The Practice (1997–2004): Season 5, Episode 14 - The Day After - full transcript

DOLE: Previously
on "The Practice"...

His name is William Hinks.

He's a serial
psycho head-chopper

who just successfully
got acquitted.

Now he's obsessed or something
with Lindsay.

I just want you
to scare him.

I'll take care of it,
Bobby.

HINKS: Hello, Lindsay.
If you're getting this,

it's at the instructions
of my probate attorney,

which means I must be dead.

That's unfortunate.



I usually like to have
the last laugh.

This is my little
insurance policy on that.

Get out.

-What?
-Go!

-Can't go in there.
Can't go in there.
-I work there.

-Get back.
-Let me through.

Let me through!

Look out!

Lucy! Lucy!

Look out.

I'm going with her.

WOMAN: All right, come on.
We got to get through here.

-Step aside, please.
-People, get out of the way.

Step aside.
Coming through.



We got the get through here.
Move out of the way.

Coming through.

BOBBY: I'm right here.
You just stay calm.

I'm right here.

Can you tell me
her injuries?

-MAN: Not yet.
-I'm okay.

I'm right here with you.

Heart stopped.
Get the paddles.

Charging to 200.
Clear!

Nothing.

Charging to 360.

Clear!

Okay, she's back.

She's back. Okay.

20-year-old female.
B. P. is 120 over 90.

Sir --

I want to be with her.

You can't, sir.
You have to wait here.

WOMAN: What have you got?

35-year-old female
in an explosion.

-Went into full arrest.
-What's her blood pressure?

80 over 0 response.
She's been unconscious.

Sir, I'm sorry, but you cannot
go past this point.

You learned
anything more?

Just some... Explosion.

That's all I got.

Lucy was conscious.

I--I think she's okay.

Bec isn't.

♪ (theme)

WOMAN (on P. A.):
Dr. Evans to
OR nurses' station.

Dr. Evans
to OR nurses' station.

Dr. Hoffman
to medical records.

Dr. Hoffman to
medical records.

Have you received
any threats or --

To bomb us? No.

Lucy Hatcher?

That's us.

She's okay.

She suffered a concussion,
a couple of lacerations.

Other than that,
just some bruises.

The x-rays were all negative.

-Can we see her?
-She's being stitched up.

After that,
they'll bring her out.

What about Rebecca Washington?

The other doctors
are treating her.

I'll check for you.

Bobby!
Is she okay?

We don't know.

(sighs)

The doctors
are still working on her.

What happened?

There was some kind of explosion
in the office.

-What were her injuries?
-We're not sure yet.

Is she conscious, or --

I don't think so.

ELLENOR: Hey.
Hey, hey, hey.

Lucy.

Whoa, whoa.

Are you all right?

Yeah. Just...
Some stitches.

What happened?

William Hinks.

What?

There was a tape recorder
with a message in it.

Something about
him getting the last laugh,

and...Bec said, "Run!"

And then everything
just blew up.

The voice --
He identified himself as Hinks?

I know his voice.

Jimmy.

Lucy's okay.

We don't know
about Rebecca.

Hinks sent a bomb.

Can I talk to you a bit
about this tape recorder?

Yeah.

I'd also like you to talk to
some people from our bomb squad.

How'd it get there?

Hinks' probate attorney
sent it over.

Do you know his name?

There might have been a letter,
but I don't remember.

Rebecca Washington?

That's my daughter.

She suffered some pretty tough
internal injuries.

There's also some swelling
in the brain.

She's still unconscious,

and probably will stay that way
until the swelling goes down.

We need to repair her spleen,

and it's possible
that she may lose a kidney.

She's on her way
to the O. R. Now.

Is she going to live,
doctor?

Well, we're hoping
she will, yes.

We're all hoping.
The question is, will she?

Well, we'll know better
once we get in there.

I'll come out
as soon as we're finished.

Doctor.

No transfusions.

I'm sorry?

My daughter,
she's a Jehovah's Witness.

She can't have
any blood transfusions.

She's not
a Jehovah's Witness.

-She is.
-Helaine --

Bobby, I know
my daughter's faith,

and she would not want
a transfusion

under any circumstances.

Mrs. Washington, she's already
lost a lot of blood.

To withhold a transfusion
at this point

would pose a very grave risk.

You can do the surgery.

You can use
non-blood alternatives,

but no blood.

Are there any other
family members here?

I'm her only family.

Helaine, I think --

Bobby, no.

What are we facing?

We can do auto-transfusions
for the surgery.

What's that mean?

We basically recycle
her own blood,

but she's lost almost
3 liters coming in.

The odds of her surviving
without a transfusion --

Let me talk to her.

Bobby.

I said no.

Do the surgery.
No blood.

One second, Helaine.

This is my daughter.

One second.

What do I need to do?

I'm sorry?

To authorize
the transfusion.

You need to convince
the mother.

The patient's intent --

I can't take your word
over her mother's

on what the patient's intent is.
I'm sorry.

I'm going to go over
to the mother,

then I'll come back to you
and tell you she consented.

Then you'll be authorized
to give the transfusion.

Then you'll be covered.

This authorization

isn't to technically
cover the surgeons.

It's to protect
the patient's rights.

How is this patient protected
if she's going to die?

Mr. Donnell, the ethics
of this arena are perhaps

a little different
than the one you're
used to playing in.

Tell me, how does it
become more ethical

to let her die
in your arena, Doctor?

I'm sorry,
but this hospital needs more

than your personal assurance

to perform this transfusion.

I'm going to court
first thing in the morning.

In the meantime,
keep working on Helaine.

Okay.

(indistinct chatter)

(police radio chatter)

Watch your
step, sir.

We found this correspondence
in the debris.

It's from Roland Hofstra.

He's a probate attorney.

"Dear Ms. Dole,

"My client bequeathed
this item to you.

Sincerely,
Roland Hofstra."

Lucy must have
thrown it away.

She could've.

She was kind of in a daze
over her rape case.

How's Rebecca?

She's still in surgery.

Um, Bobby's going
to go into court.

The mother
still won't budge?

MAN: Detective?

Ellenor?

Kevin?

My God, what happened?

It looks like
a bomb went off.

WOMAN (on P. A.):
Wheelchair to admitting.

Wheelchair to admitting.

Dr. Berenger to ER 3.
Dr. Berenger to ER 3.

We repaired the spleen.

Uh, no other internal organs
were damaged.

We didn't have to
take the kidney.

She came through
pretty well.

The blood loss
is still a major concern.

Her heart rate is 168.
It should be in the 70s.

Right now our biggest worry
is that she could go into shock.

Can I see her?

She'll be taken to I. C. U.

You can see her there
in about an hour.

Thank you.

She really needs blood,
Mrs. Washington.

I'll have a nurse
bring you to I. C. U.

Helaine, please.

Eugene,
when she was in surgery

you sat there for a long time
with your eyes closed.

What were you doing?

Praying.

You turned to your faith.

My daughter and I
would like to turn to ours.

No warning, no hearing.

Okay. Did you facilitate
the relationship?

No! I knew about it,
but that's it.

I was fired
because a fellow teacher

had an affair with a student
and I didn't report him.

That's the extent
of my participation,

if you could even
call it that.

Were you involved
in a cover-up?

No! Ellenor, you know me.
I would nev--

Okay.

The teacher
who had the affair--

He's a friend?

Yes. That's probably
the problem.

They're finding me guilty
by association.

It's not right.

I didn't do anything wrong.

When's the hearing
with the school board?

This afternoon.

And you're coming to me now?

I was going to have
my union rep do it, but...

Kevin, one of my partners
just got critically injured.

I don't think that I'm--

Okay.

Actually, the distraction...

There's nothing
we can really do here.

I'll do this.

Let me take one shot
with the principal.

What's he like?

Usually fair,
but he's also stubborn.

Is he at school now?

I'm sure he is.

Let's go.

What do you expect me to do?

Give me a court order.

To override a person's
religious freedom?

It's my opinion

that Rebecca Washington
would want the transfusion.

And that would mean something
if your opinion mattered,

but it doesn't, Mr. Donnell.

You have no standing here,
and you know it.

I believe
an argument can be made

to substitute my judgment
for the mother's.

Even if that's true,

that argument is certainly not
going to be made ex parte.

Time is of the essence.

Then why did you come here
without Mrs. Washington?

She was in the hospital room
with you.

Your honor --

You came looking for a favor.

Your honor, I believe --

But I don't give them,

and truth be told,
I'm offended that you'd think--

I don't give a damn
whether you're offended or not.

A person could die here.

However close to her
you may be...

If she doesn't get
the transfusion,

she will die.

I'll give you a hearing.

With the mother.

Give her notice right now,
and I'll see you in an hour.

It's only a presumption
in favor of family members.

It's not codified anywhere.

Just print the cases.
I'll read them on the way over.

The best ones
are from New Jersey.

I highlighted
first circuit.

You okay?

Yeah, it's just
my stupid back.

That was Eugene.
She's still unconscious.

(sighs) Come on, Lindsay,
we should go.

Are you okay?

I'm fine.
Just go.

I just thought,

without trivializing
the infraction

of a teacher having
a sexual liaison

with a student,

we can all agree

Kevin Riley never condoned
Milton Buttle's actions.

I don't think that we can
agree to that at all.

Your client was complicit
with his silence, Ms. Tut.

Excuse me, it's Frutt.

And while we can question

Kevin's decision
to remain silent,

nothing in his behavior
suggests

that he either approved
of the affair or even--

Nothing in his behavior
suggests he disapproved of it.

That isn't true, Steven,
and you --

Kevin.

A punishment must be
proportionate to the crime,

wouldn't you agree there,
Mr. Harper?

I would.

Does this seem
proportionate?

Kevin got the same sanction
as Milton Buttle.

This sounds like an argument

you should probably be making
with the school board.

I was hoping it wouldn't
have to come to that.

Well, I'm afraid it will.

My decision is final here.

You know,
my uncle's a teacher.

Oh. Well, then by all means,
Mr. Riley, you're reinstated.

We had no idea
Mr. Berluti had an uncle.

I don't think we need
to get sarcastic.

What I was about to say,

my uncle, he keeps telling me
how we need good teachers,

how there's
this big shortage,

and here --
This is a good one.

The reason we need
more teachers, Mr. Berluti,

is that people are forsaking
the profession

due to the continuing erosion
of respect for educators,

which erosion
we will never stem

until we begin to get serious
about weeding out the bad ones.

-That's a bunch
of garbage, Scott.
-ELLENOR: Kevin.

You think the teaching
profession will flourish

with you
as the poster boy?

Mr. Riley, if Lisa Grier
had been one year younger,

your face might be
appearing on posters

along with Milton Buttle's.

-Oh, that's funny.
-ELLENOR: Okay.

All right, look, this isn't
a decision we made easily,

but it is one which was,
nevertheless, warranted,

and I'll stick by it.

If you want to take your case
to the school board,

you are certainly free
to do so.

Any other way I can
be helpful, Ms. Frutt?

Well, maybe a tip.

I've never appeared before
the school board before,

so I was wondering,

does your kind
of blatant condescension

prove to be persuasive there?

I think we're done.

No, Mr. Harper,
we're not.

I thought it was
a tape recorder.

Where were you keeping it,
Mr. Hofstra?

Look, I'm not comfortable
answering all --

You're not going anywhere,
Mr. Hofstra.

You will answer
these questions.

Please sit.

Where were you keeping it?

In a safety-deposit box.

And he instructed you

to deliver it to Ms. Dole
upon his death?

Yes.

Why didn't you identify it
as coming from Mr. Hinks?

That was one of the stipulations
in the codicil,

that he didn't want
to be identified.

Did you know Mr. Hinks
to be an alleged serial killer?

Well, certainly
he talked about it, but...

Ms. Gamble,
it was a will.

I am a trust
and estates attorney.

I--I thought
it was a tape recorder.

I had it in my own safe.

I never suspected it
to be a bomb.

Place him under arrest.

-What?
-Right now it's an accessory
to a felony.

If Rebecca Washington dies,
that felony becomes murder.

You can't be serious.

Michael.

Mr. Hofstra,
you can go.

Richard --

Do not leave the jurisdiction.
Now get out.

Helen --

Richard, a woman
is almost dead.

You know me.
I like to arrest everybody.

But the thing was in
his own safety-deposit box.

He clearly didn't think
it was a bomb.

It's still negligence!
He knows the guy to be a killer.

And even if
there were a case,

you essentially
just squashed it yourself.

You didn't
Mirandize the guy.

-Come on.
-Lawyer or not,

he has to be
read his rights.

Only if it's custodial.

Which it became once
you wouldn't let him leave.

Look, emotions
are running high here,

but there's no case to be made
against this attorney.

At least, not yet.

Though there might be
a presumption

in favor of family members,
it's not conclusive.

I direct the court's attention
in re: 1987, case in New Jersey.

There, the court wanted to vest
decisions of medical treatment

with the most
concerned parties.

Wouldn't it be tough
to beat the mother on that?

Not when the mother
is refusing the transfusion,

risking the patient's life.

There are also
two other legal standards

being employed by the courts.

The best interests
of the patient --

Here, again, saving her life
would be in her best interests.

Your honor, this is about
a religious choice.

The cases Mr. Donnell talks
about involve medical decisions.

Certainly, if Mrs. Washington
were trying to impose

her medical judgments,

the doctors or the courts
could step in.

That is not
what she is doing.

She is exercising
a religious freedom.

Yes -- The mother's freedom.

This does not reflect
what Rebecca would want,

which brings us to

the substituted judgment
standard.

In the absence of a clear
directive from the patient,

the court can substitute
its judgment for that patient,

and in looking to --

Hold on, Mr. Donnell.

Jehovah's Witnesses are against
blood transfusions.

Is there any dispute
about that?

It seems, then,
that the only question

is whether or not
Ms. Washington is,

in fact, a Jehovah's Witness,
because if she is --

She isn't.

We have the declaration
of her mother.

I can also proffer
other Jehovah's Witnesses

who have attended meetings
with her.

Even if she is, I submit
there are Jehovah's Witnesses

who would take the transfusion.

Oh, come on, counsel.

Just like there are Catholics
who favor birth control

and Jews who believe in Jesus.

Just because somebody subscribes
to a particular religion

doesn't mean he or she accepts
all the tenets practiced.

But certainly the presumption
would have to be

that she wouldn't want
the transfusion.

How can you make
that presumption

when the likely result
is death?

Shouldn't the benefit
of the doubt

go to her surviving?

Look, unless
you can demonstrate

that Ms. Washington would
accept a transfusion...

Can you?

I believe with a short
evidentiary hearing

we could prove that she would
want the transfusion, yes.

Let's go, then.

Well, we need an hour to...
Get our witnesses.

You have an hour.

What are you
going to do?

I'm open to suggestions.

Actually,
Rebecca told you once

that she would want
the transfusion, right?

No, Fox would see through that.
I think she told Lucy.

Bobby --

I can't just let her die.

You're not going
to suborn perjury.

Everybody can sue me
after she wakes up.

No, Bobby,
I won't let you.

What are we supposed
to do, Lindsay?
Sit back and--

You're not gonna
lie to the court.

Yes, she's right over there.

WOMAN (on P. A.):
Dr. Blair, Dr. Hamilton...

Eugene?

No change.

They just gave her
a cat-scan, yeah.

The swelling in her brain
is going down.

That's good.

What happened in court?

The judge wants a hearing.

We have to go back.

Why are all of you
doing this?

We love her.

I know you do, too.

Everybody's just trying to do
what they think is right.

She feels so cold.

That's the blood loss,
Helaine.

Her extremities
are getting cold--

Can I ask...

What's the harm
in giving her blood?

It's a Biblical prohibition,
Eugene.

I'm right here, baby.

Your mother's right here.

BAILIFF: All rise.

Be seated.

All right, Mr. Donnell,
let's hear from you.

I'd like to call
a witness, your honor.

Yes, I gathered as much.
Go ahead.

I call Helaine Washington
to the stand.

I'm sorry.
What is going on?

We're trying to determine

Rebecca Washington's
intent here.

Her mother's claiming
she knows that intent.

I'd like to explore.

My client has faced enough
persecution, your honor.

Her daughter is deathly ill,

now she's forced
to be in court --

Her daughter is deathly ill
because of this witness,

and we're in court to --

I object to that.

Bobby...

Mr. Donnell, I am not
going to allow you

to beat answers out
of this witness to bolster--

Am I allowed an evidentiary
hearing here or not?

Forgive my breach
of decorum,

but get your ass up
to this bench right now.

With all due respect
to your emotion,

and I know
it runs deep here,

I will not allow you
to abuse this process,

that woman, or me.

Have you got that,
Mr. Donnell?

Yes.

You keep yourself in check
and in line.

All right, Mrs. Washington,
please take the witness chair.

That's
the superintendent there,

Marsha Shinn,
known as the dragon lady.

Well, we won't be
calling her that.

Are they close?

No. They're basically enemies.

They don't look like enemies
at the moment.

Okay, let's get started.

This meeting
of the Winslow school board

is hereby called to order.

Karen sawyer
will be recording minutes.

We are to review
Principal Harper's decision

to terminate the employment
of Kevin Riley.

Now, Mr. Harper,
we'll begin with you.

Could you briefly state
the cause of the discharge?

And please limit yourself
to three minutes.

One of my teachers,
Milton Buttle,

was sleeping with a student.

Kevin Riley knew about it

and sat on
the information.

If I have any time left over,

I'd like to give it
to Miss Frutt.

How long have we known
each other, Helaine?

More than 10 years.

And over that time,
I've seen your daughter

almost every single day,
haven't I?

I'm sure that's true.

How often do you see her?

Not as much as I'd like.

One day a week? Less?

Less, but that doesn't mean
that we're not close.

No, it doesn't,

but can you make room
for the possibility

that I know more
about her life

then perhaps you do?

I'm sure you know lots
of things about her I don't,

but clearly
you had little idea

as to her
religious beliefs.

Which is odd, isn't it?

Isn't it customary
for Jehovah's Witnesses

to preach their faith
to others?

Not all Jehovah's Witnesses
are comfortable doing that.

Not all?
We're talking about Rebecca.

Have you ever known Rebecca
to be shy

or uncomfortable
expressing her opinion?

No, but perhaps
she feared bigotry.

Not everybody is as
open-minded as you, Bobby.

Yes, let's talk
about bigotry.

Have you ever known Rebecca
to be guilty of bigotry?

No.
In fact,
I don't know anybody

who rebels
against oppression

or prejudice
more than her,

do you?

Probably not.

How do Jehovah's Witnesses
feel about homosexuals?

Homosexuality
is considered a sin.

Have you ever known Rebecca
to condemn homosexuality?

-No.
-What about divorce?

Under your faith,
a married couple

is only allowed to divorce
in cases of adultery.

Anything else would be a sin,
am I right?

-Yes.
-And yet Rebecca
has represented clients,

negotiated,
even facilitated divorces

in cases other than adultery.

Is that consistent with being
a Jehovah's Witness?

My daughter is against
blood transfusions.

She said that to you
specifically.

She didn't have to
say it specifically.

It's fundamental
to our faith.

Leviticus says,

"Whatsoever man eateth
any manner of blood,

he will cut him off
from among his people."

So she might be
against transfusions,

but not necessarily
homosexuals and divorce.

Objection.

Your honor,
Rebecca Washington's life

is at stake here --
Her life.

If there's even a question

as to whether she really is
a Jehovah's Witness --

There is no question.

Rebecca has a problem
with bigotry,

I grant you
she probably does disagree

with the condemnation
of homosexuality, but--

What about premarital sex?
That's a sin, too,

according to
the Jehovah's Witness faith.

Does your daughter condemn
premarital sex?

I'm sure she may have issue
with some of our tenets,

but as for our
fundamental ones,

and this would be--

When she became a lawyer,

did you attend
her swearing-in ceremony?

Yes, I did,
and you were there, too.

I remember her pledging
allegiance to the flag.

That's against your religion,
isn't it?

As long as you don't
conscientiously participate --

She was saying the words,

pledging her allegiance
to an emblem.

What about abortion?

That's prohibited
by your religion, isn't it?

Very.

Would you consider that one
of the fundamental tenets?

I would.

Would Rebecca
ever have an abortion?

Absolutely not.

Did you know she had one?

Did you know your daughter
had an abortion, Helaine?

No, I didn't.

Homosexuality, divorce,
premarital sex,

saluting flags, abortion --

Jehovah's Witnesses
are against all these things,

yet Rebecca doesn't condemn
any of them.

She is not
a Jehovah's Witness.

She is, and she's against
blood transfusions.

Why doesn't she carry
a blood card?

Jehovah's typically carry
blood cards

to prevent transfusions,
don't they?

It is not a requirement.

But if she
were really opposed

to such a transfusion,
did she just forget

to put it in her wallet,
Helaine?

Objection!

It's your own daughter,
for God's sake.

Your honor!

You're letting her die.

Counsel!
Objection!

Your own daughter!
You're letting this voodoo --

Objection!

Mr. Donnell!

Your own daughter.

As you go through
the teacher's handbook,

the principal's bylines,

and the board's
own directives,

nowhere does it call
for a teacher's discharge

for failing to report
the misconduct

of another teacher.

Are you claiming
that Mr. Harper

had no authority
to fire Mr. Riley?

I am saying
he had discretion,

and given that,

we should look
at Mr. Riley's record

in its totality,
and in so --

If you're admitting this is
discretionary, Miss Frutt,

what's the basis
of your challenge?

I am saying
Mr. Harper's decision

was an abuse
of his discretion.

To terminate --

Do you agree Milton Buttle
should have been fired?

Yes, but --

What if Milton Buttle
had carried on this affair

using Kevin Riley's apartment?

That never happened.

I'm asking you
what if it did,

if Mr. Riley had offered up
the keys to his apartment?

That might be
participation, but --

What if he just offered
words of encouragement?

"Go for it, Milt."

Would he have crossed
the line there?

I think, yes, but again
he didn't do that.

Maybe not,
but saying nothing,

can't that be construed
as tacit approval?

He did say something
to Milton Buttle.

He unequivocally
denounced the relationship

and told him to end it.

He only was silent
with Steven Harper

and Scott Guber.

Okay, I think we understand
your position.

Mr. Harper?

You know my position.

The board votes
to discharge Kevin Riley.

Thank you.

This meeting is adjourned.

Wait a second.
What's the rush?

You have an appropriate remedy
with the court,

should you choose to appeal.

What the hell was that,
Steven?

Kevin, the best thing
you could do now

is start taking
responsibility.

Miss Frutt, Mr. Berluti.

I'm sorry.
That was in the bag.

Virtually all the cases,
all of them,

where the courts are trying

to make
these tough decisions,

they've involved comatose
or vegetative patients.

The choice was basically death
versus vegetable.

Here the choice is death
versus full quality of life,

complete recovery.

The same legal standards
can't apply.

If there's any doubt,
I say it again --

It has to be in favor
of Rebecca Washington's life.

But, Counsel,
I would agree

if this was
a medical decision,

but again this involves

a person's
religious freedom.

And I submit she's not
a Jehovah's Witness,

not for real.

They've given me
an affidavit

from her fellow
congregates.

Her mother --

Rebecca and her mother
were estranged years ago.

Maybe she joined this church

to work
on their relationship.

You're groping.

I have worked side by side

with Rebecca Washington
for 12 years.

I know her.

She doesn't go around
preaching to people

on the streets.

She doesn't
condemn homosexuality.

She doesn't object
to the national anthem.

She doesn't denounce
premarital sex.

She had an abortion herself.

She represents clients
in divorce cases.

None of this
is reconcilable

with her being
a Jehovah's Witness,

none of it,

and if you want to
believe she is,

you have to believe
she's the kind

that doesn't subscribe
to all its tenets,

and given that,
given the possibility

that she
might not subscribe

to the prohibition
on transfusions.

If there's
any question here...

Please give her
the benefit of life.

I love this woman,

but the doctors
can't save her

unless you allow them to.

No.

Your honor,
may I be heard?

You may.

I know my daughter.

We've talked many hours
about our faith.

She is a Jehovah's Witness.

For a Jehovah's Witness,

it is against God's law
to accept blood.

There is no question there.

There is no dispute
about that.

It is the most fundamental
of all our tenets.

Bobby Donnell
gave himself away

when he called
our faith voodoo.

Now, I'm sure to him
it is voodoo,

but freedom of religion
extends to all religions,

whether Bobby Donnell

considers them reasonable
or not.

Best I can figure,

Harper and Shinn
have butted heads all year

and she's just trying
to show support.

Does she control the board?

-Pretty much.
-All right, look,

in victory
you can catch people

at their most gracious,

so what I would
like to do

is take one last crack
at Harper.

If he's as fair-minded
as you say,

although personally
I have not seen that yet --

Any word?

Her blood pressure
has dropped to 90

and her heart rate
is still really high.

Did Fox say
when she'd rule?

She promised by tonight.

BAILIFF: All rise.

Be seated.

People have a right
to refuse medical treatment

on religious grounds.

Whether or not
Rebecca Washington

would refuse
a blood transfusion,

the truth is nobody here
knows for sure.

As a Jehovah's Witness,

my suspicion is she would,

and therefore I shift
the burden to Mr. Donnell

to prove otherwise.

The fact
that Miss Washington

rejected other tenets
of this faith

does not persuade me
she'd reject this one.

The fact remains the tenet
on transfusions,

that goes to the core

of the Jehovah's Witness
religion

in that God treats blood
as sacred.

Mrs. Washington,
are you sure

this is what
your daughter would want?

I am, your honor.

Petitioner's motion
for a court order is denied.

She is going to die.

We're adjourned.

-She is going to die.
-Counsel --

I don't care.

You want to hold me
in contempt, do it.

I don't care!
She is going to die!

I will hold you
in contempt.

I'm taking this
to the court of appeals now!

Oh, my God!

Lindsay?

-Lindsay?
-Oh, God!

Get the paramedics!

I think
she's hemorrhaging.

HELAINE: Let me see.

Oh, God.
I think he's coming out.

What? Get a doctor!
Somebody get a doctor!

He's coming!

If you don't have
medical training,

get out of this room now,
and that's an order.

I was a nurse.

Lindsay, hold on.
Help is coming.

No! My God, he's not waiting!
He's coming!

He's not due for a month.

Well, he doesn't know that.

Get on your back, Lindsay,
on your back.

Okay.

Get on your back.

Okay, okay.

Aah!

Okay,
now I want you to push

on the count of three.

1, 2, 3.

Aah!

Where are the paramedics?

The baby's coming now,
Mr. Donnell.

That-a-girl.

Now 1, 2, 3.

Aah!

Just hold on, Lindsay.

Good, good.
Breathe deep, Lindsay.

Breathe deep and push.

No. It hurts.

Just hold on, Lindsay.

1, 2.

Oh, shut up.
You hold on.

Good, good. Push.

It's 8:00.

I took a guess.

From your weak social skills,

I figured you to have
no personal life

and that
you'd still be working.

Oh, I like that.
Can I steal it?

Feel free.

Have a seat.

I know you can,
but do you have to?

You don't give up,
do you?

Well, the book on you

is that you are both
compassionate and stubborn.

I've seen the stubborn.

And the book on you is
you personalize your cases.

Well,
Kevin is also a friend,

and I thought
he was one of yours.

Yeah, which would make
his lying to me

even more egregious,
wouldn't it?

Is that why we're here,
because he lied?

I'm here trying
to run a school,

you're here apparently
to try to tell me how to.

I am only here to try
to get you to reconsider.

Asked and answered.

Isn't that how it goes?

Look, I did not
come here to fight

and I don't really
want to go to court.

Two weeks suspension,
that way --

I don't have the authority
to suspend him.

Why not?

He doesn't
work here anymore.

He was fired.

Do you want to go
to court, Mr. Harper?

Is that what
you really, really want?

Seems I do.

Push hard, honey.

1, 2, 3.

Aah!

Good. I see the head.

Wait a minute. Hold on.
Where? Where?

Where do you think?

You're one
last push away, okay?

Now I want you
to bear down and push.

Okay.

You can push hard.
Come on.

Okay, okay.

Aah!

Push!

Here he comes.

Okay, here he comes,
here he comes,

here he comes.

Oh, my God.

(baby crying)

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

Oh, he's a beauty.

Oh, he's a beauty.

Is he okay?

He's perfect.

(baby crying)

Isn't he perfect?

Bobby?

We have a son.

We have a son.

You were a big help.

May I see him, please?

Sure.

Oh, oh!

Oh. Hi.

What? In the courtroom?

My, my. And Lindsay?

Are you guys coming here
to this hospital?

Well, uh, I don't know
what to say, Bobby.

Congratulations, man.

Uh, she's doing the same.

Well, I'm going to
give her this news.

Maybe that will wake her up.

Okay. See you later.

You're not going to
believe this, Bec.

Bobby and Lindsay
just had a baby boy.

She had him right
in the courtroom.

How about that?

Mysterious ways, huh?

Oh, my.

Are you okay?

I'm fine. Short labor.

-Oh, God, look at him.
-Does he have a name?

Robert.

You named him after you?

What a shock.

Here's my pager.
I'm waiting for a call

from the appeals court.
Any change with Bec?

No.

It's possible that we
can get in tonight.

Where's Ellenor?

-Bobby?
-I'll be right there.

I need you and Ellenor
to get on Westlaw,

see if there's
any new cases.

All our research
is in here.

Her heart rate
is still too high.

Has it gone up anymore?

No, it's still 140,

but that's dangerous,
Mrs. Washington.

But it hasn't
gotten any worse.

No.

Well, there's that then.

Hey, baby.

So, I hear you're
delivering babies now.

No change?
No.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Lindsay's fine?

Yeah, she's in her room.

You can go up and see her.

Hey, Bec,
you're a Godmother now --

7 pounds, 2 ounces.

Thank you.

Now we just need for you
to wake up.

Would anyone like
to join me in a prayer?

♪ (theme)

You stinker!