Close to Home (2005) s01e01 Episode Script

No.
Don't go.
Let her cry.
You can do this.
No, I can't.
I really can't.
Yes, you remember what the doctor said: three minutes.
She's got to get over her separation anxiety.
Can't believe I have to go back to work tomorrow, and she's not even sleeping through the night yet.
So don't work.
Stay home, live large.
Live large on what? I don't know.
Cut a few corners, I think we can get by on what I make.
I want to be a mommy, and I want to work.
I want everything.
Oh, boy.
Oh, God.
Listen to her.
This is torture.
This is torture.
Three minutes.
Jack, come on.
I can't just let her cry.
I'm a weakling.
I'm weak.
I love her too much.
Welcome back.
Thanks.
So how was maternity leave? Great.
Fantastic.
Way too short.
Short? You took off 12 whole weeks.
I wasn't exactly lounging on the beach, Maureen.
Hey.
How's the kid? Oh, she's so great.
She's so beautiful.
She's almost 13 pounds.
Do you know Molly McNeil? She lives about six blocks from here; she's married, has two kids.
No, I don't think so.
Good, no conflict of interest.
You've been drafted.
You're up to bat.
Whoa, whoa, wait.
What's she accused of? She tried to burn her house down with her kids in it.
OFFICER: Close two.
ANNABETH: Mrs.
McNeil admits starting the fire, but she told Detective Drummer it was an accident.
Like she accidentally poured paint thinner all over the house, and then-- whoops-- lit a match, hit a gas line, boom.
( sighs ) With her kids locked inside? STEVE: Quite a neighbor you got there.
Real Samaritan.
How old are the children? The boy's ten; the girl's eight.
They were both treated for smoke inhalation, second-degree burns, but nobody's critical, thank God.
ANNABETH: They're in the hospital? No, they're with their dad.
Where was he during the fire? Daddy went to work.
Mommy played with matches.
MAUREEN: My guess is she wanted to kill herself and decided the kids would be better off dead than living without her.
I don't care how depressed or stoned or whatever she was.
Nobody has a right to do this to kids, especially their mother.
This is easily 25 years.
You were right: she's perfect for this.
I want a mother in front of the judge today.
No, you want me on this case because I'm a great prosecutor.
And I happen to have a baby.
Speaking of which I need a little party fridge installed in my office, okay? Party fridge? For breast milk.
( groans ) Do we really need to talk about this? See, it's either that, or I keep my breast milk in the big fridge in the coffee room.
All right, why don't you talk to Maureen, see what she can do for you.
That's another thing.
I don't want to report to Maureen.
Well, that's a little bit of a problem 'cause she's your boss now.
You report to her; she reports to me.
Why did she get promoted instead of me? Because she's better qualified.
( scoffs ) At what? Kissing your butt? Among other things.
I take three months' maternity leave, and she gets my promotion? That's discrimination.
No, that's reality, Annabeth.
Do you really want to spend your weekends filling out timesheets and filing appeals, or do you want to spend it with your family? You can't have it both ways.
JUDGE: Next case.
Arson, two counts of attempted murder, and child neglect.
Mrs.
McNeil, do you understand the charges against you? Mrs.
McNeil? I want to see my kids.
The people ask for a bond of $2 million, Your Honor.
That's $1 million per child.
I think their lives are worth at least that.
MAN: Excuse me can I talk to you for a minute? I'm Molly McNeil's husband.
Mr.
McNeil, I know this is a difficult time for your family, but I need to interview your children about the fire.
I don't understand why this is happening.
I told the police I don't want to press charges.
My wife does not belong in jail.
Well, if you'll schedule a time to bring the kids by my office, I'll take their statements, and we'll sort this all out.
You people have this completely wrong.
The fire was an accident.
My wife would never do anything to hurt our kids.
MR.
McNEIL: She's a good mom.
Hey.
Hello.
WOMAN: Your baby's fine.
She drank her bottle.
There's nothing to worry about.
So you think she's adjusting okay? She's right here.
Want to talk? Yeah.
Yeah.
Put her on.
ANNABETH ( over phone ): Hi, baby.
Hi, Hayley.
It's Mommy.
( laughing ): Hi.
Oh, that sure got a smile.
She sure knows your voice.
God, I didn't know it was even possible to miss someone this much.
I think this is harder on you than it is on her.
( knocking ) Pam, I got to go.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Knock-knock.
Who's there? Molly McNeil's PD.
You want to buy a plea bargain? Jeffrey, I would love to buy a plea bargain, as long as your client spends the next two decades in jail.
That's a little harsh, don't you think? I think trying to burn your children alive is a little harsh.
As far as I'm concerned, take her off suicide watch.
Look, she'll cop to lesser charges and willingly cooperate with the investigation if you just let her see her kids.
No.
What do you mean "no"? I mean no-- she just tried to kill them.
She's not gonna see them.
There's extenuating circumstances.
Jeffrey, this is the ladies' room.
Hi, honey.
( groans ) What a day.
Steve gave that suck-up Maureen my promotion, and I miss our baby so bad, I can't even breathe.
How are you? I got to meet the architect at and put together a bid.
At 5:30 tonight? Yeah, can you pick the baby up, or you just want me to pick her up after that? No.
Yes.
No.
Yes, yes.
I can do this.
Uh, I'll pick her up.
Just, uh, call Pam, and tell her I'll be there by 6:00, okay? Love you.
I love you, too.
Okay Okay.
I can do this.
I can do this.
I can do this.
Are you crying? No.
Your face is wet.
That's because I'm washing it.
Look, Maureen, I'm fine, okay? It's just that my hormones are raging right now, probably due to the fact that I'm breastfeeding.
And I didn't mean that thing about you being a suck-up.
That was that was that was my hormones talking.
Mm-hmm.
Well, if there's anything you or your hormones want to talk about, I'm all ears, honey.
Oh, crap.
Yes, Jeffrey? Once you've heard Mrs.
McNeil's side of the story, you're going to want to reduce the charges.
I already know her side of the story.
She's in jail.
She wants out.
The end.
Come on.
Don't be such a hard-ass.
She'll tell you everything-- full confession.
Just let her see her kids.
Look, I have to pick up my kid from the sitter's in an hour.
I I need to go home, fix dinner, do laundry Annabeth, just keep an open mind.
That's all I'm asking.
This better be good.
Because, you know where I'm at right now? In a happy place? MRS.
McNEIL: I didn't set my house on fire to hurt my children.
I lit that fire because it was the only way out.
My husband is abusive.
He abused me and the children and he locked us in the house.
You could have gone to a shelter.
You don't understand.
The doors were locked.
We couldn't go anywhere.
We couldn't get out.
You mean, he literally locked you inside the house? He put locks on all the doors and windows.
He got a special security system installed and he locked us all in.
For how long? Two years.
Your husband kept you locked in the house for two years? At first, I thought Curt would change his mind and soften.
But it just got worse.
Why didn't you tell someone? Why didn't you call for help? A, uh, support group, a hotline Why didn't you call the police? Curt ripped the phones out a long time ago.
And nobody knew? What about your neighbors? What about your family and friends? I'm worried about what he'll do to the children if I'm not there.
( sobbing ): Oh, God, you please help me.
Please, you have you have to protect my kids.
You can punish me any way you want, The defendant claims she was held prisoner here.
That's why she committed the arson.
MAN: Prisoner? In this neighborhood? I don't think so.
That's her story.
Let's prove her wrong.
MAN: The fire started upstairs.
An accelerant, paint thinner, was poured all over the master bedroom and sloshed out into the hallway.
Which speaks to a crime of passion.
Glass doesn't melt like this, does it? No.
Somebody replaced every single windowpane in this house with unbreakable Plexiglas.
Well, that wasn't done in passion.
The frames have been screwed shut, too.
MAN: Mrs.
McNeil was telling the truth about the phones.
There are no phones.
There's also no toys, no games.
What did these kids play with? All these folks had a state-of-the-art alarm system, I can tell you that.
Makes sense.
Mr.
McNeil owns a security firm, right? There's security and there's security.
I mean this guy's put double-lock dead bolts on all the doors.
Check this out.
Key on both sides.
So you need a key to get in and a key to get out.
Same kind of lock you use in a jail.
This is where Mrs.
McNeil and her kids were during the fire.
Yeah.
They escaped through this window.
Firemen had to pry the bars off.
The creeps don't scare me.
It's the so-called decent guys.
You know, the ones who go to church and join the Rotary Club while they hide in plain sight.
They're the ones who scare me.
I mean, if this guy actually did this I mean, if he locked his family in this house for two years, somebody had to know.
I got to go talk to the kids.
MR.
McNEIL: I'm not, uh, real comfortable with this.
Mr.
McNeil, I assure you it's standard procedure to interview witnesses alone.
They're not witnesses.
They're children.
They're just they're little kids.
They're scared.
That's why Mrs.
Morgan is here.
She's a child psychologist.
They don't need therapy.
They need their mother released from jail.
The sooner you let us do our job, the sooner that'll happen.
We'll be right up the hall, okay? MORGAN: Why don't you come with me, sweetie.
You know, they're they're shy with strangers.
I mean, they'll be a whole lot more helpful if I'm with them.
Come on, Sonny.
Mother, it's me.
I need your help.
MORGAN: You and your brother don't go to school? Mommy teaches us at home but just reading 'cause she's no good at math.
Does your mother have keys? Can she leave when she wants to? Does your mother stay inside all the time, too? Doesn't she go out to get the mail or go to the grocery store? No, ma'am, 'cause she don't have the keys.
Daddy keeps all the keys.
And no one's allowed to touch them, but him or else he'll get mad.
MORGAN: What does he do when he gets mad? He locks us in our rooms or takes us down to the cellar.
Katie, what happens in the cellar? All right.
This little Q&A session is over.
You are not to ask this child another question.
I am representing her and her entire family and I want you to destroy this tape in my presence.
You got here just in time, Doug.
'Cause I'm about to charge Mr.
McNeil with child abuse, unlawful imprisonment and torture.
This is insane! All I did was put locks on my doors! I have a right to protect my wife and my family! Mr.
McNeil, not another word now.
I don't believe this! I will have you out of here this afternoon.
You're out of your mind! Shut your mouth, now! I'm curious to know if our detainment facilities are up to your standards.
There you are.
I just need to let you guys know, I just dropped all the charges against Molly McNeil and arrested her husband.
MAUREEN: Are you crazy? The woman tried to burn down her house with her kids in it.
Because she was trying to save her kids.
By burning them alive? Her husband kept them locked up like animals.
You're never going to make this case-- not against Hellman you're not.
Yesterday, we charged Mrs.
McNeil with arson and two counts of attempted murder, and today we arrested her husband? How am I going to explain that to the press? You can tell the jury pool that Mr.
McNeil tortured his family in the time-honored traditions of domestic violence: abuse, isolation, humiliation, control.
Well, unless you want to blow that perfect little conviction record you're so proud of, you better have credible victims and physical proof.
I do and I will.
I still need to speak to the press.
And you haven't answered my question.
You tell them, as far as I'm concerned, that son of a bitch as good as lit the match.
Sorry I'm late.
Did you feed the baby? No, I thought she needed to lose some weight.
Yes, I fed the baby.
I changed her diaper.
Oh, sweet pea.
Oh, honey, honey.
Oh, honey, honey, honey.
What are you so fussy about, huh? She's mad at me.
She's not mad at you.
She just has a little gas.
Pizza or Chinese? What are you looking at? Oh, hey.
Here you go.
Oh, good morning.
You doing all right? Thank you.
Yes, she is.
Bye, sweetheart.
ANNABETH: Trials don't happen in the courtroom.
They happen during depositions.
I'm going to tape this so we can study it and make you as bulletproof as we possibly can.
Molly, tell me about the first time your husband abused you.
It was August of 1995.
He hit me, and then he locked me in the bedroom for two days because he thought I was flirting with another man.
Why didn't you leave him then? Because I was pregnant with Sonny.
I didn't have anywhere else to go.
He tied me up.
He shut me in a closet.
He threatened to put me in a cage.
He said that ( sobbing ): no one would ever love me but him.
No one would ever want me.
And and he always, always, always apologized.
I'm sorry.
It's okay.
Don't volunteer anything.
Don't ramble.
Don't cry.
And if I don't know the answer, just look at you.
What are you going to do today? We're going to nail him.
Mm-hmm.
What is he doing here? I have a right to confer with my client.
No, we have a restraining order against him.
You damn well know it.
Get him out of here right now! Molly Don't say a word to her.
Don't even look at her.
Mrs.
McNeil, I want to apologize for an uncomfortable, but purely unintentional coincidence The judge is going to hear about this.
I'm filing a complaint against you with the Ethics Committee.
Well, in the meantime, would either of you ladies like a coffee or a tea or sparkling water? Are you okay? Now, you claim that your husband sometimes locked the door and that you were literally trapped in a long-term abusive relationship.
Yet, in all these years, during the course of a decade, there's no record of you ever making a trip to the emergency room, no broken bones, no bruises, no police report nothing.
What's your question, Mr.
Hellman? How many times did your husband supposedly abuse you during the course of this marriage? Did he ever beat you at all? I don't remember.
Was he ever abusive to the children? I don't remember.
Did he ever restrain you in any We need a recess now.
You are under oath.
Saying you don't remember is a lie.
I can't do this.
Molly, I know this isn't easy.
I know how afraid you must feel.
Look, Hellman's a bastard and I hate that he's trying to manipulate us, but Molly, you can't walk away from this case.
You have to trust me.
How can I? You promised that I wouldn't have to see Curt.
You promised to protect me.
Molly, please.
Please.
Just forget it.
Forget the whole thing.
Excuse me, ladies, are we going to continue this or not? Hold on.
Annabeth, you have 24 other cases in backlog and this one has turned into a dog.
It's not a total dog.
I've got alternate strategies.
It'sot four legs, it's hairy, it stinks and this one ain't even housebroken.
I'll put the kids on the stand.
Not without their mother's permission you won't.
Then I'll get a subpoena and go around her.
A judge will never grant it.
Look, you can't shut this down, Maureen.
Please.
I never got to question the boy.
He's a material witness.
If a mother won't testify, she's not going to let her kid testify either.
Then I'll find other witnesses.
I will do whatever I have to do, but I am not going to let Curt McNeil walk away from this scot-free, or the next time we see his wife and kids, it'll be in the morgue! Annabeth, listen to me! You have got to stop making decisions with your hormones or your emotions or whatever else it is you're not thinking with and start thinking like a prosecutor again.
You know, I made a choice to have a family.
And you made a choice to make this career your family.
I don't judge you for that and don't you dare judge me.
I know you don't like reporting to me, but you're going to have to get used to it.
No, what I don't like is being doubted and badgered at every turn.
We need to track down their doctors, teachers, preachers, family members, coworkers, anyone who might have seen rope burns or bruises and broken bones.
What about phone records? Mr.
McNeil ripped the phones off the wall years ago.
But they had a phone before that, right? So let's go back and search their records.
Good.
I'll get a warrant for McNeil's cell and work phone records, too.
And have your guys go over the crime scene again.
Got it.
I quit smoking 352 days ago, Tom-- the minute I found out I was pregnant.
And you know what I want right now? What I would kill for? I'm guessing a cigarette.
No.
A corroborating witness.
Look, I gave you a court order yesterday.
I need his cell phone records now.
I also need the phone records from their home address for the past five years.
Yes, I delivered Mrs.
McNeil's children, but I certainly didn't see any signs of abuse or I would have reported it.
Nobody's accusing you of underreporting.
But my insurance is high enough as it is.
I don't need this.
Molly's not stupid.
She wants custody of the kids.
And she's using you people to get it.
WOMAN: Curt just controlled her.
First, he cut my daughter off from her friends, then he cut out her family.
It's all about his family, especially his mother.
Did you ever see Curt hit Molly or your grandchildren? I saw bruises, I'll tell you that.
I begged Molly to leave him, but she wouldn't listen to me.
After that, I never saw her again.
I called and I called, but Curt wouldn't let me talk to her.
Now she don't even have a phone.
Would you be willing to testify in your daughter's behalf? Like I said, I ain't seen her in years.
I wouldn't be helpful.
Molly was trash when Curt married her and she's trash now.
Do you know that she got pregnant on purpose? She trapped my son into marriage.
But we took her in.
We, we embraced that girl despite all her problems.
So, all these accusations, everything Molly said is a lie? My daughter-in-law is mentally unstable.
We've we've known for years she needed help.
Mrs.
McNeil, how often do you see your grandchildren? Whenever I want.
And do they come here to your house? Oh, good Lord, all the time.
And you visit their house? All the time.
Do, do you believe for a second that I would let anyone anyone hurt my grandchildren? Curt has never raised a finger to those kids.
How did he punish them? Just like I raised him.
My philosophy is that you confront every problem head-on.
When Curt and his brother talked back, they were sent to their rooms without supper.
Curt was afraid of the dark, so I made him sleep in the cellar.
You don't have to spank to get your point across.
So, you ready to drop all the charges now? Juries love physical evidence.
The Plexiglas windows, the double-bolt locks Two and a half years ago, there was a burglary in the neighborhood and my client added extra security measures.
It might have been nice if he'd given a key to his wife.
She says she doesn't have a key.
Can you prove that? Her daughter said Look, I don't care what her daughter said.
The kids ain't testifying.
You're not getting that.
Look, I've seen your case.
You've seen mine.
You got nothing.
Really want to take this to trial? Hmm? Five years felony time, no parole.
Five years for what? You don't have a case! I'm just getting started.
You don't think I'll be ready in court? Oh, okay, okay, fine.
Be my guest.
More billable hours for me.
My whole case is falling apart.
You'll pull it together.
I've barely seen you or the baby for days.
It's all been for nothing.
Maureen is right: I've turned into a terrible lawyer.
You're a great lawyer.
Kate, Maureen couldn't carry your jockstrap.
I'm going to try taking that image right out of my mind.
Hello.
Oh, hey, it's, uh, Lou.
Is it too late to be calling? What's up? I just got the transcript of a 911 call placed from the McNeil residence four and a half years ago.
I think you should see this.
What does it say? DRUMMER: Check it out.
ANNABETH: Okay.
Meet me at Molly's motel room.
What are you doing here? We need to talk about the 911 call that was placed from your house four years ago.
I never called 911.
Molly, your son called for help.
Your little boy called 911.
That never happened.
Do you want me to read you the transcript? Look, it was a prank call, okay? It didn't mean anything.
You're violating your restraining order.
I'm not violating anything.
My wife invited me here.
I need to talk to Sonny.
I just told you that that call was a joke.
The kids are going to sleep.
Was your son joking when he told the emergency operator, "My daddy is hurting Mommy again.
Please send the police"? Shut up, okay? Just shut up.
"I'm scared Daddy's going to kill us all"? Do you remember making that call? MOLLY: Please don't do this.
You know what? That was years ago.
He didn't know what he was saying.
Yeah? Well, right now, there's a restraining order that says you're not allowed to come within 500 feet of these kids or your wife.
I think I've shown tremendous restraint with you.
I'm not going anywhere and neither is my family.
This is Assistant District Attorney Annabeth Chase.
I need to report the violation of a court order You want restraint? I'll show you restraint.
Curt, please.
Please don't do this.
Daddy, please don't.
I know where you live.
I know you have a baby.
Is this the part where I'm supposed to get scared and start crying? Pack your stuff.
I'm taking the kids out of here right now.
You're an adult; you have a choice, but these kids are not going back with their father.
All right, Mr.
McNeil, I'm going to need you to turn around and put your hands up against that wall.
I want to talk to my lawyer.
Yeah, well, you talking to me right now.
Curt, please.
You don't understand.
Curt didn't mean anything.
He he's just trying to keep our family together.
No, he's trying to stop you from sending him to jail.
Molly, have you erased everything that's happened? You guys okay? If I tell you what really happened the day of the fire will you put my daddy in jail? You bet I will.
I'll keep you safe, Hayley.
All rise.
The people call Curtis McNeil, Jr.
to the stand.
Your Honor, may I approach the bench? Your Honor, you cannot allow this boy to testify.
I have not deposed him yet.
He just came forward.
We haven't deposed either, Your Honor This is clearly a violation of the rules of discovery.
He was an eyewitness to what went on in that house.
If you allow this, you're gift-wrapping my appeal.
Now I'm curious.
Let's see what he has to say.
Sonny, tell me about the day your house caught on fire and there was no way to call for help.
Who started the fire? I did.
Why did you set your house on fire? Because we were trapped inside and I thought somebody might save us.
Why were you trapped inside? Because my daddy locked me, my sister and Mom inside the house for a really long time and nailed the windows shut.
And he said he'd kill us if we tried to leave.
How long did your daddy lock you inside the house? Since I was eight.
And you're ten years old now? Yeah.
So you were locked in the house for two years.
Nobody could come in and nobody could leave? Except for Daddy.
He had the keys.
Is your father in court today? Yes.
Could you point him out to us, please? Do I have to? Yes.
Why are your eyes closed? 'Cause I'm scared what he'll do to me for telling the truth on him.
ANNABETH: Okay.
Let's go back to the day of the fire.
I I got up early and I took Daddy's keys off the hook.
Me and my sister snuck outside to play.
When Daddy caught us, he gave me a whipping and he drug Mommy down to the basement for letting me touch his keys.
I could hear Mommy screaming and crying, but I couldn't stop him.
I just wanted to play outside.
Sonny What did he do to your mom in the basement? He put the collar on her.
The collar? My daddy says, "When a dog misbehaves, you have to chain the bitch up.
" After Daddy went to work, I got into his toolbox.
It took us all morning to cut Mommy loose.
And then and then I went upstairs and I lit his bedroom on fire.
Why? Because I wanted the firemen to come and save us or else we would die.
But either way it would be over.
You're a brave boy, Sonny.
Thank you for telling the truth.
Mr.
Hellman.
Yes, we, uh, waive cross for now, Your Honor.
We reserve the right to cross later.
May we meet in your chambers, sir? Now you realize that every bit of testimony you've just heard is inadmissible! Because? Because I intend to file an appeal the minute the verdict comes in.
This boy was obviously coached.
If you're finished posturing, I'm curious to know how you'd like to proceed.
We accept the State's settlement offer.
That was last week.
That offer's no longer on the table.
Five years is a perfectly reasonable Look at these pictures, Mr.
Hellman.
Do you want the jury to see what Mrs.
McNeil and her children went through? Look at them.
Your client serves Oh, don't be greedy.
Do you want me to put the little girl on the stand? Ten years.
You will burn in hell for this.
I've already been there.
MAUREEN: Nice work.
Thank you.
I know you think I'm married to my job, and you're right.
But I know from experience that there is no harder job in the world than being a working mom.
Wait.
Wait, Maureen.
Maureen? How do you know that? About being a mom and all? You won.
Go home.
Go see your family.
Jack? Honey.
Wake up.
Wake up.
What? Do you realize what just happened? We had sex and I missed it? Listen.
Listen to how quiet it is.
Our baby just slept through the night.