All language subtitles for Equal Justice s02e14 The Devil His Due.eng

So what? That alleviates intent?

A four-year-old girl was shot.
Thank God she's all right.

Good thing is that
your shooter was legal.

Otherwise, you would've
missed out on your first attempted murder case.

Yeah, he just turned 18.

-So the people
ready for trial tomorrow? -Yep.

I've got six witnesses
including an eyewitness, the girl's mother,

who's right there.
I'll see you inside.

Mrs. Alvarez, we were
supposed to meet in my office later.

Yes, I know, but...

Is everything okay?

Not so good today.

It's my brother.

He says that I shouldn't
testify against this boy.

That it's too dangerous.

Mrs. Alvarez. This boy
is being tried as an adult.

We have
a solid case against him.

He's gonna go to prison.
He can't hurt you anymore.

I told my brother about you.

That you're different.

-I believe you.
-Good.

I'm gonna run into arraignments.

Nothing to do with your case,
but I should be done in an hour.

We'll meet in my office then?

Okay, it's gonna be all right.

[indistinct conversations]

[Judge Bromberg]
Ah, Miss Harris.

How lovely of you to grace
us with your presence.

The weary machinery of
justice can now rumble on.

Morning, Judge.

People versus Guido S. Carnega.

[Jo Ann] Yes. Your Honor,

this was robbery in the first
degree with aggravated assault.

However, the People are
amending the complaint to murder one.

The victim died
early this morning.

-She died?
-[Jo Ann] We haven't had time to change paperwork.

-[Judge Bromberg] Very well.
-No, man, I'll get the chair!

-I want that complaint
filed by Wednesday. -Yes, Your Honor.

-[Judge Bromberg]
This will affect your bail... -I can't go back. Can't take it!

Yes, Your Honor. The people
will be asking for no bail.

No, I can't take it.
I can't do it.

[Peter] I understand
but you're not hearing me.

I can't go back.
I know what it's like--

-No! [yells]
-[Peter] Okay.

[clamoring]

[man] Sir, he's got a gun!

[man 2] Everybody, get down!

[people screaming]

Hey, hey, hey.
Listen. Listen to me.

[Peter] Guido! Guido, calm down!
It's okay. It's all right.

-I'll do it. I'll kill her!
-[Peter] Hey.

I swear, I'll kill her!

Listen to me,
put the gun down.

-Let me... Let me
out of here, okay? -[Peter] It's okay.

-Just let me out!
-[Peter] All right.

Listen...

You don't want to do this.

You don't wanna
kill this girl.

-[gunshot]
-[people screaming]

[groaning]

Oh, my God.

Jo Ann, baby, are you okay?

-Jo Ann-- Oh, my God. Jo Ann!
-[whimpers]

Somebody get a doctor!

Jo Ann? [breathing heavily]

Somebody get a doctor!

Oh, my God. [breathing heavily]

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

[indistinct conversations]

[Gene] Mike.

Well, if it isn't
the candidate himself.

Good to see you.

I heard what happened
yesterday. How's Jo Ann?

She wasn't hit, just shaken up.
I'm sure she'll be fine.

-Good news.
-Yeah.

So, what brings you down here?

-I'm meeting Linda.
She wants to talk. -Ah.

-Got a quarter?
-[man] Yeah.

How's it going?

Well, I ought to
have your press.

I mean, this basketball case
is really causing quite a stir.

I remember when it happened.
I was watching the game.

He just collapsed.
It was not deliberate.

Has the coach admitted
that he told him to stop taking his medication?

It's tough, especially
since Coach Nichols

is the Mother Teresa
of college basketball.

Yeah.

If there's anything I can do,
just let me know.

Want to stick around
for a while?

For a case review?
No, thanks.

You take two hours
you don't have,

skimming through files
you know nothing about,

meddling in cases
the ADAs wish you would have let out of.

I have no idea how you did it.

It's very easy. You say
as little as possible,

you ask a lot of questions,

and at least every third case,
just offer a contrary opinion.

-No kidding?
-Worked for me.

-Good to see you.
-Later.

[Briggs] Julie, the risk
comes with the territory.

The point is,
we've got to get the county

to move on
our safety grievances.

It's been six months since
they promised to "look into it",

whatever the hell that means.

Yeah, I'm sure Jo Ann's shootout

at the OK Corral
will make them pay attention.

-You heard from her?
-She stayed with Peter last night.

Okay, troops, listen up.

We have a lot of ground
to cover this morning.

There will be a meeting
next Thursday

with the court officers' reps
to discuss changes

in arraignment procedures,

specifically the presence
of guns in the well.

Julie, any news? How's Jo Ann?

-Well, last night, I--
-[Jo Ann] She's fine.

[Mike] Under the circumstances,
Jo Ann, few days off

would have been understandable.

I'm making
my opening statement

this afternoon.
I have a trial.

I know that, Jo Ann,

but it would have been
no problem to reassign.

Mike, I'm fine.

As in, okay.

As in, drop it.
Please move on.

Second...

if you need to see me
this week, schedule early.

The Bobby Niegel basketball case
is going to trial.

[Christopher] What'd you end
up charging the coach with?

Negligent homicide.

You know, when I was
in the courthouse earlier, I felt like I was trespassing.

Well, get over it.
You're a free man.

Yeah. So, what's going on?

I asked Arnold to make
me Felony Bureau Chief.

I want your old job.

Probably a good move.

What's the problem?

He wants something in return.

Such as?

-My support. Publicly.
-[laughs]

That man is truly amazing.

So, how did he respond when
you gave him your answer?

Gene, Arnold has been
very good to me.

He made me a Bureau Chief
when there weren't

any women in the office
higher than an ADA.

What?

What are you saying, Linda?
You're going to support Arnold?

I'm saying
I haven't decided yet.

Linda...

I have just taken
the biggest risk of my life.

And I thought that the one
thing I could count on was...

So, you want me to beg you?

You want me
to remind you of the times you came running to me

when Arnold would
undermine your authority?

-I just thought...
-What? You thought what?

I would understand?
I'm sorry I don't.

You made your decision.
It was one that was the best for your life.

I have got to make
that decision as well.

Even turning your back on me?

Fine. Do it.

You do what's best for you.

Just don't ask me
to tell you that it's okay.

[Judge Rodriguez] Ladies
and gentlemen, in this case,

as in all criminal cases,
the burden of proof is on the prosecution.

In order to get a conviction,
Mr. James' witnesses

must convince you
beyond a reasonable doubt

that this defendant,
Coach Nichols,

by virtue of his position
as coach and mentor,

owed a duty of care
to Bobby Niegel.

And that despite this duty,
he intentionally or recklessly

breached that duty by causing
the death of Bobby Niegel.

Mr. James, you may call
your first witness.

[Mike] This was
the day before the big game, the conference championship?

Yes. Bobby came home
from practice and sat alone in the backyard.

I knew something
was bothering him.

-Did he tell you about it?
-Yes.

He'd just come from
talking with Coach Nichols.

Coach Nichols asked him
if he was still taking his medicine for his heart.

-And was he?
-Of course.

The doctors told him
it would be too dangerous for him to play without it.

But Bobby said
that the coach told him

that he wouldn't be able
to play him in the finals if he was still on the medicine.

He said it hurt his game
on the floor.

It slowed him down.

This was the most important
game of the year.

and Coach said
he would bench him.

Did Coach ever bench Bobby

when he was
on the medication before?

Yes, he benched him
a couple of games.

[Mike] I see.

Mrs. Niegel,

what was your son's relationship
to Coach Nichols?

Bobby's daddy died
when he was three.

Coach Nichols,
he was like a father to him.

Whatever the coach said,
that's what Bobby would do.

My son loved me,
but he listened to his coach.

He'd do anything for him.

Even stop taking his medication?

Yes, if that's
what the coach said.

[Mike] Thank you.
No further questions.

[clears throat]

Your son was quite
a player, Mrs. Niegel.

Even before he joined
Coach Nichols' team, isn't that right?

Yes, he was All State
when he was a sophomore

and First Team All-American
when he graduated.

And you had a lot to do with
that, didn't you, Mrs. Niegel?

In fact, when Bobby
was nine years old,

you enrolled him in
a basketball camp, didn't you?

Yes, I put him in a camp
until he was 14.

And that investment
paid off for you, didn't it, Mrs. Niegel?

By his senior year
in high school,

every major college
in the country was calling,

trying to recruit your son,
weren't they?

Yes, they were.

And you helped guide him
through that maze

by selecting a college,
didn't you?

I helped him, yes.

Mrs. Niegel...

when you decided on the college
that your son would attend,

you arranged a private meeting
with the coach, didn't you?

With Coach Nichols?

Yes.

And at this meeting,
you stressed to Mr. Nichols

that you were aware
of his reputation

as a hard-driving,
but fair coach.

-What does that
have to do with-- -And that you expected him

to push your son to get
the very best possible from him.

Isn't that true, Mrs. Niegel?

Mrs. Niegel?

Mrs. Niegel, you must answer
unless there's an objection.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, isn't that true?

[sobs] Yes!

Yes, it's true!

I asked him to push Bobby,

but that was before
we learned about his heart!

His basketball
was important to him,

but not more important
than his life!

I trusted you.

And Bobby trusted you.

-And now, he's dead!
-Move to strike.

-Mrs. Niegel--
-My son is dead because of you!

You killed him!

[sobbing] Why, Lord?

[Judge Rodriguez] Mrs. Niegel,
would you please step down?

Oh, my God, please!

Ms. Harris, do you wish to open?

Yes, thank you, Your Honor.

Ladies and gentlemen,

my name is Jo Ann Harris,

and I am the prosecutor
in this case.

As the judge has instructed you,

an opening statement
is not evidence.

[clears throat]

Rather, you should...

think of it
as the coming attractions

of the case
that you're about to hear.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am the prosecutor.

I am going to prove to you,

beyond a shadow of a doubt,

that this man...

with malice,

shot into the home
of Mrs. Maria Alvarez,

critically wounding
her four-year-old daughter.

You, as members of the jury,
have taken an oath,

and you cannot be afraid.

-You must find the courage...
-[keys jangling]

[Guido]
I'll shoot her!

-[Peter]
It's okay! -[Guido]

[Peter]
It's okay, listen. Listen.

-Put the gun down.
-[Guido] Let me out.

-[Peter]
Okay, stop, stop. -[Guido]

Your Honor,
may I-- may I please have a short recess?

I... I...

[Judge Billings] Ms. Harris.

Ms. Harris.

[Jo Ann panting]

[retching]

[Greg] I don't want this
thing to end in a mistrial.

If she's gonna step down,
she should do it.

-I don't think
she can handle it. -[knock on door]

-Morning.
-Morning.

[Judge Billings]
Sit down, Ms. Harris, would you like a cup of coffee?

Yes, please, black.

Thank you.

I'm concerned, Ms. Harris.

Are you sure that
you're well enough to continue with this trial today?

Yes, Your Honor,
as I explained,

I suddenly fell ill
yesterday afternoon...

No one in this courthouse
would think you're remiss if you decided not to proceed.

Not after what you went through
the other day.

The defense would have
no objection to a continuance.

No, I'm fine.

Thank you, Your Honor,
but I am fine.

Look, don't get noble
on me, Ms. Harris.

If you go back
into that courtroom, you will get no breaks from me.

I understand.

[Judge Billings] Very well.

We'll begin in ten minutes.

Have your first witness ready.

Well, Mr. Bach
is quite the seasoned pro.

Don't you think the voters
are smarter than this?

This guy is so transparent.

You willing to bet
the race on that?

Bet the race? What is
that supposed to mean?

Take a look at these.

Privately commissioned polls,
1,500 people.

Error factor,
plus or minus 3%.

-We're down 22 points.
-[Gene] What?

Mr. Transparent is casting
a mighty big shadow on you.

If the election were held today,
you'd lose by more than 40,000 votes.

So how worried
should we be about this?

Very.

[scoffs]
Why do I get the picture of rats on a sinking ship?

-Now, Gene, listen--
-I've listened, Colin.

I've played
the whole thing your way.

And look where we are.
Look where I am. 22 points in the hole.

Well, that's the game, Gene.

No guarantees.

That's the game?

Great. [scoffs]

Very encouraging.

What the hell do we do now?

We give Eugene Rogan
a spotlight issue.

Listen to this.

"College officials
have been deluged with calls

in support
of Coach Raymond Nichols.

A letter-writing campaign
is underway--"

Sports. It's perfect.

Cuts across all ethnic
and economic lines.

We impact on this,
and we've got the front page

and column one
of the sports section.

We need something for
the Bar Association luncheon.

As close to a guarantee
as you're gonna get.

Wait a minute.
The man prosecuting this is a friend of mine.

Besides, I think
the guy's guilty.

You may think he's guilty,

but almost 75%
of the voters don't.

You may be the pro here,
but I am the one who has to walk

back in that courthouse
and face these people.

It may not be popular,
but I happen to believe

we have a duty to prosecute
people like Raymond Nichols.

Gene, you better start making
some hard decisions now.

You want to be the next DA
of Lincoln County?

You want the chance
to make things different?

Let us get you elected
the best way we know how.

[overlapping conversations]

Doctor, knowing that
Bobby Niegel had a potentially life-threatening heart defect,

-did you advise him to quit?
-[doctor] No.

As long as Bobby
maintained his medication in its proper dosage,

I saw no reason
why he couldn't continue to play ball.

There are thousands of people
who have the exact condition that Bobby had

who lead very happy,
normal lives.

Happy?

Normal?

But aren't there
side effects from the medication you prescribed?

Well, known reactions
include decreased heart rate,

light-headedness,
depression, weakness.

Who did you advise of your
diagnosis and treatment of Bobby's condition?

[doctor] Well, Bobby,
of course. His mother,

family physician,
his college coach, Coach Raymond Nichols.

Coach Raymond Nichols
was made aware of the importance

of Bobby taking
the prescribed dosage?

I made it very clear
that Bobby could die without it.

Was there an occasion
when Coach called

and asked if you would consider
lowering the medication?

Yes. He said the medication
slowed Bobby down.

I told Mr. Nichols
that I couldn't do that, it could be dangerous.

[Mike] Thank you, Doctor.

Doctor, when you
advised Coach Nichols

that lowering the medication
would be too dangerous, what was his response?

He said he hadn't realized that.

-He didn't ask you
to lower it anyway? -No.

He didn't try to convince you
that, for the good of the team,

Bobby had to be at his best?

No, in fact...

Yes, Doctor?

He seemed genuinely concerned.

Thank you, Doctor.
No further questions.

So I said, "Your Honor,
I know I'm new at this,

but I thought it was
only the wig that was to be powdered."

-[all laugh]
-[moderator] Arnold.

[Arnold] Sorry, I'm digressing.
I seem to do that every year.

What was the question?
Oh, right, the grand jury.

My opinion of the grand jury
hasn't changed in 12 years.

Simply put, abolish it.

It is a bloated,
inefficient relic.

And I'm sure my worthy opponents
would agree with me on that.

Or I should say my opponent.

It seems that Mr. Quincannon
is too busy quoting scripture to be here today.

[all laugh]

Mr. Rogan, what do the DA
candidates propose to do

about the ever-increasing
caseloads clogging the courts?

The truth is that
the backlog in our courts is only going to get worse.

I know this is
a very sore subject,

but we must raise more funds.

We must hire more judges,
and we must build new courtrooms.

The volume of crime
in this county

allows many suspects to go free.

Now, the fact is, only 5% of
our criminal cases go to trial.

Only 3% of narcotics dealers
get a maximum prison term.

Now, these percentages...

[moderator] Mr. Rogan?

Until our district attorney is
willing to show some sense of prosecutorial judgment,

this situation
will only get worse.

Wait. I believe our office
has been able...

One example of this right now
is the Bobby Niegel basketball trial.

Now, I do not think
I stand alone in my belief

that your office
is wasting precious

and very limited resources
prosecuting this man.

Coach Nichols has done
more for inner-city kids

than any one person in
the history of this county.

He is a local hero.

And I, for one,
see no purpose adding him to a huge list of criminals,

which includes murderers,
rapists, and drug lords.

We have bigger fish to fry.

-Strong words.
-[Gene] But true.

We need to establish
new guidelines.

We must make sure
that the right cases receive priority.

[applause]

-Hey, Jo Ann.
-Hey, Searls.

-Mrs. Alvarez.
-I believed in you.

You said it would be okay.

Sorry. I don't know
what you're talking about.

They told me another
lawyer is taking this case.

Mr. Brigman.

I don't know him.
I trusted you.

There's obviously
been a mistake.

What is the deal
with the Alvarez case?

-I'm sorry. I don't know.
Mike just-- -Mike?

Mike, what the hell is going on?

This is my case. My case,
and I've been ready for months.

I left you a message.
Now, I wanted to talk to you about this alone.

Judge Billings called me.
Said that you weren't up to it,

that you could barely get
through your direct examination.

She suggested
that you be removed.

Jo Ann, why don't you just
take a little more time?

Time for what?

What's gonna change?

-Answer me. Time for what?
-Just until you get back to normal.

Normal? You're gonna stand there
and you're gonna tell me what's normal?

I mean, look around.
Look at what we call normal.

We have victims waiting,
trusting in us,

trusting in a system that lets

killers walk around with guns
while innocent people suffer.

We have defendants...
Twins, hold up a liquor store, shoot the owner in the face,

and they walk out with $37
and two bars of chocolate.

You call that normal?
And what do you have, Julie?

Let's see.
We have four 15-year-olds.

They rape an 87-year-old woman,
and they...

force her grandson to watch.

-What about that?
-[Mike] Just listen, Jo Ann.

Mike, nothing is normal!

This whole place,
this whole crazy place

will never be normal,
and it will never be right.

And if I am
a little bit shaky, Mike,

because a man
was blown away six inches from my face,

do not tell me
that I am not normal!

[Peter] So the verdict
comes in guilty.

-[water running]
-The defendant turns to Cirocchi and says,

"So what are we gonna do now?"

And Cirocchi says, "Well,
I don't know about you,

-but I'm going to lunch."
[chuckles] -[water turns off]

Hey, honey, you okay?

I'm fine.

Huh? You all right?

I'm fine, Peter.

I just wish that people
would stop asking me that.

You know...

they're asking you that,
I'm asking you that...

because I care about you.

I know. I'm sorry.

So how'd it go on trial today?

Good. It went well.

-Who'd you put on?
-The detective, Tokes.

Tokes?

No, not Tokes. I mean, Wells.

[Peter grunts]

I don't know, Peter.

Will it ever be the same?

I mean, every day
I walk into that courtroom,

and I'm still really afraid.

I know you are. I know you are.

You know how you...

people always say
that your life flashes in front of you?

It's not true.

I mean, there's not even time.

It's just seconds.

And you know that,
at any moment, you could be dead.

It's really fragile,
this life, Peter.

It's fragile.

[kisses]

I love you.

I love you, too.

[Jesse]
Gene, did you see this?

Rogan says,
"Trial, a waste of time."

-You weren't misquoted?
-I hope not.

You have to admit,
it's a pretty classic flip-flop.

No, that's not
that big a deal, really.

-So, apple okay for Brian?
-Uh-huh.

Finish telling me
about this Raoul kid.

-Oh, yeah. I'll get it.
-[doorbell rings]

Anyway, so the judge
agrees to two years' probation.

After I buried him under a stack
of glowing recommendations

from his teachers
and his minister.

I mean, this kid looked
like a veritable saint.

-Morning, George.
-Jesse.

-Come in. Gene's in there.
-Thanks.

-Have you had breakfast?
-Uh, yeah. I swallowed something.

-Oh, good,
'cause I'm running late. -Gene.

George, coffee?

A quick cup.
We gotta get going.

Finish with your story, Jesse.
Listen to this.

Oh, come on.
It's nothing, really.

You get Henry,
the hanging judge,

to give a kid probation,
and it's nothing?

Jesse works part-time
with juvenile probation.

Well, I-- I have this boy,
and he has five priors.

Burglary, robbery,
grand theft auto... Mm.

Anyway, the judge
reads my report,

and he lets him out.

Two weeks later, yesterday,

this hardened urchin
saves a little girl's life.

How's that?

Well, uh, there was a fire
at some nearby apartment,

and, of course,
there's smoke everywhere, you know,

and... and... the mother
is hysterical.

And, uh,
Raoul just runs in there and saves this little girl.

-It was amazing.
-If you hadn't thought to keep that kid out of jail,

two lives would've been lost.
Congratulations.

-Thank you, dear.
-We gotta go.

Is there some rule against
us talking to this kid?

We can set up a photo-op,
you know, next to the, uh, burned-out apartment

with, uh, Jesse,
the-- the kid hero and the candidate for DA.

Hell, we might even
get the girl that he saved.

[Jesse] Wait a minute.

I don't think I can do that.

Well, Jesse,
you're part of this campaign, too.

We don't want to miss out
a great opportunity here.

I don't know.
Maybe see what you can do.

See you later.

Mr. Nichols,
how long have you been coaching college basketball?

Almost 18 years.
It's, uh, been my whole life.

-Always at State University?
-Yes.

I've had some offers
from the pros,

but, uh, I turned them down
to stay with my players.

Mr. Nichols,
would you ever do anything to knowingly hurt a player?

-Never.
-And yet,

you let Bobby Niegel,
who had a serious heart defect, remain on your team.

I was assured by his doctor that
his condition was under control.

If his doctor had said
that he couldn't play, I wouldn't have played him.

The day before the game,
when you spoke with Bobby after practice,

did you tell him not
to take his medication?

Absolutely not.

I told him
I wanted him at his best.

I tell all my players that.

Thank you, Coach Nichols.
Nothing more, Your Honor.

"Winning's not my way.
It's the only way."

That quote sound familiar
to you, Mr. Nichols?

It's mine, and I've passed it
on to every team I've ever coached.

The importance of winning
is a single-minded mission with you, isn't that so?

No one likes
to lose, Mr. James,

and there's not a damn thing
wrong with that.

There is
when winning means dying.

Winning does not mean dying.

These young people...

Where do you think
most of my boys come from?

Underprivileged backgrounds.

All life ever taught them
is defeat.

-And you taught them to win?
-Yes.

-For you?
-For themselves.

All I ask of them
is to give me their best.

And Bobby did
give you his best.

At least he did
for the last 18 minutes of his life.

People's Exhibit A.

Your Honor,
my objection still stands.

Your objection
is noted, Counselor. Proceed, Mr. James.

[commentator]
Wilson to Collard, dribbles a step to his right,

bounce pass into Niegel,
who goes up for a jumper, and it's good!

Satellites up
by four, Calley inbounds the ball for Brayton,

Johnson takes it,
a long pass to Hill,

who goes in for a layup,
rejected by Niegel!

Oh, what a move!

Out to Wilson,
then to Hanley, into the four-court,

setting it up,
down to Collard, over to Wilson.

Hard-arcing alley-oop,
Niegel's there, two points, oh, my!

Thirteen points
for the All-Star senior.

Calley to Johnson,
over to Peck,

intercepted by Niegel,
he goes in on it. Oh, slam dunk!

So, 15 for Niegel tonight
as the Satellites lead by eight points

with 16:20 to go, and...
Wait a minute.

Wait a minute,
ladies and gentlemen, Bobby Niegel may be hurt.

He seems to be in trouble,
he appears to be dizzy.

-Yes, Bob-- Bobby Niegel
just fell to the floor. -[whistle blows]

Niegel is down.

-They've called
for the team physician. -[sobs]

He's heading out to the floor.

This pavilion has turned
completely quiet.

-Complete silence.
-[clicks tape off]

15 points, two steals,
and a blocked shot.

All in the first
18 minutes, 22 seconds,

Bobby Niegel was playing
the game of his life,

and you knew he would,
didn't you?

-I don't understand.
-You knew that when you wouldn't play him

if he took his medication,
that he wouldn't take it.

Of course not.
No, I didn't know.

What did you think he would do?

It wasn't discussed.

What did you want him to do?

-I, uh--
-Mr. Nichols,

when you called him
into your office

and told him
you wanted his best, what did you want him to do?

To take his medication?

Objection, Your Honor,
compound questions, badgering.

-Sustained.
-To be slow, sit on the bench for a championship game?

-No, but I--
-Come on, Mr. Nichols, the day Bobby Niegel died,

-you knew he hadn't taken
his medication, didn't you? -No, I didn't know.

When you saw him play,
playing full out, how could you not know?

I was coaching
the toughest game of the season.

There were 5,000 people
in the stands cheering, cheering for him.

You're not answering.
You knew that he revered you,

that he'd do anything you asked,
you took advantage that,

-didn't you?
-No!

"Winning is not my way,
it is the only way!"

When Bobby
first came on my team,

he was a skinny 17-year-old
kid with a bad attitude.

Three years later,
he was a determined, responsible young man.

-A talented young man.
-Because of me.

Because I pushed him,
pushed him to be the best he could be.

Yes.

You pushed him a little
too hard, didn't you?

You pushed him
right into the grave.

-[Frank] Objection!
-[Judge Rodriguez] Sustained.

No further questions.

Coach Nichols
did not tell Bobby Niegel not to take his medication.

But because
of his responsibility

to the team
and to the school,

he did tell him that
if he was not at his best,

he wouldn't be able
to play him.

Now, some of you may
feel that Coach Nichols

should have been
more understanding,

more sympathetic.

That he shouldn't have
pushed his players

to be the very best
that they could be.

But no matter how you feel
about his behavior,

what you cannot do

is brand Raymond Nichols
a criminal.

He didn't put a gun
to Bobby's head.

He didn't force him
to do anything.

He merely gave him a choice.

Bobby was a mature adult,

fully capable of making
his own decisions.

Tragically...

his final one
cost him his life.

Now, we can look elsewhere
for blame.

But in the end,
we must realize

that Bobby had no one
to blame...

but himself.

And his love of the game
that took his life.

[Judge Rodriguez] Mr. James.

If a stranger walking ahead
of you on the street

suddenly has a heart attack,

you have every right
under the law

to walk on by,
just to let him die.

But under the law,

there are certain relationships
where a greater responsibility is owed.

A coach, to his players, is
one of those relationships.

Coach Nichols knew that Bobby
respected him, revered him.

He was the father that
Bobby never really knew.

Yet knowing this,
knowing the kind of control he had over Bobby,

he would not let him play
the most important game of his young career

if he took the very medication
that would keep him alive.

What choice did he have?

What choice
was he really given?

Don't take the medication.
You get to play.

Win approval. Acclaim.

Take the medication.

You get benched.
Abandoned. A loser.

That defendant knew
exactly what he was doing.

He knew that
if he threatened Bobby, threatened to bench him,

that Bobby would play
and play to win.

Coach Nichols
did the one thing we must never do.

We must never forget
that no conference final,

no national championship,

no game

is ever as important

as an individual human life.

Basketball didn't kill Bobby.

That man did.

A coach,

to whom nothing
was more important

than winning.

-[indistinct conversations]
-[phone ringing]

Hey.

-I'm sorry about yesterday.
-[chuckles]

No need to apologize.

-I think I was a little hard
on everybody. -[chuckles]

Pardon yourself, Jo Ann.

Mike, I want you to give me
my case back.

-Trial starts in an hour.
-We've gone all through this.

No, it was all crap before.

It was me trying
to convince myself

that I could handle anything.

Well, I can't.
I was terrified.

But who wouldn't be?

I think that I should
start to worry

when things like that happen,
and I'm not terrified.

Okay, so maybe I'm not
my old self yet.

But if I'm gonna make it,
then I have to get back on the horse now.

Mike, I can win this case.

So, please,
just let me do my job.

Mrs. Alvarez is counting on me.

Look, if you have any doubts,

then you have Briggs sit
second seat with me today.

Mike, call Judge Billings,
please.

I won't let you down.

[buzzer buzzing]

[Arnold] Hold up. Yeah?

Oh, yeah, send her in.

Yeah. No, no way.
It stays a felony.

Yeah, what it has to have
is a hard ten.

Listen, it's a rough world
out there, Your Honor.

Thank you. I was just
gonna call you, Linda.

Dmitri, I need this
next Tuesday, okay?

Thanks very much. [sniffs]

Now, we have to find
something in your bureau that we could run with publicly.

You'll have more credibility
when you hit the campaign trail.

I can't do it, Arnold.

Coming out for your candidacy
means I wouldn't be supporting Gene's.

And that's not true.

You've thought about this?

Arnold, he's my friend.

We practically came up
in these tombs together.

I can't just forget all that.

Nor would I want you to.

Call my car around.

Is there anything else?

Yes. Where does that leave me?

Exactly where you are.

Don't strong-arm me, Arnold.

I deserve this job
on my own merits, and you know it.

There are five other people
who deserve this job.

I have to look at
all of the qualifications of the appointee.

One of them is loyalty,
to me.

-[door opens]
-Diane, I'll be back at 3:00.

[door shuts]

Good afternoon, counsel.
State appearances, please.

Greg Sterling for the defense,
Your Honor.

-Peter--
-Excuse me, Your Honor.

Jo Ann Harris for the People.

[Judge Billings]
Thank you, Counsel.

Now, I see that there are
no preliminary motions today,

so we can proceed.

I believe Dr. Wilson was on
the stand before we adjourned.

Bailiff, please call
Dr. Wilson...

In the matter of
The People versus Raymond Nichols,

criminal complaint 4N686

on the charge of
criminally negligent homicide,

we, the jury,
find the defendant...

not guilty.

[Judge Rodriguez] Ladies
and gentlemen of the jury,

this court thanks you
for your time and expediency in this matter.

-You're hereby discharged.
-[gavel bangs]

-I'm so sorry.
-That's okay.

Congratulations.

Thank you, Frank.

Mrs. Niegel.

Mrs. Niegel...

I just wanted
to tell you that...

Bobby was a winner.

He gave it all he had
and he won't be forgotten.

Is that supposed to
make me feel better?

Are you less guilty?

Mrs. Niegel,
there were 12 people who said I wasn't guilty.

There are two people here
who know you are.

I know.

And you know.

Jess, it's almost time.
They're gonna run the spot.

-[Jesse] Okay,
I'm almost done here. -[knock on door]

Hey.

I heard about the verdict.

Come on in.

I'm sorry about your loss, Mike.

[scoffs]

I bet you are.

I suppose I'll read
in the headlines,

"Jury sides with DA candidate.
Local coach vindicated."

You are a son of a bitch.

-Honey, could you
give us a minute? -Please.

Sure.

Is that what you came here for?

To insult me
in front of my wife?

No, that's not why I came.

Mike, I know how you feel.

I know what it's like
to lose a case.

You haven't got a clue
how I feel.

Yes, the case
was important to me.

A boy died because he put
his trust in someone who could only care about winning.

Yes, I'm upset that I lost,
but that's not the issue.

-Mike.
-You lied.

You told me
that you were glad that I was going after that guy.

You said was there
anything you could do?

Then I read that
you've come out against the case.

-How did you think
that would make me feel? -Wait a minute.

Wait just a minute.
Let's be realistic, Mike.

You know as well as I do
that my support or non-support

had nothing
to do with the verdict.

You lost your case.

Happens to us all.

Now, I made a decision.
I made a political decision.

-You may not understand that.
-No.

I don't understand.

[melancholic music playing]

Gene.

We've worked together
for 11 years.

Now, all I know is,

I don't know if I can
trust you anymore.

And that's what really hurts.

[door opens]

[door shuts]

[sighs]

[theme music playing]

[roaring]

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