Season 1, Episode 12
Cloudy... with a Chance of Murder
1985, Shawn and Henry are sitting in a courtroom waiting for Henry to testify for a case. Henry tells Shawn that it's important in these situations to read a jury. Shawn notes a bunch of details about one of the jurors, and Henry draws the conclusion that that juror is unmarried. Henry is called to the stand, and tells Shawn that one day he'll walk up to the courthouse, and make him proud. In the present Shawn and Gus walk to the Santa Barbra courthouse to pay Shawn's parking tickets as Shawn's motorcycle, has been impounded. Shawn refuses to wait in the ticket repayment line, so they leave. While leaving Shawn notices a women walking by who smiles at him.
At the Psyche offices Shawn complains to Gus about his tickets. Just then a news story comes on the TV about the women Shawn saw. Her name is Sandra Panitch and she's been accused of murdering local weatherman Jackson Hale. Shawn insists that Sandra is innocent, he knows what someone who's trying to get away with murder looks like, and she doesn't fit the bill. Sandra's lawyer, Adam Hornstock, then comes on the TV, and Shawn announces that he's a beaten man. Shawn tells Gus that they are going to become legal consultants.
At the courthouse Shawn bluffs his way past the swarm of reporters, and into the courtroom. Inside Hornstock fumbles with his notes while Shawn reads the jury, paying special attention to a blonde juror. When the judge calls a recess so Hornstock can get his notes together Shawn steals over to Hornstock, and assists him by removing his sweat soaked handkerchief from his pocket, and giving him a much nicer tie. The blonde juror seems impressed, and Hornstock gets through his opening statement without incident. Hornstock is happy, but says he can't hire Shawn and Gus since his firm doesn't believe in him any more. Shawn and Gus say they'll do the case for free, which makes Hornstock happy. Outside the courtroom Shawn and Gus spot Julie and Lassiter. Lassiter was the arresting officer on this case. Shawn tells Lassiter that he just became a legal consultant for the defense. Lassiter tells Shawn to “Not screw this up” and leaves.
Later at Hornstocks law firm Shawn and Gus are making themselves comfortable. Hornstock tells them that he was given the case by one of the firms partners who didn't think the case was winnable, but Hornstock believes that Sandra is innocent. Hornstock hands over all the case evidence, but Shawn says that he'll need to get close to the people involved in he case to figure out what happened.
Shawn and Gus tour the news station where the crime occurred with Hale's former receptionist Priscilla Osterman. Gus sits at the anchor desk while Shawn has the green-screen demonstrated for him. In Jackson Hale's former office Shawn and Gus meet Rubin Leonard, one of Hales former coworkers, who's watching tapes of Hale. Shawn notices some crumpled papers, and gold figurines in the trash. Shawn and Gus leave the room and Shawn tells Gus that Rubin is destroying Hale's awards, thus making Rubin a possible suspect.
At the courthouse Gus is attempting to show Hornstock how a confident lawyer behaves, by questioning Sandra. Shawn pulls him out of the room when Gus's questions get to confrontational. Gus points out that all they have is Sandra's word that she's innocent, they need proof. Just then Shawn notices the judge for the case walking down the hall clutching his lower back. Shawn draws Gus's attention to it, and Gus remarks that the judge is grabbing his kidney's and probably has a kidney stone.
In the courtroom Hornstock questions Priscilla, and asks if Hale ever received a phone call from Sandra. The receptionist says that while Hale received many calls from women, he never received one from Sandra. Hornstock then lamely ends his questioning, and sits back down. Shawn asks why he ended so weakly, and Hornstock says his confidence is low, mentioning that his father never came to see him in court. Shawn turns around to see Henry sitting in the audience. Shawn attempts to ask for a recess, but the judge is more interested in finding out who Shawn is. Shawn tells the judge that he's a psychic who's worked on many cases for the Santa Barbra Police Department. When the judge asks for proof, Shawn points out Lassiter who, surprisingly, backs up Shawn's claims. The judge says he doesn't believe in psychic ability's, but changes his tune when Shawn brings up his kidney problems.
Outside the courtroom Shawn asks Henry why he's here. Henry says that he likes to sit in on trials on Thursday's. Shawn accuses his father of being unable to let go of police work, but Henry cuts him off saying that since he uses his last name, he needs to conduct himself well.
Back in the courtroom the prosecution is questioning Rubin who has identified Sandra as the women he saw running through the parking lot on the night of the murder. A women comes in and whispers something in the prosecutors ear, to which he replies “Has it been authenticated?” The prosecution ends its questioning, and Hornstock is about to decline cross-examination, when Shawn tells him to question Rubin. Shawn doesn't think he killed Hale, but he did hate him. Hornstock realizes that they can use that to start turning suspicion away from Sandra. Hornstock asks Rubin why he wasn't the on screen weatherman, and, after some digression into his unsuitable name, Rubin launches into a tirade about how he was far more qualified then Hale, who “Should have been stabbed in the heart long ago!”
Shawn and Gus run into Lassiter and Julie outside the courthouse. Lassiter is brief, but before she leaves Julie tells Shawn that he's missing something right in front of his face. Julie then drops some memos, which she quickly picks up, but not before Shawn can have a look at them. At the Psyche offices Shawn reproduces the memo, and finds out that Lassiter sent a letter to the DA's office on the 7th. Gus tells Shawn that no evidence was filed on the 7th, leading Shawn to realize that the DA's office is hiding something big.
In the courtroom Lassiter is being questioned by the prosecution. He says that when questioned, Sandra admitted to having sex with the victim, but not to killing him. She also said she never touched the murder weapon. Hornstock asks Lassiter about the content of the letter, and Lassiter says that he had asked whether Sandra had any motive for the crime. Since Lassiter had made this statements earlier but his testimony hadn't been filed for some reason, Hornstock triumphantly calls for a mistrial; however, the judge lets the prosecution off with a warning and a admonishment to promptly file any received evidence. The prosecution then says that, in that case, they have some new evidence to present. The judge recalls how the prosecution had tried to present a video in the pretrial, but hadn't been able to authenticate it. The prosecution says that they just had the video authenticated, and that it shows Sandra murdering Hale!
In the judge's chambers Shawn is trying to get the judge not to allow the video as evidence. The prosecutor is critical of Shawn, Gus and Hornstock, saying that Hornstock used to be good. The judge advises Hornstock to take a plea-bargain, but Hornstock wants to watch the video first. The prosecution agrees to leave the plea-bargain on the table until tomorrow, but if the defense hasn't accepted by the next day of court, they will retract it. Shawn, Gus and Hornstock watch the video which shows Sandra and Hale making out in front of a green screen, before moving out of frame, followed by Hale screaming. When they ask Sandra if she wants to take the plea-bargain, she says that she won't admit to something she didn't do. Hornstock begs Sandra to take the plea-bargain, but Shawn tells her not to. He's sure he can come up with something before tomorrow.
Later at Henry's house Shawn is pacing the floor trying to figure out who could have killed Hale. Henry suggests Rubin, but Shawn again says that he didn't do it. Shawn again mentions how his bike was impounded, and Henry lets slip that he tipped off the police on his last few parking violations. Shawn yells at Henry accusing him of imposing his will on everything he does. Shawn says that Henry never approved of his bike, especially since his accident. Henry says that he'll lay off about the bike if Shawn takes him off his emergency call list so he doesn't have to deal with him every time he has a accident.
The next morning Gus wakes up Shawn. It's 9, and they're late for court. Shawn's been watching the video all night, but when he wakes up his expression changes!
In the courtroom Shawn and Gus burst in just as Hornstock is about to give up. Shawn tells Hornstock to call Priscilla to the stand, and ask her if she's certain that she didn't sleep with Hale. He does, but the prosecution objects as they already asked this question. Shawn asks if she wanted to, and after Gus points out that the judge can allow non-layers to ask questions, Shawn takes over the questioning. He asks her if she was jealous that Hale never noticed her. She says she wasn't, but Shawn is insistent that she was. He then asks for the tape to be played, and stops it just after Hale and Sandra dropped out of frame. Shawn dramatically crosses to the television playing the video, and points out a shadow on the side of the frame. He dramatically recounts how the Priscilla waited for the perfect moment to sneak up, knock Sandra unconscious, and kill Hale. The receptionist finally cracks, admitting that she hated how Hale ignored her every day. Shawn cedes the floor to Hornstock, who prompts her into admitting that she stabbed Hale. Shawn celebrates, Hornstock asks for Sandra's immediate release, and the judge dismisses the case.
At the police department Shawn and Gus enter. They've come to buy Shawn's bike at the police auction. They run into Henry who's also come to get Shawn's bike back. Then Hornstock arrives. He's been made a partner at his law firm, the firm is interested in working with Shawn and Gus again, and he also wanted to help Shawn get his bike back. Shawn insists that he's capable of buying his bike back on his own, but Officer Buzz (Previously seen in 9 lives.) suddenly appears with Shawn's bike! He says that the department is giving it back as the issue was solved internally. Lassiter walks by, and as everyone looks at him he shrugs, and tells Shawn to go home.
Tropes in this episode:
- Anger Born of Worry: It turns out Henry tipped off the police about Shawn’s motorcycle because Shawn had an accident in the past.
- Driven by Envy: Hale's receptionist murdered him over the fact that he slept with practically every woman he encountered. and yet never gave her so much as the time of day.
- I Just Want to Be Special: Priscilla is tired of how on so many levels, she blends into the background while Hale is making out with women left and right.
- I Never Said It Was Poison: Shawn realizes Henry tipped off the police about Shawn's motorcycle when Henry mentions the motorcycle getting impounded because Shawn parked his bike 14 feet from a fire hydrant outside his apartment, which Shawn never told Henry about.
- If I Can't Have You…: Priscilla finally snapped after Jackson overlooked him compared to the dozens of other women he slept with, and took him out of the picture altogether.
- Nervous Wreck: Sandra’s lawyer, Adam Hornstock, is an obvious mess who fails to make a good impression on the court. Shawn helps the guy become more confident and look more professional.
- The Perry Mason Method: The video showing a small reflection of another person wearing glasses would probably be enough to get Sandra acquitted, but by itself is hardly proof that Priscilla did it - if only she'd kept quiet. But when Shawn both finds the reflection and correctly nails her motive, she goes on a rant about what a horrible sleaze Hale was and how horrible he made her feel by treating her like she was the only woman who wasn't worth pursuing, and then flat-out admits to the crime in court.
- Woman Scorned: Priscilla had feelings for Hale, but he never acknowledged her. Her anger became so intense that she killed him and framed Sandra.
