Harry's Law (2011) s02e12 Episode Script
New Kidney on the Block
I know it's usually about beddy-bug time at the old folks' home, but you guys got one more in you? Oh, yeah.
Stay here all night.
I'm not kicking anybody out of here.
Man, I just got to say this once before we wrap.
Tip of the hat to old Tommy J.
I mean, for a guy who has never played poker before, you hung in there a long time, old man.
I've played poker before.
Yeah, right.
The way you bet? Am I right, Mabel? It's Harry.
Little blind to Harry, big blind to the judge.
Tommy, it's to you.
I'm thinking.
Yeah, I can hear those gears grinding.
Shut up, punk.
Hey, I got an idea.
You're not making anything wild, Tommy.
I'm done.
Probably got four of a kind.
I'm out.
Live large, am I right, Moms? Call.
Too rich for me.
Let's raise 80.
Dude, you can't slowroll at a table full of old people.
They might die.
Who invited this kid? I'm out.
Just you and me, Moms.
Check.
Let's go another hundred.
Two hundred.
Ooh.
Having trouble concentrating, Doogie? Are we up past your bedtime? I'll hang with you a while longer.
The lady gets no love.
You got a queen in your hand and one on the board, and you were hoping for one more to make it trips, right? I know what you're thinking.
Am I bluffing? Question is do you feel lucky? Well, do you, punk? Wow.
What do you got? Wayne Gretzky.
- Oh! - Wow! Quads! I did not see that coming.
You know what else I didn't see coming is that after the flop, I'd have OESFD.
OSEFD what's that? Open-ended straight flush draw.
Had it on the turn, baby.
Loved giving you false hope, though.
No hard feelings, right, Moms? Harry's Law 2x12 - New Kidney on the Block Original air date January 18, 2012 When the hell did this come in? How do you not call me? When did you get this? One deep one now, through the nose.
Again, now, right to your toes.
Wait for it.
Excuse me? I need you.
Ménage à murder.
- I need you.
- What are you talking about? Three lovers one dead, down to two.
I represent the two accused of killing the one, only now the court says I can't represent the two.
The judge says he wants them to have separate counsel, which is why I need you.
- Ah.
I'm busy.
- But, Ollie, what's there to think about? It's a murder.
It's a three-way.
Can it get any juicier? Let's tag team these twinbies.
Oh, did I mention? Twins.
What's this? My winnings.
I just can't take money from old people.
I couldn't live with myself, so I'm returning the money.
Gee, you're so swell.
Go get your hair done.
Maybe splurge for a pair of high-end orthopedic shoes.
Whatever.
How about I buy a shiny new gun and blow your balls off? - Ouch.
- Take your money off my desk, you obnoxious little dick, and get out.
Okay.
Look, when I said I couldn't live with myself, I meant it.
I'm dying.
Acute kidney failure.
I've got about six months.
What's the catch? Wow, I like you.
The good news is I have a kidney all lined up for a transplant, but no hospital will perform the operation.
Why not? I bought it.
You bought the kidney? All my poker winnings.
Buying organs is illegal.
This I know.
There's a reason I crashed the poker game last night, Harry.
It was to meet you.
I need a favor.
And this is how you ask me? Cracks like "orthopedic," "old," "Moms"? You won't forget me.
Admit it.
Please.
I need to get the law changed.
Preferably within six months.
Will you help me? Our biggest challenge might be their polygamous life style.
Polyamorous there's a difference.
To who? You were sleeping with the same guy here, an old rich one, which could lead the jury to "there's inherent depravity here," which is a short walk to "you killed him.
" You're both married to the victim? Layla and Wade were married legally, but it's for tax purposes.
The three of us, we had a commitment ceremony celebrating our bond.
What about the sex? Is it a threesome or They always go right to the sex, right? It's disgusting.
We each slept with Wade separately.
The two of us were not sexual lovers.
Mr.
Richard, it's not as unusual as you think.
We're twins.
We have identical DNA, we've grown up with similar interests, and we like the same things, which led to us liking the same man.
This arrangement, it makes sense for us.
I'm sure it made sense to him, till you whacked him.
Allegedly.
What kind of evidence are we talking about here? Almost nada, all circumstantial.
Remmick has a feeling which comes from means, motive, and opportunity.
Opening statements this afternoon.
I'm sorry, you said Remmick? Roseanna Remmick, she's the DA? Yes.
This case has it all, Oliver twins, murder, Hoseanna, me.
And clients who are innocent.
We didn't do this.
Neither Layla nor I left the house that night.
We did not do it.
Are you kidding me? Like your confidence, mate.
Love yours.
Sweet.
Harry, organ sales? I know the law, Adam.
The question is, how do we get the law changed? You don't.
You're not really like the little engine that could, are you? Your best shot would be the 14th Amendment, due process a person has the right to life-saving treatment.
See, that's sexy.
You could also go with right to privacy, Roe v.
Wade, a person's body, a person's right.
The same thing could arguably be applied to one wanting to sell an organ.
We have no standing to assert the seller's right.
Unless we represent the seller, as well.
I'll get him in here, done.
We'll go with the my right.
Could you do that little thing with your lips again? If you're not going to take this seriously, then why the hell should we? I take it seriously, Moms.
I'll get the seller in here.
It's all too exciting, isn't it? A little threesome, the Tweedle-Dee killed by Tweedle-Dumb and Tweedle-Dumber.
And they sit here looking adorable in their smart little Gucci outfits, with their high-end lawyers, Ollie Richard and Mr.
Ick.
Has all the makings of a fun little romp, doesn't it? You could almost lose sight of the fact that an innocent man is dead.
That's not a fun word dead.
This is an old guy's fantasy gone bad.
He married beautiful twins.
After all, that's the dream, isn't it? But then the fantasy kind of wore off, he wanted out.
But with a prenup in place, that wasn't going to work at all, no, not for our girls.
No, that wasn't the plan at all.
Notice how she left out any actual facts? She's up here trying to get you to hate my clients, because if you think they're depraved enough, well, you might convict without any evidence.
My client loved the victim.
Mr.
Richard's client loved the victim.
They were in a committed relationship.
All the facts will show is that he didn't come home that night, and he was discovered shot dead in his office.
And because we have no idea or evidence as to who shot him, Ms.
Remmick decides, well, let's blame the two women who loved him.
Let's blame the two women who lived with him.
Let's blame the two women who slept with him.
Your Honor, Mr.
Ick makes it seem like I'm blaming six women.
It's just these disgusting two.
All right, Counsel.
The bottom line is I don't need the kidney.
I have another.
I need that $70,000.
I got three kids.
I don't have a job.
If the court senses coercion I'm not being coerced.
Well, economic duress could be deemed a form of coercion.
Look, I'm not crazy.
You want to call it economic duress, I mean, that's fine.
I suppose that's what it is.
All I can tell you is I know what I'm doing, and it's voluntary.
I need that $70,000, and I'm willing to part with a kidney to get it.
Have you tried to get on a transplant list? Yes, I've been evaluated at Cincinnati Hospital.
I am on the list, but way down.
They say the odds of it happening in six months are And what about people who know you? No family.
Never met my father, my mother's dead, no siblings.
As for people who know me nobody's volunteering.
Well, you can't just grab somebody off the street, Jimmy.
A kidney match We've already been tested, Phillips and I blood-type compatibility, tissue type, antibody screenings we are a match.
He was pretending to be related, but then the hospital got wise, and figured out it was a sale.
Thank you.
Look, I'm only doing this 'cause I'm bored.
Okay, don't construe this as any affection for you.
Truth is, you bug the crap out of me.
You own a suit? What, you kidding? No.
Well, we got to get you one.
And don't expect to win this.
Okay? 'Cause we got no chance.
Which is why I came to you.
Okay, just so you know, it was on my motion that the judge ordered separate counsel.
Just how much do you really know about this case? Oh, I'm still catching up.
You represent Layla? Yes.
Why? Because we think Nicole is the killer, Layla covered up for her.
Do you have any actual evidence to support that? Nicole is the evil twin.
She's been in trouble with the law before assault, embezzlement.
She even did a brief stint at the laughing academy, which I don't know about, of course, since it was juvie.
Layla is the more innocent.
We can call her the simpleminded one.
So here's the deal.
You get Layla to give up Nicole, and I will consider a reduced charge of aiding and abetting.
Tells me you don't have much of a case.
I'd sure hate to see Layla spend the rest of her life in prison for a crime she didn't commit.
Well, the question is, what does she know? What does she know? Yes.
Specifically, why does she think that Nicole is guilty and you're not? She is not guilty.
She was at home with me the entire night.
Why does Roseanna Remmick think so? I have no idea.
Maybe for the same reason that she's blaming me: she's got no other suspect.
Earth to Layla and I realize this might be a bit of a commute for you right now but I'm in trial, I'm catching up to speed as I go, and I don't need any surprises in there, so start talking.
Nicole was a very troubled girl.
Obviously, the police have seen her background.
Which would give Roseanna allowance to think that she orchestrated it, but it's more than that, Layla.
She thinks that she did it and you didn't, which leads me to think that she has something.
Did Nicole leave the house that night? No.
You hesitated.
No.
She did not leave the house.
We were together the entire time.
Was your husband planning on leaving you? No.
Things weren't perfect of late, but no, he wasn't planning on leaving us.
Names of doctors, these are test results and blood work.
This won't be a medical decision.
That probably won't be necessary.
Okay.
I wouldn't call that doctor, anyway.
Her judgment is pretty clouded.
She has a massive crush on me.
As do you.
These things happen.
You know something, part of being a good lawyer is being able to read body language and so forth.
We can smell when someone's defense mechanisms are in high gear, and I know a scared kid when I see one.
I'm not scared.
You should be.
You're dying.
You've got six months to live, Jimmy.
You're dying.
This is the way you prepare a witness? If it's the only way that he can be prepared, yes.
Look, the idea of buying and selling organs, it disgusts people.
Should it? Maybe not.
This is America; we live by "You get what you pay for," but it disgusts people just the same.
And if you go into that courtroom flip tomorrow, or cocky I'm not begging for mercy, if that's where you're headed.
I'm not suggesting that.
But if it would save your life, what's the problem? Because I'm not pathetic.
Might I die? S sure, I probably will, but I will not go in, or out, pathetic.
Jimmy, look, here's the deal.
You've got one of the best lawyers there is in Harry Korn.
I suspect you already know that.
And if anybody can beat the presumption against organ sales, it's Harry.
But for her to have any chance, you need to be humble.
We don't win unless the judge wants you to win.
Got it? Got it.
No forced entry, no sign of a struggle, no evidence of a robbery.
You formed a theory, Detective, based on your 17 years of experience in the field? He was killed by someone he knew.
The fact that he was sitting at his desk, that the shooter was able to walk behind him and shoot into the back of his head while he sat there calmly working.
Murder weapon? .
38, which the victim was known to keep in his safe, which gun is missing and has not been found.
How far was it from the victim's office to his residence? Ten-minute walk, two minutes by car.
Simple enough for two women to, say, take a brief time-out from whatever it is they like to do in the privacy of their own home, take an evening stroll and plug someone in the back of the head? - Objection.
- Objection.
Seriously? - Who do we think did it? - Those two.
- Objection! - Objection! Detective, after the man was found with a bullet in his head and after this was brought to the attention of the defendants, did you have opportunity to speak with them? I did.
And what did they say? That they were home alone all night.
Anything to corroborate that? There were a few e-mails sent.
And there were two calls made to the home on the landline which went unanswered: one at 8:37, another at 8:53.
And this tells you what? They perhaps stepped out.
Thank you.
Some people don't answer the phone at all at night.
- Yes, but that's - Thank you.
You said the victim was killed with a .
38.
About how many .
38s do you figure are making the rounds in this country? More than ten million.
- They all accounted for? - Clearly not.
Thank you.
You said my clients' prints were found at the scene.
But isn't it true they were there that afternoon, left with the victim while he was very much alive? - Yes, that's true.
- Thank you.
So as I understand it, all you can clearly state and not to any certainty at all is that the victim was likely killed by somebody who knew him, isn't that right? Well, someone who had the keys to his office.
He couldn't have left the door open? And somebody who knew the combination to his safe.
He could've moved the gun earlier himself.
You don't know that he didn't.
He could've lost his gun, which would explain why you can't find it.
Have you found a gun? - No.
- Thank you.
You don't know anything, do you, Detective? You're stumped, which is why, when in doubt, arrest the spouse in this case, the two of them.
So how we all doing today? Mr.
Cormack, I gather not too well.
Unless you want to let me have the kidney, Judge.
I see we got a charmer.
One with three lawyers.
Any one of these three lawyers tell you that we don't permit the sale of human organs in this country? Yeah, that's all Adam says, and Moms has been a little negative, truth be told.
Moms? So you can afford to buy a kidney and three lawyers.
Lot of manpower, Moms.
What are you doing? I realize public policy frowns on this, Your Honor You think? but given the stakes are life-threatening, and given that the tide of public policy ebbs and flows Not on this issue, it doesn't.
Mr.
Kennedy, I suspect the State has feelings? Your Honor, the idea is offensive.
Notwithstanding Mr.
Cormack's condition, for which I sympathize, because You're sweet.
Okay.
I'd like you to hear from Prince Charming here, and then one witness from the medical field.
I have no authority to order any hospital to perform the transplant.
But with your blessing, we might get one to consider it.
Thank you, Judge.
Shall I make that out to cash? There was a lot of anger of late.
It seemed as if the bloom had come off both little roses.
And you knew this how? Well, I was their neighbor.
And I was a bit fascinated, I admit.
And suspicious.
He's in his 60s, and they're not.
Turning to the night that he died One of them left the house.
Of this I am absolutely certain, a hundred percent.
And you know this how? Well, at night, when a car turns into their driveway from the south side, the headlights shine right into my family room.
And did they shine that night? A hundred percent.
I was watching television, and the headlights came right into the room between 8:30 and 9:00.
You're absolutely sure of the time? A hundred percent.
Was it unusual for your neighbors to go out at night? It was unusual for them to go out that early.
Usually, they wait for the old man to go to bed, and then the two of them go barhopping.
Objection.
And when Wade was out of town, they typically brought back men.
- Objection! - Objection! - Sustained.
Ms.
Betz, you will contain your answers to the questions asked.
You saw them bring home other men? - Objection! - Objection! Sustained.
Ms.
Remmick.
Come up here.
Gentlemen.
Evidence of the defendants' character and prior acts are inadmissible.
Or did you not go to law school? Sorry.
I'm telling you, we got very hurt.
Why? Headlights? Are you kidding me? Tommy, it just looks bad.
Two hot young things married to a fat old rich guy who takes one in the back of the head.
They've been seen bringing men to the house, they inherit almost everything, not to mention the perceived depravity of this so-called union in the first place.
It's all circumstantial.
Yeah, but it's good circumstantial.
We have no way to prove anybody else was there, they have motive, opportunity We got to put Layla up there.
Layla? What about Nicole? Nicole has a felony record, which is admissible if she testifies.
I'm putting Layla on the stand.
Wade and I fell in love first.
And then, well, Nicole and I are a little inseparable.
She was always around and it became a threesome.
Nicole and I were not sexually involved with each other, but, yes, it was an emotional threesome.
That's a little weird, isn't it? Well, perhaps, but not as weird as you think.
You'd be surprised.
There are over half a million polyamorous unions in this country.
And considering the divorce rate of a conventional one-man/one-woman marriage Okay, let's turn to that night.
We never left the house.
We had dinner at about 6:30 PM.
Wade went back to the office, and Nicole and I stayed in.
Neighbor said she saw your car.
She may have seen a car, but it certainly wasn't ours.
I like to meditate in the evenings, which is where I was in the Zen room.
And Nicole she had some business plan that she was trying to create for a new venture of hers.
She was in the den.
Okay, Layla, I'd like to remind you, you are under oath.
I know that and I'm telling the truth.
Neither of us left that house.
And the idea that either of us would even think about taking the life of a man that we loved so dearly it's So, you were Zen-ing, Sis was dening, the neighbor saw a car, but not yours, and the idea that the two of you would have harmed this man is repugnant.
Got it.
That's hubby, first, with the toupee.
Now without.
In both pictures, he's 300 pounds, acne scars and rich.
If you think that I married him for his money Oh, no, no, I'm sure both of you found him attractive.
I know I do.
And here he is dead, facedown on his desk.
Did you do that, Layla? No.
Think about it now.
Fat guy, rich, bald, you inherit, Nicole, too.
Any of this ring a bell? - Objection.
- Objection.
Ms.
Remmick.
I'm sorry, Your Honor.
One more picture, and I'll be done.
This was taken at 8:33, the night of the murder.
This looks like neither a Zen room, nor a den, but a car.
It's from a security camera two blocks away from your dead hubby's office.
You or Nicole? Layla? You - or Nicole? - Your Honor, approach? This is unfair surprise.
We were never told about this photo.
It was never my intent to introduce it, but after your client's direct, I felt obligated to impeach.
Bull.
You're sandbagging us.
You knew we were gonna have to put our client up there to establish an alibi, and as soon as we did, you ambush us with this, saying, "Oh, I'm just trying to impeach.
" You give me way too much credit.
Ms.
Remmick, this has a lousy smell to it.
Oh, that would be Ick.
As for the information, it is within the defendants' control, after all, at least one of them knows she went out that night, so this would not be unfair surprise.
It was a deliberate attempt to catch us with our pants down.
All right.
Ms.
Remmick, I don't like this, but, Counsel, she's right.
At least one of your clients had this information.
It's not unfair surprise.
All right, the trial goes on.
Let's go.
Anyone care to talk? Nicole? It was me.
I went out that night.
I went to confront him.
I didn't go there with the plan to kill him, but Nicole.
He was gonna leave us, Layla.
He was I'm sorry, but he was going to hurt us.
I need to get out of this room, please.
Hold on.
Honey, I'm sorry.
You're sorry? You just killed my husband, and you're sorry? We need to figure out what we're going to do now.
I'll do whatever.
I'll plead guilty, if that'll let her go.
It's not that simple.
Just put me on the stand, and and I'll say that I did it.
This way, she can get acquitted.
I don't think that's going to work, either.
They're just gonna think that one of you is falling on the grenade to save the other.
I'll talk to Remmick.
I'll see what I can do.
I'm on the waiting list.
Doctors say I may get one, but not likely, less than 50-50.
I'm a good poker player, Judge you can ask Moms here but there's taking chances and taking chances.
And how did you procure your own donor? Money.
Mr.
Cormack, if you were a dying person waiting for a kidney, and you saw a person with money get preferential treatment, how would you feel about that? I'd be okay with it.
And if you were an impoverished person being exploited, having to sell an organ for money? He's okay with it, too.
You can ask him.
Our donor's with us? Yes, ma'am.
Could you step up here, sir? Am I on trial? No, sir.
You're not on trial.
Please.
You want to tell me your name? Christopher Phillips.
Selling your kidney, sir.
Have you thought about what would happen if you damaged the other one? Say, in an automobile accident? Or if you yourself got kidney disease? You'd suddenly be missing the kidney that you're willing to sell.
Maybe so, but as it is today, I I don't need an extra kidney.
I need that money.
Uh-huh.
And selling a human organ does this strike you as something especially moral to do? Look, I don't stand here a proud man, Judge.
I got no job.
I'm out of options.
She pleads guilty to second-degree murder, you dismiss against Layla.
And why would I do that? I have them both on first degree.
Okay, you don't have them, and what's more Oh, I think I do.
You're wasting my time, Ollie.
Okay.
Nicole pleads to first degree murder, Layla walks.
You yourself said you knew it was Nicole.
Why are you hesitating? No.
I like where I am.
Roseanna, this is the very deal you asked for from the start.
That was then.
This is now.
Things change, don't they? You know what? This is your Achilles' heel.
This is you being blinded by your own vindictiveness.
What are you doing? Oh, this is the part where you try to push my button.
You'd like that, wouldn't you? Fiddle with my button.
Well, that's not happening, either.
Out you go.
You might lose them both.
This isn't done.
Not to mention the little stunt you pulled with the traffic photo, setting yourself up for appeal.
I'd take Nicole and be done with it.
Murder one on Nicole.
Aiding and abetting on Layla.
No.
Layla swears she didn't hear Nicole leave.
I believe her.
Oh, you believe her? Oh, oh, well then.
Roseanna, you wanted Nicole, I'm giving you Nicole.
No, I like where I am.
We're actually not dead.
How do you figure? Well, all the prosecution can do is prove that one of them went out that night.
You argue it was Nicole, I argue it was Layla.
The jury can't know which one.
That's reasonable doubt for both.
Jury's gonna want to throw them both in jail before they let a killer go free.
Not if they follow the letter of the law and the judge's instructions.
They may want to throw them both in jail, but they can't.
- They took an oath to uphold the law.
- Tommy, at a minimum, they're both guilty of conspiracy.
There's been absolutely no evidence introduced of any conspiring, Ollie.
We're not dead here.
We're really not.
I've been a sitting member of the Humane Human Transplant Board for 17 years.
You must have an opinion about selling organs, then.
Yes.
Up until 11 months ago, I was vehemently against the idea.
And what changed your mind? We've got nearly 100,000 men, women and children needing kidneys right now, with less than 20,000 available kidneys.
Do the math.
And you think this is a simple mathematical equation, Doctor? I think it's a life-and-death equation.
If people are willing to donate kidneys, albeit for money, and they save lives by so doing, what the hell are we waiting for? Well, I've heard it voiced that if people don't trust the legitimacy of our transplant procedures, even fewer organs will be donated.
Which is why we legalize it, regulate it, and give it legitimacy.
Your Honor, these sales are going on right now, like it or not.
They're just happening on the black market.
If we bring it out in the open, make it less shady, the business becomes way less dangerous, we can end the violence associated with it, and again, the punch line we save more lives.
But let's be fair, Doctor.
The idea that the wealthy might live while the poor might die Counsel, that is the world we live in.
Let's face it.
Doctor, I put on this robe every day because I refuse to face it.
And I have no doubt you're a noble person.
But look at our back-door draft.
Who do you think did most of the dying the last ten years in the Iraq War? The poor.
Who doesn't get medical insurance? The poor.
Who dies of starvation? Three guesses.
So you, as a doctor, would happily cut a kidney out of a healthy person so he could market it for cash.
What happened to "Do no harm"? Counsel, you haven't been hearing me.
This would save lives.
These kidneys are already being cut out of people by medical hacks, in questionable facilities.
Let's move the business to the hospitals.
Let's regulate it.
And what does it say to you, Doctor, that virtually every country bans the trafficking of human organs? It says the idea probably disgusts people.
What I'm saying is, "Get over it.
" For God's sake, we let women sell babies in this country through private adoptions.
Let's all swallow our blatant hypocrisy and help people like this young man go on living.
It had to be Layla.
Nicole never left that house.
Layla got up here and lied.
It was only after she was confronted with the reality of the photo that she seemed to get at all honest about things, and even then, she lied.
Yes perhaps one of them left the house that night.
Perhaps one of them killed Wade.
But it wasn't Layla.
It was Nicole.
She snuck out out of the house while her sister was meditating, shot Wade in the back of the head.
Nicole is the one with the criminal record, not Layla.
She's sick.
She's pathological.
She's depraved, she's a liar, and a murderer.
Well, isn't that just so nifty? They point their fingers at each other, you have no way of knowing who to believe, and you've got reasonable doubt for both.
What a clever little plan.
Have to be pretty diabolical to dream up that one.
This all just goes to show, they are in on this together.
Mutual-alibi witnesses it was all perfect, and when the traffic camera reveals the truth, they just switch to their backup plan.
She said/she said.
Reasonable doubt.
Do not be fooled.
They had this little Hail Mary fraud as an insurance policy.
"We'll accuse each other.
" It's delicious.
It just shows how depraved and conniving they are.
Sure, reasonable doubt for both.
Why not go for it? Let them hop out scot-free and enjoy their inheritance.
They're just so smart.
There is a reason the medical establishment continues to vilify the idea of legalized organ trafficking the potential for abuse.
Now, as it's been stated, we are a nation that is only too happy to exploit the disenfranchised.
Now, it's one thing to send the poor off to war, to deny them health coverage, basic food, and shelter, but to extract their body parts it's immoral and it should shock our conscience.
This violates all standards of decency.
I don't get how a policy can be indecent, immoral, and unconscionable when it results in more people living.
- More rich people living.
- No, by legalizing the organ trade, Your Honor, you make it more accessible for everybody.
Not to mention, you make the process less violent, less deadly.
It's really as simple as that.
If this is simple to you, Ms.
Korn, maybe we should switch places.
I didn't come in here to ask you to save this kid, just to let him save himself.
I mean, we already let people sell blood, hair, semen, embryos.
There's also a thing called freedom.
I mean, we all love to boast that America is a free country.
Do we have restrictions? Of course, I mean, but most of them are about effecting a safer, more lawful society.
But banning organ sales does just neither.
I mean, it's just the opposite.
It fuels the black market, which results in more people dying.
Ms.
Korn, honestly does this feel right to you? This is moral, buying a kidney off a desperate man? Well, from what I can remember about my philosophy course in college, there are two versions of morality.
One is utilitarianism greatest good for greatest number of people.
That would favor legalizing organ sales.
The other is humanitarianism.
You can't look at this young man and conclude that the more humane thing would be to let him die, especially when he can so easily be saved.
And as for Christopher Phillips, a man desperate to help his struggling family, a man with the means to I mean, what, we let this boy die and that man's kids suffer so long as nobody's conscience gets nicked? I mean, how the hell is that moral? Banning organ sales is arbitrary, it's hypocritical, and it results in massive needless suffering.
If you want to get on your high horse, Judge, and champion the disenfranchised he's dying.
He's dying.
They don't come any more disenfranchised than that.
Mr.
Cormack, Moms, as you like to call her, has given me a lot of reasons to say yes to this.
I'm going to say no.
During these economic times, I do worry about coercion, duress.
I do worry about the less fortunate being exploited.
I'm concerned about would-be donors being less than forthcoming about disease or past drug use for fear of screwing up the sale, and while I realize it's possible that the legalization of organ sales could possibly be beneficial to the poor, something tells me that it will work out just a little bit better for the rich.
And yes, Ms.
Korn, this cuts against my moral fiber as a person and as a judge.
No doubt, one day, who lives and who dies may very well come down to who has more money, but that day will not be today not in my courtroom.
I will pray for you.
I hope that you get the kidney that you so desperately need.
We're adjourned.
The defendants will please rise.
Okay, Madam Forewoman, what say you? We, the jury, in the above entitled action, in the matter of the State of Ohio against Nicole Wheyland, on the charge of murder in the first degree, we find the defendant Nicole Wheyland guilty.
In the matter of the State of Ohio against Layla Wheyland, on the charge of murder in the first degree, we find the defendant Layla Wheyland guilty.
Very well.
The court would like to thank the jury for their time and diligent service.
Thank you very much.
You are dismissed.
It's a signed confession from Nicole, claiming sole responsibility for the crime.
What do you expect from me? I expect justice, I expect fairness.
Counsel, you took your shot with a jury, you lost.
Layla is innocent of this crime.
No, the jury found her guilty, and I have no basis in either law or fact to consider her innocent and by the way, we do not guarantee defendants justice in this business.
We only ensure them the right to a fair trial.
Your client got one.
The fact that she's innocent that isn't relevant to you? Look, if she is actually innocent, I grant you, it is a terrible result.
But there is no legal relevance.
She got a fair trial; that's all we promise.
We're done.
I know you don't want to hear this, but he's right.
Actual innocence isn't grounds for a new trial.
It's my own fault, taking this case on the fly.
Plus, it's one of Tommy's.
What did I expect? You just got all excited about defending twins, didn't you? Sorry.
Do you really think Layla didn't know her sister left that night? I don't know what to think at this point, I really don't.
- Sorry.
- No, it's okay.
I'm done.
Hey.
Hey.
You okay? I'll live.
Actually sorry I sort of bolted.
I owe you a really big thank you, so, thank you, Moms.
I'm sorry, Jimmy.
I really wish I could have done more.
Hey, there's still things.
I'm thinking of going to India, maybe try and get the transplant there.
Uh, I'm not sure organ sales are legal in India, either.
Right, well, I'm still on the list here, you know, the legit list, so I could still You need to still think positive, Moms.
We can't have the fat lady singing just yet, okay? Think positive.
Okay.
I really am grateful.
You're something, Moms, I'll tell you that.
You, too.
Uh, be sure to thank Cassie and, um, Adam for me.
Will do.
Stay here all night.
I'm not kicking anybody out of here.
Man, I just got to say this once before we wrap.
Tip of the hat to old Tommy J.
I mean, for a guy who has never played poker before, you hung in there a long time, old man.
I've played poker before.
Yeah, right.
The way you bet? Am I right, Mabel? It's Harry.
Little blind to Harry, big blind to the judge.
Tommy, it's to you.
I'm thinking.
Yeah, I can hear those gears grinding.
Shut up, punk.
Hey, I got an idea.
You're not making anything wild, Tommy.
I'm done.
Probably got four of a kind.
I'm out.
Live large, am I right, Moms? Call.
Too rich for me.
Let's raise 80.
Dude, you can't slowroll at a table full of old people.
They might die.
Who invited this kid? I'm out.
Just you and me, Moms.
Check.
Let's go another hundred.
Two hundred.
Ooh.
Having trouble concentrating, Doogie? Are we up past your bedtime? I'll hang with you a while longer.
The lady gets no love.
You got a queen in your hand and one on the board, and you were hoping for one more to make it trips, right? I know what you're thinking.
Am I bluffing? Question is do you feel lucky? Well, do you, punk? Wow.
What do you got? Wayne Gretzky.
- Oh! - Wow! Quads! I did not see that coming.
You know what else I didn't see coming is that after the flop, I'd have OESFD.
OSEFD what's that? Open-ended straight flush draw.
Had it on the turn, baby.
Loved giving you false hope, though.
No hard feelings, right, Moms? Harry's Law 2x12 - New Kidney on the Block Original air date January 18, 2012 When the hell did this come in? How do you not call me? When did you get this? One deep one now, through the nose.
Again, now, right to your toes.
Wait for it.
Excuse me? I need you.
Ménage à murder.
- I need you.
- What are you talking about? Three lovers one dead, down to two.
I represent the two accused of killing the one, only now the court says I can't represent the two.
The judge says he wants them to have separate counsel, which is why I need you.
- Ah.
I'm busy.
- But, Ollie, what's there to think about? It's a murder.
It's a three-way.
Can it get any juicier? Let's tag team these twinbies.
Oh, did I mention? Twins.
What's this? My winnings.
I just can't take money from old people.
I couldn't live with myself, so I'm returning the money.
Gee, you're so swell.
Go get your hair done.
Maybe splurge for a pair of high-end orthopedic shoes.
Whatever.
How about I buy a shiny new gun and blow your balls off? - Ouch.
- Take your money off my desk, you obnoxious little dick, and get out.
Okay.
Look, when I said I couldn't live with myself, I meant it.
I'm dying.
Acute kidney failure.
I've got about six months.
What's the catch? Wow, I like you.
The good news is I have a kidney all lined up for a transplant, but no hospital will perform the operation.
Why not? I bought it.
You bought the kidney? All my poker winnings.
Buying organs is illegal.
This I know.
There's a reason I crashed the poker game last night, Harry.
It was to meet you.
I need a favor.
And this is how you ask me? Cracks like "orthopedic," "old," "Moms"? You won't forget me.
Admit it.
Please.
I need to get the law changed.
Preferably within six months.
Will you help me? Our biggest challenge might be their polygamous life style.
Polyamorous there's a difference.
To who? You were sleeping with the same guy here, an old rich one, which could lead the jury to "there's inherent depravity here," which is a short walk to "you killed him.
" You're both married to the victim? Layla and Wade were married legally, but it's for tax purposes.
The three of us, we had a commitment ceremony celebrating our bond.
What about the sex? Is it a threesome or They always go right to the sex, right? It's disgusting.
We each slept with Wade separately.
The two of us were not sexual lovers.
Mr.
Richard, it's not as unusual as you think.
We're twins.
We have identical DNA, we've grown up with similar interests, and we like the same things, which led to us liking the same man.
This arrangement, it makes sense for us.
I'm sure it made sense to him, till you whacked him.
Allegedly.
What kind of evidence are we talking about here? Almost nada, all circumstantial.
Remmick has a feeling which comes from means, motive, and opportunity.
Opening statements this afternoon.
I'm sorry, you said Remmick? Roseanna Remmick, she's the DA? Yes.
This case has it all, Oliver twins, murder, Hoseanna, me.
And clients who are innocent.
We didn't do this.
Neither Layla nor I left the house that night.
We did not do it.
Are you kidding me? Like your confidence, mate.
Love yours.
Sweet.
Harry, organ sales? I know the law, Adam.
The question is, how do we get the law changed? You don't.
You're not really like the little engine that could, are you? Your best shot would be the 14th Amendment, due process a person has the right to life-saving treatment.
See, that's sexy.
You could also go with right to privacy, Roe v.
Wade, a person's body, a person's right.
The same thing could arguably be applied to one wanting to sell an organ.
We have no standing to assert the seller's right.
Unless we represent the seller, as well.
I'll get him in here, done.
We'll go with the my right.
Could you do that little thing with your lips again? If you're not going to take this seriously, then why the hell should we? I take it seriously, Moms.
I'll get the seller in here.
It's all too exciting, isn't it? A little threesome, the Tweedle-Dee killed by Tweedle-Dumb and Tweedle-Dumber.
And they sit here looking adorable in their smart little Gucci outfits, with their high-end lawyers, Ollie Richard and Mr.
Ick.
Has all the makings of a fun little romp, doesn't it? You could almost lose sight of the fact that an innocent man is dead.
That's not a fun word dead.
This is an old guy's fantasy gone bad.
He married beautiful twins.
After all, that's the dream, isn't it? But then the fantasy kind of wore off, he wanted out.
But with a prenup in place, that wasn't going to work at all, no, not for our girls.
No, that wasn't the plan at all.
Notice how she left out any actual facts? She's up here trying to get you to hate my clients, because if you think they're depraved enough, well, you might convict without any evidence.
My client loved the victim.
Mr.
Richard's client loved the victim.
They were in a committed relationship.
All the facts will show is that he didn't come home that night, and he was discovered shot dead in his office.
And because we have no idea or evidence as to who shot him, Ms.
Remmick decides, well, let's blame the two women who loved him.
Let's blame the two women who lived with him.
Let's blame the two women who slept with him.
Your Honor, Mr.
Ick makes it seem like I'm blaming six women.
It's just these disgusting two.
All right, Counsel.
The bottom line is I don't need the kidney.
I have another.
I need that $70,000.
I got three kids.
I don't have a job.
If the court senses coercion I'm not being coerced.
Well, economic duress could be deemed a form of coercion.
Look, I'm not crazy.
You want to call it economic duress, I mean, that's fine.
I suppose that's what it is.
All I can tell you is I know what I'm doing, and it's voluntary.
I need that $70,000, and I'm willing to part with a kidney to get it.
Have you tried to get on a transplant list? Yes, I've been evaluated at Cincinnati Hospital.
I am on the list, but way down.
They say the odds of it happening in six months are And what about people who know you? No family.
Never met my father, my mother's dead, no siblings.
As for people who know me nobody's volunteering.
Well, you can't just grab somebody off the street, Jimmy.
A kidney match We've already been tested, Phillips and I blood-type compatibility, tissue type, antibody screenings we are a match.
He was pretending to be related, but then the hospital got wise, and figured out it was a sale.
Thank you.
Look, I'm only doing this 'cause I'm bored.
Okay, don't construe this as any affection for you.
Truth is, you bug the crap out of me.
You own a suit? What, you kidding? No.
Well, we got to get you one.
And don't expect to win this.
Okay? 'Cause we got no chance.
Which is why I came to you.
Okay, just so you know, it was on my motion that the judge ordered separate counsel.
Just how much do you really know about this case? Oh, I'm still catching up.
You represent Layla? Yes.
Why? Because we think Nicole is the killer, Layla covered up for her.
Do you have any actual evidence to support that? Nicole is the evil twin.
She's been in trouble with the law before assault, embezzlement.
She even did a brief stint at the laughing academy, which I don't know about, of course, since it was juvie.
Layla is the more innocent.
We can call her the simpleminded one.
So here's the deal.
You get Layla to give up Nicole, and I will consider a reduced charge of aiding and abetting.
Tells me you don't have much of a case.
I'd sure hate to see Layla spend the rest of her life in prison for a crime she didn't commit.
Well, the question is, what does she know? What does she know? Yes.
Specifically, why does she think that Nicole is guilty and you're not? She is not guilty.
She was at home with me the entire night.
Why does Roseanna Remmick think so? I have no idea.
Maybe for the same reason that she's blaming me: she's got no other suspect.
Earth to Layla and I realize this might be a bit of a commute for you right now but I'm in trial, I'm catching up to speed as I go, and I don't need any surprises in there, so start talking.
Nicole was a very troubled girl.
Obviously, the police have seen her background.
Which would give Roseanna allowance to think that she orchestrated it, but it's more than that, Layla.
She thinks that she did it and you didn't, which leads me to think that she has something.
Did Nicole leave the house that night? No.
You hesitated.
No.
She did not leave the house.
We were together the entire time.
Was your husband planning on leaving you? No.
Things weren't perfect of late, but no, he wasn't planning on leaving us.
Names of doctors, these are test results and blood work.
This won't be a medical decision.
That probably won't be necessary.
Okay.
I wouldn't call that doctor, anyway.
Her judgment is pretty clouded.
She has a massive crush on me.
As do you.
These things happen.
You know something, part of being a good lawyer is being able to read body language and so forth.
We can smell when someone's defense mechanisms are in high gear, and I know a scared kid when I see one.
I'm not scared.
You should be.
You're dying.
You've got six months to live, Jimmy.
You're dying.
This is the way you prepare a witness? If it's the only way that he can be prepared, yes.
Look, the idea of buying and selling organs, it disgusts people.
Should it? Maybe not.
This is America; we live by "You get what you pay for," but it disgusts people just the same.
And if you go into that courtroom flip tomorrow, or cocky I'm not begging for mercy, if that's where you're headed.
I'm not suggesting that.
But if it would save your life, what's the problem? Because I'm not pathetic.
Might I die? S sure, I probably will, but I will not go in, or out, pathetic.
Jimmy, look, here's the deal.
You've got one of the best lawyers there is in Harry Korn.
I suspect you already know that.
And if anybody can beat the presumption against organ sales, it's Harry.
But for her to have any chance, you need to be humble.
We don't win unless the judge wants you to win.
Got it? Got it.
No forced entry, no sign of a struggle, no evidence of a robbery.
You formed a theory, Detective, based on your 17 years of experience in the field? He was killed by someone he knew.
The fact that he was sitting at his desk, that the shooter was able to walk behind him and shoot into the back of his head while he sat there calmly working.
Murder weapon? .
38, which the victim was known to keep in his safe, which gun is missing and has not been found.
How far was it from the victim's office to his residence? Ten-minute walk, two minutes by car.
Simple enough for two women to, say, take a brief time-out from whatever it is they like to do in the privacy of their own home, take an evening stroll and plug someone in the back of the head? - Objection.
- Objection.
Seriously? - Who do we think did it? - Those two.
- Objection! - Objection! Detective, after the man was found with a bullet in his head and after this was brought to the attention of the defendants, did you have opportunity to speak with them? I did.
And what did they say? That they were home alone all night.
Anything to corroborate that? There were a few e-mails sent.
And there were two calls made to the home on the landline which went unanswered: one at 8:37, another at 8:53.
And this tells you what? They perhaps stepped out.
Thank you.
Some people don't answer the phone at all at night.
- Yes, but that's - Thank you.
You said the victim was killed with a .
38.
About how many .
38s do you figure are making the rounds in this country? More than ten million.
- They all accounted for? - Clearly not.
Thank you.
You said my clients' prints were found at the scene.
But isn't it true they were there that afternoon, left with the victim while he was very much alive? - Yes, that's true.
- Thank you.
So as I understand it, all you can clearly state and not to any certainty at all is that the victim was likely killed by somebody who knew him, isn't that right? Well, someone who had the keys to his office.
He couldn't have left the door open? And somebody who knew the combination to his safe.
He could've moved the gun earlier himself.
You don't know that he didn't.
He could've lost his gun, which would explain why you can't find it.
Have you found a gun? - No.
- Thank you.
You don't know anything, do you, Detective? You're stumped, which is why, when in doubt, arrest the spouse in this case, the two of them.
So how we all doing today? Mr.
Cormack, I gather not too well.
Unless you want to let me have the kidney, Judge.
I see we got a charmer.
One with three lawyers.
Any one of these three lawyers tell you that we don't permit the sale of human organs in this country? Yeah, that's all Adam says, and Moms has been a little negative, truth be told.
Moms? So you can afford to buy a kidney and three lawyers.
Lot of manpower, Moms.
What are you doing? I realize public policy frowns on this, Your Honor You think? but given the stakes are life-threatening, and given that the tide of public policy ebbs and flows Not on this issue, it doesn't.
Mr.
Kennedy, I suspect the State has feelings? Your Honor, the idea is offensive.
Notwithstanding Mr.
Cormack's condition, for which I sympathize, because You're sweet.
Okay.
I'd like you to hear from Prince Charming here, and then one witness from the medical field.
I have no authority to order any hospital to perform the transplant.
But with your blessing, we might get one to consider it.
Thank you, Judge.
Shall I make that out to cash? There was a lot of anger of late.
It seemed as if the bloom had come off both little roses.
And you knew this how? Well, I was their neighbor.
And I was a bit fascinated, I admit.
And suspicious.
He's in his 60s, and they're not.
Turning to the night that he died One of them left the house.
Of this I am absolutely certain, a hundred percent.
And you know this how? Well, at night, when a car turns into their driveway from the south side, the headlights shine right into my family room.
And did they shine that night? A hundred percent.
I was watching television, and the headlights came right into the room between 8:30 and 9:00.
You're absolutely sure of the time? A hundred percent.
Was it unusual for your neighbors to go out at night? It was unusual for them to go out that early.
Usually, they wait for the old man to go to bed, and then the two of them go barhopping.
Objection.
And when Wade was out of town, they typically brought back men.
- Objection! - Objection! - Sustained.
Ms.
Betz, you will contain your answers to the questions asked.
You saw them bring home other men? - Objection! - Objection! Sustained.
Ms.
Remmick.
Come up here.
Gentlemen.
Evidence of the defendants' character and prior acts are inadmissible.
Or did you not go to law school? Sorry.
I'm telling you, we got very hurt.
Why? Headlights? Are you kidding me? Tommy, it just looks bad.
Two hot young things married to a fat old rich guy who takes one in the back of the head.
They've been seen bringing men to the house, they inherit almost everything, not to mention the perceived depravity of this so-called union in the first place.
It's all circumstantial.
Yeah, but it's good circumstantial.
We have no way to prove anybody else was there, they have motive, opportunity We got to put Layla up there.
Layla? What about Nicole? Nicole has a felony record, which is admissible if she testifies.
I'm putting Layla on the stand.
Wade and I fell in love first.
And then, well, Nicole and I are a little inseparable.
She was always around and it became a threesome.
Nicole and I were not sexually involved with each other, but, yes, it was an emotional threesome.
That's a little weird, isn't it? Well, perhaps, but not as weird as you think.
You'd be surprised.
There are over half a million polyamorous unions in this country.
And considering the divorce rate of a conventional one-man/one-woman marriage Okay, let's turn to that night.
We never left the house.
We had dinner at about 6:30 PM.
Wade went back to the office, and Nicole and I stayed in.
Neighbor said she saw your car.
She may have seen a car, but it certainly wasn't ours.
I like to meditate in the evenings, which is where I was in the Zen room.
And Nicole she had some business plan that she was trying to create for a new venture of hers.
She was in the den.
Okay, Layla, I'd like to remind you, you are under oath.
I know that and I'm telling the truth.
Neither of us left that house.
And the idea that either of us would even think about taking the life of a man that we loved so dearly it's So, you were Zen-ing, Sis was dening, the neighbor saw a car, but not yours, and the idea that the two of you would have harmed this man is repugnant.
Got it.
That's hubby, first, with the toupee.
Now without.
In both pictures, he's 300 pounds, acne scars and rich.
If you think that I married him for his money Oh, no, no, I'm sure both of you found him attractive.
I know I do.
And here he is dead, facedown on his desk.
Did you do that, Layla? No.
Think about it now.
Fat guy, rich, bald, you inherit, Nicole, too.
Any of this ring a bell? - Objection.
- Objection.
Ms.
Remmick.
I'm sorry, Your Honor.
One more picture, and I'll be done.
This was taken at 8:33, the night of the murder.
This looks like neither a Zen room, nor a den, but a car.
It's from a security camera two blocks away from your dead hubby's office.
You or Nicole? Layla? You - or Nicole? - Your Honor, approach? This is unfair surprise.
We were never told about this photo.
It was never my intent to introduce it, but after your client's direct, I felt obligated to impeach.
Bull.
You're sandbagging us.
You knew we were gonna have to put our client up there to establish an alibi, and as soon as we did, you ambush us with this, saying, "Oh, I'm just trying to impeach.
" You give me way too much credit.
Ms.
Remmick, this has a lousy smell to it.
Oh, that would be Ick.
As for the information, it is within the defendants' control, after all, at least one of them knows she went out that night, so this would not be unfair surprise.
It was a deliberate attempt to catch us with our pants down.
All right.
Ms.
Remmick, I don't like this, but, Counsel, she's right.
At least one of your clients had this information.
It's not unfair surprise.
All right, the trial goes on.
Let's go.
Anyone care to talk? Nicole? It was me.
I went out that night.
I went to confront him.
I didn't go there with the plan to kill him, but Nicole.
He was gonna leave us, Layla.
He was I'm sorry, but he was going to hurt us.
I need to get out of this room, please.
Hold on.
Honey, I'm sorry.
You're sorry? You just killed my husband, and you're sorry? We need to figure out what we're going to do now.
I'll do whatever.
I'll plead guilty, if that'll let her go.
It's not that simple.
Just put me on the stand, and and I'll say that I did it.
This way, she can get acquitted.
I don't think that's going to work, either.
They're just gonna think that one of you is falling on the grenade to save the other.
I'll talk to Remmick.
I'll see what I can do.
I'm on the waiting list.
Doctors say I may get one, but not likely, less than 50-50.
I'm a good poker player, Judge you can ask Moms here but there's taking chances and taking chances.
And how did you procure your own donor? Money.
Mr.
Cormack, if you were a dying person waiting for a kidney, and you saw a person with money get preferential treatment, how would you feel about that? I'd be okay with it.
And if you were an impoverished person being exploited, having to sell an organ for money? He's okay with it, too.
You can ask him.
Our donor's with us? Yes, ma'am.
Could you step up here, sir? Am I on trial? No, sir.
You're not on trial.
Please.
You want to tell me your name? Christopher Phillips.
Selling your kidney, sir.
Have you thought about what would happen if you damaged the other one? Say, in an automobile accident? Or if you yourself got kidney disease? You'd suddenly be missing the kidney that you're willing to sell.
Maybe so, but as it is today, I I don't need an extra kidney.
I need that money.
Uh-huh.
And selling a human organ does this strike you as something especially moral to do? Look, I don't stand here a proud man, Judge.
I got no job.
I'm out of options.
She pleads guilty to second-degree murder, you dismiss against Layla.
And why would I do that? I have them both on first degree.
Okay, you don't have them, and what's more Oh, I think I do.
You're wasting my time, Ollie.
Okay.
Nicole pleads to first degree murder, Layla walks.
You yourself said you knew it was Nicole.
Why are you hesitating? No.
I like where I am.
Roseanna, this is the very deal you asked for from the start.
That was then.
This is now.
Things change, don't they? You know what? This is your Achilles' heel.
This is you being blinded by your own vindictiveness.
What are you doing? Oh, this is the part where you try to push my button.
You'd like that, wouldn't you? Fiddle with my button.
Well, that's not happening, either.
Out you go.
You might lose them both.
This isn't done.
Not to mention the little stunt you pulled with the traffic photo, setting yourself up for appeal.
I'd take Nicole and be done with it.
Murder one on Nicole.
Aiding and abetting on Layla.
No.
Layla swears she didn't hear Nicole leave.
I believe her.
Oh, you believe her? Oh, oh, well then.
Roseanna, you wanted Nicole, I'm giving you Nicole.
No, I like where I am.
We're actually not dead.
How do you figure? Well, all the prosecution can do is prove that one of them went out that night.
You argue it was Nicole, I argue it was Layla.
The jury can't know which one.
That's reasonable doubt for both.
Jury's gonna want to throw them both in jail before they let a killer go free.
Not if they follow the letter of the law and the judge's instructions.
They may want to throw them both in jail, but they can't.
- They took an oath to uphold the law.
- Tommy, at a minimum, they're both guilty of conspiracy.
There's been absolutely no evidence introduced of any conspiring, Ollie.
We're not dead here.
We're really not.
I've been a sitting member of the Humane Human Transplant Board for 17 years.
You must have an opinion about selling organs, then.
Yes.
Up until 11 months ago, I was vehemently against the idea.
And what changed your mind? We've got nearly 100,000 men, women and children needing kidneys right now, with less than 20,000 available kidneys.
Do the math.
And you think this is a simple mathematical equation, Doctor? I think it's a life-and-death equation.
If people are willing to donate kidneys, albeit for money, and they save lives by so doing, what the hell are we waiting for? Well, I've heard it voiced that if people don't trust the legitimacy of our transplant procedures, even fewer organs will be donated.
Which is why we legalize it, regulate it, and give it legitimacy.
Your Honor, these sales are going on right now, like it or not.
They're just happening on the black market.
If we bring it out in the open, make it less shady, the business becomes way less dangerous, we can end the violence associated with it, and again, the punch line we save more lives.
But let's be fair, Doctor.
The idea that the wealthy might live while the poor might die Counsel, that is the world we live in.
Let's face it.
Doctor, I put on this robe every day because I refuse to face it.
And I have no doubt you're a noble person.
But look at our back-door draft.
Who do you think did most of the dying the last ten years in the Iraq War? The poor.
Who doesn't get medical insurance? The poor.
Who dies of starvation? Three guesses.
So you, as a doctor, would happily cut a kidney out of a healthy person so he could market it for cash.
What happened to "Do no harm"? Counsel, you haven't been hearing me.
This would save lives.
These kidneys are already being cut out of people by medical hacks, in questionable facilities.
Let's move the business to the hospitals.
Let's regulate it.
And what does it say to you, Doctor, that virtually every country bans the trafficking of human organs? It says the idea probably disgusts people.
What I'm saying is, "Get over it.
" For God's sake, we let women sell babies in this country through private adoptions.
Let's all swallow our blatant hypocrisy and help people like this young man go on living.
It had to be Layla.
Nicole never left that house.
Layla got up here and lied.
It was only after she was confronted with the reality of the photo that she seemed to get at all honest about things, and even then, she lied.
Yes perhaps one of them left the house that night.
Perhaps one of them killed Wade.
But it wasn't Layla.
It was Nicole.
She snuck out out of the house while her sister was meditating, shot Wade in the back of the head.
Nicole is the one with the criminal record, not Layla.
She's sick.
She's pathological.
She's depraved, she's a liar, and a murderer.
Well, isn't that just so nifty? They point their fingers at each other, you have no way of knowing who to believe, and you've got reasonable doubt for both.
What a clever little plan.
Have to be pretty diabolical to dream up that one.
This all just goes to show, they are in on this together.
Mutual-alibi witnesses it was all perfect, and when the traffic camera reveals the truth, they just switch to their backup plan.
She said/she said.
Reasonable doubt.
Do not be fooled.
They had this little Hail Mary fraud as an insurance policy.
"We'll accuse each other.
" It's delicious.
It just shows how depraved and conniving they are.
Sure, reasonable doubt for both.
Why not go for it? Let them hop out scot-free and enjoy their inheritance.
They're just so smart.
There is a reason the medical establishment continues to vilify the idea of legalized organ trafficking the potential for abuse.
Now, as it's been stated, we are a nation that is only too happy to exploit the disenfranchised.
Now, it's one thing to send the poor off to war, to deny them health coverage, basic food, and shelter, but to extract their body parts it's immoral and it should shock our conscience.
This violates all standards of decency.
I don't get how a policy can be indecent, immoral, and unconscionable when it results in more people living.
- More rich people living.
- No, by legalizing the organ trade, Your Honor, you make it more accessible for everybody.
Not to mention, you make the process less violent, less deadly.
It's really as simple as that.
If this is simple to you, Ms.
Korn, maybe we should switch places.
I didn't come in here to ask you to save this kid, just to let him save himself.
I mean, we already let people sell blood, hair, semen, embryos.
There's also a thing called freedom.
I mean, we all love to boast that America is a free country.
Do we have restrictions? Of course, I mean, but most of them are about effecting a safer, more lawful society.
But banning organ sales does just neither.
I mean, it's just the opposite.
It fuels the black market, which results in more people dying.
Ms.
Korn, honestly does this feel right to you? This is moral, buying a kidney off a desperate man? Well, from what I can remember about my philosophy course in college, there are two versions of morality.
One is utilitarianism greatest good for greatest number of people.
That would favor legalizing organ sales.
The other is humanitarianism.
You can't look at this young man and conclude that the more humane thing would be to let him die, especially when he can so easily be saved.
And as for Christopher Phillips, a man desperate to help his struggling family, a man with the means to I mean, what, we let this boy die and that man's kids suffer so long as nobody's conscience gets nicked? I mean, how the hell is that moral? Banning organ sales is arbitrary, it's hypocritical, and it results in massive needless suffering.
If you want to get on your high horse, Judge, and champion the disenfranchised he's dying.
He's dying.
They don't come any more disenfranchised than that.
Mr.
Cormack, Moms, as you like to call her, has given me a lot of reasons to say yes to this.
I'm going to say no.
During these economic times, I do worry about coercion, duress.
I do worry about the less fortunate being exploited.
I'm concerned about would-be donors being less than forthcoming about disease or past drug use for fear of screwing up the sale, and while I realize it's possible that the legalization of organ sales could possibly be beneficial to the poor, something tells me that it will work out just a little bit better for the rich.
And yes, Ms.
Korn, this cuts against my moral fiber as a person and as a judge.
No doubt, one day, who lives and who dies may very well come down to who has more money, but that day will not be today not in my courtroom.
I will pray for you.
I hope that you get the kidney that you so desperately need.
We're adjourned.
The defendants will please rise.
Okay, Madam Forewoman, what say you? We, the jury, in the above entitled action, in the matter of the State of Ohio against Nicole Wheyland, on the charge of murder in the first degree, we find the defendant Nicole Wheyland guilty.
In the matter of the State of Ohio against Layla Wheyland, on the charge of murder in the first degree, we find the defendant Layla Wheyland guilty.
Very well.
The court would like to thank the jury for their time and diligent service.
Thank you very much.
You are dismissed.
It's a signed confession from Nicole, claiming sole responsibility for the crime.
What do you expect from me? I expect justice, I expect fairness.
Counsel, you took your shot with a jury, you lost.
Layla is innocent of this crime.
No, the jury found her guilty, and I have no basis in either law or fact to consider her innocent and by the way, we do not guarantee defendants justice in this business.
We only ensure them the right to a fair trial.
Your client got one.
The fact that she's innocent that isn't relevant to you? Look, if she is actually innocent, I grant you, it is a terrible result.
But there is no legal relevance.
She got a fair trial; that's all we promise.
We're done.
I know you don't want to hear this, but he's right.
Actual innocence isn't grounds for a new trial.
It's my own fault, taking this case on the fly.
Plus, it's one of Tommy's.
What did I expect? You just got all excited about defending twins, didn't you? Sorry.
Do you really think Layla didn't know her sister left that night? I don't know what to think at this point, I really don't.
- Sorry.
- No, it's okay.
I'm done.
Hey.
Hey.
You okay? I'll live.
Actually sorry I sort of bolted.
I owe you a really big thank you, so, thank you, Moms.
I'm sorry, Jimmy.
I really wish I could have done more.
Hey, there's still things.
I'm thinking of going to India, maybe try and get the transplant there.
Uh, I'm not sure organ sales are legal in India, either.
Right, well, I'm still on the list here, you know, the legit list, so I could still You need to still think positive, Moms.
We can't have the fat lady singing just yet, okay? Think positive.
Okay.
I really am grateful.
You're something, Moms, I'll tell you that.
You, too.
Uh, be sure to thank Cassie and, um, Adam for me.
Will do.