Night Falls on Manhattan (1996) - full transcript

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 of 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'll do your time here

because you gotta have something
on your resume.

One or two of you figure
maybe you'll 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 stepping stone
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.

Listen, 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, ganefs, teenagers who shot
a guy over a pair of sneakers,

scam artists, pimps, lunatics
who think they should be outside,

walking around Central Park
trying to diddle seven-year-old kids.

So now we know the truth.

Okay.

Your case load
may run 40 cases at a time.

You read your entire
New York Penal Code

and your ECAB manual.

There are five 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 for her is like $50,000.

Have a heart.

You weren't just caught
with a nickel bag, Eduardo.

You got to help me help you.

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 me?

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 out.

I signed myself in, I can sign myself out.
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.

Excuse me.

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 five 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 two nights?

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 'cause
I got you to protect me.

Yeah, yeah.

Or maybe you're just stupid.

I'm definitely stupid.

But 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, okay?

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 three goddamn precincts
coming together

on the four corners of this one block.

I don't want any of those pricks
from the 64, the 65

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.

You think Shmuelie the Stoolie's
going to show up tonight, or what?

He's a junkie.
How can you trust a junkie?

You're going to buy one someday,
you come on me like that.

Well, fuck you, cop.
You think it's easy, huh?

I'm crawling here so nobody spots me,
and 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 you talking to me like that, huh?

Liam, why's he talking to me like that?

It's 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've you got?

Well, maybe I got nothing.

Here, dickhead.

Get the fuck out of here.

He's up there now.

He's up there now. Apartment 3D.

Alone?

I don't know.
Maybe he's got some quiff with him.

Is he carrying?

Come on. Jordan Washington
don't make a move

without a rocket in his pocket. Come on.

Get the fuck out of here.

Yeah, you guys are swell, you know?
Yeah, really swell.

I hope he gives you one in the kneecap.

Okay?

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.

74, this is Allegretto.
We got a fix on Jordan Washington.

1117 Barnard Street,
apartment three-David.

We got two plainclothes going in
with warrant. Send backup.

Come heavy.

40-13.
- 10-13. Location?

10-13. We got an officer down,
1117 Barnard.

1117 Barnard.

All right, now I want one man here.

You two around the back.
And you do not give orders around here.

-This is my...
-Fuck you! 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!

Fuck it,
I'll come there and shoot you myself.

Get the fucking thing here.

-Okay, where the fuck is he, huh?
-No! No!

The window. He's out the fire escape.

-I'LL go up, you go down.
-All right.

Where's the light switch?

Shit, it's broken.

We need to get out of here.

Charlie, don't go up on that roof alone,
you hear me?

Got you, got you.

All right, easy.

Hit the deck!

I think it came from up there!

Charlie!

I'm all turned around.
Where the hell's the door?

Just take it easy.

We're getting there, we're getting there.

We need one in the back!

It's about fucking time!

All right, get him in there.
Let's go, come on!

All right. Come on, lock it up. Lock it up.

ESU, come on! Come on!

Take it in the back. Round the back!

Move it. Come on, round the back!

-Over here!
-Lights, lights, I can't see.

I've got his home number.
His wife's coming.

Hey, get a radio over here.

Anybody got a radio that's working?

Come in, Schneider, Ramirez.
Do you read me?

-God, that poor guy.
-They should get a priest for the guy.

It's too late for that.

All the goddamn tax money in this city,

and we couldn't get an auditorium here?

Watch it, watch it.

Here, let me help you up.

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 three dead cops, one cop
we don't know if he's going to live,

and the biggest dope dealer in the city
got away in an NYPD car.

We had a fuck-up
of historical proportions,

and three precinct captains are joining
the homeless, I kid you not.

Okay.

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 64,

the 65, and the 74, 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 a detective
needs a search warrant at 3:00 a.m.,

you're 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 three minutes,

or your ass is mine!

And you bend the fucking rules!

I don't want any goddamn
civil liberty subtleties here.

We get this cop-killing son of a bitch,
and I'll deal 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.

Oh, my God. Come here, kid.

First, how is he?

He's critical, but he's stable.

They think the operation went well.

How
bad was he hit?

He got three bullet wounds,

and there were a lot of slivers
from 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.

Sorry to meet
under these circumstances.

Come on, I'll show you
the way to Morgy's office.

It's down the hall up here. Over here.

Right down here.

Right. I know.

Here, here. Sit, sit, sit.

Have you eaten anything?

-It's all right.
-No.

Eileen, call downstairs.
Two 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 left an office number.

Sean, nobody's going to answer
your phone if you're not there.

Eileen, if there are any calls
from the hospital for Sean Casey,

have them transfer it here.

So kid, tell me,

is he conscious?

Not yet.

But the operation, it went well?

Well, I think that's what they said.
There was so many technical terms...

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 three shifts.
It took a long time.

Do you hear that?

Not like you, Eli.

No ivy walls, no cute little co-eds
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.

You're 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.

Okay.

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.

But Eli, it's more heymish.

Heymish, 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 going to 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 four 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.

'Cause I want him put on trial
by this office.

And you know
who the prosecutor's going to be?

You, Sean. You're going to try him.

That's right. You, Sean.

You're looking at me like I'm crazy.

Morgy... With apologies to you, Sean.

Morgy, this is a giant case.

Sean has never tried anything like this,
in size or importance.

Mr. Morgenstern, Morgy...
Mr. Harrison's 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 up 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 DiAngelo's office.

Kid, go eat. There's a couch in there.
DiAngelo'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?

You bet your gov 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 eight 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 going to 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 going to hand you

a career-making case
so you can destroy me?

What do you think, I'm an idiot,
you momzer?

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 heart-warming choice.

Do you think I'm an idiot?

Let me give you
three words of my people.

Go fuck yourself.

Up your ass.

Hey.

How 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?

Had a tough exam.

"Nail it, Sean-o."

I liked it.

Never said it to anybody else.
That's why I called you that.

I got it.

-Good, Pop.
-I remember.

I liked you calling me that.

Something terrific has happened.

When they get Washington, Pop,
guess who's going to prosecute him?

It's me, Pop.

Whole career opening up.

Guess who the chief witness
is going to be, Pop?

You.

First on the scene.

First to go down.

You're going to be on the stand,
I'm gonna be asking the questions.

My God, Sean.

Everything your mother and I worked for.

I know that.

It's going to happen, Pop.

They're kicking me out.

You get some rest, okay?

Sean,

nail the son of a bitch.

I will, Pop.

I love you.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

-Morning, Sam.
-Hi, Sam. Good morning.

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, Don.

Talking about the defense.

What possible defense
do you plan to offer in this case?

You working for the D.A.'s Office, Bill?
Your paper certainly does.

You're usually so willing to talk, Sam.
Why are you 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?

-He's here?
-You've had him here the whole time?

How long have you had him for?
Does the D.A. know that he's here?

Jordan, now's your chance
to make a statement.

What's the plea going to be?

My client will not answer any questions.

Would you take off your shirt
and lower your trousers, please?

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,

and also the buttocks and the genitals.
Thank you very much.

We are delivering Jordan
in perfect condition.

We have a car waiting downstairs.

We're 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,

and 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 four 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 going to get.

I'm not going to let that little
commie shyster humiliate this office.

And if he gets in the way, arrest him.

For obstruction of justice!

Here they come! That's their car!

Wave them through, wave them through.

Lieutenant, I'm surrendering my client
according to legal procedure.

My instructions are,
you are not to see your client

until after he's been booked.

Just a minute.
There is no need for that.

-You are obstructing justice. You!
-My instructions are, Counselor,

you're not to see your client

-until after he's been booked.
-Wait a minute. Wait a minute!

Cameras! Get the cameras
over to the car!

This is a completely unnecessary
and excessive use of force.

Get the fuck off! Get the fuck off!

Get off me!
Motherfucker, get the fuck off me!

Channel 11's legal expert,
Joshua Fields.

Well, District Attorney Morgenstern
has had a disaster.

What was supposed to be a quiet
surrender of Jordan Washington

turned into a three-ring circus.

There could be grounds for
a change of venue appeal at...

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 you'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.

...ran riot.

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
three police officers.

A fourth is recovering
from three 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 three gravestones

and a set of crutches.

I have no doubt of our proof,

and I have no doubt
of your eventual verdict.

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 three 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 three precincts,

the 64, the 65, and the 74,

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
three 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
two 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 64, the 65,

and the 74.
What do you mean, don't worry?

Because 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.

Three dead cops, one seriously
wounded. That's your case.

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... Just take one.

That's another trial. This trial is about...

Three dead cops,
one seriously wounded. I know.

Eileen, I told you not spicy! Shit!

So you were completely occupied
with 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 Allegretto, have you ever
heard of the name Kleinhoff?

-Who?
-Kleinhoff.

No, not that I can recall.

Thank you. That's all.

The 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're assigned to the 74 precinct?

YES.

-How long have you been there?
-Nine years.

And you've been a detective
for how long?

Twenty years.

And how long
have you been a policeman?

Thirty-six years.

Thirty-six 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?

We all knew him. Jordan Washington.

The word on the street was
kingpin, top dog,

numero uno, MM.

-M.M.?
-Yeah, Mean...

Yes?

"Mean Motherfucker."
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 Allegretto,

we have us a snitch.

-Naturally, I can't tell you his name.
-We understand.

One day, six, seven months ago,
we learned that the defendant...

If we got lucky,
we'd see him coming in or out.

So you cased that house
for two-and-a-half weeks,

all day and all night?

Damn near.

I mean, 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?

The next thing I saw
was you standing by my bed

in ICU at Metropolitan.

Thank you, Detective.
Your witness, Counselor.

Good afternoon, Detective Casey.

-Are you on sick leave now, Detective?
-Yes.

-What's the prognosis?
-Pretty good.

.Six to eight months,
I'll be as good as new.

Glad to hear it.

I only have two or three areas
that I'd like to cover.

-You had a warrant?
-Yes.

Now something that you said
has made me curious.

This thing about not getting any help

during what must have been
an arduous,

even torturous surveillance.

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.

A 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 got to be careful.

I'm sorry to press you, Detective,
but I must ask you to answer

either yes or no.

YES.

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 two 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.

74, this is Allegretto. We got a fix
on Jordan Washington. 1117...

Shall I play it for you again, Lieutenant?

We hear Detective Allegretto
very clearly

calling into 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 65 responded

because an "officer down" call
had come in?

Yes, sir.

But the "officer down" call did not go out

until almost two minutes
after the original call came in,

and men from the 65
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.

Finally, someone gives me
a straight answer.

You were how old at this point?

Six or seven.

And this was your fifth foster home?

I don't know, I lost count.

What about brothers and sisters,
Mr. Washington?

Five of us, we got split up early.

No foster home wanted five 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?

I never knew him.

How old were you, Mr. Washington,
when you hit the streets permanently?

Maybe ten.

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 two-and-a-half in Elmira.

-And when you got out?
-Carved out a piece of turf for myself.

Took it, one block at a time.

Ain't nobody stopping me.

-So now you were a full-time dealer?
-That's right.

In your experience, Mr. Washington,

what's the most important thing
that a full-time dealer needs?

Three 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?
-A|| of this shit!

And how do you protect yourself
from all this?

Well, 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 would
go out with a little black satchel,

look like a doctor bag.

Then he stops by the bar, the precinct,

and the pizza parlor,
and he 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,
three precincts to pay off.

-And those precincts were?
-64, 65, 74.

Could you give us the names
of the officers involved?

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 trying 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 out of here."

See, once that shit starts, I'm finished.

So I said, "No," and I figured
I'd take care of Alvarez my own way.

-And did you?
-No.

See, I never got the chance.

See, Alvarez figured I'd
be coming on after him,

so he tell the cops,
and they don't want to give up that 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 coming on after you."

Now, we're perfectly aware

you grew up amid conditions
that were heartbreaking.

Let me ask you something.

Remember the first time
you hit somebody?

No.

It seems like I'm always hitting
or being hit.

Yes, because you say
in your testimony here,

and I quote, "1 carved out
a piece of turf for myself.

"I took it." End quote.

That must have taken a lot of hitting,
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.
-Fifth Amendment.

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 fucking Amendment!

Enough of this!

We'll ask questions and wait
for responses in a civilized way.

Your Honor, the prosecutor
is bating my...

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 Detectives Casey
and Allegretto 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 two 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 did they hit?
-One in the head and one in the body.

-Was there blood?
-Oh, yeah.

-Lots of it?
-Yeah.

Let me ask you something.
Did any get on your tiny white sneakers?

Motherfucker!

Remove the defendant.

Remove the defendant.

Get him out of here.

Get him out of here.

Jury's on the way.

Two hours. Good or bad sign?

Good sign, but who knows?

Guilty on all five charges.

Can you believe this?

Okay, everybody!

Well, did I smell it, huh?

You all thought I was nuts,
but I knew this kid had it, had it all!

-Sean, come on up here. Sean Casey.
-Yeah.

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 re-election.

I'm glad that opposing counsel
has seen fit to join us here tonight.

Welcome, come on, welcome.

I may offer Sam Vigoda

the chairmanship
of my fundraising committee.

You 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?
-He's in the back.

-Liam. Over here.
-Mr. Casey.

Gentlemen, smile, look here.
Mr. Mayor, please, look here.

Thank you. Thank you, sir.

I never knew
I'd be helping the prosecution.

Hi.

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.

-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.

-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
3:00 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.

There's a beautiful and sexy woman,
well, 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.

Nothing left of that joker but a skeleton.

God only knows
how long he's been down 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.

Goodbye, Mr. Washington.

Hey, you know that floater
you fished out last week?

Yeah, we finally got an ID on him.

NYPD Medical. Name of Kleinhoff.

That man is Pat Distefano.

And if we stick together,
we can win it all.

We can win it all.

Morgy! Morgy! Morgy!

-Hell of an acceptance speech.
-Oh, fuck.

-Morgy! Morgy! Turn him over.
-Turn him over.

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 two 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! Casey!

I wish she could have seen it.

I wish she could've heard it.

I just hope she knows.

She knows.

Yeah, I think you're right.

She's got to be as proud as I am.

-Well, I hope she wasn't disappointed.
-In 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.

You got to try it on. Yeah.

-Looks good on you.
-Sean, Vigoda on two.

-Hello?
-I know you're busy,

-but it's important that we meet.
-Okay. What's good for you?

Well, I'll meet you anytime you want,
but, Sean,

some place 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 BS 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 going to run into dirty cops.

You're not telling me
you believed 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 discouraged, you know?

I feel like we have to just
give up on an entire generation.

Lock them up and throw away the key.

Am I hearing this
from the last of the '60s 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 O.D.'ed.

You know,
when your kid dies before you,

it's not the natural order of things.

Your whole life changes.

When I was a cop
with the 103 in Queens,

four 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 four cops
were being brought in by their buddies.

They had their coats over their hands
so their 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 going to vote for you.

Your final statement, Mr. Harrison.
You have two minutes.

Though constantly
taking the high moral ground,

Mr. Casey's naivety 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 two 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, tax-paying 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 going to 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 are 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 am 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 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.

I 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.

Of course, 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.

Of course.

This is my assistant, Lieutenant Gentile.

-How are you, Counselor?
-Hi, how are you?

You did a hell of a job, Counselor.

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 identified the body
as Kurt Kleinhoff.

A few clays 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 64,

the 65 and the 74.

As of yesterday at 4:00,

we've officially
taken over the investigation.

That's what we're here for,
that's what our department does.

One of our first investigations
is to find out

how many officers named in that book

were present at the
Jordan Washington shoot-out.

Do you know if Kleinhoff was dirty?

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 looking for the killer

if Forensics can't give us
a hint of how he died.

So why am I here?

One of the names in the book
was Joey Allegretto.

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.

Then maybe we can see if there's a way
of exercising some damage control

on 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 since Kleinhoff floated up,

everybody's a little tense, that's all.

Why are they tense, Joey?

Oh, 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 Kleinhoff.

Yeah, well, I lied.

Why?

'Cause committing perjury's
a hell of a lot easier

than admitting you know Kleinhoff.

Well, what are you going to do?
You going to 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.

Okay.

I'm asking, Joe. You a dirty cop?

Never.

Why is your name in KIeinhoff's book?

Didn't know he had a book.

Anyway, he tried to call me
a couple of 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.

Okay?

Why here?

You swear to me here 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 64, 65, and 74.

Swear to me right here, Pop, right here,
you're clean.

I swear to you at your mother's grave.
I'm clean.

-Why did 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's his name in KIeinhoff'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.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Pop.

He's clean, Captain Lawrence.

Thank you, Sean. Glad to hear it.

Sean's talked to him.
Says Allegretto's clean.

That's what I'd expect him to say.

It's 9:00. Results. Let's go.

As 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 his...

Congratulations, Sean.

...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?
-Oh, 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?

-Okay, your place or mine?
-Whichever.

-Mine.
-Good choice.

-But don't give up yours.
-Yet.

No, I don't recognize
the name Kleinhoff.

I've had over 1,000 officers working
under me in my command for 32 years.

How do you expect me
to remember a name?

'Cause he was paying you every month.

If you're clean, you got no reason
to be so nervous.

Are you kidding me?

You know what it means
to even be called in here?

You got pictures? What've 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 could turn me into a rat.

I don't know nothing
about knocking off Washington.

I will not answer any questions
unless a PBA 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'|| come in
to make a deal for himself,

then the whole house
of cards collapses.

They're going down.

Come heavy.

Barnard Street, apartment three-David.

We got two plainclothes 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, you should have who you want.
-Eileen, I'd like 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 is 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.
-Okay.

-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 might not have done you a favor.

It'll start soon, you'll see.

-What'|| start?
-The pressure.

In fact, from what I heard,
it's started already.

What did you hear?

Internal Affairs, they're pressing you?

-How did you hear it?
-People owe me.

How bad is it?

I don't know yet.

This Internal Affairs business,
I'm afraid to go through the door.

I don't know what to expect.

Expect the worst, so prepare yourself.

Everybody's going to 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.

You always get back
more than you gave.

You hear me, kid? More than you gave.

What are you saying to me?
It's going to be one big deal I'm making?

No, a hundred little ones. A thousand.
Deal after deal after deal after deal.

-It'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.

Not in this place, at this time.
Maybe no place at any time.

But you'll be better than most.

That's what you're going
to have to be satisfied with.

Get the hell out of here, please.
You're depressing me.

-Come on.
-Oh, 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. But that's it.
After the two of you, no more deals.

I'm saddened to announce
the indictment this morning

of five police officers on charges
of bribery and dealing in narcotics.

Their names are in the press release
you've been given.

The indictments are the result
of a two-month investigation

by the Internal Affairs Division.

The investigation was conducted
by Lieutenant Wilson. End of statement.

-Mr. Casey!
-Any more cops to come, Sean?

It's an ongoing investigation.

You're an ex-cop, Mr. District Attorney.
How do you feel?

-Lousy.
-Sean!

I notice that three of the five 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 sensational 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.

-Eileen, any word on the warrant?
-Oh, I forgot to tell you.

-We can't find any trace of the original.
-How come?

Happens all the time.

-I'LL clear this.
-Here, let me help you.

I got it, thanks. Just sit there.

Like you to volunteer
after all the hard work's done, right?

Making the roast beef,
that's when I could've used you.

Peeling the potatoes,
scraping the carrots.

Just sit there drinking your Guinea Red.
I'll take care of it.

It was great, Pop.

-When did you learn how to cook?
-Oh, after your mom died.

Days off got so damn lonely
around here.

But people were nice.

They kept inviting me over
for Sunday dinner.

I knew I'd have to invite them back,
and restaurants round 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.

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 just get the milk.

I can't take credit for that pie, I'm afraid.
It's store-bought, but Casey-heated.

-There we go. Want some coffee?
-Yeah.

So, Sean, you wanted to see us,
and we wanted to see you.

So what's up?

-Go ahead, take it.
-You first.

Okay. We got a little favor
to ask you, Sean-o.

-Tough one, Pop?
-For you, I guess it will be.

Go ahead, Joe.

I guess the only thing to do
is just say it, right?

Hey. Go ahead.

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 you been on the take?

-About four years.
-How much?

Over the whole time, I don't know,
about 60, 70 grand.

Grand jury?

Yeah, in about two or three weeks.

What do you want me to do about it?

Joey's offered to co-operate.

I told them, you know, they got me.

But that fucking prick Wilson,
he turned me down.

-He says he's got everybody he needs.
-Talk to him, Sean.

He could use Joey. One more witness
never hurt the prosecution.

He'll listen to you. You're the D.A.

It's a personal thing
with that fucking prick.

He's been after me for years.

-About eight, nine years ago...
-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 he's a disgrace?
What about it, Pop?

You tell me,
what do you want me to do?

-Sean, he's my partner.
-Right, hold it. Just hold it.

I don't want you two to...

I mean, that's not right.

Yeah, I'm your partner,
but this is your son.

And I don't want to cause no bad feeling
between you two.

And, you, you can stop worrying, 'cause
he had nothing to do with anything.

There is no way I'm going to
talk to Internal Affairs about him.

What if I had something new to offer?

Something new to offer? Like what?

There were eight cops who...

Eight cops who what, Joey?

-What?
-Talked about taking out Washington.

My God!

-Including you, Joey?
-Yeah, including me.

That night of the shootout,
they all came...

And they were there the night
of the shootout, weren't they?

Yeah.

Including the two rat-fucks
that turned me into Wilson.

The two rat-fucks? Rat-fucks?

You took money
from Harlem's biggest dealer.

You committed perjury at his trial.

You engaged in a conspiracy to kill him
when he wouldn't cough up more dough,

and now you're offering to turn in seven
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 junkie takes you out
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?

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 a signature.

Why? Pop, why?

Well...

"Nail it, Son." Remember?

We were this close...

This close to nailing that son-of-a bitch.

Snitch said he was going to show
that weekend.

Get an extension.

It was a Friday.

Go find a goddamn judge
after 3:00 on a Friday...

-No, you could have found one, Pop.
-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.
Biggest fucking collar of 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? $600,000 a year?

How many can 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 can 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, two of us go in,
me and Joey.

Two 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 going to let him walk,
when all I got to do is go down the hall,

pick up a blank,
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 can happen, Pop.

You can do time
and Jordan'|| 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'd come to dying.

How lucky I've been after...
You know how many years?

-Thirty-seven.
-Thirty-seven.

When I left the hospital,
they gave me my clothes back.

The jacket and the shoes
are all that's left.

The shirt, the pants,
they had to cut them away.

I reached in the pocket,
and there it was.

Jesus Christ, what a mess
I've brought to you.

I think I'm going to
head home now, Pop.

Listen, Sean,

if you can't live with this,

you know, just keeping it secret
about the warrant, 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 should have been
put out to pasture long ago.

There's so much going on
I just don't understand anymore.

Joey's dead.

He shot himself.

-How did you hear?
-Morning news, driving down here.

Did he leave a note?
A note, did he leave a note?

-They didn't say.
-Frank?

-Yeah?
-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. POP-

Pop?

Pop?

Pop. 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?

-Gotta 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 is probably
a difference between the two.

Is there?

Yeah.

The date was changed
and the signature.

-You going to take it to Vigoda?
-I have to.

I can't. Here.
I work for him, I'm in love with you.

Tm the DA.
and Tm gonna 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 for him
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'd wished him good luck,
I remember that.

He told me there's another warrant
floating round. 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 you the warrant.

-It'll go on forever.
-Oh, God damn it.

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?

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 am 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.

Eight months ago I was ready to resign.

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.

One half 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.

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
to launch my career.

But you're going to 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.

That's a frightening thing to ask of you.

And it might take a lifetime to figure out.

For me, I know I have two 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 going to depend
on who you are right now.

If you're in it for the hustle,
I guarantee you,

you're going to come across a case
that you actually believe in

and you're going to lose it.

It's going to break your heart,
and you'll be damned.

And if you think you're a saint,
well, I guarantee you,

you're going to come across a case
where you're gonna have to make a deal

and you're going to win it.

And that'|| 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,
because I'll fire you.

If you find that the funny stories

are starting to matter
more than the case,

get out, or I'm going to fire you.

And if, God forbid, you wake up one day
and you just don't care anymore,

then please, just get out.

Because then I'm going to
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.