I've had two conversations with the AG and they're open to discussing a deal.
The fact that you came forward on a 15-year-old crime works for us.
Does there have to be jail time?
Honey, we talked about this.
Well, I'm going to push for 18 months to serve on a five-year sentence.
See, I'll be out before pre-school.
We're pregnant.
Nobody knows better than me how much this has tortured him.
Once again, I am ready to accept whatever they hand down.
We'll keep that to ourselves, at least for now.
Pete's here.
In that fraternity, we were drunk virtually every night.
And the night that it happened, our rush chairman,
Kevin Spencer, slipped Jennifer a roofie
and took her into a room, told me to wait in the hall.
She had passed out.
And Kevin came out and said, "Your turn, dude."
Did you make any effort to resist this criminal invitation?
No.
I went in.
And Jennifer didn't even know I was there,
she didn't know what I did.
That's why she only filed charges on Kevin Spencer.
You do know that Kevin Spencer was able to make a plea.
He served no time.
It was over for him.
But for seven years I tried to drink it away, drug it away.
Until Liz.
I bottomed out with a drug arrest.
And Liz encouraged me to join AA.
And I got sober. I met Louisa.
And I started thinking maybe I could have a life.
Why don't you tell Mr. Upton
why you wrote the apology letter to the victim?
After I came clean,
Liz convinced me that I had to take it to the next level,
that I had to face Jennifer
and ask her to try and forgive.
Got to get back to the office.
Liz, you and I will talk soon?
♪ All these demons
♪ Come as the past
♪ Yeah, this heavy heart of mine
♪ Can get low down, down, down
♪ This heavy heart of mine ♪
Good morning, Providence. This is Gabriel Waggett on WZMA,
with some thoughts on the day.
There's lots to discuss this morning. So let's get the coffee brewing,
and on to some questions of ethics and principle.
There is an interesting criminal case
being defended by Attorney Elizabeth Canterbury.
And Canterbury is known for some questionable ethical judgments in the past.
In fact, she's been a frequent topic of discussion on this show.
And now, she's set her sights on defending an admitted rapist.
Here's my question.
Why is she representing a man who has publicly confessed?
Shouldn't he simply be brought to court?
Good! Our callboard is lighting up. Emily, from Cranston, you're on.
How can she sleep at night? I mean, doing what she does?
Well, Emily, the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution
grants everyone the right to an attorney.
My question is why is she fighting to free a rapist?
Why not someone truly innocent?
That man is on a mission.
Perfect conservative lightning rod.
Powerful Ivy-League-educated woman who doesn't take crap off anybody.
What?
I thought we didn't defend rape cases.
Until you pass the bar, there's no "we" in that sentence.
But when I interviewed here, you said that's where you draw the line.
Molly, close the door.
Eight years ago, Gil Newhall was arrested for drugs.
I read him the riot act, got him into treatment.
He's one of those rare clients that actually listened.
And did you know that seven years before that he raped someone?
No, I didn't. It was about a year later.
He asked me to hear something as an attorney.
He told you he raped someone? I would've called the cops.
When you studied for the bar, did you skip the section
about attorney-client confidentiality?
You didn't have to accept this case.
No. I didn't.
But there was a victim involved. And justice hadn't been done.
I convinced Gil to turn himself in. I contacted the victim.
And now we're trying to come up with a mutually acceptable plea.
That's great. Now turn it over to a lawyer without a conscience.
He came forward to me. Not just anyone.
I want to see justice served. For the victim, too.
You know, Molly, rape trials are often worse for the victim
than they are the defendant.
I'm not sure I'm cut out for defense work.
He's trying to atone.
Now if you find that offensive, or don't believe in it,
then you should talk to Russell about working in the AG's Office.
Your client got bit by a rat. How generous can I be?
My client's six years old. Lived in one of Victor Robb's death traps.
Lead paint, rats, busted smoke alarms.
Your friend Victor's lucky it's not a homicide.
Fifty thousand. Thirty percent for you.
Not bad for a few hours work.
A little girl's been disfigured.
Right.
Thank you for the coffee.
So if Gil offered a straight plea, no deal. What do you recommend?
Fifteen years.
That's too much.
Kevin Spencer walked with a suspended sentence.
That ship has sailed. Spencer's father pulled strings.
The office broomed it.
Gil shouldn't be penalized for that.
This hard line's not coming from the victim.
I spoke with her a month ago. She was on-board.
I wouldn't know where she stands. She's not returning my calls.
Her sister says she's afraid to testify.
Let's talk a real sentence and she won't have to testify.
Seven years.
Five. Eighteen months served.
Six. He serves all of it.
Three.
We're there.
Blue suede?
Cut me some slack. I'm trying to find my signature.
Your signature?
Yep. All big litigators have a trademark look.
Bruce Cutler rocks the gangster suits.
Tom Mesereau sports the shoulder-length shag.
Gerry Spence with the fringe jacket.
What do you think?
I take it the settlement discussions were a bust.
I may have screwed up. Turned down a decent offer.
Self-doubt doesn't suit you, Chester. That's my trademark.
Yeah. Well, Russell's gonna be pissed.
Come on. A young girl victimized by corporate greed.
It doesn't get any better. Six figures.
So once the judge accepts your plea, they'll take you into immediate custody.
Sure.
You won't be with me for the birth.
We've got the discipline. We can do this.
We have to talk.
See you inside. Okay.
I don't want to blind-side you. Zach e-mailed me this morning.
Jennifer Wallace wants to testify.
I hope the court accepts my effort to undo the wrongs that I have done.
And I am ready to accept punishment.
Is the victim present?
Yes.
Ms. Wallace, would you like to make an impact statement?
Yes, Your Honor.
There were years of pain and humiliation after it happened.
And I did what everyone told me to, went to counseling, gave it time.
And I began to heal.
So now, 15 years later, I find out there were two of them?
Can you imagine how that feels?
He wants to ease his conscience. What about me?
Does he know how it felt to hear this?
You seek forgiveness?
No, I do not forgive you. Not now. Not ever.
So I take it that you do not agree
with the joint-sentencing recommendation.
Three years?
I believe in an eye for an eye.
I'm doing life with the pain of this.
So should he.
Thank you, ma'am.
The state of Rhode Island has no statute of limitations on rape for a reason.
Your motion is denied. Your Honor!
We're going to trial, counselors.
What just happened?
We just became part of a drive-time ratings push.
I did a background check.
Jennifer had a rough patch after college.
Arrested for shoplifting, evicted for non-payment of rent.
Which gets my sympathy. She's a victim of rape.
A couple months ago, she was fired from her job
for lying about an altercation...
Stop.
We know she didn't lie about the rape.
I've made my decision. I'm not gonna destroy her to save him.
We're passing on the case?
I got Gil to step forward and confess.
I'm not gonna totally abandon him, but there's others who can defend him.
Yeah, he needs an assassin. I'm gonna call Jake Meier.
No. We are not pawning him off on that self-righteous hypocrite.
Meier's a perfect foil. Ultraconservative. He's a recovering alcoholic.
Passes the Gabe Waggett litmus.
A pseudo-intellectual talk show host is not dictating who represents our client.
Hey, Martin!
He's in Bermuda.
How much do you pay him?
Can you set up a meeting with Gil and Louisa, please?
Yeah. I'm on it. Matt called.
He wanted me to remind you about the inventory.
Wow.
Sometimes I completely forget that my marriage is falling apart.
Fifty thousand dollars is a lot of money to us.
Trust me. We can do better.
Will she be able to go see the plastic surgeon?
And therapy?
That's the plan.
Okay, guys. It's time.
You ready? Go.
You look great, by the way.
Thank you.
Victor Robb is the defendant in a civil action.
But if he had taken a knife and slashed little Nora Monteiros' face,
we'd be in criminal court.
He would face prison
and that would be the service of justice.
But here we are in a civil trial,
talking about doctors' fees, and reconstructive surgery.
A father's grief,
and a little girl's agony.
Civil court!
Because we're supposed to believe there was no crime.
But when I look at the negligence of the defendant
and the pain and disfigurement he's caused this little girl,
I look and I don't care what the law says.
It's criminal. And he must pay.
And you, ladies and gentlemen, must make him pay.
The judge has left you two options.
Plea and get life in prison, or fight for an acquittal.
We have some thoughts on lawyers who have proven track records.
Wait. You're our lawyers.
Well, I wanted to help resolve this. But now that it's a trial,
I have to disclose my personal bias prevents me from attacking a rape victim.
But you're the reason that Gil did all this.
Louisa.
No, this is my life, too.
I'm sorry. I wouldn't be effective here.
When Gil promised to turn himself in,
you promised that he would serve a reasonable sentence.
Now you just drop us when it gets bad.
Louisa.
No, he trusted you. I trusted you.
Why are you doing this to us?
I can't destroy Jennifer's credibility or her character.
None of us wants that.
I do.
She's attacking us. Okay? She is destroying our family.
He was an 18-year-old kid.
He was a stupid kid influenced by a bunch of drunken fraternity idiots.
She was 19 and a party girl. Okay?
Just tell me honestly.
Do you think that it's fair that Gil go to prison for the rest of his life?
Here is a man who waited 15 years to come forward.
In my mind, that deserves a greater punishment, not a reward.
I got started without you.
Take it all. I'm sick of having so much stuff.
You want the Rumpole series?
Your brother gave you that for your birthday.
I've read them all. You keep them. How's work?
Well, I'm dropping my rape case.
Gabriel Waggett might sue you for a loss of market share.
Talk radio? You?
Legal ethics. I like to hear what the other side thinks.
Well, I can't cross-examine the victim when the defendant admitted to rape.
Which is why I'm surprised you took the case.
Gil was looking for resolution, and...
I don't know. I wanted to help him out.
You brought the victim close to forgiveness once.
Can you get her there again? She won't even talk to me.
She'll listen to you in a courtroom.
Let her know that you didn't want her to be there,
and that she doesn't really want to be there.
You mean use Waggett as the punching bag?
Waggett the maggot. The fascist judge. The guy who already pled guilty.
Anyone but the victim.
Have you eaten? 'Cause I can make soup.
You make soup?
Well, no. It's canned, but I heat it up really good.
Come on. Help me plot out my defense.
All right.
Really? Yeah.
Hello?
Anyone home?
We have our work cut out for us. I'm gonna make the opening statements.
Russell, I want you to take the first witness.
I have the Bickley motion.
That's not until next week. And I have to prepare for Jennifer.
Molly, I want you to focus on the money trail.
Whose money trail?
Gabriel Waggett. WZMA.
The company that owns WZMA. The conglomerate that owns the company.
And also I want to know everything there is to know
about the guy who walked with a suspended sentence.
We're keeping Newhall.
Are you sure?
Why? Do you still have a problem with this?
I just don't understand. I thought you were dropping this guy.
Well, I'm not.
I designed a just plea for him. It got tossed out.
Whatever my feelings are about his crime, he sought redemption.
And I believe in redemption.
And I hope that, deep down inside, we all do.
And so, the evidence will show,
15 years ago, Jennifer Wallace lay unconscious on a bed.
She was vulnerable, defenseless,
and she was raped by this man,
the defendant, Gil Newhall.
He's right.
That's exactly what my client did.
And he's sorry.
He's apologized to Jennifer.
And he'll apologize to you.
We will not debate the facts of the crime,
or the credibility of Jennifer.
But we will ask one thing.
That you listen to Gil.
Because he is a man who is truly repentant.
But he's in an impossible situation.
He wants to plead guilty, but if he does,
this judge will send him away for life.
Objection, Your Honor.
So we're asking you... This is completely out of bounds.
To find him not guilty
Ms. Canterbury.
Thank you.
The jury will disregard that.
And I remind you that an opening statement is not evidence.
Okay. So, I went through the financials.
The AG's filing says there were no inducements or rewards
for Jennifer's appearance.
Waggett spent the money on this.
He created this story for his own purposes.
Maybe Jennifer just wants to see her assailant punished.
Well, Gil's accepted prison.
But that's not news.
I mean, nothing really happened here until Waggett plied her
with first class air fare, nice hotel. Even got her a make-over.
I mean, you know, this is... This is Paula Jones, Providence style.
Rus, I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't work on this case.
You still think he deserves jail for life?
Yeah. I do.
I'll tell you, Molly, I've prosecuted sex crimes.
The only defendant who got life was a serial rapist with a 17-page rap sheet.
Defendants like Gil are rare. And they're not the ones who deserve life.
You're still not buying it? Look,
I really want you to work on this case, because you're the jury, Molly.
If we get you to believe in redemption,
then maybe we can get the others there, too.
Okay. What kind of sentence are we talking about?
A guy with no history of being sexually dangerous,
hasn't been in trouble for a decade, wants to plea...
Realistically, 18 months.
Rape should equal life.
Well, most murderers don't get life.
Thought I'd catch you here. Always the solid work ethic.
What do you want, Dad?
Thought I'd take my son for a sandwich.
Can't. I'm on trial.
I know.
Victor Robb one of your fundraisers? A golfing buddy?
You know, if you didn't remind me so much of myself at your age,
I could take offense.
You here to protect your fellow slumlord?
Now, your spite, Son, could cost you a client. That's bad for business.
Yeah, well. It's not always about the money.
My investment in those properties paid for your education,
got you where you are today.
And when I could afford to, I sold them.
Well, you didn't seem to mind when the rent checks came in.
Just like Victor Robb.
I visited those buildings every week to remind myself of how far I'd come.
I could've sent somebody else.
I'm not so sure Victor Robb could say that.
So save your sanctimony for the jury.
I was Gil's rush chairman at Zeta Zeta Pi.
Did you attend a fraternity party the night Jennifer Wallace was assaulted?
Yes.
And you, in fact, have admitted to raping Jennifer Wallace?
Yes.
Was there someone with you?
He was. Gil Newhall.
You never told the police there were two of you. Why?
My lawyer said it would look worse if it was a gang...
If we were acting in concert.
Objection, hearsay. Move to strike.
Sustained.
Nothing further.
So you were the instigator in all this, not my client, right?
Yes.
You laced Jennifer Wallace's drink,
not my client. Yes.
With the specific intent of raping her.
Yes.
You didn't turn yourself in, like my client, did you?
No. No. She identified you.
Had you arrested. What was your sentence?
Objection, relevance.
Overruled.
I got two years suspended.
No prison? No.
How'd you arrange that? Objection!
Goes to credibility.
My client faces life while the instigator walked.
Don't answer that. Gil's facing life, did you know that?
Next question. Do you think
he should be treated more harshly than you were?
Mr. Krauss, move on.
Nothing further.
Gil! So this is the thanks I get for keeping you out of it.
I couldn't find another way to go, Spence.
Looking for sainthood? St. Gil of the Hedge Funders?
This is about me doing time, not you.
Yeah, but I got past it.
Fifteen years later, I have to explain this to my wife,
my boss, my kids.
What we did was wrong, Spence.
You spent, what, half your life in an alcoholic stupor?
You must spend a lot of time saying sorry.
Did she know what she was getting when she married you?
What did you say?
You don't talk to her, understand me?
Gil.
Don't let him provoke you. Come on.
I hope you get life, you son of a bitch.
We're live from Providence Superior Court,
where the victim, Jennifer Wallace,
will take the stand sometime later today.
And here is the woman who will try to humiliate her.
Good morning, Ms. Canterbury.
Sounds like you're going for jury nullification.
Admitting to the crime and then asking for an acquittal.
Is that even acceptable practice
under Rhode Island's rules of criminal procedure?
They didn't teach you that at pundit university?
An ethical attorney... Keep moving.
Would not present jury nullification as a valid defense.
How many stitches did little Nora receive as a result of her rat bite injuries?
Fifteen on her lip and 26 around her eye.
She almost lost her vision.
And her ear?
Her ear lobe had to be re-attached.
You never complained to my client about rodents, did you?
We needed a place to live.
So instead of calling an exterminator, you filed a lawsuit.
This isn't your first law suit, is it?
Objection, relevance.
Overruled.
Last year, you sued
Pavens Department Store under the name of Hector Guzman.
Objection, compound.
Overruled.
That's my mother's maiden name.
We call that an alias.
It was a bogus slip-and-fall case.
Hey, I really did hurt my knee.
You sued for $50,000. Did you get it?
No.
Because the store security video
showed you pouring soda on the floor and pretending to fall.
Objection. Overruled.
Two years ago, you filed another lawsuit against,
let's see, Levine Music Store.
I didn't fake the rat bites on my daughter's face.
How could I?
Sit down, please.
Well, you're the expert on bogus law suits.
You tell us.
Maybe I let my ego get the best of me.
Liz would've turned down that offer too.
Yeah Liz would have known her client was a scammer.
How could you have known? He filed under an alias.
Debra Collier knew.
That's probably because her firm represented the companies that he sued.
Damn, I had a settlement. I lost my objectivity.
My dad owned some tenements. I used to go with him to collect rent.
No heat, roaches everywhere.
So it isn't just about ego. It's about anger.
He used to tell me not to get so emotional. It's just business.
I got to win this, Molly.
Mr. Robb, how much income do your buildings generate annually?
You'll have to ask my accountant.
I did.
Does 4.2 million sound about right?
Chester.
Thank you.
Your Honor!
What are you doing, Mr. Grant?
I would like the witness to identify the weapon he used.
Objection.
If this were a stabbing,
I would be permitted to offer the knife.
Get up here.
Would you hold that for me? Thank you.
What the...
I have so many objections, I don't know where to start.
Allow me.
Are you prepared to authenticate the rodent?
I have an exterminator that will testify
that he trapped the rat in the Monteiros' hallway.
Someone get this thing away from me.
Okay. That's enough. Get it out of here.
I do have a motion, Your Honor.
I can't wait to hear it.
Mr. Robb.
When's the last time you visited one of your buildings?
This is what the Monteiros get for 1,124 a month.
It's been cited eight times for health code violations,
fire hazards, and safety infractions.
I can't believe you talked Judge Mankin into a viewing.
Some people find me quite irresistible.
Now, jurors, sorry about the broken elevators.
If you would, please take a look around. The pealing lead paint.
The busted smoke alarms. The exposed wires.
And the rusted pipes.
Please, sir, watch that radiator. You don't want to burn yourself.
Be careful, ma'am.
Okay. Let's continue. Please step this way into the other bedroom.
When'd you have time to come up with the special effects?
Your Honor, before Ms. Wallace is sworn in and begins testimony,
we would like to stipulate that Ms. Wallace was raped by my client.
Are you trying to lose this case?
Judge, my client does not want to contest her allegations.
We want to spare her cross-examination.
Just so the record is clear.
The state doesn't agree to a stipulation.
We have a right to present our evidence.
In other words, you want to put on a show at the victim's expense.
This is a complete waste of time.
I'm in charge of time management, Counselor.
You may proceed, Mr. Upton.
I was doing okay.
I went back and finished my degree.
I was teaching junior high.
Did something happen?
I got this letter.
It was from a man I didn't know existed, apologizing for raping me.
I didn't know what to do.
And then?
I was still deciding whether or not to call the police.
And a detective called me. Said that Gil had turned himself in.
I was freaking out. I mean, before I had a chance to decide
what I wanted to do, he decides for me.
How's it going?
Nothing further, Your Honor.
I'm sorry you have to go through this. We tried to spare you this experience.
Objection.
Ask a question, Ms. Canterbury.
After you received the letter from my client, you responded, didn't you?
Yes. You emailed him
to ask him details about that night.
Yes.
You even thanked him for being so honest.
I was still in shock.
Understandably.
But you weren't planning on coming to Rhode Island, were you?
Not at first.
Then Gabriel Waggett called you?
Yes.
He thought this would be a great topic for his radio show.
Objection, hearsay.
I'll allow it.
Well, he encouraged me to stand up for myself.
That's why I'm here.
He's using you, Jennifer.
He has exposed you to all the places a cross-examination could go.
Objection!
We didn't want to challenge your character.
Your Honor!
But I could start by asking you questions about that night.
Enough. Enough. That's enough.
No more questions.
You should take this with you.
This? No. This is your favorite.
He drew it when we rented that cottage in Little Compton.
This is how I want to remember us.
Happy.
How'd the disciplinary hearing go?
I resigned.
You are not the first professor to sleep with a student.
You know, you could have claimed that...
What?
You almost offered to represent me, didn't you?
It's like a reflex.
What's up with your trial?
The victim went off on me
when I confronted her about being used.
She is being used.
I guess forgiveness is harder than redemption.
People have suffered and forgiven.
What? The guy on the cross? The one time in all of history? Please.
Actually, I was talking about us.
Forgiveness?
If I ever came across the beast that took our son...
Forgiveness is no option. And I know you feel the same.
Yeah. I guess I do.
Hey. Hey. Hey.
The same.
You didn't open it?
You do it. Okay.
Okay. Okay. Wait. You have to promise you won't tell anyone.
Even if you pass? Promise.
You know, in Rhode Island you can sit for it five times, so...
If anyone tells me you can take the bar again,
I'm not taking it again.
Well.
Here.
Don't tell me. Okay. Okay. Tell me.
Drink up, Attorney Molly McConnell. Welcome to the club.
Congratulations.
You did it.
Mr. Waggett, how much money did you make off of this case?
Your Honor, are you going to allow this line of questioning?
Please answer, sir.
I don't own the station.
I'm a law professor and ethicist.
But you are in the process of renegotiating your talk show.
Your client raped someone.
And the First Amendment backs whatever I say.
You chose this case because you knew it would generate strong opinions.
You coaxed Jennifer to come up here and testify.
Paid for her travel, her first class hotels, new clothes.
Exploited her for your own gain.
Incorrect.
You told her that vengeance would ease her pain.
Vengeance is one of the tenets of the criminal justice system.
And it's a human urge that can provide tremendous relief.
So this trial is about vengeance and not justice?
Thank you for clarifying that.
Madame Foreperson, how find you in the matter of Monteiros v. Robb?
We find in favor of the plaintiff,
and award him $20,000 for compensatory damages,
and $600,000, punitive damages.
Great job. Really. Congratulations.
I got lucky.
Why did you confess to this crime?
I discussed it with my wife and my AA group.
And when I talked to you,
I was hoping that you would discourage me.
But you saw that I would only find peace if I came forward.
Nothing further.
You told your AA group about this rape and then what?
You worried someone would call the cops.
Objection, badgering, no foundation, facts not in evidence.
You wanted to get out in front of this thing.
Your Honor! Overruled.
No, that's not what happened.
You made your choice.
Now why can't you live with the consequences?
I can.
Nothing further, Your Honor.
Are you ready for prison?
Objection.
I'll rephrase, Your Honor.
Are you ready for the potential consequences?
"Resigned" is a better word.
And what do you say to those who call your crime unforgivable?
I can't criticize them for that.
But I hope that some redemption is possible.
When I contacted Jennifer,
I was hoping that she could forgive.
You instructed me not to attack Jennifer Wallace's character.
Why?
Hurting her defeats my only reason for being here.
Thank you.
Hey.
You did exactly what he wanted and you stayed true to your own values.
And that's always a victory.
No. A win is saving Gil from going to prison for the rest of his life.
Hey, guys. I just wanted to see if you needed anything.
No.
Hey, Molly, you did a really good job, despite all your reservations.
Yeah. Your skepticism really came in handy.
It's waning. Really?
You're a pretty good advocate.
Well, now you can bring in cases
that you're passionate about, since you're a lawyer.
Watch out. I am all-knowing.
I was going to tell you after your closing.
I didn't want to distract you.
Congratulations, Molly.
Sending Gil Newhall to prison serves no purpose.
Society won't be safer.
Jennifer Wallace will be no better off.
Gil Newhall has achieved what the criminal justice system should,
but never has. Rehabilitation.
He convicted himself,
imposed punishment and made restitution.
Ladies and gentlemen, justice has already been served.
Are we really a society that believes the law
is simply an instrument for vengeance?
I hope not.
Gil Newhall has rehabilitated himself.
Good for him.
But he's not the victim.
Jennifer Wallace is.
Gil Newhall should not be rewarded for waiting 15 years to come forward.
That's not cause for a commendation. That is cause for a conviction.
By his own admission, Gil Newhall is a rapist.
Return the only true verdict you can in this case.
Guilty.
You know, I'm not sure if it's legal for me to talk to you.
Three days is a long time to deliberate. Think they're going to acquit?
I think we should wait for Liz.
Gabriel told me the longer they're out, the more likely it is to be a hung jury.
He said I'm a coward for coming here.
You know, I'm gonna go ahead and call Liz again.
She should be here any minute.
Everyone swore you were going to rake me over the coals.
That wouldn't have helped anybody.
I don't want to be a victim again.
I thought coming up here for the trial would make me feel better.
In some ways it did.
Trials can be cathartic.
I'm ready to take back control of my life.
I don't know how I can help you.
I want assurance that he'll go to prison.
The jury's been out so long. I'm afraid he won't.
It's my understanding that you wish to
change your plea to guilty. Is that correct?
It's always been our wish.
Sure you don't want the jury to decide?
They might come back with a not guilty.
I'm sure, Your Honor.
What's your recommendation?
Five years, Your Honor.
I hate to break up your little forgiveness fest.
But that's not acceptable.
Your Honor, the co-defendant didn't serve a day.
Your client can find redemption in his cell at the ACI.
Your Honor, the victim has signed off on the recommendation.
The prosecutor, Defense and the victim, we're all agreed.
There's no reason to impose anything greater.
It's within my discretion.
And the maximum sentence is life.
Life in prison? For Gil Newhall?
Who's the last man you sentenced to life?
I hardly think that's relevant.
It was four years ago. And he stabbed his wife 27 times.
In two weeks, no one will remember this story.
Everyone will move on, except Gil Newhall,
who will spend the rest of his life in prison
because some man with a microphone got your ear.
Equity requires that you accept our plea.
Five years. But I'm imposing 10 years probation on top of that.
Okay. That's it.
No time for a drink, huh?
I can't. I got this pro Bono charity thing.
I'm sorry to hear about your case.
I think he took it better than I did.
What about the victim? Can she forgive?
I think she's inching closer to closure.
It's better than nothing.
And you?
I'm gonna miss you.
I'm gonna miss you, too.
I hope the separation will do us both good. Give us both time to...
I think you should know that Carly and I, we said our goodbyes.
She was... She was...
A mistake.
It was all a mistake.
I know.
I have my own mistakes.
All right.
I got to go.
Bye.