| Linda Rothman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Vital statistics | |
| Name | Linda Rothman |
| Role | Defense attorney Represented Phillip Stroh |
| Gender | Female |
| First Appearance | Return to Sender Part 2 |
| Final Appearance | Quid Pro Quo |
| Played by | Jeri Ryan |
Linda Rothman is a high-powered defense attorney appearing in Major Crimes.
History[]
In "Return to Sender Part 2", Rothman appears as the defense attorney for Phillip Stroh. Rothman offers a deal laid out by Stroh in exchange for giving up information on the letter writer, but it is refused. Rothman also hands over a list of names sent to her discreetly by Stroh, a list of Weller's victims.
At the preliminary hearing for the trial, Rothman manages to get the threatening letters excluded and rigorously questions Rusty Beck on the stand. However, Rusty holds his ground against Rothman. Rothman questions Rusty on the psychiatric evaluation done by Doctor Joe Bowman on him and repeatedly pushes Rusty to explain it despite his objections. Finally, Rusty admitted it was about the threatening letters. Though Rothman objects, Judge Steven Grove refuses, pointing out that Rothman is objecting to her own question which she had demanded an answer to. As a result, the letters are now on the record. After Judge Grove asks to see the letters himself, Rothman ends her questioning of Rusty in defeat.
In "Leap of Faith", Rusty reveals that Stroh fired Rothman in favor of defending himself in order to make a deal about handing over some of his old clients.
In "Personal Effects", Rothman returns as the defense attorney for Mallory Greggs, a woman who murdered her rapist and through that rape, the father of one of her children. During the case, Rothman challenges Sharon Raydor and Andy Flynn to repeat the paternity test to prove the rape, but Mallory refuses, instead offering to plead guilty to murder if they agree to keep it from her husband and son. Rothman agrees to let her client give a purely hypothetical statement of facts which can't be used against her until they have a plea deal. As Mallory describes her rape and being terrorized by Tate Harrison, Rothman watches with a look of genuine sympathy on her face.
After Mallory's confession, Rothman promptly withdraws both statements of facts and points out the lack of evidence the police have to arrest Mallory without them. Rothman gives the police fifteen minutes to arrest or release Mallory, threatening a civil suit otherwise. Mallory is ultimately released, with the sympathetic Major Crimes Division seeing her as only getting away with manslaughter, not murder unlike the DDA.
In "Quid Pro Quo", Rothman returns representing Richard Bloom, a man on trial for committing a murder-for-hire on his wife. Having hired Mark Hickman as a defense investigator, Rothman learns that Detective Amy Sykes has photos of the crime scene on her phone that she hasn't turned over and uses the information in an effort to destroy Sykes' credibility. Though Judge Grove ultimately absolves Sykes of any wrongdoing, her credibility is damaged.
Later, DDA Andrea Hobbs asks for a brief continuance against Rothman's objections. Judge Grove grants it, having spent a day dealing with Rothman's tactic and feeling he should do the same for the prosecution in return. When the prosecution returns, they have identified Bloom's brother Paul as the killer with help from Mark Hickman who felt betrayed by Rothman and aided Sykes to even the odds. Rothman is ultimately forced to make a deal with the prosecution.
In “Sanctuary City, Part 1”, after five murders potentially connected to Stroh are discovered, Sharon tells Rusty that she may include Rothman on the list of those getting SIS protection as Rothman represented Stroh for awhile and "it didn't work out."
Rothman's Clients[]
- Phillip Stroh ("Return to Sender Part 2" to "Leap of Faith")
- Mallory Greggs ("Personal Effects")
- Richard Bloom ("Quid Pro Quo")
Trivia[]
- Rothman appears to be well-known by the Major Crimes Division who are never happy to see her representing a client.
- Due to being on opposite sides of the Phillip Stroh trial, Rusty Beck hates Rothman personally. In "Quid Pro Quo" Rusty, now Andrea Hobbs' intern, returned Rothman's wave with the middle finger.
- Rothman is indicated to be a very expensive lawyer as Provenza joked in "Personal Effects" that Rothman probably showed a suspect a bill when the suspect was seen to be crying while talking to Rothman alone.