The mayor's schedule is extremely tight.
Loosen it.
What's so importt?
I'm handing out Medal of Valor citations.
You told the press that we're bringing charges on behalf of the victims
in the Hong Fabrics fire? No, but that's great news.
Yeah, for you, maybe. And the reports say I'm handing the case?
There has never been a successful felony prosecution in L.A.
for an incident like this.
And I don't do lost causes. Working conditions
in the garment district are deplorable.
Four women died in that fire. And that's a tragedy,
but it doesn't make it a crime.
These were innocent victims. Innocent
Latina victims. Every crime
has its constituency. And this one just happens to vote for you.
FYI, Manny, it's not our job to get you reelected.
You need to get yourself reelected.
So I'd stop worrying about how the story got out there
and start focusing on your job.
Nail someone. Fast.
He's using us for political cover.
We win, he wins; we lose, he blames us.
He is good.
Relax, I'll find some shnook, plead him out
to a building code violation, Manny announces
he struck major blow for workers' rights,
and boom, life goes back to normal.
The point is, floating false stories in the press
crosses the line. You really think it was Manny?
As a matter of fact,
I do.
Do you recognize her?
No, and I'm sure I'd remember. Laura Montez, KCEI.
She's also practically on the mayor's staff.
Laura Montez?
Don't play dumb-- you're overqualified.
I heard you talking about this reporter last week.
Laura and I went to school together-- I may have mentioned...
Please, okay, you've been yapping about this fire for weeks!
Those women deserve justice.
It's a sad situation, but it was ruled an accident.
Now, we don't shop for business,
and we don't use the press to advance our agenda. You do it all the time.
Michael Jordan rule. What?!
On the court Jordan did whatever he wanted 'cause he was Jordan.
Everyone else did what they were told.
All right, leaking the story was wrong, but this is a huge issue.
It's all yours now, pal.
Best of luck. I thought Delgado wanted you on the case.
Ah, he wanted the HPCU.
Last I checked, you're still part
of this crime unit-- barely.
Don't walk away.
All right, Martin...
you give me one good reason
I should lift a finger to help you.
I'll give you four.
Estrella Martinez,
Maria Pinera,
Luce Castillo...
Alejandra Villa.
Honey?
The neighbors just called to complain.
Could you kind of ease up on the gum?
Sorry, I chew gum when I'm stressed.
And why are you stressed?
Are you seriously asking me that? Yeah.
I might get expelled!
You're not getting expelled. Dad, everyone knows
I've cheated-- they all look at me different,
like I'm an outcast.
You didn't cheat.
Do you not remember the conversation
the other night where I told you I cheated?
I compared your paper to the one you downloaded.
It does not rise to the standard of plagiarism under school policy.
But I still... And once I get you cleared by the review board,
everyone will forget this ever happened.
Thanks to your esteemed colleague,
the High-Profile Crime it has been assigned a case
that is neither high-profile,
nor, according to the LAPD,
a crime.
Mr. Allende...
the floor is yours.
You want me to run this?
You got us in; you get us out.
This case comes down to two central questions:
how did that fire start,
and why couldn't those women get out once it did?
The arson report says that it was faulty electrical wiring,
no criminal intent.
But why was it faulty? We're looking for criminal negligence.
Happy hunting.
Who's the target?
Benny Hong--
he owns three shops in Los Angeles,
each of which has been repeatedly cited
for health and safety violations.
Now, I've contacted an OSHA inspector named Ellis.
He's gonna meet you and Casey
down at the scene.
We need to talk to survivors.
I've tracked down Claudia and Victoria Reyes,
mother and daughter who escaped the fire. Got it.
You'll go to court, handle the warrant affidavits in front of Judge Garrison.
Judge Garrison? And by the way, that, uh,
reporter that you leaked the story to,
Laura what's her name, you sleeping with her?
Excuse me?
You dragged us into a no-win case--
it's a fair question.
It was a one-time thing.
Yes!
Told you he was straight. Ha-ha!
I'm surprised that you and your mom
went back to work so soon.
We don't work, we don't eat.
Of course. I appreciate your time.
None of the other survivors will talk to me.
They're afraid.
Tell me about the fire.
Uh, we were working on a really big order.
There was a lot of material in the shop.
Do you remember if the doors were blocked that night?
We have to go back to work now.
No, no.
Just a couple more minutes.
There was too much smoke.
We couldn't see.
So how did you get out of there?
I took my mother by the hand,
and we went towards the window.
People were on fire.
Their hair was burning.
Their clothes...
We got to the window, but it was painted shut.
So we broke the glass with our bare hands.
Glad you could make it, Inspector,
a month after the fire.
The police signed off-- no sign of arson;
electrical fire.
There was no reason for further investigation.
How about four dead women?
Save the morality lesson-- that suit you're wearing
was made in a shop, just like this one.
How many people worked here?
Depending on the workload...
between 80 and a hundred a shift.
This place should hold 50 max.
L.A.'s the sweatshop capital of the world.
5,000 a 20-mile area, and eight inspectors like me
to monitor all of them.
Why don't you just shut 'em down?
We do. Then they relocate.
That suit would've cost you
twice as much if it was made in a union shop.
Combine high demand with an endless supply of cheap labor,
this is what you get.
This burn pattern suggests
that this was the hottest point
on the floor.
Any idea why?
My guess... is there was fabric here.
Could've been stacked against the door when the fire started.
Which means there was no way out.
That's criminal negligence.
Manslaughter's a joke.
Reckless endangerment-- five years.
Even without manslaughter,
117 code violations, each carrying 90 days,
that's 30 years. Try getting a judge
to sign off on that.
Can you give us a second?
Did you see my head nod up and down vertically
when he offered five years?
That means take it.
Because of him, four women are dead.
Maybe, but you'll never convince a jury.
The mayor wants a scalp.
There's your scalp.
Whip out your tomahawk and make a deal.
20 years. Why are you doing this to me?
I'm an honest businessman. No,
you exploit innocent people.
20 years or I'll see you in court.
Why don't you go after the others?
What others?
We're done. No. Why do you think
the electrical system broke down?
It was a rush order. Big.
They said if I didn't come through,
they weren't gonna use me anymore.
They're my number one customer.
All right, if you want any shot at getting out from under this,
you'd better tell me everything you know.
You want my client's help,
wee talking full immunity.
No way.
Five years for reckless endangerment is a gift!
This goes higher than Benny Hong.
All of a sudden he's Oliver Stone.
It always goes higher-- the question is, who can you get?
Case closed. Martin's right-- people are suffering.
Unless you nail the big money, it's just gonna happen again.
Taking Benny Hong off the street is a pretty good start.
Till someone takes his place next week.
By the grace of God and a lazy ambulance chaser,
you could actually win this case.
And in the process, screw smiles on the faces
of the mayor, the D.A.,
and your humble lord and master.
Five years, no immunity.
It's a smart move.
It feels like a sellout.
You want to tilt at windmills, rent a donkey.
That wasn't so bad, was it? See?
Not at all.
I gave Hong immunity.
You what?
He gave up the company he was working for
when the fire broke out-- Pruitt Fashions.
Pruitt?
That's the hottest designer
in the country-- every teenage girl
on the planet wears their stuff.
Well, they made Hong double
the number of machines in his shop.
That's what caused the electrical fire.
So Hong's gonna testify that they threatened
to pull their business if he didn't meet their deadline.
And that's illegal how?
Companies like Pruitt make billions
off workers they treat like animals.
Somebody's got to take a stand.
The immunity agreement.
Want to change the world?
Knock yourself out.
'Cause when you lose,
you're gone.
You got cojones, man, I'll give you that.
Going behind Starks' back twice,
torpedoing the mayor--
it's not cojones,
it's suicide.
We need evidence that Pruitt knew
about the conditions in Hong's shop.
Or reasonably should have-- constructive knowledge
will get us there as well as
actual knowledge. We've got the extra sewing machines
that he brought in that night.
Now, he couldn't afford them on his own.
A big retailer could.
Is there anything linking those machines to Pruitt Fashions?
Everything was done in cash.
No receipts, no written orders, no paper trail.
This is going really well so far.
Do you really want to lose your job over this, Martin?
If it weren't for people like the women
that died in that fire, I wouldn't have this job.
You said to nail someone.
You did-- the sweatshop owner.
He's the middleman.
Pruitt's the real bad guy.
Hey, Manny, what about all this talk of yours
you know, about justice for these poor, poor women? It wasn't all talk,
but why go after a giant corporation
you have no chance of nailing?
What can I tell you? The kid's a true believer.
Sure as hell doesn't get it from me.
You know, you really screwed me here.
The CEO of Pruitt Fashion is Z Pruitt.
His first name is Z?
The guy on the billboards.
White fur coats, leather pants.
His mother must be proud.
He underwrites my school uniform
programs in East L.A.
You're gonna put school kids in fur
and leather? Sebastian.
Thought that was you.Mr. Mayor. Elliot.
How's life in the slow lane?
Uh... speeding up.
Oh. I've been retained
by Pruitt Fashions in connection
with last month's fire.
It's a preliminary investigation, Elliot.
No one's been charged yet.
Well, that's what I told Mr. Pruitt,
but he's aware of your reputation.
He wants someone tough enough to take you on.
Who's he getting for the tough stuff?
I put my firm's best people on this.
I'm sure they'll be touching base with your, uh, team
very soon.
Z asked me to tell you he's looking forward
to expanding your school uniform program,
Mr. Mayor.
Nothing's too good for the kids.
I want you guys at Elliot Dasher's firm in one hour.
Why? Because it represents
Pruitt Fashions and it's time to rattle his cage.
It's a pretty big cage.
300 lawyers.
350-- and we're still
gonna kick their asses.
What is it with you and Dasher? You mean,
besides the fact that I trained him for four long years,
only to have him throw a major case
to get a partnership at a rival firm?
Say no more.
I thought you were going to sit this one out.
Don't you worry about when I'm out.
Worry about when you're out.
Get me Hong's files. Bring them back here.
Which they'll give us why?
Because they're forced to under the grand jury subpoena. What grand jury subpoena?
Leave that to me. Get moving.
Man, something really pissed him off.
More like someone.
Stark mentioned he had lunch with the mayor.
Pruitt used Dasher's firm in the past.
I happen to know the mayor's secretary from the campaign
so I asked her to send them to the Peninsula,
where Elliot Dasher has a standing reservation.
Figured Dasher
couldn't resist a little trash talk.
That's impressive.
It's always the quiet ones.
Pruitt Fashions? What happened to "Get someone and get out"? That was before.
Before what?
Before Elliot Dasher ruined my veal scaloppini.
So this is about a professional rivalry.
If Pruitt's got nothing to hide,
why did he need a hired gun like Dasher?
What do we have linking Pruitt to that fire?
Not much.
And you can't subpoena Pruitt's private records
without violating his Fifth Amendment rights.
Not unless, of course, you convene a grand jury.
If you don't ID Pruitt as a target,
they can't refuse a subpoena, can they?
This is an incredible long shot.
So why should I risk it?
Because, Jess, it's the right thing to do.
Oh, and as
an added bonus for you,
our beloved mayor is publicly linked to Pruitt Fashions.
This could embarrass him... big time.
Hmm. Note to self:
Don't subpoena Elliot Dasher.
Anyone remember what we're looking for?
Anything that ties Pruitt Fashions
to dangerous working conditions at Hong's Fabrics.
How do we know that what we're
looking for is in these boxes?
Because they can't risk violating the subpoena,
so they swamp us, hoping that we'll give up or miss it.
They have Accounts Receivable
mixed in with employment records.
Yeah, the years will be
mixed up, too, then they'll file
every motion that they can think of,
grind us down-- that's how they win.
So how do we fight back?
Dirty. I just talked to Stark.
Did he have any brilliant suggestions?
Actually, a question. He wants to know
how the sex was with that reporter.
What?
Were there violins, fireworks,
choirs of angels? His words.
Hot? Not so hot?
Uh...
Yeah...
Hot.
So you won't mind giving her a call?
Give her a little update?
A source inside the DA's office informs us that Mr. Hong
has identified an employee at Pruitt Fashions,
a client of Mr. Hong's, as a person of interest in this case.
Earlier today, Z Pruitt,
founder and CEO of Pruitt Fashions,
called a press conference to respond to the allegations.
Pruitt Fashions would never knowingly do business
with contractors that operate unsafe workplaces.
If any of our employees were involved in this tragedy...
Look at that ridiculous fur patch his chin.
...it will be exposed.
Expose this, you pompous ass.
You really think Z Pruitt's guilty?
I thought you said
that sweatshop guy wasn't talking.
What can I do to shade the truth on that one?
You know, just
shake up the rat hole,
wait for a head to pop out,
and then chop it off.
You're kind of scary.
. Now, Let's talk about your disciplinary hearing.
You need to prepare for tomorrow.
They'll compare your essay
to the one you're accused of using.
I've submitted an affidavit from a plagiarism expert
who will say it's inconclusive.
So, we're good there.
You hired a plagiarism expert? Oh, the best.
The guy will say anything.
Uh, I've looked at your honor code.
The definition of "plagiarism" is extremely vague.
"One may not get information
"from another in an intentional attempt to mislead a teacher
"or to make that teacher believe the work
one is presenting is one's own."
Well...
It sounds pretty clear to me.
Very hard to prove intent.
And how do you define
one's own work when your job is
to research and utilize the work of others?
I guess I never thought about it like that.
I mean, just because you go to an overpriced private school
doesn't mean you're not entitled to due process.
You say
what I tell you.
We'll win.
Are you asking me to lie?
It's like I tell the kids at work.
Truth...
it's relative.
Sometimes you have to...
Shade the truth?
Good morning.
Ooh, why so gloom?
Because it is 16 hours later
and we still have no idea
who authorized those extra sewing machines.
Well, a cappuccino should help.
There are 1,200
Pruitt employees in L.A. alone.
Well, let me see if I can help you narrow it down. Uh...
Brian Clark. He's in Procurement, South Gate office.He's off the books.
Independent contractor.How do you know that?
Because o Pruitt employees
were transferred out of L.A. after the news report
ran last night-- thank you, Martin.
How do you know that?
First thing these corporate tools do
when they move someone-- they change
the locks on their offices.
Locksmiths. Aha.
I knew 'em all from my previous life.
They come in handy when you need to know what's going on
behind closed doors. Regal Security
changed two Pruitt locks last night.
Uh, Katherine Elliot, 62,
sent to Santa Fe for her asthma
and Brian Clark, transferred to... Malaysia. Hmm.
No extradition.
And plenty of sweatshops.
Okay!Here it is!
I knew I'd seen that name.
Clark's e-mails. "Hong's Fabrics warns
"that referenced order cannot be met.
Bringing in extra machines will overtax building capacity."
But is there a response?
"Order must be met in order to deliver line on schedule.
No excuses."There's your constructive knowledge.
Thank you.
It's from
Z Pruitt himself.
Sebastian.
Hey, there.
You don't remember me.Give me a hint.
Did I date you or defend you?
Both.
Not at the same time.
Huh!
This is a private party.These guys...
are definitely on the list.
Move it.
Thank you.
Pamela, thank you so much for coming.You look gorgeous.
Oh, nice jammies.
Have we met?
We don't run in the same circles,
but we can get acquainted downtown.
You're under arrest.
You've got to be kidding.
What the hell's going on?
Z and I are having a little pajama party, Elliot,
and you're invited.
Is it necessary to do this here? There's press everywhere.
Necessary? No, I don't think so,
but I gotta tell you,
it is kind of fun.
Maybe I failed to make myself clear.
I don't want you going after Z Pruitt.
He killed those women, Manny.
He might as well have torched the place himself.
I hope you know what the hell you're doing.Don't I always? No comment.
This is a PR battle.
Pruitt's been all over the talk shows
since the story broke.
Doing his Mother Theresa imitation.
You know who watches talk shows?
Juries. But that perp walk,
rich guy, fancy party, those ridiculous pajamas.
That plays for us.
It's as good as gold.
Besides, you're the one that told me,
"Hey, nail somebody." Well, there's your guy.
You know how many jobs Pruitt brings to the city?
If Pruitt folds, so do dozens of other ancillary businesses.
Who does that help?
Those are sweatshop jobs.
And if they go away, do you think
these people are gonna stop coming here?
They won't. Destroy these jobs,
crime and homelessness
is gonna go through the roof.
Wait a minute. All of a sudden you're pro sweatshop?
I've been working r immigrant rights for 20 years.What have you done?
There are ways
to improve things.Bringing down businesses like Pruitt
isn't one of them.Manny, I'm sorry. You let
the genie out of the bottle.
I'm stuck with the voodoo.
I can't turn back now.
Benson has made a motion to have Mr. Clark's
e-mail ruled inadmissible.
I'm not surprised.
Mr. Dasher has a sweatshop full of lawyers
turning out frivolous motions 24 hours a day. Mr. Stark.
There's nothing funny
about the violation of attorney-client privilege.
Every e-mail written or received by Mr. Pruitt
is CC'd to Gordon Samuels,
in-house counsel for Pruitt Fashions.
We checked everyone CC'd on those e-mails,
Your Honor.
Gordon Samuels wasn't among them.
Well, his name wouldn't be on your copies.
As you'll notice,
they were blind CC'd
to Mr. Samuels. Your Honor,
this is a half-baked attempt
to undermine our case. Actually, Mr. stark, it's a fully-baked attempt.
The attorney-client privilege applies.
E-mails are out.
Come up with something
for the grand jury by tomorrow,
or I'm dismissing the case.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Hey. There you are.
I had to get out of there.
My brain's fried.
Did you find anything?
I've been playing around
with some kind of misdemeanor- manslaughter theory
based on code violations.
Lowest standard of proof. That's smart.
No. It's just going to get thrown out.
We should get back.
So what's the deal?
Did your family work in sweatshops?
Nice try. My mother owned a grocery store near the Forum.
I practically lived there.
She was always so busy,
I just hung out with the employees.
They worked their asses off every day,
and it didn't matter.
No matter how hard they worked,
it was never going to make their lives better.
When I interviewed Claudia Reyes,
her mother offered to pay for the window she broke
to save her life.
Slave mentality.
Yeah.
Slavery. Please tell me you're kidding.
You're not kidding.
It's worth a shot.
The judge will laugh a slavery charge out of court.
Those workers were systematically brutalized.
They were still paid for their work.
They were free to quit.
And do what? Starve?
You know, it might almost be worth doing
just to see the look on Elliot Dasher's face.
Slavery.If anybody can sell this,
you can.
No. Maybe you can.
Me? Why?
Because you're the best young lawyer in this office.Really?
Of course not.
You're Hispanic, genius.
I look more like Z Pruitt
than like someone who understands
the plight of these dead workers.
Your colleagues would sell their mothers
for a shot at this, Martin.
What's the problem?
No problem. It's... it's a tricky argument.
Dasher is really good.
You're afraid of going to court.
No. I wouldn't say afraid. Okay. Terrified. And you should be.
But there's only one way to get better.
Public speaking makes me nervous.
I can't concentrate. Oh. So, naturally,you became a trial attorney.
I'm working on it.
But this case is too important.
You're right. It is.
So stop your whining, step up and do your job.
Your Honor,
we'd like to dismiss the manslaughter charges
and we seek to add a new count: slavery.
Do we seriously have to listen to this nonsense?
The county pays me to listen to nonsense all day.
You might as well join me.
Thank you.
We, uh... we intend
to prove
that the workers employed by the defendant
had their free will intentionally
and systematically broken.
This is patently absurd.
There were no shackles, Your Honor.
No armed guards.
Um... The penal code
section on slavery doesn't require physical restraint.
The section was passed after World War II, Mr. Allende,
in response to Japanese internment camps.
Yes. With all due respect, Your Honor,
whatever it was designed for, it's still on the books.
Mr. Stark,
would you like to be a part of this discussion?
He can't make this argument with a straight face.
Like Mr. Dasher, I used to be a criminal defense attorney.
I can say anything with a straight face.
Mr. Allende speaks for the people.
Slavery. Thin.
But it's interesting.
The issue's never been litigated, Your Honor.
The court has an opportunity
to define a critical area the law.
You can't seriously be considering this.
Actually, I can.
The complaint is amended.
Manslaughter is out, slavery is in.
Trial will begin at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
You should dismiss,
Sebastian, though I'm happy to embarrass you in open court.
m sorry. Were we just at the same hearing?
This is a vendetta.
You know, Z, I think you'd be a lot less tense
if you added a few vowels to your first name.
Hmm?
We need you
to describe a normal day at Hong Fabrics.
The jury has to hear it from you.
I won't go to court.
They're trying to help us, Mama.
We usually work seven days a week.
And how many hours a day?
Depending on when Mr. Hong needed the order, 15 hours.
18 on a rush work.
It was good work.
Mr. Hong was fair to us.
No, he wasn't.
No breaks, not even for the bathroom.
He paid us by the piece, not by the hour,
and that usually came out to two dollars an hour,
sometimes less.
We worked fast, we made more money.
Don't defend him, Mama.
You remember M. Cruz?
She had a fever. Hong made her work anyway.
She almost died.
Ladies, could you excuse us for a moment, please?
Should we cut the mother loose?
She's been through a lot. She wants no part of this.
You've got to put your feelings aside.
She's a human being. And you're a lawyer.
You want to help these people?
Think like one.
She's a perfect witness to prove slavery.
The daughter still has free will.
The mother is gone.
We do a before and after thing.
Mom's a cautionary tale for the daughter.
Sad to see someone like that.
Let's hope the jury agrees.
So...
Dad, they let me off with a warning.
I never doubted you for a minute.
Was it tough-- the questioning?
They didn't ask me any questions.
They just let me talk.
Did you use the stuff about being confused by the code?Not knowing where your research
ended and your own ideas began?Uh-huh.
Outstanding.
You did a great job.
How do you feel?
Okay. Relieved.
I'm proud of you.
Really? I'm not.
Look, honey...
Dad...
Hold on a second.
Dad, it's fine.
Sweetie, wait. We were... Sweetie, look...We were talking.
They're gone.
Who? The witnesses.
Victoria and Claudia Reyes.
What? I'm sorry. What are you talking about?
Word got out that they were going to testify.
They couldn't get work.
It had to be Pruitt.
He got their names off our witness list.
And it wasn't just shops controlled by Pruitt.
No one would hire them
or their family or their friends.
That Dasher really outdid himself this time.
Good night.
There's got to be something we can do.
You come up with a way to win a slavery trial
without producing any slaves, let me know,
'cause our entire case just headed south of the border.
I had no knowledge
of the working conditions at Hong Fabrics.
Once I found o out, I severed ties
with any manufacturer with a questionable safety record.
And what other steps have you taken?
We set up a fund to benefit workers
we may have indirectly wronged.
Didn't your lawyers tell you this was a bad idea?
That it might look like an admission of guilt?
I didn't get in this business to cause anyone harm.
If I thought we had done so,
I'd close our doors tomorrow.Thank you.
Professor Chambers,
you've written several bookson the working poor.
That's correct.
And, in your book Trapped,
you likened the working conditions
in the clothing factories of Los Angeles
to slave labor?
Workers are forced to work up to 20 hours
in unsanitary conditions, with poor ventilation.
They can't leave the work floor without encountering management,
which is often threatening
and confrontational.
Did you speak to survivors of the Hong Fabrics fire?
Yes. They exhibited symptoms of what I call "slave psychosis."
What are those symptoms?
Limited self-awareness, subservience,
absence of free will.
The defense will argue that it's impossible
to be a slave if you're allowed to come and go freely.
In some ways, slavery without actual physical restraint
is more insidious.
It negates any sense of autonomy.
Are you familiar with California penal code 181, Professor?
Yes. It's an antislavery law.
Have you ever heard of anyone being prosecuted under this law?
No.
Well, you're not alone there.
Did you ever visit Hong Fabrics?No.
Then your knowledge
of the working conditions
upon which you base your conclusion
that workers were enslaved comes
solely from the workers themselves?
Yes. But they all described similar patterns of abuse.
By "all," you mean two workers.
Out of the hundreds employed by Pruitt Fashions
in Southern California, only two came forward.
Objection! Is there a question coming anytime soon?
Were workers at Hong Fabrics paid for their labor?
Yes, but hardly...
To your knowledge, were workers bought and sold?
No.
In fact, with the exception
of earning less than many of us in this room,
and choosing to work longer hours,
these workers were treated very much
like the rest of us.
Their lives are much harder.
You're right, but that's because they're poor,
and not because they're slaves.
Their poverty, while unfortunate,
is not a crime
for which my client can be prosecuted.
Mr. Pruitt, this, um, fund you started, how big is it?
$3 million.
And that came out of your pocket?
Well, the corporation,
but I'm a significant shareholder.
The number of people making your clothes nationally
is in excess of 10,000 workers, is that right?
I'd have to look it up. I already did.
That comes out to $300 per worker,
including the four women
who lost their lives at Hong Fabrics.
As I said, I had no knowledge of the working...
You're a smart guy Mr. Pruitt.
Certainly, you're aware
that the illegal immigrant labor issue
is a big one in your industry.
I have people whose job it is to make sure
that our manufacturers comply with the law.
Well, they're certainly doing a bang-up job.Objection.
Withdrawn.
How much did you earn last year, Mr. Pruitt?
I have no idea.
Must be nice.
I bet if those four women were still alive,
they'd what know their income was to the penny.
What do you think? Your Honor?
30 million bucks,
not including stock options.
And Pruitt stock hit an all-time high, did it not?
Should I apologize for running a successful company?
No. But if you had taken $25 million
instead of $30 million,
you could have improved worker conditions.
and doubled the salary of every single man and woman
who slaved day and night to make you rich.
Maybe you could apologize for that.
No more questions, Your Honor.
You didn't hear from the victims.
Why not?
The ones who lived were too scared to come forward.
That's flat as a pancake.
It is an emotional plea, genius.
The ones who lived didn't dare accuse the people
they depend upon for their very survival...
Man, why don't you just move in upstairs?
Sorry. Julie let me in.
Look, I know the closing's going to be tough,
so I prepared some charts, labor statistics,
income disparities, you name it.
You can't buy
my forgiveness with visual aids.
You scored some points on your cross of Pruitt.
Martin, if it were a crime to be rich and hypocritical,
they would have locked me up years ago.
No one's better in front of a jury than you are.
Yeah, true, but having a case would help.
I want to get out of here. I'm beat
and I want to get a burger.
I tell you what.
I know the best burgers in town.
You're not invited.
Okay, seriously, that was the best burger
I've ever had in my entire life.
I told you.
Too bad it's in a war zone.
How'd you find this place?
I grew up three blocks from here.
Oh.
You know, when I said "war zone"...
You meant it in the best way.
Right.
What's going on over there?
Night shift.
Garment workers?
Legal pad now.
I used to be a defense attorney and I loved it.
Especially closing because all I had to do was roll out
some semi-plausible argument, sow a little reasonable doubt,
and my guy would walk away a free man.
Now, Mr. Dasher is an excellent defense attorney.
He is sitting there just chomping at the bit
to tell you all about the holes in my case.
So we said, "Okay, we'll fix him."
We put together these visual aids, charts, graphs,
the whole nine yards.
I was going to dazzle you with numbers and statistics.
And then it hit me.
Mr. Dasher almost got me to fall into his trap.
Because, you see, that's what they want to make this about.
It's what they make everything about.
But this isn't about numbers.
This is about people.
People, uh, that we're not supposed to see.
People who spend their entire lives making things
that we take for granted--
jeans, picture frames, baseball gloves--
objects that we treat with more respect
than the human beings who make them.
Have we proven that the workers at Hong Fabrics were slaves?
That's for you to decide.
But when you go into that jury room
and you sit down at that table, remember this.
The women who died in that fire at Hong Fabrics
no longer have a voice.
They need someone to make sure that what happened to them
doesn't happen to anyone else.
Estrella Martinez, Maria Pinera, Luce Castillo
and Alejandra Villa.
All we're asking is that you speak for them.
Hey.
Hey, since when do you drink coffee?
Aren't you going to be late for school?
Wait a second.
Are you okay?
Sure.
You know, ever since the hearing...
No, I'm, I'm fine.
We won, right?
Yeah. You don't seem particularly thrilled.
Well, there's really no point in talking about it now, is there?
Stop!
Come back here.
What?
What do you want me to say,
that I'm a liar and a cheat
and I hate myself right now?
Do you?
To a large extent, this is my fault.
No...
I treated this like one of my cases,
and the problem is you're not a client.
No, it's all on me, this whole stupid mess.
I was afraid to disappoint you.
I mean, you're always talking about how proud you are of your genius daughter...
I am.
And people make mistakes, even you.
Look.
I've been a lousy father.
I ignored you and I've let you down.
as fast and loose as I may have played it in court,
I never lied to you, never.
And believe me, there were times
when it would have been easier.
But if we don't have the truth,
then we don't have a prayer of making this thing work.
As the jury continues to deliberate in the trial
of Z Pruitt for his role in last month's sweatshop fire,
protests are scheduled
to take place throughout the city.
Estimates for the size of these rallies ranges anywhere
from a few thousand to a hundred-thousand people.
Did we cause this?
You caused this.
Any word?
No, and it's been a full day.
Complicated case.
The jury could be out for a week, maybe longer.
Can we talk?
Where's your client?
This is my client, Greg Alderson.
He is Pruitt Fashions;
chairman of the board and majority shareholder.
You guys are about to witness the birth of a sacrificial lamb.
Let me guess, you're less than thrilled
about what this trial is doing to your share price, right, huh?
And this is where you step in
and sell out Z Pruitt to save the company?
Pruitt pleads guilty, no jail time,
no admission of guilt by the company.
No, Pruitt and the company plead guilty.
You take out an apology ad in major newspaper in America.
The families get a million
and wages go up 50% within the year.
Pruitt gets 18 months in prison.
He'll be out in six.
You have no case.
When the jury puts down their handkerchiefs,
they'll figure that out.
You're probably right, but I guarantee you this, Elliot,
win or lose, I am going to set up a labor-violation enforcement unit.
and the first hundred cases I file, they're gonna be against Pruitt.
You'll be on the front page all year long.
See what that does to your stock price.
Take the deal.
I'll draw up the papers.
That was amazing.
I can't believe they tossed Pruitt over the side like that.
I was just surprised it took 'em so long.
You are the best.
You're right.
So does this mean I'm not fired?
Not today.
Okay, burgers on me. Let's go.
Not you, no. You have cleanup detail.
I got to clean up this mess all by myself?
Oh, you're kidding?
Like I could ever find that place without you.
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