Better Man (2013) s01e03 Episode Script

1
I'll get you out of this.
I'm gonna get you out.
Sir, I need to pat you down.
Who sent you?
Anyone asks you anything, you tell
them a guy called Sun sent you.
- Who is Jie Jie?
- Kelly.
"Jie Jie" is Big Sister.
The name of his contact is Sun.
He knew he was carrying heroin.
Well, then proceed
to a signed statement.
If he signs on trafficking,
he's as good as dead.
I borrowed the money
to pay for his lawyers
and I had to pay it back.
Miss Kim Nguyen, we have a warrant
to search your premises
for narcotics.
Has he provided you
with a signed statement yet?
- No.
- I'm on my way to you now.
What for?
Confirming that what you told us
is the truth. Sign here!
Van
..how could you do something
like that?
How could you be so STUPID?!
I did it for us, man.
I did it for us.
How's Mum doing?
Khoa?
Khoa, how's Mum doing?
Khoa!
Daddy, is the Gold Coast
better than Tasmania?
Oh, not now, honey.
- I said the Gold Coast, Melissa
- Angie.
Angie, your dad's had a long day.
But I want to know where we're going
for Christmas.
- So, how did the case go?
- Don't ask.
I've worked it all out.
We rent a car in Brisbane
on Boxing Day
and we stay at the Holiday Park
which is right by Movie World.
- Honey.
- Julian.
I've got a hearing on January 4.
And I've got one on the 9th,
but I'm trying.
We've been promising her this trip
for a lifetime now.
Jules, you need to spend more time
with her.
OK.
We're going to Dreamworld
We're going to ♪
- Hang on. How many worlds are there?
- Three.
Well, we're going to one of them.
They're very expensive.
Daddy can't afford that.
- But Mummy's paying for it anyway.
- What?
You know, one of these days,
your daddy is going to earn
a gazillion dollars by defending
a big, nasty bank, you'll see.
Are you telling our daughter
that her father is broke?
I'm just telling her the truth.
I'll get it! I'll get it!
- Hello?
- Hi, Julian.
It's Mai, interpreter.
You help out my friend
in Springvale before.
Yes, Mai, I remember you.
What can I do for you?
I have a woman who needs your help.
It's urgent.
Very urgent.
Just give me a sec.
Hang on.
His name is Van, correct?
Mmm.
Sorry, it was very noisy
when you rang last night,
I missed half of what you said.
He got pulled up on drug possession.
- Heroin, right?
- Yes.
OK, and where was this?
This was Springvale.
- Right?
- No.
Wasn't in Springvale?
In Singapore.
Singapore.
He got caught with heroin
in Singapore?
- Howhow much heroin did he have?
- About half a kilo.
- Good Lord.
- She has no money.
She needs a lawyer
who can help her for free.
Hey, honey, I'm not sure
about a turkey this Christmas.
- Now, put Mummy on, will you?
- But Mummy is busy.
- She's working.
- Angie.
I'm painting, actually.
Trying to de-stress
from this damn compensation trial.
Hey, honey, I've been offered
another case, a very difficult one.
- Pro bono?
- Yeah.
- Do you think you'll win?
- Uh, probably not.
Oh, well, then that sounds perfect
for you.
No, this time it's serious, honey.
When is it not serious with you,
Mr McMahon?
A mother came to see me today.
Her kid got caught with heroin
in Singapore.
- What?
- Yeah. About half a kilo.
Oh, God.
So, what do I do?
I've really got to pass on this,
don't I?
Oh, Julian,
this is a capital punishment case.
I know.
You can't seriously be considering
taking it on.
Julian.
Kim, I don't think you understand.
I came here to tell you I can't
take on your case. I'm sorry.
Thank you. I understand.
Wait one minute.
Actually, Kim,
I might pass on the tea.
I really should get going.
I'm sorry.
Thank you for trying.
Kim, good night.
Julian
youyou a good man.
You a good man.
Oh, fuck.
Justin,
thanks for the invitation.
- Uh, Julian.
- Julian. Sorry.
Thanks for the invitation,
but you don't need me.
You get Palakrishnan on board.
He'll sort it out.
- Pala?
- Krishnan. Singapore's best.
He's well known for taking on
small pro bono cases
like yours over there.
Small? This isn't small.
Julian, kids are being picked up
in Asia for drugs all the time.
10g of pot, coke, you name it.
If you just play it low key,
you get Pala on board
and he'll sort it out.
Yeah, Lex, I'm not talking
about a few grams.
As long as you're under 15g.
Half a kilo of heroin in Singapore.
Half a kilo?
Is the death penalty.
There's a reason why
I'm trying to get the best QC
in the country to help me here.
December 15th today.
You made any plans
for Christmas yet?
Why?
She told all her friends
about the trip.
Honey, the mother is a refugee, she
can barely speak a word of English.
- I know, I know, I'm not blaming you.
- I went there, I tried.
I said no and thenwell,
then she made me tea.
Oh, Julian.
Hey, honey, how about we go
to Tasmania next year?
How about that? Hmm?
Your friend said Tasmania
is the bestest.
- The bestest? That isn't even a word.
- Hey, hey, honey.
Honey, honey, honey.
Come on, come on.
I'll make it up to you
next Christmas.
I promise I will.
Why do you keep saying we'll do
things that we never do?
Honey, Daddy's got to do
something really, really important
this Christmas, OK?
Why can't I be important too?
- Oh, honey.
Charming.
You still on a couple of dozen
of those a day, Pala?
Sex and cigars -
the only two luxuries in life!
If you can't have one, you've got
to have the other, right?
So when's our boy coming home?
Coming home?
That's good.
Seriously, you have only one shot.
Try and stop the case
from going to trial.
And have the charges downgraded
from trafficking to possession.
Mmm. How do we do that?
Prepare a submission
for the attorney-general
and take it directly to him.
- He calls the shots.
- How about we prepare the submission?
- And you take it to the AG?
I thought YOU
were the football team
looking for a sideline adviser.
No, no, no, we're the football team
looking for a Pele.
A Pele-krishnan.
That's good.
That's very good.
So what do you say, Pala?
Lex, I'd like to help, but I can't.
Van, hi, my name's Julian McMahon.
This is Lex Lasry.
We're your legal counsel.
We're here to represent you.
How you going, Van?
Van, do you understand
the seriousness
of the charges that you're facing?
Van?
- Are you aware
- What do you want?
We're here to try
and save your life, mate.
Who the fuck is paying
for your fees?
No-one.
We've taken on the case pro bono.
Which means
we're not getting paid.
Bullshit. I know you lawyer types.
You don't fuckin' work for free.
Ever.
Van, it's irrelevant what you think
of us or our profession, but
if you want to entertain the
chance of leaving those four walls,
then I suggest you listen
to the advice we have to offer.
Advice? Like what?
Well, what would help your case
is if it appeared
that you were trying to cooperate
with the Australian Federal Police
and the local authorities.
Well, for example, can you tell us
any more about the guy who sent you?
This Sun.
Sun
is cousin to Moon.
Mate, do you want us
to help you or not?
They're friends - Sun and Sky.
Why are you like this? Don't you
care what might happen to you?
I'm done here, Julian.
I'll tell Kim not to bother coming.
She'll be wasting her time.
Sit down, Lex.
That'll break her heart.
- Bullshit and fuck you.
- What did you say?
You leave my mum out of this.
Well, we can't, mate. She called us.
She asked us to help you.
Is she Is she really coming?
She's waiting to see you.
But you do need to cooperate
with us, mate.
His name is not Sun.
OK, what is it?
It's Alan.
His name is Allan.
Pala!
Lex and Julian, two men whose
glasses are always half full.
Am I right?
We have just come
from visiting our client.
Yes, a young boy who put
a packet of heroin on his back
and another through
an X-ray machine.
What sort of drug trafficker
would ever do that?
Why are you doing this, gentlemen?
- This case is as tough as it can get.
- Because he's a kid, Pala.
Stupid? Yes. Wrong? Yes.
But that's how kids are.
And now they are going to kill him.
Come on.
- Van?
- Van! Van.
Van! Oh, Van!
Oh, my God.
Gone.
Ave Maria
Gratia
Plena ♪
Good.
Dominus
Tecum
Benedicta ♪
Khoa?
Hey, Khoa, open up, mate.
I'm not the police.
Who the fuck are you?
I'm your brother's lawyer.
Now, I've spoken to your mother
at some length
and I'm just wondering is thereis
there anything you can tell me
about Van that might help?
Anything at all.
- Yeah. There's something.
- OK. OK, good. Shoot.
He's a fuckin' idiot.
Khoa, your brother is over there
sitting in prison, mate.
It's his fault.
Well, he said he was over there
trying to repay debts
for your family.
What? No, no, no.
He went over there to help himself.
He did it for himself. He didn't
have to. No-one told him to.
But he thinks he's the big brother,
the hero.
Fix everything up, but up here
- He's a fuckin' little kid.
- So you don't want to help?
Is that it? Is that why
you're sitting here doing
Doing what, huh? Doing what?
Fuck you.
For reasons set out below, it would
be appropriate for our client
to be proceeded against only
for the offence
of possession of a controlled drug.
Stress possession. Underline it.
OK, what have we got?
We've got, umwell,
there's his youth.
He's only 22 years of age.
Immaturity.
Naivety. Lack of life experience.
Easily manipulated.
Vulnerability - the one thing
the traffickers prey on
when grooming their mules.
Which brings us to point number two.
Personal and family circumstances.
A refugee, single mother
with no extended family,
dysfunctional upbringing,
stepfather he hardly even knew.
Financial disadvantage.
Family struggling to make ends meet.
Compounded by the debt
from legal bills
and pressure from loans
they couldn't hope to repay.
Even so, no priors or misdemeanours.
In fact, the sheer ineptitude
of his trying to conceal the drugs
and his pathetic attempt
at playing out his role as a courier
clearly demonstrate
that he is no pro.
But he has shown remorse and he's
cooperating with the authorities
and hopefully his intel
will be of use to the AFP.
Hey, who's there?
Somebody there?
UmI'm Van.
Van?
Like Toyota, Mitsubishi van, huh?
Yeah. Something like that.
You sound like a boy, man.
How old are you?
23? Well, I thought
my life was shit.
Hey, who was that singing
last night?
Uh
..it's Sister Elena.
- Who does she sing for?
- Everybody.
She sings for everybody lah,
to make their spirit go up.
Without her,
this placeis a dead place.
Oh, shit. Dead place.
When is she coming round again?
Desmond. Desmond!
What's so urgent?
The submission
for the Australian boy.
Possession -
we're asking for the charge
to be downgraded from trafficking.
Possession? You know
how much he was carrying?
Give him 15, even 20 years,
but spare his life, huh?
- It's not my call.
- You can twist their arm.
The kid put one packet
through the machine
and the other on his back.
I mean, what real drug trafficker
would do that?
I'm late for a meeting.
I'll fight this, Desmond. I'm seeing
his lawyers in Melbourne next week.
There is nothing to fight, Pala.
I'll fight for this boy.
Come on, darling. Daddy's parked
in a no-parking zone.
Again?
Why do you keep
Because they're cheaper
than a car park.
- I think your phone just rang.
- Hello?
Julian McMahon! I just saw a tram.
Is that what they call it?
Ah, Pala, you're in Melbourne.
Look, I need a stiff drink
after that flight.
They stuck me behind
a screaming baby.
So are you going to meet me
at the Melbourne Royal?
Yeah, yeah, I'm in the city now.
I can see you in the foyer
in about half an hour.
Can't wait.
Hey, darling, before we go, home,
Daddy just has to go to a hotel
for a quick meeting, OK?
- A hotel?
- Yeah.
How many stars is it?
Umseven.
- Welcome to Melbourne, sir.
- Thank you.
Are you here for business
or pleasure?
At my age, it's always
- Pleasure?
- I wish.
- Enjoy your drink, sir.
- I will.
Daddy, what's happening?
Uh, I'm not sure, darling.
Angie, just wait there for a minute,
OK?
- But I want to see too.
- No, stay there. Don't move.
Oh, shit!
Daddy
How is it that their only lawyer
who opposes the death penalty
is dead when we need him?
His heart gave out.
His heart?
Isn't that a bit too convenient?
We need to find a way around this.
- Can't rely on the legal angle.
- Don't believe this has happened.
Julian, he had a heart attack.
- Come on, Lex.
- He's dead.
From natural causes.
And we both better believe that
or neither of us will get
a sleep tonight.
So, what do we do tomorrow?
Open up the Singaporean Yellow
Pages, ring someone and say,
"Excuse me, would you like
to take on your own government?"
- That's it, the government.
- I'm sorry?
We need someone to challenge
their government
and only a government can do that.
With the utmost respect, Minister,
we know the Singaporean government
is susceptible to pressure.
Yes, perhaps.
Well, what if we utilise this
to our advantage?
Pressure from this government
could force them
to reduce the charge
from trafficking to possession.
But what kind of pressure
are you proposing?
Well, is there any chance
of economic sanctions?
It's not as simple as that, Julian.
Economic sanctions could be
a classic case
of cutting off your nose
to spite your face.
Alright, so what you're saying
is we can't risk a relationship
worth billions of dollars in trade
to save the life
of a drug trafficker.
I understand your frustration.
But sanctions will only damage
our capital interests,
not save Van.
- A lose-lose policy.
- What if we sought Van's extradition?
Get him sent home to be punished?
We could argue that he was only
in transit in Singapore
and Australia
was the intended victim.
I'll see what I can do.
Please.
We can stop this trial, Minister.
Kim! Kim!
Minister.
They've said they must proceed
with the trial
on the grounds of trafficking.
Unfortunately, they won't afford
the boy any special consideration
just because he's Australian.
Thank you, Minister.
- Hey.
- Oh!
You scared the life out of me.
What are you still doing up?
You didn't tell me
you were gonna take the car.
- I thought I did, I'm sorry.
- No.
And I am still trying to ascertain
why you let your 7-year-old
daughter see a dead body.
Honey, I was going to meet the man.
I found him lying dead in the lobby.
How was I supposed
to anticipate that?
- Well, why was she with you anyway?
- Yeah, I'm sorry.
When you do give her your time,
does it always have
to be tied in with your work?
She knows I'm busy.
She knows you're helping someone,
yes.
And she knows that it's very
important, yes. But she's seven.
And she has a strong hunch
that this someone
is much more important than her.
OK. Yeah.
So what happens now?
Oh, we head over for the trial.
Yeah, I know what you're thinking,
butyou never know.
- Joseph.
- Sir.
I heard you signed on
as legal counsel
to represent
the Australian drug trafficker.
Well, someone has to do it, sir.
You have a bright future here,
Joseph.
Do you REALLY think you made
the right career move
by being known as a man
who went against his own country
to represent some foreign scum?
I was taught that everyone
is entitled to a defence, sir.
I admire your courage.
I wish you the best for your future.
Thank you, sir.
I ask the accused to stand.
Now I have,
since the last hearing
given careful thought to the
submissions made on your behalf
and by prosecution, and have dealt
with them in my written judgement.
I do not propose to read
or summarise that now.
My decision
is that I find youguilty
on the charge that you face
and I convict you thereof.
The sentence of this court
is that you be taken from this place
to a lawful prison
then to a place of execution
where you will be hanged
by the neck until you're dead.
So, um, how are you feeling?
Van, we're gonna appeal
your sentence.
Lex is right.
This is only the beginning.
Bullshit it's only the beginning.
When are you gonna start being
honest with me?
- Listen, mate
- No, look, I'm done listening.
I've been talking to the guys
in my block.
And you want me to tell you
how many condemned
have gotten off death row
in the past 10 years?
This many.
So don't you tell me
that this is only the beginning,
'cause I know what my chances are.
More images
have been published in the US
showing abuse of Iraqi prisoners.
Returning to our top story,
the young Australian Van Nguyen
has been sentenced to death
following the loss of yesterday's
trial at Singapore's high court.
The 23-year-old Nguyen
from Brandon Park
was convicted of trafficking
nearly 400g of heroin
through Singapore's Changi Airport
in December, 2002.
His lawyers have said
they'll appeal the decision.
- We have a date.
- Hmm? When?
- Three months time.
- Oh, great.
That'll give us time to nut out
the errors in this judgement.
Julian, it's 9:30.
Last I heard,
you had a wife and a child.
- Hello?
Uh, Julian McMahon?
- Yes, come in.
- You're Van's lawyer.
We both are. This is Lex Lasry.
Kim told me
that you would still be here.
I'm sorry. My name's Kelly.
I was a school friend of Van's.
He used to eat
my leftover sandwiches.
UhOK.
I was just wondering,
is there any way I can help him?
It's all somehow linked, Sister.
With your book?
My lawyer gave it to me.
The author, Thomas More, he wrote
it just before his execution.
The sadness of Christ.
But the light that I keep seeing
I saw it again that night.
- When?
- When you sung A ve Maria.
Yes.
I think
there's a reason why I'm here.
- In prison?
- I don't know what it is.
But I want to find out.
- How do I find out?
- I'm not sure.
But there is something you can try.
Bernadette?
Bernadette?
"At Pop's. Food in fridge."
Great.
God
Lord
God
II hope my bro is OK.
And my mum.
And
and I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm just so sorry.
I'm sorry.
So sorry.
- Hello?
- Julian, it's Joseph Theseira here.
Joseph, good to hear from you.
Julian, I've been going through
these trial transcripts
and I think I've found an angle.
Go ahead. Make my day.
Have you got the files
in front of you there?
Yeah, yeah.
Turn to page 69,
paragraph seven,
subsection B.
You will see when Lau first weighed
those two packets of diamorphine,
they weighed 381g and 380g
respectively.
Yeah.
Now, turn to page 185,
paragraph three,
subsection A.
- Holy shit.
"At 1:03 on the night
of Van's arrest,
"Assistant Superintendent Lau
weighed the drugs.
"The first packet, marked A,
had a weight of 381g.
"The second packet, B,
a weight of 380g.
"He should have sealed both packets
immediately after he weighed them.
"But instead,
he left the drugs on his desk
"and 50 minutes later, at 1:55,
"he finally locked them up
in his private cabinet.
"Despite CNB having a store where
drug exhibits are properly kept,
"Lau kept the unsealed drugs
in his own private cabinet,
"until 11 that day when he finally
removed and sealed them.
"He handed them over to Dr Lee Tong
"for analysis at 11:40,
"some 10 hours
after he received them.
"But when Dr Lee weighed the drugs,
the weights recorded
"were 360g for packet A
and 370g for packet B."
Which begs the question - why
the difference in weights measured
by Inspector Lau and Dr Lee?
They broke the chain of evidence.
Brilliant.
There's our grounds for appeal.
One was 10g lighter.
The other was 20g lighter.
How is that possible?
Do we even know
if the heroin Dr Lee analysed
was the same heroin
Van carried with him?
Because of the different weights
of the drugs,
and the amount of time it took
for the analysis to be done,
the drugs may have been tampered
with.
Or, for all we know,
they could be completely
different drugs altogether.
Finally, when our client was
interviewed after his arrest
and made statements
admitting his guilt,
these statements should not have
been used against him at trial.
Our client was an Australian citizen
who was not asked
if he would like to speak
to the Australian Consulate.
He was not asked
if he wanted legal advice.
And he was not told he did not have
to answer any question
which may incriminate him.
Therefore, we submit that
all statements made by our client
were made in breach of Article 36
of the Vienna Convention
on consular relations
to which Singapore is bound.
In light of the above,
it is unsafe to convict our client
of the said charge
and he must immediately
be acquitted.
Van, going home?
Jie Jie. Hey.
Hello.
Jie Jie.
Hey, it's gonna be alright.
It's gonna be alright.
You're on death row.
You idiot.
It's not alright.
There's only
Shh.
Heroin.
What were you doing, Van?
Heroin.
I'm sorry.
You're a shit. You know that.
You know what my parents, my family,
have been saying?
You know what it means
in our community
that my friend is a drug trafficker.
Why Van?
You don't know?
We're sitting here,
you don't know why?
I'm so sorry.
What are you gonna do?
We've appealed.
It's looking good.
Are you OK?
Do you need anything?
So what are you doing here all day?
You wouldn't believe me
if I told you.
I could imagine.
No, you really couldn't.
I heard you were feeling good.
So when are you leaving us?
I'm not going anywhere
until you teach me how to jet ski.
You heard.
She told me you were a champion
jet skier, is that true?
What else did she say?
That you represented your country.
Just a few times now.
And then you got caught with
a kilo of marijuana in your bike.
Hey, you still there?
For you, Van, always.
Did you ever
get to go, um
America?
Caloosahatchee River, Florida.
World Jet Ski Championships.
Man, all this time I never knew
I was living next door to a celebrity.
Best river to jet ski you can get.
The sun shining on your back.
Water splashing
every part of your body.
One day you and me, boy,
on the jet ski.
I can just see it.
You know, the two of us
just racing down the river.
And the sun and the water.
And after that, we both go back
for a massive Vietnamese meal
in my mum's new house
the one that I just bought
for her.
I'd like that.
Small boy, I'm gonna miss you, man.
Bro, I'm gonna miss you too.
I'm going to miss you.
What?
Hey, what did you say?
Hey! What did you say?
No!
- Small boy, see you again.
No.
Oh, no.
Be strong, bro.
- No!
- Be strong, brother!
Be strong, bro.
Ah!
Be strong!
Oh!
I'll see you in Florida!
The sthe sun, the wi
That's where we're gonna
That's where we're gonna be.
That's where we're gonna be.
Ah!
Daddy?
Hey, honey.
What are you doing up?
Are you off again?
Yeah. Wish me luck?
Will they tell you
if you're gonna lose?
Yeah.
Want me to come with you?
Oh, darlin', no, I'll be alright.
You gotta stay here
and look after Mummy, OK?
Ohh, good girl.
Now, you got to sleep, alright?
Go on.
In our judgement,
what is crucially important
is to ensure
that there has been no mixing
of the drug exhibits
or tampering of their contents.
There is no suggestion
of mixing or tampering.
The crucial fact is that the two
packages remained in the custody
and control of Inspector Lau
through all the material times.
We therefore agree
that the integrity
and identity of drug exhibits
had not been compromised
at any stage.
The appellant, an Australian
national of Vietnamese origin,
aged 24, was convicted
of the capital charge
of importing into Singapore
396.2 grams of extracted heroin
without authorisation.
His appeal is against
both the conviction
and the sentence of death.
His appeal is hereby dismissed.
Oh, my God.
The sentence of death shall stand.
In any other First World country,
this case would have been
thrown out of court.
If there's that much discrepancy
in the weight of the drugs,
they're fucked!
It makes no sense.
He wasn't even bringing drugs
into this country.
He was in transit.
Didn't have the potential to harm
a single soul of theirs.
Now they're gonna kill him.
No. No, they won't.
Julian, we'll keep fighting,
but we have to brace ourselves
for the real possibility that
No, we are not gonna
fuckin' let him die.
Tough day.
Yeah.
How you holding up?
You know, Julian
I realised I never said,
"Thank you."
Oh, don't, mate.
For what everyone
you, have done for me.
We're not gonna give up, mate. Um
We're going to petition the
President directly for clemency.
Uh
So I need you to write him
a letter and
Julian, stop.
I'm OK.
I finished reading your book.
"Yea, though I walk through
valley of the shadow of death
"I will fear no evil
"for thou art with me."
Yes.
Hey.
I'm not gonna give up on you
you little punk.