Murder in the First

Where's your girlfriend?

Oh, why you got to start off like that, Chris?

Habit?

Let's just say my partner

isn't as interested in your point of view as I am.

So, now you've decided to believe

I didn't kill that junkie?

Why did you confess?

Coercion.

No, don't lay that on me.

I wasn't talking about you.

You don't think a good offer from the D.A.

counts as coercion?

Okay, if you didn't kill Neyers,

then how come you were positively identified

by two eyewitnesses that I interviewed myself?

Why would they lie?

Tell me who they are and I'll tell you why.

I can't do that, man.

You went hard on them like you tried on me.

This is different.

They gave you up. They said they saw you.

Not then. Not there.

I-I'm not saying

I'm the best-loved guy in the neighborhood,

but I am one of the best known.

Makes me an easy target.

Oh, okay. So you're a victim.

No need for sarcasm.

Why'd you come out here if you don't want to listen?

I'm listening.

Okay, well, let me ask you something, Inspector.

If I killed that fool in a business dispute,

like you think, why would I leave my product behind?

Fentanyl's pricy shit. You know that.

You were in a hurry.

A .357 makes a lot of noise.

Obviously not enough to get me popped with a gun in my hand.

Because the man was healthy when I left.

But somebody like me,

I need to prove innocent beyond a reasonable doubt.

You all had your answers already.

That don't make me the truth.

Who cares? Nobody. Case closed.

Well, I'm here.

And I respect that, man. I really do.

But you ain't gonna change anything.

Just make the both of us feel worse about it.

I don't agree with you, Warren, because you're wrong.

How many homicide trials have you handled?

You're doing everything the same old way you always do.

That's what you pay me for.

But you've never had a client like me.

Rich pricks? I think that's my specialty.

I want you to put me on the stand.

Stop this.

The state rested without proving its case.

We're out ahead. We just have to stay there.

I'm not letting you bury yourself

just because you don't know any better.

I'm the only one who can tell the jury

what really happened between me and Hannah.

And it sure as hell wasn't rape.

I established that in cross.

No, you didn't.

I listened to every single word.

You asked if it was possible

that she'd used consensual sex as leverage for a payday

and she said no.

The jury needs to hear from me how she's a liar.

Unless you convince them that you're the liar,

since you have little or no incentive to tell the truth.

How about because it's the truth?

If you don't put me on the stand,

I'll be convicted for a blowjob.

'Cause that's the only physical evidence that connects me.

But I can explain why it means I didn't kill her.

Lord Almighty.

Well, I haven't heard a better plan from one of you.

It's my life, not yours.

Yes, Erich and I had planned

to meet at his house at 9:00 P.M.

to discuss the latest test results of a new product.

Is it unusual for executives in your business

to work at night like that?

Not at all. It's efficient, no interruptions.

Were you on time?

9:00 P.M. sharp, per my phone.

Never want to keep your boss waiting.

- No. -

What was Erich's mood like when you arrived?

He was relaxed, happy, you know.

Life was good.

- Did he mention Cindy? - Ivana: Yes.

He said that he and Cindy had kissed and made up

and that she would be back at work in the morning.

- Objection. - It was to Erich's state of mind, Your Honor.

Do me the courtesy of letting me finish my objection.

I thought you had.

Go ahead.

Hearsay, Your Honor. Move to strike.

Erich's statement to the witness indicates

his emotional condition at the time

and his future intention to continue Cindy's employment.

I count two hearsay exceptions.

Overruled.

Ms. West, you just said "Kissed and made up."

So, you obviously knew that Erich and Cindy

had a personal relationship, is that correct?

Yes, though they tried to be discreet,

it's hard to hide love.

Siletti: Now, when you describe the defendant

as your boss, Ms. West,

that's not a complete description

of your relationship, is it?

In fact, you have a sexual relationship

- with the defendant, don't you? - Yes.

He's been your mentor.

Your career depends on him, right?

Not at all.

What an old-fashioned question

coming from a man with a female boss.

Well, I'm sure you'd say you'd never

deceive the jury by protecting him.

- Isn't that true? - I'm not trying to protect him.

Protecting the defendant protects your own future, doesn't it?

Objection, Your Honor.

I've tried to sit on my hands,

but this is argumentative even for Mr. Siletti.

Sustained.

Were you and Cindy friends?

Ivana: We were friendly, yes.

Did you ever tell her about

your ongoing sexual relationship

with her boyfriend, the defendant?

No. That would be over-sharing.

Over-sharing?

When you're already sharing a man?

Objection! Not relevant to this case in any way.

Your Honor, it demonstrates

a pattern of deceptive behavior by this witness

and goes to her credibility.

Liars lie.

Which is why I have no further questions for Ms. West.

Judge Greer: Redirect. Mr. Daniels.

Very quickly, Your Honor.

Ms. West...

is there a formal succession plan at Applsn

if Erich needed to be replaced

for any reason as Chief Executive Officer?

To minimize risks to the shareholders, yes.

So, if Erich were to be convicted in this case,

for example, who becomes C.E.O.?

I do.

You do?

Yes.

That doesn't give you much of an incentive

for protecting him, now, does it?

No. It doesn't.

Thank you.

I'm ready for my next witness, Your Honor.

James Salter, Director of Security for Applsn.

Daniels: And how long have you been in that position?

Going on five years next month.

Ooh, watch out. I miss anything?

A base hit for Siletti.

Red pill or blue pill, you think?

What are you talking about?

"Matrix" movies. Come on.

Red pill is you bite the truth.

Blue pill... keep on lying to yourself.

When is it ever that easy?

Erich was contacted by an acquaintance

offering to sell him a popular club drug

at a very low price... specifically MDMA,

also known as ecstasy or Molly.

He suspected he was being set up by the police

and asked me to investigate.

From your own personal experience

as a captain in the police department,

did that seem unreasonable to you?

Not at all.

And what, if anything, did you do next?

I had Erich set up a meeting with his acquaintance

ostensibly to make the purchase.

Then I went to the location myself to see what would happen.

And what did you see at that location?

Inspector English and another undercover narcotics officer

were staked out in an unmarked command vehicle,

along with six other units,

including two sets of photographers.

Is that typical department procedure

for this kind of operation?

No, sir, it is not.

Hmm. What happened next?

I interrupted the operation

and confronted Inspector English

about his attempt to entrap Mr. Blunt

with phony drug charges that would basically

violate his bail and incarcerate him.