"Truth and Consequences" - summary by Melly

Written by: David E. Kelley & Joseph Telushkin & Allen Estrin
Directed by: Stephen Cragg

Plot 1 - Rebecca and the robbery

Rebecca witnesses a murder at a petrol station. She walks in the shop and pays $10 for "super", she walks out and as she is filling her car up with the petrol.  She turns around just in time to see the shop owner of the "Gasoline" and a guy pointing a gun at him.  They are obviously arguing and the guys shoots the shop owner, walks out and runs away.  Rebecca who's hiding behind her car, looks very scared as she saw when the guy shoot the owner.  She runs towards the shop and gets inside.  The man is covered in blood, she grabs the phone and dials a number.  There are lots of people around the shop now, police cars and officers, we see Mike (a police officer) questioning Rebecca about the guy.  As they are talking Eugene comes and asks her if she is OK.  She still looks frightened and seeks comfort in Eugene's arms.  Mike asks her if she can have a look through some book with photos of possible suspects.  Rebecca says Ok.

Then we see Bobby asking Eugene about Bec (they are at office and and they talk a little about Jimmy's case.)   Later on she has to identify the killer in the police line up. Back at the police station, Rebecca is with Mike, they got several suspects and they need her to identify if she recognizes the guy that shoot and killed the shop owner.  She recognizes that num. 2 suspect is the guy and looks very uncomfortable.  She asks Mike if she's done and as soon as he says yes she leaves.  

Both Bobby and Eugene seem to be very protective of Rebecca. When Luis's brother Miguel Moreno comes to the office to threaten Rebecca, Eugene gets up and tells him to get out. Bobby doesn't want her to testify, it's too dangerous.  He tells her that her life could be at danger because of the threats that Miguel has made against her.  Rebecca doesn't look happy about his request... Eugene seems to be supporting Bobby. 

Before the trial Bobby once again tries to convince Rebecca not to testify, but at the trial she does testify. However the opposing council does not do cross examination. As they walk out of the court room, Miguel starts to offend Rebecca again. Somehow Eugene and Miguel start to fight and some police officers separate them. .  Helen comes out of the courtroom and tells the police officers to take him to her office. At Helen's office, Helen gives the speech to Miguel how he cannot even breath in Rebecca's direction.  After the speech, she lets him go, but he tells her that the important thing is that Rebecca wasn't cross examined.
We find out later that it means that if anything happens to her between now and the trial the DA wouldn't be able to use her testimony as evidence against Marino.  Later on Bobby goes to see Helen, she calls in 2 cops officers and tells them to follow Miguel.
At the end of the day Eugene wants to take Rebecca home and before they leave they see a man in front of their door.  They all get scared thinking it's Miguel.  It turns out it's Mr. Holms (see plot 2), who came to tell Jimmy that he'll testify tomorrow at the trial...

Plot 2 - Jimmy, Ellenor and the power lines

Bobby is not happy that Jimmy is spending money on the discovery, he said they approved him 5000 but is already up to 9300.  Jimmy is saying that it's almost finished, they are basically ready to go and he believes that this is a decent case.
Bobby responds by telling him that "There is no case.  There are people with cancer to feel sorry for but there is no case"

Jimmy, Ellenor and their clients together with the opposing attorney (Mr. West is the Attorney for Boston Electric) are at the conference room.  The opposing attorney is questioning one of the clients about the power lines and why he thinks they are the reason that all these people got the terminal diseases...  The client mentions his 7 year old son who died of leukaemia, the boy asked his father to not tell anybody that he was sick.

Later on we see Jimmy's trial.  He is asking judge to include some Swedish study evidence but the judge rejects it as the opposing council cannot cross examine someone who is not even in the country.  The witness list is not ready, so the judge orders Jimmy to make the list by tomorrow as the opposing attorney needs to know who he'll be cross examining.  Mr. West ask the judge to split trial into two phases: "liabilities" and "damages".  Ellenor objects to this and asks to confirm with Jimmy, she tells him that they cannot let the judge split the trial as they'll have no case.  Their clients are suing for damages not liability, and they'll lose on liability and hence never get to court for damages.  Jimmy objects, but the judge shares Mr. West concerns and grants the defence council's request.  Ellenor asks for an appeal immediately and the judge says they can do it this afternoon, but the witness list is frozen and he will not give them any more time on that.

Jimmy looks really angry and tells Ellenor to get out of his face.  They are arguing as they walk into a conference room.  Ellenor tells him to shut up and that he made their case look desperate.  She asks him why their clients weren't there, and Jimmy responds by saying they didn't need to be there it was just a pre-trial conference.  Ellenor tells him that it would be a lot harder for the judge to be so cruel if he actually had to look at their clients eyes and say the things he said.  She tells him to track down the export witness and she'll go and find Lindsay.  Jimmy asks why Lindsay.  Ellenor responds that they need someone who has good reputation, and Lindsay's got one.  Ellenor tells him:  "Come on, let's move, you'll have time to feel sorry for yourself later."

Ellenor walks in asking about Lindsay, Rebecca tells her that she is in court all day (Bobby is talking with Rebecca and Eugene about what happend when Miguel came in -see plot 1).  Ellenor explains to Bobby that Jimmy screwed up and they are doing an appeal in 45 minutes,  as she walks towards some other office she asks Rebecca to page Lindsay and to tell her that she'll meet her at the court house...

Jimmy tracks down the witness.  He finds him in this company where everybody is talking on the phone to someone, apparently they are trying to get customers to change their long distance company.  The witness name is Joel Helms, he did studies on the power lines.  The guy is drunk and alcoholic and tells Jimmy that the studies were dismissed as was he.  The guy apparently had a nervous break-down, and ask Jimmy why does he want him.  Jimmy tells him that he's desperate.  Mr. Helms refuses to testify.

Later back at the court, Ellenor is talking to Lindsay about the case on the phone.  The judges come in.  Mr. Ward stands up and delivers this speech about how the trial should be split into two parts.  As he talks Lindsay walks in, but he doesn't see her.  And when she steps in he looks surprised to see her.  She delivers this brilliant speech and Mr. Ward tries several times to debug her, but fails poorly.  Lindsay's calm voice and direct approach seems to be having a great effect on the judges.  She was just brilliantly amazing...
At the end Lindsay looks very pleased.
As they walk towards elevator, both Jimmy and Ellenor tell her that she was amazing.

Later that night we see Jimmy at the office.  He is working on the "power lines" case again.  Ellenor walks in and starts to apologize about this morning...  Jimmy feels like a failure to which Ellenor replies:   "I've known bigger failures"
 
Next morning Jimmy gets the response (letter) of the ruling.  He looks scared and walks over to take the letter, he knows it's the ruling, he looks unsure as to whether he should open it.  When he opens and reads the letter he covers his eyes like he can't believe what he just read.  Eugene grabs the letter and reads out loud what is written in there.  Basically "no split".  Lindsay walks in and Jimmy walks over and hugs her.

Jimmy goes to see his witness Mr. Helms to try to convince him once more to testify at the trial.  He pulls this story how he could be somebody by testifying and helping all these people.  It seems to have some effect on Mr. Helms.

Ellenor and Jimmy have a meeting with Mr. West.  They manage to get him to offer of almost 1 million.
Jimmy walks out and asks Rebecca to call the clients.  And as she is about to, she opens a drawer and screams.  Bobby comes out of his office.  There is a dead pigeon in her drawer. (see plot 1).

Jimmy's clients reject the offer as they are asked to admit that they have no case, and the "Power lines" people to not admit any liability...  Jimmy agrees to continue being their attorney.

Plot 3 - Bobby and Helen

Throughout the episode those two interact with each other through Rebecca's case.  At the end we see four legs and hear Bobby talking to Lindsay.  The camera goes up to show Helen and Bobby in the bed (no clothes) and Bobby is talking to Lindsay on the phone.  As they talk he and Helen kiss and Lindsay hears it.  She asks it that's Helen, and Helen takes the phone from Bobby and asks "Wanna come over and join?" .  Bobby smiles...
Helen's phone rings and she answers.  The two cops that were following Miguel have shot him.  She goes to scene and meets Mike there.  Apparently everything seems to be justified, so Helen goes back home...

The Review

Not done yet

Miscellaneous Thoughts:

• To be honest when I watched this episode the first time I didn't even notice that Mike asked Rebecca to go through the photo book.  Later when they made reference to this in some later episode as crucial evidence I watched the episode again and did in fact see this, though they never really showed Rebecca looking through the photos.

• It's nice to see Eugene dressed in something different.

• Jimmy is such a nice person, he really is trying.

• LOOK & LINE OF THE WEEK: Bobby is talking to Rebecca.  He tells her that what he is about to tell her is inconsistent with everything he ever stood for.  To which she replies:
  "Bobby you are the most inconsistent person I know.  I am never sure what you stand for"
  "Oh..."  says Bobby with this funny but cute expression on his face, "in that case let me continue to expand..."

• I really thought Bobby was in bed with Lindsay...  I was quite shocked...

• LOOK & LINE OF THE WEEK #2:  Helen to Lindsay while talking on the phone:  "Wanna come over and join?" .  Bobby smiles (looks like he wouldn't mind)...