All language subtitles for the_practice_s04e05_oz

Previously, on The Practice.

She's taken me to court.

She wants divorce?

Oh, no, she's too smart for that. No,
she wants to be named my conservator.

Joanne, I just thought... You looked me
in the eye two years ago and told me to

step in. That was about getting him to
stop practicing law.

This is about competency.

I can't control him anymore. Control me?

I don't need you to control me.

Where's Ray?

Is he all right?

Bobby, Bobby.

Okay.

Ray, what happened?

She tried to kill me.

You don't realize what you've done.

How about an NGI plea?

Insanity. Get the right shrink at the
psych exam?

I'll back you.

Listen, the only way that I can
effectively represent you here is to

insanity. It's not going to happen.

You confessed.

No.

No, I said self -defense.

Commonwealth versus Raymond Oz, murder
in the first degree.

The defendant enters a plea of not
guilty. Your Honor, I'd like to

myself. I will allow you to represent
yourself, but I'm ordering Mr. Donald to

stay on as co -counsel. I don't need
him. Well, then you'll just have to

me.

One of the reasons I went to law school
was Raymond Oz.

Sitting over there in that chair is a
legend.

When I decided I wanted to be a lawyer,
I, like so many others who have walked

into this room, really wanted to be him.

I sat back in that gallery and watched
him charm hostile witnesses, befuddle

the... smartest of judges, mesmerize
juries, he quite likely will charm and

mesmerize the 12 of you.

But we are not here today in tribute of
Raymond Oz. We are here because he

committed a murder.

The evidence will show that he picked up
a bronze trophy that had once been

presented to him for one of his many
accomplishments, and he struck his wife,

Joanne, killing her.

I wish it weren't so.

You have no idea how much I wish it
weren't so.

But it is.

Wishes he were me, he says.

Look behind my table, ladies and
gentlemen.

You won't see any sons and daughters,
grandchildren.

We never had them, my wife and I.

All we had was each other.

And yet our lives never felt empty.

Ours was a great love affair.

I killed her.

The only woman I ever loved. I killed
her.

But it was in self -defense.

Mr. Bay wasn't there. The police
detectives weren't there. I was there.

A great love affair.

And I don't know what will haunt me
more.

That in the end, I took her life.

Or that in the end, she tried to take
mine.

When we arrived, we discovered the
victim on the dining room floor bleeding

a head wound. Did you see anybody else?

The defendant. He was sitting at the
kitchen table. He appeared to be crying.

Did he say anything?

He said that he had to do it.

He just kept saying he had to do it. Did
you ask him what he meant by that?

Yes, and he replied she had to be
stopped.

Thank you, detective.

Didn't I tell you that she tried to kill
me?

and that I acted in self -defense.
Didn't I say those words to you?

That came much later.

Please read Miss Gamble's question.

Did he say anything?

That's the question. Anything, not right
away. Why didn't you tell the jury

everything I said, detective?

I thought the question referred to when
I first arrived.

Is that really so? Or did you think that
if you told the whole truth...

It wouldn't help secure the conviction
that you're up here to get as a witness

for the prosecution.

Objection. Sustained.

Did you find the knife at the scene,
detective?

Yes. We found a nine -inch serrated
carving knife on the floor. Run

fingerprints? The fingerprints belong to
the victim.

Something else you didn't tell the jury
in your direct testimony, isn't it?

She didn't ask me about the knife.

She didn't ask you about the knife.

So far, so good.

I gotta hand it to him. You come down to
watch?

No, I'm having a quick lunch with
Roberta.

Judge Kittleson? Yeah.

Are you two back together again?

Oh, I don't know. What kind of talking
about? Jimmy, she's the judge on this

case. That's a potential conflict.

Are you kidding?

Her and her integrity of the rope crack?
Even the perception of bias. It's my

business, not yours.

If he stays that good, we're in trouble.
He won't. There's no way he's going to

make it through the whole trial without
flashing his rage.

He has to take the stand.

I'll keep him up there weeks if I have
to. He may not have to take the stand,

Helen. Not if we don't make the
elements.

We're making the elements.

What? That look you get in your eye.
That trial look.

You are a killer, you know that? An icy
killer.

Thank you, Richard.

compliment i take it of course it was
your style's the same as mine i'm in

with you i'm sorry i should say
infatuated i mean you're smart you're

got that little catholic girl thing and
in the courtroom you are vicious and i

totally go for it the whole package
richard we're in the middle of a trial

i speak my mind yes while i'm speaking
mine let's stick to business the point

impact was right here At the base of the
skull.

Were you able to make a determination,
doctor, as to which direction the blow

came from? I think it's quite obvious it
came from behind.

Now, doctor, if Mr. Oz had swung from
the side and the victim turned her head,

is there any chance it could have struck
her like this in the rear? No, she had

to be facing the other direction. The
blow came from directly behind her. You

can state this for a medical certainty.

Absolutely.

Mr. Oz?

I'm delighted to know that there's such
a thing as a medical certainty.

The last one I knew of was when my
brother -in -law was told he had six

to live.

That was a medical certainty.

That was 12 years ago.

He still beats me at tennis.

Doctor, I'm going to propose a
hypothetical to you, and I want you to

it's possible.

A woman comes at a man with a knife.

She swings wildly and she misses. Then
she comes at him again, at which point

picks up a heavy bronze trophy in
defense.

She comes at him again. He rears back to
swing.

And as the trophy comes down, she turns
to run away. And she turns 180 degrees.

But it's too late because the trophy
comes down and strikes her on the back

the head. Now, I don't want you to
answer in probabilities or likelihoods,

Doctor. The question is, is it possible?

Yes or no?

I suppose it is possible.

Thank you, Doctor. You have just
answered one of the most important

before this court.

Mr. Oz?

Who the hell are you?

Anyways, he's closer to me than my own
father.

The idea of him being a spectacle.

Bobby, have you been paying attention in
there?

He's winning.

So far, maybe.

You all set?

Yes, let's go.

Trevor.

Raymond.

I'm so sorry.

You've heard me speak of Bobby Donald.

Bobby, this is Trevor Wayne, one of my
oldest and dearest friends.

That's great of you to come. What a
surprise.

But the room's full.

They're turning people away. Can we get
him in, Bobby?

He's... He's testifying for the
prosecution.

What? He's on their witness list.

Oh, oh, oh, yes, of course.

Of course.

Mr. Wayne, we have to get in.

I'm sorry, Ray.

We should be getting into it.

Come on, Ray.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Let's go.

You two are friends. Over 50 years, we
stood up for each other at our weddings.

And yet you're here testifying against
him today.

You subpoenaed me.

Mr. Wayne, the defendant spoke of a
great love affair between him and the

victim. Did you have the opportunity to
witness their relationship?

Yes. Could you describe it? It was very
loving until the last two years or so.

What happened?

Ray had a stroke, after which he
suffered some memory lapses. He even

had some occasional delusions and
paranoia.

That's a lie.

Mr. Oz, you will remain quiet until it
is your turn to cross -examine.

At some point, it was difficult for him
to try cases anymore.

So Joanne evidently told the judge that
it was time for him to step down.

He never forgave her for that. He told
me he hated her for it.

He used the word hate.

Yes. What else?

Well, just recently, she went to court
trying to have him declared incompetent.

That enraged him. Objection, foundation.

Objection is overruled. Sir, do you have
an opinion as to why it so enraged him?

Well, with Ray, I mean, everything was
about walking into a room.

When he made his entrance, he needed for
people to think, wow, there's Raymond

Oz.

He always, always talked about his
legacy.

I think it was more important to him
than anything or anybody.

And the idea of being declared
incompetent, well, you see, that was

could handle.

More than he could handle.

Do you think it could make him
homicidal?

I don't know.

Thank you, Mr. Wayne.

Mr. Oz.

It was fantastic.

The best thing was how it looked painful
for him to bury his friend.

Oz couldn't get up and do the
prosecutorial witness number on him,

Helen, you were brilliant. You were
quiet. You let the damaging words hang

beautifully. You didn't look aggressive.

Fabulous. The witness and the DA looked
sympathetic.

It was music.

Richard, let's not lose sight of the
fact that this whole thing is a pretty

tragedy.

A woman is dead.

And a great man is destroyed.

Shouldn't enjoy it too much.

I know. I don't mean to. I really don't.
But, Helen, we're back on top.

They have to jump at manslaughter now.

I hope they still offer it. You didn't
cross the guy at all? There's nothing

really to cross him on, Eugene.

The testimony seemed to pain him the
most.

He certainly didn't seem biased. The
worst thing is, I believed him. So did

Then you have to take manslaughter.

Any chance we can switch the pleas to
insanity?

It's late without notice. Forget it.

Plus, Ray would never go for it. He
might now.

Even he had to see how damaging that
was. His lifelong friend just gave the

motive. Gift wrap.

Any feel for whether Kittleson will let
us switch pleas this deep?

Bobby, we haven't said a word about the
case. You kidding?

You better see if Ray will switch his
plea.

No insanity.

And I don't want you to mention it ever
again, Bobby. Do you hear me?

You know that we were hurt by your
friend Trevor.

I was there.

I know what he said.

Raymond.

Raymond, look at me.

The jury has all it needs to convict you
now.

If we can just switch, please. No.

You have to consider that. I will not.

Have my final legacy.

Enough about your damn legacy.

Legacy is family.

It's friends.

You killed your wife and your best
friend just turned on you. That's your

legacy, Ray. You turned on me, Bobby,
didn't you?

You're the one that went to the judge,
aren't you? Yes, and you're the one that

wanted to end my legal career.

You're the one that convinced Joanne to
go along with you.

And I hated you for that, Bobby.

So you hate me now too, right?

Yes.

I hate you, Bobby.

I won't shy away from saying that. I
hate you.

You know what?

I'm beginning to hate you right back
because you're so pathetic.

You watch your mouth. Your wife is dead
and you haven't been to her grave.

All you care about is your reputation as
a lawyer. The great Oz.

Well, you may not have loved Joanne. I
did.

Like I once loved you.

And now, I don't think you were insane.

I think it was premeditated. You weren't
about to let her declare you

incompetent and tarnish your legacy.

So you killed her.

And that's what you'll leave behind with
me, Ray. I'll remember you as a

premeditated murderer.

Bobby. Get out. How dare you accuse me
of not loving her? You killed her!

And now you're telling the world that
she tried to kill you?

What about her legacy, Ray?

This woman devoted her entire life to
you. What about the memory of her?

She deserved better than that.

Your precious legacy.

You will die an unloved murderer.

You pitiful old man.

I told him he'd die an unloved murderer.

He did everything for me.

He may die a murderer, but he's
obviously not unloved.

Come on.

Let's get some sleep.

I want to change my plea to insanity.

I can't have people think that about
Joanne.

At the time, I thought she was trying to
kill me, but I know she

couldn't have been.

You know, you know that I never, ever
would have harmed her, Bobby.

You know that.

I want to change my play to insanity.

I'm not allowing you to switch to
insanity now.

Your Honor, I was in an irrational and
delusional state. Mr. Oz, you had the

option. You chose to enter a plea of not
guilty on the elements. I'm not about

to let you change your mind because the
trial isn't going well.

Your Honor, we're all officers of the
court here.

I just love that, especially from
defense attorneys.

You were an officer of the court when
you entered that plea. You are now going

to have to live with that plea.

Twenty minutes. Back in session.

Manslaughter still available?

No. Yes, Richard.

We'll give you manslaughter now. You
push it any further, it's off the table.

I think we should take it. Why?

At my age, manslaughter's a life
sentence.

Might as well roll the dice.

It's possible you could be out in three.
With Kittleson? And Bay?

That little Shetland's gonna ask for the
maximum. Might as well keep going.

I can't say I disagree.

Early reports were that there would be a
change in pleas.

That, evidently, was rejected by Judge
Kittleton.

We then heard defense was waving the
white flag and pleading manslaughter.

We're now being told Raymond Oz is
taking the stand to testify.

Oh, no.

Mr. Oz, you're aware we're all gathered
today because you hit your wife over the

head with the Lifetime Achievement
Award.

Yes. Killing her? Yes.

Could you tell us in your words what
happened?

My wife and I had been going through
some difficult times. She thought I was

losing my mind, suffering from delusions
and paranoia, very much as Mr.

Trevor Wayne testified.

Is it possible you were suffering from
delusions?

I suppose it's possible.

On the night of your wife's death, is it
possible you were delusional then?

Objection. Sidebar. Yes, let's.

What's this?

He's giving me his account. He's setting
up temporary insanity.

Temporary insanity isn't available to
us. The judge was so instruct.

We're just testifying as to his mental
state, which is an element of the crime.

Mr. Oz, earlier you said self -defense.

I'm sticking to my version.

I believe it was self -defense.

But that belief has to be a rational
one, not an irrational one. Save your

closing arguments till later, you
midget.

I object to that.

Don't object to it on the stool. We'd
hear you better.

If you are about to suggest that he was
mistaken, I will instruct that the

mistake had to be a reasonable one, just
like the midget midget bass has.

Why don't you let us present our case
before you start criticizing it?

At your own peril.

Step back.

So what happened, Mr. Oz?

Well, as I said, we were going through
an awful patch.

And also, I thought she was having an
affair.

With whom?

I didn't know.

And I wasn't sure that really it was
true.

Maybe I was paranoid, but suddenly she
was distant, and I thought there must be

somebody else.

Now, I kept telling myself that that was
a ridiculous idea, but then she tells

me. that she's taking me to court to try
to get control of my estate, and I'm

wondering, really, what is going on.

Then what happened?

Well, we go to court, and she sits in
the witness chair and says terrible

about me.

And I'm listening and wondering, do I
really know this woman at all?

Anyway, things didn't go well for her in
court.

And that night...

We're at home and I turn and she has a
knife.

And suddenly I think, my God, she's
trying to kill me.

And I swung.

And she went down.

Do you really think she was trying to
kill you? Looking back, I... I don't

I doubt it.

But in that second, I thought she was.

And that's what it was, a second. That's
all it took.

A second.

Thank you, sir.

That's why he's a legend. Everyone in
that box believes him.

Any suggestions?

Just go out and be your normal killer
self, keeping in mind the whole thing

rests on this cross.

Thank you, Richard.

So it was a mistake, Mr. Oz.

She probably wasn't trying to kill you.
It happened in a second.

It was a mistake.

Quite possibly so, yes.

But in your opening statement, you
simply said it was self -defense.

You spoke of being haunted by the fact
that your wife of 50 years had tried to

take your life.

Tell me, were you misleading the jury
then, or are you misleading the jury

It's a little complicated, Miss Gamble.
You see, when I realized with horror

what I had done, I had to believe it was
justified. I was desperate to believe

it was self -defense.

But then, my friend and co -counsel,
Bobby Donald... Mr. Oz, I'm not looking

a speech here. You're looking for an
answer, and I'm giving it to you. Go

Mr. Oz.

Bobby said, Raymond, stop thinking about
your own legacy.

And think about Joanne's. What does this
do to our memory of her?

Well, I wrestled with that.

And I decided that however self -serving
my denial may be, it was not fair to

her.

I cannot state with certainty that she
was trying to kill me.

I can only state with certainty one
fact.

I thought she was.

One second, Your Honor.

Just a minute.

Wayne Tentamount, the hatred.

Did you tell Trevor Wayne you hated your
wife?

That was in the heat of the moment.

Heat of the moment.

You testified that you never forgave her
for it.

I was angry at her.

I don't deny it.

Mr. Oz.

Are you incompetent?

No, I'm not.

So it was your wife's crazy thinking.

She was mistaken.

But your rage, Mr. Oz, that was no
mistake, was it?

It was anger. I wouldn't call it rage.

You called her a whore.

I thought she was having an affair.

Any caring husband would be upset.

Your wife talked about revenge.

She was referring to my giving away the
estate.

The diamond necklace that you gave her
for your 40th anniversary?

You gave it to the housekeeper.

You had a small stroke a few years ago,
didn't you, Mr. Ross? From which I am

completely recovered.

Well, that really isn't so. You suffer
some memory lapses. Like any man my age.

A judge deemed you unfit to continue
practicing law.

No such thing.

No, it was because of what he said. And
because of her, what she said.

Joanne. Yes, yes. Look, Counselor,
you've seen me here.

Do you not think that I belong?

You and your wife fought constantly over
your refusal to wear diapers. Isn't

that right, mister?

Objection! Go to his rage against the
victim.

I'll allow it. She got angry because you
would wet yourself. This isn't

relevant, your honor. She insisted you
wear these and you hated her for that

too, didn't you?

And didn't she repeatedly ask you to get
counseling to deal with your anger?

Anger because you knew you were becoming
incompetent. That's a lie. It's not

true. Well, it's just like Mr. Wayne
said. With you, it's always been about

entering a room, heads turning, saying,
there's the great Raymond Oz. And the

idea of what they must be saying now.

He's gone mad.

Objection. He's insane.

Objection. Sustained. Miss Gamble, is
there a question?

Here's my question, Mr. Oz. What do you
think they're saying about you now? An

incompetent man who wets himself, who
kills his own wife. You shut up. You

your mouth.

You look a little homicidal, Mr. Oz.

Objection! Sustained. Mr.

Oz, sit down.

Mr. Oz, please be seated.

Let's sit.

Okay, let's just think. Let's just think
for a minute.

Only a few times at home.

What?

I never soiled myself in public.

Just a few times at home.

Any ideas?

Not really.

But it looks like you've got one.

Recuse myself?

Your Honor, I had no idea when this
trial began that you and Jimmy Berluti

seeing each other again socially. I just
found out.

There's a huge conflict of interest. I
have never discussed this case with Mr.

Berluti. It doesn't matter. You have a
relationship with someone in my firm.

There's no way we can go on. And if I
were to recuse myself, we would what?

Bring in another judge and finish the
trial?

No, I think that you'd have to declare a
mistrial. What a surprise.

Get out!

You worry about the integrity of that
role. And it hasn't been compromised,

trust me. Your integrity is another
matter.

You're sleeping with one of my
associates.

We won't even discuss the wet dreams
you've had about me.

You shouldn't be on this case.

Please leave my chamber, counsel.

Nice try.

I'm just hoping that you'll punish us
now the rest of the way. She won't. She

has too much integrity for that.

Helen.

Manslaughter. Look, I told you if you
pushed it any further... Come on, he's

old man.

It might amount to a life sentence
anyway. But it might not.

Helen, please.

Manslaughter's off the table. Murder,
too. Take it or leave it.

Leave it.

Raymond, we're down to closing
arguments.

I can do it, but given that you've been
trying this case and it's your life on

the line, it's better if you do it.

But only if you can. If you're not up to
it, then let me do it.

Though we go here,

best man for the job is it you or me?

Raymond?

I'll close.

Are you sure?

I'll close.

You're going to let him close?

If we're going to win, he's the only
one.

Is he going to be naked? Funny. How'd
she know about the diaper?

Joanne's lawyer.

You went to Roberta?

Tried to get her recused because of me?

I was trying to. You know we don't
discuss the case. I told you that. It

hail Mary, Jim. Not good enough.

You don't trade on my personal life in
your cases ever. If you'll let me

Not good enough. I would never do that
to you.

Whatever our strategies, we don't offer
up each other. I would never do that to

you.

I'm sorry.

Not good enough.

You saw the story change.

First, it was self -defense.

Then, after his best friend talks about
how he hated his wife, how he was

paranoid and delusional, change of
plans.

Let's go mistake.

I thought she was trying to kill me, and
in a second of confusion, I swung.

Come on, does that sound reasonable to
any of you?

You saw the truth in this room, ladies
and gentlemen. You saw an angry man

capable of great rage who prioritized
his image and his reputation over

and anybody, including his own wife.

She made him stop practicing the law.

She even tried to get him to wear a
diaper.

But when she went to court to try to
have him deemed incompetent,

Well, that was the final straw.

The great Oz wouldn't have that.

The coroner told you the blow came from
behind.

She wasn't even facing him.

He came up to her from behind and he
stopped her.

That man committed murder.

That's the truth.

Talk to any old man whose mental
faculties

are eroding.

You'll find anger. Or a senior citizen
who's becoming incontinent.

Rage.

Or an aging husband. No children, no
grandchildren.

Only a...

A wife to cling to, a wife who's trying
to have him declared incompetent, trying

to put him in diapers.

And you will find what you saw in me

when I stood in that witness box.

But these people do not turn homicidal.

And neither did I.

Now, whether it was the very...

incompetency that she accused me of, or
the paranoia, I don't know. I don't

know, but I do know that in that second
when she stood before me with that

knife, I really believed that she was
going to try to take my life.

Now, anybody,

anybody who knows my heart,

She was my legacy.

Not the cases I won.

My love for her.

And hers for me.

She was loved.

Loved.

Till the very end.

Her husband.

He didn't want her life to be over.

Believe that.

Can you not do that?

Sorry.

You know, Helen, you said before this is
a tragedy. Don't enjoy it too much.

This is what we do.

We're DAs. We prosecute murders.

It's always somebody's tragedy.

What's your point?

Well, if you don't enjoy what you're
doing, why do it? In this case, it's as

and juicy as they come. If you don't get
a little juiced yourself, what are you

doing here?

I like what I do, but... But what?

You really love this, don't you? A case
like this?

It's music.

Yes.

Cherise.

Will

the

defendant please rise?

Madam foreperson, the jury has reached
its verdict.

Yes, we have, Your Honor.

What say you?

Commonwealth v.

Raymond Oz on count one, murder in the
first degree. We find the defendant,

Raymond Oz, not guilty.

Count two, murder in the second degree.

We find the defendant, Raymond Oz, not
guilty.

Unbelievable.

Members of the jury, your service is
completed. You are dismissed with the

thanks. Not guilty.

She said not guilty.

You're dead, right?

Mr. Oz, you are free to go.

We're adjourned.

How about that, Richard?

Would it be juicy enough for you?

Naturally, I'm... I'm thrilled.

And I must say that the defendant was
extremely well represented.

Do you plan to continue practicing law?

Oh, I have to earn a living.

And one thing that this case has taught
me is that I'm not as wealthy as I

thought I was.

I've been barely able to meet my own
fee.

Give me a second alone, okay?

I'm going to be your wife.

You've got to take those seconds with
me.

I don't know.

I just...

About

somebody you love deeply.

Okay.

Thank you.