Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00No, no!
00:02Get over here!
00:04No, no!
00:08No, no, no!
00:10Please!
00:12Where are you going?
00:16Please, please, please run!
00:18I'm sorry!
00:20Sorry's not enough!
00:22No!
00:24Not this time!
00:30Please run!
00:34I'm sorry!
00:38Please run!
00:40I'm sorry!
00:42Another nightmare?
00:46Yeah.
00:48I think I'm just stressing about this appeal.
00:50Don't stress, girl.
00:52You got a good chance, I think.
00:54Yeah.
00:56We'll see.
00:58Stackhouse.
01:00You have a visitor.
01:16Unlock cell 629.
01:18I couldn't see you.
01:28I just ain't seeing you like this lately.
01:32I...
01:34Like a criminal.
01:36I feel responsible for all this.
01:40I should've stopped you.
01:42Mom.
01:44I should've stopped you.
01:45I should've stopped you.
01:46I should've...
01:47Mom!
01:48No!
01:49I'd do it all again.
01:51If I had to.
01:53I'm never gonna let anyone hurt you.
01:58So, um...
01:59Did you hear back from the lawyer?
02:03I did.
02:04And, um...
02:05Because I couldn't pay the last invoice.
02:10He's saying he's...
02:12He's no lonely one to represent you.
02:15I feel like a failure all around.
02:18I feel like a failure all around.
02:22S-Stop it.
02:23Stop it, Mom.
02:24No.
02:25Look at me.
02:26No, no, no.
02:27No, no.
02:28Stop it.
02:29Listen, I'll just...
02:30I'll just...
02:31I'll just get a public defender again.
02:32Okay?
02:33No.
02:34That's what you did to begin with.
02:36And look where it got you.
02:38Yeah, well, um...
02:40Maybe the next one will be better.
02:43Let's just...
02:45Let's just keep faith.
02:46Okay?
02:47Okay?
02:48Not for dignity.
02:51Yeah.
02:55You may be seated.
02:57Calling the first matter of the people versus Aaliyah Stackhouse.
03:01Please state your appearances.
03:02Jonathan Wilson, lawyer for the people.
03:05Thank you very much.
03:06And...
03:07Is there not a lawyer present on this side of the table?
03:10Uh...
03:11I think he's running late, Your Honor.
03:13I see.
03:15Well, we'll start with you, Counselor.
03:16Please proceed.
03:17Thank you, Your Honor.
03:18My client, Officer Ronald Coote...
03:24...was violently attacked by the defendant...
03:29...with a skillet.
03:34There you go, Your Honor.
03:36And...
03:37Prior to this attack...
03:38...he was assaulted by the defendant's mother...
03:41...the night of June 5th, 2012.
03:43That's not true!
03:44That's not true!
03:45That's not true!
03:46You know that's not true, Ron!
03:48Order!
03:49Order!
03:50Well, I'll have you removed.
03:53Thank you, Your Honor.
03:54Now we know where the daughter gets the anger issues from.
04:01As I was saying before, I was so rudely interrupted.
04:04Based on the responding officer's observation of the defendant's conduct that day,
04:09they believe her to be extremely violent, a threat to others.
04:15We have a photo of my client displaying the harm that was inflicted upon him by the defendant.
04:23Based on the evidence I submit to the record today, the decision for guilt for the charge of aggravated assault was satisfactory.
04:37She's a menace to society.
04:40She's a violent human being.
04:43And she needs to remain behind bars.
04:49Any word on your lawyer, Ms. Stackhouse?
04:52No, Your Honor. I don't know where he is.
04:55Oh, good morning. I apologize for the delay.
05:00Court was ten minutes ago, Mr. Thomas.
05:03Please state your appearances.
05:05Yeah, Ken Thomas. I'm the lawyer for Rochelle Smith.
05:09Rochelle Smith?
05:11This is a case for the People vs. Aaliyah Stackhouse.
05:15Oh, right.
05:18I should have those documents in here somewhere.
05:22Counsel, this is unacceptable.
05:25First you're late, and now you're unprepared.
05:27Yeah, I'm sorry about that, Your Honor.
05:29It's just that I'm juggling a whole bunch of clients right now,
05:32and the office is going through some budget cuts.
05:35But I'm sure the paperwork is in here somewhere.
05:39Unless I left them in the printer.
05:43I'm going to continue this hearing.
05:46The Stackhouse will get a new court date set for
05:49approximately 30 days from now.
05:54This gives her time to hire a new lawyer.
05:57If she so chooses to.
06:00Orders adjourned.
06:01I'm sorry.
06:06Well, you know what?
06:08Let's get together and discuss your case now that we have an extra 30 days.
06:13I don't know what my availability is, but...
06:16Actually, I think I may want a new lawyer.
06:20Great!
06:22One less thing for me to have to deal with.
06:23Good luck.
06:30I can't believe you.
06:32Do you want me to get you a new public defender?
06:35No matter what, you can't lose this appeal.
06:38I don't know, but I'll think of something, okay?
06:43There's no way I'm going to let Ron get away with this.
06:47You know, the problem is, Ron is a decorated cop.
06:53Okay, his people are going to protect him.
06:55I know, I know they covered everything up.
06:57That's what they do, protect their own.
06:59Yeah, and that's what I was doing too.
07:01And look where it got me.
07:03Fifteen years in this...
07:04I just...
07:11I just wish that I had a solid lawyer who cared and didn't cost an arm and a leg.
07:17I've only had someone.
07:19Well, have you ever thought maybe you don't need anyone?
07:23What do you mean?
07:25Maybe the only person you need is yourself.
07:28You're one of the smartest people I know. You could be your own attorney.
07:31No, no, that could never work.
07:33Okay, I hardly know anything about law.
07:37Well, it's not like you don't have time to learn.
07:41You ever heard of Tanya Briers?
07:43No. Who is she?
07:45She was a person in a similar situation as you.
07:48She couldn't afford an attorney, or bail, so she decided to represent herself.
07:53And get this, she won, and when she got out of jail, she even became a lawyer.
07:57Really?
07:58Yes, and if she can do it, you can too.
08:03It's either that, or you hire someone that doesn't care whether you spend the rest of your life in this paradise.
08:09Who would you rather trust?
08:12Them, or yourself?
08:13Allia decides to put her life in the hands of the person she trusts the most.
08:25Herself.
08:28From that moment on, she spends every free minute she has studying law.
08:32She researches everything she can about her case.
08:45And eventually, she becomes a lot smarter and a lot more confident.
08:50She's now ready to use everything she learned in a real courtroom.
08:54All rise.
09:04You may be seated.
09:09Calling the second matter of the People versus Aaliyah Stackhouse.
09:13Please state your appearances.
09:15Jonathan Wilson, lawyer for the People, Your Honor.
09:17And good morning.
09:18Good morning, Counselor.
09:20And...
09:22Is your attorney running late again?
09:25No.
09:27I'll be...
09:29representing myself, Your Honor.
09:32You sure about that?
09:35Very well then.
09:37Please proceed.
09:48My mother, Ariana Stackhouse, was in an abusive relationship with Officer Ronald Coote.
10:12For two years, I watched him physically abuse her.
10:16That's a lie.
10:18You saw the photo.
10:19You...
10:23Continue.
10:29I would...
10:31I would beg her to leave him.
10:34But she always gave him another chance.
10:38So I didn't get involved.
10:40But on the night of June 5th...
10:432012...
10:47I had no choice but to step in.
10:52You see...
10:54Ron had gotten home after a night of drinking.
10:58He was very aggressive.
11:01Even more so than usual.
11:03That night...
11:05The arguing got so bad...
11:08That it even woke me up.
11:12When I heard a body hit the floor...
11:15I knew my mom was in trouble.
11:18So I ran out of my room.
11:21My mom was on the ground.
11:24And Ron was standing over her.
11:27He was about to hurt her even more.
11:30I panicked.
11:32That's when I did the only thing I could think of.
11:34I grabbed a skillet off the table...
11:37And hit him with me.
11:39When the police came...
11:41We thought they'd hear our side.
11:42And this nightmare would finally be over.
11:44That is...
11:46Until we realized...
11:48No one wanted to hear our side.
11:50Since Ron was a cop...
11:52They only wanted to hear our side.
11:54That is...
11:56Until we realized...
11:58No one wanted to hear our side.
12:00Since Ron was a cop...
12:01Since Ron was a cop...
12:03They only wanted to hear his.
12:10At the end of the night...
12:12We were the ones in handcuffs.
12:14Not him.
12:16I'll never forget that smug look Ron had on his face...
12:20As we were taken out.
12:27So you see, Your Honor?
12:28That's what really happened that night.
12:31Come on.
12:32We have heard all of this before.
12:34All right?
12:35And the police report...
12:36Completely contradicts that story.
12:38I was the victim.
12:39All right?
12:40I was the one that had all the injuries.
12:42You will have your chance to speak.
12:45Right now it's her turn.
12:49He is right.
12:51None of what you said here today...
12:52Changes the facts we had before us.
12:54So unless you have another argument as to why your case should be overturned...
12:59Oh.
13:00There's more.
13:01Your Honor.
13:06As I was saying...
13:08Before I was rudely interrupted...
13:11The constitutional issue in this case...
13:14Is the internal misconduct of the La Poma Police Department.
13:19Me...
13:21A 14-year-old girl at the time...
13:23Was arrested and charged...
13:25As an adult...
13:26For aggravated assault...
13:28When I was only defending my mother from her abuser.
13:32My mother tried to press charges that night...
13:35Against Officer Coote...
13:37For domestic violence.
13:39But her claims were never addressed...
13:42And Officer Coote...
13:44Was never held responsible.
13:46Well, each officer's testimony states...
13:48That they didn't have probable cause...
13:50That domestic violence occurred.
13:52The only thing they did determine...
13:53Was that you were the primary aggressor.
13:56Exactly, right?
13:58Yes, Your Honor.
14:00But according to Penal Code 243PC...
14:02Self-defense...
14:04Is a legal defense against domestic battery.
14:07And...
14:09According to the Castle Doctrine...
14:10One can even use self-defense...
14:12In defense of himself...
14:14Or someone else in the home.
14:17So I wasn't the aggressor.
14:19I was only defending my mother.
14:23Therefore, I should not have been charged...
14:25For aggravated assault.
14:27Impressive, Ms. Stackhouse.
14:29But again...
14:31None of the officers found any evidence...
14:33That Mr. Coote was perpetrating.
14:35So unless you have any additional information...
14:37Or evidence...
14:38And unfortunately...
14:39There's one more thing.
14:41I have a witness.
14:44Who's that? Your mom?
14:46Of course she's gonna say whatever she has to...
14:47To help you out here.
14:49It's not my mom.
14:51It's...
14:55Who's that?
14:56This is Juanita Ramirez.
14:58This is Juanita Ramirez.
15:00An officer at the Atlanta Police Department.
15:03Formerly...
15:04At the La Poma Police Department.
15:06She was one of the arresting officers...
15:09Who took me in that night.
15:11Alright.
15:12We'll hear your testimony then, officer.
15:14Objection!
15:15On what grounds?
15:20Go ahead, Ms. Ramirez.
15:23I worked with the La Palma Police Department for ten years and...
15:27I remember that night very well.
15:29You see...
15:31At first, I thought Ms. Stackhouse was responding in self-defense.
15:35But then...
15:37I let another officer persuade me otherwise...
15:39And went along with reporting Ms. Stackhouse as the aggressor.
15:46It sat with me for a long time.
15:48Something in my gut told me it wasn't right.
15:50And then I found out something even more shocking.
15:57It wasn't the only time Ron was involved in a domestic dispute.
16:01This was a pattern of Ron.
16:04And each time, he called on one of his friends to clear it all up.
16:07They were using me as a pawn in all of this.
16:10And every time...
16:12Ron walked away scot-free.
16:15So you see, Your Honor...
16:17I came to find out there were many more instances of Ron abusing other victims.
16:23But when I went to the head of the department, I was told I'd make the department look bad if I said anything.
16:29And I may never work in law enforcement again.
16:32So...
16:34I decided to resign instead.
16:35But when Aaliyah contacted me, I knew I couldn't stay silent any longer.
16:43The real criminal has to pay the consequences for this.
16:47Your Honor, everything you've heard here is a lie.
16:51I'm the one that was attacked and there is no evidence to prove otherwise.
16:54Actually...
16:57I've got it right here.
17:16Believe this.
17:19I've seen everything I need to see here.
17:21You little rat.
17:23I'm gonna call my friend...
17:24Enough!
17:26I'm sure after this, you're not gonna have any friends.
17:31Arrest him.
17:36You're gonna pay for this.
17:37All of you.
17:39Enjoy your time behind bars.
17:43In light of all the evidence, I'm ruling in favor of Aaliyah Stackhouse.
17:48Yes!
17:50She's free to go.
17:54I'm also gonna launch a department-wide investigation into the La Palma Police Department.
17:59To ensure that justice is served.
18:02Truly sorry for your troubles, Ms. Stackhouse.
18:05We'll figure out some equitable arrangement.
18:08And thank you, Ms. Ramirez, for your help in all of this.
18:13This case is dismissed.
18:14Yes!
18:15Yes!
18:16Yes!
18:17Yes!
18:18We're making a hole!
18:19Oh!
18:20Thank you!
18:21Thank you!
18:23Thank you!
18:24Thank you!
18:25Thank you!
18:26Thank you!
18:27You're coming home!
18:29You're coming home!
18:30You're coming home!
18:34Ms. Stackhouse?
18:35Yes?
18:36Someone's here for you.
18:37Okay.
18:40Oh, my God!
18:42Hey!
18:43Hey, Sarah!
18:44Look who's out.
18:45Oh, my God, it's so good to see you.
18:47You look amazing.
18:48Me too, too, Miss Big Shot attorney.
18:51I've been reading about you all over the papers.
18:53It seems like everything's working out well.
18:55Yeah, well, I owe a lot of it to you.
18:58I mean, if you never...
19:00What did I tell you?
19:02The only person I need is myself.
19:06But you still helped me realize that, so I do owe you.
19:08Nah, you don't owe me anything.
19:11Actually, wait.
19:13If you're offering, would you be able to get me a job?
19:17What?
19:18It's hard getting a job with a criminal record.
19:20Which is actually something I wanted to ask you about.
19:23Now that you're an attorney, can you help me expunge my record?
19:28Wait, a job and free legal services?
19:32I thought you said I didn't owe you anything.
19:34Well, just a little help with that would be...
19:37Oh, fine.
19:38Yay.
19:38Bye.
19:38You