All language subtitles for L.A. Law S04E14 Ex-Wives and Videotape

Previously on L .A. Law. If you think
you're going to step into the void left

my absence so that you can... I've never
seen any void.

You think you're this tough, lady? Don't
take me on, Ann.

I don't know what your relationship is
with this woman. I don't want to know. I

mean, that's for you to figure out.

I mean, there's nothing between Grace
and me but friendship.

I don't know you well enough to know if
you're lying.

But someday I'm going to pick the
expression.

Something tells me to look a lot like
the one you're wearing right now.

I'm not a wild beast, no matter what you
would like these people to believe.

I am a human being, and I did not kill
anyone!

In the matter of the people versus Earl
Williams, we, the jury, having

previously found the defendant guilty of
murder in the first degree...

and having found special circumstances
to exist, now do fix penalty at death by

the infliction of lethal gas.

call you as soon as it's over i
shouldn't be trying to get

my hopes up here should i death penalty
appeals are usually losers i'm not going

to lie to you about that but we do have
a chance or we have a legitimate chance

how long does it take them to make up
their minds they usually

take it under advisement but you never
know with this kind of case they could

decide pretty quickly

We've got plenty of appeals left. We
haven't even gotten to the federal court

yet, so... Yeah, but...

Moving on, Michael, where are we on the
Earl Williams appeal?

Oral arguments before the Supreme Court
of California tomorrow, 11 o 'clock.

Victor will be second -carrying. Are we
still doing the moot court in

preparation? Yes, it's morning. You,
Victor, and Stuart are the judges. I

you had a chance to look over the brief.

I studied them. Good.

I want you all to be as tough as you
can.

I'll be giving you a list of the issues
that I believe the judges will be coming

at me with, so whatever questions you
can come up with will be very helpful.

I think you really got a shot.

Yeah.

Moving on, major kudos to Rosalind
Chase.

She's officially landed Anderson
Industries as a client.

This is the second largest steel
distribution company in the country and

potentially the biggest client we've
ever had.

That's terrific.

Way to go, Roz.

Thank you.

I have a meeting with the CEO on
Wednesday, and I suspect that he'll put

right to work.

Fantastic.

It certainly is. And moving from the
fantastic to the incredible, Arnold.

You have a case involving Rochelle
Peters?

Yeah, I'm representing her ex -husband.
Is that the Rochelle Peters of the

evening news, 7 o 'clock? The very one,
and this is good.

Evidently, Miss Peters did some
anchoring before a different kind of

Don't tell me. Home videos.

Between she and her husband when they
were just newlyweds in the act, in the

other act, in the simultaneous act,
anyway, cut to five years later.

Husband becomes ex -husband. He has
something all the adult film

companies would like to have. He wants
to sell. She slapped him with a

restraining order. That's despicable.

Have you got the tape? He'll be bringing
it in. We've got a meeting this

morning. How can you involve yourself
with something like this?

Because it's perverted. It's sordid.

It's what I live for.

Keep it surprised, Arnold. And on that
titillating note, we're adjourned.

Bleeding? Can I talk to you about
something?

Sure. Well, I've got a meeting in 30
minutes, right after lunch. Actually, I

hoping I could do it now. It's
important.

Yeah, sure. Come on.

Okay.

This new client, Anderson Industries.

Yes.

Anderson Industries has major holdings
in South Africa, Leland.

It has a long investment history.

In South Africa, it distributes steel
girders produced in South Africa.

Now, I'm not a very political person,
and I know it's not the place of

an associate to have input on the
accepting or the rejecting of clients,

this company helps promote apartheid,
and I'd have big problems being

with them.

Well, Jonathan, I don't know anything
about Anderson's connections in South

Africa or where they invest.

I do.

Has this company, to your knowledge,
ever done anything illegal? No, but they

have repeatedly violated the spirit of
Congress's economic sanctions by finding

loopholes to keep importing South
African products.

Leland, they have at least indirectly
supported a government based on white

supremacy. I just don't see how we can
attach ourselves to any client who could

attach themselves to that.

If you really want to make an issue...

I'll take it to the partners. But I
gotta tell you, this is a major client.

I want to make it an issue.

There are five separate

grounds, each individually warranting a
new trial.

The first... concerns the DNA tests
which were used to establish Earl

at the scene of the crime.

Now, the technology... An eyewitness
also put your client at the scene,

That idea would shake you at best, Your
Honor. The DNA identification

conclusively established it, and that
technology was recently shown to be

suspect. You can't expect this court to
make scientific findings on the basis of

appellate briefs and oral arguments.

No. I do expect the court to take
judicial notice, however, of the lack of

uniformity within the scientific
community concerning the reliability of

testing. Don't get snide, Mike. You'll
just put him off. Well, I think we

stick to the format here, okay?

The second ground is the trial court's
abuse of discretion in failing to reopen

the case to admit newly discovered
evidence.

That would be the eyewitness testimony
of Philip Michael Holden.

That's correct. Mr. Holden saw a black
by the name of Ronald Sewell coming out

of Nina Corey's apartment building at
the time of the murder. Now, had the

been allowed to hear this evidence...
This witness was a convicted drug dealer

who decided to come forth with his
testimony in exchange for your

services. Would that be right?

Yes, it would. And the trial court
conducted an evidentiary hearing to

the credibility of this witness, after
which the judge deemed him to be

unreliable. Isn't that right, counsel?
Yeah, that's correct.

And you're asking us...

to substitute our judgment for the trial
judge who listened to him and had

opportunity to weigh his credibility?

What you don't understand is that the
jury should have the opportunity to

that credibility.

Well, time out. I don't think that you
should ever tell a Supreme Court justice

that he doesn't understand. You should
blame yourself for failing to make his

judgment. Wait a minute. Could we just
do this, please?

Mike, demeanor counts.

Yes, it does.

What also counts is evidence of domestic
violence introduced by the DA.

Evidence which was prejudicial.

What also counts was unfair surprise and
the tactics of the DA. Now, those are

the important issues here, and that's
what you should be asking me these

questions about. What? You're going to
tell the judges what questions to ask?

No, I'm telling you, Douglas, because I
don't want this to become a waste of my

time. I want to be fully prepared
tomorrow. I think we should stick to the

Yes. Mr. Cusack, isn't it possible that
your client is guilty?

That's a stupid question, Douglas.

Hey, you know... No, no, I know.

I'm not supposed to insult Supreme Court
justices. Well, thank you all very much

for your help.

I really think that I would be better
served by preparing for this on my own.

I don't think it was a stupid question.

You've been divorced for three years,
Al.

Why'd you first decide to sell this
video now?

You want to know why?

About a month ago a mutual friend of
ours got married Rochelle was there with

this guy tall handsome athletic looking
guy I'm gonna be a grown -up. I go up

and I say hello. She says Colin this is
my friend Al My friend

not my ex -husband not the man I slept
with for six years not the man I stabbed

through the heart her friend, right?

Well, whatever your reasons you stand to
make a lot of money off this video

great Now, she knew that you were making
it, right?

Of course she knew.

Whenever I took pictures of her, she
always knew.

So she knows the tape existed, that it
was a marital asset, and now it belongs

to you. She'd say to me, Al, what should
I read?

I'd go out and buy her books. I mean,
the great books.

Dreiser, Farrell, Tolstoy. She'd say,
Al, what should I see? I'd take her out

foreign films.

Rossellini, Budovkin.

It's always sad when a relationship
ends. And the only time I see her now is

the evening news. She stares out at me
like some ice queen from the frigid

reaches of the north. Another one of the
great unattainables.

I attained her, though.

She can't deny that.

She can't deny that.

I'm gonna have to see this, of course,
to prepare for the hearing. Opening

at the opera, she was there. Norman
Mailer's birthday party, she was there.

Picture -taking sessions with the Pope,
she was there.

Where was I?

Probably home watching the news.

I wish I could laugh about it.

I wish I could chalk it up as another
one of life's little detours. I can't.

Every day a little piece of me dies.

I'll listen to me for a second.

This isn't only between you and her.

The network's gonna fight tooth and nail
to keep this video from going public.

Yeah? Oh, you bet.

They know that next to Jane Polly,
there's no other newscaster people would

rather see naked. Maybe Diane Sawyer.

I'm ready, believe me.

All right.

My friend Al.

Let her call me a friend now.

she were guilty.

What?

If he'd done it, then this would all be
his fault.

But he didn't do it, and that makes it
all my fault.

It's not your fault, Michael.

I don't remember ever being this scared
before.

Maybe before my first trial 15 years
ago.

I can only guess how Earl feels right
now.

When I was in law school, I used to date
her about this.

You know, about having a big murder case
where everything was on the line.

I thought it would make me feel strong.

Judge Henderson, by all accounts, is the
most influential up there, so if he

asks a question, make sure you answer
it.

Connolly's considered the lightweight,
so if you have to duck him at all, it's

not going to be fatal.

Okay, did you file that supplemental
list of authorities yet?

Yeah, yesterday.

Good. Victor, I'm not really following
your index on the trial transcripts. Oh,

okay. This is witness.

This column is statement made or subject
matter covered. This indicates the page

number.

This right here indicates whether it was
across or direct.

You think I'm going to be able to
decipher these little symbols in the

oral argument? I'm going to be there
deciphering it for you. Well, yeah, but

what if I have to reference something
really fast? I only have 45 minutes up

there. I'm not going to... Don't be
chopping at me, Mike. I'm not chopping

you, Victor. Yes, you are. I'm not
chopping at you. Chopping at me, and I

like it, especially since I've been...
Victor, this is a death penalty case,

right? A man's life is on the line here.
I know, and it's all hanging on you,

and you're starting to get afraid. But,
Mike, if you start snapping at those

judges the way you did at us in moot
court, they're not going to be listening

you for very long.

I'm sorry. I just... I'm a little
overanxious here, and I just want to get

done.

I'm sorry.

What issue are you going to be leading?

Prosecutorial misconduct.

You mean you're going after Flanny?

Yep.

Unfair surprise.

She sprung that semen evident to try
without even telling me first, and I'm

going to nail her for that.

What about abuse of discretion? I mean,
that's viable, too. No, Douglas was

right on that. The judges would never
substitute their judgment on that.

If I'm going to win this, I'm going to
have to take Margaret down.

Think you can?

We'll find out, won't we?

I don't want to lose this case, Victor.

I don't know what I'd do if I lost this
case.

Anderson Industries is a law abiding
corporation.

It does extensive charity work. It is a
company with a first rate reputation.

Which also has ties to South Africa. You
couldn't find a major law firm in this

country that doesn't have at least one
client with the same kind of ties.

I don't believe that. Look.

Let's deal with one precedent at a time,
shall we?

Are we really going to let an associate
dictate to us what entities we will or

will not accept as clients?

N -O. It's not just an associate who's
objecting. I'm a partner, and I don't

like it. You didn't seem to mind
yesterday.

Because I didn't know their history
yesterday.

And why didn't you know? I'll tell you
why. Because it is not the practice of

this firm to do policy checks on its
clients.

It is not the practice of this firm to
scrutinize the political identities of

the people who pay our fees.

Well, maybe it should be. Why? Because
this particular client happens to be

mine? All right, Ralph. Because this
particular client has dealings with the

most racist government on the face of
the earth. This is a political question,

Ann. Abortion is a political question,
Douglas. We had to drop my client

of a political question. That was office
politics, completely different. And

that's crap. It isn't crap.

We cut your abortion client because
siding with it would have made us

Siding with Anderson Industries would
make us richer, and that's the only kind

of politics we can afford to play here.
We're thinking a hell of a lot lower

than the bottom line if we take this
client, Douglas.

Come on, Stuart, don't. They support
South Africa, Rosalind. You're talking

about a government that suppresses the
majority of its citizens.

That's repugnant. And if it's not
repugnant to Anderson Industries, I

to have anything to do with them. Fine.

Then I want complete bios and cross
-checks done on every client so we can

to implement this new policy of moral
judgment. That's ridiculous.

No, I'll tell you what's ridiculous.

A law firm that throws away $300 ,000
defending a murderer and appealing his

conviction and then turns down a
potential $2 million a year client

don't like the politics of some of the
folks it does business with. That's

ridiculous. All right, we've heard
enough. Let's put the damn thing to a

Arnold votes yes by proxy.

Michael votes no.

I'm a yes.

Me too.

I'm a no.

And I vote no. Three to three, Leland.

You decide.

I vote yes. We take this client. This
meeting is adjourned.

In 23 years of practice, Your Honor,
I've never been as outraged as I am at

moment. This woman stands to have her
entire career ruined because that man

wants to take moments of intimacy
between a husband and wife and make them

pornography. Your Honor, the tape is
what it is. My client is not making it

anything. He is making it public, Mr.
Becker.

And I have agreed to seal this courtroom
for the reason that to reveal the very

existence of this tape could cause...

irreparable damage.

Your Honor, that's exactly what Mr.
Vogel wants to do. His venom and

spitefulness for his former wife were
matched only by his greed.

Your Honor, that's just nonsense. The
property settlement between these two

people itemizes everything that goes to
Miss Peters. He gives all rights in the

remainder to my client.

Mr. Becker, is there any indication that
Miss Peters would have knowingly

authorized the distribution of this
tape?

My client's an accomplished
photographer. He took a great many

wife. In each case, she authorized their
use. Becker, we're not talking about

photographs here. We're talking about
videotaped footage of marital acts.

Without getting overly graphic,
gentlemen, can you give me a sense of

this tape?

Several variations of coitus.

Compared to what's out there, it's
pretty wholesome stuff.

It won't be any too wholesome when some
guy's standing in a plywood booth

slamming quarters into the damn thing to
see it. This would be intended for the

home video market only.

Okay, I have heard enough.

Mr. Becker, your client isn't joined
from exhibiting this tape commercially.

Miss Peters retains the right to
determine how her name and likeness are

used. Nothing in this divorce agreement
anticipated this.

Nothing in it gives him the right to do
it.

Your Honor, we also requested that Mr.
Vogel turn over all extra copies now

under his control.

That I cannot order.

The agreement clearly grants all
possession of the tape to Mr. Vogel, and

simply don't have the authority to
supersede it. What about private

for 50 or 60 of his closest friends?

Your Honor, what's going to happen when
this tape starts to circulate privately

among friends, party to party?

That's not going to happen. Please, Mr.
Becker, who among us has not seen the

Rob Lowe tape?

Anyone? Anyone?

Listen, I have done all I can do.

And in fact, given my relationship with
Mr. Becker's firm, I may well be forced

to recuse myself before this matter
comes to trial. Which, by the way, would

just fine with me.

May it please the court, I'm Michael
Cusack, appearing for the appellant,

Williams.

Contained in my papers is an overview of
the case.

as well as specific grounds which
mandate a reversal in my client's

Today, I would like to focus on the most
compelling of those grounds, the

prosecutorial misconduct of Margaret
Flanagan. I don't mean to cut you off at

the jump, counsel, but this court is
generally suspect of that particular

Are you sure that's where you want to
steer us?

I'm exactly sure.

Margaret Flanagan's conduct in this
trial was reprehensible. It was

It was a breach of her duty to act as an
officer of the court, and it is the

reason why an innocent man is sitting on
death row. I assume you're referring to

the DNA evidence which placed your
client's semen on the victim's bed?

That's correct, Your Honor.

The district attorney had an obligation
to disclose that information to me and

to the court prior to the trial. She did
not. But according to the record, Miss

Flanagan herself got this evidence at
the last second.

There's no evidence that she willfully
concealed anything. And the judge

you a continuance to give you time, and
you declined.

First of all, the record will show that
she got the evidence from the lab on the

eve of the trial.

She sprung it in court three days into
the trial. That gave her two days to

inform me, which she didn't. That makes
her conduct willful.

As for my refusing the continuance, the
damage had already been done.

How so?

Had I known what she had...

As I was entitled to under Walker v.
Superior Court, I would never have

that my client was having a sexual
relationship with Nina Corey.

I also would never have denied that he
was in her apartment on the night she

murdered. In other words, you never
would have lied to the court if you knew

you'd be caught.

I didn't know my client was having an
affair with the victim. It was a

to me as well.

Earl Williams did lie.

I'm not making excuses for that. But had
I known he was lying, and I would have,

had she followed the law...

I would have stopped him from using it.
I'm sorry.

I'm not sure I understand the harm.

Everything she introduced at the trial,
your client admitted himself once he

took the stand.

The harm is that he was portrayed as a
liar.

Because he was a liar. He told one lie,
yes.

But what I'm saying, Your Honor, is that
had I known about her DNA evidence, I

would have known he was lying.

As a good attorney, I would have
counseled him not to lie.

The jury would never have perceived him
as dishonest, and without that

perception, Earl Williams would have
been acquitted.

Sounds a little meandering to me, Mr.
Cusack.

Then let me make it more clear.

She had two linchpins in her case.

The circumstantial evidence that placed
Earl Williams at the scene of the crime,

at the time of the murder, and the
evidence of his dishonesty.

Had the district attorney complied with
the law, I would have kept the second

part of her case out.

That means that she would have been left
trying to prove murder beyond a

reasonable doubt with nothing more than
circumstantial evidence.

And that's why she withheld it, to give
herself something that she otherwise

would not have had.

She fights hard.

She fights to win. I understand that.
But if you are going to put someone on

death row, if you are going to send a
human being to the gas chamber, you

at least follow the rules and obey the
law.

Margaret Flanagan didn't.

Quarter of a million dollars, Al. That's
more money than you would have made in

the porno business.

Not interested.

Right. What you're interested in is
seeing this woman hurt.

What is it that hurts, Rochelle?

The fact that there's a photographic
record of us having gone to bed?

No, the fact that you would show it to
people.

All right.

Let's cut through the psychodrama, shall
we?

Now, what's it going to take, Mr. Vogel?
Putting a dollar figure on something

like this is impossible.

Well, let's try.

1 .2 million structured over 18 months,
400 ,000 due immediately.

That's outrageous.

Is it?

Your biggest fear, and you can correct
me if I'm wrong, Kevin, is that

Rochelle's sexual hijinks will destroy
her credibility.

That's right, Mr. Becker. That's just
what we don't want to see happen.

Thousands of tapes circulating around
the country, people watching them in

at frat parties, running gags in Johnny
Carson's monologue.

Half a million.

You spend over 10 million a year just
promoting her, protecting her Q rating.

You're telling me that half a million is
all that's worth? Make it a million.

Point two.

Okay. I don't want to sell it.

What?

Excuse me, Al. No deal.

Al, there's a terrific deal to be made
here. I said no.

I don't understand this.

You hear anything yet?

Nothing. I mean, I know they met on it,
but that's all I know.

I sure as hell don't want to be out of
work.

But if they take that client, I've got
no other choice.

What do you mean?

I couldn't stay here, Diana. Could you?

Yeah.

I'm not quitting. That company supports
South Africa. How could you possibly

stay here?

How could Michael Kuzak stay?

How could Ann Kelsey stay?

Are you kidding me?

No, I'm not kidding you, Jonathan. Are
you kidding me?

You think because we're black, we've got
the exclusive on outrage here?

With apartheid, we've certainly got a
priority, yes.

Did it ever occur to you that your
quitting would accomplish nothing?

Did it ever occur to you that by
staying, maybe you could help influence

Anderson Industries, maybe even convince
them to change? What's this, the

Sullivan principle? Look, baby, you
don't want to lose your job, fine, just

so, but don't start feeding... That's
right, I don't want to lose my job.

I can't afford to. I'm already about $20
,000 in debt in student loans.

This job is also my best career
opportunity, and I shouldn't have to

just because you're having a little
spasm of black guilt. You don't want to

quit.

Don't quit.

Just stay here and represent racists.

Maybe you're the racist.

No, you're the one making assumptions
about my feelings on the basis of skin

color. No.

The assumptions I made...

were based on what I thought I knew
about you.

If I was wrong, I was wrong and I
apologize.

Mr. Cusack has exhausted every avenue,
each one more desperate than the next.

The record shows he offered free
professional services to entice a new

eyewitness to testify in the hope of
reopening the trial.

That failed.

Now he's here today claiming
prosecutorial misconduct.

Why didn't you tell him about your DNA
evidence?

As I've maintained before, Your Honor, I
didn't get those results until the very

last moment.

Perhaps I was careless in not making
sure of his notice, but...

I certainly didn't conceal anything.

Forgive me, Miss Flanagan, but that
evidence was a bombshell, and you knew

Do you expect us to believe you failed
to alert Defense Counsel because it

slipped your mind?

I expect the court to take judicial
notice of my reputation and know that

nondisclosure was not willful. I also
expect the court to recognize that Mr.

Cusack knew my strategy, Your Honor. He
knew I would be attempting to prove this

sexual relationship.

We offered a continuance if he felt
prejudiced by the surprise.

He didn't want it because he wasn't
prejudiced. It's possible Mr. Cusack

have prevented his client from looking
like a liar before the jury.

I suppose that is possible, Your Honor.

But Earl Williams was, in fact, a liar.

Are we really saying that the interests
of justice have been contravened here

because the jury got the right
impression?

Let's face it.

Mr. Cusack is asking for a new trial
today because the jury was exposed to

truth. No, he's asking for a new trial
because you failed to disclose physical

evidence to him, which you are required
to do under Walker v.

Superior Court. Had Mr.

Cusack known of the DNA evidence
beforehand, his client would have simply

the truth sooner rather than later.

That's not a distinction which justifies
overturning a verdict which 12 members

found to be fully supported by the
facts.

Earl Williams is on death row because he
murdered a young woman, not because his

lawyer was caught off guard.

Mrs. Flanagan, I've been through the
transcripts and I've taken note of your

propensity to inject your own personal
feelings into this case, which you know

is not proper.

If you're asking me, did I conceal my
personal disgust for Earl Williams?

No, I probably didn't. I went after Earl
Williams for that. I went after him

hard.

But am I guilty of misconduct?

It was Michael Cusack who was held in
contempt, not I.

It was Michael Cusack who was jailed for
ex parte abuse, not I.

It was Michael Cusack who shouted
inadmissible evidence at a jury after

trial judge disallowed it. He was a
desperate attorney doing his job.

What he refuses to understand is I was
simply doing mine.

Oh, my God.

I don't understand how he can show this
to people.

He's a strange fella.

Are you sure it's her?

I can't really tell.

Turn over.

It's her.

Wow.

She is cavorting with particular
abandon.

Arnie, Al's here.

Taking a look at it? No. Hey, don't stop
on my account. No, we're nearly done.

No, no, it's okay.

You haven't even gotten to the good part
yet.

Really? I'm Al Vogel, by the way.
Douglas Brockman. Hi, Stuart Markowitz.

Pleased to meet you.

She's something, isn't she?

Very nice.

Arnie, she called me this morning.

She wants to drop by and talk. I guess I
should have expected that, right?

She's not about to just give up, Al.
Hell no, I'm looking forward to watching

her squirm.

I like that.

I like it.

You do like it, don't you? I do, I do.

Oh, is that what you want?

The

partners

considered your concerns this morning
very seriously, I might add, and after

weighing everything.

We elected to accept Anderson Industries
as a client.

I know that disappoints you.

Yeah, it does.

If you choose not to do any work for
this client personally, I will honor

decision. Oh, for God's sake.

Listen, don't pick... I'm sorry,
Jonathan.

I don't think I can work here anymore,
Leland. No, no, that is rash, and you

know it. Yeah, well, maybe it's time for
me to be rash.

I'm a rich boy, Leland. I had
everything.

It was easy to forget I was black, and
that's exactly what I did. You think

because you're black, you have an
obligation to sample oppression?

When I was at Harvard, they had protests
going on all the time over apartheid

and divestitures.

See, I was always too busy studying to
take part.

So what I do after I graduate, I get a
job here at a downtown corporate law

and go for the paycheck.

Thing is, I never knew it was a firm
that could represent people who helped

finance South Africa.

Someday you'll probably head up your own
firm, Jonathan.

And you'll see, it gets complicated.

Sometimes you just have to compromise.

No, you always struck me as a man who
didn't.

When you found out your bank was
engaging in redlining, you closed all

accounts.

You refused to join your own father's
club because they wouldn't admit Jews.

You, Leland, refused to represent
slumlords. You refused to represent

busters. Hell, Leland, why can't you
refuse now?

Because it was put to a partnership
vote.

I took your concerns to the partners,
and it was voted on.

Which way did you vote?

Leland?

I'm entitled to my own position,
Jonathan, just as you're entitled to

The problem is you agree with me on this
one.

And you still voted the way you did.

Hi, Rochelle.

Where's your attorney?

I didn't want him here.

Mine stays.

Fine.

So what do you want?

I want to know why you've come to hate
me this much. If I didn't have this

videotape, you think you'd care?

You know, maybe I should leave you
alone. No, I don't want to be alone with

Her lawyer probably sent her here to get
me to say something that they can use.

Al, why do you think I made that tape?

I don't know.

Maybe you were bombed. I made it because
I knew it thrilled you.

Great.

Sex is charity.

It also thrilled me.

More charity.

Look at me, Al.

I could be a little girl with you.

I could be a goofball with you.

Or I could be wanton and lewd.

I could be anything.

And you protected me.

Yeah.

So what? Why aren't you protecting me
now?

Because I'm not your protector.

I'm your friend.

Isn't that what you introduced me as?

Your friend?

What do you want, Al?

What do I want?

I want to be your husband.

I want you to be my wife.

It's not going to happen.

No matter how much you want it.

It was once, but it's not going to
happen again.

No.

No.

Great.

Then prepare to star in the masturbatory
fantasies of millions.

Let me tell you something, Al.

Making that tape was one thing, but
releasing it is something else.

Will I be mortified? Yes.

In the end, though, all that it proves
is that I made love to my husband.

What it says about you is that you're
sick and you're mean.

It's not what you used to be, Al.

It's what you've become.

Isn't she a pistol?

Al. What?

Don't do it.

Now you're going to start.

There is a line, even in my business,
and I think you're crossing it.

Can she win in court? I think she can. I
think she can also sue you for damages.

That's another conversation.

What I'm saying to you right now is that
you're wrong.

I'm out.

Then I'll get another lawyer. Look,
you're wounded, Al. I understand this.

ripped your insides out. I go to sleep
thinking about her. I wake up thinking

about her. Not one of us who hasn't been
there.

And what am I supposed to do? Just tough
it out? That's exactly what you do. You

face it down as much as it hurts inside,
as much as it rips at your gut.

You just grit your teeth and you wait
for it to pass.

And what makes you think it will?

Because it always does.

You just have to give it time.

On the other hand, if you insist on this
pathetic act of spite, you may very

well never live it down.

Leave it with me.

Messenger it over this afternoon.

Right.

And that'll be that.

Mr. Cusack, the court has decided not to
entertain your rebuttal.

If it pleases the court, I would
respectfully ask... Counsel, it would

the court if you take your seat.

All of us have reviewed the transcripts
on this case with a great deal of

scrutiny, and we unanimously agree that
this was an extremely balanced and close

trial. In fact, it could be argued that
on the record...

The defendant appeared to have
established a reasonable doubt.

The jury obviously found otherwise,
which was certainly within their

But it cannot be disputed that the
prosecutor's ability to establish the

defendant as a liar played an integral
part in her ability to secure a

conviction. And it is likely that the
district attorney never would have been

able to do this had she properly advised
defense counsel of the cards she was

holding.

Now it is our custom to go into session
and issue written opinions.

But since our respective positions are
so clearly unanimous in this instance,

and since justice delayed in some cases
amounts to justice denied, we are ruling

now. The surprise DNA evidence
prejudiced the defendant's right to a

under the United States Constitution.

Accordingly, we hereby set aside the
verdict and the death penalty.

and order a new trial to be scheduled
immediately.

Oh, God.

Oh, God.

This matter is remanded to Superior
Court for retrial.

Thank you, Mr. Cusack and Miss Flanagan.

We're adjourned.

I know someone we have to call.

What's this I hear about you changing
your mind?

Well, I had a talk with Jonathan, after
which I decided he was right. This firm

should not be representing that client.
For God's sake, Leland.

Anderson Industries could increase our
yearly revenues by almost 35%. I am

of that, Rosalind. I didn't say it was
an easy decision.

Well, you're obviously so prone to
vacillating over this. Let me ask you to

reconsider again.

Nope. The decision is made.

That's the end of it.

This firm has a far bigger problem than
I ever realized.

Well, there'll be other big clients,
Rosalind. I'm not talking about clients

right now. I'm talking about the senior
partner.

I'm talking about somebody who can't
make a hard decision when he needs to

because he's too afraid of risking his
popularity.

What the hell is it with you?

Do you thrive on picking fights?

I thrive because I'm not afraid of them.

This isn't a country club, Leland, where
you get to be the golf pro.

It's a tough business, and any firm, if
it wants to get ahead, needs a strong

leader. I have been running this firm
for 25 years, and I don't need you to

in here and tell me how I... You are
running it into the ground, which is why

you brought me in, to save you.

Well, I can't save you from yourself.

I can't help you if you are going to
exalt your sense of altruism to this

of fiscal blindness.

If you're not happy, Roz, you can leave
through the same door you came in.

Believe it or not, I do care about this
place.

That's why I came in here fighting right
now. Fine.

Well, this fight you lose.

The decision stands. We don't take that
client.

Are we clear?

Oh, yeah.

It's all becoming very clear.

Criminal complaint number 89 -7053,
people versus Earl Williams.

Margaret Flanagan for the people, Your
Honor.

As you know, the defendant's conviction
was overturned yesterday by the Supreme

Court of California.

We've refiled our complaint, and the
people ask that a new trial be scheduled

soon as possible.

Michael Kuzak for the defendant.
Petition for leave to file a motion to

the complaint as well as a motion to
suppress the DNA evidence of the

prosecution. I'll hear your motions next
Tuesday at 10.

Tentative trial date for the first week
in April.

Seek bail modification, Your Honor.

Denied. Same bail.

Your Honor, I'll also be seeking a court
order to instruct the Los Angeles

police to locate and detain Mr. Ronald
Sewell.

Excuse me?

Mr. Sewell, more commonly known as
Pinto, was the man seen leaving the

scene by my witness, Philip Michael
Holden, which witness you found to be

unreliable. Upon information and belief,
Mr. Sewell has recently been seen in

the area, and the interests of justice
would mandate that he be picked up for

questioning. Mr. Sewell is not a
suspect, Your Honor. We're satisfied

man who killed Nina Corey is right
there.

I can't tell the police who to pick up,
Mr. Cusack.

If they don't consider this Mr.

Sewell to be a suspect, I'm certainly
not ordering them to do so. He's

a flight risk, Your Honor. If we don't
pick him up, then... I'm sorry, but

that's not within my authority.

Trial date for the first week of April.

I'll see both of you here next week on
the motion to dismiss.

That's all.

Well, we're back in the running, Earl.
Thank you, Michael.

I've got to see some people.

Obviously, we're very disappointed.

It's a very sad day when a murderous
conviction is overturned on a

But I assure the people, this office is
dedicated to keeping Earl Williams in

prison.

It's a sadder day when district
attorneys disregard the laws they were

to uphold.

If there's any public disgust here, it
should be directed at Margaret Flanagan.

You want to try this in the media,
Margaret? So what?

I can play the same game as you.

Mr. Cusack, will you defend strategy? I
have no further comment. I'll see you in

Fort Margaret.

Mr. Cusack, one more question. No
further comment.

Mr.

Cusack, I'm Johnny Kale. We spoke on the
phone.

Right. Thanks for meeting me here.

Ronald Sewell, street name Pinto. Last
seen around Olympic Grand, but he could

be anywhere.

I want you to find out where he lives
and search it. All right.

Most of all, I want him.

When you find him, I want you to set up
a meeting.

Are you asking us to hold him against
his will, sir?

Absolutely not.

Get him for you, counselor.

Good.