Harry's Law (2011) s01e10 Episode Script

Previously on "Harry's Law" So what are you going to do? - About.
- Rachel? Chunhua? Malcolm and I are going on a date.
Oh, give me a break.
My client lied to me.
Defendants do that, especially with their lawyers.
You know my client killed his wife.
Certainly, I know it.
All right.
That's it.
This case is hereby declared a mistrial.
- You have to fight, Harry.
- Fight for what? Or I could keep representing drug dealers, and murderers.
Are you serious? My moral responsibility was to distort and manipulate the actual facts so far beyond recognition as to put a murderer back on the street.
It's disgusting.
I think it was Oscar Wilde who said "We tend to regret more the mistakes we didn't make.
" Of course, Oscar never had the pleasure of Marty Slumach.
Oh, Harry, it's so good to see you.
I'm so sorry to hear you got fired.
It's a terrible thing.
I came as soon as I heard.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
I live by that.
Uh-huh.
And what is it you need? Oh, all right.
Okay.
Now that you mention it, it's a small hiccup.
I'm beginning a trial tomorrow.
Just, uh, armed robbery.
But, it seems, I got my ticket pulled for 30 days a witness-tampering thing, for which I feel deep remorse.
I'm totally innocent.
Judge says I can still second-chair, but since I lost my license, I'm going to need another attorney to try the case.
- Forget it.
- It's taken me a long time to establish a trust here.
Guy was wrongly convicted once before, He's not a trusting person.
It's a very delicate situation.
Now, you've never been one to turn your back on somebody in need, except for me.
Okay.
Look.
That's water over the dam.
I'm begging you.
We're dealing with a very delicate individual.
He don't talk.
Never.
Not even to me.
You told me you'd established a trust with him.
I have.
You know, as much as one can with a person who don't talk.
Are we sure he can talk? Positive.
Now, he was loud and clear when he robbed the victim.
I thought you said he was innocent.
Totally.
Okay, look.
I understand from Mr.
Slumach that you were convicted once before, on the flimsiest of evidence, of, um What was the previous crime? Armed robbery.
I also understand you don't trust lawyers this despite your deep bond with Mr.
Slumach.
But you need a lawyer just the same.
If it's going to be me, I need you to be honest with me, sir.
Did you commit this robbery? What's the difference? About 20 years.
I'm already convicted and you know it.
Okay.
Given that, I'd sleep a lot better, knowing you did it.
Too bad.
'Cause I didn't.
I didn't.
Hello.
Are we looking for legal advice today, or perhaps a new pair of peep-toes? Well, I was coming in just for some legal advice, but I'm attorney Adam Branch.
May I help you? My name is Amanda Knott.
I'm a performer at Chez Paris on James Street.
I was just fired.
Chez Paris? I love that place.
It is so GaGa.
Why were you fired? Well, the manager he's also the owner we'd been having an affair for the past six months.
Now he's back with his wife, and suddenly, my act is no longer good enough.
I'm sorry.
But, are you, like a man? I, uh For the file.
I'm anatomically male, yes.
Is it possible you were fired for that? No.
I was fired because his wife wants me gone.
Okay.
And how long have you been out of work? My last day is Friday.
Unless you can somehow change that.
Can you? Hey.
Georgie.
Hey.
How are you, my friend? Georgie, this is Harry Korn.
Harry, this is the handling D.
A.
, George Kupcheck.
He's a real character.
Harry's going to be handling the defense.
- How you doing? - Hey, Georgie, listen.
I hate to trade on our friendship, but if I could just get a small continuance, I'm thinking what, a month, tops.
Just, uh, just so Harry can get caught up to speed.
A continuance? Are you on drugs? First of all, we're not friends, Marty.
You turn my stomach.
And secondly, you're not getting any continuance.
George, I got a little situation.
Yeah, I know your situation.
You're trying to delay this as long as you can.
It's what you do.
But I've had it, and so has the judge.
Which is why he said no more continuances.
George, I lost my license.
It's a setback, huh? Come on.
These things happen.
Look I'll give you a continuance, as will the judge.
But if he stays on in any capacity at all, if he's anywhere in the room I need him in the room, otherwise Then I'll deem you up to speed.
And if you so much as mention the word "Continuance", I'll move for sanctions.
All of the lonely nights .
W aiting for you to come bring all your love to me And I wait a million years .
They do tryouts during the day.
I suspect, at this very moment, they're auditioning my replacement.
And where's your boss? His office is in the back.
I just want to be clear on the stated criteria for the discharge.
That's all.
I believe I was clear.
The termination was performance-related.
Admittedly, it's a very subjective thing, but one which certainly falls within the discretion of a club manager.
Okay.
But as I understand it, she has not only performed to Mr.
Thomas's satisfaction for the last three years, but she's also been one of the more popular acts with patrons.
I guess I would ask: What's changed? What's changed I'm sorry, but I'd like to hear from Mr.
Thomas.
I can't allow that.
Come on! Look, we're offering your client a very generous severance.
And I don't think we really want to go to court, do we? What's that supposed to mean? Let's say we do go to trial.
- What do you - Mr.
Branch.
- Carl.
- No.
I made a mistake.
I had an affair.
I cheated on my wife.
I have two young children, - and I would like to save my marriage.
- Carl.
I'd like to finish, please.
Do you really think I should keep Amanda in my employ and put my wife through an agony of I mean, does that make sense to you? Perhaps not.
But it's hardly fair to Amanda that she be fired.
I know that, and that's why I'm trying to treat her as-as fairly as possible.
The severance package we offered - is way more - I just want my job.
If I let you keep your job, my wife will leave me.
That's not a legal justification.
I'm not talking about the law.
Sometimes These are my children, Mr.
Branch.
Now, if you file that lawsuit, they'll not only learn that their father is unfaithful but that he's The destruction you will cause I'm trying to be as fair and humane as I can be.
How 'bout you do the same? It's just, as I read the file more carefully, I don't see how we can possibly win this.
This is why I don't read files careful.
Blunts my creativity.
Marty.
What's our defense here? Client didn't do it.
But he did do it.
What's more, the victim, who, on paper, seems to be a very credible guy, will say so in open court.
We got to somehow trip him up.
You want my pickle? Marty! Harry.
There's always something lawyers can do.
It's why people hate our guts, remember? Okay, suppose we do win.
Doesn't it bother you, putting dangerous, guilty criminals back on the street? I mean, I realize that's what lawyers often do, but usually with some conflict.
I don't see you experiencing a flicker of it.
All right, first of all, Ronald may be innocent, like he says.
You know, he's got an alibi witness, you know.
I mean, okay, not a believable one, but And second, you're basically in the same line of work as I am now, so how do you get to judge? Well I think that's what horrifies me.
That I could look in the mirror, and now see What? My reflection? Marty, let's face it.
You hardly lead a noble life.
Is this why you left me? Why, 'cause I'm not a noble person? Well in part, yes.
- I'm sorry.
That was out of - Oh, no.
Let's just focus on the witness tomorrow, okay? Like you said, very credible.
You know, he's the prosecution's whole case.
So, if you don't trip him up somehow, you can stick a fork in Ronald Perry.
You know, not to put pressure.
Marty, I didn't mean Let's just just focus on the case.
According to the client, he has an alibi.
I need you to hunt him down.
That's our only chance.
And get Damien to help you.
Tell him no violence.
Just find the guy and bring him to me.
And do it fast.
The trial starts tomorrow.
- Okay.
- What? Nothing.
Don't tell me "Nothing," Jenna.
You were staring at me funny.
What? Well, it's not like it's my business.
But were you and Marty Slumach ever together? Would that be a problem? No.
No.
Clearly, it is.
No, it's not.
I got to go.
I told Adam I would meet him at Chez Paris to listen - to the man/woman.
- Excuse me? Adam is representing a man/woman who got fired by a man/man who had an affair with him/her, and he/she is one of those cross-dresser- singer-thingies.
Bye, Malcolm.
Good night, Harry.
Why are you still here? Go find my alibi.
Sorry.
"Cross-dresser-singer-thingies.
" Oh my God.
Didn't I tell you? I'm a little afraid.
I didn't think this was allowed in Ohio.
Look that's her.
She's already on.
That's her in the middle.
She's good.
She's really good.
Well, I'd come out of the store around 9:30, I was carrying a bag, was fumbling for my key.
I was a little bit agitated.
Like I said, I was running late.
Looked up and saw this man ambling towards me.
At first I thought he was a homeless guy just asking me for change.
I returned my focus to the car.
Suddenly, I had this big barrel of a magnum sticking in my face.
Did you see who was wielding this weapon? That man.
The defendant.
Yes.
- Any doubt? - None.
- Well, did he say anything? - All he said was, - "Watch.
Wallet.
Now.
" - And, sir, did you see - the suspect ever again before today? - Uh, yes.
I saw him the following day in a police lineup, where I immediately identified him as the man who'd robbed me the night before.
The night of the robbery you told the police the suspect was very overweight.
- I did.
- Next day, they called you in to see a lineup.
Did they indicate that they thought they had the guy? They said they'd apprehended a man who matched the description.
And this is the lineup you saw? - Yeah.
- I see exactly one overweight guy.
The lineup has already challenged unsuccessfully in pretrial, Your Honor.
The objection is overruled.
A little stacked, don't you think? One overweight guy? I imagine you were in shock having a gun stuck in your face.
My powers of observation weren't compromised.
Police notes indicate that the parking lot was not well-lit.
Well, he was standing right in front of me I got a perfect look at him.
Really? Because according to the incident report, when describing him, you just said and I quote "Fat Latino.
" No description of facial features or clothing, nothing on height or hair, just.
"Fat Latino".
Are you not good on details? When was the last time you had a gun stuck in yourface? So you were distracted by the gun? Well, I saw his face.
- You didn't see the goatee or the scar? - It was him.
For the gun, you said it appeared to be a seven-shooter, rubber grip, stainless-steel barrel.
That's very impressive.
As for the suspect - "Fat Latino".
- It was that man right there.
Do you make room for the possibility that after the police indicated that they thought they had the guy, and you then saw one lone obese man in the lineup I wasn't influenced by the police.
I was not predisposed in any way.
That is the man who robbed me.
Did they ever find your watch or wallet in my client's possession? Not to my knowledge.
Did the police find any physical or forensic evidence connecting my client to this robbery? - Not to my knowledge, no.
- So, basically, all we have is your I.
D.
In a dark parking lot while you were under shock with a gun stuck in your face, right? It was that man right there.
Am I not being specific enough? Well it seems you're very specific when it comes to describing guns just not fat Latinos.
Marty Slumach? I am really concerned that she would date him.
- Why? - He's a schlub, Malcolm.
He has, like, zero ethics.
Other lawyers refer to him as "Law-trash.
" He's not bona fide.
What does that say about Harry? That maybe she was lonely, that maybe she likes a good laugh once in a while, that maybe she has physical needs - and likes some - Ah! Don't even think that.
A woman should never date beneath her.
Those relationships don't work there are studies.
And that Harry chose to date him, that tells me that she has esteem issues.
I think you're overreacting and wrong.
I have esteem issues; I know.
All my life I've dated men who are less than so I could feel better than.
But even I would Marty Slumach.
Oopsies.
You did damage, Harry.
That was beautiful.
It's a work of art, is what it was.
I didn't exactly shake his story, Marty.
Okay, I'm here.
Let's just get this done.
If you don't have the money, - don't even think - Carleton, Carleton.
All right, my friend, this is Harry Korn.
She's gonna be conducting the direct.
I take it you read the file? Yeah, I did.
You have an envelope for me? I got a check right here.
- Check? - It's not gonna bounce, I swear.
- I'm outta here.
- Wait, wait, hold, hold, hold.
Carleton, an innocent life is on the line here.
Are you kidding me? Look, Doctor, we're a bit hung out to dry here without you.
If that check bounces, I'll cover it.
No offense, but who the hell are you? One second, Harry.
Come here.
Now, listen to me, you little prick.
That person is a respected attorney.
Great.
That makes one of you.
She also happens to be my friend.
So you're gonna get your ass on that stand, and you're gonna testify in court, real convincing, you hear me? Or I will take you out to the woodshed, rip out your colon and shove it down your throat.
Do we understand each other, my friend? You weren't just good, Amanda, you were fantastic.
- Really? - There's no way they'll make the case that firing you is performance-based if I have to, I'll take the entire jury to see you on stage.
I can't go into a courtroom.
I'll just I'll freeze up.
Like I said, they're betting that you haven't got the guts And I don't! Amanda Confucius said, "Do unto others, "or they'll keep doing it unto you.
" You have to stick up for yourself.
Let me draft a complaint, send it to opposing counsel, but I won't file.
Just the threat that we could file they'll settle, I promise.
I'm sorry, but I find this a little curious.
I haven't even formally filed, and already I'm in chambers for a motion to dismiss? Something doesn't smell right.
Is this how you typically begin your trials, counsel, by questioning the integrity of the judge? I haven't even officially filed the complaint.
I know.
But I've seen it and as Mr.
Emerson points out, the mere filing of a complaint of this type is incendiary; it's perhaps irreparable.
The defendant is a married man, with a family, and the allegations here would be devastating, whether they're proven or not.
The court has to be sensitive to that potential injustice.
So, why exactly are we here? We will conduct an evidentiary hearing.
The courtroom will be sealed.
If I am satisfied that there is enough to warrant a claim, then I will allow the lawsuit to be filed.
- If that's not the - This is outrageous.
We will conduct the hearing at 9:00 A.
M.
tomorrow do you want to alienate me some more, or are we done for now? Malcolm, um when I said earlier that That it's your pattern to date beneath you so you feel better than? That those relationships never work.
That? Yes.
When I said something like that, I wasn't talking about me and you.
Malcolm.
I wasn't.
Come on, this is Cincinnati if I were looking to hook up with a loser, then You might think of yourself as less than, but I certainly don't.
I really like you.
You're smart, you're funny.
You're going to be an amazing lawyer.
You pretty much wrote the brief on the fast-food case, and you haven't even gone to law school yet.
You're awesome.
I think you should know that about yourself.
You're awesome.
So this is, like, a real thing, you and me? Well it feels like it is to me.
Does it to you? You find my alibi? I'm working on it.
Working on it? Malcolm, maybe I did a lousy job stressing the urgency of this.
No alibi witness our guy goes to jail.
We are in trial now.
Harry, do we really think this alibi witness exists? I don't care whether he exists or not the point is, I asked you to find him.
If you look at all the people wrongly convicted and then cleared by DNA evidence, a full 77% involve cases of mistaken eyewitness identification.
- You've studied this? - For 11 years.
multiple eyewitnesses.
Can you imagine different people all fingering the same innocent person? We hear the expression: "I saw it with my own eyes.
" Well, the fact is, the eyes lie.
All the time.
Okay, Doctor, let's talk about this particular case.
Absolutely.
This man, Mr.
Layton, was under stress, fear.
Why? I'll tell you why.
He had a big gun stuck in his face.
Stress especially compromises one's ability to perceive.
The likelihood is that he went into that lineup predisposed, wanting to believe the police had the guy.
He became desperate to believe it, determined.
He says he's sure.
Ha! If you look at all the eyewitnesses who got it wrong, they have one thing in common they were sure.
Do you have any evidence to show Mr.
Layton was wrong here? - No.
But that doesn't mean - Thank you.
Do you have any reason to doubt his veracity? No.
But my research shows that Thank you.
And how many times have you testified for the defense in one of Mr.
Slumach's cases? - I'm not really sure.
- More than 50? Probably around 50.
And you get paid to do so, don't you? I get paid for my time, yes.
So you're a professional witness.
- Objection.
- So, Doctor, how much money are you being paid to sit in that chair right now? $1,600.
Gee.
I'm in the wrong business.
Kind of quiet, Harry.
What's the matter, you got that acid reflux thing again? No.
Marty.
Your little scene in the corridor with the expert, and his subsequent compelling testimony it's left a very bad taste in my mouth.
Why? Why? Because the testimony was bought, coerced, for all I know; - Supplied.
- No, it wasn't.
Did we pay him for his time? Yes.
Did we argue? Yes.
I never put words in his mouth.
Marty, it was disgusting, and you know it.
No, I don't know it.
You strong-armed a medical expert, a doctor under oath.
Pharmaceutical companies put doctors on the take all the time.
They pay doctors to prescribe their drugs.
You think car companies don't heap piles of dough on engineers just to testify that their cars are safe? That doesn't make it right.
But it goes on.
Look, if big, rich companies can benefit from that kind of help, why-why should poor schlubs like Ronald Perry Is that what you tell yourself? It's what I'm telling you.
You know, Harry, sometimes, I think you lose track of the ground, sitting up there on that high horse of yours.
Ronald Perry could very well be guilty, is probably guilty.
Or he could be innocent.
Oh, please.
Which is a jury question.
Our job is to fight for the guy, and if you're sitting there, suggesting that we fight a little less hard for the ones we think did it, maybe you should save a little of that disgust for yourself.
The very fact that you're being this defensive tells me you I'm defensive because I'm sick of it.
I hear this crap all the time.
I'm sick of it, Harry.
Oh, oh, Marty Slumach is-is law trash, sleazy, bottom-feeding You think that feels good? I'm not law trash.
- I'm as noble as the next person.
- Okay, settle down.
To hear this from somebody who knows me? From somebody that I've been with? Ronald Perry deserves best efforts.
Guilty or not.
They all do.
You have no right to look down on me, to judge me.
You can go to hell.
Judge Coulis is very respected, Adam.
I hadn't even filed.
Well, maybe a favor was pulled to get fast action, but she's a good judge.
- Will Amanda testify? - I hope.
This is really unbelievable.
Easy, easy, easy.
Harry, this is Stevie Kazz, the alibi.
We found him.
And it wasn't easy, neither.
Have a seat, Stevie.
And I'm watching you, so don't be stealin' nothin', neither.
Man has got a stealin' problem.
Now, tell her what you told us.
Don't make me smack your ass.
Tell her.
Ronnie didn't do this thing.
He was with me that night.
We was hangin' at my place, watching CSI and Who Wants To Be A Big Fat Loser, or whatever it's called.
He didn't do that robbery six years ago, neither.
It was just me.
Six years ago, you were both arrested at the scene.
Yeah, we pulled in to get gas.
I get out of the car, do my thing.
Ronnie don't know I'm gonna do it, he's just in the car.
It's what I told everybody.
It's what he told everybody.
And nobody believed him.
That's why he don't trust nobody now.
But Ronnie don't steal, Ronnie don't rob.
And the night of the current robbery? With me.
And I wasn't robbin' nobody, neither.
Man took a rare night off.
What were you doing? I told you, watching.
America's Biggest Fat Loser, whatever it's called.
You say, your place.
You have no known address.
I got several places.
Just under different names.
Wonderful.
Anybody else with you? Just Ronnie and me.
Told all this to the other attorney already.
Problem is, even if he's not lying, he still comes off a liar.
Add to that, increase the risk that Ronnie's prior might come in.
I mean, at a minimum, it gets established that Ronnie associates with armed robbers.
I can't see letting that guy anywhere near the witness stand.
He only hurts us.
I say we go straight with our game plan, go right to the closing argument.
You better be good, by the way, - or else you can stick a fork - All right, Marty.
Look, are you and I okay? Yeah.
Why wouldn't we be? Marty, you told me to go to hell.
Well, it's not like I won't be going there too, right? You know that better than anybody.
You had an affair? Yes.
It ended nine days ago.
What happened? His wife found out.
They Carl said that he wanted to try to make things work with his family.
And that the affair had to end.
- And then what? - Four days later he said that I would have to leave.
That his wife couldn't bear the idea of me working in the same I was fired.
Amanda, can you tell the court why your job is so important to you? All my life, I've always been different.
I'm anatomically male.
I think of myself as a woman.
Retreating into my stage persona? It was more than an escape.
It was home.
This job is my lifeline in so many ways.
I just need it more than ever.
This love affair you describe was it consensual? - Yes.
- You never felt any pressure to, say, go out with your boss? No.
Did it have anything to do with his being your boss? - No.
- I appreciate your honesty.
I understand your act is very popular.
Yes.
Ever have any offers from other clubs, say, trying to steal you away from Chez Paris? Yes.
And since you've been fired, have you gone out looking for other work? No.
And since your breakup, have you approached Mr.
Thomas, called him in an effort to get back together? Yes.
How many times have you approached him or called him? More than 20? I'm not sure.
The reason you need this job, at Chez Paris is because it's your only means of staying close to Mr.
Thomas.
Isn't that it, Amanda? Okay, we'll take a break.
Ten minutes.
I will see counsel in my chambers.
I am tossing this out.
Just like that.
Counsel, she has made no effort to mitigate.
She even admits that she can get other work.
She also concedes the boss-employee equation wasn't really in play.
But of course it's in play.
This court is not equipped to remedy broken hearts.
She has a whole community of friends.
Yeah, and I am not in power to give her her job back.
All a court of law can do is award money damages, of which there seem to be none.
If you file, I will not allow this complaint to stand if you go ahead and file, all the same, or even threaten to well, that reeks of abuse of process.
Extortion.
And I don't think you want to go there.
Are you actually prohibiting me from so much as filing the claim? I am telling you that if you do, on these facts, it's at your own peril.
I can certainly amend the complaint to allege But, Amanda, maybe this is best.
It would've been tough for you to move on with your life, at least emotionally, there, with him I know this is difficult to believe at the moment.
But you'll find somebody.
You're a beautiful, sensitive, gifted woman.
With a penis.
Okay.
There is something just too enchanting about you, not to find love again.
You're a really kind man.
May I come to your final performance tonight? I'd like that.
Okay.
Onward and upward, right? Right.
The victim told you.
The person who robbed him, the person who stuck a Magnum in his face, is that man, Ronald Perry.
And Bernard Layton was unwavering.
I mean, this is a trustworthy witness.
He has no motive to lie.
No bias.
He made a positive I.
D.
In the lineup.
And he was resolute when he came face to face with him in this room.
As for the defense, well, there was no defense.
No alibi, no suggestion that the defendant was anywhere but in that parking lot.
Nothing.
Just one hired-gun.
"Expert witness" Who had no knowledge of this case whatsoever.
He just came armed with an "Expert" Opinion that sometimes eyewitnesses get it wrong.
Wow.
An "Expert" who was paid to be here; An "Expert" who's testified in 50, maybe 100 of these kinds of cases; An "Expert" that criminal defense attorneys keep on speed dial, just in case they have nobody else.
Now, Bernard Layton did he seem unsure to you? Equivocal? Uncertain? He had no doubt.
None.
He was there.
He saw who robbed him.
No doubt.
If you were to Google "Project Innocence," you'd see case after case after case after case of people wrongly convicted by unflinching but mistaken eyewitness testimony.
I'm sorry, Your Honor.
She's introducing evidence.
Ms.
Korn.
Sorry.
You know, to be honest, when I first got this case, I thought, "Ick.
" Who wants these kinds of cases? They don't pay.
The facts are ugly.
And when I first saw the defendant, I thought, "He probably did it.
" I'm sure a few of you think the same.
And the victim? He's intelligent, clean-cut, upper middle class, certainly no motive to lie.
Why wouldn't we believe him? I mean, he was there, for God's sake.
If he says it was Ronald Perry, then who the hell are we to doubt him? Well, you have a duty to doubt him.
You took an oath to demand that the prosecution satisfy its burden of proving guilt beyond all reasonable doubt.
And they haven't done that.
They never found the watch or wallet in my client's possession.
Never located a gun.
They introduced no physical evidence, no circumstantial evidence, no forensics of any kind, just the eyewitness account from a man who clearly had to be in shock.
A man who was able to describe almost nothing about his assailant.
For the gun, you heard the meticulous details, but for the suspect "Fat Latino.
" That's it.
Maybe Mr.
Layton got it right.
Perhaps it was Ronald Perry.
But maybe, just maybe, he got it wrong.
That's why, when it comes to eyewitness testimony, we demand corroborating evidence, and here, there is none.
None.
And even if you were inclined to accept an uncorroborated eyewitness account, please let it at least be from somebody who could describe the defendant.
The color of his shirt, length of hair, eyes, nose, something more than "Fat Latino.
" Let the testimony at least be from somebody who wasn't in shock at the time.
Someone who didn't have a big gun stuck in his face.
That is, if you care.
A lot of juries don't, let's face it, especially when it comes to blacks and latinos, and not just the fat ones.
Objection, Your Honor.
Come on! Come on, what? Are you prepared to argue that equal treatment exists? All right, counsel, we get your point.
I'm new at this criminal practice.
I come from patent law, a much more lucrative practice.
Very white-collar.
We never get any of these "Ick" Cases.
In fact, I often wondered about the attorneys who did criminal law.
As I said, there's no money in it.
For the most part, your clients are well criminals.
What kind of lawyer wants that for a life? Well, there's one, sitting right there.
Marty Slumach.
Wakes up every day, fights against overwhelming odds, and for what? To make the prosecution satisfy its burden every damn time, even for his guilty clients.
Why? What's the point? Well, the point is, once you relax those standards, once you say, "Close enough is good enough," "Seems guilty," "Lock him up," It's not just the guilty who are at risk, but the innocent.
You.
Me.
Law trash.
That's what we bluebloods like to call the Marty Slumaches of the world.
But the thing is, without lawyers like him, a lot of innocent people would go to jail.
Especially the disenfranchised who have no money, no resources, no means to fight the system.
That's why, at closer look, Marty isn't so much law trash as he is a hero.
One I admire very very much.
Is he retiring? Is there gonna be a gold watch? What the hell is going on here? What's going on is, that man, not Marty, but our client, could very well be innocent.
The State has not satisfied its burden.
It hasn't even come close.
He has not been proven guilty beyond all reasonable doubt.
You can't charge a man, take away his freedom, with no physical or forensic evidence, nothing but one shockey I.
D.
, and call that justice.
You can't be satisfied with that.
Or can you.
Assuming, of course, you care.
Do you? This is the worst part, right here.
Always gets me so nervous.
You ever get nervous? I can see you're a wreck.
At this point, I'll ask the defendant to rise.
Mr.
Foreman, this verdict is unanimous? - Yes, Your Honor.
- What say you? In the matter of The People of the State of Ohio v.
Ronald Perry, on the charge of aggravated armed robbery, we the jury, find the defendant Ronald Perry Not guilty.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the state of Ohio thanks you for your service.
You are now dismissed.
- Wasn't expecting that.
- Me, neither.
Okay, Ronald, the jury took its responsibility seriously.
You're free to go.
Congratulations.
He's overcome.
I can see that.
Harry, I-I can't thank you enough, you know, for your help, for your kind words, which You know what? Can we sit down for a sec? Okay.
You know this-this whole experience it's just made me think how great it would be, you know, if we You know, if were to join up.
Me with a pile of cases, you with the valid license we make a good team.
Marty, that's not in the cards.
Okay.
Just a thought, that's all.
It's You know, I had another thought.
Not like me to have two thoughts in a week, but, you know, this, uh It It made me remember how great a team we were, you know, socially.
I'm just gonna say this.
Okay? You're the best person I ever met in my life.
Period.
If there was a chance that, you know again? I don't think that's in the cards, either.
Okay.
We can always be friends, right? - Absolutely.
- Yeah, I mean, listen.
This doesn't have to be good-bye.
Not at all.
And maybe I'll have some cases I'll bring your way and we could, we could co-counsel? - That sounds great.
- Great.
Fantastic.
Take care of yourself, okay, Harry? You, too.
I will.
I told her she should go out big, you know? However much she hurts inside, go out big, for all she's worth.
- You want to come watch? - Sure.
Something wrong? You tell me.
Chunhau, talk to me.
What's wrong? What's wrong is, you've stopped talking to me.
No, I haven't.
You've been pulling away, Adam.
I'm not exactly sure why, but I've just been busy, that's all.
You were also nearly shot a few weeks ago.
You were clearly traumatized and yet Is there somebody else? Adam, I don't mean to be needy, and I know you're working hard, but if we're going to be together, I need to feel together.
- You need to talk to me.
- Okay.
Sorry.
Okay.
I just feel like I'm missing a piece of the puzzle here.
Look, like you said, I've been through a lot.
I need to communicate better, and I will.
I will.
Okay.
Come on.
Let's go help send Amanda off.
Okay.
Are you coming? I wouldn't miss it.
Somebody, not Oscar Wilde, but somebody once said, "Our lives are the sum total of our experiences.
" But it's not the experiences.
It's the people.
Not just the ones in our lives but those who play through.
The Amandas.
The Martys.
All the fly-by, small-but-rich relationships.
Sometimes they're the most special of all.
It's why we always promise to keep in touch.
If only we did.
If only we did.