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Seasons
Episode 1
Tony Powell is charged with murdering his partner Saskia Stanley and is defended by barrister Sol Ridley,assisted,against the judgment of chambers head Gordon McAllister,by junior Julie Prior. Tony claims that Saskia was dying of bone cancer and the death was at her request. Her bitter ex-husband Neil accuses Tony of killing Saskia for her money. Tony claims Neil stole the video-tape on which Saskia asks to be put out of her misery and a letter she wrote to that effect is discounted by the hand-writing expert. In court both Neil and his son Dan give evidence,damning Tony as a man whose business was failing and who deliberately encouraged Saskia to replace them in her will.
Prosecuter Mark Metzler calls a medical expert to suggest Saskia could not have administered the fatal dose herself but Sol is able to prove the hand-writing expert has given testimony thrown out as unsound in previous cases. However the solicitor who saw Saskia change her will claims she was upset and arguing with Tony at the time. Gordon and pushy colleague Valerie suspect that,as Sol and Julie work late their relationship is more than professional whilst Neil Stanley's daughter Jess,believing her father wants vengeance over justice,agrees to testify on Tony's behalf. That night Tony's phone rings and he gets a death threat.
After catching a man tampering with his car Tony takes the stand,explaining how Neil and Dan Stanley resented him,putting a strain on his relationship with Saskia and reaffirming that she alone killed herself. However Metzler's cross-examination plays on the absence of the video tape Tony claimed shows Saskia's decision to die,forcing Tony to accuse her ex-husband of stealing it> Stanley himself is irate to learn of Jess's decision and,whilst Sol and Julie share a kiss,Karl,Tony's workmate,learns that his girlfriend Nicole was seeing the accused. Valerie,meanwhile,pushing an apparently meek woman to contest her late husband's will,finds that she has been well and truly taken in by her client.
Karl gives his evidence for Tony but it is less than helpful when he mentions his friend's fling with Nicole,causing Sol to recall Tony,who is predictably mauled by Metzler as being a liar. Dan,learning that his father has been condoning harassment of Tony,regrets his whole-hearted support for the prosecution but Neil is only too pleased to tell Jess of Karl's revelation,giving her doubts about taking the stand. In a bad mood after misreading the signs from a hunky client Valerie argues with Julie,threatening to prevent her from progressing in the firm. When she discovers that the junior is about to spend the night in a hotel with Sol,she has found the perfect ammunition.
Valerie declines to expose Julie's affair,believing women should stick together,and backs her as she is accepted as a partner in the firm. In court Julie,supported by Dan,defies her father and gives evidence for Tony but Metzler plays on her confusion at her mother's death and Sol does not believe she was a good witness.As both barristers give their submissions, Dan finds the video-tape and watches it with Jess but they wonder whether to declare it as it will incriminate their father. After making things up with Karl Tony hears the jury offer their verdict and,as he does so,thinks back to the night of Saskia's death.
