All language subtitles for Law.and.Order.S24E06.720p.HDTV.x264-SYNCOPY

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.

Congratulations, girls.

Thank you, Dean West.

Just 'cause you
got accepted early,

we don't want any senioritis.

Colleges are still
looking at your grades.

So are we.

Looks good.

You wanna talk about it?

Sure.

I applied to Northwestern
because you told me to,

and I got rejected.

Now I'm screwed.

Gentle reminder, Stella.

We have two Chalk Days
every year,

one in the fall
and one in the spring.

I know, but that doesn't mean...

Some students get into
their dream school early,

but most find their
dream school in the spring.

And that's going
to be you, Stella.

And I'm going to remind you
of this conversation then

when you're putting
Wash U on the quad or GW

or whatever amazing college
is lucky enough to have you.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to...

I'm just really bummed out,
that's all.

I get it.

What do we say
at times like this?

Bad day in a great life.

Never forget that.

Hey.

Lou, what are you doing up here?

Well, seems like everybody
who runs this town

went to Ellsworth Academy.

The Dean of Students
gets killed,

they start looking
over my shoulder.

What do we got?

Meredith West, beaten to death

with some sort of
blunt instrument.

No sign of the murder weapon.

Cash, credit cards, phone,
everything was on her.

No sign of defensive
wounds, so...

So probably not a robbery.

Neighbor came home and
found her at 7:28 p.m.

Didn't witness the attack,

gave us a pretty vague
description of someone

hurrying away from the scene.

How vague?

Small frame, green hoodie.

Vague.

West lived right there
with her husband.

So it was just the two of you
living here, yeah?

Yes.

Our girls are away at college.

Oh, God.

They don't even know.

Was Meredith
having any problems?

Was she being
threatened by anyone?

Um, not that I'm aware of.

Any issues at work?

I mean, Ellsworth isn't
the easiest place to navigate.

She's always got
people tugging at her.

Her students... these are the
future masters of the universe,

the Ellsworth clientele.

People who are not
used to hearing no.

She was proud to be affiliated

with such a prestigious school.

And she was so good at it.

I know this is hard,

but we do have to ask
what you were doing.

I get it.

Uh, I worked remotely today.

There's records of emails
and Zooms and stuff.

OK. How about this evening?

Uh, I put on some soup.

It's getting chilly outside.

Meredith loves
my broccoli puree.

Uh, she called around 7:00,
said she was headed home.

I got in the shower,
7:20 maybe.

I stepped out, and I heard
police radios down the street.

That's when I found out.

And when Meredith called,
did she mention

that anything unusual happened?

Did she sound worried?

No.

It was just... just another day.

We talked to West's assistant.

Nothing really seems off
about her last day.

She had an event for seniors,

the usual parade of faculty
meetings and committees.

But we did manage to snag
some ARGUS footage of her

when she was leaving campus
at 5:43 p.m.

She walks out,
heads west on 71st Street.

She's dead less than
two hours later.

So the question is,
what happened between 5:43

and the time of the murder?
- Yeah.

Hey, Lou, check this out.

Got something.

So there she is crossing Lex,
and then...

The hell is that about?

I'm not sure, but it goes on
for less than a minute.

Then they go
their separate ways.

Then we lose her
two blocks later on video.

OK. Run facial rec.

I'm sorry to hear
about Dean West,

but what's this
got to do with me?

As far as we know,
Mr. Donovan,

you're the last person
to see Meredith West alive.

This is gonna sound crazy.

Pretty high bar for us.

My son, he's a sophomore
at Ellsworth.

He's supposed to take this
class next year, AP English.

You don't just sign up, though.
You got to test in.

So?

So they give the kids
this essay prompt

to write about the
benefits of eating locally,

the locavore movement.

My kid was clueless.

So my son didn't pass the essay,

which means he can't take
AP English.

- So?
- So?

He's screwed.

We chose Ellsworth so that
he can go to a top college.

And you can't get
into a top college

unless you take lots
of AP classes.

I talked to Meredith,
explained that

I needed my son
to get into that class

or I wasn't donating
any more money.

So your kid is 15 years old.

All of a sudden,
his life is over?

I get it. Trust me.

If every other parent
is playing this game,

grabbing any edge they can
for their kid at any cost,

and if you decline
to participate,

then you're a bad parent.

So you become someone
that you don't recognize,

someone who goes nuts
about stupid things,

then yells
at Meredith West about it.

OK, help me out here,
'cause I'm confused.

So you weren't mad at Dean West.

I was.

But I don't blame her.

She's just caught in the middle.

Truth is,
she was a miracle worker.

She had a hundred pricks like
me coming at her every day.

She took every punch.
She cleaned up every mess.

If you ask me,
she held that school together.

- Hey.
- Hey.

Video surveillance came back
from Donovan's office.

He went back there after
his altercation with West.

All right, so now
we just got to figure out

where West went after that,

which is a giant black hole
at the moment.

You good?
- Yeah.

Keep working with the techs
on the dean's phone,

and I'll be in in a minute.

All right.

Hey. Hey, Mom.

How you doing?

What are you doing up here?

Just, uh, wanted to come say hi.

Leo just got a show on
the books in the village.

It'd be great if you could
come by and check it out.

He'd really appreciate it.

I'd really appreciate it
if he got clean.

- He is.
He's two months sober now.

- I hope you're right.
- I am.

We've been down
this road before.

- I get it.
He's... he's not perfect...

I'm not expecting him
to be perfect.

Your brother has to grow up now

if he wants a chance
at a decent life.

- Just cut him a break.
Just give him a chance.

Just one chance.
- I've given him a chance.

100 chances... what,
like I'm the problem here?

I got to go.
- Mom.

Hey, Lou.

The techs cracked the personal
calendar on West's phone.

Yeah, and?

Well, after her
run-in with Donovan,

she had an appointment
scheduled for 6:30.

With who?

Woman named Amelia Mann.

Apparently, she's some kind of
Ellsworth Academy legend.

Ran the school for 22 years.

OK, so go talk to her.

That's gonna be tough.

Amelia Mann died in 1987.

How can I help?

You can start by
telling us who you are.

Dean's calendar said
she had a meeting here

with a woman who died in 1987.

So I'm guessing that's not you.

You don't care to explain that?

I can't.

I have an NDA with Ellsworth.

Look, lady, we're
investigating a murder here,

so I can't overstate how little
an NDA means to us right now.

My name is Bronwyn Stover.

I used to teach at Ellsworth.

I had an inappropriate
relationship with a student.

With a kid?

He was 18.

Everyone wanted to keep
the... the situation private,

the board,
the head of school, Meredith,

the student's parents.

The parents did?

Head of school
promised their son

would get placed at Princeton.

What do you mean, placed?

Head of school called in a favor

in exchange for
the family's silence.

- All right.
And what about you?

They wrote me
a six-figure check.

And, uh, I mean,
the school's owned this place

since the Amelia Mann years.

So they let me move in and
told me to keep my mouth shut.

Pretty cushy landing, considering.

Sure is.

What was Meredith West
doing here last night?

Telling me that my lease was up.

Did that piss you off
that she was kicking you out?

No.

She was fair and... and loyal.

And then she left.

Did she say where she was going?

She have another meeting?

No.

She just had a long day
and was headed home.

Oh, only other thing was,
um, she said she was

in "extra time hell,"
and it was driving her nuts.

Extra time hell?

- Kids with learning disorders...
ADHD, OCD, dyslexia...

they're getting special
accommodations at school,

right, things like
private rooms to take exams.

And this is the big one.

They're getting extra time

for things like essays, assessments.

- Standardized tests, too...
ACTs, APs, SATs.

Some of these kids
got double the time

to take the same exams.

OK, so kids with learning
issues get extra time.

I... I don't see what this
has to do with West's death.

Well, parents are
getting false diagnoses

for kids who don't
have these issues.

- To jack up their scores?
Yeah, I get it.

But I'm still waiting for the
connection to West's murder.

She was the one handing out
the accommodations.

And not everybody who applied
got what they wanted.

So she's judge and jury.

And the kids
that get rejected...

Get very upset.

Upset enough to kill?

- A place like Ellsworth?
Hell, yeah.

I'm just worried.

I know the police want to talk,
and I obviously want to

help them find the bastard
who did this.

But I'm a little nervous
about the process...

what to share,
what not to share.

I mean, if they start
digging deep,

who knows what they might find?

I guess what I'm really asking
is, do I need a lawyer?

My best advice?

Be truthful.

Don't worry about
the implications.

Nick, this isn't
the political climate

for someone in my position to
not worry about implications.

Answer the questions
you're asked

and only the questions
you're asked.

Tell the truth using
as few words as possible.

Sir, uh, the detectives
are getting impatient.

Detectives.

DA Baxter.

We were told to wait.

We didn't realize
we were waiting for you.

- Ellsworth grad.
My kids, too.

And I'm on the board, so...

Listen,
Carlton's a friend of mine.

And I just ask you guys to
remember you do this every day.

Dr. Kelly has never been through
anything like this before,

and he is dealing with
a lot right now.

What's your point?

I knew Meredith West
for 15 years.

Let's find the son of a bitch
who did this.

Fall's a busy time.

A lot of earth to move,

and Meredith was doing
most of the shoveling.

Including decisions about
extra time accommodations?

Uh, that's right.

And Dean West sorted
all that out last week.

Some tough decisions, huh?

Yes, that's a difficult process.

But it's necessary for students
with certain learning

differences or who
might be neurodivergent.

What percentage of people who
apply for these accommodations

get turned down?

Hard to say.

20%.

This year was actually higher...
maybe closer to 30%.

And why is that?

We got more requests than ever.

So we... we were more rigorous
in our analysis.

We heard that
some of the parents

of the students who get turned
down can get pretty upset.

Some of them, yes.

Any of them actually
threaten Meredith?

Lisa Dumont? A word?

- NYPD.
We need to talk to you.

About what?

About an email that
you sent to Dean West.

"You're destroying
my daughter's future.

This is not over."

Yeah.

And I meant every word
of that email.

My daughter suffers
from extreme anxiety,

and she needed that extra time.

But I guess she's just a poor
scholarship kid, I suppose.

Ma'am, you are aware that
Meredith West was murdered?

Yes.

The school sent out an email.

So where were you Tuesday,
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.?

Here, at home.

I went out for a walk
at some point, I think.

So you were here at home,
or you went for a walk?

Which one is it?
- No, no, no, I was home.

Thank you for your time.

What do you got?

CCTV near Lisa Dumont's
apartment.

Someone who looks like Dumont
is seen walking west

on 114th Street at 7:42 p.m.
a few blocks from her apartment

14 minutes after
the 911 call came in.

- Timing syncs up.
- To the minute.

Slender, green hoodie.

Matches your
witness's description.

Witness didn't
mention that, though.

She's wearing a backpack.

Can you get any closer?

Time to make an arrest.

I'm not talking to you anymore.

No, we're not here for you.

- You can't just come...
- Yes, we can.

This is a warrant.
- For what?

This is an Ellsworth backpack, right?

- Yeah.
- Number 14.

That's Emily's
field hockey number.

- Hey, yo, Vince.
- No.

Emily Dumont,
you're under arrest

for the murder of Meredith West.
- Come on.

- What?
- Get up.

You got to come with us
right now.

- I... I can't.
I have the SATs this weekend.

- Come on. Let's go.
- Emily.

Mom. Mom.

Our detectives made you aware
of your Miranda rights?

Yes.

You understand that you
don't have to talk to me.

You can ask for a lawyer.

I understand.

And anything you say
we can use against you.

You get that part?

- Yes.
- OK.

Just to be safe,
I double-checked.

We're all good.
She turned 18 two weeks ago.

I am just trying to understand

what happened to Meredith West.

I didn't kill Dean West.

- I looked at your transcript.
You're a good student.

You get good grades.
You don't get in trouble.

On the field hockey team.

You play the violin
in the orchestra, right?

Mm-hmm.

I also think
you killed Dean West.

And it's no use lying about it.

It's not going to help you.

- Are you OK?
- I just... I just...

I have some anxiety, so...

- Do you want a break?
- No.

I just want to go home, OK?

I have my SAT on Saturday,

and it's my last chance,
so I really need to do well.

Jesus.

The kid's staring down
a murder charge.

She's worried about the SATs.

The only thing you have
to do right now

is answer my questions honestly.

A witness saw you
attack Dean West.

We have video.
Lots of it.

Emily, when a good kid
does a bad thing,

a violent thing,
there is always a reason.

I just need to understand
that reason.

I need you to tell me why
you wanted to hurt Dean West.

And when you do that,
you're free to go.

I can go home?

You can go home.

And the sooner
you start talking,

the sooner you can get back
to studying for your SATs.

Why did you attack
Meredith West?

Because she screwed me.

How?

I asked for extra test time,

less crowded rooms
because of my anxiety.

But she said no.

She said my condition
didn't warrant it.

And that's why
you confronted her.

Yes.

And she got really upset that I

tried talking to her
at her home.

She said she was gonna expel me.

And I begged her to reconsider.

But she... she just walked away.

And my heart started
racing really fast.

And I just hit her with
my field hockey stick.

Where'd you hit her?

On the head.

- How many times?
- I don't know.

Two, maybe three.

And where is the
field hockey stick now?

I threw it away.

Where?

Near the apartment.

Are we done?
Can I please go home now?

Uh, no, Emily, I'm afraid not.

The whole thing is a damn shame.

Young girl under
all kinds of pressure

lashes out at someone
she perceives has wronged her.

Ellsworth is a tough place...
rigorous academics,

demanding teachers,
competitive students.

I went to boarding school
in Massachusetts.

Same thing.

Well, I went to
public school in Queens.

Definitely not the same thing.

But I feel for this kid.

I mean, she was
working really hard

trying to get into
an elite university

while suffering from
severe anxiety.

She needed help, support,

and the school
rejected her request.

She snapped.

You suggesting we charge her
with manslaughter?

I'm suggesting we consider it.

I know Emily was upset, Sam,

but the attack
was pretty vicious.

She hit the victim in the head

three times from behind while
the victim was walking away.

Which means Emily had time
to cool down, disengage,

but she chose
to attack Meredith instead.

Like it or not, this is murder.

We have an exceptionally
strong case, Your Honor.

The defendant confessed
to killing Meredith West,

and the evidence
corroborates her confession.

We ask that the
defendant be remanded.

Ms. Keller?

Emily Dumont is
a straight-A student.

She and her mother were
born and raised in New York.

Neither of them have access
to large sums of money,

so Emily is not a flight risk.

We ask that she be released
on her own recognizance.

This is a murder trial,
Ms. Keller.

Bail is set at $500,000.

We don't have 5,000,
let alone 500.

Get her out of here now.

We will figure this out,
I promise you.

Sweetie, it's gonna be OK.

You hear me?
I got you.

I got you, OK?

I love you!

Motion to suppress.

We'll see how
exceptionally strong

your case is without
Emily's confession.

Emily Dumont might be an adult,

but she is still a child.

I, uh...

I don't know how
to respond to that.

Uh, the law is the law.

Emily Dumont is 18 years old.

And she was
18 years old the night

she committed murder as well.

And yet, Your Honor,
the law recognizes

that reaching adulthood
is a process, not an event.

You have discretion to look
not just at someone's age,

at a number, but at the
totality of circumstances

in deciding whether or not
to suppress this confession.

That is appropriate
in this case.

On what grounds?

Ms. Dumont was advised
of her rights,

then confessed to murder.

Because Lieutenant Brady
kept lying to her,

telling her she could go home
if she just confessed.

- No, that's...
that's perfectly legal.

But highly manipulative
for someone like Emily.

She is 18, not even
a mature 18-year-old.

And she has documented
severe anxiety issues

which were on full display

throughout
the entire interrogation.

Emily would have confessed
to killing Abraham Lincoln

if she thought that would
enable her to go home

and study for the SATs.

- Your Honor...
- Save your breath, Mr. Price.

I agree with Ms. Keller.

Given the age and mental
condition of the defendant,

the police went too far.

The confession is out.

We can appeal the ruling.

The law is too loose.

It'd be hard for an appellate
judge to overrule the decision.

Good news...
our case is still solid

if we focus on motive
and opportunity.

Make it clear why Emily
was so upset with Dean West

and that she was the one in the
hoodie fleeing the crime scene.

Nolan, can we talk in private?

You want Carlton Kelly
to testify?

Uh, no, no.

We need Carlton Kelly
to testify.

Why?

Is there a problem?

No.

But there appears to be
a conflict of interest.

Excuse me?

You're on Ellsworth's board.

Oh, for God's sake.

What's best for the case
might not be best for Ellsworth.

We are calling Carlton Kelly
to establish motive.

My intent is to set
the stage for the jury,

help them understand why getting
extra time accommodations

was so important to someone
like Emily Dumont.

You want to pull the curtain
on the whole extra time game?

I intend to explain that
some students abuse the system

to gain an unfair advantage.

Jury needs to understand how

something that seems so trivial,

like being denied extra time...

in an environment like this,
this level of pressure...

could motivate a decent kid
to commit murder.

I know Ellsworth means
a lot to you, Nick.

Do what you have to do.

If Ellsworth's reputation
takes a hit, so be it.

All I want is justice
for Meredith West.

To be honest,

it's disconcerting that
you would assume otherwise.

- Nick...
- Just do your job.

We're a secular school,

but there is a line from
the Bible I toss around.

"Iron sharpens iron."

To be the best,
surround yourself with the best.

- Correct.
- Got it.

Being one of the more
elite schools in America

requires a certain
level of rigor.

It's meant to be hard.

So hard that almost
50% of your students

get some type of
an accommodation.

Your Honor,
I have marked as exhibit 1A

an Ellsworth school document

regarding
student accommodations.

I'd ask to admit it
into evidence.

No objection.

I'll allow it.

Could you describe for the jury

the document that
I have just handed you?

This is a manifest

of the Ellsworth
juniors and seniors

who were granted extra time on
standardized tests last year.

And what percentage
got this accommodation?

46%.

In your opinion, Dr. Kelly,

do some parents
manipulate the system,

gain an unfair advantage
for their child by acquiring

an improper or unfounded
medical diagnosis?

I want to be clear.

Ellsworth takes this
process seriously.

Our goal is to level the
playing field for the students

who have legitimate learning
and mental differences.

If, for example,
they're neurodivergent

or have ADHD or dyslexia,
they need extra time.

I get it.

Accommodations are crucial
for those students

who actually need them.

But that wasn't my question.

Do parents manipulate
the system?

Yes.

When a student comes to us

with a credible diagnosis
from a credible physician,

it's not easy to say
we disagree.

I understand.

But you just said that 46% of
your students get extra time.

It's almost half.

Is it really possible
that half the students

at the city's most
prestigious school,

where you have to have
excellent grades and glowing

teacher recommendations just
to get in in the first place,

have legitimate learning issues?

No, that's not possible.

So it's not that you are

aware of the allegations,
Dr. Kelly.

You know parents
manipulate the system.

Yes.

And you also know
that the parents

who manipulate the system are
the ones who can afford it.

Yes.

These diagnoses aren't free,
are they?

No.

In fact, they're quite
expensive, aren't they?

Correct.

In your opinion,

do the students
who manipulate the system,

the ones who don't have

legitimate learning
or mental health issues,

but who still get
extra time on tests,

have an unfair advantage
over the students

who don't get extra time,
like Emily Dumont?

Of course.

They get extra time to do
the exact same tests.

It's a significant advantage.

Nothing further.

Lieutenant Brady,
will you please read the email

sent from the defendant
to Meredith West

two days before
the dean's murder?

"Why do all the rich kids
who don't actually

"have disabilities
get accommodations,

"but the poor kids with
real problems get denied?

"How do you expect us to
compete with these students

when they get twice the time?"

Will you now please
read the text exchange

between the defendant
and one of her classmates

the day before
Meredith West's murder?

"West is an evil bitch,
only cares about rich kids.

"Still can't believe she
refused to give me extra time

"but gave it
to Rachel and Sophie.

"What a joke.

"Rachel literally
laughed about it,

"admitted the whole thing
is a scam.

She was just doing it
to pump up her SAT score."

The recipient of that text
responded three minutes later.

"Such BS.

"If Rachel's dad
wasn't on the board,

would never have happened.
Total cheater."

And the defendant's response?

"So is Dean West.

"But she's getting paid off.

I literally want to kill her."

People rest.

Ms. Keller,
call your first witness.

Defense calls Lisa Dumont.

Do you believe
your daughter, Emily,

is capable of killing someone?

Absolutely not.

Emily is a kind, sweet girl.

Do you believe Emily
killed Dean Meredith West?

I know she didn't.

How?

Because I did.

I killed Meredith West.

Settle down.

- Your Honor, this is an ambush.
We had no notice.

There is no requirement
to notify the People.

Let's meet in chambers now.

We have had no time to
prepare for this testimony,

not to mention
Ms. Dumont's alleged confession

appears to be a lie.

You haven't even heard it.

The evidence against
Emily is strong.

And let's not forget,

she actually confessed
to the murder.

And the confession
was thrown out,

so it's as if it
never even happened.

But it did.

It did happen.

And you and I both
saw it on video.

And despite your strong desire

to protect this young woman
from herself and the truth...

Watch it, Mr. Price.

If you want to appeal,
it's up to you.

But until some other judge
says otherwise,

we're moving on.

So what exactly
are you asking for here?

That Lisa Dumont
be prevented from confessing.

Based on what?

The fact that we
weren't forewarned

about this testimony.

To conduct a thorough
cross examination,

we'd have to suspend trial
for three months.

Can't do that, Mr. Price.

Lisa Dumont wants to confess
to murder under oath,

she'd better be prepared
for the consequences.

This is defense exhibit 17B,
the doctor's official report.

Can you read the part entitled
"Summary of Diagnosis"?

"I have conducted a thorough

"physical and mental
examination of Emily Dumont.

"It is my opinion, based on
the guidelines set forth

"in the DSM-5,
that the patient suffers

"from a series of
anxiety disorders,

"including
generalized anxiety disorder,

"agoraphobia,
and panic disorder.

"She would no doubt benefit
greatly from accommodations

"typically granted
to students suffering

from these conditions."

Can you please describe
in your own words

how these conditions
present themselves?

Emily gets really nervous
in big groups of people.

And she has panic attacks.

She gets so stressed that her...

her palms start
sweating and itching,

and... and her heart
starts racing.

Did Dean West give you a reason

for denying
Emily's accommodations

that her physician recommended?

No, she just said
no accommodations needed.

I mean, who the hell is she
to overrule Emily's doctor?

I know my kid.

I would do anything for my kid.

And Emily needed this.

She needed to take tests in
bigger rooms with fewer people.

But the school,
Dean West, she didn't care,

because we don't donate money.

If you want more time,
you better be connected.

All those rich parents
who cheat,

who get fake diagnoses for their
kids so they can get extra time,

they're screwing the kids
who actually need it.

Emily and I,

we worked so hard
to get her into Ellsworth.

And when that
scholarship came in

was one of the happiest days
of my life.

I thought, wow.

We finally made it.

But Ellsworth isn't
for people like us,

regular people.

We thought it would save us.

But it ended up destroying us.

What happened on
the evening of October 15th?

I followed Dean West home,

and I asked her to reconsider.

And she got upset.

She got mad at me,

and then she just walked away.

She didn't care that
she just blew up Emily's life

and any chance that she had
at a top college.

And then what?

I had Emily's backpack.

I picked her up
from practice that day,

and she had her
field hockey stick in it.

And when Dean West
walked away from me...

I hit her in the head with it.

What were you wearing?

A green sweatshirt.

And what did you do with
the field hockey stick?

I tossed it in a vacant lot
at 112th and Amsterdam.

Was Emily with you?

No.

Did she help you dispose
of the field hockey stick?

No.

Did Emily have anything
to do with this attack?

No.

I did it myself.

I killed Meredith West.

The detectives found
the field hockey stick

exactly where Lisa Dumont
said it was going to be.

It's covered with her prints
and Emily's, too.

Is there anything in Lisa's
testimony you can disprove?

No.

We tried, but we didn't
exactly find anything

to corroborate it either.

Except for the location
of the field hockey stick,

something Emily herself
wasn't sure of.

Are you suggesting
that Lisa might have

actually committed the murder?

No, I was there
when Emily confessed.

She's telling the truth.
She did this.

Except the jury will
never see her confession.

From a legal perspective,
it's irrelevant.

- Sorry.
You said this yourself.

She chose to do this
as Meredith West walked away.

Emily meant what she said.

Say you're right.

Now what?

We cross-examine Lisa.

We undercut her testimony,
make it clear to the jury

that Emily is the real killer.

Except we can't prove
that Lisa's lying,

which means her confession will
likely create reasonable doubt,

which means Emily walks.

Then I suppose
we charge the mother.

Well, we can't.

You would have already
discredited her testimony.

We don't get to call her
a liar today

and a truth-teller tomorrow.

What are you saying?

Do you want me to accept
Lisa Dumont's confession

as if it's real?

I want you to cut her a deal.

She pleads guilty to murder two,
and her daughter walks.

Either one of these two women

could have committed
this murder, correct?

Yeah, on paper.

I mean, we can't disprove
the mother's story.

And she did know where
the murder weapon was.

But let's face it...
I mean, she's obviously

falling on the sword
for her daughter.

Maybe.

But we'll never know.

To me, the worst-case
scenario here

is that we let a mother pay the
price for her daughter's crime

and we give a
stressed-out high school kid

another chance at a life.

That's one way of looking at it.

The other?

We're putting an innocent
woman in prison for 20 years.

That is not my intention.

But someone has to pay the price

for killing Meredith West.

I understand you've reached
an agreement on a plea.

We have, Your Honor.

The defendant has agreed
to plead guilty

to murder in the second degree.

The People recommend
a prison term of 20 years.

Ms. Keller?

That's all correct, Your Honor.

Ms. Dumont, does all of this
sound right to you?

You are, in fact,
guilty of murder?

Yes, I am.

- She's lying!
I did it!

Escort her out, please.

Please don't take her away!

Please, Mom!

Please don't do this.

Mom!

Please!

Mom!

Ms. Dumont, to be clear,

once we do this,
there's no changing your mind.

The court will take you
at your word.

And you will spend the next
two decades in prison.

So this is as real as it gets.

I understand, Your Honor.

Did you strike
Meredith West in the head?

Yes, I did.

Did you kill Meredith West?

- Yes, Your Honor.
I did.

The plea is accepted.

Court officers, take custody.

- Hey, it's Leo.
You know what to do.

Hey, Leo.

It's me, Mom.

Um...

Haven't seen you
in a while, and I...

I really don't feel
great about that.

Um, so I was wondering

if you wanted to get a bite
this weekend or something.

Um...

Uh, give me a call when you can.

OK, bye.

subsync
johnhallgeir