Harry's Law Episode 2.11 Gorilla My Dreams

Harry and Tommy hide in a duck blind holding shotguns on a hunting trip. Tommy complains about the cold until he finds something new to complain about, a wild tiger! Tommy begins firing at the tiger. Harry yells at him to stop; she believes it must be one of the animals that escaped from the zoo awhile back. Harry decides they have to tell the authorities about the escaped tiger, and they cautiously leave the blind.

Adam and Cassie are in court defending new client Annie Bilson. On the stand, Phillip Gerson testifies about the night he was attacked in his home by... Wonder Woman. Gerson points out that Annie, dressed like the superhero, brutally beat him, putting him in the hospital. Adam cross-examines the witness and shows photos of a severely beaten woman. "Is this your wife?" he asks. Gerson nods, but denies beating her up. "Far as I know, she did that to herself, to get me in trouble."

Harry and Tommy knock on the door of a farmhouse and tell Natalie Dupree that she has a wild tiger running loose on her land and "he's not hawking Frosted Flakes." Later, as Animal Control safely removes the tiger, Natalie walks up to Harry and asks for her help. Natalie takes Harry and Tommy upstairs and brings them to a room that is dead-bolted from the outside. Natalie nervously confesses she could be technically guilty of kidnapping or false imprisonment. Harry and Tommy cautiously enter the room and find a 300-pound gorilla! Natalie introduces them to Wentworth. She explains he is another animal that escaped from the zoo, but he's perfectly docile and even knows sign language. Harry is scared as Wentworth walks up to her and holds her hand. Harry acknowledges Wentworth is a perceptive ape, but she wants to know what Natalie's end game is. Natalie wants to make sure Wentworth gets into a wildlife sanctuary, and to do that she wants custody. Natalie wants Harry's help to adopt him.

Back with Adam at trial, a distraught woman explains how her ex-husband would stalk her and abuse her. After getting no help from the police, she found a website belonging to Annie that claimed she was Wonder Woman and could help abused women. The next time the ex-husband showed up drunk and threatening, Annie, dressed as Wonder Woman, broke his legs and threatened that his neck would be next if he showed up again.

Harry explains to Natalie the legal troubles of adopting a wild animal; the gorilla doesn't belong to her. Natalie argues that the word "belong" suggests that he's "property." Natalie would like to establish "personhood" for Wentworth. Harry scoffs. Back at Harry's office, Oliver walks in with research. In Europe, some countries do allow personhood status for apes, but he doubts it would happen in America. Harry turns next to Adam for an update on the Wonder Woman trial. Harry's learned that Adam and Annie were once close friends, and she wants to make sure personal feelings do not get in the way of the case. Adam is steadfast and tells Harry he can handle it.

Annie takes the stand. She explains how convictions of husbands in domestic abuse cases are difficult and that many women feel hopeless. She decided to seek justice for those scared women by becoming a vigilante. Adam asks why she picked Wonder Woman. She explains it's a persona that fights for the justice that needs fighting for. Adam asks Annie if something in her past caused her to become this persona. Annie is hesitant to respond and shoots an angry look at Adam. He asks if she was ever married. Annie begins visibly shaking. Finally, with angry tears, she admits that her husband repeatedly raped and abused her.

Back at the law office, Annie yells at Adam for bringing up her rape. He explains that he needed to bring it up to strengthen her legal defense. Annie yells back that she is not a victim. Adam interjects that she is. Adam tells Annie that she's ill and needs help. She adamantly denies the idea. She tells Adam that she protects those who need help - and then storms out. Adam sadly tells Cassie how in high school everyone wanted to be Annie, that she was the one who had it all together. She really was a Wonder Woman.

Judge Kirkland can hardly believe the case that's before him. Attorney Mike Horace says the gorilla was stolen from his client, the Cincinnati Presbyterian Zoo. Harry tells the judge she would like him to afford the gorilla the status of personhood. The judge refuses; he explains that no court in America has granted personhood to an ape. The judge does agree to allow testimony from Natalie. But in the meantime, the gorilla must return to the zoo. Back at Natalie's farmhouse, a scared Wentworth is loaded into a cage in the back of a truck. Natalie, Harry and Tommy use sign language to tell Wentworth to hold tight, they are fighting for him.

"Are you Wonder Woman?" the prosecuting DA asks Annie on the stand. Annie responds that Woman Women is an alter ego she assumes to fight for justice and once she assumes that persona... yes, she is Wonder Woman. The DA asks Annie, "Can you stop bullets? Can you fly an invisible plane?" The answer is no, she says. The DA continues; Annie is merely a barbaric vigilante who tortures people. Annie answers back, "I fight for justice." The DA shows photos of three men whom Annie severely beat. Annie defends her actions passionately. "Hundreds of thousands of women are battered. Afraid to come forward. That's why I... that's why WE need Wonder Woman," she tells the court.

Once Chelsea arrives, their argument from before just seems petty. Chelsea's there for Sloane and sticks with her until the end. After the baby's born, Sloane tells Chelsea that she's decided to name the baby Sylvia, after their mother.

Natalie testifies how she met the gorilla. She explains how she was immediately struck by his power of perception and empathy. She explains how the gorilla sensed her fear, so he gently held Natalie's hand and signed "hello." It was like a scene right out of a Disney movie. Tommy then shows the court video of the gorilla working an iPad to finger-paint, solve puzzles and listen to opera. He's equivalent to a 2-year-old child, Tommy says. Attorney Horace asks Natalie where she thinks courts should draw the line; should dogs be granted personhood? Dolphins?

At Annie's trial, the DA starts her closing argument. She reiterates that Annie beat three men and nearly killed a fourth. The DA goes on: in the movies people love vigilantes. But in real life vigilantism is against the law, no matter how hot they look in an outfit. The DA feels for Annie and for the women she thought she protected. But, he concludes, we are a nation of laws, and Annie cannot take the law into her own hands. Adam starts his emotional closing argument. He knew Annie in high school, he tells the jury. She was bright and smart... he had the biggest crush on her. But the Annie he knew disappeared when she was raped and beaten by the man she married. Adam makes his case: domestic violence is an epidemic in America, and Annie decided to stand up for those who couldn't. He shows the jury devastating photos of a bruised and broken Annie after she was beaten by her husband. Adam pleads with the jury that they should not punish Annie, but get her the help she needs.

Adam and Cassie tell Annie that the DA Office has offered a plea deal of three years at a mental institution; they think she should take it. Annie has a hard time processing the notion of going from Wonder Woman to a mental patient. Adam interjects, "Annie, you ARE ill." Cassie tells Annie the hard truth; if she doesn't take this deal, she will go to jail for a long time. Annie finally agrees.

Attorney Horace starts the closing arguments. Wentworth is an animal. To call him a person is not right. He explains that under the law animals are considered property, and therefore, Wentworth is the property of the zoo. Harry stands and explains that the law constantly evolves. She understands giving animals personhood is a slippery slope, but she challenges anyone to look into Wentworth's eyes and not see something a little human. After listening to both sides, the judge decides. He supports and cheers the continued legal rights of animals, but as the law stands today, animals are considered property. Wentworth the gorilla belongs to the zoo.

Adam and Cassie visit Annie at the mental institution. Annie seems in good spirits despite her current predicament. Annie thanks both of them for all their efforts. Annie hands Adam a gift: Wonder Woman's tiara. He thanks Annie and tells her they're cheering for her to get better. Annie smiles and says when she is better, he should ask her out. Adam smiles as they embrace in a hug.