The Practice (1997–2004): Season 7, Episode 7 - Small Sacrifices - full transcript

WOMAN: Previously on
"The Practice"...

YOUNG: Dozens of kids
have been abused

in this state alone,

and the church knew
what's going on,

did nothing about it,

and let it continue.

And what do you propose
we do, Eugene?

I propose you stop giving

the current institution
the money.

I propose
you be more angry.

DONNELL: Have you ever
thought about



leaving the church
over it?

Bobby, the church
is not just the priests.

It's you and me.

We are the church.

I'm leaving the church,
Father.

Oh, uh, what do you mean?

The sex-abuse scandal--

The offending clergy
makes up

a microscopic portion
of the priesthood.

But the church
is concealing it.

It's enabling
these priests

to destroy
so many young lives.

You can't...

just leave.



Goodbye, Father.

STANLEY: We've been doing it
in this very church

for 17 years, Ellenor.

The problem is
it made the news.

And it's open season
on aberrant religions.

Our faith is partly
Roman Catholic.

It's not nearly as aberrant
as you'd like to--

Sacrificing animals
is out there, Stanley.

At least in the eyes
of mainstream America.

Let's just be
clear about that.

I was just saying that

we all have our rituals.

Look at Christianity
and communion.

They drink
the blood of Christ

and they eat his body.

That's symbolic.

You actually
kill the animal.

I don't understand.

The exact same issue

the Supreme Court
already ruled on,

and we won.
The difference here

is the law
is facially neutral.

It's not targeted
at religion,

but only to stop cruelty.

Even so, we--
Look,

I think we should
consider a plea.

Fine.
I'll admit to the facts.

I did what they say
I did.

But I will not stand up
in a court of law

and acknowledge
any form of guilt.

That's not gonna do it.

Public opinion
is very against you here.

Well, if I say I'm guilty,

it's the equivalent
of apologizing

for my religion.

Add to that,

they can shut our doors.

We need a victory here,
Ellenor.

I can't promise it.

It's a goat,
for God's sake.

They're gonna put me in jail
for killing a goat.

That's what
I'm telling you.

They will.

(music playing)

(phone ringing)

YOUNG: He's insisting on trial?

I tried to dissuade him,
trust me.

STRINGER:
Donnell and Dole...

Are you free in case,
I need some research?

I'm free.

FRUTT: Free exercise clause.

DONNELL: Why do we
seem to be getting

so many cases about religion?

Hey, if I could make this
about religion, we'd win.

Unfortunately,
the statute goes to cruelty,

and the language
is neutral.

What about
de facto of burden?

FRUTT: That's possible
for appeal, but--

Bobby,
Judge Swackheim's office.

You're wanted now.

What do you mean?

He wants you in chambers.

He says to bring a friend.

His lawyer fell out,

the case has already
been continued six times,

and I'll be dead soon.

Why us?

Helen gamble is the D. A.,

and you've had experience
against her.

Also, you're on
the short list of lawyers

willing to defend scum.

Meet with your client,

and I'll see you
in the courtroom tomorrow.

What's the case?

Statutory rape.

I don't want it.

I didn't ask.

10:00 tomorrow morning.

And the court
thanks you both.

You were doing
a news piece?

DANFORTH: Yes. We heard
what was going on,

and we were able
to sneak in a camera.

BRENNER: Mr. Danforth,
could you tell the court

exactly what you observed?

We saw that man,
the defendant,

kill a baby goat.

He basically
slaughtered it.

BRENNER: Okay,
I'm going to play a portion

of this news piece.

Objection.

Overruled.

BRENNER: And I'm going
to ask you, sir,

if it fairly reflects
what you saw that day.

Your Honor,
I renew my objection.

Counsel--
FRUTT: We have stipulated

that my client
causes animals

to be sacrificed
as part of religious worship.

This tape is only
being introduced

to inflame the jury.

BRENNER: The charge
isn't simply killing.

It's cruelty. In order
to make that finding--

FRUTT: Then let him describe
what he saw.

We don't need to see his
media-slanted version of it.

Miss Frutt, I think
we can handle the footage.

If you think it doesn't
accurately portray the events,

you can cross-examine.

BRENNER:
Thank you, Your Honor.

(goat bleats)

Okay, you can see
he has a...

baby goat in his hands.

And it's alive.

Not for long it isn't.

Keep watching.

(people chanting)

And what's he doing now?

DANFORTH: He's letting
the blood drain into a bowl.

It's pretty disgusting.

Objection.

Sustained.

BRENNER: That's all I have.

I saw your news piece.

You seem pretty outraged,
Mr. Danforth.

DANFORTH: I was.
I found what your client did

to be outrageous.

FRUTT: I see.
Do you eat meat?

Do I eat meat?

Yes, ever have a hamburger?

Yes, I eat meat.

Do you know
how cows are killed?

I believe
they're slaughtered.

Would it surprise you
to know

that their throats
are slit,

much in the same way
as this goat died?

DANFORTH: I'm not a fan
of slaughterhouses,

but at least the animal
was killed for sustenance.

We eat cows.

So it's not the manner
in which the animal is killed,

but it's what
it's killed for?

Look, I'm not going down
this road.

I just filmed it.

It's up to you people
to decide if it's illegal.

FRUTT: Fair enough.

By the way,

do you know
what became of the goat

after the ceremony?

No, I do not.

They ate it.

Does that make a difference?

MITCHELL: I didn't force him.

I never forced him.

DONNELL: Mr. Orbis,

he's 13 years old.

Whether you forced him or not--

We were very close.

That's not a defense,
either.

See, I was good to him,

uh, very good.

I'd help him
with his homework

and, uh,

I gave him money.

In exchange for sex?

No,

he did work at my house.

He'd help clean.

And we became close.

I loved him.

And he loved me.

He still loves me.

I know.

BERLUTI: He's the lead
prosecutorial witness.

He's only doing this now

because his mother
is making him.

She told him he can't
come over anymore.

She's making him do this.

I love him,

and I believe...

he loves me.

It's his mother.

Did your other lawyers
ever discuss a plea bargain?

I can't do prison.

They kill child molesters
in prison.

Prison is unacceptable.

I'm telling you,

it's the mother.

Contact the kid's school,

teachers, principal,
guidance counselor.

I'll try to interview
the social worker.

(sighs)

Who do you want,

the mother or the boy?

Sorry?
DONNELL: This case

is pretty much
two witnesses,

the mother and the victim.
Which one do you want?

Personally,
I think it's a mistake

for the client to go in
with two lawyers.

Makes it seem--
Nice try,

but since this goes tomorrow,
there's no time.

We gotta split this up.

Who do you want?

I'll take the mother.

Great.

Our pedophile
has two priors.

Did you know that?

He's sick.

What's your point?

My point is,

how effective can we really
be expected to be

on one day's notice?

I don't wanna hear that.

We do our best.

Fine.

There is a problem here.

We can win this.

He was starting
to go down in school,

which I couldn't understand,

because he's always
been a good student.

Well, did you talk
to your son about this?

LANGER: Yes.

He said there was
nothing wrong.

I said I thought he was spending
too much time with him.

"Him"?

The defendant.

He hired Justin
to do some yard work,

then they became friends.

He was over there
all the time, it seemed.

GAMBLE: Did you suspect
anything sinister

about this relationship?

LANGER:
No. I had no idea

that he had this
porno-film collection

or that previously, he--

Could you tell us
what happened to your son?

LANGER: Well, with his grades
getting worse,

I grounded him.

I told him he had to come home
directly after school.

May I ask,

where was
Justin's father?

We've split up,
and he doesn't--

uh, he's an absent father,

which is another reason
why I thought

he bonded with the defendant.

GAMBLE: Okay.

What happened after
you grounded Justin?

Well, I didn't see
any improvement at school,

so I started to give him
other consequences,

like no baseball,
no television.

I even took away
his stereo.

Nothing seemed to work.

And then finally,

he told me
what was going on.

Which was?

He told me

that he was having sex

with the defendant.

And that he was

feeling shame over it,

and that he was having
trouble sleeping.

And what did you do?

I notified the police.

I called the police.

Actually,
you waited two days

to call the police,
didn't you, ma'am?

Yes.
BERLUTI: Your son tells you

he's raped,

you don't call
for two days?

LANGER: At first, I just--
I couldn't believe it.

I thought maybe
he was trying to...

escape punishment, or--

You thought
he was making it up.

I was just
so stunned at first.

I couldn't believe it.

I guess I was--

I was desperate
not to believe it.

But once it sank in
that it was true,

I called the police.

You mentioned your son wanting
to escape punishment.

You mean being grounded,

missing baseball,
that sort of thing?

Yes.
How about you hitting him?

You ever hit your son,
Mrs. Langer?

Objection.
Where is this going?

BERLUTI: Your Honor,
sometimes kids will say anything

to make the beatings stop.
I did not beat him!

GAMBLE: Objection.
Move to strike.

Short leash.
Speed it up.

Did you ever hit your son,
Mrs. Langer?

I spanked him sometimes.

I did not beat him.

BERLUTI: Did you spank him
on account

of his grades going down?

I spanked him once or twice.

They were not beatings,

and I certainly
never hurt him.

BERLUTI: Did you ever hit
your son for using drugs?

He once used marijuana

that your client
gave him,

and, yes,
I spanked him.

BERLUTI: Do you work,
Mrs. Langer?

Yes.
What do you do for work?

I'm a waitress
in a restaurant.

Could you tell me
your hours?

3:00 to 11:00.

3:00 in the afternoon
till 11:00 at night?

Yes.

BERLUTI: Weekdays?
LANGER: Yes.

When does your son
get home from school?

Between 2:00 and 3:00.

Wow. So, you barely see him
during the week.

Possible, he could've made
this story up

to get your attention?

No.

That is not possible.

Ever know your son
to tell you things

that maybe weren't true?
No.

Your son always
speaks the truth?

Yes. He is
a truthful person.

Yes, he is.

BERLUTI: And yet,
when he tells you he was raped,

you don't call the police
for two days?

(music playing)

(indistinct chatter)

(elevator doors close)

Good job.

Bobby,
what are we doing here?

It's basically a traditional
African religion

with elements
of Roman Catholicism.

But the reason
we're all here

is because of one
particular ritual.

Yes.
FRUTT: Can you tell the jury

why sacrifice animals?

It's a way of honoring
The Orisha,

which literally means
"head guardian."

In simplest terms,

the animal's blood
is offered.

The sacrifice

is said to please the saints

and bring purification

and forgiveness of sins.

You have to acknowledge,
Mr. Joley,

this does seem
a little barbaric.

We know that American culture
rejects it,

and we therefore try to be

as discrete as possible,
even secretive.

We've never tried to impose
our rituals

or beliefs upon the public.

And, in fact, the only reason
we're here today

is because the media
invaded us.

Does the animal suffer?

The sacrifice
is almost always quick,

and as humane as possible.

BRENNER:
So, it's your testimony that

what we all saw
on the television screen,

in your eyes,

there was no
animal cruelty.

We try to be as humane
as possible.

BRENNER:
And you do that with lambs,

goats, turtles,

guinea pigs, sheep,

all those animals.

You slit their throats

and offer the blood
to your saints?

Yes.

He did well, considering.

But?
FRUTT: But...

he couldn't undo
that videotape, Eugene.

How could he?
That footage?

That's what the jury's
gonna take back to that room,

that squealing goat.

Well, Ellenor,
if it's a tale of the tape,

then get yourself some tape.

What do you mean?
YOUNG: I mean,

this is America.

You think Santerians are
the only ones to kill animals?

(knock on door, door opens)

Don't even waste your breath.

Your Honor--
You're not getting off, Bobby.

Anything else?

Look, it doesn't matter
who they are or what they are.

They're all entitled
to a defense.

I didn't make up the rule.

What constitutes "adequate"?
What?

They're not entitled
to the best defense,

only "adequate."

So I'm asking,
how much is "adequate"?

Sit.

You think I want
that piece of crap walking?

Tell me the ideology
of the criminal lawyer,

if you remember.

"To check the state's power

to incarcerate people
at will."

You get a gold star.

Now look at me.

Look at what's going on
out there.

The state regularly jails people
without due process,

then calls them
material witnesses,

and locks them up
without even filing charges,

much less giving them
a hearing.

You're talking about
terrorist suspects, this--

Who says it has
to stop there?

You don't think
there are people out there

who want to extend
that policy

to suspected
child molesters?

I understand the system,
judge,

and I appreciate
my role in it.

Then why are you here?

I have to get up tomorrow

and attack a 13-year-old
rape victim.

And I don't wanna do it.

Well, you will.

And if I tank it?

Please.

You don't think I just
pulled your name out of a hat.

You okay?

Yeah.

It's just--

this isn't exactly what I went
to law school for, Eugene.

Fighting for
serial goat killers.

Are you serious?

Ellenor,

why did you go
to law school?

Clarence Darrow.

I read his closing
on Leopold and Loeb

over and over and over.

For me,

it was the constitution.

I was 12, and I couldn't
understand half of it,

but I knew...

this was something.

And you know the part
that especially got me?

Freedom of religion.

I know that probably
sounds funny,

uh, considering how I've been
acting towards religion lately,

but that amendment,

it said to me that
at least in principle,

this country
stands for tolerance.

And, Ellenor, of all
the constitutional liberties

that need protecting today,

freedom of religion.

I understand that.

I really do, but...

But what?

I like goats.

Trust me, Ellenor,

this case...

is exactly why
you went to law school.

Ms. Elder, as a member
of the American Humane Society,

you've had occasion
to document

the footage
we're about to see.

All the footage is accurate
and has been verified.

Can you narrate,
Ms. Elder?

ELDER: That is a cow
being killed

at a slaughterhouse in Texas.

A pig.

Chicken.

Examples of trapping.

Laboratory testing.

Baby seals.

This is Canada,
not the U. S.

The question becomes,
Ms. Elder,

are these isolated events?

Isolated? Certainly not.

It goes on every day.

BRENNER:
Ms. Elder, I'm curious.

Did you get a chance

to see the tape
showing what goes on

in the defendant's church?

I did.

BRENNER: In your opinion,

did you find
the defendant's actions

to constitute animal cruelty?

Objection.

She can give a lay opinion,
not legal.

He slit a goat's neck
and let the blood drain out.

It was repulsive.

Justin,
if you wanna stop,

or you feel
you need to take a break,

you tell me.
Okay.

GAMBLE: You said the two of you
started to become friends.

JUSTIN:
Yes, after I'd finish my work,

we'd play cards and games.

And then we started to watch
videos and stuff.

GAMBLE: What kinds of videos?

JUSTIN: Well, at first,
just comedies and stuff,

like "The Nutty Professor"

and "Austin Powers."

And then after a while,

sex videos.

GAMBLE: And these videos,

men and women
were having sex?

Some men and women.

But mostly just
men and men,

or men and boys.

GAMBLE: What did you think
when you saw this?

I don't know.

I guess it kind of
grossed me out.

But, you know,
Mitchell,

he said it was
very common

for men to have sex
with each other.

GAMBLE:
What did you think of that?

I don't know.

Justin,

at some point,

did you and Mr. Orbis
have sex?

Yes.

Could you tell us about it?

(music playing)

GAMBLE: Justin,

look, I know this is
very difficult for you,

but you are
completely safe here,

I promise.

We need for you
to tell us what happened.

JUSTIN: He, um,

he would touch
my privates.

GAMBLE: By touch,

how would he touch you?

With his hand,
with his mouth.

GAMBLE: His mouth?

JUSTIN: Yeah. He would put
his mouth on my privates.

By privates, you mean...

My penis.

And he would ask me

to put my mouth
on his penis.

GAMBLE: Did you?

Yes.

GAMBLE:
Justin, I promise you,

I'm almost done.

How many times
did this happen?

A lot.

A lot.

More than 10 times?

Yes.

More than 20?

(sobs)

Your Honor, I think we should
take a small break.

He never cried...

because he liked it.

And I think that his mother

told him to cry.

I promise, he never cried.

BRENNER: This isn't a case
about religion.

It is about cruelty to animals.

You saw the tape.

This man dangled a baby goat

as people danced behind him,

and he slit its throat.

He does it with pigs, sheep,

turtles, chickens, doves.

Pulls out his knife
or box cutters--

FRUTT: Objection!

There has never been
a suggestion of box cutters.

I only meant cutting
instruments.

We all know what you meant,

and I object
to the blatant innuendo.

MANTLE: All right.

Careful, Mr. Brenner.

We're not here today
to pass judgment

on the Santerian faith.

All of us, every one of us,

is free to choose
our form of worship,

of course we are.

But the exercise,
the practice of religion,

has never been absolute.

Whether it's public health
or safety,

or yes, even morals,

the state can step in and say,

"Whoa, can't do that."

Here, they torture

and mutilate animals

in an open and notorious manner.

We as a society
don't tolerate that.

How could we?

We don't tolerate it?

What society
is he talking about?

We live in a society that
slaughters animals for food,

we kill them for fur coats,

we poison them
to test new drugs.

We torture animals all the time.

We even murder them for sport.

We hunt, we fish,

we walk up to deer
with our shotguns

and we blow off their heads.

We yank fish out of the water,

and we let them suffocate

at the bottom of our boats.

If you wanna convict my client

for being cruel, fine,

but don't you dare do so

under some cloak of humanity

that we as a society
don't torture animals.

And I would submit

that if we say it's okay
to hunt them down

and to maim them
for recreation,

for vanity,

or even for Thanksgiving,

how do we say no for worship,

a traditional worship

that dates back over
a thousand years?

Personally,
I don't like what they do,

but you simply
cannot condemn this man

under some theory
that killing animals

isn't tolerated by
the United States of America,

because it is.

Every time you eat a hamburger,

you not only tolerate it,

you proliferate it.

DONNELL: It's a pretty serious
thing to accuse someone

of statutory rape, Justin.

How long had this
been going on for?

Three months or so.

And you never told anybody?

I was too embarrassed.

DONNELL: You started getting in
trouble at school, didn't you?

I saw detentions for fighting,
swearing at a teacher.

You get suspended
for swearing at a teacher?

No.
DONNELL: No?

Oh, that's right,
the principal thought

this behavior was a cry
for attention.

Do you remember him
saying that?

Yes.

Ever accuse another kid
at school

of doing anything to you?

Russell LaFevre?

Did you once accuse
Russell LaFevre

of punching you from behind?

Yes.
Did Russell LaFevre punch you?

No.

You made it up?

I'm not making this up.

DONNELL: You made it up
against Russell.

I can explain that.

DONNELL: You don't
have to explain it.

Just tell us, yes or no,

did you make up
false accusations

against Russell LaFevre?

Yes.

DONNELL: Ever get caught
cheating on a test, Justin?

Once.

That's cheating and lying.

Objection!
Withdrawn.

Do you take drugs, Justin?

All right.
This is the accusing witness.

Go ahead.

Ever smoke marijuana, Justin?
Yes.

DONNELL: You got caught
smoking it at school,

didn't you?
Yes.

You told the principal
that you got it

from one
of the high school kids,

told your mother you got it
from Mr. Orbis.

Who were you lying to,
the school principal

or your mother, Justin?

I got it from Mitchell.

DONNELL: So you lied yet again

to the principal?

Yes, but I didn't want any--

DONNELL: Thank you.

After you were caught
with drugs, Justin,

you got suspended then,
didn't you?

Yes.
And this is when--

after you were suspended
for drugs,

how did your mother react?

She was angry.

DONNELL: Angry?
Did she hit you?

JUSTIN: She spanked me.

DONNELL: And this is when
you suddenly declared

that Mr. Orbis had molested you.

Did you say that
for sympathy, Justin?

No! It's the truth.

I see. So your mother,
two days later,

finally decided
to believe you,

and she called the police.

And when you talked
to the police,

you had to give them a lot
of different statements,

didn't you?
Yes.

DONNELL: The first two times
you met with the police,

you said nothing about Mr. Orbis

putting his mouth
on your penis,

or yours on his.

You never said that,
did you, Justin?

I was too embarrassed.

DONNELL: Too embarrassed?

When did you come up
with the idea

to add that part?

Objection!

Overruled.

You made that up,
didn't you, Justin?

No!
DONNELL: Well, Justin,

do you understand
that you have an obligation

to tell the truth here?

We're not in the principal's
office now, we're in court.

Your lies are hurting people.

I am telling the truth.

So, this isn't another
false accusation?

This time,
you're sticking with it?

Objection!

Withdrawn. Nothing further.

Commonwealth rests,
Your Honor.

SWACKHEIM:
Mr. Donnell, you could call

your first witness tonight,

or we can wait and start
tomorrow.

Counsel? Did you hear me?

The defense rests, Your Honor.

(sighs)

I can't talk now.

PATRICK: Can't talk?

How about just looking
me in the eye, then, Bobby?

Can you do that?

You hypocrite!

You leave the church,
accusing us of enabling sex--

There's a difference between--

There's a difference?!
Yes!

Between representing somebody
who's committed a crime,

and protecting his secret

so he can go on
committing it.

There's a big difference.

That's crap.

I gotta leave.

Then you're gonna have
to knock me over,

because I'm not moving,
you son of a bitch,

until you listen
to what I have to say!

You're helping him
secure his freedom!

How is that not enabling
more rapes?!

I was ordered by the court!

Then quit your profession.

You're a man
that's quite capable

of walking out
of a door, Bobby.

We both know that.

Walk out on
the legal profession,

like you walked out
on the church.

How dare you judge me
or the Catholic people?

Too bad you can't save
some of your rage

for your fellow priests.

I have plenty of rage
for them, believe me,

and I'm standing here
right now condemning you,

mostly for your hypocrisy!

Step away from the door,
Father.

I'm going.

Allow me, Bobby,
to walk out on you.

(door slammed closed)

I'll bet Helen chased him down
and set him in motion.

Helen?
DONNELL: To distract me.

How the hell
would he even know

what case I'm doing?

Bobby, it's been in the papers.

It would be just like her.

Okay, you need to take
a breath, and--

Lindsay, this is no time.

DOLE: Helen Gamble
did not go

running to a church
to rattle you,

and if you think that,

you're rattled already.

Maybe you should let
Jimmy close.

I can close.
Bobby--

I can close, damn it!

What does it mean
when they make up

their minds so fast?

They're decisive.

Hang in there.

I prayed all night.

Used up six cats.

That was a joke.

MANTLE: Madam Foreperson,
the jury has reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

Will the defendant please rise?

What say you?

"The Commonwealth versus
Stanley Joley."

On the charge of cruelty
to animals,

"We find the defendant,
Stanley Joley,

not guilty."

(exhales deeply)

MANTLE: The jury is dismissed
with the thanks of the court.

We're adjourned.

(gavel bangs)

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Ellenor, I know
this ritual you found

to be personally repugnant,

which makes
your defense of it

and my rights all
the more heroic.

Thank you.

GAMBLE:
Heroes are not easily found.

Takes an enormous
amount of courage

for a victim of child
molestation to come forward.

Most don't.

Most think it's somehow
their own fault,

and the shame
is too much to bear.

And for those who can overcome
the embarrassment,

there's the prospect
of having to sit in a courtroom,

day after day with the man
who raped you.

We live in a country
where the suspect

has a constitutional right
to confront his accuser,

and somewhere along the way,

confront became attack.

You saw it here

with Justin Langer
being assaulted in that chair

by defense counsel.

One almost had to wonder,

was it worth it?

Well, when the alternative
is a rapist

going on to possibly rape
other children,

yeah, it's worth it.

That's why I consider
this young man to be a hero.

He came into this room

to face down the man
who raped him.

And his testimony

is uncontroverted.

He told you...

how the defendant
would repeatedly engage him

in acts of oral copulation,

how this man with a library
of pornographic videos

would use those videos

to seduce this child.

He's 13 years old,

13, and he was raped.

Pedophiles repeat their crimes.

Please, don't give this one

the opportunity to do so.

Ms. Gamble talked
about our system,

rights of defendants
and victims.

You know that
90-something percent

of all defendants are guilty?

Think about it.

By the time they get to trial,

they've been judged guilty
many times.

You got the accuser
and the arresting officers,

the detectives,
then a grand jury,

then probable cause,

we got all these mini-steps
along the way,

each of them concluding
the same thing,

the guy did it.

And since the facts, you see,

D.A.s,
they just wanna give a good,

accurate presentation
of the facts.

But defense lawyers...

our job is to skew them.

We stand up to distort, bend,

hide the truth if necessary,

and if you got a guilty guy,
which we usually do--what,

we're gonna hope the jury
gets the right idea?

My craft,
smoke and mirrors, deceit.

Criminal defense attorneys
aren't about

searching for the truth!

Are you kidding?!

Mr. Donnell!
DONNELL: That's our system!

The D. A. has to prove guilt
beyond all reasonable doubt,

and defense lawyer spews doubt,

whenever, wherever,
with all the discipline

that that perverted bastard

probably spews semen
on his walls.

Counsel!

I like to finish
my closing argument.

This man, I think he's guilty.

I'm sure as hell
not supposed to say that,

but I think he did it.

The problem is...

I can't be sure.

Neither can you,

because all we have
is one witness.

Sympathetic?

Definitely.

Compelling? No doubt.

But credible?

His own mother waited two days
to call the police,

because even she didn't believe
him at first.

He has a history of leveling
false accusations,

a history of lying and cheating,

a track record of crying out
for attention,

a history of drug use.

The story itself changed

with different statements
to the police.

On the possibility
that Mitchell Orbis

really did commit these crimes,

I hope he goes away.

But in this country,

we don't take away
a man's freedom

on the possibility of guilt,
or likelihood,

even an overwhelmingly
strong likelihood.

You have to find guilt

beyond all reasonable doubt,

and I'm sorry,

you can't get there
with one lone witness,

especially one whose word
lacks credibility.

My client may be scum,

but there is no real case
against him

in this courtroom today,

which means the heroes here

have to be you.

You have to go back
to that room,

uphold your oath to our system,

because if you don't...

God forbid the day comes
when the only thing

standing between our freedom
and a prison cell

is the accusing finger
from a child who lies,

because that's all we have here
today, ladies and gentlemen.

One accusing finger

from a child
who's been known to lie.

Um, uh, could I have a second
in private, please?

PATRICK: Bobby...

the reason I felt
so violated by your decision

to leave the church,

you see, the church, to me,

isn't an institution.

It's not a cardinal
or the pope.

It's first and foremost
my parish,

the people.

So, by your leaving,
it was, in some way...

I understand that
you look to me for spiritual

and moral leadership,

and obviously,
I failed to provide it.

But if I could retract
yesterday's condemnation

and substitute it with some...

guidance now,

our criminal justice system,

obviously we need
defense lawyers

to do what they do,

but, Bobby...

from a spiritual
and moral standpoint...

is this any way for a man
to live his life?

(door opens)

I'm sorry.

You're not gonna believe this.

Jury's coming back.

(music playing)

SWACKHEIM: Mr. Foreman...

has the jury reached
a unanimous verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

Will the defendant please rise?

Mr. Foreman, what say you?

"In the matter
of the Commonwealth

versus Mitchell Orbis,

on the count of statutory rape,

sex with a minor,
we the jury,

finding a strong
likelihood of guilt,

regrettably return
a finding of not guilty."

(indistinct chatter)

SWACKHEIM: Members of the jury,

this concludes your service.

I caution you,
you will be subjected

to inquiries from the press,

seeking to explore
your decision.

None of you are required

to discuss this with the media.

We are adjourned.

The defendant is free to go.

(gavel bangs)

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

(music playing)

(music playing)

WOMAN: You stinker.

(music playing)