The Girl from Plainville (2022) s01e05 Episode Script

Previously on The Girl from Plainville Katie Rayburn she's tough, and she's not gonna bring charges unless she's got something solid enough for an indictment.
So, if she's convicted, what kind of a sentence is she facing? Up to 20 years.
On the boat, it never felt like you didn't know what was coming.
There was order, calm.
Susie? Enough.
She doesn't want me talking to you anymore.
She thinks you're obsessed with me.
I'm not.
I'm not into girls, Michelle.
I'm not into you.
2014, Conrad Junior's son got into a physical altercation.
If I'm Cataldo, I just figured out Conrad's motive for killing himself, and it is not Michelle Carter.
The jury can't see this.
When you were on the phone with Conrad the night of his death, did you did you tell him to get back in the truck? More.
More.
What would you do with those fingers? You're beautiful.
How would you touch me? Like this? Yes.
Please.
Please.
- She is a child.
- She's not.
- She's 18.
- Look at this.
All the things they're saying about her online.
The best you can do right now is keep your heads up and your mouths closed.
You're gonna try to get the case dismissed, right? Yeah, but we won't be able to.
Oh, this is ridiculous.
- Gail - David.
Why not? They've got too much evidence for dismissal.
She wasn't anywhere near that boy that night.
- You're right.
- So tell that to the judge.
- We will.
- You don't get it.
I want to tell our story.
You mean testify? Yeah, exactly.
I would advise against that.
The jury needs to understand us, our love story.
Your your love story? Right.
Yeah.
Um Can you, uh, read that for me? Out loud, please.
"So you do have hope, I told you.
" Uh, no, uh, the one below that one.
"I don't want you to live like this every day, though.
" Yeah, and that one.
Go on.
"Why don't you just drink bleach?" Okay, I never had feelings for another girl.
"It was only her that I felt that way about, "so she really messed me up "because, for a while, I was confused, and then her mom got involved and ruined our lives.
" That is copy and pasted to all of her friends.
You don't think that sounds like a girl who would do anything to get Susie's attention? She sounds heartbroken to me.
The fucking paper? Mrs.
Roy.
I'm gonna give you two a moment.
I have to learn about this from the paper? So you think he didn't kill himself? No, um No, he he did.
Um but leading up to his suicide, Michelle was in constant contact, encouraging him.
How do you know? There are text messages between the two of them, thousands of them.
Why would she do that? We're still piecing that together.
There is something that you could do.
We'd like you to testify at trial, talk about Coco, his life, uh, what he wanted for his future.
We'd also like you to talk about Michelle.
Me? Why? You have a relationship with her.
She reached out to you.
So you think she'll go to jail? I will do everything in my power to make that happen.
Uh, what about Co? He'll testify, too? Uh, the defense would bring up the uh, the incident that happened last year.
It would discredit him.
- He loved Coco.
- I know, um, but it's the defense's job to make it seem like it's anyone's fault but Michelle.
We need you.
I'll think about it.
We were close, but that was a long time ago.
She spoke to Conrad about you quite a bit.
We interviewed a couple of Michelle's friends, and they said you were important to her, but you two had some kind of falling out.
Well, he was obsessed with Susie.
Do you mind if, um, she tells us? No.
She wasn't getting along with her friends from school.
Same for me, so we talked.
Why did you stop talking? After a while, she became needy.
Intense.
Michelle kept Susie up all night, so I told her to cut it out, but that girl wouldn't take no for an answer, so I took Susie's phone, and even that didn't stop her.
She messaged her online.
She left notes in the car.
Do you have any of those? Yeah.
When was the last time you talked to Michelle? After I saw the news.
I texted her.
I thought it was the nice thing to do.
She texted me a couple more times.
I didn't respond.
Here you go.
- Do you mind if we keep this? - No.
Have you read that? Michelle texted the other girls that you were her first kiss.
- What? - It's not true.
What is this all about? We are looking into Michelle's involvement in Conrad's death.
What does this have to do with us? We can't go into the details, but it's possible that Michelle's actions were an attempt to get your daughter's attention.
I think we should go to the lake.
What? Why? To get away from the press and our neighbors, this house.
Any of it.
All of it.
Then it will look like we have something to hide.
Don't we? She told him to drink bleach.
You don't know the context.
Can you think of a context in which any of this is okay? And can you imagine what other late-night exchanges she had with that boy? - Hayden? - Go away.
What's wrong? Tell me what's wrong.
I'm the murderer's sister.
That's what's wrong! Get the fuck out.
Natalie.
Hey, Natalie.
I'm not allowed to talk to you.
I know a lot of people are saying a lot of things.
I just wanted to explain.
I think, if I could just explain, you would understand.
The lawyer said we can't talk to you.
I'm sorry.
- The lawyer? - Yeah, I'm I'm sorry.
I, um me and Cassie I can't say anything else.
Hate to be her next boyfriend.
Brad's a dick, which is funny, 'cause I hear he has a micro penis.
Don't let people like that get to you.
Yeah, thanks.
You're going to prom? I don't know.
I don't think anybody really wants me there.
Look, I've been a part of enough rumors to know that they're usually bullshit.
I don't want you to miss out just 'cause of what's going on.
What are the rumors? Currently, that I'm having an affair with the swim coach.
He's too old for me.
I meant about me.
It's just stupid gossip.
I don't believe any of it, if that matters.
Of course it does.
- Yes, sir? - You wanna bring her in? - The boat? - Yes, the boat.
You see another her around here? You don't have to.
I just thought you'd like to give it a try.
No, no, no.
I do.
Come on.
Get over here, hotshot.
All right.
She's all yours.
Keep her steady.
Very nice.
Yeah, graduation coming up, huh? You know, the guys were saying they really like working with you.
Yeah, I was thinking I I wasn't much older than you when I started working with your grandfather full time.
I I'm just saying there's a future in it.
That's all.
That's it.
- - Tell me.
I don't know.
I'm really not doing good.
What do you mean? I just have all these issues with my body image.
It's consuming my life.
I'm bingeing, and I can't lose weight, and it just makes me so upset.
I'm thinking I need to go somewhere to get help.
I wish I had your problems and you had mine.
I have your problems, too, hell.
Everyone seems to think they know what's best for me, and I'm just gonna disappoint everybody.
It's so hard for people to like me.
I like you.
I know.
I want to see you.
Can I tell you something? Okay.
You know that girl Susie? Sure.
I liked her.
- As in? - As in I had feelings for her.
I think she felt the same.
Do you still love me? Do you still love Susie? I don't know.
It's not like we would have had a forever anything, because I have you.
I guess.
You guess? Do you think we have a future? A future? Conrad? Carter, Michelle.
So you drove down from Ithaca.
I imagine there's lawyers closer to home.
I'm here because of Michelle Carter.
I don't like seeing innocent people prosecuted.
I mean, I agree with you, but how do you know she's innocent? I read it in the paper.
Oh, you know she's innocent 'cause of the paper.
You're skeptical.
I am.
How much medication was Miss Carter and the young man on at the time of his passing? How'd you know that? It's my job.
When you get to be my age, it's how you look inside.
If Michelle was taking multiple medications, it's possible it could have had an intoxicating effect on her, particularly if she had a coexisting condition, like an eating disorder? That can increase the half-life of certain medications.
Elevated liver transaminases occurs frequently at patients' nadir weights.
This generally represents apoptosis, a programmed hepatocyte death.
I don't understand a goddamn thing you just said.
That's okay.
I do.
And I'll make sure the jury does as well.
Well, we're gonna need something once they hear those texts.
You've testified before? And it's led to five acquittals, in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, New Jersey, Alaska and Canada.
And what's your fee? I'm not looking for a paycheck.
I want to help this girl.
I want to get the news out about the dangers of big pharma.
It's my civic duty.
Uh, and the oil filter.
Got it.
This an okay time? You here to ask me about testifying too? I know Lynn says she's thinking about it.
Actually, I'd like to get your perspective on something.
Okay.
Our office, uh, found a police report from last year.
And? The, um the assault on your son.
Lynn explained that - She explained what? - That that night was She wasn't there.
- I understand.
- It wasn't an assault.
What was it? Fathers and sons.
But you wouldn't get that.
Anything else? Unless you have any questions for me.
No, I don't.
Thank you so much for your time, Mr.
Roy.
We need to talk.
- Can we do this later? - No.
A lawyer came by.
And? You told the fucking DA about what happened with Coco? Told? She already knew.
It wasn't your place to say anything.
This was between me and my son, not you! He was my son, too.
My son.
And you kicked the shit out of him, and if you use this father and son thing one more goddamn time I don't get to use that excuse.
You use plenty of excuses.
What is that supposed to mean? He was living with you when it happened.
Fuck it.
Never mind.
Go ahead and say it.
I know you want to, you fucking prick.
- Go inside, Lynn.
- You think I don't know? You think I don't think about it every goddamn night? I'm a terrible fucking mother? God, Mom.
What? Grandma died.
Oh.
Your sister and I will be upstairs.
Okay.
Mae wants to talk to you.
Mae? - No, that's okay.
- Nah, that's okay? No, you know what? You're right.
- Her elbows are a little - Stop, stop, stop, stop.
I wouldn't know what to say.
Just be your fucking self, man.
What's going on? I'm fine.
I'm fine.
I'm just being a baby.
Look, things are gonna be different when you're here at Fitchburg next year.
- That was fun.
- Yeah.
I like that you don't talk much.
See you back out there.
So you want to tell me what happened? I just didn't want to be there anymore.
Okay.
I don't want to go back.
Why? I don't want to go to school there.
I'm good on the boat, and Dad says What about your scholarship? Maybe.
I don't know.
- Are you high? - Yeah.
Let's talk about this when you're not stoned.
Jesus fucking Christ.
Excuse me? It's not the fucking weed, okay? It's me.
Do you want to talk to somebody? No, I don't want to talk to somebody, okay? Actually, I need you to stop talking.
Just give me a break, okay? I need you, I need Dad, and I need everybody else to just give me a fucking break.
So we have Michelle Carter's friends from high school, Natalie Gibson and Cassie Wilkins, on the witness list.
All relevant? Yes, Your Honor.
I see we have not included Miss Carter on this list.
Uh, that's correct, Your Honor.
Miss Carter will not be testifying.
- Susie Pierce? - Uh, we object.
Miss Pierce has no connection to the case and hasn't spoken to Miss Carter for years prior to Mr.
Roy's death.
She was a friend of the defendant.
We believe that Michelle Carter may have orchestrated Conrad's death in order to get the attention and sympathy of Susie Pierce.
Who is Dr.
Peter Breggin? Oh, he's a psychologist.
He submitted a full report on the mental health of Michelle Carter and Conrad Roy III.
Are these police officers from the crime scene? No, no, no, they'll speak to reports of the sustained domestic abuse experienced inside the household which could have influenced the young man's death.
These officers and EMTs were not present on the night of the incident with Conrad Roy Jr.
And Conrad Roy III.
The hearsay rule forbids them from being admitted into evidence.
So none none of them were there? One of them was, Officer Tavares.
Then why are the rest of these officers on the witness list? Oh, well, because Mr.
Cataldo plans to raise issues that happened well before the victim's death in order to raise suspicion about a home life that was, except this incident, loving and attentive.
But some girl that my client hasn't spoken to in two years is somehow the Okay, whoa, whoa.
Hold on, hold on.
Here's what we're gonna do.
Officer Tavares is admitted.
Susie Pierce and the other officers and EMTs are not.
And we're gonna limit the scope of the investigation to 18 months Your Honor, I would like to make a Let me finish.
Let me finish.
We're gonna limit the scope of the investigation to 18 months prior to Mr.
Roy's passing.
- Judge, 18 months - Your Honor, I would like That's that's That's my ruling.
That's my ruling.
Thank you.
Well, we lost our motive.
He lost his defense.
Call it even? Fuck.
I reviewed the defense's discovery, the doctor's report.
What, Breggin? Yeah, there's nothing there.
Interview with Carter's mother, her neighbor, her softball coach.
- Not her friends? - No, it seems not.
Great, okay, well, you know, we just we We roll with the punches.
We take what we have, and we just roll with them.
You're gonna roll into hyperventilation if you don't slow down.
Let's focus on what we do have: her friends.
She was in touch with Natalie and Cassie the entire time, texting them that Conrad was missing for days when she knew for a fact that he was still alive.
She was testing the waters.
She was trying to get their attention.
We make all her friends Susie.
Hi.
Hey.
You look different than Florida, but but the same.
Is that weird? No, no, I get it.
I must look terrible.
Well, it's a funeral.
No one looks good.
Are you, um, headed to the like, the reception? I'm supposed to.
I don't really want to go.
Just gonna be a bunch of people crying, wondering why I'm not.
I get that.
Do you wanna go somewhere? What are we doing? Batter up! Strike one! Perfect fastball by Roy.
Carter seems nervous, intimidated by the star's arm.
Carter seems woefully unprepared for Roy's next move.
Uh-uh.
Yeah.
Just a little late! Oh, okay.
Oh, Carter gets a piece of it! Oh, it goes deep left.
Roy takes off after it.
- Ah! - Oh! Can Carter make it a homer? No, no, no, no! She makes it to third.
Will Roy make it? She's out! You tired already? I haven't had any complaints about my stamina.
Thanks.
Yeah, anytime.
Do you want to talk about it? I'm sad, I guess.
I don't know.
Numb.
Yeah.
I keep wondering what her last moments were like.
Was she scared? What do you think dying is like? Just like floating on the water.
No pain.
No anxiety.
Just peace.
Would you be sad if I died? Of course.
I would miss you every day.
What would you say at my funeral? I would say I was so lucky to have you as my boyfriend.
I would say, "Ours was an epic love story.
" "Like all real love stories, ours will die with us.
" What would you say at mine? She was terrible at baseball.
Wait.
Are you okay? Yes.
I'm not ready.
Are you sure? That's okay.
Sorry.
It's okay.
Just just give me a minute.
What are you I love you, Conrad.
Are you sure you want to go to this with everything? It just might, you know, look a little I'm not gonna let my whole senior year be ruined.
Okay.
Here.
Uh, I thought this would be nice.
It matches your dress.
Open.
Gorgeous.
Ah, for later.
Thanks, Mom.
Okay, can we get the two pictures really quickly? You ready? We got this.
Hey.
I just want to go home.
Is there someone I can call? There's no one left.
- Maybe, um - No.
I miss my friends.
I just I've got to go.
Let me just get you home.
Yeah, no, I'll walk.