United States, Original Airdate Sunday October 10, 1999
Written by: David E. Kelley and Christopher Mack
Directed by: Dennis Smith
This transcript was transcribed by VICKIE.
Disclaimer: I assume NO rights to The Practice, its characters or its storylines. They belong to David E. Kelly Productions and 20th Century Fox. I am in no way officially affiliated with The Practice. This is a cut and dry transcript of the episode "Losers' Keepers" which originally aired in the United States on Sunday, October 10, 1999. If you have questions or comments, please email me at vlfernandes@ucdavis.edu.
-----------Prologue--------------
Lucy walks into the office. She opens a letter/package and finds a picture of a person dressed as a nun, holding a newspaper. She scrambles around in the desk to find a magnifying glass, to look at the date on the newspaper in the picture. We see a shadow walk up behind her. It's Bobby.
Bobby: Lucy?
Lucy: Aaaaaaahh!!! You scared me.
Bobby: Sorry.
Lucy: Bobby, look at this. It's a nun holding the Boston Herald with yesterday's date.
Bobby: What?
Lucy: Look.....he's still out there...the nun that stabbed Lindsay, he's not dead. Bobby, did you see that, that's yesterday date!
Bobby: Calm down!
Lucy: Don't tell me to calm down, why is he doing this?? What is this, some kind of threat? What are you doing?
(Bobby fiddles with the door handle of the office)
Bobby: Check the background. You'll see that lamp on Jimmy's desk. That picture was taken here. He knows how to get in.
Lucy: That's great. He's alive. With his own key.
---------Opening Sequence & Commercial--------
Scene is the office with the lawyers, Helen and police officers.
Helen: Could be a copycat.
Mike McGuire: Could. But this doesn't exactly fit a copycat profile.
Ellenor: It fits Joey Heric's profile. He would love to taunt us this way.
Eugene: You blame Joey Heric for everything.
Helen: How would he get a key?
Jimmy: Isn't it possible the lock was picked?
McGuire: Doesn't look like it.
Lindsay: Are you telling me that the guy who stabbed me might still be out there?
Lucy: Never mind out there Lindsay, how about in here??
Helen: Okay, let's not panic.
Lindsay: That's easy for you to say, you're not the one he's after.
Jimmy: It's gotta be connected to that nun killer case. What else could it be?
-----Cut to a scene of Rebecca with a client, in a side room of the courthouse----
Rebecca: Six months.
Client (Ronnie Vega): I gotta serve?
Rebecca: Ronnie...
Vega: She darted out in front of me. I wasn't even speedin'.....
Rebecca: The problem is, you fled the scene.
Vega: Then I turned myself in. Doesn't that count for somethin'?
Rebecca: If you want to try it, we can try it. I'm ready, the prosecution's ready. But if we lose at trial, you could get two to three years. My recommendation is....we take the deal.
Vega: Alright.
Rebeca: They'll call us up soon.
(Cut back to offices of DYD&F)
McGuire: We don't necessarily think it's the same guy. This firm has had a lot of high profile cases where you put murderers back on the street....the highest profile being that nun case. Also, Lindsay's attack got a lot of media attention.
Lindsay: I thought you said this wasn't a copycat.
McGuire: I said it didn't fit the profile. It could be someone that hates this firm and is using the nun motif to....well, dramatic effect.
Eugene: So what you're saying is, you don't have a clue.
Bobby: So what's gonna be done?
McGuire: We'll investigate, Bobby. But we don't even have a death threat here. I won't lie and say you'll get tremendously high priority.
Bobby: (sarcastic) Great.
McGuire: Changing the locks would be a good place to start.
Bobby: (to Lindsay) You're moving in with me tonight.
Ellenor: (to Lindsay) Do you still have your gun?
Lindsay: Unless he took it.... No, I've got it.
Jimmy: Let's not overreact here.
Ellenor: Overreact? There's some psycho targeting us Jimmy!
Bobby: And you think a gun's gonna be the answer?
Ellenor: Well maybe not, but if it is, I want it to be in MY hand.
Jimmy: I'd say this guy is already winning.
----Cut to scene of Rebecca in court with her client-----
Court reporter: 30501, Commonwealth versus Ronald Vega, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident.
Judge Philip Swackheim: Another police conspiracy, counselor?
Rebecca: No, your honor.
D.A. Jennifer: Your honor, we've reached a tentative agreement, subject to the approval of the court.
Judge: Let's hear it.
Jennifer: One second your honor, I need a moment. (She whispers to Rebecca) I'm sorry, the agreement is off.
Rebecca: What?
Judge: Something you'd like to share with the rest of us?
Jennifer: Your honor, Elizabeth Nicklen, the victim, died this morning from a ruptured spleen. Because the case now involves a homicide.....
Rebecca: Homicide??
Jennifer: It was an injury sustained in the accident, in light of the new circumstances the Commonwealth would like to withdraw the plea offer agreement, add vehicular homicide to the charges and move forward.
Rebecca: You can't be serious.
Judge: Bond set at seventy-five thousand. Take him into custody.
Rebecca: This is outrageous.
Judge: Yes, well, given the fact that your client confessed, I suggest you get together with the D.A. and work out a plea.
Ronnie (to Rebecca): I need to talk to you...
Rebecca: I'll be back there in a second.
Ronnie: Miss Washington!!! -
Rebecca: I'll be there in a second!
---Scene of Rebecca and the D.A. in the hallway of court---
Rebecca: What the hell??
Jennifer: The doctors connect the death with the accident, Bec. It's not like I had much of a choice. I'll give you five.
Rebecca: Five years?
Jennifer: That's a deal. Vehicular, plus leaving the scene.....Swack will pin him with eight, minimum. But he may not even sign off on five. Let's have it recalled, we'll get rid of it.
Rebecca: I have to talk to my client first.
------Scene change to Rebecca visiting Ronnie in jail------
Rebecca: The offer is now five years.
Ronnie: I didn't do it.
Rebecca: The doctors evidently can connect the injury with the -
Ronnie: I didn't hit her! I wasn't driving the car.
Rebecca: What are you talking about?
Ronnie: Teddy Barrington. He's this big real estate guy. I detail his car. He hit her. He was drinkin'. He paid me to say that I did it.
Rebecca: Wait, wait, wait a second, Ronnie....someone's paying you to take the fall?
Ronnie: Yes.
Rebecca: How much?
Ronnie: Thirty thousand. Plus ten for each month I had to serve. But five years? No way. I'm not doing five years.
Rebecca: But Ronnie, you signed a confession. Okay. Is there any way we can prove this? Do you have an alibi?
Ronnie: No. It was late at night and I was hope sleepin' when he called. If you go to my apartment, look in my closet, you'll find the money. Miss Washington, I wasn't driving that car.
------Scene change to Ellenor and Lindsay talking to a man behind a van with the back door open ------
Gun dealer: This is exactly what you want. Got your auto recoil, small, easy to conceal.
Ellenor: Well, it would fit in my purse. But what about if I drop it? It's not going to go off is it?
Gun dealer: Best safety lock made.
Lindsay: How much?
Gun dealer: Six fifty.
Ellenor: That's a lot of money.
Lindsay: Pay him.
Ellenor: Five.
Gun dealer: I don't dicker. Look, you can't buy this anywhere. It's illegal for you to own it, and they don't give out carry permits.
Lindsay: Ellenor?
Ellenor: Okay, here. (she gives him the money in cash)
Gun dealer: You got any trouble, call me.
Lindsay: Thanks Phil.
Gun dealer: Have a safe day.
(Ellenor and Lindsay start to walk down the street)
Ellenor: I don't know whether to be happy I have a gun or appalled that you can buy them on the street.
Lindsay: Well, look at it this way....one less gun to fall into the wrong hands.
Ellenor: You know, maybe I should learn how to shoot it.
Lindsay: There are plenty of places for that. There's not much kick on it so it won't be that hard.
Ellenor: Have you ever fired yours?
Lindsay: Only at target practice.....
(Their voices are drowned out by the sounds of the street and the music as they walk away. We are shown someone with their back towards us, watching Lindsay and Ellenor, dressed as a nun. Very freaky!)
-----Commercial, Scene with Rebecca and Jennifer in the D.A.'s office------
Jennifer: This sounds a little like a tall tale Rebecca.
Rebecca: Yes it does. With one exception.
(She pours money on the desk).
Rebecca: Not a bribe. This is evidence. Thirty thousand! He also promised to pay him an extra ten for each month he spent in jail.
Jennifer: No witnesses?
Rebecca: No. But I ran Barrington's priors. He has two DUIs.
Jennifer: And your client has two cocaine priors. Look, maybe he got this money dealing.
Rebecca: He has been straight, sober and honest for six years.
Jennifer: We'll talk to this Barrington guy.
Rebecca: Can I be there? Please.
Jennifer: Okay. But listen Rebecca, if I find we're being put through the ringer on this, I'm taking five years off the table and I'm pushing for eight.
Rebecca: You think I'm putting you on?
Jennifer: I think he might be.