Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001–2011): Season 1, Episode 9 - Law & Order: Criminal Intent - full transcript

Narrator: In New York
City's war on crime,

the worst criminal offenders
are pursued by the detectives

of the Major Case Squad.

These are their stories.

All she has to do is
keep her head elevated.

Explain that to her. You
can do that, can't you?

Going up again tomorrow, Doc?

No. Next Saturday. Gives
you a whole week to clean it.

Did my wife call?

If she does, tell her I'll be
in the office in half an hour.

I think people who have children to save
their marriage are just kidding themselves.



Then why do you
want to have children?

I just think we lead a
selfish life, Peter and me.

You know, with our
dinners, and our hobbies.

You think you'd
make a good mother?

I don't know.

My friends who have
kids, they didn't know.

So you make this
decision to have a child.

What would you have to
change to make yourself ready?

I would need to cut out
my little mood adjusters...

Once and for all this time.

You think you could
do that, Valerie?

Peter. Hi, honey,
how was your flight?

I got six people here, plus a
patient out cold on the table.

Okay, well, I just
wanted to hear your voice.



Oh, I found a
couch at Palizetti.

You want me to pay for
the couch, let me do my job.

We decided on Martinique
sometime in February.

Two weeks in the
sun. A romantic holiday.

- Oh, right.
- Jen, don't start.

I have to be downtown
in 20 minutes.

After all he's put you through?

Just be my friend, okay?
I've got enough judges.

Val, you need to leave Peter.

That's not going to happen. I
wouldn't do that to my parents.

You want to grasp the
loose skin on the upper arm

and make an incision extending
from the elbow to the axilla.

This is where you
got to be precise.

Steer clear of the ligaments,
underlying musculature, or...

her arm could come off like the
wing of a Thanksgiving turkey.

You look good. How
long can you stay?

I've only got an
hour. We need to talk.

- Here you are, Dr. Kelmer.
- What's that?

Somebody left it for your wife.

- Give it to me.
- They said she has to sign for it.

Give it to me. I'll
get her signature.

Valerie: Peter?

In here.

I bought something
for the Promise Ball.

It's a Judith Leiber.

If you hate it,
I'll take it back.

It's nice.

I'm a mess. I'll see
you after my bath?

- Forget something, Doc?
- No, I'm going up.

I didn't get a
chance to clean her.

Pull the chocks.

What about your flight plan?

Your flight plan!

(theme music playing)

She left just after
1:00 Sunday afternoon.

I went to the
hospital around 2:00.

I was in surgeries all evening.
I'm a cosmetic surgeon.

I called her, no answer.

When I got home
early Monday morning,

she still wasn't back.

When she left, did she
say where she was going?

No, we'd had a fight. We just
needed to go to our separate corners.

- Do you fight a lot?
- No. Can I go on?

Deakins: Have you
talked to her friends?

Yes. Friends, family,
everyone I can think of.

I made a list. All of
Valerie's friends, relatives,

with their addresses
and phone numbers.

On Tuesday I filed a
report with Missing Persons.

It's been three
days. Nobody called,

so a friend in the mayor's
office suggested I come here.

What do you think
happened to her?

Before we met, Valerie had
had psychiatric problems.

She'd attempted suicide
seven, eight years ago.

And you think she hurt herself?

She threaten
something like that?

Not to me.

On the list there's a
Dr. Nathanson, her therapist.

I called him and gave him
permission to talk to you.

That's very helpful, Doctor.

I got a copy of the report
from Missing Persons.

They checked with hospitals and
paramedics in all five boroughs.

There's another thing... occasionally,
Valerie did drugs with her girlfriends.

Cocaine, amphetamines too.

- We've had endless
discussions about it.
- You don't use drugs?

Of course not.

Anyway, if something happened
to her while she was on drugs...

Well, you wanted to
know what I thought.

I put all my numbers
on that sheet.

As soon as we find
something, we'll call you.

No, I want to get your numbers.

I'll be calling you.

I just don't want to
be the last to know.

How do we like being an annex
to the Missing Persons Bureau?

This friends and neighbors
list, it's alphabetized.

I should have him
work on my sock drawer.

Guy obviously being
a barrel of laughs,

I'm taking bets she
doesn't want him to find her.

Her cousin Jennifer Barish filed
her own Missing Persons report

a day before Kelmer did.

She told them she
suspects foul play.

I knew the minute he
called me looking for her...

I knew Peter had killed her.

- A gut feeling?
- He has terrible temper.

Valerie was scared
to death of him.

And she knew he had a mistress.

Did she know who?

No, she just knew
there was someone.

When's the last time
you talked to her?

Saturday. She
came over for lunch.

Did she seem depressed?

Depressed?

What did Peter tell you?

That she was suicidal?

She wasn't depressed at all.

Dr. Kelmer told us
Valerie's been doing drugs.

- Cocaine, uppers.
- Not that much.

Who does she do them
with? Girlfriends? Boyfriends?

This is unfair.

Valerie told me her
shrink warned her.

He told her someday Peter
was really going to hurt her.

I had to laugh when I got
the message from Peter

giving me permission
to talk to you.

As long as she might be alive,

Valerie is the only one who
can waive the confidentiality.

As a doctor, Peter
bloody well knows that.

Let's put it this way...

Are you concerned
about her safety?

I'm concerned about any patient

who misses two sessions
without calling me.

I still can't discuss
her situation with you.

I took a few psych
classes in college.

How about I give you my opinion?

If you agree, you let me know.

How? By coughing twice?

Coughing's good.

Here goes.

Kelmer's a control freak.

She's self-destructive.

The more he
tries to control her,

the more she rebels.

She takes a lover,
Kelmer panics,

he gets angry, he kills her.

Same scenario,

except his efforts
to control her

lead her to feelings
of depression,

hopelessness. She suicides.

She ran away and
joined the circus?

Oh, was I supposed to cough?

Any scenario's
possible, Detective.

For now, I have to
assume she's still alive.

All right, you have our number.
If you hear from her, please call.

Thank you.

Among her friends and
family, even odds it's Kelmer.

Found more candidates
in her cell phone records.

These four gentlemen
callers weren't on Kelmer's list.

This one, Warren D'Alacosta,
Friday and Saturday alone

he and Valerie called each
other half a dozen times.

I don't know any
Valerie whatever.

Must have been a wrong number.

You want to rethink that
answer, Mr. D'Alacosta?

We looked into your pedigree...
Couple DUIs, couple dope pops,

delinquent on your child
support. You drive too fast,

drink too much, don't
meet your obligations,

don't give a damn about anybody.

My partner has a fancy
word for people like you...

Psychopath. I call
them screw ups.

If you want to join the two million of
your fellow psychopaths already in jail,

just keep lying to the police.

Okay, so I know her.

Is there any reason why
you're not inviting us in?

So, Warren, weren't
you concerned

when you didn't hear
from Valerie for a week?

- No. She said she wanted
to stop seeing me.
- Why?

She said she needed to get
serious about her life, her marriage.

Must've been a big
disappointment for you.

I knew it wasn't going to last.

Are one of these her?

Can we see it, please?

It's very nice.

You couldn't pay me enough.

I'll be there in a few hours.

What size shirt do you wear?

- (door opens)
- I have to go.

All done, Doctor.

Dr. Kelmer came in
around 4:00 on Saturday.

I gave him his mail and
the hand-delivered envelope

addressed to Mrs. Kelmer.

- When did she get home?
- Um... a few minutes after.

Did you see her on Sunday?

- Uh, no.
- How about him?

No, no, no.

Are there any
other exits in here?

No, but the basement
connects to the garage next door.

He used to park next to me.

Then he complained
about these phantom dings,

so he had the condo board

move me over here next
to this beautiful column.

- Were you down here Sunday?
- Yes. Around 2:00.

My wife and I drove back
from the farm in Pennsylvania.

Did you see Mrs.
Kelmer or the doctor?

Just him.

We were unloading the car,

and I heard a noise, turned
around, and there he was.

Where?

Over there, behind his car.

He'd just closed the trunk.

- Did you see
what was in it?
- No.

I heard this thunk, and then
he got in his car and drove away.

It could've been his wife's body.
It could've been a beach ball.

It could've been nothing. There's
no evidence she's even dead.

I have a strong feeling she is.

I stand corrected.
Then she suicided.

This was a woman,
according to her phone records,

who spent hours on the
phone talking to her friends.

But from Saturday afternoon
on, there's not a peep from her.

Maybe she had laryngitis.

I want to go at him with a search
warrant for his car, for his apartment.

- Goren.
- What? Are we worried about
the noses he did at City Hall

getting bent out of shape?

(phone ringing)

Major Case, Eames speaking.

We'll be right there.
The 2-0 caught a break.

Man: I told the Officers
her hairstyle was different.

More swept off
her face, you know?

But the minute I seen
this poster outside,

- I knew that's the one
was in here two days ago.
- Was she with anybody?

- Nah.
- Did she seem okay?

She ordered two pounds of Nova.

You have an excellent memory.

You wear those
glasses while you work?

Only when I'm slicing.

When I'm talking to a
customer, I drop them.

Anyone else see
her? What about him?

He wouldn't know his own mother.

Listen, black leather coat,

gray shirt with black trim

was what she wore
when last seen, right?

That's what she had on.

Trust me, it was her.

Man: I don't understand
your warrant application.

Wasn't his wife seen
in a deli a few days ago?

The sighting's
unreliable, Your Honor.

- The witness is nearsighted.
- What's your bedrock evidence?

Somebody who thought they
heard a car trunk slam shut?

If we search his car
and his apartment,

and it turns out his wife
is alive, where's the harm?

It's the Fourth Amendment,
Detective, not the 3 2/3 Amendment.

Dr. Kelmer is entitled
to its full protection.

Well, if his wife is dead,
people won't see it that way.

They'll see a judge protecting
a well-connected doctor.

If I were you, I'd
hedge my bets.

I'll grant your warrant.

But only for the auto.

You want to poke
around his apartment,

you bring me probable
cause on a platter.

I like the blue. I do, too.

It matches your eyes.

I have to reschedule
tomorrow afternoon.

I'm getting together with my
in-laws to figure out the next move.

Well, what about
a private detective?

If the police can't do
anything, maybe you should...

Their incompetence amazes
me. I have to do everything.

Why Valerie's
doing this to me...

My poor baby.

Don't furrow your
brow like that.

Why? Am I getting lines?

I can take care of them.

And I'm going to do something
about those cheekbones.

Aren't I beautiful
enough for you?

Well, why settle for beautiful
when you can have perfect?

What room are you
painting, anyway?

The bathroom.

No blood traces,
no hair, no tissue.

Car was detailed recently,
probably more than once.

You can still smell the
shampoo in the floor mats.

(phone ringing)

Here's the receipt for aviation fuel from
Westchester Airport from two months ago.

- He's a flyboy.
- Maybe he took his wife up
for a spin Sunday afternoon.

Your doctor's bouncing off
the walls in the claims area.

You steal my car,
you rip it apart!

Didn't you talk to the
witness who saw Valerie?!

You know us, we're
like dumb dogs.

- We get a scent and we follow it.
- What scent is that?

The husband's the
obvious suspect.

I've been nothing but
cooperative with you.

If you wanted to search my
car, all you had to do was ask.

We appreciate it.

Does it mean you'll consent
to a search of your apartment?

You've exhausted my good
will, Detectives. Get a warrant.

Couple of weeks ago, huh?

Sunday. Yeah, I think so.

Saturday he gave me crap
about not cleaning the plane.

- Can we see the plane?
- Sure. It's over there.

You get that a lot?

Pilots giving you a hard time?

Recreational pilots, you know.

They all think they're
Mercury astronauts.

- Kelmer a good pilot?
- Instrument rated.

But I wouldn't fly with him.

Why not? Bad temper.

Can we see his
flight plan for Sunday?

That's just it.
He didn't file one.

I got him renting a
plane that Saturday,

then the following
Saturday, nothing for Sunday.

You keep records
on the computer?

I put them in the
computer when I have time.

I'm only one woman, sweetheart.

Are you in here alone every day?

Yes. From 7:00 to 6:00.

Except when I have to
go to the little girl's room.

- That's in the next building.
- You lock up?

No. People got to get
to the vending machine.

Do you always keep the
rental slips under there?

Where I can get at them.

- And so can everyone else.
- Thanks.

I'm going to hire more
people, set up a phone bank,

and I'm offering a
reward of $10,000.

$10,000.

We'll find her, Eleanor.

- What's wrong with her?
- You think we believe this?

This act you're putting on?

What did you do to my Valerie?

Me?

I can't look at you anymore.

That's it, that's it.
Go. You raised her.

All her drugs, her
mental problems,

her screwing around,
that's all on your head.

God will punish you
for what you've done.

All I did was turn a shoe salesman's
daughter into a surgeon's wife.

Did I ever hear any
thanks from you?

When do I get consideration
for what I'm going through?

They make one
accusation in public, I'll sue.

You do that, Peter.

Let the world see what
a hypocrite you are.

Valerie's the hypocrite.

I'm no fool. They're be hell
to pay when she comes back.

He left his apartment
around 2:00

and arrived at the
hospital just before 5:00...

Roughly three hours.

We're giving him half
an hour to Westchester,

15 minutes to get the plane ready,
assume the same on the other end.

That leaves an hour
and half flying time.

A Cessna Turbo
Stationaire makes 178 knots.

That means he
could cover this area.

We're going with an ocean dump.

Winds this time of year
come from the north.

That means the currents
are from east to west, onshore.

Areas of search would
be from Long Island

from Long Beach
to Bridgehampton,

and New Jersey from
Leonardo down to Cape May.

Dibs on Long Island.

Man: Forgive the facilities.

Jersey legislature hasn't
been very generous.

Couple of joggers found her out
on the beach early Wednesday.

I was going to get around
to an autopsy this weekend.

Any idea on how long
she'd been in the water?

Two or three weeks.

Here you go.

Female caucasian from
the ribcage to the shoulders.

You've found
something, haven't you?

- You found Valerie.
- We're not sure.

That's why we need
her DNA to identify her.

Oh my God. What
did he do to her?

We can't talk
about it, I'm sorry.

Did she ever leave a hair clip,

a hairbrush, anything like that?

Last time she was here she
used one of my hairbrushes.

You'll let me know, won't you?

We will.

Please don't talk
about this with anybody.

Especially Dr. Kelmer. The
less he knows, the better.

There was only one
hair root on the brush,

but it was enough.

Your bathing beauty
is not Valerie Kelmer.

She died from
inhaling salt-water,

otherwise known as drowning.

As for the missing bits,

the arms were wrenched
from their sockets,

and the neck and lower torso
were severed by crushing blows.

- From what? An axe?
- No, a ship's propeller.

So let's check our status here. No
corpus dilecti, no evidence of foul play.

No evidence Dr. Kelmer
is guilty of anything

except being a son of
a bitch. I miss anything?

- Kelmer's mystery flight Sunday.
- There was no rental slip
for it, no flight plan.

Kelmer could've
nicked the rental slip.

No flight plan because
he didn't file one.

According to the mechanic,
who was no fan of the doctor's.

Are you moving Dr. Kelmer
out of the suspect column?

I don't think he should
be the only one on there.

He's the only one that matters.

The woman had boyfriends
coming out of her ears.

She was doing coke, she had
a history of suicide attempts.

He thinks we're idiots.
He's playing with us.

I want to shove a stick in
Kelmer's cage, see what he does.

What do you got in mind?

A leak to the media
about finding a torso.

We're going to tell her family
it's not her though, right?

No, he could find out.

I made a promise to her cousin.

I got to go with
Bobby on this one.

- Paper says it's her.
- Might be her.

They said the body
had surgical cuts.

Why did they say that?

Are you really stupid enough
to believe everything you read?

Valerie's probably on a beach
with one of her cokehead boyfriends

having a big laugh because
my life's a nightmare.

She's a vindictive bitch.
Didn't I tell you that?

If you really think I'm
capable of butchering her,

maybe we should just end this.

- No, Peter, please.
- I've had it with recriminations
and suspicions from Valerie.

I don't need it
from my next wife.

Next wife?

I'm divorcing Valerie.

Once this is over, I'm moving my practice
to Boulder, and I want you to come with me.

Oh, Peter, this is so sudden.

Yes or no?

Yes.

Yes, I'll go with you. Yes, yes!

Dr. Kelmer's on his way up.

Sorry, just give
me a minute here.

Have a seat.

What did you want
to talk to us about?

What was in the
newspapers yesterday?

We apologize for that.

Somebody jumped the gun.

There's been no positive ID.

If there were one, you'd be
the first person we'd contact.

So you haven't
identified this body?

No.

- It's a difficult ID.
- What about fingerprints?

It would help if
there were fingers.

What? The arms were cut off?

We'd rather not
discuss details right now

until we have an identification.

I can take a look and tell
you in a second if it's her.

I'm a doctor. I'm not squeamish.

It's not necessary.
We appreciate it.

Have you determined a cause
of death? Was it a suicide?

Doctor, as I told you,
until we have an ID...

Damn it, it's
like pulling teeth.

I've told you everything I know,

and you are telling me nothing.

Is it because you're not
making any progress?

Fine. You really
want to help us?

How about answering
a few questions?

Go ahead.

The Sunday your
wife disappeared,

you were seen in a garage putting
something in your trunk. What was it?

My briefcase. I
was going to work.

I think I told you that.

What time did you
get to the hospital?

I don't remember. Is
this an interrogation?

If it were one, we'd be
in the interrogation room.

- When'd you get
your pilot's license?
- Six years ago.

- What does that...
- Do you fly every weekend?

Yes. To relieve the stress.

Sunday, after you put
your briefcase in your trunk,

you drove to Westchester
Airport, isn't that right?

Now you are interrogating me.

I feel I should
have an attorney.

Why?

You don't want to
be helpful anymore?

No. No, that's not it.

Are we getting into an area
that's making you uncomfortable?

No, the questions are fine.

Okay.

I didn't go to Westchester.

About this body, you really
want to help us identify it?

- Yes.
- We need a sample
of your wife's DNA.

She hasn't had
any blood work in...

Anything... Strands of
hair from her brushes...

She cleaned her brushes
and combs every day.

It was almost compulsive.

I'm sure our technicians could

find something
in your apartment.

You want to search my apartment?

You said that you wanted
to helps us identify the body.

As long as I can be
there, be my guest.

Fresh paint.

- You had this room painted.
- Yes, last week.

Valerie hates what
was there before,

but I thought... It's
going to sound stupid,

but I thought if I paint it the
way she likes, she'll come back.

She hates the bathmats,
too? I noticed these are all new.

Valerie dropped a bottle
of nail polish before she...

I just got around
to replacing them.

What are they doing?

Checking the plumbing for
your wife's hair. Do you mind?

As long as they
don't break anything.

Pipes look as new as
the day they were installed.

Same story with the grouting.

Either he didn't
cut her up in here,

or he went over this
place with a toothbrush

and some heavy duty cleansers.

The kind of cleanser that might
be used in an operating room?

Yeah, like that. They have
stuff that'll eat anything.

It's called Virex 256.

There's dozens of
bottles of it in the OR prep.

Dr. Kelmer have access to it?

He has access to
whatever he wants.

You want to tell me about it?

He has women coming
into his office all day long

taking their clothes off.

- He takes advantage?
- Somebody thought he did.

What do you mean?

A few weeks ago, I met Kelmer
for lunch, for my bi-annual review.

After he dropped
me off at my car,

while I was getting in,

I saw a man writing down
my license plate number.

I guarantee you, no
one's following me.

Valerie wouldn't hire a
detective to follow Peter.

Didn't she think
he was cheating?

Well, she wasn't sure.

That's not what you told us.

You said that she knew
there was someone.

How did she know?

Maybe I overstated.

Ms. Barish...

you hired the
detective, didn't you?

I thought if Valerie
saw the truth

that she'd have
to end it with Peter.

What did the detective find out?

He saw Peter kissing
another woman.

Someone at the
hospital. I don't know who.

The detective told me on
Friday that he had the photos.

That was the Friday
before Valerie...

I told him to send them to her.

I don't know if
she ever got them.

The doorman at Valerie's
building said he gave Dr. Kelmer

a large envelope addressed
to her that Saturday.

He gave it to Peter?

He must've seen
the photos and...

Oh my God!

What did I do?

Lisa Voight? I'm
Detective Eames.

This is Detective Goren,

and this is a warrant allowing
us to search your apartment.

What are you
looking for exactly?

It's all on the warrant.

Do you know a Dr. Peter Kelmer?

Yes.

I'm an administrator at the
hospital where he works.

I don't mean to be rude.

Are you intimately
involved with him?

We work together. Any relationship
we have is strictly business.

We got these photos
from a private investigator.

This thing you're doing to
the doctor with your tongue,

what business is that, strictly?

Gray T-shirt with black trim,

and...

Been to Sarni's
Delicatessen lately?

Peter said if someone saw
Valerie, the police would have to stop

wasting their time looking
for murder suspects.

He's convinced you she's alive?

Of course she's
alive. She's hiding.

She likes torturing Peter.

In your apartment we found

a real estate
pamphlet for Boulder.

- Are you moving there?
- Yes, with Peter.

We're getting married
after he divorces Valerie.

These other pamphlets about
cosmetic surgery, is that for you?

Yes.

- Dr. Kelmer's idea?
- Yes.

Before you met Dr. Kelmer, did
you think you needed surgery?

Peter has an eye
for this kind of thing.

You're a very beautiful woman.

Did you try telling
Peter that he's wrong?

He's never wrong, is he?

Of course I tried Lisa
at home. If she calls in,

tell her Dr. Kelmer's
looking for her, all right?

Hello, Doctor. You're under
arrest for the murder of your wife.

- What the hell are you doing?
- I'm going to handcuff you.

- Just relax.
- Don't tell me what to do.

- Hey, hey, down, boy.
- You're hurting me.

- Settle down.
- You stupid idiots.

Sticks and stones. Let's go.

Okay, Doc, this
is an interrogation.

First thing,

you sit here.

You want the people on the other side
of that mirror to see my face? That's okay.

I don't have anything to hide.

Doctor, you're a very smart guy.

Do you recognize this?

It's a gray T-shirt
with a black trim.

Looks like what my wife was
wearing when she disappeared.

How about that? This wig?

Okay, you found these
things at Lisa Voight's.

You have her under
arrest, is that it?

I'm sure she explained our little
ruse and why it was necessary.

Yes, you trained her very well.

- I beg your pardon?
- Peter, let it go.

No. He insulted a
close friend of mine.

She believes
everything you tell her.

She's giving up her life
to follow you to Colorado?

She's even letting
you hack into her face

because you have an
issue with her cheekbones.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Lisa Voight is in love with me.

She's enthralled with you. She's
like a little puppy in your hands,

pissing all over
herself with excitement.

- How dare you?
- But Valerie,

Valerie didn't need
you to feel alive.

- She had her own boyfriends.
- You have no idea.

Her own drugs,
her own bad habits.

You couldn't push her around.

Where do you get
these ridiculous ideas?

You couldn't push her
around, not like Lisa.

She's under your thumb.

That's where you
like your women.

Now, you just shut up!

Valerie was a... she was a...

Okay, that's it. I'm not
saying anything else.

I got a case without forensic
evidence, a case without...

I can't even prove beyond a
reasonable doubt the victim is even dead.

Everything he's done
to cover his tracks

is evidence of a guilty mind.

Is there anything
we might've missed?

We took apart
his car, the plane.

We checked with air traffic
control along the eastern seaboard

in case he turned up
on somebody's radar.

Short answer is, what you have
now is all the case you're gonna have.

- "Trust me." Hell of a closing argument.
- He did it. You saw him.

- You saw his rage.
- I did, Detective.

But the jury never will,
and his lawyer is no fool.

She'll never put
him up on that stand.

You put me on the stand.

I'll get him up there.

Dr. Kelmer made
a point of telling us

about his wife's
psychiatric history,

previous suicide
attempts, drug use.

He then gave us a list of
his wife's family and friends.

Over 200 names and addresses

in alphabetical order.

- I found this odd.
- Why is that?

Well, the man's wife
was allegedly missing.

Any normal person
would be far too upset

or distracted to make
alphabetical lists.

Objection. He isn't
qualified to offer his opinion.

Yes, sustained. The jury will
disregard the witness' last response.

Carver: After interviewing
Dr. Kelmer, what did you do next?

We interviewed the victim's
cousin, Jennifer Barish.

She told us that
Valerie's therapist

had warned her that some day
her husband was going to harm her.

- Objection. Hearsay.
- Judge: Sustained.

Detective, I know this isn't the
first time you've testified in court.

The jury again will disregard.

Did there come a time
when you had the opportunity

to search Dr. Kelmer's
apartment?

- Yes.
- What, if anything, did you find?

The bathtub drains in
the master bathroom

had been cleaned with
Virex 256, the same detergent

used to clean the operating
rooms at Dr. Kelmer's hospital.

And this was confirmed by
one of Dr. Kelmer's nurses,

who also accused the
doctor of cheating on his wife...

Objection! Your Honor,
this is unbelievable.

Yes, yes, Ms. Barbera.

Detective, one more like that,

you're off the stand.

Again, the jury is
instructed to disregard

the witness's comments.

Go on, Mr. Carver.

Detective, I'm directing you to
confine your answers to my questions.

- Yes, sir.
- Now, what else, if anything,

did you find in your search
of Dr. Kelmer's apartment?

We found the bathmats
had been replaced

and the bathroom repainted.

Did the defendant
offer an explanation?

Just a lot of
double-talk, Mr. Carver.

There's really only
one conclusion.

He tried to hide the
evidence of a horrible crime.

- Murder and dismemberment...
- Objection!

- There's no other explanation!
- That's enough.

If there is, I'm sure
we'd all love to hear it!

Do you take me for a moron?

They heard what they heard.

If I was on that
jury, I'd convict me.

I want to respond.

I want to tell
the jury my story.

No, I can't advise you
more strongly against this.

The prosecutor will crucify you.

(scoffs) He's a civil
servant, Lauren.

How tough can he be?

Now, help get me ready.

I felt the police
had just given up

on finding Valerie alive.

I felt I had to do something
to keep them looking for her.

I didn't care how
suspicious it looked.

I'd been totally
open with the police.

I'd given them all
the information I had.

I allowed them to
search my apartment.

And still Valerie's missing,

and no one knows
what happened to her.

You didn't tell police
you had a mistress.

No.

It's not easy to admit that in
spite of my feelings for Valerie,

our marriage was in trouble.

Dr. Kelmer, did you kill

or cause to be killed,
your wife, Valerie Kelmer?

No. As God is my witness...

no.

Doctor,

an earlier witness
quoted you as saying

that with a couple
of well-placed cuts,

you could remove an arm

as effortlessly as a wing
on a Thanksgiving turkey.

Would you mind showing us
where those cuts would be?

Objection. Relevance.

I'll allow it, subject to
connection. Go ahead, Doctor.

Across that group of
muscles right there.

The deltoid, teres
and pectoralis muscle?

- Kelmer: Yes.
- The People's 47 through 64.

These are the knives the
police found in your apartment.

Now, to cut those muscles,
what's the best knife?

The serrated one,

or the boning knife here?

- Which one, Doctor?
- Either one, I guess.

I don't want you to guess.

The boning knife would be fine.

As a surgeon, what's
the right stroke? Like this?

Only if you wanted
to sprain your wrist.

Ah. Please demonstrate
the proper technique.

You find this amusing, Doctor?

Show us.

Carver: You put a lot of thought
into your surgeries, don't you?

Every incision is mapped out?

Yes, of course.

You bring the same attention to detail
to your flying, even to making lists.

Now, that's not fair.

I'm methodical and thorough,

but you can't draw
inferences from that.

If you're so methodical
and thorough,

how did you end up married to a
promiscuous, suicidal drug addict?

I resent that.

Marrying Valerie
was not a mistake.

Well, she's missing, and you're
here on trial for her murder.

- Wouldn't you say
something went wrong?
- I did not make a mistake.

She's the one doing
drugs and sleeping around.

She walked out on the marriage.

How about severing a leg at the
knee? What muscles would you cut?

- What?
- What muscles would you cut?

The gracilis and vastus muscles.

Before she met you, Valerie had
never traveled outside the country, right?

Furthest she'd been
was New Jersey.

- Never been to a charity ball,
eaten at a four-star restaurant?
- No, of course not.

Marrying a well-respected
plastic surgeon was a big step up.

- I would think so.
- And she showed her gratitude

by buying drugs with your money,

having sex with strangers?

- You'd have to ask her.
- Painters, personal trainers?

- See what I put up with?
- You're no angel yourself, Doctor.

You have affairs with
all the hospital staff.

Just with one individual.

Her behavior drove
you to have an affair.

Yes, of course.

- She made you do this.
- Yes.

When you saw this, you thought
how dare she have you followed?

How dare she
question what you do?!

Yes, yes.

She is trying to get power
over you, this ingrate,

this nobody who'd
never been anywhere!

- How dare she?!
- This is all your fault!

You stupid cow!

You and your low-rent family,

you just couldn't mind
your own damn business!

You just had to meddle!

Judge: Madam Foreman,

on the sole count
of the indictment,

murder in the second degree,

how do you find?

We the jury in the
above entitled action,

find the defendant,
Peter Kelmer, guilty.

Did you see his face?

- He couldn't believe it.
- He's not the only one.

He wasn't convicted
on the evidence.

He was convicted because
the jury didn't like him.

I make my living
putting my trust in juries.

Now is not the time to stop.

I'll take them any
way they come.

(theme music playing)