Stephen King Wiki

Hello Stephen King fan! We at the Stephen King Wiki are incredibly happy you've decided to visit, please feel free to check out our Discusions and/or start editing articles.
If you're visiting anonymously you'll need to make an account.
Before you start editing or posting, you'll want to read our simple ruleset, just so you don't accidentally break any rules. If you see anyone breaking any of these rules, please report it to the message wall of an Administrator.

READ MORE

Stephen King Wiki
Register
Advertisement

"Trial and Terror" is the fourth episode of Season 3 of Mr. Mercedes. It aired on October 1, 2019.

Synopsis[]

As Lou's case goes to trial, Lou further loses her grip on sanity. Jerome looks for the John Doe patient, while Bill and Holly worry that Lou isn't looking good. Morris wonders where Danielle went, and he and Alma move in on the Saubers.

Plot[]

Bill enters the courthouse and finds a TV playing one of John's interviews where he talks about how there is no Satan and no God. Blood drips from Bill's fingers as he opens up his copy of John's book, and he follow the trail of blood into the courtroom. Lou is tied to a tree and calls Bill's name. The book bursts into fire and the fire spreads to the tree. Bill stares at Lou as she burns...

... and Bill wakes up from his nightmare as someone knocks on his door. It's Ida, and Bill opens the door for her. She comes in as Bill wonders what time it is.

Morris arrives at Alma's house and finds her scrubbing the floor. She claims she spilled red wine, and Morris says that he has a lead from Halliday about who might have taken the money and John's manuscripts. Morris identifies Peter from the photos on the wall and the bookstore surveillance footage, and Alma realizes that it's Peter Saubers. He tells Alma about Bill investigating the case, and Alma recognizes him from Morris' photo. Alma figures that Bill could lead them to the manuscripts and they should keep a close tab on him.

Peter is in his room and quickly hides the manuscript he's reading when Tom comes in. Tom says that he's going to court to attend Lou's trial, and tells Peter that they got another envelope for $9,000, bringing the total up to $32,000. He figures that Peter sent it, and says that his son isn't in trouble with him. Tom asks Peter to let him help him, and Peter says that he isn't. His father asks where he got the money, and Peter promises that it isn't coming from him.

Bill arrives at Finders Keepers and Holly tells him that John took out stated value insurance on what was in the safe. They figure that there were manuscripts there, and Holly has confirmed with John's daughter that he never stopped writing. The insurance company has offered a reward of $700,000 for information leading to the manuscripts' recovery. Jerome says that Stan had dropped a half-dead guy at the hospital the night John was murdered. Holly tells Jerome to go to the hospital while Bill goes to the court, and reminds him that he was ordered there by the court. Bill reluctantly agrees and Jerome says that he'll handle it.

Alma learns about the reward money and tells Morris that other people will be looking. She tells Morris to turn the screws on Peter, even though Morris figures Bill has the information they need. Morris wonders why Danielle hasn't come back, pointing out that she didn't take her stuff with her. Alma figures that Morris loved her, and tells him that Danielle can find whatever she saw in him with someone else. She insists that that she raped Morris lovingly when he was 13.

Bill, Holly, and Roland arrive at the courthouse and Roland tells them that Bernard wants to see them all in chambers. When they all gather, Bernard tells Lou that she's been found competent. The judge says that he's denying Lou's claim of self-defense, insisting the facts don't support it. Bernard also won't allow Roland to argue jury nullification. He tells Lou that she's making a mistake refusing plea deals, and says that he wants Bill and Holly to try and get through with her, warning that Lou will lose if she goes on trial. Lou insults him, and Bernard says that she won't incur his bias. He admits that part of him is glad that she killed Brady, but he's going to live up his robe.

Bill has everyone else leave with Bernard, and then confirms that Lou believes Brady talks to her. He advises her to let Brady go, and she breaks into tears and says that he's the reason that she's in prison. Bill admits that Brady is knocking around in his brain, too, but she needs to hang onto her wits. Lou stares off into space, composing herself, and says that nothing can fail with public sentiment on its side. She figures the public will set her free for killing a monster.

Bill and Holly leave, and Bill says that Lou is nuts. Holly suggests that Roland is good and they have to hope that he's great, and Bill figures that she fancies the lawyer. They get in the SUV and Holly tells Bill that he's not allowed to notice her as a woman.

Morris drives to a spot near the Saubers house and watches it. As he waits for Marjorie to leave, he picks up a copy of John's novel The Runner and starts reading it, remembering the past.

Ida asks a young Morris why he didn't finish the assignment. He says that he doesn't see the point of improving mankind, and Ida tells him to read a copy of The Runner. Ida figures that Morris and Jimmy Gold will "get along".

Jerome returns to Finders Keepers and tells Bill and Holly that he got a description of the man who Stan took to the hospital. They took his blood and the only photos are from a grainy corridor cam. Jerome theorizes that the John Doe patient was driving the truck and it crashed. The patient left, tracked down Stan, and killed him. Jerome says that the ME on duty has been telling everyone.

Later, Bill confronts Antonio about the fact he knew about the John Doe patient. He's mad that Antonio didn't tell him, and the police detective admits that they're working on a composite sketch. Antonio insists that he's not keeping anything from Bill, and Bill asks what he's going to testify to in Lou's case. The officer says that they're going to say what they both saw in the courtroom when Lou killed Brady, and Bill explains that Lou thinks the public will set her free.

Roland meets with Lou, who suggests that he offer involuntary manslaughter. He warns that Sarah won't go for it, and Lou says that she just needs him to argue that's what it was. Roland warns that Sarah will offer it on top of the greater charge, and Lou figures that he should do it anyway and then she'll be out in 18 months.

Morris goes back to Alma's house and tells her that Marjorie never left the house. Alma knows from the supermarket clerk when Marjorie goes out, and Marjorie didn't go out on her regular schedule. She warns Morris that time is of the essence because of the reward-hunters, and suggests that Danielle found out that Morris murdered John. Alma refers to Danielle in the past tense and Morris picks up on it. Alma dismisses Danielle as "past tense", but Morris looks at her suspiciously. He then leaves home despite Alma suggesting that they "burn some tension off". When Morris tells her to forget it, Alma threatens to rape him again and he leaves.

On their dinner, Roland tells Holly about Lou's legal strategy. He figures that someone is helping Lou, and Holly compliments Roland's legal acumen rubbing off on Lou. When Roland asks if he's rubbing off on Holly, she chokes on her wine and they both apologize to the other. Holly asks Roland if they're on a date, and Roland asks her if she'd like it to be. She asks for an answer rather than another question, and Roland tells her that they're having dinner discussing the case. However, Roland hopes that it will feel a little like a date so if they have one, it won't be such a jolt. Holly nods in agreement.

In her cell, Lou can't sleep. She paces her cell nervously, and sees the ice cream truck toy drive down the hallway. More of them drive by Lou's cell, and Lou cowers on her bunk in terror.

Bill sits outside by his fire pit, and he imagines John sitting with him asking why he saw Lou on fire. Ida arrives and asks the same question, and Bill talks about how John said the world needs Satan back because he's better than the alternative: people. Ida says that John haunted her and that's why she's teaching him in class. She talks about how her students take in the Jimmy Gold trilogy, and asks Bill what the matter is. Bill wonders if he's the Satan in the dream because everyone he touches suffers. Ida assures him that he's far from being an empty soul like Dante described, and figures Bill is worried about Lou. Bill says that she's fucked and it's his fault, and Ida assures him that not everything is his doing. Despite that, Bill insists that the situation is.

The next day, Alma and Morris park near the Saubers house. They wait until everybody leaves.

Inside, Marjorie tells Peter that he's not himself. She asks if it's a girl, just as Tom comes in and says that the trial is going to begin that day. Peter leaves to finish an assignment, and Tom tells Marjorie that he has a need to be in the courtroom. Marjorie says that her husband is doing better, and worries that the trial will stir up the past. Tom insists that he's making his way back and it's a part of that journey, and he has to be there.

At the trial, Sarah complains that special accommodations were made for victims of the job fair massacre to be in the courtroom. The DA figures the jury will read the faces and Roland will exploit the hatred against Brady to get Lou cleared. Roland insists that he didn't cherry-pick the attendee, and Bernard finally denies her motion.

Lou and then the jury are brought in, and Holly whispers to Bill that Lou doesn't look good. Bill agrees.

Marjorie leaves the house, and Alma tells Morris that it's right. She figures that the manuscripts belong to Morris, not the Saubers, and sends him in while she keeps watch. Morris breaks into the house and Boogers barks at him. The dog growls at Morris, and Morris takes out a dog treat that he brought. After a moment, the dog takes it.

Sarah gives her opening statement first, talking about how Brady massacred people at the job fair. She talks about how the community is stuck in that day, and finally they got Brady. Sarah points out that Brady finally came to trial, and Lou shot him and deprived the town of closure by seeking revenge. The ADA suggests that Brady was happy that he was spared a trial and prison time, and the trial will show who the jury really is.

Morris searches Peter's room but doesn't find the manuscripts.

Roland says that Brady was killed at a competency hearing and was trying to avoid being held accountable. Brady was going to be celebrated as a poster boy for modern medicine. Roland figures that closure means settling the score, and Lou settled the score because the law system wouldn't. The job fair attendees nod in agreement, and Roland tells the jury that Lou gave the victims what they wanted.

Morris returns to the SUV and tells Alma that he found nothing. Alma says that it's time for Plan B and drives off.

Later, Bill, Holly, and Jerome watch a news report on the trial. The reporter talks about how Brady hasn't let go. Holly figures Brady will be the town's final legacy, and Bill says that its legacy is that they killed John. Jerome tells them that the doctor who worked on the John Doe patient said the patient went by the name "Michael Lee", and Bill agrees with Jerome's theory that the patient killed John. When Jerome asks how the trial went, Bill and Holly agree that the lawyers are good but Lou wasn't as good.

Lou tells Roland that she felt good about the trial, and Roland points out that she was rocking her body in court. She says that it calms her, and Roland tells her that it helps her because it makes her look a bit unhinged and that's part of involuntary manslaughter. Roland advises Lou that if she seems too off, the jury won't want her back on the street. Lou wants Roland to call Holly as a witness because she's one of Brady's victims. When Roland tries to interrupt, Lou snaps that she's not finished and Holly could be a de facto surrogate. Holly is attractive and not a lesbian, and Lou figures that the jury will root for her. Then Roland will say that Lou is like Holly, and they'll figure Holly went toe-to-toe with Brady. Roland is impressed, and Lou says "Diamond in the rough". When the lawyer asks what she means, Lou says Holly is a diamond in the rough, like the Neil Diamond song , "Holly Holy". She rambles about her mother, and Roland says that it might be a good plan as Lou sings the song.

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Advertisement