In Contempt (2018–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Welcome to Hell - full transcript
A female defense attorney defends a client accused of attempted rape after the attorney was handcuffed in court for brawling. One of the group's male attorneys supervises a rookie female ...
You are descendants
of Kings and Queens,
walk proud, walk proud,
heads up!
Brothers and sisters,
you are free citizens!
Stay woke, don't jump
to these unjust laws!
I fought for freedom
and your nose are
in these phones and gadgets!
Your minds are enslaved again!
Put in on a t-shirt
and be woke upstairs, now!
Beautiful black woman,
you are descendants
of Kings and Queens.
Walk proud, head up,
my black and brown brothers,
The justice system
is a new Jim Crow,
the new slavery,
you gotta fight it!
- Morning, Akin.
- Morning.
Thank you.
I'm gonna need
another one of these.
Starting a trial?
Yeah, have you heard anything?
Is Hammond ready to go?
Well, he told Dashay that
he was ready for something,
I dunno if it's yours, but...
You are my hero.
Don't worry,
I'll put it on your tab.
Thank you.
Jamal, part F, 30 minutes.
God,
I hope that coffee's for me.
Black and sweet,
just like you like it,
- you want a chip?
- Na.
Come on,
it's like bacon in a bag.
Mmm, I brought up
your guys first.
Thank God,
I got four cases of F4
and it looks like
my attempted rape is gonna go.
Adler's in a mood, he already
started calling cases.
People vs. Franklin Cowling,
Obstructing Governmental
Administration, step up!
Counsel, state your name
for the record.
Gwen Sullivan,
Defenders Association
of New York County
for Mr. Cowling.
Your Honor,
the people have a one time
only offer of six months.
Sounds eminently fair,
what say you, Miss Sullivan?
I say I need 15 minutes
to talk to my client.
No need to discuss,
discourse, dialogue!
Are you off your meds?
I ain't messing with them meds,
that's the government
trying to control me.
OK, Your Honor,
don't you think a second call
would be useful here?
Is your client 7-30, counselor?
- Well, no, but you can...
- Six months, yes or no?
This court suppresses,
represses and depresses
the body and integrity
of the black man.
Stick a fork in it,
we're done! I'm revoking bail.
Wait, what? Your Honor,
we didn't...
Your client was late!
Put it over till tomorrow.
He.. He's locking me up?
- Yes, but don't... No.
- You in on this, ain't you?
Franklin!
Franklin, it's me!
Don't grab him, don't grab him,
he doesn't like
getting grabbed like this.
Get off of him, he doesn't like
being restrained.
Damn, I know you said you boxed
but you went in like Mayweather!
In light of what just happened...
Your Honor,
we'll take the six months.
Hey.
So, what's your story?
Are you moving packs?
You left a Louis
bag from Bernies.
Yo, I got two videos
up on Worldstar,
do you wanna be my third?
Alright.
Hilary Banks.
That's your boss, right there.
Hi, Vanessa Hastings.
Tom DelGato, attorney in chief.
- Morning, Lisa.
- Morning, Tom.
It's ten o'clock.
What happened to your
only at lunchtime rule?
Rules are made
to be broken, honey.
Are they?
So, we can do
an actual dinner, too?
Let's keep it at one work day
screw for now, Richard.
Why, when they're so much fun?
'Cause you're a married man
and I'm a traditional girl...
With traditional values.
Ah.
Jesus, you're like
a pit-bull in pumps!
We had bets at the office,
you know,
where you'd come after me.
I don't think anyone picked
the men room.
Well, we're both lucky
your stall was locked.
It was a bad ID,
you're gonna lose the hearing,
come down off the sixth
and I'll get him to take it.
You can have five.
Uh-uh, that was too easy,
what's going on?
Fine, you can have eight.
Your case is falling apart,
that's why you're being such
a tight ass with the Rosario.
That case is air tight,
you've got, er...
An hour to take the five,
after that,
deal's off the table.
- Hey, Andrew.
- Hey.
The D.A. came down to five,
with good time
you'll be out in four.
See, I knew this was coming.
You know I have your back
but if you blow trial, it's not
five years, it's fifteen.
I don't care if it's 50,
I ain't never touched that girl
Brandell, a straight A
engineering student
is gonna get up on that stand,
point at you and say,
"I will never forget the face
of the man
who tried to rape me."
All I know is that
I went out for a run,
next thing I know
I'm in the back of a cop car,
chick I ain't never seen
talking about
I tried to rape her.
Nine months, I've been locked
down for something I didn't do.
I lost my job, my wife,
her and my kids
had to move back in
with her momma in Atlanta.
I ain't seen my little girls.
- You had her locket.
- I told you, I found it!
It's a bad fact, please don't
play like you don't know that.
You know... What's funny?
I actually
couldn't believe my luck.
I thought
I could give that locket
to my youngest daughter.
Brandell,
you take the five years,
your Tosh is in pre-school
by the time you get out.
You blow trial,
she's in college.
I didn't do this,
I'm not copping out... I can't.
Then we fight.
Ladies and gentleman,
the police did a procedure
in this case called a Show Up.
That's a line up,
a line up in the streets,
a line up with only one choice,
my client, Brandell Willis.
Had my client not been
running in the...
Yo, Fight Club!
Oh God, jeez.
I heard someone
couldn't keep their hands
off one of their clients today?
Heard it ended
with you in handcuffs.
- You jealous?
- Only 'cause I wasn't there.
Turn around.
Don't tell me the judge
is finally coming
to watch you on trial.
We're meeting for lunch
at the club.
- Hmm.
- What?
Just imagining
what it's gonna be like
to have you call me boss.
Cute, I call you
a lot of things, Charlie,
trust me, boss ain't never
gonna be one of them.
And anyway Tom would never
promote you over me.
I don't know, only one
of us beat down
- a court officer today.
- And the other one of us
doesn't want to break a nail,
now get out.
I promise not to enjoy
bossing you around at all.
- Beat it, beat it.
- OK, I'm going.
Yes, she wants me.
There seems to be a mistake,
I applied
for the civil division.
Normal case load
for a new attorney
is 125 misdemeanors.
125?
You gonna be able to handle this
without bitching and moaning?
Because I hate
bitching and moaning,
raises my blood pressure.
Really?
Well, hello,
young Condoleezza Rice.
I'm Vanessa Hastings, I'm new.
I gotta share
my office with a rookie?
What did I say to you
a minute ago?
You hate bitching and moaning.
You see that,
she's only been here 15 minutes
and I already like her
better than you.
Who's my assistant?
- Take that back.
- Tom!
Not now, Charlie, I have to go
talk to Judge Adler,
some idiot got handcuffed
in his courtroom this morning.
You know, I heard she was
more heroic than idiotic.
All I know is that,
because of you,
I have to put on a tie.
OK, listen, I got Hammond
to come down to five
but I can't get
my guy to swallow it.
Say you gotta go I.D.
Oh God, I'm just hoping
the show up was bad.
You're gonna roll the dice and
hope a defense reveals itself
for the suppression hearing?
Oh, please,
you know I always have
something in my back pocket,
I just don't know what yet.
- What judge you pull?
- Blackburn.
- Shit, he needs to plead.
- My guy didn't do it.
Didn't homeboy have the
victims locket in his pocket?
Yeah, whatever, Dr. Seuss!
Jesus, both of you, grow up!
Charlie, take the rookie
over to arraignments.
Tell her something encouraging
and keep an eye on her,
she's a Caldwell fellow.
What the hell is that?
She's a first year associate
at Caldwell, Drummond and Hale.
She does a year
of public service,
they pay her
a full Caldwell salary.
Guess we know
who's buying lunch.
Yo, rookie, let's roll.
Someone gets arrested,
they disappear into the system.
On a good day, they pop up here
24 hours later
and get assigned a lawyer.
Oh, come on, Joel, give her
one day of community service,
Haven't you ever stolen
the least itty bitty thing?
Miss. Campbell.
You're not taking advantage
of Mr. Maknimara are you?
I take advantage of everyone,
Your Honor,
but when I smile,
they don't seem to mind.
Tracy, this is...
What's your name again?
Vanessa Hastings,
it's nice to meet you.
Docket ending 822,
The People vs. Julie Sulowitz.
Penal Law 240.37.
Loitering for the purposes
of engaging
in prostitution, step up!
Fun fact about Charlie,
he once slept with
a 60 year old fat woman
for her play off tickets.
Damn right, dugout seats!
I'd do it again.
Interview your client,
confirm the details
on this CJA sheet
and try to get him out on bail
or cop him out
to community service.
But don't give anyone
a criminal record
that doesn't already have one.
Rookie dumping?
Is this a preview of your
brand new super fashion,
Charlie?
I got four cases in Part F,
ten in AP5
and two felonies set to trial.
So, I dapper dodge you.
Fly, baby bird, fly.
What is that smell?
A delightful popurri of piss,
B.O. and baloney sandwiches.
It'll never come out
of that pretty suit.
How did the victim
describe her attacker?
She described him as
a black male
wearing dark exercise sweats
and a blue hoodie
with white lettering.
Then after the victim
gave you this description,
what did you do?
My partner and I
canvassed the area,
we saw the defendant
running near the crime scene,
we stopped him and upon
performing a safety search,
found a gold necklace
in his pants pocket.
We transported him back
to the scene of the assault.
What happened next?
The victim identified
the defendant
and the necklace,
I placed him under arrest.
- Thank you.
- No further questions.
Officer, when you found
the incredibly dangerous locket
- in Mr. Lewis' shorts,
- Objection.
Oh, lighten up, Hammond.
Miss. Sullivan, please don't
taunt the prosecutor.
When you transported Mr. Lewis
to the crime scene,
where did you park
the patrol car
in relation to the ambulance
treating the victim?
Across the street,
a couple car lengths south.
And did you keep
Mr. Lewis in the car
or did you take him out?
I took him out, uncuffed him,
another officer
brought the victim
partway across the street,
she identified him
from about 20 feet away.
She identified him
from about 20 feet away,
would that be about...
- This far?
- That's about right.
When you took Mr. Lewis
out of the car,
where did you stand him?
Just outside the car.
And was the door open or shut?
Open, the victim identified him
before I even shut the door.
You said you parked the car
just south of the ambulance
and across the street?
So, the other officer
walked the victim,
what,
diagonally across the street
toward the front
of your cruiser?
Yes.
So, you hid Mr. Lewis
behind the open door?
Objection,
who said anything about hiding?
Sustained, but now I'm curious.
He was standing behind the door,
so the victim couldn't see
that he was wearing shorts
and not sweat pants!
Objection, speculation.
Your Honor,
this show up hid a crucial way
that Mr. Lewis' clothes did not
match the victims description
and was therefore
unduly suggestive.
Unduly being
the operative word here.
They did not have to hide him
behind the door.
They could have
let her see all of him.
I move to suppress
the in-court identification.
Enough.
You two are worse
than my grandchildren.
Standing the defendant
behind the cruiser door
did not create a risk
that the victim
would incorrectly identify him.
The defense's motion to suppress
the victims in-court
identification
of Mr. Lewis
is therefore denied.
- Your Honor.
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.
You get what you get
and you don't get upset.
Alright, we will adjourn
for the day,
we begin trial tomorrow.
How is she?
As I've heard you say,
she bouji.
Well, she is a Caldwell fellow,
she makes 180 K to our 70.
Just when I thought
she couldn't possibly
annoy me more.
Counselor,
I'll give him five days.
Five days?
But, Your Honor,
what about time served?
He was just charged
with sleeping in the subway.
Ah, sleep.
Something you might get if you
laid off those energy drinks.
Ask your client, counselor.
We don't like her,
let the bouji have her sank.
Shut up.
Your Honor,
we have a rookie here.
Really? I couldn't tell.
- Ask your client.
- But...
Miss Sullivan, I have
a docket to move here.
OK.
But why would he want
to go to jail.
Five days, he serves three,
that's three days
of three square meals
and a roof over his head,
ask him.
- Is this what you want?
- Yes.
He'll take the five days.
Welcome to hell.
You remind me of your mother.
Why? It's not a flask
and I like men.
Yes, um, my daughter will have
a sparkling water, please.
Dad, you know,
next time you invite me here,
I'ma wear a dashiki
and a head wrap.
That old bag, Judge Bolter
even stopped making women
wear pantyhoes
in her court room.
Look, this just a means
to an end, sweetheart.
Back when I was practicing,
judge Brown overruled
every objection I made,
until I became a member here.
That couple,
they always like to talk
about how all lives matter.
I get such pleasure
from making them uncomfortable.
So, I had drinks with
James Pinmore the other day
and he said that they would love
for you to come and meet
at Hamilton Grey.
Look, take the interview,
what's it gonna hurt?
My soul, dad,
it would shrivel up and die!
- Oh, come on.
- No, thank you.
Look, I know you wanna
save the world
but you could do it
more effectively
from a place like Hamilton Grey.
What is this?
Some misguided attempt
to help people
like your brother?
My career is not about David!
No, he got the time
that he deserved!
Nobody deserves five years
for a burglary, Dad!
I do this job because I believe
in it and I'm good at it
and if you actually
took the time
and came and watched me
you'd see that.
But I guess you have to be
a drunk in this family
to get your attention.
If I remember correctly,
I helped you pay
your rent last month.
I'm not gonna sanction
your poor choice of a career
by coming and watching you
in court.
Wow.
I thought we might have
a nice lunch,
where for once, you know,
you didn't mention
what a disappointment I am.
Officer, this is Mr. Lewis'
arrest photo,
would you please describe
what he is wearing.
Black exercise sweats
and a blue nylon hoodie
with dollar signs
across the front.
Dollar signs, not lettering
and actually Mr. Lewis
is not wearing black sweats,
he's wearing black shorts,
isn't that right?
Black sweatshorts, I thought
they matched the description...
By matched, do you mean dollar
signs instead of lettering
and shorts instead of pants,
withdrawn.
When you conducted
your safety search,
what did you do?
I padded the defendant down
and felt something
in his shorts pocket.
I reached in and removed it.
Officer,
this is a prop 9mm Glock.
This is a Beretta 22.
One of the smallest guns
on the market
and these
are a variety of knives.
Would you please explain
why this felt like a weapon?
- Objection!
- On what grounds?
You don't like the answer?
Overruled.
Don't gloat.
You may answer.
I didn't know what it could be.
So, it was the non-descript
dangerous object?
Your Honor, during a Terry stop,
the officer is allowed
to conduct a safety frisk
but he is not allowed
to go into the suspects pocket
and just pull out evidence.
The locket should be suppressed.
Your Honor, he did now know
what the object was,
- it could have been anything...
- Not anything dangerous.
She's right, Mr. Hammond,
the locket is out.
Alright, we will continue
this hearing this afternoon.
You might win some
but you just lost one.
I thought Hammond
was trying to hide something
in the Rosario
but there is nothing here.
Uh, what's going on over there?
No, that is my phone!
Oh my God, I cannot believe
my room mate
is getting dick pics
and I don't know from who.
I am underwhelmed.
And who was that?
I dunno, somebody keeps calling
and won't leave a message,
probably AMEX,
apparently they're serious
about this whole
minimum payment thing.
It might be that new ATB lawyer.
I gave him your number.
The knuckle-cracker?
Girl, you know he is annoying.
Have you noticed
that you find anyone
who's not your law school
professor crush annoying?
Who, Bennet?
Girl, please, that's cray.
We never even dated,
he doesn't like me like that.
How do you know? You told me
you never put it on the table.
- Because...
- Anyone seen the rookie?
You lost the rookie,
that is awesome, good job.
- I told you to watch her.
- I did, Charlie.
And then I killer her
for her shoes.
Hey, how did it go today?
Well, it's not civil court.
Ah, civil court...
Where white people argue
over white people problems.
Here, make yourself useful.
What is this?
Witness statements,
police reports,
cop's memo book.
What am I looking for?
A defense theory.
Well, shouldn't you
have figured it out
from the discovery?
Ain't she cute?
Discovery is called
Rosario material
and in criminal court
we're not actually
legally entitled to it,
until after the jury is sworn.
That's not fair, how are you
supposed to prepare?
You're catching on.
What's with the redactions?
That's the stuff
that proves he's innocent.
Yeah, victim and witness,
addresses and phone numbers,
we could interview them
but the prosecutor makes sure
that we can't find them,
in fact,
they black it out so hard
that even if you hold it
up to the light...
Wait a minute.
Why didn't I catch that before?
He missed one!
This is the victim's
boyfriend's address.
Do you still have
those phone records?
According to the report,
she was on the phone with him
when she was attacked
and the cops
never even talked to him.
Campbell, let's go see
what Mr. Boyfriend has to say.
Miss Wong, you were attacked
at ten o'clock,
coming from a yoga class,
correct?
Yes.
And when
this person attacked you,
he pushed you to the pavement
face first, correct?
Yes but I turned and saw him
very clearly
before he pushed me down.
Well, you were talking to your
boyfriend James on the phone
when you first heard
someone behind you,
- isn't that right?
- Yes.
These are
your cell phone records,
you were talking to him
for 42 minutes, right?
I guess.
It was an emotional
conversation, wasn't it?
Yes, it was.
You were distraught and crying,
weren't you?
You'd been fighting
for 42 minutes
and James said
he wanted to break up, right?
Yes.
In fact, James said he wanted
to break up
and then you told him
that you might be pregnant?
What does that
have to do with anything?
I was almost raped!
Your Honor, I am not trying
to embarrass this witness,
I'm just trying to get at
her state of mind
when she was attacked.
Overruled but you are on
a very short leash.
Miss Wong, you're a college
aged women who had sex!
Nobody here is judging you,
in fact,
everyone in this room had sex
at your age,
except maybe Mr. Hammond.
You were this upset
when you told James
because you weren't happy about
maybe being pregnant, right?
Yes.
And, by the way,
it was pretty dark out there
because these
three street lights
were out that night, right?
Yes, except the porch lights
at the fraternity were on.
Ah, well this photograph taken
by our defense investigator,
just two days later,
shows the fraternity lights out.
The fraternity was suspended.
They were suspended for hazing
the day after I was attacked.
The lights were on that night.
I might have been crying
but I saw who attacked me
and I am one hundred percent
sure it was him.
Judge, my client maintains
the complainant
attacked him first,
he was defending himself.
The people offer
an A misdemeanor
and 90 days, Your Honor.
Alternatively we request
5000 dollars bail.
Five thousand?
That's ridiculous!
Five's not out of the ball park
with a rap sheet as long as his,
how about 60 days?
Your Honor, my client lives
in SRO, you might as well...
Is that a no?
I'll wave motions,
I want immediate an trial date.
How about December 19th?
That is ten weeks away.
I can't manufacture
trial parts, Miss Campbell.
What's happening?
We're getting screwed,
you gotta take the 60 days, Kenneth
if you take the 60,
you'll be out in 40,
if you fight it,
you're gonna be in for longer.
But I didn't do it and
if I plead, I'll lose my room.
Counselor,
what date do you want?
I need ten more seconds, please!
- December 19th for trial.
- Kenneth, take the plea.
Bring in the next case, please.
No, he'll take the plea,
he'll take it.
- I wanna take the 5 years.
- That deal is off the table.
Then I wanna testify.
Absolutely not,
you have nothing to add!
I got my story, my side.
That prosecutor will
take you apart piece by piece.
You think I'm just some...
What, some dumb ass thug?
Look, I know I may not dress
like you or talk like you,
with your,
"Why, yes, Your Honor,
we'd like to have this evidence
thrown out of court, na, na."
OK, you know what,
you would make
a horrible witness.
There are consequences,
Randell, to your neck tattoos
and your saggy pants,
the jury is not gonna like you,
not the white jurors
and not the black ones either,
including the brother
who works for AT&T.
He is not gonna like you
because he thinks
you bring the curve down.
I don't like it
but it is the truth.
If you want me to let you
tell your story, I will.
But all of your anger
and your resentment
will spell out
it is real,
and it is justifiable.
But they will hate you
and they will convict you.
Do you understand?
This closet is for our clients,
Sullivan. Not for you.
Although I am feeling
that green floral jacket.
- Get out!
- What'’s wrong with you?
Maybe you should stop
having these panic attacks
if you'd admit
you still have feelings for me.
Do you miss how I put
it down a little bit?
No, stop, stop!
Worst idea ever!
- Would I begged to differ?
- No, you are like a donut.
You are like a maple,
glaze, bacon donut.
Just a few seconds of fun
and you always regret after.
- So, in bed it would be fun?
- This never happened, Charlie.
Don'’t worry.
I'’m not gonna tell anyone.
Except maybe the court offices.
But I'’m sure they'll
keep it to themselves.
- I don'’t have a defense.
- No woman does.
Oh, my... Do you claim
a tax deduction for that ego?
You worry too much, Sullivan.
You go home at night
and you lie awake
thinking about your clients.
When I go home, I'm drinking
Macallan and playing Madden.
And that'’s the difference
between us.
You don'’t care about
your clients.
You just care about winning.
I care about my clients
by caring about winning.
My guy has a shitty case.
He pleas.
If it'’s a triable one,
we try it. And guess what?
Most of the time my interest
and my clients'’ overlap.
Wow! That'’s so inspiring.
You should copyright that.
In fact,
if you become a supervisor
why don'’t you just start
a welcoming speech
for the rookies...
What?
Do you remember what Tom always
said when we just started?
- Go back to basics!
- Go back to basics!
Thanks, donut.
So, we'’ll go meet back
in here later. Gwen!
- Charlie, again?
- Shut up!
- Hands up! Don'’t shoot!
- Step away from the window.
I just talked to your boss.
He ain'’t happy.
What else can you do?
Maybe you should reconsider
the whole burglar thing.
If I was a blond named Jessica,
would you still think
I was a burglar?
Mam, you were trying
to jimmy the window.
- Good point.
- Why were you trying to get in
to turn on
the porch lights anyway?
I was trying to see
the lighting conditions.
This fraternity is on my beat.
Trust me, porch lights
are blinding.
Are you saying this
because it's true
or because you want me
to lose my case?
I'’ve got no dog in your fight.
I might have,
But NYPD was not interested.
Wait, what?
I was involved tracking
the suspect that night.
We picked up some guy
that fit the description,
I radioed in to the NYPD.
They said they already got
the guy. They cut our guy loose.
Did you try and get paper work
over to the Prosecutor?
Of course.
- You withheld this.
- It was misfiled.
Seriously, Hammond?
Counsels, address the court,
not each other.
I just showed
the victim this photo.
- She said that was not him.
- You know that doesn'’t matter.
My client'’s face
was invented in her brain
because of that
ridiculous show-up.
Counselors, I said
address yourselves to me.
Your Honor, this clearly
is a Brady violation.
I want sanctions,
dismiss the case.
Did you know another person
had been detained?
- No, I did not.
- Bullshit!
It'’s the reason
why you offered my client
three years because
he knew if I found out
his case would disappear.
One more curse word from you,
and I will hold you in contempt.
That'’s like adult time out,
but worse.
Now you can argue
all of these to a Jury.
That'’s not enough. My client has
been in jail for nine months.
Stop throwing a temper tantrum!
Your Honor, how many people
are in Attica right now
because the prosecution
didn'’t forget the black guy'’s
out of the witness'’ dress!
One more word, Miss Sullivan!
This is a joke! The DA's Office
does this all the time.
And I expect it from a prick
like him but not from you!
You are supposed to care.
We are not processing savages.
These are human beings.
I mean, why will we even
bother with a trial at all?
Why don'’t we just take him
back and hang him from a tree?
Miss Sullivan,
you are in contempt.
Officer Johnson, could you
please escort her to lock-up?
How should they pay you?
Nickle bag
just down on the corner
and tell people who to buy from.
I think we might have
a good story for the Grand Jury.
We are going to use
the fact that the cops
recovered drugs
on you to our advantage.
- How?
- We can make you a plain buyer.
You weren'’t steering
anyone towards the dealer.
Okay? You bought.
Some guy asked you to escort.
There is a difference
between sale and possession.
Cool!
- You told them to lie.
- He is an addict
facing a 4.5 to 9 now for
dealing. And all he did was
take 5 dollars worth of heroin
to a point down the street.
The rules are there
for a reason.
Have you been paying attention?
My client just plead guilty
to a crime he didn'’t commit
because he couldn'’t
afford a bail.
The rules are screwing
our client.
But if we cheat, we only bring
ourselves down to their level.
What are you doing here exactly?
You just slumped it
for a few months?
I didn'’t ask for this.
I wanted in housing
or immigration.
Oh, what happened?
Mommy and Daddy,
they didn't fill
the right streams?
You don'’t like me
because I have money?
I don'’t like you cause you think
you are too good for this place.
Because you hate
getting your hands dirty.
I mean, look at these two guys.
They don'’t look any more
like two black men
you just grab on the street.
It'’s the cross racial of it all.
Which I haven't brought up
in court yet.
How would you do that
without an expert?
Why people don't like to admit
we all look alike?
Okay, okay.
I know the contempt thing
is not very supervisorial.
But are you seriously
considering Charlie?
During a trial last month
he kept mispronouncing
- his client'’s name.
- He did win.
- It's all that matters.
- Gwen...
Last month, you chased down
Judge Goldberg at his son's
bar mitzvah demanding he lower
someone's bail.
- Yeah.
- In the last trial you lost,
you asked the Judge to hold
the Jury four times.
Now you are in handcuffs
three times in three days.
I mean, sometimes you are
a little bit too passion?
- What'’s wrong with passion?
- Passion is great.
Passion gave me
a heart attack at age 48.
I want you to go out there and
apologize to Judge Blackwood.
Absolutely not.
Gwen, if you don'’t survive
the last battles,
then you can'’t win the war.
Apology accepted, Miss Sullivan.
She is a talented lawyer, Tom.
Oh, I know she is, Judge.
And I appreciate...
I mean, we appreciate
your tolerance.
But she'’s just disrespectful.
I'’m disciplined even if
facial expressions in this
court, they're indescribable...
- Holy shit!
- See! There, right there!
No, Your Honor.
It's just... I got an idea.
Miss Wang,
if I were a sketch artist
what would you tell me about
the man Who tried to rape you?
Objection! Miss Sullivan
is not in fact a sketch artist.
I'’ll allow it.
Eh... He was black, tall,
short hair.
What about the shape
of his face?
Regular, I guess,
kind of oval-ish.
His hairline?
Was it square, round?
I'’m not sure.
His eyes, were they wide set,
closed together?
- I'’m not really sure.
- How about his nose?
Was it large, small,
wide, flat, pointy?
- I don'’t know.
- How about his chin?
Or his chick bones,
his ears, his forehead.
Is there anything
you can tell us?
He was black.
Yes, you'’ve told us.
He was black.
Miss Wang, based
on your testimony just now
this is the face of the man
who tried to rape you.
My God! Objection!
All right, not one more word,
either of you.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'’m going
to ask you to step out, please.
Your honor, Ms. Cooper
is a sketch artist certified
by the international association
of identification.
Your honor, this is outrageous.
What is it outrageous
is this man
being ripped from his life
and his family and charged
with attempted rape
based on nothing other than
it was a black man who did it.
Your honor, after sitting
in this court room
for several hours,
looking directly at Mr. Louis,
she can'’t even identify him.
No reasonable jury is going
to be able to find
beyond a reasonable doubt
that he committed this crime.
This is absurd.
Sketch artists spend hours
with their victim.
They have scores of questions
designed to elicit
an accurate description.
You wanna have the sketch
artist do that right here?
We can let the jury
do the whole thing.
Mr. Hamon?
Then I am directing
a not guilty verdict
in favor of Mr. Louis.
Your honor.
Mr. Hamon,
you get what you get
and you don'’t get upset.
Not guilty. It'’s over.
Thank you.
Why are you in a closet?
Internal crash.
Oh.
This place is a nightmare.
I know.
The computers are
from like 1999,
there'’s no support staff
to speak of
and the entire place
has a smell.
My bad, I thought you were
talking about the injustice.
Like the fact that my client
almost went to prison
because a college girl
can'’t tell black people apart.
That too.
Does this get any better?
In some ways it does.
You learn the law, you get
more comfortable in court
you even get used to the smell.
But chances are you'’ll screw up
and some will go to jail
because of it.
You just gotta learn
to live with it. All of it.
Have you?
Vanessa, I'’m sitting
in a clothes closet.
You ran the guilty plea down
my client'’s throat yesterday.
I'’ve got a hundred cases
on my docket.
If I don'’t dispose of them
quickly I hear about it
from the chief junction
and besides,
if you didn'’t do this,
you did something else.
You say some shit like that,
it makes me not want
to have sex with you.
Are you sure?
You know, I hate
that I can'’t manipulate you.
No, you don'’t. It turns you on.
Maybe, maybe. But right now,
the other thing
turns me off more.
I'’ll definitely
be calling you. Cheers.
You'’re gonna call twins?
Not at the same time.
Shots are in the room.
Let'’s do this thing,
Oh yes, double fisting.
Here'’s to the win.
Can'’t wait to do it again.
Drink number three
and you haven'’t eaten,
do not get drunk
and fall on top of Charlie.
Mind your business.
It'’ll be my business next month
when you all are fighting
like cats and dogs
and driving each other crazy
and then you'’ll be like,
"“Why didn'’t you stop me?"”
I'’m not sleeping with Charlie,
trust me.
You better not be sleeping
with Charlie.
Are you gonna stand there,
in that bad ass dress?
Looking all fine and pretending
you don'’t want me?
Or are can live in this moment.
Forget all those do's and don'’ts
fooling around
pretty little head of yours.
I can get these...
Maple glazed bacon donut.
What's with you
and these damn closets?
Shut up.
- Hey, what's going on in there?
- It's private!
Next time on In Contempt
Ladies.
Oh, my Lord!
You slept with him last night!
Charlie doesn't like
anyone but himself.
No!
Everybody'’s lying and don't
expect the truth
until they trust you.
Remember, you'’re the lawyer.
So, be confident
and authoritative.
I don't care how you do it,
but you gotta find a way
to get your client to trust you.
Especially you.
You look and act
just like a prosecutor.
There, Bennet.
That's the hot law professor?
I would show off
for his office hours.
So here's to old friends
reconnecting.
I'll drink to that.
of Kings and Queens,
walk proud, walk proud,
heads up!
Brothers and sisters,
you are free citizens!
Stay woke, don't jump
to these unjust laws!
I fought for freedom
and your nose are
in these phones and gadgets!
Your minds are enslaved again!
Put in on a t-shirt
and be woke upstairs, now!
Beautiful black woman,
you are descendants
of Kings and Queens.
Walk proud, head up,
my black and brown brothers,
The justice system
is a new Jim Crow,
the new slavery,
you gotta fight it!
- Morning, Akin.
- Morning.
Thank you.
I'm gonna need
another one of these.
Starting a trial?
Yeah, have you heard anything?
Is Hammond ready to go?
Well, he told Dashay that
he was ready for something,
I dunno if it's yours, but...
You are my hero.
Don't worry,
I'll put it on your tab.
Thank you.
Jamal, part F, 30 minutes.
God,
I hope that coffee's for me.
Black and sweet,
just like you like it,
- you want a chip?
- Na.
Come on,
it's like bacon in a bag.
Mmm, I brought up
your guys first.
Thank God,
I got four cases of F4
and it looks like
my attempted rape is gonna go.
Adler's in a mood, he already
started calling cases.
People vs. Franklin Cowling,
Obstructing Governmental
Administration, step up!
Counsel, state your name
for the record.
Gwen Sullivan,
Defenders Association
of New York County
for Mr. Cowling.
Your Honor,
the people have a one time
only offer of six months.
Sounds eminently fair,
what say you, Miss Sullivan?
I say I need 15 minutes
to talk to my client.
No need to discuss,
discourse, dialogue!
Are you off your meds?
I ain't messing with them meds,
that's the government
trying to control me.
OK, Your Honor,
don't you think a second call
would be useful here?
Is your client 7-30, counselor?
- Well, no, but you can...
- Six months, yes or no?
This court suppresses,
represses and depresses
the body and integrity
of the black man.
Stick a fork in it,
we're done! I'm revoking bail.
Wait, what? Your Honor,
we didn't...
Your client was late!
Put it over till tomorrow.
He.. He's locking me up?
- Yes, but don't... No.
- You in on this, ain't you?
Franklin!
Franklin, it's me!
Don't grab him, don't grab him,
he doesn't like
getting grabbed like this.
Get off of him, he doesn't like
being restrained.
Damn, I know you said you boxed
but you went in like Mayweather!
In light of what just happened...
Your Honor,
we'll take the six months.
Hey.
So, what's your story?
Are you moving packs?
You left a Louis
bag from Bernies.
Yo, I got two videos
up on Worldstar,
do you wanna be my third?
Alright.
Hilary Banks.
That's your boss, right there.
Hi, Vanessa Hastings.
Tom DelGato, attorney in chief.
- Morning, Lisa.
- Morning, Tom.
It's ten o'clock.
What happened to your
only at lunchtime rule?
Rules are made
to be broken, honey.
Are they?
So, we can do
an actual dinner, too?
Let's keep it at one work day
screw for now, Richard.
Why, when they're so much fun?
'Cause you're a married man
and I'm a traditional girl...
With traditional values.
Ah.
Jesus, you're like
a pit-bull in pumps!
We had bets at the office,
you know,
where you'd come after me.
I don't think anyone picked
the men room.
Well, we're both lucky
your stall was locked.
It was a bad ID,
you're gonna lose the hearing,
come down off the sixth
and I'll get him to take it.
You can have five.
Uh-uh, that was too easy,
what's going on?
Fine, you can have eight.
Your case is falling apart,
that's why you're being such
a tight ass with the Rosario.
That case is air tight,
you've got, er...
An hour to take the five,
after that,
deal's off the table.
- Hey, Andrew.
- Hey.
The D.A. came down to five,
with good time
you'll be out in four.
See, I knew this was coming.
You know I have your back
but if you blow trial, it's not
five years, it's fifteen.
I don't care if it's 50,
I ain't never touched that girl
Brandell, a straight A
engineering student
is gonna get up on that stand,
point at you and say,
"I will never forget the face
of the man
who tried to rape me."
All I know is that
I went out for a run,
next thing I know
I'm in the back of a cop car,
chick I ain't never seen
talking about
I tried to rape her.
Nine months, I've been locked
down for something I didn't do.
I lost my job, my wife,
her and my kids
had to move back in
with her momma in Atlanta.
I ain't seen my little girls.
- You had her locket.
- I told you, I found it!
It's a bad fact, please don't
play like you don't know that.
You know... What's funny?
I actually
couldn't believe my luck.
I thought
I could give that locket
to my youngest daughter.
Brandell,
you take the five years,
your Tosh is in pre-school
by the time you get out.
You blow trial,
she's in college.
I didn't do this,
I'm not copping out... I can't.
Then we fight.
Ladies and gentleman,
the police did a procedure
in this case called a Show Up.
That's a line up,
a line up in the streets,
a line up with only one choice,
my client, Brandell Willis.
Had my client not been
running in the...
Yo, Fight Club!
Oh God, jeez.
I heard someone
couldn't keep their hands
off one of their clients today?
Heard it ended
with you in handcuffs.
- You jealous?
- Only 'cause I wasn't there.
Turn around.
Don't tell me the judge
is finally coming
to watch you on trial.
We're meeting for lunch
at the club.
- Hmm.
- What?
Just imagining
what it's gonna be like
to have you call me boss.
Cute, I call you
a lot of things, Charlie,
trust me, boss ain't never
gonna be one of them.
And anyway Tom would never
promote you over me.
I don't know, only one
of us beat down
- a court officer today.
- And the other one of us
doesn't want to break a nail,
now get out.
I promise not to enjoy
bossing you around at all.
- Beat it, beat it.
- OK, I'm going.
Yes, she wants me.
There seems to be a mistake,
I applied
for the civil division.
Normal case load
for a new attorney
is 125 misdemeanors.
125?
You gonna be able to handle this
without bitching and moaning?
Because I hate
bitching and moaning,
raises my blood pressure.
Really?
Well, hello,
young Condoleezza Rice.
I'm Vanessa Hastings, I'm new.
I gotta share
my office with a rookie?
What did I say to you
a minute ago?
You hate bitching and moaning.
You see that,
she's only been here 15 minutes
and I already like her
better than you.
Who's my assistant?
- Take that back.
- Tom!
Not now, Charlie, I have to go
talk to Judge Adler,
some idiot got handcuffed
in his courtroom this morning.
You know, I heard she was
more heroic than idiotic.
All I know is that,
because of you,
I have to put on a tie.
OK, listen, I got Hammond
to come down to five
but I can't get
my guy to swallow it.
Say you gotta go I.D.
Oh God, I'm just hoping
the show up was bad.
You're gonna roll the dice and
hope a defense reveals itself
for the suppression hearing?
Oh, please,
you know I always have
something in my back pocket,
I just don't know what yet.
- What judge you pull?
- Blackburn.
- Shit, he needs to plead.
- My guy didn't do it.
Didn't homeboy have the
victims locket in his pocket?
Yeah, whatever, Dr. Seuss!
Jesus, both of you, grow up!
Charlie, take the rookie
over to arraignments.
Tell her something encouraging
and keep an eye on her,
she's a Caldwell fellow.
What the hell is that?
She's a first year associate
at Caldwell, Drummond and Hale.
She does a year
of public service,
they pay her
a full Caldwell salary.
Guess we know
who's buying lunch.
Yo, rookie, let's roll.
Someone gets arrested,
they disappear into the system.
On a good day, they pop up here
24 hours later
and get assigned a lawyer.
Oh, come on, Joel, give her
one day of community service,
Haven't you ever stolen
the least itty bitty thing?
Miss. Campbell.
You're not taking advantage
of Mr. Maknimara are you?
I take advantage of everyone,
Your Honor,
but when I smile,
they don't seem to mind.
Tracy, this is...
What's your name again?
Vanessa Hastings,
it's nice to meet you.
Docket ending 822,
The People vs. Julie Sulowitz.
Penal Law 240.37.
Loitering for the purposes
of engaging
in prostitution, step up!
Fun fact about Charlie,
he once slept with
a 60 year old fat woman
for her play off tickets.
Damn right, dugout seats!
I'd do it again.
Interview your client,
confirm the details
on this CJA sheet
and try to get him out on bail
or cop him out
to community service.
But don't give anyone
a criminal record
that doesn't already have one.
Rookie dumping?
Is this a preview of your
brand new super fashion,
Charlie?
I got four cases in Part F,
ten in AP5
and two felonies set to trial.
So, I dapper dodge you.
Fly, baby bird, fly.
What is that smell?
A delightful popurri of piss,
B.O. and baloney sandwiches.
It'll never come out
of that pretty suit.
How did the victim
describe her attacker?
She described him as
a black male
wearing dark exercise sweats
and a blue hoodie
with white lettering.
Then after the victim
gave you this description,
what did you do?
My partner and I
canvassed the area,
we saw the defendant
running near the crime scene,
we stopped him and upon
performing a safety search,
found a gold necklace
in his pants pocket.
We transported him back
to the scene of the assault.
What happened next?
The victim identified
the defendant
and the necklace,
I placed him under arrest.
- Thank you.
- No further questions.
Officer, when you found
the incredibly dangerous locket
- in Mr. Lewis' shorts,
- Objection.
Oh, lighten up, Hammond.
Miss. Sullivan, please don't
taunt the prosecutor.
When you transported Mr. Lewis
to the crime scene,
where did you park
the patrol car
in relation to the ambulance
treating the victim?
Across the street,
a couple car lengths south.
And did you keep
Mr. Lewis in the car
or did you take him out?
I took him out, uncuffed him,
another officer
brought the victim
partway across the street,
she identified him
from about 20 feet away.
She identified him
from about 20 feet away,
would that be about...
- This far?
- That's about right.
When you took Mr. Lewis
out of the car,
where did you stand him?
Just outside the car.
And was the door open or shut?
Open, the victim identified him
before I even shut the door.
You said you parked the car
just south of the ambulance
and across the street?
So, the other officer
walked the victim,
what,
diagonally across the street
toward the front
of your cruiser?
Yes.
So, you hid Mr. Lewis
behind the open door?
Objection,
who said anything about hiding?
Sustained, but now I'm curious.
He was standing behind the door,
so the victim couldn't see
that he was wearing shorts
and not sweat pants!
Objection, speculation.
Your Honor,
this show up hid a crucial way
that Mr. Lewis' clothes did not
match the victims description
and was therefore
unduly suggestive.
Unduly being
the operative word here.
They did not have to hide him
behind the door.
They could have
let her see all of him.
I move to suppress
the in-court identification.
Enough.
You two are worse
than my grandchildren.
Standing the defendant
behind the cruiser door
did not create a risk
that the victim
would incorrectly identify him.
The defense's motion to suppress
the victims in-court
identification
of Mr. Lewis
is therefore denied.
- Your Honor.
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.
You get what you get
and you don't get upset.
Alright, we will adjourn
for the day,
we begin trial tomorrow.
How is she?
As I've heard you say,
she bouji.
Well, she is a Caldwell fellow,
she makes 180 K to our 70.
Just when I thought
she couldn't possibly
annoy me more.
Counselor,
I'll give him five days.
Five days?
But, Your Honor,
what about time served?
He was just charged
with sleeping in the subway.
Ah, sleep.
Something you might get if you
laid off those energy drinks.
Ask your client, counselor.
We don't like her,
let the bouji have her sank.
Shut up.
Your Honor,
we have a rookie here.
Really? I couldn't tell.
- Ask your client.
- But...
Miss Sullivan, I have
a docket to move here.
OK.
But why would he want
to go to jail.
Five days, he serves three,
that's three days
of three square meals
and a roof over his head,
ask him.
- Is this what you want?
- Yes.
He'll take the five days.
Welcome to hell.
You remind me of your mother.
Why? It's not a flask
and I like men.
Yes, um, my daughter will have
a sparkling water, please.
Dad, you know,
next time you invite me here,
I'ma wear a dashiki
and a head wrap.
That old bag, Judge Bolter
even stopped making women
wear pantyhoes
in her court room.
Look, this just a means
to an end, sweetheart.
Back when I was practicing,
judge Brown overruled
every objection I made,
until I became a member here.
That couple,
they always like to talk
about how all lives matter.
I get such pleasure
from making them uncomfortable.
So, I had drinks with
James Pinmore the other day
and he said that they would love
for you to come and meet
at Hamilton Grey.
Look, take the interview,
what's it gonna hurt?
My soul, dad,
it would shrivel up and die!
- Oh, come on.
- No, thank you.
Look, I know you wanna
save the world
but you could do it
more effectively
from a place like Hamilton Grey.
What is this?
Some misguided attempt
to help people
like your brother?
My career is not about David!
No, he got the time
that he deserved!
Nobody deserves five years
for a burglary, Dad!
I do this job because I believe
in it and I'm good at it
and if you actually
took the time
and came and watched me
you'd see that.
But I guess you have to be
a drunk in this family
to get your attention.
If I remember correctly,
I helped you pay
your rent last month.
I'm not gonna sanction
your poor choice of a career
by coming and watching you
in court.
Wow.
I thought we might have
a nice lunch,
where for once, you know,
you didn't mention
what a disappointment I am.
Officer, this is Mr. Lewis'
arrest photo,
would you please describe
what he is wearing.
Black exercise sweats
and a blue nylon hoodie
with dollar signs
across the front.
Dollar signs, not lettering
and actually Mr. Lewis
is not wearing black sweats,
he's wearing black shorts,
isn't that right?
Black sweatshorts, I thought
they matched the description...
By matched, do you mean dollar
signs instead of lettering
and shorts instead of pants,
withdrawn.
When you conducted
your safety search,
what did you do?
I padded the defendant down
and felt something
in his shorts pocket.
I reached in and removed it.
Officer,
this is a prop 9mm Glock.
This is a Beretta 22.
One of the smallest guns
on the market
and these
are a variety of knives.
Would you please explain
why this felt like a weapon?
- Objection!
- On what grounds?
You don't like the answer?
Overruled.
Don't gloat.
You may answer.
I didn't know what it could be.
So, it was the non-descript
dangerous object?
Your Honor, during a Terry stop,
the officer is allowed
to conduct a safety frisk
but he is not allowed
to go into the suspects pocket
and just pull out evidence.
The locket should be suppressed.
Your Honor, he did now know
what the object was,
- it could have been anything...
- Not anything dangerous.
She's right, Mr. Hammond,
the locket is out.
Alright, we will continue
this hearing this afternoon.
You might win some
but you just lost one.
I thought Hammond
was trying to hide something
in the Rosario
but there is nothing here.
Uh, what's going on over there?
No, that is my phone!
Oh my God, I cannot believe
my room mate
is getting dick pics
and I don't know from who.
I am underwhelmed.
And who was that?
I dunno, somebody keeps calling
and won't leave a message,
probably AMEX,
apparently they're serious
about this whole
minimum payment thing.
It might be that new ATB lawyer.
I gave him your number.
The knuckle-cracker?
Girl, you know he is annoying.
Have you noticed
that you find anyone
who's not your law school
professor crush annoying?
Who, Bennet?
Girl, please, that's cray.
We never even dated,
he doesn't like me like that.
How do you know? You told me
you never put it on the table.
- Because...
- Anyone seen the rookie?
You lost the rookie,
that is awesome, good job.
- I told you to watch her.
- I did, Charlie.
And then I killer her
for her shoes.
Hey, how did it go today?
Well, it's not civil court.
Ah, civil court...
Where white people argue
over white people problems.
Here, make yourself useful.
What is this?
Witness statements,
police reports,
cop's memo book.
What am I looking for?
A defense theory.
Well, shouldn't you
have figured it out
from the discovery?
Ain't she cute?
Discovery is called
Rosario material
and in criminal court
we're not actually
legally entitled to it,
until after the jury is sworn.
That's not fair, how are you
supposed to prepare?
You're catching on.
What's with the redactions?
That's the stuff
that proves he's innocent.
Yeah, victim and witness,
addresses and phone numbers,
we could interview them
but the prosecutor makes sure
that we can't find them,
in fact,
they black it out so hard
that even if you hold it
up to the light...
Wait a minute.
Why didn't I catch that before?
He missed one!
This is the victim's
boyfriend's address.
Do you still have
those phone records?
According to the report,
she was on the phone with him
when she was attacked
and the cops
never even talked to him.
Campbell, let's go see
what Mr. Boyfriend has to say.
Miss Wong, you were attacked
at ten o'clock,
coming from a yoga class,
correct?
Yes.
And when
this person attacked you,
he pushed you to the pavement
face first, correct?
Yes but I turned and saw him
very clearly
before he pushed me down.
Well, you were talking to your
boyfriend James on the phone
when you first heard
someone behind you,
- isn't that right?
- Yes.
These are
your cell phone records,
you were talking to him
for 42 minutes, right?
I guess.
It was an emotional
conversation, wasn't it?
Yes, it was.
You were distraught and crying,
weren't you?
You'd been fighting
for 42 minutes
and James said
he wanted to break up, right?
Yes.
In fact, James said he wanted
to break up
and then you told him
that you might be pregnant?
What does that
have to do with anything?
I was almost raped!
Your Honor, I am not trying
to embarrass this witness,
I'm just trying to get at
her state of mind
when she was attacked.
Overruled but you are on
a very short leash.
Miss Wong, you're a college
aged women who had sex!
Nobody here is judging you,
in fact,
everyone in this room had sex
at your age,
except maybe Mr. Hammond.
You were this upset
when you told James
because you weren't happy about
maybe being pregnant, right?
Yes.
And, by the way,
it was pretty dark out there
because these
three street lights
were out that night, right?
Yes, except the porch lights
at the fraternity were on.
Ah, well this photograph taken
by our defense investigator,
just two days later,
shows the fraternity lights out.
The fraternity was suspended.
They were suspended for hazing
the day after I was attacked.
The lights were on that night.
I might have been crying
but I saw who attacked me
and I am one hundred percent
sure it was him.
Judge, my client maintains
the complainant
attacked him first,
he was defending himself.
The people offer
an A misdemeanor
and 90 days, Your Honor.
Alternatively we request
5000 dollars bail.
Five thousand?
That's ridiculous!
Five's not out of the ball park
with a rap sheet as long as his,
how about 60 days?
Your Honor, my client lives
in SRO, you might as well...
Is that a no?
I'll wave motions,
I want immediate an trial date.
How about December 19th?
That is ten weeks away.
I can't manufacture
trial parts, Miss Campbell.
What's happening?
We're getting screwed,
you gotta take the 60 days, Kenneth
if you take the 60,
you'll be out in 40,
if you fight it,
you're gonna be in for longer.
But I didn't do it and
if I plead, I'll lose my room.
Counselor,
what date do you want?
I need ten more seconds, please!
- December 19th for trial.
- Kenneth, take the plea.
Bring in the next case, please.
No, he'll take the plea,
he'll take it.
- I wanna take the 5 years.
- That deal is off the table.
Then I wanna testify.
Absolutely not,
you have nothing to add!
I got my story, my side.
That prosecutor will
take you apart piece by piece.
You think I'm just some...
What, some dumb ass thug?
Look, I know I may not dress
like you or talk like you,
with your,
"Why, yes, Your Honor,
we'd like to have this evidence
thrown out of court, na, na."
OK, you know what,
you would make
a horrible witness.
There are consequences,
Randell, to your neck tattoos
and your saggy pants,
the jury is not gonna like you,
not the white jurors
and not the black ones either,
including the brother
who works for AT&T.
He is not gonna like you
because he thinks
you bring the curve down.
I don't like it
but it is the truth.
If you want me to let you
tell your story, I will.
But all of your anger
and your resentment
will spell out
it is real,
and it is justifiable.
But they will hate you
and they will convict you.
Do you understand?
This closet is for our clients,
Sullivan. Not for you.
Although I am feeling
that green floral jacket.
- Get out!
- What'’s wrong with you?
Maybe you should stop
having these panic attacks
if you'd admit
you still have feelings for me.
Do you miss how I put
it down a little bit?
No, stop, stop!
Worst idea ever!
- Would I begged to differ?
- No, you are like a donut.
You are like a maple,
glaze, bacon donut.
Just a few seconds of fun
and you always regret after.
- So, in bed it would be fun?
- This never happened, Charlie.
Don'’t worry.
I'’m not gonna tell anyone.
Except maybe the court offices.
But I'’m sure they'll
keep it to themselves.
- I don'’t have a defense.
- No woman does.
Oh, my... Do you claim
a tax deduction for that ego?
You worry too much, Sullivan.
You go home at night
and you lie awake
thinking about your clients.
When I go home, I'm drinking
Macallan and playing Madden.
And that'’s the difference
between us.
You don'’t care about
your clients.
You just care about winning.
I care about my clients
by caring about winning.
My guy has a shitty case.
He pleas.
If it'’s a triable one,
we try it. And guess what?
Most of the time my interest
and my clients'’ overlap.
Wow! That'’s so inspiring.
You should copyright that.
In fact,
if you become a supervisor
why don'’t you just start
a welcoming speech
for the rookies...
What?
Do you remember what Tom always
said when we just started?
- Go back to basics!
- Go back to basics!
Thanks, donut.
So, we'’ll go meet back
in here later. Gwen!
- Charlie, again?
- Shut up!
- Hands up! Don'’t shoot!
- Step away from the window.
I just talked to your boss.
He ain'’t happy.
What else can you do?
Maybe you should reconsider
the whole burglar thing.
If I was a blond named Jessica,
would you still think
I was a burglar?
Mam, you were trying
to jimmy the window.
- Good point.
- Why were you trying to get in
to turn on
the porch lights anyway?
I was trying to see
the lighting conditions.
This fraternity is on my beat.
Trust me, porch lights
are blinding.
Are you saying this
because it's true
or because you want me
to lose my case?
I'’ve got no dog in your fight.
I might have,
But NYPD was not interested.
Wait, what?
I was involved tracking
the suspect that night.
We picked up some guy
that fit the description,
I radioed in to the NYPD.
They said they already got
the guy. They cut our guy loose.
Did you try and get paper work
over to the Prosecutor?
Of course.
- You withheld this.
- It was misfiled.
Seriously, Hammond?
Counsels, address the court,
not each other.
I just showed
the victim this photo.
- She said that was not him.
- You know that doesn'’t matter.
My client'’s face
was invented in her brain
because of that
ridiculous show-up.
Counselors, I said
address yourselves to me.
Your Honor, this clearly
is a Brady violation.
I want sanctions,
dismiss the case.
Did you know another person
had been detained?
- No, I did not.
- Bullshit!
It'’s the reason
why you offered my client
three years because
he knew if I found out
his case would disappear.
One more curse word from you,
and I will hold you in contempt.
That'’s like adult time out,
but worse.
Now you can argue
all of these to a Jury.
That'’s not enough. My client has
been in jail for nine months.
Stop throwing a temper tantrum!
Your Honor, how many people
are in Attica right now
because the prosecution
didn'’t forget the black guy'’s
out of the witness'’ dress!
One more word, Miss Sullivan!
This is a joke! The DA's Office
does this all the time.
And I expect it from a prick
like him but not from you!
You are supposed to care.
We are not processing savages.
These are human beings.
I mean, why will we even
bother with a trial at all?
Why don'’t we just take him
back and hang him from a tree?
Miss Sullivan,
you are in contempt.
Officer Johnson, could you
please escort her to lock-up?
How should they pay you?
Nickle bag
just down on the corner
and tell people who to buy from.
I think we might have
a good story for the Grand Jury.
We are going to use
the fact that the cops
recovered drugs
on you to our advantage.
- How?
- We can make you a plain buyer.
You weren'’t steering
anyone towards the dealer.
Okay? You bought.
Some guy asked you to escort.
There is a difference
between sale and possession.
Cool!
- You told them to lie.
- He is an addict
facing a 4.5 to 9 now for
dealing. And all he did was
take 5 dollars worth of heroin
to a point down the street.
The rules are there
for a reason.
Have you been paying attention?
My client just plead guilty
to a crime he didn'’t commit
because he couldn'’t
afford a bail.
The rules are screwing
our client.
But if we cheat, we only bring
ourselves down to their level.
What are you doing here exactly?
You just slumped it
for a few months?
I didn'’t ask for this.
I wanted in housing
or immigration.
Oh, what happened?
Mommy and Daddy,
they didn't fill
the right streams?
You don'’t like me
because I have money?
I don'’t like you cause you think
you are too good for this place.
Because you hate
getting your hands dirty.
I mean, look at these two guys.
They don'’t look any more
like two black men
you just grab on the street.
It'’s the cross racial of it all.
Which I haven't brought up
in court yet.
How would you do that
without an expert?
Why people don't like to admit
we all look alike?
Okay, okay.
I know the contempt thing
is not very supervisorial.
But are you seriously
considering Charlie?
During a trial last month
he kept mispronouncing
- his client'’s name.
- He did win.
- It's all that matters.
- Gwen...
Last month, you chased down
Judge Goldberg at his son's
bar mitzvah demanding he lower
someone's bail.
- Yeah.
- In the last trial you lost,
you asked the Judge to hold
the Jury four times.
Now you are in handcuffs
three times in three days.
I mean, sometimes you are
a little bit too passion?
- What'’s wrong with passion?
- Passion is great.
Passion gave me
a heart attack at age 48.
I want you to go out there and
apologize to Judge Blackwood.
Absolutely not.
Gwen, if you don'’t survive
the last battles,
then you can'’t win the war.
Apology accepted, Miss Sullivan.
She is a talented lawyer, Tom.
Oh, I know she is, Judge.
And I appreciate...
I mean, we appreciate
your tolerance.
But she'’s just disrespectful.
I'’m disciplined even if
facial expressions in this
court, they're indescribable...
- Holy shit!
- See! There, right there!
No, Your Honor.
It's just... I got an idea.
Miss Wang,
if I were a sketch artist
what would you tell me about
the man Who tried to rape you?
Objection! Miss Sullivan
is not in fact a sketch artist.
I'’ll allow it.
Eh... He was black, tall,
short hair.
What about the shape
of his face?
Regular, I guess,
kind of oval-ish.
His hairline?
Was it square, round?
I'’m not sure.
His eyes, were they wide set,
closed together?
- I'’m not really sure.
- How about his nose?
Was it large, small,
wide, flat, pointy?
- I don'’t know.
- How about his chin?
Or his chick bones,
his ears, his forehead.
Is there anything
you can tell us?
He was black.
Yes, you'’ve told us.
He was black.
Miss Wang, based
on your testimony just now
this is the face of the man
who tried to rape you.
My God! Objection!
All right, not one more word,
either of you.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'’m going
to ask you to step out, please.
Your honor, Ms. Cooper
is a sketch artist certified
by the international association
of identification.
Your honor, this is outrageous.
What is it outrageous
is this man
being ripped from his life
and his family and charged
with attempted rape
based on nothing other than
it was a black man who did it.
Your honor, after sitting
in this court room
for several hours,
looking directly at Mr. Louis,
she can'’t even identify him.
No reasonable jury is going
to be able to find
beyond a reasonable doubt
that he committed this crime.
This is absurd.
Sketch artists spend hours
with their victim.
They have scores of questions
designed to elicit
an accurate description.
You wanna have the sketch
artist do that right here?
We can let the jury
do the whole thing.
Mr. Hamon?
Then I am directing
a not guilty verdict
in favor of Mr. Louis.
Your honor.
Mr. Hamon,
you get what you get
and you don'’t get upset.
Not guilty. It'’s over.
Thank you.
Why are you in a closet?
Internal crash.
Oh.
This place is a nightmare.
I know.
The computers are
from like 1999,
there'’s no support staff
to speak of
and the entire place
has a smell.
My bad, I thought you were
talking about the injustice.
Like the fact that my client
almost went to prison
because a college girl
can'’t tell black people apart.
That too.
Does this get any better?
In some ways it does.
You learn the law, you get
more comfortable in court
you even get used to the smell.
But chances are you'’ll screw up
and some will go to jail
because of it.
You just gotta learn
to live with it. All of it.
Have you?
Vanessa, I'’m sitting
in a clothes closet.
You ran the guilty plea down
my client'’s throat yesterday.
I'’ve got a hundred cases
on my docket.
If I don'’t dispose of them
quickly I hear about it
from the chief junction
and besides,
if you didn'’t do this,
you did something else.
You say some shit like that,
it makes me not want
to have sex with you.
Are you sure?
You know, I hate
that I can'’t manipulate you.
No, you don'’t. It turns you on.
Maybe, maybe. But right now,
the other thing
turns me off more.
I'’ll definitely
be calling you. Cheers.
You'’re gonna call twins?
Not at the same time.
Shots are in the room.
Let'’s do this thing,
Oh yes, double fisting.
Here'’s to the win.
Can'’t wait to do it again.
Drink number three
and you haven'’t eaten,
do not get drunk
and fall on top of Charlie.
Mind your business.
It'’ll be my business next month
when you all are fighting
like cats and dogs
and driving each other crazy
and then you'’ll be like,
"“Why didn'’t you stop me?"”
I'’m not sleeping with Charlie,
trust me.
You better not be sleeping
with Charlie.
Are you gonna stand there,
in that bad ass dress?
Looking all fine and pretending
you don'’t want me?
Or are can live in this moment.
Forget all those do's and don'’ts
fooling around
pretty little head of yours.
I can get these...
Maple glazed bacon donut.
What's with you
and these damn closets?
Shut up.
- Hey, what's going on in there?
- It's private!
Next time on In Contempt
Ladies.
Oh, my Lord!
You slept with him last night!
Charlie doesn't like
anyone but himself.
No!
Everybody'’s lying and don't
expect the truth
until they trust you.
Remember, you'’re the lawyer.
So, be confident
and authoritative.
I don't care how you do it,
but you gotta find a way
to get your client to trust you.
Especially you.
You look and act
just like a prosecutor.
There, Bennet.
That's the hot law professor?
I would show off
for his office hours.
So here's to old friends
reconnecting.
I'll drink to that.