Harry's Law (2011–2012): Season 1, Episode 10 - Send in the Clowns - full transcript

Previously on "Harry's Law"...

So what are you going to do?

- About.
- Rachel? Chunhua?

Malcolm and I...

are going on a date.

Oh, give me a break.

My client lied to me.

Defendants do that,

especially with their lawyers.

You know my client killed his wife.

Certainly, I know it.



All right. That's it.

This case is hereby
declared a mistrial.

- You have to fight, Harry.
- Fight for what?

Or I could keep
representing drug dealers,

and murderers.

Are you serious?

My moral responsibility
was to distort

and manipulate the actual facts

so far beyond recognition

as to put a murderer
back on the street.

It's disgusting.

I think it was
Oscar Wilde who said

"We tend to regret more
the mistakes we didn't make."

Of course, Oscar
never had the pleasure of...



Marty Slumach.

Oh, Harry,
it's so good to see you.

I'm so sorry to
hear you got fired.

It's a terrible thing.

I came as soon as I heard.

A friend in need
is a friend indeed.

I live by that.

Uh-huh.
And what is it you need?

Oh, all right. Okay.
Now that you mention it,

it's a small hiccup.

I'm beginning a trial tomorrow.

Just, uh, armed robbery.
But, it seems,

I got my ticket
pulled for 30 days...

a witness-tampering thing,
for which I feel deep remorse.

I'm totally innocent.
Judge says I can still second-chair,

but since I lost my license,

I'm going to need another
attorney to try the case.

- Forget it.
- It's taken me a long time

to establish a trust here.

Guy was wrongly
convicted once before,

He's not a trusting person.

It's a very delicate situation.

Now, you've never been
one to turn your back

on somebody in need,
except for me.

Okay. Look.
That's water over the dam.

I'm begging you.

We're dealing with a
very delicate individual.

He don't talk. Never.

Not even to me.

You told me you'd established
a trust with him.

I have.

You know, as much as one can
with a person who don't talk.

Are we sure he can talk?

Positive. Now,
he was loud and clear

when he robbed the victim.

I thought you said
he was innocent.

Totally.

Okay, look.

I understand from Mr. Slumach

that you were
convicted once before,

on the flimsiest of
evidence, of, um...

What was the previous crime?

Armed robbery.

I also understand

you don't trust lawyers...

this despite your
deep bond with Mr. Slumach.

But you need a lawyer just the same.

If it's going to be me,

I need you to be honest with me, sir.

Did you commit this robbery?

What's the difference?

About 20 years.

I'm already convicted
and you know it.

Okay. Given that, I'd sleep a lot
better, knowing you did it.

Too bad.

'Cause I didn't.

I didn't.

Hello. Are we looking
for legal advice today,

or perhaps a
new pair of peep-toes?

Well, I was coming in just for
some legal advice, but...

I'm attorney Adam Branch.

May I help you?

My name is Amanda Knott.

I'm a performer at
Chez Paris on James Street.

I was just fired.

Chez Paris?

I love that place.

It is so GaGa.

Why were you fired?

Well, the manager...

he's also the owner...

we'd been having an affair
for the past six months.

Now he's back with his wife,

and suddenly, my act is...

no longer good enough.

I'm sorry.

But, are you, like...

a man?

I, uh...

For the file.

I'm anatomically male, yes.

Is it possible you
were fired for that?

No. I was fired because

his wife wants me gone.

Okay.

And how long have
you been out of work?

My last day is Friday.

Unless you can
somehow change that.

Can you?

Hey. Georgie.

Hey. How are you, my friend?

Georgie, this is Harry Korn.

Harry, this is the handling D.A.,

George Kupcheck.

He's a real character.

Harry's going to be
handling the defense.

- How you doing?
- Hey, Georgie, listen.

I hate to trade on our friendship,

but if I could just
get a small continuance,

I'm thinking what,
a month, tops.

Just, uh, just so Harry
can get caught up to speed.

A continuance?

Are you on drugs?

First of all,

we're not friends, Marty.

You turn my stomach.

And secondly,

you're not getting
any continuance.

George, I got a little situation.

Yeah, I know your situation.

You're trying to delay
this as long as you can.

It's what you do.

But I've had it,
and so has the judge.

Which is why he said
no more continuances.

George, I lost my license.

It's a setback, huh? Come on.
These things happen.

Look... I'll give you a continuance,
as will the judge.

But if he stays on
in any capacity at all,

if he's anywhere in the room...

I need him in the room,
otherwise...

Then I'll deem you up to speed.

And if you so much as mention
the word "Continuance",

I'll move for sanctions.

♪ All of the lonely nights ♪.

W♪ aiting for you to come
bring all your love to me ♪

♪ And I wait a million years... ♪.

They do tryouts
during the day.

I suspect, at this very moment,

they're auditioning
my replacement.

And where's your boss?

His office is in the back.

I just want to be clear
on the stated criteria

for the discharge.
That's all.

I believe I was clear.

The termination was
performance-related.

Admittedly, it's a very
subjective thing,

but one which certainly
falls within the discretion

of a club manager.

Okay. But as I understand it,

she has not only performed
to Mr. Thomas's satisfaction

for the last three years,

but she's also been
one of the more

popular acts with patrons.

I guess I would ask:
What's changed?

What's changed...

I'm sorry, but I'd like to
hear from Mr. Thomas.

I can't allow that.
Come on!

Look, we're offering your
client a very generous severance.

And I don't think we really
want to go to court, do we?

What's that supposed to mean?

Let's say we do go to trial.

- What do you...
- Mr. Branch.

- Carl.
- No.

I made a mistake.

I had an affair.

I cheated on my wife.

I have two young children,

- and I would like to save my marriage.
- Carl.

I'd like to finish, please.

Do you really think I should

keep Amanda in my
employ and put my wife

through an agony of...

I mean, does that
make sense to you?

Perhaps not.
But it's hardly fair

to Amanda that she be fired.

I know that, and that's why

I'm trying to treat her
as-as fairly as possible.

The severance package we offered

- is way more...
- I just want my job.

If I let you keep your job,

my wife will leave me.

That's not a legal justification.

I'm not talking about the law.

Sometimes...

These are my children,
Mr. Branch.

Now, if you file that lawsuit,

they'll not only learn that
their father is unfaithful...

but that he's...

The destruction you will cause...

I'm trying to be
as fair and humane

as I can be.

How 'bout you do the same?

It's just, as I read
the file more carefully,

I don't see how we
can possibly win this.

This is why I don't
read files careful.

Blunts my creativity.

Marty.

What's our defense here?

Client didn't do it.

But he did do it.
What's more,

the victim, who, on paper,

seems to be a very credible guy,
will say so in open court.

We got to somehow trip him up.

You want my pickle?

Marty! Harry.

There's always something
lawyers can do.

It's why people
hate our guts, remember?

Okay, suppose we do win.

Doesn't it bother you,

putting dangerous, guilty criminals

back on the street?

I mean, I realize that's
what lawyers often do,

but usually with some conflict.

I don't see you experiencing
a flicker of it.

All right, first of all,

Ronald may be innocent,
like he says.

You know, he's got an
alibi witness, you know.

I mean, okay, not a
believable one, but...

And second,

you're basically in the
same line of work as I am now,

so how do you get to judge?

Well...

I think that's what horrifies me.

That I could look in
the mirror, and now see...

What?

My reflection?

Marty, let's face it.

You hardly lead a noble life.

Is this why you left me?

Why, 'cause I'm not a noble person?

Well...

in part, yes.

- I'm sorry. That was out of...
- Oh, no.

Let's just focus on the
witness tomorrow, okay?

Like you said, very credible.

You know, he's the
prosecution's whole case.

So, if you don't
trip him up somehow,

you can stick a fork
in Ronald Perry.

You know, not to put pressure.

Marty, I didn't mean...

Let's just...

just focus on the case.

According to the client,
he has an alibi.

I need you to hunt him down.
That's our only chance.

And get Damien to help you.

Tell him no violence.

Just find the guy
and bring him to me.

And do it fast.
The trial starts tomorrow.

- Okay.
- What?

Nothing.

Don't tell me "Nothing," Jenna.

You were staring
at me funny. What?

Well, it's not like
it's my business.

But were you and Marty Slumach

ever... together?

Would that be a problem?

No. No.

Clearly, it is.

No, it's not.

I got to go. I told Adam

I would meet him at
Chez Paris to listen

- to the man/woman.
- Excuse me?

Adam is representing a
man/woman who got fired

by a man/man who had an
affair with him/her,

and he/she is one of those
cross-dresser- singer-thingies.

Bye, Malcolm.
Good night, Harry.

Why are you still here?
Go find my alibi.

Sorry.

"Cross-dresser-singer-thingies."

Oh... my... God.

Didn't I tell you?

I'm a little afraid.

I didn't think this
was allowed in Ohio.

Look... that's her.
She's already on.

That's her in the middle.

She's good.
She's really good.

Well, I'd come out
of the store

around 9:30,
I was carrying a bag,

was fumbling for my key.

I was a little bit agitated.

Like I said,
I was running late.

Looked up and saw this
man ambling towards me.

At first I thought
he was a homeless guy

just asking me for change.

I returned my
focus to the car.

Suddenly, I had this
big barrel of a magnum

sticking in my face.

Did you see who was
wielding this weapon?

That man.

The defendant.

Yes.

- Any doubt?
- None.

- Well, did he say anything?
- All he said was,

- "Watch. Wallet. Now."
- And, sir, did you see

- the suspect ever again before today?
- Uh, yes.

I saw him the following day
in a police lineup, where I

immediately identified
him as the man

who'd robbed me
the night before.

The night of the robbery
you told the police

the suspect was very overweight.

- I did. - Next day, they called
you in to see a lineup.

Did they indicate that they
thought they had the guy?

They said they'd apprehended a
man who matched the description.

And this is the lineup you saw?

- Yeah. - I see exactly
one overweight guy.

The lineup has already

challenged unsuccessfully
in pretrial, Your Honor.

The objection is overruled.

A little stacked,

don't you think?

One overweight guy?

I imagine you were in shock

having a gun stuck in your face.

My powers of observation
weren't compromised.

Police notes indicate that the
parking lot was not well-lit.

Well, he was standing right
in front of me... I got a

perfect look at him.

Really?

Because according to
the incident report,

when describing him,
you just said...

and I quote... "Fat Latino."

No description of facial features

or clothing, nothing on
height or hair, just.

"Fat Latino".
Are you not good on details?

When was the last time you
had a gun stuck in yourface?

So you were distracted by the gun?

Well, I... saw his face.

- You didn't see the goatee
or the scar? - It was him.

For the gun, you said

it appeared to be a seven-shooter,

rubber grip, stainless-steel barrel.

That's very impressive.

As for the suspect...

- "Fat Latino".
- It was that man right there.

Do you make room
for the possibility

that after the
police indicated

that they thought
they had the guy,

and you then saw one lone
obese man in the lineup...

I wasn't influenced
by the police.

I was not predisposed in any way.

That is the man who robbed me.

Did they ever find
your watch or wallet

in my client's possession?

Not to my knowledge.

Did the police find

any physical or
forensic evidence

connecting my client
to this robbery?

- Not to my knowledge, no.
- So, basically,

all we have is your I.D.

In a dark parking lot

while you were
under shock

with a gun stuck
in your face, right?

It was that man
right there.

Am I not being
specific enough?

Well... it seems you're
very specific when it comes

to describing guns...

just not fat Latinos.

Marty Slumach?

I am really concerned
that she would date him.

- Why?
- He's a schlub, Malcolm.

He has, like, zero ethics.

Other lawyers refer to
him as "Law-trash."

He's not bona fide.

What does that say about Harry?

That maybe she was lonely,
that maybe

she likes a good laugh
once in a while,

that maybe she
has physical needs

- and likes some...
- Ah!

Don't even think that.

A woman should never
date beneath her.

Those relationships don't
work... there are studies.

And that Harry
chose to date him,

that tells me that she
has esteem issues.

I think you're
overreacting and wrong.

I have esteem issues; I know.

All my life I've dated
men who are less than

so I could feel better than.

But even I would...

Marty Slumach.

Oopsies.

You did damage, Harry.

That was beautiful.

It's a work of art,
is what it was.

I didn't exactly
shake his story, Marty.

Okay, I'm here.
Let's just get this done.

If you don't have the money,

- don't even think...
- Carleton, Carleton.

All right, my friend,
this is Harry Korn.

She's gonna be
conducting the direct.

I take it you
read the file?

Yeah, I did.
You have an envelope for me?

I got a check
right here.

- Check? - It's not gonna
bounce, I swear.

- I'm outta here.
- Wait, wait, hold, hold, hold.

Carleton, an innocent
life is on the line here.

Are you kidding me?

Look, Doctor, we're a bit hung
out to dry here without you.

If that check bounces,
I'll cover it.

No offense,
but who the hell are you?

One second, Harry.

Come here.

Now, listen to me,
you little prick.

That person is a
respected attorney.

Great. That makes one of you.

She also happens
to be my friend.

So you're gonna get
your ass on that stand,

and you're gonna
testify in court,

real convincing,
you hear me?

Or I will take you out to the
woodshed, rip out your colon

and shove it down your throat.

Do we understand
each other, my friend?

You weren't just good,
Amanda, you were fantastic.

- Really? - There's no way
they'll make the case that

firing you is performance-based...
if I have to,

I'll take the entire jury
to see you on stage.

I can't go into a courtroom.

I'll just... I'll freeze up.

Like I said, they're betting

that you haven't got the guts...

And I don't!

Amanda...

Confucius said,
"Do unto others,

"or they'll keep
doing it unto you."

You have to
stick up for yourself.

Let me draft a complaint,
send it

to opposing counsel,
but I won't file.

Just the threat
that we could file...

they'll settle,
I promise.

I'm sorry, but I find
this a little curious.

I haven't even formally filed,
and already I'm in chambers

for a motion to dismiss?

Something doesn't smell right.

Is this how you typically
begin your trials, counsel,

by questioning the
integrity of the judge?

I haven't even officially
filed the complaint.

I know.

But I've seen it
and as Mr. Emerson

points out, the mere filing

of a complaint of this type is...

incendiary; it's perhaps irreparable.

The defendant is a married
man, with a family,

and the allegations here
would be devastating,

whether they're proven or not.

The court has to be sensitive
to that potential injustice.

So, why exactly are we here?

We will conduct an
evidentiary hearing.

The courtroom will be sealed.

If I am satisfied that there
is enough to warrant a claim,

then I will allow the
lawsuit to be filed.

- If that's not the...
- This is outrageous.

We will conduct
the hearing

at 9:00 A.M. tomorrow...
do you want

to alienate me some more,
or are we done for now?

Malcolm, um...

when I said earlier that...

That it's your pattern

to date beneath you so
you feel better than?

That those relationships
never work. That?

Yes. When I said
something like that,

I wasn't talking
about me and you.

Malcolm. I wasn't.

Come on, this is Cincinnati...
if I were looking

to hook up with
a loser, then...

You might think of yourself

as less than, but...

I certainly don't.

I really like you.

You're smart, you're funny.

You're going to be
an amazing lawyer.

You pretty much wrote the
brief on the fast-food case,

and you haven't even
gone to law school yet.

You're awesome.
I think you should

know that about yourself.

You're awesome.

So...

this is, like, a real thing,
you and me?

Well...

it feels like it is to me.

Does it to you?

You find my alibi?

I'm working on it.

Working on it?
Malcolm, maybe I did

a lousy job stressing
the urgency of this.

No alibi witness...
our guy goes to jail.

We are in trial now.

Harry, do we really think
this alibi witness exists?

I don't care whether
he exists or not...

the point is,
I asked you to find him.

If you look at all the people

wrongly convicted and then
cleared by DNA evidence,

a full 77% involve cases

of mistaken eyewitness identification.

- You've studied this?
- For 11 years.

38% of those screwups involve
multiple eyewitnesses.

Can you imagine different
people all fingering

the same innocent person?

We hear the expression:

"I saw it with my own eyes."

Well, the fact is, the eyes lie.

All the time.

Okay, Doctor,
let's talk

about this particular case.

Absolutely.
This man, Mr. Layton,

was under stress,

fear.

Why? I'll tell you why.

He had a big gun

stuck in his face.

Stress especially compromises
one's ability to perceive.

The likelihood is that
he went into that lineup

predisposed, wanting to believe
the police had the guy.

He became desperate to
believe it, determined.

He says he's sure.

Ha! If you look at all the
eyewitnesses who got it wrong,

they have one thing in common...

they were sure.

Do you have any evidence

to show Mr. Layton
was wrong here?

- No. But that doesn't mean...
- Thank you.

Do you have any reason
to doubt his veracity?

No. But my research
shows that...

Thank you.
And how many times

have you testified
for the defense

in one of Mr. Slumach's cases?

- I'm not really sure.
- More than 50?

Probably around 50.

And you get paid to
do so, don't you?

I get paid for my time, yes.

So you're a professional witness.

- Objection.
- So, Doctor,

how much money
are you being paid

to sit in that
chair right now?

$1,600.

Gee.

I'm in the wrong business.

Kind of quiet, Harry.

What's the matter, you got
that acid reflux thing again?

No.

Marty.

Your little scene in the
corridor with the expert,

and his subsequent
compelling testimony...

it's left a very
bad taste in my mouth.

Why?

Why?

Because the testimony was bought,

coerced, for all I know;

- Supplied.
- No, it wasn't.

Did we pay him for his time? Yes.

Did we argue? Yes.

I never put words in his mouth.

Marty, it was disgusting,
and you know it.

No, I don't know it.

You strong-armed a medical
expert, a doctor under oath.

Pharmaceutical companies

put doctors on the take all the time.

They pay doctors to
prescribe their drugs.

You think car companies don't
heap piles of dough on engineers

just to testify that
their cars are safe?

That doesn't make it right.

But it goes on.

Look, if big, rich
companies can benefit

from that kind of help,

why-why should poor schlubs
like Ronald Perry...

Is that what you tell yourself?

It's what I'm telling you.

You know, Harry, sometimes,

I think you lose track of the ground,

sitting up there on that
high horse of yours.

Ronald Perry could very well be guilty,

is probably guilty.
Or he could be innocent.

Oh, please.

Which is a jury question.

Our job is to fight
for the guy,

and if you're sitting there,
suggesting

that we fight a little less hard
for the ones we think did it,

maybe you should save a little
of that disgust for yourself.

The very fact that you're being
this defensive tells me you...

I'm defensive
because I'm sick of it.

I hear this crap all the time.
I'm sick of it, Harry.

Oh, oh, Marty Slumach
is-is law trash,

sleazy, bottom-feeding...

You think that feels good?

I'm not law trash.

- I'm as noble as the next person.
- Okay, settle down.

To hear this from
somebody who knows me?

From somebody
that I've been with?

Ronald Perry
deserves best efforts.

Guilty or not.

They all do.

You have no right
to look down on me,

to judge me.

You can go to hell.

Judge Coulis is
very respected, Adam.

I hadn't even filed.

Well, maybe a favor was
pulled to get fast action,

but she's a good judge.

- Will Amanda testify?
- I hope.

This is really unbelievable.

Easy, easy, easy.

Harry, this is Stevie Kazz, the alibi.
We found him.

And it wasn't easy, neither.

Have a seat, Stevie.

And I'm watching you,

so don't be stealin'
nothin', neither.

Man has got a
stealin' problem.

Now, tell her
what you told us.

Don't make me smack your ass.
Tell her.

Ronnie didn't do this thing.

He was with me that night.

We was hangin' at my place,
watching CSI

and Who Wants To Be A Big Fat Loser,
or whatever it's called.

He didn't do that robbery
six years ago, neither.

It was just me.

Six years ago, you were
both arrested at the scene.

Yeah, we pulled in to get gas.

I get out of the car,
do my thing.

Ronnie don't know I'm gonna
do it, he's just in the car.

It's what I told everybody.
It's what he told everybody.

And nobody believed him.

That's why he don't
trust nobody now.

But Ronnie don't steal,
Ronnie don't rob.

And the night of
the current robbery?

With me. And I wasn't
robbin' nobody, neither.

Man took a rare night off.

What were you doing?

I told you, watching.

America's Biggest Fat Loser,
whatever it's called.

You say, your place.

You have no known address.

I got several places.

Just under different names.

Wonderful.

Anybody else with you?

Just Ronnie and me.

Told all this to the
other attorney already.

Problem is,

even if he's not lying, he
still comes off a liar.

Add to that,

increase the risk that
Ronnie's prior might come in.

I mean, at a minimum,
it gets established

that Ronnie associates
with armed robbers.

I can't see letting that guy
anywhere near the witness stand.

He only hurts us.

I say we go straight
with our game plan,

go right to the closing argument.

You better be good, by the way,

- or else you can stick a fork...
- All right, Marty.

Look, are you and I okay?

Yeah. Why wouldn't we be?

Marty, you told me to go to hell.

Well, it's not like I won't
be going there too, right?

You know that better
than anybody.

You had an affair?

Yes. It ended nine days ago.

What happened?

His wife found out. They...

Carl... said that he wanted

to try to make things
work with his family.

And that the affair had to end.

- And then what?
- Four days later...

he said that
I would have to leave.

That his wife couldn't
bear the idea

of me working in the same...

I was fired.

Amanda, can you tell
the court why your job

is so important to you?

All my life,
I've always been different.

I'm anatomically male.
I think of myself as a woman.

Retreating into my stage persona?

It was more than an escape.

It was home.

This job is my lifeline
in so many ways.

I just need it more than ever.

This love affair you describe...

was it consensual?

- Yes. - You never felt
any pressure to, say,

go out with your boss?

No.

Did it have anything to do
with his being your boss?

- No.
- I appreciate your honesty.

I understand your act
is very popular.

Yes.

Ever have any offers
from other clubs,

say, trying to steal you
away from Chez Paris?

Yes.

And since you've been fired,

have you gone out
looking for other work?

No.

And since your breakup, have
you approached Mr. Thomas,

called him in an effort
to get back together?

Yes.

How many times have you

approached him or called him?

More than 20?

I'm not sure.

The reason you need
this job, at Chez Paris

is because it's your only means

of staying close
to Mr. Thomas.

Isn't that it, Amanda?

Okay, we'll take a break.

Ten minutes.

I will see counsel
in my chambers.

I am tossing this out.

Just like that.

Counsel, she has made
no effort to mitigate.

She even admits that she
can get other work.

She also concedes the
boss-employee equation

wasn't really in play.

But of course it's in play.

This court is not equipped

to remedy broken hearts.

She has a whole
community of friends.

Yeah, and I am not in power
to give her her job back.

All a court of law can do
is award money damages,

of which there
seem to be none.

If you file, I will not allow
this complaint to stand...

if you go ahead and file,
all the same,

or even threaten to...
well, that reeks of abuse of process.

Extortion.

And I don't think
you want to go there.

Are you actually prohibiting
me from so much as

filing the claim?

I am telling you that if you do,

on these facts,

it's at your own peril.

I can certainly amend the
complaint to allege...

But, Amanda,
maybe this is best.

It would've been tough for you
to move on with your life,

at least emotionally,

there, with him...

I know this is difficult
to believe at the moment.

But you'll find somebody.

You're a beautiful,
sensitive, gifted woman.

With a penis.

Okay.

There is something just
too enchanting about you,

not to find love again.

You're a really kind man.

May I come to your final
performance tonight?

I'd like that.

Okay.

Onward and upward, right?

Right.

The victim told you.

The person who robbed him,

the person who stuck a
Magnum in his face,

is that man, Ronald Perry.

And Bernard Layton
was unwavering.

I mean, this is a
trustworthy witness.

He has no motive to lie.

No bias.

He made a positive I.D.

In the lineup.

And he was resolute

when he came face
to face with him

in this room.

As for the defense, well,
there was no defense.

No alibi,

no suggestion that
the defendant

was anywhere but
in that parking lot.

Nothing.

Just one hired-gun.

"Expert witness"
Who had no knowledge

of this case whatsoever.

He just came armed with
an "Expert" Opinion

that sometimes eyewitnesses

get it wrong. Wow.

An "Expert" who was
paid to be here;

An "Expert" who's
testified in 50,

maybe 100 of
these kinds of cases;

An "Expert" that criminal
defense attorneys

keep on speed dial, just in
case they have nobody else.

Now, Bernard Layton... did
he seem unsure to you?

Equivocal?
Uncertain?

He had no doubt.

None.

He was there.

He saw who robbed him.

No doubt.

If you were to Google
"Project Innocence,"

you'd see case after case
after case after case

of people wrongly
convicted by unflinching

but mistaken
eyewitness testimony.

I'm sorry, Your Honor.
She's introducing evidence.

Ms. Korn.

Sorry.

You know, to be honest,

when I first got this
case, I thought, "Ick."

Who wants these kinds of cases?

They don't pay.

The facts are ugly.

And when I first saw the defendant,

I thought,
"He probably did it."

I'm sure a few
of you think the same.

And the victim?
He's intelligent,

clean-cut,
upper middle class,

certainly no motive to lie.

Why wouldn't we believe him?

I mean, he was there,
for God's sake.

If he says it was Ronald Perry,

then who the hell
are we to doubt him?

Well, you have a
duty to doubt him.

You took an oath to demand
that the prosecution satisfy

its burden of proving guilt
beyond all reasonable doubt.

And they haven't done that.

They never found the watch

or wallet in my
client's possession.

Never located a gun.

They introduced
no physical evidence,

no circumstantial evidence,

no forensics of any kind,

just the eyewitness
account from a man

who clearly had to be in shock.

A man who was able to
describe almost nothing

about his assailant.

For the gun, you heard
the meticulous details,

but for the suspect...
"Fat Latino."

That's it.

Maybe Mr. Layton
got it right.

Perhaps it was Ronald Perry.

But maybe, just maybe,
he got it wrong.

That's why, when it comes
to eyewitness testimony,

we demand corroborating evidence,

and here, there is none.

None.

And even if you were inclined

to accept an uncorroborated
eyewitness account,

please let it at
least be from somebody

who could describe the defendant.

The color of his shirt,

length of hair, eyes, nose,

something more than "Fat Latino."

Let the testimony at
least be from somebody

who wasn't in shock at the time.

Someone who didn't have a
big gun stuck in his face.

That is, if you care.

A lot of juries don't,
let's face it,

especially when it comes
to blacks and latinos,

and not just the fat ones.

Objection, Your Honor.

Come on! Come on, what?

Are you prepared to argue

that equal treatment exists?

All right, counsel,
we get your point.

I'm new at this
criminal practice.

I come from patent law,

a much more lucrative practice.

Very white-collar.

We never get any
of these "Ick" Cases.

In fact, I often wondered

about the attorneys
who did criminal law.

As I said, there's
no money in it.

For the most part,
your clients are...

well... criminals.

What kind of lawyer
wants that for a life?

Well, there's one,
sitting right there.

Marty Slumach.

Wakes up every day, fights
against overwhelming odds,

and for what?

To make the prosecution satisfy
its burden every damn time,

even for his guilty clients.

Why? What's the point?

Well, the point is, once
you relax those standards,

once you say, "Close enough is
good enough," "Seems guilty,"

"Lock him up," It's not just
the guilty who are at risk,

but the innocent.

You.

Me.

Law trash.

That's what we
bluebloods like to call

the Marty Slumaches
of the world.

But the thing is, without
lawyers like him,

a lot of innocent people
would go to jail.

Especially the disenfranchised
who have no money, no resources,

no means to fight
the system.

That's why, at closer look,

Marty isn't so much law
trash as he is a hero.

One I admire very very much.

Is he retiring?
Is there gonna be a gold watch?

What the hell is going on here?

What's going on is, that man,

not Marty, but our client,

could very well be innocent.

The State has not
satisfied its burden.

It hasn't even come close.

He has not been proven guilty
beyond all reasonable doubt.

You can't charge a man,

take away his freedom,

with no physical or
forensic evidence, nothing

but one shockey I.D.,

and call that justice.

You can't be satisfied with that.

Or can you.

Assuming, of course, you care.

Do you?

This is the worst part,
right here.

Always gets me so nervous.

You ever get nervous?

I can see you're a wreck.

At this point, I'll ask
the defendant to rise.

Mr. Foreman,
this verdict is unanimous?

- Yes, Your Honor.
- What say you?

In the matter of The People

of the State of Ohio v. Ronald Perry,

on the charge of
aggravated armed robbery,

we the jury, find the
defendant Ronald Perry...

Not guilty.

Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury,

the state of Ohio thanks
you for your service.

You are now dismissed.

- Wasn't expecting that.
- Me, neither.

Okay, Ronald,

the jury took its
responsibility seriously.

You're free to go.

Congratulations.

He's overcome.

I can see that.

Harry, I-I can't
thank you enough,

you know, for your help, for
your kind words, which...

You know what?
Can we sit down for a sec?

Okay.

You know this-this
whole experience...

it's just made me think

how great it would be,
you know, if we...

You know,
if were to join up.

Me with a pile of cases, you
with the valid license...

we make a good team.

Marty, that's not
in the cards.

Okay.

Just a thought,
that's all. It's...

You know,
I had another thought.

Not like me to have
two thoughts in a week,

but, you know,
this, uh...

It... It made me remember

how great a team we were,
you know, socially.

I'm just gonna say this.

Okay?

You're the best person
I ever met in my life.

Period. If there was
a chance that,

you know... again...?

I don't think that's
in the cards, either.

Okay.

We can always be friends,
right?

- Absolutely.
- Yeah, I mean, listen.

This doesn't have
to be good-bye.

Not at all.

And maybe I'll
have some cases

I'll bring your way and we
could, we could co-counsel?

- That sounds great.
- Great. Fantastic.

Take care of yourself,
okay, Harry?

You, too.
I will.

I told her she should
go out big, you know?

However much
she hurts inside,

go out big,
for all she's worth.

- You want to come watch?
- Sure.

Something wrong?

You tell me.

Chunhau, talk to me.
What's wrong?

What's wrong is, you've
stopped talking to me.

No, I haven't.

You've been
pulling away, Adam.

I'm not exactly
sure why, but...

I've just been busy,
that's all.

You were also nearly
shot a few weeks ago.

You were clearly
traumatized and yet...

Is there...
somebody else?

Adam, I don't mean to be needy,
and I know you're working hard,

but if we're going
to be together,

I need to feel together.

- You need to talk to me.
- Okay.

Sorry. Okay.

I just feel like I'm missing
a piece of the puzzle here.

Look, like you said,
I've been through a lot.

I need to communicate better,

and I will. I will.

Okay. Come on.

Let's go help
send Amanda off.

Okay.

Are you coming?

I wouldn't miss it.

Somebody, not Oscar Wilde,

but somebody once said,

"Our lives are the sum
total of our experiences."

But it's not the experiences.

It's the people.

Not just the ones in our lives...

but those who play through.

The Amandas.

The Martys.

All the fly-by,
small-but-rich relationships.

Sometimes they're the
most special of all.

It's why we always promise
to keep in touch.

If only we did. If only we did.