Courted

1

COURTED:

I think I'll go home.

I have chills, aches.

I really don't feel well.

- Not the flu, I hope.

- I'm afraid so.

- Where's the deposition?

- Right there.

I must go to bed.

I'd get under the comforter

and stay there.

All well?

Good evening, Mr. Racine.

I won't be having dinner

down here tonight.

Can you bring me up some soup

and mineral water?

- Yes, what time?

- Seven.

"Helping Hand"

is a women's rehabilitation center.

For holiday season,

they've set up shop in Dunkerque.

800 items to organize

in less than 24 hours.

A job for "Helping Hand"

with its team of women...

"At 11:
45 pm

"Martial Beclin

entered the precinct

"rue Gambetta.

"That day in Boulogne-sur-Mer

it rained all day.

"He came to signal the death

of his 7-month-old child.

"Lieutenant Massimet

took his statement. "

Relax...

Now tighten your butt cheek.

After this, go back to bed.

Turn up the heat,

sweat it out all night.

Starting tomorrow,

3 days of bed rest.

Impossible. I have a trial

starting tomorrow morning.

- Another rape case?

- A new trial.

Guy kicked

his 7-month-old child to death.

Combat boots.

I'm giving you

just one pack of Captagon.

Careful, no more than 2 a day.

Or you'll be jumping up and down

during the entire trial.

See that guy in the red scarf?

He's the presiding judge.

A ten-up judge.

What is "ten-up"?

With him,

you get at least 10 years.

- Love him or hate him.

- You like him?

Not much.

Good morning, Your Honor.

Sorry, I have the flu.

- Taking anything?

- Yes. So?

Ms. Gerbelle, my assistant.

Your Honor.

I'll have to leave the courtroom

periodically.

- I'm plaintiff for the...

- Fine. Have a good day.

Hello.

- Hello, counselor.

- Are you well?

- Fine and you?

- Getting by...

"At 11:
45 pm...

"Martial Beclin

entered the precinct. "

Racine had a fitful night.

- Keep a secret?

- Sure, as always.

Around midnight,

Lalanne saw him

leaving a hooker bar.

He couldn't walk straight.

Racine?

But he never drinks.

Of course. Says him!

- No one will miss him.

- Know who'll replace him?

Is the deputy prosecutor right?

Racine left his house

for a hotel?

Not his house.

It's his wife's.

I hear she kicked him out

and not the opposite.

You all got the jury lists?

I'd like another.

I misplaced mine.

I'd like one too, please.

Did you get your jury list?

More women than men.

It'll be tough for you.

Chantal, Florence, Gabrielle...

21 of 35.

First, the legal profession

is feminized...

Defendants aren't being feminized.

9 out of 10 are men.

Just in Criminal.

Here comes Racine,

like an icy wind.

Your Honor...

I caught a bad flu.

No contact, for your own sake.

- You have the flu?

- Since the night before last.

A lot going around.

I had to go out at night,

I was so sick.

To find a pharmacy.

Late-night pharmacies in Saint-Omar

aren't common.

Late-night.

Yes, just before midnight.

So in the end

I went near City Hall...

Pharmacies usually post the names

of late-night ones.

I didn't notice.

- Has the defendant arrived?

- No, I'll tell you.

No need to discuss my flu for hours.

This is the defense side.

Defendant's dock.

His lawyers' seats.

And from here

we can hear

almost everything they say.

There in the center, the presiding

judge surrounded by two associates.

The jurors will sit around them.

On the other side,

the prosecutor.

The one who just came in?

She must be the child's mother.

- Why the wait?

- Ms. Malesherbes is on her way.

Unbelievable.

- Sorry I'm late, sir.

- No, no...

I represent the plaintiff and...

Go in. We're about to begin.

Leave us.

Something to tell me, Fournier?

Nothing, Your Honor.

Why are you staring?

All rise!

Court is now in session.

Officers, show in the defendant.

Remain standing, sir.

Keep the noise

down to a minimum.

If I can't be heard by the defendant,

I'll empty out the courtroom.

Last name, first name,

age, employment and address.

Beclin, Martial...

Look in the direction of the court.

Beclin, Martial.

27 years old, unemployed...

I must ask you again to look

in the direction of the court.

Thank you.

Beclin, Martial. 27 years old.

Unemployed. Boulogne-sur-Mer,

the Bel-Air projects.

Fine, sir. Thank you.

Be seated.

Clerk...

the names of the potential jurors.

Mrs. Jeannette Marot...

The judge is in a lousy mood.

I'd hate to be the defendant.

Mrs Chantal Anon-Lesel.

Here.

- Miss Isabelle Barceau.

- Here.

We just began jury selection.

I know, I got the email.

An immediate reply.

Forward it to Franois.

Coralie Marciano.

Rejected.

Your Honor?

Defense reached its limit.

They already rejected Ms. Colmart,

Ms. Versati, Ms. Verchuren...

Fine.

Ms. Marciano,

you are now Juror 6.

Clerk, please take note

to update Mr. Jourd'hui

on the trial by text message.

Having noted the remarks

by plaintiff, prosecutor and defense,

and according to Article 296

of the Penal Code,

the court orders, in addition

to the 6 jurors now chosen,

the random selection

of 3 supplementary jurors

who will attend all court dates

until a verdict shall be pronounced.

Ms. Ditte Lorensen-Coteret.

Mr. Serge Debruyne.

The rest of the jury pool

is free till Friday

for the next case.

They may remain in the courtroom

if they wish, or not.

We'll take a 15-minute recess.

Is it normal, such an early break?

- No.

- It's usually later in the morning.

After preliminary,

or character exam.

The preliminary report is

the judge's summary of the charges.

2 kinds of presiding judges:

those who close off debates,

who lay out the facts,

who refer to each deposition,

who use investigative reports

to leave you no wiggle room.

And those

who keep their report very short,

preferring to let the defendant,

witnesses and victim speak.

- They let it play out.

- What kind is ours?

Closing-off kind.

- Closing off?

- I disagree.

He lets discussions play out.

He counts jurors over 60.

That means more pee breaks.

- Pee breaks?

- Important!

In Saint-Omer. At the courthouse.

I was chosen.

For three days.

Is Dr. Leiris nearby?

- Your accent?

- Danish.

- Born there?

- Copenhagen.

French now...

The trial will now resume.

I'm sorry

for this abrupt interruption.

I'm fighting off an illness,

that is to say, the flu.

I needed my dose of aspirin.

Follow me so we can reconvene.

Go to your seats quickly.

Only once you've reached them

can we all be seated.

Before we begin,

allow me to read a letter

from the defendant.

"Your Honor, I write this letter

"to discuss something

I have thought over.

"During the trial,

I've decided not to speak.

"I will not answer questions.

"I will answer each time

that it wasn't me,

"that I didn't kick her,

"that I'm not to blame

for Melissa's death,

"that I am innocent.

I won't change my mind.

"I remain respectfully yours... "

Will the defendant rise?

Did you send me this letter?

Yes, Judge.

"Yes, Your Honor".

Not "Yes, Judge".

Are you of the same opinion

as in June?

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