The Guardian (2001) s03e21 Episode Script

[Jake.]
Seniority.
Reliability.
Liability.
Get to it, Jake.
Seniority: We've all been here longer than Nick.
His name's on the door, ours are not.
Reliability: Nick's addiction and recovery.
- My son's problems - Are our problems.
Which leads me to liability.
Burton, Nick has botched deals.
He's hidden conflicts of interest and now he's gotten us sued.
As much as we respect you, Burton, we know that you're planning to retire in the near future, and we need someone else's name on the door.
[Knocks on door.]
Well, they, uh, want to revoke your partnership.
- They want me out of the firm? - Yeah.
Do they have the votes? Straka has four of the nine locked up.
It's gonna be close.
We have, well, you and me and then we're just gonna have to sway the other three.
- When's the vote? - Thursday, 4:00.
I'll talk to Doucette.
She always wanted in on Bluestone Plastics and Yeah, I think I can sway Bill Gordon.
We should save Barry Landsburg for last.
He should be the easiest.
He's got a few reasons for opposing Straka.
He's got a few reasons to oppose me, too.
[Sighs.]
Son, um I want you here.
That's the main reason I've stuck around for so damn long.
[Door closes.]
~ There is trouble in my mind ~ ~ There is dark ~ ~ There is dark and there is light ~ ~ There is no order ~ ~ There is chaos and there is crime ~ ~ There is no one home tonight ~ ~ In the empire in my mind ~ Hey, Nick.
Come on in.
You want me to cover for you for six weeks? Yeah, you know, just for my maternity leave.
- When are you due? - Mid June.
You know, Alvin, if you don't think that you're up to it then I can find someone else to cover for me.
Who? Well, I don't know, but I'm up to it, Lulu, really.
- Are you sure? - [Knock on door.]
- Hey, Nick.
- Alvin.
Lulu, do you have a second? Yeah.
- I just saw my probation officer.
- Okay.
I have 17 hours left.
- What do you mean? - My community service.
Hmm.
Okay.
Well, um You know, all of your open cases will have to be transferred to other attorneys.
Sure.
And I'll start the paperwork for your probation officer.
Great.
You know what? Here.
Kevin.
Kevin Brown.
He's charged with raping a girl in an academic games tournament.
Hmm.
He's been waiting a hell of long time for his trial.
Well, welcome to the criminal courts.
What's the problem? The girl was impregnated, and she had the baby two weeks ago.
Wants to give her up for adoption.
Okay.
The problem is that Kevin doesn't want to relinquish his parental rights, so Right.
Well, this'll only take eight hours, so do you have another? Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Here, take that.
Thank you.
See this? Taliek Allen fired his lawyer.
He loses the next appeal, they're gonna execute him.
[Door buzzer.]
Can I help you? I'm here to see Kevin Brown.
- I didn't rape her.
- I'm not a public defender, Kevin.
Yo, I haven't committed a crime in three years.
I joined the leg-up program and was gettin' all A's and B's in school.
Kevin.
Kevin.
Do you understand that the court is considering terminating your parental rights? They can't do that.
Well, they can if you end up in prison, or if the judge believes the mother of your baby.
I mean, that's some crap right there.
It's not crap.
You have two prior convictions.
One for drugs and another for assault.
But I didn't rape her.
And the mother's agreed to the adoption.
And the potential family's an excellent placement.
- I didn't rape her.
- I get it.
I get it.
She was my girlfriend.
She was.
Like, she was real interested in me for the way I changed my life around and whatever.
Then when they caught us together, she turned on me.
I'll see if I can get a stay until the criminal case is resolved.
And I haven't even met my baby.
They won't even let me see her.
[Door buzzer.]
Taliek.
Alvin Masterson.
I'm here because I understand you fired your latest attorney.
So, Chris, your file says you wouldn't come out of your cell? Says you didn't eat in over a week and you didn't shower in two months.
I can't go into the bathroom.
I can't even go into the common room.
- Why not? - Gangs.
- Right.
- The black kids beat me up.
And if you don't join the white kids, they basically treat you like a black kid.
Well, the psychiatrists here, Chris, are not classifying you as mentally ill.
So you can't stay here any longer.
But I don't have to go back to Manko, right? That'll be up to the judge.
Well, maybe you could put me in a foster family or something? Well, I'll see what I can do.
I can't go back to Manko, Mr.
Fallin.
Your Honor, the motion to terminate my client's parental rights is completely premature.
His client was arrested for rape, Your Honor.
Kevin Brown has not been convicted of any crime.
There's only been an accusation.
Quite a serious accusation.
But it's only an accusation.
And it's not the first time your client If he's found not guilty in his criminal trial, then he should be given the opportunity to have a relationship with his child.
A criminal conviction is not necessary for this court to terminate Kevin Brown's rights.
Your Honor, the Fullers have identified an exemplary family who are ready to adopt now.
No one should have their child taken away from them simply because they've been accused of a crime.
Do you understand how difficult it is to find families to adopt children conceived in rape? I'll reserve judgment.
You'll get my decision in a day or two.
The conditions at the Manko Center are so bad that my client had a mental breakdown and was institutionalized.
And found not to be mentally ill.
He doesn't come out of his cell.
He doesn't eat.
He doesn't shower.
According to the doctors, those behaviors are his choice, not an illness.
Well, the Manko Center is supposed to be a reformatory, not a prison.
I sentenced Mr.
Rapp to boot camp for assaulting an eight-year-old girl.
He then attacked a social worker who was trying to help get him transferred from that very camp.
But the fact remains, Your Honor, that the Manko Center is not rehabilitating my client.
The fact remains, Mr.
Fallin, that the Manko Center is reserved for the worst of the worst.
If you ask me, he's more than earned his place there.
- Oh, hey.
Sorry I'm late.
- That's all right.
Uh, can I have a vodka-tonic? You want a Coke or something? No, I'm fine.
So, what's up? You want to sit down? No, I already ate.
Thanks.
Let's sit down, okay? Okay.
I had no idea you wanted me out of the firm.
Yeah.
Well, I'm just doing what I feel is best for the future of the firm.
Really? And if anyone asks me, I will tell them that you are a top-notch lawyer, that you bring in clients and that you are talented.
But it's time for you to move on.
From my own firm? Well, see that's where the problem rests, because me and Higgins and Marston and Stone have all been there longer than you have.
We bill more than you do.
We have more clients than you.
And frankly, we're tired of having your name on the door.
I mean, the way we see it, Fallin & Fallin is really Fallin & Higgins & Marston & Stone & Straka & Fallin.
But you jumped the line.
Look, I know there's no way that you can't take this personally, but you shouldn't.
I like you Nick.
I really do.
I'm sorry it had to come to this.
Yeah.
- Hey.
- Hey.
So how'd it go with Jake? I don't think any of those guys are gonna change their position by Thursday.
Well, Doucette's with us.
Great.
What'd you have to give her? - Bluestone.
- How much? All of it.
Well, tomorrow I have a breakfast meeting with Bill Gordon.
Hmm.
Well, I'll set up, uh, some kinda dinner thing with Landsburg tomorrow night.
Right.
Oh, I'll be finishing my community service on Thursday.
Are you? Probation's almost over.
Well, you're working full-time.
Straka can't compete with that.
He can't.
This judge isn't gonna give me a chance, is she? No, I don't think she will.
If she takes the baby away, I won't have any way to see her again, right? Right.
Think I could get five minutes with the baby? Maybe.
If you agree to relinquish your rights before the judge rules, I may be able to work something out.
I've never seen her, Mr.
Fallin.
I just want to see her once.
Please.
I'm sorry.
I just can't stay here.
- What's going on? - He won't come out for class.
Let me talk to him.
I'm his lawyer.
Mr.
Fallin? If I let you talk to this guy, you'll come out? Three minutes.
- I heard them last night.
- Who? The black kids.
I heard one of them say he was gonna stick me.
- Who? - I didn't see his face.
- Where were they? - I don't know.
It was after lights out.
- I heard 'em, man.
- Right.
You know what they do? They stab you in the armpit so your lung gets punctured.
Chris, there's security here.
There's people here to protect you.
You don't know what you're talking about.
You got three months to go.
When you're 18, you're out of here.
Just play by the rules.
Go to school and keep your head down.
You really think that'll work? Just keep to yourself, okay? Here's the revised copies you requested.
Yeah, okay.
Thank you.
- Hey, Nick.
- Hey.
So Bill Gordon's in.
Had to give him half of Hostetler Coal, but he's in.
Did you talk to Landsburg already? I don't think he's made his mind up yet.
What is it? Straka.
He got engaged last night.
- To Kate Shaw? - Yeah.
That's a good move.
Old man's got a lot of money, good connections.
It's a good move.
I'd better go say congratulations.
James was against the death penalty, vehemently.
And I know he would be opposed to what is about to happen to Taliek Allen.
I am handling Taliek's appeal.
It would help me a great deal if I could get an affidavit from you all, stating that you knew James' view on capital punishment and that you support a life sentence for Taliek instead of death.
I know this is a difficult time.
No.
When I watched them lower my brother James into the ground, that was a difficult time.
Today, knowing that Taliek Allen will be put down like the dog he is, that's a very easy time, Mr.
Masterson.
James wouldn't want it that way.
My brother would've wanted to be alive.
Don't call on us again unless you plan to apologize.
Angela.
What's going on? - I asked James' family to meet with me.
- What for? To sign an affidavit.
I'm representing Taliek Allen in his appeal.
- Since when? - Yesterday.
Why? You're not opposed to the death penalty? I'm opposed.
I have my issues with it.
Well, would you consider signing an affidavit stating that you knew James was against it? You want me to sign something stating that I knew James was against the death penalty? - Yes.
- Was he? Well, yeah.
Didn't know that.
Hi.
Hi, Violet.
When did you get here? I don't know.
You wait right here, okay? Alvin, I need you to take over one of my clients.
No, I'm very busy.
Her name is Violet Sands.
Her foster parents are moving to Nevada.
She needs a good placement.
Why can't you take her? I'm gonna be done by the end of the week.
- Done with what? - Done with this.
- Done here? - I got 11 hours to go.
Violet, this is Alvin Masterson.
Alvin will be taking care of you from now on.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Did you hear about Jake and Kate? - Yeah.
I don't know what I'm gonna do about that.
I mean, she's one of my really good friends.
You don't think she knows about Jake? Well, she agreed to marry him.
So no, I don't think she knows.
I have to tell her, don't you think? What are you gonna say? Um, I don't know.
That he's been with men, I guess? It's up to you.
I don't care what you say Nick did! You vote Nick out, you vote me out as well.
Is that understood? I heard you're getting married.
That's right.
Congratulations.
Kate's very nice.
Yeah.
That's a lot of changes happening for you.
New fiancée.
New clients.
New clothes.
Well, you know, I was thinking maybe we could sit down together and hammer out a new pay structure, based on billable hours, working with source credit.
Figure out who gets what of each client instead of tearing this entire firm apart.
Are you threatening me? Why would you say that? Why would you bring up Kate? Jake, I was congratulating you on your good news.
So, we can get a client list, we can sit down together, alone, and try to come to some kind of an arrangement.
Yeah, but why would you bring Kate into this? I'm not, Jake.
If I wanted to tell Kate about you, I would've done it already.
You're threatening me.
I've kept my promises to you.
I've covered for you.
I've kept quiet about your situation.
So I guess I'm a little curious as to why you would be doing this to me now.
You're threatening me.
My mom wants to invite your mom over for dinner tomorrow night.
Good.
Oh, my mother has hired this insane wedding planner.
And my dad thought he might reserve three floors at the William Penn the weekend of the wedding.
Kate, do you remember, um Do you remember when I was mugged? Yeah.
Well, it wasn't just that.
I was, uh I was attacked sexually.
The man, he, uh Well, he attacked me.
Why didn't you tell me? L I was ashamed.
I, uh [sighs.]
I guess I thought you might think that I was weak.
He raped you? And now some people are, uh well, they're they're, um spreading rumors that I'm What are you trying to tell me? I just want to get past it.
What I'm saying is I guess I understand if this makes you not want to be with me.
Jake, I love you.
I should've told you sooner.
Look, I just understand if you need some time to think about this now.
Ineffective assistance of counsel.
That's our argument.
See here? And here.
You testified about the intense rage you felt towards James because his attack caused your disfigurement, because you lost your child.
So? Well, your lawyer never argued extreme emotional disturbance.
Affirmative defenses that probably couldn't have gotten you off, but could have mitigated the sentence to life instead of, uh well, instead of the alternative.
How long does he want to spend with the baby? A few minutes.
Just to see her in person.
If you agree, Kevin will relinquish his parental rights.
Well, I don't see why not.
So it's agreed? Sure.
I mean, I have to talk to my wife first, but I don't think there'll be a problem.
Great.
I'll request permission from the judge, and we'll set up the meeting.
- Okay.
- You sure you're all right with this? Yeah, I just want to see her, Mr.
Fallin.
- May I ask you something? - What? - How bad is it in here? - What do you mean? I represent this kid in your unit.
He so frightened he never comes out of his cell.
- What, that fat white kid? - Right.
He got it bad.
He's too nervous.
Calls attention to himself.
But he says to survive in this place you gotta join a gang.
Some kids do.
Keeps telling me if he joins, there's gonna be trouble.
- Blood in, blood out.
- Blood in? Yeah, you gotta earn your place by jumpin' somebody, drawing blood.
- I'll be in touch.
- All right.
Hey! I kept my head down, Mr.
Fallin.
Just like you said.
I kept my head down.
I need to know the minute Mr.
And Mrs.
Glass come to a decision, all right? Thank you.
- Hey, Nick.
- Hey, how are you? It's been a wild couple a days.
I bet.
Well, congratulations.
Thanks.
I just saw Kate.
Oh, yeah.
She, uh She came by and she wanted to talk about Jake.
I guess he told her about the attack.
She was kinda freaked out about it.
Did you say something? No.
I couldn't.
I just I just changed the subject and talked about her wedding shower.
- You okay? - Yeah.
Kate told me that you and Jake were having some problems at work.
Yeah.
Well, what's going on? Jake's trying to get me thrown out of my firm.
What? Why didn't you tell me? Oh, you don't need the stress.
You're about to have a baby.
Well, I hope you're not embarrassed about it.
No, not at all.
Because I don't care if you work for that firm or not.
Well, I kinda do.
- [Knocks on door.]
Hey.
- Hey.
How many hours do you have left? Four.
- End of an era.
- Right.
End of an era.
This pen Yes? This pen was given to my father for his high school graduation by my grandfather.
It's a 1954 Alt-Rodere, gold-tip.
It cost my grandfather a week's salary.
I want you to have it, Nick.
Alvin, you don't have to give me anything.
To remember your time here.
Thank you.
You gotta admit, you kinda liked working here.
Nope.
No.
I, uh I didn't.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Nick, this just came from Judge Damsen's office.
Great.
Thank you.
- I knew it.
- You understand what that means? That I'm not my baby's daddy anymore, according to this judge.
The Glasses have changed their mind about your visit.
What? Mrs.
Glass is concerned.
Concerned? What, she scared of me? She believes the story.
I have never Man, I did not rape that girl! Well, she believes the girl's story.
- But he promised me, man! - I'm sorry.
No, man! He promised me! You heard him promise me, man! Chris, how are you feeling? Thanks a lot, jerk-off.
They're gonna kill me now.
What are you talking about? You told Director Clarkson what happened to me? Yeah, of course I did.
He went after the kid that did this to me, and now his buddies are gonna kill me unless I can do something.
You should have got me out of here.
Instead of spending all your time with that black kid, you should have been helping me instead.
The Sixth Amendment guarantees all persons assistance of counsel for their defense.
It has been repeatedly interpreted by the courts to mean adequate and skilled counsel.
As I have made it painfully clear to this court, Taliek Allen was never afforded such representation.
The Commonwealth wants to take Taliek Allen's life.
He has been condemned to die despite the fact that the rules of our Constitution have not been adhered to, and that is an irreversible injustice.
Death is not something to be handed out arbitrarily.
An agreement was reached, Your Honor.
For which there was no consideration.
My client was willing to sign the termination papers.
Is that not enough? The agreement was based on the presumption his signature would be necessary.
It isn't any longer.
The agreement isn't enforceable.
Mr.
Glass, if you'd just hear me out.
I need to talk to you about Nick, your father's argued before the Supreme Court, right? - Yeah.
- Did you help him with that? A little.
Why? I drafted a Writ of Certiorari.
Maybe you could take a look at it? You're gonna appeal to the Supreme Court? I can't just let him die, Nick.
Hi.
What are you doing? Hiding.
From who? Him.
Why? I don't like him.
Well Lulu! Come here.
This is Lulu.
She's gonna take care of you just for a minute, okay? Just a minute.
Ineffective assistance of counsel? It's worth a shot.
- What's this about? - What do you mean? No, what is this really about? The death penalty's barbaric.
I don't think it's about the death penalty, Alvin.
What, you think this is about me? It's not.
It's about the fact that Taliek Allen does not deserve to die.
Everyone has a right to life.
Right.
Well, it's not about me.
I'm sorry I called you so many times.
- It's all right.
- I wasn't sure who else to call.
Lulu was being weird about it, and I guess I thought we could talk.
Okay.
I know that you and Jake are having some problems, but I thought, well, you're the person who knows him the best.
Well, I wouldn't say that.
Jake always spoke so highly of you.
Well, that's nice to hear.
Now that's changed.
Jake's kind of changed.
He told me about the attack, and I guess I started to think about how something like that might happen, how someone might find themselves in that type of a situation.
And I guess I began to wonder if the attack was random or if it was the result of a lifestyle.
Okay.
And I guess I thought that maybe you could tell me something about that.
I'm really sorry, Taliek, but the Third Circuit denied our appeal.
But you can't give up hope.
I've filed some papers with the Supreme Court.
Hopefully they'll agree to hear our case.
Do you know how they do it? What? How they kill me? [Sighs.]
It's an injection.
They put me in a diaper because sometimes when the drugs hit you, you lose control of your functions.
Taliek.
Then they strap me down.
They give me three shots.
First one's supposed to make me sleep.
The second one's supposed to stop me from breathing.
And the last one's supposed to shut down my heart, stop it from pumping.
I heard sometimes the first shot doesn't even work.
So you lie there.
You just lie there and You want to breathe but you can't move and you can feel your heart stopping.
You can feel it, man.
They say it's the worst pain in the world.
To everybody watching, it looks like you're just lying there.
But you can feel it.
You can feel yourself dying.
You wanted to see me? Yeah, come on in.
Listen, are you through with that LSP? Just about.
Are you gonna have some kind of a form or something to show these guys in time for the meeting? Yeah, I will.
Well, we got four votes.
They got four.
I think it's gonna come down to Landsburg.
I guess you're gonna have to convince him right in the room.
Okay.
Nicholas, um, I meant what I said.
If they vote you out, I'm Please.
Please, don't do that.
Well, that's the way I feel, son.
No one here has a problem with you.
It's me.
It's always been me.
No.
I meant what I said.
I'm asking you.
If they vote me out, then you stay.
The meeting's at 4.
[Door opens and closes.]
Nick.
Nick.
I just wanted to say thank you.
I know you talked to Kate last night.
[Chuckles.]
Don't thank me.
- Well, I mean you could've - I wouldn't.
I knew that.
She said you've changed.
I hope that's true.
I have changed.
Kate's got nothing to worry about.
Well, truth be told, I think I liked you a little better before.
Nick, uh, I'm not changing my vote today.
I figured that.
Gone over all my clients, I filed the closed cases, transferred the active ones to the other lawyers.
Okay.
Well, this is for your probation officer.
You still have 20 minutes, though.
Well, I'm stopping off at the Manko Center on the way back to work.
I have to drop something off.
Nick, I was kidding.
I gotta sign this.
Here.
Well, I guess that's it.
Congratulations.
You're done.
Thank you.
You think things are gonna be different now? [Sighs.]
Yeah.
Things are gonna be better, Lulu.
This is only gonna make things better.
What time is your meeting? Good luck.
Thank you.
[Door buzzer.]
The Supreme Court refused to grant Cert.
They won't hear our case.
So, I've contacted the Board of Pardons for a hearing.
- You think that'll work? - It might.
It could.
[Sighs.]
Let's just let it be.
Taliek Look, I can't do this anymore.
Firing lawyers, filing appeals.
Look, all these things just delay what we all know is gonna happen.
Don't walk out on me, Taliek.
Look, I can't get my hopes up for nothing.
Don't walk out on me! There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss my friend James! He was a good man, Taliek.
Smart.
Funny.
There's not a day that goes by that I don't struggle with the pain that you caused! What I'm saying is James' death doesn't need to cause any more pain than it already has.
So please don't walk out on me.
[Sighs.]
Thank you.
Hey.
Mr.
Fallin.
I brought you something.
They're calling her Lila.
Lila? That's your baby girl.
Lila.
Hey, Mr.
Fallin, just so you know, I didn't rape that girl.
And you gonna see that I didn't rape her.
How you doing, Chris? Better.
I'm better now.
- You doing better? - I'm better.
Why is that? I'm better now, Mr.
Fallin.
[Kevin.]
Hey, yo.
This is Lila.
This is my daughter.
Man, this is Look at that! Give me my picture back.
What did you do for that guy? Oh, he's just a client.
Right.
Give me the picture back.
Listen, I'm gonna I'm gonna write down a number.
If you need anything, you call me, and I'll make sure you get a very good lawyer.
I don't need anything from you, Mr.
Fallin.
Yo, check it out.
This is really Kevin's kid, man.
Yeah, it is.
[Kevin.]
I told you! This is my daughter right here! It's time for you to leave.
[Shouting.]
[Shouting.]
[Alarms buzzing.]
[Chatter.]
[Guard on intercom.]
Attention.
Emergency lockdown will continue until further notice.
[Door opens and closes.]
[Sighs.]
Where were you? I'm sorry.
[Sighs.]
It doesn't matter now.
I'm sorry.
Can I ask you something? Did you have a choice? What do you mean, did I have a choice? To be here or not? Did you have a choice? No.
Yes.
[Door closes.]