Original subtitles

On the morning that Mr. Bondurant was murdered,

I saw her very clearly.

A coffee shop near his office an hour before the murder

is not the crime scene.

Does the prosecution have any other witnesses to call

or evidence to present?

[Lisa] Something you should know.

I was there that morning in front of the building, like she said.

You have to tell me everything.

That's everything.

[Andrea] What did you discover?

What appeared to be a small blood stain on the right-hand glove.

Why is Mitchell Bondurant's blood on your gardening gloves?

I don't know, okay? I don't know.

[grunting]

Tell me. How much did Alex Grant pay you to have me beaten up in my garage?

What?

David Webber works for Alex Grant.

That means so do you. This isn't about a podcast.

It's about making sure Lisa takes the fall for Mitchell Bondurant's murder.

Now, Mr. Grant, would you care to explain to the court

what suspicious activity Mr. Bondurant was alluding to?

One email may have been enough to goad Mr. Grant into testifying.

It is not enough to prove he is relevant to this case.

Find something else to suggest Alex Grant's involvement.

That is if you want to use this defense at trial.

[suspenseful music playing]

[machine whirs]

[suspenseful music continues]

[opening theme music playing]

[sizzling]

- You want milk or sugar? - [Legal] Whatever's fine!

You're gonna be late for court.

Hey. My lesson ends at 6:00. I can take an Uber home if it's easier.

No, no. I love picking you up.

I did find a stable that's closer to your mom.

[in Spanish] Do you wanna try it out?

I don't know.

[in Spanish] I love my horse. And I like that you get to see me ride.

- Okay. - [cell phone vibrates]

You don't have to feel weird about me and your mom.

- I'm fine, honey. You can pick it up. - Hurry up.

- [Hayley speaks Spanish] - All right. I love you. Have fun.

[Hayley] Love you.

[Mickey exhales]

All right.

[Mickey chuckles]

Don't tell my doctor.

He's got me on a strict diet.

No booze, no cholesterol, no carbs, no joy.

Now, what's so important

that you had to see me on the morning your trial starts?

[sighs] Someone left this on my doorstep last night.

An FBI target letter?

Yeah, addressed to Alex Grant, also known as Alex Kazarian. My straw man.

I prefer the term "alternate suspect."

And this says that your alternate suspect

is a person of interest in a federal investigation.

Construction fraud.

You know that email Mitchell Bondurant sent?

- Well, this puts it in a whole new light. - How so?

Well, Bondurant sends an email threatening to expose Alex Grant.

By itself, it's not clear what he meant.

Judge said it wasn't enough to point the finger at him.

She needed more. Well, this is more.

This makes it look like Alex Grant was up to something illegal.

And that email he sent? It wasn't a threat. It was blackmail.

Blackmail's a pretty good motive to kill someone if it's legit.

But this? This just shows up on your doorstep on the eve of trial?

Yeah, I know.

Either someone's really trying to help you,

or they're really trying to fuck with you.

You gotta find out which one.

How do I do that?

[Legal] Well, first, you gotta confirm that the letter is real or not.

And you gotta do it fast.

The cop who handled the investigation.

That's who you wanna spring this on during cross.

Nah, the prosecutor will call him first.

[Legal] Then you gotta confirm it before then.

Kid, you sure about this?

You said this guy Grant was the one who had you beaten up.

What if he tries something more permanent?

I think I have a way to make him feel safe.

["Minor's Holiday" playing]

- [music continues in car] - Mm.

Kenny Dorham, 1955.

- You've been studying, huh? - Listening.

This guy was one of the most underrated trumpet players of all time.

My dad used to listen to it whenever he had a big case.

I don't know why.

Good to have an underdog mentality, right?

No matter how many trials I've done,

it's always like learning to ride a bicycle again.

It's nerve-racking starting a new anything.

I, uh...

I wanted to say thank you again.

For what?

[Izzy] Being generous.

With that money Ray got.

I'm meeting with the property manager tomorrow on the studio

to give him my first month's rent.

- Ah, Izzy, that's great. Congratulations. - [Izzy chuckles]

- So, you have something new too, huh? - Yeah.

Now I just have to not mess it up. [chuckles]

Oh, almost forgot.

I got your mail from the office. Figured you wouldn't have time.

See? This is what I'm gonna miss when you're gone.

- [Izzy chuckles] - What am I gonna do without you, huh?

I have a feeling Lorna will keep you in line.

[elevator bell dings]

Who's covering you at the office?

I hired some temps from law school.

[hesitates] How many?

- Four. - Four?

Have you seen our caseload lately?

That's how many it would take to cover work Izzy and I've been doing.

- Right. All right. - [elevator dings]

Oh. Mickey.

You look great.

- Perfect choice for the first day. - Thank you.

Everything's gonna be okay. All right? Just be calm.

Keep your cool in front of the jury no matter what you hear, all right?

- [cell phone beeps] - Yeah. Anything?

Not yet, but he's on it.

[roadie] Look, man. I can get you tickets.

[Cisco] I need backstage passes.

It's gonna take time.

Yeah, well, you got 24 hours.

Twenty-four hours?

[Cisco] I'll pay double.

[roadie scoffs]

All right, then. I'll pay triple.

I'll see what I can do.

Help me with this bad boy, will you?

[muted chatter]

Which one is our juror?

[Mickey] Front row, second from right. Gary Furlong.

Why him?

Because when Cisco did a background check,

he found out that Furlong's father got evicted.

He lost his home to a developer. Ended up in a lawsuit. So, I asked...

Please raise your hand if you or anyone in your immediate family

has been involved in a dispute with a property developer.

[suspenseful music playing]

[Lorna] Don't you have to report that?

Technically, he didn't lie.

His wife and kids are his immediate family. Not his father.

Not my problem if Andrea didn't do her homework.

This guy has a grudge against developers. Does that mean he'll be on our side?

Maybe. Don't get too excited. Andrea's got her jurors too.

Haller.

Andy.

She looks extra smug today.

She's confident.

If she gets into a groove, we're in trouble.

So we've gotta take any opportunity to throw off her rhythm with the jury.

[bailiff] All rise.

Good morning.

Let me remind everyone that in this courtroom,

there will be no signs, chanting, or any outbursts of any kind.

There are penalties for contempt of court.

And trust me, you don't wanna learn what they are.

Understood?

Good.

Now, Counsel,

we've wasted enough court time

with continuances and extra days granted after the prelim.

So in the interests of expedience,

I will allow prosecution and defense 30 minutes apiece for opening statements.

Are we agreed?

Thirty minutes? I'm sorry...

The defense will be fine with just 20 minutes, Your Honor.

In the interest of expedience.

[judge] Let's split the difference, then.

- Let's say 25. - Twenty-five it is, Judge.

Very well, Your Honor.

[upbeat music playing]

[Andrea clears throat]

Members of the jury, good morning.

[jurors mutter]

My name is Deputy District Attorney Andrea Freemann,

and I'm here today to speak on behalf of someone who can't.

A hard-working, successful man

who helped build this city we call home

and employed thousands of people along the way.

Mitchell Bondurant.

I'm here to tell you about the last brutal violent moments of his life

and about the person who ended it.

The defendant. Lisa Trammell.

Now, the facts of this case?

They're simple.

The defendant and Mr. Bondurant were in a dispute.

A dispute which forced Mr. Bondurant to take out a restraining order

against the defendant because of her continued harassment.

On the morning of the murder, after visiting a nearby farmers market,

the defendant entered a local coffee shop near the victim's office,

where she saw Mr. Bondurant getting a cup of coffee.

The evidence will show that she then left the coffee shop,

hurried to his parking garage, and hid behind a pillar,

knowing he'd be arriving soon.

There, she waited for him,

slipping on a pair of gloves to make sure she didn't leave any fingerprints.

And when Mr. Bondurant finally arrived and got out of his car,

she viciously attacked him from behind,

bludgeoning him over the head with a blunt instrument.

Beating him literally to death.

The evidence will show how the defendant hated Mr. Bondurant,

how she stalked him,

and how, on the day of the murder, she entered his parking garage

with the motive, the means, and the opportunity to kill.

[tense music playing]

I told you I can't keep doing this.

It's the last time. I promise.

I need it confirmed.

The agent who signed the letter won't return my calls.

This guy. Vasquez.

Felix Vasquez.

All you gotta do is locate the original letter in the files.

Like hell I will.

That would mean going up three floors to a department that's not my department,

talk to some asshole I don't like,

and explain why I need to see a letter that's none of my business to begin with.

It's bad enough I had to schlep here to talk to you.

Well, that's fair enough.

But I am so thankful for all that you do for me.

Yeah, just quit the bullshit. Will you?

I'm retiring in five months.

If I'm gonna risk my pension, you better tell me what's in it for me.

Def Leppard with Mötley Crüe and Poison.

[she chuckles]

I already got tickets. Fourth row.

Backstage passes.

Let me see 'em.

Don't get greedy.

I'll have 'em for you tomorrow.

[scooter beeping]

So, you'll do it?

I'm not doing shit until I see those passes.

[sighs]

[Andrea] Lastly, you'll hear how police found the defendant's garden gloves

in her garage with Mitchell Bondurant's blood on them.

The gloves she used to murder him,

with blood that could have only been from that murder.

As I said, it's simple. The facts don't lie.

Now, defense counsel will try to paint the defendant

as an upstanding member of her community,

a victim of gentrification, who was harassed by Mitchell Bondurant.

All I would say to that is don't be fooled.

Don't be fooled by the calm expression,

the crisp white blouse, the manicured nails.

Don't be fooled by all the red herrings and smoke and mirrors.

Defense counsel will put on a good show.

That's all it is. A show.

Because he has no answers to the evidence we will present.

And in the end, his shiny bag of tricks does not erase the fact

that Mitchell Bondurant was brutally and violently murdered.

And the woman who murdered him is sitting right there.

[suspenseful music playing]

[exhales calmly]

Mr. Haller.

Yes. Thank you, Your Honor.

Well, that was, uh, intense.

[quiet laughter]

So, why don't we take a few steps back?

I'd like to start off by introducing you to my client, Lisa Trammel.

As you may know, she's a chef at a very good restaurant called Elysian.

Anybody here like to eat?

Yeah? Well, take it from me.

The food in that place is just out of this world.

Lisa has worked hard for over ten years, perfecting the menu.

The prosecution says she's got a temper.

[sarcastic] What? Really?

A chef with a temper? Who ever heard of such a thing.

Guess the prosecutor has never seen one of those cooking TV shows.

Yes, she's got a temper. A lot of chefs do.

It comes with the territory. The stress. The long hours.

Sure it's not a quality Lisa's proud of, but it doesn't make her a killer, does it?

That's what the prosecutor will have you believe.

That just because she was angry at Mitchell Bondurant,

it automatically means she killed him.

That's not what the evidence will show.

The evidence, or lack thereof,

is a glaring problem in the prosecution's case.

You've heard Miss Freemann promise all this evidence,

but there's one giant piece of evidence they don't have.

The most important piece.

The murder weapon.

They never found one.

They wanna throw around a lot of ideas about what it might be,

but they don't have a weapon or any way to connect Lisa Trammell to a weapon.

In fact, the only true thing the prosecution said was the obvious.

Mitchell Bondurant was murdered.

Brutally, violently, in cold blood.

They wanna make you think Lisa committed that murder,

but we will show you how and why Lisa could not have done it.

So, what does this mean?

Simple.

Lisa Trammell was set up from the start.

Whatever evidence Miss Freemann presents is just a part of that setup.

Your Honor, I must object.

This is argument and desperate argument at that.

Judge, I'm merely discussing the evidence that I believe would be introduced.

Just stick to the point, Mr. Haller.

Of course, Your Honor.

Sorry about that. Where were we?

The evidence. Okay. So, where did it come from?

Well, from the LAPD, who investigated the murder.

And, who, in the rush to build the case against the first suspect they found,

they missed the big picture,

and Miss Freemann was very happy to go along with that story.

- Objection, Your Honor. - Shh.

I'll withdraw the statement. If the court will allow me,

I'd like to get through my opening statement in peace.

Continue.

Thank you. I'll sum it up for you in a way Miss Freemann,

hopefully, will be okay with.

Simply put,

Lisa Trammell was framed.

We will show you exactly how and why.

The cops fell for it.

The prosecution fell for it.

Don't you fall for it.

Thank you.

[pensive music playing]

My trial advocacy professor says it's bad form to object during an opening.

Makes you look petty to the jury.

Yeah, well, the only thing worse than doing it once is doing it twice.

[Izzy] I'll send you the info on the new client.

Oh, and I filed the motions in the Barkley case.

I figured out how to use the online system for the court.

Look at that. We have a functioning office again.

Somebody had to do it.

Those temps Lorna hired barely know how to work a phone.

When is she coming back?

[Mickey] As soon as this trial wraps up.

Thanks for picking up the slack, Izzy.

[Izzy] Don't mention it. So, how's Hayley doing with the riding?

Ah, great. She's really taking to it.

And I think I just figured out the real reason

she wants to keep riding here in LA.

[Izzy] Let me guess. Is it tall, dark, and dreamy?

[Mickey] Something like that.

[Izzy] My advice, speaking as a daughter. Don't be too hard on her.

You're getting to spend time with her.

[Andrea] The People call Detective Howard O'Brien.

Detective, can you please describe

your professional experience for the court?

Sure. I spent six years in the Marines.

I was ROTC, but I re-upped during Iraq.

Then 18 years in LAPD. I've been a detective for the last ten.

And, in that time, how many homicide cases have you worked?

Over 60.

Kind of a depressing statistic, but it is what it is.

Well, you certainly have a lot of experience.

Now, can you please walk us through the stages of your investigation here?

Certainly. My partner, Detective Long, and I arrived on the scene at 9:45 a.m.

Patrols had secured the area, and a forensic unit was on the way.

But even without forensics,

it was obvious the victim had suffered blunt force trauma to the head.

There was a lot of blood,

so our first priority was to preserve and collect any evidence.

- And was there any? - [O'Brien] Not much of note.

Near the body, we found a paper cup from a nearby coffee shop, Café Maurice.

We also found a shard of glass with a rounded edge,

which we surmised was from a side-view mirror of a vehicle.

But when we checked all the vehicles in the lot,

none of them had broken mirrors.

[Andrea] Was there any security video?

[O'Brien] None that was useful.

There are no cameras in that garage, only by the entrance and by the elevator,

and there were no unusual or unaccounted-for vehicles

entering that morning.

Based on that, we surmised that the killer must have entered on foot.

I see. And having canvassed the scene, what did you do next?

Our next priority was to interview any witness we could find.

[Andrea] Why don't you walk us through them one at a time?

[resonant crash]

[O'Brien] That's when security gave us a list of names of ongoing threats.

And was the defendant's name on this list?

[O'Brien] She was at the top of that list.

Especially once we learned she was in proximity to the building

around the time of the murder.

And proximity means access, doesn't it?

Objection. Leading the witness.

Sustained.

Withdraw the question.

What did you do next, Detective?

Once we considered Lisa Trammell a person of interest,

we needed to move quickly or risk losing evidence or more lives.

So we immediately went to her home.

[Andrea] What happened there?

[O'Brien] Miss Trammell was calm and courteous. At first.

We asked her about her morning, where she'd been, whom she'd seen.

She told us she went to the farmers market down the street from Bondurant's office.

When we asked her if she went inside the office building, she said no.

What happened then?

We felt she was being evasive,

so we asked if she'd be willing to come to the station to continue questions.

She willingly agreed.

[Andrea] And you didn't read her Miranda rights because...

[O'Brien] She wasn't technically a suspect yet.

As I said, she volunteered to go to the station.

Once we got there, and I started questioning her,

there were some inconsistencies.

Let's have a look at this interview. Shall we?

No, no, no, no.

First, you gotta pour some sugar on me.

Don't ever say that again.

Fair enough.

But no passes until you confirm that letter.

Twelve o'clock, that Szechuan place over on Santa Monica.

Try the mutton. It's surprisingly good.

[mobility scooter beeps]

Mutton?

Honestly, it doesn't surprise me.

There's a long list of people who would love to take a shot at that guy.

[O'Brien] Right.

According to you, he's a pathological liar and an all-around shitty human.

So maybe you're one of those people.

[Lisa scoffs] Look.

I hate the guy. I'm not gonna sugarcoat that--

[O'Brien] Enough to kill him?

What did this interview tell you?

Besides the fact that, in her own words, the defendant hated Mr. Bondurant.

It told us that she concealed something from us earlier,

namely that she had an encounter with the victim at the coffee shop,

in violation of her restraining order.

Based on this,

we were able to obtain a warrant for her home and restaurant.

And what items did you find there?

We retrieved her laptop, some personal documents and items,

as well as a pair of gardening gloves we found in her shed.

[pensive music playing]

[Andrea] People's Exhibit 3, Your Honor.

Are these the gardening gloves you found at the defendant's home?

They are.

Gloves that were tested and later determined to have

traces of Mitchell Bondurant's blood on them.

[O'Brien] That's correct.

- Did you find any other evidence? - [O'Brien] Nothing of note.

What was more interesting was what was missing from the house.

What was that?

In the course of our search, we found a tool kit in the defendant's shed.

It was a commercial one with a space for every tool.

Only one tool was missing. A hammer.

And why was that interesting?

Objection. This line of questioning is nothing but speculation.

Your Honor, the witness is simply testifying to his own opinion

based on his extensive experience.

Overruled. The witness may answer.

[Andrea] I'll ask the question again.

Why was the defendant's missing hammer so interesting?

Because when the forensics team arrived on the scene, they were able to determine

that the wound which killed Mr. Bondurant had an unusual circular shape.

There are not many blunt instruments in that shape which come to mind.

A hammer is one of them.

Thank you, Detective.

Nothing further.

[cell phone vibrates]

[judge] Mr. Haller.

Cross-examination?

The cop who handled the investigation.

That's who you wanna spring this on during cross.

Uh, Your Honor, I'm sure the jury could use some rest.

Perhaps we should break for lunch?

It's not even noon, Mr. Haller. We'll break for lunch at the usual time.

[clears throat]

Good morning, Detective O'Brien.

Counselor.

Among the things you found at the crime scene,

you mentioned a coffee cup from a nearby café?

Café Maurice. Yes.

Did that cup belong to Lisa Trammell?

[O'Brien] At first, we weren't sure.

Then we found the receipt in Mr. Bondurant's pocket.

We also found his prints on the cup.

We determined he dropped it when he was hit.

So, the cup didn't tie Lisa Trammell to the crime scene, did it?

No, but--

[Mickey] Just yes or no, please, Detective.

No.

What about that shard of glass on the ground?

Can you describe it?

It was a piece of mirrored glass, rounded on one side.

Okay. And you deduced this was part of a broken side-view mirror?

[O'Brien] In a garage, that seemed most likely.

Did you check Lisa Trammell's car?

Were any of her mirrors broken?

[sighs quietly]

No. They weren't.

[Mickey] Right.

Now, Detective, let's talk about what you found at Miss Trammell's home.

[cell phone vibrates]

[Mickey] Did you find other traces of blood, or just on the gloves?

It was just the gloves.

And how did you transport these gloves from my client's house?

A forensic technician placed them in the appropriate evidence package.

Can you describe that packaging?

It was an envelope that was sealed.

Well, sealed how, exactly?

[Andrea] Objection. Relevance?

I'm just trying to ascertain chain of custody, Your Honor.

Overruled. But please move it along, Mr. Haller.

[tense music playing]

[whispers] Is everything okay?

[quietly] Yeah, I'm sure everything's gonna be fine.

[man] Donna's not coming.

I'm Vasquez, FBI. I heard you've been looking for me.

This letter has your signature on it.

Can you confirm that it's real?

[Vasquez chuckles]

I cannot comment on any ongoing investigation.

I don't need you to comment.

I just need you to tell me whether or not that letter is authentic.

I cannot confirm nor deny the authenticity of that letter.

But I can give you a piece of advice. Do yourself and your boss a favor, huh?

Leave it alone.

And Donna said something about backstage passes?

[O'Brien] I wrote my name and badge number across the tape,

then went to the lab for testing.

Okay, and you never left the envelope with the gloves unattended?

Objection, Your Honor. Asked and answered.

Sustained.

[cell phone vibrates]

[Lorna clears throat]

Your Honor, may I request a brief recess? Just five minutes?

As long as you're not going to be studying the forensics manual. Yes.

Five minutes.

"He can neither confirm nor deny."

It's like a non-denial denial.

That's gonna have to do. We're out of time.

Are you sure?

We should wait for solid confirmation. You can recall the witness in a few days.

This case will be dead in a few days. Andrea is killing us.

Who knows if we're getting a better confirmation than this?

- We go now. Come on. - [sighs]

Detective, you testified earlier

about investigating threats made against Mitchell Bondurant.

[O'Brien] That's right.

Did you investigate any threats he made against others?

I'm not sure what you mean.

Defense Exhibit D, Your Honor.

Can you tell us what this document is, Detective?

It's a copy of an email from Bondurant to a contractor named Alex Grant.

And have you seen it before?

We reviewed all of the victim's emails and correspondence. Yes.

So you've seen this email where Bondurant threatens to extort Alex Grant.

Objection. Foundation?

[Mickey] The foundation is in the email.

Could you read the highlighted portion for the jury, please?

"If we cannot come to an agreement on terms,

I will have no choice but to pursue this matter

through the appropriate legal channels."

"This includes reporting it to our lenders, which, as fiduciaries,

are required under federal law to report any suspicious activity."

Okay, so Mitchell Bondurant was gonna rat Alex Grant out to the feds

for suspicious activity unless he--

Objection. Speculation.

Sustained.

I'll rephrase.

Given the contents of this email, Detective,

why didn't you consider Alex Grant as a suspect?

We considered everyone, but this is a business dispute.

There's no evidence Mr. Grant was involved in any wrongdoing.

So, if there was evidence of wrongdoing, that might change the situation?

Detective O'Brien, do you know what an FBI target letter is?

Objection, Your Honor. Sidebar.

Here we go. [sighs]

Even if this is legitimate, which I doubt,

this shouldn't be admissible this late in the game.

Let me explain the delay. Someone left me a copy of the letter.

- An anonymous source. - Seriously?

I had to confirm it like Miss Freemann delayed notice of the gloves

because she had to test and verify them.

He's got a point, Miss Freemann.

Then I'd ask to give me until tomorrow to confirm the authenticity myself.

I'll give you till the end of lunch, but we're finishing this witness today.

Thank you, Your Honor.

[tense music continues]

We can do the mirrors along this wall, put the barres there.

[sighs] It's perfect.

I can't wait.

First two months' like we agreed. When can I move in?

There's been an adjustment to the rent.

What kind of adjustment?

The rent's gone up to 15,000 a month. So I would need a check for 30,000--

Whoa, whoa. Hold on.

Ray renegotiated 10,000, Carlos. 10,000. That was the deal.

That was months ago. Rents have shot up in this neighborhood.

And your deal was only an option.

I gave her plenty of time to come up with the money,

but I have to adjust to market conditions.

- I can't believe this. - The option's good for another week.

It's still yours if you can come up with the rest of the money.

Even if I could, I don't think I can cover 15K a month.

Ten is as high as I can go.

Then I'll have to put the space back on the market. I'm sorry.

[inhales shakily]

Well?

The Bureau confirmed the letter.

There you go.

But my objection on the grounds of relevance still stands, Your Honor.

Relevance? Based on the letter alone,

we can assume there's a federal grand jury looking into construction fraud.

And maybe Alex Grant has been called to testify.

Is that true, Miss Freemann?

My understanding is there is a grand jury investigation.

But to my knowledge, Alex Grant has not been called to testify.

Yeah, well, not yet.

[judge] Fine.

You've connected the dots, Mr. Haller, but I am warning you.

Do not turn this trial into a circus.

The minute you cross the line from fact to conjecture,

I will cut you off.

Hope you know what you're doing.

Thank you, Your Honor.

[O'Brien] "Dear Mr. Grant, this letter is to inform you

that you are a target of an FBI investigation

into construction fraud in Southern California."

"Receipt of this letter puts you on notice

to not destroy any documents related to your business."

"We'll make every effort to meet with you to discuss this matter."

"Signed Felix Vasquez, Special Agent."

- [Mickey] What's the date on the letter? - [O'Brien] January 18th.

And what's the date on the email Mitchell Bondurant sent to Alex Grant?

January 10th.

[Mickey] So Mitchell Bondurant threatens to expose Alex Grant to the feds.

Eight days later, Alex Grant gets a letter from the FBI

saying he's the target of an investigation?

Well?

And a week after that, Bondurant is brutally murdered.

Objection. Is there an actual question here?

Sustained.

[Mickey] Given this alarming fact,

do you think your failure to consider Alex Grant as a suspect was reasonable?

As I said before, we considered everyone.

Not for very long, apparently. You arrested Lisa Trammell the same day.

That's who the evidence pointed to. The motive was clear.

"Motive"? Don't these documents show

that Alex Grant had a crystal clear motive to kill Mitchell Bondurant?

Objection. Argumentative.

I guess that's one way to interpret it. Yeah.

- [judge] Overruled. - [Mickey] You had tunnel vision.

You found an easy suspect,

and you weren't gonna let anything distract you from that path.

No, no! I did not know about the target letter.

And if I had, I--

If you had, what? Would you have done things differently?

I stand by our investigation and where it led.

- We got the right person. - Did you?

No further questions, Your Honor.

[suspenseful music playing]

[muted chatter]

[Mickey] That's LA for you, huh?

Nobody sees where you live. They just see what you drive.

I gotta keep up appearances, right?

I was hoping to move, but I can't cash in on my podcast yet, can I?

Why don't you ask your investor who works for Alex Grant?

What's his name? David Webber?

Look, I know that you don't believe me,

but I swear, I had no idea they were trying to put this on Lisa.

I never would've done that.

Doesn't matter what you knew. What matters is what you do.

What do you want me to tell him?

That Alex Grant has nothing to worry about.

We're not trying to point a finger at him.

These guys aren't stupid. You think they don't have people watching you?

I'm sure they do, but they'll trust their inside man,

so tell him we don't have anything concrete on Alex Grant.

It's just smoke and mirrors.

Tell him all we're trying to do is show that Mitchell Bondurant was an asshole.

That a lot of people wanted him dead.

So Alex Grant has nothing to worry about if he takes the stand.

- And you think he's gonna buy that? - Yeah, I'm counting on that.

All right. I'll do it.

Henry, just remember,

if you want any chance to recoup your money

and get anything out of that podcast, do exactly as I say.

Don't fuck this up.

I get it.

You like this?

It's bison. Healthier for you.

Really?

I mean, as long as it's not ostrich.

- Nah. - Too cute.

[Mickey chuckles]

And these, I made in the air fryer.

- Look at you. - Mm-hmm.

You know, I really think this new case is rubbing off on you.

I've never seen you cook this much.

Honey, I was thinking we should go riding together before the summer's over.

I gotta show off my skills.

Sure. Let's do it.

So that, um, boy at the stable. What's his name?

- Taylor? - Yeah. He works there?

- Yeah. Part-time. In the summer. - Hmm.

Okay, so what? You have a crush on him or what?

Dad.

What? Sorry. I--

I bet you already told your mom about him.

Are you kidding me? No. She's even worse.

Well, your mom leads with her head, mija.

You and me? We lead with our hearts.

I don't want anybody breaking yours, so...

Dad. Slow your roll.

I mean, he's cute.

That's all.

You know, I've got school. I gotta study for my SATs.

I am way too busy to get my heart broken.

Good.

If anything, you should be worrying about him.

- Now that's what I like to hear. - Yeah.

[cell phone rings]

[grunts]

What's up, Lorna?

We just got an amended witness list.

Freeman's calling the FBI agent, Felix Vasquez.

[sighs] He must have agreed to testify.

The only reason I can think of why he would do that

is to shut the whole thing down.

What are you gonna do?

Can you tell us what target letters are used for, Agent Vasquez?

They have a number of uses. One use is to gather information.

- [Andrea] Can you explain? - [Vasquez] Sure.

If the FBI is conducting an investigation,

and we believe that someone might be culpable,

we might send them a target letter to convince them to talk to us.

As a way of scaring them into cooperating.

Something like that.

The mere fact that you sent someone a target letter

doesn't indicate they've done anything wrong, right?

[Vasquez] That's right.

So, how did you come to send Alex Grant a target letter?

Well, his name and business came up in our investigation.

There were certain irregularities in some of the buildings he worked on.

- [Andrea] How did Mr. Grant respond? - [Vasquez] His lawyer responded.

He said Mr. Grant ran a clean business,

and he welcomed the opportunity to demonstrate that to us.

And have you followed up with him?

No, I've been busy on other pressing investigations.

So Alex Grant is just a person of interest. Is that right?

Someone you thought may have information, but, so far, nothing has come of it?

[Vasquez] That's right.

Agent Vasquez, is Alex Grant currently under investigation by the FBI?

No, he's not.

Not technically.

[Andrea] Uh...

Just a yes or no answer, please.

Agent Vasquez, is Alex Grant under investigation by the FBI?

No.

Thank you.

No further questions.

[clears throat]

You said "technically," Agent Vasquez.

Technically, Alex Grant is not currently under investigation.

Is there more to that story?

Objection. Asked and answered.

Overruled.

[Vasquez] Alex Grant may not be currently under investigation,

but that doesn't mean he's in the clear.

I see.

And does the FBI typically send target letters

to people they believe are innocent?

No, we do not.

Now, following that logic, do you believe Alex Grant is guilty of something?

Objection. Calls for speculation.

Sustained.

Okay. If Mitchell Bondurant were alive,

would he be someone you might wanna talk to about Alex Grant?

Objection!

Sustained. Mr. Haller.

Let's try again.

Agent Vasquez, you said Alex Grant is not currently under investigation.

Does the FBI intend to open an investigation into Alex Grant?

Objection.

I'm afraid I cannot answer any questions

that might compromise an ongoing FBI operation.

[Mickey] "Ongoing."

[suspenseful music playing]

[clears throat]

No further questions, Your Honor.

Mr. Haller.

Aren't you curious?

About where I got the letter?

There must be a leak in your office.

Yeah, well, whoever did it did me a big favor, so thank them for me.

I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Haller, but I will say

the FBI looks forward to hearing what you can learn

from having Mr. Grant on the stand.

Have a good day now.

Where's the scotch?

[chuckles] In a restaurant your doctor won't let you go to.

That letter, it didn't just show up on your doorstep, did it?

You made it happen.

When Grant tried to quash the subpoena, I made sure there were reporters there.

I was trying to scare him into not taking the Fifth,

but I also figured the feds might be watching.

And if they were, they might reach out.

I didn't know for sure, but now I know.

They want me to put this guy on the stand and do their work for them.

[Legal] Grand juries are expensive.

If you can get this guy to make damning admissions on the stand,

so much the better.

That's what they want.

The question is, what do you want?

Don't worry, Legal. I got a plan to get what I want.

[elevator dings]

What's up?

What's up is Andrea's requested a conference in chambers.

About what?

I have no idea, but Judge Medina's waiting.

[quietly] Oh shit.

Miss Freemann, you asked for this little tea party,

so what is it that couldn't be brought out in open court.

The prosecution has come into possession of a new piece of evidence.

Oh, what-- Judge, seriously?

I understand Mr. Haller's reaction. If I were in his shoes, I'd feel the same.

Yeah.

But I'm afraid this particular piece of evidence

is so dispositive

I don't see how the court could refuse to admit it.

[knock at door]

[door opens]

[judge] Wow. Now I'm intrigued.

What is this mysterious evidence, Miss Freemann?

[Andrea] The murder weapon.

[Mickey exhales]

[closing theme music playing]