Courted Page #6

Who deduced this?

You, Lieutenant Massimet,

or my client?

The defendant.

Yet they're not his words.

I try to translate

as best I can.

No one's asking you to translate.

To translate is to betray.

You can't make anyone

say anything.

Another example:
paragraph D-432.

"In my state,

it is feasible that I...

Note, if you will,

the use of the word "feasible"

which my client employs avidly.

"It is feasible

that I kicked her once or twice. "

It is feasible

that what you give me,

Mr. Massimet,

is a chill up my spine.

It is feasible.

This "it is feasible" is enormous!

It can make a man say anything.

Admit to anything.

Take the blame for any crime.

It is feasible

as well, Mr. Massimet,

you heard wrong.

It is also feasible

in a state of exhaustion,

in utter disarray,

having lost his beloved daughter,

7 months old,

this man, in the defendant's dock,

ended up saying

what you wanted to hear.

That's all for today.

Thank you, Counselor.

Anyone else with a question?

No one?

No one?

I think it's over for you.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Wait.

Maybe one last question.

The combat boots,

the ones the defendant

claims to have tossed

into the Liane canal.

- Did you look for them?

- Yes, Your Honor.

We dredged part of the canal,

but found nothing.

I can imagine.

You say the boots he wore

when he made his statement

at the precinct

weren't the ones he kicked her with.

That's right.

Did you ask

how many pairs of boots he had?

I didn't.

You didn't ask?

Excuse me, but...

on the night of April 24th-25th,

a man shows up,

says he kicked his child to death

with boots.

He is wearing combat boots.

You don't even check

if they were the ones used?

In fact he...

He said he threw them in the canal...

And you believed that?

Yet when he tells you

that when violently opening

the bathroom door,

he banged the child's head,

you didn't believe him.

Not really.

Because he kept

contradicting himself.

One time you believe him,

one time you don't.

How do you decide?

Head or tails?

Of course we...

I mean...

Captain Le Gal and I,

the two of us...

we felt he was... hiding something,

not telling the truth.

That's why...

we asked if by chance

he had kicked the child.

Is it you or the defendant

who first brought up kicking?

I can't really remember.

It was us but...

the defendant immediately

confirmed it...

Martial Beclin,

will you please rise?

How many pairs of combat boots

do you own?

One pair.

Is it the same pair

that was taken from you

when you were taken to jail

which you signed for

upon surrendering them?

That's right.

Then why did you say

you threw your boots

into the Liane canal?

Answer me.

Jessica Marton,

will you please rise?

My question is simple.

Your husband claims to own

only one pair of combat boots.

True or false?

Answer me.

True or false?

Just one pair.

Thank you, Mrs. Marton.

We'll take a 20-minute recess.

Finding the boots

changes everything!

- Why?

- Not at all.

He still could have kicked the child.

Why throw them in the canal?

What's that bullshit?

Boots in the canal.

Put yourself in his place.

Imagine he did kick her.

- What do you know?

- Nothing.

It's just an hypothesis.

After I'll do the opposite one.

Let's say he kicked her.

The officer sees the boots.

It's normal he asked

if he killed her with them.

There may be traces of blood

or hair, whatever.

He says

it was with other shoes.

It makes no sense!

Why would he turn himself in,

then lie about his shoes?

Does it make sense or doesn't it?

- Maybe it doesn't.

- You bet.

Maybe...

there was only one pair,

so he invented a second.

- Why?

- So they don't take his only pair.

No laughing matter.

Sorry, a girl died.

You're all a bit right, but...

fundamentally,

these combat boots

found in the prison

change nothing.

Neither proof of his innocence

nor proof of his guilt.

That was what we call

a coup de thtre.

Racine loves doing that.

Calling for a sudden recess,

spurring debate,

turning the tables.

Usually defense takes the blow.

Today, prosecution.

Justice is theater?

All we know is that

we don't know much.

Besides having lied about his boots,

the rest is just

individual testimonies.

Maybe he's hiding the truth.

How so?

Maybe he and his girlfriend

hatched this scheme.

Maybe he wasn't even at home

when she died.

Maybes don't get us anywhere.

We can't know.

I know it's her.

Why?

- Why say that?

- She's weird.

Yes, she is.

Isn't she? She's weird.

She lost her kid.

Her daughter died!

She's strung out on pills.

Why turn himself in

instead of her?

He doesn't want her doing time.

- To spare her the trial.

- To protect her.

Give birth in jail?

He won't allow it.

- She was pregnant.

- So she wouldn't deliver in jail!

The doctor asked her.

He doesn't want her in jail

with a second kid

that she kills too.

In her cell

maybe she'll kill kid two.

He turns himself in

and things backfire.

Is something wrong?

Everything's fine.

We were asking questions.

Fortunately you ask questions.

Who wouldn't?

Two things, before...

we resume.

First, the trial isn't over.

That was an important moment,

not a conclusive one.

The conclusive moment is tomorrow

when we deliberate.

The second thing is that

we may never know the truth.

We may never know

what really happened

April 24th in the Bel-Air projects.

You must accept this.

You mustn't let it frustrate you.

As for the truth,

only Martial Beclin

and Jessica Marton know it.

Even that is not sure.

If Martial Beclin was really alone,

he could have told her anything.

But was he really alone?

We can't know.

All we have is each testimony.

The goal of justice

is not to bring out the truth.

Justice exists to reaffirm

the principles of law.

To remind everyone what's allowed

and what isn't.

And, of course,

to punish accordingly.

When tomorrow

we meet to discuss culpability,

I don't know what you'll decide.

If you say innocent, he'll be free.

But a 7-month-old child is dead.

Remember that prosecution

will appeal,

and that in a year or two

there will be another trial.

Perhaps this is

what we should wish for.

Maybe the truth will come out

by then.

Or maybe not.

Shall we?

Your Honor, may I have a word?

What is it?

Like many of us,

what I heard upset me.

- I think the investigation was...

- Yes, and?

I think I'll call for...

What you call for

is of no concern to me.

You represent the state

and accordingly,

apply the law as you see fit.

Accomplish your mission, old chap,

and I'll accomplish mine

until the trial is over.

Good evening.

Ann, my daughter.

Michel Racine,

presiding judge in Criminal Court.

Ann surprised me...

Am I bothering you?

She came to the trial.

You love surprises.

Not when you cut classes.

It was just gym.

Gym is still a class.

We're learning salsa.

Learning salsa?

You don't say!

An experimental program,

just a few schools.

- We do salsa, tango...

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