Close to Home (2005) s01e21 Episode Script
120 - David and Goliath
You're not listening! I'm trying to tell you something.
Ma'am, you are under arrest for driving under the influence.
No, he killed her! He threw her off the balcony, and he killed her! Would you sten? The deceased is Tiffany Barnes, age 23.
Cause of death: massive trauma, internal hemorrhaging incurred in a fall from the 11th story balcony of her apartment.
Now, there was no anomalous bruising, defense marks, or any other sign of a struggle.
Normally, we would close this as a suicide, but we have a witness who saw a man throw the deceased off the balcony.
Can the witness ID? She claims it was Kyle Canterel.
The baseball player? Every sporting magazine's athlete of the year? Kyle Canterel's more than a baseball player, h's a crossover celebrity.
He's an endorsement machine.
People who have never even seen a ballgame still know who Kyle Canterel is.
Especially here-- local boy made good.
The man can throw.
And the witness? Tara Welch, the victim's sister.
But she is problematic, to say the least.
She left the scene and was picked up for a DUI.
Well, what about Canterel? Well, normally, we'd bring him in for questioning, but given the circumstances Look, it behooves us and Canterel to keep the media away from this.
So, until we know the facts, let's just keep this out of the news.
Maureen, why d't you and Lou talk to Canterel at his home, rule him in or out.
Just keep it under the radar.
I dread celebrity cases.
Even if you win, you lose, and you almost never win.
And if you do win, like the Mike Tyson rape ce, everybody still hates you for putting their hero in jail.
Oh, she's going to make a great witness.
Tell me again.
Kyle, Mr.
America, the-sun-shines-out-my-butt Canterel, killed my sister.
I saw him do it.
Did you live with your sister? No.
Where do you live? I was staying with her until I found my own place.
What happened to your place? They wanted rent.
Better and better.
A drunken homeless woman.
How long was Kyle Canterel involved with your sister? About a year.
Long enough to knock her up.
Tiffany was pregnant with Canterel's child? That's why he killed her.
She didn't want to have an abortion.
Do you know Tiffany Barnes? I don't think so.
I meet a lot of people, detective, so Honey, does that ring a bell? Tiffany Barnes.
Barnes? No.
Should I? Why do you want to know? Where were you last night, Mr.
Canterel? Kyle.
I was here at home.
All night? We live a pretty quiet life, detective.
I train pretty hard in the off season.
I'm no kid, you know, I've got to keep up with it.
So we usually turn in pretty early.
Had dier, watched some TV, went to bed.
You remember what time you went to bed? What is this? Do you? Well, um Got in bed, watched a few minutes of Letterman, caught the "Top Ten" list, went to sleep.
You home all night? What is this about? Miss Barnes was found dead last night.
That's terrible.
But I don't know what that has to do with me.
There's a witness who said you did it.
That's not possible.
My husband was at home last night in bed with me.
Tell me about the relationship between Tiffany and Kyle Canterel.
She loved him.
Okay.
See, the difference between me and Tiff is after a few drinks, I just slept with these guys.
And, Tiffany she had her one guy, who she really loved.
She gave herself to him.
You know? And that bastard killed her.
I need a drink.
A drink is the last thing you need.
What do you know about it? Tara, tell me about that night.
I woke up when I heard Canterel's voice.
Did he know you were staying there? No.
Go on.
They were out on the balcony.
I got out of bed, and I looked around the door, and I saw them there.
Then he hugged her.
And I could see her face like on his shoulder.
She was smiling like everything was going to be all right.
And what happened next? He lifted her, li real gentle, like a bride.
And then he just dropped her over the edge.
Then he left.
Then what? Then I ran over to the balcony and I looked over.
And then I saw her, and then I ran to my car.
Why didn't you call 9-1-1? Because I was scared.
I was freaked.
And I was on my way driving to the police station, I swear.
What happens now? We try to corroborate your story.
You don't believe me? It's not a matter of whether I believe you.
People like you always believe people like him.
Kyle Canterel is lying.
He knew the victim.
His prints are all over her apartment.
What did you match them with, does he have a record? No, no, but luckily for us, Major League Baseball takes a beautiful right, left, full set of prints for their multi-million dollar investments.
First base.
Itets better.
We did a paper chase on the apartment lease-- Canterel paid the rent through his agent's account.
Rounding second.
Well, we have a broken glass on the floor in the doorway with Tara's prints, and the sprawl on the carpet is consistent with bourbon.
Third base; an eyewitness, prints, and he lied to us.
But why would he lie about the girl, something we can check so easily? Sheer arrogance.
He thought his fame would protect him.
Yeahif Canterel didn't do it, he's su hiding something.
Let's bring him in and put him on the record this time.
The M.
E.
confirms that the victim was pregnant.
So let's compel a DNA sample from Mr.
Canterel, and prove he's the father.
Okay.
And let's dig into Tiffany's past, Tara's, and Canterel's, too.
I don't want any ugly surprises.
Annabeth, you'll take point on this.
So I guess that makes mine the most dispensable career? Maureen is up to her neck in a death penalty appeal.
It's never ending.
And if this turns into a celebrity murder trial, Canterel is going to hire a monster lawyer to defend him, and he'll take one look at you and assume he can eat you for breakfast.
So it's David versus Goliath? We all know how that turned out.
Don't worry, I got your back.
Jody with a "Y"? A murder suspect.
And they're asking for his autograph.
It's Kyle Canterel in the flesh.
I mean, it's all I can do to not ask for his autograph.
Guess I'll have to settle for some DNA.
I understand you're in charge? Paul Ramont.
Deputy Prosecutor, Annabeth Chase.
This is much ado abo nothing.
A woman was murdered.
I doubt you flew all the way in here from Los Angeles over nothing.
Well, I'm here because celebrities are targets, young lady.
They're magnets for publicity hungry, politically ambitious, over-reaching prosecutors.
Let's get started.
Explain to me, Mr.
Canterel, how your fingerprints could be all over the apartment of someone you don't know.
And while you're at it, explain to me why you would pay the rent for a person you've never met.
You lied, Mr.
Canterel, why is that? I'm in the room, counselor.
Your client lied, Mr.
Ramont, why? He lied about having an affair.
That's not a crime.
It is if it impedes an investigation.
Oh.
Your client lied about knowing Tiffany Barnes.
He also neglected to mention that he paid for her apartment, so that does make us wonder if he also lied abt not killing her.
I lied because I'll field this, thank you.
My client will admit to having an intimate relationship with this poor young lady, and he will admit to providing her with a place to live.
But that's it.
Mm.
Were you at the apartment that night, Mr.
Canterel? Don't answer that.
He has an alibi witness, and you have nothing to place him at the scene.
Except an eyewitness.
Oh, yes, yes.
Yes, right.
How about this-- we put him in a line up, see if the witness points him out? You have a lively sense of humor, Miss Chase.
Unless you're seriously suggesting putting up one of the world's most recognized men, just to see if anybody recognizes him.
I live for cross examinations like that.
It's what gets me up in the morning.
Let's go.
Hmm, and me with just an alarm clock.
Oh, one second.
There's still this matter of collecting a DNA sample from Mr.
Canterel.
Do I really have to submit to this? Tiffany Barnes was pregnan I'm sure you want to rule your client out as the father.
I'm sorry, Mr.
Canterel.
Could you just open up your mouth? Reign in your girl, Steve.
I'll drag the trial on for months, I'll bury you in motions.
I will stretch the resources of your office to the limit.
If you try my client for this nonsense, I will shut your office down, and when Kyle walks out with an acquittal-- and he's going to walk out with an acquittal-- you're going to have egg on your face you'll never be able to wash off.
She really got him going.
This is working out well.
So, have we destroyed Canterel's alibi yet? The problem is a murder went down at 4:00 in the morning.
Now we canvassed the apartment building, but not too many people awake at that hour.
No security camera in the lobby? Well, Canterel had a key.
And he probably came in through the garage, but the camera is busted down there.
Okay, we need to independently place him at the scene of the crime.
Talk to taxi drivers, street cleaners.
Somebody had to see him there.
Excuse me? Excuse me! Yeah? Can I talk to you for a minute? You recognize this? Yeah, looks like that Mercedes that damn near hit my truck the other morning.
Comes screaming around theorner, runs the stop sign, right? I flip the guy off, hoping he'd want to come back and discuss it.
He didn't.
What about him? That's the guy.
You're sure? Yeah.
We looked each other in the eye, man.
What time was it, you remember? It was 4:30, around there.
Take a close look.
You know him from anywhere else? No.
You a baseball fan? No.
It's like watching paint dry.
How about TV? I don't own one.
I like to read.
Mr.
Ramont, I thought you might like to know my office just issued a warrant for Kyle Canterel's arrest for the murder of Tiffany Barnes.
Does the term career-ending mistake mean anything to you? He'll be out on bail by the end of the day.
The shame I feel at deceiving my fans and the public, my teammates, and most importantly my wife, Christy, who deserves so much more from me-- it's indescribable.
The confessional press conference.
Responsibility means just saying you're sorry.
Ramont'll put him on TV, but he won't put him on the stand.
I've never strayed before, and I promise, I never will again.
This tragic mistake has resulted in consequences that You think that's true? What? That Tiffany was his first mistake? A guy like that has a girl in every stadium.
I support my hband, and I stand behind him.
Somehow, we'll get through this.
All right, folks, that's it for now.
Thank you very much.
We need to find another girl.
He's claiming this is a one-time thing, so let's prove he's lying.
Then let's focus on Canterel's career.
Talk to his agents, managers, teammates, PR hacks.
If Canterel had a lady habit, they'd know.
Sure, I could give you a bunch of names, but it's not going to make any difference.
Canterel knows who the girls are, where they are, and how big a check to write to keep them quiet.
What about his teammates? No player is going to say anything against him.
That's like turning on themselves.
You ever been to a hotel lobby when a pro team comes to town? No.
I used to know their schedules by heart.
So did dozens and dozens of other girls.
The players would come in, and they'd take their pick.
Is that what happened to Tiffany? No.
She came to visit me, and went to one party after a football game.
Canterel was there.
Who else was at the parties besides thplayers and the girls? Agents, managers, groupies.
Everyone but the wives.
Write down everybody you can think of.
Oh! It's like a showdown at the OK Corral.
A couple of gunslingers.
Want to draw at What can I do you for you? Neither one of us wants a trial, so let's put this thing to bed right now.
My client will plead to impeding an investigation and false representation, and we wilaccept a deal that includes two years unsupervised probation.
No deal.
Come back with guilty on murder one, we counter life with possibility.
Look, now, slow down.
Before you reject the deal, throw this into your calculations.
Two years ago, Tiffany Barnes was under observation at a Louisville mental facility after a suicide attempt.
If you're referring to an overnight hospital stay in October of 2004 in the Jefferson County Hospital-- which isn't a mental facility, just aegular old hospital-- where she was admitted complaining of anxiety and chest pains following her father's death, then, no, I'm not ready to make a deal.
Well, you conveniently omitted that the doctor prescribed her antidepressants, a prescription she continued to fill, long after it was medically necessary.
So if you want to bitch slap me, you should get your story straight.
Actually, we did find a full bottle of pills in her medicine cabinet, dated from last year.
She direfill the prescription, but she never took the pills.
I'd be happy to have the inventory of evidence faxed over to you again.
We could even highlight it for you.
I'll see you in court, partner.
first thing Ramont to do is demonize our victim.
He'll say Tiffany Barnes was a mentally unstable baseball groupie looking for a lifetime meal ticket.
So how do we defend her? Well, for one thing, Tiffany had only been in this city for a year.
And in that time, she held down a job waiting tables, while attending community college studying web design.
Right.
e didn't seek Canterel out.
The only reason they came together was because of her sister.
Where are we with Canterel? Well, Tara pretty much called it.
All his old girlfriends have suddenly taken off for the Bahamas, Mexico, and one of them prefers Switzerland.
So what now? I've gone back to his pre-superstar days, and I've found an ex-agent who might have an ax to grind.
Good.
We also need to bulletproof our eyewitness.
Tara needs to be fully aware of the muck that Ramont is going to throw at her.
First, he'll go afr her for being a booze hound.
Second Excuse me, Miss Chase.
There's a Mrs.
Barnes in the lobby.
Oh.
MAUREEN: You stay here.
I'll handle it.
Thanks.
Tara was always a rebel.
That's how God made her.
Or maybe that's how I made her.
What about Tiffany? I was too harsh, too strict, too judgmental on both my girls.
They couldn't wait to get away from me.
And now my baby girl's dead, and her sister wants nothing to do with me.
Have you tried to talk to her? Tara didn't even come down to Kentucky for e funeral.
It's because of me.
She thinks I blame her.
Mrs.
Barnes, you are going to hear things in court, and see things on TV about both of your daughters that are less than flattering.
Well, whatever that is, it can't compare to losing a child.
I can't lose them both.
Can you please tell the jury what happened next? The next thing that I saw happen was that Canterel walked Tiffany Try to remember to speak in the present.
Bring the jury with you.
He walks Tiffany out onto the balcony and hugs her.
I see her smile.
Look at the jury.
Then he picks her up like a bride and drops her over the railing, What do you do? I hide behind the door.
Tara, you forgot the part about you dropping the drink.
No, I didn't forget.
I didn't want to say that.
Well, Ramont will say it.
Then he'll tell the jury how you've been in and out of rehab.
He'll dig up old boyfriends who will swear you got loaded and lied to them about all kinds of things.
They'll make your sister look like a whore, and he'll make you look even worse.
Who the hell's side are you on? Yours.
It doesn't feel like it.
Tara, are you okay? Am I sober? Yeah.
I go to two meetings every day, and I am so sick of Alcoholics Anonymous.
But yes, I'm sober.
And I'm going to stay sober.
Tara, you can't do this all by yourself.
You need support.
Maureen and I can only do so much.
You need your family around you.
Your mother came to see me.
And what did she say to you? She said to tell you that she loves you.
Well, good for her.
I think it's a little too late for at.
So when did you stop being Mr.
Canterel's agent? Back in the late '90s.
Right after he broke his deal and screwed me out of $3.
5 million.
I see.
Guy goes through agents like M&Ms.
Who's Amber Phillips? Might have been one of his personal assistants.
There's a $40,000 payment here.
That assistance must have been pretty damn personal.
How was his check sent? Courier, probably.
You keep a log of that sort of thing? No, but I'll bet the courier service does.
So this is what the first day of a celebrity trial looks like.
Yeah.
I woer who's gonna play me in the movie.
Back up.
Out of my way, please.
Back it up.
Just got to get to the car.
Do not take a picture of my child.
Guys, back it up, back it up.
Open it.
Steve, you shouldn't have.
David slew Goliath with one of those.
Now it's your turn.
I had a hell of a time getting that throughecurity.
This trial is about one thing and one thing only.
Who do you believe? Now, if you believe the prosecution's only witness-- an alcoholic, homeless, desperate, attention-hungry young woman with a history of emotional problems-- if you decide to believe her unsubstantiated story beyond a reasonable doubt and you don't believe my client, then, yes, you have to convict.
But, I know my client's innocent.
And after you've heard all the facts, I know that you will, too.
Call your firswitness, Miss Chase.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Prosecution calls Leonard Myerson to the stand.
Your Honor, Your Honor, in the interest of a speedy trial, defense is willing to stipulate that this gentleman n place my client in the vicinity of the victim's apartment on the night in question.
Don't I need to get sworn in or something? Not anymore.
Take your seat, Mr.
Myerson.
We further stipulate that indeed Mr.
Canterel's fingerprints were found in Miss Barnes' apartment, and we can also save prosecution the trouble of calling the forensic accountant, as we can also stip that Mr.
Canterel paid for Miss Barnes' apartment.
Now, as regards to the medical examiner's testimony, 'll stipulate Miss Barnes was pregnant, and DNA tests will prove that Mr.
Canterel was the father.
And we will also stipulate that Miss Barnes died as a result of a fall from her balcony.
So really, all that remains of the prosecution's expert testimony would be the question of whether Miss Barnes' body bore the signs of a struggle, which, as perhaps the prosecution will stipulate, it did not.
Your Honor, even though I'm not sure if counsel is making an offer or testifying, we will stipulate that the victim's body showedo signs of struggle, since the defendant picked her up and threw her off the balcony.
Objection.
Now who's testifying? Sustained.
So much for my first four witnesses.
The only witness Ramont wants is Tara Welch, so he can tear into her.
Call your next witness, counselor.
I'll be calling Tara Welch, Your Honor.
Given the new order, I'll need a few minutes to get her.
She ready? As ready as she'll ever be.
That's not exactly the level of comfort I was hoping for.
Sit up in the chair, lean slightly forward.
Look at the jury.
Not on every answer, only the important ones, answer in my own words.
Is my mother here? Yes.
I can't.
We will get rid of your mom, if that's what it takes.
I can't remember what I'm supposed to say.
You saw Canterel murder your sister, you saw him lift her up and throw her off the balcony.
I'm not sure.
I mean, I think he did.
They got to you, didn't they? Who was it? Was it Ramont? What did he offer you? Nothing.
Did you talk to Ramont? Did he contact you? Yes.
Oh, my God.
I smell alcohol on her breath.
Tara, have you been drinking? How much did he pay you? Nothing.
I'll stall the judge, you take her up to the office and get some coffee down her.
Won't help, it's a myth.
Then get a strong black cup of myth down her.
Look at me.
You've been doing so good.
What is going on? I'm scared.
You can tell me.
Tell me.
I killed her.
I killed Tiffany.
why do you think it's your fault she's dead? Because, it is.
Okay, st start at the beginning, Tara.
Why? What happened? Tiffany was pregnant.
Canterel wanted her to have an abortion.
She wanted to keep the baby.
I knew Canterel wasn't going to leave his wife to marry Tiffany.
And she was going to need money to raise the baby, to live.
She could have sued for child support.
She wouldn't hurt him like that.
She thought that he still loved her.
I tried to argue wh her.
I told her that she was being stupid, because she was.
But she didn't listen to me.
So What did you do? I called Canterel and told him that I wanted money, a lot of it.
Or I'd sell the story to the tabloids.
Either Kyle was going to pay me or they would.
I just wanted her to have something, you know? I didn't want her to end up like me.
Why didn't you tell us this earlier? Why are you telling us this now? 'Cause Canterel's lawyers came to see me last night, and they told me that if I went up on that stand, that I'd get charged with blackmail, or I'd go to prison.
They were just trying to scare you.
We need you on the stand.
How am I going to go in there and look my mom in the eye when it's my fault that Tiffany died? You didn't kill your sister.
Kyle Canterel did.
It's still my fault.
Ramont will rip her to shreds on cross.
What are we going to do? Rip her to shreds first.
Torch our own witness? That's a high-risk strategy.
If we let Ramont force this out of her, the jury will never believe another word she says.
But if she tells the truth about herself, warts and all, the jury will believe she's telling the trut about Canterel killing her sister.
If they believe her, it might force Canterel to take the stand to refute her.
We should be so lucky.
Just remember, no matter how rough it gets in there, no matter how much I tear you apart, I'still on your side.
Mama's going to love this one.
Tara, it's time to stand up for yourself.
And stand up for your sister.
Do you have a drinking problem, Tara? Yes.
Were you drinking the night your sister died? Yes.
How much? A lot.
Were you, in fact, drunk? Yes.
Are you drunk a lot? Yes.
Almost every day.
Would you consider yourself an alcoholic? Yes, I would.
Are you a liar, too? Yes.
Did you lie to the police when you told them you didn't know why Kyle Canterel came to visit your ster the night she died? Objection, leading.
It isn't.
Overruled.
You may answer.
Yes, I was lyi then.
Why? Why did you lie? I was scared.
I was ashamed.
Of what? Of something that I did that caused Kyle Canterel to kill my sister.
Tell us, Tara.
Tell us actly what you did.
I tried to blackmail Kyle Canterel.
Tell us the truth in your own words.
I heard Kyle comin.
I got up and listened behind the door.
Could you make out words? No.
They were on the balcony.
But I saw everything.
What did you see? I saw Kyle hugging my sister.
I saw her smile.
And then I saw him lift her up in his arms, like a bride.
And then he dropped her over the edge.
You were drunk that night.
Yes.
Too drunk to know whatou saw? No.
I saw Kyle Canterel kill my sister.
You tried to blackmail Mr.
Canterel, am I right? That's right.
And he didn't pay, did he? No.
So you want to get revenge, don't you? No.
I want justice.
Is that right? Tara, why should we believe that this is anything more than the drunken ramblings of a jealous, bitter woman out to make a buck off her own sister's death? Because I'm telling the truth.
And because I love my sister.
No further questions.
Your witness.
You may cross examine.
Your Honor, it seems Miss Chase has asked all my questions.
You're dismissed.
No, I'm sorry, Your Honor, I do, I have one question.
Go ahead.
Miss Welch, just so the jury is clear, is this a fair summary of events? On the night that your sister leapt from the balcony and killed herself Objection.
Withdrawn.
The night your sister fell wereou or were you not so utterly drunk that you didn't even bother to call 911, and instead, you fled the scene, and you were arrested for drunk driving? True or false? That's true.
I have no further use for this witness.
JUDGE: You may stand down.
Mrs.
Davis, Amber Davis? Yes? Did your name used to be Amber Phillips? Before I got married.
Kyle's lawyer said they'd sue me.
I mean, I signed some sort of paper back then.
Um Nondisclosure.
That was it.
I've seen the checks.
We can bring them into the court, you, too.
We can make you take the stand.
Oh, God.
The only thing we can't do is make you tell the truth.
They said they'd ruin my fe, my family.
I'm married now, I have a child.
It's striking.
What is? How much Canterel's girlfriend looked like you.
He threw her off a balcony.
I was watching the jury; they believed it.
You think? Absolutely.
What do you think they're talking about? STEVE: Tara was so convincing, they're debating whether to put Canterel on the stand.
No way-- Ramont wouldn't take that kind of a risk.
Their client's celebrity is the only card they have left.
Let's see if we can push him over the edge.
Paul.
Well, it's come down to a "he said, she said.
" They've heard the "she.
" I wonder if you've got the stones to let them hear the "he.
" Gloating doesn't become you, Steve.
And, yes, congratulations, your girl painted me into a corner.
But tell her to enjoy her little victory tonight.
Because tomorrow, the world goes back to loving Kyle Canterel.
Huh? See you tomorrow.
He's putting Canterel on the stand.
Can you take him? Mr.
Canterel.
Did you have an affair with Tiffany Barnes? Yes.
How long did it last? About two years.
Who-who broke it off, you or her? I did.
Why? I knew it was wrong.
I, uh, wanted to try to repaimy marriage.
Is this the first affair you'd had? Yes.
And did Miss Barnes get pregnant? Yes.
By you? Yes.
And did you insist that she have an abortion? No.
I couldn't hear you.
I said no.
It was Tiffany who insisted on the abortion.
I wanted to support the child, or at least have her give it up for adoption.
RAMONT: And you fought about this? We argued, I wouldn't say we fought.
Now at some point, did Miss Barnes threaten to go public? Actually, it was her sister, Tara.
So did you go to Tiffany's apartment on the night in question? Started to.
Why? Tiffany called.
She was crying, threatening to do something to herself.
So you went there to comfort her? Objection.
Leading.
Sustained.
Why did you go to the apartment? To comfo her.
To try to stop her from hurting herself.
I felt I felt responsible.
And did you comfort her? No, I never got there.
Why? I rushed over to Tiffany's place, but when I got there, I saw police flashers, sirens.
I got out of there.
Why did you leave? I was afraid.
Ashamed.
Kyle did you kill Tiffany Barnes? No.
I had nothing to do with the death of Tiffany Barnes.
No further questions.
Your witness.
Morning.
Morning.
You're an honest man, right, Mr.
Canterel? Try to be.
You wouldn't lie.
Certainly not under oath.
Is there a question the? Isn't that right? I was sworn to tell the truth, and I am.
So, you only tell the truth when sworn to, is that right? No.
But when my office first contacted you, you said that you didn't know Tiffany Barnes, didn't you? That's right.
Well, that was a lie.
You lied then, didn't you? Yes.
I did.
You also said that you were home all that night in bed with your wife.
I said that, yes.
That was another lie, wasn't it? Yes.
I was trying to protect my family-- my wife, my kids.
There is no question pending, Mr.
Canterel.
I wasn't under oath when I said that.
Well, you're under oath now, Mr.
Canterel, so let me ask you.
This was your first and only affair, is that your testimony? Yes.
And you're sworn to that one, right? RAMONT: Your Honor? Withdrawn.
First girlfriend you got pregnant, Mr.
Canterel? Obviously.
I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear you.
I said, "Obviously.
" You're against abortion on moral grounds, is that true? Yes.
I think it's wrong.
You were angry at Tiffany for wanting to have one? I wasn't angry, as much as I was sad.
Did you rehearse that answer with your counsel? Your Honor, Counsel knows perfectly well that she's not entitled Withdrawn.
Behave yourself, Counselor.
So needless to say, you didn't offer to pay for an abortion? Of course not.
So hypothetically, if another woman, a former girlfriend Objection.
Assumes facts not in evidence.
I'm perfectly entitled to a hypothetical, Your Honor.
Overruled.
Incomplete hypothetical, Your Honor.
Let me complete it for you.
If there were a former girlfriend who had gotten pregnant, and if she were to testify, under oath, that you had pressed her to get an abortion Compound.
Argumentative.
and if she said that you'd paid for it Objection, objection! Objection! and if we could produce this witness, and bring her into court Your Honor! if she testified that you threatened her if she said anything, that you would kill her Miss Chase! she'd be lying, is that right, Mr.
Canterel? This is just a stunt to get I'll be happy to put her on the stand, Your Honor, if Counsel will agree to suspending Mr.
Canterel's testimony until She's lying! Who is, Mr.
Canterel? Whatever she said, she's lying.
But I thought you said she didn't exist, Mr.
Canterel.
Wasn't that your testimony of a few minutes ago? You didn't pay for her abortion then? No.
You didn't offer to pay for Tiffany's? No.
You didn't threaten to kill this woman? No! You weren't concerned that Tiffany was gonna go public with her story? No! You didn't go to Tiffany's apartment that night to make sure she kept quiet? No.
You didn't pick her up No.
and toss her away like garbage? No! No! No further questions.
You heard and saw Tara Welch.
You heard and saw Kyle Canterel.
Now I want you to ask yourselves which of them was telling the truth.
Which of them do you believe? The alcoholic nobody, or the celebrity? Because you must consider them equally.
The law is simple.
If justice means anything, it means that.
They are equal.
In the matter of The State of Indiana v.
Kyle Canterel, on charge one, the murder in the first degree of Tiffany Barnes, the jury finds the defendant not guilty.
Yeah! The jury let him off because of his fame.
Don't second guess yourself.
Show me a prosecutor with a perfect conviction record, I'll show you a prosecutor hiding from tough cases.
Poor Ta.
Canterel will pay for this, believe me.
For a celebrity, there are worse things than jail.
His life as he knows it-- it's over.
Kyle, are you prepared for a wrongful death suit? I just have one thing.
I want to thank my wife who stood by me through this whole Do you expect to lose endorsements? Do you believe your husband is innocent? Do you think this will keep you out of the Hall of Fame? The thing to focus on here is that the system worked.
Are you expecting more women to come forward? How are you? It's not like I expected to win.
I just wanted people to know the truth.
How are you? I'm devastated.
Tara, don't let this be an excuse to fall back, okay? Don't let them kill both your sister and you.
Tara? Oh, God.
I wanted you to know I'm proud of you.
Thanks, Mama.
Ma'am, you are under arrest for driving under the influence.
No, he killed her! He threw her off the balcony, and he killed her! Would you sten? The deceased is Tiffany Barnes, age 23.
Cause of death: massive trauma, internal hemorrhaging incurred in a fall from the 11th story balcony of her apartment.
Now, there was no anomalous bruising, defense marks, or any other sign of a struggle.
Normally, we would close this as a suicide, but we have a witness who saw a man throw the deceased off the balcony.
Can the witness ID? She claims it was Kyle Canterel.
The baseball player? Every sporting magazine's athlete of the year? Kyle Canterel's more than a baseball player, h's a crossover celebrity.
He's an endorsement machine.
People who have never even seen a ballgame still know who Kyle Canterel is.
Especially here-- local boy made good.
The man can throw.
And the witness? Tara Welch, the victim's sister.
But she is problematic, to say the least.
She left the scene and was picked up for a DUI.
Well, what about Canterel? Well, normally, we'd bring him in for questioning, but given the circumstances Look, it behooves us and Canterel to keep the media away from this.
So, until we know the facts, let's just keep this out of the news.
Maureen, why d't you and Lou talk to Canterel at his home, rule him in or out.
Just keep it under the radar.
I dread celebrity cases.
Even if you win, you lose, and you almost never win.
And if you do win, like the Mike Tyson rape ce, everybody still hates you for putting their hero in jail.
Oh, she's going to make a great witness.
Tell me again.
Kyle, Mr.
America, the-sun-shines-out-my-butt Canterel, killed my sister.
I saw him do it.
Did you live with your sister? No.
Where do you live? I was staying with her until I found my own place.
What happened to your place? They wanted rent.
Better and better.
A drunken homeless woman.
How long was Kyle Canterel involved with your sister? About a year.
Long enough to knock her up.
Tiffany was pregnant with Canterel's child? That's why he killed her.
She didn't want to have an abortion.
Do you know Tiffany Barnes? I don't think so.
I meet a lot of people, detective, so Honey, does that ring a bell? Tiffany Barnes.
Barnes? No.
Should I? Why do you want to know? Where were you last night, Mr.
Canterel? Kyle.
I was here at home.
All night? We live a pretty quiet life, detective.
I train pretty hard in the off season.
I'm no kid, you know, I've got to keep up with it.
So we usually turn in pretty early.
Had dier, watched some TV, went to bed.
You remember what time you went to bed? What is this? Do you? Well, um Got in bed, watched a few minutes of Letterman, caught the "Top Ten" list, went to sleep.
You home all night? What is this about? Miss Barnes was found dead last night.
That's terrible.
But I don't know what that has to do with me.
There's a witness who said you did it.
That's not possible.
My husband was at home last night in bed with me.
Tell me about the relationship between Tiffany and Kyle Canterel.
She loved him.
Okay.
See, the difference between me and Tiff is after a few drinks, I just slept with these guys.
And, Tiffany she had her one guy, who she really loved.
She gave herself to him.
You know? And that bastard killed her.
I need a drink.
A drink is the last thing you need.
What do you know about it? Tara, tell me about that night.
I woke up when I heard Canterel's voice.
Did he know you were staying there? No.
Go on.
They were out on the balcony.
I got out of bed, and I looked around the door, and I saw them there.
Then he hugged her.
And I could see her face like on his shoulder.
She was smiling like everything was going to be all right.
And what happened next? He lifted her, li real gentle, like a bride.
And then he just dropped her over the edge.
Then he left.
Then what? Then I ran over to the balcony and I looked over.
And then I saw her, and then I ran to my car.
Why didn't you call 9-1-1? Because I was scared.
I was freaked.
And I was on my way driving to the police station, I swear.
What happens now? We try to corroborate your story.
You don't believe me? It's not a matter of whether I believe you.
People like you always believe people like him.
Kyle Canterel is lying.
He knew the victim.
His prints are all over her apartment.
What did you match them with, does he have a record? No, no, but luckily for us, Major League Baseball takes a beautiful right, left, full set of prints for their multi-million dollar investments.
First base.
Itets better.
We did a paper chase on the apartment lease-- Canterel paid the rent through his agent's account.
Rounding second.
Well, we have a broken glass on the floor in the doorway with Tara's prints, and the sprawl on the carpet is consistent with bourbon.
Third base; an eyewitness, prints, and he lied to us.
But why would he lie about the girl, something we can check so easily? Sheer arrogance.
He thought his fame would protect him.
Yeahif Canterel didn't do it, he's su hiding something.
Let's bring him in and put him on the record this time.
The M.
E.
confirms that the victim was pregnant.
So let's compel a DNA sample from Mr.
Canterel, and prove he's the father.
Okay.
And let's dig into Tiffany's past, Tara's, and Canterel's, too.
I don't want any ugly surprises.
Annabeth, you'll take point on this.
So I guess that makes mine the most dispensable career? Maureen is up to her neck in a death penalty appeal.
It's never ending.
And if this turns into a celebrity murder trial, Canterel is going to hire a monster lawyer to defend him, and he'll take one look at you and assume he can eat you for breakfast.
So it's David versus Goliath? We all know how that turned out.
Don't worry, I got your back.
Jody with a "Y"? A murder suspect.
And they're asking for his autograph.
It's Kyle Canterel in the flesh.
I mean, it's all I can do to not ask for his autograph.
Guess I'll have to settle for some DNA.
I understand you're in charge? Paul Ramont.
Deputy Prosecutor, Annabeth Chase.
This is much ado abo nothing.
A woman was murdered.
I doubt you flew all the way in here from Los Angeles over nothing.
Well, I'm here because celebrities are targets, young lady.
They're magnets for publicity hungry, politically ambitious, over-reaching prosecutors.
Let's get started.
Explain to me, Mr.
Canterel, how your fingerprints could be all over the apartment of someone you don't know.
And while you're at it, explain to me why you would pay the rent for a person you've never met.
You lied, Mr.
Canterel, why is that? I'm in the room, counselor.
Your client lied, Mr.
Ramont, why? He lied about having an affair.
That's not a crime.
It is if it impedes an investigation.
Oh.
Your client lied about knowing Tiffany Barnes.
He also neglected to mention that he paid for her apartment, so that does make us wonder if he also lied abt not killing her.
I lied because I'll field this, thank you.
My client will admit to having an intimate relationship with this poor young lady, and he will admit to providing her with a place to live.
But that's it.
Mm.
Were you at the apartment that night, Mr.
Canterel? Don't answer that.
He has an alibi witness, and you have nothing to place him at the scene.
Except an eyewitness.
Oh, yes, yes.
Yes, right.
How about this-- we put him in a line up, see if the witness points him out? You have a lively sense of humor, Miss Chase.
Unless you're seriously suggesting putting up one of the world's most recognized men, just to see if anybody recognizes him.
I live for cross examinations like that.
It's what gets me up in the morning.
Let's go.
Hmm, and me with just an alarm clock.
Oh, one second.
There's still this matter of collecting a DNA sample from Mr.
Canterel.
Do I really have to submit to this? Tiffany Barnes was pregnan I'm sure you want to rule your client out as the father.
I'm sorry, Mr.
Canterel.
Could you just open up your mouth? Reign in your girl, Steve.
I'll drag the trial on for months, I'll bury you in motions.
I will stretch the resources of your office to the limit.
If you try my client for this nonsense, I will shut your office down, and when Kyle walks out with an acquittal-- and he's going to walk out with an acquittal-- you're going to have egg on your face you'll never be able to wash off.
She really got him going.
This is working out well.
So, have we destroyed Canterel's alibi yet? The problem is a murder went down at 4:00 in the morning.
Now we canvassed the apartment building, but not too many people awake at that hour.
No security camera in the lobby? Well, Canterel had a key.
And he probably came in through the garage, but the camera is busted down there.
Okay, we need to independently place him at the scene of the crime.
Talk to taxi drivers, street cleaners.
Somebody had to see him there.
Excuse me? Excuse me! Yeah? Can I talk to you for a minute? You recognize this? Yeah, looks like that Mercedes that damn near hit my truck the other morning.
Comes screaming around theorner, runs the stop sign, right? I flip the guy off, hoping he'd want to come back and discuss it.
He didn't.
What about him? That's the guy.
You're sure? Yeah.
We looked each other in the eye, man.
What time was it, you remember? It was 4:30, around there.
Take a close look.
You know him from anywhere else? No.
You a baseball fan? No.
It's like watching paint dry.
How about TV? I don't own one.
I like to read.
Mr.
Ramont, I thought you might like to know my office just issued a warrant for Kyle Canterel's arrest for the murder of Tiffany Barnes.
Does the term career-ending mistake mean anything to you? He'll be out on bail by the end of the day.
The shame I feel at deceiving my fans and the public, my teammates, and most importantly my wife, Christy, who deserves so much more from me-- it's indescribable.
The confessional press conference.
Responsibility means just saying you're sorry.
Ramont'll put him on TV, but he won't put him on the stand.
I've never strayed before, and I promise, I never will again.
This tragic mistake has resulted in consequences that You think that's true? What? That Tiffany was his first mistake? A guy like that has a girl in every stadium.
I support my hband, and I stand behind him.
Somehow, we'll get through this.
All right, folks, that's it for now.
Thank you very much.
We need to find another girl.
He's claiming this is a one-time thing, so let's prove he's lying.
Then let's focus on Canterel's career.
Talk to his agents, managers, teammates, PR hacks.
If Canterel had a lady habit, they'd know.
Sure, I could give you a bunch of names, but it's not going to make any difference.
Canterel knows who the girls are, where they are, and how big a check to write to keep them quiet.
What about his teammates? No player is going to say anything against him.
That's like turning on themselves.
You ever been to a hotel lobby when a pro team comes to town? No.
I used to know their schedules by heart.
So did dozens and dozens of other girls.
The players would come in, and they'd take their pick.
Is that what happened to Tiffany? No.
She came to visit me, and went to one party after a football game.
Canterel was there.
Who else was at the parties besides thplayers and the girls? Agents, managers, groupies.
Everyone but the wives.
Write down everybody you can think of.
Oh! It's like a showdown at the OK Corral.
A couple of gunslingers.
Want to draw at What can I do you for you? Neither one of us wants a trial, so let's put this thing to bed right now.
My client will plead to impeding an investigation and false representation, and we wilaccept a deal that includes two years unsupervised probation.
No deal.
Come back with guilty on murder one, we counter life with possibility.
Look, now, slow down.
Before you reject the deal, throw this into your calculations.
Two years ago, Tiffany Barnes was under observation at a Louisville mental facility after a suicide attempt.
If you're referring to an overnight hospital stay in October of 2004 in the Jefferson County Hospital-- which isn't a mental facility, just aegular old hospital-- where she was admitted complaining of anxiety and chest pains following her father's death, then, no, I'm not ready to make a deal.
Well, you conveniently omitted that the doctor prescribed her antidepressants, a prescription she continued to fill, long after it was medically necessary.
So if you want to bitch slap me, you should get your story straight.
Actually, we did find a full bottle of pills in her medicine cabinet, dated from last year.
She direfill the prescription, but she never took the pills.
I'd be happy to have the inventory of evidence faxed over to you again.
We could even highlight it for you.
I'll see you in court, partner.
first thing Ramont to do is demonize our victim.
He'll say Tiffany Barnes was a mentally unstable baseball groupie looking for a lifetime meal ticket.
So how do we defend her? Well, for one thing, Tiffany had only been in this city for a year.
And in that time, she held down a job waiting tables, while attending community college studying web design.
Right.
e didn't seek Canterel out.
The only reason they came together was because of her sister.
Where are we with Canterel? Well, Tara pretty much called it.
All his old girlfriends have suddenly taken off for the Bahamas, Mexico, and one of them prefers Switzerland.
So what now? I've gone back to his pre-superstar days, and I've found an ex-agent who might have an ax to grind.
Good.
We also need to bulletproof our eyewitness.
Tara needs to be fully aware of the muck that Ramont is going to throw at her.
First, he'll go afr her for being a booze hound.
Second Excuse me, Miss Chase.
There's a Mrs.
Barnes in the lobby.
Oh.
MAUREEN: You stay here.
I'll handle it.
Thanks.
Tara was always a rebel.
That's how God made her.
Or maybe that's how I made her.
What about Tiffany? I was too harsh, too strict, too judgmental on both my girls.
They couldn't wait to get away from me.
And now my baby girl's dead, and her sister wants nothing to do with me.
Have you tried to talk to her? Tara didn't even come down to Kentucky for e funeral.
It's because of me.
She thinks I blame her.
Mrs.
Barnes, you are going to hear things in court, and see things on TV about both of your daughters that are less than flattering.
Well, whatever that is, it can't compare to losing a child.
I can't lose them both.
Can you please tell the jury what happened next? The next thing that I saw happen was that Canterel walked Tiffany Try to remember to speak in the present.
Bring the jury with you.
He walks Tiffany out onto the balcony and hugs her.
I see her smile.
Look at the jury.
Then he picks her up like a bride and drops her over the railing, What do you do? I hide behind the door.
Tara, you forgot the part about you dropping the drink.
No, I didn't forget.
I didn't want to say that.
Well, Ramont will say it.
Then he'll tell the jury how you've been in and out of rehab.
He'll dig up old boyfriends who will swear you got loaded and lied to them about all kinds of things.
They'll make your sister look like a whore, and he'll make you look even worse.
Who the hell's side are you on? Yours.
It doesn't feel like it.
Tara, are you okay? Am I sober? Yeah.
I go to two meetings every day, and I am so sick of Alcoholics Anonymous.
But yes, I'm sober.
And I'm going to stay sober.
Tara, you can't do this all by yourself.
You need support.
Maureen and I can only do so much.
You need your family around you.
Your mother came to see me.
And what did she say to you? She said to tell you that she loves you.
Well, good for her.
I think it's a little too late for at.
So when did you stop being Mr.
Canterel's agent? Back in the late '90s.
Right after he broke his deal and screwed me out of $3.
5 million.
I see.
Guy goes through agents like M&Ms.
Who's Amber Phillips? Might have been one of his personal assistants.
There's a $40,000 payment here.
That assistance must have been pretty damn personal.
How was his check sent? Courier, probably.
You keep a log of that sort of thing? No, but I'll bet the courier service does.
So this is what the first day of a celebrity trial looks like.
Yeah.
I woer who's gonna play me in the movie.
Back up.
Out of my way, please.
Back it up.
Just got to get to the car.
Do not take a picture of my child.
Guys, back it up, back it up.
Open it.
Steve, you shouldn't have.
David slew Goliath with one of those.
Now it's your turn.
I had a hell of a time getting that throughecurity.
This trial is about one thing and one thing only.
Who do you believe? Now, if you believe the prosecution's only witness-- an alcoholic, homeless, desperate, attention-hungry young woman with a history of emotional problems-- if you decide to believe her unsubstantiated story beyond a reasonable doubt and you don't believe my client, then, yes, you have to convict.
But, I know my client's innocent.
And after you've heard all the facts, I know that you will, too.
Call your firswitness, Miss Chase.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Prosecution calls Leonard Myerson to the stand.
Your Honor, Your Honor, in the interest of a speedy trial, defense is willing to stipulate that this gentleman n place my client in the vicinity of the victim's apartment on the night in question.
Don't I need to get sworn in or something? Not anymore.
Take your seat, Mr.
Myerson.
We further stipulate that indeed Mr.
Canterel's fingerprints were found in Miss Barnes' apartment, and we can also save prosecution the trouble of calling the forensic accountant, as we can also stip that Mr.
Canterel paid for Miss Barnes' apartment.
Now, as regards to the medical examiner's testimony, 'll stipulate Miss Barnes was pregnant, and DNA tests will prove that Mr.
Canterel was the father.
And we will also stipulate that Miss Barnes died as a result of a fall from her balcony.
So really, all that remains of the prosecution's expert testimony would be the question of whether Miss Barnes' body bore the signs of a struggle, which, as perhaps the prosecution will stipulate, it did not.
Your Honor, even though I'm not sure if counsel is making an offer or testifying, we will stipulate that the victim's body showedo signs of struggle, since the defendant picked her up and threw her off the balcony.
Objection.
Now who's testifying? Sustained.
So much for my first four witnesses.
The only witness Ramont wants is Tara Welch, so he can tear into her.
Call your next witness, counselor.
I'll be calling Tara Welch, Your Honor.
Given the new order, I'll need a few minutes to get her.
She ready? As ready as she'll ever be.
That's not exactly the level of comfort I was hoping for.
Sit up in the chair, lean slightly forward.
Look at the jury.
Not on every answer, only the important ones, answer in my own words.
Is my mother here? Yes.
I can't.
We will get rid of your mom, if that's what it takes.
I can't remember what I'm supposed to say.
You saw Canterel murder your sister, you saw him lift her up and throw her off the balcony.
I'm not sure.
I mean, I think he did.
They got to you, didn't they? Who was it? Was it Ramont? What did he offer you? Nothing.
Did you talk to Ramont? Did he contact you? Yes.
Oh, my God.
I smell alcohol on her breath.
Tara, have you been drinking? How much did he pay you? Nothing.
I'll stall the judge, you take her up to the office and get some coffee down her.
Won't help, it's a myth.
Then get a strong black cup of myth down her.
Look at me.
You've been doing so good.
What is going on? I'm scared.
You can tell me.
Tell me.
I killed her.
I killed Tiffany.
why do you think it's your fault she's dead? Because, it is.
Okay, st start at the beginning, Tara.
Why? What happened? Tiffany was pregnant.
Canterel wanted her to have an abortion.
She wanted to keep the baby.
I knew Canterel wasn't going to leave his wife to marry Tiffany.
And she was going to need money to raise the baby, to live.
She could have sued for child support.
She wouldn't hurt him like that.
She thought that he still loved her.
I tried to argue wh her.
I told her that she was being stupid, because she was.
But she didn't listen to me.
So What did you do? I called Canterel and told him that I wanted money, a lot of it.
Or I'd sell the story to the tabloids.
Either Kyle was going to pay me or they would.
I just wanted her to have something, you know? I didn't want her to end up like me.
Why didn't you tell us this earlier? Why are you telling us this now? 'Cause Canterel's lawyers came to see me last night, and they told me that if I went up on that stand, that I'd get charged with blackmail, or I'd go to prison.
They were just trying to scare you.
We need you on the stand.
How am I going to go in there and look my mom in the eye when it's my fault that Tiffany died? You didn't kill your sister.
Kyle Canterel did.
It's still my fault.
Ramont will rip her to shreds on cross.
What are we going to do? Rip her to shreds first.
Torch our own witness? That's a high-risk strategy.
If we let Ramont force this out of her, the jury will never believe another word she says.
But if she tells the truth about herself, warts and all, the jury will believe she's telling the trut about Canterel killing her sister.
If they believe her, it might force Canterel to take the stand to refute her.
We should be so lucky.
Just remember, no matter how rough it gets in there, no matter how much I tear you apart, I'still on your side.
Mama's going to love this one.
Tara, it's time to stand up for yourself.
And stand up for your sister.
Do you have a drinking problem, Tara? Yes.
Were you drinking the night your sister died? Yes.
How much? A lot.
Were you, in fact, drunk? Yes.
Are you drunk a lot? Yes.
Almost every day.
Would you consider yourself an alcoholic? Yes, I would.
Are you a liar, too? Yes.
Did you lie to the police when you told them you didn't know why Kyle Canterel came to visit your ster the night she died? Objection, leading.
It isn't.
Overruled.
You may answer.
Yes, I was lyi then.
Why? Why did you lie? I was scared.
I was ashamed.
Of what? Of something that I did that caused Kyle Canterel to kill my sister.
Tell us, Tara.
Tell us actly what you did.
I tried to blackmail Kyle Canterel.
Tell us the truth in your own words.
I heard Kyle comin.
I got up and listened behind the door.
Could you make out words? No.
They were on the balcony.
But I saw everything.
What did you see? I saw Kyle hugging my sister.
I saw her smile.
And then I saw him lift her up in his arms, like a bride.
And then he dropped her over the edge.
You were drunk that night.
Yes.
Too drunk to know whatou saw? No.
I saw Kyle Canterel kill my sister.
You tried to blackmail Mr.
Canterel, am I right? That's right.
And he didn't pay, did he? No.
So you want to get revenge, don't you? No.
I want justice.
Is that right? Tara, why should we believe that this is anything more than the drunken ramblings of a jealous, bitter woman out to make a buck off her own sister's death? Because I'm telling the truth.
And because I love my sister.
No further questions.
Your witness.
You may cross examine.
Your Honor, it seems Miss Chase has asked all my questions.
You're dismissed.
No, I'm sorry, Your Honor, I do, I have one question.
Go ahead.
Miss Welch, just so the jury is clear, is this a fair summary of events? On the night that your sister leapt from the balcony and killed herself Objection.
Withdrawn.
The night your sister fell wereou or were you not so utterly drunk that you didn't even bother to call 911, and instead, you fled the scene, and you were arrested for drunk driving? True or false? That's true.
I have no further use for this witness.
JUDGE: You may stand down.
Mrs.
Davis, Amber Davis? Yes? Did your name used to be Amber Phillips? Before I got married.
Kyle's lawyer said they'd sue me.
I mean, I signed some sort of paper back then.
Um Nondisclosure.
That was it.
I've seen the checks.
We can bring them into the court, you, too.
We can make you take the stand.
Oh, God.
The only thing we can't do is make you tell the truth.
They said they'd ruin my fe, my family.
I'm married now, I have a child.
It's striking.
What is? How much Canterel's girlfriend looked like you.
He threw her off a balcony.
I was watching the jury; they believed it.
You think? Absolutely.
What do you think they're talking about? STEVE: Tara was so convincing, they're debating whether to put Canterel on the stand.
No way-- Ramont wouldn't take that kind of a risk.
Their client's celebrity is the only card they have left.
Let's see if we can push him over the edge.
Paul.
Well, it's come down to a "he said, she said.
" They've heard the "she.
" I wonder if you've got the stones to let them hear the "he.
" Gloating doesn't become you, Steve.
And, yes, congratulations, your girl painted me into a corner.
But tell her to enjoy her little victory tonight.
Because tomorrow, the world goes back to loving Kyle Canterel.
Huh? See you tomorrow.
He's putting Canterel on the stand.
Can you take him? Mr.
Canterel.
Did you have an affair with Tiffany Barnes? Yes.
How long did it last? About two years.
Who-who broke it off, you or her? I did.
Why? I knew it was wrong.
I, uh, wanted to try to repaimy marriage.
Is this the first affair you'd had? Yes.
And did Miss Barnes get pregnant? Yes.
By you? Yes.
And did you insist that she have an abortion? No.
I couldn't hear you.
I said no.
It was Tiffany who insisted on the abortion.
I wanted to support the child, or at least have her give it up for adoption.
RAMONT: And you fought about this? We argued, I wouldn't say we fought.
Now at some point, did Miss Barnes threaten to go public? Actually, it was her sister, Tara.
So did you go to Tiffany's apartment on the night in question? Started to.
Why? Tiffany called.
She was crying, threatening to do something to herself.
So you went there to comfort her? Objection.
Leading.
Sustained.
Why did you go to the apartment? To comfo her.
To try to stop her from hurting herself.
I felt I felt responsible.
And did you comfort her? No, I never got there.
Why? I rushed over to Tiffany's place, but when I got there, I saw police flashers, sirens.
I got out of there.
Why did you leave? I was afraid.
Ashamed.
Kyle did you kill Tiffany Barnes? No.
I had nothing to do with the death of Tiffany Barnes.
No further questions.
Your witness.
Morning.
Morning.
You're an honest man, right, Mr.
Canterel? Try to be.
You wouldn't lie.
Certainly not under oath.
Is there a question the? Isn't that right? I was sworn to tell the truth, and I am.
So, you only tell the truth when sworn to, is that right? No.
But when my office first contacted you, you said that you didn't know Tiffany Barnes, didn't you? That's right.
Well, that was a lie.
You lied then, didn't you? Yes.
I did.
You also said that you were home all that night in bed with your wife.
I said that, yes.
That was another lie, wasn't it? Yes.
I was trying to protect my family-- my wife, my kids.
There is no question pending, Mr.
Canterel.
I wasn't under oath when I said that.
Well, you're under oath now, Mr.
Canterel, so let me ask you.
This was your first and only affair, is that your testimony? Yes.
And you're sworn to that one, right? RAMONT: Your Honor? Withdrawn.
First girlfriend you got pregnant, Mr.
Canterel? Obviously.
I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear you.
I said, "Obviously.
" You're against abortion on moral grounds, is that true? Yes.
I think it's wrong.
You were angry at Tiffany for wanting to have one? I wasn't angry, as much as I was sad.
Did you rehearse that answer with your counsel? Your Honor, Counsel knows perfectly well that she's not entitled Withdrawn.
Behave yourself, Counselor.
So needless to say, you didn't offer to pay for an abortion? Of course not.
So hypothetically, if another woman, a former girlfriend Objection.
Assumes facts not in evidence.
I'm perfectly entitled to a hypothetical, Your Honor.
Overruled.
Incomplete hypothetical, Your Honor.
Let me complete it for you.
If there were a former girlfriend who had gotten pregnant, and if she were to testify, under oath, that you had pressed her to get an abortion Compound.
Argumentative.
and if she said that you'd paid for it Objection, objection! Objection! and if we could produce this witness, and bring her into court Your Honor! if she testified that you threatened her if she said anything, that you would kill her Miss Chase! she'd be lying, is that right, Mr.
Canterel? This is just a stunt to get I'll be happy to put her on the stand, Your Honor, if Counsel will agree to suspending Mr.
Canterel's testimony until She's lying! Who is, Mr.
Canterel? Whatever she said, she's lying.
But I thought you said she didn't exist, Mr.
Canterel.
Wasn't that your testimony of a few minutes ago? You didn't pay for her abortion then? No.
You didn't offer to pay for Tiffany's? No.
You didn't threaten to kill this woman? No! You weren't concerned that Tiffany was gonna go public with her story? No! You didn't go to Tiffany's apartment that night to make sure she kept quiet? No.
You didn't pick her up No.
and toss her away like garbage? No! No! No further questions.
You heard and saw Tara Welch.
You heard and saw Kyle Canterel.
Now I want you to ask yourselves which of them was telling the truth.
Which of them do you believe? The alcoholic nobody, or the celebrity? Because you must consider them equally.
The law is simple.
If justice means anything, it means that.
They are equal.
In the matter of The State of Indiana v.
Kyle Canterel, on charge one, the murder in the first degree of Tiffany Barnes, the jury finds the defendant not guilty.
Yeah! The jury let him off because of his fame.
Don't second guess yourself.
Show me a prosecutor with a perfect conviction record, I'll show you a prosecutor hiding from tough cases.
Poor Ta.
Canterel will pay for this, believe me.
For a celebrity, there are worse things than jail.
His life as he knows it-- it's over.
Kyle, are you prepared for a wrongful death suit? I just have one thing.
I want to thank my wife who stood by me through this whole Do you expect to lose endorsements? Do you believe your husband is innocent? Do you think this will keep you out of the Hall of Fame? The thing to focus on here is that the system worked.
Are you expecting more women to come forward? How are you? It's not like I expected to win.
I just wanted people to know the truth.
How are you? I'm devastated.
Tara, don't let this be an excuse to fall back, okay? Don't let them kill both your sister and you.
Tara? Oh, God.
I wanted you to know I'm proud of you.
Thanks, Mama.