In Contempt (2018–…): Season 1, Episode 10 - BLM, Part Two - full transcript

Jackson Allen Whitmore
of Washington Heights

is accused of shooting
Officer Jacob Lockman.

Ms. Hastings recently
joined our office, your honor.

Interesting.

You need to get you
some groceries

and for God's sake you need
to leave that Flame bolt alone,

that stuff will kill you.

Officer, isn't-[gasps]

You do have a small arrhythmia
and your blood pressure

was through the roof
when you came in.

[screaming]



Franklin!

Franklin, it's me, Gwen!

The disciplinary committee?
They're investigating you?

So we gotta make
an enemies list.

Advance America Payday loans.

Girl, they have
called you four times

Why is it that
you can't accept my help?

You know you haven't
set foot in this building

to come and see me in court?

Holy shit, Tessa?
Campanelli?

The statute says
you can't claim self-defense

if you were resisting arrest.

What if we argue that
there wasn't an actual arrest?

- It was as assault.
- By whom?



The officer!

So this guy gets out of his car,
just hits me on the chin,

so we fought!

Did you file a police report?

Yes, but he was a cop!

I just broke up with Ben.

Oh, honey,

then this is gonna really
make you feel terrible.

♪ I don't mess with cops ♪

♪ Shoot 'till they body drop ♪

♪ Shoot 'till they beg to stop
You goin' down ♪

♪ You don't like
No black or brown ♪

♪ Trigger-happy policin' ♪

Come on! It's ridiculous.

It's a rap video!

Shakespeare wrote MacBeth,

it don't make him a murderer.

I don't know, it's not good.

It obviously says
something about the guy.

Morning, Gwen.

Who writes lyrics
about killing cops?

Sounds like
a pretty violent person.

A lot of people on that jury
are thinking what you just said.

Gwen Sullivan cannot have
had a good night's sleep.

♪ The way they do my life ♪

♪ This ain't livin' ♪

♪ No, no, no ♪

It's bad, right?

The song?

- I wish we would've known.
- I'm sorry.

It's not your fault
we didn't find it

but we need to know
if there's anything else.

No, no I don't think so.

- Are you sure?
- I don't know.

I'm tryin' to think

but I didn't think
to tell you about the video.

Are we losin'?

They did their side,
now we have to

- do ours.
- But are we losing?

No, we're not losing.

Guards in this shell keep sayin'

dead man walking
every time I walk by.

Startin' to have dreams
about dyin' here.

You listen to me.

I'm not gonna let that happen.

Not for talking back to a cop,
and not for defending yourself,

it's not happening.

We gotta give him breakfast.

This case is not over Jackson.

[door opening]

I need you to stay positive.

Face me, hands in front.

[clink of handcuffs]

[intro music]

The cop never said
you're under arrest or anything

he was just so angry,

he grabbed the kid,
put him in a chokehold.

Don't speculate, okay?

You can describe
what he was doing,

or what he said
to make you think

that he was angry,

but you can't say he was angry,

because you can't really
know what he was thinking.

Okay.

How's she doin'?

Pretty standard mock crash,
she'll be fine.

What about Ty?

Hasn't shown up yet.

I do not like this.

You ok?

Mmm, caffeine headache,

I quit the Flame bolts.

I think we should go get him,
can you go?

Yes, boss.

Chop chop.

[indistinct background chat]

[Knocking]

[sighing]

[knocking]

Ty, it's Charlie Rich,

from the public
defender's office.

Look, I know
you don't wanna do this,

but you're under subpoena.

Why are you yelling? It's open.

Excuse me?

Are you here for the open house?

Just take an application
from the counter,

and leave it with
the building manager downstairs.

Ma'am!
The man who used to live here,

Ty Ching, you know
where he went?

He moved.
California, I heard.

- Immigration came to visit him.
- Immigration?

- Mm hmm.
- Are you sure?

That's what people say.

[crowd chanting]
All lives matter!

We had a witness
who would testify

that Officer Lockman
assaulted him while off-duty.

I've just been informed

that witness has disappeared

and I would like the court

to ask the people about
their communication with him.

What are you trying to say?

I wanna know whether the people

encouraged him to disappear.

You wanna know
if I tampered with a witness

and committed a felony?

You're damn right I do.

Did your office have any contact
with the witness, Mr. DeShay?

Of course we did,

I had an investigator
interview him.

Did you happen to instruct
that investigator to talk

about his legal status,
maybe in passing?

No, I did not, and frankly,

I find that
insinuation insulting.

Oh please.

Judge, we took a video
of the witness's statement,

he's unavailable,
so we want to admit

that video into evidence.

He fled, he's not dead!

The circumstances are reliable.

Your honor,
this is classic hearsay.

The alleged incident
was investigated

by internal affairs
and determined to be unfounded.

- This office, the client pro-
- A cop?

Investigated by other cops,
found not responsible?

I'm so surprised.

We can't cross-examine
a videotape.

Alright, alright, enough.

I'm afraid
Ms. Hastings is correct,

the witness statement
is hearsay.

Your honor, this testimony goes
directly to whether the officer

was the initial aggressor.

I have spoken.

The witness statement
is inadmissible.

We're adjourned
until this afternoon.

All rise.

Dad.

Hello, honey.

I tried to call you,

but you didn't answer.

- I've been busy.
- And angry.

I can't talk
about this right now.

- Did you?
- Did I what?

Intimidate their witness?

Depends on your definition
of intimidating.

Oh, don't play coy with me EJ!

Vena, stop acting like
you're still a defense attorney.

It's one thing
to put all the evidence

on table and let
the truth shake out,

it is another thing,

to put your thumb on the scale.

You remember your client?

The one that burnt
his girlfriend to death

and killed a witness?

You know what I had to do

after you went and let him
walk out the door?

I had to talk to the families.

That woman's mother.

That witness's wife.

Talk to me
when you've had to do that

a few dozen times.

Gwen has never
done anything unethical.

Neither have I.

I asked two cops
to question a witness

because that's my job.

And if there is
a delightful side benefit

to that, then great.

This is an adversarial
process, Vanessa.

It is, by definition,

not a truth-seeking one.

Both sides play hard,

and throw elbows to win.

And sometimes,
the truth shows up

along the way, that's the game.

Get used to it.

This is actually
really comfortable.

You know, that stain kinda
looks like Michael Jackson.

I never noticed that.

I hate to say it,
but we might be in trouble.

There's gotta be a way
we can prove that the cop

was violent and not Jackson.

I looked at the Civilian Review
Panel Reports,

they didn't make
any statements we could use.

What if Jackson testifies
he knew the cop,

and knew that he had
a bad reputation.

So we get it in to show
Jackson's state of mind?

Jackson knew he should be afraid
of Lockman

and reacted accordingly.

Wait, did Jackson know the cop?

He could.

You know what?
The gloves are off.

He's facin' life without.

All I'm saying it that
it could be a little risky.

Jackson could end up
looking like a liar,

and if he goes down,

he could turn on us
and rat us out.

[door opening]

Am I interrupting something?

We're just planning
DeShay's execution.

That's not a bad idea,

'cause you got a problem.

I can't use you now!

You're compromised!

It was $10,000.

My son just got
into private school,

and we're struggling.

We talked about this, Jeanine,

I told you people were
gonna offer you money.

They promised
that they were gonna wait

until after I testified.

Why on earth would
they do that, Jeanine?

I don't know.

[phones ringing]

Damn it!

[sighing]

She was the only witness!

I feel like the universe
is conspiring against us!

Okay, take a breath,

tell me what you need.

A Flame bolt!

I'm sorry, I'm not
gonna be your pusher.

I hate you.

I can live with that.
Sit.

We could still use Jeanine.

And list it up front
that she sold her story.

Thirty witnesses saw
what happened!

And everybody says
something different!

She's the only one who fully
backs up Jackson's story!

She'll just look like
she made it up to get a payoff,

and we'll look like
liars by extension

if we use her!

I cannot lose this case, Tom.

I cannot let him die in prison

and do not tell me
I'm too passionate!

[sighing]

You're not gonna
let him die in prison.

We won't let him, okay?

Now close your eyes.

- Tom!
- No, close 'em.

I want you to picture yourself,

in a gym, boxing.

You're opponent is DeShay.

I want you to see yourself
beating the shit out of him.

He's on the mat,

you're standing over him,

he's bloody, incoherent!

Now, open your eyes.

And tell me your next move.

We leak Ty's story to the press.

Look, I know I can get
held in contempt again,

I know I can get
banned again, I don't care.

We got witnesses
dropping like flies,

Judge Adler is
the least of my worries,

- I just wanna get this-
- Settle down!

I was gonna offer
to leak it for you.

[chuckling]

Welcome back!

Now let's crush them.

♪ I see you behind that tree ♪

♪ Trouble you can't fool me ♪

Hey! Yes, I saw your text,

but I ignored them,
do you wanna know why, sugar?

Because like I said,
the way this works is I call you

if I want, when I want, okay?

You don't call me
or text, or anything,

do you got it?

Good, bye-bye now.

Man!

Judge Dodson, Judge Fordman,

Vannesa, what game is this?

Smash, marry, kill?

Are my supervisor
right now or my friend?

Friend.

I slept with Dodson,
tampered with a jury,

and somebody reported me
to the bar association.

Hmm, so... suspects?

Really, Judge Myers?

Honey, it's his mustache.

Okay.

And what is that?

Well, according to Gwen,

I might have somebody
in my blind spot.

Maybe.

Not to state the obvious,

but listening to you
on the telephone

are you sure it's not
some guy that you screwed

and then screwed over?

Oh shit, you think?

Damn.

You're my hero.

I'm gonna leave you to it.

[door opening]

[dialing]

♪ Trouble you can't ♪

Hey! Kyle?

Yeah, it's me, honey.

I was just wondering,
are we good?

I mean, you're not
still upset, are you?

♪ Work hard for a living ♪

The court officer saw this

sticking out of
Juror number five's purse.

Do you wanna tell me
who's responsible for it?

It wasn't me, Judge.

Oh come on, who else
would benefit from this?

Wow, that is the same question

I asked myself
when my witness disappeared.

I'm requesting Juror number
five be dismissed, your honor.

Why? The jury's not sequestered?

Ah-ha, they are now.

- Your honor
- Enough!

I've had it with both of you.

Juror number five is dismissed.

And I'll have colloquy
with the entire panel

to see if anyone else saw it.

Now, call your first witness.

I just had done a topside 360

and when I landed
I saw the officer

coming towards me,
so I slowed down

but I didn't hear anything
'cause I had my headphones in.

Did you stop?

Yeah, when he
took my headphones off,

he was screamin' at me.

Askin' me, why I wasn't
listening to him.

And I told him I couldn't hear,

and then he said,
can you hear me now?

I was nervous so I laughed,

'cause you know the commercial?

Anyway, he just started
screaming at me

and callin' me a punk
and disrespectful,

and then he grabbed me
by the arm

and started pulling me
and I pulled back

and asked what I did,

and he went
ballistic from there.

What do you mean?

He tried to grab my skateboard,

then he put me in a headlock,

then we were on the ground,

and he kept choking me.

I kept tryin' to tell him
I wasn't resisting.

I don't know,

I was getting limp
and I couldn't breathe,

I thought I was gonna die.

So what did you do?

He was kinda flailin' so,

I felt his gun
and I pulled on it,

that was just the instinct
to get him off me.

But the gun went off.

Look, I wasn't tryin'
to kill him.

I was just tryin'
to save myself,

I thought it was
either him or me.

Jackson, did Officer Lockman

ever tell you that
you were under arrest?

No, he didn't.

No further questions.

Mr. Whitmore, you knew
that skateboarding was

illegal in Washington Heights
Community Plaza, didn't you?

Yeah, but everybody does it.

So when Officer Lockman
stopped you,

you knew why he stopped you,

it's because you did
something illegal, right?

- I guess.
- Yes or no?

Yes.

So when he took your arm,
and you pulled away

it's because you didn't
wanna go with him, correct?

I don't think
I was thinking anything,

I just thought he was
pullin' my arm really hard

and I reacted
by pullin' my arm back.

You testified and said,

"What did I do?"
To Officer Lockman,

but you know what you had done?

You had committed a crime,
hadn't you?

Well, I guess, but I didn't
think I deserved to be-

To what, to be arrested?

- No.
- Really?

Stop resisting!

I'm not resisting!

- Stay down!
- I'm not resisting!

[grunting]

Mr. Whitmore,
that is an interesting

choice of words, isn't it?

I'm not resisting.

I don't know.

You didn't say "get off me",

or "what are you doin'?",

or "stop, you're hurting me",
did you?

No.

You said, I'm not resisting.

What exactly
were you not resisting?

He was beating me up.

Well, you didn't say stop,

you're beating me up, did you?

- He was choking me.
- You didn't say,

"stop, you're choking me",
did you?

I thought he was gonna kill me.

You didn't say stop,

you're gonna kill me, did you?

No.

So stop resisting arrest

is the only thing
that he could've said

for you to say,
"I'm not resisting"?

I'm not sure.

Well he didn't say,
"Sit down", did he?

- Well, I don't-No.
- Yes or no.

He didn't say,
"I need to talk to you", did he?

- Yes or no?
- No.

He didn't say,
"Stop messing around", did he?

- Yes or no?
- No.

He said, "You're under arrest",
didn't he?

Didn't he?

I don't-I don't remember.

I have nothing further.

We don't have a case.

Hate to admit it,
but DeShay has a point

with this "I'm not resisting".

Do not tell me there's
a Flame bolt in that bag.

I'm not drinking it,

I'm just carrying it around
like maybe this caffeine

will seep into my skin
by osmosis.

You need help.

Okay, you've a problem.

That's what I'm sayin'.

No, he means we have a problem,
Sherlock. And we do.

You lost your eyewitness,

you have no proof
of excessive force,

other than Jackson's testimony,

and DeShay flipped
even that against you.

We need to shift gears,

we keep trying to argue that

there was never an arrest,

and he just straight up
assaulted Jackson,

but what if we let that go?

Then how do we argue
self-defense?

Hold up, why are you
lettin' her drink that?

No!

Good reflexes.

It was instinctual.

Shh, shh, she's thinking.

Just holding the bottle
gives her energy.

Jackson kept saying shooting
Lockman was instinctual.

What if we actually argued that?

Like it was
a human survival response.

Like when people panic
in a fire and someone dies

no one meant to kill anyone.

Is that a defense?

Human survival response?

- It is now.
- It would be arguing

lack of intent to kill.

Yeah but we give it
a fancy name.

So what do we do?
Get an expert?

Yeah, but not the kind
you're thinking of.

A lifeguard?

To testify as
to human survival response?

Are you kidding me?

Judge the statute
says that a defendant

cannot use force
to resist an arrest.

My client didn't shoot
Officer Lockman

to resist an arrest,

he was reacting instinctively,

we're arguing that
he didn't have intent to kill.

You have to admit,
that's a creative way

to illustrate
lack of intent, counselor.

This is a murder trial,
your honor,

not a creativity contest.

And with all due respect,
it's not funny.

You know what else
is not funny, counselor?

Life without parole.

I shall afford the defense
a bit of latitude.

This lifeguard
isn't a neurologist

or a psychologist.

So how exactly would
he give expert testimony

regarding human
survival response?

Well, we'll see, won't we?

Your honor!

If you don't like it,
Mr. DeShay,

make the defendant an offer.

Excuse me?

I haven't said anything
up until now,

because a police officer
is deceased,

so politically
it's not an option,

but why hasn't there
been an offer?

This has nothing to do
with politics.

- Oh please, EJ.
- Are you trying

to strong-arm the people
into making an offer?

Not at all.

I'm just telling you that
if you don't like my ruling,

you're free to make an offer.

20 to 40 years?

How is that an offer?

It takes life off the table.

Do you think you can win this?

To be honest, I don't know.

The judge is allowing us to
put the lifeguard on the stand,

but losing the witness
was not good,

- and Jackson's testimony-
- I don't understand

how this is happening.

20 to 40 years
for riding a skateboard?

Trying to defend myself?

He was gonna kill me.

- You gotta take it, son.
- No.

What you talkin' about?

At least after 20 he'll
be able to apply for parole.

If he takes 20 to 40,

you know damn well he's doin' 40

they're not
paroling a cop killer.

He's gonna have a chance...

When he's 60!

I didn't do anything!

Which is why you're not
pleading guilty!

- Loretta
- No!

I'm not gonna
let them do this to him!

He did not do anything wrong!

Everything we could.

Try to teach him
how to deal with the cops,

don't argue, don't talk back,

keep your hands
out of your pocket, don't run.

But if you don't fight back

then they try and kill you

and if you do fight back,
then this.

So no!

You had better try
and win this, Ms. Sullivan.

Because we are not backing down.

I am not giving them my son.

Mr. Givens,
how are you employed?

I was a lifeguard for the city
of New York for 10 years,

I've been Chief Instructor
for the Red Cross,

for the past five,
and I head the city's

water safety instructor program.

Basically, I train the people

who train the lifeguards.

Have you actually saved people?

Yeah, I have 212 saves.

You saved 212 lives,
that's impressive.

Not really, it's just training.

And can you tell us
how you're trained

to avoid specific danger
to yourself

when saving someone?

Yeah, well there's a phenomenon

that every lifeguard
is familiar with,

when someone is drowning,
they panic

and will instinctively
grab onto the lifeguard

and push him down
to keep themselves afloat.

Lifeguards have been killed
by being pushed under the water.

It's why we're trained to
approach someone from behind

and grab them
around their chest.

And these people who panicked,

and pushed their
lifeguards underwater,

are they doing
this intentionally?

No, they're not to blame,

like I said, it's a natural
human response.

Mr. Givens, do you have any
personal experience with this?

I do, yeah, a buddy
of mine was killed

three years ago by someone
who was drowning.

That person survived.

Was he prosecuted for murder?

- Objection!
- No.

Sustained, the jury
will disregard

the last question and answer.

No further questions.

Mr. Givens,
the defendant testified

regarding shooting the officer.

"I didn't mean to kill him,

I was trying to save my life,

I thought it was him or me".

Do you think that
people who try to put

lifeguards under are thinking,
it's him or me?

Objection!

He's offering the witness
as an expert, your honor.

Overruled.

No, people describe it as almost

an absence of all thought,

it's like
a fight or flight thing.

All animal instinct.

So given that
Mr. Whitmore said that

he thought it was him or me,
his actions weren't consistent

with the phenomenon
that you described?

- Objection!
- Objection!

Overruled. You opened
this door, counselors.

I guess it doesn't really
seem like the same thing.

Thank you, no further questions.

I don't understand,
what happened?

What happened?

It wasn't good.

Gwen, Gwen.

Hakeem,
I need five f lame bolts.

I'm sorry, Gwen, I can't.

Look, I know I told you
not to sell me any,

but I really need one.

You tell me I should
refuse to sell you any

- no matter what you said.
- I know,

but I'm saying
right now it's okay.

You said you would tell me that.

Hakeem, sell me the Flame bolt

it's an emergency
I don't feel right,

I think I actually
need the caffeine.

No, you said, Hakeem,

I will ask you,
then I will cajole you,

then I will beg you,
then I will threaten you,

then I will probably
tell you that

it's a medical necessity.

But no matter what I do,

don't sell me the Flame bolts

- so I'm-
- I swear I will hurt you.

Sell me the Flame bolt.

No.

Gwen!

Come back!

Do not close that door.

[door shutting]

Gwen! Open the door!
Gwen.

Gwen!

Gwen, let me in!

Open this door!

I need the Flame bolt!

No, you don't,
you have an arrhythmia,

it's a bad idea!

You know what's a worse idea?

Me trying to do a summation,

- feeling the way I'm feeling.
- Oh yeah?

How are you gonna feel
when you pass out in court?

Oh stop being so dramatic,
it's Flame bolt.

No, honey, it's not,

you were just in the hospital.
God!

When is the last time
you even had a proper meal?

Jesus Christ,
you sound like Bennett.

Do not harp on me
for what I eat.

Oh don't you dare.

Don't you lump me in with him,

I am your best friend,

and I'm callin' it
like I see it.

Honey, you're taking
yourself down.

God, this shit with the
Flame bolts and your money

and your unopened mail.

Yeah, which by the way,

I decided to actually open.

Yeah, you're damn straight
I did.

You got a letter
from your bank telling you

that your account is frozen

because of that stupid
payday loan?

Do you even know that, Gwen?

Did you know that?

That is so wrong.

Oh honey!

You're missing the point!

Look, I don't care
about your money, okay.

I just care about you.

You're gonna do what you want,

and you can do it,

but I'm done
pretending like it's okay.

I can't watch you self-destruct.
I will not.

[door opening]

Gwen.

We're screwed, Charlie,

totally, utterly,
and completely screwed.

Eh, it's okay.

No, it's not okay.

I was too cocky.

What was I thinking?

A lifeguard, seriously?

The jury must be laughing at me.

It was a little weird.

It was.

Good weird.

It's just didn't land.

You're gonna have
to come up with plan C.

I don't have a plan C.

That's why I'm here,
okay, so just

take this.

Wait, what?

I can't watch you
struggle anymore, okay?

You quit when we're done,
when it's over.

I'll help you, by teasing you.

I don't even have
a quippy response right now

because I am deeply,
deeply in love with you.

Shh, drink and think.

[soft music]

Better?

Yeah.

Good, now put on your big girl
panties and let's go.

I don't know, I just keep

looking at the
self-defense statute.

Hello, Gwendolyn.

Your father stopped in
to say hello, I thought,

since he was a judge,

I would pull him in.

That's great.

You were talking
about the defense statute.

Yeah, it says you can't
claim self-defense

if you're resisting arrest,
the idea being that

if you start the violence
it's your fault,

but if you resist
arrest initially,

but then you submit,

it can't just be the law that

if a cop uses excessive force

you have to just
let yourself be killed?

But the problem is we haven't
proved excessive force.

But the kid has
a crushed larynx,

I mean, that's not enough?
C'mon.

Because he's a big
scary black man,

he's the one considered
violent, not the cop.

White people believe the cops,

they don't get stopped and
dealt with aggressively by them.

The question is, how do we
convince a New York City jury

the kind that did not indict
the cop that killed Eric Garner,

to see that race
is at play here?

C...

Daddy, what did you
say a second ago?

Because he's a big
scary black man,

he's the one considered violent.

And that is our plan C.

Wait, what is plan C?

We have no idea,
trust me, Mr. Sullivan,

it'll be good.

Dr. Sanders, is this
the photograph taken

of Mr. Whitmore's neck

when he's admitted
to Hollowbrook Hospital?

Yes, it is.

And it shows the bruising
around his crushed windpipe.

Yes.

Now, could this injury
have been caused

by a chokehold?

Yes, it could.

Let me be more specific.

Um, what's going on here?

I'm allowed to demonstrate,

that's why it's called
demonstrative evidence.

Now if Officer Lockman
had his arm

around Mr. Whitmore's neck,
like this...

Objection! Your Honor,
this is totally prejudicial,

look at the size difference.

Come on, Ms. Sullivan.

Oh I'm sorry,
you're totally right, I'm sorry.

Now as I was saying,

if the officer was choking
my client, like this...

Objection!

Your Honor, they look
exactly the right size to me.

Yeah, but this man is...

Black?

Jackson Whitmore is sitting in
that chair because he's black.

He's being charged with murder

because he's black
and in a sense,

Officer Lockman is dead,

because Jackson Whitmore
is black.

Mr. DeShay basically
just admitted it

so why don't we just
finally say what is true?

Why don't we finally
just admit to each other,

that if you were
to take a black cop,

and a white kid
skateboarding in a park,

what you get is a ticket.

You get a summons.

But Jackson is black
so there was a confrontation.

And an escalation,
and the brutality of violence

so severe that it
crushed his windpipe.

This kid, this college kid

who has never been
arrested before.

He was faced

with a life-changing
choice in that moment.

Kill, or be killed.

The only question
in this case is

whether you believe that
a black man has to agree

to die every time a cop
asks him a question

or puts his hands on him.

I'm not resisting!

I'm not resisting!

Those are the words
of a young black man

desperately trying
to convince a cop

that he doesn't pose a threat.

It's too bad
he couldn't have just said,

"Imagine I'm white".

[soft music]

If you punched me,

and I punched you back,

you could not then,
hit me with a tire iron

and claim self-defense.

That makes sense, doesn't it?

Because you are the one
who brought force

to the table to begin with.

You started it.

Jackson Whitmore
was being arrested,

we know this because
he said "I'm not resisting".

That statement makes no sense

unless it is in response
to Officer Lockman saying,

"You are under arrest,
and stop resisting that arrest".

He is the one
who began to use force.

And he resisted enough
to provoke a response

from Officer Lockman.

To believe otherwise
is to believe

that Officer Lockman
decided to forcefully

choke someone that day
for no reason.

When he resisted,

he forfeited his right
to claim to self-defense.

It is the law.

It has to be the law.

Otherwise criminals
can violently resist arrest.

And when a police officer
responds with force,

they can kill
that police officer.

That is not the world
I wanna live in.

It is not the world we should

have our police officers work in.

Jackson Whitmore is not here
because he is black.

He is here because
he broke the law.

He resisted arrest,
he killed a police officer

and now he wants to walk away.

Don't let him.

[soft music]

Thank you.

Thank you for coming
to see me in court.

You're welcome.

I should've been there
sooner, I'm sorry.

What else did you
wanna talk about?

I don't know,

I feel like my life

isn't turning out the way
I pictured it.

I'm not sure
anyone's does, baby.

I love my job,
but I don't know much longer

I can keep doing it.

I might win
the occasional skirmish

but I'm losing the overall war,

and then there's Bennett,

- I just
- Hmm.

I have to tell you
that I have never thought

that you and Bennett
were good for each other.

- Really, Dad...
- No, no, no. Hear me.

What I mean is, is that Bennett

is not man enough for you.

Oh, go on.

Bennett is looking for someone

he can put on a pedestal.

Someone he can admire.

More importantly, he's looking

for someone to admire him.

When you were his student,

he could deal with that.

Now, not so much.

You're a tough woman, Gwendolyn.

Not a lot of men
can appreciate that.

That's what I'm afraid of.

That I'm never
gonna find the guy

who can deal with me.

He's out there.

And when you find him,
he's gonna be special.

Now,

as far as work goes,

Oh, God.

I want you to hear me.

I have never been more
proud of you in my life.

Win or lose this case,

you have fought
brilliantly for that young man,

you have fought
brilliantly for our community.

Take a vacation, take a break,

do whatever you
have to do to reboot,

but get back
on those battlements.

We need you out there.

Thanks, Dad.

Dad, I have something
to tell you.

[sighing]

I have a problem with money.

You always have
a problem with money.

No, I'm saying that I have

an issue with money.

It's gotten pretty bad, I...

I had to take out a payday loan.

And they froze my bank account.

I really need your help.

What if I cleaned your slate?

Took you back to zero?

I can't ask you to do that, Dad.

You're not asking, I'm offering.
How much is it?

It's $50,000.

Done.

Hear me.

This is it.

Thank you.

You're welcome, baby.

I knew you guys
would still be here.

Thought you went
home with Tracy.

No, I don't know how she sleeps

when the jury's out.

I went to see my Dad.

Mmm, how'd that go?

Well, surprisingly not that bad.

Told me Bennett
wasn't man enough for me.

I could've told you that.

What?

He just seemed to have a...

image of you that
he wanted you to fulfill.

What, you guys think
I don't see things?

I see everything.

That is scary.

Okay, I'm done.

I'll see you inside.

Sorry about Bennett.

Tom's right.

We're both stuck in the past

we had these images
of who we used to be,

and we were each
in love with the image

and not who we really were.

Well, for what it's worth,

it's his loss.

Thanks, Charlie.

No, I'm for real.

Gwen?

Uh oh.

Can I talk to Gwen for a minute?

Whatever you wanna say to me,
you should to him too, so.

Okay.

I'm sorry, I'm really
sorry for leaving

and not telling you.

A conversation would've been
nice and no even.

What else?

What do you mean?

How about I'm sorry
I told DeShay

about your opening statement,

I'm sorry I broke your trust?

I didn't think
he was gonna steal it.

He wouldn't have been able to
if you hadn't had told him.

I'm sorry.

Nuh-uh, don't look at me.

You know why
I'm being a bitch right now?

Because I actually cared
about you.

I invested and you
just bugged out.

I bugged out
because the PD's office

was not the right place for me.

And the DA's office is?

I don't know.

You know you're not gonna
find it, right?

What?

That perfect, well-manicured
hand sanitized life?

That job with
the black and white rules.

I know your parents meant
well when they adopted you

and insulated you
in Darien, Connecticut

and convinced you that
all that stuff was possible,

but it's not.

Life is messy and f'd up

and you're gonna have a job

where you have
to make complicated decisions.

So I guess
what I'm trying to say

is that you need
to grow the hell up.

Gwen, I really don't wanna
lose our friendship.

Go find yourself first, Vanessa.

I can't be friends with a ghost.

[text tone]

Jury's back.

9AM tomorrow.

That was fast.

Is that good or bad?

For who?

Let the oppressor
be the oppressed.

Will the system crumble
under weight of its own lives

to come to its own deaths?

[crowd shouting]

They're not lookin' at me,
is that bad?

I don't know.

I understand you have a verdict?

On count one,
murder in the first degree,

we the jury find the defendant,

Jackson Whitmore, not guilty.

[cheering]

Order! Order!

No more outcries!

Please continue.

On count two,
murder in the second degree,

we the jury find the defendant,

not guilty.

[cheering]

Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury,

thank you for your service.

We are adjourned.

All rise.

- I love you.
- It's over.

For havin' my back,
thank you so much.

[press shouting]

Give the family
a little bit of room!

[press shouting]

Mr. Whitmore,
do you have any comments

about today's verdict?

We'd like to express
our gratitude and thank you

to the jury and everyone
who supported our family.

Thank you, thank you.

Alright, guys, clear a path.

Please, clear a path
for the family.

Comin' through!

- Comin' through!
- Thank you all so much!

♪ You've been wrong
For a long time ♪

♪ Wrong, for a long time ♪

♪ Wrong, for a long time ♪

Tessa, Tessa, Tessa.

You again?

What do you want?

You got a lot
of explaining to do.

To me, to a whole lot
of people in the neighborhood.

Get in.

And if I don't?

Then that complaint
with the bar proceeds.

Get in!

♪ Sooner or later
They're gonna let you down ♪

♪ Sooner or later
They're gonna let you down ♪

Brothers and sisters!

We have defeated the system!

Franklin, are you alright?

You were victorious
against the oppressor!

- Yes, I was, but are you okay?
- You beat them.

But you still harbor
the stench of the oppressor.

That's why you need...

You sound like
you're off your meds,

we've talked about this,
I'm gonna call your sister.

Don't call my sister,

I'm on my medication,

I still know you're in danger.

I think we should go.

I'm not in any danger,
it's okay, Dad,

I know him, he's Franklin.

- I'm not in any danger.
- But he tried to attack...

I'm gonna call your sister,

- we're here to help you.
- No!

No! I know who you are!

Sir, sir, listen,
this is my daughter,

we're gonna leave now, okay?

I know what you are!
The oppressor's inside you!

- No, Franklin.
- The system's taking your soul!

That's why I went to jail!

Oh my God! Dad!

Put your hands in the air!

Franklin!

Daddy! Somebody help us!

This oppressive system...

Help! Call an ambulance!

Cameras everywhere!

Monitors! Every man,
woman, and child.

This is America!

Here's a look back
at In Contempt...

My team and I are fighting
to save your communities.

Then on behalf of my community,

let me say that
we'd feel much better,

if you showed up
with some actual evidence.

My client just pled
guilty to a crime

he didn't commit
'cause he couldn't afford bail.

Get off of me!

Does anyone care
about the law around here?

You are supposed to care!

We are not processing widgets
these are human beings!

I mean why are we even
bothering with a trial at all

why not just take him out back
and hang him from a tree?