Psych (2006–2014): Season 1, Episode 12 - Cloudy... With a Chance of Murder - full transcript
Shawn and Gus horn their way onto murder case as consultants, which includes propping up the lead attorney and somehow proving the client didn't commit the crime.
Dad, why do those people
get better seats than us?
WITNESS: Your Honor, it's not that l...
Shawn, those people aren't just watching the trial. Those people are the trial.
They're the jurors,
and they're the most important people in this room.
They are?
The thing about the jury is, Shawn,
you gotta learn how to look at them, how to read them.
For instance, take a look at juror number five.
He's the guy in the front row, second one from the left.
Tell me what you see. Go.
Brown shirt, little hole in his collar.
His coat is too tight on him.
He's got rough hands, he's looking down mostly and nodding a lot.
Good, good.
All right, let's take that hole in his collar.
Now, would Mom ever let you leave the house looking like that?
Never.
You believe it.
So, that tells us that he's probably not married.
That's called deductive reasoning.
LAWYER: Your Honor, the people call Detective Henry L. Spencer to the stand.
All right, watch closely, kid.
One day you're gonna walk up the steps of this courthouse
and you're gonna make your old man proud.
Gus, they impounded my motorcycle without warning.
l'm pretty sure the warning was the $900 worth of parking tickets you racked up.
Still, man, you can't take a man's means of transportation away.
It's, like, unconstitutional or something.
l'm pretty sure it's not in the Constitution.
Oh, don't be so sure.
l think it says, ''Thou shalt not something, or covet something.
''Don't mess with Texas or the right of transportation.''
You're thinking of a commandment.
That's even better. Can we just pay this ticket
so we can get out of here, please?
You gotta be kidding me. We came all the way over here,
and now you're not gonna wait in the line?
Gus, did you see it in there? It's a ticket payment line,
not Space Mountain. Hardly worth it.
Plus, I don't wait in lines. What do you mean you don't wait in lines?
Everyone waits in lines. That's what we do as people, we wait in lines.
l don't. It's not in my nature.
(CELL PHONE RINGING) That makes no sense, Shawn.
You remember the story of the scorpion and the frog?
(SHUSHING) Burton Guster. They're both on the riverbank. The scorpion's like, ''Hey''...
The point is I shouldn't have gotten any tickets, Gus.
l was using my ambassador plates.
Ambassador plates? You're not an ambassador, Shawn.
impersonating a government official will land you in jail.
l am an ambassador, of sorts.
l am a goodwill ambassador to Paraguay.
To where? Paraguay.
It is an honorary title that I received
after overseeing all sand castle construction at a South American Club Med.
You never worked at Club Med.
Ooh, turn that up.
Someone we know, someone we love,
someone we invited into our...
l just saw that woman at the courthouse.
That's Sandra Panitch, the fourth grade teacher who murdered Jackson Hale.
Don't you watch the news? l can't watch Channel 8 anymore.
Lloyd Lansing wears a toupee. It's like every newscast starts with a lie.
l can't stand this guy. Something about him just irks me. Listen to him.
Sandra Panitch went with weatherman Jackson Hale to his Channel 8 news studio,
engaged in sexual relations with him,
and then stabbed him in the heart with a letter opener.
She fled the scene, but not without leaving behind
a mountain of physical evidence,
including a trail of the victim's blood,
and her fingerprints all over the murder weapon.
This is why the state is going after murder one.
But she didn't do it! What?
Gus, l'm getting a very strong feeling here.
l think that woman is innocent.
l do watch the news, and l've been following this case.
They have a mountain of evidence against this lady.
Look, they call her the ''School Marm Murderer.''
Okay, first of all, there's a question mark at the end of that.
They call her the ''School Marm Murderer?''
Even the news people aren't convinced.
And today at the courthouse, in the middle of a conversation,
l saw her bend over and pick up a piece of trash!
Oh, I see. So because she picks up somebody's KitKat wrapper
means she didn't kill anybody? That makes sense.
Gus, she didn't have to do that.
The woman is about to be on trial for her life.
She takes time out for common courtesy?
That is not the mindset of a cold-blooded murderer. No!
This is what I know. She looked at me right in the eyes.
Now, there are a lot of tells that people have
when they are trying to appear not guilty.
The way that they sit, crossing their legs, uncrossing them,
crossing them back, eye lines to inanimate objects, twitching, itching, rubbing.
All of these affectations, l am an expert on all of them.
But there is one thing that you cannot change no matter how hard you try,
and that is the tent on the windows to the soul.
(REPORTERS CHATTERING ON TV)
Adam Hornstock, attorney for the defense.
Sandra Panitch is a victim of circumstance,
of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
l know. Look at this poor guy.
Look, he's hunched over, he's not making eye contact.
Look at the handkerchief in the left pocket, there.
It's not decorative, Gus. That's crumpled and stained.
That's used for dabbing sweat, a lot.
Her lawyer's a beaten man.
Whether he knows it or not, Adam Hornstock needs us.
What are you talking about?
Dude, we're going to be legal consultants.
It's awesome.
♪ ♪ I know, you know That I'm not telling the truth ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I know, you know They just don't have any proof ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ Embrace the deception Learn how to bend ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ Your worst inhibitions tend to psych you out in the end ♪ ♪
(ALL CHATTERING)
Ooh, let's get in there and grab seats.
How? You think that court officer is guarding the door for his health?
Just roll with me on this.
Excuse me, people. Coming through!
Shawn Spencer here. Spencer. That's S-P-E-N-C-E-R.
This is my partner, Burton Guster. G-U...
Look, I know l've been reluctant to go on record
about this trial up to this point...
l'm sorry, who are you?
What is this, Journalism 101?
l give my statement, you berate me with your rudimentary Q and A later.
In fact, you two switch places.
Come here. Excuse me. Come on, don't be shy.
He puts his pants on one leg at a time. l do.
As I was saying, this trial is not about a particular case.
It is about our rights as citizens.
No one, and I mean no one, should ever wake up and I don't know, let's say,
find that their motorcycle has been taken away from them.
As this trial moves forward, l'll have more to say. That is all. Thank you.
Motorcycle? Whose motorcycle are we talking about here? Did...
Guys, please. Please, give them space. Please.
Are we ready yet, Mr. Hornstock?
Oh, yes. Just one moment, sir. Ah!
You know, I was pre-law once. Maybe I should have stuck with it.
You were never pre-law. Well, I was pre-pre-law.
Sixth grade, but it was an accelerated program.
l won a mock trial of Tortoise v. Hare, you know.
The hare did it. Of course he did.
The court will take a short recess, and then perhaps,
Mr. Hornstock, we can get going with these proceedings.
(BANGS GAVEL)
Dude, we're so hired. We are?
Watch this.
Excuse me, Mr. Hornstock? Right?
You don't know me. My name's Shawn Spencer.
l'm the lead psychic detective at the SBPD.
Yeah, l'm a little busy right now.
l can see. You're doing a bang up job. Please don't stop.
l just... I think maybe you should be a little careful.
Of? Juror number four.
Juror... Oh, yeah? Why is that?
Something about you really bothers her.
And something about her bothers me.
l mean, she's been frowning at me the whole time,
and I haven't even gone up yet.
Here's the thing. She's a fashion maven.
She has a problem with your appearance,
and until you change it, l don't think she's gonna listen to a word you say.
My appearance? The manner in which you appear.
Your look.
l don't know exactly what the problem is, but let's check it out.
Why don't you give me the... Give me the 360 cat dance real fast, huh?
(CLAPS)
Excuse me? Just twirl it up for me, and then twirl it right back.
(SCOFFS) There it is. And back.
Suit, pleated. I would have gone with a three button,
maybe something in a wool-cotton blend,
but I don't think that's the problem.
Sideburns? Check. Hair, bold, Strokes, Hives.
l don't think that's the problem.
The shoes, not a spit shine, but like you said, you haven't gotten up yet,
so I can't make heads or... Whoa!
What? Whoa, whoa, whoa!
l think it's the tie. What? My tie?
What's wrong with my tie? Well, it's a little bit...
Well, look, it's not like my favorite tie...
l'm so glad to hear you say that.
Gus? What?
(WHlSPERING) Quick, give me your tie. l'm not giving you my tie.
It's a good tie! Give me your tie, please.
It's a Thomas Pink tie. One second.
Why don't you give me the tie? Just once will you...
Come on, Shawn!
Look high, reach low. Got it.
Now, we're also going to take this.
Primarily because it's covered in sweat,
but also because it reads cruise ship waiter to me.
Cruise ship? Go get 'em!
And so, I will demonstrate to the court
that Sandra Panitch is an upstanding citizen with no criminal record,
and the district attorney has rushed to the prosecution of an innocent woman.
Are you finished now, Mr. Hornstock?
Hmm? Ah! Oh, yes. Yes, Your Honor.
Brilliant.
Well, things are finally moving along.
Court will recess till after lunch.
Did you see that? That was amazing! Did you see that?
That was a whole 180!
Well, it's a pretty amazing tie.
Hey, strong shag, strong tie, strong person.
You know, guys, l would hire you in a second. It's just...
Well, l, I don't have the authorization.
My firm doesn't really believe in...
Winning? No.
Mermaids? No.
The Minotaur? No, me.
Yeah, at least not anymore.
No, there's no buts here.
A lot of the cases my partner Gus and I take, we do for free.
It's called pro bono.
Gus? What?
A little decorum, we're in a courtroom.
Congratulations, you got yourself a couple of legal consultants.
Wow. Oh, boy.
Did he just grab your fist? And then he shook it.
Well, well, well, what do we have here?
Hi, Jules.
Please tell me you're not one of those courtroom groupies
that bounces from trial to trial?
Wait a second, was that you at the Michael Jackson hearing
with the sequined glove and the shirt that said,
''Please free the man in the mirror''?
That's actually really funny, Shawn.
Detective Lassiter is the one who actually made the arrest of Sandra Panitch.
See, that makes it my case.
What a coincidence. It's also our case.
Yeah, we just signed on as legal consultants to the defense just now.
And you will sell your little sideshow act to anyone who'll listen, won't you?
Just don't screw this one up.
''Don't screw this up''?
Hey, Lassy, that really wasn't much of a put down.
In fact it was somewhat inspiring.
Las, let's roll that back!
l don't know. It feels a little weird.
l mean, you should really be sitting here. This is your office.
Yeah, this isn't my office.
You didn't like mine. This is Carter Jarecki's office, one of the partners.
Actually, he's the guy who took the case in the first place,
but then dumped it on me when he decided it was a lost cause.
You see, that's exactly what l'm talking about.
Why didn't you stand up to that guy?
For the worst reason possible. l actually believe this woman is innocent.
(SlGHING) Now, can we please go before Jarecki gets back?
Carter Jarecki just left for a nooner with his mistress. We have at least two hours.
Maybe an hour and a haIf.
Hornstock, I think you have the potential to be a fantastic lawyer.
You just need confidence. After all, that's your name on the door. Now come on!
Oh, no. No. None of those Hornstocks are me.
The first one is my grandfather, he founded the firm.
The other one is my father, then my brother.
Wow. A whole family of lawyers?
Yeah, even my sister.
Well, there you go. She didn't make the door.
She's Biederman. It's her married name.
Well, we're gonna need to take a look at your witness list
and your deposition transcripts.
Oh, yeah. Well, I prepared all that for you.
l have... Here are all the forensic and arrest reports.
And I deposed several of Hale's coworkers from Channel 8,
mostly to refute timelines and for character testimony.
Can we see those?
Oh, sure, yeah. It's...
(CHUCKLING)
Oh, yes.
And maybe, later on we can read the phonebook, just for fun.
Hornstock, l've gotta do what I do.
That's not the way I do it.
l need to see, feel and smell people
in order to figure out what happens.
Smell them?
So, this is where the... The crime took place.
So, just feel free to have a look around,
and do whatever it is you do.
Okay. Thank you.
Let's walk the crime, shall we? Yeah.
He probably came in from that same entrance we did. Right.
Found their way over here to the Channel 8 anchor desk area.
Of course, the body was found here.
It was a short walk. Yeah.
Priscilla, what are these green walls for?
Oh, well we do it all on green screen.
Really? Can you show me how that works, please?
Sure, I just need someone to sit in front.
Gus, go sit over there.
l'm not going to sit there just 'cause you tell me to, Shawn.
Fine, l'll... l'll play anchorman.
l got it. I got it.
(SHAWN CLEARS THROAT)
Okay, so we've just have to go to the control room. It's just this way.
Okay.
(DOING VOCAL EXERClSES)
You know when we're watching the weather guy,
and it looks like he's got, like, rainfall behind him? Yeah.
Or snow or hail? Yeah.
How does that work? Well, the green background works
as a blank slate. Then I just run it through the board
and presto!
A composite of the two images is made.
Oh, oh! Can we get sound in here?
Yeah, yeah. Sure.
(GUS DOING VOCAL EXERCISES)
In local news,
a pharmaceutical representative again provided
the key piece of information in a baffling police case.
But ran screaming from the scene,
like a little girl before he could make a statement.
That was one time, Shawn! One time! l don't like dead bodies!
l told you that. Now stop bringing that up!
Hello, this is your local news.
(DOING VOCAL EXERClSES)
This next office was Jackson Hale's.
l've got to tell you guys, everybody's been acting a little weird
since it happened. It's just not the same.
Oh! Ruben, this is Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster.
They're working on Jackson Hale's case.
This is Ruben Leonard, he's a lab meteorologist on Jackson's team.
RUBEN: Was.
l was just sorting and packing
some of his more important things to send to his family.
It's the least I can do.
That's very thoughtful.
Thank you.
That reminds me of a hot, little señorita I met there.
She was serving fried jalapeños...
Would you excuse me? Sure.
Sure. Thanks.
HALE.: So, if you'll notice that...
Did you work with Jackson Hale long?
Six years. He was a great man.
l had a lot of respect for him.
He was just so good at what he did.
Take your umbrella because I guarantee,
it's raining cats and dogs out there.
A broadcasting treasure.
Anyway, take a look at Thursday here...
(WHlSPERING) Dude,
Ruben's in there destroying Hale's awards.
What? Yeah.
Unless he's really offended by the shoddy engraving on the plaque,
that guy hates Jackson Hale. l'm not saying he did it, but reasonable doubt, anyone?
Okay, Miss Panitch. Please, walk us through the night of the crime.
Well, I never met Mr. Hale before that night.
l just moved here from Wisconsin.
It wasn't like l was a fan of his.
l only vaguely knew he was a weatherman.
So we talked, and he was charming...
So the scratches on Jackson Hale's back
and his skin under your the fingernails,
this all happened during the sex,
as well as the bruises on your arm?
It got passionate.
l don't remember anything until I woke up the next morning.
With his blood on you?
And then you fled to the parking lot?
Look, I was scared.
l, I know how bad all of this looks, I do.
But I swear l did not murder anyone.
Do you guys believe me? Do you?
Of course we do, Sandra. Don't be ridiculous.
Counselor? Yes?
Would you please retire with me to the hallway,
where we can exchange words in hushed tones?
Okay, what are you doing? What?
You are supposed to be demonstrating confidence and swagger for Hornstock.
Instead you're poking holes in our case, and you're scaring our defendant.
Here are the facts, Shawn. All we know about Sandra is what she's told us.
l think we need to do some investigating.
l believe her. Hornstock believes her. What else do we need?
We need proof, Shawn.
Look, right here in this book?
Corey v. Bulevic in 1955. The key piece of evidence were half-melted candlesticks.
We need evidence! Where are our candlesticks, Shawn?
Maybe you just jumped over them?
What? Be nimble. Be quick.
You're not going to give me anything for that?
Now can we please...
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Check out the judge.
He's grabbing his back. No wonder he's so grumpy.
He's not grabbing his back, he's grabbing his kidneys.
He probably has a kidney stone.
Dude, nice! Thank you.
Please state to the court what your relationship with Mr. Hale was.
It was professional. He was my boss. l was his receptionist.
And as the Channel 8 receptionist, Miss Osterman,
if people were to call Jackson Hale, you took those calls?
l did.
And did you receive any calls from the defendant, Sandra Panitch, at any time?
Oh, not to my knowledge. No.
But other women would call?
Sure.
Was Jackson Hale sleeping with these women?
Objection, Your Honor, hearsay.
l'll allow the question.
Well, I can only say that l fielded many calls,
and sometimes I helped to juggle these calls.
He was a handsome man.
He certainly was.
Thank you, Miss Osterman.
JUDGE LELAND: You may step down, Miss Osterman.
Thanks.
Your Honor, the state requests a moment to prepare for our next witness.
''He certainly was''? What happened? You were rolling!
l don't know, I don't know, it sounded good in my head.
You have a great support system, you know,
it gives you that easy confidence.
But, you know, my father hasn't been in the courtroom once.
Not one of my trials.
You've been here one day, and your father's already here.
What are you talking about?
Oh, I met him outside. He's a really nice guy.
(CLEARING THROAT) Your Honor, the defense would like to call for a recess.
Excuse me. Who are you?
l'm sorry, Your Honor. My name is Shawn Spencer.
l'm a psychic legal consultant on this case.
Objection, Your Honor. We were not made aware that a psychic was hired on this case.
Approach the bench, all of you.
Sweet.
Your Honor, the people question his validity.
Okay, first of all, that's hurtful.
Look, I know you're the big bad prosecutor
with the sweet head, but is this tone really necessary?
No. Look, l'm a legitimate consultant.
l've been hired often by the Santa Barbara Police Department,
and there is a high-ranking detective in this very courtroom right now,
who will vouch for my validity.
And who is this?
He's right there. The wispy, yet commanding Irish fellow,
who looks like he's been sucking on the Sour Patch Kids.
Will you stand and state your name for the court?
Carlton Lassiter, Santa Barbara Police Department, Your Honor.
Head detective, 1 1 years this May.
Perhaps you'd like to inform the court of your favorite color as well.
The point is, do you know this man?
l do.
And has he worked on cases for the department?
He has.
There you have it. There you have it.
And he was helpful?
Absolutely.
Did he just say absolutely with a little haIf smile?
l'd like that printed out, please.
l'm thinking of shellacking it on a nice piece of maple, maybe a little decoupage.
Your Honor, as you can see, l'm responsible
for breaking many cases here in the state of California.
Well, guess what? I don't care who you are, or what you've done for the state.
l don't believe in that psychic mumbo-jumbo and it's not welcome in my court!
''Mumbo-jumbo''?
(GASPING) Oh! You poor, poor man.
No wonder. You're...
(WHlSPERING) Passing a kidney stone can be very stressful.
Who told you that? l never told anyone.
You tell me if l'm overstepping my bounds here,
but l'd like to suggest an old home remedy that did wonders for my Aunt Dolores.
She simply gargled with some mineral water,
followed it up with some raw greens.
Me, personally, l'd go with asparagus tips,
that way, later on, when you're making water,
you'll know that it's working.
Let's proceed with the trial.
Okay, you got me? l'm startled. What are you doing here?
Well, maybe we're both psychics.
l am serious.
Occasionally, l come down here, l sit in on a trial.
Today, I get a phone call.
Guess who's practicing law now?
Wait a minute. You come down here regularly?
Thursdays, usually. Today was just a bonus.
My God, you just can't let go, can you?
You retired too early. Not my fault. I didn't ask you to turn in your badge, Dad.
Shawn! Shawn! Shawn! l'm in there trying to do something...
You seem to forget whose name you've got at the end of your letterhead, kid.
When you use my name, it is my business as well.
Give me my phone.
Took you long enough to figure out the kidney stone.
Let it be noted that the witness identified the defendant, Sandra Panitch,
as the woman he saw running through the parking lot on the night of the murder.
Has it been authenticated?
Hey, what would Phelps need to get authenticated?
(SlGHING) I don't know.
His little collection of green army men?
H-Stock, did you just make a joke?
Hmm? l think you did.
(CHUCKLES)
Your witness. Does the defense wish to cross-examine?
Your Honor, the defense rests.
(COUGHInG) No. No, it doesn't.
Your Honor, the defense may rest. Why am I not resting?
l have a vibe that's very strong.
Hatred, jealousy. That guy wanted to be a serious weatherman.
He has no sympathy for Jackson Hale whatsoever.
Wait. What? You think he did it?
No, l'm pretty sure he didn't.
But we can plant a seed.
Johnny Applestock.
Your Honor, the defense does not rest.
Mr. Leonard, you are a meteorologist, are you not?
Yes, I am indeed.
But not on the air?
No, not on the air.
Hmm. Maybe because you don't have a meteorologist name.
RUBEN: I don't follow.
Well, correct me if l'm wrong,
but Leonard isn't a term for any kind of weather?
No, it is not.
So, if I was to look up Leonard, in say, a weather glossary,
there would be no definition?
No, there would not.
Excuse me, where is this going?
Yes, Mr. Hornstock, where are you going with this?
l'm sorry, Your Honor, it's just that every successful weatherman
that I know of, has a real weatherman's name.
Johnny Mountain, Dallas Rains?
Oh, Jackson Hale, for example.
Hey, first of all that wasn't even his real name.
Precisely.
Have you ever considered going by the name of Bolt Lightning?
No.
Cloudy McMillen? No.
Wendy Morning Dew?
That's a woman's name. Okay, look, I have a degree
in meteorology from the University of Virginia.
l wrote my thesis on Bernoulli's theorem
of incompressible level flow,
and I was a junior tornado safety captain for seven years.
Jackson Hale has a degree in what?
Physical education from a junior college.
He was an embarrassment. He was worthless, all right?
He was worthless to anyone who was a real meteorologist like myself.
He should have been stabbed in the heart long ago!
Objection, Your Honor.
(LELAND BANGING GAVEL)
It's a little late for that, don't you think, Counselor?
That's the kind of confidence l'm talking about.
That's what l'm talking about.
We are on our way to winning this thing.
Told you. She's kind and she's innocent.
Just because we had a small victory in court yesterday
doesn't mean we're out of the woods.
Son of a bitch!
JULlET: Alligator pumps! l swear, I should arrest that weatherman.
He clearly stated it was not going to rain today.
You see, that's the problem with what I like to call ''group thinking.''
We don't listen to group thinkers.
Nope.
In fact, we don't listen to weathermen at all.
of you excuse me, l've really got better things to do.
Dinner with your cat?
O'Hara, are you coming?
You go. l'll catch up with you in a sec.
You know, Shawn, for a psychic,
you are missing something right in front of your face. It's too bad.
You might actually learn something about Lassiter. Maybe you don't want to.
He waxes his back?
l'm gonna go now.
Shawn, I don't care what anyone else says. The pink shirt is working.
Okay, that was cryptic.
Not really. l'll be damned.
Who's Detective Assi?
Lassy. It's Lassiter. He must have sent some sort of memo to Phelps.
The question is why would Lassiter
send a letter to the D.A.'s office?
Don't you ever watch Law and Order?
They tend to work together sometimes.
Right. So... So, go ahead and check the files,
and find me that letter.
Phelps received it on the seventh.
l've been through all of them.
There are no memos submitted into evidence, filed on the seventh.
So, it didn't get filed. But there is a memo.
So whatever's on that memo is clearly worth hiding.
And she told you this directly?
Yes, when I questioned the defendant,
she admitted to having sexual relations with the victim.
But not to stabbing him with a letter opener?
Well, she appeared at the time to be confused and had memory gaps.
She claimed never to have seen or touched the weapon.
Even though her fingerprints were all over it. I see.
Thank you, Detective Lassiter. Nothing further.
Your witness.
You sure about this?
Yes, I have a very strong feeling about this letter.
First rule of trial law, never ask a question you don't know the answer to.
Hey, have I steered you wrong yet? Come on.
Detective Lassiter, did you send a letter
to the D.A.'s office on the seventh of August?
Yes, I did.
And what did it say?
l... Objection, lack of foundation.
l'll allow it. Go ahead, tell the jury what it said.
It questioned the defendant's motive.
That it was very strong, you mean?
No, it questioned whether I believed the defendant had one at all.
(SCOFFS)
The prosecution never submitted this letter into evidence.
So, at this point, Your Honor, the defense calls for a mistrial.
(CROWD MURMURING)
Man, this is fun!
Approach the bench.
We may have received the letter. l... I can't be sure.
We didn't knowingly withhold it.
My office is wall to wall papers.
Then go to Staples and buy yourself some new file folders,
but until then, you are warned.
Any new evidence must be submitted to all parties immediately.
Do I make myself clear?
Yes, Your Honor.
And in the spirit of that ruling,
l would like to submit a new piece of evidence.
If this is that willy-nilly piece of evidence that you tried to get in,
in pre-trial, l'll tell you one more time.
l will not admit any audio-visual evidence unless it's been authenticated.
We're talking about playing it to him.
It's a videotape.
Hmm?
We just got our authentication papers from the lab in Sacramento.
It is a videotape of the defendant, Sandra Panitch,
murdering the victim, Jackson Hale.
(CROWD MURMURING)
Judge, I argue that this tape should not be admissible.
On what grounds?
Well, we're citing unfair surprisery.
l... I still don't understand why he is in this room.
He's nothing but a disruption.
Maybe someday, Phelps, when you're a judge,
which I highly doubt will happen,
then you can decide who's welcome in your chambers.
Your Honor, these guys are a part of my team, and I want them here.
Why? You used to be a good lawyer, Hornstock.
But let's face it, if you've gotta resort to hiring this idiot psychic
and his little sidekick...
l'm nobody's sidekick, you...
Whoa! Gus, Gus. Come on.
Forget you.
Gus, we are all grown men here. Let's just take a beat.
Let's... Let's take a step back.
Let's take a step back.
(GRUNTS)
Mr. Hornstock, having now seen the video in question,
l don't think I need to tell you how damaging it is.
l strongly suggest at this point
that you consider accepting a plea bargain for murder two.
Your Honor, I will have to review the tape and confer with my client.
PHELPS: l tell you what, Hornstock.
l will leave murder two on the table until tomorrow morning.
Consider that my gift to you.
(MOANING)
She doesn't realize she's being taped.
No, I don't think this is his first barbecue either,
if you know what I mean.
This high-def plasma really makes a difference.
l see the beads of sweat on his neck.
Look at his hair!
That's horrible!
(SIGHING)
HALE.: Yeah.
Oh, wow!
(BOTH MOANING)
Do any of you make noises like that?
His or hers?
(HALE SCREAMING)
(CLEARS THROAT)
When she sees this, she will certainly take the deal.
l'm not going to take the deal.
If you don't take the deal, you could go away possibly for life.
You do realize this? l don't care.
l'm not gonna admit to something that I didn't do!
Okay, I believe you. l believe you. But I watched that tape.
And as your attorney, l am begging you, take the deal.
Don't take the deal.
What are you doing?
You're supposed to be on my side.
Hornstock, I am on your side.
l mean, not technically, because of the shape of this table.
Imagine a round table. l would have sat somewhere in the middle.
Okay, tomorrow morning when the jury watches this tape,
we will lose this case.
This tape is not telling us the whole truth. There's more.
l need to take this tape. You just work on your closing arguments.
You leave the rest to me.
Quit pacing, Shawn. You're making me nervous.
l can't afford it, Dad.
l can't afford a guilty verdict on my record right now. I can't!
You do realize that you're not a real lawyer? Right?
You don't have a record.
It's so weird. The prosecution keeps treating this case
like a crime of passion, right?
But she only knew him for a couple of hours.
l ask you, how much passion can you muster up for someone in a couple of hours?
Yeah, well, crimes of passion are rarely about love or sex, Shawn.
They're closer to revenge, sometimes hatred.
l would say that your angry meteorologist
is the best suspect you got going.
He didn't do it. Yeah, I know that, Shawn.
The point is you need to find somebody who feIt like that.
Oh, Dad, believe me, there are plenty. The guy slept with haIf of Santa Barbara.
We put them all on the stand. The problem is that Sandra is the only one who was there.
You have a whisk. l do.
And you're not looking close enough.
Well, you know what?
It's tough, when virtually everything imaginable is stacked against me.
l've got your ass staring me down in the courtroom.
l've got a defense attorney who breaks every time the wind blows,
l've got to hitch rides every time I need to go somewhere
because, get this, there's some rogue meter maid who's decided to have
a ticketing vendetta against me and my motorcycle.
Well, Shawn, maybe that might not happen if you didn't park your bike
1 4 feet from a fire hydrant outside your apartment.
Dad, you've seen my street. The parking is a joke and...
How did you know that?
Whoa, whoa, whoa. How did you know that? Wait a second. How...
How do you know that?
Oh, look who's paying attention now?
You tipped them off? You tipped them off about my bike?
Who taught you how to drive, Shawn?
Who do you represent every time you're out on that road?
l don't represent anybody when I go out on the road!
Dad, they took my bike!
Tell it to the embassy.
(STAMMERING) And I might not be able to get it out of the impound.
Yeah, well, then maybe it's time for you to consider
a real mode of transportation, huh?
You will do anything you can to impose your will on me.
You hated that bike. You have always hated that bike.
And you've been especially hard ass about it since l...
Since you what, Shawn? Since you what? Since you had your accident?
ls that is? ls that where your old man crossed the line?
Fine, I tell you what. l will back off, l'm gonna lay off, man.
l'll tell you what you do.
You take me off your call list the next time the ambulance picks you up
and brings you in that door. All right? Fair.
Get over yourself, kid.
Or at least learn how to park.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(DOOR CLOSES)
Shawn, what are you doing? Do you know what time it is?
What? What time... What time is it?
It's 9:00. We're late for court.
l called you a million times.
Gus...
What?
Would you say anger is a good motivator?
Did you see your dad again? Yes, I did.
And I think it actually worked.
Mr. Hornstock?
Your Honor, the defense has nothing more.
Not so fast.
Excuse me?
Call Priscilla Osterman to the stand.
What are you talking about? She already testified.
Can we recall her?
Yes, if we have new information,
but I have nothing else to ask her.
Oh, trust me. l'm feeling all kinds of good stuff here.
Your Honor, the defense calls Miss Osterman back to the stand.
Objection.
Overruled.
l'm giving you the teeniest latitude
providing you have some new evidence to mine here.
Miss Osterman, l remind you that you are still under oath.
Proceed, Counselor.
Ask her if she is absolutely certain
that she did not sleep with Jackson Hale.
Miss Osterman, are you absolutely certain
you did not sleep with Jackson Hale?
Objection, Your Honor. Asked and answered in prior testimony.
Sustained. l'm not kidding, Counselor,
l'm giving you one more question,
and then l'm shutting you down.
Did you want to?
Objection! This man is not a lawyer.
He has no right to address the witness.
Actually, Your Honor, he can, under the rule 775A
of the California state rules of evidence.
The rule gives the court wide discretion
over the mode and order of presenting evidence,
effective for the ascertainment of the truth.
Precedence Killmer v. Duchscherer.
l mean, we are trying to ascertain the truth here, aren't we?
That is absolutely correct, young man.
Where did you attend law school?
Just sixth grade law, Your Honor.
But it was an accelerated program.
Hmm.
It is up to my discretion to allow any testimony
that may speak to the truth of this case.
Proceed, Mr. Spencer, with caution.
Thank you, Your Honor.
All right.
Just warming her up for you, bro. Yeah, go.
Hi, Priscilla. Hi.
Everybody here is absolutely certain
you didn't sleep with Jackson Hale.
But Jackson Hale slept with everybody.
Except for you. isn't that right?
You couldn't take it, could you?
Him walking by every single day
without ever noticing you. Not once!
Repeatedly choosing to sleep with women
like the defendant, Sandra Panitch!
Oh, that's... That's not true.
That video will show Jackson Hale being murdered.
But not by Sandra Panitch.
By you.
Objection, Your Honor. l mean, this is... It's ridiculous.
l feel the tape is the proof! The tape is the pudding!
Your Honor, I said objection!
l demand you get him to stop that!
Sit down. Do you need a tutorial in rule 775?
Mr. Riggs, can you please play the tape again?
Thank you. Just take it back a little bit.
Forward, l'm sorry, forward. And back. Forward. Right there!
Right there.
Right here.
That. That right there. It's a cloud. Not a cloud, a shadow.
A shadow of a human person.
You were wearing those glasses that night,
making it unmistakable that you were there.
That is your shadow, Priscilla.
You watched. You waited,
waited for them to drop out of frame.
Then bam on the head to Sandra. And...
Into the heart with Jackson!
You didn't think there was any way you could be blamed
because clouds don't kill people.
People kill people.
(EXCLAlMS)
And this was a crime of passion.
But not because he loved you.
But because he didn't.
He walked by me in the hallway every day, like I didn't exist,
like I was invisible.
And so you proved him right, by being invisible on that tape.
We would have been the most amazing couple,
he just refused to see it.
He just broke my heart over and over and over again.
So, I just broke his!
By stabbing it with a letter opener!
Yes! Yes, I killed him!
No!
(CROWD MURMURING)
Oh.
Holy crap! Did you just hear that?
We heard that, yes.
Sorry, Your Honor. It's just that usually
when I do this, when things come to me psychically,
l gotta jump through all these hoops, you know?
l gotta find Interim Chief Vic,
l gotta run stuff by Lassy, there.
Sign a bunch of papers, t's, i's, the whole bit.
It seems like we got everything we need here.
You, the jury, the stenographer, Mr. Riggs!
l move to remove the defendant immediately.
And take the witness into custody for processing.
Bailiff! Case dismissed.
You mean to tell me, our whole lives, you've never been to a single auction?
Nope. Dude, watch this, it's very fun.
How's it fun? You're bidding against the public
for your own motorcycle.
What if somebody outbids you?
l've been practicing my paddle raise, it's very subtle.
Where is this thing?
Plus now that Carter Jarecki's wife has hired us
to consult on her divorce, we're flush.
l can go as high as I need to go.
Okay.
Dad?
Shawn!
What are you doing here? l came for your auction.
What? Was there a boating incident I didn't hear about?
A little tuna boat get impounded?
You know, actually, Shawn, no.
l feIt bad about those tickets,
so l'm here to get your bike for you.
Get out of here.
Hey, Shawn! Gus! What's up?
Hey, legal eagle!
l thought I might see you here.
Oh, you know? The name partners were very impressed,
and they're anxious to hire you guys again.
Especially this new guy. What's his name?
Oh, it's me!
Hey!
Congratulations. You got the bump!
Thank you.
We'd love to work with you again.
So, what is it now, ''Hornstock, Hornstock,
''Hornstock, Biederman and Hornstock''?
We had to get wider doors, but yes.
Hey, I didn't get to thank you properly.
So, you know, l'm here for the auction.
l'm gonna put some money down on that bike. Get it back for you.
(CHUCKLES)
Guys, really. I do. l appreciate it, it's very sweet,
but I can stand on my own two feet
and get my own bike back.
Shawn!
Buzz.
l believe this is yours. They just pulled it from the auction.
Pulled it from the auction. What?
l was... I was... l've been practicing my paddle raise. It's a subtle move.
Yeah, you got your bike back. It was taken care of internally.
What does that mean? ''Internally''?
l don't know. They just gave me the paperwork.
What are you looking at? Go home!
♪ ♪ In between the lines there's a lot of obscurity ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I'm not inclined to resign to maturity ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ If it's all right then you're all wrong ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ But why bounce around to the same damn song? ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ You'd rather run when you can't crawl ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I know, you know That I'm not telling the truth ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I know, you know They just don't have any proof ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ Embrace the deception Learn how to bend ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ Your worst inhibitions tend to psych you out in the end ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I know, you know ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I know, you know ♪ ♪ 922
WITNESS: Your Honor, it's not that l...
Shawn, those people aren't just watching the trial. Those people are the trial.
They're the jurors,
and they're the most important people in this room.
They are?
The thing about the jury is, Shawn,
you gotta learn how to look at them, how to read them.
For instance, take a look at juror number five.
He's the guy in the front row, second one from the left.
Tell me what you see. Go.
Brown shirt, little hole in his collar.
His coat is too tight on him.
He's got rough hands, he's looking down mostly and nodding a lot.
Good, good.
All right, let's take that hole in his collar.
Now, would Mom ever let you leave the house looking like that?
Never.
You believe it.
So, that tells us that he's probably not married.
That's called deductive reasoning.
LAWYER: Your Honor, the people call Detective Henry L. Spencer to the stand.
All right, watch closely, kid.
One day you're gonna walk up the steps of this courthouse
and you're gonna make your old man proud.
Gus, they impounded my motorcycle without warning.
l'm pretty sure the warning was the $900 worth of parking tickets you racked up.
Still, man, you can't take a man's means of transportation away.
It's, like, unconstitutional or something.
l'm pretty sure it's not in the Constitution.
Oh, don't be so sure.
l think it says, ''Thou shalt not something, or covet something.
''Don't mess with Texas or the right of transportation.''
You're thinking of a commandment.
That's even better. Can we just pay this ticket
so we can get out of here, please?
You gotta be kidding me. We came all the way over here,
and now you're not gonna wait in the line?
Gus, did you see it in there? It's a ticket payment line,
not Space Mountain. Hardly worth it.
Plus, I don't wait in lines. What do you mean you don't wait in lines?
Everyone waits in lines. That's what we do as people, we wait in lines.
l don't. It's not in my nature.
(CELL PHONE RINGING) That makes no sense, Shawn.
You remember the story of the scorpion and the frog?
(SHUSHING) Burton Guster. They're both on the riverbank. The scorpion's like, ''Hey''...
The point is I shouldn't have gotten any tickets, Gus.
l was using my ambassador plates.
Ambassador plates? You're not an ambassador, Shawn.
impersonating a government official will land you in jail.
l am an ambassador, of sorts.
l am a goodwill ambassador to Paraguay.
To where? Paraguay.
It is an honorary title that I received
after overseeing all sand castle construction at a South American Club Med.
You never worked at Club Med.
Ooh, turn that up.
Someone we know, someone we love,
someone we invited into our...
l just saw that woman at the courthouse.
That's Sandra Panitch, the fourth grade teacher who murdered Jackson Hale.
Don't you watch the news? l can't watch Channel 8 anymore.
Lloyd Lansing wears a toupee. It's like every newscast starts with a lie.
l can't stand this guy. Something about him just irks me. Listen to him.
Sandra Panitch went with weatherman Jackson Hale to his Channel 8 news studio,
engaged in sexual relations with him,
and then stabbed him in the heart with a letter opener.
She fled the scene, but not without leaving behind
a mountain of physical evidence,
including a trail of the victim's blood,
and her fingerprints all over the murder weapon.
This is why the state is going after murder one.
But she didn't do it! What?
Gus, l'm getting a very strong feeling here.
l think that woman is innocent.
l do watch the news, and l've been following this case.
They have a mountain of evidence against this lady.
Look, they call her the ''School Marm Murderer.''
Okay, first of all, there's a question mark at the end of that.
They call her the ''School Marm Murderer?''
Even the news people aren't convinced.
And today at the courthouse, in the middle of a conversation,
l saw her bend over and pick up a piece of trash!
Oh, I see. So because she picks up somebody's KitKat wrapper
means she didn't kill anybody? That makes sense.
Gus, she didn't have to do that.
The woman is about to be on trial for her life.
She takes time out for common courtesy?
That is not the mindset of a cold-blooded murderer. No!
This is what I know. She looked at me right in the eyes.
Now, there are a lot of tells that people have
when they are trying to appear not guilty.
The way that they sit, crossing their legs, uncrossing them,
crossing them back, eye lines to inanimate objects, twitching, itching, rubbing.
All of these affectations, l am an expert on all of them.
But there is one thing that you cannot change no matter how hard you try,
and that is the tent on the windows to the soul.
(REPORTERS CHATTERING ON TV)
Adam Hornstock, attorney for the defense.
Sandra Panitch is a victim of circumstance,
of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
l know. Look at this poor guy.
Look, he's hunched over, he's not making eye contact.
Look at the handkerchief in the left pocket, there.
It's not decorative, Gus. That's crumpled and stained.
That's used for dabbing sweat, a lot.
Her lawyer's a beaten man.
Whether he knows it or not, Adam Hornstock needs us.
What are you talking about?
Dude, we're going to be legal consultants.
It's awesome.
♪ ♪ I know, you know That I'm not telling the truth ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I know, you know They just don't have any proof ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ Embrace the deception Learn how to bend ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ Your worst inhibitions tend to psych you out in the end ♪ ♪
(ALL CHATTERING)
Ooh, let's get in there and grab seats.
How? You think that court officer is guarding the door for his health?
Just roll with me on this.
Excuse me, people. Coming through!
Shawn Spencer here. Spencer. That's S-P-E-N-C-E-R.
This is my partner, Burton Guster. G-U...
Look, I know l've been reluctant to go on record
about this trial up to this point...
l'm sorry, who are you?
What is this, Journalism 101?
l give my statement, you berate me with your rudimentary Q and A later.
In fact, you two switch places.
Come here. Excuse me. Come on, don't be shy.
He puts his pants on one leg at a time. l do.
As I was saying, this trial is not about a particular case.
It is about our rights as citizens.
No one, and I mean no one, should ever wake up and I don't know, let's say,
find that their motorcycle has been taken away from them.
As this trial moves forward, l'll have more to say. That is all. Thank you.
Motorcycle? Whose motorcycle are we talking about here? Did...
Guys, please. Please, give them space. Please.
Are we ready yet, Mr. Hornstock?
Oh, yes. Just one moment, sir. Ah!
You know, I was pre-law once. Maybe I should have stuck with it.
You were never pre-law. Well, I was pre-pre-law.
Sixth grade, but it was an accelerated program.
l won a mock trial of Tortoise v. Hare, you know.
The hare did it. Of course he did.
The court will take a short recess, and then perhaps,
Mr. Hornstock, we can get going with these proceedings.
(BANGS GAVEL)
Dude, we're so hired. We are?
Watch this.
Excuse me, Mr. Hornstock? Right?
You don't know me. My name's Shawn Spencer.
l'm the lead psychic detective at the SBPD.
Yeah, l'm a little busy right now.
l can see. You're doing a bang up job. Please don't stop.
l just... I think maybe you should be a little careful.
Of? Juror number four.
Juror... Oh, yeah? Why is that?
Something about you really bothers her.
And something about her bothers me.
l mean, she's been frowning at me the whole time,
and I haven't even gone up yet.
Here's the thing. She's a fashion maven.
She has a problem with your appearance,
and until you change it, l don't think she's gonna listen to a word you say.
My appearance? The manner in which you appear.
Your look.
l don't know exactly what the problem is, but let's check it out.
Why don't you give me the... Give me the 360 cat dance real fast, huh?
(CLAPS)
Excuse me? Just twirl it up for me, and then twirl it right back.
(SCOFFS) There it is. And back.
Suit, pleated. I would have gone with a three button,
maybe something in a wool-cotton blend,
but I don't think that's the problem.
Sideburns? Check. Hair, bold, Strokes, Hives.
l don't think that's the problem.
The shoes, not a spit shine, but like you said, you haven't gotten up yet,
so I can't make heads or... Whoa!
What? Whoa, whoa, whoa!
l think it's the tie. What? My tie?
What's wrong with my tie? Well, it's a little bit...
Well, look, it's not like my favorite tie...
l'm so glad to hear you say that.
Gus? What?
(WHlSPERING) Quick, give me your tie. l'm not giving you my tie.
It's a good tie! Give me your tie, please.
It's a Thomas Pink tie. One second.
Why don't you give me the tie? Just once will you...
Come on, Shawn!
Look high, reach low. Got it.
Now, we're also going to take this.
Primarily because it's covered in sweat,
but also because it reads cruise ship waiter to me.
Cruise ship? Go get 'em!
And so, I will demonstrate to the court
that Sandra Panitch is an upstanding citizen with no criminal record,
and the district attorney has rushed to the prosecution of an innocent woman.
Are you finished now, Mr. Hornstock?
Hmm? Ah! Oh, yes. Yes, Your Honor.
Brilliant.
Well, things are finally moving along.
Court will recess till after lunch.
Did you see that? That was amazing! Did you see that?
That was a whole 180!
Well, it's a pretty amazing tie.
Hey, strong shag, strong tie, strong person.
You know, guys, l would hire you in a second. It's just...
Well, l, I don't have the authorization.
My firm doesn't really believe in...
Winning? No.
Mermaids? No.
The Minotaur? No, me.
Yeah, at least not anymore.
No, there's no buts here.
A lot of the cases my partner Gus and I take, we do for free.
It's called pro bono.
Gus? What?
A little decorum, we're in a courtroom.
Congratulations, you got yourself a couple of legal consultants.
Wow. Oh, boy.
Did he just grab your fist? And then he shook it.
Well, well, well, what do we have here?
Hi, Jules.
Please tell me you're not one of those courtroom groupies
that bounces from trial to trial?
Wait a second, was that you at the Michael Jackson hearing
with the sequined glove and the shirt that said,
''Please free the man in the mirror''?
That's actually really funny, Shawn.
Detective Lassiter is the one who actually made the arrest of Sandra Panitch.
See, that makes it my case.
What a coincidence. It's also our case.
Yeah, we just signed on as legal consultants to the defense just now.
And you will sell your little sideshow act to anyone who'll listen, won't you?
Just don't screw this one up.
''Don't screw this up''?
Hey, Lassy, that really wasn't much of a put down.
In fact it was somewhat inspiring.
Las, let's roll that back!
l don't know. It feels a little weird.
l mean, you should really be sitting here. This is your office.
Yeah, this isn't my office.
You didn't like mine. This is Carter Jarecki's office, one of the partners.
Actually, he's the guy who took the case in the first place,
but then dumped it on me when he decided it was a lost cause.
You see, that's exactly what l'm talking about.
Why didn't you stand up to that guy?
For the worst reason possible. l actually believe this woman is innocent.
(SlGHING) Now, can we please go before Jarecki gets back?
Carter Jarecki just left for a nooner with his mistress. We have at least two hours.
Maybe an hour and a haIf.
Hornstock, I think you have the potential to be a fantastic lawyer.
You just need confidence. After all, that's your name on the door. Now come on!
Oh, no. No. None of those Hornstocks are me.
The first one is my grandfather, he founded the firm.
The other one is my father, then my brother.
Wow. A whole family of lawyers?
Yeah, even my sister.
Well, there you go. She didn't make the door.
She's Biederman. It's her married name.
Well, we're gonna need to take a look at your witness list
and your deposition transcripts.
Oh, yeah. Well, I prepared all that for you.
l have... Here are all the forensic and arrest reports.
And I deposed several of Hale's coworkers from Channel 8,
mostly to refute timelines and for character testimony.
Can we see those?
Oh, sure, yeah. It's...
(CHUCKLING)
Oh, yes.
And maybe, later on we can read the phonebook, just for fun.
Hornstock, l've gotta do what I do.
That's not the way I do it.
l need to see, feel and smell people
in order to figure out what happens.
Smell them?
So, this is where the... The crime took place.
So, just feel free to have a look around,
and do whatever it is you do.
Okay. Thank you.
Let's walk the crime, shall we? Yeah.
He probably came in from that same entrance we did. Right.
Found their way over here to the Channel 8 anchor desk area.
Of course, the body was found here.
It was a short walk. Yeah.
Priscilla, what are these green walls for?
Oh, well we do it all on green screen.
Really? Can you show me how that works, please?
Sure, I just need someone to sit in front.
Gus, go sit over there.
l'm not going to sit there just 'cause you tell me to, Shawn.
Fine, l'll... l'll play anchorman.
l got it. I got it.
(SHAWN CLEARS THROAT)
Okay, so we've just have to go to the control room. It's just this way.
Okay.
(DOING VOCAL EXERClSES)
You know when we're watching the weather guy,
and it looks like he's got, like, rainfall behind him? Yeah.
Or snow or hail? Yeah.
How does that work? Well, the green background works
as a blank slate. Then I just run it through the board
and presto!
A composite of the two images is made.
Oh, oh! Can we get sound in here?
Yeah, yeah. Sure.
(GUS DOING VOCAL EXERCISES)
In local news,
a pharmaceutical representative again provided
the key piece of information in a baffling police case.
But ran screaming from the scene,
like a little girl before he could make a statement.
That was one time, Shawn! One time! l don't like dead bodies!
l told you that. Now stop bringing that up!
Hello, this is your local news.
(DOING VOCAL EXERClSES)
This next office was Jackson Hale's.
l've got to tell you guys, everybody's been acting a little weird
since it happened. It's just not the same.
Oh! Ruben, this is Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster.
They're working on Jackson Hale's case.
This is Ruben Leonard, he's a lab meteorologist on Jackson's team.
RUBEN: Was.
l was just sorting and packing
some of his more important things to send to his family.
It's the least I can do.
That's very thoughtful.
Thank you.
That reminds me of a hot, little señorita I met there.
She was serving fried jalapeños...
Would you excuse me? Sure.
Sure. Thanks.
HALE.: So, if you'll notice that...
Did you work with Jackson Hale long?
Six years. He was a great man.
l had a lot of respect for him.
He was just so good at what he did.
Take your umbrella because I guarantee,
it's raining cats and dogs out there.
A broadcasting treasure.
Anyway, take a look at Thursday here...
(WHlSPERING) Dude,
Ruben's in there destroying Hale's awards.
What? Yeah.
Unless he's really offended by the shoddy engraving on the plaque,
that guy hates Jackson Hale. l'm not saying he did it, but reasonable doubt, anyone?
Okay, Miss Panitch. Please, walk us through the night of the crime.
Well, I never met Mr. Hale before that night.
l just moved here from Wisconsin.
It wasn't like l was a fan of his.
l only vaguely knew he was a weatherman.
So we talked, and he was charming...
So the scratches on Jackson Hale's back
and his skin under your the fingernails,
this all happened during the sex,
as well as the bruises on your arm?
It got passionate.
l don't remember anything until I woke up the next morning.
With his blood on you?
And then you fled to the parking lot?
Look, I was scared.
l, I know how bad all of this looks, I do.
But I swear l did not murder anyone.
Do you guys believe me? Do you?
Of course we do, Sandra. Don't be ridiculous.
Counselor? Yes?
Would you please retire with me to the hallway,
where we can exchange words in hushed tones?
Okay, what are you doing? What?
You are supposed to be demonstrating confidence and swagger for Hornstock.
Instead you're poking holes in our case, and you're scaring our defendant.
Here are the facts, Shawn. All we know about Sandra is what she's told us.
l think we need to do some investigating.
l believe her. Hornstock believes her. What else do we need?
We need proof, Shawn.
Look, right here in this book?
Corey v. Bulevic in 1955. The key piece of evidence were half-melted candlesticks.
We need evidence! Where are our candlesticks, Shawn?
Maybe you just jumped over them?
What? Be nimble. Be quick.
You're not going to give me anything for that?
Now can we please...
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Check out the judge.
He's grabbing his back. No wonder he's so grumpy.
He's not grabbing his back, he's grabbing his kidneys.
He probably has a kidney stone.
Dude, nice! Thank you.
Please state to the court what your relationship with Mr. Hale was.
It was professional. He was my boss. l was his receptionist.
And as the Channel 8 receptionist, Miss Osterman,
if people were to call Jackson Hale, you took those calls?
l did.
And did you receive any calls from the defendant, Sandra Panitch, at any time?
Oh, not to my knowledge. No.
But other women would call?
Sure.
Was Jackson Hale sleeping with these women?
Objection, Your Honor, hearsay.
l'll allow the question.
Well, I can only say that l fielded many calls,
and sometimes I helped to juggle these calls.
He was a handsome man.
He certainly was.
Thank you, Miss Osterman.
JUDGE LELAND: You may step down, Miss Osterman.
Thanks.
Your Honor, the state requests a moment to prepare for our next witness.
''He certainly was''? What happened? You were rolling!
l don't know, I don't know, it sounded good in my head.
You have a great support system, you know,
it gives you that easy confidence.
But, you know, my father hasn't been in the courtroom once.
Not one of my trials.
You've been here one day, and your father's already here.
What are you talking about?
Oh, I met him outside. He's a really nice guy.
(CLEARING THROAT) Your Honor, the defense would like to call for a recess.
Excuse me. Who are you?
l'm sorry, Your Honor. My name is Shawn Spencer.
l'm a psychic legal consultant on this case.
Objection, Your Honor. We were not made aware that a psychic was hired on this case.
Approach the bench, all of you.
Sweet.
Your Honor, the people question his validity.
Okay, first of all, that's hurtful.
Look, I know you're the big bad prosecutor
with the sweet head, but is this tone really necessary?
No. Look, l'm a legitimate consultant.
l've been hired often by the Santa Barbara Police Department,
and there is a high-ranking detective in this very courtroom right now,
who will vouch for my validity.
And who is this?
He's right there. The wispy, yet commanding Irish fellow,
who looks like he's been sucking on the Sour Patch Kids.
Will you stand and state your name for the court?
Carlton Lassiter, Santa Barbara Police Department, Your Honor.
Head detective, 1 1 years this May.
Perhaps you'd like to inform the court of your favorite color as well.
The point is, do you know this man?
l do.
And has he worked on cases for the department?
He has.
There you have it. There you have it.
And he was helpful?
Absolutely.
Did he just say absolutely with a little haIf smile?
l'd like that printed out, please.
l'm thinking of shellacking it on a nice piece of maple, maybe a little decoupage.
Your Honor, as you can see, l'm responsible
for breaking many cases here in the state of California.
Well, guess what? I don't care who you are, or what you've done for the state.
l don't believe in that psychic mumbo-jumbo and it's not welcome in my court!
''Mumbo-jumbo''?
(GASPING) Oh! You poor, poor man.
No wonder. You're...
(WHlSPERING) Passing a kidney stone can be very stressful.
Who told you that? l never told anyone.
You tell me if l'm overstepping my bounds here,
but l'd like to suggest an old home remedy that did wonders for my Aunt Dolores.
She simply gargled with some mineral water,
followed it up with some raw greens.
Me, personally, l'd go with asparagus tips,
that way, later on, when you're making water,
you'll know that it's working.
Let's proceed with the trial.
Okay, you got me? l'm startled. What are you doing here?
Well, maybe we're both psychics.
l am serious.
Occasionally, l come down here, l sit in on a trial.
Today, I get a phone call.
Guess who's practicing law now?
Wait a minute. You come down here regularly?
Thursdays, usually. Today was just a bonus.
My God, you just can't let go, can you?
You retired too early. Not my fault. I didn't ask you to turn in your badge, Dad.
Shawn! Shawn! Shawn! l'm in there trying to do something...
You seem to forget whose name you've got at the end of your letterhead, kid.
When you use my name, it is my business as well.
Give me my phone.
Took you long enough to figure out the kidney stone.
Let it be noted that the witness identified the defendant, Sandra Panitch,
as the woman he saw running through the parking lot on the night of the murder.
Has it been authenticated?
Hey, what would Phelps need to get authenticated?
(SlGHING) I don't know.
His little collection of green army men?
H-Stock, did you just make a joke?
Hmm? l think you did.
(CHUCKLES)
Your witness. Does the defense wish to cross-examine?
Your Honor, the defense rests.
(COUGHInG) No. No, it doesn't.
Your Honor, the defense may rest. Why am I not resting?
l have a vibe that's very strong.
Hatred, jealousy. That guy wanted to be a serious weatherman.
He has no sympathy for Jackson Hale whatsoever.
Wait. What? You think he did it?
No, l'm pretty sure he didn't.
But we can plant a seed.
Johnny Applestock.
Your Honor, the defense does not rest.
Mr. Leonard, you are a meteorologist, are you not?
Yes, I am indeed.
But not on the air?
No, not on the air.
Hmm. Maybe because you don't have a meteorologist name.
RUBEN: I don't follow.
Well, correct me if l'm wrong,
but Leonard isn't a term for any kind of weather?
No, it is not.
So, if I was to look up Leonard, in say, a weather glossary,
there would be no definition?
No, there would not.
Excuse me, where is this going?
Yes, Mr. Hornstock, where are you going with this?
l'm sorry, Your Honor, it's just that every successful weatherman
that I know of, has a real weatherman's name.
Johnny Mountain, Dallas Rains?
Oh, Jackson Hale, for example.
Hey, first of all that wasn't even his real name.
Precisely.
Have you ever considered going by the name of Bolt Lightning?
No.
Cloudy McMillen? No.
Wendy Morning Dew?
That's a woman's name. Okay, look, I have a degree
in meteorology from the University of Virginia.
l wrote my thesis on Bernoulli's theorem
of incompressible level flow,
and I was a junior tornado safety captain for seven years.
Jackson Hale has a degree in what?
Physical education from a junior college.
He was an embarrassment. He was worthless, all right?
He was worthless to anyone who was a real meteorologist like myself.
He should have been stabbed in the heart long ago!
Objection, Your Honor.
(LELAND BANGING GAVEL)
It's a little late for that, don't you think, Counselor?
That's the kind of confidence l'm talking about.
That's what l'm talking about.
We are on our way to winning this thing.
Told you. She's kind and she's innocent.
Just because we had a small victory in court yesterday
doesn't mean we're out of the woods.
Son of a bitch!
JULlET: Alligator pumps! l swear, I should arrest that weatherman.
He clearly stated it was not going to rain today.
You see, that's the problem with what I like to call ''group thinking.''
We don't listen to group thinkers.
Nope.
In fact, we don't listen to weathermen at all.
of you excuse me, l've really got better things to do.
Dinner with your cat?
O'Hara, are you coming?
You go. l'll catch up with you in a sec.
You know, Shawn, for a psychic,
you are missing something right in front of your face. It's too bad.
You might actually learn something about Lassiter. Maybe you don't want to.
He waxes his back?
l'm gonna go now.
Shawn, I don't care what anyone else says. The pink shirt is working.
Okay, that was cryptic.
Not really. l'll be damned.
Who's Detective Assi?
Lassy. It's Lassiter. He must have sent some sort of memo to Phelps.
The question is why would Lassiter
send a letter to the D.A.'s office?
Don't you ever watch Law and Order?
They tend to work together sometimes.
Right. So... So, go ahead and check the files,
and find me that letter.
Phelps received it on the seventh.
l've been through all of them.
There are no memos submitted into evidence, filed on the seventh.
So, it didn't get filed. But there is a memo.
So whatever's on that memo is clearly worth hiding.
And she told you this directly?
Yes, when I questioned the defendant,
she admitted to having sexual relations with the victim.
But not to stabbing him with a letter opener?
Well, she appeared at the time to be confused and had memory gaps.
She claimed never to have seen or touched the weapon.
Even though her fingerprints were all over it. I see.
Thank you, Detective Lassiter. Nothing further.
Your witness.
You sure about this?
Yes, I have a very strong feeling about this letter.
First rule of trial law, never ask a question you don't know the answer to.
Hey, have I steered you wrong yet? Come on.
Detective Lassiter, did you send a letter
to the D.A.'s office on the seventh of August?
Yes, I did.
And what did it say?
l... Objection, lack of foundation.
l'll allow it. Go ahead, tell the jury what it said.
It questioned the defendant's motive.
That it was very strong, you mean?
No, it questioned whether I believed the defendant had one at all.
(SCOFFS)
The prosecution never submitted this letter into evidence.
So, at this point, Your Honor, the defense calls for a mistrial.
(CROWD MURMURING)
Man, this is fun!
Approach the bench.
We may have received the letter. l... I can't be sure.
We didn't knowingly withhold it.
My office is wall to wall papers.
Then go to Staples and buy yourself some new file folders,
but until then, you are warned.
Any new evidence must be submitted to all parties immediately.
Do I make myself clear?
Yes, Your Honor.
And in the spirit of that ruling,
l would like to submit a new piece of evidence.
If this is that willy-nilly piece of evidence that you tried to get in,
in pre-trial, l'll tell you one more time.
l will not admit any audio-visual evidence unless it's been authenticated.
We're talking about playing it to him.
It's a videotape.
Hmm?
We just got our authentication papers from the lab in Sacramento.
It is a videotape of the defendant, Sandra Panitch,
murdering the victim, Jackson Hale.
(CROWD MURMURING)
Judge, I argue that this tape should not be admissible.
On what grounds?
Well, we're citing unfair surprisery.
l... I still don't understand why he is in this room.
He's nothing but a disruption.
Maybe someday, Phelps, when you're a judge,
which I highly doubt will happen,
then you can decide who's welcome in your chambers.
Your Honor, these guys are a part of my team, and I want them here.
Why? You used to be a good lawyer, Hornstock.
But let's face it, if you've gotta resort to hiring this idiot psychic
and his little sidekick...
l'm nobody's sidekick, you...
Whoa! Gus, Gus. Come on.
Forget you.
Gus, we are all grown men here. Let's just take a beat.
Let's... Let's take a step back.
Let's take a step back.
(GRUNTS)
Mr. Hornstock, having now seen the video in question,
l don't think I need to tell you how damaging it is.
l strongly suggest at this point
that you consider accepting a plea bargain for murder two.
Your Honor, I will have to review the tape and confer with my client.
PHELPS: l tell you what, Hornstock.
l will leave murder two on the table until tomorrow morning.
Consider that my gift to you.
(MOANING)
She doesn't realize she's being taped.
No, I don't think this is his first barbecue either,
if you know what I mean.
This high-def plasma really makes a difference.
l see the beads of sweat on his neck.
Look at his hair!
That's horrible!
(SIGHING)
HALE.: Yeah.
Oh, wow!
(BOTH MOANING)
Do any of you make noises like that?
His or hers?
(HALE SCREAMING)
(CLEARS THROAT)
When she sees this, she will certainly take the deal.
l'm not going to take the deal.
If you don't take the deal, you could go away possibly for life.
You do realize this? l don't care.
l'm not gonna admit to something that I didn't do!
Okay, I believe you. l believe you. But I watched that tape.
And as your attorney, l am begging you, take the deal.
Don't take the deal.
What are you doing?
You're supposed to be on my side.
Hornstock, I am on your side.
l mean, not technically, because of the shape of this table.
Imagine a round table. l would have sat somewhere in the middle.
Okay, tomorrow morning when the jury watches this tape,
we will lose this case.
This tape is not telling us the whole truth. There's more.
l need to take this tape. You just work on your closing arguments.
You leave the rest to me.
Quit pacing, Shawn. You're making me nervous.
l can't afford it, Dad.
l can't afford a guilty verdict on my record right now. I can't!
You do realize that you're not a real lawyer? Right?
You don't have a record.
It's so weird. The prosecution keeps treating this case
like a crime of passion, right?
But she only knew him for a couple of hours.
l ask you, how much passion can you muster up for someone in a couple of hours?
Yeah, well, crimes of passion are rarely about love or sex, Shawn.
They're closer to revenge, sometimes hatred.
l would say that your angry meteorologist
is the best suspect you got going.
He didn't do it. Yeah, I know that, Shawn.
The point is you need to find somebody who feIt like that.
Oh, Dad, believe me, there are plenty. The guy slept with haIf of Santa Barbara.
We put them all on the stand. The problem is that Sandra is the only one who was there.
You have a whisk. l do.
And you're not looking close enough.
Well, you know what?
It's tough, when virtually everything imaginable is stacked against me.
l've got your ass staring me down in the courtroom.
l've got a defense attorney who breaks every time the wind blows,
l've got to hitch rides every time I need to go somewhere
because, get this, there's some rogue meter maid who's decided to have
a ticketing vendetta against me and my motorcycle.
Well, Shawn, maybe that might not happen if you didn't park your bike
1 4 feet from a fire hydrant outside your apartment.
Dad, you've seen my street. The parking is a joke and...
How did you know that?
Whoa, whoa, whoa. How did you know that? Wait a second. How...
How do you know that?
Oh, look who's paying attention now?
You tipped them off? You tipped them off about my bike?
Who taught you how to drive, Shawn?
Who do you represent every time you're out on that road?
l don't represent anybody when I go out on the road!
Dad, they took my bike!
Tell it to the embassy.
(STAMMERING) And I might not be able to get it out of the impound.
Yeah, well, then maybe it's time for you to consider
a real mode of transportation, huh?
You will do anything you can to impose your will on me.
You hated that bike. You have always hated that bike.
And you've been especially hard ass about it since l...
Since you what, Shawn? Since you what? Since you had your accident?
ls that is? ls that where your old man crossed the line?
Fine, I tell you what. l will back off, l'm gonna lay off, man.
l'll tell you what you do.
You take me off your call list the next time the ambulance picks you up
and brings you in that door. All right? Fair.
Get over yourself, kid.
Or at least learn how to park.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(DOOR CLOSES)
Shawn, what are you doing? Do you know what time it is?
What? What time... What time is it?
It's 9:00. We're late for court.
l called you a million times.
Gus...
What?
Would you say anger is a good motivator?
Did you see your dad again? Yes, I did.
And I think it actually worked.
Mr. Hornstock?
Your Honor, the defense has nothing more.
Not so fast.
Excuse me?
Call Priscilla Osterman to the stand.
What are you talking about? She already testified.
Can we recall her?
Yes, if we have new information,
but I have nothing else to ask her.
Oh, trust me. l'm feeling all kinds of good stuff here.
Your Honor, the defense calls Miss Osterman back to the stand.
Objection.
Overruled.
l'm giving you the teeniest latitude
providing you have some new evidence to mine here.
Miss Osterman, l remind you that you are still under oath.
Proceed, Counselor.
Ask her if she is absolutely certain
that she did not sleep with Jackson Hale.
Miss Osterman, are you absolutely certain
you did not sleep with Jackson Hale?
Objection, Your Honor. Asked and answered in prior testimony.
Sustained. l'm not kidding, Counselor,
l'm giving you one more question,
and then l'm shutting you down.
Did you want to?
Objection! This man is not a lawyer.
He has no right to address the witness.
Actually, Your Honor, he can, under the rule 775A
of the California state rules of evidence.
The rule gives the court wide discretion
over the mode and order of presenting evidence,
effective for the ascertainment of the truth.
Precedence Killmer v. Duchscherer.
l mean, we are trying to ascertain the truth here, aren't we?
That is absolutely correct, young man.
Where did you attend law school?
Just sixth grade law, Your Honor.
But it was an accelerated program.
Hmm.
It is up to my discretion to allow any testimony
that may speak to the truth of this case.
Proceed, Mr. Spencer, with caution.
Thank you, Your Honor.
All right.
Just warming her up for you, bro. Yeah, go.
Hi, Priscilla. Hi.
Everybody here is absolutely certain
you didn't sleep with Jackson Hale.
But Jackson Hale slept with everybody.
Except for you. isn't that right?
You couldn't take it, could you?
Him walking by every single day
without ever noticing you. Not once!
Repeatedly choosing to sleep with women
like the defendant, Sandra Panitch!
Oh, that's... That's not true.
That video will show Jackson Hale being murdered.
But not by Sandra Panitch.
By you.
Objection, Your Honor. l mean, this is... It's ridiculous.
l feel the tape is the proof! The tape is the pudding!
Your Honor, I said objection!
l demand you get him to stop that!
Sit down. Do you need a tutorial in rule 775?
Mr. Riggs, can you please play the tape again?
Thank you. Just take it back a little bit.
Forward, l'm sorry, forward. And back. Forward. Right there!
Right there.
Right here.
That. That right there. It's a cloud. Not a cloud, a shadow.
A shadow of a human person.
You were wearing those glasses that night,
making it unmistakable that you were there.
That is your shadow, Priscilla.
You watched. You waited,
waited for them to drop out of frame.
Then bam on the head to Sandra. And...
Into the heart with Jackson!
You didn't think there was any way you could be blamed
because clouds don't kill people.
People kill people.
(EXCLAlMS)
And this was a crime of passion.
But not because he loved you.
But because he didn't.
He walked by me in the hallway every day, like I didn't exist,
like I was invisible.
And so you proved him right, by being invisible on that tape.
We would have been the most amazing couple,
he just refused to see it.
He just broke my heart over and over and over again.
So, I just broke his!
By stabbing it with a letter opener!
Yes! Yes, I killed him!
No!
(CROWD MURMURING)
Oh.
Holy crap! Did you just hear that?
We heard that, yes.
Sorry, Your Honor. It's just that usually
when I do this, when things come to me psychically,
l gotta jump through all these hoops, you know?
l gotta find Interim Chief Vic,
l gotta run stuff by Lassy, there.
Sign a bunch of papers, t's, i's, the whole bit.
It seems like we got everything we need here.
You, the jury, the stenographer, Mr. Riggs!
l move to remove the defendant immediately.
And take the witness into custody for processing.
Bailiff! Case dismissed.
You mean to tell me, our whole lives, you've never been to a single auction?
Nope. Dude, watch this, it's very fun.
How's it fun? You're bidding against the public
for your own motorcycle.
What if somebody outbids you?
l've been practicing my paddle raise, it's very subtle.
Where is this thing?
Plus now that Carter Jarecki's wife has hired us
to consult on her divorce, we're flush.
l can go as high as I need to go.
Okay.
Dad?
Shawn!
What are you doing here? l came for your auction.
What? Was there a boating incident I didn't hear about?
A little tuna boat get impounded?
You know, actually, Shawn, no.
l feIt bad about those tickets,
so l'm here to get your bike for you.
Get out of here.
Hey, Shawn! Gus! What's up?
Hey, legal eagle!
l thought I might see you here.
Oh, you know? The name partners were very impressed,
and they're anxious to hire you guys again.
Especially this new guy. What's his name?
Oh, it's me!
Hey!
Congratulations. You got the bump!
Thank you.
We'd love to work with you again.
So, what is it now, ''Hornstock, Hornstock,
''Hornstock, Biederman and Hornstock''?
We had to get wider doors, but yes.
Hey, I didn't get to thank you properly.
So, you know, l'm here for the auction.
l'm gonna put some money down on that bike. Get it back for you.
(CHUCKLES)
Guys, really. I do. l appreciate it, it's very sweet,
but I can stand on my own two feet
and get my own bike back.
Shawn!
Buzz.
l believe this is yours. They just pulled it from the auction.
Pulled it from the auction. What?
l was... I was... l've been practicing my paddle raise. It's a subtle move.
Yeah, you got your bike back. It was taken care of internally.
What does that mean? ''Internally''?
l don't know. They just gave me the paperwork.
What are you looking at? Go home!
♪ ♪ In between the lines there's a lot of obscurity ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I'm not inclined to resign to maturity ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ If it's all right then you're all wrong ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ But why bounce around to the same damn song? ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ You'd rather run when you can't crawl ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I know, you know That I'm not telling the truth ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I know, you know They just don't have any proof ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ Embrace the deception Learn how to bend ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ Your worst inhibitions tend to psych you out in the end ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I know, you know ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ I know, you know ♪ ♪ 922