- Tim Heidecker is charged with 20 cases of felony murder for distributing toxic vape pens to concertgoers at an illegal music festival he organized. The parties give their opening statements, and the prosecution calls their first witnesses.
- The text at the beginning, not unlike video in a municipal archive or on local public TV, lists the name of the lawsuit: "The People of the State of California vs. Timothy Richard Heidecker." Heidecker is on trial for twenty counts of felony murder (i.e., committing or aiding a felony that directly results in someone's death), with a maximum total sentence of 370 years.
The trial opens with the arrival of Judge Edward Szymczyk (Webster), who calls the court to order, reads off Heidecker's charges, and gives the jury instructions on their duties and responsibilities. The prosecutors, San Bernadino County D.A. Vincent Rosetti (Pecchia) and Miriam Waymon (Tudor), begin with their opening statement. He describes the Electric Sun Desert Music Festival, an unlicensed event hosted by Heidecker as a front for his band DKR with the aid of the fraudster Luther "Dr. San" Sanchez (Holtzman). Heidecker and Sanchez were handing out free vape pens filled with a chemical cocktail they devised, which caused severe physical and neurological damage to any who used it. Of the 157 concertgoers who were injured, 20 died. The situation was worsened by the chaotic and disorganized layout of the festival grounds, making it difficult for emergency services to render aid. Sanchez committed suicide shortly after his arrest. Rosetti concludes with a heartfelt plea to the jury to convict Heidecker.
Next is Heidecker's defense attorney, Mark Dwyer (Filiberto). In his opening statement, he portrays Heidecker as an unwitting dupe, a good-natured altruist who was deceived by Dr. San and was unaware of the vape pens' harmful contents. He pleas that the jury do not make a twenty-first victim of this tragedy by convicting Heidecker.
The prosecution call their first witness, a concertgoer named Emily Siroky (Claye). She describes the hectic nature of the festival, as well as the squalid conditions: not enough toilets, no promised food, scalping water at high prices, and most importantly, testifies that Heidecker and Sanchez were the ones handing out vape pens. Siroky even said that Heidecker ran over her friend's foot with a golf cart. Dwyer declines to cross-examine Siroky, and she is dismissed.
The next witness is Lisa Betenzos, a paramedic who responded to the call and was one of the first on the scene. She and her partner were unable to get their ambulance fully into the festival grounds due to the chaotic parking lot and two equipment trucks blocking the vehicle entrance. It took 25 minutes for the trucks to move for the ambulance to enter, and once inside, she saw Dr. San placing crystals around the bodies of the victims. Dwyer cross-examines Betenzos, trying to establish that her delay was because she had failed to notice the pedestrian entrance, but she replies that unloading all the ambulance's gear and heading that way likely would have taken even more time.
The prosecution's third and final witness of the day is Jared Jolson (Frankson), a 19-year-old concertgoer who used one of the vape pens and suffered neurological injury as a result. Despite paying $40 for a VIP ticket, he got none of the promised amenities, and was given his vape pen personally by Heidecker. He closes his testimony by describing a woman near the stage collapsing and having seizures while Heidecker and his band DKR played on, seemingly unaware. Dwyer cross-examines the witness, establishing that Jolson and his friends were smoking marijuana and drinking before the festival; he tries to both call Jolson's state of mind into doubt and insinuate that the neurological effects may have been primarily due to his intoxication.
All throughout the proceedings, Heidecker is obnoxious and disruptive. From stage-coughing fits to flailing about (allegedly to kill a fly), Heidecker's outbursts frequently cause Judge Szymczyk to order Dwyer to keep his client under control. Heidecker is seen frequently arguing with Dwyer as well, accusing him of doing an inadequate job as his attorney. After an explosive outburst that escalates into almost being charged with contempt of court by Judge Szymczyk, a recess is called, and Heidecker continues his argument with Dwyer outside of the courtroom (a single snippet, "What is the matter with you? What did I fucking tell you?!" is picked up by the mic). Text appears on the screen saying the trial is in recess until tomorrow.
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What is the broadcast (satellite or terrestrial TV) release date of Day 1 (2017) in Australia?
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