All language subtitles for LA Law s08e10 He Aint Guilty, Hes My Brother.eng

Previously on L .A. Law. Hello.

Ah, you're... Jane Halliday.

I'm Douglas Brackman.

This is Ann Kelsey, Jonathan Rollins,
and Arnold Becker.

Why did you ask me to lunch, Mr. Becker?

I was very impressed with you the other
day.

I was hoping I could interest you in the
field of matrimonial law, working

directly under me, so to speak.

I just wanted to let you know that I'll
be recusing myself from any cases in

which you're the prosecutor.

Why? Because I find you extremely
attractive.

You do?

Yes, I do.

Are you involved with anyone?

No. Do you find me attractive?

Yeah.

You know, I'd like to make a date right
now, but I think we ought to let the

dust settle on the Turner case, don't
you?

Yeah, I do.

So, I'll be in touch.

Okay.

Food is great.

What did you say the name of this
restaurant is?

La Talpa. La Talpa. Yeah, I want to
remember that.

Are you planning on coming here with
someone else?

Would you rather I didn't? I'd rather
that every time you came here, you came

here with me.

Okay?

Enjoying your dinner, Judge?

Do I know you? You know my cousin,
Walter Stovick?

You gave him three to five, and you gave
it to him for nothing.

Hey, this really isn't the time or place
for this, is it? It's okay, Tommy.

First of all, I don't give three to five
for nothing.

Second of all, you're out of line.

Now, I suggest you go back and finish
your meal, and we'll finish ours. Should

tell you what my cousin's kids are going
through? I'm going to ask you one more

time to move away from this table.

Why? Is there a law against interrupting
a judge's dinner? There's a law against

harassment. There's also a law against
threatening an officer of the court. And

if you insist upon making the further
mistake of becoming physically violent,

you'll be arrested and prosecuted. And
in the end, you'll be in prison long

after your cousin comes home.

Now, that being the case, I suggest you
go back to your table.

Sure.

I'm not going to do it, Douglas.

I'm not going to do what?

I'm not going to use an appointment book
and a calendar from a bail bondman just

because we get them for nothing. It's a
new calendar year, and I thought rather

than buying expensive new ones, we could
make use of the ones we're given. I

want an expensive new one. That's one of
the few benefits of the passage of

time. A memorandum, no less. He sent us
all a beautiful memorandum about it.

Trestman versus Freeling.

That's mine in depositions. We're
representing Ed Freeling, whose

suing him for sexual fraud.

Meaning what? She claims that he
represented that he was a cop, and with

understanding, she entered into an
intimate relationship.

When he turned out not to be a cop, she
felt defrauded. What? Sounds like

precedent -setting stuff.

I'll say. If you lose, every man who
ever lied to a woman to get her in bed

be facing a court date.

Why is everyone looking at me? Why
indeed, Arnold?

Are you suggesting that I'm guilty of
sexual fraud? I didn't hear anyone

anything. Well, I know what you're
thinking. It's written all over your

I think you're jumping to an altogether
wrong conclusion, Arnie. Of course,

there are those of us who remember your
claiming to be a direct descendant of

Tsar Nicholas. That was an honest
mistake. I have Russian ancestry. I

that somewhere there was a Romanov in my
family. Was it an honest mistake when

you claimed that Simone de Beauvoir was
going to be a house guest? That was a

joke.

And I know you were completely sincere
about your Bible studies.

I was sincere. I was utterly sincere.

I wouldn't worry about it, Ernie,
whether Ann loses or not. I wouldn't

another second's thought.

I think we best make sure that Ann gets
all the help that she needs.

So, Mr. Escala, I understand we're here
to discuss a criminal matter.

Yes.

Our son Luis was involved in a robbery.

But he wants to turn himself in.

I work with a woman, Mrs. Calderon.

She said when her son Manuel was
arrested for drugs, you were his lawyer.

Manny Calderon, yeah.

Yes. And she said that you made it so he
didn't have to go to prison.

We were hoping you could make a similar
arrangement for Luis.

Mm -hmm.

There are mitigating circumstances that
would point to probation as the

likeliest sentence.

Luis has no prior conviction.

The gun he used was a starter pistol. He
was drunk.

and he was induced to steal by loan
sharks to whom he owed money.

Something tells me I'm not the only
lawyer in the room.

Ramon is in his second year of law
school, Stanford.

Good school.

And I suspect you're probably right
about the mitigating circumstances.

But I need to hear the details of the
robbery from Luis, and I'm sure you

understand why that conversation should
be private.

To protect the attorney -client
privilege, we should go outside.

Mr. Morales, I think I should mention my
wife and I don't have a great deal of

money. Let's not worry about that now.

Thank you. You bet.

What happened?

I, uh... I held up a convenience store.
When?

Last night.

Anybody get hurt?

No. Good.

Where's the starter pistol?

I stashed it in the bushes outside the
store.

Any chance your fingerprints are on it?

No. I had on gloves.

What about witnesses?

I had a bandera over my face.

But when I drove off, I saw the cashier
had written down my license.

The car is registered to you?

To my father.

Why did you do it, Luis?

I was with some guys who I owed money
to.

I was drunk.

You could sit tight, you know. You could
just sit tight and see what happened.

No, I don't want the cops coming to my
parents' house.

My parents are honest people, and I
don't want them to lie because of me.

It's my responsibility.

Okay, you're sure this is what you want
to do?

Yeah.

You just give me the best deal you can,
huh?

You live in Beverly Hills, Miss
Trestman? Yes, I do.

You met Mr. Freeling at Peachy's Bar and
Grill.

That's in Silver Lake, isn't it?

That's correct.

That is a long way to go for a drink. Is
the food particularly good there?

That's not really relevant, is it? Oh,
it was my friend's idea. She thought it

would be fun.

I take it they have entertainment?

It's a cop bar, okay? I know that. You
know that.

He knew that.

I never said I was a cop.

So it was just you and your girlfriend
out for a little excitement, an

adventure. You want me to say I went
there to meet a policeman? Yes, I did. I

went there to meet a cop.

What I got was him. You subsequently
initiated a relationship with Mr.

did you not?

I don't know. Who initiated what?

Whoever initiated it. The two of you
went out for a period of over three

did you not?

Yes. He took you to the fights, to
hockey games, to the racetrack. Had you

been to places like that before?

No, I hadn't.

I also hadn't been on a stakeout before
either.

And for two weeks, every night, we would
tell some guy all over the city that

Mr. Freeling said he was sitting on. You
would have sexual relations with Mr.

Freeling in the front seat of his car
while you were on these stakeouts, would

you not? Yes, I would. Would you do so
willingly?

Does the concept of false pretenses
count for anything? He willingly took

advantage of the fact that at heart, I
am a very trusting person.

You went out looking for an adventure,
and you found one.

Ultimately, the only thing you were
missing was a uniform.

The only thing I was missing was the
man.

Yes, I was stupid. Yes, I was gullible.
I willingly made a fool of myself.

I willingly accommodated him sexually.
All I asked for in return was that he be

the man he said he was.

I would have settled for half.

Look, the midterm for robbery is three
years. I'll recommend two, okay? I

you mean probation.

Christmas is over, Morales. I'm not
handing out presents. My client came in

voluntarily. He has no priors. He's
willing to make restitution.

The cops had his plate number. He was
going to get nailed, and he knew it two

years in. We both know the judge is
giving probation. Why waste everybody's

with the sentencing hearing? We're just
going through the motions. Look, we've

been getting all sorts of heat for
cutting deals that are too soft. It

just be a matter of going through the
motions, but I've got to do it. I've got

to go through the motions.

People versus a scholar.

Morales representing Mr. Escala, Your
Honor. The client's charged with robbery

under the California Penal Code Section
211. How does he plead? Guilty, Your

Honor. Ms. Knight, is there an agreed
-upon recommendation?

No, Your Honor.

I assume you'll want a sentencing
hearing.

Yes, Your Honor.

Sentencing to take place in Superior
Court Department 35.

See the Probation Department about
preparing a report.

Application for bail, Your Honor. I'm
listening.

Mr. Escala has no priors, has ties to
the community, has shown his willingness

to cooperate by surrendering
voluntarily. That being the case, we ask

released O .R. pending sentencing.

Ms. Nida?

No objection.

Mr. Escala is to be released on his own
recognizance until such time as he's

sentenced. Call the next case.

People versus DePaul.

So, no deal?

No deal.

Does this mean a hearing?

Yeah,

we'll go before a judge and present our
reasons why we should be treated with

leniency. You know, being a judge might
not be so bad.

Nothing else should get an office close
to court.

You want the job?

No, thanks.

Come in.

I'm sorry to interrupt, Your Honor, but
there's a Mr.

DiStefano here to see you. He says it's
important and he can't wait. Tell him

I'll see him tomorrow, Kevin. I'm going
to be leaving here as soon as I finish

speaking with Mr. Mullaney.

Oh, I think you might want to hear what
I have to say, Your Honor, before I file

my appeal.

We can finish this later. No, actually,
what I have to say concerns you both,

Mr. Mullaney. With the judge's
permission, you might want to stay.

I have a dinner reservation at 6. I'll
give you five minutes.

Thank you.

I'm here to ask you to grant a mistrial
in the Rick Turner rape case and to

disqualify yourself from any new trial.

And why would I want to do that? With
all due respect, Your Honor, you and Mr.

Mullaney have been observed conducting
an other -than -strictly -professional

association.

It is my contention that the two of you
were carrying on a romantic liaison

during the trial and my client was the
victim of judicial bias.

First of all, that is not true. And
second of all, your client was convicted

a jury. The judge made evidentiary
rulings that were highly prejudicial to

client. So that's it?

No. As a matter of fact, it's not. I
want to know if I get my mistrial,

Make a formal motion, Mr. DiStefano, and
I'll rule on it.

Okay. Here's what I do first thing
tomorrow.

Number one, I file a complaint about you
to the Judicial Qualifications

Committee. Number two, I file a
complaint about him to the District

Office. I said good day.

You know, the two of you might have had
the affair, Your Honor, but it was my

client that got screwed.

I'll see you in court.

How the hell does he know about us?

How do people know anything about
anybody?

Someone sees something and they make
assumptions.

Sometimes they're right and sometimes
they're half right. It doesn't matter.

What do you mean it doesn't matter?

Carolyn, even if his motion doesn't go
anywhere, you can bet that the press is

going to pick up on it. Tell me, don't
worry about anything.

Nothing's going to happen.

Okay?

Mr. Freeling, I take it you are not a
member of the Los Angeles Police

Department? Right.

You ever been a member of any police
department anywhere?

At one time, I thought about taking the
test for the Mahwah, New Jersey police

department. But you didn't.

I was young. I wanted to do a lot of
things I didn't do.

What do you do for a living, Mr.
Freeling?

I run and manage a franchise food
service operation.

To be more specific?

I run a Dunkin' Donuts.

Oh, I can't believe I was that stupid.

But when you met my client, you
represented otherwise.

I was at a bar. I had a couple of
drinks. I told her a story.

People do that in bars. If they gave out
polygraphs with every Mai Tai, dating

as we know it, would disappear from the
known world.

But this wasn't just a story in a bar.

For the next three months, you actually
lived out this lie.

I thought we were having a good time.

Was I wrong?

You carried a gun, did you not? It was a
fake gun, just like the badge was a

fake badge.

Both were strictly placebos. That's the
right word, isn't it?

Close enough.

Okay.

Did you ever feel the need to warn this
woman while you took her on your make

-believe stakeouts that if anything were
to happen, you couldn't do anything

about it? I'd never let anything happen
to her. If you encountered violence, you

would have, what, pulled your placebo?

Can we save the sarcasm for the
courtroom?

I told her what she wanted to hear.

So it was under the guise of being a
policeman that you persuaded my client

have sexual relations with you.

Didn't take much persuading.

That came out totally wrong.

This was not an effort on my part to get
her to go to bed with me. What exactly

was it, Mr. Freeling? It was a love
affair, Mr. McDermott.

Two lonesome souls who found each other.

A beautiful, classy broad and a hard
-bitten cop who'd long since given up

believing such a thing was possible.

Ed? Mr. Freeling, you're not a cop.

You make donuts for a living.

That's a detail, my friend.

Do you have any further questions, Mr.
McDermott? No, I think we're done.

Mr. Bardash, would you describe the
event that took place on December 28,

I was standing behind the counter at the
convenience store where I used to work.

Around 1 o 'clock in the morning, this
guy with a mask over his face comes in,

points a gun at me, and tells me to
empty out the register.

What did you do?

I emptied out the register.

And what then did he do, sir?

He took the money, and then he walked
back to the refrigerator case and took

a beer.

He had me open it for him. He stood
there drinking it with the barrel of the

pushed up against my ear.

Would you describe for us, sir, how this
incident has affected you?

It made it impossible for me to continue
working outside the house.

Now I stay at home.

phone sales for my kitchen. It wasn't
the first time that I was held up. It

wasn't the first time that I had a gun
pointed at me.

But I don't remember ever being as
scared.

This guy wasn't doing it for the money.
He was doing it because he wanted to.

Objection. He wanted to see me beg.

Objection. Objection sustained.

I have no further questions.

Did Mr. Escala strike you at any time,
sir? No. Did he tie you up or restrain

you in any way?

No. Did he threaten you with retribution
if you should go to the police or

testify? No, he didn't. Are you aware of
the fact that the gun he used during

the robbery was actually a starter
pistol?

I'm aware of it now.

I wasn't aware of it then.

Is it likely, sir, that an experienced
thief would risk capture by standing

around drinking a beer in the middle of
a robbery?

Maybe not.

But I looked into his eyes, and let me
tell you something.

He's dangerous.

There was no doubt in my mind that he
would have killed me just to watch me

How would he have killed you if he was
holding a starter pistol?

That's okay, Mr. Barnash. You don't have
to answer.

I have no further questions.

Come.

I really appreciate you seeing me on
such short notice, Leland.

You don't need any notice around here,
Tom.

What seems to be the problem?

I'm dating a judge.

Ah. Carolyn Walker.

A problem.

A couple of weeks ago, I tried a rape
case in front of her. Now, nothing was

going on between us at the time. I got a
conviction, fair and square.

And? Yesterday, the defense attorney
came to Carolyn's chambers and accuses

of misconduct during the trial.

He's filing a motion for mistrial,
claiming judicial bias.

Can he make a case?

Well, that's what I wanted to know.
You've been around the courthouse a lot

longer than I have.

What kind of problems are we looking at
here?

For her or for you? For both of us.

She's a lot more vulnerable than you
are.

Judges have to avoid even the appearance
of impropriety.

So what do I do?

Start by going through the transcripts
of that trial.

Brief each and every ruling the judge
made.

And keep a lower profile as possible,
romantically speaking.

If I need representation, can I come to
you?

Absolutely. Thanks.

I assume you know that a prosecutor who
gets involved with a judge is walking

through a minefield as well.

Oh, I know we would.

The problem is that I'm already
involved.

Hi. A moment?

Sure.

It seems to have become a standing joke
around here that Arnold Becker lies

whenever and however it serves his
purposes to do so. I'd like to know if

share in that view.

I couldn't really say. I don't know you
as well as the others.

Based on how well you do know me.

Tell me if you think it's true.

Based on how well I do know you, I think
there are probably times when you are

somewhat less than sincere.

Like when? Like when you expressed an
interest in the Bible because you wanted

to go to bed with me. Are those things
mutually exclusive?

Well, I think in your case one led me to
question the legitimacy of the other.

My desire for spiritual guidance was
sincere.

My desire for you was sincere.

Yes, I want to feel the presence of God
in my life.

Yes, I want to see you naked.

Why can't those concepts exist
simultaneously?

Maybe they can, although I should say
you have a better chance of

the former than the latter.

You're humoring me, Jane.

You don't believe for one split second
that I could be sincere about my

religious feelings.

That's okay.

But I suggest, however, that your
cynicism is blinding you to the true

a fellow pilgrim. Is it?

Yes, it is.

Whatever I may be, I am not cynical.

My eyes tell me when to trust a person
and when not to.

My eyes look into their eyes, and based
on that, I have an unerring ability to

know when someone is sincere.

With it, your Christian heart allowed
you to do the same.

Mrs.

Escala, in the last few months... How
often have you seen your son Luis?

He lives with us.

I see him every day. Did you see him the
night of the robbery?

Yes. I heard him crying downstairs with
my husband and Ramon.

He said he committed this crime.

How did you react?

I didn't believe it.

Did Luis say why he did it?

He said he owed money to some men.

They said they were going to kill him
unless he paid them that night.

He got drunk.

And he robbed the store.

Did he say how he came to owe money to
these men?

He said he felt guilty about not being
able to contribute more for the rent and

the food.

Luis is a simple boy.

He does what people tell him to do.

These men offered to loan him money, and
he took it. They said to rob the store,

and he did it.

He's never been in trouble before in his
life, Judge.

Not until now.

I'll keep that in mind.

I have nothing further.

Is it possible, Mrs. Escala, that your
son committed this crime for the same

reason that most people commit crimes?
It beats working for a living. Luis does

work for a living.

It was just the circumstances he was in.
He was afraid he was going to be

killed.

Tell me, have you ever seen the men who
your son claims told him to rob the

store? No. Do you know their names?

No. Mrs.

Escala... Have you considered that Luis
may have invented these men in an

attempt to reduce his responsibility for
the robbery? No.

Mrs. Escala, assuming what you're saying
is true, how can we be assured that the

next time Luis falls into debt, he won't
react in the same way?

We will take care of him, my husband, my
son, and me. If he needs money, we will

give it to him.

I promise, Your Honor. I promise to God
this will never happen again.

Miss Nida?

I have nothing further.

On the evening of September 7th of last
year, I was called to investigate a 602.

Illegal trespass. The two of them were
parked in front of the house of a Mr.

Takayodo who had called in a complaint.

Would you describe for us what they were
doing? They were engaged in activity of

a sexual nature.

Did Mr. Trestman appear to be
participating willingly in these

He's in no position to testify to that.

Did Ms. Trestman complain that Mr.
Freeling had forced her to do anything

against her will?

No, she did not. You arrested both Mr.
Freeling and Ms. Trestman, is that

Right. What was the charge?

Indecent exposure.

314 .1.

Misdemeanor. So, Mr. Freeling wasn't
arrested for impersonating an officer?

No, he was not.

Why? While in my presence, he never
represented himself to be a police

Did you at any time take Mr. Freeling
for a police officer?

Not for a moment.

Well, what about the clothes and the car
and the overall demeanor? He's a buff.

I run into guys like him all the time.
They learn a few words. They try to

up to you. Generally, they're harmless.

But no way would I take this guy for a
cop. I beg to differ. In most respects,

I'm indistinguishable from a cop. Ed,
will you let me handle this? Hey, pal,

no respect are you anything like a cop.
Can we wrap this up? Why do you say

that? Because you're soft.

It just so happens I am not soft.

You wouldn't last 15 minutes on the job.
Your problem is you're living in a

fantasy world.

You're not a cop. You're never going to
be a cop.

That's that.

I have nothing further, Detective.

You're a big boy, Ed.

Get over it.

Ever since he was nine, Luis has worked
to help support the family.

Because he did that, I didn't have to
work. I could concentrate on school.

How would you describe your relationship
with your brother growing up?

Luis was my protector, and when he
couldn't be there, he made sure there

someone else to look out for me. Was it
necessary to have a protector?

When you grow up in La Gerdiloma and
you're skinny and asthmatic and good at

school, believe me, it was necessary.

And what kind of influence, if any, did
your brother have on you?

When I was 13, I thought about joining
the gang.

Luis said he'd beat the crap out of me
if I did.

I told him that he had nothing to say
about it because he himself was in a

at the time. How did he respond?

He got jumped out of the gang.

He got jumped out of the gang. Tell us
about that. What does it mean to be

jumped out?

It's like a reverse initiation.

They tie your hands behind your back and
all the gang members get to take their

best shot.

When they brought him back, I thought he
was dead.

His eyes were all swollen shut. He
couldn't walk.

I never had anything to do with gangs
after that.

How do you feel about your brother,
Ramon?

I love him.

And I owe him more than I could ever
hope to repay.

No further questions.

Mr. Scala, do you consider your brother
to be a violent person?

No, I don't.

But as a gang member, wouldn't it be
fair to assume that Luis took part in

activities as fights, violent
initiations, perhaps drive -by

He joined the gang for his own
protection.

The truth is, Luis was never much of a
fighter.

Really?

As recently as two years ago, your
brother was arrested and charged with an

assault. Are you familiar with that
incident, Mr. Escala? They dropped those

charges. You witnessed that incident,
didn't you, Mr. Escala?

I caused it, Miss Nida.

I had just gotten a scholarship to
Stanford.

My picture was in the paper.

We were at a neighborhood bar
celebrating when this drunk starts in on

calling me vendido.

So the guy starts getting physical.

Luis takes him down. So it wasn't Luis's
fault.

That's right.

And last week when your brother
terrorized and robbed a store clerk,

his fault either. My brother is not a
criminal. Your brother pleaded guilty to

crime. That makes him a criminal.
Objection. The prosecutor's making

I have nothing further.

Yeah, come in.

Ah, here filing your complaint with my
boss, Mr. DeStefano? No, I'm not. I'm,

uh... I'm...

here to apologize.

About yesterday in Judge Walker's
chambers, my accusations were out of

You seemed pretty sure of yourself at
the time. I was obviously mistaken.

See, Rick Turner, Stifel Records,
they're big clients for my firm.

No one was very happy I lost the case. I
was upset.

I'm sorry.

Apology accepted.

Good.

And as far as I'm concerned, we can act
as though none of this ever happened.

Okay. Okay.

Do you have a minute?

Sure.

Maybe your religious impulses and your
sexual impulses can exist

side by side.

Maybe the same is true for me.

What do you mean?

There are thoughts in my head.

There's desire.

I have sexual desire.

And I'm curious about doing things
that...

Good Christian girls don't do things
that they shouldn't even think about.

Like, uh... What kinds of things?

Before I could even say those words, I'd
have to let go a little.

Let go a lot.

I'd need to lose myself.

I'd need to... I don't know what I would
need. I would need a drink.

That's not necessarily a bad idea.

Alcohol can be very helpful in allowing
us to free ourselves of that which holds

us back.

What kind of drink should I have?

Vodka martini.

Well, then, I think that what we should
do is go someplace and

I could have four or five or six.

Vodka martinis, and then we could see
where that takes us. Oh, let's go right

now. Let's go right now, Jane. Let's not
think about it. Let's not discuss it.

Let's put what I see to be a very
brilliant plan into motion, and as you

see where it takes us.

Arnold? Yeah?

You know how you say that your eyes can
tell when a person's being sincere?

Yes, I remember saying that.

How your eyes looking into their eyes.

And based on that, you can always tell.

Let's talk about this more at the bar,
okay?

Have you ever been to Musso and Frank?

Well, I think you should have your eyes
checked.

They're not as reliable as you think
they are.

Yeah.

Hi.

Ed. We're not due in court till
tomorrow.

I don't think I want to go to court.

You pretty much have to be there.

I want to settle.

Wait a minute.

We have a better than even chance of
getting this case dismissed before it

goes to trial.

I don't care.

I did what you said I did.

I pretended to be something I'm not.

Well, that doesn't necessarily make you
liable for damages.

I think it does.

I think it makes me a fraud and a fake.

I have no right asking you or anyone
else to help keep me from paying for

The only real asset I have is the donut
shop.

I want to give it to her.

Ed, I am not endorsing what you told
that woman, but I don't think it

putting yourself into financial ruin.

You know, somewhere along the line, I
probably could have become a cop.

I could have taken the test and gone on
the job and found out what I was made

of.

I could have seen how I did when
confronted with physical danger. When I

know it was on the other side of a door,
whether I would have panicked and run

away, or chambered around and gone in.

I didn't do that, Ann.

I never found out.

I chose a comfortable, predictable way
of life, selling coffee and donuts and

curling up in my beddy at night.

Just pay the woman.

Pay her whatever she wants.

Ramon, what are you doing here?

I'm worried about Luis.

Why is that VA so intent on putting him
away?

That's her job.

Do you think he'll go to prison?

I don't know.

He shouldn't be thinking about sending
him to prison.

It was always a possibility.

Not in my mind. In my mind, it was never
a possibility.

I never would have agreed to let him do
this otherwise.

Agreed to let him do what?

Luis is innocent. I robbed the store.

You? I never meant for it to happen like
this.

Wait, wait a minute. You let your
brother take the rap for you? It wasn't

idea. Whose idea was it? My parents. Who
do you think?

A conviction would wipe out my chances
of ever becoming a lawyer.

Why'd you rob a store, Ramon?

Where do you come from, Morales?

Mission Hills.

Mission Hills.

That's a nice neighborhood.

Maybe you going to law school wasn't
such a big deal. Well, for me, it was a

deal.

I had everyone from the city councilman
to the abuelitas in the park watching my

every step.

planning my future like I belonged to
them, like they each owned a piece of

From grade school on, I was the one who
had to get the A's. I was the one who

had to be the class president, captain
of the team, valedictorian, and I was.

I got the scholarships, the pictures in
the paper, everything they wanted, I

did.

I can't do it anymore.

Why did you rob the store, Ramon?
Because I had to do something.

To tell my parents and my teachers to
get the hell off my back.

What the hell am I supposed to do?

You come clean.

You go to the judge and tell him exactly
what happened. I want to. You have to.

That's the only way you're going to be
able to live with yourself.

Your Honor.

With no disrespect intended toward Mr.
Morales, this smacks of a ploy. It's not

a ploy. Ramon is ready to confess.

When? He'll be here in an hour. Your
Honor, I think that the timing and the

circumstances cast considerable doubt on
the reliability of such a confession.

Well, that may be.

But when an officer of the court tells
me someone's confessed to him

I have to take that seriously.

Meantime, I want a thorough review of
all the evidence in this case. Now,

ascertain if anything ties the younger
brother to the crime.

I want the report by the end of the day.
Mr. Morales? Yes, Your Honor. As soon

as the youngest Mr. Escala arrives, get
him in here. Thank you.

I just had a very weird visit from
Michael DiStefano. What was weird about

He apologized for accusing us of having
an affair during the Turner trial?

Well, it was a false accusation. He
should have apologized.

And you didn't have anything to do with
this change of heart?

Of course I did.

What'd you do?

Well, I called one of the senior
partners at Mr. Stephano's firm.

That's all it took, one phone call from
you?

Is that an abuse of authority, in your
opinion?

No, I didn't say that. Because I can
assure you that I am scrupulously honest

my judicial and my personal life.
Carolyn. I regard integrity as being

above anything else. Carolyn.

You don't have to defend yourself to me.

I don't have a problem with you being
able to pick up the phone and do what

did. You don't?

No. As a matter of fact, I like it.

What gives, Counselor?

If you have a minute, I think we can
settle this thing.

Always willing to listen to reason.

Where to?

In here.

Do you guys wait out here?

Hi.

How's it going?

Fine.

Your color?

Just handing them off.

Where do you guys work out at, Rampart?

Do I know you?

You might have seen me around.

Don't like that, sir.

Nice move.

Anytime.

Good morning.

I take it you've reprised everyone of
your decision?

Ramon's only decision is to return to
his classes tomorrow.

What does that mean?

It means that whatever Ramon might have
said to you yesterday, you

misunderstood.

You're going to let them do this?

What kind of lawyer do you expect to be?

What kind of a person are you going to
be? Mr. Morales. How are you going to

through your life doing this? Mr.
Morales, you want to talk to someone?

Talk to me.

Okay.

You think my wife and I aren't in agony
over making this decision?

We love our sons equally.

For 35 years, we have struggled to give
them a chance for something.

Ramon is that chance.

So what, you just sacrificed, Luis?

Oye, didn't you hear my father?

I mean, what difference is it going to
make?

Having committed a crime is not going to
change my life, but it's going to turn

his life upside down.

Nobody's forcing me, Morales.

I want to do this.

And if it doesn't matter to me, why
should it matter to you, huh?

Because I'm your lawyer, and I know
you're innocent.

Judge McGrath's waiting.

Luis?

See you, Pa.

Okay.

Let's go there.

You have to sign the deed and the
franchise agreement.

Am I the red arrows or the blue ones?
Red.

Come in.

Hi.

Oh, the papers won't be ready for a few
more hours yet. I told your attorney

that... I've changed my mind.

How so?

I don't want a donut franchise.

I don't want anything.

What do you mean?

When I found out that I had been fooled,
that you weren't who you said you were,

I was angry and I wanted revenge.

And that is no longer the case?

The way I feel now is...

If I got fooled, then I deserve to get
fooled.

So, I'm sorry for putting you through
all this.

Maybe I should start to go to therapy
again.

Find out why this is so important to me.

Can I venture an opinion about what it
was that was so important to you?

Sure.

This city, is a human sewer.

Every day there are those of us who go
out there prepared to do battle against

that element which would cause us harm.

In addition to being a beautiful woman,
you happen to be a citizen.

The thin blue line is all there is to
keep you safe. Um, Ed, I think... Oh,

Ed, you made me feel safe the whole time
I was with you.

And then again when you stopped that guy
in the courthouse.

You made me feel safe.

Boy, was that a stupid move.

What do you mean?

That building was full of real cops.

That guy had no chance of escaping. No
one was in danger. So why did you put

yourself in the middle of all that?

It's what I do.

Miss Trestman, am I right in assuming
that you're interested in dropping this

action?

Yeah.

In that case, I'll draw up papers to
that effect.

Fine.

Can I buy you a cup of coffee?

Sure.

My unit's downstairs.

Hey, my mother got this on 47th Street.
It's really pretty.

Thank you. Sign here.

Not very nice.

Excuse me? What you did was not very
nice.

What did you do?

In the case of people versus a scholar,
I have reviewed all relevant materials

presented in this matter and find no
evidence of fraud as charged by the

defendant's attorney.

Now, absent a more compelling set of
proofs,

I have no choice but to accept Mr.
Scala's plea and pass judgment

Your Honor, as I do not believe in my
client's guilt, and as I'm convinced

a fraud is being perpetrated on this
court, I would ask the court's

to withdraw as defense counsel.

Permission granted.

Mr. Scala, do you wish to have time to
retain new counsel or proceed without an

attorney?

To proceed, Your Honor.

Rise for sentencing.

Mr. Scala, based on the testimony
presented, I find the evidence of

circumstances in your case to be slight
at best.

Now, before I sentence you, do you have
any legal cause to show why judgment

should not be pronounced against you?

No, Your Honor.

Very well.

For the charge of robbery, I hereby
sentence you to three years in the state

penitentiary. Bailiff, take charge of
your prisoner.

Court is adjourned.

Judge, could you please allow us a
moment before you take him?

I'm sorry, mijo.

I didn't know this would ever happen.
It's okay.

Your mother and I will come and visit
you every week. Now, if there's anything

you need, we'll bring it to you. If
there's...

If there's anything we can do for you,
we'll do it. Don't, Papa.

Please.

Everything's going to be okay.

I could never be as proud of anyone as I
am of you right now.

I love you, mijo.

I love you too, Papa.

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