Original subtitles

- Miss Quinn.

- Justice Lowell.

I hope you haven't been waiting too long.

- No, sir.

- Please come in.

You have plans for the holidays?

- I'm staying in the city.

Spending Christmas with some friends.

- I never know what to get people.

My wife would buy our gifts.

She always seemed to get just the right thing.

I hope this is appropriate, use it well.

- Thank you, Mr. Justice, I will.

- Have a good Christmas.

- And you too.

Would you like your car brought around, Justice Lowell?

Not just yet, Marie, I want to clear my desk.

You know, Abraham Lincoln used to hunt wild turkey

down our roads.

You can still bag one there for Christmas dinner.

- Okay, polar bears, let's go!

- Come on, Mike, it's not that cold.

- Bill, we've got something here.

- Hey, up here!

And now back to our main story.

Justice Lowell is said to have been despondent

over failing health.

The president, speaking this morning at a memorial service

at Washington Cathedral,

called the Justice one of our finest, most eloquent jurists.

A man dedicated to law and devoted to truth.

Funeral services will be held this afternoon

at Arlington Cemetery.

- Hey!

- Hey, hey!

You pigs!

That was my mother's!

- What is she doing?

- Out of the way, man!

From Your Honor's lockup list is number 15,

United States versus Daniel Adams.

Mr. Adams, you're being charged with the possession

of a prohibited weapon. - Hi, Jack.

- Hi, Kath.

- Did you get my message?

- Yeah, are you okay?

- Yes, I'm fine.

All right, see if he can get him to take a recess

for a couple of weeks,

we'll blow some smoke up his judicial ass.

- Did I miss anything?

- Your assault with intent skipped.

What a surprise, he promised me he wouldn't.

Yeah, well, I have a feeling we might see him in March

with a nice Florida tan.

Here's today's top 40. - Okay.

Busy night.

- 102 felony arrests.

Some kind of a record for Monday.

I don't know what it is, gotta be like something in the air.

- The Christmas spirit.

Oh, yeah.

- Get Carl Wayne Anderson.

Next on Your Honor's lockup list is number 17.

United States versus Carl Wayne Anderson.

- Is Mr. Anderson's attorney present?

- Your Honor, Mr. Anderson has refused

to speak with an attorney.

He's refused to speak with anyone at all.

You are being accused of first degree murder.

Do you understand that, Mr. Anderson?

Do you know where you are, Mr. Anderson?

As I am unable to determine

whether Mr. Anderson is competent,

I will postpone presentment pending psychiatric evaluation.

Does Mr. Anderson have means of support?

- He's indigent, Your Honor.

The court, then, will appoint new counsel.

Let the record show that Ms. Riley

with the public defender's office

will represent Mr. Anderson.

- Your Honor, I'm due for a vacation.

I haven't had a vacation in a year.

Miss Riley, please accompany Mr. Anderson

and interview him.

Yes, Your Honor.

- We'll pass this case, what's next?

- Mr. Anderson, I am Kathleen Riley

with the public defender's office.

I'd like to ask you a few questions.

You're being charged with murder.

Could you tell me where you were around midnight,

December the 18th?

Mr. Anderson, where were you at midnight,

December the 18th?

I'm your lawyer.

Anything you tell me is confidential.

Look, if you don't talk to me, I can't help you.

All right, I guess this is a waste of time.

Do you understand what's happening to you?

Jim, you wanna let me out of here?

Can't they read?

- Don't you own a watch?

- We're in trouble.

- We're in deep shit.

Support's drying up quicker than an old whore.

Right now, it's too close to call.

- Did Comisky declare yet?

- She's still on the fence.

Eight or nine are waiting to see which way she falls.

- Did she go in? - Yeah.

Ah, here's Eddie.

- Congressman Newton, good to see you.

- Bye-bye.

- What about the whip?

He said he'd keep his people in line.

He told me he'd never turn his back on the American farmer.

- What else is new?

He got a sudden backache, he's sitting out the vote.

He told his side of the aisle to vote their conscience.

- That'd be a first.

Well, what do you think, Grace?

I can't help you, Eddie.

I just wanted to see which way the wind was blowing.

- That's it?

Yeah, that's about it, I respect you, Grace.

I'm not gonna insult you with some promise

out of left field, you gotta vote your conscience.

- When you get humble, I get nervous.

I feel like I'm being set up.

- Nothing up my sleeve.

- Look, you did what you could.

I'm in a tight spot.

My district's blue-collar union,

they don't like government subsidies.

- I'm on their side, Grace.

I come from a farm family myself of dirty collars.

But everyone expects milk on their table,

and if the price isn't right

the dairy farmers are gonna dump it in the river.

Have you ever seen it?

It's a terrible waste.

Grace.

Grace.

When you were in trouble,

when you needed the crop states' support

on the car company bailout, I ran up the flag for you.

I pulled a lot of votes.

- That's life, Eddie.

- No, Grace, that's politics.

Life is what everybody else does, remember?

- Right.

- All right, look.

Your district has got a big inner-city lunch program, right?

- Right.

- Well, I don't see why we can't donate

a year's worth of free milk.

No point in it going down the river.

I don't believe that you're trying to bribe me

with milk for babies.

- Grace, it's a good bill.

Just give me some time to shore up some support, all right?

Have the vote postponed until after the holidays.

- Why did you wait so long to come to me?

- It slipped my mind.

- Nothing slips your mind.

Life is what everybody else does.

You're dangerous.

All right, I'll get it postponed,

but that squares us, Eddie.

Don't ask me for my vote, it's not for sale.

- What happened?

He beat up one of the officers last night.

I'd like to put his eye out.

That's the third time that happened in two months.

Keep goin' like this he goin' to wake up

one morning and find hisself hung.

I'm gonna pretend like I didn't hear that, Becker.

Did a doctor see him?

- Yeah, he came and went.

He wouldn't let him touch him.

- All right, take the cuffs off.

- Hey, chief told me not to, not around...

Look, just take the cuffs off, all right?

I'll be responsible.

- All right, you wearin' the suit.

They put animals to sleep, you know?

Yeah, they miss some sometimes, don't they?

Are you trying to commit suicide?

I mean, just let me know if you are because if you are,

I've got better things to do with my time.

Oh, Jesus.

Get a doctor.

I couldn't read your writing in some places.

I think I got,

I think I got most of it

but I have to ask you some more questions.

Carl?

Carl?

Carl!

Have you told me everything?

Have you told me everything?

Piece of cake.

Maybe it won't bother a jury that

your fingerprints were all over her body.

And possibly, they won't mind that you carried a big knife.

And they'll probably understand.

I mean, she was dead anyway.

What the hell?

Why not rob her?

And maybe I'll play quarterback

for the Redskins next season.

Tell me that you did it, you know,

I'll go to the judge and ask for mercy,

and it'll save us both a lot of headache.

Michael was there before me.

Michael?

Michael who?

Michael who?

And eyes.

What color were his eyes?

Brown, all right.

And his hair?

His hair.

Dark hair.

And how tall was Michael?

Medium.

He had a tattoo on his hand?

Is there anything more?

Is there anything more about Michael?

Can you remember anything more?

The doctor's here.

Come on.

- Good evening, Louis, Ansel.

- Good evening, Matthew. - Matthew.

I hear you're up for an appointment

to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

- Yes, I've heard those rumors.

- Don't bullshit a bullshitter.

They're more than rumors.

When's the announcement?

The president is supposed to make his choice known

by the end of the month.

Oh, that reminds me.

Louis, I'm scheduled to hear the Winslow trial.

It's got to drag on into spring.

I was wondering if you'd consider making a change.

I'd like to clear my docket

in case the appointment comes through.

You're scheduled for United States versus Anderson.

It looks pro forma, two weeks at the outside.

It'd make my life a lot simpler.

- As a lifelong Democrat,

I should do everything I can to delay your appointment.

But in the spirit of bipartisanship

and future considerations,

I don't have any problems with a change.

Excuse me, gentlemen, my prostate's shot.

Sitting on my ass too many years.

Want a ride?

- No, thanks.

- Okay.

- Morty?

- Yeah?

- I need some investigative help,

I can't do this one all by myself.

We're a little bit short-handed right now.

All the interns have got their finals.

- Yeah, I know that,

but I've got to find a material witness.

- Kath, is this witness hard

or is it a figment of your client's imagination?

- I don't know.

You want a beer?

- Yeah, please.

You think you can you live without him?

Oh, I can live without him fine, my client can't.

All right, well, I'll see if I can fish around,

find you some money somewhere, get a private investigator.

What if your witness doesn't materialize?

Well, then it's your basic dog and pony show.

Circumstantial evidence, reasonable doubt,

we'll be dead in a week.

- Who's prosecuting?

- Some guy named Charlie Stella.

- Hmm, he just came on.

He was real hot shit in Baltimore.

He wants to be a senator after he's president.

Listen, Kath, prosecution owes me a few.

How would you feel about going to the table with this one?

Maybe plea-bargaining and cutting your losses.

- My client has nothing to lose.

Motion to dismiss for failure to properly Mirandize

motion to dismiss for illegal search and seizure,

motion to dismiss for insufficient evidence.

It's a waste of paper.

I don't know what I'm doing anymore.

I don't have a life.

The last time I went to the movies was like a year ago.

The only time I listen to music is in my car, I don't date.

I'd like to have a child but I don't even have a boyfriend,

so how can I have a child?

I spend all my time with murderers and rapists.

And what's really crazy is I like them.

- Yeah, well, it grows on you.

I don't think I can do it anymore, you know, I'm tired.

I'm really tired.

I've been even thinking about going into private practice.

I think, what the hell, if I'm gonna go crazy,

I might as well get paid for it.

We have stayed around a lot longer than most.

- Why do you stay?

- I don't know.

Same thing as you, I guess.

For the sake of the one poor bastard who didn't do it.

Plus, I happen to look a little bit fat

in a three-piece suit.

- You? Never.

- You coming?

- No, I gotta finish.

- All righty, thanks for the beer.

- Okay.

- Excuse me.

Where do I report for jury duty?

- Third floor.

- I need to be excused, who do I talk to?

- Jurors' Excuse Officer.

- Everybody's got a title.

What's a good excuse?

- You ever been called before?

Yeah, last year, I was too busy to serve.

Well, the second time you're called, you gotta serve.

It's the law.

- I'm sure something can be worked out.

- I don't like your chances.

- Dennis Kirkham?

- Here.

- Kathryn Conrad?

- Here.

- Miss?

Attorney, I'm Everett Bennett, private investigator.

I understand you're looking for somebody.

- You.

Either be seated in the gallery or leave now.

- This isn't a bus station, Miss Riley.

- I'm sorry, Your Honor.

- Lee Ron Davis?

- Here.

- Shelley Boylen?

- Here.

- Doris McCloud?

- Here.

- Ladies and gentlemen.

As the defendant, Mr. Anderson,

has a hearing and speech impairment

and is unable to read signing,

the court has provided him with assistance.

If you are seated as a juror,

you'll be asked to disregard this disability

unless it is shown to have a direct bearing on the case.

Mr. Stella, whenever you're ready.

- Thank you, Your Honor.

Good morning.

I'm Charlie Stella, an assistant United States attorney.

I'll be asking some questions

about your backgrounds and experiences,

which may reflect on your ability

to sit as fair and impartial jurors.

- Mr. Davis, as a loan officer,

is it one of your responsibilities to handle foreclosures?

- It's part of my job.

How do you feel about that part of your job?

I mean, it must be difficult

putting people out of their homes.

- It doesn't trouble me.

A person should be responsible for his debts.

Thank you very much for coming, Mr. Davis.

You're excused.

- And what are your feelings

about capital punishment, Mr. Sanger?

- Objection, Your Honor.

Mr. Stella knows that capital punishment

isn't an option in the District of Columbia.

I'm sure that Mr. Sanger has a thoughtful opinion,

but it isn't germane.

I'll determine what's germane, Miss Riley.

- It's misleading, Your Honor.

My client is not facing the death penalty,

much less has he been convicted of any crime,

and we resent the implication.

Don't bring a rope unless you intend to use it, counselor.

Would Your Honor please instruct the prospective jurors?

- The death penalty is not an option

in the District of Columbia,

although some of us feel it should be.

We thank Your Honor for his consideration.

- Will you please answer, Mr. Sanger?

I think the punishment should fit the crime.

- Thank you, Mr. Sanger.

- Good morning, Mr. Sanger.

Mr. Sanger, you've stated

that you are a congressional advisor.

Is that another word for lobbyist?

- I don't know.

That's sort of like calling a lawyer a mouthpiece, isn't it?

- All right.

Who are you congressional advisor for?

- Agribusiness, mostly.

The United Milk Producers.

- Now, the lobbyists that I've known

are very persuasive people.

They could sell you just about anything.

I don't know, it's sort of un-American not to like milk.

- Unfortunately, I'm allergic to milk.

- I'm sorry.

- Mr. Sanger, are you from Washington?

- No, Wisconsin.

- And what brought you here?

- I was a legislative aide

for my home senator, Gaylord Nelson.

I was 21, anything was possible...

- Thank you.

- And you learn pretty quickly...

- Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Sanger.

Do you have faith in the American justice system?

- It seems to work.

And do you believe that a man is innocent

until proven guilty?

- Absolutely.

- And you've already stated that you feel

that the punishment should fit the crime.

- Yes.

- Would you turn around, Mr. Sanger?

- Excuse me? - Just turn around

and face the back of the courtroom, please.

Mr. Sanger, could you tell me what color my hair is?

- Brown.

Does my hair look brown to you?

- You asked me what color your hair was,

I thought you wanted the real color.

- You're very observant.

But appearances can be deceiving.

And sometimes circumstances make the truth

almost impossible to find.

As jurors you will be asked to keep an open mind,

to put aside your assumptions,

and to look for and find that truth.

- What if I'd said black?

- I ask the questions here.

How many challenges do I have left?

- One.

- Thank you for coming, Mr. Sanger.

- Does that mean I'm excused?

- No, it doesn't.

- What are you, an immigrant?

Nobody has jury duty.

Next you're gonna tell me you vote.

- Good evening, Mr. Sanger, Mr. Abbott.

- Well, hello, Marilyn.

- How are things, Eddie?

I haven't seen you around much.

- What do you want to drink, Eddie?

Stolichnaya vodka martini, straight, and three olives.

So, you working?

- Justice.

Third girl in the deputy attorney general's office.

- Paul Gray?

Type much?

- The job doesn't require much typing.

- Yeah. - Anyway, it's temporary.

Paul says he wants to groom me for management.

I wish I had a dollar for every promise.

Just once, I wish someone would say to me,

I can't help you out.

- Let's go.

The boy wonder. - Hi, Paul, how are you?

- Let's catch up sometime. - Yeah.

- Come on.

- Congressman.

- How's it look, Eddie?

- Well, it's down to the wire, sir.

- Call me if I can do anything.

- Oh, thank you.

Thank you very much.

Fuck him.

I called him three different times,

and he never returns my call.

- There's Comisky.

Maybe you should take another run at her.

- Grace.

- Hello, Eddie.

- You alone?

- I stayed in the office late,

and just stopped in to catch my breath, I'm beat.

- I'm out on my feet.

I've been up and down the Hill all day looking for votes.

Do you mind?

- Do you want a drink?

- No, it wouldn't have any effect anymore.

I've been nursing drinks

and listening to the sound of my own voice since 5:00.

- I know the feeling.

There's a vote coming up on a bill that I cosponsored.

It gives me a knot in my stomach like a fist.

Closer the vote, tighter the fist.

- Grabs me a little lower.

- How close is the vote?

- Let's see, if everything falls right,

we're still a handful short.

I never noticed that before, your eyes.

Sometimes they're blue, sometimes they're green.

- You're still a handful short.

I told you, my vote's not for sale.

- I can't help myself, Grace.

- It's a lovely thought anyway.

Nobody's mentioned my eyes in a long time.

- There's another stop.

- How much do I owe you?

- 7.50.

- Here, keep the change.

- It's cold out here.

Get some blankets.

- Michael, you are served. - Huh?

- His face was completely rearranged.

He spent half of the night in surgery.

By the time the police arrived, the assailant had fled.

That's why I need a continuance, Your Honor,

until this Michael John Guthridge can be apprehended.

I don't see any need for a continuance, Miss Riley.

The subject was served a subpoena.

He's required to appear or be in contempt of process.

- You've got to be joking.

I mean, there's not a chance in hell

that this man is going to voluntarily appear.

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

- I can sympathize with you, Miss Riley.

I was a trial attorney myself for a number of years,

at the mercy of witnesses.

But if we had to wait for every supposed witness,

the system would grind to a halt.

It could take weeks or months to locate this man.

And even then there's no guarantee that he'll testify,

or that he'd have anything to testify about.

In all fairness to my client, Your Honor,

I cannot present a complete defense without this witness.

- I'm sorry.

Your request for a continuance is denied.

Miss Riley?

Please don't try to contaminate the process

with any backdoor comments about this witness in open court.

How can I possibly contaminate this process?

Opening statements, Mr. Stella.

- Elizabeth Rose Quinn.

She was 24.

A clerk typist at the Justice Department.

She made $17,000 a year.

She was single.

She liked to play tennis.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Arlington.

She wasn't very important.

Especially in a city

that's full of so many important people.

She was just a decent, hardworking citizen.

And on the night of December 18th, a week before Christmas,

Carl Wayne Anderson, in cold blood cut her throat.

I've prosecuted 43 murder cases.

It's always a horror, it's always senseless.

But of the murder cases I have prosecuted,

this is the most horrible,

the most senseless, the most indefensible.

For $9.00.

$9.00.

$9.00, that's all she had.

Is this what we've become?

Is the value of human life so cheap?

Elizabeth worked late that night.

It was cold.

She was tired and anxious to get home.

She took the bus to the parking lot on K Street

where her car was.

That's as far as she got.

We will show that Carl Wayne Anderson

had been in that parking lot trying to break into cars.

He had been sleeping in Elizabeth's car

and a parking lot attendant had chased him away.

But he had come back.

And when he saw Elizabeth alone and defenseless,

he beat her, dragged her down to the river,

slit her throat and killed her.

This isn't the 11 o'clock news.

We can't just shake our heads,

go to bed and forget about it.

We have a responsibility to Elizabeth Rose Quinn.

She is, after all, too important.

- Miss Riley?

Carl Wayne Anderson is not a decent, hardworking citizen.

He is not a shining example of the American dream.

Carl Anderson is the American nightmare.

He's one of the nameless, faceless derelicts

that wander aimlessly through the streets of our country

every day by the thousands.

We step over them in doorways.

We cross the street

in order to avoid actually having to come into contact

with one of them.

We look at them with a mixture of pity

and contempt and fear.

And we choose not to see that under their ragged blankets

and their filthy clothes is a frightened,

lost human being just like you and me.

Carl Wayne Anderson was a soldier in Vietnam, not a hero,

just a dog soldier who believed in

and fought for his country.

And when he tried to regain his identity

and his self-respect in a veterans hospital

he contracted spinal meningitis, became deaf,

and suffered a traumatic speech loss.

We will show that Carl Anderson lived in a world

where $9.00 could mean the difference

between eating and starving to death.

- What the hell is going on?

They weren't supposed to vote till next week.

- They were getting ready to adjourn.

The leadership called for the vote.

- What's the count?

- We're on the button.

The right yes puts us over the top.

- No comment.

- Eddie, you lucked out.

Her committee chairman must have persuaded Comisky

to vote yes.

- That must have been it, congressman.

- Give me a call.

- Nice job, Eddie.

- Could you describe what you found?

- She'd been attacked from behind.

Her throat cut laterally across the larynx

and the carotid artery from left to right.

- And what kind of instrument caused this?

- A very thin, straight blade.

A razor, a knife.

- I'm showing you what's been marked as

Government Exhibit One for identification.

Have you seen this knife before?

- Yes, I was asked to do

a forensic examination of it.

And what were your conclusions?

- The width of the blade and its sharpness

were consistent with the deceased's wound.

I move Government Exhibit One in evidence.

- Without objection.

- Your witness.

- Before Miss Riley cross-examines,

we'll take a 15-minute recess.

You're excused, doctor.

- Excuse me.

Your Honor, may I have another look at that photograph?

- Objection, Your Honor.

This has become ghoulish beyond purpose.

- The juror is entitled

to a thorough examination of the evidence, counselor.

Overruled.

- Thank you.

- I'll remind the jury,

you're not to discuss this case with anyone.

- Okay, let's go.

Ms. Riley, there was just a call for you.

He wouldn't give me his name.

He left a number.

- Okay, thanks.

- Hello?

- Hi, this is Kathleen Riley.

- Yes, do you know if your client

is right or left-handed?

- Excuse me?

Do you know if Carl is right or left-handed?

- Who is this?

I noticed something, I was wondering if you did.

- I said, who is this?

Dr. Koleena, you examined Carl Anderson's knife, didn't you?

- Yes, I did.

- And what did you find?

- Some rust, a partial hair follicle,

and microscopic traces of human tissue.

And did you compare the tissue taken off of his knife

with Elizabeth Quinn's?

- Yes.

And would you tell the jury what your findings were?

- They were inconclusive.

Excuse me, Dr. Koleena, could you please speak up?

- They weren't conclusive.

- They weren't conclusive.

So, what you're saying is that you have no direct evidence

that this knife, Carl Anderson's knife,

was the weapon used to murder Elizabeth Rose Quinn.

No bone fragments, no tissue samples,

no traces of her blood.

- I don't know what we would have found.

The knife had recently been wiped cleaned.

- Excuse me, didn't you say a moment ago

that you found rust and a hair follicle

and some sort of tissue on this knife?

So, was it wiped clean or wasn't it wiped clean?

- It's more complicated than that.

There's a wide...

- No, no, it's not more complicated.

It's either a simple yes or no.

It was either cleaned or it wasn't clean.

- Objection!

Forensic pathology is an exact science.

Ms. Riley is making this sound like a cooking class.

- Excuse me?

- Objection sustained.

And dispense with your characterizations, Mr. Stella.

My apologies to the court and to counsel.

Thank you, Your Honor, but I don't want the jury left

with the impression that Mr. Anderson cleaned off his knife

to hide any incriminating evidence.

- Objection sustained.

Miss Riley, are you through with the witness?

- Yes, Your Honor, I am.

- Doctor, you're excused.

- Your Honor, one more question.

- Make up your mind, Miss Riley.

You've said that the wound was left to right.

- That's correct.

The entry wound was left of median

and the exit wound right of median.

- Entrance here, exit here.

- That's correct.

Could you step down for a moment, Dr. Koleena?

- Objection.

- What is the point of this?

- I need to make a clarification.

- I'll overrule the objection.

Doctor, will you please step down?

- Now, Dr. Koleena, I'm right-handed,

so, could I assume that it would be a natural motion for me

to cut you this way?

- Yes.

- And if I were left-handed,

that would be an unnatural motion?

- Yes, you would cut right to left.

- Thank you very much.

I have no further questions, Your Honor.

- You're excused, doctor.

- Carl?

- Objection, Your Honor.

- One more stunt like that, counselor,

and I'll slap you with a contempt citation so fast,

you won't know what hit you.

- Mr. Sanger, don't ever do that again.

- Hey, wait a minute.

I'm not allowed to talk to you, Mr. Sanger.

The least you could do is thank me, counselor.

- Thank you?

What I should do is go to the judge

and have you thrown off this panel.

Nobody twisted your arm to use that information.

I was just trying to help.

- I didn't ask for your help. - Hi, Kathleen.

- Hi.

Oh, well, you're not the one on trial, Miss Riley.

I mean, I thought the whole idea was to find the truth.

I guess I got the wrong idea

about justice. - Don't hustle me, okay?

You can save that bullshit

for your friends up on Capitol Hill.

Well, we all know that you're just brimming over

with integrity, Miss Riley.

Who the fuck are you to preach to me about mine?

If you really wanna be helpful, leave me alone.

Jury tampering is a felony.

- Well, you haven't tampered with me, yet.

- And I don't intend to.

- But you wanna win, don't you?

- Look, this is not a game.

A man's life is at stake here.

Of course, I wanna win.

But I draw the line at certain things.

Obviously, you never draw the line.

- I change it all the time.

Hey, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I thought you were allergic to milk.

- I lied.

- Did he kill her?

- That's your problem.

- We got to write 'em down every two hours

to see how long they been here.

You'd be surprised the number of people

tryin' to beat you outta couple of bucks

tellin' you they lost their ticket.

- That's a nine, you wrote an eight.

See, it's a nine. - I mix 'em up sometimes

when I'm in a hurry, all right?

You say you got somethin' to do with the trial?

- A friend of the court.

Yeah, I got me a subpoena, I'm supposed to testify.

You ain't no lawyer?

- No.

They should send a shitload of 'em back to Beantown.

It was slow that night.

- KBG 622.

There couldn't have been more than 10, 15 cars in the lot.

She was parked down on the end, the white Honda.

The city's supposed to pick it up for impound,

but you know they take their sweet-ass time.

So, the bearded mother.

The bum? - Yeah.

He been hangin' around off and on most of the night.

Let me tell you somethin'.

I got a case of trouble with them people.

He's roamin' around tryin' to find a car that wasn't locked.

He crawled right into that woman's car and went to sleep.

I ran his ratty ass outta there.

The bus dropped her off a little after midnight,

and I saw him, you know, hanging around again,

but it was too fuckin' cold to go out and mess with him.

And I remember thinkin',

It's kinda strange she didn't just drive right out.

Then my girl called and we got into it, you know,

and I just forgot about her.

The bum iced her right around then.

- Did you see anybody else?

- No, nobody to speak of.

Man, we get cars in and out of here all the time.

And I slept some, you know?

I mean, they don't pay me enough

to freeze my jones off and stay awake, too.

You know what I'm saying? - Yeah.

The list, you know, with the license plate numbers on it?

The one of that night, you have that?

- Yeah, I got a copy if you want it.

Might as well keep it, man.

I don't know why they save this bull for anyway.

Oh, shit.

How long you gonna be?

- Thanks!

Excuse me, ma'am?

Where did you get that?

- Over there.

- Could I ask you when you found it?

- For Christmas.

- Would you sell it?

- It isn't for sale.

I'll trade for it.

- What do you want?

- Your shoes.

- My shoes.

- And your socks.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

- Hello?

- I have to talk to you.

- I can't hear you.

- I have to talk to you.

I'll meet you at the Federal Triangle station.

- Who is this?

I'll meet you in five minutes, be there.

Mr. Sanger, I told you to stay away from me.

Michael?

What do you think you're doing here?

- If I had said it was me,

you wouldn't have come, now, would you?

- You're right.

- Right, hold, wait a minute.

Wait just a minute, all right?

A bag lady found this down by the river

where Elizabeth was killed.

- What are you, a detective now?

- I'm an amateur, I know, but look at it.

The presidential seal's on it.

It's got the president's signature

on the back of it. - So what?

You know you can buy this at any gift store?

Here. - No.

Not one of these, you can't, it's solid gold, huh?

The president gives them out as special gifts.

Senators, cabinet members, big donors, some lobbyists.

Look, the river is filled with this kind of garbage, okay?

Half the city washes up there, what does it prove?

- That's your problem, counselor.

Hey, get some sleep, okay?

You look tired.

- God is angry with the wicked.

Why did you send the black devil for me?

- Because Carl...

- Carl has already been judged.

The mighty hand struck him deaf and dumb.

- Okay.

- Only the Lord Jesus can take a soul.

I saw the angel of death.

I watched her die.

I saw her spirit leave her body.

She gave me a message from the Almighty.

A key to the Kingdom.

The innocent shall know the glory of heaven.

- Stop it, asshole.

Oh, god.

- This is probably gonna burn.

- Okay, all right.

God!

Let me sit down.

All right, if you feel like you're gonna faint,

just put your head between your knees, okay?

- You think it'll leave a scar?

- I don't know.

Could you sit still?

- It hurts, damn it.

- Well, I'm sorry.

It shouldn't hurt that much.

- Oh, yeah? Well, it... - Hold on, hold on.

- You got a piece right here.

- I know, I know, I know.

- Ow, it hurts, damn it! - You're such a baby.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

He got me, didn't he?

- You know, you're lucky that you had

your jacket and your sweater on.

- Yeah, I feel real lucky.

- All right.

Maybe you're not as big an asshole as I thought you were.

All right, it's a little better.

Good night.

You know, I know that people have no values today.

Psychiatrists sleep with their patients,

lawyers sleep with their clients

professors sleep with their students.

You know, I'm no angel.

But I'm having a really hard time just, you know,

pretending like it's business as usual.

- Don't make a scene. - All right.

Are you trying to get me disbarred?

- Just listen to me a minute, all right?

The president gave away 30 pairs of cuff links

as Christmas presents, they went out on the 15th.

He gave a set to Deputy Attorney General Paul Gray.

Now, I know a girl who works in his office,

and she told me that he brought up a couple of girls

from clerical working nights.

And one of them was Elizabeth Quinn.

- So, what are you saying?

Just because she happened to work for him, he killed her?

- I need the cuff link.

- Fuck the cuff link.

What you're asking me to do is absolutely illegal.

Look, you're gonna let your client just fry

because you wanna play by the rules, huh?

- No, I would do anything for my client.

I'm the only chance he has, but I'm not gonna break the law.

- All right.

If he did it, I'm gonna vote guilty.

But if he's innocent, I don't want that on my conscience.

- Ms. Riley?

I wanna see you in my chambers.

- Now? - Now.

Have a seat, Miss Riley.

I saw you in the parking lot the other day.

I had the impression

you were talking with one of the jurors.

Have you had contact with a juror on this trial?

- No.

- I'll have to take you at your word.

I'm very disappointed in you, Miss Riley.

I had heard good things about you.

But your cross has been weak

and your behavior in this courtroom has been unprofessional.

- Well, I'm frustrated, Your Honor,

because I have no character witnesses

and I have no one to corroborate my client's story.

Now I have no material witness,

so I desperately need a continuance.

Come on, Miss Riley, we've been through this already,

you know how I feel about that.

But Your Honor, last night Michael John Guthridge

contacted me and he said things that convinced me that

if he isn't the real suspect, then he saw who is.

And you think he'll be able to identify the killer?

- Yes, I do.

Why is it whenever defense is in trouble,

there always seems to be a real suspect?

I would genuinely like to help you, Miss Riley,

but I think it would be imprudent of me

to grant a continuance just because your case is weak.

Your dedication is commendable.

But don't be tempted to sacrifice your integrity.

Because I warn you, Miss Riley,

if I find any evidence of collusion,

I'll have you disbarred and charged with jury tampering.

- Thank you all very much for coming.

Thank you.

Oh, Eddie Wonder.

- Have you a minute, sir?

- What's this sir shit, Eddie?

You never showed me any respect when I was on the Hill.

- Well, you weren't a sir then.

- Good afternoon, Mr. Gray.

From where I sit, you have to be very discreet.

Come on, Paul, discretion was never your best position.

- I hear you've taken up my slack.

- Well, you know what they say.

You can't measure a live snake, huh?

A friend of mine was at a party the other night.

He runs down by the Potomac, he's a jogger, he found this.

I remember you wearing a pair of them at the reception,

and it's not something that you wanna lose.

I thought maybe you weren't discreet enough.

I didn't want it to come back to haunt you.

I haven't lost one that I know of, Eddie,

but I appreciate your concern.

Whoever did lose it might not want it to be found.

Asking people about it isn't such a bright idea, Eddie.

It's a good way to make enemies.

And this is a bad place to have enemies.

- Paul, you were the one who told me

that everybody's your enemy.

It just isn't very smart to go looking for them.

- Maybe you're right.

- Oh, Eddie?

Let's see that again.

I'll take a look at home, maybe it is mine.

You don't need it for anything, do you?

- What am I gonna do with it?

- Detective Purcell, you've already stated

in earlier testimony that homicides are usually committed

by the most obvious suspect.

That's the way it usually falls.

And we will agree with your logical assumption

that Mr. Anderson was the most obvious suspect.

- With the evidence and my experience,

it was more than just an assumption, counselor.

Your experience is impressive indeed, Detective Purcell.

But isn't it true, in the American justice system,

that the police do not determine

the guilt or the innocence of a man?

- Yes, that's true.

- And did you know

from the Justice Department's own research,

at least 343 innocent people have been convicted

of capital crimes? - Objection.

25 of them have been executed and later found

to be innocent. - Objection.

I imagine that they were the most obvious suspects too.

- Miss Riley, that's enough of that.

This is a cross-examination of a witness

not an indictment of the criminal justice system.

- Your Honor, I'm only trying to show

that the police department is not infallible,

none of us are.

- Counselor, approach the bench.

Mr. Stella?

I remind the jury to deal with the facts of this case

and not with the defense's rhetoric.

Sir, would you step down, please?

Miss Riley, either you argue the merits of this case

or I'll excuse the witness.

Do you understand?

- What was that about a rope, counselor?

Detective Purcell, would you say

that we have an abnormally large population of homeless?

- Yes, I would.

- I see them across the street

from the White House in Lafayette Square.

Well, we've cleared most of them out of there.

It just doesn't look good.

- Anywhere else?

- Yes, Union Station.

We've got a real problem down there.

- Objection.

This is all fascinating,

but where's the defense going with this?

I'm gonna allow her to continue, counselor.

I'm interested in seeing where she's going with this myself.

- Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, you said Union Station.

I take the train from time to time

and I've never seen any homeless people there.

Well, counselor, you really have to look.

Now, we've cleared most of them out of the station.

So, now, they use the old Railway Express building.

- Hello.

I'm looking for somebody.

- Man, who do you want?

- I'm looking for a man.

Hi.

He's got a tattoo on his hand, it's a cross,

it says Jesus the Savior.

Do you know who I'm talking about?

- What's the matter?

- I've asked for a delay

in the start of the proceedings this morning.

I just received word that a man found murdered

at Union Station this morning has been identified

as Michael John Guthridge.

- Well, Your Honor,

then I would like to ask for a continuance

until the police can ascertain

if his murder is related to this case.

- I'm inclined to agree with you.

Counselor?

Your Honor, I don't think that a decision should be made

on a continuance until more information is made available.

I would propose we press on.

- I wanna give this proper consideration.

We'll continue with the proceedings

and I'll make my decision known by the end of the court day.

- All right.

- Bring in the defendant, call the jury.

- Don't, ow!

I'm sorry, Your Honor, this won't happen again.

- The defendant will have his hands cuffed

during the rest of the proceedings.

- Your Honor, please don't do this to me.

Your client has done it for you, counselor.

Miss Riley, call your first witness.

Your Honor, we call Dr. Alan Alpert to the stand.

- Call Dr. Alan Alpert.

Raise your right hand, please.

Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

- I do.

- You may be seated.

Dr. Alpert, you are a professor of sociology

at Maryland University, is that correct?

- Yes.

And what is your field of expertise?

- Transient behavior.

- Excuse me, counselor.

The president has announced his nomination

for D.C. Circuit Court.

I've been asked to come to the White House.

This court will stand adjourned

until tomorrow morning at 9:30.

- Your Honor?

Your Honor, what about my continuance?

A juror must have left this glove.

- This is where she worked.

My friend said Elizabeth Quinn's section

was putting everything on computer disks.

All the case transcripts.

- Okay.

Hey, what are you doing on this floor?

- 14th is secure.

I thought I could help up here.

- I was the last officer,

I already done it.

Come on, get up to the 16th floor

where you're supposed to be.

- Eddie.

Shit.

- What did you expect?

Something was in there, and Elizabeth Quinn found it.

And I'm gonna find it

if I have to read every goddamn transcript

from every case in 1968.

- How many cases?

- Over 100.

You know, Paul Gray started out as a federal prosecutor.

- He ever work here?

- I don't know.

- All right, just hold on.

Morty said that Paul Gray prosecuted here in the late '60s.

- Bingo.

- So, what we do is

tomorrow we go through the cases he prosecuted first.

- Can you get home from here?

- Yeah, I just take the metro.

- I'm the other way.

- All right.

Eddie?

- What?

- Never mind.

I've read eight cases that Paul Gray prosecuted.

There's nothing unusual about any of them.

Eddie?

Supreme Court Justice Lowell

was a presiding judge on two of the cases.

- When did he kill himself?

- December, before Christmas.

- Mm-hm.

What's the connection?

- See if you can find me 287.

What are you doing here?

- I had no place to go.

I had a friend of mine checking those license numbers

to see if any names came up.

Nothing, just names.

413927, Spencer Lewis.

CAN 412, Andrea Duncan, that's a Maryland plate.

I mean, I know them all by heart.

- I don't care.

- What do you mean you don't care?

- I mean I don't care.

I'm tired and I don't care, good night.

- Well, fuck you, too, good night.

Hey, I don't deserve this.

- Look, I don't owe you anything.

I don't owe anybody anything.

I'm busting my ass for some creep who's probably guilty.

- Guilty? - Yeah, that's right, guilty.

And it's not that complicated.

He was hungry, he needed the money,

he saw a woman and he killed her.

- What about Michael with his throat slit?

Coincidence? - Another sick bastard.

- What about the files?

What about Paul Gray? - It's all bullshit!

- You don't believe that!

- Look, I'm tired, okay?

I want you to go, now.

- Good night.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my responsibility as a jurist

to ensure that these proceedings

maintain the highest standards of integrity.

It has come to my attention that there's the possibility

that these standards are being compromised.

To ensure this doesn't happen,

I'm gonna sequester the jury

for the remainder of this trial.

I remind you of your solemn oath to remain impartial,

to weigh the evidence, and independently,

to render a verdict of your conscience.

You'll be made as comfortable as possible,

under the circumstances

and I thank you for your perseverance.

And counsel, I expect you both to be the models of propriety

for the remainder of this proceeding.

Your Honor, the defense calls Carl Wayne Anderson.

The marshal may remove Mr. Anderson's handcuffs.

Mr. Anderson's hands can be free while he testifies,

so long as he doesn't abuse the privilege.

- Thank you, Your Honor.

- Please raise your right hand.

Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth,

so help you God?

For the record, the witness indicated his assent.

- You may be seated.

Please state your full name and address.

- Carl.

Wayne.

Anderson.

- Your address?

- None.

- We need a home address, Your Honor.

Make it in care of me, the public defender's office.

- Without objection.

Mr. Anderson, have you ever killed anyone?

Yes.

- Why?

I'm not sure.

You killed someone and you're not sure why?

I was in Vietnam, I was 19.

- So, you were a soldier.

It was your job to kill.

You did your job, you didn't need a reason.

Carl, do you think you needed a reason?

- Yes.

- The fact is, it upset you so much

that you had a breakdown.

You were discharged from the Army for psychiatric reasons

and you spent six years in a veterans hospital.

All because you were a good soldier

who thought he needed a reason to kill.

Carl, what were your dreams?

Your dreams, you know, when you were young,

what did you wanna be?

- A carpenter.

And build my own house.

- And were you ever in love?

- I loved Caroline.

- Who is Caroline?

- My wife.

And did you and Caroline plan to have children?

- We talked about it.

- And what happened?

- We were divorced.

- Why?

- After the sickness, I had nothing left

to offer her.

- It's been rough.

You've had your share of problems.

You've been kicked around pretty good.

Are we supposed to feel sorry for you?

Plenty of people have problems.

Plenty of people get kicked around.

You know the difference between you and them?

They still have their dignity.

They don't sleep in the gutter.

They don't eat out of garbage cans.

They don't urinate on people's lawns.

They take showers, they change their clothes.

They don't walk around feeling sorry for themselves.

They get married, they have children.

They take responsibility for their life.

They don't sleep in other people's cars.

And they don't steal $9.00 from anyone!

Did you kill Elizabeth Rose Quinn?

Your witness.

- That was a wonderful performance.

The man shouldn't be on trial, he should be given a medal.

You were discharged from the Army

for psychiatric reasons, is that right?

- Yes.

Did you beat your superior officer with a shovel

because he asked you to dig a trench?

Was that one of the reasons?

- Yes.

Violence seems to follow you wherever you go.

- Objection, Your Honor.

- Sustained.

- Were you arrested in 1978

for assaulting a congressional aide on Constitution Avenue?

- Yes.

And were you in the District of Columbia jail

for six months for beating a man?

- He stole my shoes.

And did you punch your own attorney in the face when she...

Objection, Your Honor, that's privileged.

- I'll withdraw the question.

You were in the parking lot on K Street

the night of December 18th?

- Yes.

And you did break into Elizabeth Quinn's car?

- It was cold. - Just yes or no, please.

Your counsel has given us enough explanation.

- Objection, Your Honor.

- Could we proceed?

- Did the parking lot attendant

throw you off the lot?

- Yes.

But you came back, just before midnight?

- Yes.

And you attacked Elizabeth Quinn there

and dragged her down to the river?

- No.

- You were at the Potomac River

after midnight, weren't you?

- I was looking for wood...

- Just yes or no, please.

- Yes.

- Elizabeth was there, you were there.

Her purse was stolen, you had her purse.

Her throat was cut, you had a knife.

Those are the naked facts.

- Objection, Your Honor.

Perhaps Mr. Stella would like to wait

till the end of the proceedings

to make his closing argument.

- Sustained.

- Ms. Riley has the gift of speech.

I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

How did you expect us to believe you didn't kill her?

No further questions at this time, Your Honor.

Hey, lady, what do you think you're doing?

- I was her friend.

- Miss Riley.

I'm sorry to bother you at home, Your Honor.

- That's perfectly all right,

although this is highly irregular.

- I know, but I have evidence that will,

if not prove my client innocent,

at least necessitate a mistrial.

- Excuse me, Matthew.

May I use your phone?

Deputy Attorney General Paul Gray, Miss Kathleen Riley.

Miss Riley is the public defender

in the Elizabeth Quinn trial.

- Miss Quinn worked in my department.

I've been following the trial with great interest.

- Miss Riley feels she has evidence

which will exculpate her client.

- Oh.

The phone?

- Oh, yes, there's one in the study.

- Oh, no, don't bother, Matthew.

Nice to meet you, Ms. Riley.

- Yes, what is this evidence?

Your Honor, I feel that I've behaved rashly,

and I should present the evidence properly

tomorrow in court.

- This is somewhat erratic, isn't it?

- I'm sorry, Your Honor.

I've been under tremendous strain lately.

- This behavior is bordering

on professional misconduct, Miss Riley.

- Matthew?

I'm sorry, there's a problem I have to take care of.

My regards to your wife, thanks for a lovely evening.

- Let me show you out.

- Don't bother.

This is Justice Charles F. Lowell.

For 20 years I've lived with this burden,

always expecting exposure from a law student,

a legal scholar, or a colleague.

Elizabeth Rose Quinn, a clerk at the Justice Department,

unfamiliar with the law,

recognized the injustice of the decision

in United States versus Cook and came to me.

More than the fear of exposure,

I've had to live with myself.

It's a terrible price to pay for ambition.

In 1968, while I was the presiding judge on the case of

United States versus Cook in the Federal Court,

Washington District, I conspired to fix the case.

I accepted a bribe.

In exchange for an appointment

to a seat on the United States Circuit Court,

I dismissed all charges of vote fraud

against a politically influential defendant.

Miss Quinn has contacted the others that were involved.

I leave them to their consciences.

I will make my peace somewhere else.

I have asked Elizabeth Quinn

to make this public after my death.

This is my last small measure of justice.

- To fix a case,

you've got to have a judge who's willing to go along.

You've got to have a very influential defendant,

a politic defense attorney, and a corrupt prosecutor.

- United States versus Cook.

That must be one of the cases I didn't get to.

But I'll be willing to bet you

that Paul Gray was the prosecuting attorney.

- You realize that you're accusing

the deputy attorney general of the United States of murder.

- I had the federal supplement here.

I must have left it at the courthouse.

I'll see you.

- Hey, what's going on?

- It's the fire alarm.

- Is this the fire alarm or what?

- Is this for real?

- Ma'am, close the door, please.

Please.

Stay together.

It's just a fire alarm.

- Is this the public defender's office?

- Yes.

- Is Kathleen Riley there?

She's gone over to the courthouse,

but she'll be back shortly, can I take a message?

- Uh, would you, uh.

Never mind, thank you.

- Kathleen!

It's all right.

- All rise.

The court for the District of Columbia is now in session.

The Honorable Judge Matthew Bishop Helms presiding.

Please be seated and come to order.

The court calls forward the matter

of the United States versus Carl Wayne Anderson.

- We were gonna begin redirect.

- The defense has no redirect.

- Mr. Gray?

- Defense called me to appear, Your Honor.

- I wasn't aware of any subpoena.

I've come under advisement of counsel on my own volition.

To hear charges.

We would like to thank the deputy attorney general

for his compliance.

- Miss Riley, approach the bench.

Why wasn't I informed of this?

- The defense has the prerogative

to call witnesses vital to their case.

- Don't lecture me on the law, Miss Riley.

- I'm sorry.

- Do you have any other witnesses,

Miss Riley? - Yes, I do.

- Are they present, Miss Riley?

- Yes, they are. - You may call

your first witness. - Thank you.

Your Honor, we call Your Honor to the stand.

- What's the meaning of this?

I can't be called to the stand.

You have knowledge that is vital to our case.

- Counselor, approach the bench.

If necessary, I will have a subpoena issued

to compel you to testify.

- Counselor, approach the bench

or I'll fine you in contempt of court.

I cannot be compelled to testify.

You are not above the law, Mr. Helms!

- If you persist in this behavior,

I'll be forced to call a mistrial.

Mr. Helms, were you the federal prosecutor

on the United States versus Cook trial in 1968?

- This trial is a mistrial.

- And did you conspire with the then

District Court Judge Charles F. Lowell

to dismiss that case in exchange

for his appointment to a higher court

and your appointment to the seat you now hold?

You're in contempt of court, Miss Riley.

Did you wait 17 years while lesser men passed you by?

17 years watching lesser men

get appointments to a higher court.

- I'll have you disbarred! - And then when your day

finally came, an appointment to the Circuit Court,

a heart beat away from the Supreme Court,

did your past rise up to haunt you?

And did you strike it down and kill it?

- Remove Miss Riley from the court.

- Did you willfully plan

and murder Elizabeth Rose Quinn

when she approached you with your past?

- Remove Miss Riley from this court!

Miss Riley, you're in contempt of court!

I'll have you disbarred!

Remove Miss Riley from this court!

- Was your car... - Remove Miss Riley

from this court! - License number 6F9587

in the parking lot on K Street

on the night of December the 18th?

And did you wait

and when Elizabeth Quinn arrived at her car,

did you beat her, drag her down to the river,

and savagely cut her throat?

I have filed charges

with the District of Columbia Police Department

for the arrest of Matthew Bishop Helms

for murder in the first degree.

- Congratulations, Kathleen.

- Thanks.

- All of a sudden I have nothing to do.

- I have to be in court in an hour.

- A guy on the jury was a jeweler.

I had him check out that cuff link.

It turned out to be gold-plated.

Just garbage.

- I know, I told you so.

- Yeah, I thought you would say that.

What can we do for an hour?

- Leave the door open.

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