Episode Report Card Deborah: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Maternal Instincts
By Deborah | Season 1 | Episode 5 | Aired on 10.23.2003
Will's walking through the halls with DA Gabe Fellowes, who's saying that Sara Bonner's case is still with his deputies, but as far as he knows, there was no weapon, no witnesses, and she voluntarily left the party with the accused, whom she knew. Um, so fucking what? Anything that happens after that is just fine? Will points out that the accused beat her up and nearly choked her to death. Fellowes says defense counsel will claim she "liked it rough" and later felt ashamed. Will: "So she subjected herself to a painful exam and public humiliation?" Fellowes says she was drinking. Will says she wasn't drunk. Fellowes has heard that there was a number recorded. Will says a cop made a mistake, and her breathalyzer result was only .03: "That's a glass of wine." Fellowes: "That's a number. Most rape cases, there isn't a number. Did it make it into the report?" Will assumes it did. Fellowes says that's another problem. If it's in the report, and he sees it, he's stuck with it. Will asks, "So you're bouncing this back to me because the girl had a glass of wine?" Fellowes: "Geez, am I talking to myself here? Look, I've tried two hundred rape cases. There's a pattern: guy had a gun, looks like a lunatic with tattoos? Jury'll go with the victim, no problem. But if he doesn't have a weapon and he resembles their son or their brother, they'll start looking to give him a break. Maybe it's because she knew him, maybe it's because she was drinking. Maybe it's both -- but they'll latch onto something!" Will replies, "I'd like to send a different message under my watch: we don't grade on a curve. Rapists don't get a pass." Fellowes hands Will a file and says, "Then go back and teach your boys how to write a report."
Rebecca shows Kevin around the newsroom, ending at his desk and introducing him to a pencil holder full of pencils, and a pile of files, representing "way too much work that you need to finish by lunch." Kevin: "Bring on the facts, I'll shake those babies down." You forgot "yo." Rebecca says they're starting him off with local fashion, weddings, and parties. Indicating his nondescript blue polo shirt, Kevin replies, "Obviously fashion is my forte." She advises him, "Call me if you need any help, but...don't need any help."
Joan and her posse are in AP Chem, and Ms. Lischak is doing her wildly animated teaching routine on the subject of nucleic acids, and she's just about to tell them what's so fun about nucleic acids when Vice-Principal Price interrupts via intercom and says he needs Joan Girardi to come to Room 171. Ms. Lischak tosses Joan a pink slip of paper and Adam says, "I'll tell you later what's fun about nucleic acids." Okay, but if she's not interested, will you tell me?