looking to do that. Tell Miss
Rutt I'm issuing a gag order in

connection with this case. If she says
one word to the press, she's in

And if she snorts out a single negative
utterance about me to anybody, I will

refer her to the federal disciplinary
panel for violating the court rules for

disparaging a judge.

If she wants a fight, she's got one.

You go tell her that, Miss Dole.

Did you have the Wallace file removed
from my office?

They're working on an appeal, Helen.
Certainly you don't expect me handling

Why didn't you just ask for the file?

I couldn't presume your cooperation.

For all I know, you might make copies of
our work product and hand them to the

defendant.

Look, I think you know in your head what
I did wasn't personal, and what you're

doing now is.

You act on your principles, Helen.

I'll act on mine.

My principle is justice, Richard. Yours
is politics.

Politics?

I know what's going on, Richard.

I still have ears.

Suddenly I'm a pariah in the department
and you're choosing to distance

yourself. That's fine.

Let's not forget, your career was
hanging by a thread a few months ago and

the one who stood with you and behind
you.

Now the idea that the association with
me could be detrimental, you run.

You're a hypocrite and a coward.

Please do take that personally.

So you lied to me. I didn't lie, but...
I stand a good chance of getting this

case dismissed.

Yes. You lied to me.

Jennifer, I'm just trying to keep you
safe until the baby is born.

You're still using for God's sake.

So what happens now?

We go back in before Judge Spindle this
afternoon. She might bind you over for

trial. She might kick the case,
depending on how convincing the DA is. I

another lawyer.

If you want me to beat it, I'll try. I
want another lawyer.

Can't I get a public defender?

I'm sure you could, but... Then that's
what I want. You're fired, Jimmy. Please

leave.

Jennifer. You're fired.

You're going to wind up dead or killing
your baby.

Guard.

And he said if we opted for a new trial,
he would probably remit the next award

to $75 ,000.

He was clearly threatening to punish us
if we exercised our legal rights.

Ms. Frutt, judges try to steer lawyers
all the time.

This was much more than steering.

It was a threat.

May I respond to that?

Please do.

If I was guilty of poor judgment, it was
in allowing any award.

For me, 75 was too high.

But when you're sitting in front of
sympathetic parents who've gone through

ordeal of a long trial in the wake of a
jury verdict, I didn't want them to walk

away empty -handed.

That's why I gave them the 135.

I let Ms. Frutt know she shouldn't bank
on my continued sense of charity.

You chipped a $72 million award down to
$400 ,000 out of a sense of charity?

I allowed you to keep the 400 on a claim
that was really worth nothing.

We've certainly allowed murder charges
to stand against people who caused the

death of unborn viable fetuses. But
those are third parties, not the mother.

Moreover, for drug distribution, you
have to establish a specific intent, and

there's been no showing of that.

Specific intent can be inferred. Are you
suggesting she intended to poison the

fetus with cocaine?

All I'm suggesting is that if you commit
an act that causes a result that is not

only foreseeable, but in fact
unavoidable, intent can be inferred. I'm

Ms. Alexander, but I have to consider
the legislative intent.

And there is no evidence that the drug
distribution laws were ever meant to

apply to pregnant mothers under this
fact pattern.

There's no evidence to disprove the
legislation.

Ambiguity cuts in favor of the
defendant.

All I'm asking is that you bind her
over. Let's just hold her. I can't do

In the alternative, I'd like to continue
this matter. Allow me to do further

research. Denied.

The charges against Ms. Cole are
dismissed. This time I am doing so with

prejudice. The defendant is free to go.

We are adjourned.

Go where?

Rehab. Everything's set up. I'm not
going anywhere with you, Jimmy.

Jennifer, you have a problem.

Whatever my problems are, I'm not about
to come to you with them.

Bye.

You people hardly have an unblemished
track record, Miss Frutt. In fact, I

go so far as to say you have a penchant
for deceit.

Whatever you may think of our pensions.

We have always played by the rule.

He didn't.

It was cowboy justice.

I have to say, as I see the facts, most
judges wouldn't have let this even go to

trial. Your Honor, we were in that room.

We heard what he said and the tenor of
how he said it.

It was blackmail.

He took away our Seventh Amendment right
to a jury trial, and then he threatened

us if we dared appeal.

That's not the way it's supposed to
work.

I know Judge Aldrich.

I've known him for 20 years.

I'd sooner take his word than that of a
few criminal defense attorneys who

moonlight with contingent fee cases.

I object to that.

Do you have anything else, counsel?

Yes, Your Honor.

I'd like to call Mitchell Kravitz.

What are you doing?

I have no idea.

Mr. Kravitz, please come forward and be
sworn in.

Please raise your right hand.

Do you swear to tell the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth,

help you God?

I do.

What are you going to ask him?

I don't know.

You ask him something.

Okay, Ms. Sprott.

You may question Mr. Kravitz.

Sir, you were in Judge Aldrich's
chambers the day in question for the

transaction in question in your capacity
as defense counsel for the

Environmental Protection Agency.

True?

True. You've been sitting here listening
to my version of what happened and to

the one offered by Judge Aldrich. Do you
have an opinion as to which version is

more accurate?

Given that I've participated in this
transaction as an attorney, I don't feel

it's appropriate for me to also bear
witness on the events.

We have had a judge bearing witness,
sir.

It's okay if you do so as well.

Your Honor, I represent clients.

I have a duty to those clients. This is
a hearing about the conduct of the

officers of the court.

It does not concern the interests of
clients. Certainly if it affects the

interests of clients, I can't be
compelled to testify. I want to know

on in that room, sir.

You heard Judge Aldrich a short time
ago.

We have all been listening ad nauseum to
Ms. Frutt.

Whose testimony today more accurately
reflects what went on in that room?

The court has asked you a question, Mr.
Kravitz.

I believe the truth lies somewhere in
the middle.

On whose side of the middle does the
truth lie?

Miss Fratz.

Oh, my God.

You believe Judge Aldrich was guilty of
judicial misconduct?

I ask you a question, counsel.

Do you believe Judge Aldrich was guilty
of judicial misconduct?

I think he conducted a fair trial.

But... What happened in his chambers
after the verdict, while it wasn't

blackmail, it was definitely coercion.

May I respond to that?

Go ahead.

I strongly disagree with Mr. Kravitz's
characterization.

Let's remember he was in the throes of
being smacked with a $72 million

judgment. His career was probably
flashing before his eyes.

I resent that. I have the floor now,
counsel.

His powers of observation may have been
on tilt.

But surely not biased.

Not against a judge ruling in his favor.

Let me say also, a judge, every single
day, exercises some coercion.

Our dockets are jammed beyond repair
with claims that have no real merit.

was one such claim.

We push, steer, bend.

Influence and, yes, coerce. We do it
every day.

If we didn't, God help the mess, not to
mention the injustice.

The line is a gray one.

I submit to you I did not cross it here.

The facts underlying this case did not
justify a $72 million verdict.

I was there at the trial. I heard the
evidence.

This panel did not.

There was no abuse of my discretion.

The knockdown number was fair.

The knockdown number is knocked out.

The award of $72 million is reinstated.

Defense is free to bring a new motion to
remit once the case has been

reassigned.

We are adjourned.

I'm afraid to celebrate.

Very wise.

The 72 will still get shot down.

We're gonna do some research and come up
with a number to try and settle.

Okay.

Wow.

Jimmy. I shouldn't be talking to you.

Doctor, patient.

Yeah, yeah.

Partial placental abruption.

Placental lining started to come loose
from the uterine wall.

Coke?

She started bleeding, had enough sense
to call EMS, went into shock.

The baby?

We delivered.

Little girl.

Three and a half pounds.

She all right?

It's too early to tell.

She lost oxygen because of the
abruption. We're going to do a cranial

ultrasound, check for a stroke.

And there was cocaine in her body, some
agitation, maybe withdrawal.

We had to notify social services.

Sorry, Jimmy.

You just rest.

They won't let me see her?

Later.

Is she okay?

We don't know yet.

The doctors are hoping.

Take her away from me, won't they?

It's too soon to know anything,
Jennifer.

Just try to get some rest.

Don't let them take...