All language subtitles for L.A.Law.S05E20.There.Goes.the.Judge.1080p.DSNP.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-NTb_track4_[eng]

[indistinct chatter]

Clarence, sweetheart...

[together] Could you
stick mine up front?

I got a B and E set
to go in division four.

[together] No further
continuances, I owe you big.

- Thanks.
- Yeah, yeah.

[distant announcement]

I thought Vance was on today.

Connover did some reassigning.
Looks like we got Judge Biel.

Tell me I'm not
hearing what I'm hearing.

Forget about buying time, Billy.

You know how he is
when he plays the music.

Judge Vance was
on the list for God's sake.

Well, Billy, he ain't on it now.

All rise!

Hear ye, hear ye, this
court is in session,

the Honorable
Adam Biel presiding.

Draw ye near and ye shall
be heard, God save the people.

First up, People vs. Checkles.

William Castroverti
for the defense,

Your Honor, we'd b
seeking a short continuance--

Of course you would.

You want to continue long enough
to claim that your client

is being denied his
constitutional right

to a speedy trial, or

until all prosecution
witnesses are dead--

I assure you, I won't
be raising that defense.

I'm merely asking for--

Will it be your practice
to interrupt me?

No, Your Honor.

- And how's my favorite student?
- Still learning.

Your Honor,
I just got this case.

In the interest of justice--

Those interests aren't
served by clogging

the lungs
of our judicial process

with a phlegm of continuances

and postponements
and tactical delays.

Truth doesn't pick
you up on the bus corner,

you must march on to uncover it

beneath whatever bowels
it may lie.

So says the Constitution,
so says God.

Glory, glory, hallelujah.

His truth is marching on.

Motion denied, trial starts
2 o'clock today.

Next case, Clarence.

[theme music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

First up, status on
Benny Stulwicz, he's still out,

evidently too depressed
to leave the house.

I'm going to visit him today.
Victor and I are bringing lunch.

Excellent. I trust now that
all the fighting is behind us,

we can each take steps to make
this a kinder, gentler law firm.

Arnold, I trust your
therapy's going well.

- Shove it, Doug.
- Moving on.

Inre Crossland Corporation.

We've got
a restless client here.

Not for long,
Abby and I figured out a way

of saving
them three quarters

of a million dollars
in legal fees.

- How?
- Consolidation of counsel.

We've got conflict
waivers and we can centralize

files for all their divisions.

And since the bulk of
the work is Federal Anti-trust,

one firm can do it all.

That firm would be us.

Which means the client
pays less, we make more.

You two make quite the team.

Actually, Doug, since this
consolidation amounts

to new business,
it should be considered

as business brought in
by Abby and myself--

- No! Not a chance!
- No, you don't.

This is business originating
with a firm client.

You don't get a percentage here.

Well, it was just
a thought. Move along.

Next up. People versus
Mark Wright. What is this?

Yeah, my client got in a high
speed chase with the police.

Two officers were
hurt. They're pressing charges.

Why were they chasing him?

He allegedly ran a stop sign.

A stop sign?
Why didn't he just pull over?

Because it was the police.
He was afraid to.

- We're going with self-defense.
- Well, wait a second.

Did the police do anything
to your client?

No, because he didn't
give them the chance.

Wait, wait, wait,
this is your defense?

He was afraid so that
gives him the right to run away?

- Come on.
- I think we can win.

Well, what sort
of a victory is that?

If I get an
acquittal, it's a victory

for the client,
at least that's--

I have a big problem.

With a lawyer in this
firm, an officer of the court,

standing up
and endorsing anarchy.

I'm just as afraid of anarchy
as you are, Leland.

Trust me.

Brackman: Well,
administrative notes.

Effective today, Leland McKenzie
returns as Senior Partner.

I am the Executive Managing
Partner, Roxanne Melman,

Executive Office Administrator.

Be advised, new
stationery will be out today

bearing our new firm name.
McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney

and Becker.

I like it. That's all.
We're adjourned.

Becker: I think we should drop
Chaney now.

Arnold, you've only been
in therapy a month.

Things don't happen overnight.

I just feel like
we keep going over

the same old ground, that's all.

Birch: Then, let's try
to break some new ground.

You haven't said much
about your mother

other than she
was "overbearing."

God, is that what all
you guys always fall back on

when you're at a dead end?

Blame it all on Mommy?

Fear of intimacy
can often be traced

to parents'
destructive transfer--

Whoa, whoa. Fear of intimacy?

If anything I want
too much intimacy!

Arnold, intimacy is
the last thing you want.

Sometimes the best way to
avoid it is to pretend to be--

What kind of fortune cookie
psychobabble is this that you--

Most people use sex as a way
to connect with someone.

You use it as a way
to insulate yourself

but still pretend
that you're trying to connect.

I don't need to listen to this.

Arnold, don't you see?

You're doing the same thing now.

You can't let yourself
get too intimate with me.

Look, check's in the mail, Doc.

Why don't you
give my appointment to someone

who really needs it, huh?

When he was out I
went into his apartment.

I got the key cause
I'm the super.

There it was, my TV, VCR,

sittin' right on the sofa.

I told the police,
then they arrested him.

But I didn't know nothin'
about the drugs they found.

Thank you, Mr. Johnston.
Nothing further.

Did the police know you were
the superintendent

of the building when they
told you to get more evidence?

- Yes.
- Your Honor--

Counsel, approach.

You could have a big
problem here, little lady.

As the person who taught you
criminal procedure

I should be shocked.

If the police directed him
to go in there,

he was acting as their agent,

their warrant-less agent.

Which means the drugs they
found incident to his arrest

are poisonous-tree fruits,

which means you got no case.

The police never told him
to search that apartment.

He was not their agent.

We'll, we're gonna find that out
right now

when he asks the questions.

Step back. Step back.

[clears throat] Sir,

the police knew
you had access

to my client's apartment,
did they not?

Yes, they did.

And, Mr. Johnston, was it clear

in your mind after you
left the police

that you should check this
apartment to look for evidence?

- Move to strike!
- Strike two!

Three and two, one out,

nobody on, bottom
half of the fifth.

Pete Rose should
be banned for life, he gambled.

Forgive these little
digressions, people.

But I find it a pity that
sometimes our national pastime

is afforded more respect
than our judicial process.

I mean, if a baseball game
were interrupted

with continual
meaningless protestations,

the umpire would simply eject
the offender,

give him the thumb,
the old heave-ho .

But here in court I am forced
to accommodate

endless repetitions
and objections,

by defense attorneys
and prosecutors,

whose tactics sometimes subvert
the very process

we are here to uphold.

Sir, did the police
suggest to you

that you should search
the apartment or not?

- No, but--
- Did they hint that you should?

Or did you do this on your own?

- I did it on my own.
- Fantastic!

Well, we don't have a problem
then. Splendid.

Move on, Mr. Castroverti.

That stuff about Pete Rose.

God, I've never heard
him ramble like that.

He's Judge Biel,
what else is new?

No, but he's being
weird even for him.

He never misses on the law, Zoe.

He may be crazy but his
rulings are right on the money.

Reckless evasion, plus assault.

I'll go for one year,
nine months suspended.

Come on, Kari.
Gimme straight probation.

- We can take a long lunch.
- Very long, I'd be fired.

He was genuinely afraid.
And the jury's gonna see that--

I'll go down to three months
if you plead,

but if we go
through trial on this,

I'm going for at least a year.

No deal.

Jonathan, this thing's serious.

I couldn't agree more.

This thing is serious.

After seeing the vehicle
go through the stop sign

I followed and signaled
with my siren.

He just accelerated.

- So, then what'd you do?
- We chased him.

My partner called for backup
and we were off.

And how fast was he going?

60 mph in a residential
neighborhood.

One of the responding
backups tried to block

the suspect's car
at an intersection

and it was at this point that
two of police units collided.

The suspect
eventually pulled into

a residential driveway
where he then fled

the vehicle and
entered the residence.

Then what happened?

The suspect then stated that
he had a gun

and that he'd shoot
if we tried to enter.

- Continue.
- We secured the premises.

After about 45 minutes,

a man representing himself as
his lawyer arrived on the scene.

- This gentlemen here?
- No. It was another attorney.

He went inside and after about
20 minutes they both came out.

We then placed
the suspect under arrest

and took him into custody.

And, Officer, do you see
this man in the courtroom today?

The defendant,
sitting right there.

Thank you, sir.

I have nothing
further to offer

the parties' stipulation,
Your Honor,

that officers Cleary
and Petroveck

were injured in this collision.

Officer Robert Cleary suffering
a broken pelvis

Officer Petroveck bruises
and lacerations.

Thank you.

Once my client's lawyer arrived,

he did come out voluntarily,
did he not?

I don't think he
had much choice.

We had 30 officers
surrounding the house.

Did he offer any resistance
after his attorney arrived?

No. But before that,
he threatened to shoot us.

Did you find the presence
of any gun either

in my client's possession
or in the house?

No, we did not.

And how many police
did you say were at the scene?

About 30.

And to your knowledge, sir,
has the LAPD

ever been guilty
of brutality against--

Objection! This witness--

I'm just asking what he knows,
that's all.

This thing has been
so overblown, it's--

Wait, wait, wait. Yes or no.

Has the LAPD ever
been guilty of brutality?

Every force, at one time--

Yes or no... sir.

- Yes.
- Thank you.

Nothing further.

[court murmuring]

I didn't roll through
the stop sign.

I came to a complete stop.

Well, sir, if you really felt
you'd done nothing wrong

why didn't you pull over
when you heard the siren?

Because I wasn't carrying
my driver's license.

And I wasn't about
to deal with the police there.

What do you mean, there?

I mean in that neighborhood.

The same place as
the man on the tape.

Your Honor, the parties
stipulate, the witness

is referring to a videotape
he saw on the television news,

which tape depicts an encounter
between a speeding suspect

and the Los Angeles Police
Department in the same area.

The people renew it's objection
on the grounds of relevance--

Overruled, it goes
to state of mind. Play it.

[groaning]

[court murmuring]

[court gasps]

How many times, prior
to the night

you were chased
had you seen this tape?

Many times. You couldn't watch
the news without seeing it.

And what, if anything,
did it make you think

about the Los Angeles
Police Department?

There was no way I was gonna
get out of my car that night.

I wasn't gonna
fall into their hands!

Okay, so, you drove home,

kept them at bay till
you could get a lawyer.

Yes.

Mr. Wright, have
you personally ever

been assaulted
by a police officer?

When I was 16, I was handcuffed,

I was thrown
face first into a sidewalk,

and kicked.

- What for?
- I was never told.

They made me lay there
for about an hour or so,

and then they said
"mistaken identity",

and they let me go.

Do you think all policemen
are capable

of this kind of violence?

No.

I know the police
have got a tough job

and most of 'em are good.

But there's
a lot of 'em like the ones

in that tape, a lot of 'em.

And I couldn't
be sure some of 'em

weren't chasin' me
in the car that night.

I was not gonna hang around
to find out.

Thank you.
I have nothing further.

You ignored those sirens
and drove your car

in excess of the speed limit
to elude the police.

- Yes or no?
- Yes.

And after you
went into your house,

you told the police you'd shoot

anybody who tried to enter.

- Yes or no?
- Yes.

And you did this because
of that videotape?

I did this because
I was afraid for my life.

Would it be fair to say

that as you drove your car
60 mph

in the residential neighborhood

and caused 30 police officers
to bear their arms

around your house,

that the only safety
you were concerned with

was your own?

Absolutely.

Thank you.
I have nothing further.

[court murmuring]

Knock, knock.

Hey! Victor.

- Back already?
- Yeah.

It's about Benny, Arnie.

You know, he's
not doing too good.

Yeah, tell me about it.

He won't even come in to work,

my dry cleaning is stacked
up like cordwood.

So how come you
haven't gone to see him?

I'll get there.

- When?
- Excuse me?

When? Everybody's
gone to see him, Arnie--

You know something, Victor,
maybe one of the reasons

I haven't got there is because
I'm up to my ass filling in

for lawyers
who deserted this place.

Hey, this isn't about
that! Don't make it about--

Don't you come strutting
here like Mr. Concerned,

Mr. Guardian Angel.

- What?
- What's the problem, Victor?

Benny not responding to you,
when you, when you reach out?

Well, maybe he sees
the blood

on your hands
from what you did here.

Go to hell!

One of the problems
Benny's probably having

is all of you guys
showing up ten times a day

trying to cram cheer
down his throat.

You ever stop and think maybe
he doesn't need

everybody pouncing on him,
telling him to get better?

You ever stop and think about
that for a single second?

Get some help, okay, Arnie!

Oh, yeah, right, it's me.
It's always me!

Well, let me tell you somethin',

Victor, it's you!!

My friend, Mark Corey,
asked me if I could

put the guy up for the night.

I didn't even know him.

He was a friend of a friend
who needed a bed.

And it's your testimony
that this person

stole the merchandise.

He had to. It wasn't me.

And the drugs were his, too.

I never do drugs, man,
and that's the truth.

Thank you,
Mr. Checkles. That's all.

What wonderful hospitality
you have, Mr. Checkles.

Letting a complete stranger stay
in your apartment.

Like I said, he was
a friend of a friend.

I see and your
friend, Mark Corey

he won't provide you
with the name of this person?

Do you know how much
you remind me of my daughter?

Your Honor?

Do you have the slightest notion
of what it's like

for me to see you like
this, so grown up?

Good God, you're a woman

and you're an attorney.

Excuse me, your Honor-

Members of the jury, I'm going

to let you
in on a little secret.

I'm a chauvinist.

When I see women
like Ms. Clemmons

I look at them like they
could be my daughters.

That would be my
inclination, albeit a wrong one.

My job, however, as a judge

is to see her
as a district attorney.

Most jurors tend to
look at defendants as criminals,

that is your inclination.

Your job, however,

is to presume innocence.

And not gauge
this man's testimony

based on any preconceived
notions on your part.

Most judges wait till
the end of the trial

before giving such instruction.

Sometimes, however,
I find it more timely

if given during the testimony
of the accused.

Continue, Ms. Clemmons.

[clears throat] Uh...

Uh, did you ever see this person

before you let him stay
at your place?

- Only once before.
- And, Mr. Checkles--

I'm sorry. We'll have
to have a short recess.

Clarence!

[clears throat]

All rise!

[crowd murmuring]

[door closes]

What is going on?

Glory, glory, hallelujah,
the diatribe on Pete Rose,

the "daughter" business?

Oh, come on, Zoe.

You took three classes
from me in law school,

I swore you in as an attorney.

You've tried a zillion cases
before me,

and you're just figuring
out now that I'm a total kook?

I am not talking about
your eccentricities

or about your being
crazy ol' Judge Biel.

You lost it in there
and it scared you.

Listen to this!
Completely restored.

This is like being in the
same room with the orchestra.

[music playing]

♪ Ma, she's makin' eyes at me ♪

♪ Ma, she's awful nice to me ♪

♪ Ma, she's
almost breakin' my heart ♪

I dedicate this
to you. Shall we dance?

Oh, your Honor... your Honor.

Your Honor, I don't
feel like dancing. Stop.

I certainly hope you didn't come
in here to discuss the case!

That would be ex parte
and totally inappropriate!

I am here as
an officer of the court

concerned about the
mental fitness of a judge.

I'm the most published
jurist in this district!

Here, look at this.

I'm developing
a de novo trial system

which will redefine
the superior court calendars.

This is a breakthrough.

I'm not challenging
your intellect.

You're challenging
my mental fitness!

You called me your
daughter in open court!

That was an analogy, for God's
sake, just to show the jury--

The analogy was a cover-up.

There is something
wrong with you.

There's nothing wrong!

Jean Valjean is nothing more!

Another story must begin!

That's a lyric
from Les Miserables

when Valjean
decides to erase his past.

I've heard you listening
to that before.

Your Honor.

I have a virus.

I can barely pronounce it.

It's called...

Jacob Dreutzfeldt.

It makes me have these
short lapses, nothing more.

- It's nothing I can't handle.
- It's affecting you!

Affecting me?

My rulings of law are still
beyond reproach.

You see this system?

Look at it, Zoe. Look at it.

This'll cut the backlog
of cases by 23%!

This thing that you have...

is it curable?

I'm on medication.

It'll all be over in a
couple of months, they say.

I'll be a good boy,
Counsel. I promise.

[scoffs]

Zoe...

sometimes you do
remind me of my daughter.

[instrumental music]

- Goodnight.
- See you tomorrow.

Wow!

Ta-da!

Family Law Center Benefit.

- Becker roped me into going.
- With him?

No, no. In his place.

He said he didn't feel up to it.

Look, Abby, I--

man: C.J.?

My date.

He had to pick me up here.
I was in court till six.

- Hey!
- God.

Let's just skip the dinner
and lock the door.

Clay Jones, Abby Perkins.

Oh, excuse my manners.

- She has that effect on me.
- I've gotta go.

No, no, no. Don't let
me drive you away.

I promise, I can be civilized.

Don't let him fool you!

Well, I fooled , didn't I?

Uh, we have got to go.

Hates to admit that
she fell in love with me.

Out, Clay. I'll
see you tomorrow.

Bye.

[upbeat music]

Doctor, did you make
an examination of Mark Wright?

Yes, and I concluded
that his anxiety

could likely be traced
to two incidents

the false arrest as a teenager,

when he was arbitrarily pushed

to the sidewalk and kicked

and the videotape
he saw on the news

the week before he was chased.

Wait a second, the videotape

that wasn't really
his own experience.

In fact, it is, videotape
footage, if graphic enough,

can easily penetrate
into the viewer's psyche.

Are you telling us it's
the same as being there?

Of course not,
but videos like this

don't simply
transmit information.

They convey the trauma, as well.

Many people in this
country, for example,

have suffered from
post traumatic stress disorder

over the war in the
Persian Gulf.

People whose only connection to
the war was watching the news.

And you think by watching the
footage of the police beating,

it contributed
to my client's fear the night

he was confronted by the sirens?

My God, how could it not?

That tape shows policemen
engaging in violent,

criminal behavior,
beating and kicking a person

who was not even resisting.

How could any man,
especially a black man,

look at that and not be afraid?

Thank you, Dr. Michaelson.
Nothing further.

Are you telling us, Dr.,

that it's reasonable
for a person,

when signaled to pull
over by the police,

that it's reasonable
to engage in a high speed chase

in a residential neighborhood,

barricading himself inside
of a house

and threatening to shoot?

I'm saying his
fear is reasonable--

I'm not talking about his fear,

I'm talking about his response.

The way he acted on that fear.

He was afraid for his safety.

That kind of panic can easily
compromise your judgement--

So, in fact, then you do agree
his judgement was compromised.

He did the wrong thing,
didn't he, Doctor?

I don't know that.

The circumstances were such--

The circumstances were

that the police
signaled him to pull over

and he tried to outrun them.

Now if it's okay
under this scenario

for a civilian to initiate
a high speed chase,

when would it not be?

I have nothing further.

[TV playing distantly]

You leave your clothes
on the floor, the Laundry Police

come and take you away,
you know that, don't you?

Hey, buddy. The,
the doctors say that

you're ready
to come back to work.

- I don't wanna.
- Why?

Because...

Look, Benny,

you can't just sit here all day.

You need to work.

You need your friends.

I don't want any friends.

Why would you say
something like that?

Friends go away.

Victor's going away.

Michael's going away.

Look, Benny, I know it hurts-

You don't know! You don't know!

I...

I do know.

I lost Corrinne.

I lost Chloe.

I've lost every woman who ever
tried to get close to me

and I did it to myself
just like you're doing now.

You can't stop trusting, Benny,

or you stop living.

You can't just walk away

from people
who are trying to help you.

[knocks on door]

Counsel, we're not back in
till tomorrow.

I know.

Sit, sit.

I did some checking
on your illness.

Jacob...

- Dreutzfeldt.
- Yes.

It causes dementia.

There is no cure.

It's probably going to kill you.

Hell, it if kills
me, we'll. appeal, that's all.

You're going
to keep slipping into

these delusions more and more.

Maybe lawyers who
don't know you

as well as I do
won't be able to tell.

Pretty soon you won't
even be able to tell.

I revel in being a judge. I do.
I live for it.

I love the
very process of justice

and my participation
in that process.

The day I can serve
it no longer, I'll step down.

I think that day is here.

No, no, no, no, no,
I have spells, yes,

but even with this inane virus

I'm a better judge than most.

As soon as I finish
restructuring the districts,

my de-novo system should work.

It's simple.

Jury-waived bench trials,
automatic appeals,

we can slice right
through our dockets.

Zoe, this, this is big.

I am a district attorney

with knowledge of
a judge with a mental infirmity.

I have an obligation
to disclose this.

Let me tilt at windmills
a little while longer.

I promise the
day they start tilting back,

I'll get out.

You have to resign.

If you go back
in to resume that trial,

I'll have to move in open court

to have you disqualified
from the case

and I'll be forced
to give the grounds.

I'm sorry.

But I have no choice.

I can't be removed
because of an illness.

That's handicap discrimination,

I'll bring a 1983 action.

Title Seven Fourteenth
Amendment.

Don't threaten me,
Counsel, you can't win this.

[knocks] Hi.

Hi.

Um,

I thought you
might be avoiding me.

Maybe a little.

Listen, about what
happened with Clay, I--

Clay is none of my business.

Yes, he is. And I didn't
want you to meet him that way.

So... you and he are...

Were. We lived
together for six months.

We broke up two years ago.

When I went
into your office last night

I was gonna tell you I didn't
think we should pursue this,

and then when
I saw you with him,

I felt... jealous.

I mean, I couldn't
believe it, but I, I was.

I love Clay. And I always will.

But we are just friends now.

I still have
to deal with how I...felt.

I can't stay. I have to
be in court in a half an hour.

I should get back
to work, anyway.

Um, I'm glad you came by.

Yeah, me, too.

- C.J.
- Uh-huh?

Can we have
dinner tomorrow night?

- Sure. Where?
- Your house?

Eric's spending the weekend
with a friend.

Abby, maybe
we should talk about this.

I'll see you at...8:00.

Okay.

Okay, simple misdemeanor,

operating a vehicle
in an unsafe manner.

- Straight probation.
- No.

- Excuse me?
- I said "no."

I'm offerin' to let your
guy walk, how can you just--

Because you're afraid of losing.

Kari, your offer is rejected.

Are you gonna take
this to your client?

I don't have to. My
client wants a not guilty,

he's not interested in pleas.

And does he know
that the lawyer advising him

has a personal grudge
against the LAPD?

Does he know his
attorney has a civil suit

pending against the police?

That is not
relevant to this case.

Come on!

You're on a mission
here that goes

beyond your
client and this case--

What's your mission, Kari?

We got a police chief
with life tenure,

we got a Mayor who is powerless
to remove him.

The police department
is going on wielding sprees

costing the taxpayers
ten million dollars a year

in civil lawsuits,
and you pretend that--

The police did
nothing wrong here!

Two of them were injured,
one very badly.

What happened to you,
maybe they got away

with that, and if so, I'm sorry!

Hey, I've been
stopped by the police,

sometimes probably for no other
reason than that I'm black,

but that has nothing
to do with this case!

Whatever your personal baggage
is you gotta let that go.

You don't let that go!

They throw you face down onto
a hood of a car,

they beat you with a nightstick

and they want
to prosecute me...!

You don't let that go.

Listen to yourself.

Forget about listening to me.

Do your client a favor
and listen to yourself.

[distant chatter]

[elevator dings]

- You ready?
- Sit.

Look, Mark

you realize with the plea you're
guaranteed no jail time, right?

Yeah, yeah, you explained
all of that. So, let's go.

What I didn't explain,
maybe, was my own agenda.

The police roughed
me up a couple of months ago.

Their track
record of brutality...

I steered you away
from the plea to make a point.

About stuff that has
nothing to do specifically

with you or your case.

I'm a law-abiding citizen,

and I'm scared of the police.

In my own neighborhood,
I have to be afraid.

This "stuff"
you're talkin' about,

how can you say it
has nothin' to do with me?

The plea is rejected.

Go in there and make your point.

Okay.

To protect and to serve.

That's the motto of the
Los Angeles Police Department.

But this department does
not instill a sense of safety.

Right or wrong,
deserved or undeserved,

the LAPD has one
of the worst reputations

for brutality of any urban force
in this country.

Mark Wright was aware
of that reputation.

He saw that tape and believed,

like the majority
of L.A. residents believe,

this kind of police violence
goes on all the time.

But you see, usually,
it's not on tape.

Usually, it's just the say so
of one "suspect"

versus two or
three or twenty officers

whose motto is
"To protect and to serve."

I know it's tough being
a police officer, really.

They're fighting gangs armed
with automatic weapons

and they're risking their lives

but the thing is,

they encounter so
many bad people every day

they have forgotten that
also living in this society

are good people.

This department has lost
the trust of those people.

The community,

the neighborhoods,
we, the people,

don't respect you.

You scare us.

During a week where
we had opportunity

as Americans to be so incredibly
proud of our armed forces,

a time where we could
take pride in our President,

and the soldiers
who truly served us

in the fight
for civil liberties

we had to look at that tape
and see

what your
fellow officers did.

We would turn on the news

and see our
military in the desert

treating surrendering
Iraqi soldiers

with humanity

and civility.

And we see our own
public servants kicking

and beating an American citizen
on our streets!

We would all love nothing
better than to be able to trust

and respect our police,

to not feel fear and threat
at the sight of them.

But we can't.

What a horrible
tragedy that Mark Wright

felt compelled to run that night

but what's even worse

is that most of us feel
the same way.

The defendant illegally tried
to flee

the police after running
a stop sign.

He caused a high speed chase
that resulted in serious injury,

and he threatened
to shoot the police.

Basically,
his defense to this is

since I'm afraid of
the police I'm exempt.

That's ridiculous!

What we saw on that tape
was clearly reprehensible.

As a public servant,
I was shocked and disgraced

by the behavior
of those officers.

As for the department's
relationship to the public,

it's also a disgrace.

But this relationship is
bilateral, ladies and gentlemen.

If you want the
police department

to show you the respect
you deserve,

it goes both ways.

Of the six largest forces
in this country,

LAPD has the fewest
per capita officers.

They are outmanned and outgunned
by the gangs,

and they're shot at every day.

During the six weeks
of combat in the Gulf

one hundred and nineteen of our

American soldiers
were lost in action.

During that same period

over three thousand
American citizens

were murdered
right here at home.

Over two hundred and seventy
thousand cases

of aggravated assault.

Over twenty thousand rapes.

So don't think for one second
that they're not in a war.

If you don't want
the police department

resorting
to street justice, fine.

Show them they don't have to.

This guy broke the law.

Show them the system works.

[court murmuring]

So, were we having ex parte fun?

Uh, Billy, so you know, uh

I've asked Judge Biel to
disqualify himself

and call a mistrial.

Well, I don't want a mistrial.
I think--

But I do. And
the reason he's not here...

I think he's going to disqualify
himself from the bench.

Why?

With any luck you'll never know.

[upbeat music]

Well, you guessed
wrong, Counselor.

That's his charge music
he's playing.

The 1812, that means
he's on the attack.

[gunshot]

[all screams]

Oh my God.

Oh!

Oh my God!

I'm in Judge Biel's chambers.

Get an ambulance
up here immediately.

[dramatic music]

I was...

ten... ten, I guess.

I went over to my dad's office,

just to see him... a surprise.

When I got there there was
already someone in his office.

A woman.

She was tall.

Red hair.

And he was...

touching her.

Touching and...

I-I ran home.

I never told him.

Never told Mom.

That night, I heard them...

I heard them yelling
at each other,

heard them calling
each other names.

Whore-lover, that was,
that was her favorite phrase.

He'd call her a bitch.

And she'd call him
a whore lover.

How did that make you feel?

Like I wanted to run.

Like I wanted to run and...

never be like
that, be like them.

Not ever.

Have you succeeded?

What do you think?

We had a temp in here.

Boy, he screwed up the mail

like you wouldn't believe.

I know, but, uh,

it's okay now.
I took care of it.

I gotta go pick
up Arnie's dry cleaning.

Benny... it's good
to have you back.

This place runs so
much better with you here.

Has the jury
reached it's verdict?

- We have.
- What say you?

In the matter
of People versus Wright,

on the count
of reckless evasion,

we find the defendant guilty.

On the count of assault
with a dangerous weapon,

we find the defendant
not guilty.

On the count of resisting
a law enforcement officer,

we find the defendant
not guilty.

[court murmuring]

Judge: Sentencing next Tuesday.

The jurors and
parties are free to go.

[court murmuring]

man: Mr. Rollins?

That was Mother Dominica.

She expelled me

for skateboarding
into the nuns' chapel.

You skateboarded
into the nuns' chapel?

Yeah, during Vespers.

Well, I didn't mean to.
They left the doors open.

Mother Dominica didn't see
the humor, I take it.

In anything, least of all me.

It's too bad.
You're pretty funny.

Ack! No more of that!
They're terrible.

[laughing]

No. No.

- You sure?
- Yeah, I'm fine.

Me, too.

Mm.

Then why do you look so scared?

Why?

Because...

you and I...

I've never done this before?

What makes you think
something's gonna happen now?

Because I'm...

ready.

Well, first of all,
I never said I was ready.

- Well, I'm--
- You're not ready at all.

You've been jittery
ever since you arrived,

nervous laughter
all through dinner.

You haven't demonstrated
enough honesty

to make for a decent friend,

let alone anything
more than a friend.

I like you very much.

But I don't want to
jeopardize our relationship

because you're trying
to satisfy your curiosity.

It's not just curiosity.

Maybe it is and maybe it isn't.

But nothing is
gonna happen tonight.

You can consider
yourself two things...

dumped and relieved.

[instrumental music]

[door opens]

[sighs]

God.

You told me you gave me
all the keys.

I did, except for one.

Thank you for coming.

If I'd known what happened,
you wouldn't have had to call.

Maybe it was
a blessing, you know.

I mean, they say
the disease would've eventually

rotted his brain away.

It was probably a blessing.

You had to do what you did.

You're a D.A, you got wind
of a judge losin' his mind,

you gotta blow
the whistle. No discretion.

He was still gettin'
the job done, Tommy.

He was shaky, but...

I didn't have to put
the gun to his head.

[sobs]

You didn't do that.

I'm not strong enough
for this job.

- I'm not.
- You?

Yeah, you are.

[crying]

I'm so sorry I still need you.

Ssh.

I don't mean
to need you anymore.

But I can't help it.

[somber music]

[crying]

[theme music]