All language subtitles for LA Law s04e05 One Rat, One Ranger

Previously on L .A. Law.

Yeah, uh, our gross income is down 11%.
Malpractice premiums are up again.

And, uh, there's this balloon payment
due next month on the office

We're sluggish and bloated.

We need to be lean and mean.

Maybe I'm lowlife, but I know what I
saw.

Pinner was on the pipe. He killed the
girl. That guy there had nothing to do

with it.

I was just being thorough.

You're being too thorough.

Prepare your case, yeah.

But if you're too over -anxious,
everybody's going to smell a knob.

Okay.

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 clothed.

Accordingly, your motion for a new trial
is denied, Mr. Cusack.

Dorian versus Togetherness Dating
Service.

Yeah, that's mine.

The voir dire is 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. Why not?

Because the gravamen of the plaintiff's
case is such that we're going to beat

her cold.

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

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? Giant Sequoia Tourist Council
versus 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.

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 we can make the

whole thing disappear quietly.

As well he might.

Partners meeting.

Tonight. 8 p .m. Hmm.

Little party after dark to split up the
pie, eh? To the partners go the foils.

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

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 30 pounds of cantaloupe for a

third of what you'd pay in the store.

Oh, my God! Get it done!

Come on! Get it. Go on. Get him,
Douglas.

I'm not getting it. Why do I have to get
it? Because you sent away for it.

That's why.

Better get it. It's on the floor.

Benny, could you get in here for a
minute?

There he goes. There he goes.

Thank you.

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's a 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 got to do what

got to do.

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

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

inside out. 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 then on her vagina, there were more
marks.

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.

Thank you, ma 'am.

I have nothing further.

Has your daughter ever had a bruise?

Well, of course.

He'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, Miss Haley?

I'd say it was bitter. 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

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

with you? Your Honor. Mrs. Haley. He's
five years old, Ed. Mrs. Haley, be

or I'm going to 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.

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 $3
,500.

And did they match you up with suitable
men?

Please. Objection. Non -responsive,
argumentative. Move to be stricken. Miss

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 in

Overruled? The witness can answer. I had
very specific criteria on education,

physical attractiveness, normalcy. What
I got was unstable, sometimes imbalanced

individuals who... 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

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 B &P 6077.

Go back to your table.

Ms. Dorian, could you please state for
us the defendant's specific failure?

Well, it was as if they threw my
questionnaire in the trash. I'd say

only two men with whom I shared any
common interest. The one man I did like.

Turned out he couldn't, well, function.

What do you mean he couldn't function?

He was, you know, with a capital I.

Objection. Calls for a medical
conclusion. You have to let me object to

All right.

Sustained. Did you voice your complaints
to the defendant, ma 'am? I did.

They basically said, too bad, they
wouldn't refund my money, and that's why

suing them. I have nothing further.

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

a 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

not? Objection relevant.

It's offered to show the witness's
pattern of discontent, Your Honor.

I'll allow it. Miss Dorian, how many men
did these other dating services touch

up with?

Probably about 20 apiece.

So you've rejected over a hundred men?

Were they all unbalanced?

They were all unacceptable, yes.

Not one met your standards?

That's correct.

Thank you, Miss Dorian.

I have nothing further.

This is unbelievable.

This cannot be right.

It's right.

This is $23 ,000 less than my split last
year. Try $37 ,000 for me. We're all

making less.

Leland, what the hell is going on?

Firm revenues are down.

That's what.

But there's been no hint ever that we
were facing rollbacks like this.

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

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

Fact is, this firm is struggling.

Our rent is up.

Michael. Your murder defense of Earl
Williams is going to cost this firm in

excess of $200 ,000.

We lost over 100 in fees in the Furrier
case.

We've lost big cases before.

Yes, yes, we have. But this is the first
time in 25 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

high -paying clients.

The role of recruiting cash cows has
always been on my shoulders. It's still

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. 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

fit in on the totem pole?

That would be negotiable.

I'll just think.

Arnold, I'm not getting pushed down the
line for a new partner. If we don't pull

in a rainmaker and pull him in fast,
this little family could be breaking

For good.

And Dr. Bisland, 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?

First, there's behavioral evidence. When
you examine a child who's been the

victim of sexual abuse and you touch the
child's vagina, 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.

Elisa displayed both of these symptoms.

And what about the physical evidence? 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 scar?

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

These are the telltale signs of sexual
abuse. Did Lisa tell you anything about

the scars?

Objection. Hearsay.

Spontaneous utterance, Your Honor.
Exception to the hearsay rule. Objection

overruled. This is prejudicial. It's
grounded. Objection is overruled. Mr.

Laporte, sit down, please.

What did Lisa Haley tell you about the
scars, Dr. Bisland? When I examined her

vaginal area, she said that that was
where her father would touch her.

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

vagina. Are you saying that happened?

I'm saying it could have happened.

Any traces of semen?

No. Any pubic hair?

No. So there's no evidence whatsoever
that this girl was even touched by a

penis? No conclusive evidence.

And doctor, as for this digital
penetration, is there any evidence

a specific person?

No. There's no physical evidence which
suggests that Lisa was touched by this

man right here? No, but... Thank you.

Doctor, have you ever known of a case
where a child has claimed she was

by a parent when it hasn't been true?

I've never had such a case. Well, have
you ever heard of such a case where a

child, through displacement, will blame
a parent for something that didn't

happen? 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 in

bar, right? I don't believe that's how
it happened. But it's possible, isn't

Well, I suppose anything is possible. In
fact, doctor, you can't conclusively

prove sexual abuse here, can you? You
can never positively establish sex abuse

100%. 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

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

dozen at various points around the
office.

Your rodent takes the bait, whack.

Spring mechanism breaks its neck.

I've done great, Steve.

We can always go with liquid bait
stations, but let's go with this

first.

Some 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.

That said, I'm sure there's a plethora
of questions that need to be asked.

Ready on the left, ready on the right,
ready on the firing line.

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.

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 kill. So

any clients I brought in over there, I
will bring here with me if I come over.

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 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 just jumped

the breach, so to speak. His forte is
strictly tax.

I hope he'd 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 it, I want to

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

Who's that?

Victor Cifuentes.

He's been an associate for three years.
Well, 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

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

bringing one with me. I see no reason
that we can't accommodate you there.

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

Rosalind can be happy.

Let me say something.

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

If this venture is 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 day.

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

you God?

I do.

Your Honor, I renew my objection to
this. The fact that the plaintiff had a

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
to get in a dating service?

I did.

And as a result of that employment, were
you matched up for a date with the

plaintiff, Diana Dorian?

Yes. I'm holding in my hand a copy of my
client's pre -date questionnaire

setting forth her requirements.

Item 23, she lists leadership.

Are you a leader? I could be.

Given the right set of circumstances, I
could be.

Dynamic. I'm 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. Sanderlin. You know, people

find me to be a very lively
conversationalist, and that's on a wide

topics. 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

food and you sniffed Ms. Dorian's food
at the restaurant. Why?

I sniffed mine for signs of
putrefaction.

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.

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.

No, I don't mean now. I mean back when
you met her. Did you like her then?

You know, it's funny because 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.

I have nothing with him.

What was Lisa doing that day, Mr. 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

forward, off the seat, and came down
hard on the crossbar. It really shook

up. And me too. Is it your belief that
that is how Lisa got her scars?

It's the only possible explanation
because I certainly didn't molest her.

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 couldn't even think about anything
like that.

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

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.

You ever give your daughter baths, Mr.
Haley?

Sometimes. 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
vagina saying daddy has to clean inside?

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

And do you sometimes hold her? Of
course. If she's scared, I hug her. I

what do you wear to bed?

I sleep in the... 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?

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. Ms. Van

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.

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 could change
that.

And what will that do to her?

Getting grilled on a window stand,
what's that going to do to a five -year

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

But it's either that or more
unsupervised visits with Daddy.

We had an offer, an acceptance.

My client paid consideration in the
amount of $3 ,500.

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

the rest of her life. You people
represent society.

You people are Diana 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 Diana Dorian
together with men, and they did so. But

in all those dates, what did Diana
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 your list.

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

And until Diana Dorian learns that,
until she's willing to give of herself

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.

Hey, your common rodent must tickle
monos, must rot. This is what's known as

commensal. Huh?

It's adapted to living with humans.

I've seen them make a three -course meal
out of what gets put in a trap and

avoid the spring mechanism entirely.

What happens after you catch them?

Depends. If it's a glue board that
they're on, I generally dispatch them

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 a man?

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. And the wolves are at the

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 $1 .5

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 makeup, Anne, 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. And 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. Michael, there is
no guarantee that she's going to break.

We've all spoken our piece.

I vote yay.

Same. Nick.

I vote yes.

I vote no.

What about Stuart?

He gave me his proxy.

What is it?

Stewart 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.

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.

Lisa, do you know why you're here?

Yes. Can you tell us?

Because Daddy touched me in bad places.

Okay. I want you to pretend that this
doll is you.

I knew my objection to the doll.

Overruled. Lisa, I'd like for you to
show us on this doll where it is that

touches you.

Okay?

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 vagina.

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 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.

Anything else?

Does he touch you with anything else,
Lisa?

Lisa, does your Daddy touch you with
anything else?

His pee. Tina.

How do you feel about his touching you
this way?

I don't like it.

Do you want him to stop?

Yes.

Thank you, Letha.

I'm all finished, honey.

And 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?

A little bit?

Yes. Tell me, Lisa, where did you first
hear the word penis?

From Mommy.

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. 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. Now, did this really happen, or did
you just say that because Mommy or I

told you to?

It really happened.

Thank you very much, Lisa.

I have nothing further.

Mr. Laporte?

Nothing. All right, Lisa.

You can step down now.

Thank you.

It's okay, honey.

Let's go.

Has the jury reached its verdict, Mr.
Foreman? We have.

What say you? In the matter of Diana
Dorian versus Togetherness Dating

we find in favor of the defense.

Yes, I won!

Oh, congratulations.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. I hope
you've all had a very pleasant time.

We're adjourned.

Great. Here we go.

Congratulations.

Great. Mr.

Markowitz. Yeah. Oh, hi.

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

And also, I may have lost, but I'm not
walking away from this with nothing. You

gave me a lot to think about.

Thank you.

Figures you're married.

Stuart.

Stuart Markowitz.

Dave, how are you? Another time, another
place.

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?

Well, what can he afford to buy?

Oh, how about a serpentine silver neck
chain to buoy up his spirits? A trifold

leatherette wallet with a gold -toned
clasp? Both. Less than five bucks, yet

conceivably priceless to a drowning man.

Dave, this is Diana Dorian. Diana, Dave
Meyer. How do you do?

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

really have to go.

Well, I have a minute.

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

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

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

introduced on how little girls...

sometimes make these charges up.
Sometimes to blame parents for not

enough time with them.

There's plenty of doubt, ladies and
gentlemen.

Plenty of it.

He didn't do it.

Well, 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

caused by sexual abuse.

Somebody's fingers.

No, you can never medically establish
this with 100 % 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 vagina.

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

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.

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 piece of artwork that I
had been talking about as far as the

junior library.

You see who's going into Mackenzie's
office?

Mm -hmm.

Looks like they pushed the button. She
won't start off with any associate,

that's for sure. What's going on?

Look who's with him.

Did you pump anything out of Michael?

No, only that they're going to be
changing.

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

out how to benefit us.

She's overreacting. No, she's not
overreacting. Oh, come on. Victor, you

you're a lock for partnership.

Nobody's a lock here, Jonathan.

Don't get me wrong. They like us all,
but nobody's ever said.

Abby's right.

Never trust.

Totally.

How could you ever admit when you're
wrong? You're wrong. You misplaced it.

I didn't. Hi, Benny.

What's up, buddy?

It's Dad.

Wow. It certainly is.

It doesn't harm anybody.

Hey, Benno, he's happier this way.

Don't look happy.

He's at peace now, Benny. He's gone to
heaven.

My mom is in heaven. Oh, hey, hey, hey,
hey. He's not going to bother your

mother.

He's in rat heaven, and your mother,
she's in... mother heaven.

Do you think that... that that hurt him?

No.

Defendant, please rise.

In the matter of the people versus
Edward Haley, we, the jury, find the

defendant not guilty.

Congratulations.

Oh, God.

Members of the jury, we thank you for
your time. Oh, God.

This matter is concluded.

The defendant is free to go.

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, 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 37 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. Tell me about
fair.

He molested her and nothing happened.

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

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

act.

I hear you, Ms. Van Owen.

I hear you loud and clear.