Suits LA (2025) s01e06 Episode Script

1
Previously on Suits LA.
You are still sore about what happened
to that client of yours
what was his name?
You know damn well his
name was Dante Everson.
You killed him just as much
as if you shivved him yourself.
Your Honor, I'm requesting all records
related to Valerie Thompson's
divorce proceedings
against the defendant.
I want to know who leaked
the goddamn transcript.
I have a legal obligation
to keep those transcripts confidential.
But you're so pissed that I took Lester
- you'd betray any legal obligation.
- I would never do that!
You know, you don't get beat up
if you bring a gun.
Did you use my client to
trick one of your suspects?
He wanted to do it.
He doesn't know what
he's getting himself into.
I did what I had to do, and
I'm not gonna apologize.
I'm going through
Lester's police statement.
What if he got that
statement from a story?
"I'm watching a man battle with himself
for his own sanity."
He didn't just option that script.
He wrote it himself.
Pellegrini had our
impersonator murdered.
You didn't just cover
for Lester going missing.
You set the whole
damn thing into motion.
From this second on, you're on your own.
- I know you stole that story.
- Okay, hold on.
And now I want the real one.
Okay, I killed him!
I killed him.
Well, here we are.
I gotta tell you, I didn't anticipate
every twist and turn here along the way,
but here's the thing.
When this trial is over, the 12 of you,
you are going to go home,
and hopefully your lives are
the same as they were before.
Lester Thompson's won't be,
because the verdict that
you collectively reach,
that is going to dictate the course
of the rest of his life.
What you don't know
is that it's also going to
dictate the rest of mine,
because I have staked my career
and the career of
everybody that I work with
on you finding Lester Thompson innocent.
And I did that
because Lester Thompson
is not a murderer.
Yes, I took that story from the script.
But I am telling
you, most of it is true.
Except for the part where
you pulled the trigger.
See, that right there
that you think that I could
murder my own partner,
when you're supposed to be
on my own goddamn team
that's exactly why I knew the
police would never believe me.
So when they got
there, those words just
came out.
And once I said them,
there was no going back.
But yes.
I killed Simon.
Why?
Because he was about to kill me.
I told him that I knew
about the money that
he stole from the studio.
I told him we could put the money back.
No one would ever know.
And that's when he started freaking out.
He kept saying, "You know. You know."
And then all of a sudden, he said,
"There's only one way out for me."
I really did think he
was about to kill himself,
until he pointed the gun at me and said,
"I'm going to kill you, Dester."
You mean Lester.
No, uh, it's a long story, but
he had a nickname for me.
He called me Dester.
So I lunged for the gun.
You know, I
but he was really strong.
And I knew that if
he got his hand free
and then all of a sudden,
he stepped on some uneven grass,
and he stumbled a
little, but it was enough.
And I realized the gun was
pointing right at his head,
and it was him or me.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
So I squeezed.
And the gun went off,
and Simon went down.
It was over just like that.
And that is the whole truth.
I swear, every word.
I believe you.
[SCOFFS]
[INHALES DEEPLY]
For what it's worth [EXHALES DEEPLY]
It feels good to be able
to finally let it all out.
Good.
Because you're never
going to let it out again.
See the money,
wanna stay for your meal ♪
Get another piece
of pie for your wife ♪
Everybody wanna know how it feel ♪
Everybody wanna see what it's like ♪
I'll even eat a bean
pie, I don't mind ♪
Me and Missy is so
busy, busy making money ♪
All right ♪
All step back, I'm 'bout to dance ♪
The greenback boogie ♪
Erica, can I talk to you for a second?
About what?
We both saw what
happened in court yesterday.
I think we both know this
was a long shot from the start.
Walk the hell away from me, Stuart.
You say another word,
I'll go right upstairs
and tell Ted you're poaching.
No, you won't,
because he's in the
middle of the trial of his life,
and he's losing.
We both know you're not gonna
go up there and distract him.
Doesn't matter, because
whatever you're asking me,
- the answer is no.
- All I'm saying is, when this is over,
you're gonna get flooded with offers.
I just want you to remember
we came to you first.
Let me ask you something,
you smug son of a bitch.
What the hell kind of terms
are you even offering me, hmm?
[SIGHS] Erica
you're missing the point.
Your ship is sinking.
I'm offering you a spot on the lifeboat.
You can either take it
or worry about what
section you're sitting in.
I'm not missing anything, Stuart.
I picked my team.
Ted's my guy. You're not.
This is the last time we're
gonna have this conversation.
Excuse me.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
You heard both the
ballistics expert and coroner
testify this morning that the evidence
does not support the theory
that Simon killed himself?
I did.
And did Simon ever
discuss suicidal thoughts
- or ideation with you?
- No.
Did he ever confide in you
that he was having an affair
- with Lester's wife?
- Yes, he did.
And did he ever say what he thought
Lester would do if he found out?
He said Lester would kill him.
Given that,
in your expert opinion, psychologically,
is it more likely that
Simon killed himself
or that Lester murdered him?
- Objection.
- Sustained.
- Lester murdered him.
- Your Honor.
Strike that from the record.
The jury will disregard that answer.
No more questions.
Doctor, it sounds to me
like you knew Simon
Shrager very intimately.
I pride myself on my
relationships with my patients.
Did he tell you that
he was stealing money
from his own movie studio?
- No, but that
- So isn't it true that the guilt
of stealing money from
his own movie studio,
coupled with the guilt of
having an affair with Lester's wife,
all the while under the
influence of a psychedelic,
might have greatly increased the chances
of Simon becoming suicidal?
Don't look at her.
You can look at the 12
people that you just misled
about Simon's capacity to kill himself.
- Objection. Testifying.
- I'll rephrase.
Is it possible that
Simon killed himself?
I suppose it's possible.
One more question.
Do you feel protective of Simon?
Of course I do. He was
my patient of 15 years.
Isn't it possible, psychologically,
that you'd rather believe
that he was murdered
than face the possibility
that you failed him so badly
that he killed himself?
- How dare you?
- Objection!
- Mr. Black.
- I'm sorry, Your Honor.
I just I thought the good
doctor was more interested
in the truth than
protecting her reputation.
No more questions.
Mr. Claxton, how would you
describe Lester's reputation?
He's considered a liar.
He'll do anything to get his own way.
- Does he have a temper?
- [CHUCKLES]
Let's just say he makes Charles Manson
look like a pacifist.
And because I know defense is gonna make
a big deal of the fact
that Lester was trying
to sneak the stolen money back to you,
what would you have
done if you'd found that out?
I wouldn't have cared if he
was paying us back or not.
I would have fired them both.
Presuming Lester knew that,
would he have been furious
at his business partner?
He'd be more than furious.
He'd want to kill the man.
I think that's a nice note to end on.
No more questions.
Bill,
isn't it true that there's
a history of animosity
between you and my client?
Not uncommon in this business.
Is it uncommon to say that you, in fact,
- hate Lester Thompson?
- I wouldn't exactly say I
In fact, haven't you hated him
since he humiliated you when
you were a low-level executive?
And didn't you used to call me
just to tell me that you hated him?
- Objection. Badgering.
- And that's the only reason
that you're saying what
you're saying about him today
Your Honor.
Because you, Bill, are
clearly out for revenge.
- Mr. Black.
- Yes, I hate him.
Just to be clear,
why do you hate Lester Thompson?
'Cause he's a lying,
thieving, violent bully.
Interesting you bring up violence.
Are you aware of what
Mr. Thompson was shooting at
the night Simon was killed
with Mr. Thompson's gun?
No, I'm not.
I happen to have the target right here.
Can you identify it for me?
My eyes are drawn
to the bullet holes in the forehead,
but there's no mistaking,
that's a picture of me.
Hmm.
Prosecution rests, Your Honor.
Oh, in case you were wondering,
that's what a bull's-eye looks like.
[CELL PHONE VIBRATING]
Samantha.
To what do I owe the pleasure?
- I heard you had a rough day.
- I've certainly had better.
I just wanted to say,
the Ted Black I knew
took plenty of hits but
always came up swinging.
I thought the reason that you left was,
you wanted me to stop
swinging and I wouldn't.
I might have said that,
but what I really wanted was
for you to put your bat down
and be with me for a while.
You do realize I can't get out
if you're parked here, right?
You're not going anywhere
until I get some answers.
Did you tell Stuart about
Lester stealing his statement
- from that script?
- What? No.
Then why the hell did
Stuart come to me last night
offering me a job, because
he's sure we're going to lose?
I have no idea.
But not 24 hours ago,
you told Kevin that you
trusted me with your life.
So why don't you stop accusing me
of something I would never do?
I'm sorry. He just pisses me off.
Yeah. Take a number.
So what's Lester's story, anyway?
He killed his partner,
but it was self-defense.
You believe him?
Kevin's taken about 100 confessions,
and he believes him, so I do, too.
You going to tell Ted?
Would you?
I have no idea.
But I'm glad I'm not the one
who has to make that decision.
[HUMMING]
- [APPLE THUDS]
- Boop! [CHUCKLES]
Mmm. Erica.
- What can I do you for?
- What's the plan for tomorrow?
Well, Ted's trying to get Amanda
to undermine Smith's credibility.
But if she won't do it
or if it doesn't work
He's going to put Lester
on the stand, isn't he?
Yes, and before you say
what you're about to say,
no, I'm not telling him.
Well, I think we should.
If Lester gets up there and tells a lie
and somebody finds out
They're not going to find out.
We're keeping information from him.
- For his own protection.
- You're not a lawyer.
And you've never been to a murder trial.
Were you there today?
They are kicking our ass.
I don't care. I don't want
to hang Ted out to dry.
You are not hanging him out to dry.
You are giving him a chance to win.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Erica, look, if he knows Lester's lying,
he won't put him on the stand.
I understand everything you're saying,
but if you don't tell Ted, I will.
Then go ahead. There is the door.
But I told him something
I shouldn't have once,
and I'm not doing it again.
Ted. What are you doing here?
Well, you didn't come home last night,
and you weren't answering your phone.
So you just assumed
I'd be at the Waldorf?
I assumed that you'd be
upset and this is where you'd go.
You should have known
I needed space from you.
- Samantha
- How could you let this happen?
- I didn't let anything happen.
- Let me lay it out for you.
You're working a case
that involves the Mafia.
You used my client to get a witness.
Then my client got killed.
And you think it's not your fault?
Samantha, there's a leak in our office,
and if I had known,
I never would have
asked Cameron for help.
Well, I didn't know there was a leak,
and I still knew it was a bad idea.
So why the hell did you
ask him in the first place?
Because Pellegrini is a monster
and he needs to be put away.
No, because you don't care
about anything but your case.
No, I swear, I'm gonna find the leak.
I don't care about the leak.
Cameron is dead.
And I didn't kill him, Samantha.
Pellegrini did.
Well, I can't confront Pellegrini.
- Now, I just
- I get it.
I'm gonna get them.
Great.
Go get 'em, Ted.
Do you have a second?
You're unbelievable.
[SIGHS] Look, I know
what I did was wrong,
but I did it because
I believe in my heart
that Lester didn't murder Simon.
So, unless you think I'm wrong,
don't punish him for
something that I did.
Oh, no, no, I am not punishing anyone.
You're perfectly capable
of trying your own case.
I know that.
I need to go on offense.
And what exactly does that mean?
It means that Smith is
tightening the noose with facts.
But juries don't just go by facts.
They go by feel, okay?
If I can make them dislike her,
they are not going to trust her.
And if they don't trust her
Then anything that you say afterwards
- has more of a chance of landing.
- Exactly.
You want me to talk about Dante Everson,
- which I will not do.
- Amanda.
I'm not using the memory of a dead man
to get Lester out of hot water.
"Hot water"? His life is at stake!
Then defend him to
the best of your ability!
But I'm not going to
lay myself bare to help
some slick producer.
I put everything on
the line for this trial
because I know in my
gut Lester's not a murderer,
the same way I know you hate the idea
of another innocent man
being wrongly convicted.
Please.
I need your help.
Ms. Stevens, have you ever gone up
against Ms. Smith before in court?
Your Honor, what possible relevance
does a five-year-old case have?
BOTH: Goes to establishing a pattern.
I'm sorry, are you a
witness or a lawyer?
Evidently, today, she's both.
And your objection is overruled.
Witness may answer.
I had a 19-year-old client.
Dante Everson.
He was young and very bright,
and he had his entire
future ahead of him
until Ms. Smith used
every trick in the book
to have him convicted of a
murder he did not commit.
Were you able to prove
that Ms. Smith did
anything out of bounds?
No, we never found proof,
but exonerating evidence
that had somehow gone missing
turned up seven months later.
We used that evidence to file an appeal,
and we were going to
overturn his conviction.
So what did Ms. Smith do?
She planted an article
alleging Dante was a suspect
in the shooting of a gang member.
Why?
Because she wanted
him murdered in prison,
rather than face the fact
that she had convicted the wrong man.
Has Ms. Smith done
anything like that in this case?
Well, for one thing,
she planted that article
in the "Times" about Valerie Thompson
so that she could get that
divorce transcript admitted.
If Ms. Smith discovered
that Simon had killed himself,
do you think that she
would bury the evidence,
as opposed to facing the fact
that she is prosecuting
another innocent man?
Objection. Prejudicial. Inflammatory.
You bet your ass I do.
The jury will disregard that answer.
[SIGHS]
[WHISPERING] Will they?
[NORMAL VOICE]
No more questions, Your Honor.
I have to say,
you sure know how to make
me sound like a monster.
Well, I am under oath.
Then under oath, is
Simon Shrager still alive?
You know he isn't.
And did he die from
a bullet to the head?
Yes, he did.
Well, someone fired the gun.
You'd have the jury believe it was me,
but I'm not on trial for murder here.
Lester Thompson is.
- Is there a question?
- Yes.
Does anything you say
about me change the fact
that Simon was killed by Lester's gun?
Does it change the blood spatter
or the ballistics or any
of the evidence at all?
No.
And remind me,
was Dante Everson
also accused of murder?
Yes.
- Was he convicted?
- Dante didn't kill
That's not what I asked.
Did a jury of his peers find him guilty?
- Yes, they did, but
- Do you remember the name
of the victim's father in that case?
Because I do.
It was Lawrence.
He had one son,
and he will never see him grow up
because your client gunned
his child down in cold blood!
- Your Honor!
- That's enough.
I have one last question.
If the evidence shows
Lester did kill Simon,
which it does, and you were on the jury,
would you find him guilty?
- Objection!
- Sustained.
That's okay, Your Honor.
I think we all know where
this defense attorney stands
on admitting her client's guilt.
[SNIFFS]
- [DOOR CLOSES]
- You busy?
Actually, I am, unless
it's really important.
Uh, it is.
Turns out that Cameron
was impersonating my witness
during his act.
Somehow, that got back to Pellegrini.
[SIGHS] So that's why
So you want to make it clear
it was his fault, not yours?
- No. Samantha
- You know what I'm busy doing right now?
I'm working on what I'm gonna
say at his funeral tomorrow.
Maybe we should have this
conversation another time.
No, we're gonna have it right now,
since you're so intent
on interrupting me
to make sure you're not in trouble.
I'm not trying to get out of trouble.
I'm trying to get you to talk to me
because you haven't said
three words since it happened.
Because I'm grieving.
I lost someone very dear to me
that you don't seem
to care about at all.
I care about you.
Then stop trying to get out of it
or implying that I'm overreacting
or telling me how I should feel.
I'm not telling you how to feel.
I'm trying to
get you to stop being mad at me.
Not everything's about you.
I'm mourning, and yes, I'm mad,
but I know it's really Pellegrini.
And I'm just trying to
get ready for this funeral.
So if it matters to you at all,
I just need you to be here for me.
And right now, that
means leaving me alone
so I can finish this.
[SERIOUS MUSIC]
Here you are.
I'm surprised you came to find me,
you got out of court so fast.
I've learned that sometimes
people need their own space.
You were right.
I did.
You okay?
She beat you up pretty good in there.
Yeah, she beat me up, but
[SIGHS] Damn it, it felt good.
Getting her. Getting it out.
And now it's on the record.
You sure as hell put reasonable doubt
in the mind of the jury.
Do you think it was
enough to convince all 12?
No.
So what are you gonna do?
Only thing I can.
Swing for the fences.
Stuart, can I talk to you for a second?
Sounds like I'm in trouble.
I just did I not tell you
that Peterson has a severe nut allergy?
Of course. You told me last week.
Then why is there a huge jar
of Extra Crunchy Jif in the kitchen?
Because that's not a
real jar of peanut butter.
I don't get it.
Peterson thinks it's real.
It scares the bejesus out of him.
He has to think about his mortality
every time he looks at it.
[LAUGHS] It's genius, am I right?
Stuart, I don't have
the emotional maturity
of a 13-year-old boy.
Therefore, I don't find that funny.
Ted would.
Get rid of it, and get rid of it now.
Let me leave it in there one more day.
I didn't even get to see him see it.
- Did you know?
- Know what?
Last night, I found out he
offered Erica Rollins a job.
No, I didn't.
Then with all due respect,
if either of you are
gonna make decisions
about the entertainment division,
either fill me in or let me go.
What the hell were you thinking?
That they're gonna lose this case.
At best, it's 50-50.
If they go down, people are gonna poach.
- It might as well be us.
- That's a load of crap.
You did it to hit Ted when he's down.
And all it did was make you look stupid
and me look like I don't
have control of my own firm.
How come no matter what Ted does,
he gets away with it?
No matter what I do, I look like a jerk?
Instead of asking me that, Stuart,
you should be asking yourself.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[PHONE BUZZING]
- Ted?
- Lester.
What's going on?
I think it's time you tell the jury
what happened in your own words.
Are you sure?
I will walk you through anything
Smith might say to make it
seem like you shot Simon.
Remember, we have something
on our side that she doesn't.
We're telling the truth.
Anyway, he pulled the trigger
and slumped to the ground.
The next thing I know,
I was being arrested by the police
for a crime I did not commit.
Do you miss Simon?
Yeah, of course I do.
Even though you found out later
that he was
cheating with your wife.
I'm not saying I'm not mad at him.
I am.
But he was my partner,
and he was my friend
and I wish he were still alive.
Okay.
Anything else that you'd like to say?
Just that I could never
murder another human being.
I wish there was proof
of my innocence, but
there was only two of
us there that night, so
I guess the truth died with my friend.
No further questions.
That was very moving.
But let me ask you,
what if I have a witness
who saw you shoot
that dear friend of yours
- who you miss so much?
- Objection!
- Both of you up here now.
- What kind of crap is this?
Your Honor, a witness
came forward yesterday.
I wasn't going to call
them, but I am now.
She rested her goddamn case.
A rebuttal witness
to specifically refute that
nonsense we just heard.
- Your Honor.
- Back up, Mr. Black.
This is a court of law.
She can call a witness.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Can you tell us why you didn't
come forward until last night?
Because the only reason
I saw what happened
is that I was bartending
a party at a house
that was being illegally rented.
I had to sign an NDA
prohibiting me from
admitting I was ever there.
But?
I realized if I didn't come forward,
I'd never be able to live with myself.
Please, tell us what you saw.
I went out to smoke a cigarette,
and I heard grunting and yelling.
It was pretty far, but I
saw two men struggling.
And then I heard one of them say,
"I'm going to kill you dead, sir."
That's what I heard
"I'm going to kill you dead, sir."
Then a second later,
one of them shot the
other one in the head.
Can you identify the man
who pulled the trigger?
Yes.
That man right there.
[JURORS MURMURING]
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
- Thanks for coming with me.
- Ah, no thanks needed.
A man died helping us. [INHALES DEEPLY]
I'd go to his funeral even if
he wasn't Samantha's client.
- You ready?
- [CELL PHONE CHIMES]
Let's go.
What's going on?
Nothing. We should go.
Wait, do you think I don't know you?
It's work. It's important. What is it?
No, I'm not telling
you, not not today.
It's Pellegrini, isn't it?
Samantha needs you at that funeral.
Kevin, if this is about the case
that I have risked my life
for and you don't tell me
They're arresting Pellegrini in an hour.
We're not going to that funeral.
- Teddy
- I don't want to hear it.
We are going to that arrest.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
You tell me right now
was that woman telling the truth?
Yes, okay?
Yes, but it's not how she
made it seem, all right?
- It was self-defense.
- Was it?
How am I ever gonna believe another word
that comes out of your lying mouth?
Teddy, he he's telling the truth.
You knew. [SIGHS]
Yeah, I knew.
And the last time I ignored my gut,
I told you something I shouldn't have,
and you missed Cameron's funeral,
and your life fell apart.
This isn't that, and you know it.
- Well, great.
- You can be pissed at me later,
but I stand by what I did,
and I won't lose a
minute's sleep over it.
I will be pissed at you later.
For now, what's done is done,
and we need to figure out
what we're gonna do next.
Why can't I just go back up on the stand
and tell the truth?
It was self-defense.
The tape proves that.
Whatever tape you're
talking about, it doesn't matter.
Why not?
Because even I know
you can't change your plea
to self-defense mid-trial.
Then what are we going to do?
- I need your help.
- Don't come anywhere near me.
Stuart, Lester told me the
truth. It was self-defense.
Which is exactly the
strategy I insisted on
before you stole him from me
by saying, "Oh,
Lester, I believe in you."
"I love you.
We can live happily ever
after in innocent land."
Okay, are you done? Because
we need to change the plea.
Oh, it's too late for that now.
No, there's always a solution.
You know what? There is.
Argue ineffective counsel.
Pray you get a mistrial and
get him a competent lawyer.
You know, if you were going
to tell me to screw myself,
you should have just started with that!
I did start with that, and I meant it.
Your only chance is to tell the court
that you didn't properly
advise your client,
but you won't do that
because you're too selfish.
You want the case? You can have it.
I'm not putting my
name anywhere near that,
because you've turned this whole thing
into a steaming pile of excrement.
You stole Lester from me.
You accused me of leaking
my own client's transcripts.
Then you punched me in the face!
You're not gonna weasel out of this!
You once told me
you put your clients first
and you always will.
You were Lester's attorney before me.
He needs you.
Did you mean what you said or not?
Give me the goddamn file.
[SIGHS]
[LOCK CLICKS]
- Samantha, thank God.
- [DOOR CLOSES]
I called the hotel,
but you weren't there.
- Where have you been?
- You know where I was.
- Cameron's funeral.
- That was yesterday.
I kept waiting for you to
show up and be by my side,
but you never did,
so I spent the night at my mother's.
Okay.
There was a reason that I wasn't there.
I needed you there with me.
We got him.
We got Pellegrini.
And I didn't just arrest him.
I got a photo of him on the toilet
after we busted in.
He's going to be humiliated.
You really think this
makes it better, don't you?
- [SCOFFS]
- I told you I was concerned
about what this man might
do before he killed Cameron,
and you just went and
poured gas on the fire.
You don't care about my needs at all.
What is that supposed to mean?
It means I don't feel
safe for you, me, or Eddie.
- But you can't
- Samantha, we have been over this.
Then give up the case
and prove to me I'm wrong.
I can't do that.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
I know.
I love you, Ted, but I'm
gonna accept an offer
from one of the firms in Los Angeles.
- No, please don't do this.
- I'm sorry.
I can't stay here anymore.
We've been at this all night.
And we're gonna keep
at it until the last second.
[GRUNTS]
I got to tell Lester that
he's going back on the stand
and tell everyone what really happened.
How many times have we been over this?
The second he starts talking,
Smith says we can't change our plea
because nothing she's
presented will argue for that.
- Damn it!
- [ECHOING THUD]
Since we're taking a box-throwing break,
I'm just gonna say this.
Now that I've been a
defense attorney for
all of one case, I'm
starting to understand the mountain
that you have to climb with each case.
So, for what it's
worth, maybe I didn't
treat what you do with the
proper amount of respect.
- "Maybe"?
- Probably.
How about definitely?
Maybe definitely probably.
We also gonna revisit the flea thing?
I think we just did.
- You didn't.
- Are you sure?
I can have the court
reporter read it back to you.
I know what I said.
I don't need to have it read back to me
- like I'm some kind of
- Wait a second.
- That's it, the transcript.
- That's not the line.
It's, "Why the two orders?"
They don't discuss transcripts.
We're quoting "A Few Good Men," Stuart.
No, I know what
we're quoting, you idiot.
I switched over to
winning your case for you.
What are you saying?
I'm saying Smith entered
Valerie's transcript.
That's your ticket out.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Hey. You busy?
Just catching up on some paperwork.
Just wanted to say I read the transcript
of your testimony yesterday.
That couldn't have been easy.
I mean, the whole thing
is just gut-wrenching.
Guess you don't have too many clients
get murdered behind bars
in the television business?
You know I do movies, too, right?
[CHUCKLES] I, um,
I actually came in
early to check on Ted.
Can you imagine
finding out Lester was
lying the whole time?
- You knew?
- Amanda.
I don't believe you.
You you hung him out to dry?
No, I was trying to protect him.
Are you out of your mind?
You're his number two.
You owe it to him to
She wanted to tell him,
but I was the one that told her not to.
- Why?
- Because he's my brother
and we have a code
to protect each other.
That's what I thought I was doing.
Got one hell of a messed-up code.
Eh, maybe I do,
but he knows I knew,
and he's okay with it.
And there's no reason for
him to ever know about Erica.
I won't say a word.
About what?
Just trying to lighten up the mood.
Everything doesn't
have to be life or death,
except in Lester's case.
Too soon?
- Too soon.
- Okay.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS, TELEPHONE RINGING]
[FRENCH ACCENT] Bonjour. Railsback Lane.
How may I direct, uh, the call?
Oui. One moment.
[NORMAL VOICE] Rick Dodson.
No, that wasn't me who
answered the phone.
I don't care how long you've known me.
That you did not recognize my voice.
Mom, I got to go.
[FRENCH ACCENT] Au revoir.
[RECEIVER CLATTERS]
Rick, can we talk for a minute?
[NORMAL VOICE] Actually, I'm
having a pretty good morning
- I just wanted to say
- Actually,
since you're so hot to trot,
I've been thinking about after
you got in that fight with Ted
and you apologized to me.
You called me, and you said
I should be setting a better standard.
And I believed you, but
you didn't mean any of it,
because you were so
obsessed with getting back at Ted
that you offered my
job to somebody else!
So, until you get over being butthurt
about whatever Ted did to
you, stay the hell away from me.
- I made up with Ted.
- What, now?
I forgave him. We worked
on his case all night.
He just went out the back elevators.
- The back ones?
- Yeah.
And you couldn't find a place
in the middle of my
rant to tell me that?
I was going to, but
you were so hot to trot
I just figured I'd let you
ride to the finish line.
All right, if you'll excuse me,
I'm going to mosey on home
- Yeah.
- Crack open a can of beans,
sit by the fire, and
maybe get some shut-eye.
Mm-hmm.
You're not gonna let me
forget that I said "hot to trot,"
are you?
Giddyup, cowboy!
Whee-hee!
Yeah, that's fair.
- Hey.
- What are you doing here?
Oh, I just came to support the team.
- Oh.
- Not you. Lester.
- I worked with him, you know
- Mm.
Because I'm a better lawyer than you.
Wow, you're really gonna say
you're a better lawyer than me
- today of all days?
- Every day.
You know, it's a crime to lie in court.
Isn't that what you let
Lester do yesterday?
Too soon?
Is defense ready to
call their next witness?
Yes, Your Honor.
The defense would like
to recall Lester Thompson,
but, first, I would
like to file a motion
to change our plea to not guilty
by reason of self-defense.
- You've got to be kidding me?
- My chambers, now.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
What's she doing here?
I thought she isn't counsel anymore?
He invited me back to see the fun.
What fun?
Your Honor, I didn't
prepare to prosecute
against a self-defense plea
because they didn't make one.
They can only change a plea mid-trial
with evidence admitted
prior to me resting my case.
And nothing that implies
Lester's life was being threatened
- had already been admitted.
- Yes, it had.
Because Valerie
Thompson is on the record
saying that Simon wanted to kill Lester.
Are you dreaming? She didn't say that.
Not on the stand.
She said it during the
divorce negotiations.
The transcript of which
you specifically entered
right after you planted that article.
Nothing to say?
Your Honor
Ms. Smith, you wanted
the transcript entered,
and I hated letting
you have it at the time.
Well, this is the chickens
coming home to roost,
and I'm not going to stop it.
What do they call that
"being hoisted on your own petard"?
I think they call it "losing."
For the record, this is the fun.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[DOOR CLOSES]
[DOOR OPENS]
When I was eight years old,
Jimmy Galuska stole the bake-sale money.
Everyone knew it was him, but
they all thought it would
be fun to blame me.
I was small.
Things didn't really come easily to me.
The teacher, Mrs. Metzger,
didn't question it for one second.
I still remember the sneer on her face
when she sent me to the principal.
That was the first time.
The next year, when Greg
Fox pulled the fire alarm,
it happened again
and again and again.
So, when Simon died
and and the police came
with their lights and their faces
that all looked like Mrs. Metzger, I
I lied.
But I am telling the truth now.
I loved my friend.
And I have to live with the
fact that I pulled that trigger
for the rest of my life.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
But if I hadn't, he
would have killed me.
Lester, is there anything
that you can say to the jury
to help convince them
that you're telling the truth?
Yes.
What the witness heard wasn't me saying,
"I'm going to kill you dead, sir."
It was Simon saying,
"I'm going to kill you, Dester."
What's Dester?
It was Simon's nickname for me.
You can ask 100 people
in town. They all knew.
Thank you.
No further questions.
[SIGHS DEEPLY]
That was a very moving story
touching.
I almost believed it myself,
especially the part about
that Dester nonsense.
However, isn't it true
you didn't tell this story
to a single soul until
after I produced a witness
- who saw you kill Simon?
- No.
- I told it four days ago.
- What?
Your Honor, I have a videotape
of Lester's confession
date-stamped four days ago,
sent certified mail four days ago.
I'd suggest we let the jury watch it,
because once they do
this trial is going to be over.
Ms. Smith, unless you
have grounds for objection?
No objections.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
You see that look?
That tape was me.
Saved the day.
So
- what now?
- We watch the tape.
The jury's convinced.
I do my closing argument, and you
start thinking about your next movie.
Not bad for your first
time as defense attorney.
Couldn't have done it without you.
I wasn't gonna come
out and say it, but
duh.
And I realized the gun was
pointing right at his head,
and it was him or me.
Well, here we are.
I gotta tell you, I didn't anticipate
every twist and turn here along the way,
but here's one more thing.
When we started this trial,
the the prosecution said
that I am nothing more
than an entertainment lawyer.
What she doesn't realize
is that an entertainment
lawyer builds his career
by finding the right
people to believe in.
I have known that Lester
Thompson was innocent
from the very start.
And after looking at your
faces watching that tape,
I know that you know it now, too.
We, the jury, find the defendant
Not guilty.
[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING]
So since I know that you're
gonna find him innocent,
between you and me,
I'm not just an entertainment lawyer.
I'm the best damn entertainment
lawyer you've ever seen.
Na-na, na-na ♪
Na-na, na-na ♪
So please
get to deciding,
because I've got the rest
of my life to keep living.
You say you want to start a fire ♪
Turn my pain into power ♪
My fear to desire ♪
Oh ♪
Whoa ♪
Fall apart when I try to be strong ♪
Gotta learn how to cry, oh, oh ♪
Can you hear my cry? ♪
It was my fault Cameron died.
It was always my fault
And I should have said
that from the beginning.
I should have gone to the funeral.
I should have
been there for you.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Na-na, na-na ♪
Na-na, na-na ♪
Na-na, no, no, no ♪