Harry's Law Episode 2.05 Bad to Worse

A hungover Harry slinks into her office. She's suffering the aftereffects of spending a night with Tommy and a bottle of scotch. She's really in no mood to talk to anyone, but a new client, Richard Cross, insists on seeing her. He's a high school biology teacher who failed a student who rejected his teaching Darwinism.

Ollie's also got an unusual case. His defendant, an old girlfriend, is accused of bilking older men out of their money by operating a dating site where she personally pursued relationships with the wealthiest members. The district attorney has charged her with five counts of fraud - one for each of the men she maintained relationships with.

Harry and Richard Cross talk to his principal. The principal denies that Richard was fired for teaching Darwinism. Officially, he was let go due to budget cuts. The principal chides Richard for failing an otherwise star student who was headed for Harvard. But when Harry probes the principal further, he hints that he was pressured into firing Richard. He suggests Harry talk to the minister, who seems to be pressuring the school board.

Assistant District Attorney Warren Taylor examines a witness, Lawrence Mitchell. Mitchell explains that he discovered a website catering to older divorced men and signed up. Among the suggested matches was the defendant. They met for coffee, then dinner, and eventually became lovers. He admits to lavishing her: trips to Europe, a condo in Paris, etc. When Tammy told him she wanted to maintain her independence, Mitchell became jealous and hired a private investigator. The P.I. discovered that she was seeing four other men at the same time. When he realized that she was also the founder of the website, he felt duped and defrauded. On cross-examination, Ollie gets Mitchell to admit that he was very happy with Tammy and that his inference that the relationship was monogamous was his alone.

Harry meets with Pastor Darcy in the pews of his church. He explains that he's sorry a teacher was fired, but that he's simply trying to right an egregious wrong. He believes the teacher was zealous and sought to torpedo the college career of a very bright young student - and a member of his flock.

Harry convenes a meeting between her client and the boy he failed, Zach. Zach explains that he doesn't reject Darwinism entirely, just its ability to explain all aspects of biology. Richard counters that on the final exam Zach failed to cite any of the scientists who question certain aspects of Darwinism - he simply wrote "croc" (sic) on his test. The student explains that he's finagled an interview with Harvard admissions the next day to try to get his application back on track and warns his teacher that he should pray that they let him in.

Another of Tammy's aged lovers takes the stand. His story is similar: he supplied Tammy with properties in Telluride and Cabo San Lucas. "She milked me like a cash cow, preying on my loneliness, my libido," he testifies. Ollie cross-examines. He asks the witness how he knows she didn't love him. He replies that she was having sex with other men. Ollie points out that's not a reason to have her arrested. He wouldn't arrest a wife who was having an affair. Ollie maintains that his client is being prosecuted only because these wealthy men have undue influence in the district attorney's office. He points out that the witness didn't identify himself as looking for love and a monogamous relationship in his own profile. Perhaps it's he who committed fraud, Ollie intones.

With court adjourned for the day, Tammy, Ollie and Adam confer at the law office. Adam, who's assisting on the case, suggests that Ollie dial his attitude back slightly - he's coming across as unlikable; Ollie disagrees. He leaves, and Adam begins his preparations with Tammy. Adam probes her a bit and learns that she had a relationship with Ollie, one that hasn't ended well. He explains that she must not let that affect her testimony. You must come across as vulnerable, he tells her.

Harry meets with Zach and his parents. Zach explains that God spoke to Pastor Darcy and told him that he was destined for Harvard Divinity School. Consequently, he has no backup plan for alternative schools - because he shouldn't need one, he tells Harry and his parents.

In a sky blue suit, Tammy takes the stand and explains that the men she dated who expected exclusivity were making a mistake. She grew up poor and has always wanted nice things for herself, she testifies. She goes on to explain that her father was tremendously influential in her life - and that in her relationships she always enjoyed the security of older men. The district attorney questions how she could carry on with five men simultaneously. Tammy testifies that she adored them - and tells the DA that she knows more about them than he ever will.

The district attorney shows pictures of the matches Tammy's website came up with for the older man; she is far and way the prettiest. But she insists she didn't pick the men herself; the dating program's algorithm did. And she never promised exclusivity in her own profile.

Harry visits Pastor Darcy in his office. She tells him he crossed a line by saying to Zach that it was a divine message that he would go to Harvard. Darcy says he never told Zach that - and that Harry should back off. He goes on to explain that one of the top Republican candidates for president doesn't fully believe in Darwinism - and that she should get on board with a growing school of thought that it's a theory, not a fact.

Adam stops by Ollie's office and advises him that he must work on humanizing Tammy; he's concerned that Ollie's emotional distance will rub off on the jury. Meanwhile, Harry advises Richard to drop his wrongful termination case against the school. If they lose, they could do irreparable damage to his career, she tells him. But Richard is unrelenting. It's so unfair, he laments.

The district attorney sums up his case against Tammy. "She got rich. They got fleeced - and emotionally devastated," he tells the jury. Ollie gives his closing argument. These are sophisticated men, fully aware of what they were getting into. Tammy was drawn to older, successful men, men who could take care of her, he explains. She was always honest and loving with these men. There's no case for fraud, he argues.

Harry's frustrated; she hates the idea of giving in to the preacher. Tommy listens - and begins salivating at the idea of going up against the pastor in the court of public opinion. She's tempted to let him try. Harry's phone rings. It's a distraught Richard; there's a dead body in the back of his car: a brutalized woman, spattered in blood.

Harry talks to Richard in the back of the squad car. He met the woman at a bar the night before; they commiserated and ended up spending the night together. He has no idea how she died. Harry tells him to avoid answering any questions at the station. In the jail cell, Harry has more bad news. The DA is looking at murder. The victim was Karen Darcy, the pastor's wife. Richard swears the sex was consensual and that he had nothing to do with her murder. Harry confers with Tommy and Cassie back at her office. Her client isn't homicidal. She wonders if perhaps the pastor himself was the murderer. She decides to play a hunch.

Harry visits the pastor at his residence. She tells him she knows he killed his wife - and wants to defend him. The outraged pastor doesn't deny her accusation, but he wants her to leave immediately. Harry visits Richard in his jail cell. The police will investigate the pastor, she tells him.

The jury returns its verdict in the Tammy Benoit case. She is found guilty on all five counts. Bailiffs lead the shocked convict away. We'll appeal, Ollie promises.

Harry can't believe the five count finding of guilt. Adam tells her that Ollie is upset. But before Harry can console him, she gets another ominous phone call. The student, Zach, has hanged himself over the church altar. There's blood on his shoes; the police believe he killed Mrs. Darcy and then himself. His note revealed that his college appointment went poorly. He had intended to kill Richard, but noticed Mrs. Darcy leaving Richard's apartment. He chose to kill her and try to frame Richard, figuring it would hurt more. Harry tries to apologize to Pastor Darcy, but he's beyond forgiveness.