L.A. Law (TV Series)

Hello and Goodbye (1993)

Stephen McHattie: Gordon Reeve

Quotes 

• Gordon Reeve : About 7:00 that night, Bill Collins called the newsroom.

  Phyllis Wodjack : Did you know who he was?

  Gordon Reeve : Sure. After the trademark closing, Collin was all over the airwaves, giving speeches. A lot of people knew who he was.

  Phyllis Wodjack : What did Mr. Collins say on the phone?

  Gordon Reeve : He said he was gonna set himself on fire in front of the Trademark building, to protest American jobs going overseas. He said, "Send a camera."

  Phyllis Wodjack : And what did you do?

  Gordon Reeve : First, I called the police. Then I told my Station Manager, Eric Simms, and he said, "Cover it."

  Phyllis Wodjack : What happened when you got to the Trademark building?

  Gordon Reeve : I didn't see anything at first. But, uh, as soon as I set down my equipment, Collins walked out of the alley carrying a can of gasoline, stood on the sidewalk, said he was gonna kill himself. I asked him why. He said, "Turn on the camera and I'll tell you."

  Phyllis Wodjack : What happened next?

  Gordon Reeve : I did what he said. I was, I'm... expecting the cops to show.

  Phyllis Wodjack : And what happened after you began rolling the camera?

  Gordon Reeve : Collins made a speech, poured gasoline on himself, and then he lit a match.

  Phyllis Wodjack : You have no regrets about your actions that day?

  Gordon Reeve : Do I second-guess myself? Sure. I feel for Bill Collins... and his family. But who's to say that he died in vain? After what he did, Trademark scratched plans to close that Anaheim plant.

  Melina Paros : Objection. Speculation.

  Judge Richard Lobel : Sustained.

  Phyllis Wodjack : Mr. Reeve, do you feel responsible for Bill Collins' death?

  Gordon Reeve : Over 19 years as a cameraman, I've seen a lot of tragedy. I've seen, uh, soldiers blown up by grenades. I've seen, uh, children starving.

  [sighs] 

  Gordon Reeve : I, uh, I just photograph these things. I don't cause them.

  Phyllis Wodjack : Thank you. Nothing further, Your Honor.

• [Here at the witness room. Melina and her plaintiff Belinda Collins sitting quietly. Coming from outside, Phyllis Wodjack and her two defendants Gordon Reeve and Eric Simms has arrived at the witness room, have a seat, talk, and make the offer] 

  Melina Paros : What's your offer?

  Phyllis Wodjack : Mr. Collins made 40,000 a year when he was let go. Assuming he remained healthy, he had another 10 years of earnings. Add loss of love and affection, we're round it up to 500,000, present value of 385.

  Melina Paros : Belinda?

  Belinda Collins : Okay. On one condition. I want you to go on TV and take responsibility for what you did. I want you to say that what you did was immoral.

  Eric Simms : Mrs. Collins, I can't allow Gordon to do that, even if he wanted. We'd be inviting lawsuits from every person who didn't like what we put on the air.

  Belinda Collins : Then I reject your offer.

  [Belinda declines the offer. Phyllis Wodjack is taking Eric Simms outside and leave. While Melina is outside the witness room, waiting for Belinda, but Gordon Reeve want to owe Belinda an apology of how Gordon feel, ashamed and terrible about what happened to Belinda's late husband Bill Collins] 

  Gordon Reeve : Mrs. Collins, I want you to know that. I feel terrible about what happened to your husband, and if I had it to do over... I wish I had done something.

  Belinda Collins : Why didn't you say that under oath?

  [Belinda is leaving with Melina and Gordon will be alone] 

• [the court bailiff set up the video and the television screen in the courtroom] 

  Melina Paros : Mr. Reeve, you've testified that you're trained to avoid becoming part of the story?

  Gordon Reeve : That's right.

  Melina Paros : But it never occurred to you that by agreeing to videotape Mr. Collins' suicide, you helped create the story?

  Melina Paros : No. I don't see it that way.

  Melina Paros : You had no sense that Mr. Collins was performing for the camera?

  Gordon Reeve : Most of the people I shoot are performing for the camera.

  Melina Paros : And you feel no responsibility for how others react to being taped?

  Gordon Reeve : If I had to worry about that, I wouldn't be able to do my job.

  Melina Paros : Let's see what kind of a job you did.

• Phyllis Wodjack : Your Honor, I renew my objection. This tape is prejudicial...

  Judge Richard Lobel : I've made my ruling, Miss Wodjack. Proceed, Ms. Paros.

  Bill Collins : [Bill Collins making messages, seen on the videotape footage]  The board of directors at Trademark treat the American worker like slave labor. When are the CEO's of this country gonna learn? Sending American jobs to a Third World is creating a Third World right here in the United States! Did you hear that?

  Gordon Reeve : Got it!

  [But pause the videotape] 

  Melina Paros : Mr. Reeve, do you think that by affirming that Mr. Collins' message was heard, you encouraged his suicide?

  Gordon Reeve : He asked me a question, I replied. I didn't encourage him.

  [Continue playing videotape footage. Bill pours a can of gas all over by himself. Belinda watched her late husband on the screen. Miss Paros watched. Ms. Wodjack is watching] 

  Bill Collins : You ready?

  Gordon Reeve : I'm rolling!

  [pause the videotape] 

  Melina Paros : Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you just green light a suicide?

  Gordon Reeve : No. I didn't tell him to do anything.

  Melina Paros : A man drenched in gasoline, holding a match, asks you if you're ready, and you answer affirmatively. You don't call that encouragement?

  Gordon Reeve : I just told him I was rolling. What he did was up to him.

  [Continues playing a footage, Bill lights the match and throws it to the ground and Bill Collins was burned himself to death. Belinda was sobbing and lost her husband. Bill screaming. Members of the Jury find out. Bill continues screaming to his death of immolation on fire]