- An NBA scout or something? - This is gonna change your life.
- Yeah? - We'll be in touch.
- Hey! - Millie Dupree,
- married 18 years to Hoppy Dupree. - Hey, Hoppy...
One of the city's more unprincipled real estate agents.
OK. Nice meeting you.
As you know, our Mr. Ringwald has set the bait.
You know, Mr. Ringwald, if anybody can help you walk that land deal
through with the county, it'd be me.
Owens and Strode are about to close the snare as we speak.
Is that convincing enough for you?
- Freeze! Nobody move! Get down! - FBI!
Gentlemen, keep your hands on the table.
Hoppy Dupree, you're under arrest.
Hoppy Dupree, you're in violation of federal code,
attempting to bribe a government official.
Mr. Kincaid, you wanna tell the court just a little bit about your schooling?
Well, not a whole lot to tell. I mean, I guess most people got a college degree,
and about the only thing I ever got was the third degree.
(laughter)
I appreciate your sense of humor, but let's try to stay a little more on the topic.
Stay more on Kyle Murphy and his shop, Excalibur Guns.
All right.
Now, when you went over there to get your shipment of guns,
did Kyle Murphy ever say to you, "Sorry, we're out,"
or, "Now, why do you need 25 assault-style pistols in a month?"
- Did he ever say anything like that? - No, he never said anything like that.
- He always had plenty of guns around. - Gotcha. Thank you, Mr. Kincaid.
Your witness.
Mr. Kincaid, you were the one who sold the gun used by Kevin Peltier
in the brokerage house shootings. Is that correct?
Yeah, that is correct, and I did a stretch for that, too.
Now, to your knowledge, was Vicksburg Firearms aware that
you were out there reselling their product?
No, not to my knowledge.
(Rohr) He flipped on us.
So Vicksburg Firearms never sent you on any trips,
or endorsed or fostered you selling their guns in any way.
- Is that correct? - Yeah, that's correct.
But I wish they had. I wish they had endorsed me, like they did Kyle,
'cause I saw some pictures he brought back from the trip he took
down to Cancun, and, man, livin' it up down there.
I could've gone for some of that. I wish they had sent me. I'd have been
on the beach right there with him, looking at some big ol' butt thongs
and sipping on margaritas. It would've been great.
- Simple answer, please. - Simple answer is no...
And I want it on record here now, too. I didn't have any idea what Peltier
was gonna do with that gun when I sold it to him.
He was a wack job. I wasn't about trying to get anybody hurt.
OK, I've retrieved some fragments. I've got two things.
One: List of registered voters for Cincinnati.
Why would Nicholas Easter want a list of registered voters in Cincinnati?
Because voter registration lists lead to potential jury pools.
- What else you got? - Well, this is from the drive's directory.
It's time-stamped the day he got his jury summons.
He synchronized the data on his drive to another device.
That's what you should've snagged.
Doyle, you're going back in, and this time I want you to take Mr. Janovich.
Oh... Why do I have to take him?
Because Mr. Janovich can find anything.
(blues)
I'm going for it. Thank you, thank you. Watch this.
- Nick... - Got one for me?
What's going on, Eddie? You seem kind of gloomy. You all right?
Oh, no, no, I'm fine. You know, I just got a lot on my mind, that's all.
You OK? You wanna talk about it or anything?
I'm cool.
- Really. - OK.
- (man) Here's one more for you, Miss. - (woman) Thank you very much.
Sorry, man.
I left my key inside.
(chuckles)
Congratulations.
We got it. Let's go.
Janovich, you don't have to do this. I said you don't have to do this!
Did you hear me?
(fire alarm)
Hey, guys. There's something really wrong with Rikki.
I mean it. Come on!
See? Right there.
Come on, Rikki.
- Oh, God! - Give me a towel.
Give me a paper towel. Paper towel, now!
(Jerry) Oh, that's nasty.
(Loreen) She's had five shooters. It's no wonder.
- Call for help. - What? She just had too much to drink.
- Call 911 now! - OK, OK!
Damn!
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Rikki.
- Is she breathing, Nick? - Yeah, she's gonna be OK, I think.
(sirens)
(man) I can't believe this.
Damn lucky the place is still here and no one was hurt.
People can't move back into this place.
They got to Rikki Coleman. The woman was president of the PTA.
She bakes cookies for her kids. And whatever that son of a bitch had on her,
he brought out the heavy lumber. She swallowed a fistful of sleeping pills.
- Who's her replacement? - Who's her...
Did you hear what I just said? The woman almost killed herself tonight.
I'm sorry.
And they're putting the heat on the others.
Eddie Weese and Millie Dupree. They torched my place tonight.
Well, at least we know we have them motivated.
Oh. Here's the fun part. They got the MP3 player.
Those files are encrypted.
Yeah, they're encrypted, but these guys are good. They got teams of people.
You don't think they're gonna crack that? We got three, four days, tops
before the walls cave in.
If we stay.
If we stay? What do you mean, if we stay?
What are you saying to me, Nicky? You saying to me you wanna run away?
- Is that what you're saying? - Listen, Marlee.
- People are getting hurt. - We're inside.
- People could get killed. - No.
- No, I'm inside. You're on the street! - Don't say that to me.
We're in this together, and it is your job - it is our job - to protect ourselves.
Well, there's only so much I can do, all right?
It's not just them that I worry about.
I can't protect you.
- Where are we with Rohr? - He hasn't stepped up yet.
He will.
And Fitch wants to meet.
I mean, we knew I'd have to go face-to-face with him.
It's OK. I can play him. I can...
- Set a date. - OK.
We can't afford to lose any more jurors.
- (door opens) - I know the math.
And we put Fitch on his heels right now.
This video is from a security camera inside juror number nine's apartment.
Take a good look.
(Nick clears throat)
Oh, hi. The landlord let me in.
Lot of people had been complaining about their cable,
but, uh, I checked yours out. I don't think you have...
Gentlemen, this malfeasance will not stand.
Now, I don't know which of you this man was working for, and I don't care.
But you are lucky I can't make out his face,
because if I could, I'd be inclined to turn this matter over to the DA's office.
- Outside. - Your Honor, I move for a mistrial.
No, Mr. Cable. There is not gonna be a mistrial here!
Motion denied! Not because of maneuvers like this!
Now, for the remainder of this trial, ourjury is to be sequestered.
Bailiff, would you please inform...
- The guy in the video... - Yeah?
Set fire to Nick Easter's place last night.
- What? - Set fire to his place last night.
- How would you know that? - Because I was there.
You were there? You went to a juror's residence...
- Yes, yes. ...without asking me?
I'm gonna tell you what. Wendall, listen to me.
- We're done. We're finished. - That's what you pay me for.
No, no, no, no. You're a young punk, and you should've asked me.
- You're fired. You're... - Nick Easter is spinning this jury.
That's why Fitch ransacked his place.
There's some kind of twisted power play going on between these two.
You're afraid, you go to the judge and you tell him, they're gonna call a mistrial.
- The defense would love nothing more. - That's right.
Why hasn't the defense told the judge about Nick Easter?
Because they're really gonna buy this verdict.
- Bastards. - Celeste, behind you.
Hey, Celeste! Henry! Wham!
- Mr. Rohr... - What's going on?
- That reporter just told me... - Yeah?
She said something about a mistrial.
No, that's nonsense. Don't worry about that.
- Well, she said the judge is gonna... - No, no, now listen to me.
Let me explain something. Everything's fine.
The judge has sequestered the jury. You understand that?
And it's not unusual when you have a heated trial.
- You said we had an excellent case. - Yes.
When I met with you a year ago, you said that
we could change the way these people do business,
that my husband's life, that all of those lives wouldn't be...
What?
- What's the matter, Celeste? - I just need to hear it.
- Tell me we can win this. - We can.
- We are gonna win it. - OK.
- OK? - Come on, Henry.
- Henry, you going to the park? - Yeah!
I'll see you later.
How about we walk over to Jackson Square...
I got Mr. Easter's list of potential jurors. Boston, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
- What are the dates? - Boston, 2000,
Pittsburgh and Brooklyn, '99, and Cincinnati, '98.
They've been stalking gun cases.
Now they're in the house.
- All right. - (phone rings)
Amanda, I want the jury files on all four cities. I want 'em tonight.
Line two. It's her.
Good afternoon, Marlee.
I see you and Mr. Easter are keeping busy, busy, busy.
The Palace Cafe on Canal Street. Downstairs,
main dining room. 15 minutes.
Thank you.
- Mr. Fitch? - Marlee.
Good. I just won a bet with myself.
I figured you for blond. Oh, please have a seat.
Nice mass�, sequestering the jury.
Close ranks. Makes them harder to rea...
- Mr. Fitch? - Yes?
- This is for you. - Thank you.
- What's your price? - 10 million. Nonnegotiable.
This is made out to cash. $500,000.
To walk away from my jury.
I wouldn't drop off your dry cleaning for that.
You wanna ask Nick about that?
OK, OK. How do I know that you can provide the verdict?
We got the jury sequestered, didn't we?
Look, we know you're leaning on a couple of jurors,
but it's not enough. You need nine warm bodies.
Nick Easter can deliver them. He's very persuasive.
- You're such a good hustler. - Mm. You're a good arsonist.
We both know what's at stake here. You lose this one,
and every civil lawyer in the country is gonna be holding out his hand.
This is mine.
You won't get off until the next stop. It's the zoo.
I'm gonna give you a second chance to take this.
I want you to consider it. I think it's fair. I do. I really do.
Listen, Fitch, when you're ready to pony up the ten,
email me at this address. It's a free account, untraceable.
But then I'm sure you already knew that.
Here you are, sir.
OK. I get the being sequestered part, but why put us all the way out here
- by the east Texas border? - (chuckles) I know.
Hell, I can see Port Arthur from the parking lot.
Does anyone know how Rikki's doing?
Oh, she was released from the hospital about an hour ago.
- That's good. - Lovely girl. She seemed fine to me,
but you never really know what's going on with a person.
Could be her marriage, her church...
No, no, no. It was nothing like that. Look, somebody got to that girl.
Oh, now that's hokum. Why would anyone wanna get to her?
The same reason they wanna get to any of us.
To influence the outcome of the trial.
- My Lord, are we safe? - OK, here are your keys.
We are now.
(crying) Hoppy was arrested.
They said they would put him in jail for life
if I didn't vote in favor of the gun company.
It's OK, sweetheart.
- We'll talk about it in the morning. - Thanks. Good night.
Good night.
- (locks door) - (Frank chuckles)
Didn't take you for a man who goes for the big girls, Easter.
You're just full of surprises, ain't you?
I'm fine, Frank. How are you?
- Can I get by? - I've been watching you, Easter.
- From day one. - I just wanna go to my room, Frank.
You're a real boy scout, aren't you? Playing everybody.
Playing the judge. Playing Millie?
I've put up with guys like you my whole life.
Now, I want you to understand something. OK?
I don't like my hand being forced. You understand?
Get some sleep, Frank.
("When the Saints Go Marching In")
Mr. Rohr?
May I sit down?
- I know you're playing both sides. - We are.
- May I sit down? - Yeah, go on. Sit down. Sit down.
Now you tell me...
you tell me why I shouldn't go to the judge, get a mistrial
and have that provocative little bottom of yours thrown into jail.
You know how serious we are about jury tampering down here?
- You wouldn't do that. - Oh, don't you be so sure.
You wouldn't put Mrs. Wood through the pain
and the expense of a mistrial. She couldn't afford it.
You don't know anything about Celeste Wood. You don't know what drives her.
Unlike you, young lady, she's not in it for the money.
- And what are you in it for, Mr. Rohr? - Oh, you're something, aren't you?
- What do you think I'm in it for? - You tell me.
I'd like to get the law changed.
That's why you're here. But you need help.
It's up to you. You can be a good boy, play by the rules...
or you can win a huge victory for gun control. The choice is yours.
You know, this may come as a surprise to you,
but I don't have to make that choice.
Don't tell me. Your whistle-blower from Vicksburg is gonna testify
his company knows about the number of guns that wind up on the black market.
That's right. That's precisely what's gonna happen.
- Mr. Rohr. - What?
What makes you think this witness is ever gonna make it to the stand?
Because that whistle-blower came to us.
- Fitch is gonna get to him. - We didn't call him. He came to us.
- He's your star witness. - We didn't... Listen to me.
You don't know what this man's capable of!
Sweetheart! Hey! Hey! Hey!
He came to us. He's tucked away right now. I'm not gonna tell you where.
The man, out of conscience, cannot wait to get on that stand and testify.
Anyone can be gotten to.
What do you know? Hm?
How much are we talking about here? What do you wanna bleed me for?
- Five, six, seven million? - Ten million.
Ooh, that's a... big number.
That's a big number.
With Rankin Fitch in the game, you can't win.
So if you just match his offer, I'm gonna swing it your way. Good-bye.
Who hurt you?
Who made you this way? Come on.
You know what you're messing with here? You know how important this is?
We've been poring over those boxes of jury files.
We found this in the Cincinnati stack. He used the name David Lancaster.
He was prospective juror number 54, but he didn't make it on.
Call Doyle. Tell him to pack.
He's gonna be on the first flight out to Cincinnati.
Let's see if Mr. Lancaster has left any loose ends behind.
Everybody's got a dirty little secret. Let's find out what his is.
Where the hell is he?
- He was in his room an hour ago. - No, I know that. I know that.
Now, where is he? I thought you had someone baby-sitting him.
- I'll keep trying the hotel. - Find him. Get him here.
Mr. Rohr, is everything all right down there?
Go find him. Everything's fine, Your Honor.
Well, you called Mr. Kriegler ten minutes ago.
- Could we show him in, please? - Your Honor...
- Your Honor, may I approach? - You may. Mr. Cable.
Your Honor, I'd like to request a brief adjournment at this time.
- Where's your witness, Mr. Rohr? - We're looking... we're looking into that.
Your request for an adjournment is denied.
Your Honor, this is my key witness.
Well, then you should have kept a tighter leash on him.
Now, I told both of you,
I'm not gonna stand for any more foolishness during this trial.
- We will proceed on schedule. - But, Your Honor...
Now, Mr. Rohr... is there another request you'd like to make at this time?
Your Honor, it would be highly prejudicial to my client if we are not permitted to...
I will take that as a motion for reconsideration.
- Your Honor. - Denied. Call your next witness.
- Call your next witness, Mr. Rohr. - I have no next witness.
If so, Mr. Rohr, then plaintiff rests. Thank you, gentlemen.
(spectators murmuring)
(clears throat)
Wendall Rohr. An overdue pleasure. Rankin Fitch.
Nice suit. Very, um, "of the people,"
Yours is nicer. What would you call it? "Gun lobby protecting its own"?
Oh! Swank shoes. Big tobacco?
Big alligator. Wrestled it myself.
Excuse me, we're cleaning up in here.
Am I gonna get beat up now, Mr. Rohr?
What'd you do to my witness? Threaten his family?
Write him a check? Just curious about what your technique is, Mr. Fitch.
Maybe he, uh, decided against biting the hand that fed him these past few years.
You know exactly why he came to us.
Oh, please. Don't tell me you hung your case on somebody's conscience.
I hung my case on my own conscience.
Oh. I get it now.
You are a moral man living in a world of moral relativity.
- It's just so quaint, so precious. - Hey! Don't do that.
This is about my witness, right? This is about you messing with my client,
my case and the rules of law that govern our country!
- Our country? - Yes!
I didn't figure you for a patriot, Mr. Rohr, what with your blatant disregard
for the people's right to bear arms. You know, the Second Amendment?
Is that why you're doing this? To protect the Constitution, is that it?
Of course not. I'm in it to win. Just like you are.
- Because that's what I was hired to do. - Uh-huh.
- Everything else is colored bubbles. - Colored bubbles? Colored bubbles?!
A system that calls for 12 people to sit and listen to testimony of witnesses, fella!
And that includes my witness, who you've disappeared!
If you're relying on testimony to win this case, you've already lost it, fella!
You think this jury cares anything about negligent distribution?
- Product liability? - You bet your ass they do!
Oh, most of 'em can't even say the words, let alone understand the meaning.
You think your average juror is King Solomon? No!
He's a roofer with a mortgage. He wants to go home
and sit in his Barcalounger and let the cable TV wash over him.
And this man doesn't give a single, solitary droplet of shit
about truth, justice or your American way.
- They're people, Fitch. - My point, exactly.
You don't have an idea of what I've been talking about, do you, sir?
What do you hope to achieve if you win?
What do you mean?
You gonna bring Jacob Wood back to life? No.
You just ensure that his wife goes to the cemetery in a better car.
And that the heel that she snaps on the way to the graveside
belongs to a $1200 shoe. You get your name in the paper.
But Jacob Wood and all the other gun violence victims
remain rotting in their crypts.
You know what, Fitch?
- You're gonna lose. - I doubt it.
Well, maybe not this case, maybe not the next, but someday,
you know, someday. I've seen it before with guys like you.
- You wanna know why? - Why?
Because you cannot carry that much contempt
without it becoming malignant, until you're gonna be all alone
in a room full of shadows, and all you're gonna have
is the memories of all those people's lives you have destroyed.
That's a good story, Wendall.
But it's just further proof of why you can't beat me.
Because you may be right...
but the thing of it is, I don't give a shit.
What's more... I never have.
(laughs) That suit.
- (man) Good evening, Wendall. - George. Mason.
So... what's this about?
I'm going to need access to the firm's emergency reserve.
- Emergency reserve? - Yeah.
- In what amount? - Ten million.
Gentlemen, I've lost my footing in this trial.
(knock at door)
- Yeah? - I'm looking for a David Lancaster.
You a bill collector?
I work for Dodge and I track people down
who have rebates that they forgot to apply for.
I don't know where he went. No forwarding address.
Wish I did, though. Got this letter for him.
- Kept it right here. - Wow. Can I... can I take a look at that?
"Jeff Kerr, care of David Lancaster."
- You know Jeff Kerr? - No.
"Professor Frank Phelan at Bloomington University."
- Mm-hm. - (clears throat)
You know I could maybe split the rebate with you if you wanted to let me...
Jeff Kerr.
David Lancaster.
Lots of aliases.
Jeffrey Kerr.
Hello there, Jeffrey.
(Cable) So, as CEO of Vicksburg Firearms, you were unaware
that your company's product was being sold illegally?
- Yes, sir. Absolutely, sir. - Mr. Jankle, are you a family man?
Yes, sir, I am. I have a son and I have an eight-year-old grandson.
Anything else you'd like to add?
The Second Amendment
permits every good citizen of this country to keep and bear arms.
Now, we at Vicksburg Firearms, we didn't write it.
But as long as it stands, we're gonna continue
- to operate under its protections. - Thank you, sir. Nothing further.
Counselor. Mr. Rohr, do you care to cross?
- Yes, Your Honor. - Proceed.
- Now, Mr. Jankle... - Yes, sir.
The, uh, ad copy used to sell the Performa 990,
- would you read it to the court, please? - It's right there, Counselor.
Oh, but I think that the jury would like to hear it from the head of the company here.
If you could say it, starting with, "Also available in..."
"Also available in a print-resistant finish."
I see. Now, who in your mind, sir, might be eager to purchase a Performa 990
semiautomatic assault-type weapon in a fingerprint-resistant finish?
- Anybody. - Anybody?
Fingerprints are 90% water. Water corrodes metal. Metal rusts.
Wouldn't it be more appropriate then to use the word "rustproof"
than "fingerprint-resistant" when you're trying to sell this weapon
- to the general public? - Well, you know,
I didn't write the copy for that advertisement, sir. I think you know that.
- Did you see it? - (Cable) Objection: Prejudicial.
- Sustained. Mr. Rohr. - My apologies, Your Honor.
- Uh, now, Mr. Jankle? - Yes, sir.
Tell me, sir, how much of Vicksburg's profits come from
assault-type weapons, would you say?
Oh, I have to apologize to you, Mr. Rohr, I do not know the answer.
I'm not familiar with that percentage.
But you are familiar with who buys a weapon of this sort, aren't you, sir?
Well, the gun's intended for recreational use.
Ah. For who? Farmers or weekend sportsmen?
- Home protection. - Or disgruntled day-traders?
- Objection, Your Honor. - Sustained.
We sell these guns legally.
Oh, come on, Mr. Jankle, you know that this gun is favored by criminals.
The statistics of your gun company show that fact!
- Sir, that is up to law enforcement. - I see. So that's not your problem.
- Why don't you just say it? - Objection, Your Honor.
- Sustained. - It is the government's responsibility!
Say it to the jury, sir, that it's not your problem.
- Well, l... - Say it to my client, Celeste Wood,
who lost her husband, that it's not your problem.
- Tell it to the whole court... - You amaze me, Mr. Rohr.
...that this Performa 990 with the print-resistant finish is not your problem.
I stand on the Second Amendment, goddammit!
Look, we've got damage-control strategies
and your testimony before cross was more than strong.
Oh, you... you are the one that told me denial was the route to take here.
- I was improperly prepped. - Now, look, Mr. Jankle...
You get outta here.
Mr. Fitch, I looked into the faces of those jurors,
I didn't see any friends sitting there.
Now where the hell are we with securing my verdict?
It's a cat-and-mouse game. We're about to change all that...
You just be a little more cat, little less mouse.
- Yes, sir. - (cell phone rings)
- Hello, Marlee. - Hello, Rankin.
I'm ready to make a deal. I'll meet your terms.
I'll pay you the money. I wanna meet Nick Easter.
Won't happen. Wendall doesn't need to meet him.
And besides, you know he's sequestered.
Well, fine. How about his pal Jeffrey Kerr?
Now we meet or there's no deal.
Nonnegotiable. What's it gonna be?
I hope you don't mind. I was waiting so long, I made a sandwich.
It's a fine piece, Nick. Longines hunter case, circa 1908.
- 1910, actually. - (chuckles)
- You filming this? - No, no, no.
I couldn't use it. Neither of us wants a mistrial.
- No. - Can we walk?
Our bus is leaving at 8:00 am, so that gives us a little time together.
Marlee, please come out of the kitchen.
I'm not here to hurt you.
Please, sweetheart, sit down. Relax.
So, what? I'm supposed to convince you that I have them, right?
Oh, l-I think you've probably got them, or you will have.
- I just wanna know why. - Money.
Safer ways for a sharp kid like you to make money.
What's the real reason?
Business, politics, sports - you tell me what isn't rigged.
I mean, is there even such a thing as an objective jury, Mr. Fitch?
Not if I can help it.
Then why should the lawyers and guys like you make all the profit?
- You don't have much faith in the law. - I'm agnostic.
I knew there was something I liked about you.
And Marlee?
I'll leave it to her to tell you her reasons.
- That's not what I'm talking about. - What are you talking about?
How well do you know her?
Did you really bring me out here to talk about her?
What's this about?
Well, tomorrow's the big day and we need a little insurance.
So... let's talk.
Come on out here, sit down, we'll talk.
- I'll make you a sandwich. - (groans)
(yells)
(groans)
(yells)
(Fitch) I'm ready to pay the money.
I can have ten million wire-transferred to the Caymans,
- subject to verification, of course. - Of course.
But tell me, who have you got?
Fernandez, Deshazo, Grimes and Dupree are in the bag.
Deets and Duke pretty much follow the others.
- Herrera and Shaver are wild cards. - No... Shaver's taken care of.
- Weese, too. - Oh.
Herrera... I wouldn't worry about him.
- Are you gonna swing this my way? - If you pay, yes. I will.
Good. Good. Tell Marlee I'm ready to conclude our business.
Done.
- I must say I'm impressed, Mr. Kerr. I... - Easter.
- Easter, correct. - Yeah.
I didn't see you coming. Obviously, I underestimated you.
And as a rule, I don't do that.
Make damn sure you don't underestimate me.
I'm sure one of us will be in touch.
I have a feeling after tonight, we're gonna be fast friends.
(sighs)
(phone rings)
Who is it?
Who is this?
Bet you didn't expect to hear from me so soon.
Is this a bad time?
- No, not at all. - Oh, good.
Listen, I just wanted you to know your associate with the accent...
he won't be coming home tonight. At least he won't be walking home.
Aah!
And the price just went up.
(groans)
15 million. Nonnegotiable.
Get some sleep, Rankin.
You're gonna need it.
(phone rings)
- Hey. - Hey.
- What's wrong? - Nothing, I just, uh...
I just wanted to hear your voice.
- You sure? - Yeah, I'm sure.
- I want you to get some sleep. - Yeah.
I miss you. Good night.
Today, lawyers Wendall Rohr and Durwood Cable
will have their last chances to strike the winning blow for their client
in the case of Celeste Wood v. Vicksburg Firearms.
Closing arguments will begin shortly.
The jury has now heard all the evidence in this landmark case...
(male reporter) It's been a very highly charged trial.
The jury has been sequestered for some time.
- This is a nightmare, man. - This could be the day...
...that they finally get this case and begin their deliberations...
(female reporter)... a high-stake decision will soon be in the hands of the jury.
This decision could be a quick one,
with the jury delivering a verdict perhaps by day's end.
All Jacob Wood and those ten other people did, all they did wrong...
on that Monday morning, was to go to work.
And there's gonna be another shooting and another shooting
and it's not gonna let up... until we demand a change.
You heard Mr. Garland Jankle,
the chief CEO of Vicksburg Firearms, sit in that chair
and say to you that what we do with his guns
is not his problem, and he's right.
You can make it his problem with your verdict.
You may for the first time make gun violence...
the gun industry's problem.
If you do, you are going to see fewer senseless deaths.
Like my client's husband, Jacob Wood.
(recording of group singing)
- Make a big wish. Big wish! - Big wish! Big wish!
Yeah!
- (applause) - That's my boy.
Jeff had a real passion for the law.
He spent the summer after his first year working on a trial
and the reality of how a big firm actually practices law
just knocked some of the idealistic wind right out of him.
The following spring, after Gabby got her undergraduate degree,
- he dropped out and they left. - Um, I'm sorry. Did you say Gabby?
Gabrielle Brandt. She was Jeff's girl from back home in Gardner.
- Gardner, Indiana? - Only one I know of.
(Cable) Jacob Wood, a man in his prime,
leaves behind a wife and little boy. I mean, the sadness of that,
the incomprehension, that gives way to anger. We must even the score
and not just those that are directly affected, but all of us.
We all experience these emotions.
Which is precisely why the law exists. To do what is just.
Now these families grieve and we all grieve for them.
But that is all the law will allow us to do.
Doyle, where the hell are you?
Headed for exit 245. Some backwater town in central Indiana.
- But I think I got a good lead on the girl. - Well, move it along.
The judge is about to give this thing to the jury. Shit.
Ladies and gentlemen, you've heard the evidence
and the arguments of counsel. I will now give you some instructions,
after which we will hold recess for lunch,
and then you will begin your deliberations.
(phone rings)
- Wendall Rohr. - Hello, Wendall.
Well, hello, Marlee.
Good to hear your voice. Did you come up with the money?
You know, it's amazing how easy it is to procure $10 million.
It's an interesting exercise. $10 million. Like it was nothing.
But, as bad as I wanna win this case,
and I do...
after 35 years of doing this, you know...
I think it's more important that I can rest my head on the pillow tonight.
What are you saying?
I will take my chances. I'm not giving you a dime. Not a dime.
Well, I am sorry about this 'cause you're giving it to Fitch.
I'm giving it to Fitch? I'm gonna take my chances.
Hello. Hello there.
- I'm sorry to bother you. - Hi.
Um, I'm thinking of buying this house down here.
My wife and I have a three-year-old and another one on the way.
Do you think this is a good neighborhood for kids?
Oh, this is a great neighborhood for kids. I raised my girls here.
- Oh, really? - I sure did.
This man's life was taken from him, these other people were hurt and killed,
and the big-ass gun company made it happen by flouting the law.
Come on, Loreen, where does it end, huh?
All these folks suing for profit. What next? Have a heart attack,
sue McDonald's? Sue my grocery store 'cause you went in there
- and bought some pork chops... - Go on!
...now you got clogged arteries? - Oh, brother, you've been smoking.
Guess what? It is still our right to keep and bear arms. Remember that.
Well, Mr. Fitch, are we concluding our business today or not?
Could you hold forjust one minute, please?
One minute.
Doyle, give me something.
Well, I can't really talk right now, sweetheart.
I met this nice lady and she's telling me all about the neighborhood.
The jury has the case.
- There could be a verdict any second. - I hear you, sweetheart.
I tell you what. I'll call you back as soon as I get on the road, OK?
- Doyle. - I love you, too. All right. Bye.
Word just in. Rohr's not paying. It's yours.
Marlee? Unhappy news, I hear.
Rohr has taken himself out of the game.
I thought maybe you might be inclined to make a reduction in your selling price.
Look, Rankin, in 30 seconds you're still gonna lose. Understand?
Now, do we have a deal or don't we?
We have a deal. I'm wiring the money.
Congratulations, Mr. Fitch. You just bought yourself a verdict.
It's not our job to change the law. It is our duty to serve it.
And the law says this guy Kevin Peltier was responsible.
- Not the gun company. - Right.
Yes, we as a people, we are meant to serve the law,
but the law is also meant to serve the people.
- That's right. - I'm with you, Frank, all right?
(all overlapping)
Whoa, whoa. Ladies and gentlemen, whoa.
I think a preliminary vote here would help us along
if nobody has anything new to say.
- (man) Let's vote. - I'd like to say something.
(scoffs) Couldn't be easy.
Hey, Frank, let him speak.
Well, I hope you like lots of sugar in your iced tea.
- Oh, yes, ma'am, I surely do. - Good.
- Thank you. - You're welcome.
- Are these your daughters? - Mm-hm.
Gabrielle and Margaret.
They were Irish twins. You know, just one grade apart.
Mm-hm.
Forgive me.
It's still hard to talk about.
I'm sorry?
Well, it was bad enough losing Margaret,
but it's been so long since I've spoken to Gabby,
I just feel like I've lost them both.
Well, um, what happened? Uh, how did Margaret pass away?
You're not from around here. You wouldn't know about the shooting.
I don't think this case is about guns. I think this case is about the law,
and like Frank says, it's about serving the law.
But guns are involved and I don't know anybody in the room or in the world
- who doesn't feel strongly about guns... - Oh, please.
- What's wrong, Frank? - I can guess which way you lean.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
You've had an agenda the whole time you've been here.
- (man) You got that right. - You're the plaintiff's boy.
Hey, come on, Frank. What are you saying?
- It's the truth. - What are you saying?
- Let him speak. - Well, what's the problem here?
They made a good product. It worked. Case closed.
It's a little more complicated than that, Frank.
A boy, James Pratt,
showed up at the high school with some guns that he bought
off the street in Indianapolis and he just started firing.
(sound of gunfire)
Yeah, I'm sorry the lady lost her husband. I am, but that's life.
I mean, I know a lot of other people had bad times, but they never sued anybody.
- Like who? - Like buddies of mine. Lost their arms,
- their legs. Never got a thin dime. - And they deserved better. You're right!
You bet I'm right. We're done here, Easter.
- Could we vote, please? - That's not good enough.
- Let's vote. - That's not good enough.
I wanna talk about the law. I wanna talk about Celeste Wood.
I got a call from the school and they said that something
had happened to Margaret. That she had died.
- She doesn't deserve that money. - Well, maybe she does,
maybe she doesn't. But she deserves a few hours of our time.
- Can we vote, please? - Yeah.
- Tell me why. Tell me why. - I wanna vote.
Anybody else wanna vote? Come on, I wanna vote.
- Tell me why. - Well, I wanna vote.
- Does anyone else here... - Let's vote.
- How does it work, Frank? - (Lonnie) Pipe down, Easter.
- Tell me why. - We all got problems here, don't we?
- Amen. - All of us. But we don't get paid for it.
- She suffered! - Hell, I suffered.
I worked my ass off 12 years of crummy jobs for shit pay!
I have never asked anybody for a handout.
- She's not asking for a handout. - That is bullshit and you know it.
She was with Jeff. That's Gabby's boyfriend.
He told me that my girl, she froze.
She just stood there. It took seconds.
Jeff just kept saying, "I couldn't reach her. I couldn't pull her down."
(sound of students screaming)
He always thought there was something that he could have done.
(sound of gun cocking)
So what are we gonna tell Celeste Wood?
I don't know. I don't know what we're gonna tell her.
"Life isn't fair"? Write that on a postcard? Is that the best we've got?
I'll tell you what else. That lawyer can show me all the home movies he wants.
I deserve a hell of a lot more for what I've been through
than that woman out there. I mean, forget her!
- What about the law? - Fuck the law!
I don't care if the gun company gave that guy an M-16
with his morning donut. I'm not giving her a cent!
- That's bullshit, Frank. Bullshit. - (Nick) Who's with Frank?
Yes, I'd like to report a robbery in progress at Mardi Gras Costumes,
6510 Charter Street.
Maybe some of you are afraid or intimidated.
Maybe some of you are just out for yourselves.
Frank is right about me. I'm the worst offender here.
I made up my mind about this case before I stepped through that door.
But this trial's not about me. It's not about you.
Now we owe it to Celeste Wood to sit in this room
and deliberate the facts of the case for as long as it takes.
Now if you don't mind, there's some testimony I'd like to review.
Mr. Fitch?
- (boys laughing) - Yeah?
- Don't wire the money. - What? What's going on?
- Where are you?! - I'm in Gardner. Gardner, Indiana.
- It's a setup. - Gardner.
- (cop) Get it open! - Oh, shit. We got company.
Take the network down now. OK, people, pack it up, tear it down.
Now. This is not a test. Clear your drives, wipe the screens.
Let's go. Let's go. Box all photos and files.
No monitors. Leave the monitors. Code four, people.
- Mr. Fitch? - (Lamb) 30 seconds!
Mr. Fitch, we really need to go, sir.
20 seconds!
Lamb, what the hell happened in Gardner?
1989. Gardner v. Blackwell Arms.
Town sued the gun manufacturer, town lost.
Town went bankrupt. Fitch worked the case.
You got it? Fitch worked the case.
...to hear the jury's decision.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
Would you hand it to the bailiff, please?
Thank you, Bailiff.
In the matter of Celeste Wood v. Vicksburg Firearms,
the jury finds for the plaintiff Celeste Wood.
They award special damages in the amount of $1 million
and general damages in the amount of $110 million.
- (spectators gasp) - (woman screams)
- (applause) - This court is still in session.
Court is in session. Order, please. Order.
- That's bullshit! - That's enough. Court's adjourned.
When Judge Harkin read this verdict,
a spontaneous round of applause from the entire courtroom. Obvious support
for the teary-eyed widow who waged war on the entire gun industry...
(male reporter) No matter what the anti-gun lobbyists say, or the NRA says,
on this day, in this courtroom, the final word was given by the jury.
(female reporter) There have been other lawsuits filed
against gun manufacturers in the past
and juries have traditionally sided with the gun industry, until today.
The $ 110 million award, which the jury handed Celeste Wood today,
could cripple the gun industry.
And to say it's been an uphill battle for Mr. Rohr is an understatement.
In fact, you might say it's been a David and Goliath battle.
But today, one gun industry giant has fallen.
(Nick) Ten years, Fitch.
They're gonna appeal, the gun company. You know that, right?
Of course. But not with you.
You show up on another case, any case,
even a contested parking ticket, this gets faxed to the IRS.
And the Justice Department, the Federal Board of Judicial Review.
- You're out. Retired as of today. - (chuckles)
Gardner, Indiana.
- School shooting. - He remembers.
Blackwell Arms.
(laughs) The town really thought they had that one, didn't they?
We did have it.
Now what?
What on earth are you gonna do with all that money, huh?
- $15 million, that changes people. - Yeah, well, that's what we're hoping.
See, back home, the victims' families could really use that money.
- Good-bye, Fitch. - Well, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
How did you swing 'em, huh?
How'd you swing 'em your way? I hear you got ten votes.
- How'd you do that? - I didn't swing anybody.
I just stopped you from stealing the thing.
We let 'em vote their hearts. That means you lose. Enjoy your drink.
What, do you think you can just walk away from this? Huh?
And I'm betting that the two of you, you can't stop!
Because if you did, what would you have?!
Nothing!
That's why we're gonna have lunch. We're celebratin', that's why.
- Do you know why we're celebrating? - Yeah.
We are very happy today.
Celeste, Henry, go on inside, get me an extra order of cornbread.
Get 'em that table, Milton. Just gonna be one minute.
- You got it. - Thank you.
I wanna go home.
OK. Let's go.
(blues)