Catherine Piper's Murder Trial

Episode: 2x04 [A Whiff And A Prayer]
Client: Catherine Piper
Case: The client was accused of murdering Bernard Ferrion.
CP&S Representation: Alan Shore
Opposing Counsel: D.A. Valerie Murrow
Presiding: Judge Harry Hingham
Witness: Detective John Stephenson
Result: The jury found the defendant to be not guilty.
Notes:

• Catherine had killed Bernard Ferrion, her boyfriend and a known murderer whom Alan had previously gotten off on a technicality. She became worried for her own safety after Bernard made comments suggesting he might kill again someday.
• Catherine hid Bernard's body in a freezer for a week before approaching Shirley Schmidt about what she had done.
• After going to the police, Catherine was arrested and arraigned in 2x03 [Finding Nimmo].
• Alan successfully argued that Catherine killed Bernard out of feare for her own life and the lives of others. His closing: "In 2003 we had 16,500 murders in this country. 6200 went unsolved. On another 4000 we made arrests! The defendants eventually went free. We don’t catch killers in this country. Since 1960 200,000 murders have gone unsolved. Forget about the ones where we just failed to convict! For 200,000 we were baffled! Ask me, we could use a few more vigilantes. Now! You swing that skillet at your own risk, I grant you. Kill an innocent person? Off to prison you should go.

"But Catherine Piper didn’t do that. Catherine Piper tried law and order. She was scared for her life. She did fear for the safety of others. And in the heat of that fear she swung that skillet! Accomplishing in the process something the police couldn’t. She got the bad guy.
"Now, I certainly don’t want a society where people start arbitrarily taking the law into their own hands. I know you don’t. But society certainly isn’t safeguarded, nor is it remotely benefited by putting Catherine Piper in prison.
"Unlike the District Attorney, I don’t think we’re a country inextricably bound up with law and order or some national integrity. I like to think we’re a people. Mostly about humanity. And humanity isn’t about the right to trumpet moral superiority. Humanity is about compassion, even forgiveness.
"Catherine Piper in all her fear reacted in a very human way. She’s here now asking you to do the same."

(Thanks to Imamess for her transcription of this episode, from which the closing was copied).