United States, Original Airdate, March 28, 1999.
THIS TRANSCRIPT WAS DONE BY RYANA. PLEASE DIRECT ALL COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS TO HER AT ryana_@hotmail.com
-------------------- Disclaimer --------------------
I do not own the characters in this story, nor do I own any rights to the
television show 'The Practice'.
They were created by David E. Kelley and belong to him and David E. Kelley
Productions.
This is not a novelisation or a script. It is a straightforward and dry
transcript of the episode 'Closet
Justice'. It also includes descriptions of the settings and camera
movements where I felt they were needed.
I am not making any money or any other benefit off of this, it is purely for
fun.
I made every effort to accurately transcribe the dialogue from this episode.
If you notice anything that has
been transcribed incorrectly, please email me, and I will post an update.
This transcript was written by Ryana.
-------------------- Prologue --------------------
News report. The reporter is standing outside a building, from which is
being wheeled a stretcher. There
are police cars and police tape surrounding the building.
Lillian Curry (newsreader): ... As well as profound grief, Sister Caroline
Oaks was a beloved, beloved,
member of the church. Preliminary reports say she was stabbed more than
thirty times...
Camera pulls back to show Helen and Lindsay’s apartment. Helen is watching
the news while putting on
her shoes.
Helen: (over her shoulder to Lindsay) Oh, can you believe this? Just what I
need.
Lindsay: Helen, it’s a compliment. High profile case, you get the
assignment, that’s -
Helen: Too high profile! I don’t need that kind of pressure. It makes my
face break out.
Lillian Curry: The police were actually responding to a call from another
kidnap victim, Cynthia
Simonson, when they found the nun’s body in a closet...
Lindsay: (looking over Helen’s shoulder) The arraignment’s when?
Helen: Nine o’clock.
Lindsay: Maybe I’ll stop by on my way and watch.
Helen: Why?
Lindsay: Cause it’s high profile and I wanna be there for your first
pimple. (she smiles teasingly)
Helen: Haha. Funny.
Lindsay: This is big stuff, Helen. They must consider you their go to DA.
It’s a compliment.
Helen: Yeah, yeah.
Camera shows the news again, a close-up of the nun’s body (covered in a
sheet) being put into an
ambulance and then back to Helen’s worried face.
-------------------- Opening Credits --------------------
The courtroom, at the arraignment. The doors open and the bailiff escorts
Michael Kingston into the
room. There are boo’s and yells from the gallery.
Clerk: Case number 32654. Commonwealth versus Michael Kingston, murder in
the first degree.
More yelling comes from the gallery. We see Lindsay leaning at the back.
Judge Hiller: Quiet down. (bangs gavel) I said, quiet! (the gallery
quiets) Any body who disrupts this
room will be removed, possibly to a jail cell. I don’t think you want to
test me.
The defence counsel stands.
Mapp: Joseph Mapp for the defendant, your honour, we’ll waive reading.
Helen: Helen Gamble for the Commonwealth. We’d obviously oppose bail.
Judge Hiller: Okay, let’s conference, we can set the trial date then. (she
pauses and looks out at the
gallery. She leans forward) Counsel, I have great respect for the public
defenders (Mapp nods) as well as
your work in particular, but, given the magnitude of scrutiny this case is
likely to generate, together with
the limits on your office’s resources... (raising her voice) Ms Dole, would
you step up here, please?
Lindsay looks startled. Helen, Mapp and Kingston turn to look at her.
Judge Hiller: Ms Dole, did you hear me? Would you please come forward?
Lindsay: (making her was through the crowd) I hope you’re not thinking of
-
Judge Hiller: You win. Congratulations.
Lindsay: Your honour -
Judge Hiller: Get together with the DA. Let’s conference as soon as
possible.
Lindsay: Your honour, I regretfully have to decline. My schedule -
Judge Hiller: Counsel, this wasn’t a request. It’s your case. Next.
Clerk: Case number 32655. People versus Nathan.
Helen and Lindsay just look at each other as Kingston is escorted back out
the room.
Courthouse hall, in front of the elevators. Lindsay is pacing. The
elevator doors open and Bobby walks
out.
Lindsay: Can she really make me do this? She can’t make me. Can she make
me?
Bobby: Where is she?
Lindsay: Chambers.
Bobby: C’mon.
Judge Hiller’s chambers.
Judge Hiller: Oh, come on. You love these cases. Granted, it doesn’t
involve a chopped off head, but
still...
Bobby: We don’t want this one.
Judge Hiller: Why?
Bobby: You know why.
Judge Hiller: Well, then humour me.
Bobby: The victim is a nun. Stabbed thirty times. This kind of crime...
The stigma will run to the
lawyers defending the psycho who -
Judge Hiller: Again, I keep going back to the client who cut off the girls
head. You defended him -
Bobby: He was innocent!
Judge Hiller: To the public he wasn’t! So, you face the same stigma there,
Bobby.
Bobby: Which is why we don’t need to be lawyers on this one.
Lindsay: Plus, the District Attorney is my roommate. That’s grounds for
disqualification right there.
Judge Hiller: Not if the judge is convinced you’ll rise above the potential
conflict, which I am. (Lindsay
sighs)
Bobby: Helen Gamble is also an ex-girlfriend of mine -
Judge Hiller: You’ve tried cases against her before...
Bobby: Your honour...
Judge Hiller: Bobby, if I were to recuse you every time you slept with the
other side -
Lindsay: Hey. (she glances sideways at Bobby, who glances back at her)
Judge Hiller: There’s already a lynch mob mentality out there, you can see
that. I need to ensure he gets
a legitimate and zealous defence. You people fight for murderers better
than anybody.
Bobby: You can’t force us to take this case.
Judge Hiller: Of course I can. It’s exactly what I’m doing. (Pointing to
the door) Go defend him!
Bobby and Lindsay look at each other and leave the room.
Another part of the courtroom.
Jimmy: I got him down to straight probation. I think we should jump.
Burrows: But, Jimmy, if I take any guilty finding, I lose my job. I’ve got
a morals clause which says any
criminal conviction.
Jimmy: Maybe we could talk to your boss.
Burrows: He can’t waive it, no. There’s a precedent. This is a company
with thirty-two thousand
employees. This isn’t fair, this isn’t fair!
Rebecca: Mr Burrows, it’s not like you didn’t commit the crime. You
offered the woman money.
Burrows: But I never would have. I am sitting in a bar, I am minding my
own business and she came up
to me.
Jimmy: We’re gonna go with entrapment.
Burrows: Is there any chance we could win?
Jimmy: Yes.
Rebecca: But not a good one.
Burrows: Well, the way I see it, I’ve got nothing to lose.
Rebecca: Yes, there is. You get convicted at trial, you could do time.
Burrows: Miss Washington, it isn’t exactly like my life has a lot of
dimension. I have a job, which I’ve
put in sixteen years at. I’ve been a complete company man, and they say I
can stay on, but not if I have a
guilty finding. I wanna roll the dice, Jimmy.
Jimmy looks at Rebecca, then nods at Burrows.
The conference room.
Ellenor: This is bad.
Bobby: What can I tell you?
Ellenor: First of all, if this thing goes to trial we lose a fortune. The
court order fees are minimal.
Bobby: I don’t care about the money.
Eugene: Then what’s the panic, then? We’ve done nasty cases before.
Bobby: This was a nun, Eugene, stabbed repeatedly.
Eugene: I understand, but we’ve defended child killers. Are you upset on
religious grounds?
Lindsay: Have you been watching the news?
Ellenor: Look, we could bring a motion before a different judge, try to get
out of it -
Bobby: Arguing what?
Ellenor: Hardship. That we’re too overloaded to take -
Bobby: (sternly) That won’t fly. Look... (sighs and composes himself)
Look, we’ve been assigned the
case, so we do the job. Lindsay, meet with the client.
Lindsay: (sarcastically) Oh great.
Bobby: Ellenor, I want you to draft up a motion for a gag order. No doubt
Helen will be trying this case
in the media every chance she gets. You and Lindsay will try it, if it gets
that far, we’re better off with
women.
Lindsay: (raising her hand) I’m moving out of criminal, remember?
Bobby: Never mind. Eugene, I’d like you to do a memorandum on changing
venue. We need to try and
move this thing out of Boston.
Ellenor: How about LA?
Lucy walks in with a note for Bobby.
Bobby: (taking it) Lucy, good. All calls from the media, we have no
comment.
Lucy: (quietly) Okay. (she walks out)
Ellenor: Wait. You’re putting her in charge of ‘no comment’?
Lucy: I heard that.
Ellenor: Oh, you heard that? Such radar.
Bobby: All right, all right. Let’s get to work.
They all move off.
Judge Kittleson’s chambers.
Jimmy: (pacing) It isn’t fair. The guy is like this sad sac. It was
entrapment.
Judge Kittleson: What do you want from me, Jimmy?
Jimmy: You know I would never ask a favour in a million years that I
thought was, you know, unethical -
Judge Kittleson: I don’t know that, actually, but go ahead.
Jimmy: The guy is getting a bum shake. He’s worked hard in his job and
he’s about to lose it because
some undercover cop got him aroused and... it’s vintage entrapment.
Judge Kittleson: So, make the argument.
Jimmy: I’d like to make it to you. Judge Cohen’s going on vacation. This
thing will get transferred to
one of six divisions, including yours. I know Mark Patsos, the clerk. I’d
like him to steer it your way.
Judge Kittleson: That wouldn’t be a good idea. I wouldn’t kick it. From
where I stand your client
committed the crime, and second, I don’t appreciate your even asking what
you’re asking. It amounts to
an exparte communication, it’s wrong and you know it!
Jimmy: I gotta good guy here -
Judge Kittleson: I don’t care.
Jimmy: Fine, forget it. Fine.
Judge Kittleson: You’re angry now.
Jimmy: (getting up) Just forget it. I gotta go -
Judge Kittleson: Hey, Jimmy, I understand you wanna help your friend, but
you have to understand that
once I put on that robe, I don’t play favourites for anybody. (pause)
Jimmy: Yeah, yeah. I thought I’d just take a shot.
Judge Kittleson: Oh, I do like that. You do take your shots. (she hugs
him and whispers in his ear) Say,
why don’t you come back in a couple of hours? When the robe is off? (she
smiles suggestively)
We see an exterior, aerial shot of the prison, then inside to Lindsay making
her was to see Kingston. She
reaches the visiting room, sits and they both pick up the phones.
Lindsay: Hello, I’m Lindsay Dole.
Kingston: I know. I was there at the arraignment, remember?
Lindsay: Yes, okay. First of all, attorney client privilege, anything you
say obviously goes no further so...
Kingston: Yes, but you don’t want me to be too truthful in case I wanna
testify. We have to preserve you
from lawyer ethic problems.
Lindsay: (pauses) All right... (exhales) Any thoughts on how a sliced up
nun got in your apartment?
Kingston: I haven’t a clue. How’s that?
Lindsay: (ignores that) This woman, Cynthia Simonson, who called the
police. Was she being held
captive?
Kingston: Shouldn’t you get to know a bit about me, first? I mean, I’m
sure a nice person such as
yourself has conflicts defending something so vile as me.
Lindsay: I kind of stay emotionally neutral in my cases. So, let’s just
stick with the facts of the case.
Let’s start with the underlying kidnap charge on the girl -
Kingston: (laughing) I didn’t kidnap her. She came back to my apartment
willingly. She just found
herself locked in. And that would be false imprisonment, by the way, that’s
a distinction from
kidnapping. This isn’t your first case, is it?
Lindsay: (giving him a look) No, it isn’t.
Kingston: Cause you got a little virgin thing going on. Well, not that I
don’t like it...
Lindsay looks uncomfortable.
Lindsay: Look. Mr Kingston, you’re in jail right now either because you
killed somebody, or somebody
else played you for the perfect dupe. Either way, I consider you pretty
stupid. And if you think you’re
going to intimidate me somehow, well, you can just forget that because I
really don’t have the time. I’m
representing you because a judge ordered me too. And I will defend you as
best I can, but don’t mistake
my efforts for caring. You disgust me.
A church. The bells are tolling.
Sister #1: The reason he even knew her is because she reached out to help
him.
Helen: How so?
Sister #2: He would show up at the church sometimes, angry, despondent.
One time, Caroline
approached him. That was the thing about Caroline. She was there for
everybody.
Sister #1: Being there for him got her killed.
Helen: Three nights ago, she went to see him?
Sister #2: Yes. She got a call from him. And he asked if she could come
visit him at his apartment. She
knew nothing about his criminal record... (she trails off) We told the
police all this.
Written by: David E. Kelley
Directed by: Alex Graves