Conviction (2016) s01e05 Episode Script
The 1% Solution
1 [Screams.]
[Gasps.]
No! [Gasping.]
[Dial tone.]
[Gasps.]
[Grunting.]
[Dial tone beeping.]
[Thumping.]
Early in the morning, I woke up out of bed All my thoughts are running back They're running through my head Of how you want to debate everything you hear And I just want to go on escaping from my fears Oh, no, I don't want to follow In a path that makes me hollow I've been living underground Trying to get my spirits up There's more than one direction To get to the same end We don't have to agree We don't have to agree Male Reporter: Hayes Morrison's rant about privilege could not have been more fun to watch, for everyone except her mother, Harper Morrison.
I screw up.
Because of my last name, the cops call the D.
A.
He calls my mom.
Strings are pulled.
I'm out on the street in an hour with a new job.
Harper's poll numbers have taken a hit since Hayes revealed her mother helped her escape punishment for cocaine possession with the assistance of District Attorney Conner Wallace.
Hi, Jax.
It's me.
Again.
I bet the apartment's really lonely without me.
I'm sorry about the interview.
Feel free to call and yell at me.
Just call me back.
Please.
[Sighs.]
[Sighs.]
Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.
How come your suitcases and toiletries bag - are in your office? - No reason.
Our next case, I want a worldclass underdog.
Disadvantaged, deprived, hapless in every way.
Her brother kicked her out after the interview, and moving into the Four Seasons wouldn't be self-punishing enough.
How am I doing? A David who got kicked in the ass by Goliath.
Someone? Anyone? Tess: Jacob Atkins.
In prison for murder.
Atkins was on LSD during the interrogation.
The cops convinced him he was guilty.
Public or private defense attorney? - Private.
- Not poor enough.
Next.
Maxine: Nicole Sanders.
Convicted of violating the Clean Air Act - when her asbestos-removal firm - Clean Air Act a hot-button topic for America's underclass.
Next.
I'm sorry, are we supposed to pick a case that soothes your privileged guilt? There are worse things.
Glad you could make it, Frankie.
Sorry I'm late.
Case you want to pitch? [Grunts.]
No.
- No, I'm good.
- Sam: Will Jarrett.
Passed around by six court-appointed attorneys before being sentenced to 40 years for murder.
Six court-appointed lawyers? I can smell the deprivation from here.
Who's Will accused of offing? Debra Porter.
Wealthy wife and mom of a friend of Will's.
Stabbed to death in her mansion in Forest Hills Estates.
The haves versus the have-nots.
Perfect.
Debra Porter, wife of David Porter, mother of Sean, head of her neighborhood association, and active in numerous charities.
According to the neighbors, they were the perfect family.
And the lies start right away.
Perfect family, perfect B.
S.
I remember this case.
Every detective in Queens worked double shifts until that kid was caught.
Nothing frees up overtime money like a rich, white family and their manicured lawn being under attack.
October 7, 2007 Debra's son was away at boarding school.
David Porter came home from his hedge-fund job to find this Debra had been stabbed seven times, throat slashed.
It's so brutal.
What's the connection between the poor kid and the rich family again? Will met the Porters through one of Debra's charities, an organization for disadvantaged youth.
The prosecution must have had a field day.
How did they spin in? Wealthy suburban family opens door to Oliver Twist, - only to be repaid by murder? - Sam: Pretty much.
The murder weapon was never found, but it was believed to have been a serrated steak knife missing from the Porters' kitchen.
When Will was questioned by the police if he was at the Porters' house on the day of the murder, he said no, which proved to be a lie.
His skin cells were found underneath Debra's fingernails.
Lying to the cops generally not a sign of innocence.
Or of not trusting the police pretty much a default state when you're not white, wealthy, or both.
None of which changes Will's DNA tying him to the crime.
Let's go see if the "Blind Side" has an explanation.
Notify the Porter family.
Read up on the case, review the evidence, and see if Will got the short end of the stick.
Will: Of course I didn't kill Mrs.
Porter.
The Porters were the closest thing to family I ever had ever will have.
I never would have done anything to hurt her.
So, how did your skin get under her fingernails? She was changing a light bulb and tripped, and I caught her, but she scratched my neck.
I know.
I wouldn't believe me, either, but it's the truth.
Unlike when you told the cops you didn't see Mrs.
Porter that day.
I didn't mean to lie.
The cops asked me when I was last over there, and I got the days mixed up.
[Scoffs.]
I still can't believe Hayes Morrison is working on my case.
Maybe there's some hope for me after all.
If you're innocent, isn't there always? I'm thinking you and I didn't grow up in the same place.
For me, there's never been much hope.
But the Porters changed all that.
They were always making up jobs for me and then overpaying me for them.
They knew I had nothing.
Are you sure you weren't helping yourself to more than they were offering? The cops discovered missing valuables from the house after the murder.
Maybe Mrs.
Porter caught you stealing, you Why would I risk that? It would just mean I'd have to spend more time at my aunt's place.
Is that who you were living with your aunt? Officially, yeah.
My dad split before I was two, and she took me in when my mom got busted for drugs.
But she had four kids.
And we were in this rat trap in the Corona projects just outside of Forest Hills.
So close, yet so far away.
I got used to going to bed hungry.
But over at the Porters, there was always food, tons of it.
And Mrs.
Porter was a great cook.
And she made Thanksgiving and invited me.
And me and Sean and his dad watched the game, and we all had dinner together.
Best holiday of my life.
It was like, for once, I had a family.
Any idea who else might have killed Mrs.
Porter? All I know is it wasn't me.
Maxine: Thank you both for meeting with me.
Oh, anything to accommodate the District Attorney's Office.
- [Tea cup clinks.]
- We can never repay you for putting my wife's killer away.
Actually, the Conviction Integrity Unit is taking another look at the case against Will Jarrett.
Why? The That animal's in prison, where he belongs.
I promise you, if the case holds up, that's where he'll stay.
Sean: I don't understand.
Are you Are you saying that maybe Will didn't kill my mom? That's a possible outcome of our review.
Mr.
Jarrett may not have received an adequate defense.
"Mr.
Jarrett," as you call him, conned my entire family into trusting him.
Sean treated him like a brother, Debra and I like a son.
Tell me more about Debra.
[Tea cup rattles.]
Well, she was so smart, driven.
Youngest partner at her law firm.
But she gave all that up after Sean was born.
We were lucky my success allowed her to stay home and focus on the family and her charity work.
And that's how you met Will.
Yes.
Through the Youth Outreach Program my mom helped run.
- Were you two close? - We hung out.
I mean, he seemed nice.
Uh, I guess I felt bad that he didn't have all the things that I did.
We wanted Sean to understand that not everyone had the same privileges that he had.
So we opened our home to Will fed him, clothed him, made him part of the family.
And in return he destroyed us.
I think you've given me and Sean more than enough to process.
Of course.
Eight more years? I'm not gonna make it.
Do the time.
Don't let it do you.
I really thought I had a shot with my appeal.
I only got one left now.
Maybe your boss can help on my next appeal? Hotshot lawyer and the First Daughter? - That's some serious cred.
- [Scoffs.]
That's a big favor.
Uh, the job's still new.
I feel weird asking.
Wouldn't want you to feel weird.
Come on, Rey, man.
You're right.
You're out.
You got a shot at a new life.
I want you to have it.
No.
No, no.
I'll, uh I'll ask her about the appeal.
All right? I-I got to go.
- Hey.
- Hey.
That's the case you had earlier.
How come you didn't pitch it? It's not really a CIU case.
My friend has only one appeal left.
I told him I'd ask Hayes to take a look.
Someone you knew from prison.
My cell mate.
Well, if he's important to you, definitely ask Hayes.
You requested all files and evidence on the Debra Porter case? It's just that one box? Not exactly.
[Papers rustling.]
If you're nervous about showing Hayes, I could take a look, see if there's an angle for appeal.
Okay.
Yeah, that'd be great.
Thank you.
Just sign here.
Those are all for the Porter case? Where do you want them? Um, conference room.
[Sighs.]
You here to fill me in on your next case? Nope.
Then you can go.
I got you something.
[Pills rattle.]
A huge bottle of Ibuprofen? For the agony of me.
[Tissue paper rustles.]
- [Pills clack.]
- Seriously? I get that you're mad at me, but how was I supposed to know that the U.
S.
Attorney investigation was gonna happen? I'm not mad, Hayes.
I'm done.
When you went off the rails during that interview, I wasn't surprised.
Upset, sick to my stomach, pissed off yeah.
But somewhere, deep inside, I knew there was a chance you'd blow things up.
That's what you do.
It's who you are.
And I'd be lying if I said that doesn't turn me on, but I don't need it in my life.
You blackmailed me into this job.
I'm only here because you forced me.
That was a mistake personally.
Professionally, making you Head of CIU, that was smart.
That part of our relationship that'll continue.
Frankie, it's a bloody shoeprint from the crime scene.
It's a size 9.
Well, Will Jarrett was a size 11 back then, right? I read the trial transcripts.
No shoeprint evidence was introduced by his lawyers.
That's reasonable doubt you could drive a truck through.
But who left the print, and why wasn't it a part of Jarrett's defense? [Wheels squeaking.]
Man: Sorry, Ms.
Morrison.
Did I wake you? [Sighs.]
What gave you that idea? [Ringing.]
- [Beeps.]
- Hi, Jackson.
It's me again.
Again.
Calling like I'm gonna call you every morning until you let me apologize, because I miss you.
[Sighs.]
This case we're working on there's a a family at the center of it.
Anyway, uh, give me a call, text.
Use all the repulsive emojis you want.
I deserve it.
How the hell does a boot print pointing to another killer not get used at trial? That's exactly what I've been wondering.
[Maxine clears throat.]
You never heard of Casual Tuesday? Jeans are casual.
This is slumber party.
Later, I thought we could braid each other's hair, do a slam book.
You touch my hair, I will kill you.
Someone edify me on the saga of the mysteriously-missing boot print.
I tracked down the ADA who prosecuted the case.
They turned it over to the defense and were totally shocked they didn't use it.
So, the cops find a bloody boot print at a crime scene that doesn't belong to the accused, and they don't have to tell anyone? Prosecutors tell the jury whatever story of the crime they want.
Same as the defense.
The details they include or omit is up to them.
As long as they gave the defense access to those details.
Which they did supplied the defense with copies of every lab report and stitch of evidence.
Got the receipts to prove it.
So why didn't the defense counsel bring the print? The ADA handed over all 24 boxes of case materials to Will's first court-appointed attorney.
After Will's case was reassigned five times, only 23 boxes made it to lawyer number 6.
So that missing box probably had the lab report with the boot print.
One simple, human mistake, and Will goes to jail.
What about the boot itself? I confirmed the crime-lab results.
Boot tread belonged to a Bruno Costa work boot, size 9.
Retails for around $1,200.
- For a pair of boots? - That's moronic.
- That's crazy.
- That's my rent.
Any idea where they sell these bad boys? We checked every high-end shoe store in the area, found three that sold the Costa.
Only 73 pairs purchased in that size the five years prior to Debra Porter's death.
One of them sold to David Porter, the victim's husband, in 2009.
In the detectives' notes on the case, they mentioned David had consulted a divorce attorney a couple months before the murder.
Imagine scratch the perfect marriage, find festering misery underneath.
I'll go back and talk to David Porter.
I got this.
Destroying the illusion of familial bliss is a specialty of mine.
[Horns honking.]
David: I loved my wife.
I consulted a divorce attorney because we'd hit a rough patch.
We decided to try counseling together.
What'd you two fight over? Lots of things, but mainly Sean.
She spearheaded sending him off to boarding school, thought he could use the discipline.
I learned a ton at boarding school ritual hazing, keg stands, advanced hydroponics.
Discipline, not so much.
How about Sean? It helped.
Though probably not enough for Debra's liking.
Must have been hard on him, having two such highly accomplished and driven parents as you and Debra.
Well, I bet you know a thing or two about that.
There are pluses and minuses.
Debra did lean on Sean pretty hard but it was completely out of love.
Mm.
Maybe you felt like you needed to protect Sean.
Are you insinuating that I killed my wife? He's insinuating.
I'm asking.
Did you kill her? No.
And I couldn't have.
I was with 10 other people at the office.
The police confirmed that.
Mr.
Porter, do you recognize these? [Paper rustling.]
Yeah.
I bought a similar pair seven or eight years ago.
Yeah, we found a matching boot print in your wife's blood.
Puts you at the scene of the murder.
It wasn't me.
I'd already given those boots away by then.
Do you remember who you gave them to? Of course.
Our gardener Luis.
[Footsteps approaching.]
Luis Torres.
We're from the Conviction Integrity Unit.
We just want to ask you a few questions about Debra Porter.
What about her? Were you working at the Porters' the day that she was murdered? That That was a long time ago.
I would think it's a day you wouldn't easily forget.
Uh, look, um I don't want to get in any trouble.
No one said anything about trouble.
Those are some nice boots, man.
Bruno Costa, size 9, right? You had 'em a long time? A few years.
I think you need to come with us.
Well, that doesn't look too guilty, now, does it? [Dialing.]
Hi, Jackson.
Hayes Morrison.
Yesterday, I left a message saying that I would be calling you every morning until you let me apologize.
Well, this is that call.
I really, really, really am sorry.
I miss you.
I love you.
Call, hmm? Let me grovel.
You know you want to.
[Sighs.]
I didn't kill Mrs.
Debra.
I tried to help her.
Oh, you just left a bloody boot print while you gave her CPR? I saw her.
I-I bent down to check her pulse.
Uh, she was already dead.
So you just walked right back out, went about your day like you hadn't just found your boss stabbed to death? I know I should have called the police, but I was afraid if they knew I'd been in the house, they'd well, they'd look at me like the way you two are right now.
I didn't kill her.
No, you were just inside the day that Debra Porter was brutally murdered.
I was in the house more than once.
And why's that? Don't gardeners usually work outside? They would leave money just lying around on the counter.
Or in their clothes pockets.
More money than I'd make in a week.
You stole from them.
Maxine: What else did you take? The police listed a number of items missing.
They never missed any of it.
They never even noticed anything was gone.
Her husband gave you his $1,000 work boots.
Is that what he told you? [Scoffs.]
I saw them in the trash.
I asked if I could have them.
Oh, that must have made you so angry, seeing the Porters toss money around while you had to work so hard just to get by.
Maybe you got so angry, you killed Debra Porter.
I didn't do it.
Oh, but that that Jarrett kid the police arrested He's your killer.
I can prove it.
I thought you told the cops that you didn't see anyone else around the house that day.
It wasn't that day.
He did this to me.
Will Jarrett? He came at me for no reason.
Broke my arm in three places.
Why didn't you tell anyone? [Sighs.]
He said he would kill me if I did.
Luis said I threatened him? That's a lie.
So, what actually happened? I was working in the Porters' backyard, painting the guesthouse.
I saw Luis sneaking out of the main house.
I confronted him, said I was gonna tell the Porters.
He got angry and came at me.
He said you broke his arm.
I was defending myself, and he fell.
Why didn't you tell anyone about this? Luis begged me not to.
Said if he got fired by the Porters, he'd lose all his other clients.
[Scoffs.]
I actually felt bad for the guy.
You believe that? So you never threatened to kill him? If I had, why didn't he tell the police when he was questioned about the murder? I'm not a killer.
Hey.
Hey.
So, I looked into your friend's file.
Definitely echoes of U.
S.
vs.
Rivera Rodriguez.
An appeals court overturned a conviction for a judicial bias.
The judge improperly intervened during testimony and closing arguments, bolstering the prosecution's case.
So you think he's got a shot on appeal.
No, actually.
The judge might have overstepped, but a security video shows Rey beating up a store clerk during the commission of a robbery.
He's not a good guy.
Yeah, you don't know him.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to You know, me and Rey, we got history.
Okay, that doesn't just stop because I got out.
- Frankie - Thanks for taking a look, though.
I don't know who to believe.
Either Will threatened Luis, or Luis threatened Will.
- One of them is lying.
- But which one Will or Luis? Maxine: I think I might have your answer.
You'll never guess what we uncovered in our search of the gardener's truck.
Try me.
Steak knife serrated blade.
Matches the one that went missing in the Porter kitchen.
You just found our murder weapon.
And our murderer.
You know the drill.
I leave a message expressing my regret, which is sincere.
And I tell you I need things to be right between us.
Uh, which is totally selfish, but true, because without you [Sighs.]
Listen, you have every right to feel mad.
I betrayed you.
Like the time when we were kids and at Thanksgiving, I lied and told Aunt Kate that you were the one that broke the ugly collectible plate that she loved so much.
You You said you'd never speak to me again.
But you did, eventually.
[Sighs.]
Can we just fast-forward to eventually? Are we sure that's the knife that killed Debra Porter? 100%.
Microscopic traces of Debra Porter's blood were found on the inside of the handle.
It's the missing steak knife.
Sam: So, wait.
The murder weapon is a "Porter house" steak knife? Like a Porterhouse steak.
Maxine: [Scoffs.]
Add to that Luis' bloody boot print plus his habit of stealing from the Porter household.
Maybe Debra caught him in the house and he killed her.
Well, we have more than enough probable cause to arrest him.
- I'll get a warrant.
- Not so fast.
Swapping out one underprivileged defendant for another I'm sorry if the truth doesn't play into your "Eat the Rich" fantasy, but It's just too neat.
Luis pops up on our radar as a suspect, and then a couple of days later, the murder weapon turns up in his truck? You think the knife was planted maybe by the real killer.
Will's already in prison.
Maybe he's not the real killer.
So, why would someone who literally got away with murder hang on to the knife all these years and then frame a second innocent man? I don't know yet, but whoever it was had to know Luis was a suspect.
Yes.
Our best and only suspect.
We should have the NYPD pick him up.
Eh, if you're wrong, you know what this arrest will do to him.
He'll lose all his clients.
He'll never work in Forest Hills again.
Frankie's right.
Luis doesn't have the kind of safety net some of us have.
Even if he's innocent, he'll be ruined.
But he's our prime suspect.
We can't let him get away.
Well, he could be held for 24 hours without charging him.
48, tops.
Sam, go be the great lawyer Maxine always says you are and get the cops to give us a full 48 hours before they arrest him, while we look into the conveniently-appearing knife.
Retrace Luis' steps since he's become a suspect.
Wallace isn't talking to me.
Jackson really isn't talking to me.
And the case we're on now, a family lost their mom.
Somehow, all the signs pointed to you.
Desperate times.
I was surprised you picked up the phone.
I was curious.
A phone call from you is a rare occurrence.
I thought you'd be pissed.
Mm.
I'm not completely un-pissed.
But you needed to talk.
I'm sorry about what I said.
I know you are.
I didn't mean to hurt you.
Or anyone else.
Just because you didn't mean it doesn't lessen the damage done.
[Sighs.]
How do I make things right with Wallace and Jackson? Oh, with your brother, he'll be fine in time.
I mean, as soon as my numbers recover, it'll be yesterday's news.
As to Wallace go with your weapon of choice.
What's that? The truth, which you wield with a skill and precision which is breathtaking to watch.
Except with the people closest to you.
Well, I haven't exactly pulled punches with you and Jackson and Dad I'm not talking about your opinions.
I'm talking about your feelings towards the people who matter to you.
Have you told Wallace how you feel about him? [Scoffs.]
He doesn't want anything to do with me.
And you're okay with that? So tell him.
Tell him why.
See what happens.
[Cellphone chimes.]
I got to go.
Work stuff.
Go.
I know my way out.
Feelings will have to wait.
[Sighs.]
Just don't let them wait too long.
Frankie: I went to all the homes Luis worked at since he became a target of our investigation two days ago.
Got security-camera footage from all of them.
It's a good thing the high-and-mighty are afraid of the low and impoverished.
He could just be looking to rip off some tools.
Or not.
The knife was planted.
Luis was set up.
Could we get a better look at this guy? [Keyboard clacks.]
It's Sean Porter.
Do you think he Killed his mother? Sure looks like it.
The video speaks for itself.
Really? Because I see a lot that's open to interpretation.
This isn't an inkblot test, counselor.
We're charging your client with planting evidence, for starters.
We believe Sean murdered his mother and let Will Jarrett take the fall.
That's impossible.
Sean was at boarding school, 125 miles away.
That's where he was supposed to be.
Turns out, Sean paid off his proctor to let him leave school grounds.
He'd done it a lot that semester.
I tried it with the Secret Service.
They never bit.
That doesn't prove anything.
We thought you could help us flesh that out.
Tell us what really happened, and you'll be out of Sing Sing in time for your midlife crisis.
Erin: Sean's not going to prison, because he didn't kill Debra Porter.
He happened to have the murder weapon, but had nothing to do with the murder? Where'd you keep it all these years, Sean? Not a word, Sean.
This interview is over.
Then we'll have the police arrest your client.
On trumped-up charges.
Charges that carry a term of a life sentence without parole.
That's enough.
I have something to say.
- David.
- You're here because I pay you.
We'll give you what you want.
Sean did plant the knife, but only after Will Jarrett told him where to find it.
Sick bastard must have held onto it as memento.
Then he ordered Sean to plant it in Luis' truck.
Why would Sean go along with that? Because Will threatened him.
From behind bars? Will is a psychopath.
He's been manipulating my son since Day 1, taking advantage of his generosity and naivete.
Good news is, you'll have plenty of time before Sean's trial to come up with a better story.
And if we find out that Sean was involved in your wife's death, there won't be enough money in the world to keep him out of an orange jumpsuit.
Well, you've managed to avoid wearing one, Ms.
Morrison.
[Clicks tongue.]
I think Sean will be just fine.
Frankie: We have a new suspect in the Debra Porter murder.
Oh, that's great.
Did Luis confess? Not exactly.
We're looking at Sean Porter.
Sean? Why? 'Cause he planted the murder weapon on the gardener.
Hayes: We think Sean killed his mother, but he says that's not true.
What does he say? He says that you told him where to find the knife and threatened to hurt him if he didn't plant it.
[Scoffs.]
[Inhales.]
Sean really said that? His dad did, but Sean didn't disagree.
Is it true, Will? Did you threaten Sean? Or was he involved in some way? Did he kill his mother and then convince you to take the fall? [Sighs.]
No.
Sean's telling the truth.
I told him to plant the knife.
Will, think about what you're saying.
I killed Debra Porter.
It was me.
On my own.
I was hoping you could get me out, but I don't deserve it.
I'm guilty.
Why the sudden 180? I really thought he was gonna rat Sean out.
Me, too, and then it was like he wanted to protect him.
But why? Why would he do that? Money? Maybe Sean paid him to kill his mother.
But why stay quiet all this time? [Sighs.]
Love.
Did you see his reaction when you told him Sean had laid him out? He wasn't angry.
He was hurt.
You think they were in a relationship? Maybe Debra objected to her son's sexuality.
It didn't square her perfect family portrait.
So Sean killed her, but Will took the fall.
That's crazy.
It would explain why Sean planted the knife.
I mean, he wanted his boyfriend out of jail.
One of them killed her.
It's just a question of figuring out which one.
I might be able to get you an answer.
Sam: First officers found Debra Porter in this room throat slashed, stab wounds to her chest and abdomen.
Tell me how she got here.
It started in the foyer.
Debra had come home from a workout.
Homicide found her compact on the ground.
She was probably fixing her makeup, never saw it coming.
The high-velocity spatter on the painting came from the cut on her arm.
Scalloping blood trail indicated that she fled towards the stairwell.
She was going for the phone, on the credenza.
That's why there was blood on the handset.
Frankie: Will followed her.
She tried to defend herself, which is why Will's skin was under her fingernails.
And then he stabbed her seven times.
But all of Debra's wounds were on the left side of her body.
Doesn't that mean the killer was righthanded? Most likely, yeah.
But Will is left-handed.
Sean is the righty.
Okay, so Sean sliced his mom's arm in the foyer, then followed her here, where he killed her.
Then he slit his own mother's throat, made sure she was dead.
All right, but it doesn't explain the difference in stab wounds.
I mean, the ones in her stomach were deep and angry.
The ones in her chest were shallow, almost reluctant.
I think I might know why.
What if Will attacked her first? He let her run because he knew she wasn't gonna get very far.
Debra ran into Sean, her son.
Probably thought she was safe, but she wasn't.
And maybe he grabbed her, held her.
It would explain the bruises on her wrist.
And then Will stabbed her from behind.
But he couldn't get the job done, which is why the chest wounds were hesitant.
Unlike the stomach, which were anything but.
Because Sean took over.
And stabbed his mother deeply and savagely from the front.
And because Will came from behind, the stab wounds looked like they'd been inflicted by the same person a single right-handed attacker.
- Which means - Debra Porter was killed by her son and his boyfriend.
They did this together.
The M.
E.
confirms Frankie's theory of right- and left-handed killers.
Sean and Will murdered Debra together.
We already have Will in custody.
The only question is, how do we get Sean? We have him on video planting the murder weapon.
Both Sean and Will say that Sean was coerced into that.
And once Sean's father's fleet of high-priced lawyers are done, Sean might not even see the inside of a jail cell.
The problem is, we have no physical evidence tying Sean to the murder.
Maybe we don't need it.
You think you can get Will to talk? If I push the right buttons.
I already told you, I killed her.
I did it alone.
The evidence tells us you had an accomplice.
You can't prove it was Sean.
I can prove you're making a big mistake trying to protect your boyfriend.
You fell hard for Sean, didn't you? Who wouldn't? He's handsome, charming, wealthy.
He was your ticket into a world you didn't even know existed.
Too bad he didn't feel the same about you.
You don't know what you're talking about.
Oh, I think I do.
I grew up just like Sean.
I learned how to use my privilege to get what I wanted.
Just like Sean was using you.
I bet he was the one that talked you into killing his mom, right? - No, that's - He knew you had a terrible childhood, so he used his wealth to make you feel special, and then he manipulated you - used you, treated you like hired help, - No.
Stop.
which is all you really were, anyway.
You're wrong.
It wasn't like that.
No? What was it like? We [Sighs.]
We were in love.
You were in love.
Sean didn't care about you.
- You were his patsy.
- That's a lie.
He let you rot in prison because he never really cared about you.
Stop saying that.
I know that he loved me.
- You're delusional.
- That's not true.
Prove it! [Sighs.]
- Will: Tell me you love me.
- Sean: I do.
You never say it.
I told you I'd say it when we got rid of our problem.
Can't we just run away? She'd cut me off financially if we did.
We wouldn't be able to do all the things we talked about.
All I want is this.
And we can have this, all the time.
No more hiding.
What about your dad? He'll come around eventually.
Will you help me? I can't do it without you.
Yes.
Tess: Where'd you get this? The video was saved on a clone phone that Will kept hidden in his cell.
He gave it to us.
He had a phone in prison? Yeah, cellphones are one of the most-smuggled items into prisons.
I had one.
We pulled the video from the phone's SD card.
Will had this, Sean had the knife as a reminder of their connection a reminder that Will would do anything for him.
Because he was in love.
[Sighs.]
[Cellphone ringing.]
[Chime.]
Jackson: You're never gonna give up, are you? Mm! No! We closed another case.
I want to tell someone about it.
Well, I'm I'm sure you'll have no problem finding "someone" to tell about it.
Goodbye, Hayes.
Wait, no, I I didn't want to tell "someone.
" I want to tell you.
I want to tell my brother.
Please, talk to me.
I'm gonna need more groveling.
Of Of course.
Uh, you're right.
I, uh I screwed up.
Me.
I.
Screwed.
Up.
How? I screwed up by thinking that just because I was telling the truth, it didn't matter who I hurt along the way.
- And? - Uh I have always accepted who you are personally, and I should have done the same with your career.
That's who you are, too.
Yes, it is.
The other night, I didn't respect that.
Never have, probably.
Nope.
I'm sorry for every time I didn't tell you how much I needed you, uh, admire you, love you, because I do.
Please forgive me.
[Exhales.]
So Tell me about this big case that you just cracked.
[Both chuckle.]
Sean: Dad! Stop! Get those off my son! [Engine starts.]
This is Will Jarrett's fault.
He manipulated Sean! We both know that's not true.
Is that why Debra sent him to boarding school to break up their relationship? Debra just wanted what was best for Sean.
As long as he wasn't in love with a man? No.
Neither of us had a problem with Sean being gay.
So what was the issue? Debra didn't approve of Will.
She felt that he wasn't like us.
Because he was poor? [Sighs.]
Was that a deal-breaker for you, too? No, but Debra was so adamant that he just wasn't good enough for Sean, that they were from two different worlds.
Well, now they'll be sharing the same one.
Thanks for your help, guys.
[Knock on door.]
What part of "I'm done" did you not understand? Just giving you an update.
We closed another case.
Could have told me that over the phone.
Any news from the U.
S.
Attorney investigation? I've hired outside counsel.
Great.
Anyone I know? Naomi Golden.
Out of Chicago.
[Scoffs.]
You have a problem with that? She's my ex-girlfriend.
Mine, too.
She's also a former U.
S.
Attorney, not to mention one of the top criminal litigators in the country.
I'm going to need her expertise.
I'm sure you will.
Legally and otherwise.
[Emma Louise's "Underflow" plays.]
I was wondering when you were finally gonna give me that.
His name's Rey Armas.
We were inside together.
A friend of yours? Yeah.
Okay, leave it, and I'll take a look.
It's more than that.
Me and Rey, we, uh I love him.
Or I did.
I don't Into the valley of the shoulder blades He helped me get through being locked up.
So I I'll take a look.
I don't know if he should get out.
I thought that's what I wanted, but I don't know what's right.
For him, or for you? I'm not sure.
Well, let me know when you are.
Or not.
It's your call.
And it feel it in the underflow Yeah.
[Clears throat.]
I feel it in the underflow Doo, doo, doo, doo-doo-doo-doo I feel it in the underflow Doo, doo, doo, doo-doo-doo-doo I feel it in the underflow
[Gasps.]
No! [Gasping.]
[Dial tone.]
[Gasps.]
[Grunting.]
[Dial tone beeping.]
[Thumping.]
Early in the morning, I woke up out of bed All my thoughts are running back They're running through my head Of how you want to debate everything you hear And I just want to go on escaping from my fears Oh, no, I don't want to follow In a path that makes me hollow I've been living underground Trying to get my spirits up There's more than one direction To get to the same end We don't have to agree We don't have to agree Male Reporter: Hayes Morrison's rant about privilege could not have been more fun to watch, for everyone except her mother, Harper Morrison.
I screw up.
Because of my last name, the cops call the D.
A.
He calls my mom.
Strings are pulled.
I'm out on the street in an hour with a new job.
Harper's poll numbers have taken a hit since Hayes revealed her mother helped her escape punishment for cocaine possession with the assistance of District Attorney Conner Wallace.
Hi, Jax.
It's me.
Again.
I bet the apartment's really lonely without me.
I'm sorry about the interview.
Feel free to call and yell at me.
Just call me back.
Please.
[Sighs.]
[Sighs.]
Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.
How come your suitcases and toiletries bag - are in your office? - No reason.
Our next case, I want a worldclass underdog.
Disadvantaged, deprived, hapless in every way.
Her brother kicked her out after the interview, and moving into the Four Seasons wouldn't be self-punishing enough.
How am I doing? A David who got kicked in the ass by Goliath.
Someone? Anyone? Tess: Jacob Atkins.
In prison for murder.
Atkins was on LSD during the interrogation.
The cops convinced him he was guilty.
Public or private defense attorney? - Private.
- Not poor enough.
Next.
Maxine: Nicole Sanders.
Convicted of violating the Clean Air Act - when her asbestos-removal firm - Clean Air Act a hot-button topic for America's underclass.
Next.
I'm sorry, are we supposed to pick a case that soothes your privileged guilt? There are worse things.
Glad you could make it, Frankie.
Sorry I'm late.
Case you want to pitch? [Grunts.]
No.
- No, I'm good.
- Sam: Will Jarrett.
Passed around by six court-appointed attorneys before being sentenced to 40 years for murder.
Six court-appointed lawyers? I can smell the deprivation from here.
Who's Will accused of offing? Debra Porter.
Wealthy wife and mom of a friend of Will's.
Stabbed to death in her mansion in Forest Hills Estates.
The haves versus the have-nots.
Perfect.
Debra Porter, wife of David Porter, mother of Sean, head of her neighborhood association, and active in numerous charities.
According to the neighbors, they were the perfect family.
And the lies start right away.
Perfect family, perfect B.
S.
I remember this case.
Every detective in Queens worked double shifts until that kid was caught.
Nothing frees up overtime money like a rich, white family and their manicured lawn being under attack.
October 7, 2007 Debra's son was away at boarding school.
David Porter came home from his hedge-fund job to find this Debra had been stabbed seven times, throat slashed.
It's so brutal.
What's the connection between the poor kid and the rich family again? Will met the Porters through one of Debra's charities, an organization for disadvantaged youth.
The prosecution must have had a field day.
How did they spin in? Wealthy suburban family opens door to Oliver Twist, - only to be repaid by murder? - Sam: Pretty much.
The murder weapon was never found, but it was believed to have been a serrated steak knife missing from the Porters' kitchen.
When Will was questioned by the police if he was at the Porters' house on the day of the murder, he said no, which proved to be a lie.
His skin cells were found underneath Debra's fingernails.
Lying to the cops generally not a sign of innocence.
Or of not trusting the police pretty much a default state when you're not white, wealthy, or both.
None of which changes Will's DNA tying him to the crime.
Let's go see if the "Blind Side" has an explanation.
Notify the Porter family.
Read up on the case, review the evidence, and see if Will got the short end of the stick.
Will: Of course I didn't kill Mrs.
Porter.
The Porters were the closest thing to family I ever had ever will have.
I never would have done anything to hurt her.
So, how did your skin get under her fingernails? She was changing a light bulb and tripped, and I caught her, but she scratched my neck.
I know.
I wouldn't believe me, either, but it's the truth.
Unlike when you told the cops you didn't see Mrs.
Porter that day.
I didn't mean to lie.
The cops asked me when I was last over there, and I got the days mixed up.
[Scoffs.]
I still can't believe Hayes Morrison is working on my case.
Maybe there's some hope for me after all.
If you're innocent, isn't there always? I'm thinking you and I didn't grow up in the same place.
For me, there's never been much hope.
But the Porters changed all that.
They were always making up jobs for me and then overpaying me for them.
They knew I had nothing.
Are you sure you weren't helping yourself to more than they were offering? The cops discovered missing valuables from the house after the murder.
Maybe Mrs.
Porter caught you stealing, you Why would I risk that? It would just mean I'd have to spend more time at my aunt's place.
Is that who you were living with your aunt? Officially, yeah.
My dad split before I was two, and she took me in when my mom got busted for drugs.
But she had four kids.
And we were in this rat trap in the Corona projects just outside of Forest Hills.
So close, yet so far away.
I got used to going to bed hungry.
But over at the Porters, there was always food, tons of it.
And Mrs.
Porter was a great cook.
And she made Thanksgiving and invited me.
And me and Sean and his dad watched the game, and we all had dinner together.
Best holiday of my life.
It was like, for once, I had a family.
Any idea who else might have killed Mrs.
Porter? All I know is it wasn't me.
Maxine: Thank you both for meeting with me.
Oh, anything to accommodate the District Attorney's Office.
- [Tea cup clinks.]
- We can never repay you for putting my wife's killer away.
Actually, the Conviction Integrity Unit is taking another look at the case against Will Jarrett.
Why? The That animal's in prison, where he belongs.
I promise you, if the case holds up, that's where he'll stay.
Sean: I don't understand.
Are you Are you saying that maybe Will didn't kill my mom? That's a possible outcome of our review.
Mr.
Jarrett may not have received an adequate defense.
"Mr.
Jarrett," as you call him, conned my entire family into trusting him.
Sean treated him like a brother, Debra and I like a son.
Tell me more about Debra.
[Tea cup rattles.]
Well, she was so smart, driven.
Youngest partner at her law firm.
But she gave all that up after Sean was born.
We were lucky my success allowed her to stay home and focus on the family and her charity work.
And that's how you met Will.
Yes.
Through the Youth Outreach Program my mom helped run.
- Were you two close? - We hung out.
I mean, he seemed nice.
Uh, I guess I felt bad that he didn't have all the things that I did.
We wanted Sean to understand that not everyone had the same privileges that he had.
So we opened our home to Will fed him, clothed him, made him part of the family.
And in return he destroyed us.
I think you've given me and Sean more than enough to process.
Of course.
Eight more years? I'm not gonna make it.
Do the time.
Don't let it do you.
I really thought I had a shot with my appeal.
I only got one left now.
Maybe your boss can help on my next appeal? Hotshot lawyer and the First Daughter? - That's some serious cred.
- [Scoffs.]
That's a big favor.
Uh, the job's still new.
I feel weird asking.
Wouldn't want you to feel weird.
Come on, Rey, man.
You're right.
You're out.
You got a shot at a new life.
I want you to have it.
No.
No, no.
I'll, uh I'll ask her about the appeal.
All right? I-I got to go.
- Hey.
- Hey.
That's the case you had earlier.
How come you didn't pitch it? It's not really a CIU case.
My friend has only one appeal left.
I told him I'd ask Hayes to take a look.
Someone you knew from prison.
My cell mate.
Well, if he's important to you, definitely ask Hayes.
You requested all files and evidence on the Debra Porter case? It's just that one box? Not exactly.
[Papers rustling.]
If you're nervous about showing Hayes, I could take a look, see if there's an angle for appeal.
Okay.
Yeah, that'd be great.
Thank you.
Just sign here.
Those are all for the Porter case? Where do you want them? Um, conference room.
[Sighs.]
You here to fill me in on your next case? Nope.
Then you can go.
I got you something.
[Pills rattle.]
A huge bottle of Ibuprofen? For the agony of me.
[Tissue paper rustles.]
- [Pills clack.]
- Seriously? I get that you're mad at me, but how was I supposed to know that the U.
S.
Attorney investigation was gonna happen? I'm not mad, Hayes.
I'm done.
When you went off the rails during that interview, I wasn't surprised.
Upset, sick to my stomach, pissed off yeah.
But somewhere, deep inside, I knew there was a chance you'd blow things up.
That's what you do.
It's who you are.
And I'd be lying if I said that doesn't turn me on, but I don't need it in my life.
You blackmailed me into this job.
I'm only here because you forced me.
That was a mistake personally.
Professionally, making you Head of CIU, that was smart.
That part of our relationship that'll continue.
Frankie, it's a bloody shoeprint from the crime scene.
It's a size 9.
Well, Will Jarrett was a size 11 back then, right? I read the trial transcripts.
No shoeprint evidence was introduced by his lawyers.
That's reasonable doubt you could drive a truck through.
But who left the print, and why wasn't it a part of Jarrett's defense? [Wheels squeaking.]
Man: Sorry, Ms.
Morrison.
Did I wake you? [Sighs.]
What gave you that idea? [Ringing.]
- [Beeps.]
- Hi, Jackson.
It's me again.
Again.
Calling like I'm gonna call you every morning until you let me apologize, because I miss you.
[Sighs.]
This case we're working on there's a a family at the center of it.
Anyway, uh, give me a call, text.
Use all the repulsive emojis you want.
I deserve it.
How the hell does a boot print pointing to another killer not get used at trial? That's exactly what I've been wondering.
[Maxine clears throat.]
You never heard of Casual Tuesday? Jeans are casual.
This is slumber party.
Later, I thought we could braid each other's hair, do a slam book.
You touch my hair, I will kill you.
Someone edify me on the saga of the mysteriously-missing boot print.
I tracked down the ADA who prosecuted the case.
They turned it over to the defense and were totally shocked they didn't use it.
So, the cops find a bloody boot print at a crime scene that doesn't belong to the accused, and they don't have to tell anyone? Prosecutors tell the jury whatever story of the crime they want.
Same as the defense.
The details they include or omit is up to them.
As long as they gave the defense access to those details.
Which they did supplied the defense with copies of every lab report and stitch of evidence.
Got the receipts to prove it.
So why didn't the defense counsel bring the print? The ADA handed over all 24 boxes of case materials to Will's first court-appointed attorney.
After Will's case was reassigned five times, only 23 boxes made it to lawyer number 6.
So that missing box probably had the lab report with the boot print.
One simple, human mistake, and Will goes to jail.
What about the boot itself? I confirmed the crime-lab results.
Boot tread belonged to a Bruno Costa work boot, size 9.
Retails for around $1,200.
- For a pair of boots? - That's moronic.
- That's crazy.
- That's my rent.
Any idea where they sell these bad boys? We checked every high-end shoe store in the area, found three that sold the Costa.
Only 73 pairs purchased in that size the five years prior to Debra Porter's death.
One of them sold to David Porter, the victim's husband, in 2009.
In the detectives' notes on the case, they mentioned David had consulted a divorce attorney a couple months before the murder.
Imagine scratch the perfect marriage, find festering misery underneath.
I'll go back and talk to David Porter.
I got this.
Destroying the illusion of familial bliss is a specialty of mine.
[Horns honking.]
David: I loved my wife.
I consulted a divorce attorney because we'd hit a rough patch.
We decided to try counseling together.
What'd you two fight over? Lots of things, but mainly Sean.
She spearheaded sending him off to boarding school, thought he could use the discipline.
I learned a ton at boarding school ritual hazing, keg stands, advanced hydroponics.
Discipline, not so much.
How about Sean? It helped.
Though probably not enough for Debra's liking.
Must have been hard on him, having two such highly accomplished and driven parents as you and Debra.
Well, I bet you know a thing or two about that.
There are pluses and minuses.
Debra did lean on Sean pretty hard but it was completely out of love.
Mm.
Maybe you felt like you needed to protect Sean.
Are you insinuating that I killed my wife? He's insinuating.
I'm asking.
Did you kill her? No.
And I couldn't have.
I was with 10 other people at the office.
The police confirmed that.
Mr.
Porter, do you recognize these? [Paper rustling.]
Yeah.
I bought a similar pair seven or eight years ago.
Yeah, we found a matching boot print in your wife's blood.
Puts you at the scene of the murder.
It wasn't me.
I'd already given those boots away by then.
Do you remember who you gave them to? Of course.
Our gardener Luis.
[Footsteps approaching.]
Luis Torres.
We're from the Conviction Integrity Unit.
We just want to ask you a few questions about Debra Porter.
What about her? Were you working at the Porters' the day that she was murdered? That That was a long time ago.
I would think it's a day you wouldn't easily forget.
Uh, look, um I don't want to get in any trouble.
No one said anything about trouble.
Those are some nice boots, man.
Bruno Costa, size 9, right? You had 'em a long time? A few years.
I think you need to come with us.
Well, that doesn't look too guilty, now, does it? [Dialing.]
Hi, Jackson.
Hayes Morrison.
Yesterday, I left a message saying that I would be calling you every morning until you let me apologize.
Well, this is that call.
I really, really, really am sorry.
I miss you.
I love you.
Call, hmm? Let me grovel.
You know you want to.
[Sighs.]
I didn't kill Mrs.
Debra.
I tried to help her.
Oh, you just left a bloody boot print while you gave her CPR? I saw her.
I-I bent down to check her pulse.
Uh, she was already dead.
So you just walked right back out, went about your day like you hadn't just found your boss stabbed to death? I know I should have called the police, but I was afraid if they knew I'd been in the house, they'd well, they'd look at me like the way you two are right now.
I didn't kill her.
No, you were just inside the day that Debra Porter was brutally murdered.
I was in the house more than once.
And why's that? Don't gardeners usually work outside? They would leave money just lying around on the counter.
Or in their clothes pockets.
More money than I'd make in a week.
You stole from them.
Maxine: What else did you take? The police listed a number of items missing.
They never missed any of it.
They never even noticed anything was gone.
Her husband gave you his $1,000 work boots.
Is that what he told you? [Scoffs.]
I saw them in the trash.
I asked if I could have them.
Oh, that must have made you so angry, seeing the Porters toss money around while you had to work so hard just to get by.
Maybe you got so angry, you killed Debra Porter.
I didn't do it.
Oh, but that that Jarrett kid the police arrested He's your killer.
I can prove it.
I thought you told the cops that you didn't see anyone else around the house that day.
It wasn't that day.
He did this to me.
Will Jarrett? He came at me for no reason.
Broke my arm in three places.
Why didn't you tell anyone? [Sighs.]
He said he would kill me if I did.
Luis said I threatened him? That's a lie.
So, what actually happened? I was working in the Porters' backyard, painting the guesthouse.
I saw Luis sneaking out of the main house.
I confronted him, said I was gonna tell the Porters.
He got angry and came at me.
He said you broke his arm.
I was defending myself, and he fell.
Why didn't you tell anyone about this? Luis begged me not to.
Said if he got fired by the Porters, he'd lose all his other clients.
[Scoffs.]
I actually felt bad for the guy.
You believe that? So you never threatened to kill him? If I had, why didn't he tell the police when he was questioned about the murder? I'm not a killer.
Hey.
Hey.
So, I looked into your friend's file.
Definitely echoes of U.
S.
vs.
Rivera Rodriguez.
An appeals court overturned a conviction for a judicial bias.
The judge improperly intervened during testimony and closing arguments, bolstering the prosecution's case.
So you think he's got a shot on appeal.
No, actually.
The judge might have overstepped, but a security video shows Rey beating up a store clerk during the commission of a robbery.
He's not a good guy.
Yeah, you don't know him.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to You know, me and Rey, we got history.
Okay, that doesn't just stop because I got out.
- Frankie - Thanks for taking a look, though.
I don't know who to believe.
Either Will threatened Luis, or Luis threatened Will.
- One of them is lying.
- But which one Will or Luis? Maxine: I think I might have your answer.
You'll never guess what we uncovered in our search of the gardener's truck.
Try me.
Steak knife serrated blade.
Matches the one that went missing in the Porter kitchen.
You just found our murder weapon.
And our murderer.
You know the drill.
I leave a message expressing my regret, which is sincere.
And I tell you I need things to be right between us.
Uh, which is totally selfish, but true, because without you [Sighs.]
Listen, you have every right to feel mad.
I betrayed you.
Like the time when we were kids and at Thanksgiving, I lied and told Aunt Kate that you were the one that broke the ugly collectible plate that she loved so much.
You You said you'd never speak to me again.
But you did, eventually.
[Sighs.]
Can we just fast-forward to eventually? Are we sure that's the knife that killed Debra Porter? 100%.
Microscopic traces of Debra Porter's blood were found on the inside of the handle.
It's the missing steak knife.
Sam: So, wait.
The murder weapon is a "Porter house" steak knife? Like a Porterhouse steak.
Maxine: [Scoffs.]
Add to that Luis' bloody boot print plus his habit of stealing from the Porter household.
Maybe Debra caught him in the house and he killed her.
Well, we have more than enough probable cause to arrest him.
- I'll get a warrant.
- Not so fast.
Swapping out one underprivileged defendant for another I'm sorry if the truth doesn't play into your "Eat the Rich" fantasy, but It's just too neat.
Luis pops up on our radar as a suspect, and then a couple of days later, the murder weapon turns up in his truck? You think the knife was planted maybe by the real killer.
Will's already in prison.
Maybe he's not the real killer.
So, why would someone who literally got away with murder hang on to the knife all these years and then frame a second innocent man? I don't know yet, but whoever it was had to know Luis was a suspect.
Yes.
Our best and only suspect.
We should have the NYPD pick him up.
Eh, if you're wrong, you know what this arrest will do to him.
He'll lose all his clients.
He'll never work in Forest Hills again.
Frankie's right.
Luis doesn't have the kind of safety net some of us have.
Even if he's innocent, he'll be ruined.
But he's our prime suspect.
We can't let him get away.
Well, he could be held for 24 hours without charging him.
48, tops.
Sam, go be the great lawyer Maxine always says you are and get the cops to give us a full 48 hours before they arrest him, while we look into the conveniently-appearing knife.
Retrace Luis' steps since he's become a suspect.
Wallace isn't talking to me.
Jackson really isn't talking to me.
And the case we're on now, a family lost their mom.
Somehow, all the signs pointed to you.
Desperate times.
I was surprised you picked up the phone.
I was curious.
A phone call from you is a rare occurrence.
I thought you'd be pissed.
Mm.
I'm not completely un-pissed.
But you needed to talk.
I'm sorry about what I said.
I know you are.
I didn't mean to hurt you.
Or anyone else.
Just because you didn't mean it doesn't lessen the damage done.
[Sighs.]
How do I make things right with Wallace and Jackson? Oh, with your brother, he'll be fine in time.
I mean, as soon as my numbers recover, it'll be yesterday's news.
As to Wallace go with your weapon of choice.
What's that? The truth, which you wield with a skill and precision which is breathtaking to watch.
Except with the people closest to you.
Well, I haven't exactly pulled punches with you and Jackson and Dad I'm not talking about your opinions.
I'm talking about your feelings towards the people who matter to you.
Have you told Wallace how you feel about him? [Scoffs.]
He doesn't want anything to do with me.
And you're okay with that? So tell him.
Tell him why.
See what happens.
[Cellphone chimes.]
I got to go.
Work stuff.
Go.
I know my way out.
Feelings will have to wait.
[Sighs.]
Just don't let them wait too long.
Frankie: I went to all the homes Luis worked at since he became a target of our investigation two days ago.
Got security-camera footage from all of them.
It's a good thing the high-and-mighty are afraid of the low and impoverished.
He could just be looking to rip off some tools.
Or not.
The knife was planted.
Luis was set up.
Could we get a better look at this guy? [Keyboard clacks.]
It's Sean Porter.
Do you think he Killed his mother? Sure looks like it.
The video speaks for itself.
Really? Because I see a lot that's open to interpretation.
This isn't an inkblot test, counselor.
We're charging your client with planting evidence, for starters.
We believe Sean murdered his mother and let Will Jarrett take the fall.
That's impossible.
Sean was at boarding school, 125 miles away.
That's where he was supposed to be.
Turns out, Sean paid off his proctor to let him leave school grounds.
He'd done it a lot that semester.
I tried it with the Secret Service.
They never bit.
That doesn't prove anything.
We thought you could help us flesh that out.
Tell us what really happened, and you'll be out of Sing Sing in time for your midlife crisis.
Erin: Sean's not going to prison, because he didn't kill Debra Porter.
He happened to have the murder weapon, but had nothing to do with the murder? Where'd you keep it all these years, Sean? Not a word, Sean.
This interview is over.
Then we'll have the police arrest your client.
On trumped-up charges.
Charges that carry a term of a life sentence without parole.
That's enough.
I have something to say.
- David.
- You're here because I pay you.
We'll give you what you want.
Sean did plant the knife, but only after Will Jarrett told him where to find it.
Sick bastard must have held onto it as memento.
Then he ordered Sean to plant it in Luis' truck.
Why would Sean go along with that? Because Will threatened him.
From behind bars? Will is a psychopath.
He's been manipulating my son since Day 1, taking advantage of his generosity and naivete.
Good news is, you'll have plenty of time before Sean's trial to come up with a better story.
And if we find out that Sean was involved in your wife's death, there won't be enough money in the world to keep him out of an orange jumpsuit.
Well, you've managed to avoid wearing one, Ms.
Morrison.
[Clicks tongue.]
I think Sean will be just fine.
Frankie: We have a new suspect in the Debra Porter murder.
Oh, that's great.
Did Luis confess? Not exactly.
We're looking at Sean Porter.
Sean? Why? 'Cause he planted the murder weapon on the gardener.
Hayes: We think Sean killed his mother, but he says that's not true.
What does he say? He says that you told him where to find the knife and threatened to hurt him if he didn't plant it.
[Scoffs.]
[Inhales.]
Sean really said that? His dad did, but Sean didn't disagree.
Is it true, Will? Did you threaten Sean? Or was he involved in some way? Did he kill his mother and then convince you to take the fall? [Sighs.]
No.
Sean's telling the truth.
I told him to plant the knife.
Will, think about what you're saying.
I killed Debra Porter.
It was me.
On my own.
I was hoping you could get me out, but I don't deserve it.
I'm guilty.
Why the sudden 180? I really thought he was gonna rat Sean out.
Me, too, and then it was like he wanted to protect him.
But why? Why would he do that? Money? Maybe Sean paid him to kill his mother.
But why stay quiet all this time? [Sighs.]
Love.
Did you see his reaction when you told him Sean had laid him out? He wasn't angry.
He was hurt.
You think they were in a relationship? Maybe Debra objected to her son's sexuality.
It didn't square her perfect family portrait.
So Sean killed her, but Will took the fall.
That's crazy.
It would explain why Sean planted the knife.
I mean, he wanted his boyfriend out of jail.
One of them killed her.
It's just a question of figuring out which one.
I might be able to get you an answer.
Sam: First officers found Debra Porter in this room throat slashed, stab wounds to her chest and abdomen.
Tell me how she got here.
It started in the foyer.
Debra had come home from a workout.
Homicide found her compact on the ground.
She was probably fixing her makeup, never saw it coming.
The high-velocity spatter on the painting came from the cut on her arm.
Scalloping blood trail indicated that she fled towards the stairwell.
She was going for the phone, on the credenza.
That's why there was blood on the handset.
Frankie: Will followed her.
She tried to defend herself, which is why Will's skin was under her fingernails.
And then he stabbed her seven times.
But all of Debra's wounds were on the left side of her body.
Doesn't that mean the killer was righthanded? Most likely, yeah.
But Will is left-handed.
Sean is the righty.
Okay, so Sean sliced his mom's arm in the foyer, then followed her here, where he killed her.
Then he slit his own mother's throat, made sure she was dead.
All right, but it doesn't explain the difference in stab wounds.
I mean, the ones in her stomach were deep and angry.
The ones in her chest were shallow, almost reluctant.
I think I might know why.
What if Will attacked her first? He let her run because he knew she wasn't gonna get very far.
Debra ran into Sean, her son.
Probably thought she was safe, but she wasn't.
And maybe he grabbed her, held her.
It would explain the bruises on her wrist.
And then Will stabbed her from behind.
But he couldn't get the job done, which is why the chest wounds were hesitant.
Unlike the stomach, which were anything but.
Because Sean took over.
And stabbed his mother deeply and savagely from the front.
And because Will came from behind, the stab wounds looked like they'd been inflicted by the same person a single right-handed attacker.
- Which means - Debra Porter was killed by her son and his boyfriend.
They did this together.
The M.
E.
confirms Frankie's theory of right- and left-handed killers.
Sean and Will murdered Debra together.
We already have Will in custody.
The only question is, how do we get Sean? We have him on video planting the murder weapon.
Both Sean and Will say that Sean was coerced into that.
And once Sean's father's fleet of high-priced lawyers are done, Sean might not even see the inside of a jail cell.
The problem is, we have no physical evidence tying Sean to the murder.
Maybe we don't need it.
You think you can get Will to talk? If I push the right buttons.
I already told you, I killed her.
I did it alone.
The evidence tells us you had an accomplice.
You can't prove it was Sean.
I can prove you're making a big mistake trying to protect your boyfriend.
You fell hard for Sean, didn't you? Who wouldn't? He's handsome, charming, wealthy.
He was your ticket into a world you didn't even know existed.
Too bad he didn't feel the same about you.
You don't know what you're talking about.
Oh, I think I do.
I grew up just like Sean.
I learned how to use my privilege to get what I wanted.
Just like Sean was using you.
I bet he was the one that talked you into killing his mom, right? - No, that's - He knew you had a terrible childhood, so he used his wealth to make you feel special, and then he manipulated you - used you, treated you like hired help, - No.
Stop.
which is all you really were, anyway.
You're wrong.
It wasn't like that.
No? What was it like? We [Sighs.]
We were in love.
You were in love.
Sean didn't care about you.
- You were his patsy.
- That's a lie.
He let you rot in prison because he never really cared about you.
Stop saying that.
I know that he loved me.
- You're delusional.
- That's not true.
Prove it! [Sighs.]
- Will: Tell me you love me.
- Sean: I do.
You never say it.
I told you I'd say it when we got rid of our problem.
Can't we just run away? She'd cut me off financially if we did.
We wouldn't be able to do all the things we talked about.
All I want is this.
And we can have this, all the time.
No more hiding.
What about your dad? He'll come around eventually.
Will you help me? I can't do it without you.
Yes.
Tess: Where'd you get this? The video was saved on a clone phone that Will kept hidden in his cell.
He gave it to us.
He had a phone in prison? Yeah, cellphones are one of the most-smuggled items into prisons.
I had one.
We pulled the video from the phone's SD card.
Will had this, Sean had the knife as a reminder of their connection a reminder that Will would do anything for him.
Because he was in love.
[Sighs.]
[Cellphone ringing.]
[Chime.]
Jackson: You're never gonna give up, are you? Mm! No! We closed another case.
I want to tell someone about it.
Well, I'm I'm sure you'll have no problem finding "someone" to tell about it.
Goodbye, Hayes.
Wait, no, I I didn't want to tell "someone.
" I want to tell you.
I want to tell my brother.
Please, talk to me.
I'm gonna need more groveling.
Of Of course.
Uh, you're right.
I, uh I screwed up.
Me.
I.
Screwed.
Up.
How? I screwed up by thinking that just because I was telling the truth, it didn't matter who I hurt along the way.
- And? - Uh I have always accepted who you are personally, and I should have done the same with your career.
That's who you are, too.
Yes, it is.
The other night, I didn't respect that.
Never have, probably.
Nope.
I'm sorry for every time I didn't tell you how much I needed you, uh, admire you, love you, because I do.
Please forgive me.
[Exhales.]
So Tell me about this big case that you just cracked.
[Both chuckle.]
Sean: Dad! Stop! Get those off my son! [Engine starts.]
This is Will Jarrett's fault.
He manipulated Sean! We both know that's not true.
Is that why Debra sent him to boarding school to break up their relationship? Debra just wanted what was best for Sean.
As long as he wasn't in love with a man? No.
Neither of us had a problem with Sean being gay.
So what was the issue? Debra didn't approve of Will.
She felt that he wasn't like us.
Because he was poor? [Sighs.]
Was that a deal-breaker for you, too? No, but Debra was so adamant that he just wasn't good enough for Sean, that they were from two different worlds.
Well, now they'll be sharing the same one.
Thanks for your help, guys.
[Knock on door.]
What part of "I'm done" did you not understand? Just giving you an update.
We closed another case.
Could have told me that over the phone.
Any news from the U.
S.
Attorney investigation? I've hired outside counsel.
Great.
Anyone I know? Naomi Golden.
Out of Chicago.
[Scoffs.]
You have a problem with that? She's my ex-girlfriend.
Mine, too.
She's also a former U.
S.
Attorney, not to mention one of the top criminal litigators in the country.
I'm going to need her expertise.
I'm sure you will.
Legally and otherwise.
[Emma Louise's "Underflow" plays.]
I was wondering when you were finally gonna give me that.
His name's Rey Armas.
We were inside together.
A friend of yours? Yeah.
Okay, leave it, and I'll take a look.
It's more than that.
Me and Rey, we, uh I love him.
Or I did.
I don't Into the valley of the shoulder blades He helped me get through being locked up.
So I I'll take a look.
I don't know if he should get out.
I thought that's what I wanted, but I don't know what's right.
For him, or for you? I'm not sure.
Well, let me know when you are.
Or not.
It's your call.
And it feel it in the underflow Yeah.
[Clears throat.]
I feel it in the underflow Doo, doo, doo, doo-doo-doo-doo I feel it in the underflow Doo, doo, doo, doo-doo-doo-doo I feel it in the underflow