Trial & Error (2016) s01e08 Episode Script

Josh: Because this trial is now in the national spotlight, Mr.
Mankiewicz decided to come down from New York to take over at the last minute.
The fact that this was a big opportunity and that I worked for months on it is irrelevant.
Uh, here's what matters.
I get to work side by side with my mentor.
Let's do it.
Guessing Howard's in the lobby waiting for me.
What the [bleep.]
? Hey, Clarence, have you seen anyone from the case? Mr.
Henderson and his lawyer went to judge's chambers.
Good one.
Seriously? Oh [bleep.]
So, what's going on now is a sidebar discussion.
Since Mr.
Mankiewicz showed up unannounced again, totally fine with me the court will now have to make some adjustments so that he can catch up.
It has been my experience that judges do not appreciate that.
[Laughter.]
I must say, Howard, you're the first New York lawyer I've ever liked.
Joshua, you missed a heck of a meeting.
We'll be recessing until Monday.
Monday.
That's great.
I will let Larry know that that's what we decided Hey, Josh.
You missed quite a meeting.
Howard spoke Latin.
Mortua est quam mortuum.
I'm sure they just wanted to keep the meeting small.
[Laughs.]
Howard is the funniest man I've ever met.
I learned more in that one meeting than in eight years of high school.
[Sighs.]
Great.
- Wow! - Oh, my God.
It's like a clown car.
Oh, my God, Josh.
I finally feel like my dad has a shot.
- No offense.
You're great.
- No.
Sure.
But Howard I will not be intimidated by your boss.
You may think you have a leg up on me, but trust me, I decide when my legs are up and for whom they are up.
[Sighs.]
I believe in the justice system and I know that Mr.
Henderson is looking forward to putting this behind him and getting on with his life.
[Reporters clamoring.]
No, no further questions.
Thank you.
I will take one more question.
No comment.
Maybe we should talk about how it's going to work with you being here.
Well, let me allay your fears.
It's just like I'm the head coach and you are the quarterback.
Okay.
Great.
[Knocks.]
Knock, knock.
- Come in.
- Give us a second.
What do we do? Yeah, we're a little unclear as to who our boss is supposed to be now.
You both look exactly the same to me.
This is a team effort.
Our whole goal here is to do everything we can to keep our client out of jail.
Great.
So what can I do? Larry trusts you.
I need you to help get him on board with me being here.
I got him to stop wearing socks with sandals.
I think I can do this.
Fantastic.
When this thing is all over, we go back to New York as champions.
- We get to go to New York? - I've always wanted to go to New York! Uh, no, no.
Josh and I go to New York.
You two will die here.
- We get to die here? - Sounds good to me! Nothing has changed for me.
I still need to win this case in order to be DA, and I will.
It does not matter to me one iota who defends the murderer, which is why I'm taking the luxury of a relaxing morning run.
Out of my lane, pig [bleep.]
This case is like basil.
You tend it, give it care [Sighs.]
Oh, no, it's not.
The fact is, I'm really getting tired of being accused of murder.
And Mankiewicz only makes things more confusing.
Josh is my guy.
He's like cilantro.
Green, smells great, not for everyone.
[Sniffs.]
There it is.
I barely know this Howard.
Does he paint? Does he dance? What's his art? His art is keeping people accused of murder out of jail.
[Whoosh.]
Oh, for God's sake! Summer! Tell your pyro boyfriend that's a gas grill.
He has a name.
It's Clanton-something.
Or Clanton's his last name.
I don't really know.
He's really attractive.
That's Clanton? I would love to meet him.
Why don't you invite him in? Dad says he's an outdoor boyfriend.
[Sighs.]
I always imagined she would end up with someone different, someone successful and ambitious, urbane, with a sense of humor and a warm heart.
Maybe a lawyer.
Someone like That's very sweet.
Harry Hamlin in "L.
A.
Law.
" Yes.
He's awesome.
You know who else is awesome? Howard.
And we're very lucky to have him on this case.
He's your best chance to walk away from this.
Trust me, there is no one better.
I don't want the best.
I want you.
You still have me.
I'm the quarterback.
Those were his words.
Fine.
If you trust him, I trust him.
Hey, Lar.
I want to respect your outdoor rule, but I got to use the restroom and I don't feel comfortable dropping a deuce in the yard yet.
[Clears throat.]
[Door opens, closes.]
Josh, if they give me the electric chair, I want him on my lap.
[Doorbell rings.]
Can I say how excited I am you're taking over the case? I love Josh, but his lack of experience was weighing on me.
I'm Josh.
Okay.
Seeing as I can't take that back, I'm going to own it.
Lawrence.
Oh.
Josh tells me you can keep me out of prison? I can do better than that.
We're not even going to trial.
I love this guy already! You're pleading insanity.
- What? - [Bleep.]
a duck! Howard, you know that I would never second-guess you, but I really think that we can win this thing.
Keeping Larry alive is winning.
Face it, Josh.
We don't have the evidence, we don't have the client, and we don't have the right resources.
- He called us resources! - We're gonna die here.
Howard, we have the evidence.
We have four viable suspects.
Jeremiah Davis employs 60% of the people in this town.
And Josie? A woman of such small stature could never possibly inflict such wounds.
And Rutger Hiss? Pinning anything on a cop is extremely risky.
What about the cable guy, Roger Bentman? He was at the house right before Margaret died.
No motive, no prints.
No cable.
Look, this whole thing is circumstantial, Josh.
You have no hard evidence.
Yes, but we have reasonable doubt.
Reasonable doubt requires reasonable people.
East Peck has one bank holiday, Pumpkinfest, and it lasts for two weeks in June.
Hey, now.
Watch what you say about East Peck Pumpkinfest.
That's our heritage.
During the Great Surrender of the East Peck Militia, legend has it that my great-great-great- grandfather-uncle Reid Reed, became so scared that he vacated a pumpkin seed via his rectum onto this very field.
Now, from that solitary seed grew what would become East Peck's third largest industry next to tobacco and book burning.
I like to think that we are still eating pumpkins descended from that very seed.
Mmm.
Thank you, Reid Reed.
Well, what happens if I plead insanity? You'll spend 20 years in the East Peck Home for the Criminally Insane.
15 if I can hook up Judge Horsedich with "Hamilton" tickets.
But what if it doesn't work? I mean, who's gonna believe that I'm mentally unfit? I think we'll be okay.
Larry, you can't seriously be considering this? Howard's right.
We don't have much.
Fresh eyes? I might have done it.
It's 15 years out of your life.
So, I'd be 80 when I got out, which gives me two years left in my prime to go wife-hunting.
We'd probably wait another two to have a baby.
I'd be dropping off my kid at college at age 103.
Unless he takes a gap year.
These kids are Larry, please, just give me some time to find hard evidence on one of these leads before you make a decision.
I scheduled a plea hearing for Monday.
Then I have until Monday.
Also, don't use the term "wife-hunting.
" For some reason, I'm having second thoughts about living in a mental ward.
Maybe Josh was right.
Listen, Josh is a great kid, but he is a kid.
Trust me, this is your best chance.
And don't think of it as a mental ward.
Think of it as a sort of a a spa that you're legally prohibited from leaving.
You know, Dad, I heard the patients plant the flowers.
It shows.
Okay, look, if this is the only thing that keeps them from feeding you to a bear, then I think we should consider it.
Your daughter's right.
Stay open-minded, Larry.
You could be pleasantly surprised.
[Scoffs.]
Roller blades? Weirdo.
[Cow moos.]
Josh: Our first stop is to investigate Roger Bentman, the cable guy who was at the scene the night of the murder.
Bentman.
He was into birds - Aah! - but couldn't fly.
There he is.
We're here at his current residence.
Josh, this is our coroner, Bucky Senior.
His dad, Bucky Senior Sr.
, used to be our fire chief.
Plameyall.
Excuse me? Uh, he's pleased to meet you, as well.
Oh.
Ahreckonyallwan da kaybaboi doodads.
I'm sorry.
I actually can't understand a word he's saying.
He's from the East Peck Hills.
They speak a very specific dialect.
I went to school with a hill boy.
We'd love to be able to see Mr.
Bentman's belongings.
Ainowaynohow.
Oh, dang.
He said the rules won't allow for him to show us Bentman's things.
This is an important investigation.
Josh, let me handle it.
Kaineyall benaroos.
Ainowaynohow.
Juhlawee mahbroco nabtwoplaidshur Hodon [Both speaking unintelligibly.]
I heart that last word.
That got ugly.
Did anyone else find it distasteful that the doctor had pictures of women being murdered all over his office? Those were Rorschach tests.
What about the one of the two men making love on roller skates? Yeah.
Look at this.
Exercise, fresh air.
I don't belong among these people.
Wait.
Is that Alfred Tompkins who taught in our department? Yoo-hoo! Larry! We need a big man! Come on! Well, go on, Dad.
I haven't played in years.
That guy's playing with his hands strapped to his belt.
I think you'll be okay.
Fine.
But I feel ridiculous.
I don't even have my headband.
Go.
Have fun.
Go, Larry! So what do we know about Bentman besides him being really into birds? I mean, clearly, he drank a lot and was living in a cheap motel.
It wasn't all good.
Listen to this.
"To whom it may concern.
Ever since that night at the Hendersons', my life has not been worth living.
I'm ready to leave this world.
" Keep reading.
"I committed an unspeakable atrocity that night.
I arrived at the house to fix the cable, was greeted by Mrs.
Henderson, and then before I knew it, I had taken the life That's a confession! of three baby owls.
" Wha? He knocked over a nest when he went on the roof to fix the cable.
He felt so bad about it, he thought his life wasn't worth living.
So Bentman killed some owls, not Margaret.
I have a hilarious joke I could make right now, but I won't out of respect.
Thank you, Dwayne.
Bentman had an owl-ibi! [Laughs.]
Seedarya nailtit! Fellpurdy prowdaboudit.
Oy, gevalt.
- Say again? - What was that? Put it in, Chief! [Laughter, cheering.]
- Yeah! - Nice shot! Way to go, Dad! Let's not get ahead of ourselves.
It may take a little while before he feels truly comfortable.
Not in my house! [Laughter, cheering.]
Hey, Larry.
So, uh, quick update, Bentman is out as a suspect.
But, silver lining, I learned that in hill boy dialect, "evidence" is "stuffernsuch.
" You can relax.
I've made a decision.
What are you talking about? I've decided to take my talents to the East Peck Home for the Criminally Insane.
You can't plead insanity.
You don't belong in an institution.
I thought the same thing, but you should've seen me out there.
I absolutely controlled the paint.
Not just in basketball, but in the post-game art-therapy session.
All right.
Quick house issue.
Left about half a can of blue energy drink in the fridge after breakfast, and now, there's only a quarter of a can left.
Now, I ain't pointing fingers, but it'd be cool if we could respect each other's personal space.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
I'm not giving up on you.
I've got 24 hours to get airtight evidence.
Josh I did it.
What? I drank his drink.
Excuse me.
You can't just barge in here unannounced.
What would you do if I was taking a bath? Why would you be taking a bath in your office? Well, answer the question.
What would you do if you came in here and you found me taking a bath? I, uh Wow.
I have no I mean, this place isn't plumbed for that.
Oh, my God.
The moment's gone.
- What do you want? - I need your help.
Why would I possibly help you? Because Mankiewicz wants Larry to plead insanity.
And if he does, that means no death penalty, which means you don't get to be DA.
I will not let that happen, Counselor.
I have worked way too long and hard to let that crackpot rob me of my legacy while he dies a natural death in a loony farm.
Then it looks like you and I find ourselves on the same side.
So if you've been withholding any evidence, it would be very helpful to the both of us if you turned it over now.
How dare you accuse me of such impropriety.
You told me to picture you in a bath.
A bubble bath.
More bubble than bath.
You are not professional! Now, please, is there anything that may have slipped through the cracks? I heard tell of a video of Rutger Hiss taken before you put him in a coma.
Coma wasn't my fault.
Go on.
I may have a thumb drive which might contain said video of Detective Hiss who may have been interrogating Larry the night of the murder, who might not have had counsel present.
Possibly.
You could get in a lot of trouble for that.
I may not have it then.
Fine.
Can't get in trouble for it.
Oh, look.
Here it is.
[Sighs.]
Thank you.
Sorry I called you unprofessional.
Oh, and one more thing, Counselor.
If you're looking for something else If this is a "slip through the cracks" innuendo, - I really don't have time.
- Carry on, then.
How did this all start? Well, I got home from the grocery store at around 4:00.
Margaret told me She was having an affair with a hot stud who could do it multiple times with just short breaks in between.
Worse.
She told me she was going to lay down.
I asked her what was she going to lay down, because everyone knows the verb "lay" requires a direct object.
She did not like that.
I could care less about that, Larry.
Did you kill her? No, no, no.
You couldn't care less.
If you could care less, it means you care at least somewhat, which I don't think is what you meant, but Quit playing games! Anne: Look, you see that? Yeah.
His abs are pretty cut.
I always have trouble carving out the bottom six.
No.
His wrist.
Josh: Is he wearing a hospital bracelet? Yes.
Anne, you're a genius! This is huge! Rutger was admitted three hours after Margaret was killed to be treated for are you ready for this? - Glass shards in his arm.
- Wait, wait, wait! All right.
Now I'm ready.
- Glass shards in his - Wait! Now I wasn't ready.
Glass shards in his arm.
Larry had no cuts or abrasions.
This is the evidence we need to link Rutger to Margaret's death.
- We got to tell Larry before he pleads.
- Wait.
This son of a bitch made my life a living hell at the Academy and may have murdered Larry's wife.
Can I please draw a penis on his forehead? No.
Fine.
Meet me at court.
Josh: Excuse me! Sorry! Oh, God.
I really have to get in there.
- Oh, Josh, over here.
- Okay, great.
- God, it's exciting, huh? - Yeah.
My dad might finally catch a break.
Why do you want him to admit to something he didn't do? I don't.
I want him alive.
Both physically and emotionally.
I mean, I love you, but You love me? What? What? - What? - What? Obviously, I don't love Josh.
That would be tremendously inappropriate.
And besides, Clanton's got a lot of upside.
Hey, babe.
They won't let me through without a shirt.
Can I borrow yours? His body.
The upside's his body.
[Door opens, closes.]
All rise! Be seated.
I call this special hearing to order.
And might I say, it's a very special hearing.
Thank you, Your Honor.
As you know, for the past three months, the prosecution has referred to my client as crazy, nutty, maniacal, and has compared his mental state unfavorable with bat feces.
Oh, that is horse[bleep.]
Your Honor, the state has worked very hard to prove that Mr.
Henderson brutally and knowingly murdered his wife.
And should the state be unable to pursue a death-penalty conviction, the state would be inclined to throw a rather large and disruptive hissy fit.
The court understands what the state is saying.
The state kept mentioning it at the court's Sunday Mahjong game.
The defendant would like to mention that he is a celebrated Mahjong player and has never been invited to the court's game.
Would the defense like to issue a plea? Yes! No! Your Honor, the defense would like a moment to speak with his client.
Judge Horsedich: Fine.
Make it quick.
The court has a soundtrack it needs to memorize.
I have compelling evidence linking Rutger Hiss to Margaret's death.
Joshua, we've been all through this.
The decision's been made already.
Hold on, Howard.
What's the evidence, Josh? A confession? DNA? An eyewitness? We discovered Rutger Hiss had glass shards in his arm! And? That's it.
Well, what the [bleep.]
do I do with that? You die with that.
Josh: Look, I know this is risky.
And ordinarily, I would do anything Howard says.
But pleading insanity means you are admitting to killing Margaret.
I know you didn't do that.
Summer, what do you think? I don't know, Dad.
I just I don't want you to die.
And, for the record, I don't love you.
It was like a "love ya.
" Like, "I love ya! Have a nice summer.
" What? I think I saved it.
[Gavel pounds.]
Damn, that's catchy.
All right.
Let's get to it.
Would the defendant like to enter a plea? I guess so.
Larry, you need to trust me on this.
Don't do it, Larry.
I need this, you [bleep.]
I plead not guilty! By reason of Me not doing it! I'm innocent! Yes! You're gonna fry! [Gavel pounds.]
This was a waste of time.
Opening arguments will start a week from today.
This trial better be over by the second Friday in October at 7:30, or the court will be very difficult to deal with.
You know what? You are crazy.
I'm going back to New York.
You're on your own.
If you lose this case, you're fired.
Don't worry, Larry.
I'm in this with you all the way.
Oh! [Doorbell rings.]
Oh, hey.
What are you doing here? I came to retrieve the thumb drive you stole.
You mean the thumb drive you've been hiding in your drawer? You have no idea what's going on inside my drawers.
[Chuckles.]
Here.
God, you are so incapable of being real.
It's too bad, too, because I actually enjoyed being on the same side for once.
Look, you and I are adversaries, nothing more.
Anything beyond that would be completely inappropriate.
Inappropriate? Like those personal pictures on that thumb drive? That folder was labeled "Do not open.
" If you didn't want me to open it, you wouldn't have labeled it that.
Did we like what we saw? We did.
I mean, you should probably keep your electronics, like, a little further away from the bathtub, but yeah.
It was It was They were It was all very good.
Mm-hmm.
I think this is verging on inappropriate.
I agree.
You should probably go.
I probably should.
Whoa! What are you doing? I'm giving you a thumb drive.
[Whimpers.]