Original subtitles

♪ Tell your good friends ♪

♪ You're gonna leave them ♪

♪ All bloodshot eyes wide ♪

♪ More proof the box lied ♪

♪ No need to think when ♪

♪ This crowd gets movin'... ♪

♪ If I wanted to say to you ♪

♪ That I wanted to see your face again ♪

♪ That I want to hear you laughing... ♪

Yeah?

I'm making tea. You want some?

♪ If I wanted to hear you talkin' ♪

No, honey, I'm fine. Thanks.

♪ Or to hear your sense of things ♪

♪ Or to call you up on a Sunday morning ♪

♪ In spite of all the damage I've done... ♪

"The wretched pin with all its victims was approaching."

Jesus, they couldn't feel as rotten as he felt.

He made his way slowly. A man hunched

at the wheel of a boat glared at him from the sea.

The men took each other's measure.

Turner was hunched over, too.

One needed a shave as much as the other.

Their chins bristled with a matching fury of whiskers.

Turner had another sack in his hand,

"this one fatter than the last."

I read that.

Great book.

Full of adjectives.

Always the right one.

Florid, one reviewer said.

Well, there's an adjective.

You, on the other hand,

"remarkable," "fascinating," "awe-inspiring."

I never read my reviews.

Sign it.

Please.

Thank you.

Your door was closed. I didn't want to disturb you.

Get lots done?

Lots and lots. Hmm.

Lots of adjectives. Good.

Hello, lovebirds.

Leonard, can I have you up front signing books?

You know, I'd forgotten you'd written a book.

It's nice visiting them, isn't it?

Like saying hello to old friends.

She's hard on the next one. Yeah, how's that coming?

It's coming splendidly. Good.

You should take Sally to lunch.

I would love to. Call me. Leonard?

Yeah.

Not a bad book at all.

Hi, honey.

Don't let me forget that my stuff's in the dryer.

How was the reading, Leonard? Adequate.

It was marvellous. Honey, what is this?

It's my stuff, Mom. Leave it.

You are not taking your clothes

to university in garbage bags. You would.

You only have one chance to make a first impression.

Well, there's a trunk in the basement,

but it smells like mould.

Nice. That's Mom.

Pack it away and forget it.

Good, excellent.

Look, perfect. There it is.

Ha, the old trunk from Hawaii.

We'll just dump it out and dust it off,

it'll be great.

Inky! Oh!

It's my Inky that Dad won at Punahou Carnival!

How is it that you remember things about Hawaii so clearly?

I mean, seriously, I remember a palm tree

every here and there.

I remember this.

You used to carry this everywhere.

"It was King Kamehameha who first... "

What? It's... late.

Argh. Good grief, what have you got in here?

Okay.

You sure you don't want us to drive with you?

I'm sure.

Look after my mom.

Have fun. I will.

- I love you. - I love you.

If you need anything, you call me.

Mom.

You need anything, you call me.

Go.

Drive safe. I will.

You okay?

Yeah.

Yeah, I'm fine.

"There's a statue outside the courthouse of King Kamehameha,

who made the first laws against murder in Hawaii.

He was the first here to use witnesses

to pass judgment on the accused.

The law says you're presumed innocent...

"...but the newspapers say you're evil."

Have a seat.

All rise.

Be seated.

Good morning, Your Honour. Morning.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of the jury.

What we are beginning today must end in justice being done.

The State will prove that on the night of June 19

of last year,

Theresa Nichol met Bobby Gordon

at a nightclub in Waikiki,

where she lured him into her car.

She forced him to drive her out to Hanauma Bay,

intending to rob him.

You see, she had robbed men this way before.

But on that night,

on an empty stretch of beach,

she shot him.

And she killed him.

The State charges Theresa Nichol with first-degree murder.

Juror number 11,

there are no notebooks allowed in the jury box.

Go ahead, Ms. Maguire.

Aimee?

Danny?

Honey?

What are you doing under there?

Shh, hide-and-seek.

How long have you been under there?

Never mind. I'm sure Daddy's just about to find you.

We want everything coming up roses.

Cool. Well, when can we meet him?

Danny. Yeah?

Oh, I will have the permits by then, not a problem.

Yeah, we'll be taking a bath in yen

before you know it, pal.

Alright, see ya.

What did Mrs. Miller want?

Hmm. Is she gone?

I paid the rent last week.

Good.

Danny, Aimee's hiding under the bed.

She thinks you're playing hide-and-seek with her.

Will you please go look for her?

Ready or not, here I come.

I was picked for a jury.

How do they know who to pick?

Well, there's something called a jury pool

and they ask people all sorts of questions.

But if they don't like your answers,

then they don't pick you.

They don't want smart people, sweetie.

They want stupid people.

People that'll just...

kind of roll over and do what you tell them,

think what you want 'em to think.

Actually, they didn't want to pick me,

but the prosecutor ran out of challenges, so they had to.

The whole system's corrupt anyways.

I'm telling you, you should've seen me

today down at City Hall

applying for those permits.

Everybody's got their hand out.

What permits?

What permits, Danny?

Hey, you know what's funny?

This Theresa, it says in the paper

she liked to get down after they roll the guys.

What's "get down"?

You have to ask your mommy that, sweetie.

Actually, what am I saying? She's the last person to ask.

Gotta go meet a guy.

Why did you come to Hawaii?

Why'd I come... Uh, bill collectors.

Back in Arizona, bill collectors knocking on the door.

And what did you bring with you besides

your clothes and things? Uh...

.38 calibre Smith and Wesson.

.38 revolv... What else?

- Sorry? - What else?

A knife. A Buck knife.

What did you call the knife?

Justice.

Why Justice?

Well, uh, well, Theresa called it that.

You'd have to ask her.

After you moved to Honolulu,

what were you doing to make a living?

I couldn't get a job.

Flat-out couldn't get a job. I felt bad about it.

Did Theresa feel bad about that?

Objection! Overruled.

Mr. Nichol,

did Theresa reproach you for being unemployed?

You know, I just wanted to support her.

I just... You know, take care of her.

She deserved better.

So you started robbing people?

Yes, ma'am.

Yes, ma'am, but only people who wanted to buy narcotics.

I mean, Theresa even said, What are the cops gonna...

What are they gonna say?

I wanted to buy some dope and he ripped me off?

You know, she made it easy to live with.

When you say "easy to live with,"

what do you mean?

Well, it's, it's...

It's... it's hard to initiate violence.

You know, and it had to be right, and, uh...

Well, she convinced me that it could be right.

How did she convince you?

I loved her.

He loved you...

but listening to him now, it's hard to believe.

He looks at you like you're a stranger.

I guess it's hard to remember love when it's gone.

How there was a time when you'd do anything for him.

Tell her she'll have her money next week.

But there's money in the account.

No, there isn't. What?

There isn't money. Come here.

- What? What? - Come here, come here.

What? Tell her you're sick.

No, no, no, tell her, uh...

Tell her Aimee's sick, Aimee's sick,

we spent the money on a doctor.

I-I can't lie to her.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Where is the money? Like I'm letting you down, or something?

It's tied up, okay?

In the property with those business guys.

It'll be a couple weeks and we'll have it.

Would you calm down? How're we gonna pay the bills?

I don't know. Call your mother.

I can't call my mother. Yes, you can...

I cannot call my mother, Danny.

Okay, could you answer the door, then? Please? Please?

I warned you about this.

I'm really sorry.

It's just...

Aimee's been really sick this week,

it's just been rough.

But... next week, I promise.

Alright, next week.

How was Theresa acting towards Bobby Gordon

in the bar?

Well, like he had a play coming.

What do you mean by that? Well, I mean, you know,

not to be... not to be, uh...

gross, but... like, romantic.

And what did you think

Theresa had in mind for him?

Objection! Overruled.

Your Honour! You'll get your turn, Mr. Kahane.

Did Theresa tell you her plan?

I thought we were gonna rob the guy.

You know, that's what I thought we were gonna do,

and he turned around, and not to jump her,

nothing like that,

and she shot him. She just...

she just shot him.

And what were you doing?

I was yelling, I was freaked out.

I couldn't believe it, I was, you know,

"What'd you do that for?!" I...

What happened then?

I-I got in the car and I took off,

I had to get out of there. I just...

I drove.

How did Theresa appear to you?

- Objection! - Overruled.

How did Theresa appear to you?

Like, uh...

Like, I do this every day. Just...

Just calm.

I do this every day. Looking at me, like, you know,

"What's your problem?" I should be a man,

like I let her down or something.

I'm gonna get fired if we don't wrap it up.

Her lawyer's taking forever.

My father used to say he spent his whole life

studying the law so that 12 people could think about it

for the first time.

I'll be happy to think about the law

once we lock that woman up.

But we don't even know if she did it.

Are you kidding?

If she didn't do it, who did? Her guy?

And if he did it, they'd have him on trial.

Look, we're not even supposed to be talking about this.

You're not supposed to be writing in that notebook.

Mr. Nichol.

Isn't it true that prior to your marriage,

Theresa was a close follower of the Mormon Church?

No, that's not true.

Wasn't it your idea to start robbing tourists?

No, she came up with that all on her own, come on.

Is it true you stole your knife, Justice,

from a neighbour?

You see, right...

That's what I told the detectives, right, but...

no, that's not true.

Oh, so you lied.

Definitely I lied.

I lied outrageously, but that's when I was fighting

the-the-the robberies and the murders, you know?

You were fighting them by lying?

Yeah, that's what criminals do, you know?

Move it along, Mr. Kahane.

Mr. Nichol,

did you study law while you were in prison

in California?

Yes, sir. Yes, I did.

Have you testified in other court cases?

- Objection. - Sustained.

The jury will disregard the question.

Your Honour!

Mr. Nichol, were you offered a deal

for your testimony at this trial? No!

Watch yourself, Mr. Kahane. Your Honour,

I am trying to establish the witness's motivation.

Your Honour, I already pulled life without parole in California.

Mr. Nichol... Let him finish.

You know, I got nothing to gain here.

I just want to see justice for that kid she killed. That's it.

Your Honour, can I continue with my cross now?

Counsel, approach the bench.

Two days before Bobby Gordon was killed,

Theresa and Vincent Nichols robbed you.

Where do you want me to go?

They jumped my truck,

said, "Drive to the beach."

I think he thought I was trying to get us lost.

Who did?

She said he was her brother.

- Vincent Nichol? - Yes.

Let the record reflect that the witness

is referring to Ms. Nichol's husband, Vincent Nichol.

My cam... My camera's in the car.

Look at me, don't look at her.

The guy, Vincent,

went to tie me up.

And what was Theresa doing?

She was holding the gun.

She looked...

I don't know, blank.

He had the knife.

He called it "Justice."

Did he say why he called... What kind of people

name a knife?

My parents used to tell me:

"Don't get in trouble, because we won't bail you out."

And I'd think:

Well, I'd never ask you.

I'd think: I can take care of myself.

And then for a while, I thought Danny would.

Sally? To what do I owe the pleasure?

You could've called me, Mom.

Well, I did leave a message several months back

with, um... uh, Danny.

Don't pretend you can't remember his name.

Has he found a job yet?

Yeah, he's working on a real estate deal.

Oh, dear.

So, do you need money?

No. No, actually, I just called to see how you were.

Are you taking care of yourself?

No cigarettes? Promise me.

You sound just like your father.

I miss him, Mom.

Yes.

Well, so do I.

Raise your right hand.

Where is your family, Theresa?

There's no one here in the court for you.

I am.

Who do you belong to now?

Theresa, why did you come to Hawaii?

It was going to be our honeymoon.

I didn't know we weren't going back.

Who named the knife Justice?

Vincent did.

And who decided that you would start

robbing people?

Vincent made all the decisions.

Before you met Vincent Nichol, were you religious?

I was raised Mormon.

I was a Sunday School teacher.

Your parents must have been very worried about you.

They didn't want me to marry Vincent, so...

when I did, that was kind of it.

During your time in Hawaii,

did Vincent ever threaten you with bodily harm?

- Objection. - Sustained.

Did you and Vincent argue?

- Yes. - You fought.

Did he ever point the gun at you?

- Yes. - Did it ever go off?

Yes, once.

The bullet went right by my face.

Objection, Your Honour.

This line of questioning is completely irrelevant...

Your Honour, I'm trying to establish...

She's right, Mr. Kahane. Please stick to the case at hand.

Theresa...

did you shoot Bobby Gordon?

I did not.

It started just like the other times.

Vincent asked Bobby did he have a car.

Said he knew another party we could go to.

But you didn't go to a party.

- No. - No, instead,

you made him drive you out to Hanauma Bay.

Yes.

Why?

There was never anyone around.

Vincent said it was his lucky spot.

What happened when you got there?

Vincent was mad,

because we didn't have any rope.

Alright.

And he robbed him?

Took all the money he had,

but it was only about $40, I think.

Hands behind your back.

Come on!

Did you even see Bobby get shot?

No.

Why not?

I had to put my boots on.

I went back to the car.

Maybe Bobby said something to Vincent, I don't know.

Sometimes Vincent got jealous

if he thought I was acting too friendly.

You were at the car when you heard shots?

Yes.

And what did you do then?

I couldn't even hardly believe it.

I can't hardly believe it now.

Okay, sweetie, you're all tucked in.

Sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite.

I want Daddy.

Well, you got me.

I love you, sweetie.

"You're so young."

A nice Mormon girl.

Vincent must have taken your breath away.

Did you know he was dangerous?

"Is that why you fell in love with him?"

Where have you been?

"Hawaii, the edge of the world.

You're Adam and Eve."

"Bonnie and Clyde. No one for you but him."

Did you not see anymore

"that you could still get away?"

Wow.

That's so deep, Sally.

Let me guess.

You don't think she did it, right?

It was his word against hers.

I knew it!

Only you, Sally, could turn it all around,

twist it around, and make it seem

like it's all the guy's fault.

Pfft. Is there anything to eat?

You missed dinner.

Oh, really?

Where have you been? City Hall.

They won't grant the permits...

Can't tear the building down,

can't sell the property...

I don't understand. Oh, you don't understand?

Well, let me make it simple for you.

I got screwed, okay?

So now you can go ahead and tell me that you told me so.

But... if-if we can't pay the rent, Danny, we can't live here.

So go. Go, please. Leave.

Where am I gonna go? I gave up everything for you.

I-I left everything behind.

Poor Sally! Oh, poor Sally!

Poor little Sally!

Left her mommy and daddy behind, did ya?

Huh?

Poor Danny has to live with this!

Sally...

Hey, shh...

Be quiet, we don't want to wake up Aimee.

I'm sorry, okay?

Sally, I'm so sorry.

I don't know why I do that.

I'm an idiot.

I'm trying. I'm really trying, I am. You know that, right?

I love you.

You know I love you, right, Sally?

I don't know why I do that.

I'm sorry.

I'm gonna go.

I'll pack up my stuff, I'll just go.

I'll leave you two alone. You'll be better off without me.

I'm just gonna go.

No.

Please don't go.

I'm sorry.

I'm never gonna do that again.

We could have another baby.

Another baby. You want to do that?

After Bobby Gordon's murder,

did you leave Hawaii with Vincent?

Yes, we did.

You went with him to California.

Yes.

You didn't leave him.

Even though you claim that he had killed someone.

No.

Even though you claim that you were afraid of him.

No. I mean, no, I didn't leave.

Can you tell me why not?

We were married.

Did you write this letter to Vincent?

Ms. Nichol?

I don't recall.

You don't recall?

You wrote this letter while you were in California waiting...

Objection!

Withdrawn.

Could you read it out loud, please?

"Honey, please don't blame yourself"

for what happened.

You tried to keep me from it, but I didn't

"want to leave."

You wrote this letter from prison

when Vincent had no way of reaching you.

No way of hurting you, correct?

Yes.

Nothing further, Your Honour.

If Vincent shot the guy,

why would she pack up and go to California with him?

She was afraid.

Why would she be afraid?

Afraid to leave him.

Afraid of life without him.

She's not big on fear.

She's the one that killed someone.

I don't think she did it.

Jeez...

Bye, sweetie.

Okay, bye.

See ya.

Wait, where are you going? I'm going to meet some guys

about taking that property off my hands.

But are you taking Aimee with you?

Um, no, I'm not.

I have to go to court.

Yeah, well, okay...

figure it out, alright? I gotta go.

Give me the keys. No, Danny, you stay here

with Aimee. I have got to go to final arguments,

it's the last day of the trial.

I'm not messing around, give me the keys.

No, call and cancel or stay here with Aimee,

I am leaving now.

Do not go out that door.

Sally.

Yeah, good. I'm not gonna do this anymore.

Do what? Don't walk away from me.

I won't do this anymore! What's the matter with you?!

I'm done!

Mama?

That's good, that's great.

Come, baby. Come, come.

It's okay, sweetie.

Okay, let's go.

Hey, Sally. Don't.

Come on, we gotta go. We gotta go now.

Come on.

- I don't wanna go! - Aimee.

Do me a favour, come here,

get in your car seat, okay.

Hop on in, hop on in, quick, quick, quick.

We're late. I don't wanna go.

Okay, there you go. Okay.

Come on, Aimee, sit still, please!

I wanna stay with Daddy!

- Well, you can't. - Not today, we gotta go.

All rise.

Be seated.

Mommy, stop pulling me.

I'm sorry, but we gotta... We're late.

Why don't you sit right here, sweetie, okay?

Sit here and colour.

Would you watch her until first recess?

Juror number 11, you're late.

You are excused.

Juror number 11 will be replaced

with the first alternate.

Your Honour, the prosecution requests

an evidential clarification of the State's

evidence exhibit 13 A.

Mr. Gordon's shirt...

Mr. Gordon's sandals,

Mr. Gordon's pants...

Mommy, what now?

The jury had to be unanimous. It took them less than two hours.

Guilty?

30 years!

The average felony sentence in Hawaii

is four or five years.

Even mob killers get less than 20.

Well, she must be out by now. Parole, something.

She's still in prison in California.

After all these years.

After all these years, and you never brought it up?

I buried it.

Five minutes I was late. I guess I felt...

Guilty?

Maybe I could stop

and visit Theresa on my way to my mom's.

California is not on the way to Kansas.

You think it's stupid.

No, I like it when you get like this.

Like what? Maybe this is your book.

Your next book.

Dear Theresa,

I was on your jury in Oahu

many years ago.

I know it's been a long time,

but lately I've been thinking about that,

and wondering how you're doing.

I had no idea what happened to you,

but I made some calls,

and there you are in California.

I hope you don't find this odd.

Dear Sally... ...but I'm wondering if I might visit you.

I received your letter, and to say I was overwhelmed

is the understatement of the year.

I want to thank you so much for writing.

I don't get a lot of mail.

Or a lot of visitors, for that matter.

I'm trying to picture you.

I wonder what you remember about the trial.

There's so many things I want to ask you.

I'm enclosing the forms you'll need

if you want to visit the next time you come through.

And don't worry, there aren't any hard feelings.

I'm looking forward to meeting you very soon.

I remember you.

Thank you for sending your book. It was...

interesting.

Well, I wrote it a long time ago.

Uh, what can I get you?

Coffee would be great.

You look different from what I expected.

Oh, well, the book, the picture...

it was taken like 11 years ago.

Makeup, hair, doesn't even look like me at all.

I didn't see your picture.

It was on the back jacket of the book.

We're not allowed hardcover books.

They rip the cover off before we get them.

You look different from what I remember.

That's what I meant.

Fancier.

Here, you try.

I'm not allowed to touch the money.

I'm sorry.

I wonder why you came here now.

I found this old notebook

that I used to keep during the trial.

I remember. The judge took it away.

I remember you took notes the whole way through.

It's the only way I could see to get through it.

To write. Yes.

Then you became a real writer.

And here I am.

When I started to read the notebook,

it was like someone else had written it.

I had forgotten all of it.

And I guess when I left,

I wanted to put it all behind me.

Hawaii, all of it.

You should know...

I wasn't there at the end for your deliberations.

I know. The last day, you were late.

I couldn't leave my daughter.

I-I started to, but I couldn't.

It was complicated. Don't worry.

I would've done exactly the same thing in your place.

That's what mothers are for.

Yeah, but I think I might've made a difference.

That's not why you came.

We were almost the same age.

I ran away to Hawaii with my husband.

I went from my father's house to my husband's house.

Just like you.

What about you? You met Vincent...

He kept bugging me about getting married, so...

one day I said okay.

I wanted to make him happy.

I wanted to make everybody happy.

Next thing I know, it was done.

My parents didn't like Vincent, so when I married him,

that was kind of it.

My parents were furious when I married Danny.

I fought with my father.

He said if I left, I shouldn't bother coming back.

He never forgave me.

He died the summer before your trial.

My dad died in July.

He never forgave me either.

"All of these coincidences are amazing."

Her first job was at JC Penney's, mine was at JC Penney's.

I don't know why you want to go on stirring up the past.

It was nice of you to come see your mom. It's been a long time.

She's not really visiting me,

she went to see a murderer.

Oh, a real murderer? Who'd he kill?

It's a woman, actually.

The prison's in California.

I'm just the stopover.

She says she didn't do it.

They all say that.

It's very In Cold Blood.

Right, but except those murderers were guilty.

She's innocent? Fantastic for the book.

Well, not totally innocent.

Sally, help me out here.

What do you think?

Well, she's not that different from the trial.

The same things that sunk her -

the calm, the blankness -

now it almost seems reasonable,

as if it's the only way to bear it.

So you think that's why they convicted her, because she was calm?

I don't know. I wasn't there.

And do you really believe

that if you had been there it would've made a difference?

It had to be unanimous.

So, what's the book?

We're connected.

My life to hers.

I can't figure it out, but I want to know.

Hi, I'm here to see an inmate.

Theresa Nichol?

I wanted to bring my notebook in with me.

They said I needed special permission at the gate.

You're the one that's been calling here.

The writer.

I'd like to be able to make some notes.

Theresa Nichol? Give me a break.

I mean, my husband's no walk in the park,

but at least I go home every night.

Wanna write a book about that?

Theresa never gets in trouble. Perfect record.

Now you come along, they're all over her.

I'm sorry. Don't worry about it.

Theresa says you're gonna help get her out of here.

Good thing.

I mean, it's ridiculous.

I deserve to do the time. I took a life.

Well, he was a mean son-of-a-bitch.

My roommate.

- What did she...? - Shot her husband.

Most of the lifers here are in for something like that.

She's been here 28 years.

Had a mastectomy this summer, chemo,

radiation... They won't let her out.

I don't want to die in here.

You know, those dogs can turn the lights on for you,

lock the door?

Inmates train them to help disabled people.

How come you're not in the dog program?

I just don't want it, you know?

Even to pet them, because then you're stuck.

You can't be happy again without each other.

When I first moved out, I had this little beagle puppy.

Man, I loved that little guy.

Vincent made me get rid of him when we went to Hawaii.

Where is Vincent now?

From the time he was 14, he's only been out of jail

a few months.

I honestly believe if he'd been free longer,

he would've had a following and more people would've died.

A following like a cult?

He told me he could read my mind.

My face was like an open book.

It's weird that I believed him.

Well, you were in love with him.

You know,

in most states, the husband can't testify against the wife.

But they can in Hawaii.

Because they changed the law that summer, just for me.

They were gonna get me no matter what.

Vincent failed a polygraph, you know.

Well, they didn't say that at the trial.

You being a few minutes late was very convenient for them.

That judge wanted you off the jury.

I think there's a reason you came back into my life now.

When you wrote me how your father was a lawyer.

Yeah, but I'm not a lawyer. You're a writer.

I'm sorry.

I think I misunderstood.

You're gonna stay up all night again looking at porn?

No, I'm coming in soon.

Look, she was right.

Hawaii changed the law about spousal testimony

right before her trial.

You out of your mind? You can't start buying

all her conspiracy theories.

Look, Leonard, I know

her theories are crazy, but I...

But?

I have to find Vincent Nichol.

He's in prison. He's been in prison

all but 18 months of his entire adult life.

- Why? - I don't know.

No, I mean why find him?

Because he's the only one who knows what really

- happened that night. - What about Theresa?

Sally...

have you even asked her?

How you doing?

Good. Good, good, good, good.

I took a writing class once in here.

The teacher wasn't half as good-looking as you are.

"Write what you know," that's what they told us.

Same as therapy.

It's all about what you know.

What about what you want to know, writer lady?

Like what I said in my letter,

I was on the jury at Theresa Nichol's trial.

Right, right, poor old Theresa.

Why do you say poor Theresa?

Can't please all people all the time, right?

Is she still good-looking?

Yeah, well, that's her thing. Pretty girl.

It's like a charm.

Everybody wants to do for a pretty girl.

I'm just interested in the truth.

You know what they told us in therapy?

About how, uh...

criminals want to blame everybody else.

Like Theresa? We're talking about me here!

You want to blame everybody else.

No, no, no, that was before.

I don't make victims out of people anymore.

So, Theresa was a victim.

Come on...

She loved it.

You know all about that, don't you?

Maybe I do know.

Maybe that's why I don't think

you told the truth about what happened that night.

Look at you. Yeah.

You look at me.

You look at me, and you look at that little girl.

What do you think happened?

She's serving a life sentence for a murder

based solely on your testimony.

Well, that's, uh...

You see, to me, that's funny,

because the cops made a real big stink

about how they didn't believe a word I said.

And at the trial, everybody!

Everybody ate it up.

Why did you testify?

Hoping for a break, shot at parole.

Surprise, surprise.

They, uh, screwed me.

Does Theresa deserve to be free?

It's a joke that that girl's incarcerated.

Now, that's what you should write in your book.

Because...?

What do you think?

I think you shot Bobby Gordon.

Well, there you go.

Guess this therapy works pretty good after all.

Happy birthday, Grandma!

Happy birthday!

Yeah!

Well done.

Get the cake knife, please. Are you alright?

I'm fine. Cake knife, please.

In the silver drawer. Okay.

Uh, excuse me.

Grace sent me here for more liquor.

Oh, right. That was supposed to be my job.

Help yourself.

Uh, well, actually, um...

the-the really good stuff is here.

You must've worked with my father.

And you must be Sally.

I'm John Emory.

Oh, my God. John Emory, yes.

Yes.

Right.

Yeah.

Y-y-you... you're not, uh, having cake?

Uh, no, I'm, I'm...

just a bit preoccupied, I guess.

Oh, with the murder.

Right. Your mother tells me you're obsessed.

Oh, well, my mom is mystified.

But this woman went to prison for a crime she did not commit.

My prisoner, Theresa Nichol.

Her husband was the only one who testified against her.

And now he's saying that he's the one who pulled the trigger.

Well, that, that... that might help you

at a parole hearing.

But to get the judge to reopen the case,

that's next to impossible.

You'd have to... you'd have to prove a miscarriage of justice.

You'd have to prove the trial was rigged against her.

- Well, it was. - Well, you know that?

Yes, I was there.

Well, I'll tell you what.

You send over the files, and I'll have a look at them.

Great, thank you.

He's an old friend of my father's.

Friend, enemy, defence lawyer.

Well, you pretty much missed the party, Mom.

I'm sorry, honey.

It's just that this John Emory could really help me out.

He's everything a lawyer should be. Open-minded,

forgiving; he was nothing like my father.

An open mind is a relative thing.

It always seemed to me

that it was you who could not forgive your father,

not the other way around.

Dear Sally,

I've been thinking about where you live

and how you live.

Trying to picture you up there in Canada.

I've been thinking about you working,

writing away.

And I think someday maybe I could have a place like that.

To write and be alone.

Dear Theresa,

thank you for sending the transcripts of the trial.

I haven't written a lot because there's so much to read.

Did I actually listen to all these millions of words?

I think about that,

looking for a place to live,

something I've never done.

And what about the rest?

Getting a job, making friends.

There are so many things I don't know how to do.

Sometimes, that scares me.

I probably need your help.

I hope that's okay.

When I first came to Canada with Aimee,

that's what I wanted too: a new life.

Everything new so that I would be new.

I like to close my eyes and think about

that room to write in,

how I would decorate it.

How I would spend my time there.

How it would be entirely my own.

Sally, I'm so grateful I met you.

It frightens me, but I can't wait

to get out of here.

It's funny,

you write to me about the future,

and I'm just now getting started on the past.

And what was Theresa doing?

She was holding the gun.

She looked...

I don't know, blank.

Did he tell you why he called it Justice?

What kind of people name a knife?

Mr. Sneed? Yes?

My name is Sally Linden. I...

Thanks, I'm not interested.

I was on the jury for the Theresa Nichol murder trial.

You testified.

I'm writing a book.

All I got is instant coffee.

The bachelor way.

Half of the time, I make it with hot water from the tap.

You know Theresa Nichol is still in prison?

Good. I hope she dies there.

But at the trial you testified that she looked blank.

Did you think she was scared?

I said she looked blank?

Yeah.

Let me show you something.

It's so long ago. Still...

there's some lessons you don't need to learn twice.

How's that?

That's the last time I let a pretty girl

get one over on me.

They took my camera, you know.

Police found a pawn shop ticket on...

What was his name? Vincent.

They held it for evidence in the trial, but...

when I finally got it back...

Does she look blank?

Does she look scared?

They're having the time of their lives.

You said you're guilty about the five minutes you were late.

Well, what about her?

What about the...

five minutes she held the gun on that poor

son-of-a-bitch they killed?

That's five minutes she didn't run out in the road

and yell for help.

That's five minutes she didn't turn the gun on her husband.

Hi, Mr. Emory.

Yeah, I filed the writ. I think we've got a case here.

Great.

Did you know that Vincent Nichol failed

a lie detector test?

And they still let him testify.

Yeah, they let him testify.

The State allowed him to perjure himself,

they encouraged it.

But why?

Vincent offered them a murder, a story.

He said Theresa wouldn't talk.

Why would he do that? Offer it up?

He cut a deal, he cut a deal. He got immunity in Hawaii,

which left only one person to swing for it, so...

They needed to convict someone.

Yes, and he was hoping it would help his case

in California where he was awaiting trial for the other murder.

What? I'm sorry, the other murder?

Yeah, for the Ernesto Navarro murder.

The other one, the second one in California.

Oh, so you lied.

Definitely I lied.

I lied outrageously, but that's when I was fighting

the-the-the robberies and the murders. You know?

Sally?

After the first killing,

Theresa left Hawaii with Vincent,

fled to California. Two weeks later,

Vincent shot and killed this guy named Ernesto Navarro

while Theresa looked on.

You didn't know this?

I... cannot believe she would do this to me!

Really, Sally, she didn't do it to you.

Don't do that. Do what?!

Be smug! Superior!

What are you gonna do? If you're gonna go down there,

you have to visit your mother.

Why? So she can say "I told you so"?

You do whatever you want. You're a grown-up.

But your mother's sick, and it's on the way.

California is not on the way to Kansas.

Right, right.

Why did you only ship me evidence from the Hawaii trial?

I've served sentence for my involvement

in the California crime. Involvement? Theresa!

California law doesn't care who pulled the trigger.

I was convicted of felony murder just for being there.

That's not the law in Hawaii.

Then Vincent told them I shot Bobby Gordon.

Vincent. It's always Vincent.

Theresa, you knew what he was. You left Hawaii with him,

you went to California with him, but you didn't leave him.

He said he would kill me. Did you even try?

I did try.

I tried in California.

Thought maybe he could drive me away.

Drive, drive, go!

But Vincent wouldn't let me go.

He couldn't.

He always said he could tell what I was thinking.

So I thought it was my fault.

I tried to get away, and that man died.

There was nothing I could do.

Nowhere I could go.

After that, I didn't ask for help.

Until I came along.

I never asked you for anything.

You came here, you wanted to write your book.

The book.

That's right, I wanted to write my book.

Goodbye.

Mom?

I'm here.

Mom?

Mom?

Sally.

Mom, I'm calling an ambulance.

No, no, no, no. Just stay with me, sweetie.

Mom. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have...

I've been so wrapped up, I haven't...

No, no, it's alright.

It's alright.

I'm glad you're here.

I'm tired of being sick.

Just stay with me.

I've thought over and over,

trying to figure out maybe there was something

different I could've done.

I'm still thinking about that.

I've been thinking I wish there had been something to do

or I'd been thinking more clearly at the time.

I wish I'd not been so powerless.

I've thought about it a lot since my last hearing,

and in the last many years.

I've thought about the whole thing a lot,

and I didn't

enjoy being involved in the crimes.

And I didn't enjoy the intimidation and the fear

that I felt with him.

Dear Sally,

my parole hearing was today, and I was shaking so bad

I could barely get the words out.

It didn't really matter in the end.

I haven't had a letter from you.

I guess I might not have one again.

But I wanted to say thanks for everything,

and for visiting me.

I'll miss you.

I shouldn't have read it.

I don't need it.

I've given up on the book.

"Hawaii, edge of the world."

You're Adam and Eve, Bonnie and Clyde.

No one for you but him.

Did you not see anymore that...

"you can still get away?"

Florid? No.

I didn't know...

any of this.

That's because I didn't tell you.

That's what we do in my family.

Pack it up and forget it.

I've been thinking about these...

little moments that determine our lives.

The minutes when things can go either way.

I walked out of that courthouse...

and I had Aimee by the hand.

She was looking up at me.

"What now, Mommy?"

All I could think of to do...

I went back into the courthouse, I called my mom.

She said...

she would wire me money

for plane tickets that afternoon.

She told me to come home.

Yeah, open number three.

I didn't think you'd come back.

I didn't know that I would.

I'm so sorry about your mother.

I heard you were denied parole.

Yes.

I talked to John Emory last night.

The lawyer?

Yeah, a judge in Hawaii has granted the writ of habeas corpus.

He's going to reopen your case.

And Vincent's gonna get on the stand and tell them

what he told me.

I can't believe it.

Theresa, I need to know what happened that night

at Hanauma Bay.

I testified very truthfully at my trial.

You believe that at least?

I believe you told us the facts,

but the truth is something else.

I went back...

to start the car, and then Vincent just...

shoots him.

Shoots him, and I can't...

believe it, I'm...

I'm standing there and I can't move.

And it's awful.

But...

It's all mixed up with love and...

everything I should do, but...

What I think is...

how it's only Vincent and me.

We've only got each other.

How could I... have loved him?

How could that have been me?

How did I get in the car and leave that boy

lying in the sand?

And then we were driving, and I...

I knew it was wrong, but it was...

Too late.

Hey.

Theresa...

I sat at your trial.

I watched. I thought I understood...

that it was wrong.

That you should've left Vincent, done anything

to get away from him, but...

I knew why you didn't.

How?

Because we were alike.

We weren't so much alike then, were we?

I mean, you left.

Did you know that Vincent Nichol

failed a polygraph?

I don't recall.

Did you know...

why he agreed to testify against his wife?

It's a long time ago.

I don't recall.

There were only three witnesses to the murder,

and one was dead.

But it wasn't enough for me to show that Vincent was lying,

I needed the jury to understand why.

Vincent Nichol made a deal.

Immunity in Hawaii.

In California, he was hoping for a chance at parole.

He had everything to gain.

So the prosecution knew about this deal?

They did, sir.

Did they tell you about the deal?

No, they told me the opposite was true.

Vincent said under oath he had nothing to gain,

and they let it stand.

Even if this is true, Mr. Emory,

it's probably not enough to throw out a murder.

With all due respect, Your Honour, I'd have argued it

completely differently if I had known.

It would've made my case.

- Okay, talk to you later. - What?

Vincent Nichol is not gonna testify.

Why not? I'm sorry.

He's gone, he's gone. Gone? He's in prison.

Well, he ratted out another cellmate

in a capital case,

and they put him in witness protection.

Where? Uh, I don't know.

They're not gonna tell me,

and he's not gonna testify.

- Do we even have a chance? - Come on.

Your Honour, this is a habeas corpus hearing.

We're not here to determine whether or not

the prisoner is innocent.

We're asking if the prosecution

so tainted this trial

as to make the conviction a denial of due process.

That's Donnelly versus DeChristoforo, 1974.

John, I know why we're here. Now, they used the testimony

of a witness who sold themselves to the prosecution.

Your Honour... Now, the State had the obligation...

the obligation

to tell the defence, and they didn't.

- You haven't proved that. - Not enough.

Not enough because I have to convince you

that's correct, that...

tainted testimony swayed the jury

and determined the verdict.

That's true, and I'm gonna call a witness.

Sally Linden was on the original jury,

but she was removed... Your Honour, it's impermissible for a juror...

on the last day of the trial.

To testify as to how a verdict was reached.

She was removed from the jury

on the last day of the trial.

She was not involved in the verdict.

Theresa, did you shoot Bobby Gordon?

I did not.

This was a long time ago.

You seem to remember it so clearly.

I took copious notes.

They wanted us to think that Vincent

had absolutely nothing to gain

by testifying, and we did.

- Your Honour. - This is a big deal, Lynn.

Don't interrupt again.

So you're saying the State's case

rested solely on the testimony of Vincent Nichol?

Absolutely.

It was his word against hers.

We were led to believe him.

You're asking this court for remedy.

I have to be certain.

Your Honour, we're asking that the conviction be overturned.

Wait, wait.

Please, I just have to say this.

Theresa Nichol was young.

She was frightened.

She did the wrong thing.

We can sit here and talk about why,

we can talk about what she should've done...

we can wonder if there was one moment

where she could've changed everything.

But in the end, there's no undoing it.

No one knows that more than Theresa.

She has paid the price for it.

But... Theresa didn't shoot anyone.

Justice wasn't served.

We have a chance now,

here today, to make that right.

We have a chance to do what's just.

Sally.

Hi, Danny.

Uh...

Do... do you want to come inside?

Come on in.

I'd, uh... offer you something to drink,

but I gave it up, so...

Oh, that's okay. I can't stay for long.

Right.

Um, well, here, have a seat.

So, uh, tell me, what...

what brings you around here?

Uh, well, they reopened Theresa Nichol's case.

The jury I was on.

Oh, right, right, yeah, the, um...

the murder trial.

Yeah.

I just thought I'd stop by, see how you were.

Yeah. Good, good.

Terrific, actually.

Got a bunch of deals going out of Hong Kong now.

Um, just got money to burn, those guys, I'm telling you.

You talk to Aimee?

Uh, yeah. She calls

once in a while, yeah.

She's doing great at school, I guess.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Wow, you...

You look great, Sally.

You really do.

Thank you.

I... I just drove out to Hanauma Bay, actually.

To see where the murder happened.

You know, there's a legend about that place.

It's these...

these two guys are fighting over this girl.

This beautiful girl.

And, uh, she wants them to stop.

So she turns herself into a crater.

You know, sacrificing her life.

And her father,

he puts his arms around her to protect her,

and those are the arms of Hanauma Bay.

Sure was great to see you.

You too.

Listen, Sally, I just feel like I should, uh...

Don't, Danny.

It was a long time ago.

Goodbye.

See ya.

♪ You're tired of being poor ♪

♪ You say you've got to change ♪

♪ If you're going to live here ♪

♪ You're wired and you're sore ♪

♪ You say it makes you strange ♪

♪ But I know it's a good tear ♪

♪ In your eye ♪

Thank you.

♪ I know it's a good smile that makes you cry... ♪

You open a trunk and it comes

rushing out at you.

Open a notebook, and out comes the past.

All the mistakes I made. Everything I couldn't see.

Hello?

I changed countries, changed lives.

And somehow, I'd left the past unfinished.

But it doesn't leave you alone, the past.

It doesn't.

What?

The judge in Hawaii ruled on Theresa's case.

And?

The verdict of murder is overturned.

Congratulations.

♪ You're wired and you're sore ♪

♪ You say it makes you strange ♪

♪ But I know it's a good tear ♪

♪ In your eye ♪

♪ I know it's a good smile that makes you cry... ♪

Congratulations.

I'm in love.

This time, he's worth it.

Dexter, Golden Retriever.

You joined the dog program?

So far, he's not so hot with the light switches,

but we'll get there.

But your verdict was overturned.

They'll appeal.

They could decide to retry me.

It could take years. They have to let you out.

Eventually, but I can't keep living in the meantime.

I have to live my life the way it really is.

You too.

You should finish your book.

But there's no ending.

Well...

This is as good an end as any.

Will you keep visiting me?

Yes.

After all, we've known each other for years.

♪ Just one good thing to hang onto ♪

♪ This one good thing will let you ♪

♪ Give it all away... ♪

Okay.

Good boy. Sit.

There you go!

♪ Give it all away ♪