Episode 8

<--   1 March 2004   -->

Elliot meets with Sammy Eccles, a career criminal charged with robbing a jewelry store. Later, Elliot is approached by Lana, the jeweler. She is desperate because insurance has not covered the stolen merchandise, and she wants Elliot to help get the merchandise back. Elliot visits Crown Kaye to try to make a deal. Sammy was only the lookout guy for the robbery, waiting in the car. If Sammy gets the stolen jewelry back, Kaye will offer him a decent deal.

Alice meets with Malcolm Camden and his wife Joyce. Malcolm is charged with assaulting the fathers of some little boys who were bullying his daughter Megan. At trial, Crown Munoz examines Karen, the principal of Megan’s school. Two young boys were picking on a third boy and Megan intervened. All of the parents were called to Karen’s office and when Malcolm arrived he launched an unprovoked attack. Alice cross-examines Karen on how the two young boys had a history of physically tormenting Megan. She also points out that when Malcolm arrived in Karen’s office, Megan was crying and quivering. Later, Alice examines one of the victims, who admits that Malcolm had spoken to him various times in the past to stop the boys from tormenting Megan, suggesting that Malcolm had reason to be frustrated.

Sammy tells Elliot that the stolen jewelry is with a fence. It will cost 25K to buy it back. Lana, her lawyer, and Elliot meet Sammy to buy back the jewelry. Elliot accuses Sammy of lying about the fence. If Sammy accepts the money, he probably won’t get a plea. Sammy gives Lana the jewelry back free of charge.

The homeless Mr. Jackson is representing himself on a public mischief charge. Crown Menon examines Mr. Demara, the manager of the computer store where Mr. Jackson’s incident occurred. Mr. Jackson used to visit the computer store and act as salesmen to the clientele, helping them make purchases. Mr. Demara did not want an unclean homeless man posing as an employee of his store. On one occasion Mr. Jackson was asked to leave while helping a customer. Mr. Jackson then began screaming at the customers, telling them not to shop at the store, and the police were called. Mr. Jackson questions Mr. Demara on why he refused to hire him as salesman. He suggests that not being considered for the job on the basis of his homelessness is a Charter issue; that discrimination against the homeless makes it harder for them to turn their lives around. Amazingly, Judge Fraser agrees and lets Mr. Jackson go free.

Joe Pretak represents a career drug dealer who was pulled over for speeding and unreasonably searched. The police found a significant amount of crack in the car. Joe argues racial profiling and that the system should not give up on his client, who wants to be rehabilitated. Judge Serkies is sympathetic and gives the defendant provincial time and the possibility of rehab.

Alice examines an expert witness who states that Megan’s parents felt the effects of the bullying perhaps even more than their daughter. The Camden’s did everything right to try to help their daughter – including seeking counseling – but nothing worked. They were at their wits’ end. Malcolm testifies that he felt that the only way he could protect Megan was by finally taking matters into his own hands. Judge Vaughan compares Malcom’s state of mind to “battered wife syndrome” and orders a full acquittal.