Law & Order (1990) s25e15 Episode Script
Bright Lights
1
In the criminal justice system,
the people are represented
by two separate, yet
equally important groups:
the police, who investigate crime,
and the district attorneys,
who prosecute the offenders.
These are their stories.
Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Bella Ross.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
You were amazing.
Thank you.
You made it.
How are you feeling?
I'm good.
I feel really good.
I'll call you tomorrow.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Good evening, everyone, and welcome.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
This is an important day for all of us,
a new beginning for a brand
that's been around for 27 years.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
I know, I know, that's a long time.
But I started the line when
I was ten years old, so
[LAUGHTER]
I'd like to introduce the new designer
and creative director of
Bella Ross, Lorenzo Cain.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Thank you so much, Bella.
I will do my best to make you proud.
[APPLAUSE]
My goal is to take this
brand to new heights.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
[UPBEAT DANCE MUSIC PLAYING]
You look gorgeous.
Thanks for coming, sweetie.
You are the most beautiful woman here.
- Please.
- It's not even close.
- I'm too old for you.
- You keep saying that.
Because it's true.
Well, if this is what
too old looks like,
I'm in.
♪
The victim took two to the chest.
Recovered both casings nearby. 9-mil.
Jewelry and phone still on her person.
- Got a name?
- Bella Ross.
The clothing designer?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
Yeah. That's her.
It's gonna be a lot of
press. We got any witnesses?
No, but we're out on the
street asking questions.
All right, good.
Let's make sure we pull any surveillance
we got around here, okay?
My wife dropped three grand
on a Bella Ross wedding gown.
Worth every penny.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
The victim is Bella Ross, 53 years old,
lived pretty much her whole life here
in New York. Married, no kids.
According to Forbes, worth 250 mil.
- Any witnesses?
- Yeah, one.
Woman was walking her dog in
the park, heard two gunshots.
Saw someone wearing a mask and
a black winter coat run away,
but she wasn't sure which direction.
But we have video of the
actual shooting, correct?
Yeah, it's not the perfect angle, but
Bella takes two 9-mils in the
chest at point-blank range.
Suspect appears to be about
5'10" with a thin build.
Could be male or female.
Looks like they're headed north.
Why don't you start by checking
all the video in that direction?
Meantime, notify the husband.
You're sure it's her?
- Bella Ross.
- We're sure.
What happened? Did someone rob her?
We don't know, but at this point,
it doesn't appear to be
connected to a robbery.
Look, Tate, we can't imagine
what you're going through.
But if it's okay, we'd like
to ask you a few questions.
Yeah, okay.
When was the last
time you talked to her?
Yesterday.
Well, we only spoke for a few seconds,
around, um, 2:30 or so.
And she was really busy at work.
I called again around 6:00 or
so and left her a voicemail.
About anything in particular?
I was just wishing her good luck.
With what?
She hosted an event last night
- for her clothing line.
- You didn't go.
No.
I haven't been feeling
well, so I stayed home.
But I should have gone.
Should have been there.
Maybe this wouldn't have happened.
And by home, you mean here, correct?
Yeah, I've been out here
for the past week or so.
What about your wife?
No, she was staying at
our place in the city.
Like I said, she's been
really busy at work.
You have a security
system here, Mr. Harris?
No, I've never felt the need.
Was there anything unusual going on?
Like anyone stalking her, harassing her?
Not that I'm aware of.
Any recent arguments or confrontations?
I'm not sure.
- It's possible.
- It's possible.
What do you mean by that?
Bella wasn't afraid to share
her opinions, or fire people.
She fire anyone recently?
Well, she did have a
bit of a dustup this week
- with an employee.
- Over what?
Over not picking her
to be lead designer.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
The Pound Ridge house doesn't
have a security system,
so we can't confirm if the husband was,
in fact, home at the time of the murder.
And he does fit the
general physical description
of the shooter
about 5'10", thin build.
Half the state fits
that general description.
Actually, with all of this Ozempic,
it's probably more like 90%.
I just spoke to someone
who was at Bella's event.
Sounds like it was a hell of a night,
up until the end, when
she got into a fight
with some drunk lady.
Any chance this drunk
woman is the employee
who got passed over for the big job?
I think the young man's finally getting
the hang of this, Jess.
Great.
Okay, go.
Yeah, let's go.
- [BELL DINGS]
- Order up!
Yep, that's me.
Wasn't my finest hour, that's for sure.
What were you two arguing about?
We weren't really arguing.
I was just venting.
About being passed over?
I couldn't believe she picked Lorenzo.
I felt betrayed.
I dedicated my life to that woman.
I gave her my everything.
So you were upset, emotional.
And drunk.
What happened after the argument?
I went home, took a
few too many gummies,
and went to bed.
Did you talk to Bella this morning?
No.
I just woke up about an hour ago.
So you woke up at noon, right?
And then what?
I came here to get some food and coffee.
I didn't kill Bella.
Yeah, I was upset, but
Here I am yelling at her,
and she offers to take me out to lunch
to talk about my career.
She even offered to help me
start my own clothing line.
Were you aware of anything
unusual going on in Bella's life?
Threats, stalkers, money trouble,
that kind of thing?
When I left the party last night,
I saw her and a man arguing.
And I couldn't see
his face, but it was
it was heated.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
That's Marco.
I don't know his last
name. He's a photographer.
Any chance this was a
romantic relationship?
Sure, it's possible.
Guys were always flirting with Bella.
Women too.
Part of the deal when you marry
a successful, gorgeous woman.
- How'd that make you feel?
- What do you mean?
Make you angry, jealous?
No.
We had an open marriage.
I actually encouraged Bella
to sleep with other people.
♪
We weren't arguing.
We were just talking.
It looked pretty intense to me.
I understand how you might think that.
I tend to wave my arms and hands a lot.
I'm Colombian.
And I'm Irish, and he's
- Nigerian.
- Yeah, so there you go.
I had nothing to do with Bella's death.
Then answer the question.
What were you guys talking about?
Bella didn't think that
I was attracted to her
and that I was sleeping with
her for business reasons,
and I got upset, told
her I couldn't have been
- more attracted to her.
- Then what?
After she jumped in
the SUV and drove off?
I got a cab, went to her place,
and we spent the night together.
And in the morning?
- I woke up around 9:00 or so.
- You see Bella?
No, she already left.
She liked to take early morning walks.
And what did you do?
I hung out, made a cappuccino,
read a few emails. Then I went home.
Yeah? Around what time?
9:30, 9:45.
You aware of any problems she might have
been experiencing in her
personal or professional life?
No.
I can't believe Bella's really dead.
I know. It's terrible.
Yeah.
On top of that, she was
my most important client.
Unfortunately, surveillance
video confirms Marco's alibi.
He didn't leave Bella's
apartment until 9:40.
Why do you say unfortunately?
I didn't care for that dude. Mm-mm.
Okay, so what you're saying,
really, is we have nothing.
It's early.
Well, tell that to the guys over at 1PP.
They're all over me on this.
We're trying.
Okay, why don't you check
out the husband again?
- Tate Harris?
- Mm-hmm.
I mean, I know he says he
was in Pound Ridge the morning
of the murder, but I
don't really trust a guy
that encourages his wife
to have sex with other men.
Well, like him or not,
it appears he was home all morning.
How do you know?
The house across the street
has three surveillance
cameras staring straight
at Tate and Bella's home.
There's no video of Tate
coming or going the night before
or the morning of the murder
through that front door.
Phone company just gave
us Bella's electronic info.
- Anything?
- Maybe.
Looks like she texted
some guy named Ellis
three days before the murder.
She said, "I can't believe
Trey did this to me."
And she follows up with,
"I want to destroy that bastard."
With five exclamation points.
Chase it down.
I was Bella's personal
attorney for 11 years.
We texted back and
forth quite frequently.
We know that, Mr. Matz.
What we don't know
is what Bella meant by
"I can't believe Trey did this to me"
and "I want to destroy the bastard."
With five exclamation points.
Well, Bella could be a
bit dramatic at times,
but she was a good woman and a
legend in the fashion industry.
Who are you protecting here, Mr. Matz?
And why?
It's nothing like that.
It's just that I adored Bella,
and I don't want to talk out of turn
and tarnish her reputation.
We appreciate that, Mr. Matz.
But Bella is dead, so I don't think
we need to worry about
her reputation right now.
Who is Trey?
Why did she want to destroy him?
We're not trying to taint
anybody's legacy here.
We're just trying to find
the person who shot her.
[SIGHS] I understand.
And if I'm being honest, I
think Trey could be involved.
I never liked him.
From day one, he was
a phony and so obvious.
But Bella didn't see it,
not until the last few weeks.
Then it all came crashing down.
Okay, this is good.
Let's start at the beginning.
Who the hell is Trey?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
We talked to Bella's lawyer, Ellis Matz.
He's not a big fan of yours, Trey.
I'm not a big fan of his, so
I guess that makes us even.
Well, not really, because
he's not spending Bella's money
to buy lavish gifts for his mistresses.
Ellis has no idea what
he's talking about.
Really?
So Bella just made it up
one day, out of the blue?
She texts, "I cannot
believe Trey did this to me."
It's possible. She was very emotional.
Can you believe this prick?
Why don't you help me out here, Trey?
I just want to be clear.
So you moved to the big
city from Worcester, Mass,
lost your Boston accent,
started pronouncing your Rs.
You changed your name
from Johnny O'Malley
to Tate Harris III, Trey for short?
Yeah.
Not a crime to reinvent yourself, is it?
No, but it is a crime to shoot your wife
because she wants a divorce,
because she's figured out
that you're spending all her money
on hookers and cocaine.
I was home sick watching TV
the day Bella was killed.
We looked at all the
video surveillance we have,
and there's nothing
that disproves his alibi.
So he was at home in Pound Ridge
- at the time of the murder?
- I'm not saying that.
I'm saying we got nothing
that says he wasn't.
I just got access to his
credit card information.
Anything good?
Nothing obvious. No Uber rides or tolls.
But he bought a burner phone
at Best Buy four days ago.
Well, that sounds interesting to me.
We know about the burner
phone you bought in the Bronx.
So?
So most law-abiding citizens
up in Pound Ridge don't buy those.
Yeah, they still prefer
old-fashioned iPhones
'cause they're not
worried about being tracked
- or leaving a digital footprint.
- Made us curious.
So curious, we called every
car service in Pound Ridge,
and Darien, and Greenwich.
I'll be damned, but one of
them actually had a record
of a client asking for a
7:00 a.m. pickup the morning
that your wife was killed.
And the destination was 25th and Park,
five blocks from the crime scene.
And he drove the client
home to Pound Ridge
30 minutes after the murder.
And this is where it
gets really interesting.
The client asked for
the pickup and drop-off
to be at the corner of Pleasant Drive
and Woodlawn Road, which
is in a secluded section
of Pound Ridge with no security cameras.
And he paid cash.
Time to start talking, Trey.
I have no idea what
you're talking about.
♪
You good?
You sure you don't want to
tell us your side of the story?
Here's my side of the story.
I had nothing to do with this.
And that's all I have to say.
Well, sit down. Sit your ass down.
I'm done talking, so if you'd excuse me.
No, we don't. Turn around.
Tate Harris III, you are under arrest
for the murder of Bella Ross.
This was a cold-blooded
execution, Your Honor.
The defendant's wife, Bella Ross,
was not only planning to divorce him,
but to claw back the money
he had stolen from her.
In addition to his obvious motive,
he repeatedly lied to
police about his whereabouts
on the day of the murder.
- We seek remand, Your Honor.
- Ms. Witt?
The prosecution's
case is shockingly thin
and lacking substance, like
one of those supermodels
his wife used to hire
to strut down the runway.
Watch it, Ms. Witt.
I was just trying to make a point.
No, you were just trying to be cute,
and I don't do cute. So move on.
I apologize.
The defense is requesting
bail in the amount of $500,000.
Denied.
The defendant is hereby remanded.
Your Honor, there is no murder weapon,
- no fingerprints, no blood.
- [GAVEL SLAMS]
Next case.
[CAMERAS CLICKING]
The defense attorney
described the State's case
as shockingly thin and lacking
The press is really running
with this model metaphor.
Shockingly thin and lacking substance?
It's more quippy than true.
And I'm, of course, offended on behalf
of hardworking models everywhere.
As you should be.
Sadly, the attorney
isn't totally off-base,
and the case is highly circumstantial.
So it seems.
Hard to prove murder
beyond a reasonable doubt
without some physical evidence.
Fortunately, our defendant
is just despicable enough
[PHONE BUZZES]
I think we might just pull it off.
- Ah.
- What is it?
Brady just got an anonymous
tip about the murder weapon.
Well, I take back what I said.
I gotta tell you, man, I am 0 for 90
- on anonymous tips.
- Don't go dark on me, Vince.
Just stating the facts, man.
- Got something.
- 9-millimeter?
Yes, sir.
- Your luck is changing, Vince.
- Maybe.
What's that mean?
It means when something's
too good to be true,
- it usually is.
- Damn, I can't win with you.
It's in the genes, man.
All right, let's get that
to ballistics right away.
Wait. What are you saying?
That my gun was used to kill Bella Ross?
- That is correct.
- [LAUGHS]
That's impossible.
Not according to the ballistics report
- that we just got.
- Let's start at the beginning.
- Do you own a gun?
- Yeah.
- 9-millimeter Glock?
- Yes.
I took it to a shooting
range in Brooklyn
a few years ago and
shot off a few rounds,
but that was it.
I literally haven't touched it since.
Where do you keep the gun? Here?
Yeah, in my bedroom.
Nice and slow, please.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
This is where I kept it.
Well, like I said, I haven't touched it
or even thought about it in years.
This is you and Tate Harris?
Yeah?
You guys were friends?
Sort of.
Has he ever been to your apartment?
A few times.
When was the last time?
A few weeks ago. I had a dinner party.
- Was he in your bedroom?
- [GROANS]
- But he was here.
- Yeah, yeah. For sure.
♪
Hey, any luck tracking down
who made that anonymous tip?
Yeah, call was made from a burner phone.
Pinged off a tower on
the Upper West Side.
Is that where Tate's lawyer lives?
78th and Columbus.
So Tate told her the
gun belonged to Dutch.
She calls up the police,
tells them where to
find it, thinking, what,
it might help create reasonable doubt?
Maybe, but we obviously can't prove it.
The party guests?
Yeah, they all confirmed Tate was there,
but nobody saw him in Dutch's bedroom.
Telling the truth?
Nobody there was exactly
thrilled to be talking to me.
Well, if nothing else,
we can establish Dutch owned the gun,
he kept it in his apartment,
and Tate Harris was in that apartment
four days prior to the murder.
Yeah, it's not perfect.
No, it's not, but
physically connects him
to the murder weapon.
Gives the jury one more piece of data
to support our theory of the case.
The defendant was married
to Bella Ross for six years,
but their relationship was hardly equal.
You see, Bella financed the defendant's
fabulous lifestyle and his
failed business ventures.
And then, about a week
prior to her death,
she discovered that he
had been lying to her
about pretty much everything.
She realized he was a fraud.
Nothing he said was real,
even his name, Tate Harris III.
His real name is John O'Malley.
So Bella told her
lawyer and the defendant
that she wanted a divorce.
She was also planning
to sue the defendant
to recover all the money
that he had borrowed
or stolen from her during the six years
that they were married.
However, the defendant
wasn't ready to give up
his extravagant
lifestyle, and in his mind,
the only way to avoid
that was to make sure
Bella Ross was dead before
she filed for divorce.
So with an eye on inheriting
Bella's vast fortune,
he stole a gun from
his friend's apartment
and he assassinated her.
By all accounts, Bella Ross led
an extraordinary life.
She was wealthy,
accomplished, respected.
She owned luxurious homes in New York,
Los Angeles, and London.
She did what she wanted
with whom she wanted.
And when a woman leads a life that
is this extraordinary, this excessive,
she tends to make a
lot of bitter enemies.
Tate Harris did not kill Bella Ross.
We will provide evidence
that proves this,
that proves that he was
home in Pound Ridge, sick,
watching a TV show when
Bella Ross was killed.
So if Tate Harris didn't kill her,
then who did? Honestly, I don't know.
My job is to present
evidence that forces you
to reconsider the prosecution's
flawed theory of the crime,
and to determine whether or
not the prosecution proved
beyond a reasonable doubt that
Tate Harris killed Bella Ross.
When this trial is over,
I am highly confident that
the answer to that question
is a resounding no.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Sounds like the defense
is gonna try like hell
to exploit Bella Ross's
decadent lifestyle.
Oldest trick in the book
label a woman a whore, a
successful woman a bitch.
Well, try as they may,
the law makes it very
hard to introduce evidence
of a victim's sexual conduct.
I think we are all right there.
Any obvious alternate suspects?
Anyone the defense
might try to pin this on?
Not to the best of our knowledge.
Okay, so focus on the facts.
Tate Harris used Bella Ross
for money, influence, prestige.
And when Bella finally
did the math on all this,
he executed her in cold blood.
Start with the accountant.
How much money did
Bella loan the defendant
over the past six years?
Approximately $3.5 million.
She lent another $7.2 million
to his various business ventures.
And how much did Bella
spend per year to sustain
their lavish lifestyle?
Approximately $6.5 million per year.
How much did the defendant
contribute to this amount?
Zero.
Did the defendant's
various business ventures
- generate any income?
- No.
During the six years that
Bella and the defendant
were married, did the defendant
report any personal income?
In 2024, he reported income of $123,000.
In 2025, he reported income of $135,000.
And the source of that income?
Bella's company hired him to
be a consultant to the CEO.
Nothing further.
Bella and I were very close.
We met 20 years ago at "Vogue."
In the weeks leading
up to Bella's death,
did you happen to speak with
Bella about her marriage?
Yes. We had lunch five
days before she was killed.
She said she was planning
to file for divorce.
- Did she say why?
- Yes.
She realized that Tate was a fraud,
- that he was using her.
- Can you be more specific?
She invested millions of dollars
in Tate's E-fashion business.
When she'd ask him how it was going,
he'd say, fantastic.
But she was so busy with her own career
that she never really checked.
She trusted that what
Tate said was true.
Then one day, she actually
looked at the financials.
She realized the whole thing was a sham.
And then she started digging
into his credit card statements,
his bank accounts, and she realized that
he was actually stealing money from her.
- And this upset her?
- Yes.
She was devastated.
Did Bella tell the defendant
she was planning to divorce him?
Objection. Hearsay.
Let me rephrase.
When you had lunch with Bella five days
before she was killed,
was it your impression
she had told the defendant
she was going to file for divorce?
- Yes.
- Thank you.
Nothing further.
Bella Ross was a brilliant
and shrewd businesswoman.
Absolutely.
She had a keen eye for talent.
She knew who was smart, who wasn't.
Yes.
So she obviously knew
that her husband wasn't
particularly smart or talented.
- She eventually realized that.
- Oh, come on.
I mean, it couldn't have taken
someone as smart as Bella Ross
six years to figure
out that Tate Harris,
her husband, was a dope.
He dropped out of community
college after two months.
He never held down a
job for more than a year.
Yet Bella stayed in this
marriage for six years.
There had to be a reason for that.
I suppose.
Could it be that she was using Tate
the same way he was using her?
She liked having sex with him.
She liked having him on her
arm for the various galas
- Objection.
- Sustained.
You said earlier that
it was your impression
that Bella had told Tate that
she intended to file for divorce,
yet she never actually
filed for divorce.
No, but there was a reason for that.
Someone shot her.
Correct.
Someone.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Was a gun registered in your
name used to kill Bella Ross?
Yes.
When was the last time
you fired that gun?
About three years ago, at a
shooting range in Brooklyn.
When was the last time
you actually saw the gun?
About a year ago.
I was looking for a T-shirt
and found it in a drawer.
Did you keep the gun in a lockbox?
No, it was in a drawer
underneath a bunch of T-shirts.
- Do you know the defendant?
- Yes.
We used to be friends.
Has he ever been to your apartment?
Yes.
When was the last time he was there?
January 21st.
January 21st of this
year, four days prior
- to Bella Ross's death?
- That's correct.
Nothing further.
You were also friends
with Bella Ross, correct?
- More like acquaintances.
- Oh, acquaintances.
That's how you would
characterize your relationship?
Yes.
Even though you and Bella
had a sexual relationship?
I wouldn't say it was
a sexual relationship.
- We had sex once.
- And it ended badly, correct?
No. We just had sex
once, and that was it.
And you were upset
when she broke it off.
No, she didn't break it off.
There was nothing to break off.
So you were saying a moment ago
that you own the gun that
was used to kill Bella Ross.
Yes.
But you claim that you didn't shoot her.
Correct.
So you're saying that someone else used
your gun to shoot Bella Ross.
All I know is I didn't shoot her,
so someone must have stolen it.
So you're saying that
Tate Harris stole your gun.
Yeah, I suppose.
But Tate Harris had no
idea that you owned a gun,
let alone where you kept it.
I'm not so sure about that.
I may have shown him the
gun or mentioned it before.
You may have.
But you're not sure.
No.
Nothing further.
Permission to redirect, Your Honor.
Granted.
Mr. Wilmont, where were you
on the morning of January 25th,
the day Bella Ross was killed?
In Miami.
Your Honor, I'd like
to present Mr. Wilmont's
airline tickets, previously marked
as People's Exhibit 7 and 8.
You flew from New York
to Miami on January 24th,
and you returned to New York
on January 26th, correct?
Yes.
- Nothing further.
- Your Honor, may I?
So what was the purpose
of this trip to Miami,
- business or pleasure?
- Pleasure.
Uh-huh.
So you flew the day
before Bella was killed,
and you returned the day after.
Yes.
Ask me, it sounds awfully convenient.
- Objection.
- Sustained.
- Watch it, Ms. Witt.
- Nothing further.
♪
Would have been nice if you had told us
about your fling with Bella.
I didn't think it was relevant.
Oh, really?
You didn't think having sex with
a dead woman was worth mentioning?
Your gun was used to
kill her, for God sakes.
I'm sorry.
This is all just way too
much for me to process.
Is he an idiot, or he just
really doesn't give a damn?
My money's on the latter.
Either way, Dutch Wilmont is now
a legitimate alternate suspect.
Hey, I heard about your witness.
It wasn't ideal.
I'm not telling you
how to try your case,
but we need to put that damn gun in
Tate's greedy right hand somehow.
I agree, but we've spoken to everybody
who was at the dinner party.
Unfortunately, no one
saw him in close proximity
to the bedroom where
the gun was located.
Talk to them again.
Only this time, be more persuasive.
Threaten to subpoena them if necessary.
This way, please.
That an Oscar?
Oh, my husband's a director.
We actually met filming
that movie, "When Birds Fly."
Oh, you're married to Arthur Burke.
- Mm.
- Wow.
So how can I help?
We wanted to talk about
the dinner party again.
I already told you I didn't see anything
suspicious that evening.
I know you already told me,
but it doesn't mean that it's true.
Excuse me?
We talked to the other
guests again this morning,
and every one of them
said that you and Tate
spent a lot of time together that night.
And two of them told us they saw you
and Tate disappear into Dutch's bedroom
for an extended period of time.
Tate and I were friends, but
I don't recall disappearing
into a bedroom with him.
Well, we talked to Dutch and
the other guests at length.
They were more forthcoming this time.
Meaning what?
We know it wasn't a dinner party.
It was more of a sex
party with lots of drugs.
I don't know if there's a specific name
- for this type of gathering.
- What's your point?
Our point is that now we know
you were with Tate in the bedroom,
and if you saw him take
something from the closet,
we are going to need you to testify.
No.
No, I'm not okay with that. Okay?
I just want to forget that I
was even at that stupid party.
No, that's not how this works.
There is no way in hell
I'm going to testify
Tate and I were together
in Dutch's bedroom.
- So if you'll excuse me
- Whoa. Whoa, whoa.
He murdered his wife,
and you have evidence
that can help us convict him.
I understand, but my
husband has no idea that
[TENSE MUSIC]
He's old-fashioned
about this kind of thing.
It's not our problem.
I'm done talking.
Please get out of my house.
Screw her.
She doesn't get to
choose whether to testify.
Let's hit her with a subpoena,
see how tough she is with
her hands on a damn Bible.
She seemed pretty adamant.
And given the personal stakes
attached to her testimony,
I don't see her telling the truth,
- Bible or no Bible.
- What?
So you just want to give her a pass?
No. We exert more pressure.
Will someone please explain
to me why the hell we're here?
Oh, we're here because
your client indicated
she wasn't interested in testifying
- in the Bella Ross murder trial.
- So?
So we'd like to ask her one
more time if she might
She was not in the
bedroom, and she did not see
Tate Harris in the bedroom.
If there is nothing else.
Well, take a seat.
We're not done.
The other reason we've
invited you here today
is to inform you that we intend to bring
sex trafficking charges
against your client.
Sex trafficking?
What the hell are you trying to do?
This some sort of joke?
Your client invited four
female friends to a party
at Dutch Wilmont's apartment.
She supplied them with illegal drugs
and encouraged them to
engage in sexual activity,
with the obvious goal of currying favor
with Dutch Wilmont, a
powerful film producer.
Those women are my friends.
They're not hookers.
So what? We like to have sex. Who cares?
That is how we choose to live our life.
I'm not judging you.
I couldn't care less what
you do with your time.
But you need to testify.
We are done here.
♪
Hear back from Grace's lawyer?
No, but I'm optimistic.
There's no way she has
the stomach to stare down
a sex trafficking charge.
Yeah, well, there's a reason for that.
What do you mean?
She's not a sex trafficker.
Come on, Nolan, we both know
this isn't sex trafficking.
It's just a bunch of consenting
adults doing drugs, having sex.
Her actions on the night in question
meet the criteria set forth
in New York State penal law.
Don't do all that. Okay? Not with me.
Okay.
- Let's say I agree with you.
- Mm-hmm.
It was just a wild
night in the big city.
That doesn't give her the right
to pretend she didn't see what she saw
or to duck her legal responsibilities
so that she can avoid embarrassment
and preserve her marriage
to some film director.
And I agree with you.
But to threaten her with
sex trafficking charges?
Come on, Nolan.
My job is to put Tate Harris
away for the rest of his life.
And if the cost of doing that is
blowing up some selfish actress,
I can live with that.
Your call.
Don't get all high and mighty here.
Why not?
You're selfish too.
Excuse me?
You're leveraging Grace to win the trial
to make yourself feel good,
to advance your career.
The only thing I'm leveraging is the law
to get justice for Bella Ross.
[PHONE BUZZING]
Nolan Price.
Hey, I'll see you both
in court tomorrow morning.
[SIGHS]
♪
When was the last time
you were at Dutch Wilmont's apartment?
January 21st of this year.
- Was anyone else there?
- Yes.
Seven other people.
- Was the defendant there?
- Yes.
Did you see the defendant inside
Mr. Wilmont's bedroom that evening?
Yes.
Where were you when you saw him?
- In the same bedroom.
- For how long?
About four or five hours.
Did you see the defendant
enter or exit the closet
inside that bedroom?
Yes, I saw him do both.
When he exited the closet,
was he carrying anything?
He was holding something
wrapped up in a T-shirt.
I asked him about it.
Well, more like joked.
I said it looked like he
was stealing something.
- Did he respond?
- He said, "I am."
I just thought he was kidding.
Nothing further.
Ms. Burke, you're an actress?
Yes.
Married to Arthur Burke,
the acclaimed film director.
Yes.
On January 21st, you attended a party
at Dutch Wilmont's apartment and had sex
with Tate Harris, correct?
Yes.
Were you drinking that evening?
Yes.
Were you under the
influence of any narcotics?
Yes.
Yet you somehow saw Tate
Harris carrying something
wrapped in a T-shirt.
Was this before or after you had sex?
After.
Before or after you were
drinking and doing drugs?
After.
So you're saying Tate Harris just
walked into Dutch Wilmont's closet,
stole a gun right before your eyes
like there was no care in the world.
He thought I was asleep, and I was.
But then I heard him rummaging around,
so I woke up.
In exchange for your testimony today,
Mr. Price promised not to file
sex trafficking charges against you?
Yes, that's correct.
Are you a pimp, Ms. Burke?
No, I am definitely not a pimp.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Nothing further.
Redirect, Your Honor.
Ms. Burke, did my decision
not to charge you influence the way
you answered my questions today?
Did it make you say
anything that was not,
in fact, truthful?
- No.
- Nothing further.
You may step down.
♪
Who the hell do you think you are?
- Grace, let's go.
- Ms. Burke, that's enough.
I am not a pimp, and
I am not a whore, okay?
- Ms. Burke.
- How dare you humiliate me
I am holding you in contempt of court.
- I'll hold you in
contempt! And especially you!
♪
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
In the charge of murder
in the second degree,
we, the jury, find the defendant,
Tate Harris, guilty.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
thank you for your service.
This court is adjourned.
[GAVEL BANGS]
Well, we got the right results.
Just wish we got it the right way.
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[WOLF HOWLS]
In the criminal justice system,
the people are represented
by two separate, yet
equally important groups:
the police, who investigate crime,
and the district attorneys,
who prosecute the offenders.
These are their stories.
Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Bella Ross.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
You were amazing.
Thank you.
You made it.
How are you feeling?
I'm good.
I feel really good.
I'll call you tomorrow.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Good evening, everyone, and welcome.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
This is an important day for all of us,
a new beginning for a brand
that's been around for 27 years.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
I know, I know, that's a long time.
But I started the line when
I was ten years old, so
[LAUGHTER]
I'd like to introduce the new designer
and creative director of
Bella Ross, Lorenzo Cain.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Thank you so much, Bella.
I will do my best to make you proud.
[APPLAUSE]
My goal is to take this
brand to new heights.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
[UPBEAT DANCE MUSIC PLAYING]
You look gorgeous.
Thanks for coming, sweetie.
You are the most beautiful woman here.
- Please.
- It's not even close.
- I'm too old for you.
- You keep saying that.
Because it's true.
Well, if this is what
too old looks like,
I'm in.
♪
The victim took two to the chest.
Recovered both casings nearby. 9-mil.
Jewelry and phone still on her person.
- Got a name?
- Bella Ross.
The clothing designer?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
Yeah. That's her.
It's gonna be a lot of
press. We got any witnesses?
No, but we're out on the
street asking questions.
All right, good.
Let's make sure we pull any surveillance
we got around here, okay?
My wife dropped three grand
on a Bella Ross wedding gown.
Worth every penny.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
The victim is Bella Ross, 53 years old,
lived pretty much her whole life here
in New York. Married, no kids.
According to Forbes, worth 250 mil.
- Any witnesses?
- Yeah, one.
Woman was walking her dog in
the park, heard two gunshots.
Saw someone wearing a mask and
a black winter coat run away,
but she wasn't sure which direction.
But we have video of the
actual shooting, correct?
Yeah, it's not the perfect angle, but
Bella takes two 9-mils in the
chest at point-blank range.
Suspect appears to be about
5'10" with a thin build.
Could be male or female.
Looks like they're headed north.
Why don't you start by checking
all the video in that direction?
Meantime, notify the husband.
You're sure it's her?
- Bella Ross.
- We're sure.
What happened? Did someone rob her?
We don't know, but at this point,
it doesn't appear to be
connected to a robbery.
Look, Tate, we can't imagine
what you're going through.
But if it's okay, we'd like
to ask you a few questions.
Yeah, okay.
When was the last
time you talked to her?
Yesterday.
Well, we only spoke for a few seconds,
around, um, 2:30 or so.
And she was really busy at work.
I called again around 6:00 or
so and left her a voicemail.
About anything in particular?
I was just wishing her good luck.
With what?
She hosted an event last night
- for her clothing line.
- You didn't go.
No.
I haven't been feeling
well, so I stayed home.
But I should have gone.
Should have been there.
Maybe this wouldn't have happened.
And by home, you mean here, correct?
Yeah, I've been out here
for the past week or so.
What about your wife?
No, she was staying at
our place in the city.
Like I said, she's been
really busy at work.
You have a security
system here, Mr. Harris?
No, I've never felt the need.
Was there anything unusual going on?
Like anyone stalking her, harassing her?
Not that I'm aware of.
Any recent arguments or confrontations?
I'm not sure.
- It's possible.
- It's possible.
What do you mean by that?
Bella wasn't afraid to share
her opinions, or fire people.
She fire anyone recently?
Well, she did have a
bit of a dustup this week
- with an employee.
- Over what?
Over not picking her
to be lead designer.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
The Pound Ridge house doesn't
have a security system,
so we can't confirm if the husband was,
in fact, home at the time of the murder.
And he does fit the
general physical description
of the shooter
about 5'10", thin build.
Half the state fits
that general description.
Actually, with all of this Ozempic,
it's probably more like 90%.
I just spoke to someone
who was at Bella's event.
Sounds like it was a hell of a night,
up until the end, when
she got into a fight
with some drunk lady.
Any chance this drunk
woman is the employee
who got passed over for the big job?
I think the young man's finally getting
the hang of this, Jess.
Great.
Okay, go.
Yeah, let's go.
- [BELL DINGS]
- Order up!
Yep, that's me.
Wasn't my finest hour, that's for sure.
What were you two arguing about?
We weren't really arguing.
I was just venting.
About being passed over?
I couldn't believe she picked Lorenzo.
I felt betrayed.
I dedicated my life to that woman.
I gave her my everything.
So you were upset, emotional.
And drunk.
What happened after the argument?
I went home, took a
few too many gummies,
and went to bed.
Did you talk to Bella this morning?
No.
I just woke up about an hour ago.
So you woke up at noon, right?
And then what?
I came here to get some food and coffee.
I didn't kill Bella.
Yeah, I was upset, but
Here I am yelling at her,
and she offers to take me out to lunch
to talk about my career.
She even offered to help me
start my own clothing line.
Were you aware of anything
unusual going on in Bella's life?
Threats, stalkers, money trouble,
that kind of thing?
When I left the party last night,
I saw her and a man arguing.
And I couldn't see
his face, but it was
it was heated.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
That's Marco.
I don't know his last
name. He's a photographer.
Any chance this was a
romantic relationship?
Sure, it's possible.
Guys were always flirting with Bella.
Women too.
Part of the deal when you marry
a successful, gorgeous woman.
- How'd that make you feel?
- What do you mean?
Make you angry, jealous?
No.
We had an open marriage.
I actually encouraged Bella
to sleep with other people.
♪
We weren't arguing.
We were just talking.
It looked pretty intense to me.
I understand how you might think that.
I tend to wave my arms and hands a lot.
I'm Colombian.
And I'm Irish, and he's
- Nigerian.
- Yeah, so there you go.
I had nothing to do with Bella's death.
Then answer the question.
What were you guys talking about?
Bella didn't think that
I was attracted to her
and that I was sleeping with
her for business reasons,
and I got upset, told
her I couldn't have been
- more attracted to her.
- Then what?
After she jumped in
the SUV and drove off?
I got a cab, went to her place,
and we spent the night together.
And in the morning?
- I woke up around 9:00 or so.
- You see Bella?
No, she already left.
She liked to take early morning walks.
And what did you do?
I hung out, made a cappuccino,
read a few emails. Then I went home.
Yeah? Around what time?
9:30, 9:45.
You aware of any problems she might have
been experiencing in her
personal or professional life?
No.
I can't believe Bella's really dead.
I know. It's terrible.
Yeah.
On top of that, she was
my most important client.
Unfortunately, surveillance
video confirms Marco's alibi.
He didn't leave Bella's
apartment until 9:40.
Why do you say unfortunately?
I didn't care for that dude. Mm-mm.
Okay, so what you're saying,
really, is we have nothing.
It's early.
Well, tell that to the guys over at 1PP.
They're all over me on this.
We're trying.
Okay, why don't you check
out the husband again?
- Tate Harris?
- Mm-hmm.
I mean, I know he says he
was in Pound Ridge the morning
of the murder, but I
don't really trust a guy
that encourages his wife
to have sex with other men.
Well, like him or not,
it appears he was home all morning.
How do you know?
The house across the street
has three surveillance
cameras staring straight
at Tate and Bella's home.
There's no video of Tate
coming or going the night before
or the morning of the murder
through that front door.
Phone company just gave
us Bella's electronic info.
- Anything?
- Maybe.
Looks like she texted
some guy named Ellis
three days before the murder.
She said, "I can't believe
Trey did this to me."
And she follows up with,
"I want to destroy that bastard."
With five exclamation points.
Chase it down.
I was Bella's personal
attorney for 11 years.
We texted back and
forth quite frequently.
We know that, Mr. Matz.
What we don't know
is what Bella meant by
"I can't believe Trey did this to me"
and "I want to destroy the bastard."
With five exclamation points.
Well, Bella could be a
bit dramatic at times,
but she was a good woman and a
legend in the fashion industry.
Who are you protecting here, Mr. Matz?
And why?
It's nothing like that.
It's just that I adored Bella,
and I don't want to talk out of turn
and tarnish her reputation.
We appreciate that, Mr. Matz.
But Bella is dead, so I don't think
we need to worry about
her reputation right now.
Who is Trey?
Why did she want to destroy him?
We're not trying to taint
anybody's legacy here.
We're just trying to find
the person who shot her.
[SIGHS] I understand.
And if I'm being honest, I
think Trey could be involved.
I never liked him.
From day one, he was
a phony and so obvious.
But Bella didn't see it,
not until the last few weeks.
Then it all came crashing down.
Okay, this is good.
Let's start at the beginning.
Who the hell is Trey?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
We talked to Bella's lawyer, Ellis Matz.
He's not a big fan of yours, Trey.
I'm not a big fan of his, so
I guess that makes us even.
Well, not really, because
he's not spending Bella's money
to buy lavish gifts for his mistresses.
Ellis has no idea what
he's talking about.
Really?
So Bella just made it up
one day, out of the blue?
She texts, "I cannot
believe Trey did this to me."
It's possible. She was very emotional.
Can you believe this prick?
Why don't you help me out here, Trey?
I just want to be clear.
So you moved to the big
city from Worcester, Mass,
lost your Boston accent,
started pronouncing your Rs.
You changed your name
from Johnny O'Malley
to Tate Harris III, Trey for short?
Yeah.
Not a crime to reinvent yourself, is it?
No, but it is a crime to shoot your wife
because she wants a divorce,
because she's figured out
that you're spending all her money
on hookers and cocaine.
I was home sick watching TV
the day Bella was killed.
We looked at all the
video surveillance we have,
and there's nothing
that disproves his alibi.
So he was at home in Pound Ridge
- at the time of the murder?
- I'm not saying that.
I'm saying we got nothing
that says he wasn't.
I just got access to his
credit card information.
Anything good?
Nothing obvious. No Uber rides or tolls.
But he bought a burner phone
at Best Buy four days ago.
Well, that sounds interesting to me.
We know about the burner
phone you bought in the Bronx.
So?
So most law-abiding citizens
up in Pound Ridge don't buy those.
Yeah, they still prefer
old-fashioned iPhones
'cause they're not
worried about being tracked
- or leaving a digital footprint.
- Made us curious.
So curious, we called every
car service in Pound Ridge,
and Darien, and Greenwich.
I'll be damned, but one of
them actually had a record
of a client asking for a
7:00 a.m. pickup the morning
that your wife was killed.
And the destination was 25th and Park,
five blocks from the crime scene.
And he drove the client
home to Pound Ridge
30 minutes after the murder.
And this is where it
gets really interesting.
The client asked for
the pickup and drop-off
to be at the corner of Pleasant Drive
and Woodlawn Road, which
is in a secluded section
of Pound Ridge with no security cameras.
And he paid cash.
Time to start talking, Trey.
I have no idea what
you're talking about.
♪
You good?
You sure you don't want to
tell us your side of the story?
Here's my side of the story.
I had nothing to do with this.
And that's all I have to say.
Well, sit down. Sit your ass down.
I'm done talking, so if you'd excuse me.
No, we don't. Turn around.
Tate Harris III, you are under arrest
for the murder of Bella Ross.
This was a cold-blooded
execution, Your Honor.
The defendant's wife, Bella Ross,
was not only planning to divorce him,
but to claw back the money
he had stolen from her.
In addition to his obvious motive,
he repeatedly lied to
police about his whereabouts
on the day of the murder.
- We seek remand, Your Honor.
- Ms. Witt?
The prosecution's
case is shockingly thin
and lacking substance, like
one of those supermodels
his wife used to hire
to strut down the runway.
Watch it, Ms. Witt.
I was just trying to make a point.
No, you were just trying to be cute,
and I don't do cute. So move on.
I apologize.
The defense is requesting
bail in the amount of $500,000.
Denied.
The defendant is hereby remanded.
Your Honor, there is no murder weapon,
- no fingerprints, no blood.
- [GAVEL SLAMS]
Next case.
[CAMERAS CLICKING]
The defense attorney
described the State's case
as shockingly thin and lacking
The press is really running
with this model metaphor.
Shockingly thin and lacking substance?
It's more quippy than true.
And I'm, of course, offended on behalf
of hardworking models everywhere.
As you should be.
Sadly, the attorney
isn't totally off-base,
and the case is highly circumstantial.
So it seems.
Hard to prove murder
beyond a reasonable doubt
without some physical evidence.
Fortunately, our defendant
is just despicable enough
[PHONE BUZZES]
I think we might just pull it off.
- Ah.
- What is it?
Brady just got an anonymous
tip about the murder weapon.
Well, I take back what I said.
I gotta tell you, man, I am 0 for 90
- on anonymous tips.
- Don't go dark on me, Vince.
Just stating the facts, man.
- Got something.
- 9-millimeter?
Yes, sir.
- Your luck is changing, Vince.
- Maybe.
What's that mean?
It means when something's
too good to be true,
- it usually is.
- Damn, I can't win with you.
It's in the genes, man.
All right, let's get that
to ballistics right away.
Wait. What are you saying?
That my gun was used to kill Bella Ross?
- That is correct.
- [LAUGHS]
That's impossible.
Not according to the ballistics report
- that we just got.
- Let's start at the beginning.
- Do you own a gun?
- Yeah.
- 9-millimeter Glock?
- Yes.
I took it to a shooting
range in Brooklyn
a few years ago and
shot off a few rounds,
but that was it.
I literally haven't touched it since.
Where do you keep the gun? Here?
Yeah, in my bedroom.
Nice and slow, please.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
This is where I kept it.
Well, like I said, I haven't touched it
or even thought about it in years.
This is you and Tate Harris?
Yeah?
You guys were friends?
Sort of.
Has he ever been to your apartment?
A few times.
When was the last time?
A few weeks ago. I had a dinner party.
- Was he in your bedroom?
- [GROANS]
- But he was here.
- Yeah, yeah. For sure.
♪
Hey, any luck tracking down
who made that anonymous tip?
Yeah, call was made from a burner phone.
Pinged off a tower on
the Upper West Side.
Is that where Tate's lawyer lives?
78th and Columbus.
So Tate told her the
gun belonged to Dutch.
She calls up the police,
tells them where to
find it, thinking, what,
it might help create reasonable doubt?
Maybe, but we obviously can't prove it.
The party guests?
Yeah, they all confirmed Tate was there,
but nobody saw him in Dutch's bedroom.
Telling the truth?
Nobody there was exactly
thrilled to be talking to me.
Well, if nothing else,
we can establish Dutch owned the gun,
he kept it in his apartment,
and Tate Harris was in that apartment
four days prior to the murder.
Yeah, it's not perfect.
No, it's not, but
physically connects him
to the murder weapon.
Gives the jury one more piece of data
to support our theory of the case.
The defendant was married
to Bella Ross for six years,
but their relationship was hardly equal.
You see, Bella financed the defendant's
fabulous lifestyle and his
failed business ventures.
And then, about a week
prior to her death,
she discovered that he
had been lying to her
about pretty much everything.
She realized he was a fraud.
Nothing he said was real,
even his name, Tate Harris III.
His real name is John O'Malley.
So Bella told her
lawyer and the defendant
that she wanted a divorce.
She was also planning
to sue the defendant
to recover all the money
that he had borrowed
or stolen from her during the six years
that they were married.
However, the defendant
wasn't ready to give up
his extravagant
lifestyle, and in his mind,
the only way to avoid
that was to make sure
Bella Ross was dead before
she filed for divorce.
So with an eye on inheriting
Bella's vast fortune,
he stole a gun from
his friend's apartment
and he assassinated her.
By all accounts, Bella Ross led
an extraordinary life.
She was wealthy,
accomplished, respected.
She owned luxurious homes in New York,
Los Angeles, and London.
She did what she wanted
with whom she wanted.
And when a woman leads a life that
is this extraordinary, this excessive,
she tends to make a
lot of bitter enemies.
Tate Harris did not kill Bella Ross.
We will provide evidence
that proves this,
that proves that he was
home in Pound Ridge, sick,
watching a TV show when
Bella Ross was killed.
So if Tate Harris didn't kill her,
then who did? Honestly, I don't know.
My job is to present
evidence that forces you
to reconsider the prosecution's
flawed theory of the crime,
and to determine whether or
not the prosecution proved
beyond a reasonable doubt that
Tate Harris killed Bella Ross.
When this trial is over,
I am highly confident that
the answer to that question
is a resounding no.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Sounds like the defense
is gonna try like hell
to exploit Bella Ross's
decadent lifestyle.
Oldest trick in the book
label a woman a whore, a
successful woman a bitch.
Well, try as they may,
the law makes it very
hard to introduce evidence
of a victim's sexual conduct.
I think we are all right there.
Any obvious alternate suspects?
Anyone the defense
might try to pin this on?
Not to the best of our knowledge.
Okay, so focus on the facts.
Tate Harris used Bella Ross
for money, influence, prestige.
And when Bella finally
did the math on all this,
he executed her in cold blood.
Start with the accountant.
How much money did
Bella loan the defendant
over the past six years?
Approximately $3.5 million.
She lent another $7.2 million
to his various business ventures.
And how much did Bella
spend per year to sustain
their lavish lifestyle?
Approximately $6.5 million per year.
How much did the defendant
contribute to this amount?
Zero.
Did the defendant's
various business ventures
- generate any income?
- No.
During the six years that
Bella and the defendant
were married, did the defendant
report any personal income?
In 2024, he reported income of $123,000.
In 2025, he reported income of $135,000.
And the source of that income?
Bella's company hired him to
be a consultant to the CEO.
Nothing further.
Bella and I were very close.
We met 20 years ago at "Vogue."
In the weeks leading
up to Bella's death,
did you happen to speak with
Bella about her marriage?
Yes. We had lunch five
days before she was killed.
She said she was planning
to file for divorce.
- Did she say why?
- Yes.
She realized that Tate was a fraud,
- that he was using her.
- Can you be more specific?
She invested millions of dollars
in Tate's E-fashion business.
When she'd ask him how it was going,
he'd say, fantastic.
But she was so busy with her own career
that she never really checked.
She trusted that what
Tate said was true.
Then one day, she actually
looked at the financials.
She realized the whole thing was a sham.
And then she started digging
into his credit card statements,
his bank accounts, and she realized that
he was actually stealing money from her.
- And this upset her?
- Yes.
She was devastated.
Did Bella tell the defendant
she was planning to divorce him?
Objection. Hearsay.
Let me rephrase.
When you had lunch with Bella five days
before she was killed,
was it your impression
she had told the defendant
she was going to file for divorce?
- Yes.
- Thank you.
Nothing further.
Bella Ross was a brilliant
and shrewd businesswoman.
Absolutely.
She had a keen eye for talent.
She knew who was smart, who wasn't.
Yes.
So she obviously knew
that her husband wasn't
particularly smart or talented.
- She eventually realized that.
- Oh, come on.
I mean, it couldn't have taken
someone as smart as Bella Ross
six years to figure
out that Tate Harris,
her husband, was a dope.
He dropped out of community
college after two months.
He never held down a
job for more than a year.
Yet Bella stayed in this
marriage for six years.
There had to be a reason for that.
I suppose.
Could it be that she was using Tate
the same way he was using her?
She liked having sex with him.
She liked having him on her
arm for the various galas
- Objection.
- Sustained.
You said earlier that
it was your impression
that Bella had told Tate that
she intended to file for divorce,
yet she never actually
filed for divorce.
No, but there was a reason for that.
Someone shot her.
Correct.
Someone.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Was a gun registered in your
name used to kill Bella Ross?
Yes.
When was the last time
you fired that gun?
About three years ago, at a
shooting range in Brooklyn.
When was the last time
you actually saw the gun?
About a year ago.
I was looking for a T-shirt
and found it in a drawer.
Did you keep the gun in a lockbox?
No, it was in a drawer
underneath a bunch of T-shirts.
- Do you know the defendant?
- Yes.
We used to be friends.
Has he ever been to your apartment?
Yes.
When was the last time he was there?
January 21st.
January 21st of this
year, four days prior
- to Bella Ross's death?
- That's correct.
Nothing further.
You were also friends
with Bella Ross, correct?
- More like acquaintances.
- Oh, acquaintances.
That's how you would
characterize your relationship?
Yes.
Even though you and Bella
had a sexual relationship?
I wouldn't say it was
a sexual relationship.
- We had sex once.
- And it ended badly, correct?
No. We just had sex
once, and that was it.
And you were upset
when she broke it off.
No, she didn't break it off.
There was nothing to break off.
So you were saying a moment ago
that you own the gun that
was used to kill Bella Ross.
Yes.
But you claim that you didn't shoot her.
Correct.
So you're saying that someone else used
your gun to shoot Bella Ross.
All I know is I didn't shoot her,
so someone must have stolen it.
So you're saying that
Tate Harris stole your gun.
Yeah, I suppose.
But Tate Harris had no
idea that you owned a gun,
let alone where you kept it.
I'm not so sure about that.
I may have shown him the
gun or mentioned it before.
You may have.
But you're not sure.
No.
Nothing further.
Permission to redirect, Your Honor.
Granted.
Mr. Wilmont, where were you
on the morning of January 25th,
the day Bella Ross was killed?
In Miami.
Your Honor, I'd like
to present Mr. Wilmont's
airline tickets, previously marked
as People's Exhibit 7 and 8.
You flew from New York
to Miami on January 24th,
and you returned to New York
on January 26th, correct?
Yes.
- Nothing further.
- Your Honor, may I?
So what was the purpose
of this trip to Miami,
- business or pleasure?
- Pleasure.
Uh-huh.
So you flew the day
before Bella was killed,
and you returned the day after.
Yes.
Ask me, it sounds awfully convenient.
- Objection.
- Sustained.
- Watch it, Ms. Witt.
- Nothing further.
♪
Would have been nice if you had told us
about your fling with Bella.
I didn't think it was relevant.
Oh, really?
You didn't think having sex with
a dead woman was worth mentioning?
Your gun was used to
kill her, for God sakes.
I'm sorry.
This is all just way too
much for me to process.
Is he an idiot, or he just
really doesn't give a damn?
My money's on the latter.
Either way, Dutch Wilmont is now
a legitimate alternate suspect.
Hey, I heard about your witness.
It wasn't ideal.
I'm not telling you
how to try your case,
but we need to put that damn gun in
Tate's greedy right hand somehow.
I agree, but we've spoken to everybody
who was at the dinner party.
Unfortunately, no one
saw him in close proximity
to the bedroom where
the gun was located.
Talk to them again.
Only this time, be more persuasive.
Threaten to subpoena them if necessary.
This way, please.
That an Oscar?
Oh, my husband's a director.
We actually met filming
that movie, "When Birds Fly."
Oh, you're married to Arthur Burke.
- Mm.
- Wow.
So how can I help?
We wanted to talk about
the dinner party again.
I already told you I didn't see anything
suspicious that evening.
I know you already told me,
but it doesn't mean that it's true.
Excuse me?
We talked to the other
guests again this morning,
and every one of them
said that you and Tate
spent a lot of time together that night.
And two of them told us they saw you
and Tate disappear into Dutch's bedroom
for an extended period of time.
Tate and I were friends, but
I don't recall disappearing
into a bedroom with him.
Well, we talked to Dutch and
the other guests at length.
They were more forthcoming this time.
Meaning what?
We know it wasn't a dinner party.
It was more of a sex
party with lots of drugs.
I don't know if there's a specific name
- for this type of gathering.
- What's your point?
Our point is that now we know
you were with Tate in the bedroom,
and if you saw him take
something from the closet,
we are going to need you to testify.
No.
No, I'm not okay with that. Okay?
I just want to forget that I
was even at that stupid party.
No, that's not how this works.
There is no way in hell
I'm going to testify
Tate and I were together
in Dutch's bedroom.
- So if you'll excuse me
- Whoa. Whoa, whoa.
He murdered his wife,
and you have evidence
that can help us convict him.
I understand, but my
husband has no idea that
[TENSE MUSIC]
He's old-fashioned
about this kind of thing.
It's not our problem.
I'm done talking.
Please get out of my house.
Screw her.
She doesn't get to
choose whether to testify.
Let's hit her with a subpoena,
see how tough she is with
her hands on a damn Bible.
She seemed pretty adamant.
And given the personal stakes
attached to her testimony,
I don't see her telling the truth,
- Bible or no Bible.
- What?
So you just want to give her a pass?
No. We exert more pressure.
Will someone please explain
to me why the hell we're here?
Oh, we're here because
your client indicated
she wasn't interested in testifying
- in the Bella Ross murder trial.
- So?
So we'd like to ask her one
more time if she might
She was not in the
bedroom, and she did not see
Tate Harris in the bedroom.
If there is nothing else.
Well, take a seat.
We're not done.
The other reason we've
invited you here today
is to inform you that we intend to bring
sex trafficking charges
against your client.
Sex trafficking?
What the hell are you trying to do?
This some sort of joke?
Your client invited four
female friends to a party
at Dutch Wilmont's apartment.
She supplied them with illegal drugs
and encouraged them to
engage in sexual activity,
with the obvious goal of currying favor
with Dutch Wilmont, a
powerful film producer.
Those women are my friends.
They're not hookers.
So what? We like to have sex. Who cares?
That is how we choose to live our life.
I'm not judging you.
I couldn't care less what
you do with your time.
But you need to testify.
We are done here.
♪
Hear back from Grace's lawyer?
No, but I'm optimistic.
There's no way she has
the stomach to stare down
a sex trafficking charge.
Yeah, well, there's a reason for that.
What do you mean?
She's not a sex trafficker.
Come on, Nolan, we both know
this isn't sex trafficking.
It's just a bunch of consenting
adults doing drugs, having sex.
Her actions on the night in question
meet the criteria set forth
in New York State penal law.
Don't do all that. Okay? Not with me.
Okay.
- Let's say I agree with you.
- Mm-hmm.
It was just a wild
night in the big city.
That doesn't give her the right
to pretend she didn't see what she saw
or to duck her legal responsibilities
so that she can avoid embarrassment
and preserve her marriage
to some film director.
And I agree with you.
But to threaten her with
sex trafficking charges?
Come on, Nolan.
My job is to put Tate Harris
away for the rest of his life.
And if the cost of doing that is
blowing up some selfish actress,
I can live with that.
Your call.
Don't get all high and mighty here.
Why not?
You're selfish too.
Excuse me?
You're leveraging Grace to win the trial
to make yourself feel good,
to advance your career.
The only thing I'm leveraging is the law
to get justice for Bella Ross.
[PHONE BUZZING]
Nolan Price.
Hey, I'll see you both
in court tomorrow morning.
[SIGHS]
♪
When was the last time
you were at Dutch Wilmont's apartment?
January 21st of this year.
- Was anyone else there?
- Yes.
Seven other people.
- Was the defendant there?
- Yes.
Did you see the defendant inside
Mr. Wilmont's bedroom that evening?
Yes.
Where were you when you saw him?
- In the same bedroom.
- For how long?
About four or five hours.
Did you see the defendant
enter or exit the closet
inside that bedroom?
Yes, I saw him do both.
When he exited the closet,
was he carrying anything?
He was holding something
wrapped up in a T-shirt.
I asked him about it.
Well, more like joked.
I said it looked like he
was stealing something.
- Did he respond?
- He said, "I am."
I just thought he was kidding.
Nothing further.
Ms. Burke, you're an actress?
Yes.
Married to Arthur Burke,
the acclaimed film director.
Yes.
On January 21st, you attended a party
at Dutch Wilmont's apartment and had sex
with Tate Harris, correct?
Yes.
Were you drinking that evening?
Yes.
Were you under the
influence of any narcotics?
Yes.
Yet you somehow saw Tate
Harris carrying something
wrapped in a T-shirt.
Was this before or after you had sex?
After.
Before or after you were
drinking and doing drugs?
After.
So you're saying Tate Harris just
walked into Dutch Wilmont's closet,
stole a gun right before your eyes
like there was no care in the world.
He thought I was asleep, and I was.
But then I heard him rummaging around,
so I woke up.
In exchange for your testimony today,
Mr. Price promised not to file
sex trafficking charges against you?
Yes, that's correct.
Are you a pimp, Ms. Burke?
No, I am definitely not a pimp.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Nothing further.
Redirect, Your Honor.
Ms. Burke, did my decision
not to charge you influence the way
you answered my questions today?
Did it make you say
anything that was not,
in fact, truthful?
- No.
- Nothing further.
You may step down.
♪
Who the hell do you think you are?
- Grace, let's go.
- Ms. Burke, that's enough.
I am not a pimp, and
I am not a whore, okay?
- Ms. Burke.
- How dare you humiliate me
I am holding you in contempt of court.
- I'll hold you in
contempt! And especially you!
♪
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
In the charge of murder
in the second degree,
we, the jury, find the defendant,
Tate Harris, guilty.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
thank you for your service.
This court is adjourned.
[GAVEL BANGS]
Well, we got the right results.
Just wish we got it the right way.
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[WOLF HOWLS]