All language subtitles for L.A. Law S03E03 Romancing the Drone

Previously on L .A. Law.

Hey, congratulations, both of you. Thank
you. Thank you. I am the luckiest guy

in the world. You're telling me to
prosecute with an unconstitutional

confession. You're telling me to break
the law. I'm just hoping to God you

remember you're a public servant.

And you do the thing that serves the
public best here. A guilty man was

convicted. It's rewarding to see that
the system works and justice was served.

So if we get started, I'm not sure where
it's going to lead.

Me neither.

Life in a law firm doesn't really suit
me, Leland.

I'm going to open my own office.

Abby, the odds against that, boy,
they're enormous. This is the only way

will get a chance to be the kind of
lawyer that I want to be. The doctor

will take at least six months to get
pregnant. Even a year is totally normal.

Stuart, maybe you should get tested.

Me?

And we've only been trying for a few
months.

I stopped using birth control over a
year ago.

You know, it's a simple procedure.

You ejaculate into the container.

We do a few tests to measure your sperm
counts, see how many live ones you have,

how well they swim.

I gotta tell you, that's a little
embarrassing for me.

Which is exactly why we try to create a
totally private environment.

We have a very nice room.

You throw a deadbolt, red light goes on.

And believe me, no matter how long it
takes, as long as that light is on, no

is going to disturb you.

Yeah, right.

Did you ever try to drink a cup of
coffee while the waitress was waiting

table?

No, no, no. We have three rooms.

If you need an hour, take an hour. If
you need two hours, take two hours.

I feel like time is a problem.

Well, if you're worried about
stimulation, we have a...

A variety of magazines in there, from
Playboy to Penthouse, Sports

The Bathing Suits, and just some more
hardcore publications, if that's what

tastes run to.

Rosalind? Well, I guess I'll give it the
old college try.

It wasn't really my sport, but... We
have a shelf full of X -rated

Watch them, enjoy them, and let nature
take its course.

Rosalind, show Mr.

Markowitz to a room, please. Follow me.

You come here often?

Never mind.

This is very strange.

I don't think it's strange at all.

Okay, now there's a buzzer inside.

Call me if you need anything.

All right?

Mr. Sackheim, is everything all right?

Oy, oy, oy, I can't get the lid off the
jar.

Rock!

Rocks, you've got to hear this.

Can we talk about it tonight, Dave? I'm
running late. You've heard the

expression, if you have lemons, make
lemonade.

textbook case. Please, honey, not now.

Let me just tell you what happened.

Seth Rosencrantz called a couple of
weeks ago. I told you about him.

Anyway, to make a long story short, he
calls me from Paramus, New Jersey, where

he's got most of his operations, to say
that he is stuck with a warehouse full

of audio cassettes. One side is
environmental ocean sounds, and the

subliminal self -hypnosis for getting
rid of facial twitching. Now, you put it

into a unit with auto -reverse, and you
play it, and you sleep. The trouble is,

the whole thing is recorded at the wrong
speed.

The hypnosis sounds like Alvin and the
Chipmunks, and the ocean sounds like the

Indianapolis 500.

Are we out of milk?

So I take them off his hands for a
nickel each.

I pay a recording studio $1 ,100 to
degauss and record my latest offering.

P .S. I have a shot at a 3 .5 % response
and very possibly a silver Echo Award

as well because, you see, instead of
sending out a letter, I'm sending out a

cassette. You have got to hear this.

I really can't concentrate right now.

It'll only take a minute.

All I want to do right now, get ready
for work.

Well, just listen to it while you have
your coffee. How much am I asking?

Do me a favor.

Don't ask anything.

Just let me clump around and get myself
together and don't ask anything.

One listen. One listen.

Whoever you are, please don't waste
one... more second listening to this

unless, like thousands of satisfied
customers, you too long... David!

...at a fraction of the prices charged
by leading department stores... Hi.

How was the appointment?

Actually, it went bad.

They have visual aids.

Don't get to like it too much.

First of all, I'd like to express our
sadness that today is Miss Perkins' last

day. We're going to miss you, Ab. And
also...

We'll be here for you, for support, use
of the facilities, and maybe a client or

two. Thank you, Lewis.

So where's the new office?

Why don't I just pass out the new
business card?

Business cards already? This girl
doesn't waste any time.

Having just given my new landlord two
months' rent, paid my first premium in

malpractice insurance, printed up
stationery, turned on the telephone, and

bought a second -hand typewriter, the
one thing I'm convinced of is that I

waste time. Well, on that wise and
thoughtful note, louder back versus

back. Arnold, is this the fatted calf it
looks to be? Hard to say.

Her old lawyer got her a miserable
settlement. I brought a motion to set it

aside. But I have got a feeling there
may be a better way to go. Let's hope

with that much money in the balance.

Descending rapidly from the golden to
the grim, people versus shoals.

Trial starts today.

Meets the question, mate.

Do you seek out these lost leaders, or
do they seek you out?

Well, well, it's nice to hear someone
beside myself asking that question. I'd

like to go on record here as saying that
I didn't want this case.

And I feel no particular empathy for the
client.

But the public defender's office had a
conflict, and they asked us to represent

him. Seeing as how I had passed on the
previous four cases they asked me to

take, the seriousness of our commitment
to doing pro bono work was called into

question. Now, do we honor that
commitment, or don't we? Of course we

You think he's innocent?

Not my call.

Yeah, but you can't ignore the fact he's
been convicted of rape before. Not only

can I ignore it, but as far as this
jury's concerned, he's never been

of anything before.

But you won't hesitate to drag the woman
through the mud, will you? They're not

quite the same thing, Abby.

Then why aren't they? A defense lawyer's
job is to challenge the prosecution.

That means attacking accusing witnesses.

Now, in most rape trials, the purported
rape victim is the only accusing

witness. So if you're doing your job,
you go after that witness hammer and

tongs. Which is probably why I draw the
line at representing rapists.

Accused rapists.

Who I'm convinced are guilty?

Yes. Abby, I thought she wanted to be a
litigator. I thought she wanted to

depend on things like evidence and cross
-examination to prove guilt or

innocence. I do, but not for creeps like
this.

Okay, so, no rapes. What about murder?

Forget it, Mike.

Only if it's in self -defense?

Can we get armed with things here? Armed
robbery?

But only if it's for food.

I have no qualms about making moral
distinctions about whom I'll represent.

Well, look, I may not like this any more
than you do. But right now, the only

way that someone who can't pay for a
lawyer can get one is through an

public defender's office or through
firms like ours who are doing our fair

of pro bono cases.

Now, until you can come up with a better
idea, do me a favor and spare me the

moral indignation.

I'm late for court.

I'm sorry I brought it up.

You didn't do too good, did you?

You could say that.

Well, it was the prenuptial that killed
you.

Were you on drugs when you signed that?

Just in love.

Heaviest drug of all.

Look, am I wasting my time trying to
appeal?

Appeal from the divorce judgment, yeah.
That would be wasting your time.

But I think there may be other ways of
going after him. For what?

I'd like to talk about it.

Did, uh... Did he ever hit you?

No. Carry on any homosexual affairs
while you were married?

No, not that I know of. Hire
prostitutes?

Mr. Becker, what's the point? I thought
we had no -fault divorce here.

There was a recent case in Texas that
allowed a wife to sue her husband for

emotional distress.

I think the time may be right to test
something like that out here. You were

pretty young when you married him,
right?

I was 19.

Laudebeck was in his 40s. Captain of
industry, America's Cup patron, San

Yacht Club. He...

Must have been a pretty powerful figure
to you.

You could say that.

What did he do with all that power?

What do you mean?

Well, I was looking at the expenses that
your old lawyer put down, and you go to

a shrink four times a week.

What's the problem?

There are some things I really can only
talk about with my therapist.

Standing up for yourself, acting
effectively against someone who has

you, that's as much a part of getting
better as talking to your therapist.

I've always been a good little girl, you
know?

And good little girls make the men in
their lives happy.

When their husbands ask them to do
something, it's very hard for them to

I stopped being a dancer. I stopped
going to school because Richard wanted

to.

Another thing Richard wanted was...

To see me in bed with another man.

How many times?

A lot.

What's a lot? Ten, fifty, a hundred? I
don't know.

It went on for two or three years. He'd
set up situations.

He became obsessed with it.

Venereal diseases.

Oh.

AIDS.

I've tested negative.

If you're willing to go for it, Jane, I
believe I can make him pay.

I'm not looking to get rich. I just need
enough to get my life back together.

And you're finally taking a positive
step towards doing just that.

I don't think I can talk about it with
people looking at me and asking

questions. Take off the scarlet letter,
Jane.

We're gonna nail him.

Chick's gonna crack.

Mark my words.

You just make her tell the jury about
them things she wrote down, she's done.

We've been through this before. The
diary can only come in to attack her

credibility, not her character.

Your buddy Fiz, you're a real sharp
lawyer.

He'll get it in.

My job is to provide you with a
competent defense, not beat up on Norma

because you want to watch.

Like you want. The bitches are mine.

Take your hands off me, Calvin, right
now.

If you ever do that again, you can find
someone else to represent you. You

understand?

She wanted it, Mr. Cusack.

Just the way I gave it to her. That's
the way she wanted it.

Well, now, that still leaves the problem
of why she called the cops, doesn't it?

Well, maybe she liked it a little too
much.

You know, you might do better when we
get into court.

You look a little left with ease with
yourself.

Miss Heisler, can you tell us how you
came to know the defendant?

He was a handyman where I lived. And
where was he working on April 20th,

In my apartment. The tenant upstairs had
let his bathtub overflow, and he was

patching my bedroom ceiling.

Would you describe to the court what
happened on that day?

Um, about three o 'clock in the
afternoon.

I went in to ask him if he'd like a cup
of tea and some cookies that I just

baked.

He grabbed me and told me that if I
screamed, he would kill me.

He made me crawl around on my hands and
knees.

He said that I was his slave and put on
this earth to service him.

He knocked me down, and then he raped
me.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Thank you, Norma.

I have no further questions.

Miss Heisler, characterize for us, if
you will, your relationship with the

defendant prior to April 20th, 1988.

Friendly, I guess.

Did you ever suggest that he stop by
your apartment after work?

Objection. Goes to the issue of consent,
Your Honor. He has nothing to do with

consent. These two people knew one
another.

Their relationship is directly relevant
to this case.

I'll allow it.

Yes, I sir.

Well, he came over once or twice to
learn how to use a word processor.

And on those occasions, did he rape you?
Of course not.

And on the occasion that you claim that
he did rape you, did he have a gun?

No. A knife? No. In fact, he had no
weapon at all.

He had a fist.

Did he beat you? He would have.

But he didn't.

Now tell me, Miss Heisler, is it
possible that Mr. Scholz was ever made

believe that you wanted to have sexual
relations with him?

No. Miss Heisler, do you keep a journal?

Objection. Your Honor, at this time I
would like to make a formal motion under

Section 782 of the Evidence Code of the
State of California pursuant to my

papers for the witness to produce her
journal. Your Honor, the people oppose

such a motion.

Ms. Schindler, as you know, the law
requires me to hear argument for defense

counsel's motion outside the presence of
the jury.

The court officer will escort the jury
out and clear this courtroom.

Once again, Ms. Heisler.

Do you keep a journal?

Yes, I keep a journal. Did you ever show
it to Mr. Scholes?

Of course not.

And where did you put it on the day that
he was working in your bedroom?

In my dresser drawer.

Are you sure that it wasn't on the night
table?

Yes, I'm sure.

Object to the inference.

Inference withdrawn. I'll make it a
direct question. Didn't you, in fact,

Calvin Scholes to read that journal?

Because you would have liked to have
told him your desires, but couldn't?

No. Would it come as much of a shock to
you if I told you that he had, in fact?

Read it?

No. And why is that, Miss Eisler?

He was reading it when I walked into the
bedroom.

Counsel, approach.

As painful as it may be, Miss Schindler,
I think I'm going to have to see that

diary. Your Honor, with all due respect,
I believe that would be absolutely

grotesque. The defendant was never given
permission to read that diary.

The fact that he invaded her privacy by
doing so doesn't give this court license

to follow suit.

Whether he had permission isn't the
point.

He read it, and he had reasonable belief
that she consented to sexual relations.

Your Honor, may I speak?

Of course.

The things I write in that notebook are
the most private things in the world to

me.

I have never shown them to anyone.

But the defendant has read them.

But I tell you, there's nothing in
there.

I just jot down little things that occur
to me.

My dreams.

My poems.

They're my thoughts. They're nothing.

I'm sorry, Miss Eisler.

I have to determine whether they're
nothing.

I am ordering you to provide the court
with your journal.

By nine o 'clock tomorrow morning.

Mr. Becker, I think you'll agree your
case has a few problems.

Which is precisely why I need expedited
discovery.

If ever there was a case of intentional
infliction of emotional distress, this

is it.

I can document behavior.

I can document damages.

All the behavior alleged occurred while
the parties were married.

There's no statutory preclusion of all
tort claims between parties because they

happen to have been married. What's your
authority for that?

There have been recent cases in other
jurisdictions which are set forth at

length in my papers.

Your Honor, for all of Mr. Becker's
lofty pretensions, this is a shakedown.

His client is unhappy with her divorce
settlement and sees this as a way to get

more. We've had no -fault divorce in
this state since 1970, specifically to

prevent lawsuits like this one. The no
-fault statute was never intended to

allow abusive, sadistic people to ruin
the lives of others with impunity. The

truth is I don't think either one of you
has made your case sufficiently.

What I'm going to do is order limited
discovery to take place forthwith, and I

want you both back here Thursday,
prepared to re -argue.

Your Honor, I'm not sure that my client
can be available on such short notice.

Make him available.

Can I talk to you?

I have nothing to say to you.

Is this the way you get on with the rest
of your life, by dwelling on what's

past? Hey, she doesn't want to talk to
you.

Jane, this isn't you.

Isn't it?

What is?

A mother girl in those videotapes that
you trade with your friends like

cards?

A tight little blonde whose husband
liked to watch French, English, Greek,

anything and everything, giving and
getting. You know she's out of control.

I just wanted a normal life, Richard.

Why did you want everything so weird and
dangerous?

Didn't you see what it was doing to me?

With the Lee Marvin case tip of Marvin
Mitchelson, this case is going to do for

me. As I recall, Michelle Triola came
away with very little in that case.

not the point. The case broke ground.

When you thought Palamoni, you thought
Marvin Mitchelson.

Well, after Lauterbach, when you think
interspersal tort claims, you're going

think Arnold Becker.

Thank you. I'll tell you right now, if
this case was before me, I'd throw you

out on your ear with cop.

Am I doing that?

you'd miss a tremendous opportunity to
enhance your own reputation.

And that's what it's all about, isn't
it? I mean, what better basis to

legal precedence than the professional
ambition of lawyers and judges?

You're turning into a cynic. It worries
me.

A vulnerable woman places herself in
your hands.

You plan a legal strategy designed only
to maximize your own publicity, probably

at the expense of what little self
-esteem she's got left.

And you call me a cynic?

You know, sometimes I think your being a
judge crowds out the more appealing

sides of your character.

Which are what, in your opinion?

Nurturing.

Caring. A source of support. Even, dare
I say it, enthusiasm.

Well, like most people, I have a number
of different sides.

It would be nice to think that the man
I'm with respected all of them.

Monica, what has gotten into you? For
the last couple of months, it's like

had a bad connection or something. I
can't seem to get through to you. Here I

am. Let's talk about it.

Monica, I'm looking for an ally,
somebody to be there for me. What's to

about?

Okay.

Okay what?

If you don't want to talk, we won't.

Great.

Hi. Hi.

I was in the area.

I'm pretty busy right now. Look, I know
lately I've been getting a little

carried away, but it's just that I get
so excited about what I'm doing, I

you to get excited, too.

We just have to get our timing in better
sync, that's all.

Having you around all the time still
makes me giddy, I guess.

Mr. and Mrs. Meyer?

Hi, guy.

Arnold, how's your new case coming?

My PR people will be in the bushes as we
speak. It's the paper tomorrow a .m.

Forgive me for interjecting here, but
I'll bet you're overlooking something.

Arnie, Benny's running off copies of the
supplemental affidavit.

Lawyers, and I love you guys, have been
a little slow to appreciate the basic

axiom direct mail works. Excuse me.

We don't advertise.

This particular development would only
have significance for people who are

getting divorced.

Okay, that's okay, but you still want to
reach as many of them as possible, am I

right? Of course we do. You pick the
target, I hit the target. Women over 35

applying for credit cards, men over 40
buying Porsches. Now that'll give you a

start. I use what I call a split run.
That's different mailings for different

areas. Say one letter to Encino,
Tarzana, Calabasas, Agora, another

Alhambra, El Monte, Azusa, Glendora,
then we... track the result.

You know, you might also want to track
categories like women who have gotten

their real estate licenses, men or women
who join health clubs. Abby, let me

help you with that.

There's always Club Med.

Name changes on deed.

Men who make large purchases in
housewares. New subscriptions to Ms.

Can't mess with Ms., huh?

So, did you get the test results?

Yeah. There's nothing wrong with you.

The reason you can't get pregnant is me.
Low sperm count.

Low motility.

Whatever.

Anyway, he gave me a shot in the butt
and a prescription, which he's not too

optimistic about, but what the hell,
I'll try anything.

So we'll see what happens.

Yep.

I guess I wasn't the guy to marry if you
wanted to have kids, but... Stuart,

whatever kids I have or don't have, you
are the guy I'm going to have them with.

I just don't think you're ever going to
look at me the same way again.

Is that what would have happened if
there was something wrong with me? No.

Would you never have looked at me the
same way again? No, I... I just never

thought of myself like this, that's all.

Like what?

Like someone incapable, that's why.

I always imagined sending forth this
dream that held life, not these little

dribblings that don't hold anything.

Why are you doing this to yourself?

Stare me in the face, then. I'm not
making it up.

You know, all my life I thought of
myself as this admiral who was sending

forth his legions to swarm the
beachhead.

And what I really was all this time was
this little chubby guy watching a few

refugees get washed up on the rocks.
It's a little adjustment I gotta make.

Why don't you think of it as a platoon
of specially trained commandos on a

secret mission?

Definitely a more inspiring image.

Yeah.

And maybe, you know, who knows, come
Christmas morning, that junior frogman

might be sitting there under the tree.
That's very funny.

Get the prescription filled.

I will. Tell the high command to plan an
invasion for 2 ,100 hours tonight.

I got to tell you, this cassette just
might surpass Cy Friedman's 1975 culotte

mailing.

Listen, good.

I don't want you ever, ever coming into
my office again.

What? Do you think, Dave, you should
have asked me before you started making

sales pitch to my boss?

Hey, I think I had him hooked.

Besides, law firm marketing strategy is
something you could play a part in.

Try and understand something here. I'm
not interested in playing a part.

Junk mail may make up your life, but it
has nothing to do with mine.

Junk mail?

That's right.

Junk mail.

What people are disappointed to find in
their mailboxes. Listen, this is what I

do. This house, those cars in the
garage, all this stuff, we wouldn't have

of it if it weren't for junk mail.

That's right, that's right. Throw it up
in my face.

I am not trying to throw it up in your
face.

Yes, you are. The next thing I know,
you'll start preening about how well

providing for me. Let me tell you
something.

I was poor when I met you. I can be poor
again.

The thing that I can't do is listen to
any more of your sales letters, your

brochures, your catalogs, or your
incentive offers. I am sick to death of

hearing you drone on about turtleneck
dickies or regular stretch jeans or

musical... paperweights or decorative
doorstops. I don't care about it, Dave.

don't care about any of it.

Miss Perkins?

You're my temp.

That's me. Great, I have to get to
court.

What's your name?

Ronnie Page. Hi, I'm Abigail.

Uh, I don't have anything for you to
type just yet, so I think you'll

just be answering the phone.

You know when you'll be back?

Uh, no, I'm going to be down there until
I get an assignment. That could be all

week.

If there are standing calls, tell her
that I will be taking a kid to school

tomorrow.

Oh, how do you want your phone answered?

Uh, good question. Um, I guess just
Abigail Perkins.

Law office.

Law offices.

Law offices of Abigail Perkins.

Yeah. Yeah, that's fine.

Mr. Lauterbach, your wife was with the
American Ballet Theater when you met

was she not?

She was a dancer, yeah.

And isn't it a fact that you urged her
to give up being a dancer?

No, she wanted to have a family.

I told her that'd be tough to do if she
was traipsing all over the world with a

ballet company.

You also discouraged her from finishing
college. Why was that?

Well, she wasn't all that motivated in
the first place.

Besides, like I said, we were oriented
towards having a family.

Uh -huh.

When you photographed your wife in
various sexual positions with members of

yacht's crew, was that part of being
oriented toward having a family?

She's going to make a whole opera out of
this thing, isn't she?

January 14th, 1984, did you take your
wife to a bar called the Top Hat in

Oakland, California?

So what if I did?

Are you going to stand in judgment of
me?

No. I want a jury to do that.

Then it'll cost you.

Ask her what she did. Ask her about the
things she suggested. Come on, Richard.

Stay calm.

This afternoon we conduct our discovery,
and I'll ask her.

All right?

I watched Cal today through the blinds
as he hefted stacks of cement on his

shoulders and thought of what it would
be like to be held by him.

To feel those sinewy arms close around
me like steel cables.

Who is Cal, Miss Heisler?

Your client, Mr. Cuthbert, Calvin
Schultz.

March 16th.

Last night I dreamt some great weight
was holding me down.

Dogs bayed outside the windows as the
sound of grunting grew louder and louder

until it was the only thing I could
hear.

It was Cal I was dreaming of.

and of course that is as close as I will
ever come to him.

You'll always keep your distance, Norma.

Fearful that if you didn't, he would
break you like a dry stick underfoot or

disrupt your perfect quiet little world
with his sweating and his grunting and

his final constricted cry to be followed
by the sound of him snoring contentedly

by your side.

What would it be like?

Miss Heisler, I'm going to repeat the
question I asked you yesterday.

Was Calvin Scholes ever made to believe
that you wanted to have sexual relations

with him?

You're grinning, Cal.

Your Honor, I ask that the witness be
directed to answer the question.

Miss Heisler... Do you think you know
me? Miss Heisler, you are directed to

answer the question and stop addressing
the defendant.

No matter what's in that book.

Your Honor.

Miss Heisler. No matter what I dreamt or
thought or wrote, you don't know me.

Miss Heisler. And I never, ever gave you
permission to do what you did.

Now then, Mrs. Lauterbach, did your
husband ever prevent you from pursuing

your dance career, such as it was?

He made it pretty clear that he didn't
want me to. No, that's not what I asked

you. Did he do anything to prevent it?

He didn't break my legs, if that's what
you mean.

Did he do anything to prevent you from
obtaining a college degree?

He belittled me.

He'd say my only job was to look good
for him. I'm not asking you what he

I'm asking you what he did.

Come on, Rona. She's telling you what he
did.

He never took me seriously.

He convinced me that I should just shop
and look good for him.

Except you didn't need all that much
convincing, did you? I mean, you were

always drawn to the jetset life.

That's why you married Richard
Lauterbach in the first place.

That's not true.

I loved him.

But I had dreams of my own. It wasn't
until after we were married that he

started destroying them and turning me
out in the process. Right.

Let's talk about that a little.

You stated in your papers that you and
your husband went to this bar in Oakland

on or about January the 14th, 1984.

You were taking Quaaludes that night,
weren't you?

I'm sure I was.

Correct me if I'm wrong, ma 'am.

But isn't the relaxation of sexual
inhibitions the main reason a person

that drug? How did she know why a person
takes it? Whose idea was it to take

them? His.

Always his.

He loved to watch me fall down when I
tried to dance.

You were dancing that night in Oakland?

Yeah. I was dancing.

Dancing the only way I still could.

Oh? How was that, Mrs. Lauterbach?

Dancing with other men?

Dancing to make your husband jealous?

Yes. Okay?

Dancing to make him crazy.

I knew exactly what I was doing. It was
all me.

Jane. I mean it, Arnie.

Maybe this woman is right.

Nobody held a gun to my head.

We'll be right back.

Memory is a funny thing.

In varying degrees, we all revise our
own personal histories to accommodate a

view of ourselves that we are
comfortable with.

The only problem with the revision that
you have heard here is that this man is

facing 20 years in prison because of it.

You've all heard Norma Heisler's diary,
and I think you'll agree that it paints

a portrait of a woman who's led a rather
cloistered life.

Ambivalent about her sexuality,
profoundly troubled by her own desires.

Was Calvin Scholl's wrong to have read
it?

Absolutely.

Was a rape committed?

Well, when you examine this case with an
objective, dispassionate eye, when you

consider that no weapon was used, no
screams were heard, and no signs of a

physical struggle were detected, then at
the very least, you must find that a

reasonable doubt exists.

Does that mean that this woman was
lying?

Not really.

She's convinced that what she told you
is true.

If she clings to an illusion, it's
because the memory of not simply

to sexual relations with the defendant,
but inviting them, is so painful.

that she now seeks to extricate herself
from its grip. The truth is, ladies and

gentlemen, she is not lying.

She's remembering the only way she can.

A bright,

Articulate.

38 -year -old woman calls the police and
says she was raped.

She submits to a physical examination,
which shows the presence of semen in her

vagina.

And she names the defendant as the man
who raped her.

Now, he never denies his presence in her
apartment. He never denies the semen

was his.

And all he offers in his defense is a
claim.

that she wanted him to do what he did,
and all he offers as proof is her diary.

Imagine, this woman, this temptress, had
the temerity to actually write

down some of her thoughts about sex.

According to Mr. Kurzak, what she really
should have done was send the defendant

a monogrammed cigarette lighter instead
of going to a district attorney's office

and sobbing her eyes out.

According to Mr. Cusack, she should be
grateful to that man who terrified her

for six and a half hours, who tripped
her naked, who penetrated her

repeatedly and left her quivering with
fear on the floor of her own home.

She should be grateful.

Oh, no, no, no, no.

Don't listen to Norma Heisler when she
tells you she was raped because these

gentlemen know better.

You know what they'll tell you?

That when it comes to sex, poor little
Norma doesn't know what she wants.

Well, right here and right now, I want
to tell them and I want to tell you that

rape isn't sex.

Rape is violence.

Norma Heisler wasn't a participant.

She was a victim.

Calvin Scholes wasn't her lover. He was
her rapist.

And whoever tells you otherwise,

They are the ones clinging to the
illusion.

And what a brutal, brutal illusion it
is.

Here's your major signature.

Tell Betsy I'll make myself available
for interviews all day Friday. Ask her

she thinks I ought to have some new
headshots taken.

Okay.

Hanging around kind of late, aren't you?

Do you want to talk about it?

I know I'm probably setting myself up
for the big I told you so, but the truth

is I've actually been envying people who
wake up alone.

There's an upside and a downside to
everything, Rox.

Come on, Ernie. Don't be such a
philosopher.

You've been against this marriage from
the start.

Yes, I was, but only because I thought
you were getting into it for the wrong

reason.

Well, now that you're in it, I think you
ought to give it a fair shot.

What makes you think I haven't?

You're not in love with him, Rox. I
think he knows it.

Of course he knows that.

I've been honest with him about that
from the start. He said it doesn't

Well, then he's a liar.

Look, you're it for him. He needs to
think that he's it for you. And I don't

care what he tells you.

He needs for you to be his biggest fan.

That's going to be pretty hard, Arnie.

The truth is, he embarrasses me. I hate
to admit it.

But I see the way people react to David.
He starts to talk and their eyes

wander. They get these little forced
smiles at the corners of their mouth and

they take the first possible chance to
get away. You've done it. Hell, I've

it.

Being boring isn't the worst thing in
the world, Rox.

Dave's decent.

He's kind.

You did marry him.

Now either own up to that and start
acting like his wife or let me know.

draw up some divorce papers.

As far as being embarrassed goes.

The only thing you have to be
embarrassed about is the way you've been

him.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

I'll find you.

We find the defendant guilty.

The court thanks the jury for their time
and their diligence.

The defendant is remanded to custody.

Sentencing is set for December 29th.

This court is now adjourned.

Oh, thank you so much.

Ms. Heisman, I want you to know that I
hope you're okay.

I'm not altogether uncomfortable
believing that the interests of justice

been served here.

Mr. Cusack, as far as I'm concerned, the
only difference between you and your

client is that he's the one who got
convicted.

I'm a defense lawyer. All I was doing
was putting on a defense.

You're much too modest.

You turn me inside out. You destroy
whatever last scraps of dignity and

I had left.

You took what was mine, what belonged to
me, and you distorted it so that you

could watch me wither.

Well, I didn't wither, did I?

Miss Heisler, look, I may not have been
sure of my client's innocence, but I

can't do my job halfway.

You see, I, on the other hand, have
always been dead sure of your client's

guilt. So you will understand if I don't
thank you for your good wishes.

I believe the critical question, Your
Honor, is did this man's behavior exceed

the reasonable bounds of marital
conduct?

If it did, the no -fault statute should
not make him immune to the consequences.

Mr. Becker is making this up as he goes
along.

My client is a damaged woman. Do you
deny that? Where is your client, Mr.

Becker? I'm not sure, Your Honor. I
expect her any time now. Whether she's

damaged or not is irrelevant.

There's no standing to sue. There's no
cause of action.

Excuse me.

Please be seated, Ms. Lauterbach. No,
I'm not staying.

I can't do this.

I'm sorry.

Your Honor. Your Honor, please. I need a
short recess to confer with my client,

Jane. Ernie, please. I just can't go
through with this.

Ms. Lauterbach, are you stating that you
intend to withdraw your complaint?

Right. Whatever you call it, Richard has
offered to increase my support payments

until I get back on my feet. That's all
I ever wanted to do. Did you know about

this? No.

Wait. Your Honor, please. All I need is
a minute.

Ten -minute recess.

Jane! Jane, what are you doing to me?
Listen, Arnie, I appreciate your trying

help, but I just can't go through with
it. Did this guy really have you that

wrapped around his finger?

It's not that.

Well, what is it, then? Is humiliating
me serving some therapeutic end for you?

Did your shrink tell you to do it?

Please, Arnie, don't turn on me. I just
can't go through with it.

Are you sure you want to be seen with
me?

Patriarchal terrorist, brutalizer of
women, courtroom bully.

If you think I'm going to jump in and
tell you how much I admire you, forget

Am I about to get beat up again for
being a lawyer, Grace?

Not for being a lawyer.

For being single -mindedly devoted to
putting a vicious bastard like Calvin

Schultz back on the street.

I have to hear this from you? It
occurred to even me that there just

one or two things more important than
all us officers of the court playing our

assigned roles.

Right. And Mussolini made the trains run
on time.

That is a tired old speech, Michael.

And I have spent too many years watching
dangerous people slither out from

paying the price for what they did, only
to do it again. In case you've

forgotten, I lost.

And my client can expect to be behind
bars for the next decade or so.

Yeah, well, don't feel too bad. You got
your licks in.

You made sure there'd be yet another
woman who'd think long and hard before

enduring a trial the next time she's
raped.

You gonna take him out and shoot him?
Fine.

Let me know, I'll stop knocking myself
out and find another country to live in.

But until then, I'll pass on joining the
lynch mob.

Thank you very much.

Hello?

Hello? Hello?

Hello?

You know, you really ought to keep the
door locked when you're here after all.

Yeah, you never know who'll come walking
in.

Wait, you mean like you guys? You know
what I'm talking about.

If I was to tell you the truth right
now, I wouldn't be all that picky. Well,

then let us toast to the day that you
can be just as picky as you want. No,

got cups. Wait, wait. And from two
associates you left behind.

What? Oh, you guys.

A dictator is born.

You got me a dictator. You guys are the
greatest.

You miss us?

I'm going to tell you something, Abby.
You took a lot in there.

Yeah, probably a lot more than brain.

You love it.

Yeah, I do. Well, then let's toast to
that.

You know,

I still can't get over that she would do
this to me.

It's unbelievable.

Call me crazy, but maybe she felt her
welfare was a little more important in

this instance than yours.

Yeah, well, you see, there's part of the
problem right there.

I hate to say this, but betrayal is
something of an occupational hazard with

female clients.

They come in pleading for me to be their
knight in shining armor, and I do it.

And then an ex -husband comes in and he
makes him some promises, or he throws

him one between the sheets, and I get
hung out to dry.

Did it ever occur to you that this woman
might have done what was right for her?

What's with you, Monica? Can't you just
give it up a little bit?

Can't you just say, hey, Arnie, you got
shafted? How about let me make you feel

better? How about, uh, let me run you a
bath? Or how about let me fluff up your

pillows? Or how about, uh, let me bring
you some cocoa?

I don't think I've ever known a more
self -centered man.

Others work at it, but you are truly
gifted.

You know something? You're unbelievable.

You and Roxanne have a lot in common.

You both dole out your affection with a
medicine dropper while the guy dependent

on it twists slowly in the wind.

That's the thing about women, isn't it?
They'll fail you every time.

Well, my mistake was thinking that you
might be different.

Oh, no, Arnie.

Your mistake was not knowing that I am.

I sincerely suggest you consider where
this relationship is headed.

It's headed out the door, just like me.

Monica, if you go out the door, don't
come back.

Oh, I won't come back.

Monica!

Hi. Hi.

No, I already ate.

Tired? A little.

Why don't you sit down, and I'll put on
some music.

A little Sinatra, maybe?

No, I'm not in the mood for Sinatra
right now.

Can I make you a drink?

Sure.

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