All language subtitles for LA Law s04e16 Bounds for Glory

Previously on L .A. Law.

Effective as of this Friday, I am
resigning as senior partner of this law

What? I'll stay on as of counsel, but
one of you will have to take over.

I'm holding that this evidence, as a
matter of law, is insufficient to

finding of guilt beyond a reasonable
doubt.

I hereby dismiss the complaint. The
defendant is to be released.

Will you marry me?

Yes.

You will?

Yes, I will.

When you get up on that bench, you leave
all those doubts in chambers.

Up there, you never show the indecision.

You make that room your courtroom.

This is hard.

Yes, it is.

Senior partners don't have it given to
them, Douglas.

You want that job? You go out there. You
take it.

Now, you've got my vote.

If you can't muster the support of your
colleagues, that's not my problem.

You can take just enough support away
from each other to make that queen bitch

the winner.

Ann. Stuart, I can live with Brackman.

Not happily, but I can live. But if
Rosalind Shays gets control of it

It's not gonna happen.

Rosalind Shays.

What? She wins.

Three, two, two.

You're the new senior partner.

I'm overwhelmed.

You cast the deciding vote for Rosalind,
Douglas.

I didn't think I kept the votes.

The firm would be better served by
Rosalind than Stuart.

I was shocked.

They're running a frog jumping contest.

It's supposed to be a legitimate thing.
I show up with my frog and they won't

let him jump.

What reason did they give for excluding
you, sir?

They said he was too big. Now, there's
nothing about size in the rules, and

suddenly they go too big.

The fix had to be in.

Objection. Sustained. I paid $1 ,300 for
this frog, plus travel. Plus travel?

Had him flown in from Africa.

There's a lot of paperwork to be done on
that, I tell you. You also put him

through a...

Rigorous training camp, did you not? We
did sprints, jumps, squats, big hops,

little hops. And I even put him on his
little wheel for aerobic conditioning.

I tell you, I pushed that frog.

How much did this arbitrary
disqualification cost you, sir? The

,000, which would have been mine.

You get an extra $10 ,000 for setting a
record, which my frog could have done on

one leg.

Easy. I have nothing further, sir.

Are you real concerned with fairness,
Mr. Breacher? What's a contest without

fairness? Yeah.

Four years ago, you attempted to enter a
tiny but long, leaping runt toad,

didn't you? I looked like a frog. I was
mistaken.

And two years ago, your winning entry
tested positive for cocaine, did it not?

don't know how he got the drug.

Frog had a life.

Mr. Breacher, your reptile has been
known to eat small rats.

Objection, Your Honor. It is not a
reptile. It is an amphibian. Sustained.

How large is your amphibian, sir? It's
big.

Exactly how big? Oh.

With legs extended, I'd say he was about
three feet long.

Three feet?

That's one big mother frog.

Douglas, I think everybody is here. Why
don't you get started?

Okay.

People versus Latham.

Joel Latham's been busted for possession
again. Arraignments tomorrow.

Why are we in this?

Because he's Abe Latham's son.

Say no more.

Breacher versus Wynn.

That's mine. Our client package is
county fairs. The main event of one of

is a frog jumping contest.

There was prize money involved, and one
enterprising entrant got himself

something called an African Goliath
frog.

An African Goliath frog.

Yeah. It was ruled ineligible, hence the
suit. I understand that there's appeal

in things novel and strange. I also
understand that as attorneys, we need to

amuse ourselves. But quite frankly, what
I can't count on are the sort of

indulgences that hurt us. How does this
hurt us?

It causes.

It makes us look foolish.

What I'm saying, Jonathan, is that I
think you're going to have to be more

selective of the kinds of cases you take
on. Actually, he didn't take on the

case, Rosalind.

I did.

Moving along.

Jackson versus Haas.

That's mine.

A young black boy was kicked to death by
a skinhead. We're suing the skinhead's

parents. Why?

Why? Because a kid doesn't become a
racist thug in a vacuum. But suing the

parents, to me, this is utter
litigiousness. It's looking to the

payday. It's looking to the courts to
fight bigotry. Like Brown versus Board

Education. Was that utter litigiousness?

What was the age of the defendant's son
at the time of the killing, Ann? He was

15, Rosalind.

I think that's young enough to infer
parental liabilities.

Good luck.

Move along, Douglas.

I said, why don't we move along?

Did you see that? She's taking over. I
told you, Stuart. I told you.

She just backed you up on your case,
Ann. That's a good thing. That wasn't

backing me up, Stuart. That was
calculated manipulation.

She bossed me up. Did you hear the way
she bossed me? She wasn't bossing you,

Dudley. Support, support, support.
That's all she ever gets from you. She

me in the election. I'm the one who
should be sensitive here. I think we

organize a little private meeting.

See how everyone feels.

Why don't we just take another vote?
It's got to be done by executive

Article 3, Section 7.

Support, support, support. Not support,
Ann, a rule.

Excuse me.

What's going on?

Nothing, we're just talking.

Benny has a little problem, Stuart.
Could you help him out?

Sure.

Let's be grown -ups.

Two grams, simple possession.

I could probably plead him out and get
six months minimum security.

Of course, if we go to trial and lose,
we're talking a year easy.

Stay prison?

I doubt it, but the third offense is
possible.

Take the plea.

No, just a minute.

Don't forget the motion to dismiss. We
have a real shot at getting it kicked.

Right.

In which case, he just walked?

Exactly.

Take the plea. Let him do the six
months.

Excuse me? My son has a drug problem,
Miss Perkins. Nothing we tried has ever

worked. Programs, clinics.

This is the third time he's been
arrested. Every time he goes free. Every

he goes back to drugs. Maybe jail is
just the thing he needs.

That may be, Mr. Latham, but Joel is the
client, at least technically. And it

would have to be his decision.

If Joel were capable of making tough
decisions, we wouldn't be standing here

right now, would we?

Listen, this is my son, my only son. If
something drastic doesn't happen to

shake him out of this, I'm going to lose
him. You are asking a defense attorney

to deliberately put her client in jail
when there is a chance of getting him

off. That's the way you see it. The way
I see it is I'm asking you to help me

save his life.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. Come on in.
Tell me all about it.

It started because I wanted a new
refrigerator on account of I'm getting

married. And the one I have, it doesn't
get cold on the bottom part. And the guy

who came to fix it said he can't fix it
now. And he said it'd be cheaper to get

a new one.

So that's what I want to do.

Because if I'm going to get married, I
want to have a good refrigerator.

I agree with that.

But I don't have enough money in my
emergency savings. I used it for Alice's

ring. So I decided to sell my baseball
card collection for money.

So Jerry, he came and looked at my
cards, and he said he wanted them.

Who's Jerry?

Oh, he likes my cards.

Only I can't give him all my cards
because I promised Frank Malzone to Ed.

Who's that?

Third base, Red Sox.

Oh, that's Frank Malzone. Who's Ed?

Oh, he's my friend who likes my cards.

Except he doesn't want all of them. He
just wants some.

Mm -hmm.

And so I told Jerry that I couldn't give
him Frank Malzone and some of the

others. And he got real mad.

And he sent me this.

It's a summons.

What's that mean? It means he's suing
you, Benny.

Your friend Jerry's gonna take you to
court.

Oh, God.

Oh, don't worry. I'll look into it,
okay? Don't worry.

I just wanted a new refrigerator because
of the bottom part.

It doesn't get cold, I know.

When did you move into the house, Mr.
Jackson?

April 87.

I was made the branch manager at the
bank. For the first time in our lives,

were actually able to own our own home.

How did you like the neighborhood?

I liked it a lot.

We were near a park.

My son could walk to school.

We loved it.

Would you describe for us what happened
to you there, sir? One morning, I went

out, and white power was painted on the
sidewalk.

I reported it to the police, painted it
out, and got myself ready.

Ready for what?

I grew up in the South when people
started talking about white power.

It isn't just words.

It wasn't just words here in California
either, was it, sir?

No, it wasn't.

What happened, Mr. Jackson?

One afternoon I got a call at work from
my son's school.

They said Nathan had been involved in an
incident.

They said my son was dead.

Your Honor, I offer at this time the
stipulation of the parties that the

of Nathan Jackson, age 14, was caused by
the physical violence intentionally

inflicted upon him by Keith Haas, the 15
-year -old son of the defendants Jim

and Pauline Haas.

So stipulated.

It is further stipulated that Keith Haas
was tried and convicted of the murder

of Nathan Jackson, for which crime he is
presently incarcerated.

Again, so stipulated.

Mr. Jackson, would you describe for the
court the anguish caused to you and your

wife by the loss of your son?

Your Honor, the defense will also
stipulate that the pain and suffering

by this tragedy is both extraordinary
and immeasurable.

I'd like the witness to give his answer.
The stipulation is noted.

The witness can still give his response.

Mr. Jackson.

I'm sorry, Anna.

I know you said I had to talk about
this.

But I'm sorry.

That's okay, sir.

I have nothing further, Your Honor.

Have you ever met these people, Mr.
Jackson?

Yes, sir.

When did you meet them?

After that happened and then again at
the trial.

Do you have any reason to think that
they wrote white power on the sidewalk?

No, sir.

Did they ever use a racial epithet in
your presence?

No, sir. Do you have any knowledge that
they knew that their son would commit

violence against Nathan?

Their son grew up in their house. They
knew he was a racist.

But they didn't know he was about to
commit violence, did they? That boy

fights with six other black people in
the last eight.

15 months. Move to strike. They knew.

Overruled. Where'd he learn that kind of
hatred to stop a boy to death at a

school playground?

Their son did that, sir. How do you
blame them? Because their son did that,

boy they raised grew up hating blacks.
Move to strike. The boy they raised

murdered my son because he was black.

Your Honor. Mr. Jackson. How can I not
blame you?

How can I not blame you?

It wasn't that his frog would have won.
I don't know if it would have even

budged. It was very obese.

Why did you disqualify it? Because it
was dangerous.

He's trying to enter this giant African
thing with teeth, and I had to be

concerned for the other frogs.

Come on, Your Honor. Mr.

Reutemann. It's true.

The people spend a lot of money on them.
They're like pampered athletes.

And if one of them gets eaten by his
entrant, we've got a big lawsuit on our

hands. Move to strike, Your Honor.
There's no evidence that my client's

eats its competition. Denied. I'm sorry,
but the committee couldn't consider

this a normal frog within the spirit of
the rule.

And we felt that disqualification was
warranted. Thank you, Mrs. Wynn.

Mrs.

Wynn. Ms. Wynn.

Are there rules guiding these
competitions?

There are.

Do these rules limit the size of the
entrance?

Who would have thought they could get so
big?

Is it not true, Mrs. Wynn, that you
disqualified my client's frog because

knew that it would break the world's
record?

You don't want to be on the hook for an
extra 10 grand.

Not true.

That frog was fat and languid, and it
probably wouldn't have budged. You lying

cheat. Objection. It jumps huge.

Hey, Mr. Breacher. We also suspected
steroids.

Objection, Your Honor. Defamation of
character, Judge. That's enough.

All right, I want to see this thing. Can
you bring it in here? In a truck,

maybe. This is when I'm going to lose my
patience.

Yes, Your Honor, we could have said frog
here in the a .m. Good. I want to see

if it's really a frog, and I want to see
if it jumps.

Have it here at 10 o 'clock tomorrow
morning.

Drug -free.

We're adjourned.

Counselor? You don't deny killing Nathan
Jackson, do you, Keith?

No, sir, I don't.

Why would you do something like that?

It started off as just a fight. I guess
I lost control.

Can you tell us what part your parents
played?

They didn't play any part.

What do you think they might have done
if they had known you were going to do

something like this?

Objection. Speculative.

Sustained. We tried a different way.

How did they react to this?

They were very unhappy about it. Now,
did you ever indicate to your parents

you might attack somebody?

No.

As I said, I didn't know myself it was
going to happen. It just did.

Nothing further.

You look a little different now than you
used to, don't you, Keith?

I guess.

Is this a fair and accurate
representation of the way you looked at

that you kicked Nathan Jackson to death?

Yes.

Ask that this photograph be admitted
into evidence as plaintiff's exhibit

one. So ordered.

Ask that the court instruct the witness
to roll up his right sleeve.

Mr. Haas.

Let the record reflect it on the
witness's right forearm as a tattoo of a

swastika. Did you have that at the time
of the murder?

I believe I did. Did your parents know
about it?

Yeah, they knew.

What did they say when you first came
home with it?

I don't remember.

The reason that you attacked Nathan
Jackson from behind and kicked him to

is because he'd taken a walk with a
white girl, is that right?

Isn't that the reason that you gave for
the attack, Keith?

Yes. And you called her a race traitor
for walking with a black boy, didn't

She was a race traitor.

Are your parents race traitors, Keith?

Objection. Overruled. Are your parents
race traitors, Keith?

No. Do they feel the same way you do
about blacks and Jews?

Objection. Overruled. How do they feel
about blacks and Jews?

Ask them.

I'm asking you, son.

You refer to black people as niggers.
Did you hear that word at home? I'll

you this much.

They weren't ashamed of being white.

They didn't raise me to be ashamed of it
either.

And you're thankful for that, aren't
you? I'm thankful.

I was born with enough intelligence to
know that white Christian people have

been getting pushed around from every
direction.

We're tired of it.

We're fighting back.

And when the time comes, this will be
our country.

This will be our courtroom.

And we'll be the ones asking the
questions.

I have nothing further, Your Honor.

I can't hack six months in jail. Might
be a good way to get drugs out of your

system.

What about this motion to dismiss? You
said we could win that.

And then what?

You're back on the street, you're
getting high.

You're supposed to be my lawyer here,
not my social worker.

I am your lawyer.

And I'm also trying to think of what's
best for you.

This is coming from my father, isn't it?

This is what he wants, right? Your
father is scared, Joel.

He's scared that drugs are going to end
up killing you.

I can't spend six months in jail, Abby.

I can't. Look, I have always been
straight with you, okay? And I'm being

straight with you now when I say that I
think your father is right.

All right, be straight with me on one
more thing. This motion to dismiss, do

think you can win it?

Yes.

Then that's what I want you to do.

He's the client, not Abe. If he doesn't
want to plead guilty, I can't... Come

on, Abby.

He's a drug addict.

He wasn't on drugs when he was here,
Douglas. I have no reason to question

capacity to make this decision.

Okay, Abby, technically you're right.

Joel is the client. You're supposed to
do what he says.

But look, if we do get this thing
kicked, that kid goes straight back to

Are you going to feel good about that
just because technically you were

ethically correct?

Let me tell you something else.

If we get the case dismissed,

We'll lose Abe Lassen as a client.

I can't let that be a factor.

Look, Abby, I'm going to be perfectly
honest with you here.

If I lose Abe Lassen as a client, I lose
a big chunk of my clout.

The balance of power tilts even more
heavily in Rosalind Shea's favor.

She already has the biggest client base.
She's already been made senior partner.

Losing Abe Lassen is going to put her
one step closer to having unfettered

control to do whatever the hell she
wants.

Why don't you take me off the case? Cop
the plea yourself.

If we did that, Joel would smell a rat.

He'd get a new lawyer, and the results
for here would be the same.

You know the kid is better off doing the
six months, Abby. You know it.

All we're asking you to do is steer him
in the direction that would best help

him give up drugs.

Yes, I'm asking you to do it for Abe,
and yes, I'm asking you to do it for me.

But I'm also asking you to do it for
Joel.

It may be his only chance, for God's
sake.

Okay. I'll see if I can convince him.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Look, he's willing to sell them to you,
Mr. Svetka. He just wants to hold back a

few for Ed. He's looking to hold back
Heine -Manouche. He's looking to hold

Gus Bell.

He's looking to hold back a 62 Warren
Spahn in near -mint condition.

I never said I'd sell them to you,
Jerry. Whether express or implied,

representations were made, which I
placed reliance upon thereto.

Are you an attorney?

Freelance paralegal.

Aha. Well, you think that's going to
make it easy for you?

Look, what are we talking about here? A
couple hundred bucks? Try 13 ,000, and

it's an appreciating asset.

He's got an important collection, Mr.
Markowitz. I'm not about to just watch

slip away.

You'll see by the affidavits on Act Tier
2 that all parties have been served, a

TRO has been issued, freezing any
subsequent transfers, and depositions

been scheduled.

You've got to be kidding.

I know my way around litigation, Mr.
Markowitz.

Maybe even better than your average tax
attorney.

Look, you want to go to court, we'll go
to court.

Stewart! Benny, I want those cards
placed on escrow. Excuse me.

Stewart, I don't want to go to court.
You said we wouldn't have to.

It's going to be fine, Benny, don't
worry. It's just going to be fine.

How goes life at the top?

As lonely as it's cracked up to be.

I'm still a little terrified, Leland.

You've got nothing to worry about.

I'd be a little more self -assured if
I'd gotten your vote.

Well, you won the election, Rosalind.

Having done so, you get my full support.

You need anything, you just ask.

Thank you.

There is one thing you could do for me.

Name it.

Start wearing your hearing aids.

Excuse me? I'm sorry.

I know that you wear them to court and
at home in your private life. I think

should wear them here.

But that's a personal decision,
Rosalind. Leland, if a client's

is compromised because you didn't catch
something or you misheard something,

this firm could be subject to a
malpractice suit. Oh, but that's never

Rosalind. And it probably never will.

But your hearing disability is known.

And that makes the possibility of a
mishap foreseeable. And that leaves us

exposed to potential liability.

Now, just as you had to look after this
place when you were in charge, so

now must I.

Okay, Rosalind.

I will.

I knew he liked to wear his hair short,
and I knew he joined that group.

But kids go through stuff like this. I
thought he'd grow out of it. Kids don't

usually commit murder, sir. I had no
idea he could ever do something like

But what if you had, Mr. Haas?

What if you had had any inkling at all
that your son could attack somebody the

way he went after Nathan Jackson?

I would have tried to stop him.

I don't know whether I would have
succeeded or not, but I sure as hell

have tried.

I have no further questions.

Did you ever tell your son not to join
the skinhead group?

He was a mixed -up kid, Miss Kelsey.

He never listened to me much. Did you
try?

As best I could.

As best you could?

Well, wouldn't that group sometimes hold
their meetings in your garage?

Well, they weren't meeting.

A few of them would come over and Keith
and them would hang out in the garage,

yeah. And you also let your son hang
Nazi posters in his bedroom in your

Isn't it possible, Mr. Haas, that your
son was led to believe that you approved

of all this? No, I never told him I
approved.

Did you ever say, take him down?

Did you ever say, I don't want posters
in my house that read, death to race

mixing or niggers get out? Hey, lady,
I'm a parent just like everybody else,

praying to God every night just to hang
on to my kid. So you condoned his

bigotry? I didn't condone anything.

Maybe we tolerated some of that stuff
more than we should have because we

want him running out one day and never
coming back. Oh, I get it.

What a relief it must be to know that
after he finishes kicking blacks to

he'll be home for... Objection! If I
thought he was going to do what he did,

would have broken his legs.

Mr. Jackson, Mrs. Jackson, you've got to
believe me when I tell you that I'm

sorry.

Okay, exactly where are we? We've
offered $35 ,000, Your Honor, and

rejected it.

$35 ,000 may seem low, but according to
the financial statements submitted, the

defendants are pretty judgment -proof.

You could be chasing an empty bag.

They have a house, Your Honor.

Yeah, they do.

Valued at $92 ,000, carrying a mortgage
of $41 ,000, leaving them with an equity

of $51 ,000.

and it could take a long time to execute
the attachment and the sale. You really

want to go through all that for the
extra 16?

My son's life was worth more than $35
,000, Judge.

Of course it was, Mr. Jackson.

But I'm sure your lawyer has told you
that this lawsuit is going to be very

difficult for you to win.

Suing parents for the crimes of their
children is a pretty novel approach, Mr.

Jackson. I know that.

And Ms.

Kelsey tells me that because...

that a lot of people will be watching
what happens here.

That's what I'm after, Your Honor. I
want people noticing this.

Can you tell me what that accomplishes?

If I win, it says you should have done
something.

It says that parents cannot raise up
their children to be racist, murderous,

then just unleash them on the world.

I'm just working stiff, Mr. Jackson. I'm
just working stiff, too. That's right.

The truth is, we're probably more alike
than we are different.

No, see...

Your son is not dead. Mine is, and I
don't want him dying for nothing.

Something's going to come out of this.

Gentlemen, that's enough.

You want to go forward?

Yes, we do.

Summation's at 2 o 'clock, then.

As you can see, Your Honor, this is
clearly a frog.

It's a very big frog.

What's that on its leg?

It's a little lace bandage, Your Honor.

He pulled a hamstring during a workout
yesterday.

Show him the teeth.

All right, all right. I'm sure it is
bigger than any of the contest

commissioners ever imagined, but Mrs.
Wynn, that is a frog.

Thank you, Your Honor. May we expect a
judgment? Hold on. I don't see it doing

much jumping. There's no evidence that
it would definitely have won the event.

Well, I'd like to demonstrate then, Your
Honor. May I remind the court of the

hamstring injury?

Just make it jump.

Okay, Richard.

Inhale and leap.

Come on, boy.

Inhale. I just had breakfast, Your
Honor, so... Probably a donut.

Objection, Your Honor.

May I ask the defendant to cease the
harassment during this demonstration?

What demonstration? It looked dead to
me. He's gathering himself, Your Honor.

About ready to jump. Look at his eye.

Oh, for God's sake. Oh, no, I can see
it. Hey, you're sticking him with a pen.

Prodders are allowed. Just get on with
it, will you? I told you, it doesn't

jump.

He's attacking the judge.

Look at the teeth. I told you. Sit. Stay
right there. It's a vicious frog. Get

this thing now.

I got him. I got him, Your Honor.

I think he pulled another muscle.

I ask that you recuse yourself, Your
Honor. Forget it.

I'm going to take this stupid thing
under advisement.

I want everybody back here at 2 o 'clock
tomorrow.

For God's sake.

Let's just see what the district
attorney offers.

If it's reasonable... Let's cut the
crap, Dad. You want me to do time, so

not pretend... I want you off drugs,
Joel.

Look, I don't even know what our options
are yet.

If we can get an offer of six months,
Joel, we should probably... No! You're

lawyer, not his. You're supposed to
be... We're all on the same side. We are

on the same side. You want me in jail.
Will you listen to me? Get your hands

me! Will you listen to me?

For God's sake, Joel, I'm your father,
you're my son. I love you.

But we got a problem here.

We can't seem to get by.

Well, prison's not gonna do it, Dad.

Don't make me lose it.

It's the only thing left to try.

Six months is a good deal. Probably the
best we can do. Ask your lawyer.

Come on.

You better get in there.

You're on the right. It's not like
you're going to San Quentin, Joel.

Listen to your lawyer. You don't plea
and you lose and you get two years in

state prison.

You want that?

No, what I want is to be free. Look, I
don't even know what our options are

okay? I've got to talk to the DA.

When the case is called, step up with
me.

Jim, I've got Joel Lassen.

Yeah, that's me.

Are we dealing?

I'm looking for next to nothing.

You got a rookie cop searching the trunk
on a moving violation. There's no

way... Yeah, yeah, what was it, two
grams?

No intent.

If you want a guilty plea, let him go
with probation.

Yeah, yeah, okay.

What?

Well, we do it today.

You roll the dice with a dismissal
motion, and I'm going for jail time.

Okay.

Six months?

Done.

People versus Joel Lassen.

Jim Aoli for the people.

Straight possession, Your Honor. I think
we can make this thing go away right

now. How delightful.

Defendant agrees to plead guilty. Joint
recommendation for six months probation.

Defendant still agrees?

We do.

You got it.

Guilty. Six months probation.

Mr. Lassen, check with the probation
officer, please.

Next case.

Probation, that's it. I can go? Yeah.

Way to go, Counselor. Look, Mr. Lassen,
I didn't know the DA was going to... I

don't talk to you anymore.

Talk to your boss.

Come on, Joe.

Now, you only want seven cards in total.
The collection is meaningless to me

without those cards. Hold on.

Now, which seven do you want? Don't talk
to my client. I'm asking him a simple

question. You told me I could have them,
Benny. There was an offer and an

acceptance. A valid contract. Now, wait
a minute. Back up.

Now, first of all, let me just say as
delicately as possible that...

There are certain questions as to
Benny's capacity to enter into an

agreement. He's trying to squirm out of
it. I don't appreciate it. Don't talk to

my son. I'll go for puny. When you
needed Elroy face, I got your Elroy

If I gave you Willie Mays... Hold it,
guys!

We're talking about baseball cards.
We're talking about promises my client

relied upon to his detriment.

Now, he could have made other
acquisitions. The trouble with your

is that he doesn't grasp nuance.

I never thought I'd tell him to you,
Jerry. You ever hold a 51 Mickey Mantle

with four sharp corners and original
gloss? You're nuts.

These things come five to a pack with a
stick of guns. That was a 54 Wally

Moon. You ripped my card.

He ripped it, not me. You saw it. I'm
adding on a claim against you.

That was gross negligence. I'm amending.
Pin your ears back, you little squid.

I'm leaving.

The big guy's upset. This is over,
Benny.

You said you'd fix things.

Obviously, we can't start chasing
parents every time a kid screws up.

And I'm certainly not suggesting that
the Haases are criminals or asking that

they be put in jail. Their son did this,
not them.

What I'm asking is that they take a
little responsibility.

Because the hatred that ultimately
killed Nathan Jackson was born in their

They shrugged their shoulders when their
son came home with a swastika burned

into his arm. They let him hang posters
that read, Death to the niggers.

They sat back and did nothing while he
repeatedly instigated fights with black

children. The most malignant assumption
we can make about these people is that

they encourage their son's racism.

The most benign.

is that they ignored it and allowed it
to fester.

Either way, it ended up killing Nathan
Jackson.

Either way, they have to take some
responsibility.

Lawsuits are about allocating burdens,
ladies and gentlemen.

We use lawsuits to place the burden on
the manufacturers to make their products

safer. We use lawsuits to place the
burden on people to act in non

ways. Right now.

Today.

Let's put the burden on the parents that
they can't just close their eyes to

bigotry in their own home.

Because if we allow the parents to
ignore the prejudices in their children,

we allow them to turn away from racism
and just hope that it will go away, it

will never go away.

And more kids like Nathan Jackson are
going to die.

That was a stirring speech.

It really was.

It was so good, it could almost make you
forget the law.

Under the law, ladies and gentlemen, you
can't hold parents liable just because

their child is a racist.

Under the law, you can't punish parents
for the sins of the children.

You can only hold them liable.

If they knew this crime was going to
happen and they did nothing to prevent

and there was no evidence whatsoever
that my clients knew their son was going

attack Nathan Jackson.

None.

This is not a case about racism.

It is about a murder.

And the evidence is uncontroverted.

My client's only connection to this
crime is that they were the parents of

killer. In Miss Kelsey's world, that's
enough to hold them liable, I guess. But

in this world, under the laws of this
country, it isn't.

It just isn't.

What was I supposed to do? The D .A.
went for it. I was supposed to say...

Because you pushed for it. Listen, Abe,
this was a difficult call. Where the

hell were you? You're supposed to be
taking care of me.

I thought Abby would.

Thanks, Arnie.

I agree with Abe.

Jail time is what Joel needs.

Sorry I'm late.

Who the hell are you?

I'm Rosalind Shays, Mr. Lass. I'm the
new senior partner here.

Douglas has explained to me what's
happened. Good.

Explain to me what you're going to do
about it.

Well, under the circumstances... I don't
want any circumstances. I want her

fired today.

Now, why would I do that? Why?

Because she ignored my instructions.
That's why. Miss Perkins was bound by an

attorney's code of ethics, and she
behaved appropriately.

This firm stands behind her.

These two don't seem to stand behind
her.

As I said, I'm the senior partner.

I'll have somebody here to pick up my
files.

You just lost yourself a client, senior
partner.

I appreciate that, Rosalind. That was my
client you just encouraged out the

door. How dare you hang an associate out
like that.

Both of you.

Abby had no choice but to do what she
did. And for you not to support her here

is reprehensible.

Abe Latham is good for about $500 ,000 a
year.

There was no price tag on our ethics
when Leland was in charge, and there

now.

If you find the defendants knew of their
son Keith Haas' propensity to commit

violence, then you must consider whether
they had opportunity to prevent this

violence. And if your answer to this
question is yes, you then must consider

whether the defendants failed to take
reasonable steps to prevent the violence

from occurring. And if your answer to
that question is also yes, you must then

find... for the plaintiff and award
damages which you find to reasonably

compensate the plaintiff for the loss of
their son.

I must caution you, however.

It is not enough that the defendants
knew their son to be racist. It is not

enough that they tolerated or even
contributed to his racist beliefs.

There is no legal obligation upon
parents to shape the opinions of

their children.

You are to focus only on the propensity
for the violence and the parents'

opportunity to prevent this violence.

This concludes my instructions.

This court is hereby adjourned, pending
your deliberations.

And good luck.

How could you possibly give a charge
like that?

Anne, this is ex parte. You know better
than to come in here. And you know

better than to practically guarantee a
defense verdict.

I didn't do that. That's exactly what
you did. You said... What I did, Ann,

to focus them on the issue at hand
instead of the societal problem you

them to cure.

I cannot send a jury back with the idea
that they have an obligation to wipe out

bigotry. The issue was the violence and
the defendant's connection to the

violence, and that's it. The parents
helped cultivate the racism, which... If

that's all they're guilty of, then the
defendants win here.

Your speech was sensational, but it was
way ahead of the law.

And you want to run for office, I'll
vote for you. But in my courtroom, I go

what's in the books. Those instructions
weren't in the books, Grace.

Those instructions were tailor -made for
a defense verdict.

This is ex parte communication.

It is inappropriate. And my friendship
for you aside, I will hold you in

contempt.

Be seated.

First of all, let me thank all of you
for the entertaining demonstration.

I've decided to muzzle him, Judge. I
don't care. Be glad I don't have him put

sleep. First of all, I find that under
these very unusual circumstances, the

creature did pose a safety risk.

Your Honor, how can you be objective?

It bit you.

Mr. Reutemann, if you make one more
objection or move for a mistrial one

time, I shall order you to bathe with
it.

The exclusion, however, was nevertheless
illegal.

The event was an invitational open to
all frogs, and Mr. Breacher did in fact

proffer a frog, albeit a gigantic one.
There's no evidence that the physical

size was drug -induced, and so the
disqualification was therefore

Fine for the plaintiff. Order the
defendant to pay damages in the amount

,000.

That's all.

You have doubles of Luis Aparicio, his
rookie of the year card? Uh -huh.

Okay. I'll give you that. You give me
Johnny Padres and Gil Hodges.

What's, uh, what's going on?

We're having a meeting.

Benny, I think I should be involved,
especially it affects the base... No,

lawyers, I can fix it myself.

Benny, we're talking about a
considerable... Here's the check. You

escrow pending the completion of the
transaction.

This is for the full amount.

Hey, you're dealing with card collectors
here. We're an honest group.

You have all the Dodger pictures.

I still need Ralph Branca.

Oh. You give him Ralph Branca, and you
give him Pee -wee Reese.

Pee -wee Reese?

It's a good trade.

Wait a minute. There's a gum stain on
this one.

Well, give him Norm Sherry, too. What?

You still have his rookie card. That's
better.

I don't know how you can do it, Ben. How
can you give up your cards?

I'm getting married.

Ah, oh.

Now, you need Joe Pignatano.

And he needs Chuck to seed you.

Thanks a lot.

Listen, I just had to come in and tell
you, you're the greatest, and I thank

you, and you won't regret it.

I know the old man's upset, but
everything's gonna work out okay.

Don't you worry. It's all gonna work out
great.

Are you on cocaine right now, Joel?

No, I'm just up.

You're lying.

Listen, I'm gonna stop, but I'm gonna
stop my way.

There's only one way to stop.

And you need help to do it. No, I don't.

I'm young, and I'm smart, and I'm too
loose to break.

What I'm trying to say, Abby, is that
this boy comes out on top.

I'll have those contracts ready for you
by the end of the week. That'll be

great, Daniel.

Leland. They got you working.

Well, we're under new management here.

Rosalind tells me the prospectus is
done.

Oh, it's at the printers. Great.

It's good to see you, old friend.

You too, Leland.

I never knew he wore a hearing aid.

Oh, you're getting a little up there,
you know.

Is that why he stepped out?

He's still a valuable contributor,
Daniel.

I know, but...

There's nothing for me to be concerned
about, is there? Of course not. You're

very good hands.

I'm in complete charge here now.

Good.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Good.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

What say you?

In the matter of Jackson v. Haas, we
find for the plaintiff an award the sum

$150 ,000.

The jury is discharged with the thanks
of the court.

This matter is concluded.

Court is now adjourned.

You can

take my house,

but that's all I got.

I don't want your house, Mr. Hollis.

I got what I wanted.

Is there anything I can give you?

I'm so sorry.

I know you are.