July 26, 2004 Transcript
"Rent a Motel Room"

Sam: I'm surprised that you're here at all.

Alexis: I don't like the idea of Ric Lansing putting a pregnant woman in prison.

Sam: When I testified in court, you treated me like trash. How can you just turn around and represent me?

Alexis: Why does that concern you?

Sam: Well, you're defending me so Sonny will owe you. Why do you need to have him in your debt?

Alexis: I'm the lawyer; you are the client. The way that generally works is I question your motives, not the other way around.

Sam: Look, I just want to know that you're serious about defending me, Alexis.

Alexis: I'm also a mother, and I don't think a child should have to suffer for the sins of her parent.

Ric: Well, I got good news. Since your new attorney has been so insistent on getting you an extradition hearing, I've arranged one.

Alexis: Good. Call my office and set up a date.

Ric: No, that won't necessary. Sam's future will be determined tonight.

Alexis: Hold on. What the hell are you up to? A few minutes ago you had that deputy chomping at the bit to drag her off in shackles --

Ric: I'm just giving you what you wanted.

Alexis: Back to South Carolina in the middle of the night.

Ric: Look, people are always complaining how the judicial system is so slow. She's going to have due process, and then she'll be extradited.

Alexis: I don't have any time to prepare for this hearing.

Ric: Oh, the truth comes out. You're just angry because I'm not giving you an opportunity to get her off on a technicality.

Alexis: I am angry at you because you are setting up some situation to one-up me.

Ric: Really? The reason you took the case in the first place -- so you can beat the pants off of me.

Alexis: I took this case to serve justice.

Ric: You have the most interesting method of foreplay I have ever seen.

Alexis: This twisted little mating dance that you're playing here is not only nauseating --

Ric: I am doing my job. You are the one who keeps insisting that standard legal procedure is just some sort of romantic overture.

Alexis: I need more time to prepare for this hearing, and if you push this I’m going to motion for a postponement.

Ric: You know what? I'm so flattered that you are putting so much effort into maximizing our time together. But the point is it's not an option. The hearing starts in 20 minutes.

[Ring]

Sonny: What?

Alexis: Sonny, listen. Sam's extradition hearing is taking place tonight.

Sonny: Thanks for letting me know.

Alexis: I've been reviewing your case.

Sam: Did you call Sonny?

Alexis: I don't think that it's a good idea that he go to the hearing.

Sam: I'm on my own. Ok.

Alexis: Would you like me to call Jason?

Sam: No, he's out of town.

Alexis: I know that you didn't set the fire that killed your mother, but the arson report says that someone set fire to the curtain and that spread the fire throughout. Do you have any idea who else could've been in the house that night?

Sam: No, no. I barely knew my mother. I --

Man: Ms. Davis.

Alexis: Your honor.

Judge: Due to the lateness of the hour, I want to get down to business.

Ric: Please take my seat, your honor.

Alexis: Your honor, I'm requesting a postponement in that I just got this case hours ago, so I haven't had sufficient time to review the evidence and the testimony that resulted in my client's conviction in absentia.

Ric: This hearing is merely a formality. Ms. McCall has already been convicted.

Alexis: My client hasn't had the opportunity to mount a defense.

Ric: Oh, well, that's because she fled jurisdiction.

Alexis: I believe my client is innocent, and even after a quick review of the case, it raises the question of reasonable doubt.

Ric: I have seen no evidence to that fact.

Alexis: I'm asking that the court consider that there's been terrific strides in forensic investigation since Ms. McCall’s conviction, and I am petitioning the court to give Ms. McCall the opportunity to stay in Port Charles while I organize a defense for her.

Ric: Excuse me. May I? Ms. Davis' eloquence notwithstanding, your honor, her decision to represent Ms. McCall has nothing to do with the validity of her prior conviction. This hearing is an exercise of futility. The only reason that Ms. Davis has requested this hearing is so that she can be near me.

Alexis: I have never in my entire career seen such a blatant disregard of rules and procedure.

Ric: I am simply trying to point out that you are wasting the court's time by trying to serve some personal agenda with me.

Alexis: Do you honestly think by trying to discredit and humiliate me that you're going to win something here?

Ric: The case was already won a long time ago in South Carolina.

Alexis: And may I ask on what planet you think you will get something if you go to bed with me?

Ric: If you would just read the court papers --

Judge: Mr. Lansing --

Alexis: This is outrageous!

Judge: You are so far out of line, I’m about to throw you out of your own office.

Alexis: Thank you, your honor.

Judge: And, Ms. Davis, I'm about to fine you for contempt.

Alexis: I apologize, your honor. It's very difficult to see Mr. Lansing here use his position and waste the resources of this court by servicing his megalomania.

Ric: Megalomania?

Alexis: Not only is he trying to send an innocent pregnant woman to prison, to use this hearing for --

Judge: That's enough, Ms. Davis. I should have you both disbarred.

Ric: I apologize, your honor.

Alexis: So do I.

Judge: The next time the two of you want to indulge yourselves in conflicts of this nature, I suggest you rent a motel room.

Ric: Again, I -- I apologize for the improprieties. But getting back to the case -- if you just look at the facts, your honor, you will see that --

Judge: I'm well aware of the facts, Mr. Lansing. As far as I'm concerned, Ms. McCall is South Carolina’s problem which is why I am ordering her immediate extradition.

Ric: Well, thank you, your honor, for handling this matter on such short notice.

Judge: I fulfilled my professional obligation. You should work on doing the same. Try to represent the people of this city with a more professional manner.

Ric: Yes, sir.

Alexis: Your honor, if I could please have one moment of your time in private to plead my client's case.

Judge: You failed your client today, Ms. Davis. I have nothing more to say on the matter.

Sam: May I just say something myself, please?

Judge: I'm sorry, Ms. McCall. I've made my ruling.

Sam: Maybe for me, but not for my baby. I ran from South Carolina after the fire because I was afraid. And I know -- I know have to pay for my mistakes, but my daughter shouldn't have to, and her father is here in Port Charles. If I could just start my sentence here and just stay in county lockup until I go into labor, I could deliver my daughter in a local hospital, and her father could be there to see it. I will accept my punishment, but, please, let me stay here until my daughter is born. Let her father be in the room. She doesn't deserve to have to pay for my mistakes.

Judge: I am sorry, Ms. McCall, but you're a dangerous flight risk, and the county facility is not equipped to handle the security. You'll be extradited to South Carolina immediately.

Alexis: All right, I'm working on the appeal. I'm going to research the grounds to get the verdict vacated.

Sam: Will Ric Lansing be involved in any way? Because that guy really knows how to make you lose your cool.

Alexis: He plays dirty, I know that.

Sam: Could you call Sonny, please?

Alexis: I did.

Sam: Well, I'm -- I’m sure he thought you could stop the extradition and you couldn't. I just -- I want to talk to him and tell him goodbye.

Alexis: Sam, I am certain that Sonny will do everything in his power, including paying my fee, to see that this verdict is vacated. But if you're hanging on to the hope that there's going to be anything more, I'm worried that you're going to be disappointed.

Sam: Look, I know you and Sonny had -- I don't know -- whatever going on and it didn't work out, but I am pregnant with his daughter, Alexis.

Alexis: Sonny has a pattern of behavior. He and Carly fight, they break up, they try to annihilate each other. Then he finds solace with someone else until his anger cools down, and then he reconciles with his wife. You are not the first woman to go through this.

Sam: Sonny's paying you to help me. I can't use the phone. Could you call him, please, and tell him what happened?

Alexis: I can’t. Not in good conscience.

Sam: Why not?

Alexis: Because if you continue to cling to Sonny the way that you are, you could be setting yourself up to lose permanent custody of your daughter.

Alexis: Sonny isn't going to get you out of this. I am.

Sam: I don't see how.

Alexis: Ric and I were very unprofessional in there. I'm going to argue that you had insufficient counsel, and I will get you another hearing.

Sam: Well, you're not going to be able to get it in time to stop them from taking me to South Carolina.

Alexis: I may not be able to stop the extradition, Sam, but I will get the verdict vacated by the time you deliver.

Sam: What if it doesn't work out that way?

Alexis: If you deliver this baby in prison, it is very likely that Sonny will get custody.

Sam: Good. Sonny loves this baby. That's good.

Alexis: I'm certain that Sonny will make room for your daughter in his family. I'm just not so certain he will make room for you.

Sam: Do you think they're going to try and steal my baby?

Alexis: I think that Sonny gets what Sonny wants. He fancies himself a very good father. Yes, I think that they will seek custody.

Sam: I don't want to separate Sonny from his child.

Alexis: Sonny thinks he owns the people that he claims to care about.

Sam: You really hate him, don't you?

Alexis: I am trying to get you to take a clear and unsentimental look at the situation.

Sam: I love him, Alexis. I am not afraid of him or the way he lives, and I have never betrayed him. But I think you're sorry you did.

Alexis: I am going to work on the appeal to stay the extradition.

Ric: If you're on your way to see Judge Kwan, don't bother. He's already left. I already asked him to reconsider the extradition and he refused.

Alexis: Why did you do that in there? Why did you request the opposite of what you argued for?

Ric: Look, what Sam said made sense to me. I thought it was a workable solution.

Alexis: Oh, spare me your remorse. Congratulations. An innocent woman is going to prison because of your vendetta with Sonny. His baby, your niece, will be born hundreds of miles from here. Cheer up, you won. Choke on it.

Alexis: Sam , it'll be all right. Just try to relax. There are grounds for an appeal, so --

[Sam groans]

Sam: It hurts.

Alexis: Sam, what's wrong?

Ric: What's wrong?

Sam: My baby, please!

Alexis: Sam? Sam?

Ric: Get the cuffs off.

Sam: I really --

Ric: Get the cuffs off!

Alexis: It's ok.