"[ children shouting ]" "[ chattering ]" "[ water running ]" "[ bird calling ]" "[ metal banging ]" "[ classical music on piano ]" "[ girl narrating ] Your whole life can change in a second, and you never even know when it's coming." "Before, you think you know what kind of world this is." "And after, everything is different for you." "Not bad, maybe, not always... but different... forever." "[ piano continues ] [ girl: ] I didn't used to know that... 'til the day it happened to my family." "I didn't even know there could be such a thing as "after."" "I didn't know that, for us, "before" was already over." "[ hesitates ]" "[ "Chopsticks" drowns out classical ] [ both laugh ]" "[ giggling ]" "T.J., This won't hurt." "I promise." "This is my special boo-boo light." "In fact, it's magic." "Did you ever see a magic boo-boo light before?" "[ woman: ] He had no business being on his brother's sled." " Darn thing's bigger than he is." " You're needed downstairs." "[ people murmuring ]" "T.J.'S a lucky boy, Mrs. Foley, but I'd keep an eye on him." "If he complains of nausea or dizziness, or even if he just seems drowsier than normal, give me a call, OK?" "That's not magic." "That's just a flashlight." "Oh, yeah?" "Here." "Blow." "See?" "[ giggles ]" "See you later." " She's gone, Trygve." " No, damn it." "There's still a chance." "[ Trygve: ] Give me that." "[ doctor: ] Trygve, she's gone." "She wasn't gonna make it anyway." "[ man: ] We did our best." "Let's break it down." "What happened?" "[ doctor: ] Some bastard clobbered her... up near Poor Farm Road, then left her there." "She was lying in the snow by that pond." "Do we know who this is?" "[ Trygve: ] Martha Taverner." " Martha Taverner." " Mm-hmm." "Oh." "I've met her." "I even treated her once, I think, when you were on vacation, Trygve." "Remember?" "Yeah." "[ Trygve ] He's still out there, whoever did this." "Could be anywhere." "[ girl: ] Hey, Dad." ""Three ounces ground cumin seed"?" " Mm-hmm." " Yuck!" "What's cumin seed?" "Oh-ho-ho-ho." "That is absolutely the most crucial, fantastic, top-secret ingredient in my entire chili." "[ door slamming ] [ girl: ] Hi, Mom!" "Hi." "Jacob!" "Jake's parking is getting sloppier than ever." "Man!" "his car is all over the place." "Ben?" "I swear I could hardly even get mine in the garage." "Parking it right would feel too much like work." "Mm." "[ chuckles ]" "Hi." "Let me have some." " Hey, you're trembling." " Mm." " I'm just... cold." " Sit down." "[ girl: ] Dad, this stuff's freaking out!" "in a minute." "Carolyn, what -- [ deep sigh ]" "We had an event at the hospital today." "[ doorbell rings ] "Event"?" "Dad, come quick!" "[ doorbell rings ] Ahhh." " Fran!" " Dr. Ryan." "[ chuckling ] You haven't called me "Doctor" since we first moved up here." " Hi, Mom." " Ben." " Hey there, Chief." "Out of uniform today." "What's up?" "Uh, sorry to barge in on you like this, right here at suppertime." " Get you something, Fran?" "a beer, if you're not on duty." " No, no, Ben." "That's OK." "Thanks." "Um -- [ sighs ] Is Jacob around?" "He's up in his room, I guess, with those damn headphones on." "You know Jacob." "You didn't see him come in?" "I was in the studio." "Do you need him for something?" "you want us to get him, Fran?" "I'll go." "Yeah, go on, honey." "Is there something wrong?" "[ exhaling ] OK, uh " "Something happened out on Poor Farm Road today." "Something pretty bad." "A girl got herself killed." " I know." "I saw her." " What?" "We had her in E.R. Beyond saving." "I mean, it was -- it was awful." " Geez." " That's what I was gonna tell you when I came in." " God, I'm sorry." " What does that have to do with Jacob?" "Oh, God, I don't " "I don't wanna have to tell you this." "I really don't." "Jacob was seen with the girl." "He picked her up from work." "She works down at Jacey's after school, making ice cream cones." "He came by in his car, and they went off together, like they'd been doin'." "As far as we know, right now, he was the last person with her." "Are you saying Jacob was dating that girl, Martha Taverner?" "No, no." "What he's -- what he's saying is he's -- [ chuckles ] He's standing here in our kitchen, saying that he thinks our son was " " Oh, for crying out loud, Fran." " Ben, hey, hey." " Let's not jump the gun here." "I just need to talk to him." " Jacob!" "Jesus Chr " " He's not up there." "I looked all over." " Well, that's crazy." "I " " I -- his car's in the garage." "I just saw it." "You have a spare set of keys for the car?" " Yeah, I think that I do." " Daddy." "Something's happened, Judith, but there's been a misunderstanding." " We'll explain later, OK?" " Mm-hmm." "OK, wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "You can't do this." " Do what?" " You can't do this." "You can't go snooping around in somebody else's car." "Legally, that's my car." " You do not have a search warrant." " Wait, wait, wait." "I'm sure there's some very simple explanation for all of this." "Jacob and the Taverner girl must have separated somehow before this even happened." "You know, maybe he just dropped her off somewhere." "Maybe she got out of the car and walked away." "There's a thousand different " "Fran, how do we know he's all right?" "Maybe some madman did something to both of them, and maybe Jacob's hurt, or he's kidnapped." "Oh, my God." "Caroline, for his own sake, that car might give us some answers." "No." "[ gasps ] [ sighs ]" "Ohm you're his parents." "You wanna protect him." "I got kids too." "Ben, is there something that you know that you're not tellin' me?" " How 'bout it, Judith?" "You know anything " " Hey!" "hey!" " No, no, no, no, no, no." " Off limits!" "Leave her out of this, OK?" " OK, please, please, Ben." " I'll tell you what I know." " He's just " " Fran " " I know my son!" " He's just trying to help us find him, darlin'." " I don't want it to be like this." "But if I have to, I will go find Judge Grady, and I will get a search warrant." " Yeah, yeah." "Well, you do that!" " And I will be right back here." " OK." " OK." "Sweetie, you looked upstairs?" "You're sure?" "You looked every place?" "[ car engine starts ]" "We should have let him look in the car, Ben." "The hell we should have." "Not without a lawyer telling me I have to." "Look, we've got rights here." "And wherever he is, whatever they think he did, Jacob has rights too." "We'll just have to take this one step at a time, OK?" "You and I will look in the house." "Top to bottom." "I'll check out the garage and studio." " And if he's not there, we'll just start calling his friends." " Carolyn." "Better call Wendell too." "Huh?" "[ squeaking ]" "[ chuckles, grunts ]" "[ sniffles ]" "[ panting ] [ panting ]" "Oh, no." "[ panting ] Oh, Jake." "[ panting ]" "I know that, Wendell." "[ Judith: ]" " Mom?" " Wait, wait." "When Fran comes back, we'll be perfectly f" "[ Carolyn: ] I know it's a small town, but it's our town too." "He will." "I promise." "I promise." "Just hurry, OK?" " Lawyers." " Mom?" " Yeah." " Jacob was really mad this morning." "Said he might not even go to school." "Why?" "What happened?" "He and Daddy, well -- you know, they -- they had another fight." "What?" "You know that Jacob wants to rent a big car for the winter dance... and, like, ride around all night?" "So Daddy goes, "How are you planning to pay for it?" ""We've got rules about this sort of thing, Mister." ""It's time you learned to pay your own way, Jacob."" "Mom, he knows Jake could never save up in time." "He knows that." " Mm-hmm." " But, like, Jake's such a big dope." "He already promised rides to all his creepy friends." " He's already bragged about it to Marth " " Martha?" "You know about this girl?" "Jude, how long have they been going out?" "Since September." "But he made me swear I wouldn't tell." "Jake said to Daddy, "You think 'cause you're this big artist, it's like rules don't apply to you, but they should always apply to me."" ""You're a hypocrite," Jake said." "And then Daddy -- Daddy just totally lost it." "But it was never that bad." " Oh." " Mom, I'm so scared." " Hmm." " You didn't see their faces." "You weren't there." "Well, Daddy's just -- he wants Jacob to be more responsible, so he tries to challenge his pride." "Maybe too hard sometimes, but that's love, jude." "[ sobbing ] You know?" "That's love." "[ sighs ]" " All right, let's go!" " OK." "[ panting ] [ sirens wailing ]" "[ Fran: ] I'll go on up to the house!" "[ Judith: ] Mom!" "[ pounding on the door ] Oh." "What are ya doin', Ben?" "Having a look at my car." "Don't I have a right to be in my own garage?" "How long you been out here?" "Couple of minutes." "All I did was look around, and I sure didn't see anything wrong either." " Keys, Ben." " What about the warrant?" "Oh, Ben -- [ sighs ] you are askin' for trouble on this." "[ sighs ] You're not thinkin' clear." "Now, how can I help you if you don't even trust me?" "It's all yours." "[ trunk lid opening ] [ policemen talking, indistinct ]" "This always such a mess?" "[ Ben: ] I've got supplies to move around." "Art stuff." "I can't use Carolyn's car." "She has a fit." "And the jeep's too small." "[ clattering ]" "What about the floor?" "Where'd all this sawdust come from?" "All these little pieces of new wood?" "[ sighs ] You think I'm stupid, Ben?" "You think I'm quaint?" "OK." "So I looked in there." "Maybe some sawdust drifted out." "Is that a crime?" "[ sighs ]" "This car is officially impounded." "[ sighs ] And I want to tell you somethin'." "If it turns out your kid is in trouble, then you are in trouble too." "Now let's have a look at his room." " You're searching Jacob's room?" " You're damn right I am." " [ chuckles ]" "[ Fran: ] Ohh." "[ Ben: ] Hey, if you find his bed, let us know." " We haven't seen it in years." " Hey, I don't like your attitude." "It's not exactly what I would call decent, under the circumstances." "Well, we haven't had much practice, Fran, under the circumstances." "All right, I want to look in that closet, but first I want to look in this trunk." "[ Fran: ] Check the bottom of this, including there." "Now let's get the bed." "[ Fran talking, indistinct ]" "[ Fran: ] Finish up in here, will you?" "[ police officer: ] Yeah." "Oh." "Hey." "Excuse us!" ""The premises" -- "The occupant" -- "A search --"" "Now maybe you see why I didn't just fall into line." "It's so stupid and useless." "Why aren't they out looking for him?" "Well, now." "Hidden in his top Drawer." "[ Ben: ] So?" " So..." "That's a link, don't you think?" "This proves that they knew each other." "Fran, nobody's pretending they didn't." "Sorry I'm late." "I'm so sorry." " If that's even her." " Oh, it's her, Wendell." "It is Martha Taverner." "Here's the search warrant." "Well, I want a complete inventory of all the items... that you're removing from this house, with a signed receipt." "Come on up!" "OK." "Oh, Carolyn." "One more thing." "When did you loan Jacob your tire jack?" "My " "Well, I'm just wondering why a beat-up old Chevy... has the jack from a '94 Park Avenue." "Whoa, whoa, whoa." "Hold on." "Don't answer that." "Fran, fishing season starts in April." "Let's you and I go outside and talk, huh?" "[ Fran: ] Look, Jacob, may not even have been there, but they are putting themselves in front of the law, Wendell." " That does not help anybody." " You seem to be conducting a full investigation." "[ Fran: ] I'm just sayin' that as a friend." "[ Door closes ] Carolyn." "Please, come here." "[ Fran, Wendell continue conversing, indistinct ]" " What -- what does he mean " " Listen, listen to me!" "There was blood in the car." "Blood?" "Her blood on his jack." "Blood everywhere." " How do you know it was her blood?" " [ inhales deeply ]" "[ Carolyn: ] For God's sake, it might be his." " Show me." "I wanna see it." "It might be his." " No, no, no." "You don't want to." "Believe me." "Anyway, it's been taken care of." "Wh -- what?" "What do you mean, "taken care of"?" "Whatever would burn, I burned." "The jack I took apart." "I washed it clean." "Oh, no." "But there was no time to -- they might find something anyway." "Fibers or some little microscopic " "God only knows what sort of tests they've got now." "What are you saying?" " If we just had more time." " You can't just " "You can't just destroy evidence that might save him." "You can't just " " What if you've destroyed evidence that would prove he's innocent?" "Ben, please, just stop one minute." "Please." "We have to think." " We have to decide." " What?" "What have we got to decide?" "Nothing's gonna bring that girl back." "I'm sorry, but it's too late." "We've got to think of Jacob!" "But Jacob's innocent." "Jacob's not a killer." "And if anything, he's in danger himself." "How do you know that they were alone in that car?" "Someone else might have been there and killed that girl and taken Jacob." "And now you're doing everything you can to keep the police from finding him." "And what if it was just an accident, and Jacob's off running scared?" "We don't know the facts, Ben." "We don't even know what really happened." "[ tow truck pulling away ]" "OK, they're gone." "You wanna tell me whatever it is you know?" "[ Wendell: ] Hey, hey, hey." "Look, look." "I'm your friend." "And I love Jacob." "Jesus." "Sat through every damn class play of his." "I gave him 50 bucks last year for the bike-a-thon." "I'm on your side." " Wendell, there is something you should know." " Hey!" "What is that?" "What is that, Ben Ryan?" "Are you gonna presume now to tell me when I can speak and when I have to be quiet?" " You can keep your own tongue if you want to, but you -- - [ phone ringing ]" "Jacob!" "Hello?" "Yes." "Who is this?" "[ sighs ]" "Uh -- well, I hope you sleep well tonight." "You're a person of true compassion." " Carolyn, it's better if you just hang up." " Yes, it's our first well-wisher." "Yes, you are." "Aren't you proud?" "Oh." "Well, you haven't got much of a brain, but you've got mighty q-quick reflexes." "[ panting, sobbing ]" "It's OK, honey." "It's OK." "It's all right." "[ Carolyn sobbing ]" "It's OK." "[ Carolyn sobbing ]" "[ panting ]" "Ma'am?" "[ gasps ]" "The -- we've been all over this area and... somebody just buried their dog there." "Oh." "We dug it up and put it back." "[ Carolyn: ] I'm going back to work." "Wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "This is crazy." "Well, I have to live my life." "And this town has its needs too." "Doesn't just revolve around us and our problems." "I'll either be back in 15 minutes with a black eye... or I'll be there all day." " Hey." " Hmm?" "I love you." "I love you." "Bye." "Good-bye." "[ church bell ringing ] [ bell ringing ] [ children chattering ]" "[ chattering stops ]" "[ loud sobbing ] [ woman: ] Slow it down, OK?" "[ groans ]" "[ Carolyn: ] Jacob!" "What if we never see him again?" "Oh, darling." "No, don't lose faith." "We just have to believe that somehow he'll -- he'll find his way back to us." "He will." "And there is some other explanation for all this." "I know there is." "I know it." ""Dear folks, took a long time to get to Boston..." ""in the big storm." ""Wasn't sure we'd make it." "I might move on." ""I might hang out here a while." ""Will try to write." "I know you don't pray, but pray now."" "Postmarked the day before yesterday." " Carolyn, he's alive." " This is crazy." "This isn't Jacob." " That's his handwriting." " No, no, no." "Somebody made him write this." "What's the difference?" "The point is, at least right now, he's OK." " What are you doing?" " I'm calling Fran." "I " " I think it's important." "Fran?" "Carolyn, listen to me." "Will you just listen to me?" "If Fran sees this, the first thing he'll do is get a court order... to intercept our mail and tap our phones." "Then you can forget about ever hearing from Jake again." "And that's just for starters." "They'll slap a manhunt all over Boston." "He'll run again." "God knows where." "Think about it." "Do we really want him caught?" "I " " I just want my boy back." "I just wanna hold him again." "I just -- I just want my boy." "Oh, shh, shh, shh." "[ weeping ] [ register rings ] That's out of 30." "Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight..." "Is that who I think it is?" "Twenty-nine, thirty." "[ whispering ]" "Ben Ryan." "Keep your chin up, you hear?" "Sorry, Joe." "All I need is change." "Oh." " Good night, Karen." "See you for my 8:00." " Um, Mrs. Webber canceled, doctor." "She said you'd understand." " OK." "Good night." " Good night." " Hi, doctor." " T.J. Hi." " I got a fever." " You got a fever?" " Oh, what you " " Come on, honey." "[ awkward laugh ] I'm sorry." "St. Louis on March 11." "That's the third card." " Then he was in L.A. just two days later." " Hi." "It's a new one." "California." "What's this doing out?" "It spoils." "That's it?" "That's your whole reaction?" "Look, you won't show these to Fran." "All right." "But you won't even show them to Wendell, Benny, and he's our lawyer." "He's our friend." "If this gets out, we don't know how it might be used against him." " Mmm." " In fact, it might come in handy later that we kept quiet." "Handy?" "[ phone ringing ]" "Wait, wait." "Hello." "Wendell." "What's " "Turn on the TV." "Channel 3." "Yeah." "Yeah, we got it." " ..." "Across America -- - [ theme music ]" " Jacob Ryan," "The 16-year-old highland resident, who is a suspect in the murder of Martha Taverner, was a fugitive for five weeks." "The teenager, as reported moments ago, was arrested this afternoon..." "[ Carolyn gasps ] in the building you see behind me." "Apparently, the young fugitive was hiding in a friend's apartment." "We understand that he is now being held in the juvenile detention center, and it is expected that he will be arraigned sometime tomorrow." "[ beeping ]" "This way." "[ indistinct chatter ]" "Jake." "Jake!" "Hi, son." "Oh, thank God you're safe." "How are you, son?" "Where were you?" "Jake, first off, your sister -- she wanted us to ask you, um, if the postcards " "W-were you really in all those places, Jake?" "Or were you here the whole time in your friend Darren's apartment, huh?" "Your Dad asked you a question." "Honey, are you gonna talk to us?" "You don't think you're gonna be able to hold out like this forever, do you, Jake?" "The policemen can't hear you." "And we have told them nothing." "Are you still mad at me?" " Is that it?" " You know your father has stood up for you." " Tell me, please." " Do you realize that?" " Jakie!" " Goddamn it, Mister." " Have you any idea what you've put us through?" " Maybe he doesn't even know." "Do you even know why you're here?" "Have they told you?" "Do you know what happened to Martha Taverner?" "There is a warrant for you back in highland." "Do you understand that?" "Yes but you may be able to come home." "First, they just have to have a-a hearing in front of a judge." "A-and Wendell Bye will be right there with you, and Daddy and I will be right there." "And you better speak up then, Jake, in court." "Jake." "Can you look at us?" "What's the matter with you?" "Do some thinking about what you're gonna say to Wendell." "Don't waste his time too." "Let's go." "[ chattering ]" "[ demonstrators: ] No bail!" "Killers in jail!" "No bail!" "Killers in jail!" "No bail!" "Killers in jail!" "No bail!" "Killers in jail!" "No bail!" "Killers in jail!" "No bail!" "Killers in jail!" "No bail!" "Killers in jail!" "Look out, please." "Give us some room." "Look out." "[ chanting continues ] Why did you kill her?" "Jacob Ryan, you've heard the charge against you." "In juvenile proceedings, we enter a plea of "true" or "not true."" "How say you to this charge?" "Not true." "[ demonstrators chanting ]" "Jacob Ryan is a longtime resident." "He's a fine student." "He's always been of flawless character." "And he is still, at the moment, a minor, and, therefore, we respectfully request that he be released on bond." "Jacob Ryan is charged... with a terrible and almost unthinkable crime." "Moreover, the people will prove that he exacerbated that crime... after the fact... by his cunning, deliberate and cold-blooded destruction of evidence." "No parent in this town... and surely no daughter could feel safe... with Jacob Ryan on the loose again." "The people urge that bail be denied." "Marion, I'm just not persuaded... this boy is a threat to the general community." "Your honor, I was also thinking of their threat to him." "Defendant, please rise." "Pretrial release granted." "Bond set at $250,000." "[ singing: ] You say you feel so distorted." "[ singing continues, indistinct]" "Now listen, Mister." "You can do whatever the hell you want with your catatonic self, but don't even think about opening this door." " You hear me?" " [ whispering ] Oh, Ben." "Jude!" "Jacob!" "I made you some cookies!" "Jacob?" "[ Carolyn: ] Maybe you " "Maybe you wanna have some soup first or s -- a sandwich or something." "Mom, what's wrong with him?" "I think we just have to give him a few days, sweetie." "When we fought that morning," "I raised my fist to him." "I would've hit him." "And we both knew it, Carolyn." "I sent him out into the world in that kind of rage." "But you didn't, Benny." "You didn't hit him." "And people do fight." "They argue all the time." "If I'm to blame for this, how can I ever make it up to him?" "No." "We don't even know what happened yet." "If we start blaming ourselves, or, or each other, how are we gonna get through this?" "When he's ready and when he's able, he'll tell us what happened." "He will." "And right now... the only important thing is that we're all together again and he's home." "He's home." "He's home." "[ whimpering ] [ weeping ]" "[ Wendell: ] They got eyewitnesses." "And they're not claiming to have someone who actually saw the murder." " At least not yet." " Then what, exactly, do these people claim to have seen?" "The two of them in his car, I would guess." "His car stopped maybe up on, uh, Poor Farm Road?" "Prosecutor says they have proof that Jacob destroyed evidence." "Well, she has to say that, doesn't she?" " They still haven't found the murder weapon." " But, but surely..." "That helps our, our case." " I mean, you're saying that they've got a lousy case." " Circumstantial, yes." "I'm sayin' that's possible." "Then I don't understand, Wendell." "Why are you dropping out on us?" "[ ironic laugh ] I wouldn't, uh " "It's not that." "Look, I " " I " "I do mortgage closings." "You need an expert now." "Criminal guy." "And believe me, this guy I'm tellin' you about " "He is the best." "Uh, Panos Demeris." "Greek-American." "Lives over in Springfield." "He's lost maybe one case in his whole life." "He'll have Jacob's jury voting for sainthood." "And what about the truth of what happened?" "Doesn't that matter?" "The truth, Mrs. Ryan?" "The truth isn't always so simple." "I just meant, do you have to believe someone is innocent in order to take his case?" "A lot of my clients haven't been innocent of anything you'd care to lay on them... since they were five years old, but they still deserve a good defense, right?" "Do you mind if I eat while we talk?" "Is this late lunch, Mr. Demeris, or early dinner?" "This is breakfast, I think." "I had a pretrial meeting and never did stop." "OK, so..." "your son, Jacob." "Now from what you've told me, he seems like a pretty regular kid." "I mean even these silences, you know?" "Hoping if he hangs tough long enough, maybe this whole thing will just disappear?" "[ chuckling ] Teenagers, huh?" "God help us." "But, uh, let me -- let me ask you something." "Now, please, take this as a neutral question, OK?" "It's not an accusation of any kind, but -- anger..." "Does Jacob have any particular problem expressing his anger?" "Does he tend to keep things bottled up?" "Does he ever just explode?" "You see, I'm asking you because if there's any history here," "I mean even just a whiff, I have to hear it from you." " Not some prosecutor." " No, he " " There's no history." "Jacob's a very -- he's a very kind person." " Decent." "Caring." "You'd like him." " Sure, sure." "But you have to understand, Mr. And Mrs. Ryan " " I'm sorry." "Is it "Mr." And "Dr."?" " Ben and Carolyn." " OK." "Now you have to understand:" "Juries, in cases of this nature, they tend to be very emotional." "They tend to feel that where there's smoke, there's fire." "And, hey." "I could be up there, arguing that Jacob is the most perfect kid in the world." "That's one strategy." "But what they'll be thinking, what they'll see in their mind's eye... and never forget is this." "No." "You can't -- you can't do this." " No, Dr. Ryan, I'm " " You cannot just sit here and eat a sandwich and display such " " How do you expect us to survive this?" " Dr. Ryan." "I'm not being unsympathetic." "Don't infer that." "But this has got nothing to do with sympathy." "I thought you told me you'd seen this corpse." "This is not just any corpse." "This is a girl that I knew, that I once treated." "Just because you see this kind of thing every day -- you spend all your time with violent, horrible people, but we don't, Mr. Demeris." "We don't." "No?" "Well, then, you're very lucky." "I'm a physician, and there isn't much I haven't seen, but this is my son you're talking about." "You may like to remember, Dr. Ryan, it's always somebody's son." " Don't you patronize me, sir, because I can " " Hey, hey, hey, hey." "Let's calm down." "All of us." "Carolyn." "This isn't getting us anywhere." "Come on, honey." "Look, I'm sorry, folks." "But if you don't like me now, what are you gonna say when I have to get up in front of that jury... and argue that your son is not guilty by reason of diminished mental capacity?" "That he was Drunk?" "Stoned?" " Hey, hey, wait a minute." " Yes, bombed out of his skull on crack." " My son does not do drugs." " He may be your son, Mr. Ryan, but he would be my client, and I would not ask your permission for how I choose to defend him." "I'm gonna have to do whatever it takes." "And if you don't like my style, wait 'til you hear the prosecution." "Listen, Dr. Ryan, you wanna jump in the trenches with me?" "Well, you better muscle up." "Lose your bedside manner and trust me to be as good at my job as you are at yours." "Will you do it, Mr. Demeris?" "Will you take our case?" "For your son, yeah." "Yeah, I'll defend Jacob." "Jake?" "I know you don't wanna talk, but I just need to see you." "Can I come up?" "Please?" "Can I just ask you one question?" "Did you ever really go anywhere, Jake?" "OK." "That's cool." "I understand." "But just so you know, when you were in that jail, I tried to come." "They wouldn't let me." "Jake, I really wanted to see you." "They act like they have to protect me from all of this." "Sure." "They can't even protect themselves." "And I hear plenty." "I know what's going on." "Like..." "Mom's had to close her office." "She says it's just temporary." "Sure." "Gimme a break." "Well, anyway, that's all." "I just wanted to ask about the postcards." "No big deal." "Jude, wait." "Don't go." "Once or twice a week, I'd take the train out to Logan airport." "Then I'd find a flight that was goin' to where I wanted to go." "And then I'd find somebody that wouldn't mind mailing a card for me when they got there." "And I said that I'm home from vacation, and I forgot to send this... and I don't want my parents to think I don't miss 'em." "And then, like, I'd sit in one of those chairs, you know?" "In the waiting area at the airport." "I'd shut my eyes like this... and sit." "I went there with 'em." "I went to all those places, jude." "You won't say anything, will you?" "Nobody else would understand." "[ phone rings ]" "Wait." "[ rings ]" "Hello." "[ laughs ]" "Yes, sir, I see." "Oh, that's very biblical." "And I take it you would like to cast the first one, huh?" "Now, I want you to listen very carefully -- No, no, you listen." "I want you to know, you good citizen, that my son is innocent." "He's a free young man, legally here on bond, against whom nothing has been " "No, no." "You're wrong." "Unless he's convicted in a court of law, he is no more guilty than you are." "So sleep tight, pal, and hey, have a wonderful time in church." "[ hangs up receiver ]" "Yeah, Dad." "You're so cool." "You really believe that?" "Well, of -- of course I do." "Our whole system of justice " "I don't mean our system." "I mean about me." "Do you believe that I'm not guilty?" "Jake," "I don't know." "But " "Well, now that you're here, we can " "We can talk about that." "But whatever the truth is, we're standing by you." " Absolutely." " Oh, that's just a bunch of sentimental bullshit." " I mean me." "Do you understand?" " Hey." "Hey, not so fast." "[ Carolyn: ] "Sentimental bullshit"?" " Everybody's parents say stuff like that." " Do they?" "Do they really?" " And do they hide the weapon and destroy evidence..." " Carolyn." "and lie to the police?" "Do they, indeed?" "Do you know this for a fact?" "How am I supposed to just sit here and talk about killing somebody?" "Jake, stop running." "Please." "You're home now." "Stop running." "If I tell you what happened it -- wasn't me." "[ sighs ] It wasn't me, all right?" "We hung out a lot this year." "I kept meaning to tell you guys." "I wanted you to know, but " "I told Martha you guys were cool, but the idea of having to meet you, having to converse with you, it just spooked her somehow." "That day we had a terrible argument." "[ sighs ] From the Moment I picked her up at the ice cream shop at Jacey's, she was on my case about not having a rental car for the winter dance." "She was saying it's your way, ours, of finally saying she's not good enough for me." "[ Jacob sighs ] [ sighs ] I " " I tried to explain to her, but she just -- she kept yelling at me as I was trying to drive." "Then she said, "Pull over right here."" "[ Jacob: ] And it turns out," "I'm not the one she's mad at, really." "She's mad at everyone and everything." "God, especially, for letting this happen to her, 'cause it turns out " "I'm pregnant." "[ Jacob: ] It gets even more complicated." "'Cause she didn't think it was ours." "She wouldn't say whose it might be, but... obviously she's been, you know " "getting around." "I never even had a clue." "She figured it wasn't ours because we were always so careful." "So she's getting all wound up." ""I hate you." "I never want to see you again."" "She was even mocking me for, like, taking care of her, for using -- like only a wimp would think ahead like that." "I said, "So that's it." "Let's go." ""You can have your baby or not." "You can stay with your caveman or not." "I don't care."" "So then she got all sort of -- [ shifting gears ]" "Jake, wait." "Don't go yet." "[ horn honking ]" "Need any help?" "We're all right!" "Look -- [ sniffles ] [ sighs ]" "I didn't mean what I said." "I'm sorry." "I really am." "Come here, I'll show you." "[ Jacob: ] We stayed for a while longer." "[ sighs ] We sort of made up and..." "It was nice, but..." "By now we were both so tired, so wiped out." "It was beginning to get late, so I finally started up the car." "[ engine revving ]" "And that was that." "Tried rocking it, pushing it." "[ door closes ]" "First me, then both of us." "We even tried putting floor mats under the wheels." "We just ended up digging ourselves in deeper." "So finally she says, "Get the jack." ""Pack some snow under the ruts and jack it up."" " And that didn't even work." " This is the reason I can't be with you." "[ Jacob: ] Now we're both really pissed off again." "You let shit like this happen." "Just shut up, all right?" "If I were with Kevin or Matt, I'd be home by now." "What the hell!" "Why are you such a " " I said, shut up, all right?" " [ sighs ] rich kid." " Fuckin' pussy." "Pussy rich " " I said, shut up!" "I did it." "I slapped her." "I just lost it." "[ sighs ] Do I have to do this?" "Please?" "Yes." "You have to." "She still had the crowbar." "You -- [ grunting ]" "She just missed me by one inch, I swear, just one inch." "[ both grunting ]" "Ohh!" "[ metal clanks ] [ panting ]" "Just that one word -- murder." "That sounds so impossible to imagine." "It wasn't even something I was trying to do." "It -- it wasn't even me." "If I had just missed her by one inch -- one inch, just like," "Like she didn't mean -- [ sighs ] My biggest problem would be, do I say hello to her when I see her in the school hall." "Darling." "Thanks." "Mmm." "Now we know." "At least that's something, Ben." "If he tells it that way in court, the same way he told it to us " " He wouldn't be telling it to people who love him." " No, they'll believe him." "They'll see that it was just an accident." "Are you prepared to bet his freedom on that?" "Well what's the answer, then?" "Of course he has to tell them." "Ben, of course he has to tell them." "Let him tell Panos first, OK?" "We're not lawyers, Carolyn." "There might be a certain way this should be " "I don't know -- presented." "I'll take him in tomorrow morning." "OK?" " You're up pretty early." " [ gasps ]" "I wasn't going anywhere." "They kept the car." "But it's clean." "At least, I hope to God." "I don't understand." "Mom said something too, last night." "Oh, Jake, it's not important, all that stuff." "Trust me." "It's not a problem anymore." "[ sighs ] Dad, you can go to jail too." "If they have to take one of us, it's better it's me." "What are you saying?" "Jacob, listen to me." "That night when I came out here I didn't even know what I was doing -- pure instinct." "But maybe I bought us a chance." "They've got no murder weapon, no physical evidence, no witnesses... and we never heard your confession." "You understand me?" "You never said it and we never heard it." "Jake, you're not required to testify against yourself." "Now, that's fair." "That's legal." "That's how the system works." "So, if we all just keep quiet, maybe they've got no case." "Maybe -- maybe you'll walk away from this with some kind of a life still ahead of you." "Yeah, but there are witnesses." " I mean, people drove by and they saw us parked there." " But you're not denying you were there." "You were stuck in the snow, right?" "You had that argument and you walked away mad, left her with the car and the keys." "So you don't know what the hell happened when she was out on that road alone, and neither do we." " Wait a minute." "But the car was here." " You reconsidered." "You came back and you found her. and -- you just panicked." "Isn't that possible?" "Because you knew you'd be a suspect." "Drove back here, still in a state of shock, and took off for Boston." "Foolish, yes." "But not murder." "I wish there was some other way." "I stayed up all night wracking my brains -- any other way that might be safe." "If I just told the truth " "The fact that you ran away, never went for help, never came forward at all " "Jake, how's that gonna look?" "You don't have to convince a jury." "That's up to Panos." "And let the prosecution take their shots." "All I'm saying is, let's just... not make their case for them." "So I thought -- I figured since the police were bound to suspect me, they'd also be looking for the car, so..." "I thought I'd better hitchhike." "[ clears throat ] [ sighs ] I " " I know that was really stupid and dumb of me, but -- [ sighs ]" "You know, all of it is just a blur, Mr. Demeris." "Everything after I walked back and found her there." "[ tape recorder clicks off ]" "Well, Jacob, what if I said it seemed pretty clear to me that you did it?" "You hit her on the head with something, then you just took off." " But I didn't!" " no, no, no." "No, I'm the prosecution now, and you're the guy who smashed her up." "How you gonna prove to me you didn't do it?" "Well, I -- no, no, no, no." "You don't answer that." "Now, remember, Jacob, you don't have to answer that question." "They have to answer it." "They have to prove something on you." "You do not have to prove the opposite." "So?" "How does it look?" "Well, the grand jury sits next Monday, but we've still got a hell of a lot to prepare." " You mean the trial starts Monday?" " No, no, no." "It's not a trial." "Not yet." "No, the grand jury simply weighs up the facts, then decides whether there's enough evidence to indict you." "Now, if you're very, very lucky, you may not even go to trial." "But I'll have a better idea once I see the final witness list and forensics." "Thanks." "OK." "Thanks." "See ya." "Oh, Jake." "I'm sorry." "I'm a little slow sometimes." "I'm just curious." "Let me ask you something." "What were the two of you fighting about?" "I " " I mean, w-what got you so mad?" "I can't believe I let this go." "Well, she was pregnant, for one thing." " I think you'd better sit down again, kiddo." " Come on, son." "It was somebody else's." "At least she said it was." "What?" "This is good?" "Oh, this is very good, my friend." "This is the best news I've heard all day." "And you're convinced that it couldn't possibly have been yours?" "What do you mean?" "You mean " "You know." "Right." "You know." "Well, yeah, but we were al -- we were always " "Safe." "You can say it, son." "Yeah." "And she swore this was somebody else's." " Now the first thing we do:" "we go to the medical examiner, get a full D.N.A. Report." " I'm already on it." "Panos, wh " " I don't -- we still don't understand." "It's called reasonable doubt, Mr. Ryan." "Suppose Jacob and Martha were followed by someone with good reason to be jealous." "Suppose the wrong boyfriend got arrested." "So?" "So what?" "How do you think it went?" " Did he like it, you mean, or did I like it?" " Like what?" "Your story." "Well, yes, my story, I guess." "Our story." "Jake, are you all right?" "[ signal blinker clicking ]" "What?" "Remember that last morning?" "That argument we had?" "Remember what you said to me?" "You said that it's time I learned to pay my own way." "And you called me a hypocrite." "Jake, if you're not OK with this, we can go back there." " I mean i." "It's still not too late." " [ sighs ] Oh, man." "You sure this is the best thing to do?" "I haven't been sure of anything in my life since February 12." "But it's what we've got, son." "It's what we're down to." "All I'm proposing is that we save your life first." "Later on we can worry about your soul." "Is that being a hypocrite?" "I don't know." "But the worst thing you can be called in this world... is someone who didn't stand up for his family." "I -- [ sighs ]" "I really am grateful for everything you're trying to do for me." "And " "Dad, I am grateful, OK?" "I really mean it." "Come on." "Without a word, Ben?" "Not one word?" "It's Jacob's choice, Jacob's life." "And you had nothing to do with it." "We discussed his options, yeah." ""Options"?" "Ben, he's your boy." "And he's scared and he's afraid and he would do anything right now." "He would say anything, if he thought he could win back your approval." "Do you know that?" "He never lost it." "He never lost it." "And, hey!" "If you don't know he deserves yours too, then you've got a serious goddamn problem." "How dare you?" "How dare you?" " It's done, Carolyn, OK?" "It's taken care of." " Just like you took care of the evidence." "[ Ben: ] That's right." "You never even had to dirty your precious hands." "[ Carolyn: ] Trim a little here, add a little there." "[ Carolyn: ] How could I forget how clever you are at making things?" "[ Ben: ] Well one of us had to do something." "Do you think you've made it easier on him now?" "Do you see " " Do you not see that you have tied his hands?" "Now he has you to defend as well as himself." "What do you want?" "What?" "That he should pay with the next 20 years, 30 years of his life... for one mistake, for one moment?" "That he should come out of prison a middle-aged man?" "Who does that benefit?" "Who?" "Oh, love." "Sooner or later somebody's gonna have to be forgiven -- him for what he did, or us because we did nothing when we had a chance to save him." "Wouldn't you rather forgive him?" "[ whispers ] Hey..." "Jude." "[ door closes ]" "[ people murmuring, chattering ]" "Good news." "OK, I stopped at the lab on the way up here." "Now, they had the M.E.'s foetal tissue analysis... and they have that blood sample that we submitted from Jacob." "OK, this gets pretty technical, but " "Jacob wasn't the father." "Bingo." "Oh, man, listen to me, telling a doctor what's technical." "But this works both ways, doesn't it?" "I mean, they could say he was jealous." "This gives him a motive." "This lets us go after the girl, attack her character." "Martha Taverner just blew 50 sympathy points." "Look at it this way:" "this introduces doubt, and doubt, kiddo, is our very best friend." "[ door opens ] Mrs. Ryan?" "[ Ben shouting ]" " Get away from me!" " Excuse me." "Mrs. Ryan." " What happened?" " We'll see you the day after tomorrow at 10:00." "Yes, that's fine." "[ reporters shouting ]" " Benny?" "Ben?" " Screw them!" "Forget the whole bunch of them!" "I didn't testify and I won't testify!" "So you can print any damn thing you want to!" "Here, get this one!" "You didn't testify?" "There's gotta be some protection, some immunity," "Some kind of privilege so they can't try to make us snitch on your own flesh and blood." "Why don't you write that?" "There's such a thing as the fifth amendment." " Ask my lawyer!" " [ reporter shouting ] What are you hiding?" "Weren't you listening to me?" " I told you if you had anything to ask, to come out and ask me!" " I didn't have any questions." " Find me some privilege." " "Find me some privilege." What, make something up?" "[ reporters murmuring ] There's no such thing as parent-child immunity." " There oughta be." " You know what you're asking for?" "You're asking to go to jail for contempt, for starters." "You're asking me to go to jail too, and I'm not doing any such thing for you." "What did he mean by "privilege"?" "You're acting as if we've got something to hide about Jacob." "They twisted every word I said, tried to -- trick me into some kind of conflicting evidence." "Well, I won't play that game with them." "I told them so." "I gave them a statement of principle." " Oh yeah?" "And what was that principle?" "I think I missed that part." " I don't bargain for my son." " And I won't help them to convict him." " Jesus, Ben!" "I won't testify, Panos." "Not today, not ever." "If I have to go to jail, so be it." "And if there was any more I could do, you'd better believe I'd do that too." "[ reporters shouting ]" "What are you doing?" "[ knock on door ]" "Oh." "Give me a minute, Ben, please." "Mom, can I talk to you?" "Mm-hmm." "Mom, they're lying." "They're completely changing the truth of what happened." "How can you let them do that?" "Well, people don't go to court necessarily... to tell the truth about everything that happened." "They, um -- they go to defend themselves the best way they can." "But you heard Jacob and you know what happened." "Are you just gonna do what Daddy says?" "[ sighs ] Jude." "Didn't you ever learn something about a friend of yours, some secret, but you knew if you told her it would just hurt her feelings, so you didn't tell?" "I mean, that's not -- that's not lying exactly." "It's -- you just didn't volunteer something." "Just because that's what people do, just because they might get away with it, does that mean you have to lie?" "Sometimes -- you just -- you're too young... to understand some things, that's all." "I'm just beginning to learn some of them myself." " Someday, darling, you might " " Don't tell me "someday"!" " understand what Daddy " " I can't stand it when you say "someday"!" "This is happening to me right now." "[ Judith: ] You let Daddy convince you." "It's disgusting." "Nobody even cares what I think." "I'm just a stupid little kid." "Nobody even thinks that I can go and tell." "What do you mean, "tell"?" " You figure it out!" " Judith." "[ door slams ] [ footsteps descending stairs ]" "Carolyn, you asleep?" "Mm-mmm." "Abraham and Isaac." "Remember that story?" "God says to Abraham," ""Prove your faith." ""Take Isaac, your beloved son, and sacrifice him." ""Why?" "Because I'm God." "Because I say so."" "And Abraham is willing." "He's very sad, but he'll do it." "He'll cut his own son's throat... if that's what God requires." "Very obedient, Abraham." "And very righteous." "But when they tell that story they always miss the point." "Who'd want him for a father?" "[ people chattering quietly ]" " Good morning, Carolyn." " Hi." " First time you've donated blood?" " Yes." "[ sighs ] [ toilet flushes ]" "Mrs. Taverner." "Oh, please." "This has been, for me, for all of us -- It's the hardest " "I've just " " I've spent a thousand hours not sleeping, thinking about..." "Martha." "And I just want you to know how sorry I am." "I am so sorry." "I know it won't change anything, but -- [ sighs ] oh, God, if you could " "What?" "If I could what?" "If you could somehow... look at us as human -- as a family, I mean." "Just as a family that's also so helpless." "What do you have to be helpless about?" "You tell me that." "She was alive in the morning when I said good-bye to her." "You're a doctor." "You think about this, where she is now." "And nothing you say is gonna get any pity out of me." "Oh, I'm not asking for your pity." " I'm " " I'm just " " You're trying to get him off." "With your big shot lawyer and all your money." "He's free to walk the streets right now, and you're trying to get him off." "People like you think they own the world." "[ people chattering ]" "[ loud clatter ]" "Jesus." " Stay inside." "Call the police." " [ Carolyn: ] No, Ben!" " [ Jacob: ] Dad, don't!" " [ Ben: ] Hey!" " Come here, you bastard!" " [ man: ] I did it." "Let's get out of here." "Ben!" "[ man grunts ]" " Hey!" "hey, you!" " Come on!" " Jake!" "Jake!" "Please!" "Let's go!" "Come on!" "[ men yelling, whooping ]" "Mom!" "God!" "Goddamn it!" " Are you all right?" " Yeah." "Here!" "This is your fault!" "Both of yours!" " You've turned us all into freaks!" " Shut up, all right?" "I wish you'd never come back." "Why didn't you just stay away?" "I hate you!" "I hate you!" "Ohh!" "[ Ben: ] It's OK, Jake." "[ yells ]" "Aaah!" "God!" "Help!" "[ Carolyn: ] Jacob!" "[ Ben: ] Get down!" "[ Jacob whimpering ] [ crying ] It's OK." "It's OK." "Let's gently, gently get him up." "It's OK." "Come on, sweetheart." "Let me look." "Let me see." "That's it, that's it, that's it." "No, no." "I can't -- I can't treat this here." "[ whimpering ]" "I'm gonna have to take him to the office." "I'll come too." " No, you stay here with Judith." " Carolyn, I " "Please, Ben." "This won't hurt, I promise." "There you go." "I'm just gonna wrap this up... so we don't have to worry about infection." "OK?" "You may start to feel drowsy now from that shot." "So if you do, you just put your head down." "OK, love?" "OK." " Mom?" " Mm-hmm?" "Jude is right." "You'd all be better off if I just disappeared." "Maybe I still should." "Don't even say that." "I don't mean just you." "I mean -- you know, the whole town." "I mean, that's what they want, isn't it?" "No." "No, Jake, those men -- those men tonight were cowards." "If you saw them tomorrow in their shops, they'd smile and nod while they gave you change." "I'm the coward." "I'm the coward." "I " "I feel like I'm being torn apart, you know?" "And -- [ sighs ]" "If I hold this in, i-it's like... a poison, you know?" "If I tell the truth, Dad'll go to jail too." "He'll hate me." "Either way, it's the end of us." "Your Dad'll never, never hate you." "Your Dad loves you... so much, Jacob." "And right or wrong, he always gives... his whole heart." "It can be pretty overwhelming sometimes because..." " he just always seems so sure." " [ sniffs]" "But you don't have to be that way." "You know?" "It is possible to disagree with someone... and still love them." "At a certain point, we just -- we have to make our own decisions." "Yeah." "Yeah, but he risked so much for me." "Mmm." "He didn't even stop to count the price." "He just did it." " Mom?" " Hmm?" "How can I let him down?" "How can I do that to him?" "Yeah." "How can you?" "[ whispering ]" "Mrs. Ryan." "Dr. Ryan." "[ people chattering ] There she is!" "Dr. Ryan!" "Dr. Ryan, did you also refuse to testify?" " How'd it go, trooper?" " I did it." "I told them." "See?" "What'd I tell you?" " No sweat." " No, I mean I told them what really happened." "What?" "Ben and Jacob haven't been telling you the truth, Panos." " I can't believe you haven't known that." " Whoa, whoa!" " I don't know what you're gonna do about this." " You come with me." "[ reporter: ] Might we have a statement, please?" " Dr. Ryan!" " Excuse me!" "Talk." " It's hard to say." " They've been in there 20 minutes." " There's no story here." " Twenty minutes!" "What are they talking about?" "OK." "My turn." "Jacob doesn't know, does he?" "Did you at least tell Ben?" "Oh, Jesus Christ." "All I can say is, I hope he doesn't have his son's temper, because I worry about you." "He doesn't have his son's temper." " His son has his." " This weapon -- this car jack that you say killed her." "Where is it now?" "It'll never surface, I promise you, but I'm never going to say." " Did you ever see it?" " Mm-mmm." "Well, then it's hearsay." "Just like this so-called confession is your word against Ben and Jacob's and -  there's still no proof." " Panos, it was an accident." "Why can't Jacob just tell the truth?" "Jacob is my client, not you, not your husband." "Jacob." "And there's no way I'm going to put him on that witness stand... for Marian Raynor to cut to pieces." "I'm gonna defend your son even if you don't." "Even if it means hanging you out to dry." " Me?" " Cold." "Vindictive." "Full of crazy, paranoid fantasies about your son and his low-class lover." "Honey, by the time I'm done with you, you'll look like Medea." "Panos, if you try to go on hiding this " "If we don't, at some point, accept what actually did happen " " What actually happened?" " Carolyn, what's it gonna take for you to get this?" "They tell their version of the story; we tell ours." " And these twelve people decide the truth." " That's not the truth." "You're talking about a contest between ad campaigns." " I'm talking about saving your son." " So am I." "It's absolute, why I did this, Panos." "Finally, it's just one true thing." "Absolute." "I didn't ask your permission because I didn't want it." "We can't afford it anymore." "Oh, my dear doctor." "You and your goddamn absolutes." "You'll see what a shallow, little thing your principles are... when your family's blown to hell." "And you won't be able to take back one single word." " Jacob." "Jacob." " What?" "Come on, wake up." "Come and hear what your mother's done." "She's done it now, boy." "She just couldn't keep her big mouth shut." " Dad, stop." "You're hurting me." " What is it?" "What's wrong?" "She'll tell you herself." "Tell him." "Tell him!" "What kind of a life are we going to have, hmm?" "What kind of a life, all of us?" "I love you and I wanted to save you." "But save you for what?" "As what?" "Everything he's been for 16 years, everything he is." "That -  that wasn't enough to make him valuable?" " Ohh." "You never wanted to save him." "You brought him into this life..." " but you're not willing to forgive him." " I forgive us all, Ben." "Jake, for God's sake, don't listen to her." " We can't give up now." " Oh, leave him alone." " Believe me, here's still a chance." " Don't you have any faith in him at all?" " We can still fight this, you and me together." " You back off." " Back off my son." " What?" "If he's your son, then act like it." "Jacob." "Jakie, I did this for you, for both of you." " I only was trying to help you." " Oh, come on!" " Do you understand that?" "You're asking a hell of a lot if you expect your own son to understand why you betrayed him." " I didn't be -- you can't say that!" " Goddamn it, just stop it!" "All right?" "Both of you." "Hey, Mom!" "Mom!" "Wake up!" "Jacob's gone." "Hmm?" "What?" "Jacob!" "He's gone." "He's gone." "Check the kitchen and the back of the house." " I already looked." " Look again." "Oh, no." "Ohh." "The jeep's gone." "He's running again, and this time he'll never stop." "No, he didn't take any clothes or food." "I'm almost sure, Ben." "Maybe he doesn't think he'll need them." "Maybe he's gonna drive that thing straight into a tree." "Oh, my God." "No, that can't be true." "Ben?" "Carolyn?" "I think you'd better come with me." "Do they know?" "Uh-uh." "Jacob, were you running to some " "No, I came down here to tell 'em the truth." "Everything." "Just like I told you." "But you won't believe this." "It turns out that it's not that easy..." "Even if you really want to." "It turns out that my statement isn't legal unless it's signed by my parents." "Dad?" "You want this now." "You think you want this, but, Jake, you're still upset from last night." " You're not thinking clearly." " Please, I am." "I am." "I am thinking clearly." "And I'll do my best to leave you out of this, but you might be in some trouble too, and I'm sorry." "Is that what you " "Oh, God, Jake." "Is that what you think this was ever about?" "For one minute?" "I don't care what happens to me." "Why do you think I've been doing all this?" "You think I'm some -- some kind of a selfish bully?" "I've always got to have my own way?" "Oh, Jake." "Don't you remember what you said to me?" "You said the worst thing you can be called... is someone who didn't stand up for his family." "This is my way." "This is how I've gotta stand up." "For us." "For our family." "They'll probably take it with just Mom's signature on it." "But I need you to do this." "I need you to do this, please." "I need this for me, please." "I had to be strong." "I had to act certain because that's what you needed from me." "All of you." "But I can't do this." "[ clipboard lands on bench ]" "I can never put my hand to anything that would take you away from me." "I love you too much, Jake." "Nothing can ever take me away from you." "Oh, son." "My son." "[ Jacob sobs ]" "I wish we could go back." "Yeah." "I never knew how much you loved me." "I never knew that." "[ Ben sobs ] [ Jacob: ] Judith?" "Jake." "[ Panos: ] Langdale's a good judge." "He's smart and he's fair, and I think I may have convinced him... that prison time in this case would be completely inappropriate." "I think we got a real shot." "But you sure didn't leave me much to trade with." "I guess we haven't been the most helpful clients you've ever had." "Why didn't you quit, Panos?" "I told you I'd defend Jacob." "Or maybe I just wanted to see what you two would do next." "[ bailiff: ] Hear ye, hear ye." "The third district court is now in session." "The honorable Henry Langdale presiding." "All rise." "Please be seated." "Having reviewed all the evidence and testimony... in the case of the people versus Jacob Ryan, juvenile, this court is now prepared to render judgment." "Martha Taverner's death, in the opinion of this court, was neither premeditated nor deliberately caused by the defendant." "[ spectators murmuring ]" "There was a heated argument, a mutually reckless struggle, but no criminal intent." "[ murmuring continues ]" "Young man, I'm also mindful that you've expressed deep remorse, that you've made a full and free confession... and done so at your own insistence without stipulating a plea bargain." "Nevertheless, you have a clear culpability." "By running away, by covering up your involvement... in the death of Martha Taverner, you cast grave doubts on your own actions... and you short-circuited the very protections afforded you under the law." "Jacob Ryan, please rise." " I find you guilty..." " [ crowd gasps, murmurs ] of involuntary manslaughter in the second degree." "I sentence you to be taken from this place and confined... at the juvenile correction facility at Framingham... for a period not to exceed five years." "[ spectators murmuring ] [ gavel bangs ]" "Still think it was worth it?" "[ Judith narrating: ] My father had to serve almost a year for destroying evidence." "Jacob was released on probation after two years." "He has to go to counseling, though." "So we have them back." "But none of us is free." "Each of us is marked forever now." "Before... and after." "I look at Jacob now..." "And I think about how different our lives might have been." "All of us." "And that's the saddest part of all." "[ Jacob: ] Hey, jude, look!" "[ Judith: ] But lately, sometimes," "I can feel myself starting to come alive again." "And it's scary, kind of." "I don't know if that's even allowed." "Maybe you can't expect to keep happiness out of your life forever, any more than trouble." "Your whole life can change in a second, and you never even know when it's coming."