The Twelve (2022) s01e04 Episode Script

1
These are 12 ordinary
people with 12 ordinary lives
and we need to persuade
them that you loved Claire,
that you would never
do anything to hurt her.
Your phone, pin and any passwords.
You need to get out of my
room. This is my private space.
You have no privacy
while you are a minor,
living under the roof that I pay for.
Ah!
I had an assignment due.
- Did you hand it in?
- Nah, I missed the deadline.
Maybe this is actually the reason
why you keep missing deadlines.
Nathan is pressuring Amita to lie.
The way to get justice
is to avoid a mistrial.
Stay away from court until we call you.
My parents are dead.
What do you reckon about
having your entire debt cleared?
All you have to do is
secure an acquittal.
Nah, mate, I'll I'll go
to fucking jail.
You've just taken a bribe for
information on your jury mates.
Kate Lawson walks free, so do you.
Belinda Bain was a
14-year-old assault victim.
It would be illegal for the press
to make reference to that case,
even after 30 years.
She was already dead.
Are you telling me Kate
Lawson killed Belinda Bain?
He made me do stuff.
Stuff I didn't want to do.
It's all my fault!
I've got something!
So, yeah, I know that I fucked up but
Good girl.
We were taking photos.
It's all my fault.
Doctor Kantor, was your lab able
to identify the brown substance
found on the corner of
Kate Lawson's artwork?
Ah, yes, it was dried blood.
And was it human blood?
Yes.
And were you able to
identify whose blood it was?
We identified two separate DNA profiles.
The one on the right
matched with Claire Spears
and the one on the
left with Kate Lawson.
And what about exhibits O, P and Q?
The blood spatters found
on the studio work table?
Ah, yes, exhibit O also returned
DNA matches for Claire Spears.
Exhibit P matched with Kate Lawson,
and exhibit Q matched the dead crow
found in the bush outside her studio.
Did your analysis reveal anything
about how that crow was killed?
As you can see in the photos,
these are very limited trace samples.
Was there anything else
found in these blood samples?
Yes, we found strong traces
of Sodium Hypochlorite.
- What is that?
- Yeah, sure.
It's a bleaching agent.
You can find it in a lot of
household cleaning products.
But we determined this was
not a commercial product.
How did you come to that conclusion?
In commercial applications,
it's heavily diluted.
It's about a 3% to 8% solution.
What we found in these samples
was highly concentrated, about 12%.
So, what does the presence of highly
concentrated bleach in these samples
suggest to you?
That Ms Lawson's studio
had been thoroughly cleaned
with industrial-grade bleach.
And this industrial-grade bleach,
was it found in any other
samples in Ms Lawson's studio?
Ah, yes, on the wheelbarrow.
..The blood found
in the blade from exhibit l?
Yes, we did.
And was that animal or human blood?
Human.
And could you
determine whose blood it was?
Yes, it matched
Claire Spears' DNA profile.
Did your lab conduct any other analysis
of Claire's blood sample that was
found on this particular blade?
We tried to date the sample,
using a technique called,
"Raman spectroscopic probing."
And what did you find?
We concluded that the
blood sample could be dated
to within a month of
Claire's disappearance.
My cousin killed birds
when we were kids.
He turned out to be a total spaz.
Trevor, you cannot say that word.
What? Why not?
Because it's offensive.
It's a free country.
He can use whatever word he wants.
He can, and I'm free to
tell him it's offensive.
Yeah, look, I know he stresses you out,
but that's what teachers do.
Look, I promise that I will
No, I told you I've given up.
I know, I don't.
Not even those patches,
just the nicotine gum.
Listen, I've got to go back inside.
I promise we can
We will talk about it in the morning.
Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you.
It's just the only place outside
I can still get the court Wi-Fi.
You should nap.
If you keep falling asleep in
court, they'll kick you off the jury.
Yeah, right.
You OK?
Why wouldn't I be?
Fuck you!
What's wrong?
Nothing.
Thanks.
Cute tatt.
You wouldn't say that
if it was your daughter.
Actually, Simon, I would.
Hey, that expert witness,
she didn't say that Kate actually
killed that bird, did she?
What other explanation is there?
She might have found it
already dead in the bush.
Yeah, yeah.
Maybe she just brought it
into the studio already dead,
'cause she was photographing it.
Yep, bringing dead animals home?
I don't know that's any better.
What sort of person would use
their own blood in their artwork?
Or their niece's, for that matter.
Just because she's a bit
unconventional in her art,
that doesn't mean
she's mentally unstable.
Yeah, but for some,
asking Claire to put a bloody
thumbprint on her artwork
could suggest a violent, disturbed mind.
Yeah, but you would
say that, wouldn't you?
What's that supposed to mean?
Oh, I'm just saying you might not
be able to be objective about this,
considering your personal history.
Judge is ready for you.
You're due back in court.
I brought my running gear today.
Mr. Colby, we are ready to proceed.
You OK?
As you please, your honour.
Fuck that guy.
Doctor kantor, in her police statement,
Ms Lawson testified to a
number of industrial chemicals
in her studio,
explaining that she was
experimenting with them
to see how they reacted
with photographic paper,
including
Can we bring up exhibit R, please?
Is that the same chemical
that you found in the blood
samples from the work table?
Yes.
And if that bottle spilt,
would that explain its
presence in the blood samples?
I suppose, technically,
that's possible, yes.
Now did you find any evidence
of Sodium Hypochlorite
on the retractable blade?
That's exhibit L.
No.
So, was no attempt
made to clean the blade?
Not that we found.
Is it possible that the
blood was put on the blade
at the same time as the
thumbprints were made?
There's no way for us to determine that.
Very well.
Now doctor kantor,
of all the swabs that were
submitted by the police to your lab,
how many came from Ms Lawson's home?
I would say 90% of them.
What was the other 10%?
We received additional swabs
from the passenger seat,
backseat and boot of Ms Lawson's car.
Did you find any blood in those samples?
No.
Did you test any swabs
from Nathan Spears' home?
No.
Did you test any swabs from
Nathan Spears' place of work?
No.
Did you test any swabs
from the passenger seat
of Nathan Spears' car?
- No.
- Why are we talking
about Nathan Spears?
I'm sorry, your honour, does
Does my learned colleague
need a moment or two?
I'd hate for her to miss this
important line of inquiry.
Madam crown?
On the contrary, your honour.
I was just admiring my learned
colleague's line of inquiry.
Thank you, madam crown.
It seems you can continue, Mr. Colby.
With pleasure, your honour.
Doctor kantor, did you test any swabs
from the backseat of Nathan Spears' car?
No.
Did you test swabs from the
driver's seat of Nathan Spears' car?
No.
Did you test swabs from the
boot of Nathan Spears car?
Obviously, no.
Why do you say, "obviously?"
I mean, the evidence
we were asked to analyse
obviously focussed on Kate
Lawson as the primary suspect.
Thank you, doctor kantor.
You've been very helpful.
Colby.
We'll be moving Nathan
Spears up the witness list.
Ah.
Yeah, I thought I heard Jenny say
something about a shit sandwich.
Well, I figure if we
give you the man himself,
you may not need to badger our
other witnesses so much about him.
Just doing the best for my client.
And my best is rather
good, don't you think?
Did he just wink at me?
..Today's proceedings
being a case of the defence,
once again, pointing
out the police failure
to investigate Claire
Spears' father, Nathan
..And his possible
role in her disappearance or murder.
There's a reason the
cops didn't swab your car.
You were never a fucking suspect.
I know that.
..And have many media
- and legal pundits
- How are you this calm?
I got nothing to hide.
Diane's at court every day,
whispering to journalists,
spreading lies about you.
..Tomorrow and..
- We have to go back.
- ..Continue for some time.
OK.
Yeah!
Yeah, she's here!
How was court?
Fucking insane.
Get this.
She used her own blood in the artwork.
- Wow.
- Yeah, and like dead birds and shit.
Ew, no. No, that just reminds
me of that Damien Hirst artwork
where he put the dead shark in the tank.
Yeah, and then it decomposed.
How is that art?
Like what's the concept?
- Activating your gag reflex?
- Oh!
Wait, so why was she using
her own blood in her art?
Beats me. But get this
- Her niece's blood was on there too.
- Oh!
Oh, that bitch totally did it.
Ah, guys, guys.
Ness isn't really supposed
to talk about the case.
Oh, come on. We're family.
Yeah, officially.
Jay was just telling us they
got the spermiogram results back.
And?
- Gold medal swimmers.
- Yeah!
I mean, not to brag,
but this is some virile
semen I'm giving you here.
Yeah, he's got some real
Thorpeys down there, just like
Oh!
Well, let's toast to your virility!
Yes! What are we drinking?
- Oh, it's gotta be bubbly, right?
- Like
Ooh, mama, I gotta cram in the bevs
before this virile bastard knocks me up.
Professor Porter, you
didn't Mark my essay.
You missed the deadline, Jarrod.
- It's an automatic not complete
- It wasn't even that late.
If you want to appeal the grade,
you have to go through the school.
You want me to go through the
uni's bureaucratic bullshit?
Why can't you just do it?
I think it's pretty rich of
you to come storming in here
and expect me to fix everything.
You missed three of my lectures
and you didn't submit
your essay on time
Yeah but And now you're expecting me
to, what, wave a magic wand
and make everything OK for you?
I'm just asking for some
fucking consideration
for the things that
were out of my control!
- He bothering you, miss?
- It's OK.
You know what's bothered me?
Your assumption that I'm bothering her.
Alright son, time to go.
Yeah, I'm not your son.
Get the fuck off me!
Whoa! Jarrod, for god's sake!
Sir, he's not bothering me.
It's OK.
You sure, miss?
Yes, I'm sure.
Off with you, then.
They keep giving me
bloody broken remote.
Hmm?
Papa, which channel?
The footy.
! Contract.
Where it is?
To the Chinese guys, remember?
- ?
- Yeah, yeah.
She's not.
Because she's been dead
for eight years, dad.
Fucking hell, Lex.
What do you want me to say?
I'm not going to lie to him.
You don't have to.
Just don't tell him
every fucking ugly truth.
It's cruel.
When did you know about this?
Been losing that battle
for over a year, Simon.
Alone.
You want parmesan?
Yeah.
Trying to give me a heart attack?
I think your job will do that for me.
Come on.
It's not heroin.
Or pregnancy.
A tattoo is going to haunt her
for the rest of her life, Em.
Where is she, anyway?
I don't know.
She said something
about the Rose and crown?
You let her take the car to a pub?
It's not a pub, it's
some shop in Dee why.
Family meeting, tomorrow.
I'm going to have it out with her.
Tomorrow's Thursday.
And?
And I play netball,
like I do every week.
OK, sure, if you want
to fight the tattoo war,
I'm more than happy to
come home late and sweaty
and tend to the wounded.
Just tell her to come home after
school so I can talk to her.
Should I ring your PA to confirm, or
Hey, guys, just careful
getting out of the car, please.
Careful.
Right?
- Alice, don't forget your racquet,
- OK?
You right? Got your drink bottle?
Gabby's picking you up after school, OK?
Bye!
OK, love you guys!
Bye.
Tahlia, hi.
Sam.
I didn't realise you
were the officer on this.
Always good to see you.
- You're a solid expert witness.
- Thanks.
Sam, I don't understand why we
can't talk about the Dokic case.
I mean, it seems to be extremely
relevant to Kate's state of mind
at the time of the disappearance.
Yeah. Ah
The judge ruled it prejudicial.
When I read the transcripts
of the first trial,
particularly the first police interview,
I mean, well, it's clear to me
that she's re-enacting
that specific trauma.
Yeah, right.
Anyway, I'll convey what I can.
I hope it helps.
Ms Lawson said in her police statement
that she was diagnosed with
borderline personality disorder.
Could you explain to the
jury what that is, please.
Our current definition of
borderline personality disorder
is a pervasive pattern of
instability of relationships,
image, mood and impulsive behaviour.
Does the disorder diminish
a person's capacity to reason?
No, I'd say it's more of an
emotion deregulation disorder.
But it's important to note that
BPD ranges vastly in its severity.
People with this disorder can
be extremely high functioning
and these personality types can
have very attractive qualities, too.
They're often spontaneous,
imaginative, charismatic, creative.
Could you please explain this aspect
of the BPD diagnostic criteria,
"intense relationships with
idealisation and devaluation?"
Well we often call this
phenomena "splitting."
BPD sufferers will
swing between idealising
and being completely
infatuated with the person,
and then suddenly hating
and vilifying them.
So, would you expect a
sufferer to experience
unstable and intense
personal relationships?
That's likely, yeah.
And what about outbursts of anger?
That's also very likely.
Is there any consensus as
to what causes this disorder?
The aetiology is presumed to
be disrupted forms of attachment
in childhood and early adulthood.
Individuals with BPD typically
suffered chronic forms
of emotional neglect or abuse.
But there is evidence to
suggest it is an inherited trait.
Yeah, I don't know
Yeah, it was like a
full-on like killing,
and it was in 'the daily
telegraph' for like, for a week.
So, yeah.
I can't believe you
guys don't know about it.
I can't even imagine. Poor Corrie.
Yeah, it's pretty brutal, hey?
That's an
That's an awful story
and to happen in her own home, as well.
Garry.
What are you doing?
You shouldn't be telling people that.
Why not, mate? I mean,
it was in the news.
You can Google it. And it affects us.
How the fuck does it affect you, Garry?
Her parents were offed
by a violent psycho.
How can she be a juror
in a murder trial?
Have a think about it.
Does anyone other than Garry think
that I shouldn't be on this jury?
No?
What about that I should no
longer be jury foreperson?
Well, I think it could be worth
a vote, just to clear the air.
OK.
Well, Farrad, you did put your
hand up for it earlier, so
- That's right.
- Oh, no, no, no, no.
I think Corrie's a wonderful foreperson.
I agree. She's been great.
And what about you, Garry?
Since you're the one
with all the concerns.
Yeah, no, as I said,
I don't think it can
hurt to take a vote.
Let's take a vote.
OK, great, yeah.
Let's vote.
OK, all in favour of Garry
replacing Corrie as foreperson.
It's ridiculous!
Tea?
Thank you. Come on
guys, put your hands up.
- Don't be shy.
- Yeah, come on guys.
If you want to vote me out
of this symbolic position
because I'm such a
traumatised mess, be my guest.
OK.
All those in favour of Corrie
staying in this completely
symbolic position.
- Aye.
- Aye.
- Aye.
- Aye.
Can we leave it at that?
Lunch, folks.
Keep that up and I'll soon
be able to match your pace.
Would you just
..Calm down?
Sorry?
I don't need you to keep checking
in or defending me in there.
We're grown ups. We fucked.
It doesn't need to be
more complicated than that.
OK, I get it, yeah.
Uncomplicated.
Good.
I need help!
Borderline personality disorder.
I'm sure this is something very
few of us here are familiar with.
I'm interested in the
terminology here, "borderline."
By "borderline," do you mean,
borderline not much of a thing?
It's a recognised condition.
Or perhaps arguable, arguable as in,
I myself have been described
as borderline genius,
but that's at best arguable.
But let's agree that it is a thing.
How common is it?
Well, it's actually the most
commonly diagnosed disorder
in Australia.
Really?
It's 4% of the population.
4%?
So, the sufferers of this BPD,
are they more likely to
self-harm or harm others?
Well, I don't see a
difference between the two.
When you harm yourself,
you're also harming
the people around you.
I'd like an answer. Which is it?
Self-harm.
And is this likelihood
significant or is it borderline?
It's significant.
People with BPD are at much
higher risk of harming themselves.
Hey.
Stand there.
Are these to impress
your sleazebag boyfriend?
- Shut up!
- Whoa!
What the fuck, Kate!
- What?
- Oh, come on!
It's not fucking funny!
OK, I'm sorry.
OK, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. Hey, look,
you can push me in.
No, I'm not.
I'm not gonna push you 'cause
I'm not a fucking psycho.
Don't, don't call me that.
People with BPD have issues
with a lack of self-control.
They're highly vulnerable to act
on impulse without much forethought.
So they're impulsive.
Does that mean that they're
less likely to have the capacity
to make long-term plans?
I'd say they'd find it more
difficult than the average person.
So would Ms Lawson's supposed condition
help or hinder her to pull off
a planned, complicated murder?
BPD varies widely from person to person.
I'd say it depends on how well Ms
Lawson was managing her disorder.
Did you know?
Did you know about the diagnosis?
Of course, I did.
What, and you didn't think
it was a good idea to tell me?
- It wasn't mine to tell.
- You left our daughter with her.
- I told you she was fucken crazy!
- Shh!
Why are you still defending her?
Do you even know who she really is?
Yeah.
She's my sister.
Ah!
Ah, it's beautiful.
I can see them.
Oh, Christ, ma, I'm working on it.
Your Zoe, she's got good genes.
You know the baby's
not going to have Zoe
how do you think this works, ma?
What, you think we're going
to combine our eggs together?
I don't know!
I can't keep up with how
they do it these days.
Yeah, well I can promise you
that medical technology
has not advanced that far.
Here you go.
Hey ma, they were talking about this
..Condition in court today.
Borderline personality disorder.
I mean she had,
she had really bad
mood swings, didn't she?
Why do you want to talk about Ba Ngaio?
I Look, I just want to know if she
..I mean, did she ever get a diagnosis?
She ever see, I don't know, a therapist?
Therapy is for white people.
Ava!
Ava!
Hey, how are you doing?
Hey, can I help you?
- Hey, excuse me!
- And you must be Joe.
Who are you?
Ava's dad.
One call to the cops
and they will shut this whole
underground operation down.
Underground operation, he reckons.
What are you talking about?
I'm talking about you
tattooing underage kids
- without their parents' consent.
- Hey mate, listen.
This is a licensed venue.
No one else works on Ava.
Oh, yeah, no one but you, right?
Come here.
Opp boy down opp boy down ♪
Babe.
Babe.
I'm working.
Someone here to see you.
We some lads in the hood ♪
raised in that 27 ♪
always up to no good aye aye ♪
we some lads in the hood ♪
raised in that 27 ♪
always up to no good aye aye. ♪
I come bearing gifts!
Zoe, fuck! I'm doing the dishes.
Someone's shitty!
Well, just try being in
a mood when you see
..This!
They were selling them at
that stand by the bus stop.
I just had to.
Isn't it precious?
Yeah, by precious you
mean gender nominative.
Doesn't have to be for a girl.
This baby's going to have two
sets of flamingly queer parents.
I think we're OK on
the gender norms front.
Zoe, if you put that thing on our baby,
I'm gonna fucken strangle
you to death with it.
Wow.
I can't talk to you
when you're like this.
I'm gonna put out the rubbish.
Um, Vanessa.
Vanessa!
Fuck!
Ava, you're not listening to me.
It's one thing you doing this on
other people, or as a vocation,
but it's another thing
doing it to yourself.
Your brain isn't even
fully developed yet.
Ohh! You shouldn't be making decisions
that will affect the rest of your life.
Dad, this is exactly
why I didn't tell you.
I won't work there till I turn
18. Then you'll have no say in it.
- Happy?
- Ava, I'm not forbidding it.
Can we just have a
conversation about it?
I think it's beautiful.
I think it's art.
And you think it's me scarring myself
because what, my brain's undercooked?
There's no fucking
conversation to be had here!
Ava, please!
For god's
He made me do stuff.
Stuff I, I didn't wanna do.
But I never thought that he was
..I never thought that he
..It's all my fault.
Why do you think it's your fault, Kate?
Because he asked me to bring her.
It's barely warm.
It'll be perfect.
Ah.
So she's gonna throw my work up
on those hideous screens again, is she?
Ah, Kate.
She's gonna make me out to be
some psychopathic paedophile
that would strangle a child for a photo.
Best be prepared.
Oh, god, this
..This is a,
a beautiful bird that I
found dead in the bush.
So why does that wigged bitch in there
get to turn it into some
fucking metaphor for murder?
I think it could work in our favour.
Plus I find your
photographs beautiful, mm?
They show your love for Claire.
Maybe we should tell them.
Maybe we should tell them about Dokic.
About Belinda.
Kate, the judge has ruled it out.
Then how, how will they see it?
The fragile line between
flying and falling.
Between succumbing and surviving.
It's just so precious.
- Hey, look at me.
- How?
- How will they see?
- Kate.
I see it.
And maybe the jury will too.
And what if they don't?
Mr. Bell, how long has your gallery
been presenting Ms Lawson's work?
We held her first exhibition in 2002.
I have known her a long time.
And do you consider Kate Lawson to
be a friend as well as a colleague?
Yeah, I do.
It is an intimate relationship
between a gallerist and an artist.
You develop a lot of trust.
Your honour, we would like to pass
out copies of the exhibit catalogue
to the jury, please.
Thank you.
If you could take one and
pass the rest on, please.
So how long after Claire's disappearance
did the gallery exhibit this series?
About four weeks after
Claire's disappearance.
And the series was mainly featuring
images of Claire Spears, correct?
Yes, it did.
Was the police investigation
into Claire's disappearance
still ongoing?
Well, yes, it was.
And yet Ms Lawson was willing
to go ahead with the exhibition?
Ah, no. No, she was very against it.
She was distraught,
but I had buyers champing at the bit,
and so I put my foot down
and if I had known then
..Well in retrospect,
it was insensitive, yeah.
In an email exchange the night
before the exhibition opened,
Ms Lawson asked you to
rearrange the display
because of the missing piece.
What does that refer to?
Well, Kate intended to close out
the series with one final image.
And that image was?
All I know is that Kate had arranged
another photoshoot with Claire
and yeah, for obvious
reasons, that never happened.
Indeed.
Throughout this catalogue,
you consistently refer to Ms
Lawson's work as Abject Art.
What does that mean?
You know, we use lofty terms
like that in the art market.
Please explain the term, Mr. Bell.
Alright.
Abjection is a term,
a concept I believe first coined
by the French feminist theorist,
Julia Kristeva.
And the concept is?
Abjection describes a
moment of existential horror
a person experiences
when they are confronted
with their own corporeality.
The finiteness of their human body.
So Abject Art tries to depict
the existential horror of
confronting your own death?
No.
No, not exclusively.
I'd say Abject Art is,
it draws visceral attention to the body,
which is what Ms
Lawson's photographs do.
Quite stunningly, I might add.
Mr. Bell, I'm going to direct
your attention to page two
of the catalogue,
where you have written,
"Lawson's latest series is
preoccupied with bearing witness
"to the violence of lost youth.
"She renders this through opposing
visual languages of corruption
"and innocence, decay and
fecundity, death and birth."
So in this series,
Ms Lawson was specifically
trying to depict violence,
lost youth and death?
Specifically?
Look, there is a degree of
hyperbole to that language.
I'm trying to sell the
artworks, after all.
Well, in your own words
right now, Mr. Bell,
what would you say that the central
theme of Ms Lawson's series was?
Well, to try to articulate a central
theme is to reduce Kate's work.
Like all great art, it is evocative
and it is not prescriptive.
It's open for interpretation.
And what was your interpretation
of Ms Lawson's photo series?
That it was provocative
and very beautiful.
Is anybody else having trouble eating,
after seeing those pictures?
Well, I think the value of art
lies in the impression
it leaves on the viewer.
See that?
And her work clearly left a pretty
strong impression on all of us.
I disagree.
I think art should be about creation,
celebrating life and
beauty, not death and decay.
Hey, those works are gonna be worth
a motser if she gets acquitted.
I'd buy some if I could afford it.
Good investment.
I think she's just
working out her issues,
making art like that.
I think it's quite sad, actually.
It's one thing an adult
working through her issues,
but Claire was 14 years old.
Adults are meant to protect
vulnerable teenagers.
I actually thought her
photos were kind of epic.
Well, I mean yeah, they
were dark, sad and messed up,
but so is life.
Well, I don't like them.
That's the value of
art. It's subjective.
Exactly my point.
It's not about what the artist intends,
it's about your interaction
with the artwork.
Mm.
You're not the only one who's
read 'the death of the author'.
Yeah, but he seems
to have understood it.
Shit.
Mr. Bell, could you identify the
printouts of exhibit 16, please?
Yes, these are scanned photographs
emailed to me by Kate Lawson.
They are lovely shots of
the foreshore at night.
When did you receive them?
14 September, 2019.
September 14.
Did Kate Lawson often share
work in progress like this?
All the time.
I pride myself on being
her first audience.
So, now, did the provocative
nature of Ms Lawson's work
as discussed before,
did this ever-present any
legal issues for your gallery?
Never.
Kate was, and remains, our most
commercially successful artist.
What about her use of
Claire Spears as a model?
Did that ever-present any legal issues?
God, no.
We're not talking child
nudity or exploitation here.
These are fine art photographs.
Now did you know Claire
Spears personally?
Of course.
I saw her whenever I
went to Kate's studio.
At various events,
sometimes Kate would bring
her along to openings.
Mm.
Did you ever get the sense that
she was being coerced by Ms Lawson
into modelling for her work?
Not at all.
Claire was incredibly precocious,
funny, high-spirited,
often more well versed on
the art world than I was.
She struck me as a
burgeoning artist herself.
Now, what about potential buyers?
Did they ever express any discomfort
with the nature of Ms Lawson's work?
Look, I'm not saying it's for everyone.
But art isn't always about
making people comfortable.
It is there to provoke, to challenge.
So you're saying Ms Lawson wanted
to confront people with her artwork?
Look, Kate Lawson is an artist
who powerfully and perfectly
creates the illusion of death.
And if Kate were to be convicted,
then she would never
sell another piece again.
Is Ms Lawson the only
artist that you know
that uses bodily substances like
blood or dead animals in her work?
Not at all, no.
There are innumerable.
Andres Serrano, acclaimed
American photographer,
comes to mind.
He famously submerged a
crucifix in his own urine.
Then he photographed bodies
in morgues across America.
Yes, well as you say, not for everyone.
I was thinking more
perhaps of Damien Hirst.
So in this context, nothing
unusual about Ms Lawson's work.
Not in the least.
A bloody thumbprint, a dead crow.
This is comparatively
tame in the art world.
So how credible do you
find the crown's theory
that Ms Lawson became so obsessed
with authentically capturing
the moment of death that she
orchestrated her own niece's death
- for her artwork?
- It is ridiculous.
The idea that Kate would actually
kill someone is pure insanity.
Yes.
Thank you, Mr. Bell.
That's all I have, your honour.
Yeah, I got that one.
Bro, hurry up.
Pint and parmy special's
only on till 8:00.
Yeah, I'm almost done.
What subject's this for?
Critical theory.
Mm, sounds critical.
So far it's about a bunch of white dudes
arguing about the nature of reality.
Hold on, Heidegger?
Didn't you already do
an essay on this guy?
No, that was a tute
presentation on the readings.
Yeah, so just buff up the word
count using your notes from that.
Bro, copy and paste.
Control c, control v.
Boom, we hit the pub.
Yeah, alright. Fuck it.
Yeah, yeah.
Oh, no.
Oh, fuck no.
Fuck no, no, no. Fuck!
I think the trial is
really getting to you.
Pick up, pick up, pick up!
Flip, answer your fucken phone!
Yes, I
..I knew they were underage, but
..Listen to me. The whole
thing was Kate's idea.
Why would two 14-year-old girls
go to the house of a 29-year-old man?
We were taking photos.
And you see, Kate brought her
around to model for me and fuck.
Yes, we went to bed together, OK?
But when I came
..When I came back from the bathroom,
she was
..She was already on the floor.
She was
..Look I know how this looks.
I know that I fucked up, but
I didn't hurt that girl, OK?
I swear it.
I didn't hurt her.
Yes, I knew that they were underage,
but you know,
the whole thing was Kate's idea.
Gentle.
Just take the edge of it.
- You got it.
- Mm.
Back and forward.
I told you.
You're an artist.