The Practice (1997–2004): Season 3, Episode 10 - Love & Honor - full transcript

Previously on
The Practice...

You know, Lindsay,
about a month or so ago

we exchanged a kiss,
and we never even
talked about it.

Should we talk about it?

Not right now, no.

Did you murder your sister
and frame George Vogelman?

-Objection!
-What?!

Did you
follow her to the bar,
then go to the motel?

That's sick!

You asked us
to trust you.

-Aah!
-Uhh!



Uhh!

You just stole
my son's innocence.

I represent Steve Robin
and his dad.

BOBBY: Steve Robin?

Brother of the victim
in your Vogelman trial.

Eugene accused him
of being the killer.

We're suing you.

My client's wealthy.

It's not about money.

He wants you guys
out of business.

-I want to fight.
-So do I.

Okay. Jimmy,
you'll first chair.

-What?
-What?

Look, no offense, Jimmy,
but shouldn't you
be doing it?



I mean, he's good,
I mean--

you're great,

-But we need our--
-Best.

Jimmy will first chair.

I'll second.

Lucy, who authorized
a Christmas party?

Oh, that'd be me.

That would be you?
And are you
paying for it?

Funny.

Lucy.

Oh, come on, Ellenor.
You look like
a party girl.

Lindsay, Bobby,
and Eugene

act like they've
never been to one.

What?

Did you know we were having
an office Christmas party?

Oh, come on.
It's not like we have
to invite any clients.

They're all in jail.

Can I turn in
my partnership
for her job?

It looks like more fun
being the boss.

Okay, we set?

Bags are packed.

Have you
packed yours?

Okay. Eugene, Ellenor,
we went through this.

I'll say it
one more time.

You don't defend
what you did
to the brother.

You just describe it
as a necessary evil.

Nobody's righteous,
nobody's arrogant,

nobody's looking like
it's this big inconvenience

getting sued, either.

We know what
we did to the kid.
Our hearts go out.

-We all clear?
-Yep.

Nobody says that word
"qualified immunity."

We're not relying
on legal jingles.

One last thing.

I know none of you
are crazy about me
being first chair.

But nobody ever,
ever whispers

or makes faces
or does anything

to make the jury think
you doubt me.

Like you all say,
my credibility
has to count in the end.

Don't hurt it.

Okay?

Let's go.

(sighs)

That man is nervous--
big time.

(telephone rings)

(cell door closes, locks)

(sirens wail)

EUGENE: What you got
against parties?

I don't have anything
against parties.

I'd like you
to wear this.

Excuse me?

You look like
a hit man.

I am not wearing this.

Ready?

No. He's not telling me
how to dress.

They'll be painting you
as an assassin in there.

Sky baby blue.

He looks mean
in that tie.

I look what?

Jimmy, I understand
your thinking on this,
but he looks okay.

Straight might be nice.

Crooked works for you.

It was a mistake
I even let him in.

He's defending the man
who killed my daughter.

I invite him into
my own kitchen.

Why'd you do that?

Because he impressed me
as being honest.

So both me and my son
talked to him.

Steve told him how...

Susan sometimes would
get on the Internet,

and he asked Steve if
he'd say that in court.

And he agreed?

He struck us
as a decent guy

trying to do his job.

And Steve figured
he wouldn't be going
against the prosecution.

And what happened when
your son took the stand,
Mr. Robin?

He accused my son
of killing his sister.

He started screaming
in court, "You did it,
you did it."

Accused him of cutting
off his own sister's head.

(crowd gasping)

Do you need a second?

I'm okay.

Actually, you're not okay,

are you, Mr. Robin?

You're dying.

I have liver cancer.

Did you tell
Mr. Young that?

Yes.

In the kitchen
he was asking if...

Susan could have
been depressed
about anything.

I...

I told him
of my condition.

And how did Mr. Young
make use of that?

He said that
because I was dying,

leaving my estate
to Susan and Steve,

Steve had a motive
to kill Susan quick,

before the cancer
got me.

SILVA: How do you feel
about that statement?

I don't think I have
to tell you how I feel
about that statement.

I guess you don't.

(clears throat)

First, please know
how sorry I am

about your daughter.

Also about your illness.

When Mr. Young talked to you

that day in the kitchen,

he believed somebody other
than George Vogelman

killed Susan, right?

I don't know
what he thought.

Well, one of the reasons
you agreed to speak with him

is 'cause you could tell

he really did believe
in Mr. Vogelman's innocence.

Would that be fair?

It wouldn't be fair
to say

my take on Mr. Young
was accurate.

I have nothing else.

Um...

what Mr. Young
did to your son in court--

I apologize for that.

I apologize for my firm.

That never should have
happened.

Why don't you
just cut the check?

The jury had to hear that.

Not like that,
they didn't.

You could say, "I sympathize,
I feel for you, I understand,"

but saying what I did
was wrong--

Jimmy, that's the whole issue,
in case you missed that.

-I didn't miss it.
-All right.

If that's our defense,
what do you plan--

I told you going in
this would not--

it is one thing
to turtle, it is
another to confess.

EUGENE:
I gotta go before the bar.
You think about that?

It's not just money with me.
My job is on the line,

and you go on record
announcing I was wrong?

I didn't do that.
I said it shouldn't
have happened.

-What's the difference
in how you say it?
-That's enough.

You're damn right
it's enough!
Enough to lose the case.

Eugene.

Showing compassion
is one thing.

We cannot admit
liability.

I didn't do that.

I--I apologize
for being bossy

and overstepping myself.

I don't really mean to.

Okay.

You know,
it wasn't totally easy

coming in here to such
a tight group where
everybody was friends.

It's not that I expected
to be welcomed, but...

that remark about
me packing my bags...

I didn't deserve that.

You're right.

I'm sorry.

I know that the holidays
are hard on people
who don't have anybody.

I could fix you up.
I know some cool guys.

Did I do something
wrong again?

Go sit down.

Suddenly,
right there in court,

he starts accusing me,

saying I killed her.

I felt just... shock.

And what about
after the trial?

It doesn't go away.

First, he duped me.

I feel like
I played a part
in freeing the man

who killed
my sister.

Objection. Assuming facts
not in evidence.

George Vogelman
did not kill Susan Robin.

SILVA: Move to strike.
That remark assumes facts
not in evidence,

much less existence.
All the facts go to show
that he did kill her.

Objection.
Now who's accusing who?

A jury already
found George Vogelman--

Is it your turn
to accuse this boy
of killing his sister?

Please. The jury
has already been informed
of Mr. Vogelman's acquittal,

as well as its irrelevance
to this proceeding.

Mr. Silva, continue.

You said, Steve,

it doesn't go away.

People--

I can see
in their eyes...

"Did he?"

"Could he have?"

You know what
that feels like,

to walk around
with people thinking

maybe you decapitated
your sister?

Please, don't address
the defendants, sir.

"Always some truth
behind every rumor, huh?"

"He can't disprove it,
can he?"

"He had no alibi."

It's never
gonna go away.

You feel violated.

I was violated.

We can only imagine,
most of us,

what it must feel like

to be accused
of such a gruesome murder.

Can you imagine
what it must feel like

to be actually charged
with a crime
you didn't commit?

I'm not sure
it could be any worse,
Mr. Berluti.

Yeah, it can, Steve.

'Cause it's not just
reputation on the line.

It's your life.

Forget whispers
from the public.

You go to
a maximum security prison.

He should.

He killed my sister.

What if he didn't?

There he is, Steve.

Assuming he's innocent, can you
think what it must feel like

to be threatened with
life imprisonment?

That's worse...

Don't you agree?

So he's doing well?

On the son he did great.

On the father...

he wobbled a little.

Who's next?

The detective,
right after lunch.

Well, good luck.

To all of us.

Bobby, um, uh,

this Christmas party,
uh...

We can invite clients?

I guess.

Uh, what about dates?
Are we supposed to bring dates?

You know, you really
should check with Lucy.

She knows more
what's going on.

Okay.

Do...you have a date?

Uh--well, no, I
haven't...asked anyone.

I--I was just wondering.

Are you bringing anyone?

No.

Um...

I'm up next
with the detective,

so I should
really be--

Oh. Yeah.

BERLUTI: You set?
Set.

I'm not going
kid gloves with
the detective, remember?

I got no problem
going hard on witnesses.

It's just the family--

I want you to get
the detective.

Okay.

-What?
-What?

I see you two looking.

I wasn't looking
at anything.

You were thinking.

All right, Jimmy,
come on.

I wasn't looking at him!

What-- What--

Did any evidence
even suggest

that Steve Robin
could have been involved
in his sister's death?

No, sir.

Forensics?
DNA? Fingerprints?

Everything pointed
to George Vogelman.

Nothing indicated
Steve Robin.

Now, Detective,

the defense
has complained

that you never even
bothered to investigate
Steve Robin.

We considered
all family members.

There was nothing
to incriminate him,

nor anybody
but George Vogelman.

Steve Robin
did have motive.

Financial problems.

He'd be the sole
beneficiary.

That is motive,
right, Detective?

Perhaps.

And wasn't it
established

that Steve Robin
and his sister

were estranged
at the time
of her death?

Yes.

And who established
that, Detective,

the police
or George Vogelman's
lawyers?

You people did.

And Steve Robin
had no real alibi

at the time
of his sister's death?

As far as I know,
neither do you.

But without any evidence,
we can't--

I was
as much a suspect

as an estranged
family member
with a motive?

No. My point is,
we need some evidence

to trigger
at least suspicion

before we investigate
anybody.

There was none
on the brother.

Did you
want there to be?

Might have
hurt your case
against George.

-Objection.
-Withdrawn.

You never even
asked the question,
did you, Detective?

You never even said,
hey, what about
the brother?

Of course we did.
We ruled him out.

Can you prove
he didn't do it?

We can't prove it.

Well, how do you
rule him out?

Because all the evidence

went to your client.

All the evidence
collected.

All the evidence, period.

The murder weapon?

The murder weapon,
Detective.

We never found the weapon.

The bloody clothing
worn by the killer?

We didn't find
any bloody clothing.

There likely was bloody
clothing. You just
didn't find it, right?

Right.

What about
the witnesses?

There weren't
any witnesses.

To your knowledge,

or can you prove
there were no witnesses?

To my knowledge.

"All the evidence,
period."

That means
all the evidence you had,

right, Detective?

Yes.

Thank you.

Oh, at one point,
you did say,

what about
the brother?

Of course we did.

Did Tommy Silva sue you?

SILVA: Objection.

Withdrawn.

I'm going to lead with you,
Ellenor, then Eugene.

Different tie
tomorrow, right?

Ellenor,

expect Silva
to cross you personally.

What do you mean?

You dated George.
He'll try to use that.

That's not relevant.

Your judgment during
trial is relevant.

He'll try to show that
you were clouded
by your--

Let's bring a motion
in limine.

Too late.
You're on at 4:00.

Continue until tomorrow.

We'll look worse
trying to evade.

Let's just be up front
about everything.

You know,
that's easy for you to say.
It's not your personal life.

Who's got
a personal life?

ALL: Lucy!

Hey!

Bite it right off.

I quit.

See ya.

Look, I've tried
to fit in,

and I realize it's probably
my fault that I don't,

but let's just all admit
it's not working!

I won't admit that.
I think you've
been doing great.

You're the only one
who's been nice.

And Jimmy.
Sometimes Rebecca,

and Ellenor,
when she's not riled.

Lucy, we all snipe
at each other.

The fact that they
dish it out to you
like everybody else,

that's just a sign
of being accepted.

I think maybe we just
assume you can take it

because you're so--

I'm not that tough.

I'm just pushy.

A little.

Why do you think
that is?

I'm just used
to taking care of people.

And you guys,

sometimes you seem
like you need it a little.

We do.

You're working out,
I promise.

It wasn't that
we thought Steve Robin
killed his sister

so much as we couldn't
exclude the possibility.

Let's be honest.

Steve Robin was a bit
of a red herring.

Yes, which is viable
because the police
didn't investigate.

Detective McKrew
claims they did.

George Vogelman did not
kill Susan Robin.

George Vogelman passed
a lie detector test
that we gave him.

District Attorney
Helen Gamble--

SILVA:
Objection. Hearsay.

Not offered for the truth,
but only as to what
the witness heard.

I'll allow it.

What did District Attorney
Helen Gamble tell you?

Basically that the police
had a disincentive
to investigate.

The victim's head was found
in George Vogelman's
medical bag.

He represented
the only chance they had
at getting a conviction.

They desperately needed
to satisfy public pressure,

and any new evidence
would only serve
to undermine

what they believed
was an open and shut case.

Leaving you
with the idea...

They were more concerned
with getting a conviction

than they were with finding
the real killer.

Helen Gamble
told you this?

She suggested to me
that could've been why

the police
didn't reopen.

Told you this
in confidence?

Pretty much.

And you
sprung a little surprise,
calling her to the stand,

making her say that
under oath.

She didn't see that
coming, did she?

No.

You basically
sandbagged her.

Objection.

Withdrawn.

What's Plan "B"?

It's sort
of a slang code we have

for, well, shifting
guilt to somebody
other than our client.

It's pointing the finger
at someone else in court,

saying he did it.
Is that it?

Basically.

And basically you decided
to Plan "B" Steve Robin

in the Vogelman trial.

Yes.

Stand up in open court

and suddenly say
he killed his own sister.

-Asked and answered.
-Let's move on, Counselor.

When you decided
to Plan "B" Steve Robin,

did you think
he killed his sister?

We didn't know.

Oh, I understand you couldn't
know for positively sure.

My question goes
to what you thought.

Honest answer.

Did you really think
he killed his sister?

No.

You'll do anything to get
the client off, won't you?

-JIMMY: Objection!
-JUDGE: Sustained.

You ever been
suspended in connection
with jury tampering?

That was
an innocuous exchange

that happened
in an elevator

between a colleague
and a juror,

who tried to ask her
out on a date.

You're required by law
to report these
communications

to the judge,
aren't you?

Objection. Relevance!

Offered to show
a pattern of deceit.

It also bears
on the witness' honesty,

which she puts in issue
by testifying.

I'll allow it.

Want a cup of water,
Ms. Frutt?

I'm fine.

Thank you.

Did you persuade
your colleague

not to report
the jury tampering

because it might cost
your client an acquittal?

Yes.

-Client there
was an alleged drug dealer?
-Yes.

Couple of months ago,
you had another client,
a drunk driver.

He hit a pedestrian,
called you from the scene.

You advise him to drink
right there on the spot?

-Objection!
-Pattern.

Go ahead.

You tell this client,

"Let yourself
be seen drinking

so that when you fail
the breathalyzer,

you can say you were
drinking after the accident?"

Your Honor, this is getting
way off track!

I agree.
Let's move on.

Is there anything you won't
stoop to, Ms. Frutt?

-Objection!
-Sustained!

You consider yourself
an honest person?

-Objection!
-Sustained.

You don't want her
to answer that?

You'd think that'd be
kind of a slow ball.

-Objection!
-Sustained.

Where the hell
were you?

I was up and down
like a jack-in-the-box.

You came in late,
and where were you?!

Ellenor, Jimmy's right.
If we ducked those questions--

Those questions
have nothing to do
with this case--

-They had to do with you!
-If we look like
we're hiding anything--

You hung me out!

BOBBY: Silva hung you out
with your own history.

Jimmy did nothing wrong.

HELEN:
You should've
settled this.

LINDSAY:
Tell me about it.

Lindsay, if they come back
over the policy,

it's going to be Donnell,
Young, Dole and "Shut."

I know.

Aren't you scared?

Yes.

I've been thinking
about leaving anyway

a little.

Excuse me?

A little.

You know, maybe
to a bigger firm.
I don't know.

You're in love
with him.

What?!

Who?

What are you afraid of?

Because you two
work together?

-If it's right, it's--
-It isn't right,

and I know where
it would end.

I don't want
to end up like--

-Like what?
-He's a workaholic,
for one thing.

What's another thing?
Are you waiting for him
to totally get over me?

'Cause it just
doesn't happen.

Let's just
decorate the tree.

Sure.

You're an idiot.

Decorate.

Look, obviously Silva has moles.

He heard about Plan "B,"
Ellenor advising a client
to drink.

The jury tampering thing
was on record,

but what happened
with Helen Gamble?
That wasn't.

The guy is tapped in.

Tapped in or not,
this doesn't happen

unless people in this room
are talking.

I didn't tell!

Nobody's saying you did.

No, not much.

The point is,
we can't repeat stuff,
not to friends,

relatives, anybody,
because Tommy Silva
knows everybody.

Everybody.

Eugene, you ready?

All set.

I don't plan to be
protecting you,

just like
with Ellenor.

Great.

Come on. Let's go.

Hold on!

You all got your tails
between your legs.

I think Silva
is making a mistake here,

the more of this
outside stuff he puts in.

The jury tampering,
the drunk client.

He's trying to win
with evidence that's
got nothing to with this case.

The jury can see that,

so let's not
go in the room
looking like losers, okay?

The jury can see that, too.

EUGENE:
When I persuaded
Steve Robin to testify,

my intent was only
to establish his sister
being on the Internet.

I never lied to him.

MICHAEL:
But let's be fair.

When you changed
your strategy,

you didn't call him up
and say, "By the way,
I plan to accuse you."

No.

You wanted
to spring this.

Yes.

Why?

By surprising him,

I had a better chance
of causing him
to be outraged.

Rage and outrage,
they can look alike.

If I could get a jury
to see rage in him,

they could more easily
believe he could've
committed a homicide.

Do you believe
he killed his sister?

I didn't know
that he didn't,

but I really didn't
think that he did, either.

So, Mr. Young,
you're basically admitting

you accused Steve Robin
of doing something

you yourself didn't
really think he did.

I do not admit
that I'm guilty
of any wrongdoing.

And why not?

Because,
as a defense lawyer,

it is my job
to raise questions,

to play devil's advocate
to what the government
is saying.

Sometimes you might look
like a devil doing so.

Don't you feel bad?

Steve Robin,
he's probably innocent.

Of course, I feel bad,

but George Vogelman
is innocent.

He was framed, the police
didn't investigate,

and I wasn't about
to let an innocent man

get a life sentence
for something
he didn't do.

SILVA:
You're facing possible
discipline from the bar

because of this Plan "B"
tactic, aren't you?

I was reported
to the bar,

I suspect
at your urging.

The bar is conducting
an inquiry?

Yes.

You sound--
maybe it's me--

you sound almost proud
of what you did.

EUGENE: Like I said,

I didn't enjoy having
to attack Steve Robin,

but once a defense
lawyer takes a case,

he has to use whatever
legal means possible
to defend his client.

That's what I did.

In fact, Plan "B."

You guys use
this strategy a lot,
don't you?

EUGENE:
We use it on occasion,

when we deem it viable.

Last week, Bobby Donnell
had a case--

Objection.

Pattern, Your Honor.

Go ahead.

A baby was killed,

and your firm represented
the convicted killer.

Bobby Donnell
stood up in court

and accused
the baby's father,

didn't he?

I wasn't there,
but to my knowledge,

the facts supported
the question.

And that, too, would be
a lawyer's job, right?

Yes.

In fact,
any grieving parent,

should his baby be murdered,

should expect to be accused
of killing his child,

because that's our system.

It's not that simple.

Well, you're sure making it
sound that simple, Mr. Young.

You're sitting in that chair,
and we're talking about
accusing family members

of murdering
their loved ones

as basic defense strategy.

You sure make it
sound easy.

That's all I got.

JUDGE:
Mr. Berluti, redirect.

Mr. Berluti?

Yes, Your Honor.

Going after Steve Robin
like that,

you weren't a little
disgusted with yourself?

As I testified,
I didn't enjoy doing it.

That wasn't my question.

I asked weren't you
disgusted with yourself.

Didn't you go back
to the witness room
right after and say

something to the effect,
like, you were a monster
for doing that?

Isn't that what
you told Ellenor Frutt?

What are you doing?

Last year,
your 10-year-old son said,

"My dad gets killers off."

And you were disgusted
with yourself when you
heard that, weren't you?

You wanted to quit
practicing law.

What's going on?

I'm asking the witness
some tough questions.

If he doesn't answer,
I'd like to treat him
as hostile.

This is just another stunt,
Your Honor--

Why don't you sit down
till you know what
you're talking about?

All right. I'll give you
some latitude, Counsel.

You like putting killers
back out there, Eugene?

Two years ago,
some pedophile you defended,

you put him
back on the street.

He sodomized and murdered
two little boys, didn't he?

You snapped in court,
and you beat up your own
client, didn't you?

If they hadn't
pulled you off him,

who knows what would've
happened, right, Eugene?

This spiel-- defense lawyers
do what we must
and we don't apologize--

that's a bunch of crap,
isn't it?

You get disgusted
with yourself a lot,

and you got disgusted
with yourself after attacking
Steve Robin on the stand,

didn't you?

'Cause you knew then
like you know now,

it was despicable.

Isn't that the truth?

We can take your silence
as a yes, can't we, Eugene?

What the hell was that?!

-All right.
-Eugene.

You were up there
like a robot.

You couldn't
have been worse.

If we rested on that,
we'd lose big!

You were terrible!

How'd it go?

Jimmy!

(slam)

(slam)

I don't think
it went well.

I'm not saying you're wrong.
He was a little cold,

but exactly how did you
make it better?

I let the jury know

I had the same reaction
to his testimony
that they had.

Bobby, he was
more than cold.

I'll talk to him.

You ready
with your closing?

No.

Everything okay?

Eugene's testimony
went a little rough.

We're finished,
aren't we?

Had we started up again?

I--this firm.
If we lose this case.

Oh, we haven't lost,

and even if we do,
there's a lot to appeal.

We're not finished.

Uh...

What?

That's all.

Is it that bad?

No, it's just--

Tell me.

I kissed Lucy.

I should say
she kissed me,

and when she did it,
it felt wrong,

like I was
betraying somebody.

Lindsay. Somewhere
in the back of my brain,

I feel like
I'm in some kind
of relationship with her.

My head went right to her
when Lucy kissed me.

I was talking
about the Robin case.

What? Oh, yeah.
It didn't go very well.
It wasn't good.

You kissed Lucy.

She kissed me.
Mistletoe, but, well--

You kiss Helen Gamble,

you kiss Lindsay.

There was
that whiny thing
in the short skirt,

and now you kiss Lucy.

-(slap)
-What's wrong with you?

Rebecca!

You know we're about
to face bankruptcy,

you're running around
kissing teenagers!
What's wrong with you?

Rebecca, I tell you
something that's bothering me
and you swat me?

You're damn right!
She's 18 years old!

She kissed me!

Oh! Why didn't you
tell the world?

Lucy!

You know,
it's bad enough that
she already hates me--

I don't hate you!

What is going on here?

Has he kissed you, too?

-What?
-Rebecca!

Let's all get back to work!
Can we do that?

Back...to...work!

(door slams)

(knocking lightly)

I didn't plan
to take that approach.

I felt it necessary,

since I found your
testimony unsympathetic.

Jimmy...

close it on your way out.

I would think
you'd understand.

I was doing whatever
I could to save the client,

and the client is you.

(door closes)

Put yourself
in their position.

Our position.

Every defendant--

Did you stay here
all night?

It's morning?

Oh, gosh.

LUCY: Oh, Jimmy.

This does not look
like a good closing.

Hello.

George.

Hi, Jimmy, Lucy.

He's got a bag.

What's up?

I was thinking.

I was the guy
you fought for.

Maybe you should
put me up there.

Get the jury to see it
from my side.

JIMMY: I thought
about that,

but Silva
would cross you
on the porno tapes.

He--he'd get it in
how your friends
pulled away,

how you still didn't
get your job back.

You were an easy cross
in a criminal trial.

You'd be even softer
here in a civil one.

I just wish there was something
I could do to--

Just be in the room.

That'd be great.

Sure.

I'll see you.

What was Bobby thinking,
giving it to me?

From what I hear,
you're doing great.

Who said?

Well, uh... nobody.

But I can feel
you're doing great.

What?

He left his bag.

He's gone.

Think he got lucky
last night?

Lucy, he--he just
forgot it.

Are you out
of your mind?

Open it.

I'm not gonna open it.
It's a man's private bag.

You open it.

I'm a girl.

There's nothing in it
but medical supplies.

Just--look, maybe there's
a phone number inside,
and we can call him.

Right. Right.
We'll pretend we don't

have his number
in the Rolodex.

We shouldn't do this.

Hurry up.

Hello.

BOTH: Aah!

Jeez!

George. Hey.

I forgot my bag.

Oh. Here it is.

We were just
checking it for heads.

I--I'm kidding.

There's no honor
in being a lawyer today.

Used to be
a dignified profession.

Now...

But there's gotta be a line.

Steve Robin's sister
was murdered,

and these people, the lawyers,
defending the guy

charged with doing it,

well, they decided
they'll blame Steve,

fool him
into taking the stand

under some duty
to tell the truth,

and then ambush him
with an accusation

they pretty much knew
to be false.

It was indecent.
Unthinkable, really.

And they do it
all the time--

Plan "B."

They figure
in a courtroom,

they're insulated
from slander or defamation,

and so they think nothing
of accusing brothers

of killing sisters,
fathers of killing their babies.

Anything
to get the client off.

But there's gotta be a line.

Where do we draw it?

I really don't know.

But when a lawyer knowingly

sacrifices
a person's reputation

with information
he knows isn't true,

when you go after
a grieving brother

and say that he chopped off
his own sister's head,

I'd say the line
has been crossed.

Now, everyone today is angry

at how despicable
lawyers have become.

Well, you have
a chance right now

to send a message.

Put these people
out of business.

It's an adversarial process.

And the rules,
though not popular,

are pretty simple.

State tries to convict.

The defense lawyer does
everything he legally can

to prevent that conviction.

Not almost everything
he can--everything.

It's not a choice.

And if in the mind
of the lawyer

pointing a finger
at the brother of the victim

can secure an acquittal,
truth is, he has no right not to

unless he knows
for a fact it's a lie,

which here they didn't.

The system doesn't work
if the lawyer says,

"Hey, in this case I'll do
whatever I can,

in that case, I won't."
You do whatever you can

in every single case.

Defense lawyers
cling to that rule.

It's the only way
they can survive.

Sometimes they retreat so far
inside that principle,

they can seem
almost inhuman.

That's what you saw
in Eugene Young.

He didn't even seem like he had
much compassion, did he?

I actually think he's in denial
as to what he does.

It's not surprising,

'cause what he has to do
a lot of the time

would make most people sick.

How do you go home
at night and sleep

after getting a killer freed?
How can your stomach

not turn at the idea
of fighting for some rapist?

You saw in Eugene Young
a man who's freed killers

only to have them
kill again.

You saw
in Eugene Young a man

who struggles with that.

You saw in Eugene Young

a man desperately
hanging on to his ideology

to survive
what he does for a living.

But believe it or not,

that is where the truest
and deepest honor

of this profession lies--

doing an ugly job that
serves a higher purpose.

The state incarcerates.

The defense lawyer works
every day to check that balance

so innocent people
don't get caught up in it.

And you know what?

An innocent man
got caught up in it here.

The polygraph that he passed
was inadmissible,

so the jury there
couldn't know about it.

The circumstantial evidence was
so overwhelming and dramatic

he was faced
with a sure conviction.

The only thing he had
was a couple of lawyers

willing to do everything
they could.

As hard as this may be
to compute,

Eugene Young was dignified
in going after Steve Robin

not because Steve Robin
probably did it,

but because he most
likely didn't,

and that made
the duty ugly, dirty.

Many attorneys would have
found a way not to do it

and the innocent man
might have gone to jail.

Over there sits somebody
who got hurt,

and our compassion
has to go out to him.

It has to.

But it also must be tempered
with the reality

that the worst result
would have been a man

serving a life sentence
in prison for something
he didn't do.

What this case really is

is a referendum on
criminal defense attorneys

and our system.

You wanna pass judgment on that,
I suppose I can't stop you.

But I know those people
at that table.

I work side by side
with them every day.

There's honor in that job.

Trust me.

(siren wails)

It's 10:30.

Just let me enjoy it.

You see this suit?
It's my lucky suit.

Problem is
it don't fit anymore.

I had to diet all week.

I've been dreaming of
this hot dog since Tuesday.

(thud)

And now I've dropped it.

How's that for an omen?

Thank you
for letting me do it.

It was
a self-serving decision,

nothing to help you.

I know. That's what...

I've spent my whole life

thinking
I'm not good enough.

Sometimes...

If we lose,
you'll at least know

your whole life...
you've been right.

Jury's coming back.

-What?
-In an hour?

It's Friday.
It's Christmas.

Let's go.

JUDGE: The jury has
reached its verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

What say you?

"In the matter of Robin vs.
Donnell, Young, Dole, and Frutt,

on the count of defamation
of character,

we find in favor
of the defendant.

On the count
of intentional infliction
of emotional distress,

we find in favor
of the defendant.

On the count
of negligent infliction

of emotional distress, we find
in favor of the defendant."

JUDGE:
The jury is dismissed
with the court's thanks.

We are adjourned.

(bangs gavel)

Great job.

Yeah,
I'm a client too.

What was your case?

Oh, it was just some
boring litigation stuff.

I like this place.

People here are good.

GEORGE: Yeah.

Thanks.

Listen, uh, we okay?

You and me?

Yeah. We're okay.

Jimmy?

Good closing.

♪ Bells will be ringing ♪

♪ The sad, sad news ♪

♪ Oh, what a Christmas... ♪

So we're still
in business.

Yeah. Still partners,

unless you're thinking
of leaving.

What?

Helen said something.

I'm not going anywhere.

Yeah...

I should be honest about--

I--I don't mean to be cold.

I mean, it's not that
I'm not interested.

I just know
that it's not right,

and for once
I'm going with my head.

Oh, yeah, Lindsay,

you and your heart.

It's been
so out of control.

What's that supposed
to mean?

Nothing.

It means
you're right.

I'm going
with your head, too.

Good.

Merry Christmas.

♪ Friends and relations ♪

♪ Send salutations... ♪

I, um...

♪ Sure as the stars
shine above ♪

♪ This is Christmas... ♪

Really exchanging fluids
with that one.

Come on, Lucy.

You and I haven't really
gotten to know each other yet,

so maybe we should
just take this time--

GEORGE: Hi.

Hi.

You know you're
standing under
the mistletoe?

You know the saying,
George.

Once you've seen a man
holding a severed head,

it's hard to look
at him again sexually.

♪ ...will find you home ♪

♪ There'll be no more sorrow ♪

♪ No grief and pain ♪

♪ 'Cause I'll be happy ♪

♪ Happy once again ♪

♪ Ooh, no more sorrow ♪

♪ No grief and pain ♪

♪ 'Cause I'll be happy ♪

♪ Christmas, once again ♪

♪ Once again ♪

You stinker!