| Peter Goldman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Vital statistics | |
| Name | Peter Goldman |
| Role | Lawyer suing Brenda for Turrell Baylor's death Lawyer defending Daniel Price on murder charges and Dennis Price's drug trafficking operation (Hindsight) |
| Gender | Male |
| First Appearance | Forgive Us Our Trespasses |
| Final Appearance | Hindsight, Part 4 |
| Played by | Curtis Armstrong |
Peter Goldman is a civil litigator who tried to hold Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson accountable for the death of Turrell Baylor.
Contents
- 1 Character Information
- 2 Goldman's Clients
- 3 Trivia
- 4 Appearances
- 4.1 The Closer
- 4.1.1 Season 7
- 4.2 Major Crimes
- 4.2.1 Season 4
- 4.1 The Closer
Character Information[]
Not much is revealed about Goldman personally except that he acts as a nemesis to Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson and represents that Johnson killed Turrell Baylor. He initially files a $20,000,000 civil suit for wrongful death against the LAPD and Major Crimes with Brenda as the primary defendant on behalf of Turrell's mother.
He first appears when he serves everyone summonses except Gabriel and watches all their reactions after. When they realize he didn't leave he reveals who he is and they have security escort him out. Goldman sneaks back into the office where he tries to listen in again and is once again thrown out and telling security to have his picture plastered as a "do not allow in." Gabriel visits him at his office where Goldman serves and reveals he did it so Gabriel would feel like Baylor.
After Brenda has finally secured legal counsel, she, Raydor, Pope, and Goldman have a settlement conference. Goldman then drops a bombshell. He reveals the claim has been dropped from $20,000,000 to a mere $500,000 and that the Baylor family will drop their claim against Brenda in exchange for her admitting she felt indifferent to his death. Goldman tells them to look through it with a microscope hoping they won't notice that it doesn't say that he won't refile after she signs the settlement and present that document as proof of her guilt in the murder. Brenda's lawyer, Gavin Q. Baker III, sees through this and rejects the offer.
After that they go to court where they argue their cases for a summary judgment with all the defendants and plaintiffs present. Goldman noticed Major Crimes leaving before the judge had ruled and tried to use this to anger the judge. This backfired, however, when Gavin revealed they were leaving because a deputy sheriff was killed and they needed to put public safety above personal interest.
Goldman later learned that a 22 year-old boy named Kyle Hayes committed suicide in Major Crimes' custody, he asked for a continuance based on this new information. After the case is solved everyone heads back to court where the judge rules to dismiss the case but clearly states that he is not happy about it.
Goldman then shows up at Major Crimes where Brenda is expecting him to feel defeated when instead he brings up several familiar names and states he is filing a federal lawsuit against her for her in custody deaths and harassment of his colleague Phillip Stroh.
He later hears about Raydor's decision to retire from his source inside Major Crimes and pays her a visit. He gives her his blessings for retirement and wishes her on her way. But she reveals that this has all been just a ploy to trick Goldman into revealing that he does have a source in Major Crimes and she vows to find it.
Goldman later tracks down Turrell's friend Jay Rock and convinces him to come forward about who killed his friend. Rock gives Goldman the names of Turrell's killers. Goldman keeps this information to himself to use to get someone else on board to join his lawsuit.
He is later appointed Reggie Moses' new attorney filing for a new trial and approaches him to try and join in his lawsuit against Deputy Chief Johnson. Reggie gets angry with him over learning he is representing Turrell Baylor and describes in great detail how Turrell killed that man and his grandson. Goldman refuses to listen about Turrell and only goes on to say Brenda is to blame for everything and reveals he has the names of Turrell's killers. He once again tries to convince him to join but Reggie just tells him to get him a deal or he's not saying anything.
Goldman is later called into what he thinks is an intimidation act by Raydor, but realizes Rock has been killed and that he himself is to blame. He refuses to answer questions from both Raydor and Johnson but later comes back in when he learns that Marvin Evans knows he has the names. He is furious and tries to blame them but ends up in the hot seat when he reveals that he knew the names of Turrell's killers and withheld it from the police. They force Goldman to give up the names and to settle in a way that wouldn't cover his legal fees. His one last act in this lawsuit is to put the Johnson Rule in affect, stating that no suspect will be dropped off into an area police know is hostile territory.
After a few weeks, Goldman's mole is revealed by Captain Raydor to be a woman named Ann Mason, who had been and still was dating LAPD Detective David Gabriel. Mason was a law student who was paid $70,000 for information on Major Crimes to cover her student loans.
In “Hindsight, Part 1” of Major Crimes, Goldman, somehow not disbarred, returns representing Daniel Price, an acquitted cop killer suspected of drug trafficking and having part in the murders of Tamika Weaver and her son Jeremiah Barnes. Goldman works to explain away Tamika's connection to Daniel and the church and acts antagonistically towards the Major Crimes detectives.
Over Goldman's protests, Daniel consents to a search of his church with drug dogs, leading to the police finding the murder weapon in the altar of the church.
In “Hindsight, Part 2”, Goldman accompanies Daniel after the LAPD find the Uzi used in Daniel's murder of Officer Malcolm Reese. Goldman's defense to the drug dogs' behavior is that they are "racist dogs". Once he realizes the police have found no drugs, Goldman attempts to leave but Daniel insists on staying to help. Goldman and Daniel provide the detectives with an alibi for the time of the murders that has multiple witnesses to back up. Furthermore, Goldman claims that due to the church's open door policy, anyone could've planted the Uzi in the altar. After Daniel tells the LAPD about his verbal altercation with Emile Fisher, Goldman makes a point of reminding them that Fisher has a history with the gun.
Later, Daniel's brother Dennis states that if the detectives want to talk to him again they are to contact Goldman who is his attorney as well.
In “Hindsight, Part 3”, Goldman accompanies Daniel when Assistant Chief Taylor requests that Daniel postpone Tamika's funeral in fear that the Diablos will retaliate for Jon Barnes murdering three Latino teenagers. Goldman continues to act antagonistically towards the LAPD and threatens another law suit. Despite Goldman's uncooperativeness, Daniel agrees to postpone the procession and burial and allow the LAPD to attend and protect the ceremony itself. Goldman is disgusted, calling Daniel's agreement "a gift" and threatens to add religious discrimination to the lawsuit.
Goldman attends Tamika's funeral, expressing surprise at the fact that Taylor is attending personally and pointing him towards the news cameras, implying Taylor is there for political reasons. The detectives, disgusted with Goldman's antics, point out how Goldman always knows where the news cameras are. After the ceremony, the killer's cell phone suddenly comes back online and is traced to Goldman's car. Goldman is uncooperative with the LAPD, but after he sarcastically states that he has Jimmy Hoffa in the trunk, Sharon Raydor has the detectives take Goldman at his word so they can search the car. On the front seat, the detectives find the killer's cell phone and Goldman is arrested by Detective Julio Sanchez over protests that the phone was planted.
By the beginning of “Hindsight, Part 4”, Goldman is determined to have been framed and is reluctantly released by the LAPD. After the death of Jon Barnes, Detective Stephanie Dunn learns that Goldman represented him at arraignment as well as six other drug dealers suspected to work for Dennis Price's drug trafficking operation.
Having found heroin in the motel room in which Dennis engaged Barnes in a gunfight, the detectives arrest Dennis for the heroin and bring Goldman in. Goldman defends Dennis, claiming his client brought the gun as protection from Barnes, who they had told Goldman was a killer. As Detective Amy Sykes accuses Dennis of being the killer, Goldman repeatedly yells at Dennis to shut up. Finally, Goldman states that, at most, they only have Dennis on a misdemeanor weapons charge for firing his gun within city limits. Goldman promises to pay the fine himself to get Dennis out and departs to do so.
As Goldman goes to pay Dennis's fine, he discovers Daniel in the conference room and panics. Goldman attempts to keep Daniel from listening to the LAPD, but they manage to catch Daniel's attention by revealing that they have arrested Dennis following a gunfight with Jon Barnes. The LAPD provides Daniel with proof that Goldman actually works for Dennis, protecting his drug trafficking operation. They show Daniel that Dennis called Goldman in to represent Barnes and six other drug dealers following each of their arrests and the heroin found in Barnes' motel room. Despite Goldman's frantic attempts to get Daniel to leave, the mounting evidence causes him to listen.
Finally, Daniel questions if Goldman is protecting Dennis and his drug dealers. Unable to answer, Goldman looks to Raydor who states that Goldman's silence is answer enough. Utterly disgusted, Daniel fires Goldman on the spot and orders him to leave. Defeated, Goldman states "what I did Daniel, was protect your work. I'll go, but I urge you to stay silent. These people mean to do you and your community harm. Without me beside you... they may well succeed". Goldman leaves and Daniel is presented with a statement of facts from Greg Mann about Dennis's operation of which Goldman had been unaware. The revelation of Goldman's actions shakes Daniel's faith enough to hear the LAPD out and wear a wire while talking to Dennis to find out the truth for himself.
Goldman's Clients[]
- Turrell Baylor's family
- Nikolai Koslov's family
- Roger Stimple's family
- Martin Vasquez's family
- Kyle Hayes's family
- Phillip Stroh
- Reggie Moses
- Daniel Price
- Dennis Price
- Jon Barnes
- Six of Dennis Price's drug dealers
Trivia[]
- In "Silent Partner", Will Pope expressed his dislike for Goldman.
