1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,660 No good can be served by sending Benita Lopez to prison as an 2 00:00:06,660 --> 00:00:11,300 accessory to a robbery her boyfriend committed 30 years ago. 3 00:00:11,900 --> 00:00:14,320 Thank you. The defense rests. 4 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,280 Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, once you've reached your verdict, please 5 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:20,280 inform the bailiff. 6 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,520 Bailiff! Can you give me a minute with my mother, please? 7 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:29,080 So that we may pray that gays... 8 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:30,840 Ken Mary. 9 00:00:33,020 --> 00:00:34,580 I'm working on juror number four. 10 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:35,960 Hello. 11 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,460 I'm not worried, okay, because I have found the juror who's going to acquit 12 00:00:43,500 --> 00:00:44,500 number eight. 13 00:00:44,660 --> 00:00:46,340 The old guy with the watery eyes? 14 00:00:46,620 --> 00:00:51,060 Well, I don't know about his eyes, but his mouth was watering when I bent over 15 00:00:51,060 --> 00:00:53,320 and gave him a shot of exhibits A and B. 16 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,120 My God, Mom, you're going to hang like exhibits A and B. 17 00:00:59,470 --> 00:01:00,530 The jury's back. 18 00:01:03,070 --> 00:01:04,470 This is not good. 19 00:01:04,830 --> 00:01:05,890 George. Mom. 20 00:01:06,350 --> 00:01:07,650 Look, he doesn't know anything. 21 00:01:08,290 --> 00:01:11,090 Keep the prison van here. I got one more coming. 22 00:01:13,910 --> 00:01:15,130 That's a little more troubling. 23 00:01:19,450 --> 00:01:20,570 Everyone please be seated. 24 00:01:23,050 --> 00:01:25,470 Mr. Foreman, has the jury come to a decision? 25 00:01:26,030 --> 00:01:28,390 Oh, yeah. In the hall on the way to the jury room. 26 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:29,880 How did you find him? 27 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,960 We find the defendant, Benita Lopez, guilty as charged. 28 00:01:36,220 --> 00:01:37,440 So says the jury. 29 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:40,200 What? That is crazy! 30 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,440 Now, there are murderers and rapists running around loose on the streets, and 31 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:46,800 you are going to put me in jail? 32 00:01:47,580 --> 00:01:50,120 You are the 12 dumbest people I've ever seen! 33 00:01:50,340 --> 00:01:51,340 Mom! What? 34 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:53,180 They're still sentencing. 35 00:01:56,300 --> 00:01:57,540 I'm sorry I shouted. 36 00:01:58,540 --> 00:01:59,540 It's the hormones. 37 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:02,200 I'm pregnant. 38 00:02:07,620 --> 00:02:09,680 Don't make me have my baby in jail. 39 00:02:33,030 --> 00:02:36,750 The lowrider is a little higher. 40 00:03:03,180 --> 00:03:04,260 Well, that was a setback. 41 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:10,060 Setback? My mom's looking at hard times. Oh, not necessarily, George. 42 00:03:10,460 --> 00:03:15,220 If we can show your mom in a sympathetic light, maybe we can get her probation. 43 00:03:15,740 --> 00:03:18,700 But we need character witnesses to speak well of Benny. 44 00:03:21,620 --> 00:03:22,620 Can we hire... 45 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:39,140 actors. I'm assuming you'll speak about what kind of mother she was. Can we hire 46 00:03:39,140 --> 00:03:40,140 actors? 47 00:03:41,780 --> 00:03:43,120 What about the judge? 48 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:48,020 Even if the jury wants to send her to prison, can't they be overruled? Yes. 49 00:03:48,020 --> 00:03:52,060 unfortunately, I have a problematic history with Judge Alvarez. 50 00:03:52,900 --> 00:03:58,020 As you young people say, I hid it and proceeded to quit it. 51 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:10,840 I'll speak for my mom. 52 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:11,960 So will I. 53 00:04:12,020 --> 00:04:15,020 I don't want to take any chances here, so what else can I do to help my mom? 54 00:04:16,140 --> 00:04:19,500 You know, it might be helpful if one of her parents testified. 55 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:21,640 Are they alive? 56 00:04:22,340 --> 00:04:23,340 Her mom is. 57 00:04:23,460 --> 00:04:24,460 I'll track her down. 58 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:26,960 But they haven't talked for 40 years. 59 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,320 Benny's parents kicked her out when she got pregnant with George. Well, you know 60 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:32,880 what? She's older now. Maybe she wants to make up with Benny before it's too 61 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:34,800 late. What if she doesn't? 62 00:04:35,620 --> 00:04:36,620 Well, then. 63 00:04:37,659 --> 00:04:39,440 Saskia, I'll just turn on the Lopez charm. 64 00:04:41,020 --> 00:04:44,180 You see, I can get a woman to do anything. I got you to go out with me in 65 00:04:44,180 --> 00:04:45,180 school, didn't I? 66 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,080 I went out with you because I felt sorry for you. 67 00:04:53,580 --> 00:04:55,860 Not in front of company. You never back me up. 68 00:04:58,460 --> 00:04:59,460 Hey, 69 00:05:00,940 --> 00:05:03,960 my grandma called? Yeah, she hit traffic, but she'll be here any minute. 70 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:06,440 Dad, what's your grandma like? 71 00:05:06,970 --> 00:05:09,890 I don't know, Max. I only heard my mom's story. She's supposed to be old school. 72 00:05:10,210 --> 00:05:13,470 Oh, George, George, George. Tell them about the time that Benny got in trouble 73 00:05:13,470 --> 00:05:14,470 with the nuns. 74 00:05:15,670 --> 00:05:19,650 Oh, yeah. One day my mom mouthed up in class and the nuns hit her with a ruler. 75 00:05:19,710 --> 00:05:20,589 They were like that. 76 00:05:20,590 --> 00:05:25,570 Then when she got home and her mom found out what happened, she hit her with a 77 00:05:25,570 --> 00:05:27,970 switch. She was like that. Move your hand. Move your hand. 78 00:05:29,150 --> 00:05:33,130 Then her dad came home and beat her mom because dinner was late. 79 00:05:38,280 --> 00:05:39,259 That's horrible. 80 00:05:39,260 --> 00:05:40,480 Did anyone beat him? 81 00:05:41,540 --> 00:05:42,960 Tequila and a curb in the freeway. 82 00:05:49,420 --> 00:05:51,420 Max, go wash up for dinner. 83 00:05:53,980 --> 00:05:57,180 Uh -oh, she's here. You know what? I'm going to go out the front door. 84 00:05:57,980 --> 00:06:00,580 You don't want to meet her? 85 00:06:00,820 --> 00:06:02,500 Dude, she gave birth to Benny. 86 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:10,300 Dad, can she be? I mean, she must have mellowed if she came all the way down 87 00:06:10,300 --> 00:06:11,300 here to help Benny. 88 00:06:12,020 --> 00:06:14,080 Actually, I told her that my mom was shot. 89 00:06:17,940 --> 00:06:21,580 You lied to her? I thought you were going to use the Lopez charm. 90 00:06:22,740 --> 00:06:25,800 It didn't work. I can't do my puppy dog eyes over the phone, I bet. 91 00:06:32,780 --> 00:06:34,160 Grandma. Here. 92 00:06:35,180 --> 00:06:36,920 It's great to finally meet you. 93 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,780 It's too bad that it took my mom being in the hospital to finally bring us 94 00:06:40,780 --> 00:06:41,780 together. 95 00:06:42,460 --> 00:06:43,660 I'm his wife, Angie. 96 00:06:44,660 --> 00:06:45,660 Nice to meet you. 97 00:06:46,220 --> 00:06:50,100 Yeah, you too. So, how's Betty doing? 98 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:56,240 She's in a semi -private room, and there are people watching her like 24 hours a 99 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:57,240 day. 100 00:07:01,390 --> 00:07:04,470 You rushed me off the phone before I could ask. Well, she wrote you a letter 101 00:07:04,470 --> 00:07:07,870 asking for your forgiveness. And then she went to the post office to mail it. 102 00:07:07,890 --> 00:07:11,890 Then a postal worker who had just been fired. Wait a minute, that makes sense. 103 00:07:14,450 --> 00:07:15,990 Shut up the place, Grandma. 104 00:07:16,350 --> 00:07:19,290 All right, so we'll go to the hospital first thing in the morning. 105 00:07:19,870 --> 00:07:23,870 I figured you'd be too exhausted to cook, so I brought some homemade 106 00:07:25,730 --> 00:07:27,490 When are you going to tell her the truth? 107 00:07:27,850 --> 00:07:29,550 If you could cook, I'd tell her right now. 108 00:07:37,500 --> 00:07:40,920 Isn't there some news you should tell your grandma before you eat? 109 00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:50,180 Yeah, I guess I could tell her now. 110 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:54,440 Tell me what? 111 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:57,600 Okay. I lied. 112 00:07:58,340 --> 00:08:01,360 My mom didn't get shot. I just said that to get you down here. 113 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:02,800 She's in jail. 114 00:08:03,719 --> 00:08:05,080 That's why I'm here? 115 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:12,800 Let's see. You owe me 100 bucks for the gas, 30 bucks for the tamales that I 116 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:13,800 bought down the street. 117 00:08:14,660 --> 00:08:16,780 Look, my mom needs your help. 118 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,640 If you say something nice about her at her sentencing hearing tomorrow, she 119 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:21,920 might not have to go to prison. 120 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:24,640 And 12 bucks for the salsa verde. 121 00:08:26,260 --> 00:08:29,600 You know, you got a lot to make up for, too, you know, with the beatings and 122 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,960 everything. I never laid a hand on Benny. 123 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:36,400 If anything, we were much too easy on her, and look what happened. She got 124 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:37,400 pregnant and ran away. 125 00:08:37,860 --> 00:08:40,440 Wait a minute. She said you kicked her out. I kicked her. 126 00:08:40,740 --> 00:08:46,200 She left on her own, and my husband, may he rest in peace, never got over the 127 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,100 shame that she brought on this family. 128 00:08:50,860 --> 00:08:52,700 Well, as the shame... 129 00:08:52,700 --> 00:09:00,740 I'd 130 00:09:00,740 --> 00:09:02,100 like to ask you for a favor. 131 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:06,920 Look, I've had my own problems with my mom, but I'm going to suck it up and say 132 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:09,380 something nice on the stand, and I'd like for you to do the same. 133 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:13,700 This could be your last chance to make up with your daughter. 134 00:09:17,820 --> 00:09:18,820 I'll do it. 135 00:09:19,180 --> 00:09:20,880 You can get past what she did to you. 136 00:09:21,220 --> 00:09:22,740 I can get past my own problem. 137 00:09:22,980 --> 00:09:26,760 Thank you. And I'll tell you, that girl has caused us both a lot of grief. 138 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:28,019 Amen, Granny. 139 00:09:28,020 --> 00:09:29,020 Donitos. 140 00:09:31,210 --> 00:09:33,990 you wonder what it would have been like if that other family had kept you? 141 00:09:40,390 --> 00:09:41,390 What other family? 142 00:09:41,670 --> 00:09:43,250 The one she tried to give you away to. 143 00:09:44,330 --> 00:09:45,330 Uh -oh. 144 00:09:46,610 --> 00:09:49,050 No, you mean my sister, right? She tried to give my sister away. 145 00:09:49,330 --> 00:09:51,410 No, no, no, no, no. She gave you away first. 146 00:09:54,270 --> 00:09:55,770 But the family returned you. 147 00:10:07,139 --> 00:10:13,960 Honey, you know how much I love you, but I have to say, your life 148 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:15,460 is really jacked up. 149 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:23,080 Did you reach your mom? 150 00:10:23,420 --> 00:10:25,220 No, the jail wouldn't put my call through. 151 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:31,080 Honey, I know you're still upset about Benny trying to give you away, but I 152 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:33,880 that's not going to influence your testimony. You know, just a little at 153 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:34,880 end. 154 00:10:36,750 --> 00:10:41,910 So I don't think my mother should go to prison for an old robbery charge when 155 00:10:41,910 --> 00:10:45,550 her real crime was giving away her only son. I hate her, hate her so much. 156 00:10:48,010 --> 00:10:49,930 Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. 157 00:10:51,250 --> 00:10:54,050 George, you can't do that to your mom. 158 00:10:54,590 --> 00:10:59,590 Yes, she tried to give you away, but she did raise you. Because she was stuck 159 00:10:59,590 --> 00:11:00,590 with me. 160 00:11:01,410 --> 00:11:04,590 She never wanted me, Angie. I mean, you know what it's like to feel unwanted. 161 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:07,840 No, I don't. 162 00:11:12,940 --> 00:11:14,700 I've been wanted my whole life. 163 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,460 But the people who don't get to have me are disappointed, and I have to live 164 00:11:20,460 --> 00:11:21,460 with that. 165 00:11:24,620 --> 00:11:25,800 Okay, it's not the same. 166 00:11:27,420 --> 00:11:31,900 But, George, you can't get on that stand and condemn Benny. 167 00:11:32,140 --> 00:11:35,080 Look, I don't think I can go up there and say anything nice about her. Not 168 00:11:38,890 --> 00:11:44,790 I know she hurts you, but this is your chance to be the bigger person. I don't 169 00:11:44,790 --> 00:11:45,790 want to be the bigger person! 170 00:11:49,190 --> 00:11:51,610 I want to be small and mean. 171 00:11:53,150 --> 00:11:54,630 Like a scorpion, I'll be like that. 172 00:11:58,170 --> 00:12:00,730 And I get you all distracted by my pincers. 173 00:12:02,710 --> 00:12:04,350 Oh, but you forgot about my tail. 174 00:12:10,050 --> 00:12:14,370 consumed by your own anger. And when you sting her, your tail is going to fall 175 00:12:14,370 --> 00:12:15,370 off and you'll die. 176 00:12:16,750 --> 00:12:18,930 That's a B. You don't know nothing. I win. 177 00:12:25,130 --> 00:12:26,190 Hello, Benita. 178 00:12:27,490 --> 00:12:28,490 Mom? 179 00:12:49,550 --> 00:12:50,349 Let's get started. 180 00:12:50,350 --> 00:12:52,750 The defense may call its first character witness. 181 00:12:53,550 --> 00:12:59,350 Or maybe he'd rather send an email two weeks later to let her know it's over. 182 00:13:01,430 --> 00:13:01,910 My 183 00:13:01,910 --> 00:13:08,930 client 184 00:13:08,930 --> 00:13:09,930 has been found guilty. 185 00:13:11,070 --> 00:13:15,950 But I know that once you hear from her loved ones, you're going to see her in a 186 00:13:15,950 --> 00:13:16,950 different light. 187 00:13:17,390 --> 00:13:20,770 I think your son, George Lopez, would like to say a few words. 188 00:13:21,510 --> 00:13:22,510 Pass. 189 00:13:24,730 --> 00:13:28,670 What are you doing? 190 00:13:29,490 --> 00:13:31,390 Pass. I've got nothing to say. Adjourned. 191 00:13:33,010 --> 00:13:37,870 Okay. We call Louisa Diaz, the defendant's mother. 192 00:13:41,610 --> 00:13:45,990 Mrs. Diaz, would you like to tell the court something about your daughter? 193 00:13:47,220 --> 00:13:49,040 Benita was smart and hardworking. 194 00:13:50,060 --> 00:13:54,000 So she had to quit school and go to work to help support the family. Oh, no, no, 195 00:13:54,020 --> 00:13:55,740 no, no, no. She never helped us. 196 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:57,940 She had to leave school because she got knocked up. 197 00:14:01,620 --> 00:14:07,280 And it took a lot of courage to keep the child and raise it on her own. I 198 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:14,220 wouldn't know. That's the choice that she made when 199 00:14:14,220 --> 00:14:15,360 she decided to leave home. 200 00:14:17,230 --> 00:14:18,690 What? That's not what happened? 201 00:14:19,350 --> 00:14:22,910 I had to leave. What was I supposed to do? Stay there and let you hit me some 202 00:14:22,910 --> 00:14:24,070 more? Order. 203 00:14:24,570 --> 00:14:28,690 Why do you have to twist things? We spanked you, sometimes in the face. 204 00:14:35,170 --> 00:14:36,590 You shouldn't have done that. 205 00:14:37,310 --> 00:14:40,410 Well, you got what you deserve for running around like a little whore. 206 00:14:43,190 --> 00:14:44,190 Order. 207 00:14:44,790 --> 00:14:50,090 I told you never. to call me that. Then you should never have acted like one. I 208 00:14:50,090 --> 00:14:51,790 knew you would end up like this. 209 00:14:52,410 --> 00:14:53,410 Worthless. 210 00:14:59,970 --> 00:15:00,970 All right. 211 00:15:01,370 --> 00:15:02,810 You can step down now. 212 00:15:09,610 --> 00:15:10,950 I've changed my mind. 213 00:15:11,730 --> 00:15:13,670 Got something to say. Why not? 214 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:23,880 I wasn't going to come up here today, but now I feel I have to. 215 00:15:26,060 --> 00:15:30,920 My mom may have made some mistakes in her life, but when someone like that 216 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:34,280 raises you, what do you expect? 217 00:15:35,660 --> 00:15:39,860 She doesn't deserve to be punished for a stupid decision she made a long time 218 00:15:39,860 --> 00:15:40,860 ago. 219 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:44,560 She's never committed another crime. 220 00:15:46,300 --> 00:15:47,960 She's worked at the same job for... 221 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:49,360 30 years. 222 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:54,860 So I'm asking you, as her son, 223 00:15:55,580 --> 00:16:00,800 you'll send my mom to prison. 224 00:16:14,660 --> 00:16:15,800 George. Yeah. 225 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:28,480 Testimony helped a lot. 226 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,740 I got probation, a couple hundred hours of community service. 227 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:35,760 All I have to do is pick up trash from the freeway. 228 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:37,680 Really? 229 00:16:37,820 --> 00:16:39,340 Which one? Maybe I'll run into you. 230 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:48,640 Angie told me what my mom said. I know you got some crying to do, so let's just 231 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:49,840 get over with. Go. 232 00:16:50,140 --> 00:16:51,740 We don't have anything to talk about. 233 00:16:52,700 --> 00:16:54,020 I'll see you at work tomorrow, Benny. 234 00:16:56,610 --> 00:16:58,310 Benny. So I'm not your mom anymore? 235 00:16:58,810 --> 00:17:01,290 Hey, you didn't want to be my mom when you gave me away. 236 00:17:02,630 --> 00:17:05,310 I got you back. I begged for you. 237 00:17:07,670 --> 00:17:12,990 Look, after a week, the family gave you back and got a puppy instead. 238 00:17:15,109 --> 00:17:17,369 You didn't care about what happened to me, did you? 239 00:17:18,150 --> 00:17:20,130 Here, I stopped at the house and got this. 240 00:17:20,670 --> 00:17:21,670 What's this? 241 00:17:21,730 --> 00:17:23,970 It's an agreement that I made with the Delgado. 242 00:17:24,490 --> 00:17:25,510 The family that took you. 243 00:17:27,770 --> 00:17:29,570 Raise him as if he were your own. 244 00:17:32,150 --> 00:17:33,330 Tell him you love him. 245 00:17:34,550 --> 00:17:36,650 Hug him every day and make him feel like he's special. 246 00:17:38,790 --> 00:17:40,290 I had conditions, George. 247 00:17:42,850 --> 00:17:45,130 What's this? It looks like you tried to wipe something out. No. 248 00:17:46,050 --> 00:17:47,650 No, no. I didn't give it back. 249 00:17:49,050 --> 00:17:51,450 700, 600, 500. What is this? 250 00:17:52,330 --> 00:17:54,000 We... We're negotiating. 251 00:17:56,340 --> 00:17:57,960 You sold me? 252 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:01,420 What did they pay for the puppy? 253 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:06,460 Now, George, that dog came from a long line of champions. 254 00:18:11,860 --> 00:18:14,000 So I'm worth less than a dog? 255 00:18:15,420 --> 00:18:19,520 Not just any dog, George. A championship dog. 256 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,400 Look, they offered me. The money wasn't about that. 257 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:33,540 I was 16, and I was scared, and I wanted to give you a better life. 258 00:18:35,460 --> 00:18:41,120 Well, then why didn't you do the things you asked the other family to do? 259 00:18:41,140 --> 00:18:43,480 Because I didn't think I could do it. 260 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:45,560 You saw my mom? 261 00:18:46,940 --> 00:18:50,620 She wasn't exactly a great teacher when somebody needed to feel special. 262 00:18:51,470 --> 00:18:54,930 You know, you're supposed to do better for your kids. 263 00:18:57,930 --> 00:18:59,230 Believe it or not, I did. 264 00:19:02,970 --> 00:19:04,410 Good to meet you, George. 265 00:19:04,970 --> 00:19:07,510 And I guess I'll see you at your next trial, huh? 266 00:19:13,230 --> 00:19:15,830 Not unless I see you at your funeral first. 267 00:19:18,890 --> 00:19:20,290 I've outlived your father. 268 00:19:20,890 --> 00:19:23,430 And your brother, we'll see who's next. 269 00:19:30,190 --> 00:19:32,370 Damn, I think some flowers died when she walked by them. 270 00:19:41,510 --> 00:19:45,370 Okay, well, you know what? Maybe you did do better. 271 00:19:47,110 --> 00:19:48,450 I'll see you tomorrow at work, Mom. 272 00:19:49,670 --> 00:19:50,670 Hey! 273 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:54,200 Hooray, I'm back. 274 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:58,940 Now I suppose you want a hug and say I love you. 275 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:01,420 No, you know, I don't need that. 276 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:08,000 Hey, Max. 277 00:20:14,660 --> 00:20:15,660 Love you, ma 'am. 278 00:20:17,580 --> 00:20:18,580 Okay. 279 00:20:26,860 --> 00:20:30,680 Say it back or next time we do it in front of your friend. 280 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:35,240 I love you, Dad. 281 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:36,520 Come on, man. 282 00:20:36,620 --> 00:20:37,620 Hug me. 283 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:40,520 Give me a hug. 284 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:44,080 Come on, hug me like you mean it. 285 00:20:44,780 --> 00:20:46,620 I'll trade you for a puppy.