Conviction (2016) s01e13 Episode Script
Past, Prologue & What's to Come
1 - Previously on "Conviction" - Rodney Landon? Being a hateful jackass isn't grounds for four life sentences.
But celebrating the 10th anniversary of 9/11 by bombing a mosque is.
My plan was to blow up a mosque, not that mosque.
The best way to defend this country is to eradicate all Muslims before they eradicate us.
But innocent or guilty, Rodney Landon needs to stay in prison.
Hayes: A rumor started that Landon was getting out for snitching on other inmates.
A skinhead attacked him.
Landon stabbed the guy with a shiv.
He isn't getting out of prison anytime soon.
Bad guy stays off the street.
Sounds like a win to me.
Mr.
President.
Part of what he loves about you is that you're my daughter.
You were raised in a political family, you have power, access, all the things he never had.
To us.
[Glasses clink.]
[Syml's "Where's My Love" plays.]
Cold bones Yeah, that's my love She hides away Like a ghost Ooh, ooh [Dramatic music plays.]
[Telephone rings.]
[Elevator bell dings.]
You were up early this morning.
Garbage trucks woke me.
Figured I might as well get a jump on things.
New case? Not yet.
- Hayes.
- Hmm? Everything okay? Yes.
Mm.
You remember when we first met? Of course.
Why? Just wondering why you liked me.
Too many reasons to count.
I'd settle for top three.
Smarts, attitude, beauty.
I can continue.
You'll tell me later.
Ever since your dad left, you've seemed a little No.
I'm good.
Great, actually.
Hayes: Gerald Harris.
Serving life for murdering his wife, Claire.
Where'd this case come from? I don't remember logging it.
Claire died after a fall from a second-story balcony in their home.
Prosecution claimed that she fell after a blow from the head delivered by Gerald.
Was there a problem with the forensics? Not that I'm aware of.
Tess: No witnesses to the crime, so no chance for witness misidentification.
Right you are.
So what's the issue with the conviction? Gerald's defense attorney really screwed the pooch.
[Horns honking.]
Criminal courthouse, fast as you can.
[Sighs.]
Oh, uh, one stop on the way Smithson's Dry Cleaner on Cicero.
[Sighs.]
Kind of in a hurry.
I wanted to say I had fun last night.
That's sweet.
Me, too.
Maybe I could get your number.
I'd like to see you again.
It was fun, but not repeatbusiness fun.
Move! Go! [Tires screech.]
Hayes: "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my client, Gerald Harris, devoted husband, woke up one morning last November to a terrible tragedy.
His beloved wife, Claire, was dead.
" "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury" [Door closes.]
Testing my patience on the first day, Ms.
Morrison? Hardly seems prudent.
Million apologies, Your Honor.
Good morning, Gerald.
Well [Indistinct conversations.]
You're not ASA Rachel Johnson.
Nothing gets by you.
Conner Wallace.
Rachel went into labor a month early.
And I just thought she was fat.
I'm a big fan of your father's.
He's a hero of mine.
Well, that makes one of us.
I hear you're the golden boy Mr.
Undefeated.
Don't get used to it.
I'm gonna kick your ass.
Wallace prosecuted this in Chicago.
How is it even under our purview? Gerald was transferred to Dannemora over a month ago so his mother could continue to visit him.
That makes him a ward of New York state and and eligible for CIU review.
The M.
E.
put Claire's time of death at 4:30 a.
m.
Gerald didn't call 911 until after he found her at 7:30 a.
m.
When the police and the paramedics arrived at the house the defendant greeted them showered and dressed for the day.
His pajamas, covered in Claire's blood, were found in the washing machine.
You'll hear from forensics experts that there was blood on the bathroom sink and shower where Gerald had cleaned up.
He was horrified.
He didn't want Claire's blood on him or what he was wearing.
Your wife is dead Who worries about appearances? The defendant does.
He wanted out of his marriage, but a divorce would have been unseemly and costly.
And on the night of November 7th, his dissatisfaction with Claire came to an ugly head.
They argued, and like so many victims of domestic violence Objection! There is zero evidence that Claire Harris was the victim of domestic abuse, and ASA Walbash knows it.
Wallace.
Sorry.
Forgot.
Sustained.
Stick to the case, counselor.
The evidence will show that this man brutally bashed Claire on the back of the head, the force of that blow sending her over the railing and down to the tiled floor 16 feet below.
A blow to the back of the head means someone hit her.
Any other suspects besides the husband? The police found a set of unidentified fingerprints inside the back door of the Harris' house.
There had been a series of burglaries in the Harris' neighborhood.
Gerald and Claire never locked their back door the same back door where these mysterious fingerprints were found.
The evidence will show that Claire was battling a cough at the time of her death.
She got up so as not to wake Gerald only to be surprised by a burglar, who knocked her off the balcony to her death.
- And yet, in a rush to judgment, - [Pen scratching.]
the police set their sights on Gerald and failed to pursue the obvious suspect.
Claire's killer is still at large.
You pitched an unknown, uncaught thief as Claire's murderer? Basically, the one-armed man.
Watch "The Fugitive" the one-armed man did it.
So you argued Claire fought with an intruder who knocked her off a 16-foot balcony, and Gerald slept through the whole thing? Gerald had taken a sleeping pill that night.
Other than that theory, what was your defense? Love.
True love.
That is what Claire and Gerald had.
You will hear testimony from their friends about their 15-year marriage, his devotion to her, his adoration of her, their plans to spend the rest of their lives together.
It's enough of a tragedy that Claire is gone.
To accuse Gerald of killing her, the love of his life, doesn't fit the evidence.
Simply not true.
[Alarm buzzes.]
[Door opens.]
It's nice to see you, Gerald.
Not sure I can say the same.
I wanted to let you know we're taking another look at your case.
I've already exhausted all my appeals.
Which were all based on ineffective assistance of counsel.
I know.
I deserve that.
As soon as that guilty verdict came down, you bolted.
You didn't return my calls, my letters.
And I have regretted it ever since.
Now I run the Conviction Integrity Unit.
- We're gonna try - Do you believe I'm innocent? The whole trial, I never knew whether you believed me.
Defense attorneys aren't supposed to focus on that.
But I have been thinking about you and Claire, how much she meant to you, how much you loved her.
I believe you.
Even if our marriage was different? I like different.
Hmm.
[Alarm buzzes.]
[Door opens.]
[Door closes.]
I was surprised to hear from you.
Last time we sat in this room, you told me you'd proven I didn't bomb that mosque.
And you made it clear you still had a plan to kill thousands.
That's debatable.
Unlike my innocence of the bombing.
And yet I'm still here, thanks to the ironically named Conviction Integrity Unit.
You're here because you got in a fight.
I was attacked.
- I defended myself.
- With a shiv.
You stabbed your unarmed assailant six times.
The skinhead who jumped me, he has an interesting story about an ADA who told him I was getting released early because I was a snitch.
That's why he attacked me.
My trial is this week.
My lawyer will be putting that charming Neo-Nazi on the stand, and he'll identify you as that ADA.
[Telephone rings.]
Gerald Harris? - Seriously? - Seriously.
When I asked you this morning about your next review, you didn't think to mention that one to me? We agreed I get to pick my cases.
Well, I don't care if you review Gerald's case.
Fine.
Why did you lie to me? [Scoffs lightly.]
You've been distant since your dad left town.
- No, I haven't.
- Hayes.
Tell me what's going on.
My father said something about us.
The alpha-dog thing? You said you didn't care about that.
Wasn't that.
My father said that part of the reason why you care about me is because of my family, my connections.
That's ridiculous.
But you believe him? I don't not believe him.
[Telephone rings.]
[Door closes.]
[Knock on door.]
You okay? You got something? I reached out to some cops in Chicago about burglaries in Gerald's neighborhood.
Scott Hill was arrested a year after Gerald's conviction.
He was picked up with some items that were stolen from houses near Gerald.
Promising.
He recently got out after serving five years for residential burglary.
And get this when a homeowner caught him in the act, he hit her over the head with a table lamp.
We may have found your one-armed man.
And you're headed to Chicago to find out.
Maxine: You did two years for breaking and entering and another three for assault on a homeowner.
Could have told you that over the phone.
You didn't have to come all this way.
What, and miss out on Chicago in the winter? I got to get back to this.
The woman you assaulted, you hit her over the head.
I was just trying to get out without getting caught.
I didn't mean to hurt her.
What about Claire Harris? You mean to hurt her? Who is that? I've never seen that woman.
Maybe this will jog your memory.
You mean the lady that was killed by her husband? Maybe she wasn't killed by her husband.
Maybe you did it when you broke in the house.
She woke up, she surprised you, you hit her over the head, knocking her over the balcony.
- No way.
That wasn't me.
- The M.
O.
's the same female victim, blow to the head, neighborhood you worked.
I moved on from that area a week or so before that lady died.
Where were you the night of November 7, 2008? Can't say for sure.
Mm.
Compelling.
I'll see you in court for your arraignment on murder charges.
Wait.
What's the statute of limitations on burglary? Three years.
That night, I robbed a big Greystone in North Lawndale.
Owners were out of town, they didn't cancel their paper or mail.
I took a hell of a haul.
I remember, because the next day, her being dead was on the news.
[Liquid pouring.]
[Cup clinks.]
I'm being subpoenaed to appear at Rodney Landon's assault trial.
Landon was attacked by another inmate who heard he was a snitch.
I guess we both know who started that rumor.
[Sighs lightly.]
I never should've taken that case.
Luckily, it'll be the skinhead's word against yours, assuming that you spoke to him in attorney visiting You're suborning perjury.
I am pointing out that conversation was private.
Only you and the man who attacked Landon know what was said.
I can't lie on the stand.
- Now you're concerned about the rules? - I don't regret what I did, and I'm willing to face the consequences because no matter what, Landon is not getting out.
He used an illegal weapon, he fought well past the If you tell the truth, every single case we have worked on is guaranteed to be called into question.
- I'll take the fifth.
- You do that, you'll be disbarred.
You'll be finished as a lawyer.
I can live with that.
[Knock on door.]
Am I interrupting? No.
What's up? Maxine checked out Scott Hill's alibi for the night Claire died.
It holds up.
My one-armed man is innocent.
I was looking over trial transcripts last night.
Your mistake on Gerald's defense, was that letting Claire's sister, Emma, testify? Objection! - This is clearly a Brady violation - It would be if I hadn't Emma Johns doesn't appear on the witness list.
- She's a rebuttal witness.
- There was no notice or offer of proof.
If Ms.
Morrison would let me finish.
I contacted her office.
They informed me they'd been unable to get ahold of her, so I e-mailed and faxed for good measure.
It appears you were given adequate notice, Ms.
Morrison.
Are you prepared to proceed? One moment while I confer with my client, Your Honor.
Gerald, I'm sorry.
I screwed up.
I can try to fight for a mistrial.
Does that mean we'd have to start over? It'd give me more time to look into Emma, figure out what she's going to say.
Nothing.
They They weren't close and barely spoke in years.
Are you sure about that? Yeah.
Ms.
Morrison? Ms.
Morrison? Yes, Your Honor, we're prepared to proceed.
[Distorted.]
I'm sorry I stormed off yesterday.
I was up all night last night thinking about what your father said and that he might be right.
Wow.
Okay.
Hang on.
Hear me out.
I never met anyone like you in my entire life.
You're funny and smart and tough as nails.
And you're the president's daughter.
I can't change that, and I never would because if I did, that might somehow mess up the amazing alchemy that is you.
And I love you.
Well argued.
We're not in court.
[Door opens.]
Wallace: How would you describe your sister's marriage to Gerald Harris? Deeply troubled.
Objection! Hearsay, foundation.
Why not list the entire evidence code? Your Honor, this is the victim's sister.
Who had no relationship with Claire for years before her murder.
Now defense counsel is testifying? - Move to strike.
- Sustained.
The jury will ignore Ms.
Morrison's last comment.
Mr.
Wallace, lay some foundation, please.
How did you know Claire and Gerald's marriage was struggling? Because Claire and I spoke every couple of weeks.
She didn't tell Gerald because he and I didn't get along.
In fact, a few years before she died, she mentioned wanting a divorce.
- That's a lie.
- Your Honor.
- [Gavel bangs.]
- It's not true.
It never, ever got that far.
Mr.
Harris, no more outbursts! Ms.
Morrison, control your client.
Was there any particular reason Claire was considering divorce? Gerald told her that he was having sex with men.
[Spectators murmuring.]
Objection! Hearsay.
Goes to the victim's state of mind, Your Honor.
I'll allow it.
Continue, please.
He had been going to gay bars and having sex with strangers for years, and he planned on continuing it.
He refused to commit to her exclusively, but he didn't want a divorce.
Claire was devastated.
How could you not have told me?! Because I didn't think it mattered.
Claire and I were the only ones who knew.
Apparently not.
How could it not matter? Because we had an understanding.
That you had a free pass to sleep with men.
- Yes.
- Claire was really okay with this? Well, not at first.
That That must have been when she told Emma about the divorce.
[Sighs.]
The first 10 years that Claire and I were married, I suppressed my attraction to men because I loved her.
I thought it would go away, but it didn't.
How did Claire find out? I told her.
I wanted her to know who I was.
[Telephone rings.]
[Telephone rings.]
[Elevator bell dings.]
[Button clicks.]
[Elevator doors close.]
- Were you serious about any of them? - No.
A lot of them I only saw once.
None of them ever came to my home.
The jury really doesn't like you right now, Gerald.
Did you see their faces? Put me on the stand.
I'll explain.
I do that, and the prosecutor paints you as a sick, adultering deviant.
He'll make you list every man you slept with, have a field day.
Why does any of this matter? I loved Claire.
She saw me, and she loved me anyway.
I love you, too.
All right, Walbash, let's talk deal.
Why would I do that when I'm headed for a win? You're not there yet.
Please, the sister's testimony's got you on the ropes.
I'll admit that homophobic smear campaign, uh, caught me a little off guard.
You say smear campaign, I say credible testimony.
No deal.
[Button clicks.]
Juries are unpredictable.
All you need is one juror with a bisexual brother - I'll take my chance.
- Okay.
It's pretty arrogant, though.
No, what's arrogant is you pressuring me into a deal after Never mind.
What? Made a habit of staying out late? Showed up unprepared for your hate-baiting attack? I was trying to be polite.
- I hate polite.
- Good to know.
You're a pain in the ass.
And smart.
And jaw-droppingly sexy.
[Elevator dings.]
[Breathing heavily.]
[Sighs.]
Listen, that was The most fun you've ever had in an elevator? - Yeah.
- Mm.
But I still have to say no to a deal.
You think I had sex with you for a deal? I screwed you because I wanted to screw you, because you're kind of hot in a freckly, Irish way.
And obviously, you were into me, too.
If I win or lose this case, it'll be on my own merits, - which are really damn good.
- [Elevator bell dings.]
[Zipper closes.]
Even if Wallace wouldn't make a deal, you could've asked for a continuance.
It was denied.
I couldn't prove that Claire had made peace with Gerald's extracurricular activities.
But now we have time and a whole new pool of suspects.
Tess: These are the men he slept with? Hayes: Gerald took instant photos so he'd have something to remember them by.
Without having the photos go up to the Cloud and end up on every computer he owned.
- We know their names? - Only the ones Gerald wrote down.
They're all first names.
Who knows if they're real.
I was thinking we could put these through facial recognition.
It might work, but I think I got a better, faster idea.
Somebody takes a picture of you, what's the first thing you do? - Look at it.
- Which almost always means you touch it.
I'll run the fingerprints on the photos.
You get any hits on the database, call the names in to Maxine.
If they're still in Chicago, she can check them out.
[Plastic rustling.]
[Elevator bell dings.]
This is a nice surprise.
I wish I could say the same about this.
Came to my offices.
It's a subpoena for Sam to appear at Rodney Landon's trial.
When were you gonna loop me in on this? When I could tell you it wasn't gonna be a problem.
Are the allegations true? Did Sam incite an attack on Landon? He was trying to keep Landon in prison.
The man is a dangerous psychopath.
And this could be the beginning of the end of this unit.
- Don't exaggerate.
- Have you spoken to Sam? - What does he plan to say? - He's going to take the fifth.
He was trying to protect CIU.
All that will do is draw attention to the existence of wrongdoing.
- Who's the judge on the case? - Malcolm Shore.
I could drop the assault charges against Landon as the District Attorney And set Landon free while opening yourself up to another investigation by the U.
S.
Attorney? What am I supposed to do, Hayes? Do nothing while Sam takes down you, me, this entire unit? I'll handle it.
Trust me.
I have an idea.
[Door opens.]
I-I didn't order this.
Woman: They're from her.
Hello, Judge.
I can't accept these.
- I know.
They're for me.
- [Plate scrapes.]
A few things you should know about Rodney Landon.
Hey.
We got a hit on the set of prints from the photos.
This is Paul Lund.
He was in the Army.
Stationed in Fort Arlington just outside of Chicago.
- History of violence? - None.
Never been arrested.
His fingerprints were put into AFIS when he started coaching youth hockey.
What are you so excited about? That we have the name of one of the guys that Gerald screwed? Well, you said Gerald never took any of these men home, right? Paul Lund's prints weren't just on the photos Gerald took of him.
I also ran them against the unidentified prints the cops found at his back door.
They're a match.
I talked to Gerald.
He insists he never invited Paul Lund home or told him where he lived.
Lund must have followed Gerald home after one of their hook-ups.
Sounds like Gerald found a stalker.
Which is still a long way from murder.
Maxine is tracking Lund down in Chicago.
It'll be easier to get a confession if we had more evidence as to what happened after he got into the house.
Did you find anything that tells us - what the weapon could be? - No, not yet.
Would it help to have the victim's actual body? Are you suggesting we exhume Claire? A 3-D MRI of her skull fracture and wounds would give me a hell of a lot more info on the shape of the weapon.
Even after eight years in the ground? Forensics investigators exhumed King Tut's body and figured out how he died, and that was after thousands of years.
Yeah, but Tut's family wasn't around - to fight digging him up.
- [Ringtone chimes.]
Maxine's headed to see Paul Lund.
Claire's sister lives in New York now.
I'll try and talk her into the exhumation.
We need another look at Claire's body.
There was an autopsy.
There was a trial.
There are X-ray and MRI techniques that weren't available After all this time, you still don't care what Gerald did to my sister.
If the exhumation proves Gerald killed her, he should stay in prison.
Gerald broke my sister's heart.
That is the truth whether you believe it or not.
She told me.
When, exactly? Three years before she died.
Right after Gerald told her he was seeing other men? Isn't it possible that Claire was hurt but eventually came to accept it? [Exhales sharply.]
They had something special, her and Gerald.
Always laughing, always excited to see each other.
I just thought she should've been enough for him.
Claire deserved that.
What she deserves now is the truth.
Help me find it.
The reason Gerald didn't know I was in his house is because his wife let me in.
His wife, Claire? This woman here? Yeah.
Did Gerald invite you over? No, I had followed him home once.
I wanted to see where he lived.
Well, you're not too big on boundaries, huh, Paul? I was in a dark place back then.
I was closeted, depressed.
Being gay in the military during "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will do that to you.
So, one day, when I passed by, I just knocked on the door.
Claire answered.
Did she know who you were? I just told her I was a friend of Gerald's, that we had met through work.
She invited me in.
Gave me a cup of coffee.
And you said yes? I was very lonely.
I just was glad to have someone to talk to, and I think she sensed I needed that.
Did Claire ever have any idea of the real nature of your relationship with Gerald? I made up some stupid story about how he and I had met, and she just smiled and asked if it was difficult being in the military, being so discreet all the time.
She was very kind.
I got to say, Paul, your story's really hard to believe.
Well it's the truth.
I still have to ask where you were the night of November 7, 2008.
[Horn honks.]
Emma signed the exhumation papers, but Claire's body won't be in New York until tomorrow.
Still, that's great news.
You know what's better? My subpoena was dismissed.
I wonder what happened there.
Judge Shore took it upon himself to advise the victim on his rights against self-incrimination.
The skinhead decided not to testify, which means I didn't need to take the stand.
You have any idea what they're talking about? Not a clue.
- [Footsteps approaching.]
- Welcome back.
I came straight from the airport.
Would you like the good news or the bad? - Good.
- Paul Lund confirmed that Claire knew Gerald was sleeping with men and was okay with it.
So what's the bad news? Paul's military base confirmed he was on duty the night that Claire was murdered.
So the only suspect we have besides Gerald has a solid alibi.
[Sighs.]
You were up early this morning.
Had a breakfast meeting.
I didn't want to wake you.
This is where I usually ask you for an update.
Our only alternative suspect in Claire's murder has a solid alibi, but I'm not giving up.
Of course.
What's next? Frankie had an idea.
He's running biomechanical experiments to see if Claire's head wound was caused by the impact or occurred during the fall.
Which could mean her death was an accident as opposed to a murder? Exactly.
Claire landed facedown.
She didn't hit anything during the fall.
How else could she have gotten a gash on the back of her head? Well, maybe the examination of Claire's body will turn up something.
Sam's subpoena got dismissed.
I heard.
Well done.
Crisis averted.
Short-term.
This will be Sam's last case with the CIU.
- That makes no sense.
- He went rogue.
He did what he thought was right.
Because he didn't like how a case turned out.
It's my fault.
I forced the team to review Landon's conviction.
Sam's a liability to the CIU.
This is not up for debate.
Once Gerald's case is over, fire him.
Or I will.
My team, my responsibility.
I'll do it.
These sensors register the damage to the back of the head and skull caused by the fall, and displayed here where we compare it to this.
Tess: We're seeing if we can cause that type of wound without a blow to the head.
And if Claire's body landed in the right position.
You ready? My bad.
[Beep.]
Wallace: Make no mistake, the defendant killed his wife.
Defense counsel has dazzled you with her charm and stories about a rash of unsolved break-ins, a mysterious unnamed assailant who they say killed Claire Harris.
The truth is much simpler.
The defendant murdered his wife because she got tired of his infidelities with other men.
They fought, he hit her over the head, knocking her off the balcony to her death.
And then he changed out of his bloody pajamas, showered, cleaned up, and waited to call the police.
There is no mystery, no uncaught intruder.
Just the oldest story in the book cold-blooded murder.
You know what? Hang on a minute.
Facedown.
That would explain the blow to the back of Claire's head.
But how do you trip and fall backwards off a balcony? It doesn't seem like an accident.
M.
E.
's office just called.
They got Claire's body.
When I look at Gerald, I see a man who loved his wife, Claire.
[Zipper opens.]
41-year-old female, interred December 12, 2008.
Everything I said in my opening statements about true love still holds.
Claire and Gerald's romance may not have been traditional, but it was no less true.
And being different isn't a crime.
Mortician did good work nice embalming, minimal decomposition.
Maxine: What are those bruises on her neck? Frankie: They weren't there during the autopsy.
Was Gerald's life shattered the day Claire died? No doubt.
Was he incredibly devoted to her? No doubt.
Did he love her unconditionally? No doubt.
But as to who ended Claire's life that night, there is no shortage of doubt.
At the time of the autopsy, there were only a tiny few pinpoint bruises.
Where do they come from? Bruising stops when the heart stops, when the blood's not pumping through the body anymore.
Uh, the embalming fluid creates a false circulation, bringing these bruises to the surface.
Prosecution simply failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Gerald Harris killed his beloved wife, Claire.
And so you must find him not guilty.
This could've happened before the fall.
Classic signs of strangulation.
So this wasn't an accident.
Gerald strangled her and pushed her off the balcony.
- Strangulation.
- That's what the bruises suggest.
And since we can't place anybody else besides Gerald in the house with Claire that night Hitting Claire over the head during an argument is one thing, but to choke the life out of her People who love each other fight.
- Maybe - No.
We're not going there.
Half day left.
Let's look for evidence in support of Gerald's innocence.
Okay, so, if Claire was strangled, wouldn't there be signs of a struggle? Maybe skin under her fingernails? Any way the fall could cause bruising on her neck? No, that's pretty unlikely.
Lack of bone fractures or breaks in her neck.
Doesn't rule out strangulation.
Autopsy found extensive skull damage, obviously from the fall.
Little bit of fluid in her lungs makes sense, given that she had a cough.
Okay, a cough that's your theory why she got up that night.
That's significant because? I got to go see the M.
E.
Kelly: If you're right, this would be the ultimate needle in a haystack.
Claire Harris' aorta.
What made you think of this? The petechial bruises.
And she had a cough at the time of her death.
Well, that could have started the dissection.
Inner lining of the aorta comes loose Blood flows under it, forming a bubble that blocks the artery, causing a virtually undetectable heart attack.
Her chest pain would've been massive.
She could've staggered backwards, flipping over the railing, hit her head Claire might have been dead before she even reached the ground.
You see that small tear, like, um, a little pantyhose run? Yeah, yeah.
The original M.
E.
missed it so would anyone if they didn't think to look for it.
Spontaneous coronary aortic dissection.
Her heart was a ticking time bomb.
Gerald's innocent.
[Alarm buzzes.]
[Door closes.]
I'm sorry this took so long.
Better late than never.
I had help.
My team is amazing.
Yeah.
Their leader is all right, too.
[Vérité's "Phase Me Out" plays.]
[Door opens.]
Watch it all play out You okay? Reactions too familiar No.
Disappointed.
The way I act dissimilar I promised you an ass-kicking in court.
- Next time.
- Sure.
Wait.
Say just what you mean The love I don't believe in Would you want to go out with me? Like, on a date? So, what, like, dinner and drinks? Maybe some sex.
You mean like normal people? Sure.
Like normal people.
I hate normal.
I like to stir the pot, fight the power, stick it to the man.
Dinner first? Keep me still and wondering just why we falter I'm sorry.
About what? Gerald's a free man.
You're a a liability.
I understand.
[Laptop closes.]
It's the right thing for the unit.
If I were Wallace, I'd do the same thing.
Don't you want to stay here Or do you want to phase me out Don't you want to lay here What the hell was that? You've been sexually harassed by your boss in front of a witness.
Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh No one's firing you now.
Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh, ooh Ooh-ooh See you tomorrow, Sam.
Sorry.
Don't you want to stay here Or do you want to phase me out?
But celebrating the 10th anniversary of 9/11 by bombing a mosque is.
My plan was to blow up a mosque, not that mosque.
The best way to defend this country is to eradicate all Muslims before they eradicate us.
But innocent or guilty, Rodney Landon needs to stay in prison.
Hayes: A rumor started that Landon was getting out for snitching on other inmates.
A skinhead attacked him.
Landon stabbed the guy with a shiv.
He isn't getting out of prison anytime soon.
Bad guy stays off the street.
Sounds like a win to me.
Mr.
President.
Part of what he loves about you is that you're my daughter.
You were raised in a political family, you have power, access, all the things he never had.
To us.
[Glasses clink.]
[Syml's "Where's My Love" plays.]
Cold bones Yeah, that's my love She hides away Like a ghost Ooh, ooh [Dramatic music plays.]
[Telephone rings.]
[Elevator bell dings.]
You were up early this morning.
Garbage trucks woke me.
Figured I might as well get a jump on things.
New case? Not yet.
- Hayes.
- Hmm? Everything okay? Yes.
Mm.
You remember when we first met? Of course.
Why? Just wondering why you liked me.
Too many reasons to count.
I'd settle for top three.
Smarts, attitude, beauty.
I can continue.
You'll tell me later.
Ever since your dad left, you've seemed a little No.
I'm good.
Great, actually.
Hayes: Gerald Harris.
Serving life for murdering his wife, Claire.
Where'd this case come from? I don't remember logging it.
Claire died after a fall from a second-story balcony in their home.
Prosecution claimed that she fell after a blow from the head delivered by Gerald.
Was there a problem with the forensics? Not that I'm aware of.
Tess: No witnesses to the crime, so no chance for witness misidentification.
Right you are.
So what's the issue with the conviction? Gerald's defense attorney really screwed the pooch.
[Horns honking.]
Criminal courthouse, fast as you can.
[Sighs.]
Oh, uh, one stop on the way Smithson's Dry Cleaner on Cicero.
[Sighs.]
Kind of in a hurry.
I wanted to say I had fun last night.
That's sweet.
Me, too.
Maybe I could get your number.
I'd like to see you again.
It was fun, but not repeatbusiness fun.
Move! Go! [Tires screech.]
Hayes: "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my client, Gerald Harris, devoted husband, woke up one morning last November to a terrible tragedy.
His beloved wife, Claire, was dead.
" "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury" [Door closes.]
Testing my patience on the first day, Ms.
Morrison? Hardly seems prudent.
Million apologies, Your Honor.
Good morning, Gerald.
Well [Indistinct conversations.]
You're not ASA Rachel Johnson.
Nothing gets by you.
Conner Wallace.
Rachel went into labor a month early.
And I just thought she was fat.
I'm a big fan of your father's.
He's a hero of mine.
Well, that makes one of us.
I hear you're the golden boy Mr.
Undefeated.
Don't get used to it.
I'm gonna kick your ass.
Wallace prosecuted this in Chicago.
How is it even under our purview? Gerald was transferred to Dannemora over a month ago so his mother could continue to visit him.
That makes him a ward of New York state and and eligible for CIU review.
The M.
E.
put Claire's time of death at 4:30 a.
m.
Gerald didn't call 911 until after he found her at 7:30 a.
m.
When the police and the paramedics arrived at the house the defendant greeted them showered and dressed for the day.
His pajamas, covered in Claire's blood, were found in the washing machine.
You'll hear from forensics experts that there was blood on the bathroom sink and shower where Gerald had cleaned up.
He was horrified.
He didn't want Claire's blood on him or what he was wearing.
Your wife is dead Who worries about appearances? The defendant does.
He wanted out of his marriage, but a divorce would have been unseemly and costly.
And on the night of November 7th, his dissatisfaction with Claire came to an ugly head.
They argued, and like so many victims of domestic violence Objection! There is zero evidence that Claire Harris was the victim of domestic abuse, and ASA Walbash knows it.
Wallace.
Sorry.
Forgot.
Sustained.
Stick to the case, counselor.
The evidence will show that this man brutally bashed Claire on the back of the head, the force of that blow sending her over the railing and down to the tiled floor 16 feet below.
A blow to the back of the head means someone hit her.
Any other suspects besides the husband? The police found a set of unidentified fingerprints inside the back door of the Harris' house.
There had been a series of burglaries in the Harris' neighborhood.
Gerald and Claire never locked their back door the same back door where these mysterious fingerprints were found.
The evidence will show that Claire was battling a cough at the time of her death.
She got up so as not to wake Gerald only to be surprised by a burglar, who knocked her off the balcony to her death.
- And yet, in a rush to judgment, - [Pen scratching.]
the police set their sights on Gerald and failed to pursue the obvious suspect.
Claire's killer is still at large.
You pitched an unknown, uncaught thief as Claire's murderer? Basically, the one-armed man.
Watch "The Fugitive" the one-armed man did it.
So you argued Claire fought with an intruder who knocked her off a 16-foot balcony, and Gerald slept through the whole thing? Gerald had taken a sleeping pill that night.
Other than that theory, what was your defense? Love.
True love.
That is what Claire and Gerald had.
You will hear testimony from their friends about their 15-year marriage, his devotion to her, his adoration of her, their plans to spend the rest of their lives together.
It's enough of a tragedy that Claire is gone.
To accuse Gerald of killing her, the love of his life, doesn't fit the evidence.
Simply not true.
[Alarm buzzes.]
[Door opens.]
It's nice to see you, Gerald.
Not sure I can say the same.
I wanted to let you know we're taking another look at your case.
I've already exhausted all my appeals.
Which were all based on ineffective assistance of counsel.
I know.
I deserve that.
As soon as that guilty verdict came down, you bolted.
You didn't return my calls, my letters.
And I have regretted it ever since.
Now I run the Conviction Integrity Unit.
- We're gonna try - Do you believe I'm innocent? The whole trial, I never knew whether you believed me.
Defense attorneys aren't supposed to focus on that.
But I have been thinking about you and Claire, how much she meant to you, how much you loved her.
I believe you.
Even if our marriage was different? I like different.
Hmm.
[Alarm buzzes.]
[Door opens.]
[Door closes.]
I was surprised to hear from you.
Last time we sat in this room, you told me you'd proven I didn't bomb that mosque.
And you made it clear you still had a plan to kill thousands.
That's debatable.
Unlike my innocence of the bombing.
And yet I'm still here, thanks to the ironically named Conviction Integrity Unit.
You're here because you got in a fight.
I was attacked.
- I defended myself.
- With a shiv.
You stabbed your unarmed assailant six times.
The skinhead who jumped me, he has an interesting story about an ADA who told him I was getting released early because I was a snitch.
That's why he attacked me.
My trial is this week.
My lawyer will be putting that charming Neo-Nazi on the stand, and he'll identify you as that ADA.
[Telephone rings.]
Gerald Harris? - Seriously? - Seriously.
When I asked you this morning about your next review, you didn't think to mention that one to me? We agreed I get to pick my cases.
Well, I don't care if you review Gerald's case.
Fine.
Why did you lie to me? [Scoffs lightly.]
You've been distant since your dad left town.
- No, I haven't.
- Hayes.
Tell me what's going on.
My father said something about us.
The alpha-dog thing? You said you didn't care about that.
Wasn't that.
My father said that part of the reason why you care about me is because of my family, my connections.
That's ridiculous.
But you believe him? I don't not believe him.
[Telephone rings.]
[Door closes.]
[Knock on door.]
You okay? You got something? I reached out to some cops in Chicago about burglaries in Gerald's neighborhood.
Scott Hill was arrested a year after Gerald's conviction.
He was picked up with some items that were stolen from houses near Gerald.
Promising.
He recently got out after serving five years for residential burglary.
And get this when a homeowner caught him in the act, he hit her over the head with a table lamp.
We may have found your one-armed man.
And you're headed to Chicago to find out.
Maxine: You did two years for breaking and entering and another three for assault on a homeowner.
Could have told you that over the phone.
You didn't have to come all this way.
What, and miss out on Chicago in the winter? I got to get back to this.
The woman you assaulted, you hit her over the head.
I was just trying to get out without getting caught.
I didn't mean to hurt her.
What about Claire Harris? You mean to hurt her? Who is that? I've never seen that woman.
Maybe this will jog your memory.
You mean the lady that was killed by her husband? Maybe she wasn't killed by her husband.
Maybe you did it when you broke in the house.
She woke up, she surprised you, you hit her over the head, knocking her over the balcony.
- No way.
That wasn't me.
- The M.
O.
's the same female victim, blow to the head, neighborhood you worked.
I moved on from that area a week or so before that lady died.
Where were you the night of November 7, 2008? Can't say for sure.
Mm.
Compelling.
I'll see you in court for your arraignment on murder charges.
Wait.
What's the statute of limitations on burglary? Three years.
That night, I robbed a big Greystone in North Lawndale.
Owners were out of town, they didn't cancel their paper or mail.
I took a hell of a haul.
I remember, because the next day, her being dead was on the news.
[Liquid pouring.]
[Cup clinks.]
I'm being subpoenaed to appear at Rodney Landon's assault trial.
Landon was attacked by another inmate who heard he was a snitch.
I guess we both know who started that rumor.
[Sighs lightly.]
I never should've taken that case.
Luckily, it'll be the skinhead's word against yours, assuming that you spoke to him in attorney visiting You're suborning perjury.
I am pointing out that conversation was private.
Only you and the man who attacked Landon know what was said.
I can't lie on the stand.
- Now you're concerned about the rules? - I don't regret what I did, and I'm willing to face the consequences because no matter what, Landon is not getting out.
He used an illegal weapon, he fought well past the If you tell the truth, every single case we have worked on is guaranteed to be called into question.
- I'll take the fifth.
- You do that, you'll be disbarred.
You'll be finished as a lawyer.
I can live with that.
[Knock on door.]
Am I interrupting? No.
What's up? Maxine checked out Scott Hill's alibi for the night Claire died.
It holds up.
My one-armed man is innocent.
I was looking over trial transcripts last night.
Your mistake on Gerald's defense, was that letting Claire's sister, Emma, testify? Objection! - This is clearly a Brady violation - It would be if I hadn't Emma Johns doesn't appear on the witness list.
- She's a rebuttal witness.
- There was no notice or offer of proof.
If Ms.
Morrison would let me finish.
I contacted her office.
They informed me they'd been unable to get ahold of her, so I e-mailed and faxed for good measure.
It appears you were given adequate notice, Ms.
Morrison.
Are you prepared to proceed? One moment while I confer with my client, Your Honor.
Gerald, I'm sorry.
I screwed up.
I can try to fight for a mistrial.
Does that mean we'd have to start over? It'd give me more time to look into Emma, figure out what she's going to say.
Nothing.
They They weren't close and barely spoke in years.
Are you sure about that? Yeah.
Ms.
Morrison? Ms.
Morrison? Yes, Your Honor, we're prepared to proceed.
[Distorted.]
I'm sorry I stormed off yesterday.
I was up all night last night thinking about what your father said and that he might be right.
Wow.
Okay.
Hang on.
Hear me out.
I never met anyone like you in my entire life.
You're funny and smart and tough as nails.
And you're the president's daughter.
I can't change that, and I never would because if I did, that might somehow mess up the amazing alchemy that is you.
And I love you.
Well argued.
We're not in court.
[Door opens.]
Wallace: How would you describe your sister's marriage to Gerald Harris? Deeply troubled.
Objection! Hearsay, foundation.
Why not list the entire evidence code? Your Honor, this is the victim's sister.
Who had no relationship with Claire for years before her murder.
Now defense counsel is testifying? - Move to strike.
- Sustained.
The jury will ignore Ms.
Morrison's last comment.
Mr.
Wallace, lay some foundation, please.
How did you know Claire and Gerald's marriage was struggling? Because Claire and I spoke every couple of weeks.
She didn't tell Gerald because he and I didn't get along.
In fact, a few years before she died, she mentioned wanting a divorce.
- That's a lie.
- Your Honor.
- [Gavel bangs.]
- It's not true.
It never, ever got that far.
Mr.
Harris, no more outbursts! Ms.
Morrison, control your client.
Was there any particular reason Claire was considering divorce? Gerald told her that he was having sex with men.
[Spectators murmuring.]
Objection! Hearsay.
Goes to the victim's state of mind, Your Honor.
I'll allow it.
Continue, please.
He had been going to gay bars and having sex with strangers for years, and he planned on continuing it.
He refused to commit to her exclusively, but he didn't want a divorce.
Claire was devastated.
How could you not have told me?! Because I didn't think it mattered.
Claire and I were the only ones who knew.
Apparently not.
How could it not matter? Because we had an understanding.
That you had a free pass to sleep with men.
- Yes.
- Claire was really okay with this? Well, not at first.
That That must have been when she told Emma about the divorce.
[Sighs.]
The first 10 years that Claire and I were married, I suppressed my attraction to men because I loved her.
I thought it would go away, but it didn't.
How did Claire find out? I told her.
I wanted her to know who I was.
[Telephone rings.]
[Telephone rings.]
[Elevator bell dings.]
[Button clicks.]
[Elevator doors close.]
- Were you serious about any of them? - No.
A lot of them I only saw once.
None of them ever came to my home.
The jury really doesn't like you right now, Gerald.
Did you see their faces? Put me on the stand.
I'll explain.
I do that, and the prosecutor paints you as a sick, adultering deviant.
He'll make you list every man you slept with, have a field day.
Why does any of this matter? I loved Claire.
She saw me, and she loved me anyway.
I love you, too.
All right, Walbash, let's talk deal.
Why would I do that when I'm headed for a win? You're not there yet.
Please, the sister's testimony's got you on the ropes.
I'll admit that homophobic smear campaign, uh, caught me a little off guard.
You say smear campaign, I say credible testimony.
No deal.
[Button clicks.]
Juries are unpredictable.
All you need is one juror with a bisexual brother - I'll take my chance.
- Okay.
It's pretty arrogant, though.
No, what's arrogant is you pressuring me into a deal after Never mind.
What? Made a habit of staying out late? Showed up unprepared for your hate-baiting attack? I was trying to be polite.
- I hate polite.
- Good to know.
You're a pain in the ass.
And smart.
And jaw-droppingly sexy.
[Elevator dings.]
[Breathing heavily.]
[Sighs.]
Listen, that was The most fun you've ever had in an elevator? - Yeah.
- Mm.
But I still have to say no to a deal.
You think I had sex with you for a deal? I screwed you because I wanted to screw you, because you're kind of hot in a freckly, Irish way.
And obviously, you were into me, too.
If I win or lose this case, it'll be on my own merits, - which are really damn good.
- [Elevator bell dings.]
[Zipper closes.]
Even if Wallace wouldn't make a deal, you could've asked for a continuance.
It was denied.
I couldn't prove that Claire had made peace with Gerald's extracurricular activities.
But now we have time and a whole new pool of suspects.
Tess: These are the men he slept with? Hayes: Gerald took instant photos so he'd have something to remember them by.
Without having the photos go up to the Cloud and end up on every computer he owned.
- We know their names? - Only the ones Gerald wrote down.
They're all first names.
Who knows if they're real.
I was thinking we could put these through facial recognition.
It might work, but I think I got a better, faster idea.
Somebody takes a picture of you, what's the first thing you do? - Look at it.
- Which almost always means you touch it.
I'll run the fingerprints on the photos.
You get any hits on the database, call the names in to Maxine.
If they're still in Chicago, she can check them out.
[Plastic rustling.]
[Elevator bell dings.]
This is a nice surprise.
I wish I could say the same about this.
Came to my offices.
It's a subpoena for Sam to appear at Rodney Landon's trial.
When were you gonna loop me in on this? When I could tell you it wasn't gonna be a problem.
Are the allegations true? Did Sam incite an attack on Landon? He was trying to keep Landon in prison.
The man is a dangerous psychopath.
And this could be the beginning of the end of this unit.
- Don't exaggerate.
- Have you spoken to Sam? - What does he plan to say? - He's going to take the fifth.
He was trying to protect CIU.
All that will do is draw attention to the existence of wrongdoing.
- Who's the judge on the case? - Malcolm Shore.
I could drop the assault charges against Landon as the District Attorney And set Landon free while opening yourself up to another investigation by the U.
S.
Attorney? What am I supposed to do, Hayes? Do nothing while Sam takes down you, me, this entire unit? I'll handle it.
Trust me.
I have an idea.
[Door opens.]
I-I didn't order this.
Woman: They're from her.
Hello, Judge.
I can't accept these.
- I know.
They're for me.
- [Plate scrapes.]
A few things you should know about Rodney Landon.
Hey.
We got a hit on the set of prints from the photos.
This is Paul Lund.
He was in the Army.
Stationed in Fort Arlington just outside of Chicago.
- History of violence? - None.
Never been arrested.
His fingerprints were put into AFIS when he started coaching youth hockey.
What are you so excited about? That we have the name of one of the guys that Gerald screwed? Well, you said Gerald never took any of these men home, right? Paul Lund's prints weren't just on the photos Gerald took of him.
I also ran them against the unidentified prints the cops found at his back door.
They're a match.
I talked to Gerald.
He insists he never invited Paul Lund home or told him where he lived.
Lund must have followed Gerald home after one of their hook-ups.
Sounds like Gerald found a stalker.
Which is still a long way from murder.
Maxine is tracking Lund down in Chicago.
It'll be easier to get a confession if we had more evidence as to what happened after he got into the house.
Did you find anything that tells us - what the weapon could be? - No, not yet.
Would it help to have the victim's actual body? Are you suggesting we exhume Claire? A 3-D MRI of her skull fracture and wounds would give me a hell of a lot more info on the shape of the weapon.
Even after eight years in the ground? Forensics investigators exhumed King Tut's body and figured out how he died, and that was after thousands of years.
Yeah, but Tut's family wasn't around - to fight digging him up.
- [Ringtone chimes.]
Maxine's headed to see Paul Lund.
Claire's sister lives in New York now.
I'll try and talk her into the exhumation.
We need another look at Claire's body.
There was an autopsy.
There was a trial.
There are X-ray and MRI techniques that weren't available After all this time, you still don't care what Gerald did to my sister.
If the exhumation proves Gerald killed her, he should stay in prison.
Gerald broke my sister's heart.
That is the truth whether you believe it or not.
She told me.
When, exactly? Three years before she died.
Right after Gerald told her he was seeing other men? Isn't it possible that Claire was hurt but eventually came to accept it? [Exhales sharply.]
They had something special, her and Gerald.
Always laughing, always excited to see each other.
I just thought she should've been enough for him.
Claire deserved that.
What she deserves now is the truth.
Help me find it.
The reason Gerald didn't know I was in his house is because his wife let me in.
His wife, Claire? This woman here? Yeah.
Did Gerald invite you over? No, I had followed him home once.
I wanted to see where he lived.
Well, you're not too big on boundaries, huh, Paul? I was in a dark place back then.
I was closeted, depressed.
Being gay in the military during "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will do that to you.
So, one day, when I passed by, I just knocked on the door.
Claire answered.
Did she know who you were? I just told her I was a friend of Gerald's, that we had met through work.
She invited me in.
Gave me a cup of coffee.
And you said yes? I was very lonely.
I just was glad to have someone to talk to, and I think she sensed I needed that.
Did Claire ever have any idea of the real nature of your relationship with Gerald? I made up some stupid story about how he and I had met, and she just smiled and asked if it was difficult being in the military, being so discreet all the time.
She was very kind.
I got to say, Paul, your story's really hard to believe.
Well it's the truth.
I still have to ask where you were the night of November 7, 2008.
[Horn honks.]
Emma signed the exhumation papers, but Claire's body won't be in New York until tomorrow.
Still, that's great news.
You know what's better? My subpoena was dismissed.
I wonder what happened there.
Judge Shore took it upon himself to advise the victim on his rights against self-incrimination.
The skinhead decided not to testify, which means I didn't need to take the stand.
You have any idea what they're talking about? Not a clue.
- [Footsteps approaching.]
- Welcome back.
I came straight from the airport.
Would you like the good news or the bad? - Good.
- Paul Lund confirmed that Claire knew Gerald was sleeping with men and was okay with it.
So what's the bad news? Paul's military base confirmed he was on duty the night that Claire was murdered.
So the only suspect we have besides Gerald has a solid alibi.
[Sighs.]
You were up early this morning.
Had a breakfast meeting.
I didn't want to wake you.
This is where I usually ask you for an update.
Our only alternative suspect in Claire's murder has a solid alibi, but I'm not giving up.
Of course.
What's next? Frankie had an idea.
He's running biomechanical experiments to see if Claire's head wound was caused by the impact or occurred during the fall.
Which could mean her death was an accident as opposed to a murder? Exactly.
Claire landed facedown.
She didn't hit anything during the fall.
How else could she have gotten a gash on the back of her head? Well, maybe the examination of Claire's body will turn up something.
Sam's subpoena got dismissed.
I heard.
Well done.
Crisis averted.
Short-term.
This will be Sam's last case with the CIU.
- That makes no sense.
- He went rogue.
He did what he thought was right.
Because he didn't like how a case turned out.
It's my fault.
I forced the team to review Landon's conviction.
Sam's a liability to the CIU.
This is not up for debate.
Once Gerald's case is over, fire him.
Or I will.
My team, my responsibility.
I'll do it.
These sensors register the damage to the back of the head and skull caused by the fall, and displayed here where we compare it to this.
Tess: We're seeing if we can cause that type of wound without a blow to the head.
And if Claire's body landed in the right position.
You ready? My bad.
[Beep.]
Wallace: Make no mistake, the defendant killed his wife.
Defense counsel has dazzled you with her charm and stories about a rash of unsolved break-ins, a mysterious unnamed assailant who they say killed Claire Harris.
The truth is much simpler.
The defendant murdered his wife because she got tired of his infidelities with other men.
They fought, he hit her over the head, knocking her off the balcony to her death.
And then he changed out of his bloody pajamas, showered, cleaned up, and waited to call the police.
There is no mystery, no uncaught intruder.
Just the oldest story in the book cold-blooded murder.
You know what? Hang on a minute.
Facedown.
That would explain the blow to the back of Claire's head.
But how do you trip and fall backwards off a balcony? It doesn't seem like an accident.
M.
E.
's office just called.
They got Claire's body.
When I look at Gerald, I see a man who loved his wife, Claire.
[Zipper opens.]
41-year-old female, interred December 12, 2008.
Everything I said in my opening statements about true love still holds.
Claire and Gerald's romance may not have been traditional, but it was no less true.
And being different isn't a crime.
Mortician did good work nice embalming, minimal decomposition.
Maxine: What are those bruises on her neck? Frankie: They weren't there during the autopsy.
Was Gerald's life shattered the day Claire died? No doubt.
Was he incredibly devoted to her? No doubt.
Did he love her unconditionally? No doubt.
But as to who ended Claire's life that night, there is no shortage of doubt.
At the time of the autopsy, there were only a tiny few pinpoint bruises.
Where do they come from? Bruising stops when the heart stops, when the blood's not pumping through the body anymore.
Uh, the embalming fluid creates a false circulation, bringing these bruises to the surface.
Prosecution simply failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Gerald Harris killed his beloved wife, Claire.
And so you must find him not guilty.
This could've happened before the fall.
Classic signs of strangulation.
So this wasn't an accident.
Gerald strangled her and pushed her off the balcony.
- Strangulation.
- That's what the bruises suggest.
And since we can't place anybody else besides Gerald in the house with Claire that night Hitting Claire over the head during an argument is one thing, but to choke the life out of her People who love each other fight.
- Maybe - No.
We're not going there.
Half day left.
Let's look for evidence in support of Gerald's innocence.
Okay, so, if Claire was strangled, wouldn't there be signs of a struggle? Maybe skin under her fingernails? Any way the fall could cause bruising on her neck? No, that's pretty unlikely.
Lack of bone fractures or breaks in her neck.
Doesn't rule out strangulation.
Autopsy found extensive skull damage, obviously from the fall.
Little bit of fluid in her lungs makes sense, given that she had a cough.
Okay, a cough that's your theory why she got up that night.
That's significant because? I got to go see the M.
E.
Kelly: If you're right, this would be the ultimate needle in a haystack.
Claire Harris' aorta.
What made you think of this? The petechial bruises.
And she had a cough at the time of her death.
Well, that could have started the dissection.
Inner lining of the aorta comes loose Blood flows under it, forming a bubble that blocks the artery, causing a virtually undetectable heart attack.
Her chest pain would've been massive.
She could've staggered backwards, flipping over the railing, hit her head Claire might have been dead before she even reached the ground.
You see that small tear, like, um, a little pantyhose run? Yeah, yeah.
The original M.
E.
missed it so would anyone if they didn't think to look for it.
Spontaneous coronary aortic dissection.
Her heart was a ticking time bomb.
Gerald's innocent.
[Alarm buzzes.]
[Door closes.]
I'm sorry this took so long.
Better late than never.
I had help.
My team is amazing.
Yeah.
Their leader is all right, too.
[Vérité's "Phase Me Out" plays.]
[Door opens.]
Watch it all play out You okay? Reactions too familiar No.
Disappointed.
The way I act dissimilar I promised you an ass-kicking in court.
- Next time.
- Sure.
Wait.
Say just what you mean The love I don't believe in Would you want to go out with me? Like, on a date? So, what, like, dinner and drinks? Maybe some sex.
You mean like normal people? Sure.
Like normal people.
I hate normal.
I like to stir the pot, fight the power, stick it to the man.
Dinner first? Keep me still and wondering just why we falter I'm sorry.
About what? Gerald's a free man.
You're a a liability.
I understand.
[Laptop closes.]
It's the right thing for the unit.
If I were Wallace, I'd do the same thing.
Don't you want to stay here Or do you want to phase me out Don't you want to lay here What the hell was that? You've been sexually harassed by your boss in front of a witness.
Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh No one's firing you now.
Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh, ooh Ooh-ooh See you tomorrow, Sam.
Sorry.
Don't you want to stay here Or do you want to phase me out?