Murder in the First

-Hey. -Hey.

-Thanks for saving me a seat. -Good morning.

Morning.

How was the, uh -- How was the date with Burnside?

Oh, it was good.

Actually, I decided that we're not gonna date anymore,

so...

Huh.

Is that why you sent me the midnight

"Thinking of you" text?

No, it was just...

an impulse, okay?

I guess I was just... thinking about you.

Thinking about me. Okay.

What were you thinking, hmm?

Can we just not make this a big deal, please?

Yes, let's -- let's not make it a big deal.

Bailiff: All rise.

The Honorable Judge Teresa Klein presiding.

Be seated.

In the matter of The People of the State of California

vs. Andrew Stewart Lippman,

counsel, your appearances, please.

Good morning, Your Honor.

Martin Reardon, on behalf of the People.

Kenneth Burrows for Mr. Lippman.

State the charge, Mr. Reardon.

The charge is murder in the first degree,

pursuant to California Penal Code 187,

with special circumstances pursuant

to section 190.2, Your Honor.

Mr. Burrows, does your client waive the reading

of the complaint in its entirety?

He does, Your Honor.

State the maximum penalty for the charge, Mr. Reardon.

Maximum penalty is life without parole

or the death penalty, Your Honor.

Mr. Lippman, how do you plead

to the charge against you, guilty or not guilty?

Definitely not guilty, Your Honor.

Your Honor, considering the murder-for-hire

special circumstances, the state would request

that bail be denied since this is a capital case.

-Your Honor -- -No need to argue it,

Mr. Burrows. Bail is denied.

Inspectors, my client would like to have a word with you.

Regarding?

Come see him and find out. He's waiting for you.

Let's go.

I am an attorney, so I understand

the pressure on Reardon now that he's in the big office,

but I am not the guy.

Yes, I had access to Alicia's house

and, by extension, that gun, but so did dozens of other people.

There's staff, party guests,

friends of all kinds, hers and Normandy's,

including Billy James.

All right, you could argue the fact that the gun

was taken out of her house at any time,

but how was it put back in

and found under her bed after the murder?

Alicia really didn't have that much time for entertaining

between Normandy's death and her overdose. No.

What do you think, we should look at the -- the housekeepers?

No. Why don't you look at her father?

Paul Barnes?

He's a textbook sociopath.

What do you mean?

Yeah, he acts like the doting dad,

always putting Alicia's life concerns first.

The guy is a crazy control freak

with a nasty temper.

And, man, did he hate Normandy.

You hated Normandy, too.

Yes, fine.

I wasn't Normandy's biggest fan at the beginning.

He's a decent guy.

Look, I-I was grateful that he kicked

Daddy Dearest out of her life.

Normandy kicked out Barnes? Why?

I don't know. I-I-I didn't ask.

I didn't care. Look, gone was good enough for me.

When did this happen, exactly?

A few months ago.

Paul did not take the news well.

So that's why Alicia had a restraining order out on Barnes.

Yeah.

Best decision she's made in months.

Acute myocardial infarction.

Ruptured plaque.

Class IV atherosclerosis.

Left ventricle enlarged and thin-walled.

Possib--

Hey!

-Oh! -How are you?

Am I getting you at a bad time?

No, this is a good time.

This is Mrs. Nussbaum. I don't think she'll mind.

Okay, um, uh --

I just -- I just wanted to come by and --

and tell you that it's been --

it's been really nice getting to know you outside of work.

Ah, you too.

But I just, uh --

I don't -- I don't really think we're right --

There's no chemistry, huh?

Same for you?

Yeah. It was kind of a surprise, 'cause you're so --

Well, you're you.

And, um, yeah, so, last night,

after I went home, I called my wife.

Um, we had this really good talk,

so we decided we're gonna try to work on things,

you know, with the kids and all, and try --

That's great. That -- That's great.

-Yeah. -I'm happy to hear that.

Um, we're good, though, right, me and you?

Yeah, totally good.

Okay. Yeah.

Yeah.

I'll see you around.

Over my dead body.

Oh.

This is Serena Parrish of The Parrish Report.

Hey, Serena. It's Jim again.

I-I'm just checking in about lunch.

Um, I made a reservation at Piccolino,

or, uh, we can order in.

Uh, I just --

I just need to be back in the office by 2:00.

Either way, uh, give me a ring back, okay?

Bye.

Hey, we got 24 hours.

Why don't we just settle up here

instead of on the old proverbial courthouse steps?

What would that take?

Misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, no jail time?

That's right where you started, Al.

You haven't budged.

Look, Mario's political life is over.

The civil case will wipe out his assets.

At least give him a chance to practice law and make a living.

"Slap on the Wrist for Drunk D.A." --

That's what a misdemeanor sounds like.

Graciela Ramirez is still dead.

Look, you and I can work out a statement

to make it look right in the public eye.

Walters won't go for manslaughter.

That's a win for the office.

Do you honestly think

that your evidence proves beyond a reasonable doubt?

Let the jury of his peers decide.

You know, I came up here in good faith

that you would take this to the top,

but I didn't realize that you were making

unilateral decisions for the attorney general now.

Fine.

I'll run it by him.

Hey, Serena, it's Jim.

Serena.

Serena? Hey, hey.

Oh, shit.

Woman: 911.

What's the nature of your emergency?

This is Lieutenant Koto, Homicide.

I'm at 348 Bennington Street, Apartment H.

I have an unconscious female, 30s.

No pulse. Obvious signs of trauma.

I need an ambulance and a squad here immediately.

Hey.

Who called it in?

Lieutenant Koto did.

How long?

Liver's almost at room temp.

She's in full rigor.

Um, 20, 24 hours.

Protrusion is a fracture of the cervical vertebrae,

C4 or C5.

COD was a broken neck,

and defensive wounds indicate she may have fought back.

That doesn't surprise me.

Maybe she left a little bit of the killer's skin

underneath those fingernails.

I'm gonna get her back to the morgue and find that out.

Uh, the, uh, door was open.

No signs of forced entry.

So, if she let someone in, she knew them.

Yeah. Her laptop, iPad, and phone are all missing.

This is the third body that, somehow, is related

to the Normandy Parker murder.

You think it's an ugly coincidence?

Probably not.

Serena was the source of the tip

about Luke wagging a gun at Normandy in the locker room.

Luke Wedman?

You think maybe he found out that she leaked it?

I mean, if she decided to tell the story,

she'd sink any chance he had for a new team.