I think I'm ready.
Really?
I want you to be the one.
Eddie's dad has a place up in Santa Barbara.
And we're going to go up for the day, oka
Home by midnight, right?
Absolutely.
JULIE (on answering machine): You're not going to believe this.
Eddie's car is making a really funky noise.
He thinks it's probably the transmission?
So we've got to stay up here at his dad's place.
I'll see you tomorrow. (beep)
You don't want to do that.
Come on, baby.
We can work this out.
Don't.
Don't!
Wasn't this place featured in Better Homes and Rat Holes?
Deceased is Jeremy Clinton,
41, serious record...
armed robbery, drugs,
two bullets to the chest, close range.
Wad like that covers rent
on this dive for the next two years.
Okay, so we got a low-level drug deal gone wrong,
and we're here why?
Shooter says it wasn't about drugs.
They made an arrest already?
Suspect was here when the police arrived.
Right, so this makes a great episode of Cops,
but I'm still missing the high-profile part.
Follow me.
I swear to God, I had no choice.
Sarah Metcalf? Can you believe it?
CASEY: She hosted a fund-raiser for my dad last year.
I bet he cleaned up. Her husband's big money.
She's on the board of every charity in town.
Ready for this?
She told the cops she was having an affair with the deceased.
Talk about slumming.
Said she came here to break it off,
Clinton went after her. She shot him twice with his own gun.
More efficient than a "Dear John" letter, I guess.
Why does a rich, beautiful woman like Sarah Metcalf
step out on one of the wealthiest men in Los Angeles
with Larry the Lowlife?
Because, A) the beautiful people
are never as perfect as they look,
and B) after a thousand of those rubber chicken lunches
at the Beverly-Wilshire,
Larry the Lowlife starts looking pretty good.
He's not looking so good anymore.
RAINA: Morning papers, anyone?
"Society Sweetheart Guns Down Sleazy Romeo."
Charming. What's in the Times?
"Metcalf Held in Shooting Death," B-7.
Oh, they buried it.
Nice to have the publisher on speed dial.
So who's our sleazeball in the floor at the crack house?
Jeremy Clinton's been in LA for a year
fresh from a three-year stretch in McNeal Island
for robbing three 7-Elevens in one night.
Well, not exactly a sympathetic victim, is he?
Call detail records from Sarah's cell indicate she's been
in touch with Clinton regularly since he got to town.
DNA tests of hair fibers on Clinton's clothing
yielded matches for him and Sarah,
plus hairs from an unknown third party, no conclusive match.
The defense will use that. What about the gun?
Unregistered .38,
lifted both Sarah and Clinton's prints from the handle.
She's got a decent case for self-defense.
Just one problem.
Jeremy Clinton was shot twice.
A .38 slug to the chest can slow you down,
gave her plenty of time to get out of that room,
but she pops him again.
she wanted his ass dead.
You know what? I can knock self-defense out of the water,
but if we want to nail Sarah Metcalf,
we've got to convince a jury she has a dark side.
And if she doesn't?
We make one up.
How are you holding up?
I'm so glad to see you, Jess.
Here you go. Thank you.
Did you speak to Richard and Jordan?
They're worried sick.
Did Richard know about this?
No, I couldn't tell him.
I was going to end it.
Sarah, how did this happen?
You guys seemed so happy.
We are.
What am I going to do, Jess?
I have done so much damage. What am I going to do?
You're going to listen to your lawyer
and you're going to get through this.
Everyone believes in you.
I believe in you.
And I'm going to do everything I can to help.
Shouldn't you be in school?
I had a free period.
Well, the thing is,
you see, I'm busy, so...
You know, you haven't said ten words to me
since I got back from Santa Barbara.
What would you like me to say?
I don't know, that you're mad?
What good would that do?
I explained to you what happened.
Eddie's car broke down.
Right. What, you think I'm lying?
I can show you the receipts from the garage.
No, thanks.
Dad, if you're going to punish me,
will you just get it over with?
Because that whole passive-aggressive thing
is getting really old.
Excuse the interruption.
Sarah Metcalf's attorney is here.
Uh, conference room.
So you think you can get back to school
without your car breaking down?
Good to see you, Sebastian.
Julian.
Hoping we can resolve this quickly.
I'm a drive-thru if the deal's right.
Second-degree manslaughter, six years.
Your client blew a guy's guts all over her Manolos.
In self-defense and there are no witnesses.
Well, why not go to trial, kick my butt, set her free?
Miss Metcalf feels she's already caused enough pain,
and she's not interested
in putting her family through another ordeal.
Even if she wins?
Do you accept the offer?
Yeah?
Ms. Dunmiller?
If you're from the Health Department,
you can go screw yourselves.
We're from the District Attorney's Office.
Oh, it's about time. Have you processed my claim?
What claim would that be?
My hip.
This is a city-funded low-income building.
I got rights.
Okay, we're actually here to discuss the homicide
that took place three doors down.
You told the police you heard an argument
outside Mr. Clinton's apartment the night of the murder.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I hed him arguing with a woman.
This guy has a potty mouth on him.
Did you actually see this woman?
You really didn't read my claim?
Oh, God.
She came barreling out and ran right into me, for God's sakes.
And my left hip is still swollen, see? Take a look.
We'll take your word on that.
Is this the woman who ran into you?
Look, it was dark, and she knocked me right on my butt.
Maybe it's her. I-I-I can't really tell.
So when do I get my money?
STARK: I just had an interesting chat with Julian Cooke.
Good lawyer. It seems Sarah Metcalf
is willing to cop to involuary manslaughter.
Since our case is weak, we might want to grab it.
Is that what you promised her?
I'm sorry?
I doubt it.
Jess, I've got this entire system wired.
Do you think you can visit Sarah Metcalf in prison
without my finding out? Sarah's a friend.
She's also a murder suspect.
The D.A. dropping by for a little ex parte chitchat
is completely inappropriate.
I talked to Julian Cooke. He understands our prior relationship.
He also understands that you just gave him grounds
to quash our indictment,
and get the entire case dismissed.
Sarah's scared.
She's all alone in there. I had to go see her.
And if she killed this guy, you can bet it was self-defense.
How can you be so sure of that?
Because I know Sarah.
When Ben was dying, she came to the house every day.
She brought food, she read to him.
She would sit with him for hours sometimes so I could sleep.
I wouldn't have made it without her.
I understand.
Unfortunately...
I know, it's a conflict of interest.
I'm sorry.m
Did you advise her on the involuntary manslaughter plea?
Look, I promise I'll give your friend a fair shake,
but you have to let me handle this.
(sighing): Cooke's filed a motion
to suppress Sarah Metcalf's confession.
Don't look at me.
it was a custodial interrogation.
That's a lot of crap.
Your Honor.
Prior to being arrested,
my client asked the officers if she was free to go.
They politely replied that they had a few more questions.
It's not like she was cuffed.
Mr. Stark, I'd... The reality is,
the officers didn't have just a few more questions.
They clearly intended arrest her.
And not a bad idea since she was willing
to tell anybody who would listen that she just shot the guy.
Given the totality of the circumstances,
Ms. Metcalf should have been
Mirandized prior to police questioning.
A murderer confessed.
Sounds like the cops did a damn good job.
If it's an arrest that's clearly imminent, as it was here,
Miranda must be read.
Motion to ppress Ms. Metcalf's confession is granted.
Thank you.
I never really got the draw of this place.
My dad used to bring us out here.
We'd watch the guys play basketball
and work out at Muscle Beach.
There's our guy over there.
Kurt Bellows?
Wait a minute, wait a minute, come on, man.
Look, man, I was going to check on my appeal last week...
We're from the D.A.'s Office.
Jeremy Clinton was your neighbor.
Here we go.
Look, man, like I told the cops,
I didn't see anything.
Yeah, but you didn't tell them you did a stint with Clinton at McNeal Island.
Man, when you're screwed by as many cops as I've been,
you learn how to keep your mouth shut, you know what I'm saying?
So how did you wind up living in the same building as Clinton?
It's a small world after all.
Yo, Mickey Mouse,
by associating with a known felon, you violated parole.
So if you like it on the outside,
drop the attitude and answer the questions.
All right, man, look.
I got out a couple of months after he did.
Jeremy helped me find a crib.
I mean, what's the big deal?
So you two were friends?
Jeremyidn't have any friends. He was a scumbag.
He said he'd pay me to clean his house,
wash his damn clothes,
and guess what, I never saw a damn dime.
Sounds like you're his bitch.
Ever meet Sarah Metcalf?
No. No, I mean he mentioned her a couple of times, but...
I mean, he didn't sound like they got along too good.
How do you know that?
We, a few days before he got shot,
I heard this chick on Jeremy's machine.
She sounded pretty pissed.
What did she say?
she said something along the lines of
"Go to hell, you son of a bitch."
Looks like she decided to send him there.
We need to find a way to knock the halo off Sarah Metcalf.
She arrived in L.A. in 1989, married Richard Metcalf,
helped him build a billion-dollar video-on-demand business.
Eight years ago she started the Metcalf charitable trust
She's also on the board of Children's Hospital...
Yada, yada, yada, she's a saint,
and she just happened to kill a guy.
Prior to 1989? Nothing.
I'm sorry, it sounded like you said nothing.
I checked the IRS and the Social Security databases.
It's like she didn't exist before she got to L.A.
Ballistics report is back.
And?
Here. He won't take a swing at you.
Slugs taken out of Jeremy Clinton
came from two different guns.
???
You got your piece on you? Yep.
Why don't you stt over here and blow my brains out.
Maybe we should ask for a continuance to regroup.
(scoffs): No way. The prelim is tomorrow.
STARK: Look, Cooke's under the gun
to show a self-defense theory, right?
So let's just keep the heat on. He brings up the two guns,
we bang on the evidence tying Sarah to the crime scene,
get this thing held over for trial.
And then?
We figure out what really happened.
Detective McKinley, uh, was the blood on Ms. Metcalf's clothing
found to belong to the victim, Jeremy Clinton?
Yes.
Were Ms. Metcalf's fingerprints determined to be
on the recently fired .38-caliber weapon?
Yes. And was the slug taken from the victim
found to have come from that weapon?
It was. Now at the crime scene,
did Ms. Metcalf admit to having an affair with the deceased
and arguing with him moments before his death?
Yes.
Thank you,ano more questions.
Your witness.
Nothing, Your Honor.
The Defense calls Dr. Russell Barry to the stand.
Russell Barry, Harvard Professor,
every big murder trial in the last 20 years Russell Barry?
In a nutshell, this isn't good.
Dr. Barry, have you reviewed the M.E. report?
I have.
And what have you concluded?
I found the report to be quite competently prepared.
Here it comes.
Based on your analysis, were you able to make
any further determination about the bullet
that killed Jeremy Clinton? I was.
The bullets removed from Mr. Clinton
came from two different guns.
The second shot was indeed fired
by the .38-caliber handgun fod at the scene,
but it passed fairly harmlessly through the lung tissue.
The fatal shot, which nicked the victim's aorta
and led to internal bleeding and eventual death
was not fired by that weapon.
So in other words, the gun with my client's fingerprints on it,
did not kill Mr. Clinton?
Correct.
STARK: Your Honor, the evidence clearly shows that Ms. Metcalf
fired a bullet into Jeremy Clinton.
They're charging murder, not an assault, Your Honor.
Nevertheless, we have sufficient probable cause
on the underlying action
to charge her with attempted murder.
Not if my client was acting in self-defense.
Mr. Cooke is free to make that argument at trial.
COOKE: Your Honor,
as much as I enjoy a good tap dance, the prosecution
has clearly failed to meet its burden of first-degree murder.
I agree.
We don't indict ham sandwiches in my courtroom, Mr. Stark.
Professional courtesy?
I suggest you refile charges when you have a cogent theory.
Case dismissed.
Are you going to refile?
No, I think I'll just graciously accept defeat
and try to grow from it
I've never seen anyone bri an expert to a prelim.
???
?
??
???? Richard Metcalf. peoand,
He finds out about the affair,
wife says she c't get out, the two of them took out Clinton.
Billionaires don't shoot people.
They hire someone else to.
Does he have an alibi? Says he was at home
with the daughter, Jordan, at the time ofhe shooting.
That's pretty weak.
I ran the Metcalfs' personal accounts.
Sarah made cash withdrawals every month
in increasing amounts for the past year.
The last one was for five grand.
The exact amount found in Clinton's apartment.
Drugs?
Do you think she's supporting him?
Find out.
Sarah Metcalf is a murderer.
I don't care how slick her lawyer is, I'm taking her down.
You're not going to get anywhere trying to dig up dirt on Sarah Metcalf,
but Angela Weston's got some serious skeletons in the closet.
And Angela Weston would be?
I got it. Julian Cooke made you look
ke an idiot in open court,
and now you've lost your mind.
So I suppose this is just a hallucination?
Angela Weston, reported missing, age 17,
Tacoma, Washgton, 1989. Sarah Metcalf doesn't exist.
Angela Weston made her up when she got to L.A.
Parents deceased, one sibling,
Tracy Weston, lives in Fresno.
There's Angela's record.
Three juvie arrests for drug possession,
three r prostitution.
How is this possible?
People come to L.A. to change their lives.
Unfortunately for Angela, her past caught up to her.
Jeremy Clinton.
Born and raised in Tacoma, career criminal,
ran hookers there in the '80s.
Including Angela Weston.
Clinton bailed her out of jail twice in 1989.
So what's your theory?
Blackmail, considering her old habits, maybe drugs.
The second shooter?
The husband makes sense, but we don't have a gun yet.
I just can't believe this.
I'm really sorry, Jess.
People aren't always what ty seem.
This doesn't make any sense.
I don't care who she used to be.
Sarah Metcalf is one of the best people I know.
She's also a murderer.
When's the last time that you saw your sister Sarah,
I mean Angela?
It's been, um, 17 years now.
The afternoon that she disappeared she gave me $200.
Made me promise to stay out of trouble.
Did she tell you she was leaving?
No.
She was in a very bad place.
I kept trying to convince her that she should try to get away.
But you know, she was scared.
And then one day she just vanished.
For so long I thought that Angela must have died.
Back in Tacoma, did you know that your sister was...
A prostitute?
Yes.
But that's not who she was.
When our father died, we needed money.
Angela wanted me to go to college.
Do you recognize this man?
His name is Jeremy Clinton.
How do you know him?
He's the one who got Angela into drugs and selling herself.
He was crazy, especially when he was high.
He used to beat the hell out of Angela.
You know, of course she would always blame it on some john.
I knew.
Do you think she left Tacoma to get away from him?
If she hadn't, it was only a matter of time.
Jeremy would have killed her.
Where is he now?
We think Angela may have killed him.
If she did...
he had it coming.
Hey.
hi
So can't we at least talk about this?
I'm late.
Okay, you know what?
You are not leaving until we settle this
Okay.
I'm sorry about what happened.
I know you mushave been worried, but I swear to God,
I did not do it on purpose.
So can't you just ground me or take away my car or whatever
so we can get past this already? Okay.
I don't want you seeing Eddie anymore.
What?
I think you two are moving way too fast, Jules.
I want you to take a break.
You better be kidding.
It's for your own good, Jules.
And since when do you know what's best for me?
Sie you chose to live under my roof.
ISAAC: So the Metcalfs own this place?
MADELEINE: An expensive little hobby.
Must be nice not to worry about money.
When your mom's accused of murder,
you've got plenty to worry about.
Jordan Metcalf?
Yes?
We're from the District Attorney's Office.
We just have a few questions.
My father told me not to talk to anyone.
Besides, my mom's not on trial anymore.
We still have to find out what happened.
You were with your father the night Jeremy Clinton washot?
Yes, just like I told the police.
And if he left for any reason? He was in his office.
I was studying just outside in the library.
If he had left, I would have seen him.
Did you ever hear your father talk about
hurting Jeremy Clinton?
My father's a really sweet man. He wouldn't hurt anyone.
My parents have helped a lot of people,
and they've been through so much.
Can't you just leave them alone?
Angela Weston gets tired of doing drugs and selling sex
in the Pacific Northwest,
decides to start over again in the big city.
She did a pretty damn good job.
MARTIN: Until recently.
Jeremy Clinton gets out of prison,
finds out that Angela is now Sarah and is filthy rich.
He decides that he has a prime opportunity for blackmail.
Explains Sarah's cash withdrawals.
So she was paying Jeremy not to reveal her past?
The Metcalfs are stars on the Los Angeles A-list,
roots in the community, beautiful teenage daughter.
The whole coke whore thing could prove a little awkward
over cocktails at the country club.
Husband tumbles to the blackmail.
Gis him motive to be the second shooter.
Let's get a search warrant.
How do we show that he knew his wife was paying Clinton?
Doesn't matter.
We can'put Richard Metcalf at the crime scene.
He still has his alibi.
Madeleine and Isaac couldn't shake the daughter.
We need more. MADELEINE: This might help.
A law school pal of mine is in house over at Cal Union Bank.
So I had him examine Sarah's withdrawals.
The first nine months she signed for them herself,
but for the last six weeks,
her husband initialed three of the withdrawals along with her.
Jackpot! Constructive knowledge of the blackmail.
Now Julian Cooke said it himself.
Angela Weston didn't fire that second gun,
which means of course that someone else did.
Go get me a warrant, and let's find that gun.
JESSICA: You lied to me.
About everything.
I had no choice.
I told you things I never told my own mother.
Things I never told Ben.
And I never repeated them. And what about Richard?
He loves you. He would have understood.
Look, I hated myself for a very long time.
Angela did horrible things.
Are you the same person you were in your 20s?
That's a little bit different. Really?
When you first met Ben you were fresh out of law school.
You didn't know a person in this town.
Are you saying I used him?
I know that you loved Ben and that Ben loved you.
And he introduced you to every power player in L.A.
And look what you became.
People change, Jess.
Hate to break up the tea party.
The original warrant didn't cover Mr. Metcalf's office,
because at that point, he wasn't a suspect.
This is a fishing expedition.
The judge disagrees.
We got a safe.
Would you do us the honors, please?
He had nothing to do with this.
Then it shouldn't be a problem, should it?
Jessica.
I'm sorry, Richard. You need to open the safe.
Would you mind stepping back, please, sir.
Nine-millimeter.
It matches the caliber on the other bullet.
Go figure.
I've been wondering what happened to that second gun.
???
The markings on the fatal bullet match the gun found
in Richard Metcalf's safe.
There were no prints.
Probably wiped clean.
But we know that Sarah had the combination
to her husband's safe.
Which gave her access to the murder weapon.
Wait a minute, I thought we were going after the husband.
Life's full of surprises.
We're staying with Angela Weston.
She was at the crime scene, she has motive.
But the judge dismissed our case.
He dismissed our case against rah Metcalf.
He didn't say anything about Angela Weston.
Now you lost me. Now that we know her history, Sarah's motive isn't
just a broken affair.
Jeremy was threatening
to destroy the new life that she built.
RAINA: And her criminal record makes her
much less sympathetic to the jury.
And she had access to both guns.
You got it, kids.
Now, Richard may have been in, he may have been out.
We don't know and we don't have enough to convict him,
but we do know
that he was trying to protect his wife.
So we refile against Sarah Metcalf.
We shake the tree and we see who falls out.
Pretrial motions.
The defense makes a motion
in limine to preclude any mention
of my client's criminal past.
Ms. Metcalf's record is
absolutely relevant to this proceeding, Your Honor.
It's highly prejudicial,
and the violations occurred nearly 20 years ago.
Mr. Stark?
The defendant's criminal record
clearly establishes her motive for killing the victim.
Ms. Metcalf's record should only be referenced
if she testifies on her own behalf,
which she has no intention of doing.
Nice try.
Whether she testifies or not, Your Honor... I'm inclined
to grant Mr. Cooke's motion.
Are you joking?
Watch yourself, Mr. Stark.
Ms. Metcalf's relationship
with the deceased speaks directly to motive.
I'll allow general references to their past,
but defense motion is granted.
Ms. Metcalf's criminal record is off-limits.
At least he didn't dismiss the case this time.
In my chambers, Mr. Stark.
Oh, you heard that.
Now. Yes, sir.
Give me one good reason why I shouldn't slap you
with a contempt charge
and let you spend the next 48 hours in a holding cell? Because people might wonder
why you're throwing me in jail
and letting a murderer go free.
I'm protecting the rights of a woman who has done
a hell of a lot more for this community than you have.
Oh, I di't realize my past was relevant
to this proceeding, Your Honor. It's not.
Neither is Ms. Metcalf's. Fair warning, Judge.
I intend to take a writ to the appeals court.
That's your right.
But be assured the appellate court will take
an equally dim view of your brand of street justice.
That's all, Mr. Stark.
I'm reporting this garbanzo
to the Commission on Judicial Performance.
Sebastian Stark lodges an ethics complaint?
There's a perfect ten on the irony meter.
Except I'm not signing it, you are. Forget it.
Pissing off judges is a really bad idea.
Then maybe I should just report you.
Is there something you want to say? Yeah.
You've wanted this thing to go away since day one,
and I honestly would not be surprised
if you asked Judge Webb
to torpedo my case.
There, I feel better.
Is this the part where you take your ball and go home?
As a matter of fact, yes.
If you don't straighten this thing out with this judge,
I want you to take me f the case.
Because you lost a motion?
Webb is a self-righteous blowhard who hates me
because I was a successful defense lawyer
who, yes, occasionally crossed the line.
In other words, he's judging you based on your past.
Bingo.
Hmm, sounds a lot like what you're trying to do
to Sarah Metcalf. One small difference.
I didn't kill anyone.
Sarah Metcalf and Jeremy Clinton
weren't strangers.
They knew each other for over 20 years
from back in Tacoma, Washington,
when Sarah was still known by her real name
Angela Weston.
Now, Angela grew up in poverty,
living hand-to-mouth, struggling to survive.
She dreamed of a better life and of leaving Tacoma forever,
and so Angela, like so many
in such dire straits before her,
moved to Los Angeles.
She changed her name, married, had a beautiful daughter,
lived a life of privilege.
She reinvented herself...
and never told a single human being about her past.
But then,
a year ago, Jeremy Clinton, like some film noir villain
from out of her past, emerged to threaten
the secret life that Angela, now Sarah Metcalf,
had so carefully, so painstakingly concocted.
The evidence will show that he demanded money.
She paid him.
As his demands grew, so did Sarah's desperation.
Her husband, Richard Metcalf,
knew that something untoward was happening,
but rather than tell him about her unsavory past,
Angela, now Sarah, decided to end this sordid tale
with a gun.
Sarah Metcalf should have called the police,
but instead she chose to kill a man
in cold blood, and for that,
even an upstanding citizen...
...should have to pay.
Thank you.
Well, Mr. Stark's theory was certainly colorful.
There's just one problem.
It's not supported by the facts,
and colorful storytelling aside, this case is about the facts,
because the prosecution must proveheir case
beyond a reasonable doubt.
But the problem is:
they lack the facts to do so.
You may hear about money changing hands,
but there's absolutely no proof
that Mr. Clinton extorted money from my client.
No proof that my client ever threatened Mr. Clinton.
So much for motive.
The fact is that the gun found at the crime scene
with my client's fingerprints on it did not kill Mr. Clinton.
It is a simple fact, which the prosecution cannot overcome.
Who killed Jeremy Clinton?
Well, your guess is as good as mine.
But one thing is beyond doubt:
it wasn't Sarah Metcalf.
???
This isn't a case, it's a sucking chest wound.
The cop's testimony helped us.
Yeah, too bad he wasn't allowed to mention the minor detail
that Sarah confessed to killing Clinton.
We've still got Kurt Bellows.
Ex-con, perennial lowlife.
We need another witness.
MADELEINE: You don't have to be absolutely certain, Wendy.
We just need you to say that she looks
like the woman who knocked you down.
Well, like I told you, it was dark.
And where's my settlement check?
I-I'm still limping.
After you testify.
Okay.
Now, in court, I'm going to show you this photo
and I'm gonna ask you if this is the woman who ran
into you outside Jeremy Clinton's apartment.
And then you say that looks like her, you got it?
And then I get my check?
Yeah, it's just that easy.
okay.
That looks like her.
You're a natural.
Okay.
That looks like her.
Cooke is going to crucify her on cross.
We can't be any worse off than we already are.
That looks like her.
Okay, Wendy, save some for the big game.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
That really looks like her. Sarah Metcalf.
No, not her. Her.
She's the one that ran into me.
The daughter?
???
Jord Metcalf's DNA swab matches the third hair
found on Clinton's body.
The call from her mobile phone hit a cell tower three blocks
away from the murder scene
15 minutes before Clinton was shot.
So the daughter was there the night Clinton was killed.
Maybe Jordan found out he was threatening her mom
and wanted to protect her.
It could be her voice
the neighbor heard on the phone. There you go.
So she grabs Daddy's gun and goes after Clinton.
The mom shows and takes the rap to protect the daughter.
We need to get Jordan on the stand.
They must know we're on to her.
Julian Cooke just added another name
to his witness list.
Richard Metcalf.
So you were there the night Jeremy Clinton was killed?
Yes, I-I followed my wife to his apartment.
Did you think they were having an affair?
Yes.
So I, uh, took the gun from my office.
I-I just wanted to scare him off.
COOKE: What did you see when you went to the apartment?
Clinton had a gun in his hand.
He and Sarah were struggling over it,
and then a second later, the gun went off.
And the bullet struck Mr. Clinton? Yes,
but he kept coming after Sarah.
I thought he was going to shoot her.
So what did you do?
I shot him again.
No further questions, Your Honor.
So you were at the crime scene?
Yes.
You told the police you were he with your daughter. Were you lying?
Yes.
But you're telling the truth now?
That's right.
So, did your daughter
accompany you to Mr. Clinton's apartment?
No, I went alone.
Well, is it possible Jordan could have ldtten
to the murder scene on her own?
No, she was at home.
How can you be so sure?
Because she gave me her word.
And honesty clearly runs in your family.
Objection, argumentative.
Sustained.
Mr. Metcalf,
you kept the murder weapon
in your office safe,
but yet you had to know that it would eventually be searched.
Why not get rid of it?
I don't know, I wasn't thinking straight.
Oh, I think you were.
The truth is
we found your daughter's DNA at the murder scene.
Objection, refers to facts not in evidence. Withdrawn.
Is it possible that your daughter could have taken
your gun to Mr. Clinton's apartment,
shot Mr. Clinton,
and then returned the gun to your office safe? Your Honor.
No. And you are now trying to take responsibility
for her actions. That's not true.
You are trying to protect your daughter, aren't you? No.
What street did Mr. Clinton live on?
I don't know.
That's the first thing you've said that I actually believe.
No more questions, Your Honor.
STARK: I know this is tough, Jordan.
But it's my job to get to the truth.
We're here as a courtesy.
Then have the courtesy to shut up and listen.
We know you made threatening phone calls
to Clinton's apartment.
We have a witness who puts you at the scene.
We know you shot Jeremy Clinton.
Now I'm sure you did it to protect your mom.
If you confess,
I'll do whatever I can to help you.
They won't let me.
Jordan. Who?
Who won't? Your parents? Yes.
They think they're protecting you, but they can't.
Now if I have to, I will put you on the stand,
and I will force you to tell me everything that happened.
She'll take the Fifth.
And in so doing, she will seal her mother's conviction.
Are you going to force a 17-year-old girl
to testify against her mom?
The jury will hate your guts.
They'll hate my guts and they'll still convict.
What's it going to be, Jordan?
I don't know.
I have to think.
Why don't you talk it over with your lawyer?
The crime lab guy's here.
Be right back.
MAN: I went back over the follicular
DNA patterns from the crime scene.
Using the hairs from Clinton's shirt? Right.
I was able to match Jordan Metcalf's DNA
with a strand of hair om the crime scene.
Then I matched the common DNA
between Jordan and Sarah Metcalf.
Mother and daughter share common DNA,
not exactly an episode of Medical Mysteries.
Sarcasm notwithstanding, we got a second matching hit.
I assumed it was Sarah and Jordan again, but it wasn't.
Are you telling me Jordan Metcalf is related
to someone else at the crime scene?
Clinton was Jordan's father?
DNA doesn't lie.
Sarah was hiding a lot more than a few prostitution busts.
Think her husband knows?
If he does, they're doing their best to protect Jordan.
But when you enter the DNA test
into the record, she's going to know everything.
Yeah.
So what are you going to do?
I'm going to give Sarah a chance to tell
the truth and keep her daughter off the stand.
Think she'll go for it
She probably won't come clean to a prosecutor.
But she might talk to a friend.
Jordan had nothing to do with this.
We both know that's not true.
I know you want what's best for your daughter.
But believe me, if she has to take that stand,
it's going to g ugly.
I'm your friend. I love you.
But please trust me when I tell you
that if you want to save your family,
you need to tell the truth.
I was 16 years old when I met Jeremy.
He was a bad gueven then.
I got into drugs and...
other things.
One night Jeremy got rely drunk.
He beat me up and he raped me.
And you got pregnant?
Yes.
I knew I had to get out of Tacoma, so I just disappeared.
You came to L.A. and met Richard.
I was staying at a fleabag motel on the corner of Hyperion.
Richard was at the desk.
He was trying to sell his stupid cable boxes.
The rooms didn't even have TVs.
And you let him believe that Jordan was his daughter?
She is his daughter in every way that means anything.
Did Jeremy know
that he's Jordan's father?
He figured it out.
A few months ago I stopped paying him
hoping that he would go away.
Instead, he came to the house.
He talked to Jordan for a long time.
He realized the resemblance. He asked her when she was born.
Jeremy was a bastard, but he was not stupid.
But he didn't tell Jordan that he was her father?
No. He just asked for more money.
Sarah,what happened that night?
Jordan must have overheard a conversation I had with Jeremy.
Jordan called me from her cell phone.
She had Richard's gun.
She told me that she was going to make Jeremy leave me alone.
I begged her to go home, but she wouldn't listen.
I, uh, I drove to Jeremy's apartment.
As I reached
the door, I heard a shot.
I went inside
and Jordan was standg there.
She still had the gun pointed at Jeremy.
He was on his back, his chest s bleeding.
So what did you do?
I told Jordan to take the gun and go home.
And then I checked the apartment,
because I wanted to make sure
that Jordan hadn't left anything.
And that's when I found his gun
And I started to leave.
But Jeremy wasn't dead.
No, he was trying to get up.
Why didn't you just leave?
I was going to,
but then Jeremy started laughing.
He said that it made sense that we would wind up
in some cheap dive.
He said that no matter how hard
I tried, I would always be a white-trash whore from Tacoma.
He called Jordan his little girl.
And he told me that he was going to tell her
that he was her real father.
I couldn't let that happen. I could not
let him hurt Jordan the way he hurt me.
The M.E. determined
that the fatal bullet came from Jordan's gun.
Jeremy is dead because of the mistakes that I made.
I will pay for that.
My daughter shouldn't have to.
You let Sarah plea to second degree manslaughter?
Seven years minimum security.
That's very generous.
What about Jordan?
Court-ordered counseling,
probation until she's 21, sealed records.
You think Sarah will tell her the whole truth
about Jeremy Clinton?
Would you?
I have no idea.
So Sarah's finally brought her past
and her present together.
And the world didn't come to an end.
I thought you were determined to punish Sarah Metcalf.
The bad guy's dead.
In my book, that's justice.
Jordan killed Jeremy Clinton.
So you let a murderer go free.
Justice isn't perfect.
But you are.
Thank you for finally noticing.
How's it going?
I hate you.
I know.
You know, you never even asked if Eddie and I had sex.
Did you?
No.
But I'm still being punished.
I'm not punishing you, Jules.
Oh, really? Then what are you doing?
I'm just trying to...
I'm trying to protect you.
From what?
From growing up? Falling in love?
I hate to break it to you,
but some things are out of your control.
You know,
Mom never would have interfered in my life like this.
Oh, yeah, right.
Your mom would have rented a room for you guys.
You know you never
would have pulled a stunt like this on your mother.
It wasn't a stunt. I love Eddie.
You hardly know Eddie.
You can't control my life.
That's the last thing I want to do.
But I'm not going to sit back
and watch you make a huge mistake.
And having sex...
is an incredibly big step.
So what, all of a sudden you're Super Dad?
Coming in to protect me?
I sure as hell am going to try.