Murder One

Season One - Chapter Four

U.S. air date: October 12, 1995

(Complete transcript) - [Final version]

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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"

Ted's office: Ted, Julie and Richard Cross.

Cross: "Julie found her sister's diary today."
 
Julie: "I couldn't believe the things that were in it." Cross hands the
diary to Ted.
 
Cross: "You should see it. Her experiences with sex and drugs."
 
Ted: "These appear to be men of some social prominence."
 
Next clip, Ted speaking with Justine and Chris. 
 
Ted: "Either of you notice the only two guys mentioned with whom young
Jessica didn't have sex?"
 
Justine: "Richard Cross."
 
Ted: "And Graham Lester."
 
Next clip, Cross with Ted in his office.
 
Cross: "I put up the million for Neil's bond. My people are working on
it right now."
 
Ted: "You know what's nice, Richard? The interest that you take in these
young people."
 
Next clip, from the pilot, Francesca with Ted as she's going to lend her
support to Cross who was in police custody.
 
Ted: "Francesca, you have every reason to be hurt and upset."
 
Francesca: "Would you give Richard a message for me?"
 
Ted: "Of course."
 
Francesca: "Tell him this is going to be very expensive."
 
Clip of the press surrounding Neil as he leaves the courthouse with his
lawyers.
 
Neil: "I'd like to thank everyone for their support."
 
Clip of Gary Blondo and Ted.
 
Blondo: "You client, Neil Avedon, is pounding at my door at two in the
morning last night."
 
Next clip of Melissa Griotte offering her video tape to Ted.
 
Griotte: "The last time we were together. Neil Avedon strangling me."
Clip from the video. "A hundred thousand puts this in your private
collection. Twelve hours. Then it goes on the block."

CHAPTER FOUR

Ted in his office, watching tv as Louis knocks, opens the door and pokes
his head through.
 
Louis: "Melissa Griotte is here, punctual to the second."
 
Ted: "People looking for money usually are." Louis grunts and shows her in.
 
Griotte: "Do we have a deal, Mr. Hoffman?"
 
Ted: "No. It wouldn't be in the best interest of my client."
 
Griotte: "So then the tape goes to the tabloids. I've already been in
touch with Deadline: America."
 
Ted: "You'll do what you have to do."
 
Griotte: "I will sell it."
 
Ted: "And I'm sure you'll donate the money to Mother Teresa."
 
Griotte, laughs: "Don't you want Neil to have the best defense money
can buy?"
 
Ted: "He's already got that." Griotte removes another tape from her bag
and hands it to Ted.
 
Griotte: "Give this copy to Neil. A souvenir from my collection."
Then she leaves.
 
Next scene is Neil's lie detector test. Examiner is a female. Chris is
present.
 
Examiner: "Is today Thursday?"
 
Neil: "Yes."
 
Examiner: "Do you intend to answer all my questions truthfully?"
 
Neil: "Yes."
 
Examiner: "Did you kill Jessica Costello?"
 
Neil: "No."
 
Examiner: "Did you ever have sex with Jessica Costello?"
 
Neil: "Yes."
 
Examiner: "Did you enter the apartment Jessica shared with her sister on
the night of Jessica's murder?"
 
Neil: "Early and I left while she was still alive."
 
Examiner: "I need a `yes' or `no' response. Did you enter the apartment
Jessica shared with her sister on the night of Jessica's murder?"
 
Neil: "Yes."
 
Examiner: "Have you ever had sexual relations with a Melissa Griotte?"
 
Neil: "Yeah."
 
Examiner: "Did you ever heighten the experience by choking her?"
 
Neil: "What the hell does this have to do with anything?"
 
Chris: "Answer the question, Neil."
 
Examiner: "Did you ever heighten the sexual experience by choking
Melissa Griotte?"
 
Neil: "No."
 
Examiner: "Is your birth name James Neil Rennick?"
 
Neil: "Yes."
 
Examiner: "Did you come here today by car?"
 
Neil: "Yes."
 
Examiner: "Did you murder Jessica Costello?"
 
Neil: "On my mother's life. No."

[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:
Joe Spano as Raymond Velacek
Markus Flanagan as Deputy DA Paul Ianucci
Donna Murphy as Francesca Cross
Marty Rackham as Donald Ballard
Stanley Kamel as Dr. Graham Lester
Anna Gunn as Melissa Griotte
John Pleshette as Gary Blondo
Ashley Gardner as Marcy Ballard
Gregory Itzin as DA Roger Garfield
Nancy Lee Grahn as Connie Dahlgren
Ned Vaughn as Dean Crowley
Deborah May as Dana Benson
Pat Corley as Marvin Siegalstein

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 Geoffrey Neigher
Directed by Michael Fresco
--------------------------
 
Opening scene: Louis shows Gary Blondo into Ted's office.
 
Louis: "May I get you something to drink?"
 
Blondo, ignoring him and forging through to speak with Ted: "What in God's
name is going on here, Teddy?"
 
Ted, to Louis: "Thank you, Louis." Louis closes the door.
 
Blondo, very agitated and pacing around Ted's office: "I show up at the
Polo Lounge last night and this guy Blalock starts in on me about some
diary and what is my connection with this dead girl? At the Polo Lounge!"
 
Ted: "He said you refused to cooperate and got up and left."
 
Blondo: "Is there a diary?"
 
Ted: "There is a diary."
 
Blondo: "Well then I would expect the courtesy of not hearing that in a
public place from someone other than you personally. Am I in it?"
 
Ted: "You're in it, Gary."
 
Blondo: "God. I, I, I swear to God, Teddy, I never screwed this girl."
 
Ted: "Dave Blalock's handling the investigation. Tell him the truth."
 
Blondo: "I'm telling you." Sighs. "Okay, I banged her once." Finally
sits down. "Jessica and I partied together one night last year at the
film festival up in Park City. She came up with her sister Julie and
stayed at Richard Cross' place. It was a dumb thing to do. I know. It
only happened once and it was out of town. And I swear I had no idea
she was only fifteen."
 
Ted: "Dave's also going to need the names of anybody else you might
have set her up with."
 
Blondo: "Oh I made some calls on her behalf, er, uh, you know to help her
out with her career. Some producers."
 
Ted: "Give Dave the names."
 
Blondo: "Ted, I can't start betraying confidences. I'm jammed at home
already. Don't louse up my career."
 
Ted: "No one's looking to hurt your marriage or your career. Dave won't
abuse the information."
 
Blondo: "Ted, these are powerful men."
 
Ted: "And I've got a kid on trial for murder, Gary."
 
Blondo: "All right, all right."
 
Ted: "No one's looking to hurt you."
 
Blondo: "Good." Ted rises and escorts Blondo to the door. "I, I apologize
for getting fearful when I realize it's in everybody's best interest for
me to cooperate."
 
Ted: "Everything will be all right, Gary."
 
Blondo: "Give me hug." He hugs Ted. Ted looks ill. And Gary leaves. Ted
goes to the morning staff meeting.
 
Ted: "What have we got?"
 
Justine: "A draft order to put Neil Avedon in a new rehab facility."
 
Lisa: "It's going to ruin Dr. Lester's day."
 
Ted: "That's low on my worry list. What else?"
 
Arnold: "With reference to any prospective use of Jessica's diary, I've
drafted a motion to seal. And Sydney, did a very nice memo on submitting
a redacted version."
 
Ted, to Sydney: "Good work. Arnold's tough to please." To everyone: "We
may want an in camera conference to sell our case to the judge."
 
Justine: "Will we want to go back to Judge Harrigan?"
 
Ted: "If he sets bail at ten million that's not exactly blowing our client
a kiss. Keep shopping."
 
Chris: "Neil's been calling every half hour about his polygraph results."
 
Ted: "I should be back from court around five. Get him in then."
 
Lisa: "How's it going with your guy?"
 
Ted: "Velacek? Board of Rights took away his badge. Now the DA wants him
behind bars."
 
Chris: "Maybe he needs to be on the sidelines for a while?"
 
Ted: "My case, people." Rises and leaves.
 
At the courthouse, Ray Velacek's trial, Judge Clementine Noyce presiding.
Deputy DA Paul Ianucci and Ted make their opening statements to the jury.
 
Deputy: "The deepest betrayal is committed by those we trust to protect
us when they are the very ones who do us harm. The People will show
that the Defendant committed grievous crimes, in and of themselves
reprehensible, but compounded because they were committed under the
color of authority. `To protect and to serve.' Not to assault. Not to
brutalize. Not to act as vigilante no matter what the imagined provocation."
 
Ted: "Betrayal. Imagine if you will the sense of betrayal Detective Ray
Velacek must be feeling. As he sits before this court accused of assault
with a deadly weapon. Accused by an individual to whose residence he had
been dispatched five times because the man who is now Mr. Velacek's accuser
was beating up his wife. And on the sixth occasion when Detective Velacek
answers an emergency call and attempts to halt another beating of a
defenseless woman, he's prosecuted for doing so. Betrayal? Yes. By a
system that he has fought to protect for nineteen years. All because
Donald Ballard, a man under court order to stay away from his wife, a man
who ignored that order, a violent man, lied about Detective Ray Velacek.
Listen carefully as we proceed, ladies and gentlemen, because the only
credible evidence you will hear indicates that Detective Ray Velacek did
what was necessary to protect a citizen in need. At the very least, that
evidence will raise reasonable doubt that any criminal act was committed.
Therefore you should find Detective Ray Velacek innocent."
 
Next scene, back at the firm. Neil is nervously waiting for Ted.
 
Ted: "How's it going, Lila?"
 
Lila: "Good, Mr. Hoffman."
 
Neil: "So, Teddy, did I pass the test?"
 
Ted: "Let's go into my office." To Lila, "Tell Chris to join us."
 
Neil, excited after reading the results: "Guys. Guys, am I missing
something here? When your client passes a lie detector test your facial
expression should be happiness!"
 
Chris: "There's some ambiguity in the results, Neil."
 
Neil, to Ted: "What does that mean?"
 
Ted: "What it means is that you stated that you didn't engage in certain
acts and the polygraph believed you."
 
Neil: "And?"
 
Chris: "And the fact is you did engage in those acts."
 
Neil: "Oh really? Which acts might that be?"
 
Chris: "You said you didn't choke Melissa Griotte during sex."
 
Neil: "I didn't." 
 
Chris: "Take a look at this." Chris plays the video tape for Neil.
 
Neil: "I don't believe it."
 
Ted: "That's not your stand-in."
 
Neil: "Where did you get this thing?"
 
Ted: "Melissa offered it to us for a hundred grand." Neil moans and sits
down.
 
Chris: "Were you drinking when you were with Melissa, Neil?"
 
Neil: "A little."
 
Chris: "How much?"
 
Neil: "I don't know. A J&Bs, maybe a tequila or two."
 
Ted: "So it's possible you could have blacked-out."
 
Neil: "No!"
 
Ted: "Why not?
 
Neil: "Because I didn't. I don't have black-outs."
 
Ted: "You don't remember this."
 
Neil: "I don't know. I mean how could I forget something like that."
 
Ted: "How much did you drink the night Jessica Costello was murdered?"
 
Neil: "I don't know. I remember starting. But I don't remember stopping.
God help me, I don't remember any of it. Teddy? Is it possible that I could
have killed that girl?" Ted doesn't answer but just looks at Neil.
 
Back in court on the Ray Velacek case. A police officer is on the witness
stand.
 
Deputy: "Lieutenant, how long have you been Detective Velacek's supervisor?"
 
Lieutenant: "Five years."
 
Deputy: "Tell me, detectives carry pepper spray, don't they?"
 
Lieutenant: "Yes."
 
Deputy: "And yet Detective Velacek skipped right to his baton, isn't that
correct?"
 
Lieutenant: "I don't know about skipped. I'm sure he thought it was an
appropriate use of force."
 
Deputy: "Are you saying that a rock-hard nightstick is preferable to an
aerosol spray?"
 
Lieutenant: "I'm saying, that stuff doesn't always work."
 
Deputy: "Are your detectives trained to crush skulls if they think pepper
spray may not work?"
 
Lieutenant: "When you're up against someone who loses it, they're obsessed,
they're out of control. Sometimes you've got to end it while you're still
in one piece."
 
Deputy, tries to interrupt him: "Thank you, lieutenant."
 
Judge: "That will be all, detective."
 
Ted: "Has Detective Velacek received any complaints for using excessive
force on citizens?"
 
Deputy: "Objection. Relevance?"
 
Judge: "Overruled."
 
Lieutenant: "Not to my knowledge."
 
Ted: "As a matter of fact he's received major commendations for his
service, right?"
 
Lieutenant: "Yes."
 
Deputy: "Your honor, I want a running objection to this entire line of
questioning."
 
Judge: "I'll allow it. Keep running Mr. Ianucci."
 
Ted: "So, how many times has Detective Velacek received commendations for
outstanding police work?"
 
Lieutenant: "Thirteen times."
 
Ted: "Lieutenant, in your experience, is pepper spray always effective in
subduing suspects?"
 
Lieutenant: "No."
 
Ted: "Thank you, lieutenant."
 
Deputy: "Your department's statistics show that pepper spray is effective
86 percent of the time. Is that correct?"
 
Lieutenant: "No further questions."
 
Ted and Ray leave the courtroom together.
 
Ted: "You hungry?"
 
Ray: "No. I don't think I could keep anything down right now. Notice how
the jury doesn't even want to look at me?"
 
Ted: "Don't study the tea leaves, Ray. Diamond held his own. He was strong
and sincere. A good witness. Scrambled eggs."
 
Ray: "Huh?"
 
Ted: "At Lucia's across the street, have the scrambled eggs. They go down
easy when your guts are jumping. Trust me. I've had the need before."
 
Ray: "Thanks." Garfield comes up behind them in the corridor.
 
Garfield: "Gentlemen?"
 
Ted, to Ray: "I'll see you back here at two o'clock." Ray leaves.
 
Garfield, watching Ray leave: "Not the buoyant gait of an innocent man."
 
Ted: "I'll get him some new shoes." Ted heads out towards his car
in the parking garage. Garfield follows.
 
Garfield: "Let me walk you to your car. Velacek's a bad cop, Ted. He'll
benefit from a little time inside."
 
Ted: "The Board of Rights relieved him of his job, his pension, his honors.
He doesn't need any more benefits."
 
Garfield: "Listen, even if you roll the dice and he slides out from under
the criminal charges, it still doesn't get him his job back. So why risk
sending him away for a long time when you and I can work out something
short and sweet?"
 
Ted: "Battery, Roger? I'm running late."
 
Garfield: "Miriam Grasso and I had a screening of a video tape this
morning. On loan, from Deadline: America."
 
Ted: "If I were you Roger, I wouldn't get too hopeful about that tape.
It could bite you."
 
Garfield: "Look, I'm aware you and Miriam chatted about playing this
thing out. Now I know she can be obstinate, likes to dig in, especially
when she feels she's got a slam-dunk. Just understand that I can bring
an element of pragmatism, call it `the big picture,' to the discussion.
Tape or no tape."
 
Ted: "How long till the election, Roger?"
 
Garfield: "What I'm saying is I can minimize the blood splatters on both
of us. There's a deal to be struck here, Ted."
 
Ted: "Not one that helps my client." Ted returns to the firm where an
interview with Connie Dahlgren from Deadline: America is being set up.
To Louis, "Deadline: America ready to go?"
 
Louis: "They're setting up in your office. And Arnold's memo on
restraining orders."
 
Ted: "Okay. I have to be back in court as soon as the interview's over."
 
Louis: "Sydney will drive. You can review in the car."
 
Dahlgren: "Ted? Give us a hug. We're almost ready. My guy's just inside
grabbing some establishing shots and then we'll get started. We're going
to run the Avedon tape over six nights. What a beast, that boy is."
 
Ted: "I'm glad you're pleased. And Melissa Griotte, was she pleased?"
 
Dahlgren: "One hundred grand from the Deadline: America coffers, I have
to believe she is. Thanks though for putting us onto her. I owe ya."
 
Ted: "Oh not at all. I appreciate the opportunity to comment."

The interview.
 
Ted: "In addition we believe the tape is spurious at best and may even be
criminally fraudulent."
 
Dahlgren: "What makes you think so?"
 
Ted: "First, as you know Connie, video tape is easy to manipulate."
 
Dahlgren: "You're saying the tape may have been doctored?"
 
Ted: "It's possible. And even if Mr. Avedon did engage in the acts
portrayed, how do we know Ms. Griotte didn't entice him into those acts?"
 
Dahlgren: "For what reason?"
 
Ted: "So she could sell the tape to you."
 
Dahlgren: "So you don't think a jury will believe it."
 
Ted: "Look, I'll grant that what's on this tape is not a pleasant viewing
experience but people who watch it carefully will recognize that at a
minimum everything was consensual."
 
Dahlgren: "Thank you, attorney Ted Hoffman." To her cameraman, "That's
it, Stan." Her director calls for a cut. "Ted, I just need five minutes
in here to do my reversals and we are done." Kisses Ted on the cheek.
"I love you."
 
Chris, coming into the office: "A moment?" Takes Ted out of his office to
speak with him privately. "We just got served notice to revoke Neil's
bail, based on the DA's viewing of the tape. Hearing's tomorrow afternoon."
 
Ted: "It's yours. I'm locked in on Velacek."
 
Chris: "I'll get it done."

Louis: "Seventeen minutes to get to court."
 
Sydney: "Fasten your seat belts." As they head on back to court.

Ray Velacek's trial. Donald Ballard is on the witness stand.
 
Deputy: "Mr. Ballard, did you resist the Defendant when he instructed
you to leave the house?"
 
Ballard: " I did not."
 
Deputy: "And when you got outside?"
 
Ballard: "He poked me hard in the stomach and I went down to my knees.
Then he grabbed me by the hair and slammed me down on the driveway. And
then he hit me with his stick across my shoulder and my face. I could
hear the bones break. I tried to stop him but he just kept saying, `I'm
tired of coming over to the house. I'm tired of dealing with you.' He
wants it over, permanently. `Here's a lesson you deserve, jerk-wad.'
That's what he said. It was my lesson. He busted me up for a lesson."
 
Deputy: "Your witness."
 
Ted: "Mr. Ballard, what were you doing at your wife's house?"

Ballard: "She called me to come over."
 
Ted: "But after the police had been called out to your house five times
a judge issued a restraining order which prohibits you from going near
your wife. Isn't that so?"
 
Ballard: "Marcy called me up. And she said she wanted to talk. Work
things out. She was slurring her words. I could tell she was drunk
which is when she's really abusive. I could hear Stacy and Kim screaming
in the background, you know, like they were scared. All I wanted was to
get them away so that she couldn't hurt them."
 
Ted: "Is that a yes?"
 
Ballard: "Yes."
 
Ted: "If you had obeyed the law and not violated the restraining order,
nothing would have happened to you, would it?"
 
Ballard: "Like I said, I was invited."
 
Ted: "If you had obeyed the law and not violated the court order,
nothing would have happened. Right?"
 
Ballard: "Right."
 
Ted: "You knew you were breaking the law when you went over to Marcy's
house, didn't you?"

Ballard: "Yes, but I said... "
 
Ted, interrupts: "Nothing further, your honor."
 
Deputy: "Did you lift a finger to resist the Defendant?"
 
Ballard: "No I did not. And by the time he was done with me, I could not."
 
Deputy: "People rest." 
 
Marcy Ballard is on the witness stand as Ted begins the Defense's case.
 
Ted: "Twice in '85, twice in '87 and once in '88, Detective Velacek had
to stop your husband from beating you, didn't he?"
 
Marcy: "Yes."
 
Ted: "Why did he beat you?"
 
Deputy: "Objection. Calls for speculation."
 
Judge: "Overruled."
 
Marcy: "Because of the way his day went at work. Because of the food. The
kids' behavior. Their messy rooms. The cable went out. There was always
a reason."
 
Ted: "Did he beat you in front of the children?"
 
Marcy: "Yes. My daughter Stacy told me that she's never getting married
because she doesn't want to get punched like mommy."
 
Ted: "So you'd characterize your husband as a violent man, wouldn't you?"
 
Marcy: "Yes I would."
 
Ted: "And several times Detective Velacek witnessed the results of this
violence, didn't he?"
 
Marcy: "Yes. Once he took me to the hospital when I needed stitches. He
knew the situation."
 
Ted: "Did Detective Velacek ever say that he would `get' your husband for
the beatings he'd given you?"
 
Marcy: "No. Never."
 
Ted: "Thank you."
 
Deputy: "On this occasion you called 911 and instead of a uniform Detective
Velacek showed up, is that right?"
 
Marcy: "I guess he was in the neighborhood. I thank God he got there first."
 
Deputy: "You were a participant in the Matrix House Dependency Program from
1992 to 1994, were you not?"
 
Marcy: "Yes."
 
Deputy: "Am I correct in assuming that's because you have a problem with
alcohol?"
 
Marcy: "I had some problems."
 
Deputy: "Still do, don't you? In fact you had a DUI last March?"
 
Marcy: "Yes."
 
Deputy: "And in his report, the arresting officer stated that you shouted
at your children. Did you do that?"
 
Marcy: "They were frightened. They needed to be calmed down."
 
Deputy: "By yelling at them?"
 
Ted: "Your honor, I fail to see the relevance of this line of questioning.
Mrs. Ballard is not on trial for beating her husband."
 
Deputy: "It goes directly to our position that Donald Ballard went to his
house because his wife's condition made him fear for the safety for his
children."
 
Marcy: "My husband is the one with the violence problem, not me. I'm the
one who had to get a restraining order."
 
Judge: "I'll allow it in, counsel."
 
Deputy: "Did you invite your husband over and tell him he could ignore
the order?"
 
Marcy: "No. I did not. He said that he had a present for Kim and he swore
that he'd leave right away."
 
Deputy: "But before that could happen Detective Velacek was there to beat
him senseless. Isn't that correct?"
 
Marcy: "Whatever he got, he deserved it a hundred times over."
 
Ted, Ray and Marcy Ballard leave the courtroom. Donald Ballard is sitting
outside, waiting to confront his wife.
 
Ballard: "Hey! I know what you said in there, Marcy. Gonna celebrate?"
 
Marcy: "Stay away from me."
 
Ballard: "Cutting my nuts off? Always a good excuse for you to get loaded."
 
Marcy: "Excuse me." He grabs her arm.
 
Ballard: "You poison my children against me. Trash me to the world. Why
don't you just call the store, gets my ass fired and put an end to it!"
 
Marcy: "Why don't you just hit me right here, huh?" Ted rushes up to her
defense and comes between them.
 
Ballard: "There are better places."
 
Ted: "Mr. Ballard, you're not in a courtroom now. That restraining order
is still in effect. You're about a hundred and fifty yards too close."
 
Ballard, to his wife: "This is on you."
 
Ted: "What you're doing now is you're intimidating a witness and you've
violated a court order. Both can send you to jail. Am I making myself
clear?" He just smirks at Ted and his wife and walks away. The woman
walks away in the opposite direction.
 
Ray: "Someone should keep an eye on her. She could get hurt."
 
Next scene, in Garfield's office. Ted and the deputy DA discuss Mrs.
Ballard.
 
Ted: "Mrs. Ballard. Her husband went ballistic today. I'm concerned for
her safety."
 
Garfield: "Which involved me how?"
 
Ted: "Get the cops to put a car near her house."
 
Deputy: "Now there's a worthwhile expenditure of tax dollars."
 
Garfield: "Teddy, that's a tough one. If it gets out that we've got a squad
car protecting her from her husband that kind of undercuts our case, doesn't
it?"
 
Ted: "This woman could be in danger, Roger."
 
Garfield: "I'll see what I can do. But as far as Velacek goes, I can't deal.
Just not doable."
 
Ted: "Hurt this guy, Roger, and you're going to look soft on crime to all
those constituents out in the Valley."
 
Deputy: "On the other hand, maybe the good voters are smart enough to
recognize who the real criminal is."
 
Garfield: "Velacek just can't walk away on simple probation."

Ted: "Community service. A substantial fine."
 
Deputy: "Why not get a holy sister to whack him on the knuckles with a
ruler? Worked in catechism."
 
Garfield: "N.G., Teddy. Cops beating up on citizens. If you want to talk
about sentencing, we can all sit down together and work it out. I'll argue
it for county time. I'll see if I can get him placed on keep-away status.
Best I can do." Ted just stares at him throughout his speech.
 
Next scene, Ted goes to a restaurant where's he's meeting Marvin
Siegalstein, Francesca's lawyer, for lunch.
 
Siegalstein: "Teddy!"
 
Ted: "How are you doing?"
 
Siegalstein: "Good, Teddy. I think the institution's here to stay."
 
Ted: "Divorce?"
 
Siegalstein: "Ah. You know when Rodney King say `why can't we all just get
along?' I sent him a note and told him to mind his own business." Ted picks
up a menu. "Wanna know what's good, Teddy?"
 
Ted: "What's that, Marvin?"
 
Siegalstein: "Tell the waiter that you want the duck the way that Mr.
Siegalstein has it."
 
Ted: "I'm not really a duck guy. Anyway."
 
Siegalstein: "Anyway. Francesca Cross, presently spouse of Richard."
 
Ted: "You're representing her?"
 
Siegalstein: "You know I've got a great therapist now, Teddy. He sensitizes
me to where I identify the tone of surprise. I recognize the unspoken
message. And none of that crap bothers me any more. You think I should
restrict my practice to clients with tit jobs and exposes in the Enquirer.
Mrs. Cross apparently disagrees. Maybe that's your point, Teddy. Rub
Richard's nose in his bad habits. Let him know what she thinks by the
lawyers she picks."
 
Ted: "How can I help you, Marvin?"
 
Siegalstein: "I don't have to tell you about a woman scorned, let alone
a woman scorned fifteen times in public. Francesca's looking to run around
her pre-nup, wants her pound of flesh. It's the information age. And she's
got information."
 
Ted: "Which you're guessing Richard would prefer to keep between the two
of them?"
 
Siegalstein, laughs: "Very much so."
 
Ted: "I'm not his lawyer any more."
 
Siegalstein: "Well, on the off-chance that you still have Richard's ear
and knowing as I do your representation of that bright talent Neil Avedon,
I thought it might interest you to know that Francesca, under certain
circumstances, might be prepared to disclose habits and dispositions of
Richard's which I am certain it would dismay him to hear bandied about
and commented on in the public fora. And might conceivably get him jammed
up in that branch of the legal system of which you are far more familiar
than I. It is in that context that Mr. Cross should be made to understand
that one hundred million dollars is cheap. And he can stick the pre-nup
he shoved down his wife's throat right back up his ass."
 
Waiter: "Ready to order, gentlemen?"

Siegalstein, to the waiter: "You know what I'm having."
 
Ted: "No appetizer. And Mr. Siegalstein's duck." Waiter removes the menus
and leaves. Ted rises. "Eat 'em both, Marvin. And double-up on your
therapy." Ted leaves.
 
Back in court, the hearing for the People's motion to revoke Neil's bail.
Chris is arguing against the revocation. Grasso is arguing against releasing
Neil. Judge Douglas Harrigan presiding.
 
Grasso: "The probative value of the video tapes are devastating, your honor.
Putting aside the fact that the acts shown are ghoulishly similar to the
manner in which Jessica Costello was murdered, a man who chokes women
simply cannot be allowed to walk around free."
 
Chris: "What you see isn't always what it appears to be."
 
Grasso: "You mean that wasn't Neil Avedon choking that girl?"
 
Chris: "Aside from the authenticity of the tape being in serious doubt,
your honor, Mr. Avedon has taken a polygraph which substantiates his
assertion that he never consciously choked Ms. Griotte."
 
Grasso: "Now counsel really has me confused. Are you saying that the man
was unconscious who was doing all that throttling?"
 
Chris: "Your honor, Mr. Avedon's excessive drinking clouded his memory
concerning what the tape depicts. A drunken black-out is the reason he
doesn't recall that night and the reason he was able to pass the polygraph.
He was not conscious of his actions."
 
Grasso: "So what? If he concedes that he choked the girl then he needs
to go back inside."
 
Chris: "No. He needs to be in a place where he can be properly examined
and treated for his alcohol abuse problem."
 
Grasso: "As the court is aware, your honor, Mr. Avedon is already in a
rehab facility in Santa Monica."
 
Chris: "Dr. Lester's facility does not have the appropriate resources
to meet Mr. Avedon's present needs. Aside from having no lock-down,
insufficient staff and medical resources, it cannot provide the battery
of psychological testing which we believe is absolutely necessary." Ted
enters the courtroom.
 
Grasso: "Then let him be tested in custody."
 
Chris: "No prison hospital can provide the environment necessary to treat
Mr. Avedon and to evaluate him properly. He can only get that at the Hilts
Clinic."
 
Grasso, laughs: "He could get that at Meninger. He could get that at Mass
General. He could probably get some nice Austrian psychiatrist to probe
his delicate psyche on the Orient Express. But bail is not solely designed
to serve the needs of the Defendant."
 
Chris: "Agreed. The circumstances of bail however are not intended to be
punitive. If the prosecution is interested in finding the truth he should
be allowed to continue on bond. Mr. Avedon is asking that you help him
learn more about himself so he can better prepare his defense. He knows
he did not kill anyone."
 
Judge: "All right. I'm going to deny the People's motion for revocation
of bail."
 
Grasso: "Your honor... "
 
Judge: "Thank you. And I'm also going to order the change of facility."
 
Chris: "We're very grateful, your honor."
 
Judge: "Uh, don't thank me yet. There will be a full report to this court
from that facility each week during your stay, Mr. Avedon. Upon completion
of your treatment then I will revisit the issue of bail. Trip up just once
you'll be marched through that door and you will not come out. Do you
understand?"
 
Neil: "Yes sir."
 
Judge: "Court is adjourned." Neil thanks Chris.
 
Grasso: "Let me have him, Teddy. I could make a hell of a prosecutor out
of him. Toodles."
 
Ted and Chris escort Neil out the back way from the courtroom. Detective
Polson is waiting there to meet them.
 
Polson: "Congratulations."
 
Ted: "How can we help you, detective?"
 
Polson: "I don't need any help, counselor. This is purely social. Personal
greetings to lover boy here."
 
Ted: "They're much appreciated. Now if you'll excuse us." They try to walk
away from Polson who follows them.
 
Polson: "You're an equal opportunity strangler. Right, Neil? Swans? Women?
No difference to you? As long as it's got a neck you'll wring it?" Neil
turns to face Polson.
 
Ted: "Forget it, Neil. Detective Polson's a bad loser."
 
Polson: "Ha! I haven't lost a thing, counselor. Hey I'm thrilled he's out
in the world. Someone as stupid as him, he's a time-bomb just waiting to
go off."
 
Ted: "That's enough, detective."
 
Polson: "And when he blows, I'll be there to pick up the pieces."
 
Ted: "Stay away from him, Polson. Or we go back into court right now and
get you sanctioned." Polson backs off and begins to leave but not before
pointing to his watch and saying, "Tick, tick, tick... "
 
Next scene, Francesca comes to see Ted at his office.
 
Ted: "Francesca, thanks for coming."

Francesca: "Shouldn't I be thanking you? Marvin said that you and he had
lunch."
 
Ted: "Yes we did. Don't use this guy, Francesca."
 
Francesca, interrupting him: "Teddy, don't. I'm not going to be dissuaded
from getting this divorce, if Marvin is what I require to get it done. Can
you hear him above his green suits, Teddy? He has a brilliant mind."
 
Ted: "And that's why you want to use him?"
 
Francesca: "I want to use him because he can deal with Richard. He knows
those rules."
 
Ted: "Richard's rules."
 
Francesca: "Evidently. Not that I've always realized that."
 
Ted: "And you're sure now that that's how Richard plays?"
 
Francesca: "How can you of all people ask me that question?"
 
Ted: "Francesca, I'm not here as Richard's advocate."
 
Francesca: "Village gossip notwithstanding."
 
Ted: "Yes, gossip notwithstanding. There are legitimate ways to attack a
pre-nuptial agreement. Legitimate ways to dissolve your marriage with the
assurance of financial security. It can be done without blackmailing
Richard."
 
Francesca: "Is that what Marvin is proposing?"
 
Ted: "It is."
 
Francesca: "I didn't know that."
 
Ted: "When you hire a man like that you get the whole package. Francesca,
I've known you for a long time. And because I feel I'm your friend I'm
saying, fine, make Richard pay but don't destroy yourself in the process.
Siegalstein, he'll turn you into a circus act."
 
Francesca: "Turn me into one? That's what I am."
 
Ted: "It's not what you are. And he's not what you deserve. And don't you 
hire him because you feel that way."
 
Francesca: "Who would you use?"
 
Ted: "I can give you a list with twenty names. Honorable people."
 
Francesca: "Within limits?"
 
Ted: "Honorable without limits, that's a shorter list."
 
Francesca: "You're on it." Ted escorts Francesca out of his office.
 
Louis: "Graham Lester waits in reception. Shall I shepherd him in?"
 
Ted: "No. And show Francesca out the side corridor."
 
Francesca: "Thank you." Ted walks over to reception where an anxious
Lester waits.
 
Lester: "You colleague libeled my care facility in that courtroom today."
 
Ted: "Pursue your legal remedies."
 
Lester: "Why do you insist on having an adversarial relationship, Mr.
Hoffman? We have a confluence of interest here."
 
Ted: "That being?"
 
Lester: "That being Neil Avedon's welfare, obviously. You're aware I'm
still going to be giving Neil care, even at the new facility."
 
Ted: "I'll do what I can to minimize your access."
 
Lester: "Why? Why can't we work together? Why can't we cooperate? Even
at this late date. Try to work out a cooperative approach."
 
Ted: "You keep me acquainted with your therapeutic regime and I apprise
you of my legal strategy and Richard Cross is privy to every move I make."
 
Lester, laughs: "Isn't this conversation better suited to your office?"
 
Ted: "What's he got on you?"
 
Lester: "Meeting me out here, talking to me in this tone. Huh. You're
disrespect for me doesn't not go unnoticed."
 
Ted: "There'd be something wrong with both of us if it did."
 
Lester: "Don't fight me for Neil's soul, Hoffman. You can't win." He
turns and leaves and Dave Blalock enters the area.
 
Blalock: "Donald Ballard ran his wife over with his car."
 
Later, in Judge Noyce's chambers, Ted, DA Garfield and Deputy DA Ianucci
are discussing Ballard and Velacek.
 
Garfield: "Wife died an hour ago. Ballard's still at large."
 
Ted: "Look's like your getting yourself a new defendant."
 
Deputy: "Nothing wrong with the old one."
 
Garfield: "Paul."
 
Deputy: "What Ballard did does not exonerate Velacek."
 
Ted: "Your so-called victim did just what my client was afraid he'd do."
 
Judge: "Perhaps not. But in light of what's happened, I don't think this
case should ever get to the jury."

Deputy: "If we drop this we'd be doing nothing less than countenancing
cops beating up on citizens."
 
Garfield: "Relax Paul. Given the givens I agree with Judge Noyce. This
case should be dismissed. Are we done here?"
 
Ted: "I need a moment of your time. In private."  Garfield and Ted leave
the judge's chambers and enter the vacant courtroom.
 
Garfield: "I don't know what else there is to discuss, Teddy. I called
off my dog. It's over."
 
Ted: "No it isn't. I asked you to give her protection. You didn't. And it
got her killed."
 
Garfield: "That's a bit simplistic, isn't it?"
 
Ted: "It's the way the press likes their bites. Simple. Easy to comprehend."
 
Garfield: "You have a bottom line, I assume?"
 
Ted: "I want Ray Velacek back on the job, with full pay and benefits."
 
Garfield: "You really amaze me, you know that? All this sweat and heavy
breathing over Velacek. And for what? Because he's Dave Blalock's first
partner."
 
Ted: "We gonna deal or not?"
 
Garfield: "You know the situation. DA's office has no leverage over a
board of rights."
 
Ted: "Then get some. Lean on whoever you gotta lean on but get it done."
Ted leaves.
 
Chris and Neil at the Hilts Clinic. Neil is filling out forms to get
checked in.
 
Chris: "Things should be ready in a minute or two. You almost done?"
Neil removes his watch and hands it to Chris.
 
Neil: "Here, take it. Doesn't look like a Rolex kind of place."
 
Chris: "Staff's been told to look out for people hassling you."
 
Neil: "Uh, I can handle other people. It's me I have a problem with."
 
Chris: "Staff's gonna also help you with that."
 
Neil, laugh: "I've always had help. You know that, Chris? Trainer, dialogue
coach, friends. At least the friends on my payroll." Signs the forms and
hands them to Chris.
 
Chris: "People here are going to kick your butt to get you straight. You're
not going to like it. But when you leave here you're going to be clean and
sober. Maybe find out who you are."
 
Neil: "Yeah? And what if I find out who I am is the guy that killed Jessica
Costello?"
 
Nurse: "We're ready, Mr. Avedon." Neil rises and follows the nurse.
 
Chris: "You'll be okay."
 
Neil: "Yeah." Turns and looks back at Chris.
 
Back at the firm, Ray waits to speak with Ted.
 
Ray: "What'd they say?"
 
Ted: "They'll reinstate you but only if you agree to retire."
 
Ray: "Pension? Benefits?"
 
Ted: "The whole package."
 
Ray: "They caught him, you know, Ballard. Out in Lancaster. He's already
lawyered-up. Probably walk away just like the other times."

Ted: "Let it go, Ray."
 
Ray: "Being a cop, it's a habit. When you're in the life you think that's
the only air there is to breathe."
 
Ted: "It's a habit you can break. Davey did it."
 
Ray: "Might take me a while to pay you what I owe."
 
Ted: "We can make the rent." They shake hands and Ray leaves.
 
Last scene, it's late at night and Ted is working in his office when Louis
peaks through the door.
 
Louis: "Richard Cross."
 
Ted: "On the phone?"
 
Louis: "In the flesh."

Ted: "I'll see him." Louis hesitates. "Go home, Louis"

Louis: "Mr. Cross?"

Cross: "Thank you. Long night, huh, Teddy?"

Ted: "I guess you're only about halfway through yours."

Cross: "Francesca and I have had our first civil discussion since this
whole mess started, you know. She told me that you persuaded her to change
attorneys in our divorce proceedings."

Ted: "I suggested it. Has she decided to let Siegalstein go?"

Cross: "Apparently so. So how's Neil holding up?"

Ted: "I suspect you have adequate conduits for that information. And I
need to see my family." Ted rises and gets ready to leave.
 
Cross: "About Francesca, I just wanted to thank you. It will elevate the
level of discourse."
 
Ted: "I'm very fond of her, Richard. I think she has a good soul."
 
Cross: "And I am evil incarnate?"
 
Ted: "Are you?"
 
Cross: "I think you think I am, which is why I don't quite grasp why you
interceded on my behalf with Francesca. What's in it for you?"
 
Ted: "Nothing you're capable of comprehending."
 
Cross: "What would be the fee to illuminate me?"
 
Ted: "There are some things even you can't buy."
 
Cross: "Oh, come on, Teddy. Everybody has their price."
 
Ted: "Good night, Richard." And opens the door for him to leave. Louis
has stayed nearby.
 
Louis: "I need just one more signature." Ted signs as he watches Cross
leave with one of his dates.
 
[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:
Zoalinee Leroy as Judge Noyce
Robert Neches as Lt. William Diamond
Oliver Clark as Judge Douglas Harrigan
Adam Scott as Sydney Schneider
Markus Redmond as Mark Washington
Frank D. Donner, III as the Waiter
Anita Finlay as Karen Solis (Polygraph Examiner)

Director of Photography: Aaron E. Schneider
Production Designer: Paul Eads
Edited by Kaja Fehr, A.C.E.
Unit Production Manager: Patrick McKee
First Assistant Director: Mike Schilz
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: Scott 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: Margi Carlton
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 Associates: Libby Goldstein, John A. Aiello
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 Dave Weathers, Miles of Fun Sound
Presented in Dolby Surround
Lenses & Panaflex (R) camera by Panavision (R)
Copyright (c) 1995 Steven Bochco Productions #7104 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.