All language subtitles for Law and order S17E16 - Murder Book

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.

Mickey, where are you?

(Mickey)
Tenth.

My grandmother woulda been
up there by now.

I think I'm having
a heart attack.

A little exercise'll
do you some good.

Yeah, so would a beer.

(Giggs)
When you get
the damn thing running,

I'll buy the beer.

12, oh, my God.

Someone's damn purse
is blocking the door.

Mr. Fix-It.

Okay, car's coming down.

Doorman said she
came in around 11:15.

Super found her
just after midnight.

Any traffic
through the lobby?

Just a few tenants.

He said she was
the last one

he saw in or out
of the building tonight.

Her cash and credit cards
are still
here.

Serena Darby.

Darby Publishing.

I've heard of it.

The Super says
she lives in 12-B.

Well, here you go.

Looks like she never even
made it into the apartment.

Hmm.

[sighs]

I'll start looking around.

Looks like she kissed the wall
half a dozen
times.

Pieces of plaster
in her nose and mouth.

And some teeth are missing.

Yeah, CSU found two
over there.

Probably hit her as soon as
she got off the elevator.

You think the assault
killed her?

Took her halfway home
at least.

But see the color?

Plethoric face
from strangulation.

That's how she went.

I thought I recognized the name.
She was just in the news.

Serena Darby's the publisher
of J.P. Lange's new book.

Right.

About how he hypothetically
woulda killed his wife.

Yeah, she's got stacks of 'em
on the dining room table.

The picture alone looks guilty.

Well, the 12 people that
mattered didn't think so.

Justice is blind.

I can't imagine anybody
would read this book

even if it was free.

Well, from what I hear, they're
not gonna get to
anyway.

What do you mean?

So many people
are pissed off,

stores are refusing
to sell the book.

Even her company's
dropping
it.

Good.

Maybe somebody thought
that wasn't good enough.

CSU got a couple dozen lifts
from the stairwell and hallway.

Well, it's gonna take a few days
to run all those.

What about
this woman's family?

Just a brother.

He's coming down from Boston
this afternoon.

Well, I'll sit with him.

Every tabloid in the city
is sniffin' around this case.

I don't want you wasting time.

Well, they got
the scent early.

They were parked outside her
place at 8:00 AM this morning.

Any idea how our suspect slipped
past the lobby surveillance?

Well, according to the Super,

there's some teenagers
in the building

that sneak out the fire exit
door to smoke cigarettes.

We checked the dd.

that sIt woulda been an easy
door to sin and out.ttes.

And no one in the place
saw anything?

We canvassed
the entire building.

There were two tenants at home
at the time of the murder.

One gAnd the lady that lived
at the end of the hall

thinks she heard
a man and a woman arguing

and doors being slammed.

Which actually coulda been

the victim's face
slamming against the wall.

Is there any chance
this was a random attack?

I don't think so.
Too much rage.

What about a boyfriend or ex?

Well, there was nothing
in the apartment

that made me think
she was in a relationship.

And the doorman said she just
comes home to sleep, alone.

There wasn't much
of
anything

in her apartment
except for copies

of J.P. Lange's book.

Well, that's a good place
to start.

(Elaine Fowler)
Lange's book
is turning into

the puishing disaster
of the year.

Maybe of the decade.

How so?

By pulling the book
off the market, the company's

eating the advance, losing
future royalties and rights.

Not to mention the 100,000
copies they already printed.

How much money
are we talking about here?

Easily 5 or 6 million.

Oh, my God,
I can't believe she's dead.

Look, all those people that
were angry about Lange's book,

any specific threats
towards Serena?

Just lawsuits.

How was Serena
handling
it?

She was angry.

Humiliated.

I stayed out of her way
this week.

Tough boss?

You have no idea.

What time did she leave
the office last night?

Around 9:00.

Did she say where she was going?
Was she meeting anybody?

I don't know.

Was Serena seeing anyone?
Dating?

Definitely not.

Most of her calls
went through me.

Okay, so who did
she talk to yesterday?

Uh, her lawyer.
The CEO.

The company's general counsel.

J.P. Lange a few times.

What were the ones
with Lange about?

It sounded pretty typical
on her end.

Uh, except the last one.

I mean, she always yells
on the phone,

but this was different.

Harsher.

After that, she wouldn't
take his calls.

Hey, I wanted to write a memoir
about my baseball career.

Writing about the murder,
that was Serena's idea.

So what was that
little argument

you had on the phone
with her yesterday about?

She was talking about selling
the book to another publisher.

I told her, "Forget it.
I'm not interested."

You were just
gonna walk away?

What do you think, I went
looking for this aggravation?

I think you went
lookin' for cash.

So what?

All that money
dried up, though,

since the book
got pulled, right?

No, you got it wrong.

I got a civil judgment against
me to the tune of 20 million.

Every penny I ever make
is spoken for.

You didn't do
that book for free.

The advance went straight
into my daughter's trust.

And any profit
was to go to charity.

So um, how much does
this place cost a month?

My baseball pension

keeps the lights on.

That's all I got.

All right, man, look,
where were you last night

between 11:00 and midnight?

Right here.

Watching the Knicks game.
Alone.

I don't get out much.

With these paparazzi vultures
you brought with you,

I'm probably not
going anywhere anytime soon.

Well, this isn't exactly
the prison you belong in,

though, is it?

Your partner's got
some mouth on her.

You do have a history.

We can't pretend
that didn't happen.

No, what happened
was that some bad cops

tried to frame me
for my wife's murder.

Now Serena gets killed

and I'm your first stop?

It's like déjà vu
all over again.

Look, Serena and I
were both being harassed.

And not just by the tabloids.

All right,
Don raised holy hell.

He got my book buried.

He wanted Serena's head on
a platter right next to mine.

Don Lampard?

Your father-in-law?

Former father-in-law.

I'd gone over to Jenny's
apartment that morning.

We were gonna go
jogging the park.

Five police cars out front,
an ambulance.

I knew that son of a bitch
had done something to her.

I'd just buried her mother
three months before that.

Jenny was all I had left.

Well, I'm sure Lange writing
about the murder didn't help.

That book is blood money.

My daughter's blood.

We heard the money
wasn't going to him.

Right, that it was earmarked
for some charity?

Baloney.
The deal was a sham.

How do you mean "sham?"

Serena Darby's been paying
Lange under the table.

Itemized under
"research costs."

Over 200 grand so far.

You know this for a fact?

I'm filing a lawsuit
with Virgil Publishing

and Darby Books
because of it.

Did Serena Darby
know you planned to sue?

The CEO of Virgil Publishing,
Dean Savitsky knew.

I told him last week.

I assume he had words
with her then.

And I assume that accounts

for why they've been trying
to pay me to go away.

I take it
you weren't interested?

I told them to go to hell.

And I wanted Serena fired.

On that point,
he said it was done.

The advance came out of Serena's
discretionary money.

I didn't know about
the project

until we were so pregnant
with it,

we had to see it through.

The book was in poor taste.

Now it's a public relations
nightmare.

How did Serena
take the bad news?

Actually, I was planning
on firing her this afternoon.

At lunch.

You called Don Lampard last
night and said it was done.

As good as done.

Serena had been trying
to find a way

to fix things
with Mr. Lampard.

You mean pay him off?

Apologize.

And offer a settlement
if the lawsuit

and public fury went away.

She was making progress.

He was interested?

Interested in
jerking us around.

Serena had arranged a dinner

at Cafe du Jardin
for the two of them.

To settle things.

She called me last night
and said he'd stood her up.

That's why I finally intervened
and contacted him myself.

He was happy with your decision
to fire Serena?

I'm not sure anything
will satisfy his anger.

He's certainly
not dropping the lawsuit.

Lampard never mentioned
the sit-down

he was supposed to have
with Serena Darby.

But he didn't show.

So if he was looking
for a confrontation,

he missed his chance.

Virgil's CEO
called him at home.

That argument
could've set him off.

He meets up with Serena
at her apartment.

Is she listed?

Yeah, her address
was on the suit he filed

against Darby books.

Well, latents
finished comparisons

on the lifts from the scene.

All but five
come back to people

living in the building.

Lampard works for the city.
They run his prints too?

His and Lange's.

Neither popped up.

Well, it was cold outside.

They could've been
wearing
gloves.

If I was him, she'd be the
second person I'd want to kill.

LUDs from
Lampard's home phone.

He got the call
from Virgil's CEO

at 10:22 p.m.
the night of the murder.

That still gives him time

to get uptown.

And I checked
with the restaurant.

They confirmed Serena Darby
was there last night,

but get this,
her tab was 188 bucks.

Well, there's no way

she ran up a bill that high
dining alone.

(man)
Ms. Darby was here
9:30 to 11:00.

She insisted on a table
in the back corner.

Thank you.

Here we go.
Dinner, rack of lamb.

Then five drinks,
two desserts.

Who was she with?

Some guy joined her
near the end of her dinner.

They had a couple drinks.e with?

I seated a couple
at the next table.

Sounded like Ms. Darby and her
friend were getting into it.

Arguing?

They struggled to keep
their voices down.

She was upset.

And then he stuck her
with the bill.

No class.

Was this an older guy?

Around 60?

Grey hair?

No, younger than that.

Sort of looked like that guy
who killed his wife,

the baseball player.

[grunting]

Oh, my two favorite cops.

What was your
best average, J.P.?

339?
340?

347, the year
we won the Series.

You can remember some number
from ten years ago,

but you don't remember
having dinner with Serena

the night she was killed?

You ever eat there?

It's pretty forgettable.

Look man, why don't you come
down to our place,

clear up
some misunderstandings?

We'll have you back here
in a minute.

You got nothing to hide,
right, J.P.?

This better not take long.

You lied to us about seeing
Serena Darby that
night.

Here.

You got in an argument,
an hour later she gets killed.

It's pretty obvious
how that looks.

We had a conversation
about a personal matter.

That's it.

That personal matter have
anything to do with money?

Kickbacks from that book?

We know she was paying you
under the
table.

Don Lampard found out about it,
and he came after you both

for violating
the civil judgment.

That's why you argued.

I didn't kill her.

You been using that line
for four years,

since you murdered your wife.

I didn't do that either.

Man, everybody knows
about your legendary temper.

All those dugouts
that got cleared

because you started a fight.

Then you retire,
you start beatin' on your wife

and she ends up dead.

Now, Serena's pissed you off.

And this isn't hypothetical
like your book, J.P.

I saw you workin'
that heavy bag.

Tell me...

How'd Serena like
your right
hook?

There's that mouth again.

Am I under arrest?

No, you can leave.

We ain't done
with you yet, though.

All right.

I'll tell you since
you're gonna find out anyway.

Serena and I
were seeing each other.

Strictly sex,
not a relationship.

Last few times
we got together,

she started to get...

Clingy.

Attached.

Started talking about
going to St. Bart's.

Can you imagine
being alone on an island

with that crazy bitch?

Anyway, once the publisher
decided to cancel my book,

I figured I should cut bait
with Serena as well.

You broke it off with her?

Yeah, I tried.

Serena wasn't
the type of girl

who's used to getting dumped.

That's why we argued.

So how'd you end it?

She had a copy of my book
in her bag.

I signed it
and gave it back to her.

Kinda like
a good-bye present.

Then I walked outta
the restaurant

and I never saw her again.

You signed the book?

What'd you write?

"Screw you."

I figured I couldn't
have made it any clearer

how I felt.

If Serena and Lange
were getting it on,

he coulda known about
using that fire door

to get into the building.

Well, then they were keeping
that affair a secret,

'cause nobody
had a clue about it.

Well, can we confirm
anything about his story?

The secretary said she did
have a copy of Lange's book

in her bag when she left
the office that night.

(Green)
But we didn't find one
at the scene.

So the killer
walked away with it?

Unless Lange wasn't
telling us the real story.

Well, we can't arrest him
if that's all you got.

Well, that's all we got.
What about Lampard?

Well, we haven't
ruled him out completely.

But if what Lange
is saying is true,

I don't see Lampard
taking the book with him.

Well, you need to verify Lange's
version one way or the other.

That book could be

on a trash barge
halfway up the Hudson by now.

Look, even I would've
pulled it out of the garbage.

Stolen copies are popping up
on eBay for 1,000 bucks.

Needle in a haystack.

So go shopping.

See what you can find.

(Stubbs)
So I posted an ad
looking to buy

an autographed copy
of Lange's book.

Somebody hit?

Good news and bad news.

Got about 60 responses.

Obviously,
most of them are fakes.

How much did you offer?

100,000.
[laughs]

Figured you were good
for it.

(Cassady)
What about that one?

It says they can
authenticate the signature.

You want me to write back?

Yeah.

Hey, tell 'em we gotta see
the book in person

before we buy it.

I compared the signature to some
of Lange's sports autographs.

Looked the same to me.

Where'd you get it?

Some dude contacted me
through my website.

"Deathjunky.com."

Can't say I've heard of it.

Oh, I collect stuff,
you know?

Related to serial killers,
famous murders.

I get the idea.

Yeah, well,

I paid 4,000 bucks
for the book.

That's like three Manson letters
or a Gacy painting, easy.

I cracked it, by the way.

Reads like a real confession.

So I'm not getting
the 100,000?

Uh, no.

And we can't give you
the book back either, sorry.

Well, looks like Lange's telling
the truth about something.

Who sold you this?

Here you go.

I paid the money into an online
account to Gerald Stockwell.

This is the address
he listed on the account.

Well, it's a different name
on the buzzer.

Maybe a roommate?

How long you wanna wait?

My day's open.

[laughs]

Hey, man.

You live here?

You know Gerald Stockwell,
4B?

Oh, damn it.

Get your ass back here.

What?

What're you doing?
Your hands.

Oh, what do you know,
Gerald Stockwell.

Well, I don't money, okay?

I can't pay you
right now, man.

Who do you think we are?

What, you're cops?

Homicide.

Homicide, what?
I didn't do anything.

"I didn't do anything."

They always say that
when they run.

Gerald Stockwell's the
ghostwriter on Lange's book.

Serena Darby fired him
after his first draft.

I hear firing writers
was her hobby.

According to the assistant,
Serena also
promised

to publish his novel.

Two months ago,
she backed out of the deal.

And that set him off?

That's a long lead
up to murder.

Yeah, but then
she wouldn't give it back.

Owned it, but refused
to publish
it.

So she killed his novel,
he might've returned the favor.

The M.E. didn't find any
foreign DNA under her nails.

But the blood spatter
from the book he sold

leads right to Serena Darby.

Okay, let's see
what he has to say about it.

Sit down, Jerry.

I swear to God,
I didn't kill anybody.

Then why'd you run?

I borrowed some money
from some people.

They've been after me.

I thought
that's who you were.

Where were you the night
Serena Darby was killed?

I'm home every night.
Writing.

Alone?

Yeah, I was alone.

Where'd you get the book?
What book?

J.P. Lange's,

with the autograph
inside the cover.

The one you sold
to the website.

It showed up on my doorstep.

I figured Serena
messengered it to me.

Why'd he write "screw you"
in the
book?

'Cause he hates my guts.

He had Serena
fire me off the project.

I thought it was one last dig

after the book blew up
in his face.

Sounds pretty thin, Jerry.

I'm telling you the truth!

Sit your ass down!

Why'd you sell the book?

'Cause I needed to eat
this
month.

You needed money
because Serena Darby

wouldn't publish your novel,
then she wouldn't give it back.

I bet that set you off.

Yeah, but that doesn't mean
that I killed her!

We found your fingerprints
at the crime scene.

What?

You heard what I said.
We found your fingerprints

at the crime scene
where she was beaten to death.

You went to her apartment
that night.

No, I didn't.
Then explain these.

I--I do not know.

I went to her place a couple
times to drop off revisions.

That's it.

We have your fingerprints
at the crime scene.

And the victim's blood
on the book you sold.

That book didn't just
drop out of the
sky.

Gerald!

You got one shot
to be straight with us.

Yeah, and I'm telling you
the truth.

You got the wrong guy.

All right,
now you can stand up.

Gerald Stockwell,
you're under arrest

for the murder
of Serena Darby.

What?

You know, for a writer,
you're a hell of an actor.

You have the right
to remain silent.

Anything you say can be used
against you in a court of law.

You have the right
to an attorney

If you cannot afford one...

Gerald Stockwell.

Charge is murder
in the second degree.

I'll take your plea,
Mr. Stockwell.

Not guilty.

The People ask for remand.

We request ROR, Your Honor.

How 'bout some middle ground,
counselors?

Judge, they barely have a case
against my client.

We can tie the defendant
to the scene of the crime.

He broke into
the victim's building

where he beat
and strangled her to death.

Not exactly
the type of fellow

we want running around,
Ms. Bocanegra.

Your Honor, my client
lacks the
means

to make even the lowest bail.

Then it's easy.

We'll let him stay put.

I'm remanding the defendant.

(Bocanegra)
If you had
a better case, Jack,

you wouldn't be here.

I've proven harder cases
with less.

We are here to listen.

Maybe Mr. Stockwell wants
to share his side of the story.

I didn't kill Serena.

I swear.

As you've heard, my client
maintains he's innocent.

He's a writer,
he makes things up.

Well, he's not interested
in a deal.

And I don't think
he should plead.

He sold a book spattered
with Serena Darby's blood

two days after her murder.

He knew where she lived

and doesn't have an alibi
to say he didn't stop by.

Call it
"opportunity and motive."

I told you, someone dropped
that book at my door.

I don't believe this.

Taking some things
into consideration,

if Mr. Stockwell
went there that night

without the intention
of committing murder,

but the argument escalated...

I think Man One, 15 years,
is fair.

15?

Are you kidding?

The alternative with
a conviction, Mr. Stockwell,

is 25 to life.

(McCoy)
Quite a writer's retreat.

I don't think
it took Tolstoy

half that long
to crank out War and Peace.

Okay, so what if
I knew something?

Something serious?

Maybe we could work things out
if I told you?

Is there room here
to trade, Jack?

Some.

I'd need to hear it.

I've got interviews
I did for the book.

On one of 'em, Lange admits
to killing his wife.

And not hypothetically
"if he killed her."

The real thing.

A confession.

His voice, his words.

He can shout it from
the Empire State Building.

He was acquitted.

I can't do anything about it,
and it's no use to
you.

Even if he bribed a juror
to beat the charge?

Excuse me?

He told me
off the record.

He said he bought his walk
by bribing a juror.

Double jeopardy aside,
Jack.

I can't believe you're not
gonna touch this one.

Lange was your case.

Could there be anything
to this bribery claim?

I'd like to think I didn't lose
the trial completely on my own.

But nothing happened
at the time

to cause you to think twice
about the verdict?

We took some hits.

The defense insinuated
that the detectives

on the case
set him up.

I thought I addressed it
in my closing, but then...

You don't know.

From what
I remember reading,

the jury deadlocked
three times, right?

Could mean someone
was holding out.

(Branch)
It doesn't take tampering
to get the wrong verdict

out of a jury.

Well, let's say
it turns out to be true.

What's our recourse?

Lange's protected by double
jeopardy on the murder.

Even an acquittal
based on fraud

wouldn't get past
an
appeal.

I'm not gonna let it go

if he cheated his way
out the door.

Between jury tampering

and bribery, he could get
solid prison time.

Where he belongs.

If you can make a case.

You might want to see

if the rest of Stockwell's story
holds up too.

That someone framed him
with the book?

We'll look into it.

(Todd Dawson)
To this day, my brother
calls me a friggin' idiot

for lettin' that guy
off the hook.

Girl broke up with me once

'cause I told her
I was on that jury.

Why did you think
Lange was innocent?

What can I say, in hindsight
we were obviously wrong.

Did anyone approach you
about the trial

while you were being
sequestered?

No way.

They had us
locked down 24/7.

When we weren't stuck
in that fleabag hotel,

they had us chained
to the table in the jury room.

So what
were deliberations like?

Ugh, misery.

Anyone in particular
argue for an acquittal?

Yeah,
there was one woman.

Lydia.
She was a piece of work.

She was the holdout
from the get-go.

Lydia Neville.
Juror number seven.

Yeah, that's her.

Yeah, she was always
coming back around

to the cops who investigated.

Insisted
they planted evidence.

And then convinced
everybody else it was true.

More like wore us down.

I mean, we were tired
of being there.

Judge kept sending us back
when we were deadlocked.

We were stuck in that room
eight days.

I missed my kids.

Whether or not J.P. Lange
killed his wife,

you people didn't prove it.

Simple as that.

Some of the other jurors
I spoke with

said you persuaded them
to acquit.

That's what
a deliberation's about.

I read the trial transcripts,
Lydia.

Saying the detectives
planted
evidence

is stretching the facts.

What's your point?

There's been an allegation
that one of the jurors

at the trial
was bribed.

Bribed?

And you think it was me?

According to the others,

you were the reason
for the deadlock.

I don't remember it that way.

Really?

What I remember is Jack McCoy
got his pants pulled down.

'Cause the detective practically
admitted to framing Lange.

My fellow jurors agreed.

Look, I have
a class to teach.

We're done.

I remember Lydia Neville.

Smart. PhD.

With the DNA evidence,

I figured she'd be an asset
on the jury.

That PhD put her 75 grand
in the hole with student loans,

which, by the way, she paid off
shortly after the trial ended.

Did the money
come from Lange?

I don't think so.

I spoke with Virgil Publishing's
general counsel.

He recognized
Lydia Neville's name.

Serena Darby?

From a book contract.

Drawn up when?

Well, her advance was paid
after the trial ended.

But the lawyers
drafted her contract

even before defense
rested their case.

Anything to confirm she was
acting on behalf of Lange?

Serena Darby
already had a deal

in place with him.

If you think about it,

if he were convicted,
what incentive would he have

to follow through
with the
book?

Son of Sam laws would've
prevented any personal profit.

Darby had to get him a walk.

I want Ms. Neville picked up
first thing in the morning.

Serena approached me
about doing a book

after the trial ended.

She paid me the advance,

but the project fell apart
after
that.

Look, I didn't do
anything
wrong.

Don't lie to me,
Ms. Neville.

Contracts in your name
were drawn up

even before
closing arguments.

I don't know
anything about that.

Accepting a bribe
is a D felony, Lydia.

Seven years in state prison.

We have more than enough
to prosecute.

And I intend to do it.

Unless you tell me everything.

It was supposed to be
a hung
jury.

A mistrial.

Serena said
if I was the lone hold-out,

I could have
a best-selling book.

She talked big.
I needed the money.

I didn't think that we would
actually acquit him.

Did Lange know
the fix was in?

Before the verdict,
I don't know.

After the trial, yeah.

Did you have contact
with him?

A couple of months ago,
I sent him a letter.

I asked for money or I said
I'd go public about the bribe.

You blackmailed Lange?

He was paid a lot
for his book.

I didn't think it was fair.
I have bills.

I risked a lot
to help him out.

Did he pay you?

Some.

So I sent him another letter.

Right before Serena died.

Does he know who you are?

No.

No, the letters were sent
anonymously.

I had him leave the money
at a bus stop

so he wouldn't see me
pick it
up.

Only Serena knew my name.

(McCoy)
We think Lange wanted

the name of the juror
blackmailing him,

and Serena Darby refused
to give it up.

They argued at dinner.

He confronted her
when she went home.

It escalated to murder.

Why would she hold out
on the
name?

Both their necks
were on the line.

My guess is she told him
to pay the money.

And the affair?

There's no evidence
they were having one.

Nothing in her date book.

Not even one email.

Well, you already have one guy
sitting in Rikers

for her murder.

I think you oughta figure out
who you wanna charge on
this

and do it fast.

My bet's on Lange.

Okay.

Reassure me that this is not

colored by your history
with him.

I want to convict him, Arthur.

It happens to coincide nicely
with the fact that he's guilty.

Can you prove that he framed
this other fella?

Gerald Stockwell
lives in Flatbush.

Green and Cassady went back
to his neighborhood

and did a full canvass.

Those are from the school
surveillance camera

across the street
from his building.

That is Lange the morning
after Serena's murder.

Stockwell says the book
with her blood on it

was dropped at his door.

I take it that Lange doesn't
get out to Brooklyn that often.

I'm guessing no.

I think he's learned
a few things

since the last time
he killed someone.

Like how to manufacture
reasonable doubt.

The good news is this time
he won't have Serena Darby

to bribe a juror
on his behalf.

Bribery, blackmail,
and a patsy.

This guy Lange
is a tabloid's dream.

Here he comes right now.

He's in there. He's in there
on the other side.

[overlapping chatter]

Please move to the side.

Move to the side.
Hands behind your back.

J.P., did you kill
Serena Darby?

Are you guilty
of this crime, J.P.?

Please, everybody,
move to the side.

Move. Move. Move.

Mr. Carsley.

Mr. Carsley, is your client
gonna fight these charges?

He's looking forward
to clearing his name again.

Thank you.
So you're saying
there's no basis?

There's no foundation.
There's no evidence.

This is a vendetta by ADA
Jack McCoy against my client.

It's a personal vendetta.

Mr. Lange is absolutely,
100% not guilty.

Now if you'll excuse me.

foundation.
There's no evidence.

This is a vendetta
by ADA Jack McCoy

against my client.

It's a personal vendetta.

Mr. Lange is absolutely,
100% not guilty.

Now if you'll excuse me.

Spin it hard,
spin it early.

Carsley obviously called
the press about the arrest.

And got the first shot
across our bow.

Well, this isn't a vendetta.

Any missteps,
Carsley won't have

any trouble making it
look like one.

Most people have been dying
to see J.P. Lange

back on the hot seat.

Yourself among them.

I know the difference

between vengeance
and justice, Arthur.

We have a solid case.

Nobody wants to see that S.O.B.
walk out of court again.

But if Carsley ropes you in
to a personal fight,

he wins.
[knocking at the door]

$2 million bail.

Lange posted an hour ago.

And his attorney didn't waste
any time
either.

What have we got?

Motion to exclude
Lydia Neville's testimony.

(Carsley)
It's totally irrelevant
to the case at
bar.

Mr. McCoy is alleging

that my client
bribed Ms. Neville

in a trial which
is legal ancient history.

It goes squarely to motive
in the murder, Your Honor.

(Carsley)
More like fabricating motive.

The People allege guilt
in a case

for which my client
was already acquitted.

Because they can't find any
solid evidence in this one.

Stop grandstanding,
Counselor.

I don't see any cameras
in here.

I apologize, Judge.

I tend to get upset
about overzealous D.A.s

with a score to settle.

We can prove
that Serena Darby

paid Lydia Neville
to secure a verdict

other than a conviction.

That bribery led to blackmail,

which led to Ms. Darby's murder
by the defendant.

(Carsley)
If the bribery allegation
is not
irrelevant,

it's certainly prejudicial.

And they can't connect
any of it back to my client.

It's a question of
who benefited from the scheme.

(Carsley)
Ms. Darby certainly did.

And she acted without
Mr. Lange's knowledge.

It's evidence the jury
should weigh.

It goes to the foundation
of the crime.

Now which murder
does Mr. McCoy

want us to believe
that he's talking about?

All right, enough.

I'll review the briefs.

You'll have my answer
by the end of the day.

The bribery's out?

Along with any mention
of the first trial.

Which means the contents
of the book are also excluded,

I assume?

Anything to suggest
that Lange got away with murder

the first time around is out.

Then you're gonna have
a tough time

proving his motive
in this one.

Every member of that jury
knows about that book.

They think
he's a killer already.

And when they convict him
on bias alone,

don't be surprised when Judge
Emerton sets aside the verdict

because you failed to meet
your burden of proof.

The blood on Darby's copy

is still solid
physical evidence.

It ties Lange to the crime.

After it changed hands
three times.

We can tie him to the scene,
show consciousness of guilt

in framing Stockwell.

And the defense will say
that you declined to prosecute

the real killer
just to get

a second bite
of the apple with Lange.

Which isn't true.

But it's gonna look
like it is.

Lange's the second person

that you've indicted
for this murder, Jack.

You know
it's gotta help him.

I'm not going to plead
this out, Arthur.

Your case is falling apart.

I don't wanna see Lange

walk away from a murder again
scot-free.

I want to see him do
some real time.

And what's that?

Well, considering
the state of things,

I think ten years
would be a godsend.

And if this were
any other case,

you'd agree with me.

But it's not,
not for
me.

Make the deal, Jack.

(McCoy)
Mr. Lange pleads to Man One.

We'd recommend no more
than 15 years.

Don't waste our time.

You don't have the leverage
to offer half of that.

If it were up to me,
we wouldn't be here at all.

Sure, Branch
is forcing your hand

because he knows your case
doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Any rookie attorney can throw

reasonable doubt
at every shred

of evidence you got.

We didn't call this meeting
looking for a critique.

No, you took stock.

This is the only option
you've got.

Don't think your client
began this trial

with a presumption
of innocence, either.

Well, I'm not sure
either of us

are making up a lot of ground
in this trial so far.

Our offer's on the table.

Mr. Lange is willing
to take an Alford plea.

For a reduced charge.

He'll do five years
in prison.

No more than five years.

Plead no contest to the crime,
with no admission of guilt?

I didn't kill Serena.

I'm not gonna say I did.

You're not a very good liar,
Mr. Lange.

Even after four years
of practice.

Any plea comes with
a full allocution.

Hey, what do you wanna
hear from me,
McCoy?

That I killed my wife?

That I cut her throat?

That I gutted her?

I read your book,
I heard it already.

Yeah, and you're pissed off
you can't do anything about it.

Contrary to what
your attorney says, Mr. Lange,

that's not why
you're on trial here.

I'm not gonna say I killed
Serena either.

(Carsley)
Alford plea is still

justice served, Jack.
It's win-win.

It's still 15 years
too light.

Forget it,
we'll finish the trial.

You know all that talk in
the press about a vendetta?

It was just that,
it was talk.

But I wasn't far off
the mark, was I?

Show yourselves out.

Serena and I
were having an affair.

I broke it off with her
that night over dinner.

She wasn't happy about it.

Before I got up to leave,

I pulled the book
out of her bag

and I wrote those words.

It was a stupid thing to do.

And I feel bad that things

were left that way
before she died.

According to
the prosecution,

you were in Flatbush
the morning after her murder.

That's ridiculous.
I've never been in Flatbush

in my entire life.

Then, um...

How do you explain this--

this photo?

It's payback, obviously.

You're saying that the police

and the district attorney

fabricated evidence

because they couldn't
convict you last time.

Look, did anybody see me
out there?

No.

I'm a pretty
recognizable guy.

Did anybody see me at
Serena's apartment that night?

Of course not.

'Cause I wasn't there.

Did you kill Serena Darby?

Absolutely not.

Thank you.

Mr. Stockwell is
a convenient scapegoat.

He ghostwrites your book.

You give him credit
for the murder you commit.

I didn't kill anybody.

Look, everybody knows why

you're accusing me
of this, Mr. McCoy.

If you were having an affair
with Serena Darby,

why isn't there
any evidence of it?

Because Serena didn't want
people to know about
it.

Except for the night
in question?

When she chose
to have dinner with you

in a popular restaurant?

And you chose

a public place
to break things off?

That's right.

So this relationship
that you claim

you had with her,

this...grew out
of working together?

Writing the book, yeah.

Would it be accurate to say
that Ms. Darby knew you well?

As well as anybody,
I guess.

And she never
expressed concern

about having a relationship
with you?

[scoffs]

Why would she?

Well, she was
your publisher,

isn't that right?

For this.

There's nothing
in that book

that she needed
to be concerned about.

Really?

Don't you confess to
the murder of your wife?

That's--
(Carsley)
Objection.

(Judge)
Approach.

You ruled on this,
Your
Honor.

Mr. McCoy, I made it clear
that the content of that book

was out of bounds.

Mr. Lange opened the door.

He stepped in your trap.

Then I withdraw
the question.

No, your cross-exam is over.

I want to redirect
my client.

Fine.
Step back.

(Carsley)
Mr. Lange...

Mr. Lange, this book--

this book is purely
a work of fiction, correct?

Yes, it is.

Absolutely.

(Carsley)
Thank you.

The defense rests,
Your Honor.

Your Honor, the People wish
to call a rebuttal witness,

Gerald Stockwell.

That--
(Carsley)
Chambers, Your Honor.

Let's go.

Your Honor, Mr. McCoy
plans to impeach my client

on excluded material.

The defense
chose to redirect

on the basis
of that material.

The testimony given
was patently false.

This is a dirty trick--

It goes to credibility,
Your Honor.

Mr. Stockwell will testify
that the defendant

made a willing confession
to him

about killing his wife.

This doesn't matter.

You already ruled
that the
content

of that book is off limits
during this trial.

It certainly
didn't stop you

from going there
with your question.

This was a deliberate set-up,
Your Honor.

Mr. McCoy is just trying
to find a way to say

that my client got away
with his wife's murder.

Be that as it may,
the People have a right

to impeach the witness
based on his prior testimony.

Excuse me?

You heard me,
Mr. Carsley.

A lie is a lie
in my courtroom.

And saying that book
is fiction,

I think your client
just told a big one.

You can call Mr. Stockwell.

What was your involvement
in the writing of this book?

(Stockwell)
I was the ghostwriter
on the project.

And what did that entail?

Extensive interviews
with Mr. Lange.

Then I outlined and wrote
a draft of the manuscript.

Was this book
a work of fiction?

Absolutely not.

In these interviews,
did Mr. Lange

discuss the murder
of his wife?

Yes.

What did he say?

Quite a lot.

That's why I recorded
our sessions.

(McCoy)
Your Honor, at this time

the People would like
to offer into evidence

a recording of
one such interview.

Marked exhibit 18.

Objection, Your Honor.

These interviews are being
taken out of context.

(McCoy)
We can rebut

direct testimony
of the defendant.

Who better to do that
than the defendant himself?

I'll allow it.

(Stockwell on recording)
You were angry?

(Lange)
I was tired of the disrespect.

And she'd go out
with her girlfriends

and act like
some street whore.

I knew what she was doing.

(Stockwell)
What set things off that night?

(Lange)
I could tell she'd been

with someone
before I showed up.

I called her on it
and she just got...

you know, hysterical.

(Stockwell)
Can you describe what happened?

(Lange)
She lunged at me.

AnI d the knife
in my hand.

And...that was it.

(Stockwell)
You cut her throat?

[Lange chuckles]
I almost took her head off.

And all that blood, man...

Oh, you have no idea.

Don't look at me like that,
Jerry.

You said you wanted
to know what happened,

I ain't gonna lie to you.

I'm a free man.

I don't have to lie
to anyone anymore.

Has the jury reached
a verdict?

(woman)
We have, Your Honor.

On the charge of
Murder in the Second Degree,

for the killing
of Serena Darby,

how do you find?

We find the defendant,

James Paul Lange,

guilty.

[judge bangs gavel]

It doesn't sound
like Judge Emerton

was totally unsympathetic
to your position.

Maybe not.

Or maybe I beat Lange
at his own
game.

Sounds like your taking this
victory a tad personally.

Damn right, I am.

So what do you think,

did the jury convict Lange
for the right murder?

(McCoy)
That we'll probably
never know.

Till one of them
writes a book about it.

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