Degree of Guilt (1995) - full transcript

(dramatic synthesizer music)

(gun firing)

(phone dialing)

Emergency, 1763.

There's been an accident.

A gun has gone off.

(siren wailing)

Take a left.

Go, quick!

(people shouting indistinctly)

All right, there he is.



It's a coroner's case.

Inspector Monk, Homicide.

What happened?

He tried to rape me.

Did he?

No.

Do you need to see a doctor?
No.

Please, the last thing I want is someone touching me.

What's your name?

Mary Carelli.

And he was?

Mark Ransom.

The writer?

Whose gun is it?



Mine.

Mr. Gepfer, do you recognize this document?

Yes.

Liberal Accounting Adjustments.

And it's in your handwriting?

Yes.

What do these numbers represent?

The amount of additional income

my company needed to show a profit.

Additional or imaginary?

Don't answer that.

Gentlemen...

You can't lay all this on your former business partner.

Let's save some time here.

I'll give you 10 minutes to sign this settlement

dropping all actions against my client,

unless you'd enjoy a lawsuit against the both of you

for malicious prosecution.

It's up to you.

Did you know Mark Ransom?

I never met him before today.

He called me

and asked that we meet to discuss a possible interview

for "Deadline," my television program.

What happened when you came to his suite?

What did he say?

He said I was a beautiful woman

and that he was offering me an exclusive opportunity,

and then he put a tape recorder

on the coffee table and played a tape.

What was on that tape?

The actress Lara Chase.

Just before her death, she was talking to a psychiatrist,

describing an explicit sexual experience.

He said that he was doing a book on her

and that I could use the tape on my show.

Then he put his hand on my knee

and said I would like his arrangement.

I grabbed my purse and stood up to go.

He caught me by the arm and he pushed me down on the floor.

And then?

Then I started to fight back.

He slapped me across the face.

He pulled up my skirt.

I said, "I'll let you do it any way you want,

"but only if you use a condom."

He laughed.

I said, "No, I have one in my purse."

And before he could answer, I reached into it.

When he pushed me back, the gun was in my hand.

He grabbed for it.

And a gun went off.

Do you remember anything else?

No.

Can I go now?

Just a few more questions.

Why do you carry a gun?

I live alone.

I've had threatening phone calls.

When the gun went off,

how close was it to Ransom's chest?

It was very close, two or three inches.

After the gun went off, what did you do?

I don't know, I...

Well, I was dazed.

I suppose I was in shock.

How long did it take you to call 911?

I don't know.
Miss Carelli...

I'd like to speak to my lawyer.

I think we both deserve a celebration.

Can you get away for dinner?

Oh, no, I can't.

I wish I could.

My husband has a business meeting

and I have to pick up Elena from my mother's.

Besides, what about your son?

Carlo's baseball team's playing over in Brookside tonight.

Oh, I'm sorry you had to miss it; you almost never do.

(phone ringing)

Yes?

Chris, this is Mary.

(indistinct)

Where are you?

The downtown precinct.

Don't talk to anyone, I'll be right there.

Mark Ransom's been killed.

That was Mary Carelli.

From the news show?
Yes.

She shot him.

Mary's is Carlo's mother.

(ominous music)

She's in here.

Are you all right?

Can you help me please?

Mary, this is serious.

You need the best criminal defense attorney money can buy.

I don't do homicides.

Do this one.

Even if I wanted to go back into criminal law,

you don't try cases for someone you know.

Is that I am, "someone you know"?

Why are you pressuring me into doing this?

Maybe I think you're the best.

Why don't you think about Carlo for once?

How do you know I am not thinking about Carlo?

You always think the worst of me!

Mary, please!

Have it your way.

I'm a cold-blooded bitch, but I know that you will work hard

to protect Carlo from the trauma

of having a (pausing) murderess for a mother.

How in the world did you get yourself into this mess?

Mark Ransom was a pervert and a swine.

He abused me and I killed him.

The only real question is the degree of guilt.

We have a Pulitzer Prize winner accused of attempted rape

by a television celebrity who shot him.

No competent lawyer would try to win this case at trial

without first trying to win it in the media.

And that will make life hell for Carlo,

and I'll blame you for it.

Well, I will make things right with Carlo.

And you were always good on television.

Chris.

What are you doing here, slumming? (laughing)

Mary Carelli's a friend of mine.

Ah yes, I forgot, the Lasko hearings, right?

Have you met Marnie Sharp?

She'll be handling the case for us.

Hello.
Hi.

Medical examiner is in my office.

Mack, Mary Carelli has been beaten,

forced to kill a man to keep from being raped,

and now she's been thrown in jail?

Come on.

Well, we have to be cautious.

We have a corpse downstairs who, until this morning,

was America's most famous living writer.

Have you read his books?

I have.

Then I doubt it surprises you

that he tried to rape someone.

We have to go on the evidence,

not what he may have written or planned to write.

Dr. Shelton, this is Chris Paget,

representing Mary Carelli.

Should I speak freely?

Go ahead.

Sooner or later, Chris will get the information.

Our work is not done yet,

but the powder marks are a problem.

There were none.

No gunshot residue of any kind on Mr. Ransom's body.

And so?

And so we know that he was not shot

from two or three inches away.

For God's sake, he was attacking her

when the gun went off.

He coulda been pulling away from the gun.

What about the other physical evidence?

You're not suggesting she pistol-whipped herself.

No.

She was hit hard and recently.

So, what about motive?

If he wasn't trying to rape her,

why would someone like Mary have shot a man she didn't know?

(uneasy piano music)

No motive.

None at all.

No motive, no witness, no case.

So, why hold her now?

You think she's likely to kill again?

No.

A flight risk?

Mary is on TV every week.

Mack, keeping someone like Mary Carelli in jail

is bad practice and worse politics.

Yeah.

(dog barking)

Mary Carelli and Christopher Paget

have not been publicly connected

since the Lasko hearings more than a decade ago,

when, as staff attorneys

on Washington's Economic Crimes Commission,

their joint testimony before the United States Senate

helped to convict powerful commission head Jack Woods.

His conviction led to the dismissal

of 12 more political officials.

Woods later died in prison.

Mary Carelli more recently has been known for her role

as anchor on the primetime magazine-

I'm sorry.

Christopher Paget has been in private practice

as a partner in-

I wanted to get home and tell you myself.

Brookside forfeited.

Where is she; why didn't you bring her home?

The network sent a limousine for her,

took her to her hotel.

Did she really shoot him?

Yes...

In self-defense.

Did the guy, you know...

No.

So, you're gonna defend her, aren't you?

I don't know, she wants me to.

Come on, Dad; I mean, she needs you.

I don't know if it's wise.

Now, there are people a lot better qualified

to handle this sorta thing.

But you're the best, like that Lasko case!

What was the deal with that anyway?

People who were running the country

were breakings its laws.

The worst of the lot was a man named Jack Woods.

Your mother and I found out about him,

took it to the Senate.

Everyone involved resigned.

Some of them went to prison.

Did you ever love her?

(sentimental piano music)

Your mother was a beautiful, extraordinary woman.

Did I love her?

Did she love me?

I don't know.

(phone ringing)

Hello?

Chris, it's Mack Brooks here.

I'm sorry to call so late, but we got a problem.

Yes?

When your client phoned 911,

Ransom had already been dead for close to an hour.

And apart from the bruise,

which she could've gotten anywhere,

there's no physical evidence

to support her claim of attempted rape.

Chris, you still there?
Yes.

We're changing your client with murder-one.

Bail will be set in the morning.

I'm sorry, Chris.

Goodnight.

Yeah, goodnight.

(pensive music)

Dad.

What's wrong?

Where's Moo-Moo?

There's Moo-Moo.

Okay.

Okay, okay.

Goodnight.

You go back to sleep.

I love you, sweetheart.

I love you too, Mommy.

Hey, baby!

Hi.

How did it go?
Good, good.

Hey, one of these people will come through

sooner or later, you'll see.

Good evening.

In tonight's news, novelist Mark Ransom is dead.

Oh, yeah, I need to watch this.

One of our clients might be on.

Ebola virus in Zaire.

And in Bolivia, an earthquake-
Listen, Terr.

I gotta talk to you about capital.

Until one of these investors commits,

I'm just still a few thousand short of seed money.

Richie, we're broke.

All we have is a new computer

that I can't seem to get paid off.

Yeah, that's deductible.

Come on, Terri, you gotta factor in the tax benefits.

We just have no more money, it's that simple.

That's what I wanna talk to you about.

We can borrow against your pension plan.

I'm not sure we can.

No, we can,

I checked with your accountant at the firm.

You called her?

Come on, lighten up.

I mean, I didn't take the money or anything.

You have to sign the papers.

Hey, there aren't even any payments.

They just take it off top of your check.

You mean like having my wages garnished.

This is what I mean about complete non-support.

You even try to humiliate me to control me.

I'm sorry, it's just you start talking about

needing more money and my stomach gets all tied up in knots.

Exactly.

Think of all the time and money

we've already invested in my business.

I mean, to back off now and let it fail,

we'd lose everything.

It's just, it doesn't make any sense.

Ransom with a pistol in self-defense

as he attempted to rape her.

She and her attorney, Christopher Paget,

made a brief statement this evening.

Today at noon in a downtown hotel suite,

Mark Ransom attempted to rape Mary Carelli.

She defended herself.

There was a struggle.

A gun was fired.

Mark Ransom's death is a tragedy.

Yeah, I gotta hand it to your boss, lady.

He looks pretty good on TV.

Mary Carelli no more wanted this man to die

than she wanted him to assault her.

That is all.

Mary Carelli has been questioned by police

and released.

The district attorney's office continues to investigate.

In other news this evening,

the Ebola virus has reached epi-

So, now you even get to be with Christopher Paget in bed.

Hey, where were you the night I tried to call

to tell you I'd be late and you weren't even home?

We worked late.

We got Gepfer to drop that bogus lawsuit.

We did?

Yeah.

And then this murder trial came up.

Well, that is kind of a convenient alibi

for you, isn't it?

I don't need an alibi, Richie.

I haven't done anything.

Goodnight, Richie.

Goodnight.

Crime scene photos are upstairs with the guard?

Uh-huh.

Thank you.

Hi.

Sorry I'm late.

Relax, you're not five minutes late.

Are you all right?

Things okay at home?

You don't miss anything, do you?

Unfortunately, I miss most things.

I'm fine, thanks.

(pensive piano music)

(knocking on door)

Hi.

Were the drapes drawn when Mary got here?

She says yes, room service waiter says no.

He seems pretty sure.

It was a clear sunny day just before noon.

Why would anyone have the drapes drawn?

For privacy?

Seduction?

Or murder?

Do you think that she's lying?

Yes.

First of all, this tape of Lara Chase

that Ransom played for Mary, did you find anything?

Yes, the psychiatrist's name is Dr. Steinhart.

He practiced in Beverly Hills.

He was kind of a shrink to the stars.

He died a few months ago.

How did Ransom get the tape?

Well, with Chase and Steinhart dead,

the doctor-client privilege died with them,

so Steinhart's daughter sold it to the highest bidder.

Ransom.

Exactly.

You're amazing.

So, you know, he really musta been obsessed

with Lara Chase 'cause it looks like he paid a lot for it.

Well, maybe he thought the tape

would get him a lucrative book deal.

And I still don't see how Mary fits into this equation.

Pork chops and applesauce.

(Carlo and Chris laughing)

So much food.

Who is the chef?

Carlo.
Dad.

(laughing) Wait a minute, what do you think of the lamb?

Oh, it's wonderful.

It's mine.

(laughing) Well, my compliments to both chefs.

Are you okay?

I am now.

I'm afraid I'm the type of person

that likes things (pausing) under control, and this...

I'll help you any way I can.

(sentimental piano music)

Thank you.

Sometimes I wonder if my career was worth it.

Does he really have to study

or is he just trying to get us alone?

Well, I hope he's outgrown that fantasy.

I think things went pretty well tonight.

Well, I'm glad you could spend an hour

devoted to being a mother.

What's wrong?

The DA thinks your story is flimsy.

I have a few more questions.

If you can't bring yourself to tell the truth,

at lest don't insult me by lying.

How long did it take to call 911.

I don't know.

More than half an hour?
Maybe.

What about Ransom?

He was dead.
How did you know that?

Because he wasn't breathing.

Well, you're not a doctor.

Why didn't you call for help?

I suppose I was in shock.

Were you, or were you just trying shock on for size?

That's not fair.

Is there any reason you preferred Ransom dead

as opposed to merely disheartened?

No, of course not!

Then why did it take so long for you to call for help?

I was frightened, I...

Felt as if it were my fault,

that I could've avoided this somehow.

Maybe some of what I told them was a mistake,

but they cannot believe that I am a murderer.

You don't believe me at all, do you?

Oh, I believe about every other word,

assuming you throw in the commas.

Are we through here?

I'm exhausted.

The crew from "Deadline" is coming

to film an interview in my hotel room at 8 a.m. tomorrow.

Ransom's not even buried yet

and you've already scheduled a primetime interview.

Well, it is my show,

and I won't be able to work until after the trial.

An exclusive interview is the least I owe them.

(uneasy music)

Maybe this can work for us.

We need to find another woman who Ransom raped or abused.

Seems unlikely that you were the first.

I could make a plea during the interview

for a victim to come forward.

No, you're a little too polished for your own good.

I want Terri to go on the show with you.

Who?

Terri Peralta.

You met her.

That girl from your office?

She's a brilliant attorney and she's my co-counsel.

Well, I don't need her to do this.

Yes you do.

You're just too vain to realize it.

Fine.

Tell her to be there at 7:00 sharp.

(pensive music)

(dogs barking)

I assume this means that you will be defending me?

Yes.

But only for Carlo's sake.

Well, I'm not sentimental.

Your motive is unimportant.

As long as we win.

(car starting)

Whenever you answer a question,

you never look at the person who asks it.

Just gaze directly into the camera.

That way the audience knows that you're sincere.

That sounds kind of artificial.

Are you nervous?

I'm just thinking about this woman I'll be talking to.

I mean, would you come forward?

I did come forward.

You didn't have a choice.

Ransom's dead.

If he'd raped you and lived, then you'd have had a choice.

It was a nightmare.

It still seems so unreal.

Perhaps this is too soon.

Well, maybe I am pushing it a little,

but I felt that I had to.

We believe that Mark Ransom may have raped before.

And if so, we are asking that woman to come forward

and testify on my behalf.

This issue transcends what happened to me.

The ultimate issue is whether victims

will have the courage to speak out

so there may be fewer victims to come.

Can I say something?

Of course, Miss Peralta.

For someone who's been raped,

it's not a cause; it's far more personal.

We're asking one woman to remember something

that she's worked hard to try and forget.

Because after it happened,

it was the only thing she could think of to protect herself.

If you are the woman I'm talking to

and you do have the courage to come forward,

it may be the most difficult thing you've ever done,

but you won't be alone anymore.

Teresa Peralta and Mary Carelli, thank you.

I don't know if it came off like you want it to, Terr.

Well, (sighing) it's been a long day.

I'm gonna go to bed.
Hey, did you...

Did you have time to put that loan through?

No, I didn't sign the note yet.

Why not?

I don't feel comfortable about it.

Dammit, Terri, I need that money for LawSearch,

and you know that.

I know, and borrowing is risking my pension plan

and we're already maxed out on our credit card.

Look, look, Terri, this deal can pull us out.

Look, maybe we just shouldn't talk about it

'til the trial's over.

And then I think we should talk about it seriously.

About what?

About...

I think that we should maybe take some time off,

to think, to go away for a while.

And separate, you mean.

Why don't you just say it?

But you're not being practical, Terr.

We can't afford to separate.

I didn't mean separation.

I meant a vacation, you know?

We can work on the marriage, maybe even see a counselor.

Okay, sure.

Hey, whatever you want.

What did you mean by we couldn't afford to separate?

Just meant I'm not leaving this apartment,

not while I've got a business to get up and running.

If you pull the rug out from under me,

I figure court would award me, I don't know,

maybe $2,000 a month in support, more if they give me Elena.

Elena?!

They wouldn't do that.

Why not?

(scoffing) Because you're a woman?

Courts look at who the real parent is, Terri.

And in this family, your role has been to provide

and mine to care for Elena.

What are you talking about?

I'm the one who bathes her, who feeds her,

who puts her to bed, who dresses her.

What kinda care are you talking about?!

I'm here (pausing) and you're not.

I never asked you not to work!

Yeah, but you agreed to it, and I relied on that.

And that's all I'll need to tell the judge.

This is unbelievable.

Oh, come on, now don't get all emotional.

We're not getting a divorce.

No?

I mean, you've obviously thought about it.

You're two steps ahead of me, as usual, Richie.

You don't love me anymore.

And I haven't loved you for a very long time.

Oh, I get it.

This isn't about our marriage, it's about Christoper Paget.

(uneasy music)

(phone ringing)

Hello?
What the hell?

Is this Teresa Peralta?

Yes.

I'm sorry to call you like this, but I couldn't sleep.

My name is Marcy Linton.

I saw you on television.

Oh.

Yeah?

You were talking to me.

(pensive music)

Marcy?

I'm glad you found the house.

So, how did you first meet him?

At the bar at the hotel.

His first words to me were, "Marcy Linton,

"the most famous 23-year-old writer since Sylvia Plath."

I told him I was working on my first novel

and he asked if I'd brought any pages.

He said he'd be flattered if I let him read them.

Oh, thanks.

So, then he came here to the cabin?

Yeah.

Next day at 4:30.

He brought sushi from town and some expensive wine.

And he closed himself off upstairs

to read the first 50 pages.

I'd worked on them for months.

They were the best I could do.

What did he say after he'd read them?

Nothing at first.

He came down after an hour.

I'd made a fire.

He just stood there saying nothing.

I half-jokingly said, "So, should I throw it out?"

And when he didn't answer right away,

I started to hate myself.

Did he critique your work?

Yeah.

Without mercy.

And I realize now that it must've been his intention

to strip away my confidence.

His last comment was...

"What ruined the pages was the way you wrote about sex."

He said, "It sounds like they're negotiating

"an insurance policy.

"That's not what sex is.

"Sex is spontaneity and danger."

Then he put his arm around me.

And as if I belonged to him, he reached inside my blouse.

I suddenly realized that I'd missed the clues.

What happened?

I pulled away from him.

He smiled...

And he hit me.

Flight 721, now boarding to Los Angeles.

Flight 721.

Hi!
Hi.

My flight from Denver was late getting back.

I know, I got your message.

I couldn't wait to hear about our star witness.

You wanna go up to the office?

Did you eat on the plane?
No.

Let's debrief over dinner.

Okay, where?

I know a great floating restaurant.

I never knew how hotdogs could bring out the flavor

of a very good bordeaux.

It's a well-guarded secret.

Did Marcy ever see Ransom again?

No, and she never told anybody either.

Until now.

You think she'll testify?

(sighing) I don't know.

Well, I hope you don't lose any sleep over it.

I'm worried about you.

Me, why?

You look...

I was gonna say deeply troubled,

but you're also one of the saner people I've ever known.

Well, I am troubled.

What's wrong?

Some of the things that Marcy said about Ransom,

they just hit too close to home.

Richie?

I mean, he's not a rapist.

But certain things, like the way that Ransom

tried to strip away her self-esteem.

Richie does that to you?

Every day.

Why would a man do that?

Why would he wanna make his wife feel stupid and incapable?

Well, there's only one reason I can think of:

so she wouldn't leave him.

You know, his latest opinion is that if we ever split,

the court would give him custody of Elena.

Who do you talk to about it, your mother?

No.

She was in this horrible relationship with an alcoholic.

You'd think having had a relationship like that,

your mother would be more sympathetic.

No, not really,

she thinks that as long as he doesn't beat me

and if he's good with Elena, then I should stay with him.

She doesn't realize that there are other kinds of abuse.

So, who do you talk to?

You.

I guess I talk to you.

(soft piano music)

Little chilly tonight, huh?

(whooshing)

Hey, what's wrong?

Brittany hurt my feelings today.

Yeah, I know how that feels,

you know, to have hurt feelings.

Why, who hurt your feelings?

Mommy.

She being mean to you?

Yeah.

I'll tell her not to.

That would be nice of you.

Thanks for everything.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Goodnight.
Goodnight.

(car starting)

(door opening)

Hi, honey.

Didn't Daddy put you to bed?

I'm not tired.

What's a matter,

did you have another fight with Brittany today?

Yes.

Do you wanna talk about it?

That's not what the matter is.

Well, what's a matter then?

(marker scribbling)

What have you been telling Elena?

Hey, she's a smart girl.

You can't keep her from seeing the truth.

What have you been telling her?!

I'm just being a father.

I want Elena to understand what real love is.

Oh, and what is real love, Richie?

Real love is when two people make a commitment to family

and they carry it out, even through the bad times,

not like this infatuation you have with Christopher Paget.

You know, I feel sorry for you, Terr.

You could be happy if you just try to accept me as I am.

(pan sizzling)

Where'd you and Nick go last night?

We went to Katie's house.

I guess it's time we had a little talk.

Oh no, you're not gonna give me

that facts-of-life talk, are you?

Yes.

(Carlo sighing)

All right, what do you wanna know?

I assume you already know the biology.

Yep, A-minus.

So I trust that you will practice safety measures.

Beyond that, I only have three things to tell you.

Don't lie, don't push, and don't sleep with anyone

who you won't care for next month.

(phone ringing)

Watch those eggs.

Yes?

Chris, it's Mack Brooks here.

We (pausing) found another tape.

Of what, what's on it?

Mary.

What in the hell are you talking about?!

You really don't know?

It seems as if Mary Carelli

was a patient of the famous shrink Dr. Steinhart,

and I think you might be interested.

The tape involves you.

Most of what I told the Senate committee was true.

What I didn't tell them was that I had helped Jack Woods

do every one of the things he was convicted for.

You wanted to protect yourself.

I wanted to stay out of prison.

And of course, I was pregnant.

Did Chris know?

Know what?

That's all there is.

Clearly, there's a second tape.

Well, then why don't we play it and end the suspense?

You know we don't have it.

Well, I don't have it.

And if I did have it, the only person I'd give it to

is Mary Carelli, who is the only person entitled to it.

Where did you get this tape?

At Ransom's home in Key West.

For two weeks, you've been telling us

that Mary Carelli had no motive for murder

other than self-defense.

Now we've got a motive:

to conceal that she already committed perjury

before the United States Senate.

Obviously, Ransom was blackmailing her.

The tape is inadmissible.

So, as far as a jury is concerned,

you still have no motive.

And if this tape finds its way into the press,

I'll nail you to the wall.

I can't certainly understand

why you'd want those tapes concealed.

Enough, both of you.

What I wanna know is what this tape's doing

in a court of law.

This tape explains why Mary Carelli killed Mark Ransom.

No one can say it isn't relevant to motive.

Oh, (laughing) it's relevant, all right.

And if some court allows it into evidence,

your chances of convicting Miss Carelli go up about 1,000%.

But there's no way I'll allow it in my courtroom.

No way.

Without this tape, the court proceedings

will be a mockery of the truth, and determining the truth

is or should be our ultimate purpose-

Skip the pieties about justice, Counselor.

There's a psychiatrist-patient privilege in this state.

You've made us sit here and listen to this woman's secrets,

which are protected by law,

without an argument worth making for getting this tape in.

Your only purpose was to poison the court

against Miss Carelli and the opposing counsel.

That is grossly unjust to both of them

and contemptuous of me.

Now, do you fathom how this court feels about justice?

(sighing) Yes, Your Honor.

Just one more question.

The contents of the tape are inadmissible.

What about the fact that the tape exists

and that he was blackmailing her?

I think that much information

the jury is entitled to under the law.

You're probably too young to remember the Lasko case.

Are you kidding, it was all over the media.

We were glued to the news.

You need to understand-

You don't owe me an explanation for-

You're my co-counsel in this.

You need to understand.

Mary and I both told the truth,

but we both lied about Mary's part in it.

Because she was pregnant with Carlo.

Yes.

She told me the night before the hearing.

Well, you did what any good parent would do.

You protected your unborn son.

Chris, you are still a hero.

If it weren't for you, those people would still be in power.

The fact remains I lied.

And if the second tape gets into the press,

I'll be charged with perjury.

Maybe it won't be found.

Look, I'm sorry.

I'm not proud of what I did.

If you wanna withdraw from the case, I'll understand.

Chris.

We have a client to defend.

Come on.

Do I get a clue?

Think of something a client with any intelligence

would tell her lawyer two days before going to trial.

They found a tape?
Yes.

Where?

At Ransom's home in Key West.

Well, I never meant for anyone to hear that.

Especially not the district attorney.

Congratulations, you suddenly have

a compelling motive for murder.

I'm sorry.

I'd hoped they wouldn't find it.

Well, bad luck!

And now they're looking for a second tape,

one that is no doubt worse for me.

Yes.

Where is it?

I don't know, and I hope they never find it,

for your sake and Carlo's.

So, Ransom called you to tell you he had the tapes.

Yes.

So it was blackmail.

Yes, but not for money.

So, you went out and bought a gun

and you lied to the police

about the threatening phone calls.

Yes.

You know, buying a gun begins to look

a lot like premeditation.

Mary.

We are trying to help you,

but we need to know what really happened in that room.

Well, that doesn't really matter.

The story that I told the police is admissible,

so that's the story I am stuck with.

No, that's the story we're all stuck with.

You didn't tell him about Steinhart,

you didn't mention blackmail,

and you got the gunshot distances all wrong.

The essence of what I told them is true!

Define essence.

I can hardly wait.

I did not murder Mark Ransom!

Listen to me, please.

Ransom abused me (pausing) and I killed him.

(uneasy music)

(Terri sighing)

Oh, there you are.

(door opening)

Hey, what are you doing?

I'm leaving you.

(laughing) You can't do that, Terri,

not without counseling.

But I'll set up an appointment

and then six months down the road we'll see where we are.

Nope.

It's too late for that.

What is so wrong we can't fix it?

Well, for starters, you forged my signature

and cashed out my retirement.

So what?

I mean, we talked about this.

I mean, you were gonna do it yourself.

Oh, oh, is that just an excuse

so you can run to your rich boyfriend?

He is not my boyfriend.

That's just your excuse.

Hey, come on, come on.

Terri, Terri, listen, listen.

If I've got problems, I'm willing to work on 'em

if you're willing to work with me.

I mean, come on, you can help me, Terri.

No.

Only you can help you, Richie.

It is too late for us.

Hey, hey.

Think of Elena, come on.

Don't break up her family.

That is all I ever wanted, Richie,

was a happy, healthy family.

But it's no good, we're not one.

I'm picking her up at school and taking her to my mother's.

You're not going anywhere.

Yes I am, don't make it any worse.

You don't understand, Terri.

I'm not letting you do this.

I'm not afraid of you anymore.

Bitch!

Do it.

Do it twice so the family court doesn't miss it.

I used to say to myself, "At least you aren't abusive,

"not like my father."

But I was wrong.

He trained me to give in.

No more.

(bottle shattering)

Daddy!
Hey, princess!

I get to sit in front.

Of course you do, you're my girl.

Rosa, you look beautiful this morning.

Now, don't look so worried.

Trust me, Rosa, I am doing everything in my power

to keep the family together.

Hey, and Teresa's your daughter.

She may still come to her senses.

Elena!

Elena!

Elena, don't forget your backpack.

Okay, sweet potato, I'll see you tomorrow,

all right?
Mm-hmm.

C'mon, Daddy, I'm gonna beat you!

I'll be right there, I gotta talk to Mommy a minute.

Okay.

Why delay, right?

What's in it?

I get the apartment, $2,500 a month, and custody of Elena.

And according to your proposal,

when do I get to see my daughter?

Every other weekend and some dinners during the week

if you meet my conditions.

Which are?

That outside of work,

you never see Christopher Paget again.

He has nothing to do with this,

and no court is gonna give you this wishlist.

Hey.

It happens every day.

Just give him up, Terr, and maybe there's a chance for us.

The only chance for us

was for me to never see you as you really are.

Sometimes I wish I hadn't.

(door slamming)

(Elena giggling)

Maybe you should try.

I did.

I can't go back, Mom.

Is it so bad?

Yes.

Yes.

He doesn't beat you, he's good with Elena, she adores him.

You're Elena's mother.

Mothers aren't free.

I wasn't free to leave your father.

Maybe you should have left him!

Isn't a woman entitled to some happiness?

No.

The child is the important thing.

I know that.

I know that, and I'm doing this for Elena too.

(soft piano music)

Chris?

Terri, what are you doing here?

You should be at home asleep with your family.

Are you worried?

Of course I'm worried.

Tomorrow morning, I have to face a woman judge,

a woman DA, and the female client from hell.

And a female co-counsel.

You're really outnumbered.

I left Richie.

Well, I know I'm supposed to say I'm sorry, but I can't.

You deserve much better.

Do you need money, a place to stay?

No.

No, I need...

Christopher Paget, you make this so hard.

I'm sorry.

I just don't wanna look back

after years have gone by and wonder what might've been.

Terri, you're newly separated, you work for me,

I have a teenage son.

Any psychologist in the world would tell ya I'm a bad idea.

I know.

But how do you feel?

(gentle piano music)

(Chris laughing)

I'm beginning to see the beauty of sailboats.

Are you and Elena gonna be all right

at your mother's?

Yeah, for now.

I'm looking for a place to rent, but...

I wish there was something I could do

to make things easier for you.

Just being with you makes it easier.

When this is all over, let's go away somewhere.

Yeah.

(car horn honking)

Was there any physical evidence

to support Mary Carelli's version of what happened?

With the exception of the bruise on her cheek,

I found none.
None.

And Miss Carelli says she fired the gun

two to three inches from his chest.

From the evidence, the gun was not fired

from closer than two to three feet from the body.

And what about Miss Carelli's story

of a struggle for the gun?

No sign of it, no fingerprints,

no powder marks on Mr. Ransom's hands as you might expect.

And how long had Mr. Ransom been dead

at the time of the 911 call?

Close to one hour.

And in your opinion,

are these facts consistent with Mary Carelli's story?

Objection!

Overruled.

In my opinion, her story is medically implausible.

I'm sorry, I simply don't believe her.

(audience grumbling)

I met him on the elevator.

I was on my way up to see a client on his floor.

I recognized him, of course.

We started talking.

I was curious about the suites,

so he invited me to his room to check it out.

Then he said he'd like to chat more,

but he had to take a shower.

A woman was coming up.

The woman who was coming up,

did he say who she was?
No.

Just that I'd know her if I saw her.

He sounded pleased with himself.

I must admit, I was curious.

(audience grumbling)
What happened then?

Listen, I have to go, I'm sorry.

I know, it's okay.

Good luck.
Thanks.

And did you see the woman who came to his suite?

About an hour later, I was back in my office.

Our offices are just across the street from the hotel.

I was wondering which window would be Ransom's suite.

I began counting windows.

And that was when I saw her.
Her?

A woman with long hair standing in a window.

It was just a moment, then she closed the drapes,

but I figured that was the woman

who'd come to see Mark Ransom.

Why is that?

Well, she was undressed.

(audience grumbling)

(gavel banging)

The window you were looking at

was at least 150 feet away, wasn't it?

I would think so.

Let me show you something.

Does this approximate the view you had that day?

Yes.

Given the distance, can you be certain

the window you're looking at is in the exact same location?

Not from looking at this, no.

Didn't you assume the woman you were looking at

was in Mark Ransom's suite

because of what he led you to think about his activities?

Well, perhaps.

Sitting here today, can you be certain

the window you saw was the fifth window from the left?

Or wasn't what got your attention

the unexpected sight of a woman without clothes?

(chuckling) It startled me.

And attracted you?

Well, I didn't turn away.

Nor after seeing her did you count windows.

No.

So, you're not at all certain

that the woman you saw was in Mark Ransom's suite.

No.

I can't be sure.

Thank you.

(audience grumbling)

Miss Sharp, have you anything else for this witness?

Just one question.

Do you, Mr. Hassler,

despite the questions Mr. Paget asked,

believe that is was more likely than not

that the woman you saw was in Mark Ransom's suite?

More likely than not.

It was Ransom's suite, yes.

(audience grumbling)

Mr. Argos.

There's nothing much worse than an attorney

representing himself in a custody suit.

I agree with you.

If I had any money, I wouldn't be standing here.

I will behave as professionally as I can.

Well, why don't you just get a job, Mr. Argos?

You seem able-bodied enough to me.

See, the thing is Terri and I agreed

that I would raise Elena.

As a result, I couldn't earn half of what Terri makes.

Terri has a high-paying job

and a wealthy boyfriend who happens to be her boss.

It's not fair to Elena or me to push me outta the house.

Well, that depends, doesn't it, on who gets custody.

I intend to support my daughter, Your Honor.

I've started my own business.

The computer program I'm putting together,

it's on the cutting-edge of research technology for lawyers.

All right, how much are you asking for in spousal benefit?

Spousal only, $1,500 a month,

based on my wife's current salary, of course.

I believe she has reason to expect a raise.

All right, let's hear from Mrs. Argos.

Janet Flaherty for the respondent, Teresa Peralta.

Mr. Argos' position stems from the assertion

that his wife asked him to stay home.

The truth is she implored him to work and he refused.

Teresa supports Mr. Argos and Elena.

And who looks after Elena?

Not Mr. Argos.

A daycare center paid for by Teresa Peralta.

My client's finances are already stretched to the limit

by debts incurred by Mr. Argos

in trying to set up his business.

Her paycheck cannot be stretched any further.

Well, it'll just have to be.

He doesn't have a job.

If he were an unemployed wife,

there'd be no question of support, would there?

Now, the next issue is custody.

Mr. Argos.

I'm at home and Terri isn't.

At least in the near term, that should decide custody.

What is best for Elena

is to keep her home in daily care as it has been,

with me caring for her.

Don't let him get away with this.

Teresa Peralta is the responsible parent.

She calls her teacher, she takes her to the doctor,

she puts her to bed at night,

she drives her to the daycare center in the morning

and, yes, she supports her.

The reward for being the responsible parent

should be the responsibility of parenting.

That's what Elena needs

and that's what she has in Miss Peralta.

How do I know?

Frankly, if Mr. Argos had hired you first,

I'm sure you could make him sound as much like Walt Disney

as you're making Miss Peralta sound like Snow White.

The fact is Mr. Argos is the parent at home.

All right, here's my order.

Interim custody to Mr. Argos.

In six months' time, both parties will reappear

and permanent custody will be decided at that time.

Spousal support to Mr. Argos

in the amount of $1,250 a month.

Visitation to Miss Peralta alternate weekends.

Work out the details.

Next case.

(uneasy music)

Mommy, I don't want you to go.

Honey, I have to go, remember?

But I'll see you on Saturday.

Now, you be good.

Hey, hey, Elena.

Come on.

Come on, come on, come on.

(uneasy music)

(car starting)

(Terri sobbing)

What happened after he slapped you?

He ripped open my blouse.

He told me to watch him do it.

"Do you want me to hit you again," he said.

I shook my head.

He told me to show him my breasts and to keep my eyes open.

Did you?

I'm sorry, Marcy, but we need an audible response

for the record.

I showed him my breasts and I kept my eyes open.

What did he do then?

He made me unzip my jeans and take them off.

And then?

He hurt me.

The way he did it was meant to hurt me.

For days, I hurt inside.

Marcy, one more question.

Why did you come forward now?

Because what Mary Carelli did

I should've done.

(audience grumbling)

Mommy!

Mommy!

Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!
My baby!

Come here, sugar babe!

How was your day?
Fine.

Yeah?

Elena, can you go inside and get your backpack, honey?

I wanna talk to Mommy for a minute.

I'll hurry.

We'll meet you by the door.
Okay.

Elena's been a little stressed lately.

With the divorce going on and new relationships and so on,

it can be disorienting to a child.

Who told you we were getting a divorce?

Richie.

Your husband told me.

He feels, and I think he's right,

maybe if you spent a little more time with Elena one-on-one.

As opposed to?

Well, dividing your time between her and your new friend.

Do you see it as a part of your job

to give me a message from my ex-husband

not to date anyone else?

He's only thinking of Elena.

Mommy!

Mommy, I'm ready!

What did she say?

Nothing, honey, just grownup stuff.

Why did you bring a gun to Ransom's suite?

In case I needed to protect myself.

His call made it clear that he intended

to trade the tape for sex.

Did you intend to trade the tape for sex?

No.

I thought I could talk him out of it.

What did he do once you were alone?

He played another tape, of Lara Chase, the actress,

in a session she had with Dr. Steinhart.

Listening to the tape, he began to get excited.

He put his hand on my knee.

And then he said, "I like taking women

"I've seen on television.

"It makes them real."

What did you say?

No.

I said no.

I stood up to leave and took my purse.

And he grabbed my arm and threw me down on the floor.

Suddenly, he was on top of me.

He hit me in the face and he seemed to take pleasure in it.

I said, "I'll let you do it any way you want,

"but only if you use a condom."

How did he respond?

By laughing.

I said I had one in my purse and I reached into it.

And when he pushed me back,

the gun was in my hand.

What happened then?

He grabbed for it...

And the gun went off.

When you talked to Inspector Monk,

you omitted any mention of the tape.

Yes.

In fact, you hid the tape's existence until we found it.

Yes, but I didn't hide the tape just from the police.

I had been hiding it from everyone.

I've been hiding for years.

Do you remember wandering around the room

after you shot him,

touching the tables, bookshelf, and the desk?

No.

Or why your fingerprints appear

on the handle of the desk drawer?

What was she doing?

I have no idea.

I don't remember.

Weren't you in fact looking for the tapes

of your session with Dr. Steinhart?

No.

Didn't you find one tape and then destroy it?

How?

By flushing it down the toilet?

(audience grumbling)

(pensive music)

(Terri exhaling)

(moving into slow suspenseful music)

Hi, I'm looking for a lost package,

an envelope like this with no address on it.

It was mailed from downtown a few weeks ago.

Downtown.

Downtown.

Downtown.

Good luck.

(doorbell ringing)

Terri.

No one's gonna find that tape.

How long have you had this?

Less than an hour.

I found it at the post office.

Mary told you?

I figured it out.

After she shot Ransom, she put it in this envelope

and dropped it in the mail slot.

But she didn't have stamps

and she had no one she could safely address it to.

She seems to have lied about almost everything.

Did Chris know about your part

in the Lasko conspiracy?

Yes, he knew about that.

But as I recall his Senate testimony,

he supported you.

No.

Chris lied for me.

Why?

The night before we testified,

I told him I was pregnant.

With Carlo, his son?

With Carlo, yes.

But there's something that I haven't told Chris...

Or anyone.

And what is that?

Chris isn't Carlo's father.

Who is the father then?

Jack Woods, the man we sent to prison.

Why didn't you tell Chris?

At first, I wanted him to protect me.

And then later, Jack died in prison.

I knew Chris would never find out the truth.

And in the end, I know I have given Carlo the right father.

I am so sorry.

(Chris exhaling)

Funny, you had the courage to kill a man,

but you can't even look me in the eye.

I lied for you.

I left Washington and abandoned the career I'd wanted

because of you.

And I raised Carlo as my son, all because of you.

And now I find out what a joke it's been.

Look at me!

Forgive me if I sound a little harsh.

I've just discovered that you arranged

to have me raise Jack Woods' son as mine.

Don't you know why I went to Ransom's suite?

To kill him.
No!

To do anything he wanted so that you and Carlo

would never have to hear that tape.

Then tell me everything.

(Mary sighing)

When Ransom called, he described the tapes.

He said that I could have them, one meeting at a time.

He said I had a choice:

He could undress me in public or in private,

but that in private I should understand

that I would do anything he wanted me to.

And you agreed.

I said I would meet him

if he would give me my choice of tapes.

You chose the second.
Yes.

If you and Carlo found out the truth,

then what good would come of letting you believe

that he was your son?

I wanted to believe that good had come from that.

I do believe it.

That's why I went to his room.

Go on.

Ransom opened the door.

He smiled.

He never said a word.

It was like walking into a nightmare.

I asked to listen to the tape, my tape.

And while we sat on the couch listening to it,

he put his hand on my breast.

And when I didn't remove it, he knew he had a deal

and he ordered champagne.

Then he said the tape that he was about to play

demanded my total attention,

that I should listen carefully so I could do for him

everything that Lara Chase did for those men.

He watched me take off my clothes.

When I was nearly naked,

I asked him to please close the drapes.

He said...

"Do it yourself.

"I wanna watch you move."

So, I went to the window,

feeling his eyes.

Below me was the city,

people going about their normal lives.

I stood, wishing I was one of them.

And then I drew the drapes.

That's when John Hassler saw you.

Yes.

Ransom made me dance for him.

He made me do everything on the tape.

Why did you do it?

Because that tape would've destroyed my son.

The other one would've destroyed me.

I wanted them both.

But to keep on-
I was alone with him!

Sometimes women have to do things.

Then, something happened and he couldn't sustain it.

He looked down...

And then up at me...

And then he went crazy.

He slapped me.

He kept hitting me as if it excited him somehow.

I tried to fight back, got ahold of my purse.

I saw him coming at me.

I barely got the gun out, he was maybe six feet away,

and I yelled for him to stop!

And he didn't.

(gun firing)

(Mary exhaling)

I knew he was dead before he fell.

I kept thinking how he had violated me.

He deserved to die!

What he did was worse than rape.

That was all the explanation

that I could think of to give them.

So, you did everything you could

to make it look like a rape.

Yes.

I got dressed, I found the tape.

And for some reason,

I thought of the mail slot.

Chris, you don't have to go to court tomorrow.

And you should resign as my attorney.

If I did that now, I'd be convicting you myself.

Can't sleep?

I have no idea what I'm gonna say about her

in court this morning.

Think of her like any other client, Chris.

I mean, how much does a woman have to take

before she kills a man in self-defense?

She lied...

As always.

Most people you've defended

are probably more guilty than Mary.

My god, what am I gonna tell Carlo?

He loves you.

It is so different from an adopted child.

He's so much like you.

Same heart.

(sentimental piano music)

14 years ago,

I didn't know if Carlo was my son.

And when he came to live with me, I stopped wondering.

My life may have disappointed me, but at least I had a son.

You still do.

(Chris exhaling)

Mary Carelli killed Mark Ransom.

She admitted that.

And she had a compelling motive:

a tape that could ruin her life.

Miss Carelli claims self-defense,

but her attempt at proving that

has proven only that she is unworthy of belief.

The only thing that supports Miss Carelli's story

is her word.

The only physical evidence we have

that Mark Ransom did anything at all

is that he slapped Miss Carelli.

Why?

We'll never know.

Did he deserve to be killed for it?

That he did not.

And it is your duty to see that his murderer

is justly dealt with.

(audience grumbling)

Mr. Paget?

Mark Ransom abused Mary Carelli.

He beat her.

We know that.

He beat and raped Marcy Linton.

No one here doubts Miss Linton.

Mark Ransom was a rapist.

Now, the only question here

is whether Mary Carelli acted in self-defense.

She says that at some terrible moment of violence and abuse,

she shot Mark Ransom out of fear for herself.

We only have her word for that, it's true.

But who among us is the better judge?

She faced that moment alone.

Because he met her, Mary Carelli's the last woman

Mark Ransom will ever abuse.

I cannot consider that to be a tragedy,

nor should this court find it to be a crime.

As terrible as it was,

what Mark Ransom brought down on himself

in that hotel suite was justice.

This court cannot improve on it.

(audience grumbling)

(gavel pounding)

Thank you, Counsel.

Thank you, Miss Sharp.

The jury will now retire to deliberate.

(children playing)

You said you weren't gonna be here.

Dance.

It's my apartment.

Yeah, well, I was just gonna pick up some stuff.

Hey, I have to talk to you about our daughter.

In 90% of the cases, the judge awards permanent custody

to the parent who has interim custody.

Your mother even says I'm good with Elena.

I feel sorry for you.

Get to the point, what do you want?

I'm willing to make a deal.

Oh please.

How much?

Let's...

Let's just call it a settlement

of my community property interests.

How much?

$50,000 cash and I give you joint custody

on the condition that Elena never be in his house,

never sees him or talks to him.

That's ridiculous.

Hey, he destroyed our home, he used my wife!

Hey, I've checked out this judge very carefully.

He'll never give custody to a slut like you.

I'm not buying Elena from you!

Hey, people do it every day.

Hey, I am sick of watching the two of you

sneaking off to have sex in his sailboat

every chance you get.

You're sick.

(car starting)
You disgust me.

It's all or nothing, Terri.

Ante up or fold!

(tires screeching)

(phone ringing)

Hello?

The jury's in.

Okay, I'll be right there.

(ominous music)

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

The clerk will now publish the verdict.

All rise.

In the matter of the People v. Carelli,

to the charge of murder in the first degree,

the jury finds Mary Carelli...

Not guilty.
(audience gasping)

(soft music)

Thank you.

Please, don't thank me.

Just remember years ago

when I told you that I wouldn't have Carlo

if you didn't bail me out.

That was true.

And when you look at him

and you think you see nothing of yourself,

think of that.

Miss Carelli, you must be relieved.

How do you think this is gonna affect your career?

So, you're not gonna tell him?

No.

We put too much time into believing we were father and son,

so now we are.

I think this a victory not just for myself

but for all people who have been forced to suffer

this kind of experience.

All we were ever looking for was justice,

and justice prevailed.

Now we're looking forward to a long vacation.

Thank you.

(Richie applauding)

Richie.

It's gotten worse.

That's what he said, he wants $50,000 cash

and he'll give me joint custody of Elena,

provided she never sees you again

and never sets foot in your house.

Son of a bitch!

He's been following us.

I think he's been watching us.

You know, I think it's time

I had a little chat with Richie.

No, no, no, you'll just make it worse.

That weasel thinks he's immune!

We stand around like a couple of corporate lawyers

discussing fair legal remedies

while he blackmails you and victimizes you

and he uses Elena to do it!

I know, and even if I could come up with the money-

Hell, I would give you the money!

But it would never end.

And if I don't pay him,

he could get permanent custody of Elena.

Look...

The final custody hearing is not for several weeks.

That gives us plenty of time to work things out.

I think we should go away like we planned.

You still want to?

More than ever.

So, she's asleep.

If she wakes up, call me.

We don't leave for the airport 'til 8:00 in the morning.

Goodbye, Mom, I'll call you.

I hope you know what you're doing.

I do.

Maybe for the first time in my life,

I know this is the right thing.

(phone ringing)

Hello?

Hi, are you packed yet?

I'm working on it.

What's for dinner?

You know, I think I'm coming down with something.

Is it all right if I just pick you up

at your place in the morning?

Well, are you all right?

Yeah, I'm just a little queasy.

I think I probably have a 24-hour flu.

I don't wanna take it with us.

Okay, well you get some sleep then

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

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

(door creaking open)

(wind whistling)

(ominous music)

(phone beeping)

(phone ringing)

LawSearch, this is Mr. Argos.

Hi, Richie, it's me.

I need to talk to you.

Can I come over?
Oh!

Now you wanna play ball.

I just wanna settle this thing before it goes any further.

Do you have cash?

No, I don't have cash.

Ooh, sorry. (laughing)

Look, anyway...

I've got an appointment tonight.

Look, Richie, you know that I'm leaving

first thing in the morning.

Bon voyage.

(phone beeping)
(dial tone humming)

(uneasy music)

(wind whistling)

(car starting)

Brown brick on the left.

(car horn honking)

Okay!

Hi!

What happened to your hand?

I dropped a trunk on it.

Stupid, huh?
Well, is it broken?

I don't think so, but I wasn't about to spend last night

at an emergency room to find out.

Come on.

I'm not gonna let anything spoil this trip.

(airplane roaring)

(phone ringing)

(dramatic music)

(soft romantic music)

(soft violin music)

(phone ringing)

Still no answer?

Nope, I've been trying for two days.

(sighing) It's after midnight there.

She should be in bed.

He's probably sitting there

listening to it ring and gloating.

Yeah.

That's probably exactly what he wants,

us here, talking about him.

I just get afraid sometimes, you know,

that he's just gonna take her.

Kidnapping?

Oh, I wish he were that stupid.

Look at this way.

The more irresponsible he is, the better your chances

of getting permanent custody of Elena.

I hope you're right.

Chris, you should have this X-rayed.

That could be broken!

It's nothing.

It's fine.

You know what?

I have this vague memory of dancing naked

with the moonlight coming through that window.

Was that a dream?

That's privileged information.

(both laughing)

(church bell tolling)

My mother used to have a diary like this!

(speaking foreign language)

I'd like this.

(speaking foreign language)

Okay.

Hello?
Mom!

Thank god you're there!

Terri?

I've been trying to reach Elena.

There's no answer at Richie's.

Elena's here.

She's with you?

Where's Richie?

He never came.

Did he call you?

No.

Well, that's weird.

Is Elena upset?

No, she's fine.

I'll get her.

Richie never showed, what should I do?

Nothing.

(Terri sighing)

Mommy, where are you?

Hi, honey, I'm in France, remember?

Like I showed you on the globe?

I miss you very much.

I miss you too.

Do you know where Daddy is?

I don't know, but I'm sure he's okay.

I'll be home soon.

I love you, honey.

I love you too, Mommy.

Bye-bye.

He's never done this before, just disappeared.

Wonder where he is.

Maybe he's got a new girlfriend

or maybe he's on a three-day bender somewhere

or Vegas, trying to bankroll his new business.

Who cares?

I know, I know, it's just strange.

(church bell tolling)

(phone ringing)

(Terri groaning)

Yes?

Terri?

Hmm?

Terri, the police found Richie.

Where?

In his apartment.

He's dead.

What?!

They say he shot himself.

(Terri breathing sharply)

Oh my god.

What should I tell Elena?

Nothing, nothing, don't tell her anything.

We'll get the first flight back.

Oh my god.

Mama, I will tell her; don't say anything.

I'll be there soon.

Richie's dead.

How did he die?

He shot himself.

The police found him in his apartment.

Oh, god.

What am I gonna tell Elena?

Who will I live with?

Me, honey, you're gonna live with me.

Who will take care of me

when you're sleeping over at Chris's house?

Honey, it's okay, I'm gonna sleep at home with you.

Good, 'cause Chris is a bad man.

Daddy told me.

How is she?

It's hard to tell.

She's back at school,

which is what the psychologist recommended,

but I think she's taking it kinda hard.

You think it would be worse

if the two of you came and stayed out here for a while?

I mean, maybe the change of scenery would do her good.

No, I don't think that'd be good for her.

She's gonna need some time.

Sure.

(doorbell ringing)

Excuse me.

Gentlemen.

You could've called.

We're trying to find Teresa Peralta.

And now you have.

You can talk to us both.

I'll make this brief.

Did your husband own a gun?

No.

Did he have any interest in antique guns?

No, why?

Well, the gun was a .32-caliber

Smith & Wesson five-cylinder.

They stopped making those in 1909.

Well, he had no knowledge of guns that I know of.

When was the last time you spoke to Mr. Argos?

The night before I went to France, around nine o'clock.

I called him because I wanted to see him.

I wanted to talk about the hearing.

And he said he couldn't see me

because he had an appointment.

Did he say with who?

No, but I thought it could be a woman.

He said it so smugly.

Did he sound like somebody about to kill himself?

No.

But bravado was something he was very good at.

Richie wanted everyone to think he was on top of things,

no matter what.

What did you do after you hung up the phone.

I packed and I went to bed.
Alone?

Yes.

Do you mind answering a few questions, Mr. Paget?

Actually, Inspector,

I'm having my morning coffee right now.

I'd like you to answer a few questions.

How did he die?

Gunshot wound, bullet lodged in the brainstem.

Looked like he ate his gun.

Did he leave a note?

Yes, there was a note.

Well, what did it say?

"I, Ricardo Argos, ask to be absolved of my sins.

"I ask my wife and daughter to forgive me.

"I've sold them for 30 pieces of silver."

Was it in his handwriting?

Yes.

Now, the night before you left for France, Friday,

you didn't see Miss Peralta?

No.

I called her around 8:30 to cancel our dinner plans.

I had some kind of a 24-hour bug.

Did anybody see you that night?

Carlo, my son.

Was Carlo home with you?

No, Carlo was out with friends.

Came home around 10 o'clock, I waited up for him.

Even though you were sick?

Carlo is only 14.

How did you feel about Mr. Argos?

I never met him,

but he seemed to be a completely undesirable human being

based on the way he used Elena as a meal ticket.

Did you ever speak to him by phone

or visit his apartment?

No.

Now, satisfy my curiosity a moment.

You didn't find Mr. Argos for a week.

That couldn't have made your job very easy or pleasant.

Well, fortunately, Mr. Argos liked air conditioning.

When did he stop opening his mail, Saturday?

That's what you're going on, isn't it?

But then again, it is academic.

The man left a note.

We are terminating this interview at 9:02.

We may have some more questions.

Fine, but call my office.

I don't want my daughter upset.

Of course.

That's okay, we know the way out.

(uneasy piano music)

They don't thin he killed himself, do they?

You were divorcing Richie and we're together now.

Monk has to ask some questions.

It's just routine.

You think it's more than that.

(car starting)

(clock ticking)
(uneasy music)

I have to go.

10 more minutes.

I don't have to be back until 3:00.

I can't, I have to pick Elena up at school.

She needs me now.

Is there anything I can do?

No.

Just be patient.

Things will get back to normal, it just takes time.

I know.

I love you.

I love you too.

So, what'd the cops want?

They're trying to figure out

why our late friend Ricardo killed himself

and in the process

to ensure that his resignation was voluntary.

Do they think he didn't kill himself?

They're considering it.

(doorbell ringing)

I'm not expecting anyone.

Neither am I.

Hey, look, look, look, don't invite 'em to dinner.

I got a limited amount of Szechuan here and I'm hungry.

Something you forgot to ask?

We'd like to talk to Carlo.

The night before your father left for France,

where were you?

I was out with friends.

When you went out, was your father here?

Yeah.

And how about when you returned?

Yeah, he was (pausing) here then too.

How about in between?

Did you return home at any time?

Yeah, around 9 o'clock, but it was just for a minute.

Tell me about that.

I was getting pizza with friends

and I forgot my wallet, so we came by.

Nick was driving.

I came in and I got my wallet, that was it.

When you came in the house, did you see your father?

I don't remember.

(uneasy music)

Thank you very much.

Hi!

Hi, I'd like to donate these.

Ooh, nice suits.

Thank you, and these shoes.

Well, they look new!

They don't fit.

I'll get you a receipt.

Don't worry about it.

No, it'll only take a second.

It'll help with your taxes.

Sir, the clothes must be worth $300 or $400!

(faint radio chatter)

Mama?

Why are the police cars at our house?

Honey...

I'll be right back.

See if you can find any datebooks.

Got these photographs here, sir.

Yeah, bag that, all right?

Answering machine tape or any other tapes.

Jerry, you find anything-

What are they doing?

They're helping us, honey.

They're gonna find out all about Daddy.

Somebody killed Daddy, didn't they?

Honey, I don't know.

They did, I know.

I'm gonna take you to Grandma's, okay?

Then I'll come back and help the police clean up.

(phone ringing)

Hello.

Caroline, Chris Paget.

Christopher, what a pleasant surprise!

I'm calling to congratulate you

on successfully rejoining the private sector.

Thanks.

After the Carelli trial,

the offers were too good to turn down.

Well, seems that's my good fortune as well.

I'm in need of a lawyer.

For you?

Yes.

Well, at least you can afford me.

There's no doubt you have motive.

So, what did the police take from your house?

My car and three gray suits.

Obviously, you know what that means.

A potential eyewitness who saw a man in a gray suit.

I wish you had called me before you talked to them.

The only reason I talked to them

is because I didn't do it.

In fact, I assumed he had suddenly found

the good judgment to shoot himself. (chuckling)

What do you think now?

That the police disagree.

They think he was murdered.

(birds chirping)

(slow piano music)

(Terri breathing sharply)

Mama?

I'll be back in the morning before she wakes up

and I should have my place cleaned up,

so we'll go home tomorrow night, okay?

You and Elena will always have a home here.

I know.

Look!

With everything that's happened, I forgot.

It's a present for you from France.

A diary?

Yeah, it reminded me of something.

Didn't you have one like that when I was a kid?

Yes, very much like this.

It's gone now.

Well, now you have another one.

I thought of you.

You know, Mom, I know you think this is wrong,

but I have to be with Chris tonight.

I'm not so old that I don't remember.

(uneasy music)

(dramatic music)

(dog whining)

(dog barking)

(Terri panting)

(water running)

(uneasy piano music)

(slow dramatic music)

Are you okay?

Yeah, I just...

I just had a nightmare.

Are you okay?

No.

I keep thinking...

What do they have?

What do they think they have?

What are you afraid of?

Of being locked away from you,

of not seeing Carlo through to manhood.

(knocking on door)

I love you.

(doorbell ringing)

(knocking on door)

Lock up the house.

Will you pick up Carlo at Nick's tomorrow morning?

And call Caroline Masters.

(doorbell ringing)

(knocking on door)

(faint radio chatter)

Four of you.

You, sir, have been indicted by the grand jury.

We have a warrant for your arrest

in the murder of Ricardo Argos.

You have the right to remain silent.

You have that right.

Anything you say can and will be used against you

in a court of law.

You have the right to an attorney.

If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed by...

(car starting)

(brooding music)

This way, Mr. Paget.

Okay, look straight ahead.

(camera shutter snapping)

All right, gentlemen, bring it in, form a line.

Now, the person charged with this crime may not be here,

so don't pick anyone unless you're sure.

Number five.

I'm sure of it.

(prisoners chattering)

(soft piano music)

Thank you for handling the bail situation so quickly.

Hey, it's my job.

So...

What are your thoughts?

First of all, the DA has to prove

beyond any reasonable doubt that Richie didn't kill himself.

If he can't do that, I go free.

Yeah, suicide's a possible defense,

but based on the crime scene and the condition of the body,

the medical examiner seems convinced

that Richie was murdered.

We not only have the shake her,

we have to give the jury some reason to believe

that Richie wanted to kill himself;

other than good taste, that is.

Script for suicide is not that hard to believe.

Richie had lost his wife, he had no job,

and he was in the middle of a custody fight.

Yeah, maybe, but it's not enough.

I'd like to know every slimy thing Ricardo ever did.

I don't care if it was back in grade school.

I bet you money he didn't start with you and Terri.

Maybe not, but the fact that Richie was a maggot

is not relevant to murder in and of itself.

Do you think your detective friend can help us out?

Johnny Moore, he's already volunteered.

(exhaling) We desperately need other suspects.

As of now, you know the only other decent suspect

as well as I do; better, in fact.

You are not serious.

She's not my client.

In some respects,

Terri is a far more likely murderer than you.

No.

As a matter of strategy?

As a matter of fact?

Both.

(sighing) Then we have our work cut out for us, don't we?

What have they got?

To start with, the woman who identified you in the lineup.

She's a little old neighbor lady peering out her door,

saw a man in a gray suit leave Richie's apartment.

And the kicker, your fingerprints were found

all over Richie's answering machine.

Do you have any explanation for that?

No.

Then we better think of one.

(children playing)

Now, has Chris ever come to your house

just to talk to you?

And where did he tell you this?

Let her go, right now.

Mommy!

Oh, baby.

We are going home, okay?

You wait for a few minutes for me outside?

You scum.

Thank you.

How could you allow this to happen?

I have an obligation to Elena, not you.

You called them?

Yes.

Why?

Elena thinks she knows who killed their father.

She's very upset about it.

And you thought it'd be good for her psychological health

to be grilled by the police without her mother present?

I owed it to Richie.

Do you have any idea of the harm you may have caused?

Do you understand my child at all?

Or any child?

Do you?

Even the court declared you an unfit mother.

(uneasy piano music)

Were you scared, honey?

Well, Miss Warner said not to be,

but they asked all about Daddy.

What about Daddy?

They asked me if I knew who killed Daddy, so I told them.

Elena, what did you tell them?

About how Chris took you away from Daddy and me

and how he was Daddy's enemy.

And he tried to take me away from Daddy too,

but I wouldn't leave Daddy, so Chris killed him with a gun!

Honey, Chris did not kill Daddy.

Yes he did!

Daddy told me Chris is a bad man,

so the police will put him in jail!

(Elena crying)

Shh.

I wish I could help you somehow.

You do help me.

You just have to trust me.

I do.

Chris, I have to tell you about something

that I saw in your closet.

Terri-
It's okay, I don't care.

Listen, everything has changed.

I've been charged with first-degree murder.

You'll be called as a witness.

I know.

Then you know that we can't talk about anything

related to the case or Richie or that night, nothing.

How are we not supposed to talk to each other

about the biggest crisis we may ever face?

So, what do we talk about?

Us.

Our children.

The weather.

(diner guests chattering)

Your eyewitness is named Georgina Keller, 68 years old.

She claims to have seen Chris or a man in a gray suit

come outta Richie's apartment that night.

I need anything you can get on her.

Yeah, well I'll check out her eyesight,

drug or alcohol use, any prescriptions,

what the neighbors have to say.

I might even go so far as to find out

whether she's having an affair with Elvis Presley's ghost.

Good.

Obviously, we can't let this woman's testimony survive.

Understood, now let's get back to Richie.

I assume you wish to sully

this poor man's posthumous reputation.

Exactly, run him through the grinder.

Neighbors, friends, family.

Girlfriends, finances, jobs, business associates,

doctor visits, traffic tickets, legal problems.

I assume you want him to look dirty

or better yet that he had a deep-seated desire

to simplify life through suicide.

I'd also like the names of anyone else besides Chris

who had a reason to dislike him.

Done.

I gotta get going.

Oh...

Chris tells me you're the best.

Funny, that's exactly what he said about you.

I've been working with him now on and off for 10 years,

and I can tell you Christopher

did not blow away some punk with a rusty gun,

whether the punk deserved it or not.

Now, I'm gonna try and find you some other suspects,

but what we could really use is the murderer himself.

Or herself.

Hi.

Caroline?

Teresa!

It's good to see you.

What can I do for you?

Hi, I'm sorry for coming without calling,

but if I'd called, you mighta told Chris that I was coming

and that's what I don't want.

Chris is my client, you know.

I can't promise you confidentiality.

I know, but at least this way once you've heard me out,

you can decide for yourself

without having told Chris that I was coming.

Come in.

What is it you wanna tell me?

I don't presume to tell you how to try this case.

But if suicide is the only defense we have,

we're gonna lose.

How can you know that?

Because I know that Richie did not kill himself.

Why are you so sure?

The note, for one.

It just is not Richie: the style, the language,

most of all the sentiment.

I mean, Richie is the last person on Earth

that would hurt himself.

Other people, yes.

But to feel remorse or to blame himself for anything?

Those are just feelings that Richie isn't capable of.

Why are you telling me this?

Because I don't want Chris

to spend the rest of his life in prison.

He's already suffered enough because of Richie.

And you think this information helps him?

No, I'm making a point.

Which is?

You need a suspect.

Any ideas?

One.

Me.

Just for fun...

What's your reasoning?

I have no alibi.

My motive for killing Richie is even better than Chris's.

He took my daughter, he destroyed my finances,

he tried to wreck the relationship with Chris.

He tried to extort money from me,

my fingerprints are all over his apartment.

I mean, except for the eyewitness,

it's a much stronger case than the one against Chris.

Obviously you've thought this through.

Haven't you?

Have you thought about what might happen to you

if I do too good a job?

I don't think a jury would convict me.

At least, I'd hope to leave a reasonable doubt.

But I'm willing to take the chance.

Well...

You're right, of course.

I have considered it.

I even ran it past a lawyer whose judgment I deeply respect.

He pointed out that trying to make you a suspect

brings it too close to home.

You and Chris are lovers.

It might make you both look guilty.

Second, trying to prove your girlfriend guilty of murder

isn't exactly the act of a gentleman.

The jury might just hate Chris for it.

So, I'm afraid I'm going to have to try to win this case

without pointing a finger at you.

Shouldn't you at least ask Chris?

I already have.

The lawyer I mentioned was Chris.

(Terri sighing)

Please don't tell him I came.

I'll try.

Teresa...

You think Chris killed him, don't you?

So, what do you have in mind?

We might consider reducing this to murder-two.

(laughing) How do you intend to do that,

say Richie composed his own suicide note

and then Chris decided to kill him

in a spontaneous fit of rage?

Oh, come on, Caroline, you've done this before.

Have you ever known a judge

to turn down a deal the lawyers recommended,

no matter how bogus?

So, the bottom line is?

15 to life, plus three for using a gun.

He's eligible for parole in 12.

We'll tell the court we think he acted

under emotional stress due to all the problems with Richie.

Manslaughter, three years max,

assuming Chris condescended to take it.

I'm not prepared to go for manslaughter.

Press'll kill me for it.

Murder-two is the best I can do.

Is this even worth discussing?

No.

Because eyewitness or no, I didn't do it.

No deal.

Thank you, gentlemen.

See you in court.

(uneasy music)

There you go, lady.
Thank you.

Hey.

Are you sure?

There's no way to be sure about anything.

I know you're protecting someone,

and I think we both know who it is.

You and Terri talk about this?

You know we can't talk about it.

I probably shouldn't tell you,

but she came to see me.

Why?

To offer herself up as a possible suspect.

It's only intuition, but I think she believes you're guilty

and is willing to sacrifice herself for you.

And you seem to be trying to do the same for her.

Christopher, it must be love.

Or insanity.

This is a case about secrets and lies.

And more than that, it is about arrogance.

The arrogance of one man who decided that another man

was too inconvenient to live

and too insignificant for anyone to question how he died.

Ricardo Argos was a man like you or me.

He had a daughter that he loved.

He had dreams of starting his own business.

And most of all, he had his wife, Teresa.

And that was the fundamental reason

that Christopher Paget, Teresa's boss,

found Ricardo Argos inconvenient,

because he wanted Teresa for himself.

Victor's going for it.

But Ricardo Argos still had his daughter, Elena,

a child he adored.

He fought to keep her and he won.

The judge in family court

said that Richie was the better parent.

Now, Christopher Paget and Teresa Peralta

had a perfect life envisioned for themselves.

The only problem was (laughing) that this life

did not include Richie Argos.

As it turned out, the night before they flew off to France

was a perfect opportunity for them

to solve this inconvenient little problem,

because it turned out to be a perfect night for murder.

By the end of this trial,

you will know that Christopher Paget

forced Ricardo Argos to write his own suicide note

and then he put a gun in his mouth

and he killed him.

(audience grumbling)

Unfortunately, when this trial is over,

you will not know who killed Ricardo Argos.

Neither will you know whether Ricardo Argos killed himself.

It seems Mr. Salinas wants you to convict Mr. Paget

simply because you like Mr. Argos better.

Aside from a total lack of evidence,

there are two problems with this.

The first is the real Ricardo Argos,

a man of minimal honesty, unable to hold a job,

a man who lived off his wife

and used his daughter for money.

Now, no one deserves to die,

but I think we can understand why a man like that

faced with the truth of his own life

might well consider ending it.

What is far more difficult to fathom

is why Christopher Paget would choose to kill him,

and that is Mr. Salinas's second problem:

Christopher Paget, a man highly trained, highly skilled,

and highly successful in dealing with men

like Ricardo Argos every day without resorting to violence.

Why would a man like Christopher Paget

risk his own happiness and his son's security

to kill a man like Ricardo Argos?

This prosecution makes no sense.

(knocking on door)

You must be Christopher.

Yes, you must be Rosa.

It's a pleasure to see how Terri will look someday.

Please, come in.

Thank you.

Teresa and Elena are upstairs.

I want to talk to you.

I'm sorry for what has happened to you.

It's been difficult.

You love my daughter very much, I know.

There was a time I wasn't sure.

I'm from a different way of life,

where a woman doesn't leave a husband because she's unhappy.

But now I see...

She had to be free of Richie.

Well, none of us are free of Richie yet.

No.

And you are paying the price for Teresa and Elena.

Well, you know, Terri broke away from Richie

against your advice and without my help.

That took courage.

Now she has you.

Perhaps, perhaps not.

Hi.

Hi.

Elena's asleep.

I won't be late picking her up.

You look well together.

Let's go.

(clock chiming)

Mommy!

Don't go with him, he's a bad man!

He killed Daddy! (crying)

Honey, it's okay!

Baby, he did not kill Daddy!

Oh, baby, it's okay.

It's all right, it's gonna be okay.

(pensive music)

Mama.

Dr. Shelton, were you able to establish a time of death?

Mr. Argos was shot sometime between roughly 9 p.m.

on the evening of May 13 and the early-morning of May 14.

And were your findings consistent

with a self-inflicted gunshot wound?

No, they were not.

This was a homicide dressed to look like a suicide,

and not very well dressed at that.

The gun was an old Smith & Wesson

that leaves a lot of gunshot residue, what we call GSR.

Well, there was no GSR on Mr. Argos' hands.

His nose was swollen and had been bleeding prior to death.

Any other factors?

In my experience...

People tend to shoot themselves either standing up,

sitting in a chair, or lying in bed.

Now, Mr. Argos would've had to shoot himself

lying on the floor with his head slightly raised.

I've never seen anyone who did that.

Your Honor, this has been pre-marked

as People's Exhibit #5.

With your permission, Your Honor?

Proceed.

Now, Dr. Shelton, in your professional opinion,

was this the position that Mr. Argos was in

at the moment of his death?

No.

Raise the gun above your nose

and now point it down.

Like this?

Yes.

(Victor chuckling)

But that's not what you believe happened, is it?

No.

Would you help me to illustrate to the court

exactly how you thought it did happen?

(uneasy music)

Like this.

(audience grumbling)

There was no blowback from the gunshot on Mr. Argos' hands,

not from blood or tissue.

Wasn't there blood on Mr. Argos's hand

near his wrist?

Yes, but blowback would've meant a splattering of blood.

His wrist had a blood smear.

And what caused it?

In all probability, the smear was caused

when Mr. Argos wiped the blood from beneath his nose.

Did you ever consider that it was blowback

and that in the act of falling, the blowback was smeared

when Mr. Argos's hand might've crossed his face?

I found no reason to believe it happened like that.

Well, let me see if my theory

doesn't account for the medical evidence.

In a state of extreme distress,

Mr. Argos begins to write a suicide note,

but can't bring himself to finish.

He begins to pace in an agitated state,

holding the gun, oblivious to his surroundings.

Blindly, he trips over the coffee table, hitting his nose,

lands on the floor with the gun.

Stunned...

He wipes his nose.

Then his thoughts clarify.

He knows what he wants to do and he does it,

just like he said in his note.

There was no GSR on his wrists at all.

The only way that Mr. Argos could've shot himself

was if he was wearing a glove.

The medical evidence is inconsistent with suicide, period.

(audience grumbling)

Look, we knew she was gonna be tough, okay?

Don't worry, we'll get it back.

I've gotta go meet our friend Johnny Moore.

I'll see you back here two o'clock.

I need to talk to you.

I know.

You know, I can't come to you at night anymore.

I mean, it's just too hard on Elena.

I understand.

I wish I didn't have to choose between the two of you.

You don't.

Elena's a child, I'm an adult.

I can wait.

Well, can we please have lunch

if I promise not to talk about the trial?

Anywhere you like.

There's this place that makes a great salade nicoise.

This guy Richie was unbelievable.

He spent hundreds of hours and as many dollars.

He's got everybody saying he's Father Knows Best:

the kid's teacher, his priest, the psychologist.

He's even got a quote from Terri's mother

saying how groovy he is with Elena.

Bottom line, he never woulda lost the custody case.

Terri was on her way to losing the kid permanently.

Oh, it says he was seeing a psychologist twice a week.

Yeah, so he could win in court.

Get her, we need her, as soon as possible.

I'm into it.

At our first open house and in subsequent meetings,

Richie, Mr. Argos, seemed a very warm,

very concerned father.

He would drop by or call every week.

I bet she couldn't wait

for those parent-teacher conferences.

Did you ever see any signs of despair in Mr. Argos?

Never.

Except for worrying about Elena, he was very optimistic.

He seemed high on life, in love with his daughter,

very excited about his new business.

He was looking forward to putting the divorce behind him

and getting on with his future.

And when did you last see Mr. Argos?

The day before his wife left for France with Mr. Paget.

Richie was disappointed

that with the custody hearing so close,

Miss Peralta chose to leave the country with her boyfriend.

Richie asked me if he could meet me the next morning

to talk about Elena.

I think he wanted me to testify at the hearing.

And did you go to meet him?
Yes.

I waited an hour, but Richie never came.

(audience grumbling)

Did you have a social interest in Mr. Argos?

I don't know what you mean.

Well, did you have coffee

with the father of any other student?

No, but Elena was a particular concern of mine.

You don't like Teresa Peralta, do you?

No.

Is there any specific reason?

Yes, she slapped me.

(audience grumbling)

What was the occasion?

I was at school in my room.

I had suggested to the police

that they should question Elena.

Elena, Miss Peralta's five-year-old daughter.

Yes.

Did you see fit to inform Miss Peralta

that you were about to set two homicide detectives loose

on her preschooler?
No.

Or for that matter,

did you consult with the school director or psychologist?

No.

Did you consult anyone

on how the violent death of a parent might've affected Elena

or how being questioned by the police would affect her?

No, I did what I thought was right.

Before she slapped you,

did Miss Peralta ask you if you had any idea

of the harm you might be doing?

She may have said something like that.

And didn't you respond by saying she was an unfit mother?

Yes, I think I did.

And then she slapped you.

Yes.
(audience grumbling)

How long after that was it that you called the police

and offered to testify that Mr. Argos wasn't suicidal?

I'm not sure.

Try the next day, Miss Warner.

If you say so.
I do.

No further questions.

(uneasy piano music)
(audience grumbling)

(ominous music)

(water running)

(brush scrubbing)

(dog whining)

(dramatic music)

(Terri panting)

(uneasy piano music)

You perform family evaluations

in child custody cases.

Is that why Mr. Argos sought you out?

Yes, he wanted me to advise him

about the evaluation process.

He knew that the court could order both of them

to be psychologically tested.

He wanted me to help him make it come out right.

And did you test him?

Yes, I administered the standard

Princeton Personality Indicator Test in confidence.

What were the results?

His responses indicated intense self-absorption,

a profound lack of empathy for others,

a disrespect for social norms

and accepted rules of behavior,

a distrust of other people's motives,

and a tendency to see others

strictly in terms of his own needs.

That's an impressive list

of symptoms, Dr. Gates.

Does it have a name?

Sociopath.
(audience grumbling)

And did this diagnosis surprise you?

No, I didn't need a test to tell me that.

How did Mr. Argos react to this label?

He said the test was meaningless

and became quite angry.

Did you feel Mr. Argos

shoulda been given custody of his daughter?

I don't know Miss Peralta at all,

but it is very difficult to imagine the circumstances

in which I would've given Ricardo Argos custody of a child.

(audience grumbling)

Thank you, Dr. Gates.

Dr. Gates...

When did you last treat Ricardo Argos?

The day before he died.

And in the course of your psychotherapy,

did you ever form an opinion as to whether he was suicidal?

Nothing I saw gave me reason to consider

that he might take his own life.

Would you read this for me, please?

This is People's Exhibit #16, Your Honor,

the note that was found with Mr. Argos' body.

"I, Ricardo Argos, ask to be absolved of my sins.

"I ask my wife and daughter to forgive me.

"I have sold them for 30 pieces of silver."

Does this sound like the man you were treating?

No.

I can't believe that the man I saw the day before

would turn around and write this.

Thank you.
(audience grumbling)

It's not gonna be that bad.

You couldn't be in better hands.

Caroline will not only prepare you for everything she'll ask

but everything Salinas will ask as well.

You'll do just fine.

I just wish I could talk to you about my testimony.

I know, but we can't.

Dad, I really don't wanna screw up.

Then tell the truth, that way you won't screw up.

Yeah, but what happens if the truth hurts your case?

Now, listen to me.

Every lie comes with a price,

and there are some I've had to live with for a long time.

Don't try to do that for me, Carlo.

I'll know you're doing it and it'll hurt me.

And if the prosecutor catches you at it,

it could hurt me quite badly.

Wow, no pressure, huh?

Look, if things don't go well for me in court,

I may have to go away for a while,

and we need to talk about a plan for you.

What do you mean?

I mean a plan where you're gonna live while I'm gone.

I can live here with Cecilia.

I mean, she can go on cooking and keeping up the house.

Carlo, you're 14.

You have to live with a parent or legal guardian.

So, what are you saying, go live with Grandma and Grandpa?

No.

I think that Mary can probably arrange

to have you come and live with her.

No, I'm not gonna go live with Mary.

She never wanted me to, even when I was little.

What am I gonna do, pack up all my stuff here

and leave all my friends in the middle of the school year

to go to New York?!

I'm just not gonna do that!

Carlo.

Carlo!
I'm not gonna do it!

(uneasy music)

So, when you returned home at nine o'clock,

did you see your father?

No.
Did that concern you?

No, I guess I thought

he mighta gone out to dinner with Terri.

But if your father had been home,

wouldn't you have seen him?

I guess.

Where's your father's bedroom?

Upstairs, next to mine.

And you went to your bedroom

to get your wallet, right?
Yes.

Now, did you see or hear anyone

in your dad's bedroom?

No.

So, clearly you thought that there was no one home.

(uneasy music)

Yeah.

I thought the house was empty.

Thank you.
(audience grumbling)

No further questions, Your Honor.

(Carlo sighing)

Carlo.

I'm proud of you.

Well, I don't think I helped your case, but...

You know, once you testify, it'll be all right.

If I testify.

How can you not testify?

How can you not tell them?!

I have my reasons.

You have to trust me.

You had plans to dine with Mr. Paget

that last night before your trip

and he canceled them, didn't he?

Yes, he called to say he was sick.

And how did he seem the next morning?

Maybe tired, but all right.

And between seeing him that morning

and the phone call the night before,

you have absolutely no idea where he was, do you?

I know what he told me.

But you have no firsthand knowledge!

No.

Thank you.

But Chris is not a liar and he's not a murderer!

Your Honor?
Miss Peralta.

I'm sorry, Mr. Salinas,

but I had to say what I know in my heart.

(audience grumbling)

(gavel pounding)

Quiet.

Did Mr. Argos have an answering machine?

Yes, I gave it to him because he was so hard to reach.

I thought I'd be more connected to Elena while she was there

if I could at least leave a message.

Where did you get this machine?

From my apartment.

I bought a new one and gave him the old one.

How long before Mr. Argos' death?

A month or two.

And before you gave him this machine, where was it?

In my apartment.

And while it was in your apartment,

so was Mr. Paget, wasn't he?

All the time.

(audience grumbling)

Why have you never said anything before

about the answering machine?

No one asked me.

But Mr. Paget knew about the fingerprints.

We disclosed our evidence to the defense.

Well, I had no idea they found Chris's fingerprints on it.

If I had known,

I gladly woulda cleared up the misunderstanding.

Are you telling me that he never told you?

I'm a witness in this case.

Chris has more integrity than anyone I've ever known.

We've never discussed any aspects of this case.

The only thing he said about testifying

was to tell the truth.

(audience grumbling)
(pensive music)

(gavel pounding)

Goodnight, Caroline, see you tomorrow.

C, I'm glad I caught ya.

I think I'm onto something.

We could use it.

Well, I'm looking for anything I can find about Richie

and I dug up something interesting.

Now, Richie put in a request

for a copy of a coroner's inquest

on a death that happened 25 years ago.

That's odd.

Richie passed the bar, but he never practiced law.

What was the case?

It was Terri's father, Ramon Peralta.

How did he die?

Apparently, he got drunk, he fell down, he hit his head,

and then he bled to death on his own porch.

Why was there an inquest?

I don't know, but it was dropped two days later.

Probably took 'em that long

to find out that he was a staggering drunk.

Richie filed for the copy and then he got it

a couple of weeks before he swallowed the bullet.

What use could that possibly be to him?

My gut instinct tells me

that he was looking for anything that he could find

to drive his ex crazy.

Digging up dirty laundry, it sounds like the kinda thing

I've come to expect from the Richie we know and love.

Oh yeah, he's a real sweetie.

Do you think he found out something

about Terri's family that made her wanna kill him?

I can't imagine Terri, come on.

Yeah.

But maybe not impossible.

(crowd cheering)

(bat thudding)

Yeah!

Run, Carlo!

Run!

Slide!

Safe!

Yeah!

(crowd cheering)

(teammates cheering)

Hey, you made it!

Are you kidding?

I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

So, I thought about what we talked about.

Yeah?

What'd you decide?

Well, I guess it wouldn't be so bad

to live with Mom for a while if (pausing) you know.

Great.

I'll give her a call.

Okay.

(uneasy music)

My apartment is right across from Mr. Argos.

I heard voices, two men arguing.

And then there was a thud,

like something or somebody hitting the floor,

and then nothing.

What did you do then?

I went to the door and cracked it open

as far as the chain.

And what did you see?

I heard a door open in the hallway

and I saw a man coming outta Mr. Argos' apartment.

Could you describe this man?

He was tall...

Mid-to-late-30s.

He wore a double-breasted gray suit,

and his hair was kinda dark.

And did this man do anything?

He stopped for a moment and he shook his hand,

like it was hurt, and then he touched the sleeve of his suit

and turned it as though he was looking for stains.

Did you see his face?
Oh yeah.

Had you ever seen this man's face before?

No, never.

And can you see that man

anywhere in this courtroom, Mrs. Keller?

Yes.

The defendant, Mr. Paget.

(audience grumbling)

Thank you, Mrs. Keller.

Mrs. Keller, are you familiar

with a case called People v. Carelli?

Oh, yes.

That was Mr. Paget's case.
And mine too.

As you may recall, I was the judge in that case.

I thought I recognized you.

Really, how?

From television.

You were on every day.

You watched every day?

Almost.

When Inspector Monk showed you the lineup,

you knew you'd seen Mr. Paget's face before.

That's right.

But when you saw the man in the hallway,

you testified that you'd never seen that man before.

You didn't recognize him at all, did you?

Do you want me to read your testimony back to you?

I said that.

Yes.

So, when you saw the man in the hallway,

you didn't recognize him as anyone you'd seen before.

Well, no.

Let alone Christopher Paget.
No.

Until you saw him.

Then you knew you'd seen Mr. Paget before, on television.

I guess so, I...

Now you got me confused.

No, you're not confused now.

Tell me.

Isn't it true you recognized Christopher Paget in the lineup

because you'd seen him on television?

It might be one reason.

Let's get back to that night.

You heard voices, then a thud.

How's your hearing, Mrs. Keller?

It's fine.

So, after the thud

and before you saw the man in the hallway,

did you hear anything else?

I don't believe so.

Not even a gunshot?

Oh, (pausing) no, I didn't.

Thank you, Mrs. Keller.

No further questions.
(audience grumbling)

(uneasy music)

(ominous music)

(water running)

(man scratching)

Ah! (panting)

It's all right.
Oh god.

Was it the same dream?

Yes, but this time I saw my father dying.

It's only a dream.

I'm here.

I know.

What's up with Victor?

Your Honor, the People ask the court's leave

to reopen the prosecution case

so as to present another witness.

Now?

He sandbagged us.

Just how and when did you discover this witness,

Mr. Salinas?
She discovered us.

She recognized Mr. Paget in the televised news report

of Friday's proceedings.

(scoffing) What is this, another keyhole peeper?

This person met Mr. Paget

in an entirely different context;

a charitable donation, in fact.

Your Honor, a moment, if you please.

Do you have any idea who this witness is?

Yes.

And any chance for a deal with the DA is gone.

Where do you work, Miss Velez?

At the charity store at Mission Street.

And in May, did you encounter the defendant,

Christopher Paget?
Yes, I did, at the store.

He came to my store with two suits,

two shirts, and a new pair of shoes.

Was there any particular reason

that Mr. Paget stuck in your mind?

Well, first I noticed how good-looking he was.

And then those suits, they were so expensive,

and he didn't even want a receipt for the taxes.

And then I saw the stains.

It was like spots or a splatter of something.

Did you try to do anything about the stains?

Yes.

I mean, the suit was so nice

I went and took it home and tried to get the stains out.

And I used soap and stain remover, everything,

but it just wouldn't come out.

It was like ink, I remember thinking, or blood.

My god.

Do you have any idea where these shoes

or clothes are now?

No sir.

We musta sold 'em, 'cause they're gone.

Thank you.

(audience grumbling)

This changes everything.

You have to testify.
I can't.

Spell it out for 'em.
I can't testify!

How much clearer do I have to be?!

So, you want me to stick to this?

No defense, even after today?

I have no choice.

You're sure about this?

Yes.

Then it's closing arguments tomorrow.

I've got work to do.

(Chris exhaling)

You have to testify.

I can't.
Yes you can, you can lie.

No.
It's the only way!

We're losing, Chris!

They think you did it!

If you don't do something, you're going to prison!

And then what about Carlo?

You lied for Mary, why won't you lie for us?!

Don't you think I would if I could?

What lie could I tell that would change things?

Then get on that stand and tell the truth.

(soft piano music)

I'll tell you the truth.

You're not a witness anymore.

You decide.

I didn't kill him.

But you went to Richie's that night.

Yes.

I couldn't stand by and watch while he broke us up

and destroyed Elena's future.

After I talked to you on the phone,

I got in my car and I went to his apartment.

(ominous music)

(wind whistling)

(knocking on door)

Oh, Counselor.

Congratulations.

I'm sorry, I didn't ice any champagne.

I wanna talk.

I already know what you wanna talk to me about.

What's that?

You wanna make an investment in my business.

It's a wise choice.

But did Terri mention I'd only accept cash?

That's not why I'm here.

I'm here to make you understand

that I will not let you ruin her life.

Is that a threat?

It...

It sounded like a threat.

I don't make threats.

I will stop you.

(Richie laughing)

How?

Oh, with your wallet? (laughing)

There are laws against the way

people like you operate: blackmail, fraud.

Oh, you think the law is on your side?

I have the ability, the inclination,

and the resources to stop you.

You know, I don't give a damn about your resources, Paget.

I'm gonna beat you because you have a lot to lose

and I have nothing to lose.

Expect the sheriff to be knocking on your door

within a week to serve you the papers.

(bottle shattering)

You are so irritating me, Paget.

You know...

You know, this woulda been a lot more fun

if we talked about Terri.

I've been curious.

Which of the things I taught her does she do for you, huh?

Do you like that, that thing she does with her tongue?

Or did she only do that for me?

(table clattering)

You stupid son of a bitch.

Now, who's got a lawsuit, huh?

I'll take your little yacht.

Watch me.

(pensive music)

(door creaking open)

(wind whistling)

I even thought for a while maybe it was you.

Crazy, huh?

And now I'm stuck with a lie all over again, Terri.

How do I say, "Yes, I was there"?

"I hit him, but I didn't kill him."

No jury in the world would buy that.

This is a nightmare.

You may be convicted for something you didn't do.

Who killed him?

(engine rumbling)

(dog barking)

(water running)

Mama.

Why was the priest here?

He came to pray for us.

(uneasy music)

Is there any doubt that Ricardo Argos was murdered?

Of course not!

The medical examiner made that perfectly clear.

And no one who knew Ricardo Argos

believed him to be suicidal.

Christopher Paget killed Ricardo Argos.

There's no reasonable doubt about that either.

And for that, Christopher Paget

must be made to pay the price.

I implore you to return a verdict of guilty,

guilty of murder in the first degree.

(audience grumbling)

Did you notice how Mr. Argos disappeared

from Mr. Salinas' closing argument?

Yet when this case opened,

Mr. Argos was the pure-hearted underdog,

battling for the safety of his daughter

against the rich and arrogant Chris Paget.

The banishment of Mr. Argos is the key to this case,

for the one thing Mr. Salinas has proven beyond any doubt

is that the one decent man in this case

is the one he asks you to convict of murder.

The real Ricardo Argos had much to fear:

a life lived in the margins, unemployed and unemployable,

a future of financial desperation, exposure as a sociopath,

and almost certainly the loss of his daughter.

The prosecution's case is founded on the notion

that Chris Paget abandoned the training

and experience of a lifetime and shot Ricardo Argos

with an ancient gun and a rusty bullet.

Why on earth should you believe this?

Ricardo Argos had a better motive for killing himself

than Chris Paget ever had to kill him.

If you cannot condemn Christopher Paget to a life in prison

confident that you are doing justice,

then you must let him go free.

The jury in the Paget case

has been out for two days

and is expected to bring in a verdict shortly.

The surprise witness brought in

on the final day of testimony by the prosecution

has experts predicting a conviction for Christopher Paget.

(phone ringing)

Hello?

Hi.

Hi.

Is it just me or is it crazy for us

to be wasting a minute being apart tonight?

It's crazy.

Elena's asleep.

Can you get away?

I'll say goodnight to Carlo.

I'll be there in half an hour.

Good.

Chris.
I know.

I love you too.

Though there are several key pieces

of physical evidence which the district attorney's office

has been unable to connect to the defendant,

most notably the antique revolver

which was used to kill Ricardo Argos.

It was a Colt revolver of a type

that has not been manufactured since 1909.

Experts testified-
Is that Grandma's gun?

Honey, you should be asleep.

I wanna sleep with you.

Okay, come on.

Come here.

Honey, Grandma doesn't have a gun.

Yes she does.

In the basement.

I found it and I'm not allowed to touch it, never.

She said.

(pensive music)

(tires screeching)

Mama?

Mama?

(knocking on door)

Hello.

Who are you?

I'm a neighbor, Nancy.

Terri's not here.

I was just talking to her, she's expecting me.

Oh, I'm sorry, she had to leave suddenly.

Is something wrong with Elena?

No, Elena's okay, she's sleeping.

Where is Terri?

I don't know.

She had some kind of emergency.

Mama?

Hello?

(soft music box music)

(uneasy music)

(water running)

(man groaning)

Teresa.

(door creaking closed)

You are sleeping, my darling.

It's nothing but a dream.

(Terri breathing sharply)

Don't worry, she'll be here any minute.

(man whispering indistinctly)

Terri, what's going on?

There's something new.

Oh, for God's sake, the jury's in.

I think my mother may know something

about what happened that night.

Do you have any evidence?

Elena said that Grandma had a gun

and I need to talk to her.

I can't find her, I've been looking all night,

but you have to find a way to postpone the verdict.

Terri, I can't stop this now

on the basis of a five-year-old child

saying, "Grandma had a gun."

No, wait, there's gotta be something!

Look, I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do now.

We'll try for an appeal.

That means he's going to prison!

Only if he's found guilty.

An appeal could take months!

I'm sorry, we don't have any other legal options.

So, Mr. Foreman,

I understand that you've reached a verdict.

We have, Your Honor.

Wait, Your Honor!

Wait, please!

You are out of order her, Miss Peralta.

I have new information.

You know that does not matter.

If you don't sit down right now,

I will have you removed from my court.

Thank you.

(clearing throat) The clerk will publish the verdict.

(door opening)

(audience grumbling)

(bullets clanking)

(slow saxophone music)

Help me.

I don't understand, Mama, please.

Please talk to me.

Do you remember the night your father died?

Yes.

I remember everything.

I'm sorry you do.

I...

Had hoped that you would think it had been a dream.

I bought that gun all those years ago

and I hid it in the basement

in case Ramon ever went too far,

if he ever beat me too badly

or if he ever raised a hand to you.

But that night...

It was so bad...

I couldn't get to it.

I believed he was going to kill me,

so I fought back.

I hit him with everything that came to my hand.

And what came to my hand was the iron skillet.

And when he lay on the porch bleeding,

I turned away.

And closed the door.
Yes.

And in the morning, he was dead.

How did Richie find out?

When I was with Ramon and things got really bad,

I'd write things down in a little book.

I remember it, like the one I got in France.

I'd write about the bad times, about Ramon.

His death?
Yes.

And Richie found my diary and he took it.

He must've come to the house when no one was there

and he was looking for anything he could find

to use against you.

He said if I didn't tell the judge to give Elena to him,

he would tell the judge about Ramon.

My god.

Ramon was an animal.

And Richie was like him.

And a man like that could not take Elena.

(wind whistling)

(knocking on door)

What is this, a family reunion?

Come on, go.

Go home, Rosa.

I'm not in the mood to listen to your crying tonight.

I didn't come to cry.

I'll do everything I can for you.

A woman is entitled to some happiness.

You go.

You be happy.

You know, Chris likes you very much, honey.

I know.

That's his boat, the one I told you about.

You think you wanna go for a ride on it?

I don't know.

Hi, ladies.

You here for a ride or you just here to see us off?

Mm, we're not sure yet.

You want a marshmallow?

These are kinda messy, but will you hang onto 'em?

If you don't like it, you can give it to your mom.

How is it?

It's good.

Mm!

That's good.

Is it?
Mm-hmm.

(soft saxophone music)

(seagull squawking)

(soft dramatic music)