The Practice (1997–2004): Season 2, Episode 24 - Trees in the Forest - full transcript

Helen,
don't hate me.
What?

Liz Fernal just got hit
with appendicitis.

- She's got a manslaughter--
hit-and-run.
- Oh, no, you don't.

We've already bought
six continuances.

The judge said if we're
not ready, he dismisses.

When?
Tomorrow.

- Virgil--
- Look, the file is paper-thin.

I'm not starting a murder trial
with less than 10 hours' notice.

Two witnesses.
And who takes the heat
with the N.G.?

Me.
There's no heat on this.
I promise.

The victim's a John Doe.
He's a homeless guy.



It doesn't matter if we lose,
but we can't just dismiss.

The defendant is wealthy.
It would look bad.

Just put on a case.
It's a two-day trial.

- No.
- Helen.

I didn't ask.

[ Buzzer Buzzes ]

Okay, Raymond.
Tomorrow we go.

I took one last flier
with the D.A.
He'll give us voluntary.

Four years--
it's not bad.

That's manslaughter?
Yeah.

And you think
that's good?

Well, murder two you get life.
Manslaughter, you could
be out in four.

So we should take it?

Look, here's my problem.



You say you didn't mean
to kill him, which may be so.

But in order to get
your story in, I gotta
put you on the stand.

If I do that, that means
all your priors come in,

which include two assaults,
plus three drug convictions.

If a jury hears all that,
I don't like our chances, so--

So you think
I should take it?

[ Sighs ]
Tell me again.
When you hit him, what?

He was jumpin' in.

A'ight, it's part
of the initiation.

I didn't mean for nothin'
bad to happen, man.
He's my friend.

Look me in the eye.

It was an accident?

I swear.

Look me deeper in the eye.

Okay, let's try it.

[ Line Ringing ]

[ Cell Door Opens, Closes ]

[ Sirens Wailing ]

Right-Right out of nowhere,
I seen it happen.

It was-- He was walkin'
on the side of the street.

Not on the sidewalk,
on the-- on the--
on the side, in the street.

Not in the middle,
but on the side.

On a highway they'd
call that a shoulder,
but it was a regular street.

It w--
It wasn't a highway.

I seen him walkin' there,
and this car's comin' along
and it was--

The car, uh, um,
was comin' along
and then boom!

Boom! It's like
flat as a pancake and--

All right, Bob. Would you
excuse us for a minute?

'Cause he's walkin' on the--
on-on the side of the street...

and, uh, boom.

[ Man ]
Just wait outside for me, okay?
I'll be out in a minute.

- That's my eyewitness?
- Sorry.

Oh, I-I gotta plead
this one out.

- I thought your office said no.
- Well, I'll try
to get involuntary.

The suspect fled
the scene, Helen.

Ah, why me?

Straight not guilty
on the elements?
There were witnesses.

There was no specific intent
to kill.
So go manslaughter.

They'll easily make
reckless homicide.
I think we got a shot.

[ Ellenor ]
Look, he beat a kid to death.

It was an initiation.
There was no intent
to kill.

- Okay, Rebecca's lunch is
Wednesday. Everybody's in?
- You don't have to.

What do you mean, we don't have
to? This is like the highest
dog-lover honor, isn't it?

It's animal rights,
and it's not a big deal.

- Not a big deal.
You saved two shelters.
- Hey, we're all gonna be there.

Great. I'm late
for a settlement.
Anything else?

One other thing
actually.

[ Sighs ]

I'd like some equity
in this firm.

Excuse me?

If you run the numbers,
I've probably generated
half our revenues.

I've been getting feelers
from headhunters.

I-I really don't want to leave.
I like it here.

But I want some equity.

What, like partner?

Not equal, but, yes.

The issue aside, don't you think
that's something you should have
addressed one-on-one?

There's no one-on-one in
this firm. Everything comes out,
so I wanted to be up front.

And exactly how am I
suppose to react?
Bobby.

That was an ultimatum, Lindsay.
I don't handle ultimatums well.

I make about a third of what
I'm worth, and it's not like
I'm trading salary for prestige.

This place doesn't leave you
with much of a pedigree.

Oh, I am so sick of you
complaining.

I didn't make a complaint
in there. I made a demand.
There's a difference.

You want to go?
I want to stay.

And I'm willing to make less,
but I-I won't be an idiot.

[ Woman ]
Mr. Young?

I'm Raymond's mother.
Hello.

You don't know my boy.
You probably don't like him.

Are you gonna save him?

I'm going to try to keep him
out of jail.

When you arrived on the scene,
was Mr. Johnson still alive?

He still had a pulse,
but he was unconscious.

He died en route
to the hospital.

Did you question
Mr. Burnette?
Yes.

What, if anything,
did he tell you?

He said he'd been
in a fight.

He'd hit the victim,
but he never meant to kill him.

How long have you been connected
with the gang unit?

Going on 15 years.

Would you say that
that makes you an expert
on street gangs?

With regard to this city,
yes, I would.

Have you ever heard the term
"jumping in"?

Yes.

Would you explain it for us,
Detective Horne?
It's a gang initiation ritual.

Different gangs
do it differently.
This one used playing cards.

Playing cards?
Yes.

The prospective gang member
picks a card.

The number of the card will
decide how many existing gang
members he has to walk through,

allowing himself
to be punched by.

And to your knowledge,
the victim drew a card?

He drew the ace of spades.

- And did that hold
any special significance?
- Yes.

In this particular gang,
drawing the ace meant...

the one being initiated had
to go against the gang member
considered to be the toughest.

- And do you know who
that member would be?
- He was the defendant.

So, by drawing the ace,
the victim, Mr. Charles Johnson,
had to fight the defendant?

- Yes.
- And to your knowledge,
it was in that fight...

that Mr. Johnson
suffered the injury
which caused his death?

That's correct.
And, Detective,

when you detained my client
and talked to him,

could you describe
his demeanor?

- He was crying.
- Thank you.

- It was an ambush, Lindsay.
- Why?

To just spring it at
the staff meeting like that?

- Eugene told me that you know.
- Know what?

That Bobby and I
used to sleep together.

There. It's been said.

Now, suppose I went to Bobby
privately and made my request.
Suppose he granted it.

Then suppose it got out he
used to suck my elbows through
the night. There'd be a mutiny.

This way, out in the open,
Bobby doesn't get accused
of special favors, does he?

It's better for everybody
I did it this way.

[ Door Closes ]

- [ Squealing ]
- What? What's wrong?

- A rat! There was a rat!
- Where?

- There he goes!
- [ Screams ]
Oh, my God!

- Oh, my God! Where'd it go?
- It's right there!

- Where'd it go?
- There it is! There it is!

- Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
- Get it!

- No, you get it!
- Rebecca!

- I'm not gettin' it!
- Oh, he's comin' back!

[ Screaming ]
Oh, my God!
Oh, my God!

It was one of them big Mercedes.
Tinted windows.

[ Sighs ]
We see a car like that
come around that time of night,

we-we think they're trollin'
for pretty-smellin' hookers.

- Yes. Uh--
- Itty-bitty little
hooker girls. [ Snorts ]

What they do, see--
What they do is they climb
into the back-- big backseat.

You know, the car starts
shaking all so, like-- like--
[ Grunts ]

Itty-bitty little
hooker girls.
Mr. Show,

I'd like to just stay focused
on the actual events
of that night.

Some of them girls are really
men, you know. Nobody ever
finds that out, 'cause, see--

- Mr. Show--
- the Johns, they just
lookin' for a quick slurpy.

Mr. Show, just the accident.

Could you describe it, please?

I seen a guy walkin' near
the side of the road.

A-- [ Clears Throat ]
big-big car, Mercedes,
comes along--

boom-- hits him.

[ Helen ]
How far away were you?
Ten feet.

Boom! Then it
just speeds off.

It just never stopped--
just sped away.

Did you get the license plate
number of this car?
"T.D." Just "T.D."

That's the first letters.
It's like "touchdown."

- Had you ever seen
the victim before?
- No.

He's a homeless man.

Just a big, big bum.
This--

Bigger bum than me.

Were you drinking
that night, Mr. Show?

Yes, I was.
But I saw what I saw.

[ Sniffs ]
That car hit him.
It never stopped.

- Objection. Nonresponsive.
- Sustained.

- Just answer the question
asked, sir.
- We both saw it.

Both? Somebody else
was with you?

Yeah, so there you go.

Well, who else witnessed
this accident?

- Mr. Penis.
- I'm sorry? Mr. Who?

Mr. Penis.

His big pink eye
was lookin' right at it.
Saw the whole damn thing--

Ah. So both of you saw it.

Me and a cyclops.
Boom! It--

Boom.

How long we gonna
stay like this?
Till she gets it.

- I'm not getting it.
- Well, you speak his language,
Lindsay, fellow rat.

- What I did was good
for the firm, Rebecca.
- Oh, please.

[ Door Opens ]

- There is a rat running around.
- In here?

No, in Washington.
That's why we're all up
on our desks, bighead.

- Don't you be rude with me,
Rebecca.
- Just get the rat.

[ Sighs ]
All right.

- Where is it?
- We think it's under my desk.

[ Sighs ]

- [ Screams ]
- [ Screaming ]

There it is!
There it is!

- Where?
- He's the size of a beaver!

[ Screaming ]

- You have a gun?
- It's a starter pistol.

- What are you gonna do,
race him?
- No, I'm gonna scare it.

- That's not gonna scare it.
- Well, then you do something,
bighead!

It's normal size!

You began to date to keep
your son out of a gang?

I thought if I could bring some
male leadership into his life--

What gang was your son
trying to join, Mrs. Johnson?

One he was in.

They call themselves
"The Bangers."

- Your son had a relationship
with the defendant?
- Going back five years...

to when he was 11,
when he started
selling drugs for him.

Charlie started selling drugs
for the defendant?

- Yes.
- When he was 11 years old?

Yes.

Did you know about this
at the time?
Yes.

I did everything I could,
but Charlie looked up to him,

wanted to be like him.

Instead he was killed by him.

You talked about trying
to steer your son
away from gangs.

- He didn't have
a father, did he?
- No.

And you work
at a gas station
as an attendant,

and, uh, your hours are
from 3:00 p.m. to midnight?

Yes.

Mrs. Johnson,

how often did you see Charles
during any given week?

I know... that I couldn't
be there for him
as much as I wanted.

[ Eugene ]
I understand that.

Mrs. Johnson, was there anybody
who looked out for your son?

Well, if you call
gettin' him to sell drugs
looking out for him.

On the Columbus block where you
live, what percentage of boys
ended up joining gangs?

Most.
Most?

[ Eugene ]
And you testified that your son
looked up to my client.

In fact, you often thought
that my client helped keep
your son alive, didn't you?

I'd ask that you please
respond to my question, ma'am.

I will answer
your question, sir.

Did I often appreciate him
lookin' out for my boy?

Yes.

And I know
they was friends.

But he got him involved
in drugs, he got him
into gang business,

and with his own hands,
he killed him.

So don't you dare be sayin'
I should be sittin' here...

lookin' at him grateful.

Well, yeah, I'm putting up
the detective. I should only
do about 10 minutes though.

I just need--
Wash your windows, ma'am?

Well, we should rest
by the end of the day.
[ Squeaking ]

Okay. Bye.

[ Beeps ]

[ Squeaking Continues ]
Great.

Look, somebody's gotta
get down and flush it out.

Why, you gonna blow
its ears out with that?

Rebecca, I'm an animal rights
activist too, and there's
a waiver on rats, okay?

We're gonna have
to flush it again.

Well, then get down there
and be a man.
[ Door Opens ]

- Well, hey, Bobby.
How's it goin'?
- How's it goin'?

Oh! There it is!
There it is!

[ Screams ]

What in God's name?
I think I got him.

- [ Bobby ] Got who? What?
- This law firm has rats.
What a surprise.

- Oh, you know what, Lindsay--
- Uh, where is it?

It's in the corner.
Right there.

Nothing's movin'.
Uh, I think I got him.

- [ Screams ]
- [ Screams ]

[ Rat Squishing ]
[ Grunting ]

Yes!

That is one dead rat.

I just don't like
the feel of it.

Uh, I thought we had a shot,
but now my gut says
take the manslaughter.

But even the doctors say
it was a fluke the way
the boy died.

Mrs. Burnette, he died from
gettin' punched in the head.

Now, if Raymond
didn't have a record,
I'd say let's roll the dice.

But now I say
let's take the manslaughter.

How long will he have
to go to jail for that?

With his priors,
you're lookin' at six.

I'd be hoping for four.

What do you mean, no?
I want him for
murder two.

Oh, come on, Curtis.
Yesterday you offered
manslaughter.

That was yesterday.
So what's changed?

What's changed is I was lookin'
at that boy's mother on the
stand and I just got sick of it.

I am sick of hearing
"didn't mean it"
from the gangs.

It's time they started
takin' resp--
Come on, Curtis.

And I took offense at you.
I didn't like what
I heard from you.

Which was?
Which was these kids got
nowhere else to turn but gangs.

There's nobody there
for them but gangs.

You don't think
there's truth in that?
That is not an excuse.

Now, look, I was raised
by a single parent.

I lived in those neighborhoods,
and I got out, Eugene.
Kids do make other choices.

So you got out. I'm happy
for you. That doesn't mean
my guy should get murder two.

A kid is dead
because of your guy.
Try the case, Curtis.

I am trying my case.

Now you try yours.

I should just
tell her to walk.
We can't let her walk.

Rebecca, I'm not about
to let her extort me.

- You say "me" as if you're
the only one involved.
- This is my firm.

Listen to me.
This firm is not just
you and me anymore.

- There's Eugene, Jimmy--
- They're not behind
what she's doing.

They don't know the numbers.
If they did, they might
give her some equity.

If I do, what's to stop
Eugene from wanting a piece?
Then Ellenor--

Maybe it's time for you
to deal with that.

- I don't have to.
- Oh, yes, you do!

Bobby, this is a firm now.
You have people
committing to it.

Committing to a promise
made by you to build
this place into something.

I won't have a gun
put to my head.

You know what? Sometimes
I think you like putting
a gun to your own head.

[ Door Opens ]

S-Scuse me.

Mr. Show.

I know I got kinda
digressed up there
on the stand. I'm sorry.

I-I got-- I got--
I got nervous and I--

I was just thinkin' if
you put me up there again,
I could be more vivid.

Well, I think we accomplished
what we needed to accomplish,
but thank you.

'Cause I-I left
some things out. See--
[ Clears Throat ]

He just peeled away,
and, uh, a big screech,
and, uh--

For effect, I could
describe that. Now, I wouldn't
have to mention Mr. Pinky.

Mr. Show, I know you'd like
to testify again and collect
another witness fee, but...

I don't think
I'm gonna recall you.

Oh. Well, okay then.

If you need me
then you know where I am.

Okay.

And I-I-I think
you're a nice lady too.

I'd, um, be remiss
if I weren't to say that.

Thank you.
Who was that?

Homeless guy
wanting to collect
another witness fee.

My stupid hit-and-run case.

I'm gonna miss
Rebecca's luncheon.

Oh, God, I need you there.
I won't have anybody to talk to.

- It didn't go well?
- Oh, no.

We need for you to describe
how this happened, Raymond.

Well, like I said,
Charlie drew the ace.

And the ace means
that he has to go with
the toughest guy for 60 seconds.

And that was you?
I didn't say that,
but, uh--

It was kind of
like a vote?
Yeah.

But, Raymond, Charlie Johnson
was your boy, your friend.

- You're the one who
invited him in, yes?
- Yeah.

Come on.
Couldn't you take it
a little easy on him?

I mean, he wasn't
allowed to fight back.
This is your friend.

Look, I did take it
a little easy.
But I couldn't just--

- Couldn't what?
- I had to hit him some.

If I didn't, they wouldn't
have let him in.

It had to be
a real initiation, man.

So you did hit him pretty hard?

I was mostly jabbin'.

[ Man ] Come on! Hit him!
But like I said,
he couldn't hit back.

It had to go for 60 seconds.

Look, I was punchin' him
mainly on the shoulders
and in the back,

'cause I knew that
wouldn't do much.

But I had to hit him
in the head some.

- And then--
- Then what?

I was swingin'
a right to his head,
and he kind of swerved.

[ Groans ]
I hit him right
in the throat.

[ Gasping ]
And he grabbed himself, man,
and he went down.

And I could tell
he couldn't breathe,
so-so I stopped it.

I tried to help him.

I thought maybe-maybe he--
he swallowed his tongue, man.

I-- I put my fingers
in his mouth,

but he couldn't get air.

He couldn't get air.

And then he was-- he was
twitchin' on the ground, man.

He couldn't get air.

And then the paramedics came,
and they said somethin'
about his windpipe--

that I crushed somethin'
in his throat.

And then they took him away.

He was dead.

He was... dead.

You hit him hard,
didn't you, Raymond?

If I hadn't, he wouldn't
have been let into the gang.

Ah, the gang that you
talked him into joining.

The gang you got him
to sell drugs for when he was
11 years old. The gang--

- Objection.
- Sustained.

- Who is this, Raymond?
- Objection.

[ Sighs ]
Overruled.

- Who is this?
- Charlie.

That's Charlie
after you killed him,
isn't it?

- Objection! He's grandstanding!
- You don't want the jury
to see the victim?

Hey! The objection is overruled.

How'd he get these bruises
on his face, Raymond?

I'll ask you again, sir.

How did he get these bruises
on his face?

I had to hit him some.

You had to hit him some.

It isn't just about money.
Then what is it?

It's about some direction.

It's about the firm having--
How many times are
we gonna play this record?

"The firm needs direction."
Do you want to let me
talk or not?

Bobby, let her speak.

The economy is way up.

The business of law
is way up in Boston.

We are good lawyers.
And this place is
still scratching.

Why? Management.
It doesn't have any.
You think you can do it better?

- Do I think I could-- I think
hecould do it better.
- Don't start comin' at me.

[ Chattering, Arguing ]

- For God's sake--
- Go shoot a rat, Ellenor!

[ Chattering, Arguing ]

All right!

Look, may I say something?
Then I'll shut up.

I'll make it quick.
Go ahead.

Are you two, like,
sleeping together?

- Nice, Rebecca.
- I didn't tell!

[ Chattering, Arguing ]

That's really great,
Lindsay.

You know, next time why don't
you sleep with the whole firm?

Sleep with the boss!

[ Chattering, Arguing ]

[ Ellenor ]
Great. Sleep with the boss.
Try and negotiate that.

[ Lindsay ]
It's not about that.
Oh, yeah, it is.

He jumped out.
I thought I hit him.
I heard a thump.

But I looked around,
and I didn't see anything.

So I drove off.

Well, Mr. Feldman,
why didn't you stop?

Oh, I did stop.
I looked around.

- You didn't get out
of your car.
- No, I didn't.

Why not?
I suppose I was afraid to.

I was in a very bad area
driving a Mercedes.

- I didn't really wanna get out.
- But you struck a man.

Yes, but I thought he'd run off.
Plus, I wasn't sure
it wasn't staged.

- Staged?
- I thought he made it
seem like I hit him...

so I would stop, get out--
only to be mugged.

Like I said, I was in
an awful neighborhood.
I was afraid.

Don't you think you should've
at least checked?

You hear a thump.
You think you hit somebody.

I did check.
I looked around.

You stayed in your car.

If a man were prone
on the ground,

how will you see him
from in your car,
especially at night?

In retrospect, I-I probably
should have gotten out.

But like I said,
I was afraid.

But you didn't even
call the police.

Well, I probably should have.

- Why didn't you?
- Because I thought it was
just a robbery attempt,

and since I hadn't been
victimized, I didn't figure
the police to do anything.

So you didn't even call them.
You had a car phone?

Look, I was scared.
I didn't think I hurt anybody.

And the only thing
going through my mind was
"get the hell out of there."

Why didn't you notify
the insurance company?
Your car was damaged.

Well, I-- I was going to.

You were going to.

It's okay to punch people
in the head...

so long as we call it
"initiation."

Now, some gangs require that
you go out and cap somebody...

before you get into the club.

I don't know about you,
but I've had enough.

For all his remorse,
ladies and gentlemen,

there sits a gang member,
three times convicted
on drug offenses,

twice on prior assaults.

And this is the man
who lured the victim into drugs,
into gang life.

And this is the man who killed
the victim with his fists.

What are we supposed
to do here?

Have a group cry
for these poor kids
disenfranchised by society?

The gangs are the only
community they know.

Their fathers leave,
their mothers work.

Society just
isn't there for them,
so it's okay to punch,

to initiate,

to fire a random shot
on a drive-by.

These are poor,
unfortunate victims.

I don't buy it.

You want to work on community
outreach programs? Great.
Where can I sign up to help?

But first--

first, ladies and gentlemen,
we must attack gang violence
head-on.

If you kill, you go to jail,
damn it.

Don't tell me you had
a lousy homelife. Don't tell me
your dad was a drunk.

If you sell drugs,
if you recruit people
into gangs,

if you kill, you go to jail,
damn it.

You go... to jail.

I have a 10-year-old boy.

My greatest fear is
that somebody like him...

might come along
and convince my son,

"Hey, you're nothin'
without the colors."

I hate gangs
as much as he does.

But this trial isn't about
putting an end to gangs
or gang violence.

All this trial is about--

All this trial is about...

is whether this man intended
to kill Charles Johnson,

or was he so reckless that
he should have known he put
the victim at extreme risk.

He didn't.
You heard the doctors--
crushed windpipe.

Now, was it foreseeable
that Raymond with one punch
was going to kill his friend?

Of course not.
Did he want to kill him?
You know he didn't.

He wasn't even trying
to hurt him. You know that
and so does the prosecution.

That's why when he got up here,
he didn't go after
Raymond Burnette...

as much as he went
after the gangs.

He said, "Let's stop
these gangs. The gangs are the
culprits." And maybe he's right.

But this isn't a forum
to cure the ills of society.

This is about one death,
one defendant and his intent.

And if you don't find that
intent, you cannot punish him
just because he's in a gang.

Who or what he is,
that is not on trial here.

If it were, I might say convict.
For the sake of my son,
I'd pray that you would.

But this trial
is about the act.

And this act was an accident.

[ Sniffs ]

Let's not see
the 12 of you go back there
and turn into a gang.

Hmm?

Hi.
Hello.

Rebecca, I was hoping
I'd catch you.

Shirley,
what's up?
Well--

Oh, uh, Lindsay Dole.
This is Shirley Yelon of
Save Our Animals Association.

- Nice to meet you.
- It's a pleasure.

You're not gonna believe this.

Marcy Kealing works dispatch
at Precinct 12.

You know, she's on
our board of governors.
Oh, I don't know her.

She certainly knows you
since you're about to be
one of our honorees.

Um, she says evidently
you killed a rat.

- Yeah, in the office here.
- Uh--

- What?
- Oh, it's just the politics.

The last thing we need
running in the papers-- one of
our honorees is a rat killer.

I am not a rat killer.

I know. It's just the media.
It's the kind of thing
they get all creamy over.

So what are you saying,
Shirley?

Nothing. N-Nothing.
It doesn't mean a thing.

I-- I just wanted a response
in case somebody asks me.

Don't worry about it.
Okay.

Well, um, I'll, uh--
I'll see you at the luncheon.

Wait.
I'll walk you out.

- Good night.
- Good night.

[ Door Closes ]

[ Door Opens ]

Hi.

Rebecca told me your reason
for springing this
in front of everybody...

instead of taking it up
with me privately.

I don't buy it.

There's no excuse for you
not coming to me one-on-one.

Bobby, I was afraid of what
I might say to you one-on-one.

What's that suppose to mean?

It means I might say that
I think you're dysfunctional.

Your father's worked
his whole life as a janitor
in a big law firm.

It made you want to be a lawyer.
It also made you hate them
for the way they treated him.

I mean, look at you--
Fancy suits in
a rat-infested office.

As you try to get ahead,
you fight yourself
at the same time,

and it hurts everybody here.

[ Sighs ]
One-on-one I was afraid
I might say that.

If that's the way you feel,
why do you stay?

Because my best friends
work here.

I don't want to leave.

And I'm in love with you.

I say that with no hope
of you loving me back.

I-- I don't even think
I want it.

But I don't know.
I mean, maybe--
[ Sighs ]

as a result of my loving you,
I also see you.

And I know with you in charge--
and only you in charge--

this firm is maxed out.

And you might be too.

[ Door Opens ]

Oh, Eugene.
Lookin' good.

What, did you change
dry cleaners?
Funny.

Rebecca's award ceremony.
My jury's still out, so--

Tell her congratulations for me.
I'd like to go if I didn't have
this stupid hit-and-run case.

I'll tell her.
Okay.

Helen, sorry I'm late.
Oh, that's okay.
We haven't even started yet.

Guess who took a knife
in the throat last night.
Who?

Your star witness, Show.

Mr. Cyclops got in
some kind of beef
with another homeless guy.

They both wanted to sleep
on the same heating vent.

He lost.

Is he dead?
Yeah.

Helen, we've been called.

I'm gonna go try to steal
a cup of coffee, okay?

This is a really good thing,
saving dog shelters.

It's nice that
they honor you for this.

You know, the Jewish people
believe one of the greatest
things is kindness to animals.

- I'm not Jewish though.
- You look Jewish.

If you're insinuatin' that
Jewish people have big heads,
that's prejudice.

- And mine's normal size.
- [ Sighs ]

Rebecca, could I
steal you a second?

Mmm, sure.
Thanks.

Let's not spoil this
for Beck, huh?

Whatever our problems.

You know, in my family
when things got tense, we used
to butter each other's bread.

Let's try it.

Don't touch my bun.

[ Pager Beeping ]
[ Sighs ]
Excuse me.

You have got to be kidding me.
You are still getting the award,
I assure you.

But the board wants to talk
about the incident after.

I wouldn't even give it
another thought.
Then why are you telling me?

Because some of
our more zealous members
might make a fuss.

I want you to be prepared.

He didn't know
he'd hurt anybody.
You heard him.

And who among us wouldn't
have been afraid to get out of
the car in that neighborhood?

It could have been
a staged thing--

an attempt to rob
Mr. Feldman.

We don't know who this
John Doe was, what was in
his mind, what he was up to.

Maybe he was some crazy nut.

Maybe he was already hurt
when he jumped out.

There are so many
unanswered questions here.

What do we know?
This is a good man--

a very good man--
who didn't know
he'd hurt anybody.

When I get up to do
my closing arguments,

I often look over to
the gallery at the victim
or the victim's family...

to remind myself
what I'm fighting for.

But there's no family
out there today.

We don't even have
a victim in all of this
when you think about it.

Somebody jumped out
of the darkness,
and now he no longer exists.

But nobody knew
he existed anyway,
so what was really lost?

Of course Mr. Feldman
wasn't going to get out
of his car and check.

Why should he?

If a man dies in the forest
and nobody hears him cry,

then he doesn't make
a sound, does he?

The other day I was stopped
at a traffic light...

and some bum came up
asking to wash my windshield.

I couldn't even tell
you what he looked like,

'cause I didn't look at him.

I just looked straight ahead.

Stopped at a traffic light
or walking down the street,

I never look at 'em.

Do you?

It's easier not to, huh?

But, uh,

maybe when you run
one of these bums over,

you should stop the car,

get out of the car,

take a look.

Mr. Feldman knew
he hit somebody.
That we all know.

I guess the only question
for you to go back and decide--

Is there any intrinsic value
to human life?

Or does he have to be somebody?

I don't know.

It's your call.

Madam Foreperson, the jury has
reached a unanimous verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

Will the defendant please rise.

What say you?

Commonwealth versus
Raymond Burnette...

on the charge of murder
in the second degree,

we find the defendant,
Raymond Burnette, not guilty.

[ Judge Camp ]
The defendant is free to go.

The jury is dismissed
with the thanks of the court.

[ Gavel Raps ]

Yo. I don't know how
to say thanks, man.

You know you did that, man.
[ Chuckles ]

[ Machinery Clanks ]

You asked me before
if I was gonna save your son.

I told you I'd try to
keep him out of jail. I did.
Whether or not he's saved,

that's up to the two of you.

You don't know
how to say thanks?

From now on, every time
you see a 10-year-old kid,
you pretend he's mine.

[ Machinery Whirs ]

For her perseverance
in preserving both
the Roxbury Animal Shelter...

and her fund-raising efforts
to help build
the Jamaica Plain Shelter,

it is my great pleasure
to present the 1998
Basset Hound Award...

to Ms. Rebecca Washington.

Thank you so much.

Uh, I-I was so honored
to come here today--

especially to be honored
for doing something I love.

I so love dogs.
[ Chuckles ]
But, um,

I-I-I have to be honest
in saying that, uh,
I'm-I'm a little thrown.

Uh--
[ Clears Throat ]
[ Microphone Feedback ]

Okay. Two days ago,
I-I-I killed a rat in my office.

And I guess
there are some people
in the association...

who are considering taking
the trophy back from me
because of that.

So, um,
I'm-I'm just gonna say this.

[ Chuckles ]
I hate rats.

Love dogs. But rats,
they're filthy,

disgusting,
scummy little things.

And they may be one
of God's creatures,

but they certainly don't
represent his best work.

And if one tries
to run up my leg,

I will not apologize
for stomping it to death.

Rats, they-they--
they're ugly.

They got mashed-up faces,
and they carry germs and rabies.

And come on.
Let's all fess up.

You'd all poison them
if they were runnin' around
your house.

Now, part of me likes
those spring traps,
'cause they make them suffer.

And then the scummy little rat
squeaks out in pain,

and the rest of the rats
know better than to come
in the area.

You-You ever seen
a drowned one in a pool?
It's nasty.

So, I--
I ain't savin' no rat.

And if this costs me
this award, then so be it.

I just hope I get to
hold on to this long enough
so I can use it...

to bash in
one little rat head.

Otherwise, I thank you.

[ Clangs ]

I got it.
Thank you.

Yeah.
Thank you.

Not guilty?
Yeah. You too?

Yeah.
See ya.

Hey.
Hey.

How'd the luncheon go?

Had to leave.
My jury came back.

Good?

I don't think
you'd like it.

I'm still all dressed up.
Get a drink or somethin'?

Actually, I'd like
to go for a walk.
Feel like walking?

It's cold out there.

Tell me about it.

[ Sighs ]
Rebecca okay?

Yeah. I think
she's just feeling
the stress of everything.

- And-- And that, uh--
- She hates rats.

Yeah.
[ Chuckles ]

Listen, are you lashing
out because of... us?

Or-Or do you
really believe that--

Both.

I'm sure part of
my frustration's got nothin'
to do with the practice.

But part of it does.

I know what you want
this place to be.

And I think I can help you--

- [ Sighs ]
- What?

- Nothing.
- What?

I'm right here, Bobby.

I'm standing right here.

Uh--

I'll, uh--

I'll think
this office stuff through.

Okay.

That'd be good.

[ Woman ]
You stinker!