Law & Order True Crime (2017): Season 1, Episode 7 - The Menendez Murders: Episode 7 - full transcript

No mistakes on my
watch. Is that clear?

Mr. Garcetti, I have no
intention of losing Menendez.

Winning is a
given, Miss Ferrero.

Who was Lyle talking to?

It's Norma Novelli. She puts
out a newsletter for prisoners.

After a lifetime of terror,

these children were terrorized.

He threw me on the bed

and he raped me.

When I was, uh, seven,

he would put me on my knees,



and I would have
oral sex with him.

We're here because
the defendants did this

to their parents.

Erik and his brother
honestly believed

that their parents
were going to kill them.

It's the first day
of deliberations

for both juries in
the Menendez trial,

and as you can see, Menendez
fever is as strong as ever.

And here comes the
van carrying Erik and Lyle.

Each morning, they'll be
driven from the county jail

in downtown Los Angeles to
the courthouse here in Van Nuys

to await the juries' verdicts.

Set them free! Set them free!

And we'll be ready with live coverage
the minute those verdicts come in.



The whole time, I couldn't
wait for the trial to end.

But now...

Do you think...

Do you think they'll vote
for the death penalty?

They decide that
during the penalty phase,

and we're a long
way from that, honey.

Right now, they're focused on
murder versus manslaughter,

maybe even an acquittal.

When I was up there talking,
I could see Uncle Brian's face.

He looked at me like I
was the lowest form of life.

Even Aunt Terry.

It's sad, you know?

We used to be a family.

All those people, my
friends, who lied on the stand,

Donovan, Glenn, Jamie.

People really hate
me, don't they?

Don't punish yourself, Lyle.

Try and stay positive.

I want to get out. I
want to prove to people

that I can be
different than I was.

That I can be better.

Let's start with a vote.

Just to see where
everyone's leaning?

Raise your hand if...

Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Raise our hands?

I think we should
have a secret ballot.

Yeah. Who cares?

No, I'm with Paul.

Everything in the open. I agree.

I agree. So, once again,

raise your hand if
you think Erik is guilty

of first-degree murder
on both of the killings.

Interesting. Okay.

Raise your hand if you think Erik
is guilty of voluntary manslaughter.

One, two, three,
four, five, six.

Okay, that's six
for manslaughter

and six for first-degree murder.

These other women got their
panties in a twist over Lyle.

You and me know he's a bad seed.

Okay, let's deliberate.

Look what I found.

We can decorate the house for
when Lyle and Erik come home.

They're coming home?

Is it decided?

No, Mama.

That's not what Henry means.

Mama... You already have
more candles than the Vatican.

Let's just pray
everything goes well.

Four days means the jury
can't make up their minds.

Daddy, when are you coming out?

Your grandson wants to meet you.

Just pick a date.

We'll... We'll take
care of everything.

Okay, love you too. Bye.

I want a retraction. I did
not cry during my closing.

Your reporter wasn't even there.

It was my client that cried.

Check the Court TV feed.

A retraction. And don't bury it.

Unbelievable.

Sorry that happened.
You want a hug?

The press convicted
the boys years ago.

They have to make us look weak
and emotional for defending them.

I found some things
in the trial transcript

that might be
grounds for appeal.

An appeal?

You think they'll convict?

Let me know if
you want that hug.

"Points of fact in
law." What's this?

My 25 facts that prove

Lyle should be convicted
of first-degree murder.

So now you're a lawyer?

Point of fact number one.

If the boys really thought their
parents were going to kill them,

they could have looked
through the family room window,

checked to see if
their parents had guns.

Point of fact number two...

What you think they
should have done isn't a fact.

Sarah.

You know I'm right. Your
husband works in the DA's office.

Tell 'em.

I really think you should listen

to other people's opinions, Dan.

Now, sit down and let's
have a proper discussion.

Good luck.

Look, I don't want to
set a precedent here.

But if these boys get off
with a slap on the wrist,

every murderer who kills their
parents will say they were abused.

I don't care about future
cases. Our duty is to this case.

The prosecutor
suggested that Erik learned

molestation details from some
kind of homosexual experiences.

Maybe he learned it
from having sex with Lyle.

Right? Maybe those two...

No, Erik's sexuality has nothing
to do with him being molested.

I don't buy that
whole abuse thing.

Erik's cousins said
he was abused.

And those photos.

Do you have photos
like that of your kids?

I sure don't. Look,
I think those boys

could have pushed their
dad away if they wanted to.

Abuse isn't about
how strong you are.

It's about the power they
have over your emotions.

Witness answers.

"He told me his father
was massaging his pecker.

"He wanted to know if
this happens to every kid

"with a father and
son relationship."

Thank you, that concludes
the read-back you requested.

You may go back
to your deliberations.

Merry Christmas, your honor.
- Yes, Merry Christmas.

Thank you. Court is adjourned.

Hello, Detective. Counselor.

Any plans for the holidays?

I was gonna take
the kids to Hawaii,

but I gotta stick it out
until there's a verdict.

It's the fourth time this year
I've had to push off the trip.

I am sorry.

Yeah, it comes
with the territory.

How about you?
How's the little one?

Yeah, he's wonderful.

It's great to get to spend
some time with him.

He's endlessly cute.

But what baby isn't?

Right.

And then they grow up.

Erik wouldn't need
to ask his cousin.

Any kid would know it's wrong.

Not if you don't know
right from wrong.

How does he not know that?

Because the person who
was supposed to teach him that

is the one who was
molest... Where is the proof

that José was doing
that to his sons?

We don't need definitive
proof. There is none.

What we need is a...
Oh, just stop talking.

I'm sick of your voice.

Now, come on.

Just look at the way the
judge treats their lawyer,

Abramson. He
doesn't buy it, either.

Why is it so hard
for you to believe?

We know abuse happens
with coaches and priests.

Are you scared to admit that

it could happen between
a father and his own sons?

I'll tell you what scares me.

This man José Menendez
pushed his kids, and so what?

He worked hard to
put food on the table.

And for what?

So his kids could kill him?

Is that what being a
good provider gets you?

I have two daughters.

One's in college. The
other graduated last year.

And this case

is making me sorry I spanked
them when they were little.

Well, I'm sure your
daughters turned out fine.

How far apart we are...

It'll be a miracle if we
can agree on a verdict.

That's because you're
not facing the facts.

Take this cousin Diane
Vander Molen, for instance.

She said Lyle told her
he was being abused.

She's lying.

Why do you say she's lying?

Because he didn't
mention it when he testified.

He would've if it was true.

She said he was eight when he
told her. Maybe he doesn't remember.

That makes me
believe her even more.

If they were gonna lie, you'd
think they'd get their story straight.

That's women's logic.

I changed my mind.
They were abused.

That's what twisted them,
twisted everything about them.

I get letters thanking me
for exposing the abuse.

I get other letters that...

I shouldn't be surprised.

I mean, how can
anyone forgive me?

God knows the
truth. He forgives you.

How can He?

How can my parents?

I want them to forgive me.

You have to start
by forgiving them.

I'm trying.

I want to.

God loves you, Erik.

In the name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Thank you, Father.

Merry Christmas, Erik.

Hey, Erik.

Do you remember when Mom and
Dad took us to see A Christmas Carol?

Dad thought the
theater was so phony.

But he did it because

that's what high-class
people in Princeton did.

He fell asleep during the show.

I miss them, Lyle.

God, I miss them
too, little brother.

My husband's under
a lot of pressure

from the DA's office to get
me to vote one way or the other,

but he thinks I should
quit the jury, but I can't.

I've put six months into this.

What the hell are you doing?

You're gonna see the
results of what those brats did

so that things will be fair.

You cannot put up
some of the evidence

and not all of it.
Take those down now.

No.

I need them up to refer to them.

Yeah well, pass them around
if you need to refer to them.

Take them down or I will.

Hey, man, just because
you're the foreman

doesn't mean you're
the boss of me.

That's exactly what it means.

Oh, hey, stop it.

Hey, hey, hey.

You better step back. Step back.

We've all been here a long time.

We all want to get out of here.

We all want to get
on with our lives.

It's been over three weeks.

Let's just do what
we're here to do.

I've thought about it,

and I want to
change my vote again.

So you're voting to convict
Lyle of second-degree murder?

Yes. We're allowed to.

And that means down
the line he gets out.

And I think that's
a reasonable thing.

That ain't never
gonna happen, lady.

If Erik was really being abused,

he would have told Oziel.

No, José owned
Oziel. Erik knew that.

I'm sick of you women
talking about José and Kitty

like they're on trial.

They were good parents,
and society would be better off

if more parents were like them.

They went to every one
of their sons' tennis games.

You know who went to my
sports games when I was a kid?

Nobody.

What I would have given
to have had a dad like José.

Oh, my God. Are you kidding?

I... I feel sorry for you. I do.

But what has that
got to do with Erik?

With... With reasonable doubt?

Let's do another vote.

And one of her eyes was open.

Kitty had these
bright blue eyes.

She saw who killed her.

The sons she gave birth to.

This poor mother.

I'm sorry, this is...

This has been a difficult case.

Erik's jury is coming
in. Might be a verdict.

Excuse me.

Have you come to a decision?

We have not, Your
Honor. We're deadlocked.

Our positions haven't
changed after three weeks.

I see no hope for reaching an
agreement on any of the counts.

I'm sorry. We tried.

What does this mean?
Oh, it's good, honey.

If Weisberg declares a mistrial,

I can try to get a
deal from the DA.

I understand this
has been difficult.

I know all of you have made
sacrifices over the holidays.

But I'm going to
ask you to go back

and to try and
reach a consensus.

What?

You can't do that, Your Honor.

Sit down, Ms. Abramson.
You should consult counsel

before giving the
jury instructions.

I'm fine with the
instructions, Your Honor.

I would like to know what
charges are being discussed

and if first-degree
murder is off the table.

Please escort the jury
back to the jury room.

Your Honor, this is unfair.

You have been biased
against my client this entire time.

One more word, Ms. Abramson,

and I will hold you in contempt.

That son of a bitch!

Judge Weisberg is
the most high-handed,

obnoxious judge I have
ever tried a case before.

The Judicial Council
should be looking at him.

Erik and Lyle have been
plagued by bad parents,

a bad shrink, and
now a bad judge.

It makes you wonder what
the next disaster is for this case.

An earthquake measuring
6.7 struck the Los Angeles area

at 4:30 this morning. MALE
NEWSCASTER: Reports of casualties...

Strong aftershocks
are still being felt.

Sections of the
freeway crumbled...

Entire apartment
complexes are collapsed.

Total devastation... MALE
NEWSCASTER 4: The Van Nuys courthouse,

site of the infamous Menendez
murder trial, suffered damages.

Until the damage can
be assessed and repaired,

we'll set you up in here.

Oh, dear God, it smells
like sewage in here.

All right, everyone
grab a chair.

It stinks in here. We
gotta wrap this up.

Oh, man.

And how many for
voluntary manslaughter?

Everyone's put
so much into this.

There are no 12
people in the world

who will ever be able to hear the
evidence in the way that we did,

because so many
people followed this trial

and are now
tainted by the media.

We owe it to the court to see if we
can come to a unanimous decision.

So would those of us
currently voting first-degree

or manslaughter be willing to
meet the others at second-degree?

Raise your hand.

Dan, there's 11 of us
willing to vote second-degree.

We're gonna need you to
come down from first-degree.

We really tried, Your Honor.

We went over all the evidence,

but we just couldn't
reach a consensus.

Are you absolutely sure?

Yes, Your Honor,
we're absolutely sure.

We're at a complete deadlock.

You're positive?

Yes, Your Honor, positive.

Then I have no choice
but to declare a mistrial.

Thank you for your service.
You are free to go now.

The defendants are
remanded to custody.

Leslie, tell us...

On behalf of Lyle and
Erik, we want to express

our gratitude to both
juries for their hard work

in considering the
issues in this case.

Leslie, do you
feel like you won?

Well, victory would
be for Erik and Lyle

to walk down the street.

But I am glad that
Jill and I had a chance

to shine a light
on a kind of abuse

that people want to ignore.

There are people who
want to deny it took place

in a beautiful house in
Beverly Hills, but it did.

We asked the jurors
to have compassion

for two young men who
endured it, and they did.

Excuse me, Jill. Will
there be another trial?

Hopefully not.

Hopefully, District
Attorney Garcetti

will save the tax payers money
and offer our clients a deal.

I want Bozanich in here
as soon as she arrives.

Will you take that
same gamble in a retrial?

It's not about whether
it was a risky defense.

It was the best defense
because it was true.

The public is
losing faith in us.

We can't even convict
confessed murderers.

You were too soft, Pam.

You allowed the jury to
fall for that sex abuse crap.

I did that?

Weisberg let Abramson run wild.

I can't do much about Weisberg,

but I'm taking you off the case.

David will handle the retrial.

Fine. I'd rather eat
broken glass for a year

than spend another hour in
a room with Leslie Abramson.

Good luck.

No margin for error this time.

We need two convictions.

So sex abuse,
that split the juries.

Weisberg let the
defense run amok.

He's up for reelection.

The county and
the justice system

deserve a stronger
presence on the bench.

When there's a hung jury, often
you have to look at the judge.

Either his jury
instructions weren't clear

or his rulings were confusing.

Judge Weisberg has
a record of hung juries

and controversial verdicts, including the
McMartin case and the Rodney King trial.

There you are. Jackie
sent me to look for you.

Bill Norris is about to speak.

That's all I need, a lecture
from a Ninth Circuit liberal.

And I don't need the
contempt of my colleagues.

They're blaming me for Menendez.

As your friend, I have
one piece of advice.

Forget those SOBs.

It took me two years to
get out of municipal court.

If I don't get reelected
because of those murderers...

You're gonna get a chance
to rehabilitate yourself

if there's a retrial,
or better yet,

if you can get the DA to make
a deal with Leslie Abramson,

you're everybody's hero.

Leslie Abramson?

That woman...

Keith's face would get
redder than a radish.

One time, he practically
climbed over the table

to get in my face.

Incredible. And
yet they couldn't

understand the concept
of heat of passion.

Do you know anything
about a new trial?

No, we're hoping
for a plea bargain.

Oh.

Is that him? Hello.

Hi, Erik. Yes, they're here.

Can I put you on speaker phone?

Hello. ALL: Hi, Erik.

You guys having a fun night?

Yeah.

Erik, it's just so strange
to talk to you after all

those months of not being
able to say anything to you.

It's strange for me too.

You guys know a
lot of stuff about me.

I don't know anything about you.

Okay, we're gonna let you go.

We know you have
other people to call.

Okay, I just wanted
to thank everyone

for listening to us. It
was nice to meet you.

Bye. ALL: Good luck, Erik.

Bye. Good luck.

That's what Erik was
hoping for, manslaughter.

He was really upset
it didn't happen.

It's a shame having
to wait once more.

Erik's just upset he's
gonna have to testify again.

He's not in good shape.

And they told us today

that they're gonna
move me to another row.

So Erik will be alone.

I can check in on
him if he wants.

Yeah, that'd be
great. Thanks, Norma.

Um, I, uh... I have
three calls tonight.

The first is 571-555-0189.

571, that's Virginia.

Yes, someone who
wrote me a nice card.

I want to say thank you.

All right. I'll connect you.

Hello. LYLE: Hello.
Is this Martha?

This is Lyle. Hi.
You got my card.

Yes, I just wanted
to say thank you.

I saw you on the
TV last Tuesday.

You looked so handsome.

It's nice of you to
say that, Martha.

We concede nothing.

Justice isn't a game.

We'll file for a new trial
in the Menendez case.

Assistant District Attorney David
Conn will lead the prosecution.

David. Thank you.

The defense managed to put
José and Kitty Menendez on trial

when in reality,
they were the victims.

This time we'll make
that crystal clear.

Leslie Abramson
has said in the press

she expects us to
offer a plea bargain.

Let me be the first to tell her,

we will not be
offering any deals.

He's just staking
out a position.

So Marcia told me that she
has taken on a new case.

But I found somebody
really good to replace her,

Barry Levin, ex-cop, and
he's a damn good lawyer.

I think the three of us will
make a really good team.

Leslie, I can't
do another trial.

I know. Yes, it's
gonna be very hard.

No, I mean, I'm not
doing another trial.

What are you talking about?
You can't do that to Lyle.

I'm sorry. That wasn't fair.

My daughter has changed
so much in the last four years,

and I feel like
I've missed it all.

I don't know how you
manage it with your baby,

but you do.

You're different. You're
not like the rest of us.

Don't blow smoke, please.
You know I hate that.

Oh...

Okay, I get it.

I have grown to truly
care about you, Lyle,

but I have to take
care of my family, too.

That's okay, Jilly.

There's a friend of
mine I'd like you to meet.

His name is Charles Gessler.

He's very respected
as a public defender,

and he's an expert in
death penalty cases.

Sure. I'll talk to him.

I really appreciate you
making this easy on me, Lyle.

You spent so much
time away from family.

Family is everything.

I was only appointed last week.

It'll take at least eight
months to properly prepare.

I request that a new trial
date be set for January 1995.

Foot-dragging, Your Honor.

I'm new to this
case. I'm ready to go.

We request a trial
at the earliest date.

I'm ready too, Your Honor.
Why don't you sever the trials

so proceedings for
my client can begin?

I'll take it under advisement.

Can we talk bail?

Your Honor, the People will
be pursuing the death penalty.

That takes bail off the table.

The DA has been holding our
clients prisoner for four years

when they haven't been
convicted of anything.

It is outrageous.

Maybe the solution is
a negotiated settlement.

That would be appropriate.

The brutality of these murders

prohibits us from
offering a deal.

There has been enough
bombast on both sides.

I strongly encourage you all to sit
down and come to an agreement.

You'll be doing your
clients and the public a favor.

Let's face it, David,
we were this close

to getting a manslaughter
verdict for our clients.

Your defense is bull, and I'll
rip it to shreds in front of you.

This case puts sexual
abuse out in the public.

People are talking about
it. Victims are speaking out.

And the jury pool are being
exposed on a daily basis.

The only people who believe
that are on your side of the table.

If I offered you a deal,
you think I'd be able

to face the detectives
who stood in the blood

under a ceiling dripping
with brain matter?

Your clients are a
couple of craven brats

who killed for money,
and they're laughing

their asses off at you
for thinking otherwise.

You tell your boys to
buy some new sweaters,

'cause I'm not offering
them a damn thing.

Counselor. Detective.

You know Barry
Levin. He's ex-LAPD.

Working for the
other side now, eh?

Boy, Conn was
laying it on a little thick.

Yeah, he's all talk.
Eh, I don't know.

You don't seem to
have your old pizzazz.

Um... Don't listen to him.

He's just pimping you.

It's an old cop trick.

The house in Calabasas
was auctioned off to pay taxes.

There's hardly anything
left in the estate.

We can't afford a new trial.

All the experts,
the lawyer fees...

Lyle's new lawyer was
appointed by the court

because Jill left.

His fees are paid by the state.

Same thing with Mr. Levin,
who replaced Marcia,

and I will use my
fees to pay experts.

Leslie, there's not even
enough to pay for you.

I'm sorry.

I will ask the supervising
judge to appoint me

to represent Erik.

That way the state will pay me

about a quarter
of my regular rate.

You'll be getting a bargain.

My client is broke, Your Honor.

Neither he nor his family
can afford my attorney fees.

I am asking to be made
Erik's court-appointed attorney.

I'm denying your
request, Ms. Abramson.

As supervising judge,
it is my duty to manage

the very limited resources
of the criminal division.

This is one trial where the
taxpayers don't need to chip in.

Are you trying to
force me off the case?

You can't expect
me to work for free.

You've been paid very well.

I don't like the inference

that I am a money
grubber, Your Honor.

I have spent 8,600 hours
over the past four years

on this case. That
is $68 an hour.

Can I speak? Please? Erik.

Please, please. Erik.

Your Honor, I beg you.

There is no way I would
want to do another trial

without Ms. Abramson.

She's been my lawyer
since my life was revealed.

I don't think that I can
open up to another attorney.

I am not relieving
her of her position.

As long as you want
her to work for you,

she has to work for you,

but the taxpayers of California

will not be footing the bill.

We are adjourned.

I don't understand. They're
paying for Lyle's lawyer.

They're paying for Mr. Levin.

That's because we
replaced lawyers who left,

and you want Leslie to stay.

I can't ask you
to work for free.

I'll let you go. I'll say I
want another attorney.

That's what they want.
They want me off the case.

We will find a way around
this. I'm not leaving you, Erik.

This trial could take
another year, at least.

And then the appeals.

Now, I know how
committed you are,

but you can't pretend
you can afford to do this.

You have to let Erik fire you.

There's a misconception
that Erik and Lyle are rich.

They are not. Not anymore.

I'm not rich either.

And because Judge
Mills refuses to make me

Erik's court-appointed lawyer,
I may go broke defending him.

As you all know,
justice isn't cheap.

It costs a lot to
mount a defense,

especially when the DA is
hell-bent on killing our clients

and won't even
consider a plea bargain.

So we need to raise money.

People have sent in
contributions unsolicited,

very modest contributions
from ordinary people,

but it gave us the idea
to set up a defense fund.

How much are
you hoping to raise?

We have to spend as much
money defending the boys

as Garcetti is
spending to kill them.

Leslie Abramson may have the
Erik Menendez Defense Fund.

Well, we have one too.

This came to my office today

addressed to the Erik
Menendez Prosecution Fund.

It's for $50, and it's from
an attorney in Chicago.

And we hear that some
disc jockeys on KFI

are holding a yard sale
and they're donating

the proceeds to the prosecution.

Garcetti's making it look like
I'm helping the prosecution.

Where's Abramson's
motion to reconsider?

This should make
things interesting.

Listen, my grandmother
was from Russia.

When I was little, she
told me how the Nazis

wiped out our people.

My people, just
rolled over them.

I don't wanna get rolled over.

Not by anybody.

I will find a way to pay for it.

No, you can't pay
for everything, Leslie.

Look, Tim and I talked about
getting a second mortgage.

I got a book offer.

You just won't quit, will you?

This is why I have an
office next to K-Town.

Judge Mills on line two.

This is Leslie Abramson.

Uh, okay.

Half?

No, no, no. I accept.

Yes. Thank you, Your Honor.

He reversed himself.

He granted my
motion to reconsider.

I am now Erik's
court-appointed attorney,

for half my normal rate.

I am now the cheapest
famous lawyer in the world.

Just got a phone
call. Mills reversed.

He appointed Abramson.

Gutless.

That leaves Weisberg.

I read your
preliminary witness list.

Oziel, really? Why not?

I hear he settled with
Judalon Smyth on her lawsuit.

His credibility is shot.

That's the agreement
and the nondisclosure.

This should end all claims
by your client against Dr. Oziel.

It's kind of like
getting a divorce.

Without the misery of
actually being married to you.

You're so abusive. You're
the worst therapist ever.

Go to hell.

How much do you
think I could get

for suing "Playboy" for those
articles they wrote about me?

How 'bout me suing Vanity Fair?

I'm serious.

"Our local judiciary's
inability to control

"the courtroom and
deliver justice has made us

"the laughingstock of our
criminal justice system."

This is just a shot
across the bow.

What do you mean?

Well, there's talk they're
looking for someone

to run against you
in the next election.

I have considered
the defense request

to sever the trials.
I'm denying it.

Both defendants will
be tried at the same time

with one jury.

Your Honor, waiting
for Lyle's attorney

to get up to speed
is not fair to my client.

Two trials isn't fair
to the taxpayers.

It is time-consuming and costly.

One trial, one jury.

That's what you've
got, Miss Abramson.

We're adjourned.

Your Honor...

I was eight when I
saw you do the Run.

Most exciting moment of my life.

Thank you.

We Just cleaned
it for you, Juice.

But we'll be back.
Try and take it easy.

Mr. Simpson?

Um, O.J.?

Who's that? I'm Erik Menendez.

Um, you came to my
house in New Jersey

when my dad worked for Hertz.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah, you were so nice
to my brother and me.

It's gonna get better, O.J.

First three days are the worst,

but...

It gets better.

Mr. Simpson will be
charged with two counts

of first-degree murder
with special circumstances.

We will not seek the
death penalty in this case.

If anyone doubted
the District Attorney

had a double-standard,
now we have proof.

What kind of moral
or legal decision

would merit the death
penalty for two young men

accused of killing
their abusers,

but not for a famous wife-beater

accused of killing his
ex-wife and her friend?

I think "famous" is
the key word here.

You believe this?

I've run off and joined
the media circus.

It pays the Menendez bills,

and everybody gets to see
what a smart lady I married.

I'm not feeling so smart.

Feel like I'm
failing at everything,

as a lawyer, as
a wife, as a mom.

I don't know if I'm
doing the right thing.

Thanks for signing it,
Juice. My kid's gonna love it.

Guys, you think I could
get a different pillow?

I couldn't sleep last night.

No problem, Juice.
I'll see what I can do.

Hold onto that.

O.J.

Be careful about what
you say to the deputies.

They seem like they're
your friends, but they're not.

They're just fans.

No, everything you tell them
goes straight to the police.

Don't talk to anyone but
your lawyer about your case.

That includes other inmates too.

The jail's full of
snitches who'll try to beat

their cases by making
yours. You understand?

Yeah.

Thanks, Erik.

And your lawyer, Robert Shapiro,

he screwed up my surrender.

I'm facing the death
penalty because of him, so...

Don't believe
everything he says.

I won't.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Your Honor, defense has put

almost a dozen
experts on the stand,

all testifying essentially
about the same thing.

We're asking the court to limit

this quack pack of psychologists.
It was six experts, not 12,

testifying for two defendants

about a much
misunderstood subject.

Mr. Conn, I am
denying People's motion.

Defense experts are in.

Your Honor, our motion
to exclude testimony

about the Menendez
family history is before you.

That testimony is crucial...

Ms. Abramson, I did
not ask you to speak.

Mr. Conn, your
motion is granted.

I am excluding any
irrelevant testimony

about the family history.

Your Honor, please
explain "irrelevant."

Any unnecessary testimony
from family members

or friends of the defendants

about physical abuse
or psychological bullying.

You can't do that.

All such testimony will only be
permitted in the penalty phase.

That's too late.

The jury needs to
hear it during the trial

before they reach a verdict.

My defense is built
on imminent fear.

Please, I am not trying to prove

that my client and his
brother had a sad childhood.

Their entire sense
of safety is at issue.

It makes no sense
to present experts

when there is no corroboration
from family members

and the people in their lives.

I disagree.

Ugh, this is unbelievable.

I'm looking forward to
working with you again too,

Miss Abramson.

Only this time around,

things are gonna
be a little different.

For one thing, that
will be coming down.

I am excluding all
cameras from the courtroom.

We're adjourned.

What does he mean,
no family history?

Our family can't testify
about what happened to us?

No, but you can,
and we'll appeal.

We will find a way to get it in.

Weisberg just gutted our case.

Yeah, I think you were right.

The fix is in.

And they don't
want any witnesses.

I don't care anymore. I'm
just tired of not knowing.

Will I be in jail for ten years?

Will I be in jail forever?
Will I be executed?

I just want to know
so I can get on

with whatever life
I'm gonna have.

I understand, Erik. We all do.

You just... You have to
take it moment by moment.

Hey, we'll get
through this, all right?

I know you can do it.

Just remember,
master your emotions.

We should ask to have
Erik put on suicide watch.

What happened to O.J.?
He went to another unit.

His lawyer, Shapiro,
called. Had him moved.

Ooh, this toy train looks fun.

I think he's a little
young for that.

Oh, this is adorable.

Sold.

There we go.

What's wrong?

Just all these happy kids.

Yeah.

Why are you crying?

I don't know.