Shark s02e02 Episode Script
For Whom The Skel Rolls
Isaac? Baby, is that you? I think we're starting to get the hang of it.
Yeah.
Maybe we should give it another shot.
Just to be sure? Right.
It's Stark.
Meet me now Remind me to kill him next time I see him.
RAINA: I could have handled this myself.
I needed some fresh air, or the Los Angeles equivalent.
Besides, your mind has been wandering a little lately.
What's that supposed to mean? Just keep it out of the office, okay? What have we got? Oh, attempted robbery gone sideways.
Two suspects tell Mr.
Park to empty his register.
He empties his shotgun instead.
Fascinating, but I run the high-profile crime unit and, when you called, I was in the middle of this killer Bordeaux, which prompts the question What the hell are we doing here? The guy who wasn't hit-- Ricky Rago? He's looking to trade down on this Says he has information about a cop's girlfriend who was killed four years ago.
Olivia Nixon.
That was Isaac's fiancee.
I know Wright works for you now, so I gave you a call.
I appreciate that,Detective.
I thought that case cleared.
Hey, it did.
My name is Sebastian Stark.
I understand you have some information on the Olivia Nixon homicide.
That being the case, I was thinking maybe we could knock this thing down to a criminal trespass kind of situation.
Someone's been watching Court TV.
Soone actually confessed to that killing four years ago.
Maybe the cops beat it out of him.
All I know is you guys got the wrong dude.
Nice try.
Enjoy your eight to ten.
June 4, 2003.
Dontanito Drive.
The killer took a charm braceletwith an elephant on it.
In robbery homicide, they don't make the list of personal effects public.
I'll take you to the murder weapon.
How about you name the killer? Then we'll talk.
My brother Nick.
Nick Rago.
So much for brotherly love.
Where is Nick now? I told him this guy had a gun under the counter.
Would he listen to me? So Olivia's killer is history? That sounds to me like justice is served.
My brother was bought and paid for.
Your brother was paid to kill Olivia Nixon? -Bingo.
-Why? "Why" doesn't really enter the equation.
Someone wants a gun, they pay, she's gone.
Who hired your brother? Nicky never said.
Just that this was the best score he ever made.
He's a scumbag, but he knows a lot about the case.
If he's telling the truth That means the person responsible for killing Isaac's fiancee is still out there.
Shark 202 You didn't need to bail me out.
I drew the short straw.
You know, maybe you were, like, sick or something when they taught this in law school, but resisting arrest is against the law.
That cop was a punk.
Yeah? And how about your boss in organized crime? Is he a punk, too? Heard you got bounced out.
No, he was a straight-up jackass.
Obviously, he failed to recognize your deep respect for authority.
You know what? Thank you for bailing me out.
All right? I'll pay you back.
So, I'm thinking you could probably use a job, huh? Forg it.
You couldn't last a week at a 9:00 to 5:00 gig.
You know it.
You're a pit bull.
Which is exactly what I need.
You want to hire me? I just want to see if you can go 48 hours without landing in jail again.
- Think of it as a tryout.
- It'll never work.
Probably not.
Work starts at 9:00 a.
m.
sharp.
Grab a shower.
You smell like jail.
It's a public case file.
Forensics determined that the murder weapon was a military-style assault knife, but they never found it.
The guy who went down-- Hector Hernandez-- said that he threw it off the Santa Monica Pier.
That's a long way from here.
So I checked out this Hernandez guy.
He was already convicted of a third strike burglary before he confessed.
He was going away for life anyway.
So copping to Olivia's murder didn't cost him anything.
Ricky Rago said he rented a paddleboat, dumped the knife his brother used to kill Olivia.
You believe him? Would you admit to renting a paddleboat if you didn't have to? Looks like he's got something.
He found a knife.
Matches the description of the murder weapon.
So Rago's one-for-one.
So somebody paid his brother to do the murder.
Yeah.
Someone with a lot of cash and a grudge against Olivia.
Have you told Isaac? Think I'll take a rain check till we're sure the wrong guy took the fall.
Unless you got the key to the gate out there, I got nothing to say to you.
Why did you confess to the murder of Olivia Nixon? How did it go down? Read my confession.
Now we want to hear it fm you.
I was robbing that lady's place.
She woke up.
Really? What time of night was it? Late.
How many times did you stab her? Six or seven.
I wasn't counting.
Thank you, Hector.
You've been very helpful.
In my experience, murderers never forget the details.
Unless they're lying through their teeth.
So maybe Ricky killed her.
Who better to pin it on than his dead brother? Too big a risk.
Better to fight the robbery charge and keep your mouth shut.
Why would Hector confess to a murder he didn't commit? Because he had nothing to lose.
Whoever hired Nick Rago wants to make the investigation disappear.
He finds Hector Hernandez, up on a third strike.
Perfect fall guy.
It pays him to confess.
Go over the police file and the confession.
Look for any loose ends.
Anything that doesn't add up.
And check out this Nick Rago.
Has anyone told Isaac? Let's see what we come up with first.
All right, let's go over it all again.
Olivia worked at Moonrise Clinic in Malibu.
Drug rehab to the stars.
A lot of folks with enough cash to afford a murder for hire.
June 4, 2003, Olivia's asleep.
She wakes up to find a burglar in the house.
He stabs her to death.
Isaac scovered the body.
We need to speak to him.
We're reopening the case.
We have to look at everyone.
Are you saying Isaac's a suspect? He was a fiance.
That makes him suspect No.
1 He has to be cleared again.
You got to be kidding me.
He's right.
See if the homicide MO matches anything in Rago's priors.
Okay.
This is a murder investigation.
If you can't be objective, I need you to tell me now.
Hey.
Hey.
Is everything all right? Yeah.
Yeah.
Um shooting over in K-town.
I'll see you later? When I took over the clinic, Olivia was the first counselor I hired.
Dedicated, passionate.
We were hoping to get a list of her patients.
I'm sorry.
We operate under strict confidentiality.
I understand, Mr.
Stevens, but this is a murder investigation.
I'd really like to help, but our patients' privacy is inviolate.
I hope you understand.
So, Nicole, you knew Olivia Nixon? Olivia was a good friend of mine.
When she was killed, I When the original investigation was conducted, did the police speak with all of Olivia's patients? Interviews were scheduled, but then that man confessed.
Did Olivia work with anyone who was capable of violence? Working here, you learn very quickly that everyone's capable of some kind of violence.
We're talking about the kind of violence you do with a knife.
Olivia worked with a lot of our high-profile patients-- athletes, performers.
And, in L.
A.
, that must have kept her pretty damn busy.
She ever have a problem with any of these people? I'm sorry.
I have to go.
Anything from the drug chalet? Moonrise has a strict code of confidentiality.
If we threaten their license, they'll talk.
Let's play it nice for now.
Anything on Rago? The dead one? Convicted on burglary.
Walked on possession with intent.
And assault with a deadly weapon: a knife.
Before that, he worked as a stuntman.
Doubled for Tom Brandt a few times.
You mean they don't do that stuff themselves? Hang on.
Olivia worked with some famous patients.
I looked online, and Tom Brandt checked into Moonrise in '03.
So Mr.
Movie Star knew our newly-alleged killer and maybe a patient of Olivia's? Small world.
Great.
Just what L.
A.
needs.
Another celebrity homicide investigation.
Brandt's shooting a movie over at Fox.
Playing a cop for a change.
Get us a drive-on.
Let's do lunch with this guy.
We need to tell Isaac what's going on.
For future reference, this is why I have never been a proponent of office romance.
Thanks for announcing it.
It's not exactly a secret.
Let me lay this out for you, okay? If it turns out we have the wrong guy, then Isaac is going to have to testify when we nail the right guy.
He's going to have to take that stand and make that jury feel his pain.
And if he doesn't, it won't matter what else we dig up.
If he's involved in this investigation, his effectiveness as a witness is compromised.
So this is all about winning the case.
That is why we're here.
DIRECTOR: Cut! Tom, you okay? Yeah, I'm good! Hey, fellas.
I'm Ben Bentley, Tom Brandt's attorney and manager.
Studio security said you wanted to speak with him.
Unfortunately,he's kind of tied up right now Untie him.
This is a murder investigation.
Oh.
Well, I-I'd like to, but this $400,000 a day-- between you and me, director's a complete prima donna.
Maybe I can help you; I know more about Tom's life than he does.
Does Tom know a Nick Rago? Doesn't ring a bell.
Writer? He worked as a stuntman with Tom on a few pictures.
Well, you got a crew of 300, 400 people, maybe 30 stunt guys-- star never meets half of 'em.
Yeah, but you can't really be too sure about that, right? Look, fellas, Tom's a great guy.
I know he'd help you out if he could.
Hey, why don't we have the cops ome down here and bring him downtown for questioning, see how that works out.
Hey, yeah, you know what, Tom might actually get up on that.
-It'd be like research.
-Fellas, fellas, fel tell you what.
As soon as Tom's schedule clears up, I'll give you a call.
Try again.
Fine.
Uh how about lunch tomorrow, Tom's trailer? - What time? It's a night shoot.
Around 3:00 a.
m.
? I'll bring my flashlight.
What you working on? Um, just tracking the timeline on the Forster homicide.
Well, I just got a call from a friend of mine in the Baldwin Hills Division.
Says our office requested the files on Olivia's murder.
I wanted to tell you.
But you didn't.
Richie.
Isaac.
What brings you over here? Well, I heard Olivia's case was reopened.
That's news to me.
The DA's been doing some digging.
They got an armed robbery suspect that says Hector Hernandez didn't do it.
Let me guess: suspect's looking to trade.
Yeah, he's probably full of it, but, uh, I just wanted to check with you, make sure the confession was solid.
He signed the bottom of the page.
It's solid in my book.
But we both know guys confess to crimes they didn't commit.
Where are you going with this? 'Cause I'd like to drive home tonight with us still being friends.
We're still friends, Richie.
If the guy who killed Olivia's still walking around, I need to know.
I don't know who's been whispering in your ear, but I'm out of here.
I want the truth.
Out of my way, Isaac.
I'm standing right here.
I'm sorry I missed dinner, sweetie.
Oh.
No problem-- I, uh, was unpacking all day.
I'm dead.
Mm.
Hey, I talked to your mom today.
Yeah, me, too.
She sounds awf.
She misses you.
Oh, well, she and Larry need to see a therapist.
-Fast.
-Hey, you know, I was thinking.
We haven't really ?? and I thought maybe lunch tomorrow.
I promise I won't cancel.
I'm sorry, Dad.
I have to classes tomorrow and it's so late that it may take all day.
Hey, you know, I saw more of you - when you were in New York.
-I'm really sorry.
G'night.
You think I'm an idiot? -I had to keep you out of the loop.
-On something I'm this close to? I knew how you'd react.
That's why I didn't tell you.
-And how's that? -The me way I would.
-Going on the warpath, looking for somebody to kill.
-You're damn right.
So is it true? It looks that way.
Stupid burglar rolls over on his dead brother.
He leads us to the murder weapon.
He knows more details of the crime than the guy who confessed.
I don't believe this.
This guy says someone paid his brother to kill Olivia.
Why? We don't know yet; we're still trying to find the guy who ordered the hit.
Don't worry.
I'll find him.
No, no, you won't do anything.
Yeah, start.
Got it.
Got the DNA results on the knife.
Positive match for Olivia and Nick Rago.
Damn.
Did Olivia ever talk to you about treating Tom Brandt? Well, she treated a lot of aors.
Why? Rago says his brother worked with Brandt on a few movies.
He's got pictures of them hanging out together.
You think that Tom Brandt hired this guy to kill Olivia? I'm not gonna know until I talk to Brandt, but until I do, Isaac, I need you to stay on the sideline! Listen, if this bastard had anything to do with Olivia's death, there won't be a trial.
Isaac You kn, Isaac came by my place last night, Raina.
He seemed quite vexed.
I didn't tell him.
Well, then who the hell did? He's a professional investigator with friends at LAPD.
We've got boards up all over the place; what did you expect? Did he happen to mention that he threatened to kill Tom Brandt? He was upset, all right? Not in the biblical sense, which makes me think that maybe you might have a better chance at settling him down.
You humiliate me in front of my colleagues for being with Isaac, but you're happy to exploit the retionship when it's convenient for you? Well, in a nutshell, yeah.
Look, we all want to see the right guy put away, but that isn't gonna happen if Isaac goes off on some crazy vendetta.
I'll talk to him.
Meet Angelica Hernandez, wife of Hector Hernandez.
The day before Hector confessed, Angelica deposited $100,000 "Ainto her bank account.
Prior to that, the largest deposit she'd ever made was $413.
51.
How did we access the bank records? Danny gave me the password.
Figured we should see them first.
We can always get subpoena later.
When this is over, you and I are gonna sit down and go over the Fourth Amendment.
How much you want to bet that hundred grand came from Tom Brandt? All right, let's just assume that Brandt is behind the whole thing: hiring Rago to kill ia, getting Hernandez to take the fall by paying off his wife.
We still need a motive.
Maybe he spilled something ring aherapy session with the victim It's too bad you don't have a password for Brandt's patient file at Moonrise.
I'll draft a subpoena.
Judge'll never go for it.
Call me old-fashioned, but I like to obtain my evidence legally.
Knock yourself out.
In the meantime,you track down Angelica Hernandez Either she won the lottery, or she's living off blood money.
What the hell is this? I suppose your resignation is too much to hope for.
Moonrise Clinic patient records.
You're going after Tom Brandt? Let's just say he's a movie star of interest.
In a closed murder case? Well, there's closed, and then again, there's closed.
How very insightful.
Somebody paid ave Olivia Nixon killed and wrote a second check to buy a confession from Hector Hernandez.
All this you can prove? You been downstairs? They got these big rooms with judges and juries in 'em; you ought to check 'em out.
Peter Burns over at Fox has a ton of money invested in the new Tom Brandt film.
You read that in Variet or? Peter's a personal friend.
And a major contributor.
Bottom line: I don't want you going after some hugely popular movie star on the word of some low-life snitch.
Even when everything that low-life snitch has told us checks out? Why don't we talk about this when you have a rock-solid case.
Remember when Paris got out of jail after three days for a hangnail? Everybody got their ass in a sling for giving celebrities a free ride.
I can handle myself.
Yeah, I'm sure you've had years of practice.
Our investigation points to a connection between Tom Brandt and the murderer of Olivia Nixon.
We should have access to records of all conversations between Mr.
Brandt and the victim.
Those records are protected by doctor/patient privilege.
Ms.
Nixon wasn't a doctor, Your Honor.
She wasn't even a licensed therapist.
She was resident counselor.
And not all of her contact with Mr.
Brandt occurred during therapy sessions.
The Moonrise Clinic is an intensive residential program.
-The entire month Mr.
Brandt attended -13 days, Your Honor constitutes a therapy session; anything he said to anyone at the clinic is privileged.
Sounds logical to me.
In the case of capital murder, the people have a pressing interest in all material facts If this subpoena is granted, the effectiveness of every rehab facility in this country will be compromised.
Mr.
Brandt's expectation of privacy takes precedence here.
Motion denied.
Ah.
What'd Hector's wife have to say? Not much.
For a snack shop manager, she definitely knows her legal rights.
Maybe someone prepped her.
I checked her phone records, along with Tom Brandt's.
Uh-huh, same way you checked the bank records? Phone calls from prison are legally obtainable.
Two hours after we met with Hector, he made a collect call to Tom Brandt's office.
Something tells me he wasn't looking for an autograph.
It gets better: ten minutes after that, ctor's wife Angelica gets a VIP phone call Tom Brandt Productions.
Very nice work.
Thank you.
I also had Slocum access Brandt's '03 bank records.
The day before Angelica made her hundred-K deposit, that exact amount was withdrawn from Brandt's business account.
This is like one of his stupid movies.
Yeah.
Tons of action, and a story that makes absolutely no sense.
All right, we need a motive.
My, uh my dad thinks I'm registering for classes.
Did you tell him about me yet? I thought I'd give him a little te, let him get used to being home first.
You coward.
You're one to talk.
When are you gonna tell your parents you got kicked out of Summer Scholars? Trust me, they're used to it by now.
Are you gonna go back to your old school? Not an option.
Mr.
Popularity.
My shrink just says that I'm misunderstood.
Oh, you poor baby.
I'm done with institutions for a while.
Trevor, there's, like, a million cops around.
Are you trying to corrupt me? I'm giving it my best shot.
Time to talk-- here or downtown.
Your choice.
I was gonna call you guys.
Really? Because we were just itting by the phone waiting Hey, guys.
Hey.
Tom Brandt.
Yeah, sorry about yesterday.
It's been a, uh, pretty crazy shoot.
Speaking of crazy, can you tell us why your name keeps popping up all over our murder investigation? There's a pretty simple explanation.
You didn't tell 'em? Mea culpa.
Tom and Olivia became really close while Tom was at Moonrise.
When she got killed, Tom-- he took it really hard.
Sensitive guy.
Here it is.
Naturally I followed Olivia's case.
It was like a bad dream.
It was horrifying, but at the same time, fascinating.
Okay, there were so many layers.
When I peeled the onion, the personalities, the back story, the wife of the killer, Angelica Hernandez-- sweet, hard-working woman who knew nothing of her husband's secretife of crime.
She was the ultimate living victim Turns out Angelica landed on her feet.
So, anyway, I called Ben.
I said, "What better tribute to Olivia than to capture all the tragic consequences of this senseless crime?" Are we coming to a close yet, Tom? We decided to buy the rights to Angelica's story.
Now, okay, a hundred grand was pretty steep, but What about your recent contact with Angelica? Oh, these were just updates.
You guys reopening the case- it's all part of the story.
How did Nicky Rago fit into this little drama of yours? Nick Rago I haven't heard that name in a while.
You know him? Had no idea.
Yeah, yeah, I know Nick.
We met on Satan's Highway.
Hell of a stuntman.
Made me look a lot braver than I really am.
I believe that.
I was pretty messed up at the time.
You know, Nick got me drugs and we partied a few times, but I don't remember most of it.
Do you remember paying Nicky to kill Olivia Nixon for you? You're serious.
Like a heart attack.
Look, Olivia was my friend.
She helped me put my life back together and I would never hurt her.
Then I've got some good news for you.
I'going to do whatever it takes to find out what really happened to Olivia.
The bad news is you may not like the ending.
It's looking like the only thing we don't have is a motive.
We can't get our hands on Brandt's rehab file.
That son of a bitch isn't going to walk away again.
We talked to a woman at Moonrise-- Nicole Ehlers.
She was a friend of Olivia's.
Yeah Yesterday in the office I should have told you the truth.
-I'm really - I know Stark told you to stonewall.
The thing is what's going on with us complicated everything.
Yeah.
Reliving all this stuff-- it must be so hard.
If you want to talk about it about Olivia? I got to go.
Nicole, hi.
It's Isaac Wright.
I'm good.
I'm good.
Listen I need a favor.
Got him! Tom Brandt's Moonrise file.
Somebody decided to do the right thing.
Evidently, he told Olivia he was involved in a hit-and-run accent during a bender.
Two teenagers were killed.
Guess we know why they didn't want us reading that file.
Olivia told Tom that if he didn't turn himself in she would call the cops herself.
Sounds like Olivia.
Two days later she was dead.
I'd call that a motive.
Danny, I need you to track this hit-and-run.
I want to find out where Tom Brandt's going to be in the next 30 minutes, and did you get the source of that file? Bounced to seven interim sites, but it originated at Moonrise in an encrypted file.
Apparently bad news travels fast.
Sudden schedule change on Tom Brandt's movie.
He's flying later today to Morocco on the studio jet.
He's making a run for it.
Talk about a cliche.
Sebastian, until we find out who that came from, that file is still inadmissible.
Details.
There have been a few changes to the script, guys.
You're under arrest for the murder of Olivia Nixon.
There is a fundamental difference between the prosecutor's office and defense counsel.
My office is interested in justice: Mr.
Bentley is interested in keeping Mr.
Brandt out of prison.
Now the people will prove that Mr.
Brandt had the means, motive and opportunity to orchestrate the brutal and senseless killing of Olivia Nixon a woman who Shher life helping other people including, ironically, by his own admission, Mr.
Brandt himself.
Now the defense will undoubtedly cite a confession that was made several years ago.
At thought justice had been served.
But no matter how deeply you try to bury it, the truth always comes out.
New facts will prove that not only was that confession false, but was actually bought and paid for by Mr.
Brandt in a callous and diabolical plot to hide a dark secret and protect his multimillion-dollar career.
That plot included almost as many characters as one of Mr.
Brandt's movies.
But this, ladies and gentlemen, sadly, was no movie.
Tom Brandt is a real-life murderer.
Your Honor, I request a sidebar.
Approach.
I just learned that the people have made an 11th-hour addition to their discovery materials: information which could only had come from confidential patient records previously ruled inadmissible.
I assume counsel's referring to the vehicular manslaughter committed by his client in 2003, the concealment of which was the motivation for this crime.
That information was gleaned from other sources.
What sources? I'd like an offer of proof, Mr.
Stark.
Of course, Your Honor.
The people request 48 hours to comply.
If I don't see that offer within 24 hours the alleged misconduct is out.
Am I clear? Crystal.
Get me something on that hit-and-run now.
Mr.
Stark can pontificate all he wants about justice.
The facts in this case are clear: A man has already confessed to the crime, and there is not a scintilla of substantive evidence that he didn't commit it.
Justice? This trial is nothing more than a brazen attempt to make headlines by attacking a celebrity.
But you know what? Celebrities are entitled to the same presumption of innocence as every other citizen.
And Tom Brandt is an innocent man.
There were seven vehicular manslaughter hit-and-runs in the three years between Brandt's arrival in L.
A.
and Olivia's death.
Four of those were solved.
Of the other three, two of them involved SUVs.
DMV said Brandt never owned an SUV.
But he did own a maroon Lamborghini.
Maroon paint was found at the scene of the third accident.
You don't take a car like that to your neighborhood mechanic.
Contact every Lamborghini specialist that does body work.
Start with the ones near Brandt's house.
We lose this hit-and-run, lose the case.
Hey, Dad.
Hi.
Hey, how'd registration go? Oh, it was great.
Yeah, AP physics, calculus, British lit.
Two weeks ago, Jules.
You registered for these classes by mail from New York two weeks ago.
- Dad, I -You know what? If you didn't want to have lunch with me, you should have just saiso.
That's not it.
Well, I'm all ears.
I met a guy in New York.
He was in Summer Scholars for a while.
His name's Trevor Boyd.
I was with him.
So what's his big secret? Is he gay, married, what? Nohe's great.
I I like him a lot.
I love him, Dad.
Oh, I think I would have preferred gay or married.
I mean, love? Got there kind of fast, didn't you? You could have only known this guy, what, a couple of weeks? It doesn't matter because I know how I feel.
Okay, well Love is good.
Where does Trevor go to school? Um, he was going to Bristol, but he dropped out.
Ooh, looking to make his mark in the fast food industry,is he? No, Dad, he's trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life.
Oh, I guess that's why they invented welfare.
This is exactly why I don't tell you stuff.
Every guy has got to meet your ridiculous expectations.
You know, I don't think high school diploma is raising the barreal high, Jules.
So when you decided to come back to L.
A was it to be with me or Trevor? And when you walked into your living room, what did you see? My fiancee Olivia on the couch.
What was her condition? She was dead.
Look I know I told you to control yourself, but you sound like you're reading a grocery list.
I need that jury to know what you were going through.
I don't want to get into all that.
I'm sorry, but you're going to have to.
I need these people to feel what you felt.
You really think that's possible? Isaac, Isaac Hang on a minute.
He knows what he had to say on the stand, but force him to relive it over and over? His testimony is crucial to this case.
Fine.
But can't you understand what he's feeling? He's going to feel a lot worse if Tom Brandt walks.
Mr.
Hernandez, you had been sentenced to life in prisonri before you confessed to killing Olivia Nixon, is that correct? Yes.
So, confessing to this additional crime added no time to your sentence, is that right? Once you're in for life, there's not much more they can do to you.
Mr.
Rago, what did your brother tell you of August 14, 2003? He told me a rich guy he knew paid him a lot of money to kill a rich woman in Baldwin Hills.
Where did Olivia Nixon live? I really don't remember.
It was a while ago.
What were his instructions? Well, he was supposed to make it look like a robbery and then he gave me 200 bucks to dump the knife for him.
That's what he used on her: a knife.
What kind of knife did you use to kill Ms.
Nixon? I really don't remember.
For a guy who confessed to murder, you're not real big on details.
Unless, of course, you never actually killed Olivia Nixon.
Your Honor, may I approach the bench, please? Approach.
Your offer of proof, Judge.
Luigi Damoni is prepared to testify that he repaired Tom Brandt's Lamborghini and was paid, in cash, the day after the vehicular manslaughter in question.
-Your Honor.
-Hold on.
DMV records prove that Tom Brandt owned the Lamborghini.
Chemical analysis confirms the paint at the crime scene matches the paint on the defendant's car.
Offer of proof is accepted.
The accident is allowed into evidence.
Outstanding.
I knew something was wrong the second I walked in.
The place had been tossed.
There was stuff everywhere.
I called Olivia's name.
When she didn't answer, I I got a real bad feeling because she would always wait up for me.
What did you see when you walked in? The first thing I noticed was.
.
was all the, the blood.
It was everywhere.
It was on the couch.
Her eyes were open.
She was staring at me.
She looked scared.
Then I saw the stab wounds.
How often do you think about what happened to Olivia? Not a day goes by when I don't think about it.
Would you say that it has changed your life? I've never been the same.
No further questions.
Mr.
Wright, were you fired from the LAPD Objection.
Relevance.
S to credibility.
Overruled.
WRIGHT: I resigned.
BENTLEY: Under pressure.
So, it's only natural that you bear a grudge toward the Police Department.
It might be natural, but I don't.
But you did confront Detective Richard Swift to obtain the original confession in this case and accuse him of malfeasance.
I was just asking questions.
Until you physically prevented him from leaving.
For about five seconds.
Detective Swift felt threatened.
Did he misinterpret your intentions? It was no big deal.
I see.
DA's Office first learned of my client's hit-and-run via a confidential patient file that mysteriously appeared on Mr.
Stark's computer, correct? I guess.
Mr.
Wright did you ask Moonrise Clinic employee Nicole Ehlers to steal that confidential file and e-mail it to Mr.
Stark? Objection.
Foundation.
Overruled.
The witness will answer.
I didn't know the report was confidential.
Nicole Ehlers says you did know the files were confidential.
Is she lying? No.
No.
She's not lying.
Request a recess.
Denied.
And I'm ordering the jury o disregard all testimony relating to the alleged hit-and-run incident.
No further questions.
Redirect, Mr.
Stark? No.
The people rest.
Your Honor, the defense moves for a directed verdict given the admissible evidence.
The people haven't come close to proving their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Your Honor Don't even waste your breath, Mr.
Stark.
Defense motion granted.
Mr.
Brandt-- you are free to go.
? I didn't know you meant for the other side.
I oughta fire your ass right now.
Without a motive, we didn't have a shot.
And I didn't see you getting all hot and bothered over the bank and phone records Danny stole.
There's a big difference.
He didn't get caught.
Oh, that's the bottom line, huh? Yeah, pal, check the scoreboard.
? We lost.
Hey.
Hey, hey, hey! What the hell, man?! I'm calling security It will only take a minute.
Ho, whoa, whoa, hold on.
Okay? We can talk about this.
I'm done talking.
No matter what that judge says, I'm holding you responsible for Olivia's death.
You gotta believe me I don't.
And you're gonna pay for what you did, even if I have to go away to make that happen, and I can prove your lawyer was in contact with Nick Rago the day before Olivia was killed, and I know he contacted Hernandez before he confessed.
What? I suppose you didn't know anything about that.
No.
No, I didn't.
I swear! Not even actors are that stupid! Either you knew, or you didn't want to know! The whole hit-and-run thing, that's true.
Look, I, I hit two people and I left the scene, and when I told Olivia she said that I had to turn myself in or she was going to.
Ben said he was gonna take care of everything.
A couple days later, I found out that Olivia was dead.
You know, Ben Ben said that it was tragic and all that, but that our hit-and-run problem died with her.
If I had known that he was gonna You better not be acting now.
Trust me.
I'm not that good an actor.
Time to grow some talent because you're about to give the performance of your life.
Tommy.
Hey.
Uh, meet Madison.
She wants to be an actress.
I need to talk to you.
That invesgator came to see me.
Relax.
The judge threw out the case.
They can't touch you.
Well, maybe they can't, but this guy's got his gun in my face.
He's threatening to blow my head off.
Now, I know I didn't do anything.
Exactly.
Did you? I want to know the truth, Ben.
Or we're done.
Okay.
Fine.
Yes.
I hired Rago to eliminate the girl and I paid Hernandez to take the fall.
You know why? Because while you were out drinking yourself to death, it was my job to make sure you had a career.
I never asked you to kill for me.
I did what had to be done.
It was unfortunate, but it all worked out.
Well, not for Olivia.
Take him.
What? Oh, come What? Yeah.
Anything I said to Tom is protected.
Not if your client waived privilege.
You were right about his vehicular homicide.
I was in the car.
I'll sign a statement.
Actually, your client has already pled out on that.
Sebastian.
Give me five minutes with Bentley.
I don't think that's such a good idea.
I need this.
Fine.
After the nightmare you've been through, you deserve your shot at this guy, but ask yourself this: is it worth the rest of your life? 'Cause if you take Bentley out, he won't go to jail, but you will.
He killed Olivia.
Yeah.
? ?
Yeah.
Maybe we should give it another shot.
Just to be sure? Right.
It's Stark.
Meet me now Remind me to kill him next time I see him.
RAINA: I could have handled this myself.
I needed some fresh air, or the Los Angeles equivalent.
Besides, your mind has been wandering a little lately.
What's that supposed to mean? Just keep it out of the office, okay? What have we got? Oh, attempted robbery gone sideways.
Two suspects tell Mr.
Park to empty his register.
He empties his shotgun instead.
Fascinating, but I run the high-profile crime unit and, when you called, I was in the middle of this killer Bordeaux, which prompts the question What the hell are we doing here? The guy who wasn't hit-- Ricky Rago? He's looking to trade down on this Says he has information about a cop's girlfriend who was killed four years ago.
Olivia Nixon.
That was Isaac's fiancee.
I know Wright works for you now, so I gave you a call.
I appreciate that,Detective.
I thought that case cleared.
Hey, it did.
My name is Sebastian Stark.
I understand you have some information on the Olivia Nixon homicide.
That being the case, I was thinking maybe we could knock this thing down to a criminal trespass kind of situation.
Someone's been watching Court TV.
Soone actually confessed to that killing four years ago.
Maybe the cops beat it out of him.
All I know is you guys got the wrong dude.
Nice try.
Enjoy your eight to ten.
June 4, 2003.
Dontanito Drive.
The killer took a charm braceletwith an elephant on it.
In robbery homicide, they don't make the list of personal effects public.
I'll take you to the murder weapon.
How about you name the killer? Then we'll talk.
My brother Nick.
Nick Rago.
So much for brotherly love.
Where is Nick now? I told him this guy had a gun under the counter.
Would he listen to me? So Olivia's killer is history? That sounds to me like justice is served.
My brother was bought and paid for.
Your brother was paid to kill Olivia Nixon? -Bingo.
-Why? "Why" doesn't really enter the equation.
Someone wants a gun, they pay, she's gone.
Who hired your brother? Nicky never said.
Just that this was the best score he ever made.
He's a scumbag, but he knows a lot about the case.
If he's telling the truth That means the person responsible for killing Isaac's fiancee is still out there.
Shark 202 You didn't need to bail me out.
I drew the short straw.
You know, maybe you were, like, sick or something when they taught this in law school, but resisting arrest is against the law.
That cop was a punk.
Yeah? And how about your boss in organized crime? Is he a punk, too? Heard you got bounced out.
No, he was a straight-up jackass.
Obviously, he failed to recognize your deep respect for authority.
You know what? Thank you for bailing me out.
All right? I'll pay you back.
So, I'm thinking you could probably use a job, huh? Forg it.
You couldn't last a week at a 9:00 to 5:00 gig.
You know it.
You're a pit bull.
Which is exactly what I need.
You want to hire me? I just want to see if you can go 48 hours without landing in jail again.
- Think of it as a tryout.
- It'll never work.
Probably not.
Work starts at 9:00 a.
m.
sharp.
Grab a shower.
You smell like jail.
It's a public case file.
Forensics determined that the murder weapon was a military-style assault knife, but they never found it.
The guy who went down-- Hector Hernandez-- said that he threw it off the Santa Monica Pier.
That's a long way from here.
So I checked out this Hernandez guy.
He was already convicted of a third strike burglary before he confessed.
He was going away for life anyway.
So copping to Olivia's murder didn't cost him anything.
Ricky Rago said he rented a paddleboat, dumped the knife his brother used to kill Olivia.
You believe him? Would you admit to renting a paddleboat if you didn't have to? Looks like he's got something.
He found a knife.
Matches the description of the murder weapon.
So Rago's one-for-one.
So somebody paid his brother to do the murder.
Yeah.
Someone with a lot of cash and a grudge against Olivia.
Have you told Isaac? Think I'll take a rain check till we're sure the wrong guy took the fall.
Unless you got the key to the gate out there, I got nothing to say to you.
Why did you confess to the murder of Olivia Nixon? How did it go down? Read my confession.
Now we want to hear it fm you.
I was robbing that lady's place.
She woke up.
Really? What time of night was it? Late.
How many times did you stab her? Six or seven.
I wasn't counting.
Thank you, Hector.
You've been very helpful.
In my experience, murderers never forget the details.
Unless they're lying through their teeth.
So maybe Ricky killed her.
Who better to pin it on than his dead brother? Too big a risk.
Better to fight the robbery charge and keep your mouth shut.
Why would Hector confess to a murder he didn't commit? Because he had nothing to lose.
Whoever hired Nick Rago wants to make the investigation disappear.
He finds Hector Hernandez, up on a third strike.
Perfect fall guy.
It pays him to confess.
Go over the police file and the confession.
Look for any loose ends.
Anything that doesn't add up.
And check out this Nick Rago.
Has anyone told Isaac? Let's see what we come up with first.
All right, let's go over it all again.
Olivia worked at Moonrise Clinic in Malibu.
Drug rehab to the stars.
A lot of folks with enough cash to afford a murder for hire.
June 4, 2003, Olivia's asleep.
She wakes up to find a burglar in the house.
He stabs her to death.
Isaac scovered the body.
We need to speak to him.
We're reopening the case.
We have to look at everyone.
Are you saying Isaac's a suspect? He was a fiance.
That makes him suspect No.
1 He has to be cleared again.
You got to be kidding me.
He's right.
See if the homicide MO matches anything in Rago's priors.
Okay.
This is a murder investigation.
If you can't be objective, I need you to tell me now.
Hey.
Hey.
Is everything all right? Yeah.
Yeah.
Um shooting over in K-town.
I'll see you later? When I took over the clinic, Olivia was the first counselor I hired.
Dedicated, passionate.
We were hoping to get a list of her patients.
I'm sorry.
We operate under strict confidentiality.
I understand, Mr.
Stevens, but this is a murder investigation.
I'd really like to help, but our patients' privacy is inviolate.
I hope you understand.
So, Nicole, you knew Olivia Nixon? Olivia was a good friend of mine.
When she was killed, I When the original investigation was conducted, did the police speak with all of Olivia's patients? Interviews were scheduled, but then that man confessed.
Did Olivia work with anyone who was capable of violence? Working here, you learn very quickly that everyone's capable of some kind of violence.
We're talking about the kind of violence you do with a knife.
Olivia worked with a lot of our high-profile patients-- athletes, performers.
And, in L.
A.
, that must have kept her pretty damn busy.
She ever have a problem with any of these people? I'm sorry.
I have to go.
Anything from the drug chalet? Moonrise has a strict code of confidentiality.
If we threaten their license, they'll talk.
Let's play it nice for now.
Anything on Rago? The dead one? Convicted on burglary.
Walked on possession with intent.
And assault with a deadly weapon: a knife.
Before that, he worked as a stuntman.
Doubled for Tom Brandt a few times.
You mean they don't do that stuff themselves? Hang on.
Olivia worked with some famous patients.
I looked online, and Tom Brandt checked into Moonrise in '03.
So Mr.
Movie Star knew our newly-alleged killer and maybe a patient of Olivia's? Small world.
Great.
Just what L.
A.
needs.
Another celebrity homicide investigation.
Brandt's shooting a movie over at Fox.
Playing a cop for a change.
Get us a drive-on.
Let's do lunch with this guy.
We need to tell Isaac what's going on.
For future reference, this is why I have never been a proponent of office romance.
Thanks for announcing it.
It's not exactly a secret.
Let me lay this out for you, okay? If it turns out we have the wrong guy, then Isaac is going to have to testify when we nail the right guy.
He's going to have to take that stand and make that jury feel his pain.
And if he doesn't, it won't matter what else we dig up.
If he's involved in this investigation, his effectiveness as a witness is compromised.
So this is all about winning the case.
That is why we're here.
DIRECTOR: Cut! Tom, you okay? Yeah, I'm good! Hey, fellas.
I'm Ben Bentley, Tom Brandt's attorney and manager.
Studio security said you wanted to speak with him.
Unfortunately,he's kind of tied up right now Untie him.
This is a murder investigation.
Oh.
Well, I-I'd like to, but this $400,000 a day-- between you and me, director's a complete prima donna.
Maybe I can help you; I know more about Tom's life than he does.
Does Tom know a Nick Rago? Doesn't ring a bell.
Writer? He worked as a stuntman with Tom on a few pictures.
Well, you got a crew of 300, 400 people, maybe 30 stunt guys-- star never meets half of 'em.
Yeah, but you can't really be too sure about that, right? Look, fellas, Tom's a great guy.
I know he'd help you out if he could.
Hey, why don't we have the cops ome down here and bring him downtown for questioning, see how that works out.
Hey, yeah, you know what, Tom might actually get up on that.
-It'd be like research.
-Fellas, fellas, fel tell you what.
As soon as Tom's schedule clears up, I'll give you a call.
Try again.
Fine.
Uh how about lunch tomorrow, Tom's trailer? - What time? It's a night shoot.
Around 3:00 a.
m.
? I'll bring my flashlight.
What you working on? Um, just tracking the timeline on the Forster homicide.
Well, I just got a call from a friend of mine in the Baldwin Hills Division.
Says our office requested the files on Olivia's murder.
I wanted to tell you.
But you didn't.
Richie.
Isaac.
What brings you over here? Well, I heard Olivia's case was reopened.
That's news to me.
The DA's been doing some digging.
They got an armed robbery suspect that says Hector Hernandez didn't do it.
Let me guess: suspect's looking to trade.
Yeah, he's probably full of it, but, uh, I just wanted to check with you, make sure the confession was solid.
He signed the bottom of the page.
It's solid in my book.
But we both know guys confess to crimes they didn't commit.
Where are you going with this? 'Cause I'd like to drive home tonight with us still being friends.
We're still friends, Richie.
If the guy who killed Olivia's still walking around, I need to know.
I don't know who's been whispering in your ear, but I'm out of here.
I want the truth.
Out of my way, Isaac.
I'm standing right here.
I'm sorry I missed dinner, sweetie.
Oh.
No problem-- I, uh, was unpacking all day.
I'm dead.
Mm.
Hey, I talked to your mom today.
Yeah, me, too.
She sounds awf.
She misses you.
Oh, well, she and Larry need to see a therapist.
-Fast.
-Hey, you know, I was thinking.
We haven't really ?? and I thought maybe lunch tomorrow.
I promise I won't cancel.
I'm sorry, Dad.
I have to classes tomorrow and it's so late that it may take all day.
Hey, you know, I saw more of you - when you were in New York.
-I'm really sorry.
G'night.
You think I'm an idiot? -I had to keep you out of the loop.
-On something I'm this close to? I knew how you'd react.
That's why I didn't tell you.
-And how's that? -The me way I would.
-Going on the warpath, looking for somebody to kill.
-You're damn right.
So is it true? It looks that way.
Stupid burglar rolls over on his dead brother.
He leads us to the murder weapon.
He knows more details of the crime than the guy who confessed.
I don't believe this.
This guy says someone paid his brother to kill Olivia.
Why? We don't know yet; we're still trying to find the guy who ordered the hit.
Don't worry.
I'll find him.
No, no, you won't do anything.
Yeah, start.
Got it.
Got the DNA results on the knife.
Positive match for Olivia and Nick Rago.
Damn.
Did Olivia ever talk to you about treating Tom Brandt? Well, she treated a lot of aors.
Why? Rago says his brother worked with Brandt on a few movies.
He's got pictures of them hanging out together.
You think that Tom Brandt hired this guy to kill Olivia? I'm not gonna know until I talk to Brandt, but until I do, Isaac, I need you to stay on the sideline! Listen, if this bastard had anything to do with Olivia's death, there won't be a trial.
Isaac You kn, Isaac came by my place last night, Raina.
He seemed quite vexed.
I didn't tell him.
Well, then who the hell did? He's a professional investigator with friends at LAPD.
We've got boards up all over the place; what did you expect? Did he happen to mention that he threatened to kill Tom Brandt? He was upset, all right? Not in the biblical sense, which makes me think that maybe you might have a better chance at settling him down.
You humiliate me in front of my colleagues for being with Isaac, but you're happy to exploit the retionship when it's convenient for you? Well, in a nutshell, yeah.
Look, we all want to see the right guy put away, but that isn't gonna happen if Isaac goes off on some crazy vendetta.
I'll talk to him.
Meet Angelica Hernandez, wife of Hector Hernandez.
The day before Hector confessed, Angelica deposited $100,000 "Ainto her bank account.
Prior to that, the largest deposit she'd ever made was $413.
51.
How did we access the bank records? Danny gave me the password.
Figured we should see them first.
We can always get subpoena later.
When this is over, you and I are gonna sit down and go over the Fourth Amendment.
How much you want to bet that hundred grand came from Tom Brandt? All right, let's just assume that Brandt is behind the whole thing: hiring Rago to kill ia, getting Hernandez to take the fall by paying off his wife.
We still need a motive.
Maybe he spilled something ring aherapy session with the victim It's too bad you don't have a password for Brandt's patient file at Moonrise.
I'll draft a subpoena.
Judge'll never go for it.
Call me old-fashioned, but I like to obtain my evidence legally.
Knock yourself out.
In the meantime,you track down Angelica Hernandez Either she won the lottery, or she's living off blood money.
What the hell is this? I suppose your resignation is too much to hope for.
Moonrise Clinic patient records.
You're going after Tom Brandt? Let's just say he's a movie star of interest.
In a closed murder case? Well, there's closed, and then again, there's closed.
How very insightful.
Somebody paid ave Olivia Nixon killed and wrote a second check to buy a confession from Hector Hernandez.
All this you can prove? You been downstairs? They got these big rooms with judges and juries in 'em; you ought to check 'em out.
Peter Burns over at Fox has a ton of money invested in the new Tom Brandt film.
You read that in Variet or? Peter's a personal friend.
And a major contributor.
Bottom line: I don't want you going after some hugely popular movie star on the word of some low-life snitch.
Even when everything that low-life snitch has told us checks out? Why don't we talk about this when you have a rock-solid case.
Remember when Paris got out of jail after three days for a hangnail? Everybody got their ass in a sling for giving celebrities a free ride.
I can handle myself.
Yeah, I'm sure you've had years of practice.
Our investigation points to a connection between Tom Brandt and the murderer of Olivia Nixon.
We should have access to records of all conversations between Mr.
Brandt and the victim.
Those records are protected by doctor/patient privilege.
Ms.
Nixon wasn't a doctor, Your Honor.
She wasn't even a licensed therapist.
She was resident counselor.
And not all of her contact with Mr.
Brandt occurred during therapy sessions.
The Moonrise Clinic is an intensive residential program.
-The entire month Mr.
Brandt attended -13 days, Your Honor constitutes a therapy session; anything he said to anyone at the clinic is privileged.
Sounds logical to me.
In the case of capital murder, the people have a pressing interest in all material facts If this subpoena is granted, the effectiveness of every rehab facility in this country will be compromised.
Mr.
Brandt's expectation of privacy takes precedence here.
Motion denied.
Ah.
What'd Hector's wife have to say? Not much.
For a snack shop manager, she definitely knows her legal rights.
Maybe someone prepped her.
I checked her phone records, along with Tom Brandt's.
Uh-huh, same way you checked the bank records? Phone calls from prison are legally obtainable.
Two hours after we met with Hector, he made a collect call to Tom Brandt's office.
Something tells me he wasn't looking for an autograph.
It gets better: ten minutes after that, ctor's wife Angelica gets a VIP phone call Tom Brandt Productions.
Very nice work.
Thank you.
I also had Slocum access Brandt's '03 bank records.
The day before Angelica made her hundred-K deposit, that exact amount was withdrawn from Brandt's business account.
This is like one of his stupid movies.
Yeah.
Tons of action, and a story that makes absolutely no sense.
All right, we need a motive.
My, uh my dad thinks I'm registering for classes.
Did you tell him about me yet? I thought I'd give him a little te, let him get used to being home first.
You coward.
You're one to talk.
When are you gonna tell your parents you got kicked out of Summer Scholars? Trust me, they're used to it by now.
Are you gonna go back to your old school? Not an option.
Mr.
Popularity.
My shrink just says that I'm misunderstood.
Oh, you poor baby.
I'm done with institutions for a while.
Trevor, there's, like, a million cops around.
Are you trying to corrupt me? I'm giving it my best shot.
Time to talk-- here or downtown.
Your choice.
I was gonna call you guys.
Really? Because we were just itting by the phone waiting Hey, guys.
Hey.
Tom Brandt.
Yeah, sorry about yesterday.
It's been a, uh, pretty crazy shoot.
Speaking of crazy, can you tell us why your name keeps popping up all over our murder investigation? There's a pretty simple explanation.
You didn't tell 'em? Mea culpa.
Tom and Olivia became really close while Tom was at Moonrise.
When she got killed, Tom-- he took it really hard.
Sensitive guy.
Here it is.
Naturally I followed Olivia's case.
It was like a bad dream.
It was horrifying, but at the same time, fascinating.
Okay, there were so many layers.
When I peeled the onion, the personalities, the back story, the wife of the killer, Angelica Hernandez-- sweet, hard-working woman who knew nothing of her husband's secretife of crime.
She was the ultimate living victim Turns out Angelica landed on her feet.
So, anyway, I called Ben.
I said, "What better tribute to Olivia than to capture all the tragic consequences of this senseless crime?" Are we coming to a close yet, Tom? We decided to buy the rights to Angelica's story.
Now, okay, a hundred grand was pretty steep, but What about your recent contact with Angelica? Oh, these were just updates.
You guys reopening the case- it's all part of the story.
How did Nicky Rago fit into this little drama of yours? Nick Rago I haven't heard that name in a while.
You know him? Had no idea.
Yeah, yeah, I know Nick.
We met on Satan's Highway.
Hell of a stuntman.
Made me look a lot braver than I really am.
I believe that.
I was pretty messed up at the time.
You know, Nick got me drugs and we partied a few times, but I don't remember most of it.
Do you remember paying Nicky to kill Olivia Nixon for you? You're serious.
Like a heart attack.
Look, Olivia was my friend.
She helped me put my life back together and I would never hurt her.
Then I've got some good news for you.
I'going to do whatever it takes to find out what really happened to Olivia.
The bad news is you may not like the ending.
It's looking like the only thing we don't have is a motive.
We can't get our hands on Brandt's rehab file.
That son of a bitch isn't going to walk away again.
We talked to a woman at Moonrise-- Nicole Ehlers.
She was a friend of Olivia's.
Yeah Yesterday in the office I should have told you the truth.
-I'm really - I know Stark told you to stonewall.
The thing is what's going on with us complicated everything.
Yeah.
Reliving all this stuff-- it must be so hard.
If you want to talk about it about Olivia? I got to go.
Nicole, hi.
It's Isaac Wright.
I'm good.
I'm good.
Listen I need a favor.
Got him! Tom Brandt's Moonrise file.
Somebody decided to do the right thing.
Evidently, he told Olivia he was involved in a hit-and-run accent during a bender.
Two teenagers were killed.
Guess we know why they didn't want us reading that file.
Olivia told Tom that if he didn't turn himself in she would call the cops herself.
Sounds like Olivia.
Two days later she was dead.
I'd call that a motive.
Danny, I need you to track this hit-and-run.
I want to find out where Tom Brandt's going to be in the next 30 minutes, and did you get the source of that file? Bounced to seven interim sites, but it originated at Moonrise in an encrypted file.
Apparently bad news travels fast.
Sudden schedule change on Tom Brandt's movie.
He's flying later today to Morocco on the studio jet.
He's making a run for it.
Talk about a cliche.
Sebastian, until we find out who that came from, that file is still inadmissible.
Details.
There have been a few changes to the script, guys.
You're under arrest for the murder of Olivia Nixon.
There is a fundamental difference between the prosecutor's office and defense counsel.
My office is interested in justice: Mr.
Bentley is interested in keeping Mr.
Brandt out of prison.
Now the people will prove that Mr.
Brandt had the means, motive and opportunity to orchestrate the brutal and senseless killing of Olivia Nixon a woman who Shher life helping other people including, ironically, by his own admission, Mr.
Brandt himself.
Now the defense will undoubtedly cite a confession that was made several years ago.
At thought justice had been served.
But no matter how deeply you try to bury it, the truth always comes out.
New facts will prove that not only was that confession false, but was actually bought and paid for by Mr.
Brandt in a callous and diabolical plot to hide a dark secret and protect his multimillion-dollar career.
That plot included almost as many characters as one of Mr.
Brandt's movies.
But this, ladies and gentlemen, sadly, was no movie.
Tom Brandt is a real-life murderer.
Your Honor, I request a sidebar.
Approach.
I just learned that the people have made an 11th-hour addition to their discovery materials: information which could only had come from confidential patient records previously ruled inadmissible.
I assume counsel's referring to the vehicular manslaughter committed by his client in 2003, the concealment of which was the motivation for this crime.
That information was gleaned from other sources.
What sources? I'd like an offer of proof, Mr.
Stark.
Of course, Your Honor.
The people request 48 hours to comply.
If I don't see that offer within 24 hours the alleged misconduct is out.
Am I clear? Crystal.
Get me something on that hit-and-run now.
Mr.
Stark can pontificate all he wants about justice.
The facts in this case are clear: A man has already confessed to the crime, and there is not a scintilla of substantive evidence that he didn't commit it.
Justice? This trial is nothing more than a brazen attempt to make headlines by attacking a celebrity.
But you know what? Celebrities are entitled to the same presumption of innocence as every other citizen.
And Tom Brandt is an innocent man.
There were seven vehicular manslaughter hit-and-runs in the three years between Brandt's arrival in L.
A.
and Olivia's death.
Four of those were solved.
Of the other three, two of them involved SUVs.
DMV said Brandt never owned an SUV.
But he did own a maroon Lamborghini.
Maroon paint was found at the scene of the third accident.
You don't take a car like that to your neighborhood mechanic.
Contact every Lamborghini specialist that does body work.
Start with the ones near Brandt's house.
We lose this hit-and-run, lose the case.
Hey, Dad.
Hi.
Hey, how'd registration go? Oh, it was great.
Yeah, AP physics, calculus, British lit.
Two weeks ago, Jules.
You registered for these classes by mail from New York two weeks ago.
- Dad, I -You know what? If you didn't want to have lunch with me, you should have just saiso.
That's not it.
Well, I'm all ears.
I met a guy in New York.
He was in Summer Scholars for a while.
His name's Trevor Boyd.
I was with him.
So what's his big secret? Is he gay, married, what? Nohe's great.
I I like him a lot.
I love him, Dad.
Oh, I think I would have preferred gay or married.
I mean, love? Got there kind of fast, didn't you? You could have only known this guy, what, a couple of weeks? It doesn't matter because I know how I feel.
Okay, well Love is good.
Where does Trevor go to school? Um, he was going to Bristol, but he dropped out.
Ooh, looking to make his mark in the fast food industry,is he? No, Dad, he's trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life.
Oh, I guess that's why they invented welfare.
This is exactly why I don't tell you stuff.
Every guy has got to meet your ridiculous expectations.
You know, I don't think high school diploma is raising the barreal high, Jules.
So when you decided to come back to L.
A was it to be with me or Trevor? And when you walked into your living room, what did you see? My fiancee Olivia on the couch.
What was her condition? She was dead.
Look I know I told you to control yourself, but you sound like you're reading a grocery list.
I need that jury to know what you were going through.
I don't want to get into all that.
I'm sorry, but you're going to have to.
I need these people to feel what you felt.
You really think that's possible? Isaac, Isaac Hang on a minute.
He knows what he had to say on the stand, but force him to relive it over and over? His testimony is crucial to this case.
Fine.
But can't you understand what he's feeling? He's going to feel a lot worse if Tom Brandt walks.
Mr.
Hernandez, you had been sentenced to life in prisonri before you confessed to killing Olivia Nixon, is that correct? Yes.
So, confessing to this additional crime added no time to your sentence, is that right? Once you're in for life, there's not much more they can do to you.
Mr.
Rago, what did your brother tell you of August 14, 2003? He told me a rich guy he knew paid him a lot of money to kill a rich woman in Baldwin Hills.
Where did Olivia Nixon live? I really don't remember.
It was a while ago.
What were his instructions? Well, he was supposed to make it look like a robbery and then he gave me 200 bucks to dump the knife for him.
That's what he used on her: a knife.
What kind of knife did you use to kill Ms.
Nixon? I really don't remember.
For a guy who confessed to murder, you're not real big on details.
Unless, of course, you never actually killed Olivia Nixon.
Your Honor, may I approach the bench, please? Approach.
Your offer of proof, Judge.
Luigi Damoni is prepared to testify that he repaired Tom Brandt's Lamborghini and was paid, in cash, the day after the vehicular manslaughter in question.
-Your Honor.
-Hold on.
DMV records prove that Tom Brandt owned the Lamborghini.
Chemical analysis confirms the paint at the crime scene matches the paint on the defendant's car.
Offer of proof is accepted.
The accident is allowed into evidence.
Outstanding.
I knew something was wrong the second I walked in.
The place had been tossed.
There was stuff everywhere.
I called Olivia's name.
When she didn't answer, I I got a real bad feeling because she would always wait up for me.
What did you see when you walked in? The first thing I noticed was.
.
was all the, the blood.
It was everywhere.
It was on the couch.
Her eyes were open.
She was staring at me.
She looked scared.
Then I saw the stab wounds.
How often do you think about what happened to Olivia? Not a day goes by when I don't think about it.
Would you say that it has changed your life? I've never been the same.
No further questions.
Mr.
Wright, were you fired from the LAPD Objection.
Relevance.
S to credibility.
Overruled.
WRIGHT: I resigned.
BENTLEY: Under pressure.
So, it's only natural that you bear a grudge toward the Police Department.
It might be natural, but I don't.
But you did confront Detective Richard Swift to obtain the original confession in this case and accuse him of malfeasance.
I was just asking questions.
Until you physically prevented him from leaving.
For about five seconds.
Detective Swift felt threatened.
Did he misinterpret your intentions? It was no big deal.
I see.
DA's Office first learned of my client's hit-and-run via a confidential patient file that mysteriously appeared on Mr.
Stark's computer, correct? I guess.
Mr.
Wright did you ask Moonrise Clinic employee Nicole Ehlers to steal that confidential file and e-mail it to Mr.
Stark? Objection.
Foundation.
Overruled.
The witness will answer.
I didn't know the report was confidential.
Nicole Ehlers says you did know the files were confidential.
Is she lying? No.
No.
She's not lying.
Request a recess.
Denied.
And I'm ordering the jury o disregard all testimony relating to the alleged hit-and-run incident.
No further questions.
Redirect, Mr.
Stark? No.
The people rest.
Your Honor, the defense moves for a directed verdict given the admissible evidence.
The people haven't come close to proving their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Your Honor Don't even waste your breath, Mr.
Stark.
Defense motion granted.
Mr.
Brandt-- you are free to go.
? I didn't know you meant for the other side.
I oughta fire your ass right now.
Without a motive, we didn't have a shot.
And I didn't see you getting all hot and bothered over the bank and phone records Danny stole.
There's a big difference.
He didn't get caught.
Oh, that's the bottom line, huh? Yeah, pal, check the scoreboard.
? We lost.
Hey.
Hey, hey, hey! What the hell, man?! I'm calling security It will only take a minute.
Ho, whoa, whoa, hold on.
Okay? We can talk about this.
I'm done talking.
No matter what that judge says, I'm holding you responsible for Olivia's death.
You gotta believe me I don't.
And you're gonna pay for what you did, even if I have to go away to make that happen, and I can prove your lawyer was in contact with Nick Rago the day before Olivia was killed, and I know he contacted Hernandez before he confessed.
What? I suppose you didn't know anything about that.
No.
No, I didn't.
I swear! Not even actors are that stupid! Either you knew, or you didn't want to know! The whole hit-and-run thing, that's true.
Look, I, I hit two people and I left the scene, and when I told Olivia she said that I had to turn myself in or she was going to.
Ben said he was gonna take care of everything.
A couple days later, I found out that Olivia was dead.
You know, Ben Ben said that it was tragic and all that, but that our hit-and-run problem died with her.
If I had known that he was gonna You better not be acting now.
Trust me.
I'm not that good an actor.
Time to grow some talent because you're about to give the performance of your life.
Tommy.
Hey.
Uh, meet Madison.
She wants to be an actress.
I need to talk to you.
That invesgator came to see me.
Relax.
The judge threw out the case.
They can't touch you.
Well, maybe they can't, but this guy's got his gun in my face.
He's threatening to blow my head off.
Now, I know I didn't do anything.
Exactly.
Did you? I want to know the truth, Ben.
Or we're done.
Okay.
Fine.
Yes.
I hired Rago to eliminate the girl and I paid Hernandez to take the fall.
You know why? Because while you were out drinking yourself to death, it was my job to make sure you had a career.
I never asked you to kill for me.
I did what had to be done.
It was unfortunate, but it all worked out.
Well, not for Olivia.
Take him.
What? Oh, come What? Yeah.
Anything I said to Tom is protected.
Not if your client waived privilege.
You were right about his vehicular homicide.
I was in the car.
I'll sign a statement.
Actually, your client has already pled out on that.
Sebastian.
Give me five minutes with Bentley.
I don't think that's such a good idea.
I need this.
Fine.
After the nightmare you've been through, you deserve your shot at this guy, but ask yourself this: is it worth the rest of your life? 'Cause if you take Bentley out, he won't go to jail, but you will.
He killed Olivia.
Yeah.
? ?