Close to Home (2005) s01e15 Episode Script

I've got to stop for a second.
But we're almost home; let's keep going.
I can't! Look at you.
I'm twice your age, and you can't keep up.
I'm trying,mom.
You are not trying.
Looking great takes discipline, jessica.
It takes willpower.
What kind of family has dinner at 9:00? I told you I had to cover a second shift.
As it is,you hardly see your daughter.
What do you want me to do,mom? You think I like being away? You shouldn't have all the burden of paying the bills.
I'm trying to find a job,helen.
You're not a surgeon.
You sell cars-- how hard can it be? I don't sell cars.
I manage a dealership.
Well,right now,you can't manage to pay the mortgage.
Jessica! Jessica!! What does she want now? Jessica! She has a migraine.
She probably wants her pills.
She could get them herself.
Here you go.
Good night.
Wait,I need to talk to you.
Mom,it's late.
No.
We need to do this now.
It's about paul.
He's not a good man,jessica.
I know that you think he is, but you're wrong.
Paul is a good husband, a good father.
He was never what I wanted for you.
You knew that the day you got married.
I told you that one day he would disappoint you.
- He won't! - You don't understand.
He already has.
I'm sorry,but Paul? hey.
Hey.
Sorry to call you at home.
It's fine.
My mother was visiting, so she said she'd stay and help jack with the baby, which means she'll be telling him everything we're doing wrong as parents, only she'll say them to haley.
"Sweetheart,are you cold? Did your mother forget to put a sweater on you?" - Stuff like that.
- Sounds annoying.
Hopefully,jack can handle it.
What's our case? Guy killed his mother-in-law.
I just couldn't take it.
You don't know what she was like.
Constant criticism.
She made jessica crazy, called her fat, made her feel like a bad parent, a bad mother.
So you did this for her? I did this for us.
I don't care what happens to me, I just wanted her out of our lives.
Look, maybe I should have a lawyer.
You don't need a lawyer,paul.
We know you did this.
You want to help yourself? Help me understand why.
Jessica was pregnant when we got married.
She was only 22.
Helen she didn't want to believe that we were in love.
She thought jessica was making a huge mistake, giving up her entire life.
- That was a long time ago.
- It never stopped! Nothing I ever did was good enough.
She made jessica feel stupid for staying with me.
She was living in the house? I lost my job a few months ago.
The joke is she came to help.
What would you do? If you were me, would you get a lawyer? You're doing fine.
It was always a competition.
Anything jessica did, helen made it clear she could do it better.
What was jessica supposed to do? You get told you're nothing your entire life, you start to believe it.
Are you sure I don't need a lawyer? I think I want you think? If I were you,paul, I'd be thinking about how to cooperate.
How many times did he say he wanted a lawyer? He didn'T.
He phrased it as a question.
How many times? I don't know-- we're fine.
We're not fine-- you just cut him off.
You stopped him from finishing his sentence.
I've been doing this a long time.
Suspects ask for advice.
Doesn't mean we have to give it.
We do if his intent is clear.
It wasn'T.
That guy shot a woman point-blank.
I'm doing what's necessary.
You're about to get the confession kicked because you pushed too hard.
- I didn'T.
- You did.
Let's get him a lawyer, and then,let's see if we still have a case.
Think the defense will try to kick the confession? Any decent defense attorney would try.
Randall asked about a lawyer more than once, and branch was pretty aggressive about changing the subject.
What else do we have besides the confession? The case is solid-- randall's prints are on the gun, he's got blood on his shirt, he even has gunshot residue on his hands.
So did the wife.
Well,she took the gun from randall after he fired it, so,yeah, she has residue on her, but she was a witness, nothing more.
Is she really going to help us? I mean,he's her husband.
I can't sleep.
I mean,look at me.
I'm a wreck.
Take your time.
The hardest part is that I know in his mind, paul thought that he was protecting me.
He just wanted my mother to leave us alone.
He committed an intentional murder.
I know.
I see him sitting in the courtroom, and sometimes I see the man that I married.
And then, I see my mother's face.
I know this must be difficult.
I want you to know that my mother made me crazy.
She could be mean,hurtful, sometimes on purpose, but she didn't deserve whatever she was I loved her.
She was my mother.
So what happens now? We have a suppression hearing this morning.
Paul's attorney is trying to exclude his confession.
Can he do that? He claims paul asked for a lawyer during his interrogation.
Normally,we'd be more confident, but the judge we drew is known to be tough on the police.
He was a civil rights attorney before he took the bench.
Jessica,we could lose this.
Your husband's confession could be suppressed.
He's not my husband anymore.
Detective, prior to taking the defendant's statement? did you read him his miranda rights? - Yes.
- At any time, did he tell you that he wanted a lawyer? No,he never used those words.
Thank you.
No further questions.
Let's talk about the words that he did use.
I have a copy of the transcript here.
My client raised the issue of a lawyer three times.
He never said he wanted one.
Well,not two minutes into the statement, he says, "maybe I should get a lawyer.
" A few minutes later, he asked the question, "do you think I should get a lawyer? That's right, he raised it as a question.
And you ignored him.
And the last time, you deliberately cut him off.
I'm a detective.
It's my job to keep suspects talking.
So you admit you cut him off on purpose? Objection.
Your honor,the law is clear.
A suspect doesn't invoke his right to counsel unless he makes a clear request.
- It was clear! - It wasn'T.
He used words like "maybe" and "I think I want.
" Your honor, there are no magic words.
He doesn't have to say, "I want a lawyer.
" The issue is my client's intent.
And you think his intent was to get an attorney? Absolutely.
My client was intimidated.
Detectives aren't mind readers.
They don't have to interpret every sentence for subtle requests.
I agree,but this wasn't exactly subtle,ms.
Scofield.
He raised the issue three times, each time, he was deliberately diverted from his purpose.
Your honor I'm sorry,ms.
Scofield, but mr.
Hellman is right.
There are no magic words.
I saw the tape.
It's clear to me that mr.
Randall wanted help.
The confession is out.
these liberal judges that sit up there on their high horse.
It wasn't the judge,george.
You pushed it-- we warned you.
Hey,that guy wanted to confess.
I didn't exactly twist his arm.
Okay,look,it's done.
The goal is now to get ready for trial.
George,bring everything we have on paul randall.
I want statements from friends, neighbors,ex-colleagues.
Maureen,look deeper into the marriage.
Find out what was really going on at home.
- I'm on it.
- We also need to prep jessica.
Now that the confession is out, hellman's going to go after her on the stand.
Annabeth,may I have a word? I think this family's been through enough.
I don't want to see this trial get ugly.
Are you considering a plea? Maybe.
I think I can get him to take eight years.
Eight years.
Doug,he shot an unarmed grandmother in her bed.
You lost the confession.
We both know how hard I can make this.
But you won'T.
You said the same thing in the calvin riggs trial,doug.
You talk like you'll do anything to win, but in the end look,annabeth, riggs was a one-time thing.
Now,don't mistake an act of kindness for weakness.
I won't give eight years for an intentional murder.
We'll take our chances with a jury.
I got to run.
I'm supposed to meet maureen and steve before the judge sits at 9:00.
Okay, do I have everything? Where are my books? How do I look? First day at trial for you is always like the first day of school,huh? Except I'm not worried about whether the cool kids are going to like me.
Oh,really? What about the jury? Hmm.
Now I'm worried.
Yeah,well, you look great.
And you are one of the cool kids.
Thank you.
- I'll call you from work.
- All right.
So how does it look? Not bad.
Would have been a slam dunk with a confession, but we've still got a case.
I agree.
We start with jessica,lay out what happened, then move to the forensics.
How strong is the science? Strong enough.
We've got gunshot residue on the defendant's hand, and blood spatter on his shirt.
Good,what about jessica? We're on our way to meet her now.
She's vulnerable on a few keys points, and hellman's not going to make it easy, but if she can hold up on cross,we should be okay.
All right,well, let's get it done.
Just tell the story very simply.
The jury needs to hear your version of the events.
"My version?" There's only one version.
Not in court.
Not when someone is facing life in prison.
Now,you need to be prepared,jessica, they will come after you.
For what? Your prints are on the gun.
A gun you bought.
For protection, not to murder my mother.
We know that, but we want you to be ready in case the defense goes there.
Paul wouldn't do that.
And if his lawyer tried, he'd stop him.
I was in my mother's room, we were talking, and when I looked up, I saw paul with the gun.
Did he say anything? No.
I called to him, but he didn't answer.
He just raised the gun and shot her.
What happened next? Nothing.
He just stood there looking at me.
I took the gun out of his hands, went to the phone and called the police.
Your witness.
You fought with your mother often, didn't you? Yes.
Now,the truth is she was brutally critical of you,wasn't she? Sometimes.
She didn't approve of your looks, your marriage, the way you raised your daughter, did she? A lot of mothers disagree.
And didn't you go to a therapist because you were traumatized by your relationship with her? - Yes,but - and didn't you take antidepressants prescribed for you by that therapist? Objection.
Your honor, where is this going? I'll tell you where it's going.
There were two people in the house that day, and I want to know who had the real motive to kill mrs.
Brooks.
- Objection.
- Overruled.
Make your point,mr.
Hellman, and make it fast.
You hated your mother, didn't you.
No.
Mrs.
Randall,you're under oath.
Now,your friends and your neighbors have all heard you talk about how angry she made you - Objection.
- And meanwhile now counsel is testifying.
No one has ever heard my client say one word about your mother! Sustained! The jury will disregard the last question.
Whose gun is this? Did you purchase this weapon, mrs.
Randall? There were break-ins in the neighborhood,I was scared.
My client didn't want this gun,did he? Paul please say something.
In fact,he refused to go with you when you went to learn how to shoot it.
Objection! Your honor, may i be heard at sidebar? I'll go you one better.
Chambers,both of you.
that was over the line.
I was just doing my job.
Doing your job? You intentionally misled the jury.
You can't accuse her unless it's in good faith.
All right,enough.
Doug,I admire your passion,but she's right, some of that was over the line.
That being said, ms.
Chase you have the burden of proof here.
You have to prove that mr.
Randall is guilty, and part of that includes proving that mrs.
Randall isn'T.
Are we clear? Yes.
Doug,I assume you're done on cross.
- I think so.
- Fine.
I think we've all had enough for today.
We'll pick this up again in the morning.
So what do you think of my eight years now? Are you kidding me? You just accused an innocent woman of murder in open court.
Hey,I warned you.
Let me tell you something.
You think you scored points in there? You're wrong, this jury's smarter than that.
Yeah,well,maybe,maybe not.
But don't forget you need a unanimous verdict, I only need one person to have a doubt.
See you tomorrow.
Get some sleep, you're going to need it! Well,I've known jessica since college.
She's a good person.
But I can't lie she was always angry about her mother.
She spent a fortunate going to a therapist.
We all love paul.
He's a little quiet,but he was always nice and helpful to everyone.
He was a great neighbor.
Please tell me you found something new on paul randall.
We did-- he's a "great guy," always so nice and helpful.
I came up empty,too.
So what do we know about his marriage? I looks solid.
Jessica said they hit a rough patch a few years ago.
Paul was drinking, but they made it past it.
We ran his cell records; nothing unusual.
I requested his credit card statements for the last year.
Go back a little further.
We need the jury to see who this guy really is.
Right now,he's too clean.
I agree.
We know the guy confessed, but the jury doesn'T.
And if I were sitting in that jury box, I might have some doubt.
You were right, he's totally twisting everything.
He knows I didn't kill her, but now those people think you did fine.
You told the truth,jessica, we need to trust the jury to see that.
I'm calling a forensic expert next.
That testimony could get a little graphic, but I really need you to be there.
The jury needs to see that this was your mother and you cared about her.
You think you can handle it? At the time mrs.
Brooks was killed, she was sitting in bed.
As you can see, she was propped up at a 45-degree angle.
Is that significant? Absolutely.
Mrs.
Brooks was killed by a single bullet.
It entered her chest here, and exited her back four inches below.
If you track the path with a trace rod, you can see the trajectory, and you can also see that whoever was holding the gun had to be at least six feet tall.
Jessica randall is 5'5".
In your opinion, could she have fired that shot? Not without raising her arm in a very unnatural way.
Now,did you find any other physical evidence to connect the defendant to the crime? Yes,I found gunshot residue on mr.
Randall's right hand, and a very fine blood spatter on his shirt.
Can you explain that? Yes.
In this kind of shooting, most of the spatter is propelled out the back of the wound, but a very fine mist, or "blowback" is sprayed from the front as well.
I found that mist-- of the victim's blood-- on mr.
Randall's shirt.
Thank you.
No further questions.
Helen brooks suffered from chronic migraines, didn't she? Correct.
And these migraines were so severe at times that she required a special bed? Yes,the headboard of the bed was adjustable.
You could raise or lower it using a remote.
And the fact is,she was holding onto that remote when she was shot.
Objection.
Speculation.
Facts not in evidence.
Withdrawn.
You tell me,mr.
Schmidt, if she was holding onto that remote, and if she squeezed it after she was shot - objection.
- I'll allow it.
That would change the angle of the headboard,wouldn't it? If one squeeze could raise it up? How would that look if she were sitting up by a few degrees? Could you put that up there? Your honor this is fair game,counselor.
So,now,the shooter could be as short as 5'5".
You say you found gunshot residue on my client's hands, is that correct? Yes.
Did you forget to mention that you also found it on mrs.
Randall's? Mrs.
Randall took her husband's gun.
In such a case,we would expect to see some transfer.
Either that or she was the one that shot the victim.
Objection.
Your client had blood spatter on his shirt.
Which means he was there when the shot was fired, it doesn't mean he fired the shot.
- No,but - thank you.
Nothing further.
Remember, I only need one to have a doubt.
Redirect,your honor.
Proceed.
Sir,in your expert opinion, how likely is it that helen brooks hit that remote after she was shot? Extremely unlikely.
And how likely is it that she held that remote down long enough to move that headboard in a significant way? I've been a forensic analyst for ten years.
It's more than unlikely, it's almost impossible.
"Almost impossible," that's what he said.
He couldn't rule it out completely.
So where's the jury now? It's hard to say.
As crazy as it sounds, if they think she hit that remote, we got problems.
can I interrupt? Please.
I ran paul randall's credit card statements going back the past two years.
Get this: He visited a local motel five times over the past six weeks.
Do you think he was having an affair? Either that or he gets really sleepy in the middle of the day and he can't quite make it home.
I'm headed over there to see if the manager remembers him.
Also found a hospital payment.
An emergency room visit a year ago.
Turns out he fell and hit his head.
- I don't get it.
- Neither did I, but then I interviewed the E.
R.
Doctor who treated him.
Paul randall fell because he was drunk.
The doctor said he was an alcoholic.
Jessica said he used to drink, but that he stopped.
He did-- eight months ago.
Our choir boy went to aa.
This is the name of his sponsor.
I don't believe this.
Why are we getting this information now? I'm sorry,steve, we had a confession and an eyewitness that's not good enough,george! We should have had this information.
Maureen,check it out.
If paul randall showed his true self to anyone, it's that guy.
Michael brandt? Yes? I'm maureen scofield, I'm with the D.
A.
'S office.
I need to ask you a few questions about paul randall.
Well I don't feel comfortable talking about paul.
I know you were his aa sponsor.
I can't talk about it.
That was an important relationship but it's not privileged.
The program is based on anonymity.
It's how we help each other, all right? Now,paul was trying to stay sober.
I don't want to make it harder for him.
If you know something, you need to tell me.
Don't make me issue a subpoena.
Do whatever you have to do.
Sorry I'm late.
Did I miss anything? I was just describing the brick wall I ran into with paul randall's sponsor.
He gave her nothing.
I think I know what he didn't want to tell you.
You brought audio visuals? Surveillance tape of the motor court inn, a lovely littleroadside motel frequented by none other than one paul randall.
So he was having an affair.
But how does that connect to our case? Let's watch the enhanced version.
Oh,my god.
He was sleeping with his mother-in-law.
That's just not possible.
I wanted you to know before it comes out in court.
It just doesn't make any sense.
I mean an affair? Paul hated her.
So you never saw any signs? You never suspected? How could I ever imagine my own mother would do that to me? I'm so sorry.
Jessica,are you sure you're going to be able to handle all this? Yeah.
Yes.
I'll be fine.
What happens now? Maureen is at the courthouse now.
We've asked the judge to compel the sponsor to testify.
If he agrees, I want to put him on the stand today.
Your honor, you can't let this man testify.
He may have critical information.
It may be critical, but it is also privileged.
Now my client confided in this man as part of his recovery.
It's no different than confiding in a priest.
It's very different.
Alcoholics anonymous is a treatment program, not a religion.
It is grounded in religion.
It's a 12-step program.
Step three is turning your life over to the care of god.
Whose god? Aa members come in all faiths-- christian,jews,muslims.
And no one has to convert when they join.
Your honor, you have the case log.
I refer the court to cox V.
Miller, where this privilege was considered and rejected.
It's a second circuit case out of new york.
Yes,and the supreme court affirmed the decision.
Well,they never issued a written opinion.
There's plenty of room for debate here.
Your honor, there are 50,000 aa chapters in this country, one million members.
We cannot treat everyone like a priest.
If he acted like a priest, we can.
Look,your honor, people go to aa for help.
Part of that help comes from the spiritual guidance they get by admitting what they did wrong.
Now if everything they say is fair game in a court of law, people won't seek treatment.
It's as simple as that.
I understand.
But I have to balance the interests here.
You want alcoholics to get help, the state wants to catch a murderer.
State wins.
I'm allowing the sponsor to testify.
Would you say you know the defendant well? He's one of my closest friends.
You sponsor someone, you go through a lot together.
You confide in each other.
Mr.
Brandt, did the defendant ever confide in you about his mother-in-law helen brooks? Yeah.
What did he tell you? He talked about her all the time, how she would control jessica, make her feel bad about herself.
Did he seem angry? Definitely.
But nothing like he was after.
After what? The day before the shooting, paul came to see me.
He was upset,angry.
He was really tempted to drink.
He said he made a mistake, something stupid unforgivable.
And what was that? He was,uh having an affair with his mother-in-law.
It'd been going on for about a month, maybe two.
Started after she moved in with them.
You have to understand that just because somebody stops drinking, it doesn't mean they stop behaving like an addict.
You know,we often substitute one thrill for another.
I think that's what he did with her.
He knew it was crazy.
He tried to stop it.
But that's when his mother-in-law just got mad.
She threatened to tell jessica.
He knew if jessica found out, she would leave him, take his daughter.
He said that helen seduced him on purpose to end the marriage, ruin his life.
And what did he say he was going to do about that? The only thing he said is that he had to stop her.
One way or another, it would all soon be over.
No further questions.
Helen brooks planned to tell jessica about the affair.
Is that what my client told you? Yes.
Assuming that she followed through with that threat, what do you think is more likely, mr.
Brandt, that my client, who never held a gun in his life, suddenly killed helen brooks, or that jessica randall shot her mother in a rage after learning the truth? Objection! That was it.
Her mother had taken away her life, her home,her daughter, and now her husband.
Objection.
Mr.
Hellman,that's enough.
Paul stup paul,say something.
Jessica,please.
Bailiff.
You slept with my mother.
You killed her.
And now, you're blaming me.
What are you?! She was my mother! That's a woman scorned, ladies and gentlemen.
It doesn't get much clearer than that.
All right, I said "enough," counselor.
Save it for closing.
Ready when you are,your honor.
Nothing further.
That was not helpful.
It's crazy what they're saying! I didn't know anything about what happened until you told me! I know.
Then how can he tell the jury that I knew? It's a trial,jessica.
It doesn't have to be true.
He's trying to create reasonable doubt.
I want to testify again.
I didn't know.
I want the jury to hear me say that.
I understand, but that is a mistake.
All he needs is the possibility that you knew.
You could deny it forever, and he'll say you're lying.
Putting you back up there gives hellman what he wants.
I agree.
It would look desperate.
We cannot have the jury thinking that we're on the defensive.
I can't believe this.
I can't believe that this is my life.
I can't believe that that man was my husband.
hey.
Heard things got a little rough today.
You know the last two words any prosecutor ever wants to hear? Not guilty.
Doug hellman.
he was good.
I think it all comes down to the closings.
You'll be ready.
Maybe.
Turns out,I don't have the most sympathetic victim.
Hey.
Paul randall shot the woman he was sleeping with in a cold, deliberate,vicious way.
I don't care who helen brooks was.
He deserves to go to prison for the rest of his life.
Think about jessica.
One day,she's taking care of her family, the next,her life's blown apart.
I mean,her mother's dead, her marriage is over, her six-year-old wants to know why daddy's not coming home.
Sounds like her life was less than perfect before that day.
Helen brooks was 48.
Other than a few headaches, she was in good health.
She had time, maybe 30,40 years ahead of her.
Now don't get me wrong, in manyways, her life was a mess.
She was hypercritical,hurtful, disrespectful, and as I stand here, I can't imagine how or why she could sleep with her daughter's husband.
But I do know this.
Helen brooks was brutally murdered.
Paul randall shot her in the most cold-blooded, premeditated way possible.
You heard jessica's testimony.
She saw paul walk into her room.
He was perfectly calm.
He wanted helen dead.
Why? You heard michael brandt, his sponsor,tell you why.
In paul's mind, his life was over.
If helen told jessica the truth, paul knew jessica would leave him.
He was angry.
He thought helen set him up, that she seduced him on purpose as a way to destroy his family.
And if his life was over, so was hers.
Now we gave you forensics.
The bullet trajectory proves the shooter was at least six feet tall.
Think about that.
It's a devastating fact, a fact that the defense can't live with.
No matter what it takes, the defense will not let you focus on the evidence.
So what do they do? They get desperate.
They come up with some ridiculous theory about the victim pressing down the remote after she was shot.
This is absurd.
This is a creative defense lawyer on the ropes grasping for any argument he can find.
Thank you,mrs.
Chase, but I'm not that clever.
Truth is,it doesn't take a lot of vision to see what happened here.
Jessica randall hated her mother.
Now we know that because she said so to anyone who would listen.
She lived her whole life dealing with constant criticism, constant disapproval.
And on top of that, her mother slept with her husband.
Now can you imagine that rage? You open your life and your home to your mother, the one person on earth who's supposed to love you more than anyone else, and that happens.
Jessica randall killed her mother.
She bought the gun, she learned how to shoot it.
You heard the state's expert.
One squeeze, one reflexive squeeze on that remote control, and the shooter could be as short as five-foot-five.
Did that happen? I submit that it did.
But even if you're not sure, the burden is on the state to prove that it didn't happen.
We do have the burden.
And that's why I want you to think about the blood.
Paul randall had blood on his shirt.
The victim's blood.
Ask yourselves: How did that happen? If jessica randall shot her mother, how is it that paul was the only one with any sign of blood on him? What do you think? You did the best you could.
It's out of our hands now.
You think they'll deliberate for a while? Probably.
They have a lot to discuss.
Okay,honest opinion, no hedging.
You think we did enough? yes.
You? It's hard to say.
I mean,I think I made a connection with most of the jurors,but there was one who wouldn't make eye contact with me.
She makes me nervous.
But my gut tells me, we made our case, and the jury's going to see that.
You're serious? As her example? What? It's not that much of a stretch.
Right.
So,waiting for the verdict in a murder case is like taking a home pregnancy test.
Yeah.
I mean,you really want to know the results, but you're scared to look, 'cause it's a huge moment.
You don't want to be disappointed.
what? You asked me what it was like, I gave you an example.
I didn't say it was genius.
Staring at the phone won't make it ring.
The jury's been deliberating for hours.
If they don't come back with a verdict soon, chances are,we lost.
hello.
Yes,speaking.
I don't understand.
Now? Well,what's going on? Do we have a verdict? Okay.
Thank you.
What? That was judge meyers' clerk.
He wants to see everybody in chambers right away.
Why? The jury has a question.
So? Before they put someone away for murder, they need some more information.
They have a question about jessica.
Sorry to bring you down at this hour.
I know it's late, so I'll get right to it.
At 7:06 this evening, the jury foreman approached a bailiff.
He handed him this note.
"Judge,we have a question.
"We took a vote and would like to hear from another witness.
"Can you call jessica randall's therapist to the stand?" I think it's a great idea.
I'm sure you do, but it's completely out of the question.
Jessica's therapist, that's what they're focusing on? It doesn't matter.
The evidence is already closed.
Well,now,hang on a minute.
If that's what the jury wants to hear don't push it,doug.
You've twisted the truth enough in this trial.
I'm not about to open an innocent woman's health records so you can make it worse.
Your honor,did they say why? Why the therapist? I read the note.
That's all we have.
I'm instructing the foreman to continue deliberations.
This is disaster.
Calm down.
Why do you think they want to hear from the therapist?They have a doubt,maureen.
They think jessica might be crazy enough to kill her mother.
We don't know that.
It could just be a question.
It's not just a question.
They're focused on jessica's mental state.
The fact that she's in therapy made an impact.
Not to mention her outburst in court.
Okay, I know it looks bad,but ladies,never a dull moment.
looks like you two hit a bump in the road.
Not necessarily.
Oh,come on, you know what this means.
The jury's having doubts.
They're not asking to hear more about my client.
They're looking at the wife.
Doug,what do you want? Same thing I wanted at the start of the trial-- eight years.
Forget it.
annabeth, you're holding on to this too tight.
You've lost.
Take the eight.
No.
If I win, paul randall goes free.
You want to risk that? Might want to talk to jessica about that.
We'll get back to you.
Eight years? It's not enough,we know.
But if the jury finds him not guilty, he goes free.
I don't understand.
What does the jury's question mean? We don't know.
Maybe nothing.
Maybe they asked because they just want to be thorough.
Or maybe they're focusing in on you as the more likely suspect.
What do you think? I think the question is probably bad for us.
If we lose, he could be out and free this afternoon.
I understand,but I don't know what to think about anything anymore.
I've trusted you the whole way.
You know what's best.
I know it's your decision.
If you think we can win, let's go to the verdict.
If you don't, let's take the deal.
So,what's the plan? I don't know.
Hellman's good, but he pushes it.
I don't think the jury believed him.
They don't need to.
All he needs is a little doubt.
Look,I know it's hard, but this is what it means to try cases.
You don't get any answers.
It's all about trusting your instinct.
What would you do? You really want to know? From what I've heard, I'd take the deal.
I couldn't watch jessica's face when her husband walked out a free man.
But that's me.
I'd take it,too.
Jessica has a daughter.
If the jury kicks paul, he could get joint custody.
Are you sure you want to do this? Yes,your honor.
Very well.
As you know,a plea of guilty may be entered any time before the verdict has been read.
Mr.
Hellman? Your honor,at this time, my client wishes to withdraw his not guilty plea, and accept the state's offer of eight years.
So entered.
I'll inform the jury they're no longer needed.
And we are adjourned.
you did the right thing.
Thanks.
Thank you.
I know you did everything you could.
hey,what happened? Excuse me? I was on the jury.
Oh,right.
Hi.
We were deliberating, and all of a sudden, the bailiff came in and said we were dismissed.
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
That happens sometimes.
The defendant decided to plead guilty.
You're kidding.
No,he entered a plea this morning.
Yeah,well, I'm not surprised.
I mean, we all knew he was guilty.
You did? Yeah.
I mean,come on.
Was that defense attorney desperate or what? That thing about helen squeezing the remote after she was shot? Please! Nobody bought that.
Uh,what about the therapist? You asked that question.
Oh.
There was this one woman on the jury.
She wanted to know what the therapist knew about their marriage.
We asked the question to make her happy.
We were filling out the verdict form when the bailiff came in to stop us.
Great.
So,what he get, how many years? Eight.
That's all? Wow.
That doesn't seem like much for what he did.
But I guess that's how it goes,huh? annabeth,got a minute? Sure.
Well,you tried a good case.
I just wanted to tell you that.
I won,you know.
I ran into the foreman.
Gave me that.
They were about to find your client guilty.
Annabeth.
I knew I had it, I knew the jury was with me.
I just didn't trust my instincts.
Well,that's what I was counting on.
I knew i couldn't win.
I knew you had to give it away.
When I said I only needed one person to have a doubt,I didn't mean a juror.
I meant you.