My name is McGovern.
Mr. McGovern to you.
I am the assistant
to the assistant deputy administrative assistant
to the District Attorney of New York county.
You are in training as assistant district attorneys
for New York county,
and my "assistant" title is a hell of a lot higher
than your "assistant" title.
So watch your asses, or you're out of here.
You passed your bar exams, and you're here
because you didn't get a decent offer after law school,
and you got to start some place.
I know what you got in mind: You do your time here
because you got to have something on your resumé.
One or two of you figure maybe you get lucky.
Maybe Alan Dershowitz, maybe Bruce Cutler
will see you in court one day,
waiting for their cases to come up,
and your career will be made.
Most of you just want a steppingstone
to some Wall Street law office,
a divorce firm with society clients.
You're in it for the money,
so don't give me any crap about justice,
the law, the sacredness of your duty,
blah blah blah. You're out of here
as fast as a decent offer comes around,
you figure you can do better chasing ambulances.
You're going to fight judges that don't give a shit,
cops in court only to see how much overtime
they can rack up,
rapists, ganef, teenager who shot a guy
for a pair of sneakers, scam artists, pimps,
lunatics who think they should be outside
walking around Central Park
trying to diddle 7-year-old kids.
So now we know the truth.
OK.
Your caseload may run 40 cases at a time.
You read your entire New York penal code
and your E.C.A.B. manual.
Now, there are 5 divisions in the rackets division:
Construction industry task force...
official corruption unit...
organized crime...
I'll set bail at $500.
Your honor...
this woman knifed a store security guard.
Come on, counselor,
$500 dollars for her is just like $50,000.
Have a heart.
You weren't just caught with a nickel bag, Eduardo.
You got to help me help you here.
I can get you into rehab.
You want to die in some toilet with a spike in your arm?
Fuck you!
I represent the law. You show me respect, you hear?
Do you want to die in some toilet
with a spike in your arm?
Somebody shut her up!
Why do you think you should be released, Mr. Agonostes?
I signed myself in, I can sign myself out.
I signed myself in. I can sign myself out.
I signed myself in, I can sign myself out.
I signed myself in, I can sign myself-
I signed myself in.
We cannot let these people
run wild in the streets.
I know you will do right by the people of New York.
Thank you.
Your honor...
Hi.
Sorry I'm late.
The judge kept-
I got to cut down on the coffee.
I'm like a goddamn pipe.
I drink it, piss it out 5 minutes later.
I keep telling you: Decaf. Decaf.
I've tried it.
I'd rather piss.
You know...
I'm still not used to it.
Every time we got to hit the door.
You're a lucky son of a bitch.
You know, I haven't slept for 2 nights?
Well...
I think maybe I got no imagination
'cause I never think of nothing going wrong.
I sleep like a baby. No butterflies.
Then maybe it's...
because I got you to protect me.
Yeah, yeah.
Maybe you're just stupid.
I'm definitely stupid.
I'm also bigger than you,
so why don't you let me hit the door this time?
Listen, you big slob,
how many times do I have to tell you?
You're the junior member of the firm.
The little guy goes first.
OK?
That bastard could be up there now,
counting money.
Listen...
if we go in tonight, you and me,
we go fast, right?
Everybody wants this bastard.
We got all 3 goddamn precincts
coming together on the 4 corners
of this one block.
I don't want any of those pricks
from the 6-4, the 6-5,
horning in on this.
Right?
We did the fucking work,
we get the fucking collar.
What about backup?
We got the warrant. We're the ones
sitting here getting hemorrhoids.
We get the collar.
Do you think...
Shmuellie the stoolie's gonna show up tonight or what?
He's a junkie. How can you trust a junkie?
You're gonna buy one someday,
you come on me like that.
Fuck you, cop.
Think it's easy?
I'm crawling here so nobody spots me.
You think it's easy.
You're breaking my heart, scumbag.
You just knock next time
or I'm going to take your fucking head off.
Why're you talking to me like that?
Liam...
why's he talking to me like that for?
Because really he loves you, Shmuel.
You're our favorite rat.
He's rough on you because he doesn't want
the other rats we got to get jealous.
Yeah.
Yeah? Well, fuck you, too.
Cut the bullshit. What you got?
Well, maybe I got nothing.
Hmpf!
Here, dickhead.
Get the fuck outta here.
He's up there now.
Apartment 3-D.
Alone? I don't know.
Maybe he's got some quiff with him?
Is he carrying?
Well... come on,
Jordan Washington don't make a move
without a rocket in his pocket, come on.
Get the fuck outta here.
Hey, you guys are swell, you know?
Yeah, really swell.
I hope he gives you one in the kneecap?
Boom!
OK?
Let's go.
Liam, I want to call for backup.
We'll have him trussed up
like a deer on a fender by the time they get here.
7-4, this is Alligretto.
We got a fix on Jordan Washington,
1117 Barnard Street, Apartment 3-David.
We got 2 plainclothes going in with warrant,
send backup.
Come heavy.
Aah!
10-13.
10-13. Location?
10-13. We got an officer down.
11... 17 Barnard.
1117 Barnard.
All right, now, I want one man here...
You two, around the back.
And you do not give orders around here.
Bullshit! I got a man bleeding up there!
Then get the hell up there and help him.
Now...
What the fuck are you doing?
Get the fucking ambulance here!
Stop it! My baby!
Get the fucking thing here!
OK, where the Fuck is he? No!
Where the fuck is he?
Open window. Down the fire escape.
I'll go up, you go down.
All right.
He hit the light switch.
Shit! OK?
Get out of here.
Charlie,
don't go up on that roof alone, you hear me?
All right, got you. Got you.
Easy.
Shit.
Shine your light over here.
It came from up there!
Charlie!
I'm turned around.
Where's the door?
Take it easy.
We're getting there. We're getting there.
I copy that, Cecil.
We need one in the back!
It's about fucking time.
Back... come back...
Get him in there! Let's go! Come on!
All right, lock it up, lock it up!
E.S.U., come on!
Come on!
They need it bad. Come on.
In the back!
Come on! In the back!
Come on! Back! Back!
Come on. Come on.
Over here!
Lights! Lights! I can't see.
I got his home number. His wife's coming.
Lights up! Picture taken.
Get your Polident, pop.
Shut your mouth.
Never mind- Shut your fucking trap.
Hey, get a radio over here!
Has anybody got a radio that's working?
Get on the radio, Snyder, Ramirez.
Come in, Ramirez, Snyder.
Come in, Snyder, Ramirez, do you read me?
Yeah, I read you.
We need some help over here right now.
About 4 guys.
Yeah. She got freezed for that.
It's too late for that.
All the goddamn tax money in the city,
we couldn't get an auditorium here?
Watch it, watch it- Aah!
Here, let me help you up this.
All right, listen up!
I've just come from a meeting
with the mayor and the police commissioner.
We're going to get
this son of a bitch in 72 hours
or a lot of you are going to be looking for jobs.
We got 3 dead cops...
One cop, we don't know if he's gonna live...
and the biggest dope dealer in the city
got away in an NYPD car.
We have a fuckup of historical proportions,
and 3 precinct captains are joining the homeless,
I kid you not.
OK.
So what is the district attorney-
that's me, for you new kids on the block-
doing about it?
On direct instructions from the mayor,
every detective in our investigative division
is to drop what he is working on
and to report to the 6-4 or the 6-5 or the 7-4
to work with them. You're supposed to be
the best detectives in the city,
and we're goddamn well going to see
if that is true.
For the rest of you in the trial division,
or on the executive staff: If a cop or detective
needs a search warrant at 3 a. m.,
you are to type it up, go to a judge's house,
pull him off his wife or whoever else he's on top of,
and get it signed.
If anybody calls
for a definition of "probable cause,"
"reasonable suspicion," "stop and search,"
You look it up and fax it to him in 3 minutes
or your ass is mine!
And you bend the fucking rules!
I don't want
any goddamn civil liberties subtleties here!
We get this cop-killing son of a bitch
and argue with the ACLU later!
Do you hear me?
Who the fuck are you, and why are you late?
Sean Casey, sir.
I was at the hospital
with my father.
My God.
Come here, kid.
First...
how is he?
He's critical...
but he's stable.
They think the operation went well.
He was...
How bad was he hit?
He got... 3 bullet wounds,
and there was a lot of slivers from...
you know, damage from the door,
there's some in his eyes.
You gave blood?
Yes...
twice.
You hear that, you dead asses?
This kid just gave his blood, twice!
So?
Get to work! Get to work! Now!
Come on!
Sean.
Elihu.
In my office.
Sean, I'm Elihu Harrison. Of course.
Sorry to meet under these circumstances.
Come on, I'll show you the way to Morgy's office.
It's down the hall.
Over here.
Right down there.
Right. I know.
Here. Here.
Sit, sit, sit.
Have you eaten anything?
No.
It's all right.
Eileen, call downstairs.
2 eggs over light, bacon very crisp,
toasted bagel, butter, and jam,
and a large pot of coffee.
Get it here fast.
Does the.
Eli, you want anything? No, thanks.
Does the hospital know how to reach you?
I think I...
I left an office number.
Sean, those folks ain't gonna answer your phone
if you're not there.
Eileen, if there are any calls from the hospital
for Sean Casey, have them transferred here.
So, kid, tell me...
is he conscious?
Not yet.
But the operation, it-it went well?
Well, I think-
I think that's what they said.
There was...
so many technical terms,
I...
Eileen, call Dr. Pritzker.
Tell him I want a no-bullshit report
on Sean's-Excuse me,
what is your father's first name?
Liam. Liam?
Liam Casey.
And to keep me informed.
Pritzker's the head of surgery.
He owes me.
Thank you, Mr. Morgenstern.
Morgy. Morgy to you, Sean, but not in front
of those assholes you came in with.
How old are you, kid? 33.
You're older than the rest of your class.
How come?
Right after college, I-
What college?
St. John's.
Right after St. John's, I joined the force,
but I was trying to get my law degree at night.
I was working 3 shifts. It took a long time.
You hear that?
Not like you, Eli.
No ivy walls,
no cute little coeds
with high tits and tight asses...
Eli here, his folks have a private seat
reserved for family members at Harvard Law School.
Morgy's still angry
I didn't have to go to city college.
Goddamn right. In this office,
it pays to know the street.
You know the street, kid?
I know the street.
I'll bet you do.
OK...
Sean...
you know why you're here?
Not really, Mr. Morgenstern.
Morgy.
Morgy, you're being very kind.
It's not in my character.
I always want something in return.
Right, Eli?
You don't mind if I call you Eli, right?
Elihu, I don't know, it's almost hard for me to say.
Eli,
it's more heimisch.
Heimisch. That's a word of my people.
It means...
Cozy.
"To feel at home with."
That's why your people use chintz.
Sean...
when we capture Jordan...
and we will...
he's gonna be tried.
It's the easiest case this office will ever have.
He left one empty gun behind, his prints are on it,
I'll bet you whatever you want
ballistics will find bullets
in one of those 4 cops that came from that gun.
He's the worst dope dealer in Harlem.
A murderer of his own people, a monster.
As I said,
easiest case this office will ever have.
I hope they get him alive...
because I want him put on trial by this office.
And you know
who the prosecutor is gonna be?
You, Sean. You're gonna try him.
That's right. You, Sean.
You're looking at me like I'm crazy.
Morgy...
with apologies to you, Sean...
Morgy, this-
this is a giant case.
Sean has never tried anything like this
in size or importance.
Mr. Morgenstern- Morgy...
Mr. Harrison is right.
I mean, I'm new at this.
A mistake can ruin the case.
There's no problem here.
My son could win this case,
and he's not out of high school.
And he's stupid.
This case is not complicated.
Morgy, are you serious?
You can always tell when I make a joke.
I'm the guy who laughs loudest.
Sir, Morgy...
Look, kid,
whose father is laying out there
with tubes coming out of every hole he's got?
Whose blood is flowing in his veins now,
this minute?
And who put him there?
Case closed.
Food is here. Shall I bring it in?
No. Put it in... Di Angelo's office.
Kid, go eat.
There's a couch in there.
Di Angelo's in Florida on vacation.
Eat, grab some kip.
I'll wake you if there's any word from the hospital.
You got a career-making case coming up.
Thank you.
Why are you doing this?
He's at the top of his class,
simple case...
I don't know. I got a feeling about him.
You mean that?
Ha ha ha!
You bet your goy ass I do.
You realize I'll have to resign.
So? Resign.
Morgy, I'm senior trial counsel.
Turning this over to anybody but me
is an insult that's incredibly damaging to me,
to my career.
But to turn it over to an A.D.A.
With 8 months experience is more than insulting.
It's shocking, humiliating, and it's unacceptable!
Listen to me, you prick!
You think I don't know what's going on?
The walls have ears, my friend.
Those little planted stories in the papers-
"Morgenstern is old,"
"Morgenstern's got heart problems,"
"Morgenstern's lost his touch"-
that's your work, Eli,
you and that goddamn PR firm you hired.
And you thought I didn't know.
I got lots of friends, Eli. People owe me.
You're gonna go against me in the primary, aren't you?
And if I whip your ass, and I will,
you'll return to the party of your people
and make the run against me that way.
And you think I'm gonna hand you
a career-making case so you can destroy me?
What do you think, I'm an idiot? You momser!
That's a word of my people.
You want to know what it means?
Come here!
Bastard!
So...
if he lives...
you've got your hero cop as a witness,
being questioned
by his heroic, self-made son.
You've got Rivera, Oprah...
maybe even Charlie Rose,
explaining how you made this...
heartwarming choice.
Do you think I'm an idiot?
Let me give you 3 words of my people:
Go fuck yourself.
Ha ha ha!
Up your ass.
Hey.
How're you doing, Nails?
Nails?
Nails.
I used to call you that, remember?
A long time ago.
Nails?
Remember? Whenever you wanted me to do something,
you used to say, "Nail it, son."
As long as I can remember.
You'd pitch me a ball in the park,
you'd say, "Here...
nail it, son."
Remember?
A tough exam,
"Nail it, Sean-o."
I liked it.
You never said it to anybody else.
That's why I called you that.
I got it.
Good, Pop.
I remember...
Liked you calling me that.
Something terrific has happened.
When they get Washington...
guess who's going to prosecute him.
It's me, Pop.
Whole career opening up.
Guess who the... chief witness
is gonna be, Pop.
Who?
You.
First on the scene.
First to go down.
You're gonna be on the stand.
I'm gonna be asking the questions.
My god, Sean...
everything your mother and I worked for.
I know, Pop.
It's gonna happen, Pop.
They're kicking me out.
Yeah, I know.
You get some rest, OK?
Sean...
nail the son of a bitch.
I will, Pop.
And I love you.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
Good morning, Sam.
I have an announcement to make.
I have agreed to defend Jordan Washington.
So you know where he is?
Yes, yes, I know where he is.
I want to arrange for a quiet surrender
to the district attorney's office.
How and when did you contact each other?
Through an intermediary.
Talk about defense.
What possible defense
do you plan to offer in this case?
Ha ha ha. You working for the D.A.'s office, Bill?
Your paper certainly does.
You're usually so willing to talk, Sam.
What's the point of being so coy?
No, no. You're all going to have to
just wait for the trial.
And let me assure you that we want a trial.
In fact...
Emily, would you send Mr. Washington in, please?
What? What?
You've had him here the whole time?
How long have you had him here?
Does the D.A. know that he's here?
Jordan, now's your chance.
Make a statement.
Please, my client will not answer any questions.
Would you take off your shirt
and lower your trousers, please?
Sam, what...
Sam...
Notice, ladies and gentlemen,
that he is completely unmarked.
Turn around, please?
There are no bruises, no breaks of skin.
I would like you to notice particularly
the kidney area, which is a favorite police target.
Also the buttocks and the genitals.
Thank you very much.
We are delivering Jordan
in perfect condition.
We have a car waiting downstairs.
We are going downtown now to deliver Mr. Washington
to District Attorney Morgenstern.
We'd like you all to come along as witnesses
so that we can all be sure
that Mr. Washington shows up for his first day of trial
in exactly the same condition
as you see him here today.
He's bringing Washington down here to surrender.
That fucking Vigoda just wants to rub our noses in it.
We couldn't capture him! He surrendered voluntarily.
Well, fuck Vigoda!
Lawrence, you get your men down there.
When that car turns into Worth Street,
you stop it, you drag the black son-of-a-bitch
onto the street and cuff him!
I want 4 officers-
one on each arm, one on each leg,
to drag that man into the building,
throw him in a fucking cell,
'cause that's what I promised the people of this city,
and that's what they're gonna get.
I'm not gonna let that little Commie shyster
humiliate this office.
And if he gets in the way,
arrest him for obstruction of justice!
Here they come!
Wave them through, guys.
Wave them through. Wave them through.
Lieutenant, I am surrendering my client
according to legal procedure-
My instructions are...
There's no need for that!
You are obstructing justice.
Damn it! Get the cameras over here!
Unnecessary and excessive use of force...
Channel 11's legal expert,
Joshua Field...
Well, District Attorney Morgenstern
has had a disaster.
What was supposed to be
a quiet surrender of Jordan Washington
turned into a 3-ring circus.
There could be grounds for a change of venue-
What the hell do you want?
You've buried yourself.
I've come to gloat.
You know as well as I Vigoda's a great attorney.
If he's defending Washington,
then you know you've got something to worry about.
That's beside the fact
that he'll have every black militant
and left-wing group in the city
blocking every bridge, disrupting every highway,
and screaming police brutality
under your window every night
when you're trying to get some sleep...
and he'll eat your hero cop lawyer alive.
Fuck you.
I'm withdrawing my resignation.
Thank you for taking your time accepting it.
You, my Hebraic friend,
are in trouble on this case,
and I can't wait to see you take the fall.
Good night.
This is Liam Casey.
Please leave a message.
Hey, Pop. I hope this means you're sleeping,
not out dancing somewhere.
Tomorrow's the big day. Wish me luck.
Hey, Morgy, this is Sean.
I just wanted to call to say how much
I appreciate everything you've done for me,
and I won't let you down.
Mr. Casey, your opening statement?
Your honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
I'm going to be very brief.
This city just recently buried 3 police officers.
A fourth is recovering from 3 bullet wounds.
One of the dead officers
was shot by another unidentified officer
because of the confusion created
by the defendant's actions.
The other two dead officers
and the wounded police officer
had bullets in their bodies
that came from the defendant's gun.
It's that simple.
The case against the defendant
is defined by 3 gravestones
and a set of crutches.
I have no doubt of our proof,
and I have no doubt of your eventual verdict,
so I thank you.
Mr. Vigoda?
Your honor...
ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
Mr. Casey has stated the facts,
and we don't dispute one word of what he said.
However, you have to be crazy
to shoot 3 cops,
and Jordan Washington is not crazy.
What Mr. Casey has left out
is that my client was fighting for his life.
What Mr. Casey has left out
is that my client was going to be executed.
What Mr. Casey has left out
is that cops from 3 precincts:
The 6-4, the 6-5, and the 7-4,
were in business with my client
and had been for years.
And as in so many businesses,
there was a falling out among partners.
Somebody else was offering a better price
for the protection services
that these precincts were providing,
and when my client
refused to go along with that new price,
it was decided that he had to go.
Why do you think 3 precincts responded to that call?
Jordan Washington knew what was happening
the moment that he heard footsteps in the hall,
and he was not going to sit idly by
and wait for his executioners to destroy him.
Now, it is true
Jordan Washington fired through that door,
and it is true that bullets from my client's gun
took the lives of 2 more New York city cops,
but their dying began well before that tragic night.
Their deaths began on the day that corrupt cops
agreed to protect dope dealing in Harlem.
Now, I grieve... for those dead policemen.
As far as I know,
they were not part of any conspiracy.
But I cannot let a man
go to jail for the rest of his life
for doing what is acknowledged
as a man's most basic right:
The right of self-defense.
Thank you.
Vigoda's witness list
includes 17 cops from the 6-4, the 6-5, and the 7-4.
What do you mean, don't worry?
'Cause it's bullshit. It's a theory.
Theories are crap.
He just wants to confuse and divert the jury.
Just don't let it divert you.
3 dead cops, one seriously wounded.
That's your case.
There are cops on the take, Morgy.
No kidding. Thanks for the information.
Washington had to be paying somebody.
Will you stop worrying about it?
That's another tri- Just take one-
That's another trial. This trial is about-
3 dead cops, one seriously wounded. I know.
Eileen, I told you not spicy!
Shit!
So you were completely occupied
when Detective Casey and you really knew nothing
about what was going on down on the streets?
Yes, sir, that's correct.
Thank you, detective.
Your witness.
Detective Alligretto,
have you ever heard of the name Kleinhoff?
Who?
Kleinhoff.
No, not that I can recall.
Thank you. That's all.
Witness is excused.
Detective Liam Casey.
Do you swear to tell the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,
so help you God?
I do.
Good morning, Detective Casey.
Morning, counselor.
Detective Casey,
you are assigned to the 7-4 precinct?
Yes, sir.
How long have you been there?
9 years.
And you've been a detective for how long?
20 years.
And how long have you been a policeman?
36 years.
So you're well past your eligibility for retirement?
They'll have to carry me out.
In fact, they almost did.
Can you tell us how you became involved with the defendant?
Well, we all knew him. Jordan Washington.
I mean, the word on the street was...
kingpin...
top dog, numero uno,
M.M.
M.M.?
Yeah. Mean m-
Yes?
Mean motherfucker.
That's-that's what we called him: M.M.
And how did you specifically
get involved in the pursuit of him?
Well, me and my partner- that's Joey Alligretto-
we have us a snitch.
Naturally, I can't tell you his name.
We understand. One day...
6 or 7 months ago we learned...
we'd see him coming in or out.
So you cased that house for 21/2 weeks,
all day and all night.
Damn near.
A couple of times we'd miss some hours.
Once we both got sick
from some bad hero sandwiches,
things like that.
Why didn't you ask for help from the precinct?
In narcotics you got to be careful.
On a good lead,
you don't want too much word out.
What did you then do?
We got lucky.
Sunday night the snitch showed.
That's Sunday, the 13th of October?
Yes, sir.
So now we're in business...
So then you had absolutely no knowledge
of what was going on outside?
Hey, the next thing I saw was you...
standing by my bed at I.C.U. at Metropolitan.
Thank you, detective.
Your witness, counselor.
Good afternoon, Detective Casey.
You on sick leave now, detective?
Yes.
What's the prognosis? Pretty good.
6 to 8 months, I'll be as good as new.
Glad to hear it.
Now, I only have 2 or 3 areas
that I'd like to cover.
You-You had a warrant?
Yes.
Now, something that you said
has made me, curious.
This-This thing about not getting any help
during what must have been an arduous...
even torturous, surveillance.
You-You testified,
"On a good lead, you don't want too much word out."
What did you mean by that?
Narcotics are complicated.
The fewer people know about what you're doing,
the better it is.
Does that apply to your fellow officers?
Objection, your honor.
The charge here is murder, not police corruption.
The defense may tie the two together, your honor.
Line of questioning you opened up, counselor.
Overruled.
You may answer, Detective Casey.
You have to be careful.
I don't understand. Are you saying that
narcotics information is a two-way street,
that police officers can be informed about dealers,
and that dealers can be informed
about police officers?
I'm not sure I get the question.
Well, then,
regretfully, I must be blunt.
Were you afraid
that if you involved any other officers,
that one of them might get word
to Jordan Washington?
Like I said, you gotta be careful.
I'm sorry to press you, detective,
but I must ask you to answer either yes or no.
Yes.
And since you didn't share this information
with men of your own precinct,
you certainly didn't share it with officers
of any other precinct,
am I correct,
yes or no?
I shared it with nobody.
Except your partner?
Except my partner.
I just have one more question.
You ever heard of the name Kleinhoff?
Not that I know of.
He's an ex-police officer.
In fact, the records indicate
that the two of you served in the same precinct
for a period of some 2 weeks.
It was a long time ago. About 20 years.
Kleinhoff?
Does that name sound familiar?
No, counselor.
Like you said, a long time ago.
I understand.
Thank you. That's all.
7-4, this is Alligretto.
We got a fix on Jordan Washington.
Shall I play it for you again, lieutenant?
We hear Detective Alligretto
very clearly calling in to the 74th precinct.
Why did men from the 64th precinct respond?
They thought maybe more help might be needed.
More help.
But just a few seconds had elapsed
before your men responded. Why?
How did your men know that more help was needed?
Did I hear you correctly, sergeant?
Men of the 6-5 responded
because an officer-down call had come in?
Yes, sir.
But the officer-down call did not go out
until almost 2 minutes
after the original call came in,
and men from the 6-5 were already on their way.
How do you explain that?
You drove- and I quote-
"Like a bat out of hell."
Why?
It was a big collar.
We wanted in on it.
Ha ha ha ha...
Finally someone gives me a straight answer.
You were how old at this point?
6 or 7.
And this was your fifth foster home?
I don't know. I lost count.
What about brothers and sisters, Mr. Washington?
5 of us. Got split up early.
Ain't no foster home wanted 5 kids.
You were the youngest?
That's right.
Where was your mother during this time?
All over.
Mama was all over.
She was a user, an addict.
What happened to her?
I don't know.
Father?
Never knew him.
How old were you, Mr. Washington,
when you hit the streets permanently?
Maybe 10.
How did you live?
I became a runner.
A drug runner?
That's right.
Could you give us a description
of how you lived
over the next few years?
I kind of moved up.
I learned where the money goes.
Then I got busted, did 21/2 at Elmira.
And when you got out?
Carved out a piece of turf for myself.
Took it... one block at a time.
Nobody stoppin' me.
So now you were a full-time dealer.
That's right.
In your experience, Mr. Washington,
what is the most important thing
a full-time dealer needs?
There's 3 different things:
A place to buy it, a place to sell it,
and protection.
Protection from other dealers?
No. See, I takes care of that myself.
Protection from what? All this shit!
And how do you protect yourself from all this?
So how do you do anything?
Money.
Who is Kurt Kleinhoff?
Ex-cop. My bag man.
Meaning the one who pays everyone off?
That's right.
Can you tell us how that works?
First of the month,
Kleinhoff go out with a little black satchel,
look like a doctor bag.
He stops by the bar, the precinct,
and the pizza parlor to pay off cops.
So much for the patrolman,
so much for the sergeant, lieutenant, captain,
et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
How much?
600 grand a year.
How much?
600 grand a year. 50 grand a month.
3 precincts to pay off.
And those precincts were?
6-4, 6-5, 7-4.
And could you give us the names of the officers-
Objection, your honor.
The defendant was not present at the alleged payoffs.
We must not take his word on this.
He must not name names.
Sustained.
Who is Carlos Alvarez?
Guy tryin' to take over my operation.
And how did he try?
See, he moved the ante up.
He offered the cops 650 grand a year.
So my police friends
tried to shake me down for another 50.
But I said, "No. Get the fuck outta here."
See, once that shit starts, I'm finished.
So I said, "Nah."
And I figured I'd take care of Alvarez in my own way.
And did you?
Nah. See, I never got the chance.
See, Alvarez figured I'd be coming on after him.
So he tell the cops.
They don't want to give up their 50,
so they come on after me.
And that was the night of October 13th?
Yeah.
But I knew what was happening
maybe a month before that.
Kleinhoff say, "First time they find you,
they comin' on after you."
Now, we're perfectly aware
you grew up amid conditions
that were heartbreaking.
Let me ask you something...
you remember the first time you hit somebody?
No.
Seems like I'm always
hitting or being hit.
Yeah, because you said in your testimony here-
and I quote-
"I carved out a piece of turf for myself.
I took it." End quote.
That must have taken a lot of hittin', didn't it?
Did it?
When you were expanding your drug empire-
and I quote- "One block at a time,"
Did you ever kill anybody?
Your honor, I am instructing my client
not to answer that question
on the grounds of self-incrimination.
Are you pleading
the Fifth Amendment, Mr. Washington?
Yes.
Did you ever order anyone killed?
Same instructions, your honor.
When you were in jail for assault with a deadly weapon,
did you ever kill anybody? Fifth Amendment.
When your turf was firmly established
and you were now numero uno, top dog, kingpin, M.M.,
did you ever kill anyone? Fifth Amendment!
Enough of this.
We'll ask questions in a civilized way-
Your honor, the prosecutor is baiting my client.
Sit down, Mr. Vigoda! I'll run this courtroom
with no help from you nor anyone.
Continue, Mr. Casey.
Thank you, your honor.
Let's go to the night of the shootout...
Sunday, October 13th.
Did you hear Detective Casey and Alligretto
coming up the stairs? Yeah.
When you fired 15 shots straight at the door,
did you see Detective Casey go down?
The door was there.
But by the end of your fusillade,
the door was in pieces.
Did you see Detective Casey get hit?
No.
Did you see any blood? No.
When you got down to the basement,
did you see 2 policemen? Yeah.
Did you see their faces before you fired?
Yeah.
Were they young or old?
I don't know.
You just said you saw their faces.
Not clear.
Which is it, yes or no?
I don't know.
When you fired your .357 magnum at them,
did you see where the bullets hit?
Yeah. Where'd they hit?
One in the head and one in the body.
Was there blood? Yeah.
Lots of it? Yeah.
Did any get on your tiny white sneakers?
Motherfucker!
Remove the prisoner!
Get him outta here!
Jury's on the way.
2 hours. Good or bad sign?
Good sign, but who knows?
Guilty on all 5 charges.
OK, everybody!
Well, did I smell it?
You all thought I was nuts,
but I knew this kid had it.
Had it all!
Sean, come on up here. Sean Casey!
Yeah. Yes!
Come on.
A boundless love of the truth
and an instinct for the jugular vein.
That's what makes a great prosecutor.
And I cannot think of a better moment
to announce my run for reelection.
I'm glad that opposing counsel
has seen fit to join us here tonight.
Welcome. Come on. Welcome.
You know, I may offer Sam Vigoda
the chairmanship of my fund raising committee.
He should live so long. All right!
Have a good time!
Mr. Mayor!
Sir...
Sean Casey.
Sean, Mayor Williams.
Congratulations, Mr. Casey.
I couldn't imagine
this was your first major case.
Brilliantly done. Brilliantly.
Where's your father?
Liam! Over here!
Mr. Casey.
Gentlemen, right this way...
Smile...
One more this way, please?
Thank you.
I never knew I'd be helping the prosecution.
Hi.
I'm Peggy Lindstrom.
I know.
We met once in an elevator.
I work for Sam Vigoda,
one of 12 irreplaceable assistants.
I know that.
I saw you at the trial.
Sit. Hi.
How are you?
Fine.
I don't know if you can make it erect.
I think I can.
Classy car.
I'm lucky.
My parents have money.
Where are we going?
Home.
I live in Queens.
I don't.
Boo!
You're a miracle. I know,
but only to people that I want to like me.
How do you decide?
Instinct.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing
when you cross-examined Washington.
I knew I was watching
the start of a great career.
I knew that, at the least,
I wanted to get you into bed.
How come you didn't wait to be asked?
I hate that coy bullshit.
I live my life as openly
and as honestly as possible.
You're completely attractive.
I know.
So now you get 3 a. m. scrambled eggs,
I get ice cream,
and I hope I'm impressing you enough
so that we'll see each other again.
I'm very impressed.
We'll see each other again.
And, still,
tonight wasn't casual for me.
Well, it started casual for me.
I was a little loaded.
A beautiful and sexy woman-
what's there to lose?
Right now, it feels like
the beginning of something.
Can you spend the night?
Impelliteri is setting
the sentencing date tomorrow.
I should show up in my other suit.
See? The first heartbreak already.
I'll make up for it.
How?
I don't know.
Good eggs.
What did you find?
Forget about it.
There's nothing left of that joker
but a skeleton.
God only knows how long he's been there.
Poor kids were crabbing.
One of their lines got snagged.
How do you like that?
On the first charge...
Would you stand, Mr. Washington?
On the first charge-
the death of Patrolman Finney
the sentence is 25 years to life
with no parole.
On the second charge-
the death of Patrolman Katz-
25 years to life, no parole.
On the third charge-
the wounding of Detective Casey-
25 years to life, no parole.
On the fourth and fifth charges,
15 to 25 years each with no parole,
sentences to run consecutively.
Good-bye, Mr. Washington.
Hey, you know that floater
you fished out last week?
Yeah. They finally got an ID on him.
N.Y.P.D. Medical.
Name of Kleinhoff.
And that man is Pat DiStefano.
And if we stick together,
we can win it all!
We can win it all!
Hell of an acceptance speech, mayor!
Fuck!
All right, come on! Come on! Let's go!
Let's stop fucking around.
Now I'm sure you've each got somebody
whose name you'd like to put up,
and we're only 2 hours away from the 6:00 news.
Now, I've got an idea.
Morgy's in ICU.
I'd like to ask for your prayers for him tonight.
But we are a party rich in talent.
I would like to place in nomination,
and I would be proud
if you accept it by acclamation,
for the office of district attorney,
I nominate...
Sean Casey!
Casey! Casey!
I wish she could've seen it.
I wish she could've heard it.
I just hope she knows.
She knows.
Yeah. I think you're right.
She's gotta be as proud as I am.
Well, I hope she wasn't disappointed.
At what?
She always had hopes of me joining the church.
I know she wanted me to.
Tempted?
I was.
We were blessed, Pop.
That's the word.
We were blessed.
Well, try it on.
Yeah.
Looks good on you.
Sean, Vigoda on 2.
Sean Casey headquarters.
Hello?
I know you're busy,
but it's important that we meet.
OK. What's good for you?
Well, I'll meet you anytime you want.
But, Sean, someplace
where neither of us can wear a wire.
You heard that the body
that they fished out of the river
turned out to be Kurt Kleinhoff?
If you win,
I want you to pursue that murder...
as soon as you can.
Use the investigation division
of the D.A.'s office.
Going through any precincts is not the best way
to find out what you're looking for.
Sooner or later,
you're gonna run into dirty cops.
You're not telling me
you believe your defense?
You heard the tapes. You heard the testimony.
It was total chaos on the street that night.
All right. Jordan Washington is scum.
Sometimes I just get so sick inside.
So...
so discouraged, you know?
I feel like we have to just...
give up on an entire generation.
Lock 'em up,
throw away the key.
Am I hearing this
from the last of the sixties radicals?
Are you conning me?
Yes to the first and no to the second.
Why'd you take the case?
Because I was after something else.
What?
Sean. The first rule of the drug world-
there can't be that much money around
without dirty cops.
That's what I wanted to get to.
Why? Who appointed you?
My 15-year-old daughter...
when she OD'd.
You know,
when your kid dies before you,
it's... it's not the natural order of things.
Your whole life changes.
When I was a cop with the 103 in Queens,
4 cops got caught on the pad.
It was nothing big.
The usual- C-note a month.
But I remember,
I was ducking into the station house
because I didn't want to get cornered
by the reporters.
I didn't want to get caught on camera,
because I was ashamed.
In the meantime, those 4 cops
were being brought in by their buddies, you know?
They had their coats over their hands
so the cuffs wouldn't show.
They had their heads ducked down low
so nobody would recognize them.
I remember feeling I wanted to...
pull their heads up by their hair...
so everybody could see.
Because a cop like that,
they're scum of the earth.
You get me real evidence,
I'll follow it wherever it leads.
Wherever?
Yeah.
Wherever.
You're a romantic.
And I think you're blushing.
It's the heat.
It's not the heat.
You're blushing.
I think I'm gonna vote for you.
Your final statement, Mr. Harrison.
You have 2 minutes.
Though constantly taking the high, moral ground,
Mr. Casey's naiveté keeps trapping him
in the depths of, well, to put it mildly,
questionable behavior.
He's in the midst of an affair with someone.
No, no, no, please. Please, listen.
I don't bring this up as a smear.
It's just that the person he's involved with
works for a law firm
that has been a consistent enemy
of law and order in this city.
In 2 instances,
traffic was stopped for hours-
once at the Brooklyn Bridge
and once at the Queens midtown tunnel.
They've represented the pushcart peddlers
who drive away business
from legitimate, taxpaying merchants,
welfare cheats,
corrupt local school boards.
In other words, all the elements
that have made life in this city
almost unlivable.
The district attorney's office
is the representative of law and order
in this city.
Who do you want sitting in that chair?
A newly graduated naive lawyer
with one easy victory behind him?
A man who sees nothing wrong
with an involvement in a law firm
that at times has brought this city to its knees?
Or the calm, reasoned, objective point of view
of someone who's devoted 18 years
of public service to this city and its people?
Thank you.
Mr. Casey.
I'm not even gonna respond to the personal attack
other than to say that
we are sort of living in sin
because, she won't marry me.
I've asked.
But I would like to address
what I think Mr. Harrison here
is really talking about.
We're all perfectly aware of the complete loss of respect
that exists for government today,
particularly the law.
Well, I believe that the system can work.
But you, all of you, need one basic reassurance.
You need to know
that the law applies to everyone equally-
rich, poor, black, white, yellow, brown,
witness, jury, perpetrator, victim,
cops, judges, Wall Street, welfare.
All, everyone, equally.
The party ticket I'm running on
may not like what I'm saying,
but I'm telling you how I feel.
There will be only one standard-
did that person break the law?
If I am elected, the law will exclude no one.
All, everyone, will be equal before the law,
just like it says on the building.
Thank you.
Do we have to go back?
You do.
Big campaign stops tomorrow.
Right. This place is magic.
For what it's worth,
I'd never thought I'd want a place like this...
until this morning
while making coffee for you.
It's worth a lot.
You make very good coffee.
I think we should get married.
Will you marry me?
Let's not push it.
Marriage wasn't great for me.
You weren't married to me.
How was your meeting with Vigoda?
It was interesting.
Can't tell you the content of it.
I understand.
When you're the D.A.,
we may wind up on opposite sides a lot.
We'll have lots of secrets from each other.
I hate that.
So, what do you suggest?
I suggest we tell each other everything.
We'll leave it up to the other person
to decide for themselves whether to use it.
God, you like to make things difficult.
Why not just keep quiet?
That's also an option.
Come in.
Thanks for coming in, Mr. Casey.
We've seen each other around for months,
but never really met.
I'm Captain Lawrence,
head of investigation for the D.A.'s office.
This is my assistant, Lieutenant Gentile.
How are you?
You did a helluva job, councilman.
I hope I'll be working for you
after November.
This is Lieutenant Wilson,
internal affairs.
Wilson, will you take over?
Harbor police fished out
what was practically a skeleton
in the east river some months ago.
Dental records identify the body
as Kurt Kleinhoff.
A few days later, we obtained a copy
of a small, black address book.
I can't tell you how.
The address book had the names
of 15 police officers.
The 15 officers were and are presently
in the 6-4, the 6-5, and the 7-4.
As of yesterday at 4:00,
we have officially taken over the investigation.
That's what we're here for.
That's what our department does.
And one of our first investigations
is to find out how many officers named in that book
were present at the Jordan Washington shootout.
Do you know if Kleinhoff was dirty?
Well, we don't know... yet,
but we sort of kept tabs on him
after he left the force.
He was always around drugs,
on the fringes.
Where there was dope and dealers,
there was Kleinhoff.
We were getting close when he floated up.
No point in looking for the killer
if forensics can't give us a hint of how he died.
Why am I here?
One of the names in the book was Joey Alligretto,
your father's partner.
We have to bring him in, Sean,
but we don't want to hurt you
or your campaign.
And god knows
we don't want to hurt your father.
We thought it might be worthwhile
for you to talk to him first.
Maybe it's something. Maybe it's nothing.
But if it's something,
maybe he'll talk to you.
But maybe we can see if there's a way
of exercising some damage control
in this whole mess.
And I'm supposed to report back to you.
Is that it?
If I were you,
I'd do it, Mr. Casey.
It's better to know than not know.
Anybody else you want me to talk to?
Not at the moment.
What the fuck,
they don't give you an office?
We got to meet out here?
Come here.
How you doing?
What's the matter?
What's the matter with you?
I'd never wear a wire on you, Joe.
I'm sorry.
I know that. I'm sorry.
Come on. Come here.
I'm sorry.
It's just that ever...
ever since Kleinhoff floated up,
everybody's a little tense, that's all.
Why are they tense, Joey?
People are talking.
What are they talking about?
Internal Affairs getting involved,
your office.
People are edgy.
Joey, you said at the trial
you didn't know a Kleinhoff.
Yeah, well, I lied.
Why?
'Cause committing perjury is a helluva lot easier
than admitting you know Kleinhoff.
Well, what are you gonna do? You gonna report me?
I'll report as little
or as much of this conversation
as I want to.
That's the deal.
You don't know Internal affairs.
You think that's the deal.
I'm the next D.A. of this city.
That's the deal.
OK.
I'm asking, Joe.
You a dirty cop?
Never.
Why is your name in Kleinhoff s book?
Didn't know he had a book.
Anyway, he tried to call me a couple times.
I always said no.
Why didn't you go after him?
The truth?
Yeah.
I didn't have the balls.
He meant a lot of money to a lot of cops.
I figured I'd keep my own nose clean,
and that's that.
Did he try to reach my father?
Look at me.
Did he try to reach my father?
I swear to you,
as far as I know,
your father's clean.
OK?
Why here?
You swear to me on mama's grave
you're clean on this Kleinhoff business.
Kleinhoff? Kleinhoff!
You know damn well who Kleinhoff is.
Don't look at me that way.
He had his hands all over some cops
in the 6-4, the 6-5, and 7-4.
Swear to me right here, Pop,
right here, you're clean.
I swear to you at your mother's grave.
I'm clean.
Why'd you lie at the trial?
Joey's already told you.
Joey told you about our meeting?
Of course.
What about Joe?
He's clean.
Why is his name in Kleinhoff s book?
Kleinhoff tried to reach him.
Joey comes to me
and he asks me what should he do.
What should he do!
I told him I didn't want to touch it,
so he turned him down.
How do you know?
How do I know what?
That he turned him down!
He's my partner.
Sorry.
I'm sorry, Pop.
He's clean, Captain Lawrence.
Thank you, Sean.
Glad to hear it.
Sean talked to him.
He says Alligretto s clean.
That's what I'd expect him to say.
9:00 results. Let's go!
The polls have just closed.
Let's go to our correspondent Donna Hanover
for our special election coverage.
With voting just ended,
we've already got our first victory of the evening.
And considering how close the polls were,
it comes as a big surprise.
According to our exit polling,
Sean Casey will win easily over...
congratulations, Sean!
With 64% of the vote by our projections.
Though not quite that conclusively,
it looks by early count
that Mayor Williams should also waltz in comfortably.
It can't go on like this, can it?
One wonderful thing happening after another.
In my experience,
no, it can't go on like this.
What's been your experience?
Nothing brutal.
In fact, on the whole, I'm lucky.
It's just that I keep picking guys
that I expect to be perfect.
I don't mean money and looks...
like you.
Just perfect.
And then we get close,
and the flaws show up.
I guess that's my flaw-
expecting Lancelot.
You haven't picked wrong with me, Peggy.
I know.
And it frightens me even more.
What if you're everything I hoped for, and...
What?
And what?
And it turns out I'm not...
good enough for you.
If I'm not,
I don't want to know that about myself.
Come here.
Will you marry me?
Maybe.
I want to.
I'm scared.
Can we at least live together...
in the same place?
OK. Your place or mine?
Whichever.
Mine.
Good choice.
But don't give up yours.
Yet.
No. I don't recognize the name of Kleinhoff.
I've had over a thousand officers
working under me in my command
for 32 years.
How do you expect me to remember a name?
Because he was paying you every month.
If you're clean,
you got no reason to be so nervous.
Are you kidding me?
Do you know what it means to be even called in here?
You got pictures? What do you got?
We don't have to tell you anything.
You have to tell us.
Bullshit. If you had pictures,
you'd be shoving them in my face
so you turn me into a rat.
I don't know nothin' about knocking off Washington.
I will not answer any questions
unless a P.B.A. lawyer is present.
I'd like you to repeat that,
just one time, outside this room.
You'd be swallowing your teeth by now.
I swear I'm innocent.
Kill Jordan Washington?
Are you crazy?
Not a crack.
Mr. Casey.
It always starts this way.
Everybody's innocent.
They're all lying.
If their lips are moving, they're lying.
Within a week,
somebody will come in to make a deal for himself.
Then the whole house of cards collapses.
They're going down.
Come heavy.
Barnard Street. Apartment 3-David.
We got 2 plain clothes going in with warrant.
Send backup. Come heavy.
Hi.
Sean?
Yeah.
One of your perks...
Well, if there's anyone
you want as your secretary...
I mean, well,
you should have who you want.
Eileen, I'd you to stay on, please.
I need all the help I can get.
I'd be honored.
Eileen, you know where that warrant might be,
the one that Joey and my father had?
It's in that stack I just brought you.
All the documentation's chronological,
so it should be...
right at the top.
That's a Xerox.
You know where the original might be?
Who signed this? Impelliteri.
Could have gone back to his office.
Could be floating around the 74th precinct.
Do you want me to locate it?
Please.
Could take a couple of days.
OK.
Hi. Hi.
How you feeling, Morgy?
Lousy.
What else do you want to ask me?
I came to thank you.
I owe a lot to you.
Don't thank me.
I may not have done you a favor.
It'll start soon. You'll see.
What'll start?
The pressure.
In fact, what I heard, it started already.
What'd you hear?
Internal Affairs, they're pressing you.
How'd you hear it?
People owe me.
How bad is it?
I don't know yet.
This is Internal Affairs business.
I'm afraid to go through the door.
I don't know know what to expect.
Expect the worst. So prepare yourself.
Everybody's gonna want a piece of you,
now that you're elected.
Leaves you in a damn good position, kid.
When they grab for you,
when they go for that piece of you,
you get something back.
But you always get back more than you gave.
You hear me, kid? More than you gave.
What are you saying to me?
It's gonna be one big deal I'm making?
No. A hundred little ones. A thousand.
Deal after deal after deal after deal.
That's not why I became a lawyer.
Who cares why you became a lawyer?
Only you. Nobody else gives a shit.
Why? You want clean hands?
Become a priest.
Look, kid, what you're searching for,
you're not going to find it. Ha ha.
Not in this place, this time.
Maybe no place at any time.
But you'll be better than most.
That's what you're gonna have to be satisfied with.
Get the hell out of here, please.
You're depressing me.
Ha ha ha ha ha.
Come on.
God.
Please.
I'd kiss you, but you're an ugly bastard.
So what do you think, lieutenant?
Can I do myself some good here?
You're the first to come forward.
I'm sure we can help.
But I'll need corroboration
for everything you tell us.
I don't see a problem.
My old partner- Estevez-
you had him in here.
For a deal,
he'll talk.
Good.
That's it.
After the 2 of you, no more deals.
I'm sad to announce the indictment this morning
of 5 police officers
on charges of bribery and dealing in narcotics.
Their names are in the press release
you have been given.
The indictments are the result
of a 2 month investigation
by the Internal Affairs division.
The investigation was conducted by lieutenant Wilson.
End of statement.
Any more cops to come, Sean?
It's an ongoing investigation.
You're an ex-cop, Mr. District attorney.
How do you feel?
Lousy.
I noticed-
I noticed that 3 of the 5 names
were in the 74th precinct.
Isn't your father in the 74th precinct?
If there's anything I hate as much as a dirty cop,
it's a scandal mongering reporter
looking for a sensationalist story.
Your smear of a good cop,
a cop who almost gave his life for this city,
is despicable.
You find that funny?
Having said that, I can tell you that
this investigation will go wherever the evidence leads.
This press conference is over.
You're welcome.
Eileen, any word on the warrant?
I forgot to tell you.
We can't find any trace of the original.
How come?
Happens all the time.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
I'll clear these.
Here, let me help you.
For god's sake, just sit there.
Like you to volunteer
after all the hard work's done, right?
Making the roast beef,
that's when I could have used you.
Peeling the potatoes, scraping the carrots.
Just sit there drinking and drink your Guinea Red
and I'll take care of it.
It was great, Pop.
When did you learn how to cook?
After your mom died.
Days off got so damn lonely around here.
And people were nice.
They kept inviting me over for Sunday dinner.
I knew I'd have to invite them back.
The restaurants around here ain't great.
Also, I tend to drink a little too much
in a restaurant.
I don't know why.
So I started cooking.
It made my days off go faster,
and I could repay my neighbors
like a civilized man.
Go ahead. Don't wait for me.
I'll get some milk.
I can't take credit for that pie, I'm afraid.
It's store-bought, but Casey-heated. Ha ha ha.
There we go. Want some coffee?
Yeah.
Ahem-so, Sean, you,
you wanted to see us and, we wanted to see you.
So what's up?
Go ahead, take it.
You first.
OK, we got a little favor to ask you, Sean-o.
Tough one, Pop?
For you, I guess it will be.
Go ahead, Joey.
I guess the only thing to do is just say it, right?
Right.
Man.
I got caught with my hand in the cookie jar.
Whose cookie jar?
Kleinhoff.
Somebody ratted me out to Internal Affairs
and they called me in.
How long have you been on the take?
About 4 years.
How much?
Over the whole time? I don't know.
About 60-70 grand.
Grand jury?
Yeah, in about, 2 or 3 weeks.
What do you want me to do about it?
Joey's offered to cooperate.
I told them, you know, they got me.
But that fucking prick Wilson, he turned me down.
He said he's got everybody he needs.
Talk to him, Sean. He can use Joey.
One more witness never hurt the prosecution.
He'll listen to you. You're the D.A.
You know, it's a personal thing
with that fucking prick.
He's been after me for years. About 8-9 years-
Bullshit! Bullshit!
You might as well be selling dope yourself.
Sean, don't.
What do you mean don't?
Don't what, Pop?
Don't tell him he's a scumbag?
That's he's a disgrace?
What about it, Pop?
You tell me, what do you want me to do?
Sean, he's my partner.
All right, hold it. Just hold it.
I don't want you 2 to...
I mean, that's not right.
Yeah, I'm your partner,
but this is your son.
I don't want to cause no bad feeling between you 2.
And you, you can stop worrying.
'Cause he had nothing to do with anything.
There's no way I'm gonna talk
to Internal Affairs about him.
What if I had something new to offer?
Something new to offer? Like what?
There were 8 cops...
8 cops who what, Joey?
What?
Who talked about taking out Washington.
My God.
Including you, Joey?
Yeah, including me.
And that night of the shootout, they all came-
And they were there
the night of the shootout, weren't they?
Yeah. Including the 2 rat fucks
that turned me in-
The 2 rat fucks?! Rat fucks?!
You took money from Harlem's biggest dealer!
You committed perjury at his trial!
You engage in a conspiracy to kill him
when he wouldn't cough up more dough,
and now you're offering to turn in 7 other cops
in order to save yourself,
and you have the nerve to call them rat fucks?!
You were a cop, Joe, and now you're garbage!
You're nothing!
I hope some crazy junky
takes you out in a- in an alley one night!
Sean, I didn't know.
Vigoda was right.
It's funny.
You spend years with a partner.
You live-
sometimes, you die together,
but you don't know him.
Was Jordan Washington the only honest witness
at the trial?
You mean, did I lie about anything?
Of course not, Pop.
Did you?
The warrant.
That's what I came to see you about.
What about it?
The day of the stakeout, I made out a new one.
The old one expired the day before.
I made out a new one, signed Impelliteri's name.
Nobody checks the signature.
Why?
Pop, why?
Nail it, son.
Remember?
We were this close.
This close to nailing that son of a bitch.
Snitch said he was gonna show that weekend.
You get an extension.
Ha ha.
It was a Friday.
Go find a goddamn judge after 3:00 on a Friday.
No, you could have found one, Pops.
How many judges do you think I know?
And I don't trust half of them.
I wanted Jordan Washington.
You don't know how bad I wanted him.
The biggest fucking collar in my whole life.
And that bastard,
murderer,
a man who destroys his own people.
They did it to him, now he was doing it to others.
And there were 15 cops helping him.
Don't give me that shit!
$600,000 a year!
Hear that? $600,000 a year.
Nobody could resist that.
How many doctors, lawyers,
those bastards who put the gas tanks
in the wrong place?
Those fucks that buy boats
with other people's life savings?
Tell me, who could resist $600,000?
I'll tell you who.
27,000 other cops on the force, that's who.
Or maybe it's 26,000 or 25,000.
Or maybe it's 20,000.
But it's more than the rest of the goddamn country.
And to top it all off, 2 of us go in:
Me and Joey!
2 of us go through that door
because we want Jordan Washington.
Only Jesus Christ stops me from killing him on the spot.
And you think I'm gonna let him walk
when all I got to do is go down the hall,
pick up a blank, and make out a new warrant?
Make a copy, smudge it up a little?
Leave it on my desk?
So help me, Sean, I'd rather do time
than not do what I did.
It could happen, Pop.
You can do time and Jordan will walk
if word gets out.
I need some wine.
I still got it.
The warrant.
The original. The outdated one.
I got kind of superstitious.
I wanted the jacket around me
to remind me how close I come to dying.
How lucky I've been after-
you know how many years?
37.
When I left the hospital, they gave me my clothes back.
The jacket, the shoes, are all that's left.
The shirt, the pants, they had to-
they had to cut them away.
And I reached in the pocket,
there it was.
Jesus Christ, what a mess I've brought to you.
I'm going to head home now, Pop.
Listen, Sean...
if you can't live with this,
you know, just keeping a secret about a warrant,
j- j-j-just tell me.
I don't want you to carry the burden.
I'll go in and I'll tell them I did it.
I don't want you to go against your feelings,
because you know what's right.
I'm just an old cop who...
Maybe who should have been put out to pasture long ago,
I don't know.
There's so much going on I just don't understand anymore.
Don't. Don't.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Joey's dead.
He shot himself.
How did you hear?
The morning news driving down here.
Did he leave a note?
A note? Did he leave a note?
They didn't say.
Yeah? Frank?
Can I use your phone?
Sure.
Can't have Pop hear it alone.
This is Liam Casey.
Please leave a message. Thank you.
I got to get out there.
Pop?
Peggy, he's not here.
I want to get to the office. Come on.
Just in case he calls.
You want me to come up with you?
I'll get some work done.
Hey, whose car?
Mine.
Then move it.
Sean, are you all right?
Yeah.
Detective Casey, nice to see you.
I'm real sorry I had to call you at home, your honor.
But thanks for seeing me.
No big deal. Come on in.
Thank you.
Come in.
Is this what I think it is?
What do you think it is?
During the trial
there was a Xerox of the arrest warrant.
As soon as I saw this, I knew this was the original,
and that there's probably a difference between the 2.
Is there?
Yeah.
The date was changed and the signature.
Are you going to take it to Vigoda?
I have to.
I can't. Here, I work for him,
I'm in love with you.
I'm the D.A.,
and I'm going to destroy evidence.
It's happened before.
It wasn't supposed to happen to me.
It's not supposed to happen to any of us.
That's the story, your honor.
So I came to turn myself in.
Wow.
Hello.
Mr. Casey?
Yes?
Impelliteri here.
Your dad's sitting here with me.
He's just told me some cock and bull story
about an arrest warrant.
It seems to me he's confused.
I distinctly remember filling out the warrant form
on the day of the raid.
What was that date again, Liam?
October 13th.
Right, October 13th.
I can remember it as clearly
as if I were doing it now.
I was so excited at the idea
that we might bring in Jordan Washington,
I couldn't wait to fill it out.
I wished him good luck, I remember that.
He told me there's another warrant floating around.
Do you have it?
Yes, your honor.
Well, get rid of it.
I've got the original right here.
It must have been sent to the house
instead of the office.
I'll bring it in with me today.
Thanks, your honor.
Your honor, may I...
speak to my father, please?
Your son wants you.
Hey, Sean-o.
Pop.
Pop?
Did you hear about Joey?
No.
What?
It's bad news, Pop.
Pop?
So I'm quitting.
Why quit?
Because I can see where it's going.
I owe Impelliteri.
I don't know who my father owes.
I owe Peggy, Peggy owes you
for not bringing in the warrant.
It'll go on forever.
Ha ha ha. Damn.
Sean, things never work out
as simply as you want them to.
If Peggy had brought me that warrant,
I don't know that I would have used it.
I mean it. I was after dirty cops,
I got dirty cops.
Why should I let that animal back out on the street?
What about his rights?
So, I'm not perfect.
I never thought I was perfect.
Do you think you're perfect?
Not anymore.
My name is McGovern.
Mr. McGovern to you. I'm the assistant
to the assistant deputy administrative assistant
to the District Attorney of New York county.
We're starting something new this year.
The district attorney
will be giving the opening orientation lecture.
Ladies and gentlemen, District Attorney Casey.
8 months ago, I was ready to resign.
Because it was all so much more complicated
than I imagined.
It started when I was an A.D.A.,
just as you hope to be soon.
My first time out, first time in night court,
I had 18 cases to handle.
And as you'll soon find out,
you have to arraign your perps
within 24 hours of their arrest.
1/2 hour before court,
I finally get all my yellow sheets down from Albany.
And the first guy up, I've never seen before.
But his yellow sheet shows
he's got one prior conviction for robbery.
But I don't know if he mugged an old lady
in an alley to feed his habit,
or he stole food from a supermarket
to feed his kids.
And later I get involved in a case
where breaking the law was more just
than upholding the law.
And upholding the law killed a man.
Now, I don't have to prepare you for a job
where circumstances are black and white.
I was lucky.
I had a case like that launch my career.
Now, you're gonna spend most of your time
in the gray areas.
But out there,
that's where you're gonna come face-to-face
with who you really are.
And that's a frightening thing to ask of you,
and it might take a lifetime to figure out.
For me, I know I have 2 things.
I know I still have complete faith in the law.
And I also know I'm fallible.
And I just hope God is not finished with me yet.
For you, it's gonna depend on who you are right now.
If you're in it for the hustle,
I guarantee you're gonna come across a case
that you actually believe in,
and you're gonna lose it.
It's gonna break your heart, and you'll be damned.
And if you think you're a saint,
well, I guarantee you you're gonna come across a case
where you're gonna have to make a deal,
and you're gonna win it.
And that will break your heart.
And you'll be damned.
So you might as well believe in it from the beginning.
Hurts less that way.
If you get tired, get out.
'Cause I'll fire you.
If you find that the funny stories
are starting to matter more than the case, get out
or I'm gonna fire you.
And if, God forbid, you wake up one day
you just don't care anymore,
then please, just get out.
Because then I'm gonna really have to fire you.
But if you're ready to take that kind of risk...
welcome.
And as an old retired cop used to say to me...
"Nail it."
And good luck to you all.