A Fall From Grace (2020) Movie Script

1
My husband and I worked
for everything I had.
Don't come near me!
Okay, okay.
Okay. Hey, you don't wanna do this.
I don't know how I could be so stupid!
Hey, hold on a second.
Give me your hand.
I have nothing! Nothing!
Sure, you do.
Mrs. Feldman,
how about you take a step towards me?
We'll go inside and talk.
I need a Crisis Response Unit here
right now.
Get that chopper out of here!
No, no, no, no!
Mmm.
Hey, bear.
Hey, baby.
You gotta get up.
I know.
Is that rain?
Yeah, it stopped about an hour ago.
I left the keys on the table for you,
by the way.
Baby, it's Tuesday.
You take your mom to the grocery store
on Tuesdays.
Nah, it's...
...it's fine. I told her
I'd come by later tonight, and...
I just need to stay in.
Are you okay?
- Yeah.
- What's wrong?
No, no, nothing. Nothing's wrong.
Nothing's wrong.
Take the car.
Now, get up.
Okay, well, you'll tell me later,
like you always do.
I'll wait.
- All right?
- Okay.
Now we're going
to move over to the Grace Waters case.
Everyone's talking about it.
The woman killed her husband, allegedly.
Hold on, now.
Yes, we must say "allegedly."
We have a population
of less than 100,000.
Nothing like this
has ever happened before...
But have you seen the reports from the DA?
It's clear. She totally did it.
Jasmine.
Coming.
Here. Your next case.
Grace Waters? I can't do this.
Yeah, you can, and you will.
She wants to plead guilty,
so this is completely easy.
Go talk to her, talk to the DA,
get it worked out,
get the plea done.
It's really high-profile,
and we don't need it mishandled
or going to trial.
What about giving it to Tilsa or Donnie?
I mean, they are more...
- ...equipped to do this...
- You are doing it.
We go through this all the time.
You can do it.
Plea deals are your specialty.
She's adamant about pleading guilty.
There's an overwhelming mountain
of evidence against her.
This is open-and-shut.
Just go get it done.
I want it done this week
so this media circus will go away.
- Thank you.
- But, Rory, I...
Go.
Okay.
Can you believe this?
Ah! Congratulations, girl.
You know we all wanted it.
I cannot believe he gave it to you.
Donnie, shut the hell up.
- I don't understand.
- But who asked you? It's not the time.
This is nothing to celebrate, Tilsa.
Look, it's a big case,
but you have a great relationship
with the DA, right?
So maybe that's in her best interest.
Great.
I have a great relationship with the DA.
That's awesome.
Either way, it's really sad. Look around.
And I don't see any way out of it.
If you ask me, it's getting worse.
I can tell you,
without a doubt, the whole town's talking.
This morning, while I was getting coffee,
two or three conversations,
all about the Grace Waters case.
Well, that's interesting.
How about our next caller?
I mean,
I feel like she's totally guilty.
I don't even know
why we are wasting money with a trial.
Just tie her up to an electric chair,
and hit the switch.
Boom! Problem solved.
We're outside
the Holloway Correctional Facility,
where Grace Waters is being held.
She's scheduled for court in three days.
As many of you know, she's been accused
of murdering her husband.
Hi, I'm Jasmine Bryant
from the public defender's office.
I'm here for Grace Waters.
Yes, ma'am.
Step through here for me, please.
And just put your bag on the table for me.
Okay.
- All right.
- Okay.
Just have a seat,
and I will be right back with her.
E-Excuse me.
- Yes?
- Um, is there anything I should know?
Is this your first murderer?
Yeah.
You don't have anything to worry about.
She'll be shackled.
Put your hands on the desk for me.
I'm your attorney, Jasmine Bryant.
I'm from the public defender's office.
I was appointed by the court.
I told them I didn't want a lawyer.
Well, if not me,
then some other lawyer will be here.
The judge was very clear on that.
So, I understand
that you want to plead guilty?
How old are you?
Twenty-six.
What school did you go to?
Ruston.
Community college.
And then I went on to Baniview Law.
Your file... um...
I had a chance to glance at it
on my way over here,
and, um, I'm a little confused.
You worked at a bank,
you've never even had a traffic violation,
and now you're here.
I'm gonna ask the DA for 15 years
with the possibility of parole.
I may be able to sell that to him.
You're Catholic.
- Yes.
- That wasn't a question.
I see the rosary.
Are you Catholic?
In the name of the Father,
and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit...
So, you pray the rosary?
Yes.
I want to move to a prison close to here.
I want to be able to see my son
and my grandbaby...
at some point.
And I want that
in the plea deal.
Okay. I'll see what I can do.
Guard!
Okay. So what was she like?
Well,
it was nothing like I expected.
She was like my mom, and yours.
She was...
gentle.
- Hmm. Mm.
- Gentle.
You know, but, at first glance...
she appears to be
a picture-perfect defendant.
She baked cookies for kids,
she sang in a church choir,
she taught Sunday school.
There's a lot of good things here
for you to build a solid defense.
The evidence against her is overwhelming.
But beyond a reasonable doubt?
It was circumstantial.
She confessed she did it.
She wants to plead guilty.
I mean...
- This...
- Donnie, just chill.
No, no, no. No, no.
What, Donnie?
I-I-I'm not trying to take away
from your remarkable ability
as a public defender,
um, but they gave you this case
because they want you to plead it,
be done with it,
as to not embarrass
the public defender's office.
But how embarrassing would it be,
due to the high profile of this case,
if you were missing something?
What could I be missing, Donnie?
Okay, like she said, okay,
what could she be missing?
The woman confessed, right?
- Exactly.
- Please don't encourage her.
Did she confess to you?
- No, she told the officers that she...
- Ah. You see?
You see? This is what I'm talkin' about.
You can't just plea her down
without knowing all of the facts.
I know the facts, okay?
This is an open-and-shut, Donnie.
With our workload,
we don't have enough time or money
to even deal with this.
Hell, the drug dealers we represent
make more money than us,
and they have no respect for us.
Look, I'm not gonna go back and forth
with you.
- Sorry,
- You always do this.
but what does that have to do
with the Sunday school teacher
who bakes cookies
for kids in the neighborhood?
Okay, so I think we should leave.
You know, that is the most sensible thing
you've said all night.
Thank you.
You know,
I will never get used to seeing
people going to jail.
Either this is your cause, or it ain't.
Figure it out, Jas.
- Jordan.
- Night, girl.
- Hm.
- So we'll see you tomorrow.
- Yeah.
- Okay, y'all have a nice night.
- Thanks for having us. Beautiful home.
- You, too, Tilsa.
I'mma talk to him, okay?
- Don't worry about it.
- Just a little chat.
Donnie, get your ass over here!
This is why they don't invite us no more.
How you actin' right now...
- See what I mean?
- Yeah.
Can't win.
I saw an old woman fall to her death.
But I'm all right.
Your turn.
You know,
when I graduated from law school...
I thought I had hit the lottery.
Yeah.
But now that I'm into it, I...
These people
are murderers
and liars.
And they're thieves, babe.
And to defend them, I...
I'm just having second thoughts
about all of this.
Really.
I just wanna stay there long enough
so I can get these student loans paid off.
I don't want to be a lawyer anymore.
No, come on.
I don't.
Oh, come on.
I don't.
This is what you're meant to do.
You know that, babe. Come on.
Last night I may have had one too many.
My bad.
Was that an apology?
If that's what you call it.
Well, I think you do a great job, Jasmine.
Thanks, Tilsa.
At about 7:30.
When are you talking to, uh, the DA
about Grace Waters?
- Uh, later this afternoon.
- Get it done,
- get it done, get it done.
- I'm meeting him at court.
Jasmine.
There's a Malcolm Waters here to see you.
Who's that?
- I don't know.
- Is he in the appointment book?
Okay, all right.
Malcolm?
Yes, are you Jasmine?
Yes, hi.
Grace Waters is my mother.
- Oh.
- You're gonna help her, right?
Um...
- Uh, please.
- Uh...
I love my mother,
and I know she's innocent. I know she is.
She couldn't do that to anyone. No one.
She wouldn't even kill spiders
when I was growing up.
She'd make my dad take 'em outside
in a cup.
You have to help her.
She wants to plead guilty.
No, no, no,
don't let her do that, please.
If I could talk to her.
She won't see me.
You have to help her
or get me in to see her.
You can't let her plead guilty.
I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do.
She wants to plead.
I'm sorry.
Absolutely not.
- I want life without parole.
- Look, are you serious?
She has no record. She's a model citizen.
She has no priors.
Come on, we want 15 years.
No deal.
She wants a plea, she gets the max.
Well,
what about giving her Millstone Prison,
- so she'll be closer to her son?
- That I'll consider.
They're offering the maximum,
life without the possibility of parole.
- And that's the best they can do?
- He's adamant about it.
If we went to trial,
he could ask for the death penalty.
I think you should take this deal.
Okay.
Okay?
Okay, do it.
Yes?
Hi, Miss Sarah?
Yes?
This is Jasmine Bryant.
I'm representing Grace Waters.
Is it possible that I could come by
this morning?
Why, yes, I'm home.
My address is 2342 West Lesson Lane.
- Okay. Thank you.
- All right.
See you then.
Hi.
Hi, uh, would you mind, please?
- Oh, sure.
- This thing is so heavy.
- No problem.
- Oh, my goodness.
I got three tenants.
Ooh, yeah.
Just get it on this curb,
and we'll be fine.
Okay.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
Okay.
Oh, yeah, that's, uh...
That's one of my tenants, there.
They don't have family. It's sad.
But come on in, honey.
- Come in out of this rain.
- Okay.
Do you like coffee?
- Oh, I do. Thank you very much.
- All right.
They said there would be sunshine today.
So much for what they know.
I know, right? I know.
So...
...what brings you to see me?
Um...
Tears.
Um...
I saw Miss Grace cry tears
that I've never seen
a guilty person cry yesterday.
You know, I have to tell you,
I feel really bad.
A lot of this is my fault.
Why do you say that?
Age is a bitch, darling.
It'll sneak up on you.
One day you all lovely-lookin',
just like you, all young and lovely.
Seem like the next day you're my age,
wondering where all the time went.
I'm a little older than she is.
But I didn't want her to be like me.
Lonely...
and livin' in a house
with old ladies and their cats.
She's such a good soul.
So, I tried to encourage her to go out,
you know, all the time, but...
she wouldn't do it.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
And then, when her, uh, son got married...
...that's when everything took a turn.
I mean, I literally watched
as she changed before my very eyes.
It was after the wedding. We were sitting
and talking over a glass of wine, and...
Oh, she was so sad about
what she thought her life would be,
and... and what it was.
And it wasn't bad.
No, 'cause she had a lovely home.
Beautiful home.
- And a good job, too.
- Okay.
But her ex-husband,
he was living better than she was, and...
seemed like his wife was living
Grace's dream, and...
You gonna take notes?
Oh. Yes. Uh, thank you.
Yes.
So, it was after the wedding,
and we had come in.
We hadn't even taken off our dresses,
when she started to just...
just come apart at the seams.
I mean, that wedding took place
in her ex-husband's house,
and that used to be Grace's house.
- Hmm.
- Mm-hmm.
I don't know, Grace, why'd they have
to have a wedding in the house?
- Mm-hmm.
- And those tacky drapes.
Wait, now, those were my drapes.
Thank you.
- He didn't even change the drapes?
- He didn't even change the drapes.
We built a life in that house.
And here I am, just...
Angry.
No, I'm not really angry.
I'm just hurt.
And angry. Go on, say it.
Okay.
Okay, I am angry.
Damn right.
And you have every right, so be pissed.
Hell.
That little heifer's young enough
to be his daughter.
Right?
She is five years older than my son.
Our son.
Just so unfair.
It's like he just went on with his life.
Like I was some kind of speed bump
that just slowed him down.
Just...
How did I even get here?
I want my life back.
I want my youth back.
I want to laugh.
I wanna love somebody, I wanna...
be loved.
I can't help you with your youth,
but I can help you with the rest of it.
You need to get the hell out this house
and meet somebody.
Who?
I don't know.
But I see these commercials on TV.
You could go on ChristianDateOnline.com.
What?
- You could!
- No, I could not.
No. Come on, now, Sarah.
No, come on. If I wanted to meet someone,
I want to do it...
I want to do it the old-fashioned way.
Might be a little late in the evening
for the old-fashioned way.
So how'd the two meet?
At an art gallery.
Hold on.
Let me see.
Hi there. Oh...
This is a flyer
from when they repossessed her house.
They put everything out on the street,
and I gathered those things that I could,
at least the things
- I thought that would be of value to her.
- Mm-hmm.
This is a flyer from his show
at that gallery where she met him.
- Oh.
- Mm-hmm.
That's his photograph.
He gave her the original
the day after he met her.
He was a photographer.
You can keep that.
Thank you.
I'd love to talk to you some more,
but my ladies haven't had their breakfast.
Would you mind if we talked again later?
Oh, okay. Um, sure. Um...
Thank you.
Thank you so much for having me.
No, thank you for coming.
Huh? It's...
Okay. Oh! Um...
- That's nothing, come on.
- Okay.
Uh, thank you for caring so much
about Grace and taking good care.
All right, thank you so much.
- All right.
- Have a great day.
- Thank you. Buh-bye.
- Okay, bye-bye.
Hey, babe.
Come here, look at this.
Can I get a hello first?
Can I get some love?
Hey.
Okay. Now, look at this
and tell me what you see.
- Uh... that's luminol.
- Yes.
- It's a lot of blood, too.
- Mm-hmm.
And it's dark in some places
and lighter in the others.
Yeah, and?
And if he lost this much blood, say,
from a blow to the head,
why is it pooling from the outside in,
as it looks like it did in the picture?
Hmm?
Then I'd say that you're asking
the questions a good lawyer would.
Rory, hi.
- Some coffee in here, please. Yeah?
- Um, yeah, I wanted you to see this.
You see how the blood is pooling
from the outside in?
- Yeah.
- I wanna hire an expert in blood splatter
and in luminol...
Where have you been
for the past nine months?
This office cannot afford
a blood pattern expert.
What you talking about?
What's this about anyway?
Grace Waters, her defense.
That woman is pleading guilty.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Now, get down to the jail
and get the plea deal signed.
It's already there. Get it signed.
This circus needs to stop.
My phone's ringing off the hook.
I've got the mayor and everybody
calling me about this.
Rory, but I found some really great stuff,
and I think...
Jasmine.
If you argued like this in court,
you could actually be a lawyer.
Go.
Coffee! Coffee! Coffee!
- So sorry.
- Thank you.
What the hell is this?
This is the plea agreement from the DA.
He did manage to say
that he will put you in a facility
that's close to your son.
You can sign here.
You have a pen?
Yeah. Sorry.
Who've you been talkin' to?
Your friend Sarah.
Grace, please tell me what happened.
What did he do to you?
Please.
Tell me.
Heels.
Heels.
I don't know why
I remember the heels that day.
It was a normal day, like any other.
When you wake up...
you don't know that...
today will be the day
to change your life...
End it.
Everything felt so normal.
Thank you.
After work that day,
I went to a... a gallery opening.
I was a little tired,
but I wanted to see this exhibit
that Sarah had told me about.
She was worried about me
being in the house too much.
But she was adamant that I go, so...
I did.
- Hi.
- Excuse me. I'm sorry.
- Ah...
- I get it,
you have to see these in the right light.
And the best lighting in the room is...
right here, so...
The owner's a family friend,
and I don't have the heart to tell her
that the lighting sucks.
Well, it's not really that bad
from right here.
And what do you know
about shadows and light?
Well...
I don't know anything
as well as this photographer.
She's... brilliant.
What makes you so sure that she's a she?
Hmm. The name.
Shannon.
And look at the shadows,
the way she captures
the emotions of these tribes.
Now, only a woman sees like that.
It's beautiful.
You know what?
I think she's Ethiopian, too,
because she has to know somebody to get in
and get to know these people.
Some of these places are extremely remote.
I think only a native
can navigate this closely.
You seem to know a lot about Ethiopia.
Just what I've read.
I love Africa.
African history.
- Mm.
- I wanna go one day.
You should. It'll change your life.
Oh, you've been?
- I have.
- Lucky you.
- Lucky me, to meet you.
- Mm-hmm.
Ooh, wow, is that a...
- Is that an Uzonecklace?
- Yeah, good eye.
- Wow.
- Got this in Africa. One of a kind.
Wow.
Beautiful.
We need you.
Excuse me while I take
this handsome thing away.
- Please.
- Absolutely.
Okay.
Ladies and gentlemen,
thank you so much
for coming to this exhibit.
We are so excited
to have this amazing artist here.
We love his work here in Holloway.
Introducing Shannon Delong,
ladies and gentlemen.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much
for coming out tonight.
I really appreciate that.
Um, for those of you that don't know me,
I am an introvert,
which means I have trouble
speaking in front of...
semi-large crowds.
But I hope
It is from my travels in Ethiopia.
And remember...
a lot of the proceeds tonight
go to charity, so...
please spend a large amount of money.
- Hear, hear.
- Okay? Thank you.
Enjoy.
The next day, I got to work,
and I didn't even know
how he found out where I worked,
but there it was.
He was flirting with me.
Nobody had flirted with me in 25 years,
and I had butterflies.
Grown-ass woman with butterflies.
It was beautifully tragic.
Before I knew it, I was smiling and giddy.
I felt like a schoolgirl.
I wondered, "Why? Who was this man?
Why was he flirting with me?"
That voice in my head was screaming,
"What does he want? What does he want?"
But I was intrigued.
So I called Sarah
to see if I should go out with him.
You will not believe
what your photographer did.
Do you need me to drive you?
- 'Cause you are going. Call him.
- What?
Call him.
Okay, okay. I will.
You are crazy and pushy.
I did wait a day to call him.
I couldn't seem desperate.
Call you?
Yeah, I don't think so, buddy.
But curiosity got the best of me.
When I got to work the next day, I said,
"What the hell?"
- Hi.
- Hi. Um, uh...
How are you?
Oh, don't act like you know who this is.
It's Grace, right?
- Yeah.
- You got my photo?
- Yes, I did. Thank you.
- No.
I'm not accepting your thank-you
over the phone.
Oh. O-Okay.
- Only over dinner.
- Mm. Okay.
I know this perfect, little,
quaint, hole-in-the-wall diner.
Well, I-I'm fine with that.
Thank you.
So, tell me something,
how did you find me?
You signed my guestbook.
Tell me something.
Why'd it take you so long to call me?
I mean, there I was,
I met this beautiful woman
that I wanted to know a lot more about,
and she just kinda left me standing there,
so...
I know you've had many young,
beautiful women.
I mean, um...
I was just wondering.
Why me?
First of all, yes.
I have had more than my share.
But as you get older, that kind of thing
no longer interests you,
and you said
something kind of interesting to me.
You said, "Why me?"
As people, we...
we tend to do that to ourselves.
It's always like,
"Why me? Why me? Why me?"
Shouldn't the question be,
"Why not you?"
Divorce will do that to you.
Make you...
question who you are.
So, why get divorced?
People grow apart.
Why aren't you married?
- That question, yeah.
- Mmm.
Now, I-I guess
it's just 'cause I grew up everywhere,
and I was always kind of a gypsy.
Military kid.
Uh, name it, New York, Boston,
Atlanta, DC, Seattle,
Korea, Madrid, Japan, West Africa,
in that order.
Wow.
Name a culture, I saw it.
I experienced it.
But that was also hard to, you know,
put down roots as a young man.
I never wanted to be married.
If I'm honest,
I really didn't want the responsibility,
and a lot of women are into that.
You'd be surprised, you know.
Yeah, I know.
- Yeah.
- But that had to be hard as a kid,
I mean, living everywhere.
It was. But it was fun as a man.
No, not... I don't...
'Cause not everything's about that.
Your mind's in the gutter.
Okay? Yeah.
I mean, seeing the world...
Mm-hmm?
...through the eyes of a 35-millimeter,
there's...
nothing like that.
- That sounds like fun.
- It was. Met a lot of people.
- But I never met a stranger.
- Mm.
I mean, take us, for example.
- What?
- Well, don't you feel comfortable with me?
Honestly?
Well, honestly, I just met you.
And if we're being honest,
let's keep being honest.
You keep doing this one thing.
You keep doing this one...
- You have a pattern. You judge.
- Ooh. Oh.
You can't say you don't,
because I'm watching you do it.
- Okay.
- You judge.
You know, it's just...
It's kinda hard...
you know,
when you walk in the room, and you...
find your husband having sex
with his secretary,
who is now his wife.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Thank you.
Wine?
Yes.
I did start to trust him
very quickly.
I don't even know why.
He was so kind,
and... and he knew what to say.
He was gentle.
I didn't even know that a man could be
that perfect, feel that perfect.
I didn't want our first date to end.
And neither did he.
Thank you, Kaitlyn.
Whoo!
So your ex, he, uh...
he owns a mortgage company?
Oh...
Why are you still on that?
Okay.
Hint, if a...
if a man is asking about your ex,
it's because he's trying to see
how he measures up.
Oh.
And from what I can ascertain,
unlike me, he's rich, and so are you.
Well, he owns a mortgage company.
- Mm.
- Not me. And I'm not rich.
- I left the marriage and everything in it.
- Hmm?
- You didn't fight for the money?
- Not a thing, no. I didn't want anything.
I just wanted out.
I was... tired of the lies.
- I get that.
- Mmm.
I don't know why that is,
why men have so much trouble
just being honest.
And so you always tell the truth?
Absolutely, 100%.
It... It gets me in trouble sometimes,
because I have this thing where
I just always say what's on my mind.
Oh...
Okay.
Oh, my God. It is 2:00 a.m.
Wow.
I have to be at work at, uh, 7:00.
Quit.
Am I gonna see you again?
Do you wanna see me again?
I don't want you to leave now.
Good night.
I didn't even realize
how long it had been
since I had been touched,
since I had a man reach for my hand.
I felt something in me
that I hadn't felt in years.
I tried to identify the feeling,
the emotions,
but I couldn't bring it into focus
because it was warmed over in fear.
I was so terrified.
The alarms going off in my head,
telling myself
that I was too old for this shit.
In my head,
I'm hearing that he's leading me on,
that he wanted something.
So I kept repeating to myself
what he said.
"Why not you?"
Why not me?
Maybe God had answered
a seven-year-old prayer
that I had prayed since my divorce.
Maybe this was him.
Somehow, he knew me
almost better than I did myself.
Ooh, he was in my head
and well on his way to my heart,
and I hadn't even known this man
for two days.
I know I'm a fool.
- You're not a fool.
- Then what would you call it?
Human.
I don't wanna talk about this no more.
No. Grace, please.
Go on.
So, tell me.
He was a perfect gentleman.
- What do you dream about?
- Mm-mm.
Dreams come with heartaches, so no.
No, no, no, no.
I know, somewhere in that big heart
of yours, you still dream.
Come on.
Well, my dream was to be a great mother.
And I managed to do that.
Ah, I got a great kid.
Got about two more years
in graduate school.
- Hmm?
- One of the proudest moments of my life.
Okay.
You beam about him when you talk.
- Oh, that's my heart.
- Ah.
I just don't like
the tramp he's married to.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
t-tell me how you really feel.
I know. I'm sorry, God.
I don't call women names.
You just did.
Yeah.
It's just, he...
- He deserves better.
- Hm.
But I gotta let him be an adult,
you know?
That you do.
Boys will be boys. You have to let them
make their mistakes.
Spoken like someone who's made a few.
- More than a few. A lot.
- Mm.
But, like your son,
I adored my mother.
How do you know he adores me?
How could he not?
Well, we don't talk as much...
since she came around.
That's a shame.
I used to talk to my mother...
every day, three times a day sometimes.
- Oh, wow, that's beautiful.
- Yeah.
You know, I've been walking you home
several nights in a row now.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, it's been... it's been nice.
But I've never seen
the inside of the house.
I'm just kind of wondering why that is.
Is it because you got a man in there?
Did your ex-husband buy the house?
Is he hiding in the bushes
with an OJ knife?
- Oh, wait.
- Does he own a white Bronco?
- Stop.
- What's happening?
Just stop.
Now, you know I don't have nobody,
and ain't nobody in that house.
And I bought my own house, thank you.
Excuse me.
You know this house was built
in the 1800s?
And I refurbished it all by myself,
thank you.
Wow.
A lot of blood, sweat, and tears in there.
But I love it.
Very first house I ever bought.
It's beautiful.
Thank you.
I would love to see the inside.
You've been a perfect gentleman, Shannon.
Mmm, but...
That's still a no?
For now.
Okay.
Tomorrow, then.
- Okay.
- Same time?
Mm-hmm.
- Different place?
- Mm-hmm.
French, maybe?
- Okay.
- You like French?
- Oui, oui.
- Ooh.
Enchant.
Good night.
Au revoir.
Now, when I was in my 20s,
I could do that, out every night,
but not so at this time in my life.
I was so damn tired at work,
but it didn't matter. I felt alive again.
I felt free.
I mean,
I was burning the midnight oil
and the candle at both ends.
I was falling asleep at my desk,
some days, in meetings with my boss.
I was so out of my head,
but I didn't care.
All those years at that bank,
and I didn't even care.
I was loving every moment
of being thought about
and called and texted.
I was just in heaven.
- Oh!
- Ride on Jesus
Three months came and went
like three days,
and... and I had held him off,
but I knew the time was comin',
and, oh, he was trying.
I mean, the man was going to church
with me,
and he wasn't even the type at all.
He was not into the church scene.
Despite him not being into the church,
it was still magical.
We had so much in common.
I could start a sentence,
and he would finish it.
It was just unreal.
He was really my soulmate.
I had found what I was looking for,
and it felt so good.
It was becoming harder and harder
to hold out and keep him at bay.
I was falling, and falling hard.
We'd talk on the phone
until the sun came up.
We even fell asleep on the phone
a few times.
I didn't even recognize this new person
that I had become,
and when I would tell myself to slow down,
slow down,
Sarah was right there.
- It's your fault.
- No, no, no, no, no.
Oh, I have never seen you this happy.
Mm!
- Oh, girl, I am. I am.
- Uh-huh. Ooh...
And I was.
I was so happy.
- I'm scared.
- Do you trust me?
I was just about willing
to do anything for him.
- Do you trust me?
- Yes.
- Yeah. What is this, baby? What is it?
- Turn around.
Ooh, wait, wait, no no, no.
No, I feel, like, high grass or something.
I don't wanna be bit by no snake, Shannon.
Okay, okay, okay, listen.
- We talked about this.
- Yes.
- Yeah.
- You're judging too much.
- Okay, okay, okay.
- Just feel, okay? Just feel.
All right, okay.
What is this, baby? What is this?
- My eyes closed...
- Spin around, spin around.
- My eyes closed?
- Yes.
- Eyes closed, spin around.
- Okay, okay, okay.
Okay, open, open.
Oh, Shannon, that's beautiful.
Oh, baby, those are beautiful.
Oh, my God.
Look at 'em, look at 'em!
Ooh!
I need a jar. And you can catch 'em
and put 'em inside...
What are you doin'?
- Grace Waters...
- What are you doin'?
...will you marry me?
- Yes.
- Is that a yes?
So, come on, give it to me.
I said yes before I knew it.
I couldn't resist him for some reason.
He was electric...
...and so good at making me feel good.
It was incredible.
Why are you takin' pictures?
- Move this way...
- Most of my entire life lived,
and here I was.
Victoria's Secret.
I thought love was over for me.
I really did.
Those were the happiest days of my life.
Until...
Please, tell me what else happened.
You know Danielle Mitchell.
She died here.
She was your client.
Now, I know a little something about you,
Jasmine.
You've never tried a case.
And word around here,
when they saw you come in...
was that they had sent me
the worst of the worst
of the public defender's office.
You don't win.
You plead.
That's what you do,
which was, uh, fine with me.
Now give me the damn pen.
- What, she said all that?
- Yeah, but she's right.
I mean, what am I doing?
I have the signed plea agreement.
I'm just gonna take it
to the DA's office, you know?
I just want to be done with all this.
I just want to move to Brookhaven,
have a bunch of babies,
and have you support the family.
- Yeah, okay.
- Come on.
No, that'll last maybe two weeks.
- One. One.
- Yeah, probably. Probably one.
I just know there's so much more
to this story, baby.
I just know there is.
- There is.
- Okay. Well...
she told you that much, just get her
to tell you the rest of the story.
No. I'm done.
I'm done.
No, you're not.
Is the plea deal done?
At this point...
if you wanna be in here
for the rest of your life,
so be it.
I have your signed agreement.
I'm just waiting to take it to the DA.
And you're right about me
not winning any cases,
or not even trying one for that matter,
but...
most of my cases were simple misdemeanors
or a few felonies that I pled out.
But, Grace,
I've never met anyone like you.
I never met anyone
that I felt, in my heart,
was innocent,
even though you're telling me
you're guilty.
You know, Grace,
I don't know how I can help you.
But if you tell me what happened...
I promise you I will try.
Grace, please tell me what else happened.
You stopped at him
asking you to marry him.
We got married.
And it was a whirlwind.
It was the happiest time of my life.
I was in love.
He was everything I imagined
and wanted in a man.
The way he spoke, the way he touched me,
and the way he made love to me.
When he held me, I felt so safe.
I thought, "How is this possible?
Everyone should be this happy."
Baby girl.
He was wonderful.
The man of my dreams.
- Come on.
- What have you done?
Ah, you know what I've done.
Wait, wait, wait, let me sit up.
He was so nice to me.
Oh, wow.
So sweet.
- You're welcome.
- Thank you.
So kind.
My life went from black-and-white
and routine...
...to happy and over-the-top.
Hey.
Hold on, hon.
I heard you like red.
- Yes, I do, and I love roses.
- Those are for you.
And... this is for me.
Oh, no.
- Oh, yes.
- No.
Oh, yes.
But like watching a magic show,
I was so in love and so blinded
by what he was showing me in his hands
that I never looked at
what he was hiding behind his back.
Okay, okay. Stop.
These are beautiful.
So are you.
Thank you.
But for all those happy days,
I was in for twice as much hell.
And it all started to fall apart
as quickly as it began.
No.
Not yet.
Did you enjoy the fireflies?
- Who are you talking to?
- No, I can't wait to see you, too.
Yeah, I'll call you tomorrow.
Bye.
Who were you talking to?
Grace.
Yeah?
There's two things I don't like.
Okay.
One is being checked up on...
and the other's being questioned.
Okay.
I just... I just missed you.
I miss you, too.
Why did he have to go downstairs
to have the conversation?
And then he got so defensive.
That's just men sometimes.
It's probably nothing.
Or it could be another woman.
You know what, Sarah?
This all happened so fast.
Okay, don't go making a mountain
out of a molehill.
Okay? It's probably nothing.
Miss Waters?
Hold on. Yes?
Mr. Clyde would like to see you
in the conference room right away, please.
Okay. Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
- Hey, Sarah, I gotta go.
- Why you gotta go, baby?
- My boss wants to see me.
- Oh.
Okay, talk to you later.
I thought it was strange
that my boss
and all the corporate officers
wanted to see me in the middle of the day.
I had no idea of the bombshell
he would drop.
Mr. Clyde, you wanted to see me?
We just completed an internal audit
of your department.
$379,000 is missing from your accounts.
Well, there has to be some mistake.
It was signed for with your company ID,
your password,
your computer's IP, your laptop,
your name, your codes.
What is wrong with you, Grace?
You thought that we wouldn't notice
that kind of money being moved?
- No, Mr. Clyde, I-I never...
- You're fired!
You're fired.
I couldn't find words to defend myself.
I want that money,
or you're going to jail.
Now please leave
before I have security escort you out.
I was just so shocked
that he would treat me like that.
They knew me!
I couldn't believe this.
I had worked for this company for years.
It had helped me have a good life,
and they were throwing me out
for something I didn't do.
Something I would never do.
It was horrible.
I felt sick to my stomach.
But little did I know
the worst was yet to come.
- He's not answering?
- No.
He's probably with whoever the hell
he was talking to on the phone.
I can't believe this.
We just got married,
and he probably with some other woman,
and I'm sitting up here,
trying to figure out
what to do about this mess!
Grace, Grace, come on now.
Calm down,
and tell me how you think this happened.
I don't know, Sarah.
I don't know.
I mean,
maybe somebody's trying...
Somebody stole my identity. I don't know.
Hey.
Where you been?
- I've been calling you for hours.
- Have you?
Yeah.
- I was, uh...
- With your new woman?
You take her to the fireflies
like you did me?
Wow.
Sarah, would you excuse us
for a second, please?
No, I'm not going anywhere.
I'd like to talk to my wife.
I'm not going anywhere.
So, this is what you wanna do?
You wanna talk to me like this
in front of your friend?
Her friend.
And you remember that.
It's all right, Sarah.
You sure?
Yeah.
Go on.
All right.
Okay.
- You call me.
- Yeah.
So, who is she?
Who is who?
The woman.
Did you take her?
'Cause I heard you on the phone.
I was talking to the nurses.
The head nurse, she's 60.
I set up this photo shoot with the kids.
Kind of did it for you.
They have cancer, Grace.
I figured you'd like the shoot because...
that's where I proposed to you.
You know what's not gonna happen?
Because we already discussed this.
I'm not gonna sit here and be acc...
You know what? Fuck this.
Wait, baby. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Listen, I just had one of the worst days
of my life.
I got fired.
- Fired?
- Yeah.
I don't know what happened,
but somebody got into my accounts,
they got my passwords...
I don't know.
- I don't know what to do.
- I'm sorry. I'm sorry, baby.
I mean,
I've been calling the banks all day.
I-I think... I think somebody maybe...
Maybe somebody stole my identity.
- Baby, I don't know what to do.
- Baby, it's okay, it's okay. Okay?
Look, we're gonna handle it.
- Okay.
- I'm here.
I'm sorry.
No, I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry this happened.
We're gonna make it right.
Just tell me who call.
I don't know... start t-trying to call
my credit accounts
or something like that.
- I don't know who all to call.
- Okay.
Maybe I'll try to call the IRS.
I don't know.
- We'll figure it out together.
- Okay.
- This is...
- Just breathe, just breathe.
- Come here, breathe.
- Thank you.
- He was so...
- I'm sorry.
...concerned.
- Come on. Let's call 'em.
- Okay.
We gotta get this.
We stayed up most of the night
trying to figure out what happened.
Who do you got? Who you got?
Uh, the IRS again. Let me try...
The next morning,
I got up really early
and called the police.
- They were no help at all, so...
- Is there anything you can do?
...I went to the bank.
I'm sorry, is this your signature?
It matches your signature card.
Well, it looks like mine,
but, uh, what is that?
- 'Cause I didn't sign it.
- Oh.
We need to know when you can make
the payment on your mortgage.
It's 30 days behind.
What mortgage?
My house has been paid for
for over four years.
Well, it was,
and then you took out a $375,000 mortgage
exactly 42 days ago.
What are you talking about?
The payments were set up
as direct withdrawal,
and your account is now overdrawn by...
$4,600.
Wait a minute.
This can't be right.
Wait a minute.
I didn't do this.
But as I was trying to tell
one of your tellers,
I think that somebody
has stolen my identity.
See, because how is this kind of stuff
even possible?
'Cause I didn't sign this,
and I never came in here.
This was not me.
It was notarized.
By whom?
Uh... Flynch Notary.
Hold on, can I just borrow this
for a minute? Excuse me.
- Flynch Notary.
- Flynch Notary.
- Mm-hmm.
- Um...
- the address is 2989 Sycamore Street.
- 2989... Sycamore Street.
Lord, have mercy.
What is going on?
I'm sorry,
but while we look into this,
we're gonna need a payment
so your house doesn't go into foreclosure.
Okay.
What is going on?
I went to Sycamore Street,
and it was an old, abandoned house.
The mail was piling up. It was...
All of it was addressed to somebody
named A. McKathy.
I was just upset that some stranger
would do this to me.
It was horrible.
I went back to the bank
to get video surveillance, and...
and, well...
That's when everything I knew shattered.
You did it.
What?
You okay?
You did it.
Did what?
You went to my bank,
and you took out a mortgage on my house.
Grace...
I don't know what you're talking about.
Check your cell.
Grace...
I needed the money, Grace.
And what kind of man
wants to ask his woman for money?
I mean, come on.
I had debts that had to be paid
by some people
that are not to be messed with.
And I just thought
because we're partners, we're married,
- so I just figured that...
- Mm-mm.
you'd want me to have it.
- Why don't you...
- Oh, my God.
- You stole the money from my job, too.
- I did not.
- Yes, you did!
- I'll pay you back. I'm gonna...
My accounts?
My... My... My passwords?
You did that, Shannon?
You did that.
No.
N-No.
I want you to give me back...
all that money.
I can go to jail.
Where... Where is it?
I need you to give me back that money.
- I can't.
- What the hell?
It's mine now.
What the fuck are you talkin' about?
Do you know the laws of this state?
Because I do.
And as your lawfully wedded husband,
I have every fucking right to that money!
You lucky I got two phones.
He was talkin',
and I didn't hear anything.
I couldn't believe this.
I had been conned.
All of it was a lie.
I knew it, but my brain couldn't process
what he had done.
There I was with nothing.
He had taken every bit of it,
and I was so lost.
How could this sweet, loving man
become this cold, calculating demon
in no time?
I was beyond hurt by the betrayal.
I want you out of my house.
I want you out of my house,
and I want you out of my house, now.
And I want an ashtray.
You son of a bitch.
He was laughing at me.
You keep saying "your house."
That marriage license says our house.
It was bad enough
that he had taken all my money,
but here he was laughin'.
- You watch.
- I'm watchin'.
Ashtray.
Ashtray, bitch!
And he wouldn't leave.
I called the police.
I told them everything.
He does not own this house,
I've owned this house for four years.
They told me
that there was nothing they could do,
and that I needed a lawyer
because this was a civil matter.
Sarah recommended a lawyer,
and we went to see him.
Ten thousand dollars?
The attorney told me
that his retainer was $10,000,
and it could be as long as two years
to get to court.
He's already taken so much... Sarah.
My hands were tied.
I didn't know what to do.
I was just so outdone.
Oh, my God.
Not yet.
Mm!
Shannon, get your black ass
out of my motherfucking house!
I mean it!
- Respect my motherfucking privacy!
- You son of a bitch! You son of a bitch!
Get some goddamn locks
- on these doors.
- You black-ass bastard!
You son of a bitch!
What?
So, you brought me to your mom's house?
My momma live better than that.
- Where were we?
- Come on.
- Mm! Okay.
- Don't worry about it.
Mm!
Then it washed over me.
I went numb.
You ever had that numb feeling?
Like what's going on with you
can't be real?
It just can't be.
I couldn't believe that I was this age
and I let this happen to me.
- That was great.
- Mm-hmm.
Will I see you again?
Yeah, if your mom
don't break in on us again.
She won't.
Was I that stupid
that I would let this happen?
Not me.
I'm educated
and smart.
Was I that lonely...
...that I would let this fool
take advantage of me?
I didn't understand it.
Should've joined us.
That look killed me, baby.
Aw.
It's kind of like
the same one you got now.
Shannon, please give me my money.
What?
I'm looking at
being prosecuted by my job.
- Grace, again with that?
- Give me my money.
- Please.
- Grace, Grace, Grace,
Grace, Grace, Grace, Grace.
Now, the way I look at it...
you owe me that money.
Yeah. I mean, think about it.
All the sex...
and the joy I brought
to your miserable fucking life!
Yeah.
You owe me.
I mean... um...
I don't mean to yell.
You're a nice lady, Grace.
You're a very nice lady.
One of the nicest I ever met, really.
That's why it's been so hard for me
to do this.
Yeah.
I guess the nicest thing I can do
is tell you the truth.
You see, I love you.
I really do love you. I...
I'm just never gonna love you
the same way that you love me.
And women your age, you know...
How's the phrase go?
Low-hanging fruit.
Single.
Vulnerable.
Lonely.
Fuckin' weak.
I mean, if you think about it...
it's your fuckin' fault.
You made this too easy.
But you don't think.
Grace, I'm hun...
I couldn't believe that I had killed him.
I got in my car,
and I just drove...
and drove.
Before I knew it,
I was in the middle of nowhere.
Sarah.
He's in my basement.
I killed him.
You told Sarah you killed him?
Yes.
- And you didn't remove the body?
- No.
I left him there.
Sarah went to the house.
Then she called me and told me
there wasn't a body.
He was gone.
Wait, are you telling me he's not dead?
No, I know he's dead.
But he wasn't there.
Time's up.
Grace, where was the body?
Where was he?
I don't know.
You didn't tell me
she told you she killed him.
You can't keep this kind of thing from me,
Sarah.
I'm trying to help her,
and this is the kind of information
that I need to know.
So you went to her house?
Yes.
And what happened when you got there?
There is nothing you can say
that I can use against her.
Okay?
It's not just her I'm worried about.
Who?
If you knew something
and you didn't tell the police,
that's a crime, right?
If the DA knew this, then, yes.
You would be charged.
Not me.
Her son, Malcolm.
He was there.
Malcolm?
Well, did he say anything?
Did you see anything unusual?
He was just a little agitated, and...
it was quick, you know?
He... He just drove away.
Well, what happened
when you got in the house?
I went down to the basement,
but there was no body there.
There was just blood everywhere,
all over the basement stairs.
What do you think happened?
I think Malcolm...
took the body before I got there...
or...
Or if Grace was in a state of shock,
she might have dragged that body up
and put it in the back of her car,
drove out to the country,
and dumped it somewhere.
Mm-mm. No, no. No, no. She didn't do that.
I believe her.
I just love her so much.
I'm sorry, Miss Sarah.
I just... I...
You did all you could for her, Miss Sarah.
- It's all right. It's all right.
- I'm so sorry, Miss Sarah.
- I'll fix it.
- Okay, okay.
Now we know why she wants to plead guilty.
Why?
To protect her son.
Oh...
- Baby, you coming to bed?
- In a little bit.
Oh, babe, when you get to work tomorrow,
can you look up Shannon Delong,
without anybody noticing?
Uh, I really shouldn't do that.
Please?
Okay. I'll see what I can do.
Thank you.
So you see,
she's trying to protect her son and Sarah.
- Mm.
- Now I need your help.
Jasmine, my office.
Meet me at my house at 7:00,
both of you, okay?
All right.
She's really gonna defend her.
Yeah, not if Mr. Rory Plea-Deal
has anything to say about it.
- You right.
- Hm.
I got it. Thanks.
That was the DA's office.
You wanna tell me why they don't have
the plea from Grace Waters yet?
There's been a change of events.
She doesn't want to plead guilty.
She wants to try the case.
She can't afford to go to trial.
This office cannot afford to go to trial.
What are you gonna do? You gonna plead.
It's three weeks away.
Is that what you're planning on doing?
- Yes.
- Ah.
That's great.
Now all of a sudden you want to be
this hero and you want to try a case?
You're not ready. I've been watching you.
I gave you this for a reason, you plea.
Here's what you're gonna do.
You're gonna go down to that jailhouse,
and you're gonna get her
to sign that plea,
and you're gonna get it done.
Never mind, I'll do it.
I'll do it. Thanks.
Grace, I don't have a lot of time. Now...
I think we have enough reasonable doubt
to get that into the jury's mind,
and that means an acquittal.
Did the DA take the deal?
No, no, no. No, listen to me.
I know Sarah and your son
were at the house the day he died.
Who told you that?
This is my mess.
I dragged them into this,
and I will not let my son go to jail.
Did your son help you get rid of the body?
No, he did not,
and don't you ever ask me that again.
Okay, look,
my boss is gonna walk
into that door any minute,
and I need you to tell him
that you have changed your mind,
and you do not want a plea.
The only thing I asked the DA to do
was to put me in a prison close to my son,
and you want me to jeopardize that? No!
- But what if you go free?
- You can't do that.
Yeah, I know I can't
if you don't let me fight for you!
Please, let me fight for you!
I can do it.
Jasmine, I had a feeling you'd be here.
Hi.
My name is Rory Garraux.
I'm Jasmine's boss.
And I think that she's been giving you
some misleading information.
I'd like you to understand something.
My office has looked at your case
up and down,
and we think a plea is a good idea.
That way, you can be near your son.
I know that's important to you, yes?
So my purpose here today is to find out
if it's still your intention
to plead guilty.
Miss Waters,
is it your intention to plead guilty?
I wanna go to court.
I know you talked her into this.
When you lose this case,
I promise you,
you're fired, and your career's over.
Hope I don't lose my job,
but I ran him, and he's clean.
Damn it. He's a con artist.
He probably has several different aliases.
Well, okay. Uh, do you know any of them,
or do you have fingerprints or something?
Oh, my God. Um...
Try this. It's a long shot,
but see what happens.
Okay. Babe, I was kidding, but great.
Another thing to get me fired.
Thanks, babe. Okay.
Um... I'm gonna call Sarah to the stand.
I don't know, that could be tricky.
The DA doesn't know that she called her.
But if he's good,
he could potentially get it out of her.
No, no, no. No. She's strong.
- I don't know, Jasmine.
- She's strong.
That's, uh, really risky.
I need to establish
that she's a good person,
and what better person to do that
than her best friend?
- Right?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, that's true.
- I-I don't know. I don't know anymore.
Well, what else do we have
besides blood pooling and no body? Huh?
Okay. All we need is reasonable doubt.
Okay, let's just start again.
This is the third time we've started.
Look, there's nothing here.
Okay? There's no smoking gun.
Well, we need to find enough
circumstantial evidence to become one.
What?
Nothing. The fire.
We love it.
- I'll start again.
- I'm gonna take this file, Jasmine.
You get the phone records.
Opening statements.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury.
Today, we are gonna prove,
without a reasonable doubt,
that this woman...
Grace Anne Waters,
murdered Shannon DeShawn Delong
in cold blood.
How'd she do it?
Well, she took a baseball bat,
like this one...
and she beat him to death.
Not only that, the evidence
is gonna show how she did it.
The motive will show why she did it.
And it's up to you
to show what happens to people
who break the law.
People like Grace Anne Waters
who are cold-blooded killers.
People with no regard...
for human life.
You have a chance, at this time,
to take Grace Anne Waters, a murderer...
off the streets forever.
Mrs. Bryant?
Mrs. Bryant.
Opening statements?
You've heard the prosecution assert
that there is evidence to prove
that she is guilty.
Well, we want you to know...
that that same evidence will prove
that she is not guilty.
Grace Waters is not a cold-blooded killer.
She's a grandmother.
She feeds the homeless.
She teaches Sunday school.
She bakes cookies.
Just look at her.
Look at her.
This is a nightmare for her,
and as it can be for anyone
who is on trial for murder
and is innocent.
Grace loved her husband,
and she did not cause his disappearance.
And the reason I say "disappearance"
is because the evidence will show
that there is, not now,
nor has there ever been,
any evidence that a murder happened.
No body found.
That's because she did not murder him.
Beyond reasonable doubt.
That's the conclusion you need to get past
in order to reach a verdict.
There are a lot of doubts here.
And they're all beyond reasonable.
You'll see.
You'll see.
Wow, that was good.
Mm. Don't doubt her.
It'll be a lot easier
when she stops doubting herself.
Call your first witness.
Prosecution calls
Detective Marshall Thomas.
Do you solemnly affirm
that you will tell the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth
under the pains and penalties of perjury?
- I do.
- Detective Thomas...
were you the officer that was called
to 1828 Bruben Lane?
Yes.
Did you find a body?
No, we didn't.
So you assumed that this was blood loss.
No assumption, we have DNA testing.
Well, can your DNA test determine
when that blood was left there?
No, the stains were cleaned up.
So it's a possibility that the blood
could have been left there over time?
I suppose, but that's not...
Like over several different times
to add up to that same amount?
That's highly unlikely.
I didn't ask if it was likely,
I asked was it reasonably possible that
that could happen?
Yes. Anything's possible.
No further questions.
The blood spatter.
Is that normal in this position
for blunt force trauma?
Yes.
See, so when I looked at this, I saw...
Objection, Your Honor.
Is there a question here?
Sustained.
So the trajectory of the blood
could have been from something hitting it
after it was already there?
Yes.
No further questions.
Do you remember where you were
the night of August the 17th?
Do you use illegal narcotics?
So you worked with Mr. Delong?
Did you find him to be
a responsible young man?
Have you slept with him, ma'am?
- Objection.
- Sustained.
When he asked to take your picture,
was he flirty?
- Did you let him?
- Objection, Your Honor, move to strike.
- On what grounds?
- Your Honor...
Don't make me warn you again.
Did you meet him there
in the store?
Did you know he was married?
How many men have you seen her
in church with?
Was she affectionate with these men?
Objection, Your Honor.
Overruled.
How we doing?
Well, the prosecutor
is blowing us out the water.
Now, you know I did not call your son.
Thank you.
But Sarah I can call to the stand,
and, um, I can raise reasonable doubt
by simply asking if she killed Shannon.
- Listen...
- No.
Now, you don't listen, do you?
That is my friend.
Grace, I really feel like
we have an in there
- if we can just...
- Jasmine.
Do it, and I promise you, I will stand up
and scream I did it, that I'm guilty.
Okay.
All right.
Wow, the prosecution has
some unbelievably strong witnesses.
- I know.
- So what are you gonna do?
I have to call Sarah to the stand.
Mmm, Jasmine, if you don't go after her
and give the jury something...
Don't you think I know that?
Okay, but you need her to be
more than just a character witness.
I know that, too.
And I can't go left on her,
or Grace'll lose it.
And I can't ask her about Shannon
and Grace's relationship,
because that'll give the prosecution
another motive. I got it, Donnie.
Okay?
Okay.
You know I'm just trying to help, right?
- Thanks.
- Yes, ma'am.
Babe, sleep.
I can't.
It's gonna be fine.
It will.
I just hope Sarah doesn't blow it.
Well, you, Donnie,
and Tilsa prepped her, right?
Yeah, but...
- she's all I have.
- Mm.
Stop stressing.
I'm gonna be off early tomorrow.
I'm gonna get there as soon as I can.
I'm gonna watch you knock it out, okay?
Now, go to sleep.
Miss Miller,
can you tell the court
about your relationship with Grace?
We're best friends.
And how close are you two?
She's like the sister I never had.
And how long
have you known each other, Miss Miller?
For six years.
And in that time of knowing her,
Miss Miller,
have you ever seen Grace violent or angry?
Oh, no. Oh, no.
She's not a violent person,
even when she should be.
What do you mean by that?
I have seen people be very mean to Grace,
and she just prayed for them.
Now, the prosecution wants us to believe,
Miss Miller,
that Grace is a cold-blooded murderer.
- Objection.
- Sustained.
I'm not gonna warn you again,
Mrs. Bryant.
Ask a question.
Miss Miller,
is Grace capable
of murdering someone?
G-Grace? Oh, no. No, no.
She would never hurt anyone. She wouldn't.
Is she capable of beating someone
with a bat?
Absolutely not.
No further questions.
Thank you, Miss Miller.
Miss Miller,
you say the two of you were close friends?
Yes.
So would she call you
when she was in trouble?
No.
- She wouldn't?
- I mean, yes.
Yes, she would.
Well, did she call you
on the...
the night in question, August 17th?
Uh...
- I know you want to protect your friend.
- Objection, Your Honor.
Sustained.
Miss Miller,
you are under oath to tell the truth.
Did she call you the night of August 17th?
Uh... Yes.
What did you talk about?
How we were gonna feed the homeless.
What exactly did she say?
Just that she was excited about it, and...
we talked about her son, Malcolm,
for a while.
Hmm.
How long did you speak?
About 15 minutes.
Okay. Well...
the, uh, phone record shows that
the two of you talked
for less than two minutes.
Is that about right?
Objection!
On what grounds?
This particular phone record
was not in discovery.
Approach.
Your Honor, the defense was not given
this phone record.
Your Honor,
if you look at the list of documents,
it's on discovery.
But, Your Honor, we did not get this
in discovery,
this particular phone record,
nor have we had the time to.
It says here that they were given
months ago.
Well, I was just given this case
three weeks ago, and there was...
Your Honor, we can't be held responsible
for Miss Bryant's incompetence here.
She had them.
You may continue.
Thank you, Your Honor.
But, Your Honor, if we can...
Welcome to trial, Mrs. Bryant.
Now, step away.
Okay.
Where was I?
Phone records.
Now, they show...
that you spoke for less than two minutes,
right?
I-I really don't remember.
It's been so long ago.
Well, maybe you remember
what you did after the call.
What did you do?
Well, it was late, so I went to bed.
Well, then why was your cell phone used
and pinged to a cell tower
near Grace's home a few moments later?
I-I... I don't recall.
Her phone records show
an incoming call from you.
Did you call her?
Miss Miller, you made it very clear
earlier in your testimony
that you two are friends.
I understand, you care for her deeply.
- Are you covering for her now?
- No.
Then can you please clear up
these phone records?
She lives in Rotwell County.
It's very rural.
She called you once, you called her twice.
Why?
- I don't remember.
- It's on the phone records.
She called you, you spoke
for less than two minutes.
Then you went to her house,
you called her,
then you were at your house.
You called her again 45 minutes later.
Why?
I don't remember.
Miss Miller, do you understand
that you can be put in jail for perjury?
You do know what perjury is, right?
Your Honor...
The witness will answer.
She told me that she killed him.
I'm sorry, Grace.
No further questions.
Mrs. Bryant, your witness.
No further questions, Your Honor.
Okay.
You may step down.
Is the defense resting, Mrs. Bryant?
The defense rests.
Closing arguments in the morning
at 9:00 a.m.
We're adjourned.
All rise.
You tried.
How could you miss the phone records?
I, um...
I didn't see them, sir.
I, um...
I thought I saw them,
but I didn't... I didn't see them,
and I was just completely overwhelmed.
- I...
- Overwhelmed.
You didn't see 'em? I saw 'em.
'Cause I was shadowing you.
I was watching it all along.
I don't get it. I...
...I just sit in that office for 25 years,
watching people like you come in,
then go out to private practice,
go to other firms, make more money,
but I respect it.
I'm insulted by your callous demeanor.
You know what you just did?
This is 101.
You let a witness leave the stand
saying that your client was a murderer.
That's what you did.
That's what they're gonna think about
all night long.
I don't get it.
I guess it's a millennial thing.
I'll never understand it.
Baby, come on, just eat a little bit.
Please, come on.
I don't want it!
Who are you, my father? I don't want it!
I'm sorry.
Okay?
I'm just really stressed right now,
and I know you're upset,
but you heard the way he talked to me.
- Why didn't you say something?
- 'Cause he made a lot of good points.
I don't like the way he said it,
but he was telling you the truth, Jasmine.
The truth hurts sometimes.
Wow.
- I can't believe you're taking his side.
- I'm not on his side, baby.
I'm on your side, I'm on our side.
I'm on whatever's going
to make you better.
Truth is hard to get,
but it can make you strong
if you just let it.
- You are such an ass.
- I'm not the ass.
- You are such an ass!
- I'm not the ass.
- I don't walk away when things get hard.
- Are you serious?
- Yeah, I'm dead serious.
- Really?
You can't keep running away
your whole life
hiding behind plea deals, Jasmine.
I was trying! That's the reason
why I'm trying this case.
Okay, so somebody says something
that sets you back,
and you just walk away, babe.
- The case is lost!
- No, it's not.
You saw the jury!
- What am I supposed to do?
- You're supposed to do your job, babe!
Till the end!
I'm serious, the job you were born to do.
That's...
Baby.
I saw the fire in your eyes
when you started this case,
and I saw it just go away
as soon as this moment happened.
Just find it again.
It's done.
The case is closed.
All that's left is the closing argument.
There's nothing I can do.
Well, you better write
one hell of a closing argument.
Hmm?
I'm tired.
Babe.
You've heard the testimony
of over 45 witnesses
that have attested to her guilt.
Her own best friend said
she told her that she killed him.
She knew her better than anyone.
Miss Waters killed Shannon Delong,
and she dragged his body
out to a swamp in the country,
never to be found again.
That's cold-blooded.
That is calculated.
That is premeditated murder.
And it's your job to bring her to justice.
It is your job
to find her guilty,
and we have the utmost faith in you,
and our legal system, that you will.
Thank you.
Mrs. Bryant?
Mrs. Bryant.
Are you okay?
The defense calls Sarah Miller.
Your Honor, both sides rested yesterday.
Approach the bench.
Your Honor, both sides rested.
I understand the counsel is a novice here.
This is ridiculous.
Hold on, Counsel. Mrs. Bryant,
you do understand
that both sides have rested?
Yes, I do, Your Honor,
but I would like to recall Miss Miller
to the stand.
On what grounds?
I should have questioned her
after she said what she said,
and I should not have rested,
and I would like to question her again
because...
That's not how this works.
Once you rest, you cannot call a witness.
Just take it up in appeal.
Closing arguments right now.
- But, Your Honor, if I could just...
- Ah!
Step back and argue.
Now, Counselor.
- The defense calls Sarah Miller.
- Your Honor...
Mrs. Bryant, I have already ruled on that,
and I will not tolerate any more...
Take the stand, Miss Miller.
- Take the stand.
- Mrs. Bryant!
Miss Miller, sit back down.
You are not taking the stand.
Counselors, in my chambers now.
I will not be going
to Your Honor's chambers
- until Miss Miller takes the stand.
- I have ruled on the matter,
and you will come to my chambers.
I'm not going into Your Honor's chambers
until Miss Miller takes the stand.
- Miss Miller, take the stand, please.
- Mrs. Bryant,
if you do not come into my chambers
right now,
I will hold you in contempt.
The defense calls Sarah Miller
to the stand.
Bailiff.
Can you believe this?
So what the hell was that?
The hell do you care?
I'm fired anyway.
Yeah, that's true.
So you throw your life away anyway?
That's what you wanted, isn't it?
What I wanted?
Mm-hmm.
- No.
- And if that's what it takes.
She shouldn't go to jail.
This is unfair.
Unfair, unfair. That's the word.
Now you get it.
All of this is unfair.
The law can be unfair, but it was your job
to walk into that courtroom
and make it fair.
But instead, what'd you do?
Go to court half-assed
after you convinced this woman
to not take a great plea deal?
Now look, it's all unfair.
Listen, I love this personal conviction
that you got going on right now,
but it's on the wrong side of time.
The judge is gonna make you sit here
until you apologize.
You think that's something,
he gave us a recess so that
we can do your closing arguments.
Donnie is thrilled.
You weren't gonna get a mistrial.
What the hell were you thinking?
Enjoy your time here.
Hey, Rory.
Yeah?
Fuck you.
Passion behind bars.
Nice.
We, the jury,
find Grace Waters, the defendant,
guilty of murder as charged
by the state of Virginia.
I'm all right, baby.
I'm all right.
- It's okay, I got him.
- Sarah.
- It's okay, I got him.
- Thank you.
It's all right.
Is that an Uzo?
Got this in Africa. One of a kind.
I got him. It's okay.
You will not believe
what your photographer did.
Do you need me to drive you?
'Cause you are going.
Guard!
You want to talk to me like that
in front of your friend?
Her friend.
Guard!
I need to call my lawyer.
The verdict
in the Grace Waters case is guilty.
Sentencing is scheduled
in just a few months.
This turn of events is no shock to anybody
who was in the courtroom today
or the jurors.
This was what was expected.
Grace was expected to be convicted,
and nothing changed here today.
...predict that some sort
of plea deal is in the works.
Baby, tell the judge that you're sorry
so we can go home, please.
Looking at our forecast,
we have a bunch of rain
coming this afternoon.
This season, we haven't had
abnormally high amounts of rain...
You okay?
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm okay.
You sure you want to see
Sarah today, babe?
It's just...
Yeah, I should.
You know.
I know she's feeling
just as bad as I am right now.
- Babe, just pull over right here.
- Right now?
Yeah. I can walk the rest of the way.
- You sure?
- Yeah.
And you gotta get back to work.
You sure, babe?
It's about to rain.
No, I'll be fine.
Okay. Love you.
I love you, too.
- Be safe, all right?
- I will.
- Bye.
- Bye, baby.
- I'll see you at home.
- All right.
Hi.
Hi, I know you.
Hey, where are you going?
I gotta go.
No, no, no. Come on, come on.
- Where are you going?
- I gotta get away!
Oh, okay,
let's go back to Miss Sarah's house.
Come on, it's okay.
Does she know you're out here?
She go to the bank today.
It's the first. Bye.
Okay. Well, let's... let's go back
to Miss Sarah's house.
It's all right. She probably
doesn't even know you're out here.
- Let's go. Let's get you out this rain.
- No.
No, don't... don't make me go back there.
Please don't.
- Come on, it's okay. It's okay. I got you.
- No.
- You're with me now.
- I want to go to my house.
My house.
- Your house?
- Yeah, uh...
Come on. It's okay. I got you.
- Let's go in to get some...
- Don't make me go in no more.
I don't want to stay there no more.
Don't make me go back there. Please don't.
Come on.
You're safe now.
You left the door wide open.
Well, I don't have all the keys.
All the keys? Oh, okay.
Just come on in.
You're at Miss Sarah's house.
This is where you live.
- This is your house, it's okay.
- No, no. No.
I... I want to go to m-my own house.
My... my house is... is...
It's all right.
Let me get you some water, okay?
My house is two... 2989 Sycamore Street.
- Sycamore Street?
- Yeah.
That's where I live.
The address is 2989 Sycamore Street.
2989 Sycamore Street.
I don't wanna die here like...
Gloria, and... and... Brenda, and...
and Shane.
Shane jumped off the roof.
Jumped off the roof, dear.
I have nothing! Nothing!
No!
She was a photographer.
And so, so talented.
Oh, my God. Is, um...
Is this... is this Shane's work?
Yes, yes. Yes.
Seeing the world
through the eyes of a 35-millimeter,
there's nothing like that.
Somebody got into my accounts.
They got my passwords.
You know, I-I was gonna go to my house
and call the police
so they could come and help us.
I had to build my own boat first.
Ain't that a fact?
I mean, I can't help everybody.
They're hungry.
Okay.
You stay here.
Stay here. I'll be right back, okay?
Stay right here.
- You have the right to remain silent.
- Officer Bryant?
Go for Bryant. Come back, Walt.
You won't believe this.
Check your computer.
Stay right here. don't move.
Oh, shit!
Help me. Help me.
Hello, Alice.
I... I didn't let her in.
Please don't hurt me.
You got her?
Ooh.
Some people never learn.
Do they?
My mama's talking to you.
But they gonna learn to mind
their own damn business.
Police, open up!
Jordan!
Police, open up!
This is Officer Bryant,
location 2342 West Lesson Lane,
requesting backup. Police, open up!
We're seven minutes out.
- Open up, ma'am, police.
- Hello?
- Yes, open up.
- All right. All right. Hello.
Yes, hello.
I'm looking for my wife.
Who's your wife?
You know who she is.
Jasmine Bryant, she was representing
your friend Grace Waters?
- She said she was gonna come by here.
- Well, I haven't seen her.
Okay, well, you mind if I come in?
Do you have a warrant?
If you don't have a warrant,
you can't come in.
I told you, she's not here.
She's not here.
Jesus.
Jasmine!
Jasmine!
Where's my wife?
Jasmine!
Okay, okay.
No, no.
Okay, don't move.
Don't move.
Stay right here.
Jasmine!
Jasmine!
Jasmine!
Jasmine?
Jasmine!
Oh, baby.
Stop!
Jasmine, give it to me. Here.
I think he's done. He's done.
What we've learned is that
Shannon Delong,
whose real name is Maurice Mills,
and his mother, Betty Mills,
also known as Sarah Miller,
have been kidnapping elderly women,
taking their wealth and holding them
hostage for their social security.
Now he's wanted in nine states for bigamy
and several other crimes,
including racketeering.
And we've also discovered
that not only were these two
holding the elderly women hostage,
but he's wanted in several states
for conning at least 16 middle-aged women
that we can verify.
Now, the mother-and-son duo
have been at this for over 25 years,
stealing millions from their victims
over this time period.
Grace Waters was one of the victims.
In light of the new evidence
we received,
the state of Virginia wishes to apologize
to Miss Waters,
and you are free to go.
We are working on finding out
what happened
to the fortunes of these women.
Grace Waters' public defender,
Jasmine Bryant, is the reason
this entire scheme was uncovered.
- Miss Waters...
- Here they come. Here they come.
- Okay.
- Miss Waters.
Miss Waters, how does it feel to be free?
Wonderful.
Miss Waters, are you glad it's over?
It ain't over.
Excuse me.
At present, Sarah Miller,
rather, Betty Mills, is still on the run.
So what kind of experience
do you have working with the elderly?
I take care of them.
And I love them
just like they're my own family.
Well, come, I want you to meet my mother.
I'd like that.
What's her name again?
- LuAnn.
- LuAnn.
Oh, I think I read about her.
Didn't she work
with some financial institution?
- Oh, yeah, she did.
- Hmm.
What was her position again?
- She was a manager for ten years.
- Oh, my.
Impressive.