- Birchfield County Emergency. - I'd like to report a girl's in trouble.
- May I have your name? - Listen, a girI's in troubIe.
- It's The MiII, the bar on MiII Road. - Sir, I must...
Would you listen to me, goddamn it?
Stop.
It's a rape. There's three or four guys. I don't know. There's a whoIe crowd.
Why don't you send somebody?
Raise your chin.
What kind of contraceptive do you normally use?
- IUD. - When was your Iast period?
Show me your hands, please.
Ten, twelve days. Bad cramps.
- What's your usuaI cycIe? - Turn around. Raise your gown, pIease.
26, 27 days.
- Aren't you gonna examine me? - I need some more history first.
Your Ieg, pIease.
Before the incident, when was your Iast intercourse?
- Turn around, Iower your gown, pIease. - A whiIe.
- Can you be more specific? - Please lower your gown.
- Two weeks. - Are you sure?
Yeah.
Sarah, have you ever had a venereaI disease?
No.
Hi, Sarah.
I'm CaroI Hunnicutt from the rape centre.
Is there anyone you'd Iike me to caII?
Well, I'm here to help, so if there's anything I can do, let me know. OK?
Try to relax.
You're tensing. Easy.
Breathe deeply for me.
Easy.
Easy. One more. Hold on.
- I'm gonna comb for hair, Sarah. - Not yours. Theirs.
Now, let's get you down.
I wanna scrape under your naiIs in case you scratched one of them.
Sarah, this is Kathryn Murphy.
She'II be the deputy district attorney for your case.
Hi, Sarah.
You can take a shower now, and a douche.
The Iadies' room is down the haII and on your Ieft.
I brought you something to wear.
I hope you don't mind grey.
- You got any mouthwash? - Sure.
A Iot of aIcohoI.
- Legally drunk. - And grass, too. What else?
What difference does that make? She was raped by three men.
I'm not a rape counseIIor. I'm a prosecutor. I have to make a rape case.
- Then go prosecute. - I'II wait in the supervisor's office.
- Miss Murphy? - 101.
..and I heard somebody screamin',
and it was me.
- Sarah, this is Detective Duncan. - Dunc. How are you doin'?
- Would you recognise any of the men? - Yeah.
The Mill is still open. We'd like to take you, see if you can make a positive lD.
We'd be right there with you.
If you want to get them, I need your heIp.
Yeah.
Do you recognise any of your attackers?
Yeah.
- Let's go. - The guy in the yellow T-shirt.
Check the back room.
The one in the vest.
Are there any others?
No.
John, could you take her out to my car, please? I'll be there in a minute.
Excuse me, sir.
I'm Kathryn Murphy, deputy district attorney in BirchfieId County.
We have a report of a felony committed on these premises.
I have a search warrant signed by Judge CutIer.
This is Detective Duncan, in charge of the investigation.
Wanna turn down the television set so we can talk in peace?
Hey, Polito. How are you doin'?
Didn't think I was gonna see you for a coupIe of years.
The college one wasn't there.
Kurt, Danny and the college one.
My girlfriend Sally was there.
Bob's the college one. Bob.
Did you go to college?
Yeah. Lawyer. Of course you...
Stupid.
Turn right here.
Listen.
Maybe you should just leave me off here,
cos he's probably asleep.
He Iikes to get stoned and Iisten to music and faII asIeep.
Are you OK?
Yeah.
My eyes hurt.
Are you married?
No. Are you?
No.
My ma was married for ten years, but he Ieft when I was born.
Are you into astrology at all?
No, I'm not.
That's too bad. I couId do your chart for you.
- When were you born? - 1959.
I sure hope I can wake him up.
You want me to come in with you?
Can I ask you a question?
Does my face Iook reaIIy bad?
No.
He Iikes to touch my face.
I wish I knew what to say.
What?
I said "I wish I knew what to say."
You wanna take a drive?
Get some air. CooI out.
No.
OK.
I'II be back in a whiIe.
- Hello? - Hi. It's me.
Sarah?
It's awfuI Iate. Is somethin' wrong?
No. Nothing's wrong. No speciaI reason. I just figured I'd say heIIo.
You Iost your job.
No.
How's Amos?
- Gone. - Already?
Thanks a Iot, Sarah.
I wasn't makin' fun of you, Ma.
Are you callin' for some money?
No, I don't need any money. I was just thinkin'...
I was thinkin' maybe I'd drive out. Maybe I'd come out for a week or so.
- You're in trouble? - No. I'm not in any trouble, Ma.
- I just figured... - I'm goin' away.
- Where? - Florida.
Well, that sounds like fun.
Listen, Ma. You have a good time, OK?
How's Sadie doin'?
She's fine. I just got her a new fIea coIIar.
Will I talk to you soon?
Yeah. ReaI soon.
- It's kinda expensive to caII, so... - OK.
I've gotta get up in two hours.
Yeah. AII right.
- You go back to sleep, Ma. - You take care.
- Bye. - Bye.
It's the one in the green sweater.
Back up, boys. County Sheriff. Your name Bob?
Put your hands on the car over there. You're under arrest.
- For what? - Put your hands on the car.
You have the right to remain silent. If you give up this right,
anything you say can be used against you in a court of Iaw.
- You have the right to an attorney. - Paul, call my dad.
If you cannot afford an attorney, the court wiII appoint one.
You have the right to make one phone call.
Do you understand your rights?
- Yes. - Fine. Join us, please.
- We will indict for first-degree felony. - My client has no prior record.
There's a genuine risk of the defendants fleeing the jurisdiction.
- I'd Iike him reIeased to his famiIy. - This is a crime of extreme vioIence.
The victim has concern for her safety...
10,000 dollars each.
Miss.
- I ordered this weII done. It's raw. - Sorry. I'II have it for you in a minute.
- And I asked for some ketchup. - Right. I'm goin' a IittIe seniIe today.
..accused of raping a woman at a bar were released on 10,000 dollars bail.
Lawyers for the accused men expressed confidence
that the facts of the case will reveal that the woman was not actually raped.
Our defence is simple: there was no rape.
The so-called victim consented enthusiastically to the acts.
She put on a show, pure and simple.
The debate between the five candidates after the counciI seat of DanieI Stein
now appears to be on again.
Representatives for the candidates met for four hours behind closed doors...
Bye.
- Who is it? - Kathryn Murphy.
- Why'd you Iet 'em out on baiI? - I didn't. It's standard procedure.
UntiI the jury finds you guiIty, you're free if you can post baiI.
The guy on the TV made it sound Iike I did a Iive sex show.
That's not the Iast time that's gonna happen.
May I come in?
Yeah. Come on in.
Sadie, shut up.
The bartender at The Dugout said you were sick.
You went Iookin' for me?
Well, I had to go to the doctor and nobody at work knows.
Come on, Sadie.
You want a seat?
Would you like something to drink? I could really use a drink.
Thank you, no.
Just to smooth out the edges a IittIe bit. You know?
Listen, what time were you born?
I aIready toId you I didn't beIieve in astroIogy.
So what? I do.
- What time? - At night. Seven. August 9th.
- Where? - Portland.
Do you always drink to smooth out the edges?
No. Sometimes I'II take a hit of pot or something.
Why? You want some?
Did you have anything to drink before you went to The Mill? Or smoke?
Half a joint, a couple of beers. You know. Nothin' heavy.
And while you were there?
I don't know. I mean, I wasn't faIIing-down drunk or anything.
- How were you dressed? - What's that supposed to mean?
It means were you dressed provocativeIy?
Showing cleavage? See-through blouse?
What the fuck does it matter? They tore it off of me.
Did how you dressed make those guys think they could have sex with you?
- Did you put on a show? - What the hell are you talkin' about?
You saw me at the hospitaI. You think I asked for that? Is that what you think?
Then you get the fuck outta my house.
Why didn't you tell me that you had a record?
Fuck you.
I ain't got no record.
You wanna tell me about it?
AII right. Look.
I was heIpin' my girIfriend move with a U-HauI.
Goin' through Jersey we ran into a cop and he sees we got a busted taillight.
He pulls us over, he starts lookin' through her desk in the back
and finds half a gram of coke. It was nothin' big.
- It was her desk, not mine. Her stuff. - So why is it stiII on the books?
I don't know. You teII me.
My record was definitely...
- Expunged? - Yeah, expunged.
Have you ever made Iove to more than one man at a time?
What the fuck kinda question is that?
The kind you're gonna be asked on the stand.
You'II be asked if Larry or any other man ever hit you and if you Iiked it.
You'II be asked about your drug bust and how many drinks a day you have,
and how many joints, and how often you go to bars alone,
and whether you wear underwear, and how many abortions you've had.
And I wiII object to aII those questions.
And sometimes the judge will sustain me.
But sometimes not.
That ain't fair.
Sarah, you're a witness. The defence's job is to show you're a rotten witness
because you've got a rotten character.
I got a rotten character?
You won't defend me because I'm some Iow- cIass bimbo?
I didn't say that.
- Will those bastards go to jail? - Is that what you want?
I want those motherfuckers put away for ever.
Sarah said you were here that night.
Yeah, I was here. But I didn't see what happened.
But if Sarah says she was raped, she was raped.
Can you identify the men who assaulted her?
No, I was out there.
Anyway, a bunch of guys were blockin' the door, so I really couldn't see.
It was the end of my shift, so I Ieft whiIe she was stiII in here.
- Do you know any of these guys? - No.
There was a bunch of 'em that were reaI rowdy. You know. YeIIin', cIappin'.
I reaIIy just thought she was partyin'. You know?
- Is there anyone you can identify? - Like how?
Did you notice anything different about any of them?
Let's say Iong hair? Beard? Moustache?
Birthmark? Bandanna?
Jewellery?
Scar? Tattoo?
Tattoo. Yeah.
Can you describe it?
A scorpion. One guy had a scorpion.
How many drinks would you say she'd had?
I don't know. She was pretty Ioaded.
She'd just had this big fight with Larry - the guy she Iives with.
She just needed to cooI out a IittIe.
What do you know about Larry?
Not much. Except he's an asshole.
He says he's a musician but he's just a dealer.
He rides a motorcycle.
Come on, man. Gimme a break. These guys are my bread and butter.
You sure you didn't see anyone else?
Some kid I never seen before pIayed one of the video machines aII night.
- Who was with him? - Nobody I saw.
Jesse, I'm gonna phone the state Iiquor authority
and tell 'em how you kept servin' booze
while a violent felony was committed in your back room.
- Ready? - Yes. Thanks, Jesse. We'II taIk.
I need these by 11. See you tomorrow.
Is he free?
- Game time. Let's go. - I know. Just a second.
I reaIIy don't beIieve this.
- Tina, where the hell are the tickets? - You gave 'em to me to hold.
- How are you doing on Tobias? - We'II taIk about it at the game.
Tina, if Charley calls, I'll be home after 11.
Ref, cross-checking! Open your eyes, will ya?
Take him out, Donovan!
- Play hockey. - Did you see that?
Thanks.
If I take it to triaI, they'II destroy her.
She walked in alone, she got drunk, she got stoned, she came on to them.
- She's got a prior for possession. - That's inadmissible.
Sure, but they'II ask her about it.
I'II object, the judge'II sustain it, but the jury'II hear it.
I read her Q and A. Gang-raped on a pinbaII machine.
- It's an ugIy case. - But is it a winnabIe case?
Kathryn, we understand that you Iove to win.
But I can't Iet you dismiss this because you don't have a Iock.
A Iock? I don't have a case.
Her girlfriend didn't see anything, the bartender didn't.
The others either didn't see anything or didn't think it was anything speciaI.
I got PoIito, but once the defence brings up that he's on probation,
they'II know that we squeezed him.
What about the guy who called, who reported it?
We have his voice on tape, but we don't know who he is or where to find him.
Kathryn, do you believe she was raped?
Yes. But I can't win it.
And they can't walk. So make a deal and you put 'em away.
- A deaI with what? - You got enough. Go for rape two.
Any felony, as long as it's a violent one.
Assault, coercion, reckless endangerment, menacing...
- I can't do that. - You said she was raped.
So make a deaI and put 'em away.
I don't care if they onIy get six months. Just make a deaI and put 'em away.
Do you understand, Mr Polito, that you'll be testifying before a grand jury?
Yeah, I got that.
And you'II be testifying against peopIe you're acquainted with?
Yeah.
Mr Polito, have I or anyone in the sheriff's department or the DA's office
offered you any inducement to testify?
Money, gifts, anything?
- No. - Thank you, Mr Polito.
Well, he's just a taste. The bar was filled with witnesses.
We anticipate that they'II aII testify for The PeopIe.
Anticipate? A hundred says you'II have to drag 'em into court.
And they'II be useIess cos they were too drunk.
Whatever you say.
Keep in mind that we don't need corroboration to prove rape.
And we do have medicaI evidence: no doubt about penetration.
And physicaI evidence: no doubt about force.
- What will you take? - Rape one.
We were thinking more in the Iine of sexuaI abuse two.
Rape one. Maybe I couId convince the judge not to give them the maximum.
I'd rather go to triaI.
Fine.
By the way, no separate deals.
One goes to trial, all go to trial.
What would you say to sexual abuse one?
- I'd say rape one. - Cut the crap. PoIito Iooks Iike shit.
You don't have anybody better.
And your complaining witness?
She walked into a bar, got loaded and stoned,
and did everything but yank their dicks. No jury'II buy her.
What would you say to rape two, with a recommendation for one year?
I'd say go to heII.
Miss Murphy, are you sure you're in a position to be quite so adamant?
- A rape triaI... - Is aIways a gambIe. I agree, Mr HenIey.
And I know your reputation. But Iook at these photographs.
This is what the jury is going to see. And they'II see the girI, too.
You can't tell from these, but she's tiny.
The most defenceless-looking thing you ever saw.
If we go to triaI and you Iose, I'm gonna ask for 15 to 25- and I'II get it.
- 18 months. - Stop dancing.
What's your best offer?
Two to five, rape two.
With Iuck, your boys wiII be out in nine months.
On one condition.
I'II accept that on behaIf of my cIient
if the formaI charge is changed to one without a sexuaI eIement.
He's a kid of 22. He's an A student. He's got a future.
I can't do that.
He won't plead guilty to a sexual offence.
Assault?
Coercion?
Reckless endangerment?
- Malicious... - Reckless endangerment?
Three men accused of raping a young woman in a IocaI bar
pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of reckless endangerment.
They were sentenced to two-and- a-half to five years in prison.
Neither the district attorney's office nor the defence
would comment on the plea bargain.
No explanation was given for reducing the charges
from rape to reckless endangerment.
A source close to the defence hinted
that the alleged victim would not have made a strong witness for the state.
- Where do you want these? - There.
I think this Iooks raw.
- Shit. - I'II get it.
Here we go. Now, this is an experiment, so I want you aII to be kind, OK?
Excuse me.
You double-crossing bitch. You sold me out. Did you see this?
- Is this what you did? - Excuse us.
Yeah, I wouIdn't make a good witness. I'm too fragiIe. My past is questionabIe.
I'm a drunk, I'm a pothead, a drug addict,
a slut that got bounced around a little in a bar?
- So I didn't get raped? - Of course you were raped.
How come it doesn't say "Sarah Tobias was raped"?
What the fuck is reckless endangerment?
A felony that carries the same prison term as rape.
You asked me to put them away, and that's what I did.
Who the hell are you to decide that I ain't good enough to be a witness?
I bet you if I went to Iaw schooI and I didn't Iive in some dump...
I understand how you feeI. I did my best.
You don't understand how I feeI.
I'm standin' there with my pants down and my crotch out for the worId to see
and three guys are stickin' it to me and other guys are yelling and clapping
and you're standing there telling me that that's the best you can do.
If that's the best you can do, then your best sucks.
I don't know what you got for seIIin' me out, but I sure as shit hope it's worth it.
Wow. What did you do?
- That Iooks weird. - I needed a change.
It's nothin' heavy. It's just...
I'm not used to it.
Stop. AII right?
When are you gonna get over this?
You're gonna have to snap out of this pretty soon cos it's gettin' boring.
Get outta here.
Fine.
- Be back in a couple of hours. - No.
You get the fuck out and don't come back.
Shit. You can cut your fuckin' hair any way you want.
This is my house and I don't want you in it. Now get out.
Fine. I'm gone.
You caught me. I'm sorry. This is gonna sound Iike the worst kinda crap,
- but I seen you before. - You're right. It's the worst kinda crap.
I have seen you. You're a friend of Johnny AIworth's sister.
No.
It was Duck IsIand. Last Sunday afternoon, softbaII game?
- Your hair was different. - No.
Yes. It was Iong.
Look, I Iive with somebody. OK? AII right?
I got it. I'm sorry.
He's a Iucky guy.
You sure you don't wanna go out tonight?
I got a smiIe. WeII, it's a start.
- Sexy Sadie, what about it? - I toId you, I Iive with somebody.
- I don't mind. I'm Iiberated. - WeII, I do. I mind.
- Cos I do know you, Sexy Sadie. - You mixed me up with somebody eIse.
Nope. You're the girI from The MiII that night.
I remember Sexy Sadie. I do know you. Am I right?
Hey, Sexy Sadie.
I know you. Do I remember you!
Hey, Iover Iady.
Wanna play pinball?
I pay my bills. I'm sick and tired of this. Come on, let's go.
- I'm sorry... - Come on.
I'm sorry about this. But I do know that I made the payment.
There's an insurance company that I made the payment to. My husband...
- Come on, babe. - OK. I'II phone them. Thanks.
You can go in now. Keep it short.
Thanks.
Sarah?
What happened?
"Wanna play pinball?"
What?
That's what he said.
"You wanna play pinball?"
He sees I'm a piece of shit.
Everybody figures I'm a piece of shit.
Why not?
You told 'em that. I never got to tell nobody nothin'.
You did all my talkin' for me.
I don't get it.
I thought you were on my side.
You told me you were on my side.
Why did you do that?
Sorry, Officer. It's one of those days. My insurance is no good here.
I pay aII my biIIs. What happens? Nothing.
I'm sorry, OK?
- How's your head? - Just great.
Honey, just wait here. I'II go get the car.
Excuse me, sir.
I'm sorry to bother you. What exactIy happened?
Exactly? She rammed my truck.
I was minding my own business. She drove her car into my truck. AII right?
- Do you know why? - How do I know why? She's nuts.
- Do you know her? - No, I don't know her.
She's a whore. Last time I saw her, she was doin' a sex show.
- Come on. - You watched?
- You bet. She put on a great show. - I thought she was raped.
Raped? She fucked a bar full of guys, then she blames them for it?
She Ioved it. She had an audience. She did the show of her Iife.
Come on, move over.
Next time she does another show, tell her I'll be right there to cheer her on.
I'd Iike to report a girI's in troubIe.
- May I have your name? - Listen, a girI's in troubIe.
- It's The MiII, the bar on MiII Road. - Sir, I must...
She may be hurt. An assault's going on.
It's a rape. There's three or four guys. I don't know. There's a whoIe crowd...
- There's a whole crowd. - Can I get your name, please?
"..or otherwise attempts to persuade another person to commit a felony."
Please. I know about criminal solicitation.
But in this case it simply doesn't apply. It's not the intent of the statute.
Listen again. "A person is guilty of criminal solicitation
if he commands, induces, entreats
or otherwise attempts to persuade another person to commit a felony."
You can read it to me till you're blue in the face.
I am not gonna Iet you prosecute a bunch of spectators.
They're not spectators. They solicited the rape.
Do you really want to ask a jury
to Iock up a bunch of peopIe for cIapping and cheering?
Clapping, cheering, pushing, goading.
Getting the rape going and keeping it going.
What happens if you Iose? You'II Iook Iike an incompetent.
If you win, you'II Iook Iike a vengefuI bitch.
Either way, you hurt yourself and this office.
Now drop it. You've got more important things to do.
No, I haven't.
You haven't got more important things to do than go to triaI with a sure Ioser?
What the hell has gotten into you?
- We owe her. - Owe her what?
We put the rapists away.
I owe her.
I see. You want to spend my money to put a bunch of spectators on triaI -
a triaI you'II Iose - because you owe her.
No.
You don't get to use this office to pay your debts.
I am gonna try this case and you're not gonna stop me.
Kathryn, you're an ace.
You've got a great future. Don't put it in jeopardy.
What are you gonna do? Fire me? Go right ahead.
My first case will be a civil suit
against the rapists, the solicitors, the Bar, and the state.
I wiII show that Sarah was in hospitaI because this office soId her out.
I wiII subpoena your records and cross-examine you
on every sleazy plea bargain this office ever made.
You go try your case. You have a good time.
Because, win or Iose, you're through.
What are you Iookin' at? Get back to work.
Sarah? I'd Iike to taIk to you. May I come in?
We got nothin' to talk about.
- Yes, we... - Get outta here.
Who the hell do you think you are?
- I have to taIk to you. - Get out of my house.
Will you listen to me, please?
I'm Iistenin'.
Sarah, I made a mistake.
Before I made the deaI,
I shouId have offered you the choice of going to triaI and testifying.
I can offer that to you now.
I've found a way for you to go into court and testify that you were raped.
- The case is over. - The rape case, sure.
You made sure of that, didn't you?
I want to prosecute the others. The ones who cheered and cIapped.
- The ones who made it happen. - So you can make another deaI?
No. I'm not gonna make any more deaIs.
If I prosecute the others, the rapists wiII stay in jaiI for the fuII five years.
And the rape will go on record.
The deaI won't matter because the rape wiII go on record.
You really wanna do that?
Only if you help me.
I need you to testify.
I get to teII my story?
Yes.
Are you alone now?
Yeah. I kicked him out.
While I was laid up, he came back to pick up all of his stuff.
What's his is his, what's mine is his.
Thank God he Ieft me the radio.
Anything I can do?
Yeah.
What?
No deals.
Sally? It's Kathryn Murphy.
Hi.
Listen, I need your heIp again.
Come on, cut it out.
- Are these yours? - Yeah.
Go play someplace else now, OK?
I thought it was aII over.
I'm gonna prosecute the ones that cheered it on.
You said of the guys blocking your view
that they were "real rowdy", "yelling and clapping".
Not the guys at the door. The ones over by the pinball machine.
So you knew that they were yelling about Sarah?
Yeah, but they aren't the kind of guys you really wanna mess with.
You know what I mean?
Listen, I'd Iike you to come in and see if you couId identify them in a Iine- up.
Jesus. They're gonna be right there, aren't they?
Yes.
I don't know.
Why don't we make a date for you to come in to my office and talk about it?
Sally, she's your friend.
Number two.
Seven.
You positive?
Yes.
Number four. Definitely.
You can go in now. It's down to the end of the haII to your right.
There's no purpose in meeting again because I'm taking them to triaI.
Good Iuck to you, too.
Hi.
Thank you for coming. Sarah, there was no need for you to come.
- I figured she couId use the company. - WouId you mind waiting outside?
- Alana, could you hold my calls? - I'll wait outside, then.
Sally, why don't you have a seat right down here, OK?
I want to begin by asking you a few questions about the night of ApriI 18th.
Answer as simply and honestly as possible.
A few. Maybe three.
I've seen her drink a Iot more than that.
She needed to get Ioose cos she'd just had this big fight with her oId man.
And she goes "I'm so pissed at him." You know?
Cos she's sure he's runnin' around on her.
You mean sleeping around?
Right. Which I bet he is.
So we were sitting in a booth just sort of talking...
There were these two fraternity guys there,
and Sarah Iooks at one of 'em - Bob.
She goes "He's cute. Who's he?"
- So we started jokin' around. - What do you mean?
You know. Like, how could she get back at Larry?
Should she take this guy home and just do it right in front of him?
- You said she should take Bob home... - No, she said it.
She didn't mean it. She was just jokin' around.
She'd had a few drinks.
God, she didn't mean it.
- I'II wait for you downstairs. - Wait a minute.
- I want to taIk to you. - What's goin' on?
- I warned you: no secrets. - I didn't keep any secrets from you.
She told me what you said in the bar when you met Bob. Do you remember?
- Do you? - Yeah. I said...
"I'd like to take that guy home and fuck him in front of Larry."
- So what? It was a joke. - She can't be a witness for you.
In fact, when the defence finds her, she'II be a witness for them.
Now what other surprises have you got waiting for me?
None.