Discovery is the third episode of Presumed Innocent.
Synopsis[]
Rusty learns of the evidence against him. Barbara looks to protect herself and her family as new secrets emerge.
Summary[]
An alarming text from an anonymous person alerts Rusty. Outside, Rusty tries to call and then text the unknown person who sent the text, and Barbara approaches Rusty and asks him who contacted him. Out of guilt, Rusty shows her the text and confesses the night that Carolyn died, he visited her house. The news shocks Barbara, who walks away when Rusty returns to his room.
Raymond has a nightmare where he dreams of Rusty killing Carolyn. At the breakfast table, he'd talk about it with Lo, who seemingly thinks it shows Rusty's culpability. She defends her remark, claiming her worry for Raymond as such a high-profile case has its consequences. Lo then changes the subject to the hypothetical possibilities of how Raymond would take the possibility that Rusty would be found guilty and either take it to heart or not at all. Then, noting the alternative, Lo mentions that he wins the case, which Raymond claims that Rusty didn't do.
As a team of newscasters reports outside of their home, Jaden peers outside, and when she tells Barbara Kyle about who scoffs at them, Rusty makes a sandwich for Jaden. Just then, Rusty's phone goes off, and the unknown person sets up a meet-up at Damen Silos at 3 p.m., and instructs him to come alone.
Later, Rusty informs Raymond about the text and about how he visited Carolyn's house the night of her murder. Raymond, of course, is put off by Rusty withholding this critical information, and when he asks Rusty why he was there, it is an attempt to patch things up with her, but it fails. Lo then appears, but refuses to acknowledge Rusty. Raymond suggests turning his phone to the police, but Rusty refuses, and the same goes for Raymond, suggesting telling Rigo. With that in mind, Raymond suggests that Rusty be careful when he meets the person as they could be carrying a wiretap and not say he hit Carolyn with a poker. Raymond also informs Rusty that he'll be taking on an associate named Mya Winslow, who is a young but experienced defense attorney from Yale. A proposal of an alibi is brought up, but Rusty is uncertain whether or not that should be filed as the time of death is unknown.
Meanwhile, as Barbara heads to her job at an art museum, she's swarmed by the press asking her about Rusty. Later, she talks with her boss, Kate, who is concerned about her and puts her on leave. Before leaving, Kate suggests that Barbara differentiate herself from Rusty.
That night, Barbara sits at a bar and talks to the bartender about how he cuts lemons like a character from Cheers and how the case about her husband had her "fired" from her job. When the bartender asks if she believes that Rusty killed Carolyn, she answers he didn't, and notes that beautiful women tend to have enemies. This prompts a snide compliment from the bartender, who says that Barbara must have a lot of enemies.
The next day, as Barbara does laundry, she talks to Lo about her experience with the bartender from last night, who suggests that Barbara be adventurous with the person. Although Barbara notes that the media is watching her every move, Lo mentions how a perk of living in Chicago is that there are plenty of dead bodies to keep them occupied. Lo continues by complimenting Barbara and suggests that Barbara engages in the fling, as a way to relieve herself, but notes that Rusty isn't the man she "married".
In Tommy's office, Tommy reprimands Rigo for accompanying Rusty to visit the prison of Liam Reynolds while Nico sits by and watches. However, Rigo argues that she visited him on her own time, and when Tommy signals Rigo that he'd fire her, Rigo argues that if he does that, then the union will file a complaint against him. On the other hand, she notes that his popularity with him would prevent him from filing any complaints.
Getting up from his seat, Nico escorts Rigo out of Tommy's office and enforces that Rigo is off the case and not to impede or obstruct it. He also notes that Rigo's union boss is a terrible poker player. Rigo comments that they wanted to oust Rusty so badly that Nico claims their only pursuit is justice and to not stand in its path. As Rigo leaves, she catches a glimpse of Nico talking to Tommy and then contacts someone to fetch the Bunny Davis files from the ME's office.
At home, Rusty prepares himself to confront the unknown person who texted him, and when he goes to the silos, the person in question is Michael Caldwell. Rusty tries to reason with Michael, but he doesn't have any of it and notes that he has pictures and videos of him at his mother's house the night she died, and he was the only one there. Seeing an opportunity in this situation, Rusty questions Michael, who is visibly upset about how he was also there, and asks if he was there other nights. Rusty notes that if Michael has the pictures, he should either give them to him or the police, but Michael claims that he already gave them to the DA.
The next day, Rusty informs Raymond at the court about his encounter with Michael. They're soon joined by Mya, who, when asked, already notes that she filed about her appearance. This pleased Raymond, who suggested she stand by and spectate and that Rusty stay silent throughout the court day.
A flashback featuring Carolyn and Rusty is shown where Carolyn talks about how Rusty fucked it all up about not falling in love with her.
At present, the evidence is deliberated at a pre-trial hearing between Rusty, Raymond Mya, Nico, Judge Lyttle, and Tommy. However, Raymond argues that he's been put down as a witness to the case, whereas Nico explains that he withheld information related to the case. Raymond also argues that Dr. Rush was also listed on the file as a witness. On the other hand, Tommy claims that they realize that most of Dr. Rush's information may be privileged due to the client-patient nature, and she is welcome to exempt herself on those grounds. Rusty then notes that if Dr. Rush invokes that exemption, then they'd argue the defense is withholding vital information. Judge Lyttle then comments on a remark that her mentor once told her and that the trial will founded on evidence and law, not performative gamesmanship. Both sides agree, and Raymond mentions that it's the prosecutor's responsibility to turn over all exculpatory evidence, which Tommy claims they have. Still, Raymond mentions the possibility of another person being on the night of the crime. Backed into a corner, Tommy is forced to admit that they have received photographic evidence that is from the victim's son, which is currently being analyzed. In light of this, Judge Lyttle orders Tommy to turn over the evidence to the defense and herself and asks that if he has any new evidence, he not withhold it for himself.
That night at home, Rusty talks to his family about his pre-trial hearing and how well it went for him. However, things take a sour turn when Jaden asks about what evidence they have against him, and Barbara admonishes her from bringing up a sensitive subject at the table. Still, Jaden insists on knowing as it's frequently talked about. Rusty confesses that whatever evidence they have is circumstantial and that all they have of him is his DNA that's all around her house and his car that visited the place the night of the murder. He continues talking about the other circumstances surrounding the case that implicates him as the killer. Kyle then suggests that Rusty take a plea, and Rusty gets defensive as he didn't do it, but Kyle argues that manslaughter is eight years, while being convicted of murder is a life sentence.
As Rusty has an emotional breakdown in the bathroom, he recalls the night he met with Carolyn, and he's soon joined by Barbara. They then have a heart-to-heart about what Kyle suggested and about how Kate at her work asked her to "step back". Kyle calls out to his father and emotionally apologizes to him about what he said, and the two lovingly embrace.
Meanwhile, Nico and Tommy discuss the case against Rusty. Nico suggests that they drop the obstruction charge, citing their burden is on the homicide. Nico argues that the obstruction charge may complicate his being charged with murder. Although Tommy argues in favor of keeping it, Nico asks him if he's up to the case. Tommy answers that he is, but his tone concerns Nico as, in his opinion, Nico knows that Raymond would exploit Tommy's zeal. Furthermore, Nico lays out the foundational code of what they agreed upon, which would be their code of conduct about the case. He then asks Tommy about what he said to him when Nico gave him Tommy's old job. Tommy answers with gratitude, but Nico corrects him, stating he said something slanderous about girls who will now like him. From there, Nico claims that Tommy needs validation to impress people and that he has two, both a prosecutive complex and a narcissistic complex. What really hits it is when Nico calls out Tommy for hating Rusty for all of the slights he caused him, and this is his attempt at getting back at him, which Tommy denies.
The next morning, Raymond moves into his new office and talks to Rusty, who reviews the evidence against him. As Raymond goes out to his car to fetch something, Mya talks to Rusty and asks him if he loves Carolyn, which he dodges. Mya still insists on asking as she's following Raymond's orders to build a narrative for the trial on the off chance he should testify. Insisting on asking whether or not Rusty's attraction stemmed from love, lust, or both, Rusty begrudgingly says both. Mya then asks about the first time he had an attraction to her, and he answers it was the time they had a case together involving a sexual assault on a little girl.
A flashback shows Rusty watching Carolyn talk to the little girl and ensure that she'd be protected from harm during the court trial, while her mother sits by and watches. Mya asks if that was the day Rusty's life took a turn for the worse, and he claims that it blossomed over time since that day, but he confirms it.
Meanwhile, Barbara sits in the bleachers, watches Kyle play baseball with his friends, and sees someone she knows. As Rusty drives to Carolyn's home, he recalls when he visited Liam, who remarked on how desperate he was. At Carolyn's home, the forensic team was hard at work, and Rusty remembers the times he had with Carolyn there. Raymond, who was also there, informs him of their inundation of evidence about the case. Rusty claims that his DNA is everywhere in the house, but Raymond claims that he should be fine, so long as blood isn't found in his car. He then pulls Rusty aside to inform him that Rigo has been investigating the prospect of contaminated semen in the Bunny case. Raymond tries to propose an alternative in this case, but Rusty refuses.
At the Prosecutor's office, Tommy listens to a voicemail left by Rusty on Carolyn's phone and psyches himself up to prepare himself for the case.
At Rusty's home, Rusty gets a text about the photographic images being sent to him and, after reviewing them, finds that two of the pictures contain an image of Kyle.
Characters[]
- Rusty Sabich
- Barbara Sabich
- Carolyn Polhemus
- Raymond Horgan
- Lorraine Horgan
- Jaden Sabich
- Kyle Sabich
- Kate
- Clifton
- Jeanine
- Alana Rodriguez
- Tommy Molto
- Nico Della Guardia
- Michael Caldwell
- Mya Winslow
- Judge Lyttle
- Liz Rush (Mentioned)
- Liam Reynolds (Mentioned; flashback)