Wed, Jun 20, 2012
As Billy Lamb undergoes his operation Martha reluctantly begins the defence of hectoring,arrogant Jody Farr as a favour to the reptilian Micky Joy. She plans to adopt the line that Farr was framed by the police but is enraged to learn that Joy is using Billy as Farr's alibi. Ultimately she gets Lamb to admit that Joy is bribing him and he admits this in court,exposing Joy as a corrupt informant. He also helps Reader out over trouble he incurred at Brighton with a glib opposing counsel before joining the rest of the chambers to welcome Caroline Warwick.
Tue, Mar 29, 2011
Martha prepares to act for Mark, who admits that he and girlfriend Emma Slater broke into the judge's house to rob him but claims he killed him in self defence. Head of chambers Alan Cowdrey returns and wants the case but Martha hangs onto it with Kate as her assistant. Much of her case involves attacking the victim's widow, who is dignified and sympathetic, making Martha seem cruel. However when Martha is rushed to hospital - where she miscarries - Nick comes up with evidence which shows that Emma killed the judge to stop him killing Mark and she is found guilty of manslaughter, not murder. Billy learns that Kate and John want to set up a rival chambers with Clive Reader, whom they hope will get his silk. In the event it is Martha who gets the distinction, which she uses to keep the firm together.
Mon, Mar 10, 2014
Martha is engaged by euthanasia campaigner and solicitor Aisha Wiseman to defend Sarah Stephens, accused of helping her tetraplegic daughter Jo to die. Reader is prosecuting and brings in Sarah's ex-husband Patrick and their fifteen year old son to show that Jo did not want to die as Sarah stated. Whilst two expert witnesses appear to endorse this and Sarah's defensive attitude towards her family make her a less than cooperative client Martha realizes that she may be covering up for somebody else. Meanwhile Jake is poached by a rival firm and Billy tells Martha that, as Alan has now stepped down as chambers head, he is backing her as the successor. He also admits to her that he has cancer.
Tue, May 22, 2012
Martha defends young Army Captain Ryan at a military court. Under pressure during a Taliban offensive in Afghanistan he is accused of disobeying orders, leading to the death of Private Rivers in an under-manned exchange. Ryan's silence does not help his case but Martha discovers, from his best friend Captain Cassidy, that Rivers was less of a victim than presumed, having a fatalistic attitude after a traumatic experience. Reader, meanwhile, goes all out to impress George Duggan in defending Fatima Ali who is accused of killing her brother.
Tue, Jun 12, 2012
Caroline Warwick invites Reader to assist her in prosecuting Jody Farr,accused of killing Martha's client Brendan Kay,in exchange for reducing the murder charge against Fatima to manslaughter. When he accepts George dumps him and hands Fatima's case to Martha,who,helped by Daniel,does Fatima proud,discrediting her angry,sexist brother. However it is Joy who provides the vital evidence that wins the case,the deal being that Martha defend Farr in return. Martha is less successful in appealing to the law lords to spare Jackson Henderson,on death row in Jamaica,from hanging whilst Billy Lamb discovers he has prostate cancer.
Tue, Jun 5, 2012
Martha defends Michael Ward,a security van driver accused of neglect and manslaughter when claustrophobic prisoner Richard Doyle has a panic attack and dies in transit. Reader is frustrated when Fatima refuses to plead self defence and when Cowdrey and Martha overrule him in appointing young ex-copper Daniel Lomas as his pupil over the pretty girl he preferred. However Daniel proves a great help to Martha in discrediting the prosecution's star witness and winning her case.
Mon, Mar 3, 2014
Martha defends footballer Jordan Sinclair, who has attacked fellow player Dean Trent on the pitch in front of thousands - with Clive Reader prosecuting. Just before going into court Martha learns that Sinclair has recently fallen foul of smug manager Ben Madden, who appears to have coached Trent into deliberately needling him. Martha also discovers that Sinclair is gay, giving Trent another excuse to torment him and she brings in a witness to prove Madden and Trent's general bullying. New office manager Harriet Hammond continues to cross swords with the cancer-stricken Billy whilst chambers pupil Amy Lang has a tough time with her first case and Caroline uses subtle tactics to get the better of the opposition when she prosecutes in a rape trial. Alan makes contact with David in the secure unit.
Tue, May 15, 2012
Martha is at last a QC,making her senior to Reader. Their first case together is defending taciturn thug Brendan Kay,muscle for the infamous criminal Farr family, accused of blinding a car wash employee who fell afoul of boss, Jody Farr. Martha believes Farr's influential solicitor, sharp Micky Joy, and Farr are conspiring to stitch up the innocent Kay for a crime Farr committed. Battling against both formidable prosecutor Caroline Warwick and head of chambers Alan Cowdrey for Farr, Martha finds that Reader proves to be an ultimate help to her. He also has a solo case, defending killer Fatima Ali,referred by female solicitor George Duggan,who resists his efforts to pursue her romantically.
Tue, Mar 22, 2011
Martha's preference is to act for the defendant but Billy persuades her it will help her silk application to act as a prosecutor,against Tony Paddick,a young teacher accused of the attempted murder of a pupil who persecuted him. Martha argues with the C.P.S. solicitor that the charge should be Grievous Bodily Harm and finds her humanity and ambition at odds with each other in her new role.After taking advice from the Law Lady interviewing her for her silk,Martha concocts a way of helping Paddick receive a lesser sentence,chiding his defending barrister for letting her do his job. Kate hacks into Billy's computer to find money unaccounted for but fails to get Martha on side against him. Nick wins his second solo case but Niamh,feeling under-used,agrees to see Gary Ross on behalf of Martha.
Tue, May 29, 2012
Martha defends a young thug who smashed up a corner shop and attacked its owner whom he claims insulted his girlfriend. Reader has sex in a toilet with George before prosecuting three Oxford students, members of an elite drinking club, charged with trashing a pub and assaulting a young waitress as part of an initiation rite. However, he is out of his depth against the boys' three smug barristers and a parochial judge, and he needs advice from an old colleague and Martha, aware that hers is a hopeless case, to get his desired result.