L.A. Law (1986) s01e18 Episode Script

1
Previously on L.A.
Law.
Abigail Perkins, meet George Handelman.
Oh, boy.
Well, I started to tell George that you have a
wedding to go to on I don't think he'd be interested.
Sure, that'd be fine.
Got a minute?
I need to ask you a big favor.
Yeah, what's that?
I think I'm gonna need some help with my taxes.
Ann, I'm honored.
Wait a minute.
I just spent two hours putting that
stuff in little piles, but It's my tax return.
I'll file it.
Fine.
Go get indicted.
Fine.
Arnie, we need to have a talk.
What about?
A raise.
I couldn't budge him.
When I brought it, I'd be freaked out, Rox.
I went to the math for you.
I'm worth what I'm worth.
And if I can't get it here, then I'll get
it somewhere else.
Roxanne, I thought that we loved each other.
But to find out that you, you,
you've reduced our relationship into
nothing more than a couple of lousy
dollars and all I am to you is a paycheck?
Arnie, please.
No!
Ms. Van Owen, any last-second predictions on the verdict?
No.
35 minutes.
Isn't that a short deliberation for a murder trial?
Depends.
Excuse me.
Ms. Van Owen, you must have some idea.
Ms. Van Owen, I don't know what you're talking about.
This court is now in session.
The Honorable Richard Armand presiding.
Please come to order.
Quiet, please.
Mr. Foreman, has the jury reached a verdict?
Yes, we have, Your Honor.
Will the defendant please rise?
In the matter of People v.
Walt Buckner, criminal complaint number 4258, we, the jury,
find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree.
We further find the special circumstances
to exist, namely, that the victim was a
corrections officer acting in the line of
duty, and that the defendant had knowledge
of the same at the time the murder was committed.
Does the district attorney seek to modify
his request with respect to sentencing?
No, Your Honor.
The people reaffirm its request for the penalty phase
hearing and that the defendant be sentenced to death.
Members of the jury, I thank you for your verdict.
Insofar as this is a capital case,
however, your job is not finished.
This jury, together with parties,
will reconvene tomorrow morning at 10 A.M.
for a new and separate trial, the sole
issue of which will be whether to sentence
this defendant to life imprisonment without the possibility
of parole or to death by an infliction of lethal gas.
This court is adjourned.
If I die, Peter, so do you.
If I die, Peter, so do you.
Then I'll rethink my position.
What harm could it do to ask for a little protection?
Uh-uh, no.
No, because if I let a threat like this
intimidate me, then I've given him the
kind of credibility these animals thrive on.
Michael, I love you for being so
concerned, but I know what I'm doing, okay?
Okay.
Gotta go.
Thanks for breakfast.
Thanks.
Miss me.
Rox, it's not here.
It couldn't have just walked away.
This is great.
I'll just go into the meeting and tell them that my
temp secretary threw out the visitation schedule.
Snapping at me isn't going to help us find it, you know.
Where did the agency find this girl?
Hospital for the Criminally Insane?
I thought she was going to cut my throat
every time I asked her to do anything.
The agency assured me the one they're
sending over this morning is highly qualified.
Rox, it's not here.
I've looked.
Here it is.
Thank God.
Now, if you'll excuse me, please, I've got a lot to
do if I'm going to get to the courthouse by 9 O'clock.
Rox, how long is this jury duty thing going to last anyway?
The judge said we'd be there at least till Thursday.
Well, maybe, maybe you could come by in the afternoons.
I mean, things are really starting to pile up here.
I'll try.
Please, try hard, Rox.
I, I, I can't function like this.
If I'm so invaluable to you, then compensate me for it.
Not this again.
Arnie, nothing's changed.
Either I get my raise or I'm gone.
I said I'd give you till Friday to decide,
and I'll live up to it.
If you find you can get along with a replacement, fine.
But otherwise, you'll have to pay me what I'm worth.
Sorry, excuse me.
Excuse me, I'm looking for Mr. Becker's office.
You're?
Meredith Wiggins, I'm from the agency.
Hi, I'm Arnie Becker.
Hi, Roxanne Melman.
Sorry I'm late.
Let me take you through the basic job requirements.
Don't be silly, you're gonna be late for jury duty.
Are you sure?
Go, go, I'll take it from here.
Okay then, nice to meet you, Roxanne.
Don't worry about a thing, we'll manage just fine.
Bye.
So, your car was stopped at the red light.
Then what happened?
The guy leaps out of his car and starts
charging me, making this weird sound.
Woo, woo.
And, um, what did you do?
I was scared.
I locked my door, rolled up the window.
Next thing I know, he's got this tire iron
and he starts smashing my car with it.
I mean, he's swinging and slamming and bashing.
All the time he's going, woo, woo, woo.
He was a madman.
Objection.
Witness lacks facts.
Foundation, they're in their psychiatric opinions.
Move that the answer be stricken.
Sustained.
Disregard that last remark.
What happened next, sir?
I got out of my BMW to protect it.
I mean, he was bashing it to bits.
And that's when you engaged in the fist fight?
Right.
And then the police came.
Then what happened?
They arrested him.
Thank you, Mr. Harkavy.
Your witness.
You say, sir, you first became aware of the
defendant's vehicle upon the sound of his horn?
That's right.
And do you know what occasioned him to blow his horn, sir?
Well, I pulled into the Lane that he was in, and I guess
he just didn't like it, but I was completely in the right.
Did you signal with your directional, sir, before
the sudden and reckless veer into the Lane?
Objection.
No sudden or reckless veer has been established here.
Sustained?
Sorry.
Did you indicate with your blinker, sir,
before changing lanes with your vehicle?
I certainly did.
I have excellent driving habits.
And at the sound of my client's horn, sir,
did you respond with obscene gesticulation?
Well, it's part of everyday driving, but that doesn't mean
he should jump out of his car and come at me with a crowbar.
Objection to the term crowbar,
inflammatory, move for immediate mistrial.
Come on, Mr. Sylvia.
Sorry.
Would it be a fair representation,
sir, to say that my client took exception
to your driving maneuver, expressed his
indignation, after which you demonstrated
reciprocal displeasure to the point where the
disagreement escalated into a violent confrontation?
A confrontation he started.
Move that the answer be stricken, non-responsive,
ask that the witness be sanctioned, no further questions.
Sorry.
And then what happened?
And then he forced me into the cell, where I
see they already got two other guards tied up.
Your Honor, it has already been
established at trial that this man saw the
stabbing, but this has nothing to do with sentencing.
I'm leading up to the threats made by the
defendant against this witness,
threats which were inadmissible at trial
but are relevant for this proceeding.
Well, then just get to them, Ms. Van Owen.
There's no need for him to recount the murder.
Can you tell us, Mr. Mosher, what happened after the prison
officials entered the cell and
retook custody of Mr. Buckner?
It was right after the stabbing.
Nicky was still lying on the floor.
I think he was already dead.
And Buckner, as they were taking him out,
he looks at me and smiles.
He's got this big smile on his face.
And he says, killing guards is extra fun.
Are you still a correctional officer at
San Quentin, Mr. Mosher?
I quit.
You got guys with life sentences in there
with nothing to lose by killing again.
Courts say we can't keep them in isolation.
They all managed to get weapons.
Objection.
Now he's philosophizing on prison reform?
Sustained.
Please limit your remarks to Mr. Buckner only, sir.
I'm talking about guys like Buckner.
He already had a life sentence when he killed Nikki.
If you just give him another one, you're
giving him carte blanche to do it again.
Objection.
Sustained.
The jury will disregard that statement.
Disregard it?
That man is going to kill again when he
gets back in the prison.
How the hell do you tell them to disregard that?
Objection.
Sustained.
Now, don't make me cite you for contempt, Mr. Mosher.
Benora versus Cromwell Aircraft.
Unchanged.
Richardson Estates.
Statsquare.
Stuart, how far along are we with the
partnership return, buddy?
If luck and a stiff breeze, I should be
through the bulk of it by April 1.
That's excellent.
Yeah, then it's just a question of sitting down
with everybody, making sure the arithmetic's right.
Excuse me.
Could you gentlemen table your little sidebar
until we've completed the morning's business?
Sorry, Douglas.
Anything further?
Yes.
Can I just ask something?
Does anybody have any aspirin?
I think I have one in my purse.
Are you all right?
Ann, I've had this toothache all week.
I can do better than aspirin, Victor.
I can give you a dentist, Dr. Rothberg.
Mike's right.
You should get it taken care of.
I hate dentists.
Oh, he's great.
One shot of Novocaine, you won't feel a thing.
What is it, kind of a steady throbbing pain?
Yeah, yeah, that's it.
Yeah, boy.
I just hope it's not a root canal.
Oh, I had that once.
They had to cut into the jawbone to kill the nerve.
Oh, please.
I get vasovagal response.
What?
Even the thought of it.
The drilling.
The huge needles.
Makes me faint.
Oh, there's nothing worse than lying there helpless, your
mouth wide open, and that little drill starts grinding away.
Little bits of teeth start flying out.
Oh, smoke.
You start to see smoke.
And that terrible burning smell.
Stop.
Guys, please, give me a break, okay?
Oh, that's nothing.
When I was in high school, I went to the
dentist, and he was drilling my cavity, right?
And I flinched.
And the drill took this big chunk right out of my tongue.
Oh, yuck.
Yeah, blood was pouring out all over the place.
I couldn't eat for days.
It was a tragedy.
It was a tragedy.
Stitches?
Uh-uh.
No, no, the tongue is the fastest healing part of the body.
You can practically hack the whole thing right off.
Excuse me.
Uh, seriously, Victor, I think you ought
to let Dr. Rothberg check you out.
Yeah, I guess I should.
Elizabeth has the numbers.
Set it up.
Thanks, Mike.
Douglas?
Gary?
Douglas?
Hmm.
Hi.
Hi.
The dentist will be with you in a minute.
Thank you.
Mr. Sifuentes?
Yes.
Hi, I'm Dr. Pennybaker.
I'm sorry we couldn't fit you in yesterday.
It's okay.
What seems to be the trouble?
Uh, my tooth hurts.
Which one?
The, uh, lower one in the back on the right, I think.
Okay.
Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
Let's take a look.
How did you get to me?
Uh Oh, Mike Kuzak recommended Dr. Rothberg.
Did he call in sick?
Dr. Rothberg called in dead.
Passed away six months ago.
I'm taking over for him.
Open.
Oh.
Ooh.
You have great teeth.
Oh, thank you.
Do you floss them regularly?
Oh, I You should, you know, if
you want them to stay that way.
You may feel just a little bit of pain.
Sorry.
What you have is a deteriorated filling.
The good news is I think we got it in time.
It's just a matter of re-drilling and
putting in a new silver filling.
That should take care of it.
That should take care of it unless you
start picking up radio stations.
What?
It's just a joke.
I'm being sued.
Malpractice.
Open.
Okay, close.
You're a lawyer, aren't you, Mr. Sifuentes?
You know, this case is completely groundless.
This crazy woman claims that I drugged her
and while she was knocked out,
I planted a radio receiver in her bridge work.
Can you believe that?
At first I thought if I just ignored her,
maybe she'd drop the suit and it'd go
away, but now I have to go to court tomorrow.
Do you think that if I just explain that to
the judge that he'd, everything will be okay?
Uh-uh.
Open.
You're gonna feel just a little pinch and
then a burning sensation.
You know, it's upsetting to be accused of
something even as silly as this.
I don't know what I'm gonna do.
Hey, maybe you could help me.
Uh-uh.
Mmm.
Great.
I'm so relieved.
I'd been working in the prison laundry room for
about six months when they transferred him in.
I want you to tell the jury exactly what
you saw on October 12th, 1980.
Well, like I said, I was in the laundry room.
It was towards the end of the shift.
And I see Buckner wrestle this young kid into the alcove,
push him onto the floor with a knife against his throat.
And he raped him right there on the floor.
I could see the whole thing from where I was standing.
Then he takes the knife after he's done,
and he sticks it right above the kid's
knee, and he starts ripping up the leg
with it, all the way up to his thigh.
And then he told the kid he'd cut his leg
right off if he ever said a word to anybody.
And did he?
No.
Neither did I.
Why is that, Mr. Bridges?
Because inmates who say things about
other prisoners end up with knives in their backs.
The guards can't protect you?
Lady, the guards don't run that joint.
The Buckners do.
I'm in for five years.
Waiting that long, that ain't the problem.
The trick is living that long.
No further questions?
Before appearing as a witness here, you
made a deal with the prosecutor, didn't you?
Yes.
They agreed to expedite your parole if you
provide a testimony against Mr. Buckner.
Doesn't change what I saw.
You'd do anything to get out of prison.
Isn't that right, Mr. Bridges?
Yeah, I cut a deal.
But I'm telling the truth.
You don't know who that guy is, man.
He's killed people you don't even know about.
There ain't nobody safe.
Objection, Your Honor.
Sustained.
The jury will disregard the witness's last remarks.
You've had five years to tell your story.
Now, why is it you never said anything until now?
Because I would have been killed.
It was an argument.
An argument that turned violent, that's all.
It was a vicious attack.
Quiet.
I'll give you your chance in a minute.
Excuse me, but since we've appointed
Mr. Gelber as foreman, I think he should moderate.
He can moderate all he wants after I have my say.
Now, look.
Look, this Harkavy guy, he forces the
defendant's car off the road.
Then he flips him the bird.
Now, I don't condone what the defendant
did, but I don't think we should
criminally convict the guy for a situation where
a lot of normal people would lose their tempers.
I disagree.
Normal people don't bash cars and hoot
like whooping cranes.
But what would you do if some nut almost
makes you crash, huh?
And then tells you where to go?
You'd be pretty upset.
I wouldn't resort to violence.
Well, maybe there's something wrong with you, then.
I mean, I'm not calling you a coward or
nothing, but I'd hate to see a guy go into
jail just because of a little yellow streak on the jury.
This has nothing to do with bravery, Mr. Novicki.
I just think it's important that we all
know where each of us is coming from.
And I, uh, just want to make it clear that
you're a man who always remains peaceful,
no matter how much he's pushed.
Hey, Mr. Novicki.
Keep your hands off me.
What?
Who's to stop me?
I'll stop you.
You?
A meek little mole like you?
Stop it!
Cut it out.
Stop it!
Both of you!
Stop it!
What's the matter with you?
Okay, okay, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I was just trying to show that there's the potential
for violence in every man if he's sufficiently provoked.
And in those moments, we can all behave out of character.
Now, again, I'm not trying to suggest that the
defendant should be congratulated for losing.
It's cool.
I just hate to see a man's life ruined
because he blew a fuse after a little traffic beef.
Come on, folks.
Hasn't everybody been punished enough for this already?
So what you're saying, doctor, is Walt
Buckner in many ways is a victim himself.
Oh, in almost every way.
He was orphaned at age six, sexually abused at age eight.
He was shuttled from foster home to foster home.
Now, these aren't great springboards for
emotional suffering.
Now, doctor, did you have occasion to do a
psychiatric workup on Walt Buckner?
I did.
And can you state for the court your
conclusions from this examination?
Well, I found Mr. Buckner to be a man abused
emotionally and physically since childhood.
His life has been consumed with violence and despair.
And in many ways, he's done nothing but
perpetuate the environment he was born into.
His behavior, given his upbringing, is totally predictable.
Do you think, doctor?
That if exposed to positive influences,
this man could change?
It's possible, yes.
Thank you, Dr. Bassett, that's all.
You think this man is capable of changing?
Well, I believe every man is
capable of reformation, and Mr.
Buckner's no exception.
A man who has killed four times?
Believe it or not, yes.
You see, the propensity for redemption is
in every one of us.
Yes, however latent.
When you examined Mr. Buckner, you
refused to be alone with him, didn't you?
Well, there's usually a guard present for those things.
But you specifically demanded that a guard
be present, didn't you?
Yes.
Because you were afraid of him, right, doctor?
You were afraid for your life.
It was just a precaution.
Just a precaution.
Nothing further.
Basically, Larry, we're not even going to
answer into the question of religious training.
Until we're amended on the joint custody provision.
Insofar as the sheik does not have U.S.
citizenship, and insofar as there's a
perceived, if not very real threat,
that he may be tempted to take the kids out of the country.
Larry, she's adamant on this point.
No, I've got to tell you, right now, it's not going to fly.
Larry, could you hold on for a minute?
I'll have to call you back, Sam.
Kisses.
Can we get the other line, please?
I'm on a very important call.
Sure.
Thank you.
Mr. Becker's office.
Hello.
Hi, Larry.
They hung up.
Meredith, I lost my call.
Did I cut you off?
Could you get Larry Radnitz back on the line, please?
Boy, this just hasn't been my day, has it?
That's not your fault.
These followings are kind of tricky.
Well, I appreciate you being so patient with me.
It's a new situation.
Ease up on yourself.
You'll get the hang of it.
I hope so.
I'll tell you what.
Let me finish with this call.
The two of us ought to sit down and get to know each other.
Hey, we'll grab a little lunch.
Sound like fun?
I know a great little Japanese place right
across the street.
Well, thanks anyway, but I brought a bag lunch.
Sure?
Do you want me to try that call again for you?
Hey, how's the tooth?
Fine.
Ruffer's a great guy, isn't he?
Sorry to bring the sad news to you,
but Rothbard croaked six months ago.
Seriously?
Seriously.
Well, how?
What happened?
I didn't ask.
Anyway, you should see this woman who's taken over for him.
Unbelievable.
You asked her out?
Not exactly.
I couldn't figure out what to say.
So she starts telling me about this minor
malpractice action.
So I'm representing her.
Sounds serious.
I could get real with this woman, Mike.
Very.
Real.
Ann.
Cromwell Interrogatories.
That was fast.
I have a date tonight.
George Handelman?
Mm-hmm.
Are we getting serious?
I don't know.
I like him.
Have you, um
No, we haven't, um Well, I trust
you'll keep me abreast of the situation?
You know, ladies and gentlemen,
I've sat here, and I've listened to the
district attorney do everything she can do to convince you
that my client is nothing but
a wild, deranged piece of filth.
She's tried so hard to depict him as
something less than human in the hopes
that it will make it easier for you to
expunge his very existence.
But no matter what she says, she cannot
escape one simple fact, and that is the
human life is God's greatest, and most mystifying creation.
It has the capacity for good, the capacity for
bad, but most of all, it has the capacity for change.
Don't take this life unless you
make no room for the possibility
that there is or ever will be something of value in it.
The last time you went to that jury room,
you returned with a verdict that said,
in effect, we will not tolerate the taking of a human life.
I beg of you now, let your next verdict
reflect that same sentiment.
Thank you.
He is asking you to believe that this man
will change, that there may be value in his life.
Ladies and gentlemen, Walter Buckner will never be anything
but the hideous murderer that he is at this very moment.
He is a cold-blooded, remorseless killer.
He was 14 years old when he murdered
Rafael Barletta, for which he served only
two and a half years in a juvenile facility.
17 when he raped Meg Jones, 22 when he
murdered Fred James and Ricardo Wallace,
and now at the age of 28, the culmination of Mr. Buckner's
career, the execution of corrections officer Clemens Rood.
If you do not sentence Walt Buckner to
death, you will be telling him this last
night this one was for free you murdered
Nicholas Clemens Rudd ripped him from his
young family in a senseless explosion of
hatred but we as a society are not going
to punish you that is the message that you
will be sending him and to every other
lifer and to every other prison guard and
to every prison in the state.
Sentence this man to death because people
he is not finished yet and the question
before you is not whether somebody will
die somebody will the question before you
is whether it will be him or his next victim thank you.
Are you predicting execution no comment how upset
are you gonna be if they let this guy live please not now.
This court is now in session.
Be seated and come to order.
Will the defendant please rise?
In a matter of people versus Walt Buckner,
criminal complaint number 4258.
We, the jury, sentence the defendant to death.
The defense asks that the verdict be set aside.
So noted.
Members of the jury, this concludes your
obligations before this court.
And I want to thank you for carrying out your
responsibilities under these trying circumstances.
You're dismissed.
And this court is adjourned.
Grace, you god, lady, you dead beast!
Dead beast!
I'm.
Putting two uniforms on you.
They'll walk you to and from your car,
and they'll park outside your place at night.
That's not enough.
The man's in custody, Michael.
Well, his gang friends aren't.
You're gonna have to cut off his visitors.
We're on top of it, counselor.
Grace, let me ask you something.
You got a gun?
No.
Do yourself a favor.
I'll take care of the permit.
And that's your answer?
Arming the victims?
Maybe it's not the answer, but it won't hurt.
Well, it sends a hell of a message, doesn't it, Bruce?
A society of law and order, but just in
case, pack a pistol.
There could be a nut out there.
They're looking to blow your head off and
you're worried about what message you send?
All I know is that I am supposed to, supposed
to represent the criminal justice system.
And the day that I validate the notion
that the only way to effect order is for
district attorneys to strap sidearms to
their hips, that is the day I quit.
I'm not talking department policy here.
I'm talking survival.
I have never even fired a gun.
And I'm not about to start carrying one.
Not now.
Not ever.
Eight-one.
Nine-one.
Ten-one.
Ten-two.
Ten-two in favor of acquittal.
Okay, who here besides Gelber voted guilty?
I did.
Oh, come on.
If we wind up deadlocked here, we haven't done our job.
If you ask me, only two of us did our jobs.
The rest of you were intimidated.
Ma'am, we've been through this.
The guy just snapped his cork.
You want him to have a criminal record?
Not be able to get a job?
He broke the law.
And according to the judge's instructions, it's
not mitigated by the fact that he did so in a snit.
Look, lady, suppose you were provoked like that.
Suppose somebody came up to you.
You try any demonstrations with me, Mr. Novicki,
and I'll go right to the police and swear out a complaint.
You saw Mr. Gelber explode.
Now, you don't think he's a criminal, do you?
I don't deny that we're all capable of violence.
But that's the reason we have laws.
Laws against smashing things with crowbars.
Laws against assaulting people on juries.
God, I don't care how much you sympathize
with him, Mr. Novicki.
What that man did was illegal.
And every person in this room knows it.
Now, I say we take another vote.
No way.
I say she's right.
Me too.
Pass the papers.
Oh, come on.
Wait a minute.
You wait a minute, Novicki.
We're taking another vote.
Yeah, I think we should.
Can you pass that paper, please?
Sure.
Do you need one?
Uh-huh.
All right, Ms. Reinhold.
Since you're representing yourself, I'm just
going to let you tell your story in narrative form.
Go ahead, please.
Well, on September 9th, I consulted
Dr. Pennybaker for what I thought was an abscess.
Against my will, she put me under
sedation, and while I was out,
she evidently inserted some kind of
microscopic receiver in my teeth,
because ever since I left that office,
my mouth picks up radio stations.
Now, I have asked her several times to
stop this, but she won't do it.
Nobody will do it.
Excuse me, ma'am.
You're saying that your mouth is picking up radio signals?
Well, of course that is what I am saying.
I am telling you what happened to me.
Ma'am, has anybody else heard these sounds?
How could they not?
I mean, it's so loud, sometimes I can't even myself think.
Mr. Sifuentes, do you have any questions you'd like to ask?
Yes, judge.
Ms. Reinhold, how often do you hear this radio?
Constantly.
I get no peace.
I don't sleep nights.
Can you tell me if it's playing right now?
Can't you hear it?
Ma'am, that is what I'm forced to live with.
I'm very sorry, ma'am, but I couldn't hear anything.
Couldn't?
Well, you're on her side.
You heard it.
Oh, I'm afraid I didn't either, Ms. Reinhold.
We're all in this together.
I should have known nobody's going to help me.
We would all like to help you, ma'am.
It plays so loud, it's ruining my life,
and none of you will help me, none of you.
Ms. Reinhold, have you seen any other doctors about this?
Oh, you mean You mean a shrink?
You mean like I'm crazy while I
There's nothing the matter with me.
It's this damn, damn
I just want I just want you
people to help me before I kill myself.
Go to the bench.
Yeah.
If we can just have the judgment,
Your Honor, we won't be seeking costs.
Ms. Reinhold, I'm going to have to enter judgment for the
defense since I don't find your testimony to be credible.
I am sorry, but there is nothing else I can do.
You're all against me.
You're telling me that you don't hear this?
You're telling me you're all against me?
You're telling me that you can't hear this?
You're telling me that you can't hear this?
You can't hear this?
Grace, I'm sorry about this morning.
Oh, it's okay, John.
It wasn't your fault.
So will you be handling the appeal in
this, or will it go to the appellate division?
If I have any say, my involvement is over.
This wasn't my favorite case.
For what it's worth, mine isn't.
Help!
Help!
Get out!
Get out!
Ambulance!
Oh, no!
Oh!
Get an ambulance!
Oh, no!
Oh, no, no!
Yo, Mike.
Where is she?
This way.
Now, look, she's fine.
It's just a graze.
How the hell could this have happened?
13-year-old kid.
He just jumped in fire, okay?
Just
You're okay.
I.
Don't know.
I guess.
She's gonna be fine.
We don't even need a sling.
Oh.
Thank you.
Can you get me a carry permit?
Yeah.
We'll take care of it.
I see you said it yourself.
Getting a gun is not the answer.
I said that before having the barrel of
one point at my head.
And I'm not going to let that happen again.
The next time someone comes after me,
I want to be able to shoot first.
I think the spelling's okay now.
Thanks.
Listen, I feel like I owe you an apology.
What for?
Well, I've been so busy the past couple of days.
We haven't had a chance to sit down and chat.
It's okay.
Can I make it up to you?
Maybe take you out for a drink?
I'd like to, but Sam's taking me to Chinatown tonight.
What's with this Sam?
Are you two, uh, serious?
Pretty serious.
You married?
No.
Engaged?
No.
So, in other words, I still have a shot.
No.
Hi.
Hi, Sam.
Sam, this is Arnie Becker, my boss.
How do you do?
Hi.
We should get going, Mary.
Okay.
I'll see you tomorrow, Arnie.
Bye.
Bye.
Hi.
Hi.
How'd it go?
Between you and me, how do you stand him?
He's such a slime doggy.
Arnie.
How's she doing?
Too unpredictable.
Can't rely on her.
Can't rely on somebody like that.
How's your trial?
They convicted him.
Almost everyone in the jury voted at first to
acquit him, even though he was guilty of sin.
Then I changed their minds.
What?
Did you threaten to quit the jury?
Very funny.
Wait, wait, wait.
What are you doing?
Cleaning out my desk.
It's what you want, isn't it?
You're really going to bust me on this thing, aren't you?
No.
It's your choice, Arnie.
Oh, great.
It's some choice.
Would I rather cut off my arm or my leg?
Stop making it so personal.
It's only money.
You know, that's right.
It's only money.
This is stupid.
I'm not getting any of that.
Okay, all right, all right.
All right what?
All right.
You win.
Really?
Yeah.
Cost of living from the firm.
The rest can be out of my own pocket.
You're sure it won't be too much of a hardship?
I probably shouldn't say this,
it just might go to your head,
it's been a long time since I felt this
good about anybody, when I saw the way you
were in court, you were so gentle,
so compassionate, you know, I'd almost
given up entirely on men, oh, come on,
Jocelyn, it is very hard for me to imagine
you being on the shelf, I scare away a lot
of men, I think I intimidate them,
a lot of guys don't have the, uh,
ego strength to deal with a successful
woman, is this true, a lot of guys are
also jerks, mm-hmm, sometimes I think it's
my fault, though, I'm a, I'm a very
passionate woman, Victor, sometimes I
think too passionate, when I give, I like
to give all of myself, does that frighten you,
I don't scare easy, you're an amazing man,
Victor, man, I don't know about that,
but I want to do something very special for you tonight.
That's it.
Almost done.
If you could just move your tongue a tad.
Perfect.
Victor, I just love your mouth.
No awful pyria, just big, beautiful gums
and strong white teeth.
How does that feel?
Good.
You should floss more.
Your gums are bleeding.
Spit.
What?
What are you doing?
I think I missed a piece of gristle.
Open.
Oh, no.
No, no, no.
Jocelyn, really, it's okay.
It's okay.
You don't want to risk going to this, do you?
Oh, Victor, you have such a beautiful
mouth, and I want to take care of it for you.
Mm-mm.
Ta-da.
Exhibit A.
Great.
Thanks.
Wow.
Where were we?
Damn, will you look at what time it is?
9.30.
I didn't realize it was so late, Jocelyn.
I gotta go.
Don't you want to stay?
I wish I could, really, but I got this big
case in the morning.
Um, Victor, did I, uh, did I say something wrong?
No, no, no, no.
It was great, believe me.
Well, I, I mean, I don't understand, then.
Why are you leaving?
I mean, I know you don't have to go home to work.
Why would I make up a thing like that?
Listen, I'll call you, all right?
You're not gonna call me, are you?
Jocelyn, come on, let's not spoil a great evening.
You let me give, and give, and give,
and now you're through with me.
Oh, Victor, you're not capable of having
real intimacy with a woman who's your equal.
Jocelyn, I gotta go.
Get out.
Hey, thanks for the dinner, huh?
It was, uh, it was great.
Thank you.
We'll see you, all right?
Yeah.
Just in time.
How are you this evening?
I need to buy a gun.
Sport or personal protection?
Protection.
Have you had any experience with firearms?
I've never used one.
Uh-huh.
In that case, I would recommend a shotgun.
Trouble with a handgun.
Unless you're five feet from the target,
chances are you're not going to hit anything.
You're in bed.
You hear a prowler.
You come in the living room with this mama.
If the sound alone doesn't scare him off, your only
problem's going to be cleaning the mess off the walls.
I need a gun I can carry.
I'm afraid that's against the law.
I'm with the district attorney's office,
and I do have a carry permit.
In that case, you're going to want a revolver, huh?
Now, these are your revolvers right here.
This is, uh, this is what a lot of the ladies are buying.
Smith & Wesson .38 caliber special.
Five shot, two inch barrel.
Easy to operate, just close it, pull back the hammer, wham.
Anything lighter, you're down to a .22.
Now, obviously, it's gonna depend on the
circumstances, but a guy on drugs,
you hit him with a .22, he might not even
know he's been shot.
A .38, you can be sure you can knock him off his feet.
You just walk over and stick it in his ear.
Pow.
Wrap your fingers around this baby, you're a stone killer.
Sexy, isn't it?
Yes.
It is.