Lucy: None of my friends would've planted a camera.
Ellenor: (coming out of the conference room) New case. No money.
Helen: It's a favour. The Commonwealth thanks you. (Helen leaves, Ellenor takes her coat and follows her)
Lindsay: Oh, my god...
Lucy: Now what?
Lindsay: It isn't you, it's Jimmy.
Jimmy: What?
Everyone comes over to look
Lindsay: I just tapped into the Boston Buff web site to see if we were listed, but, damn, I lost it.
Eugene: What's Boston Buff?
Lindsay: The Boston Buff Society. Court buffs. They're basically retired people who follow trials, and they rank lawyers. Here it is. Seems like they're into gossip now.
The screen shows a picture of Judge Kittleson and a picture of Jimmy
Lindsay: (reading) Attorney James Berluti has been making a little chamber music with Judge Roberta Kittleson.
Jimmy: What? That's ridiculous!
Lindsay clicks on "hot gossip" and four pictures of Jimmy and Judge Kittleson kissing in an elevator appear. Bobby, Rebecca and Eugene look at Jimmy.
Jimmy: That's, that's trick photography!
Lindsay clicks on one of the pictures to enlarge it.
Bobby: (looking at Jimmy suspiciously) Jimmy, in my office.
Eugene and Rebecca look at each other.
Judge Watson's chambers.
Arnold: Her own witness is now backing my client's story, and Miss Gamble is the only one saying he's guilty.
Helen: He's changing his story out of some warped sense of loyalty to his father.
Arnold: Helen, he was your whole case, and now you've lost him.
Judge Watson: Do you have any additional witnesses?
Helen: I don't need any. Gary Armbrust's testimony is coming in just like it did at the prelim.
Arnold: W-wait, what am I missing here?
Helen: If he takes the stand and changes his story, I will charge him with perjury.
Arnold: That is extortion!
Helen: No, it's called leverage. To protect against witness manipulation.
Arnold: The only one manipulating here is you!
Judge Watson: Look. You can cross the kid however you want, but she can certainly call him.
A room somewhere, maybe at a prison.
Gary: What if I just plead the fifth?
Ellenor: Well, you can do that, but it really won't help your dad. If you plead the fifth amendment, it basically means your testimony is unavailable, which means the DA can then introduce your testimony from the prelim.
Gary: And you're saying that if I change my story, she can put me in jail.
Ellenor: It's a very real possibility, yes. (there's a pause)
Gary: What do you think I should do?
Ellenor: Well, I would normally advise you to tell the truth. But if the truth is something different from what said at the prelim, telling the truth would expose you to perjury charges.
Gary looks at her, and then away as he composes himself.
Gary: He's my dad. He just got angry, you know...
Ellenor: Gary, if he's a murderer, me? I'd ditch the sentiment and save myself.
Gary: (plaintively) He’s my dad.
Bobby’s office.
Bobby: (angrily) You’re sleeping with her!
Jimmy: It’s my own private life!
Bobby: Not anymore, it’s on the Internet. Jimmy, she’s a client.
Jimmy: Was a client. It started after her case
Bobby: She’s also a whacko. Did you know that?
Jimmy: She’s not a whacko.
Bobby: Jimmy, she is.
Jimmy: She’s a great judge. One affair with a clerk doesn’t make her
Bobby: She pulled me into chambers and told me she was having erotic dreams about me.
Jimmy: What?
Bobby: Yes. While I was in trial with her she calls me into chambers and tells me she’s having sexual fantasies about me. Then she hit on me. Jimmy, she has OCD. (Jimmy looks blank) Oral compulsive disorder?
Jimmy: (shrugging) Look. I don’t know with you. But me and her, we’re consenting adults. We’re… Consenting adults!!!! (he storms out of Bobby’s office and shuts the door)
The main office. Lindsay and Rebecca are still at the computer. Jimmy enters.
Rebecca: (amazed) More?
Lindsay: She’s been through half the Massachusetts Bar!
Jimmy: Hey. (he marches up to the computer and flicks it off. Rebecca and Lindsay just look at him as he heads for the door)
Rebecca: Isn’t she a little, what’s the word?
Lindsay: Old?
Rebecca: Yeah, old. Isn’t she a little old for you?
Jimmy slams the door.
Rebecca: Did he even take his coat?
Lindsay looks at her while she turns the screen back on, and Rebecca shrugs. Then they both lean back in over the computer.
The courthouse.
Ellenor: If called, he will testify that it was an accident.
Helen: He understands I’m gonna have him arrested for perjury?
Ellenor: He understands. Timely recantation. It’s possible we can beat perjury.
Helen: (shocked, grabbing Ellenor by the arm and pushing her into a corner) Did you tell him that?!
Ellenor: Helen, he’s my client. I’m sorry.
Helen: Ellenor, you tell him he’s afraid of the wrong person. He’s afraid of his father, he should be afraid of me, cause he’ll do time.
Ellenor: Helen.
Helen: I won’t let him do this.
Ellenor: Take it easy.
Helen: I’m calling him, Ellenor. I’m putting him up there.
She begins to walk away but is intercepted by Arnold.
Arnold: Any new developments?
Helen pauses as she composes herself.
Helen: I’ll give you voluntary manslaughter.
Arnold: You should be dismissing.
Helen: I’ve got threats, fingerprints, residue, trace metal
Arnold: Yeah, but if the boy’s saying accident…
Helen: How do you know what he’ll say? You been tampering the witness, Arnold?
Arnold: Well, I’m assuming he’s not going to say self-inflicted, Helen. What else does that leave?
Helen: Voluntary manslaughter. Take it or leave it.
Arnold: (as if to say ‘duh’) Leave it.
Helen leaves. Ellenor and Arnold just look at each other. Arnold shrugs.
Judge Kittleson’s chambers.
Judge Kittleson: (furiously) Don’t you dare just barge in on me like this.
Jimmy: Just tell me. Yes or no.
Judge Kittleson: To which question? Did I have a dream about Bobby? Yes. So what?
Jimmy: What about the other… (he trails off) How many lawyers have you been with?
Judge Kittleson: That is certainly none of your business. You wanna tell me how many women you’ve been with?
Jimmy: You heard of the Boston Court Buffs?
Judge Kittleson: Of course I’ve heard of them. They fill half the room sometimes.
Jimmy: Well, they got a web site. With a program. It talks about you and me. It’s got a picture of you and me on the elevator. It also has head shots of all the other lawyers you’ve been with, they say, sexually.
Judge Kittleson: What do you mean, it’s got a picture?
Jimmy: (nervously pacing and shrugging a lot) There must be some security camera on the elevator. How they got access who knows, but
Judge Kittleson: There’s a picture of you and me?
Jimmy. Kissing. And there’s pictures of other lawyers. Just head shots, but it says you’ve been with them.
Judge Kittleson: (sitting down, stunned) This is on the Internet?
Jimmy: Yeah.
Judge Kittleson: What else does it say?
Jimmy: I don’t know. I didn’t really want to look. I came right over here.
Judge Kittleson: Got a picture of you and me kissing?
Jimmy: From the elevator. (he sits)
Judge Kittleson: (turning to her computer) What has - How do I find this… this web site?
Jimmy: I don’t know. Lindsay found it.
Judge Kittleson: (turning to her phone) What’s her number?
Jimmy: She’s probably home by now.
Judge Kittleson: (sighing) What’s her number?
Night time. Helen and Lindsay’s apartment.
Lindsay: (on the phone) I’m not online here, Jimmy. Can I tell her tomorrow? (we can faintly hear Jimmy’s voice) I don’t know! I had to find it. Look, I’ll give it to her first thing, okay? (she hangs up, and walks to the couch, where she sits down next to Helen.) He told Judge Kittleson.
Helen: (absently) Big mistake.
She is interrupted by the newsreader, announcing a piece on Helen’s murder trial. Helen and Lindsay both turn to look.
Newsreader: Meanwhile, in the Armbrust murder trial, rumours that the chief prosecutorial witness is changing his story. If true, the prosecution may be in trouble.
Helen: (under her breath) Great. Just great.
Newsreader: You recall Gary Armbrust was the one who identified his own father as the killer. Now it seems he’s prepared to testify it was an accident.
The television screen shows a not-too-flattering artist’s interpretation of Helen (in fact, it makes her look slightly like Cruella DeVil from 101 Dalmations). She charges up from her seat.
Helen: Oh, my god!!! Look at what they’ve done!!! How could they do that to me??!!
Lindsay: All right, relax.
Helen: (incredulous) Relax??!! You relax!! I’m about to lose a murderer, now they’ve got me looking like Leona Helmsley (sp?) meets the Wicked Witch?? I’m not gonna lose this!!! I’m not losing this.
She stalks away. Lindsay leans back against the couch with a sigh.
-------------------- Commercial --------------------
Helen and Lindsay’s apartment, it’s morning. Helen is working at the table.
Lindsay: (coming in) Oh, no. Not again.
Helen: I’m screwed. If I call him, I’m dead, if I don’t
Lindsay: What are you gonna do? Do you know?
Helen doesn’t answer.
The courtroom.
Judge Watson: Miss Gamble, call your next witness.
Helen doesn’t answer.
Judge Watson: Miss Gamble?
Helen: (rising) The Commonwealth calls Gary Armbrust.
Gary and Ellenor rise from their seats in the gallery.
Judge Watson: Members of the jury, the witness will be accompanied by his own attorney for the purposes of this testimony. You are to consider what the witness offers as evidence and you are to draw no conclusions whatsoever by the fact that he has a lawyer with him.
Bailiff (I think): Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?
Gary: I do.
Bailiff: Be seated.
Helen: Could you please state your name for the record?
Gary: Gary Armbrust.
Helen: Gary, the oath you just took, you understand the meaning of it, do you not?
Gary: I do.
Helen: You understand that you testify today under the pains and penalties of perjury, do you
Arnold: Objection. She’s trying to intimidate this witness.
Helen: I’m merely making sure the witness understands his obligation to tell the truth.
Judge Watson: Given that the witness has a lawyer sitting with him, I think we’re safe, Miss Gamble.
There’s a pause.
Helen: Your own father is the defendant. Is that correct?
Gary: Yes.
Helen: And it was your mother who was shot and killed. Also correct?
Gary: Yes.
Helen: Were you present when your mother was shot?
Gary: Yes, I was.
Helen: And you observed your father shoot your mother as you stood in the doorway of the living room.
Gary: That’s not how it happened.
Helen: Ask permission to treat the witness as hostile.
Arnold and Ellenor: Objection.
Judge Watson: Overruled.
Helen: Gary, do you recall testifying at the preliminary hearing for this case?
Gary: Yes, I do.
Helen: And you swore to tell the truth.
Gary: Yes.
Helen: And at that time, do you recall being asked the following question and giving the following answer. (she retrieves the court transcript) Page four. Question. What did you observe? Answer. I heard my father screaming at my mother. I went to the living room door, and that’s when I saw him shoot her in the chest.
Gary: That’s what I said, but
Helen: You’ve answered the question, thank you.
Gary: But it wasn’t true!
Helen: Move to strike. Non-responsive. (the judge nods)
Arnold: If it wasn’t true, what really happened?
Gary: I was angry. My father pulled the gun on me, then I basically attacked him.
Arnold: You attacked him?
Gary: We didn’t have the greatest relationship. I just kinda… It was during the struggle with me that the gun went off.
Arnold: Well, why did you testify at the preliminary hearing that your father killed your mother?
Gary: Part of it was I was just covering my own ass by provoking my father to get the gun in the first place…
Arnold: But it was really an accident. Why didn’t you just tell the truth?
Gary: I was just so furious. I wasn’t thinking clearly. Look, I’m sorry about all of this. I really am. And if you wanna put me in jail, I can’t stop you. But it really was an accident. You have to believe me.
The camera zooms in on a couple of jury members, then onto Helen.
The office.
Eugene: The only one with a master key is the super. A guy by the name of Larry Connelly. You know him?
Lucy: Oh, my god.
Bobby: What?
Lucy: Well, he always kind of looks at me funny. And a few weeks ago…
Bobby: A few weeks ago what?
Lucy: He said that there was a leak in the downstairs apartment and he needed to check my bathroom. It’s gotta be him.
Bobby: Lindsay, call the police, get a warrant and see if we can search this guy’s
Lindsay: (rising) Woah, woah, woah. A warrant for what?
Bobby: To search this guy’s place.
Lindsay: Bobby, it’s not so easy. He hasn’t necessarily committed a crime.
Lucy: What do you mean he hasn’t committed a crime?
Lindsay: (tactfully) There was no sound on the video.
Bobby: So?
Lindsay: The law prohibits intercepting audio communication, but silent video taping… isn’t a crime.
Rebecca: Well, you gotta be kidding.
Bobby: What?
Lucy: This guy planted a camera in my bathroom. That’s not a crime?
Lindsay: No.
Bobby: All right. What about trespass?
Lindsay: The super with a master key? And you said he asked permission to go into your bathroom.
Lucy: This guy planted a camera in my home.
Lindsay: I’m just saying it isn’t as easy as it looks.
Rebecca: There’s got to be some way to nail him.
They all look at each other. J
udge Kittleson’s chambers. She is working on her computer. The screen first shows her and Jimmy in the elevator, then a tree diagram labelled “Kittleson’s Benchmarks”, showing her linked to six or so other men.
Judge Kittleson: (sadly) So this is what people think of me.
Jimmy: It’s just a stupid website.
Judge Kittleson: This goes into people’s homes. Lawyers who appear before me, they’ve probably all seen this.
Jimmy: I’m sure some have, not all. Look, no one believes this stuff.
Judge Kittleson: You believed it! That’s why you came running down here so angrily. You believed it.
Jimmy: Well. Is it all true?
Judge Kittleson: Some of it is. I have been with some of these men. How could - This is my private life!
Jimmy: Welcome to the information age, judge.
Judge Kittleson: This is evil. It’s evil.