Murder One

Season One - Chapter Three

U.S. air date: October 3, 1995

(Complete transcript) - [Final version]

[**Note: "Previously on... " portion has been completed thanks to Vincent Matis.]

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Disclaimer: These transcripts were made from personal video copies of
the shows and are presented for Fair Use only to Murder One fans. All
of the characters and the scripts are the properties of Steven Bochco
Productions, Charles H. Eglee, Channing Gibson, ABC television and
their respective authors. No copyright infringement is intended nor
implied by the distribution of this document. It is solely meant for
entertainment purposes only.
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"Previously on MURDER ONE"

Clip of Barbara Nichols providing Richard Cross with an alibi.

Nichols: "I have information Richard Cross is innocent."

Ted: "Mr. Cross hasn't said anyone was with him at the crime scene."

Clip of Polson interrogating Beverly Nichols about the alibi she provided to
Richard Cross. 

Nichols: "Her eyes were wide open, looking straight at us."

Polson: "Interesting, Mr. Cross used those words in describing the body.
Exactly."

Clip of Garfield.

Garfield: "In light of Mrs. Nichols coming forward with this new
information... , we're going to dismiss these charges." 

Clip of Richard Cross after his release from prison.

Cross: "I was confident that my innocence proven."

Clip of Neil in prison.

Neil: "The cops came to my house. They said I was under arrest for killing
Jessica."

Ted: "I cannot represent you."

Neil: "Teddy, I swear to God I didn't kill her. You gotta believe me."

Clip of Ted discussing with Richard Cross in a restaurant.

Cross smiles: "I cannot deprive Neil Avedon of the best representation
available."

Ted: "My obligation as his attorney would require me to use every bit of
information I know to suggest you as the murderer."

Clip of Ted in his office.

Ted: "We're going to represent this kid."

CHAPTER THREE

Law TV's coverage of Neil Avedon's arraignment before Judge Douglas
Harrigan. Dean Crowley, host. A live shot of Neil is shown in court
speaking with his attorney, Ted Hoffman.

Crowley: "We turn now to the so-called Goldilocks murder for which
television and film star Neil Avedon has been arrested by Los Angeles
police. The sex slaying of fifteen-year-old Jessica Costello has riveted
the city of Los Angeles... " Clip is shown of the police removing Jessica
Costello's body from the Havenhurst apartment. "... and viewers across
America. Last week philanthropist... " Clip of Cross, Ted and the press
after his release from jail. "... Richard Cross was arrested for the
Costello murder and later released when an... " Then a return to live
coverage of the murder case in court. "... alibi witness came forward who
placed Cross elsewhere at the time of the crime's commission. And what can
be characterized as an unconventional development defense attorney Ted
Hoffman, who had represented Cross, is now representing Avedon. Let's go
now live to the arraignment of Neil Avedon just getting under way." Grasso
can be seen conferring with Detective Arthur Polson before the arraignment
gets under way.

Judge: "Uh, People versus Neil Avedon."

Grasso: "Good morning, your honor. Miriam Grasso and Mark Washington for
the People."

Ted: "Theodore Hoffman and Lisa Gillespie for Mr. Avedon."

Judge: "Read the charges, Ms. Grasso."

Grasso: "`Neil Avedon, you are charged with one count of murder in the first
degree, a violation of California penal code section 187, for the death of
Jessica Costello, a minor.'" To Neil and Ted, "Do you wish the complaint to
be read to you in full?"

Ted: "We'll waive reading and enter a plea of not guilty to the charge of
murder in the first degree, your honor. I'd also like to be heard on the
issue of bail."

Judge: "Uh, Ms. Grasso, uh, are People seeking the death penalty?"

Grasso: "The People haven't decided that yet, your honor. But we would
oppose bail for Mr. Avedon under any circumstances since we consider him a
flight risk and dangerous."

Ted: "Nothing in Mr. Avedon's past remotely suggests that he's a threat to
society."

Judge: "Mr. Hoffman, what about flight risk, hmm?"

Ted: "Neil Avedon is known around the world through re-runs of his
television show. His first major motion picture is coming out any week
now. Do the people really think he's going to hide?"

Grasso: "Duly impressed as the People are with Mr. Avedon's recognizable
profile, somehow I can still imagine him on a private jet to a distant
island the moment bond is posted."

Judge: "All right, Ms. Grasso. Look, I don't find Mr. Avedon's being in the
girl's apartment or their having intimate relations proves he's some sort of
menace to society. And while I tend to agree with the People that Mr. Avedon
might be able to run I don't think he'll be able to hide. So bail is granted
in the amount of ten million dollars."

Ted: "Your honor, that's tantamount to not granting bail at all."

Judge: "And it's conditional, upon Mr. Avedon spending thirty days in a
court-approved rehabilitative facility for drug and alcohol abuse. Remand
the Defendant into custody and court is in recess.. "

Next scene is of Ted accompanying Neil to his cell.

Ted: "Lisa's drafting a motion for bail reduction right now."

Neil: "Gary Blondo's our only hope. Call him, Teddy."

Ted: "Neil, the studio's gonna stay ten miles away from you." Neil is
frantic.

Neil: "No! I've got to get out of here! You can't let me stay in here!"

Ted: "Calm down." Neil is losing it, crying, panic-stricken.

Neil: "Is Dr. Lester here yet?"

Ted: "He's outside."

Neil: "Well, can he give me something?"

Ted: "Not without court approval."

Neil crying: "Oh, I'm not going to make it, man!"

Ted: "Neil, you're going to be all right. You can do this."

Neil: "No I can't. If I have to stay in here I'm gonna die."

[Music and main titles roll]

Daniel Benzali as Theodore Hoffman
Mary McCormack as Justine Appleton
Michael Hayden as Christopher Dochnovich
Grace Phillips as Lisa Gillespie
J.C. MacKenzie as Arnold Spivak
Stanley Tucci as Richard Cross
Dylan Baker as Detective Arthur Polson
Vanessa Williams as Lila Marquette
John Fleck as Louis Heinsbergen
Kevin Tighe as David Blalock
Barbara Bosson as Miriam Grasso
Patricia Clarkson as Annie Hoffman
Jason Gedrick as Neil Avedon

Created by Steven Bochco & Charles H. Eglee & Channing Gibson
Executive Producer: Steven Bochco

[Episode credits roll]

Guest starring:
Tony Plana as Julio Salazar
Mark McClure as Charles Galbraith
Anna Gunn as Melissa Griotte
Stanley Kamel as Dr. Graham Lester
Bobbie Phillips as Julie Costello
John Pleshette as Gary Blondo
Thomas Kopache as Dr. Leland O'Conner
Ned Vaughn as Dean Crowley
Adam Scott as Sydney Schneider
Richard McGonagle as Judge Owen Harris
Paul Lambert as Sam Carter 
Oliver Clark as Judge Douglas Harrigan

Music by Mike Post
Casting by Junie Lowry Johnson, C.S.A.
Producers: Geoffrey Neigher, Marc Buckland
Supervising Producers: Ann Donahue, Joe Ann Fogle
Creative Consultant: David Milch
Co-Executive Producer: Michael Fresco
Executive Producer: Charles H. Eglee
Written by Ann Donahue
Directed by Joe Ann Fogle
-------------------------

Ted arrives back at the firm.

Ted: "Morning, Lila."

Lila: "Good morning, Mr. Hoffman."

Louis: "Your coffee and your calls." Hands Ted his messages. "Also, young
Mr. Schneider awaits you in the law library. You might want to greet him."

Ted looks over the messages: "Thanks. These can wait." Hands the messages
back to Louis. "Ask Dave to see me in my office and tell Dochnovich I want
to see him in ten minutes."

Louis: "Mm-hmm."

Ted: "Who's Schneider?"

Louis: "Sydney. Bill and Sylvia's son. USC, second-year law three-month
internship."

Ted: "Oh."

Louis: "Ah." They both head towards the library.

Ted: "Sydney. Welcome." They shake hands.

Sydney excitedly nervous: "Mr. Hoffman, thanks. It's great. Wow. Look at
this."

Ted: "How are your parents?"

Sydney: "Great, just great. They said to say hi. And I wanted to say just,
you know, what an honor it is to be here and I'm really like... honored."

Ted: "Well, Louis will get you squared away."

Sydney: "Great. And thanks again for giving me this tremendous opportunity. 
I'm... honored." Shakes hands with Ted again.

Ted: "My pleasure, Sydney. And my door is always open."

Sydney: "Thank you, Mr. Hoffman." Ted back out to reception.

Louis: "Give me two minutes, Sydney, and I'm yours."

Ted to Lisa: "How'd it go?"

Lisa: "The motion to reduce is filed and the clerk has us scheduled for a
hearing Thursday at one-thirty."

Ted: "See if you can advance the motion to the morning when we're in court
to calendar the prelim."

Lisa: "Oh, right.

Ted: "Lisa." Takes her into the conference room for a chat. 

Lisa: "Yeah?"

Ted: "I'm thinking of Chris Dochnovich for second chair on the Avedon case."
Will you have a problem with that?"

Lisa: "Female jurors might resent me sitting next to Neil for an entire
trial. Chris will read more like his big brother. It makes sense."

Ted: "I agree and I appreciate your team spirit."

Lisa laughs: "No problem. Oh, besides which Arnold will be thrilled that I
can start to pull my weight on the Galbraith case."

Ted: "Oh, how's it going?" They leave the conference room.

Lisa: "Prosecution rested yesterday. Arnold spoke to them this morning and
they have no interest in a deal so we start right after lunch."

Ted: "Go get 'em."

Lisa: "Yes sir."

Ted to Louis: "Is Dave around?"

Louis: "In your office." Enters his office.

Ted: "What do we know about Cross that could help Neil?"

Blalock: "Oh, nothing you're not aware of. He's a player. Likes his drugs,
likes his women and as far as I know, he's likes them over voting age.
Besides which the guy would have to be more of a creep than he already is 
to seduce his mistress' baby sister right under her nose."

Ted: "What about the Nichols woman and her husband?"

Blalock: "Beverly and Jake. Couple of the year. So far I haven't been able
to find any holes in her story."

Ted: "Neil swears she wasn't with Cross the night of the murder."

Blalock: "Neil wouldn't know if he was on Mars the night of the murder."

Ted: "I'd also be curious if there's been any contact between Beverly and
Graham Lester. And let's keep tabs on Beverly's husband. He's an actor. If
Cross is paying them off, ten to one he shows up starring in some cheesy
B-movie for Gary Blondo." Blalock smiles. There's a knock at the door.

Chris: "Ted, you wanted to see me?"

Ted: "You're second chair. I've told Lisa, she's fine with it."

Chris: "Great." Louis pokes his head through the door.

Louis: "Her highness, line three. She wishes a command performance." Ted
goes to the phone.

Ted: "Miriam. What time?" Checks his watch. "Is twelve-thirty too soon?
We're on our way." Hangs up.

In court, the Galbraith embezzlement case. The Defendant is on the witness
stand. Judge Owen Harris, presiding. Arnold and Lisa for the defense. Julio
Salazar, Deputy District Attorney for the People. Also in attendance, many
of Galbraith's former clients.

Lisa: "How did you obtain the clients whose funds you managed?"

Galbraith: "Referrals, mostly from other clients."

Lisa: "Satisfied clients who'd sent their family members and friends to you
to manage their money?"

Galbraith: "Before my judgment was impaired, by my illness, I was considered
extremely successful by any standard. In fiscal 1990, my clients received a
thirty-four percent return on their investments and that was during the
recession."

Lisa: "In 1994, did you discover you had an addiction to gambling?"

Galbraith: "Yes."

Lisa: "How did you become aware of your addiction?"

Galbraith: "I had begun putting money into things not so much for their
merit as investments but for the action. Greater amounts, greater risks.
I began losing larger and larger sums, then chasing the losses. Things
got out of hand."

Lisa: "As your situation deteriorated, did you begin betting clients' money
on horses?"

Galbraith: "Yes, to pay them back for money I had lost in other high-risk
transactions."

Lisa: "Were there times when you won at the track and were able to repay
those losses?"

Galbraith: "Yes, but as I later found out in treatment, the disease is a
progressive one. I started losing at the track too. Eventually, everything
was gone."

Lisa: "Mr. Galbraith, you're alleged to have embezzled 4.7 million dollars
from your clients. At any time did you divert funds to your personal use?"

Galbraith: "Never. I made unsound fiscal decisions. I conducted my business
in an unprofessional reckless manner which I deeply regret but I never took
a dime from any of these people for myself."

Lisa: "Are you currently undergoing treatment for illness?"

Galbraith: "I see a psychotherapist regularly. And I attend the 12-Step
program four times a week."

Lisa: "Making progress in your recovery?"

Deputy: "Objection. His progress isn't relevant."

Judge: "Overruled."

Galbraith: "I haven't gambled in over a year and I feel that my judgment
and reason have been restored. Recently I received a job offer from a well-
regarded investment firm. I'm hopeful, with God's grace, and the help of
Gamblers' Anonymous, I'll be able to make amends to the people I've injured
by paying restitution for the suffering I've caused."

Lisa: "Nothing further."

Deputy to Arnold: "Good thing your boy found the Almighty, he's going
to need someone to listen to his prayers where he's going." To Galbraith,
"Are you aware, sir, that the median age of your clients is sixty-seven
years old?"

Galbraith: "I knew in general they tended to be older."

Deputy: "Did you target older people because they're less independent and
therefore more vulnerable to fraud?"

Galbraith: "Absolutely not. Older people generally have more money
available to invest so they have a greater use for the services of an
investment professional."

Deputy: "Do you know of any other investment professional who'd invest
client funds in horse races at Hollywood Park?"

Galbraith: "I was trying to protect my clients from losses I had sustained
in the options market. It wasn't the right thing to do but in the later
stages of this addiction, you do what you can to keep things afloat."

Deputy: "Did you also gamble your clients' funds in Las Vegas `to keep
things afloat?'"

Galbraith: "Only at the very end. I was trying to dig out from a string of
losses at the track."

Deputy: "It was your trip to Las Vegas that wiped out the finances of Sam
Carter and his wife, causing her to have a fatal heart attack, wasn't it?"

Lisa: "Objection, your honor. Calls for speculation and it's prejudicial
under 352."

Judge: "Counselor, you can do better than that. Sustained on all counts."

Deputy: "When you were in Las Vegas, sir, did you stay in a twenty-five
hundred dollar a night penthouse, bigger than most of your clients' homes?"

Galbraith: "It was comped. But I spent most of my time in the casino. I
was probably only in that room long enough to take a shower."

Deputy: "Were you also feted during your stay in Las Vegas with champagne
and expensive meals?"

Galbraith: "The hotels do that for high rollers. But understand, none of
that stuff matter to me. All I was looking for was a win big enough to
make things right."

Deputy: "The devil made you do it. Is that what you want the jury to
believe, Mr. Galbraith? Because then you'll win big here in this courtroom."
Lisa stands to make an objection. "Withdrawn. Nothing further."

Next scene, Ted and Chris head over to Miriam Grasso's office for a meeting.
Ted knocks on the door. Grasso attempts to open it but it sticks. Finally
opens it.

Grasso sighs: "I've been begging to have this door fixed for months." Shows
them in. "Never work for the government, fellas. It's thankless." Mark
Washington is present in the office.

Ted: "Oh I'm sure it has it's perks, Miriam."

Grasso: "Appreciate you coming over like this. Have I formally introduced
you guys to Mark Washington?" They both shake hands with Washington.

Ted: "Good to meet you."

Chris: "I see you around the courthouse."

Washington: "Good to meet you both."

Grasso: "I don't want to embarrass Mark but we consider him one of the
brightest recruits in some years. Avedon. Avedon." Searches her cluttered
desk for a file. "Here it is. Hmm. Dead girl, found nude, evidence of drugs,
semen linking your young man -- who I might add, my nieces adore. They
wouldn't dream of missing one of his shows. Client's got quite a future.
Have we discussed the issue of rape?"

Ted: "Unlawful sex, maybe. But not rape, which knocks out special
circumstances. But something tells me you'd like to do that anyway."

Grasso laughs and tosses the file on the desk: "You know me, Teddy. I work
for the State. This file goes away, another one comes down the pike. It's
all the same to me. But my boss, on the other hand... "

Ted: "Your boss has a bloody nose."

Grasso: "The police brought him evidence against Avedon he couldn't ignore.
But I don't know. You know, prosecuting a popular kid like Neil, high-
profile case this close to an election, facing Ted Hoffman again, in this
town, there could be other options."

Ted: "Drop the charges against my client. Square it with Polson down the
road."

Grasso: "Try this: drugs were involved, experimental sex -- it's possible
there was no intent, no premeditation. Things just got out of hand. I can't
possibly divine what's in my boss' head but, um, involuntary man sounds in
the ballpark."

Ted: "You're talking plea bargain and my client says he didn't commit the
crime. Miriam, you insult me."

Grasso: "Come on, Teddy. He's a young kid. Do him good to stay put for a 
while. Take stock of his life."

Ted: "Except he's innocent."

Grasso: "Now you insult me."

Ted: "The last thing I'd ever want or intend. We'd better leave before I do
you any more emotional damage." He and Chris leave the office.

Grasso: "See you in court, fellas." Outside her office.

Chris: "I realize she brought us in to see if we believe in our guy but Ted,
I think Grasso actually wanted to deal."

Ted: "Not on your life."

Chris: "No, I think she realizes her case is shaky. I honestly believe she's
scared."

Ted: "Her boss is scared. He's got a political career. Miriam Grasso's a
lifer. She doesn't have anything else but this job. If you think that sweet,
helpful lady was really trying to sell the deal her boss was floating, I
haven't taught you anything. This is war and Miriam lives for it. She wants
Avedon for murder one and she thinks she can get him. If we had dealt in
there, she'd never have forgiven me." They leave.

Back at the firm, Chris' office. He and Justine are working on the Avedon
case. Ted enters.

Chris: "Going back over the crime scene."

Justine: "And I'm already into a motion for discovery on the forensics.
Blood, fibers, hair above and below the waist."

Ted: "We're with Kincaid's outfit in Westwood for the lab on fiber?"

Chris: "Worked for us on the Anselmo case." Louis drops by with a message
for Ted.

Louis: "Sorry to interrupt. Richard Cross is here with Julie Costello. I've
installed them in your office." Ted leaves for his own office.

Ted: "Can I get you something to drink, Julie? A glass of water?"

Julie: "No, I'm fine."

Ted: "Richard?"

Cross shakes his head: "No."

Ted: "So what can I do for you?"

Cross: "Julie found her sister's diary today."

Ted: "How'd the police miss it?"

Julie: "My car was being detailed while I was out of town."

Cross: "Julie went into the trunk, to change the CD. She found the diary.
She phoned me, very upset. She brought it to me."

Julie: "I couldn't believe the things that were in it."

Cross: "Jessica writes about her experience with sex and drugs at a level
of depravity that, uh, well all I can say is I was shocked. And heartbroken.
We both were. My first thought was you should see this." Takes the diary
from Julie's hands and gives it to Ted. "Of course I made copies for safe
keeping." Ted picks up the book and looks through it.

Julie: "How could I have missed it? She lived with me."

Cross: "Julie, we've been over this. Don't blame yourself."

Julie near tears: "I haven't been much of a role model."

Ted leafing through the pages: "These appear to be men of some social
prominence."

Cross: "They're all in your Rolodex, Teddy. Every one of them. Agents,
studio guys, political types. There's a passage in there, `with G.B. in
his gold Range Rover.' Gary Blondo, am I right? There's drugs on every
page." Ted tosses the diary down on his desk.

Ted: "Why didn't you take it to the police?"

Julie: "I don't trust the police."

Cross: "Honey, this is just upsetting you. Let me talk to Ted alone, okay?
Come on." She rises and heads for the door. Cross accompanies her to the
door.

Ted: "Louis will get you some tea or whatever you'd like."

Cross: "I'll meet you out there, okay?" She leaves. He walks over to sit
near Ted. "Teddy, I'm not a lawyer but doesn't this cast reasonable doubt
for Neil?"

Ted: "One could certainly make that argument."

Cross: "For all we know, Jessica was planning on blackmailing one of these
men. None of whom could afford to have these revelations made public. That's
a pretty powerful motive."

Ted: "As I said, an argument could be made. The diary would have to be
admitted into evidence first... "

Cross: "Which would create reasonable doubt for Neil. But it cuts both
ways. The diary could also hurt him. Unless you submit it to the court
under seal."

Ted: "Are you also a doctor, Richard? Because I've got a slipped disc that's
been killing me."

Cross: "All right, all right, all right. So I'm meddling. But Teddy, when I
see Neil behind bars I know in my heart that this kid is innocent. And with
this diary I know you have a winnable case. I would not have put up his bail
otherwise."

Ted: "Excuse me?"

Cross: "I put up the million for Neil's bond. My people are working on it
right now. He should be out by, uh... " Looks at his watch. "Well, after
dinner."

Ted: "You know what's nice, Richard? The interest that you take in these
young people. Jessica, Neil, Julie."

Cross: "I don't want to keep Julie waiting." He heads towards the door.
"Thank you, Teddy." Leaves. Ted heads straight for Chris' office. Dave
Blalock is there with Chris and Justine.

Ted: "Chris, we're going to county. Richard Cross just put up bond."

Blalock: "And he wanted to see your face when he told you."

Ted: "He also brought a gift." Tosses the diary onto the desk. "Jessica
Costello's diary. Ten copies, Justine. Break it down for everyone. Let's
authenticate this so we'll know if these are a young girl's fantasies or
something we can use." To Dave, "There are some interesting initials in
there. Rattle some cages." He leaves and Chris follows. Justine hands the
diary to Blalock.

Back to the embezzlement case. The Defendant's psychiatrist, Dr. O'Conner,
is on the witness stand.

Lisa: "When Charles Galbraith became a psychiatric patient of yours, you
diagnosed him as a pathological gambler, did you not?"

Doctor: "That's correct. The typical course of the pathology proceeds
through four distinct phases. Mr. Galbraith was a phase-three."

Lisa: "Could you describe these phases for the court."

Doctor: "The winning phase. The losing phase. The desperation phase. And
giving up."

Lisa: "So, Mr. Galbraith was in the desperation phase?"

Doctor: "Right. That's when the patient crosses the line. Starting to do
things that would have been previously unimaginable, such as stealing,
writing bad checks, other such illegal activities."

Lisa: "In your experience, is a phase-three pathological gambler cognizant
of wrongdoing?"

Doctor: "Varies. Generally the patient believes he is one winning streak
away from solving his problems. He views an event such as theft, for
example, as a short-term loan which he has every intention of repaying."

Lisa: "Dr. O'Conner, do you recognize this transaction ledger?"

Doctor: "Yes, it belongs to Mr. Galbraith."

Lisa: "Your honor, I would like to enter this as Defense Exhibit `C.'"

Judge: "So entered."

Lisa: "Doctor, when did you have occasion to see this ledger?"

Doctor: "Mr. Galbraith brought it to one of our initial therapy sessions."

Lisa: "And what is the significance of this book?"

Doctor: "Well, it's very nearly diagnostic for the non-volitional gambler.
These people usually keep meticulous records of their losses in anticipation
of repaying them with future winnings."

Lisa: "What's his prognosis for recovery?"

Doctor: "Excellent. His positive outlook, education and work ethic
predispose him toward complete rehabilitation. It's also worth noting Mr.
Galbraith has a brilliant financial mind. If he's allowed to pursue the
job opportunity he's been offered I have no doubt he would eventually be
able to make restitution, which is therapeutic in itself."

Lisa: "Your witness."

Deputy: "Is it your testimony, doctor, that Mr. Galbraith had no control
over his actions?"

Doctor: "When a person is non-volitional it means he doesn't have the
capacity to make choices."

Deputy: "Did he choose to get into his car and drive five hours to Las
Vegas? And didn't he make a choice to gamble away a hundred thousand
dollars that didn't belong to him?"

Doctor: "Clinically speaking, he did not choose. He was driven by his
compulsion."

Deputy laughs: "How much do you charge for an hour of therapy, sir?"

Doctor: "One hundred and ninety-five dollars."

Deputy: "Hmm. According to Mr. Galbraith's financial statement he is
destitute. How is it he can afford your services?"

Doctor: "Mr. Galbraith's account is over thirty thousand dollars in
arrears."

Deputy: "So, if he's convicted of this crime and sent to prison, you'd be
unable to recover that money, wouldn't you?"

Doctor: "If I thought Mr. Galbraith was a healthy, fully-functional
individual, I would have begun collection proceedings against him a long
time ago. But given his remarkable progress, I am confident he will make
a complete recovery and I'll be paid in full."

Deputy: "Assuming that unlikely event, would you let Mr. Galbraith manage
those funds?"

Lisa: "Objection. Argumentative."

Deputy: "Withdrawn. No further questions."

Next scene: Parker Center. The press is in full force to meet Ted and Chris
leaving with Neil who has just been released on bail. There are also dozens
of fans screaming for Neil present. The press is shouting out questions at
Neil. They begin trying to make their way through the crowd to a waiting
limo. They are accompanied by bodyguards.

Reporter #1: "Neil, is it true that you and Jessica were engaged?"

Ted: "Totally false. Please give us room." They try to make their way down
some steps.

Reporter #2: "Did Neil sign a confession for the police the night he was
arrested?"

Ted: "Patently, one hundred percent untrue."

Reporter #1: "How'd they treat you in jail, Neil?"

Ted: "Mr. Avedon would like the sheriff's department for his fair
treatment." They finally reach the limo.

Reporter #3: "Do you have anything you'd like to say to your fans?"

Neil: "Uh, all I can is that it's great to be out. And I'd like to thank
everyone for your support." He throws a kiss to his fans.

Ted: "We have faith that our system of justice will bear out Mr. Avedon's
total, complete innocence. Thank you very much." They get in the car as
the press continues to shout questions at Neil. The fans chase after the
car as it leaves. Inside, Ted and Neil have a chat.

Neil: "Um. Aren't we going back to Dr. Lester's?"

Ted: "We've made arrangements with a very good rehab center in Pasadena. I
have great confidence in them."

Neil: "Well, can Dr. Lester work out of there? I mean, you know, can he,
um, can he oversee me?"

Ted: "I'm not sure Graham Lester has your best interests at heart, Neil."

Neil: "Uh, he's my shrink. He knows me."

Ted: "He also knows Richard Cross."

Neil: "So?"

Chris: "Neil, we aren't sure why Cross put up your bail and we don't know
the extent of his connection to Graham Lester."

Ted: "I'd just as soon limit the imponderables."

Neil: "All right. Wait a minute. I know you guys are looking out for me,
okay? But Graham Lester's the one who's been keeping me in one piece." He
is getting more and more upset and anxious.

Ted: "All due respect, you're still addicted to drugs and alcohol. I'm not
impressed with his work."

Neil: "Well, I failed, Ted. Okay? Me, not him. Maybe you don't know what
it's like going to a shrink. Okay, but it takes time. It takes time to get
to know each other and to have trust. Oh, man. I'm in for the fight of my
life. I can't take all that to a stranger. I can't start over now." Begins
crying. "Teddy, please. Please!"

Ted: "It's okay, Neil. We'll give Lester another shot."

Chris to the limo driver: "Let's head back out to Santa Monica."

Next scene: Ted's office. Gary Blondo is waiting for Ted to arrive, the
following morning. Ted enters.

Ted: "I left my daughter at breakfast. This better be good."

Blondo: "Yeah, your client, Neil Avedon, is pounding on my door at two in
the morning last night. He wakes my wife, he scares my kids, he sets off
the alarm. I grabbed a handgun I got during the riots. I nearly blew his
head off."

Ted: "You sure it was Neil?"

Blondo: "Twenty minutes I'm trying to calm him down by the pool. I'm telling
you Teddy, he's crazy."

Ted: "You're going to have to be more specific, Gary. What happened?"

Blondo: "He's asking me about Jessica Costello. Did I do Jessica Costello?
Is he crazy? A fifteen-year-old girl, for God's sake! With my wife in the
bedroom upstairs. She's got ears like a bat. He's asking me this!"

Ted: "And how did you answer him?"

Blondo: "Come on, I admit to liking the women. Women, not children."

Ted: "I understand from some quarters that the Costello girl looked mature
for her age."

Blondo: "I wouldn't know. I never met her."

Ted: "I see. Then you have no idea why Neil came to you with these baseless
questions?"

Blondo: "Other than he's nuts? Between you and me I'd have gone straight to
the police on this. But it so happens that my studio is about to release a
seventy million dollar picture starring Neil Avedon and I didn't think that
plan of attack would help the grosses."

Ted: "You made a wise choice. I'll speak to my client."

Blondo: "Please. I, I, I don't want him near my family again."

Ted: "You won't have any more trouble with him. You have my word." Opens the
door for Blondo to leave.

Sydney: "Good morning, Mr. Hoffman." Ted nods.

Ted: "Louis, anybody wants me, I'll be at Graham Lester's."

Next scene: Graham Lester's rehab facility in Santa Monica. Lester's office.

Lester: "Mr. Hoffman. Nice to see you again."

Ted: "Can I credit you with baseline competence? Do you know Neil was off-
grounds last night?" 

Lester: "I do. And I've taken steps to prevent a recurrence. On the other
hand, Mr. Hoffman, this is not a prison. This is a care facility."

Ted: "With no lock-down."

Lester: "That's correct."

Ted looking out the window: "My God. The continent tilts. Every quack with
a diploma rolls out here and gets an ocean view."

Lester: "On the off chance that you're myopic, Mr. Hoffman, let me acquaint
you with my wall hangings. I am board certified by both the American
Colleges of Internal Medicine and of Psychiatry. I am a teaching clinical
professor at the University of... "

Ted interrupts: "And I can name five popes who killed people. Neil's first
field trip is to Gary Blondo's at two a.m. What riled him, doctor?"

Lester: "Anything Neil and I may have discussed is privileged information."

Ted: "You told him about Jessica's diary. Richard Cross told you. You laid
it out for Neil."

Lester: "You're delusional."

Ted: "Richard Cross to you to Neil."

Lester: "You know, there's a clinical name for this level of paranoia."

Ted: "Yeah? Well we're both lucky that Neil harassed a man who can't afford
to go to the police or he'd be back in jail right now." There's a knock at
the door. Neil enters.

Lester: "Hey, Teddy."

Ted: "Drop back in to refuel?"

Neil: "I'm sorry. I screwed up."

Lester: "Well the good news is that Neil came to me this morning and told
me that he'd gone out last night."

Ted: "And that would be what, progress?"

Neil: "I didn't do any drugs, Ted. I'm clean. I just couldn't sit in my
room while someone's trying to pin a murder on me."

Ted: "Yeah well you hired me to deal with that! And this kind of stuff does 
not make my job easy, Neil, at all."

Lester: "You know, Neil and I have been discussing these very issues. Trust,
knowing when you have an ally, letting them do their job."

Ted: "You got away with this one, Neil. It happens again, they throw away
the key." Ted starts to walk away.

Neil: "I'll be good. I swear." Ted leaves.

Next, in Judge Owen Harris' chambers. He has both counsels there to discuss
the Defendant's prospective job offer.

Judge: "I called this meeting because I want to hear more about this job
offer your client's received."

Arnold: "The Hamilton-Pierpont Group, which is a highly-regarded investment
house, has offered Mr. Galbraith a position and salary of three hundred
thousand dollars per year. Ninety percent of which he will pay as
restitution to his victims."

Deputy: "This predator working in an investment house? Maybe the rapist I
just convicted should do his time counseling girls at a sleep-away camp?"

Arnold: "Mr. Galbraith will not be handling funds or be directly involved
in the transaction side. His sole function will be as a market analyst."

Lisa: "The important thing here, your honor, is that he will be able to pay
these people something."

Arnold: "I spoke to the CEO of Hamilton-Pierpont this morning. They're
so eager to have Mr. Galbraith's expertise on board, they'll match his
restitution payments, dollar for dollar."

Deputy: "Your honor, are we forgetting that a serious crime has been
committed here?"

Judge: "No. But in our zeal to see that this crime doesn't go unpunished,
I don't want the victims to be punished any more than they already have
been. Now, let's see if you can work out a plea here that will benefit
everyone." The counsels leave to try and hammer out a deal. Later on,
Arnold returns to speak with the deputy district attorney.

Arnold: "No deal, Julio. We don't think you've made your case and our client
has made a very real show at contrition that's going to weigh heavily with
the jury."

Deputy: "You know what the jury's going to think? On what? Examining the
entrails of pigeons? I might be able to get you five. But I'll have to go
to Miriam Grasso."

Arnold: "Who knows if there'll still be a job for him in five years."

Deputy: "I'm not as confident about this job as you are. How do I know he
won't slip and all this restitution ends up on ten the hard way?"

Arnold: "Think we'd accept some provisions to probation."

Deputy: "I don't want to hear that word again, Arnold. He's got to do time."

Back at the firm, Chris, Justine and Ted are discussing Jessica's diary.
Justine hands both of them the copies she has made. She has marked many of
the encounters with specific men with colored tabs.

Justine: "Hard to believe, fifteen-years-old, over twenty men and that's
just LA."

Chris: "When I was her age I was still trying to negotiate my hand under
Tina Gluckstern's bra strap."

Justine: "You ever succeed?"

Ted: "The red tabs are Neil?"

Justine: "Over a dozen sexual encounters with Jessica. Explaining that away
is not going to be a walk in the park."

Chris: "The good news is that there's nothing kinky or coerced. Grasso's
going to make the argument that this thing is hearsay."

Ted: "Grasso may never see it."

Chris: "But we have to submit this to the other side. Reciprocal discovery."

Ted: "We only have to submit it if we use it as evidence and I'm not sure
I want to or can."

Justine: "If our graphologist authenticates the diary, that and an affidavit
from the sister should be enough to get it admitted."

Chris: "This is going to hurt Neil. I mean, he's in there. But so are a
whole slew of other men who have a lot more motive to kill her. That's
reasonable doubt, Ted."

Ted: "Either of you noticed the only two guys mentioned with whom young
Jessica didn't have sex?"

Justine: "Richard Cross."

Ted: "And Graham Lester."

Chris sighs: "Well, they're either saints, homos, or something's out of
whack."

Justine: "Well they're not saints."

Ted: "I don't want to let this thing out until we understand exactly what's
going on." Chris and Justine both nod in agreement.

Ted and Annie at home, with a late-night supper.

Annie: "Joyce Levine called me. She said every married man on the west side
is in a panic over a diary Jessica Costello kept."

Ted: "I thought you didn't want to talk about this stuff."

Annie: "I don't, but everybody else wants to talk about nothing else but."

Ted: "Well, all I can tell you about this diary is that if it authenticates,
and I think it will, there'll be a lot of sweaty palms on the west side."

Annie: "Good, they deserve it."

Ted: "They may deserve it but Neil's the one charged with murder."

Annie: "Under the circumstances, I'm having a hard time generating a lot of
sympathy for him."

Ted: "Dave Blalock always says if you leave a guilty suspect alone in an
interrogation room, he falls asleep. But if he's innocent, he bounces off
the walls. Neil Avedon is bouncing off the walls."

Annie: "Maybe Neil Avedon is bouncing off the walls because he's a drunk and
a coke head."

Ted: "Meaning you don't buy the theory."

Annie: "Here's my theory, Ted. It doesn't matter if it was Neil Avedon who
killed that girl or Richard Cross or Frosty the Snowman. She was a fifteen-
year-old child. They plied her with drugs in return for sex. And when I talk
about it, it makes me so angry I want to kill every single one of them."

Ted: "I understand."

Annie: "No, you don't and don't patronize me."

Ted: "I'm not. I just don't like coming home and getting lectured sideways
on why I shouldn't be representing Neil Avedon."

Annie: "I'm not saying you shouldn't represent him."

Ted: "Maybe not in so many words but in fact it's what you mean."

Annie: "Ted, try to think for a minute like a parent instead of a lawyer.
Neil Avedon's your worst nightmare. He's sexy, he's compelling and every
young girl under the age of twenty-five, including your daughter, thinks
he's no worse than a cute little bad boy they can take home and mother.
No one wants to admit he's a drug-addicted sociopath capable of murder.
So if you want to represent him, be my guest. But don't try and sell me
the party line that he's some poor misunderstood kid who never got a break.
'Cause as far as I'm concerned he's guilty of murder whether he actually
strangled her or not."

Back in Judge Harris' chambers. Both counsels are discussing their plea
discussions with the judge.

Deputy: "The idea of probation is absolutely offensive."

Judge: "You'll get your turn, Mr. Salazar. Let him finish."

Arnold: "Further, Mr. Galbraith will agree to a monitored house arrest when
not working and would wear an electronic ankle transmitter."

Deputy: "What kind of a message does this send? After what the Defendant has
done he should be made an example of as a deterrent. The People are opposed 
to anything less than two years."

Judge: "Let's leave the People out of this for a moment, Mr. Salazar. Try
to put yourself thirty years down the road to a time when your yuppie income
stream has shriveled up, along with every other part of your body. Now if
you meditate on those realities for a moment, I think the People will see
the wisdom of a sentence like the one Mr. Spivak proposes."

Later, Arnold, Lisa and Mr. Galbraith exit the elevator at the parking level
to go to their cars.

Galbraith: "Again, I can't thank you enough and not only am I going to pay
the money I owe the firm ASAP, which you've been very patient about, by the
way, I don't want you to be shy about coming to me for financial advice free
of charge. If you get in on the ground floor of some of the opportunities
out there... " They see a man coming towards them with a gun. It is one of
Mr. Galbraith's former clients, Mr. Carter.

Carter: "I brought this with me every day thinking if justice was not done
in that courtroom, I'd handle it myself. Well justice was not done."

Arnold: "Sir, you don't want to do this. Give me the gun." Reaches for the
gun.

Carter: "Get away! You stole everything we had. My wife, so scared of being
old and not able to pay her way. It killed her. What's the price you have
to pay for that? Not being able to go out to restaurants for a while."

Galbraith: "Mr. Carter, please."

Carter: "I've heard enough words! From you. From your lawyers. When you
look back, do you think you're going to be proud of what you did in that
courtroom? Making yourselves a little richer by helping this kind of man
get away with what he did? And calling it justice? There was a time when
you were judged by the way you lived and not by the words you could string
together. But none of you would understand that." He looks down at the gun
in his hand and lowers it down to his side. "That's why I'm not going to
blow your head off. Galbraith lets out a deep sigh of relief. "You're not
worth ruining the good name it took me a lifetime to earn." He spits at
them. "Shame on all of you." He turns and walks away from them.

Back at the firm, Louis is standing vigil by Ted's door. A young woman is
sitting inside as Ted walks up to speak with Louis.

Ted: "Louis?"

Louis: "A Melissa, no last name. She was sitting there when I got back from
the copy machine. I don't know how she got in but she says she isn't moving,
so I'm not."

Ted: "Miss, is there any reason why you didn't set an appointment like
everyone else?"

Griotte: "I was afraid that you wouldn't see me."

Ted: "I may not. Why are you here?"

Griotte: "Neil Avedon. I know something about his case. But I can't get in
to see him."

Ted: "Thanks, Louis. I'll buzz you if I need anything." Louis shuts the
door. "I'll need your last name and some background before I can put you
on any visitors list at the jail."

Griotte: "Melissa Griotte. Neil will know me. We're, um, friends."

Ted: "Friends of what nature, Melissa?" She hesitates. "Anything you say
to him, you can say to me."

Griotte: "We sleep together. Nothing monogamous but we, um, we matter
to each other. We kind of go in phases. All week I've been watching what
they're saying about him on the news. The, um, the murder, the violent
nature, and I can't ignore it any more."

Ted: "Ignore what?"

Griotte: "This girl, this, uh, Jessica Costello, she was strangled to
death, right?"

Ted: "That's correct."

Griotte: "Well he tried to strangle me too, in bed. He, uh, said it would
lead to a... " She laughs. "It's, uh, I'm embarrassed. ... To a better
orgasm. It happened more than once." 

Ted: "And I'm to take your word based on your profound friendship with Mr.
Avedon, is that it?" She takes a videotape out of her bag and walks over to
Ted.

Griotte: "Or you could look at this." Places the tape on his desk. "The
last time we were together. Neil Avedon strangling me."

Ted: "Do you make a practice of filming yourself having sexual intercourse?"

Griotte: "Neil insisted. Look, I have gone through a lot of emotional trauma
over what he's made me do and done to me."

Ted: "Pain and suffering, I imagine."

Griotte: "I've had to consult a few doctors."

Ted: "My sympathies. I suggest you take this tape directly to the police."

Griotte: "Excuse me? For a hundred thousand, I can lose this."

Ted: "Videos can be doctored."

Griotte: "Watch the tape, Mr. Hoffman, and then you tell me that."

Clips from the videotape is shown. Neil and Griotte having sex and his
hands are around her neck, choking her.

[Tape] Griotte: "Mm-mmm, mm-mmm. No. Don't put your hand around my neck.
It's too scary."

[Tape] Neil: "I won't do it hard. Come on, trust me." She can be heard
moaning. She coughs and continues to moan as he's choking her.

[Tape] Griotte: "No, Neil, don't."

[Tape] Neil: "Shhh. It's okay." She continues to moan, choking. "Yes."
Tape ends. Griotte removes the tape from the vcr.

Griotte: "I'll save you the suspense. I survived. A hundred thousand puts
this in your private collection. Twelve hours, then it goes on the block."
She leaves.

Late at night at the firm's law library, Arnold and Lisa are still
discussing the incident earlier in the garage with Mr. Carter and all
the man had told them while pointing his gun at them.

Arnold: "Naa, I just don't like it. When I see contempt in an old man's
eyes when he looks at me, I don't like feeling he's right."

Lisa: "Arnold, we got our guy the best deal we could. Last I heard, that's
why Hoffman signs our checks."

Arnold: "I got to be careful about being so goal-oriented and task-oriented
that it takes an old man with herring breath and a broken heart to remind
me my actions have consequences."

Lisa: "Would his heart have been any less broken if Charles Galbraith had
ended up in a prison cell instead of an ankle bracelet?"

Arnold: "Lisa, you acknowledge no remorse or ambivalence about what we did
today?"

Lisa: "I acknowledge some remorse, sure I do." Ted enters.

Ted: "Is this going on much longer?"

Arnold: "Hi, Ted."

Lisa: "Small postmortem on Galbraith."

Ted: "I heard about your shared ambivalence."

Lisa: "We got him a good deal, Ted."

Ted: "I applaud the plea arrangement. It's the moral temperature-taking
that isn't worth the light bill."

Arnold: "Ted, I was simply saying as a matter of personal self-awareness I
need to avoid tunnel vision."

Ted: "Don't get addicted to remorse. It's contemptible in a lawyer. The
world does not revolve around you. Your behavior is not its moral center.
Someday someone may sit in judgment on this legal system and say it could
have been fairer or more compassionate or more responsive to social need.
Maybe it'll be me, but not while I'm a criminal defense lawyer. While I'm
a lawyer I'm going to defend my clients because it's the job I chose. And
I choose to believe, which may be self-deceiving, that the only system worse
than this one, is every other one I've ever studied. What I'm not going to
do is be a lawyer by day and then scratch the scabs on my conscience by
pretending to be a moral pathfinder by night. I don't know if Charles
Galbraith got what's coming to him. If he didn't, maybe he'll get prostate
cancer and that'll even the score. I don't know if this kid I'm defending
is guilty or innocent. And I don't need to know to do my job. That's all we
are here to do. And if we do it right, that's enough."

Arnold: "See, that's where I have to jump in with a possible disagreement."

Ted interrupts: "Make yourselves a promise. Every time you want to have one
of these conversations, find a defendant who can't afford us. Work for him
pro bono. That's electricity I don't mind paying for." He leaves them to 
think about what he's just said.

[End titles]

Steven Bochco Productions
20th Century Fox Television, a News Corporation Company
Supervising Associate Producer: Gigi Coello-Bannon
Associate Producer: Chad Savage 
Casting in New York: Alexa L. Fogel, C.S.A. 

Co-Starring:
Markus Redmond as Mark Washington
Claire Jacobs as Reporter #1
F.J. Rio as Reporter #2
Leslie Ishii as Reporter #3

Director of Photography: Aaron E. Schneider
Production Designer: Paul Eads
Edited by Lance Luckey
Unit Production Manager: Patrick McKee
First Assistant Director: Scott Printz
Second Assistant Director: Brian Faul
Costume Designer: Brad R. Loman
Legal Consultant: Howard Weitzman
Technical Advisor: David J. Gascon
Production Coordinator: Nancy Wilkerson
Costume Supervisor: Debra Beebe
Make-Up Artists: Norman Page, Jim Scribner
Hairstylists: Paulette Pennington, Anthony Wilson
Continuity Supervisor: Sonny Filippini
Camera Operator: David Boyd
First Assistant Camera: Brian LeGrady
Gaffer: Mark Vuille
Key Grip: Harry L. Rez
2nd 2nd Assistant Director: Andy Spilkoman
Technical Consultant: Debra Carrillo
Production Sound Mixer: Susan Moore-Chong, C.A.S.
Supervising Sound Editor: Dave Weathers
Music Editor: Patty McGettigan
Background A.D.R.: Superloopers
Re-recording Mixers: Robert L. Appere, Ken Burton
Set Decorator: Mary Ann Biddle
Set Designer: Mindy Roffman
Lead Person: Randy Bostic
Property Master: Jerry Moss
Location Manager: John Armstrong
Script Coordinator: Michael Norell
Casting Associate: Libby Goldstein
Construction Coordinator: Pete Lawrence
Transportation Coordinator: Norm Benson
Assistant Production Coordinator: Ann M. Kaiser
Post Production Coordinators: Laina Mumbrue, Jamal A. Swinton
Production Accountant: Candace Montgomery-Lira
Asst. to Steven Bochco: Barbara Kroells
Asst. to Charles H. Eglee: Marian Devney
Asst. to Fogle/Buckland: Karin Londgren
Asst. to Donahue/Neigher: Holly Baker
EPR (R) Telecine and Electronic Assembly by Encore Video Inc.
Telecine Colorist: Steve Porter
Re-recorded at Sony Pictures Studios
Post Production Sound Editorial by Miles of Fun Sound
Presented in Dolby Surround
Lenses & Panaflex (R) camera by Panavision (R)
Copyright (c) 1995 Steven Bochco Productions #7103 All Rights Reserved
Steven Bochco Productions is the author of this motion picture for purposes
of copyright and other laws.
(AMPTP) Color by Foto-Kem Laboratory (R)

The events and characters depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any
similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely
coincidental.

Ownership of this motion picture is protected by copyright and other
applicable laws, and any unauthorized duplication, distribution or
exhibition of this motion picture could result in criminal prosecution
as well as civil liability.