Final Analysis Page #4

I'll be right there.

Thanks.

Listen, Mike.

Something you should know.

I was the last one

who saw her that night.

I drove her home.

I drove her home. Then I left.

Anyone see you?

I don't think so.

Then the lady went home alone.

This is an open-and-shut case.

I would do it myself, but...

But Dr. Barr's been... What's the word?

Schtupping the accused.

What? I didn't say it right?

I'm uncomfortable with that also.

I don't know.

I've never testified at a big trial.

If anything, I'm a prosecution man.

Which increases your credibility

as a defense witness.

- But there's a killing, police...

- Alan, come on!

They tried to prosecute

the guy for ages!

True.

Haven't you noticed the birds

are chirping more melodiously?

The children's laughter is brighter?

America is just a nicer country

without that slimeball.

I'm not stupid. I know why you're

determined to suck me into this.

What?

Several years ago, I published a study

in the Journal of General Psychiatry.

Isaac never mentioned that to you?

Is it in paperback?

You may proceed

with your opening statement.

The defense will tell you that...

...Mrs. Evans was under the influence...

...of this or that

when she killed her husband.

They'll bring in so-called experts...

...to say that she wasn't

in her right mind.

But, ladies and gentlemen of the jury...

...we're here to try a woman...

...who, on a lovely spring night...

...in the sanctity...

...of the apartment that

she shared with her husband...

...waited until he turned his back...

...and then savagely...

...swung a heavy dumbbell...

...at his head.

Boy!

That was impressive.

Wasn't it?

Though I think Raymond Burr

did it first...

...in the movie

A Place in the Sun, with an oar.

But what Mr. Brakhage didn't say...

...was that the dumbbell...

...is not the object

that killed Jimmy Evans!

The actual dumbbell was never recovered.

If indeed it even was a dumbbell.

You see...

...whatever object was used...

...whatever really happened...

...in that bathroom...

...on that lovely spring night...

...can never be known

beyond a reasonable doubt...

...because...

...Heather Evans...

...has no memory of the events

of that night.

Is anybody home?

Look, I'm sorry to barge in on you

like this, but we got a little...

...just a little bit of a...

Hanging with a buddy of mine

from the DA's office, right?

- We had a few cocktails.

- No kidding.

The DA's expert witness?

Cohagen. I'm not worried about it.

They were just sandbagging us with him.

The star is waiting in the wings.

Who?

Dr. Grusin.

Dr. Grusin, remember?

Oh, God.

Does Alan know?

Don't tell him. He's nervous enough.

Don't you tell him!

He's nervous enough as it is.

Dr. Grusin...

...have you examined Heather Evans?

Yes, I have.

And did you find her to be suffering

from any illness...

...that would impair

her normal functioning?

No, I did not.

What about pathological intoxication?

I found no evidence of it, whatsoever.

I doubt that anyone but

a defense attorney would either.

Objection, Your Honor! Move to strike.

Sustained. The jury will disregard

the witness' last statement.

Why do you doubt the existence

of so-called pathological intoxication?

Discussion of this disorder...

...is simply an attempt

to dazzle a jury...

...with pseudo-scientific jargon...

...to convince them

that alcohol exerts magic...

...evil powers on the brains

of a few people.

Objection! The witness

is stating an opinion. Nothing more.

That's the reason she's here.

She's an expert witness. Overruled.

Why pseudo-scientific, doctor?

No one has ever shown

any physical evidence...

...of pathological intoxication.

- What would constitute physical evidence?

- A brain scan.

Genetic profile,

analysis of blood chemistry.

Things that can be tested.

Thank you.

Your witness.

Have you examined Heather Evans'

emergency-room medical records...

...from Mount Zion Hospital

and Stockton Hospital?

Of course.

What were the doctors' conclusions?

Pathological intoxication.

But based on my experience in this area,

I have to disagree.

Your experience in this area?

Tell me, how many patients have you

treated with pathological intoxication?

I have testified on direct

as to my doubts that this...

..."illness" exists. Therefore,

how can I be expected to have...

Try and answer the question.

How many such patients have you treated?

I haven't treated any.

- I have evaluated patients who claim...

- All right then.

How many such patients

have you evaluated?

Two.

Two.

I have no more questions

for the "expert" witness.

This court is adjourned until tomorrow.

Hey, Hector.

It's a b*tch, huh?

Never thought we'd see her up there.

Heather's not taking the stand.

How much alcohol must be consumed...

...to produce this severe

psychotic reaction...

...in a person

with pathological intoxication?

Only a very sm...

In my experience, only a very small

amount of alcohol is needed...

...for a severe reaction.

How long does a reaction last?

Generally, a few hours.

Can a person with this illness

remember the episode?

They don't recall the incidents.

Yet a person suffering

from pathological intoxication...

...may otherwise show

no evidence of mental disorder?

In my experience...

...I would say that's correct.

Thank you.

Your witness.

You repeatedly make reference

to your experience...

...with this obscure disorder.

How many patients with this condition...

...have you actually treated?

During my fellowship training

at the Stanford Psychiatric Institute...

...I had the opportunity to...

Excuse me.

- Conduct a study

of pathological intoxication.

My findings were published

in the Journal of General Psychiatry.

In all, there were 87 patients involved.

Did any of these 87 patients...

Excuse me?

Did any of these 87 patients

beat their spouses to death?

Oh, dear God, no!

Thank you.

No further questions.

Request opportunity for redirect.

Proceed.

Can you tell us what some of them did

in the psychotic phase of their illness?

Didn't one of them slash her wrists?

Yes.

Didn't one break her son's arm?

One of them threw himself

in front of a BART train. Lost a leg.

It's all there in my paper.

Thank you, doctor.

I get the lady off, you owe me one.

How about fixing me up with her sister?

Very, very sick man.

- What can I do?

- Jury's back!

Mr. Foreman, have you reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

"We, the jury, find the defendant,

Heather Evans...

...not responsible

by reason of temporary insanity...

...due to pathological intoxication. "

Quiet!

Be seated in this courtroom!

She is to remain in the custody

of the Overland Hospital...

...for further examination

and observation...

...until it is confirmed that she

represents no danger to anyone...

...and that she no longer...

...suffers from active

dangerous mental disorders.

This court is adjourned.

Hello, Dr. Barr.

Hi, Diana.

So how long do you think

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes