Past Imperfect

Reggie works as a public defender for extra money and questions her ethics when she defends a police officer, Joe, who she believes is guilty. Joe claims that he thought the person whom he shot in his house at night was an intruder. But the intruder was his pregnant daughter's boyfriend whom he despised, and Joe's wife, Helen, testifies that she heard the boy identify himself before getting shot. Reggie wants to let Helen's testimony help convict her client. But Foltrigg reminds her that she must defend her client regardless of her personal feelings. Reggie destroys Helen's credibility by introducing evidence of mental instability and wins the case. She feels terrible about freeing a guilty killer. Meanwhile, Roosevelt considers his own prejudices when he becomes a contender for a federal judgeship.