L.A. AIDS Jabber (1994) - full transcript
A guy who has been diagnosed with AIDS decides to get his revenge on the world by attacking people with hypodermic needles filled with his blood.
- Um, why didn't you
call me last week?
I said I missed you.
Why didn't you
call me last week?
- Hmm?
Yeah, I know, babe. I'm sorry.
- Well?
I asked you a question.
- Jeff?
- God, this pain
is incredible. God!
Don't worry,
it's all right.
It's been coming and
going for the last week.
- Have you made an
appointment with the doctor?
It could be serious.
- I went in two days ago
and he couldn't find
anything wrong with me,
so he's running a bunch
of tests or something.
- And?
- I gotta go back tomorrow
and get the results.
- I'm scared.
What if it's something serious?
- Oh, no, no.
- I don't know what
I'd do if you got sick.
- Don't sweat it, it's probably
just a stomach infection.
You know my diet's
nothing to scream about.
- Yeah.
Yeah, mine too. Junk food city.
Have you seen your
psychiatrist lately?
- Two weeks ago, and he told
me I'm as crazy as they come.
- Seriously. I mean,
are you making progress?
I know how you feel about women.
- Well, what do you think?
Are my kisses better
than two weeks ago?
- Jeff.
- Come on, babe,
let's get it on!
- Are you crazy?
- Someone will see us!
- There's no one up here but
the birds, baby. Come on.
- Jeff!
Aw, Jesus.
Just take me home, all
right? Just take me home.
You drive, okay?
- Jeff, let me take
you to a hospital.
You really look sick.
- No, goddammit!
Just take me home!
Get going, now!
- Jeff, I'm afraid I have
some alarming news for you.
- Well, go ahead, I
can take it. Come on.
- Well, when we took your
blood sample the other day,
I routinely had it tested
for a number of things.
I also told the lab to
test for the AIDS virus.
And, um...
And I'm afraid the test
came out positive for AIDS.
I'm sorry.
- Putting me on, right?
- This could be a
misdiagnosis, right?
I mean, come on, Doc. It's
me we're talking about.
- I'm afraid not.
When I received the
positive test results,
I had the lab screen
your blood a second time
and it confirmed the first test.
Jeff, we have medicines now
to slow the progress of AIDS.
New advances are being made
all the time toward a cure,
and soon there'll be one.
- But no cures yet, right?
I mean, no matter how you look
at it, it's a death sentence.
- Not necessarily.
If you take care of yourself
and eat the right foods, you-
- Are there any cures?
I mean, did anybody
ever live from it? Huh?
- Well, no, but...
- No, no, no, no!
The bottom line is I have
AIDS and I'm a dead man!
- Jeff!
- Get away from me!
Huh? Or I might
even give you AIDS.
This can't be happening.
This can't be happening!
Oh, god.
This can't be happening.
Oh, god.
God!
Hello?
- Hello, Jeff. Are you
coming back to work?
Yeah, the boss wants
to know where you are.
He said if you want to
take three-hour breaks
to do it on your own time.
- All right, all
right, all right.
Just tell him I'll
be in in a few.
Bye.
- This is Jeff Roberts' file.
That young man who
was just in here.
- Mm-hmm?
- He has AIDS.
- Oh.
- I'd like you to
call him tomorrow
and give him these referral
numbers for some counseling.
I think he's kind of
emotionally unstable.
- Hey, Jeff, old
buddy. How's it going?
- Sup?
- Aw, nothing much.
Hey, you don't look so hot.
Everything okay at the doctor's?
- Yeah, sure, everything's cool.
Just gave me a prescription
for some stupid
vitamins or something.
- Oh, great.
With all the junk I eat,
should've got me one too.
- I need a special favor.
- I'm all ears, go ahead.
- There's this patient
of mine, Jeff Roberts.
He's just been diagnosed
with AIDS. He's only 19.
- God, how terrible!
- Well, what's worse is his
father and I are old friends
and the kid has a history
of mental difficulties.
- How can I help?
- It's crucial that he see
a professional right away.
He's kind of emotionally
unstable right now
and I think he might hurt
himself or someone else.
- Aw, man. Looks like the
shit's gonna hit the fan.
- So. Half an hour isn't
enough for lunch, huh?
You gotta take three hours.
I have a rush shipment
that's supposed to have been
out of here an hour ago.
Hey, I'm talking to you.
You do that again,
and you're gonna be standing
in the unemployment line.
Do you understand me?
- Fuck!
- Man, he really reamed you.
What a dick!
- No, no, no. It's cool, man.
That son of a
bitch will get his.
- What's that supposed to mean?
You gonna knock him
off or something?
- Son of a bitch.
Son of a bitch. You just
got put on my hit list.
You're gonna die.
- Come on, Jeff! Let's
get that truck loaded.
You want to keep your job?
What is that? Some
kinda grocery list?
- No, it's just a
piece of paper, Ron.
- Oh, I get it. Some kind
of big secret, right?
- Yeah.
Oh, hey, listen. I need
you to do me a favor.
- Screwing off again, huh?
- Aw, man.
- No, we were just-
- Pick your check
up on Friday. Scram!
- Son of a bitch.
- Just what he needed, to
catch you goofing off again!
- Shit.
I'm coming!
- Hello, are you Jeff Roberts?
- Yeah, who are you?
- I'm Mary Whitman with the
County Health Department.
- Look, I know why
you're here, lady, okay,
and I don't a goddamn
shrink for my problem,
so just beat it.
- You don't understand, Jeff.
We're worried about you.
There's something
we need to discuss.
I spoke with Dr.
White yesterday.
He told me that you
were despondent.
He was worried. He thought
maybe I could help.
- Help?
No one's gonna help me with
my problem, lady, okay?
I got AIDS. AIDS!
I'm as good as dead now,
it's just a matter of when.
Don't you understand that?
- Did you think that
might solve your problem?
- Maybe.
Listen, I don't
have time to talk,
so would you just beat it?
- Jeff, do you know where
you contracted AIDS?
- Get the fuck outta here!
- I mean, the county has-
- Leave me alone!
- The county has a right
to know if you know!
- Isn't it true that
AIDS can be transmitted
if the blood from
someone who's infected
is mixed with the blood
from someone who's not?
- That's true.
- Come here, let me cut you
and you can see what it's like!
- Excuse me, Dr. White.
There's a Ms. Whitman
here to see you.
She says she's from the
County Health Department.
- Okay, please send her in.
- Okay.
- Hello, Mary. Sit down.
- It's about Jeff Roberts.
- You talked with him?
- I did more than that.
I went to see him.
- And?
- And can't you see
that I'm still shaking?
- What happened?
- Well, like I said,
I went to talk to him,
hoping that I could
be of some help,
and I'm afraid he's
very dangerous.
I tried to talk to him.
He told me to get out.
And just when I was getting
ready to give up and go,
he asked me if AIDS
could be transmitted
through blood products.
If the infected
person mixed blood
with a person who
didn't have the virus.
And I explained that
it was possible.
And he pulled a knife from
his pocket and he cut himself,
and told him he was going
to cut and infect me!
- I can't believe that.
- Who are you calling?
- I think the police
should know about this.
- No, Robert, please.
He's angry.
I mean, wouldn't you
be a little off center
if you had a death sentence
looking you in the face?
- I'm gonna die soon, all right?
All right? I'm gonna die, okay?
What, what do you want?
- Why are you gonna
die? Who told you that?
- I got AIDS, okay? AIDS.
- Who told you you had AIDS?
- I'm a dead man.
- Who said?
- You think this is a joke?
- No, this is not
a joke! Tell me!
They could be wrong.
- Remember that night that
we were up on Mulholland?
- Yeah.
- And I was feeling sick?
You remember that?
- Yeah.
- Well, the next day I
went to see the doctor
and he ran some tests on
my blood and all that shit.
- Well, he can be wrong.
They're always wrong.
- No, no, no,
because he didn't...
No.
He didn't believe himself,
so he had it sent back
and he had it tested again.
It's true, I got AIDS, okay?
Now what do you want?
You want some money, huh?
Is that what you want?
- No, no, no, no!
- Then get away from me, okay?
- No.
- No, listen. I don't need...
- Maybe you gave it-
- Just get away from me!
No, no, no. You're the one
with the problem, okay?
- Yeah, and maybe-
- Just leave me alone.
Leave me alone!
- Jeff!
- Tanya, you little whore.
You're the one who gave
me AIDS, aren't you?
So it's logical that
you should top the list.
It had to have been you.
I haven't slept with anyone
for the last six months.
- Yeah?
- Hey, Tanya. Remember me?
Jeff?
- I don't know no Jeff.
Now leave me alone.
- Come on, I got 100 bucks
says you remember me.
- Well, maybe I do
and maybe I don't.
How'd you get my number?
- Come on, don't you
remember? You gave it to me.
I gave you 10 extra bucks
to come up to my place,
and when we were finished,
then you gave it to me.
- Yeah, you didn't wanna
freak in the car, I remember.
- Yeah. Well, listen.
I got 100 for you if we
can get together tonight.
- I ain't coming back
over to your place.
You take too long.
And besides, I had to take
a taxi when we got done
and it cost me the 10
extra dollars you gave me.
No, I got company
coming. Some other time.
- Come on. 10
minutes, 100 bucks.
- 10 minutes?
I've got an alarm
and I'm setting it
the second you walk
through the door.
- That's okay by me.
See you in a few.
- Come on, Don Juan,
get up. Party's over.
Hello, Jimmy.
- It's Jeff, not Jimmy.
- Jeff, Jim, they're
all the same.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- So you got the money?
Well, come on, big
spender. Let's see it.
All right, lover boy.
This has gotta be quick.
I got another trick
in 15 minutes.
- Don't worry, it'll be quick.
Quicker than you ever imagined.
- Come on, get
your clothes off.
You got 10 minutes.
- You know, I went to the
doctor's office yesterday.
You know what he told me?
- That's you're problem,
babe, and we all got problems.
You got seven
minutes. You wanna-
- You're the slut that
infected me with AIDS!
- Get away from
me! You're crazy!
- I know you're the
one who infected me!
- No, I'm not! Get away
before I call the cops!
- I think it was you,
you little bitch.
- No! Ow!
- Well, even if it wasn't you,
welcome to the AIDS
card-carrying club.
It's nice to know I'll
have a friend in hell!
- No!
No, no.
No!
No!
- What happened?
- What's going on here?
- What, are you
the manager here?
- Yeah, I have
been for 10 years,
and I can tell you
that lady over there
has been nothing but trouble.
- Okay.
- Is all the blood gone?
- Well, no, there's
still a little bit around.
We're just sealing the wound.
- Please get rid of the blood.
- We're just sealing the wound.
Just relax, ma'am.
Okay, I'm just gonna give
you a little sedative here.
- No! Oh no, god!
- Stay calm, stay calm.
Stay calm.
There.
- If you wanna know what I
think, I think she's a hooker.
- Oh, I see.
- There's a bloody syringe
over there on the floor.
- Thanks. Don't touch it
till the detectives get here.
- All right.
- We'll give you a
call if we need you.
- What's going on? We heard
there was a homicide here.
- No homicide, Sergeant.
The lady over there was
stabbed with a syringe.
- Oh, great.
- Ouch.
- The needle's over
there on the floor.
I think someone thought
she was a pincushion.
- She gonna be all right?
- Yeah, I think so.
I told her to follow up with
her doctor in a couple days.
- Thank you.
- Aw, Jesus.
Detective Sterns. This is my
partner, Detective Rogers.
And what's your name?
- Cut the crap,
you know my name.
Now what do you want?
- We need to ask
you a few questions.
We can either do it her
or we can do it downtown.
It's your choice.
Who stuck you with the syringe?
- Some guy.
- What's his name?
- Look, I don't know.
Just some guy I met.
- A trick?
- What's that supposed to mean?
- You know what it means.
- Listen, lady, don't
be difficult, okay?
We can always take you in
on a charge of pandering.
- Ha! You got nothing on me.
All right, all right,
all right, just joking.
What do you wanna know?
- The name of the
person who stuck you.
- Look, I told you.
It's some guy I met
six months ago, okay?
He called me up, he said he'd
give me 100 for a quickie.
So I said yeah. I mean,
I gotta eat, right?
- And?
- And, and he came over,
he gave me the money,
I went in the bathroom, I
come out, and he grabs me.
You know? I thought he was
gonna kiss me or something.
But instead he's
got this needle,
he sticks it up against my neck.
- What did he say then?
- Something about how maybe
I gave him AIDS or something
and he's gonna take
me to hell with him.
- Sounds like a
Looney Tune all right.
Better take this down to the
lab and have 'em check it out.
- You don't think this guy
injected me with AIDS, do you?
- Don't know.
Look, I would suggest that
you go to see your doctor
and get some tests taken.
And then, when you do,
to come to the precinct
and look at some
photos, tomorrow.
- So you think this guy's really
injecting people with AIDS?
- Well, how should I know?
I mean, there's a flock
of crazy people out there,
and maybe there's one
just crazy enough.
He finds out he's
got the AIDS virus
and it sounds like
a good idea to him
to take some people with him.
Whole thing makes me sick.
- If this tests
positive for AIDS,
we're gonna be in
a lot of problems.
- Yeah, like the media
wouldn't have a field
day with this one.
- Well, we should
tell the captain then.
Keep a lid on it.
We're gonna have a lot of
scared people out there.
- Yeah. Look what
it's doing to me.
What are we doing here?
- It's 7:30.
- Did you hear me?
What are we doing here?
- Look, I have to see
Jaworski about something.
- Well, about what?
And why in some
deserted parking lot?
- He said it had something
to do with his wife's ex.
- There he is now.
- Sterns, Rogers,
thanks for coming.
- What's up, Jaworski?
You got something against
meeting in a public place?
- Steph!
- Look, I got a
small problem here.
- Well, ask away, Jaworski.
We don't have all day.
You know, we got other
things we gotta do.
- What's wrong with you?
You on the rag this
week or something?
- You son of a bitch! I'm-
- Come on, Steph, cool it.
What's up, buddy?
- I need to ask
for a small favor
and I was hoping you might
be able to help me out.
- Okay, shoot.
- It's my wife's ex-husband.
Drunk bastard came back to
Los Angeles from Phoenix
about a month ago.
He's a real scumbag.
Used to beat her senseless,
no reason at all.
Anyway, for about
the last week or so
he's been calling the house.
You know, during the day.
He's threatening to
take her back to court
and get custody of the kids.
- Well, he's a drunk, right?
- Yeah.
- Did you ever hear of a court
giving custody to a drunk?
- No, but I don't
want to take a chance.
- Well, have you
told him to lay off?
- That's the problem.
I'm too close to it.
If Janet ever found out I
laid hands on him, it...
And besides, if the
department ever found out
that I roughed him up...
- What do you want us to do?
- No.
What do you want him to do?
- You wanna take
a walk or something
and let the man talk?
- I need you to have a small
talk with this creep Scalia.
Impress upon him
that my wife and me
have had enough of his shit,
and if he keeps up his
current line of behavior,
he's gonna end up
at room temperature.
- I refuse to have anything
to do with this. Let me out.
- The hell's her problem?
- Who knows?
- Look, you be careful, huh?
I don't want him to
know who you are.
Especially that
you're a cop, okay?
- Mind if I break an arm?
- Break two if you like.
Anyway.
I owe you one.
- You owe me a big one.
And don't worry about
Steph. I'll talk to her.
- Thanks, buddy.
You don't know what
this means to me.
- John Murphy.
Could've been married
to Jenny, you know.
But you had to come along
with your fancy cars
and all your money,
goddamn sweet-talk society.
Son of a bitch!
Poor Jenny.
'Cause she's gonna know what
it feels like to be a widow.
- When was the last time you
talked to her, Mr. O'Connor?
- Last week, but she calls me
every morning at
11 o'clock to talk.
- Well, maybe she went out
of town for a couple of days
to visit some relatives.
- She doesn't have
any relatives,
and she can't travel
'cause she has arthritis.
- Joe, can I see you a minute?
- Sure. All right, Mr. O'Connor.
We'll send someone out
to check on her, okay?
- Bad news.
- What is it?
- The lab test on the syringe
came back positive
for the AIDS virus.
- Great.
Captain, can we see
you for a minute?
Remember the assault involving
a syringe the other night?
- Yeah, what about it?
- Well, Stephanie
just received results
on the syringe
used in the attack.
It's positive for AIDS.
- Oh, shit.
- Are you gonna authorize
a lid on this thing?
You know what'll happen if
the media gets wind of it.
- You're damn right I will.
Who else knows about this
besides you two and the lab?
- Well, no one.
- Are you sure?
- Mm-hmm.
- Let me speak to Griffith.
Griffith, this is Captain
Griswold down at Homicide.
How many people down there
know about the test
on the syringe?
All right, listen.
We want to clamp a lid on this
thing, for obvious reasons.
Can I count on you
to seal up your end?
Good. Thanks.
Any leads on this sicko?
She see the guy?
Get a look at him?
- Well, she didn't remember
anything substantial
about the trick, just that
he was in his 20s or 30s,
average height,
weight, et cetera.
- I don't need to tell
you how important it is
that we find this guy
before he hits again.
- No, Captain, we've already
got that figured out.
- Good. Find this guy and
bring me his head on a plate.
- Yes, sir.
- Yes, sir.
Listen, if Marge is gonna
continue to nag you about this,
I'll just find someone else
to go to the game with me.
- Hey, watch the paint.
- What's that contraption?
- This, my dear sister, is the
newest in multi-band radios.
Do you like it?
- Yeah.
- I was browsing through
Radio World last weekend.
I couldn't help myself.
- Listen, I can think
of at least 100 people
who would love to go
to that game with me.
- Hey, I'm not gonna miss
the game and that's it.
- No, I'll get it.
You know, the only time
this thing ever rings
is when we're on a break.
Murphy's law, I guess.
No, hold on a second.
Guess who.
- Jeez.
Yeah, what's up?
- Sterns?
Figured I'd better call
you on the cellular
instead of the radio.
The less ears that know
about this, the better.
- Wait, stop it
there. What's that?
- What's what?
- Shh! Listen, turn it up.
- The AIDS jabber struck again.
He just finished
sticking a businessman
over at Elyse's Cafe
at 47th and Park.
- Jesus, did you hear that?
- Just the cops
having a conversation.
Isn't this baby great?
It's got seven bands,
including cellular.
- Hell, who knows?
Just get over there
and check it out.
If this is the same guy-
- Yeah, 10-4. We're on our way.
- What's going on?
- Got another jabber victim.
- Oh, god.
- Okay, the cops,
but was all that
about someone being
stuck with a needle
containing the AIDS virus?
- Why not let the
cops worry about it?
That's what they're paid for.
- You don't understand.
I'm a reporter, and
a new one at that.
If I get me hands
on a hot story,
like maybe a secret
police investigation...
- What makes you so
sure it's a hot story?
- Well, you heard
the police captain
say he was calling
on a cellular phone
instead of the police radio
because he didn't anyone
to hear their conversation.
- So?
- So if this was
public information,
why not use the police
radio in the car?
- Yes, Mr. Scalia.
You can bet I'll
check into this.
And thank you for bringing
it to my attention.
If any one of my men had
anything to do with this,
I can assure you he
will be disciplined.
Jaworski.
I just got off the phone
with one Alex Scalia.
You know him?
He told me he used to
be married to your wife,
and that just yesterday afternoon
somebody paid him a visit,
told him to lay off your wife.
You don't happen to know
who that could be, do you?
Did you send someone
around to see Mr. Scalia?
- Captain, that creep Scalia
has been bugging my
wife for weeks now.
He keeps calling and calling
and calling and calling-
- Captain, can I
see you and Jaworski
in your office, please?
- Yeah, let's go.
Jaworski?
So you wanna tell me
what's going on here?
I'm getting a little
tired of playing charades.
- Well, Captain, see-
- No, Phil. Let me explain.
This puke Scalia
is my wife's ex.
He's been calling the
house almost every day,
threatening to sue for
custody of the kids again.
Captain, he's no damn good.
He's a drunk and he used
to beat my wife senseless.
- I can vouch for
the drunk part.
I went to visit him at 10 a.m.
He answered the door with a
beer in his hand and was bombed.
- So let me hypothesize here.
Jaworski, you told
Scalia to call?
- That scumbag Scalia is-
- That's enough, Jaworski.
So Sterns, you went
to pay a little visit.
- And I told him to cool it.
- What does that mean?
- I simply told him to
lay off of Jaworski's wife
and stop creating problems.
- And that includes
roughing him up?
- Well, he was being an ass,
so I pushed him a little.
- So you pushed
him a little bit?
Wouldn't you call that
using excessive force?
What do you think I
oughta do about this?
You know, I can suspend
the two of you without pay.
But under the circumstances,
I probably would've
done the same thing.
All right, you guys,
get outta here.
We got a lot of work to do.
- Thanks, Captain!
- Yeah.
- Listen, no more visits, okay?
Leave it up to the
courts, all right?
- Detective Sterns.
- Detective Sterns, this is
Judith Campbell, Channel 9 News.
- Hello, Judith Campbell
from Channel 9 News.
What can L.A.'s
finest do for you?
- I have a source who tells
me the police department
may have a psychotic
running around town.
- Lady, that is the
understatement of the year.
We have thousands of them.
- But my understanding
is this psycho
is running around sticking
people with needles
that may contain the AIDS virus.
- Uh, Ms. Campbell, something
just came up. Uh...
- Captain, hi.
There's a problem on line
one with a Judith Campbell.
I think we need you out here.
- Detective Sterns,
let's cut the crap.
You know as well as I
there's a nut out there
who's stabbed two people so far.
Chances are the needles
used in the attack
have been contaminated
with the virus.
- Line one.
Hello, Ms. Campbell?
- This is Captain Griswold.
I want to know how in the hell
you got information
on this investigation.
- That's a long story,
but believe me, Captain,
it was in a perfectly legal way.
- Meaning what?
- Meaning I know this
thing is hush-hush,
and if you wanna
keep it that way,
you should cooperate with me.
- This is police business.
It's none of your concern.
- It concerns all
the citizens of L.A.,
who have a right to
know about this sicko.
- I'm sorry, I can't help you.
- I'm afraid if you don't,
you'll have to see it
on the air tonight.
- You realize if you
do, you could be charged
with interfering in a
criminal investigation?
- My lawyer tells me
the First Amendment
protects reporters
from police harassment.
- We don't need this to get
out in the general population.
The hysteria and panic
will be unbelievable.
- No, but Jesus Christ,
we can't have a reporter,
especially a TV reporter,
interfere in a thing like this.
- Between a rock and a hard
place. Which one's worse?
- All right, tell her we'll
work with her on this one,
but she's gotta
keep a lid on it.
- Uh, Ms. Campbell.
We've decided for the
benefit of everyone
that it's better this thing
is kept from the
general population.
You will you get your exclusive,
but only when we've
wrapped this thing up.
Deal?
- I think-
- Listen, lady.
Under the circumstances, that's
all we're prepared to do.
- No deal, cops. Watch the
five o'clock news today.
- That bitch!
How in the hell did she
find out about this thing?
- Our top story tonight
is a frightful one.
Channel 9 News has
learned the police
are investigating
attacks on two people
by an assailant purported
to be using a needle syringe
filled with blood that may
contain the deadly AIDS virus.
The police are unwilling to
confirm or deny the reports.
And having been a reporter
for a number of years,
it appears as if the
police are unwilling
not only to inform the media
but also the general public,
who has a right to know
that there might be a
demented sicko out there
ready to pounce on some poor,
innocent, unsuspecting citizen.
- You let my little secret out.
You think that's
gonna stop me, lady?
You got put on the hit
list in the top slot.
- Shame on you, police.
And to the nut running
around doing this:
well, all I can say, brother,
is you're gonna rot
in hell for this,
and the sooner, the better.
- If she were a man, I'd
bust her in the chops.
- She sure keeps her word.
- This is Judith Campbell
reporting for Channel 9 News
in front of Metro
Police Headquarters
in Downtown Los Angeles.
- Thought you'd want
to know the results
of the blood tests for the
two latest stabber victims.
- Yeah.
- They both tested out positive.
- I gotta call you back, okay?
You mean to tell
me that this creep
is really injecting people
with the AIDS virus?
- We gotta get a collar
on this guy fast.
I'm not sure how we do it.
We put two and two together.
We got Jaworski and Santo at
the County Health Department,
checking on positive AIDS tests.
Only problem with that is some
doctors don't report that.
Talk to that reporter Campbell,
since she blew the lid
on this whole thing.
Maybe she can help us
by alerting the public.
Maybe someone out
there knows this guy.
Seen a stash of needles.
Maybe he's a talker.
Let's get this guy.
- Got it. Let's hit it.
- Oh my god, 4:20?
Shit.
Hey, Captain, what's up?
- Steph, I'm afraid
I've got some bad news.
Can we come in?
- All right.
Okay, I'm sitting. So
what's the emergency?
- It's about Sterns.
- What about Sterns?
- There's been an accident.
- Well, what kind of accident?
What happened? Is he okay?
- We don't have
all the facts yet.
We're still investigating.
But it appears that
Sterns was on his way home
and he was hit head-on.
- Oh my god, no.
- The driver of the other
car was killed instantly.
He had an empty bottle of scotch
found on the seat next to him.
- And Sterns?
- He was killed as well.
- He had a wife and kids, right?
- Yeah, dammit!
It's always the cops near
retirement who get the short end.
In just about two years,
he would've had his 20th.
- He had all these
plans, you know?
He and his wife
bought this farmland
and they were gonna
go live there.
And now some drunk
bastard comes along
and just takes everything away.
It's just not fair.
- Where the hell is that snitch?
Just like a snitch.
You can never find
one when you need one.
- That's funny. I've
never heard that before.
Actually, I think you
missed your calling.
You should've been
a stand-up comic.
- Hey, asshole.
Come here, I wanna talk to you.
- Rick, no, don't.
It's not worth it.
- I mean, I'm not
trying to be nosy.
It's just I've worked
with a lot of cops
and they all seem to have
all these marital problems.
- Well, I guess you
could include me
an honorary member of that club.
Things ain't too great
on the home front.
- You wanna talk about it?
I pride myself, I'm
a great listener.
- Well, where do I begin?
- You got a problem? Huh?
Oh, you gotta defend your
lady's honor, don't you?
You gotta show her
just how tough you are.
- You're the problem, asshole.
Why don't you watch
where you're going, man?
- Fuck you and the
horse you rode in on!
- Rick!
Get off of him! Get off of him!
Get off of him!
- And I just spend 300 bucks
on a vet bill for the dog.
Heard enough?
- Yeah, I think I have. Hold on.
Yeah, this is Rogers.
What's the address?
3187 Lincoln.
We got on, we're
outta here. Thank you.
- Think that's our boy?
- Are you the ones
that were stabbed?
I'll call you an ambulance.
- No, no!
- Uh, that's all right.
We'll be all right. Look,
we don't have any insurance.
It's too expensive.
- Okay. Can I get your names?
- Susan Russell. My
ex-boyfriend, Rick Larzaro.
- Susan, you want to
tell us what happened?
- We were walking
down the street
and just trying to
find what movie to see,
and then all of a sudden
this guy runs up to us
and knocks us down.
- Can you tell us what
the assailant looked like?
- I don't know. I guess
he was like 18 or 19.
- Okay, after he
knocked you down...
- Then the guy pulls this
needle out from his pocket
and sticks both of us and just
runs away down the street.
What's the matter?
Why are you looking at
each other like that?
- Listen, we don't
have time to explain.
Give me a call at the office
tomorrow. My number's on here.
I should be in around 11 a.m.
- What was he wearing?
- Uh, I think he had
on a denim jacket.
He was wearing
jeans and sneakers.
- I have a feeling he's
not driving though.
I think he's using
public transportation.
One thing we do know
is he's going west
and he's got about
15 minutes on us.
- Maybe he lives in the area.
He's just taking
an evening stroll.
- Yeah, right, "I think
I'll take an evening stroll
with a needle in my hand."
I don't see it. What'd that
girl say he was wearing?
- Jeans, sneakers,
and a jean jacket.
- Well, well, he should
be real easy to find.
There's only one or two
thousand people in L.A.
dressed like that.
- Well, well, looky
what we have here.
- Oh my goodness.
- Fits the description.
- He sure does.
- Let's see what he's up to
on this fine California evening.
- Okay, this is fine.
- Police! Come here, we
want to talk to you!
Put your hands in the...
Call for backup!
All right, kid, freeze!
Put your hands above your head
and walk backwards
towards me slowly, now!
Do it!
Drop whatever you
have in your hand.
Drop whatever you
have in your hand.
What the hell happened?
I asked you for a backup.
- I did! I called for backup.
- Well, where the hell is
everybody? Are they on strike?
- No, wait, you have to tell
me why you are handcuffed.
- Key, please.
- Hey, young man.
I tell your fortune for you, eh?
- No, I'm not interested.
- Ah.
Come, sit down.
The cards tell all.
- I don't have any money.
Besides, nobody can
tell the future.
That's the stupidest
thing I ever heard.
- I do this for free, eh?
Come, I lay out
cards for you, eh?
Ah.
Tell me your name, young man.
- It's Jeff.
- You have last name?
I want you to hold the
cards in your hand,
to give them your vibrations.
Cut the cards, three times,
with your left hand.
Very good.
I see many worries.
Very troubled young man.
I also see problems
with your health.
Are you sick?
- Why do you wanna know?
- It is my profession.
I want to help.
- You can't help.
- No, please, wait. Sit down.
There is more.
Your behavior lately has been
very confusing to others.
And to yourself.
You feel very helpless.
Because of that,
you want to strike out in
anger at everyone around you.
You will not be satisfied
until you have gone to
the source of that anger
and have squeezed
the life out of it.
- Bullshit!
You know, they should've
burned all you hags in Salem!
- Why you do this to me?
I no hurt you! I
try to help you!
- Here we go.
- Mommy, I love you!
- Uh-huh, I love
you too, sweetie.
How's Mommy's favorite
little cowboy doing?
- Good.
Are you gonna be home for
dinner with Daddy and me?
- Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie.
Mommy's gotta work late again.
But on my first day off,
I promise we'll go
to Disneyland, okay?
- But are you gonna go
to find some bad guy
and take him to jail tonight?
- Yeah, that's Mommy's
job. That's right.
Here, take Mommy's keys.
I'm gonna go talk to
Daddy, okay, sweetie?
- Nice of you to stop by
to see how your old
man and kid are doing.
- Listen, Ray, I-
- No, Stephanie, look.
You listen to me.
I don't know what type of
an investigation you're on
or anything, but your son
and I, we need you here too.
- Look, I know. I just I have
no control over this case.
I mean, the captain
expects Sterns and I
to spend extra
hours on this one.
It's out of my hands.
Look, there's some
guy running around
and he's jabbing people
with these needles
that contain the AIDS virus,
and we have to
find this guy fast.
I have to get him
off the street.
- Look, I'm sorry. I didn't
realize it was that serious.
- Yeah.
- I guess it has
to be priority one.
- Well, I guess so.
I just wish the
captain would give me
a little bit of free time so
we could act like a family.
Hi, sweetie.
- Look, Mommy.
I drawed a picture of a
bad guy and the police.
- Oh, honey, that's great.
Where'd you learn
to draw like that?
- From school, of course.
- Hey, honey, can
you stay for dinner?
Look, I got some
chicken in the oven.
- I can't.
I gotta get back.
- Aw.
- Look, I love you guys more
than anything in the world.
I just...
And I'm not gonna let
this case ruin my family.
If we don't wrap it up
in a couple of weeks,
then I'm gonna tell the
captain that I want out, okay?
- All right, honey. I love you.
- I love you too.
Bye, sweetie.
- Bye, Mommy.
- Surprise.
- What are you doing in here?
- I came to see you, Mr. Martin.
You know, I needed that
job and you fired me!
- I fired you 'cause
you're a little shit!
Now get the fuck out of this
office, right fucking now!
Do you understand me?
- Look, Mr. Martin.
I got a little present for ya.
- What's that?
- This, my friend, is
a hypodermic needle
containing my blood, which
is infected with AIDS!
Come on, Mr. Martin!
You fucking...
- What happened here?
- The best I can tell is
the owner, Mr. Martin,
was working late.
Someone came in and
picked up that telephone
and repeatedly struck
him in the head.
- Well, was anything
missing? His wallet or-
- No, ma'am. Doesn't appear
to be anything missing.
This was sticking out of his
stomach when we got here.
- Pretty cute, huh?
- Sounds like our guy.
Anybody else here tonight?
- When the paramedics arrived,
my partner and I did a
search of the building.
It looks like the victim was
the only one here at the time.
- Yeah, if robbery
wasn't the motive-
- Maybe our killer had some
kind of beef with Mr. Martin.
- Could've been a
former employee.
- I think we'll pay Personnel
a little visit in the morning.
- Nursy, Nursy!
What's the matter,
you afraid of me? Huh?
- Yes.
- Where's the doctor?
- I don't know.
- Where is he?
What's the matter?
You afraid of dying?
- Mm-hmm.
- Huh?
Let me tell you something, baby,
if you're so afraid of dying.
You know, I'm sure a lot of
people are gonna miss you, huh?
What a shame.
Son of a bitch!
Damn!
Son of a bitch!
Son of a bitch!
How you doin', babe?
What's the matter?
Let's go, Grandma.
Fucking bitch!
Hey, listen, Grandma.
I need some money!
- Get away!
- I need a loan!
What's the matter?
Bank's not open today?
Big mistake, Grandma.
- Good evening, I'm
Judith Campbell,
and our top story at this
hour is another needle attack,
this time on an elderly lady,
has taken place just moments
ago in the Wilshire district.
According to eyewitnesses,
the attacker, asking for
money from the woman,
who was waiting for a City
Center bus to take her Downtown,
was unsuccessful.
He then pulled out a needle
and stuck her and fled on foot.
The police, now on the scene,
have set up a dragnet in the
area, hoping to catch him.
They are asking for
public assistance.
If you have any knowledge
about the attack today-
- Good luck, guys.
- Or the two others last week,
or any information concerning
the identity of the attacker,
please call the Rampart
Division station at 485-4141
or Channel 9 News at 985-3565.
This is Judith Campbell
reporting for Channel 9 News.
- Newsroom.
Who should I say is calling?
Hold on, I'll see if she's in.
This guy says he's
the needle attacker.
He wants to talk to Judy.
- It's probably a nut.
I'll go see if she wants
to talk with him.
- I'll get the PD on the phone.
Maybe they'll wanna run
a trace on the line.
- Sorry to disturb you, Judy,
but there's some nut on line two
who claims to be
the needle jabber.
Do you want to talk to him?
- Absolutely. Thanks, Chuck.
Hello, this is Judith Campbell.
- Yeah, hi, I was just
watching the news
and I thought you might
be interested in speaking
to the person that was
responsible for all those attacks.
- What's your name?
- Hell no! You ain't
gonna get it, bitch!
I'm calling you,
big-time newswoman,
to let you know that
you're gonna get it.
You're the next blabber,
so you better look both ways
before you cross the street.
- Why are you doing this?
- Fuck you.
- Are you all right, Judy?
- Yeah, I'm okay.
- I've had Rampart
detectives on line one.
They were trying like hell
to put a trace on the guy,
but he wasn't on long enough.
I'm sorry.
- That's all right.
Whoever our friend
on the phone was,
he was clever enough not to
sit on the line very long.
- Maybe you should call the
police and get some protection.
- Hell no, are you kidding?
What I want is an
interview with this guy.
- What, are you crazy?
This guy sounds dangerous!
- Hey, being a
journalist is dangerous.
Sometimes you have to
take a few chances.
If this guy calls back,
try to keep him on the
line and beep me, okay?
- Okay.
- Hello, Judith Campbell?
- Yes, who are you?
- I'm Detective Smithers.
Detective Rogers, my partner.
May we come in?
- What's this about?
Am I under arrest?
I know I don't have
a lot of friends
in the police department.
Have a seat.
- Of course not.
Look, we understand that someone
called you at work
and threatened you.
- Where did you hear that?
- Well, that's not important.
The important thing
is that we feel
that you need some
police protection,
and if this guy's as
crazy as we think he is,
we'd feel more comfortable
if you'd consider
having a policewoman come and
stay with you for a few days.
- Don't be foolish. I don't
need any police protection.
And secondly, this
guy was probably
just a crank caller anyway.
And last but not least,
I think I can take
care of myself okay.
- Look, I don't
think you understand.
You could be a target, and
from the sound of things,
you could be next
on this guy's list.
I mean, doesn't that
scare you a little bit?
- Don't be foolish.
I have been in the most
dangerous situations imaginable,
and I don't scare easily.
- Look, if this guy thinks
that you've blown his cover
and you're out to put
him out of action,
there's no telling what-
- Are you trying to scare me?
What's this really about?
Why don't you two just
tell me the truth?
That you were sent
here to harass me.
I wasn't born yesterday.
I think certain
people in Metro PD
are trying to intimidate me
because I interfered in
their hush-hush investigation
into the AIDS jabber case.
Aren't you really here
to tell me to lay off?
- You know, you're really
something. You are.
You just don't get it, do you?
You're a high-profile person,
so the department thought
it would be a good idea
to give you a
little bit of help,
but Ms. High and Mighty
does not want our help.
Let's get the hell outta
here. It's a waste of time.
You can just protect yourself.
- Look.
Here's my card.
Call if you need to.
- Listen, I'm sorry.
I don't mean to
sound ungrateful.
It's just I've been
working pretty hard lately.
I guess what I'm trying to say
is I do appreciate
the concern by Metro,
but I think I can handle
myself on this one.
- Hey, no problem.
Can I ask you a few questions
about the phone call?
- Uh, sure, why not?
Sit down.
- Okay, what time of day
did you receive the call?
- A few minutes
before I left work.
- Did the caller
identify himself?
Did his voice sound familiar?
- You mean like someone
I've pissed off?
Listen, I've made a
lot of people unhappy.
Sometimes my job requires
me to dig a little deeper
than what's being
portrayed on the surface.
- Did the caller say
anything specific to you
when he talked to you?
- Mm, he said something about
having seen me on a newscast
and that now I was on the list.
- The list?
- I don't know,
maybe the hit list.
- Hey, I wouldn't
take this so lightly.
You could be in grave danger.
- Come on, I've had
crank calls before.
This wasn't the the first.
I'm sure it won't be the last.
- We'd still feel
better if you'd consider
having a policewoman stay
with you, just for a few days.
- Thanks, but no thanks.
I'll be all right.
I don't want to be rude,
but I'm meeting someone
in a few minutes.
- Okay.
Well, you have our card.
Call if you need to.
Oh, do you have a gun?
- Why?
- Well, I would suggest
that you carry it with you
until we collar this guy.
- Hello?
Hello? Who's there?
Who is this? Do I know you?
Sounds to me like
you're not playing
with a full deck, buster.
Better see a shrink
when you have some time.
- Yeah, Mr. Femine?
- Yes.
- I'm Detective Kaiser, LAPD.
I called a few minutes ago.
- Oh, I'm Pierre Femine. What
can I do for you, Detective?
- Well, Mr. Femine,
I'm just doing a quick
followup investigation
into Mr. Martin's murder.
I understand you do
the hiring around here.
- That's correct.
- Okay, do you remember
hiring an employee
by the name of Jeff Roberts?
- Jeff Roberts?
- Oh yeah, I remember him.
- Uh-huh.
- A very troubled
young man, he said.
- Okay, yeah.
- And what happened is
that Roberts was late.
- Okay, is this when
he fired Roberts?
- Not exactly.
Mr. Martin went back
to the warehouse
and he saw Roberts there
sitting, doing nothing,
and he really got
upset and he fired him.
- Do you think that
he killed Martin?
- 1650 Gardina.
- One-six-five-zero Gardina.
- Apartment 8.
- Coming!
Yeah?
- Jeff Roberts?
- Yeah? What do you want?
- We're metro PD.
We need to come in and ask
you a few questions, please?
- Aren't you supposed
to have some kind
of a search warrant
for that or something?
- Only if we're searching
the premises.
Excuse me.
- What do you guys want?
Hey, look, I got a-
- Hey, hey, hey! Sit down.
- Just relax.
- I understand you were fired
from Martin Furniture last week.
You want to tell us why?
- Old Man Martin said
I was irresponsible.
Hey, don't tell me you guys
came all the way over here
just to ask me why I got fired.
- No, Jeff, we didn't.
Did you know that somebody
killed Mr. Martin?
- So what does that
have to do with me?
What, you guys don't think
I had something to do
with that old fart
croaking, do you?
- I don't know, did you?
You had a doctor's
appointment last week.
You want to tell us what
you saw the doctor for?
- It's kind of personal, okay?
- Didn't the doctor
tell you you had AIDS?
- Where's your bathroom?
- Look, I'm not feeling
too good, all right?
You guys just wanna
leave me alone?
- Hey, hey, hey!
Tell me where you were
last Wednesday at 8:30,
the night Martin was murdered.
- You mind telling me what
you're doing with this needle?
- It's a long story, okay?
Maybe some other time,
all right? I gotta run.
- Listen, man, we got
all the time in the world
and we're really
good listeners, okay?
- Oh, I'm sure you are.
- This is his list.
Look at the names.
- Let me see that.
- Here's his boss, Mr. Martin.
- Christ! This
must be a hit list.
All the names are crossed
off except for one.
- Well, what's the name?
- You're not gonna believe this.
- What?
- Judy Campbell.
- How's L.A.'s finest
big newswoman doing?
- What do you want?
Money? Here, take my wallet.
- No, no, no.
Don't you remember me? Huh?
Huh? We talked on the
phone a couple times.
- What do you want?
Please, just go.
- I want you to
know how it feels
to have a death sentence
staring you in the face.
To have AIDS!
- Why are you doing this to me?
Maybe I can help
you, if you want.
I have a friend, a
doctor. He's a specialist.
If you want, maybe
he can help you.
No, no, no, no. No one's
gonna help me, huh?
I'm a dead man, lady.
You understand that?
Dead! D-E-A-D!
- Don't give up hope.
Maybe they'll find a cure.
I was reading in the paper
they're only a few months away
from a vaccine for AIDS.
- Listen, lady, I know you
don't care about me, huh?
You're just afraid of getting
stuck with this needle,
aren't you, huh?
Why would someone as
big and important as you
be interested in someone
like me with a problem?
- Because I care.
My uncle died of AIDS last year.
I know the pain and
torment he went through.
I know what you're
going through.
Believe me, I know what
you're going through.
And I can help you,
before it's too late.
Let me help you, please.
- How do I know you're not
just giving me a line, huh?
- You'll just have to trust me.
- What's that? What is it?
What's that for?
- Jeff, this is very important.
You have a responsibility
to tell the world
and the people out there
what a dreadful and
unfortunate disease AIDS is.
To make them understand
that you're a human being
with feelings and emotions
like everyone else.
- Jesus, I hope we're wrong.
If we're not, I hope to
hell we're not too late.
What kinda car did
you say she had again?
- It was a gray Cutlass Supreme.
- Okay.
- To make them understand.
So before it's too late,
tell the world that you
deserve the respect and dignity
that all human beings-
- I gotta go.
- Dave, it's right there.
That's it right there.
- Jeff, please!
- No!
- Police! Freeze!
- I'll get the girl!
I'll get the girl!
Are you all right?
Did he hurt you?
- No, I'm fine.
Please don't hurt him.
- Just stay here!
- He needs help!
- Stay there!
- Detective Smithers.
Detective Smithers, come in.
Detective Smithers.
- Drop the needle,
kid! It's over.
Give it up, now!
- You heard what he
said! Put it down now!
- Drop it!
Hurry up!
Drop the needle, now!
Easy.
- Slow. Do it!
Slow.
- Easy.
Drop the needle.
- Why'd you shoot him? Why?
- He was coming at us
with a needle, lady!
What did you expect us to do,
stand there and be
his next victims?
- He could have been helped!
We were talking in the
car before you came!
- Grow up, lady. He could've
stuck you with the needle.
You could be in the
morgue right now
with a tag on your toe.
You're lucky you're
a smooth talker
and were able to stall for time.
There's a lot of people
that weren't so lucky!
- Smithers!
Hold on a minute,
hold on a minute.
Hey, that was really
good work back there.
That creep should've been
blown away over a month ago.
- Well, all I know
is I'm really pissed.
- Hey, cheer up. You
did the city a favor.
It's one less wacko
in the court system.
It's one less Munchkin in
the Land of Oz. Come on!
Cheer up! Smile!
- Yeah. All right.
- Come on, let's go have a beer.
Did I ever tell
you about the time
I saw this guy get
hit by a truck?
- No.
- His name was Larry Parker.
He was walking across the
street. He was a little bit drunk.
- This is Detective Smithers.
I need a coroner at 5490 Sunset,
rear parking lot, Channel 9.
- 10-4.
Detective Smithers,
Captain Griswold has
been trying to reach you
on the police radio
for some time.
He left me this urgent
message for Dispatch 113.
- What is it?
- The message reads:
"Jeff Roberts does
not have AIDS.
Evidently the lab that ran the
test had misfiled his papers.
The results of his tests were
negative. Repeat, negative."
Detective Smithers?
Detective Smithers?
Please confirm
last transmission.
Detective Smithers?