Reckless (2014) s01e12 Episode Script

Previously on Reckless Ms.
Marcus is suing the city of Charleston - for wrongful termination - Okay, Jamie.
- And defamation of character.
- Game on.
They have a tape.
It's footage of you and three other men having sex on a police car.
They must've slipped something into my beer.
We had something.
Yeah, we did.
Until you decided to share me with your buddies.
They offered me a half a million to settle the case.
Screw the settlement.
Let's fight.
Was there ever a problem with documents disappearing from this office? - All the time.
- You think that's what happened with Lee Anne Marcus's statement of complaint? I do know something about Arliss.
Search team found something not far from where his truck ended up.
Mayor Fortnum.
I like the sound of that.
The deal was for $13 million.
There's a million dollars missing.
I don't have your money.
I'm replacing juror number eight with first alternate Nicolette Graham.
It worked.
I'm on the jury.
I'll make sure you get the outcome you're looking for.
When this is over, I'm gonna make you fall in love with me.
Oh, my God.
Where did you get this? Oh, don't tell me it's from that gun deal, where you got shot.
All you gotta know is it's mine.
Or ours, - if you run away with me.
- Will you stop? We already discussed this.
That was just talk.
This is real.
A million dollars of real.
All right Why take a gamble with the lawsuit when all the money you need is right here? I've gone through a lot, Terry.
Lost too much.
I can't just give up.
I mean, it's not just about the money anymore.
I want to win.
I just want you to be happy.
I will be.
When this is all over.
And then what about us? I gotta go.
I gotta be in court soon.
Hey.
Good luck.
Oh, here's that brief you requested.
Okay, thank you.
Thank you.
Morning, ladies.
Roy.
May I have a word, Ms.
Sawyer? I'll see you upstairs.
Okay.
Have you thought about what I said last night? I think "obsessed over" is a better term.
I meant every word.
I don't doubt it.
And? Maybe I'll tell Judge Moss that we've decided to settle.
There.
- Trial over.
- Well, when it is over, I'm going on a long vacation.
You been to Paris? I've never even been out of the country.
Then it'll be the first time for both of us.
If you're trying to throw me off my game It's working.
So it's a game we're playing? And I am tired of following the rules.
Me, too.
All rise.
The circuit court of common pleas is now in session.
The Honorable Judge Gertrude Moss presiding.
Please be seated.
We are gathered to hear the case of Lee Anne Marcus v.
The City of Charleston, on the charges of wrongful termination and defamation of character.
The jury has been sworn in and given their instructions.
Ms.
Sawyer You may begin your opening statement.
Thank you, Your Honor.
And thank you, members of the jury.
My name is Jamie Sawyer, and I am representing the plaintiff who you see before you Lee Anne Marcus.
Good morning, y'all.
My name is Roy Rayder.
I am the city attorney of Charleston.
I will be defending both the city and the police department against this claim.
Your responsibility here today and throughout the trial: To determine whether my client was indeed defamed by her coworkers And whether the police department was well within their rights to release the plaintiff from employment.
God bless you, ma'am.
It isn't about my client's personal life or her sexual proclivities.
It's about a person just like me and you.
A person wronged by the system.
Everyone can get fired.
But not everyone goes on talk shows.
She's the one who decided to make her personal life public.
But now Now she doesn't want you to know the whole story.
That doesn't seem fair to me.
You will see how a pattern of corruption exists within the Charleston police department.
You will see how the plaintiff has taken advantage of the legal system, wasting tax dollars on this unwarranted, frivolous lawsuit Objection! - Jamie, you can't - Yes.
I can.
Overruled! Counselors, I need to see you in my chambers.
Now.
Are those heels so high you're getting deprived of oxygen, Ms.
Sawyer? I've warned you time and time again about pulling your tricks in my courtroom.
80% of jurors make up their minds during opening statements, Your Honor.
They need to know that this is not a frivolous case.
Object all you want.
Your likability factor just plummeted for interrupting me.
Don't get oh so high and mighty, Roy Rayder.
Calling opposing counsel "Jamie" in open court? Look, I know the two of you have eyes for one another.
Have to be blind as a mole rat not to see it.
And my courtroom will not be a place for you to engage in foreplay.
If I even see the slightest hint of impropriety, I will declare a mistrial and get you disbarred so fast you'll be serving warm beer to frat boys down at shem creek before you even know what hit you.
How clear do I make myself, counselors? Very.
Crystal.
I call as my first witness the deputy chief of police, Holland Knox.
How long have you been in your current position, Officer Knox? About a year and a half now.
So not for very long.
And are you the person who fired my client, Lee Anne Marcus? Yes.
May I ask on what grounds? Non-exemplary performance.
I see.
I'd like to show, for the record, plaintiff's exhibit one.
This is my client's most recent performance review.
It covers everything from marksmanship to knowledge of the law to dependability.
Is that your signature? Yes, it is.
So you are fully aware that my client scored 95 out of a possible 112 points, placing her in the "very good" category.
Now, as you stated, the plaintiff was let go due to "non-exemplary performance.
" Now, are there areas outside a typical performance review that are measured in order to judge an employee's overall value within your department? Yes, there are.
And so what other factors influenced your decision? Well, from the moment she got the job, Ms.
Marcus flaunted her sexuality, driving other officers to distraction.
Exactly how did she do that? She sent suggestive photos of herself around on department e-mail, for starters.
To that end I'd like to present defense exhibit number one, Your Honor.
Hmm.
Yeah.
It's true.
My client did send that photo to one particular officer, Terry McCandless.
But isn't it also true that her e-mail was forwarded to other officers, as well? Yes.
So, by passing around this private photo without her consent, wasn't your department, in effect, defaming my client, by treating her like a sexual object and diminishing her as a professional? I'm sure she was aware of the risks when she sent it.
But isn't it difficult enough for a woman to feel confident in her position as it is in a department that is made up of 76% men? Uh, objection.
It calls for a conclusion.
Sustained.
Get to your point, Ms.
Sawyer.
Well, with a gender gap that pronounced, could this be the reason that my client was sexually propositioned so frequently that she was compelled to file a statement of complaint? I'm not aware of any statement of complaint.
You're not? So did she or did she not file a complaint? To my knowledge, she did not.
Thank you, Officer Knox.
No further questions.
I'd like to call as my next witness Betsy Lewis.
Mrs.
Lewis, in what capacity do you work at the Charleston police department? I'm the secretary to the deputy chief of police.
Have been for 27 years.
So you work for Holland Knox? Yes.
I used to work for his predecessor Wes Tarkington.
And when you worked for deputy chief Tarkington, did you ever see a copy of a statement of complaint submitted by my client Lee Anne Marcus? Yes, I did.
Well, that's strange.
Officer Knox said both in his deposition and right here under oath that no SOC ever existed.
But is that true? No, it's not true.
I told him when it'd been filed.
And that it may have been destroyed.
That's all he wanted to hear.
Plaintiff's exhibit two.
A copy of the actual statement of complaint filed by my client.
I guess it wasn't destroyed after all.
All that time, you swore to me that you weren't lying.
I told you, Roy! I wasn't lying! I never saw that complaint.
Uh, maybe you didn't lie, but you didn't exactly tell the whole truth, either.
And on the stand, Holly, there is no distinction.
How the hell did Jamie get a copy? Because she is a damn good lawyer! That's how.
Her entire theme is that Lee Anne is some wronged, powerless female going up against a corrupt male-dominated system.
And you played right into it.
You just discredited your entire testimony.
If you would've given me full disclosure, as your lawyer and as your best friend, I would've gone to the ends of the earth to get out ahead of it.
But no, you left me out there all alone.
And because of that I couldn't protect you.
What the hell were you thinking?! Of all the idiotic ways to just flush your political career down the toilet.
You're lucky they're not throwing you in jail for perjury.
All I tried to do was help you navigate the waters, Holland.
I filled your coffers with donations.
Introduced you to all the right players.
You shot a hole in your own boat.
We can't spin this.
We thought you were the future of the party.
I guess that was our mistake.
Well? Do what you need to do.
All our work up in smoke! Only two weeks to the election, and Knox just hands it to Joyce Reed.
We could put forth a replacement candidate.
Do as much damage to her campaign as possible.
At least we wouldn't be going down without a fight.
You.
Me? What? You should be the replacement candidate.
You just said it yourself.
You've brought in most of the campaign contributions.
You know everyone worth knowing in Charleston.
- I don't see why that - And if anybody's gonna go down swinging, it's you, Dec.
Well, you're certainly giving me something to think about, gentlemen.
I-I don't want to take any focus away from my firm.
And, of course, I need to discuss it with Barbara.
But I do believe you've made me an offer I can't refuse.
Ho! Ms.
Graham? You're late.
I was beginning to worry.
Sorry, chief.
How is everything progressing? Not well.
The deputy chief didn't do you any favors.
That was a blow to your department's case.
Which I anticipated.
That's why I helped get you into that jury box, my dear.
I've done everything you said.
I've made friends with other jurors.
Tried to take on a leadership role.
Good.
You play this right, you'll become the foreperson.
And then you'll have even more power to sway their opinions.
All we need is the majority.
I don't like this.
Lee Anne Marcus cannot win this case.
You get me that outcome, and I'll fulfill my end of the bargain.
You have my promise.
Hey, there he is! Really sucks about your badge, man.
Work's not the same without you.
Ah, they can't hold me down for long.
So, what's up? Why'd you want to see me? Well, Toby, I got a proposition for you.
For me? Well, here's the thing.
If you, uh, take this proposition, it might kind of make you persona non grata down at the station.
Why would I be interested in that? I'll tell you why.
'Cause I know you.
You started on the force with high hopes, but your bad back didn't put you on the front lines.
And you weren't savvy enough to snuggle up to the powers that be.
So you clock in and clock out knowing you're never gonna make a big bust, never gonna rise the ranks.
And by the time you punch that final time card and eat your dried up piece of good-bye cake, you'll be lucky if you even got a pension worth all the stomach ulcers eating you up.
But I got a way out for you, my friend.
I can get you some money.
Some sweet tax-free money and lots of it.
Are you still listening? Hey.
I heard about what happened in court.
I'm sorry.
Yeah.
My days here as deputy chief are most likely numbered, and I got some open cases I want off my queue.
Arliss Fulton? That's Lee Anne's husband.
What happened to him? Yeah, that's the last one you should be worried about.
This one first.
Request comes straight from the chief.
CSU never processed this vehicle? Nope.
We never got the work order from homicide.
Oh, I bet that's because the wife of the missing person is Lee Anne Marcus.
We got blood on the steering wheel and the door handle here.
Look at this print.
Arliss Fulton's a paraplegic.
There's no way he could've reached this area.
Someone else was here.
May I help you? You're repping Lee Anne Marcus, right? I'm Detective Fowler.
Toby Fowler.
What can we do for you, sir? I knew her Lee Anne.
Look, I've seen things, but I didn't want to say.
The thin blue line can be like a rope that'll strangle you.
So, why are you coming forward now? This has all gone way too far.
What those guys did to her, I should've come forward sooner.
I want to know everything.
Would you be willing to testify on her behalf? Yes, I will.
Detective Fowler, how long have you been a police officer with the Charleston police department? Going on 20 years.
And did you ever socialize with my client Lee Anne Marcus outside of work? Yes, often.
CPD is a tight-knit group.
Did you ever witness any male police officers make sexual advances toward her? Yes.
Can you point to a specific incident? One night, we were out celebrating an officer's birthday Terry McCandless.
Some of us went out for drinks.
It was the same night that sex tape was made that was all over the news.
And what did you see that night? Terry and his buddies, they were all three sheets to the wind.
I left before things got out of control, but But what? One of the guys told me they were gonna "get a taste of Lee Anne" before the night was done.
And then he slipped something into her beer.
Would you identify that person for the court? You say it was Frank Jablonski.
Now, are you aware, detective, that Mr.
Jablonski was killed a few weeks ago in an officer-involved shooting? I am.
Unfortunately, Mr.
Jablonski is not available to confirm or deny your story.
And to your point, Detective Fowler, I'd like to submit plaintiff's exhibits five and six.
On the monitor, you will see results of a drug test performed by two different independent labs, which confirm that my client was dosed with GHB, commonly referred to as a "date rape drug.
" As for plaintiff's exhibit seven, this drug test, performed to the same criteria, came back negative.
And why? Because it was performed by a man named Patrick Brandeis, who happens to be the brother of Miles Brandeis, another one of Terry McCandless's buddies at the Charleston PD.
Once again confirming that the police not only knew that my client was drugged, but they were united in an effort to cover it up.
Objection! Counsel is testifying.
She certainly is.
Would you like to be sworn in, Ms.
Sawyer? My apologies.
Thank you, detective.
No further questions.
Hey.
You on a lunch break? Toby Fowler.
You got him to testify for me, didn't you? Terry McCandless, if you did something illegal and they find out Calm down.
Toby decided to come forward.
That's his prerogative.
You were drugged, right? The test results proved it.
You just needed someone to back your story.
I just wanted to help you.
You got a funny way of showing it.
- Wait.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I know.
Look, I didn't mean - It's okay.
- With Arliss and all that I've been through all the stages of grief, Terry.
All of them.
Something hit me when I woke up this morning.
And that feeling that I've held so close That feeling that he's out there somewhere It's gone.
Arliss is dead.
I know that now.
But What? But I need to keep on living.
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? I will.
How long have you lived in Charleston, Lee Anne? I'm a Chucktown girl, born and raised.
You come from a broken home, correct? My daddy ran off when I was seven.
We didn't have much, but my mama, she was strong.
Taught me how to be self-reliant, to dream big.
And did you? To me, being a police officer was dreaming big.
So, when I became one, it was one of the best moments of my life.
You held other jobs before becoming a police officer, didn't you? Yes.
Bartender, bank teller, fast food cashier, to name a few.
Were you fired from any of those jobs? Objection.
Relevance.
Your Honor, I'm just establishing a pattern of work ethic.
Overruled.
I've entered defense exhibits two through five, Your Honor.
All paperwork showing that the plaintiff was indeed fired from four previous positions.
Were you also "wrongfully terminated" from all of those places as well? We've already established your performance record at the Charleston PD, Lee Anne.
Were you ever given any indication that your work there was anything but exemplary? No.
One afternoon, I was called into deputy chief Knox's office, and without warning, he fired me.
You admitted in your deposition that you were having an extramarital affair with a fellow officer, Terry McCandless.
Correct? Yes.
Not only while your husband was fighting for his country in Iraq, but even after he returned home as a paraplegic.
If this case is about me being perfect, well, y'all can rule against me right now.
Why did you have an affair with Officer McCandless? When my husband went off to fight, I was alone for the first time in my life and so scared.
Being with Terry, I was accepted, taken in by the other officers.
It was like I had a family again.
And did that change? After that night, at at Terry's party, when I was drugged and passed around like a toy everything changed.
They all turned against me.
And I lost my job.
I might have been crazy taking on the entire police department.
This case has taken a huge toll in ways I never could've imagined.
My house was firebombed, and that tape was leaked to the press.
And your husband drove off the road and disappeared, right? Yes.
Perhaps he didn't disappear.
Perhaps, Ms.
Marcus, he left you after discovering you have continued your affair with Officer McCandless.
Objection.
Argumentative.
Sustained.
You best have a point, Mr.
City Attorney.
I do, Your Honor.
In Ms.
Marcus's deposition, she stated that she had not had any sexual relations with Officer McCandless since before the lawsuit was filed.
If it pleases the court, I'd like to present defense exhibit number six.
Object, Your Honor.
Immaterial.
Overruled.
This was taken the night of the mayor's ball.
She was lying.
I don't know if I can believe her.
She's lying.
Shame, shame.
Roy really did a number on us today, that's for sure.
I need to do damage control, strike back.
I think I found something.
I was looking over copies of Roy's witness lists.
Here's one from two months ago and one from just last week.
And there's one change that's particularly interesting.
Ronnie Porter.
Roy was gonna call him as a witness, but then struck him from the list.
Who's Ronnie Porter? A former Charleston PD cop.
Left the force before the suit was filed.
How's that helpful? If Roy changed his mind about using him, it's gotta be for a good reason.
A reason that could help our case.
I'm gonna ask Lee Anne if she knows him.
Meanwhile, find Ronnie, okay? I'd love to have a little chat with him.
Yeah, I knew Ronnie.
He was my training officer.
Oh, that must be why Roy called him to the stand.
To testify about your job performance.
Probably dropped him when he only had good things to say about you.
I should call Ronnie to the stand.
Make Roy tap-dance a little.
You wouldn't want to do that, believe me.
Why not? Ronnie got put on an extended leave of absence.
He had some kind of breakdown.
Over what? Well, he shot an innocent bystander at a scene, and the guy almost died.
I think the guilt just tore Ronnie up.
They found him on the railing of the Ravenel Bridge about ready to jump.
I'd love for him to testify for me, but Unfortunately, he wouldn't exactly be the most reliable witness.
What do you need, Roy? Looking for Knox.
Not answering his phone.
He hasn't been around all day.
Is it true he dropped out of the mayor's race? Yeah.
I just heard and wanted to see how he was holding up.
What's that? Cold case.
Three years ago, an intruder broke into a home, attacked a married couple.
Killed the husband, seriously injured the wife.
Went unsolved.
Why is it here? I guess Chief Ellsworth wanted it reopened for some reason.
Why are you so interested? Because I know that woman.
There he is.
Chief Ellsworth.
Thank you for coming in.
My pleasure.
I heard you pulled off some pretty fancy footwork today, Roy.
We got a real shot at winning this thing now.
Exactly how far are you willing to go to ensure that? What are you talking about, son? Please tell me that it is a coincidence that Nicolette Graham just happens to be on my jury.
You see, her husband was killed three years ago.
Killer was never found and the case went cold.
And suddenly, out of the blue, the case is reopened by you.
You made a deal with Ms.
Graham, didn't you? Don't jump to conclusions here.
You are tampering with my jury, and I will not stand for it.
Even if Ms.
Graham and I devised a mutually beneficial arrangement Why should you care to have a friend on your side? She will tell the court that she is sick or had a death in the family.
Whatever it takes to recuse herself.
I don't care.
Must I remind you you're working for me? For my department.
This case, it's a sham.
An embarrassment.
The juror is out.
And unless you want me to tell the judge and everyone who will listen that the chief of police is guilty of collusion, I want two things from you.
You will still look into the murder of Ms.
Graham's husband I'm gonna remember this, Rayder.
Believe me when I say that.
And two: You will stick by Holland Knox and let him keep his job.
Do we have a deal? Do we have a deal, chief? Detective Cruz.
I ran those fingerprints you found on Arliss Fulton's truck, and I got a hit in AFIS.
Oh, that's great.
"Jasper Taggett.
" Assault, armed robbery Oh, that's great.
Attempted murder.
He's a three-time loser.
I gotta figure out what he was doing at the crash.
Jasper Taggett? Charleston PD.
Mr.
Taggett? Yeah.
What do you want? Open the door, sir.
What if I don't want to? Hey, man! You know a man named Arliss Fulton? No.
I never even heard that name.
Hey, don't you need a warrant or something? Shut up! Just shut up.
Two wallets? Where is he? Where's Arliss? What did you do? - Watch him.
- Got it.
Mr.
Porter? I hope I'm not bothering you.
I've seen you on TV.
You're that lawyer that's fighting the police department.
From what I hear, you're a pretty darn good cop.
Was, you mean.
Did your job make you sick? That's a nice way to put it.
Yeah.
That and some other things.
I guess you're wondering how I let her get to me like that, huh? Let who get to you? Lee Anne Marcus.
Right, yes.
I was curious.
Do you mind talking about it? Um I was top of my class at the academy.
I brought that momentum in with me to the job.
Pretty solid future.
And then she joined the force.
Lee Anne.
Yeah.
She was like a heat-seeking missile.
Day one, she locked eyes on me, and I was gone.
Gone how? She has this way of getting inside your blood.
And you're so afraid of losing that high You'll do just about anything.
You know, suddenly I-I'm playing all these messed-up games.
You know Sexual stuff.
Ruined my marriage.
I lost my kids.
I couldn't concentrate at work.
But that just made her bury the claws in deeper.
Pretty soon, she got me, uh doing things, um Bad things.
Bad things? Lifting stuff from the, uh, evidence room.
Like what? You can tell me, Ronnie.
Was it drugs? Look, it was nothing hardcore.
Just some E and some roofies.
And finally, I-I said, "hey, that That's enough.
Okay?" But she she just went cold.
You see? And-and five minutes later, she found some other dupe to manipulate into doing whatever it is she wanted.
And who was that? This hothead detective, Terry McCandless.
And all of a sudden, I'm on the outside looking in.
Everything I had was gone.
And it's because of your client, Lee Anne Marcus.
Lee Anne Marcus! - No, Ronnie - Get off me! Get off me! It's your client! Lee Anne Marcus! It's your client! Too late for that, darling.
Decatur.
You're looking good as ever.
Everything's going just as we planned, my dear.
Getting everything I wanted.
And now it's your turn.