Fracture (2007) Movie Script
The NTSB guys are here
about that bulkhead problem.
OK, thanks.
It's there.
I should run the algorithms,
though, don't you think?
Nope.
You wanna wait for those
spectrometer results?
No.
Hi.
Hey.
What about dinner, tonight?
Ha. We go out to dinner...
we might never come back.
OK.
Hee hee!
I wanna wake up with you...
Mrs. Smith.
I want to at least see where you live.
I live here...
Mr. Smith.
Metro division.
Uh, Lieutenant Nunally, please.
Uh, Lieutenant Nunally
comes on at 6:00 tonight.
Can someone else help you?
No, that's OK, I'll see him later.
Thank you.
Whoa!
Ha!
Hey.
Afternoon, Ciro.
- Hello there.
- Ahh.
You're home early.
Yeah.
I just felt, um...
a sudden urge.
Are you OK?
Ah... Yeah.
I could use a hug.
Hmm.
You know,
I've been watching you sleep...
at night.
That's creepy.
Huh. Yeah.
Yeah, sometimes when I'm at work...
I'll start thinking about you...
and I'll just get...
Ahh, just overwhelmed.
Ted...
It's a dense, crushing...
geophysical force,
like I'm pinned to the core...
while things change, you know?
Do you ever get
that way about me, Jen?
I really don't think I can do
one of these tonight.
I'm just... huh...
trying to describe my feelings.
Those don't sound like feelings.
Oh.
What's the sound of a feeling?
You think you're
so much smarter than me.
Must make you feel very powerful.
Helpless, actually.
OK, maybe it's time to really talk.
No.
- No?
- No.
Fine.
Whatever.
Huh.
I'll go change.
I'll make some dinner.
I love you.
I know.
Does he...
Mrs. Smith?
I'm sorry.
Don't be.
Knowledge is pain.
I'm used to that.
Not that I don't get
some little pleasures...
in return for the pain, mind you.
Mr. And Mrs. Crawford?
You all right?
Everybody OK in there?
Did you notice anything
out of the ordinary?
Did you see anything unusual?
Mr. And Mrs. Crawford.
Nobody else?
No. No.
Flores, how you been?
Good, good, you know, same.
We've got one witness,
maybe, uh, the gardener.
His name's Ciro.
Hey, guys, this is Lieutenant Nunally.
Good to meet you.
Hello, sir.
So what do we know?
Mr. Crawford?
Who is this?
My name is Lieutenant
Robert Nunally.
I'm a hostage negotiator
with the L.A.P.D.
Mr. Crawford?
OK.
You two, let's go.
Just you, please.
Mr. Crawford?
I'm just gonna...
slide the door open
just a bit, all right?
Hi.
Hi.
Do I call you Rob?
Sure, yeah. If you want to.
Lots of vampires out there.
Mr. Crawford...
what do you say
you gimme the gun?
That way I can pay more
attention to what you're saying.
All right?
Is that your best shot... Rob?
So to speak.
Tell you what. I will if you will.
We both put down our guns.
We set them down
and we step away.
Then you can pay attention
to what I'm saying.
All right, I'm gonna have to ask you...
to put yours down first, then.
Then you have my word.
Everybody gives a little...
we'll see what we can do...
about getting you
what you want, OK?
Happy ending, then.
So Mr. Crawford, your gardener tells it
that... that your wife...
It's Ted.
I'm sorry.
You can call me Ted.
Ted. Great.
Ted.
Your wife, is she here?
Is she all right?
I don't think she is.
I shot her.
You shot your wife.
It's just like I suddenly snapped...
and I got the gun and
I shot her in the head.
I know it was wrong.
Are you listening to me, Rob?
Uh... Jesus Christ.
You know, I read somewhere
that the best place...
to find a pulse
is in the femoral artery.
It's on the inner surface
of the upper thigh.
So if you just, uh, put your fingers...
up her skirt...
you'll find it.
Go! Go!
Break it up!
We got a victim down!
She's got a pulse.
Rob.
Good job.
You all right?
I wanna be in the room.
Well, we got it covered.
Yeah, I know.
I just wanna be there.
And I want this thing locked...
before we pass it to the D.A.
Stop yelling, Phil.
I called you as a courtesy...
and now you're trying
to take advantage.
I'm not.
I'm not knocking
it down to a class C.
My backlog of open cases
doesn't mitigate the fact...
that your client tried
to kill his brother-in-law.
A golfing accident.
Phil, your client
owns one golf club...
no golf balls...
and the accident
happened in a stairwell...
of an after-hours,
illegal gambling hall.
Uhh. I'll see you in court.
Well, I won't.
Someone from this office will.
You can take it up with them.
Beachum.
Hello.
Ahem.
No, I didn't.
Yeah.
Wooton Sims?
Shh.
Wooton Sims?
Shut up.
Short notice is fine.
It's fine. Uh-huh.
Black tie? Fine.
What time?
That'll be fine.
Thank her for me.
All right.
How many times did I just say fine?
You asshole!
How the hell did you get
a job at Wooton Sims?
I can't even get an interview!
We're gonna just
pretend he's not talking.
I've been here five years, Willy.
I'm your supervisor.
I graduated USC, summa.
- I need a tuxedo.
- A tux?
You are so full of shit.
A tuxedo tonight. Is that possible?
Of course.
- They do that?
- Uh-huh.
- Same day sort of thing?
- Sure.
- Can I give you that?
- Yeah.
OK.
Well, that's maxed out...
so I'm gonna give you this, then.
So, um, what's this all about?
Well, you know,
Burt Wooton's having...
a charity opera thing, and, uh...
Burt?
Well, that's what
he told me to call him.
You're gonna need
to pick out a style, Willy.
- Well, like what?
- Willy Beachum's office.
Thinking maybe, uh...
- Classic.
- Classic.
Yeah, no problem.
- Classic.
- Uh-huh.
Just makes sure it comes with cuff links
and knee pads.
- Willy.
- Ahh.
That's not classic.
That's what I'm saying.
Before. After.
That's the way I go.
God wants to see you.
Our god?
Who art on the fourth floor.
Mr. Lobruto?
Mr. Beachum.
Have a seat.
Thank you.
William "no middle initial" Beachum.
Wow, a 97% conviction rate.
That's impressive.
Thank you, sir.
'Course, you traded all your losing cases
to other D.D.A.s.
Well, uh...
I took on two or three cases
for every one I gave away.
They just couldn't
handle their caseloads...
and I don't like to lose.
Uh, you won't always
win working at Wooton Sims.
Ahem.
Working at Wooton Sims
sort of is winning.
Isn't it?
Well, you'll need a middle initial.
Sir?
Well, those guys all play squash
and have middle names.
Ahh. Huh.
They go in for their mother's
maiden name a lot.
Well, my mother doesn't
have a maiden name.
I think you belong here, William.
Well, with all due respect, sir...
I just didn't work this hard
to stay where I belong.
Yeah, well... I didn't think so.
Well, you have your litigation experience...
your chops...
and your, uh,
juicy private sector job.
Pretty soon you'll be
courtside at Laker games.
Anything else the city of
Los Angeles can do for ya?
No, sir. I think that'll be all.
Yeah.
It's a cummerbund, Willy.
Huh. That's gonna go
around your waist, OK?
- Mm-hmm.
- OK.
- Are we good?
- Uh-huh.
- Good.
- All right.
Willy?
Willy, come on.
Pick up the phone.
Uh...
What, Norman?
Got an attempted homicide.
Guy shot his wife, she's in a coma.
Arraignment's at 3:00
with Judge Moran.
You do still actually
work here, Willy. Right?
Norman, would you just find
somebody else to do it?
Everybody's booked.
Look, it's not going to trial.
There's a weapon with prints...
and a signed confession.
Just take the arraignment,
wait for the plea.
It's a real confession?
Spontaneous and signed.
Come on, Willy.
All right, but, uh...
here's the problem.
OK, that'll do!
I've given my ruling.
If they want to squabble,
they can take it outside.
I apologize, Your Honor.
Your Honor, please.
Your Honor.
Mr. Beachum.
Nice to see a man
who dresses for court.
I'm very sorry, Your Honor.
Very sorry.
It's a long story.
The people of the
state of California...
versus Theodore Crawford.
Your Honor, the public
defender is representing...
Mr. Crawford
for his arraignment...
with the understanding
that he will secure...
private counsel
for all further proceedings.
Mr. Crawford,
you have been charged...
with section 664 slash 187...
of the California penal
code: Attempted murder.
Do you waive further
reading of the complaint...
and complete statement
of rights?
You do.
I do. But, I... I want...
And do you wish to enter
a plea at this time?
Yes, not guilty.
But I also want to waive my right...
to a counsel and represent myself.
Surely you won't have trouble finding...
an attorney, Mr. Crawford?
No, but I want to do it myself.
Your Honor, if I can have
a moment with my client.
I'm not your client.
Try and keep up, will you?
Uh, Mr. Crawford, uh...
you're facing some
very serious charges here.
I strongly urge you to retain counsel.
That's very kind...
but I believe I'm within my rights.
Be aware that lack of counsel...
will not be grounds for an appeal.
Oh, I understand. I understand.
People have an objection,
Mr. Beachum?
Well, Your Honor...
we have a...
a verbal and signed confession.
So, I would strongly advise...
Mr. Crawford to, uh...
to get a competent attorney
to try and negotiate a plea.
That's pretty damning
evidence, Mr. Crawford.
You wanna reconsider?
Absolutely not.
Huh. It's gonna turn into a circus.
I appreciate your concern...
for the dignity of the court, 007.
Unfortunately, the man
is a tax-paying citizen...
and entitled
by our constitution...
to try and manipulate
the legal system...
like everybody else.
Mr. Crawford wants to go pro per...
that's gonna take a while, and sadly...
I won't be here for it.
But the people have no objection.
Your Honor, I'd, uh, like to, um...
waive my right to preliminary hearing...
and go direct to trial
as soon as possible.
Uh, does that help you,
Mr., uh, Beachum?
Y... You don't have to worry...
about Mr. Beachum, Mr. Crawford.
The district attorney's office...
will assign another prosecutor.
No, I like Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum.
He likes you.
Yes.
That's terrific.
Appears Mr. Crawford
has an understanding...
of his rights and responsibilities, so...
it's your call, Mr. Beachum.
Why not?
All right, then.
Case will move to trial
at the first available date.
Beachum.
You're supposed to be good.
Is that right?
Who the hell are you?
I'm, uh, Lieutenant Nunally.
I took Crawford's confession.
Oh.
Shoo. OK.
So, what can I do for ya?
Are you gonna be on this, or what?
'Cause it looks to me like...
you got one foot out
the door already.
Oh.
Huh.
You should be taking this seriously.
You know, be careful
with this guy. He's... he's...
There's something not right about him.
Y... Y... You took
the confession, right?
You took the gun out of his hand.
Yeah.
Great. So it's done.
Don't worry about it.
Can I have a bourbon?
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
Are you a shark?
Excuse me?
You've been circling this lobby...
for half an hour now...
like if you'd stopped, you'd die.
Oh. Yeah...
I'm a shark.
What about you?
Are you a shark, too?
You say hi to Burt?
Oh.
Burt's talking to the mayor.
Do I know you?
Nikki Gardner. Your new boss.
Oh.
Ha.
You're the one who
sent me the invitation?
Well, I thought I ought
to get to know...
the mystery man that Burt
plucked outta nowhere.
Well, I don't really know Burt.
So, every partner has a team
of senior associates.
Every senior associate has
a team of junior associates.
And you're on my team,
which means I'll supervise...
your casework
and I'll steer you...
through the office politics.
Kinda like a mentor.
Kinda like a probation officer.
Oh, you trying...
you're trying to scare me?
Let me ask you a question.
OK.
Shoot.
We have a senior associate...
at the firm named Calvin Tyler.
Kind of a rising star.
He goes into court against you.
Some client's kid is D.U. I...
And the next thing we know,
Calvin is fired and...
Burt Wooton, who has
never even interviewed...
a junior associate before,
let alone hired one...
says you're starting in two weeks.
Calvin came to me for a deal.
So I told him if he
can get me a meeting...
with Mr. Wooton, that I'd...
throw the case.
He set it up, but he came
to court unprepared...
and I mopped the floor with him.
Your client got
the maximum, and then...
next day, I was meeting
with Mr. Wooton.
Bo... Burt.
That's...
You didn't actually do
anything all that wrong.
I wasn't exactly honest with Calvin.
Ha.
Are you gonna get that?
Everybody I wanna talk
to is right here.
Welcome to Wooton Sims.
Get your phone.
Yeah.
Hey, Willy, it's Flores.
I got bad news.
The gun. It's no good.
What do you mean
the gun's no good?
Well, it's a fine gun.
It's just no good as evidence.
Never been fired.
Never been fired?
Well, it's the gun
from the house, isn't it?
Yeah. It's, uh...
property of the defendant...
bought about... one month ago.
Well, the gun never left the house.
He was locked inside
from the time of the crime...
to the time of the arrest.
So the gun is in there.
So don't tell me that
the gun isn't in there.
Go find it.
Get a team out there tomorrow
and find it.
No, I haven't.
I have not.
Well, everything's been
so expedited, you know.
And I guess I just thought that, uh...
Well, I don't know.
I guess I thought...
however it was decorated
was how it was decorated.
Huh?
Right away, sir.
Well, what do most...
of the other junior associates have?
Oh.
Well, what...
What is the difference between, uh...
Italian and English?
Yeah, I kno...
I know that they are
two different countries.
I was talking about in
terms of interior design.
You hold on one second?
Huh.
What, uh, kind of style
would you say that this is?
Homicidal modern?
I don't know.
I guess I'll just know it when I see it.
Uh-huh.
Ooh, 2:00? I don't...
Yeah, all right. I can do it.
Bye-bye, now.
Alright, good to see you.
What the hell is this?
It's a... thing.
It does stuff.
What, did he make it or something?
- The guy? Yeah.
- Uh-huh.
Here, take a look at this.
It's for the Glock 45...
we found at the scene.
Now, we got no other
sign of a gun so far.
No weapon.
No powder on his hand...
no blood on his clothes.
We found four shell casings.
That's four shots fired.
Four bullets missing from the case.
Four shell casings on the
floor with no prints on 'em.
And a gun that's never been fired.
The guy's screwing with us.
He's stacking the deck.
She's pretty.
Look, the gun is in this house.
Maybe he was wearing gloves.
Maybe he had time to change.
But it's in the house...
and I'll tell you why
it's in the house.
Because people
were watching the house.
And he never came out.
And I could be wrong...
but I don't think that the gun
grew little gun legs...
and ran out of the house.
So, if you need more guys...
I'm all for it.
That's disability insurance.
- Uh-huh.
- Most of our employees get that.
It's only an additional $6.84 a month.
All right.
Just be sure you sign the one
with the devil in blood.
It's not binding otherwise.
Just going into a meeting.
I wanted to stop by and make sure...
you're getting everything you need.
I'm getting more than I need.
I'm running a little late.
Will you walk with me?
Yeah.
I'll send him right back.
Oh, no problem.
We were just finishing paperwork...
and ordering furniture...
and I was gonna give him
some swatches and chips.
Which I thought
was something to eat...
- didn't I?
- Yeah, you did.
- He he.
- Ha ha ha.
All right.
I like that.
- Oh, I like that one, too.
- Yeah.
No purple.
Let me handle it.
"More than I need," huh?
Oh, I was just talking
about the furniture.
Well, don't get too attached.
You're not gonna be here much.
Two weeks from Tuesday...
whole team's getting
on a plane to Chicago.
Why, what's going on in Chicago?
Warfield.
Warfield?
Ain't that the biotech guy
who stole like, uh...
from his own company?
That biotech guy who had
no idea whatsoever...
what his CFO was doing?
Oh, right.
This is a test, Willy.
Burt told me to give
you a trial by fire.
I'm good at trials by fire.
He wants you up to speed...
on eight months of
depositions in two weeks.
No problem.
What about closing out your old job?
Don't worry about it.
- Yeah?
- Beachum.
No, Danny, no.
No, no, no, no.
L... no.
The idea is to get things outta here.
Oh, is that the idea?
Well, sorry.
Enjoy a jelly bean.
Hmm. Thanks.
What color did you get?
Yellow.
Oh, that's popcorn. That's gross.
Well, thanks.
Told ya.
Danny, this isn't ev... uhh.
All right.
All right.
Sorry.
How's my wife?
Uh, I don't know.
Sure she's been better, though.
I heard somewhere,
I think it was on NPR...
that you're supposed to talk
to people who are in a coma.
Play their favorite music.
It may help them
or get through to them.
Uh-huh.
But you're probably too busy...
getting up to speed
on the Warfield case, I suppose.
Excuse me?
Hmm?
Oh, no, I'm not...
I'm not judging you, Willy.
No. Anyone coming
from what you came from...
then paying your way through
East Okie cowshit college...
and Tulsa Law by writing papers...
for Princeton kids on the internet...
My God, $60,000 in debt...
and 97% conviction rate.
Wow.
You deserve it, kiddo.
What have you been doing?
Oh, I'm permitted the use
of a private investigator.
Not to investigate me.
Why not? You're investigating me.
Because you shot your wife.
Allegedly. That's how it works, right?
If I can't introduce something
in court as evidence...
it doesn't exist legally.
L... I... I'm not gonna play
games with you.
I'm afraid you have to, old sport.
What is this?
Wha... what is it?
Some kinda, uh,
form of communication?
Uh-huh. You sent me a box of papers.
It's called disc...
It's called discovery, all right?
That's where the state
is legally obligated...
to provide all the evidence...
to the defendant...
so you can prepare your defense.
There's nothing in it, Willy.
You haven't actually
discovered anything.
That's one point of view.
Another might be that
I've hit the mother lode.
Oh, have they found the gun?
I don't need the gun to convict you.
Huh.
Tell me something.
Does it bother you that I call you Willy?
No.
No.
Willy.
Willy, I'd like you to
consider becoming my lawyer.
I'll pay you lots of money.
I'm prosecuting you.
Yes, but I'm giving you a chance...
to get on the other side
of this unholy mess...
while you still can.
Right.
Are you out of your mind?
Ha ha.
I think, on advice of counsel...
I'll decline to answer that one.
All right. Well, look, I'm gonna...
thank you for your offer.
I'm gonna stay right where I am.
At least for one more week.
Look, just keep this.
Don't send it back.
You need that.
You also need to come up
with a witness list.
No, I'll leave all
the witness crap to you.
Right. 'Cause you're not gonna...
You're not gonna call any witnesses.
No, I'm innocent, remember,
until proven guilty.
Whatever.
You heard the judge.
You know that's not
grounds for an appeal.
Ah, what the heck.
Jury of my peers,
and so on and so forth.
Right.
You know, my grandfather
was, uh, an egg farmer.
This isn't gonna be about your, uh...
rough childhood, is it?
No, I used to candle eggs at his farm.
Do you know what that is?
You hold an egg up to the light
of a-a candle and, uh...
you look for imperfections.
The first time I did it...
he told me to put all the eggs
that were cracked...
or flawed into a bucket
for the bakery.
And, uh, he came back
an hour later...
and there were 300 eggs
in the bakery bucket.
He asked me what
the hell I was doing...
but I found a flaw
in every single one of them.
You know, thin places
in the shell and, uh...
fine hairline cracks.
You look closely enough...
you'll find everything
has a weak spot...
where it can break, sooner or later.
You looking for mine?
I've already found yours.
What is it?
You're a winner, Willy.
Heh heh heh.
Yeah.
Well, I guess the joke's
on me, then, isn't it?
You bet your ass, old sport.
What time was that?
About, uh, 5:00.
Then she went into the house.
Prior to that...
had you seen Mr. Crawford
arrive at the house?
Yes.
When was that?
Earlier than usual.
Uh, maybe 4:00.
Did Mr. Crawford park in the carport?
No, he always parks in the garage.
He's very careful with his car.
Would you say that Mr. Crawford...
was a very careful man?
Oh, yes.
Always.
Thank you.
No further questions, Your Honor.
Mr. Crawford.
Uh, yes, Your Honor?
Uh, hello, Ciro.
No, M... Mr. Crawford.
It... It's your turn to
cross-examine this witness.
Oh, no.
No questions.
What time?
We called in SWA as soon as we knew...
there was a possible
hostage situation...
and then I tried to establish contact...
through the front gate intercom.
Any answer?
- None.
- What then?
Two other uniform squads arrived.
We established a perimeter...
outside the walls
as quickly as possible...
to keep the house under observation.
Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry, Mr. Beachum.
Your Honor.
So the house was
completely surrounded...
within minutes of your arrival.
All four sides.
And neither you nor any other officer...
saw anyone go into or
come out of that house.
No.
And what happened next?
The bullet pierced
through the frontal cortex...
and the temporal lobe...
coming to rest on
the upper right side...
of her brain, against the skull.
And degree of injury?
It inflicted grievous
and irreparable injury.
Dr. Kang, is it safe to say...
that someone who
inflicted this kind...
of wound intended to kill?
Oh... a moment, uh...
Mr. Crawford?
Yes, Your Honor?
You might want to object.
The witness can't know
your state of mind.
Uh, no, thank you, Your Honor.
Proceed.
Sorry.
And after you put down your gun...
what did Mr. Crawford do?
He confessed to shooting his wife.
He confessed.
Now, did Mr. Crawford
appear confused...
intoxicated,
or impaired in any way?
No.
No, not at all.
He knew exactly what was going on.
Detective Nunally,
what did Mr. Crawford say?
He said: "It was like
I just suddenly snapped.
"I got the gun and I shot my wife.
"I shot her in the head. "
Objection.
I'm sorry, Mr. Crawford,
did you say something?
Yes, I wish to object.
On what grounds?
I don't know.
Your Honor...
Um, I don't know what, uh,
you'd call it, but, uh...
they... It wasn't
the first time it happened either...
but, um...
I, um...
I don't know the... uh,
legal terminology.
Well, why don't you try and
explain it in layman's terms?
Um...
fucking the victim.
Well, you said layman's terms.
Your Honor...
I'm sorry, Your Honor, but
what would you call it...
legally, when the officer
who arrested you was...
having sexual intercourse
with your wife?
You know, I think it's objectionable.
It's rather disgusting is
what I think, but, uh...
I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong.
Tss...
um, Rob?
Um...
Oh, shit.
Can I talk to you for a second?
Aah!
- Uhh!
- Aah!
Order. Order.
Just... Bailiffs... Order!
Order! Bailiffs! Please!
You lying son of a bitch.
We're in recess.
He had my witness list...
and he should've filed to suppress.
My mistake. I'm sorry.
Mr. Crawford, you were warned.
You don't get to use that
as an excuse to play games.
Well, what about the
fact that it's true?
I mean, isn't that the point here...
to get to the truth?
Mr. Beachum, is it true?
I have no idea, Your Honor...
I just heard about it five minutes ago.
Put him back on the witness stand...
if you don't believe me.
This is getting out of hand,
Your Honor.
Now, he just provoked my witness...
with an outrageous allegation.
My Dick has evidence.
Excuse me?
My Dick, my private investigator.
I call him Dick.
Perhaps I should call him
as a rebuttal witness.
Uh, because since the tragedy...
um, he's dug up hotel
records and witnesses...
that confirm that my wife
and Mr. Nunally...
were having an affair.
My Dick is good.
Your Honor, so what if he was?
Mr. Beachum.
Even if he was...
Your witness was intimate
with the victim...
and assaulted the defendant
during the arrest.
Actually, while trying to obtain...
my so-called confession.
Yes.
Oh, come on.
Is that a legal argument,
"Oh, come on"?
Don't make me come across
this table 'cause I will...
I just want...
Your Honor, he dictated
and signed his confession...
at the station long after
the incident, all right?
In fear for my life,
since my wife's lover...
who had just beaten me...
uh, was in the room
with his friends...
and the other officers.
Was detective Nunally present...
during Mr. Crawford's interrogation?
Uh... he... he... he may
have been, I don't know.
Because if that is indeed the case...
the confessions,
both of them, are out.
If Nunally was there...
Mr. Crawford was under duress.
The confessions and
any evidence gathered...
while Mr. Nunally was present...
will all have to be excluded...
as "fruit of the poisonous tree. "
This... this is insane.
That's the Bible, isn't it?
The fruit of the tree and all that?
It's Matthew.
Or is it Mark?
He set all this up.
This is a setup.
I'm sorry, Mr. Beachum...
but I am not going to allow
coerced confessions...
in my courtroom.
Your Honor, do you think
I could go home now...
with Thanksgiving around the corner?
Unbelievable.
Don't push it, Mr. Crawford.
What I want to do
is I'm going to give...
Mr. Beachum a few days...
to come up with
some new evidence...
and if he can't then...
maybe you can go home.
So we will reconvene
on Monday morning.
I think that's all.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Farewell.
Didn't even have the guts
to come talk to me.
I was going to...
after I figured out...
uh!
How I was gonna handle it.
What makes you think
that's your decision?
You taking me off this case?
Your bags are already packed.
Just go.
Even if I find new evidence?
From where?
The evidence store?
What, are they open early
the day after Thanksgiving?
My witness lied to me.
Yes, because he could.
Because you weren't looking.
And I know why.
Your head was in the fast lane
on your big salary.
So you picked that
and what we do here...
is not very important anymore.
So that's what this is about, isn't it?
I'm not gonna be like
you in 20 years.
Hey, you be very careful.
You wanna judge me,
be my guest...
but this thing was a setup.
The confession, everything.
Maybe.
But it didn't have to turn
into a public humiliation...
for this office.
You walked in there unprepared.
You were arrogant and sloppy,
and you did damage.
How much, we don't even know yet.
And I noticed you didn't
even care to ask.
But don't worry yourself, Willy.
We'll clean up after you.
Bourbon.
All right.
So...
you got killed today.
Gotta admire the cleverness of it.
Oh, yeah?
Sure, give the devil his due.
So, what did Lobruto say?
Took me off the case.
Good.
- Is it?
- Yeah.
Damage control.
Look, you don't know this guy.
I had to fight with Burt today...
to stop him from firing you.
You want this, right?
Yeah.
Good.
I have to hang out here
another hour...
so...
I think you should go home.
And I'd like you to call me later.
Call me later.
Hmm?
Hmm.
Mmm.
Mmm.
You, uh...
y... you don't have to go.
Yeah, I do.
No big family Thanksgiving?
No.
Well, I have to...
put in some face time
with mine, if you want.
All right.
Thanks.
Don't thank me yet.
Mr. Beachum, can I help you?
Look, please, Mr. Beachum!
I want it back.
I take complete responsibility
for what happened.
Although I do feel...
like it would have
happened to anyone.
But if I'd been paying attention...
it wouldn't happen to me.
I'm not giving you back this case...
so you can repair your ego.
Well, it's not just about my ego.
It's also about the fact
that, uh, this guy...
he's just enjoying all of this.
Enjoying this?
But that's not evidence.
Right, but...
someone's gotta put him away.
If you just give me a chance.
And if there's a way, I'll find it.
And if you can't?
Listen, you leave now, I replace you.
I'm covered, I took some action.
But if you go on with this
and you lose...
I guarantee you your shiny new job...
will not be waiting for you.
And I can't keep you on here.
This is a public office.
Heads gotta roll.
Still want it back?
Thank you.
Yeah.
The gun's in the house.
Yeah, except it's also just not.
Then what'd he do, Detective?
He tie it to a goddamn helium balloon?
Maybe.
Maybe he, uh...
dissolved it in acid.
You got a DOB on that?
You know, Detective...
your inability to do
your job effectively...
is making it very difficult
for me to do mine.
All right?
I'm back in trial...
on Monday.
OK, fine.
I'll get a team together.
I'll go over it one more time.
And that's it.
My wife took the kids to her mom's.
And I got the media
all over my front lawn.
What were you thinking?
You get called to your
girlfriend's house?
I didn't know it was her house.
Well, it's her last name.
I didn't know her last name.
Not her real one, anyway.
We just... we met at the Miramar,
same time, twice a week and...
There were no questions asked
and there were no phone calls...
and that's just the...
that's... those were the rules.
Those were her rules.
All right. Did you, uh...
get the feeling that she
had all these rules...
'cause she'd been doing it
before with other guys?
Be honest.
No.
Listen, I don't know if
you can understand this...
because you're
a fucking lawyer, but...
this thing that we had...
whatever it was, it was real.
It wasn't just an affair.
This girl, she made me feel like...
What was I supposed to do?
Tell me.
I tried to warn you, didn't I?
No, you warned me that he was smart.
You didn't warn me...
that you were stupid.
Fuck you, you little punk.
Fuck you!
Fuck me?
Oh, you already did that.
I didn't think that he knew, OK?
I didn't... There was...
There was no way for me
to know that he knew.
I just thought the guy
was fucking nuts!
Ya know?!
Y'all got security cameras, right?
Uh, yes, we do.
Can I get a copy of those
tapes from November 10th?
Uh, as soon as I can.
Uhh...
I'm just... I'm a little...
I'm, uh, under the gun, here.
Oh.
That's, uh,
exactly the way he left 'em?
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
What, were they planning
a trip next week?
Excuse me.
Crawford Aeronautics.
Yes, he is.
It's for you.
Just pick up line one.
Hello?
Hey, Willy, old sport.
How is it going?
Uh...
well, I'm...
Still out here and you're
still in there, so...
Yeah, you're right, there.
So the world still
makes sense, does it?
Uh, have you got
everything you need, Willy?
Uh, would you like some coffee?
No, thank you.
OK.
You got some
new evidence, have you?
What's the matter, Willy,
aren't we friends anymore?
I'm trying to help you.
You're in a bad place and
you've nowhere else to turn.
OK, I'm gonna hang up.
Uh, do me a favor, will you, pal?
Ask Tina to cancel my wife's tickets.
Yeah, we had, uh,
plans to travel, you see.
Get away, so to speak.
Next week, actually.
Sort of a, you know,
second honeymoon.
Uh, painfully ironic,
that part, I must say.
But I... I... I don't think, uh,
Jennifer's gonna make it, Willy.
Do you?
Whew.
Well...
tore the whole thing apart.
No gun.
I'm sorry, Willy.
Good night.
"Do you dare stay out?
"Do you dare go in?
"How much can you lose?
"How much can you win?
"And if you go in,
should you turn left or right?
"Or right and three-quarters?
"Or maybe not quite?
"You can get so confused...
"that you'll start in to race...
"down long wiggled roads
at a break-necking pace...
"and grind on for miles
across weirdish wild space...
"headed I fear towards
a most useless place...
"the waiting place.
"For people just waiting.
"Waiting for a train to go...
"or for a bus to come...
"or a plane to go...
"or the mail to come
or the rain to go...
"or the phone to ring
or the snow to snow...
"or waiting around
for a yes or a no...
"or a string of pearls
or a pair of pants...
"or a wig with curls...
"or another chance. "
What are you doing?
Hmph.
Uh...
I heard that it might help.
Who told you that?
Um...
the guy who shot her.
Mmm.
Are you a member of the family?
I'm from the district attorney's office.
Um...
and we...
ran out of witnesses.
You know, she moved earlier.
She moved her eyelids...
like she was trying
to open up her eyes.
Yeah, well... sometimes
we have to tape...
their eyes shut.
They all move, they...
they twitch, they make sounds.
You think they're dreaming,
but they're not.
It's just...
It's just what's left of the system.
Normal reflex is downward.
Up indicates brain trauma.
Even if she comes back...
she may not remember
how to speak...
let alone who shot her.
What if she can hear you?
She can't.
It happens, right?
People wake up.
It's not impossible.
What are you gonna do?
Keep asking the same question
different ways...
till you get the answer you want?
I guess. That's what I do.
Hmm.
I knew I shoulda gone to law school.
Did you like it?
I thought it was so funny...
when he did that dance at the end.
Ha ha ha.
Would you like some more wine?
Are you not gonna eat your turkey?
I'm a vegetarian.
Heh heh heh.
White or dark meat this time, Willy?
Oh, it doesn't matter
either way, Your Honor.
I think, uh, Willy's already
chosen the dark side.
Ha ha!
Mr. Sierra Club
and Ms. ACLU here...
tend to give me a hard time
at the holidays...
because I can
buy and sell them.
We're not actually for sale, Nik.
All right, well, since you have...
the advantage on all of us...
surely it won't bother
you if we just mention...
to Willy that he could
put his talents...
to more noble use.
You don't have to do this.
Oh, that's all right.
I get this from time to time.
And it's most always
from people with money.
Oop.
You win.
I usually do.
Except in trial this week.
Nice, Lee.
It's not over till it's over.
That looked pretty over.
Anyway, Willy's off the case, so...
well, it may not seem
like it now, Willy...
but it's really a blessing in disguise.
Well, I'm actually not.
What?
Off the case. I'm back on it.
But that doesn't make any sense.
Lobruto has to do
some kind of damage control.
Yeah, well...
I asked him to let me finish it.
You didn't think
I might want to know that?
Did you hear me...
when I said I had to convince
Burt not to fire you?
Could we not do this here?
Fine.
Actually, I need to talk with you.
You lied to me.
It doesn't work with me.
Hey, uh, now, I didn't lie to you.
I told you I could be ready in time...
and I still can be ready in time.
I got one thing,
one thing I gotta do first.
You're not in yet, Willy!
You pulled a stunt!
You got your foot in the door.
Did it ever occur to you...
that I could still win this case?
I don't care!
That's not what this is about!
What the hell is it about?
It's about whether or not
you can do what you're told.
You wanted corporate, right?
That was the point.
Did I misunderstand that?
If you do this, if you win,
I'm still screwed.
It says I don't know what
my subordinates are doing...
my judgment is bad, and I'm
not in charge of my team.
I went out on a limb.
I told Burt this was over.
I didn't ask you to do that, Nik.
You know what nobody understands...
about certain kinds...
of low-paid public service work?
Every now and then you get
to put a fucking stake...
in a bad guy's heart.
Now, we're not supposed
to talk about that...
when we visit a third grade
classroom for career day...
and it doesn't get you very far...
into a country club locker room...
but it's hard to beat
when you actually get to do it.
I have some work to do.
Thank your family very much
for a lovely evening.
Thank you, Judge Gardner.
Officer.
We gotta find the gun.
I had three teams out there already.
He did this.
We know he did it, right?
So...
let's find it.
We can't.
You wanna move on?
I know a guy in the evidence
room, and he owes me a favor.
He can swap these
for the shells in evidence...
give us a ballistic match,
and we'll have our gun.
Go home.
What else you got, man?
Go home.
What else you got, Willy?
This is Willy Beachum.
You tell me what I need to know.
Hey, it's me.
Things sorta got outta hand
today, and I guess...
well, I guess th...
I guess this is something
neither of us...
was expecting
in our lives right now.
And I... I think we have to...
I think we have to f...
to figure out what to do about that.
This is where to find me.
Call me.
You have one unheard message.
Sent today at 4:10 p. m.
Hi, Mr. Beachum.
This is Stephanie
from Miramar Hotel.
The security tapes you
were asking for are ready.
You can pick them up anytime
at the reception desk.
Thanks.
You know it's him, all right?
There's no doubt
that that guy is him.
Whew.
Well, there's no face.
So? We enhance it.
You want me to enhance a hat.
You know that is him...
and he's there
on the day he shot her.
And why is he there the day of?
What?
Why is he there the day of?
What are you talking about?
This is a guy
who plans everything...
down to the hat, OK?
What's he doing there the day of?
What part of the plan is that?
What the f...
OK.
He's there because
he's gotta see it for himself.
They're at the pool.
Yeah, they're at the pool.
He's jealous,
his wife's having an affair.
No, no, man.
Come on. He's there.
He's getting worked up.
He's about to shoot her.
He's trying on the dress.
He's sniffing her panties.
This guy, this guy here?
He's a psycho.
And the point is
that you're missing, Willy...
he's a psycho
we just caught on tape.
You got motive.
I do not have motive.
You...
I don't have motive
unless I have him...
and I don't have face,
so I don't have him.
That is such lawyer shit.
It is lawyer shit!
Why d'ya think I'm getting
outta criminal law?
Huh?
And I'll tell ya something.
I'm not gonna end
my career on a case...
where all I have
is an enhanced hat...
when what I shoulda had
was a murder weapon!
That is new evidence.
And what I should've had
was a signed confession!
I told ya from day one
that he was playing games.
And you were the man
shoulda got that for me!
That is a cop-out.
Don't you tell me that.
You couldn't find my gun...
and you're the one that let Nunally...
take the confession of a guy
he just beat up!
Nunally? Nunally lied to me,
that's what happened!
I gotta go make
a case outta nothing.
Just being an asshole.
Uh, Beachum.
It's done.
In the toolshed,
taped to the lawn mower blade.
District attorney's office.
Can I talk to you?
Have a seat.
OK.
I'm not mad at you or anything.
Oh. OK.
Um, are you all right?
Ahhh.
Hmm.
Can I ask you to do
something for me this morning?
Yeah.
You got your cell phone on you?
Yeah.
Could you sit outside the courtroom?
'Cause I might call you.
And if I do...
uh, just hang up.
You come inside and whisper
something in my ear about...
finding the murder weapon.
You found it.
I haven't decided that yet.
OK.
OK.
Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum, sir.
Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum.
Uh, Your Honor, um...
I would like to submit
a motion at this time.
What... What type
of motion, Mr. Crawford?
I move for a judgment of acquittal.
Objection.
On what grounds?
Well, the prosecutor doesn't
have any actual evidence...
proving that I did anything.
I'm about to present
my evidence, Your Honor.
But all of his witnesses will testify...
to the, uh, same facts...
that, uh, my wife was shot
and that I was, uh...
tragically in the house at the time...
and, in a way, a victim myself.
And, uh, I'll stipulate
to the testimony...
of Mr. Beachum's entire
witness list right now.
And accordingly I move
for a judgment of...
I'm sorry.
Under the California...
uh, penal code section
for a judgment of acquittal...
on the ground that the evidence...
before this court is insufficient...
to sustain a conviction.
Thank you.
Your legal skills
seem to have improved...
over the long weekend,
Mr. Crawford.
Mr. Beachum, have you
any new evidence?
Your Honor...
may I have a moment,
Your Honor?
Uh...
Your Honor.
Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum.
I have no further evidence
at this time, Your Honor.
Motion for a judgment
of acquittal is granted.
The jury is released
with our apologies...
and the defendant is free to go.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Well, even a broken clock...
gets to be right twice a day.
Hey, Rob, take it easy, huh?
Willy?
Hey, I just heard.
I'm sorry.
What'd you think,
I wasn't keeping tabs?
I don't know what I thought.
Listen, what do you say...
I take you out tonight and
get you completely trashed?
Tomorrow's just a travel day.
What was that? Willy?
Are you there?
Over here!
Initial there and there,
sign and date at the bottom.
Mr. Beachum.
What a surprise.
Now don't tell me, let me guess.
You've got, uh, religion
or something, haven't you?
You've found God and all that stuff.
'Cause it's not just the winning...
or the losing anymore, is it?
It's the injustice of it.
Heh heh.
This is priceless.
Oh, come on, Willy.
You gotta let me enjoy this
just a little bit, old sport.
You really need to be
nice to me now, Willy.
Why?
Because...
what's left of a life...
depends on a machine
powered by a cord...
that leads to a plug
in an electrical outlet...
and I decide when it gets pulled.
That's why.
Excuse me. I'm looking for, uh...
I'll just call you.
Oh, never mind. Thank you.
I called you all night.
And I need your help.
I don't know anything
about civil court.
And I gotta get...
a restraining order right away.
This guy's gonna pull
the plug on her.
What are you doing?
What do you mean,
what am I doing?
You shouldn't be here.
I gotta tie him up in court.
I gotta challenge
his health care proxy.
I gotta find somebody.
I don't know who.
Like a... a... a family member
or something to stop him.
I really tried, Willy.
Hey, hey, hey.
Don't.
This man's gonna kill his wife.
This man's gonna kill his wife.
And what does that
have to do with Wooton Sims?
Hey. Excuse me.
Hey. Sorry.
Do you know any civil court judges?
Drop it.
Do you know any civil court judges?
I just need a number.
Have you been at home at all today?
No, I've been trying
to find somebody...
who can put me in touch
with a civil court judge.
There's a restraining
order out against you.
I've got a... a restraining
order against me?
You were at the hospital.
- Right? Overnight.
- Heh heh heh heh ha!
And he got one against me?
Yeah. He has a lawyer now.
They went to
Judge Gorman this morning.
Hold on a second.
Who's his lawyer?
Is it Goldstein?
Listen to yourself.
He can have you arrested.
Your one shot. You had it. OK?
I know I had one shot
and I blew it, all right?
Yeah. And he walked.
And there is nothing we can do.
He's a private citizen now.
We have no standing.
When you're done, you are done.
Those are the rules.
What about... her?
You have to worry
about yourself now.
No, I've... I've,
you know, done that.
I've done a lotta that.
Your Honor?
I got nowhere else to go.
Hi, Ted.
Hi.
It probably won't hold up on appeal.
I just need the time.
Here we go.
Reflexes, no change.
Turn off the ventilator.
Ah.
Hey.
Hey!
Hey, what's going on?
- Step outside, please.
- Look, I got a court order.
I'm sorry. Just step outside.
I got a c...
I got...
I got a court order.
I'm sorry. Just step outside.
I got a c...
You're not answering your phone.
That's kind of an answer
in itself, isn't it?
Need a hand with this?
Uhh.
Can I get you a beer or something?
Ha.
Uhh.
Thank you.
So what now?
Something else.
You belong in the prosecutor's office.
Well, what happened to
"head's must roll"?
Yeah, well, it's my office.
Least until the next election.
Thank you, but no, thank you.
We all lose, Willy.
I let a man get away with murder.
How am I supposed to live with that?
Well, you learn to.
Well, I hope not.
All right.
Well, you know, if it
makes you feel any better...
technically you let a man get
away with attempted murder.
For what it's worth.
Yeah? All right.
I got it all right here.
I finished the r...
It's in the box right now,
it's coming.
It's... Just a sec.
Hey, honey. I'm just on a call.
Yeah. OK, just a sec.
No. I will not do that.
It's not... and thank you. Good.
Right.
Well, I've... I... like I
said, reports are done.
They're on their way.
Hey, hon.
No, did you get the suit?
Yeah, yeah, I got it cut.
Can I read that?
OK, hon.
Um, I'll pick up the kids,
see you at the school.
I'll bring the suit.
No, no, I'll be there.
I'm leaving right now.
I am not going to be late, OK?
Hey.
Why don't you go home?
Huh?
Get a life.
Huh?
Alrighty.
Turn off the lights when you're done.
Yeah, hon?
It's yours.
Here.
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Hello, old sport.
Ah, Willy.
Can you hear me?
I called to say goodbye.
I'm leaving tonight...
on that second honeymoon
we talked about.
Uh-huh.
Won't be quite the same...
without our Jennifer, though, will it?
Anyway, I have a little
something for you.
It's a present, a little gift...
and I was gonna send it
to Wooton Sims but, uh...
I guess that's not
working out anymore...
and the DA's office didn't have
a forwarding address.
Um, do you have any suggestions?
Uh, just let yourself in.
I'll be right out.
Good evening, Willy.
So, what do you think?
Oh, yeah, that's...
really...
really, really nice of you.
A simple
"No, thank you," uh...
is the preferred etiquette
when declining a gift.
Takes a very special sort of person...
to look into someone's eyes
and shoot them, Willy.
A certain kind of strength...
if you know what I mean.
Well, I guess you'd know that,
wouldn't you?
Oh, yes, I would.
Anyway...
I've got another bag to pick up.
Don't you start shooting
without me now, will you?
I noticed something.
It's a little late.
Aw, hell, it's a lot late.
But I noticed...
that, uh...
you and Nunally have
the exact same gun.
So?
Well, that's why
you went to the hotel...
that afternoon, isn't it?
You took his,
you put yours in his place.
I gave it back.
Right, you gave it back.
When all he could see was her.
And then you knew that
he would just...
walk the murder weapon...
right outta the house, didn't you?
That's very clever.
It wasn't just clever.
Admit it, Willy.
It was beautiful.
He sat through the entire trial...
wearing the only piece
of evidence on his hip.
Yeah.
Then he used it on himself.
Well...
sometimes life gives us
these little gifts...
if you know what I mean.
I do know what you mean.
I know exactly what you mean
because...
I got the bullet.
The one in your wife's head.
That one we couldn't take out...
as long as she was alive.
I'm pretty sure it's
gonna match Nunally's...
and that gives me
the murder weapon.
Nicely done, Willy.
Truly.
Heh.
A regular chain of evidence.
Neat stuff.
Vivid.
Heartbreaking.
The victim cries out
from beyond the grave.
Aye.
Yeah. Heh heh.
Juries love all that sort of crap.
Don't they?
I bet you don't even need
a confession anymore...
do you, Willy?
Oh, I tell you what,
though, old sport.
Uh, let's make you
a new one just in case.
The real deal,
all the juicy details.
You can get your rocks off
on that, then, can't you?
Huh?
Yeah.
I shot my wife in the face.
Right there.
She didn't look so pretty after that.
And I stood there
looking down at her.
And I watched
her eyes go all empty.
I could smell
the blood and the shit.
Smelled like metal.
And the look on his face.
Aw, heh. He's trying to get
her back to life, you see.
And I was pissing myself laughing...
because I took both the bastards out...
with one fucking bullet.
Yeah.
And now you've got your
little bullet, haven't you?
Got what you want.
So bring it all on, kiddo.
Bring it all into court.
Except you can't, can you?
Let's see, now, first year law,
double jeopardy.
I went to trial, you lost.
Oh, pity about that.
Uh, doesn't matter what you do now.
Doesn't matter what you know.
I mean, she could come back
from the dead, you see...
and testify, spill the beans,
and it would mean... nothing.
So you... can't touch me.
Ever.
She was alive.
When you first went to trial
for attempted murder...
your wife was still alive.
But you just had to pull
that plug, didn't you?
Hmm?
Well, now she's dead,
and that's murder.
That's homicide, first degree...
and that's new charges.
There's new evidence.
That's a new trial.
Get the fuck out of my house.
All right.
Whew.
I just don't know why
you didn't let it go.
Doctor said, uh...
she probably woulda
outlived us all.
All rise.
The superior court of Los Angeles...
people of the state of California...
versus Theodore Crawford.
The honorable judge
Joseph Pinkus presiding.
Are the people ready,
Mr. Beachum?
Very well.
We will now proceed
with opening statements.
Ladies and gentlemen of
the jury, what you hear...
about that bulkhead problem.
OK, thanks.
It's there.
I should run the algorithms,
though, don't you think?
Nope.
You wanna wait for those
spectrometer results?
No.
Hi.
Hey.
What about dinner, tonight?
Ha. We go out to dinner...
we might never come back.
OK.
Hee hee!
I wanna wake up with you...
Mrs. Smith.
I want to at least see where you live.
I live here...
Mr. Smith.
Metro division.
Uh, Lieutenant Nunally, please.
Uh, Lieutenant Nunally
comes on at 6:00 tonight.
Can someone else help you?
No, that's OK, I'll see him later.
Thank you.
Whoa!
Ha!
Hey.
Afternoon, Ciro.
- Hello there.
- Ahh.
You're home early.
Yeah.
I just felt, um...
a sudden urge.
Are you OK?
Ah... Yeah.
I could use a hug.
Hmm.
You know,
I've been watching you sleep...
at night.
That's creepy.
Huh. Yeah.
Yeah, sometimes when I'm at work...
I'll start thinking about you...
and I'll just get...
Ahh, just overwhelmed.
Ted...
It's a dense, crushing...
geophysical force,
like I'm pinned to the core...
while things change, you know?
Do you ever get
that way about me, Jen?
I really don't think I can do
one of these tonight.
I'm just... huh...
trying to describe my feelings.
Those don't sound like feelings.
Oh.
What's the sound of a feeling?
You think you're
so much smarter than me.
Must make you feel very powerful.
Helpless, actually.
OK, maybe it's time to really talk.
No.
- No?
- No.
Fine.
Whatever.
Huh.
I'll go change.
I'll make some dinner.
I love you.
I know.
Does he...
Mrs. Smith?
I'm sorry.
Don't be.
Knowledge is pain.
I'm used to that.
Not that I don't get
some little pleasures...
in return for the pain, mind you.
Mr. And Mrs. Crawford?
You all right?
Everybody OK in there?
Did you notice anything
out of the ordinary?
Did you see anything unusual?
Mr. And Mrs. Crawford.
Nobody else?
No. No.
Flores, how you been?
Good, good, you know, same.
We've got one witness,
maybe, uh, the gardener.
His name's Ciro.
Hey, guys, this is Lieutenant Nunally.
Good to meet you.
Hello, sir.
So what do we know?
Mr. Crawford?
Who is this?
My name is Lieutenant
Robert Nunally.
I'm a hostage negotiator
with the L.A.P.D.
Mr. Crawford?
OK.
You two, let's go.
Just you, please.
Mr. Crawford?
I'm just gonna...
slide the door open
just a bit, all right?
Hi.
Hi.
Do I call you Rob?
Sure, yeah. If you want to.
Lots of vampires out there.
Mr. Crawford...
what do you say
you gimme the gun?
That way I can pay more
attention to what you're saying.
All right?
Is that your best shot... Rob?
So to speak.
Tell you what. I will if you will.
We both put down our guns.
We set them down
and we step away.
Then you can pay attention
to what I'm saying.
All right, I'm gonna have to ask you...
to put yours down first, then.
Then you have my word.
Everybody gives a little...
we'll see what we can do...
about getting you
what you want, OK?
Happy ending, then.
So Mr. Crawford, your gardener tells it
that... that your wife...
It's Ted.
I'm sorry.
You can call me Ted.
Ted. Great.
Ted.
Your wife, is she here?
Is she all right?
I don't think she is.
I shot her.
You shot your wife.
It's just like I suddenly snapped...
and I got the gun and
I shot her in the head.
I know it was wrong.
Are you listening to me, Rob?
Uh... Jesus Christ.
You know, I read somewhere
that the best place...
to find a pulse
is in the femoral artery.
It's on the inner surface
of the upper thigh.
So if you just, uh, put your fingers...
up her skirt...
you'll find it.
Go! Go!
Break it up!
We got a victim down!
She's got a pulse.
Rob.
Good job.
You all right?
I wanna be in the room.
Well, we got it covered.
Yeah, I know.
I just wanna be there.
And I want this thing locked...
before we pass it to the D.A.
Stop yelling, Phil.
I called you as a courtesy...
and now you're trying
to take advantage.
I'm not.
I'm not knocking
it down to a class C.
My backlog of open cases
doesn't mitigate the fact...
that your client tried
to kill his brother-in-law.
A golfing accident.
Phil, your client
owns one golf club...
no golf balls...
and the accident
happened in a stairwell...
of an after-hours,
illegal gambling hall.
Uhh. I'll see you in court.
Well, I won't.
Someone from this office will.
You can take it up with them.
Beachum.
Hello.
Ahem.
No, I didn't.
Yeah.
Wooton Sims?
Shh.
Wooton Sims?
Shut up.
Short notice is fine.
It's fine. Uh-huh.
Black tie? Fine.
What time?
That'll be fine.
Thank her for me.
All right.
How many times did I just say fine?
You asshole!
How the hell did you get
a job at Wooton Sims?
I can't even get an interview!
We're gonna just
pretend he's not talking.
I've been here five years, Willy.
I'm your supervisor.
I graduated USC, summa.
- I need a tuxedo.
- A tux?
You are so full of shit.
A tuxedo tonight. Is that possible?
Of course.
- They do that?
- Uh-huh.
- Same day sort of thing?
- Sure.
- Can I give you that?
- Yeah.
OK.
Well, that's maxed out...
so I'm gonna give you this, then.
So, um, what's this all about?
Well, you know,
Burt Wooton's having...
a charity opera thing, and, uh...
Burt?
Well, that's what
he told me to call him.
You're gonna need
to pick out a style, Willy.
- Well, like what?
- Willy Beachum's office.
Thinking maybe, uh...
- Classic.
- Classic.
Yeah, no problem.
- Classic.
- Uh-huh.
Just makes sure it comes with cuff links
and knee pads.
- Willy.
- Ahh.
That's not classic.
That's what I'm saying.
Before. After.
That's the way I go.
God wants to see you.
Our god?
Who art on the fourth floor.
Mr. Lobruto?
Mr. Beachum.
Have a seat.
Thank you.
William "no middle initial" Beachum.
Wow, a 97% conviction rate.
That's impressive.
Thank you, sir.
'Course, you traded all your losing cases
to other D.D.A.s.
Well, uh...
I took on two or three cases
for every one I gave away.
They just couldn't
handle their caseloads...
and I don't like to lose.
Uh, you won't always
win working at Wooton Sims.
Ahem.
Working at Wooton Sims
sort of is winning.
Isn't it?
Well, you'll need a middle initial.
Sir?
Well, those guys all play squash
and have middle names.
Ahh. Huh.
They go in for their mother's
maiden name a lot.
Well, my mother doesn't
have a maiden name.
I think you belong here, William.
Well, with all due respect, sir...
I just didn't work this hard
to stay where I belong.
Yeah, well... I didn't think so.
Well, you have your litigation experience...
your chops...
and your, uh,
juicy private sector job.
Pretty soon you'll be
courtside at Laker games.
Anything else the city of
Los Angeles can do for ya?
No, sir. I think that'll be all.
Yeah.
It's a cummerbund, Willy.
Huh. That's gonna go
around your waist, OK?
- Mm-hmm.
- OK.
- Are we good?
- Uh-huh.
- Good.
- All right.
Willy?
Willy, come on.
Pick up the phone.
Uh...
What, Norman?
Got an attempted homicide.
Guy shot his wife, she's in a coma.
Arraignment's at 3:00
with Judge Moran.
You do still actually
work here, Willy. Right?
Norman, would you just find
somebody else to do it?
Everybody's booked.
Look, it's not going to trial.
There's a weapon with prints...
and a signed confession.
Just take the arraignment,
wait for the plea.
It's a real confession?
Spontaneous and signed.
Come on, Willy.
All right, but, uh...
here's the problem.
OK, that'll do!
I've given my ruling.
If they want to squabble,
they can take it outside.
I apologize, Your Honor.
Your Honor, please.
Your Honor.
Mr. Beachum.
Nice to see a man
who dresses for court.
I'm very sorry, Your Honor.
Very sorry.
It's a long story.
The people of the
state of California...
versus Theodore Crawford.
Your Honor, the public
defender is representing...
Mr. Crawford
for his arraignment...
with the understanding
that he will secure...
private counsel
for all further proceedings.
Mr. Crawford,
you have been charged...
with section 664 slash 187...
of the California penal
code: Attempted murder.
Do you waive further
reading of the complaint...
and complete statement
of rights?
You do.
I do. But, I... I want...
And do you wish to enter
a plea at this time?
Yes, not guilty.
But I also want to waive my right...
to a counsel and represent myself.
Surely you won't have trouble finding...
an attorney, Mr. Crawford?
No, but I want to do it myself.
Your Honor, if I can have
a moment with my client.
I'm not your client.
Try and keep up, will you?
Uh, Mr. Crawford, uh...
you're facing some
very serious charges here.
I strongly urge you to retain counsel.
That's very kind...
but I believe I'm within my rights.
Be aware that lack of counsel...
will not be grounds for an appeal.
Oh, I understand. I understand.
People have an objection,
Mr. Beachum?
Well, Your Honor...
we have a...
a verbal and signed confession.
So, I would strongly advise...
Mr. Crawford to, uh...
to get a competent attorney
to try and negotiate a plea.
That's pretty damning
evidence, Mr. Crawford.
You wanna reconsider?
Absolutely not.
Huh. It's gonna turn into a circus.
I appreciate your concern...
for the dignity of the court, 007.
Unfortunately, the man
is a tax-paying citizen...
and entitled
by our constitution...
to try and manipulate
the legal system...
like everybody else.
Mr. Crawford wants to go pro per...
that's gonna take a while, and sadly...
I won't be here for it.
But the people have no objection.
Your Honor, I'd, uh, like to, um...
waive my right to preliminary hearing...
and go direct to trial
as soon as possible.
Uh, does that help you,
Mr., uh, Beachum?
Y... You don't have to worry...
about Mr. Beachum, Mr. Crawford.
The district attorney's office...
will assign another prosecutor.
No, I like Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum.
He likes you.
Yes.
That's terrific.
Appears Mr. Crawford
has an understanding...
of his rights and responsibilities, so...
it's your call, Mr. Beachum.
Why not?
All right, then.
Case will move to trial
at the first available date.
Beachum.
You're supposed to be good.
Is that right?
Who the hell are you?
I'm, uh, Lieutenant Nunally.
I took Crawford's confession.
Oh.
Shoo. OK.
So, what can I do for ya?
Are you gonna be on this, or what?
'Cause it looks to me like...
you got one foot out
the door already.
Oh.
Huh.
You should be taking this seriously.
You know, be careful
with this guy. He's... he's...
There's something not right about him.
Y... Y... You took
the confession, right?
You took the gun out of his hand.
Yeah.
Great. So it's done.
Don't worry about it.
Can I have a bourbon?
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
Are you a shark?
Excuse me?
You've been circling this lobby...
for half an hour now...
like if you'd stopped, you'd die.
Oh. Yeah...
I'm a shark.
What about you?
Are you a shark, too?
You say hi to Burt?
Oh.
Burt's talking to the mayor.
Do I know you?
Nikki Gardner. Your new boss.
Oh.
Ha.
You're the one who
sent me the invitation?
Well, I thought I ought
to get to know...
the mystery man that Burt
plucked outta nowhere.
Well, I don't really know Burt.
So, every partner has a team
of senior associates.
Every senior associate has
a team of junior associates.
And you're on my team,
which means I'll supervise...
your casework
and I'll steer you...
through the office politics.
Kinda like a mentor.
Kinda like a probation officer.
Oh, you trying...
you're trying to scare me?
Let me ask you a question.
OK.
Shoot.
We have a senior associate...
at the firm named Calvin Tyler.
Kind of a rising star.
He goes into court against you.
Some client's kid is D.U. I...
And the next thing we know,
Calvin is fired and...
Burt Wooton, who has
never even interviewed...
a junior associate before,
let alone hired one...
says you're starting in two weeks.
Calvin came to me for a deal.
So I told him if he
can get me a meeting...
with Mr. Wooton, that I'd...
throw the case.
He set it up, but he came
to court unprepared...
and I mopped the floor with him.
Your client got
the maximum, and then...
next day, I was meeting
with Mr. Wooton.
Bo... Burt.
That's...
You didn't actually do
anything all that wrong.
I wasn't exactly honest with Calvin.
Ha.
Are you gonna get that?
Everybody I wanna talk
to is right here.
Welcome to Wooton Sims.
Get your phone.
Yeah.
Hey, Willy, it's Flores.
I got bad news.
The gun. It's no good.
What do you mean
the gun's no good?
Well, it's a fine gun.
It's just no good as evidence.
Never been fired.
Never been fired?
Well, it's the gun
from the house, isn't it?
Yeah. It's, uh...
property of the defendant...
bought about... one month ago.
Well, the gun never left the house.
He was locked inside
from the time of the crime...
to the time of the arrest.
So the gun is in there.
So don't tell me that
the gun isn't in there.
Go find it.
Get a team out there tomorrow
and find it.
No, I haven't.
I have not.
Well, everything's been
so expedited, you know.
And I guess I just thought that, uh...
Well, I don't know.
I guess I thought...
however it was decorated
was how it was decorated.
Huh?
Right away, sir.
Well, what do most...
of the other junior associates have?
Oh.
Well, what...
What is the difference between, uh...
Italian and English?
Yeah, I kno...
I know that they are
two different countries.
I was talking about in
terms of interior design.
You hold on one second?
Huh.
What, uh, kind of style
would you say that this is?
Homicidal modern?
I don't know.
I guess I'll just know it when I see it.
Uh-huh.
Ooh, 2:00? I don't...
Yeah, all right. I can do it.
Bye-bye, now.
Alright, good to see you.
What the hell is this?
It's a... thing.
It does stuff.
What, did he make it or something?
- The guy? Yeah.
- Uh-huh.
Here, take a look at this.
It's for the Glock 45...
we found at the scene.
Now, we got no other
sign of a gun so far.
No weapon.
No powder on his hand...
no blood on his clothes.
We found four shell casings.
That's four shots fired.
Four bullets missing from the case.
Four shell casings on the
floor with no prints on 'em.
And a gun that's never been fired.
The guy's screwing with us.
He's stacking the deck.
She's pretty.
Look, the gun is in this house.
Maybe he was wearing gloves.
Maybe he had time to change.
But it's in the house...
and I'll tell you why
it's in the house.
Because people
were watching the house.
And he never came out.
And I could be wrong...
but I don't think that the gun
grew little gun legs...
and ran out of the house.
So, if you need more guys...
I'm all for it.
That's disability insurance.
- Uh-huh.
- Most of our employees get that.
It's only an additional $6.84 a month.
All right.
Just be sure you sign the one
with the devil in blood.
It's not binding otherwise.
Just going into a meeting.
I wanted to stop by and make sure...
you're getting everything you need.
I'm getting more than I need.
I'm running a little late.
Will you walk with me?
Yeah.
I'll send him right back.
Oh, no problem.
We were just finishing paperwork...
and ordering furniture...
and I was gonna give him
some swatches and chips.
Which I thought
was something to eat...
- didn't I?
- Yeah, you did.
- He he.
- Ha ha ha.
All right.
I like that.
- Oh, I like that one, too.
- Yeah.
No purple.
Let me handle it.
"More than I need," huh?
Oh, I was just talking
about the furniture.
Well, don't get too attached.
You're not gonna be here much.
Two weeks from Tuesday...
whole team's getting
on a plane to Chicago.
Why, what's going on in Chicago?
Warfield.
Warfield?
Ain't that the biotech guy
who stole like, uh...
from his own company?
That biotech guy who had
no idea whatsoever...
what his CFO was doing?
Oh, right.
This is a test, Willy.
Burt told me to give
you a trial by fire.
I'm good at trials by fire.
He wants you up to speed...
on eight months of
depositions in two weeks.
No problem.
What about closing out your old job?
Don't worry about it.
- Yeah?
- Beachum.
No, Danny, no.
No, no, no, no.
L... no.
The idea is to get things outta here.
Oh, is that the idea?
Well, sorry.
Enjoy a jelly bean.
Hmm. Thanks.
What color did you get?
Yellow.
Oh, that's popcorn. That's gross.
Well, thanks.
Told ya.
Danny, this isn't ev... uhh.
All right.
All right.
Sorry.
How's my wife?
Uh, I don't know.
Sure she's been better, though.
I heard somewhere,
I think it was on NPR...
that you're supposed to talk
to people who are in a coma.
Play their favorite music.
It may help them
or get through to them.
Uh-huh.
But you're probably too busy...
getting up to speed
on the Warfield case, I suppose.
Excuse me?
Hmm?
Oh, no, I'm not...
I'm not judging you, Willy.
No. Anyone coming
from what you came from...
then paying your way through
East Okie cowshit college...
and Tulsa Law by writing papers...
for Princeton kids on the internet...
My God, $60,000 in debt...
and 97% conviction rate.
Wow.
You deserve it, kiddo.
What have you been doing?
Oh, I'm permitted the use
of a private investigator.
Not to investigate me.
Why not? You're investigating me.
Because you shot your wife.
Allegedly. That's how it works, right?
If I can't introduce something
in court as evidence...
it doesn't exist legally.
L... I... I'm not gonna play
games with you.
I'm afraid you have to, old sport.
What is this?
Wha... what is it?
Some kinda, uh,
form of communication?
Uh-huh. You sent me a box of papers.
It's called disc...
It's called discovery, all right?
That's where the state
is legally obligated...
to provide all the evidence...
to the defendant...
so you can prepare your defense.
There's nothing in it, Willy.
You haven't actually
discovered anything.
That's one point of view.
Another might be that
I've hit the mother lode.
Oh, have they found the gun?
I don't need the gun to convict you.
Huh.
Tell me something.
Does it bother you that I call you Willy?
No.
No.
Willy.
Willy, I'd like you to
consider becoming my lawyer.
I'll pay you lots of money.
I'm prosecuting you.
Yes, but I'm giving you a chance...
to get on the other side
of this unholy mess...
while you still can.
Right.
Are you out of your mind?
Ha ha.
I think, on advice of counsel...
I'll decline to answer that one.
All right. Well, look, I'm gonna...
thank you for your offer.
I'm gonna stay right where I am.
At least for one more week.
Look, just keep this.
Don't send it back.
You need that.
You also need to come up
with a witness list.
No, I'll leave all
the witness crap to you.
Right. 'Cause you're not gonna...
You're not gonna call any witnesses.
No, I'm innocent, remember,
until proven guilty.
Whatever.
You heard the judge.
You know that's not
grounds for an appeal.
Ah, what the heck.
Jury of my peers,
and so on and so forth.
Right.
You know, my grandfather
was, uh, an egg farmer.
This isn't gonna be about your, uh...
rough childhood, is it?
No, I used to candle eggs at his farm.
Do you know what that is?
You hold an egg up to the light
of a-a candle and, uh...
you look for imperfections.
The first time I did it...
he told me to put all the eggs
that were cracked...
or flawed into a bucket
for the bakery.
And, uh, he came back
an hour later...
and there were 300 eggs
in the bakery bucket.
He asked me what
the hell I was doing...
but I found a flaw
in every single one of them.
You know, thin places
in the shell and, uh...
fine hairline cracks.
You look closely enough...
you'll find everything
has a weak spot...
where it can break, sooner or later.
You looking for mine?
I've already found yours.
What is it?
You're a winner, Willy.
Heh heh heh.
Yeah.
Well, I guess the joke's
on me, then, isn't it?
You bet your ass, old sport.
What time was that?
About, uh, 5:00.
Then she went into the house.
Prior to that...
had you seen Mr. Crawford
arrive at the house?
Yes.
When was that?
Earlier than usual.
Uh, maybe 4:00.
Did Mr. Crawford park in the carport?
No, he always parks in the garage.
He's very careful with his car.
Would you say that Mr. Crawford...
was a very careful man?
Oh, yes.
Always.
Thank you.
No further questions, Your Honor.
Mr. Crawford.
Uh, yes, Your Honor?
Uh, hello, Ciro.
No, M... Mr. Crawford.
It... It's your turn to
cross-examine this witness.
Oh, no.
No questions.
What time?
We called in SWA as soon as we knew...
there was a possible
hostage situation...
and then I tried to establish contact...
through the front gate intercom.
Any answer?
- None.
- What then?
Two other uniform squads arrived.
We established a perimeter...
outside the walls
as quickly as possible...
to keep the house under observation.
Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry, Mr. Beachum.
Your Honor.
So the house was
completely surrounded...
within minutes of your arrival.
All four sides.
And neither you nor any other officer...
saw anyone go into or
come out of that house.
No.
And what happened next?
The bullet pierced
through the frontal cortex...
and the temporal lobe...
coming to rest on
the upper right side...
of her brain, against the skull.
And degree of injury?
It inflicted grievous
and irreparable injury.
Dr. Kang, is it safe to say...
that someone who
inflicted this kind...
of wound intended to kill?
Oh... a moment, uh...
Mr. Crawford?
Yes, Your Honor?
You might want to object.
The witness can't know
your state of mind.
Uh, no, thank you, Your Honor.
Proceed.
Sorry.
And after you put down your gun...
what did Mr. Crawford do?
He confessed to shooting his wife.
He confessed.
Now, did Mr. Crawford
appear confused...
intoxicated,
or impaired in any way?
No.
No, not at all.
He knew exactly what was going on.
Detective Nunally,
what did Mr. Crawford say?
He said: "It was like
I just suddenly snapped.
"I got the gun and I shot my wife.
"I shot her in the head. "
Objection.
I'm sorry, Mr. Crawford,
did you say something?
Yes, I wish to object.
On what grounds?
I don't know.
Your Honor...
Um, I don't know what, uh,
you'd call it, but, uh...
they... It wasn't
the first time it happened either...
but, um...
I, um...
I don't know the... uh,
legal terminology.
Well, why don't you try and
explain it in layman's terms?
Um...
fucking the victim.
Well, you said layman's terms.
Your Honor...
I'm sorry, Your Honor, but
what would you call it...
legally, when the officer
who arrested you was...
having sexual intercourse
with your wife?
You know, I think it's objectionable.
It's rather disgusting is
what I think, but, uh...
I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong.
Tss...
um, Rob?
Um...
Oh, shit.
Can I talk to you for a second?
Aah!
- Uhh!
- Aah!
Order. Order.
Just... Bailiffs... Order!
Order! Bailiffs! Please!
You lying son of a bitch.
We're in recess.
He had my witness list...
and he should've filed to suppress.
My mistake. I'm sorry.
Mr. Crawford, you were warned.
You don't get to use that
as an excuse to play games.
Well, what about the
fact that it's true?
I mean, isn't that the point here...
to get to the truth?
Mr. Beachum, is it true?
I have no idea, Your Honor...
I just heard about it five minutes ago.
Put him back on the witness stand...
if you don't believe me.
This is getting out of hand,
Your Honor.
Now, he just provoked my witness...
with an outrageous allegation.
My Dick has evidence.
Excuse me?
My Dick, my private investigator.
I call him Dick.
Perhaps I should call him
as a rebuttal witness.
Uh, because since the tragedy...
um, he's dug up hotel
records and witnesses...
that confirm that my wife
and Mr. Nunally...
were having an affair.
My Dick is good.
Your Honor, so what if he was?
Mr. Beachum.
Even if he was...
Your witness was intimate
with the victim...
and assaulted the defendant
during the arrest.
Actually, while trying to obtain...
my so-called confession.
Yes.
Oh, come on.
Is that a legal argument,
"Oh, come on"?
Don't make me come across
this table 'cause I will...
I just want...
Your Honor, he dictated
and signed his confession...
at the station long after
the incident, all right?
In fear for my life,
since my wife's lover...
who had just beaten me...
uh, was in the room
with his friends...
and the other officers.
Was detective Nunally present...
during Mr. Crawford's interrogation?
Uh... he... he... he may
have been, I don't know.
Because if that is indeed the case...
the confessions,
both of them, are out.
If Nunally was there...
Mr. Crawford was under duress.
The confessions and
any evidence gathered...
while Mr. Nunally was present...
will all have to be excluded...
as "fruit of the poisonous tree. "
This... this is insane.
That's the Bible, isn't it?
The fruit of the tree and all that?
It's Matthew.
Or is it Mark?
He set all this up.
This is a setup.
I'm sorry, Mr. Beachum...
but I am not going to allow
coerced confessions...
in my courtroom.
Your Honor, do you think
I could go home now...
with Thanksgiving around the corner?
Unbelievable.
Don't push it, Mr. Crawford.
What I want to do
is I'm going to give...
Mr. Beachum a few days...
to come up with
some new evidence...
and if he can't then...
maybe you can go home.
So we will reconvene
on Monday morning.
I think that's all.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Farewell.
Didn't even have the guts
to come talk to me.
I was going to...
after I figured out...
uh!
How I was gonna handle it.
What makes you think
that's your decision?
You taking me off this case?
Your bags are already packed.
Just go.
Even if I find new evidence?
From where?
The evidence store?
What, are they open early
the day after Thanksgiving?
My witness lied to me.
Yes, because he could.
Because you weren't looking.
And I know why.
Your head was in the fast lane
on your big salary.
So you picked that
and what we do here...
is not very important anymore.
So that's what this is about, isn't it?
I'm not gonna be like
you in 20 years.
Hey, you be very careful.
You wanna judge me,
be my guest...
but this thing was a setup.
The confession, everything.
Maybe.
But it didn't have to turn
into a public humiliation...
for this office.
You walked in there unprepared.
You were arrogant and sloppy,
and you did damage.
How much, we don't even know yet.
And I noticed you didn't
even care to ask.
But don't worry yourself, Willy.
We'll clean up after you.
Bourbon.
All right.
So...
you got killed today.
Gotta admire the cleverness of it.
Oh, yeah?
Sure, give the devil his due.
So, what did Lobruto say?
Took me off the case.
Good.
- Is it?
- Yeah.
Damage control.
Look, you don't know this guy.
I had to fight with Burt today...
to stop him from firing you.
You want this, right?
Yeah.
Good.
I have to hang out here
another hour...
so...
I think you should go home.
And I'd like you to call me later.
Call me later.
Hmm?
Hmm.
Mmm.
Mmm.
You, uh...
y... you don't have to go.
Yeah, I do.
No big family Thanksgiving?
No.
Well, I have to...
put in some face time
with mine, if you want.
All right.
Thanks.
Don't thank me yet.
Mr. Beachum, can I help you?
Look, please, Mr. Beachum!
I want it back.
I take complete responsibility
for what happened.
Although I do feel...
like it would have
happened to anyone.
But if I'd been paying attention...
it wouldn't happen to me.
I'm not giving you back this case...
so you can repair your ego.
Well, it's not just about my ego.
It's also about the fact
that, uh, this guy...
he's just enjoying all of this.
Enjoying this?
But that's not evidence.
Right, but...
someone's gotta put him away.
If you just give me a chance.
And if there's a way, I'll find it.
And if you can't?
Listen, you leave now, I replace you.
I'm covered, I took some action.
But if you go on with this
and you lose...
I guarantee you your shiny new job...
will not be waiting for you.
And I can't keep you on here.
This is a public office.
Heads gotta roll.
Still want it back?
Thank you.
Yeah.
The gun's in the house.
Yeah, except it's also just not.
Then what'd he do, Detective?
He tie it to a goddamn helium balloon?
Maybe.
Maybe he, uh...
dissolved it in acid.
You got a DOB on that?
You know, Detective...
your inability to do
your job effectively...
is making it very difficult
for me to do mine.
All right?
I'm back in trial...
on Monday.
OK, fine.
I'll get a team together.
I'll go over it one more time.
And that's it.
My wife took the kids to her mom's.
And I got the media
all over my front lawn.
What were you thinking?
You get called to your
girlfriend's house?
I didn't know it was her house.
Well, it's her last name.
I didn't know her last name.
Not her real one, anyway.
We just... we met at the Miramar,
same time, twice a week and...
There were no questions asked
and there were no phone calls...
and that's just the...
that's... those were the rules.
Those were her rules.
All right. Did you, uh...
get the feeling that she
had all these rules...
'cause she'd been doing it
before with other guys?
Be honest.
No.
Listen, I don't know if
you can understand this...
because you're
a fucking lawyer, but...
this thing that we had...
whatever it was, it was real.
It wasn't just an affair.
This girl, she made me feel like...
What was I supposed to do?
Tell me.
I tried to warn you, didn't I?
No, you warned me that he was smart.
You didn't warn me...
that you were stupid.
Fuck you, you little punk.
Fuck you!
Fuck me?
Oh, you already did that.
I didn't think that he knew, OK?
I didn't... There was...
There was no way for me
to know that he knew.
I just thought the guy
was fucking nuts!
Ya know?!
Y'all got security cameras, right?
Uh, yes, we do.
Can I get a copy of those
tapes from November 10th?
Uh, as soon as I can.
Uhh...
I'm just... I'm a little...
I'm, uh, under the gun, here.
Oh.
That's, uh,
exactly the way he left 'em?
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
What, were they planning
a trip next week?
Excuse me.
Crawford Aeronautics.
Yes, he is.
It's for you.
Just pick up line one.
Hello?
Hey, Willy, old sport.
How is it going?
Uh...
well, I'm...
Still out here and you're
still in there, so...
Yeah, you're right, there.
So the world still
makes sense, does it?
Uh, have you got
everything you need, Willy?
Uh, would you like some coffee?
No, thank you.
OK.
You got some
new evidence, have you?
What's the matter, Willy,
aren't we friends anymore?
I'm trying to help you.
You're in a bad place and
you've nowhere else to turn.
OK, I'm gonna hang up.
Uh, do me a favor, will you, pal?
Ask Tina to cancel my wife's tickets.
Yeah, we had, uh,
plans to travel, you see.
Get away, so to speak.
Next week, actually.
Sort of a, you know,
second honeymoon.
Uh, painfully ironic,
that part, I must say.
But I... I... I don't think, uh,
Jennifer's gonna make it, Willy.
Do you?
Whew.
Well...
tore the whole thing apart.
No gun.
I'm sorry, Willy.
Good night.
"Do you dare stay out?
"Do you dare go in?
"How much can you lose?
"How much can you win?
"And if you go in,
should you turn left or right?
"Or right and three-quarters?
"Or maybe not quite?
"You can get so confused...
"that you'll start in to race...
"down long wiggled roads
at a break-necking pace...
"and grind on for miles
across weirdish wild space...
"headed I fear towards
a most useless place...
"the waiting place.
"For people just waiting.
"Waiting for a train to go...
"or for a bus to come...
"or a plane to go...
"or the mail to come
or the rain to go...
"or the phone to ring
or the snow to snow...
"or waiting around
for a yes or a no...
"or a string of pearls
or a pair of pants...
"or a wig with curls...
"or another chance. "
What are you doing?
Hmph.
Uh...
I heard that it might help.
Who told you that?
Um...
the guy who shot her.
Mmm.
Are you a member of the family?
I'm from the district attorney's office.
Um...
and we...
ran out of witnesses.
You know, she moved earlier.
She moved her eyelids...
like she was trying
to open up her eyes.
Yeah, well... sometimes
we have to tape...
their eyes shut.
They all move, they...
they twitch, they make sounds.
You think they're dreaming,
but they're not.
It's just...
It's just what's left of the system.
Normal reflex is downward.
Up indicates brain trauma.
Even if she comes back...
she may not remember
how to speak...
let alone who shot her.
What if she can hear you?
She can't.
It happens, right?
People wake up.
It's not impossible.
What are you gonna do?
Keep asking the same question
different ways...
till you get the answer you want?
I guess. That's what I do.
Hmm.
I knew I shoulda gone to law school.
Did you like it?
I thought it was so funny...
when he did that dance at the end.
Ha ha ha.
Would you like some more wine?
Are you not gonna eat your turkey?
I'm a vegetarian.
Heh heh heh.
White or dark meat this time, Willy?
Oh, it doesn't matter
either way, Your Honor.
I think, uh, Willy's already
chosen the dark side.
Ha ha!
Mr. Sierra Club
and Ms. ACLU here...
tend to give me a hard time
at the holidays...
because I can
buy and sell them.
We're not actually for sale, Nik.
All right, well, since you have...
the advantage on all of us...
surely it won't bother
you if we just mention...
to Willy that he could
put his talents...
to more noble use.
You don't have to do this.
Oh, that's all right.
I get this from time to time.
And it's most always
from people with money.
Oop.
You win.
I usually do.
Except in trial this week.
Nice, Lee.
It's not over till it's over.
That looked pretty over.
Anyway, Willy's off the case, so...
well, it may not seem
like it now, Willy...
but it's really a blessing in disguise.
Well, I'm actually not.
What?
Off the case. I'm back on it.
But that doesn't make any sense.
Lobruto has to do
some kind of damage control.
Yeah, well...
I asked him to let me finish it.
You didn't think
I might want to know that?
Did you hear me...
when I said I had to convince
Burt not to fire you?
Could we not do this here?
Fine.
Actually, I need to talk with you.
You lied to me.
It doesn't work with me.
Hey, uh, now, I didn't lie to you.
I told you I could be ready in time...
and I still can be ready in time.
I got one thing,
one thing I gotta do first.
You're not in yet, Willy!
You pulled a stunt!
You got your foot in the door.
Did it ever occur to you...
that I could still win this case?
I don't care!
That's not what this is about!
What the hell is it about?
It's about whether or not
you can do what you're told.
You wanted corporate, right?
That was the point.
Did I misunderstand that?
If you do this, if you win,
I'm still screwed.
It says I don't know what
my subordinates are doing...
my judgment is bad, and I'm
not in charge of my team.
I went out on a limb.
I told Burt this was over.
I didn't ask you to do that, Nik.
You know what nobody understands...
about certain kinds...
of low-paid public service work?
Every now and then you get
to put a fucking stake...
in a bad guy's heart.
Now, we're not supposed
to talk about that...
when we visit a third grade
classroom for career day...
and it doesn't get you very far...
into a country club locker room...
but it's hard to beat
when you actually get to do it.
I have some work to do.
Thank your family very much
for a lovely evening.
Thank you, Judge Gardner.
Officer.
We gotta find the gun.
I had three teams out there already.
He did this.
We know he did it, right?
So...
let's find it.
We can't.
You wanna move on?
I know a guy in the evidence
room, and he owes me a favor.
He can swap these
for the shells in evidence...
give us a ballistic match,
and we'll have our gun.
Go home.
What else you got, man?
Go home.
What else you got, Willy?
This is Willy Beachum.
You tell me what I need to know.
Hey, it's me.
Things sorta got outta hand
today, and I guess...
well, I guess th...
I guess this is something
neither of us...
was expecting
in our lives right now.
And I... I think we have to...
I think we have to f...
to figure out what to do about that.
This is where to find me.
Call me.
You have one unheard message.
Sent today at 4:10 p. m.
Hi, Mr. Beachum.
This is Stephanie
from Miramar Hotel.
The security tapes you
were asking for are ready.
You can pick them up anytime
at the reception desk.
Thanks.
You know it's him, all right?
There's no doubt
that that guy is him.
Whew.
Well, there's no face.
So? We enhance it.
You want me to enhance a hat.
You know that is him...
and he's there
on the day he shot her.
And why is he there the day of?
What?
Why is he there the day of?
What are you talking about?
This is a guy
who plans everything...
down to the hat, OK?
What's he doing there the day of?
What part of the plan is that?
What the f...
OK.
He's there because
he's gotta see it for himself.
They're at the pool.
Yeah, they're at the pool.
He's jealous,
his wife's having an affair.
No, no, man.
Come on. He's there.
He's getting worked up.
He's about to shoot her.
He's trying on the dress.
He's sniffing her panties.
This guy, this guy here?
He's a psycho.
And the point is
that you're missing, Willy...
he's a psycho
we just caught on tape.
You got motive.
I do not have motive.
You...
I don't have motive
unless I have him...
and I don't have face,
so I don't have him.
That is such lawyer shit.
It is lawyer shit!
Why d'ya think I'm getting
outta criminal law?
Huh?
And I'll tell ya something.
I'm not gonna end
my career on a case...
where all I have
is an enhanced hat...
when what I shoulda had
was a murder weapon!
That is new evidence.
And what I should've had
was a signed confession!
I told ya from day one
that he was playing games.
And you were the man
shoulda got that for me!
That is a cop-out.
Don't you tell me that.
You couldn't find my gun...
and you're the one that let Nunally...
take the confession of a guy
he just beat up!
Nunally? Nunally lied to me,
that's what happened!
I gotta go make
a case outta nothing.
Just being an asshole.
Uh, Beachum.
It's done.
In the toolshed,
taped to the lawn mower blade.
District attorney's office.
Can I talk to you?
Have a seat.
OK.
I'm not mad at you or anything.
Oh. OK.
Um, are you all right?
Ahhh.
Hmm.
Can I ask you to do
something for me this morning?
Yeah.
You got your cell phone on you?
Yeah.
Could you sit outside the courtroom?
'Cause I might call you.
And if I do...
uh, just hang up.
You come inside and whisper
something in my ear about...
finding the murder weapon.
You found it.
I haven't decided that yet.
OK.
OK.
Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum, sir.
Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum.
Uh, Your Honor, um...
I would like to submit
a motion at this time.
What... What type
of motion, Mr. Crawford?
I move for a judgment of acquittal.
Objection.
On what grounds?
Well, the prosecutor doesn't
have any actual evidence...
proving that I did anything.
I'm about to present
my evidence, Your Honor.
But all of his witnesses will testify...
to the, uh, same facts...
that, uh, my wife was shot
and that I was, uh...
tragically in the house at the time...
and, in a way, a victim myself.
And, uh, I'll stipulate
to the testimony...
of Mr. Beachum's entire
witness list right now.
And accordingly I move
for a judgment of...
I'm sorry.
Under the California...
uh, penal code section
for a judgment of acquittal...
on the ground that the evidence...
before this court is insufficient...
to sustain a conviction.
Thank you.
Your legal skills
seem to have improved...
over the long weekend,
Mr. Crawford.
Mr. Beachum, have you
any new evidence?
Your Honor...
may I have a moment,
Your Honor?
Uh...
Your Honor.
Mr. Beachum.
Mr. Beachum.
I have no further evidence
at this time, Your Honor.
Motion for a judgment
of acquittal is granted.
The jury is released
with our apologies...
and the defendant is free to go.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Well, even a broken clock...
gets to be right twice a day.
Hey, Rob, take it easy, huh?
Willy?
Hey, I just heard.
I'm sorry.
What'd you think,
I wasn't keeping tabs?
I don't know what I thought.
Listen, what do you say...
I take you out tonight and
get you completely trashed?
Tomorrow's just a travel day.
What was that? Willy?
Are you there?
Over here!
Initial there and there,
sign and date at the bottom.
Mr. Beachum.
What a surprise.
Now don't tell me, let me guess.
You've got, uh, religion
or something, haven't you?
You've found God and all that stuff.
'Cause it's not just the winning...
or the losing anymore, is it?
It's the injustice of it.
Heh heh.
This is priceless.
Oh, come on, Willy.
You gotta let me enjoy this
just a little bit, old sport.
You really need to be
nice to me now, Willy.
Why?
Because...
what's left of a life...
depends on a machine
powered by a cord...
that leads to a plug
in an electrical outlet...
and I decide when it gets pulled.
That's why.
Excuse me. I'm looking for, uh...
I'll just call you.
Oh, never mind. Thank you.
I called you all night.
And I need your help.
I don't know anything
about civil court.
And I gotta get...
a restraining order right away.
This guy's gonna pull
the plug on her.
What are you doing?
What do you mean,
what am I doing?
You shouldn't be here.
I gotta tie him up in court.
I gotta challenge
his health care proxy.
I gotta find somebody.
I don't know who.
Like a... a... a family member
or something to stop him.
I really tried, Willy.
Hey, hey, hey.
Don't.
This man's gonna kill his wife.
This man's gonna kill his wife.
And what does that
have to do with Wooton Sims?
Hey. Excuse me.
Hey. Sorry.
Do you know any civil court judges?
Drop it.
Do you know any civil court judges?
I just need a number.
Have you been at home at all today?
No, I've been trying
to find somebody...
who can put me in touch
with a civil court judge.
There's a restraining
order out against you.
I've got a... a restraining
order against me?
You were at the hospital.
- Right? Overnight.
- Heh heh heh heh ha!
And he got one against me?
Yeah. He has a lawyer now.
They went to
Judge Gorman this morning.
Hold on a second.
Who's his lawyer?
Is it Goldstein?
Listen to yourself.
He can have you arrested.
Your one shot. You had it. OK?
I know I had one shot
and I blew it, all right?
Yeah. And he walked.
And there is nothing we can do.
He's a private citizen now.
We have no standing.
When you're done, you are done.
Those are the rules.
What about... her?
You have to worry
about yourself now.
No, I've... I've,
you know, done that.
I've done a lotta that.
Your Honor?
I got nowhere else to go.
Hi, Ted.
Hi.
It probably won't hold up on appeal.
I just need the time.
Here we go.
Reflexes, no change.
Turn off the ventilator.
Ah.
Hey.
Hey!
Hey, what's going on?
- Step outside, please.
- Look, I got a court order.
I'm sorry. Just step outside.
I got a c...
I got...
I got a court order.
I'm sorry. Just step outside.
I got a c...
You're not answering your phone.
That's kind of an answer
in itself, isn't it?
Need a hand with this?
Uhh.
Can I get you a beer or something?
Ha.
Uhh.
Thank you.
So what now?
Something else.
You belong in the prosecutor's office.
Well, what happened to
"head's must roll"?
Yeah, well, it's my office.
Least until the next election.
Thank you, but no, thank you.
We all lose, Willy.
I let a man get away with murder.
How am I supposed to live with that?
Well, you learn to.
Well, I hope not.
All right.
Well, you know, if it
makes you feel any better...
technically you let a man get
away with attempted murder.
For what it's worth.
Yeah? All right.
I got it all right here.
I finished the r...
It's in the box right now,
it's coming.
It's... Just a sec.
Hey, honey. I'm just on a call.
Yeah. OK, just a sec.
No. I will not do that.
It's not... and thank you. Good.
Right.
Well, I've... I... like I
said, reports are done.
They're on their way.
Hey, hon.
No, did you get the suit?
Yeah, yeah, I got it cut.
Can I read that?
OK, hon.
Um, I'll pick up the kids,
see you at the school.
I'll bring the suit.
No, no, I'll be there.
I'm leaving right now.
I am not going to be late, OK?
Hey.
Why don't you go home?
Huh?
Get a life.
Huh?
Alrighty.
Turn off the lights when you're done.
Yeah, hon?
It's yours.
Here.
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Hello, old sport.
Ah, Willy.
Can you hear me?
I called to say goodbye.
I'm leaving tonight...
on that second honeymoon
we talked about.
Uh-huh.
Won't be quite the same...
without our Jennifer, though, will it?
Anyway, I have a little
something for you.
It's a present, a little gift...
and I was gonna send it
to Wooton Sims but, uh...
I guess that's not
working out anymore...
and the DA's office didn't have
a forwarding address.
Um, do you have any suggestions?
Uh, just let yourself in.
I'll be right out.
Good evening, Willy.
So, what do you think?
Oh, yeah, that's...
really...
really, really nice of you.
A simple
"No, thank you," uh...
is the preferred etiquette
when declining a gift.
Takes a very special sort of person...
to look into someone's eyes
and shoot them, Willy.
A certain kind of strength...
if you know what I mean.
Well, I guess you'd know that,
wouldn't you?
Oh, yes, I would.
Anyway...
I've got another bag to pick up.
Don't you start shooting
without me now, will you?
I noticed something.
It's a little late.
Aw, hell, it's a lot late.
But I noticed...
that, uh...
you and Nunally have
the exact same gun.
So?
Well, that's why
you went to the hotel...
that afternoon, isn't it?
You took his,
you put yours in his place.
I gave it back.
Right, you gave it back.
When all he could see was her.
And then you knew that
he would just...
walk the murder weapon...
right outta the house, didn't you?
That's very clever.
It wasn't just clever.
Admit it, Willy.
It was beautiful.
He sat through the entire trial...
wearing the only piece
of evidence on his hip.
Yeah.
Then he used it on himself.
Well...
sometimes life gives us
these little gifts...
if you know what I mean.
I do know what you mean.
I know exactly what you mean
because...
I got the bullet.
The one in your wife's head.
That one we couldn't take out...
as long as she was alive.
I'm pretty sure it's
gonna match Nunally's...
and that gives me
the murder weapon.
Nicely done, Willy.
Truly.
Heh.
A regular chain of evidence.
Neat stuff.
Vivid.
Heartbreaking.
The victim cries out
from beyond the grave.
Aye.
Yeah. Heh heh.
Juries love all that sort of crap.
Don't they?
I bet you don't even need
a confession anymore...
do you, Willy?
Oh, I tell you what,
though, old sport.
Uh, let's make you
a new one just in case.
The real deal,
all the juicy details.
You can get your rocks off
on that, then, can't you?
Huh?
Yeah.
I shot my wife in the face.
Right there.
She didn't look so pretty after that.
And I stood there
looking down at her.
And I watched
her eyes go all empty.
I could smell
the blood and the shit.
Smelled like metal.
And the look on his face.
Aw, heh. He's trying to get
her back to life, you see.
And I was pissing myself laughing...
because I took both the bastards out...
with one fucking bullet.
Yeah.
And now you've got your
little bullet, haven't you?
Got what you want.
So bring it all on, kiddo.
Bring it all into court.
Except you can't, can you?
Let's see, now, first year law,
double jeopardy.
I went to trial, you lost.
Oh, pity about that.
Uh, doesn't matter what you do now.
Doesn't matter what you know.
I mean, she could come back
from the dead, you see...
and testify, spill the beans,
and it would mean... nothing.
So you... can't touch me.
Ever.
She was alive.
When you first went to trial
for attempted murder...
your wife was still alive.
But you just had to pull
that plug, didn't you?
Hmm?
Well, now she's dead,
and that's murder.
That's homicide, first degree...
and that's new charges.
There's new evidence.
That's a new trial.
Get the fuck out of my house.
All right.
Whew.
I just don't know why
you didn't let it go.
Doctor said, uh...
she probably woulda
outlived us all.
All rise.
The superior court of Los Angeles...
people of the state of California...
versus Theodore Crawford.
The honorable judge
Joseph Pinkus presiding.
Are the people ready,
Mr. Beachum?
Very well.
We will now proceed
with opening statements.
Ladies and gentlemen of
the jury, what you hear...