Close to Home (2005)

Pilot

Annabeth Chase (Jennifer Finnigan, "Committed")) is a happily married woman living in suburbia and has recently had a baby. As she goes back to work she has to prosecute a woman who set her house on fire with her and her 2 kids inside. But what she uncovers is a story of abuse the likes of which she could never have predicted happened in her neighborhood. Since having a baby with her husband Jack (Christian Kane) Annabeth has been having a more difficult time returning back to work as her cases are hitting more close to home and in her neighborhood---literally. It'll be a struggle for her to balance family life as well as her cases involving everyday people in her neighborhood.

Miranda

Annabeth must choose between making a case against a kidnapping suspect or saving his victim's life. Annabeth takes a huge gamble when she denies kidnapping suspect, Derrick Adler (guest star Mason Gamble) his right to have a lawyer present during his interrogation in order to force a confession with the hope that he will lead the police to his victim's whereabouts so that she can be brought home alive. Derrick had kidnapped college mate Amy Flynn (guest star Shannon Floyd) after a campus party, a person who he has been stalking for over a year. With time running out Annabeth is put in a tough predicament. Meanwhile, Maureen must decide whether or not to prosecute a detective who obstructed justice in order to protect a fellow cop.

Suburban Prostitution

Annabeth finds it difficult to convince the women working for the ring leader to testify against her because they are afraid that their husbands will leave them and take away their children. Meanwhile, Steve urges Maureen to push for more drug convictions so that their office can receive a $7 million grant from the federal government.

Divine Directions

After a competency hearing finds that the woman is fit to stand trial, Annabeth tries to find a motive for the murder and discovers several skeletons in the church-going couple's closet. Meanwhile, Maureen finds out there is more to the story behind a seemingly open and shut case of justifiable homicide. Annie Potts ("Any Day Now") guest stars as Dr. Marla Dodds, the defendant's razor sharp, media-loving lawyer.

Romeo and Juliet Murders

Annabeth and Maureen prosecute a case involving siblings whose parents are found murdered after they discover a secret which the teenagers had been keeping from them. Meanwhile, Maureen and Annabeth admit to each other that they sometimes think that each other's life is more desirable -- Maureen wishes she had a family to go home to, while Annabeth wishes she did not have to be responsible for anyone but herself.

Parents on Trial

Annabeth must combat the defense’s strategy of putting the victim’s parents on trial by claiming their lifestyle and the father’s relationship with the defendant is to blame for their son’s death. Now, Annabeth must find evidence that will convince a jury that the defendant is guilty of the murder of the 6-year-old boy.

Double Life Wife

During the investigation of the crime, Annabeth discovers a picture of the defendant and the victim's husband, leading her to believe that the murder of his wife may not have been an accident. Meanwhile, Steve asks for Maureen's help after he must recuse himself from the appeal of a death penalty case after a key witness accuses him of suborning perjury.

Under Threat

Annabeth prosecutes a case involving a gangster who resorts to violence to prevent a key witness from testifying against him. When the defendant realizes that Annabeth might be able to convince a jury to convict him of the crimes he is accused of, he then has members of his gang threaten to harm Annabeth's daughter in order to scare her from trying the case.

Meth Murders

A man high on meth that has killed two people has apparently killed the wrong two, Annabeth discovers after beginning prosecution. During the murder investigation the defendant reveals the identities of the intended targets. Annabeth attempts to track them down in order to convince them to testify against the drug lord so that he can be brought to trial. Meanwhile, Steve worries that the nature of the crime will cause a media circus and asks Maureen to keep the press at bay.

Baseball Murder

Annabeth is assigned to try a case involving the death of a all star baseball player by an opposing player (Cole Evan Weiss). Sammy's parents seem more worried about his athletic career rather than the severity of the crime. During the investigation prior to the boy's trial, Annabeth discovers a videotape of the attack which causes her to suspect the boy's coach may have encouraged him to hit his opponent after their team lost the game. Meanwhile, Maureen's younger sister is arrested for shoplifting.

The Good Doctor

Annabeth prosecutes a case involving a respected doctor who accuses a teenage delinquent of murdering his wife. Annabeth learns there's more to the story when the suspect arrested for the murder has an airtight alibi for the night the crime was committed. As a result, Annabeth delves deeper into the case only to find out that the doctor's wife was planning to sue her husband for divorce because he was hiding a dark secret.

Privilege

A successful African-American man is abducted from his home and presumed dead. A suspect is quickly arrested and refuses to cooperate, but he reveals the location of the body to his lawyer. Annabeth tries to persade the defending attorney to testify against his client after a second black man goes missing, hoping to stop the hate crimes, but the man is reluctant to betray his client's confidence.

The Rapist Next Door

A recently paroled sex offender who moves into Annabeth's neighborhood becomes the prime suspect in the rape of a young woman. Although the victim identifies the paroled rapist as the man who attacked her, Annabeth does not think she can convince a jury that he is guilty of committing the crime because the behavior he exhibited is different from his usual M.O. Meanwhile, Maureen tells Steve that they should ease up on Annabeth's work load because she thinks juggling a new baby along with all of her cases is spreading her too thin.

Dead or Alive

Annabeth tries to convince the mother of a man who confesses to the murders of three people to testify against her son after a judge rules the blood found in the defendant's home is inadmissible in court. The defendant's attorney argues in court that his client did not commit any crimes but confessed to the killings because he is fascinated by crime and police investigations. Annabeth's case against the defendant begins to crumble after one woman he confesses killing turns up alive and admits she ran away from her parents to be with her boyfriend. Annabeth tries to convince the defendant's mother to testify against her son in order to salvage her case and bring the defendant to justice.

Reasonable Doubts

When Annabeth has to prosecute a man for killing his mother-in-law, his defense attorney creates a case against his own wife by claiming she committed the murder in order to establish reasonable doubt for the jury. The judge throws out the defendant's testimony after his lawyer claims that he was not given legal counsel during his interrogation. When Annabeth learns of a hidden secret in the defendant's past which easily explains why he killed his mother-in-law, the defense tries to deliberately mislead the jury into believing the defendant's wife committed the murder in order to create doubt.

Escape

Annabeth tries to build a case against a convicted criminal whom she put in jail years earlier after he is arrested for robbing a jewelry store. After he is arrested for robbery, the D.A.'s office learns that during the convict's escape from jail he murdered a guard and kidnapped a young woman whom he has held hostage for a year. During the investigation, Annabeth discovers inconsistencies in the kidnapped woman's story and uncovers a secret causing her to question who is really to blame for the prison-break and robbery.

Land of Opportunity

Annabeth and her office investigate a string of real-estate fraud cases involving a crooked real estate developer. Annabeth and her D.A team try to help homeoowners who are being scammed into buying homes more than they're worth by the housing developer who build them. It gets to the point where the real estate developer fires her own husband from his contruction housing job in order not to get caught by the D.A.

Still a Small Town

Annabeth attempts to link several of her former classmates to the murder of their high school friend who dies after a game of touch football.

Sex, Toys and Videotape

Annabeth learns that the seemingly straight-laced victim had never disclosed her previous marriage to her family or fiancé, who believed her to be a virgin. Although bruises and cuts on the victim seem to indicate that a rape occurred, the defense tries to maintain that the victim engaged in consensual sex with her ex-husband.

The Shot

David and Goliath

Annabeth brings a high school basketball player to trial for the murder of his teammate after he confesses to accidentally shooting him. During the teenager's trial, a witness comes forward to testify that the shooting was intentional. Soon after hearing the testimony, the defendant's father changes his initial statement and confesses to the crime. Convinced that the teenager's father is lying to protect his son from prosecution, Annabeth digs deeper and stumbles upon a secret the boys were keeping which may have been the motive for the shooting.

Hot Grrrl

Annabeth learns there's more to the story after a middle-aged man is shot and killed by a teenage boy who claims he was protecting his friend from a sexual predator whom she met on-line. During the murder investigation, the D.A.'s office learns that the murder victim was an investigative reporter who was writing a story about the dangers of the internet. Annabeth must determine if the victim's story is true, or if it was cover which allowed him to act on his pedophilic behavior. Meanwhile, Annabeth agrees to take a much needed vacation with Jack after he points out that she has been over-worked and distracted lately. However, a tragic death cuts short their romantic get away and will change her life forever.