Murder One (1995–1997): Season 2, Episode 2 - Chapter Two, Year Two - full transcript
THE MURDER. THIS WAS THE
SCENE FOUR YEARS AGO...
AS TOM VAN ALLAN WAS ELECTED
GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA.
THIS WAS THE SHOCKING
SCENE JUST HOURS AGO.
POLICE SOURCES SAY A WOMAN,
NOW IDENTIFIED AS SHARON ROONEY,
HAS BEEN ARRESTED
FOR THE MURDERS.
BATTLE LINES ARE DRAWN.
I WAS WITH THE D.A.'s OFFICE. I RESIGNED
EARLIER TODAY. I WANT TO REPRESENT YOU.
YOU'RE A DEFENSE LAWYER
NOW, BUT WHAT I CAN'T FATHOM...
IS WHY YOU EAVESDROPPED ON A PROSECUTION
TEAM'S WORK PRODUCT CONFERENCE...
WHEN YOU KNEW YOU WERE NO
LONGER A PART OF THIS OFFICE.
WHEN THAT DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE, I
HADN'T EVEN DECIDED TO TAKE THE CASE.
OH, BUT WE GAVE YOU ENOUGH
TO MAKE YOUR DECISION, DIDN'T WE?
EVERY COP IN THIS DEPARTMENT
FEELS GUT-PUNCHED BY WHAT YOU DID.
USED TO BE US AGAINST
THEM. NOW, YOU'RE THEM.
I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE
NOTION OF BEING BOUGHT OFF WITH A JOB.
IT'S NOT HOW YOU GET THE
JOB. IT'S WHAT YOU DO WITH IT.
- IF YOU COME ON BOARD, I PROMISE
YOU WILL BE HEAVILY INVOLVED.
- I'LL TAKE THE JOB.
THE RICH AND POWERFUL.
I GATHER YOUR PERSONAL
LOAN WAS APPROVED.
- HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT
MY PERSONAL LOAN?
- I CONTROL THE BANK.
- I WANT TO PUT YOU ON RETAINER.
- AND I DON'T WANT
YOUR BUSINESS.
THE CONFESSION.
I DID IT, MR. WYLER. I SHOT
TOM VAN ALLAN AND THAT GIRL.
THAT IS THE LAST TIME THAT
YOU SAY THAT TO ANYONE.
I'M SAIDA PAGAN, OUTSIDE SUPERIOR
COURT IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES,
WHERE CAROLINE VAN ALLAN, WIDOW OF THE SLAIN
GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA, HAS JUST ARRIVED.
MRS. VAN ALLAN, DO YOU BELIEVE
THE WOMAN ABOUT TO GO ON TRIAL...
FOR YOUR HUSBAND'S
MURDER IS GUILTY?
- THAT'S FOR THE JURY TO DECIDE.
- I'M SURE YOU MUST HAVE
FEELINGS ABOUT HER,
- WHAT SHE'S ACCUSED OF DOING.
- MY FEELINGS
ARE MY OWN BUSINESS.
MR. WYLER, HOW IS
SHARON ROONEY DOING?
SHE'S FINE, EAGER
FOR THE TRIAL TO BEGIN.
- ANY CHANCE OF
A LAST-MINUTE PLEA BARGAIN?
- NO. WE'RE GONNA WIN THIS CASE.
ANY CONCERNS GOING AGAINST YOUR
FORMER COLLEAGUE, MIRIAM GRASSO?
I'M SURE THAT MIRIAM WILL PRESENT HER
CASE WITH HER USUAL COMPETENCE AND STYLE.
THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
THOUGH WE'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW EACH OTHER A LITTLE
BIT DURING THE PROCESS OF JURY SELECTION,
LET ME OFFICIALLY
INTRODUCE MYSELF.
FOR THE RECORD, MY
NAME IS MIRIAM GRASSO.
AND MY JOB IS TO PRESENT
TO YOU CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE...
IN SUPPORT OF THE STATE'S
CONTENTION THAT THE DEFENDANT,
MS. SHARON ROONEY, WITH PREMEDITATION
AND DELIBERATION, MURDERED...
GOVERNOR TOM VAN ALLAN, ALONG WITH
HIS COMPANION, MS. MARLEE DONOVAN,
ON THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 19, 1996.
IT WOULD BE LESS THAN
HONEST OF ME NOT TO CONCEDE...
THAT TOM VAN ALLAN WAS A
MAN OF FLAWED CHARACTER.
HE HABITUALLY WAS
UNFAITHFUL TO HIS WIFE.
HE WAS A CHRONIC WOMANIZER.
BUT HOWEVER MUCH THE DEFENSE
TRIES TO FOCUS ON THESE DEFECTS,
THAT'S NOT WHAT
THIS TRIAL'S ABOUT.
WHAT THIS TRIAL IS ABOUT
IS MURDER TIMES TWO,
COMMITTED BY THAT YOUNG WOMAN.
NOW THE QUESTION IS WHY?
AND THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE,
CLEAR AND ALL TOO FAMILIAR.
SHARON ROONEY
WAS A SPURNED LOVER.
SHE WAS ANGRY AND JEALOUS,
AND SHE WANTED REVENGE.
AND IT WAS MARLEE
DONOVAN'S SAD MISFORTUNE...
THAT SHE WAS WITH THE GOVERNOR
WHEN SHARON ROONEY TOOK THAT REVENGE.
SHARON ROONEY AND GOVERNOR
VAN ALLAN HAD BEEN LOVERS,
AND EARLIER IN THE SUMMER, WHEN SHE TOLD
HIM THAT SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH HIS CHILD,
HE INSISTED THAT SHE HAVE AN
ABORTION, AND THEN AFTERWARD...
- MAY WE APPROACH, YOUR HONOR?
- YOUR HONOR, I'M IN THE MIDDLE
OF MY OPENING STATEMENT.
COUNSEL, APPROACH.
I NEED A RECESS.
WHAT'S THE MATTER?
I'M INDISPOSED.
AND IF I DON'T GET A RECESS, I'M
NOT GONNA NEED TO TELL YOU HOW.
- MY CHAMBERS WHEN YOU'RE DONE.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M SORRY, MIRIAM. IF YOU
GOTTA GO, YOU GOTTA GO.
BRIEF RECESS.
DID YOU HAVE AN ABORTION? YES.
WAS IT TOM VAN ALLAN'S BABY?
YES.
HOW IN THE HELL CAN I
BUILD A DEFENSE FOR YOU?
- WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME
THIS BEFORE?
- WHY WOULD I TELL YOU?
ABORTING MY BABY'S THE
WORST THING I'VE EVER DONE.
WORSE THAN KILLING TWO
PEOPLE IN COLD BLOOD?
LOOK, SHARON.
THEY WANT TO EXECUTE
YOU FOR MURDER.
DID YOU KILL THOSE PEOPLE?
JUDGE WANTS YOU
IN CHAMBERS, NOW.
I DON'T THINK SHE DID THESE
MURDERS. LIKE THAT'S GONNA MATTER.
YOUR FORMER ASSISTANT
IS IN THE KITCHEN.
GWEN?
SAID SHE PREFERRED TO
MAKE HER OWN COFFEE.
GATHER THE TROOPS, WOULD YOU?
THESE ARE THE PAINT CHIPS
FOR YOUR OFFICE REDO.
PERSONALLY, I'M
FOND OF THE BISCUIT.
YEAH. BISCUIT SOUNDS GREAT.
HMM.
NO ONE EVER MAKES
IT STRONG ENOUGH.
WHAT'S GOIN' ON, GWENNIE?
I'M REALLY EMBARRASSED
ABOUT BEING HERE.
HOW'S IT GOIN' WITH
BARRY VOLMER?
IN THE AREA OF LETTING YOUR LITTLE
CAPTAIN DO THE THINKING FOR YOU,
OUR EX-GOVERNOR
HAS NOTHING ON BARRY.
HE'S INAPPROPRIATE WITH YOU?
ON GOOD BEHAVIOR,
HE WAS INAPPROPRIATE.
- HORNY, HE WAS A GROPER.
- YOU WANNA SUE HIM?
NO. I JUST WANNA GET OUT, JIMMY.
I ASKED YOU TO COME
WITH ME EIGHT WEEKS AGO.
THE OFFER IS STILL GOOD.
YOU'RE THE BEST, JIMMY.
BUT I DON'T WANNA LOUSE IT UP
FOR ANYBODY HERE, YOU KNOW?
LOUIS IS ON A WEEK-TO-WEEK.
I'LL TALK TO HIM, FIND
OUT WHAT HIS PLANS ARE.
- REALLY?
- REALLY.
COME ON.
I'LL CALL YOU TOMORROW, AND
WE'LL FIGURE SOMETHIN' OUT.
THANKS, JIMMY.
IT'S OKAY.
SHE'S... LOOKIN' TO CHANGE JOBS.
GWEN WAS YOUR ASSISTANT
FOR A LONG TIME. SEVEN YEARS.
I ASKED HER TO COME WITH ME...
IN THE BEGINNING, BUT SHE WAS A LITTLE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND...
ANYWAY, UH, I JUST, UH...
IT'S NATURAL TO WANT THE ASSISTANT
WITH WHOM YOU'RE MOST COMFORTABLE.
APPRECIATE THAT YOU
CAN SEE THAT, LOUIS.
I SUPPOSE I WOULD
LIKE TO KNOW...
THAT IT'S A FUNCTION EXCLUSIVELY
OF FAMILIARITY WITH GWEN.
OH, ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.
IN TRUTH, THIS
MAY BE FORTUITOUS.
I HAVE A BUNCH OF FREQUENT-FLIER
MILES ABOUT TO EXPIRE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN
THE MEDITERRANEAN.
THERE'S NO RUSH. YOU TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS
YOU NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANNA DO.
THANKS.
JIMMY CONFRONTED HER
ON WHY SHE'D HELD BACK,
AND SHE SAID THE ABORTION WAS
THE WORST THING SHE'D EVER DONE.
ALL ALONG, SHE'S BEEN SAYING
SHE BLEW TWO PEOPLE'S HEADS OFF.
NOW I'VE GOT SERIOUS
DOUBTS THAT SHE DID IT.
WHY DOES THE ABORTION
EXCLUDE THE SHOOTINGS?
DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, JIMMY. IF HER RELIGIOUS
FEELINGS WERE STRONG ENOUGH IN HER MIND,
THE ABORTION BEING FORCED ON HER
MIGHT HAVE JUSTIFIED THE SHOOTINGS.
IF SHE'D HAVE DONE THE SHOOTINGS
BECAUSE OF RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS,
SHE'D HAVE SAID THAT.
YOU'RE NOT A D.A. ANYMORE, JIMMY. YOU
DON'T HAVE TO BELIEVE YOUR CASE TO WORK IT.
AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, THE
FACT THAT SHE HAD AN ABORTION...
BUYS US A BIG PROBLEM
WITH JUROR NUMBER SIX. SIX.
THAT'S LLOYD CONNOVER. CATHOLIC, POLITICALLY
CONSERVATIVE, SUPPORTS PRAYER IN SCHOOLS.
IT'S GONNA BE IMPOSSIBLE TO ESTABLISH
ANY KIND OF RAPPORT WITH THIS GUY.
- CONNOVER WAS CLEAN AS
A WHISTLE DURING VOIR DIRE.
- I WANT THAT JUROR GONE.
GET FRANK SYZMANSKI
TO LOOK AT HIM AGAIN.
OKAY. THAT'S IT.
CHRIS, YOU GOT A MINUTE?
I DON'T NEED A PRIMER ON HOW TO BE A DEFENSE
ATTORNEY, AND I DON'T NEED YOU HURTIN' MORALE.
SO THAT WAS YOU BOOSTING MORALE?
SAYING YOU THOUGHT SHE WAS INNOCENT?
LOOK, I'M NOT REAL
DIALECTICAL, CHRIS.
I TEND TO SAY THE THINGS I THINK
AROUND PEOPLE I'M SUPPOSED TO TRUST.
DON'T ACT LIKE A
PISSED-OFF SCHOOLBOY...
'CAUSE YOU'RE DISAPPOINTED AT
NOT CATCHIN' THE SECOND CHAIR.
I'M SORRY YOU TOOK IT THAT WAY.
THAT A LITTLE WORD DANCE?
"I'M SORRY YOU TOOK IT THAT WAY."
FORM OF AN APOLOGY WITHOUT SUBSTANCE?
THAT'S PURE PISSED-OFF SCHOOLBOY.
ALL RIGHT.
- WHAT COLOR IS BISCUIT?
- WHAT?
WHAT COLOR DO YOU
THINK BISCUIT WOULD BE?
I DON'T KNOW, UH...
LIGHT BROWN, MAYBE?
THANKS.
IN THE LATEST POLL TAKEN SINCE THE
ASSASSINATION OF GOVERNOR TOM VAN ALLAN,
ROGER GARFIELD HAS ASSUMED
A FIVE-POINT LEAD OVER...
KNOCK, KNOCK.
AFTER DRIVING EVERYONE CRAZY
AT NEIMAN'S, I NEED YOUR OPINION.
WHICH ONE OF THESE SHOULD I
WEAR TO THIS DINNER WITH YOUR MOM?
THE HERVE LEGER FITS THE BEST
BUT SHOWS A MODICUM OF CLEAVAGE,
WHICH MAY NOT BE
THE BEST WAY TO GO.
- WHY ARE YOU BUYING A NEW DRESS?
- I WANNA MAKE
A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION.
AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM
SPENDING A SMALL FORTUNE TO DO IT.
OR DO YOU LIKE THE
DOLCE GABBANA BETTER?
YOU'RE TURNING YOURSELF INTO
A PRETZEL OVER A LITTLE OLD LADY.
FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS, YOU'VE
TALKED ABOUT YOUR MOTHER...
LIKE SHE'S THE NEXT FACE ON MOUNT RUSHMORE,
AND I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A LITTLE NERVOUS?
THEN THERE'S THE VERSACE.
LAURA, HONEY,
IN CASE YOU'VE BEEN LIVING IN A PARALLEL
UNIVERSE WITHOUT TELEVISION OR NEWSPAPERS,
I HAVE A LITTLE
CHORE TO ATTEND TO...
THAT INVOLVES DEFENDING A WOMAN
ACCUSED OF A DOUBLE HOMICIDE.
THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA
IS INVOLVED ALSO, BY THE WAY.
THERE'S NO NEED TO BE SNIPPY.
I'M SORRY. I JUST NEED TO GO
OVER MY OPENING STATEMENT.
YOU READ IT TO ME TWO DAYS AGO.
IT WAS BRILLIANT.
IT'S GOTTEN BETTER. MMM.
BUT MIRIAM WAS GOOD TODAY.
I'VE JUST... I'VE JUST GOTTA
GO OVER IT ONE MORE TIME.
THEN YOU'RE GONNA FALL
ASLEEP IN YOUR OFFICE...
AND LOOK ALL RUMPLED
IN COURT TOMORROW.
WHEREAS, IF YOU COME
HOME WITH ME NOW,
I WILL FEED YOU
AND FONDLE YOU...
AND SEE THAT YOU GET
A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP,
SO THAT WHEN YOU STAND UP IN
FRONT OF THE JURY TOMORROW,
YOU'LL BE RELAXED AND
WEARING A CLEAN SHIRT.
COME ON, JIMMY.
WELL, I DO TEND TO BE A LITTLE MORE
ELOQUENT WITH A FRESH CHANGE OF UNDERWEAR.
MMM.
GOOD MORNING,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
MY NAME IS JAMES WYLER.
NOW SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL THAT I
USED TO BE A PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.
DURING MY TENURE WITH THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,
I TRIED 43 MURDER CASES...
AND WAS FORTUNATE
TO WIN 43 CONVICTIONS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU HONESTLY
THAT IF I WERE STILL PROSECUTING,
I WOULD NEVER HAVE
BROUGHT THIS ONE TO TRIAL.
THE CHARGES ARE SIMPLY NOT
SUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE.
OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR. COUNSEL'S
INJECTING HIS PERSONAL OPINION,
WHICH IS IRRELEVANT
AND HIGHLY INFLAMMATORY.
IN ADDITION, YOUR RÉSUMÉ HAS NO
STANDING IN THESE PROCEEDINGS, MR. WYLER.
OBJECTION SUSTAINED.
AND THE JURY IS ADMONISHED TO DISREGARD
COUNSEL'S REFERENCE TO HIS BACKGROUND.
NOW A GHASTLY CRIME
HAS BEEN COMMITTED,
AND ITS PERPETRATOR
DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED.
BUT JUSTICE ISN'T SERVED IF THE
WRONG PERSON IS MADE TO PAY.
THE PROSECUTION IS GONNA
PRESENT A HOST OF WITNESSES,
NOT A SINGLE ONE OF WHOM WILL BE
ABLE TO TELL YOU THAT SHARON ROONEY...
HAD A HISTORY OF ANGER OR VIOLENCE
DISPOSING HER TO MURDEROUS INTENT.
NOT ONE WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU THAT THEY
SAW HER COMMIT THE CRIME SHE IS ACCUSED OF.
NOW AN ILLICIT LOVER
MAKES A TANTALIZING SUSPECT.
BUT YOUR JOB IS NOT
TO PASS JUDGMENT...
ON A YOUNG AND
IMPRESSIONABLE SHARON ROONEY...
FOR ANY INDISCRETIONS SHE MAY HAVE
COMMITTED WITH GOVERNOR TOM VAN ALLAN.
YOUR JOB IS TO DETERMINE...
IF SHE IS GUILTY OF THE CRIME OF
MURDER BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHEN WE'RE
DONE HERE, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
NUMBER TWO WAS A MIDLINE
POSTERIOR ENTRY WOUND...
JUST ABOVE THE
BASE OF THE SKULL.
ITS TRAJECTORY WAS LEFT TO
RIGHT AND SLIGHTLY UPWARD,
ENTERING THE REGION
OF THE OCCIPITAL SQUAMA,
TRANSVERSING THE MIDSAGITTAL
LINE AT THE BASILAR ARTERY,
SEVERING IT AND LODGING
IN THE RIGHT FRONTAL LOBE.
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE
WOUND NUMBER THREE, PLEASE?
YES. THIS ALSO WAS AN
INSTANTANEOUSLY FATAL WOUND.
THE TRAJECTORY AGAIN
LEFT TO RIGHT AND UPWARD,
THROUGH THE LEFT TEMPORAL
LOBE AND LODGING IN THE THALAMUS.
AND WAS WOUND NUMBER FOUR SUFFICIENT
TO CAUSE DEATH AS WELL, DOCTOR?
YES. TURNING OUR ATTENTION
NOW TO THE OTHER VICTIM,
MS. MARLEE DONOVAN,
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE NATURE
AND THE EXTENT OF HER INJURIES AS WELL?
YES. MS. DONOVAN
SUSTAINED FOUR WOUNDS.
NUMBERS ONE AND
FOUR WERE NONLETHAL.
NUMBER TWO AND THREE,
HOWEVER, WERE MORTAL WOUNDS.
NUMBER TWO ENTERED THROUGH THE
THROAT, SEVERING THE EXTERNAL JUGULAR VEIN,
AND NUMBER THREE ENTERED THE RIGHT
TEMPLE AT THE GREATER WING OF SPHENOID,
SEVERING THE INTERNAL
CAROTID ARTERY.
IN YOUR INVESTIGATION,
WERE YOU ABLE TO DETERMINE...
IF EITHER VICTIM STRUGGLED
AGAINST THEIR ATTACKER?
AS I'VE INDICATED, THE GOVERNOR SUSTAINED
A WOUND TO THE CLAVICLE ON THE RIGHT,
WHICH MAY SUGGEST THAT HE
TURNED TO SEE THE ASSAILANT.
WOULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN EVIDENT TO THE SHOOTER
THAT WOUND NUMBER TWO WAS A FATAL HEAD SHOT?
IN MY OPINION, YES.
AND YET THE KILLER
FIRED TWO MORE TIMES.
SO THIS WAS A COLD-BLOODED,
SAVAGE MURDER, WAS IT NOT, DOCTOR?
YES, IT WAS. THANK
YOU. NOTHING FURTHER.
YOU DIDN'T DESCRIBE ANY EXIT
WOUNDS IN EITHER VICTIM. WHY IS THAT?
A .22 ISN'T AS POWERFUL AS
HIGHER-CALIBER WEAPONS ARE.
THEREFORE, THE BULLET OFTEN LACKS THE
REQUISITE FORCE IT TAKES TO EXIT THE SKULL.
INSTEAD, IT RICOCHETS AROUND INSIDE
THE BRAIN, CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE...
AND ALMOST
INSTANTANEOUS DEATH, RIGHT?
THAT'S FREQUENTLY THE CASE, YES.
A HEAD SHOT WITH A
.22 IS SO EFFECTIVE...
THAT IT'S BECOME THE SIGNATURE
HIT FOR ORGANIZED CRIME, HASN'T IT?
OBJECTION. DR. YAMASHITA'S A MEDICAL EXPERT,
NOT AN AUTHORITY ON UNDERWORLD ACTIVITIES.
SUSTAINED.
EIGHT SHOTS FIRED, FIVE OF
THEM INSTANTANEOUSLY FATAL.
IS THAT DEGREE OF PRECISION...
CONSISTENT WITH OTHER
PROFESSIONAL HITS YOU'VE INVESTIGATED?
AS I'VE TESTIFIED EARLIER, THESE
SHOTS WERE FIRED AT POINT-BLANK RANGE.
YOU'D EXPECT A HIGH
LEVEL OF ACCURACY.
THAT WASN'T THE QUESTION.
IS IT TRUE, YES OR NO,
THAT THE MANNER IN WHICH TOM VAN
ALLAN AND MARLEE DONOVAN WERE KILLED...
RESEMBLES THE MODUS OPERANDI
USED BY PROFESSIONAL KILLERS...
IN OTHER MURDERS
YOU'VE INVESTIGATED?
IN SOME WAYS, YES.
JIMMY. LOVED YOUR OPENING.
YOU HAVE GOT... REAL PRESENCE.
YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A CASE,
BUT YOU SURE DID LOOK GOOD.
LES, LOOK. I'M TRYING TO
EAT MY LUNCH HERE, OKAY?
SHOULDN'T YOU BE PERCHED OVER A
TYPEWRITER, SLANDERING CELEBRITIES?
JIMMY, I'M STRICTLY
HARD NEWS NOW.
MY EDITORS, THEY'VE ASSIGNED
ME TO THE SHARON ROONEY CASE,
WHICH BRINGS ME TO YOU.
HERE'S MY COMMENT.
NO COMMENT. NOT NOW. NOT EVER.
YOU KNOW, JIMMY, YOU
MISUNDERSTAND ME.
I COME BEARING GIFTS.
IN EXCHANGE FOR AN EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEW WITH SHARON ROONEY...
AFTER THE VERDICT, NO
MATTER WHICH WAY IT GOES,
I'M PREPARED TO GIVE YOU...
AN ADVANCE LOOK AT NEXT WEEK'S
COVER STORY FOR THE NATIONAL INQUISITOR.
EVEN IF I WANTED TO
SAVE THE 35 CENTS,
WHY WOULD I BE INTERESTED IN
ANYTHING THAT YOUR RAG PUBLISHES?
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, JIMMY.
YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU
SEE, WE DON'T DO ANY BUSINESS.
IS THIS ON THE LEVEL?
OH, YEAH. AND IT'S CORROBORATED
BY FOUR DIFFERENT SOURCES.
I'LL SEE TO IT THAT YOU
GET YOUR INTERVIEW.
JIMMY, YOU'RE AN HONORABLE MAN.
AT APPROXIMATELY
2400, AROUND MIDNIGHT,
I WAS IN THE KITCHEN IN
MR. LANCASTER'S HOUSE, MAKING COFFEE,
WHEN I HEARD A WOMAN SCREAM.
OFFICER BEIDEN,
USING THIS DIAGRAM,
WOULD YOU PLEASE INDICATE TO
US WHAT YOU DID AT THAT POINT?
I, UH... I WENT UP THE STAIRS TO THE
GOVERNOR'S BEDROOM AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR.
UPON HEARING NO RESPONSE, I
ENTERED THE UNLOCKED ROOM...
AND OBSERVED THE GOVERNOR
AND MS. DONOVAN IN BED.
THEY HAD BOTH BEEN
SHOT SEVERAL TIMES.
WHAT DID YOU DO THEN? I CHECKED BOTH THE
GOVERNOR AND MS. DONOVAN FOR SIGNS OF LIFE.
THERE WERE NONE. I THEN RADIOED
FOR BACKUP AND FOR THE PARAMEDICS.
AT THIS POINT, I NOTICED THE WEST-FACING
GLASS DOOR WAS STANDING OPEN.
I WENT TO IT AND OBSERVED A
WOMAN RUNNING DOWN THE BEACH.
WHAT DID SHE LOOK LIKE?
APPROXIMATELY 5-FEET-7, 110 POUNDS.
SHE HAD MEDIUM-LENGTH HAIR,
WHICH UNDER THE FLOODLIGHTS ALONG THE
BEACH APPEARED TO BE STRAWBERRY BLONDE.
- DO YOU SEE THAT WOMAN
IN THIS COURT TODAY?
- YES, I DO.
SHE'S, UH... SHE'S SITTING
RIGHT OVER THERE.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THE WITNESS
IDENTIFIED THE DEFENDANT, MS. SHARON ROONEY.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. NOTHING FURTHER.
JUROR NUMBER NINE ALSO FITS THE
DESCRIPTION YOU JUST GAVE, DOESN'T SHE?
I'M CERTAIN I SAW THE DEFENDANT.
HOW LONG DO YOU ESTIMATE...
THAT IT TOOK YOU TO GO FROM
MR. LANCASTER'S KITCHEN TO THE BEDROOM,
KNOCK, WAIT, ENTER THE
ROOM, CHECK FOR VITAL SIGNS,
RADIO FOR HELP, THEN GO TO THE
OPEN DOOR TO SEE THIS FLEEING WOMAN?
FIFTEEN SECONDS.
WE TIMED SOMEBODY RUNNING
FROM THE KITCHEN TO THE BEDROOM.
THAT ACTION ALONE
TOOK EIGHT SECONDS.
OBJECTION. YOUR HONOR, WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING
HOW RELIABLE THIS DEFENSE HYPOTHETICAL IS.
SUSTAINED.
YOU'RE NOT USUALLY ASSIGNED TO THE
DETAIL TO PROTECT THE GOVERNOR, RIGHT?
- I GENERALLY PROVIDED SECURITY
FOR THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE.
- AH. SO WHAT HAPPENED?
TWO OF OUR SECURITY OFFICERS
WERE OUT SICK, SO I WAS REASSIGNED.
IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING
PROTECTION FOR CAROLINE VAN ALLAN,
WASN'T ONE OF YOUR DUTIES TO
HAVE A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HER?
- OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR!
- YOUR HONOR, WE WOULD LIKE
TO ENTER INTO EVIDENCE...
DEFENSE EXHIBIT "E"...
THIS ARTICLE THAT WILL APPEAR IN
THE NATIONAL INQUISITOR ON MONDAY,
DETAILING THE AFFAIR BETWEEN
OFFICER BEIDEN AND CAROLINE VAN ALLAN.
YOUR HONOR, RANK HEARSAY. THIS IS NOT
FOR THE TRUTH, BUT TO SHOW STATE OF MIND.
APPROACH?
THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS.
COUNSEL HAS FAILED...
UNDER THE LAWS OF RECIPROCAL
DISCOVERY, TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY OF THIS.
YOUR HONOR, MADAM PROSECUTOR
HAS GOT HERSELF SO RATTLED,
SHE'S FORGOTTEN THAT
THAT'S HER OWN WITNESS.
I'M UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO
PROVIDE INFORMATION ON HER OWN MAN.
THIS IS UNSUBSTANTIATED TRASH, AND IT SHOULD
NOT BE ALLOWED TO PREJUDICE THESE PROCEEDINGS.
OFFICER BEIDEN'S WIFE SOLD THESE PHOTOS
OF CAROLINE VAN ALLAN AND HER HUSBAND...
AND A DETAILED
ACCOUNT OF THEIR AFFAIR.
NOW, ALL WE'RE ASKING
IS THAT WE BE PERMITTED...
TO EXAMINE THE WITNESS
ON THE UNDERLYING EVENTS.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH, MS. GRASSO.
NOW YOU CALLED THIS WITNESS.
MR. WYLER HAS THE RIGHT TO CROSS-EXAMINE
AS TO THE ISSUE OF CREDIBILITY.
NOW STEP BACK.
OFFICER BEIDEN, UM, LET
ME ASK YOU THIS AGAIN.
- WERE YOU HAVING AN AFFAIR
WITH CAROLINE VAN ALLAN?
- YES.
WERE YOU CONDUCTING THAT AFFAIR WITH MRS. VAN
ALLAN AT THE TIME OF HER HUSBAND'S MURDER?
- YES, I WAS.
- WERE YOU JEALOUS
OF THE GOVERNOR?
NO. I WASN'T JEALOUS.
YOU KNOW, IN THIS ARTICLE,
IT STATES THAT YOU LEFT YOUR
WIFE AND CHILD FOR MRS. VAN ALLAN.
IS THAT TRUE?
MY MARRIAGE WAS OVER A LONG
TIME AGO, EMOTIONALLY AT LEAST.
I NEVER WOULD HAVE GOT
INVOLVED WITH CAROLINE OTHERWISE.
WITH THE GOVERNOR DEAD, THERE'S NO OBSTACLE
TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CAROLINE, IS THERE?
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE I
HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS MURDER...
- DID YOU, OFFICER BEIDEN?
- NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT.
WHATEVER ELSE I DID, MY JOB
WAS TO PROTECT THE GOVERNOR.
BUT YOU DIDN'T DO
YOUR JOB, DID YOU?
BECAUSE YOU WANTED
HIM DEAD, RIGHT?
NO. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS A
LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND,
YOU DO KNOW, DON'T YOU, THAT A PERSON
NEEDS MOTIVE AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITY...
TO BE CONSIDERED
THE SUSPECT IN A CRIME.
YOU FILL THE BILL ON BOTH
COUNTS, DON'T YOU, OFFICER BEIDEN?
OBJECTION. CALLS FOR
A LEGAL CONCLUSION.
NOTHING FURTHER.
YOUR CALLS.
CAROLINE VAN ALLAN IS HERE TO
SEE YOU. I PUT HER IN YOUR OFFICE.
THANKS.
MRS. VAN ALLAN.
I GATHER BOTH FROM YOUR OPENING AND THE
THRUST OF YOUR CROSS-EXAMINATION TODAY...
THAT YOU INTEND TO SADDLE ME UP
AND RIDE ME AROUND THE COURTROOM...
AS A SUSPECT IN MY
HUSBAND'S MURDER.
I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
TO MY CLIENT...
TO EXPLORE ANY AND ALL POSSIBILITIES
THAT MAY SUGGEST REASONABLE DOUBT.
THEN YOU'LL PROBABLY
WANT TO LOOK INTO THIS.
I FOUND THIS GOING THROUGH
MY HUSBAND'S PAPERS.
PLEASE SIT.
WHO'S TERRY PHILBRICK? AN OPERATIVE MY
HUSBAND PLANTED IN ROGER GARFIELD'S CAMPAIGN.
I THOUGHT THIS INTELLIGENCE
REPORT FROM HIM MIGHT INTEREST YOU.
ESPECIALLY THE
QUOTE FROM GARFIELD:
"THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT VAN ALLAN FROM
REELECTION WOULD BE TO HAVE HIM KILLED."
COULD HAVE SIMPLY
BEEN A FLIP REMARK.
BUT IF I WAS DEFENDING YOUR CLIENT,
I'D WANT TO PUT IT UNDER A MICROSCOPE.
IS IT A COINCIDENCE THAT I BEAT YOUR
BOYFRIEND UP ON THE STAND TODAY...
THAT YOU BRING ME
THIS INFORMATION NOW?
MR. WYLER, MAYBE
MAKING A SIDESHOW...
OUT OF MY AFFAIR WITH
MICHAEL WILL HELP YOUR CLIENT,
BUT HE DIDN'T KILL
TOM, AND NEITHER DID I.
YOU'LL UNDERSTAND IF I NEED MORE
THAN YOUR ASSURANCE ON THAT.
MR. WYLER, MY HUSBAND
ONCE SAID TO ME...
IF HE WAS EVER FOUND FACE DOWN WITH A BULLET IN
THE BACK OF HIS HEAD, LOOK TO MALCOLM DIETRICH.
BECAUSE HE WENT AFTER HIM
WHEN HE WAS ATTORNEY GENERAL.
IT MADE TOM'S POLITICAL
CAREER, COST DIETRICH MILLIONS,
AND NEARLY LANDED
HIM BEHIND BARS.
WHEN TOM DECIDED
TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR,
HE'S THE ONE WHO FINANCED
THE SMEAR CAMPAIGN.
HE NEVER UNDERESTIMATED HOW
FORMIDABLE DIETRICH COULD BE.
- ARE YOU GONNA ANSWER THAT?
- THEY'LL CALL BACK.
MR. WYLER, I JUST WANT
YOU TO KNOW THAT...
WHATEVER THE FAILINGS OF OUR
MARRIAGE, I LOVED MY HUSBAND,
AND I WANT WHOEVER
DID THIS TO BE PUNISHED.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE MORE
TO SAY, BUT I CAN'T, UM...
I CAN'T QUITE PUT IT INTO WORDS.
YOU WANT ME TO
TAKE A FLIER AT IT?
ALL RIGHT.
DO I FIND YOU
SEXUALLY ATTRACTIVE?
DID I ENJOY THE LEG SHOW?
VERY MUCH.
WILL THIS GET YOU A FREE RIDE IN
COURT UNDER MY CROSS-EXAMINATION?
CAN'T ACCOMMODATE
YOU, MRS. VAN ALLAN.
WELL,
MAYBE I DIDN'T SHOW ENOUGH LEG.
WE'LL CALL TERRY PHILBRICK.
GOOD-BYE, MR. WYLER.
MRS. VAN ALLAN.
LAST YEAR WE UPGRADED TO PENTIUM
PROS, AND NOW WE CAN RUN WINDOWS NT.
WITH A I.S.D.N. CONNECTION, YOU CAN
BE IN AND OUT OF WESTLAW IN NO TIME.
HIGH TECH AT THE D.A.'s OFFICE
WAS A SMITH CORONA WITH...
I HEARD A RUMOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL
IN THE WORLD WAS COMIN' BACK TO THE FOLD.
FRANK. HOW YOU DOIN'?
SO WHEN YOU GONNA
RUN AWAY WITH ME?
SOON AS I GET THAT NOTE FROM
YOUR WIFE THAT SAYS IT'S OKAY.
HOW'S RETIREMENT?
ARE YOU KIDDIN' ME?
JIMMY'S GOT ME WORKING MORE
HOURS THAN WHEN I WAS A COP.
MORNING, FRANK. GWENNIE.
LOUIS GETTING YOU SETTLED?
- YEAH. I FEEL AT HOME ALREADY.
- THEY'RE WAITING FOR - YOU IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM,
AND YOU AND FRANK HAVE A
MEETING WITH TERRY PHILBRICK AT 9:00.
MMM. THANKS, LOUIS. FRANK, WHAT DO
YOU GOT FOR ME ON JUROR NUMBER SIX?
I'VE BEEN GOIN' OVER CONNOVER'S JURY
QUESTIONNAIRE WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS.
NOTHING SO FAR.
I GOTTA GET RID OF THIS
GUY. MORNING, PEOPLE.
MORNING. MORNING.
ARNOLD, I WANT TO BE READY WITH A
MOTION TO COMPEL THE PROSECUTION...
TO TURN OVER DETECTIVE BIGGIO'S NOTES, REPORTS
AND RECORDED INTERVIEWS FROM YESTERDAY ON.
DONE. EVEN MONEY HE WON'T
REINTERVIEW MICHAEL BEIDEN AS A SUSPECT,
AND WE CAN USE THAT TO
EMBARRASS HIM WHEN HE TESTIFIES.
- WHERE ARE WE
ON THE CHARACTER WITNESSES?
- I'VE INTERVIEWED EVERYONE...
ON THE LIST SHARON GAVE US.
HER MOTHER'S A STRONG
CONTENDER. MOTHERS ALWAYS ARE.
WHICH IS WHY I WANT SOMEBODY WHO
COMES OFF AS BEING MORE OBJECTIVE.
THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL WHERE SHARON
TAUGHT IS PRETTY SOLID... BETH ANDERSON.
GOOD. LET'S TALK
TO HER. THAT'S IT.
TERRY PHILBRICK'S IN RECEPTION.
I DON'T LIKE THE
TERM "DIRTY TRICKS."
IT'S KIND OF DEMEANING.
I PREFER TO CALL WHAT I DO AS
"POLITICAL PERFORMANCE PIECES."
WHETHER IT'S JUST TO
HECKLE A CANDIDATE...
OR SHORT-CIRCUIT HIS
TELEPROMPTER, YOU KNOW,
THE GOAL'S NOT JUST TO
DESTABILIZE BUT TO KINDA ENTERTAIN.
NOW, DICKIE TUCK, DON
SEGRETTI, THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT.
TERRY, UH, WHAT CAN YOU
TELL US ABOUT THIS REPORT?
DID YOU CALL ME TERRY?
ALL RIGHT. I LIKE THAT.
LIKE I ALWAYS SAY,
"FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTENT."
YEP. THAT'S MY NAME, ALL RIGHT.
BUT HEY, EASY TO FORGE
A SIGNATURE, RIGHT?
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AMONG
FRIENDS? YEAH, I WROTE IT.
SO GARFIELD DID THREATEN
TO KILL TOM VAN ALLAN?
WHAT HE SAID WAS SOMETHING
TO THE EFFECT THAT, UH...
"THE WAY THE POLLS ARE GOIN', IN ORDER
TO BEAT THIS GUY, WE'D HAVE TO KILL HIM."
SO IT WAS A JOKE? YEAH.
BUT YOU DON'T GET PAID
2K A WEEK TO SEND IN JOKES.
CERTAIN EMBELLISHMENTS HERE AND
THERE. IT'S KINDA GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
DO YOU KNOW IF GARFIELD HAD
ANYBODY IN THE VAN ALLAN CAMPAIGN?
CONVENTIONAL WISDOM THESE DAYS IS YOU GOT TO
HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE OTHER GUY'S STAFF.
BUT IF GARFIELD DID HAVE SOMEBODY
ELSE IN VAN ALLAN'S CAMPAIGN,
I THINK I'D KINDA BE OBLIGED TO,
LIKE, BRING IT BACK TO MY OWN PEOPLE.
UNLESS YOU WERE SHAKIN' THE GUY
DOWN FOR ANOTHER SOURCE OF INCOME.
BUT IF I KNEW WHO
GARFIELD'S MOLE IS, I MEAN...
I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD BE KIND
OF ETHICAL FOR ME TO DIVULGE THAT.
WE WOULDN'T WANT TO
COMPROMISE YOUR ETHICS.
YEAH. BUT THEN AGAIN, ON THE OTHER
HAND, SINCE THE GOVERNOR'S BEEN KILLED,
MY SPECIAL SERVICES
ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED.
LICKIN' ENVELOPES,
500 BUCKS A WEEK. IT'S...
I DON'T KNOW. IT'S NOT
MY IDEA OF A FUTURE.
HOW MUCH OF A CONTRIBUTION TO YOUR FUTURE WOULD
IT TAKE TO, UH, GET THE NAME OF THIS MOLE?
OKAY, BARGAIN BASEMENT? $25,000.
I'D HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT.
ALL RIGHT, MR. WYLER. OKAY. BUT
TIME'S NOT ON YOUR SIDE HERE, OKAY?
EVERY DAY THAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, IT'S
GONNA COST YOU AN EXTRA THOUSAND BUCKS.
WE'LL CALL YOU. ALL
RIGHT. TICKTOCK, TICKTOCK.
WE IN THE BIDDING?
NAH. I NEVER BOUGHT A WITNESS
AS A D.A. I'M NOT GONNA START NOW.
YOU KICKED PLENTY OF FELONIES DOWN
TO MISDEMEANORS TO BUY COOPERATION.
- THE ONLY DIFFERENCE HERE
IS THE CURRENCY OF EXCHANGE.
- HMM.
SALLY VAUGHN. V-A-U-G-H-N.
I LIVE AT 421 PALMS
BOULEVARD, APARTMENT 210.
DID YOU SHARE THAT APARTMENT
WITH THE DEFENDANT? YES.
SHE MOVED IN WITH ME AFTER
HER MARRIAGE FELL APART.
AND ARE YOU FAMILIAR
WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES...
UNDER WHICH THE DEFENDANT
CAME TO KNOW GOVERNOR VAN ALLAN?
I INTRODUCED THEM. SHARON'S EX IS A
MED STUDENT, SO SHE WAS ALONE A LOT.
ONE EVENING LAST SPRING, MY BOYFRIEND
AND I... HE ALSO WORKS FOR THE CAMPAIGN...
WERE GOING TO A VAN
ALLAN FUND-RAISER.
SHARON TAGGED ALONG.
THAT'S WHERE THEY MET.
SUBSEQUENT TO THAT MEETING,
DID MR. VAN ALLAN AND THE DEFENDANT
DEVELOP A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP?
I DON'T HAVE ANY FIRSTHAND
KNOWLEDGE OF THAT.
DID MS. ROONEY CALL THE
GOVERNOR REGULARLY?
I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KEEP
TRACK OF WHO MY FRIENDS TALK TO.
WELL, THE TELEPHONE
COMPANY DOES.
THEIR RECORDS INDICATE
THAT 37 CALLS WERE PLACED...
FROM YOUR APARTMENT TO THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE DURING MAY AND JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
- DID YOU PLACE THOSE CALLS?
- NO.
- IF YOU DIDN'T, WHO DID?
- I DON'T KNOW.
MY BOYFRIEND, MAYBE. AS I SAID, HE
WORKS FOR THE CAMPAIGN AS WELL.
- DO YOU OWN A .22-CALIBER
SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL?
- YES.
DID YOU FILE A POLICE REPORT
SIX DAYS PRIOR TO THESE MURDERS,
IN WHICH YOU STATED THAT
THAT WEAPON HAD BEEN STOLEN?
YES. ANYTHING ELSE TAKEN?
NO. NO SIGNS OF FORCED ENTRY?
- NO.
- DID THE DEFENDANT KNOW
WHERE YOU KEPT THE WEAPON?
I COULDN'T SAY FOR SURE.
IF YOU WILL LOOK AT PEOPLE'S
EXHIBIT 47 ON YOUR MONITOR,
COULD YOU IDENTIFY WHERE
THAT PHOTO WAS TAKEN?
AT A WOMEN'S
CLINIC IN MAR VISTA.
DID YOU ACCOMPANY THE DEFENDANT TO THAT
CLINIC SO THAT SHE COULD OBTAIN AN ABORTION?
- YES.
- AND DID THE DEFENDANT
TELL YOU...
THAT GOVERNOR VAN
ALLAN WAS THE FATHER?
YES. SO, GOING BACK TO ONE
OF YOUR EARLIER ANSWERS,
IN FACT YOU DID HAVE A
PRETTY GOOD IDEA, DIDN'T YOU,
THAT THE DEFENDANT WAS HAVING A SEXUAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOVERNOR VAN ALLAN?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CHANGE YOUR ANSWER?
I KNEW THEY WERE
HAVING AN AFFAIR.
I JUST DON'T BELIEVE SHE'S CAPABLE
OF DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
DID SHARON ROONEY EVER
TELL YOU THAT SHE WAS ANGRY...
BECAUSE SHE FELT PRESSURED BY TOM
VAN ALLAN INTO HAVING AN ABORTION?
SHE WAS UPSET.
THAT'S ALL I KNOW.
NOTHING FURTHER.
- YOUR PISTOL WASN'T UNDER
LOCK AND KEY, WAS IT?
- NO.
SO IT'S POSSIBLE SOMEONE OTHER THAN
SHARON HAD ACCESS TO THE WEAPON.
SURE. BESIDES,
SHARON HATES GUNS.
EVEN WITH ALL THE RAPES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD,
SHE TRIED TO TALK ME OUT OF GETTING ONE.
IF SHE KNEW WHERE I KEPT IT,
BELIEVE ME, SHE'D NEVER GO NEAR IT.
DID YOU EVER HEAR SHARON
THREATEN THE GOVERNOR...
IN ANY WAY, AT ANY TIME, EITHER DURING
THEIR RELATIONSHIP OR AFTER IT HAD ENDED?
NEVER. SHE LOVED TOM.
SO WHEN YOU TESTIFIED JUST NOW THAT SHARON
WAS UPSET IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ABORTION,
WAS IT YOUR IMPRESSION SHE HAD
VIOLENT FEELINGS TOWARD THE GOVERNOR?
NO. IF ANYTHING, SHE
BLAMED HERSELF MORE.
GOT YOUR MESSAGE. WHAT'S UP? I DIDN'T
WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT ON THE PHONE.
GOD KNOWS WHO'S LISTENING.
JIMMY, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
THE GUYS REDOING THE WALLS,
THEY FOUND THESE IN THE OUTLETS.
MICROPHONES.
THEY SEND AN F.M. SIGNAL TO A
RECEIVER, PROBABLY SOMEWHERE NEARBY.
I'M GONNA HAVE THE
WHOLE PLACE SWEPT.
IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT
TED HAD THIS OFFICE BUGGED?
I'D BE REAL SURPRISED. NO, THESE
WERE INSTALLED FAIRLY RECENTLY.
- THIS KIND OF MIKE'S ONLY COME
ONLINE THE PAST YEAR OR SO.
- WE SHOULD GET AHOLD OF LOUIS,
FIND OUT THE LAST TIME MAINTENANCE
PEOPLE HAD ACCESS TO THIS OFFICE.
IN THE MEANTIME,
WE SHOULD ASSUME...
THAT SOMEBODY WANTS A BACKSTAGE
PASS TO SHARON ROONEY'S DEFENSE.
- PROSECUTION?
- IT'S NOT MIRIAM'S STYLE.
I WOULDN'T PUT IT
PAST ROGER GARFIELD.
I BETTER GET IN TOUCH
WITH TERRY PHILBRICK.
IF SOMEONE IN GARFIELD'S CAMP
KNOWS HE WAS WILLING TO SELL THEM OUT,
I WAS GOVERNOR VAN ALLAN'S CAMPAIGN
DIRECTOR FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING
HIS SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS,
HANDLING PRESS RELATIONS,
FORMULATING OUR POSITION ON
POLITICAL ISSUES AFFECTING THE SOUTHLAND.
DID THE GOVERNOR MEET
THE DEFENDANT THROUGH YOU?
YES. SHE AND MY GIRLFRIEND,
SALLY VAUGHN, WERE ROOMMATES.
WERE YOU AWARE THAT THE GOVERNOR
AND THE DEFENDANT WERE HAVING AN AFFAIR?
YES. WERE YOU FAMILIAR
WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES...
OF HOW THAT AFFAIR ENDED? YES.
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THOSE
CIRCUMSTANCES FOR US, PLEASE?
GOVERNOR VAN ALLAN CALLED
ME INTO HIS OFFICE IN LATE JUNE.
HE TOLD ME THAT HIS WIFE KNEW
ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH SHARON...
AND INSISTED HE BREAK IT OFF.
HE ASKED ME TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
MEANING THAT YOU SHOULD
GIVE HER THE BAD NEWS?
RIGHT. AND HOW DID
SHE TAKE THAT NEWS?
NOT WELL. SHE WAS PRETTY UPSET.
AND YET YOU GAVE HER A JOB WITH
THE VAN ALLAN CAMPAIGN. WHY WAS THAT?
WHEN THE GOVERNOR FOUND OUT
THAT SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH HIS CHILD,
HE WANTED HER TAKEN CARE OF,
SO I HIRED HER TO ANSWER PHONES.
WHAT, IF ANY, ROLE DID YOU PLAY IN
SHARON'S DECISION TO HAVE AN ABORTION?
I TOLD HER THAT I THOUGHT
IT WAS IN HER BEST INTEREST,
AND I GAVE HER MONEY
FROM TOM TO PAY FOR IT.
WAS THERE ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN HER
DISPOSITION SUBSEQUENT TO HAVING THE PROCEDURE?
SHE SEEMED TO BECOME EVEN
MORE DEPRESSED AND ANGRY.
AT MR. VAN ALLAN? THAT WAS
MY STRONG IMPRESSION, YES.
THANK YOU. NOTHING
FURTHER. MR. WYLER?
YOU SAID THAT
SHARON WAS UPSET...
WHEN YOU INFORMED HER THAT THE
GOVERNOR WANTED TO END THEIR RELATIONSHIP.
- DID SHE THREATEN HIM THEN
OR ON ANY SUBSEQUENT OCCASION?
- NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT HER BEHAVIOR FELL
IN THE NORMAL RANGE OF HUMAN EMOTIONS...
FOR SOMEONE WHO
HAD JUST BEEN JILTED?
OBJECTION. THE WITNESS
IS NOT A PSYCHIATRIST.
MS. GRASSO OPENED
THE DOOR. OVERRULED.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE APPOINTED
SHARON TO A CAMPAIGN POSITION...
IF YOU THOUGHT SHE WAS GONNA TURN
AROUND AND SHOOT THE GOVERNOR, WOULD YOU?
OF COURSE NOT. BESIDES
ORGANIZING SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS...
AND HELPING FORMULATE POLICY,
DIDN'T YOU HELP WRANGLE
TOM VAN ALLAN'S LOVE LIFE?
LOOK, I WASN'T HIS PIMP, IF
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE IMPLYING.
I'M NOT IMPLYING ANYTHING.
I'M ASKING. DURING YOUR TENURE
AS ADVISER TO THE GOVERNOR,
YOU WERE AWARE OF OTHER AFFAIRS HE
HAD THAT HAD ENDED ABRUPTLY, WEREN'T YOU?
YES. AND WERE YOU EVER
ASKED TO SMOOTH THINGS OVER...
WHEN THESE WOMEN WERE UPSET
BECAUSE HE DIDN'T RETURN A PHONE CALL...
OR BECAUSE HE
REFUSED TO SEE THEM?
I MAY HAVE. I CAN'T
REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY.
THIS WAS TOM VAN ALLAN'S M.O.
WITH WOMEN, WASN'T IT? HIT AND RUN.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS TOM'S M.O., BUT
IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED.
TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, DID
THE GOVERNOR EVER RECEIVE...
THREATENING LETTERS OR PHONE
CALLS FROM DISGRUNTLED CONSTITUENTS,
WACKOS, PERSONS WHO DISAGREED
WITH HIS POLITICAL AGENDA?
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S
WHAT POLITICS HAS COME TO.
MEANING THAT THERE WOULD
BE AT LEAST A DOZEN PEOPLE...
WHO WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO
HAVE TOM VAN ALLAN OUT OF THE WAY,
FROM THE CONSPIRACY NUT WHO BLAMED
HIM FOR THE HOLE IN THE OZONE LAYER...
TO MS. GRASSO'S BOSS, WHO IS CURRENTLY
CAMPAIGNING FOR HIS OFFICE IN SACRAMENTO.
OBJECTION. NO QUESTION PENDING.
I'M DONE WITH THIS
WITNESS, YOUR HONOR.
START SAVIN' UP, JIMMY,
BECAUSE LOSER BUYS.
AND BENEATH THIS
HUMBLE EXTERIOR...
LURKS A TASTE FOR FINE WINE
AND EXCELLENT RESTAURANTS.
TOODLES!
YEAH. WHERE ARE YOU?
JUST SIT TIGHT.
I'LL BE RIGHT THERE.
SEE YOU BACK IN THE OFFICE.
THE BAD NEWS IS HE'S DEAD.
THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU'VE SAVED
YOURSELF THE MORAL DILEMMA...
OF WHETHER TO SCRAPE
TOGETHER 25 GRAND.
HOPE THAT'S THE SMELL OF DEATH.
FRIEND OF YOURS? WE'VE MET.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW
ABOUT HIM? NOT MUCH.
HE WAS A CAMPAIGN
OPERATIVE FOR GARFIELD.
YOU BEING SUCH A BIG GARFIELD
SUPPORTER, WHAT, YOU AND THE DECEASED...
STRUCK UP A FRIENDSHIP
IN THE COURSE OF THINGS?
YOU FIGURE IT WAS AN O.D.?
YOUR FRIEND MEDICATE HIS NOSE ON
A REGULAR BASIS? WE DIDN'T SOCIALIZE.
NEXT TIME YOU FIND A DEAD BODY,
YOUR FIRST CALL OUGHTA BE TO THE COPS,
NOT TO YOUR PALS IN
THE LEGAL ESTABLISHMENT.
DO WE THINK IT'S A COINCIDENCE THIS GUY PAYS
US A VISIT AND THEN PARTIES HIMSELF TO DEATH?
NO. WE THINK WE
GOT THIS GUY KILLED.
JIMMY. PULL UP A CHAIR.
BREAK BREAD WITH US.
NO, THANKS. YOU SURE?
- MALCOLM'S PAYING.
- HIS FATHER HAD
HIS PRIDE TOO.
BUT HE AND I DECIDED TO PUT ASIDE
OUR DIFFERENCES A LONG TIME AGO.
I'D HOPE YOU'D DO THE SAME. SIT.
I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF
AN APPETITE JUST NOW.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR PICKIN' A LOSER
CASE LIKE THIS ONE TO LAUNCH A NEW CAREER.
IF YOU EVER DECIDE YOU WANT
YOUR OLD JOB BACK, GIVE ME A CALL.
THERE'S A BUG IN YOUR SOUP, ROG.
I APOLOGIZE FOR MY FRIEND HERE.
HIS TABLE MANNERS LEAVE
A GOOD DEAL TO BE DESIRED.
CAN I ASSUME THE D.A.'s OFFICE
IS GONNA PROMOTE THE CHARADE...
THAT TERRY PHILBRICK'S
DEATH WAS A SUICIDE?
NOW THAT YOU'VE MOVED ON TO BIGGER
THINGS, THAT'S NOT YOUR CONCERN.
WHY DON'T YOU TURN AROUND
AND WALK OUT OF HERE...
OR I'LL ASK THE MANAGEMENT
TO HAVE YOU REMOVED.
WHY DON'T YOU TWO BOYS
GO OUT BEHIND THE KITCHEN,
SETTLE YOUR PROBLEM,
WHATEVER IT IS, LIKE MEN?
THAT'S NOT ROGER'S STYLE.
OR YOURS.
SHALL I ASSUME THAT IT WAS
TRAFFIC AND NOT DISRESPECT...
THAT'S KEPT ME WAITING
HERE FOR HALF AN HOUR?
YOU'RE HERE YOUR
USUAL HALF HOUR EARLY...
SO THAT YOU CAN FEEL AGGRIEVED
AND ACCUSE ME OF BEING LATE.
I CAME EARLY TO
ENJOY MY COCKTAIL.
THE GIRL IS LATE AS WELL.
SHE HAS A NAME, MOM.
SO WHAT ARE YOU
SO CHEERFUL ABOUT?
THIS CAME IN THE MAIL TODAY.
I TOLD YOU I WAS TAKING OUT A LOAN
BECAUSE I WANT TO START A BUSINESS.
BUT YOU FAILED TO MENTION
THAT THE TITLE TO THE HOUSE...
IN WHICH YOU WERE BORN
AFTER 36 HOURS OF LABOR...
NOW BELONGS TO A BANK
OWNED BY MALCOLM DIETRICH.
MALCOLM DIETRICH DOESN'T
OWN THE FIRST CALIFORNIA BANK.
HE'S ONE OF A NUMBER OF
DIRECTORS ON THE BOARD.
THAT MAN HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY
ENTERPRISE IN WHICH HE WAS A PASSIVE AGENT,
EXCEPT, PERHAPS, THE
ACT OF INTERCOURSE.
SHE'S HERE.
LAURA CRIMMINS,
THIS IS MY MOTHER.
PLEASURE, MRS. WYLER. I'VE
HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT YOU.
AND YOU'RE JUST AS LOVELY
AS MY SON REPRESENTED.
I'M SORRY I'M LATE. THE BOSS PULLED
ME INTO HIS OFFICE AS I WAS LEAVING...
AND GAVE ME SOME GOOD NEWS.
- I GOT A PROMOTION AND A RAISE.
- WELL-DESERVED, I'M SURE.
WHAT LINE OF
BUSINESS ARE YOU IN?
ACTUALLY, I'VE JUST
BEEN APPOINTED...
SENIOR V.P. OF CORPORATE
FINANCE AT FIRST CALIFORNIA BANK.
IS THERE A PROBLEM?
HEAVENS, NO.
DIETRICH HAS JUST ANOINTED
YOU HIS VICE-WHATEVER,
AND MY SON IS BEHOLDEN TO
HIM FOR SOME GOD-AWFUL AMOUNT.
MOM, LET'S NOT DO THIS. THIS
IS ALL HAPPENSTANCE, ISN'T IT?
IT HAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH THE FACT
THAT YOU'RE AFTER HIS PUPPET, ROGER GARFIELD.
THIS IS NOT A CONVERSATION THAT
WE NEED TO DRAG LAURA THROUGH.
I NEVER THOUGHT I'D LIVE TO SEE DIETRICH
GET HIS FANGS INTO ANOTHER GENERATION.
MALCOLM DIETRICH DOES NOT HAVE HIS
FANGS IN ME OR ANYONE AT THIS TABLE.
I WANTED A LOAN, AND MY GIRLFRIEND WAS
KIND ENOUGH TO INTERCEDE ON MY BEHALF...
SO I COULD GET
IT... END OF STORY.
NOW COULD WE PLEASE JUST ENJOY
EACH OTHER'S COMPANY, HAVE A NICE MEAL?
I HAVE LOST MY APPETITE.
I THINK SHE LIKES YOU.
WHAT THE HELL
WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?
LET'S JUST SAY THAT MALCOLM
DIETRICH AND THE ANTICHRIST...
ENJOY EQUAL ESTEEM IN
THE WYLER HOUSEHOLD.
NO KIDDING.
LOOK, THE SHORT
HISTORY OF IT IS THAT, UH,
MY FATHER WAS A LABOR ORGANIZER WHO
WENT AFTER ONE OF DIETRICH'S COMPANIES.
AND AT A CERTAIN POINT, UH,
THINGS GOT... GOT
TIGHT FOR THE FAMILY.
SO DIETRICH DID TO MY FATHER
WHAT HE DOES TO MOST PEOPLE.
HE BOUGHT HIM OFF.
AND MY FATHER
DROPPED DEAD AT 54,
AND MY MOTHER'S BEEN CALLING
DIETRICH A MURDERER EVER SINCE.
THAT'S THE DIRTY LITTLE
SECRET OF THE FAMILY.
SHOULDN'T WE GO FIND HER,
MAKE SURE SHE GETS HOME OKAY?
NO, NO, NO. SHE'S
FINE. SHE'S FINE.
SO, UNLESS I QUIT MY JOB,
I'M NOT COMING TO CHRISTMAS
DINNER ANYTIME SOON.
NO, NO, NO. SHE'LL COOL DOWN.
THEN THIS ISN'T GONNA BE A
PROBLEM FOR US DOWN THE ROAD?
NO. NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL.
SCENE FOUR YEARS AGO...
AS TOM VAN ALLAN WAS ELECTED
GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA.
THIS WAS THE SHOCKING
SCENE JUST HOURS AGO.
POLICE SOURCES SAY A WOMAN,
NOW IDENTIFIED AS SHARON ROONEY,
HAS BEEN ARRESTED
FOR THE MURDERS.
BATTLE LINES ARE DRAWN.
I WAS WITH THE D.A.'s OFFICE. I RESIGNED
EARLIER TODAY. I WANT TO REPRESENT YOU.
YOU'RE A DEFENSE LAWYER
NOW, BUT WHAT I CAN'T FATHOM...
IS WHY YOU EAVESDROPPED ON A PROSECUTION
TEAM'S WORK PRODUCT CONFERENCE...
WHEN YOU KNEW YOU WERE NO
LONGER A PART OF THIS OFFICE.
WHEN THAT DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE, I
HADN'T EVEN DECIDED TO TAKE THE CASE.
OH, BUT WE GAVE YOU ENOUGH
TO MAKE YOUR DECISION, DIDN'T WE?
EVERY COP IN THIS DEPARTMENT
FEELS GUT-PUNCHED BY WHAT YOU DID.
USED TO BE US AGAINST
THEM. NOW, YOU'RE THEM.
I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE
NOTION OF BEING BOUGHT OFF WITH A JOB.
IT'S NOT HOW YOU GET THE
JOB. IT'S WHAT YOU DO WITH IT.
- IF YOU COME ON BOARD, I PROMISE
YOU WILL BE HEAVILY INVOLVED.
- I'LL TAKE THE JOB.
THE RICH AND POWERFUL.
I GATHER YOUR PERSONAL
LOAN WAS APPROVED.
- HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT
MY PERSONAL LOAN?
- I CONTROL THE BANK.
- I WANT TO PUT YOU ON RETAINER.
- AND I DON'T WANT
YOUR BUSINESS.
THE CONFESSION.
I DID IT, MR. WYLER. I SHOT
TOM VAN ALLAN AND THAT GIRL.
THAT IS THE LAST TIME THAT
YOU SAY THAT TO ANYONE.
I'M SAIDA PAGAN, OUTSIDE SUPERIOR
COURT IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES,
WHERE CAROLINE VAN ALLAN, WIDOW OF THE SLAIN
GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA, HAS JUST ARRIVED.
MRS. VAN ALLAN, DO YOU BELIEVE
THE WOMAN ABOUT TO GO ON TRIAL...
FOR YOUR HUSBAND'S
MURDER IS GUILTY?
- THAT'S FOR THE JURY TO DECIDE.
- I'M SURE YOU MUST HAVE
FEELINGS ABOUT HER,
- WHAT SHE'S ACCUSED OF DOING.
- MY FEELINGS
ARE MY OWN BUSINESS.
MR. WYLER, HOW IS
SHARON ROONEY DOING?
SHE'S FINE, EAGER
FOR THE TRIAL TO BEGIN.
- ANY CHANCE OF
A LAST-MINUTE PLEA BARGAIN?
- NO. WE'RE GONNA WIN THIS CASE.
ANY CONCERNS GOING AGAINST YOUR
FORMER COLLEAGUE, MIRIAM GRASSO?
I'M SURE THAT MIRIAM WILL PRESENT HER
CASE WITH HER USUAL COMPETENCE AND STYLE.
THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
THOUGH WE'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW EACH OTHER A LITTLE
BIT DURING THE PROCESS OF JURY SELECTION,
LET ME OFFICIALLY
INTRODUCE MYSELF.
FOR THE RECORD, MY
NAME IS MIRIAM GRASSO.
AND MY JOB IS TO PRESENT
TO YOU CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE...
IN SUPPORT OF THE STATE'S
CONTENTION THAT THE DEFENDANT,
MS. SHARON ROONEY, WITH PREMEDITATION
AND DELIBERATION, MURDERED...
GOVERNOR TOM VAN ALLAN, ALONG WITH
HIS COMPANION, MS. MARLEE DONOVAN,
ON THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 19, 1996.
IT WOULD BE LESS THAN
HONEST OF ME NOT TO CONCEDE...
THAT TOM VAN ALLAN WAS A
MAN OF FLAWED CHARACTER.
HE HABITUALLY WAS
UNFAITHFUL TO HIS WIFE.
HE WAS A CHRONIC WOMANIZER.
BUT HOWEVER MUCH THE DEFENSE
TRIES TO FOCUS ON THESE DEFECTS,
THAT'S NOT WHAT
THIS TRIAL'S ABOUT.
WHAT THIS TRIAL IS ABOUT
IS MURDER TIMES TWO,
COMMITTED BY THAT YOUNG WOMAN.
NOW THE QUESTION IS WHY?
AND THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE,
CLEAR AND ALL TOO FAMILIAR.
SHARON ROONEY
WAS A SPURNED LOVER.
SHE WAS ANGRY AND JEALOUS,
AND SHE WANTED REVENGE.
AND IT WAS MARLEE
DONOVAN'S SAD MISFORTUNE...
THAT SHE WAS WITH THE GOVERNOR
WHEN SHARON ROONEY TOOK THAT REVENGE.
SHARON ROONEY AND GOVERNOR
VAN ALLAN HAD BEEN LOVERS,
AND EARLIER IN THE SUMMER, WHEN SHE TOLD
HIM THAT SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH HIS CHILD,
HE INSISTED THAT SHE HAVE AN
ABORTION, AND THEN AFTERWARD...
- MAY WE APPROACH, YOUR HONOR?
- YOUR HONOR, I'M IN THE MIDDLE
OF MY OPENING STATEMENT.
COUNSEL, APPROACH.
I NEED A RECESS.
WHAT'S THE MATTER?
I'M INDISPOSED.
AND IF I DON'T GET A RECESS, I'M
NOT GONNA NEED TO TELL YOU HOW.
- MY CHAMBERS WHEN YOU'RE DONE.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M SORRY, MIRIAM. IF YOU
GOTTA GO, YOU GOTTA GO.
BRIEF RECESS.
DID YOU HAVE AN ABORTION? YES.
WAS IT TOM VAN ALLAN'S BABY?
YES.
HOW IN THE HELL CAN I
BUILD A DEFENSE FOR YOU?
- WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME
THIS BEFORE?
- WHY WOULD I TELL YOU?
ABORTING MY BABY'S THE
WORST THING I'VE EVER DONE.
WORSE THAN KILLING TWO
PEOPLE IN COLD BLOOD?
LOOK, SHARON.
THEY WANT TO EXECUTE
YOU FOR MURDER.
DID YOU KILL THOSE PEOPLE?
JUDGE WANTS YOU
IN CHAMBERS, NOW.
I DON'T THINK SHE DID THESE
MURDERS. LIKE THAT'S GONNA MATTER.
YOUR FORMER ASSISTANT
IS IN THE KITCHEN.
GWEN?
SAID SHE PREFERRED TO
MAKE HER OWN COFFEE.
GATHER THE TROOPS, WOULD YOU?
THESE ARE THE PAINT CHIPS
FOR YOUR OFFICE REDO.
PERSONALLY, I'M
FOND OF THE BISCUIT.
YEAH. BISCUIT SOUNDS GREAT.
HMM.
NO ONE EVER MAKES
IT STRONG ENOUGH.
WHAT'S GOIN' ON, GWENNIE?
I'M REALLY EMBARRASSED
ABOUT BEING HERE.
HOW'S IT GOIN' WITH
BARRY VOLMER?
IN THE AREA OF LETTING YOUR LITTLE
CAPTAIN DO THE THINKING FOR YOU,
OUR EX-GOVERNOR
HAS NOTHING ON BARRY.
HE'S INAPPROPRIATE WITH YOU?
ON GOOD BEHAVIOR,
HE WAS INAPPROPRIATE.
- HORNY, HE WAS A GROPER.
- YOU WANNA SUE HIM?
NO. I JUST WANNA GET OUT, JIMMY.
I ASKED YOU TO COME
WITH ME EIGHT WEEKS AGO.
THE OFFER IS STILL GOOD.
YOU'RE THE BEST, JIMMY.
BUT I DON'T WANNA LOUSE IT UP
FOR ANYBODY HERE, YOU KNOW?
LOUIS IS ON A WEEK-TO-WEEK.
I'LL TALK TO HIM, FIND
OUT WHAT HIS PLANS ARE.
- REALLY?
- REALLY.
COME ON.
I'LL CALL YOU TOMORROW, AND
WE'LL FIGURE SOMETHIN' OUT.
THANKS, JIMMY.
IT'S OKAY.
SHE'S... LOOKIN' TO CHANGE JOBS.
GWEN WAS YOUR ASSISTANT
FOR A LONG TIME. SEVEN YEARS.
I ASKED HER TO COME WITH ME...
IN THE BEGINNING, BUT SHE WAS A LITTLE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND...
ANYWAY, UH, I JUST, UH...
IT'S NATURAL TO WANT THE ASSISTANT
WITH WHOM YOU'RE MOST COMFORTABLE.
APPRECIATE THAT YOU
CAN SEE THAT, LOUIS.
I SUPPOSE I WOULD
LIKE TO KNOW...
THAT IT'S A FUNCTION EXCLUSIVELY
OF FAMILIARITY WITH GWEN.
OH, ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.
IN TRUTH, THIS
MAY BE FORTUITOUS.
I HAVE A BUNCH OF FREQUENT-FLIER
MILES ABOUT TO EXPIRE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN
THE MEDITERRANEAN.
THERE'S NO RUSH. YOU TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS
YOU NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANNA DO.
THANKS.
JIMMY CONFRONTED HER
ON WHY SHE'D HELD BACK,
AND SHE SAID THE ABORTION WAS
THE WORST THING SHE'D EVER DONE.
ALL ALONG, SHE'S BEEN SAYING
SHE BLEW TWO PEOPLE'S HEADS OFF.
NOW I'VE GOT SERIOUS
DOUBTS THAT SHE DID IT.
WHY DOES THE ABORTION
EXCLUDE THE SHOOTINGS?
DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, JIMMY. IF HER RELIGIOUS
FEELINGS WERE STRONG ENOUGH IN HER MIND,
THE ABORTION BEING FORCED ON HER
MIGHT HAVE JUSTIFIED THE SHOOTINGS.
IF SHE'D HAVE DONE THE SHOOTINGS
BECAUSE OF RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS,
SHE'D HAVE SAID THAT.
YOU'RE NOT A D.A. ANYMORE, JIMMY. YOU
DON'T HAVE TO BELIEVE YOUR CASE TO WORK IT.
AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, THE
FACT THAT SHE HAD AN ABORTION...
BUYS US A BIG PROBLEM
WITH JUROR NUMBER SIX. SIX.
THAT'S LLOYD CONNOVER. CATHOLIC, POLITICALLY
CONSERVATIVE, SUPPORTS PRAYER IN SCHOOLS.
IT'S GONNA BE IMPOSSIBLE TO ESTABLISH
ANY KIND OF RAPPORT WITH THIS GUY.
- CONNOVER WAS CLEAN AS
A WHISTLE DURING VOIR DIRE.
- I WANT THAT JUROR GONE.
GET FRANK SYZMANSKI
TO LOOK AT HIM AGAIN.
OKAY. THAT'S IT.
CHRIS, YOU GOT A MINUTE?
I DON'T NEED A PRIMER ON HOW TO BE A DEFENSE
ATTORNEY, AND I DON'T NEED YOU HURTIN' MORALE.
SO THAT WAS YOU BOOSTING MORALE?
SAYING YOU THOUGHT SHE WAS INNOCENT?
LOOK, I'M NOT REAL
DIALECTICAL, CHRIS.
I TEND TO SAY THE THINGS I THINK
AROUND PEOPLE I'M SUPPOSED TO TRUST.
DON'T ACT LIKE A
PISSED-OFF SCHOOLBOY...
'CAUSE YOU'RE DISAPPOINTED AT
NOT CATCHIN' THE SECOND CHAIR.
I'M SORRY YOU TOOK IT THAT WAY.
THAT A LITTLE WORD DANCE?
"I'M SORRY YOU TOOK IT THAT WAY."
FORM OF AN APOLOGY WITHOUT SUBSTANCE?
THAT'S PURE PISSED-OFF SCHOOLBOY.
ALL RIGHT.
- WHAT COLOR IS BISCUIT?
- WHAT?
WHAT COLOR DO YOU
THINK BISCUIT WOULD BE?
I DON'T KNOW, UH...
LIGHT BROWN, MAYBE?
THANKS.
IN THE LATEST POLL TAKEN SINCE THE
ASSASSINATION OF GOVERNOR TOM VAN ALLAN,
ROGER GARFIELD HAS ASSUMED
A FIVE-POINT LEAD OVER...
KNOCK, KNOCK.
AFTER DRIVING EVERYONE CRAZY
AT NEIMAN'S, I NEED YOUR OPINION.
WHICH ONE OF THESE SHOULD I
WEAR TO THIS DINNER WITH YOUR MOM?
THE HERVE LEGER FITS THE BEST
BUT SHOWS A MODICUM OF CLEAVAGE,
WHICH MAY NOT BE
THE BEST WAY TO GO.
- WHY ARE YOU BUYING A NEW DRESS?
- I WANNA MAKE
A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION.
AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM
SPENDING A SMALL FORTUNE TO DO IT.
OR DO YOU LIKE THE
DOLCE GABBANA BETTER?
YOU'RE TURNING YOURSELF INTO
A PRETZEL OVER A LITTLE OLD LADY.
FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS, YOU'VE
TALKED ABOUT YOUR MOTHER...
LIKE SHE'S THE NEXT FACE ON MOUNT RUSHMORE,
AND I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A LITTLE NERVOUS?
THEN THERE'S THE VERSACE.
LAURA, HONEY,
IN CASE YOU'VE BEEN LIVING IN A PARALLEL
UNIVERSE WITHOUT TELEVISION OR NEWSPAPERS,
I HAVE A LITTLE
CHORE TO ATTEND TO...
THAT INVOLVES DEFENDING A WOMAN
ACCUSED OF A DOUBLE HOMICIDE.
THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA
IS INVOLVED ALSO, BY THE WAY.
THERE'S NO NEED TO BE SNIPPY.
I'M SORRY. I JUST NEED TO GO
OVER MY OPENING STATEMENT.
YOU READ IT TO ME TWO DAYS AGO.
IT WAS BRILLIANT.
IT'S GOTTEN BETTER. MMM.
BUT MIRIAM WAS GOOD TODAY.
I'VE JUST... I'VE JUST GOTTA
GO OVER IT ONE MORE TIME.
THEN YOU'RE GONNA FALL
ASLEEP IN YOUR OFFICE...
AND LOOK ALL RUMPLED
IN COURT TOMORROW.
WHEREAS, IF YOU COME
HOME WITH ME NOW,
I WILL FEED YOU
AND FONDLE YOU...
AND SEE THAT YOU GET
A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP,
SO THAT WHEN YOU STAND UP IN
FRONT OF THE JURY TOMORROW,
YOU'LL BE RELAXED AND
WEARING A CLEAN SHIRT.
COME ON, JIMMY.
WELL, I DO TEND TO BE A LITTLE MORE
ELOQUENT WITH A FRESH CHANGE OF UNDERWEAR.
MMM.
GOOD MORNING,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
MY NAME IS JAMES WYLER.
NOW SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL THAT I
USED TO BE A PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.
DURING MY TENURE WITH THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,
I TRIED 43 MURDER CASES...
AND WAS FORTUNATE
TO WIN 43 CONVICTIONS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU HONESTLY
THAT IF I WERE STILL PROSECUTING,
I WOULD NEVER HAVE
BROUGHT THIS ONE TO TRIAL.
THE CHARGES ARE SIMPLY NOT
SUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE.
OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR. COUNSEL'S
INJECTING HIS PERSONAL OPINION,
WHICH IS IRRELEVANT
AND HIGHLY INFLAMMATORY.
IN ADDITION, YOUR RÉSUMÉ HAS NO
STANDING IN THESE PROCEEDINGS, MR. WYLER.
OBJECTION SUSTAINED.
AND THE JURY IS ADMONISHED TO DISREGARD
COUNSEL'S REFERENCE TO HIS BACKGROUND.
NOW A GHASTLY CRIME
HAS BEEN COMMITTED,
AND ITS PERPETRATOR
DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED.
BUT JUSTICE ISN'T SERVED IF THE
WRONG PERSON IS MADE TO PAY.
THE PROSECUTION IS GONNA
PRESENT A HOST OF WITNESSES,
NOT A SINGLE ONE OF WHOM WILL BE
ABLE TO TELL YOU THAT SHARON ROONEY...
HAD A HISTORY OF ANGER OR VIOLENCE
DISPOSING HER TO MURDEROUS INTENT.
NOT ONE WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU THAT THEY
SAW HER COMMIT THE CRIME SHE IS ACCUSED OF.
NOW AN ILLICIT LOVER
MAKES A TANTALIZING SUSPECT.
BUT YOUR JOB IS NOT
TO PASS JUDGMENT...
ON A YOUNG AND
IMPRESSIONABLE SHARON ROONEY...
FOR ANY INDISCRETIONS SHE MAY HAVE
COMMITTED WITH GOVERNOR TOM VAN ALLAN.
YOUR JOB IS TO DETERMINE...
IF SHE IS GUILTY OF THE CRIME OF
MURDER BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHEN WE'RE
DONE HERE, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
NUMBER TWO WAS A MIDLINE
POSTERIOR ENTRY WOUND...
JUST ABOVE THE
BASE OF THE SKULL.
ITS TRAJECTORY WAS LEFT TO
RIGHT AND SLIGHTLY UPWARD,
ENTERING THE REGION
OF THE OCCIPITAL SQUAMA,
TRANSVERSING THE MIDSAGITTAL
LINE AT THE BASILAR ARTERY,
SEVERING IT AND LODGING
IN THE RIGHT FRONTAL LOBE.
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE
WOUND NUMBER THREE, PLEASE?
YES. THIS ALSO WAS AN
INSTANTANEOUSLY FATAL WOUND.
THE TRAJECTORY AGAIN
LEFT TO RIGHT AND UPWARD,
THROUGH THE LEFT TEMPORAL
LOBE AND LODGING IN THE THALAMUS.
AND WAS WOUND NUMBER FOUR SUFFICIENT
TO CAUSE DEATH AS WELL, DOCTOR?
YES. TURNING OUR ATTENTION
NOW TO THE OTHER VICTIM,
MS. MARLEE DONOVAN,
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE NATURE
AND THE EXTENT OF HER INJURIES AS WELL?
YES. MS. DONOVAN
SUSTAINED FOUR WOUNDS.
NUMBERS ONE AND
FOUR WERE NONLETHAL.
NUMBER TWO AND THREE,
HOWEVER, WERE MORTAL WOUNDS.
NUMBER TWO ENTERED THROUGH THE
THROAT, SEVERING THE EXTERNAL JUGULAR VEIN,
AND NUMBER THREE ENTERED THE RIGHT
TEMPLE AT THE GREATER WING OF SPHENOID,
SEVERING THE INTERNAL
CAROTID ARTERY.
IN YOUR INVESTIGATION,
WERE YOU ABLE TO DETERMINE...
IF EITHER VICTIM STRUGGLED
AGAINST THEIR ATTACKER?
AS I'VE INDICATED, THE GOVERNOR SUSTAINED
A WOUND TO THE CLAVICLE ON THE RIGHT,
WHICH MAY SUGGEST THAT HE
TURNED TO SEE THE ASSAILANT.
WOULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN EVIDENT TO THE SHOOTER
THAT WOUND NUMBER TWO WAS A FATAL HEAD SHOT?
IN MY OPINION, YES.
AND YET THE KILLER
FIRED TWO MORE TIMES.
SO THIS WAS A COLD-BLOODED,
SAVAGE MURDER, WAS IT NOT, DOCTOR?
YES, IT WAS. THANK
YOU. NOTHING FURTHER.
YOU DIDN'T DESCRIBE ANY EXIT
WOUNDS IN EITHER VICTIM. WHY IS THAT?
A .22 ISN'T AS POWERFUL AS
HIGHER-CALIBER WEAPONS ARE.
THEREFORE, THE BULLET OFTEN LACKS THE
REQUISITE FORCE IT TAKES TO EXIT THE SKULL.
INSTEAD, IT RICOCHETS AROUND INSIDE
THE BRAIN, CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE...
AND ALMOST
INSTANTANEOUS DEATH, RIGHT?
THAT'S FREQUENTLY THE CASE, YES.
A HEAD SHOT WITH A
.22 IS SO EFFECTIVE...
THAT IT'S BECOME THE SIGNATURE
HIT FOR ORGANIZED CRIME, HASN'T IT?
OBJECTION. DR. YAMASHITA'S A MEDICAL EXPERT,
NOT AN AUTHORITY ON UNDERWORLD ACTIVITIES.
SUSTAINED.
EIGHT SHOTS FIRED, FIVE OF
THEM INSTANTANEOUSLY FATAL.
IS THAT DEGREE OF PRECISION...
CONSISTENT WITH OTHER
PROFESSIONAL HITS YOU'VE INVESTIGATED?
AS I'VE TESTIFIED EARLIER, THESE
SHOTS WERE FIRED AT POINT-BLANK RANGE.
YOU'D EXPECT A HIGH
LEVEL OF ACCURACY.
THAT WASN'T THE QUESTION.
IS IT TRUE, YES OR NO,
THAT THE MANNER IN WHICH TOM VAN
ALLAN AND MARLEE DONOVAN WERE KILLED...
RESEMBLES THE MODUS OPERANDI
USED BY PROFESSIONAL KILLERS...
IN OTHER MURDERS
YOU'VE INVESTIGATED?
IN SOME WAYS, YES.
JIMMY. LOVED YOUR OPENING.
YOU HAVE GOT... REAL PRESENCE.
YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A CASE,
BUT YOU SURE DID LOOK GOOD.
LES, LOOK. I'M TRYING TO
EAT MY LUNCH HERE, OKAY?
SHOULDN'T YOU BE PERCHED OVER A
TYPEWRITER, SLANDERING CELEBRITIES?
JIMMY, I'M STRICTLY
HARD NEWS NOW.
MY EDITORS, THEY'VE ASSIGNED
ME TO THE SHARON ROONEY CASE,
WHICH BRINGS ME TO YOU.
HERE'S MY COMMENT.
NO COMMENT. NOT NOW. NOT EVER.
YOU KNOW, JIMMY, YOU
MISUNDERSTAND ME.
I COME BEARING GIFTS.
IN EXCHANGE FOR AN EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEW WITH SHARON ROONEY...
AFTER THE VERDICT, NO
MATTER WHICH WAY IT GOES,
I'M PREPARED TO GIVE YOU...
AN ADVANCE LOOK AT NEXT WEEK'S
COVER STORY FOR THE NATIONAL INQUISITOR.
EVEN IF I WANTED TO
SAVE THE 35 CENTS,
WHY WOULD I BE INTERESTED IN
ANYTHING THAT YOUR RAG PUBLISHES?
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, JIMMY.
YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU
SEE, WE DON'T DO ANY BUSINESS.
IS THIS ON THE LEVEL?
OH, YEAH. AND IT'S CORROBORATED
BY FOUR DIFFERENT SOURCES.
I'LL SEE TO IT THAT YOU
GET YOUR INTERVIEW.
JIMMY, YOU'RE AN HONORABLE MAN.
AT APPROXIMATELY
2400, AROUND MIDNIGHT,
I WAS IN THE KITCHEN IN
MR. LANCASTER'S HOUSE, MAKING COFFEE,
WHEN I HEARD A WOMAN SCREAM.
OFFICER BEIDEN,
USING THIS DIAGRAM,
WOULD YOU PLEASE INDICATE TO
US WHAT YOU DID AT THAT POINT?
I, UH... I WENT UP THE STAIRS TO THE
GOVERNOR'S BEDROOM AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR.
UPON HEARING NO RESPONSE, I
ENTERED THE UNLOCKED ROOM...
AND OBSERVED THE GOVERNOR
AND MS. DONOVAN IN BED.
THEY HAD BOTH BEEN
SHOT SEVERAL TIMES.
WHAT DID YOU DO THEN? I CHECKED BOTH THE
GOVERNOR AND MS. DONOVAN FOR SIGNS OF LIFE.
THERE WERE NONE. I THEN RADIOED
FOR BACKUP AND FOR THE PARAMEDICS.
AT THIS POINT, I NOTICED THE WEST-FACING
GLASS DOOR WAS STANDING OPEN.
I WENT TO IT AND OBSERVED A
WOMAN RUNNING DOWN THE BEACH.
WHAT DID SHE LOOK LIKE?
APPROXIMATELY 5-FEET-7, 110 POUNDS.
SHE HAD MEDIUM-LENGTH HAIR,
WHICH UNDER THE FLOODLIGHTS ALONG THE
BEACH APPEARED TO BE STRAWBERRY BLONDE.
- DO YOU SEE THAT WOMAN
IN THIS COURT TODAY?
- YES, I DO.
SHE'S, UH... SHE'S SITTING
RIGHT OVER THERE.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THE WITNESS
IDENTIFIED THE DEFENDANT, MS. SHARON ROONEY.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. NOTHING FURTHER.
JUROR NUMBER NINE ALSO FITS THE
DESCRIPTION YOU JUST GAVE, DOESN'T SHE?
I'M CERTAIN I SAW THE DEFENDANT.
HOW LONG DO YOU ESTIMATE...
THAT IT TOOK YOU TO GO FROM
MR. LANCASTER'S KITCHEN TO THE BEDROOM,
KNOCK, WAIT, ENTER THE
ROOM, CHECK FOR VITAL SIGNS,
RADIO FOR HELP, THEN GO TO THE
OPEN DOOR TO SEE THIS FLEEING WOMAN?
FIFTEEN SECONDS.
WE TIMED SOMEBODY RUNNING
FROM THE KITCHEN TO THE BEDROOM.
THAT ACTION ALONE
TOOK EIGHT SECONDS.
OBJECTION. YOUR HONOR, WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING
HOW RELIABLE THIS DEFENSE HYPOTHETICAL IS.
SUSTAINED.
YOU'RE NOT USUALLY ASSIGNED TO THE
DETAIL TO PROTECT THE GOVERNOR, RIGHT?
- I GENERALLY PROVIDED SECURITY
FOR THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE.
- AH. SO WHAT HAPPENED?
TWO OF OUR SECURITY OFFICERS
WERE OUT SICK, SO I WAS REASSIGNED.
IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING
PROTECTION FOR CAROLINE VAN ALLAN,
WASN'T ONE OF YOUR DUTIES TO
HAVE A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HER?
- OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR!
- YOUR HONOR, WE WOULD LIKE
TO ENTER INTO EVIDENCE...
DEFENSE EXHIBIT "E"...
THIS ARTICLE THAT WILL APPEAR IN
THE NATIONAL INQUISITOR ON MONDAY,
DETAILING THE AFFAIR BETWEEN
OFFICER BEIDEN AND CAROLINE VAN ALLAN.
YOUR HONOR, RANK HEARSAY. THIS IS NOT
FOR THE TRUTH, BUT TO SHOW STATE OF MIND.
APPROACH?
THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS.
COUNSEL HAS FAILED...
UNDER THE LAWS OF RECIPROCAL
DISCOVERY, TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY OF THIS.
YOUR HONOR, MADAM PROSECUTOR
HAS GOT HERSELF SO RATTLED,
SHE'S FORGOTTEN THAT
THAT'S HER OWN WITNESS.
I'M UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO
PROVIDE INFORMATION ON HER OWN MAN.
THIS IS UNSUBSTANTIATED TRASH, AND IT SHOULD
NOT BE ALLOWED TO PREJUDICE THESE PROCEEDINGS.
OFFICER BEIDEN'S WIFE SOLD THESE PHOTOS
OF CAROLINE VAN ALLAN AND HER HUSBAND...
AND A DETAILED
ACCOUNT OF THEIR AFFAIR.
NOW, ALL WE'RE ASKING
IS THAT WE BE PERMITTED...
TO EXAMINE THE WITNESS
ON THE UNDERLYING EVENTS.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH, MS. GRASSO.
NOW YOU CALLED THIS WITNESS.
MR. WYLER HAS THE RIGHT TO CROSS-EXAMINE
AS TO THE ISSUE OF CREDIBILITY.
NOW STEP BACK.
OFFICER BEIDEN, UM, LET
ME ASK YOU THIS AGAIN.
- WERE YOU HAVING AN AFFAIR
WITH CAROLINE VAN ALLAN?
- YES.
WERE YOU CONDUCTING THAT AFFAIR WITH MRS. VAN
ALLAN AT THE TIME OF HER HUSBAND'S MURDER?
- YES, I WAS.
- WERE YOU JEALOUS
OF THE GOVERNOR?
NO. I WASN'T JEALOUS.
YOU KNOW, IN THIS ARTICLE,
IT STATES THAT YOU LEFT YOUR
WIFE AND CHILD FOR MRS. VAN ALLAN.
IS THAT TRUE?
MY MARRIAGE WAS OVER A LONG
TIME AGO, EMOTIONALLY AT LEAST.
I NEVER WOULD HAVE GOT
INVOLVED WITH CAROLINE OTHERWISE.
WITH THE GOVERNOR DEAD, THERE'S NO OBSTACLE
TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CAROLINE, IS THERE?
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE I
HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS MURDER...
- DID YOU, OFFICER BEIDEN?
- NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT.
WHATEVER ELSE I DID, MY JOB
WAS TO PROTECT THE GOVERNOR.
BUT YOU DIDN'T DO
YOUR JOB, DID YOU?
BECAUSE YOU WANTED
HIM DEAD, RIGHT?
NO. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS A
LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND,
YOU DO KNOW, DON'T YOU, THAT A PERSON
NEEDS MOTIVE AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITY...
TO BE CONSIDERED
THE SUSPECT IN A CRIME.
YOU FILL THE BILL ON BOTH
COUNTS, DON'T YOU, OFFICER BEIDEN?
OBJECTION. CALLS FOR
A LEGAL CONCLUSION.
NOTHING FURTHER.
YOUR CALLS.
CAROLINE VAN ALLAN IS HERE TO
SEE YOU. I PUT HER IN YOUR OFFICE.
THANKS.
MRS. VAN ALLAN.
I GATHER BOTH FROM YOUR OPENING AND THE
THRUST OF YOUR CROSS-EXAMINATION TODAY...
THAT YOU INTEND TO SADDLE ME UP
AND RIDE ME AROUND THE COURTROOM...
AS A SUSPECT IN MY
HUSBAND'S MURDER.
I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
TO MY CLIENT...
TO EXPLORE ANY AND ALL POSSIBILITIES
THAT MAY SUGGEST REASONABLE DOUBT.
THEN YOU'LL PROBABLY
WANT TO LOOK INTO THIS.
I FOUND THIS GOING THROUGH
MY HUSBAND'S PAPERS.
PLEASE SIT.
WHO'S TERRY PHILBRICK? AN OPERATIVE MY
HUSBAND PLANTED IN ROGER GARFIELD'S CAMPAIGN.
I THOUGHT THIS INTELLIGENCE
REPORT FROM HIM MIGHT INTEREST YOU.
ESPECIALLY THE
QUOTE FROM GARFIELD:
"THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT VAN ALLAN FROM
REELECTION WOULD BE TO HAVE HIM KILLED."
COULD HAVE SIMPLY
BEEN A FLIP REMARK.
BUT IF I WAS DEFENDING YOUR CLIENT,
I'D WANT TO PUT IT UNDER A MICROSCOPE.
IS IT A COINCIDENCE THAT I BEAT YOUR
BOYFRIEND UP ON THE STAND TODAY...
THAT YOU BRING ME
THIS INFORMATION NOW?
MR. WYLER, MAYBE
MAKING A SIDESHOW...
OUT OF MY AFFAIR WITH
MICHAEL WILL HELP YOUR CLIENT,
BUT HE DIDN'T KILL
TOM, AND NEITHER DID I.
YOU'LL UNDERSTAND IF I NEED MORE
THAN YOUR ASSURANCE ON THAT.
MR. WYLER, MY HUSBAND
ONCE SAID TO ME...
IF HE WAS EVER FOUND FACE DOWN WITH A BULLET IN
THE BACK OF HIS HEAD, LOOK TO MALCOLM DIETRICH.
BECAUSE HE WENT AFTER HIM
WHEN HE WAS ATTORNEY GENERAL.
IT MADE TOM'S POLITICAL
CAREER, COST DIETRICH MILLIONS,
AND NEARLY LANDED
HIM BEHIND BARS.
WHEN TOM DECIDED
TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR,
HE'S THE ONE WHO FINANCED
THE SMEAR CAMPAIGN.
HE NEVER UNDERESTIMATED HOW
FORMIDABLE DIETRICH COULD BE.
- ARE YOU GONNA ANSWER THAT?
- THEY'LL CALL BACK.
MR. WYLER, I JUST WANT
YOU TO KNOW THAT...
WHATEVER THE FAILINGS OF OUR
MARRIAGE, I LOVED MY HUSBAND,
AND I WANT WHOEVER
DID THIS TO BE PUNISHED.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE MORE
TO SAY, BUT I CAN'T, UM...
I CAN'T QUITE PUT IT INTO WORDS.
YOU WANT ME TO
TAKE A FLIER AT IT?
ALL RIGHT.
DO I FIND YOU
SEXUALLY ATTRACTIVE?
DID I ENJOY THE LEG SHOW?
VERY MUCH.
WILL THIS GET YOU A FREE RIDE IN
COURT UNDER MY CROSS-EXAMINATION?
CAN'T ACCOMMODATE
YOU, MRS. VAN ALLAN.
WELL,
MAYBE I DIDN'T SHOW ENOUGH LEG.
WE'LL CALL TERRY PHILBRICK.
GOOD-BYE, MR. WYLER.
MRS. VAN ALLAN.
LAST YEAR WE UPGRADED TO PENTIUM
PROS, AND NOW WE CAN RUN WINDOWS NT.
WITH A I.S.D.N. CONNECTION, YOU CAN
BE IN AND OUT OF WESTLAW IN NO TIME.
HIGH TECH AT THE D.A.'s OFFICE
WAS A SMITH CORONA WITH...
I HEARD A RUMOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL
IN THE WORLD WAS COMIN' BACK TO THE FOLD.
FRANK. HOW YOU DOIN'?
SO WHEN YOU GONNA
RUN AWAY WITH ME?
SOON AS I GET THAT NOTE FROM
YOUR WIFE THAT SAYS IT'S OKAY.
HOW'S RETIREMENT?
ARE YOU KIDDIN' ME?
JIMMY'S GOT ME WORKING MORE
HOURS THAN WHEN I WAS A COP.
MORNING, FRANK. GWENNIE.
LOUIS GETTING YOU SETTLED?
- YEAH. I FEEL AT HOME ALREADY.
- THEY'RE WAITING FOR - YOU IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM,
AND YOU AND FRANK HAVE A
MEETING WITH TERRY PHILBRICK AT 9:00.
MMM. THANKS, LOUIS. FRANK, WHAT DO
YOU GOT FOR ME ON JUROR NUMBER SIX?
I'VE BEEN GOIN' OVER CONNOVER'S JURY
QUESTIONNAIRE WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS.
NOTHING SO FAR.
I GOTTA GET RID OF THIS
GUY. MORNING, PEOPLE.
MORNING. MORNING.
ARNOLD, I WANT TO BE READY WITH A
MOTION TO COMPEL THE PROSECUTION...
TO TURN OVER DETECTIVE BIGGIO'S NOTES, REPORTS
AND RECORDED INTERVIEWS FROM YESTERDAY ON.
DONE. EVEN MONEY HE WON'T
REINTERVIEW MICHAEL BEIDEN AS A SUSPECT,
AND WE CAN USE THAT TO
EMBARRASS HIM WHEN HE TESTIFIES.
- WHERE ARE WE
ON THE CHARACTER WITNESSES?
- I'VE INTERVIEWED EVERYONE...
ON THE LIST SHARON GAVE US.
HER MOTHER'S A STRONG
CONTENDER. MOTHERS ALWAYS ARE.
WHICH IS WHY I WANT SOMEBODY WHO
COMES OFF AS BEING MORE OBJECTIVE.
THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL WHERE SHARON
TAUGHT IS PRETTY SOLID... BETH ANDERSON.
GOOD. LET'S TALK
TO HER. THAT'S IT.
TERRY PHILBRICK'S IN RECEPTION.
I DON'T LIKE THE
TERM "DIRTY TRICKS."
IT'S KIND OF DEMEANING.
I PREFER TO CALL WHAT I DO AS
"POLITICAL PERFORMANCE PIECES."
WHETHER IT'S JUST TO
HECKLE A CANDIDATE...
OR SHORT-CIRCUIT HIS
TELEPROMPTER, YOU KNOW,
THE GOAL'S NOT JUST TO
DESTABILIZE BUT TO KINDA ENTERTAIN.
NOW, DICKIE TUCK, DON
SEGRETTI, THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT.
TERRY, UH, WHAT CAN YOU
TELL US ABOUT THIS REPORT?
DID YOU CALL ME TERRY?
ALL RIGHT. I LIKE THAT.
LIKE I ALWAYS SAY,
"FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTENT."
YEP. THAT'S MY NAME, ALL RIGHT.
BUT HEY, EASY TO FORGE
A SIGNATURE, RIGHT?
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AMONG
FRIENDS? YEAH, I WROTE IT.
SO GARFIELD DID THREATEN
TO KILL TOM VAN ALLAN?
WHAT HE SAID WAS SOMETHING
TO THE EFFECT THAT, UH...
"THE WAY THE POLLS ARE GOIN', IN ORDER
TO BEAT THIS GUY, WE'D HAVE TO KILL HIM."
SO IT WAS A JOKE? YEAH.
BUT YOU DON'T GET PAID
2K A WEEK TO SEND IN JOKES.
CERTAIN EMBELLISHMENTS HERE AND
THERE. IT'S KINDA GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
DO YOU KNOW IF GARFIELD HAD
ANYBODY IN THE VAN ALLAN CAMPAIGN?
CONVENTIONAL WISDOM THESE DAYS IS YOU GOT TO
HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE OTHER GUY'S STAFF.
BUT IF GARFIELD DID HAVE SOMEBODY
ELSE IN VAN ALLAN'S CAMPAIGN,
I THINK I'D KINDA BE OBLIGED TO,
LIKE, BRING IT BACK TO MY OWN PEOPLE.
UNLESS YOU WERE SHAKIN' THE GUY
DOWN FOR ANOTHER SOURCE OF INCOME.
BUT IF I KNEW WHO
GARFIELD'S MOLE IS, I MEAN...
I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD BE KIND
OF ETHICAL FOR ME TO DIVULGE THAT.
WE WOULDN'T WANT TO
COMPROMISE YOUR ETHICS.
YEAH. BUT THEN AGAIN, ON THE OTHER
HAND, SINCE THE GOVERNOR'S BEEN KILLED,
MY SPECIAL SERVICES
ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED.
LICKIN' ENVELOPES,
500 BUCKS A WEEK. IT'S...
I DON'T KNOW. IT'S NOT
MY IDEA OF A FUTURE.
HOW MUCH OF A CONTRIBUTION TO YOUR FUTURE WOULD
IT TAKE TO, UH, GET THE NAME OF THIS MOLE?
OKAY, BARGAIN BASEMENT? $25,000.
I'D HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT.
ALL RIGHT, MR. WYLER. OKAY. BUT
TIME'S NOT ON YOUR SIDE HERE, OKAY?
EVERY DAY THAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, IT'S
GONNA COST YOU AN EXTRA THOUSAND BUCKS.
WE'LL CALL YOU. ALL
RIGHT. TICKTOCK, TICKTOCK.
WE IN THE BIDDING?
NAH. I NEVER BOUGHT A WITNESS
AS A D.A. I'M NOT GONNA START NOW.
YOU KICKED PLENTY OF FELONIES DOWN
TO MISDEMEANORS TO BUY COOPERATION.
- THE ONLY DIFFERENCE HERE
IS THE CURRENCY OF EXCHANGE.
- HMM.
SALLY VAUGHN. V-A-U-G-H-N.
I LIVE AT 421 PALMS
BOULEVARD, APARTMENT 210.
DID YOU SHARE THAT APARTMENT
WITH THE DEFENDANT? YES.
SHE MOVED IN WITH ME AFTER
HER MARRIAGE FELL APART.
AND ARE YOU FAMILIAR
WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES...
UNDER WHICH THE DEFENDANT
CAME TO KNOW GOVERNOR VAN ALLAN?
I INTRODUCED THEM. SHARON'S EX IS A
MED STUDENT, SO SHE WAS ALONE A LOT.
ONE EVENING LAST SPRING, MY BOYFRIEND
AND I... HE ALSO WORKS FOR THE CAMPAIGN...
WERE GOING TO A VAN
ALLAN FUND-RAISER.
SHARON TAGGED ALONG.
THAT'S WHERE THEY MET.
SUBSEQUENT TO THAT MEETING,
DID MR. VAN ALLAN AND THE DEFENDANT
DEVELOP A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP?
I DON'T HAVE ANY FIRSTHAND
KNOWLEDGE OF THAT.
DID MS. ROONEY CALL THE
GOVERNOR REGULARLY?
I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KEEP
TRACK OF WHO MY FRIENDS TALK TO.
WELL, THE TELEPHONE
COMPANY DOES.
THEIR RECORDS INDICATE
THAT 37 CALLS WERE PLACED...
FROM YOUR APARTMENT TO THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE DURING MAY AND JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
- DID YOU PLACE THOSE CALLS?
- NO.
- IF YOU DIDN'T, WHO DID?
- I DON'T KNOW.
MY BOYFRIEND, MAYBE. AS I SAID, HE
WORKS FOR THE CAMPAIGN AS WELL.
- DO YOU OWN A .22-CALIBER
SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL?
- YES.
DID YOU FILE A POLICE REPORT
SIX DAYS PRIOR TO THESE MURDERS,
IN WHICH YOU STATED THAT
THAT WEAPON HAD BEEN STOLEN?
YES. ANYTHING ELSE TAKEN?
NO. NO SIGNS OF FORCED ENTRY?
- NO.
- DID THE DEFENDANT KNOW
WHERE YOU KEPT THE WEAPON?
I COULDN'T SAY FOR SURE.
IF YOU WILL LOOK AT PEOPLE'S
EXHIBIT 47 ON YOUR MONITOR,
COULD YOU IDENTIFY WHERE
THAT PHOTO WAS TAKEN?
AT A WOMEN'S
CLINIC IN MAR VISTA.
DID YOU ACCOMPANY THE DEFENDANT TO THAT
CLINIC SO THAT SHE COULD OBTAIN AN ABORTION?
- YES.
- AND DID THE DEFENDANT
TELL YOU...
THAT GOVERNOR VAN
ALLAN WAS THE FATHER?
YES. SO, GOING BACK TO ONE
OF YOUR EARLIER ANSWERS,
IN FACT YOU DID HAVE A
PRETTY GOOD IDEA, DIDN'T YOU,
THAT THE DEFENDANT WAS HAVING A SEXUAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOVERNOR VAN ALLAN?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CHANGE YOUR ANSWER?
I KNEW THEY WERE
HAVING AN AFFAIR.
I JUST DON'T BELIEVE SHE'S CAPABLE
OF DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
DID SHARON ROONEY EVER
TELL YOU THAT SHE WAS ANGRY...
BECAUSE SHE FELT PRESSURED BY TOM
VAN ALLAN INTO HAVING AN ABORTION?
SHE WAS UPSET.
THAT'S ALL I KNOW.
NOTHING FURTHER.
- YOUR PISTOL WASN'T UNDER
LOCK AND KEY, WAS IT?
- NO.
SO IT'S POSSIBLE SOMEONE OTHER THAN
SHARON HAD ACCESS TO THE WEAPON.
SURE. BESIDES,
SHARON HATES GUNS.
EVEN WITH ALL THE RAPES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD,
SHE TRIED TO TALK ME OUT OF GETTING ONE.
IF SHE KNEW WHERE I KEPT IT,
BELIEVE ME, SHE'D NEVER GO NEAR IT.
DID YOU EVER HEAR SHARON
THREATEN THE GOVERNOR...
IN ANY WAY, AT ANY TIME, EITHER DURING
THEIR RELATIONSHIP OR AFTER IT HAD ENDED?
NEVER. SHE LOVED TOM.
SO WHEN YOU TESTIFIED JUST NOW THAT SHARON
WAS UPSET IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ABORTION,
WAS IT YOUR IMPRESSION SHE HAD
VIOLENT FEELINGS TOWARD THE GOVERNOR?
NO. IF ANYTHING, SHE
BLAMED HERSELF MORE.
GOT YOUR MESSAGE. WHAT'S UP? I DIDN'T
WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT ON THE PHONE.
GOD KNOWS WHO'S LISTENING.
JIMMY, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
THE GUYS REDOING THE WALLS,
THEY FOUND THESE IN THE OUTLETS.
MICROPHONES.
THEY SEND AN F.M. SIGNAL TO A
RECEIVER, PROBABLY SOMEWHERE NEARBY.
I'M GONNA HAVE THE
WHOLE PLACE SWEPT.
IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT
TED HAD THIS OFFICE BUGGED?
I'D BE REAL SURPRISED. NO, THESE
WERE INSTALLED FAIRLY RECENTLY.
- THIS KIND OF MIKE'S ONLY COME
ONLINE THE PAST YEAR OR SO.
- WE SHOULD GET AHOLD OF LOUIS,
FIND OUT THE LAST TIME MAINTENANCE
PEOPLE HAD ACCESS TO THIS OFFICE.
IN THE MEANTIME,
WE SHOULD ASSUME...
THAT SOMEBODY WANTS A BACKSTAGE
PASS TO SHARON ROONEY'S DEFENSE.
- PROSECUTION?
- IT'S NOT MIRIAM'S STYLE.
I WOULDN'T PUT IT
PAST ROGER GARFIELD.
I BETTER GET IN TOUCH
WITH TERRY PHILBRICK.
IF SOMEONE IN GARFIELD'S CAMP
KNOWS HE WAS WILLING TO SELL THEM OUT,
I WAS GOVERNOR VAN ALLAN'S CAMPAIGN
DIRECTOR FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING
HIS SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS,
HANDLING PRESS RELATIONS,
FORMULATING OUR POSITION ON
POLITICAL ISSUES AFFECTING THE SOUTHLAND.
DID THE GOVERNOR MEET
THE DEFENDANT THROUGH YOU?
YES. SHE AND MY GIRLFRIEND,
SALLY VAUGHN, WERE ROOMMATES.
WERE YOU AWARE THAT THE GOVERNOR
AND THE DEFENDANT WERE HAVING AN AFFAIR?
YES. WERE YOU FAMILIAR
WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES...
OF HOW THAT AFFAIR ENDED? YES.
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THOSE
CIRCUMSTANCES FOR US, PLEASE?
GOVERNOR VAN ALLAN CALLED
ME INTO HIS OFFICE IN LATE JUNE.
HE TOLD ME THAT HIS WIFE KNEW
ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH SHARON...
AND INSISTED HE BREAK IT OFF.
HE ASKED ME TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
MEANING THAT YOU SHOULD
GIVE HER THE BAD NEWS?
RIGHT. AND HOW DID
SHE TAKE THAT NEWS?
NOT WELL. SHE WAS PRETTY UPSET.
AND YET YOU GAVE HER A JOB WITH
THE VAN ALLAN CAMPAIGN. WHY WAS THAT?
WHEN THE GOVERNOR FOUND OUT
THAT SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH HIS CHILD,
HE WANTED HER TAKEN CARE OF,
SO I HIRED HER TO ANSWER PHONES.
WHAT, IF ANY, ROLE DID YOU PLAY IN
SHARON'S DECISION TO HAVE AN ABORTION?
I TOLD HER THAT I THOUGHT
IT WAS IN HER BEST INTEREST,
AND I GAVE HER MONEY
FROM TOM TO PAY FOR IT.
WAS THERE ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN HER
DISPOSITION SUBSEQUENT TO HAVING THE PROCEDURE?
SHE SEEMED TO BECOME EVEN
MORE DEPRESSED AND ANGRY.
AT MR. VAN ALLAN? THAT WAS
MY STRONG IMPRESSION, YES.
THANK YOU. NOTHING
FURTHER. MR. WYLER?
YOU SAID THAT
SHARON WAS UPSET...
WHEN YOU INFORMED HER THAT THE
GOVERNOR WANTED TO END THEIR RELATIONSHIP.
- DID SHE THREATEN HIM THEN
OR ON ANY SUBSEQUENT OCCASION?
- NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT HER BEHAVIOR FELL
IN THE NORMAL RANGE OF HUMAN EMOTIONS...
FOR SOMEONE WHO
HAD JUST BEEN JILTED?
OBJECTION. THE WITNESS
IS NOT A PSYCHIATRIST.
MS. GRASSO OPENED
THE DOOR. OVERRULED.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE APPOINTED
SHARON TO A CAMPAIGN POSITION...
IF YOU THOUGHT SHE WAS GONNA TURN
AROUND AND SHOOT THE GOVERNOR, WOULD YOU?
OF COURSE NOT. BESIDES
ORGANIZING SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS...
AND HELPING FORMULATE POLICY,
DIDN'T YOU HELP WRANGLE
TOM VAN ALLAN'S LOVE LIFE?
LOOK, I WASN'T HIS PIMP, IF
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE IMPLYING.
I'M NOT IMPLYING ANYTHING.
I'M ASKING. DURING YOUR TENURE
AS ADVISER TO THE GOVERNOR,
YOU WERE AWARE OF OTHER AFFAIRS HE
HAD THAT HAD ENDED ABRUPTLY, WEREN'T YOU?
YES. AND WERE YOU EVER
ASKED TO SMOOTH THINGS OVER...
WHEN THESE WOMEN WERE UPSET
BECAUSE HE DIDN'T RETURN A PHONE CALL...
OR BECAUSE HE
REFUSED TO SEE THEM?
I MAY HAVE. I CAN'T
REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY.
THIS WAS TOM VAN ALLAN'S M.O.
WITH WOMEN, WASN'T IT? HIT AND RUN.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS TOM'S M.O., BUT
IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED.
TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, DID
THE GOVERNOR EVER RECEIVE...
THREATENING LETTERS OR PHONE
CALLS FROM DISGRUNTLED CONSTITUENTS,
WACKOS, PERSONS WHO DISAGREED
WITH HIS POLITICAL AGENDA?
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S
WHAT POLITICS HAS COME TO.
MEANING THAT THERE WOULD
BE AT LEAST A DOZEN PEOPLE...
WHO WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO
HAVE TOM VAN ALLAN OUT OF THE WAY,
FROM THE CONSPIRACY NUT WHO BLAMED
HIM FOR THE HOLE IN THE OZONE LAYER...
TO MS. GRASSO'S BOSS, WHO IS CURRENTLY
CAMPAIGNING FOR HIS OFFICE IN SACRAMENTO.
OBJECTION. NO QUESTION PENDING.
I'M DONE WITH THIS
WITNESS, YOUR HONOR.
START SAVIN' UP, JIMMY,
BECAUSE LOSER BUYS.
AND BENEATH THIS
HUMBLE EXTERIOR...
LURKS A TASTE FOR FINE WINE
AND EXCELLENT RESTAURANTS.
TOODLES!
YEAH. WHERE ARE YOU?
JUST SIT TIGHT.
I'LL BE RIGHT THERE.
SEE YOU BACK IN THE OFFICE.
THE BAD NEWS IS HE'S DEAD.
THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU'VE SAVED
YOURSELF THE MORAL DILEMMA...
OF WHETHER TO SCRAPE
TOGETHER 25 GRAND.
HOPE THAT'S THE SMELL OF DEATH.
FRIEND OF YOURS? WE'VE MET.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW
ABOUT HIM? NOT MUCH.
HE WAS A CAMPAIGN
OPERATIVE FOR GARFIELD.
YOU BEING SUCH A BIG GARFIELD
SUPPORTER, WHAT, YOU AND THE DECEASED...
STRUCK UP A FRIENDSHIP
IN THE COURSE OF THINGS?
YOU FIGURE IT WAS AN O.D.?
YOUR FRIEND MEDICATE HIS NOSE ON
A REGULAR BASIS? WE DIDN'T SOCIALIZE.
NEXT TIME YOU FIND A DEAD BODY,
YOUR FIRST CALL OUGHTA BE TO THE COPS,
NOT TO YOUR PALS IN
THE LEGAL ESTABLISHMENT.
DO WE THINK IT'S A COINCIDENCE THIS GUY PAYS
US A VISIT AND THEN PARTIES HIMSELF TO DEATH?
NO. WE THINK WE
GOT THIS GUY KILLED.
JIMMY. PULL UP A CHAIR.
BREAK BREAD WITH US.
NO, THANKS. YOU SURE?
- MALCOLM'S PAYING.
- HIS FATHER HAD
HIS PRIDE TOO.
BUT HE AND I DECIDED TO PUT ASIDE
OUR DIFFERENCES A LONG TIME AGO.
I'D HOPE YOU'D DO THE SAME. SIT.
I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF
AN APPETITE JUST NOW.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR PICKIN' A LOSER
CASE LIKE THIS ONE TO LAUNCH A NEW CAREER.
IF YOU EVER DECIDE YOU WANT
YOUR OLD JOB BACK, GIVE ME A CALL.
THERE'S A BUG IN YOUR SOUP, ROG.
I APOLOGIZE FOR MY FRIEND HERE.
HIS TABLE MANNERS LEAVE
A GOOD DEAL TO BE DESIRED.
CAN I ASSUME THE D.A.'s OFFICE
IS GONNA PROMOTE THE CHARADE...
THAT TERRY PHILBRICK'S
DEATH WAS A SUICIDE?
NOW THAT YOU'VE MOVED ON TO BIGGER
THINGS, THAT'S NOT YOUR CONCERN.
WHY DON'T YOU TURN AROUND
AND WALK OUT OF HERE...
OR I'LL ASK THE MANAGEMENT
TO HAVE YOU REMOVED.
WHY DON'T YOU TWO BOYS
GO OUT BEHIND THE KITCHEN,
SETTLE YOUR PROBLEM,
WHATEVER IT IS, LIKE MEN?
THAT'S NOT ROGER'S STYLE.
OR YOURS.
SHALL I ASSUME THAT IT WAS
TRAFFIC AND NOT DISRESPECT...
THAT'S KEPT ME WAITING
HERE FOR HALF AN HOUR?
YOU'RE HERE YOUR
USUAL HALF HOUR EARLY...
SO THAT YOU CAN FEEL AGGRIEVED
AND ACCUSE ME OF BEING LATE.
I CAME EARLY TO
ENJOY MY COCKTAIL.
THE GIRL IS LATE AS WELL.
SHE HAS A NAME, MOM.
SO WHAT ARE YOU
SO CHEERFUL ABOUT?
THIS CAME IN THE MAIL TODAY.
I TOLD YOU I WAS TAKING OUT A LOAN
BECAUSE I WANT TO START A BUSINESS.
BUT YOU FAILED TO MENTION
THAT THE TITLE TO THE HOUSE...
IN WHICH YOU WERE BORN
AFTER 36 HOURS OF LABOR...
NOW BELONGS TO A BANK
OWNED BY MALCOLM DIETRICH.
MALCOLM DIETRICH DOESN'T
OWN THE FIRST CALIFORNIA BANK.
HE'S ONE OF A NUMBER OF
DIRECTORS ON THE BOARD.
THAT MAN HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY
ENTERPRISE IN WHICH HE WAS A PASSIVE AGENT,
EXCEPT, PERHAPS, THE
ACT OF INTERCOURSE.
SHE'S HERE.
LAURA CRIMMINS,
THIS IS MY MOTHER.
PLEASURE, MRS. WYLER. I'VE
HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT YOU.
AND YOU'RE JUST AS LOVELY
AS MY SON REPRESENTED.
I'M SORRY I'M LATE. THE BOSS PULLED
ME INTO HIS OFFICE AS I WAS LEAVING...
AND GAVE ME SOME GOOD NEWS.
- I GOT A PROMOTION AND A RAISE.
- WELL-DESERVED, I'M SURE.
WHAT LINE OF
BUSINESS ARE YOU IN?
ACTUALLY, I'VE JUST
BEEN APPOINTED...
SENIOR V.P. OF CORPORATE
FINANCE AT FIRST CALIFORNIA BANK.
IS THERE A PROBLEM?
HEAVENS, NO.
DIETRICH HAS JUST ANOINTED
YOU HIS VICE-WHATEVER,
AND MY SON IS BEHOLDEN TO
HIM FOR SOME GOD-AWFUL AMOUNT.
MOM, LET'S NOT DO THIS. THIS
IS ALL HAPPENSTANCE, ISN'T IT?
IT HAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH THE FACT
THAT YOU'RE AFTER HIS PUPPET, ROGER GARFIELD.
THIS IS NOT A CONVERSATION THAT
WE NEED TO DRAG LAURA THROUGH.
I NEVER THOUGHT I'D LIVE TO SEE DIETRICH
GET HIS FANGS INTO ANOTHER GENERATION.
MALCOLM DIETRICH DOES NOT HAVE HIS
FANGS IN ME OR ANYONE AT THIS TABLE.
I WANTED A LOAN, AND MY GIRLFRIEND WAS
KIND ENOUGH TO INTERCEDE ON MY BEHALF...
SO I COULD GET
IT... END OF STORY.
NOW COULD WE PLEASE JUST ENJOY
EACH OTHER'S COMPANY, HAVE A NICE MEAL?
I HAVE LOST MY APPETITE.
I THINK SHE LIKES YOU.
WHAT THE HELL
WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?
LET'S JUST SAY THAT MALCOLM
DIETRICH AND THE ANTICHRIST...
ENJOY EQUAL ESTEEM IN
THE WYLER HOUSEHOLD.
NO KIDDING.
LOOK, THE SHORT
HISTORY OF IT IS THAT, UH,
MY FATHER WAS A LABOR ORGANIZER WHO
WENT AFTER ONE OF DIETRICH'S COMPANIES.
AND AT A CERTAIN POINT, UH,
THINGS GOT... GOT
TIGHT FOR THE FAMILY.
SO DIETRICH DID TO MY FATHER
WHAT HE DOES TO MOST PEOPLE.
HE BOUGHT HIM OFF.
AND MY FATHER
DROPPED DEAD AT 54,
AND MY MOTHER'S BEEN CALLING
DIETRICH A MURDERER EVER SINCE.
THAT'S THE DIRTY LITTLE
SECRET OF THE FAMILY.
SHOULDN'T WE GO FIND HER,
MAKE SURE SHE GETS HOME OKAY?
NO, NO, NO. SHE'S
FINE. SHE'S FINE.
SO, UNLESS I QUIT MY JOB,
I'M NOT COMING TO CHRISTMAS
DINNER ANYTIME SOON.
NO, NO, NO. SHE'LL COOL DOWN.
THEN THIS ISN'T GONNA BE A
PROBLEM FOR US DOWN THE ROAD?
NO. NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL.