The Civil Dead
Episode 4.41 (169)
November 18, 1997
Written by Susan Hore
Directed by Raymond Quint
It is court day in Mt. Thomas and the Heelers all turn up to witness Luke Darcy's trial for the attempted murder of his father — the incident which sparked the police shooting where PJ was forced to defend himself against Luke's irate mother, Raeleen [episodes 3.36, 3.37]. No-one is more dismayed than PJ when Luke manages to use the system and the cutbacks in Legal Aid to have his trial deferred. He is now a free man — with a very big grudge against Detective Hasham! PJ quickly becomes irritated with the Heelers' efforts to protect him from the vengeful Luke.
Then local solicitor, Sally Downie, reports that her office has been broken into and PJ is convinced that Like is behind it, because Sally has inherited the management of the Karla Darcy Fund — a public fund set up for Luke's little sister after the shooting. With the scant evidence of a partial print, PJ heads off to pick up Luke, only to find the clan matriarch, Grandma Lucy Kenny, has been bashed. Again PJ is convinced Luke is behind it, but it is against Grandma's creed to dob to the police.
Meanwhile, Maggie is prosecuting a young shoplifter in the magistrate's court — a seventeen-year-old who has chosen to defend herself because Legal Aid has denied her funding on the grounds that she insisted on pleading not guilty. She is making such a hash of it that when there is an unexpected adjournment, Dash convinces Tom that they should help her find a defence lawyer. After the girl's grandfather refuses to help, Tom reluctantly approaches Sally Downie, who refuses to take the case pro-bono because she is too busy with a money-earning civil matter. Disapproving of what he sees as this money-grasping attitude, Tom triumphantly solves her civil case, leaving her with no choice but to take on the young shoplifter for nothing.
When PJ gets word that Luke is planning to rob a bottle shop, he thinks that he's in luck. Unfortunately the would-be robber turns out to be Luke's dumb mate, Warty Watts and PJ is thwarted again. Increasingly frustrated, PJ wants to lure Luke into attacking him, but instead it is Dash who becomes Luke's victim when she thwarts his attempt to rob the high school fete. Held hostage by the one person on earth she really fears, Dash is desperate, he actually manages to escape and runs for assistance to the nearest house — only to find it is the Kenny house. Fortunately, little Kayla becomes her unlikely ally, barring the door against her brother's murderous rage while Dash phone for help. Maggie and PJ arrive in time to rescue Dash, but Luke escapes on a trail bike.
While PJ is setting himself up as a sacrificial lamb Dash manages to discover why Grandma Kenny was bashed — she is co-signatory on the Kayla Darcy Fund with Sally Downie. Hearing this, PJ realises Sally may be in danger and gets to her office just in time to find Luke leaving with his latest hostage, the young shoplifter. It is only after rescuing Sally that Tom finds he was totally mistaken, far from being a well-heeled lawyer, she is actually living in penury while she builds up her new practice. And with his prejudices broken down, Tom realises that she is a very attractive woman.
Guest Starring: Catherine Wilkin as Sally Downie, Kane McDonald as Warty, Jan Frazer as Jane Gray, Adam May as Ellis Corby, Jonathon Brooks as Luke Darcy, Blaise Stowers as Kayla Darcy, Lesley Baker as Grandma Kenny, Clive Hearne as Judge Williams, Sarah Chapman as Ebony Fisher, Alan Cassell as Henry Biggins, Peter Sardi as Lionel Jenkins, Jennifer Robinson as Teacher, Cameron Rosel as Baz, Robbie MacFarlane as Julian King, Bruce Barnes as Clerk of Courts
(encoded with Handbrake - Blue Heelers - from Complete Fifth Season DVD - the early years)
Duration: approximately 45 minutes
Aspect ratio: 4:3 standard
Audio: linear hi-fi/stereo
Size: 437MB
Video format: MPEG-4 (MP4)
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