Days of our Lives Recap, August 19, 2025: EJ remembers who shot him

Here’s your Days of our Lives recap for what happened on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, when Johnny’s trial went to the jury, Julie made a big decision, and EJ recovered a memory.

What happened on Days of our Lives

Marlena took Rachel to the bookstore in the square. While Foster helped Rachel find a book on snakes, Marlena sat down with Julie in the reading area. Julie started to ask Marlena if she was okay, but she caught herself and apologized. “Every time somebody asks me that, it makes me very uncomfortable. Just know I’m there if you ever need me,” Julie said. Marlena said she knew. Marlena asked Julie about her book. Julie confessed that she was reading the book to deal with her frustration over Chad’s involvement with Cat.

“I know you are fond of Cat Greene. And I am assuming that’s because you were not directly affected by her abominable behavior,” Julie said. Marlena agreed that was part of the reason. “But I also found her contrition to be genuine,” Marlena added. Julie argued that any contrition had been “too little, too late.” Julie admitted that she was disappointed that Chad had fallen for Cat.

Marlena said that although she liked Cat, she respected Julie’s feelings about her. Marlena reminded Julie that Marlena’s daughters had dated men that she had hated. Julie told Marlena that she had been unable to keep quiet and that she had upset Chad.

“I know Chad has every right to get on with his life, every right to find love again. I just wish he wouldn’t find it with her,” Julie said. Marlena said that Chad and Cat had both insisted they were only friends. Julie changed the subject to the bookstore, and she admitted that she had considered buying it. “Past tense?” Marlena said. Julie said she feared she would run the store into the ground.

“I can’t even believe that you would back away from a challenge,” Marlena said. Julie thanked Marlena for her support. “Here I am going on and on about myself about things that are not important,” Julie said. Marlena stressed that Julie’s feelings about Chad were important. Marlena told Julie that she had been just as supportive of Marlena through the years. “You and I both know there is no way ever to heal wounds that are this profound,” Marlena said. Julie admitted that she missed Doug more each day rather than less.

“Is this what it is to have a broken heart? To be just so disoriented cause he isn’t there,” Julie said. Julie acknowledged she had been lucky to have had Doug with her for so many years. “The sweetest of sweethearts. Sometimes perspective just isn’t enough, is it?” Julie said. “No. I would say to John, I can’t even imagine a life without you. I know you must have said that to Doug,” Marlena said. Julie nodded in agreement.

“And yet, here we sit. Living within the nightmare of the unimaginable,” Marlena said. “But we’re living and we are here. With our family, with our friends, with each other. Thank god,” Julie said. Marlena agreed.

At the counter, Foster showed Rachel a new book series. When Julie and Marlena rejoined them, Foster told Marlena that the book was on the house. “You just have to let me know how you like it, okay, Rachel?” Foster said. “I will, thanks,” Rachel promised. After Marlena and Rachel left, Julie teased Foster, “Now I know why you’re going out of business. You’re giving your merchandise away for free.” Julie asked if anyone had expressed interest in buying the store. Foster admitted that he was holding out for a sale to someone who wanted to continue to run it as a bookstore. Foster noted that independent bookstores were a dying breed.

“But in Salem, dying breeds have a miraculous way of resurrecting themselves,” Julie said. Julie said she wanted to buy the store. With a chuckle, Foster said that nothing would make him happier than to know that the bookstore was being taken care of by Julie. “I will do everything in my power to keep this place the wonderful place that it is,” Julie vowed.

Cat fixed breakfast for a recuperating Chad in her apartment. Cat again thanked Chad for having taken care of her and Felicity when they had been ill. “I like taking care of you, both of you,” Chad said. Chad and Cat took their temperatures, and they were both back to normal. “I like spending time with you,” Chad said. Cat agreed.

“Just found out that mom’s being transferred to a facility near Salem, and Aaron’s moving back to go to Salem U in the fall,” Cat announced. Chad started to hug Cat in celebration, then he pulled back. Cat joked that Julie would be thrilled for Chad to leave Cat’s apartment.

“Abigail’s family is just going to have to get used to what’s happening here,” Chad said. “What’s happening here?” Cat asked. Chad sheepishly said he didn’t know, but that he cared about Cat. “You’re a good friend,” Chad said. While Chad went to Felicity’s room to say goodbye, Marlena called Cat to tell her that she had decided to take a break from her practice. When Chad returned, Cat told him she had lost her job. “Something will turn up,” Cat said.

Judge Dabney called the court to order, and she acknowledged that Johnny was representing himself in court. Belle called Chanel back to the stand. Belle asked Chanel why she had threatened EJ. “I didn’t,” Chanel said. Belle asked Chanel to explain the video. Chanel stressed that she had never threatened EJ. “Are you insinuating that the video that we watched was somehow doctored?” Belle asked. “That is exactly what happened,” Chanel testified.

Belle recalled Johnny to the witness stand, and she questioned him about his expertise as a filmmaker. “That video is a deepfake. And I can prove it,” Johnny said. Johnny testified that his grandfather had repeatedly undermined the town police, and that Stefano had taught his children to do it as well. The courtroom buzzed as the judge reminded Johnny to answer the DA’s questions without commentary.

Belle asked Johnny why the jury should believe his allegation and not assume it was an attempt to protect his wife. “I wouldn’t have to protect my wife if somebody wasn’t trying to frame her,” Johnny said. Belle replayed the video. Johnny pointed out the inconsistencies. Johnny added that he had sent the video to a leading authority on AI, and the expert had submitted a sworn statement that agreed with Johnny’s assessment.

“Someone went to great lengths and great expense to make it look like my wife wanted my father dead on the night he was shot. That was not the case,” Johnny said. Chanel looked over at EJ. With Johnny’s testimony concluded, Johnny rested his case. The judge called for a recess before the start of closing arguments.

During recess, a court officer commiserated with Leo about his talkative roommate in the hallway. Inside the courtroom, Chanel told Johnny that she was confident that Johnny would give a great closing argument. Nearby, Belle told EJ, “I would say you should be ashamed of yourself for what you just did to Chanel, but we both know you have no shame.”

When court was called back to order, Belle delivered her closing argument. For Johnny’s closing argument, he talked about reasonable doubt. Johnny reminded the jury that EJ had mentioned a number of possible suspects. “And that is because he is a hard man to love. And an easy one to hate. In fact, I’d say just about everyone in Salem had a reason to want EJ DiMera dead that night. And I am profoundly sorry that someone else used the gun that I left behind to shoot my father,” Johnny said. After closing arguments, the judge sent the jury to their room to deliberate on the case. Leo was elected jury foreman.

When EJ argued to Johnny that he should have let EJ finish the case, Johnny said he had no interest in watching EJ convince the jury that Chanel had been the shooter. “Screw you,” Johnny said. Chanel took Johnny by the arm, and they left.

“Johnny and Chanel find you as despicable as I do,” Belle commented. EJ warned Belle not to be smug, and he noted that Marlena had admitted that Belle could have shot him. Belle noted that, unlike EJ, she would never do something so violent. “Not to mention, I had no reason to want you dead. At least back then, I didn’t,” Belle said.

At the cafe, Johnny admitted to Chanel that he was scared. Belle joined them, and Chanel asked Belle for her opinion. “I’m just hoping that Johnny is exonerated and we find out who actually shot EJ,” Belle said. Belle mentioned that EJ had told her that Marlena had inferred to him that Belle had been the shooter. Confused, Johnny asked why. Belle agreed that it did not make sense. “Whoever did shoot your father is someone that EJ and my mom would want to protect,” Belle said.

When Marlena returned to the mansion with Rachel, EJ was in the living room. Rachel made a crack about EJ’s drinking, and EJ smirked. “You’re becoming more and more like your mother every day,” EJ muttered. While Marlena asked EJ about the case, Rachel picked up a glass paperweight and repeatedly tossed it. Marlena warned Rachel to put it down. A memory flooded back to EJ of the night of the shooting. Rachel had been pointing the gun at EJ, and he had told her to put it down.

“Why don’t you give that to me?” EJ had told Rachel that night. “Not until you tell me where my grandma Rachel is,” Rachel had said. EJ heard a gunshot in his memory, and he snapped back to reality. Rachel had dropped the glass paperweight, and it had shattered on the floor. EJ remembered that Rachel had shot him.

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