All language subtitles for L.A.Law.S07E21.Bourbon.Cowboy.1080p.HULU.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-BurCyg_track3_[eng]

Come on, let's go.

Does this look OK?

Very pretty.

- So you-- you bought all this
stuff with your own money, huh?

It's a basic trial strategy.

You want to look good in court.

You want to feel good.

The clothes the county provides
are usually a bit threadbare.

- Well, this isn't exactly
my style, you know.

It's for the jury.

So is Andy going to be there?

Don't worry about him.

- Is he going to
be there, though?

- Yes, he'll be
there to testify.

- He used to say it was me
and him till the end of time.

He lied.

- So what kind of
deal did he make?

- They promised him
straight probation.

So he's going to walk.

- The fact that he
never got out of the car

means that the
victim couldn't ID

him, which means that they have
a stronger case against you.

- So if I lose, I get
five years, right?

Possibly.

- Maybe I should
have made a deal.

- Christine, if you
really want to cop a plea,

I can see if the
door is still open,

but you've been
saying for months

that you want to go to trial.

And although there
are no guarantees,

you do have a lawyer
who believes in you.

- Just don't make me
talk to him, all right?

[theme music]

People versus Rowan.

What's this?

- Christine Rowan was
an unwilling participant

in an armed robbery.

Her boyfriend forced her
to pose as a prostitute,

lure a john to a
compromising position,

then hold him up at gunpoint.

- Sounds like you're
pleading duress.

That we are.

- Is "my boyfriend made me do
it" really a valid defense?

- If this woman was threatened
with grave bodily

harm, absolutely.

- The threats were
psychological, which doesn't

make them any less grave.

This guy kept my client
a virtual prisoner

in his apartment, demanded
total submission, sexually

and otherwise, to the
point where her will became

subsumed by his.

- What kind of woman puts
herself in that position?

- In this case, a
teenage prostitute

with a history of abuse.

Sad story, but a tough sell.

Very tough.

You couldn't plead this?

- She didn't want
to do time, and I

didn't think she deserved to.

[sighs] Hopewell versus Paine.

- Yeah, at Leland's urging,
I'm representing Mason Paine.

His wife is suing
him for divorce.

- All I had to hear
was that Mason Paine

was looking for an attorney.

Why, who is he?

Who is he?

He's one of the great country
music singers and songwriters.

That's who he is.

Country music?

- Oh, god, Leland, you
listen to country music?

I know.

It's hard to imagine, isn't it.

Get along, little Dougie.

We don't have to
discuss this anymore.

- Leland, I'm stunned that
you listen to country music.

- Some of the greatest
American poetry ever written

is country music.

- You know what
happens when you play

a country music song backwards?

What happens?

You get back your wife.

You get back your dog.

Your pickup truck's fixed,
and your mama's alive.

[laughter]

- You're all very
sophisticated, aren't you?

Well, I listen to country
music, and I am thrilled

that Mason Paine is our client.

And as far as I'm concerned,
y'all don't know nothing.

- Mr. Bowling, would
you describe the nature

of the events that took place on
the evening of October 4, 1992?

- Well, it was
close to midnight.

I was driving down Las
Palmas, south of Sunset,

looking for a female companion.

- Could you be more
specific, Mr. Bowling?

A prostitute.

I was looking for a prostitute.

I saw that young woman over
there standing on the sidewalk

near Las Palmas and Selma.

I pulled over.

She asked if I wanted a date.

I said yes.

She got in and away we went.

And where did you go?

- She told me to pull into
an alley just up the street.

For privacy, she said.

So when I-- when I parked,
a guy came up behind me

and blocked me, so
I couldn't back out.

That's when she pulled the gun.

- And what, if
anything, did she say?

- She told me to
hand over my wallet,

or she'd blow my head off.

Her voice was real calm
and cool, like ice,

- like she did this all the time.
- Objection.

- Move to strike.
- I'll allow it.

- Your Honor, when the witness
claims that my client sounds

like she did this
all the time, he's

engaging in speculation,
which is both wholly improper

and highly prejudicial.

- The witness is stating
his opinion, Counselor.

I think the jury is capable
of interpreting it as such.

Proceed, Miss Tripp.

- What happened
next, Mr. Bowling?

- Then she told me to hand
over my watch, my wedding band,

and a gold chain that I had, a
St. Christopher medallion, on,

and she drove off with my car.

Thank you.

I have nothing further.

- Mr. Bowling, have you
any training, psychiatric

or otherwise, that would help
you interpret my client's

behavior on that night?

No.

- For all you know, Ms. Rowan
was scared out of her wits.

- Isn't that right?
- She didn't look scared to me.

- In a statement
you made to police,

you said that the man in the car
directed the action that night.

Is that description accurate?

- He yelled some
things at her, yes.

Such as?

- Well, he told her to make sure
to get my watch and my ring.

- I remember that.
- Did she obey his instructions?

- Well, yes, she did, but--
- Thank you.

The question only requires
a yes-or-no answer.

- But he didn't tell her
to hold the gun at my head.

- She did that on her own.
- Non-responsive.

- Move to strike.
- Denied.

- Your Honor, I asked
a yes-or-no question.

- The witness is entitled
to finish his thought.

- That little girl threatened
to blow my head off,

and now she's trying to
say it wasn't her fault?

Your Honor, I object.

- I've ruled the
witness can continue,

Ms. Paros, and I won't
tolerate another interruption.

She lured me in.

She threatened me.

She robbed me, and she
did it like she meant to.

She did it like a pro.

- If the witness is finished,
I have no more questions.

[chatter]

- Mason, I'm not denigrating
anything you've done.

And the fact of the matter
is I've always thought

you were a major talent.

Unfortunately, your
marriage isn't working,

and your wife wants to move on.

- That's real show
business talk, isn't it?

That's the way they
talk out here in LA.

We're going to move on.

We've taken all
there is to take.

We're tired of you.

We're bored with you, so
now we're going to move on.

- I'm just curious,
how much have

you had to drink today, Mason?

- Just enough to get
through this, darling.

Not one drop more.

- Folks, we're here to see if
we can come to an agreement

as to finances.

I strongly suggest
that's what we deal with.

Good idea.

- Well, what's Mason's
position on Amanda's continuing

to perform his songs?

Mason says she can't.

Mason, hold on a second.

Mason can't say she can't.

There's a compulsory license
law that entitles her

to perform all published work.

Let's put it this way.

I'm not signing any
divorce agreement

that gives her permission
to sing those songs.

- Well, we got a
problem, Mr. Becker.

I mean, those songs and all
the royalties derived thereof

are his only
significant contribution

to the marital estate.

And if he seeks to prevent his
wife from using what has become

a substantial portion
of her repertoire,

well, he can't
expect to share pari

passu in that selfsame estate.

- Amanda, darling, if you
understand what he just said,

I'd best abandon all
hope of winning you back.

- I think you'd best
do that anyway, Mason.

- This matter is not going
to be settled, Mr. Becker.

And it's certainly not
going to be settled today.

My suggestion is, is
that tomorrow we just

- start with the depositions.
- Amanda--

Don't say anything, Mason.

Just please, don't say anything.

- I thought you
were going to let me

use the songs to bargain with.

- They're the only thing I've
got that she still wants.

If I give them to her, then
you'll draw up some papers,

and just like that,
it'll be over.

- You realize the only
thing you're holding on to

are divorce proceedings.

- I'll hold on to
whatever I can.

Mason?

Mason, I brought some of
my albums in to show you.

Look at that.

Hawkshaw Hawkins, The Hawk
of the West Virginia Hills.

Cowboy Copas, Bob
Wills, Tommy Duncan.

Oh, Lefty Frizzell, why?

And Faron Young.

Leland.

And Uncle Dave.

Uncle Dave Macon.

He's doing Rabbit
in the Pea Patch

and Keep My Skillet
Good and Greasy.

- Leland, this probably
isn't a good time for that.

Oh.

Oh, OK.

Maybe later.

- A presumption has
no force or effect

when specific contrary evidence
is produced and admitted.

- And how much contrary evidence
is necessary to overcome

a presumption?

It depends on the case.

Sometimes the standard
is enough evidence

to support a finding
of the nonexistence

of the presumed fact.

In other cases, the standard
is just substantial evidence.

You got it.

Oh.

You know, you were right
about a change of scene.

I couldn't remember any of
this until we got outside,

and now it's all coming back.

What are you doing?

What am I doing?

Making myself
extremely vulnerable.

- When this happened before,
you said it was an accident.

You said it was a momentary
lapse in impulse control.

It was.

This wasn't?

No.

I am very attracted to you.

Are you at all attracted to me?

- I just got out
of a relationship,

and I did that
because I don't have

the time right now for anything
except passing the bar.

- But you also thought
that coming out here

would completely blow
your concentration,

and what it did was
clear your head.

So imagine how focused you
would be after a weekend

at the San Ysidro Ranch.

- Tony--
- Please don't say anything.

Just hear me out.

This is an incredible place.

It's so quiet,
you'd think you were

in the middle of nowhere instead
of a hundred miles from LA.

Private cottages,
horseback riding.

Not to mention this
is the place Jack

Kennedy spent his honeymoon.

Tony, it sounds really great.

Please, just think about it.

That's all I ask.

[birds chirping]

Hello.

Hi.

Your assistant told me
I could wait in here.

- I knew there was a
reason I hired her.

- Tony, I--

I thought about your
invitation, and I'm

going to have to say no.

It's not that I don't like you.

It's just that I need
to keep my life as

simple as possible right
now, and-- and that means

not confusing relationships.

You're my teacher and my tutor,
and I want to keep it at that.

- I couldn't sleep
last night because I

kept thinking about you.

- Tony, you're making
me really uncomfortable.

- I am more than just
interested in you, Gwen.

I'm-- I am overwhelmed by you,
the way you dress, the way

you move, the way you smell.

It makes it impossible
for me to concentrate.

- Look, Tony, I need to get
back to studying for the bar.

I am sorry I have this effect
on you, but you're an adult.

You'll get past it.

- To pretend that I don't feel
this massive attraction for you

is more than I can do, Gwen.

I'm sorry.

What do you mean?

- I mean that I think
I'm going to have to end

our private tutoring sessions.

And you can certainly
continue to come to class,

but I would ask that you
please sit at the back,

preferably behind someone tall.

Don't ask any questions.

Don't talk to me
before or after class.

And if this is
not OK with you, I

will gladly refund your money.

- What good's that
going to do me?

I can't get into another
review class at this point.

- To hear you and
see you and know

that I cannot get any closer to
you is just too painful for me.

I'm sorry.

You're an adult, Gwen.

You'll get past it.

[door closes]

- Well, Arthur Bryson is a
pretty well-respected judge.

Could you possibly have
misread the situation?

- Leland, he invited
an opposing witness

to vilify my client at length
during my cross-examination.

- Well, what
possible motive could

he have had for doing that?

I have no idea.

How old is your client?

20.

- Bryson's got a
daughter around that age.

It's pretty well-known
she's had some trouble.

A couple DUIs, a
possession bust.

Rumor is the judge went
out of his way to make sure

she got six months
at Sybil Brand.

That's it.

Because I'm in there
arguing that a woman

the same age isn't
responsible for her actions.

- I'd say that's the
wrong thing to be

arguing in front of this judge.

- Do you think I have
enough to disqualify him?

- You have speculation
based on rumor.

Now, to win a recusal, you need
evidence of clear-cut bias.

So I do nothing?

This girl is headed for prison.

- What you do is
proceed with caution.

You've gained some insight
into the potential bias

of your judge.

You plan your case accordingly.

And don't forget, you don't need
the judge if you got the jury.

- When was the
last time you were

in a recording studio, Mason?

It's been a while.

- As a matter of fact,
you haven't released

an album since 1975, have you?

- As a matter of
fact, I haven't.

How about concerts?

You give any concerts lately?

Tell me something.

How come he's asking
me all these questions

he already knows the answer to?

- Because I need a stenographic
record of your responses,

that's why.

- Let's just get
through it, Mason.

- When's the last
time you performed?

About 10 years ago.

- Last time you were
scheduled to perform

was on the Nashville
hayride show, wasn't it?

- Oh, I know where
this is going.

- Wasn't it?
- Yes, it was.

- Isn't it a fact that you
showed up to that engagement

in an inebriated
condition and were

not permitted to go on stage?

- The reason I was not permitted
to go on stage is because I

wouldn't put on a
10-gallon hat and stand

there telling jokes
with that grinning

idiot they had for an emcee.

- Listen, how many promoters
did you burn, Mr. Paine?

How many engagements did
you show up to drunk?

How many engagements did you
fail to show up to at all?

- My wife's the one who keeps
track of things like that.

- No, I'm not looking
for an exact number, sir.

I'd just like to
know if there is

anyone out there who's
still willing to take

a chance on booking you.

- That's an improper question.
Don't answer it.

It's not an improper question.

It goes to the issue
of whether or not he

rendered himself unemployable.

- I say it's an
improper question.

I'm instructing
him not to answer.

- Fine, I'll get a ruling.
- Get a ruling.

- I will get a ruling.
- Fine.

- My god, this is what hell
must be like, sitting in a room

with lawyers picking
over your bones.

- Well, what did you
think getting a divorce

- was going to be like, Mason?
- I don't know.

I didn't want to be
getting a divorce.

I wanted to stay married.

- Amanda, you know what?
Why don't you take off?

- Can I?
- Absolutely.

Great.

You're going to leave?

- This is your
deposition, not mine.

- Now, this would
be off the record.

All right, now, your wife won't
say this to you, but I will.

You're old, and
you're in the way.

Amanda Hopewell has a
fantastic career ahead of her

as a solo artist.

I'm not going to stand by
and let them sandbag that.

Now, his songs may be
an asset, but he himself

is nothing but a liability.

You know it.

I know it, and he
knows it best of all.

- Frank, I already gave
your guy time served.

Next thing you'll be wanting
is wall-to-wall carpeting.

[knocking on door]

Come in.

The deal is she pleads to
involuntary manslaughter,

or we go to court.

[knocking on door]

Come in.

Right.

I gotta go.

[knocking on door]

I said come in.

Oh, Rosalie.

- I couldn't understand
what you were saying.

Yeah.

Well, sometimes I
don't talk so clearly.

Come on in.

- How-- how are you?

I'm fine.

How are you?

Fine.

Is Benny with you?

No.

Is it all right if
I come here alone?

Of course it's all right.

Is something wrong?

I'm not sure.

Is this about Clark Sims?

You've seen him?

Once yesterday.

Twice last week.

He-- he's on the corner of my
street when I get off the bus.

Did he say anything to you?

- He wanted to know why I hadn't
been to the swimming pool,

and he told me that I looked
pretty in my bathing suit.

And did he say anything else?

- He said we had
to do sex again.

- You don't have to do
anything with him, Rosalie.

You understand that?

You don't even have
to talk to him again.

Now, we will get a
restraining order

so that he stays away from you.

Have you told your
mother about this?

She got so mad the last time.

- Well, she wasn't
mad at you, Rosalie.

She was worried about you.

Do we have to tell her?

- No, but if we press
charges against Clark Sims,

she's probably
going to find out.

And if we go to court, I think
you're going to need her.

- Mr. Varney, how would you
describe your relationship

with the defendant?

- Well, about three years
ago, I rescued Christine

from hooking off the streets.

I looked after her.

I protected her,
and she was my girl.

- And would you tell the court,
please, how the two of you

supported yourselves.

We stole.

- Would you describe for
us what, if anything,

took place on the evening
of October 4, 1992?

The two of us robbed a guy.

How exactly did you do that?

- Well, Christine
pretended to be a hooker.

The guy stopped, and
she got in the car.

I pulled up behind him.

She robbed him, threw
him out of the car.

- Mr. Varney, did you
force her to do this?

Absolutely not.

We were really living
the life at the time,

doing a lot of drinking,
a lot of cocaine.

Right, Christine?

She was the one who
came up with the plan.

I never forced her
to do anything.

Thank you.

I have nothing further.

- Mr. Varney, in return for
your testimony against Christine

Rowan, the district attorney
agreed to recommend probation,

which is, in fact, what you
expect to receive, is it not?

- Hey, look, I was willing
to own up to my mistakes,

and I think it's too bad that
Christine won't do the same.

- Mr. Varney, are you
currently living with someone

named Yvonne Mallory?

Yeah.

How old is she?

Like, 22.

- I have a certified copy of
Ms. Mallory's driver's license.

Would you please read
aloud her date of birth?

OK.

She's 17.

So what?

- Isn't it a fact
that Ms. Mallory

was working as a prostitute
when you met her?

Objection.

This line of questioning
is irrelevant.

- Your Honor, Mr.
Varney's pattern

of exploiting vulnerable young
women is entirely relevant.

- The only one on trial here
is your client, Miss Paros.

The objection's sustained.

- Isn't it a fact
that four years ago,

you and a 19-year-old woman were
convicted of robbing two men

in the exact same
manner that Christine

stands accused of today?

- Yeah, and when I told
Christine about it she said,

hey, why don't we give it a try?

- Mr. Varney,
wasn't it your idea

to rob these men in this way?

No, it wasn't.

- Didn't you, in
fact, threaten to cut

Christine off and throw
her out in the street

if she didn't comply?

- Look, she is nothing
but a coke slut, man,

and she got off on doing it.

You lying son of a bitch.

- Miss Paros, if
your client can't

keep her filthy mouth
shut, I'll order

the bailiff to tape it shut.

- Your Honor, I ask that
counsel be heard in chambers.

- All right, Miss Paros,
you brought us all in here.

What is it?

- Your Honor, I move for
a mistrial on the grounds

that your derogatory
remark against my client

in front of the jury has
irreparably prejudiced my case.

Motion denied.

Is that it?

- Your Honor, this remark
is not an isolated incident.

I believe you're biased
against my client.

Motion denied.

- With all due
respect, Your Honor,

your rulings indicate that
you prejudged this case.

My rulings are my rulings.

They don't indicate
any such thing.

I think they do, Your Honor.

The fact is, I think that
when you look at my client,

you see your own daughter.

And I think as a result
of this, my client's

not getting a fair
trial in there.

- Who the hell do
you think you are?

My relationship with my
daughter has nothing, nothing,

to do with this case,
and it is absolutely

no business of yours.

You have no grounds
for a recusal motion.

You have no evidence
of error on my part,

and there isn't a
judge in this building

who would argue otherwise.

Motion denied, Counselor.

You're stuck with me.

[upbeat music]

When Christine
was six years old,

her mother's live-in boyfriend
sexually molested her.

At the age of eight, Christine
was abandoned by her mother

and left in the care of
her maternal grandparents.

The grandmother died
the following year,

and Christine was raised
by her grandfather

until his death,
when she was 14.

- And what effect
did these childhood

experiences have on Christine?

- They left her with a
diminished sense of self

and an abnormally
dependent personality.

Meaning?

- Christine craves the approval
of others, men in particular,

and wants desperately
to attach herself

to someone who will love her.

Once in a
relationship, she'll do

almost anything to maintain it.

Clearly, this leaves her
vulnerable to victimization.

- In your opinion, was
Christine victimized by her

former boyfriend Andrew Varney?

Yes.

He isolated her from
her friends and kept her

in a state of near captivity.

He assumed control over even
the most minor decisions

in her life.

Gradually, Christine entered a
state of learned helplessness

in which her own
will was subjugated

to the will of Mr. Varney.

- Doctor, in your opinion,
was Christine acting

of her own free will when
she committed the robberies

of which she stands accused?

No.

Mr. Varney threatened
to throw her out

if she didn't participate.

Christine's greatest
fear was that she'd

be abandoned, as she was
repeatedly during childhood.

In her dependent state of
mind, Mr. Varney's ultimatum

was like a death threat.

Thank you, Doctor.

Nothing further.

- Doctor, didn't
Christine choose

to enter a coercive relationship
because she wanted someone

else making decisions for her?

- It's possible she made
that choice initially,

but prolonged
mistreatment by Mr. Varney

eroded her will to the point
she felt she had no choice.

Let's get something straight.

Was Miss Rowan insane at
the time of the robbery?

No.

- Could she tell
right from wrong?

Yes.

- So she knew what she
was doing was wrong,

but she went ahead
and did it anyway.

- Yes, acting under the threat
of abandonment, which to

her is the equivalent of death.

- And how do you know Mr.
Varney made this threat, Doctor?

Christine told me.

And I believed her.

Right.

Nothing further.

[door bell chimes]

Mr. Mullaney.

What are you doing here?

- I didn't tell her
you were coming.

What's going on?

Can I come in?

Please.

- I'm sorry for
this intrusion, but

something's been going on that
I think you should know about.

- You could sit
down if you want.

Can I make you some coffee?

Oh, no, thank you, Rosalie.

I'm fine.

What is it, Mr. Mullaney?

- Clark Sims has been
threatening your daughter,

Mrs. Hendrickson.

Why didn't you tell me?

I didn't want you to get mad.

- And when Rosalie
came to my office,

I had a detective look
into his background.

Two years ago, the
guy was under police

investigation on five complaints
for sexual harassment and rape.

The complaints were filed by the
Routeman Rehabilitation Center

on behalf of five young women.

All of them mentally retarded.

Well, did they go to court?

- There were no witnesses,
no evidence of force,

and none of the girls could
give credible testimony.

See, I think Rosalie can.

I want to put Clark
Sims in jail so he

can't hurt anybody anymore, but
I need you to help me do that.

Ah.

I want to go to court, Mom.

- How is it that
you became a singer?

- My husband played his
guitar and sang for me,

and one day I joined
in and sang with him.

- What did he say when
he heard you sing?

- He said when God handed
out voices like mine,

he meant to hear them used.

- So your husband, in fact,
encouraged you to sing,

did he not?

Yes, he did.

He played me Carter
Family records,

Hazel Dickens, Kitty Wells,
Patsy Cline, all of them.

- Your career has taken off,
hasn't it, Ms. Hopewell?

I guess.

- Well, as a matter of fact,
your career has eclipsed that

- of your husband's, hasn't it?
- What's your point, Mr. Becker?

- The point is, Mr. Pelton,
she doesn't need him anymore.

- Arnie--

I don't need you anymore.

Is that what you think
all this is about?

No, I don't.

- Let me tell you
something, Mr. Becker.

The worst day of
my life was the day

I decided to file for divorce.

- Amanda, it really
isn't necessary for you

to defend yourself here.

- Well, I'm going to
say what I have to say.

When it was good between us,
it was as good as life gets.

Those years we lived
together in Nashville,

there was nothing I wanted
that I didn't have then.

What changed?

You changed.

You stopped writing songs.

You stopped performing.

All you do now is drink,
play cards, and complain.

Maybe you can live
like that, but I can't.

I remember what it
used to be like,

and it makes me so damn sad.

If it's all the same to you,
I would ask to be excused.

You can ask me whatever you have
left to ask me another time.

It's fine.

Thank you.

- By the way, in case
you're interested,

Mason will be performing
tomorrow night.

What?

- Yeah, Teatots Lounge
on Lankershim Boulevard.

He'll be singing a whole
bunch of new songs.

New songs?

- You haven't said
anything to her?

Uh, no.

- He's been writing up a
storm the last few weeks.

- Really?
- Well, stop by, why don't you?

- Can he be persuaded
to let Amanda

record any of these songs?

It's possible.

Well, maybe we will stop by.

What are you doing to me?

I'm representing you.

You're representing me?

How are you representing me?

I haven't written any new
songs, and I'm not scheduled

to go on stage tomorrow night.

- Look, you got more than
24 hours to write the songs,

and we represent the
owner of Teatots.

- How do you know I can
write any new songs?

And even if I could,
what makes you

think I can put a band together
between now and tomorrow night?

- Look, you want to
get your wife back?

I don't know if that's
a possibility or not.

But before you give up on it, I
think you have to take a shot.

This won't get her back.

- Well, maybe it won't,
but what it will do

is make her stand
up and take notice.

- I used to think
that Andy was the best

thing that ever happened to me.

He got me off the streets.

He told me how beautiful I
was, how much he loved me.

But I never realized that deep
down it was all pretty sick.

What do you mean by that?

- The drinking and,
um, [clears throat]

the-- the drugs.

The way we live like animals,
nothing-- nothing clean,

nothing nice.

Andy would say that
it was only temporary.

He'd sometimes say
how we'd both get

jobs and a nice apartment and
a nice dog, and I believed him.

[clears throat] Plus he used to
say that nobody else wanted me.

Why did you stay, Christine?

Because he cared for me.

He was my family.

- Whose idea was it for
you to pose as a prostitute

to trap and rob men?

It was his.

He owed the money
to some dealers,

and they were going to kill him.
And I didn't want to do it.

I hate-- I hate violence.

I hate-- I hate guns.

Why'd you go through with it?

- Because he said if I
didn't, he'd leave me.

- Do you have any
children, Christine?

Yes, I have a little boy.

Where is he?

I don't know.

I gave him up for adoption.

- Did you want to give
your baby up for adoption?

No, I wanted to keep him.

Why didn't you?

Andy wouldn't let me.

I was pregnant when--
when I met him, you know.

And he said that he really
didn't want another guy's kid

around, that it would
only remind him that I

had been with somebody else.

And he didn't want
to be reminded,

so he told me to
give the baby up.

And you did?

Yeah.

No further questions.

- Ms. Rowan, isn't
the real reason

you gave your baby
up for adoption,

that you didn't want
to take care of it?

No, I wanted to keep him.

- It's kind of hard
taking care of an infant

when you're high on
coke all the time.

- Objection.
- Sustained.

- Are you responsible
for your actions

now that you and Andy are apart?

Yes.

- But for the entire three years
you were with Andrew Varney,

you accept no responsibility
for any of your actions?

- All I'm saying is that I would
have never robbed anyone if he

hadn't forced me to do it.

- Miss Rowan, you put a
gun to your victim's head.

That suggests a certain amount
of conviction on your part,

doesn't it?

I did what Andy told me to do.

- How do you get to the
point where that happened?

Excuse me?

How do you get to that point?

How do you get to the
point where a man like that

has so much influence over you?

- I-- I don't know.

- Surely you must have
given it some thought.

I mean, you didn't start out
as a prostitute, did you?

You didn't start out as a
drug addict, as a thief.

No, I didn't.

- Your Honor, I object to
this line of questioning.

Sit down, Miss Paros.

- I'm not proud of
myself, Your Honor.

- Was there no one in your life
who offered you any guidance?

Was there no one who loved you?

- My-- my grandpa did.

- How do you think
your grandpa would

feel if he could see you today?

If he knew that the little
girl that he held and played

with and read bedtime
stories to and loved

had sunk so far beneath any
semblance of human decency?

Your Honor.

How would he feel?

[breathes deeply]

I think he'd feel bad.

- Miss Tripp, do you have
any further questions

for this young woman?

No, Your Honor.

You may step down, Christine.

You can go back to your seat.

- Christine Rowan
asks you to believe

that she is a vulnerable
young girl, so

submissive to the
wishes of her boyfriend,

Andy Varney, that she
has no will of her own.

Well, the fact is this
vulnerable young girl

put a gun to Howard
Bowling's head,

terrorized him,
threatened to kill him,

and then stole his money.

Now, it doesn't
take a psychiatrist

to tell you that the type
of person who commits

this kind of violence is not
the type of person who is easily

pushed around by her boyfriend.

Christine Rowan is
a dangerous criminal

who should be locked up.

To legally establish
coercion, Miss Rowan

must prove to you
that she committed

her crime under threat of
death or grave bodily harm.

We have heard no testimony
that Andrew Varney

threatened her with either.

He never threatened to kill her.

He never threatened
to even hit her.

Ms. Rowan's defense is nothing
more than a desperate attempt

to evade responsibility
for her crime.

Do not let her do this.

Find her guilty.

Thank you.

- It's almost
impossible for any of us

to imagine the
psychological effect

of living in a constant state
of isolation and submission.

But for three years,
Christine Rowan rarely

left her apartment,
and when she did,

it was only in the
company of Andrew Varney.

She became a woman
without an identity,

who gave complete control of
her life to somebody else.

She was told what to
do, and she did it.

And whether that meant
giving up her child

or putting a gun to a
man's head, she obeyed.

Now, there may not have
been bars on the window,

but this, ladies and
gentlemen, was a prisoner.

What you as a jury are
being asked to determine

is Christine's state of mind
at the time of the robbery.

What was her intent?

Did she rob Howard
Bowling for his money,

or did she rob him
in order to survive?

The fact is Christine
Rowan committed this act

because Andrew Varney
told her that if she

didn't, he would
abandon her, and to her

that was a death threat.

Now ask yourselves this.

Will justice be served
by sending Christine

Rowan to prison and
allowing the man

that was her captor to go free?

Excuse me.

Oh, man.

It's you, Mason.

I was looking for Arnold.

- He's due back
in a little while.

Yeah.

His secretary told me it
was OK to wait in here.

Oh, sure, sure.

I understand you're going
on the stage tonight.

- Last night, I--

I put a pot of coffee on.

And I stayed up, and
I wrote some songs.

And then this morning, I
looked at what I wrote.

I don't know, you know.

I-- I don't know
if it's any good.

I-- I don't know if
I can still do this.

- There's only one
way to find out.

You don't understand.

The business has changed.

Country music has changed.

The ones selling records
now are all young.

They've got big
hats and long hair.

I'm not like that.

No.

You're not like that.

- So what am I doing
walking out on the stage?

You're going back to work.

- I make enough off
royalties to get by.

I don't need to go back to work.

- Forgive me if I'm being
presumptuous with someone

I don't know all that
well, but I think you do.

- Look, I appreciate
what Arnie Becker did.

I just don't think
it's realistic.

My wife's not about
to change her mind.

- It's easy to think you've
outlived your time, isn't it?

That all that's left is a
rubber donut on an easy chair

and an afternoon nap.

One old man to another, Mason,
that's not all there is left.

The world at large
won't tell you that.

If you let go, no one's going
to reach out and pull you back.

That's why if you've got
something to hold on to,

if you're lucky enough to
love someone or something,

then hold on to it.

In the end, that's what keeps
you alive, whether your wife

changes her mind or not.

[chatter]

I'll see you tomorrow.

I told you, I cannot
talk to you, Gwen.

- I have second thoughts
about your proposal.

What does that mean?

- It means I have
something for you.

Thanks, Leonard.

California law prevents me
from giving it to you myself.

What is this?

Summons and complaint.

Consider yourself served.

You're suing me?

- According to my
reading of Title VII,

your behavior toward me
falls under the heading

of sexual harassment.

Oh, really?

You'd better hope that's not
an essay question on the exam.

Title VII applies solely
to

employer-employee relationships.

- I think it can be
interpreted to encompass

teachers and students.

And if it can't, I'll sue you
for intentional infliction

of emotional distress.

Are you nuts?

I give you an innocent kiss.

I ask you out, and suddenly
I am harassing you?

That is not what you did.

What you did was use
a position of power

to pressure me into
going to bed with you.

- I gotta tell you, Gwen,
if this is any indication

of your legal acumen, I
don't hold out a lot of hope

for you passing the bar.

- What happens to
me in the bar is

no longer any of your concern.

- So does this mean we're not
going away for the weekend?

- Has the jury
reached its verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

What say you?

- In the matter of
People versus Rowan,

one count of armed robbery, we
find the defendant not guilty.

- The jury is dismissed with
the thanks of the court.

[chatter]

- Do you have the number
for the Magdalena home?

Yeah.

Do you want a ride?

- I-- I can get there on my own.

I think I'd like to take a walk.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

[knocking on door]

Your Honor?

What is it, Miss Paros?

- Your Honor, I had no right
to refer to your personal life

in the context of this case.

I don't know anything
about your relationship

with your daughter, and
it was inappropriate of me

to bring it up.

I was only trying to understand
why you regard my client

and me with such
evident contempt.

Evident, was it?

Yes, sir.

Well, I didn't mean
to disturb you.

Miss Paros, how old are you?

32.

32?

You actually believed in
your case, didn't you?

Yes.

- I've always
believed a person must

be responsible
for what she does,

regardless of her background.

I've seen young women rise
above depredations you

would not believe and thrive.

Others start out with every
advantage and end up--

I have this terrible
fear that I will

never see my daughter again.

And I cannot for the
life of me figure

out what I've done wrong.

You'll have to excuse
me, Miss Paros.

[sniffles]

- I'd like to thank
you all for being here.

Some of you might know me.

Some of you might not.

I've got a new song I'd
like to play for y'all.

It's-- it's been a while.

Sing it.

- I knew I should have had a
drink before I got up here.

There's a woman who
it's been my great--

my greatest pleasure
to come home to.

And-- and I don't know if she's
here or not, but if she is,

I just want her to
know that I love her,

whether I'm coming
home to her or not.

And I'd like to dedicate
this song to her.

- If you're going to
dedicate it to me,

why don't you ask me to come
up and sing it with you?

Is that you?

Yeah, it's me.

Who'd you think it is?

Come on up here.

Yeah, get up there.

[whooping]

- Y'all can take the cotton
out of your ears now.

We got someone here
who can really sing.

Amanda Hopewell,
ladies and gentlemen.

[cheers, applause]

You got the lyric?

There it is.

I've got the lyric.

I wrote the damn
song last night.

[applause]

[romantic country music]

(SINGING) Well, you
know that I love you.

Darling, you know
that I always will.

Well, I know how
bad you hurt me,

but I know how good
you make me feel.

There's a part of me that
wants to hold you and believe

that you'll never let me go.

But there's a heart
of me that knows you,

so I've just gotta know.

Is this gonna hurt again?

Can I trust my heart with you?

I remember all the
pain, but then I

recall the good times, too.

Last time forever
didn't last that long.

It just led us to goodbye.

I can't bear to hear
that word again.

Tell me, is this
gonna hurt again?

Tell me, do I have
a chance to win?

Or is this gonna hurt again?

[cheers, applause]

[whooping, whistling]

Good night, Mike.

Good night, Miss Paros.

Christine.

Why didn't you come in?

I didn't want to bother you.

I-- I thought I'd bring
back your dresses.

- No, I meant for
you to keep them.

Oh.

I wasn't sure.

I-- I don't want you to think
I stole them or anything.

Are you OK?

Yeah, I'm OK.

You want to tell me?

I'm scared.

What are you scared of?

- Um, I'm scared of--

I'm scared of being on my
own, and I'm scared of finding

myself back on the streets.

I'm-- I'm scared of
running into people I know.

I'm scared of everything.

[sighs]

Have you had dinner?

- Mm-mm.

- How about you and me
getting something to eat?

Yeah?

Yeah.

What do you feel like eating?

Oh, anything.

Anything?

Oh, god, anything at all.

[elevator dings]

[poignant music]

[theme music]

[audio logo]