Episode 17

<--   15 February 2005   -->

Alice and Marilyn Germaine navigate their way through a city park looking for Marilyn's crack-addict sister, Ellie, who's been missing for three days. Marilyn, who shows Ellie's picture to the park's inhabitants, tells Alice she's worried something really bad has happened to her this time. When Alice suggests that maybe Ellie wouldn't disappear like this if Marilyn didn't nag her about her drug use, Marilyn admits she's worried that Ellie has escalated to trafficking and is now in even more danger. Marilyn leaves Alice when Ms Camla, a regular in the park, says she knows where Ellie is.
At Old City Hall, James prepares for a bail hearing for his client Michael Doyle, who's charged with aggravated assault after his younger brother Kevin slipped into a coma when Michael injected him with heroin. James asks the boys' father if he believes Kevin gave Michael permission to give him the injection but the father puts all the blame on Michael, believing he led his younger brother astray. Privately, Michael tells James that Kevin was afraid of needles so he did it for him. When James pressures Michael to tell this to police, Michael says he wants to plead guilty to save his family any more grief.
Alice meets her client Selma Lakowski in the Mental Health Court cells. Selma is terrified that time is running out for her husband, whom she believes has been kidnapped and buried alive by the Catholic Church. She begs Alice to continue the digging she started at St James Cathedral. Too busy to leave court, Alice convinces Nancy to help, asking her to visit the church and take pictures to prove to Selma her husband isn't there. During the bail hearing, Alice learns that Selma started getting into trouble five years ago when her husband left her. Selma, however, is convinced the church is holding him, despite an appearance by her son in court who confirms that his father is remarried and living in California. Rather than return her to her shelter, and since her family is incapable of supervising her, Judge Malone decides to keep Selma in hospital in an attempt to stabilize her.
In his law office, Elliot meets with his client Eduardo, Eduardo's girlfriend Valencia and Valencia's sister, Claudia, who is also Elliot's girlfriend. Eduardo has been charged with sexually assaulting a former girlfriend, a charge he vehemently denies but one that Claudia---equally vehement---suggests is probably true. When Elliot pulls Claudia aside to ask why she told him Eduardo needed a translator, Claudia hisses, "I lied. I wanted to be here to keep her strong and suspicious." As the group begins to bicker, Elliot decides to visit the scene of the alleged assault.
Back at Old City Hall, Mr Jackson is appearing in Mental Health Court on a weapons charge. While living in a rooming house, Mr Jackson believed he needed a machete to protect himself, but when he tried to register it at 52 Division he was charged with weapons dangerous. Although he tells Judge Malone he needed it because some people in his new neighbourhood have "malice in their hearts," His Honour suggests that perhaps he's really just trying to test the Constitution.
As Alice discusses Mr Jackson's case with his social worker in the hallway, Crown Attorney Menon informs Alice that one of her clients, a Ms Germaine, is appearing in Bail Court. Relieved to hear that Ellie is all right, Alice goes to Bail Court only to find Marilyn in the dock, not Ellie. The court hears that Marilyn went to 51 Division in an agitated state demanding to know what police were doing to find her sister. Failing to calm her down, an officer finally tried to escort her out but she kicked him repeatedly and was placed under arrest. During Marilyn's bail hearing, her sister Ellie is also brought into the dock. Marilyn, although relieved to see her sister alive, chastises her for once again breaking the law. Ellie counters by suggesting that the court use this opportunity to give her sister a mental assessment. Arrested for carrying a small amount of crack, Ellie decides she won't get bail this time since Marilyn, her usual surety, is in custody so she might as well go to Plea Court. Not to be outdone, Marilyn decides to plead guilty, too.
James, meanwhile, struggles to make a deal with Kaye and Portella, the Crown attorneys handling Michael's case. Portella tells James that police found an ecstasy lab the brothers had been running out of the funeral home where they worked. Now Michael and his comatose brother are also being charged with production of a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking. Despite having no criminal record, Michael is now facing serious time. Portella offers to drop the charges against the younger brother if Michael pleads guilty. James believes that sacrifice is too great but Michael, devastated by the effect his actions have had on his family, pleads guilty and is sentenced to three years in a federal prison.
Elliot, Claudia, and Elliot's private investigator, Pete, are investigating the roof-top patio of the building where Eduardo is accused of assaulting his former girlfriend. As Elliot tries to determine if anyone in the surrounding buildings could have seen the assault, they discover Eduardo and the complainant, Lucy, partially naked in an embrace. Eduardo explains that he and Lucy were only having one last good-bye and Lucy admits she made up the assault. While Claudia is prepared to dole out retribution to both Lucy and Eduardo, Elliot convinces her they should leave to find Valencia and give her the bad news about Eduardo's treachery themselves.
In Plea Court, Judge Fraser believes Marilyn Germaine has a valid defense and decides to release her on her own recognizance. Ellie, however, has now breached probation 14 times. Saying she needs a bit more time away from her sister, she suggests a 60-day sentence. Hearing this, Marilyn breaks down and tells Ellie she's worried that one day she'll lose her for good---either she'll inject something bad or something will happen to her in jail. Ellie assures her sister she loves her but that she's just trying to enjoy whatever life she has left. Fraser, touched by the sisters' emotional display, sentences Ellie to 30 days.