What? What is it?
The door.
There's nobody there, Danny.
Go on back to sleep.
It's okay.
There's nobody there.
Oh, Christ.
Across the street. The phone booth.
It's going down at 3.
- Don't forget me, baby face. - Could I forget the King?
- Yeah. - Three o'clock.
Excuse me, Alan.
- Is Gus Levy there? - Yeah, Dom.
Three o 'clock.
Goddamn door, you never get used to it.
- Want me to get the door? - No, no. I'm all right.
Hey, Gio, your cigar stand sucks, you know that?
Here you go, kid.
All right, all right. Mother's milk.
The best is none too good.
Sing it to me, baby.
- Let me give you a hand. - Hands off. That's more money...
...than you can spend in a lifetime. - Touchy, touchy.
We're going back to Bogotá.
Come on, arriba, arriba.
You're starting to stink up the place.
Watch your step out there, now. They just mopped the floor.
A star-studded night.
- Good evening, gentlemen. - Evening, Your Honor.
Detective Daniel Ciello, Special Investigating Unit, Narcotics.
Detective Gino Mascone, Special Investigating Unit, Narcotics Division.
- You don't mind, do you, sergeant? - No, Your Honor, not at all.
Counselors.
Ladies, will you excuse us?
Either of you gentlemen in a hurry?
Detective Mascone?
After you, Detective Ciello.
Well, thank you, Detective Mascone.
Your Honor... Maria, you wanna stand up there, please?
Thank you.
Your Honor, this young lady has nothing on under her fur coat.
The court wouldn't want her to catch cold.
Certainly not, Detective Ciello. It could be grounds for an appeal.
Step forward, please.
So I say, "Lieutenant, my team is photographing the outside of the place.
Plus we got two bugs inside the place.
Will you for chrissake tell your men to put back the fucking TV sets...
...from where they stole them?"
All right, all right, you pricks. Next time we go first.
One of the ho's bit the clerk. We were there for two fucking hours.
Come in, detective.
Sorry I kept you waiting.
I'm new. I never know how long interviews will take.
- It's okay, I got a light day. - Good.
For the record, I'm District Attorney Cappalino. Special assistant prosecutor...
...investigating police corruption. - I know all about it.
- Chase Commission. - I hope you're impressed.
Sure, I'm a cop.
Detective, you personally are under no suspicion, no investigation here.
Why am I here?
I have to start somewhere, so I'm starting at the top.
Why narcotics, counselor?
Willie Sutton said it. "That's where the money is. " Sit down, detective.
Well, you know, I'd like to help. I just don't know how.
- Sorry, you all right? - Yeah, I'm all right.
Sorry, just bear with me, detective...
If anybody knows anything, SIU should.
You guys have city-wide jurisdiction, right?
Choose your own targets, enforce the law or not as you see fit.
What was it Judge Bernstein called you? "Princes of the City."
Sure, we walk on water.
You work virtually unsupervised.
Well, we're judged on results, counselor.
Some of which are spectacular. One of the reasons I'm interviewing you...
...is your own extraordinary career.
You're the leader of your unit. Yet you...
Excuse me. Seven years younger than the next youngest man.
- You know there's been talk, detective. - About me, sir?
No, about the Special Investigating Unit, SIU.
Well, Mr. Cappalino, there's also talk about feds.
I would like to hear about that.
But for now, let's talk about cops.
Oh, sure. You guys spy on cops all the time.
I mean, you go for cops because cops are easy.
That's right.
And I can't tell you how sorry I am that cops are easy.
You know, my whole career, I've never seen anything but good cops.
In SIU, I see great cops. Great detectives.
If a guy took as a cop, he'll take as a detective.
If a guy took as a DA, he'll take as a judge.
Okay, thanks for coming in, detective.
Oh, I will be in touch.
Or if you should want to call me, office and home.
By the way, if you do have something, anything...
...it wouldn't have to go through the Chase Commission.
There are lots of other investigative branches.
Looking for something besides cops? I'd love to hear it.
Did you read the report?
Ten times as many cops got themselves bit in 1966...
...as got themselves bit in 1964.
Hey, Gino, do they say where they got themselves bit?
- Who else could live with this? - Who needs a drink?
Hey, Ernie.
I've got Ronnie upstairs.
Watch what your sister puts in her mouth, hear?
Why ask? I'm reading the new Vonnegut.
- Who? - Vonnegut, you guys ought to try it.
- Who? - I wanna get out of here.
Your father and Ernie have got Ronnie upstairs.
I read that report, Gino. Thanks, Bill.
One of the worst hazards of the profession, biters.
Yeah, but you got to see where my horse was bit.
I found him in the road. He wouldn't tell me who done it.
All right, thanks Ernie. Go back downstairs, Pop.
- His cheek is cut bad. - I said I'd take care of it.
- He's your brother. - Sure you'll take care of it.
Like you always take care of it, right?
If you took care of it...
...think I'd be coming here like some fucked-over piece of meat?
What is it, huh? You got a problem, Ronnie?
You got a new problem? Why don't you tell me about your problem, Ronnie?
- I mean, I've done everything I can. - You don't do nothing. Nothing!
Shit, I come here, you got this house.
You got a car, your wife's got a car. You know?
- Got a problem? Tell me the problem. - You're always wearing the best clothes!
You smell like I don't know what. And all your friends down there...
...they're in the same shape! - Hey, we earn what we got.
I look at those cops. What are you telling me? You guys are civil servants?
Is that what you're telling me?
You guys are doing more shit than me or any of the people I know would!
Listen to this. We earn what we got. Why don't you search my house, huh?
- Search my house. Like the other times. - Always coming on like you're special...
...because you got a badge to go with your gun!
Know the difference between you and a guy putting a stocking over his head?
You got a badge! You're the same fucking crook.
The same fucking crook. And your father don't see it, but I see it.
And in his heart, your father sees it.
If you want to help me, you can help me!
All of you have the right time on your gold Rolexes?
- I'm sorry, Pop, I... - I know you can't. I know that.
But what he says about everything.
Your brother's right, Danny. He ain't blind.
And neither am I.
I thought you got him into a methadone program?
I got him in two methadone programs. I swear to God, Joe.
The day I give him junk is the day I take my gun and I shoot us both.
Danny, come on.
All right, everybody. A little vino for the digestion, huh?
I kind of enjoy it when Nancy takes the kids to her folks.
I get to go in the kitchen, and I do it my way, you know?
How...? How do you like your steak?
Do it your way.
You like it rare.
What is it? What do you want? I didn't do it, whatever it is.
Why don't you do something important, like investigate lawyers?
You were in the Manhattan DA's office, right?
There was never a hint of corruption in that office.
Maybe you know something I don't.
Danny, you called me. So why you here?
If you know anything about lawyers or DAs, I would love to hear it.
Is it common practice to sell narcotics in the narcotics division?
Where is your information from? Village Voice?
New York Magazine, for chrissake?
We don't sell narcotics. Dope dealers sell narcotics.
We're not dope dealers. We're policemen.
This steak is raw. This conversation is bullshit.
- Yeah? - Danny, I'm sick. I can't sleep.
Hang on.
What are you talking about? I left you something when we finished.
Whatever it was, I'm sick, Danny.
It's 3:00 in the morning, you fuck.
What's this "you fuck," man?
We work together, right?
You know I can't make it without you, Danny.
Look, you really need... You really have to help me, Danny.
You don't want to leave me out here throwing rocks.
Where are you?
You got something for me?
I'm gonna get you something.
Hey, Sal. You got something for me? I got a sick stoolie.
You have to replace this for me, Danny. I got stoolies too, you know?
What is it?
I don't know what this is.
This ain't shit! Shit, Danny!
You gotta get me something! What are we gonna do? Come on, Danny.
- Danny, you gotta get me something. - Shut up! Shut up!
You gotta help me, Danny!
- Shit, Danny! - Shut up! We'll go over to Cy's place.
- Oh, I don't believe it. - What?
I left my money at home. I haven't got a dime.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God, Danny. Oh, God, Danny, what are we gonna do?
- Danny, what are we gonna...? Oh, God. - Shut up.
When that guy comes out of Cy's, I'm gonna take him.
You can have whatever he's got.
- Yeah, Danny, you gotta... - Get your hands off me and stay down.
Stay out of sight.
Danny!
Come on, Danny!
Why'd you run, Jose?
Kill him! Kill him! Kill the motherfucker!
You hurt me, baby face. I think you broke something.
You shouldn't have run, Jose. Where's your junk?
Oh, don't take my junk. Please, baby face, don't take my cure, man.
I bought five bags, take half. Don't take it all. I'm sick.
Don't you see how sick I am?
I'm a junkie, not a connection. Why you wanna bust me?
Oh, Jesus, Jose, I'm sorry.
It's okay. It's broke, it don't matter. Just don't leave me sick, baby face.
Hey, four bags, Jose.
You must have struck it rich.
Here's two bags. Go home and sleep now.
You're a bitch, Danny.
That's some fucking left hand you got.
Dry out. You got a lot of work to do tomorrow.
I'm not gonna forget this, Danny. I'm not gonna forget this.
I can't breathe. I'm gonna to be si...
Come on, Jose. Come on, I'll take you home.
I saved you two bags, Jose. You'll be okay.
Jeannie, open. I got something.
- What is it? - From Cy's.
Jeannie, you got any iodine?
Jeannie, save me something. I'm sick.
I'm sick, baby, okay?
Okay, baby?
I'm sick.
Baby.
Save me something, baby, yes.
l... I blew my first shot.
You fucking liar! Where did you put the bag?
I flushed it, man. It was garbage.
I told you, I had to take two. I blew my first shot.
You fucking liar! Didn't you even leave me enough to get through the night!
- Oh, you liar! Liar, liar. - Oh, babe!
- Liar, liar, liar. - Hold him, please!
- Liar, liar, liar. - Please, please!
Day I graduated from the academy was the proudest day in their lives.
I hear you've got the best mob connection in SIU.
A cousin. That right?
Yeah, Nick.
My father's sister. Her Nick's with the Colombos.
Listen, those guys don't tell me anything they don't want me to know.
See, to my cousin Nick, being a cop is a sickness...
...to want to put people in jail.
Every time he introduces me to somebody, he says:
"Remember, this guy's a cop."
I understand.
Danny, this is the second time you've called me. What is it?
I know something is eating you. I want to help.
How come you set up a meeting for me with this guy, and don't check with me?
Look, I am not setting you up.
Brooks Paige is a guy you're gonna want to know. He can be a friend.
A friend that heads the Anti-Corruption Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Yeah, that's true.
Brooks is a good guy. He's very up front.
Very resourceful.
Very prompt.
That's not true. All cops are like me. I'm no different.
Well, I think you are. That's why you're here.
You don't know why I'm here.
Where did you go to school, Paige?
I went to Harvard, and before Harvard to Andover...
...and before Andover to St. Bernard's. - St. Bernard's.
That's in the 23. That's little, blond boys in blazers, right?
Oh, shit, Cappalino.
My own father can't understand the pressures on cops.
What am I supposed to get from St. Bernard's?
You people in the Chase Commission, you tell cops...
...you're out to catch them taking meals or taking Christmas presents.
You bastards, it's you guys who run the whole fucking thing.
You run it!
Starting with assistant DAs...
...who plea-bargain murder one down to a misdemeanor!
Or lawyers wearing $400 suits, who come up to cops in hallways and say:
"Hey, pal, this case don't mean shit. Here's $50.
Here's $ 100, $500, $ 15,000."
Fifteen thousand dollars!
Fuck, I mean, we know how you guys become judges.
You pay 50,000, and... you're wearing robes!
You guys, you live in Westport or here on Central Park West...
...while we're up in El Barrio on 125th Street!
You want us to keep everybody on the inside...
...so you can stay on the outside!
- That's not true. - The fuck it's not true!
The fuck it's not true!
The first thing a cop learns is he can't trust anybody but his partners!
I'll tell you something right now...
...I sleep with my wife, but I live with my partners.
You people... You people, you're just out to hurt us.
You wanna lay the whole fucked-up system on us!
But nobody cares about me but my partner!
You understand that? Nobody!
You see, I see what kind of man you are. And you, you know?
And then I look at my partner, and I see what kind of man he is.
And there's no comparison, see? It's me and him...
...and whatever guy we catch.
And we're gonna put him in jail, we're gonna lock him up...
...and we're gonna take his fucking money.
Fuck him, fuck them and fuck you!
Fuck you!
You guys are winning in the end, anyway.
We're out there selling ourselves and our families.
These people we take from own us.
I know what you guys think of us.
That we're the only thing between you and the jungle.
You don't understand!
We're on the inside!
You've got the same kind of dirt under your fingernails as me.
Sure, I give my informants heroin.
They got nobody but me, and they're sick, and they're helpless...
...and I feel responsible for them.
But under the law, I give them junk, and that's the same as selling.
That's a felony. So why don't you arrest me right now?
You got the same use for me down the line as I got with my informants.
But you're United States attorneys.
If you have guilty knowledge of a felony, and you don't move against me...
...then you're committing a felony, so don't give me any shit.
I mean, everybody's using everybody, right?
So, what I want is... And let's get this straight.
If I decide to do this thing, I will not give up my partners.
I want the unit broken up, so that they can be protected.
They're not doing anything, but...
We'll transfer them out of SIU. It's time for normal rotation, anyway.
I gotta think. I gotta have more time.
So who you gonna hurt? Your partners? Gus? Gino?
- You're gonna ruin their lives? - Don't be crazy.
I'm not gonna implicate anybody close to us.
They're gonna break up the unit and rotate the partners at SIU.
- I'm gonna call the shots. - You think they're gonna let you choose?
You think they're gonna say:
"Okay, Dan, whoever you wanna tell us about, you decide"?
Is that what you think?
I know you feel guilty.
Other people are guiltier than you. Everybody's guilty.
Mary McLenan, you ought to hear her.
"My Neddie, he's snow white. He's an angel."
Then we're in the bank together, and she's got 400 $ 1 bills for deposit.
Her angel's been taking from some old woman...
...doing the numbers in a candy store.
I feel lousy, Carla.
The other night I was with my junkies, and I got mean.
They break my heart, and I got mean.
Remember what it was like when I was starting out on the roofs?
How good it felt?
I wanna feel that way again.
This guy, Cappalino, he's gonna force you to hurt your friends...
...people who've been good to you.
Always when I hear you or Gus or Joe, any of the guys...
...you always say nothing's worse than to be a...
A rat.
A rat is when they catch you and make you inform. Nobody caught me.
This is my setup. This is my action. And I'm never gonna hurt my partners.
It'll happen.
How are you gonna live with that?
How am I gonna live with you while you live with that?
When I decide what I'll do, you can decide what you'll do.
Okay, but not with the Chase Commission.
And Paige has gotta understand that I will never, never work against cops...
...who've been my friends or partners in SIU.
I will never wear a wire against my friends, betray my friends.
He's got to understand that.
Dan...
...we'll never force you to do something you can't live with.
I promise you that.
Some of my best work, kid.
Look at this.
I think I'm in love.
- These wonderful ladies are perpetrators? - Innocent bystanders, Bill.
Those are the famous innocent bystanders you always hear about.
Now I know I'm in love.
They're all yours, Danny baby. From me to you.
It's my connection at the phone company.
That's a serious present, Danny.
Well, Gus, give me the tits.
What's that?
NoDoz? Nine years in Narcotics and you're taking NoDoz?
Mayo, you asshole. I'm busting you for possession.
Hey, that other shit screws up my sinuses.
I'll screw up your sinuses.
NoDoz. Shit.
All right, all right. Give me a break, will you?
Safe house, right? Feel like I'm in some kind of spy story.
It's the old post office. We'll work out of here.
- Daniel, we're gonna launder you. - Squeaky clean.
We want all of it. Everything.
Rick, can I talk to you for a second?
Just so it's clear, Cappalino, we're in the same boat, right?
You got a wife and two kids, so have I.
Anything happens to me, the same thing's gonna happen to you.
You know me and you know my friends.
- Are you threatening me? - Absolutely.
Your family will be completely safe, Dan. Nobody's going to get hurt.
Good, we can both breathe easier.
It's not the best way to start a partnership.
We're not partners yet.
You ready?
- I did three things at SIU. - You did three things in 11 years?
Yes.
Start with the worst.
Well, it's been about five years since I went to confession, but...
Another SIU team had a long investigation going...
...on a Mafia drug dealer...
...a guy named Simonetta.
But they couldn't get enough for an indictment.
So they decided to contact Simonetta and offer to drop the case...
Which was gonna be dropped anyway. - for money.
Because I got connections, they asked me to make the deal, which I did.
- How much? - Ten thousand.
Case was dropped, I got commission.
Bribe solicitation, probably extortion.
What else?
Another case involving some Mafia guys.
A police lieutenant came to me and asked me...
...why the detective in charge wasn't making any arrests.
What was happening was the detective was shaking the guys down.
This detective was a very tough guy...
...and he was shaking down some very tough guys, Delicata brothers.
So I set up a meet.
Now, the detective, he goes right at Louis Delicata.
He says, "Louis, we ain't got you good, we got you beautiful.
We had a wire on your phone for a month. A legal wire.
And your brother Tiny is up to his guinea ass in your shit."
Delicata jumps a mile.
He's all shook up because his brother Tiny was on life parole for murder.
Sitting duck, right?
The detective wants 75,000 in cash, or he's gonna roll Tiny up.
Delicata gets up from the table and screams like a woman.
He says, "That fucking shield you got ain't no bulletproof vest!
I'd sooner kill you than let my brother go back to the fucking can for nothing!
I'm gonna fucking kill you!"
Then this detective, he just yawns. Yawns.
Right in Delicata's face. Right in the fucking guy's face.
Then he gets me up, goes out, takes me with him.
I thought I was gonna catch a bullet in my fucking back.
We get outside, and I say, "Listen, man.
Those fucking guys are killers! What the fuck are you doing, man?"
He says to me, "Kid, they're full of shit.
They think they're tough, but we're tougher.
So you go back inside there, and you make a deal."
So I did.
Delicata gave me $ 7500.
Just a second. I thought that you said that the detective wanted 75,000.
It was negotiable.
What was the detective's name?
You'll never get witnesses or corroborating evidence...
...against that detective...
...so there's no point in me naming him.
What was the third thing, Daniel?
I took 1000 bucks for putting together Rocky Gazzo and Detective Logan...
...from the Safe and Loft Squad.
I don't know anything about what they had going.
- And that's it? That's the three things? - That's it.
All right, Daniel.
Let's say that we do go to work together, and we make cases...
...they'll be big. You'll be the state's star witness.
This business with the three things...
...we'll expose them, we'll defuse them.
You can't be hurt if we back you up.
And we will back you up if you're telling the truth.
But if you perjure yourself by so much as one detail...
...to protect yourself, to protect your partners...
...if you perjure yourself for any reason whatsoever, you'll be eaten alive.
Now, our cases will be forfeit.
Everything we do from this moment forward will be destroyed.
Daniel, I represent a legal arm...
...of the government of the United States of America...
...and I cannot allow that to happen.
Now, is there anything else?
Rick, I did three things.
All right.
All right. What do we do? How do we start?
Just get me wired and sit back. It'll happen.
Remember, the antenna has to hang loose.
The battery pack, the transmitter, they're always problems. They're bulky.
If you're frisked, they're hard to hide.
Oh, Dan, this is Agent Elroy Pendleton and Bubba Harris.
- Dan Ciello. - Hi, how are you?
- Hi there. - Nice to meet you.
We're your backup. We'll be recording you and be around in case you need us.
Good. Where you guys from?
- Dallas. - Atlanta.
Hope you know the neighborhood.
I still get confused down in Greenwich Village.
I know what you mean.
- Detective, could you sign here? - Sure.
This stuff will be ready for you in two weeks.
Okay, you work my precinct.
I don't give a fuck on what, as long as I get my full cut.
Everything goes through Edelman.
Edelman, that other thing, you work it out.
What other thing?
Captain's got somebody down in the Southern District DA's office.
He's got a progress report on an indictment he's ready to sell.
- Sell to who? - An old friend of yours, Rocky Gazzo.
- Hey, Danny. - Hey, Nicky.
- How you doing? - Good to see you.
- You're looking good. - Thanks. Louis, how are you?
- Nice to see you. - Good to see you.
- How's the family? - Everybody's good, Nick.
- So how's Maria and Aunt Angela? - Maria's gonna have another baby.
- No kidding. - And you know Mama...
...she thinks she set the whole thing up herself.
I'm glad you're back. I thought you'd be going to the dogs.
You kidding? I gave up the dogs.
They ain't never gonna catch the rabbit, and I ain't never gonna catch them.
- Is Rocky still in Florida? - Yeah. Sure.
Oh, here's the thing.
Rocky's got this guy, some assistant DA from the Southern District, on his ass.
But I can buy the progress report.
- Good. Who's the DA? - I don't know.
I gotta go through another cop.
- Who? - A sergeant in the 1-4 named Edelman.
Guy's a fucking matzo eater.
- You gonna vouch for him? - Yeah, sure. He's got sources.
All right.
Rocky will be back at the end of the week.
I'll set it up.
Hey, Danny, do the right thing here. You put some bread on the table.
You understand?
Hey, let me ask you something.
You get your rocks off putting Italians in jail?
You gonna start with me?
There ain't enough niggers out there for you, you son of a bitch?
Hey, it's 15 bucks a coif here.
Drink your coffee. Go ahead.
- Hey, Rocky. - So how you been, kid?
Good. How are you, Rocky?
What's this shit I hear, you're transferring out of Narcotics?
No. Where did you hear that? I'm in.
Good. We need you where you're at.
So who's this? You Edelman?
So now we've met. Let's get out of here.
Danny, you like the jacket?
- I found a tailor in Florida. - It fits good. Nice and snug.
- Where do you carry your piece? - I don't carry that no more.
You guys know why I don't carry no gun?
Because every nigger I know has got a gun.
Me, I got a little hatchet, and I keep it right under the seat.
- You gotta be kidding. - Telling you.
This is Agent Harris, leaving the diner, trailing the subject.
You know...
...this fucking Chase Commission thing has got everybody crazy.
- I hate this fucking job. - Bullshit.
They're just pulling your prick, Danny. It doesn't matter what you do.
You open a luncheonette, you gotta cook.
You gotta work it to earn it.
Hey, do you wanna stop breathing on me?
Listen, the cops, you don't own the world...
...but you get to shake it a little, right?
Yeah.
All right, get out. I gotta see if you are wired.
Rocky, it's a fucking insult! You frisk him, you frisk me!
- Danny, I don't know this fucking guy. - Well, fuck, Rocky, you know me.
Okay, what do you got?
- They're around here somewhere. - I got them.
So long.
Like, get out, you know?
I'll catch you later.
- Better count it. - You should've just given it to Edelman.
I don't give 10 big ones to some fucking kike cop on the first date, all right?
I give you the money, Danny.
You're responsible it gets to where it's going.
It's one for the DA and one for you guys.
- I just gotta give it to Edelman. - Okay, but I give it to you.
I do business by the rules, Danny.
- You understand? - Yeah.
I think the batteries leaked.
Don't move, Danny.
Shit!
A Baxter Street bail bondsman, Danny.
- Bigtime fixer, Dave DeBennedeto. - No.
- This one is a police officer. - Yeah, that's Carl Alagretti.
- I worked with him a couple of times. - Great.
And Alagretti's your entrée to DeBennedeto.
Dave's been calling all over town about you.
Why do you always have to shoot off your mouth, Ciello?
Everybody's talking about how some cop is squealing to the Chase Commission.
Carl, let's not sit so close to the TV set, okay?
- I can't get any kind of recording here. - Man, that's not funny.
Listen, you ought to think about coming over, Carl.
Lot of cops are doing it.
You see that waitress over there, the one with no tits?
She's been wearing a wire for six months.
She got a transmitter stuffed right up her pussy.
He said by 11. It's 10 of 12.
- Was he wired tonight? - How would I know?
He consults the spirits.
Thinks he's some kind of goddamn gypsy fortune teller. "Tonight?"
"Oh, no. Tonight much danger. No. No wire."
Also, he won't wear his gun.
Know where he keeps his gun now? In his attaché case in the trunk of his car.
I understand you're looking to do us a favor here.
I want you to know I get nervous when people try to do me favors.
I got something to earn. It has to be right away.
So, what is it, Danny?
You remember Martinez? You bonded him.
He says he paid you back.
He's waiting for trial on Rikers.
He says he got a tape on you where you admit he paid you.
Now you're squeezing him. If you don't stop, he'll play the tape.
That's a felony.
Now let me tell you something. He's a rat fuck and a punk.
He ain't got the heart to wear a wire around me.
You know what I do if I catch him wearing a wire?
I stick it up his fucking ass, and I pull it out his mouth.
Nobody, nobody wears a wire around me. I can smell them.
It's God's truth, Danny. I never seen nothing like it.
You know what, Dave? You're an asshole.
I don't know how you got what you got.
You think I'm some kind of rat or something?
We know the same people, you understand what I'm saying?
You ain't half as tough as you think you are.
Martinez made you, you fat fuck.
Hey, fuck.
Nobody talks to me like that...
...not even my friends.
I have a theory about that gun, Rick.
That he's so ambivalent about what he's doing...
...that if he's caught...
...by DeBennedeto or anybody...
...and the verdict is that he's a rat and he deserves to die...
...that he's decided in advance not to defend himself.
He showed. He showed, that fat son of a bitch.
I mean, for a month he's ducking me, and now he showed.
Give me a beer, will you, Rick? He wants something, and it's gotta be big.
Him and Alagretti are so hot...
...about the Chase Commission and this mystery cop.
- It's got to be a fucking game. I love it. - What do you mean?
It's not just DeBennedeto.
I heard 10 times this week how I'm the big witness.
So somebody starts hinting about the commission, I say, "Sure...
...catch me on the tube. I'm going to be a big star."
You love the danger, don't you, Danny?
It's a living.
Don't go wired to that next meeting.
I think I will.
Dan, how you doing, kid?
You look good. Look at you healthy, huh?
If you're looking for a wire, you ought to do it right.
In SIU we wear them behind our balls. Come on, check it.
Come on, come on. Check it. Feel my balls. Come on.
I'd rather go to fucking jail!
I don't want to hear more of this shit. I look like a rat?
- Sit down. - Cut that out, all right?
Sit down. You're too sensitive. Relax. Relax.
So? I'm not here for the company.
You ever hear of a guy named Michael Blomberg?
Yeah, he's a fucking creep.
Why did you say that? I know he's got a bad reputation, but he's a good guy.
He's a very smart lawyer, and he's helped a lot of people.
- Maybe. - They got him for subornation of perjury.
That means he caused perjury to be committed.
I'm not your idiot client. I know.
Jesus, Danny, Dave didn't mean nothing.
What the problem is, is Blomberg's been indicted.
He's defended some people very, very big in junk.
He'd also like to pay very big for anybody who could help him in his case.
And you've got this friend in the DA's office.
So, what's the case against Blomberg?
Blomberg. My God.
- Tell me about him. Never heard of him. - He's the biggest.
Takes heroin dealers that the government's got cold...
...and brings in witnesses that say he was with them in some other place.
You're lucky. Last night you said you were gonna wire to that meeting.
If you had, you'd now be part of the pasta fazul.
What made you back off?
I didn't.
I got it all.
You said Alagretti gave you a massage. Where did you wear the wire?
Right where I told that fat fuck. Under my balls.
Everybody knows who everybody is now, right?
- Right. Everybody takes Scotch or what? - Yeah, sure.
Let's get down to business.
The most important thing as far as I'm concerned, Mr. Blomberg...
...is that I think for the future of this guy.
Well, if we ever need him again... Thank you.
If we ever need him again, we go right through you, right, Mike?
So your friend, can he get us these grand-jury minutes?
The witness transcripts.
You're talking about something the mere possession of which if he gets pinched...
...is five on the spot. He don't operate out of love.
So what's his fucking number, your friend? What's his number?
You tell me, Mr. Blomberg. How much do you want to spend?
Counselor...
...these people, these witnesses...
...they're not around anymore, you know?
Yeah. They say Mike had them clipped.
He didn't. They're around.
Yeah, they've just joined the jet set on the road.
So great. They're not around or whatever.
Then what's your problem?
You don't need to spend the money.
With witnesses on the road, it's not worth spending.
Just buy me the fucking transcripts, Ciello.
Oskar Werner knocks me out. Does he knock you out?
- So-so. - So-so?
- Yeah. - Don't go for Oskar Werner...
...you don't go for me because...
...I am very much like Oskar Werner. I mean, in my personality and in my soul.
No.
No? Babe, you just batted out.
I think you're like a young Marlon.
No, I'm like Dudley Do-Right now.
I'm finally doing it what I set out to do.
I'm putting the biggest crooked lawyer in New York out of business.
Neat.
I've been doing the right thing all along.
- Just painful getting there, you know? - Sure.
I ever tell you about the time I was a kid, how in school I always carried the flag?
- Chase Commission investigating police corruption.
As rumored for some months, a prime government witness...
... is from the ranks of the police department. He is ready to talk.
Although no identification is forthcoming...
... it has been learned that the first initial of the informant is the letter D.
We'll be back with more in a moment.
Call that fucking D-A-N-N-Y.
Yeah, you're okay.
You guys all right? What's the matter?
What's the matter? It's bad. Bad. Everything's bad. Bad.
- Bad? What's the matter? - Everything's wrong. Walk.
- What's wrong? - Walk, blink your eye...
...and I'll blow your fucking head off.
- He's in trouble. - Stay with him.
I can't. It's a one-way street.
- Okay, go down the block and turn left. - We're gonna lose him.
We lost him already! Go down the block and turn left!
Shit!
If what I hear is true, you're a fucking dead man!
Hear? What you hear?
That you're testifying before the Chase Commission tomorrow.
I've been telling that to everybody in the office.
This thing was a big fucking joke. There's 20 people, I'm telling them...
...I'm testifying to the Chase Commission.
Leave me alone. Wanna leave me alone?
Good. Good.
What are you looking for?
An empty building?
Are you gonna knock off a cop in daylight?
You gotta clip him. You're responsible. You gotta fucking clip him.
You're the cop. You're the one with the gun. You're gonna clip him.
We gotta do something.
- Where's the fucking gun, Danny? - What?
- Where's the fucking gun? - In my trunk, you wanna go get it?
I never wear the thing, only when I'm working.
All kidding aside, Carl, you're giving me a lot of attitude here.
This is no joke, it's bullshit. You're playing fucking games here.
We're not playing fucking games here. Come on.
Look, look. We're only a block from Mulberry Street.
Walk me over there. My cousin Nick will vouch for me.
This is crazy. If Nick won't vouch for me 1000 percent, pull the trigger then.
Don't go down asking for it, because you're going to find it.
See if he's there.
I says, "We think he's a rat. We think we should fucking clip him."
He says, "If you think he's a rat, you should clip him.
But if you do, you better be sure he's a rat.
Because the people that like him, they're good people."
No hard feelings.
You tell Mr. Paige that Danny called, and I'm going to be at his fucking house!
Just like that!
At his fucking house!
I want New York City cops with me now. I asked you months ago.
Those federal clowns didn't understand what was going on.
They're from fucking out of town!
They worry about blowing the investigation. Cops worry about me.
- I want cops. - You'll have them, Danny, I promise.
Hey, you know what that fucking scumbag said to me?
He said it was lucky I showed up. They were on the way to my house!
My wife's there and kids. Alone.
Call my house! There could be somebody there. Call my house. Call my house!
There's a cop who lives on my block, Ernie Fallacci.
He lives on my block. Four cops on my block.
- They know who belongs there. - No answer!
- Don't tell me there's no answer! - Danny, it's 3:00.
She's probably taking the kids home from school.
- I gotta get out. I wanna get out. - I'll get a car.
No, I'll call the precinct. I want my guys. I want my own.
I think it's over. We have to end it. That's it.
- I gotta call... - No! No!
No, it'll die down. The hearings will be over, I won't have testified...
...the fucking thing will be over, it'll die down.
- Hello, Edelman? - Danny, are you okay? We were worried.
Yeah. Listen, Sam, I had some problems with some fucking guys.
Stay where you are. We'll get you.
It's okay, I'm all right. I gotta get home. I can't reach Carla.
Where are you? We're on our way.
I'm at Fulton Street under the bridge. Right by the old fire boathouse.
Twelve minutes.
Edelman cares more about me than you guys.
And I'm putting him in jail.
I want you to go away. You and Carla and the kids.
- Where? - There's a nice place on the island.
I want you to go for 10 days.
- What will I do there? - Rest.
Me too. Rick?
Yeah, sure. We could all use that.
Danny, it's hard on you.
On me too.
What's hard on you?
The lines don't stay clear.
The feds fucked up.
And your life was saved by a Mafia guy we're trying to lock up.
That's right.
So you leave my cousin Nick alone.
What if you catch a whale?
I'll let him go.
What if you catch a shark?
I don't know. I'd hate to let a shark go. It might swim off and bite somebody.
I don't care. Let it go.
Okay.
Cappalino and Paige, these men don't know about cops or care.
They don't care about you.
Yeah, they do. They do care about me.
You think if you get yourself killed you're gonna be some kind of hero?
You'll get an inspector's funeral and everybody that loves you will come.
You get your inspector's funeral and my life is over, Danny.
Nobody loves you but your partners and me.
Mr. Santimassino.
Cappalino?
- Good morning, sir. - Good morning.
- Good to see you. - How are you?
And you're... You're Detective Ciello.
Oh, welcome to Washington.
Well, you three have been working a very short time with such nice results.
Your operation interests me, and I propose to commit men and funds.
I think we may have a chance here for some international cases.
I myself will be spending a good deal of time in New York.
Let's have a drink and talk.
To date, there are 16 indictments being prepared.
They've got six Mafia dealers, three of whom we consider major.
A corrupt captain of police, four detectives...
...five smaller organized crime soldiers...
...the bondsman, DeBennedeto, and Mike Blomberg.
And we also have four other ongoing investigations here.
Needless to say, we're very proud of Detective Ciello's work.
I've been studying Detective Ciello's file very closely.
Interesting career.
- Da... May I call you Dan? - Oh, yeah, sure. Dan's good.
Now, let me ask you a question, Dan.
What do you know about a man who calls himself Marcel Sardino?
- He's a major connection. - Yeah, everybody's heard about Sardino.
I'd like to have Mr. Sardino. Can you fit him in? I know you got a lot.
No. No, that's no problem.
Easter is coming up, and things ease off at Easter.
I don't know how it is with the feds. But with cops...
...we don't like to make too many arrests over the holidays.
Nobody wants to put people in jail at Easter.
It's a little different on the federal side.
Well, we'll be meeting again soon, Dan.
You'll be coming to Washington quite often.
Ask Krimsky to drive these gentlemen to National.
- Finally. - Yup.
Hey.
- He looks great. He's, what, 14? - Sixteen.
I bought him when the department retired him.
Gino ever tell you how we met?
No. I know he was a Mountie. You too?
Oh, no, I'm scared of horses.
But I'm alone, there's 2000 blacks in the street.
And I feel like I'm the only white man in Africa.
I'm 23 years old, and these blacks, they want to burn the precinct down.
So down comes the U.S. Cavalry. Fast Gino on a lead horse.
- And those nightsticks were flying. - Yeah.
This beauty goes right up the steps of the station house.
I'm telling you, the natives scattered.
All of a sudden I got this horse's ass in my face.
His tail's in my nose, it's in my mouth.
This one, this big guinea cop, he sits up on the horse like John Wayne.
Lays his nightstick on this guy's head, it's so loud, it sounds like a pistol shot.
Then he looks down at me.
I'm leaning against the station-house door. He says:
"Hey, kid, you want the collar?"
What about this new case? Sardino?
What do you know about Sardino?
We were on him too. Wondering how you got on to him.
- Buddy Meatballs. - Buddy Meatballs.
Nobody from Europe?
- You know who his supplier is? - Yeah, you?
- Yeah. - Well, are you gonna tell me who it is?
I thought you knew.
- Show you mine if you show me yours. - I don't think so.
Detective, how are you? Rick.
Good to see you, sir.
Sardino got picked up by somebody.
- Who? - You don't know him. A good detective.
I met with him. He won't give up anything about Sardino.
Well, what's his name?
- Detective? - The detective.
Gino Mascone.
I know that good detective. I want him.
- What? He's a top cop. - He knows about dope.
- I know about dope. - Not like Mascone.
He's dirty, not just on the street.
I heard his name when I was serving in France.
This may be a good accident. I want you to tie into him.
No way, Mr. Santimassino.
He's a buddy. Was my rabbi when I first came on force.
Rick, I thought the deal was no partners. Correct?
- You're correct. - Was Mascone your partner?
- No. - So what's the problem?
- He's a friend. And he trusts me. - He'd sell you and his mother...
...in the same lot. He's federal level. I want him.
If you're right, you'll have to get him some other way. Not through me.
Any other way of getting a line to Sardino?
- I'm working on it. - Let me know.
I'm here till Monday morning.
Who wants a lift?
We're going the other way, thanks.
Take it easy.
Well, I guess I owe you one.
What do you need?
You ever heard of a guy named Marcel Sardino? Very big, like international.
Yeah. Yeah, I bonded him once. He skipped.
- I want to know where he's holed up. - Who doesn't?
You really are an asshole, you know that?
What are you gonna do if you find him, punch him out?
Find out for me. I put a tap on him...
...you get the tapes. You sell the tapes to him.
You walk away with your bond and 50 grand. This guy is big.
- For you? - Ten percent and my other thing...
...which is none of your fucking business.
None of my fucking business?
Stay here. I'll see what I can do.
- Yeah. - Gino. Dave.
Hey, man, listen. I still don't trust this little prick Ciello.
He's nothing but needles. Every time I talk to him, nothing but needles.
Well, what do you expect? You leaned on him. I hope he drives you crazy.
Hey, look, you moron, if Ciello's a rat, then my mother's a rat.
Now stop bothering me, will you?
My kids are in school, and I love my wife.
Here. Park Avenue.
A lot of doormen. Go nice. Wear a suit.
How come one phone call gets an address you wanted so long?
Well, let's say somebody owed me.
Goddamn, I'm nervous using anything from you.
Now you know how I feel.
So long, scumbag.
He's on my ass, Rick. Hey, he wants Sardino, I'm getting Sardino.
It's too fancy. Why mix up with DeBennedeto again?
We've got him. We'll do it another way.
I don't know another way. Is Ernie on backup?
Yes, Ernie is on backup. Are you going wired to this?
- No, not tonight. - Goddamn it. I knew it. You're nervous.
Rick, you ain't never gonna learn. I'm always nervous.
Sometimes I'm scared shitless. Tonight I am scared shitless.
Assigned to permanent duty with this guy?
- Hey, how you doing, kid? - Okay. you?
Perfect. I told Dave I met Sardino's lawyer.
It's like you said. If the tapes are real, 50 grand on top of what Dave blew.
The tapes are good.
Come here.
From the desk of Cappalino? The assistant DA?
D-E-B. DeBennedeto. That's got to be you.
If this is what I think it is, I'm gonna jam you up, you cocksucker.
Now come on.
I told you I wasn't wearing a wire. You're ruining my jacket.
- Drop your shorts. - Only if you kiss my ass.
We're getting out of here.
We're gonna sit down. I'm gonna pay the check...
...and we're leaving, nice.
Now put your pants on.
What's the hell's the point? He's not even wired.
Why don't you relax and count your overtime?
All right! All right, I got four agents outside! Call 911!
Wait a minute! Wait a minute, I'm a cop!
Come on, up! Up, hands up.
Now get up!
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
The telephone, is no work!
- Come on. Give me a reason. - No.
- Give me a reason. - Easy.
Come on, give me a reason.
Give me a reason. I'll blow your fucking brains out.
I'll blow your brains out. Come on.
- Come on, Carl, up! - Easy.
- Come on, let's go. Move! - Easy.
- Walk! Come on, Carl. - Easy.
Move, Carl!
- Move, Carl. Come on, move. Let's go. - Take it easy.
I'll blow your fucking brains out, you fat fuck.
Are we...? Are we in a lot of trouble, Danny?
- Just walk. Walk. - Come on.
- Keep walking. Keep walking. - What do you need?
- Keep walking.
- Come on, Carl. - Not like this.
- Move, Carl. - Not like this, Dan. Really. Come on.
- I'll blow your fucking brains out. Walk. - Come on.
- Come on. Let's talk. - Nice and slow.
- Come on. All right? - Nice and slow.
Come on. Come on, now freeze. Now freeze.
Stay the fuck where you are!
- Ernie! - Come on, we can make a deal.
Ernie! Against the doors.
- We can make a deal. - Against the doors.
- Come on, Carl. - Come on.
Spread. Higher, Carl. Come on.
Hey, put the defogger on. I can't see anything.
Come on, Danny, what do you need? Anything.
Come on. Can't we make a deal? Come on, Dan.
He's in trouble.
- I'm here, Danny. - I'm all right. I'm all right.
- Carl had a gun. Where's his gun? - I got him.
- Get the doors. - All right. Get him... Get him off.
Easy, easy.
- All right, get off me. - Easy.
Easy.
Take care of him.
- You all right, Dan? - Come on, let me go.
- Christ. - You all right?
- I'm bleeding. - Let me go.
- I'm gonna move. - Oh, all right then. Come on.
Take it easy.
- Come on. - Danny.
Can you get me a deal, Danny?
I'll try. Hey, Ernie, you want the collar?
No, I'll take the walrus, but I won't bring a cop in.
Let the fucking feds do it. They enjoy it.
You take Carl to the hospital, and book him fast. No newspapers.
I'll wait here with Ernie for that piece of shit over there.
And I'll tell you this to your face, you guys are never backing me up again.
- I'm bleeding. - I'll quit first.
- Help, please. - Thanks, Danny. Thanks.
Take care, baby.
The doorman has your name. Hi, Bobby.
Here's a key.
You can crash here whenever you need it.
There are four bedrooms. Timmy, how you doing?
The refrigerator is always full.
What else can I do for you?
I'm nervous about Sardino.
Don't be.
I'm telling you, he's gonna skip.
He's gotta figure DeBennedeto fingered him.
- He'll skip. - He won't.
DeBennedeto is in jail.
If we pick up Sardino now...
...it would be clear he was cooperating.
Just 48 hours, that's all we need.
I want to take Sardino in.
Dan, this is dangerous information I'm about to give you.
Do not do anything. Anything at all.
You'll screw us up.
Sardino...
...you turned him. - That's right, he's ours.
- Why did you send me after him? - He's working for us.
It's important he look legitimate.
- Okay? - They're gonna use Sardino...
...to take Gino tonight. I can feel it.
You said Gino was the best cop on the force, how's he...?
Santimassino set him up. It will happen, believe me.
- Where are you going? - To find Gino.
Danny, you warn Gino. You find Gino and you warn...
I know. Santimassino's gonna prosecute me, I know that!
I know that!
- What am I gonna do, Carla? - I'll do it.
I'll call Rose and I'll tell her Gino mustn't see Sardino.
That's all I'll say, then I'll hang up.
Carla, not on this phone.
The phone is bugged.
Go out and use a public phone if you have to.
Danny, what did he do?
Oh, hell, Carla.
He bought a house in Great Neck and carpeted the whole upstairs just like me.
You know I am a man of honor.
Ask Joe Voscoe.
Always fair and always on time.
If you give me my passport back...
...I will give you the biggest arrest ever.
Bigger than anybody, ever.
Well, how long do you need, Mr. Sardino?
Marseilles, two days. One day Aleppo, two days Iran...
...Bogotá, maybe four or five days. But then I be come back in New York...
...the 22nd for sure.
Then I give you the whole case.
The route, the couriers, the arrival time, arrival places.
It's very big, Gino.
I'll get the passport.
I knew, I knew.
You good man.
We do a lot of business together.
- Here. - I can wait.
Gino, we are both Italians.
You trust me and I trust you.
Let me do this for you. I want to.
Gino, I'm Agent O'Hara.
You've got a problem here, Gino.
Give me the money.
Gino.
You simply call Detective Alvarez and tell him to call you back on a public phone.
And when he does, you will say, "Raf, I just found something out."
You say, "The feds are on us."
I don't understand. What's wrong with doing that, it's a little test?
Prove you're not lying to us about Sardino or your department or anything.
- I won't do it. - What did you bring me here for?
- Front. - Gino...
...you have a very enviable reputation in the department and in the city.
You're a hero. How's it gonna look if we take you downtown and book you?
Gino Mascone's the top cop. Everyone looks up to Mascone.
But, Gino, you and I know you're a whore.
Just a poor old whore who bellies up for any crook with two bucks.
A whore and a thief.
As far as I'm concerned, you have only two options.
You cooperate with us, you make the calls...
...or you go to jail with the other thieves.
I don't even wanna think about the third option.
He just arrived, sir.
Your friend needs a friend. He's going down the tubes unless you help me.
He won't cooperate.
- Don't touch a thing. - Oh, Christ.
- Just wanna check if there's a heartbeat. - Oh, Jesus. Oh, Christ.
There's no heartbeat, look at the head wound.
How did we get into this, Danny?
I don't know.
You did it.
I gotta call you four times to make a meeting?
You avoiding me?
I've been hearing a lot of things, Danny.
You doing something you shouldn't be doing?
Oh, shit, Rocky.
You wearing a wire or what?
There, it's off. All right?
Say what you want. It's shit because I'm not after you, Rocky.
You're lying, Danny.
I've been in jail half my life.
You think I'm worried about going to jail, huh? So don't lie.
You got me the night I bribed that fucking Edelman, right, Danny?
They caught you doing something, didn't they?
If they caught you doing something, and you didn't come to us for help...
...then you deserved to get killed...
...because you trust them more than you trust us.
Nobody caught me.
Everything just came down on me.
I looked at Carla and the kids...
...and I remember why I wanted to be a cop.
I wanted to do something to show I was a good guy, not a bad guy.
Who are you gonna be a good guy to, huh?
What about your cousin?
He's gonna have to explain to a few people.
And what about me?
Does anybody get hurt because of me?
I introduced you to a few people.
I vouched for you.
I swear to God, Rocky...
...nobody's gonna get hurt because you introduced me or vouched for me.
Danny, these people have turned you into a rat.
You're never gonna be able to live with yourself.
Me, I'm gonna save your life.
You listen to me, Danny, and listen to me good.
Tomorrow you meet me at Kennedy Airport.
I'm gonna give you $ 75,000.
You go anywhere in the world out there you wanna go to.
And when you get to where you want to go...
...reach me through your cousin Nick. And I'll send you another 75,000.
You start a new life. And, Danny, you won't be a rat.
Where am I gonna go?
You don't wanna?
You don't wanna, huh? All right, fuck it.
Can we get in the fucking car?
If you kill me, Rocky, you're fucking dead.
You know, Danny, you worry too much.
That's why you're in all this trouble for.
Ever since I've known you, you've been nothing but a fucking worrier.
Come on, Danny. Come on, kid.
Take me in.
That poor dumb kid.
He's 6'5" and black...
...he's got a barrel ass and a head shaped like this.
Put him in a room with 500 black, 20-year-old perpetrators...
...and you pick Arthur out in one sweep.
So I says, "Arthur, you're not cut out for a life of crime.
- I'm gonna get you a job, Arthur." - And?
So I made them take him on as a bouncer in a pornographic bookstore.
Perfect.
What's so funny about that?
It was a funny story.
A bookstore needs a bouncer?
Hey, hit me too, will you, Gus?
Hey, did you hear about Kaminsky?
He was coming out of a drugstore and he heard this lady scream...
...so he looks, he sees this guy running down the street away from her.
He goes after the guy and he overtakes him. Now, the guy is 23...
...Kaminsky is 42.
Anyway, he caught the guy, and the guy starts lashing at him...
...with this big fucking knife, like this.
Kaminsky disarmed him...
...he disarmed him and he held him until two patrolmen ran up.
And then he proceeded to give them the knife...
...and the money and the jewelry. And he gave them the collar.
- What's so funny about that? - What's so funny is...
...Kaminsky's under indictment for perjury for the bribes he took.
He didn't have his gun, he didn't have a shield.
Once a cop, always a cop. Don't you think that's funny?
Danny.
Danny, why don't you go upstairs and lie down? Wash your face.
You're exhausted.
You should take some time off with Carla and go up to your cabin.
Hey, Raf...
...hey, you know I didn't have anything to do with Gino, right?
You were his partner. You know that, man.
I know that, sport.
- You know that. - Yeah.
Christ, Danny, nobody ever thought that.
Sometime in the future, you guys are gonna hear all kinds of things.
Listen, Danny...
...I know about all of that stuff.
What do you know?
Danny, that dumb story has been going around forever.
You going around cooperating with prosecutors, going around wired.
That's shit.
Look, Danny...
...Gino heard that stuff and he never believed it...
...and we don't either.
We know you'd never do anything like that.
I did some things.
I didn't do nothing to hurt you guys.
I wanted absolution.
How can guys like us take the sacraments with what we do?
I wasn't gonna go against cops...
...but none of you guys are involved, I swear to God.
But some cops, they caught some.
I didn't want it to happen, but it happened.
But not Gino. You gotta believe me, not Gino.
I believe you, Danny.
We all believe in you, Danny.
So take it easy, otherwise you're gonna drive yourself crazy.
What can we do, Danny? How can we help?
Where's your gun, Danny?
I'm not gonna do that.
We think you ought to give us your gun, Danny.
- I'm not gonna give you my fucking gun! - Right.
You shoot yourself, Danny, there's no pension for Carla.
Do you need money, kid? Do you need help like that?
The last guy that tried to help me like that...
...is going inside.
It's all so fucking funny, Joe.
We don't know how it leaked. They got every case outlined. Two years' work.
What the bloody hell do we do now?
Get me Tug Barnes in the U.S. Marshal's office...
...and tell him I want Detective Ciello scooped up immediately...
...and send six armed agents out to Great Neck to guard his wife and kids.
Dan, are you taking any of this in?
I don't think I'm making myself clear.
I didn't understand...
...how long it would be.
Two years?
I'm gonna be testifying for two years?
What after that? I mean, what happens then?
I'm safe... Am I safe then?
After the trial is over...
...is my family gonna be safe then?
We'll face that when the time comes. What we have to do now...
...is find a safe place for now.
We got a cabin in the Catskills.
We could go there.
Anybody else know about it?
No.
Tug?
Okay.
For now until it's over, it'll be my job to take care of you and your family.
You are my job, you understand?
Anything worries you, anything you need, anything at all...
...I take care of.
This is Ned Chippy.
This is Pete.
Anything you need, we're gonna get it for you.
- You know the route. - Yes, sir.
- You guys are pretty careful. - Yes, we are.
Tell that man his gun makes me nervous.
They're all over the house, they're out in the yard.
Can't you see Bobby's scared?
Hi.
Hey, it's just like the TV shows. Like a dumb little TV show.
- No. - Come on, baby. Yes, it is.
- Come on, you know Chippy. You do. - No, I don't.
Here's Tug.
Mrs. Ciello, I think we're about ready to go.
Now, everything you've marked here will be up there tonight.
Well, hello, princess. How are you, sweetheart?
- Hi. - Hi.
How many men will there be with us?
Three shifts. About 18 men.
Eighteen men, 18 what?
There are 18 of them. Where are they gonna sleep?
They got sleeping bags and tents.
It's the mountains. It's cold.
If you need any help with anything, Mrs. Ciello, just give a holler.
I can't help it.
If it gets too cold, you can take turns in the living room.
- Tell the others. - Yes, ma'am.
You can use the TV if you keep it low and you don't wake the kids.
Thank you, ma'am.
Babe, are you okay?
Yeah.
They're taking me out tomorrow.
Oh, God.
Where?
I'll be staying in a military barracks on Governors Island during the week.
I'll be coming back here on the weekends.
I didn't want to tell you until I had to.
Danny, something I wanted to tell you alone.
I'm gonna be leaving soon.
I've been appointed commissioner of investigation.
That's a cabinet-level post. How about that?
- That's terrific, Ricky. I'm happy for you. - Well, you're responsible.
For what you've done.
What's gonna happen to me?
You are gonna be with a terrific team of guys. They're gonna work your ass off.
Thirty or 40 indictments, it's an embarrassment of riches.
We have too many defendants, too much evidence.
You're gonna roll into Foley Square every morning at 8 a.m.
Roll back to this prison at 6. That's the way it'll be.
Dan, come on. You're gonna be so pooped every night.
It's looney tunes, Rick. The people you put under indictment...
...will make bail in 24 hours. They're gonna be out living their lives.
I'm the first to go to prison.
It's important to have a picture...
...of when and where you made this recording.
It's vital to the Blomberg trial.
I know, I know, Mr. Burano...
...but it's been 14 months ago. There's been a lot of recording since.
Dan, Dan, you're doing great. Let's listen to the whole thing again.
Is this the one you made in the Chinese restaurant?
I'm not sure of anything anymore. There's been so many meals in my life.
Can I borrow Dan? Just two seconds and we'll bring him back to you.
- No problem. Danny, do you mind? - No.
No, bring your sandwich in. No talking, just listening.
Okay, Dan, this is Ralph Kubela from RCA. He's cleaning your tapes up.
- Ralph, Detective Ciello. - How are you?
Nice to meet you. What's the matter? They talk too dirty for you?
A little electronic magic.
I'm eliminating the background noise, adding highs so the words are clearer.
- Dan Ciello, this is your life. - Yeah.
Hey, by the way, if you could give me five or six hours, I'd sure appreciate it.
Whoever catalogued and indexed these tapes didn't know what they were doing.
My master log doesn't match with the identification numbers at all.
- I think Mr. Burano needs me all day. - And don't forget me.
You said two seconds.
Now, two seconds now. Later, two hours. Come on.
With one sentence, Danny, we can complete this transcript.
should've just given it to Edelman.
I don 't give 10 big ones to some kike cop on the first date, all right?
Let me hear it again, will you?
Can I, please?
Oh, shit, I forgot my sandwich.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I was talking. Let me hear it again, will you?
- Should've just given it to Edelman. - I don 't give...
- Date set on the Blomberg trial? - Not yet, soon.
Can I be there?
No.
Why not?
I'm gonna have to lie on the stand, Carla.
That's perjury. You can't.
What am I supposed to do, tell the truth about the unit? About what we all did?
And spend the rest of my life lying.
It's just a squirrel!
I might as well just blurt this out. I've been made the New York head...
...of the Justice Department Joint Strike Force Against Organized Crime.
I'm unpacking my desk and moving across the plaza.
I'm not abandoning you.
Brooks, you don't know what I'm wrestling with. I got a lot of worries.
A lot of problems.
Christ, I mean, you guys, you say, "This is your life, and I'll take care of it."
Then you move on.
I know you're worried about the trial, but you'll be prepared.
And we'll set up a pretrial meeting with Blomberg's lawyer.
With Heinsdorff?
Why do I have to meet with him before the trial?
You don't have to, but it'd be to your advantage.
You'd find out exactly what you'll be up against.
Look, Brooks, I don't mean I'm not glad about your new job, you know?
What are you gonna work on first?
We're gonna make a very serious run on the Garment District.
Perhaps you can do me one last favor there.
I need an undercover man.
- You need Gus Levy. - That was fast.
Brooks, I've got to get him out of Narcotics.
I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that.
Listen, I wanna tell you something. I don't care about what's past.
I don't care if you sold junk or whatever you did.
What you were then is not what you are now. You changed your life.
Don't throw it away with perjury. If you take the oath and you lie...
...to protect Gus Levy or the partners, anybody, anybody, they'll indict you.
And I might take the stand and testify against you. Don't do that to me, Danny.
Jesus Christ, how did I wind up over here?
You're one of us. And the difference between us and a Blomberg...
...is that when we take the oath, we tell the truth.
- Hello, Mr. Heinsdorff. - Hello.
This is Detective Ciello.
I won't make this too uncomfortable, detective.
I just wanna chat about those three little episodes of misconduct.
Three seems to be a meager number to spread over 11 years.
I'm sorry I'm not the bigtime criminal you lawyers expect cops to be.
I mean, you make me ashamed I didn't show more initiative.
Detective Ciello is a very charming fellow.
I believe we are in a lot of trouble.
Don't be deceived. Mr. Heinsdorff will not be this kind to you in court.
Well, we're talking here about a man's career and his life.
Michael Blomberg is not such a bad person.
That's open to debate.
I want you to know, I've done a great deal of work in the narcotics area.
I've defended users and dealers and policemen.
Did you know Detective Carey in SIU?
And Carey knows you.
I've spoken to a number of addicts who will come forth and testify at this trial.
They say they know you. They say you are guilty...
...of many more acts of misconduct than you admit to.
Well, they're lying.
All right, then. Let's begin.
You don't mind if there's a stenographer present?
Not at all.
I'm going outside for some air. It smells in here.
Yeah, we don't mind.
Ned, let me just have just a minute alone, all right?
I've got a band around my head so tight...
Stay in sight, Danny.
- Jesus, Nick. What...? - Danny, they're looking to hurt you.
They think you should be hit.
Fuck, who's that crazy? I'm surrounded day and night.
Yeah, like right now? They wanted me to do it.
I told them no. I said, "Hey, this kid's my cousin, he's my uncle's son."
I told them no.
- Who they gonna get? - Who knows?
I told them I owed you a warning. I said I wouldn't interfere.
I'm telling you now. You watch yourself.
If it was me, I'd watch those fucking guards.
- Oh, no, Nick. - Danny.
They gotta look the wrong way for a second, that's all.
Shit. Anybody can be hit, you know that.
You gonna be all right?
Danny?
Tug and Ned, this is my cousin Nick.
How you doing?
Yeah, how are you?
So, Nick, are you gonna be okay or what?
Who knows?
I never hid the fact you're a cop.
Black sheep of the family.
- How's my father looking? - Looking good.
- How's your father looking? - Not so good.
Take it easy, huh?
Don't make it tough on us, Danny.
You can't afford it, we can't afford it.
I'm sorry.
We'll come back to those three acts, detective.
Let me first ask you a very simple question.
In addition to those three acts you're gonna describe for us...
...have you ever engaged in any other misconduct of any kind?
- No, sir. - Never?
- Never. - Now, detective, will you tell the jury...
...exactly what those three acts were and how they took place?
First time I did something was when a meeting was set up between myself...
I wanna go back to the beginning, Dan.
I want to hear again, but in much finer detail...
...much finer detail...
...about those three acts of misconduct...
...which you claim are the only misdeeds you committed...
...in the 11 years you were a policeman.
Now, when you set up contact between Rocky Gazzo and Detective Don Logan...
...did you believe yourself to be committing a crime?
From the time you contacted Mr. Simonetta...
...you knew you were committing a crime?
Well, what did you do with the money you extorted?
How much did you say? Would you repeat that amount for the jury?
The exact amount was how much?
Come now, detective, 11 years a cop, eight years in Narcotics...
...and you never once made an illegal wiretap?
You never gave drugs to informants, to poor junkies crying out for help?
- Never once? - I never did.
No, not me, him. He did it.
Congratulations, Danny. Stay with it, now. This is just the beginning.
I'm District Attorney D'Amato, Louis D'Amato.
We'll be working on the Kelso case.
- We're gonna lock up another lawyer. - Good.
I'm Federal Attorney Margutta. I'm handed the Queens DA case.
- What's his name? - Eckhart. Good to see you.
You just been in my...
Attorney Leary, IRS.
Assistant DA Silver.
- Jim Costa. How are you, detective? - Yeah, nice to see you.
Special Investigator Goldstein. How do you do?
Hey, baby face. Easy, gentlemen, easy.
All right, it's cool, guys.
The King never carries. The King works with the mind.
- How you doing, King? - Not the best, baby face.
The King has fallen on hard times.
- Sorry to hear that. - Yeah. The government's cut me out...
...I've blown my car, my boat, my ponies.
The mortgage is due, baby face...
...and I am snowed under by all manner of problems. You dig?
- I'm not sure. - My man, I am flat broke.
I got five kids and a wife. Same as you, baby face.
Same problem. I want you to understand that.
I'll see you around.
It do look likely.
Looks like we'd better add that one to the list.
He's not a doer, he's a talker.
Which is probably worse.
He talks, you deny.
"Another 1971 case in which I received narcotics directly from Ciello...
...involved the arrest of three people at a Spanish grocery...
...on the southeast corner of 122nd street and Lexington Avenue.
A seizure was made at the house of heroin, paraphernalia and guns.
Ciello handed me three to four ounces of heroin. " Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
Dan, this is George Polito, chief prosecutor, Eastern District.
- Mind if I sit in? - Something here you're working on?
I hope not. How are you Louis?
George is on special assignment.
- You took the French Connection case? - I still don't believe it.
120 pounds of heroin waiting to be used as evidence just vanishes?
From a police property office? It's a farce.
Not to me. I'm gonna nail whoever did it, even if it means arresting the whole SIU.
Well, George is interested in the King's deposition.
Clearly, the King has a lot of contacts with the SIU.
So he claims.
But it's a known fact he was on the federal payroll for four years.
- Let's stop the quibbling. - Thank you. I'm anxious to hear this.
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
Does the King suggest I was involved in the French Connection rip-off?
Let's get on with reading.
"To my personal knowledge, Ciello supplied heroin...
...to many other individuals I was personally involved with.
On at least a dozen occasions, Ciello and Marinaro notified me...
...they had a package of heroin for me." - Bullshit.
"Slim took a whole kilo each time, for which he paid approximately $32,000.
For a long period of time, I gave Ciello approximately $ 100 a week."
- This is sickening. - He cites 14 other specific instances...
...of exchanges of heroin between Ciello and himself and other perpetrators...
...and says he bought you three automobiles.
- Oh, balls. - lf this is true, Dan...
...one goddamn word of it, then all our cases are down the drain.
I'm never gonna get through this.
I mean, it's a fucking nightmare, and it never stops.
I mean, I'm being forced to sit here, listening to this shit...
...having to defend myself to the guys I'm working with?
I mean, are we supposed to be partners...
...or what? - Dan. Dan.
No one but the King, only the King...
...has accused you of anything.
What we must do is put the deposition and its author in the shredder.
And we must do this as expeditiously as possible...
...because Blomberg asked for a reversal of his conviction...
...on the basis of this affidavit.
I ask again, is this deposition true?
Any instance or detail? Any goddamn word of it?
If it is, I'll be practicing divorce law in West Virginia.
None of it is true.
Gentlemen, I think you should know this.
Nobody I've spoken to has ever not mentioned your name, Ciello.
You know what I hear from every SIU man?
Quote, "I'm not saying I did anything...
...but if so, can I get the same deal as Ciello?"
- lf I heard it once, I heard it 50 times. - Yeah, and you'll hear it 16 more, Polito.
Because there are 70 detectives in SIU...
...and all but four want my ass. Give me a drink.
Did you ever hear of a junkie named Sancho?
A lot of them. Their names change.
Mike Blomberg's lawyer has a deposition from a Frank Sancho...
...who says you kept him supplied on a regular basis.
Also another junkie named Jose, and his girlfriend, Jeannie.
Look, Mr. Santimassino, it's no secret that we use informants that are junkies.
- Did you sell Sancho heroin? - No.
- Did you give him heroin? - Forget Sancho. He's penny ante.
The King is the one that interests me. It's a very detailed story.
No one's penny ante if you catch him lying.
- It takes just one... - Hey. You stop talking about me...
...like I'm not here. I'm here. - Let's pick the King up.
- I'm gonna put him on a lie detector. - Will he consent?
Why don't you just ask me to take the test?
Yes, I'd like to know the answer to that. Why haven't you?
Would you?
Fuck you all.
I'm going home.
Jeez. Yo, Mo, give me a hand here.
Killing myself. Jeez.
Papa.
Danny. You can't come in, Danny.
Nick's family, they don't want you.
Danny, it breaks my heart. I know you been trying to be a good guy.
Come on.
Yeah, but Nick wasn't under my protection.
Now, honey, this may be a totally unnecessary move...
...but we're making it anyway. I'll have it all ready for you.
That's my gift to you.
Danny.
Well, what do you think?
Okay, baby. It's okay. Okay.
- It's all right. - Oh, Danny. Oh, my God, Danny.
It's everything I ever wanted. Just not this way.
I know, baby. I know. It's okay.
- Is my tie red? - No.
- Are the walls white? - No.
Did you regularly give money to Detective Ciello?
Yes.
- Are you a German citizen? - No.
The traffic was murder.
Your friend has requested that if he passes the test, the government...
...should return him to steady employment and give him $5000.
And we said we'd be glad to meet those terms.
Dan, I don't think you know Mario Vincente.
He's going to try the case against Caprice.
- Does a cat bark? - No.
- Did you give Dan Ciello 3 automobiles? - Yes.
- Did the Cadillac...? - Ciello, if this test is positive...
...I'll prosecute you myself.
Thank you very much. We appreciate your cooperation.
The man was very relaxed, very easy.
Every time he answered yes, the needle went off the edge of page.
My God, what a relief. I haven't slept for five days.
- Okay, it's a one, two, three is positive... - Mr. Santimassino...
- What? - lf you don't mind, I'd like to go home.
Of course.
- Question four, five, six is a positive. - Here?
Yeah, right here. Six. And this is seven. And eight.
You did it again. You got out of it, didn't you?
Detective Ciello?
U.S. Attorney's office.
I wanted to talk to you. I was gonna invite myself home with you.
It's Friday. I only get to see my family on the weekends.
Well, I've got to be down in Washington. We could share the ride.
Suit yourself.
- This is Tug Barnes and Chippy. - Mario Vincente.
Boy, you don't travel light, eh?
I like the King. He's just trying to earn.
It's the poor fucking junkies that beat your ass. Sancho, Jose...
...little Jeannie.
They break your heart, junkies.
All you try and do is get them through the night.
Ten years later, some legal eagle takes it...
...and starts pulling your fingernails out one by one.
If that polygraph machine had one wrong line on it...
...Santimassino would have crucified me.
- But it didn't. It vindicated you. - But it could have gone the other way.
You know why those tests are inadmissible in court as well as me.
Some guy is a little schitzy, believes what he's saying...
...and if he believes it, it won't show up on the machine.
Or somebody like me.
Ask me a question and I feel like I'm lying...
...even though I'm telling the truth.
It's been so long since I didn't have to think about my answer.
Man.
I was on the streets undercover for...
...10 years?
I don't know what the truth is anymore.
There's only one thing I knew for sure today.
Santimassino, Polito...
...all those guys...
...they are not my friends.
No, sir.
They are not my friends.
So...
...what was it you wanted to talk to me about, Mr. Vincente?
Nothing in particular.
It's just that we're gonna be spending a lot of time together...
...and I just wanted a chance to get to know you better.
My name is Mario.
You wanna be my friend, Mario?
I have a clear mandate to the city. Clean it up.
Gentlemen, I am gonna tear this town apart.
And I'm gonna start with the French Connection rip-off.
And the reason I'm gonna start with the French Connection...
...is because it's a goddamn outrage.
And I have already promised it's going to be solved.
So what you are gonna do, gentlemen, is you're gonna make my word good.
The target is cops. The weapon is indictments.
And I don't give one infinitesimal fuck...
...if they're indictments that will stick or not.
Because to a cop, any indictment means a departmental trial...
...which is a euphemism for fini!
End of gun, badge, pension and pals!
So I want cops' names. And if I don't get them...
...I'm gonna drop cops and start on DAs.
I want names.
We'll start alphabetically. We'll start with A.
Give me an A.
Mr. Kanter, I have an A.
Possibly perjury, but a very weak case.
We got an A.
Give it to me.
Alvarez, Raf Alvarez.
I and Detective Lewis Dooley and Joe Carpo...
...held back 5 kilos out of that particular seizure.
We sold it.
We also sold prisoners their freedom.
Overall, we must've ripped off a couple hundred thousand bucks from dealers.
Maybe more.
You asked me before about perjury.
About 20 times in court.
I don't know why you people don't understand the system?
You wanna conviction, but you got these stupid search and seizure laws...
...and wiretaps.
Case one never got made without an illegal wiretap.
And you're never get a conviction if a cop don't commit perjury.
What is it that you want?
You want the big dealer out of business?
The only way I know to push him out of business is to steal his cash.
Otherwise, somewhere down the line, he's gonna buy out.
He'll buy himself a bondsman, a DA, a judge.
The scumbag dealer is back on the streets before the arresting officer.
The only way I know how to stop him is to steal his cash.
As far as selling them their freedom...
...I never once sold a dealer his freedom...
...unless I didn't have enough evidence to make the bust legal.
I'll give you all the details you want.
But what I'll never give you is what happened to the 120 pounds of heroin.
I didn't do it.
Why don't you talk to your friend, Ciello?
Didn't you ever think of that?
Why is it that Ciello is getting away with all this shit...
...and you tell me I'm a dead man?
Because you're a bunch of fucking hypocrites.
Can you give us any evidence against Ciello?
I never worked with him...
...but I worked with Gus Levy.
I don't give a shit that he's working for you guys now.
I know things about Levy. And Levy worked with Ciello.
Can you give us any evidence against Levy?
Maybe.
For the very reason you told me. A polygraph is not admissible in court.
Blomberg's motion for a new trial is based entirely on the King's deposition.
- You've gotta deny it. - What's happening with Alvarez?
- Is he gonna get a deal? - He's cooperating fully.
Didn't you recommended Gus Levy for that job in the Garment Center?
Is that fuck Alvarez trying to pin something on Gus?
Hey!
- Mr. Dana. - Yeah.
My name's Estrada. I'd like to talk to you.
Let's take a walk.
Listen...
...tell that chiseler his overhead goes down when my overhead goes down.
I ain't paying freight on his featherbed.
My office is bugged.
When we first started, I unloaded everything myself.
Only way I could get an honest count till I figured out controls.
- Last six months, we've been in profit. - Congratulations.
Well, the work's congenial.
I heard you travel with an army these days. Where's all the guns?
Gave them the slip.
Yeah, what's so important?
They got Alvarez.
Yeah, I heard. I heard he's a regular little chatterbox, huh?
He was your partner, Gus.
He can't hurt me.
I never let that spic put one penny in my hand.
Let him yap.
Son of a bitch never takes a full load.
Paige has set you up with one hell of a front here.
Cute, huh? When it's all over, I'm gonna keep my costume.
Alvarez doesn't have to hurt you much, Gus.
Just a little.
It's Kanter and a prosecutor named Polito.
These guys have got this French Connection thing like a fly on their nose.
And it's gonna hurt everybody.
I didn't steal the fucking 120 pounds of horse.
Did you?
Jesus Christ, Gus.
You're losing your sense of humor, kid. It's the company you've been keeping.
- These... These are very serious guys. - Fuck them.
But I know what you came here for.
- To say, "I'm okay, you're okay." - Yeah, I mean...
...they wanna get you so you'll get me. Then I'll come back at you.
So, what do we got to worry about? Nobody can give us up but each other.
Danny, I'm sorry. I keep trying to avoid these Fridays.
But this is important, let me ask you.
Do you remember a bust you made when you first came into SIU?
This may help you.
How can you let a piece of shit come in here and spit at me?
I'm a police officer.
What are you?
- Do you remember him? - Yes, I remember him. He's shit.
Danny, tell me about the case.
You were working with Gus Levy, Bill Mayo and Dom Bando, right?
It was a very sweet bust.
He's a Lebanese dealer.
We arrested him.
He offered us 5000.
And we added attempted bribery.
Mr. Halazi out there says someone took $400 from him, Danny.
Which one of you took the 400?
Or did you split it four ways?
That scumbag offered us 5000.
And you're saying we split 400?
I'm not saying it. Mr. Halazi is saying it.
I never saw his fucking $400.
Danny, one of you saw it.
Oh, Christ, Polito, I'm really trying not to hate you.
Look, even if it did happen, which it didn't...
...don't you think I might not have known about him?
Danny, in my opinion, no. I don't think it's possible.
You took whenever there was anything to take.
I think you shared in everything. I think you were in on Halazi's 400.
And I also think I can get an indictment.
You are a fucking lunatic.
You can't make a nutcase accusation like that stick, not on me.
If not you, then on Levy, Marinaro, Mayo.
Half the SIU will be coming in here, and they will cooperate.
They will not cooperate.
Danny, nearly all of them will cooperate.
They're cops. In their hearts they want to admit their guilt.
That's the way cops are, that's how you got here.
Don't you understand this?
Danny, Polito's pulling in Gus Levy next week. He's going to indict him.
- On what? - Four-hundred-dollar job.
It's me he's after, right? Okay. I mean, he wants me, right?
Whatever you wanna tell me, I won't give to Polito. Let him make his case.
Mario, I don't know a fuck about the missing junk, okay? Nothing.
And I don't think Gus Levy does either.
Or the famous $400. Shit.
So far, every allegation against you, the King's, Halazi's, it's all unsupported.
If just one cop comes in and corroborates anything, you'll go to jail.
Not me, no one can save you.
Gus Levy is not gonna put me in jail, Mario.
Carla, call the kids. It's ready.
- The indictment is bullshit. - Take a lie-detector test.
- You didn't do it. So take the test. - You take the fucking test.
That guinea prosecutor ain't getting yes, no or maybe out of me.
I'll never cooperate.
Don't let one of the three-piece suits get you in a room and tell you I'm talking.
I ain't talking.
- Like they say, we hang together, kid... - Gus, Gus. Gus...
...they could cut me up in little pieces, and they'll never get nothing out of me.
Was he wired?
Don't trust him. He's going down the tubes.
You indict me on the squawk of a dealer who tried to buy me out of a bust?
You wanna break up an operation that'll put away more mob guys in a year...
...than you'll touch your whole career? - Detective Levy...
...you're hardly in a position... - All right, you fuck!
I'll tell you what I'm in a position to do, throw you out the window!
It's the fifth floor. I'll try to aim so you land on your head.
Levy, you can easily avoid trial. All you have to do is cooperate.
Fuck it. You got your mind made up to try me? Go ahead and try me.
But not for a lousy $400.
At least get me for assault.
You never even looked at Bobby's drawings.
He's been waiting all week to show them to you.
His teacher says they were the best.
Things are getting bad.
Goddamn it, my gums are bleeding again.
What's so bad, Danny?
I mean, we've gone through it.
It's over, the bad part.
I never thought we'd survive it, but we did.
It's coming to an end. Everything.
Everything what?
Gus thinks what he's doing for Paige is gonna protect him.
It's not.
They'll indict him for bad breath if that's all they got.
Gus?
They're gonna indict Gus?
You don't need that many.
Don't tell me what I need.
Dan, listen.
Polito is getting an indictment against you. I'm coming on the next shuttle.
Now, you're telling me to trust Polito instead of my own people?
Your people are out to get you worse than anybody on our side.
Internal Affairs, DEA, the regulars.
Nothing you ever say or do is ever gonna convince them...
...that you're not a rat.
Danny, Danny, the police, they hate you.
You've run out of options.
You've got to tell the truth, whatever it is.
I will not give up my partners.
I will not cross that line, ever.
Don't you realize that by just saying that, you've confessed?
- You've confessed you're all in it. - My goddamn gums are killing me.
You've gotta tell us what you guys did. Stop protecting your partners.
You'll be the one under oath.
I'm not so goddamn sure that if the positions were reversed...
...your partners wouldn't face reality better than you're doing.
- I know about your partners. - Nothing. You know nothing.
My partners would never give me up. Never.
If you go on the stand and you lie, you're finished. They'll get you.
- No, they won't. - They will. They're snipers.
They'll pick you off one at a time. I promise you.
Your hope is to tell the truth and make your partners come in.
- I won't give up my partners. - It's the way you'll save them.
- I will not give up my partners. - Danny, help me to help you.
- No. - You must understand...
...whether you wanna help your friends or not and you can't...
...just about every detective that ever worked in SIU, Danny, is going to jail.
Okay.
I hate it around here on holidays.
It's like everything died.
It's radiation, science fiction.
Yeah, I feel the same way.
Well, I guess we better start with the worst, Danny.
You know, there's a wonderful quote, man named Thomas De Quincey.
He wrote:
"If once a man indulges in murder...
...very soon he comes to think little of robbing...
...and from robbing he comes next to drinking...
...and Sabbath-breaking...
...and from that to incivility and procrastination."
Yeah.
Well, I never indulged myself in murder.
And I didn't have anything to do with the French Connection rip-off either.
You really thought I did, didn't you, Mario?
Danny, you... It was possible.
Did you ever sell narcotics?
I never sold narcotics. I gave.
In Narcotics you have to supply your informants.
There's no other way. That's it.
Under the law, a gift of narcotics is the same as a sale.
- Drop it. - I know the law.
The law doesn't know the streets.
Tell me about the biggest score you ever made.
It was a beautiful bust.
A bunch of South Americans.
Very big dealers.
We arraigned five of them.
Woman in a mink coat, right?
Not a fucking thing on underneath.
Who made the bust?
Me...
...Gus Levy, Joe Marinaro, Bill Mayo.
My unit.
Dom Bando was on tail.
We broke into this joint.
We got five perpetrators...
...five kilos of pure heroin, suitcase full of money, 92,000 bucks.
What did you take? The junk, the money?
- Both? - I told you, it was a great bust.
Five kilos of pure, and we all got commendations.
You took the money.
We took some. Half the money, okay?
Forty-six thousand.
We let them have enough for bail and put them on the next plane out.
Those South American pricks bought their way out of everything.
So we did what no court ever did.
We gave them a heavy fine and deported them.
So you split $46,000 four ways.
Five ways.
Dom was on lookout.
Bando wasn't in. How would he know about the money?
We don't cheat. Everybody's in.
That's the rule.
Look, Dom is a very soft guy.
All he wants is to be in a safe place.
I want your permission to talk to him, Mario.
He'll come in.
Will you help?
Okay.
Stay there, you bastard! You're here to hurt me!
- No. - You want me to come in?
And what am I gonna tell them? I don't know nothing.
I did tails.
I never seen the inside of nothing.
I'd follow a guy for three days, you'd tell me to go home.
I go home, you tell me to tail somebody else.
All you gotta do is tell them that.
Bullshit!
You think they'd believe me after the stink you guys left?
You know what I did with my cut?
I gave it to my priest. Yeah.
You want Internal Affairs to start questioning my priest?
- Dom! - I hope you choke on my name.
You prosecute Bando, and you're gonna have another Mascone on your head.
He gave all his money to the church, for Christ's sake.
- He won't come in. - lf he doesn't come in...
...it doesn't matter what he did. He took it. We're gonna nail him.
Okay, then I'm through. Not another fucking word.
- I'm gonna call Marinaro and Mayo. - No, no, no.
- And I gotta make them come in. - No way, Danny.
- You gotta help them. It's the only way. - I said I would, Danny.
Who's the best bet?
Levy. No.
Marinaro. He's got a wife and kids.
Marinaro.
You can try with Marinaro.
If you can get Marinaro to come in...
...you can try with Mayo.
See, if you can turn Marinaro and Mayo...
...then maybe the three of you can get Levy to come in.
Marinaro is first.
Be all right?
Christ, Danny.
I'm only two months from my pension, man.
This ain't ever gonna be all right.
You told them everything?
- Yeah. - What about Gus and Bill?
I'm gonna call them both.
What the hell are we supposed to do?
All four of us walk in hand in hand?
I'll fly in tonight.
Okay, now I call Mayo.
No, no, no, Danny, look, you've done good work.
Go home, take a shower, have a drink.
Call Mayo from Virginia.
Yeah, I don't wanna... I don't wanna call Mayo.
I wanna talk to him. I wanna see him.
Mario, listen.
Mayo's...
You know, he lives by himself.
His mother just died.
You see, he's got nothing but cops.
Mario, he drinks too much.
This is not a tough cop.
Please let me go see him.
No, Danny, it's not safe.
Jesus.
It's okay. My primary responsibility is to you.
And you call him from Virginia.
Danny.
Mayo here.
Bill, it's Danny.
Hey, Danny, what's up?
Bill, we gotta talk.
There's nothing to say, Danny.
You're gonna name me, right?
Right.
Spoke to Joe already.
What about Gus?
Not yet.
It took me all night just to call you.
How bad is it gonna be, Danny?
Can I help myself?
Oh, yeah, Bill, you can.
Vincente's a human being.
You could talk to him.
- Will you come in? - I don't know.
Probably.
I hate to, but...
I don't know what else I can do, do you?
No.
When are you gonna talk to Gus?
When they say I can. Soon.
He loves you, Danny.
He'll be mad.
You want me to call him?
No, I gotta do it.
Okay.
Listen...
...how much did you tell them? - Everything.
Take care.
You too, Bill.
- Yeah? - Gus, thank God.
We gotta talk.
Ciello?
Yeah.
And the four of you were there?
Subject nods, indicating yes.
On that occasion, we split $ 7000.
Mr. Vincente, Detective Mayo just shot himself.
- We have a possible DO A... - Hey, what's going on?
- Okay... - Okay, back to work. Let's go.
... 17 on your plans.
Come on.
Billy!
Son of a...
I'll talk to him.
I've got someone to talk to.
He's here, Mario.
- He looks bad. - Jesus, Brooks...
...he's got the appeal next week. Think he can make it?
- Should we postpone? - No. Why don 't we hold off.
I'll call.
I've gotta go see Joe.
Danny? Danny.
- Yeah. - He's as good as can be expected.
Nobody joins the force to be a criminal.
- You gotta treat us different. - I'll meet you.
When's the last time some Mafia guy got in trouble and blew his brains out?
I'll tell you when. Fucking never.
Only cops.
- Cops. - Attempt to meet up with us at...
- Now, hold on. - Cops.
Danny, what's the address, Dan?
419 Saint George Avenue.
- I'll see you there. - Gotta treat us different.
Joe, it's Bill.
He killed himself.
So help me God, I'll never get involved with cops again.
Gus.
Where are your guards?
Outside.
What good they gonna do you out there?
They knew I was coming to see you.
They think I wouldn't hurt you?
I think you wouldn't hurt me.
You think that?
Well, think again.
They're taking you in, Gus.
I just want you to know I told them everything.
Fuck you, Ciello.
I don't want your confessions or your guilt about Bill.
He was a drunk, so fuck him and fuck you.
I'm not coming in.
I ain't pulling a Mayo, and I ain't pulling a Ciello.
And until they come after me, I'm going right on with my work.
I got seven Mafiosos on tape...
...six truckers, couple of union guys and maybe 16 assorted hoods.
At least 29 indictments. And you know what?
Not a cop among them.
Tell that to your prick friends.
It was on around May 25th...
Get out of that chair, I'll fucking kill you.
Don't let those pricks talk you into anything.
- You okay? - There's an interrogation going on.
We can have you arrested. Are you nuts?
- Keep your fucking hands off me. - Danny.
- Get him out of here. - Danny, stop. Danny!
- Are you okay? - I'm okay. I'm okay.
All of a sudden, I had this feeling, I got scared for you.
- You okay? - Come on, Dan.
I just wanna get out of here.
I wanna tell them what they wanna know, and I'm gonna get out.
Hey, Gus. Did you hear about Gus?
He's gonna stay out. He's not afraid.
He's terrific.
He's gonna make them prove it, okay?
Take them to trial.
Listen to this. If he's convicted, he'll tell his daughter he was framed.
- That's one mean Jew. - I'll tell you something...
...it's fucking fantastic, man.
Somebody's telling them to go fuck themselves, you know?
- One of us. - We were a hell of a unit.
Go on home, Danny.
Get some sleep. Eat something.
- Wanna call my sister? - No, I'm okay.
- You can stay at her place. - I'm okay.
I'm okay.
Don't hate me, Joe.
I could never hate you, Danny.
- Good morning, gentlemen. - Good morning, sir.
- Is everybody here? - Yes.
- Everyone you called for this meeting. - Good.
Well, let's get down to it.
The decision as to whether the government will or will not...
...indict and prosecute Detective Daniel Ciello...
...is the responsibility of this office. That decision is mine.
However, I will be persuaded by what I hear in the next few days...
...from you men who know him...
...who worked with him, who worked against him.
I trust you're all familiar with this remarkable document...
...Detective Ciello's confessions.
Three little acts of misconduct have grown into 84 pages.
A copy of this tome must make things very easy for Mr. Blomberg's attorney.
It's all there, detective, in your own words.
Clearly admitted details of the perjury you committed 22 months ago...
...in this same courtroom before this same judge.
Perjury that caused the conviction of Michael Blomberg.
We're losing sight of the real problem...
...which is the corruption of a narcotics agent.
I want you to see this graph.
It shows the direct and absolute correlation...
...of police corruption to drug traffic.
You cannot have one without the other.
No matter how you slice it, Ciello is a corrupt narcotics agent.
And what this is all about, finally, is narcotics.
Sorry.
- Did you take Valium this morning? - Yes.
- Only one? - More than one.
- How many more? - I took three.
It takes three Valium to calm you before you testify?
- Objection. - Sustained.
I cannot believe how eager you all are to just forget what he has accomplished.
The risks he took for us.
And why he did it.
Oh, for God's sake, Rick.
He's your baby, so, okay, but don't try to sentimentalize him to me.
And why he did it is not relevant.
It's damned relevant to some of us.
He did it because he was trying to get back.
Look, I think, for most cops...
...corruption creeps up slowly.
Almost imperceptibly.
But getting back is something...
...that can only be done in one great big, dangerous leap.
A leap...
...that risks...
...everything.
If we wipe out this man now...
No cop will ever come forward again.
If the druggist gives you Valium without a prescription...
...does he give you other drugs without prescription?
- No. - What about other drugs.
Marijuana. Do you use marijuana, detective?
- No, I don't use marijuana. - But you've tried it.
I've tried it.
Cocaine?
I've tried it in order to recognize the effects.
- Heroin? - Never.
- Uppers? - I've used them on a long surveillance.
- Hashish? - Once.
To recognize its effects?
You know, when I became a prosecuting attorney...
...I accepted the fact I was not in a popularity contest.
Now, I think some of you guys have it all mixed up.
You've fallen in love with this perpetrator. You feel responsible for him.
You want him to love you.
But you are prosecutors...
...sworn to prosecute the guilty.
Ciello is a law officer who has admitted...
...to over 40 instances of perjury.
Gentlemen, my grandfather was a lawyer, my father was a lawyer...
...and I became a lawyer...
...because the law means everything to me.
And if any arm of the law is corrupt, nothing can work. Nothing.
It's as simple as that.
Detective, I know you're familiar with the China Blossom Motel.
Could you tell us what kind of motel it is?
We're prepared to agree that the China Blossom Motel...
...for all intents and purposes, is a brothel.
- And a drug market. - And a drug market.
Now, once again, detective...
...weren't you frequently at the China Blossom Motel...
...when you were supposed to be on duty?
Counselor, it was up to the SIU detectives themselves to decide...
...when they were on duty.
So sometimes...
Quite a lot of times, actually.
- you decided you were not on duty...
...and went to the China Blossom Motel.
Didn't you?
Sometimes.
Our police have a code, and Ciello was trying to honor it...
...and still work with us.
Unless you gentlemen want to call in the National Guard...
...to patrol this city and this country for 14 years while we pick kids at 7...
...and train them to be police at 21...
...you better understand and acknowledge that code.
Paige, cops aren't the only people who have codes.
- Lawyers and doctors do. - Right, lawyers and doctors.
I've never known a lawyer to risk his life or his livelihood...
...to expose the crooks in his profession.
And where's the doctor who ever exposed Medicaid fraud?
Or unnecessary or botched operations? Or even dope for that matter.
What doctor ever came in? Dan Ciello came in, and I don't care why.
To me, Danny Ciello's a hero...
...and we're trying to decide whether to put him in jail or not.
Detective, isn't it true...
...most female prostitutes are junkies? - Yes.
- Did you use them as informants? - Sometimes.
And you'd supply them with heroin as long as they gave you what you wanted.
No.
Did you ever take them to the China Blossom Motel?
- Yes. - For whatever purpose?
Exchange of information.
Did you drive them there?
- Sometimes. - Would they sit close?
- I don't remember. - Do you remember if you touched them?
No, I don't remember.
Did you ever exchange drugs for sexual favors?
I object.
I never met Danny Ciello...
...but I sat in the Blomberg trial.
I watched and I listened.
In my gut, I knew he was lying.
I knew he was lying.
It's simply not possible that I was the only attorney in the room...
...who knew that we were sitting there, allowing our witness to commit perjury.
I know how eager some of us were.
I know how hungry we were for Mike Blomberg.
Some of us were very young.
Some of us were inexperienced trial lawyers.
Some of us were just careless, in a hurry.
I know a lot of us believed that before he actually took the stand, he'd break.
He'd crack, he'd tell us everything and we would fix it. But that didn't happen.
He got on the stand, and he perjured himself.
We never made him understand how formidable...
...how inexorable the forces against him were.
Mr. Deluth, I honestly believe that this man was acting...
...out of fear...
...and guilt...
...and remorse.
He was attempting to carve out...
...some area of penance for himself and his life.
And we used him.
The deal he's gotten is rotten.
If Danny Ciello is indicted...
...I'll have to tender my resignation for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Bullshit.
You used that motel as a place to take female junkies and perpetrators...
...and sleep with them, isn't that right?
If there wasn't money to rip off, and there was a woman...
...you would rip off the women, isn't that right?
No, it wasn't like that.
Oh, detective...
...I think it was. - I object, this has no relevance whatever.
Mr. Heinsdorff may continue with his questioning.
Oh, I don't think anything more needs to be said on that subject.
- Now, detective... - I wanna talk about the China Blossom...
I am no longer interested in that squalid place of assignation...
...between corrupt policemen and their female victims.
Oh, just one other thing.
Did your wife know?
Heinsdorff was really rough on him. I don't know how he held up.
Yeah, our decision comes down tomorrow.
Yours too?
Both on the same day. Do you believe it?
Jesus.
Gentlemen, I want to thank each one of you for your testimony.
I have seldom been party to a decision...
...in which prosecutors' passions have run so high.
I thank you for those passions on both sides.
The government declines to prosecute Detective Ciello.
And I find the additional testimony...
...of Lieutenant Ciello as to his own misdeeds...
...collateral apart from the central issue.
The conviction of Michael Blomberg stands.
I wanna introduce a new instructor to you here today.
Now, this officer has 11 years of detective experience...
...and he's an expert on surveillance techniques.
They're all yours.
Okay...
...first thing I wanna talk about today...
...is block squaring and leapfrogging.
Oh, yeah, my name is Detective Ciello.
Now, whenever we get a positive make on a car, and we know it's dirty...
...we don't want to take any chances.
Yeah? I'm sorry, I don't know any names yet.
I'm Detective Stern.
- What did you say your name was? - Ciello.
Are you the Detective Ciello?
I'm Detective Ciello.
I don't think I have anything to learn from you.