Picket Fences (1992–1996): Season 3, Episode 9 - For Whom the Wind Blows - full transcript

[male narrator] Previously,
on Picket Fences:

Did Brian Latham admit
to killing Susan Ingrams?

He didn't say it in words,
but he made it clear.

He put that girl in the swamp.

We find the defendant
guilty as charged.

Truth time.

I didn't do it.

I filed an appeal
with the State Supreme Court
on Brian Latham.

Instead they certified it
for immediate appeal to the
US Supreme Court!

The highest court in the land.

They may free the man
who murdered my daughter



because they don't like
the way you caught him.

Please don't lose.

[bailiff] Oh, yay,
oh, yay, oh, yay.
The Honorable,

the Chief Justice and Associate
Justices of the Supreme Court
of the United states.

‐This came in.
‐What?

Our appeal was denied.

It's over. We've lost.

‐Matthew. Matthew, honey,
put this on the dining table.
‐I wanna do it! I wanna do it!

‐No, baby, you tell me
when daddy comes.
‐Okay.

When he's at the door, you
call me. All right, guys,
let's go. Come on.

‐Everybody, let's go. Quiet.
He left ten minutes ago.
‐Oh! Gotta go, gotta go.

He's gonna be here any minute.
I want everybody
at the dining room table.

‐I think he knows.
‐He doesn't know. He thinks
I sent the kids away

and we're gonna have a quiet,
candlelight birthday dinner.



Except that he's been
complaining all day because
he says he feel bloated.

I got the milk of magnesia,
he's gonna be fine.

No, Mom, this birthday's
bothering him more.

‐He's here!
‐Oh, he's here. Let's go,
come on, everybody, let's go.

In the dining room,
and don't forget the plan,

nobody says a word, okay?

Henry, we'll sit
next to each other.

‐Oh, please.
‐And we'll sit next
to each other.

[shushing] Don't say anything,
he's coming in.

Matthew, you keep
everybody quiet for me,
I'll be right back.

Happy birthday, baby.

My birthday is cancelled.

‐Oh, no, not again.
‐No, there's nothing
to celebrate, I'm old.

‐And what have I done
with my life?
‐[kisses]

‐We go through this
every year.
‐[sighs]

‐What... Wh‐what are you doing?
‐I'm blindfolding you.

I've set the table and
dining room, but I don't
want you to see it

‐until I've taken off my robe.
‐Jill, please.

‐Come on. Come on.
‐We don't have to
do this, do we?

‐[laughs]
‐[chuckles] Ah, Jill, come on.

‐Oh, this is silly!
‐Just humor me.

Here we go.
Sitting at the table,
here's your chair.

Now, here you go, sit down.
Don't touch that blindfold
until I tell you.

‐Okay.
‐Okay? Now
I'm going to

‐go in the kitchen
and take off my robe,
‐Ooh.

‐and get the wine.
‐Are you naked under that robe?

Maybe I'll eat you
for dinner. [chuckles]

[Jill] Oh. Oh, well,
wouldn't that be lovely? Um,

‐don't touch
the blindfold, honey.
‐Uh, get some antacid.

While you're at it, please.

I don't feel so good.

[groans]

Fifty one birthday dinner.
[smacks lips]

Probably expecting sex.

Another year or two
my penis will serve
no function whatsoever

except to connect my bladder
with the outside world.

[Jill] Almost there,
don't move!

Oh, do me a favor
and stay out there a second.

‐[Jill] Why?
‐Uh, just stay there
a minute, uh...

Trust me, you'll
be glad you did.

[farts loudly]

[groans]

[exhales]

Boy...

Uh, I'll let you know
when it's safe.
Just stay out there.

Okay! Okay, take off
the blindfold.

‐[giggles]
‐[all] Surprise!

[all clamoring]

[all clamoring, coughing]

Oh, Jimmy!

[Kenny] There's a dead rat,
let me out of here.

Oh, boy! [shudders, groans]

[theme music playing]

[theme music ends]

So what happens now?

We go for sentencing tomorrow.

‐I'm not optimistic.
‐I'm gonna get life.

There's a very real chance.

On in these matters,
Judge Bone is not
a lenient person.

Here's the thing.

Contrition does help.

If you go in showing remorse,
he might respond.

If you go in clinging
to your innocence,
he'll hit you hard.

Now, I... I wouldn't suggest
that you admit to something
that you didn't do.

Brian, we're out of options.

We've been to the Supreme Court,
we're out of options.

I didn't kill that girl.

And I won't say I did.

I wouldn't expect you to.

I'm sorry, Brian.

I did everything I could.

I know you tried, Mr. Wambaugh.

I thank you for that.

‐[John] No.
‐Just let me‐‐

‐You already reopened this
case once without permission.
‐Suppose the guy's innocent.

‐[Jimmy] No!
‐Look, it's over, Kenny.

It's gone to the Supreme Court.
It's over and done.

‐I don't want you
digging back into this thing.
‐Excuse me.

That should not
make any difference.

If the guy's innocent,
he shouldn't go to jail
no matter what.

‐I don't care what
the Supreme Court says.
‐Thank you.

‐Oh, is that right?
‐All right, all right. What
new evidence do you have?

After the trial, Brian Latham
told me, catholic to catholic,
he didn't do it.

‐I believe him.
I know it in my gut.
‐Your gut?

Kenny, your gut is what
got this man convicted
in the first place.

You said when he told you where
the body was, in your gut, you
knew that he was the killer.

The guidance counselor
at the high school says that

Susan Ingrams fought with
her parents all the time.

She told him she thought
her parents were crazy.

Every teenager thinks that,
especially my daughter.

But the father came in here
crazy with a gun.

Your hunch cannot
get this case reopened.

‐Now, you wanna bring me
some new evidence, fine. I'll...
‐[groaning] Ah, damn!

‐[Max] Jimmy!
‐[groaning] It's
all right, it's just gas.

‐[continues groaning]
‐[Kenny whoops]

Oh, very funny.

[screams, groans] Damn it.

[groans] Right there.
Right there. Ooh.

‐No, that's okay.
‐What about here?

‐Yes!
‐Okay.

Okay, you can get up now.

You have a little gastritis.

Probably brought on by
the stress of having a birthday.

I'm gonna put you
on some mild medication,
I'm gonna watch your diet,

‐and I want you to stay home
for a couple of days.
‐I'm not staying home.

Jimmy, I don't want this
to turn into an ulcer.

I'm not staying home
because of a little gas.

‐I'm the sheriff.
‐A little gas? Honey,

if the birthday candles
had been lit last night,
the roof would've blown off.

Judge Bone just left here,
I think you singed
one of his lungs.

You think that's funny?

‐That's not funny!
‐Which is why I'm not laughing.

Jimmy, what is it?

Birthdays aren't supposed to
cause this much anxiety.
What's going on?

[sighs]

‐What if he didn't do it?
‐[scoffs] Come on, Max,
don't you start.

John, let's just be
honest about something.

We stopped this
investigation short,
all our work was spent

trying to get Latham convicted.

Yeah, because
he did it. [scoffs]

You don't think somebody showed
up after Brian Latham left?

Maybe she had a boyfriend who
found out she was with Latham.

My point is, we didn't look.
We just assumed.

Susan Ingrams had no boyfriends,
I checked that out.

‐You did?
‐Yeah, look.

I interviewed her friends.
They told me there was nobody.

She was totally religious,
very straight, from
an extremely religious family.

There's nothing sinister
about her or anybody
she kept company with.

But you did some checking
just the same because
you were so sure?

[scoffs]

Extremely religious family?

Devout catholics?

So?

Catholic...

[praying in Hebrew]

‐What are you
doing here?
‐Praying.

My client's best shot.

‐What's with the yamaka?
‐I use it like an ice bandage.

When I'm thinking deep thoughts.

I don't wanna pull a muscle.
The two things
I worship, Henry,

God and the law.

I think you know that.

But what you don't know
is that I've always
considered you a hero.

I know you don't like me much.

You insult me, but I've always
forgiven it because I knew

you were faithful to the law.

I could always
count on you for that, until

the Latham case.

Brian Latham's statement
should've been suppressed,

but you gave in to your
emotions, and you raped the law.

It was an atrocious abuse
of judicial power.

The Supreme Court
stood behind my decision.

The Supreme Court
changed the law,

which they were entitled to do,

you weren't.

You played cowboy on the bench,

and because of that, an
innocent man is going to spend
the rest of his life in jail.

You bend and twist

and talk the law every time
you walk into a courtroom.

I straddle the line, Henry,

but I never step over it.

You did.

And that makes you a bad judge.

Let me tell you something.

My love for the law
and what I do

has always been,
in some small part,

because of you.

‐[pleasant music playing]
‐You've made it noble.

Maybe...

that's why this hurts
the way it does.

You were a bad judge.

[door closes]

Forgive me, Father,
for I have sinned.

It's been a while since
my last confession.

[Father] How may I
help you, my child?

Well, first...

I know this is sealed,

but I have to make sure.

You won't repeat what I say.

No matter what I tell you,
you won't reveal it to anybody,
no matter what.

Right?

‐The confession
is sealed, my child.
‐Okay.

I committed murder.

‐You did what?
‐Susan Ingrams.

I was the one who killed her.

I stabbed her.

Is that right?

See...

I've been having
a lot of fights with her lately.

Maybe I loved her
too much, you know?

I loved her like a daughter.

Like a daughter.

And in a wild fit of rage

acting like, I don't know...

her father,

I chopped off her finger,
then I killed her.

Now...

you'll sit on that, right?

Somebody confesses
to a murder...

you won't tell anybody
if you get that admission

in this little booth,
right, Father?

The confession is sealed.

Even if they try and convict
the wrong man,

you still have to
stay silent, don't you?

That's your professional vow.

You don't tell.

Open the screen, Father.

Open it.

‐[suspenseful music playing]
‐I know he told you.

He's an extremely religious man,
he never misses mass,
you're his priest.

I have witnesses that
saw him go into this booth.

John Ingrams
killed his daughter,

and I know he told you.

‐Get out.
‐Father?

I said get out!

I saw it in his eyes,

‐Father Barrett‐‐
‐Oh, come on.

[scoffs] Think about it, Jimmy.
We know that John Ingrams
is a violent man,

‐he tried to shoot
Brian Latham in his cell!
‐He did kill his daughter.

‐Or so he wants us to think.
‐We also found the father's hair
and fibres in the car.

‐It was his car.
‐Why don't you
want to investigate?

We did investigate.
We tried and
convicted the killer!

The case is closed.

Jimmy, no offence, but as
a deputy in this department,
I'm embarrassed.

Me too. We never even
checked out the possibility

of somebody else.
We were lazy.

We got a quick
coerced statement,
then we rested.

Well, we may
very well have blown it.

I can't live with that.

‐How can you?
‐You wanna reopen? Fine.

‐It's your case.
You handle it.
‐Thank you.

You won't be sorry.

What can I do?

Maybe delay the sentencing
or stay the verdict,
I don't know, something.

What exactly
did the priest tell you?

Nothing, but I could
tell he knew what
I was talking about.

Forgive me, but when
it comes to judging character,

‐you are not Solomon.
‐Your Honor...

I know that John Ingrams
confessed the murder
to Father Barrett,

I just know it.

Even if you're right,
it doesn't make any difference.

How can it make no difference?

I know Gary Barrett very well.

He would never reveal
the content of any confession!

Even if he did,
it's a privilege.

It can't be used
against the confessor.

An innocent man could be
serving a life sentence.

You people are supposed to
do the investigating
before the trial.

That's how it works, damn it.
I helped put this kid away
relying on you!

‐Let's just take a step back.
‐It's too late.

There's no new evidence here,
I can't reopen on this.

There has got to be‐‐
Look, we're the ones
that put this kid away,

the cop, the DA, the judge.
It was the three of us.

Now, if we suddenly have doubts,
how can we not fix this thing?

Because the system has
a life of its own, counsel.

And the system is bigger
than the three of us.

The confession
has no legal validity.

Without new evidence,
I can't undo a verdict.

Which means that kid is trapped.

[scoffs]

[Mr. Ingrams] Sheriff Brock?

There's a rumor going around.

The investigation
may be reopened.

We're just checking
a few things.

‐Mm‐hmm.
‐How can you do this?

We're trying to put it
all behind us and you keep
churning it back up.

Mrs. Ingrams, I believe
Brian Latham killed
your daughter.

But if he didn't,

I would think we would
wanna reopen it.

Of course.

We just want to
move on from this, that's all.

Of course.

[Jimmy farts]

[grunts]

Excuse me.

‐Okay, now hold still.
‐Okay, I will.

Hold still. Take a deep breath.

‐This isn't necessary.
‐I just wanted to
rule out gall stones.

‐[Jimmy exhales]
‐Which I now can. Good.

Okay, we're done.

Jimmy, this is just
anxiety induced.

What's the deal? Hmm?

[groans]

Brian Latham is the guy,
I'm sure of it.

[smacks lips] But Max is right,
we didn't investigate.

The public wanted this thing
solved, so we gave them a quick
solve.

But whether we got
the right guy or not...

[sighs]

I didn't do the job.

[Father Barrett] I don't know
what you're looking
to gain, Henry,

but if it's anything to do with
Deputy Stewart's psychotic
episode in my confession...

Oh, Gary, Deputy Stewart
said she saw something
in your eyes.

Since I've known you
more than 20 years,

I figure...

Well...

If there's something there,

I'd be able to see it, too.

Look at me, Gary.

You've been a very
depressed man of late.

And for someone so fascinated
with community affairs,

I found your absence
from the Latham trial
to be quite conspicuous.

Extraordinary, really.

I think something's
tearing you up.

Henry...

there's absolutely no way

in which you're gonna
get me to say anything.

None.

A man is about to appear
before me to be sentenced

for killing a girl
I'm not quite sure he killed.

He may have to spend the
rest of his life behind bars.

A God‐loving young man

who revealed
the whereabouts of a body

so that she might have
a Christian burial.

If he's innocent,

it can't be God's plan

to see him punished this way.

I'm not asking you
to divulge anything that was
said to you in a confession,

I don't care who you spoke to,

all I want to know...

Do you believe Brian Latham
killed Susan Ingrams?

I have to meet my maker
one day, Gary...

I don't wanna be
jailing an innocent boy

for the rest of his life.

I need guidance.

Did Brian Latham,

in your opinion,

murder Susan Ingrams?

For God's sake, help me.

Did Brian Latham
kill Susan Ingrams?

[stutters]

In my opinion...

he did not.

My God!

[all clamoring]

I'll talk to you all later.

I'll give you
a statement later. Later!

[bailiff] Case number 32666

People vs. Brian Latham
on the matter of sentencing.

Douglas Wambaugh
appearing for the defendant.

Before being heard
on sentencing,

I would like to read
a short poem by Rudyard Kipling.

Denied. Sit down.

Mr. Latham, stand up.

I hope he gets
the electric chair.

Can't. This is Wisconsin.

No death penalty.

[Judge Bone]
You stand convicted
of a heinous crime.

For sentencing purposes,

I reviewed
the transcripts
and evidences

looking for circumstances
of possible mitigation.

In so doing,

I was occasioned to re‐examine

the weight of all
the submitted evidence.

And during that re‐examination,

I found that the jury's verdict
was not supported by the facts.

Accordingly,
I set aside that verdict,

‐[all murmuring]
‐and instead, direct
a verdict of not guilty.

The defendant
is free to go.
Adjourned.

[Wambaugh]
Dear God in heaven...

‐What happened?
‐It's over, you're free!

‐I don't go to jail?
‐You're a free man.

[grunts]

[all continue murmuring]

[indistinct yelling, arguing]

Judge!

How could you let him go?
He killed my daughter!

‐What did you tell him?
‐[Kenny] Calm down.

‐You bastard!
‐[John] Hey, shut up!

Now listen to me. I'll explain
to you what happened.

‐What explanation?
‐There is one.

Now, I know it's hard for you
to see at the moment,
but don't worry yet.

There's a plan
to all this madness.

All right? But you have to
trust me a little bit.

Now, Deputy, I want you to take
Mr. Ingrams back to my office.

I want a quiet place to talk.

Now, I promise you, I will
make sense of all of this.

This is just legal maneuvering.
I will make sure of it.

I'll see you back at my office.

[door closes]

‐What the hell
are you gonna tell him?
‐I have a plan.

But first I gotta
hear from you.
What happened?

‐Did Father Barrett tell you‐‐
‐I don't need to
tell you anything.

I think Latham's innocent.
That's all you get from me.

‐Your Honor, I need to know‐‐
‐Read my lips.

Forget it.

All right.

Look,

Mr. Ingrams is not
a suspect at this time.

As soon as you leave this room,
you get on the radio, you make
sure Kenny has that message.

Mr. Ingrams goes
into my office as a citizen.

‐What are you up to?
‐I'll tell you later.

I want a search warrant
for the Ingrams' house, there
may be more evidence there.

‐What grounds?
‐The victim lived there.

We found the father's hair
and fibres in the car,
we have grounds.

‐I'll give you a warrant
to search, but not to arrest.
‐All right.

You've got nothing on the man.

Well, not yet, but I will.

[door closes]

I'm so confused, I just...

‐What happened?
‐I'm not sure.

There's a rumor that somebody
else could have confessed.

Maybe the father.
But it doesn't matter.

And the Judge, he can
just overrule the jury?

‐Even the Supreme Court?
‐On the facts, yes.

‐What happens if he
changes his mind again?
‐He can't.

Double jeopardy.
You're free, Brian.

It's final, no matter what.

[both laughing]

I wanna thank you both
so much for

not giving up on me.

I've done a lot of
dumb things all my life, but...

staying with you...

that was smart.

[both laughing]

[Wambaugh] Good luck, Son.

‐So what is this big plan?
‐Just wish me luck.

Got no evidence
so this better work.
Just wish me luck.

‐Okay, good luck.
‐Thanks.

‐What's going on? What‐‐
‐Have a seat, Mr. Ingrams.

‐Want some water?
‐No.

I think you want
a glass of water.

Father Barrett told us
you confessed to
killing your daughter.

What?

He's on his way over here
to make an official statement.

First of all, anything said
in a confession is privileged.

Can't be used
in a criminal trial.

Are you a lawyer, Mr. Ingrams?

‐No.
‐Well, it's funny you should
know that particular law.

Let me make something
clear to you first.

At this very moment,
you're not being held.

Until we've got that
official statement, we've got
nothing to hold you on.

So if you wanna get up
and walk out that door,
you're completely free to do so.

I can't stop you.
And I won't.

You wanna stay
and have a conversation,
we can do that too.

I know what you're doing.
You're not
holding me officially,

so you don't have to
give me Miranda, or a lawyer.

Again, I'm impressed.

For a lay person, you seem
to have a firm grasp of
your constitutional rights.

Go on, you're free to go.
Get out of here.

Or you hear
what I have to say,
it's your choice.

I'm listening.

True...

what you said to the priest
can't be used against you,

but there's no poisonous fruits
rule on religious confessions.

What we dig up as a result
of learning what you
said to that priest...

that's all legally
admissible evidence.

But of course,
you already knew that.

Here's the punchline.

We will devote
every waking man‐hour

of every day,
as long as it takes

to unearth the evidence
to nail you.

I'll start with
exhuming the body.

We're searching
your house as we speak.

I'm also gonna call in
the FBI for assistance.

[scoffs] Yeah, I'm gonna
get you, Mr. Ingrams.

It may be tough,
but I will get you.

Now...

you can make it easy.

You give me
a statement right now

and I'll make it easy for you.

I'll agree to "heat of passion,"
it'll beat down
the charges a little.

I'm offering you a chance
right now to help yourself,

this is the very last offer
you're gonna get.

You embarrassed this department.

We tried the wrong man.
You made us look bad,
I don't like that.

Now, you help me fix it quickly,
and I'll give you a break.

You make me work hard...

and I will see to it that you
rot in jail until your
very last whisper of a breath.

Help me or don't, your choice.

Am I free to go?

Yeah.

Goodbye.

[door slams shut]

Damn it! Damn it!

I had him, Jimmy,
I was so close. He was
about to crack, I had him.

The search has
come up empty so far.
Should we exhume?

No, Carter went over that body
with a cue tip, we're not
gonna find anything else.

I want the threat of
digging her back up
to pressure Ingrams.

‐Uh, where's Father Barrett?
‐In protective custody
like you said.

Good. I don't want Ingrams
to get anywhere near him.

He has to be thinking
that Father Barrett
gave us that statement.

I wanna dredge at
the pond again, maybe there's
something else down there.

No, Kenny, you do that.
Max, I want you to take
a crack at Mrs. Ingrams,

see if you can break her.
She's got to know
if her husband did this.

Sheriff, go to the Ingrams'
house and arrest both of 'em.

‐On what?
‐On our suspicion,
I don't care.

I wanna tighten the vice.

Then when they get in here,
I want Mr. Ingrams
isolated from Mrs. Ingrams.

It will give us a better chance
of breaking her. We can do this.

We can.

And when you arrest them,
scare the hell out of them.
Shake 'em up.

Especially her. We've gotta
soften her up for Max.

All right? Okay, let's move.

[suspenseful music playing]

[Jimmy] Let's go!

We've gotta make this look good.

‐Don't worry about me.
‐Don't you hit anyone.

Don't worry about me.

[banging on door]

‐What the‐‐
‐Hands against
the wall, Sir. Over here.

‐What are you talking about?
What are you doing?
‐Now.

‐Put your hands
against the wall.
‐What's the problem?

You are under arrest
for murdering Susan Ingrams.

‐Read his rights.
‐[Kenny] You have the right
to remain silent.

‐Hands against the wall!
‐Anything you say can
and will be used against you.

You're under arrest for aiding
and abetting the murder
of Susan Ingrams.

Let's go!

Wait until we get in the car.

I want a lawyer!

‐You need one.
‐Put him in a cell.

‐Take her to interrogation.
‐I haven't done anything!

‐I don't care!
‐Through here.

Hey, you're on. You're ready?

‐Ready.
‐It's all up to
you now, Max.

‐Okay.
‐Okay, you
are on her side.

She gotta trust you, you're the
only one who can help her now.

‐I get it.
‐All right. I ran
a check on her,

she underwent some
psychiatric treatment
a couple of years ago

which means her mind's
probably a little fragile.

That explains why she could
cover for her husband.

That's also something that
can be exploited by you, now.

‐Okay.
‐All right. Let's go.

I wish I could tell you
everything is okay,
but it's not.

Should I have a lawyer?

Probably.

But we're not
after you, Mrs. Ingrams.

We know your husband
confessed to the priest,

but we need you
to make a statement.

We need you to
tell us what happened.

Don't I have a right not to?

You know, he's
my husband. I have rights

that say I don't have to
say anything to hurt him.

Yes, you have those rights.

You want to protect
your husband, I understand.

What about your daughter?

He did this to her.
To your daughter.

This isn't just
somebody snapping,
there were 11 stab wounds.

Susan came to a vicious
and horrible death
because of that man,

how can you wanna protect him?
He took your daughter away!

Look at what he did.

He's not an evil man.
He's really not.

Oh, he's very evil.

To do this...

he's either very evil
or very sick.

Either way,

you're not safe with him.

What if he should
turn that knife on you?

[sighs] He never would. No.

If he thought that
your conscience might
get the better of you,

you know he would.

And right now,

I'm looking at a woman
with a conscience.

I'm looking at a woman
who's gonna have a hard time
living with what she knows.

And if your husband sees
what I'm seeing right now,

why wouldn't he turn
that knife on you?

It's time to
face the truth,
Mrs. Ingrams.

Do what you know
you have to do.

What if I knew

and helped cover things up?

Do I go to jail for that?

No.

If you testify
against your husband,
we will give you immunity.

We can help you,
but you have to help us.

I have already
lost my daughter.

If I lose John,
what have I got?

What have you really got now?

[dramatic music playing]

Did your husband kill
your daughter, Mrs. Ingrams?

We need you
to say that in court.

Will you say that in court?

We need you.

Will you help us?

Okay.

[whimpers]

Okay.

Complete immunity. I don't
want you coming in sideways

‐with any of your reckless
endangerment charges.
‐Don't worry.

All right, Mrs. Ingrams,

we're going to court
for the arraignment and
preliminary examination.

It shouldn't take
more than about an hour.

I suspect your husband
will be held with no bail,

so we're gonna try
and shield you from him
in the courtroom.

‐I have to testify today?
‐I'm sorry,

your statement is the only
evidence we have so far,

so we can't make
the charges stick unless
you take the stand.

We'll try to make it
as quick as possible.

‐The knife was right where
she said it was.
‐Good, get it to the lab.

Max, call Carter, okay?
I do wanna exhume.

And then get to court
'cause I want you there
as support for her.

‐Done.
‐[Mr. Ingrams]
Get your hands off me!

‐Here he comes.
‐Okay, keep her in there.

And block the view. I don't
want him to see her.

It doesn't work. You know that?

‐This doesn't... This
doesn't work, Marjorie!
‐Come on, John.

‐[John] I'll see you
in court, Sir.
‐This doesn't work, Marjorie!

Call Carter and make sure that
he knows we got a knife.

‐All right, let's go.
We don't have a lot of time.
‐Okay.

‐I'm in the way.
‐Excuse me?

Max, Kenny, Littleton...

I can see the fire
in their eyes. The fire that
used to be in my eyes.

Now, I'm... just getting
in their way.

‐Sounds like more of
the birthday blues to me.
‐[chuckles]

The other night
at the dinner table,
uh... [chuckles]

it was just a
metaphor, Jill.

[sighs] A bunch of people

poised to spring.

And I'm just a feeble old fart.

Oh, Jimmy, I walked
in that room and judging
from the air quality,

I would say you're still
a very potent man.

And innocent man almost
went to jail for the rest
of his life because...

I think this town
needs a new sheriff.

‐Jimmy...
‐Rome isn't a quiet
little town anymore.

Shoplifting used to be
the biggest crime here,
things have changed.

I've had to order
new weapons,
new riot gear...

Kenny and Max have the fire.

Maybe the best thing
I could do is
get out of the way.

There was this huge fight.

We were
all involved really, but...

Well, John and Susan,
they were especially angry
with each other.

‐What happened
after the argument?
‐Well, Susan ran out.

We thought she would
come back like always, but

after an hour she hadn't,
so we went looking for her.

Both of you?

We knew she liked
to go to this pond,

especially when she was upset.

We saw her car parked there

up on the shoulder by the road.

I know this is difficult
for you, Mrs. Ingrams.

We got out, and we
looked in the car and...

saw all these beer cans and...

John, he just, kind of...

Well, he was so upset.

I told him, "Wait by the car,
I'll go down and get Susan."
Which I did.

And I found her
down by the pond.

And then what happened?

She and I, we got into
another argument, and...

Do I have to say what I did?

That's not really
what's important, is it?

Well, the whole point of
immunity, Mrs. Ingrams, is so
that you can tell us everything.

Okay.

Well...

Susan got mad at me,

and then...

I don't know,
the next thing I know, it...

‐just happened.
‐What happened?

I took the knife
out of my purse.

‐[all gasping]
‐Wait a second.
You produced the knife?

I knew there
would be trouble,
and there was.

My daughter became
totally abusive all over again.

She could be evil.

[all murmuring]

So...

‐I stabbed her.
‐What!

[all gasping]

I just lost control.
I started swinging
with the knife, and

John heard the screams
and he came...

He pulled me off of her,
but she was...

‐I killed her.
‐[all murmuring]

Mrs... Mrs. Ingrams, previously,

you said your husband
killed her.

I was afraid.

Then when you
offered me immunity, I...

thought I should tell the truth.

‐[all continue murmuring]
‐[bangs gavel]

Counsel in chambers. Now!

What the hell
have you done now?

She lied to me, I can't...
[chuckles] I can't believe this.

‐She was covering for him.
‐Not to betray
a client's confidence,

but Mrs. Ingrams was the killer.

Your Honor, uh, my client
participated in the cover up,

he had nothing whatsoever
to do with the murder.

Now, John Ingrams told
Father Barrett all of this,

that his wife committed murder
and he helped to cover it up.

What did Father Barrett
tell you?

He didn't say anything
about Mr. Ingrams.

There is uh, some
history, Your Honor.

She's had psychotic episodes
in the past and nothing,
of course, like this.

Well, she doesn't
get immunity anymore.

‐We're gonna use her proferts‐‐
‐It's only good for impeachment.

Her testimony is covered.

I think she goes free.

‐Oh, my God.
‐[Judge Bone]
Everybody, get out.

I'll take the bench
in ten minutes. Please,
please, get out.

[door opens]

[door closes]

‐And we can't even go after her?
‐I don't think so.

‐But she lied to us.
‐It doesn't matter.

We gave her
full use immunity,
she can...

I can't believe
this has happened.

So it must have happened
the way Brian Latham said.

They went to the pond,
then after he left her,
she went back to the pond.

I promise you I didn't know
she was going to say that.

‐She lied to me, too!
‐I know, Doug, I know.

[bailiff] Be seated.

[Judge Bone] Well, well, well...

Things didn't go exactly
as planned today.

Mrs. Ingrams
was granted
use immunity.

That legally bars
any prosecution against her

based on her testimony
or its fruits.

Obviously, nobody knew
she was going to testify

as she did.
But that doesn't matter.

The law is the law.

And...

here I am again...

forced with having
to uphold the law...

and free a killer.

I was so repulsed
by that notion the last time,

I junked the constitution
and sent the killer to trial.

Where he was convicted.

Only, he turned out
not to be the killer.

Maybe that's what happens
when officers of the court
get reckless,

and forsake the law.

The wrong people...

get convicted.

Like Mr. Wambaugh
correctly pointed out,

I was a lousy judge
the first time around...

well...

I've gotten worse.

Because, if upholding the law

is gonna put Mrs. Ingrams
back on the street,

then I'm putrid.

They'll have to drag me
off the bench and put me
in a rubber room

before I'll set you free, lady.

You killed your own daughter.
You were gonna
let that man rot in jail.

Well, he's out and you're in.

‐Here's the ruling
from the lousy judge.
‐[all murmuring]

An immunity agreement
is a form of a contract.

It involves
a meeting
of the minds.

Fraud vitiates any contract.

You committed fraud.

I thereby declare
the immunity agreement invalid.

Deputy Stewart, place
that woman under arrest.

Put her in lock up,
and let's see that she gets

her constitutional right
to a speedy trial.

‐Mr. Wambaugh,
any objections?
‐None.

Permission to withdraw
as counsel.

Granted. Everybody, get out.

[all cheering, applauding]

[handcuffs click]

[door opens]

Well...

I wish I could play as loose
with my covenance
as you do yours.

We wear different robes.

I may have to
swing by confession, Father.

Come to communion.

I'll break out the good stuff.

I never would've
broken my rules.

But because you broke yours...

I sleep a little better.

[dramatic music playing]

God bless you, Henry.

I'll take it.

[door closes]

[Max] I can't believe
that woman lied
as well as she did.

Did you see the look
on my face when she said that?

‐Did you see Bone's face?
‐[John] Guess what.

I found out that Mrs. Ingrams
had been institutionalized
six years ago.

‐Why did we never check on that?
‐We didn't check anything out.

[John] Look, I'm going
after this guy for

obstruction of justice,
aiding and abetting, and I'm
gonna push for attempted murder.

‐Yeah, but he didn't fire.
‐He would have
if Kenny hadn't shown.

‐Oh, right, Kenny.
‐[both] The supercop!

‐[Max whooping]
‐[John] Give it up.

[Max laughs]
We need another round.

[John] Wait, wait.
I got a question.
‐[Max] What?

[John] Drink up.
What if she's lying?

[conversation
continues indistinctly]

[theme music playing]

[theme music ends]