The Practice (1997–2004): Season 6, Episode 17 - Fire Proof - full transcript
DOLE: Previously
on The Practice.
You're losing, Helen.
I'm taking over
first chair.
Now, I'm gonna prep
the investigating officer alone.
What other evidence
connects Mr. MacIntyre
to Mr. Hayden's murder?
Mr. MacIntyre
was tried for killing
his former business partner.
Objection!
JUDGE: Sustained.
Counsel, chambers.
DONNELL: You did this
intentionally.
You conspired
with the detective.
That's completely untrue.
Then I wanna put
Helen Gamble on the stand.
Do you have any basis
to believe Mr. Walsh
did intend to cause a mistrial?
Yes. Mr. Walsh made sure
to exclude me
when he prepped
Detective Simons.
JUDGE: The case against
the defendant is dismissed
with prejudice.
I did my ethical duty.
Only because you
were dragged into it.
You're not a hero.
Art, what the hell's
going on?
Take it easy.
DONNELL: You take it easy.
Trial starts tomorrow.
Why is our co-defendant
talking to the D. A.?
He's cutting a deal.
What?
BERLUTI: He can't do that.
We had a deal,
a joint defense
all mapped out.
ART: Hey, I called out
of courtesy.
But our client
is innocent.
Well, mine's pleading
guilty.
Sorry, Jimmy.
It's just how it is.
Art, at least tell us
what he's saying in there
about our client.
NORMAN: So hot.
She sucked the air
right out of my lungs.
I did play
with matches as a boy.
And then you get older
and you need it to last.
Give her air.
She'll come big for you.
She'll come big.
Jesus, will you look at that?
You disgust me.
Helen...
GAMBLE: We want the jury
to believe you,
not to be sickened by you.
You think you can manage that?
I love the new haircut.
It makes you look
like my ex-wife.
You know what?
Mr. Tucker...
Yes, Mr. Walsh?
A night watchman died
in that fire.
Cooperating against
your co-defendant
is the only way you avoid
a life sentence.
Take this seriously.
Yes, Mr. Walsh.
I understand.
I said I'd testify
against Ronald D'Ambrosio
and I will.
He hired me to burn down
his business.
He's guilty.
The jury will believe me.
They'll convict that mobster.
I swear.
Now, could I please watch
the end of the tape?
(music playing)
Forty-two years,
biggest manufacturer
in the north end.
And it all went
in less than five minutes.
You remember it, Jimmy.
You worked here
as a kid, right,
during summer vacation.
I remember,
Mr. D'Ambrosio.
I remember how heavy
this stuff was to move.
D'AMBROSIO:
Beautiful tables, chairs,
solid craftsmanship.
This place was my life.
Your father, Lenny,
worked 20 years.
He knew the man who died,
the watchman.
He was a friend of mine.
He knew I would die
before I would burn
this business.
Mr. D'Ambrosio,
we need to talk about Tucker.
How can he say
I paid him to do it?
Before, he said
we were innocent.
He's agreed to testify
against you
for a reduced sentence.
This is a nightmare.
I'm innocent,
but I can be convicted
of murder anyway,
sent away for life?
We're gonna do
everything we can
to make sure
that doesn't happen.
I'm two times
Businessman of the Year,
Sons of Italy.
I know.
Stop saying you know.
You don't know.
It wasn't always
so nice for us here.
Sure, now we got a mayor,
a governor,
but nothing changes,
not for us, Jimmy.
What do you mean?
To your face,
it's always respect.
But behind your back,
they talk, they assume.
I mean, you could
be Justice Scalia.
If your name
ends in a vowel,
they think
you're La Cosa Nostra.
I've known him
my whole life.
He's not mobbed up.
I understand,
but his business was hurting
and he did get
the insurance.
BERLUTI: He's innocent.
In our house,
the Holy Trinity
was Pope John XXIII,
JFK, and Ronald D'Ambrosio.
Why would Tucker
plead to a crime
he didn't commit?
Whatever the reason,
he's wrong about Mr. D'Ambrosio.
Bobby, we can't lose.
DONNELL: For months,
we planned a joint defense.
Now, out of the blue,
our co-defendant pleads
guilty.
Which is his right.
DONNELL:
The D. A. engineered it
so the plea would come on
the eve of the trial.
GAMBLE: Mr. Tucker
initiated that deal, not us.
DONNELL: Come on.
GAMBLE: It is true.
He called Mr. Walsh first.
DONNELL:
Even if that is true,
our client has been denied
his chance
to prepare a new defense.
KIMBALL: Mr. Donnell,
your complaint
is with Mr. Tucker,
not the D. A.
If he broke his word to you,
sue him.
I can't keep the D. A. from
making deals.
They can make them whenever
and with whomever they like.
I can't help you.
Then Your Honor,
we ask the Court
to consider dismissing
the indictment
for vindictive prosecution.
Excuse me?
BERLUTI: We believe they've
targeted our client
because he's Italian-American.
He's right about that.
Jimmy, what are you doing?
We would like time
to conduct discovery
into the issue so that--
KIMBALL:
Do you have any evidence
to suggest this happened?
Most organized crime cases
involving arson
have been against
Italian-Americans.
Why else would a respected
businessman
even be on trial?
GAMBLE: Because he collected
a huge insurance settlement
after his business
was burn down.
BERLUTI: Allegedly.
The fire was an accident.
Then he has nothing
to worry about.
The jury will acquit him.
Your motion's denied.
(gavel bangs)
D'Ambrosio wants you
first chair, fine,
but pull a stunt like that,
and you will lose.
It was a shot.
He needs to see
we're fighting for him.
Just don't lose your
credibility in the process.
SKIP: If you hit this,
you're right to the files.
Oh, right.
You are totally computer
literate,
which is cool.
Why isn't Doogie in school?
His name is Skip,
and his high school
has a work-study program.
He's been here eight times.
He's always here, and the
computers are never fixed.
If he'd quit hitting on Lucy...
Is it me or
is he kind of cute?
You've totally mastered
this system.
Most people would take,
like, weeks.
Took you, like, four days.
You're awesome.
Thanks.
SKIP: Until you guys upgrade,
there's some things I can't do.
Thing with computers,
they offer so much,
all you have to do
is sit back
and let them do it for you.
It's as if they want to.
Your hair smells
like summer.
Are we done?
I'm sorry. Yes.
How much?
SKIP: It's free.
You guys are my friends.
Oh, that is so nice.
Thank you.
SKIP: Yeah, the computer
stuff is just promotional.
I have other businesses.
Really?
SKIP: Tutoring, investing--
plus, I'm a scholar athlete.
Skip...
SKIP: Lettered cross country.
School, junior achievement,
I got a lot going on.
HATCHER:
Here, if it's too much,
just put it toward next time.
Can I put it towards
something for us
like dinner?
D'Ambrosio gave me the key.
That's how I got in.
Match?
Go over it again.
I'm a designer.
I bought furniture
directly from D'Ambrosio,
mostly for my "ITI" clients.
They just love those heavy,
dark woods. Those--
GAMBLE: When did he give
you the key?
You pushy bitch.
Why don't you let me tell
the story?
Mr. Walsh,
may I speak with you?
You're personalizing this.
I'm not personalizing
anything.
The guy is scum.
We don't get to choose
our witnesses.
Look, the jury will hate him,
and they will hate us
for giving him a break.
We have no choice.
Cutting a deal with Tucker
gets us two convictions.
Without him,
D'Ambrosio walks.
I'm not sure
that's a bad thing.
We know he's done business
with at least two crime
families.
Legitimate business.
He sold these people furniture.
And we think
laundered money.
Look me in the eye
and tell me
you really think
D'Ambrosio's innocent.
I'm not sure.
I have concerns.
You have gone too far before.
So that's what
this is about.
You just had a murder
case kicked
because the Court
found out you lied.
I didn't lie, Helen,
not really.
Besides, you weren't exactly
pure on that yourself.
My point is,
sometimes in our eagerness
to get the bad man,
we can lose our way.
I haven't lost my way, Helen.
I'm still doing the job
the public wants me to do.
If anyone has lost their way,
maybe it's you.
(music playing)
(crackling)
(laughing)
Once he broke the lamp,
he used the sparks to light
the legal pad.
DONNELL: You got to be kidding?
BERLUTI: This is your chief
witness, a sick lunatic.
ART: Who your client hired
to torch--
He didn't.
DONNELL: Jimmy...
You're destroying
a good man's life.
You want to impeach Tucker
with the fact
he committed arson in custody,
that's your right.
Sure. You want us
to do that.
It'll help your case.
ART: Look, we have a continuing
discovery obligation
to tell you if our witness
commits a crime,
so you can use it against
him on cross.
We've done that.
See you in Court.
If he's not guilty,
why would your guy
have met with Tucker?
Maybe I talked to Tucker
about business being bad.
So what?
I told you before,
he was a customer.
D'AMBROSIO: He bought
furniture from me.
DONNELL: But there are no
receipts.
They burned up
in the fire.
Your accountant
didn't keep copies?
BERLUTI: Bobby,
we've been over this.
DONNELL: And it's never
made any sense.
Look, without proof
Tucker was a customer,
we're screwed.
No jury's gonna believe
he did business
with a crazy man.
D'AMBROSIO:
He was an interior decorator,
for God's sake.
They're all crazy.
Okay, the thing is,
all the sales
were off the books, cash.
There never was paperwork.
Wait.
I don't understand.
You were evading taxes?
I'm not the only one,
believe me.
How could you do that?
Am I on trial
for not being a saint now?
I paid millions
in taxes over my life,
more than my share.
Just how much
of your business
was under the table?
What the hell difference
does it make?
I'm on trial for murder, not--
I'm just trying to understand.
DONNELL: Jimmy, let it go.
D'AMBROSIO:
So, it's bad there's no proof
he bought furniture.
What do we do?
We got no choice.
We stick with our original plan.
There was no arson.
The fire was accidental.
Even if Tucker did set it,
you weren't involved.
It's not great,
but it's all we got.
Did our lottery ticket hit?
No, um, you're lucky in love.
You came so late,
you missed The Singers.
Don't tell me that--
They were pretty good.
FRUTT: Yeah.
You think Skip
will ask you to the prom?
I'll drive you guys
if you want.
Yeah.
HATCHER: You know what?
This isn't funny.
I'm gonna have to tell
Skip to stop it.
You know how bad
that makes me feel?
When the heat of the fire
reached 165 degrees,
it set off the sprinkler system,
and that dropped
the water pressure,
which tripped an alarm
at dispatch.
When did the first
engine company arrive?
MAN: Within five minutes,
but by then,
flashover had taken place.
The fire burned so hot
and so fast,
it literally exploded
the building.
GAMBLE:
Where did the fire start?
MAN: It had two points
of origin.
Now, fires don't naturally
have two starting points,
so we brought in a dog
trained to sniff out
fire accelerants.
GAMBLE: What did you find?
MAN: The place had been
soaked in linseed oil.
That's a common fire accelerant.
GAMBLE: Did you review
a coroner's report
of the man who died?
I did.
The position of the body
and the pink flesh
in the trachea
show that he did not die
of smoke inhalation.
He burned to death.
Combustion was so quick
and so intense,
it was more like a bomb
than a fire.
BERLUTI: Before the fire
was even out,
you assumed this was arson?
I assume all fires
are arson
until I can prove
otherwise.
But you had no direct evidence
this was arson.
Unless we catch them
at the scene holding a match,
we never do.
BERLUTI: Did you check
the electrical system
to see if that could
have caused the fire?
We didn't find
any system failures.
There still
could have been one?
It's possible but--
Your report says
you found
forced entry
into the building.
I found a door
had been kicked open,
but that could
have been one of our men
ventilating smoke.
BERLUTI: Or a homeless
person could have broken in
to get warm and accidentally
caused the fire.
It was cold that night.
Isn't that possible?
Yes, but--
BERLUTI:
You just told Ms. Gamble
the place was soaked
in linseed oil,
but your report said
you didn't smell any.
It's possible
the fire was so hot
it burned off that evidence.
BERLUTI: Couldn't something
else in the warehouse
have contributed
to the fire's heat?
They use lacquer
to finish tables,
solvents, thinners,
all of which can combust
when it's hot.
But as you said,
it was cold that night,
so that kind of combustion
is not possible.
Plus, the dog didn't alert
to other fuels,
meaning they weren't there.
Or they were,
but like you said,
the fire was so hot,
it burned them all up.
If you're gonna play the theme
from "Ice Castles" again--
How did you know?
You know,
don't say anything.
Just come here.
What are you doing?
I don't like to give
these people material
to make fun of me with.
SKIP: I'm sorry.
I just really wanna show
you how I feel.
I know, okay?
I know.
You're embarrassing me
by sending flowers
and showing up like this.
You're the most beautiful,
most special woman
I have ever seen.
Oh, Skip...
SKIP: You are.
My whole life
I've always thought
if you want something
and you work hard
and believe enough,
you can have it.
Why do you talk about me
like I'm a school project?
I would do anything for you.
My parents were young
when they met.
Lucy, I love you.
I want you to take this
with my heart.
I know it'll be tough
because we're young,
but I think
we can be happy.
I have absolutely no idea
what to say to this.
Just don't say no.
GAMBLE: Had the defendant
recently increased
his fire insurance policy?
A month before the fire,
he doubled it.
The warehouse
was insured for $6,000,000,
the stock,
an additional 2,000,000.
After the fire,
did he file a claim?
MAN: For the full amount.
We conducted an investigation
and found that
Mr. D'Ambrosio's business
was losing money prior
to the fire.
His orders had dried up,
yet he was still manufacturing
new merchandise to stock
his warehouse.
GAMBLE: What did you do?
MAN: We forwarded
our suspicions to the D. A.,
along with our findings.
But you paid
the claim anyway.
Why would you do that?
MAN: The law says
if we fail to make a payment
within a reasonable time,
we can be sued
for bad faith
and face triple damages.
Juries don't like
insurance companies,
and we didn't wanna risk
a trial.
You didn't wanna risk
a trial.
You'd rather my client
risk one.
Is that a question?
BERLUTI: If my client
is convicted of arson,
he'll be ordered to pay
restitution to you,
meaning you'll get
all your money back,
plus interest.
If he defrauded us,
I think we're entitled to that.
You could also bring
a 93A fraud action
against my client
and get triple damages,
meaning your company
could end up
making money off of this fire.
I suppose.
When you handed
the fire inspector your report,
you were hoping they'd come
after Mr. D'Ambrosio.
MAN: The law requires
that we report
all suspicious fires.
But you have the most to gain
if my client
is convicted of arson.
Arson costs
insurance companies
billions of dollars,
which, frankly,
we pass on to consumers.
We all gain when arsonists
are punished.
Move to strike, nonresponsive.
Sorry, Mr. Berluti.
I'd say he responded
very directly to your question.
Objection overruled.
So far, I say we played
them even.
Which is good.
DONNELL: Honestly, no.
Trials have a momentum.
People make up their mind
before closings.
We wanted to create reasonable
doubt with the jury
before Tucker got on the stand.
BERLUTI: That stuff
about the insurance
and your business going down--
We knew they were gonna
bring that up.
The whole country's
in an economic downturn.
Every business has insurance.
DONNELL: The point
is to have any chance at all.
We need to take Tucker out.
Bobby, I want you
to cross-examine Tucker.
Mr. D'Ambrosio,
I'm preparing for that.
Jimmy, you're getting
shelled in there.
That Gamble, she scores
every time she gets up.
I got a right to call
for relief.
You're not doing the job.
I don't think that's fair.
D'AMBROSIO:
I don't care what you think.
They wanna put me
in prison for murder.
You understand that?
They're treating me like
I'm public enemy number one,
like I'm from the gutter
after I spent my whole life
proving that I'm as good
as any of them.
I can't afford to care
about your feelings.
I got to be smart about this.
I want the Irishman
to cross Tucker,
not you.
(phone ringing)
It's him.
I can't answer it.
I can't believe you got
engaged before me.
I'm not engaged.
DOLE: At least 2 karats.
How much does that cost?
FRUTT: Yeah.
I don't wanna know.
At least $6,000.
What are you gonna do?
Well, I tried to give it back,
but he wouldn't leave
until I promised
to at least think about it.
It is kind of sweet.
HATCHER: I know.
(phone ringing)
Hello, Skip.
You're where?
Listen to me, I don't care
how you feel right now.
Don't say anything.
No.
Until we get there,
do not speak to the FBI.
Did you just say, "the FBI"?
Skip's been arrested.
For what?
Something
about federal wire fraud.
The police arrested me
at the scene.
I was videotaping the fire.
GAMBLE: You do that a lot?
Only when I set them.
The police
searched my house.
They found
my whole collection.
How did you
set this fire?
I soaked some fabric
with fuel.
There was a bolt of upholstery
in the warehouse,
a very nice flame
stitch pattern,
which seemed
appropriate.
What kind of fuel
did you use?
That dog was right,
linseed oil.
GAMBLE: Tell us how
you ignited the fire.
NORMAN: Not wanting
to burn myself up,
I used a delay device.
All you need
is a lit cigarette.
Why did you set
this fire?
My ex-wife's lady lawyer
got her a huge alimony.
So when D'Ambrosio
complained
that his business
was tubing,
I offered to burn it down
for $50,000.
GAMBLE: When did you make
this offer?
One week before I did it.
We met on the commons
in the middle of the day.
How did he pay you?
Upfront, in cash.
We did all our business
in cash.
DONNELL: How many fires
have you set in your life?
That's like asking me
how many times
I beat my ex-wife.
I can't remember
exactly.
DONNELL: By testifying
against my client,
you get a pass
on those fires?
I better.
DONNELL: And a reduced sentence
for felony murder
of the night watchman
in this case?
I deserve that.
I never meant
to hurt anyone.
DONNELL:
Your obsession with fire,
you ever gratify yourself
sexually watching a fire?
Have you?
Answer the question.
Yeah, I've done that.
DONNELL: So, your motive for
setting fires isn't economic.
You never set them
for money before.
No, this is the first time
I took money for it.
Ever lie about
setting a fire?
To avoid getting caught?
Yeah.
Like you're lying now
to avoid punishment?
I am not lying now,
Mr. Donnell.
DONNELL: Nobody can verify
any part of your story
about getting paid
for this.
Your client could.
Move to strike.
KIMBALL: Sustained.
The jury will disregard.
DONNELL: Mr. Tucker,
isn't it a fact
that you approached the D. A.
and suggested
you'd accuse my client?
It seemed like
a good idea.
DONNELL: You say my client
gave you a key
to the warehouse.
Where is it?
I lost it.
DONNELL: What about the money?
Sorry?
The $50,000
you say my client gave you,
where is it?
You wouldn't believe me.
Try me.
It burnt in the fire.
I left it behind
in the warehouse.
I always wanted to have
money to burn.
You were right. I didn't do it
for money after all.
You're so smart.
You're not,
not if you expect this jury
to believe that story.
Nothing further.
(music playing)
Your boyfriend ran
a pyramid scheme.
He's not
my boyfriend.
Lucy, please.
What do you people think
Skip did?
He promised a million-dollar
return on a $25 investment.
How?
Through a chain
letter email.
Each person sends out
five dollars
to five other people,
one of whom
is always Hyman.
Then they forward the email
to as many people
as possible.
Hyman got five dollars
from fourteen hundred
people.
He must have used that money
to buy the ring.
He's not even 18.
I thought the feds
didn't do juvie cases.
We don't unless
there's federal jurisdiction.
He committed
federal wire fraud.
The U. S. attorney must
have better things
to do than this.
Oh, we always have time
for high visibility cases.
Wait a minute.
You're putting out
a press release on this?
For deterrent purposes?
Absolutely.
You're gonna ruin
this kid's life!
How much trouble is he in?
Fourteen hundred
separate counts
of wire fraud
at five per.
Seven thousand years?
Only if they run
consecutively.
The good news is
we've decided
you were not involved.
Me?
What makes you think
she was involved?
She barely knows Skip.
Oh, really?
Then why did he spend the night
at her place?
Ellenor,
not here.
Not now.
They arrested me
at a track meet.
They even took my spikes.
Skip,
where's your mom?
I didn't call her.
I called Lucy.
You need to call her.
I wanna introduce you
when it's right,
not now like this.
What were you thinking
with that chain letter?
I swear I didn't know
it was illegal.
Someone sent it
to me first.
It doesn't matter!
Please,
don't let this affect
your decision.
We can still be happy.
D'AMBROSIO: I have to admit
I did cash business with Tucker.
DONNELL: You need to explain
how it is you knew him
and why there is no proof.
I'll have the IRS
all over me.
DONNELL: You rather get
convicted of murder?
You need to testify.
If you don't,
the jury will think
you're hiding something.
I got nothing to hide.
I do business
just like they do it
up on Beacon Hill,
only they don't charge them
with murder.
Can't he take the fifth
on the taxes?
If he does, his whole testimony
will be struck,
and that he will definitely
be convicted.
If you had crossed
Tucker better,
I wouldn't have to testify.
You know what?
I've had enough of this.
I haven't said anything before
out of respect to Jimmy,
but you're out of line.
Hey, I'm paying
for performance here,
not excuses.
End of story.
I'm putting you
back in charge.
(music playing)
They just called.
D'Ambrosio's testifying.
He's up after lunch.
That's good.
Is it?
The defendant doesn't take
the stand unless he has to.
Or unless
he's got a good story.
Better be good
after Tucker.
I wasn't so thrilled
by his performance.
He did enough.
GAMBLE: He looked like something
that just crawled
out of the toilet.
The jury knows
what's going on.
They know
D'Ambrosio's guilty.
I'm not so sure
I agree.
I don't care.
I can't afford
your internal debates, Helen.
We've been losing too much.
It's hard enough
to win these cases
without you second-guessing
our motives and methods.
(sighs)
If you can't do the job,
then get the hell out.
But until you do,
you go after D'Ambrosio hard
and win this case.
I've been in business
a long time.
A lot of companies
went overseas
or down south
to save money.
I stayed in Boston.
I've done a lot of good
by giving jobs
to a lot of people.
It's never just been
about money,
not to me.
The people in my business,
they're family,
and I would never hurt
my family.
BERLUTI: Do you deny
knowing Norman Tucker?
No, he was my customer.
I sold him furniture
for several years.
BERLUTI: Did you hire him
to burn your business?
Absolutely not.
I have nothing further.
There's no record
that you ever sold
any furniture
to Mr. Tucker.
It was done in cash
to avoid taxes.
That was wrong.
I admit it.
What about
the chemical dumping?
Do you admit
that was wrong?
Objection, relevance.
GAMBLE: Goes to motive.
Your Honor,
the EPA was investigating
the warehouse
for illegal waste disposal.
The fire made
the investigation moot.
Overruled.
D'AMBROSIO:
I'm an American businessman.
I'm used to being
overregulated.
I don't burn my business
because of it.
Business for you was bad.
Business goes in cycles.
It goes up, it goes down.
You had operating losses
for six straight quarters.
D'AMBROSIO:
I don't shrivel up and die
because of a bad streak.
I work through it.
I was coming back.
The fire came just in time
to save you
from losing your shirt.
D'AMBROSIO:
Times were tough, yes,
but it didn't stop me
from serving on charity boards,
raising money for a new hospital
in the north end,
paying my employees on time.
I didn't commit any crime.
Mr. Tucker
was your customer.
When was the last time
you two met?
I don't remember.
If we have a witness
who says
he saw you with him
on the commons
one week before the fire,
would that refresh
your recollection?
No, it wouldn't.
You don't sound so sure.
Objection!
Withdrawn.
I have nothing further.
(music playing)
HATCHER: It's been going on
for six weeks,
from when he first fixed
the computers.
It was the end of the day.
We talked...
to begin with.
He's really smart
and he's got this energy.
It's just
the age difference.
He told me he was 18.
Besides,
I never slept with him.
He just stayed over one night
'cause it was late.
Lucy, I am the last person
to judge anyone
about things like this,
believe me.
I don't know
how it happened,
but there's a part of me
that really likes him.
And there's nothing wrong
with that.
It's just--
BETSY: Lucy Hatcher?
I'm, uh, Skip's mom
Betsy Hyman.
Oh. Hi.
I'm really sorry that
we had to meet like this.
Skip is right.
You are very pretty.
As a mother,
you worry who your son
will fall for.
Too bad Skip fell
for such a slut.
Hey!
BETSY: My son was perfect,
then he meets you.
Now he's a criminal!
A man is dead,
a business is ruined
all because of greed.
Ronald D'Ambrosio
may not have lit the match,
but he's the one
who started the fire
the day he hired
Norman Tucker
to torch his warehouse.
But for D'Ambrosio,
the fire never happens
and the night watchman
is never burned alive.
See, most arson cases
are based
on circumstantial evidence.
This one isn't.
Norman Tucker
gave direct testimony
against the defendant.
He told you how he committed
the crime and why,
money.
Norman Tucker wanted to earn
some by lighting a fire.
D'Ambrosio
wanted to earn some
through insurance fraud.
You may not like Tucker.
You may be disgusted by him.
I am.
But the fact remains,
Tucker pled guilty
to an arson
that the defendant
paid him to commit.
When you have
a criminal conspiracy,
you can't expect to find
nice people involved.
We didn't choose Tucker
as a witness.
D'Ambrosio chose him
to be a partner in crime.
You stick a crook
in a nice suit,
he's still a crook.
Ronald D'Ambrosio
is a crook.
BERLUTI: My client has been
a pillar of the community
for almost
half a century.
You could argue
that they should build
a statue for him.
Instead,
they charge him with murder.
My client thinks
what they really blame him for
is being an Italian-American.
He thinks if his name
was Cabot or Lodge,
they would never
have charged him.
I don't know.
There's been so many bad movies
and overhyped
television shows,
maybe people do think
if you're a successful
Italian-American,
you must be mobbed up.
I know this,
having insurance
is not a motive.
Filing an insurance claim
is not a crime.
They didn't even prove
this was arson
beyond a reasonable doubt.
And they never presented
any evidence
linking my client
to any arson
involving Norman Tucker.
Their whole case
is built
on the testimony
of a demented,
admitted liar
who may or may not
have started this fire,
but who says he sexually
gratifies himself
watching buildings burn.
When the government
gets into bed
with lowlifes
like Norman Tucker,
it ought to make you mad.
Don't convict
an innocent man
on the basis
of bought testimony
from a crazy man.
Ronald D'Ambrosio...
is not guilty.
A Brooklyn plan
for this guy?
FRUTT: Yes. He pleads
to one felony.
If he keeps his nose clean,
you expunge the conviction.
Please.
He's a good boy.
I don't know.
He'll have to make
full restitution
and immediately forfeit
any property
bought with
criminal proceeds.
Can I talk to Skip
for a minute?
Stay out of this!
Mrs. Hyman, please.
Maybe this could help.
Lucy, please don't.
I'm sorry.
I'm just not ready
for that kind of a commitment.
I love you.
Oh, for God's sake!
Maybe we should give them
a little privacy.
If it's the ring,
I'll get you another one,
please.
It's not the ring.
I care for you,
but this is just way too--
Give me that!
My son is taking the deal.
He'll plead guilty.
And you,
stay the hell away
from my son!
(music playing)
Jimmy, take my Rolex.
If they take me
into custody,
I don't want the guards
to steal it.
Will the defendant
please rise?
Has the jury reached
a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
KIMBALL: As to the charge
of conspiracy
to commit arson
with intent to defraud
and felony murder,
how say you?
WOMAN: We the jury
find the defendant
Ronald D'Ambrosio
not guilty.
KIMBALL: Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury, I thank you.
This concludes your service
to the commonwealth.
This Court is adjourned.
(gavel bangs)
Wow, what a relief.
Thank you both.
Jimmy,
you're a good man.
Right.
You saved me
from being
wrongly convicted.
Not that it didn't cost,
what you made on this case
would have taken
your old man
five years to make.
He would have been
so proud of you.
You think
you knew my father?
Jimmy.
Didn't I?
My father admired you.
I admired him.
Blue-collar guy,
son becomes a lawyer.
That's the American dream.
You didn't know my father.
What are you talking about?
A clerk once gave him
too much change,
maybe two dollars.
He realized
when he got home,
drove 10 miles in the rain
to give it back.
The man couldn't lie.
And I used to think,
"What a chump.
He has so little,
and he doesn't even know
how the world works."
He paid his taxes,
waited his turn,
played by the rules.
He was so naive,
he thought guys
like you did, too.
Mr. D'Ambrosio,
my father was a better man
than I will ever be.
I wish I could
tell him that
and tell him the kind of
a guy you really are.
Jimmy,
I was innocent.
If your father
thought I was a hero,
well,
maybe he was wrong.
I'm sorry.
The truth is...
I'm just a businessman.
I waited till the last minute
to plead
because I knew Walsh
would be desperate
and he'd give me
a good deal.
GAMBLE: I'm gonna ask you
one more time,
did Mr. Walsh
encourage you
to falsely incriminate
D'Ambrosio or not?
If I admit lying
on the stand,
I wouldn't get a reduced
sentence for the fire
unless you wanna give me
a bigger break
for giving up Walsh.
No.
You're still
gonna serve time.
You need to go away
for as long as possible.
You can't prove
that my testimony
was untruthful.
You still have to give me
a reduced sentence.
GAMBLE: Unfortunately.
Goodbye, Mr. Tucker.
NORMAN: I'm sorry
I can't help.
I know it'd make you feel
so much better
to blame Walsh.
You're such
a team player.
Walsh wanted
to believe me.
What was your excuse?
Whenever you got close
to asking me
about the details
of the fire,
about the key,
all I had to do
was insult you,
and you forgot
to pursue it.
A good prosecutor
would have known
I was lying
the whole time,
ambitious
and incompetent.
They'll make you a Judge
if you're not careful.
Turns out,
I burnt the place
'cause I hated
the style of the furniture
that it made
such a big fire.
Of course,
I never said any of this.
Good night, honey.
Guard!
(music playing)
MAN: Next on The Practice.
Who did you kill?
Why don't we start
by asking
where I've been
for the last three years?
Law School.
You're a lawyer?
I've got a case now.
That's why I'm here.
My conscience says I should
get another lawyer onboard
with experience.
Come on. What do you say?
You, me, Ellie,
it'll be fun.
Jennifer called.
She was raped last night.
It was a trick.
He just went crazy.
GAMBLE: Jimmy,
the examination didn't reveal
any vaginal bruising
or tearing.
Did you see her face?
Do you think
she did that to herself?
This is a hooker
with a drug problem.
I'm not that good a D. A.
(music playing)
WOMAN: You stinker!
on The Practice.
You're losing, Helen.
I'm taking over
first chair.
Now, I'm gonna prep
the investigating officer alone.
What other evidence
connects Mr. MacIntyre
to Mr. Hayden's murder?
Mr. MacIntyre
was tried for killing
his former business partner.
Objection!
JUDGE: Sustained.
Counsel, chambers.
DONNELL: You did this
intentionally.
You conspired
with the detective.
That's completely untrue.
Then I wanna put
Helen Gamble on the stand.
Do you have any basis
to believe Mr. Walsh
did intend to cause a mistrial?
Yes. Mr. Walsh made sure
to exclude me
when he prepped
Detective Simons.
JUDGE: The case against
the defendant is dismissed
with prejudice.
I did my ethical duty.
Only because you
were dragged into it.
You're not a hero.
Art, what the hell's
going on?
Take it easy.
DONNELL: You take it easy.
Trial starts tomorrow.
Why is our co-defendant
talking to the D. A.?
He's cutting a deal.
What?
BERLUTI: He can't do that.
We had a deal,
a joint defense
all mapped out.
ART: Hey, I called out
of courtesy.
But our client
is innocent.
Well, mine's pleading
guilty.
Sorry, Jimmy.
It's just how it is.
Art, at least tell us
what he's saying in there
about our client.
NORMAN: So hot.
She sucked the air
right out of my lungs.
I did play
with matches as a boy.
And then you get older
and you need it to last.
Give her air.
She'll come big for you.
She'll come big.
Jesus, will you look at that?
You disgust me.
Helen...
GAMBLE: We want the jury
to believe you,
not to be sickened by you.
You think you can manage that?
I love the new haircut.
It makes you look
like my ex-wife.
You know what?
Mr. Tucker...
Yes, Mr. Walsh?
A night watchman died
in that fire.
Cooperating against
your co-defendant
is the only way you avoid
a life sentence.
Take this seriously.
Yes, Mr. Walsh.
I understand.
I said I'd testify
against Ronald D'Ambrosio
and I will.
He hired me to burn down
his business.
He's guilty.
The jury will believe me.
They'll convict that mobster.
I swear.
Now, could I please watch
the end of the tape?
(music playing)
Forty-two years,
biggest manufacturer
in the north end.
And it all went
in less than five minutes.
You remember it, Jimmy.
You worked here
as a kid, right,
during summer vacation.
I remember,
Mr. D'Ambrosio.
I remember how heavy
this stuff was to move.
D'AMBROSIO:
Beautiful tables, chairs,
solid craftsmanship.
This place was my life.
Your father, Lenny,
worked 20 years.
He knew the man who died,
the watchman.
He was a friend of mine.
He knew I would die
before I would burn
this business.
Mr. D'Ambrosio,
we need to talk about Tucker.
How can he say
I paid him to do it?
Before, he said
we were innocent.
He's agreed to testify
against you
for a reduced sentence.
This is a nightmare.
I'm innocent,
but I can be convicted
of murder anyway,
sent away for life?
We're gonna do
everything we can
to make sure
that doesn't happen.
I'm two times
Businessman of the Year,
Sons of Italy.
I know.
Stop saying you know.
You don't know.
It wasn't always
so nice for us here.
Sure, now we got a mayor,
a governor,
but nothing changes,
not for us, Jimmy.
What do you mean?
To your face,
it's always respect.
But behind your back,
they talk, they assume.
I mean, you could
be Justice Scalia.
If your name
ends in a vowel,
they think
you're La Cosa Nostra.
I've known him
my whole life.
He's not mobbed up.
I understand,
but his business was hurting
and he did get
the insurance.
BERLUTI: He's innocent.
In our house,
the Holy Trinity
was Pope John XXIII,
JFK, and Ronald D'Ambrosio.
Why would Tucker
plead to a crime
he didn't commit?
Whatever the reason,
he's wrong about Mr. D'Ambrosio.
Bobby, we can't lose.
DONNELL: For months,
we planned a joint defense.
Now, out of the blue,
our co-defendant pleads
guilty.
Which is his right.
DONNELL:
The D. A. engineered it
so the plea would come on
the eve of the trial.
GAMBLE: Mr. Tucker
initiated that deal, not us.
DONNELL: Come on.
GAMBLE: It is true.
He called Mr. Walsh first.
DONNELL:
Even if that is true,
our client has been denied
his chance
to prepare a new defense.
KIMBALL: Mr. Donnell,
your complaint
is with Mr. Tucker,
not the D. A.
If he broke his word to you,
sue him.
I can't keep the D. A. from
making deals.
They can make them whenever
and with whomever they like.
I can't help you.
Then Your Honor,
we ask the Court
to consider dismissing
the indictment
for vindictive prosecution.
Excuse me?
BERLUTI: We believe they've
targeted our client
because he's Italian-American.
He's right about that.
Jimmy, what are you doing?
We would like time
to conduct discovery
into the issue so that--
KIMBALL:
Do you have any evidence
to suggest this happened?
Most organized crime cases
involving arson
have been against
Italian-Americans.
Why else would a respected
businessman
even be on trial?
GAMBLE: Because he collected
a huge insurance settlement
after his business
was burn down.
BERLUTI: Allegedly.
The fire was an accident.
Then he has nothing
to worry about.
The jury will acquit him.
Your motion's denied.
(gavel bangs)
D'Ambrosio wants you
first chair, fine,
but pull a stunt like that,
and you will lose.
It was a shot.
He needs to see
we're fighting for him.
Just don't lose your
credibility in the process.
SKIP: If you hit this,
you're right to the files.
Oh, right.
You are totally computer
literate,
which is cool.
Why isn't Doogie in school?
His name is Skip,
and his high school
has a work-study program.
He's been here eight times.
He's always here, and the
computers are never fixed.
If he'd quit hitting on Lucy...
Is it me or
is he kind of cute?
You've totally mastered
this system.
Most people would take,
like, weeks.
Took you, like, four days.
You're awesome.
Thanks.
SKIP: Until you guys upgrade,
there's some things I can't do.
Thing with computers,
they offer so much,
all you have to do
is sit back
and let them do it for you.
It's as if they want to.
Your hair smells
like summer.
Are we done?
I'm sorry. Yes.
How much?
SKIP: It's free.
You guys are my friends.
Oh, that is so nice.
Thank you.
SKIP: Yeah, the computer
stuff is just promotional.
I have other businesses.
Really?
SKIP: Tutoring, investing--
plus, I'm a scholar athlete.
Skip...
SKIP: Lettered cross country.
School, junior achievement,
I got a lot going on.
HATCHER:
Here, if it's too much,
just put it toward next time.
Can I put it towards
something for us
like dinner?
D'Ambrosio gave me the key.
That's how I got in.
Match?
Go over it again.
I'm a designer.
I bought furniture
directly from D'Ambrosio,
mostly for my "ITI" clients.
They just love those heavy,
dark woods. Those--
GAMBLE: When did he give
you the key?
You pushy bitch.
Why don't you let me tell
the story?
Mr. Walsh,
may I speak with you?
You're personalizing this.
I'm not personalizing
anything.
The guy is scum.
We don't get to choose
our witnesses.
Look, the jury will hate him,
and they will hate us
for giving him a break.
We have no choice.
Cutting a deal with Tucker
gets us two convictions.
Without him,
D'Ambrosio walks.
I'm not sure
that's a bad thing.
We know he's done business
with at least two crime
families.
Legitimate business.
He sold these people furniture.
And we think
laundered money.
Look me in the eye
and tell me
you really think
D'Ambrosio's innocent.
I'm not sure.
I have concerns.
You have gone too far before.
So that's what
this is about.
You just had a murder
case kicked
because the Court
found out you lied.
I didn't lie, Helen,
not really.
Besides, you weren't exactly
pure on that yourself.
My point is,
sometimes in our eagerness
to get the bad man,
we can lose our way.
I haven't lost my way, Helen.
I'm still doing the job
the public wants me to do.
If anyone has lost their way,
maybe it's you.
(music playing)
(crackling)
(laughing)
Once he broke the lamp,
he used the sparks to light
the legal pad.
DONNELL: You got to be kidding?
BERLUTI: This is your chief
witness, a sick lunatic.
ART: Who your client hired
to torch--
He didn't.
DONNELL: Jimmy...
You're destroying
a good man's life.
You want to impeach Tucker
with the fact
he committed arson in custody,
that's your right.
Sure. You want us
to do that.
It'll help your case.
ART: Look, we have a continuing
discovery obligation
to tell you if our witness
commits a crime,
so you can use it against
him on cross.
We've done that.
See you in Court.
If he's not guilty,
why would your guy
have met with Tucker?
Maybe I talked to Tucker
about business being bad.
So what?
I told you before,
he was a customer.
D'AMBROSIO: He bought
furniture from me.
DONNELL: But there are no
receipts.
They burned up
in the fire.
Your accountant
didn't keep copies?
BERLUTI: Bobby,
we've been over this.
DONNELL: And it's never
made any sense.
Look, without proof
Tucker was a customer,
we're screwed.
No jury's gonna believe
he did business
with a crazy man.
D'AMBROSIO:
He was an interior decorator,
for God's sake.
They're all crazy.
Okay, the thing is,
all the sales
were off the books, cash.
There never was paperwork.
Wait.
I don't understand.
You were evading taxes?
I'm not the only one,
believe me.
How could you do that?
Am I on trial
for not being a saint now?
I paid millions
in taxes over my life,
more than my share.
Just how much
of your business
was under the table?
What the hell difference
does it make?
I'm on trial for murder, not--
I'm just trying to understand.
DONNELL: Jimmy, let it go.
D'AMBROSIO:
So, it's bad there's no proof
he bought furniture.
What do we do?
We got no choice.
We stick with our original plan.
There was no arson.
The fire was accidental.
Even if Tucker did set it,
you weren't involved.
It's not great,
but it's all we got.
Did our lottery ticket hit?
No, um, you're lucky in love.
You came so late,
you missed The Singers.
Don't tell me that--
They were pretty good.
FRUTT: Yeah.
You think Skip
will ask you to the prom?
I'll drive you guys
if you want.
Yeah.
HATCHER: You know what?
This isn't funny.
I'm gonna have to tell
Skip to stop it.
You know how bad
that makes me feel?
When the heat of the fire
reached 165 degrees,
it set off the sprinkler system,
and that dropped
the water pressure,
which tripped an alarm
at dispatch.
When did the first
engine company arrive?
MAN: Within five minutes,
but by then,
flashover had taken place.
The fire burned so hot
and so fast,
it literally exploded
the building.
GAMBLE:
Where did the fire start?
MAN: It had two points
of origin.
Now, fires don't naturally
have two starting points,
so we brought in a dog
trained to sniff out
fire accelerants.
GAMBLE: What did you find?
MAN: The place had been
soaked in linseed oil.
That's a common fire accelerant.
GAMBLE: Did you review
a coroner's report
of the man who died?
I did.
The position of the body
and the pink flesh
in the trachea
show that he did not die
of smoke inhalation.
He burned to death.
Combustion was so quick
and so intense,
it was more like a bomb
than a fire.
BERLUTI: Before the fire
was even out,
you assumed this was arson?
I assume all fires
are arson
until I can prove
otherwise.
But you had no direct evidence
this was arson.
Unless we catch them
at the scene holding a match,
we never do.
BERLUTI: Did you check
the electrical system
to see if that could
have caused the fire?
We didn't find
any system failures.
There still
could have been one?
It's possible but--
Your report says
you found
forced entry
into the building.
I found a door
had been kicked open,
but that could
have been one of our men
ventilating smoke.
BERLUTI: Or a homeless
person could have broken in
to get warm and accidentally
caused the fire.
It was cold that night.
Isn't that possible?
Yes, but--
BERLUTI:
You just told Ms. Gamble
the place was soaked
in linseed oil,
but your report said
you didn't smell any.
It's possible
the fire was so hot
it burned off that evidence.
BERLUTI: Couldn't something
else in the warehouse
have contributed
to the fire's heat?
They use lacquer
to finish tables,
solvents, thinners,
all of which can combust
when it's hot.
But as you said,
it was cold that night,
so that kind of combustion
is not possible.
Plus, the dog didn't alert
to other fuels,
meaning they weren't there.
Or they were,
but like you said,
the fire was so hot,
it burned them all up.
If you're gonna play the theme
from "Ice Castles" again--
How did you know?
You know,
don't say anything.
Just come here.
What are you doing?
I don't like to give
these people material
to make fun of me with.
SKIP: I'm sorry.
I just really wanna show
you how I feel.
I know, okay?
I know.
You're embarrassing me
by sending flowers
and showing up like this.
You're the most beautiful,
most special woman
I have ever seen.
Oh, Skip...
SKIP: You are.
My whole life
I've always thought
if you want something
and you work hard
and believe enough,
you can have it.
Why do you talk about me
like I'm a school project?
I would do anything for you.
My parents were young
when they met.
Lucy, I love you.
I want you to take this
with my heart.
I know it'll be tough
because we're young,
but I think
we can be happy.
I have absolutely no idea
what to say to this.
Just don't say no.
GAMBLE: Had the defendant
recently increased
his fire insurance policy?
A month before the fire,
he doubled it.
The warehouse
was insured for $6,000,000,
the stock,
an additional 2,000,000.
After the fire,
did he file a claim?
MAN: For the full amount.
We conducted an investigation
and found that
Mr. D'Ambrosio's business
was losing money prior
to the fire.
His orders had dried up,
yet he was still manufacturing
new merchandise to stock
his warehouse.
GAMBLE: What did you do?
MAN: We forwarded
our suspicions to the D. A.,
along with our findings.
But you paid
the claim anyway.
Why would you do that?
MAN: The law says
if we fail to make a payment
within a reasonable time,
we can be sued
for bad faith
and face triple damages.
Juries don't like
insurance companies,
and we didn't wanna risk
a trial.
You didn't wanna risk
a trial.
You'd rather my client
risk one.
Is that a question?
BERLUTI: If my client
is convicted of arson,
he'll be ordered to pay
restitution to you,
meaning you'll get
all your money back,
plus interest.
If he defrauded us,
I think we're entitled to that.
You could also bring
a 93A fraud action
against my client
and get triple damages,
meaning your company
could end up
making money off of this fire.
I suppose.
When you handed
the fire inspector your report,
you were hoping they'd come
after Mr. D'Ambrosio.
MAN: The law requires
that we report
all suspicious fires.
But you have the most to gain
if my client
is convicted of arson.
Arson costs
insurance companies
billions of dollars,
which, frankly,
we pass on to consumers.
We all gain when arsonists
are punished.
Move to strike, nonresponsive.
Sorry, Mr. Berluti.
I'd say he responded
very directly to your question.
Objection overruled.
So far, I say we played
them even.
Which is good.
DONNELL: Honestly, no.
Trials have a momentum.
People make up their mind
before closings.
We wanted to create reasonable
doubt with the jury
before Tucker got on the stand.
BERLUTI: That stuff
about the insurance
and your business going down--
We knew they were gonna
bring that up.
The whole country's
in an economic downturn.
Every business has insurance.
DONNELL: The point
is to have any chance at all.
We need to take Tucker out.
Bobby, I want you
to cross-examine Tucker.
Mr. D'Ambrosio,
I'm preparing for that.
Jimmy, you're getting
shelled in there.
That Gamble, she scores
every time she gets up.
I got a right to call
for relief.
You're not doing the job.
I don't think that's fair.
D'AMBROSIO:
I don't care what you think.
They wanna put me
in prison for murder.
You understand that?
They're treating me like
I'm public enemy number one,
like I'm from the gutter
after I spent my whole life
proving that I'm as good
as any of them.
I can't afford to care
about your feelings.
I got to be smart about this.
I want the Irishman
to cross Tucker,
not you.
(phone ringing)
It's him.
I can't answer it.
I can't believe you got
engaged before me.
I'm not engaged.
DOLE: At least 2 karats.
How much does that cost?
FRUTT: Yeah.
I don't wanna know.
At least $6,000.
What are you gonna do?
Well, I tried to give it back,
but he wouldn't leave
until I promised
to at least think about it.
It is kind of sweet.
HATCHER: I know.
(phone ringing)
Hello, Skip.
You're where?
Listen to me, I don't care
how you feel right now.
Don't say anything.
No.
Until we get there,
do not speak to the FBI.
Did you just say, "the FBI"?
Skip's been arrested.
For what?
Something
about federal wire fraud.
The police arrested me
at the scene.
I was videotaping the fire.
GAMBLE: You do that a lot?
Only when I set them.
The police
searched my house.
They found
my whole collection.
How did you
set this fire?
I soaked some fabric
with fuel.
There was a bolt of upholstery
in the warehouse,
a very nice flame
stitch pattern,
which seemed
appropriate.
What kind of fuel
did you use?
That dog was right,
linseed oil.
GAMBLE: Tell us how
you ignited the fire.
NORMAN: Not wanting
to burn myself up,
I used a delay device.
All you need
is a lit cigarette.
Why did you set
this fire?
My ex-wife's lady lawyer
got her a huge alimony.
So when D'Ambrosio
complained
that his business
was tubing,
I offered to burn it down
for $50,000.
GAMBLE: When did you make
this offer?
One week before I did it.
We met on the commons
in the middle of the day.
How did he pay you?
Upfront, in cash.
We did all our business
in cash.
DONNELL: How many fires
have you set in your life?
That's like asking me
how many times
I beat my ex-wife.
I can't remember
exactly.
DONNELL: By testifying
against my client,
you get a pass
on those fires?
I better.
DONNELL: And a reduced sentence
for felony murder
of the night watchman
in this case?
I deserve that.
I never meant
to hurt anyone.
DONNELL:
Your obsession with fire,
you ever gratify yourself
sexually watching a fire?
Have you?
Answer the question.
Yeah, I've done that.
DONNELL: So, your motive for
setting fires isn't economic.
You never set them
for money before.
No, this is the first time
I took money for it.
Ever lie about
setting a fire?
To avoid getting caught?
Yeah.
Like you're lying now
to avoid punishment?
I am not lying now,
Mr. Donnell.
DONNELL: Nobody can verify
any part of your story
about getting paid
for this.
Your client could.
Move to strike.
KIMBALL: Sustained.
The jury will disregard.
DONNELL: Mr. Tucker,
isn't it a fact
that you approached the D. A.
and suggested
you'd accuse my client?
It seemed like
a good idea.
DONNELL: You say my client
gave you a key
to the warehouse.
Where is it?
I lost it.
DONNELL: What about the money?
Sorry?
The $50,000
you say my client gave you,
where is it?
You wouldn't believe me.
Try me.
It burnt in the fire.
I left it behind
in the warehouse.
I always wanted to have
money to burn.
You were right. I didn't do it
for money after all.
You're so smart.
You're not,
not if you expect this jury
to believe that story.
Nothing further.
(music playing)
Your boyfriend ran
a pyramid scheme.
He's not
my boyfriend.
Lucy, please.
What do you people think
Skip did?
He promised a million-dollar
return on a $25 investment.
How?
Through a chain
letter email.
Each person sends out
five dollars
to five other people,
one of whom
is always Hyman.
Then they forward the email
to as many people
as possible.
Hyman got five dollars
from fourteen hundred
people.
He must have used that money
to buy the ring.
He's not even 18.
I thought the feds
didn't do juvie cases.
We don't unless
there's federal jurisdiction.
He committed
federal wire fraud.
The U. S. attorney must
have better things
to do than this.
Oh, we always have time
for high visibility cases.
Wait a minute.
You're putting out
a press release on this?
For deterrent purposes?
Absolutely.
You're gonna ruin
this kid's life!
How much trouble is he in?
Fourteen hundred
separate counts
of wire fraud
at five per.
Seven thousand years?
Only if they run
consecutively.
The good news is
we've decided
you were not involved.
Me?
What makes you think
she was involved?
She barely knows Skip.
Oh, really?
Then why did he spend the night
at her place?
Ellenor,
not here.
Not now.
They arrested me
at a track meet.
They even took my spikes.
Skip,
where's your mom?
I didn't call her.
I called Lucy.
You need to call her.
I wanna introduce you
when it's right,
not now like this.
What were you thinking
with that chain letter?
I swear I didn't know
it was illegal.
Someone sent it
to me first.
It doesn't matter!
Please,
don't let this affect
your decision.
We can still be happy.
D'AMBROSIO: I have to admit
I did cash business with Tucker.
DONNELL: You need to explain
how it is you knew him
and why there is no proof.
I'll have the IRS
all over me.
DONNELL: You rather get
convicted of murder?
You need to testify.
If you don't,
the jury will think
you're hiding something.
I got nothing to hide.
I do business
just like they do it
up on Beacon Hill,
only they don't charge them
with murder.
Can't he take the fifth
on the taxes?
If he does, his whole testimony
will be struck,
and that he will definitely
be convicted.
If you had crossed
Tucker better,
I wouldn't have to testify.
You know what?
I've had enough of this.
I haven't said anything before
out of respect to Jimmy,
but you're out of line.
Hey, I'm paying
for performance here,
not excuses.
End of story.
I'm putting you
back in charge.
(music playing)
They just called.
D'Ambrosio's testifying.
He's up after lunch.
That's good.
Is it?
The defendant doesn't take
the stand unless he has to.
Or unless
he's got a good story.
Better be good
after Tucker.
I wasn't so thrilled
by his performance.
He did enough.
GAMBLE: He looked like something
that just crawled
out of the toilet.
The jury knows
what's going on.
They know
D'Ambrosio's guilty.
I'm not so sure
I agree.
I don't care.
I can't afford
your internal debates, Helen.
We've been losing too much.
It's hard enough
to win these cases
without you second-guessing
our motives and methods.
(sighs)
If you can't do the job,
then get the hell out.
But until you do,
you go after D'Ambrosio hard
and win this case.
I've been in business
a long time.
A lot of companies
went overseas
or down south
to save money.
I stayed in Boston.
I've done a lot of good
by giving jobs
to a lot of people.
It's never just been
about money,
not to me.
The people in my business,
they're family,
and I would never hurt
my family.
BERLUTI: Do you deny
knowing Norman Tucker?
No, he was my customer.
I sold him furniture
for several years.
BERLUTI: Did you hire him
to burn your business?
Absolutely not.
I have nothing further.
There's no record
that you ever sold
any furniture
to Mr. Tucker.
It was done in cash
to avoid taxes.
That was wrong.
I admit it.
What about
the chemical dumping?
Do you admit
that was wrong?
Objection, relevance.
GAMBLE: Goes to motive.
Your Honor,
the EPA was investigating
the warehouse
for illegal waste disposal.
The fire made
the investigation moot.
Overruled.
D'AMBROSIO:
I'm an American businessman.
I'm used to being
overregulated.
I don't burn my business
because of it.
Business for you was bad.
Business goes in cycles.
It goes up, it goes down.
You had operating losses
for six straight quarters.
D'AMBROSIO:
I don't shrivel up and die
because of a bad streak.
I work through it.
I was coming back.
The fire came just in time
to save you
from losing your shirt.
D'AMBROSIO:
Times were tough, yes,
but it didn't stop me
from serving on charity boards,
raising money for a new hospital
in the north end,
paying my employees on time.
I didn't commit any crime.
Mr. Tucker
was your customer.
When was the last time
you two met?
I don't remember.
If we have a witness
who says
he saw you with him
on the commons
one week before the fire,
would that refresh
your recollection?
No, it wouldn't.
You don't sound so sure.
Objection!
Withdrawn.
I have nothing further.
(music playing)
HATCHER: It's been going on
for six weeks,
from when he first fixed
the computers.
It was the end of the day.
We talked...
to begin with.
He's really smart
and he's got this energy.
It's just
the age difference.
He told me he was 18.
Besides,
I never slept with him.
He just stayed over one night
'cause it was late.
Lucy, I am the last person
to judge anyone
about things like this,
believe me.
I don't know
how it happened,
but there's a part of me
that really likes him.
And there's nothing wrong
with that.
It's just--
BETSY: Lucy Hatcher?
I'm, uh, Skip's mom
Betsy Hyman.
Oh. Hi.
I'm really sorry that
we had to meet like this.
Skip is right.
You are very pretty.
As a mother,
you worry who your son
will fall for.
Too bad Skip fell
for such a slut.
Hey!
BETSY: My son was perfect,
then he meets you.
Now he's a criminal!
A man is dead,
a business is ruined
all because of greed.
Ronald D'Ambrosio
may not have lit the match,
but he's the one
who started the fire
the day he hired
Norman Tucker
to torch his warehouse.
But for D'Ambrosio,
the fire never happens
and the night watchman
is never burned alive.
See, most arson cases
are based
on circumstantial evidence.
This one isn't.
Norman Tucker
gave direct testimony
against the defendant.
He told you how he committed
the crime and why,
money.
Norman Tucker wanted to earn
some by lighting a fire.
D'Ambrosio
wanted to earn some
through insurance fraud.
You may not like Tucker.
You may be disgusted by him.
I am.
But the fact remains,
Tucker pled guilty
to an arson
that the defendant
paid him to commit.
When you have
a criminal conspiracy,
you can't expect to find
nice people involved.
We didn't choose Tucker
as a witness.
D'Ambrosio chose him
to be a partner in crime.
You stick a crook
in a nice suit,
he's still a crook.
Ronald D'Ambrosio
is a crook.
BERLUTI: My client has been
a pillar of the community
for almost
half a century.
You could argue
that they should build
a statue for him.
Instead,
they charge him with murder.
My client thinks
what they really blame him for
is being an Italian-American.
He thinks if his name
was Cabot or Lodge,
they would never
have charged him.
I don't know.
There's been so many bad movies
and overhyped
television shows,
maybe people do think
if you're a successful
Italian-American,
you must be mobbed up.
I know this,
having insurance
is not a motive.
Filing an insurance claim
is not a crime.
They didn't even prove
this was arson
beyond a reasonable doubt.
And they never presented
any evidence
linking my client
to any arson
involving Norman Tucker.
Their whole case
is built
on the testimony
of a demented,
admitted liar
who may or may not
have started this fire,
but who says he sexually
gratifies himself
watching buildings burn.
When the government
gets into bed
with lowlifes
like Norman Tucker,
it ought to make you mad.
Don't convict
an innocent man
on the basis
of bought testimony
from a crazy man.
Ronald D'Ambrosio...
is not guilty.
A Brooklyn plan
for this guy?
FRUTT: Yes. He pleads
to one felony.
If he keeps his nose clean,
you expunge the conviction.
Please.
He's a good boy.
I don't know.
He'll have to make
full restitution
and immediately forfeit
any property
bought with
criminal proceeds.
Can I talk to Skip
for a minute?
Stay out of this!
Mrs. Hyman, please.
Maybe this could help.
Lucy, please don't.
I'm sorry.
I'm just not ready
for that kind of a commitment.
I love you.
Oh, for God's sake!
Maybe we should give them
a little privacy.
If it's the ring,
I'll get you another one,
please.
It's not the ring.
I care for you,
but this is just way too--
Give me that!
My son is taking the deal.
He'll plead guilty.
And you,
stay the hell away
from my son!
(music playing)
Jimmy, take my Rolex.
If they take me
into custody,
I don't want the guards
to steal it.
Will the defendant
please rise?
Has the jury reached
a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
KIMBALL: As to the charge
of conspiracy
to commit arson
with intent to defraud
and felony murder,
how say you?
WOMAN: We the jury
find the defendant
Ronald D'Ambrosio
not guilty.
KIMBALL: Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury, I thank you.
This concludes your service
to the commonwealth.
This Court is adjourned.
(gavel bangs)
Wow, what a relief.
Thank you both.
Jimmy,
you're a good man.
Right.
You saved me
from being
wrongly convicted.
Not that it didn't cost,
what you made on this case
would have taken
your old man
five years to make.
He would have been
so proud of you.
You think
you knew my father?
Jimmy.
Didn't I?
My father admired you.
I admired him.
Blue-collar guy,
son becomes a lawyer.
That's the American dream.
You didn't know my father.
What are you talking about?
A clerk once gave him
too much change,
maybe two dollars.
He realized
when he got home,
drove 10 miles in the rain
to give it back.
The man couldn't lie.
And I used to think,
"What a chump.
He has so little,
and he doesn't even know
how the world works."
He paid his taxes,
waited his turn,
played by the rules.
He was so naive,
he thought guys
like you did, too.
Mr. D'Ambrosio,
my father was a better man
than I will ever be.
I wish I could
tell him that
and tell him the kind of
a guy you really are.
Jimmy,
I was innocent.
If your father
thought I was a hero,
well,
maybe he was wrong.
I'm sorry.
The truth is...
I'm just a businessman.
I waited till the last minute
to plead
because I knew Walsh
would be desperate
and he'd give me
a good deal.
GAMBLE: I'm gonna ask you
one more time,
did Mr. Walsh
encourage you
to falsely incriminate
D'Ambrosio or not?
If I admit lying
on the stand,
I wouldn't get a reduced
sentence for the fire
unless you wanna give me
a bigger break
for giving up Walsh.
No.
You're still
gonna serve time.
You need to go away
for as long as possible.
You can't prove
that my testimony
was untruthful.
You still have to give me
a reduced sentence.
GAMBLE: Unfortunately.
Goodbye, Mr. Tucker.
NORMAN: I'm sorry
I can't help.
I know it'd make you feel
so much better
to blame Walsh.
You're such
a team player.
Walsh wanted
to believe me.
What was your excuse?
Whenever you got close
to asking me
about the details
of the fire,
about the key,
all I had to do
was insult you,
and you forgot
to pursue it.
A good prosecutor
would have known
I was lying
the whole time,
ambitious
and incompetent.
They'll make you a Judge
if you're not careful.
Turns out,
I burnt the place
'cause I hated
the style of the furniture
that it made
such a big fire.
Of course,
I never said any of this.
Good night, honey.
Guard!
(music playing)
MAN: Next on The Practice.
Who did you kill?
Why don't we start
by asking
where I've been
for the last three years?
Law School.
You're a lawyer?
I've got a case now.
That's why I'm here.
My conscience says I should
get another lawyer onboard
with experience.
Come on. What do you say?
You, me, Ellie,
it'll be fun.
Jennifer called.
She was raped last night.
It was a trick.
He just went crazy.
GAMBLE: Jimmy,
the examination didn't reveal
any vaginal bruising
or tearing.
Did you see her face?
Do you think
she did that to herself?
This is a hooker
with a drug problem.
I'm not that good a D. A.
(music playing)
WOMAN: You stinker!