All language subtitles for Close To Home S01E06 Parents on Trial 1080p WEB-DL AAC2 0 H 264-squalor_track3_[eng]

[Intense music]

[Indistinct song]

[Intense music]

♪ All night long we'll go whoa ♪

♪ we can spend
this night together ♪

♪ yeah maybe now and forever ♪

♪ we should spend this
night together yeah ♪

♪ girl ♪

♪ babe I wanna take you
home with me every day ♪

[Indistinct chatter]

♪ If you promise
me you'll say I do ♪

♪ right away now ♪

♪ don't think now ♪

[Indistinct chatter]

♪ All night long.. ♪

♪ Whoa we can spend
this night together yeah.. ♪♪

Mom?

Bailey?

Get back to bed.

Way too late for you, buddy.

[Indistinct chatter]

[Intense music]

[Thunder rumbling]

Bailey, time to get up.

Bailey?

Bailey?

[Music continues]

- What's going on?
- I can't find Bailey.

- Bailey! Bailey?
- 'Bailey!'

- 'Bailey!'
- Bailey, honey?

- 'Hey, buddy!'
- Bailey?

(Man on phone) 911,
what's your emergency?

Uh, my son is missing, he
wasn't in his bed this morning.

(Man on phone) 'Alright, take a
deep breath. What's your son's name?'

Bailey. He's only six years old.

(Man on phone) 'How long
has Bailey been missing?'

- Bailey?
- 'I don't know.'

we had a party last night

and, uh, we went
to bed around 2:00

'and he's, he's
gone this morning.'

(man on phone) 'Ma'am,
can you describe your son?'

he's a kindergartner, he
weighs about 51 pounds.

God.

His blanket is outside, oh!

Oh, god, we've
looked everywhere.

Will you send somebody, please?

[Sirens wailing]

[Indistinct radio chatter]

[Thunder rumbling]

[Instrumental music]

[Indistinct chatter]

(Rick) 'We just want Bailey
back home with us, that's all.'

if anyone has any
information about our son

'please, please call.'

detective drummer.

You can't accuse
the prosecutor's office

of being slow to respond.

I live in the next
subdivision over.

And a kid goes missing..

I just stopped by to find
out how things were going.

Bailey was last
seen when his father

put him to bed a
little before midnight.

Mother woke up, reported the
kid missing, 8:27 this morning.

Just make sure that you
have control of the crime scene.

I don't want this turning into
a Jon benet Ramsey situation.

Well, that's not
gonna happen, Steve.

I'd love to put the
dogs on this, but..

They can't pick up
a scent in this rain.

- Take care.
- Alright.

[Dramatic music]

- Morning, Maureen.
- Morning.

Steve wants to
see us in his office.

- Did they find that little boy?
- No.

But detectives just brought
his parents in for questioning.

Based on what?

They found the boy's
blood in the backseat

of the dad's car on the same
day he was reported missing.

Same dad who's been
pleading for his son's safe return

all over the news?

That would be the one.

How much blood did they find?

Just trace amounts, but
enough to bring him downtown.

So there's still a chance
the boy might be alive.

Well, there's always a chance

but apparently, the
dad has a record.

What?

Drugs, duis and a bar
fight, back in the day.

What about the mom?
What's her story?

She could be involved in
her son's disappearance.

It's doubtful, but
there's always a chance.

Of course, there's
always a chance

both she and her
husband are innocent.

They must be going
out of their minds.

I want you to monitor Mr. and
Mrs. Ericson's interrogations.

You take the dad,
you take the mom.

- Why do I always get the mom?
- Go figure.

Just make sure our friends in
blue follow proper procedures.

I'm already more
than a little concerned

they've contaminated
the crime scene.

Lights and cameras
tend to have that effect.

Yeah, the da is gonna
wanna be updated

every few hours, so
keep me informed.

Okay.

And, ladies, that
kid's life is on the line

so follow the rule book.

- Understood?
- Understood.

[Intense music]

- What do you have, detective?
- Huh!

My guys have gone through
all of the ericson's house.

We found no
evidence of a struggle

no signs of a forced entry.

Whoever took this
little boy knew him.

Why would the ericsons
kidnap their own child?

- That doesn't even make sense.
- Lou, he's just six years old.

A stranger could have
taken him without a struggle.

Well, if someone grabs a
kid, or, god forbid, kills him

70% of the time
it's a family member.

Was there a custody dispute
or step-parent involved?

No, but we found Bailey's blood

in the backseat
of his father's car.

Now, he's trying
to explain it away as

the boy gets nosebleeds,
but I don't buy it.

You think his wife
is protecting him?

Maybe, there's just too many
inconsistencies in his timeline.

If you want us to
bring up charges

we need three basic
things on the menu

means, motive and opportunity.

And some physical
evidence that can't be

explained away
wouldn't hurt a thing.

Well, I don't think I know
Mr. Ericson's motive quite yet

but I think I can serve
up means and opportunity.

Go for it. I'll
question the wife.

(Lou) 'Rick, I know this
must be a nightmare for you'

and I wanna believe
everything that you've told us

but to be honest..

I had my doubts after
detective showed me your file.

Three arrests for drug use,
two duis, and a bar fight.

That was almost ten years ago.

Alright, I took a wrong
turn out of college.

That's got nothing to
do with Bailey, my wife

or anything else that's
happening right now.

What bothers me is why you lied

to the police in
your initial statement.

Y-You said that you
were home all night, Rick.

But we interviewed a
dozen different guests

that were at your party
and they all said that

you disappeared around midnight.

I told you before.

I walked a friend home
who had too much to drink.

Compared to the fact
that my son was missing

it didn't seem too important to
me when I spoke to the police.

Uh-huh.

It's my-my neighbor
Karla, okay, you can ask her

what happened, she'll
tell you everything.

Yeah, well, uh, how long did
it take you to walk her home?

I didn't look at my watch.

Your wife said that you got
home past 1:00 in the morning.

That's a long walk
across the street.

Karla was loaded, alright?
She wouldn't stop talking.

I made some coffee

I gave her some aspirin
and I got out of there.

And where was
Bailey during this time?

He got up during the party.

I put him back to bed right
before I walked Karla home.

Well, what you're
telling us is that

you were the last
person to see him.

Mr. Ericson, if you have
any idea where Bailey is

you would be doing yourself

a big favor in the eyes
of the court if you would...

Look, don't you think
that I would tell you

if I knew where he was?

For god sake, I would do
anything I could to find him.

I haven't asked for a lawyer.

I've tried to answer
all your questions.

God knows I've done everything

I could think of to
find him, alright?

So stop treating me
like I'm a suspect.

Just find my little boy.

Why are you questioning Rick?

The police just want
to rule him out, that's all.

This is crazy.

Your husband said he walked
a friend home from your party.

- Karla?
- 'Yes.'

she's like part of the family.

Ever since she and
her husband split up

she practically
lives at our house.

Do you remember how
long Rick was gone?

I know he came home
around 1:00, 1:30.

He helped me load the
dishwasher before we went to bed.

Your statement says that

Bailey's bedroom door
was closed after the party

and you didn't check
on his whereabouts

until 8:27 the next morning.

I just.. I didn't
want to wake him.

You know, he'd
been up so late...

And your husband didn't
check on Bailey either?

No.

Mrs. Ericson, I know this
is difficult, but I have to ask.

Were you and your husband
having problems in your marriage?

No.

[Scoffs]

Seven months from
now Bailey's gonna

have a baby brother or sister.

Rick and I are expecting,
which just makes this all more..

Do you have children?

A daughter.

How old is she?

Six months.

[Chuckles] You spend
all this time telling them to..

Brush their teeth
and tie their shoelaces

and so little time telling them
the stuff that really matters.

[Intense music]

[Indistinct chatter]

(Maureen) Karla Miller
lives across the street.

So let's Rick the
benefit of the doubt

and say it takes 15 minutes to
get her safely inside her door.

Well, the question is, why
did he lie to begin with?

And what was he doing
those 45 minutes to an hour

'that he can't account for?'

he said he was with
Karla the entire time.

His wife backs him
up, she's credible

and she's not
concerned about that

hour her husband
was unaccounted for.

A shaky timeline, a little blood
evidence is not a slam dunk.

We need to talk to Karla,
and we need to find Bailey.

Well, we can get the
canine unit back out

but it's less than
a 50-50 chance

that the dogs would be
able to pick up anything

after that rain we've had.

- I'll take those odds.
- 'Uh, will you question Karla?'

I'm gonna start running
background checks

on all their party guests and
cross-checking their statements.

Great, thanks.

[Instrumental music]

(Karla) Are there
any leads on Bailey?

Oh, not yet.

Were you at the ericsons'
party the other night?

Yes, and I had a whopping
hangover to show for it.

- Rick walk you home?
- Yes, he did.

I started to get sick, I didn't
want to embarrass myself

in front of the
whole neighborhood

so I stepped out
to get air, but..

Uh, if it weren't for Rick

I probably never would
have made it across the street.

How long was Rick here?

I think he might
have made coffee.

Uh, all I know is I woke
up the next morning

despising myself.

Then all hell broke loose
when they couldn't find Bailey.

(Annabeth) 'How long have
you known Rick and Jodie?'

my ex-husband and
I started to hang out

with them right after they
moved in a few years ago.

Rick was always throwing
parties and having cookouts, and..

They-they were
just fun to be with.

What was the nature of
your relationship with Rick?

Rick is married, and
Jodie is my friend.

How are they holding up?

Uh, about as well
as can be expected.

If you can, please let them
know my prayers are with them.

[Indistinct chatter]

Okay, that was weird.

She didn't exactly say she
wasn't involved with Rick.

Well, I don't know too many
guys that'd walk a woman like that

home after a few beers
and not get tempted.

You thinking he lied about his
timeline to cover up an affair?

I'm thinking it's possible.

'Hm, maybe the rain's not
such a hindrance after all, huh?'

my money says he goes west

toward that clearing
down the road.

(Man #1) 'Over here.'

[dog barking]

Get him, boy. Come on.

It's locked.

[Dramatic music]

[Barking]

Ugh!

He's dead.

[Dramatic music]

I would never hurt Bailey.

No, you just put him in a
trunk and suffocated him.

Did you suffocate him first
before you put him in the trunk?

- I loved Bailey.
- Then what happened?

Karla, a six year old
doesn't get out of his bed

in the middle of the night
and accidentally find his way

to the trunk of
a neighbor's car.

[Sighs] Annabeth, detective

now, you've heard all you're
gonna hear from my client.

You wanna talk charges, fine,
but this interrogation is over.

A child is dead,
I think your client

would wanna cooperate in
every way possible, Doug.

Sure, as long as it doesn't

involve answering
any more questions.

That's fine, that's
fine, we'll just wait

for the forensics
from Karla's house.

I'm sure that'll tell us plenty.

[Intense music]

Well, all the physical
evidence points to Karla Miller.

The prints, hair, fiber,
they all come back to her.

Are you certain she acted alone?

There's only two sets
of prints on the car trunk

her's and the victim's.

Now, the handprints
on the inside of the trunk

and traces of
paint under his nails

indicates that the
kid tried to escape.

Oh, he must have been
horrified locked up in the dark.

Do you think they will ever
pass mandatory release levers

for the inside of trunks?

I wish.

I take it Mr. Ericson's
no longer a suspect?

No, we sent him home.

Why did she abduct the
boy? Why did she kill him?

What did Karla want?

Money, attention, revenge.

Dme said she didn't hurt him.

No sign of trauma, no
bruises, no scratches.

What if Karla wanted
to hurt someone

but it wasn't Bailey?
It was his father.

(Maureen) 'A lover's quarrel
results in a kidnapping'

and murder of an innocent child?

People have killed
for a hell of a lot less.

If Karla and Rick
were having an affair

she might've seen
Bailey as an obstacle.

Maureen, you talk to
Mr. and Mrs. Ericson

suss out their
relationship with Karla.

We need to either rule in
this affair motive or dismiss it.

And, annabeth, I want
you to take point on Karla.

Research her
finances, her divorce

her work history, everything.

Okay. Lou, have your
guys canvass the neighbors

find out if Karla was harboring
a grudge against these people.

Also, she's got a for sale
sign in front of her house.

- Where's she moving to?
- I'll hunt down a realtor.

See if you can hunt me down
a motive while you're at it.

[Instrumental music]

[No audio]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

If, um, you don't mind,
I would like to speak

to each of you separately.

Anything I have to say, I
can say in front of my wife.

We don't keep
secrets in our marriage.

All due respect,
everyone has secrets.

And I have some
fairly uncomfortable

questions to ask you.

Ask.

[Sighs]

Were you having sexual
relations with Karla?

No.

Were you having sexual
relations with Karla?

No.

Was there any conflict
between you and Karla?

Not that we're aware of.

Was Karla aware of any
problems in your marriage?

We weren't having any problems.

I might have told her that
money was a little bit tight

and that we were under
some pressure with the baby.

So there was an
intimate relationship.

Not intimate, not physical.

Tell me about the
night of the party.

What exactly happened
when you took Karla home?

Karla was acting
strange that night.

She was drunk.

She started coming on to me.

I, basically, she was doing
this drunken striptease thing.

Why didn't you
tell me that before?

She's our friend, and
she-she was loaded.

I just thought by the
time she sobered up

she would have been embarrassed

and you just would
have been mad.

What did you do when
Karla started taking her

clothes off in front of you?

I told her to stop,
and I got out of there.

Look, I swear to
you, there was nothing

going on between me and Karla.

Nothing happened that
night or any other night.

I don't know how many
times I have to tell you

I didn't have an affair.

Karla's medicine cabinet
looks like something

out of "one flew over
the cuckoo's nest."

Antidepressants, sleeping
pills, uppers, downers.

You name it, she's got it.

She was in and out of
therapy, more in than out.

Not the Mark of a happy camper.

Well, Karla's going
through a very, very, very

acrimonious divorce right now.

- When did they file?
- June of 2005.

Yeah, she's suing
her ex, he's suing her.

Lawyers are getting rich,
ergo, the house is up for sale.

Realtor has confirmed that Karla
bought a home in bloomington.

'She planned on moving there
to finish her college degree.'

bet you can't guess
what her major is.

Go ahead, just take a wild leap.

Psychology.

Gee, why am I not surprised?

What did the victim's
father have to say?

Rick claims Karla came on to him

the night of the party,
and he rebuffed her.

If that's true,
there's your motive.

Karla made her move, he
rejected her, she just snapped.

Scorned woman theory, she
wants revenge, she kills the kid.

Fits in with the
timeline and it ties

the physical evidence together.

Uh, Rick brought Karla
home after midnight.

He and Jodie
went to bed at 1:30.

Their back door was left
open, she could've come

into their house any time
after that and taken their child.

[Dramatic music]

Let's spare the parents the
grief of a long trial, shall we?

You got an offer?

Reckless homicide,
two to eight years.

I'm not even going to
dignify that with a response.

Annabeth, you really don't
wanna let a jury decide this, do you?

And ericson has
skeletons in his closet...

Everybody does, that
doesn't change the fact his son

was taken from him in
the middle of the night

and left in your
client's trunk to die.

Who do you think put
the boy in there and why?

You don't exactly have
a choirboy in your corner

with that father.

Now you know about
the drugs and the alcohol

that's just the
tip of the iceberg.

Your client killed
a little boy, Doug.

- Do you really wanna do this?
- No.

That's why I'm trying to settle.

- For two to eight? Forget it.
- Look, annabeth!

The ericsons have
suffered an unbearable loss

and I don't want
to add to their pain

but if they insist on putting
this case before a jury

it is gonna to get ugly.

Now you let me
know what you decide.

Two to eight years?
She killed our son.

It's clearly unacceptable,
and I intend to reject it.

But I think you
should know about it

because this trial
could get rough.

What do you mean?

The defense attorney
will use whatever

he can to discredit you.

We can't go into this
trial with any secrets

or skeletons in your closet.

We've already
told you everything

that there is to know.

We've barely
scratched the surface.

I'll need to know how many
drinks you had at the party

that night, what
you were smoking

the kind of music
you were playing...

None of this has anything to do

with the fact that
our son's dead.

Once you take the stand

your whole life goes
under the microscope.

Now given your background,
the defense attorney

'will ask about drugs, he
will ask about your sex lives.'

- 'he'll pry into your past.'
- He can do that?

I'll object to any
questions that have to do

with your lifestyle, your
character or parenting.

'Sometimes the
judge will sustain me'

and sometimes he won't

but believe me
the jury will hear it.

Look, I just want
you to be clear

on what you're
going up against here.

Doug hellman will
go out of his way

to find dirt on you,
it's what he does.

I'm not scared of Karla
or her high priced attorney.

She's gonna pay
for what she did.

I'm sorry to interrupt.

Uh, annabeth, can I
talk to you for a minute?

Yeah. Excuse me.

Well, I can't comment on
the specifics of the case

but the parents of the victim
were having a party the night..

- Hellman's frying these people.
- What?

He's already having
a press conference

on the courthouse
steps, and it ain't pretty.

Now Rick ericson is
a man with a record.

And, obviously, the public
hasn't heard the full story

but the truth will
come out in trial.

What's going on?

Hellman's implicating
you on live TV.

There were at least 30
people at the home that night.

Can he do this?

Facts of the case won't help him

so he's resorting to lies
and innuendo to try and win.

Well, why don't we
fight fire with fire?

We can call our
own press conference

and tell the reporters
about the plea.

- I can't do that.
- Why not? Karla's guilty.

Why else would she be
willing to serve eight years?

It's illegal for me to
disclose any information

that's related to the
defendant's plea negotiations.

But you can bring
it up in court, right?

No, it's not admissible.

If the jury finds out
they offered to settle

the judge will
declare a mistrial.

- So there's nothing we can do?
- We know Karla's guilty.

We know we have a strong
case, but you two need to steel

yourselves because there's
gonna be a lot more of this to come

once the trial starts.

If you let this get to you,
it's only gonna hurt us.

So we just have to sit
back and take it, is that it?

I know it's not fair.

But it's necessary if you
wanna see Karla go to prison.

[Sighs]

Karla Miller was on the
midst of a messy divorce.

She was being forced
to move out of her home.

The victim's parents,
Rick and Jodie ericson

attempted to help her
through tough times.

- What about the forensics?
- I'm getting to it.

But first, I'm gonna
lay out my motive.

Karla Miller began fixating

on Rick and his family,
but then Rick rejected her.

Good, good, get to the scorned
woman theory right away.

Would you let her finish?

Despite Karla's fantasies,
Rick made it clear

that he did not
share her feelings

and that he would never
leave his wife and family.

This made Karla angry.

So angry that she snuck

into the ericson's
house after dark

carried their child
out of his bed..

And left him in
her trunk to die.

That's how she repaid a
family that tried to help her.

'She murdered Bailey ericson'

'an innocent
six-year-old child.'

the prosecution will tell
you that my client's hair

and fibers and fingerprints were
found in the victim's bedroom

'on his body, and in
the trunk of the car.'

now our evidence
will tell another story

about a man with a checkered
past, a father who wanted out

'of the responsibilities
of his marriage.'

my client was having an
affair with the victim's father.

Rick ericson wanted to be free.

He was burdened with a wife
and child, and he wanted out.

And he begged my
client to run away with him

and now he is trying to pin
this horrible tragedy on her.

Did you find hair or
fingerprints in Bailey's room?

Yes, hair and prints
found in Bailey's room

matched Karla Miller,
and suggests that

she entered Bailey's room,
removed him from his bed

and put him in
the trunk of her car.

[Dramatic music]

Uh, the fingerprints and
hair found in the victim's room

do you know when they were left?

No, we can only determine
the identity of the person.

We can't determine the time
that the samples were left.

Well, my client visited
Bailey's home quite often.

It is possible that
the fingerprints

and the hair samples
were transferred days

even weeks before
Bailey disappeared.

That is correct.

If my client and the victim's
father had sex that night...

Objection, your honor,
immaterial and pure speculation.

I apologize, let me rephrase.

Isn't it possible that
Karla came into contact

with someone else
and then that person

transferred my client's
hair and fibers to Bailey?

- It's possible.
- Good.

Now, uh, you have
testified that Bailey

asphyxiated in the
trunk of my client's car.

But are you certain that
Karla Miller put him there?

Karla Miller's fingerprints
were on the trunk.

And there were no
other fingerprints found.

Well, that doesn't mean
there weren't any other

fingerprints
present, it just means

you didn't find them, correct?

It is possible that there were
other fingerprints but unlikely.

Can you say with
absolute certainty

that Karla put
Bailey in that trunk?

No, I cannot.

(Doug) 'Well, let
me get this straight.'

you aren't able to
confirm that my client

was in Bailey's room that night.

And also, you can't say
with any scientific certainty

that she was the one that
put the victim in the trunk.

No, I can't.

Now, that certainly
clears things up for us.

Thank you.

Mr. Ericson, in your
deposition you said that Karla

came on to you the
night Bailey disappeared.

That's correct.

Were the two of you having
an intimate relationship?

No. Not at all.

(Annabeth) 'So you
weren't having an affair'

but you spent a
lot of time together?

We did, uh, once Karla's
husband moved out

'my wife got
worried about Karla'

moping around the
house by herself.

So, Karla started to spend a
lot of time with the three of us.

And during this time,
you never suspected

that Karla may have
been interested in you?

No.

And you never gave
Karla any indication

that you were interested in her?

No, I did not, not at all.

Did you ever indicate that you
were unhappy in your marriage?

If I had gotten into an
argument with Jodie

and I saw Karla that
day, maybe I'd mention it

but I never said that I
didn't wanna be married

or that I didn't love my wife.

Isn't it true that my
client's husband left her

because you and Karla
were having an affair?

Absolutely not.

And isn't it true that on
the night that your son died

you were alone with my
client for at least an hour

and you talked about
running away together?

No, that's a lie.

Did the two of you
smoke marijuana together?

Objection, relevance.

Your honor, these questions
go directly to the nature

of the relationship between
Mr. Ericson and my client.

- You may answer.
- Yes.

We smoked pot a couple
of times on the back porch.

- You a recovering alcoholic?
- Yes.

Is smoking marijuana
allowed in your program?

No, I slipped.

And on the night that
your child was abducted

you threw a big
party that night.

Did you slip that night, too?

I served alcohol for our
guests, but I didn't drink.

So you weren't intoxicated
or stoned that night

but you failed to
hear any intruder

'come into your house
and kidnap your child.'

is there a question here?

Mr. Ericson, were you
stoned when you told my client

'you were having problems
with your marriage?'

this is hearsay, and
impossible to substantiate.

She's right, Mr. Hellman.

How many other women in the
neighborhood did you discuss

your marital problems with?

- Nobody.
- Wanna reconsider that answer?

"Cause I have two
independent witnesses'

'who will say that you told
them that you were worried'

about money and terrified
about having another child.

I may have said a few
things, but I never said that.

(Doug) 'Well, what
did you say? Tell us.'

uh, kids are expensive.

You were under a lot
of financial pressures.

- Did you say that?
- I might have.

Did you also tell my client
that you and your wife

rarely had sex after
she got pregnant?

- Objection.
- I never said that.

Mr. Hellman, you're right
on the line, don't cross it.

Your honor, I'm only trying
to understand why on earth

Mr. Ericson would
say to my client

'in front of several witnesses'

and this is on or
about October 2nd

when the two of you
went to have lunch

at a neighborhood restaurant

as you often did while
your wife was at work.

Why would you tell her that
you didn't want another child?

- I never said that.
- You didn't?

Your honor, may
we have a recess?

I only have one or two
more questions, your honor

then I'll close out this
line of questioning...

You're twisting my words.

I told Karla that I
was worried about

how much another
child might cost.

Did you tell my client
that you were unhappy

about the fact that another
baby was on the way

'when you couldn't
even afford to pay'

'for the child you already had?'

why are you doing this
to us? We lost our child!

I'm not gonna let
you accuse me...

Mr. Ericson, I'm going
to ask that you sit down.

No! Look what this
is doing to my wife!

Sit down, Mr. Ericson!

That crazy bitch killed my son!

- Rick, please.
- No, I'm done.

Take him into custody.

[Indistinct chatter]

(Maureen) 'You
deliberately withheld'

'information from me.'

no.

'When I asked you about'

'your involvement with Karla'

you didn't think your rendezvous

at the neighborhood
restaurant applied?

Look, there was no
rendezvous anywhere.

I was standing in
line waiting to pay

for my meal and Karla came in.

You left me unprepared to
defend you in cross today.

Her lawyer twists
everything that I say

to make it sound like
it's more than it really is.

We told you that hellman
would try to goad you.

We told you that he
would twist the facts.

Jodie was in tears, alright?
She can't even look at me.

Now I already lost
Bailey, I can't afford

to lose my wife
and my baby, too.

Okay, we will do what we can

to get you released
as quickly as possible

get this trial back on track
and undo the damage.

But you have got to keep
a level head from now on.

[Sighs]

[Intense music]

We need to take
control of this trial.

Right now it's all hellman's.

The one thing we
keep coming back to..

Is the cause of death.

This is a weird way
to commit a murder.

There are no marks
on the boy's body.

No skin samples under his nails.

I don't think he ever fought
back or even resisted Karla.

What if she was never
intending to kill Bailey?

What was she gonna do with
him? Use him to get Rick's attention?

What if this isn't
about Rick at all?

What if it's just about Bailey?

What if she just wanted to
take Bailey with her that night?

Take him where?

We talked to the realtor, right?

Uh-huh, she confirmed.

Karla was going to move to
a new house in bloomington.

When Jack and I bought
our house, we told our realtor

everything about ourselves,
what we wanted in a house

the kind of life we wanted.

So what did Karla
tell her realtor?

We need to get
inside Karla's head

and this may be
the way to do it.

(Annabeth) 'How do
you know the defendant?'

she came to me because
she was looking for a new home

in the bloomington area.

Did she explain the reason
she was looking to move?

Mrs. Miller said she
enrolled in a master's degree

program at the local university.

(Annabeth) 'Did she tell you what
she was looking for in a house?'

yes, she said she wanted
to be in a neighborhood

near campus with a big yard

'and great elementary schools.'

- and why is that?
- She told me she had a son.

A son?

I never said I had a son, I
said I wished I had a son.

(Female #1) 'She said her
little boy would be entering'

'the first grade next fall.'

then she was looking for a
house for the two of them?

She said there
was a possibility that

the boy's father
would be joining them

but she wasn't sure of that.

I assumed they were having
some sort of marital problems

or something.

Thank you.

Ms. Gatherson,
have you found that

clients sometimes fantasize
when looking for a new home?

That people sometimes
make things up

in order for you to take them
more seriously as buyers?

Yes, it happens all the time.

Is it illegal for
clients to do that?

- No, I don't think so.
- Very well, thank you.

- Your honor, may I readdress?
- Of course, counselor.

Ms. Gatherson, you testified
that clients often stretch

the truth when looking
to buy or sell a house.

That's right.

In your experience,
do prospective buyers

sometimes write letters to
clients in order to get a house?

It happens, particularly
when a house goes on

the market in a
trendy neighborhood.

Did Karla Miller
write such a letter

to a seller about a house?

Yes, she did.

Your honor, I'd like to
read that letter, if I may.

"Dear, Mr. Levy.

"I don't normally write
letters to home owners

"after viewing a home, but
your place was so special

"that I had to write.

"My son, Bailey, hasn't seen it.

"But I know he
would simply love it.

"I think it's the kind of place
we could both call home.

'Signed, Karla Miller."'

[indistinct chatter]

Karla Miller also
included a photo

of Bailey in this letter.

Do clients usually use
photos of someone else's child

in order to get a home?

No, they do not.

[Instrumental music]

(Annabeth) Hellman has
asked to meet with me.

I imagine it's to offer a
deal. If I were him, I would.

Then you think the jury's
gonna rule in our favor?

That's what he's afraid of.

Well, then there's
no need to settle.

I mean, if she's
found guilty, it's over.

Unfortunately, it's not over.

Karla has the right to appeal

and her attorney will
probably do just that.

And that could take
what, another year? Two?

At least that.

I haven't slept for more
than an hour since Bailey..

Was stolen from us.

I wake up thinking
it was a nightmare

and then I know it's not.

And I lie there and I
wonder how it happened..

Why it happened..

And if there was anything
that we could've done

to stop her.

I don't know what
hellman is going to offer

but an allocution could
be a part of a settlement.

That would mean that she
would have to stand up in court

and say what she did.

I just want this to be over.

[Instrumental music]

I wanna to know what she
did to my baby boy, and why.

Under the circumstances,
my client will plead guilty

to involuntary manslaughter.

Here's the circumstances,
Doug, you're losing.

We'll also plead to abduction.

That brings her to 20 years.

The jury knows that a
little boy spent his last

few hours on this
earth struggling for air

and trying to claw his
way out of a locked trunk.

We're looking at a death in
the commission of a kidnapping.

That's 40 to 60 years.

You keep going for the
maximum, and I promise you

I will appeal, you know that.

Now get serious,
what's your bottom line?

My bottom line?
You've only got one thing

that's of any interest to me
and that's your client's ability

to clear the ericsons' name.

You get her to stand up
in court, admit what she did

and how she did it.

And then maybe, in
some way, this family

can get on with their lives.

[Dramatic music]

Jodie had everything.

She had everything
you could possibly want

and she didn't
even appreciate it.

A great husband, a
beautiful little boy..

And another on the way.

Limit yourself to
the facts and tell us

what happened the
night of the abduction.

After Rick walked me home..

And blew me off

I went back to the house
after they turned their lights off

and went to bed.

I crept up to Bailey's room.

I picked him up and wrapped
his blankie around him.

He barely even woke up.

Nobody saw us.

I thought I'd drive to
the new house that night

and Bailey would be with me.

And then what, you would
just live with this stolen child

in bloomington and no one
would find out anything about it?

'Ms. Miller, what in the
world were you thinking?'

I wasn't thinking.

I'd been drinking and
taking all these pills.

I just put him in the trunk.

'I wasn't planning to
leave him there for long.'

I just wanted to get
a few miles away

before I put him
in the backseat.

So, I laid him inside

told him we were
playing hide and seek..

And I closed the trunk.

Then I went in the
house to get my bag.

It was late, I was drunk.

I thought I'd rest my eyes
for just a minute before we left.

The next thing I
knew, it was raining.

It was light, I heard sirens.

I went out..

And looked in the trunk..

And Bailey just lay there.

He wasn't moving, he was cold.

'I never meant to hurt him.'

'but it was just too late.'

are the people satisfied?

We are, your honor.

Do the people have a
sentencing recommendation?

(Annabeth) 'We do.'

the people recommend 40 years.

(Judge tibbs) 'That said, the
court sentences you, Karla Miller'

to 40 years for the kidnapping
and murder of Bailey ericson.

To be served in a
maximum security facility.

[Gavel bangs]

Everybody involved
contributed to justice

being served in this case.

I think they'll stay together.

- The ericsons?
- Yeah.

I think you're being a
little overly optimistic.

No, I really think they will.

They have a new baby on the way.

Is that what makes people
stay together, babies?

We need to stay on top of that.

Shut up.

Yeah, well, don't
get too comfortable

'cause you gonna take you
know who back to her crib.

- And that's my job?
- Mm-hmm, tonight it is.

Can't she just stay
in here tonight?

Why? 'Cause you're
shiftless and lazy?

No.

Because I just really want us
to stay together tonight, baby.

Please?

Yeah.

Go to sleep.

[Instrumental music]

(Annabeth) Stay tuned for
scenes from our next episode.

[Instrumental music]