katie.
on the heels of the therapist's testimony,
I think you may have enough for reasonable doubt.
Really?
You may.
The question obviously is.
whether to call joseph to the stand.
He's the only one who can explain the confession.
True,but once he gets in that chair,the floodgates open on his priors,
which is why my gut says don't call him.
My gut says otherwise.
I beg your pardon.
Katie,he doesn't have the most.
pleasant demeanor.
When I first laid eyes on him,I saw a beast.
That may very well be what the jursaw
and--and perhaps still sees.
But when I listened to him,
when I talked to him,
I got a glimpse of his humanity.
and believe it or not,his gentility.
I'd like to afford the jury that glimpse.
I'd like them to see how deeply,deeply human this man is.
You really think you've got an innocent man here.
I know I do.
Then call him to the stand.
The affair had to be very secret.
She didn't want anybody to find out.
We always met at her apartment.
On the evening of her death,you were there.
I arrived just before 5:00 and left a little before 6:00.
And what happened whilst you were there?
We were intimate.
You made love.
Yes.
Mr.Washington,after her death,the police arrested you,and you confessed to this crime.
Can you tell us why?
The lice kicked in my door,told me I did it,put me in a room,
and then after keeping me awake for two days,
making me drink coffee,not letting me sleep--
did you tell them that you and the victim were lovers?
They didn't want to hear none of that.
They kept saying that they were not gonna let me out of that room until I said I did it.
Finally,I.
I just gave up.
You know,they had their minds all made up,and I just wanted them to leave me alone.
So I said,"whatever."
Then they gave me a lawyer,and he didn't want to hear the truth either.
He just wanted me to plead guilty so he could be done with it.
Same with the lawyer after him and the lawyer after him.
So you confessed to something you did not do.
I confessed to something I did not do.
Mr.Washington,you were convicted of rape in 1985?
Date rape.
And I was innocent.
I-- you were convicted? Yes or no?
I'd like to explain.
Go ahead.
She was 16.
I was 17.
She was my girlfriend,and she was white.
Her father.
walked in on us.
while we.
she.
she claimed that I raped her,but I did not.
So you were convicted of rape in 1985.
You were convicted of armed robbery in 1989?
I was a drug addict back then.
You were convicted of armed robbery,yes or no?
Yes.
You were convicted of aggravated assault in 1991.
I was attacked in prison.
I fought back.
So you were not at fault in any of these arrests?
How did mrs.Rivers' blood get on your locker?
Someone put it there.
I-I was framed.
Really? There were only microscopic traces.
If someone had wanted to frame you,
shouldn't it be visible to the naked eye?
Whoever did it was smart.
Got it.
So.
in review-- didn't do this one,you were framed.
You didn't commit the rape.
The victim made it up.
As for the robbery,you were on drugs.
Aggravated assault-- self-defense.
I loved ann rivers.
Move to strike.
Oh,you don't want to hear that.
- Your honor- - mr.Washington,there's no--
the police didn't want to hear that.
All anybody wants to hear is that I killed her.
Well,I did not kill her.
And I don't care if everybody's mind is made up.
I did not take this woman's life!
Joseph.
I am innocent of this crime.
Lorraine.
Getting settled okay?
I am.Thank you.
Finding everything okay?
Finding denny okay?
Denny seems to keep finding me.
I'll speak to him.
Sure.
Anything else?
Jerry.
it's almost midnight.
I'm visualizing my closing.
You ready?
I'm thinking of using the wooden cigarette.
I'm not sure without it.
Well,you're very good with the cigarette prop.
But I think you're at your.
best when you.
speak as yourself.
You need to be at your best tomorrow,jerry.
You're not going to win this with razzle-dazzle.
Speak to them from your heart.
Do you believe in your client?
I do.
I really do.
Well,then tomorrow,you simply need to believe in yourself.
You were wrong with shirley.
I'm sorry?
I think you would make a wonderful father.
I can't imagine a better parent to lead the way.
Thank you,jerry.
I guess if we were to accept mr.Washington at his word,
he would be the most unlucky guy I know.
Dating a girl in high school,she accuses him of rape so she wouldn't get in trouble with her dad.
That's unlucky.
Becomes a drug addict,can't feed his habit unless he robs someone.
Bad break there.
In prison,he's forced to split a man's head open.
Another unfortunate bounce.
Then the woman committing adultery with him just happens to turn up dead,
and she gets killed around the same time that he's in her apartment having either consensual or nonconsensual sex with her.
Could he be any more cursed?
Well,actually.
I guess so.
Traces of her blood were found on his locker.
Now what are the odds of that?
Now with all this bad luck working against him,
this sure would be the wrong time to confess to something he didn't really do,wouldn't it?
Now how pathetic.
how desperate that they stoop to accusing the victim's grieving widower?
But I guess that falls in line with the rest of their logic,doesn't it?
I mean,it's not the man with the violent,criminal past who was last seen with her,no.
It was the man with no criminal reco,the one with no motive,the one who cures cancer for a living.
We just arrested joseph washington because we're evil.
Now you need to go into that room and decide who is evil.
Mr.Washington isn't here today because he's a little down on his luck.
He.
committed.
murder.
The fact is,while the police and the prosecution were maintaining rape,
while they summarily dismissed the notion of my client and the victim being lovers,they were.
Ms.Rivers' therapist confirmed what joseph washington had been saying all along,
what the police refused to so much as consider.
The fact is,my client was not the only person there at the time of the murder.
Dr.Rivers was there.
The fact is,he entered the building 40 minutes prior to my client leaving.
He says he remained in his car dictating some notes.
Perhaps he was biding his ti,waiting for the man he knew to be having an affair with his wife to leave.
Mr.Chase maintains dr.Rivers had no motive.
That simply is not true.
If he knew his wife was being unfaithful,that's motive.
The fact is,dr.Rivers never told the police
he'd been waiting inside the building for almost 40 minutes.
He never told anybody.
We discovered that by looking at security tapes.
The fact is,he lied.
He admitted lying to us when wquestioned him about joseph washington.
The fact is,the prosecution cannot rule him out as the killer.
The fact is,as detective berenson testified,
they never investigated anybody other than my client because they simply presumed joseph washington guilty.
The police,the prosecution,
they're human,and they make mistakes.
They made one here.
Now in order to gain a conviction,the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
That's a very high standard,one we hold dear,
one we set because we know once we start allowing people to be convicted with less,
it doesn't simply make prison more likely for the guilty,
but the innocent as well.
And the idea of an innocent man losing his life for something he did not do.
we have such an innocent man here today.
Many of us went to law school for this very privilege,
to at least once stand up in court for the innocent man.
It is my heartfelt privilege to be representing joseph washington today.
And even if you should be so inclined as to simply presume his guilt,
as does the prosecution,you must admit reasonable doubt exists.
Another man was there at the time,a man who had motive,
a man who wasn't totally forthcoming with the police,
a man who admittedly lied to us,
a man who waited in his car until joseph washington left.
You simply cannot deny reasonable doubt exists.
Some closing from your friend.
Yes.
I can't have a child with you,gloria.
okay.
Every woman I have ever loved,I have stopped loving.
But with a child,I think I'd probably endeavor to stay.
And with each ensuing day,I would become.
less and less.
myself.
Good-bye,alan.
Good-bye.
So how long does it usually take?
It can vary.
Whatever happens.
I want to thank you,the both of you.
Not long ago,I had given up on the idea of anybody believing me,believing in me.
they've reached a verdict.
- What? - It's been 30 minutes.
Let's go.
Let me warn everybody this room.
I will tolerate no disruption following the reading of the verdict.
This verdict is unanimous?
It is.
The defendant will please rise.
I shall remind everybody there are two counts.
Until the foreman renders the verdict on both counts,
let neither side celebrate prematurely.
Mr.Foreman,hat say you?
Inhe matter of the commonweth of massachusetts vs.
Joseph washington on the charge of murder in the first degree,
we the jury find the defendant.
not guilty.
in the matter of the commonwealth vs.
Joseph washington on t charge of murder in the second degree,we find the defendant.
not guilty.
members of the jury,this concludes your service.
The defendant is free to go.
We're adjourned.
Congratulations,katie.
Thank you.
Well done,jerry.
Joseph,did you hear the last part?
You're free to go.
It's over?
Just in time,'cause I'm about to vomit.
thank you.
Ank you so much.
give us a moment.What is it with you leeches?
Did you crowd scooter like this?
I'm sorry.
But I'd appreciate it if you didn't leave the jurisdiction,okay?
- For god sake. - Haven't we been through enough?
Is that a problem?
No.
I can't believe they won.
Denny,you should've seen jerry.
He was brilliant.
So was the new girl.
you and gloria leave it as friends?
No.
It's sad,how you go from intimacy to nothing,cold turkey.
I mean,how many people along the way have true meaning in your life?
And to suddenly have no contact after.
it's sad.
Alan.
maybe lorraine is here for a reason.
I'm not going there.
Not a chance.
I was thinking I was the reason.
I don't like this dibs thing.
There's gotta be a statute of limitations on--
there isn'T.
You have my word.
I'll never frolic with bev or bethany.
Or shirley.
Shirley's involved.
What are you talking about?
Don't you ever wonder what carl sack's reason for being here is?
Shirley.
and carl sack?
I'd put money on it.
I'd shoot him.
You really think?
I do.
I don't think I can handle that.
I.still love her.
And in my heart,I-I-I.
I still believe she's the one.
After five or six wives-- whatever the.
count-- you still believe in "the one"?
That's the only belief that really matters.
Shirley.
and carl sack.
Maybe she's using ca sack to get over me.
Must be that.
Love is an ugly business,my friend,ugly business.
and yet we live for it.
Well,as you say,maybe it's thenly thing that really matters.
Ugly business.
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The prosecution rests,your honor.
I'm so sorry.
I just--I felt the cross was so utterly anemic.
D I remembered your advice about how a question alone could be effective,
and I-I just suddenly got the idea to accuse him.
You didn't remember the advice about not looking like the bad guy?
Okay.
joseph.
look at me.
My guess is second degree is still on the table.
- Now would be the time for- - no.
I could take the stand.
In which case,all your prior felonies will be introduced.
Well,I'm not gonna plead.
I didn't kill her. I won't say I did.
I'd rather spend the rest of my life in jail than.
I won't say it.
What about the victim's therapist?
I subpoenaed him. I have no idea what he'd say.
Do you have an instinct?
I think he'd tell the truth.
- The truth being they were lovers. - Yes.
you never,ever call a witness if you don't know what he or she is going to say.
But?
But I don't think you have any other choice here.
Do you swear to tell the truth,the whole truth and nothing but the truth,so help you god?
- I do. - Be seated.
good afternoon,dr. Wood.
It should be pointed out that you are here today courtesy of a subpoena.
- Is that correct? - It is.
In the course of your practice,did you treat ann harris rivers?
I did.
Without revealing content,did she discuss her marriage?
She did.
Uh,perhaps you want to stop there.
I could. But you struck me as a very principled man.
- And the idea of an innocent man going to prison- - objection.
Sustained.
Doctor,did mrs. Rivers ever discuss my client joseph washington?
She did.
And what did she say?
Your honor,she's asking the witness to break privilege.
The patient is dead. Privilege can be waived.
I'll allow the question.
Doctor,what did mrs. Rivers tell you about my client joseph washington?
Please answer the question,doctor.
She said that she and mr. Washington were lovers.
I have no further questions.
I didn't proposition her. I merely asked her to sleep with me.
Denny,how would you feel if i asked shirley to sleep with me?
Well,uh,shirley is the great love of my life.
Lorraine is somebody you rode in an elevator.
Oh,no,no,no. She's much,much.
I don't want you coming on to her.
Oh,great.
How's gloria?
I'm not talking about gloria. I am.
When are you gonna tell her you really love lorraine?
Lorraine was an affair.
There's a big difference between that and a committed relationship.
Yes. Affairs usually last longer.
- Oh,and now who's the cynic? - I am.
You're the romantic. You love lorraine.
I do not love-- excuse me.
You--you said you wanted to see me.
Yes.
Denny was ju leaving.
- No,I wasn'T. - Yes,you were.
Big kahuna. Name on the door.