Boston Legal2004

Father Michael Ryan:
And suddenly he's swinging the axe. I put my hand out and he chopped it. He cut three of my fingers right off. They just fell to the floor.

A.D.A. Frank Ginsberg:
And then what happened, sir?

Father Michael Ryan:
Well, I was rushed to the hospital. Two of my fingers were recovered and re-attached. And then his colleague, that woman, came in brandishing my third finger. She wouldn't give it back unless I revealed privileged information about one of my parishioners. He cut it off and she extorted me with it.

Shirley Schmidt:
My first question would be... if someone is swinging an axe, why stick your hand out?

Father Michael Ryan:
I didn't think he'd actually try to...

Shirley Schmidt:
And to be clear, when you speak of your parishioner, you refer to the man charged with kidnapping the child.

Father Michael Ryan:
Well, yes.

Shirley Schmidt:
And also to be clear... you knew your parishioner was a pedophile.

Father Michael Ryan:
I am not going to reveal privileged information to you, just like I wouldn't to him.

Shirley Schmidt:
But you did reveal information to Miss Bauer. You told her where your parishioner's hideaway was. You'll reveal privileged information to get your fingers back, but not to save the life of a child.

A.D.A. Frank Ginsberg:
Objection.

Judge Clark Brown:
Sustained!

Shirley Schmidt:
As a policy, if a pedophile killer confesses his crime, you'll protect that secret.

Father Michael Ryan:
I cannot break the confessional seal. It's Canon Law.

Shirley Schmidt:
Is that stupid?

A.D.A. Frank Ginsberg:
Objection!

Shirley Schmidt:
[judge raises hand] I'm sorry. But the laws in this country to protect against child abuse supersede doctor-patient privilege, lawyer-client privilege, but not priest-parishioner privilege? Has the Catholic Church earned some special exemption when it comes to pedophiles?

A.D.A. Frank Ginsberg:
Objection!

Shirley Schmidt:
[judge raises hand] Do we trust them more in this area?

Father Michael Ryan:
That's a cheap shot.

Shirley Schmidt:
I've been known to take them.