Justice (2006) s01e07 Episode Script
Death Spiral
JASON STACK AND CLAIRE MILLER- THEIR FAIRY-TALE RELATIONSHIP ENDED IN A TRAGIC PLANE CRASH SIX MONTHS AGO.
IT WAS A CINDERELLA STORY.
C.
E.
O.
OF ONE OF CALIFORNIA'S NEWEST AND BIGGES TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONS.
THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD BUT IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT THE REPOR WILL SATISFY CLAIRE'S PARENTS, ART AND SARAH MILLER, WHO BELIEVE JASON STACK WAS AT FAULT FOR THE CRASH.
YET EVEN IN THE FACE OF THE MILLER FAMILY'S ANGER, REGINA STACK HAS REMAINED GRACIOUS.
I LOVED CLAIRE.
I UNDERSTAND HER PARENTS' PAIN.
I LOST MY SON,TOO.
IT'S HARD TO ACCEPT, BUT SOMETIMES TERRIBLE THINGS HAPPEN, AND NO ONE IS TO BLAME.
TODAY THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY ARE CLOSING THE INVESTIGATION TO THE CRASH WITHOU FILING CHARGES.
I'M JAMI FLOYD FOR COURT TV NEWS.
WE KNOW THAT JASON TOOK OUR DAUGHTER CLAIRE TO A CLUB THE NIGHT OF THE CRASH.
ALL WE WANT ARE ANSWERS.
WE JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH.
IF HE WAS DRINKING,MAYBE THAT CAUSED THE CRASH.
IF HE GOT INTO A CAR DRUNK,AND SHE GOT KILLED, THEY'D LOOK INTO IT,RIGHT? WHY IS A PLANE DIFFERENT? DO YOU KNOW IF HE WAS DRINKING THAT NIGHT? WE TRIED FINDING OUT,BUT HIS MOTHER HAD JASON'S BODY CREMATED WITHOUT AN AUTOPSY,SO WE COULDN'T.
WE'VE BEEN TO THE FBI,THE POLICE,THE D.
A.
, TO TRY TO GET ANSWERS, AND ALL THEY SAID WAS THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO.
WE HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO FOR ANSWERS.
FOR MONEY OR TO STOP THEM FROM DOING SOMETHING.
WHAT ABOUT THE TRUTH? WHY CAN'T YOU SUE TO MAKE PEOPLE TELL YOU THE TRUTH? WE'RE NOT IN THIS FOR THE MONEY.
REGINA STACK'S ATTORNEY ALREADY OFFERED US $10 MILLION.
IF WE AGREED NEVER TO DISCUSS THE CASE.
THEY WANT TO BURY THE TRUTH WITH CLAIRE.
WE SAID NO $10 MILLION? THEY DON'T EVEN SAY HER NAME ON THE NEWS ANYMORE.
THEY JUST SAY,"JASON STACK AND HIS GIRLFRIEND.
" SHE WAS OUR ONLY CHILD.
WE DON'T WANT MONEY.
WE JUST WANT THE TRUTH.
WILL YOU HELP US? PLEASE? IF THIS HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER, I'D WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH,TOO.
REGINA STACK SEEMS NICE,BUT SHE'S TOUGH.
WHEN HER HUSBAND DIED, WALL STREET THOUGHT SHE WOULDN' BE ABLE TO RUN HIS COMPANY.
SHE TRIPLED ITS VALUE IN TWO YEARS.
IF WE SUE HER,SHE'LL COME AFTER US-HARD.
- COULD BE RISKY.
- RISKY IS GOOD.
RISKY MEANS UPSIDE IT'LL FORCE REGINA STACK TO TELL THE MILLERS WHAT SHE KNOWS ABOUT THE CRASH.
OKAY.
IF WE'RE GONNA SUE, THE WRECKAGE WILL BE DESTROYED.
THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE THE PLANE IS BY GETTING A LAWSUIT ON FILE NOW.
I'M IN.
REGINA STACK OFFERED $10 MILLION TO SETTLE FOR SILENCE, SO OBVIOUSLY,SOMETHING HAPPENED UP THERE.
IT'S 4:30.
THE COURT CLERK OFFICE CLOSES AT 5:00.
YOU'VE GO 30-NO,29 MINUTES.
WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED,HI LUTHER WITH IT IN COUR AND FIND ME ON THE ROAD.
I WANNA SERVE LARRY BOWERS MYSELF.
I WANNA SEND MRS.
STACK A MESSAGE.
SO LET'S GE THIS DONE NOW.
JASON STACK WAS THE DIREC AND PROXIMATE CAUSE OF DEATH OF CLAIRE MILLER,THROUGH "NEAR THE CITY OF HANFORD IN KINGS COUNTY WHILE EN ROUTE TO NAPA VALLEY AIRPORT.
" GOOD.
THAT'S IT.
THOSE ARE ALL THE ELEMENTS.
EXCEPT FOR DAMAGES.
UNLESS WE ASK FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF MONEY.
RON USUALLY LIKES A ROUND NUMBER,LIKE $100 MILLION.
YEAH,WELL,ASKING FOR TOO MUCH IS GONNA MAKE THEM LOOK LIKE THEY WERE TRYING TO GET RICH OFF OF THEIR DAUGHTER'S DEATH.
SMART MOVE,TOM.
WHY DO YOU SOUND SURPRISED? BECAUSE IT'S SO SNEAKY.
I CAN'T BELIEVE RON DIDN'T COME UP WITH IT.
GIVE THIS TO THE MESSENGER.
WHERE THE HELL IS THE BIKE MESSENGER? WE'VE GOT TO FILE THE SUIT BY 5:00.
IT JUST GOT HERE,TOM.
LET THE DUTY JUDGE KNOW I NEED TWO PROTECTIVE ORDERS FOR EVIDENCE- ONE FOR THE D.
A.
,ONE FOR THE N.
T.
S.
B.
, AND I NEED THEM NOW.
STOP.
IN THE JASON STACK PLANE CRASH.
THE STACK CASE ISN' EVEN A YEAR OLD.
WHY SHRED IT NOW? DID REGINA STACK'S ATTORNEY CALL YOU AND ASK YOU TO SHRED IT? DON'T WORRY.
IT'S OKAY.
YOU JUS TRIED TO DO HIM A FAVOR, AND NOW I WANT YOU TO DO ME A FAVOR.
THANK YOU.
I GOT THE FAX,LUTHER.
THANKS.
THE MOVERS ARE HERE TO TAKE THE PLANE TO OUR HANGAR.
YOU GUYS SURE GOT HERE FAST.
MR.
BOWERS SAID YEAH,DON'T YOU? THIS IS A PROTECTIVE ORDER.
IT MEANS THE PLANE CAN'T BE DESTROYED UNTIL OUR CASE IS OVER.
TOM,I GOT THE LAWSUIT.
NICE.
YOU'RE GETTING MORE LIKE ME EVERY DAY.
YES,THAT'S A COMPLIMENT.
MR.
BOWERS,SUCH A PLEASURE.
YOU JUST CAUGHT ME,RON.
I WAS HEADED OUT FOR THE EVENING.
OH,REALLY? A BONFIRE AT THE STACKS'? WE'RE SUING JASON STACK'S ESTATE FOR THE WRONGFUL DEATH OF CLAIRE MILLER.
SAVING MONEY SERVING YOUR OWN LAWSUITS? THIS CASE ISN'T ABOU MONEY.
READ THE SUIT.
WE'RE ASKING FOR $1 IN DAMAGES.
NOT $100 MILLION-JUST $1.
WE CAN SETTLE RIGHT NOW IF YOU HAVE IT ON YOU.
CLEVER.
PROTECTS YOUR CLIENT FROM LOOKING GREEDY BUT STILL LETS YOU COLLEC FOR PUNITIVE DAMAGES,RIGHT? YOU CAN AVOID THEM IF WE CAN REACH A SETTLEMENT FOR JUST $1 AND A WRITTEN APOLOGY IN WHICH REGINA STACK ADMITS HER SON'S NEGLIGENCE AND THE IMMEASURABLE PAIN AND SUFFERING IT CAUSED MY CLIENT.
BUT REGINA STACK IS NOT ABOU TO LIE ABOUT HER DEAD SON TO MAKE YOU OR YOUR CLIENTS HAPPY.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALLER.
WHAT'S YOUR POINT? THE D.
A.
DIDN' THINK HE HAD A CASE.
MRS.
STACK DID NOTHING WRONG.
THEN WHY DID SHE OFFER CLAIRE'S PARENTS $10 MILLION? BECAUSE MRS.
STACK IS A DECENT WOMAN WHO FELT PITY FOR THE LOSS OF THE MILLERS' DAUGHTER, BUT DON'T BE FOOLED.
SHE'S GO A LOT OF FRIENDS IN THIS CITY.
MANY OF THEM ARE YOUR CLIENTS.
THEY WON'T BE IF YOU SUE HER.
SHE'LL DESTROY ANYONE WHO DIRTIES UP JASON'S MEMORY.
THEN I GUESS WE GO TO TRIAL.
100% INNOCENT.
LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, WE'VE GOT THE GREATES LEGAL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.
LUTHER,YOU'RE THE EX-D.
A.
,SO YOU'RE FIRST CHAIR ON THIS.
IN A CIVIL CASE,WE'RE PROSECUTORS.
THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS ON US.
OUR CLIENTS WANT THE TRUTH, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET IT FOR THEM.
REGINA STACK CREMATED JASON BODY BEFORE ANYONE COULD PROVE HE WAS DRUNK OR ON DRUGS.
WITHOUT THE BODY,WE'LL HAVE TO SHOW HE WAS INTOXICATED OR HIGH SOME OTHER WAY.
TOM,SEE IF ANYONE SAW JASON DRUNK AT THAT CLUB THE NIGHT THEY DIED.
ALDEN,RECONSTRUC THE PLANE.
WE NEED TO PROVE I WAS OPERATING PERFECTLY, REGINA STACK HAS ALREADY SAID THAT THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT, A MECHANICAL FAILURE.
THE N.
T.
S.
B.
HASN' ISSUED A REPORT EITHER WAY.
IF THEY SAY IT WAS PILOT ERROR,WE WIN,RIGHT? NOT NECESSARILY.
AN N.
T.
S.
B.
FINDING IS NOT ADMISSIBLE AT TRIAL.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? I'M GOING TO DEAL WITH REGINA STACK.
SHE'S THEIR BEST WEAPON.
SHE'S TELEGENIC,SMART,BEAUTIFUL.
TAKE IT EASY,RON.
WHAT,HAVE YOU GOT A CRUSH ON HER? A LITTLE.
THE FACT IS,JURORS ARE GOING TO KNOW HER AND LOVE HER.
I'M GOING TO START GIVING THE MILLERS MEDIA TRAINING.
YOU ARE? ARE YOU SURE? YOU'VE ALL GO ASSIGNMENTS ALREADY.
I'LL CALL MIRANDA LEE,OUR JURY CONSULTANT, HAVE HER TALK TO THE MILLERS WITH RON.
CLAIRE'S PARENTS HAVE BEEN THROUGH HELL.
RON'S NO EXACTLY A HUGGER.
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GARBAGE,MR.
TROTT- THE LIES THEY'RE TELLING ABOUT CLAIRE? I MEAN,SHE NEVER USED A DRUG IN HER LIFE.
SHE WAS A STRAIGH "A" STUDENT.
THEY'RE EVEN SAYING THAT SHE CAUSED THE CRASH.
IT'S A LIE! IT'S OKAY.
SETTLE DOWN,SARAH.
WE'LL DEAL WITH IT.
LET ME TALK TO OUR JURY CONSULTANT.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MOTHER WHOSE CASE WE AGREED TO TAKE? AND IT'S UPSETTING SARAH.
THESE ARE THE RESULTS OF THE FOCUS GROUP I DID EARLIER.
WHY ARE THEY SO BAD? SHE LOST HER ONLY CHILD.
THE FOCUS GROUP SHOULD BE ROOTING FOR HER.
SHE'S JUST TOO ANGRY.
LOOK,HURT SELLS.
GRIEF JURORS CAN BUY.
ANGER JUST TURNS PEOPLE OFF, NO MATTER HOW JUSTIFIED IT IS.
THIS ISN'T A TYPICAL CIVIL CASE.
YOU'RE NOT SUING SOME EVIL FACELESS CORPORATION.
YOU'RE SUING REGINA STACK,AN ADMIRED WOMAN, AND IF SHE MAKES A BETTER IMPRESSION ON THE JURY, THE MILLERS WILL LOSE,NO MATTER WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS.
SARAH REMEMBER,THE JURY NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE FEELING.
WE NEED YOU TO TELL THEM HOW LOSING CLAIRE AFFECTED YOU.
HOW IT AFFECTS ME? MY DAUGHTER IS DEAD.
THEY'RE KILLING HER ALL OVER AGAIN IN THESE TABLOIDS! THAT'S EXACTLY WHA WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IF YOU GO OFF LIKE THA IN COURT,IT WON'T HELP.
WHAT RON IS TRYING TO SAY IS THE JURY NEEDS TO HEAR YOUR SIDE OF THE STORY IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE, AND WE CAN HELP YOU.
OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, TOM NICHOLSON AND I WILL WORK WITH YOU TO GET YOU READY FOR TRIAL.
SO HOW DO WE PROVE PILOT ERROR? ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF MECHANICAL ERROR BY TESTING ALL THE PARTS YOU HAVE, OR PROVE JASON WAS DRUNK OR A BAD PILOT.
WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
HEY,YOU SEE THOSE? PLANE COLLIDED WITH THOSE TREES ON THE WAY DOWN.
THAT CHANGED THE RATE OF SPEED AND THE ANGLE OF THE PLANE'S DESCENT.
I NEED TO SEE THE PLANE.
GOOD THING WE STOPPED MRS.
STACK'S ATTORNEY FROM DESTROYING IT.
I WAS THE FIRST RESPONDER.
UH,THE CRASH SET SOME FIRES UP THE RIDGE.
SEE ANY DRUGS OR ALCOHOL ON THE PLANE? NO,NOT REALLY.
NOT REALLY? I MUS BE LOSING MY SKILL.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A STRAIGHT "YES," "NO" QUESTION.
I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING UNTOWARD ON THE PLANE.
"DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING UNTOWARD.
" DID ANYONE FROM REGINA STACK'S COMPANY CALL YOU ABOUT THIS CASE? WHO JASON WANTED TO BREAK UP WITH.
THE TABLOIDS QUOTE "UNNAMED SOURCES" AND "CLOSE FRIENDS" SAYING CLAIRE WAS UNSTABLE.
A COUPLE OF STORIES SAY SHE COULD HAVE GONE CRAZY IN THE COCKPIT,FIGHTING WITH JASON AND CAUSED THE CRASH.
THE TRUTH IS CLAIRE WAS A NORMAL,STABLE GIRL WHO LOVED JASON, BUT IT'S THE LIES POTENTIAL JURORS REMEMBER, AND IT WILL AFFEC HOW THEY SEE THIS CASE.
- YOU READ TABLOIDS? - JURORS READ TABLOIDS,TOM, AND IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW JURORS THINK, THE TRUTH IS IN THE PICTURES- AT LEAST THE ONES THAT AREN' ABOUT ALIEN BABIES AND ELVIS.
WHERE DO THEY GET THIS STUFF? THAT MEANS THREE PEOPLE WERE THERE.
TWO OF THEM ARE DEAD.
REGINA STACK IS THE ONE FEEDING THESE LIES ABOUT CLAIRE TO THE TABLOIDS.
BUMPED?! I DON'T GET BUMPED.
WHAT HAPPENED? CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?COUR TV ASKED ME TO RESCHEDULE.
NOW I SEE WHY.
LOOK AT THAT.
HE ALWAYS SAID IT WAS THE TIME HE FELT THE MOST FREE.
JASON'S NOT JUS A LOSS TO ME.
HE'S A LOSS TO THE STACK CORPORATION AND SO MANY OTHER FRIENDS AND EMPLOYEES.
THEIR SUPPORT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME.
THAT WOMAN IS A LETHAL WEAPON.
LOOK AT HER.
AND SHE'LL BE JUST AS COMPOSED ON THE STAND.
I'LL BE JUST AS GOOD ON THE STAND,MR.
TROTT.
I PROMISE.
IN ORDER TO PROVE THA JASON CAUSED THE CRASH, WE HAVE TO RULE OU MECHANICAL FAILURE.
WHAT IS THAT? IT'S AN AILERON.
BOTH WINGS HAVE ONE.
THEY'RE CONNECTED BY A PULLEY SYSTEM.
THEY WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP THE PLANE LEVEL DURING TURNS.
IT SHOULD MOVE,BU THIS ONE'S STUCK.
THEN THE CRASH CAUSED BY MECHANICAL FAILURE.
CAN YOU TELL WHICH I WAS? NAH.
NO ONE COULD, NOT WITHOUT SEEING THE AILERON FROM THE OTHER WING, AND THAT WAS DESTROYED IN THE CRASH.
BUT I DID CONSULT WITH AN AERONAUTICS ENGINEER ON THE PIECES WE DO HAVE.
THERE WAS ENOUGH TO RECONSTRUCT WHAT HAPPENED.
BY TESTING ALL THE PIECES,WE WERE ABLE TO ELIMINATE EVERY POSSIBLE FORM OF MECHANICAL FAILURE.
IN MY OPINION, WHATEVER BROUGHT I DOWN WASN'T MECHANICAL.
THE PLANE WAS OPERATIONALLY SOUND.
IT SUPPORTS YOUR THEORY OF PILOT ERROR.
GETTING JUSTICE IS HARD,MR.
MILLER.
YEAH,YEAH.
MAYBE IT'S TOO HARD.
SARAH WANTED THIS.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD HELP HER,BUT IT'S NOT.
IT'S MAKING I WORSE ON HER AND US.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT.
I NEED TO DO THIS FOR CLAIRE.
CAN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? ACTUALLY,YEAH.
I CAN.
LET ME TALK TO THE JURY.
ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE READY? LOOK,TESTIFYING IS HARD, AND YOU'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS.
YOUR HUSBAND'S A LITTLE FURTHER ALONG.
EVERYBODY GOES THROUGH IT AT THEIR OWN PACE.
I KNOW I CAN MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND WHY IT MATTERS.
SHE'S NOT SLEEPING.
ALL SHE THINKS ABOUT IS THIS CASE.
WHEN I WAS A D.
A.
, I DEALT WITH A LOT OF FAMILIES OF CRIME VICTIMS.
I'VE SEEN WHAT A VERDICT CAN DO TO HELP GIVE THEM CLOSURE.
NOW THAT'S-THAT'S NOT SOME THEORY TO ME.
THAT'S A REALITY.
SARAH'S NEVER GONNA GET OVER THIS.
SHE BLAMES HERSELF FOR IT.
WHY? JASON WAS A GOOD KID.
IT WAS THE MOTHER I DIDN'T LIKE-ARROGANT.
SHE TREATED CLAIRE LIKE DIRT! I WAS HAPPY WHEN JASON AND CLAIRE BROKE UP.
JASON AND CLAIRE BROKE UP? YEAH.
AND SARAH WAS DISAPPOINTED.
DON'T TELL HER I TOLD YOU.
SHE ENCOURAGED THE RELATIONSHIP? WHAT MOTHER WOULDN'T WANT HER DAUGHTER TO MARRY INTO THE STACK FAMILY? SARAH TOLD CLAIRE TO GIVE JASON ANOTHER CHANCE.
THAT'S WHY SARAH BLAMES HERSELF FOR WHAT HAPPENED.
MAYBE THAT'S WHY SHE SHOULDN'T TESTIFY.
JASON'S WING TIPPED DOWN,AND THE PLANE BANKED LEFT.
JASON PROBABLY OVERCORRECTED.
THE MORE HE TURNED,THE MORE THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN.
IT'S A CLASSIC DEATH SPIRAL.
ONCE JASON GOT INTO IT, THERE WAS NO WAY HE COULD'VE SAVED THE PLANE.
WELL,THE QUESTION IS,HOW DID HE GET INTO THE DEATH SPIRAL? OUR INVESTIGATION CAN'T FIND ANYONE WHO SAW JASON DRUNK THAT NIGHT, OR IS IT POSSIBLE CLAIRE GRABBED THE CONTROLS? THAT'S WHAT BOWERS MAY ARGUE IN COURT.
I THINK JASON GO CONFUSED IN THE AIR.
HE WASN'T A GREAT PILOT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, HE CRASHED HIS FIRST PLANE IN 2004 ON AN ABORTED TAKEOFF.
HE WAS ONLY CERTIFIED TO FLY VISUAL FLIGHT RULES,OR V.
F.
R.
HE WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO FLY IN CLEAR WEATHER WHEN HE COULD SEE.
I CHECKED THE WEATHER OF THE SITE THAT NIGHT.
IT WAS BAD - CLOUDY,POOR VISIBILITY.
WITH JASON'S TRAINING,IF HE FLEW INTO CLOUDS, IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE DRIVING A CAR WITH A BLINDFOLD ON.
SO IF JASON KNOWINGLY FLEW INTO BAD WEATHER, IT WAS PILOT ERROR.
WE IDENTIFIED THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER WHO WOULD HAVE ADVISED JASON OF THE WEATHER THAT NIGHT ON HIS ROUTE TO NAPA.
HER NAME IS SAMANTHA WINTER.
SHE WORKS OUT OF VAN NUYS AIRPORT.
WE'RE TRYING TO GE IN TOUCH WITH HER.
RIGHT NOW WE CAN'T PROVE THAT JASON DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE WEATHER BEFORE HE TOOK OFF.
I TOLD YOU WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN THIS CASE.
YOU DID? FIRST,I GET BUMPED OFF TV,THEN I GET A CALL THAT THE N.
T.
S.
B.
GOES PUBLIC WITH THEIR RULING IN THE MORNING.
THEY'LL SAY THE CRASH WAS MECHANICAL FAILURE, SOMETHING ABOU AILERONS.
THAT CAN'T BE.
DR.
SHAW SAID THERE'S NO WAY THEY CAN PROVE THIS WAS MECHANICAL FAILURE WITHOUT THE OTHER WING.
WELL,REGINA STACK SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO PROVE ANYTHING SHE WANTS.
MRS.
STACK.
NO,I WANTED TO SEE YOU MYSELF.
HE ADVISED ME NOT TO COME, BUT I DON'T ALWAYS FOLLOW HIS ADVICE.
HE'S GOOD ON SOME THINGS,BUT NOT THIS.
I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AN OFFER TO LET US ALL PU THIS TRAGEDY BEHIND US.
WE SHOULDN'T TALK OFFERS WITHOUT YOUR LAWYER- $20 MILLION.
24,BU WE CAN SAY 20.
I'LL CUT A CHECK FOR 20 TO YOUR FIRM.
NICE.
SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO SHARE THE $4 MILLION - GOOD DAY,MRS.
STACK.
- DON'T PUSH THIS CASE.
LET IT GO.
I LOST A SON,TOO,YOU KNOW.
- I FEEL FOR YOU.
I REALLY DO.
- THEN TAKE THE DEAL FOR MY SAKE AND YOURS.
ALL RIGHT,LOOK,THIS IS NOT GOOD.
TO WIN, WE HAVE TO SHOW PILOT ERROR.
PROVING JASON WAS DRUNK WOULD HELP,BUT SO FAR,WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO I WE CAN'T PROVE HE WAS RECKLESS EITHER.
WE STILL CAN'T SHOW HE KNEW HE WAS GOING UP IN BAD WEATHER.
BUT REGINA STACK SAYS THE CRASH WAS AN ACCIDENT, MECHANICAL FAILURE.
IF THE JURY BELIEVES HER,WE'D LOSE.
OKAY,LET'S NO LOSE HOPE HERE.
TRIALS ARE MADE FOR MAKING PLANS.
WHEN THOSE PLANS DON' WORK,MAKING NEW PLANS.
HELP YOURSELF,RON.
NICE PLACE.
GET USED TO IT.
WE'RE HEMORRHAGING CLIENTS.
WE LOST ANOTHER ONE? THAT'S FIVE CLIENTS IN FIVE DAYS, AND ALL OF THEM WENT TO BOWERS.
WE KNEW IF WE WENT UP AGAINST REGINA STACK, WE MIGHT PAY THE PRICE.
FRENCH FRIES,RON? YOU ONLY EAT FRENCH FRIES WHEN YOU'RE NERVOUS.
THIS CASE MAKING YOU NERVOUS? WE'RE DONE.
I GUESS I'M DONE.
MRS.
STACK JUST OFFERED US $20 MILLION TO DROP THE CASE PLUS AN EXTRA $4 MILLION JUS FOR ME,THE HELL WITH YOU GUYS.
DID YOU TAKE IT? NO,TOM,I DIDN'T.
THAT'S HOW PEOPLE LIKE REGINA STACK HANDLE THINGS.
THEY PAY PEOPLE OFF.
WHY ARE WE FOCUSING ON JASON AT ALL? REGINA STACK IS THE ONE TRYING TO COVER THINGS UP.
IF WE CAN PROVE THAT REGINA STACK TRIED TO COVER UP THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH,THE JURY WILL ASSUME IT'S BECAUSE SHE KNEW JASON WAS DRUNK OR WORSE.
SOMEHOW SHE GOT THE KINGS COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF TO HELP HER CREMATE JASON'S BODY FAST,BEFORE AN AUTOPSY, AND WE THINK SHE PAID PEOPLE NOT TO TALK ABOUT JASON'S DRINKING AT THE CLUB.
MOST OF THE TIME,THE COVER-UP IS WORSE THAN THE CRIME.
GREAT.
HOW DO WE DO IT? FOLLOW THE MONEY.
I LIKE IT.
WE'LL USE THE COVER-UP TO PROVE JASON WAS DRUNK OR RECKLESS OR AT LEAST THAT HIS MOTHER THOUGHT HE WAS.
IT COULD BE ENOUGH TO WIN THE CASE FOR US.
LUTHER,DIG INTO REGINA STACK'S HISTORY.
FIND OUT HOW SHE COVERED UP FOR JASON.
FORGET THE N.
T.
S.
B.
REPORT.
THIS WAS PILOT ERROR.
WE JUST HAVE TO PROVE IT.
TOM,PREP THE MILLERS FOR TRIAL.
THE PRESS TREA JASON LIKE A SAINT, AND REGINA STACKS KEEPS TRASHING CLAIRE IN THE PRESS.
THAT STOPS NOW.
REGINA STACK USED HER CONNECTIONS TO CARRY OUT A COVER-UP.
SHE GOT THE NEWS OF JASON'S DEATH AND PAID A BRIBE OR SOMETHIN TO GET JASON'S BODY CREMATED.
PHONE RECORDS SHOW PART OF THE COVER-UP.
MINUTES AFTER THE CRASH,SHE CALLED HER ATTORNEY,BOWERS.
BOWERS CALLED THE KINGS COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ORDERED THAT THE BODY BE CREMATED.
WHAT WE CAN PROVE IS HOW THE BRIBE WAS PAID,SO WE DIG.
REMEMBER,WITH REGINA STACK,IT'S ALL ABOUT CONNECTIONS- IF SHE PAID OFF THE SHERIFF,WHA ELSE HAS SHE COVERED UP? WE FOUND OUT HOW REGINA STACK KEPT JASON'S PILOT LICENSE AFTER HE CRASHED HIS FIRST PLANE.
BACK THEN,THE F.
A.
A.
ASSIGNED A 709 FLIGHT EXAM TO SEE IF HE SHOULD KEEP HIS PILOT'S LICENSE.
THE INSPECTOR WHO GAVE HIM HIS EXAM LETTING HIM KEEP HIS LICENSE.
THE 709 EXAM REPORTS ARE USUALLY FILED WITHIN FIVE WORKING DAYS OF THE EXAM.
SO WE FILED A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST AND GOT THE ORIGINAL REPOR "WE RECOMMEND THAT JASON'S LICENSE BE SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY BECAUSE HE PANICKED IN THE AIR.
HOW DID REGINA STACK GET THE F.
A.
A.
INSPECTOR TO CHANGE HIS MIND? SHE HAS A FRIEND IN THE DEPARTMEN OF TRANSPORTATION.
THE F.
A.
A.
IS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
REGINA'S FRIEND REACHED OUT TO THE INSPECTOR.
WE THINK SO.
I'VE SUBPOENAED THE INSPECTOR TO TESTIFY AT TRIAL.
HE'S THE ONLY ONE SHE HASN'T GOTTEN TO.
SO THE REPORT IS OUR STORY.
JASON WAS RECKLESS,A LOUSY PILOT.
REGINA STACK KNEW IT AND COVERED IT UP.
THE STACKS LIED.
CLAIRE DIED.
I COULD SELL THAT TO A JURY.
I GOTTA HAND IT TO YOU,RON.
THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.
YOU'RE RIGHT AND CHEAP.
IT ONLY COS US 50 BOUQUETS OF FLOWERS AND A PERMIT TO HOLD A DEMONSTRATION.
WORD OF MOUTH BROUGHT THE PRESS.
WELL,IT'S GOING TO HELP SARAH A LOT, SEEING ALL THESE PEOPLE THA CARED ABOUT HER DAUGHTER.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO GIN UP SOME JURY SYMPATHY FOR OUR CASE.
I'LL BE DAMNED IF I'M GOING TO LET BOWERS WIN THE PRESS WAR.
EXPLOITING GRIEF TO WIN A TRIAL- THAT'S,UH,THAT'S PRETTY CYNICAL.
WHAT IS IT THEY SAY ABOU HOT DOGS AND JUSTICE? IF YOU LOVE THEM,DON' WATCH HOW THEY'RE MADE.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE ON OUR SIDE,RON.
YOU'VE GOT SINCERITY.
I'VE GOT THIS.
OKAY.
I'M AT THE F.
A.
A.
OFFICE NOW.
THE F.
A.
A.
INSPECTOR IS GONE.
THEY TRANSFERRED HIM OUT OF THE COUNTRY, KNOWING THAT HE WAS UNDER SUBPOENA IN THIS CASE.
THEY CAN DO THA IN A CIVIL CASE.
A SUBPOENA WON'T HOLD HIM HERE.
DID THEY SAY WHY THEY TRANSFERRED HIM? Homeland Security.
HE'S IN ROME,INDEFINITELY.
MAYBE IT'S JUST BAD TIMING.
The FAA reports THE F.
A.
A.
FILED A MOTION TO HAVE THEM SEALED.
YOU USED TO BE A PROSECUTOR.
YOU KNOW HOW THINGS WORK.
IF SOMEBODY IN THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SCREW YOU, YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM.
IT'S NOT THE GOVERNMENT,RON.
IT'S REGINA STACK.
NOW IF SHE CAN GET A MAN TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE COUNTRY, WHAT CHANCE DO WE HAVE AGAINS HER IN A CALIFORNIA CIVIL COURT? WE STILL CAN'T PROVE THAT REGINA PAID THE DEPUTY SHERIFF TO CREMATE JASON'S BODY.
MEANING WE CAN' PROVE A COVER-UP.
SO WHAT CAN WE PROVE? WE FINALLY GOT AHOLD OF SAMANTHA WINTER,THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER.
I GUESS REGINA STACK COULDN'T GET TO HER BECAUSE WE CONVINCED HER TO TESTIFY BUT SHE SWEARS SHE WARNED JASON ABOU THE CLOUDY WEATHER BEFORE HE TOOK OFF.
AND WE'RE MAKING SURE SHE DOESN'T DISAPPEAR.
WE'RE PUTTING HER UP IN A HOTEL JUST IN CASE.
DR.
SHAW WILL TESTIFY THAT THE DAMAGE TO THE PLANE'S AILERON COULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THE CRASH.
I WISH WE COULD PROVE THAT REGINA STACK BRIBED THE DEPUTY SHERIFF TO CREMATE JASON'S BODY, BUT SO FAR WE CAN'T FIND ANY RECORD OF A PAYOFF.
IS SARAH READY TO TESTIFY? I THINK SO.
SHE'D BETTER BE.
IF THE JURY HATES HER,WE LOSE THE CASE.
AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH.
THIS DAMAGE,THEREFORE,IS NO PROOF OF MECHANICAL FAILURE.
EARLIER TODAY,SAMANTHA WINTER, THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ON DUTY OF THE NIGHT OF THE CRASH, TESTIFIED THA SHE TOLD JASON ABOUT THE CLOUDY WEATHER ON HIS ROUTE.
OBJECTION - THERE'S NO RECORDING OR PROOF THAT THE CONTROLLER WARNED JASON OF ANYTHING.
YOU CROSS-EXAMINED THE CONTROLLER ALREADY.
OBJECTION OVERRULED.
PROCEED.
ASSUMING THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER WAS TELLING THE TRUTH SHOULD JASON HAVE TAKEN OFF? NO.
HE WASN' INSTRUMENT-CERTIFIED.
HE WAS NOT TRAINED TO FLY IN CLOUDY WEATHER.
BASED ON MY RECONSTRUCTION OF THE DESCEN AND JASON STACK'S PROBABLE CONFUSION IN THE AIR, I BELIEVE HIS PILO ERROR CAUSED THE CRASH.
THANK YOU,DR.
SHAW.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU BACK TO A CASE YOU TESTIFIED IN IN 1995- MARQUEZ vs.
SoCalAir.
OBJECTION-THAT CASE WAS 11 YEARS AGO AND IRRELEVANT.
OVERRULED.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE HE'S GOING? YES,AND YOUR OBJECTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED.
HIS QUESTIONS ARE IRRELEVANT.
YOU TESTIFIED AT THAT TRIAL THAT THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS PILOT ERROR.
THE PLAINTIFF WON THAT CASE BECAUSE OF YOUR TESTIMONY.
YES,BUT THAT DECISION WAS OVERTURNED - EXCUSE ME.
THE DECISION WAS OVERTURNED THE FOLLOWING YEAR ON APPEAL.
OBJECTION,YOUR HONOR - RELEVANCE.
GOES TO CREDIBILITY.
OVERRULED.
YOUR TESTIMONY WAS FOUND TO BE LACKING IN SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY.
THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS WIND SHEAR.
ISN'T THAT RIGHT? IN THE YEAR BETWEEN MY TESTIMONY AND THE APPEAL, THE SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF WIND SHEAR PATTERNS IN THAT AREA CHANGED.
SCIENCE CHANGES,MR.
BOWERS.
THE POINT IS,DR.
SHAW, THE JURY IN THE SoCalAir CASE RELIED ON YOUR TESTIMONY, AND YOU WERE WRONG.
MY GOD,LUTHER.
LOOK AT HER FACE.
SHE'S STILL NOT READY.
WE CAN'T PUT HER ON.
YOU'RE NO TESTIFYING TOMORROW.
WE'RE PUTTING YOUR HUSBAND ON THE STAND.
WE JUST THINK YOUR HUSBAND WILL MAKE A MORE EFFECTIVE WITNESS.
IT'S NOT PERSONAL,AND IT IS NO REFLECTION ON HOW YOU FELT ABOUT CLAIRE.
I'M CLAIRE'S MOTHER.
THE JURY HAS TO HEAR FROM ME.
I CAN TESTIFY,HONEY.
JASON'S MOTHER IS TESTIFYING FOR HIM TOMORROW.
I WANT TO TESTIFY FOR CLAIRE TOMORROW.
REGINA STACK WILL BE BRILLIANT- EVEN WITH OUR TRAINING,YOU'RE STILL NOT QUITE READY, AND WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
YOUR HUSBAND IS READY.
LOOK,GRIEF DOES NO FOLLOW COURT CALENDARS.
DON'T BLAME YOURSELF.
THE JURY WON'T UNDERSTAND.
ART IS NOT ANGRY ENOUGH.
I'M PLENTY ANGRY,SARAH.
LOOK,WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
I JUST AM ABLE TO CONTROL THE ANGER BETTER.
THAT'S WHY WE WAN HIM TO TESTIFY.
SARAH.
TRUST US TO DO OUR JOB FOR YOU AND FOR CLAIRE.
PLEASE? WHAT THE HELL IS SHE WEARING? IT'S A PHOTO OF CLAIRE.
I COULDN'T CONVINCE HER TO CHANGE.
THE JURY NEEDS TO SEE HER FACE.
THEY NEED TO SEE CLAIRE.
THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE IN THIS FOR.
YOU WON'T LET ME TESTIFY.
THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN BE HEARD.
YOU CAN'T LET HER IN THE COURTROOM.
TOM,I'M SORRY.
HE'S RIGHT.
SARAH? IT'D BE BETTER IF YOU STAYED OUTSIDE.
I'M SORRY.
JASON WAS ADVENTUROUS, BUT HE WOULD NEVER HAVE PUT CLAIRE'S LIFE IN DANGER.
HE LOVED HER.
YOU SUPPORTED THEIR RELATIONSHIP? ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE CRASH, I LENT HIM MONEY TO BUY CLAIRE A RING AN ENGAGEMENT RING.
THANK YOU.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
YOU LENT JASON MONEY TO BUY A RING.
JASON HAD HIS OWN MONEY.
HE WAS WORTH AT LEAST $40 MILLION.
HE WAS WORTH A GREAT DEAL MORE THAN THAT TO US,MR.
NICHOLSON.
CLAIRE MILLER WASN'T WORTH $40 MILLION,MRS.
STACK, BUT SHE WAS PRICELESS TO HER PARENTS,TOO.
NO RING WAS FOUND AT THE SCENE.
SHE WAS NEVER SEEN WEARING A RING.
DID YOU ATTEND CLAIRE'S FUNERAL? ONCE WE REALIZED THEY BLAMED JASON FOR THE CRASH, IT DIDN'T SEEM APPROPRIATE.
SARAH'S HERE.
SHE'S THE PLAINTIFF IN THE CASE,RON.
YOU CAN'T KIDNAP HER.
DID YOU RAISE JASON TO THINK THAT HE WAS ABOVE THE LAW? OF COURSE NOT.
EVER USE YOUR FAMILY'S ENORMOUS WEALTH OR POLITICAL INFLUENCE TO GET HIM OUT OF TROUBLE? I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THA YOU WERE LOOKING AT YOUR LAWYER.
SHOULD WE TAKE A RECESS, LET YOU GET HIS ADVICE ON HOW TO ANSWER THIS ONE? DID I USE MY GOOD FORTUNE TO HELP MY CHILD? OF COURSE I DID.
ANY MOTHER WOULD.
JASON CRASHED HIS FIRST PLANE.
DID YOU USE YOUR FAMILY INFLUENCE TO KEEP HIM FLYING? NO.
WERE YOU WORRIED THA HE WAS DRINKING THAT WASN'T MY QUESTION.
MY QUESTION WAS, "WERE YOU WORRIED THAT HE WAS DRINKING?" THERE IS NO PROOF THAT HE WAS.
THAT'S RIGHT,MRS.
STACK.
NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW, BECAUSE JASON'S BODY WAS CREMATED SO QUICKLY.
ARE YOU ACCUSING ME OF DESECRATING MY SON'S BODY NOW? HOW CAN YOU SUGGEST SUCH A THING? I'M SORRY,MRS.
STACK BUT I NEVER SAID YOU WERE THE ONE WHO DID IT.
WHO HANDLED THE ARRANGEMENTS.
I ASSUME I WAS MR.
BOWERS.
DURING HIS LIFE, DID JASON EVER ASK TO HAVE HIS BODY CREMATED? WHOSE IDEA WAS I TO DO IT SO FAST, BEFORE AN AUTOPSY COULD DETERMINE IF HE WAS DRUNK? I DON'T RECALL.
DO YOUR EMPLOYEES EVER DO ANYTHING WITHOUT YOU KNOWING ABOUT IT FIRST? no I SEE.
THANK YOU.
NOTHING FURTHER.
NO REDIRECT.
BUT,UH, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS TO THE STAND- SARAH MILLER.
WE SHOULD'VE LOCKED HER IN A ROOM.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE HELPED.
THERE'S NO FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO REFUSE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IN A LAWSUIT LIKE THIS.
BOWERS DEPOSED HER.
HE KNOWS HOW ANGRY SHE IS.
HE'S GONNA PUSH HER OVER THE EDGE.
YOU AND MRS.
STACK BOTH LOST CHILDREN IN A TRAGIC ACCIDENT.
NOT AN ACCIDENT.
JASON STACK SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN FLYING.
HE KILLED MY DAUGHTER IN THAT PLANE.
OR MAYBE CLAIRE WENT CRAZY IN THE COCKPIT AND CAUSED THE CRASH.
THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
OR MAYBE I WAS AN ACCIDENT.
WHY IS THAT SO HARD FOR YOU TO ACCEPT? BECAUSE IT WASN'T.
HIS MOTHER TRIED TO COVER IT UP BEFORE WE COULD PROVE THE TRUTH, AND THEN THEY SPREAD LIES IN THE PRESS ABOUT CLAIRE.
ARE YOU SAYING THA THIS WAS A CONSPIRACY? IT WAS A CONSPIRACY,ALL OF IT.
REALLY? UH,CAN YOU TELL US WHO WAS IN THE CONSPIRACY? THE D.
A.
,FOR ONE.
HE WOULDN'T BRING CHARGES BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT HIM TO.
AND THE PRESS-WAS THE PRESS PART OF THIS CONSPIRACY? YES.
ME,AM I PART OF THE CONSPIRACY? YES.
THE JUDGE? IS THE JURY? I I DON' KNOW,BUT,UH THE GOVERNMEN - THE N.
T.
S.
B.
WAS.
THE N.
T.
S.
B.
? OBJECTION.
SIDEBAR.
GOES TO THE PLAINTIFF'S BASIS FOR SUING US,YOUR HONOR.
SHE OPENED THE DOOR TO THIS,MR.
NICHOLSON.
OVERRULED.
YOU MENTIONED THE N.
T.
S.
B.
DO YOU MEAN THEIR REPORT SAYING THA THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS MECHANICAL FAILURE? YES.
IT WAS A WHITEWASH.
BECAUSE IF THAT'S TRUE,THEN YOU HAVE NO CASE.
JASON WASN'T TO BLAME,AND IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.
WELL- BLAMING JASON MAKES DEALING WITH THE PAIN SO MUCH EASIER.
IS THAT IT? NO.
I-IT NO MORE QUESTIONS.
WE KNOW THA YOU BLAME JASON FOR CLAIRE'S DEATH,MRS.
MILLER.
BUT DON'T YOU ALSO BLAME YOURSELF? CLAIRE WAS ON THAT PLANE.
SHE CALLED ME CRYING SO MANY TIMES.
HER MOTHER, AND I'D DEFEND JASON.
I'D SAY, "GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE.
" IF HE HAD BEEN ANYONE ELSE OTHER THAN JASON STACK, WOULD I HAVE PUSHED THEM TOGETHER SO HARD? I'M ANGRIER AT MYSELF.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
- WAS THAT ENOUGH? - MAYBE.
I DON'T KNOW.
NICE PREP OF THE MOTHER, RON.
HOW MANY HOURS OF REHEARSAL DID THAT LITTLE PERFORMANCE TAKE? LET ME TELL YOU WHY I HATE YOU.
BUT THEY ARE.
YOU ENJOYED WATCHING SARAH MILLER SUFFER.
OH,LIKE YOU DIDN' FEEL THE SAME WAY WATCHING TOM NICHOLSON DRAG REGINA STACK THROUGH HELL? I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.
WE'RE GETTING JUSTICE FOR POOR PEOPLE AGAINS A RICH AND CORRUPT WOMAN.
YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET PAID,RON.
IF I WAS LOOKING TO GET PAID, I WOULD HAVE TAKEN YOUR CLIENT'S OFFER.
IF IT'S ANY CONSOLATION, AS MUCH AS I HATE YOU, I HATE REGINA STACK MORE.
SHE'S NEW MONEY.
THE MORGANS,THE ROCKEFELLERS, THE KENNEDYS- THEY TOOK THEIR WEALTH AND BUILT THINGS- INSTITUTIONS,CHARITIES, LIBRARIES.
BUT REGINA STACK? SHE'S JUST ABOUT HERSELF.
AND YOU'RE NOT? OH,I'M ON THE SIDE OF THE ANGELS ON THIS ONE.
I DO THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
IT MAKES MY PARTNERS HAPPY, AND IT DRIVES GUYS LIKE YOU CRAZY.
TELL YOUR CLIENT I WAS NEVER GOING TO TAKE HER DEAL.
HEY.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? YEAH,I-I MADE THEM GET A CONTINUANCE.
AFTER BOWERS TOOK ME APART ON THE STAND,I I COULDN'T LE THIS CASE GO.
HEY,HAS THEIR EXPERT GONE UP YET? HE GOES ON NEXT.
I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOU A SOLUTION ALL NIGHT.
- SORRY I LET YOU DOWN.
- MAYBE YOU DIDN'T.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THE TESTIMONY DOCTOR,UH SHAW? IN PART.
HIS RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PLANE'S DESCEN MATCHES MY OWN RECONSTRUCTION EXACTLY.
WE DISAGREE ON THE CAUSE OF THAT DESCENT.
JASON TURNED THE PLANE TO THE LEFT.
WHEN HE WANTED TO BRING THE PLANE'S WINGS LEVEL, THE AILERON WOULDN'T FUNCTION.
THE LEFT WING DIPPED AND BEGAN THE SPIRALING DESCENT.
THE AILERON SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED.
JASON STACK WAS NOT A FAULT FOR THIS CRASH.
THANK YOU,DR.
CALLAHAN.
DR.
CALLAHAN, WE'VE ASKED THE COUR TO ALLOW US TO DO A DEMONSTRATION.
WOULD YOU OBJEC TO PARTICIPATING? NO.
NOW THE PLANE IN THIS SIMULATION IS IN PERFEC WORKING ORDER.
THE AILERON SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY FUNCTIONAL.
WILL YOU SIT HERE? NOW WE'VE PLOTTED THE SIMULATOR TO FOLLOW WHAT WE ALL AGREE IS JASON'S EXACT ROUTE.
WE'LL SET THE TIME OF DAY THAT HE FLEW AND THE CLOUDY WEATHER THAT WE ASSERT JASON WAS WARNED AGAINST, BUT FLEW INTO ANYWAY.
NOW ALL WE'D LIKE YOU TO DO,DR.
CALLAHAN, IS FLY THE PLANE LEVEL.
PERFECT.
NOW WE'LL ADD ONE MORE DETAIL TO MORE ACCURATELY APPROXIMATE JASON STACK'S FLIGHT THAT NIGHT.
MR.
GRAVES,I CAN'T SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
NEITHER COULD JASON STACK.
OBJECTION.
OVERRULED.
WE'VE TAKEN THEM AWAY FROM YOU,DR.
CALLAHAN, SO THAT WE CAN RECREATE JASON'S EXPERIENCE MORE EXACTLY.
WHAT'S HAPPENING, DR.
CALLAHAN? WITHOUT THE INSTRUMENTS, I-I CAN'T- IT'S ASKING YOU TO PULL UP, DR.
CALLAHAN.
PULL UP! PULL UP,DR.
CALLAHAN WHAT HAPPENED,DR.
CALLAHAN? YOU CRASHED.
YOU WENT FROM COMPLETELY LEVEL FLIGH TO FATAL IMPAC WITHIN SECONDS.
DR.
CALLAHAN, YOU ARE A WORLD-CLASS EXPERT.
IF YOU CANNOT PILO THAT PLANE TO SAFETY, WHAT CHANCE DID JASON STACK, A WEAK,AMATEUR PILOT,HAVE TO FLY THAT PLANE? THE TRUTH IS, DRUNK OR NOT, JASON STACK WAS AT FAUL THE SECOND HE PUT CLAIRE IN THE AIR WITH HIM IN CLOUDY WEATHER.
"QUESTION ONE- "WAS THE CAUSE OF THIS CRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR PILOT ERROR ON THE PART OF JASON STACK?" "WE,THE JURY,FIND THE CAUSE OF THIS CRASH WAS " "PILOT ERROR.
"AS TO ACTUAL DAMAGES, "THE JURY AWARDS PLAINTIFF'S ESTATE "THE FULL AMOUNT REQUESTED - $1.
"QUESTION TWO - PUNITIVE DAMAGES MAY BE GIVEN "TO PUNISH THE DEFENDANTS FOR EGREGIOUS "OR PUBLICLY OFFENSIVE CONDUCT.
"DO YOU AWARD PUNITIVE DAMAGES IN THIS CASE? ANSWER-YES.
" "QUESTION THREE - AS TO PUNITIVE DAMAGES, "WE AWARD THE PLAINTIFFS $20 MILLION.
" THANK YOU.
ALL WE WANTED WAS THE TRUTH.
THE MONEY DOESN'T MATTER.
GOOD FOR YOU.
THE MONEY MATTERS TO ME.
THANK YOU.
WE WON BECAUSE WE PROVED PILOT ERROR.
WE WON BECAUSE WE PROVED REGINA STACK WAS GUILTY OF A COVER-UP.
BUT WE NEVER PROVED HOW SHE PAID OFF THE DEPUTY SHERIFF TO CREMATE JASON'S BODY.
DOESN'T MEAN I DIDN'T HAPPEN.
LOOK AT THAT.
WE WIN,BUT REGINA STACK IS STILL THE BIG NEWS.
WHAT INVESTIGATION ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT? DO WE KNOW? MIRANDA SAYS THE U.
S.
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OPENED AN INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER REGINA STACK USED UNFAIR INFLUENCE TO FORCE AN F.
A.
A.
OFFICIAL NOT TO TESTIFY.
THE GUY THEY TRANSFERRED TO ROME? HOW WOULD THE U.
S.
ATTORNEY KNOW ABOUT HIM? WHAT? YOU THINK RON'S THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN LEAK INFORMATION? THE DEATH OF JASON,WHAT'S HAPPENING? I'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
ALERT.
- I THOUGHT YOU KNEW WHA - SHUT UP! I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING.
IT WAS A CINDERELLA STORY.
C.
E.
O.
OF ONE OF CALIFORNIA'S NEWEST AND BIGGES TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONS.
THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD BUT IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT THE REPOR WILL SATISFY CLAIRE'S PARENTS, ART AND SARAH MILLER, WHO BELIEVE JASON STACK WAS AT FAULT FOR THE CRASH.
YET EVEN IN THE FACE OF THE MILLER FAMILY'S ANGER, REGINA STACK HAS REMAINED GRACIOUS.
I LOVED CLAIRE.
I UNDERSTAND HER PARENTS' PAIN.
I LOST MY SON,TOO.
IT'S HARD TO ACCEPT, BUT SOMETIMES TERRIBLE THINGS HAPPEN, AND NO ONE IS TO BLAME.
TODAY THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY ARE CLOSING THE INVESTIGATION TO THE CRASH WITHOU FILING CHARGES.
I'M JAMI FLOYD FOR COURT TV NEWS.
WE KNOW THAT JASON TOOK OUR DAUGHTER CLAIRE TO A CLUB THE NIGHT OF THE CRASH.
ALL WE WANT ARE ANSWERS.
WE JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH.
IF HE WAS DRINKING,MAYBE THAT CAUSED THE CRASH.
IF HE GOT INTO A CAR DRUNK,AND SHE GOT KILLED, THEY'D LOOK INTO IT,RIGHT? WHY IS A PLANE DIFFERENT? DO YOU KNOW IF HE WAS DRINKING THAT NIGHT? WE TRIED FINDING OUT,BUT HIS MOTHER HAD JASON'S BODY CREMATED WITHOUT AN AUTOPSY,SO WE COULDN'T.
WE'VE BEEN TO THE FBI,THE POLICE,THE D.
A.
, TO TRY TO GET ANSWERS, AND ALL THEY SAID WAS THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO.
WE HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO FOR ANSWERS.
FOR MONEY OR TO STOP THEM FROM DOING SOMETHING.
WHAT ABOUT THE TRUTH? WHY CAN'T YOU SUE TO MAKE PEOPLE TELL YOU THE TRUTH? WE'RE NOT IN THIS FOR THE MONEY.
REGINA STACK'S ATTORNEY ALREADY OFFERED US $10 MILLION.
IF WE AGREED NEVER TO DISCUSS THE CASE.
THEY WANT TO BURY THE TRUTH WITH CLAIRE.
WE SAID NO $10 MILLION? THEY DON'T EVEN SAY HER NAME ON THE NEWS ANYMORE.
THEY JUST SAY,"JASON STACK AND HIS GIRLFRIEND.
" SHE WAS OUR ONLY CHILD.
WE DON'T WANT MONEY.
WE JUST WANT THE TRUTH.
WILL YOU HELP US? PLEASE? IF THIS HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER, I'D WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH,TOO.
REGINA STACK SEEMS NICE,BUT SHE'S TOUGH.
WHEN HER HUSBAND DIED, WALL STREET THOUGHT SHE WOULDN' BE ABLE TO RUN HIS COMPANY.
SHE TRIPLED ITS VALUE IN TWO YEARS.
IF WE SUE HER,SHE'LL COME AFTER US-HARD.
- COULD BE RISKY.
- RISKY IS GOOD.
RISKY MEANS UPSIDE IT'LL FORCE REGINA STACK TO TELL THE MILLERS WHAT SHE KNOWS ABOUT THE CRASH.
OKAY.
IF WE'RE GONNA SUE, THE WRECKAGE WILL BE DESTROYED.
THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE THE PLANE IS BY GETTING A LAWSUIT ON FILE NOW.
I'M IN.
REGINA STACK OFFERED $10 MILLION TO SETTLE FOR SILENCE, SO OBVIOUSLY,SOMETHING HAPPENED UP THERE.
IT'S 4:30.
THE COURT CLERK OFFICE CLOSES AT 5:00.
YOU'VE GO 30-NO,29 MINUTES.
WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED,HI LUTHER WITH IT IN COUR AND FIND ME ON THE ROAD.
I WANNA SERVE LARRY BOWERS MYSELF.
I WANNA SEND MRS.
STACK A MESSAGE.
SO LET'S GE THIS DONE NOW.
JASON STACK WAS THE DIREC AND PROXIMATE CAUSE OF DEATH OF CLAIRE MILLER,THROUGH "NEAR THE CITY OF HANFORD IN KINGS COUNTY WHILE EN ROUTE TO NAPA VALLEY AIRPORT.
" GOOD.
THAT'S IT.
THOSE ARE ALL THE ELEMENTS.
EXCEPT FOR DAMAGES.
UNLESS WE ASK FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF MONEY.
RON USUALLY LIKES A ROUND NUMBER,LIKE $100 MILLION.
YEAH,WELL,ASKING FOR TOO MUCH IS GONNA MAKE THEM LOOK LIKE THEY WERE TRYING TO GET RICH OFF OF THEIR DAUGHTER'S DEATH.
SMART MOVE,TOM.
WHY DO YOU SOUND SURPRISED? BECAUSE IT'S SO SNEAKY.
I CAN'T BELIEVE RON DIDN'T COME UP WITH IT.
GIVE THIS TO THE MESSENGER.
WHERE THE HELL IS THE BIKE MESSENGER? WE'VE GOT TO FILE THE SUIT BY 5:00.
IT JUST GOT HERE,TOM.
LET THE DUTY JUDGE KNOW I NEED TWO PROTECTIVE ORDERS FOR EVIDENCE- ONE FOR THE D.
A.
,ONE FOR THE N.
T.
S.
B.
, AND I NEED THEM NOW.
STOP.
IN THE JASON STACK PLANE CRASH.
THE STACK CASE ISN' EVEN A YEAR OLD.
WHY SHRED IT NOW? DID REGINA STACK'S ATTORNEY CALL YOU AND ASK YOU TO SHRED IT? DON'T WORRY.
IT'S OKAY.
YOU JUS TRIED TO DO HIM A FAVOR, AND NOW I WANT YOU TO DO ME A FAVOR.
THANK YOU.
I GOT THE FAX,LUTHER.
THANKS.
THE MOVERS ARE HERE TO TAKE THE PLANE TO OUR HANGAR.
YOU GUYS SURE GOT HERE FAST.
MR.
BOWERS SAID YEAH,DON'T YOU? THIS IS A PROTECTIVE ORDER.
IT MEANS THE PLANE CAN'T BE DESTROYED UNTIL OUR CASE IS OVER.
TOM,I GOT THE LAWSUIT.
NICE.
YOU'RE GETTING MORE LIKE ME EVERY DAY.
YES,THAT'S A COMPLIMENT.
MR.
BOWERS,SUCH A PLEASURE.
YOU JUST CAUGHT ME,RON.
I WAS HEADED OUT FOR THE EVENING.
OH,REALLY? A BONFIRE AT THE STACKS'? WE'RE SUING JASON STACK'S ESTATE FOR THE WRONGFUL DEATH OF CLAIRE MILLER.
SAVING MONEY SERVING YOUR OWN LAWSUITS? THIS CASE ISN'T ABOU MONEY.
READ THE SUIT.
WE'RE ASKING FOR $1 IN DAMAGES.
NOT $100 MILLION-JUST $1.
WE CAN SETTLE RIGHT NOW IF YOU HAVE IT ON YOU.
CLEVER.
PROTECTS YOUR CLIENT FROM LOOKING GREEDY BUT STILL LETS YOU COLLEC FOR PUNITIVE DAMAGES,RIGHT? YOU CAN AVOID THEM IF WE CAN REACH A SETTLEMENT FOR JUST $1 AND A WRITTEN APOLOGY IN WHICH REGINA STACK ADMITS HER SON'S NEGLIGENCE AND THE IMMEASURABLE PAIN AND SUFFERING IT CAUSED MY CLIENT.
BUT REGINA STACK IS NOT ABOU TO LIE ABOUT HER DEAD SON TO MAKE YOU OR YOUR CLIENTS HAPPY.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALLER.
WHAT'S YOUR POINT? THE D.
A.
DIDN' THINK HE HAD A CASE.
MRS.
STACK DID NOTHING WRONG.
THEN WHY DID SHE OFFER CLAIRE'S PARENTS $10 MILLION? BECAUSE MRS.
STACK IS A DECENT WOMAN WHO FELT PITY FOR THE LOSS OF THE MILLERS' DAUGHTER, BUT DON'T BE FOOLED.
SHE'S GO A LOT OF FRIENDS IN THIS CITY.
MANY OF THEM ARE YOUR CLIENTS.
THEY WON'T BE IF YOU SUE HER.
SHE'LL DESTROY ANYONE WHO DIRTIES UP JASON'S MEMORY.
THEN I GUESS WE GO TO TRIAL.
100% INNOCENT.
LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, WE'VE GOT THE GREATES LEGAL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.
LUTHER,YOU'RE THE EX-D.
A.
,SO YOU'RE FIRST CHAIR ON THIS.
IN A CIVIL CASE,WE'RE PROSECUTORS.
THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS ON US.
OUR CLIENTS WANT THE TRUTH, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET IT FOR THEM.
REGINA STACK CREMATED JASON BODY BEFORE ANYONE COULD PROVE HE WAS DRUNK OR ON DRUGS.
WITHOUT THE BODY,WE'LL HAVE TO SHOW HE WAS INTOXICATED OR HIGH SOME OTHER WAY.
TOM,SEE IF ANYONE SAW JASON DRUNK AT THAT CLUB THE NIGHT THEY DIED.
ALDEN,RECONSTRUC THE PLANE.
WE NEED TO PROVE I WAS OPERATING PERFECTLY, REGINA STACK HAS ALREADY SAID THAT THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT, A MECHANICAL FAILURE.
THE N.
T.
S.
B.
HASN' ISSUED A REPORT EITHER WAY.
IF THEY SAY IT WAS PILOT ERROR,WE WIN,RIGHT? NOT NECESSARILY.
AN N.
T.
S.
B.
FINDING IS NOT ADMISSIBLE AT TRIAL.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? I'M GOING TO DEAL WITH REGINA STACK.
SHE'S THEIR BEST WEAPON.
SHE'S TELEGENIC,SMART,BEAUTIFUL.
TAKE IT EASY,RON.
WHAT,HAVE YOU GOT A CRUSH ON HER? A LITTLE.
THE FACT IS,JURORS ARE GOING TO KNOW HER AND LOVE HER.
I'M GOING TO START GIVING THE MILLERS MEDIA TRAINING.
YOU ARE? ARE YOU SURE? YOU'VE ALL GO ASSIGNMENTS ALREADY.
I'LL CALL MIRANDA LEE,OUR JURY CONSULTANT, HAVE HER TALK TO THE MILLERS WITH RON.
CLAIRE'S PARENTS HAVE BEEN THROUGH HELL.
RON'S NO EXACTLY A HUGGER.
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GARBAGE,MR.
TROTT- THE LIES THEY'RE TELLING ABOUT CLAIRE? I MEAN,SHE NEVER USED A DRUG IN HER LIFE.
SHE WAS A STRAIGH "A" STUDENT.
THEY'RE EVEN SAYING THAT SHE CAUSED THE CRASH.
IT'S A LIE! IT'S OKAY.
SETTLE DOWN,SARAH.
WE'LL DEAL WITH IT.
LET ME TALK TO OUR JURY CONSULTANT.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MOTHER WHOSE CASE WE AGREED TO TAKE? AND IT'S UPSETTING SARAH.
THESE ARE THE RESULTS OF THE FOCUS GROUP I DID EARLIER.
WHY ARE THEY SO BAD? SHE LOST HER ONLY CHILD.
THE FOCUS GROUP SHOULD BE ROOTING FOR HER.
SHE'S JUST TOO ANGRY.
LOOK,HURT SELLS.
GRIEF JURORS CAN BUY.
ANGER JUST TURNS PEOPLE OFF, NO MATTER HOW JUSTIFIED IT IS.
THIS ISN'T A TYPICAL CIVIL CASE.
YOU'RE NOT SUING SOME EVIL FACELESS CORPORATION.
YOU'RE SUING REGINA STACK,AN ADMIRED WOMAN, AND IF SHE MAKES A BETTER IMPRESSION ON THE JURY, THE MILLERS WILL LOSE,NO MATTER WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS.
SARAH REMEMBER,THE JURY NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE FEELING.
WE NEED YOU TO TELL THEM HOW LOSING CLAIRE AFFECTED YOU.
HOW IT AFFECTS ME? MY DAUGHTER IS DEAD.
THEY'RE KILLING HER ALL OVER AGAIN IN THESE TABLOIDS! THAT'S EXACTLY WHA WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IF YOU GO OFF LIKE THA IN COURT,IT WON'T HELP.
WHAT RON IS TRYING TO SAY IS THE JURY NEEDS TO HEAR YOUR SIDE OF THE STORY IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE, AND WE CAN HELP YOU.
OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, TOM NICHOLSON AND I WILL WORK WITH YOU TO GET YOU READY FOR TRIAL.
SO HOW DO WE PROVE PILOT ERROR? ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF MECHANICAL ERROR BY TESTING ALL THE PARTS YOU HAVE, OR PROVE JASON WAS DRUNK OR A BAD PILOT.
WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
HEY,YOU SEE THOSE? PLANE COLLIDED WITH THOSE TREES ON THE WAY DOWN.
THAT CHANGED THE RATE OF SPEED AND THE ANGLE OF THE PLANE'S DESCENT.
I NEED TO SEE THE PLANE.
GOOD THING WE STOPPED MRS.
STACK'S ATTORNEY FROM DESTROYING IT.
I WAS THE FIRST RESPONDER.
UH,THE CRASH SET SOME FIRES UP THE RIDGE.
SEE ANY DRUGS OR ALCOHOL ON THE PLANE? NO,NOT REALLY.
NOT REALLY? I MUS BE LOSING MY SKILL.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A STRAIGHT "YES," "NO" QUESTION.
I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING UNTOWARD ON THE PLANE.
"DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING UNTOWARD.
" DID ANYONE FROM REGINA STACK'S COMPANY CALL YOU ABOUT THIS CASE? WHO JASON WANTED TO BREAK UP WITH.
THE TABLOIDS QUOTE "UNNAMED SOURCES" AND "CLOSE FRIENDS" SAYING CLAIRE WAS UNSTABLE.
A COUPLE OF STORIES SAY SHE COULD HAVE GONE CRAZY IN THE COCKPIT,FIGHTING WITH JASON AND CAUSED THE CRASH.
THE TRUTH IS CLAIRE WAS A NORMAL,STABLE GIRL WHO LOVED JASON, BUT IT'S THE LIES POTENTIAL JURORS REMEMBER, AND IT WILL AFFEC HOW THEY SEE THIS CASE.
- YOU READ TABLOIDS? - JURORS READ TABLOIDS,TOM, AND IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW JURORS THINK, THE TRUTH IS IN THE PICTURES- AT LEAST THE ONES THAT AREN' ABOUT ALIEN BABIES AND ELVIS.
WHERE DO THEY GET THIS STUFF? THAT MEANS THREE PEOPLE WERE THERE.
TWO OF THEM ARE DEAD.
REGINA STACK IS THE ONE FEEDING THESE LIES ABOUT CLAIRE TO THE TABLOIDS.
BUMPED?! I DON'T GET BUMPED.
WHAT HAPPENED? CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?COUR TV ASKED ME TO RESCHEDULE.
NOW I SEE WHY.
LOOK AT THAT.
HE ALWAYS SAID IT WAS THE TIME HE FELT THE MOST FREE.
JASON'S NOT JUS A LOSS TO ME.
HE'S A LOSS TO THE STACK CORPORATION AND SO MANY OTHER FRIENDS AND EMPLOYEES.
THEIR SUPPORT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME.
THAT WOMAN IS A LETHAL WEAPON.
LOOK AT HER.
AND SHE'LL BE JUST AS COMPOSED ON THE STAND.
I'LL BE JUST AS GOOD ON THE STAND,MR.
TROTT.
I PROMISE.
IN ORDER TO PROVE THA JASON CAUSED THE CRASH, WE HAVE TO RULE OU MECHANICAL FAILURE.
WHAT IS THAT? IT'S AN AILERON.
BOTH WINGS HAVE ONE.
THEY'RE CONNECTED BY A PULLEY SYSTEM.
THEY WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP THE PLANE LEVEL DURING TURNS.
IT SHOULD MOVE,BU THIS ONE'S STUCK.
THEN THE CRASH CAUSED BY MECHANICAL FAILURE.
CAN YOU TELL WHICH I WAS? NAH.
NO ONE COULD, NOT WITHOUT SEEING THE AILERON FROM THE OTHER WING, AND THAT WAS DESTROYED IN THE CRASH.
BUT I DID CONSULT WITH AN AERONAUTICS ENGINEER ON THE PIECES WE DO HAVE.
THERE WAS ENOUGH TO RECONSTRUCT WHAT HAPPENED.
BY TESTING ALL THE PIECES,WE WERE ABLE TO ELIMINATE EVERY POSSIBLE FORM OF MECHANICAL FAILURE.
IN MY OPINION, WHATEVER BROUGHT I DOWN WASN'T MECHANICAL.
THE PLANE WAS OPERATIONALLY SOUND.
IT SUPPORTS YOUR THEORY OF PILOT ERROR.
GETTING JUSTICE IS HARD,MR.
MILLER.
YEAH,YEAH.
MAYBE IT'S TOO HARD.
SARAH WANTED THIS.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD HELP HER,BUT IT'S NOT.
IT'S MAKING I WORSE ON HER AND US.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT.
I NEED TO DO THIS FOR CLAIRE.
CAN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? ACTUALLY,YEAH.
I CAN.
LET ME TALK TO THE JURY.
ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE READY? LOOK,TESTIFYING IS HARD, AND YOU'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS.
YOUR HUSBAND'S A LITTLE FURTHER ALONG.
EVERYBODY GOES THROUGH IT AT THEIR OWN PACE.
I KNOW I CAN MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND WHY IT MATTERS.
SHE'S NOT SLEEPING.
ALL SHE THINKS ABOUT IS THIS CASE.
WHEN I WAS A D.
A.
, I DEALT WITH A LOT OF FAMILIES OF CRIME VICTIMS.
I'VE SEEN WHAT A VERDICT CAN DO TO HELP GIVE THEM CLOSURE.
NOW THAT'S-THAT'S NOT SOME THEORY TO ME.
THAT'S A REALITY.
SARAH'S NEVER GONNA GET OVER THIS.
SHE BLAMES HERSELF FOR IT.
WHY? JASON WAS A GOOD KID.
IT WAS THE MOTHER I DIDN'T LIKE-ARROGANT.
SHE TREATED CLAIRE LIKE DIRT! I WAS HAPPY WHEN JASON AND CLAIRE BROKE UP.
JASON AND CLAIRE BROKE UP? YEAH.
AND SARAH WAS DISAPPOINTED.
DON'T TELL HER I TOLD YOU.
SHE ENCOURAGED THE RELATIONSHIP? WHAT MOTHER WOULDN'T WANT HER DAUGHTER TO MARRY INTO THE STACK FAMILY? SARAH TOLD CLAIRE TO GIVE JASON ANOTHER CHANCE.
THAT'S WHY SARAH BLAMES HERSELF FOR WHAT HAPPENED.
MAYBE THAT'S WHY SHE SHOULDN'T TESTIFY.
JASON'S WING TIPPED DOWN,AND THE PLANE BANKED LEFT.
JASON PROBABLY OVERCORRECTED.
THE MORE HE TURNED,THE MORE THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN.
IT'S A CLASSIC DEATH SPIRAL.
ONCE JASON GOT INTO IT, THERE WAS NO WAY HE COULD'VE SAVED THE PLANE.
WELL,THE QUESTION IS,HOW DID HE GET INTO THE DEATH SPIRAL? OUR INVESTIGATION CAN'T FIND ANYONE WHO SAW JASON DRUNK THAT NIGHT, OR IS IT POSSIBLE CLAIRE GRABBED THE CONTROLS? THAT'S WHAT BOWERS MAY ARGUE IN COURT.
I THINK JASON GO CONFUSED IN THE AIR.
HE WASN'T A GREAT PILOT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, HE CRASHED HIS FIRST PLANE IN 2004 ON AN ABORTED TAKEOFF.
HE WAS ONLY CERTIFIED TO FLY VISUAL FLIGHT RULES,OR V.
F.
R.
HE WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO FLY IN CLEAR WEATHER WHEN HE COULD SEE.
I CHECKED THE WEATHER OF THE SITE THAT NIGHT.
IT WAS BAD - CLOUDY,POOR VISIBILITY.
WITH JASON'S TRAINING,IF HE FLEW INTO CLOUDS, IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE DRIVING A CAR WITH A BLINDFOLD ON.
SO IF JASON KNOWINGLY FLEW INTO BAD WEATHER, IT WAS PILOT ERROR.
WE IDENTIFIED THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER WHO WOULD HAVE ADVISED JASON OF THE WEATHER THAT NIGHT ON HIS ROUTE TO NAPA.
HER NAME IS SAMANTHA WINTER.
SHE WORKS OUT OF VAN NUYS AIRPORT.
WE'RE TRYING TO GE IN TOUCH WITH HER.
RIGHT NOW WE CAN'T PROVE THAT JASON DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE WEATHER BEFORE HE TOOK OFF.
I TOLD YOU WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN THIS CASE.
YOU DID? FIRST,I GET BUMPED OFF TV,THEN I GET A CALL THAT THE N.
T.
S.
B.
GOES PUBLIC WITH THEIR RULING IN THE MORNING.
THEY'LL SAY THE CRASH WAS MECHANICAL FAILURE, SOMETHING ABOU AILERONS.
THAT CAN'T BE.
DR.
SHAW SAID THERE'S NO WAY THEY CAN PROVE THIS WAS MECHANICAL FAILURE WITHOUT THE OTHER WING.
WELL,REGINA STACK SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO PROVE ANYTHING SHE WANTS.
MRS.
STACK.
NO,I WANTED TO SEE YOU MYSELF.
HE ADVISED ME NOT TO COME, BUT I DON'T ALWAYS FOLLOW HIS ADVICE.
HE'S GOOD ON SOME THINGS,BUT NOT THIS.
I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AN OFFER TO LET US ALL PU THIS TRAGEDY BEHIND US.
WE SHOULDN'T TALK OFFERS WITHOUT YOUR LAWYER- $20 MILLION.
24,BU WE CAN SAY 20.
I'LL CUT A CHECK FOR 20 TO YOUR FIRM.
NICE.
SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO SHARE THE $4 MILLION - GOOD DAY,MRS.
STACK.
- DON'T PUSH THIS CASE.
LET IT GO.
I LOST A SON,TOO,YOU KNOW.
- I FEEL FOR YOU.
I REALLY DO.
- THEN TAKE THE DEAL FOR MY SAKE AND YOURS.
ALL RIGHT,LOOK,THIS IS NOT GOOD.
TO WIN, WE HAVE TO SHOW PILOT ERROR.
PROVING JASON WAS DRUNK WOULD HELP,BUT SO FAR,WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO I WE CAN'T PROVE HE WAS RECKLESS EITHER.
WE STILL CAN'T SHOW HE KNEW HE WAS GOING UP IN BAD WEATHER.
BUT REGINA STACK SAYS THE CRASH WAS AN ACCIDENT, MECHANICAL FAILURE.
IF THE JURY BELIEVES HER,WE'D LOSE.
OKAY,LET'S NO LOSE HOPE HERE.
TRIALS ARE MADE FOR MAKING PLANS.
WHEN THOSE PLANS DON' WORK,MAKING NEW PLANS.
HELP YOURSELF,RON.
NICE PLACE.
GET USED TO IT.
WE'RE HEMORRHAGING CLIENTS.
WE LOST ANOTHER ONE? THAT'S FIVE CLIENTS IN FIVE DAYS, AND ALL OF THEM WENT TO BOWERS.
WE KNEW IF WE WENT UP AGAINST REGINA STACK, WE MIGHT PAY THE PRICE.
FRENCH FRIES,RON? YOU ONLY EAT FRENCH FRIES WHEN YOU'RE NERVOUS.
THIS CASE MAKING YOU NERVOUS? WE'RE DONE.
I GUESS I'M DONE.
MRS.
STACK JUST OFFERED US $20 MILLION TO DROP THE CASE PLUS AN EXTRA $4 MILLION JUS FOR ME,THE HELL WITH YOU GUYS.
DID YOU TAKE IT? NO,TOM,I DIDN'T.
THAT'S HOW PEOPLE LIKE REGINA STACK HANDLE THINGS.
THEY PAY PEOPLE OFF.
WHY ARE WE FOCUSING ON JASON AT ALL? REGINA STACK IS THE ONE TRYING TO COVER THINGS UP.
IF WE CAN PROVE THAT REGINA STACK TRIED TO COVER UP THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH,THE JURY WILL ASSUME IT'S BECAUSE SHE KNEW JASON WAS DRUNK OR WORSE.
SOMEHOW SHE GOT THE KINGS COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF TO HELP HER CREMATE JASON'S BODY FAST,BEFORE AN AUTOPSY, AND WE THINK SHE PAID PEOPLE NOT TO TALK ABOUT JASON'S DRINKING AT THE CLUB.
MOST OF THE TIME,THE COVER-UP IS WORSE THAN THE CRIME.
GREAT.
HOW DO WE DO IT? FOLLOW THE MONEY.
I LIKE IT.
WE'LL USE THE COVER-UP TO PROVE JASON WAS DRUNK OR RECKLESS OR AT LEAST THAT HIS MOTHER THOUGHT HE WAS.
IT COULD BE ENOUGH TO WIN THE CASE FOR US.
LUTHER,DIG INTO REGINA STACK'S HISTORY.
FIND OUT HOW SHE COVERED UP FOR JASON.
FORGET THE N.
T.
S.
B.
REPORT.
THIS WAS PILOT ERROR.
WE JUST HAVE TO PROVE IT.
TOM,PREP THE MILLERS FOR TRIAL.
THE PRESS TREA JASON LIKE A SAINT, AND REGINA STACKS KEEPS TRASHING CLAIRE IN THE PRESS.
THAT STOPS NOW.
REGINA STACK USED HER CONNECTIONS TO CARRY OUT A COVER-UP.
SHE GOT THE NEWS OF JASON'S DEATH AND PAID A BRIBE OR SOMETHIN TO GET JASON'S BODY CREMATED.
PHONE RECORDS SHOW PART OF THE COVER-UP.
MINUTES AFTER THE CRASH,SHE CALLED HER ATTORNEY,BOWERS.
BOWERS CALLED THE KINGS COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ORDERED THAT THE BODY BE CREMATED.
WHAT WE CAN PROVE IS HOW THE BRIBE WAS PAID,SO WE DIG.
REMEMBER,WITH REGINA STACK,IT'S ALL ABOUT CONNECTIONS- IF SHE PAID OFF THE SHERIFF,WHA ELSE HAS SHE COVERED UP? WE FOUND OUT HOW REGINA STACK KEPT JASON'S PILOT LICENSE AFTER HE CRASHED HIS FIRST PLANE.
BACK THEN,THE F.
A.
A.
ASSIGNED A 709 FLIGHT EXAM TO SEE IF HE SHOULD KEEP HIS PILOT'S LICENSE.
THE INSPECTOR WHO GAVE HIM HIS EXAM LETTING HIM KEEP HIS LICENSE.
THE 709 EXAM REPORTS ARE USUALLY FILED WITHIN FIVE WORKING DAYS OF THE EXAM.
SO WE FILED A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST AND GOT THE ORIGINAL REPOR "WE RECOMMEND THAT JASON'S LICENSE BE SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY BECAUSE HE PANICKED IN THE AIR.
HOW DID REGINA STACK GET THE F.
A.
A.
INSPECTOR TO CHANGE HIS MIND? SHE HAS A FRIEND IN THE DEPARTMEN OF TRANSPORTATION.
THE F.
A.
A.
IS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
REGINA'S FRIEND REACHED OUT TO THE INSPECTOR.
WE THINK SO.
I'VE SUBPOENAED THE INSPECTOR TO TESTIFY AT TRIAL.
HE'S THE ONLY ONE SHE HASN'T GOTTEN TO.
SO THE REPORT IS OUR STORY.
JASON WAS RECKLESS,A LOUSY PILOT.
REGINA STACK KNEW IT AND COVERED IT UP.
THE STACKS LIED.
CLAIRE DIED.
I COULD SELL THAT TO A JURY.
I GOTTA HAND IT TO YOU,RON.
THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.
YOU'RE RIGHT AND CHEAP.
IT ONLY COS US 50 BOUQUETS OF FLOWERS AND A PERMIT TO HOLD A DEMONSTRATION.
WORD OF MOUTH BROUGHT THE PRESS.
WELL,IT'S GOING TO HELP SARAH A LOT, SEEING ALL THESE PEOPLE THA CARED ABOUT HER DAUGHTER.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO GIN UP SOME JURY SYMPATHY FOR OUR CASE.
I'LL BE DAMNED IF I'M GOING TO LET BOWERS WIN THE PRESS WAR.
EXPLOITING GRIEF TO WIN A TRIAL- THAT'S,UH,THAT'S PRETTY CYNICAL.
WHAT IS IT THEY SAY ABOU HOT DOGS AND JUSTICE? IF YOU LOVE THEM,DON' WATCH HOW THEY'RE MADE.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE ON OUR SIDE,RON.
YOU'VE GOT SINCERITY.
I'VE GOT THIS.
OKAY.
I'M AT THE F.
A.
A.
OFFICE NOW.
THE F.
A.
A.
INSPECTOR IS GONE.
THEY TRANSFERRED HIM OUT OF THE COUNTRY, KNOWING THAT HE WAS UNDER SUBPOENA IN THIS CASE.
THEY CAN DO THA IN A CIVIL CASE.
A SUBPOENA WON'T HOLD HIM HERE.
DID THEY SAY WHY THEY TRANSFERRED HIM? Homeland Security.
HE'S IN ROME,INDEFINITELY.
MAYBE IT'S JUST BAD TIMING.
The FAA reports THE F.
A.
A.
FILED A MOTION TO HAVE THEM SEALED.
YOU USED TO BE A PROSECUTOR.
YOU KNOW HOW THINGS WORK.
IF SOMEBODY IN THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SCREW YOU, YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM.
IT'S NOT THE GOVERNMENT,RON.
IT'S REGINA STACK.
NOW IF SHE CAN GET A MAN TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE COUNTRY, WHAT CHANCE DO WE HAVE AGAINS HER IN A CALIFORNIA CIVIL COURT? WE STILL CAN'T PROVE THAT REGINA PAID THE DEPUTY SHERIFF TO CREMATE JASON'S BODY.
MEANING WE CAN' PROVE A COVER-UP.
SO WHAT CAN WE PROVE? WE FINALLY GOT AHOLD OF SAMANTHA WINTER,THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER.
I GUESS REGINA STACK COULDN'T GET TO HER BECAUSE WE CONVINCED HER TO TESTIFY BUT SHE SWEARS SHE WARNED JASON ABOU THE CLOUDY WEATHER BEFORE HE TOOK OFF.
AND WE'RE MAKING SURE SHE DOESN'T DISAPPEAR.
WE'RE PUTTING HER UP IN A HOTEL JUST IN CASE.
DR.
SHAW WILL TESTIFY THAT THE DAMAGE TO THE PLANE'S AILERON COULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THE CRASH.
I WISH WE COULD PROVE THAT REGINA STACK BRIBED THE DEPUTY SHERIFF TO CREMATE JASON'S BODY, BUT SO FAR WE CAN'T FIND ANY RECORD OF A PAYOFF.
IS SARAH READY TO TESTIFY? I THINK SO.
SHE'D BETTER BE.
IF THE JURY HATES HER,WE LOSE THE CASE.
AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH.
THIS DAMAGE,THEREFORE,IS NO PROOF OF MECHANICAL FAILURE.
EARLIER TODAY,SAMANTHA WINTER, THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ON DUTY OF THE NIGHT OF THE CRASH, TESTIFIED THA SHE TOLD JASON ABOUT THE CLOUDY WEATHER ON HIS ROUTE.
OBJECTION - THERE'S NO RECORDING OR PROOF THAT THE CONTROLLER WARNED JASON OF ANYTHING.
YOU CROSS-EXAMINED THE CONTROLLER ALREADY.
OBJECTION OVERRULED.
PROCEED.
ASSUMING THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER WAS TELLING THE TRUTH SHOULD JASON HAVE TAKEN OFF? NO.
HE WASN' INSTRUMENT-CERTIFIED.
HE WAS NOT TRAINED TO FLY IN CLOUDY WEATHER.
BASED ON MY RECONSTRUCTION OF THE DESCEN AND JASON STACK'S PROBABLE CONFUSION IN THE AIR, I BELIEVE HIS PILO ERROR CAUSED THE CRASH.
THANK YOU,DR.
SHAW.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU BACK TO A CASE YOU TESTIFIED IN IN 1995- MARQUEZ vs.
SoCalAir.
OBJECTION-THAT CASE WAS 11 YEARS AGO AND IRRELEVANT.
OVERRULED.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE HE'S GOING? YES,AND YOUR OBJECTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED.
HIS QUESTIONS ARE IRRELEVANT.
YOU TESTIFIED AT THAT TRIAL THAT THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS PILOT ERROR.
THE PLAINTIFF WON THAT CASE BECAUSE OF YOUR TESTIMONY.
YES,BUT THAT DECISION WAS OVERTURNED - EXCUSE ME.
THE DECISION WAS OVERTURNED THE FOLLOWING YEAR ON APPEAL.
OBJECTION,YOUR HONOR - RELEVANCE.
GOES TO CREDIBILITY.
OVERRULED.
YOUR TESTIMONY WAS FOUND TO BE LACKING IN SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY.
THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS WIND SHEAR.
ISN'T THAT RIGHT? IN THE YEAR BETWEEN MY TESTIMONY AND THE APPEAL, THE SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF WIND SHEAR PATTERNS IN THAT AREA CHANGED.
SCIENCE CHANGES,MR.
BOWERS.
THE POINT IS,DR.
SHAW, THE JURY IN THE SoCalAir CASE RELIED ON YOUR TESTIMONY, AND YOU WERE WRONG.
MY GOD,LUTHER.
LOOK AT HER FACE.
SHE'S STILL NOT READY.
WE CAN'T PUT HER ON.
YOU'RE NO TESTIFYING TOMORROW.
WE'RE PUTTING YOUR HUSBAND ON THE STAND.
WE JUST THINK YOUR HUSBAND WILL MAKE A MORE EFFECTIVE WITNESS.
IT'S NOT PERSONAL,AND IT IS NO REFLECTION ON HOW YOU FELT ABOUT CLAIRE.
I'M CLAIRE'S MOTHER.
THE JURY HAS TO HEAR FROM ME.
I CAN TESTIFY,HONEY.
JASON'S MOTHER IS TESTIFYING FOR HIM TOMORROW.
I WANT TO TESTIFY FOR CLAIRE TOMORROW.
REGINA STACK WILL BE BRILLIANT- EVEN WITH OUR TRAINING,YOU'RE STILL NOT QUITE READY, AND WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
YOUR HUSBAND IS READY.
LOOK,GRIEF DOES NO FOLLOW COURT CALENDARS.
DON'T BLAME YOURSELF.
THE JURY WON'T UNDERSTAND.
ART IS NOT ANGRY ENOUGH.
I'M PLENTY ANGRY,SARAH.
LOOK,WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
I JUST AM ABLE TO CONTROL THE ANGER BETTER.
THAT'S WHY WE WAN HIM TO TESTIFY.
SARAH.
TRUST US TO DO OUR JOB FOR YOU AND FOR CLAIRE.
PLEASE? WHAT THE HELL IS SHE WEARING? IT'S A PHOTO OF CLAIRE.
I COULDN'T CONVINCE HER TO CHANGE.
THE JURY NEEDS TO SEE HER FACE.
THEY NEED TO SEE CLAIRE.
THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE IN THIS FOR.
YOU WON'T LET ME TESTIFY.
THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN BE HEARD.
YOU CAN'T LET HER IN THE COURTROOM.
TOM,I'M SORRY.
HE'S RIGHT.
SARAH? IT'D BE BETTER IF YOU STAYED OUTSIDE.
I'M SORRY.
JASON WAS ADVENTUROUS, BUT HE WOULD NEVER HAVE PUT CLAIRE'S LIFE IN DANGER.
HE LOVED HER.
YOU SUPPORTED THEIR RELATIONSHIP? ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE CRASH, I LENT HIM MONEY TO BUY CLAIRE A RING AN ENGAGEMENT RING.
THANK YOU.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
YOU LENT JASON MONEY TO BUY A RING.
JASON HAD HIS OWN MONEY.
HE WAS WORTH AT LEAST $40 MILLION.
HE WAS WORTH A GREAT DEAL MORE THAN THAT TO US,MR.
NICHOLSON.
CLAIRE MILLER WASN'T WORTH $40 MILLION,MRS.
STACK, BUT SHE WAS PRICELESS TO HER PARENTS,TOO.
NO RING WAS FOUND AT THE SCENE.
SHE WAS NEVER SEEN WEARING A RING.
DID YOU ATTEND CLAIRE'S FUNERAL? ONCE WE REALIZED THEY BLAMED JASON FOR THE CRASH, IT DIDN'T SEEM APPROPRIATE.
SARAH'S HERE.
SHE'S THE PLAINTIFF IN THE CASE,RON.
YOU CAN'T KIDNAP HER.
DID YOU RAISE JASON TO THINK THAT HE WAS ABOVE THE LAW? OF COURSE NOT.
EVER USE YOUR FAMILY'S ENORMOUS WEALTH OR POLITICAL INFLUENCE TO GET HIM OUT OF TROUBLE? I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THA YOU WERE LOOKING AT YOUR LAWYER.
SHOULD WE TAKE A RECESS, LET YOU GET HIS ADVICE ON HOW TO ANSWER THIS ONE? DID I USE MY GOOD FORTUNE TO HELP MY CHILD? OF COURSE I DID.
ANY MOTHER WOULD.
JASON CRASHED HIS FIRST PLANE.
DID YOU USE YOUR FAMILY INFLUENCE TO KEEP HIM FLYING? NO.
WERE YOU WORRIED THA HE WAS DRINKING THAT WASN'T MY QUESTION.
MY QUESTION WAS, "WERE YOU WORRIED THAT HE WAS DRINKING?" THERE IS NO PROOF THAT HE WAS.
THAT'S RIGHT,MRS.
STACK.
NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW, BECAUSE JASON'S BODY WAS CREMATED SO QUICKLY.
ARE YOU ACCUSING ME OF DESECRATING MY SON'S BODY NOW? HOW CAN YOU SUGGEST SUCH A THING? I'M SORRY,MRS.
STACK BUT I NEVER SAID YOU WERE THE ONE WHO DID IT.
WHO HANDLED THE ARRANGEMENTS.
I ASSUME I WAS MR.
BOWERS.
DURING HIS LIFE, DID JASON EVER ASK TO HAVE HIS BODY CREMATED? WHOSE IDEA WAS I TO DO IT SO FAST, BEFORE AN AUTOPSY COULD DETERMINE IF HE WAS DRUNK? I DON'T RECALL.
DO YOUR EMPLOYEES EVER DO ANYTHING WITHOUT YOU KNOWING ABOUT IT FIRST? no I SEE.
THANK YOU.
NOTHING FURTHER.
NO REDIRECT.
BUT,UH, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS TO THE STAND- SARAH MILLER.
WE SHOULD'VE LOCKED HER IN A ROOM.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE HELPED.
THERE'S NO FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO REFUSE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IN A LAWSUIT LIKE THIS.
BOWERS DEPOSED HER.
HE KNOWS HOW ANGRY SHE IS.
HE'S GONNA PUSH HER OVER THE EDGE.
YOU AND MRS.
STACK BOTH LOST CHILDREN IN A TRAGIC ACCIDENT.
NOT AN ACCIDENT.
JASON STACK SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN FLYING.
HE KILLED MY DAUGHTER IN THAT PLANE.
OR MAYBE CLAIRE WENT CRAZY IN THE COCKPIT AND CAUSED THE CRASH.
THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
OR MAYBE I WAS AN ACCIDENT.
WHY IS THAT SO HARD FOR YOU TO ACCEPT? BECAUSE IT WASN'T.
HIS MOTHER TRIED TO COVER IT UP BEFORE WE COULD PROVE THE TRUTH, AND THEN THEY SPREAD LIES IN THE PRESS ABOUT CLAIRE.
ARE YOU SAYING THA THIS WAS A CONSPIRACY? IT WAS A CONSPIRACY,ALL OF IT.
REALLY? UH,CAN YOU TELL US WHO WAS IN THE CONSPIRACY? THE D.
A.
,FOR ONE.
HE WOULDN'T BRING CHARGES BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT HIM TO.
AND THE PRESS-WAS THE PRESS PART OF THIS CONSPIRACY? YES.
ME,AM I PART OF THE CONSPIRACY? YES.
THE JUDGE? IS THE JURY? I I DON' KNOW,BUT,UH THE GOVERNMEN - THE N.
T.
S.
B.
WAS.
THE N.
T.
S.
B.
? OBJECTION.
SIDEBAR.
GOES TO THE PLAINTIFF'S BASIS FOR SUING US,YOUR HONOR.
SHE OPENED THE DOOR TO THIS,MR.
NICHOLSON.
OVERRULED.
YOU MENTIONED THE N.
T.
S.
B.
DO YOU MEAN THEIR REPORT SAYING THA THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS MECHANICAL FAILURE? YES.
IT WAS A WHITEWASH.
BECAUSE IF THAT'S TRUE,THEN YOU HAVE NO CASE.
JASON WASN'T TO BLAME,AND IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.
WELL- BLAMING JASON MAKES DEALING WITH THE PAIN SO MUCH EASIER.
IS THAT IT? NO.
I-IT NO MORE QUESTIONS.
WE KNOW THA YOU BLAME JASON FOR CLAIRE'S DEATH,MRS.
MILLER.
BUT DON'T YOU ALSO BLAME YOURSELF? CLAIRE WAS ON THAT PLANE.
SHE CALLED ME CRYING SO MANY TIMES.
HER MOTHER, AND I'D DEFEND JASON.
I'D SAY, "GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE.
" IF HE HAD BEEN ANYONE ELSE OTHER THAN JASON STACK, WOULD I HAVE PUSHED THEM TOGETHER SO HARD? I'M ANGRIER AT MYSELF.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
- WAS THAT ENOUGH? - MAYBE.
I DON'T KNOW.
NICE PREP OF THE MOTHER, RON.
HOW MANY HOURS OF REHEARSAL DID THAT LITTLE PERFORMANCE TAKE? LET ME TELL YOU WHY I HATE YOU.
BUT THEY ARE.
YOU ENJOYED WATCHING SARAH MILLER SUFFER.
OH,LIKE YOU DIDN' FEEL THE SAME WAY WATCHING TOM NICHOLSON DRAG REGINA STACK THROUGH HELL? I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.
WE'RE GETTING JUSTICE FOR POOR PEOPLE AGAINS A RICH AND CORRUPT WOMAN.
YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET PAID,RON.
IF I WAS LOOKING TO GET PAID, I WOULD HAVE TAKEN YOUR CLIENT'S OFFER.
IF IT'S ANY CONSOLATION, AS MUCH AS I HATE YOU, I HATE REGINA STACK MORE.
SHE'S NEW MONEY.
THE MORGANS,THE ROCKEFELLERS, THE KENNEDYS- THEY TOOK THEIR WEALTH AND BUILT THINGS- INSTITUTIONS,CHARITIES, LIBRARIES.
BUT REGINA STACK? SHE'S JUST ABOUT HERSELF.
AND YOU'RE NOT? OH,I'M ON THE SIDE OF THE ANGELS ON THIS ONE.
I DO THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
IT MAKES MY PARTNERS HAPPY, AND IT DRIVES GUYS LIKE YOU CRAZY.
TELL YOUR CLIENT I WAS NEVER GOING TO TAKE HER DEAL.
HEY.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? YEAH,I-I MADE THEM GET A CONTINUANCE.
AFTER BOWERS TOOK ME APART ON THE STAND,I I COULDN'T LE THIS CASE GO.
HEY,HAS THEIR EXPERT GONE UP YET? HE GOES ON NEXT.
I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOU A SOLUTION ALL NIGHT.
- SORRY I LET YOU DOWN.
- MAYBE YOU DIDN'T.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THE TESTIMONY DOCTOR,UH SHAW? IN PART.
HIS RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PLANE'S DESCEN MATCHES MY OWN RECONSTRUCTION EXACTLY.
WE DISAGREE ON THE CAUSE OF THAT DESCENT.
JASON TURNED THE PLANE TO THE LEFT.
WHEN HE WANTED TO BRING THE PLANE'S WINGS LEVEL, THE AILERON WOULDN'T FUNCTION.
THE LEFT WING DIPPED AND BEGAN THE SPIRALING DESCENT.
THE AILERON SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED.
JASON STACK WAS NOT A FAULT FOR THIS CRASH.
THANK YOU,DR.
CALLAHAN.
DR.
CALLAHAN, WE'VE ASKED THE COUR TO ALLOW US TO DO A DEMONSTRATION.
WOULD YOU OBJEC TO PARTICIPATING? NO.
NOW THE PLANE IN THIS SIMULATION IS IN PERFEC WORKING ORDER.
THE AILERON SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY FUNCTIONAL.
WILL YOU SIT HERE? NOW WE'VE PLOTTED THE SIMULATOR TO FOLLOW WHAT WE ALL AGREE IS JASON'S EXACT ROUTE.
WE'LL SET THE TIME OF DAY THAT HE FLEW AND THE CLOUDY WEATHER THAT WE ASSERT JASON WAS WARNED AGAINST, BUT FLEW INTO ANYWAY.
NOW ALL WE'D LIKE YOU TO DO,DR.
CALLAHAN, IS FLY THE PLANE LEVEL.
PERFECT.
NOW WE'LL ADD ONE MORE DETAIL TO MORE ACCURATELY APPROXIMATE JASON STACK'S FLIGHT THAT NIGHT.
MR.
GRAVES,I CAN'T SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
NEITHER COULD JASON STACK.
OBJECTION.
OVERRULED.
WE'VE TAKEN THEM AWAY FROM YOU,DR.
CALLAHAN, SO THAT WE CAN RECREATE JASON'S EXPERIENCE MORE EXACTLY.
WHAT'S HAPPENING, DR.
CALLAHAN? WITHOUT THE INSTRUMENTS, I-I CAN'T- IT'S ASKING YOU TO PULL UP, DR.
CALLAHAN.
PULL UP! PULL UP,DR.
CALLAHAN WHAT HAPPENED,DR.
CALLAHAN? YOU CRASHED.
YOU WENT FROM COMPLETELY LEVEL FLIGH TO FATAL IMPAC WITHIN SECONDS.
DR.
CALLAHAN, YOU ARE A WORLD-CLASS EXPERT.
IF YOU CANNOT PILO THAT PLANE TO SAFETY, WHAT CHANCE DID JASON STACK, A WEAK,AMATEUR PILOT,HAVE TO FLY THAT PLANE? THE TRUTH IS, DRUNK OR NOT, JASON STACK WAS AT FAUL THE SECOND HE PUT CLAIRE IN THE AIR WITH HIM IN CLOUDY WEATHER.
"QUESTION ONE- "WAS THE CAUSE OF THIS CRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR PILOT ERROR ON THE PART OF JASON STACK?" "WE,THE JURY,FIND THE CAUSE OF THIS CRASH WAS " "PILOT ERROR.
"AS TO ACTUAL DAMAGES, "THE JURY AWARDS PLAINTIFF'S ESTATE "THE FULL AMOUNT REQUESTED - $1.
"QUESTION TWO - PUNITIVE DAMAGES MAY BE GIVEN "TO PUNISH THE DEFENDANTS FOR EGREGIOUS "OR PUBLICLY OFFENSIVE CONDUCT.
"DO YOU AWARD PUNITIVE DAMAGES IN THIS CASE? ANSWER-YES.
" "QUESTION THREE - AS TO PUNITIVE DAMAGES, "WE AWARD THE PLAINTIFFS $20 MILLION.
" THANK YOU.
ALL WE WANTED WAS THE TRUTH.
THE MONEY DOESN'T MATTER.
GOOD FOR YOU.
THE MONEY MATTERS TO ME.
THANK YOU.
WE WON BECAUSE WE PROVED PILOT ERROR.
WE WON BECAUSE WE PROVED REGINA STACK WAS GUILTY OF A COVER-UP.
BUT WE NEVER PROVED HOW SHE PAID OFF THE DEPUTY SHERIFF TO CREMATE JASON'S BODY.
DOESN'T MEAN I DIDN'T HAPPEN.
LOOK AT THAT.
WE WIN,BUT REGINA STACK IS STILL THE BIG NEWS.
WHAT INVESTIGATION ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT? DO WE KNOW? MIRANDA SAYS THE U.
S.
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OPENED AN INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER REGINA STACK USED UNFAIR INFLUENCE TO FORCE AN F.
A.
A.
OFFICIAL NOT TO TESTIFY.
THE GUY THEY TRANSFERRED TO ROME? HOW WOULD THE U.
S.
ATTORNEY KNOW ABOUT HIM? WHAT? YOU THINK RON'S THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN LEAK INFORMATION? THE DEATH OF JASON,WHAT'S HAPPENING? I'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
ALERT.
- I THOUGHT YOU KNEW WHA - SHUT UP! I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING.