Episode 3

<--   26 January 2004   -->

Alice’s client Lisa is an ex-heroin addict now trying to rescue her 8-year-old daughter from her drug-addict father Ronnie. While searching for her daughter, Lisa stormed into her daughter’s school and assaulted a teacher and the arresting officer.

Elliott meets with flaky Tina, the teenage girlfriend of his client Robbie. Elliot has serious concerns over how effective Tina will appear to the Court as a potential surety for Robbie.

In Bail Court, Alice represents Edward Aranas, arrested while running around his apartment building with a knife screaming about being a “terror” and “blowing up” the building. Crown Kaye suspects Mr. Aranas of being a terrorist. Alice has been unable to get Mr. Aranas to speak, he has been crying constantly, and she suggests that it may have been attempted “suicide-by-police”. J.P. Chan agrees to traverse the matter to Mental Health Court.

Elliot meets with Robbie, a spoiled rich kid, in for beating a man unconscious in a dispute over a parking spot. Elliot doesn’t feel confident with Tina as surety, but Robbie is adamant. Tina helps him with his part-time drug dealing business; she’s “reliable”. Elliot shudders.

Crown Menon agrees to drop Lisa’s assault charges if she pleads to the abduction charge, but Alice knows this will jeopardize Lisa’s chances at custody. Billy, Ronnie’s drug addict friend, will not testify on her behalf. Alice knows that Lisa’s only defence is to prove that she was acting to protect her daughter from Ronnie’s drug problem. Nancy must beg Billy to testify.

Alice interviews Mr. Aranas’ mother, who does not know why her son, who has no criminal record, went berserk. The brother arrives and argues mysteriously with the mother.

In Bail Court, the dim Tina testifies ineptly as Robbie’s surety and bail is denied.

Nancy returns with Billy. Billy doesn’t want to betray his friend but Lisa reminds him that the life of her daughter is at stake. Billy relents. He will testify that Lisa’s ex-husband is a junkie. Crown Menon agrees to consider the new information.

His opportunity to make bail squandered, Elliot advises Robbie on his options: wait three of four months for his trial or plead guilty. Terrified of jail, Robbie is incredulous.

In Mental Health Court, Dr. Neuman wonders if Mr. Aranas (who is still unresponsive) is faking mental disability. Mr. Aranas’ family appears and the truth emerges: Mr. Aranas caught his brother and his wife in bed together and now, as a result, wants to die. Judge Malone orders that Mr. Aranas get help from people who deal in this kind of trauma.

Elliot pleads Robbie guilty. Robbie apologizes to the Court but can’t help sounding like a spoiled racist and only aggravates his case further. He is sentenced to ninety days in jail.

Back in Plea Court, Crown Menon and Alice negotiate: Menon will drop the abduction charge if Lisa pleads to two assault charges. The unpredictable Judge Fraser intervenes: hearing that Lisa acted for her child’s safety, he demands the Crown withdraw the charges. Menon is outraged, but Judge Fraser is adamant. He gives Lisa a conditional discharge and then lectures Crown Menon about bringing a little common sense back to the law.