Warning: Spoiler Alert
This week’s episode starts off with English going to visit Chris Walton (the guy who confessed to the Niers murder weeks ago) in prison. Very cryptic in nature. English seems to want to find some new wrinkle, but his attitude as an investigator is making that difficult.
Preparing for another court appearance, Blunt simply cannot help himself from trying to control the situation. Daniels, essentially, is the best criminal lawyer money can buy. Yet despite Daniels’ repeated claims that putting Blunt on the stand is a bad idea, Blunt insists. It’s his life after all.
During the actual trial scene at hand, one thing is becoming increasingly clear. It should have been earlier, but as a viewer I am by nature biased. Siletti is in over his head. He keeps trying to get something to stick but he keeps coming off as petty and over matched. Ivana West was a clever witness, but Siletti is in over his head.
“Your Honor, the defense calls Erich Blunt”. This somehow feels like a colossal mistake. Well. Either he’s better at selling his own story than I gave this character credit for, or there is a serious problem with the suspect list. Blunt came off sincere and not at all the arrogant S.O.B. that the has a reputation for. However, there is still a part of me that remembers seeing how he has been candidly in previous episodes. Something is missing one way or the other. A small something or a huge something.
During the cross-examination, Siletti did what Siletti does and tried to force something (many somethings) to stick. And for my money was highly unsuccessful. Blunt was not what I had expected. Granted, it goes back to his character make up and is not outside the realm of possibility. Well played Bochco. With that said, it probably will not go over exceedingly well. The standoff between Blunt and Siletti at the end will not endear Blunt to the jurors. It was a nice moment for Blunt personally but might not have been the best play.
I do not like Hannah Harkins. The fact of her rape aside. I just don’t like her. I’m worried there is something on her end that will come back around.
Closing arguments should prove to be something. As I watch Siletti I am more and more concerned that this will not go the State’s way. He’s throwing around buzz words as opposed to facts. Hoping that the sound of what he is saying will justify what he is saying. I’ve got to say, just from an etiquette standpoint, I am really opposed to Siletti’s tactics. He is all but lying in an effort to connect dots that aren’t there while doing so two feet from Blunt. I imagine to illicit a response from Blunt.
To be clear, neither side has an iron clad case. However, Daniels does not come across as a hack. I may just be one real solid detail away from rooting for Daniels and Blunt. Almost, let’s not get carried away.
Outside English’ place, sounds of love can be heard from outside. Pretty obvious, what is happening. And then the woman in question said, “I love you”. Now personal feelings aside, English just buried his wife not that long ago. He is clearly conflicted on a few levels. Dropping the magic 3 little words to a man this lost in his own head on the night of the first official date is a bit much. The woman’s tantrum was a little bit her own fault.
Outside a different law office, Bill and Mrs Wilkerson have a civil conversation (by comparison). It is revealed that the video of Bill and Cindy was sent by an anonymous email account. Hmm, curious. Considering Blunt has the technology to do such a thing with moderate ease. And that Blunt to Bill to his face, “we have each other’s backs, right?”
At Blunt’s residence Erich and Herzberg watch a news discussion on the impact of Blunt’s testimony. There is a nice but not important back and forth with Blunt and Herzberg when Bill Wilkerson shows up. Blunt instructs Herzberg to go home, Bill’s here to babysit. As I have the TV paused, Wilkerson’s expression suggests that sending Herzberg home might not have been the best idea.
Bill in his frustration and reacting to the conversation with his wife, asks Blunt about how a deleted video could resurface. Blunt is what he is and indulges that conversation on the tech side explaining how the data could be moved to the cloud and accessed anywhere. And then Blunt suggests that Bill owes someone a thank you for this because he wouldn’t have cheated on his wife if he loved his wife. Then Bill comes out and asks, to which Blunt immediately denies it. And in that moment or two. In the time between breaths, I actually thought, “come on Erich, just come out with it. This has your finger prints all over it.” And he did. And to my utter surprise, Wilkerson did not attempt to assault Blunt.
Back at the precinct the next day, Chief Koto gets word that the jury is back and English and Mulligan decide to go with him for what must be the verdict. This is seriously stressful. I actually feel invested enough that I don’t know that I’m prepared for what is to follow.
In an artistic approach, they decided to fade out the voice of the court reporter reading the verdict. Almost in an effort for we the viewer to experience the verdict in real-time as we witness the responses from the various characters in the court room. And that reaction is NOT GUILTY. Regardless of what happens going forward, this result is the fault of the DA’s office. They were not prepared and jumped the gun. They were not ready, and the prosecution’s case appeared to be built on hearsay and wishes.
Pardon me while I run around my living room shouting obscenities.
So with most of the court room cleared, English and Mulligan decide to leave. On their way out Erich Blunt decides to stop them on the other side of the door.
Blunt: Hey…(looks at both of them separately) You still think I did it.
Mulligan: Yeah, we do.
Blunt: Luckily the double jeopardy rule means there’s only one bite at the apple.
English: A woman’s dead. A child, your child is dead. (English advanced to violate Blunt’s personal space) So don’t get up in my face and gloat.
Blunt: Why not? You’re right. I did kill that dumb b****
To be honest, I really don’t know what’s what going forward. I may need for this to marinate for a bit. However, I will say this. The double jeopardy rule only works on trying the exact same case a second time. The Niers murder is still in the wind. They can still attempt to put Blunt away on Murder. And throwing it in their face as he just did is not going to get the police to slow down. If anything, they are just going to ramp it up after that stunt. Stay tuned, next week could be insane.
