The Guardian (2001) s01e18 Episode Script

Young Mr.
fallin.
Judge Stanton.
Good morning.
You live around here? Yeah, just around the corner.
Oh.
Me, too.
Number 27.
We're neighbors.
Heh heh! Look, I've been meaning to, uh, call you.
Oh, is there something wrong? No, no, no, no.
Um, as you know, I've been appointed to the federal bench.
Yes, I heard.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
So your case is being taken over by judge handley.
Oh! Whoa! Down boy! Bart, down! You, uh, do you like dogs? No.
Nicholas, why don't you send the dry cleaning bill-- no, no, no.
It's no problem.
Uh, Nick I'm really glad things are going well for you.
I'm glad for you and your dad.
Yeah.
Come on, boy.
Ted, just sit down here for a minute, ok? Hey, Laurie.
Damn, you look great.
What's up? I had to speak at a fund-raising breakfast at the William penn.
I just picked up this kid who's here for a delinquency hearing, and I'm pressed for time.
Is it ok if we interview him together? Yeah, no problem.
Why don't you wait in my office? Ok.
Hey, Nick.
Good morning.
Uh, listen, uh I'm going to the You want to come? Oh, come on, Nick.
It's important.
Great, great.
We'll have lunch afterwards.
We'll talk about things.
Do I have an appointment with you? The receptionist told me to wait in here.
It's a very simple thing, really.
How can I help you, Ms.
, uh McGregor.
my daughter grace was coming home from school.
She got off at her stop and the bus driver closed the door and waved good-bye.
She got off at the stop, but she never made it home.
I looked all over the country for her.
I even went to Canada once.
I'm very sorry, Ms.
McGregor.
I just-- I just-- I don't understand why you're here.
A few years before she disappeared, Gracie and I were in a car accident.
A drunk driver ran a red light and hit us.
I wasn't hurt, but Gracie broke her arm and her leg.
Ok.
The driver's insurance company settled out with us for $95,000 in trust for grace.
Right.
So now you want the money? My husband died a few years back, and I've been making ends meet ever since then, but my landlord told me last week that he wants to sell my house.
The only way we can stay is if I buy it outright, and I can't get the money to do that.
UnUnless-- unless I Unless you have your daughter declared dead.
I don't want to do this, but I can't move.
When grace comes home, I've got to be there.
I am sentencing you to 1,500 hours of community service, using your skills as a corporate attorney to work as a child advocate.
I was watching this baseball game, right, and the announcer, he started talking about the confluence of these 3 great rivers, you know, and how the Indians, even they knew that it had special powers, so I decided I had to go out and see it for myself.
When did you do this? It was, uh Tuesday or Saturday.
Once I was here, I wanted to get a view for the rivers from different parts of the city, you know? So I took the 41-c bus across the rivers.
It was a beautiful ride.
But the glass, it-- it blocked the water.
That's why I had to break the window.
It says here that you hit a policeman.
I didn't want to get off the bus.
They're usually not so mean.
You've done this before? Only when he tells me to.
Who tells you to do this? Mr.
whisper.
He's kind of a spirit guide that I know.
Mr.
whisper? Right.
He He thought that the energy, you know, coming from the 3 rivers here would be relaxing to me.
I think he has a point.
Ted, do you ever hear voices of people who aren't there? They are there.
You just can't see them.
Have you ever talked to a psychiatrist? A psychiatrist? No way.
So you were in detention at the schuman center for 9 days? Yes.
And you never talked to one there? No, um It's not an asylum.
It's more like a detention home.
Yeah, grace McGregor was my case.
You know, in my line of work, it's always about a gut reaction, because most of the time when people are missing, they're back in a day or two, but the minute that lady walked in, I knew that kid was gone.
Any investigation? Well, it's still open, technically.
We chased down hundreds of leads.
The FBI is working with us, but we're not gonna find her.
This is the nightmare.
Missing little girl on her way home from school.
Suspects? Everyone.
Including Ms.
McGregor? No one just drops off the face of the earth.
You did investigate her? Yeah.
Responsible, no incidents in the past, no problems with drugs.
At one point, between us and the feds, we had We searched all of Western Pennsylvania.
We asked all the hard questions, butNothing.
Not a moment of hope in this one.
She wants to put this behind her? Yeah.
Ok.
I'll put out one last notice Worldwide And close it.
Ok.
Tell Janine--you tell her she's in my prayers.
Why isn't he at southwestern psych? I don't think he's ever been examined.
And this is a delinquency hearing? They're throwing the book at him.
Assault, battery, and interfering with a police action.
They probably looked in his file, saw all that petty crime, and decided "repeat offender.
" Ok.
Ok, I'll represent him.
Good.
I'm not a person who likes to face my problems head on.
Heh heh! I never have been.
You know? So, uh, about me sponsoring you, I-- I don't want you to hesitate.
Call day or night or drop by.
You got all my numbers, right? Yeah.
I, uh, I had some slips when I started out.
Heh! A lot of slips.
Alvin, we got drunk together about 3 months ago.
Yeah, well Yeah.
Uh, all I'm saying is you can tell me anything.
Thanks.
You know, I'm gonna have to skip lunch.
I got a lot of-- wait, I got you something.
Here.
Uh, a book.
Oh.
Sane and sober.
Well, thanks, thanks.
Hey, it's a good book.
Now, you understand that there is a statute that allows a judge to declare a person dead if that person has been missing for more than 7 years.
Now, in order for you to get the money, the corpus of the trust must become part of grace's estate, and then it will pass under the rules of intestacy to you.
It's in here.
We never even had a funeral.
So I'll see you tomorrow morning at the courthouse outside courtroom 201, Young Mr.
fallin.
Don't think I've just been walking my dog all day.
No, I'm sure you haven't.
My new hours are better.
So I see.
Hey, how are things at legal services? You know, I worked for legal aid.
I mean, it was the best 3 years of my working life.
I mean, I've been all over the system.
Private practice, not-for-profit, state judge, and now federal judge.
And the best part of the work? It's not about making the decisions.
It's about the people I've met along the way, the things they've shown me about this life.
Heh heh heh! He likes you.
Yeah, a little too much.
Yeah, well, Nicholas, your father is one of the best lawyers I've known, and when he talks to me about you, he tells me that you're he'll ever be.
He does? So what do you think, Nick? Do you think you're gonna be that good? Ms.
McGregor, this is Nicholas fallin.
I understand that you may have second thoughts about this, but I can't wait here any longer.
As soon as you get this message, call me back.
Your hearing's canceled.
Why? The police called Janine McGregor.
Her daughter grace was found alive in Holland.
The Dutch government put her on a flight back home early this morning.
Oh, Mr.
fallin, what brings you over? Well, I have some paperwork of yours to return.
Oh, yes, well, please come in, please.
I want you to meet grace.
I was just making some tea.
Would you like some? No, thank you.
Soda? Sure, please.
Here you go.
Thank you.
No, I'm fine, thank you.
She's been sleeping.
She's so exhausted.
I'm sure.
In a way, I have you to thank for this.
Me? Yes.
If you hadn't filed the paperwork, then the police would never have sent out that notice, and if that hadn't happened, then grace would never have come home to me.
Ms.
McGregor, a couple of things-- yes? By law, the FBI and the police can't investigate the veracity of a returned missing person unless the parent orders forensic tests, fingerprints, blood tests-- Mr.
fallin, I understand your concern, but this is grace.
I'm her mother.
I know my daughter.
Well, I just-- to make sure.
And there she is.
Grace.
Mr.
fallin, this is grace.
Grace-- oh, I don't know your first name.
Nick.
Grace.
It's amazing that you're back.
One more day, and you would've missed your own death.
I'm gonna go get something to eat, ma.
Ok, sweetheart.
I'm still so tired.
Yes, get something to eat, and then get some more sleep.
The bank wants some I.
D.
Before we can get the money.
They want an affi Affidavit.
It's just a statement to verify her identity.
Can you help me with that? Yeah, sure.
Thank you.
Your honor, since his initial arrest in march, Ted popper has been evicted from 4 group homes.
I don't see why we should be forced to gamble on a fifth.
He belongs in lockup.
Judge damsen, Ted does not need punishment.
He needs psychiatric treatment.
Which he will receive in juvenile detention.
May I put Ted on the stand? Ted, could you tell us why you walked out of your last group home? Mr.
whisper told me to, sir.
Can you tell us who Mr.
whisper is? He would be a water sprite, sir.
Who lives in your head? Yes, sir.
Thanks.
No further questions.
Ted, do you know what a police officer looks like? Uh Yes, sir.
He, uh He wears a brown or a blue uniform Sometimes a special hat, and, of course, a badge and a gun.
That's correct.
Ted, is it right or wrong to hit a police officer? It's wrong, sir.
It's very, very wrong.
No further questions.
Your honor, Ted may have problems, but he's absolutely culpable for the assault.
Judge damsen, the facts speak for themselves.
What's your recommendation, counselor? He should be in a mental health facility.
As a reward for hitting a cop? For testing.
We need the psychiatric record to commit him involuntarily.
Why can't he be examined in a detention center? Please do the examination before sending him there, your honor.
Ted popper shall be placed in another group home until an initial psychiatric exam can be arranged.
I interviewed her.
What's her story? She was kidnapped and taken to Europe of all places, part of a pedophile ring.
You believe her? She gave an incredibly detailed account of her kidnapping and repeated rape.
Look, I want to know if you believe her.
Janine McGregor believes she's her daughter.
That's all that matters here.
Janine McGregor wants to believe that grace is still alive.
We all agree that we're probably looking at fraud here.
Ok.
I mean, it's happened before.
Someone gets ahold of a missing person report and impersonates the disappeared.
Can't you force them to give fingerprints or blood tests? Legally, no, not unless we think the girl's gonna commit a future crime.
Then we can get a court order for the tests.
Stealing $95,000 from a desperate mother isn't a future crime? She hasn't done that.
Not yet.
G-good dog, good dog.
What are you doing here? Come on.
Come on.
G-good boy.
Good boy.
Judge Stanton, this is Nicholas fallin.
I found your dog Bart on the street.
I'm gonna tie him to the front rail of your house.
Just, um UmYeah, call me when you get this message at my office.
Ok, now you stay there.
Stay there! Stay there.
Dad, I just need a couple signatures.
Rick Stanton was Walking his dog this morning.
He had a heart attack.
He's in critical condition.
They don't think he's gonna make it.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Good dog, good.
Ok, we're gonna go now.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
Good.
Good dog.
Listen, no one comes in here ever, ok, so you behave yourself.
Don't go on the furniture.
No furniture.
That's good.
Uh I'm gonna get someone to bring you some food and some water, and then we'll find a place for you to live.
Ok? Good dog.
Ok.
Don't go potty.
The notary is on the way.
Once you sign this, the bank will accept grace as your daughter and free the funds.
Thank you.
Are you sure you want to do this? I've heard what some people say about grace coming home.
But, Mr.
fallin, even if it's just for the money, it got her back here.
And you're certain she's your daughter? She's my Gracie.
She is.
Hello, sweetheart.
Did you get some sleep? Yeah, mom.
I was just making some tea.
Do you want some? Sure.
Yeah.
So you were in Amsterdam.
That must have been terrible.
Where'd you live in Amsterdam? I lived a lot of places.
Usually they had me locked up in hotel rooms.
But I lived all over Europe.
If you need to know.
You know, I, uh-- I visited the doctor that treated you after your car accident.
He has a nice set of x-rays.
He said that you can always see where a bone was fractured.
Even 9 years later.
And when the notary gets here, before you sign this document, he's gonna have to fingerprint you.
And they're gonna run those fingerprints-- get out! Ms.
McGregor-- get out of my house! Ms.
McGregor, I'm sorry-- she's suffered enough.
Get out! Ok.
Ted popper just got kicked out of another group home.
We have to get over to court.
There's an emergency shelter hearing.
What happened? He was sitting in the corner of his room with a towel over his head.
One of the counselors tried to make him take it off.
And? He hit him.
He broke his nose.
What about the mother? I finally got hold of her.
And? She's coming in, but she doesn't want her son back.
I'm sorry, Mr.
fallin, for yelling.
I'm sorry.
It's ok.
I know you were just being cautious.
What can I help you with? Um, it's about grace's trust.
They're giving us some problems.
They, uh, they don't want to give us the money.
Just come in here.
Take a seat.
Thank you.
Their legal obligation is to grace.
Because she's missing, they're legally obliged to investigate.
But I thought that's what the affidavit was for.
No, that's just your word.
And that would be enough if the circumstances weren't so suspicious.
But this form says that they need a heel print for grace.
But she has the same birthmark and the same scars.
Well, the bank might be thinking that you can tattoo those marks on your body.
Why would she do that? Ms.
McGregor You You listed all of those features on her missing persons report.
You published that information all over the world.
Ask her for the heel print.
If she's your daughter Then it shouldn't be a problem.
Burton.
Hey, Rick.
How are you feeling? Oh, my son, uh, wanted me to tell you that he found your dog.
And he wants to know what we should do with him.
Feed him twice a day.
Lots of exercise.
I don't think he meant, uh I'll tell him.
I, um I just came by, wanted to, uh Tell you thank you for what you did for Nick.
Burton.
Anyone else would have thrown the book at him.
I know that.
But I don't know whether you just saw something in him or whether you were just, um Trying to do a favor for a friend, or-- I didn't do him any favors.
Nick doesn't respond real well to authority.
I don't know whether you knew that or not, but I do know that if you'd come down with a Different sentence He may have fallen apart.
Burton You're a good man.
Thanks.
You're a great lawyer.
But you could do more.
Excuse me? You could do more.
Ms.
popper, would you consider putting Ted in a psychiatric facility? He isn't crazy.
He's damaged.
Damaged? His stepdad, when he was a boy, did some terrible things to him.
He's been strange ever since.
Ms.
popper, he hears voices.
I know.
Because of that, I don't think he should be in a place where that kind of behavior's allowed.
Once he's in a mental home, he'll get used to acting like that.
At least on the outside, he knows it's not right.
What do you think they're gonna do to him in a psychiatric facility? They won't treat him like a normal person.
That's the point.
Plus, they'll keep him as long as they want.
Until he's better.
Well, that could mean forever.
I have no further questions, your honor.
Your honor, I request for the second time that Mr.
popper be given a full psychiatric examination before we make any recommendation.
You have to consider the well-being of the other children in a group home.
So you want to hand it off to the delinquency system and they'll hand it off to corrections.
And at the end of the day, you'll take this kid, who we all know needs treatment, and punish him.
Your honor, we have to make a choice from the available lawful options.
If Ted gets into a delinquency facility, it will take weeks or months for him to get out.
Then he'll have to go through a whole other round of hearings before he gets help.
Your honor, we see hundreds of kids like this every year.
And what is our solution? Punishment? Definitely.
Treatment? Only if it's convenient.
We cannot commit Ted without a psychiatric record or parental consent.
And he's already been rejected by the most restrictive shelter setting available.
I have no choice but to transfer him to a detention facility for juvenile offenders and make them aware of the suspicions that Mr.
popper suffers from a mental illness.
You want to surround a mentally ill kid who's probably been abused with molesters and drug dealers? No more than I want to subject children in an adolescent shelter to the outbursts of a violence-prone child! Laurie, wait.
Barry Cohen is the most stubborn, wrong-headed attorney in the entire system.
It's not his fault.
You saw it.
No, it's a law.
It's not the lawyers.
Oh, please.
No, it's the system, Laurie.
A child doesn't come into court unless he's committed a crime or if he's in need of shelter.
There is no place for a child with mental illness issues.
Do you want to do something about it? Me? What time do you get off work? I'll meet you at your office.
Tonight? Do you have something more important to do? All right.
That's it.
This reminds me of when you were a baby.
Well, the place looks different.
Yes, we took down all the pictures, all the clippings.
We took all of grace's old stuff from when she was a little girl and put it in the crawlspace.
It looks good.
Thank you.
I, um, I hope it works out for both of you.
I hope it works out.
Thank you, Mr.
fallin.
Good luck with the test.
Judge Stanton? Judge? Your dog's here.
Bart.
They, uh They let me bring him up here to see you.
Hey, Bart.
Hey, boy.
How are you? Mark, I know it's a little bit late and I apologize, but I'd really appreciate it if you'd call the mayor for us on this.
And maybe tomorrow you call Dale in the d.
A.
'S office.
We spoke to him earlier.
He was very receptive to the idea.
Yeah, Dale has a cousin with asperger's syndrome.
Hello? Right.
Kids who have mental illness issues are twice as likely to have drug problems.
We'll have briefing packets.
Hey, listen, I'm gonna fax you-- ok, mark.
Yeah.
Ah, thanks.
And please come to the meeting on Thursday.
Thanks.
Ahh.
Tim-- it's nearly 10:00, Laurie.
I don't think we should wake any more people up.
Did you hear councilwoman hisserich? She'd already heard.
Alvin, I think this issue is ripe.
You've done this before, haven't you? Yeah.
I phone banked for mcgovern, mondale, and Michael dukakis.
I chaired the Pittsburgh campaign for nuclear disarmament, and I worked for 2 years to raise funds to pass the equal rights amendment.
We are 0 for 5.
No, the e.
R.
A.
Passed in Pennsylvania.
That's right.
Uh Want to grab a bite to eat? I already ate.
Have a drink with you, though.
I'll tell you what.
You drink, I'll eat.
Ok.
Code blue, room 734.
Get that dog out of here.
Charge the paddles, 200.
- Clear! All right.
Up to 260.
- Clear! Lori, put one of these in each "in" box, please.
Hey.
How are you? Well I'm not getting off to a real good start today.
Yeah.
Probably the best friend I ever had.
Yeah.
I was lying awake this morning, thinking about, uh Everything.
I, uhI could hardly breathe.
I don't think I ever gave a lot of thought to the choices I made.
I'm not even real sure I've ever done anything worth a damn.
You built this place.
No, that's--that's just a firm, Nicholas.
That's a bunch of lawyers trying to make a profit.
That's-- no.
You help people.
WellI've been wondering about that.
Let me ask you something, Nick.
Did--hey, sit down.
Tell me this: When you do your work over there with Alvin Don't you feel a little, uh A little differently? How? How so? I've been watching you.
You're different.
You know what it's like? It's like you put More of your soul into it.
Not so much of your mind, but your soul.
I don't know.
No.
I've seen it, Nick.
And I think it's because you-- you have a sense that you're Being of service.
I realize you're being forced to do that, but, uh, I think that's what it is.
Of service.
I'm beginning to wonder if everybody ought to do that from time to time somewhere in their life.
Ms.
McGregor, the results from the heel test.
They're unopened.
We took a long walk today.
I told Gracie all the things I wanted to tell her.
How much I love her.
What it was like all those years that she was gone.
How we used to talk about when she would grow up and go to college, become a veterinarian and get married.
I could tell On the way home I could tell That Gracie didn't remember any of it.
Ok.
I'll call the police.
There she is.
Let her go.
They already have mental health courts in 5 other states.
It's not a new idea Just a good one.
We all know kids who fall through the cracks, kids who have died waiting for psychiatric treatment.
And we're just saying Frame the problem.
Study the existing solutions in other states, and then Figure out how to do it here in Pittsburgh.
We've been doing all the talking.
Anybody have any questions? What can we do to help make this a reality? Alvin, they believe in us.
People kept asking, "when's the first task force meeting?" Offering to do whatever they could to make it happen.
I'm cautiously optimistic.
Screw cautious.
Be recklessly optimistic just for once.
Yeah? Yeah.
Hello? Uh, yeah, congressman, uh Uh, sure, I have a moment.
Uh, of course I'm serious about this.
Sure, I am.
Uh, could you please hold on a second, congressman? Thank you.
See you tomorrow.
Where you going? Home.
I'll call you.
Ok.
Hey.
Come in.
So, you, uh Find a home for that dog yet? No, not yet.
Beautiful dog.
Yeah.
So, Nicholas What would you think if I stepped down from the firm? What? I'm thinking about the bench.
You want to be a judge? I don't know.
Hell, I'm getting too old to handle this pace here, and-- and I think there are a couple of people who could step up and take the ball.
I think you'd make an excellent judge.
Well, maybe I'm just thinking out loud.
Maybe I'm just Thinking out loud.
I'll see you tomorrow.
The facts are simple, your honor.
Grace McGregor was born January 16, 1984.
February 9, 1994, she got off her bus on west end road.
After that, she was not seen or heard from again.
By Pennsylvania law, her date of death should be February 9, 2001, her disappearance.
I hereby grant the petition and declare the date of death as February 9, 2001.
God bless you and your family.
Thank you, Mr.
fallin.
No, I didn't do anything.
Ted.
Ted? Ted.
It's Laurie and Alvin.
What happened to you, Ted? Some kids hit me.
They didn't like Mr.
whisper.
Can I go home now? Ted As soon as we can arrange it, a doctor's gonna come here and ask you some questions.
I don't want to talk to a doctor.
Listen to me, Ted.
He can help you get out of here.
He'll make a report, and as soon as that-- after that, I can go home? As soon as that happens, we can get you a facility where you can get the help you need.
I don't want that.
I want to go home.
I want to go home.
I want to go home.
I want to go home.
I want to go home.
I want to go home.
We already have a yellow lab at home.
She's 3 1/2 and a really good dog.
We've got 3 kids, all of them great with animals, and an acre of property.
Well, I'm sure Bart would be very happy with you.
He's a beautiful dog.
Ok, well, his tags are on his collar.
This is his leash.
Barbara, judge Stanton's secretary, has the number for the vet.
And they have Bart's papers and stuff.
Great.
Great.
Hey.
Hey, Bart.
How you doing? Ok, ok.
All right, yeah.
All right.
Uh, you may want to take this.
Oh, we're set for that.
But he really likes this one.
We've got plenty at home.
Come on, Bart.
Let's go.
Bye, Bart.
Yeah? Hey.
Funeral's tomorrow.
Ok.
Ok? Dad.
Come in.
I just wanted to say, uh About judge Stanton, uh, he-- oh, son.
Thank you.
I mean, really, thank you for that.
But it's, uh He was just a good man, you know? He was a good friend to us, certainly.
Well, have you met the new judge? Handley.
Not yet.
Supposed to be a real tough ass.
Yeah, I heard.
Yeah.
Ok.
So, uh, Stanton put your name up for his nomination to the federal bench.
Yeah.
He called congressman Walters the day he died.
What do you think? I don't know.
It's federal, son.
I'm not real sure they're looking for a guy like me.
Well, I wouldn't say that.
Well I've taken a lot from the law.
I'm not so sure I put a lot back into it.
Well, that's not true.
You're my son.
You have a right to believe differently.
What are you doing here? He's gone, Bart.
He's gone.
He's not coming back.
He's not--he's not coming back.