The Lincoln Lawyer (2022) s02e07 Episode Script
Cui Bono
1
On the morning
that Mr. Bondurant was murdered,
I saw her very clearly.
A coffee shop near his office
an hour before the murder
is not the crime scene.
Does the prosecution have
any other witnesses to call
or evidence to present?
[Lisa] Something you should know.
I was there that morning
in front of the building, like she said.
You have to tell me everything.
That's everything.
[Andrea] What did you discover?
What appeared to be a small blood stain
on the right-hand glove.
Why is Mitchell Bondurant's blood
on your gardening gloves?
I don't know, okay? I don't know.
[grunting]
Tell me. How much did Alex Grant pay you
to have me beaten up in my garage?
What?
David Webber works for Alex Grant.
That means so do you.
This isn't about a podcast.
It's about making sure Lisa takes the fall
for Mitchell Bondurant's murder.
Now, Mr. Grant,
would you care to explain to the court
what suspicious activity
Mr. Bondurant was alluding to?
One email may have been enough
to goad Mr. Grant into testifying.
It is not enough to prove
he is relevant to this case.
Find something else
to suggest Alex Grant's involvement.
That is if you want
to use this defense at trial.
[suspenseful music playing]
[machine whirs]
[suspenseful music continues]
[opening theme music playing]
[sizzling]
- You want milk or sugar?
- [Legal] Whatever's fine!
You're gonna be late for court.
Hey. My lesson ends at 6:00.
I can take an Uber home if it's easier.
No, no. I love picking you up.
I did find a stable
that's closer to your mom.
[in Spanish] Do you wanna try it out?
I don't know.
[in Spanish] I love my horse.
And I like that you get to see me ride.
- Okay.
- [cell phone vibrates]
You don't have to feel weird
about me and your mom.
- I'm fine, honey. You can pick it up.
- Hurry up.
- [Hayley speaks Spanish]
- All right. I love you. Have fun.
[Hayley] Love you.
[Mickey exhales]
All right.
[Mickey chuckles]
Don't tell my doctor.
He's got me on a strict diet.
No booze, no cholesterol,
no carbs, no joy.
Now, what's so important
that you had to see me
on the morning your trial starts?
[sighs] Someone left this
on my doorstep last night.
An FBI target letter?
Yeah, addressed to Alex Grant,
also known as Alex Kazarian. My straw man.
I prefer the term "alternate suspect."
And this says that your alternate suspect
is a person of interest
in a federal investigation.
Construction fraud.
You know that email
Mitchell Bondurant sent?
- Well, this puts it in a whole new light.
- How so?
Well, Bondurant sends an email
threatening to expose Alex Grant.
By itself, it's not clear what he meant.
Judge said it wasn't enough
to point the finger at him.
She needed more. Well, this is more.
This makes it look like
Alex Grant was up to something illegal.
And that email he sent?
It wasn't a threat. It was blackmail.
Blackmail's a pretty good motive
to kill someone if it's legit.
But this? This just shows up
on your doorstep on the eve of trial?
Yeah, I know.
Either someone's
really trying to help you,
or they're really trying to fuck with you.
You gotta find out which one.
How do I do that?
[Legal] Well, first, you gotta confirm
that the letter is real or not.
And you gotta do it fast.
The cop who handled the investigation.
That's who you wanna spring this on
during cross.
Nah, the prosecutor will call him first.
[Legal] Then you gotta confirm it
before then.
Kid, you sure about this?
You said this guy Grant
was the one who had you beaten up.
What if he tries something more permanent?
I think I have a way
to make him feel safe.
["Minor's Holiday" playing]
- [music continues in car]
- Mm.
Kenny Dorham, 1955.
- You've been studying, huh?
- Listening.
This guy was one of the most underrated
trumpet players of all time.
My dad used to listen to it
whenever he had a big case.
I don't know why.
Good to have an underdog mentality, right?
No matter how many trials I've done,
it's always like
learning to ride a bicycle again.
It's nerve-racking
starting a new anything.
I, uh
I wanted to say thank you again.
For what?
[Izzy] Being generous.
With that money Ray got.
I'm meeting with the property manager
tomorrow on the studio
to give him my first month's rent.
- Ah, Izzy, that's great. Congratulations.
- [Izzy chuckles]
- So, you have something new too, huh?
- Yeah.
Now I just have to not mess it up.
[chuckles]
Oh, almost forgot.
I got your mail from the office.
Figured you wouldn't have time.
See? This is what I'm gonna miss
when you're gone.
- [Izzy chuckles]
- What am I gonna do without you, huh?
I have a feeling
Lorna will keep you in line.
[elevator bell dings]
Who's covering you at the office?
I hired some temps from law school.
[hesitates] How many?
- Four.
- Four?
Have you seen our caseload lately?
That's how many it would take
to cover work Izzy and I've been doing.
- Right. All right.
- [elevator dings]
Oh. Mickey.
You look great.
- Perfect choice for the first day.
- Thank you.
Everything's gonna be okay.
All right? Just be calm.
Keep your cool in front of the jury
no matter what you hear, all right?
- [cell phone beeps]
- Yeah. Anything?
Not yet, but he's on it.
[roadie] Look, man. I can get you tickets.
[Cisco] I need backstage passes.
It's gonna take time.
Yeah, well, you got 24 hours.
Twenty-four hours?
[Cisco] I'll pay double.
[roadie scoffs]
All right, then. I'll pay triple.
I'll see what I can do.
Help me with this bad boy, will you?
[muted chatter]
Which one is our juror?
[Mickey] Front row, second from right.
Gary Furlong.
Why him?
Because when Cisco did a background check,
he found out
that Furlong's father got evicted.
He lost his home to a developer.
Ended up in a lawsuit. So, I asked
Please raise your hand if you or anyone
in your immediate family
has been involved
in a dispute with a property developer.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Lorna] Don't you have to report that?
Technically, he didn't lie.
His wife and kids
are his immediate family. Not his father.
Not my problem
if Andrea didn't do her homework.
This guy has a grudge against developers.
Does that mean he'll be on our side?
Maybe. Don't get too excited.
Andrea's got her jurors too.
Haller.
Andy.
She looks extra smug today.
She's confident.
If she gets into a groove,
we're in trouble.
So we've gotta take any opportunity
to throw off her rhythm with the jury.
[bailiff] All rise.
Good morning.
Let me remind everyone
that in this courtroom,
there will be no signs, chanting,
or any outbursts of any kind.
There are penalties for contempt of court.
And trust me,
you don't wanna learn what they are.
Understood?
Good.
Now, Counsel,
we've wasted enough court time
with continuances
and extra days granted after the prelim.
So in the interests of expedience,
I will allow prosecution and defense
30 minutes apiece for opening statements.
Are we agreed?
Thirty minutes? I'm sorry
The defense will be fine
with just 20 minutes, Your Honor.
In the interest of expedience.
[judge] Let's split the difference, then.
- Let's say 25.
- Twenty-five it is, Judge.
Very well, Your Honor.
[upbeat music playing]
[Andrea clears throat]
Members of the jury, good morning.
[jurors mutter]
My name is Deputy District Attorney
Andrea Freemann,
and I'm here today
to speak on behalf of someone who can't.
A hard-working, successful man
who helped build this city we call home
and employed thousands of people
along the way.
Mitchell Bondurant.
I'm here to tell you about the last brutal
violent moments of his life
and about the person who ended it.
The defendant. Lisa Trammell.
Now, the facts of this case?
They're simple.
The defendant and Mr. Bondurant
were in a dispute.
A dispute which forced Mr. Bondurant
to take out a restraining order
against the defendant
because of her continued harassment.
On the morning of the murder,
after visiting a nearby farmers market,
the defendant entered a local coffee shop
near the victim's office,
where she saw Mr. Bondurant
getting a cup of coffee.
The evidence will show
that she then left the coffee shop,
hurried to his parking garage,
and hid behind a pillar,
knowing he'd be arriving soon.
There, she waited for him,
slipping on a pair of gloves to make sure
she didn't leave any fingerprints.
And when Mr. Bondurant finally arrived
and got out of his car,
she viciously attacked him from behind,
bludgeoning him over the head
with a blunt instrument.
Beating him literally to death.
The evidence will show
how the defendant hated Mr. Bondurant,
how she stalked him,
and how, on the day of the murder,
she entered his parking garage
with the motive, the means,
and the opportunity to kill.
[tense music playing]
I told you I can't keep doing this.
It's the last time. I promise.
I need it confirmed.
The agent who signed the letter
won't return my calls.
This guy. Vasquez.
Felix Vasquez.
All you gotta do is
locate the original letter in the files.
Like hell I will.
That would mean going up three floors
to a department that's not my department,
talk to some asshole I don't like,
and explain why I need to see a letter
that's none of my business to begin with.
It's bad enough I had to schlep here
to talk to you.
Well, that's fair enough.
But I am so thankful
for all that you do for me.
Yeah, just quit the bullshit. Will you?
I'm retiring in five months.
If I'm gonna risk my pension,
you better tell me what's in it for me.
Def Leppard with Mötley Crüe and Poison.
[she chuckles]
I already got tickets. Fourth row.
Backstage passes.
Let me see 'em.
Don't get greedy.
I'll have 'em for you tomorrow.
[scooter beeping]
So, you'll do it?
I'm not doing shit
until I see those passes.
[sighs]
[Andrea] Lastly, you'll hear how
police found the defendant's garden gloves
in her garage
with Mitchell Bondurant's blood on them.
The gloves she used to murder him,
with blood that could have only been
from that murder.
As I said, it's simple.
The facts don't lie.
Now, defense counsel
will try to paint the defendant
as an upstanding member of her community,
a victim of gentrification,
who was harassed by Mitchell Bondurant.
All I would say to that
is don't be fooled.
Don't be fooled by the calm expression,
the crisp white blouse,
the manicured nails.
Don't be fooled by all the red herrings
and smoke and mirrors.
Defense counsel will put on a good show.
That's all it is. A show.
Because he has no answers
to the evidence we will present.
And in the end, his shiny bag of tricks
does not erase the fact
that Mitchell Bondurant
was brutally and violently murdered.
And the woman who murdered him
is sitting right there.
[suspenseful music playing]
[exhales calmly]
Mr. Haller.
Yes. Thank you, Your Honor.
Well, that was, uh, intense.
[quiet laughter]
So, why don't we take a few steps back?
I'd like to start off by introducing you
to my client, Lisa Trammel.
As you may know, she's a chef
at a very good restaurant called Elysian.
Anybody here like to eat?
Yeah? Well, take it from me.
The food in that place
is just out of this world.
Lisa has worked hard
for over ten years, perfecting the menu.
The prosecution says she's got a temper.
[sarcastic] What? Really?
A chef with a temper?
Who ever heard of such a thing.
Guess the prosecutor has never seen
one of those cooking TV shows.
Yes, she's got a temper.
A lot of chefs do.
It comes with the territory.
The stress. The long hours.
Sure it's not a quality Lisa's proud of,
but it doesn't make her a killer, does it?
That's what the prosecutor
will have you believe.
That just because she was
angry at Mitchell Bondurant,
it automatically means she killed him.
That's not what the evidence will show.
The evidence, or lack thereof,
is a glaring problem
in the prosecution's case.
You've heard Miss Freemann
promise all this evidence,
but there's one giant piece of evidence
they don't have.
The most important piece.
The murder weapon.
They never found one.
They wanna throw around
a lot of ideas about what it might be,
but they don't have a weapon or any way
to connect Lisa Trammell to a weapon.
In fact, the only true thing
the prosecution said was the obvious.
Mitchell Bondurant was murdered.
Brutally, violently, in cold blood.
They wanna make you think
Lisa committed that murder,
but we will show you how and why
Lisa could not have done it.
So, what does this mean?
Simple.
Lisa Trammell was set up from the start.
Whatever evidence Miss Freemann presents
is just a part of that setup.
Your Honor, I must object.
This is argument
and desperate argument at that.
Judge, I'm merely discussing the evidence
that I believe would be introduced.
Just stick to the point, Mr. Haller.
Of course, Your Honor.
Sorry about that. Where were we?
The evidence. Okay.
So, where did it come from?
Well, from the LAPD,
who investigated the murder.
And, who, in the rush to build the case
against the first suspect they found,
they missed the big picture,
and Miss Freemann was very happy
to go along with that story.
- Objection, Your Honor.
- Shh.
I'll withdraw the statement.
If the court will allow me,
I'd like to get through
my opening statement in peace.
Continue.
Thank you. I'll sum it up for you
in a way Miss Freemann,
hopefully, will be okay with.
Simply put,
Lisa Trammell was framed.
We will show you exactly how and why.
The cops fell for it.
The prosecution fell for it.
Don't you fall for it.
Thank you.
[pensive music playing]
My trial advocacy professor says
it's bad form to object during an opening.
Makes you look petty to the jury.
Yeah, well, the only thing worse
than doing it once is doing it twice.
[Izzy] I'll send you the info
on the new client.
Oh, and I filed the motions
in the Barkley case.
I figured out how to use
the online system for the court.
Look at that.
We have a functioning office again.
Somebody had to do it.
Those temps Lorna hired
barely know how to work a phone.
When is she coming back?
[Mickey] As soon as this trial wraps up.
Thanks for picking up the slack, Izzy.
[Izzy] Don't mention it.
So, how's Hayley doing with the riding?
Ah, great. She's really taking to it.
And I think I just figured out
the real reason
she wants to keep riding here in LA.
[Izzy] Let me guess.
Is it tall, dark, and dreamy?
[Mickey] Something like that.
[Izzy] My advice, speaking as a daughter.
Don't be too hard on her.
You're getting to spend time with her.
[Andrea] The People call
Detective Howard O'Brien.
Detective, can you please describe
your professional experience
for the court?
Sure. I spent six years in the Marines.
I was ROTC, but I re-upped during Iraq.
Then 18 years in LAPD.
I've been a detective for the last ten.
And, in that time, how many
homicide cases have you worked?
Over 60.
Kind of a depressing statistic,
but it is what it is.
Well, you certainly have
a lot of experience.
Now, can you please walk us through
the stages of your investigation here?
Certainly. My partner, Detective Long,
and I arrived on the scene at 9:45 a.m.
Patrols had secured the area,
and a forensic unit was on the way.
But even without forensics,
it was obvious the victim had suffered
blunt force trauma to the head.
There was a lot of blood,
so our first priority was
to preserve and collect any evidence.
- And was there any?
- [O'Brien] Not much of note.
Near the body, we found a paper cup
from a nearby coffee shop, Café Maurice.
We also found a shard of glass
with a rounded edge,
which we surmised was from
a side-view mirror of a vehicle.
But when we checked
all the vehicles in the lot,
none of them had broken mirrors.
[Andrea] Was there any security video?
[O'Brien] None that was useful.
There are no cameras in that garage,
only by the entrance and by the elevator,
and there were no unusual
or unaccounted-for vehicles
entering that morning.
Based on that, we surmised
that the killer must have entered on foot.
I see. And having canvassed the scene,
what did you do next?
Our next priority was
to interview any witness we could find.
[Andrea] Why don't you
walk us through them one at a time?
[resonant crash]
[O'Brien] That's when security gave us
a list of names of ongoing threats.
And was the defendant's name on this list?
[O'Brien] She was at the top of that list.
Especially once we learned
she was in proximity to the building
around the time of the murder.
And proximity means access, doesn't it?
Objection. Leading the witness.
Sustained.
Withdraw the question.
What did you do next, Detective?
Once we considered Lisa Trammell
a person of interest,
we needed to move quickly
or risk losing evidence or more lives.
So we immediately went to her home.
[Andrea] What happened there?
[O'Brien] Miss Trammell was calm
and courteous. At first.
We asked her about her morning,
where she'd been, whom she'd seen.
She told us she went to the farmers market
down the street from Bondurant's office.
When we asked her if she went
inside the office building, she said no.
What happened then?
We felt she was being evasive,
so we asked if she'd be willing to come
to the station to continue questions.
She willingly agreed.
[Andrea] And you didn't read
her Miranda rights because
[O'Brien] She wasn't technically
a suspect yet.
As I said, she volunteered
to go to the station.
Once we got there,
and I started questioning her,
there were some inconsistencies.
Let's have a look at this interview.
Shall we?
No, no, no, no.
First, you gotta pour some sugar on me.
Don't ever say that again.
Fair enough.
But no passes
until you confirm that letter.
Twelve o'clock, that Szechuan place
over on Santa Monica.
Try the mutton. It's surprisingly good.
[mobility scooter beeps]
Mutton?
Honestly, it doesn't surprise me.
There's a long list of people
who would love to take a shot at that guy.
[O'Brien] Right.
According to you, he's a pathological liar
and an all-around shitty human.
So maybe you're one of those people.
[Lisa scoffs] Look.
I hate the guy.
I'm not gonna sugarcoat that
[O'Brien] Enough to kill him?
What did this interview tell you?
Besides the fact that, in her own words,
the defendant hated Mr. Bondurant.
It told us that she concealed something
from us earlier,
namely that she had an encounter
with the victim at the coffee shop,
in violation of her restraining order.
Based on this,
we were able to obtain a warrant
for her home and restaurant.
And what items did you find there?
We retrieved her laptop,
some personal documents and items,
as well as a pair of gardening gloves
we found in her shed.
[pensive music playing]
[Andrea] People's Exhibit 3, Your Honor.
Are these the gardening gloves
you found at the defendant's home?
They are.
Gloves that were tested
and later determined to have
traces of Mitchell Bondurant's blood
on them.
[O'Brien] That's correct.
- Did you find any other evidence?
- [O'Brien] Nothing of note.
What was more interesting was
what was missing from the house.
What was that?
In the course of our search, we found
a tool kit in the defendant's shed.
It was a commercial one
with a space for every tool.
Only one tool was missing. A hammer.
And why was that interesting?
Objection. This line of questioning
is nothing but speculation.
Your Honor, the witness
is simply testifying to his own opinion
based on his extensive experience.
Overruled. The witness may answer.
[Andrea] I'll ask the question again.
Why was the defendant's missing hammer
so interesting?
Because when the forensics team arrived
on the scene, they were able to determine
that the wound which killed Mr. Bondurant
had an unusual circular shape.
There are not many blunt instruments
in that shape which come to mind.
A hammer is one of them.
Thank you, Detective.
Nothing further.
[cell phone vibrates]
[judge] Mr. Haller.
Cross-examination?
The cop who handled the investigation.
That's who you wanna spring this on
during cross.
Uh, Your Honor, I'm sure
the jury could use some rest.
Perhaps we should break for lunch?
It's not even noon, Mr. Haller.
We'll break for lunch at the usual time.
[clears throat]
Good morning, Detective O'Brien.
Counselor.
Among the things
you found at the crime scene,
you mentioned a coffee cup
from a nearby café?
Café Maurice. Yes.
Did that cup belong to Lisa Trammell?
[O'Brien] At first, we weren't sure.
Then we found the receipt
in Mr. Bondurant's pocket.
We also found his prints on the cup.
We determined he dropped it
when he was hit.
So, the cup didn't tie Lisa Trammell
to the crime scene, did it?
No, but
[Mickey] Just yes or no,
please, Detective.
No.
What about that shard of glass
on the ground?
Can you describe it?
It was a piece of mirrored glass,
rounded on one side.
Okay. And you deduced this was
part of a broken side-view mirror?
[O'Brien] In a garage,
that seemed most likely.
Did you check Lisa Trammell's car?
Were any of her mirrors broken?
[sighs quietly]
No. They weren't.
[Mickey] Right.
Now, Detective, let's talk about
what you found at Miss Trammell's home.
[cell phone vibrates]
[Mickey] Did you find other
traces of blood, or just on the gloves?
It was just the gloves.
And how did you transport these gloves
from my client's house?
A forensic technician placed them
in the appropriate evidence package.
Can you describe that packaging?
It was an envelope that was sealed.
Well, sealed how, exactly?
[Andrea] Objection. Relevance?
I'm just trying to ascertain
chain of custody, Your Honor.
Overruled.
But please move it along, Mr. Haller.
[tense music playing]
[whispers] Is everything okay?
[quietly] Yeah,
I'm sure everything's gonna be fine.
[man] Donna's not coming.
I'm Vasquez, FBI.
I heard you've been looking for me.
This letter has your signature on it.
Can you confirm that it's real?
[Vasquez chuckles]
I cannot comment
on any ongoing investigation.
I don't need you to comment.
I just need you to tell me
whether or not that letter is authentic.
I cannot confirm nor deny
the authenticity of that letter.
But I can give you a piece of advice.
Do yourself and your boss a favor, huh?
Leave it alone.
And Donna said something
about backstage passes?
[O'Brien] I wrote my name and badge number
across the tape,
then went to the lab for testing.
Okay, and you never left the envelope
with the gloves unattended?
Objection, Your Honor. Asked and answered.
Sustained.
[cell phone vibrates]
[Lorna clears throat]
Your Honor, may I request a brief recess?
Just five minutes?
As long as you're not going to be
studying the forensics manual. Yes.
Five minutes.
"He can neither confirm nor deny."
It's like a non-denial denial.
That's gonna have to do.
We're out of time.
Are you sure?
We should wait for solid confirmation.
You can recall the witness in a few days.
This case will be dead in a few days.
Andrea is killing us.
Who knows if we're getting
a better confirmation than this?
- We go now. Come on.
- [sighs]
Detective, you testified earlier
about investigating threats
made against Mitchell Bondurant.
[O'Brien] That's right.
Did you investigate
any threats he made against others?
I'm not sure what you mean.
Defense Exhibit D, Your Honor.
Can you tell us
what this document is, Detective?
It's a copy of an email from Bondurant
to a contractor named Alex Grant.
And have you seen it before?
We reviewed all of the victim's emails
and correspondence. Yes.
So you've seen this email where Bondurant
threatens to extort Alex Grant.
Objection. Foundation?
[Mickey] The foundation is in the email.
Could you read the highlighted portion
for the jury, please?
"If we cannot come
to an agreement on terms,
I will have no choice
but to pursue this matter
through the appropriate legal channels."
"This includes reporting it
to our lenders, which, as fiduciaries,
are required under federal law
to report any suspicious activity."
Okay, so Mitchell Bondurant
was gonna rat Alex Grant out to the feds
for suspicious activity unless he
Objection. Speculation.
Sustained.
I'll rephrase.
Given the contents
of this email, Detective,
why didn't you consider
Alex Grant as a suspect?
We considered everyone,
but this is a business dispute.
There's no evidence
Mr. Grant was involved in any wrongdoing.
So, if there was evidence of wrongdoing,
that might change the situation?
Detective O'Brien, do you know
what an FBI target letter is?
Objection, Your Honor. Sidebar.
Here we go. [sighs]
Even if this is legitimate, which I doubt,
this shouldn't be admissible
this late in the game.
Let me explain the delay.
Someone left me a copy of the letter.
- An anonymous source.
- Seriously?
I had to confirm it like Miss Freemann
delayed notice of the gloves
because she had to test and verify them.
He's got a point, Miss Freemann.
Then I'd ask to give me until tomorrow
to confirm the authenticity myself.
I'll give you till the end of lunch,
but we're finishing this witness today.
Thank you, Your Honor.
[tense music continues]
We can do the mirrors along this wall,
put the barres there.
[sighs] It's perfect.
I can't wait.
First two months' like we agreed.
When can I move in?
There's been an adjustment to the rent.
What kind of adjustment?
The rent's gone up to 15,000 a month.
So I would need a check for 30,000
Whoa, whoa. Hold on.
Ray renegotiated 10,000, Carlos.
10,000. That was the deal.
That was months ago.
Rents have shot up in this neighborhood.
And your deal was only an option.
I gave her plenty of time
to come up with the money,
but I have to adjust to market conditions.
- I can't believe this.
- The option's good for another week.
It's still yours if you can
come up with the rest of the money.
Even if I could,
I don't think I can cover 15K a month.
Ten is as high as I can go.
Then I'll have to put the space
back on the market. I'm sorry.
[inhales shakily]
Well?
The Bureau confirmed the letter.
There you go.
But my objection on the grounds
of relevance still stands, Your Honor.
Relevance? Based on the letter alone,
we can assume there's a federal grand jury
looking into construction fraud.
And maybe Alex Grant
has been called to testify.
Is that true, Miss Freemann?
My understanding is
there is a grand jury investigation.
But to my knowledge,
Alex Grant has not been called to testify.
Yeah, well, not yet.
[judge] Fine.
You've connected the dots, Mr. Haller,
but I am warning you.
Do not turn this trial into a circus.
The minute you cross the line
from fact to conjecture,
I will cut you off.
Hope you know what you're doing.
Thank you, Your Honor.
[O'Brien] "Dear Mr. Grant,
this letter is to inform you
that you are a target
of an FBI investigation
into construction fraud
in Southern California."
"Receipt of this letter puts you on notice
to not destroy any documents
related to your business."
"We'll make every effort to meet with you
to discuss this matter."
"Signed Felix Vasquez, Special Agent."
- [Mickey] What's the date on the letter?
- [O'Brien] January 18th.
And what's the date on the email
Mitchell Bondurant sent to Alex Grant?
January 10th.
[Mickey] So Mitchell Bondurant threatens
to expose Alex Grant to the feds.
Eight days later,
Alex Grant gets a letter from the FBI
saying he's the target
of an investigation?
Well?
And a week after that,
Bondurant is brutally murdered.
Objection.
Is there an actual question here?
Sustained.
[Mickey] Given this alarming fact,
do you think your failure to consider
Alex Grant as a suspect was reasonable?
As I said before, we considered everyone.
Not for very long, apparently.
You arrested Lisa Trammell the same day.
That's who the evidence pointed to.
The motive was clear.
"Motive"? Don't these documents show
that Alex Grant had a crystal clear motive
to kill Mitchell Bondurant?
Objection. Argumentative.
I guess that's one way
to interpret it. Yeah.
- [judge] Overruled.
- [Mickey] You had tunnel vision.
You found an easy suspect,
and you weren't gonna let anything
distract you from that path.
No, no! I did not know
about the target letter.
And if I had, I
If you had, what?
Would you have done things differently?
I stand by our investigation
and where it led.
- We got the right person.
- Did you?
No further questions, Your Honor.
[suspenseful music playing]
[muted chatter]
[Mickey] That's LA for you, huh?
Nobody sees where you live.
They just see what you drive.
I gotta keep up appearances, right?
I was hoping to move, but I can't cash in
on my podcast yet, can I?
Why don't you ask your investor
who works for Alex Grant?
What's his name? David Webber?
Look, I know that you don't believe me,
but I swear, I had no idea
they were trying to put this on Lisa.
I never would've done that.
Doesn't matter what you knew.
What matters is what you do.
What do you want me to tell him?
That Alex Grant
has nothing to worry about.
We're not trying to point a finger at him.
These guys aren't stupid. You think
they don't have people watching you?
I'm sure they do,
but they'll trust their inside man,
so tell him we don't have
anything concrete on Alex Grant.
It's just smoke and mirrors.
Tell him all we're trying to do is show
that Mitchell Bondurant was an asshole.
That a lot of people wanted him dead.
So Alex Grant has nothing to worry about
if he takes the stand.
- And you think he's gonna buy that?
- Yeah, I'm counting on that.
All right. I'll do it.
Henry, just remember,
if you want any chance
to recoup your money
and get anything out of that podcast,
do exactly as I say.
Don't fuck this up.
I get it.
You like this?
It's bison. Healthier for you.
Really?
I mean, as long as it's not ostrich.
- Nah.
- Too cute.
[Mickey chuckles]
And these, I made in the air fryer.
- Look at you.
- Mm-hmm.
You know, I really think
this new case is rubbing off on you.
I've never seen you cook this much.
Honey, I was thinking we should go riding
together before the summer's over.
I gotta show off my skills.
Sure. Let's do it.
So that, um, boy at the stable.
What's his name?
- Taylor?
- Yeah. He works there?
- Yeah. Part-time. In the summer.
- Hmm.
Okay, so what?
You have a crush on him or what?
Dad.
What? Sorry. I
I bet you already told your mom about him.
Are you kidding me? No. She's even worse.
Well, your mom leads with her head, mija.
You and me? We lead with our hearts.
I don't want anybody breaking yours, so
Dad. Slow your roll.
I mean, he's cute.
That's all.
You know, I've got school.
I gotta study for my SATs.
I am way too busy to get my heart broken.
Good.
If anything,
you should be worrying about him.
- Now that's what I like to hear.
- Yeah.
[cell phone rings]
[grunts]
What's up, Lorna?
We just got an amended witness list.
Freeman's calling the FBI agent,
Felix Vasquez.
[sighs] He must have agreed to testify.
The only reason
I can think of why he would do that
is to shut the whole thing down.
What are you gonna do?
Can you tell us what target letters
are used for, Agent Vasquez?
They have a number of uses.
One use is to gather information.
- [Andrea] Can you explain?
- [Vasquez] Sure.
If the FBI is conducting an investigation,
and we believe
that someone might be culpable,
we might send them a target letter
to convince them to talk to us.
As a way of scaring them into cooperating.
Something like that.
The mere fact that
you sent someone a target letter
doesn't indicate
they've done anything wrong, right?
[Vasquez] That's right.
So, how did you come
to send Alex Grant a target letter?
Well, his name and business
came up in our investigation.
There were certain irregularities
in some of the buildings he worked on.
- [Andrea] How did Mr. Grant respond?
- [Vasquez] His lawyer responded.
He said Mr. Grant ran a clean business,
and he welcomed the opportunity
to demonstrate that to us.
And have you followed up with him?
No, I've been busy
on other pressing investigations.
So Alex Grant is just
a person of interest. Is that right?
Someone you thought may have information,
but, so far, nothing has come of it?
[Vasquez] That's right.
Agent Vasquez, is Alex Grant currently
under investigation by the FBI?
No, he's not.
Not technically.
[Andrea] Uh
Just a yes or no answer, please.
Agent Vasquez, is Alex Grant
under investigation by the FBI?
No.
Thank you.
No further questions.
[clears throat]
You said "technically," Agent Vasquez.
Technically, Alex Grant
is not currently under investigation.
Is there more to that story?
Objection. Asked and answered.
Overruled.
[Vasquez] Alex Grant may not be
currently under investigation,
but that doesn't mean he's in the clear.
I see.
And does the FBI
typically send target letters
to people they believe are innocent?
No, we do not.
Now, following that logic, do you believe
Alex Grant is guilty of something?
Objection. Calls for speculation.
Sustained.
Okay. If Mitchell Bondurant were alive,
would he be someone
you might wanna talk to about Alex Grant?
Objection!
Sustained. Mr. Haller.
Let's try again.
Agent Vasquez, you said Alex Grant
is not currently under investigation.
Does the FBI intend
to open an investigation into Alex Grant?
Objection.
I'm afraid I cannot answer any questions
that might compromise
an ongoing FBI operation.
[Mickey] "Ongoing."
[suspenseful music playing]
[clears throat]
No further questions, Your Honor.
Mr. Haller.
Aren't you curious?
About where I got the letter?
There must be a leak in your office.
Yeah, well, whoever did it
did me a big favor, so thank them for me.
I don't know what you're talking about,
Mr. Haller, but I will say
the FBI looks forward
to hearing what you can learn
from having Mr. Grant on the stand.
Have a good day now.
Where's the scotch?
[chuckles] In a restaurant
your doctor won't let you go to.
That letter, it didn't just show up
on your doorstep, did it?
You made it happen.
When Grant tried to quash the subpoena,
I made sure there were reporters there.
I was trying to scare him
into not taking the Fifth,
but I also figured the feds
might be watching.
And if they were, they might reach out.
I didn't know for sure, but now I know.
They want me to put this guy on the stand
and do their work for them.
[Legal] Grand juries are expensive.
If you can get this guy
to make damning admissions on the stand,
so much the better.
That's what they want.
The question is, what do you want?
Don't worry, Legal.
I got a plan to get what I want.
[elevator dings]
What's up?
What's up is Andrea's requested
a conference in chambers.
About what?
I have no idea,
but Judge Medina's waiting.
[quietly] Oh shit.
Miss Freemann,
you asked for this little tea party,
so what is it that couldn't be
brought out in open court.
The prosecution has come into possession
of a new piece of evidence.
Oh, what Judge, seriously?
I understand Mr. Haller's reaction.
If I were in his shoes, I'd feel the same.
Yeah.
But I'm afraid
this particular piece of evidence
is so dispositive
I don't see how the court
could refuse to admit it.
[knock at door]
[door opens]
[judge] Wow. Now I'm intrigued.
What is this mysterious evidence,
Miss Freemann?
[Andrea] The murder weapon.
[Mickey exhales]
[closing theme music playing]
On the morning
that Mr. Bondurant was murdered,
I saw her very clearly.
A coffee shop near his office
an hour before the murder
is not the crime scene.
Does the prosecution have
any other witnesses to call
or evidence to present?
[Lisa] Something you should know.
I was there that morning
in front of the building, like she said.
You have to tell me everything.
That's everything.
[Andrea] What did you discover?
What appeared to be a small blood stain
on the right-hand glove.
Why is Mitchell Bondurant's blood
on your gardening gloves?
I don't know, okay? I don't know.
[grunting]
Tell me. How much did Alex Grant pay you
to have me beaten up in my garage?
What?
David Webber works for Alex Grant.
That means so do you.
This isn't about a podcast.
It's about making sure Lisa takes the fall
for Mitchell Bondurant's murder.
Now, Mr. Grant,
would you care to explain to the court
what suspicious activity
Mr. Bondurant was alluding to?
One email may have been enough
to goad Mr. Grant into testifying.
It is not enough to prove
he is relevant to this case.
Find something else
to suggest Alex Grant's involvement.
That is if you want
to use this defense at trial.
[suspenseful music playing]
[machine whirs]
[suspenseful music continues]
[opening theme music playing]
[sizzling]
- You want milk or sugar?
- [Legal] Whatever's fine!
You're gonna be late for court.
Hey. My lesson ends at 6:00.
I can take an Uber home if it's easier.
No, no. I love picking you up.
I did find a stable
that's closer to your mom.
[in Spanish] Do you wanna try it out?
I don't know.
[in Spanish] I love my horse.
And I like that you get to see me ride.
- Okay.
- [cell phone vibrates]
You don't have to feel weird
about me and your mom.
- I'm fine, honey. You can pick it up.
- Hurry up.
- [Hayley speaks Spanish]
- All right. I love you. Have fun.
[Hayley] Love you.
[Mickey exhales]
All right.
[Mickey chuckles]
Don't tell my doctor.
He's got me on a strict diet.
No booze, no cholesterol,
no carbs, no joy.
Now, what's so important
that you had to see me
on the morning your trial starts?
[sighs] Someone left this
on my doorstep last night.
An FBI target letter?
Yeah, addressed to Alex Grant,
also known as Alex Kazarian. My straw man.
I prefer the term "alternate suspect."
And this says that your alternate suspect
is a person of interest
in a federal investigation.
Construction fraud.
You know that email
Mitchell Bondurant sent?
- Well, this puts it in a whole new light.
- How so?
Well, Bondurant sends an email
threatening to expose Alex Grant.
By itself, it's not clear what he meant.
Judge said it wasn't enough
to point the finger at him.
She needed more. Well, this is more.
This makes it look like
Alex Grant was up to something illegal.
And that email he sent?
It wasn't a threat. It was blackmail.
Blackmail's a pretty good motive
to kill someone if it's legit.
But this? This just shows up
on your doorstep on the eve of trial?
Yeah, I know.
Either someone's
really trying to help you,
or they're really trying to fuck with you.
You gotta find out which one.
How do I do that?
[Legal] Well, first, you gotta confirm
that the letter is real or not.
And you gotta do it fast.
The cop who handled the investigation.
That's who you wanna spring this on
during cross.
Nah, the prosecutor will call him first.
[Legal] Then you gotta confirm it
before then.
Kid, you sure about this?
You said this guy Grant
was the one who had you beaten up.
What if he tries something more permanent?
I think I have a way
to make him feel safe.
["Minor's Holiday" playing]
- [music continues in car]
- Mm.
Kenny Dorham, 1955.
- You've been studying, huh?
- Listening.
This guy was one of the most underrated
trumpet players of all time.
My dad used to listen to it
whenever he had a big case.
I don't know why.
Good to have an underdog mentality, right?
No matter how many trials I've done,
it's always like
learning to ride a bicycle again.
It's nerve-racking
starting a new anything.
I, uh
I wanted to say thank you again.
For what?
[Izzy] Being generous.
With that money Ray got.
I'm meeting with the property manager
tomorrow on the studio
to give him my first month's rent.
- Ah, Izzy, that's great. Congratulations.
- [Izzy chuckles]
- So, you have something new too, huh?
- Yeah.
Now I just have to not mess it up.
[chuckles]
Oh, almost forgot.
I got your mail from the office.
Figured you wouldn't have time.
See? This is what I'm gonna miss
when you're gone.
- [Izzy chuckles]
- What am I gonna do without you, huh?
I have a feeling
Lorna will keep you in line.
[elevator bell dings]
Who's covering you at the office?
I hired some temps from law school.
[hesitates] How many?
- Four.
- Four?
Have you seen our caseload lately?
That's how many it would take
to cover work Izzy and I've been doing.
- Right. All right.
- [elevator dings]
Oh. Mickey.
You look great.
- Perfect choice for the first day.
- Thank you.
Everything's gonna be okay.
All right? Just be calm.
Keep your cool in front of the jury
no matter what you hear, all right?
- [cell phone beeps]
- Yeah. Anything?
Not yet, but he's on it.
[roadie] Look, man. I can get you tickets.
[Cisco] I need backstage passes.
It's gonna take time.
Yeah, well, you got 24 hours.
Twenty-four hours?
[Cisco] I'll pay double.
[roadie scoffs]
All right, then. I'll pay triple.
I'll see what I can do.
Help me with this bad boy, will you?
[muted chatter]
Which one is our juror?
[Mickey] Front row, second from right.
Gary Furlong.
Why him?
Because when Cisco did a background check,
he found out
that Furlong's father got evicted.
He lost his home to a developer.
Ended up in a lawsuit. So, I asked
Please raise your hand if you or anyone
in your immediate family
has been involved
in a dispute with a property developer.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Lorna] Don't you have to report that?
Technically, he didn't lie.
His wife and kids
are his immediate family. Not his father.
Not my problem
if Andrea didn't do her homework.
This guy has a grudge against developers.
Does that mean he'll be on our side?
Maybe. Don't get too excited.
Andrea's got her jurors too.
Haller.
Andy.
She looks extra smug today.
She's confident.
If she gets into a groove,
we're in trouble.
So we've gotta take any opportunity
to throw off her rhythm with the jury.
[bailiff] All rise.
Good morning.
Let me remind everyone
that in this courtroom,
there will be no signs, chanting,
or any outbursts of any kind.
There are penalties for contempt of court.
And trust me,
you don't wanna learn what they are.
Understood?
Good.
Now, Counsel,
we've wasted enough court time
with continuances
and extra days granted after the prelim.
So in the interests of expedience,
I will allow prosecution and defense
30 minutes apiece for opening statements.
Are we agreed?
Thirty minutes? I'm sorry
The defense will be fine
with just 20 minutes, Your Honor.
In the interest of expedience.
[judge] Let's split the difference, then.
- Let's say 25.
- Twenty-five it is, Judge.
Very well, Your Honor.
[upbeat music playing]
[Andrea clears throat]
Members of the jury, good morning.
[jurors mutter]
My name is Deputy District Attorney
Andrea Freemann,
and I'm here today
to speak on behalf of someone who can't.
A hard-working, successful man
who helped build this city we call home
and employed thousands of people
along the way.
Mitchell Bondurant.
I'm here to tell you about the last brutal
violent moments of his life
and about the person who ended it.
The defendant. Lisa Trammell.
Now, the facts of this case?
They're simple.
The defendant and Mr. Bondurant
were in a dispute.
A dispute which forced Mr. Bondurant
to take out a restraining order
against the defendant
because of her continued harassment.
On the morning of the murder,
after visiting a nearby farmers market,
the defendant entered a local coffee shop
near the victim's office,
where she saw Mr. Bondurant
getting a cup of coffee.
The evidence will show
that she then left the coffee shop,
hurried to his parking garage,
and hid behind a pillar,
knowing he'd be arriving soon.
There, she waited for him,
slipping on a pair of gloves to make sure
she didn't leave any fingerprints.
And when Mr. Bondurant finally arrived
and got out of his car,
she viciously attacked him from behind,
bludgeoning him over the head
with a blunt instrument.
Beating him literally to death.
The evidence will show
how the defendant hated Mr. Bondurant,
how she stalked him,
and how, on the day of the murder,
she entered his parking garage
with the motive, the means,
and the opportunity to kill.
[tense music playing]
I told you I can't keep doing this.
It's the last time. I promise.
I need it confirmed.
The agent who signed the letter
won't return my calls.
This guy. Vasquez.
Felix Vasquez.
All you gotta do is
locate the original letter in the files.
Like hell I will.
That would mean going up three floors
to a department that's not my department,
talk to some asshole I don't like,
and explain why I need to see a letter
that's none of my business to begin with.
It's bad enough I had to schlep here
to talk to you.
Well, that's fair enough.
But I am so thankful
for all that you do for me.
Yeah, just quit the bullshit. Will you?
I'm retiring in five months.
If I'm gonna risk my pension,
you better tell me what's in it for me.
Def Leppard with Mötley Crüe and Poison.
[she chuckles]
I already got tickets. Fourth row.
Backstage passes.
Let me see 'em.
Don't get greedy.
I'll have 'em for you tomorrow.
[scooter beeping]
So, you'll do it?
I'm not doing shit
until I see those passes.
[sighs]
[Andrea] Lastly, you'll hear how
police found the defendant's garden gloves
in her garage
with Mitchell Bondurant's blood on them.
The gloves she used to murder him,
with blood that could have only been
from that murder.
As I said, it's simple.
The facts don't lie.
Now, defense counsel
will try to paint the defendant
as an upstanding member of her community,
a victim of gentrification,
who was harassed by Mitchell Bondurant.
All I would say to that
is don't be fooled.
Don't be fooled by the calm expression,
the crisp white blouse,
the manicured nails.
Don't be fooled by all the red herrings
and smoke and mirrors.
Defense counsel will put on a good show.
That's all it is. A show.
Because he has no answers
to the evidence we will present.
And in the end, his shiny bag of tricks
does not erase the fact
that Mitchell Bondurant
was brutally and violently murdered.
And the woman who murdered him
is sitting right there.
[suspenseful music playing]
[exhales calmly]
Mr. Haller.
Yes. Thank you, Your Honor.
Well, that was, uh, intense.
[quiet laughter]
So, why don't we take a few steps back?
I'd like to start off by introducing you
to my client, Lisa Trammel.
As you may know, she's a chef
at a very good restaurant called Elysian.
Anybody here like to eat?
Yeah? Well, take it from me.
The food in that place
is just out of this world.
Lisa has worked hard
for over ten years, perfecting the menu.
The prosecution says she's got a temper.
[sarcastic] What? Really?
A chef with a temper?
Who ever heard of such a thing.
Guess the prosecutor has never seen
one of those cooking TV shows.
Yes, she's got a temper.
A lot of chefs do.
It comes with the territory.
The stress. The long hours.
Sure it's not a quality Lisa's proud of,
but it doesn't make her a killer, does it?
That's what the prosecutor
will have you believe.
That just because she was
angry at Mitchell Bondurant,
it automatically means she killed him.
That's not what the evidence will show.
The evidence, or lack thereof,
is a glaring problem
in the prosecution's case.
You've heard Miss Freemann
promise all this evidence,
but there's one giant piece of evidence
they don't have.
The most important piece.
The murder weapon.
They never found one.
They wanna throw around
a lot of ideas about what it might be,
but they don't have a weapon or any way
to connect Lisa Trammell to a weapon.
In fact, the only true thing
the prosecution said was the obvious.
Mitchell Bondurant was murdered.
Brutally, violently, in cold blood.
They wanna make you think
Lisa committed that murder,
but we will show you how and why
Lisa could not have done it.
So, what does this mean?
Simple.
Lisa Trammell was set up from the start.
Whatever evidence Miss Freemann presents
is just a part of that setup.
Your Honor, I must object.
This is argument
and desperate argument at that.
Judge, I'm merely discussing the evidence
that I believe would be introduced.
Just stick to the point, Mr. Haller.
Of course, Your Honor.
Sorry about that. Where were we?
The evidence. Okay.
So, where did it come from?
Well, from the LAPD,
who investigated the murder.
And, who, in the rush to build the case
against the first suspect they found,
they missed the big picture,
and Miss Freemann was very happy
to go along with that story.
- Objection, Your Honor.
- Shh.
I'll withdraw the statement.
If the court will allow me,
I'd like to get through
my opening statement in peace.
Continue.
Thank you. I'll sum it up for you
in a way Miss Freemann,
hopefully, will be okay with.
Simply put,
Lisa Trammell was framed.
We will show you exactly how and why.
The cops fell for it.
The prosecution fell for it.
Don't you fall for it.
Thank you.
[pensive music playing]
My trial advocacy professor says
it's bad form to object during an opening.
Makes you look petty to the jury.
Yeah, well, the only thing worse
than doing it once is doing it twice.
[Izzy] I'll send you the info
on the new client.
Oh, and I filed the motions
in the Barkley case.
I figured out how to use
the online system for the court.
Look at that.
We have a functioning office again.
Somebody had to do it.
Those temps Lorna hired
barely know how to work a phone.
When is she coming back?
[Mickey] As soon as this trial wraps up.
Thanks for picking up the slack, Izzy.
[Izzy] Don't mention it.
So, how's Hayley doing with the riding?
Ah, great. She's really taking to it.
And I think I just figured out
the real reason
she wants to keep riding here in LA.
[Izzy] Let me guess.
Is it tall, dark, and dreamy?
[Mickey] Something like that.
[Izzy] My advice, speaking as a daughter.
Don't be too hard on her.
You're getting to spend time with her.
[Andrea] The People call
Detective Howard O'Brien.
Detective, can you please describe
your professional experience
for the court?
Sure. I spent six years in the Marines.
I was ROTC, but I re-upped during Iraq.
Then 18 years in LAPD.
I've been a detective for the last ten.
And, in that time, how many
homicide cases have you worked?
Over 60.
Kind of a depressing statistic,
but it is what it is.
Well, you certainly have
a lot of experience.
Now, can you please walk us through
the stages of your investigation here?
Certainly. My partner, Detective Long,
and I arrived on the scene at 9:45 a.m.
Patrols had secured the area,
and a forensic unit was on the way.
But even without forensics,
it was obvious the victim had suffered
blunt force trauma to the head.
There was a lot of blood,
so our first priority was
to preserve and collect any evidence.
- And was there any?
- [O'Brien] Not much of note.
Near the body, we found a paper cup
from a nearby coffee shop, Café Maurice.
We also found a shard of glass
with a rounded edge,
which we surmised was from
a side-view mirror of a vehicle.
But when we checked
all the vehicles in the lot,
none of them had broken mirrors.
[Andrea] Was there any security video?
[O'Brien] None that was useful.
There are no cameras in that garage,
only by the entrance and by the elevator,
and there were no unusual
or unaccounted-for vehicles
entering that morning.
Based on that, we surmised
that the killer must have entered on foot.
I see. And having canvassed the scene,
what did you do next?
Our next priority was
to interview any witness we could find.
[Andrea] Why don't you
walk us through them one at a time?
[resonant crash]
[O'Brien] That's when security gave us
a list of names of ongoing threats.
And was the defendant's name on this list?
[O'Brien] She was at the top of that list.
Especially once we learned
she was in proximity to the building
around the time of the murder.
And proximity means access, doesn't it?
Objection. Leading the witness.
Sustained.
Withdraw the question.
What did you do next, Detective?
Once we considered Lisa Trammell
a person of interest,
we needed to move quickly
or risk losing evidence or more lives.
So we immediately went to her home.
[Andrea] What happened there?
[O'Brien] Miss Trammell was calm
and courteous. At first.
We asked her about her morning,
where she'd been, whom she'd seen.
She told us she went to the farmers market
down the street from Bondurant's office.
When we asked her if she went
inside the office building, she said no.
What happened then?
We felt she was being evasive,
so we asked if she'd be willing to come
to the station to continue questions.
She willingly agreed.
[Andrea] And you didn't read
her Miranda rights because
[O'Brien] She wasn't technically
a suspect yet.
As I said, she volunteered
to go to the station.
Once we got there,
and I started questioning her,
there were some inconsistencies.
Let's have a look at this interview.
Shall we?
No, no, no, no.
First, you gotta pour some sugar on me.
Don't ever say that again.
Fair enough.
But no passes
until you confirm that letter.
Twelve o'clock, that Szechuan place
over on Santa Monica.
Try the mutton. It's surprisingly good.
[mobility scooter beeps]
Mutton?
Honestly, it doesn't surprise me.
There's a long list of people
who would love to take a shot at that guy.
[O'Brien] Right.
According to you, he's a pathological liar
and an all-around shitty human.
So maybe you're one of those people.
[Lisa scoffs] Look.
I hate the guy.
I'm not gonna sugarcoat that
[O'Brien] Enough to kill him?
What did this interview tell you?
Besides the fact that, in her own words,
the defendant hated Mr. Bondurant.
It told us that she concealed something
from us earlier,
namely that she had an encounter
with the victim at the coffee shop,
in violation of her restraining order.
Based on this,
we were able to obtain a warrant
for her home and restaurant.
And what items did you find there?
We retrieved her laptop,
some personal documents and items,
as well as a pair of gardening gloves
we found in her shed.
[pensive music playing]
[Andrea] People's Exhibit 3, Your Honor.
Are these the gardening gloves
you found at the defendant's home?
They are.
Gloves that were tested
and later determined to have
traces of Mitchell Bondurant's blood
on them.
[O'Brien] That's correct.
- Did you find any other evidence?
- [O'Brien] Nothing of note.
What was more interesting was
what was missing from the house.
What was that?
In the course of our search, we found
a tool kit in the defendant's shed.
It was a commercial one
with a space for every tool.
Only one tool was missing. A hammer.
And why was that interesting?
Objection. This line of questioning
is nothing but speculation.
Your Honor, the witness
is simply testifying to his own opinion
based on his extensive experience.
Overruled. The witness may answer.
[Andrea] I'll ask the question again.
Why was the defendant's missing hammer
so interesting?
Because when the forensics team arrived
on the scene, they were able to determine
that the wound which killed Mr. Bondurant
had an unusual circular shape.
There are not many blunt instruments
in that shape which come to mind.
A hammer is one of them.
Thank you, Detective.
Nothing further.
[cell phone vibrates]
[judge] Mr. Haller.
Cross-examination?
The cop who handled the investigation.
That's who you wanna spring this on
during cross.
Uh, Your Honor, I'm sure
the jury could use some rest.
Perhaps we should break for lunch?
It's not even noon, Mr. Haller.
We'll break for lunch at the usual time.
[clears throat]
Good morning, Detective O'Brien.
Counselor.
Among the things
you found at the crime scene,
you mentioned a coffee cup
from a nearby café?
Café Maurice. Yes.
Did that cup belong to Lisa Trammell?
[O'Brien] At first, we weren't sure.
Then we found the receipt
in Mr. Bondurant's pocket.
We also found his prints on the cup.
We determined he dropped it
when he was hit.
So, the cup didn't tie Lisa Trammell
to the crime scene, did it?
No, but
[Mickey] Just yes or no,
please, Detective.
No.
What about that shard of glass
on the ground?
Can you describe it?
It was a piece of mirrored glass,
rounded on one side.
Okay. And you deduced this was
part of a broken side-view mirror?
[O'Brien] In a garage,
that seemed most likely.
Did you check Lisa Trammell's car?
Were any of her mirrors broken?
[sighs quietly]
No. They weren't.
[Mickey] Right.
Now, Detective, let's talk about
what you found at Miss Trammell's home.
[cell phone vibrates]
[Mickey] Did you find other
traces of blood, or just on the gloves?
It was just the gloves.
And how did you transport these gloves
from my client's house?
A forensic technician placed them
in the appropriate evidence package.
Can you describe that packaging?
It was an envelope that was sealed.
Well, sealed how, exactly?
[Andrea] Objection. Relevance?
I'm just trying to ascertain
chain of custody, Your Honor.
Overruled.
But please move it along, Mr. Haller.
[tense music playing]
[whispers] Is everything okay?
[quietly] Yeah,
I'm sure everything's gonna be fine.
[man] Donna's not coming.
I'm Vasquez, FBI.
I heard you've been looking for me.
This letter has your signature on it.
Can you confirm that it's real?
[Vasquez chuckles]
I cannot comment
on any ongoing investigation.
I don't need you to comment.
I just need you to tell me
whether or not that letter is authentic.
I cannot confirm nor deny
the authenticity of that letter.
But I can give you a piece of advice.
Do yourself and your boss a favor, huh?
Leave it alone.
And Donna said something
about backstage passes?
[O'Brien] I wrote my name and badge number
across the tape,
then went to the lab for testing.
Okay, and you never left the envelope
with the gloves unattended?
Objection, Your Honor. Asked and answered.
Sustained.
[cell phone vibrates]
[Lorna clears throat]
Your Honor, may I request a brief recess?
Just five minutes?
As long as you're not going to be
studying the forensics manual. Yes.
Five minutes.
"He can neither confirm nor deny."
It's like a non-denial denial.
That's gonna have to do.
We're out of time.
Are you sure?
We should wait for solid confirmation.
You can recall the witness in a few days.
This case will be dead in a few days.
Andrea is killing us.
Who knows if we're getting
a better confirmation than this?
- We go now. Come on.
- [sighs]
Detective, you testified earlier
about investigating threats
made against Mitchell Bondurant.
[O'Brien] That's right.
Did you investigate
any threats he made against others?
I'm not sure what you mean.
Defense Exhibit D, Your Honor.
Can you tell us
what this document is, Detective?
It's a copy of an email from Bondurant
to a contractor named Alex Grant.
And have you seen it before?
We reviewed all of the victim's emails
and correspondence. Yes.
So you've seen this email where Bondurant
threatens to extort Alex Grant.
Objection. Foundation?
[Mickey] The foundation is in the email.
Could you read the highlighted portion
for the jury, please?
"If we cannot come
to an agreement on terms,
I will have no choice
but to pursue this matter
through the appropriate legal channels."
"This includes reporting it
to our lenders, which, as fiduciaries,
are required under federal law
to report any suspicious activity."
Okay, so Mitchell Bondurant
was gonna rat Alex Grant out to the feds
for suspicious activity unless he
Objection. Speculation.
Sustained.
I'll rephrase.
Given the contents
of this email, Detective,
why didn't you consider
Alex Grant as a suspect?
We considered everyone,
but this is a business dispute.
There's no evidence
Mr. Grant was involved in any wrongdoing.
So, if there was evidence of wrongdoing,
that might change the situation?
Detective O'Brien, do you know
what an FBI target letter is?
Objection, Your Honor. Sidebar.
Here we go. [sighs]
Even if this is legitimate, which I doubt,
this shouldn't be admissible
this late in the game.
Let me explain the delay.
Someone left me a copy of the letter.
- An anonymous source.
- Seriously?
I had to confirm it like Miss Freemann
delayed notice of the gloves
because she had to test and verify them.
He's got a point, Miss Freemann.
Then I'd ask to give me until tomorrow
to confirm the authenticity myself.
I'll give you till the end of lunch,
but we're finishing this witness today.
Thank you, Your Honor.
[tense music continues]
We can do the mirrors along this wall,
put the barres there.
[sighs] It's perfect.
I can't wait.
First two months' like we agreed.
When can I move in?
There's been an adjustment to the rent.
What kind of adjustment?
The rent's gone up to 15,000 a month.
So I would need a check for 30,000
Whoa, whoa. Hold on.
Ray renegotiated 10,000, Carlos.
10,000. That was the deal.
That was months ago.
Rents have shot up in this neighborhood.
And your deal was only an option.
I gave her plenty of time
to come up with the money,
but I have to adjust to market conditions.
- I can't believe this.
- The option's good for another week.
It's still yours if you can
come up with the rest of the money.
Even if I could,
I don't think I can cover 15K a month.
Ten is as high as I can go.
Then I'll have to put the space
back on the market. I'm sorry.
[inhales shakily]
Well?
The Bureau confirmed the letter.
There you go.
But my objection on the grounds
of relevance still stands, Your Honor.
Relevance? Based on the letter alone,
we can assume there's a federal grand jury
looking into construction fraud.
And maybe Alex Grant
has been called to testify.
Is that true, Miss Freemann?
My understanding is
there is a grand jury investigation.
But to my knowledge,
Alex Grant has not been called to testify.
Yeah, well, not yet.
[judge] Fine.
You've connected the dots, Mr. Haller,
but I am warning you.
Do not turn this trial into a circus.
The minute you cross the line
from fact to conjecture,
I will cut you off.
Hope you know what you're doing.
Thank you, Your Honor.
[O'Brien] "Dear Mr. Grant,
this letter is to inform you
that you are a target
of an FBI investigation
into construction fraud
in Southern California."
"Receipt of this letter puts you on notice
to not destroy any documents
related to your business."
"We'll make every effort to meet with you
to discuss this matter."
"Signed Felix Vasquez, Special Agent."
- [Mickey] What's the date on the letter?
- [O'Brien] January 18th.
And what's the date on the email
Mitchell Bondurant sent to Alex Grant?
January 10th.
[Mickey] So Mitchell Bondurant threatens
to expose Alex Grant to the feds.
Eight days later,
Alex Grant gets a letter from the FBI
saying he's the target
of an investigation?
Well?
And a week after that,
Bondurant is brutally murdered.
Objection.
Is there an actual question here?
Sustained.
[Mickey] Given this alarming fact,
do you think your failure to consider
Alex Grant as a suspect was reasonable?
As I said before, we considered everyone.
Not for very long, apparently.
You arrested Lisa Trammell the same day.
That's who the evidence pointed to.
The motive was clear.
"Motive"? Don't these documents show
that Alex Grant had a crystal clear motive
to kill Mitchell Bondurant?
Objection. Argumentative.
I guess that's one way
to interpret it. Yeah.
- [judge] Overruled.
- [Mickey] You had tunnel vision.
You found an easy suspect,
and you weren't gonna let anything
distract you from that path.
No, no! I did not know
about the target letter.
And if I had, I
If you had, what?
Would you have done things differently?
I stand by our investigation
and where it led.
- We got the right person.
- Did you?
No further questions, Your Honor.
[suspenseful music playing]
[muted chatter]
[Mickey] That's LA for you, huh?
Nobody sees where you live.
They just see what you drive.
I gotta keep up appearances, right?
I was hoping to move, but I can't cash in
on my podcast yet, can I?
Why don't you ask your investor
who works for Alex Grant?
What's his name? David Webber?
Look, I know that you don't believe me,
but I swear, I had no idea
they were trying to put this on Lisa.
I never would've done that.
Doesn't matter what you knew.
What matters is what you do.
What do you want me to tell him?
That Alex Grant
has nothing to worry about.
We're not trying to point a finger at him.
These guys aren't stupid. You think
they don't have people watching you?
I'm sure they do,
but they'll trust their inside man,
so tell him we don't have
anything concrete on Alex Grant.
It's just smoke and mirrors.
Tell him all we're trying to do is show
that Mitchell Bondurant was an asshole.
That a lot of people wanted him dead.
So Alex Grant has nothing to worry about
if he takes the stand.
- And you think he's gonna buy that?
- Yeah, I'm counting on that.
All right. I'll do it.
Henry, just remember,
if you want any chance
to recoup your money
and get anything out of that podcast,
do exactly as I say.
Don't fuck this up.
I get it.
You like this?
It's bison. Healthier for you.
Really?
I mean, as long as it's not ostrich.
- Nah.
- Too cute.
[Mickey chuckles]
And these, I made in the air fryer.
- Look at you.
- Mm-hmm.
You know, I really think
this new case is rubbing off on you.
I've never seen you cook this much.
Honey, I was thinking we should go riding
together before the summer's over.
I gotta show off my skills.
Sure. Let's do it.
So that, um, boy at the stable.
What's his name?
- Taylor?
- Yeah. He works there?
- Yeah. Part-time. In the summer.
- Hmm.
Okay, so what?
You have a crush on him or what?
Dad.
What? Sorry. I
I bet you already told your mom about him.
Are you kidding me? No. She's even worse.
Well, your mom leads with her head, mija.
You and me? We lead with our hearts.
I don't want anybody breaking yours, so
Dad. Slow your roll.
I mean, he's cute.
That's all.
You know, I've got school.
I gotta study for my SATs.
I am way too busy to get my heart broken.
Good.
If anything,
you should be worrying about him.
- Now that's what I like to hear.
- Yeah.
[cell phone rings]
[grunts]
What's up, Lorna?
We just got an amended witness list.
Freeman's calling the FBI agent,
Felix Vasquez.
[sighs] He must have agreed to testify.
The only reason
I can think of why he would do that
is to shut the whole thing down.
What are you gonna do?
Can you tell us what target letters
are used for, Agent Vasquez?
They have a number of uses.
One use is to gather information.
- [Andrea] Can you explain?
- [Vasquez] Sure.
If the FBI is conducting an investigation,
and we believe
that someone might be culpable,
we might send them a target letter
to convince them to talk to us.
As a way of scaring them into cooperating.
Something like that.
The mere fact that
you sent someone a target letter
doesn't indicate
they've done anything wrong, right?
[Vasquez] That's right.
So, how did you come
to send Alex Grant a target letter?
Well, his name and business
came up in our investigation.
There were certain irregularities
in some of the buildings he worked on.
- [Andrea] How did Mr. Grant respond?
- [Vasquez] His lawyer responded.
He said Mr. Grant ran a clean business,
and he welcomed the opportunity
to demonstrate that to us.
And have you followed up with him?
No, I've been busy
on other pressing investigations.
So Alex Grant is just
a person of interest. Is that right?
Someone you thought may have information,
but, so far, nothing has come of it?
[Vasquez] That's right.
Agent Vasquez, is Alex Grant currently
under investigation by the FBI?
No, he's not.
Not technically.
[Andrea] Uh
Just a yes or no answer, please.
Agent Vasquez, is Alex Grant
under investigation by the FBI?
No.
Thank you.
No further questions.
[clears throat]
You said "technically," Agent Vasquez.
Technically, Alex Grant
is not currently under investigation.
Is there more to that story?
Objection. Asked and answered.
Overruled.
[Vasquez] Alex Grant may not be
currently under investigation,
but that doesn't mean he's in the clear.
I see.
And does the FBI
typically send target letters
to people they believe are innocent?
No, we do not.
Now, following that logic, do you believe
Alex Grant is guilty of something?
Objection. Calls for speculation.
Sustained.
Okay. If Mitchell Bondurant were alive,
would he be someone
you might wanna talk to about Alex Grant?
Objection!
Sustained. Mr. Haller.
Let's try again.
Agent Vasquez, you said Alex Grant
is not currently under investigation.
Does the FBI intend
to open an investigation into Alex Grant?
Objection.
I'm afraid I cannot answer any questions
that might compromise
an ongoing FBI operation.
[Mickey] "Ongoing."
[suspenseful music playing]
[clears throat]
No further questions, Your Honor.
Mr. Haller.
Aren't you curious?
About where I got the letter?
There must be a leak in your office.
Yeah, well, whoever did it
did me a big favor, so thank them for me.
I don't know what you're talking about,
Mr. Haller, but I will say
the FBI looks forward
to hearing what you can learn
from having Mr. Grant on the stand.
Have a good day now.
Where's the scotch?
[chuckles] In a restaurant
your doctor won't let you go to.
That letter, it didn't just show up
on your doorstep, did it?
You made it happen.
When Grant tried to quash the subpoena,
I made sure there were reporters there.
I was trying to scare him
into not taking the Fifth,
but I also figured the feds
might be watching.
And if they were, they might reach out.
I didn't know for sure, but now I know.
They want me to put this guy on the stand
and do their work for them.
[Legal] Grand juries are expensive.
If you can get this guy
to make damning admissions on the stand,
so much the better.
That's what they want.
The question is, what do you want?
Don't worry, Legal.
I got a plan to get what I want.
[elevator dings]
What's up?
What's up is Andrea's requested
a conference in chambers.
About what?
I have no idea,
but Judge Medina's waiting.
[quietly] Oh shit.
Miss Freemann,
you asked for this little tea party,
so what is it that couldn't be
brought out in open court.
The prosecution has come into possession
of a new piece of evidence.
Oh, what Judge, seriously?
I understand Mr. Haller's reaction.
If I were in his shoes, I'd feel the same.
Yeah.
But I'm afraid
this particular piece of evidence
is so dispositive
I don't see how the court
could refuse to admit it.
[knock at door]
[door opens]
[judge] Wow. Now I'm intrigued.
What is this mysterious evidence,
Miss Freemann?
[Andrea] The murder weapon.
[Mickey exhales]
[closing theme music playing]