Law & Order (1990–2010): Season 21, Episode 1 - The Right Thing - 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'll say this one last time.

I'm innocent.

So all the allegations
against you...

Are false.

Diane, I spent 3 years,
2 months, and 11 days in prison



for a crime
that I did not commit.

Like many people of color,

I was wrongfully charged,
and wrongfully convicted.

I have never had non-consensual
sex with anyone ever.

My mission in life is to make
sure that those responsible

for this travesty of justice
are held accountable.

Then, and only then,
can we begin a path

towards a more enlightened
and racially just society.

[Tense music]

[Siren wailing]

What do we got?

Young couple
starts fooling around,

walks down the stairs
to have sex...

Their words, not mine...



Until they see
the dead guy bleeding out.

Over here.
Name's Henry King.

- The singer?
- Among other things.

Five gunshot wounds,
.380 shell casings.

Four to the chest,
one to the groin.

Doesn't look
like a robbery either.

Wallet's still in his pocket,
watch is still on his wrist.

The over-under on this guy
was nine months.

I get it, but...

But what?

Every victim
deserves respect...

Even the ones
that rape 40 women.

[♪]

[dramatic music]

[♪]

*LAW & ORDER*
Season 21 Episode 01

Episode Title: "The Right Thing"
Aired on: February 24, 2022.

Henry was trying so hard to
reclaim his life, his dignity.

Mrs. King,
where were you tonight

between the hours
of 9:00 and 11:00?

I had dinner with a few
friends at a place called Orto,

on 86th and Columbus.

And when did you return?

About 10:45.

You know,
I noticed a bunch

of surveillance cameras
around here.

We may need to see the video,
if that's okay.

That's not possible.

I haven't activated
the system for years.

Your husband's
one of the most hated men

in America and you
don't turn on the alarm?

I'm from Banner Elk,
North Carolina.

Barely a thousand people.

We never even think
of locking the front door.

With all due respect, you're
a long way from Banner Elk.

Since your husband
was released from prison,

have there been any problems?

Have you noticed
anything unusual?

How about the women
who accused him of rape?

Have any of them reached out
to express their...

opinions on the recent
court ruling?

No.

Not that I'm aware of, anyway.

When was the last time
you spoke with your husband?

About four hours ago,
after he did that interview.

I just got off
with the Chief.

Before that, the Mayor.
Before that, the District Attorney.

Oh, first time in 20 years
people actually care

about a Black man
getting shot.

That's funny.
If it was a joke.

If not, you can save
your speech for someone else,

because I am not in the mood
for politics right now.

Music to my ears.

And why is that, Frank?

- Excuse me?
- Hey, hey,

we have a murder to solve,

a murder that's the lead
of every news channel,

the headline of every paper.

So call me crazy,

but maybe we should focus
on that right now.

Just found a text on King's
phone, sent two days ago.

It says, "It's over.
I'm coming for you."

Damn right
I sent that text,

but I was threatening
his career,

- not his life.
- What do you mean?

I stood by Henry
year after year,

despite all the allegations.

Then he fires me,
three days ago,

just as we're about to close
a $50 million deal

with some podcast company.

[Scoffs]
Son of a bitch

was trying to screw me
out of my commission.

After all I did
for that two-faced prick.

I even had to beg the CEO
just to meet with the guy.

That's a $5 million
commission.

Oh, please,
I didn't shoot Henry.

Oh, I believe you.
I mean, you're an agent.

What's more honorable
than that?

Unfortunately, some of my
colleagues aren't as trusting,

- so...
- I was home in Westport.

Had dinner with my wife.

- It was our anniversary.
- Hmm.

Can you think of anyone else
that may have had

a serious grudge
against Mr. King?

I can think of thousands,
but I'm not aware

of any specific threats
or anything like that.

Did he owe anyone money?

[Scoffs]
Half the city.

Henry was the cheapest
son of a bitch on earth.

Joke was, only reason
he roofied those girls

was cause he was too cheap
to pick up dinner.

Are any of those people
capable of murder?

Eh, he told me
some gangbanger was

shaking him down
for a lot of money.

Did he happen to name
this gangbanger?

[Whistles]
Hey, hey, how you doing?

We're looking for a guy
named Shabazz Walker, seen him?

[Clicks tongue]
Yeah, a'ight...

Yo, yo, I'm not done
talking to you...

- Yo, kiss my ass!
- What you say to me?

- Hey, hey, Frank.
- What you gonna do, man?

- What you say to me?
- Frank!

It's not
your neighborhood, man.

We're good.
We're good.

Watch your boy, man.
[Indistinct chatter]

- Come on.
- Are you kiddin' me?

These young kids,
they got no respect.

They get to say
and do whatever they want.

It's like a free pass.

Not sure
what you mean by that.

Uh, I mean,
I'm white, he's Black.

I say the wrong thing
and my career's over.

- Yeah, maybe.
- Maybe?

Is there another
way of looking at this?

Hey, Frank,
you came at him hot, man.

I showed him my badge
and I said, "How you doing?"

How's that's
coming off hot?

Should I have offered him
a croissant

and invited him to tea
at the St. Regis?

Maybe you should
have treated him a little...

more polite.

Like a law-abiding citizen,

minding his own damn business.

Truth is
it's these damn phones.

They... they've
ruined everything.

Yeah, okay.

That's one way
of looking at it.

- The other?
- They hold us accountable.

Look, Kev, I know we haven't
been working together

- for very long, but...
- Two months.

Which makes you
the longest relationship

I've had in the last six years.

Yeah, well, if we're
gonna keep this thing going,

you gotta know
something about me.

Hmm?

I speak my mind,

probably about things I
shouldn't speak my mind about.

- But it's just how I'm wired.
- Oh, I've sensed that.

But do you.

Speak your truth.

I appreciate that.

And that statement you
made about cameras

- holding us accountable...
- Mm-hmm.

I actually agree with you.

[Indistinct chatter]

Shabazz!

Hey!

Every dude in that joint
wanted

to bust Henry King's head
wide open.

So my brother Donyell
and his crew took care of him.

- Kept his ass alive.
- For a fee?

Hundred grand a year
for life,

whether or not
he was on the inside.

But once Henry got sprung,
he didn't wanna pay.

It's not unreasonable.

A deal's a deal,
whether or not it's reasonable.

Did you talk
to Henry King about this?

Yeah.
He laughed at me.

So I slammed his ass
into a wall.

Then some bodyguard
comes running up,

breaks things up,
and then pulls out his Glock.

Oh, now I'm intrigued.

What happened next?

Told him we needed
to work out an arrangement.

That's it?
No violence, no threats?

Nah, nothing like that.
I was in a good mood.

Just had a baby boy,
Lamarcus.

Congratulations.

- Mm.
- Just the same.

Where were you
last night, 10:00?

At a bar
in Red Hook called Ray's,

talking to the bodyguard,
trying to work things out.

- You make a deal?
- No, he offered me 50K.

- Told him he can go to hell.
- Dumb move.

Why's that?

King's dead.

For real?
He gone?

Somebody shot him.

I needed that money, man.

Well, unless he named you
in his will,

you're out of luck.

[Chuckles]
We'll be in touch.

- [Knock at door]
- Shabazz isn't our guy.

I talked to the bodyguard,
confirmed

the meeting at
the bar in Red Hook.

Did he say anything else?

Witness any other altercations?

He said King got into
an argument with a woman

three days ago, on White
Street, just west of Baxter.

One of the rape victims?

- He wasn't sure.
- Hmm.

Hey, I got it.

Come check it out.

Look at this.
[keys clacking]

Can you punch in
on that woman?

Mm-hmm.

You know,
I'll run this through ECMS

and request facial
recognition to rush it.

No need.
I know her.

She's a prosecutor.
Her name's Jamie Ross.

Henry King's been
harassing me

since he was
released from prison.

Blames me
for ruining his life.

Hmm.
Why you?

I was the lead prosecutor
on his rape trial.

I was also the one who
made the original promise

- not to prosecute him.
- Hmm.

At the time, there was
only one victim, Nicole.

And it was a tough case;
There wasn't a lot of evidence.

So Nicole sued him.

But Henry refused to testify.

So I offered him immunity
for that one case,

so that Nicole's lawyer
could depose him.

So you're the reason
he went to prison

and the reason
he was released.

Something like that.

Once the lawsuit was settled,

the evidence
just kept pouring in,

woman after woman
talking about being drugged

and raped and sodomized.

And none of the cases
was perfect,

but it was clear that
Henry King was a predator.

So, I said screw it, let's...

Let's roll the dice
and take this bastard to trial.

And we did.

But as we all know,

the appellate court
vacated the verdict.

Said my promise not
to prosecute was binding.

You screwed up.

I did what I thought
was best at the time.

Why did you and Henry King
meet the other day?

He had a private investigator
digging into my life, my cases.

So I called his lawyer, said I
wanted to resolve the nonsense.

But he wasn't interested.

Said he was
going to destroy me,

destroy my family, and I...

I just lost it.

And because of your mistake,

he's walking out of jail
a free man.

[Tense music]

What are you really
asking me, Detective?

If I killed Henry King?

Did you?

[Scoffs]

Get the hell out
of my office.

[♪]

What the hell was that?

- Thanks.
- Hey!

I just got a call from a friend
at the DA's Office.

- Did you really just...
- Damn right I did.

Frank.

She and King
got in a heated argument

three days before the murder.

All right, don't do this.
Not to me.

I'm sick of it, Lou.
All they ever do is question

the way we do our jobs,
our tactics,

our integrity.

It's like their goal is to pull
our pants down at every turn.

I get it, Frank.
But Ross is solid.

She is not
some progressive crusader

trying to get
her name in the paper.

Like it or not,
we're partners with these guys.

So you better stay
above the fray.

Yeah, well,
I'm not so good at that,

especially when it's them
that cause the fray.

Yeah, thanks.

Just got off the phone
with the manager at Orto.

He says Veronica left at 9:24.

He has her on video.

Restaurant is ten blocks
from the brownstone.

That's about
a 12-minute walk.

She should have arrived
around 9:36.

- Not 10:45 like she said.
- Mm-hmm.

Hey, got a hit.

Here's King's wife
on the corner

of 78th and Columbus,

two blocks from her house.

Time stamp says 9:33.

That's 27 minutes
before Henry got popped.

Let's get a search warrant
for her cell sites

and confirm her whereabouts
prior to, during,

- and after the murder.
- Okay, I'm on it.

- [Door opens]
- I didn't lie.

I just left out
a few details.

That's what lawyers
would call

a distinction
without a difference.

Or the cops might call
a serious red flag.

So your husband is dead,
lying on a concrete floor,

blood everywhere,
and you decide to lie us

about what time
you got home from dinner?

My life was
spinning upside down.

So I kept
a few things to myself.

Care to elaborate?

After dinner,
I started walking home,

but I knew Henry
would still be awake.

And I couldn't bear it.

So I went to a bar
a block away.

Maxwell's.
Had a few drinks.

Helps me cope.

So you were there
when Henry got shot?

Yes,
I was having a martini.

I heard the sirens.

Word started to spread,
people started buzzing around,

like something important
had just happened.

And then I heard
the bartender say,

"Serves the bastard right."

That's when I knew
it was Henry.

Okay, just so we're clear,

- you didn't shoot him?
- Correct.

Did you hire someone
to shoot him?

If I was gonna kill Henry,

I'd want the satisfaction
of seeing him pass

right in front of my eyes.

So much
for the grieving widow.

All my grieving
has been reserved

for the women whose lives
Henry destroyed.

I know we asked you this
before, but...

did you notice
anything unusual?

Uh, this is probably nothing,
but I...

did notice someone
hanging out

at the end of the block
a few times.

He had on a hoodie.

Green, I think.

And he was wearing sunglasses
even though it was dark.

It felt odd.

Veronica's telling
the truth about the bar.

The bartender said
she left about 10:15,

which is shortly after the news
of Henry King's murder broke.

She's also
telling the truth

about the dude
in the green hoodie.

Check it out.

Here he is standing
on the corner

a block away
from the brownstone.

Just like she said.

Run the video.

Freeze it.

It's a long shot,
but...

there's a chance that
cigarette butt is still there.

[Tense music]

All right.

[♪]

Looks like it should
be around here some place.

Yup.
This is it.

[Chuckles]

I am feeling lucky.

I'm not.
But that's just me.

Bet you 20 bucks.

- Bet.
- Deal.

We got a hit from the DNA.

A woman named Nicole Bell.

- Maiden name Nicole Atkins.
- Mm-hmm.

Nicole Atkins?

That makes a lot of sense.

[Keys clacking]

Nicole Atkins
was the first woman

to accuse Henry King
of rape.

[Soft dramatic music]

[♪]

Okay.

A search warrant?
For what?

We're investigating
a homicide.

A homicide?

What are you talking about?

- Is your wife home?
- No, she just left for work.

Okay, guys,
take upstairs.

Wait.

Is this about Henry King?

- You think...
- We're not thinking anything.

We're just executing
a search warrant.

She's the victim here.
I mean, you get that, right?

She's the one that was
drugged and raped...

We understand, sir.

We're gonna need you
to step aside, please.

All right,
we won't be long.

[Tense music]

[♪]

[dryer clanking]

[♪]

[whistles]

[♪]

No GSR, blood,
or DNA on the hoodie.

But it still puts her
near the scene.

Well, Nicole's subway card
says she exited and entered

the 72nd Street subway station
three times in the past week.

That's about four blocks
from Henry King's brownstone.

- Where's Nicole live?
- West Village.

Her yoga studio's
down there, too.

Got another hit on
the person in the green hoodie,

except you can see her face
in this one.

- Date?
- December 9th, 9:27 p.m.,

about 33 minutes
before the actual murder.

It's definitely Nicole Bell.

Where's she standing?

On 74th, between Columbus
and Central Park West,

about two blocks
from King's brownstone.

Detective Bernard,
how's it going?

We've been
canvassing the area.

Found it in there.

Called Sanitation
and trash hasn't

been picked up
for the past two days.

So if the shooter dumped it,
it would still be here.

We got a SIG 380.

That'll match the casings
we found at the crime scene.

Tuesday night?

I was home
with my husband.

Were you on the Upper
West Side at all that day?

I'm not sure.

Hmm.

That is you, correct?

Am I under arrest?

Oh, no.

But if you keep lying to us,
we'll have no choice.

You gotta understand,
no one in this building

thinks you did anything wrong.

Hell, if it were up to me, I'd
give you the key to the city.

Prick King got
what he deserved.

The other thing
you gotta understand is

we got the whole thing
on video.

Yeah, holding the SIG .380,

waiting outside the service
entrance, shooting King.

There were
two surveillance cameras

on the wall,
hidden from plain view.

The video is perfect.
We see your face, the gun,

the muzzle flash.

If you already
know what happened,

why are we even talking?

Because we want to help you.

Like I said, no one here
thinks you did anything wrong.

More importantly,
nobody wants to prosecute you.

Nobody.

What prosecutor is
gonna punish a good woman

like yourself for shooting
the man who raped her?

That's a career killer.

Tell us what really happened.

Tell us your side of the story,
so we can help you.

Then what?

You go home.

Nicole, you move on
with your life.

[Tense music]

I give you my word.

[♪]

Well, you saw
his TV interview, right?

There was no remorse.
None!

It was like he was mocking us.

I... I couldn't take it.

- So you killed him.
- He needed to be stopped.

He would have kept
raping people.

So, yes, I shot him.

Okay.
Okay.

So tell us what happened
after you shot him.

I tossed the gun
in a dumpster and went home.

I took a shower,
said a few prayers,

made my peace,
and then went to sleep.

[♪]

[handcuffs click]

Nicole Bell,
you're under arrest for murder.

What?
You just said that...

- Yeah, I lied.
- No! No!

[Sobbing]

[♪]

All: [chanting]
Let her go, let her go!

Let her go!
Let her go!

Let her go, let her go!

Let her go,
let her go!

Let her go, let her go!

Docket number 373-988,
People versus Nicole S. Bell.

- Murder in the second degree.
- How does the defendant plead?

- Not guilty, Your Honor.
- Mr. Price, bail?

The defendant has no priors
and is not a flight risk.

As such, we request bail
be set at $200,000.

- [Gasps]
- Defense has no objection.

Well, I do.
This is a murder case.

Bail is set at $1 million.

A million dollars,
that's crazy!

- That's ridiculous!
- She did the right thing!

Let her go!
Let her go!

- Enough!
- She's innocent!

Keller filed
a motion to suppress

Nicole Bell's confession.

On what basis?

The usual stuff.

Defendant wasn't
properly Mirandized,

confession wasn't
knowing and voluntary,

police used
improper and coercive tactics.

- Did they?
- Did they what?

Use improper techniques.

No.
I watched the interrogation.

Did Cosgrove lie?

Yeah.

Did a good job, too.

This case is
front page news, Nolan.

I get it.
But, with all due respect,

that's not relevant.

When you asked me to come here,
you said,

"I need someone who sees the
world through a different lens,

someone with the guts
to make hard decisions."

I remember.
I still feel that way.

But it's
a legal confession, Nolan.

Cops are allowed to lie.

They are, but it makes
the confession less reliable.

Less ethical.

No.
If it's legal, it's ethical.

So where do we
draw the line, Nolan?

One lie, two lies?

Or do we analyze
the severity of the lie?

Do white lies count?

Do we examine how charming
a detective is?

What about embellishments?
Do they count?

What if a cop says we have
five witnesses instead of four?

- Do we throw it out?
- I think we need to analyze it

on a case-by-case basis.

But, to be clear,
in this case, it wasn't

one little lie
or embellishment.

Cosgrove spun
the suspect upside down.

He practically
promised her immunity.

Told her that no one
in the DA's Office

would even consider
prosecuting her,

exploited the fact
that she was a rape victim,

that she shot
the man who assaulted her.

Why let the defense
tear him apart on cross,

shift the focus away
from the evidence

and onto her sympathetic client

and the big bad
police department?

[Breathes deeply]

Like it or not, Nolan,

"the big bad police department"
is our partner.

And, in case you haven't
been paying attention,

they're under attack.

Every decision,
every arrest is scrutinized.

There are people trying to
defund them, for God's sake.

And here you are,
asking me to castrate them?

That is not my intent.

I just wanna do what
is best for this case.

[Somber music]

Can you win this trial
without a confession?

[♪]

Yes.

[♪]

Your call.

As long as you're willing
to live with the consequences.

I am.

Okay, then it's out.

Thank you.

[♪]

[door closes quietly]

[♪]

We have video
of the defendant,

two blocks from
Henry King's brownstone,

approximately 30 minutes
prior to the shooting,

and video of her, wearing
the exact same clothing,

but this time covering
her face, wearing sunglasses,

two blocks from the brownstone,
tossing the murder weapon

into a dumpster,
five minutes after the murder.

[Breathes deeply]

As for motive...
well, she's got a good one.

Oldest one there is, actually.

Vengeance.

When the justice system
failed her,

the defendant took matters
into her own hands.

Got justice her way.
The Old Testament way.

The evidence will prove
that Henry King

did some despicable things
to the defendant,

that she had every right
to loathe him.

But the evidence will
also prove that,

on the date of
Henry King's death,

the defendant grabbed
a SIG .380 handgun,

secreted herself
in a dark place

outside the victim's home,
and then shot him five times.

Henry King...

committed some abhorrent acts

of sexual violence
to the defendant.

He took things from her
that she will never get back.

Unfortunately for her,

that has no bearing
on this trial.

In the eyes of the law,

when a good woman kills

a horrible man

in cold blood...

it's called murder.

Your Honor, the Defense
waives opening at this time.

Mr. Price,
call your first witness.

Is this hooded sweatshirt
similar to the one

you recovered from
the defendant's apartment?

Yeah, it appears identical.

And where exactly
did you recover

this green hooded sweatshirt?

The defendant's apartment.
I found it in the dryer.

It was damp,
like it was just being washed.

Now when was that
search warrant executed?

Day after Henry King
was shot.

Detective, where did you
recover the murder weapon?

There.
ECT found it in that dumpster.

This dumpster
right behind the woman

- in the green hoodie...
- Objection!

There is no evidence
that the person

in this photo is a woman.

- Sustained.
- Nothing further, Your Honor.

Detective,
you have no idea

that the hoodie you recovered
is the actual hoodie

that the person
in the photo is wearing?

Correct.

And there was no blood
or DNA evidence

found on the hoodie
that you recovered?

Right.

Okay, so help me out here.

If someone is wearing
a sweatshirt

and shoots a man five times
at close range,

there would likely be blood
spatter all over it, correct?

Not necessarily,
and, like I said,

when we found the hoodie,
it was damp

like she'd just washed it.

But there was no blood on it.

Yes, correct,
because she washed it...

So, what
you're really saying is,

you have absolutely no evidence

that Nicole Bell
committed this crime.

Just some random,
blood-free hoodie

that vaguely resembles
the hoodie

that the person
in the photograph is wearing?

No, that's not what
I'm saying.

The woman in that green hoodie
by that dumpster

is Nicole Bell.

And since we found
the murder weapon

- in that very dumpster...
- Objection, speculation.

The witness has
no personal knowledge that

the person in the photo tossed
the gun into the dumpster.

Sustained.
Detective, please refrain

from drawing conclusions.

I apologize, Your Honor.

I'm not drawing conclusions.

Because the defendant
actually told me

she tossed the murder weapon
into that dumpster

when she confessed
that she shot...

- Objection!
- Henry King.

- [Gavel clacks]
- Sustained!

Counsel, my chambers.
Now.

[Dramatic music]

I move for a mistrial.

We had an agreement
that the people

would not introduce
this confession.

Detective Cosgrove
made a mistake.

A mistake
that the jury heard.

Heard that Nicole
confessed to this crime.

A confession
you decided to toss.

So, what the hell
is going on here, Price?

As I said,
Your Honor, Detective Cosgrove

- made an honest mistake.
- I know Cosgrove.

He's smart; He doesn't
make honest mistakes.

Whatever he said,
he said for a reason.

It's possible.
It's... it's still my fault.

I should have
reminded Cosgrove

that the confession was
inadmissible, I apologize.

But his testimony
wasn't overly prejudicial.

A curative instruction
can fix this.

I agree.

I'll advise the jury to
disregard Cosgrove's statement.

What?
No mistrial?

The jury cannot unhear
what Cosgrove just said.

They'll have to.
Because we're moving forward.

[♪]

Frank,
what the hell was that?

I told you five times

you're not allowed
to mention the confession!

We're not using it.

Are you trying to blow
the whole...

- Go to hell.
- Excuse me?

I catch 'em, you cook 'em.

That's how this is
supposed to work.

We talked about this...

I don't care what
we talked about!

I'm a cop.
I'm a good cop.

Like it or not, I get paid to
lie to people like Nicole Bell.

Just stop trying
to change the world.

Do your damn job.

[♪]

If you're here to gloat
about the confession snafu,

I'm not interested.

No gloating here, I promise.

I am simply
the bearer of information.

Just got notice that Nicole
is claiming self-defense.

What?
Self-defense?

Gets better, too.

King's wife was just
added to the witness list.

She's going to testify
that she actually saw

King attack Nicole
right before the shooting.

Saw him?
She was in the bar.

Well you don't
see that every day.

Victim's wife
committing perjury

to help the killer walk free.

I heard Henry
screaming at Nicole,

calling her a whore, a liar.

So I went downstairs
to the maid's room.

And what did you see next?

Nicole was trying
to hurry out the door.

Henry ran after her,
grabbed her.

Then I heard gunshots.

And did you tell
any of this to the police?

- No.
- How come?

For the past 25 years,

my number one priority
was to protect Henry's brand,

perpetuate the myth
that he was a good man,

a kind man, a family man.

So that was my first instinct,

to protect Henry,
even in death.

Nothing further.

At the time of
your husband's murder,

you were actually
at a bar called Maxwell's,

a block away from your home.
Correct?

No, I was home.

The manager of Maxwell's,
Daniel Connolly,

someone you've known
for five years,

confirmed that you were there
until approximately 10:15 p.m.

He also confirmed
seeing you there

as word of Henry's murder
began to circulate,

which means you're lying,

that you didn't witness
any sort of altercation.

- Correct?
- No.

Daniel must have been mistaken.
I left the bar before 10:00.

I saw Henry
and Nicole fighting.

I heard the gunshots.

So you're
calling Daniel a liar?

No, you are.

Mrs. King...

the real reason
you're testifying today

is because you're ashamed
of yourself, correct?

I'm testifying
'cause it's the right thing.

The right thing for you.

Because you want
to absolve yourself

from your husband's crimes,

from the anguish you caused

the defendant and the 39
other women that he raped.

Of course I regret that.

What Henry did to those women,
it's unthinkable!

So you agree.

You're testifying
because you feel guilty.

You're trying to help
Nicole get away with murder,

so you can feel better
about yourself.

I am here to tell the truth.

You mean rewrite the truth.
Change your brand.

Go from Henry King supporter
to Henry King hater.

Objection!
He is badgering the witness.

Sustained.
Move on, Mr. Price.

Mrs. King...

You stood by your husband

even though 40 women
accused him of rape.

You attacked their integrity
and motives.

You called them tramps,
gold diggers, fame sluts.

I can only imagine
how much shame and remorse

- you must feel.
- Objection!

Withdrawn.
Nothing further.

[Somber music]

[♪]

The defense
calls Nicole Bell.

He was the most
charming man I ever met.

He was interested in
everything I had to say,

everything I wanted to do.

We were going to open
a business together,

a chain of yoga studios.

Then one day, we played tennis
at his house in Connecticut.

When we were done,
he started flirting,

said he wanted to have sex.

I told him that was a bad idea.

And he just glared at me.

All the charm and kindness
in his eyes

just vanished in an instant.

Then what happened?

He pushed me down on the bed,

pulled up my skirt,
and raped me.

Did you call the police?

- No.
- How come?

I wanted to pretend
it never happened.

Are you okay to continue?

Did you and Henry remain
friends after he raped you?

Yes.

How come?

I thought maybe if we could
both forget

about what happened,
maybe things

could be like
they were before.

Is that what happened?

No.

Next time I saw him,
he drugged me.

Put Rohypnol in my wine.

I...

I lost control of my body.

I was still awake,
but I was helpless.

[Sobs]
And he raped me again.

I was only 24,

and he was one of the most
famous men in America.

[Sobbing]

So, knowing what
Henry King is capable of doing,

why did you agree
to go to his house that night?

He said he
wanted to apologize.

And I believed him.

Did you bring a gun with you?

[Tense music]

Yes.

I took one from
my husband's safe,

in case he tried
to rape me again.

And what happened
at the house?

He poured me a glass of wine.
And I just stared at it.

I was afraid he might
have put something in it.

He saw that I was nervous,
and that infuriated him.

He... he started berating me.
So I ran outside.

He followed me, grabbed me.

I thought he was
going to kill me.

So I shot him.

Henry King ruined my life.

He ruined 39 other lives, too.

And some judge
just let him walk free.

Objection.
She's making a speech.

So I shot him!

So the women he raped
could move on.

Ms. Bell, please.
That's enough.

You've already answered
the question.

I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

[Sobbing]

She put on
a hell of a show today.

Jury ate it up, too.

Juror number four
had tears in her eyes.

I get it.
Her story's heartbreaking.

But they have to know
that she's lying,

that this self-defense claim
is nonsense.

They know.
They just don't care.

I've been digging
into her testimony.

She talked a lot about what
she did the day of the murder...

Where she went,
what she was thinking.

But she left out
something pretty significant.

She came to our offices,

came here at 4:45
the day of the murder,

to see ADA Ross.

Odd thing to omit.

I mean, if you're
going to talk about

taking a walk,
going to the gym...

why not slip in the fact
you had a chat with

the prosecutor who actually
tried Henry King for rape?

Because the conversation
was incriminating.

[Indistinct chatter]

Hi.

Excuse me.
We need to talk.

Nolan, what
the hell are you doing here?

I would prefer
to talk in private.

I'm sorry.

Can you give me
just a few minutes?

You meet with Nicole Bell
the day of the murder?

- No comment.
- Jamie, don't do this.

I'm not having
this conversation.

You're a prosecutor,
for God's sake.

I already ruined
that woman's life.

I'm not doing it again.

- I need to know...
- I'm not talking.

Did Nicole tell you she was
going to kill Henry King?

Jamie, for God's sake,

don't ruin your career
over this.

I'm not talking.

[Tense music]

Then I'll subpoena you.

You wanna lie on the stand,
that's up to you.

[Sighs]

Well, you do
what you have to do.

[♪]

ADA Ross,
do you know the defendant?

Yes, she was a witness
in a case I tried,

the Henry King rape trial.

She was amazing, too.
Strong, determined, fearless.

I have a great deal
of respect for her.

Did you meet
with the defendant

on the day of the murder?

I refuse to answer
on the grounds

- that it may incriminate me.
- You're taking the Fifth?

I refuse to answer
on the grounds...

Are you saying
that you committed a crime?

- Objection!
- Sustained.

Back off, Mr. Price.

[♪]

I'll try one more time.

Did the defendant tell you

she planned
to kill Henry King?

[♪]

I refuse to answer
on the grounds

that it may incriminate me.

[♪]

Nothing further.

I have no questions,
Your Honor.

- You may step down, Ms. Ross.
- Thank you.

[♪]

Ms. Keller,
call your next witness.

The defense rests,
Your Honor.

We're adjourned.

We'll begin closing arguments
tomorrow.

We need to poke holes
in their absurd defense

and reinforce the idea that
the character of the victim

and of the defendant
are irrelevant!

They already
know that, Nolan.

We've been pounding
that it into their heads

from the beginning.

Like it or not, they want
to believe Nicole's story

But it's preposterous!

I agree with Ms. Maroun.

The jury wants to acquit.

Irrespective of the facts.
Irrespective of the law.

Too bad we didn't have
a damn confession.

It's okay to play
the hero, Nolan...

as long as you win.

And right now...

that appears highly unlikely.

He's right.

Every woman on
that jury hates me.

Right now, I'm just another man
victimizing Nicole Bell.

We need
to reframe the argument.

You told me a story

a while back

about your family.

You're saying you want me
to deliver the closing?

I'm a prosecutor.

I'm sworn to enforce
the laws of this state.

Yet I understand the
defendant's desire for revenge,

for street justice.

Nine years ago, my sister was
raped and murdered in Georgia.

Police never arrested
the offender.

But I knew who did it.

Police knew, too.
Just couldn't prove it.

So it's easy to understand
the defendant's rage,

her desire for vengeance,

her need for this son
of a bitch to pay

for what he did to her,

to suffer like
he made her suffer.

When Henry King was
released from prison,

the defendant's thirst
for revenge escalated.

Maybe she even began
to fantasize about killing him.

Pictured herself
grabbing a gun,

going to his house,
waiting for him to show up.

She probably even planned
what she was going to say,

where she was
going to shoot him.

Those types of fantasies
are perfectly normal.

Trust me.

They're also perfectly legal.

But to actually take the life
of another human being...

to wait outside
someone's house

and shoot him five times
in cold blood...

that's not only wrong,
that's criminal.

Just... just because
you're suffering

and you're filled with anger

doesn't mean you get
to play God.

Now that doesn't mean
you shouldn't

have tremendous sympathy
for the defendant,

that you shouldn't
appreciate the pain

and the suffering she endured.

So, when you go back
to the jury room to deliberate,

give yourself permission
to feel sorry for her.

But that doesn't
mean she's innocent,

that she should walk free.

[Somber music]

This case comes down
to one simple question.

Did Nicole Bell

intentionally
shoot and kill Henry King?

[♪]

If the answer is yes,

you must convict.

[♪]

Have you reached a verdict?

Yes, Your Honor.

What say you?

On the count of
Murder in the Second Degree,

we find the defendant guilty.

- [Audience clamoring]
- Come on!

[Handcuffs clicking]

I did this for you!

For all of us!

Move on!

Live your lives!

[Cheers and applause]

All: [chanting] Let her go!
Let her go!

- Let her go!
- Order!

- All: Let her go!
- Order!

[Gavel pounding]

- All: Let her go!
- Order!

All: Let her go!

Order!

All: Let her go!
Let her go!

- Let her go!
- Order!

All: Let her go!
Let her go!

Let her go,
let her go!

[♪]

The jury got it right, Sam.

Doesn't feel right.

My goal is to help the victims,
not send them to prison.

If... if you try a good case,

if you do it the right way,

whatever the jury
decides is right,

whether or not it feels good.

That's the only way
I know how to do it.

Only way that lets me
sleep at night.

The only thing that
will let me sleep is

you requesting
the lightest sentence possible.

[Somber music]

[♪]

[dramatic music]

[♪]

[wolf howls]