All language subtitles for Law.and.Order.S23E12.720p.10bit.WEBRip.2CH.x265.HEVC-PSA eng

.

- In the criminal justice
system,

the people are represented

by two separate,
yet equally important groups:

the police,
who investigate crime,

and the district attorneys,
who prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

- No, no, I'm fine.

I think it was just allergies.

[doorbell buzzing]

Mom, hold on a sec.

Hello?
- Food delivery.

- Leave it at the door, please.

Mom, I got to go.
Food's here.

Okay.

Love you.

[phone beeps]

[car horn honks in distance]

[ominous music]

♪

[doorbell buzzes]

[sighs]
Really?

[buzzing]

Hello?

- It's the delivery man.

I just dropped off your food.

I'm sorry to do this,
but my phone died

and I need to call my boss.

- You want to use my phone?

- I'll only be ten seconds.

I promise.

- Okay.

- Thank you so much.

♪

- [gasps]
[choking]

[dramatic music]

[door slams]

[screaming]
[glass breaking]

- What do we got?

- Female, white, age 34.

Name is Angela Hart.

- Wallet, phone, and laptop
on the table there,

so we're probably not
looking at a robbery.

- Looks more like
a sexual assault.

- [sighs]

So he beats her up
and then stabs her.

Any luck with the knife?

Witnesses?
- No.

- She have a security system?

- What about the body?
Who found it?

- Victim's boyfriend,
Mark Salerno.

He's waiting downstairs.
[camera shutter clicking]

- I don't care what
that book says.

There's no way to forgive this.

[police radio chatter]

[dramatic music]

♪

- Hey, Julia, start looking
for street cam video.

- Copy that.

- Mark Salerno?

I'm Detective Riley.

Detective Shaw.

Do you mind if we ask you
a few questions?

What time did you discover
Angela's body?

- Around 11:00.

I came by to check on her.

I called a few times.

She didn't answer,
so I got nervous.

- Why were you nervous?

- 'Cause she usually answers
her phone or texts right back.

- How'd you get
in the apartment?

- I have a key.

- Okay, so you got here
around 11:00,

you saw the body,
you called 911.

Where were you prior to that?

- At a bar,
watching the Yankee game.

- You and Angela were dating.

- Yeah, for about eight months.

- How was that?
Was that good?

- Really good.

I mean, sh--

she was amazing.

- You know anybody
who might want to hurt her?

- No.

I mean, like I said,
she was amazing

and one of the kindest people
on Earth.

But then again--

- Then again what?

- Some of the people
she worked with were

some of the worst people
on Earth.

[soft dramatic music]

- I hate to say it...

but I was worried about this.

I just never understood
why she was so committed

to helping people
who were so troubled.

Nice people need
therapists, too,

not just killers and rapists.

[sighs]

- Were you aware
of any problems

your daughter was having?

Was she being stalked
or threatened by anyone?

- No, not that I was aware of.

- How about her boyfriend,
Mark?

Were they happy?

- I think so.

She thought he was
a little immature at times,

but she seemed
to really like him.

- We only have
a few more questions,

if that's okay.

When was the last time
you spoke to Angela?

- Last night.

It was around 9:00 or so.

Her dinner had just
been delivered.

- I dropped the food off
at her door.

That's it.

I never stepped one foot
inside the building.

- So you never saw
or talked to anyone else?

- I rang the buzzer,
a lady answered,

and she told me to leave
the food at the door.

That's it.
That's all I know.

- So you never actually
saw Angela in person?

- Correct.

I just heard her voice
over the intercom.

Look.

It shows right here.

I dropped the food off at 8:56.

Then I did another drop off
three blocks away at 9:01.

- You notice anybody else
outside the building?

- There was a guy
standing across the street.

He was staring at me,
or at the brownstone.

I don't know.
Made me a little nervous.

- What'd he look like?

- Kind of my height, white,
in his 30s, probably.

- You recall
what he was wearing?

There's our guy.

Hey, Mark.

We've got a few more questions
we want to ask you.

- Can I call you later today?

I got to get to work.
- No.

No, we need to talk right now.
- Why?

What's going on?
- You know what?

Come with us down
to the precinct.

We'll tell you all about it.
- Precinct?

I-- how come?

- Because you were wearing
a dark hoodie

and a baseball hat, that's why.

- So?

- Same outfit we think
the killer was wearing.

- [scoffs]
That's absurd.

- No, what's absurd is
the text that you sent

Angela last night at 8:17 p.m.
Remember that?

"You're making me crazy,
Angela.

I swear to God,
I could snap your neck."

- Look, I--

- Two hours later,
she was dead.

That means you're coming
with us right now.

No, look-- hey, but--

- Save it.

.

- You guys are
wasting your time.

I was upset.

Angela saw me texting
with this woman I work with,

but it was nothing.
- It was nothing,

why did you get so angry then?
- I was in a bad mood.

I thought I was gonna
book this job--

an acting job--
but I didn't get it.

So I got pissed off and
I fired off a nasty text.

But I didn't mean it literally,
for God's sake.

- Take a seat.

- Okay, so you didn't
mean it literally.

So what were you doing outside
of her building at 9:00 p.m.?

- What are you talking about?

I didn't get there until
much later, closer to 11:00.

I already told you that.

- Someone else told us that
they saw a person standing

across from Angela's apartment
wearing a baseball cap

and a hoodie around 9:00 p.m.

- I'm not the only guy
in New York who wears

hoodies and baseball hats.

- All right, wise ass.

Well, you're the only one
that found Angela's dead body.

- I would never hurt Angela,

or anyone else,
for that matter.

- So now we know you're lying.
- Excuse me?

- We saw your rap sheet.

You have two priors
for battery.

- Means you got a temper.

- It means I was a bouncer.

You know, getting in fights
is part of the job.

And for the record,
I was never convicted.

DA's office dismissed
both cases.

- Doesn't make you a choirboy,
though, does it?

- It doesn't make me
a killer either!

- Okay, calm down.

Watch yourself in here.

Now let's go over your
timeline one more time.

So you were at a bar.

You were watching
the Yankees game.

What bar?

- Peluso's on 26th and 7th.

- What time did you
leave there?

- Around 9:15.

- Hey, these are the names
of Angela's clients

who were paroled
in the past year.

Some pretty serious
players on it, too.

Killers, rapists.

- Well, might be nothing.

But then again, I can only
imagine what these guys

are dreaming about in prison.

- I'd rather not
think about it.

- Look, you're wrong.
I loved Angela.

I would never hurt her.

[door clicks open]

[tense music]

- I'm Lieutenant Dixon.

Let's just say we believe you.

For now, anyway.

Here is a list
of Angela's clients.

Any of those names ring a bell?

Did she ever mention any
of those people to you?

- She talked about
this guy before.

Shawn Payne.

He sent her this
creepy letter from prison.

- Creepy how?

- He just kept talking
about how amazing she was

and that he wanted
to be friends with her

after he was released.

♪

- Hey.
[knocks]

I got Shawn Payne.

27, 5'8", white,

did five years
for aggravated rape.

Just got released from
Otisville four days ago.

- Only five years for ag rape?
- Yeah.

Yeah, the case was brutal too.

Victim was nearly
beaten to death.

Not to mention all the
horrific internal injuries.

I'll just leave it at that.

- Just talked to
Payne's parole officer.

He's gone AWOL.

Hasn't been able
to reach him for two days.

- So it looks like this
Shawn Payne guy has

suddenly become
a legitimate suspect.

- Yeah, and the worst part is,

he never should have
been released.

I mean, five years for ag rape?

Are you kidding me?

We got to fire
the do-gooding prosecutor

idiot that cut that deal.

- Or not.

The do-gooding prosecutor idiot
was Nolan Price.

- Payne's out already?

Really?

- Well, I mean, it shouldn't
be that much of a surprise.

You pled him out
to only five years.

- You really think that
Payne killed Angela Hart?

- We don't have anything firm,

but he does match
the general description

of someone seen outside of
Angela's building that night.

- And his parole officer
hasn't been able

to get in touch with him
since the murder, so--

[phone vibrates]

- I knew Angela.

She was a good person.

She actually advocated
for Payne.

She thought he was smart.

She thought that he
was capable of living

a high-functioning life
if given the proper counseling

and support.

- And you believed her.

- I considered
her point of view.

- Some people are
just unfixable.

- You might be right.

Truth is, I was most
concerned about the victim,

Chelsea Shell.

She was so traumatized
by what happened,

she begged me to make
the case go away.

So I was trying to do right
by everyone.

- That's a recipe for disaster.

[phone vibrating]

- Hello?

♪

S-- slow down.

Yes, I will be right there.

That was Chelsea Shell.

Apparently, Payne just dropped
off some kind of love letter

at her apartment.

♪

.

- He left a note
with the doorman,

and I--
[breathing heavily]

- It's okay, Chelsea.

Take your time.

- He said that he thinks
about me all the time,

and that he wants
to make things right and--

and reconnect.

I don't know what else it says.

I stopped reading after that.

Man, I can't believe
he's really out of prison.

- Ma'am, do you still
have that note?

- Yeah, it's, um--

[breathing shakily]

It's over there.

- In the kitchen.
- Mm-hmm.

[sniffles]

You know, maybe I should
go somewhere else.

Like, to a hotel or my
sister's house in Connecticut.

- We are gonna find this guy.

For now, I think
you just stay here.

- Yeah, I agree
with Detective Riley.

It's better to be here inside
your apartment

with the door locked.

- Okay.

- Just to be safe, we will have

a police officer guard
your door.

- Absolutely.

- You're gonna be okay.

- Look, I know this is hard,
but the good news is,

he left his phone number
on this note,

and we can track him with that.

- The woman that was
just murdered,

the psychologist...

Do you think he killed her?

- I don't know, Chelsea.

The police are still
investigating.

- But it's-- but it's possible.

Is that what you're saying?

[tense music]

- Yeah.

Yeah, it's possible.

- [hyperventilating]

♪

- You okay?

Do you want me to call someone?

- No, no, no, no.

No, no, I'm fine.

I'm--
[sniffles]

Thank you.

Thank you for coming today.

- Thank you.

[phone beeps]

- Hey, Vi, it's me.

I need you to trace
a number right now.

♪

- Hey, what do you got?

- Signal's still active.

Looks like he's heading south
on 7th Ave, just below 24th.

- Last hit was south
of 24th and 7th.

- He's staying at the
halfway house on 22nd, right?

- Yeah.
- Okay.

[suspenseful music]

We need to speak
to Shawn Payne.

- What's this about?

- Is he here in the building?

- Yeah, he just got back
about five minutes ago.

- What room is he in?

- Down the hall to the left.

Room 21.

- Nobody home.

[soft tense music]

♪

Whoa.

- What's that?

- Woman's necklace.

- Hey, you seen Shawn Payne?

- Yeah, why?

- This is why.

- Where'd he go?

- I saw him headed
for the bathroom.

- Where's that?

- Through the double doors
on your right.

- Shawn Payne, police.

Hey. Hey. Hey!

[grunts]

Move!

[dramatic music]

♪

- [grunts]

- [grunts]

♪

- Flank.
- Flank.

- Freeze!

Hey!

♪

Police!

- [grunts]

- Hands up!

Get your hands up now!

- Against the wall!

Against the wall.

- [grunts]

Easy on the cuffs.

That's too tight.

- Oh, I'm so sorry.

How's that?

- [grunts]
That hurts.

- You shut up,
or I'll make them tighter.

Well, looks like your little
experiment with freedom

didn't work out, did it?

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

- Oh, the facts tell
a much different story.

- We got your DNA
all over Angela's body.

I mean, that's almost as good
as having a video of you

committing the crime.

Actually, it's better
'cause, this way,

the jury doesn't have
to turn their heads

to avoid seeing all
the despicable things

that you did to that woman.

That kind, decent woman who
was just trying to help you.

- And we have a witness,

one that puts you outside
of her brownstone

30 minutes prior to the murder.

[soft tense music]

- So that's it.

It's all over.

So, I mean,
you could help us out.

You could tell us
what happened.

I mean, who knows?
Maybe we missed something.

Maybe there's some logical
explanation for all this.

- The only thing
that I know is that...

Angela was a whore,
so maybe one of the guys

that she was hooking up--

[metal crashing]

- Say that again.

You say that again.
You say that to me again!

Say that to me again!
- Hey, don't!

- Huh? Then what?

- Come on.

This is it.

This is the last chance
you're gonna get

to tell your story.

- Okay.

Well, here it is.

Bad things happen--

to good people
and to bad people.

And that's just the way
it is, boys.

- Is that your way
of saying you're guilty?

- That's my way of saying
I want a lawyer.

- Yeah, that's probably
a good idea,

'cause you're under arrest
for rape and murder.

♪

- Stand your punk ass up
right now.

- Hands behind your back.

♪

.

- Sounds like
we have a strong case.

- Very strong, on paper anyway.

- And from what I hear,
you have

a pre-existing relationship
with the defendant.

- I was the prosecutor
on Payne's rape case.

- And you pled him out
to five years?

And he killed his counselor

three days after
he was out of prison.

- I'm not proud
of what has transpired.

- That's not what I meant.

- Then what did you mean?

- That you're compromised.

- In what way?

- In retrospect,
the plea deal was

obviously a mistake.

I mean, he committed
a heinous murder

72 hours after he was out.

But if you take first chair,

it'll appear you're trying
to redeem yourself.

- Well, perhaps,
but it's not like Payne

is the first recidivist
this office has ever--

- I'm gonna take the lead.

- Excuse me?
- I'll take first chair.

You take second.

You seem surprised.

- I am.

- Why is that?

- You're the district attorney.

You have
more important things to do--

- Than this?

Than getting justice
for a young woman

who was just brutally
raped and murdered?

- Hey.

Sorry to interrupt.

Defense has filed a motion
to suppress the jewelry

found in the halfway house.

[tense music]

♪

- When the police
entered the room,

they noticed
a half open closet door

and they spotted Angela Hart's
necklace inside in plain view.

- The police
didn't have a warrant.

- They didn't need one.

Parolees like Mr. Payne
are not entitled

to the full scope
of protections

under the Fourth Amendment.

- That doesn't mean
they have carte blanche

to search his room
whenever they want.

- It does when
they've gone AWOL.

At the time of the search,
the defendant hadn't responded

to his PO's calls or texts.

- It doesn't matter.

In People v. Randazzo,
the court made it clear

that parolees have
some sort of right to privacy,

even when they're
in violation of their parole.

To hold otherwise
would be to treat

a parolee like a prisoner.
- Mm.

I agree with the defense.

The necklace is out.

[elevator bell dings]

- I've known Judge Nelson
for 20 years.

We're not getting any favors.
Trust me.

- You think he's biased?

- He's political.

He's worried about the optics.

He doesn't want to be
overturned on appeal,

so every close call is
gonna go to the defense.

That's why we need to introduce
as much evidence as we can.

- Our case is still strong.

We have the DNA.

We have the delivery man
who saw Payne

outside the brownstone.
- I know.

But I'm front
and center on this,

and the election is
only a month away, so--

- If you're really concerned,
I'm happy to take the lead.

- What does that mean?

- Well, it means I'm in a
different position than you.

I don't have all
the political concerns

and headaches you have.

- I'm not looking
to hide, Nolan.

I'm looking to win.

- I walked in, and I saw
all this blood on the floor

and some shattered glass, and--

and then I saw Angela.

- And can you tell the jury
what you saw,

what she looked like?

- She was naked.

And her face was
swollen and bruised.

And there was blood everywhere.

It's the most horrible thing
I've ever seen.

- I'm showing you what
was previously recorded

as People's Exhibit 24.

It's a letter the defendant
sent to Angela from prison.

Could you please read the third
paragraph aloud for the jury?

- "I've been thinking
about you a lot.

"You're like an angel sent
to find the goodness

"in a man who possesses none.

"Your warmth and beauty keep
my soul from withering.

"When I am free,

"I am hopeful that
we can connect--

"as people, as friends,

as man and woman."

- Thank you.

Nothing further.

- Mr. Salerno...

you and Angela Hart
were dating.

- Yes, for about eight months.

- And you loved her.

- I did.

- Yet, you sent a series
of threatening texts to her

on the day of her murder.

"You're acting like a child.

"You're making me crazy,
Angela.

"I swear to God,
I could snap your neck."

- Yes, but I didn't mean it.

We were arguing,
and I was upset, so I--

- So you threatened
to snap her neck?

- Like I said,
I didn't mean it.

- But you put it in writing.

- It was stupid.

- Yes.

It also shows that you
have violent tendencies.

- Objection.
Argumentative.

- Sustained.

Get to the point, Ms. Carter.

- You also have two prior
arrests for battery, correct?

- Yes, but they were
both dismissed.

- Defense Exhibit 24 and 25.

The charges may have
disappeared,

but their injuries
and trauma certainly didn't.

- They threw the first punch,
so I--

I fought back.

- You beat the hell
out of them.

But you don't just beat up men.

You beat up women also--

- Objection.

- Mr. Salerno is not
the one on trial here.

- He should be.
He's the one--

- Your Honor.
- Enough, Ms. Carter.

One more word, and I will
hold you in contempt.

[gavel bangs]
This court is in recess.

I will see you in chambers now.

[ominous music]

.

- This is ridiculous.

I have a right to impeach
Salerno's testimony.

- Impeach him, yes.

Accuse him of murder, no.

- Your Honor, if you preclude
this line of questioning,

you, in effect, preclude me
from presenting my defense.

- What is your defense?

- That someone other than
my client killed Angela Hart,

most likely Mark Salerno.

- Do you have any evidence
to support this theory?

- Mr. Salerno's ex-girlfriend
is prepared to testify

to his propensity for violence.

- So what does that have
to do with this case,

with Angela Hart?

Is there any actual evidence
to back up her testimony,

or is this just
a hit job on Salerno

to manufacture
reasonable doubt?

- That's for the jury
to decide.

- I-- I agree with Ms. Carter.

My decision is final.

- Prior to your relationship
with Angela Hart,

you dated Ella Hunter
for several months.

- I wouldn't say that
we were dating.

- Oh, what would you say?

You were doing what?

Just having sex?

- Something like that.

- During this time period,
you two were

involved in a number
of altercations

and arguments, correct?

- No, that's not true.

- But on two
separate occasions,

you physically attacked her.

- I never laid a hand on Ella.

That's a lie.

- I have nothing further.

- Mr. Salerno,
did you kill Angela Hart?

- Of course not.

I loved her very much.

- Nothing further.

The People rest.

[suspenseful music]

♪

- Mark was charming
and kind at first.

But after a while,
he started getting jealous.

- Can you be more specific?

- If he saw me talking
to another man,

he'd get really upset.

And sometimes,
he'd get physical.

- Did Mark Salerno ever
strike you with his fist?

- Yes, on two occasions.

- Did you seek
medical treatment

as a result of these attacks?
- Once.

I went to an
urgent care facility.

- What sort of treatment
did you receive?

- I got six stitches
right here above my eye.

- Did you break up
with him after that?

- Yes.
- Was he upset?

- [chuckles]
Yes, very much so.

- Can you be more specific?

- He--

he threatened to kill me.

[tense music]

♪

- Thank you.

- Ms. Hunter, you have
absolutely no proof

that Mark Salerno had anything
to do with Angela Hart's death.

- Yes, that's correct.

- Nothing further.

♪

- Just got off the phone
with Salerno.

He swears that Ella is lying,

claims he can prove it too.

Maybe we should call him
as a rebuttal witness?

- Not worth it.

The less we talk about Ella
or Salerno, the better.

- I understand, but we
should probably do something

to discredit her testimony.

- The damage has
already been done.

She said what she said.

The jury will either
believe her or not.

- If that's what you think.

- No, what I think
is that it would have

been nice to know about
the ex-girlfriend before trial.

- I agree, but--

- But what?

- You wanted to
fast track the case.

That obviously compressed
the amount of time--

- That is not an excuse.

- No.
[scoffs]

That's a fact.

- I think your perception
of me is starting

to affect our relationship.

- Excuse me?

- Let's just cut to the chase.

You think I'm using
this trial to get reelected,

to get my name in the press.

- [sighs]

- Come on, Nolan.
Now's your chance.

Queen for a day.

Speak your truth.

- Okay, I will.

Yes, I think
the upcoming election

was part of your calculus.

- And because of that,
you think I'm more politician

than prosecutor?

- No, I never said that.

- But you think it.

Jack McCoy is gone.

And I'm sorry if that distorted
your sense of stability

and security, but let me be as
transparent as I possibly can.

I am not trying to be
the next Jack McCoy.

I don't want to be
the next Jack McCoy.

I don't care how
he ran this office

or how he conducted himself
with the press,

but that does not mean
that I am

some sort of political
carnival barker,

looking to whore out this
office to advance my ambition.

You know, if I'm gonna
be perfectly honest,

you're not entirely
wrong either.

I am well aware that
this case is getting

lots of press attention.

And, yes, that was
part of my plan.

And, yes, I want
to win this election

very badly because
I love this job

and I love trying cases.

And if you don't understand
or respect that or me,

then you are free
to get the hell out.

- All I can say
is you are wrong.

And for the record,

I think your perception
of who I am

is the thing affecting
our relationship.

You look at me like I'm--like
I'm constantly judging you,

like I'm constantly
comparing you to Jack McCoy.

I'm not.

I'm just trying
to do my damn job.

That's the truth.

There is no point
in us debating this.

We've got a trial to win,

and Shawn Payne is taking
the stand tomorrow.

♪

.

- I met Angela five years ago.

When I got arrested,
she tried to help me.

- What do you mean?

- She was my therapist.

She really thought that
if I tried really hard,

I might be able to live
a decent life someday.

- So she believed in you.

Is that what you're saying?
- Yes.

Probably the first person who
ever did, if I'm being honest.

- Did you like Angela?

- Yes.

Very much.

- After you were released
from prison,

did you see Angela?

- Yes.

- Did you see Angela Hart the
day she was raped and killed?

- Yes, in the afternoon.

- What did you two do
on this occasion?

- We talked for a while,

and then we had sex.

- Did you wear a condom?

[dramatic music]

- No.

♪

I didn't have one.

♪

And it just sort of happened.

- So that is why your DNA
was on her body.

- Yes.

- What time did you leave
Angela's apartment?

- Around 7:00 p.m.

- And as you were leaving,
did you see

anything or anyone unusual?

- I saw her boyfriend,
Mark Salerno.

He was lurking by the door.

- Did you say anything to him?

- No.

I just kept walking.

- Nothing further.

- It's getting late.

Let's pick this up tomorrow.

[gavel bangs]

♪

- Be honest.

Is sitting second chair
to Baxter

more stressful than
sitting first chair to me?

- It's not even close.

- He's the boss.

- And he needs to win.

The election's
only a month away,

and, according to the polls,
it's neck and neck.

To be honest, he's been really
good at ignoring all of that.

The only thing
he's focused on is the case,

and he's doing a good job.

- You seem surprised.

- At what?

- The fact that Baxter
is a good lawyer.

- I guess I wasn't
expecting him to be

as thorough
and dedicated as he is.

And, you know,
seeing him in court--

- What is it?

[soft dramatic music]

♪

- What am I looking at?

- The marking on her leg,
on the inner thigh.

- Yeah, and?

- Looks like he was trying
to carve an S into her leg,

but didn't quite finish,
which means

there's a pattern to his
violence, a modus operandi.

This is a photo
of Chelsea's leg

20 minutes after
she was attacked.

- This is exactly what we need.

- But I have a request.

I want to use a threat of this
evidence to leverage a plea.

- Why the hell
would we do that?

- Because I'm worried
about Chelsea.

She is extremely fragile.

She's still struggling
with all of the trauma.

And I'm not sure
she could handle

seeing Payne face to face.

- I can only imagine what
that poor woman has endured,

but I do not think
that Shawn Payne should be

the beneficiary
of that pain and suffering.

I'm not giving that bastard
a damn thing, Nolan.

Not an inch.

- I want to nail him too.

Trust me.

That son of a bitch
made me look like an idiot

for believing in him.

But there are no guarantees
we're gonna win this case,

even with Chelsea's testimony.

So why risk an acquittal?

Not to mention the election.

You have got a lot
riding on this.

Why roll the dice?

- It's not about me.

It's not about you.

It's not even about
Chelsea Shell.

It's about getting justice
for Angela Hart.

And we are gonna do everything
we can to get a conviction.

- The defendant has
clearly displayed

a distinct pattern of behavior,
or modus operandi.

During or after his
violent sexual assaults,

he carves the letter S
into his victim's leg.

- He did this to Chelsea Shell,
and he did this to Angela Hart.

- So where's the S
on Angela's leg?

I just see a little line
or scribble.

- It doesn't matter
if he completed it or not.

- It does matter.

There is no proof that
the mark in Angela's leg

was actually
intended to be an S.

- [laughs] What the hell
was it intended to be?

A piece of art?

Your Honor, it's clear that
this was meant to be an S.

Payne probably heard
a siren or a door slam,

and he left before he could
finish what he started.

But for the sake of argument,
even if it wasn't

meant to be an S,
it still clearly shows

a distinct pattern of conduct
that Payne carves

something into
his victims' legs.

- Well, if it were an actual S,
well,

then you'd have a point, but--

- That's preposterous.

- Watch yourself, Mr. Baxter.

- I've had enough.
- Excuse me?

- Look, Steve,
we don't like each other.

That's okay.

But we need to act
like professionals here

and focus on the case.

Or better yet, the law
underlying the case.

These photos clearly show

a pattern of conduct
admissible under Molineux,

and the jury should
know about it.

- Like I said--

- And if you don't understand
the law here

or its application to this
particular fact pattern,

that's fine.
Make your ruling.

We'll file an immediate
interlocutory appeal,

and I'll alert the press as to
why the trial's been delayed.

- I don't care what
your title is, Nick.

This is my courtroom.

Do you understand?

[tense music]

Now, I'm gonna need
some more time

to analyze this a bit,
but I will get back

to the two of you shortly.

♪

- About time that arrogant
bastard ruled in our favor.

- I'm stunned.

- His back was
against the wall.

He didn't have a choice.
- Meaning?

- Nelson's an ambitious
social climber,

and he's on the short list
for the Court of Appeals.

Last thing he wants right now

is to have his name
in the press

or have a controversial ruling
overturned.

So I called his bluff.

- Well, it worked.
Nice job.

- Now we just have to make
sure Chelsea's ready to go.

So do what you can
to alleviate her anxiety

and get her prepped
for this afternoon.

One more thing.

I want you to do
the direct examination.

- I was a junior at NYU,

and I was tutoring
high school kids.

And then, one day, he--

[breathing shakily]

He asked if he could
come to my dorm.

Wanted to see what
college was like.

Told me he always dreamed
of going to a school like NYU.

- And what happened then?

- I took him to the dorm,

showed him around.

And, uh...

then we went into my room.

And he--

he--
[exhales]

- Take your time.

I know this is difficult.

[soft dramatic music]

- And he attacked me.

♪

Raped me.

♪

Choked me and punched me
in the face over and over.

And then he took a knife

and he carved the letter S...

into my leg.

[sniffles]

- Is that marking
still there on your leg?

- No. No.

I replaced it with
a tattoo of a flower

because I wanted to erase
all of the evil from my body.

- Is the man who sexually
assaulted you five years ago

in this courtroom today?

♪

You okay?

- [breathing shakily]

♪

- Your Honor, just--

- Please, please
have some respect.

♪

Don't worry.

You're safe.

Ms. Shell...

is the man who carved
that S into your leg,

sexually assaulted you,

broke your nose and your jaw
and your left cheekbone--

is he in this courtroom?

♪

- Yes.

- Could you please
point him out?

[dramatic music]

- He's right there.

♪

- Has the jury
reached a verdict?

- Yes, we have.

- How do you find?

- In the charge of murder
in the second degree,

we find the defendant,
Shawn Payne...

guilty.

- Thank you, ladies
and gentlemen of the jury.

This court is adjourned.

[gavel bangs]

[indistinct chatter]

[handcuffs clicking]

- Well done, Nolan.

- You too.

And for the record,
you were wrong.

I never thought you
were a carnival barker.

- I appreciate that.

[phone chimes]

♪

- Oh.

- What is it?
- [sighs]

Chelsea Shell is in the ER.

She tried to kill herself.

♪

[wolf howls]