- Stuart Markowitz: Why were you in Argentina in 1979, sir?
- Peter Reynolds: I was one of a number of Americans there with the agrarian reform movement. We were trying to bring about a redistribution of a land. I had been there about 6 months at the time of my arrest.
- Stuart Markowitz: What were you arrested for?
- Peter Reynolds: No one ever said. They just came in the middle of the night and took me to prison.
- Stuart Markowitz: When did you first meet the defendant?
- Peter Reynolds: A few days later. They took me to a room. There were three men there. He was one of them.
- Stuart Markowitz: What happened in their room?
- Peter Reynolds: They... told me to take off my clothes. They strapped me to the machine. Mr. Mendez pour a pail of ice water over my head and wired an electrode to my genitals. He pushed a switch and a jolt of an electricity hit me. My head snapped back, my whole body shook, and... and then he did it again. And after each time, he would turn a dial, so that the next one would be just that little bit worse. Finally, the pain got so bad that I passed out.
- Stuart Markowitz: Was this type of session ever repeated?
- Peter Reynolds: Over the 2 years, that I was held, there were 34 such sessions.
- Stuart Markowitz: And did Mr. Mendez himself always administer the torture?
- Peter Reynolds: Yes. It was always Mr. Mendez.
- Stuart Markowitz: After you were released from prison, when did you next see Mr. Mendez?
- Peter Reynolds: 3 years ago. His photograph was in the paper. American dream come true. Penniless immigrant makes good opens 8 new dry cleaning locations in one year alone.
- Stuart Markowitz: And what about you, Peter? How do you support yourself?
- Peter Reynolds: I can't work. My mother... gives me enough for a furnished room, and cigarettes... and I do odd jobs when I can. At night, I... can't sleep during the day. Well, I - I take medication that keeps me pretty even, but... mostly, I just walk around.
- Stuart Markowitz: I have nothing further.
- Douglas Brackman, Jr.: Reynolds vs. Mendez. Stuart, you're really doing this?
- Stuart Markowitz: Yep.
- Rosalind Shays: You're sending Stuart into federal court, Michael?
- Stuart Markowitz: I'm ready, Rosalind. For this case, I'm ready.
- Michael Kuzak: Stuart's been working his pants off on this.
- Abby Perkins: Nervous?
- Stuart Markowitz: Oh, yeah.
- Ann Kelsey: If he loses, it won't be for lack of preparation, I can tell you that much.
- Stuart Markowitz: I'm not gonna lose.
- Douglas Brackman, Jr.: All right, Rosalind. I noticed you open up an account for Newstead Company. Is this a potential new client?
- Rosalind Shays: Just some introductory talks, we don't have to go through it here.
- Victor Sifuentes: Excuse me. Newstead, the Liquor Company?
- Victor Sifuentes: Let's move on.
- Victor Sifuentes: No, no. Is Newstead going to become a client here?
- Rosalind Shays: I've just opened some dialog, that's all.
- Victor Sifuentes: Like hell.
- Leland McKenzie: Victor.
- Victor Sifuentes: We had a client who was in litigation with this firm last week. And Rosalind goes behind my back, and she convinces the client to accept the settlement offer which was way too low.
- Rosalind Shays: It wasn't low.
- Victor Sifuentes: It was low!
- [sighs]
- Victor Sifuentes: And suddenly Newstead is now coming to us for presentation?
- Rosalind Shays: What are you saying, Victor?
- Victor Sifuentes: What am I saying? I'm saying you were bought, Rosalind, I'm saying you sold out our clients.
- Rosalind Shays: How dare you!
- Leland McKenzie: Victor!
- Victor Sifuentes: Oh, please, don't give me this how dare you crap, okay?
- Leland McKenzie: Victor, that's enough!
- Victor Sifuentes: No, it's not enough. You - you really think you can get away with this?
- Leland McKenzie: Sit down, Victor!
- [Victor is leaving]
- Leland McKenzie: There's no reason for you to be talking like this!
- Victor Sifuentes: I'm gonna recommend to the client that she sue this firm for malpractice, I'm gonna recommend to Jimmy Hoffs that he sue us for interference with contract!
- Rosalind Shays: You do that, you're fired!
- [Nobody's gonna stop Victor Sifuentes when he's fired. Victor sighs]
- Victor Sifuentes: I've known you for that. As soon as I finished up my trial next week. I quit.
- Leland McKenzie: [Closed the door] Do you know for a fact she made a deal with Newstead to sellout your client?
- Victor Sifuentes: You figured out, Leland.
- Leland McKenzie: Do you know for a fact?
- Victor Sifuentes: You mean I can prove it?
- [sighs]
- Victor Sifuentes: No. Never can with her, she's too damn good. But you can't hide what she is, Leland. I know what happened here! So do you.
- Leland McKenzie: Let me look into it.
- Victor Sifuentes: Yeah, you go ahead and check it out. I'm sure that's gonna be really big investigation.
- [Stuart reading the law books. Knocking is Kuzak]
- Michael Kuzak: How'd you doing?
- Stuart Markowitz: I'm ready.
- Michael Kuzak: I know how much this case means to you, Stuart, and I know how much you want to win.
- Stuart Markowitz: Yeah, look, from the beginning, we all know this been more just a case for me.
- Michael Kuzak: Speaking from having been there, I can see that sometimes that can hurt you.
- Stuart Markowitz: Mike, I'm not gonna let it hurt me.
- [Michael shaking hands with Stuart]
- Michael Kuzak: Good luck.
- Stuart Markowitz: Thanks.
- Joan Nystrom: Miss Melman, it's an untenable situation, your father's been very disruptive around here.
- Murray Melman: What are you telling her for?
- Joan Nystrom: [Takes off glasses] She's your daughter.
- Murray Melman: Just an accent at birth.
- Roxanne Melman: In what way has he been disruptive?
- Joan Nystrom: He goes to constant mood swings, he's a wild and boisterous, one minute and nearly catatonic the next. I think your father's increasingly losing touch with reality.
- Roxanne Melman: In what way?
- Joan Nystrom: He takes on the persona of a television character. Your father goes in and out of thinking he's Ralph Kramden.
- Murray Melman: You haven't the slightest idea what I'm thinking.
- Roxanne Melman: It sounds to me like my father's just trying to get a rise out of you, he - he often does that sort of thing to amuse himself.
- Joan Nystrom: Well, all I'll tell you is that, uh, whoever he assigns the role of Ed Norton is not amused.
- Roxanne Melman: Why? What does he do?
- Joan Nystrom: He throws them out whatever room there in. And then he makes some elderly woman Alice Kramden. And he yells at her for not ironing his bowling shirt or not having his dinner ready.
- Murray Melman: Why is it I get the feeling like I'm sitting in the principal's office?
- Joan Nystrom: We are just a retirement community, for people on a fixed income. What your father needs is professional help.
- Murray Melman: No, no, no, no. What I need is to be treated with some respect.
- Roxanne Melman: Daddy, if you're not happy, then don't stay here. Pack your things and we'll find another place.
- Murray Melman: You want me to ride? There's a bus stop up on the corner.
- Roxanne Melman: On will you?
- Clerk: Case # 897230. People vs. Franklin Leonard sentencing.
- William Sanderiand: William Sanderiand for the defendant, Your Honor. You recall that my client was convicted of larceny by false pretenses. You also recall that my client is a medical doctor. District Attorney and I have agreed on a joint recommendation of 6 months probation, plus community service. Dr. Leonard will provide free medical service for 4 designated homeless shelters for the next 36 months. At a minimum of 6 hours per week.
- Judge Grace Van Owen: This is acceptable to you?
- ADA Ellen Harris: Yes, Your Honor.
- Judge Grace Van Owen: Well, it's not acceptable to me. 2 years state prison, one suspended, once served.
- William Sanderiand: Your Honor.
- Dr. Franklin Leonard: Your Honor.
- Judge Grace Van Owen: He stole, Mr. Sanderiand. The fact that he's a doctor makes him no less of a thief. And you, Miss Harris, why'd you cut a deal like that? Because he's rich?
- ADA Ellen Harris: Your Honor, I don't think that Dr. Leonard poses a serious threat to society.
- Judge Grace Van Owen: You don't? Let me tell you that when a licensed physician starts falsifying Medicaid claims when he starts taking money out a taxpayers pockets, he is definitely a threat to society.
- William Sanderiand: I would ask the court to take into consideration, my client's distinguished commitment to public service as well as charities and I think...
- Judge Grace Van Owen: I'll take it under consideration. I'll also take it under consideration that the defendant is a fairly wealthy man which makes his decision to steal even more reprehensible. And I will further take it into consideration that this larceny was accomplished systematically over 6 separate occasions, totally more than $24,000. Dr. Leonard's a criminal. He's going to jail. Next case.