Disclaimer
I do not own the show "The Practice" or this episode "Public Servants", the brilliant DEK does.
This is just a straightforward transcript of the episode "Public Servants". This is just for enjoyment, I do not profit from this.
Season 5 - Public Servants
This transcript was written by Sirius Black, dominodonut@hotmail.com
Prologue
(Bobby walks into a sad office. He heads over to Rebecca and puts his hand on her shoulder.)
Bobby: You ok?
Rebecca: Yep.
Bobby: Maybe you should take a second chair. Ellenor go with her.
Ellenor: I think I should check on Helen. She's ah…
Bobby: Lindsay can do it.
Ellenor: Well, let Eugene do it.
Bobby: I didn't ask Eugene.
Ellenor: Well, I'm asking you to ask…
Bobby: Ellenor!
Ellenor: Why can't Eugene do it?
Bobby: It's a murder trial.
Lindsay: Alright, common!
Ellenor: Eugene can't do murder trials?
Bobby: No, not this one.
Ellenor: Why not?
Bobby: Because I'm asking you!
Lindsay: Bobby…
Bobby: Why can't you just do it! Why do I have to fight!
(moment of silence)
Jimmy: I can second chair. I'm free. I guess I'll be going now.
(Jimmy leaves with Rebecca. Bobby walks back into his office.)
(An officer is leading Helen to Jackie Cahill's cell.)
Officer: Last cell on the left.
Helen: Good. Beat it.
(She walks to Cahill's cell and stands there staring at him)
Jackie: Don't even bother. I'm represented by council.
Helen: Mr. Donnell informs me he no longer represents you.
Jackie: Then get me somebody else.
Helen: I didn't hear that. Here's the deal Mr. Cahill, Your gonna tell me who the shooters are.
Jackie: Oh really? And what are you gonna offer me for this little gesture?
Helen: Your life. See, I have a press conference scheduled for 11:00 at which point I'm going to announce that you've agreed to tell us, not only who the triggerman was, but also the names of the people you do business with. Then I'm going to have you released into the general prison population, and you will be dead.
Jackie: Right…
Helen: You wanna call my bluff? You're a dead man.
(Helen begins to walk away)
Jackie: Hold on.
(Helen turns around and walks back)
Jackie: You get me a lawyer first, and then I'll consider things.
(Jimmy and Rebecca are talking to their new client. His name is Wendle Forsley.)
Wendle: Manslaughter?
Rebecca: If we can agree on sentencing.
Wendle: They must know I'm innocent. If they really thought I killed her like they say, they would never offer manslaughter. Would they?
Rebecca: The offer doesn't reflect what they believe Wendle. It only goes to how they feel about the case.
Wendle: Well I want to reject it. If I plead guilty to any charge people will think I killed my wife. That's what they'll all think.
Rebecca: I'm not saying take the offer, but you would be risking a life sentence by going to trial. You understand that?
Wendle: I want to go to trial.
(Eugene is talking to Bobby)
Eugene: You did everything you could Bobby. You warned him. Richard had protection. There was nothing…
Bobby: I'm gonna give you some of my cases ok Eugene? I'm gonna take some time off I think.
Eugene: How long?
Bobby: Maybe indefinite.
Eugene: I don't think that would be wise at the moment. Everybody's trying to hold it together. We need your leadership.
Bobby: You took over before. You did a great job.
Eugene: There are times when the people here need you. This is one of those times.
(At Helen's office where she is explaining the offer to Mr. Powell, Jackie Cahill's new lawyer.)
Powell: I need time to process this Ms. Gamble.
Helen: We don't have time Mr. Powell. Whoever shot Richard Bay might be fleeing the jurisdiction as we speak or planning to. Offers good for one hour only.
Powell: If there's a deal I want it on paper, with a judge on board.
Helen: No time. You've got one hour.
Powell: This is extortion! You threaten to hang a snitch jacket on my client. That's a death threat!
Helen: Mr. Powell, if your turning down the deal then get out.
Powell: Run it by me again.
Helen: First he gets immunity on Richard Bay's murder.
Powell: Which we make no abmission he had anything to do with.
Helen: Right, he just happens to know who did.
Powell: And what about his life sentence?
Helen: We'll cut it to twenty years.
Powell: And how would you accomplish that when the sentence is statutory?
Helen: You bring a motion to vacate the verdict and I support it.
Powell: And you think a judge would ever sign off…
Helen: If he knows the deal was made to capture the killer of a district attorney, yes. You then enter a plea to two counts of second degree, we run the sentences, concurrently, and he's eligible for parole in twenty years.
Powell: I'll certainly take it to him.
Helen: Take it to him now and tell him that the general prison population awaits him. I'll draft the plea agreement and see you in an hour.
(In a courtroom where the trial for Wendle Forsley has started. The DA is questioning the cop.)
Cop: When I got to the house she was lying face up next to the pool.
DA: Mrs. Forsley?
Cop: Yes. I immediately checked for vital signs but she was dead.
DA: Was anybody else there?
Cop: Mr. Forsley, he was soaking wet.
DA: Did Mr. Forsley say anything to you?
Cop: Yes, he stated that he had just arrived home from work. He discovered his wife lying at the bottom of the pool, jumped in, pulled her out, tired to revive her but was unsuccessful.
DA: Officer, at what time did you arrive at the Forsley residence that night?
Cop: It was at 9:52 p.m.
DA: And officer, when did the 911 call come into your knowledge?
Cop: At 9:41
(Wendle's neighbour goes up to the stand.)
Mrs. Moshure: I was walking my dog when I saw him arrive home.
DA: Saw who Mrs. Moshure?
Mrs. Moshure: Wendle. He pulled into his driveway.
DA: Do you know the defendant?
Mrs. Moshure: Yes, he's my next door neighbour.
DA: And you saw him in the car?
Mrs. Moshure: I saw him in the car, I saw him get out and walk in the front door.
DA: Are you positive that it was Wendle Forsley?
Mrs. Moshure: I'm positive, yes. I was on the other side of the street.
DA: And what time was this?
Mrs. Moshure: A little before 8:00. I was impatiently waiting for my dog to have his bowel movement. It was about three minutes to 8:00 because I wanted to get back inside to watch Boston Public, which starts at 8:00.
(Rebecca's turn to question Mrs. Moshure)
Rebecca: You testified that you know Wendle?
Mrs. Moshure: Yes, were neighbours.
Rebecca: How well do you know him?
Mrs. Moshure: Well, we've lived next to each other for three years.
Rebecca: Been to each others houses?
Mrs. Moshure: Many times.
Rebecca: How would you describe him?
Mrs. Moshure: gentle, kind.
Rebecca: In the three years you've been living next to him, did you ever hear Wendle and his wife argue?
Mrs. Moshure: Never.
Rebecca: Ever see, hear, or witness Wendle become violent in any way?
Mrs. Moshure: No.
Rebecca: Ever see him with his wife Annie?
Mrs. Moshure: Oh, many times.
Rebecca: Could you describe that relationship as you observed it?
Mrs. Moshure: It seemed very loving. They were both very devoted to each other.
(Jimmy and Rebecca are walking away from the courthouse.)
Jimmy: You don't think it was worth crossing her on the time?
Rebecca: She was too positive. Three minutes and counting till Boston Public waiting for her dog to poop.
Jimmy: Did you check to see if they maybe ran that show late that night?
Rebecca: I checked. They didn't. And were not disputing the time anyway.
Jimmy: But he told the cop he had just gotten home.
Rebecca: He was in shock. He abmits he was wrong about that.
Jimmy: That's kind of a big mistake.
Rebecca: Jimmy, he's innocent. That mistake is the only reason he's on trial.
(Back to Helen. She's at Jackie's cell. Jackie's new lawyer is there as well.)
Mr. Powell: All of this is conditional. The shooter only. No business associates.
Helen: Everybody involved in the shooting. Directly, indirectly, or there is no deal.
Jackie: There's just one guy.
Helen: A witness saw a woman driver in the car.
Jackie: Ya that's his mother. She lives with him.
(Mr. Powell is reading the offer.)
Mr. Powell: Hold on. This says thirty years. You said he'd be out in twenty.
Helen: Amend it. If it turns out anybody else is involved, deal is off.
Jackie: There's nobody else.
Helen: What's his name?
(Mr. Powell hands Helen the offer.)
Mr. Powell: Initial that.
Helen: Name and address?
Jackie: Bruce Manning. He lives at 1412 Columbus Street in the South end.
(Helen walks away.)
COMMERCIAL
(Lindsay walks into Helen's office.)
Lindsay: How ya doin?
Helen: ok.
Lindsay: Ellenor doesn't think do. Why are you even working?
Helen: I have things to do.
Lindsay: You giving the eulogy?
Helen: One of them. Seems like yesterday we were kids in school. Now you're married, a mom, and we've had friends killed.
(Lindsay puts her hand on Helen's hand.)
Helen: We're not kids anymore are we?
Lindsay: no.
Helen: no.
(Back at the trial for Wendle Forsley. The DA is questioning the doctor.)
DA: Did you make a determination, doctor, as to the cause of death?
Doctor: Asphyxiation caused by drowning.
DA: What lead you to make this finding?
Doctor: The amount of water we found in her lungs.
DA: And did you make a determination as to whether this drowning was accidental or not?
Doctor: There was bruising around the victim's neck consistent with her being held under water. We ruled it a homicide
(Rebecca's turn to question the doctor.)
Rebecca: Cause of death was drowning?
Doctor: Correct.
Rebecca: And doctor, you mentioned bruises around Mrs. Forsley's neck. Were there any other bruises found on her?
Doctor: There was a slight contusion on the side of her head.
Rebecca: Any idea how she got that?
Doctor: The head may have scraped the pool while he was pulling her out.
Rebecca: Could it be possible she hit her head before drowning?
Doctor: I don't think that happened.
Rebecca: Is it possible?
Doctor: It's possible.
Rebecca: Thank you doctor. And is it possible Mrs. Forsley bumped her head, became unconscious, causing her to drown?
Doctor: With bruises around her neck?
Rebecca: If one were to drag her from a pool by her neck, she could get post mordem bruising, could she not?
Doctor: Is that was he's saying?
Rebecca: This isn't about what anybody's saying doctor. I'm asking you, as a coroner, if a drowning victim were pulled from a pool by her neck could she suffer post mortem bruising?
Doctor: I'll say unlikely.
Rebecca: Unlikely, so possible?
Doctor: remotely possible.
(Helen is walking down the hallway and runs into the chief of police)
Helen: Captain.
Officer: Mrs. Gamble. Nice to see you again. I'm sorry about Mr. Bay.
Helen: Thank you. Listen, I've made a tentative deal with Jackie Cahill. He's given me the name of the shooter. Here's the address. Now the problem is there are others in the building including his mother. According to Mr. Cahill this man wont hesitate to either take hostages or shoot his way out. My suggestion is you apprehend him outside. He has a night-time job. Reportedly he leaves work around 9:00.
Officer: This comes from Cahill?
Helen: Yes. Evidently he carries at all times. He is extremely dangerous, as he is volatile, so make sure your men protect themselves.
Officer: We'll take him tonight.
Helen: Thank you.
(Back to Wendle's trial. Wendle is being questioned.)
Wendle: I went out to the pool and I saw her. She was lying face down at the bottom.
Rebecca: And what did you do?
Wendle: I jumped in to get her. I swam down. I pulled her out. Tried to give her mouth to mouth but…
Rebecca: When you pulled her out how did you do that?
Wendle: I first tried to by the arm, but I couldn't get any leverage. I remember I grabbed her head to pull her upright a little. Then tried to get her on my shoulder.
Rebecca: Did you ever grab her neck?
Wendle: I may have. I can't really remember.
Rebecca: How long did it take for you to pull her out?
Wendle: Well, I was unsuccessful at first. I had to come up for air. Then I went back down and I was able to drag her up. It might have been a few minutes.
Rebecca: Do you remember what happened as you pulled her out?
Wendle: I remember trying to revive her, and when I couldn't, I called 911.
(Rebecca turns on a tape)
Wendle: My wife isn't breathing!
911 person: Sir tell me your address.
Wendle: She isn't breathing! She was in the pool!
911 person: Where is she now sir?
Wendle: She on the ground! I got her out but she's not breathing!
(turns off tape)
Rebecca: Is that your voice Mr. Forsley?
Wendle: Yes.
Rebecca: Ok, when did you arrive home from work that evening?
Wendle: Probably somewhere around 8:00.
Rebecca: And when did you discover your wife in the pool?
Wendle: Closer to 9:30.
Rebecca: So you had been home for more than an hour?
Wendle: Yes.
Rebecca: What were you doing between the time you arrived home and the time you discovered your wife?
Wendle: I was in my den, doing bills.
Rebecca: Then why did you tell the police you had just home before you discovered your wife?
Wendle: I don't know. I must have been in shock.
( DA's turn to question Wendle.)
DA: You stick by your time story at an interrogation later at the police station. Were you in shock then?
Wendle: Probably.
DA: And when you then found out that you had been seen by Mrs. Moshure arriving home at 8:00 I bet you that gave you a little shock.
Rebecca: Objection!
Judge: Sustained.
DA: Was your wife a good swimmer Mr. Forsley?
Wendle: Yes.
DA: In fact she was a competitive swimmer in college was she not?
Wendle: She was.
DA: Alright, I noticed that your pool is about 20 yards behind the back door or your house. Can you see the bottom of the pool from the back door?
Wendle: No.
DA: You had to walk up to look, right?
Wendle: right.
DA: So, you opened the door, you saw that she was not out there, and you said to yourself, gee I think I'll go check the bottom of the pool?
Rebecca: Objection!
Judge: Overruled.
DA: What made you think she might be at the bottom?
Wendle: She didn't answer so…
DA: You said you went from your office, to the kitchen, to the pool. Rather than seeing if she was upstairs in her bedroom? Rather than see if she's out in her art studio? You said to yourself, let me check the bottom of the pool?
Wendle: I don't know why. Maybe I just had a feeling.
(Helen is in her car and the police have set up outside Bruce Manning's apartment. The chief officer opens Helen's car door.)
Officer: what are you doing here!
Helen: I just wanted to monitor. Make sure no fourth amendment rights are violated here.
Officer: But you've passed our check points.
Helen: I'm a District attorney.
Officer: This could be a dangerous area Mrs. Gamble. You said so yourself. If he comes out shooting. Once your…
Helen: I'll duck down.
Officer: Keep your distance!
(Helen nods her head. The officer gets back into position. Finally Bruce Manning comes outside, locks the door, and begins to walk down the steps toward his car.)
Cop 1: Bruce Manning freeze!
Cop 2: Hold it!
Cop 3: Get down!
(Bruce Manning begins to put his hands behind his head but he is holding a cell phone in one hand which seemingly looks like a gun.)
Cop 4: Gun!
(Guns begin to fire. Bruce Manning falls dead to the ground. The cops surround him, guns still raised. Helen gets out of her car and walks over. Bruce's mother comes out of the building to see her son dead on the ground.)
Mother: What's happening!
Cop: Stay back.
Mother: Bruce! Bruce! What have you done!
Helen: Place this woman under arrest for felony murder and take her into custody.
(Sobs are heard from Bruce's mother)
Mother: Bruce!
(Helen walks away.)
COMMERCIAL
(Helen has just arrived at the apartment.)
Ellenor: Just now?
Helen: About an hour ago.
Ellenor: Why were you there!
Helen: There was nothing on television, ok Ellenor. It was either a movie or watch a guy get shot.
Ellenor: Is that funny?
(Helen gives Ellenor an evil stare.)
Ellenor: You enjoy it Helen?
Helen: It didn't hurt.
(Knock at the door. Helen's answers it.)
Helen: Mike?
Mike: Why didn't you tell me this was going down? The man didn't have a weapon. Did you know that Helen? It was a cell phone.
Helen: It was dark. He made a quick move. From my vantage point the shooting looked justified.
Mike: Well from mine it looked like an execution. You tell the police he'll take hostages, you gotta take him from outside, he'll be armed, he's volatile, he'll shoot, protect yourselves. Is there any other way this could have gone down Helen? This was the equivalent of a hit.
Helen: I have to take a different legal point of view there Mike, but ya know what. If it gets out on the street, whack a DA and this is what happens. I can live with that.
Mike: There's gonna be an investigation.
Helen: Tell me where and when, I'll show up wearing white.
Mike: What's this deal you made with Cahill?
(In the conference room where Rebecca and Jimmy are talking to Wendle.)
Rebecca: Tomorrow we put our doctors in. Dr. Winter's will testify that she could have drowned, that the bruising around the neck is consistent with you pulling her out of the pool by the neck, Dr. Marks will testify that you appeared to be in shock.
Jimmy: They've offered no motive. I think we're ok.
(Lucy walks in.)
Lucy: Bec, Mr. Bullock is here.
Rebecca: Now?
Lucy: He says it's important.
(Jimmy and Rebecca go to see the DA in another room.)
DA: Thanks. This is slightly embarrassing.
Jimmy: You caught the real killer?
DA: You could say that Jimmy, ya.
Rebecca: What's going on?
DA: Well it seems your client has an alias. Why were just finding this out I don't know. But this hoarseness here in my voice is because I've been screaming.
Rebecca: He has an alias?
DA: Peter Brian.
(Hands over some papers.)
DA: He was arrested six years ago In Indiana for murder. Charged with strangling his wife. He was acquitted. I guess at that point he moved to Boston to make a new life for himself. When he was 14 he strangled an 11 year old girl and a 9 year old girl. He was convicted and served time till he was 21. He also used to strangle chickens.
Jimmy: Excuse me?
DA: As a youth he would trespass onto farms and kill chickens. Hundreds of them.
(Jimmy and Rebecca go back to talk to Wendle.)
Wendle: What's wrong?
Jimmy: There's been a new development.
Wendle: What?
Jimmy: The DA found out about three other murders. Peter!
Wendle: I was acquitted.
Jimmy: Of the last one, not the first two.
Wendle: Those were juvie.
Jimmy: Well the DA is going to try and introduce them as pattern evidence. There's a motion scheduled for tomorrow. Were going to fight it but…
Wendle: Is manslaughter still on the table?
Jimmy: No! Wanna tell us about the chickens?
(Helen is at Jackie's cell. Mr. Powell is there too.)
Jackie: You killed him!
Helen: Mr. Cahill, I'm afraid I'm not satisfied that you turned over all the people responsible for Mr. Bay's death.
Jackie: What? I did!
Helen: Well it's unfortunate that I just don't trust you. Accordingly the deal is off, you life sentence stands.
Mr. Powell: Hold on! On what basis do you believe there were others involved?
Helen: My gut. Have a nice life Mr. Cahill.
Mr. Powell: We have a signed agreement!
Helen: I don't believe he lived up to the terms.
Mr. Powell: We're going right to court.
Helen: Excellent. That'll sure put the word out that you turned states evidence. I guess this is goodbye Jackie.
(Helen begins to walk away.)
Jackie: You don't think I can hit you from inside!
(Helen turns around and walks back)
Helen: I was so hoping you'd say that.
(Helen walks away.)
(Jimmy, Rebecca, and the DA are in Judge Kittleson's office.)
Jimmy: Prior bad acts in a criminal case are inadmissible.
DA: Except when they go to pattern your honor
Jimmy: He was never convicted of the crime.
DA: Ha was arrested for it. And the two prior murders…
Jimmy: Were juvenile offences, which means, as a matter of law, they never happened. Juvie is sealed. That means we're talking about one prior offense. One offense does not amount to pattern.
DA: The pattern is he kills wives.
Jimmy: Oh come on.
DA: Look, this man borders on being a serial killer, he's gonna kill again.
Judge: Based on what I'm hearing, I'd say it's a guarantee. But juvenile records are sealed and as for the prior bad acts, I'd be handing him an appeal on a silver platter. It's not coming in.
DA: So we're just going to pretend for the jury that none of this ever happened?
Judge: We're going to finish the case. And then win or lose you can go home, pour yourself a little scotch, and limned the perversity of the system.
(Rebecca leaves the room and Jimmy follows.)
Jimmy: Bec are you ok?
Rebecca: Ya, I just, just…with Richard getting killed. The reality of…
Jimmy: The reality of what?
Rebecca: Think I've been clinging a little to this case? The idea that we fight for the innocent sometimes to you know. And Wendle, I just, I just, I needed him to be innocent you know.
Jimmy: Ya
Rebecca: Jimmy, he's gonna kill again.
Jimmy: That's not something to mention in your closing. It's not even something we should think about.
Rebecca: It's not even something we should think about!
Jimmy: Rebecca.
Rebecca: No, no what the hell are we doing!
Jimmy: Keep your voice down…
Rebecca: Is there even any doubt that he'll kill again!
Jimmy: Rebecca!
(In a courtroom with Helen, Jackie, and Mr. Powell.)
Mr. Powell: This is classic contract law your honor. Mr. Gamble offered a deal, we accepted the terms, she received consideration.
Helen: First of all…
Mr. Powell: I'm not finished. We also have to consider substantive due process. The government must be required to give Mr. Cahill the benefit of what he bargained for. He gave over the shooter, who was shot dead, by the way, for Ms. Gamble to now say no deal. That is blatant bad faith. This woman was a friend of Richard Bay's. She's been on a mission. The shooter is now dead. Now she's reneging on a signed agreement to get my client, and it should shock the conscience of this court's fundamental notion of fairness.
Judge: Mrs. Gamble.
Helen: The due called for Mr. Cahill to reveal everybody involved in Mr. Bay's death. Because the shooter was fatally wounded, our investigation of Mr. Bay's murder has been severely undermined. As for fundamental notions of fairness. This man put a hit on a DA. He has since threatened to put a hit on me. I find it unbelievable that a man who has violated our laws with such brutality, a man that has murdered and committed acts of depravity, for him now to be seeking protection of the law, to be exalting arguments of fairness and due process. This classic contract law that Mr. Powell speaks of asks for the parties to act with clean hands. I'd ask the court to consider Mr. Cahill's hands.
Mr. Powell: And I would ask the court to consider Helen Gamble's.
(Helen is walking away from the courthouse when she runs into Bobby.)
Bobby: I'm sorry.
Helen: ya
Bobby: I know how close you two were and, I'm sorry for your lose. And I'm sorry for being an accomplice, in his death.
Helen: Bobby you weren't an accomplice.
Bobby: There's no more denying that Helen.
Helen: You're a defense attorney.
Bobby: Ya… The magic words I guess, to check your conscience at the door. I'm so sorry for your lose.
Helen: You ok?
(Bobby shakes his head and starts to cry.)
Bobby: No.
(They hug and both cry.)
COMMERCIAL
(Rebecca is presenting her closing statement.)
Rebecca: Every medical expert, ours, there's, including the coroner, has admitted that she drowned. That the bruising on the neck could have been post mortem. That they could have been inflicted by my clients attempts to pull her out of the pool. There is no evidence of any motive. There was no evidence that Wendle Forsley was violent toward his wife or any other person. There is no case here ladies and gentlemen. Wendle Forsley is only on trial because he seemingly lied about what time he got home that night. But as he told you, as Dr. Winter's told you, he went into shock. He wasn't trying to hide anything, because Wendle Forsley had nothing to hide.
DA: He told the police that he had just gotten home a full hour after he was seen entering the house. And he repeated this lie during an interrogation the next day. It was only when he was told he had been seen going into that house at 8:00, that he then changed his story and said, I was in shock, no sense of time. Good swimmers just don't turn up in the bottom of the pool with such marks around their neck. She was murdered. She was murdered by Wendle Forsley.
(Back in the courthouse with Helen, Jackie, and Mr. Powell. The judge is about to make his ruling.)
Judge: I have reviewed the contract entered into by Ms. Gamble and Mr. Cahill. I think Ms. Gamble's promises were against public policy, lived up to or not. I also believe they could be technically unenforceable under Massachusetts's general law, chapter 265 section 1 which states that only the jury shall determine the degree of murder. However, the fact of the matter is, we enforce plea agreements like this every day, and Ms. Gamble's deceit, trickery, bad faith, it's also against public policy. Lawyer's who appear in my court do not get to take advantage of technicalities and bad faith to get out of deal they regret. I am therefore honoring the plea agreement. Mr. Cahill's first degree convictions are set aside, we enter second degree counts, and pursuing to the agreement, Mr. Cahill shall be eligible for parole in twenty years.
Mr. Powell: Thank you your honor.
Judge: However, this plea agreement is silent in sentencing when it comes to other crimes such as Mr. Cahill's threat to hit Ms. Gamble.
Mr. Powell: We deny that ever happened.
Judge: Yes, it would be nice for you if you got a trial on that, but you don't. For sentencing purposes I need only find, by a preponderance of the evidence that it happened. I make that finding now. To threaten a DA Mr. Cahill. I'm adding 75 years to each of your two counts, sentencing to run consecutively. So you will now be eligible for parole on 150 years. Adjourned!
(The officer takes Jackie. Mr. Powell walks over to Helen.)
Mr. Powell: You think you honored Richard Bay in all this? You think that cowboy up there just ratified you?
Helen: Go away.
Mr. Powell: Richard Bay was a man of integrity. He honored his word. He honored the law.
Helen: If you'll excuse me I have to go to a funeral.
Mr. Powell: Well I hope you pay tribute to him there, because neither you, nor that judge did here.
(Jimmy, Rebecca, and Wendle, are in the conference room waiting for the verdict.)
Wendle: I get the feeling you don't really want me to win.
Jimmy: What was your motive? If you don't mind my asking.
Wendle: I don't know… maybe power.
Rebecca: Power?
Wendle: Just like the chickens. I'd be holding this little life in my hands, fully alive, vital, noisy. And with one squeeze. I didn't know I was going to kill Annie. We were kissing. I was coressing her face. And she just seemed so, alive. Next thing…
(knock on the door)
Guard: Jury's back.
(Rebecca, Jimmy and Wendle are in the courtroom.)
Judge: Will the defendant please rise. Madam Foreperson has the jury reached a verdict?
Jury: We have your honor.
Judge: What say you?
Jury: Commonwealth vs. Wendle Forsley, on the charge on murder in the first degree, we find the defendant, Wendle Forsley, not guilty.
Judge: The defendant is free to go. Members of the jury you are dismissed with the court's thanks.
Wendle: Thank you so much. I owe you my life.
Rebecca: You need help Wendle.
Wendle: I'd go to a therapist, I really would. The thing is if they think I'd do it again they might tell someone and get me locked up. I can control myself, I really think I can. Well, thank you again. Goodbye.
COMMERCIAL
(At the funeral. Helen walks up and starts to give her eulogy.)
Helen: Richard had the choice of stepping down from a case where the defendant was threatening his life. He said to me, how can I do that, I'm a district attorney, this is who I am. And that's how he'd want to be remembered. He was a public servant. He leaves a legacy of truth, justice, and integrity behind him. A legacy I've done a lousy job living up to the last few days. A legacy which has become increasingly difficult for everyone in the criminal justice system to live up to, as of late. But for Richard it was easy, because his compass always reminded him, he was a public servant. A lot of people he considered his friends, disliked him. A lot of them happen to be my best friends, defense attorneys. People who come to work day after day fighting for the civil rights of those who have murdered, raped, stole. People who knew that by fighting for the guilty, they were ultimately protecting the innocent. Those people have come to doubt themselves in the wake of Richard's death. Richard never doubted you. He respected you enormously, because he knew that you too were public servants, And he'd want you to know that. He was scared the night before he was killed. He was afraid that the threat made against him might be carried out. And he said, if he should die, be sure to tell everyone he tried his very best. We all know that Richard. Lying there is a kind man. A man who saw a crime and tried to stop it. A man who saw victims and tried to console them. A man who… a man who more than anything else, was a dedicated pubic servant.
( The choir begins to sing the song "till we reach that day". Helen, Eugene, Ellenor, Lucy, Rebecca, Jimmy, Lindsay, and Bobby, each go up, one by one, to touch the casket. The group of them is seen standing outside a building watching the casket being carried away. Flashbacks of Richard are shown. Lucy, Helen, Jimmy, Lindsay, Bobby, Ellenor, Rebecca, and Eugene are seen walking in a row down the street away from the funeral building.)
THE END