Connor Bishop is also played by Tyler Christopher, who plays Nikolas Cassadine.
Connor Bishop is also played by Tyler Christopher, who plays Nikolas Cassadine.
Elizabeth: Edward's here.
Emily: Nikolas, I spoke with the Judge, and he seemed sympathetic, okay?
Nikolas: Okay.
Alexis: You asked Judge Woods for leniency and he agreed in theory, correct?
Ric: Yeah, I did my best not to push the issue of conflict of interest. The best I could get was ten years with the possibility for early parole. It's going to have to satisfy everybody.
Alexis: Hey, thank you for going out on a limb. I appreciate it.
Ric: It's fine, it's fine, it's fine.
Alexis: So, what's the problem?
Ric: I just got a bad feeling about it, that's all.
Bailiff: All rise. This court is now in session, the Honorable Judge Walter McBride presiding.
Emily: That isn't -- that isn't the Judge I spoke to.
Alexis: McBride?
Ric: I wasn't notified about the change in judges.
Alexis: Is this legal?
Ric: As long as he's properly appointed, he can pronounce sentence.
Alexis: Then all bets are off for Nikolas.
Judge: Judge Woods has been called away on another matter, and I will be taking his place. I reviewed all the records concerning the case, including the defendant's confession. I'll now consider the D.A.'s sentencing recommendation. Mr. Lansing?
Ric: Thank you, Your Honor. As you know, Mr. Cassadine has confessed, he has waived his right to a trial by jury, and he has thrown himself on the mercy of the court. Given the extenuating circumstances, Judge Woods agreed to consider a sentence of 10 years with the possibility for early parole.
Judge: Does your office have an official agreement with this defendant?
Ric: It's all very informal, Your Honor.
Judge: I'll take that as a no. Traffic tickets are informal, Mr. Lansing. Murder is not, at least not in my court.
Ric: Yes, Your Honor.
Judge: Now as regards, Mr. Cassadine, Judge Woods might have seen a misguided, young man with great promise and deserving of another chance. However, I see an arrogant, young man of extreme wealth and privilege, a so-called prince who chose to murder an elderly family member in a most callous and brutal manner. He couldn't be bothered to plead self-defense, and he wasn't -- well, he wouldn't lower himself to a trial by jury. No. And he's not shown one iota of regret. Mr. Nikolas Cassadine is a cold-blooded killer, and I see no reason not to give him the death penalty.
Emily: No! No!
Monica: Emily.
Judge pounds gavel as the gallery buzzes.
Emily: Nikolas saved my life! Don't you get that? Helena was trying to kill me!
Judge pounds gavel.
Judge: Sit down, all of you, or I’ll clear this courtroom!
Monica: Emily, it's all right.
Emily: No, it isn't, Mom.
Alexis: Your Honor, may I address the court, please?
Judge: You may.
Alexis: In light of Helena Cassadine’s long criminal history --
Judge: Which is irrelevant in this proceeding --
Alexis: Which I think, Your Honor, is very relevant to this case. That woman is a monster, and to even consider the death penalty right now is outrageous.
Ric: Yes, with all due respect, Your Honor, I tend to agree.
Judge: Isn't -- isn't the victim your stepmother?
Alexis: Yes, Your Honor.
Judge: And isn't Ms. Davis your wife?
Ric: Yes, she is, Your Honor.
Judge: And Ms. Davis is your aunt?
Nikolas: Yes, Your Honor.
Judge: I beg your pardon?
Nikolas: Yes, Your Honor.
Judge: We've got ourselves a regular family reunion here, don't we? Right here in my courtroom. Well, speaking of outrageous --
Alexis: Your Honor --
Judge: I will not have this case run by a bunch of rich people who think they can get by with murder. I'll hear character witnesses later in the day. Court's in recess.
Elizabeth: Can a judge really do that?
Lucky: He just did.
Emily: Take back your confession and say that you were coerced and that you want a jury trial, Nikolas.
Alexis: It's too late. You're going to have to enter an appeal.
Tracy: That'll take years.
Alan: Oh, thank you, Tracy.
Alexis: I'm going to need all of you as character witnesses.
Ric: Yes, and when you testify, know that you're going to have Nikolas' life in your hands.
Nikolas: I'm sorry.
Ric: Emily, are you sure your family's onboard with all this?
Emily: They'd better be.
Edward: Emily, honey, don't put yourself through any more of this.
Alan: It's her husband. You expect her to abandon him?
Edward: Convincing this judge that Nikolas is a worthwhile person is an exercise in futility.
Tracy: And why do you think I tried to stop the marriage?
Monica: Because you are a meddlesome little --
Emily: All right, quiet, quiet, all of you! All right? I love Nikolas, like it or not -- the way you loved grandmother, the way you love mom, despite everything. And if you start bickering in front of that judge, you're going to be sending Nikolas to prison for life, all right? Maybe even lethal injection.
Monica: Emily, all right. That is not going to happen.
Emily: All right. Listen, please, I need my family, all right, more than I ever have.
Alexis: Recess is almost over.
Emily: I need you all, okay? And if you love me, then you'll help my husband, all right?
Alan: I had serious reservations about Nikolas and Emily right from the start. But I'm certain he was only trying to protect her. He certainly shouldn't pay with his life.
Monica: Nikolas helped Emily survive breast cancer. He's been her good friend and her support. He's been responsible and conscientious, maybe overly so.
Tracy: Helena Cassadine was dangerous. She had no conscience, no morals. She would kill anything that got in the way of what she wanted, and what she wanted more than anything was to stop the marriage between her grandson Nikolas and Emily. The world is a better place without her.
Edward: Nikolas Cassadine would never have been my first choice for Emily. In fact, I tried to have the marriage annulled. But then I realized how devoted he is to her. Nikolas isn't a danger to society. Helena's death, I have no doubt, happened because Nikolas tried to protect Emily.
Alexis: Helena Cassadine has tortured me and the rest of my family for years. She killed my mother. She has tried to kill me on more than one occasion. She tried to poison her own son, and although she claims to have loved Nikolas, she didn't like Emily, and she tried to kill her before. If it weren't for Nikolas, I believe that Emily would be dead right now.
Judge: Didn't you stab Luis Alcazar; shove him off a hotel balcony?
Ric: Excuse me, your honor. Relevance?
Judge: Murder seems to be a Cassadine family tradition, doesn't it?
Lucky: I was brought up to hate the Cassadines. I know personally the kind of damage that Helena Cassadine can do. Nikolas -- he's always been a peacemaker. He killed Helena because she left him no choice, and she wasn't going to stop until Emily was dead.
Alexis: The defense calls Emily Cassadine.
Emily: I left the house to look for Nikolas. I went out to the bluff, and Helena was there. She said that she would never let me be with Nikolas again. She attacked me, and we struggled for the knife. And that's when Nikolas arrived. He took the knife away from her, but -- but she wouldn't stop fighting. She lunged at me again and she tried to push me over the side of the cliff. And that's when Nikolas pushed her. It was in the heat of anger. There was no premeditation; there was no intent to kill. He was just trying to stop her from coming after me. And after Helena fell, Nikolas wanted to tell the truth, to make a full -- a full confession, to -- to tell -- to tell exactly what had happened, and I'm the one who begged him not to. I begged him to keep quiet. He covered up everything that happened for me. Please, your honor. This is all a terrible misunderstanding and it's all my fault. All Nikolas is guilty of is trying to protect me.
Nikolas: I killed my grandmother because I felt I had no choice. Although my life was not in immediate danger, Emily’s was.
Judge: Why didn't you just walk away?
Nikolas: Because sooner or later, my grandmother would've killed Emily, and I could not let that happen.
Alexis: Do you have any remorse at all?
Nikolas: I'm sorry that it went so far, and I’m sorry that my grandmother was so relentless, but I killed my grandmother to protect my wife. And although I regret that it was necessary, I don't regret the act itself.
Judge: If you had it all to do over, would you kill your grandmother?
Nikolas: If it meant protecting Emily, yes, I would.
Bailiff: All rise.
Ric: That was way too fast.
Alexis: Because he made up his mind before he even started.
Judge: I've made my decision. Now will the defendant please rise while I pronounce his sentence?