- "These false accusations all started with the same lie that black men are wired to attack white women. It's a stereotype sewn so deep in the fabric of this country that they just know that you're gonna ignore huge plot holes in their cover-up that the surveillance cameras were broken, or that an elderly man could physically overpower two 30-something guards when there's only one true story here, that those two people right there wanted to punish my client for exposing the torture and abuse happening in our prisons."
Inquest into Nate Lahey Sr. Killing was a brief case led by Miller and arranged by Nate. Annalise tried to have the govenor hold the inquest but she was reluctant because her office was still reviewing the evidence and was worried about how it would impact her image. Nate met with Miller in his office and told him he had to hold an inquest. Miller said there was a conflict of interest because Nate was his employee but Nate said that there was a coverup and if Miller didn't help, Nate Sr's blood would be on his hands too.
Case[]
The Keating 4, Oliver and Gabriel met at the house. Asher had gotten old transcripts from inquests and the group were researching ways to impact the hearing. Oliver interrupted this to suggest they have one more night out before the wedding.
In class the next day, Annalise asked the students for strategies for the inquest. Laurel said that the judge could choose who questioned the witnesses in an inquest and suggested they convince judge Cruz to let Annalise do it. Annalise said she already tried that and the judge said no. Connor said that because inquests have a smaller jury, they could find out their names. Annalise said that was jury tampering and Connor said he didn't mean for her to do it. He and Asher met in the D.A's office and attempted to log into Miller and Bonnie's accounts before getting caught by Bonnie. Michaela suggested presenting uncorroborated evidence that spoke to the bad character of the correctional officers, Jim Wagner and Paula Gladden. She had Oliver hack up dirt on them and found out that Gladden beat her husband. They found medical records of visits to the ER with injuries being listed as a 'domestic dispute'. Annalise showed this to Miller and he asked how she got it. She said if she told him he wouldn't be able to use it and Miller said that was exactly why he couldn't use it. Annalise told him he would be using it, after he had Gladden testify that she never abused her husband, painting her as a violent liar.
In court, Gladden was on the stand and explained what happened the night of the shooting. She said that Nate Sr. was getting more and more agitated and she approached to calm him, resulting in him stabbing her with his pencil and reaching for her gun. She said that Wagner saved her life by following protocol and shooting Sr. Miller said it must have been a relief for her husband that she made it home safe that night and Gladden said it was but he knew what came with the job. Miller asked if a violent streak came with the job and Gladden was confused, so Miller presented the photo from her husband's medical records showing him severely beaten. Judge Cruz asked where Miller got the evidence and he said an anonymous messenger dropped it off. Gladden said his injuries were the result of him fighting with her brother but Miller said the medical records stated the cuts on his face were caused by a ring and asked if the true story was that she beat him. Judge Cruz made Miller stop, saying unless he had proof Gladden was behind the injuries the line of questioning was outside the scope of the hearing.
After court, Annalise told Miller she wanted to tak the stand. Miller said she was too intimate with Nate Sr. and Annalise said it was the intimacy that made her an authority. She continued that he couldn't 'keep Michael Jordan on the bench when the game [was] on the line'. He told her to stand down because he was the D.A. The next morning Annalise woke up hungover to a call from Miller telling her he tried to come up with other ways to win the inquest but couldn't think of anything and wanted to put her on the stand.
Miller started by telling Annalise about what the medical examiner Maureen Groff said during her press conference. She suggested that Nate Sr. wasn't taking his anti-psychotic medication and Miller asked Annalise if she believed that to be credible. Annalise said no and Miller said Sr's blood results showed no signs of any drugs. Annalise implied the results were manufactured in order to make the 'story' that Sr. was violent with the guards stick. She continued by telling the jury her visitor notes with Nate Sr. would prove he was never aggressive in her presence. Judge Cruz told her not to address the jury. She said that Nate Sr. sat in the Supreme Court and listened to the justices call him a monster but he didn't make a sound so it didn't make sense that he would pick a fight with the guards on the last night he knew he'd ever have to see them. Miller suggested that Sr. was violent in his past but Annalise said he was violent one time after a severe mental health episode. She then turned to the jury.
- "What those guards are hoping that you believe is the oldest, most racist stories in our country. Emmett Till, Scottsboro Boys, Central Park Five. These false accusations all started with the same lie that black men are wired to attack white women. It's a stereotype sewn so deep in the fabric of this country that they just know that you're gonna ignore huge plot holes in their cover-up that the surveillance cameras were broken, or that an elderly man could physically overpower two 30-something guards when there's only one true story here, that those two people right there wanted to punish my client for exposing the torture and abuse happening in our prisons. They shot a defenseless man in the head, and here we are another black man's body being paraded in the court and me having to beg for justice."
Judge Cruz attempted to stop Annalise but she kept going until she was finished, at which point she was dismissed from the stand. Shortly after, the jury had reached a verdict. Rick Sakai read that the jury had found no evidence of criminal acts or negligence and agreed with the medical examiner that the homicide was justifiable.
See also[]
- Nate Lahey Sr. Retrial
- Nate Lahey Sr. Killing
- Nate Lahey Sr. Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Appearances[]
| Season 5 | |||||||||||
| "Your Funeral" | "Whose Blood Is That?" | "The Baby Was Never Dead" | "It's Her Kid" | ||||||||
| "It Was the Worst Day of My Life" | "We Can Find Him" | "I Got Played" | "I Want to Love You Until the Day I Die" | ||||||||
| "He Betrayed Us Both" | "Don't Go Dark on Me" | "Be the Martyr" | "We Know Everything" | ||||||||
| "Where Are Your Parents?" | "Make Me the Enemy" | "Please Say No One Else Is Dead" |