All language subtitles for Law and orer S12E16 - Born Again

NARRATOR:
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.

I'm just going
to have his baby.

It's not like I want to
marry him or anything.

Yeah, but you can
understand why

his wife might be
a little jealous.

Oh, please.
I don't want him,
I just want his genes.

(LAUGHS)
Why does she even
have to know?

Oh, that's what
I like about you, Sandra.

You're such a romantic.

What, you cramp up again?

Sweetie?

You okay?

Hello?

Is she...

I'm not sure.

She's ice cold.

Oh, my God.

She wasn't shot,
stabbed or strangled.

There's no sign
of blunt force trauma.

Suffocation?

No petechial hemorrhages.

Do we know who she is?

There's nothing
in her pockets.
No ID.

Nice jacket,
good shoes.

Definitely not
a street kid.

Looks like she's
about 10 or 11.

Any sign
of sexual assault?

Not that I could see.

FEMALE OFFICER: Detectives.

They found this joint
over by the seesaw.

Hmm.
It's barely smoked.

Looks like the party
just got started.

The question is,
whose party was it?

Can you get this
to the lab?

Right away.

Little girl like this,
what's she doing in
the park at night?

Kids grow up fast
these days.

Not this kid.

ED: The M.E. on the scene
didn't seem to think
she that was suffocated.

It's not your
run-of-the-mill
suffocation.

I'm thinking more like
positional asphyxiation.

You know how a boa
constrictor squeezes
the life out of its victims?

Same thing.

Thanks for the visual.

See where the ribs meet
the breastbone?

There were severe contusions
at the costochondral
junction.

Her chest was compressed,

which impeded breathing

and caused her
to choke to death
on her own vomit.

The story just keeps
getting better.

In addition, I found
edema in her nasal
and laryngeal passages.

Swelling?
Is that significant?

Probably caused by some
kind of trauma.

I'm thinking whoever
did it may have
tried to revive her.

When did all this happen?

Between 6:00 and 8:00,
maybe 9:00 pm.

9:15 at the outside.

There were also indications
that the body was moved
postmortem.

So, you're saying
the girl wasn't killed
in the park.

Well, it's hard to tell.
I mean, she could

have been killed there
and repositioned afterwards.

Or the perp could
have come back later to
admire his handiwork.

Was there any sign
of sexual trauma?

No. And the tox screen
came back negative, too.

So the joint didn't
belong to the girl.

We sent it out for DNA,
just in case we come up
with a suspect.

Detectives, Missing Persons
just got a hit.

Paula Weston,
11 years old.

Reported missing by her
mother this morning.

She lives on
Columbus and 88th.

A block from the park.

Sometimes I hate this job.

ED: ls there somebody
you want us to notify?

No. No one.

Well, what about
her father?

My ex-husband
hasn't been in the picture
in quite a while.

He lives outside of Philly.

It was just me and Paula.

When was the last time
you saw her?

Last night.

She did her homework,
and then she watched
some TV, went to bed.

The alarm went off around
7:00 this morning, and I
went into her room.

She wasn't there.

Then what?

I called the police,
and then I started
to search the neighborhood,

thinking that she
would show up somewhere.

Does anybody have
a key to your apartment?

No, no one.

Cleaning lady?
Nanny?

No. It's just us.

ED: Did Paula ever
run away before?

No, she didn't.
She didn't run away.

Did you notice your daughter
was upset about anything
recently?

Just the normal kid stuff.

Last night, she wanted
to sleep over
at a friend's house,

and I said no.

Mrs. Weston, where does
your daughter's friend live?

83rd just off 5th.

That's across the park.

I called over there
this morning and Alice's dad
said he hadn't seen her.

My daughter was here
with me all night.

We need to hear that
from her.

She's not allowed out
on school nights.

Mr. Danielson, please.

I was here.
On the computer.

When's the last time
you saw Paula?

DANIELSON: They walk
part way home from school
together every day.

Then Paula takes the bus.

Paula have any other
friends at school?

Anybody she likes
to hang out with?

The kids at Hamlin
are kind of lame.

Did she mention anything
to you about maybe
sneaking out last night?

No.

I hear there's a pretty
cool playground over
by 81st Street.

You guys ever go there?

I'm not allowed
without a grownup.

Mr. Danielson,
we're not investigating
a parking ticket.

If your daughter
knows anything.

Alice, just
tell the truth.

You won't get in
trouble, I promise.

Sometimes on our way
home from school we'd
stop by the playground.

What'd you do?

Swings, mostly.

Paula liked to go real
high and close her eyes.

Then she'd jump off.

Did Paula ever go over
there by herself?

Maybe at night?

No. It was
too dangerous.

We're thinking she snuck
out of her apartment,
came over here

ran into a couple
of bad guys.

I swung by here twice.
Park was empty.

It was a slow night.

So what'd you do
to earn the buck fifty?

Braved the cold?

Hey, wait a minute.
What about this illegally
parked vehicle?

81st Street,
right by the park.
A school bus.

What, is there a night
school around here
I don't know about?

Uh, the driver said he
dumped a bunch of kids
off at the Planetarium.

He was just hanging
around waiting.

Did he seem agitated?

Only when I
gave him the ticket.

Why didn't you just
tell him to move?

I didn't see him
until I started writing.

He said he left
for a minute
to relieve himself.

He asked me to tear it up,
but once I start
writing it up,

it's too late.
It's too late.

We're gonna need
the number of
that summons.

I got it right here.

You drove a bus last night
for Roselawn Academy?

Dropped some kids off
at the Planetarium?

That's right.
Around 8:30.
It was a laser show.

Well, there's a place
right next to the museum.

Why didn't you just
park the bus there?

It was full.

You remember seeing
this girl hanging around
the park that night?

No. She a runaway?

She's dead.

Oh.

Little girl like that.

What'd you do between
the time you dropped the
kids off and picked 'em up?

I was on the radio
most of the night
with my dispatcher.

He can verify that?

She.

Hold on. I had nothing
to do with this
little girl getting killed.

BRISCOE: We didn't say
you did, Mr. Dunston.

Yeah, well,
I'm telling you anyway.

We checked your log
from last night.

You were a half
hour late getting
back from the museum.

That's right.

You mind telling us why?

I don't want to
cause any problems
for the school.

ED: Hey, man,
don't worry about it.
We'll take the heat.

Seems the chaperone
misplaced a couple
of the boys.

I had to wait on 'em
before we could leave.

LURIE: Our fourth
field trip this semester.

We're lucky to have
involved parents.

Yeah, we're looking
for the kids

who might have
skipped out on that show.

Must be hard to
keep track once
the lights go down.

None of them were
involved in this
girl's murder,

if that's where
you're going.

BRISCOE: You seem
pretty sure about that.

These are good kids.

So were Leopold and Loeb.

We need names,
Mr. Lurie.

Look, I'm new, okay.

No tenure.

I was responsible
for chaperoning them
that night.

I could lose my job.

Then you lose
your damn job.

We got a mother
who lost
her only child.

KEITH: We were at
the laser show.
We didn't go near the park.

BRISCOE: That ship's
already sailed, Keith.

We got a witness
that puts you there.

That's Paula Weston.
11 years old.

You ever seen her?

Is this really necessary?

BRISCOE: Why don't you
ask your son that question?

What about you?

Derek, the detective
is asking you a question.

We were just
chilling out. We didn't
do anything wrong.

Then there's nothing
to be afraid of,
is there?

MRS. VOGEL: Derek?

After we split the laser
show, we went over
to the deli on Columbus.

Did you get anything?

Some sodas
and some matches.

BRISCOE: The matches were
to light the joints, right?

What joints?

ED: Yeah, you
left one there.
Right next to her.

Did you know that?

You know, if we match
the DNA from that joint

to the saliva
on this pencil...

(GAS PS)

We didn't kill her.

ED: But you did see her.

When we found her
she was already dead.

Oh, my God.

Why didn't you
go for help?
Call someone?

And what?
Say we were out
getting high?

So what did you do?

She was lying
on her back,

with like her arms
folded on her chest.

That's not how
we found her.

I pulled on one
of her arms to
try to get her up.

KEITH: At first, we
thought she was sleeping.

But when I touched her
face, it was all rubbery,
like a Halloween mask.

I thought dead bodies
were supposed to be stiff.

The clerk confirms the
boys came in the night
of the murder

and bought some sodas.
What time?

Uh, tape shows 'em
coming in the door
at nine 9:26.

The laser show
in the Planetarium
started at 9:15.

They wait till the
lights go down,
sneak out the building.

Yeah, take a couple of
minutes to flip through
some nudie magazines,

they got their sodas,
and they're out the
door at nine to.

Meaning by the time
they got to the park,
according to the M.E.,

Paula Weston
was already dead.

They said that they tried
to sneak back
into the Planetarium,

but the door was locked,
so they hung out in the
other side of the museum.

What else do you have?

Besides a whole lot of
wasted time, not much.

Well, the boys did say
that when they found Paula
she was all gently laid out.

Like someone wanted
her to be comfortable.

What do we know
about the father?

Well, he and Janet
divorced way back.

He opened a bar
near Philly.

Well, talk to him.

Maybe he got tired
of paying child support.

BELMAR: We never should
have gotten married.

Janet could be difficult
It was three years of
hand-to-hand combat.

What's your relationship
like now?

Oh, perfect.
We don't speak.

So what's this
all about?

What about your daughter?
Do you speak to her?

My daughter?

BRISCOE: Guess that
answers my question.

Paula.

No, Paula's
not my daughter.

Janet adopted her
the year after
we got divorced.

Funny she never
mentioned that.

She likes to play
the victim.

Tells everyone that she
and Paula were abandoned.

Truth is,
it was her choice.

To adopt
as a single parent?

We talked about
having kids,

Janet couldn't
have her own.

Anyway, we never
got around to it.

Lucky we didn't,
with what
she went through.

Why do you say that?

Just that she called me
when she was waiting
to get Paula.

Sounded like there were
some big problems
with the adoption.

Was the birth mother
still in the picture?

Birth mother.

Birth father.
Birth somebody.

It was the grandmother.
She'd change her mind
every other day.

She didn't want
to give up the child?

More like
the welfare benefit.

Where is she now?

Died two years ago
in a fire.

What about mom?

She was 15
when she had Paula.

She thought the
boyfriend would
step up to the plate.

They always do.

One day she realized
it was a lost cause

bought a ticket
to California.

ED: Hmm. Leaving Paula
with grandma.

How old was Paula
when the adoption
went through?

Almost four.

Isn't that kind of old?

It's hard enough
placing the infants.

Nobody wants to take on
somebody else's problems.

And there were problems.

ED: Like what?

Paula wouldn't eat,
she refused to be held,
had violent temper tantrums.

Was Janet Weston
aware of all this?

She was a single woman
in her late 30s.

She knew
her choices were limited.

To be honest,
we thought Janet was
a dream come true.

Any mother too good
to be true never is.

Except mine.

I'm thinking mama
was in over her head.

If she was,
she didn't let us
in on it.

Maybe we should talk
to somebody who saw
this girl every day.

SORENSON: Well, Paula
was a bright child,
but she had some issues.

BRISCOE: Such as?

Her temper was erratic.
She could be
manipulative, deceitful.

The other students
avoided her.

And if ever some
brave soul would
reach out to her,

she would find a way
to sabotage it.

It was actually
pretty sad to watch.

Do you know if she was
having similar problems
at home?

Well, from what I
understand, worse.

So, Janet Weston
discussed these
problems with you?

Yeah, pretty often.
She was frustrated,
depressed.

I mean, bringing up
any child on your own
is difficult.

I'm sure Paula's issues
made it that much
more difficult.

Did Mrs. Weston ever
seem angry
about the situation?

Oh, at times, I'm sure.

She was a single mom
trying to make a life.

When was
all this happening?

Oh, I guess it was
getting worse the
last six months or so.

That's when I recommended
a therapist that I thought
she could take Paula to see.

Do you have any idea
who killed her?

Well, that's what we're
trying to find out.

So anything you
can tell us
would be a big help.

Paula suffered from
Chronic Situational
Depression,

ADD and Oppositional
Defiant Disorder.

Well, that clears that up.

She had serious
emotional issues

stemming from traumatic
events in early childhood.

That sounds like some
pretty heavy baggage.

That's why the best approach
would have been long term
intensive therapy.

BRISCOE: Would have been?

Paula's mother was
looking for something
more immediate.

A quick fix.

People today don't understand
that problems which have
taken years to develop

also take years to resolve.

From what we heard,
Janet Weston knew what
she was getting into.

No, no, not possible.
She had no experience
with a child like Paula.

No idea of the sacrifices
it would entail.

BRISCOE: Sacrifices?
Yeah.

She told me that the
difficulties with Paula
weren't letting her sleep.

They had cost her jobs,
relationships with men.

She said she had
no social life anymore.

She complained
about her social life?

Janet was getting older.

She didn't want life
to pass her by.

Maybe she got tired
of waiting.

We've seen mothers
snap before.

Bathtubs, guns, yes.
But this little girl
was squeezed so hard

she choked to death
on her own vomit.

If she was looking for an
easy way out, she sure
chose a crazy method.

Maybe this mother
had help.

Well, what'd you get
on the ex-husband?

First of all,
he's not the father.

Janet adopted Paula
a year after the divorce.

The biological mother's
off the hook.

She's been living
in California
for the last 10 years.

Which leaves us
with Janet Weston.

Motive, Paula's problems
had been putting a crimp
in mom's style.

Shades of Susan Smith.

That's what
we were thinking.

Well, what do you have
to back this up with?
A boyfriend?

So far, only Paula's
therapist.

She was in therapy?

Yeah, till mom
pulled her out
after six sessions.

Now, the therapist is thinking
maybe she was looking
for a quicker solution.

ED: Mmm-hmm.
One with a guarantee.

Like murder.

Well, look, if the
problem was that serious,

someone else
had to know about it.

I heard them
yelling sometimes.
Throwing things.

Throwing things?

Once or twice.

An eleven-year-old kid,
and you never called
the police?

I didn't think
it was my place.

What about the night
Paula died?

Any fireworks then?

No, not that night.

Are you sure?

Yeah.
They weren't home.

How do you know?

Well, I borrowed Janet's
food processor
a week before.

I knocked on her door
to give it back.
Nobody answered.

What time was this?

Once, when I got home
from work.

Then again
one more time,

before the news
came on at 11:00.

I can't believe
you're doing this.

I haven't done
anything wrong.

Except lie to us
from the start.

I'm done in the bedroom.

What are you people
looking for?

A boa constrictor.

ED: Lennie?
Any luck?

Found this in the
back seat of her car.

That's my upholstery.

Tech says it looks
and smells like emesis.

What's emesis?

Vomit.

A couple of months ago,
we drove up to Vermont
to see the foliage.

Paula got car sick.

She ride in
the back seat
the whole way?

The front seat
has an air bag.

I had nothing to do
with Paula's death.

We know about the
difficulties the two
of you were having.

I did everything
under the sun to
help my daughter.

I'm telling you the truth.

Yeah, well, I guess
there's a first time
for everything.

You lied about
being home the night
of Paula's murder.

It's hard to hear
someone knocking
when the TV's on.

Except the TV wasn't on.
Your neighbor
didn't hear it.

Ms. Weston, if things
got out of hand

and there was some kind
of accident, now would
be the time to tell us.

I've told you
everything I know.

Do I need a lawyer?

Look, if you want to
tell us something
that'll help you out,

maybe a lawyer's
not the way to go
right now.

You have the right
to a lawyer. No one's
telling you otherwise.

Maybe I should get one.

You advised the mother
to retain counsel

before she could
tell us what happened?

Ms. Weston asked
about a lawyer.

I just wanted to
make sure she knew
what her rights were.

If I erred on the
side of caution,

it was just to avoid
a suppression hearing.

You sure you weren't
being gun shy?

She asked about
an attorney, Jack.

What was I
supposed to say? No?

What do we have
without her statement?

I just got a fax
from the lab.

They can't make a match
to the vomit found
in Janet Weston's car

to a specific time period.

Which means a jury
could buy her account

of her Vermont
foliage trip.

We still have the neighbor's
testimony that Janet
wasn't home that night.

A jury is not going to
want to believe that a
woman killed her own child.

I don't want to believe it.

What else do we know
about this woman?

She worked at a
catering company
in Midtown.

She's been divorced
eight years,
raised Paula on her own.

Is there a boyfriend?
Anybody we can talk to?

Well, according to
everything we've learned,

she never had time
for a social life.

It was just work
and the kid.

Which leaves us
with just one option.

Talk to her employer.

Janet Weston?
More interested in
mothering than catering.

You think that's sexist?

I didn't say that.

She came in here
begging for a shot.

Said her ambition
would make up for
the demands on her time.

And it did for about
three months.

Then what happened?

The phone calls,
the excuses,
the headaches.

She had to leave early.
Couldn't make it to
Hunts Point in the morning.

Her kid was sick.
I cut her slack
I'd never give a guy.

Now, see, that's sexist.

A single mother
with a messed up kid.
What was I supposed to do?

Besides, she said she was
getting it under control.

How?
She'd gotten her kid
into therapy.

A month or so ago
she promised me
it was getting results.

My information is that
she'd taken Paula
out of therapy.

I don't know why
she'd tell you that.

Actually, she was pretty
excited about it.

What'd she say?

Unless it's food, I'm not
interested in the details.

Yeah, Paula was
in therapy right up
until she died.

Something alternative.

I mean, it wasn't going
very well, but Janet
wasn't giving up.

I heard she had.
From who?

Dr. Diamant,
Paula's therapist.

Diamant?
No, that doesn't
sound right.

Was this
a new therapist?

Yeah, it must've been,
because Janet mentioned the
name to me a few times, but..

No, no,
it wasn't Diamant.

I dated a boy in high
school named Diamant.

That name I'd remember.

I rechecked with
Dr. Diamant's office.

He wasn't seeing Paula
as a patient.

So, if what her co-worker
told you was true,
she found another therapist.

Except Janet Weston's
not talking now that
she's retained counsel.

Did you check with
her insurance company?

Yeah. They reimbursed
her for Diamant,

but there's no other claims
for any other therapist.

Shrinks don't come cheap.

You'd think she would
have submitted it.

Rochelle Diggs did mention
alternative therapy.
Maybe it wasn't covered.

In which case she
would have had
to go out of pocket.

Did you check her
credit card statements?

Totally maxed out.

And her checking
account's overdrawn, too.

She's broke.

Yeah, but take a look
at the charges, Jack.

I mean, amidst this
alleged poverty,
she splurges on a hotel.

Stoneybrook Suites.

Transaction date
is December 17th.

That's just three weeks
before the murder.

See if we can find out
what she was doing there.

Janet Weston.
Three days, two nights.

Room service both nights.

Yeah, a lot of women
do that when they travel.

There's a service charge
for two people.

Well, there's, uh,
no one else listed
on the registration.

But, uh, there is a
request for a roll-away.

She brought her daughter.
Do you have any idea
why she was here?

Oh, that time of year
we get a lot of conventions.

Could you check?
Sure.

Conference of
Therapeutic Associates.

Now, that one
was a doozy.

One of those wonks actually
gave me a lecture on
the virtues of hug therapy.

(LAUGHS)

ls there any information
on the conference?

Oh, yeah. I think
we still have
some literature.

"A Parent's Guide to RAD:
Tools for survival
with Difficult Children."

What the hell's RAD?

Reactive Attachment Disorder.

It's believed to be
caused by a child's
inability to bond

or attach with his
or her parents.

Seems like every month
there's new syndrome
to diagnose.

Yeah, this one's legit.
It's listed in the DSM-4,

right along with
Oppositional Disorder,
ADHD and Autism.

How common is it?

It's fairly rare.

You see it mostly
in kids who've
suffered some sort of

severe abuse or neglect
early in childhood.

What about treatment?

The psychiatric
community's
made some strides,

but the child needs
to be provided
with effective tools

for dealing
with the behaviors.

Which means the parents
have to put in the work

and learn therapeutic
techniques they can
use at home.

Work Janet Weston
wasn't willing to do.

Which is why I suspect
she went to this conference.

She was obviously looking
for some kind of
non-traditional therapy.

Janet Weston wanted
something that promised
faster results.

What were her choices?

Well, there's rage reduction
technique, where they
deliberately trigger anger

so it can be
released in a
controlled environment.

Of course, it can be
pretty dangerous
under the supervision

of an unlicensed
therapist.

You're saying
anyone can do this?

Anyone with a shingle
and a dream.

Check the list of speakers
at this conference.

Let's narrow down what
alternative Janet Weston
might have chosen.

Dr. Stahl did speak
at the conference

but she's not here today,
and I can't give out
information about a patient.

I just want to know
whether or not
Paula Weston was a patient.

Look, Dr. Stahl's doing
really important work
with these kids.

If you want to
give her a hard time

because you
don't understand,
I won't help you.

We already know
that Janet Weston
attended a seminar

given by Dr. Stahl
at this conference.

If it turns out that you
know something about
her daughter's death,

I won't be able
to help you.

Paula got a few treatments
a few weeks ago, okay?

What about the night
that she died?

She was here.

But I left.

I don't know anything
about what happened.

How come you never
came forward?

The papers said that
she was attacked
in the park.

I didn't think that...

Who was here
when you left?

Just Dr. Stahl, Paula,
and her mother.

Paula came in for a session,
I checked her in,

set up the equipment,
and then I left for my class.

What equipment?

A tape recorder.

Dr. Stahl tapes all her
rebirthing procedures.

Rebirthing?

It's a fringe treatment
where the patient acts out
the birth experience

to symbolize
a fresh start in life.

How does it work?

According to Skoda,
the patient's placed
in the fetal position,

then wrapped
in a covering
to recreate the womb.

What type of covering?

Depends on the therapist,
but probably some
blankets and pillows.

Apparently the therapist
applies pressure
to simulate contractions

as the child
struggles to be born.

This is supposed
to be some sort
of catharsis?

It's allegedly designed
to simulate
an actual birth.

The child emerges
from the blankets,

and a new bond
is supposedly formed.

What do we know about
how Paula's rebirthing
went that night?

Dr. Stahl's intern mentioned
setting up a tape recorder
before she left.

Oh, could we be
that lucky?

No. She checked
while I was there.

But if there is a tape of
that session, it's not
in Dr. Stahl's files.

No, if things went wrong,
she wouldn't
keep it in her office.

Why don't we get
a warrant for her home?

This is outrageous.
You have no right.

Oh, yeah, we do.
With this warrant.

Now, if you know anything
about the circumstances

of Paula's death,
now would be a
good time to cooperate.

CORDOVA: Detective Briscoe?

Check this out.

Fleece blankets?
And a stack of pillows.

Planning a pajama party,
Doc?

I use these
in my practice.

I was afraid you
were gonna say that.

Lennie, I found these
in her desk back there.

Rebirthing sessions.

Paula Weston,
January 7th.

I don't think I should
say anything else until
I talk to my lawyer.

I think this tape
says everything for you.

That's from
a therapeutic session.

You've got to
put it into context.

Oh, I wouldn't worry
about it, Doc.

That's what juries
are for.

PAULA: (GASPING) Please.

I can't breathe.

Paula Weston.

STAHL: That's right,
a baby can't
breathe in the womb.

PAULA: Please.

JANET:
You're doing fine, honey.

PAULA: Get off me!
I can't breathe.

(PAULA GASPING)

I'm gonna die

STAHL: That's okay.
Go ahead
and die, Paula.

You need to die before
you can be reborn.

Turn it off.

PAULA: Please.

How could any mother
do that to their daughter?

She thought she was
making her sick
child better.

I won't condemn this
mother because she
chose an alternative therapy.

God knows the AMA
has its own set of problems.

What this therapist did
defied common sense.

Well, how do we prove
that the mother
knew that going in?

From everything
you've told me,
she had no idea

she was putting
her child in danger.

Well, maybe if she'd
stuck around
she would have found out.

Janet Weston was only
there for 25 minutes.

Then she left, while
the session continued.

She left?

When she expressed
her discomfort at
what was happening,

Dr. Stahl asked her
to step out because
her ambivalence

was undermining
Paula's progress.

So, maybe her discomfort
was telling her something
was wrong,

but a therapist
told her to leave.

And also asked her
to help cover up a crime.

In her mind,
it was an accident.

I'll charge her
with obstruction.

But I'm not going to take
the position that a parent
has to second guess a doctor

in order to avoid
a homicide prosecution.

Except this wasn't a doctor.

She calls herself one.

That said it's not
our job to tell people

what medical or
psychiatric treatments
are appropriate.

But it is our job to
make sure whatever
treatment they do chose

conforms to the law.

We've prosecuted HMOs,
traditional physicians.

Giving a therapist a pass
just because her therapy

is considered alternative

holds her to
a lesser standard
not a greater one.

The depraved indifference
statute was passed
for cases like this.

Charge the therapist
with Murder Two.

This is a witch hunt,
Your Honor.

Anything that falls outside
the parameters
of traditional medicine...

People can try an
alternative approach

if they think it helps.

But the cardinal
rule of medicine is
"First, do no harm."

Dr. Stahl
violated that rule.

And when the jury
hears that tape,
they're going to find

that she violated
the law as well.

Well, there's no way
they're going to hear it,

because I'm moving
to suppress.

JUDGE: On what grounds?

In order for a jury to
hear that tape

the prosecution has to
establish foundation.

They can't do that
without my client's
testimony.

How do you plan to
authenticate the tape?

Paula Weston's dead,
Dr. Stahl's the defendant.

You can't compel her
to incriminate herself.

The mother was there
We can get it in
through her.

She was only present
for the first 25 minutes.

She still would be able to
testify to who was there
and identify the voices.

She can't testify that
it's a complete and accurate
account of the events.

She wasn't there
the entire time.

Not to mention that
there's a gap
in the recording.

JACK: Someone turning
the tape over.

No one knows
how much time elapsed
or what transpired

during those events.

The integrity
of that tape is zero.

Mr. Olson has a point.

You can't establish
foundation for either
the accuracy

or the completeness
of that tape.

I'm sorry
the tape's excluded.

Where are we without it?

We need to tell the jury
what really happened
in that room,

and there's only one
other way to do it.

Janet Weston.

I can't testify
against Dr. Stahl.

You want my client
to make your case?

Drop the charges
against her.

She should consider
herself lucky
we haven't charged her

with criminally
negligent homicide.

She lost her child.
Isn't that enough?

Not when her own conduct
contributed to the loss.

Not after she
tried to cover up
what happened.

I thought Dr. Stahl
was helping Paula.

But surely you can't
think that now.

I questioned it,
I did, you know,

when I didn't see
any improvement in Paula.

But Dr. Stahl told me
that after the
rebirthing procedure,

everything would be okay.

How could you have
just accepted that?

I went to Dr. Stahl
because I believed

that she was
helping my daughter.

But once you were
in that room and heard
your child's cries for help,

you knew that wasn't true.

As long as you defend
what Dr. Stahl did,

you don't have
to blame yourself

for taking Paula to see
her in the first place.
Is that it?

I thought I was doing
what was right for Paula.

Then do what's right
for her now.

You've been protecting
this therapist

at the expense
of your own daughter.

You made one bad decision,
Ms. Weston.

Don't make another.

JANET: Paula was curled
up in a fetal position
on the floor.

There was a sheet wrapped
around her so she couldn't
move, and some blankets.

JACK: A sheet?

Yes, a bed sheet.
Dr. Stahl asked me

to bring something
familiar for Paula.

It was gathered and
twisted over her head,

and that's where she was
supposed to come out
when she was reborn.

Where were you
during this time?

Dr. Stahl had me
help hold Paula down.

We were pushing on her
with pillows to simulate
birth contractions.

What was Paula doing?

At first,
she was confused.

She was asking
what she was
supposed to do,

and then she
started...crying.

And begging for us
to let her out.

JACK: Did you?

Dr. Stahl said that
Paula wasn't
trying hard enough.

That we should put
more pressure on her
with the pillows.

How long did this go on?

About 25 minutes.

And then Paula
started saying that
she couldn't breathe

and that she was dying.

That's when
I took a break.

You left the room
at that point?

Dr. Stahl said that
my ambivalence was
undermining the therapy.

That I should
step outside.

I play...

I play that moment
over in my head,
every day.

If I hadn't left the room...

How long were you gone?

About half an hour.

When I came back in,
Dr. Stahl was
sitting on the couch.

Paula wasn't moving.

I ran over,
but she wasn't breathing.

JACK: What did you do?

JANET: I was in shock.
And that's when Dr. Stahl
said that she was gone.

That Paula was dead.

JACK: Why didn't you
call 911?

JANET: It all happened
really fast.

And Dr. Stahl was saying
that the police wouldn't
understand,

you know, that it
was an accident.

That we would both
be sent to jail.

So you placed Paula's
body in the park?

We laid her down
in her favorite spot
by the swings,

where she used to feel
like she was flying.

Ms. Weston, while
you were in the room

and Paula was
begging for air,

when she said
that she was dying,
how did Dr. Stahl respond?

She told Paula
that everything
would be all right.

That she should
go ahead and die.

What did you do when you
heard Dr. Stahl tell Paula
to go ahead and die?

You left the room.

I mean, that's how
seriously you took
that statement,

because you knew it was
all part of role-playing,

and she didn't
mean it literally.

That's what I thought
at the time.

Because if you believed
for one moment that
Paula was in any danger,

that she was being
suffocated right
in front of you

you would
have stopped it.
Of course.

Isn't it possible that
Dr. Stahl didn't realize

the gravity of Paula's
situation either?

Objection as to what
Dr. Stahl did or
did not realize.

This goes to the
heart of my client's
state of mind, Your Honor.

I'll allow it,
if the witness knows.

She's the professional.

She should have known.

I trusted her with
my daughter's life.

Based on Janet Weston's
testimony I assume

you'll be dismissing
the charges.

Her testimony
established your client's
depraved indifference.

Were we listening to
the same witness?

Janet Weston didn't
say anything to show
that this wasn't an accident.

The jury can infer
recklessness from
your client's actions.

They heard Janet Weston
testify that she herself
did not appreciate the danger.

She pleads to Manslaughter.
Five to 15.

I can't believe this.

I've devoted my life
to helping children.

Well, you helped this one
right into her grave.

The offer's a gift.

Negligent homicide.
Two years.

Once we start our case,
no deal.

It's no deal right now,
Mr. Olson.

Mainstream medicine
has failed so many
of these kids.

You see the results of
their rage on the news,
in the schools.

The techniques I use
are helping them.

Which techniques did
you use with Paula Weston?

I started by employing
holding therapy

where I held her tightly
in a cradling position

and confronted her verbally.

The goal was to provoke
her to express her rage
in a setting

where she could
feel supported.

And what was the result?

It's not something that
can be measured like that.

It's a process the child
has to go through.

And after several sessions

I felt she was ready
to take the next step.

Which was?

Rebirthing.

How many rebirthing
procedures had you conducted
prior to Paula Weston's?

Close to a hundred.

All without incident?

Yes.

What happened
was a terrible accident.

You placed your
entire body weight
on a 72-pound girl,

pressing on her
with pillows,
as she gasped for air?

It's called
a breakable wrap.

Not too tight,
like a cocoon.

Obviously she couldn't
break this wrap,

otherwise we
wouldn't be here.

Objection.

Sustained.

For almost an hour,
Paula Weston
begged you to stop,

told you that she
couldn't breathe.

Paula was told beforehand
to act like a newborn baby.

Kick and scream
and fight all she wanted.

I thought that's what
she was doing.

You told her to
go ahead and die.

I didn't believe she
really meant it.

Oppositional kids claim
they're dying

when they're asked
to do things like
clean their room.

You say,
"Okay, go ahead and die"

to defuse the
oppositional element.

Everything I did was
according to procedure.

JACK: Procedure?

A child dies
in your office,

and instead of calling
911, you dump her
body in the park?

OLSON: Objection.

JUDGE: Overruled.

That was wrong.

But I didn't call
the police because
I knew how'd they react.

The same as you're
reacting now.

I just couldn't do
anything to jeopardize
my work with these kids.

You mean jeopardize
your own freedom.

You just didn't want
to go to jail.

I don't take lives,
Mr. McCoy, I save them.

What did you do
to save Paula Weston

once you discovered
that she wasn't breathing?

There was nothing
I could do.

So you made no effort
to revive her?

When I removed the wrap,
she was already dead.

Did you check her pulse?
Of course.

Did you try CPR?

I told you
there was no pulse,

no heartbeat,
her lips were blue.

She was already gone.

Look, it was an accident.

I took every precaution.

It was just
too late by then.

It was too late the minute
that little girl walked
into your office.

OLSON: Objection.

JACK: Withdrawn.

The jury was shooting
daggers at her
after your cross.

Whatever sympathy
they may have had
went out the window

the minute she tried to
cover up what she'd done.

Still seems like getting an
ambulance wouldn't
have been much help.

Maybe.

Something bothering you?

The swelling
inside her throat.

When Rodgers did the autopsy,

she attributed it
to attempts to revive
Paula.

But Dr. Stahl just testified
that she didn't make
any attempts to revive her.

Why would she lie about
something like that?

It just makes her
look worse in the
eyes of the jury.

Unless she didn't lie.

Then something else
had to have
caused the swelling.

Let's pay Rodgers
a visit tomorrow.

If attempts to revive
this girl didn't cause
those injuries,

I want to know what did.

Girl found in the park
with positional asphyxiation,

chest compression

edema was consistent
with attempts to revive.

I jumped to a conclusion
I shouldn't have.

And now that
we've ruled that out?

Well, when you called me
with Stahl's testimony,
I ran additional tests.

SOUTHERLYN:
What did you find?

She had an elevated
histamine level.

What would cause that?

Mast cells release
histamine when they
react to an allergen.

You're saying Paula Weston
had an allergic reaction?

I'm saying she
died of one.

An allergy to what?

You tell us it's urgent
and you bring us
down here

to look at plastic gloves?

We're withdrawing
our plea offer.

No way you can do that
Janet's cooperated completely.

I testified
against Dr. Stahl.

Your plea agreement
indicated that

if you withheld
any material fact,
the deal was off.

I didn't hold anything
back from you.

But you did from
Dr. Stahl, didn't you?

EPPS: What's going on here?

That's the medical history
your client
provided Dr. Stahl

shortly before
the rebirthing procedure.

What is the
significance of this?

In it she fails to
disclose her daughter's
allergy to latex.

Latex? What does that
have to do with anything?

SOUTHERLYN:
Paula suffered from
an acute sensitivity to it.

Which your client
was well aware of.

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

Paula's school records.

Two years ago, she was
rushed to the emergency room
in anaphylactic shock.

She was blowing up
some balloons for a
classmate's birthday party.

I still don't see what
this has to do with anything.

Your client provided
a bed sheet for
the rebirthing procedure.

EPPS: It was never recovered.

SOUTHERLYN: You destroyed it,
didn't you?

Don't answer that, Janet.

She doesn't need to.

We had the pillows
that were used in
the procedure retested.

The lab found traces
of cornstarch.

EPPS: Cornstarch?

SOUTHERLYN:
The latex gloves Janet
uses at her catering job

are coated in cornstarch
to reduce friction.

Cornstarch also
absorbs latex particles.

SOUTHERLYN: You know about
that because of the brochures
the hospital gave you

when Paula had her reaction
to those balloons at school.

All you had to do
was rub those
gloves on that bed sheet,

knowing once it was
put over Paula's head

she'd go into
respiratory failure.

You never intended her
to be reborn that night,
did you, Ms. Weston?

Nothing was working,
do you understand?
Nothing.

So you killed her
to make it easier
on yourself.

Do you have any idea
what it's like
to come home

and have your little
girl say, "Go away"?

For everything to be
such a struggle?

To never get any sleep?

I spent every penny
I had on private schools
and doctors.

They all had advice,
but none of them understood.

I thought that I'd
have a little girl
who'd love her mom.

I'm 42 years old!

I was entitled to a life!

She was 11.

What was she entitled to?

So we've reduced the
charges against Dr. Stahl

to assault for
Paula's chest injuries
during the rebirthing?

Janet Weston's act
in introducing the latex

was the proximate cause
of her daughter's death.

That adoption agency
thought Janet Weston
was a dream come true.

Complete with pillows
and blankets.

She turned out to be
that little girl's
worst nightmare.