Law & Order (1990–2010): Season 11, Episode 3 - Dissonance - full transcript

NARRATOR:
In the criminal justice system

the people are represented by two
separate yet equally important groups,

the police
who investigate crime

and the district attorneys
who prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

I thought you said
we were done?

This is the last one.

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

You don't like it,
get your own job.

Until then el baño

Ugh, and don't
forget the towels.



Ah! Irma!

What?
There!

(EXCLAIMING IN SPANISH)

Calluses on the fingers
of her left hand.

Brown discoloration on her jaw.

She's a string player.

Natalie Dreisner, 24,
Manhattan Symphony Orchestra.

I take it she didn't
slip in the shower.

One shot to the head. Entrance
wound's in the right temporal area.

BRISCOE: Singeing and smudging,
up close and personal.

But the shell casing's over
by the makeup table.

There's also some
deep muscle bruising

on the left side of her neck.

Defense wounds on the
hands and the arms.



She put up one hell
of a struggle.

So after he pops her,
he drags her in here,

covers her up and
makes her comfortable.

Yeah, a real labor of love.

The cash is still
in the wallet.

Jewelry's still in the box.
The violin's still here.

Anything appear missing to you?

Like I said, I just
patrol the grounds.

Uh, did you hear the gun shot?

Rooms down here are soundproof.

Can't hear nothing
from the outside.

Any service exits nearby?

Two on the basement level.

All right. Let's go.

Layout down there's
like a maze.

Got lost a few months ago,

was hollering and banging an
hour before anyone heard me.

Well, we'll drop bread crumbs.

Any sign of sexual assault?
Nope.

Based on stomach contents, M.E. puts the
time of death between 11:00 and midnight.

Her last meal was
seared ahi and edamame.

Eda-what?
Japanese soy beans.

She was killed
just after the reception.

Yeah, got a guest list?

Mostly blue-hairs
with season tickets.

Whoever did it
knows his way around.

The place is like a catacomb.

Well, Byrne is running background
checks on symphony personnel.

It's gonna take a while. Between musicians
and stage hands and tech personnel,

you're talking over 200 people.

Well, any word
on the murder weapon?

Extractor and bump marks
look like a SIG-Sauer.

We've got uniforms checking every dumpster
and grate within a 10-block radius.

What's your next stop?

We're gonna have a conversation
with the conductor.

Four years ago. That's when I first
saw her at a Juilliard recital.

Even then, her playing
was inspired.

Almost haunting.

It's a great loss to all of us.

Was your sense of admiration shared
by the rest of the orchestra?

They respected her virtuosity.

Well, that's not exactly
a ringing endorsement.

Everyone here has spent their
childhood chained to an instrument.

They were each a star in
their own small town.

Then they joined the orchestra.

All those fantastic individual gifts
merged into one unified mass.

Seated by instrument,

and told what to do.

As a whole they resent
more than they admire.

Did any of them resent Natalie?

Some did. I doubt
enough to foment murder.

Did Ms. Dreisner ever complain
about anybody harassing her?

Any stalking fans?

She had her share
of fan letters.

Nothing ominous. The classical
audience is a rather staid group.

Were there any men in her life?
Boyfriends, ex-boyfriends?

None that I knew of. Between rehearsing,
performances and tour dates,

she wouldn't have the time.

Frankly, the only quality time I share
with my wife is during rehearsals.

She is a harpist
with the orchestra.

What about the stage hands?

I couldn't tell you.

Maybe one of them wanted to spend
some quality time with Ms. Dreisner.

There is one guy.

Good looking. Seems like a
real charmer with the ladies.

Whenever Natalie would get chilled,
he'd run and get her a sweater.

What's his name?

I think Brannigan.
Something Brannigan.

His father was
a stage hand here.

Everyone is more or less in a
state of shock around here.

I have to go back
to the orchestra rehearsal

if we have any hope of sounding halfway
decent for our next performance.

Thank you, sir.

So where's
Mr. Brannigan now?

Called in sick
about a half hour ago.

Stomach bug.

Came on last night.

Had to let him go early.

What time was that?

Oh, right after the show.
Around 10:20.

Here it is.
Jay Brannigan.

Punched out
last night at 10:23.

Which doesn't mean that's
when he actually left.

Anything goes wrong around here,
it's always us, isn't it?

What does that mean?

Stagehands. You got
a hundred Looney Tunes

working in this joint
and you come to us.

Hey, save your speech
for the union rally.

This is a homicide
investigation.

I've known Jay Branningan
since he was a kid.

He's not your guy.

Well, any idea who is?

Take your pick.

Cellos, please remember

I want a long, primordial
groan until the second beat.

Then pull it out. Forte.

Like the smell of the Earth.

Where do you want to start?

Tuba's a lonely profession.

Hidden in the back,
seldom written for,

not utilized to a
tenth of our ability.

Well that probably means you're
in a good position to observe.

An orchestra's like a
musical insane asylum.

Bassoon's the worst.

From years of blowing the double reed,
pressure builds up in the brain.

Our first has a collection of
firearms stashed in his basement.

First French horn's
a real piranha.

He'd steal your wallet,
your lunch, or your wife.

Plus, he's got a chronic
marijuana habit.

Mr. Hogart, did
either of these two

have any animosity
toward Natalie Dreisner?

No.
Good.

Now can you think
of anyone who did?

Well, she was young.
She was female.

She made it to second chair
in the wink of an eye.

All the prima donna
violins were jealous.

The one that hated her
the most was Kessler.

Who's that?
Raphael Kessler.

First chair violin,
concert master.

The next Milstein
to hear him tell it.

What was the problem
between you and Ms. Dreisner?

I've been playing professionally
since I'm 14 years old,

I've been a member of this
orchestra since 1979,

she comes in out of Juilliard and
a year later, she's second chair.

No. Not the way
it's supposed to work.

Where were you last
night after the concert?

So now I'm a suspect?

I was in the ER
at St. Luke's.

Premature ventricular
contractions.

Feel free to speak
to my doctor.

Of all the musicians I
could be playing next to,

I get a pair of legs
and a del Gesu.

What's a del Gesu?

Her violin.
It's a del Gesu.

Monzina and Figli.

This is what she
used for practice.

She had another violin.

Of course. The del Gesu
was used for concerts.

I admit, I'm pretty ignorant about
musical things but if it doesn't say

what it is, how can you be
sure this isn't a del Gesu?

Well, it's like asking how do
you know it's a Rembrandt.

Or a Titian.

A del Gesu is a work of art.

I can't explain to you how.
It's everything.

It's the wood, the varnish,
the expressiveness,

the power. It's...

It's gone.

I don't know how we
could have missed it.

Dreisner played a
J. B. Vuillaume del Gesu.

It's insured by Lloyd's
for$1 million.

Whoever stole it murdered her.

$1 million dollars, that's a
lotta money for a violin.

How does a 24-year-old
swing that?

Wealthy patrons and
large corporations buy them.

Loan them out
to promising musicians.

Hers was owned by a
Swedish shipping company.

Mmm. So, what's the market
for a stolen one?

Mmm. Limited.

There are only 200 concert
quality del Gesus in the world.

Unloading it would be like
selling a Van Gogh or a Renoir.

Each instrument
is numbered. Documented.

No reputable dealer
would touch it.

So we're talking about
the black market?

And there are plenty
of wealthy people

who'd like something like this
for their private collection.

It was most probably
stolen on order.

By someone with
established channels.

Someone who knew
where to look for one.

We should run a check on big
ticket stolen instruments,

see what comes back.

Well, we got a 1680
Amati cello,

valued at 1.2 million,

lifted from the New York
Philharmonic five years ago.

Recovered from an
87-year-old janitor.

I guess he was a
music lover on the side.

Wait. Hold up. Here's something
a little closer to home.

In '98 a Stradivarius was stolen
from the LA Philharmonic.

Customs seized it on a cargo
ship in New York Harbor.

Bill of lading was in the
name of Dmitri Andropovich.

International trading,
Lower East Side.

I was new in country. I make clerical
error but all charges dropped.

Let me guess, now you're
strictly legit, right?

Look around, detective.
My life open book.

We ran your sheet.
1998, grand larceny,

possession of stolen goods,
case still pending.

And you still got a criminal
matter in the southern district.

You know, I call the US
Attorney, he calls immigration,

and you got a problem.

How's the weather
in Minsk this time of year?

Uh, there is a fence I know.

He's uh, he's always
by Little Odessa.

He might've say something
about a violin. Okay?

That's all I know.

Uh, really.

I'll call for back up.

(SIREN WAILING)

Move, move, move, move, move.

Hey, what are you doing?

(GRUNTING)

You all right, Ed?

I'm fine!

Get up!

Look, I did nothing.

Well, then you have nothing
to worry about, Tovarisch.

I did nothing.

I don't know what the hell
violin you're talking.

Assaulting a police officer,
resisting arrest.

What kind of time is
Mr. Korsakoff looking at?

Served consecutively, we're
talking a bullet or more.

Oh, this like KGB
with trumped-up charge.

Of course, you add to that
accessory to murder,

that's what, 25-to-life?

Murder?

What murder?

The violin's owner was found with
a slug in her head this morning.

Where're you going?
We're wasting time.

I'm calling the D.A.
to get a search warrant.

Wait, wait, wait.
Okay, okay.

Uh, I have violin.

But that's it. The
murder, I know nothing.

We're listening.

Uh, this morning
a man came to me.

He had with him violin.

Said belonged to uncle.
He want to sell.

What'd he look like?

Not tall.
Not short.

Uh, blond hair.
Pale eyes.

Oh, that guy.

All right, how'd you meet him?

A friend of mine set it up.

Call your friend,
tell him we need a name.

Jay Brannigan?

Yeah. Who are you?

Police. We have a search warrant.
Mind if we come in?

You going somewhere?

I thought I'd go up
to Maine for a few days.

Do some fishing.

I thought you were sick.

Well, I'm feeling better. Hey
what the hell are you doing?

Whoa!

Price of worms must've
gone through the roof.

You're under arrest for the
murder of Natalie Dreisner.

You have the right
to remain silent.

Anything you say can be used
against you in a court of law.

JAY: I always
did things for her.

What kind of things?

She'd forget her score,
I'd bring it to her.

She'd want to eat in her dressing
room, so I'd go to Yoshi's.

You know, this restaurant
she liked, I'd get her sushi.

Mmm-hmm.

Ah, and then, like two weeks ago,
I got her this charm bracelet.

It had silver violins
dangling from it.

Well, she gave me a weird look.

Said it made her
feel uncomfortable

and wouldn't give me
the time of day after that.

I hear you, man. You try to do
something decent and get slapped down.

Sure. I can understand stealing
her violin to get back at her.

Yeah. And this guy I hang out
with said he knew this fence.

So I figured I could
make some cash, too.

Okay. Is this when
she walked in on you

and things got complicated?

She did not walk in on me.
She was at the reception.

So, you're telling us
you stole the violin,

then an hour later somebody
else came in and killed her?

That's right.

Okay, man, if you're gonna lie, be
creative otherwise we get bored.

Look, just gimme the lie detector
test if you don't believe me.

What time did you leave work?

I get... 10:15.

I put the violin in my gym bag,

I told my boss I felt sick.

Then what? Went home,
dropped off the bag.

Went to the Red Parrot. Threw down
a few with a couple of friends

and stayed till closing.

I swear, that is the
God's honest truth.

Brannigan's buddies confirm
he was at the Red Parrot

from 11:00 p.m.
till closing.

His buddies?

Bartender confirmed also.

The guys a thief,
he's not a murderer.

Well, the ballistics report came back
on the murder weapon SIG-Sauer P225.

What else you got?

Besides a lot of time wasted
on the wrong motive, not much.

Um, you know,
the M.E.'s report

said that she ate
Japanese the night she died.

Didn't Brannigan mention
a sushi restaurant?

Uh, Yoshi's.

Right.

Thank you.

Yeah, she was here that night.

I remember because
she ordered sake.

Normally she drank
Perrier before a concert.

And you said she
was with somebody.

Yeah.
Well-dressed guy.

He'd been here before.

Now, did he seem
upset about anything?

Uh, no.
He was cool.

I remember he gave her roses.

I assume he paid.

Yeah. Big tipper.

Cash.

No receipt.

Only the tip was cash He put
the rest on a credit card.

ED: All right.

Jorgen Stern.

Thanks.

Natalie could have been the
next Anne-Sophie Mutter.

She had it all.

Dazzling technique, musicality,
charisma and outstanding talent.

So, what did you two talk about
the night of the murder?

Her career as a solo artist.

We had been pursuing
her for months.

Unsuccessfully.

That night at dinner,
she told me

that she'd finally
decided to sign with us.

Ironic, isn't it?

She was leaving
the Manhattan Symphony?

Going solo would have put her
on another level entirely.

Recording contracts, TV appearances,
international tour dates.

Sounds great.
What was the problem?

Carl Reger didn't want it.

I tried to talk with him.
Didn't get very far, though.

He said they were
"joined to the hip."

I knew from her that he had this
Svengali-like control over her.

How so?

Really not my place to say.

A subpoena can
make it your place.

They were having an affair.

For how long?

A year? Maybe more.

It was taking a huge toll.

On Ms. Dreisner?

And Mrs. Reger.

She'd cornered Natalie
a few weeks ago,

read her the riot act.

Natalie said that was one of the
reasons she'd agreed to sign with us.

She wanted to get
away from it all.

Professionally and emotionally.

Did Mr. Reger know
about her decision?

She said she was
going to tell him that night.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

Stop!

Are you paying any attention
at all to your rhythm?

Because I can tell you
it's totally non-specific.

It's not just staying
out of the rests,

it's how you come in
at the dotted sixteenths.

If you're not prepared to render
this with any kind of precision,

please don't waste my time.

Sorry.

I'll try it again.

Don't try! Do it!

What can I do for you?

We need to ask you
some more questions.

Anything I can do to help.

Of course, I knew
about the solo offer.

I encouraged her to take it.

Not worried about losing her?

(SCOFFS) I've been
conducting for 20 years.

I've watched a lot of
artists come and go.

Including artists
you've been sleeping with?

At the risk of sounding crass,

she wasn't the first.

Is that why you
neglected to tell us?

That was out of respect.

For who, Ms. Dreisner?

And for my wife.

Oh, she knew?

Marion is an exceptional woman.

I've always been
candid with her.

Mind being candid with us about your
whereabouts on the night of the murder?

After the concert, I showered,

changed and drove to Chappaqua.

ED: What time was that?

About 11:15,11:30.

Marion was already home.

You and your wife
drove separate cars?

Marion is an early riser,
I'm more nocturnal.

I sometimes like to go out
after a performance.

Catch a little jazz.

Anybody see you leave?

No one I remember distinctly.

Where's your wife now?

He came home about 11:30, I think.
The news had just ended.

It took us about a half
an hour to drive up here

once we cleared the tolls,
so what does it take you,

about 45 minutes to an hour?

Oh, we use
the E-Z Pass,

so it's a little quicker.

What was your husband's
behavior when he came home?

Well, he was tired.

It was a very difficult piece.

You know what, detectives,
you're wasting your time.

My husband is not a murderer.

And considering his reputation,

I find it rather insulting
that you would think so.

What about his womanizing?

Was that insulting, too?

Is this really necessary?

All right.
Carl is an artist.

His passion and his strength are
tremendously attractive to other women.

He has certain needs.
He's very discreet.

I've learned to live with it.

And he always comes
back to you.

It's been 19 years.

I don't expect you
to understand.

Do you think that he was
in love with Ms. Dreisner?

Oh, absolutely not.

So you didn't pull her aside,

and have a little chat about
the sanctity of marriage?

Their affair was
dividing the orchestra.

The other musicians felt she
was accorded a special status.

She would show up late
to rehearsals,

she didn't bother
to review the scores.

I had a bad day,
I lashed out at her.

Mrs. Reger, does your
husband own a gun?

Oh, I was raised in New York
and so when we moved up here,

I was very uneasy at night.

All that silence,
it was deafening.

So Carl bought me a gun.

Mind if we take a look at it?

I don't have it anymore.

You see, a few months ago a
neighbor's house was broken into

and he was shot to death
with his own gun.

It just terrified me.

What did you do with it?

I dropped it in
the Hudson River.

She's covering.
Yeah, but for who?

There's enough motive and
opportunity for both of them.

Not to mention alibis.
I'm putting my money on him.

Why don't we go talk to the
good people at E-Z Pass.

You know, Lennie,
when I grow up,

I wanna be as smart as you.

Car approaches the sensor,
sends out an electronic pulse,

automatically opens the gate.

That part we know.

It's cut down
bridge traffic by 65%.

And the pulse contains
code on each car?

On each transponder.
Yeah.

You said Reger, right?

Okay. Here she is.

Marion Reger. Jaguar.

Twelve hits in the
last 30 days.

BRISCOE: What about
the night of the 14th?

Okay. 10:32 p.m.
Outbound.

Okay, Carl Reger.
Same night.

Mercedes. I have him inbound at 10:13 a.m.
in the morning.

Nothing that night.
Sorry.

Don't be.

He commutes to work.

Uses the E-Z Pass every single
morning, every single night.

With one glaring exception.

The night of the murder.

Right. We figure he knew
that if he used the E-Z Pass,

the time would have been electronically recorded.
Would've blown his alibi.

What about a murder weapon?

There was a gun that
belonged to the wife.

She threw it in the Hudson
three months ago So she says.

Told us that a neighbor of hers got
shot to death with his own gun.

It spooked her.
She's lying.

We checked with the
Chappaqua police.

There hasn't been a homicide
there for four years.

So he shot her, drove home
and then ditched the gun.

I'll get a search warrant.

This is an abuse of authority.

You have no right to be going
through our home like this.

Just trying to do
our jobs, ma'am.

But they are
touching everything.

They're going through our linens, our
clothing, I just can't stand it.

Is that my phone?

Yeah. Yeah, Lou.

Right.

Van Buren just called. Carl
Reger has a SIG-Sauer P225

registered in his wife's name.

Oh, that's a big surprise.

I found this button
under the back seat.

Tiny brown spots.
Could be dried blood.

There's also a small,
white fiber attached to it.

There's a 2 millimeter spot
with a microscopic

pattern of blood spatter
surrounding it.

Type matches the victim.

You get enough for DNA?

We sent it out.
What about the fiber?

Yup. High quality
Italian-knit cotton.

White dress shirt of some kind.

I love it when it all
comes together like this.

The chord progression here
is almost an exact quote

from Stravinsky's
"Rite of spring."

Yeah, that's just
what I was thinking.

Carl Reger you're under arrest for
the murder of Natalie Dreisner.

Hands behind your back.

My lawyer'll have your jobs.

Great. Can we have his?

You have the right
to remain silent.

Anything you say can be used
against you in a court of law.

Mr. Reger has admitted having
an affair with the deceased.

Things get exchanged
including bodily fluids.

An affair he conveniently omitted
when first questioned by the police.

They didn't ask me.

He conveniently omitted having sex
with a woman other than his wife.

Now, where have
we heard that before?

Ms. Dreisner told Reger
she was leaving him

on the night of her murder, which
adds motive to means and opportunity.

Come on, Carl,
this is one big bluff.

That went well.

Brace yourself with William
Wright on the bench

it's only gonna get worse.

Judge Wright.

Glad you could work me
into your schedule.

Of course.

How are you finding things?

Well, it certainly is different
from academics, that's for sure.

Although, you know, it's
interesting no matter where you go

you find the same
personality types.

You know,
there's the class clown

and there's the
earnest plodder,

and there's the, uh,
brilliant flake.

And the loose cannon.

Did you have anybody in mind?

I guess I just tend
to worry about

the danger of doing
things for effect.

What kind of things?

Well, obviously if you
have a solid case

you want to proceed.

But anytime there's a high
profile individual involved,

you have to be on your guard that a
prosecutor isn't a little too quick

to seize an opportunity
for grand-standing.

Any particular individual?

I think this upcoming
Reger case

smacks of Jack McCoy
going trophy hunting.

Have you found Jack McCoy
guilty of that in the past?

If I had, this wouldn't be the
first you'd be hearing about it.

You need to understand

that when it comes to trying
someone for murder,

particularly someone
like Carl Reger,

who's given so much
of himself to this city,

that Jack McCoy
doesn't get a free one.

And you need to understand that veiled
threats, disguised as friendly advice,

sound an awful lot to me
like judicial bias,

especially when
delivered ex parte.

I'll have a vodka tonic,
please.

Sounds like he was too smart to
hand us grounds for removal.

All implication and innuendo.

We file a motion to it,
it'll be just have been

casual banter
between colleagues.

Get an indictment
and go to trial.

If we put on a
strong enough case,

no matter how much he wants to,

he won't be able to help Reger.
His hands'll be tied.

Thanks.

How'd it go?

Nora'll be pleased.

The grand jury returned an
indictment in less than 14 minutes.

That augurs well.

Be prepared for them to trot
out free concerts in the park,

the Young People's Symphony.

The jury will be looking at a defendant
who's lovable as well as distinguished.

Ms. Carmichael?
Yeah?

People v. Reger, that yours?

Yes. Thank you.

Gold's moving to
suppress the button.

The warrant was for
the contents of the home.

Not the garage.

You're splitting hairs here. The
garage is part of the home.

It's a detached structure 50 yards
from the house on a separate plot.

Even if we quibble about whether
a garage is part of a house...

The warrant didn't
specify the car,

which is where
the button was found.

Your honor... If there'd been
exigent circumstances, maybe.

But there was no reason
why the officers

couldn't have secured the area

and gotten another
warrant for the vehicle.

I'm suppressing the button.

You're excluding key evidence
based on a lack of exigency?

I'm excluding based on the
law as I understand it.

In light of your honor's ruling, defense
moves for a dismissal of all the charges.

Don't press your luck,
counselor.

The case is tenuous, but there's enough
meat on the bone for a jury to gnaw on.

But I'm warning you, Mr. McCoy, you'd
better not be wasting this court's time.

He went just far enough.

If he'd dismissed the charges,
we could have appealed,

including the suppression
of the button.

Instead, he rips the guts out of our
case and forces us to go to trial.

And he has just enough
case law on his side

to avoid having it
look like bias.

(PHONE RINGING)

Yes?

Thank you.

The lab just got the DNA
results on the button.

It's a perfect match
with Dreisner.

First off, I don't have to
justify my decisions to you.

And second, that sound you hear

is the ice cracking
underneath your feet.

With all due respect, your
honor, you weigh more than I do.

I request that you recuse yourself
in the case of People v. Reger.

Request denied.

Then you can explain yourself
to the grievance board.

You file a complaint
against me,

and your A.D.A.'s will never get
to first base inside my courtroom,

based strictly on the
merits of their cases.

If you threaten me again, I'll report this
conversation and our last conversation

to the presiding judge
of the appellate division.

And if you step over the line in
court just once, I'll take you down.

And you won't get up again.

Incident report?

Abbie, are you with me here?

What? Yeah.

This is the fourth profile
I've seen on Reger this week.

He's completely
contaminating the jury pool.

An annoying by-product
of the First Amendment.

He has an alibi, Jack.
Without that button we're...

We're going forward.
We don't have a choice.

If Carl Reger
committed this murder,

then Marion Reger is lying.

The police didn't get
anywhere with her.

Well, maybe we
should talk to her.

I have already been through
this with the police.

Mrs. Reger, we know this has
been difficult for you,

but the truth is going
to come out in court.

If you had anything solid,
you would not be here.

JACK: We know you're
covering for him.

Over a speeding ticket,
that might be understandable.

On the stand in a murder
trial, it's called perjury.

Did you drive all the way
up here to threaten me?

We drove here to make sure you
understood the gravity of the situation.

Oh, I understand full well the
gravity of the situation.

JACK: Then you know
what we threaten is real.

My husband is a kind,
warm, generous man

and over the years
we have built a life together.

A good life.

And I'm supposed to stand here
and watch you two destroy it.

I don't think so.

We've already had to sell our home
in London to pay legal expenses.

Things are gonna get worse
before they get better.

Don't you understand?

He's my husband.

I have to get back to practice.

We'd been pursuing her
for months.

Going solo was a very
difficult decision for her.

JACK: What was
standing in her way?

Carl Reger.

Objection. Speculation.

Sustained.

Did you ever speak to Mr. Reger about
Natalie's potential as a solo artist?

Yes.
And what did he say?

He remarked there are a hundred
violinists in New York

with greater technical ability.

He believed her strength lay in
her expression and her emotion

which only he could elicit.

He said he'd never let her go.

Describe the nature
of the relationship

between Ms. Dreisner
and Mr. Reger.

It was common knowledge
they were having an affair.

At first Natalie was

flattered by the attention, but
then Mr. Reger became obsessed.

Tired to control
her every movement.

That's when she decided
to make a clean break.

Did she Express concern
about Mr. Reger's reaction?

She knew he'd be angry, but in
the end, her desire to leave him

was greater than her fear.

JACK: Do you know when it was
that she was going to tell him.

The night she was killed.

I have no further questions.

Isn't it true that you were not only
wooing Ms. Dreisner professionally,

but romantically as well?

We had a lot in common. We
enjoyed each other's company.

Is that ayes?

We talked about the possibility of
seeing each other romantically, yes.

She said she needed more time.

She was still
getting over Mr. Reger.

So he was standing
in your way, too?

That's absurd.

Weren't you so jealous

of Ms. Dreisner's
relationship with Mr. Reger

that you would say
anything to discredit him?

Objection.

Sustained.

Withdrawn.

The relationship between a conductor and
his string section is quite intimate.

In the best cases,
there is an implicit trust,

a deep level of communication
and a shared passion.

I had all that with Natalie.

Overtime, it led
to a sexual relationship.

Was there ever a violent
nature to your relationship?

Never.

She was like a delicate flower.

I gave her the
freedom to bloom.

I nurtured her.
How could I destroy her?

She was part of me.

GOLD: Mr. Reger, will you describe what
you did that night after the concert.

I went to my dressing room,
showered, changed

and drove home
to my wife in Chappaqua.

And what time was that?

About 11:30.

No further questions.

What was your reaction when Ms. Dreisner
told you she was leaving you?

She never told me
any such thing.

Mr. Stern misunderstood

what she told him
she was meeting you to do?

Either misunderstood
or misrepresented.

Was it misunderstanding
or misrepresentation

when you failed
to tell the police

about the affair between
yourself and Ms. Dreisner?

Neither.

It is that I didn't
want to hurt my wife.

Wasn't the entire orchestra
aware of this liaison?

Isn't your wife
a member of the orchestra?

Private knowledge is one thing,
public humiliation another.

I didn't want to subject
Marion to any more pain.

You bought your
wife a gun, a SIG-Sauer?

Yes, but she got rid of it.

So the woman you were
having an affair with,

the woman who was leaving
you, was shot dead

with the make of gun registered
to your wife on the very night

she told you she was leaving.

Is that just a
coincidence, Maestro?

Objection.

Overruled.
The witness can answer.

Yes, it is.
It's pure coincidence.

It all comes down to his alibi.

If the jury believes it,
we don't have a prayer.

He says he left that night after
the performance at 10:45.

Got home by 11:30.
Mrs. Reger confirms it.

Yeah. He lies and
she swears to it.

The only anomaly with his
routine that night

was that he didn't use
the E-Z Pass lane.

Presumably not because his E-Z
Pass account was out of money.

Well, his bank account was.

Mrs. Reger told us they
were hurting financially.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.

The man makes $2 million a year

and they're
hurting financially?

She said they had to sell their house
in London to pay for legal expenses.

Why would she lie about that?

We should take another
look at their financials.

This doesn't imply that I've
engaged in anything improper.

Absolutely not.

It simply entitles us to
take a look at the books.

It might be easier
if I took you through them.

That's not necessary.

Well, I say that, not because I'm
looking to conceal anything,

but just because it might make
it easier for you to follow.

I'm pretty good deciphering
financial records.

You understand that
an accountant has

a particularly intimate
relationship with a client.

Intimate but not privileged.

The people who come to me expect
a high level of confidentiality.

JACK: You've spoken to
Mr. Reger's attorney?

Yes.

He's informed you that a
subpoena compels you

to turn over Mr. Reger's
financial records?

Yes, he has.

Will you at least let Mr. Reger
know that I was forced to do this?

We absolutely will.

There must be some mistake.

There's no mistake. We contacted
Alan Bostwick, your husband's CPA.

For the past three years, Carl's been
actively selling off stocks and mutual funds.

He places the proceeds
into a money market account

then withdraws the cash
and then wires the transfers

to an offshore account
in Switzerland.

No.

Here are the wire receipts
and your husband's passport.

There are also numerous
trips to Switzerland

none of which correspond
to tour dates.

And you thought you were broke.

(SCOFFS)

Carl said we lost money
in the market.

That's why he hired Alan.

Said he was a financial genius.

That he could make up
the money that we lost.

Mrs. Reger,
Alan Bostwick's specialty

is helping rich guys
hide assets from women

they're planning on divorcing.

(SCOFFS)

Carl is not planning
to divorce me.

Do the math,
Mrs. Reger.

$2 million socked away
for three years,

and you haven't seen a penny.

A year ago your husband transferred
the deed on your house in London.

No.

We sold that house less than three
months ago to pay for legal expenses.

Look at the deed of transfer.

He still owns the house.

It's just registered
to his corporation.

I know how hard
this must be for you.

No.

You don't.

He did all of this for her.

A girl died,
Mrs. Reger.

He's now involved you,
not only in his infidelities,

but in a murder.

How long are you
gonna protect him?

GOLD: This is a prosecutorial
mugging, your honor.

Nowhere did I see Marion Reger's
name on McCoy's witness list.

Until last night, she had no
intention of being a witness.

Please, she just
decided out of the blue

to violate spousal privilege?

What's she testifying to,
Mr. McCoy?

What she saw, what she knows
from her own observation.

Nothing that was communicated
to her by her husband.

Pure hair-splitting,
your honor.

It is a well-settled question

that the sanctity of marital bond
is held inviolate by the law.

Mrs. Reger wants to testify
on her own volition.

Nobody's forcing her.

Your honor,
with all due respect,

Mrs. Reger wouldn't
be asking to testify

were it not for ex parte communications
from the district attorney's office.

Mrs. Reger is not the
defendant in this case.

There's no rule against our communicating
with her, ex parte or otherwise.

I should also say

if she's prevented
from taking the stand

we'll seek leave to
take immediate appeal.

GOLD: Pressure was brought
to bear, your honor.

Pressure on a wife to take
sides against her husband

and I must register my objection to
that sort of tactic being rewarded.

Register it you have,
Mr. Gold.

Mrs. Reger can testify
as to what she observed.

Privileged communication with her
husband is deemed inadmissible,

counsel is warned against
referring to it in any way.

Bring in your witness,
Mr. McCoy.

She can testify.

He didn't take it
under advisement?

He heard me say "immediate
appeal" and he got nervous.

Nora called it.

Marion Reger here?

She's in our office. She didn't
want to run into her husband.

Judge says he wants to
convene in half an hour.

Okay, I'll get her.

JACK: The orchestra gave a performance
on the night of Ms. Dreisner's death,

is that right?

Yes.

Rachmaninoff.

What happened
after the performance?

I went to Carl's dressing room
to see if he was ready to leave.

He said Natalie
needed to see him.

I told him I would wait.

JACK: Was it your habit
to wait for your husband

while he was
seeing Ms. Dreisner?

I knew that Natalie
wanted to talk to him

about her leaving
the orchestra.

I knew that Carl
would be upset.

I waited to see
what would happen.

Marion, please.

Be quiet, Mr. Reger.
You're not conducting here.

Without revealing anything your
husband may have said to you,

was there anything unusual about
his appearance as he came out?

He was nervous.

Sheepish.
Objection.

After 19 years of marriage presumably
she can answer the question.

Overruled.

He told me that
Natalie wasn't leaving.

I told him to go home.

I told him that I would
meet him there later.

For god's sake, Marion!

Objection, spousal privilege.

MR. REGER:
Can we get a recess?

Mr. Reger, you will refrain
from speaking out of turn.

I need to talk to my wife.

Think, Marion, think
about what you're doing.

Mr. Reger, for the last time you are
not permitted to address the witness!

I'd like a moment to confer
with the witness, your honor.

Denied.

The witness may continue.

After he told me
that she wasn't leaving,

I knew what I had to do.

You can't do this.

I won't let you do this!

That's it! Remove this man
from the courtroom.

My husband
did not kill Natalie.

I did.

MR. REGER: She's lying!
She's trying to protect me!

I must be allowed
to speak with her.

(GAVEL HAMMERING)

I'll see everybody
in chambers. Now!

The E-Z Pass records
show that your car

left the city before
Ms. Dreisner was killed.

My husband was driving my car.

I was having trouble
with the brakes.

Carl took my car I took his.

You can check
with our mechanic.

She's lying. She's doing
all this to protect me.

What about the button?

It was my button.

I also wear a white
dress shirt to perform.

Clearly we'll want a formal dismissal
of all charges against my client.

Did you plan to kill
this girl, Mrs. Reger?

Once the affair took
on a life of its own,

once Carl proved to me that
he was unable to relegate it

to the insignificant diversions
the others had been.

Once Natalie indicated that she had no
intention of abiding the ground rules

that I had laid down,

I felt I had no choice.

Marion, Please!

That you are weak

comes as no particular
surprise to me, my darling.

(EXHALES) How can you leave me?

I would like for you to arrange
to have someone stay with Carl

so that he
doesn't hurt himself.

After that, I would like you to make
whatever arrangements are necessary

for me to begin
serving my sentence.

We were conned.

Does it occur to anyone
she might be conning us now?

JACK: Carl Reger committed
murder and this was all

an elaborate charade
to get him off the hook.

Can we prove that?

No. Not with
what we've got.

Right. We're sure
one of them killed her,

we're just not sure which one.

We're sure enough.

Let's close this case.
Move on.