The Ledger

7.22 Past Imperfect

In this episode (7.22), an older woman, a former model, is found dead while she's supposed to be attending a surprise birthday party in her honor. It turns out that a daughter she didn't know she had was trying to blackmail her to get money from her rich and illegitimate father. Briscoe and Curtis investigate, and McCoy and Ross weave a prosecution together.

The episode begins inside the scene at the surprise party. When she doesn't show up, the flamboyant host, Mr Holland, goes to her apartment to find her. There are professional photos of a model on the walls. He finds her with her head bashed in. Briscoe and Curtis respond to the scene. The victim's name is Christine Sandler, and Briscoe remember her from her modeling days. It looks like she hit her head on the table and there is blood on the underside of it. They find seizure medication in her apartment, so maybe a seizure was to blame. Her son Doug shows up and is understandably upset.

They learn that Sandler used to have a cocaine habit, but has been clean for 4 years. Mr Holland says that Doug was not a good son. They talk to Doug's father, Jimmy Burke, who looks like Billy Idol, and who is a sort of washed up rock star. He has an alibi, though: he was out recording a jingle for a mattress company. His alibi is uneven, however, as the timing of it doesn't hold up to scrutiny. They talk to his groupie girlfriend, who says he left her at 2.30 pm, and they know he didn't arrive at his mattress gig until 4.

Burke is questioned again. He says Doug asked the victim for money on behalf of Burke. The short forensics guy Ellis tells them that Burke's blood doesn't match that found at the scene, but whoever left it is a blood relative of the victim's. That makes it look like Doug is the suspect, doesn't it?

Doug is questioned. This leads them to the vic's bookkeeper, who points out a check that was written to someone, but the endorsement on the back of the check is illegible. They visit Sonya, the bank telller who cashed the check, and she seems nervous. They learn that the victim's mother has Alzheimer's disease and lived at a convalescent home. They visit the home and find out that Sonya has been visiting her there! Now that's strange! They talk to the vic's mom who is completely out of it.

They talk to Sonya on the street and she tells them that the victim is her secret mother! Now it looks like Sonya killed her. They trick Sonya into giving them a blood sample, and learn that on the day of the murder, she left work, and returned with a different purse than the one she entered with.

They question her co-worker, Grant Silverman, who she was seen talking to and handing the purse to. They are able to get a search warrant for her apartment but not for Silverman's. They need the bloody blouse they assume was in that purse. Sonya is arrested at the bank (35'), as is Silverman.

Both suspects are questioned. Silverman is talking to Briscoe and seems about to roll when Sonya, in another room, mentions that Silverman is not only her boyfriend but also her lawyer. A moment later, Silverman tells Briscoe about the bloody blouse. Hm, that's thorny.

The ADAs want to get Sonya's birth records released. Judge Yee suppresses Silverman's statement, since it is considered privileged. Ross meets with the detectives and go through the suspects' mail. They learn that Silverman had been pursuing a matter with the relatives of another dead person, a rich guy named Harold Lanser, who was worth $250 million. They get a biopsy sample from him, and it appears he may be Sonya's secret father. His will says he leaves his fortune to "my children," so Sonya could conceivably get a stake of that.

At trial (48'), Sonya fights the charges of murder. Lanser's lawyer says he needed an affidavit from the victim describing her sexual encounter with Lanser. Only then could he give Sonya the money. This might have been what Sonya was after from her mom. Sonya testifies, and she mentions in passing that as her attorney, Silverman would earn 1/3 of whatever she got from her petition of Lanser's estate. So he looks more like a prime suspect. McCoy really goes after Sonya on the stand, though, and breaks her down. The defense lawyer asks the judge to intervene, saying, "Your honor, this is cruel."

The DAs hav a conference and discuss the possibility that Silverman is behind the whole thing. They make a deal for his testimony: he'll only be charged with a misdemeanor. Ross doesn't like it and says McCoy is "buying" his testimony. Silverman accepts the deal and rolls on Sonya.

McCoy and Sonya's defense attorney, Marjorie, meet. She says Sonya will take a deal. Sonya says her mom, the victim, was a hooker when she was 18. She says that she, Sonya, was envious of the half-brother. She went to get what she deserved -- the affidavit -- but her mom wouldn't give it to her, so she hit her and killed her.

In the epilogue, we learn that Sonya is indeed Lanser's child. Silverman will earn his $17 million. McCoy says he's going to send a transcript of the proceedings to the victim's son, so they can use it in a civil trial to get money for the victim's death. Schiff ends the episode with the word, "Lawyers...." and a sigh.

Posted by adm at July 4, 2004 12:00 AM

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