History
Early Life
When Nelson was a young boy growing up in Hell's Kitchen, he had a rivalry with Brett Mahoney that lasted the majority of their childhoods. Sometime later, Nelson heard about another boy named Matt Murdock, who had been blinded in an accident where he had tried to save an old man. Nelson learnt some skills working at his father's hardware store; however Nelson had dreams of becoming a lawyer. His mother was desperate for him to become a butcher instead; he often suspected she simply liked the idea of free ham.
College Years
Meeting Matt Murdock
Me and you, pal... We're gonna do this. We're gonna be the best damn avocados this city has ever seen."
"Best damn avocados.
- —Foggy Nelson and Matt Murdock
Years later, Foggy Nelson got into Columbia University law school. Shortly after he arrived, he met his new roommate Matt Murdock; when Nelson saw that Murdock was a young blind man from Hell's Kitchen, he immediately remembered Murdock from the news story about him being blinding while saving an old man many years previously and called him a hero. They agreed to be wing-men for each other when attracting women and decided to get to know each other better over coffee.
The pair struck up an immediate friendship that would last their entire lives; Nelson often teasing Murdock about his blindness while Murdock would tease Nelson about many of his poor life choices, such as his decision to join a course studying Punjabi simply to get close to a girl. While walking through the university, Nelson asked Murdock about a Greek girl who had been seeing; Murdock told him it had not worked out. They then agreed to strike a professional partnership and work together in the future as lawyers.
Landman and Zack
- Foggy? What are you doing?"
"Well, I'm gonna steal as many bagels as I can fit in this box. With you as my partner, there's no telling when I'll be able to afford a real meal again.
- —Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson
After graduating, the pair got work as interns for a large corporate company called Landman and Zack; during this time Nelson had a brief sexual relationship with his co-worker Marci Stahl. During their time at the law-firm, Nelson and Murdock were refined to working in a tiny storage room which had been converted into an office while they worked on law-suit cases involving innocent people who were being counter-sued by large selfish companies like the Roxxon Oil Corporation, ruining their lives and taking everything they had.
Eventually both Nelson and Murdock were offered paid jobs with the company; although Nelson was highly enthusiastic about the idea due to the incredible money opportunities, Murdock did not like the thought of working for such a large soulless company, noting that they had ruined the life of an innocent man. Murdock expressed his belief that this was not the right direction for them and convinced Nelson that they should instead create their own firm. Nelson agreed so they refused the offer and set about building Nelson and Murdock, stealing bagels from Landman and Zack before they left.
While drinking at Josie's Bar a little while later, Nelson commented on a bruise on Murdock's face which he claimed to have gained after tripping while taking out the trash. Nelson drew an image on a napkin of his design for a sign for Nelson and Murdock's law company and handed it to Murdock. Although Nelson made it clear the idea terrified him, he insisted that if Murdock believed that this was the right direction for them to take then he would stand with him for better or worse. They agreed to share the work load and the crushing bills that the future held for them, with Murdock insisting there was no one he would rather do it with and Nelson happily agreeing as they raised their glasses to the future.
Nelson and Murdock
- I gotta go bribe a cop."
"Ugh. Foggy."
"Kidding, NSA, if you're listening! But seriously, yeah, I gotta go bribe a cop.
- —Foggy Nelson and Matt Murdock
A little while later, Nelson booked a meeting with a realtor to look at new office spaces for their law firm; he called Matt Murdock to remind him and mockingly asked if he had a girl in bed with him. While on his way to the offices, Nelson visited his old friend Brett Mahoney and gave him a bag of cigars for his mother in exchange for any tip-offs about new cases in which they could work as the lawyers.
During the office tour, Nelson arrived first and when Murdock finally appeared they both teased the realtor about her awkwardness regarding Murdock's blindness; Murdock told Nelson he was welcome to have the room with a view. Murdock told the realtor that the office was perfect and he wanted to put an offer down, although Nelson argued that they might not be able to afford it before they debated the direction of their law-firm. Despite Nelson reservations, they then put an offer in for the office and moved in the same day.
Defending Karen Page
- You don't necessarily show the best judgement when beautiful women are involved."
"How would I even know if she's a beautiful woman?"
"I don't know, it's kinda spooky actually. But if there's a stunning woman with questionable character in the room, Matt Murdock's gonna find her and Foggy Nelson is going to suffer?
- —Foggy Nelson and Matt Murdock
Nelson later received a phone call from Brett Mahoney regarding a homicide, in which a young woman named Karen Page had seemingly stabbed her co-worker to death after drinks. Nelson and Matt Murdock spoke to Page who insisted that she was innocent. Although she informed them she did not have any money to pay them, Murdock decided to take the case regardless.
Although Nelson was unsure that they should take the case as Page seemed to be undoubtedly guilty, Murdock insisted that they do as he had a feeling that she was telling the truth. Nelson commented that Murdock's judgement was never as good when their client was a beautiful woman leading to a discussion on how Murdock could always tell that a woman was beautiful despite being blind. Murdock convinced Nelson to back him up on the case and they discussed how could be the guilty party, with Nelson noting that Page might not be telling the whole truth.
Before the case could go to trial however, Page was nearly assassinated in her jail cell by officer Clyde Farnum, leading to Nelson and Murdock to have her released by Detectives Christian Blake and Carl Hoffman on the grounds of her life being endangered while in their care and they had failed to press charges against her. The detectives reluctantly agreed to free Page and before they left Blake threatened Murdock, telling him he would kick the shit out of him if he spoke to him out of turn again. Nelson and Murdock then collected Page from her cell.
Nelson and Murdock took Page back to their office where they interviewed her again and gained new details as to why Union Allied Construction were trying to kill her. She told them that she had found a document which detailed huge numbers of funds disappearing into the system, being used purely for profit and basically being stolen. She told them that she had wanted to tell Daniel Fisher and knew that this was what had gotten him killed. Although Page insisted she had to leave, it was agreed that she should sleep at Matt Murdock's Apartment to ensure she was not targeted again.
The next morning however she explained that she had returned to her apartment during the night and was attacked again, only to have been rescued by a man in a mask, who had later exposed Union Allied Construction as the ones responsible for the attacks, resulting in the story being on the front page of the newspapers. With her case cleared, Nelson, Murdock and Page celebrated and Page was offered a job as their new secretary at Nelson and Murdock, but only after she had offered to work for them for free.
Late Night Drinking
- Could you could you hear me just now?"
"Nope."
"The correct answer is 'Yes, and you sound amazing.'"
"Well, of the two lies, I took the lesser.
- —Foggy Nelson and Karen Page
While Nelson was working late in the office, he sang loudly and happily to himself, but was horrified when Karen Page called out to him to tell him that she was also in the office and could hear him. Nelson asked her why she had not gone home and she revealed that she did not want to go home after the attacks; Nelson suggested that she should instead join him for a drink. At Josie's Bar, Nelson spoke to Page about her experiences; when it became clear that she was desperate not to return home, he told her that they would instead spend the whole night together drinking.
As the night wore on, Nelson spoke to Page about his past and how he was an extremely awkward character in Law School. At one point during the night they went to Matt Murdock's home and tried to convince him to go out drinking with them; however, Murdock did not answer his door and their loud shouting and banging awoke his neighbor. They soon gave up on Murdock and continued to walk through the city; Nelson joking that Page had made him terrified of the city. Page thanked Nelson for taking care of her and cheering her up.
Defending John Healy
- You have quite the legal vocabulary, Mr. Healy; am I correct to assume that this is not your first rodeo?
- —Foggy Nelson to John Healy
The next morning, Nelson returned to the office with a terrible hangover and asked Page never to let them go out drinking all night again. Matt Murdock arrived shortly afterwards and teased the pair before they were interrupted by a knock at the door. The three stood confused for a moment as this was the first visitor they had had and Murdock asked Page to open the door, welcoming James Wesley into their office.
Wesley explained that he represented an individual who was interested in their law firm because of Nelson and Murdock's history of living in Hell's Kitchen. He offered them the chance to represent his client John Healy, who had been arrested for murder. When Matt Murdock tried to learn more about his reasons for coming to them and his client, Wesley insulted Karen Page's employment at Nelson and Murdock. Murdock initially showed rude distrust towards Wesley, as he did not like the fact Wesley had not given up his name to them, much to Nelson's annoyance. Murdock left the office and told Nelson to go to the court house to meet with Healy.
Nelson met with John Healy at the police station and it soon became clear to him that Healy was highly experienced in courtroom proceedings. Healy gave all the right answers to Nelson's questions, showing little to no fear towards his situation. Just as Nelson made the decision not to take the case as Healy was clearly guilty, Murdock arrived, apologising for his lateness and informed him that they would take on his case and they began their interview again. Nelson and Murdock worked out a case of self-defense based on missing evidence and poor witness testimonies.
During the trail, Nelson gave the first speech to the jury in which he defended Healy passionately, claiming the law had not been followed correctly and it would be justice for Healy to be set free. As Murdock gave the second speech the next day, he took a long pause before speaking; Healy questioned what he was doing but Nelson assured him that Murdock knew what he was doing. Murdock gave a long speech to the jury persuading them to free Healy. The jury came to a Hung Jury and allowed Healy to go free. However the very same night, Healy committed suicide.
Late Night
As Nelson and Murdock were leaving their offices late one night, Nelson regaled Murdock with the tale of how his mother wanted him to be a butcher rather than a lawyer. He began moaning to Matt Murdock about the lack of legitimacy of their office as it lacked office equipment before questioning if they had made the wrong choice in leaving Landman and Zack, Murdock argued that they were making a difference with Nelson and Murdock. As Nelson called a taxi, Murdock received a phone call on his new phone and told Nelson to head off without him.
Karen Page phoned Nelson the same night and asked him to return to the office. When he arrived, she revealed that she had brought a massive bundle of old second-hand office equipment from an auction, including a fax machine from the early 90's and there was more on the way. She nervously informed him that she had paid for it using the company's bank details although she insisted that she had a plan to pay for the equipment. Rather than getting annoyed however, Nelson told her the tale of his mother wishing him to be a butcher.
Helping Elena Cardenas
- Marci, convincing my client to agree to your terms, that's your job and I'm not going to do it for you. See you think there are only two opions, these tenants take the pay out and leave or leave without taking it, but given how long they've put up with Tully's bullshit, I think you're actually afraid that Mrs. Cardenas and her neighbours will find a way to get by.
- —Foggy Nelson to Marci Stahl
The next day, Nelson found Page trying desperately to make the fax machine work with little success; he jokingly mocked her about the idea that she should be nicer to machines before machines take over the world.
Murdock began asking the pair about a Russian having his head cut off but they were interrupted by a knock at the door. They welcomed Elena Cardenas who revealed that they had been recommended to her by Brett Mahoney's grandmother; Cardenas explained that she needed help as the landlord who owned her property was trying to kick her out and demolish her home without her permission. They learnt that the landlord was being represented by their previous employers Landman and Zack. Murdock revealed that he was too busy to go there and told Nelson to go in his place.
Nelson arrived at the Landman and Zack Building, bringing Karen Page along for comfort. He was greeted by his ex-girlfriend Marci Stahl, who had taken the job he and Murdock had been offered and revealed she was now part of the team representing Armand Tully, Mrs. Cardenas' landlord. Stahl mocked Nelson for his current work position. Nelson and Stahl argued about what move should be made, Stahl claiming that it was in Mrs. Cardenas' best interest to move while Nelson and Page argued that the workman acted illegally. Nelson remained confident and told Stahl that he would see her in court as they were acting illegally; as he left, he commented on Stahl's lack of a soul since working for Landman and Zack.
Hell's Kitchen Burns
- Foggy you're bleeding."
"Oh that explains it."
"Explains what?"
"The stabbing pain in my side.
- —Karen Page and Foggy Nelson
Nelson and Karen Page later visited Elena Cardenas at her home. Seeing the abysmal state the property had been left in, Nelson offered to help her with her housework. After he and Page had cleaned her home, Mrs. Cardenas insisted on making the pair dinner, to which they happily agreed. The pair sat down and enjoyed their client's cooking and joked about whether or not they were technically now on a date. Nelson proceeded to tell her tales of him and Murdock in Columbia University, including a tale of how they moved all of Murdock's furniture to the room down the hall to confuse him.
While they were eating their food, a massive explosion happened just outside the building, knocking the pair from their chairs and causing damage to the building. Mrs. Cardenas arrived with a head injury and Nelson went to check if anyone else was injured before taking her to Metro-General Hospital. Once at the hospital, Nelson ensured that Mrs. Cardenas received medical attention from Claire Temple before getting his phone to call Matt Murdock to ensure he was alright. Before he could make the call, Page noticed the blood coming from his side. At this point, Nelson discovered he had been injured in the explosion with a piece of glass embedded in his side and was taken away by the doctors.
While recovering from his treatment in his hospital bed, Nelson and Karen Page watched the television as footage of the masked man attacking a group of policeman was featured; Page revealed that he was the same man who had saved her a few days before, but Nelson became convinced that the masked man was responsible for the bombings across the city. Nelson asked about Matt Murdock, and Page told him they had not been able to get ahold of him. Nelson tried to go look for him but Page insisted that he stay where he was; he then tried to call him again but got no reply.
Protecting Karen Page
- Foggy's not just anyone alright, he's a kick-ass attorney and sooner or later we're going to need one of those, and he just plain kicks ass."
"When the need arises.
- —Karen Page and Foggy Nelson speak to Ben Urich
Nelson made a quick recovery and soon returned to work. While reading the newspaper, Nelson commented on the report of the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, who had attacked the police officers the night before, Nelson expressed a desire to rip the man's mask off so he could punch him. Karen Page defended the man, claiming it was only speculation that he was a terrorist, but Nelson claimed he was just a nut-job while Matt Murdock insisted that he should not be tried and tested by the newspapers. Seeing that the mood was going down, Nelson pitched the idea of putting together a company softball team; Nelson awkwardly tried to ask Page out but was turned down. Nelson spoke to Murdock about whether or not Page was in danger before discussing Murdock's love life.
Feeling nervous about Page's life outside the office, Nelson followed her and witnessed her being attacked by two men as she left Elena Cardenas' Apartment. Nelson snuck up behind the men and hit them with his baseball bat, leading to Page angrily demanding why Nelson was following her and insisting that she could handle herself as she maced her attacker. Nelson told her to discuss this away from her attackers; as Page ran away, Nelson hit one of the men with his bat again, knocking him out before running away and chasing after Page.
Once she had calmed down, Page took Nelson to Ben Urich's office to discuss what she had been working on behind his back. When Urich expressed his displeasure at Page having told someone else about their work, Page defended Nelson, insisting that he was a great attorney who could kick ass and he could be trusted. Page showed Nelson a chart showing the crime rings in Hell's Kitchen, leading to the unknown man in charge. They discussed if the man in charge was connected to the man in the mask, Urich and Page claimed that he was more likely working against the "King of Diamonds".
Lying to Murdock
- We know the law, we'll use that to our advantage."
"Do we have a choice?"
"Not so much.
- —Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson
In the Nelson and Murdock Law Office, Nelson and Page discussed why they must not inform Matt Murdock of their continued investigation, as Page noted that Murdock would call them foolish although Nelson claimed them to be courageous. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Nelson teased Page about her terrible coffee, before they could continue their talk however, Murdock walked into the office and Nelson tried to pretend they were discussing his hair. Murdock demanded to know what they weren't telling him and, despite Nelson's warnings, Page immediately confessed they were looking into the Union Allied Construction case. Murdock insisted that they stop but Page refused to be defeated so Murdock agreed to help as long as they approached the case from a legal position, which Nelson agreed to.
They spent the night going through Union Allied Construction's legal papers looking for clues, Murdock found a connection between the men who attacked Page and Westmeyer-Holt Contracting who were still employed by Union Allied. Page then saw that Detective Christian Blake had woken up from his coma, Nelson commented that Blake was a douchebag but did not deserve to be shot my the Masked Man and they commented on how he would be one of the only people to know what really happened on the night of the Bombing of Hell's Kitchen.
The next morning, Nelson was buying himself a cup of coffee when he saw a WHiH World News Report which showed Wilson Fisk stepping forward to condemn the actions of the Man in the Mask who he called a terrorist who had mercilessly attacked Leland Owlsley. Fisk told the people of New York not to bow down to fear and stand together to make Hell's Kitchen a better place. Nelson watched the report closely and soon realised that their investigation was in great danger as this man was clearly the Kingpin they had been searching for.
Losing the Battle
- Somebody knows something, it's just a matter of asking the right people the right questions in the right tone of voice.
- —Foggy Nelson to Ben Urich
Ben Urich was invited to the Nelson and Murdock Law Office to discuss what should be done next, despite Karen Page and Nelson insisted nothing had changed, Urich insisted Fisk was now in the best position possible as the people's viewed him as nothing but good. Matt Murdock then arrived as Urich explained that he had met the Man in the Mask who was also hunting Fisk, although Nelson still called him a terrorist. Urich explained the man had given him documents that could expose Fisk with the right evidence to back them up. Page insisted that they keep digging to find something to bring Fisk down although Nelson advised against trusting the Masked Man.
To continue the investigation, Nelson contacted Marci Stahl and learned that Armand Tully was indeed on an island where he could not be contacted and Wilson Fisk had just become the owner of the properties he had owned. They were interrupted by the arrival of Elena Cardenas, who explained the offer to evict the tenants had been doubled but Nelson insisted that she should keep fighting. Once she left Matt Murdock claimed it to be dangerous to keep ahold of the property when Fisk wanted it so much. Murdock relented under Page and Nelson's arguments and told them to keep digging while he went to speak to Fisk's girlfriend Vanessa Marianna. That night they successfully identified their attackers from the night before as Joseph Pike and Stewart Schmidt.
The next morning Nelson found Matt Murdock speaking to Karen Page about him not having gotten what he wanted from Vanessa Marianna. Nelson and Page explained how they had identified Pike and Schmidt although this still did not give them a solid lead. To lighten the mood however, they presented Murdock with a sign for Nelson and Murdock that they had had made based on Nelson's design from years earlier. Their good times were stopped when Page answered the phone to the police, who asked them to come to the morgue as Elena Cardenas had been murdered.
The Death of a Friend
- What are we supposed to do, against somebody who owns everything, everyone. What can we do to someone like that?"
"The only thing you can, you make them pay.
- —Foggy Nelson and Karen Page
They arrived at the morgue where Brett Mahoney presented Elena Cardenas' body, which they identified to be her. Mahoney explained that she had been robbed and stabbed by a Junkie outside her front door. Karen Page explained to Mahoney that she did not have any family left so Nelson agreed to see to the arrangements of her funeral. Nelson then comforted Page as she cried into his shoulder, he then looked at Murdock who remained silent but clutched his walking stick tightly.
The three went to Josie's Bar to drown their sorrows as Josie gave them free drinks out of sympathy. Nelson told Matt Murdock about how Marci Stahl had warned them of the criminal activity in Cardenas' building but they had put it aside as nothing more than a fear tactic. As Murdock began to explain how Wilson Fisk could be responsible, Fisk appeared on the television making a statement about the incident where he claimed to be in mourning for her death and defending his own involvement in the case. Nelson received a phone-call about funeral arrangements and left the table.
As the night wore on, Matt Murdock left and Page and Nelson continued drinking until Nelson could barely stand. Nelson could no longer hold back his emotions was he openly wept over Elena Cardenas' death, expressing his regret at not advising her to take the money that was offered. He went on to explain how the Hell's Kitchen he grew up in was unpleasant but at least had a heart, which it had lost. Nelson asked Karen Page how they should fight Wilson Fisk, and she claimed that they had to make him pay.
Having left Karen Page, Nelson went to Matt Murdock's Apartment to seek his friend's comfort and insisting that had to make Wilson Fisk pay for what he had done. Nelson then heard a loud crash inside the Apartment and managed to break in via the roof. Nelson found the apartment was trashed and searched for his friend. Much to Nelson's horror, the Man in the Mask appeared in the apartment, with torn clothing and blood pouring out of him, the man collapsed without a word. Before calling the police, Nelson removed the man's mask, only to discover the man was in face Matt Murdock along.
Nelson v. Murdock
- This city needs me in that mask Foggy."
"Maybe you're right, maybe it does. But I don't, I only ever needed my friend. I wouldn't have kept this from you Matt, not from you."
"You don't know that, you don't know that.
- —Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson
When he briefly regained consciousness, Murdock asked Nelson to call Claire Temple instead of an ambulance. Nelson did as instructed and once Murdock was patched up, he waited for him to awaken. When he did, Nelson explained what had happened; however he remained furious due to his discovery. Nelson demanded to know if Murdock was really blind. Murdock explained that he could see due to his heightened senses but this only infuriated Nelson further, but Murdock insisted he had never told anyone.
Nelson asked if Murdock was responsible for the Bombing of Hell's Kitchen but Murdock insisted that he was not, blaming it on Wilson Fisk, claiming Fisk and Nobu had been the ones who had attacked him. They were interrupted by Karen Page's call; Nelson answered and claimed Murdock had been in an accident and told her to stay at the office. Furious for lying to her, Nelson insisted that Murdock tell him the whole story. Murdock showed Nelson his uniform and explained that he had been trained by an old blind ninja named Stick. Murdock demonstrated his abilities by explaining that he could sense what Nelson had eaten two days ago and that he could tell when he lied from his heartbeat.
Nelson was called by Brett Mahoney who informed him that the junkie who killed Elena Cardenas had been found dead; Murdock told him that he must have been murdered by Wilson Fisk. Murdock assured him that he had never killed anyone but he had wanted to kill Fisk in revenge for Cardenas' murder. Nelson allowed Murdock to get some sleep; when he awoke, they continued their discussion where Nelson yelled at him about the foolishness of what he was doing. Murdock told him how he started by beating up a pedophile; Nelson suggested that it was not about justice but purely rage.
Nelson insisted that if Murdock continued down this path he would surely die and he questioned what would happen to him and Karen Page. When Nelson suggested that he should leave the case to the law, Murdock reminded him of what had happened to Cardenas, insisting that he was doing everything he could to make the world a better place. Nelson then compared Murdock to Wilson Fisk. Nelson pushed the idea of how no one would believe he was not involved if Murdock was ever caught before telling him that he would never have kept this secret from him if it was the other way around before leaving.
Having left Matt Murdock's Apartment, Nelson travelled to the Nelson and Murdock Law Office to collect his belongings, having decided he could no longer work beside his former best friend in light of this betrayal. Nelson looked at the placard he had had made for the law-firm and thought back to the days when they first agreed to work together in the company, before dumping it in the rubbish bin and walking out with a box of his belongings, leaving Nelson and Murdock and his friendship behind seemingly for good.
Avoiding Murdock
- And what? You got a crazy old lady with a story about a young Willy Fisk beating his dad with a hammer."
"He beat his father to death."
"He was twelve, forty something years ago.
- —Foggy Nelson and Karen Page
That night Nelson met with Marci Stahl and they had sex at her apartment. The next morning, Nelson laid in bed while Stahl prepared to go to work; Nelson received a call from Karen Page which he ignored. Stahl teased Nelson by calling him by his nickname Foggy Bear, which annoyed him. Nelson told her that he had no intention of going to work with Matt Murdock again. Stahl told him that she did not care about his dramas and left.
Nelson drank alone at Josie's Bar until Page found him and took a drink for herself. Nelson insisted that he had been too busy to answer her calls and told her that her story of Marlene Vistain revealing that Wilson Fisk had murdered his own father as a child was not enough to bring him down. Page argued that as Fisk's mother was supposed to be dead this proved that Fisk had been lying. Page tried to learn what had happened to Matt Murdock but Nelson refused to answer, claiming that he and Murdock were going through a very rough patch in their friendship. Page informed Nelson that Elena Cardenas' apartment block was being torn down and they needed to continue to fight against Fisk while they still could.
The Case Continues
- What you said last night, you were right. No matter what's going on between me and Matt, it doesn't change anything with Fisk. I'm gonna keep digging, you can't just run around killing people and call yourself a human being.
- —Foggy Nelson to Karen Page
Nelson went to the Nelson and Murdock Law Office to continue collecting his belongings when he accidentally startled Karen Page. Nelson attempted to apologize for his fall out with Matt Murdock affecting her. As Nelson went to collect more of his belongings, he vowed to continue going after Wilson Fisk and asked for the documents Ben Urich had given her from the Masked Man, with Nelson admitting he no longer viewed the man as a terrorist. As Nelson exited, he found Murdock standing in the doorway; Murdock let him go pass without a word.
Nelson arranged to meet Marci Stahl at Josie's Bar, where she complained about Josie's service. Nelson revealed he needed her help to go after Fisk as he had been targeting more homes like Cardenas'. Although Stahl attempted to leave citing c"conflict of interest" as Landman and Zack represented Fisk, Nelson convinced her to read the research he had done into the case and draw her own conclusions. Stahl read the entire document and asked for the sources; although Stahl attempted to defend Fisk and Leland Owlsley, Nelson was able to make her rethink the case.
Rebuilding Relationships
- Last time you went after Fisk I found you half dead, more than half. You go after him in the mask again he might kill you, or you might kill him while would probably have the same effect on someone as catholic as you are."
"What am I supposed to do? How do I stop him?"
"By using the law.
- —Foggy Nelson and Matt Murdock
Nelson went to Fogwell's Gym to speak to Matt Murdock. Nelson told him that Marci Stahl had been copying documents from Landman and Zack about Fisk and Leland Owlsley, but Murdock told him to stay away from the case. They discussed rebuilding Nelson and Murdock so they could use the law to bring down Fisk and move forward in their friendship.
Agreeing to work together, Nelson and Murdock went to see Brett Mahoney for any information he could give them. He revealed that he had had a run in with the masked man during a fire at a Chinese drugs warehouse where he had told him that many of the cops at the precinct were working for Wilson Fisk. Once Mahoney had left Murdock revealed he overheard another cop Corbin discussing killing Carl Hoffman for Leland Owlsley.
Returning to the Nelson and Murdock Law Office, Nelson, Murdock and Karen Page went through the documents Marci Stahl had given them to try and find a clue to Carl Hoffman's location. Nelson joked about his chances at becoming a butcher while Page commented on how happy she was to have them all back together again. They discussed what they were looking for and Nelson and Murdock were forced to lie about seeing the man in the mask who had told them about Hoffman. Eventually Page found a building on the records which seemed to have been secretly removed and Murdock went to investigate despite Nelson's protests.
Wilson Fisk's Downfall
- Now everybody knows what kind of asshole Fisk really is."
"And we are the ones who made it happen.
- —Foggy Nelson and Karen Page
Murdock was able to find Carl Hoffman and saved him from Wilson Fisk's assasination attempt at the hands of Corbin. Hoffman requested to be represented by Nelson and Murdock as he made his statement against Fisk. Nelson was present with Murdock and Karen Page as Hoffman told the FBI everything he knew in exchange for nothing but the freedom of guilt. As a result Fisk, Senator Randolph Cherryh, Parish Landman, Corbin, Turk Barrett and many other were arrested.
As they watched the news report of Fisk's arrest, Nelson, Murdock and Page shared drinks in their office to celebrate. Nelson made acknowledgments to Marci Stahl's involvement in their win while Murdock commented that having Nelson and Murdock back together was greatly important to him as it meant the people closest to him were safe and they'd gotten closure for the ones they had lost. They raised their glasses in respect to Elena Cardenas and everyone else Fisk had hurt or killed.
To their horror however, the van carrying Fisk came under fire as Fisk was rescued as the FBI agents were murdered in the road. Nelson recommended that they make their way home before the roads were shut off due to the chaos. As they got in a taxi to go home, Murdock and Nelson told to get Page back home without him. Nelson confronted him Murdock asked him to trust him as he promised he knew what he was doing. During the night Wilson Fisk was attacked by Murdock now calling himself Daredevil and was rearrested and sent to jail.
Moving Forward Together
- That is a serious upgrade."
"I don't know, I think the horns are a little much.
- —Karen Page and Foggy Nelson talk about Daredevil
Nelson, Murdock and Page gathered outside Nelson and Murdock the next day to discuss Wilson Fisk's arrest while Nelson put up the sign outside their building. Page and Nelson joked about Daredevil's costume and name. Nelson then left to help Marci Stahl get herself a new job and they commented on how they were the ones to have put Fisk away, they then joked about the need for clients for Nelson and Murdock but Nelson assured him they would just take it one day at a time.
Financial Troubles
Keeping Murdock's Secret
Nelson and Murdock walked towards their office together, joking about Nelson's date the previous night with a barista. The conversation took a serious turn when Nelson noticed that Murdock was bleeding at the base of the skull. This prompted them to discuss Murdock's vigilante activities as Daredevil. Nelson once again voiced his concerns about what would happen to their firm if Daredevil's identity was ever made public. He complained about having to lie to Page about how Murdock got hurt. He also worried about Murdock getting killed. Murdock explained how important his work as Daredevil was, telling him how he had saved a client of theirs, Zuly Almeida, whom their firm was unable to protect from her abusive husband. In the end, Murdock assured Nelson that he would be very careful.
They arrived at the office to discover it was packed with clients. Page talked them through their first appointments of the day, Mr. Marino, Mr. Maxwell, and Miss Jacinto, before disclosing to the lawyers that the firm was in financial trouble. Their clients tended to barter for their services, giving them baskets of fruit and baked goods, because they could not afford to pay them. Murdock assured her that they would manage.
Defending Grotto
Nelson, Murdock and Page went to Josie's to shoot pool. After warning Page not to drink Josie's water, he excused himself to use the restroom. When he returned, he found Page and Murdock getting cosy as she helped him set up a shot. When Nelson approached the pool table, Page went to the bar to buy another round. Nelson joked with Murdock about not being able to leave them alone for just a few minutes, and Murdock responded by perfectly sinking his next shot.
Murdock told Nelson that there was a patron at the bar whose heart was beating too rapidly, and he noticed that his finger was tapping the trigger of his gun. Murdock went to speak with the man, and soon returned with him. His name was Elliot Grote, known on the streets at Grotto. He had come to Josie's looking for Nelson and Murdock. He claimed to be the sole survivor of a Massacre at the Burren Club, in which high ranking members of the Kitchen Irish were killed by what he described as an army. He asked Nelson and Murdock to help him get a witness protection agreement in exchange for testimony against the Kitchen Irish. Suddenly, Grotto collapsed. Page went to his aid and discovered that he was bleeding from the attack. Page took Grotto to Metro-General Hospital while Nelson and Murdock went to the Burren Club.
Outside of the Club, they found news reporters, ambulances, and police officers, including their friend Brett Mahoney. Nelson told Mahoney that they might have a client who was a witness to the massacre, and asked what he could tell them. He pulled them aside and warned them that an army of highly trained professionals had been attacking criminal groups all over Hell's Kitchen, and warned them to stay away from it.
When Mahoney stepped away, Nelson asked Murdock what he had heard with his enhanced hearing. Murdock told him that the Dogs of Hell, a local bike gang, had been attacked in much the same way that the Kitchen Irish were. Murdock told him he would investigate as Daredevil, which prompted Nelson to remind him that he wasn't bulletproof. Nelson then offered to speak to a friend of his who was a member of the Dogs of Hell. When Murdock told him to be careful, Nelson yelled after him that he wasn't allowed to say that.
Questioning the Dogs of Hell
- You don't seem like the most sentimental guy, but you're still listening and that knife isn't in my neck, so I have to believe that right now, maybe, you and I are on the same side."
"You've got guts, Harvard. I'll give you that.
- —Foggy Nelson and Leon
Nelson approached the entrance to the Dogs of Hell's headquarters, asking to let inside to speak to his friend Smitty. At the mention of Smitty's name, the men guarding the entrance pat him down and then let him inside. He was brought to Jimmy the Bear, the leader of the Dogs of Hell. When he admitted that he knew Smitty from Catholic school when they were kids, Jimmy threatened him and told Leon to take him outside.
Once outside, Leon told Nelson that Smitty was dead. Scrambling, Nelson told him that he once helped a biker named Foster, and another named Ricky Wex, and also one named Pope. This last name gave the biker pause. Out of respect for Pope, the biker told Nelson that Smitty was killed when an army attacked his crew on I-90. He then told Nelson to leave and never come back.
Protecting Daredevil
Karen Page called Nelson to tell him that she and Grotto had been attacked at Metro-General Hospital. She took Grotto to the 15th Precinct Police Station while Nelson went to the hospital to see what he could find out. Nelson tried to get Matt Murdock on the phone but there was no answer.
Outside the hospital, Nelson overheard a police officer's radio. The voice said that there were reports of shots fired from a rooftop on 10th. Rushing away, Nelson talked his way into different New York City buildings on 10th, searching the rooftops for Murdock. He found him barely conscious and bleeding, and carefully took him back to Matt Murdock's Apartment, being very careful that no one would see them along the way.
When they, he told Murdock that Page was safe with Grotto at the Precinct, and then vented his frustration that Murdock had once again been seriously injured. He told Murdock that he was going to the Precinct to meet with Page and Grotto. When Murdock suggested he come along, he told him to stay home and rest, and told him to consider stopping his actions as Daredevil. Murdock refused, and Nelson sighed, resigned, and told him to get some rest before leaving.
Dealing with Samantha Reyes
At the police station, he found Page helping Grotto fill out his witness protection paperwork. He told them that Murdock was taking a sick day. Nelson questioned Grotto, asking why he told them an entire army had attacked the Burren Club, when now it looked like it was the work of one man.
Mahoney arrived with a prison uniform for Grotto. Page and Nelson stepped outside with Mahoney to let Grotto change. Mahoney informed them that the District Attorney was sending someone to the Precinct to discuss the witness protection agreement. He warned them to take whatever deal the D.A. offered before talking to them about public perception about Daredevil. He mused that there were bound to be copycat vigilantes cropping up because the city cheered every time Daredevil took a criminal down. He said that the police force was split in their opinion of the shooter; some believed he was making their jobs easier by killing criminals, while others believed it was only a matter of time before innocent people were caught in the crossfire.
Nelson was shocked when he realized that the District Attorney herself, Samantha Reyes, had arrived. Her assistant, Blake Tower, informed him that the D.A.'s office would take over dealing with Grotto. After Nelson protested, Reyes threatened his firm if he didn't cooperate. Unfazed, Nelson began calling the Attorney General's office, reminding Reyes that District Attorneys did not have jurisdiction in witness protection agreements. Reyes was furious, but agreed to let Nelson and Murdock represent Mr. Grote. When Reyes and Tower walked off, Page complimented him on how he had handled the situation, but he warned her that more trouble was to come.
In an interrogation room, Grotto offered to tell everything he knew about the Kitchen Irish, but Reyes was unimpressed. She asked Grotto to wear a wire and meet with Edgar Brass, a known drug dealer. Grotto was sure that he wouldn't survive such a betrayal, but Reyes and Tower showed him autopsy reports of the Kitchen Irish and others that the mystery shooter had killed. Reyes left the room to take a phone call, and Tower told them that the intelligence community had nicknamed the killer "The Punisher."
Nelson and Page returned to the office, where he spoke with Mrs. Kwan, one of their clients who had paid the firm in kimchi. Page handed him a stack of bills, most of which were overdue. When Nelson found one that was a first notice, he called it a win.
Page was intently looking at morgue reports of the Punisher's victims, gravely pointing out that she could have been one of them. Nelson told her that she wasn't someone who needed punishing, and invited her out for coffee.
Reyes' Deception
In the end, Grotto agreed to the deal, and Nelson and Page accompanied him to the location where he would meet Brass. Reyes, Tower, Nelson and Page stayed in a control center while Grotto, wearing a wire, went outside to meet Brass and get him to admit that he was selling drugs.
They listened in to the feed from Grotto's wire when he entered a shipping container, and they lost both visual and audio. Page was suspicious that they lost audio and realized it had been purposefully shut off. She turned it back on, and she and Nelson were shocked to overhear that the actual reason for Grotto to be at this location was to lure out The Punisher. Page was furious that Grotto was being used as bait, and Nelson said he would have fun suing the District Attorney for lying to them and their client.
They watched on the monitors as a truck came barreling into the area, but the police reported that it was a distraction; the Punisher was not inside. Page leapt to her feet, intending to find Grotto and bring him to safety, but Nelson restrained her, telling her that the safest place for them was in that room.
Reyes acknowledged something happening on the monitor, and Nelson and Page looked at it, and saw Daredevil fighting the Punisher on a nearby rooftop. Reyes told the police to take a shot at the Punisher, even when the police reported they did not have a clean shot.
When the Punisher and Daredevil both crashed through a skylight, Nelson could no longer sit idly by, and rushed out of the room, much to Page's shock. By the time he reached the rooftop, the police were staring down through the broken skylight, and the Punisher and Daredevil were both gone.
He rejoined Page and watched as she railed against the District Attorney, angrily accusing her of using their client as bait. Grotto was now missing, and the witness protection agreement would expire at midnight. Reyes threatened them, saying if they went public with their story, they'd make sure that Nelson and Murdock took the blame for the operation's failure.
When Reyes left, Page accused Nelson of not backing her up, but he assured her that all the legal tricks in the world wouldn't have made a difference. Page calmed down and asked what they should do next. Nelson told her that he'd call Murdock, and Page said she'd go back to the office.
Seeking Claire Temple's Help
When he couldn't get Murdock on the phone, Nelson went to the Metro-General Emergency Room, seeking Claire Temple. The ER was full of patients, many of them gang members and other criminals. When he found Temple, he reminded her of who he was, which she acknowledged with a groan.
She complained that it was not a good time, as the ER was slammed. He asked if their mutual friend had sought out her help. Knowing fully well he meant Murdock, she assured him that she hadn't seen him since she had stitched him up after he was nearly killed by Nobu Yoshioka.
As Nelson voiced his concerns for Murdock, she put him to work, having his assist her as she patched up her patients. She told him that she had barely left in the ER in a month, since she was disciplined for helping another person, someone she described as being stronger than their mutual friend.
Suddenly, a patient began yelling at a rival gang member, and the two of them grabbed medical instruments and prepared to fight, frightening the medical staff and patients alike. Nelson called out one of the gang members, telling him that he was a lawyer and that if the criminal started a fight in the ER, no lawyer would agree to defend him, not even his kind hearted partner. He appealed to the gang member's self interest and convinced him and the other criminal to drop their makeshift weapons.
After the police took the gang members away, Temple checked medical records and confirmed that Murdock had not been admitted to the hospital or the morgue, and that included locations uptown. Nelson was relieved but still worried about Murdock. Temple told Nelson that he was a good friend, and Nelson told Temple that Murdock shouldn't have let her get go. She smiled and asked why he thought he did, and returned to work.
Mourning Grotto
Nelson, Karen Page and Matt Murdock were the only people to attend Grotto's funeral, presided over by Father Lantom. Afterwards, they returned to the Nelson and Murdock Law Office, where Page showed them the X-ray of the Punisher's skull that Blake Tower had slipped her the night before. She wanted to find out why Tower thought it was important for her to have it. Nelson was adamant that they not get involved, as he feared what Samantha Reyes would do to the firm if they continued to dig into the Punisher.
The phone rang, so he went into his office to answer it. It was Mr. DiPesta, one of their clients. He called for Murdock to join him and they agreed that they had to file paperwork on the case that day. They looked for Page but found her gone. Murdock noticed that she took the Punisher files with her. Murdock then said he had to find the Punisher and left. Nelson called after him to find Page first.
That evening, Page, Nelson and Murdock met at Josie's Bar and listened to the news reports that Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, had been apprehended. Although Nelson was glad he was off the streets, Page was still bitter that the District Attorney was trying to cover up things about his past. The three of them toasted their friend Brett Mahoney, who had made the arrest, and to a safe Hell's Kitchen. Nelson left to buy them a round of shots, smiling back as Page and Murdock sat together.
Murdock and Nelson waited outside of Josie's for Page to settle their tab. Nelson joked to Murdock to be careful, because it was dangerous for a good Catholic boy to actually be happy. Murdock jokingly responded that he had no idea what Nelson was talking about. Page joined them and asked where they were going next. Nelson said he was going home because someone had the awful idea to do shots. He told them he would see them in the morning and left, using a newspaper to shield himself from the heavy rain.
Defending the Punisher
Preparing their Case
The next morning, Nelson read about the Punisher's arrest in the newspaper when Murdock arrived at the office. Nelson asked him if he was hungry or hungover, to which Murdock answered a little of both. Nelson offered him the last of Mrs. DiNizio's peach cobbler, which was the last of anything in the office. Murdock apologized, saying it was his fault the firm was doing poorly as he had been distracted with his life as Daredevil. Nelson told him not to be sorry, as he hoped that now the Punisher was off the street, Reyes would be more favorable towards their firm.
Page arrived and Nelson smiled knowingly at how awkward Murdock and Page were towards each other. She had bought coffee for all of them, and a stack of newspapers. She complained that none of the papers reported anything about Castle's military service or his family. When Murdock wondered how she knew any of this, she admitted to breaking into his house. Both Nelson and Murdock were alarmed that she would do something so dangerous and illegal, but she threatened to take their coffees back if they went on about it.
Nelson immediately advised her to leave the Castle case alone, and told them that they should concentrate on clients who could actually pay them. He went into his office, and answered the phone when the bank called. He was stunned to learn that a large deposit had been made, and told the others. Murdock explained that a potential client had made the deposit, but he warned them not to spend any of the money, as he wasn't sure things would work out. He said he'd look into it and left the office.
Later, Page was at the reception desk when Blake Tower arrived, asking to speak to Nelson and Murdock. Nelson invited him into their office. Tower asked for all their files on Grotto's case, which Nelson said he'd be happy to provide as soon as he was served with a subpoena. Tower warned him that if he didn't cooperate, Reyes would destroy their firm. Nelson joked that they kept saying that, and yet, Nelson and Murdock were still there.
In the evening, Nelson waited at Josie's for Marci Stahl, for whom he had ordered a vodka martini. When he asked Josie why the olive was gray, she sarcastically called it one of life's mysteries. He removed the olive just as Stahl entered, claiming that Josie was out of them.
At first Stahl thought it was a date, but Nelson told her about their trouble with Reyes, and she realized she wanted information from her. Stahl said that the partners at her firm were taking about Reyes and how she had her sights set on the mayor's office. Reyes seemed to be running on an anti-vigilante platform, having previously tried to arrest Jessica Jones before turning her sights to Castle. Stahl said she believed that Daredevil would be next on her list.
Doing it Themselves
In the morning, Nelson and Page met with Christopher Roth, the court appointed attorney for Frank Castle. He wanted Page to sign a witness statement, but she said it was full of inaccuracies. Murdock soon arrived, and Roth told them that the District Attorney was looking to extradite Castle to Delaware for crimes he had committed there, since Delaware had the death sentence.
Page told Roth that she could not sign the witness statement in its current condition, and Roth left. Page told Nelson and Murdock about her frustrations with the way the District Attorney was handling the Castle case. She and Murdock both tried to convince Nelson to defend Castle themselves, although Murdock suggested that all they had to do was negotiate a plea deal that would take the death penalty off the table. Nelson flatly refused, saying that Reyes' bullying had made it impossible for them to get new clients.
Page realized that Nelson wanted to speak to Murdock alone, and she excused herself. Once he was sure Page was out of earshot, Nelson expressed how shocked he was that Murdock would want to help the man who chained him to a roof. In the end, Murdock was able to convince Nelson that they should take the case. Nelson told Page to get her stuff, as they were going to the hospital to meet with Castle.
They arrived at Metro-General Hospital to find it crawling with security and reporters. After showing their identification, they were allowed into the hospital. They were greeted by Brett Mahoney, who had been promoted to Detective Sergeant because of Castle's arrest. Mahoney told them that Castle already had a lawyer. Mahoney tried to dissuade them from speaking to Castle, knowing that they were going to incur the ire of the District Attorney. Once he realized that they were serious, he had them searched a second time before sending them in to Castle's room. They were warned not to give anything nor take anything from Castle, and not to cross the tape that surrounded his bed.
The three entered Castle's room, and Murdock stepped forward to speak with Castle, although Nelson had to warn him when he got too close to the tape. Murdock introduced them to Castle, and Castle remarked that he knew who they were, derisively commenting that they defended scumbags. Murdock attempted to convince Castle that they would do a better job of negotiating a plea than his public defender, but Castle brushed this off.
Page, ignoring Mahoney's previous warnings, rushed at Castle, even as Murdock attempted to restrain her. She showed him the photo of his family that she had taken from his house. She angrily told him that if he was dead he'd never get the answers he was looking for.
Murdock was able to pull Page back just as Reyes arrived, angrily ordering the three of them out of Castle's room. In the hallway, she accused them of breaching ethics by meeting with Castle without Roth present, but Murdock argued that they had a right to pursue a potential client. She then suggested that since they had represented Grotto, one of Castle's victims, that there was a conflict of interest. Nelson pointed out that all public record of their working with Grotto had mysteriously disappeared. Mahoney entered, announcing that Castle had agreed to let Nelson and Murdock represent him. The three retired into an empty hospital room to begin work.
They decided to bring all their files on Castle to the hospital to save time, as the arraignment was fast approaching. Just then, there was a knock on the door, and a chauffeur announced that there was a car service waiting for Murdock. Murdock explained that he forgot he had scheduled a meeting with the wealthy potential client who had deposited money in their account.
Nelson was dismayed that Murdock could leave them at such a critical time, but Murdock promised to take care of things as quickly as possible and to return. Before leaving, Murdock kissed Page, prompting Nelson to ask if they were officially dating. Murdock searched for an answer, but Page simply responded that they weren't labeling it. Page offered to walk Murdock out, leaving Nelson alone.
Once Page returned, the two compiled a list of questions that they needed to ask Castle in order to prepare a plea deal. Nelson was very nervous about having to interview a killer. They returned to Castle's hospital room.
At first, Castle was not responsive to Nelson's questions. He then said he would only speak to Page, alone. Nelson was vehemently against this, but Page agreed. Reluctantly, he left the two of them alone.
Once Page returned with the results from her talk with Castle, Nelson was able to negotiate a plea deal. The new deal stipulated that Castle would not be extradited to Delaware, and would have the possibility of parole. Nelson and Page gave Castle the good news, and Nelson strongly encouraged Castle to take the plea deal. Castle agreed.
At the arraignment, Castle surprised everyone by pleading not guilty. Nelson and Page left his room, finding that the hospital was surrounded by reporters. Nelson, very shaken, commented that they were now going to be defending Castle in what he called "The Trial of the Century."
He tried to get Murdock on the phone, but Murdock didn't answer. He went to Murdock's apartment and found him dressed in a tuxedo, which he commented on. He told Murdock that Castle pled not guilty, and that Reyes had fast tracked the trial. Murdock suggested filing for an extension, but Nelson informed him that Castle agreed to the fast track. He then bluntly told his friend to clear his schedule because the trial would start the following week.
Castle v. State of New York: Day One
At the courthouse, over 400 potential jurors were brought in for the trial before the defense and prosecution could agree on a panel. Back at the Nelson and Murdock offices, Page, Nelson and Murdock looked through the files to prepare a defense. Nelson believed that persuading the jury that Castle suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder would be the best way to win the case. Page thought this was the wrong call, and Murdock agreed, saying that the insanity plea had a very small success rate in New York. But Nelson convinced them that the PTSD defense was the way to go. Murdock agreed to work on an opening statement and Page left to tell Castle their decision.
Nelson looked over the depositions from Dogs of Hell members as Murdock worked on his opening statement. He found many discrepancies and went to Murdock's office, asking if they could look them over together. Murdock agreed to as soon as he finished up a phone conversation.
Murdock left for the evening, leaving Nelson to look at the photographs depicting the gory and bloody way Castle dispatched his enemies. Page returned, offering him coffee and telling him that Castle refused to let them introduce PTSD as a defense. Nelson was disappointed, but she told him that she and Castle looked at the autopsy reports of Castle's family together. Castle said they were wrong, and suggested that the medical examiner falsified them on purpose. Nelson thought the best way to proceed would be to get the medical examiner to admit to falsifying the documents on the stand. Page offered to call Murdock to give him the news, but Nelson said he'd do it.
The first day of the trial, Nelson, Page and Castle waited for Murdock, who was running late. Nelson was panicking that Murdock would be late on such an important day. Reyes delivered a very effective opening statement. Since Murdock still had not shown up, Nelson realized that he had to do it. After a rough start, he delivered an impassioned and well delivered opening statement, asking the jury to keep an open mind. Murdock arrived midway through the statement.
Outside the courtroom, Nelson and Page both railed at Murdock for being late, but Murdock assured Nelson that he did a brilliant job with the opening statement. Murdock asked if he could be the one to cross examine the medical examiner the next day, suggesting that Page meet him later so she could go over their files with him. Nelson, wary of Murdock's behavior and reliability, nonetheless agreed.
Castle v. State of New York: Day Two
The next day, after Blake Tower questioned Dr. Tepper, the medical examiner, Murdock cross examined him. He had barely begun when Tepper asked the judge if he could make a statement. He was acting so nervous that the judge had the court cleared of the jury and all spectators.
Once the courtroom was cleared, Tepper admitted to falsifying the autopsy reports of Castle's family, plus one other, a John Doe who was killed the same day. He claimed that he did it under threat; people came to his office and threatened his family if he didn't falsify the reports.
He said he didn't care if he lost his job or was arrested, but that he was frightened of the woman who had visited him the night before. When the judge pressed him for more information, he revealed that a masked woman with a foreign accent had threatened him if he didn't tell the truth in court. The judge felt that Tepper's entire testimony was tainted and ordered it all stricken from the record. Nelson asked for a mistrial, but the judge refused.
Nelson, frustrated by this turn of events, entered the men's room. Murdock followed him and locked the door behind him. Nelson furiously accused Reyes of sending someone to threaten Tepper the night before, but Murdock told him that it was Elektra Nachios, his college girlfriend.
Nelson was stunned, responding that Nachios was only a diplomat's daughter, but Murdock told him that she was different now, and very dangerous. Murdock quickly and frantically started to tell Nelson that Natchios was in town to fight the Yakuza, whom he thought he had driven out of New York as Daredevil. He also told him that Natchios was the new wealthy client who had deposited the large sum of money into Nelson and Murdock's bank account. Murdock continued to tell him about their fight against the Yakuza, but Nelson had stopped listening. He was furious and upset and Murdock had once again lied to him, and had kept this information from him even when it affected the Castle case. He once again spoke angrily about Murdock's life as Daredevil, and talked about all the strategy sessions for the Castle case he had missed because he was too busy being a vigilante. He sarcastically noted that it was almost dark and told Murdock that surely he had someplace to be. Murdock tried to stop him from walking away, and before Nelson left, he told him to tell his girlfriend to stay away from his trial. When Murdock replied that Natchios wasn't his girlfriend, Nelson told him to be sure to tell Page that.
When Nelson emerged from the men's room, Page said that she heard yelling and asked what was going on. Nelson told her to ask Murdock before leaving.
Castle v. State of New York: Day Three
The next day, Nelson and Page were in the courtroom, but Murdock wasn't. Nelson told her he had asked Murdock not to come, but admitted he didn't think he'd listen. Nelson called Colonel Ray Schoonover, Castle's commanding officer, to the stand.
Schoonover told the court that Castle had saved his entire team while on a mission, despite his commanding officer's poor decisions. He called Castle a hero. When Reyes cross examined him, she suggested that perhaps Schoonover had heard the story incorrectly. Schoonover clarified his statement, saying he knew the story was true because he was there; he was the commanding officer whose poor decisions almost got the team killed. He said that Castle saved his life as well.
Next, Nelson called Dr. Andrew Lee to the stand. Dr. Lee testified that Castle's brain injury caused an incessant firing of the neurons in the "fight or flight" section of the brain. He told the jury that because of the gunshot to his head, Castle was experiencing the loss of his family over and over again. A young man in the gallery rose and yelled that Castle had killed his father, to the shock of the courtroom. The judge ordered the man taken away, and instructed the jury to disregard the outburst. However, Nelson and Page both knew that damage had been done to their case.
Outside of the courthouse, Nelson and Page realized that the only way to mitigate the damage done to their case was to call Castle to the stand. Nelson suggested that Murdock be the one to question Castle. Page objected, reminding Nelson of the great job he had been doing on his own. Nelson responded that there were certain things Murdock was better at, and this was one of them. Reluctantly, Page agreed to visit Murdock and ask him to inform him of their decision.
Murdock agreed to call Castle to the stand, and arrived at the courtroom, asking to speak to Page. She coldly told him to speak to Nelson. Nelson, still angry at his friend's lies, reminded Murdock that he is the only one to have heard Castle's story of what happened the day his family died. He asked him to get Castle to tell that story on the stand.
Unfortunately, when Murdock questioned Castle, he was not responsive. Murdock asked the judge if he can treat the witness as hostile. When the judge agreed, Murdock changed tactics, and made an impassioned speech calling Castle, and the other vigilantes in the city, heroes, to the applause of the gallery. He then went on to say that Castle had taken things too far by killing people, and arguing that he needed help, not punishment. Castle asked the judge if he could speak, and she granted him permission. To everyone's surprise, Castle told the courtroom that he would kill all his victims again if given another chance. He became more loud and agitated as he described his victims as scumbags who deserved what they got. As the judge ordered the bailiffs to take Castle away, he loudly proclaimed his guilt, telling all assembled that he was the big, bad Punisher that they all feared.
Outside the courtroom, Nelson was furious at Murdock, blaming him for their loss, claiming that he turned the questioning into a speech about vigilantes. Murdock protested, saying that someone had gotten to Castle, but Nelson angrily told them that he was glad they lost the case before storming off.
Nelson's Final Plea
The next day, Nelson entered Matt Murdock's apartment, taking note of Murdock's injuries. He then came up with the suggestion of closing the Nelson and Murdock offices, to which Murdock agreed. Nelson, however, tried one final time to convince Murdock to reconsider his vigilanteism, but Murdock states that he's done apologizing for who he is, causing Nelson to leave and return to the office to pack his things.
He was greeted by Karen Page, who arrived late to the office, taking note of Nelson packing up. He was shown photographs from the Massacre at Central Park. One picture featured a body on the ground, and in another one, the body is missing. He is also informed by page that the pictured body had no death certificate. While Page suggested to look in to this, which could help rebuild Nelson and Murdock, Nelson simply told her that Nelson and Murdock was officially over. She revealed to Nelson that when she went to get Murdock from his apartment, she caught him with another woman in his bed; she informed him that she is done being lied to and demanded to find the truth about Frank Castle's. However, Nelson suggested a life away from Nelson and Murdock.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
None known.
Abilities
Master Lawyer: Nelson went to Columbia University and graduated with donors in law, second in his class to his then-roommate Matt Murdock.
Multilingualism: While in college, Nelson learned how to speak and understand Punjabi.
Strength level
Unknown.
Weaknesses
None known.
Paraphernalia
Equipment: None known.
Transportation: None known.
Weapons: None known.
Notes
- No special notes.
Trivia
- Foggy is a fan of the Hell's Kitchen Hellions.
See Also
- Appearances of Franklin Nelson (Earth-1010)
- Character Gallery: Franklin Nelson (Earth-1010)
- Quotations by Franklin Nelson (Earth-1010)
Discover and Discuss
- Search News for: Foggy Nelson · Franklin Nelson · Franklin Nelson (Earth-1010)
Links and References
- None.