Who is Amos Otis? (2020) - full transcript

You don't have to shake
hands if you don't want to.

My name is Jason Johnson.

I'm your court
appointed attorney.

Have a problem with that?

Damn, I was hoping you did.

You're in a world of shit,

and it's gonna get
all over me, so you sure?

Okay.

First, how'd
you get the black eye and cut?

In here?

When they arrested you?



You know, at some point
you're going to need to open

your mouth and speak,
or this thing is going to drag

on forever, and you'll
be staring at me way longer

than you want to be, okay?

- Got it.
- Good.

Thank you.

So, this
is how it's going to go.

I'm your attorney, you have
attorney-client privilege.

That means whatever you say,

whatever
we discuss stays between us.

- So, you understand that?
- Of course.

Good.

Now, here's where we are.

You've been
arrested for killing



the President
of the United States.

I have to say
some folks feel obliged

you took the asshole out.

There's never been
celebrations in the streets

for an assassination before,
but that's politics,

and this is law,
and from the law's perspective,

you will most likely
get the death penalty.

You'll be able
to play the system for years,

but unless we present an
alternative the jury will buy,

you'll be killed.

Do you understand?

Okay.

Now, they have witnesses
and video footage that show

you with your rifle
pulling the trigger two times.

Did you do that?

Yes.

So we can try and convince

the jury
that the evidence is wrong,

that the witnesses
are either lying or confused,

that the footage has
been faked, or tampered with,

or that it's not really you,

to create reasonable
doubt that you did it.

If we create
reasonable doubt, you get off.

And I'm not
saying it's impossible,

but given
the circumstances so far,

it's a long, long shot.

You're obviously good at those,
but this is different.

Or we can take another approach

to try and keep you breathing.

I think an insanity
defense is your best option.

It worked for John Hinckley,
when he shot Reagan.

Do I look insane?

Well, you're here, aren't you?

Yes, I'm here.
Why are you?

I told you,
the court appointed me.

How do I know that?

Like I said,
if you don't want me here.

How do I know you're not a
government agent of some kind?

I am, I'm your court's
appointed attorney.

Do you think
I might be a plant?

Oh, okay. Uh, well,
they don't really need a plant.

I mean,
they have you dead to rights

blowing the president's
head off, plus on top of that,

you wounded
a secret service agent

on video in front of the world.

I don't think
they will feel the need

to stick
a plant in here with you.

You're probably
lucky that black eye

and cut are all
that's happened to you.

Where did you go to law school?

Columbia.

Why would you go
to an Ivy League school,

and then become
a public defender?

Yeah, the,
ah, short answer is, I care.

The long answer is,

it's none of your business
what my motivations are.

You either want me
to represent you or you don't.

What do you think my odds are?

To keep you alive?

Yes.

Zero, if I walk out of here.

I like you.

Yeah, that doesn't
matter either.

It does to me, you'll be fine.

You sure?

Yes.

Okay. Do you mind
answering some questions?

As long as you're not a plant.

Okay. Uh, you know what?

I'm trying
to understand something.

Don't take this
the wrong way, please.

I know what
stereotypes are like, but,

uh, you don't talk
like you're from Tennessee.

You mean I don't sound like
I come from the holler?

Yes, that.

Haven't been there
in a long, long time.

My turn.
What do you know about me?

Your... your truck is registered
in Tennessee to Amos Otis.

You bought your gun
at a gun show in Tennessee.

You had no ID on you
when they caught you,

you're a hell of a marksman.

What do you think
they know about me?

That's all
they knew about an hour ago,

but as they get
more information,

I'll have access to it.

Good.

What are they gonna find?

Let's wait and see.

Where'd you learn
to shoot a rifle, military?

Yes.

When were you in?

Let's wait and see.

I don't get it.

I think
I'm better off as an enigma.

Not with me.

I understand,
but let's assume

they don't find
any information on me.

Okay. It's pretty impossible.

Can they try
someone who doesn't exist?

You exist, you're sitting here.

They'll figure it out.

How about I have
amnesia and I don't remember

where I came
from or how I got here,

or why I wanted him dead?

I don't think
amnesia is a strong defense.

One would have
to be crazy to believe that.

You know what?

Uh, let me think about it,

might be part
of a larger defense.

Next question.

How did you know
he was going to be landing

at Lincoln Airport for a rally?

It was predictable.

He landed there for his last
two rallies in Cincinnati.

But you rented an apartment
across from the airport

two months earlier?

I didn't know
when he was coming here,

but I knew he would eventually,
and that I'd be ready.

Like I said,
he was predictable.

Have you ever
been to a psychiatrist,

or any kind of therapy?

Nope,
I have no medical records.

Everyone has medical records.

I guess we'll see, won't we?

Family?

Nope.

Do you have a terminal illness?

Not that I know of.

Do you think you're sane?

I'm a lot more sane
today than I was yesterday,

and so is the world.

So, that's your motivation?

Yes. Did you like him?

Maybe you haven't noticed
I'm an African-American male.

He gave me zero
reasons to like him.

Didn't wanna
see him dead though.

Really? Never thought about it?

This isn't about me.

Actually it is, but I
understand it's not a sentiment

you want bouncing
around in your brain.

No, and just so you know,

like, like no one
deserves to be killed.

If anyone did though...

And
he was just getting warmed up,

Did you ever stop
to wonder how much damage

he can inflict on the world?

I have
to disagree with something

you said when you sat down.

People have danced in the
streets to celebrate murdered

leaders before, Mussolini,
Saddam Hussein, Gaddafi.

He's in good company.

He was elected president.

He wasn't a dictator.

But he wanted to be, and he
spoke glowingly of dictators.

He loved their power.

He wanted to be
like them, unchecked.

He said as much.

So you killed him?

Someone had to.

Tell you what?
I have what I need for today.

I'm going
to go down to the court house

and see
if there's any new information

we need to be made aware of.

Didn't mean
to make you uncomfortable.

You didn't.

How do you plan
on proving I'm insane?

I know someone, a coach.

A crazy coach?

Yes, and if there's
anyone who can make a case

for an insanity defense,
it's her.

It sounds crazy enough.

Yeah, it is.
Let's hope so anyway.

I'll be back tomorrow morning.

In the meantime,
don't talk to anyone.

Got it.

Is there,
uh, anything you need?

Anyone I should call?

Could you bring me an orange?

You want an orange?

I might
be able to arrange that.

Thank you.

You're welcome.
I'll see what I can do.

I'm glad we caught you. We need
to speak to your client.

About what?

You'll find out.

This is Art Bradley.

He's the head
prosecutor on your case,

and this is Agent Tucker.

He's with the FBI and is
in charge of the investigation.

We ran background
checks on Mr. Otis here.

It turns up, Amos Otis
served two tours in Iraq.

Since being discharged,
he's held various jobs.

The last one as a roofer.

You know this man?

No, I don't.

Ever seen him before?

I don't know him.

That's enough. He answered you.

This is the Amos Otis
your truck is registered to.

He's black.

He's not some
lily white guy and he's dead.

Okay. I think we're done here.

- Did you kill him?
- I said we're done.

He was buried two weeks ago.

We're getting permission
to exhume the body as we speak.

What's going on here?
What's your name?

I thought I was Amos Otis.

Didn't you?

That's not your fucking name.

That's it.
I need to talk with my client.

You need to get out of here.

You need to figure
out who your client is.

No, that's your problem
and Agent Tucker's.

Now get the fuck out of here.

Right.

You talk
to your client, we'll be back.

Pretty crazy, huh?

Who are you?

If I told you,
you'd think I was crazy.

- Good.
- But I'm not.

What difference does it make?

It makes all
the difference in the world.

Whether you die or not?

Whether I'm believable.

That video
is pretty easy to believe.

I know.
Look, I need you to trust me.

Who are you?

You don't need to know,
and don't worry about them.

They'll chase
their tails trying to find out,

but they don't
need to know either.

They had me on video, right?

Just move
forward with your defense.

Send in the crazy coach.

Okay.

For now,
she'll be here tomorrow.

What kind of crazy
do you think I should be?

You're the expert.

Hi. I'm Charlotte Walker.

Hello.

Do you understand why I'm here?

How good are you?

Excuse me?

Have you ever
gotten someone off

on an insanity defense before?

Let's get something straight.

My first role and only role is
to evaluate your mental state.

I'm not here to get you off.

That sounds nice.

But I want someone who can.

Have you ever done it before?

Yes.

There you go. How many times?

Twice.

Less than 1% of insanity
defenses are successful.

So, what are my chances?

I don't know yet.

What's it going to take?

First, you need to understand
that an insanity defense

is not a determination
of mental illness.

It's a legal term.

Determining mental illness
is a psychological process.

The courts and juries
aren't capable of doing that.

So, the courts established
a set of guidelines that need

to be met in order to consider
someone legally insane.

There are only
three guidelines, okay?

The first one is this;
did the defendant understand

that what he was
doing was illegal?

Did you know the difference
between right and wrong?

That's a question.

Did you know that what
you were doing was wrong?

No. It made perfect sense.

I didn't do anything wrong.

Nothing?

Okay. Moving on.
Guideline number two.

Did the defendant not
know what he was doing?

Were you mentally
incapacitated in some way?

I wasn't the one
who was mentally incapacitated.

This isn't funny.

I know. Nothing funny
about it. What's next?

The third one.

Was the defendant
compelled to commit the crime

by an irresistible force?

Do you hear voices?

Screams.

Screams.

Screams
of the innocent, don't you?

Okay. There's one
more thing to keep in mind.

Mental illness isn't
an excuse in and of itself.

If someone has intent, if
they intended to do something,

then insanity can't
be used as a defense.

So let's start there.

Did you intend
to kill the president?

No, I loved Lincoln.

I could never kill him.

He's been dead
over a 100 years.

Then, how could I kill him?

How am I doing?

I don't like how this is going.

Neither do I.

Look, we can sit here
and talk about my relationship

with my mother or if I was
ever abused or if I hear voices

or whatever it says
to do in the playbook.

Or we can talk about
what kinda crazy I need to be.

I have some ideas.

Of course, you do.

Fuck you!

All rise.

Before we start, I want
to apologize to the defendant,

the jury, and to both counsels

for our delay
in starting this trial.

This trial and the reason
we're having this trial has led

to a highly charged atmosphere
throughout our country.

This court has had
three bomb scares in two weeks.

So for safety reasons,

I decided to close
the courtroom to spectators.

I admit it is unprecedented,

but these
are unprecedented times.

To protect the defendant's
rights and to ensure that

the public has access
to this most public of trials,

I've invited a film
crew to film the proceedings

and to provide a live stream
to all major news outlets.

To monitor that the defendant's
rights are protected,

I've asked representatives from

the American Civil Liberties
Union,

the Equal Justice Initiative,

and the Civil Rights Division

of the Department
of Justice to sit in.

Thank you for being here.

The jury has been
given its instructions.

I see no need to delay
this trial another minute.

Will the defendant
please stand?

Mr. John Doe,
you've been charged with murder

in the first degree
for the assassination

of the President
of the United States.

How do you plead?

Your Honor, I object that my
defendant's identity has not

been established,
and therefore, it is impossible

to attribute a crime to him.

The Court has assigned the name
'John Doe' to your client.

The prosecution
has submitted sufficient

evidence to warrant this trial.

Until
law enforcement can establish

your client's identity

or your client wishes
to tell us his real name,

then he will go by John Doe
for the purposes of this trial.

Now, how do you plead?

My client pleads Not Guilty
by reason of insanity,

Your Honor.

Thank you. You may be seated.

Mr. Bradley.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Good morning.
Thank you all for being here.

I think I speak for everyone
that none of us expected

to be in this courtroom today.

I can't imagine that when
you signed up for jury duty,

you thought you'd wind up on
a jury for a trial like this,

kind of trial that has never
been conducted in the history

of this great country.

We have sadly experienced the
assassination of our Presidents

before, but
unlike this defendant,

those assassins never
made it into a courtroom.

But there's no
need to feel overwhelmed.

In fact, it's my job to make
your job as easy as possible.

I promise to do
that because there has never

been a more open and shut
case against a defendant.

We are going
to demonstrate

beyond any reasonable doubt
that the man seated before you,

charged here as John Doe,

knowingly
and with willful intent

killed the President
of the United States.

Now, he may claim that
he does not know who he is.

We will prove that he does

and that his actions served
to not only hide his identity,

but that he planned
his crime

in advance.

We will demonstrate that
he purchased the sniper rifle

used in the attack,

specifically for the purpose
of killing the President,

that he traveled over 300 miles
to commit this crime,

that he rented the apartment

from where the attack
took place,

specifically for the purpose
of committing this crime,

and then he waited patiently

for the opportunity
to stage his attack.

We will prove that
the defendant

is not only mentally competent

but also diabolical

in the planning of
and execution of

the assassination of the
President of the United States.

This was premeditated murder.

Your Honor,
I'd like to call Stan Rosenberg

as my first witness.

Thank you.

Please raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear to tell
the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth,
so help you, God?

Yes.

Mr. Rosenberg,
are you the owner/operator

of the Alpine Terrace apartment
complex on Airport Drive?

Yes, I am.

And do you recognize
the defendant?

Yes, I do.

Was he a tenant
at your complex?

Yes.

- For how long?
- Two months.

Did you personally
rent him the apartment?

Yes, I did.

Anything unusual
in that experience?

Well, yes.

What was that?

Uh, he paid for the first
six months rent in cash.

- In cash?
- Yes.

Did he offer any explanation
as to why he wanted to do that?

He told me he was a pilot,
that he flew corporate jets.

He explained that he owned
a condominium downtown,

he was married,

and he was seeing
another woman on the side

and needed a place
to meet her.

What did you think of that?

I appreciated the honesty.

I've been in this business
for a long time,

and I think I've heard it all.

Uh, when
someone pays cash,

it's gonna raise an eyebrow

and believe me, I've had
my eyebrows raised before,

but usually,
the reason they give,

you know it's a lie

the minute
it comes out of their mouth,

but it's not my job to judge.

It's my job to rent
and maintain apartments.

And as long
as I don't think

there's a threat
to the other residents

of the building,
I say live and let live.

So when a guy comes to me

and doesn't try
to feed me a line,

well, hey,
I appreciate the honesty.

Did he seem like
he knew what he was doing?

Oh, yeah.

And did you ever see him
in the company of a woman?

Do you know
if his story was true?

Nope and nope.

Uh, I don't live
at the building,

uh, so I don't see
the residents

unless there's an issue.

And did he have any issues?

Well, just this one.

How much did he pay
for half a year's rent?

Six thousand dollars.

- In cash?
- Yes.

Where do you think
he got that money?

Well, I've had my share
of corporate pilots

in the building
and they do pretty well.

So I didn't think it was drug
money or anything like that.

What can you tell us about
the apartment he selected?

Uh, he was interested in
the top floor of the building.

- Did he say why?
- No.

Uh, most people prefer
the top floor.

Why is that?

Footsteps.
Don't want to hear them.

Anything else about him?

Uh, not that
I can think of.

I thought he was a nice guy.

You still think that?

One last question.

The top floor,
it has a balcony, yes?

- Yes.
- The view from the balcony,

can you see the airport
from there?

Yes, it's a mile away
but yes.

Can you see the tarmac
in front of the control tower?

Probably need binoculars
but yes.

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

Mr. Johnson.

Reserve the right to cross,
Your Honor.

Very well.

Thank you, Mr. Rosenberg.
You may go.

Your Honor, I'd like
to call Mr. Frank Jenkins.

Mr. Jenkins.

Please raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear to tell
the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth,
so help you, God?

I do.

Hello, Mr. Jenkins.

Would you mind telling
the court

if you recognize this weapon?

Oh, I'm sorry.

It's a little too dark
in here, don't you think?

Excuse me?

You heard me.

Do you recognize
this weapon, Mr. Jenkins?

Yes, I used to own it.

How do you know
that this was your rifle?

The, the brown streaks
and the camouflage paint,

I added those.

These?

Yes.

This is your work.
You're positive?

Yes, they don't come
with the brown streaks.

I call it custom camo.

Does anybody else
do custom camo?

On a CheyTac M200?

Not hardly.

Not hardly?

Just me, nobody else.
It's my gun.

Thank you.

What happened to it?

I sold it at a gun show.

Do you remember
who you sold it to?

I sure do.

Is that person
sitting in this room?

Yeah, right there,
the socialist prick.

- Objection.
- I hope you fry his ass

and feed his drizzled carcass
to the fucking dogs!

- Fuck you.
- Order.

Please instruct
your witness that outburst

is a grounds
for contempt of court.

Sorry, Your Honor.

Please proceed.

Thank you, Your Honor.

What can you tell us
about this weapon?

It's a finely-tuned

high-performance
killing machine.

Why do you say that?

Well, it's the preferred
weapon of Navy SEAL snipers.

It has an effective range
of 1.4 miles,

which is farther than
any other rifle in the world.

It holds the world record
for accuracy.

It can split a walnut
from over a mile away.

This was your weapon?

Yes.

Are you a dealer?

No.

How did you sell this at a gun
show if you're not a dealer?

There's a flea market
right next to the show.

You register,
give them 100 bucks,

and you can sell
all your personal weapons.

Is that where
you met the defendant?

- Yes.
- Tell me.

Did he seem like
he knew what he was doing?

Yes, he told me
he was a Navy SEAL.

Why did you sell it?

I needed the money.

I've got lung cancer.

No insurance.

I don't need a rifle anymore.

How much
did you get for it?

Six grand.

In cash?

Yeah, in a, uh,
uh, manila envelope,

like something
out of the movies.

Thank you, Mr. Jenkins.

Nothing further,
Your Honor.

Mr. Johnson.

Right to redirect,
Your Honor.

Nothing now?

No, Your Honor.

Ms. Woodburn, would you state
your occupation for the jury?

Yes. I'm in charge of security
for the Corwin Institute.

And where's
the Corwin Institute located?

5921 Airport Drive.

Is that next door
to Alpine Terrace Apartments?

Yes.

Does the Corwin Institute
use video cameras

as part
of its security system?

- Yes.
- How many?

- 24.
- And, by chance,

would one of those cameras
have been directed

at Alpine Terrace Apartments?

- Yes.
- Why is that?

It wasn't supposed to be.

What do you mean?

It's mounted on our roof

and we had a huge storm
the day before,

and it must have broken off

one of the clips
that held it.

It wound up pointing
at Alpine Terrace.

Are they monitored
in real time?

Yes, they are.

Were they being monitored

on the day of the
President's assassination?

Yes and no.

They're not monitored
full-time.

Our video officer
makes rounds, eats,

goes to the bathroom,
stuff like that,

and isn't stationed at the
monitor desk 24 hours a day.

Um, no one
was watching the monitor

at the time of the shooting,

so I ordered
a full review of the tapes.

What did you discover?

Footage of that man
over there,

setting up and shooting a rifle

on the balcony
of Alpine Terrace,

recorded precisely at
the time of the assassination.

How do you know it
was the precise time?

There is a time code
on the video.

Would you be able to verify the
tape if I played it for you?

Yes, absolutely.

Your Honor, request permission
to show the jury

the footage on the tape?

Very well.

Will the Bailiff
please prepare the room?

12:14:58,
remember that number.

We're going to show
you news footage

of what the defendant
was aiming at

at precisely this moment,
but first...

the first shot went through

Secret Service Agent,
William Winslow's thigh,

and you will see
Agent Winslow grab his thigh

and collapse forward
towards the shooter,

leaving a clear shot
on the President,

which blew
the President's head off.

Please, instruct your client
to sit down.

I'd like to change my plea,
Your Honor.

- Hey.
- I think you should sit down

and talk to your attorney.

I plead self-defense,
Your Honor.

I'm not guilty
by reason of self-defense.

I request a recess

so I can talk to my client,
Your Honor.

If this is some kind of scheme,

you'll need more
than a recess.

- Do you understand?
- Yes, Your Honor.

- What the hell was that?
- That was fucking powerful.

You think I stand
a chance against that?

Yes.

You didn't raise one objection.

We're not challenging
whether you did it or not.

It doesn't matter.
Where did you come up with this

- self-defense crap?
- It was.

Well, that's the craziest thing
you've said yet.

You need
to put me on the stand.

Are you out
of your fucking mind?

What if I am?
Isn't that what we want?

- I need a plan B.
- Plan B?

- You barely have a plan A.
- I know.

Our crazy expert
versus their crazy expert

isn't going to cut it.

What would you say?

Something they'll think
is crazy: the truth.

- What do you mean the truth?
- Everything.

Where I'm from, my name, I'll
give you a list of questions.

Putting you
on the stand is nuts.

I know.
That's why I need to do it.

Please,
raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear to tell
the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth,
so help you, God?

I do.

Agent Tucker,
as lead investigator

into the assassination
of the President,

did you do a ballistics test
on the weapon

and on the bullets found
at the scene?

Of course, we did.
The rifle used by Mr. Doe

is a 100% match with the
bullets found that killed

the President
and wounded Agent Winslow.

- How many shots were fired?
- Two.

How many bullets
were recovered?

- Two.
- Where did you find them?

In the tarmac.
They blew through both bodies

and wedged in the concrete.

Were you able
to tell the direction

from which the bullets came?

We did a computer analysis.

Do you mind sharing that
with us?

This is the tarmac
where the President

and Agent Winslow were shot.

The red lines
are each bullet's path.

They lead directly to Mr. Doe's
balcony on Alpine Terrace.

So in your opinion,
do you think that

- the gunman acted alone?
- Yes.

- No conspiracy?
- Not in pulling the trigger,

and we found no evidence of
anyone involved with Mr. Doe.

Nothing further with
this witness, Your Honor.

The prosecution
is prepared to rest its case.

Mr. Johnson,
would you like to cross?

I just want to verify one thing
you said, Agent Tucker,

something about finding
no evidence of anyone

involved with Mr. Doe,
is that true?

Yes.

In fact,
isn't the fact that

you're calling him Mr. Doe
indicative of something else?

Yes.

Does it indicate
that you don't have

any evidence as to who,
in fact, Mr. Doe is?

Yes.

How is that?
You're with the FBI, correct?

Yes.

And don't you have pretty
advanced methods to figure

- something like that out?
- Yes.

Do you still do fingerprints
and things like that too?

Yes.

And as far as you can tell,

Mr. Doe here
just doesn't exist?

He exists all right,
but no, we found nothing.

Okay.

Well, just wanted
to be clear on that.

That's all I have,
Your Honor.

Redirect, Your Honor.

Mr. Bradley.

As long as
we're being clear on things,

is it possible that someone
would have no records?

- Sure.
- How is that?

Sophisticated hackers
can make things disappear.

And is it possible that Mr. Doe

over there is
a sophisticated hacker?

Oh, I'd say probable.

Objection.
Opinion, Your Honor.

Expert opinion.

Based on what?

Overruled.

Thank you.

Your Honor, prosecution rests.

Re-cross, Your Honor.

Mr. Johnson.

Tell me, Agent Tucker,
how would you determine

that someone was
a "sophisticated hacker"?

We trace
their computer records.

And when you traced
my client's computer records,

what did you find?

He didn't have a computer.

Oh,
did he have a phone?

No.

So your suggestion
that my client

was a sophisticated hacker
is based on what?

He doesn't have any records.

Everyone has
a record of some kind.

- Can you prove he's a hacker?
- No.

Even with all
the resources and technology

- available to the FBI?
- No.

So what you said is just
a guess on your part, correct?

Based on what I know, yes.

Do you know anything
about money, Agent Tucker?

Yes.

Then how much change
do I have in my pocket?

I don't know.

But you could guess, correct?

Yes.

Well, how much is there?

I don't know.

Don't wanna take a guess?

I mean,
you know about money.

No, thanks.

Then don't guess
about my clients.

I'm done with this witness,
Your Honor.

Thank you.
Please, take your seat.

Okay.

Well, then Mr. Johnson, are
you ready to present your case?

Yes.

Then, please proceed.

Your Honor,
I'd like to call the defendant

as our first witness.

Are you sure about that?

- Yes.
- Very well.

Will the defendant,
please take the stand?

Please raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear to tell
the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth,
so help you, God?

I do.

What is your real name?

Gordon Nicholson.

Where are you from?

The future.

Objection.

Order.

You are not going to turn
my courtroom into a circus.

He has the right
to tell his story.

I told you, if you were up
to some kind of scheme,

I will so joyfully
find you in contempt of court.

No scheme.
Your Honor.

- Proceed.
- Thank you.

So, Mr. Nicholson,
when you say

you're from the future,
what do you mean by that?

Forty years from now.

- Objection.
- What grounds?

This is nonsense.

Not a legitimate grounds,
so overruled.

But your objection
will be taken into advisement.

You'll have an opportunity
to cross examine the witness

if that makes you feel
any better.

Your Honor, this is highly
unusual testimony bordering...

Yes, well, let
Mr. Johnson present his case.

Mr. Johnson?

Yes.

You are
on a short, short leash.

Don't make me jerk it.

I understand.

Proceed.

You have to admit that
sounds pretty far-fetched.

Yes, but it's the truth.

How did you get here?

My body was squared
and sent back in time.

What do you mean squared?

Sorry, it's a term
we use to describe

how our molecules
are deconstructed

and sent through time faster
than the speed of light.

It's a reference to Einstein's
theory of relativity,

E=mc2.

Einstein maintained that

if you could surpass
the speed of light,

you could travel back in time.
He was correct.

If that's true,
why are you sitting here?

Why not go back to the future?

A couple of reasons.

First, the machine that sent
me here doesn't exist here.

It won't be invented
for another 30 years.

What's another one?

The world I came from
won't be the same.

I may not have even been born.

How's that?

The death
of your president

changes the course
of history, hopefully.

So you're suggesting that
in the world you come from

our future, this president
had not been assassinated?

Yes.

And what you've done
could change the future?

Yes.

Is that why you're here?

Objection.
This is a mockery.

Overruled.

Save it for your cross,
Mr. Bradley.

Is that why you're here?

Yes, we determined
an intervention was called for.

- Why?
- My world.

Your world,
40 years from now,

is on fire.

It's on
the brink of destruction.

Thirty percent
of the Earth's landmass

that exists today
has been destroyed by fire,

oceans have swallowed up
60% of the continents.

Entire cities and countries
had been eliminated

by typhoons and hurricanes.

Japan is gone.

Central America is gone.

Mexico is gone.

All that's left
of South America

is the central part of Brazil.

Florida and
the Eastern Seaboard are gone.

The Earth's population
is down to one billion people.

Famine is rampant.

There is no rule of law.

Gangs and tribes
control territories

instead of governments.

People are shot in the street
on a regular basis.

There is no order, only chaos.

Your Honor, this is crazy.

Your Honor
I believe Mr. Bradley

had my client examined
for any mental health issues

and provided expert testimony
to the court

stating that my client
is not mentally ill.

I suggest he refrain
from slandering my client

and attempting
to prejudice the jury

unless he's prepared
to accept our insanity plea.

Mr. Bradley?

He's not insane,
this is insane.

No, this is my courtroom
and I suggest you respect it.

I'm sorry.

- Proceed.
- Thank you.

Let's talk about the testimony
we heard earlier, okay?

Yes.

Your landlord, Mr. Rosenberg,

stated that
you rented his apartment

two months in advance
of the rally, correct?

Yes.

And the rally wasn't announced
until the day before?

- Yes.
- How did you know

there was going to be
one here on that day?

You call this
the information age, correct?

Imagine how much information
is available 40 years from now.

We looked it up.

Both Mr. Rosenberg
and Mr. Jenkins

indicated that
you had large sums of cash.

Did you bring
the cash with you?

Cash?

Your cash is going to
be confiscated in 10 years.

So, no,
no cash where I'm from.

I picked up the cash when
I arrived here.

From where?

Amos Otis.

The person
whose truck you drove here?

Yes.

He was found dead.

Heart attack
on his couch.

If they haven't found that
out yet, they will.

The cash?

It was sitting on his coffee
table next to a box of opioids.

He lived alone.

I stopped by
the night he died.

So you knew
when he was going to die

and that he had all that cash?

It was in the newspaper.

I took the cash and the truck
before he was found,

no one missed it.

Okay.

So you buy the rifle,
drive here,

rent the apartment,
wait for the rally.

Why not just come here
right before the President

was arriving
if that was your plan?

We needed all the other pieces.

We ran analytics,
probability tests

to map out
the best-case scenarios.

We needed cash to navigate,
a weapon for the mission,

a point of attack,
and a place of attack,

and the shortest lead time

to minimize
the threat of discovery.

That led us here,

where the cash, rifle,
apartment, and rally

were all in the same region

and available
within a two-month window.

Did you look at other options?

Of course, runner-up

was a rally in Kansas City
in a month,

but it had a longer window,
so it was riskier.

You make it sound,
well, pretty clinical.

Our world was at risk.

We had the ability
to try to save it.

We needed
to take our best shot.

We can't control what
happens here in this room,

but what happens here
will change history too.

It's an overwhelming
responsibility.

You've placed
a lot of responsibility

for the future
on the President.

Can you be more specific?

What was he doing that was
so bad we couldn't overcome it?

Your country is racing
towards civil war

and he was leading the charge.

Divide and conquer
had been his mantra

since he announced
he was running for president.

He used the tools
of propaganda to influence

enough people
to keep him in office.

He exploited their fears,
he incited their anger,

and their anger
is a powerful weapon.

I know a lot
of you voted for him.

I know a lot
of you want me dead.

I know how strange
this must sound to you.

Think about
what he's done so far.

Neighbors
won't talk to neighbors.

The world order
that had kept order

since World War II
has been destroyed.

Your trusted allies who have
stood by you for decades

had been cast aside.

Tyrants
are supporting tyrants

to squash dissent
wherever it arises.

Your president supported them.

Your freedom of speech
is under assault.

Criticism of his regime
is not tolerated

and the source
of any criticism or objection

is targeted for retribution.

He has used every tool at his
disposal to silence dissent,

whether those tools were
legal or not, did not matter.

He had no respect
for the rule of law

unless he could use it
to protect his regime.

You're divided
by race and religion

and class like never before.

He inspired racists
to come out of the shadows

and spew their hatred.

And you haven't
seen anything yet.

He would have rigged
and stolen the next election

and been emboldened
with more power than ever,

fascism would be an improvement
over what was in store for you.

Hitler was a lightweight
compared to the president

you watched lie
every day and applaud.

Objection. He cannot compare
the President to Hitler.

You are right, no comparison,
and it would be too late

before you
figure it out.

Mr. Bradley, just because you
don't like what you hear,

does not give you the right
to object to his testimony.

There's one thing
I can assure you,

and that is when history
looks back on this trial,

this man will have
received a fair one.

Do you understand?

If you have an objection,
please state your grounds.

This is a complete
and total fabrication,

he is making a mockery
of this court room.

I'll be the judge of that.

If you don't agree,

I can always bring in
another prosecutor.

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

That won't be necessary.

Okay then, we'll proceed.

And I'll remind the
people in this court room

that outbursts
will not be tolerated.

I have no problem throwing
people out of here.

Thank you.

Don't thank me.

Some of us still
believe in the Constitution.

And remember, this is
not a town hall meeting,

this is a trial.

Answer the questions.

Your opinions are of no
concern to the court.

Proceed.

That's not a very positive
picture of the future.

Why should anyone believe you?

Because they know it's true.

In their gut,
they know it's true.

They just don't
want to believe it.

They can't imagine
it could be happening,

not in America, but every
red flag is flying high.

Some will never admit it,
but I know it.

Instead of believing in
the ideals of their country,

they believed in him
because he told them to,

he told them what to believe
and when to believe it.

Now he can't.

Time will tell if
they ever come to their senses.

History will be their judge.

Let's hope they do.

If the President
was so dangerous,

why not travel back to
the time before he got elected

and stop it
before he got started?

We debated that,
but in the end,

we realized he could
serve a purpose.

It could be a wake-up
call to the world.

Kind of like the bombing
of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

We thought if you could get
a glimpse of the destruction

he could cause
with the power of

the United States presidency,
you might work more diligently

to see that it would
never happen again.

With him gone,
we hope the world will realize

what it almost lost
and work harder

to achieve positive things.

We hope it unleashes
a wave of goodwill

and optimism and cooperation.

We hope the world unites
instead of divides.

It has to.

Our future is at stake.

Near the end of the
prosecution's case,

you stated that
you wanted to change

your plea to self-defense.

Can you explain
what you meant by that?

My world was being destroyed
because of his actions.

My family was destroyed
because of his actions.

I was about to be destroyed
because of his actions.

How were you
about to be destroyed?

I'm a scientist.

I was charged with being
an enemy of the people.

It's a charge he perfected.

Was he still president?

No.

He died 20 years ago
in my world.

But his son took over and was
even more destructive and vile.

When lies become the truth

and the truth becomes lies,

democracy dies.

He was on the verge of
killing democracy forever.

And if that happened,
the world as you know

it would cease to exist

and the world I grew up
in would be born.

A world where science
is considered a cult

and those who practice it
are subject to termination.

What do you mean
by termination?

Shot on sight.

I don't understand,
why scientists?

Scientists predicted
the devastating role

a changing
climate could have on Earth.

It came true.

Your president
called it a hoax.

It was easier to believe that

it was a hoax than to do
something to try to stop it.

So when it came true,

it had to be discounted.

The best way to discount it

is to discount the
messengers of truth.

We were targeted for removal.

To survive,
science was forced underground.

Both my parents
were scientists,

they were leaders
in their field.

My mother graduated
from Harvard

with a PhD in astrophysics.

My father from MIT

with a PhD in
environmental science.

They worked in a diner
to avoid being discovered.

One day they were discovered...

And they disappeared.

Do you know what it's like

to have your parents
just disappear?

What about you?

I was a concrete finisher.

And a scientist?

Yes.
I'm part of the resistance.

We meet in abandoned malls.

The machine that
sent me back here

was built in the basement
of the Mall of America.

Your Honor,
how long will you make us

listen to this insanity?

I suggest you button it up,
Mr. Bradley,

you'll get your turn.

But this is ludicrous.

No, it's the
defendant's testimony.

The court recognizes
that it's highly unusual,

but there's nothing
usual about the crimes

this man is charged
with committing.

So we will hear him out

as long as his testimony
is relevant to his defense.

And I suggest you do the same.

Unless he says something that

you have a legitimate
legal objection to.

It's just...

Yes, it is.

Please proceed, Mr. Johnson.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Um, you said that
you were targeted.

Was anyone else
targeted like that?

The media is
under attack today.

The truth is under attack
wherever it comes from.

And yes,
the media was targeted

and eventually
journalists were terminated.

But they weren't
the first to go.

Who was first?

Attorneys.

Why attorneys?

To undermine the rule of law

and the media
helped fuel the fire.

People loved stories of
attorneys going to jail,

big ratings, and no one
stood up for them.

Once attorneys were gone,
journalists were next.

There were no attorneys left
to defend them.

Then scientists, then artists.

Eventually, as time went on,

anyone who presented
a threat to the regime

was called a traitor
and targeted.

Once you're targeted,
a bounty is placed on you.

Anyone can turn you in
or kill you for it.

Anyone.

So we live in constant
fear of our neighbors,

our coworkers, our friends,

anyone who's not a
part of the resistance.

Was there bounty on you?

Yes, of course.

How much?

In your world,
it would be about $50.

Fifty dollars?

When you cheapen
the value of life,

it becomes easier to destroy.

Everything is disposable.

The destruction
of your institutions

became a way of life.

Things like public education,

your intelligence,
and environmental agencies.

Even the appellate court,

one by one gone,
became the norm.

He was even working
on religion.

Didn't like the competition.

Your institutions
didn't disappear

because of new
technologies or competition,

they disappeared because they
threatened his regime.

He saw them as the enemy.

You mentioned your parents,
did you have any other family?

No.
It's one of the reasons

I was chosen to go
on this mission.

We knew
I was never coming back.

What's another one?

I was drafted into the military

when I was younger
and trained as a sniper.

Drafted?

Yes. He started so many
wars around the world

that the draft
had to be reinstated.

After his re-election,

your world never
saw peace again.

Now you have a chance at it.

When you decided to go
on this mission

and knew you couldn't return,
did you think about

what might happen to you
if you were successful?

Yes.

We knew I'd either be caught
or killed in the process.

And if you were caught,

what did you think
would happen to you?

I'd be terminated.

So knowing you couldn't return
and you most likely die,

you still chose to do this?

- Yes.
- Why?

We had no choice.

It was a suicide mission.

Yes.

Do you want to die?

No.

Do you have a terminal illness?

No.

Our world was terminal.

I was the best option.

Do you truly think
you've saved the world?

No.

I made a course correction,
a reboot.

You were on a different
path before he was elected.

Now you have a chance
to get there.

It doesn't mean you will.

What happens next is up to you
and the rest of the world.

What do you mean by a
different path that we were on?

There was worldwide cooperation

on protecting the planet
from climate change.

We're hoping we're not too late
and that that's still possible.

I bet my life on it.

There was a global economy

where countries were
reliant on one another

and cooperated
and created new industries

where growth was
ongoing and sustainable.

Renewable energy was poised

to become the next
industrial revolution.

That can happen now.

Countries around
the world embraced science

and worked together
to maintain peace,

to fight tyrants, to fight
terrorists, to fight injustice.

That's an entirely
different path

from the one you've been
on since he was elected.

I hope you succeed.

My world depends on it.

I think that may be
a good place to stop.

Is there anything else
you want to tell the jury?

Yes.

One week from today,

there will be an
earthquake in Bangkok,

8,428 people will die.

Temperature in Duluth,
Minnesota

will be a high of
73 degrees and a low of 65.

And the tide
will crest at sunrise

at four feet in Rio de Janeiro.

Objection.
That is blatant conjecture.

Sustained.

Jurors,
you are to disregard

that last statement
from the defendant.

Please strike the
testimony from the record.

Please proceed, Mr. Johnson.

Your Honor, we're done with
our testimony for today.

I'd like to reserve the right
to question my client again.

Duly noted.
Take your seat, please.

Okay, then I think
we'll call it a day and begin

cross-examination
tomorrow morning.

- Is that okay with you?
- Yes. Your Honor.

We're ready
whenever you wish.

Very well then.

I'd like to remind the jury

that they've been
sequestered for a reason.

You're not allowed to watch TV,
read the newspaper,

or expose yourselves
in any way to coverage

of this trial
via the media,

social media,
or through your relationships.

We'll reconvene at
9:00 AM tomorrow morning.

Gordon Nicholson
doesn't check out.

Nothing checks out
about this guy.

- That was something.
- Yeah.

I couldn't get a
handle on the jury.

No kidding.

Well, do you think
he's telling the truth?

You know,
whatever he's telling,

he sure seems
to believe it, so.

Or he puts
Charles Manson to shame.

That's what I'm afraid of.

Or maybe he's just
that good of an actor.

Well, John Wilkes Booth
was pretty good.

Did you send her the testimony?

Yes.

Have a seat.

I wanted to talk to you

about Bradley's
cross-examination today.

Looking forward to it.

Yeah. Bet you are.

But I wanted to talk about
something else first.

Shoot.

What was your
father's first name?

George.

Are you sure?

Pretty sure
I know my father's name.

Just so you know,
my parents are off-limits.

Their lives cannot
be interfered with.

It could change
the course of history.

They need to live their lives

normally wherever they are
or else I might not be born.

I could disappear
right in front of your eyes.

That might be a good thing.

I'd rather not find out.

And your country
would rather not find out.

Please, forget about them.

And you really believe that?

Don't you?

Don't you?

I don't know what to believe.

Good.
The jury won't either.

Leave my parents alone.

All they need
is one X-Files fan.

Didn't think about that
during jury selection.

I think you better start
thinking about a plea deal.

Do you want to take the
death penalty off the table?

I think you better
start thinking

about getting disbarred.

We're gonna fry his ass.

You think he's insane,
don't you?

And if you think he's crazy,

what do you think
the jury thinks?

I don't think he's crazy.

You must be though.

He's just a liar and a con.

Believe what you want.

You're sure you want
to take that chance?

All I need is one
Trekkie on the jury.

All I need is
one lie out of you

and you can kiss
your license goodbye.

Your client is all mine today.

Just think about it.

All rise.

You may be seated.

Hope everyone
had a relaxing evening.

I believe it's your turn,
Mr. Bradley.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I'd like to recall
the defendant,

John Doe to the stand.

Mr. Doe, please be seated.

You are still
sworn in from yesterday.

Do you understand?

Yes, Your Honor.

Now, before we get started,

I just have to say that your
testimony so far has just been

the wildest charade
that I have ever experienced.

Wow, oh, wow.

You can really tell a story.

I mean,
corporate pilot, Navy SEAL.

Oh, and my favorite Future Man.

So congratulations on that.

Just amazing.

Now, Mr. Doe,
or is it Mr. Nicholson,

or... or maybe you'd like
to be somebody else today.

What would you like me
to call you?

My name is Gordon Nicholson.

You may call me whatever
you like, Mr. Bradley.

Well, we did a background
check on Gordon Nicholson

and I have to tell you,
none of the Gordon Nicholsons

we could find seemed
to match up with you.

Why do you think that is?

Objection.
Leading the witness.

I'll rephrase that, Your Honor.

Do you realize you're
committing perjury

with your testimony
in this court?

I'm telling the truth.

You just don't want to hear it.

I'll tell you
what I want to hear.

Why did you make up
another name for yourself?

What are you trying to hide?

There are no records on me
because I haven't been born.

Oh, right.
Future Man, the time traveler.

Well, Future Man,

who's going to win
the lottery tomorrow?

I don't know.

Don't know.
Well, wh... why don't you know?

I thought you could
predict the future?

I'm not a psychic.

I'm a historian.

A historian.

Terrific.
Let me get this straight.

A corporate pilot,
Navy SEAL, and historian.

Yes. Oh, and let's not
forget the big one,

time traveler
sent to save us all.

Well, Mr. Time Traveler,

tell me, do you own
a flux capacitor?

What's a flux capacitor?

How about a DeLorean.

I don't understand
the question.

Haven't you seen
Back to the Future?

Is it a movie?

Yes. About returning
from the future,

and the flux capacitor
was absolutely critical

to their ability to
travel through time.

So you mean to say that
you've traveled through time

and you don't know
what a flux capacitor is?

What kind of
time traveler are you?

A successful one.

No. An imaginary one,

just like the movie.

I'll grant you.
You have quite an imagination.

You could've had a
future in Hollywood

making up grandiose
science fiction stories.

It's too bad you
chose to assassinate

the President of the
United States instead.

It's too bad.
You chose to be

Lee Harvey Oswald instead
of Steven Spielberg.

Oswald was from the future.

Oswald was from the future.

Of course.

Why didn't anyone
think of that?

They didn't get the chance.

There was never a trial.

Did Oswald have
a flux capacitor?

No, he used the prototype
of the machine I used.

Your Honor,
how much of this lunacy

do we have
to put up with?

Are you suggesting
my client is crazy?

Yes.
Are you suggesting something?

No, Your Honor.

Then proceed.

Okay. Love to.

I think
we've given Mr. Doe here

ample time for his
flights of fancy.

I'd like to move on.

Mr. Doe
or how about Marty McFly,

how did you feel
about our president?

- I didn't know him.
- Did you hate him?

I didn't have
any feelings for him.

Why did you kill him?

His actions would destroy me
and the rest of the world.

Oh, yeah, I forgot.

You were on a mission

- with clear intent, yes?
- Yes.

Would you say that your intent
was to destroy this country?

No, the opposite.

Are you aware that
there are riots happening

in the street as we speak?

Are you aware that this
country is coming apart?

Was that your intent?

No, but we knew there would be

a high probability rate
for internal strife.

Internal strife.

People are dying every day in
the streets because of you.

This is not some fantasy world.

This is real.

So that was not your intent?

Correct.

But you had clear intent. Yes?

Yes.

- To save the world.
- Yes.

You knew this could happen
and you did it anyway.

You survived a civil war.
You'll survive this.

Oh, yeah, Future Man again.

Well, Future Man,

you're not just an assassin.

You're a terrorist.

- Objection.
- Overruled.

Fits the definition.

Do you remember
the video we played?

Yes.

Was that you in the video?

It looked like me.

- But was it you?
- Yes.

So you don't deny
killing the president?

I would not deny that, no.

Did you kill the president?

- Yes.
- Why?

I told you,
to protect the world.

You believe
he had to be stopped?

Yes.

So you purchased
a sniper rifle,

rented an apartment,
and then waited for the

president to go
to one of his rallies?

- Objection.
- I'll rephrase that.

Did you purchase a sniper
rifle, rent an apartment,

and wait for the president
to go to one of his rallies?

Yes.

Did you shoot the president

and Agent Winslow
with intent to kill?

Not Agent Winslow.

He was innocent, but I had
to shoot him in the leg

to give me a clear shot
on the president.

Did you shoot the president
with intent to kill him?

Yes.

Thank you.

Please note that
the defendant has just

admitted to
planning out his attack

and to shooting the
president with intent to kill.

All insanity pleas are based on
the intent to commit the crime.

We've just met
our burden of proof.

Congratulations.

We have no further questions,
Your Honor.

Very well. Mr. Johnson?

Redirect, Your Honor.

Thank you, Mr. Bradley.

Okay. I'm confused.

When Mr. Bradley was asking
his questions,

you mentioned that Lee Harvey
Oswald was from the future.

Yes.

That doesn't make sense to me.

John F. Kennedy was revered.

Why would someone from the
future want

to assassinate one of our most
respected presidents?

Objection.
Relevancy, Your Honor.

The subject was introduced
under Mr. Bradley's cross.

It was relevant then.

Overruled. You may proceed.

Okay. Again, why would
someone from the future

want to assassinate
President Kennedy?

To save the world from
destruction.

I don't understand.

Kennedy would have gone back to
Washington after Dallas.

News of his affairs
would leak out.

Marilyn Monroe
had been carrying his child.

Jackie found out and left him.

He was wounded politically and
didn't have the moral authority

to get his civil rights agenda
through Congress.

The next 20 years of racial
progress never happened.

No Obama.

Barry Goldwater won the
Republican primary and went on

to trounce Kennedy in the 1964
presidential election.

The day Goldwater was sworn in,

he dropped a bomb... a nuclear
bomb on North Vietnam.

China didn't like that.

They got involved
and Russia, Europe.

We were on the brink of
destruction.

When Oswald shot Kennedy,
the country mourned.

His assassination made Kennedy
a tragic hero.

It gave Johnson the moral
authority

to get Kennedy's civil rights
agenda through Congress,

and as destructive as the
Vietnam War became,

nuclear war was averted.

The world was saved until now.

So now it's your turn?

Yes.

Do you really believe
you're from the future?

Yes.

So what you had to do,

you had to do?

Yes.

Would you agree to take
a polygraph test?

Yes.

- DNA test?
- Yes.

Want to take him up on it?

We have
a ballistics test.

Thank you.

Very well.

We're done with our testimony,
Your Honor.

Recross, Your Honor.

Mr. Bradley.

Well, that was quite a yarn.

Did you just make that up

or had you thought it all out
ahead of time?

Ahead of time,
40 years from now.

Well, what about that wild
story you told your landlord

about being an airline pilot?

Was that the truth,

or had you thought that all up
40 years from now?

No, Mr. Doe.

I think you've got

a pathological aversion
to the truth.

I think you like to tell lies

because in every
story you have told,

you have not offered
one scintilla of proof.

Nothing.

Your entire testimony has
been a fabrication, hasn't it?

No. I can prove it.

- You can?
- Yes. It's simple.

How did Oswald know
to get a job

at the Texas School
Book Depository

over a month ahead of
Kennedy's trip to Dallas?

With all of the jobs
available in Dallas,

why did he decide to look
for a place to work

with the perfect view
of Kennedy's route

before anyone knew Kennedy was
going to be there,

let alone
what his route would be?

Excuse me. I'm the one
asking the questions.

They didn't even decide on
his route until the day before.

That's enough.

How did he know ahead
of time to be right there

in that location on that day?

- Your Honor.
- That's enough.

You've investigated
for over half a century

and theorized about
Kennedy's assassination

when you've ignored the
evidence that's been staring

you in the face
the entire time?

- Now!
- How did he know to be there?

Who cares?

That was then.

We're dealing with the here
and now.

The here and now where
you assassinated

the President of
the United States,

not Lee Harvey Oswald, you.

This is not some
alternate universe.

You didn't beam yourself
into that chair

and neither did they.

So how about we forget the
fantasy that you are selling?

Your entire testimony has
been a complete fabrication.

How did he know?

Don't you remember?

The CIA killed Kennedy.

Oswald was part of their plan.

That's how he knew.

No, wait,
he was with the mafia.

They killed Kennedy,
or he was an alien,

or he was a psychic.
No, wait.

He was playing
with a Ouija board

and spelled out Book
Depository.

Do you see how easy this is?

I'm done with this witness,
Your Honor.

Okay. Mr. Doe,
please be seated.

How?

We have one more witness,
your Honor.

Objection.

He hasn't submitted
anyone to the witness list.

She was one of yours.

Dr. Amanda Beal,
your mental health expert,

you filed
her report with the court.

Very well.

I'd like to call Dr. Amanda
Beal to the stand.

What the fuck is this?

I don't know. Did she call you?

You are still sworn in,
Dr. Beal.

Good afternoon, Dr. Beal.

Some would say you're
the country's leading expert

on legal issues as they relate
to psychology, is that correct?

I'm sorry,
I'm... I'm not comfortable

commenting on speculation
about my credentials.

Fair enough.

Would you mind sharing
your credentials?

I have a PhD
in clinical psychiatry

and a PhD in criminal justice,
both from Harvard.

So let's be clear.

Of all the professionals
in your field

that the federal government
could pick from

in the entire country,

the entire world for that
matter, they picked you?

Yes.

Are you the psychiatrist
who determined

that my client was
competent to stand trial?

Yes.

Did you spend any time with
him in forming your opinion?

Yes, I did.

I had a couple of sessions
with him actually.

And your recommendation was
that my client was competent?

Yes.

Would you mind sharing
how you reached your decision?

The test for
competency is simple.

Uh, the defendant must have
the ability to consult

with his attorney and have
a rational understanding

of the proceedings
against him or her.

- Not a high bar?
- No, but some don't need it.

And in your sessions,
did my client mention

that he was from the future?

No, he did not.

He shared very little actually.

You've not been here for
all of the testimony, correct?

Correct.

Did you receive the
transcripts that my office

couriered to you
earlier today?

Yes, I did.

- Did you read them?
- Yes.

Did you see the part where
he said he was from the future?

I did.

And that he believes
he was protecting the world?

Yes.

What was your expert opinion
when you read his testimony?

That he could be delusional or
possibly paranoid delusional.

And what
exactly does that mean?

It means that he believes
in an alternate reality

where things or people
are out to get him.

Could he believe that
he's from the future

and that his life and
environment were under attack?

Yes.

Would he be in control of his
actions in that reality?

Yes, if his actions
supported his reality.

- Could he kill?
- Yes.

- And believe he was justified?
- Yes.

I'm not delusional.

What don't
you people understand?

- Mr. Doe.
- I just saved you.

Order.

Mr. Doe,
or whoever you are,

I'll have you gagged if you
don't sit down right now.

I mean that.

Proceed.

What are some other things
to watch for?

Well, uh,
a person can appear normal

in all other areas
except their delusion.

What do you mean?

We could be having a normal
conversation and the person

can say, "The earth is flat,"
and believe it.

And if someone
suffered from that,

would they legally be
responsible for their actions?

No.

Well, none that are
related to that delusion.

Um, if you wrecked a car,
for example,

you would be responsible
for your actions.

But if you wrecked a car
thinking it was a submarine,

you wouldn't.

So to be clear,

a person can have control
over their actions

within the delusion,
but they would not be

legally responsible for those
actions, correct?

- Correct.
- Thank you.

Just one last question.

When you provide expert
testimony for the prosecution,

are you
paid for your expertise?

Yes.

He's your client, not me,
correct?

- Correct.
- Thank you.

Mr. Bradley,
would you like to cross?

Yes, Your Honor.

Let's get a few things
straight.

You had a couple of sessions
with the defendant to determine

his competence to stand trial;
is that correct?

Yes.

But that's not all, was it?

No, I was determining
whether or not he had

a valid plea of insanity.

Did he?

No. I didn't think so
at the time.

But based
on these wild stories,

you think he
might be delusional?

It's possible.

But not to
your knowledge of fact?

No.

Why didn't you notice
these delusional tendencies

during your sessions?

It didn't come up.

- It didn't come up?
- No.

Did you talk about
the assassination?

Yes.

And he didn't happen
to mention any of that stuff

about the future?

Don't you find that odd?

Objection. Opinion, Your Honor.

I'm asking her as an
expert for her expert opinion.

Overruled.

- Don't you find that odd?
- Yes.

That was nothing like
the performance

that he gave in here, was it?

I didn't see it.

- But you read it?
- Yes.

And did it come across
like anything

you experienced in your
sessions?

No. It didn't.

He was quiet, composed.

If a person is delusional,

are they able to choose
when to be delusional?

- No, not typically.
- Not typically?

I'm not aware of
any cases like that.

- So no?
- Correct.

Thank you.

No further questions,
Your Honor.

- Redirect Your Honor.
- Go ahead.

Are you 100% certain

it's not possible to choose
when to be delusional?

Well, anything is possible.

I'm just not aware of
it ever being done.

Are you a mind reader?

Excuse me.

Are you a mind reader?

Can you tell what people are
thinking about or believe?

No.

So just because my client
didn't talk to you

about where he thinks
he's from,

doesn't mean
he doesn't believe it.

He could still
be delusional, correct?

- Correct.
- Thank you.

Nothing further, Your Honor.

The defense rest our case.

We'll take a short recess
and hear closing arguments.

Mr. Bradley,

are you ready to present
your closing arguments?

Yes, Your Honor.

I want to thank you for your
patience during this trial.

I have to admit I had a
hard time keeping track of all

the contortions that
the defense went through.

I think they started with
a plea of not guilty

by reason of insanity to, well,
let's see, self-defense.

And then let
the self-defense explanation

explain how the
defendant is delusional.

It's quite a show they put on,
but that's all that it was.

So don't be fooled
by their theatrics.

All we know for sure is
that the defendant, John Doe,

well, he can tell a good story,

and he can shoot the CheyTac
M200 sniper rifle

from 1.2 miles
and blow the head

off the President
of the United States.

We not only proved it,
he admitted it.

He's admitted to planning
the whole thing out in advance

with intent
to kill the President.

And really, that's all we need.

If there's intent, there
can be no insanity defense.

One can't claim that
they weren't in control

of their actions
or they didn't know

what they were doing
if in fact, they did.

The laws have always held
that if you plan something out,

if you intend to commit
a crime and then commit one,

you were
in control of your actions.

And Mr. Doe has admitted yes,
he did indeed intend

to kill the President.

He has admitted to
killing the President.

He's admitted to planning
the assassination,

and he has admitted
to carrying it out.

So there you have it.

Wait, one more thing.

He has absolutely
no remorse

and would probably do it again
if given the chance.

That's why we've charged him
with first-degree murder

and why we are seeking
the death penalty

in sentencing because
there's no other choice.

Opposing counsel can
trot out as many far-fetched

stories as they want,
but that won't change

the fact that there is
only one choice in this trial.

And that choice is guilty
beyond any reasonable doubt.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bradley.

Mr. Johnson.

I have to say Mr. Bradley
makes a valid point,

except for one small detail,

being delusional.

In this case, believing
you're somebody you're not,

is grounds
for an insanity plea.

It means that you,
whoever you really are,

have no
control over your actions,

those actions are in
the hands of someone else.

You don't have to take
my word on it,

you can take the word

of the prosecution's own
expert witness.

Unfortunately, my client has
not been officially diagnosed

as delusional, so you'll
have to be the judge of that.

Now, you've seen all
the courtroom drama shows

on TV where no one wants
to put their defendant

on the witness stand, there
are abundant reasons for that.

Mostly, so skilled prosecutors

like Mr. Bradley,
can't interrogate them.

And yet in our case, I realized
that was our best defense.

I realized that if you
could see and hear my client

talk about his life,
he was his own best evidence.

Unless perhaps you
believe in time travel

and dystopian worlds.

I wanted you to experience
his... his confidence,

his unwavering focus
on his mission,

I wanted you to meet a man
who truly believes

he is from the future,
40 years from now.

A man who truly believes he is
on a mission to save the world,

and that mission requires him

to assassinate the President
of the United States,

even if it costs him
his own life.

What's critical,

is you don't even have to
believe him,

just believed that he believes.

Now if you believe in time
travel and dystopian worlds,

you might think of
my client as a hero,

as someone willing to sacrifice
their life to save your future.

In that case, my client's claim
of self-defense

is perfectly plausible.

But most likely you're like me,

and believe that time travel

and dystopian worlds
are best left

to the writers of movies,
and novels, and plays.

In that case,

you don't need a psychiatrist
to give you a diagnosis.

You saw it,
and heard it, firsthand,

you met Gordon Nicholson,

time traveler
and savior of worlds,

and according to the law,
you have only one choice,

and that's a verdict of not
guilty by reason of insanity.

And if there's one iota
of a chance you're not sure,

if you can't decide
whether that man over there

is a fraud or a hero,
then you can't believe that

he is guilty beyond
any reasonable doubt.

So in either instance,

there's only one verdict
that makes sense.

There's only one verdict you
can return to this court with,

and that verdict is this...

My client is not guilty
by reason of insanity.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'd like to remind the jury
that they've been sequestered

for a reason and to
remember the rules.

No media of any kind,
no outside conversations.

You are charged with
determining whether

the defendant is guilty
of murdering the president.

There will be an earthquake
in Bangkok next week.

You can save them.
Over 8,000 people will die.

Get the defendant out of here.

I am not delusional.

I am from the future.

Gag him.

Mr. Johnson, if I discover
you put him up to that,

not only will
I hold you in contempt,

I will see to it that
you are disbarred.

And jurors, you will disregard
the defendant's last statement.

That did not just
happen in my courtroom.

You will judge this
case based on the evidence

that's been provided.

You are charged with
determining whether

the defendant is guilty
of murdering the president,

or not guilty by reason
of insanity

based on the legal
guidelines set before you.

Send any
questions to my bailiff.

We're done for the day.

You okay?

Yes.

That was uh,
quite a performance,

that earthquake in Bangkok,
brilliant.

What's wrong?

It doesn't matter.

It may have saved your life.

No, it doesn't matter.

What they come back with.
I did it.

It's just now sinking in.

I never thought I was born
to save the world.

But I'm here.

Getting here wasn't easy.

None of it was easy,
people died helping me.

And I did it.

I... I just hope
it was worth it.

You don't have to say
that anymore, it's over.

The jury sent a list
of questions to the judge,

and one of the questions,
the big one,

was if they could postpone
their deliberations

until next week because
of your prediction.

The judge would never
go along with it,

but it was
enough to rattle Bradley.

He offered to take the
death penalty off the table.

He'll accept the insanity plea
if you accept life in prison.

I didn't expect to live.

Now you can.

What if we let the jury decide,
what are my chances?

Best case is a hung jury,
then a retrial.

By that time they'll
know there wasn't

an earthquake in Bangkok.

Bottom line is,
you assassinated

the President of
the United States.

You'll never be out
walking the streets again,

that's not
how the system works.

If you get out of this
thing still breathing,

that's the best
that's going to happen.

I'll be able to see
if it was worth it.

That too.

Okay.

Do it.

Thank you.

Okay.

And, uh, just for the record,

I hated the fucking asshole
for what he was doing

to this country
and the rest of the world.

I don't approve
of what you did,

but I'm sure glad you did it,
and I'm not alone,

so thank you.

Thank you for your service.

Hey Jason,

you know what I said about
that earthquake in Bangkok?

Let's wait and see.