Innocent

Mom? Dad?

I've been trying to reach you all day.

She's gone.

State coppers just foundBarbara Sabich dead in her bed.

Chief Justice's wife?

We should send flowers.

We're hearing Judge Sabich

didn't report his wife's death for 24 hours.

What? Channel 8 has specialdispensation from the Pope?

Not now, Elaine.

I was talking to your boss.

Cops in the burbs are bringing in detectives.

Their whiskers are twitching, Tommy. Any comment?

I say this with the utmost respect, Elaine...

Get out of my office!

Oh, come on, Tommy!

You prosecuted Rusty Sabich 20 years ago

for the murder of his lover... unsuccessfully.

There's gonna be questions.

Do you suspect foul play?!

What is she doing, inventing a story?

Is she?

But, your honor, if you just look at the rec...

Mr. Molto, please, please. You arethe prosecutor,

and you're certainly free

to interpret the record as you please.

However, there is no proof Mr. Harnason could know

that arsenic wouldn't be detected

by a routine tox screen.

In fact, there's no clear evidence

howMr. Harnason could have even poisoned his partner.

There are several friends of his who have testified

that it was the partner who did the cooking.

Yes, your honor, that istrue.

Mr. Molto, please, you will have our decision

in due course.

Your honor, with all due respect,

I know that you granted the appellant bail...

Excuse me. Excuse me, Mr. Molto.

- Based on the precedent... - Mr. Molto...

Do you have an issue, sir,

with the court's decision on bail?

No, your honor.

Court adjourned.

Well, he says he took five strokes off his handicap.

Yeah, but can he break 100?

I know thatlook.

Chief prosecutorThomas Moltowishes you to know

he'd like to eatyour internal organsfor lunch.

Well, he's only here in the flesh

to try to move the dial on you and Marvina.

You don't really expectto convince us to reverse,

do you, Rusty?

They found traces of arsenicin this man's shed.

I don't know, George.

It's just every once in a while I remember

what it was like to sit in a courtroom

as a criminal defendant.

But you were innocent.

Tommy didn't think so.

He probably doesn't think so now.

I don't think he should be so certain about this case.

Woman: Surprise!

Rusty: Oh, my God.

Where didyou put your Social Security card?

I'm 60. Don't rush me.

- Happy birthday. - Thank you.

- Happy birthday, Dad. - Aww.

Nat.

60's the new 40.

Tell thatto my knees.

Please don't recite your journal of ills.

I assure you my list is longer.

Sandy, you are the only lawyer

I enjoy seeing in my office.

Marta!

I merit Stern and Stern!

Happy birthday, Rusty.

Oh, I'm honored.

I really am. Who put thistogether?

Oh! Don't look at me.

Wow! I don't know what to say.

Oh, please, just blow, Judge. You have a conference in 10 minutes.

Anna made the cake. Be sure to thank Anna.

Bravo!

Good Lord, clerk of all trades.

Isn't she in her last week with you, Rusty?

Yes, she's off to Ray Horgan's firm next week.

- Hi! - That's a pity.

Yes.

Very eloquent for the world'smost famous pit bull.

Why, thank you.

No, no, no. Just halfa piece for Rusty.

We're having a familybirthday dinner tonight.

Oh, okay.

Hey, hey.

Your pills.

Why, thank you...

said the lab rat.

Looks good.

I picked up a bottle of the Chateau Tour Maillet.

My God, you're gonnamake a fine lawyer.

Yeah, if I can just finish clerkship hell.

What's that?

Oh, this... this is a birthday gift from George Mason

in honor of my "commandpresence" on the bench, he says.

Nat: Hmm.

Beats a knit tie.

I let Harnason outon bail today.

The poisoner? Why?

W-who's Harnason?

He's a lawyer, gay,

who was convicted ofmurdering his lover.

The guy's on appeal and you granted him bail? Why?

I was the prosecutor. I senthim to prison decades ago

for a different offense,

and there were elements of doubt and...

maybe one of them was me.

I wonder if I sent a man to jailfor prejudices

that I am now ashamed of.

See, you hit 60, and you start penciling your memoirs.

Mmm.

This cake is still great.

Yes, Anna worked very hard

to put your little party together.

Yeah, she is a hard worker, that's for sure.

Everybody in my building thinks she's way hot.

Well, youshould ask her out, Nat.

She's a little old for Nat, don't you think?

I mean, she had... what... Three or four careers

before going to law school.

That's right, Nat. I forgot.

Your father wants to save her for himself.

Barbara, that's not even funny.

What?

What's the matter?

Hmm?

Hey.

I wasn't...

being "funny"...

about Anna... earlier.

She has a thing for you.

Oh, come on. Don't be silly.

She looks like she's gonna pass out

every time she sees you.

- Barbara, you're... - Crazy?

- No. - Say it.

- No. I wouldn't. - Say it.

That's not what I was gonna say. You're talking about somebody

who's 25 years youngerthan I am.

She happens to look upto me as a mentor.

She's got all these young guys

just panting after her in the courthouse, all right?

So she's gonna be gone next week.

It's no...

That's good. Just play the role.

Just play the role, Rusty.

You know, Saint Rusty. Just too pure to notice.

Does this mean you're screwing her?

- Oh, for Christ's sake. - Hmm?

No, because we all know that you would neverdo anything like that.

You're hardly one to throwthe past in my face.

That was before...

I was diagnosed.

I was a different person then.

But you, not you.

Oh, you're the same old Rusty.

You know, you just play

the mighty Chief Appellate Judge...

but it's all an act. It's all an act!

And the person who knows that the best is you!

You are 60 years old, Rusty,

and you are still not satisfied.

You're not satisfied with being Captain Courageous!

You're not satisfied...

with your nutjob wife!

You hate everything!

And most of all,

- you hate me! - No. No.

- Yes, you do. - Barbara...

- Yes, you do. - No, I don't.

There.

There you go.

This memorial service for Barbara Sabich

follows her death one week ago.

Now, those attending may or may not have heard,

but the Kindle County Coroner's office

has just ruled...

As Judge Rusty Sabich has maintained all along...

That Mrs. Sabich's death was due tonatural causes.

Yeah?

Woman worked out every day, looked half her age.

How is it Barbara Sabichdies of a heart attack?

10 bucks says she worked out every day of her life

because no one in her family lived past the age of 65.

It's all in the genes, my friend... sadly.

What's the blood chemistry?

They did an immunoassay. Routine on the tox.

Anything show up?

A lotshowed up.