All language subtitles for Equal.Justice.S02E02.Sleeping.With.The.Enemy.1080p.AMZN.DDP2.0.H.264-BTN_4_text

-[indistinct chatter]
-[elevator dings]

Look, AIDS is a disease,
not a crime.

-Sorry I'm late.
-You can't prosecute
everybody who's been--

The man we are prosecuting,
Charles Bercik,
slept with Jillian Weeks

without telling her
he was HIV positive.
Now she has AIDS.

All you're doing is using
the courts to feed the frenzy.

Look, guys, look,
this is an isolated case.

We have a crisis
on our hands.

At the public health office,
we see more and more women
being infected.

Do you want to create
the impression

that HIV carriers are monsters
out to infect the public?

No, but we can't ignore the fact
that people are knowingly
transmitting the virus.

You're wasting taxpayers' money
that could be going
into research, prevention.

This is a medical problem,
not a legal problem.

What we're doing
is enforcing the law.

There's no law in this state
that makes it a felony

to transmit the AIDS
virus to another person.

When that penal code
was written,
a million and a half people

in this country were not
infected with a fatal disease.

-There is no law.
-Maybe there should be.

So you filed for assault
and attempted murder?

Oh, come on, guys.

Come on.

What are you doing,
using this as a test case?

Despite the fact that
we have no specific law,

we believe that certain cases
warrant prosecution.

Gentlemen, ladies,
this trial will go forward.

We will be happy to address
your further concerns.

Thank you.

-I don't believe this.
-That's it.

I appreciate you being here.

If there's anything I can do
to help you, let me know.

-I will.
-Okay.

Thanks.

I understand their concerns.

My caseload has doubled.

We need to tell people
that knowingly transferring
the virus is criminal.

We'll do what we can.

[Gene] What time
was he supposed to be there?

Mike, wait.
Okay, I'll talk to you later.

[exhales deeply]

I want you to consider
dropping this case.

Uh, is that a piece
of friendly advice
or an order?

It's a caveat.
If we really want
to get this guy,

we should wait
until the girl dies.

Then we could go for murder.

It's difficult to prove
the intent necessary

for a conviction
on attempted murder.

-We could set a precedent.
-I can't.

Let's wait for an easier case.
Find some guy that you know
did this with malice.

Gene, the public health
officer came to us
along with Jillian Weeks

and asked us to prosecute
the man that infected her.

What do you expect me to do?

I know how strongly
you feel about this,
but you know the rules.

You never ask a question
you don't know the answer to,

and you never try a case
you cannot win.

♪Living in a real world♪

♪We try to rise above♪

♪All we see, searching for
something to believe♪

♪One day, you'll find
you can make a life♪

♪That's worth living through♪

♪If you are living
for the truth♪

♪All that we're trying
to win♪

♪Feels like a mountain
to climb♪

♪We can make it over
over time♪

♪Hold on♪

♪Hold on♪

♪We can make it over
over time♪

♪Hold on♪

♪Hold on♪

♪We can make it over
over time♪♪

Brilliant, just brilliant.

You, Detective Kozek,
may very well win

my stupid move
of the week award.

He's somewhere in the corner.

Three times I've had
this despicable little perp
in here,

and each time
he's managed to walk
because of lack of evidence.

This pimple, this giblet
preying on society,

holding up hardworking citizens
at automatic teller machines,

and you, Kozek,
managed to misplace

the only eyewitness that
would put this dirtbag away.

Find him. I don't care
if you have to put an APB
on this guy for statutory rape.

-Just get him in here.
-[man] Mr. Brigman...

I was supposed to see you
about that man that
I saw robbing that lady.

-Stuart, am I right?
-Stuey.

Everybody calls me Stuey.

Could I call you Pete?

You know, I had
a schnauzer named Pete.

Let's get this straight.

You were walking down Second,

and you saw this guy
across the street?

Yeah, he had a gun
in her back.

After he took her cash,
he ran across the street.

He practically knocked me over.

So, I saw it all clearly.

Oh, this is perfect.

Perfect.

We'll go to the lineup tomorrow,
and then we'll go to grand jury.

Uh, but first, we gotta
go over your story.

These defense attorneys
are scum.

They'll do anything
to trip you up, to confuse you.

You mind if I ask you
a couple of questions?

How's your vision?
You need those glasses?

Um, I... I wear them
for reading, mostly.

Ah-ha.

So you weren't wearing them
on that night.

No, no, I-I...

-[slaps table]
-And yet you expect this jury

to believe you saw him clearly?

[stammering]
Well, I thought that I'd...

What time did you say
the robbery took place?

-Uh...
-[Briggs] Hmm?

11:30.

11:30.

And yet, you say
in the statement to the police,
eleven o'clock.

[loudly] Now,
you're saying 11:30.

Are you lying now,
or were you lying then?

Are you lying now,
or were you lying then?

Stuey?

Stuey?

Are you all right?

Stuey?

Name's Doug.

-Doug?
-Yeah, Doug.

What are you staring at,
butt face?

[telephone ringing]

Hey.

What's the deal?
Everything all right?

Sure.

No problem.

My eyewitness
just turned out to be Sybil.

Kim Phuc Nguyen.

[speaking in Vietnamese]

Enlighten me, Ms. Harris.

Your Honor, Mrs. Nguyen
is charged with two counts
of grand larceny.

Where's the damn interpreter?

I think
she's sick today, Judge.

Perfect.

We'll continue.

[both speaking in Vietnamese]

Excuse me, Judge.
I can interpret very good.

Today, I'm up for anything.

-What is she saying?
-[continues speaking Vietnamese]

She said she did it.
She stole from the store.

[speaking in Vietnamese]

[indistinct conversation]

Your Honor... Your Honor,
I've just been advised

that the interpreter is
the victim in this case.

Get him out of here.

Case continues until
tomorrow morning, 9:00 a.m.

Next...

People v. Brown.

Peter Bauer for
the Public Defender's Office.

I'd like an opportunity
to confer with the ADA

for a possible disposition
in this case.

Go for it.

Uh, I'm afraid you're out
of luck here, Mr. Bauer.
This is a precinct condition.

Your client has been selling
coke out of his apartment
for the last six months.

Now, the owner, Mr. Alvarado,
has called the precinct
50 times to complain.

So now your client
can deal in prison.

No, no, no, I doubt it.
Seems the arresting officers
did it the easy way.

Your search is no good.

They busted down
the guy's door
without a warrant.

I'll go six months.
Otherwise, we go for
a suppression hearing.

Take a year, I'll do it.

Deal.

Excuse me, Your Honor.
We have a disposition
in People v. Brown.

-You got the tape?
-Huh?

The music one.
You said you'd bring... oh, no.

[sighs] I forgot it.
I forgot. I'm sorry.

You might be ready.
I have to practice.

Calm down.
You're going to be fine.

-You think so?
-Hey, would I lie to you, Fred?

Indeed, I guess not, Ginger.

-I'll see you later.
-Okay.

Would it be fair to say that
Charles Bercik romanced you?

[scoffs] Oh, yeah, he sure did.

[Mike] While he pursued you,
sent you flowers,

did he ever tell you
that he was infected
with the HIV virus?

Never.

He looked fine.

And look at him now.
He still looks fine.

Did he ever suggest to you that
he should use a condom
during your lovemaking?

No, he didn't.

[Mike] How many times
over this three-week period

did you and Charles
engage in sexual intercourse?

I don't know, a lot.

Did he ever tell you that
he was carrying the virus
that causes AIDS?

Well, not until about a year
or so after he dumped me.

I had the flu,
but it got worse.

Then the doctors told me
that I had AIDS.

So I went by Charles' office.

That was when he told me that
he had been a drug addict

and that he was carrying
the HIV virus.

He said he was sorry.

[Mike] He was sorry.

Jillian...

what is the state
of your health now?

My doctor thinks
I'll be dead in a year.

[Mike] Thank you, Jillian.

Nothing further, Your Honor.

-Ms. Garman?
-[Garman] Jillian.

How soon after
meeting Mr. Bercik

did you engage
in sexual intercourse with him?

We went out a couple of times.

A couple.

That's two, correct?

So?

So you went out with a man
that you picked up at a party--

-Objection.
-Excuse me.

A man you met at a party,
went out with twice.

On the third date,
you went to bed with him?

Your Honor, the victim
is not on trial here.

But her sexual conduct is,
Your Honor.

-[Mike] Your Honor--
-I'm going to allow it.
Continue, Ms. Garman.

Ms. Weeks...

at the time you were engaging

in sexual intercourse
with Mr. Bercik,

had you ever heard
of a disease called AIDS?

Of course I had.

Did you know that AIDS
could be sexually transmitted?

No.

Well, I-I did.

I just thought that if you had,
you know, normal sex,

that it was safe.

Ms. Weeks, have you ever
purchased condoms?

-[Jillian] Yes.
-[Garman] You have.

Did you have any
in your apartment
when you were with Charles?

-Yes.
-[Garman] Yes, where?

In my nightstand.

[Garman] That's right
next to your bed?

Yes.

-You knew about AIDS.
-Yes.

You knew how AIDS
was transmitted.

I told you, yes, I knew.

You knew that you could protect
yourself and your partner.

-And yet, you did nothing.
-I did nothing?

Well, what about him, huh?

He was supposed to tell me.

He seemed okay.
I trusted him.

And he didn't-- why
didn't you tell me, huh?

Why?

"Ms. Julie Janovich
attended the premiere

with Benjamin Morris, Jr.,
chairman of the board."

Wow, I'm impressed.

My mom will love this.

I'm curious, Julie,
what exactly does
one have to do

in order to get their photo
in the society pages?

-Hello?
-Be with the right person
at the right time.

Maybe in your next life, Briggs.

Hold on.

Briggs, it's a psychiatrist
named Karen Goodwin.

She says
she's returning your call.

I'll take it in my office.

Briggs, you are doing
the right thing.

Women all over America
will sleep better tonight.

Jo Ann, do you have a minute?

Sure.

Um... I'll see you.

-Hi.
-Hi.

Uh...

Mr. Alvarado paid me
a visit this afternoon
and says that you sold him out.

-What?
-Police found weapons
and a pound of cocaine,

so why did you take a plea?

I knew all along there
was a search problem.

I'd spoken to
the arresting officers
before the arraignment.

What I didn't know was that
the PD's office knew,
so I had to fold.

-But he still took a year.
-Okay.

Under the circumstances,
that was probably
the correct thing to do.

There is something else
you should be aware of.

Every week, I have people
coming into my office

claiming that their ADA
was in collusion with
the public defender.

As you know,
under the code of ethics,

actual impropriety
isn't even necessary,
just the appearance of it.

And an ADA dating a PD
could qualify for that.

-I would never do something--
-Jo Ann, You're one of the
brightest people on my staff.

I wouldn't want you
to compromise your career, so...

just think about it.

Let me get this
perfectly straight. Now...

If Stuey witnessed the crime,

then none of
the other personalities
have any recollection of it?

Stuey has no control over this.

He was an abused child,
and in order to deal with
that abuse,

he created these other
personalities to escape.

Do any of these other
personalities know each other?

Maybe we can start
a mini dating service.

Mr. Brigman, the only reason
I agreed to speak to you

was because Stuey insisted
he wants to help.

But your attitude concerns me.

I mean, it may be
an inconvenience to you,

but to Stuey and to any
experienced clinician,

multiple personality
is a serious illness.

I happen to have
a serious situation, too.

I am trying to send
a man to prison

who has been robbing people
at gunpoint,

and this case is going
to turn to crap and die
for the fourth time

unless I can keep Stuey
in his A personality
long enough to ID the guy.

It helps if he's not
under pressure,

not in a crowded room,

observing or hearing
traumatic events.

You have to understand,
Stuey's been through a lot.

Meaning what?
I've been on easy street?

-I wasn't referring to--
-Do you know

the kind of dregs that I have
to put up with every day, huh?

I mean, it's us against them.

It's us against
the barbarian hordes

breaking down the decrepit wall
of humanity.

I know. It must be difficult.

Oh, it's difficult.
It is very difficult.

You cannot believe
what people try and pull.

I've seen it all, baby.

You can call me cynical,
but I trust no one.

Everyone has their own way
of dealing with things.

[chuckles wryly]

Really, yeah. You know,
it's like when people say,

"Hey, Briggs, maybe
in your next lifetime."

Think I get upset?

No. Think I suddenly turn
into Clint Eastwood?

No, I-I-I take it.

I like it. I enjoy it.

Well, we all want
to be accepted.

I know there's a lot of people
who don't like me.

-No, I was only trying to--
-Okay, okay, I admit it.

I know there's a lot of women
that don't like me.

That's what
you wanna hear, isn't it?

-Why, no, I didn't have--
-Why do you think that is, hmm?

I mean, do I deliberately
try and repel them?

That's ridiculous.

[chuckles] I mean, why...
why would I do that?

Contrary to popular belief,
I have no sexual problems.

I do, however,
have intellectual problems

with the entire human race.

[door opens]

Did you want--

Oh, oh, I'm sorry, Pete.

I didn't mean to interrupt.

Dr. Yung, could Jillian Weeks
have become infected
with the AIDS virus

even though she only slept
with the defendant
over a period of three weeks?

Most definitely.

We've had cases reported
to us where the disease

has been transmitted from
a single sexual occurrence.

How long is
the incubation period

between transmission
and disease?

Anywhere from six months
to twelve years.

Thank you.

Doctor, isn't it possible that
a seropositive person

may never transmit the disease
even though he may have
practiced unsafe sex?

Well, it's possible.

In fact, is there even
such a thing as safe sex?

Well, we now refer to it
as safer sex.

Meaning that the use
of a latex condom

is safer than without,
but still no guarantee.

-Accidents may happen, but--
-[Garman] Tell me, doctor,

how many times would a person
infected with the HIV virus

have to have intercourse
with someone

in order to ensure that
that virus was transmitted?

We have no way of knowing.
The more times that
sexual intercourse occurs,

the greater the likelihood of
the disease being transmitted.

[Garman] Tell me, how many?

Ten, twenty?

-We can't determine that.
-100?

It's doubtful, but I--

In fact, my client
could have slept

with this woman
over a period of years

and still never
have transmitted the disease.
Isn't that correct?

It's possible, but unlikely.
We don't know all the answers.

You don't know?

An expert in the field?

Then how could
my client have known

when he was engaging
in sexual intercourse
with this young woman

that he was passing on
the infection?

How could he possibly
have intended to kill her?

Even though Charles
doesn't consider himself
criminally liable,

he does feel
emotionally responsible.

He's willing to plead to assault
with no jail time.

Prison isn't exactly
the best place

for somebody infected
with the AIDS virus.

No way.

I want to say something.

-Dad.
-Charles, I'll handle it.

-No, Dad.
-Charles, just shut up.

You've done enough already,
now just shut up.

[breathes shakily]

I, uh...

I have a check here
in the amount of $75,000.

I don't believe this.
You're offering me money?

Oh, no, no. No, it's not
what you think.
It's not a bribe.

I just want to help.

You're going to have
medical expenses.

I don't want your help.

I don't want my son
to die in jail.

Oh.

What am I supposed to do
with this, huh?

Pay for a nice funeral?
Put some pretty flowers
on my grave?

Jillian...

Please, I'm begging you.

Don't do this.

Let me help you.

Help me?

Help me?

You lie to me.
You use me.
You kill me.

And, now, you're trying
to pay me off?

That's not what I'm trying--

You think I'm some kind
of whore? I loved you.

-Jillian.
-No.

[footsteps receding]

Mike, Mike, tell her to take
the money, for God's sake.

She's dying.
She has nothing.

Tell her to take the money.

I'll never be able to get
married or have children.

I'll never make love
to anyone ever again.

[sighs]

I look at my mom.

I mean, she's 58 years old.

I'm supposed to outlive her.

You think we should
take the deal?

If we take that plea,
we allow Charles
to walk out that door

with a little more than
a slap on the wrist.

I can't do that.

It's just that
it's a lot of money.

I can't let that influence
my decision.

When you first came to me,
you said you didn't want

Charles to do to anybody else
what he'd done to you.

Well, this is your chance.

This is your chance
to make a difference.

[indistinct chatter]

When do they bring them out?

We've to wait for the detective
and the public defender. See?

We get the call
from some old bat

who says her chandelier
is bleeding.

We go in, and sure enough,
it's dripping, right?

We go upstairs,
we find the two bodies
in the water bed,

so shot full of holes
that it was unbelievable.

Can we get on with this, please?

PD's not here yet.

Take your time.
This is important.

Yeah, he knows. Okay.

Anyway, we go to turn
the bodies over,

but with the water bed
and the blood,
it's like the freaking Red Sea.

Wolfman, shut up!

Let's get this show
on the road.

[indistinct whispering]
Okay, I think he's ready.

Give him some room.
Give him some room, okay?

What did you have
for lunch, anyway?

[Stuey] Um, okay, I...

-Okay, I-I think...
-Yeah?

-I think it's...
-Yes.

Yes.

-I think it's number...
-Yeah.

[Briggs] Yeah.

I think it's number...

Stuey, come on.

[breathing shakily]

[Briggs] Stuey? Stu... Stuey?

Stuey, come on,
get ahold of yourself.

Stuey? Stu... Stuey!

Stuey! Come on! Stuey!
Hey, Stuey!

Oh, no.

What's your problem, jerkhead?

No. Oh, no.

-Are you following me?
-No. Look, he's...

He's under some pressure.
He's a little... you know?

I didn't do nothin',
you understand?

[sighs]

What's your problem
besides steroids?

-No, no, no.
-Huh?

-[Briggs] Whoa, whoa!
-Any time, buddy!

-Whoa, whoa!
-Any time, buddy!

-Whoa, whoa!
-Any time!

[indistinct chatter]

Hey, how's it going?

Not so good.

I rested the weakest case
I've ever tried.

Damn it, why didn't you
listen to me?

You know why.
Because this conviction
is important.

We can say something with it.

-[exhales deeply]
-So, if you're so sure

we're doing the right thing,
why are you so upset?

Because I did something today,

something I swore
I would never do
as a prosecutor.

We were offered a... a plea.

And on top of that,
Charles's father
threw in $75,000.

Jillian comes to me and asks me
if we should take it.

And I stood there and told her
not to take the money,

to do something important,
put him away,

give her life meaning. [scoffs]

She can use that money, Gene.

She can't afford medicine
or a nice place to live.

I'm using her.

I mean, what will
she get out of all this?

So what's the problem?

It's not too late.
Go, take the plea.

Tell her to take the money.

[sighs]

But you are not going
to do that, are you?

You're going to go back
in that courtroom
and try to win the case.

Mike...

Jillian is not your client.

You represent the people.

Oh, and is that supposed to
make me stop thinking about

what I so righteously gave
away on Jillian's behalf?

What do you want me to say?
We use people all the time.

We tell witnesses
we'll protect them.

We lie to get at the truth.

Does the end justify the means?

I don't know.

You tell me.

I thought you said
you were hungry.

I'm starving, but we've got
to practice the last dip.
It's a nightmare.

Oh, this is coming
from the man that said
men don't take dancing lessons.

What's going on?

Rogan said I might
compromise my career

if I continue dating you.

What are you talking about?
You're not...

You're not going to put
mushrooms in this, are you?

You don't like mush...
You like mushrooms.

-When they're cooked.
-Oh.

Raw, I've got a little problem.

Now what's happening?

Mr. Alvarado, you know,
in the case we took
the dispo on yesterday?

-Mm-hmm.
-He told Rogan that
we were in collusion.

That's ridiculous. I could
have gone for a dismissal.

-Come on, Felony.
-Hey, hey.

You know better than that.

-Come on.
-I hate that cat.

Anyway, Rogan asked me
if we were seeing each other.

-And I...
-Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

None of Rogan's business
who you're seeing.

[scoffs] Where's he get off
telling you who to see,
not to see me?

He didn't say not to see you.
He said that
I should think about it.

Jo Ann, Rogan's bureau chief.

It's part of their MO
to warn people about
compromising their careers.

I have got a career, too.

But it's different
in the PD's office.

You guys are much more lax
about this kind of stuff.

Jo Ann...

You know,
we're just getting started.

We haven't even
slept together yet.

Just want to be responsible
about this.

No, I mean,
I'm a responsible person.

ADAs and PDs work
in opposite camps, Peter.

Jo Ann...
it's not a war going on.

I really cannot take
much more of this.

Because in the last four hours,

Stuey has turned
into more personalities
than I got relatives.

-When's the line-up?
-Uh, 4:45.

If Stuey doesn't ID this guy,
he's going to walk again.

I'm really afraid
to open this door.

Cleopatra might be in there.

[Christopher] Hey,
hang in there, buddy, huh?

I got you.

Stuey.

[chuckles manically]

[Garman] Charles, why didn't
you tell Jillian Weeks

that you were infected
with the AIDS virus?

Because I wasn't thinking
about her.

When you're an addict,
the only thing you think
about is getting high.

It seems incredible
to me now, but, uh...

there were times
when I needed a hit.

I shared needles
with other addicts.

I couldn't face
up to anything,

to my failures, to my dad...

to my life.

So I just, uh...

I just made it all go away.

Why did you stop seeing Jillian?

Because I started to care
about her.

But I didn't know
how to deal with telling her.

So I just broke it off.

I prayed that she hadn't
contracted the virus.

Charles, did you at any time
have the desire or intent
to kill Jillian Weeks

by engaging in
sexual intercourse with her?

Absolutely not.

I wasn't responsible
for my actions,

and I was high all the time.

I was out of it.

Kill her?

No way.

I just...

I just wanted to make love
to her, that's all.

No further questions
at this time, Your Honor.

[Judge Myers] Mr. James?

Mr. Bercik, at the time that
you were seeing Jillian Weeks,

you were making in excess
of $72,000 a year

in your capacity
as sales manager, correct?

I was doing very well, yes.

And you were responsible
for many different accounts.

Twenty or so, yes.

And you prided yourself
on never losing a customer.

Well, yeah, but I lost
a couple of accounts.

You were also responsible
for year-end reports
and customer receivables.

And five salespeople
and several assistants.

That was my job, okay?

So you were responsible for
everything else in your life

except giving AIDS
to Jillian Weeks?

I never meant to hurt her.

You were aware,
were you not, Mr. Bercik,

that the AIDS virus
could be transmitted
through sexual intercourse?

Yes, yes, but I never
meant to hurt her.

What would you call it?

The first time you slept
with Jillian Weeks,

you knew that you had
the AIDS virus,
and yet you said nothing.

-I wasn't responsible.
-No?

You weren't responsible
the second time
you slept with Jillian,

knowing that you could be
giving her a death sentence?

I've already told you,
I was out of control.

And the third time,
and the fourth time,

the fifth, the sixth,
and the seventh,

every time you climbed
into bed with Jillian Weeks,

you knew that you had
a disease that could kill,

and yet you said nothing.

I should have told her, okay?

Don't you think I think
about that every single night

since I found out she got AIDS?

Do you really think
I would want her...

that I would want anyone
to get this disease?

I mean, my God.

Don't you realize
I'm dying, too?

I mean, what more do you want?

What I want, I can't have.

What I want, Mr. Bercik,
is not to see two people die.

No further questions.

[elevator bell dings]

-Jo Ann, thanks a lot.
-What?

An incredibly sexy co-ed
was on her way over
to my place tonight.

Looks like I'm going to spend
the weekend prepping for trial.

Do you speak English?
I'm not following you.

Wilson, Martin...

armed robbery, multiple counts,
he's mine now.

-Yours?
-Hmm.

No, I've had that case
since Raymond.

-Break a leg tonight, Jo Ann.
-Thanks.

I go to trial on that case
on Monday.

I've got five witnesses.
They're all prepped.

Well, according to Rogan,
you're off the case.

Something about Peter Bauer
being the opposing counsel?

That's what happens
when you get caught
sleeping with the enemy.

I figure if we have
to be incognito,

we might as well
do it in style.

For you, Miss Harris,

tonight's most beautiful
tango dancer.

[chuckles]

Look, I know
I'm not that funny, but
a little smile would help.

Peter, I want you to take
this situation seriously.

I am. [laughs]

I seriously don't think
there's a problem.

So we won't try
cases together. That hardly
ever happens anyway.

I've worked very hard
to get where I am.

-So have I.
-And I don't wanna lose it.

Meaning?

What?

What, you'd rather lose me?

No.

Then what did he mean?

Nothing.

Why are you letting Rogan
dictate your social life to you?

I can't ignore what he said.

Your boss says jump, you jump?

Peter, that is not fair.

Look, I... I got to go.

But I'll talk to you
later, okay?

-We're discussing something.
-We've already discussed it.

Oh, that's how it is with you?

If you don't like something
or you don't want
to discuss something,

-you just leave?
-No.

What are you saying?

What I'm saying is I...

I think that maybe
we should just...

we should just be friends.

Friends?

You want to be friends?

Peter, please don't make this
any harder for me.

No, I won't make it
hard for you.

I'll make it easy for you.
You wanna be friends, fine.

We're friends.

[Garman]
Charles Bercik suffers from
the disease of drug addiction.

And the self-destructive
tendencies

that drove Charles
to his addiction

left him with little
or no control over his actions.

Weakness may not
be commendable...

but it is not prosecutable.

AIDS is a plague.

No member of society is immune.

Innocent people
will be infected.
What's the solution?

That HIV carriers
be jailed, quarantined?

Everybody must
take responsibility
for their own lives.

And that, ladies and gentlemen,
includes Jillian Weeks.

What happened
to Jillian Weeks is tragic,

as is the fate of my client.

But they are both victims.

And nothing that
you can say or do

in this courtroom
will change that.

You cannot incarcerate someone
whose only offense

was looking for
a little human closeness.

You cannot convict
Charles Bercik
of attempted murder

because he had no intent
to kill Jillian Weeks.

Thank you.

[Judge Myers] Mr. James?

If a drunk gets behind the wheel
and kills an innocent woman,
he's still guilty of homicide,

even though he never
meant to hurt anyone.

The defendant knew
that he had a disease
that, at this moment,

is always fatal.

He knew that he could transfer
that disease to Jillian Weeks.

Yes, he was addicted to cocaine

and may not have had
any control over that.

But he did have control
over his sexual behavior.

He could have told her.

He could have prevented
an innocent girl

from an untimely
and horrible fate.

Because he didn't tell her.

Because of his knowledge
and refusal to protect her

by using a condom,
under the law,
we can infer intent.

So, if you find that his actions

show such an extreme
indifference to human life,

to the life of that young woman,

then you must convict
Charles Bercik
of attempted murder.

Yes, this is a tragic situation.

But what would be
more tragic would be

if innocent people had
no protection under the law

and guilty parties suffered
no retribution
for their actions.

That, ladies and gentlemen,
would be the greatest
tragedy of all.

We, the jury, find as follows.

As to count one
attempted murder,

we find the defendant,
Charles Bercik, not guilty.

[murmuring]

[foreman] As to
the second count of assault
in the first degree,

we find the defendant guilty.

[indistinct chatter]

[indistinct chatter]

Thank you.

What did they say?
Didn't they believe me?

They believed you.

They also believed Charles.

He'd committed a crime.
They just couldn't
convict him of murder.

We still won, Jillian.
Charles should get
at least two years.

Two years?

That's nothing.

Can we appeal?

There's no appeal.

There's got to be
something else.

What am I supposed to do now?

Jillian, I wish
there was something...

[sighs]

Maybe I should have
taken the money.

Me and my mom,
we could have gone
someplace nice.

Did I do the right thing?

Yes.

I know what Charles meant
when he said that
he wanted to be with someone.

[sniffs] I feel
that way sometimes.

I feel like
I could just die happy

if someone would hold me
the way they used to.

The thing is, I'm so scared.

[sobbing]

-I'm sorry.
-[softly] It's okay. It's okay.

[softly] I should go.
My mom's waiting.

[officer over speaker]
Number three, step forward.

Turn to your left.

Take your time, Stuey.
Just relax.

It's number three.

I'm positive.

You did good, Stuey.
Good man.

-Hmm?
-Okay.

So, what happens next?

We're gonna go
to the grand jury

on Monday morning,
and we'll have to testify.

Testify? In front
of all those people?

-It's not that bad.
-I couldn't do that.

-Stuey.
-I couldn't do that.

-Yes, you could.
-I couldn't possibly do that.

-Stuey.
-No, I can't.

-Yeah, you can.
-I can't.

-You can. You can. You can.
-[stammering] I... I... I...

[sighs]

[in feminine voice]
Could you direct me
to the ladies' room?

That's it.

[slaps thighs]

[woman 1] AIDS Fellowship,
how may I help you?

[man 1] Yes. Yes,
we do have pamphlets.

I could send you some.

We have a guy who said...

[indistinct chatter]

-[telephone ringing]
-[woman 2] Hello?

[woman 1] AIDS Fellowship.

[man 1] Why don't you
give me your address?

-[woman 1] We need to have
those permits. Next--
-[telephone ringing]

[man 1] Okay.

Sure. Five, three... Got it.

-[phone ringing]
-[man 2] Hotline.

[woman 2] We'll be in touch.

[man 2] Okay.

[man 3] Mr. James.

What are you doing here?

[woman 2] AIDS Fellowship,
how may I help you?

Uh, I don't know. Um...

[clicks tongue]

I just thought, uh...

What can I do?

Come on.

[tango music playing]

[tempo increases]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[music continues playing]

[music stops]

[both breathing heavily]

Are you sure about this?

No. Are you?

No.

-[Jo Ann] Uh, Peter?
-[Peter] Hmm?

-[Jo Ann] We should probably--
-[Peter] I know.

In my wallet.

[crickets chirping]

[theme music playing]

[roaring]