The Practice (1997–2004): Season 2, Episode 23 - Checkmate - full transcript

[ Security Door Buzzes ]

Murder two.
That's a pretty good offer.

- Helen--
May I call you Helen?
- No.

Dorothy, murder two, I--
Where's she going?

Look, Mr. Heric,
this may be fun for you.
It isn't to me.

You murdered somebody.
I came in here to talk
about a plea.

If you reject the plea,
we have nothing left to discuss.

The plea's rejected.

Fine.

Oh, what about the piano?

I beg your pardon?



I would like to use a piano in
my opening. Bobby said it would
be easier with your consent.

You want to use a piano?

- Yes.
- In your opening argument?

Yes. What I lack in lyric,
I make up for in melody.

He wants to do what?
Well, he thinks he--

You will not turn my courtroom
into theater, Mr. Heric.

No, Your Honor, listen, I know
it sounds insane, which you
probably all think I am anyway.

Music sells! It's only
a matter of time before lawyers
use it in the courtroom.

I just want to be the first.

I'm willing to show you
if it'll help demonstrate
my intent.

Go ahead.
Ahh.

♪ [ Piano ]

♪ There's a dead guy
Everybody thinks
I killed him ♪

♪ There's a dead guy
In life he was a pest ♪



♪ Took a knife
right in the chest ♪

♪ Everybody says it's me
But it wasn't
Can you see the dead guy ♪

♪ He's the dead guy ♪

Something like that.
I still have to work
on the ending.

There will be no piano.

[ Line Ringing ]

[ Cell Door Opens, Closes ]

[ Sirens Wailing ]

You know how rough it'll be.
There's gonna be a lot of people
in that courtroom.

Everything is public record.

I want to do this, Ellenor.
I'm tired of pretending
that it doesn't bother me.

I'm tired of just
walking away.
You sure?

I'm sure.
Okay.

10:00.

I'll see you
at the courthouse.

You turned down 75,000?

I'm a little concerned
you're not seeing straight
on this one.

- I beg your pardon?
- Well, the woman didn't
suffer any damages.

Seventy-five is not enough.
Ellenor,

you're a little hypersensitive
when it comes to obesity--
let's face facts.

Our client was ridiculed
in front of a lot of people.
My hypersensitivity--

Did you make the client
aware of the offer?

Of course I did.
She rejected it.

Did you tell her
to reject it?

I made my client
aware of the offer.
She elected to go to trial.

I'm assigning Lindsay
to second chair.

I don't need Lindsay
to second chair this case!

I'm assigning Lindsay
to second chair.

Great. You have to
stick me in the middle?

I just need an objective eye.
I don't think Ellenor--

I mean, you see the way
she reacts to Joey Heric.

Joey Heric calls her "hippo"
and "Dumbo". I don't think
she overreacts at all.

It was a Dunk-The-Clown booth,
Lindsay.

All I ask is that you watchdog.
She'll take it
out on me.

It's all me.
She knows that.

[ Door Opens ]

Members of the jury,
the defendant has decided
to be his own counsel.

He has no legal training,
and as such...

I expect there could be
procedural and evidentiary
mistakes...

made by the defendant
in the course of this trial.

You're not to attach
any relevance to
procedural mistakes.

You're not to draw any bias on
the question of the defendant's
guilt or innocence...

based on his performance
as an attorney.

Mr. Heric,
I will instruct you again.

If there is objection
from the prosecution,

you will wait for my ruling
on that objection
before you proceed.

Are you clear, sir?
Yes, Your Honor.

Ms. Gamble,
are you ready to open?

Yes, Your Honor.

We'll hear from you.

I'm-- I'm sorry.

But I suppose in all my--
my preparation and my,
uh, nervousness,

I'm embarrassed
to say that I've, uh--
I've left something out.

- What's that?
- I have to pee.

[ Crowd Chuckling ]

The bailiff
will take the defendant
to the men's room.

We'll adjourn
for five minutes.

[ Crowd Chattering ]

This is so embarrassing.

This is how Marty Andleman
looked when the police arrived.

This is Marty Andleman's
last expression.

Dead.

When the police showed up,
the defendant was there
with his three lawyers.

The evidence will show that
the defendant fatally stabbed
Marty Andleman.

The evidence will show that
the defendant and the victim
were lovers,

that they were on the verge
of a break-up...

and that that breakup could
potentially cost the defendant
more than two million dollars.

I won't keep you long,
ladies and gentlemen.
It's pretty simple.

That man committed murder.

The evidence
will prove this quickly...

and undeniably.

Let's address
the first question.

What man would want to
defend himself in a trial
where his life was on the line?

Ms. Gamble will say that
the evidence proves undeniably
that I committed murder.

Only thing is... I didn't.

Did I stab him, yes?

But it was in self-defense.

I'll tell you here now,
though I don't think
it has any probative value,

my three lawyers at the scene,
even they thought I did it.

Objection.
Sustained.

Don't tell us what other
people thought, Mr. Heric.

Uh... I'm merely
offering this to
answer the question--

Why in God's name
would he represent himself?

Well, I do so because, as far
as I know, I'm the only one
convinced of my innocence.

I'm not gonna hire an attorney
to argue something to a jury
that he doesn't believe himself.

Yes, the evidence will show
my prints on that weapon.

But they will also show
Marty Andleman's.

Because what really
happened that night,
ladies and gentlemen,

is that Marty Andleman
tried to kill me.

We were on the verge
of a split-up, and he was
emotionally upset.

And he tried to kill me.

I'm not gonna go
into the facts now,

but I will say
the evidence will show...

that he came at me
with the very knife
that I stabbed him with.

That we wrestled
with that knife.

That both of our hands were
on it, and in the process
of that struggle,

the knife went into him,
not me.

Did I run? No.
Did I try to cover up
evidence? No.

Did I know how it would look?
Of course.

That's why
I called my lawyers.

Let's face it.
Gay lovers, one's dead,
we all know how it looks.

But how it looks
is not how it is.

And what this comes down to
is prosecution's gonna say,
"Convict him.

You have to convict him.
He was the only one
who was there."

And I will say, "Believe me.
You have to believe me.

Because I was the only one
who was there."

Hey! Baldy!
Get a little lemon Pledge
for that shine, would ya?

Oh, oh, oh!
Hey, look over there!
[ Snorts ]

Come on, pig!
Oink so we know
you're comin'!

[ Gasps ]
Oh, I'm terribly sorry.

It's a cow. Moo!

[ Laughing ]

That's the whole act.

The clown insults everybody
who walks by to make them angry
enough to want to play the game.

To put down two dollars
to get three baseballs...

and try to dunk
this obnoxious bastard
into the water.

We've all seen this.

This kind of booth has been
on the midways at state fairs
and carnivals for 60 years.

Did the clown
insult the plaintiff?

Yes. Did he do
anything to her that
he didn't do to anybody else?

No.

Did he or the carnival
have any malicious intent
toward this woman?

Of course not.

You call a person fat.
You abuse her.

You encourage a crowd of people
to laugh at her physicality.

And when she's hurt,
you say no intent.
Didn't mean it.

The day he died?

The very day.

And what did Mr. Andleman
say to you, Doctor?

Basically, that he was
very afraid for his life...

- and that he thought Mr. Heric
might try to kill him.
- Did he say why?

Well, he had been getting
a lot of veiled threats
over the last few weeks.

- Veiled threats?
- Yes. Mr. Heric would
say things like,

"How's your heart?"
Uh, "Feeling any chest pains?"

- You might want to
object to this.
- Shh.

And why, specifically,
did he feel in danger
on this day, Dr. Timmi?

Because he was about to
break-up with Mr. Heric.

And he said that
he was a violent man...

and moreover, he was
not a man who would lose,

who would let himself
be bested.

- [ Heric ] Marty Andleman said
that he was afraid of me?
- Yes, he did.

- Afraid I would kill him?
- Yes.

Doctor, you were, uh, treating
him for mental problems?

I am not comfortable
discussing my patient's problems
in open court.

You're not comfortable?
What are you doing
sitting in that chair?

I'm sitting here
because the prosecution
sent me a summons.

Yes, well, you will answer
this man's questions. Patient
privilege doesn't apply anymore.

He suffered from paranoid
personality disorder.
You diagnosed it.

- A slight
paranoid disorder, yes.
- I'm... no doctor, certainly.

But according to the, uh,
Diagnostic Manual
for Mental Disorders,

"a pervasive
and unwarranted tendency...

"to interpret
the actions of people...

as deliberately threatening."

Is that a fair diagnosis
of the, uh, disorder?

- Yes. But--
- And Mr. Andleman suffered
from this disorder, slight?

Yes.
He suffer from
anything else?

Clinical depression?
Yes.

He ever talk about suicide?

Oh, are you now suggesting
that he committed suicide,
Mr. Heric?

No, Doctor, I'm merely
asking you did he ever
contemplate suicide?

Yes.

Since you asked
for my suggestion,
is it a terrible leap then...

to say that a person
who would consider suicide
might consider homicide?

I don't think--
Uh, Doctor, my question is,

is it entirely inconsistent
that a person might be both
suicidaland homicidal?

No.

One last question,
then I'll let you go.

I know that you loathe
to talk about your patients.

Did Marty Andleman manifest
a tendency toward violence?

Yes.

Thank you.
That's all.

We were just walking through
the fair grounds and suddenly he
started in, into a microphone.

The clown?
Yes.

-Do you remember what he said?
-Things like, "I guess the
Titanic didn't sink after all."

He asked whether or not
I had named the quintuplets...

or was I just
waiting for them
to be born first.

And he called me
a bunch of things.

- Do you remember the things
that he called you?
- Cow.

Pig.
Rhode Island.

[ Chuckles ]

And then what did you do?

I tried to smile and pretend
I thought it was funny.

Everybody else was laughing,
so I just kept walking.

Smiling.
You walked away?

Yes. And he said,
"When she turns a cheek,
she really turns a cheek."

- Marsha, were you alone?
- No, I was with a man.

I was on a first date.
It was very embarrassing
for him too.

And then what happened?

Well, he told me it was
nothin' to get upset about.

And I tried to pretend
it didn't bother me.

But... after the date,
I went home and I cried.

And your date?

I never saw him again.

Marsha, here's the question.

Why choose to relive this again
in a courtroom?

I went to a state fair
on a Sunday afternoon.

I was minding
my own business.

And for the entertainment of
others, a carnival employee...

started insulting
my physical appearance
for profit.

I am not ashamed of
taking that seriously.

When I walk
down a street...

and people
yell things at me,

the shame
should not be mine.

It should be theirs.

From the entry,
the knife was plunged in.

It had to have had a certain
amount of velocity to it, there
was no mashing of the skin.

By velocity, you mean?

Like this.
It couldn't have happened
in a struggle the way he says.

Are you sure?

He describes a situation
in which both had their hands
on it and were pushing.

I'm sorry, but you don't just
push a knife through a sternum.

This was a massive blow.

It was no struggle.

Do you have an opinion
as to how Mr. Andleman
was stabbed?

I do, based on the trajectory
of the wound.

May I show you?
Of course.

The victim was sitting.

The killer came up
from behind him
and over the top.

He drove the knife in...
like this.

We're talking about
a lot of force here.

Now the reason I have a problem,
Doctor, is that you're
completely wrong.

And it leads me to ask...

how many other people
have been falsely convicted
by your ridiculous theories?

Objection.
Sustained.

Okay, look, I'm not going to
debate you on forensics,
trajectory, velocity equations,

because the truth is I know
nothing about any of it.

But I certainly do know that
Marty Andleman didn't die
the way you say he did.

- Objection.
- Sustained.

You're not allowed to
give arguments at this point,
Mr. Heric. Just ask questions.

Sir, in 1987, did you testify
against a man named
Alex Beauregard?

- Yes.
- Your testimony went to
trajectory, angle of wound--

- It was another
stabbing death, right?
- Yes, I believe that's correct.

Mr. Beauregard
was convicted of murder
and sentenced to life in prison.

- Yes.
- Two years later, somebody else
confessed to the crime.

The conviction was overturned
and Mr. Beauregard was released.
Did you know that?

Yes.

And your analysis of wound
trajectory turned out to be
wrong in that case, didn't it?

Yes.

A crime you essentially
convicted him of
with your testimony.

- So mistakes do happen.
- I'm not mistaken here,
Mr. Heric.

Mistakes do happen.
Yes or no?

- Yes.
- Thank you.

Oh, one last question.
Did you ever apologize
to Mr. Beauregard?

No.

Gee.

100,000,
that's as high as--
No.

Look, bring it up to 200,000.
I'll try to sell it.
200,000?

Look, you saw the faces
on the jury. They're not--
The jury hasn't heard our side.

Fine. Well, tell 'em your side,
but 100,000's not enough.
We'll give you a quick answer.

I gave him the answer.
We have to take the offer
to the client.

We'll get right back to you.
Thanks.

Don't you undermine me,
Lindsay.

You can't reject an offer
without making the client
aware of it, Ellenor.

We'll offer manslaughter,
eight years.

What?

Manslaughter.
It's a moral victory.
But it's not a victory.

Well, it's as good
as it's gonna get.

It's as good as you'll offer.
I'll get better.

Manslaughter.
Yes or no?

Gee. Decisions.
Decisions. No.

[ Bobby ]
Joey!
I said no.

Oh, geez.

Are you crazy?
They're offering eight years.

That's because
they know they've lost.
They still got a great case.

And if you weren't in favor
of me going off to prison,

I might actually
attach some credibility to
your insipid little opinions.

Hey, you can do
what you want to do, but you
committed cold-blooded murder,

and you get an offer
of manslaughter?

As sick as you are,
you can't be that stupid.

Stupid?

Stupid would be
listening to you!

Touch me again
and I will hurt you.

You think I can't
or I won't,

then, yeah,
you are stupid!

I don't want her
on the case.
Hold on--

No! I don't want her!
Fine. My malpractice premium
is high enough already.

-Look, Lindsay, part of
negotiating a good settlement--
-Look, don't bully me, Ellenor.

You know I'm right,
so don't even try--
That's enough!

You know what?
You don't get it.

That fat people
face a discrimination,
you just don't get it,

and that is exactly why
Marsha is bringing this case,
so people like you will get it.

- I'm a fat bigot now?
- I didn't say that.

-Say it if you think it.
-But while we're launching
accusations of hypersensitivity.

Oh, please.
Come on. We're all
on the same side here.

You're in the middle of a trial.
Work it out.

Both of you!
[ Door Opens, Closes ]

Eugene. I need you with me
this morning too. Can you come?

It's just for the day.
Sure.

And according to Mr. Andleman's
life insurance policy,

who would stand to inherit
in the event of his death?

Uh, the defendant.
Joey Heric.

And how much would he
stand to inherit, sir?

$2.3 million.

Thank you.

[ Judge ]
Mr. Heric?

No questions, Your Honor.

You may step down.

Ms. Gamble?

Your Honor,
the Commonwealth
calls Joey Heric.

- [ Crowd Murmuring ]
- Can she do that?

Uh, Your Honor, could we
adjourn to chambers?

I have a Fifth Amendment right
not to testify. She can't
call me as a witness.

- He has testified, Your Honor,
he therefore waived his right.
- What are you talking about?

Mr. Heric put facts
into evidence in his opening.
He told his side of the story.

I'm entitled, therefore,
to cross-examine his version
of the events.

Opening argument is not
evidence. I know that.
I'm not even a lawyer.

But he used it
to get in evidence.
He testified in the narrative.

Even so, I'm not inclined
to punish him for a mistake,

- not when it comes to
his self-incrimination.
- A mistake?

Come on.
Do we really think he didn't
know exactly what he was doing?

He told his side of the story.

And by not taking the stand,
he figured to shield himself
from cross-examination.

That's the whole reason
he chose to represent himself.

So he could testify and not be
subject to cross-examination.

You give me
way too much credit.

Your Honor, he said in his
opening that the evidencewill
show it was self-defense.

The evidence will show that
Marty Andleman came at him.

Where's that evidence
gonna come from?

Mr. Heric, do you plan
to call witnesses
to put those facts in?

How can I call witnesses?
I was the only one there.

Exactly. Making you
the only witness.

I think I agree with
the district attorney.

You've put testimony
into this trial.
She can cross-examine.

Your Honor--
That's what you get,
Mr. Heric,

when you choose
to defend yourself.

You've put yourself in a hole.
You'll have to dig yourself out.

Fine.

Helen, you come right at me.

I won't deny the clown
is mean-spirited.

The truth is, that's why
that booth draws the crowds,

because the clown
is so outrageous.

Does the carnival impose
any limitations?

Certainly.
No, uh, obscene language.

No picking on people
with disabilities,
no picking on kids.

Obviously, no racial
or religious remarks.

- But as to general physicality?
- Yes, it's really
all about that.

The big nose, the bald head,
the bad figure,
the bad clothing.

His job is to
antagonize the people...

so that they become angry enough
that they want to dunk him.

- So you do draw limitations
on what your clowns can say?
- Yes.

And if my colleague
were to pass by, your clown
wouldn't remark on his race?

No. He would probably go right
for that big bald head.

[ Ellenor ]
Come on. I've been to
a few comedy clubs.

I've heard some pretty
hard-biting racist humor
getting big laughs.

I mean, if it's funny.
We wouldn't allow that.

But why? Everybody knows
it's just a clown act.
What's the big deal?

I see nothing funny
in racism.

And I don't tolerate it
in any form at any one
of my carnivals.

So you do see something funny
in fat people.

You'll tolerate making fun
of fat people.

Yes?
Yes.

And, Mr. Johnson,
your tolerance of
this kind of abuse,

is it that you're
unaware of the hurt you
cause to people like my client?

Or is it that you just disregard
that kind of pain?

We never meant to hurt
your client, Ms. Frutt.

Are you aware that
you did hurt her?

Obviously, we're aware now.

And since you became aware of
it, that these words hurt,

have you instructed your clowns
to stop ridiculing
fat people?

No.

Her whole plan will be
to get to that other murder.
The judge suppressed that.

But if she somehow gets you
to open a door on it,
she can get it admitted.

What do you mean
"open the door"?

Well, she'll ask,
"What do you mean
Marty had a temper?"

She wants you to answer
that he threatened
to kill Peter Fineman.

If you give any inkling
of anything to do
with that other case,

it'll get in.

The jury will learn that you
killed somebody else.

And if that happens, you can
kiss your ass good-bye, Joey.

[ Sighs ]
Okay.

Joey.

She is very good.

Any evidence
that Mr. Andleman
could be homicidal?

You heard his own
psychiatrist say so.

Yes, well, any other evidence?

Did you ever see such
homicidal tendencies?

Yes.
When?

- The night he tried to kill me.
- The night you killed him?

In self-defense.

Did he ever threaten
to kill you before?
No.

Did he ever threaten
to kill anybody else?

I believe for the purpose
of this trial, the judge has
instructed us not to talk...

about any other occasion where
he may have or may have not
threatened to kill anybody else.

That's right.

You say he came at you
with the knife?
Yes.

- And you thought
he would kill you.
- Yes.

So you decided
to kill him instead.
Well--

- You didn't first try to
get the knife away?
- Yes, I did, but I couldn't.

And you struggled.
Yes.

Tell me, at what point
during the struggle
did you say to yourself,

"I'm going to kill him?"

I never decided
to kill him, Ms. Gamble.

My intent was for him
not to kill me.

-Yes, and to accomplish that
you decided you would kill him.
-That isn't so.

Mr. Heric, you said yourself
you intended to kill him.

I never said
any such thing.
You grabbed the knife.

I said I killed him
in self-defense.

Yes, and that
is a deliberate act.
You deliberately killed him.

It was a struggle.
Are you listening?

Mr. Heric, you can't
have it both ways.

Were you trying to
wrestle the knife away
or were you trying to kill him?

I was trying to
wrestle the knife away
when it went into him.

- You thrust it into him.
- It went into him
during the struggle.

- It went in by accident?
- Yes. I never intended
to kill him.

How many ways
can I say it?

You said it perfectly.

Have you ever stabbed
and killed anybody else,
Mr. Heric?

Did you not hear
my question, Mr. Heric?
Your Honor--

Your Honor, you ruled if he
argued accident, the other
case would be admissible.

- Well, he just argued accident.
- Objection.

- I'll allow it.
- Now wait a second!
- Mr. Donnell, sit down.

Have you ever killed anybody
else by stabbing, Mr. Heric?

- That's suppressed.
Your Honor, that's suppressed.
- Not anymore.

Did you kill a former lover
by stabbing him in the chest
with a knife?

Yes or no, sir?

All right.
Well, I'll just keep asking
until I get an answer.

Did you kill a former lover
by stabbing him to his death
with a kitchen knife?

- Did you kill a former lover--
- I plead the Fifth Amendment.

Oh, you can't do that, sir.
See, you were already
granted immunity on that,

so the Fifth Amendment
isn't available to you now.

Let me ask again.

Did you kill City Councilman
Peter Fineman by stabbing him to
his death with a kitchen knife?

- Yes or no?
Did you kill--
- I don't remember.

You don't remember?

Did you testify under oath
that you killed him?

Yes.

Your Honor, I have
no more questions.

[ Judge ]
Mr. Heric,
you may step down.

Mr. Heric,
you may step down.

I think I should tell now.

- Could we adjourn, please?
- I want to tell!

Your Honor?

Mr. Heric, do you know
where you are?

I'm in deep trouble.

I want to tell.

I did kill Peter Fineman.

But I didn't kill Marty.

He killed himself.

[ Judge ]
I beg your pardon?

He framed me.

That would be going to
some length to get somebody
in trouble, don't you think?

We were breaking up.
But I was leaving him.

He picked up the kitchen knife
and he started laughing.

"They're all gonna think
you did it, Joey.

"You killed Peter this way.

"And when they find me
in your apartment
with a knife in my chest,

they'll all blame you."

And he laughed some more.

"You'll never get
the insurance money...

"because they'll
all think you did it,
and you'll be in jail.

And even if they learn
the truth, my insurance
doesn't cover suicide."

And he smiled at me.

And he said,
"I finally got you, Joey.

I bested you.
I win. You lose."

And with that,
he thrust the knife
into his chest.

Then why--
why did you claim
it was self-defense?

Nobody beats me.

I wasn't going to
let him win.

Self-defense,
I still get the money.

But even if I didn't,
I wasn't gonna let you win.

Y-Your Honor, we need to
call one more witness.

I couldn't let him win.

When you form a conclusion
about people based
on appearance,

it's bigotry,
it's prejudice.

And as politically correct
as this country has become,

the prejudice
against fat people,

well, that one's
not so bad, is it?

I mean, we're to blame.
It's our own fault.

We must eat too much,
we're lazy, we're not
disciplined, we're sloppy.

You know, I was at
a movie theater once,

and they showed a fat person
at the beach in a bathing suit.

And the audience openly
cringed and groaned.

And nobody, nobody
was ashamed to do so.

You see, every billboard,
every fashion magazine...

tells us to be ashamed
of our bodies.

Be thin. Be thin.

Would my client
like to be thinner?
I don't know.

I can tell you
I certainly would.

Does she struggle with
her weight? I don't know.
I can tell you I do.

But does that mean
we should be ashamed of
our bodies? Absolutely not.

I don't expect the bigotry
to end with the wave of a wand.

It has been going on
for so long.

It's gonna take
a long time to stop it.

But if we are to stop it,
we need a beginning.

For somebody, one jury,

to say that it is prejudice,
and that it is not okay.

This is a very,
very brave woman.

I so admire her.

And I promise you it was
not easy for her to come
into this courtroom--

Please help her
to give the courage
to other fat people...

to stand up
and say "enough."

Enough.

Well, we seem to sue
over everything these days,
don't we?

Wrongful termination.
Sexual harassment.

Now it's just insults.

What about the Little League
game where the third baseman
taunts the batter?

And what about the movie
that shows the fat woman
on the beach?

What about the movies and the--
and the TV shows that ridicule
someone's appearance?

What are we gonna do?

Shut them down?

The cattlemen sued Oprah...

for criticizing a hamburger.

Where and when is
this going to stop?

I don't like
the clown bit.

I thought
it was insensitive.

But this guy
was dressed up
as a clown.

This running off to court
every time your feelings
are hurt? Come on.

We're becoming
a nation of victims.

Who's next?

You have to trust me now, Joey.
I'm taking over.

I call the shots
and you have to trust me.

Why do you even
want to help me?

I'm not sure that I even do.
But I'm on this case,

and I have to
make the legal decisions
that I think are necessary.

Now, Dr. Jordan.

He won't agree to testify
unless you wear hand
and leg restraints.

Why?

He doesn't think that
you'll be able to tolerate
some of his testimony.

[ Bobby ] How long did you
treat Joey Heric?
Mmm, almost six years.

Is it possible
that the man sitting there...

would rather face murder charges
than admit he was outsmarted?

Not only is it possible,
I would consider it
almost probable.

[ Bobby ]
What kind of narcissism
are we talking about here?

The same kind of narcissism that
prevented you raising insanity.

This man needs to believe
he is mentally superior.
Look at him.

He sits there, half-dead,
not because he's looking
at a conviction,

he probably doesn't
even care about that.

He's near catatonic because
that woman tricked him.

She outmaneuvered him
on this witness stand.

Any punishment you give him
won't be as bad as what
he's suffering right now.

This is a bit much for me.

I don't doubt that.

The man's willing to risk
a life term in prison
rather than just say,

"Gee, my lover one-upped me
by trying to kill himself"?

Trying to make sense of him
is futile, Ms. Gamble.

He has an acute
narcissistic disorder.
He needs to win.

- And would that need to win
apply to this trial, Doctor?
- Excuse me?

Wouldn't Joey feel
an overwhelming need
to win this trial?

Yes, he would.

- And he's a brilliant man,
isn't he?
- He's a genius.

Given his genius and his need
to win, is it possible,
after I caught him on the stand,

is it possible
that he manufactured...

this wonderful story
about Marty killing himself?

That is possible.

Does it have to make sense,
this kind of narcissistic
disorder?

It defies sense or logic.

As Dr. Jordan testified,
a narcissist can't bear
criticism of any kind.

Imagine when the man he loved
looked him in the eye,
smiled at him and said,

"I've outsmarted you.
I schemed you out of
your insurance money.

I beat you."

This man doesn't lose.

[ Helen ]
No, he doesn't.

And he wasn't going to
lose this one, was he?

He orchestrated
an immunity agreement
after the first murder.

And here he is today,

suddenly saying
that the second victim
took his own life.

Maybe his best
mind game of all.

[ Bobby ]
Well, how can anybody be sure?

You heard his story,
it sounded real and he was
the only one there.

And his treating doctor said
his story is not only possible,
it is probable.

Probable.

And the victim's doctor
testified that Marty Andleman
didshow suicidal tendencies.

You heard that.

[ Helen ] Joey Heric laughed
after the first murder.
He's laughing at me now.

The only remaining question:
Does he get to laugh at you?

[ Crowd Chattering ]

[ Man ]
Please be seated.

The Honorable Adam Clarke,
presiding.

Madame Foreperson,
we'll hear from you.

"In the matter of
Marsha Belsonversus
New England Carnival Company,

"on the count of
intentional infliction
of emotional distress,

"we find in favor
of the plaintiff...

"and order the defendant
to pay damages...

in the amount of $330,000.

[ Judge Clarke ] The jury
is dismissed with the thanks
of the court. We're adjourned.

[ Gavel Raps ]

If you tell anybody I cried,
I break your head.

I understand.
[ Chuckles ]

[ Chains Jingling ]

[ Jingling Continues ]

Members of the jury,
you have your verdict?

We do, Your Honor.

Will the defendant
please rise?

What say you?

"In the matter
of the Commonwealth
versus Joseph Heric...

"on the charge of murder
in the first degree,

we find the defendant
Joseph Heric... not guilty."

[ Crowd Chattering ]

[ Judge ]
The defendant is free to go.

Members of the jury,
thank you for your service.
We're adjourned.

[ Gavel Raps ]

[ Lock Unlocking ]

Several of the jurors polled
say they really do think
he committed the murder,

but they just
couldn't be positive.

The only thing we can be
sure of, as of right now,

Joey Heric is once again
a free man.

[ Woman On TV ]
Thank you, Robert.

Elsewhere today,
a fiery mid-air collision
took the life of--

Maybe I should keep
some of this stuff.
Souvenirs.

Research, in case
I ever need it again.

Joey... get some help.
[ Security Door Buzzes ]

It's just so hard
to find, Bobby.

Well...
still here.

Thought you'd be out
placing a personal by now.

Cute.

"Failed at love twice,
willing to take another stab.

Forever yours,
Lovesick."

Kinda gets you right here,
doesn't it?

I know you're a murderer.

Yes. But do you know
I killed Marty?

I'll tell you this,
Dorothy.

When you had me on the stand,
you really had me.

I got sexually stimulated
a little.

Yeah, I could have wanted to
deny that Marty killed himself.

That I couldn't bear
the idea of losing to him.
Oh, you're right.

I could have made it all up
to avoid losing to you.

It's so damn confusing.

That's why narcissism
is such a bugger.

Can't live with it,
but you can date.

[ Woman ]
You stinker!