Shark s01e15 Episode Script
Here Comes The Judge
Previously on Shark Sometimes it's hard for parents to let their kids grow up.
Especially a kid as great as you.
JULIE: I know you're worried about Wayne Calison He's a serial killer.
I found a guy to take over guarding Julie.
Is he good? He specializes in young women with stalker problems.
I know this is a tough adjustment.
Until I can talk my dad off the ledge, I have to put up with you.
At least come in and let me make you some dinner.
You hired him.
(footsteps approaching) (elevator bell dings) (screaming) Yours is almost done.
Mmm, smells good.
I should have had you move in years ago.
Hey, make that portable, will you? Sure.
You around tonight? Thought we could grab some Thai food.
Actually, I'm going to a concert at the Troubadour.
Neil's taking me.
Oh, speaking of which, I talked to Neil last night.
Enough time has passed since the Calison case.
I don't think you need a bodyguard anymore.
Just like that? I thought you hated having him around.
Oh, when did I say that? You called him the "manny," Jules.
You want him to stay on? No, I didn't say that; I just I'm surprised, that's all.
Just thought it was time for things to get back to normal around here.
Have a good day.
I'm at LAX and yet I'm not heading to Vegas.
White female, mid-30s, stabbed at her car.
Apparent robbery gone bad.
If I catch Southwest 103, I could be at the Palms by noon.
ISAAC: Victim's wallet and I.
D.
were stolen.
I sure hope not.
RAINA: Is that? Judge Andrew Bennett.
Man, I should've gone to Vegas.
STARK: That's Sam Harris, the top D.
C.
spin doctor.
He's shepherding Bennett's confirmation to the Federal Court of Appeals.
Guy's a magician.
You should hire him to fix your public image.
Nobody's that good.
Stark.
What the hell are you doing here? Sir, I'm very sorry for your loss.
You can save your sorrow! Just find the animal who killed my wife! Your Honor No, no, no.
Sam, Sam It's probably one of your ex-clients.
HARRIS: Your Honor, let's go.
Come on.
I take it you two know each other? Well, Bennett's just right of Pat Robertson, and he's not shy about using the bench as a pulpit.
He's held me in contempt seven times.
Tried to have me disbarred twice.
And I suppose you were an innocent victim.
Well, there was that petition I circulated demanding his impeachment from the bench.
Is there anyone in this town you haven't pissed off? Yeah.
The guy who killed Karen Bennett.
He's next on my list.
Bennett and his wife were married for just over two years with no kids.
Talked to friends and relatives, everyone says they're the perfect couple.
Bennett's a star.
He wants to be the next Scalia, and he's hired the A-Team to get him there.
Harris is the best; prepped Roberts to the Supreme Court.
My dad's a client.
What have we got? RAINA: Robbery-homicide, jewelry and wallet was stolen.
M.
E.
places the time of death around 11:30 p.
m.
Karen Bennett was catching a late flight to SFO for an education conference.
She was a teacher? She ran a literacy foundation; supplied books to low-income kids.
Oh, softened his image-- the perfect wife.
(chuckles) This guy's good.
Forensics? CASEY: Stab wounds indicate some kind of Do we know if Bennett owns one? Are we actually considering Bennett a suspect? Is this your first day? Whenever we have a dead wife, the husband is always a suspect.
Check Bennett's statement.
Track his whereabouts in the hours before and after the wife's murder.
You go through Bennett's cases.
Check if any defendant with a grudge was released recently.
You think this is retaliatory? Defense attorneys call this guy the Terminator.
He maxes out defendants in the name of family values.
I'm sure his holier-than-thou shtick has earned him an enemy or two.
Including you? Are you suggesting I'd go after Bennett out of revenge? Hmm, give me a second.
Yeah.
That hurts me deeply.
I'm going after Bennett because it's my job.
If he happens to be guilty, that's an added bonus.
Sam Harris.
The judge is still in court.
Back to work so soon.
He has a deep commitment to the law.
How's his commitment to his wife? (chuckles) That's very funny.
How's the investigation going? We're checking every angle.
Anything off of the credit card hits? His Honor's friends at the LAPD told us that purchases were made in Inglewood using Karen's stolen credit cards.
Guess you missed that angle.
Hey, you know this power player routine you're doing? Save it for somebody who gives a crap.
Has there been a development in the case? STARK:?? But I was hoping to ask you some questions, Your Honor.
Before I do, I want to apologize?? I was distraught, I'm sorry.
No apology necessary, sir.
Do you know of anyone who might have held a grudge against you or your wife? Karen dedicated her life to helping children.
Everyone loved her.
And as for me, well, you've been to my courtroom.
I believe those unable to live by society's rules must be punished.
An eye for an eye.
Exactly.
I guess that's why they say nustice is blind.
BENNETT: That file contains every threat against me since phone calls to my home and office,letters, mostly from convicted defendants.
This may be a little delicate.
What was the state of your marriage? HARRIS: Excuse me.
Is Judge Bennett a suspect in this investigation? BENNETT: It's fine, Sam.
The sooner Mr.
Stark clears me, the sooner he can find Karen's killer.
Were you ever unfaithful? No.
How about your wife? Karen and I pledged an oath before God to honor one another.
We both cherished that oath.
I love my wife with all my heart.
I know you and I have had ?? and you are the last person on earth?? but please, Mr.
Stark, please find the person who killed my wife.
I ran a list of threats Bennett gave Stark.
This is the only rece with a violent history.
Frankie Peña.
Seven years in Folsom for manslaughter.
Beat a guy to death with a tire iron.
Nice.
(knocking) DA's Office! We have some questions! (door slams) (sighs) He's running.
(tires screech) I didn't do nothing! That's why you're just taking a stroll.
Wait, that's not him.
What? Daniel Vargas? What are you running for? Look, I just got out two weeks ago, and I'm not looking for trouble.
Where's Frankie Peña? How should I know? You were in his place.
Frankie's my cousin.
He's letting me crash there till I get it together.
Do you know where Frankie was two nights ago, around 11:00 p.
m.
? He drove me to my N.
A.
meeting.
What, then he took off? No.
Frankie stays.
Makes sure I don't bail on my meetings.
He told me if he ever catches me using again, he'd kick my ass.
Cons helping cons.
That's special.
(wry laugh) Dueling crime boards? Frankie Peña-- convicted of manslaughter, history of threats against Judge Bennett.
Last seen the night of Karen Bennett's murder.
?? Fine, but until we find him, thank you.
Does Bennett have an alibi? MADELEINE: He was supposed to be at a Bar Association dinner but he left at 11:00, after getting a call to sign an emergency warrant.
Night receptionist logged him in at ten to 12:00.
An hour to get across town? It's close, but he could have made it to LAX, killed his wife, and back to the courthouse in time to sign the warrant.
The plot thickens.
Dumped the GPS in Karen Bennett's car.
Addresses are mostly stores, but there's an entry for a downtown office building.
Anything we could use? Checked her address bookagainst the names in the building, came up with a match: Rob DeMato.
The divorce lawyer? I keep him on permanent retainer.
If their marriage was so perfect Then why is his wife meeting with DeMato? Only one way to find out.
I assume you guys have heard of attorney-client privilege.
This is a murder investigation.
Thought you might want to help out.
I'm sorry, I can't.
CASEY: We know you met with Karen Bennett.
We think her husband may have found out.
You're looking at Andrew Bennett for this? Should we be? Karen came in about a month ago.
Said she was leaving her husband.
She say why? California's a no-fault state.
Why doesn't matter.
Karen hadn't signed a prenup.
I warned her there might be some issues.
A divorce without a custody battle sounds pretty straightforward.
Not if your soon-to-be ex is a powerful judge with plenty of friends on the bench.
Is that why she didn't file? Couldn't say-- she never came back.
Do you think they reconciled? Love's a funny thing.
You're charging Judge Bennett? Where'd you hear that? CNN.
Oh.
Someone leaked the fact that Bennett's a suspect in his wife's murder; my money's on you.
Now, why would I do that? Oh, I don't know.
'Cause you hate the man with every fiber of your being? Yeah, but outing him as a suspect and having him lawyer up hurts my case.
You know my motto: Winning first, revenge a close second.
Bennett is a very popular guy.
Yeah, right.
People don't like Bennett, they fear him.
Same difference.
He knows everyone in this city.
He will bring the wrath of God down on you.
Well, if he killed his wife, I'm willing to bet God will be on my side.
Bennett is a judge, Sebastian.
You can't afford to get this one wrong.
You know, last time I looked, my office door said "High-Profile Crime Unit.
" I don't have the luxury of getting anything wrong, Jess.
Which is where my god-like perfection comes in handy.
So unless one of those civil servant hacks that you laughingly call a prosecutor has suddenly grown a brain, and some balls, kindly take a giant step back.
So I can assume you've got this covered.
Yeah.
Who died? Judge Lindstrom won't hear our request for a search warrant for Bennett's car.
That's probably because he and Bennett went to law school together.
I didn't know that.
You should have that put on a T-shirt.
Hey, forget it.
You think any judge in this town is going to help us go after Bennett? Well, if we're going to check him out, we need a warrant.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
What kind of car does Bennett drive? Black Cadillac STS.
Okay, pull this month's police reports on all unsolved drive-bys, hit-and-runs, and see if any of them involve a black Caddy.
This is the part where we get disbarred, isn't it? STARK (on phone): Did you find Bennett? I'm right behind him.
A car matching Bennett's was involved in a drug buy in Hawthorne two weeks ago.
Cops never caught the guy.
Did you call your friends in Narcotics? We're ready to roll.
Enjoy your lunch, Judge Bennett.
Thank you.
I'll handle this.
Hey.
Anything? Car looks clean except for this.
What is it? Some kind of oil.
I scraped it off the floorboard.
He could have picked it up at the airport parking structure.
But check this out.
Now you see how this spot's lighter than the rest of the carpet? Yeah.
Bennett must have scrubbed it clean.
Recently? Couple days,maybe a week.
Might've been trying to get rid of that oil.
Let's run a luminal test.
That's a lot of blood.
The judge definitely didn't cut himself shaving.
No, but he may have just cut his own throat.
You're absolutely positive? All right.
Blood type in Bennett's car matches his wife's.
I am gonna love this.
We are in the middle of a trial.
Not anymore.
Andrew Bennett, you are under arrest for the murder of your wife.
?? ??a sitting judge in the middle of a trial? I ban't tell you how long I have dreamed of doing that.
Yeah, I've got to admit it's crossed my mind a few times.
Was it amazing? Take the best sex you've ever had, add in a royal flush.
All right, still, you humiliated the man.
Guys like Bennett think they're untouchable, so I reached out and touched him.
Yeah, and in the process, alienated every judge in this building.
We've already had six no-brainer motions denied this morning.
We can't buy a continuance.
Screw 'em if they can't take a joke.
No, the point is,you wanted a war, you got one.
Good.
Your Honor, defense moves that all evidence found in the illegal search of my client's car be ruled inadmissible.
On what grounds? No search warrant was granted.
No warrant was necessary.
The car in question was seized after being implicated in a drug-trafficking The connection to which Mr.
Stark completely fabricated.
Well, tell that to the diligent officers of LAPD.
I will allow the search, but I'd better not find out that you were involved, (scoffs) As to the matter of bail? We're talking about murder one.
My client is a highly respected jurist and poses little risk of flight.
Judge Bennett personally denied bail in dozens of cases,just like this.
Are we not all equal under the law? Suddenly you're a man of the people.
Enough.
The bail is set at $200,000.
For capital murder? That's a joke.
The defendant is an upstanding member of this community, Mr.
Stark.
You'd do well to remember that.
Your Honor.
Thank you.
Bennett's a choir boy.
I'm going to squash you like a bug.
Dream on.
You change your hair? Loser buys dinner? Sounds unethical.
You're on.
Hmm.
This is a personal vendetta, Stark.
And you know when this trial's over and I'm exonerated, I'm going to return the favor.
I'm going to make your life a living hell.
Well, thanks, but I've already been married.
That's what Elvis said to the Beatles.
Next thing you know, he's playing Vegas in a sequined jumpsuit.
Go figure.
No eyewitness, no murder weapon, no motive.
It's two days until the trial,and all we've got is a Cadillac with a bleach stain.
We've got Karen Bennett's blood in her husband's car.
We have got blood matching her type.
DNA came back inconclusive.
The sample was too degraded for a positive ID.
Isaac did say we got nothing from the search at Bennett's house.
Uh-huh.
Fun never stops.
Hey.
Looked into Bennett's bank records.
He used an ATM in Torrance a dozen times in the last three months.
Torrance is way out of the judge's zip code.
Maybe he was meeting someone.
Let's find out.
You lost? We're from the DA's Office.
You seen this guy? Nope.
He's used the ATM here a dozen times.
Lots of people do.
Well, we could ask your customers instead.
Look, no one's going to talk to you.
It's not how this place works.
We're investigating a murder.
How'd you like to see how jail works? Comes in once a week, usually meets a friend.
This friend got a name? He's a younger guy.
I think his name is Rob.
He's a lawyer.
Italian, last name DeMato? That's it.
Are you sure he's never met anyone else here? A woman? Like I said, that's not how this place works.
Let's go.
Thank you so much for taking me to that concert.
That's the fourth time you've thanked me.
It's fine.
Yeah, I just know that Jo-Jo probably isn't really high on your download list.
It was fun.
I should get going.
I can't believe Thursday's your last day.
I'm sure you're happy to get rid of me.
Just come hungry.
I'm making you a good-bye dinner.
You don't have to do that.
I want to.
Okay.
It's a date.
You were never Karen Bennett'sattorney, were you? I told you what I knew.
You just left out one small detail: that Andrew Bennett's gay and you were having an affair with him.
My personal life is none of your business.
Bennett built his career crusading against gay rights.
Politics weren't a big topic of discussion between me and Andrew.
Look, neither one of us flaunted our sexuality.
Andrew referred a lot of clients my way.
The kind of people who would not hire a gay attorney.
And how do you think those clients will react when they find out that your favorite bar is called The Nuts and Bolts? You can threaten me all you want, but there is no way that Andrew could have done this.
We found Karen's blood in his car.
A woman is dead.
Why are you covering for her killer? A month ago Andrew called me and said that he couldn't meet me.
He said that Karen had found out about our affair.
A few days later, she showed up at my office screaming.
Saying she was going to tell everybody about Andrew and me.
?? What did you do? I called Andrew.
Gay? Gay.
I could kiss you so hard on the mouth right now.
Rain check.
Karen Bennett threatened to go public, tell everyone her husband's sleeping with a man.
Which probably would not have gone over very well with his gay-bashing supporters.
How do you spell motive? Bennett couldn't let this get out on the eve of his confirmation to the Federal Court So he kills his wife to keep her quiet.
So much for family values.
DEVLIN: Oh, good morning.
'Morning.
'Morning.
I just got a call from Assistant Attorney General Rogers vouching for Bennett's character.
So? So Bennett is a card-carrying member of the old boy's club.
(laughing): You have no idea.
Meaning? Meaning Bennett didn't exactly practice what he preached.
He's gay, Jess.
No, way.
Way.
Gay? My client's sexual preference has nothing to do with this case.
These things have a way of getting out.
So do defamation suits.
DEVLIN: We're not here to make threats, we're here to make a deal.
15 years for murder one.
Judge Bennett is one of the most respected public servants in this city.
With his dead wife's blood on his hands, and a lover named Rob, waiting in the wings to testify.
How do you think that's going to play at your confirmation hearing? Well, the blood evidence is ambiguous, and if you had a decent case, you wouldn't be sitting here right now.
If your client wasn't prepared to plead to a lesser crime, why'd you To give you this.
A motion to dismiss? I hate to break it to you, I've never laid down a winning hand in my life.
Why would I start now? The Cal Trans road crew found the knife that killed Karen Bennett, on the side of the 10 Freeway.
LAPD matched the prints to those of Frankie Peña, the felon who repeatedly threatened to kill the Bennetts.
I enjoyed watching both of you attempt to coerce a plea from an innocent defendant, and I'm sure the State Bar will find it equally fascinating.
See you in court, Counselor.
?? ?? ??all charges be dropped immediately.
Your Honor, this motion is premature.
A murder weapon has been found with prints on it, matching an ex-convict who repeatedly made threats against my client and the deceased, his wife.
The People request a week to analyze this new evidence, Your Honor.
You've got 48 hours to demonstrate why the charges shouldn't be dropped.
We're done.
I know this great little seafood joint down in the marina-- casual, romantic.
Sounds good.
Don't forget your credit card.
HARRIS (on TV): Andrew Bennett is innocent of this terrible crime.
Now we're here today to appeal to the public to help us find the man responsible, a violent criminal who has made repeated threats against the Bennett family.
He's discussing evidence in an ongoing trial.
He's not on Bennett's legal team.
He can say whatever he wants.
I say we fight back, play the gay card.
What, you think outing the judge is gonna score points with the jury? Why not? It establishes motive for Bennett to kill his wife, and with our largely conservative jury,homophobia works for us.
Charming, Madeleine.
This entire case is an attack on the personal life of Andrew Benn Mr.
Bennett did not murder his wife.
His only transgression was having an extramarital affair with another man.
Bennett just outed himself on live television.
That's a pretty desperate move for an innocent man.
Maybe not.
The murder weapon was found with Karen Bennett's blood and Peña's prints all over it, and Peña is on record threatening her.
Peña was a free man.
Why would he risk going back to prison to kill Karen Bennett? I'll tell you why.
Two weeks ago, one Danny Vargas, Peña's cousin, was paroled early.
Anyone care to guess why? Because before his hearing, the parole board received a glowing letter of recommendation from none other than Judge Andrew Bennett.
The cousin is the connection between Bennett and Peña.
You've got it.
Judge Bennett hired Peña to kill his wife.
MADELEINE: I checked into Bennett's accounts.
No major withdrawals were made in the last six months.
That's because Bennett didn't pay Peña off with money.
?? I want Vargas in here, and I want him in here now.
You lied to us, Danny, and I don't like being lied to.
Peña dropped you off at your NA meeting the night of the murder, but he didn't stick around like you said, did he? No.
Where'd he go? I don't know.
You're a damn liar.
I swear.
I never?? Then why'd you lie about the NA meeting? I was just looking out for Frankie the way he always looks out for me.
Like getting you paroled early? Oh, you didn't think we knew about that, did you? ?? I had nothing to do with it.
?? I don't know.
Charge him as an accessory to murder.
No, no, wait.
Before he left, he said he was gonna shake down som?? Like blackmail.
Guy like Peña disappears? A record, no money? Yeah, the chances are, he's not poolside in Cabo.
We need to recheck the evidence from Bennett's car.
that's not Karen Bennett's blood after all.
(knocking at door) Let me guess.
Casting call for Beauty and the Geek? He wishes.
So badly.
We just finished analyzing the oil residue found in Bennett's car.
It's fascinating.
You find oil residue fascinating? It's crude oil-- the kind you pump?? The only active oil field in greater L.
A.
-- Stocker Hill.
Well, gold stars all around.
Get an S.
I.
D.
team out here right away.
I got a feeling we're about to strike it rich.
?? You look great.
Thanks.
Um, dinner's not quite ready yet.
Can I get you something to drink? Oh, no.
I'm good.
This looks amazing.
A little too much Martha Stewart Living.
Thing is I got a new job today.
Working for a diplomat.
Wow.
That was fast.
Yeah, I know.
Problem is they need me to start tonight.
Oh.
I'm really sorry.
No.
It's okay.
I get it.
It's work.
Look let me make it up Really, it's okay.
No, it's not.
Some friends of mine are having a party tomorrow night.
I was gonna stop by early before work.
Lots of fun people.
Want to meet me there? Okay.
RAINA: It's a strange place to meet someone.
Not if you don't want to be found.
It's cold out here.
We've got a body.
Looks like we found Frankie Peña.
I'm afraid I can't talk to you without Counsel present.
Oh, right.
I forgot.
You always play by the rules.
And you always break them.
Only when they get in the way.
We found Peña.
Shot in the chest up on Stocker Hill.
Well, I can't say I'm sorry to hear it.
We're running ballistics, but you and I both know the bullet came from your gun.
Still time to settle, avoid the death penalty.
Well, that's the difference between us, Stark.
I believe in the system.
Why not confess? Throw yourself on the mercy of the court.
Well, you know I've never been a big proponent of mercy.
(laughs) Besides, I'm very confident that in the end, the truth will come out.
And the truth will set you free, right? Don't bet on it.
Karen Bennett was a devoted wife.
She loved her husband, and she trusted him.
Now, when Karen found out that her husband was having an affair, she realized that he was a liar.
When she found out that that affair was with anotheran, she understood that her husband-- an avid proponent of family values and the sanctity of marriage-- was also a hypocrite.
?? But Andrew Bennett knew that if his lifestyle-- and more importantly, his blatant hypocrisy-- were ever to become public, he could kiss his judicial career good-bye.
And that's when he decided to hire Frankie Peña to murder his wife.
But Andrew Bennett's a smart guy.
He knew that Frankie Peña was the only link between him and the murder of his wife.
And so, what did he do? He killed Peña, too.
For his entire career, Judge Andrew Bennett pretended to represent justice.
Teach him the meaning of that word.
Every piece of evidence in the murder of Karen Bennett directly links Frankie Peña to the crime.
Not my client.
Mr.
Peña was a violent criminal, and his death was the dire result of the dangerous life that he chose to lead.
And as far as the murder of Karen Bennett, my client had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Judge Andrew Bennett is a fine public servant, and he is a grieving husband, and he is a victim.
Detective, did you supervise ballistics on the bullet that killed Frankie Peña? Yes.
One .
38 caliber slug to the chest.
And were you able to trace that bullet to a particular weapon? Yes.
It belonged to a handgun registered to Judge Andrew Bennett.
Thank you.
No questions, Your Honor.
Your Honor, I'd like to call Andrew Bennett to the stand.
(crowd murmur) I don't understand.
What's she doing? She's desperate.
Maybe not.
Bennett definitely knows his way around a jury.
Sebastian's gonna rip his head off.
JUDGE CAVANAUGH: Quiet down, please.
Had Frankie Peña threatened you in the past? He wrote letters to me while he was in prison.
When he was paroled, he called my home and office.
I tried reasoning with him.
He wouldn't listen.
He threatened to kill me and my wife.
Tell us what happened the night that your wife was murdered.
ANDREW: I tried calling Karen for hours, and it wasn't like her to not answer.
Um, I knew right away something was wrong.
What did you do? I went to see Frankie Peña.
You went to his home? ANDREW: I've been threatened many times, but Peña was the only one who had ever threatened Karen.
What happened next? I waited outside Peña's house, and when he arrived, I confronted him.
You brought a gun? Yes.
Did you intend to kill Frankie Peña? No.
I only wanted to get him to tell me where Karen was.
I prayed that she was still alive.
And wh happened next? Peña told me that he had followed Karen to the airport.
He waited by her car.
He stabbed her.
?? I know how difficult this is, but please, tell us what happened next.
I told Peña that I was calling the police.
That I was going to make sure that he spent the rest of his life in jail.
But you never made that call, did you? No, I never got the chance.
Peña attacked me.
I was afraid he was going to kill me like he he had killed Karen.
And that's that's when I shot him.
(Andrew sighs) I know.
I should have gone to the police, but this man-- he had already taken so much from me.
(sighs) He destroyed my life.
(reporters clamoring) No comment.
I have no comment.
Thank you.
Bennett knows that he is sunk on the Pena murder, so he cops to it.
He spins it to make himself look like a hero in the process.
So what about cross? Did you see that jury? They are gonna acquit Bennett of the murder of his wife.
They're gonna give him a slap on the wrist for killing Peña.
Hate to tell you guys,but it we can't prove that Bennett hired Peña to kill his wife, this guy is literally gonna get away with murder.
Andrew Bennett is extremely anxious to put this painful ordeal behind him.
He has dedicated his life to serving justice, and would like nothing more?? How stoned is this guy, thinking he can save Bennett's nomination? Hey, if Bennett walks, Harris is gonna make it look like he can walk on water.
You think Harris knew the whole time that Bennett's gay? A guy as good as Harris-- nothing gets by him.
Where did they find the knife that killed Karen Bennett? Side of the 10 Freeway by Crenshaw.
For a seasoned criminal Peña sure picked a lame place to dump a weapon.
That's because Peña didn't dump the weapon.
You think it was Bennett? No.
The knife was found after Bennett was arrested.
So, if it had been there before, Cal Trans would have found it, right? It was Harris.
(laughs): You need something fixed, call a fixer.
Okay, we're due back in an hour.
I need you guys to stall Judge Cavanaugh.
Your dad is a client of Harris's, right? Yeah.
Okay.
We're gonna put that pretty face of yours to work.
So your dad's really looking for a legislative aide? Yeah, but it is tough to find good people.
I would kill to work in Sacramento.
I know he'll really appreciate you helping me out.
I'm not supposed to let anyone in Mr.
Harris's office.
Come on, it'll just take a minute.
My dad said it's really important.
Well, it is for a client.
Just hurry.
Mr.
Harris is gonna be back from court pretty soon.
Why don't you go grab your resume.
Yes.
Sebastian, hey.
Harris has been on the Caltrans Web site.
He's got maps of the 10 at Crenshaw in his recent searches.
Here you go.
I can interview anytime.
You're gonna love Sacramento.
(indistinct chatter) Julie.
Hey.
Guys, guys, this is Julie.
?? There's someone I want you to meet.
Yeah, no problem.
Okay.
Be back.
I'm charging you with conspiracy to commit murder.
Based on a couple of Google maps?Good luck.
Maps from your computer.
Same work schedules of the road crew that found the murder weapon.
Peña didn't ditch that knife on the side of the freeway, you did.
The judge will never let this stuff in.
Maybe.
But I've got an insurance policy.
When LAPD or Narcotics searched Bennett's car, they found blood and oil residue.
They also found hair follicles.
?? Intriguing.
Except I've been in Bennett's car dozens of times Right.
But all the jury's gonna hear is Mr.
Harris's DNA was found at the crime scene.
Fifty people saw me at a client's party during Karen Bennett's murder.
But not during Peña's.
When I present evidence that you were with Bennett the night Peña died, his self-defense theory's shot.
Which makes it your word against Judge Andrew Bennett's.
You saw him play the jury today.
Who do you think they're gonna believe? (laughing) Come on.
Yeah.
Come on!Even you wouldn't do something this unethical.
Wouldn't even crack my top ten.
Bennett thought that if his homosexuality became public he'd be ruined.
And that's when he called me in.
I don't even think his wife knew.
But she did find out.
Yeah, that's when he hired Frankie Peña to kill her.
Objection! Assumes facts, not in evidence.
Overruled.
Uh, would you describe for the jury this murder-for-hire plot? Sure.
About a nth ago Bennett introduced me to a man named John Chavez.
Bennett told me that he was a reformed drug dealer that he put away years ago.
You know, someone that we would parade in front of the cameras during the confirmation process.
To soften his image for the Liberals.
Exactly.
Day after Karen was murdered, Bennett came to me, told me that he killed Frankie Peña in self-defense.
And that he needed my help.
So you helped him out, why? I just didn't think he deserved to go to jail for what he did.
You know, if somebody murdered my wife I would definitely do the same thing.
So you dumped the knife that Peña used to kill Karen Bennett.
Bennett knew the Caltran schedules from community service sentences.
He told me to dump the knife where it was sure to be found.
Why didn't you say anything before now? Because I thought I was helping an innocent man.
Then I saw photos of Frankie Peña in the newspaper.
It was the same man that Bennett had introduced to me as John Chavez.
That's when I knew?? No more questions.
I want the brief on my desk So, I'm thinking Northern Italian in Beverly Hills.
Calamari, a little osso bucco.
Screw you.
In that case,we need a couple bottles of Chianti as well.
And a little blue pill.
Not for you, Counselor.
?? ??Getting Harris to turn on his own client.
How'd you do it? I threatened to use his DNA to frame him for Peña's murder.
And he actually thought you'd do it? Oh.
Right.
??Donovan? There you are.
Hey, Julie.
Hi.
This is Sara.
Oh.
You having fun? Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Huh, I'm gonna (glasses clink) Does the Supreme Court have a policy on convicted murderers? What were you thinking? Bar hopping with your boyfriend weeks before you confirmation hearing? Did you honestly think nobody would find out? You think this has been easy? I have been trapped for years, unable to live my life and to be who I am.
You ever been to West Hollywood? Great food, rent control.
You're the one who made the choice to pretend to be something you're not.
Oh, that's what this is all about, isn't it? It's because I'm gay, and that disgusts you.
I don't care if you do it with farm animals.
You killed your wife, Bennett, to protect your image.
That disgusts me.
(car horn honking) (tires squealing) Julie? (police siren blaring) (cell phone rings) Hey, Jules, I just got home.
Wondered if you had dinner.
Uh, you'll probably be back home soon so I'll just wait a bit.
I love you.
Especially a kid as great as you.
JULIE: I know you're worried about Wayne Calison He's a serial killer.
I found a guy to take over guarding Julie.
Is he good? He specializes in young women with stalker problems.
I know this is a tough adjustment.
Until I can talk my dad off the ledge, I have to put up with you.
At least come in and let me make you some dinner.
You hired him.
(footsteps approaching) (elevator bell dings) (screaming) Yours is almost done.
Mmm, smells good.
I should have had you move in years ago.
Hey, make that portable, will you? Sure.
You around tonight? Thought we could grab some Thai food.
Actually, I'm going to a concert at the Troubadour.
Neil's taking me.
Oh, speaking of which, I talked to Neil last night.
Enough time has passed since the Calison case.
I don't think you need a bodyguard anymore.
Just like that? I thought you hated having him around.
Oh, when did I say that? You called him the "manny," Jules.
You want him to stay on? No, I didn't say that; I just I'm surprised, that's all.
Just thought it was time for things to get back to normal around here.
Have a good day.
I'm at LAX and yet I'm not heading to Vegas.
White female, mid-30s, stabbed at her car.
Apparent robbery gone bad.
If I catch Southwest 103, I could be at the Palms by noon.
ISAAC: Victim's wallet and I.
D.
were stolen.
I sure hope not.
RAINA: Is that? Judge Andrew Bennett.
Man, I should've gone to Vegas.
STARK: That's Sam Harris, the top D.
C.
spin doctor.
He's shepherding Bennett's confirmation to the Federal Court of Appeals.
Guy's a magician.
You should hire him to fix your public image.
Nobody's that good.
Stark.
What the hell are you doing here? Sir, I'm very sorry for your loss.
You can save your sorrow! Just find the animal who killed my wife! Your Honor No, no, no.
Sam, Sam It's probably one of your ex-clients.
HARRIS: Your Honor, let's go.
Come on.
I take it you two know each other? Well, Bennett's just right of Pat Robertson, and he's not shy about using the bench as a pulpit.
He's held me in contempt seven times.
Tried to have me disbarred twice.
And I suppose you were an innocent victim.
Well, there was that petition I circulated demanding his impeachment from the bench.
Is there anyone in this town you haven't pissed off? Yeah.
The guy who killed Karen Bennett.
He's next on my list.
Bennett and his wife were married for just over two years with no kids.
Talked to friends and relatives, everyone says they're the perfect couple.
Bennett's a star.
He wants to be the next Scalia, and he's hired the A-Team to get him there.
Harris is the best; prepped Roberts to the Supreme Court.
My dad's a client.
What have we got? RAINA: Robbery-homicide, jewelry and wallet was stolen.
M.
E.
places the time of death around 11:30 p.
m.
Karen Bennett was catching a late flight to SFO for an education conference.
She was a teacher? She ran a literacy foundation; supplied books to low-income kids.
Oh, softened his image-- the perfect wife.
(chuckles) This guy's good.
Forensics? CASEY: Stab wounds indicate some kind of Do we know if Bennett owns one? Are we actually considering Bennett a suspect? Is this your first day? Whenever we have a dead wife, the husband is always a suspect.
Check Bennett's statement.
Track his whereabouts in the hours before and after the wife's murder.
You go through Bennett's cases.
Check if any defendant with a grudge was released recently.
You think this is retaliatory? Defense attorneys call this guy the Terminator.
He maxes out defendants in the name of family values.
I'm sure his holier-than-thou shtick has earned him an enemy or two.
Including you? Are you suggesting I'd go after Bennett out of revenge? Hmm, give me a second.
Yeah.
That hurts me deeply.
I'm going after Bennett because it's my job.
If he happens to be guilty, that's an added bonus.
Sam Harris.
The judge is still in court.
Back to work so soon.
He has a deep commitment to the law.
How's his commitment to his wife? (chuckles) That's very funny.
How's the investigation going? We're checking every angle.
Anything off of the credit card hits? His Honor's friends at the LAPD told us that purchases were made in Inglewood using Karen's stolen credit cards.
Guess you missed that angle.
Hey, you know this power player routine you're doing? Save it for somebody who gives a crap.
Has there been a development in the case? STARK:?? But I was hoping to ask you some questions, Your Honor.
Before I do, I want to apologize?? I was distraught, I'm sorry.
No apology necessary, sir.
Do you know of anyone who might have held a grudge against you or your wife? Karen dedicated her life to helping children.
Everyone loved her.
And as for me, well, you've been to my courtroom.
I believe those unable to live by society's rules must be punished.
An eye for an eye.
Exactly.
I guess that's why they say nustice is blind.
BENNETT: That file contains every threat against me since phone calls to my home and office,letters, mostly from convicted defendants.
This may be a little delicate.
What was the state of your marriage? HARRIS: Excuse me.
Is Judge Bennett a suspect in this investigation? BENNETT: It's fine, Sam.
The sooner Mr.
Stark clears me, the sooner he can find Karen's killer.
Were you ever unfaithful? No.
How about your wife? Karen and I pledged an oath before God to honor one another.
We both cherished that oath.
I love my wife with all my heart.
I know you and I have had ?? and you are the last person on earth?? but please, Mr.
Stark, please find the person who killed my wife.
I ran a list of threats Bennett gave Stark.
This is the only rece with a violent history.
Frankie Peña.
Seven years in Folsom for manslaughter.
Beat a guy to death with a tire iron.
Nice.
(knocking) DA's Office! We have some questions! (door slams) (sighs) He's running.
(tires screech) I didn't do nothing! That's why you're just taking a stroll.
Wait, that's not him.
What? Daniel Vargas? What are you running for? Look, I just got out two weeks ago, and I'm not looking for trouble.
Where's Frankie Peña? How should I know? You were in his place.
Frankie's my cousin.
He's letting me crash there till I get it together.
Do you know where Frankie was two nights ago, around 11:00 p.
m.
? He drove me to my N.
A.
meeting.
What, then he took off? No.
Frankie stays.
Makes sure I don't bail on my meetings.
He told me if he ever catches me using again, he'd kick my ass.
Cons helping cons.
That's special.
(wry laugh) Dueling crime boards? Frankie Peña-- convicted of manslaughter, history of threats against Judge Bennett.
Last seen the night of Karen Bennett's murder.
?? Fine, but until we find him, thank you.
Does Bennett have an alibi? MADELEINE: He was supposed to be at a Bar Association dinner but he left at 11:00, after getting a call to sign an emergency warrant.
Night receptionist logged him in at ten to 12:00.
An hour to get across town? It's close, but he could have made it to LAX, killed his wife, and back to the courthouse in time to sign the warrant.
The plot thickens.
Dumped the GPS in Karen Bennett's car.
Addresses are mostly stores, but there's an entry for a downtown office building.
Anything we could use? Checked her address bookagainst the names in the building, came up with a match: Rob DeMato.
The divorce lawyer? I keep him on permanent retainer.
If their marriage was so perfect Then why is his wife meeting with DeMato? Only one way to find out.
I assume you guys have heard of attorney-client privilege.
This is a murder investigation.
Thought you might want to help out.
I'm sorry, I can't.
CASEY: We know you met with Karen Bennett.
We think her husband may have found out.
You're looking at Andrew Bennett for this? Should we be? Karen came in about a month ago.
Said she was leaving her husband.
She say why? California's a no-fault state.
Why doesn't matter.
Karen hadn't signed a prenup.
I warned her there might be some issues.
A divorce without a custody battle sounds pretty straightforward.
Not if your soon-to-be ex is a powerful judge with plenty of friends on the bench.
Is that why she didn't file? Couldn't say-- she never came back.
Do you think they reconciled? Love's a funny thing.
You're charging Judge Bennett? Where'd you hear that? CNN.
Oh.
Someone leaked the fact that Bennett's a suspect in his wife's murder; my money's on you.
Now, why would I do that? Oh, I don't know.
'Cause you hate the man with every fiber of your being? Yeah, but outing him as a suspect and having him lawyer up hurts my case.
You know my motto: Winning first, revenge a close second.
Bennett is a very popular guy.
Yeah, right.
People don't like Bennett, they fear him.
Same difference.
He knows everyone in this city.
He will bring the wrath of God down on you.
Well, if he killed his wife, I'm willing to bet God will be on my side.
Bennett is a judge, Sebastian.
You can't afford to get this one wrong.
You know, last time I looked, my office door said "High-Profile Crime Unit.
" I don't have the luxury of getting anything wrong, Jess.
Which is where my god-like perfection comes in handy.
So unless one of those civil servant hacks that you laughingly call a prosecutor has suddenly grown a brain, and some balls, kindly take a giant step back.
So I can assume you've got this covered.
Yeah.
Who died? Judge Lindstrom won't hear our request for a search warrant for Bennett's car.
That's probably because he and Bennett went to law school together.
I didn't know that.
You should have that put on a T-shirt.
Hey, forget it.
You think any judge in this town is going to help us go after Bennett? Well, if we're going to check him out, we need a warrant.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
What kind of car does Bennett drive? Black Cadillac STS.
Okay, pull this month's police reports on all unsolved drive-bys, hit-and-runs, and see if any of them involve a black Caddy.
This is the part where we get disbarred, isn't it? STARK (on phone): Did you find Bennett? I'm right behind him.
A car matching Bennett's was involved in a drug buy in Hawthorne two weeks ago.
Cops never caught the guy.
Did you call your friends in Narcotics? We're ready to roll.
Enjoy your lunch, Judge Bennett.
Thank you.
I'll handle this.
Hey.
Anything? Car looks clean except for this.
What is it? Some kind of oil.
I scraped it off the floorboard.
He could have picked it up at the airport parking structure.
But check this out.
Now you see how this spot's lighter than the rest of the carpet? Yeah.
Bennett must have scrubbed it clean.
Recently? Couple days,maybe a week.
Might've been trying to get rid of that oil.
Let's run a luminal test.
That's a lot of blood.
The judge definitely didn't cut himself shaving.
No, but he may have just cut his own throat.
You're absolutely positive? All right.
Blood type in Bennett's car matches his wife's.
I am gonna love this.
We are in the middle of a trial.
Not anymore.
Andrew Bennett, you are under arrest for the murder of your wife.
?? ??a sitting judge in the middle of a trial? I ban't tell you how long I have dreamed of doing that.
Yeah, I've got to admit it's crossed my mind a few times.
Was it amazing? Take the best sex you've ever had, add in a royal flush.
All right, still, you humiliated the man.
Guys like Bennett think they're untouchable, so I reached out and touched him.
Yeah, and in the process, alienated every judge in this building.
We've already had six no-brainer motions denied this morning.
We can't buy a continuance.
Screw 'em if they can't take a joke.
No, the point is,you wanted a war, you got one.
Good.
Your Honor, defense moves that all evidence found in the illegal search of my client's car be ruled inadmissible.
On what grounds? No search warrant was granted.
No warrant was necessary.
The car in question was seized after being implicated in a drug-trafficking The connection to which Mr.
Stark completely fabricated.
Well, tell that to the diligent officers of LAPD.
I will allow the search, but I'd better not find out that you were involved, (scoffs) As to the matter of bail? We're talking about murder one.
My client is a highly respected jurist and poses little risk of flight.
Judge Bennett personally denied bail in dozens of cases,just like this.
Are we not all equal under the law? Suddenly you're a man of the people.
Enough.
The bail is set at $200,000.
For capital murder? That's a joke.
The defendant is an upstanding member of this community, Mr.
Stark.
You'd do well to remember that.
Your Honor.
Thank you.
Bennett's a choir boy.
I'm going to squash you like a bug.
Dream on.
You change your hair? Loser buys dinner? Sounds unethical.
You're on.
Hmm.
This is a personal vendetta, Stark.
And you know when this trial's over and I'm exonerated, I'm going to return the favor.
I'm going to make your life a living hell.
Well, thanks, but I've already been married.
That's what Elvis said to the Beatles.
Next thing you know, he's playing Vegas in a sequined jumpsuit.
Go figure.
No eyewitness, no murder weapon, no motive.
It's two days until the trial,and all we've got is a Cadillac with a bleach stain.
We've got Karen Bennett's blood in her husband's car.
We have got blood matching her type.
DNA came back inconclusive.
The sample was too degraded for a positive ID.
Isaac did say we got nothing from the search at Bennett's house.
Uh-huh.
Fun never stops.
Hey.
Looked into Bennett's bank records.
He used an ATM in Torrance a dozen times in the last three months.
Torrance is way out of the judge's zip code.
Maybe he was meeting someone.
Let's find out.
You lost? We're from the DA's Office.
You seen this guy? Nope.
He's used the ATM here a dozen times.
Lots of people do.
Well, we could ask your customers instead.
Look, no one's going to talk to you.
It's not how this place works.
We're investigating a murder.
How'd you like to see how jail works? Comes in once a week, usually meets a friend.
This friend got a name? He's a younger guy.
I think his name is Rob.
He's a lawyer.
Italian, last name DeMato? That's it.
Are you sure he's never met anyone else here? A woman? Like I said, that's not how this place works.
Let's go.
Thank you so much for taking me to that concert.
That's the fourth time you've thanked me.
It's fine.
Yeah, I just know that Jo-Jo probably isn't really high on your download list.
It was fun.
I should get going.
I can't believe Thursday's your last day.
I'm sure you're happy to get rid of me.
Just come hungry.
I'm making you a good-bye dinner.
You don't have to do that.
I want to.
Okay.
It's a date.
You were never Karen Bennett'sattorney, were you? I told you what I knew.
You just left out one small detail: that Andrew Bennett's gay and you were having an affair with him.
My personal life is none of your business.
Bennett built his career crusading against gay rights.
Politics weren't a big topic of discussion between me and Andrew.
Look, neither one of us flaunted our sexuality.
Andrew referred a lot of clients my way.
The kind of people who would not hire a gay attorney.
And how do you think those clients will react when they find out that your favorite bar is called The Nuts and Bolts? You can threaten me all you want, but there is no way that Andrew could have done this.
We found Karen's blood in his car.
A woman is dead.
Why are you covering for her killer? A month ago Andrew called me and said that he couldn't meet me.
He said that Karen had found out about our affair.
A few days later, she showed up at my office screaming.
Saying she was going to tell everybody about Andrew and me.
?? What did you do? I called Andrew.
Gay? Gay.
I could kiss you so hard on the mouth right now.
Rain check.
Karen Bennett threatened to go public, tell everyone her husband's sleeping with a man.
Which probably would not have gone over very well with his gay-bashing supporters.
How do you spell motive? Bennett couldn't let this get out on the eve of his confirmation to the Federal Court So he kills his wife to keep her quiet.
So much for family values.
DEVLIN: Oh, good morning.
'Morning.
'Morning.
I just got a call from Assistant Attorney General Rogers vouching for Bennett's character.
So? So Bennett is a card-carrying member of the old boy's club.
(laughing): You have no idea.
Meaning? Meaning Bennett didn't exactly practice what he preached.
He's gay, Jess.
No, way.
Way.
Gay? My client's sexual preference has nothing to do with this case.
These things have a way of getting out.
So do defamation suits.
DEVLIN: We're not here to make threats, we're here to make a deal.
15 years for murder one.
Judge Bennett is one of the most respected public servants in this city.
With his dead wife's blood on his hands, and a lover named Rob, waiting in the wings to testify.
How do you think that's going to play at your confirmation hearing? Well, the blood evidence is ambiguous, and if you had a decent case, you wouldn't be sitting here right now.
If your client wasn't prepared to plead to a lesser crime, why'd you To give you this.
A motion to dismiss? I hate to break it to you, I've never laid down a winning hand in my life.
Why would I start now? The Cal Trans road crew found the knife that killed Karen Bennett, on the side of the 10 Freeway.
LAPD matched the prints to those of Frankie Peña, the felon who repeatedly threatened to kill the Bennetts.
I enjoyed watching both of you attempt to coerce a plea from an innocent defendant, and I'm sure the State Bar will find it equally fascinating.
See you in court, Counselor.
?? ?? ??all charges be dropped immediately.
Your Honor, this motion is premature.
A murder weapon has been found with prints on it, matching an ex-convict who repeatedly made threats against my client and the deceased, his wife.
The People request a week to analyze this new evidence, Your Honor.
You've got 48 hours to demonstrate why the charges shouldn't be dropped.
We're done.
I know this great little seafood joint down in the marina-- casual, romantic.
Sounds good.
Don't forget your credit card.
HARRIS (on TV): Andrew Bennett is innocent of this terrible crime.
Now we're here today to appeal to the public to help us find the man responsible, a violent criminal who has made repeated threats against the Bennett family.
He's discussing evidence in an ongoing trial.
He's not on Bennett's legal team.
He can say whatever he wants.
I say we fight back, play the gay card.
What, you think outing the judge is gonna score points with the jury? Why not? It establishes motive for Bennett to kill his wife, and with our largely conservative jury,homophobia works for us.
Charming, Madeleine.
This entire case is an attack on the personal life of Andrew Benn Mr.
Bennett did not murder his wife.
His only transgression was having an extramarital affair with another man.
Bennett just outed himself on live television.
That's a pretty desperate move for an innocent man.
Maybe not.
The murder weapon was found with Karen Bennett's blood and Peña's prints all over it, and Peña is on record threatening her.
Peña was a free man.
Why would he risk going back to prison to kill Karen Bennett? I'll tell you why.
Two weeks ago, one Danny Vargas, Peña's cousin, was paroled early.
Anyone care to guess why? Because before his hearing, the parole board received a glowing letter of recommendation from none other than Judge Andrew Bennett.
The cousin is the connection between Bennett and Peña.
You've got it.
Judge Bennett hired Peña to kill his wife.
MADELEINE: I checked into Bennett's accounts.
No major withdrawals were made in the last six months.
That's because Bennett didn't pay Peña off with money.
?? I want Vargas in here, and I want him in here now.
You lied to us, Danny, and I don't like being lied to.
Peña dropped you off at your NA meeting the night of the murder, but he didn't stick around like you said, did he? No.
Where'd he go? I don't know.
You're a damn liar.
I swear.
I never?? Then why'd you lie about the NA meeting? I was just looking out for Frankie the way he always looks out for me.
Like getting you paroled early? Oh, you didn't think we knew about that, did you? ?? I had nothing to do with it.
?? I don't know.
Charge him as an accessory to murder.
No, no, wait.
Before he left, he said he was gonna shake down som?? Like blackmail.
Guy like Peña disappears? A record, no money? Yeah, the chances are, he's not poolside in Cabo.
We need to recheck the evidence from Bennett's car.
that's not Karen Bennett's blood after all.
(knocking at door) Let me guess.
Casting call for Beauty and the Geek? He wishes.
So badly.
We just finished analyzing the oil residue found in Bennett's car.
It's fascinating.
You find oil residue fascinating? It's crude oil-- the kind you pump?? The only active oil field in greater L.
A.
-- Stocker Hill.
Well, gold stars all around.
Get an S.
I.
D.
team out here right away.
I got a feeling we're about to strike it rich.
?? You look great.
Thanks.
Um, dinner's not quite ready yet.
Can I get you something to drink? Oh, no.
I'm good.
This looks amazing.
A little too much Martha Stewart Living.
Thing is I got a new job today.
Working for a diplomat.
Wow.
That was fast.
Yeah, I know.
Problem is they need me to start tonight.
Oh.
I'm really sorry.
No.
It's okay.
I get it.
It's work.
Look let me make it up Really, it's okay.
No, it's not.
Some friends of mine are having a party tomorrow night.
I was gonna stop by early before work.
Lots of fun people.
Want to meet me there? Okay.
RAINA: It's a strange place to meet someone.
Not if you don't want to be found.
It's cold out here.
We've got a body.
Looks like we found Frankie Peña.
I'm afraid I can't talk to you without Counsel present.
Oh, right.
I forgot.
You always play by the rules.
And you always break them.
Only when they get in the way.
We found Peña.
Shot in the chest up on Stocker Hill.
Well, I can't say I'm sorry to hear it.
We're running ballistics, but you and I both know the bullet came from your gun.
Still time to settle, avoid the death penalty.
Well, that's the difference between us, Stark.
I believe in the system.
Why not confess? Throw yourself on the mercy of the court.
Well, you know I've never been a big proponent of mercy.
(laughs) Besides, I'm very confident that in the end, the truth will come out.
And the truth will set you free, right? Don't bet on it.
Karen Bennett was a devoted wife.
She loved her husband, and she trusted him.
Now, when Karen found out that her husband was having an affair, she realized that he was a liar.
When she found out that that affair was with anotheran, she understood that her husband-- an avid proponent of family values and the sanctity of marriage-- was also a hypocrite.
?? But Andrew Bennett knew that if his lifestyle-- and more importantly, his blatant hypocrisy-- were ever to become public, he could kiss his judicial career good-bye.
And that's when he decided to hire Frankie Peña to murder his wife.
But Andrew Bennett's a smart guy.
He knew that Frankie Peña was the only link between him and the murder of his wife.
And so, what did he do? He killed Peña, too.
For his entire career, Judge Andrew Bennett pretended to represent justice.
Teach him the meaning of that word.
Every piece of evidence in the murder of Karen Bennett directly links Frankie Peña to the crime.
Not my client.
Mr.
Peña was a violent criminal, and his death was the dire result of the dangerous life that he chose to lead.
And as far as the murder of Karen Bennett, my client had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Judge Andrew Bennett is a fine public servant, and he is a grieving husband, and he is a victim.
Detective, did you supervise ballistics on the bullet that killed Frankie Peña? Yes.
One .
38 caliber slug to the chest.
And were you able to trace that bullet to a particular weapon? Yes.
It belonged to a handgun registered to Judge Andrew Bennett.
Thank you.
No questions, Your Honor.
Your Honor, I'd like to call Andrew Bennett to the stand.
(crowd murmur) I don't understand.
What's she doing? She's desperate.
Maybe not.
Bennett definitely knows his way around a jury.
Sebastian's gonna rip his head off.
JUDGE CAVANAUGH: Quiet down, please.
Had Frankie Peña threatened you in the past? He wrote letters to me while he was in prison.
When he was paroled, he called my home and office.
I tried reasoning with him.
He wouldn't listen.
He threatened to kill me and my wife.
Tell us what happened the night that your wife was murdered.
ANDREW: I tried calling Karen for hours, and it wasn't like her to not answer.
Um, I knew right away something was wrong.
What did you do? I went to see Frankie Peña.
You went to his home? ANDREW: I've been threatened many times, but Peña was the only one who had ever threatened Karen.
What happened next? I waited outside Peña's house, and when he arrived, I confronted him.
You brought a gun? Yes.
Did you intend to kill Frankie Peña? No.
I only wanted to get him to tell me where Karen was.
I prayed that she was still alive.
And wh happened next? Peña told me that he had followed Karen to the airport.
He waited by her car.
He stabbed her.
?? I know how difficult this is, but please, tell us what happened next.
I told Peña that I was calling the police.
That I was going to make sure that he spent the rest of his life in jail.
But you never made that call, did you? No, I never got the chance.
Peña attacked me.
I was afraid he was going to kill me like he he had killed Karen.
And that's that's when I shot him.
(Andrew sighs) I know.
I should have gone to the police, but this man-- he had already taken so much from me.
(sighs) He destroyed my life.
(reporters clamoring) No comment.
I have no comment.
Thank you.
Bennett knows that he is sunk on the Pena murder, so he cops to it.
He spins it to make himself look like a hero in the process.
So what about cross? Did you see that jury? They are gonna acquit Bennett of the murder of his wife.
They're gonna give him a slap on the wrist for killing Peña.
Hate to tell you guys,but it we can't prove that Bennett hired Peña to kill his wife, this guy is literally gonna get away with murder.
Andrew Bennett is extremely anxious to put this painful ordeal behind him.
He has dedicated his life to serving justice, and would like nothing more?? How stoned is this guy, thinking he can save Bennett's nomination? Hey, if Bennett walks, Harris is gonna make it look like he can walk on water.
You think Harris knew the whole time that Bennett's gay? A guy as good as Harris-- nothing gets by him.
Where did they find the knife that killed Karen Bennett? Side of the 10 Freeway by Crenshaw.
For a seasoned criminal Peña sure picked a lame place to dump a weapon.
That's because Peña didn't dump the weapon.
You think it was Bennett? No.
The knife was found after Bennett was arrested.
So, if it had been there before, Cal Trans would have found it, right? It was Harris.
(laughs): You need something fixed, call a fixer.
Okay, we're due back in an hour.
I need you guys to stall Judge Cavanaugh.
Your dad is a client of Harris's, right? Yeah.
Okay.
We're gonna put that pretty face of yours to work.
So your dad's really looking for a legislative aide? Yeah, but it is tough to find good people.
I would kill to work in Sacramento.
I know he'll really appreciate you helping me out.
I'm not supposed to let anyone in Mr.
Harris's office.
Come on, it'll just take a minute.
My dad said it's really important.
Well, it is for a client.
Just hurry.
Mr.
Harris is gonna be back from court pretty soon.
Why don't you go grab your resume.
Yes.
Sebastian, hey.
Harris has been on the Caltrans Web site.
He's got maps of the 10 at Crenshaw in his recent searches.
Here you go.
I can interview anytime.
You're gonna love Sacramento.
(indistinct chatter) Julie.
Hey.
Guys, guys, this is Julie.
?? There's someone I want you to meet.
Yeah, no problem.
Okay.
Be back.
I'm charging you with conspiracy to commit murder.
Based on a couple of Google maps?Good luck.
Maps from your computer.
Same work schedules of the road crew that found the murder weapon.
Peña didn't ditch that knife on the side of the freeway, you did.
The judge will never let this stuff in.
Maybe.
But I've got an insurance policy.
When LAPD or Narcotics searched Bennett's car, they found blood and oil residue.
They also found hair follicles.
?? Intriguing.
Except I've been in Bennett's car dozens of times Right.
But all the jury's gonna hear is Mr.
Harris's DNA was found at the crime scene.
Fifty people saw me at a client's party during Karen Bennett's murder.
But not during Peña's.
When I present evidence that you were with Bennett the night Peña died, his self-defense theory's shot.
Which makes it your word against Judge Andrew Bennett's.
You saw him play the jury today.
Who do you think they're gonna believe? (laughing) Come on.
Yeah.
Come on!Even you wouldn't do something this unethical.
Wouldn't even crack my top ten.
Bennett thought that if his homosexuality became public he'd be ruined.
And that's when he called me in.
I don't even think his wife knew.
But she did find out.
Yeah, that's when he hired Frankie Peña to kill her.
Objection! Assumes facts, not in evidence.
Overruled.
Uh, would you describe for the jury this murder-for-hire plot? Sure.
About a nth ago Bennett introduced me to a man named John Chavez.
Bennett told me that he was a reformed drug dealer that he put away years ago.
You know, someone that we would parade in front of the cameras during the confirmation process.
To soften his image for the Liberals.
Exactly.
Day after Karen was murdered, Bennett came to me, told me that he killed Frankie Peña in self-defense.
And that he needed my help.
So you helped him out, why? I just didn't think he deserved to go to jail for what he did.
You know, if somebody murdered my wife I would definitely do the same thing.
So you dumped the knife that Peña used to kill Karen Bennett.
Bennett knew the Caltran schedules from community service sentences.
He told me to dump the knife where it was sure to be found.
Why didn't you say anything before now? Because I thought I was helping an innocent man.
Then I saw photos of Frankie Peña in the newspaper.
It was the same man that Bennett had introduced to me as John Chavez.
That's when I knew?? No more questions.
I want the brief on my desk So, I'm thinking Northern Italian in Beverly Hills.
Calamari, a little osso bucco.
Screw you.
In that case,we need a couple bottles of Chianti as well.
And a little blue pill.
Not for you, Counselor.
?? ??Getting Harris to turn on his own client.
How'd you do it? I threatened to use his DNA to frame him for Peña's murder.
And he actually thought you'd do it? Oh.
Right.
??Donovan? There you are.
Hey, Julie.
Hi.
This is Sara.
Oh.
You having fun? Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Huh, I'm gonna (glasses clink) Does the Supreme Court have a policy on convicted murderers? What were you thinking? Bar hopping with your boyfriend weeks before you confirmation hearing? Did you honestly think nobody would find out? You think this has been easy? I have been trapped for years, unable to live my life and to be who I am.
You ever been to West Hollywood? Great food, rent control.
You're the one who made the choice to pretend to be something you're not.
Oh, that's what this is all about, isn't it? It's because I'm gay, and that disgusts you.
I don't care if you do it with farm animals.
You killed your wife, Bennett, to protect your image.
That disgusts me.
(car horn honking) (tires squealing) Julie? (police siren blaring) (cell phone rings) Hey, Jules, I just got home.
Wondered if you had dinner.
Uh, you'll probably be back home soon so I'll just wait a bit.
I love you.