Final Justice (1998 TV Movie)

CCH Pounder: Danielle Kline

Quotes 

• Danielle Kline : ...What did you do, Gwen? Take Merle Hammond on a joyride, during which he was subjected to rather annoying conditions? Most people put up with more than that just going to work. You're not alone in the commission of this felony; what drove you to this crime is a damaged legal system greatly in need of repair.

  Gwen Saticoy : No offense, but you're part of that system; to exonerate me requires that you abuse it, the same way Merle Hammond did.

  Danielle Kline : Believe it or not, I *do* think I can effectively defend my clients without leaving a trail of bloody bodies in my wake.

  Gwen Saticoy : But can you *win* without doing it?

  Danielle Kline : The day I think I can't is the day I set up practice with Merle Hammond.

• Danielle Kline : [at Gwen's kidnapping trial]  ... Mr. Hammond, do you recognize this?

  [plays a rap CD for him] 

  Merle Hammond : Yes, unfortunately. That's what I was forced to hear for two days at the cabin.

  Danielle Kline : You considered this a form of torture. Do you even know this artist, Mr. Hammond?

  Merle Hammond : "Artist?" No, I'm not familiar with that particular "artist."

  Danielle Kline : This album was #1 on the charts for several weeks. Now, some people might find two days of this pure nirvana... and by that I refer to the spiritual state, not the musical group - of which you're also, probably, unaware.

  Merle Hammond : I prefer classical music, myself...

  Danielle Kline : ...While Miss Saticoy was playing what you've described as Russian Roulette with you, did she or didn't she ever show you the firing chamber of the gun?

  Merle Hammond : She may have.

  Danielle Kline : Do you recall if she MAY NOT have had a bullet in it at that time? And I'd like to remind you that you're under oath.

  Merle Hammond : I don't recall a bullet at that time. However...

  Danielle Kline : Thank you. Now... Would you please describe, for these ladies and gentlemen of the jury, what you were wearing when first confronted by Miss Saticoy and her empty gun?

  Merle Hammond : I was dressed for golf. I'd just finished 18 holes.

  Danielle Kline : Is THIS the same outfit that you played golf in, this sweat-suit you were wearing when you escaped? Or did you change somewhere along the way?

  Merle Hammond : The cabin, yes.

  Danielle Kline : You brought an extra change of clothing with you?

  Merle Hammond : They were provided for me by my captor, Miss Saticoy. They made me look ridiculous, as they were old and tattered.

  Danielle Kline : She gave you a change of clothing? Why is that, Mr. Hammond? Is it possible that when you had an accident, when you suffered the most frightening and humiliating moment of your life, she gave you clean clothes and allowed you to get out of the soiled ones...? Now, you said Miss Saticoy didn't give you anything but bread and water for two full days. You didn't have a solid meal...

  Merle Hammond : Until the second evening.

  Danielle Kline : What did she give you, crackers?

  Merle Hammond : I believe it was chicken.

  Danielle Kline : Like Kentucky Fried, something fast-food?

  Merle Hammond : No, free-range; how would I know?

  Danielle Kline : How did it get there? Who prepared it?

  Merle Hammond : She made it herself.

  Danielle Kline : Now, let me get this straight: After you had a rather uncomfortable ride to a scenic mountain cabin, you were forced to hear a popular best-selling CD, given a clean set of clothes, and served a home-cooked meal. My God, the nightmares you must have had! I have no further questions for THIS witness, Your Honor.

• Gwen Saticoy : [after the first day of her trial]  ... So are you going to get a book deal when this is all over?

  Danielle Kline : That depends on what happens during the trial. But they might offer me one. Why? Would you be upset if I took it?

  Gwen Saticoy : Would you turn it down if I said yes?

  [Kline shakes her head no] 

  Gwen Saticoy : Well, at least you're honest.

  Danielle Kline : Gwen, I've got a successful practice. I don't need a book deal. And I don't need this case, either.

  Gwen Saticoy : So why ARE you doing it? And don't give me that song-and-dance about my not getting a fair trial by the public defender.

  Danielle Kline : To be in the heart of controversy. A couple of talk shows, magazine interviews... And, best of all, every courtroom lawyer's fantasy: to be squaring off against Merle Hammond. You know how much they hate it?

  Gwen Saticoy : I can imagine.

  Danielle Kline : No, you can't. There's one other reason: you. In twenty years of criminal defense work, I've had two clients that I believed in. The other one got the chair ten years ago.

  Gwen Saticoy : Well, my odds really look good.

• Danielle Kline : [Day 2 of Gwen's trial]  Miss Saticoy, you admit that you took Mr. Hammond to your cabin against his will, at gunpoint. How far in advance did you plan this?

  Gwen Saticoy : I was making it up as I went along, really.

  Danielle Kline : If you had no plans, did you have a goal, an intention?

  Gwen Saticoy : Nothing I could have articulated then. But all these emotions I experienced during the other trial... I wanted Mr. Hammond to experience them as well.

  Danielle Kline : What feelings were you trying to replicate for Mr. Hammond?

  Gwen Saticoy : Anguish, fear, insomnia, a lack of appetite, a constant throbbing in the head, helplessness.

  Danielle Kline : Why did you want him to feel these things?

  Gwen Saticoy : Actually, I wanted to see if he COULD feel them.

  Danielle Kline : And what did you conclude from this experiment?

  Gwen Saticoy : He reacted to physical stimuli, but not to emotional stimuli.

  Danielle Kline : To which "emotional stimuli" do you believe Mr. Hammond failed to react?

  Gwen Saticoy : When I took him to see Louise Osborne. Mr. Hammond defended, and won an acquittal for, the man accused of brutally raping her.

  Danielle Kline : And why did you want Mr. Hammond to meet Miss Osborne?

  Gwen Saticoy : I read about the Osborne trial. I wanted him to look Louise in the face and explain why he'd said the things he had about her... like the things he said about about my brother.

  Danielle Kline : You wanted him to confront the results of his methods?

  Gwen Saticoy : I wanted to see if he could hurt or feel pain for his actions.

  Danielle Kline : And what did Louise say to Mr. Hammond when she saw him face-to-face?

  Hammond's Lawyer : Your Honor, I object. Prejudicial.

  Danielle Kline : Your Honor, the truth often IS prejudicial.

  Judge Rosaria : I'll allow it.

  Gwen Saticoy : Louise couldn't talk. She tried to kill herself last year and it didn't work. Now she's basically catatonic.

  Danielle Kline : And what was Mr. Hammond's reaction when he saw this young and vegetative woman?

  Gwen Saticoy : He was angry for being made to look at "this brain-dead girl." He congratulated himself on his job of defending her rapist, and then he told Louise's father that "sometimes, life sucks."

  Danielle Kline : [to Hammond's lawyer]  Your witness.

• Judge Rosaria : [on a taped conversation between Gwen and Hammond]  ... This is going to air on tonight's news. Would someone care to explain where it came from?

  Danielle Kline : Don't look at me. You think, if I had that, I'd just sit on it?

  Merle Hammond : This whole thing is a setup!

  Danielle Kline : Setup for what, Merle? Did you announce, beforehand, that you intended to trash the entire jury system?

  Merle Hammond : That's a little disingenuous, don't you think?

  Gwen Saticoy : Your Honor, if I had planned on taping him, I would have started it as soon as we got in the car... not when we were almost at the Osborne Farm.

  Judge Rosaria : Anyone who's ever argued in my courtroom knows how much I hate surprises. And when something like THIS falls anonymously out of the sky, I get REALLY angry. Before we proceed with this trial, and consume any more of the "dumb" jury's time, I recommend counsel rethink their approach. I'm going to lunch. Miss Saticoy, I suggest you do the same.

  [she leaves] 

  Danielle Kline : [leaving with Gwen]  Call me when you two GENTLEMEN have the plea terms worked out.

  Merle Hammond : I *forbid* you to plead this case out!

  Hammond's lawyer : Fine. I'm sure, when all the "sheep" in the jury box hear this tape, they'll immediately sympathize with your ordeal and convict Gwen.

  Merle Hammond : You're assuming the jurors pay attention to the news, much less this case. That woman is guilty! She kidnapped me and everyone knows it!

  Hammond's lawyer : You just don't get it, do you? If you let this thing play out any longer than it has to, you're gonna find the word "UNEMPLOYABLE" stamped across your forehead in big red letters. You think that's ridiculous, huh? Who's gonna recommend a lawyer who took a dump all over the entire jury pool of the western world? I'm telling you, stop now and cut your losses.

• Danielle Kline : Objection!

  Hammond's Lawyer : On what grounds?

  Danielle Kline : You're... annoying me.