Trial by Jury (1994) - full transcript
Valerie is a juror in the trial of a mob boss. When her young son's life is threatened, she has no option other than to see that justice isn't done.
[bright music]
[gentle music]
- Bye.
[gentle music]
- Can I help you?
Yes.
We need Mr. Bennett's
car right away.
- Excuse me.
How you doing?
[gentle music]
- Somebody call for a plumber?
- Huh?
- Somebody need their
pipes cleaned?
- Room 1223.
- Thanks.
- [Man] She's here.
- You believe this stool
pigeon gets a bride
and we can't even order
room service?
- Hey, he's our star witness.
Graham says give him
everything he wants.
- Yo, Limpy.
Your damsel awaits.
- [Actor] How do you like that?
He slugged me.
If you weren't my friend, I'd
say you had it coming to you.
Why didn't you wait until
we had the block surrounded?
- I look okay?
- She's a hooker, Limpy.
You could look like a
homemade turd.
- Wise guy.
- Whoa.
Big man.
- [Actor] There's an iron
hook attached to his forearm
and that's his weapon.
I saw it and I felt it.
[hand knocking]
- Get her, rookie.
- [Actor] What's the
first thing you do
when you dial a
telephone number?
- Somebody need the
bed turned down?
- [Actor] That's right.
You dial the first two
letters of the exchange.
How do you like that?
- You're the client, right?
I'd recognize that Sing
Sing sunburn anywhere.
Come on, sweetheart.
Let's go somewhere
where we can talk.
- Hey babe, I'm with you.
- You do cops, baby?
- You guys?
You guys couldn't
afford a handshake.
I get champagne, honey.
- Yeah.
Dom Perry.
DP.
- Right.
[bright music]
Yeah, shake it right.
That's it.
Yeah, shake it.
Come on, shake it.
[bright music]
- [Actor] He uses that hook
for everything, doesn't he?
[hand knocking]
- The door, rookie.
The door.
[bright music]
- Room service.
[bright music]
- [Limpy] Oh yeah baby, come on.
[bright music]
- Here you go, my man.
Don't say Uncle Sam never
did nothing for you.
- Thanks.
Have a nice evening, gentlemen.
- Gun.
[guns firing]
- Teddy.
No, Teddy.
- Hey, relax.
Rusty ain't mad.
But we can't let you talk.
Okay?
We gotta get you out of here.
- He ain't gonna kill me,
huh Teddy?
- No, man, he ain't
gonna kill him.
Put your clothes on.
- Oh thanks, Teddy.
Thanks, Teddy.
Thanks.
[dramatic music]
- Who says
acupuncture don't work?
[dramatic music]
[sirens blaring]
- [Valerie] Robbie.
- [Man] Is continuing
his coverage.
- What, Mom?
- Bring your homework
in so I can check it.
- [Man] In a quick
bloody rampage,
reminiscent of the
gangland hits of the 30s,
gunmen killed four
police officers
and an unidentified man in the
Hotel Powell late last night.
- There's not much to check,
Mom.
- Put your shoes on, sweetheart.
We'll do it on the bus.
[gentle music]
- How 'bout them four cops
getting killed last night?
- Yeah.
Hey, Lila the babysitter
will be bringing Robbie home
from school for the next
couple of weeks.
Make sure she has the key,
okay Jimmy.
- Sure.
- Mom, the bus.
Come on.
- You'll be working late,
Valerie?
- I'll be on jury duty.
- Jury duty?
- All you have to do is
concentrate, Rob.
If three and three is six,
then three and four is--
- Mom?
How come there are 12
people on a jury?
- Good question.
12 apostles maybe.
- I thought when the
cops arrested somebody,
they just went to jail.
- No, you see the
police just get
somebody they think is guilty,
but then there's a trial,
and sometimes the jury
decides they were wrong.
- Cops don't make mistakes, Mom.
- Well it's not
really a mistake.
They let the jury decide.
- But you don't know
about police stuff.
Why are you on the jury?
- Young man, it is my
painful duty
to say these dirty words.
- [Both] You'll understand
this when you grow up.
- Oh Robbie, I don't know
what I'd do without you.
- Don't embarrass me.
- [John] Oh brother.
- For God sake, don't
let him see that.
Come on.
- Where were you?
- Getting our stories straight.
- [Daniel] Okay.
Let's see how you did.
- John.
- Yeah.
Well, we got a hooker for Limpy.
I mean you said give him
anything he wanted, you know.
Anyway, they grabbed our
girl before she came in.
The cops found her in a
dumpster at 45th and eighth.
It was pretty slick.
- I am not interested in their
brilliant fucking strategy.
Nobody was supposed to
know we had this guy.
- Come on, Dan.
We were seen in Sing
Sing talking to Limpy.
The state police pulled
him out of jail,
then we move him and four cops
into a suite in a big hotel.
We weren't exactly
inconspicuous.
- I guess we better
request the postponement.
- Oh yeah, sure.
We can just say to the
judge please your honor,
could you keep this man
under indictment
'til we find another witness?
Ever hear of due process,
asshole?
- We've got a ton of
physical evidence.
27 expert witnesses.
- Can't bore the jury with
a lot of forensics, Chris.
We need the human factor.
Someone to say I saw Rusty
Pirone kill 11 people.
- Listen to me.
I couldn't ask for a
postponement even if I wanted
to.
I don't have to
remind you people.
This is the biggest
goddamn prosecution
we've ever pushed out
of this office.
Big media from the day
we busted him.
- You have to ID Limpy
right away, Stanley?
- The media's gonna wanna
know who he was, Dan.
I can tap dance around it.
Put a reverse spin on it.
- Any other Pirone people
we can squeeze?
- We grabbed the four guys
from the hit team originally.
You know the Jenko brothers,
they disappeared before
they came to trial.
Limpy we know about.
And Johnny Red's a lost cause.
- You mean Johnny Verona?
- Yeah.
He's Rusty's uncle.
He broke him into the rackets.
Brought him right up
through the ranks.
He told us there was
no deal from the jump.
Even after we hit him with
a 50 year shot,
he wouldn't crack.
- He's an old style wise guy,
Dan.
We'll never turn him.
[gentle music]
Get this on straight.
- We haven't got enough.
- We'll use what we got.
[gentle music]
- The match is on, boys.
We're gonna sell out today,
Phillie.
Mark my words.
Paul, my sports fan.
How you doing?
Spell my name right this time,
will you.
- [Man] Rusty, my man.
- I'll give you the
authorized version.
Mickey.
- [Daniel] Look at 'em laughing.
They killed Limpy, now they
think they're home free.
- Dawn, I win this for you.
- Let's go.
[group chattering]
- [Rusty] Mr. Graham.
- How you doing, Rusty?
You okay?
- I'm in control today.
Thanks.
I had a nice breakfast.
Couple of eggs, Canadian bacon.
Biscayne diner.
- Oh yeah, yeah.
I know it.
- Geez, I forgot.
Another Brooklyn boy here
who made good.
- [Bailiff] All rise.
- Air working?
- Full blast, your honor.
- Yeah.
- [Bailiff] Be seated.
- Everybody's here I assume.
So, let's proceed with
the voir dire.
- Okay listen up, people.
I'm only going
through this once.
You will be reimbursed
for subway fare only.
No cabs, car services,
mini buses, rickshaws.
Subway fare only.
You will be paid $40 a
day while you're sitting.
Now if you don't get your money,
you complain to the cashier
at the United States
attorney's office.
Do not.
I repeat, do not come
crying to me.
- [Jane] [gasps] Oh my
god, it's Rusty Pirone.
- This must be the big murder
trial I've been reading about.
- Look at that suit.
- So we drop it.
Don't want it talked about,
especially in front of
this mama lu.
- What do you think, Susan?
- The ladies are all atwitter.
They love him.
- Women do not
respond to this guy.
My advice, load up on women.
They'll hang him.
- Women.
- Good morning, ladies
and gentlemen.
My name is Daniel Graham.
I'm the prosecutor in the case
of the United States of
America versus Pirone.
This is my co-counsel
Eleanor Lyons.
Defense counsel will
be Leo Greco.
Both sides have jury
consultants.
Mr. Petrie and Ms. Fine.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the defendant is charged
with the controlling and
continuing criminal enterprise.
He is charged with
conspiracy to commit murder
and assault with a
deadly weapon.
The government will prove
that Mr. Pirone
formed an assassination team
from within the
Skadoodle crime family
to eliminate enemies,
government informants,
and police officers.
And that Mr. Pirone
personally participated
in the murder of 11 people
over a period of three years.
We will begin the questioning
with Mr. Lawrence Bennett,
your honor.
[gentle music]
- [Man] Next juror,
Valerie Alston.
- Here.
- Good afternoon, Miss Alston.
Can you tell us what it is
that you do for a living?
- I own an antique
clothing store downtown.
- You married?
- Divorced.
- You have any children?
- I have one son.
- Being on a jury in a
major organized
crime prosecution like
this could represent
a considerable
inconvenience to you.
- Yes, it could.
- But you're willing to
do it anyway.
- I guess it's my duty.
- Do you know the defendant
or anybody connected with him?
- No.
- She's perfect.
- Like putty in our hands.
- We accept Miss Alston,
your honor.
- We applaud Miss Alston's
sense of civic duty, your honor.
The defense welcomes
her to this jury.
- [Man] Next juror, Jane Lyle.
- I'm back.
- Hi, boss.
So that's it, you're finished?
- They chose me.
- [Employee] Oh what an honor.
- I'm gonna do it.
- You are crazy.
- You a single parent.
You have a business.
They let you out.
- It's a duty.
You understand?
You don't get out.
You do it.
[gentle music]
I distinctly remember
you being on a jury, dad.
- Oh yeah.
That's right, honey.
That was a big case, too.
Some guy stole the back
cove from Hanna's farm.
- [Valerie] Yeah well,
the principles the same.
- Well, I'm sure, but I
had your mother.
I wasn't a single girl trying
to survive in that jungle.
- Come on.
It's not that bad.
- [Commentator] Three
and one to Moss.
Timlin is shut down tonight.
Buddy Williams just called up
from Syracuse ready
to go tonight.
Three one to Moss and
he's aboard.
A base on ball.
The first issued by Juan Guzman
with two out here in the
second inning.
- Boring fucking game.
- [Commentator] That's John
Sullivan scouted report.
Williams is going over.
- I'm gonna take a leak.
- [Commentator] The Yankees
make their way to the plate.
[upbeat music]
- You people have been
chosen to decide the fate
of a fellow human being
and you must bare in mind
that he comes into this
courtroom an innocent man.
As innocent as any of you.
The government will offer
you audiotapes
that you cannot understand.
Videotapes of old friends
shaking hands on the street.
Since when is that a
federal offense?
If you let Mr. Graham
convince you.
If you let Mr. Graham
convince you
life long friendship is a crime,
you will be abetting him in a
grave miscarriage of justice.
Your honor I protest this
obvious
and deliberate distraction
that has been engineered
by the government.
- Mr. Graham, do you have
an explanation
for this sudden intrusion?
- Bad timing, your honor.
I apologize to the jury
and to Mr. Greco.
- [Leo] Ladies and gentlemen,
a man's life is at stake
and the government indulges
in cheap theatrics.
- Thanks.
- I don't see how they expect
us not to talk about the case.
- It'll be easy for me.
The man is obviously guilty
as sin and that's that.
- There's no doubt he's
guilty of a lot of things.
We just have to
decide if he's done
what the government
says he's done.
- It comes to 750
including a 15% tip.
If one of us pays with
a credit card
and collects cash
from the others,
then we'll have a
nice deduction.
- Sounds good.
I'll start it.
- Check out Mr. Duffy.
- Our steadfast foreman.
- [Man] Here you go, pal.
Valerie Alston.
- [Tommy] Thanks.
- Murder drives a small,
sharp instrument,
usually an ice pick into the
base of the victim's neck.
- [Daniel] It's an odd
method of execution,
yet it seems that it
would require more skill
than just blowing the
victim's brains out.
- [Detective Gray] It's
very efficient.
Severs the spinal cord.
It's quiet and there's
very little blood.
- It leaves a signature,
Detective Gray?
- Yeah, it's unique.
Murder incorporated used
it in the 30s.
- It also sends a message,
does it not?
- [Detective Gray] Yes.
- So it could be used by an
organized crime hit squad
to let its enemies know
that they were responsible--
- Objection.
Calls for a conclusion.
- Sustained.
You know better than that, Mr.
Graham.
- I apologize, your honor.
I'll rephrase the question.
- Oh here's a beauty.
Take a look at this one, John.
Oh wow.
This is the headline
in the post.
I can see it now.
The gay godfather.
- You deliberately intruded
on Mr. Verona's privacy.
- Those cameras were
placed in the bathroom
to identify drug
traffickers in the prison.
We did not target or abuse
Mr. Verona in any way.
- You release those photos,
you'll be ruined professionally.
- Probably.
But if I don't put
Rusty in jail,
I'm gonna be laughed
out of this town,
which is worse for a
proud guy like me.
You can understand that,
can't you John?
- Yeah, I can.
- Sure you can 'cause
you got a lot pride, too.
You're a man of honor.
A moral man.
- I got five kids.
Three grandchildren.
The youngest one study for
the priesthood.
This will kill them.
- I know, John.
I hate to put you between
a rock and a hard place,
but you gotta decide do
you testify or don't you?
- Either way I'm a loser.
- Let me put a different
spin on it for you, John.
You gotta choose to repent.
You gotta seek redemption
through confession.
You and Rusty killed a
lot of guys together.
You got a lot of blood
on your hands.
This is a way of
wiping it clean.
- And if I don't?
- Then every paper.
Every TV station in the county
gets a copy of these photos.
It's a funny world we live in,
John.
They'll forgive you for
being a murderer,
but once they find out
that you're a sissy,
they will never ever let
you live it down.
- So try to be here about 15
minutes early, all right folks?
Folks.
Folks, remember.
We mustn't discuss the
case at home.
We have to forget
everything we've heard.
All right?
- Yes, Mr. Duffy, yes.
- All right?
- That shouldn't be
hard for Duffy.
Did you see him at lunch today?
- Maybe he uses martinis
as a memory aid.
- Share a cab?
I'm in Brooklyn Heights.
- I'm on the west side.
- I'm crushed.
- I'm Valerie.
Night, Paul.
See you tomorrow.
- You know my name.
I'm miraculously restored.
Well I'm off for another
adventure on the subway.
- Good luck.
- [Paul] See you tomorrow.
[gentle music]
- Taxi.
[gentle music]
Thanks.
- My pleasure.
Have a nice trip.
[gentle music]
- Hey Tommy.
Tommy.
Look at him.
Living in a dream world.
Will you wake up you
fucking lush?
- Phillie.
You know you can't muscle
Tommy Vesey, Phillie.
He just ain't scared of us.
- What's to be scared?
All you can do is kill me.
Anyway, you need me around,
Rusty.
All this tore up's good
for is tasting your coffee.
- Piece of shit.
- Phillie.
Phillie, please.
You know you're a big time cop,
Tommy.
How do you think they
turned my uncle John?
- Well there's no mystery.
Either they got something
on him or they made a deal.
- There is no deal.
They'd have to tell us.
- Well then they got
something on him.
- I know this man all
my life though.
There's nothing.
- Then they made a deal.
- But he's family, Tommy.
Why?
Why would he betray me?
- Everybody knows
that the wiseguys
always make the biggest rats.
- Do they?
Well this wiseguy owns you
and I bought you cheap
along time ago remember?
Yeah I lifted up your badge,
Tommy.
You know what I found?
A found a bum for hire.
- I checked out your jurors.
- Yeah?
We're all ears.
- In my humble opinion,
they can't be fixed.
Nobody's got any guilty secrets.
- Yeah, no blackmail, huh?
Any of them need money?
- Everybody needs money,
but you know what?
Some retired mailman buying
a Ferrari all of a sudden.
- We can't bribe 'em, we
gotta go to a plan B, huh.
- This is where I came in.
- You sit down.
You know what I'm thinking?
I'm thinking the
money I pay you,
you could afford to be a
co-conspirator.
And you go to plan B.
Wiseguy.
- Mr. Bonner, you say that you
were in Limpy DeMarco's crew.
That means he was your boss.
- The crew boss, not
the big boss.
- Did he ever tell you
who the big boss was?
- He didn't have to.
We knew.
- And the big boss was?
- Rusty Pirone.
- Objection.
Witness had no
personal knowledge.
- Mr. Bonner, did Limpy
DeMarco ever say
who the big boss was?
- Rusty Pirone.
- You folks got one
hour for lunch.
- Oh, there's a great
Dim sum place--
- No thanks.
I'm gonna grab a sandwich
across the street.
- The guy in the third
row is his bodyguard.
- Robbie's gotta be at soccer
practice at 2:15, Lila.
Fridays we get out at three so--
- You got an hour for lunch.
- [Valerie] Okay.
Gotta go, bye.
- [Man] Spread it out, fellas.
Spread it out.
Split up the sides, come on.
Bobby, kick it.
[gentle music]
- You looking for a little dark
haired kid in yellow shorts?
[gentle music]
Take a little ride with me,
okay?
I wanna talk to you
about Robbie.
- Who are you?
- Get in the car.
- [Tommy] No, that's
not the way.
- On the floor.
- [Tommy] Come on.
- [Valerie] Where's my son?
- [Tommy] Robbie is fine.
- Where's my son?
- [Man] Where's my son?
Where's my son?
- Shut up.
I told you Robbie is fine.
Nothing's gonna happen to
him as long as you trust me.
- What do you want?
- I gotta message for
you from Rusty Pirone.
He wants you to know
he's innocent.
The government is involved in
a multi million dollar
conspiracy to set him up.
He wants you to help
him vindicate himself.
- How can I do that?
- All you have to do
is vote to acquit him.
That is all he asks.
Don't listen to that phony
evidence Graham throws at you.
- My one vote can't get him off.
- It can hang the jury.
It can help us win one battle
in a very long war against
Graham and his lies.
- This is crazy.
I can't do this.
- You got no choice.
You gotta vote to acquit him
and you gotta keep
your mouth shut.
You can't go to the cops.
Ask me why, Valerie.
- Why?
- Because they can't help you.
So they throw another
charge on Pirone's list,
what's it gonna mean?
He's up for murder, so
the cops protect you.
With these mutts on your
case, it won't matter.
They will wait until
the cops go away.
Four, five, 10 years.
And then.
- They'll kill me.
- Not right away.
We'll let you live long
enough to watch your son die.
Then we'll kill you.
- Yeah, you can't hide, baby.
Look at JFK.
[dramatic music]
- There is only one person
who can guarantee your life
and that is me.
If you vote to acquit,
I'll keep you both alive.
My word of honor.
Do it the easy way.
- Yeah.
The Vesey way.
- [Boy] Danny, kick
it over here.
Yeah, come on.
- Valerie look, look.
You see?
He's just fine, Valerie.
- Let me go to my son.
Please.
Please.
- No, no.
[dramatic music]
Not like that.
Not crying.
You gotta be mom as usual.
Juror as usual.
Everything just the way it was
before I came into your life.
[dramatic music]
You think you can do that?
- Yes.
- Show me, Valerie.
[dramatic music]
- [Boy] My turn.
Give me the ball.
- [Man] Here's your mom.
- Robbie.
- Mom.
Hey mom, you gotta see these
good tricks Teddy can do.
- It's no big deal, you know?
- Wow, you're really good,
Teddy.
- Yeah, I gotta go.
Maybe I'll come help you
practice again, all right.
- Yeah.
See you, Teddy.
- Yeah.
- Anytime you need a
lift, Valerie, just call.
- Yeah.
Thanks, bye.
- Bye.
[dramatic music]
[phone ringing]
- [Tommy] Guess who?
- What do you want from me?
- I want you to relax.
- After what you put me through?
- You're no good to yourself
or me if you freak out.
Look, I can fix this for you,
but you're gonna have
to do everything I say.
You're gonna have to trust me.
You think you can do that?
- I have no choice.
- That's an honest answer.
Force yourself to eat.
Take a couple of aspirin
and get some sleep.
Stay calm.
Stay focused.
I'll get you through
this I promise.
[gentle music]
- So, that chick turns you on.
- That lady is in a jackpot.
I'm just looking to
give her a boost.
- How 'bout me?
I don't see you giving
me no midnight pep talks.
- You're a mutt, Wanda.
You don't need me.
You just need another drink.
Richie.
- Admit it, Vesey.
That chick turns you on.
[gentle music]
- Stay calm.
Stay focused.
- [Radio Commentator] As
the government star witness,
Limpy DeMarco was kept
under tight security,
but a hit team working
with military precision
was able to murder him and
his heavily armed bodyguards
and then disappeared
without a trace.
[soft music]
- [Dad] [laughs]
Look who's here.
Look who's here.
All right, all right.
- [Robbie] Grandpa.
- [Dad] Hey now, what
do we got here?
Look at the big guy.
- [Valerie] You sure this
won't be an inconvenience?
- Are you kidding?
Look at the boy, honey.
Look how much fun he's
having out there.
He and I are gonna have
us a grand time
the next couple of weeks.
Oh by the way, I talked
to Dorothy Pierce
over at the school.
There's no problem.
- Shame he'll have to
miss Cub Scouts.
- No he won't either.
We got a den up here.
You know those kids he made
friends with last summer.
Hey, in a couple weeks
he won't wanna come home.
Now come on, sit down.
Have something to eat.
- [Robbie] Bring it back to me,
Amber.
- [Dad] Come on, Valerie,
eat your breakfast
before it gets cold.
- Dad.
- 72.
73.
I do 100 of these everyday.
- Oh yeah, my boyfriend does
'em like power trooper style.
One hand behind his back.
- What is he on
steroids or something?
- It's been statically proven
that more people have
heart attacks on Monday
than any other day of the week.
- Let's all go to
work on Tuesday.
[soft music]
- [Woman] How ethnologically
correct are you.
- [Man] Did you know how many
filthy fingers have
touched those?
- Coffee, milk, no sugar.
I notice these things.
- Thanks.
- You look like you
had a relaxing weekend.
- Quiet.
- You're currently serving
a life sentence
at Attica prison, are you not,
Mr. Bonner?
- [Bonner] Yeah.
- What for?
- Parking in front of
a fire pump.
- Answer the question, Mr.
Bonner.
- Why else would I
be doing life?
Murder.
- Murder.
Isn't it true that the
justice department
has offered you a deal in
exchange for your testimony?
- They said they would recommend
favorable consideration.
- Favorable consideration
to a man convicted
of murdering four people.
They gonna give you a pardon,
Mr. Bonner?
- They didn't say.
- Money.
A new identity.
A job.
A chance to murder a
few more people
under government auspices.
- Objection, your honor.
That's a cheap shot even for Mr.
Greco.
- The jury will
disregard the question.
Proceed Mr. Greco.
- Did Rusty Pirone ever
pay you to kill anybody?
- Not in person.
- Isn't it true that
you never even laid eyes
on Rusty Pirone before today?
That you're just trying
to wangle a deal
with the justice department
to save your skin.
Isn't it true that you're
just a wannabe wiseguy?
- Objection, your honor.
Counsel is badgering
the witness.
- I'm just trying to get
to the truth, your honor.
- Answer the question, Mr.
Bonner.
- What question?
I don't remember what
the question was.
- Did Rusty Pirone pay you
after you murdered these men?
- No.
- [Leo] Who did?
- You're gonna hang this
on Limpy, Rusty?
- [Leo] Who paid you, Bonner?
- Limpy loved you, Rusty.
In Limpy's eyes, Jesus Christ
was an empty suit next to you.
- Answer the question.
- So what do you give him
for standing up?
An icepick in the neck.
- Sit down, Bonner.
- I'm glad I'm doing this,
Rusty.
- [Judge] Order in the court.
Order.
- I don't give a fuck
what happens to me.
I just wanna show the world
what a dick bag you are.
Yeah you.
You.
- Order.
Order.
Get this man out of here.
- Christ be on you.
- Get him out of here.
He's dismissed.
- Did you see the look on
Pirone's face?
- Not a blink of his eye.
He could care less.
- [Juror] He cares.
Mr. Bonner better get
himself a facelift
and a ticket to the moon.
- I love the way Graham
turns and looks at us
like we're sharing this
major secret.
- He makes a crushing point
as far as I'm concerned.
Who else would've wanted
these people killed?
- He's a total hunk.
I bet you he runs for
governor or something.
- This case'll give
him a big boost.
- Didn't they tell us
not to discuss the case?
Wasn't that the very
first thing they said?
- Come on, Valerie.
It's patently obvious that--
- The man is innocent
until proven guilty.
It's patently obvious we
are disregarding that fact.
- You're right, Mrs. Alston.
We shouldn't be
discussing the case
until all the facts are heard.
- We're back, folks.
- Jane.
- A leader is born.
- No thanks.
Jane.
Jane.
Listen.
I can be a smug, self righteous,
little bitch sometimes.
- Sounds like something
your ex husband told you.
Besides, you're right.
Everybody knows my
tongue outruns my brain.
- That sounds like
something your ex told you.
- It was my mother actually.
- Hey, Mr. Graham.
So.
How did I do, Mr. Graham?
- You did.
You did great, Hughie.
- Maybe we'll get him a
new identity in Hollywood.
- Think so?
[siren blaring]
- Valerie.
This came for you.
- Thanks, Jimmy.
[gentle music]
Robbie.
Robbie.
[phone ringing]
[gentle music]
- [Tommy] You're giving me
a lot of heartache, Valerie.
- I just wanted to make
sure my son was safe.
- There's such a thing as
being too safe.
- I don't understand that.
I don't understand
anything you say.
- Listen to the teacher.
The boy's our red seat.
If we know where he is,
we know where you are.
If gets out from
under our thumb,
we got no gun to your head,
which means everybody
gets killed.
You, your son, your old man.
Work with us, Valerie.
You can't get away.
Stop trying.
[dial tone humming]
- Mr. Verona, can you tell us
how you dealt with Maxy Henning?
- He was shy locking.
Skimming off the vague.
Rusty and I got him in the van.
Put him in the
backseat between us.
- What's the matter with
that broad now?
She looks like she's on Mars.
- Poor bastard was
shaking like a leaf.
Once we got on the Belt Parkway,
we pounded him a couple
times remember.
Slipped the plastic bag
over his head.
Held him down.
He fought for awhile and
then he stopped.
And then he begged.
Then his face turned purple.
- That's a brutal way to
kill somebody, Mr. Verona.
- Rusty likes to
watch people die.
- God.
- Likes to watch people die.
- The man's an animal.
- Excuse me.
[soft music]
- [Valerie] Hi.
- Hi.
- Pretty graphic testimony.
- I've heard worse.
- These witnesses are
really brave
to come forward like that.
- What those mutts?
Are you kidding?
They get a great deal.
New name, new city, new house.
All paid for by Uncle Sam.
Shit happened to me.
- So anybody who gave evidence
would have that kind
of protection?
- Anybody who turns in Rusty.
- Hey, Delhante.
Don't be telling tales
out of school.
- Hey Vesey, can't I talk
to a pretty lady
without your butting in?
- Fraternizing with the jury
is against the constitution.
Keep an open mind.
That's the American way.
- Who's he?
- Tommy Vesey, ex cop.
Big hero on the homicide squad.
You better get your coffee,
doll.
We're back in five minutes.
- Hi.
[dramatic music]
Why are you going around
behind my back?
I'm trying to save your life.
- Like you saved those
four cops in the hotel?
Like you saved Limpy DeMarco?
- I had nothing to do with that.
- Why should I believe you?
You'd do anything for Pirone.
- I could care less
about Pirone.
He buys it.
I find some other geek to
do errands for.
That has nothing to
do with this.
- Oh yeah.
I forgot.
This is all for me.
[dramatic music]
- You don't buy me, fine.
You can't believe this.
That man is nervous
enough about you as it is.
He finds out you been
making moves, he'll freak.
He'll start killing us the
way he solves his problems.
- They'll catch him.
He won't get away with it.
- The name of the game,
Valerie, is not who dies,
but who dies first.
That'll be your boy.
You're boxed.
You got nowhere to go.
You gotta stay with the program.
You cannot jump off now.
- Rusty hated Matty Russell
because he wouldn't get
back on the union contracts.
So we took him up to Rusty's
place up into the woods.
We stick him to a tree and
then shot him in the knees.
Rusty began shooting
him in the groin
and in the testicles.
I said for Christ sake,
Rusty, finish him off.
He says nah.
I want him to beg.
I want him to beg for
me to kill him.
So I could shoot him in
the balls again.
- You're a liar right, Mr.
Verona?
- I tell lies.
- You're a murderer, too.
Isn't that right?
- I kill guys who
would've killed me
if the shoe was on
the other foot.
- You're a lying, thieving,
murderer by your own admission.
Do you really expect this jury
to believe anything
you have to say?
- I'm not asking them to
believe nothing's the truth.
- The truth.
And just what are you getting
for this sudden attack
of truthfulness?
What kind of a deal have
you made with Mr. Graham?
- No deal.
- No deal.
You mean Mr. Graham is
not going to reward you
for sending this
innocent man to jail?
- He's not gonna
give me nothing.
- How could he do that?
- I don't know.
I don't know.
Rusty, that wasn't my fault.
- Hey grab the car.
- [Journalist] Sir, just
one statement.
Mr. Greco.
- [Reporter] Were you surprised
to see your uncle on the stand?
- [Journalist] Is Uncle
Johnny coming off the stand?
- [Reporter] Just a second.
Rusty.
- [Journalist] Greco.
- Johnny Red sure put on a
show in there today, huh?
I love that part about
shooting the guy in the nuts.
- My girlfriend isn't paying a
lot attention to that is she?
- She's all right.
I had a little talk
with her just now.
- Did anybody see you?
- No.
Nobody saw nothing.
Nobody knows nothing.
Don't worry.
- I'm looking to spend
the next 50 years
of my life in a sardine can.
Did he just tell me not to
worry about it?
- Hey you know, it is
me and Valerie right.
We're gonna save your ass.
Just hope you appreciate it.
- Dan.
We are losing one of our ladies.
- What happened?
- She got hysterical
at the break.
Said she was having
nightmares about Pirone.
Said she wanted off the jury.
- Shit.
Where is she?
- She's passed out in the
bathroom on the third floor.
- Sh.
- There's a room with a
big couch in it.
You can lay down and
put your feet up.
- No, I don't wanna lay down,
okay.
I am okay.
- Camille.
We cannot afford to lose you,
babe.
- I got the background on
the two alternate jurors.
- Forget it.
Let's ask the judge
if he'll offer
the jurors 24 hour protection.
Let's see if Camille
will go for that.
- You wanna play it big
in the media?
- Yeah.
Leak it.
Hint about threat to unnamed
jurists, et cetera, et cetera.
- Okay.
I'm okay.
- All right.
- That'll lead the
seven o'clock news.
- [Woman] You can go
down the stairs.
Come on.
- [Cop] Hey Jimmy, you
want a slice?
- Thanks.
- Hey, that's mine.
- Hey, come on.
- Two cops outside my door.
What a luxury.
- It's the minimum requirement
for life in a big city.
I did get a little nervous
when they said we should
report anything suspicious.
Have you noticed anything?
- Not a thing.
[gentle music]
- He's right over there.
I'll tell him.
[dramatic music]
- Uh uh uh.
Are you gonna scream?
No?
- How'd you get in here?
- I go where I want.
- But the police are out front.
- Honey, these police are
nothing but the undertakers.
They show up to move your body.
Didn't I walk right by them?
I could kill you right now
and I'll walk out of here
like nothing happened.
- I guess you could.
- That is the last thing
that I wanna do.
[soft music]
Are we partners?
- I guess we are.
- Good.
Let's get off this
gruesome subject.
I looked around your place.
You have a lot of nice,
old stuff here.
- I collect things from
the 40s and 50s.
- You're an old
fashioned person.
I see that.
That's nice.
Just like me.
Life made sense in the old days.
Take a man in my position.
He'd never go to trial.
Men like me we paid
for our respect, right?
And we got it.
- The good old days.
- You think what you
want but there was peace.
There was quiet when
people like me ran things.
Women and children like you,
you were safe on the streets.
Do you know why?
We did business.
You could lower your prices
and drive out your
competition here.
I'd kill the guys who
got in my way.
- You admit it?
- In your world
people go bankrupt.
In mine they go to sleep.
- Okay, so that's your world.
Why did I have to get
mixed up in it?
- That's what I'm trying
to put across to you.
Do you think I like this?
Do you honestly believe
that I like putting the arm
on a nice lady with
a little boy?
- So why are you doing it then?
- I don't got a choice.
I got a government
here, they persecute me.
You know you got
Colombians and Jamaicans
and there are more
innocent people
down there on the
street right now.
Do you think anybody
gives a shit about this?
Excuse my language, okay.
They spend millions.
Millions of taxpayer dollars
trying to crucify here.
Rusty Pirone.
And they write me up
on top of that
like I'm some kind of a wheel.
I'm a nothing.
Do you understand?
I'm a nothing.
I'm the boss of no bosses.
You know I'm not saying
I'm an angel,
but I never hurt nobody
didn't come hurt me first.
- You'll kill me.
- Right 'cause you could
hurt me tomorrow, honey,
but you're with me now.
And we're gonna do right
by each other.
Now what is it?
You don't think I see
you're a lovely woman?
I feel for you.
I know you're going along great
and all of a sudden you're
in business with me, right.
You need Rusty Pirone
in your life.
- And he needs me.
- Right but you don't
got the leverage
'cause they could put me
under 10 tons of concrete
and I'll reach out.
I kill you, your boy, or your
father, what do you do to me?
Nothing.
I have the power here.
Do you understand this?
- I do.
- You're a desperado
just like me.
So forget these mama
looks out here.
They're not gonna help.
You know whatever your
father told you,
your mother told you, the
priests, the teachers forget
'cause the only guy you
really gotta worry
about now Valerie is me.
- I'll do what you want.
- Good.
You're a smart girl.
[soft music]
Oh you like old
fashioned clothes, too.
- I sell antique clothing.
- Well this stuff is great.
This reminds me of the
movie stars, right.
1940s.
Yeah, some classy women
in those days.
Not like the sluts we
got running around today.
Come here.
Put this on for me.
[soft music]
Please.
[soft music]
Should think of me as family.
[soft music]
It's funny, I love old movies.
You know sometimes I wish
I'd go back to the 40s
just to meet somebody like her.
Hey.
These are nice.
They go with that.
[gentle music]
You look just like one
of those movie stars.
- You're in control.
You don't have to prove it.
[gentle music]
- This will make it official.
[dramatic music]
- Right.
- What do we own a
piece of this?
- No, we own the whole thing.
- You okay?
- Are you kidding?
I'm the guy who falls
into a sewer
comes out with his
pants pressed.
Hey, give me that.
Yup.
There is nothing in the world
like a classy piece of ass.
[gentle music]
- Sometimes we must
use extraordinary means
to apprehend and convict
a dangerous criminal.
Sometimes we must use the
evil elements of our society
in our battle against the evil
which threatens to overpower us.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen,
we've used crooks to
catch a crook,
but only because law
abiding citizens
do not associate with
criminals like Rusty Pirone.
Yes we offered certain
inducements to Hughie Bonner,
but ladies and gentlemen,
you saw the depth
of his hatred for Rusty Pirone.
You heard John Verona, Mr.
Pirone's uncle
and closet associate.
You heard him testify to the
bestial crimes they planned
and committed together.
John Verona asked for and
received nothing from us.
He's a man who simply
wishes to purge his soul.
To restore his honor and
the honor of his family.
- I think we should
begin with a quick vote.
- I love it.
He had him right here.
- I was waiting for that old
broad to stand up and salute.
- Was that a smattering
of applause I heard
at the end of your summation?
- Must've been my mother.
- I couldn't believe
Greco's persecution line.
Nobody's gonna buy that crap.
- Looks like we're gonna
make it home tonight, bro.
- We could've gone
across the street.
- We could've gone to the moon.
- Look Mrs. Alston, it's
11 for and one against.
Don't you have any
respect for our opinions?
- It's not a matter of respect.
I just don't think they
proved their case.
- What?
- You keep saying that
over and over again.
What do you want?
God to come down and tell
you he's guilty.
- Don't browbeat her, Raphael.
- Well for Christ sake after
all the testimony we've heard.
- Even his uncle thinks
he's a murderer.
- You said you have a real
problem with the evidence,
but this is what you get in
every trial of this nature.
- What is it?
Photographs of Pirone
with some men.
- Each of whom ended up dead.
- Doesn't mean he killed them.
Neither do videotapes of
Pirone talking
to these so called assassins.
- There's nothing so
called about them.
They're all convicted
murderers, Mrs. Alston.
- How many times do I
have to tell you?
My name is not Mrs. Alston.
- Hey, you want a drink, Tommy?
Go with Benny in the back.
- No.
I like a little piano
music when I drink.
Not a bunch of old men
clicking bocce balls.
[phone ringing]
Aha.
[phone ringing]
Hello.
Where?
Okay.
Your jury has checked into
a hotel for the night.
- Why can't they make
up their fucking mind?
- The more time they spend,
the better off you are.
They'll probably trying to wear
down your girlfriend, Rusty.
- I guess they could forget that
'cause my lady's gonna
stand up for me all the way.
- You don't understand, Paul.
- Look, I've marched for
a million different causes
and I believe in a defendant's
constitutional rights,
but in this case I really feel
that Pirone's gotten
a fair trial.
- Paul.
I cannot vote to
convict this man.
- Okay Valerie, I respect
your position.
Actually.
You're beginning to make me feel
like I'm compromising
my principles.
- [Juror] This is not
a constitutional issue.
- Yes, it is.
The man is being tried on
the basis of his reputation,
his notoriety, his
prior convictions.
Everything but the evidence.
- Simply not true.
There's tons of evidence.
- All of it tainted.
- How can you say that?
- Because if they had
any one of us on trial,
they wouldn't be able to
use the hearsay.
They wouldn't be able to use
the constitutional
obtained surveillance.
- It was not
unconstitutionally obtained.
- Can I say something?
People like Rusty Pirone
were not around
when the constitution
was written.
- That's irrelevant.
- Would you let him speak?
- Let me finish.
This is a man who has
as much power
as the government in some ways.
He has millions of dollars.
He has sources of information.
- That does not mean we
should deny him
his constitutional rights.
- I have to agree with that.
- Oh great.
So now you're on her side?
- I just happen to like
that part of her agreement.
- Yeah, I know what part
of her you like.
- You know, that's
completely out of line.
- Hey, you guys.
You wanna get into a
pissing contest
or you wanna resolve this?
- [Jane] Paul.
- You know that guy has
been on my case
from the day we started.
- [Albert] Let me get
this straight, Valerie.
You are convinced that
Pirone is guilty, right?
- No, I'm not actually.
- You're not?
- He could've been setup.
People in this country have
been wrongfully accused before.
Haven't they, Albert?
- That's true.
- Listen, I don't care
about Rusty Pirone.
I care about myself.
What if the government
gets a vendetta against me
or any one of us?
Will some other jury
allow their use
of trumped up evidence?
Will they allow Graham
to crucify us?
- That's the most blatant piece
of sophistry I've ever heard.
- There's no need to
get personal.
- [Man] This constitutional
thing is a red herring.
- [Juror] Rusty Pirone
is a mad dog.
He has no rights.
- We can't let ourselves get
into that kind of thinking.
- Come on, people.
This has nothing to do
with the constitution,
which none of us knows
anything about anyway.
- Speak for yourself, Elliot.
- Please, Paul, I think
this is more basic.
You find Pirone attractive,
don't you?
- [Woman] Oh no, not that.
- That's great.
Just great.
- No, no, no, no, no.
All that crude, evil power.
I bet you like that.
I bet it really turns you on.
- You're a sick bastard.
You know that?
That's disgusting and I'm
not gonna tolerate it.
- Why do you think they allowed
so many women on this jury?
'Cause they know Pirone's
got this cheap,
vulgar sex appeal that
women go for.
- Seems more likely you
would go for that.
- Wrong, dear.
I have better taste.
- Man, now you're all
going off on tangents here.
- And you're not?
You started this whole thing
with your stupid
accusations against me.
- Don't call me stupid, pal.
- [Paul] Get your finger
out of my face.
- [Duffy] Let's get
back to basics.
Mrs. Alston refuses to
deal with the facts.
- [Paul] Excuse me,
but her point
is that they're not
facts at all.
- [Jane] And for the 99th time,
her name is not Mrs. Alston.
- But we're hardly into
the second day, your honor.
Pulling the plug would
be premature.
Couldn't you at least
give him a Murphy charge?
Send him back.
- In most cases I would
but this is different.
I've spoken to the four
jurors myself.
- There are four for acquittal?
- The deliberation seem to
have gone down a side road
of governmental misconduct.
- Misconduct?
- I wanna congratulate you,
your honor,
for your fair and impartial
handling of this trial.
- All rise.
Be seated.
- I understand you have
worked hard and long
and were not able to
reach a verdict.
I thank you for your efforts,
but I am sorry they did
not bear fruit.
Jury is excused.
- We had a strong case.
A strong presentation.
The jury got sidetracked.
It happens.
- We'll get another shot.
- Only this time the spin
is the jury let themselves
get hoaxed by this
constitutional thing
and shouldn't happen again.
- Good evening, folks.
Excuse me.
- What's this?
- Champagne.
Compliments of Mr. Pirone.
He's in the back.
- Prick.
He's not gonna drink
champagne in my face.
- Dan.
Dan.
Dan, what are you doing?
Dan, please.
- Not so low, asshole.
- You know this is the
kind of class move
I should have expected from you.
- This is my joint, Pirone.
You wanna celebrate,
you go to one
of your fucking rat holes.
- Yeah, you gonna throw me out?
- I'm not scared of you, Pirone.
I grew up with scum like you.
- No, no, you grew up with me,
you wouldn't have grown up.
- Rusty, back off.
Who cares?
He means nothing.
- I'm not finished with you,
Pirone.
I'm gonna put you away.
Even when you're dead I'm gonna
come and spit on your grave.
- Spit on me now.
- Hey boss.
- Relax.
Get him out of here.
- Come on, spit.
- Get him out of here.
- Spit.
- I'm gonna put you away.
- Thank God for the
constitution, huh.
Protect me from
opportunists like you.
Protect all of us from
opportunists like you.
- [Woman] Tell him, Rusty.
[gentle music]
[phone ringing]
- [Tommy] I'm proud of you,
Valerie.
- Thanks for nothing.
I'm free now, right?
- [Tommy] Free as a bird.
- And I never have to
see any of you again?
- We're out of your
life forever.
- Aha.
Watch out, mom.
Yes.
Yeah, see.
I play everyday so my
game's gotten better.
- That's why I want you to stay.
- [Robbie] Aw, nice shot.
- You'll be slamming
dunking by spring break.
- We moving here for good, mom?
- [Valerie] Would you like to?
- I miss my friends.
- You'll make new ones.
You already have.
- Mom, are you okay?
- I'm fine.
I couldn't be better.
Everything is just fine.
[gentle music]
- Don't say I never
gave you nothing.
- I thought I was through
with you people.
- Consider this as a house call.
I know you got that.
That empty, hopeless,
sick feeling
and nobody in the world
you can talk to about it.
Except me.
[gentle music]
- What?
- Have you been thinking
about going to Graham?
- You expect me to tell you?
- Don't do it.
Confession will not be
good for your soul.
Anyway, you got nothing
to be ashamed of.
- You don't think so?
I let a murderer go.
- You saved your kid's life.
Nobody could blame you for that.
- When he kills again?
- It won't be nobody
you'd have for dinner.
Look.
Rusty Pirone is racing
to the cemetery.
All you did was give him some
time to catch his breath.
You did your thing.
Now you walk away.
- It's not that easy.
Something happened to
me in that jury room.
I lied to people.
I used them.
Played on their weakness.
Flirted when I had to.
Played the martyr.
The weak little woman.
- It's over.
Everything's back to normal.
- No, it's not.
You showed me a part of
myself I never knew existed.
I'll never be the same.
You changed me, Vesey.
- It was a question
of due process
and constitutional rights.
Valerie Alston really put
it into perspective for me.
- You should've seen the way
they jumped on Valerie Alston.
They simply would not
allow a woman
to express a dissenting opinion.
- That woman is to blame 100%.
She's typical of what's going
on in this country today.
- Valerie Alston.
Valerie Alston.
Space cadet.
But she took over in
the jury room.
- In the early going,
she was the only holdout.
- Yeah, which means she
came on the floor
with her mind made up.
We thought we had her
in the pocket.
- You think she had a
hidden agenda?
- You checked her background.
Any criminal history, mob
connections, radical politics?
- [Man] She's a
sweetheart as sigma chi.
- Did she exhibit any odd
or unusual behavior
during the trial?
- Not really.
She moved her kid up to
her father's place
up in the country.
Took him out of school.
- Like she was scared
of something.
Can you get in the house?
- Aye boss, I can't--
- You can't get a search warrant
because a lady voted
against you.
- Yes I can if I suspect
jury tampering.
[bright music]
Juror number four as I
live and breathe.
- Hello.
- Won't you join me,
Miss Alston?
I come from a large family.
I hate to eat alone.
- I'm in kind of a hurry.
- Hey.
You ruined my career.
Least you could do is
break bread with me.
- [Valerie] I expect to find you
in more elegant surroundings.
- This is the new thing
according to New York Magazine.
Yeah.
Americans are returning to
more traditional values.
They're getting married younger.
They prefer simple food.
- Is your career really over?
- You really sound as
if you care.
Truth is I got a
personal interest
in nailing guys like
Rusty Pirone.
- What'd he do to you?
- It's not what he did.
It's how he represents.
I grew up with these guys.
Have a friend.
His father worked in the docks.
They beat him to death because
he ran for union office
and when my friend tried to
get even, his own family.
His own family told
him let it go.
Just let it go.
It's better for everybody.
Let your father's death
go unpunished.
- That was in the old days.
They don't have that
kind of power anymore.
- It's true.
We got Rusty Pirone on the run.
He's not the man he used to be.
- He's the boss of no bosses.
- Yeah and that makes
him even more dangerous.
He's a cornered rat.
He's got nothing to lose.
Listen to me, Valerie.
I know these guys like
to portray themselves
as romantic desperadoes
who kill only their own,
but they prey on
innocent people.
- I don't have any illusions
about Rusty Pirone believe me.
- Then why did?
Nevermind.
You know I'm sick of
talking about this trial.
You want a coffee?
- Sure.
[gentle music]
- [Man] Found these in
her bedroom trash can.
- Not like the lady to
rip photos of her son.
- Nah, she wasn't
ripping her son.
Say hello to Teddy Parnell.
He's got three priors
for attempted murder.
Assault with a deadly weapon.
Does freelance work for Pirone.
[doorbell buzzing]
- I know it's late but
I gotta talk to you.
- Don't tell me.
You come from a big family
and you hate to sleep alone.
- This isn't a come on
and you know it.
Could we shed some light
on the subject?
- Don't you remember
where the light is?
Oh I forgot.
You were experiencing
America's return
to traditional values while
they searched my house.
- You know this guy?
- Only too well.
I've gotten him out of
my life I hope.
- But this guy's a low life.
He's done time for assault
for attempted murder.
- That's nothing.
You know what his
greatest crime is?
He's a lousy lay and then
he expects you
to wait on him hand and foot.
- Where'd you meet him?
- In a bar on the west side.
Do you want me to put
this on tape
so you can play it back in
the privacy of your boudoir?
- You're overselling.
It never happened.
- You want a drink, Mr. Graham?
- I'll tell you what happened.
This guy Parnell.
He got to you.
He threatened to kill
you and your son
if you didn't vote to
acquit Rusty Pirone.
- Are you one of these men
who blames everybody
else for his failures?
- You should've called
me immediately.
I could've protected you.
None of this nightmare
would ever have happened.
- Mr. Graham, I think you've
been working too hard.
- [Daniel] I'm trying
to help you.
- Get your hands off me.
You're a hypocrite.
- You have no right to say that.
You never gave me a chance.
- I can't believe I fell for
that they killed my best
friend's father lie.
- That was the truth.
- Truth?
Tell me you wouldn't lie.
You wouldn't withhold evidence.
You wouldn't sacrifice
anybody to get what you want.
- All the saints are in heaven,
Valerie.
I'm just trying to put
a very bad man in jail.
- And you don't care
how you do it.
There's no right or wrong here.
This is a private war
between you and Pirone.
- Okay, it is a vendetta.
But as long as people
like Rusty Pirone
can make millions off
other people's misery.
As long as he can kill at will.
As long as he's free to do
whatever he feels like doing
anytime, then nobody's safe.
Yeah, they pay me.
Careerist prick that I
am to stop him.
And I can't do it.
I can't do it without you.
- There's nothing I can do.
- And it don't stop there,
Valerie.
The only way I can get Pirone
is to get you first and I will.
I got strong evidence that I
can easily turn into proof.
- [Valerie] Goodnight, Mr.
Graham.
- You better start
thinking about
who's gonna look after your
kid when you're in jail.
- Hi boss.
- So I put a guy
outside her house
and guess who comes waltzing
out at one in the morning?
Our friend Mr. Graham.
He was in and out of there
in less than an hour.
- An hour, huh?
What is he a fireman?
You gotta have a whole
night to do justice
to a woman like that my friend.
- [Man] Hey, Rusty.
- Hey, how are you?
- [Man] Congratulations.
- Thank you, thank you.
- We were rooting for you.
- We were.
- Well the jury must
have got vibes, honey,
'cause I am free out
on the street.
I look great, too.
You gonna put me in a movie now?
- Think we can do
better than that.
I wanna make a movie
about your life.
- About my life?
Get out of here.
My life is boring.
Thank you, hon.
Boring.
Listen, you put me in a movie.
You let me wear my own clothes.
I'll make you look good.
[soft music]
You know if she was
sitting there right now,
she'd put every one of
these whores to shame.
You're still here?
- [Phillie] All right.
No knives, no guns.
This can't look like a hit.
- [Man] Chill, Phil.
We know what you're
talking about.
- [Phillie] We don't want
any fingers pointing our way.
- So you want us to make it
look like a sex crime, Phillie.
- You can make it look
like mono fucking nucleosis
for all I care.
Will you get your nose out of
that shit and listen to me?
- Keep it down in the
peanut gallery, will ya.
[soft music]
- [Wanda] Vesey.
[soft music]
- Valerie?
- Shut up.
- Get away from me.
- Come on.
I'll put on a little
white see through.
Talk that little girl talk.
You'll never know
the difference.
- You could never be her.
You wouldn't know how.
Get away from me.
Keep away from me.
- Check it out, Vesey,
'cause this is the closet
you'll ever gonna get
to your beloved Valerie.
- Come on, baby.
Hang with your friends.
We want you.
- [Woman] Yeah we can go
over there when we finish.
- Oh excuse me, miss.
Yeah I'm looking for this
vintage clothing store.
- Hi.
[dramatic music]
- [Valerie] Help me.
Help.
[dramatic music]
- Phillie says take her
to The Ramble.
Like somebody grabbed
her by her house
and dragged her into the park.
[dramatic music]
[horn blaring]
- Help me.
Help me.
[horn blaring]
Help me.
Help me.
- Let's go.
[dramatic music]
- Peekaboo.
[dramatic music]
- No.
No.
Don't kill me.
Let me go.
- Put her down.
- [Valerie] Don't kill me.
- Let her beg.
Oh shit.
[dramatic music]
[gun firing]
- Back off, Edmund.
- Vesey.
[gun firing]
Hold it, hold it.
[gun firing]
- Okay.
Okay, Valerie, let's go.
[gun firing]
[dramatic music]
Run.
Run.
[gun firing]
[dramatic music]
[gun firing]
[dramatic music]
[gun firing]
Are you hit?
- [Valerie] No.
- That's good.
Let's go.
[soft music]
You go ahead.
I'll follow you.
[soft music]
- I'll call an ambulance.
- No.
Later.
You gotta square it with Pirone.
- What do you mean?
- It's gone too far
for the cops.
He'll send 1000 mutts after you.
You gotta straighten
this out yourself.
- How?
- You can push his buttons.
You can get over on him.
Just like you did on that jury.
- You saved my life.
- Get out of here.
Go.
[sirens blaring]
[soft music]
- Hey, how's it going?
[soft music]
[phone ringing]
- [Valerie] Surprise.
- Ooh, the lucky girl.
Now where you calling from?
- A booth.
I didn't want this
number on my record.
- You're a smart girl.
- [Valerie] Thanks.
- Now what do I do for you?
- I wanna show you that I
can be trusted.
I wanna know I can trust you,
too.
- You know what?
I think I'm glad you made it.
- Hey, hold on, fellas.
I guess not even the bad guys
are safe in Central Park.
- Who's that?
- Tommy Vesey.
Crooked cop.
Drugs, payoffs.
Ended up doing odd
jobs for Pirone.
- Yeah, it's a Pirone
party, but where's the host?
- You're gonna love this.
He ditched a tail on
the west side highway.
Guy could be anywhere.
[soft music]
- [Tommy] The name of the
game, Valerie, is not who dies,
but who dies first.
That'll be your boy.
- [Rusty] You know whatever
your father told you,
your mother told you, the
priests, the teachers forget
'cause the only guy
you really gotta
worry about now Valerie is me.
[dramatic music]
- You sure you have
enough privacy here?
Lucky I'm a country girl and
know how to drive these roads.
- Very lucky.
Very lucky indeed.
You want a cocktail?
- It's a little early.
- Not for you.
You've been up all night.
- True.
[soft music]
- You ever try yellow parrot?
Now here's a drink you
see in all the old movies.
May you live 100 years.
[soft music]
- Sweet.
This where you killed
Matty Russell?
- No, no.
I sold that joint a
long time ago.
This is my private hideaway.
Nobody knows.
- [Valerie] Nobody but me.
- Won't you sit down?
[soft music]
- You tried to kill me.
- Yeah.
You're my first failure, too,
in 20 years.
- Vesey saved me.
Is he okay?
- He don't owe nobody
money no more.
[soft music]
Took guts for you to come here.
- It's the only
thing I could do.
I have to show you that I
can be trusted.
I'm not gonna talk.
- No?
Graham is on your case.
Now how do I know he's
not gonna break you down?
- Because there's
nothing in it for me.
Graham can't prove
anything without me
and I'd be crazy to
turn my life upside down
to prove a case against a man
who has the power of
life and death over me.
- I'm impressed.
That's a good proposition.
That's nice.
Just not good enough.
- What more can I give you?
- Come here.
[gentle music]
That night.
You liked it?
- I liked it.
[gentle music]
- Yeah.
You and me start going around,
we'd make all the papers.
- The godfather and the juror.
Graham would lose his mind.
- I gave you the good news.
- What's the bad news, Rusty?
- I don't trust anybody.
I don't trust the stool
pigeons in my family.
And my freelancers are dead.
Even Vesey.
And you're the only
one left here
that really knows what the
hell went down.
Now what would you do?
- You could trust me.
- You know you're the
first person
in my life I don't wanna hurt?
[gentle music]
I'll be a fool to let you live,
right.
[gentle music]
I must be a fool.
[dramatic music]
Yeah, you die.
[dramatic music]
Smart girl.
- Doorman said she came home
around 10 o'clock looking good.
Like she stayed the
night somewhere.
- Any news of Pirone?
- He's vanished.
Nobody knows where he is.
I think they clipped him.
- Yeah, that's what that
massacre in the park was about.
- That's great for us.
That's great.
The spin is that the
other families
were so worried about
our prosecution
that killed Pirone to take
the heat off their own scams.
What do you think?
- Valerie isn't a party girl.
She don't stay out.
- You were wrong about Valerie,
Dan.
Why can't you admit that?
She's a ditz.
She was out of her
league on that jury.
Look, she's got her kid and now
everything's back to normal.
- Normal?
Hey, excuse the language,
Eleanor,
but you never know
about these broads.
Sometimes the quiet ones.
You know what I mean.
Maybe she's got a secret life.
- Yeah well she's not gonna
have any secrets from me.
- Yeah.
Yes, my room.
All right.
I feel like my room is
hugging me, mom.
- It missed you.
- He really is happier here.
- It's his home.
Mine, too.
- Grandpa, look at this.
Come here.
I wanna show you something.
[gentle music]
- [Valerie] Where's the team?
- I can't see them.
Maybe we came to the
wrong field.
- Maybe they called it off.
- Valerie.
Hi.
Hey, you don't have to do that.
I'm one of the good guys.
- So you keep telling me.
- So you like soccer, Robbie?
- Spare us the courtroom
charm, Mr. Graham.
- I like sports.
- You like games.
- Come on, mom.
- You're one tough customer.
You know that?
Okay, Rusty Pirone's missing.
Disappeared.
Nobody knows where he is.
Not even his own guys.
- You want me to find
him for you?
- Maybe you can tell us
where to start looking.
I'm sorry.
That was clumsy.
Listen to me.
Please.
It's just me here.
No wires.
No backup.
It's not about nailing
anybody anymore.
I just wanna know.
Did Rusty Pirone get to you?
You just gotta say one word.
Yes or no.
I can't do anything to you.
I don't want to.
I just wanna know.
- You live your life
believing in justice
and the rule of law and
someone grabs you
off the street in
broad daylight.
Walks right past the
police into your bedroom.
Tells you he'll reach out
from the grave
and kill your son if you
don't do what he says.
Have you ever been confronted
by that kind of evil?
You don't think about
right or wrong.
All you think about is survival.
You do what you have to do.
- Thanks.
- [Robbie] Mom, come on.
Let's go.
- Valerie.
You'll be okay?
- I'll be fine.
Now I'll be fine.
[gentle music]
[bright music]
[gentle music]
- Bye.
[gentle music]
- Can I help you?
Yes.
We need Mr. Bennett's
car right away.
- Excuse me.
How you doing?
[gentle music]
- Somebody call for a plumber?
- Huh?
- Somebody need their
pipes cleaned?
- Room 1223.
- Thanks.
- [Man] She's here.
- You believe this stool
pigeon gets a bride
and we can't even order
room service?
- Hey, he's our star witness.
Graham says give him
everything he wants.
- Yo, Limpy.
Your damsel awaits.
- [Actor] How do you like that?
He slugged me.
If you weren't my friend, I'd
say you had it coming to you.
Why didn't you wait until
we had the block surrounded?
- I look okay?
- She's a hooker, Limpy.
You could look like a
homemade turd.
- Wise guy.
- Whoa.
Big man.
- [Actor] There's an iron
hook attached to his forearm
and that's his weapon.
I saw it and I felt it.
[hand knocking]
- Get her, rookie.
- [Actor] What's the
first thing you do
when you dial a
telephone number?
- Somebody need the
bed turned down?
- [Actor] That's right.
You dial the first two
letters of the exchange.
How do you like that?
- You're the client, right?
I'd recognize that Sing
Sing sunburn anywhere.
Come on, sweetheart.
Let's go somewhere
where we can talk.
- Hey babe, I'm with you.
- You do cops, baby?
- You guys?
You guys couldn't
afford a handshake.
I get champagne, honey.
- Yeah.
Dom Perry.
DP.
- Right.
[bright music]
Yeah, shake it right.
That's it.
Yeah, shake it.
Come on, shake it.
[bright music]
- [Actor] He uses that hook
for everything, doesn't he?
[hand knocking]
- The door, rookie.
The door.
[bright music]
- Room service.
[bright music]
- [Limpy] Oh yeah baby, come on.
[bright music]
- Here you go, my man.
Don't say Uncle Sam never
did nothing for you.
- Thanks.
Have a nice evening, gentlemen.
- Gun.
[guns firing]
- Teddy.
No, Teddy.
- Hey, relax.
Rusty ain't mad.
But we can't let you talk.
Okay?
We gotta get you out of here.
- He ain't gonna kill me,
huh Teddy?
- No, man, he ain't
gonna kill him.
Put your clothes on.
- Oh thanks, Teddy.
Thanks, Teddy.
Thanks.
[dramatic music]
- Who says
acupuncture don't work?
[dramatic music]
[sirens blaring]
- [Valerie] Robbie.
- [Man] Is continuing
his coverage.
- What, Mom?
- Bring your homework
in so I can check it.
- [Man] In a quick
bloody rampage,
reminiscent of the
gangland hits of the 30s,
gunmen killed four
police officers
and an unidentified man in the
Hotel Powell late last night.
- There's not much to check,
Mom.
- Put your shoes on, sweetheart.
We'll do it on the bus.
[gentle music]
- How 'bout them four cops
getting killed last night?
- Yeah.
Hey, Lila the babysitter
will be bringing Robbie home
from school for the next
couple of weeks.
Make sure she has the key,
okay Jimmy.
- Sure.
- Mom, the bus.
Come on.
- You'll be working late,
Valerie?
- I'll be on jury duty.
- Jury duty?
- All you have to do is
concentrate, Rob.
If three and three is six,
then three and four is--
- Mom?
How come there are 12
people on a jury?
- Good question.
12 apostles maybe.
- I thought when the
cops arrested somebody,
they just went to jail.
- No, you see the
police just get
somebody they think is guilty,
but then there's a trial,
and sometimes the jury
decides they were wrong.
- Cops don't make mistakes, Mom.
- Well it's not
really a mistake.
They let the jury decide.
- But you don't know
about police stuff.
Why are you on the jury?
- Young man, it is my
painful duty
to say these dirty words.
- [Both] You'll understand
this when you grow up.
- Oh Robbie, I don't know
what I'd do without you.
- Don't embarrass me.
- [John] Oh brother.
- For God sake, don't
let him see that.
Come on.
- Where were you?
- Getting our stories straight.
- [Daniel] Okay.
Let's see how you did.
- John.
- Yeah.
Well, we got a hooker for Limpy.
I mean you said give him
anything he wanted, you know.
Anyway, they grabbed our
girl before she came in.
The cops found her in a
dumpster at 45th and eighth.
It was pretty slick.
- I am not interested in their
brilliant fucking strategy.
Nobody was supposed to
know we had this guy.
- Come on, Dan.
We were seen in Sing
Sing talking to Limpy.
The state police pulled
him out of jail,
then we move him and four cops
into a suite in a big hotel.
We weren't exactly
inconspicuous.
- I guess we better
request the postponement.
- Oh yeah, sure.
We can just say to the
judge please your honor,
could you keep this man
under indictment
'til we find another witness?
Ever hear of due process,
asshole?
- We've got a ton of
physical evidence.
27 expert witnesses.
- Can't bore the jury with
a lot of forensics, Chris.
We need the human factor.
Someone to say I saw Rusty
Pirone kill 11 people.
- Listen to me.
I couldn't ask for a
postponement even if I wanted
to.
I don't have to
remind you people.
This is the biggest
goddamn prosecution
we've ever pushed out
of this office.
Big media from the day
we busted him.
- You have to ID Limpy
right away, Stanley?
- The media's gonna wanna
know who he was, Dan.
I can tap dance around it.
Put a reverse spin on it.
- Any other Pirone people
we can squeeze?
- We grabbed the four guys
from the hit team originally.
You know the Jenko brothers,
they disappeared before
they came to trial.
Limpy we know about.
And Johnny Red's a lost cause.
- You mean Johnny Verona?
- Yeah.
He's Rusty's uncle.
He broke him into the rackets.
Brought him right up
through the ranks.
He told us there was
no deal from the jump.
Even after we hit him with
a 50 year shot,
he wouldn't crack.
- He's an old style wise guy,
Dan.
We'll never turn him.
[gentle music]
Get this on straight.
- We haven't got enough.
- We'll use what we got.
[gentle music]
- The match is on, boys.
We're gonna sell out today,
Phillie.
Mark my words.
Paul, my sports fan.
How you doing?
Spell my name right this time,
will you.
- [Man] Rusty, my man.
- I'll give you the
authorized version.
Mickey.
- [Daniel] Look at 'em laughing.
They killed Limpy, now they
think they're home free.
- Dawn, I win this for you.
- Let's go.
[group chattering]
- [Rusty] Mr. Graham.
- How you doing, Rusty?
You okay?
- I'm in control today.
Thanks.
I had a nice breakfast.
Couple of eggs, Canadian bacon.
Biscayne diner.
- Oh yeah, yeah.
I know it.
- Geez, I forgot.
Another Brooklyn boy here
who made good.
- [Bailiff] All rise.
- Air working?
- Full blast, your honor.
- Yeah.
- [Bailiff] Be seated.
- Everybody's here I assume.
So, let's proceed with
the voir dire.
- Okay listen up, people.
I'm only going
through this once.
You will be reimbursed
for subway fare only.
No cabs, car services,
mini buses, rickshaws.
Subway fare only.
You will be paid $40 a
day while you're sitting.
Now if you don't get your money,
you complain to the cashier
at the United States
attorney's office.
Do not.
I repeat, do not come
crying to me.
- [Jane] [gasps] Oh my
god, it's Rusty Pirone.
- This must be the big murder
trial I've been reading about.
- Look at that suit.
- So we drop it.
Don't want it talked about,
especially in front of
this mama lu.
- What do you think, Susan?
- The ladies are all atwitter.
They love him.
- Women do not
respond to this guy.
My advice, load up on women.
They'll hang him.
- Women.
- Good morning, ladies
and gentlemen.
My name is Daniel Graham.
I'm the prosecutor in the case
of the United States of
America versus Pirone.
This is my co-counsel
Eleanor Lyons.
Defense counsel will
be Leo Greco.
Both sides have jury
consultants.
Mr. Petrie and Ms. Fine.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the defendant is charged
with the controlling and
continuing criminal enterprise.
He is charged with
conspiracy to commit murder
and assault with a
deadly weapon.
The government will prove
that Mr. Pirone
formed an assassination team
from within the
Skadoodle crime family
to eliminate enemies,
government informants,
and police officers.
And that Mr. Pirone
personally participated
in the murder of 11 people
over a period of three years.
We will begin the questioning
with Mr. Lawrence Bennett,
your honor.
[gentle music]
- [Man] Next juror,
Valerie Alston.
- Here.
- Good afternoon, Miss Alston.
Can you tell us what it is
that you do for a living?
- I own an antique
clothing store downtown.
- You married?
- Divorced.
- You have any children?
- I have one son.
- Being on a jury in a
major organized
crime prosecution like
this could represent
a considerable
inconvenience to you.
- Yes, it could.
- But you're willing to
do it anyway.
- I guess it's my duty.
- Do you know the defendant
or anybody connected with him?
- No.
- She's perfect.
- Like putty in our hands.
- We accept Miss Alston,
your honor.
- We applaud Miss Alston's
sense of civic duty, your honor.
The defense welcomes
her to this jury.
- [Man] Next juror, Jane Lyle.
- I'm back.
- Hi, boss.
So that's it, you're finished?
- They chose me.
- [Employee] Oh what an honor.
- I'm gonna do it.
- You are crazy.
- You a single parent.
You have a business.
They let you out.
- It's a duty.
You understand?
You don't get out.
You do it.
[gentle music]
I distinctly remember
you being on a jury, dad.
- Oh yeah.
That's right, honey.
That was a big case, too.
Some guy stole the back
cove from Hanna's farm.
- [Valerie] Yeah well,
the principles the same.
- Well, I'm sure, but I
had your mother.
I wasn't a single girl trying
to survive in that jungle.
- Come on.
It's not that bad.
- [Commentator] Three
and one to Moss.
Timlin is shut down tonight.
Buddy Williams just called up
from Syracuse ready
to go tonight.
Three one to Moss and
he's aboard.
A base on ball.
The first issued by Juan Guzman
with two out here in the
second inning.
- Boring fucking game.
- [Commentator] That's John
Sullivan scouted report.
Williams is going over.
- I'm gonna take a leak.
- [Commentator] The Yankees
make their way to the plate.
[upbeat music]
- You people have been
chosen to decide the fate
of a fellow human being
and you must bare in mind
that he comes into this
courtroom an innocent man.
As innocent as any of you.
The government will offer
you audiotapes
that you cannot understand.
Videotapes of old friends
shaking hands on the street.
Since when is that a
federal offense?
If you let Mr. Graham
convince you.
If you let Mr. Graham
convince you
life long friendship is a crime,
you will be abetting him in a
grave miscarriage of justice.
Your honor I protest this
obvious
and deliberate distraction
that has been engineered
by the government.
- Mr. Graham, do you have
an explanation
for this sudden intrusion?
- Bad timing, your honor.
I apologize to the jury
and to Mr. Greco.
- [Leo] Ladies and gentlemen,
a man's life is at stake
and the government indulges
in cheap theatrics.
- Thanks.
- I don't see how they expect
us not to talk about the case.
- It'll be easy for me.
The man is obviously guilty
as sin and that's that.
- There's no doubt he's
guilty of a lot of things.
We just have to
decide if he's done
what the government
says he's done.
- It comes to 750
including a 15% tip.
If one of us pays with
a credit card
and collects cash
from the others,
then we'll have a
nice deduction.
- Sounds good.
I'll start it.
- Check out Mr. Duffy.
- Our steadfast foreman.
- [Man] Here you go, pal.
Valerie Alston.
- [Tommy] Thanks.
- Murder drives a small,
sharp instrument,
usually an ice pick into the
base of the victim's neck.
- [Daniel] It's an odd
method of execution,
yet it seems that it
would require more skill
than just blowing the
victim's brains out.
- [Detective Gray] It's
very efficient.
Severs the spinal cord.
It's quiet and there's
very little blood.
- It leaves a signature,
Detective Gray?
- Yeah, it's unique.
Murder incorporated used
it in the 30s.
- It also sends a message,
does it not?
- [Detective Gray] Yes.
- So it could be used by an
organized crime hit squad
to let its enemies know
that they were responsible--
- Objection.
Calls for a conclusion.
- Sustained.
You know better than that, Mr.
Graham.
- I apologize, your honor.
I'll rephrase the question.
- Oh here's a beauty.
Take a look at this one, John.
Oh wow.
This is the headline
in the post.
I can see it now.
The gay godfather.
- You deliberately intruded
on Mr. Verona's privacy.
- Those cameras were
placed in the bathroom
to identify drug
traffickers in the prison.
We did not target or abuse
Mr. Verona in any way.
- You release those photos,
you'll be ruined professionally.
- Probably.
But if I don't put
Rusty in jail,
I'm gonna be laughed
out of this town,
which is worse for a
proud guy like me.
You can understand that,
can't you John?
- Yeah, I can.
- Sure you can 'cause
you got a lot pride, too.
You're a man of honor.
A moral man.
- I got five kids.
Three grandchildren.
The youngest one study for
the priesthood.
This will kill them.
- I know, John.
I hate to put you between
a rock and a hard place,
but you gotta decide do
you testify or don't you?
- Either way I'm a loser.
- Let me put a different
spin on it for you, John.
You gotta choose to repent.
You gotta seek redemption
through confession.
You and Rusty killed a
lot of guys together.
You got a lot of blood
on your hands.
This is a way of
wiping it clean.
- And if I don't?
- Then every paper.
Every TV station in the county
gets a copy of these photos.
It's a funny world we live in,
John.
They'll forgive you for
being a murderer,
but once they find out
that you're a sissy,
they will never ever let
you live it down.
- So try to be here about 15
minutes early, all right folks?
Folks.
Folks, remember.
We mustn't discuss the
case at home.
We have to forget
everything we've heard.
All right?
- Yes, Mr. Duffy, yes.
- All right?
- That shouldn't be
hard for Duffy.
Did you see him at lunch today?
- Maybe he uses martinis
as a memory aid.
- Share a cab?
I'm in Brooklyn Heights.
- I'm on the west side.
- I'm crushed.
- I'm Valerie.
Night, Paul.
See you tomorrow.
- You know my name.
I'm miraculously restored.
Well I'm off for another
adventure on the subway.
- Good luck.
- [Paul] See you tomorrow.
[gentle music]
- Taxi.
[gentle music]
Thanks.
- My pleasure.
Have a nice trip.
[gentle music]
- Hey Tommy.
Tommy.
Look at him.
Living in a dream world.
Will you wake up you
fucking lush?
- Phillie.
You know you can't muscle
Tommy Vesey, Phillie.
He just ain't scared of us.
- What's to be scared?
All you can do is kill me.
Anyway, you need me around,
Rusty.
All this tore up's good
for is tasting your coffee.
- Piece of shit.
- Phillie.
Phillie, please.
You know you're a big time cop,
Tommy.
How do you think they
turned my uncle John?
- Well there's no mystery.
Either they got something
on him or they made a deal.
- There is no deal.
They'd have to tell us.
- Well then they got
something on him.
- I know this man all
my life though.
There's nothing.
- Then they made a deal.
- But he's family, Tommy.
Why?
Why would he betray me?
- Everybody knows
that the wiseguys
always make the biggest rats.
- Do they?
Well this wiseguy owns you
and I bought you cheap
along time ago remember?
Yeah I lifted up your badge,
Tommy.
You know what I found?
A found a bum for hire.
- I checked out your jurors.
- Yeah?
We're all ears.
- In my humble opinion,
they can't be fixed.
Nobody's got any guilty secrets.
- Yeah, no blackmail, huh?
Any of them need money?
- Everybody needs money,
but you know what?
Some retired mailman buying
a Ferrari all of a sudden.
- We can't bribe 'em, we
gotta go to a plan B, huh.
- This is where I came in.
- You sit down.
You know what I'm thinking?
I'm thinking the
money I pay you,
you could afford to be a
co-conspirator.
And you go to plan B.
Wiseguy.
- Mr. Bonner, you say that you
were in Limpy DeMarco's crew.
That means he was your boss.
- The crew boss, not
the big boss.
- Did he ever tell you
who the big boss was?
- He didn't have to.
We knew.
- And the big boss was?
- Rusty Pirone.
- Objection.
Witness had no
personal knowledge.
- Mr. Bonner, did Limpy
DeMarco ever say
who the big boss was?
- Rusty Pirone.
- You folks got one
hour for lunch.
- Oh, there's a great
Dim sum place--
- No thanks.
I'm gonna grab a sandwich
across the street.
- The guy in the third
row is his bodyguard.
- Robbie's gotta be at soccer
practice at 2:15, Lila.
Fridays we get out at three so--
- You got an hour for lunch.
- [Valerie] Okay.
Gotta go, bye.
- [Man] Spread it out, fellas.
Spread it out.
Split up the sides, come on.
Bobby, kick it.
[gentle music]
- You looking for a little dark
haired kid in yellow shorts?
[gentle music]
Take a little ride with me,
okay?
I wanna talk to you
about Robbie.
- Who are you?
- Get in the car.
- [Tommy] No, that's
not the way.
- On the floor.
- [Tommy] Come on.
- [Valerie] Where's my son?
- [Tommy] Robbie is fine.
- Where's my son?
- [Man] Where's my son?
Where's my son?
- Shut up.
I told you Robbie is fine.
Nothing's gonna happen to
him as long as you trust me.
- What do you want?
- I gotta message for
you from Rusty Pirone.
He wants you to know
he's innocent.
The government is involved in
a multi million dollar
conspiracy to set him up.
He wants you to help
him vindicate himself.
- How can I do that?
- All you have to do
is vote to acquit him.
That is all he asks.
Don't listen to that phony
evidence Graham throws at you.
- My one vote can't get him off.
- It can hang the jury.
It can help us win one battle
in a very long war against
Graham and his lies.
- This is crazy.
I can't do this.
- You got no choice.
You gotta vote to acquit him
and you gotta keep
your mouth shut.
You can't go to the cops.
Ask me why, Valerie.
- Why?
- Because they can't help you.
So they throw another
charge on Pirone's list,
what's it gonna mean?
He's up for murder, so
the cops protect you.
With these mutts on your
case, it won't matter.
They will wait until
the cops go away.
Four, five, 10 years.
And then.
- They'll kill me.
- Not right away.
We'll let you live long
enough to watch your son die.
Then we'll kill you.
- Yeah, you can't hide, baby.
Look at JFK.
[dramatic music]
- There is only one person
who can guarantee your life
and that is me.
If you vote to acquit,
I'll keep you both alive.
My word of honor.
Do it the easy way.
- Yeah.
The Vesey way.
- [Boy] Danny, kick
it over here.
Yeah, come on.
- Valerie look, look.
You see?
He's just fine, Valerie.
- Let me go to my son.
Please.
Please.
- No, no.
[dramatic music]
Not like that.
Not crying.
You gotta be mom as usual.
Juror as usual.
Everything just the way it was
before I came into your life.
[dramatic music]
You think you can do that?
- Yes.
- Show me, Valerie.
[dramatic music]
- [Boy] My turn.
Give me the ball.
- [Man] Here's your mom.
- Robbie.
- Mom.
Hey mom, you gotta see these
good tricks Teddy can do.
- It's no big deal, you know?
- Wow, you're really good,
Teddy.
- Yeah, I gotta go.
Maybe I'll come help you
practice again, all right.
- Yeah.
See you, Teddy.
- Yeah.
- Anytime you need a
lift, Valerie, just call.
- Yeah.
Thanks, bye.
- Bye.
[dramatic music]
[phone ringing]
- [Tommy] Guess who?
- What do you want from me?
- I want you to relax.
- After what you put me through?
- You're no good to yourself
or me if you freak out.
Look, I can fix this for you,
but you're gonna have
to do everything I say.
You're gonna have to trust me.
You think you can do that?
- I have no choice.
- That's an honest answer.
Force yourself to eat.
Take a couple of aspirin
and get some sleep.
Stay calm.
Stay focused.
I'll get you through
this I promise.
[gentle music]
- So, that chick turns you on.
- That lady is in a jackpot.
I'm just looking to
give her a boost.
- How 'bout me?
I don't see you giving
me no midnight pep talks.
- You're a mutt, Wanda.
You don't need me.
You just need another drink.
Richie.
- Admit it, Vesey.
That chick turns you on.
[gentle music]
- Stay calm.
Stay focused.
- [Radio Commentator] As
the government star witness,
Limpy DeMarco was kept
under tight security,
but a hit team working
with military precision
was able to murder him and
his heavily armed bodyguards
and then disappeared
without a trace.
[soft music]
- [Dad] [laughs]
Look who's here.
Look who's here.
All right, all right.
- [Robbie] Grandpa.
- [Dad] Hey now, what
do we got here?
Look at the big guy.
- [Valerie] You sure this
won't be an inconvenience?
- Are you kidding?
Look at the boy, honey.
Look how much fun he's
having out there.
He and I are gonna have
us a grand time
the next couple of weeks.
Oh by the way, I talked
to Dorothy Pierce
over at the school.
There's no problem.
- Shame he'll have to
miss Cub Scouts.
- No he won't either.
We got a den up here.
You know those kids he made
friends with last summer.
Hey, in a couple weeks
he won't wanna come home.
Now come on, sit down.
Have something to eat.
- [Robbie] Bring it back to me,
Amber.
- [Dad] Come on, Valerie,
eat your breakfast
before it gets cold.
- Dad.
- 72.
73.
I do 100 of these everyday.
- Oh yeah, my boyfriend does
'em like power trooper style.
One hand behind his back.
- What is he on
steroids or something?
- It's been statically proven
that more people have
heart attacks on Monday
than any other day of the week.
- Let's all go to
work on Tuesday.
[soft music]
- [Woman] How ethnologically
correct are you.
- [Man] Did you know how many
filthy fingers have
touched those?
- Coffee, milk, no sugar.
I notice these things.
- Thanks.
- You look like you
had a relaxing weekend.
- Quiet.
- You're currently serving
a life sentence
at Attica prison, are you not,
Mr. Bonner?
- [Bonner] Yeah.
- What for?
- Parking in front of
a fire pump.
- Answer the question, Mr.
Bonner.
- Why else would I
be doing life?
Murder.
- Murder.
Isn't it true that the
justice department
has offered you a deal in
exchange for your testimony?
- They said they would recommend
favorable consideration.
- Favorable consideration
to a man convicted
of murdering four people.
They gonna give you a pardon,
Mr. Bonner?
- They didn't say.
- Money.
A new identity.
A job.
A chance to murder a
few more people
under government auspices.
- Objection, your honor.
That's a cheap shot even for Mr.
Greco.
- The jury will
disregard the question.
Proceed Mr. Greco.
- Did Rusty Pirone ever
pay you to kill anybody?
- Not in person.
- Isn't it true that
you never even laid eyes
on Rusty Pirone before today?
That you're just trying
to wangle a deal
with the justice department
to save your skin.
Isn't it true that you're
just a wannabe wiseguy?
- Objection, your honor.
Counsel is badgering
the witness.
- I'm just trying to get
to the truth, your honor.
- Answer the question, Mr.
Bonner.
- What question?
I don't remember what
the question was.
- Did Rusty Pirone pay you
after you murdered these men?
- No.
- [Leo] Who did?
- You're gonna hang this
on Limpy, Rusty?
- [Leo] Who paid you, Bonner?
- Limpy loved you, Rusty.
In Limpy's eyes, Jesus Christ
was an empty suit next to you.
- Answer the question.
- So what do you give him
for standing up?
An icepick in the neck.
- Sit down, Bonner.
- I'm glad I'm doing this,
Rusty.
- [Judge] Order in the court.
Order.
- I don't give a fuck
what happens to me.
I just wanna show the world
what a dick bag you are.
Yeah you.
You.
- Order.
Order.
Get this man out of here.
- Christ be on you.
- Get him out of here.
He's dismissed.
- Did you see the look on
Pirone's face?
- Not a blink of his eye.
He could care less.
- [Juror] He cares.
Mr. Bonner better get
himself a facelift
and a ticket to the moon.
- I love the way Graham
turns and looks at us
like we're sharing this
major secret.
- He makes a crushing point
as far as I'm concerned.
Who else would've wanted
these people killed?
- He's a total hunk.
I bet you he runs for
governor or something.
- This case'll give
him a big boost.
- Didn't they tell us
not to discuss the case?
Wasn't that the very
first thing they said?
- Come on, Valerie.
It's patently obvious that--
- The man is innocent
until proven guilty.
It's patently obvious we
are disregarding that fact.
- You're right, Mrs. Alston.
We shouldn't be
discussing the case
until all the facts are heard.
- We're back, folks.
- Jane.
- A leader is born.
- No thanks.
Jane.
Jane.
Listen.
I can be a smug, self righteous,
little bitch sometimes.
- Sounds like something
your ex husband told you.
Besides, you're right.
Everybody knows my
tongue outruns my brain.
- That sounds like
something your ex told you.
- It was my mother actually.
- Hey, Mr. Graham.
So.
How did I do, Mr. Graham?
- You did.
You did great, Hughie.
- Maybe we'll get him a
new identity in Hollywood.
- Think so?
[siren blaring]
- Valerie.
This came for you.
- Thanks, Jimmy.
[gentle music]
Robbie.
Robbie.
[phone ringing]
[gentle music]
- [Tommy] You're giving me
a lot of heartache, Valerie.
- I just wanted to make
sure my son was safe.
- There's such a thing as
being too safe.
- I don't understand that.
I don't understand
anything you say.
- Listen to the teacher.
The boy's our red seat.
If we know where he is,
we know where you are.
If gets out from
under our thumb,
we got no gun to your head,
which means everybody
gets killed.
You, your son, your old man.
Work with us, Valerie.
You can't get away.
Stop trying.
[dial tone humming]
- Mr. Verona, can you tell us
how you dealt with Maxy Henning?
- He was shy locking.
Skimming off the vague.
Rusty and I got him in the van.
Put him in the
backseat between us.
- What's the matter with
that broad now?
She looks like she's on Mars.
- Poor bastard was
shaking like a leaf.
Once we got on the Belt Parkway,
we pounded him a couple
times remember.
Slipped the plastic bag
over his head.
Held him down.
He fought for awhile and
then he stopped.
And then he begged.
Then his face turned purple.
- That's a brutal way to
kill somebody, Mr. Verona.
- Rusty likes to
watch people die.
- God.
- Likes to watch people die.
- The man's an animal.
- Excuse me.
[soft music]
- [Valerie] Hi.
- Hi.
- Pretty graphic testimony.
- I've heard worse.
- These witnesses are
really brave
to come forward like that.
- What those mutts?
Are you kidding?
They get a great deal.
New name, new city, new house.
All paid for by Uncle Sam.
Shit happened to me.
- So anybody who gave evidence
would have that kind
of protection?
- Anybody who turns in Rusty.
- Hey, Delhante.
Don't be telling tales
out of school.
- Hey Vesey, can't I talk
to a pretty lady
without your butting in?
- Fraternizing with the jury
is against the constitution.
Keep an open mind.
That's the American way.
- Who's he?
- Tommy Vesey, ex cop.
Big hero on the homicide squad.
You better get your coffee,
doll.
We're back in five minutes.
- Hi.
[dramatic music]
Why are you going around
behind my back?
I'm trying to save your life.
- Like you saved those
four cops in the hotel?
Like you saved Limpy DeMarco?
- I had nothing to do with that.
- Why should I believe you?
You'd do anything for Pirone.
- I could care less
about Pirone.
He buys it.
I find some other geek to
do errands for.
That has nothing to
do with this.
- Oh yeah.
I forgot.
This is all for me.
[dramatic music]
- You don't buy me, fine.
You can't believe this.
That man is nervous
enough about you as it is.
He finds out you been
making moves, he'll freak.
He'll start killing us the
way he solves his problems.
- They'll catch him.
He won't get away with it.
- The name of the game,
Valerie, is not who dies,
but who dies first.
That'll be your boy.
You're boxed.
You got nowhere to go.
You gotta stay with the program.
You cannot jump off now.
- Rusty hated Matty Russell
because he wouldn't get
back on the union contracts.
So we took him up to Rusty's
place up into the woods.
We stick him to a tree and
then shot him in the knees.
Rusty began shooting
him in the groin
and in the testicles.
I said for Christ sake,
Rusty, finish him off.
He says nah.
I want him to beg.
I want him to beg for
me to kill him.
So I could shoot him in
the balls again.
- You're a liar right, Mr.
Verona?
- I tell lies.
- You're a murderer, too.
Isn't that right?
- I kill guys who
would've killed me
if the shoe was on
the other foot.
- You're a lying, thieving,
murderer by your own admission.
Do you really expect this jury
to believe anything
you have to say?
- I'm not asking them to
believe nothing's the truth.
- The truth.
And just what are you getting
for this sudden attack
of truthfulness?
What kind of a deal have
you made with Mr. Graham?
- No deal.
- No deal.
You mean Mr. Graham is
not going to reward you
for sending this
innocent man to jail?
- He's not gonna
give me nothing.
- How could he do that?
- I don't know.
I don't know.
Rusty, that wasn't my fault.
- Hey grab the car.
- [Journalist] Sir, just
one statement.
Mr. Greco.
- [Reporter] Were you surprised
to see your uncle on the stand?
- [Journalist] Is Uncle
Johnny coming off the stand?
- [Reporter] Just a second.
Rusty.
- [Journalist] Greco.
- Johnny Red sure put on a
show in there today, huh?
I love that part about
shooting the guy in the nuts.
- My girlfriend isn't paying a
lot attention to that is she?
- She's all right.
I had a little talk
with her just now.
- Did anybody see you?
- No.
Nobody saw nothing.
Nobody knows nothing.
Don't worry.
- I'm looking to spend
the next 50 years
of my life in a sardine can.
Did he just tell me not to
worry about it?
- Hey you know, it is
me and Valerie right.
We're gonna save your ass.
Just hope you appreciate it.
- Dan.
We are losing one of our ladies.
- What happened?
- She got hysterical
at the break.
Said she was having
nightmares about Pirone.
Said she wanted off the jury.
- Shit.
Where is she?
- She's passed out in the
bathroom on the third floor.
- Sh.
- There's a room with a
big couch in it.
You can lay down and
put your feet up.
- No, I don't wanna lay down,
okay.
I am okay.
- Camille.
We cannot afford to lose you,
babe.
- I got the background on
the two alternate jurors.
- Forget it.
Let's ask the judge
if he'll offer
the jurors 24 hour protection.
Let's see if Camille
will go for that.
- You wanna play it big
in the media?
- Yeah.
Leak it.
Hint about threat to unnamed
jurists, et cetera, et cetera.
- Okay.
I'm okay.
- All right.
- That'll lead the
seven o'clock news.
- [Woman] You can go
down the stairs.
Come on.
- [Cop] Hey Jimmy, you
want a slice?
- Thanks.
- Hey, that's mine.
- Hey, come on.
- Two cops outside my door.
What a luxury.
- It's the minimum requirement
for life in a big city.
I did get a little nervous
when they said we should
report anything suspicious.
Have you noticed anything?
- Not a thing.
[gentle music]
- He's right over there.
I'll tell him.
[dramatic music]
- Uh uh uh.
Are you gonna scream?
No?
- How'd you get in here?
- I go where I want.
- But the police are out front.
- Honey, these police are
nothing but the undertakers.
They show up to move your body.
Didn't I walk right by them?
I could kill you right now
and I'll walk out of here
like nothing happened.
- I guess you could.
- That is the last thing
that I wanna do.
[soft music]
Are we partners?
- I guess we are.
- Good.
Let's get off this
gruesome subject.
I looked around your place.
You have a lot of nice,
old stuff here.
- I collect things from
the 40s and 50s.
- You're an old
fashioned person.
I see that.
That's nice.
Just like me.
Life made sense in the old days.
Take a man in my position.
He'd never go to trial.
Men like me we paid
for our respect, right?
And we got it.
- The good old days.
- You think what you
want but there was peace.
There was quiet when
people like me ran things.
Women and children like you,
you were safe on the streets.
Do you know why?
We did business.
You could lower your prices
and drive out your
competition here.
I'd kill the guys who
got in my way.
- You admit it?
- In your world
people go bankrupt.
In mine they go to sleep.
- Okay, so that's your world.
Why did I have to get
mixed up in it?
- That's what I'm trying
to put across to you.
Do you think I like this?
Do you honestly believe
that I like putting the arm
on a nice lady with
a little boy?
- So why are you doing it then?
- I don't got a choice.
I got a government
here, they persecute me.
You know you got
Colombians and Jamaicans
and there are more
innocent people
down there on the
street right now.
Do you think anybody
gives a shit about this?
Excuse my language, okay.
They spend millions.
Millions of taxpayer dollars
trying to crucify here.
Rusty Pirone.
And they write me up
on top of that
like I'm some kind of a wheel.
I'm a nothing.
Do you understand?
I'm a nothing.
I'm the boss of no bosses.
You know I'm not saying
I'm an angel,
but I never hurt nobody
didn't come hurt me first.
- You'll kill me.
- Right 'cause you could
hurt me tomorrow, honey,
but you're with me now.
And we're gonna do right
by each other.
Now what is it?
You don't think I see
you're a lovely woman?
I feel for you.
I know you're going along great
and all of a sudden you're
in business with me, right.
You need Rusty Pirone
in your life.
- And he needs me.
- Right but you don't
got the leverage
'cause they could put me
under 10 tons of concrete
and I'll reach out.
I kill you, your boy, or your
father, what do you do to me?
Nothing.
I have the power here.
Do you understand this?
- I do.
- You're a desperado
just like me.
So forget these mama
looks out here.
They're not gonna help.
You know whatever your
father told you,
your mother told you, the
priests, the teachers forget
'cause the only guy you
really gotta worry
about now Valerie is me.
- I'll do what you want.
- Good.
You're a smart girl.
[soft music]
Oh you like old
fashioned clothes, too.
- I sell antique clothing.
- Well this stuff is great.
This reminds me of the
movie stars, right.
1940s.
Yeah, some classy women
in those days.
Not like the sluts we
got running around today.
Come here.
Put this on for me.
[soft music]
Please.
[soft music]
Should think of me as family.
[soft music]
It's funny, I love old movies.
You know sometimes I wish
I'd go back to the 40s
just to meet somebody like her.
Hey.
These are nice.
They go with that.
[gentle music]
You look just like one
of those movie stars.
- You're in control.
You don't have to prove it.
[gentle music]
- This will make it official.
[dramatic music]
- Right.
- What do we own a
piece of this?
- No, we own the whole thing.
- You okay?
- Are you kidding?
I'm the guy who falls
into a sewer
comes out with his
pants pressed.
Hey, give me that.
Yup.
There is nothing in the world
like a classy piece of ass.
[gentle music]
- Sometimes we must
use extraordinary means
to apprehend and convict
a dangerous criminal.
Sometimes we must use the
evil elements of our society
in our battle against the evil
which threatens to overpower us.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen,
we've used crooks to
catch a crook,
but only because law
abiding citizens
do not associate with
criminals like Rusty Pirone.
Yes we offered certain
inducements to Hughie Bonner,
but ladies and gentlemen,
you saw the depth
of his hatred for Rusty Pirone.
You heard John Verona, Mr.
Pirone's uncle
and closet associate.
You heard him testify to the
bestial crimes they planned
and committed together.
John Verona asked for and
received nothing from us.
He's a man who simply
wishes to purge his soul.
To restore his honor and
the honor of his family.
- I think we should
begin with a quick vote.
- I love it.
He had him right here.
- I was waiting for that old
broad to stand up and salute.
- Was that a smattering
of applause I heard
at the end of your summation?
- Must've been my mother.
- I couldn't believe
Greco's persecution line.
Nobody's gonna buy that crap.
- Looks like we're gonna
make it home tonight, bro.
- We could've gone
across the street.
- We could've gone to the moon.
- Look Mrs. Alston, it's
11 for and one against.
Don't you have any
respect for our opinions?
- It's not a matter of respect.
I just don't think they
proved their case.
- What?
- You keep saying that
over and over again.
What do you want?
God to come down and tell
you he's guilty.
- Don't browbeat her, Raphael.
- Well for Christ sake after
all the testimony we've heard.
- Even his uncle thinks
he's a murderer.
- You said you have a real
problem with the evidence,
but this is what you get in
every trial of this nature.
- What is it?
Photographs of Pirone
with some men.
- Each of whom ended up dead.
- Doesn't mean he killed them.
Neither do videotapes of
Pirone talking
to these so called assassins.
- There's nothing so
called about them.
They're all convicted
murderers, Mrs. Alston.
- How many times do I
have to tell you?
My name is not Mrs. Alston.
- Hey, you want a drink, Tommy?
Go with Benny in the back.
- No.
I like a little piano
music when I drink.
Not a bunch of old men
clicking bocce balls.
[phone ringing]
Aha.
[phone ringing]
Hello.
Where?
Okay.
Your jury has checked into
a hotel for the night.
- Why can't they make
up their fucking mind?
- The more time they spend,
the better off you are.
They'll probably trying to wear
down your girlfriend, Rusty.
- I guess they could forget that
'cause my lady's gonna
stand up for me all the way.
- You don't understand, Paul.
- Look, I've marched for
a million different causes
and I believe in a defendant's
constitutional rights,
but in this case I really feel
that Pirone's gotten
a fair trial.
- Paul.
I cannot vote to
convict this man.
- Okay Valerie, I respect
your position.
Actually.
You're beginning to make me feel
like I'm compromising
my principles.
- [Juror] This is not
a constitutional issue.
- Yes, it is.
The man is being tried on
the basis of his reputation,
his notoriety, his
prior convictions.
Everything but the evidence.
- Simply not true.
There's tons of evidence.
- All of it tainted.
- How can you say that?
- Because if they had
any one of us on trial,
they wouldn't be able to
use the hearsay.
They wouldn't be able to use
the constitutional
obtained surveillance.
- It was not
unconstitutionally obtained.
- Can I say something?
People like Rusty Pirone
were not around
when the constitution
was written.
- That's irrelevant.
- Would you let him speak?
- Let me finish.
This is a man who has
as much power
as the government in some ways.
He has millions of dollars.
He has sources of information.
- That does not mean we
should deny him
his constitutional rights.
- I have to agree with that.
- Oh great.
So now you're on her side?
- I just happen to like
that part of her agreement.
- Yeah, I know what part
of her you like.
- You know, that's
completely out of line.
- Hey, you guys.
You wanna get into a
pissing contest
or you wanna resolve this?
- [Jane] Paul.
- You know that guy has
been on my case
from the day we started.
- [Albert] Let me get
this straight, Valerie.
You are convinced that
Pirone is guilty, right?
- No, I'm not actually.
- You're not?
- He could've been setup.
People in this country have
been wrongfully accused before.
Haven't they, Albert?
- That's true.
- Listen, I don't care
about Rusty Pirone.
I care about myself.
What if the government
gets a vendetta against me
or any one of us?
Will some other jury
allow their use
of trumped up evidence?
Will they allow Graham
to crucify us?
- That's the most blatant piece
of sophistry I've ever heard.
- There's no need to
get personal.
- [Man] This constitutional
thing is a red herring.
- [Juror] Rusty Pirone
is a mad dog.
He has no rights.
- We can't let ourselves get
into that kind of thinking.
- Come on, people.
This has nothing to do
with the constitution,
which none of us knows
anything about anyway.
- Speak for yourself, Elliot.
- Please, Paul, I think
this is more basic.
You find Pirone attractive,
don't you?
- [Woman] Oh no, not that.
- That's great.
Just great.
- No, no, no, no, no.
All that crude, evil power.
I bet you like that.
I bet it really turns you on.
- You're a sick bastard.
You know that?
That's disgusting and I'm
not gonna tolerate it.
- Why do you think they allowed
so many women on this jury?
'Cause they know Pirone's
got this cheap,
vulgar sex appeal that
women go for.
- Seems more likely you
would go for that.
- Wrong, dear.
I have better taste.
- Man, now you're all
going off on tangents here.
- And you're not?
You started this whole thing
with your stupid
accusations against me.
- Don't call me stupid, pal.
- [Paul] Get your finger
out of my face.
- [Duffy] Let's get
back to basics.
Mrs. Alston refuses to
deal with the facts.
- [Paul] Excuse me,
but her point
is that they're not
facts at all.
- [Jane] And for the 99th time,
her name is not Mrs. Alston.
- But we're hardly into
the second day, your honor.
Pulling the plug would
be premature.
Couldn't you at least
give him a Murphy charge?
Send him back.
- In most cases I would
but this is different.
I've spoken to the four
jurors myself.
- There are four for acquittal?
- The deliberation seem to
have gone down a side road
of governmental misconduct.
- Misconduct?
- I wanna congratulate you,
your honor,
for your fair and impartial
handling of this trial.
- All rise.
Be seated.
- I understand you have
worked hard and long
and were not able to
reach a verdict.
I thank you for your efforts,
but I am sorry they did
not bear fruit.
Jury is excused.
- We had a strong case.
A strong presentation.
The jury got sidetracked.
It happens.
- We'll get another shot.
- Only this time the spin
is the jury let themselves
get hoaxed by this
constitutional thing
and shouldn't happen again.
- Good evening, folks.
Excuse me.
- What's this?
- Champagne.
Compliments of Mr. Pirone.
He's in the back.
- Prick.
He's not gonna drink
champagne in my face.
- Dan.
Dan.
Dan, what are you doing?
Dan, please.
- Not so low, asshole.
- You know this is the
kind of class move
I should have expected from you.
- This is my joint, Pirone.
You wanna celebrate,
you go to one
of your fucking rat holes.
- Yeah, you gonna throw me out?
- I'm not scared of you, Pirone.
I grew up with scum like you.
- No, no, you grew up with me,
you wouldn't have grown up.
- Rusty, back off.
Who cares?
He means nothing.
- I'm not finished with you,
Pirone.
I'm gonna put you away.
Even when you're dead I'm gonna
come and spit on your grave.
- Spit on me now.
- Hey boss.
- Relax.
Get him out of here.
- Come on, spit.
- Get him out of here.
- Spit.
- I'm gonna put you away.
- Thank God for the
constitution, huh.
Protect me from
opportunists like you.
Protect all of us from
opportunists like you.
- [Woman] Tell him, Rusty.
[gentle music]
[phone ringing]
- [Tommy] I'm proud of you,
Valerie.
- Thanks for nothing.
I'm free now, right?
- [Tommy] Free as a bird.
- And I never have to
see any of you again?
- We're out of your
life forever.
- Aha.
Watch out, mom.
Yes.
Yeah, see.
I play everyday so my
game's gotten better.
- That's why I want you to stay.
- [Robbie] Aw, nice shot.
- You'll be slamming
dunking by spring break.
- We moving here for good, mom?
- [Valerie] Would you like to?
- I miss my friends.
- You'll make new ones.
You already have.
- Mom, are you okay?
- I'm fine.
I couldn't be better.
Everything is just fine.
[gentle music]
- Don't say I never
gave you nothing.
- I thought I was through
with you people.
- Consider this as a house call.
I know you got that.
That empty, hopeless,
sick feeling
and nobody in the world
you can talk to about it.
Except me.
[gentle music]
- What?
- Have you been thinking
about going to Graham?
- You expect me to tell you?
- Don't do it.
Confession will not be
good for your soul.
Anyway, you got nothing
to be ashamed of.
- You don't think so?
I let a murderer go.
- You saved your kid's life.
Nobody could blame you for that.
- When he kills again?
- It won't be nobody
you'd have for dinner.
Look.
Rusty Pirone is racing
to the cemetery.
All you did was give him some
time to catch his breath.
You did your thing.
Now you walk away.
- It's not that easy.
Something happened to
me in that jury room.
I lied to people.
I used them.
Played on their weakness.
Flirted when I had to.
Played the martyr.
The weak little woman.
- It's over.
Everything's back to normal.
- No, it's not.
You showed me a part of
myself I never knew existed.
I'll never be the same.
You changed me, Vesey.
- It was a question
of due process
and constitutional rights.
Valerie Alston really put
it into perspective for me.
- You should've seen the way
they jumped on Valerie Alston.
They simply would not
allow a woman
to express a dissenting opinion.
- That woman is to blame 100%.
She's typical of what's going
on in this country today.
- Valerie Alston.
Valerie Alston.
Space cadet.
But she took over in
the jury room.
- In the early going,
she was the only holdout.
- Yeah, which means she
came on the floor
with her mind made up.
We thought we had her
in the pocket.
- You think she had a
hidden agenda?
- You checked her background.
Any criminal history, mob
connections, radical politics?
- [Man] She's a
sweetheart as sigma chi.
- Did she exhibit any odd
or unusual behavior
during the trial?
- Not really.
She moved her kid up to
her father's place
up in the country.
Took him out of school.
- Like she was scared
of something.
Can you get in the house?
- Aye boss, I can't--
- You can't get a search warrant
because a lady voted
against you.
- Yes I can if I suspect
jury tampering.
[bright music]
Juror number four as I
live and breathe.
- Hello.
- Won't you join me,
Miss Alston?
I come from a large family.
I hate to eat alone.
- I'm in kind of a hurry.
- Hey.
You ruined my career.
Least you could do is
break bread with me.
- [Valerie] I expect to find you
in more elegant surroundings.
- This is the new thing
according to New York Magazine.
Yeah.
Americans are returning to
more traditional values.
They're getting married younger.
They prefer simple food.
- Is your career really over?
- You really sound as
if you care.
Truth is I got a
personal interest
in nailing guys like
Rusty Pirone.
- What'd he do to you?
- It's not what he did.
It's how he represents.
I grew up with these guys.
Have a friend.
His father worked in the docks.
They beat him to death because
he ran for union office
and when my friend tried to
get even, his own family.
His own family told
him let it go.
Just let it go.
It's better for everybody.
Let your father's death
go unpunished.
- That was in the old days.
They don't have that
kind of power anymore.
- It's true.
We got Rusty Pirone on the run.
He's not the man he used to be.
- He's the boss of no bosses.
- Yeah and that makes
him even more dangerous.
He's a cornered rat.
He's got nothing to lose.
Listen to me, Valerie.
I know these guys like
to portray themselves
as romantic desperadoes
who kill only their own,
but they prey on
innocent people.
- I don't have any illusions
about Rusty Pirone believe me.
- Then why did?
Nevermind.
You know I'm sick of
talking about this trial.
You want a coffee?
- Sure.
[gentle music]
- [Man] Found these in
her bedroom trash can.
- Not like the lady to
rip photos of her son.
- Nah, she wasn't
ripping her son.
Say hello to Teddy Parnell.
He's got three priors
for attempted murder.
Assault with a deadly weapon.
Does freelance work for Pirone.
[doorbell buzzing]
- I know it's late but
I gotta talk to you.
- Don't tell me.
You come from a big family
and you hate to sleep alone.
- This isn't a come on
and you know it.
Could we shed some light
on the subject?
- Don't you remember
where the light is?
Oh I forgot.
You were experiencing
America's return
to traditional values while
they searched my house.
- You know this guy?
- Only too well.
I've gotten him out of
my life I hope.
- But this guy's a low life.
He's done time for assault
for attempted murder.
- That's nothing.
You know what his
greatest crime is?
He's a lousy lay and then
he expects you
to wait on him hand and foot.
- Where'd you meet him?
- In a bar on the west side.
Do you want me to put
this on tape
so you can play it back in
the privacy of your boudoir?
- You're overselling.
It never happened.
- You want a drink, Mr. Graham?
- I'll tell you what happened.
This guy Parnell.
He got to you.
He threatened to kill
you and your son
if you didn't vote to
acquit Rusty Pirone.
- Are you one of these men
who blames everybody
else for his failures?
- You should've called
me immediately.
I could've protected you.
None of this nightmare
would ever have happened.
- Mr. Graham, I think you've
been working too hard.
- [Daniel] I'm trying
to help you.
- Get your hands off me.
You're a hypocrite.
- You have no right to say that.
You never gave me a chance.
- I can't believe I fell for
that they killed my best
friend's father lie.
- That was the truth.
- Truth?
Tell me you wouldn't lie.
You wouldn't withhold evidence.
You wouldn't sacrifice
anybody to get what you want.
- All the saints are in heaven,
Valerie.
I'm just trying to put
a very bad man in jail.
- And you don't care
how you do it.
There's no right or wrong here.
This is a private war
between you and Pirone.
- Okay, it is a vendetta.
But as long as people
like Rusty Pirone
can make millions off
other people's misery.
As long as he can kill at will.
As long as he's free to do
whatever he feels like doing
anytime, then nobody's safe.
Yeah, they pay me.
Careerist prick that I
am to stop him.
And I can't do it.
I can't do it without you.
- There's nothing I can do.
- And it don't stop there,
Valerie.
The only way I can get Pirone
is to get you first and I will.
I got strong evidence that I
can easily turn into proof.
- [Valerie] Goodnight, Mr.
Graham.
- You better start
thinking about
who's gonna look after your
kid when you're in jail.
- Hi boss.
- So I put a guy
outside her house
and guess who comes waltzing
out at one in the morning?
Our friend Mr. Graham.
He was in and out of there
in less than an hour.
- An hour, huh?
What is he a fireman?
You gotta have a whole
night to do justice
to a woman like that my friend.
- [Man] Hey, Rusty.
- Hey, how are you?
- [Man] Congratulations.
- Thank you, thank you.
- We were rooting for you.
- We were.
- Well the jury must
have got vibes, honey,
'cause I am free out
on the street.
I look great, too.
You gonna put me in a movie now?
- Think we can do
better than that.
I wanna make a movie
about your life.
- About my life?
Get out of here.
My life is boring.
Thank you, hon.
Boring.
Listen, you put me in a movie.
You let me wear my own clothes.
I'll make you look good.
[soft music]
You know if she was
sitting there right now,
she'd put every one of
these whores to shame.
You're still here?
- [Phillie] All right.
No knives, no guns.
This can't look like a hit.
- [Man] Chill, Phil.
We know what you're
talking about.
- [Phillie] We don't want
any fingers pointing our way.
- So you want us to make it
look like a sex crime, Phillie.
- You can make it look
like mono fucking nucleosis
for all I care.
Will you get your nose out of
that shit and listen to me?
- Keep it down in the
peanut gallery, will ya.
[soft music]
- [Wanda] Vesey.
[soft music]
- Valerie?
- Shut up.
- Get away from me.
- Come on.
I'll put on a little
white see through.
Talk that little girl talk.
You'll never know
the difference.
- You could never be her.
You wouldn't know how.
Get away from me.
Keep away from me.
- Check it out, Vesey,
'cause this is the closet
you'll ever gonna get
to your beloved Valerie.
- Come on, baby.
Hang with your friends.
We want you.
- [Woman] Yeah we can go
over there when we finish.
- Oh excuse me, miss.
Yeah I'm looking for this
vintage clothing store.
- Hi.
[dramatic music]
- [Valerie] Help me.
Help.
[dramatic music]
- Phillie says take her
to The Ramble.
Like somebody grabbed
her by her house
and dragged her into the park.
[dramatic music]
[horn blaring]
- Help me.
Help me.
[horn blaring]
Help me.
Help me.
- Let's go.
[dramatic music]
- Peekaboo.
[dramatic music]
- No.
No.
Don't kill me.
Let me go.
- Put her down.
- [Valerie] Don't kill me.
- Let her beg.
Oh shit.
[dramatic music]
[gun firing]
- Back off, Edmund.
- Vesey.
[gun firing]
Hold it, hold it.
[gun firing]
- Okay.
Okay, Valerie, let's go.
[gun firing]
[dramatic music]
Run.
Run.
[gun firing]
[dramatic music]
[gun firing]
[dramatic music]
[gun firing]
Are you hit?
- [Valerie] No.
- That's good.
Let's go.
[soft music]
You go ahead.
I'll follow you.
[soft music]
- I'll call an ambulance.
- No.
Later.
You gotta square it with Pirone.
- What do you mean?
- It's gone too far
for the cops.
He'll send 1000 mutts after you.
You gotta straighten
this out yourself.
- How?
- You can push his buttons.
You can get over on him.
Just like you did on that jury.
- You saved my life.
- Get out of here.
Go.
[sirens blaring]
[soft music]
- Hey, how's it going?
[soft music]
[phone ringing]
- [Valerie] Surprise.
- Ooh, the lucky girl.
Now where you calling from?
- A booth.
I didn't want this
number on my record.
- You're a smart girl.
- [Valerie] Thanks.
- Now what do I do for you?
- I wanna show you that I
can be trusted.
I wanna know I can trust you,
too.
- You know what?
I think I'm glad you made it.
- Hey, hold on, fellas.
I guess not even the bad guys
are safe in Central Park.
- Who's that?
- Tommy Vesey.
Crooked cop.
Drugs, payoffs.
Ended up doing odd
jobs for Pirone.
- Yeah, it's a Pirone
party, but where's the host?
- You're gonna love this.
He ditched a tail on
the west side highway.
Guy could be anywhere.
[soft music]
- [Tommy] The name of the
game, Valerie, is not who dies,
but who dies first.
That'll be your boy.
- [Rusty] You know whatever
your father told you,
your mother told you, the
priests, the teachers forget
'cause the only guy
you really gotta
worry about now Valerie is me.
[dramatic music]
- You sure you have
enough privacy here?
Lucky I'm a country girl and
know how to drive these roads.
- Very lucky.
Very lucky indeed.
You want a cocktail?
- It's a little early.
- Not for you.
You've been up all night.
- True.
[soft music]
- You ever try yellow parrot?
Now here's a drink you
see in all the old movies.
May you live 100 years.
[soft music]
- Sweet.
This where you killed
Matty Russell?
- No, no.
I sold that joint a
long time ago.
This is my private hideaway.
Nobody knows.
- [Valerie] Nobody but me.
- Won't you sit down?
[soft music]
- You tried to kill me.
- Yeah.
You're my first failure, too,
in 20 years.
- Vesey saved me.
Is he okay?
- He don't owe nobody
money no more.
[soft music]
Took guts for you to come here.
- It's the only
thing I could do.
I have to show you that I
can be trusted.
I'm not gonna talk.
- No?
Graham is on your case.
Now how do I know he's
not gonna break you down?
- Because there's
nothing in it for me.
Graham can't prove
anything without me
and I'd be crazy to
turn my life upside down
to prove a case against a man
who has the power of
life and death over me.
- I'm impressed.
That's a good proposition.
That's nice.
Just not good enough.
- What more can I give you?
- Come here.
[gentle music]
That night.
You liked it?
- I liked it.
[gentle music]
- Yeah.
You and me start going around,
we'd make all the papers.
- The godfather and the juror.
Graham would lose his mind.
- I gave you the good news.
- What's the bad news, Rusty?
- I don't trust anybody.
I don't trust the stool
pigeons in my family.
And my freelancers are dead.
Even Vesey.
And you're the only
one left here
that really knows what the
hell went down.
Now what would you do?
- You could trust me.
- You know you're the
first person
in my life I don't wanna hurt?
[gentle music]
I'll be a fool to let you live,
right.
[gentle music]
I must be a fool.
[dramatic music]
Yeah, you die.
[dramatic music]
Smart girl.
- Doorman said she came home
around 10 o'clock looking good.
Like she stayed the
night somewhere.
- Any news of Pirone?
- He's vanished.
Nobody knows where he is.
I think they clipped him.
- Yeah, that's what that
massacre in the park was about.
- That's great for us.
That's great.
The spin is that the
other families
were so worried about
our prosecution
that killed Pirone to take
the heat off their own scams.
What do you think?
- Valerie isn't a party girl.
She don't stay out.
- You were wrong about Valerie,
Dan.
Why can't you admit that?
She's a ditz.
She was out of her
league on that jury.
Look, she's got her kid and now
everything's back to normal.
- Normal?
Hey, excuse the language,
Eleanor,
but you never know
about these broads.
Sometimes the quiet ones.
You know what I mean.
Maybe she's got a secret life.
- Yeah well she's not gonna
have any secrets from me.
- Yeah.
Yes, my room.
All right.
I feel like my room is
hugging me, mom.
- It missed you.
- He really is happier here.
- It's his home.
Mine, too.
- Grandpa, look at this.
Come here.
I wanna show you something.
[gentle music]
- [Valerie] Where's the team?
- I can't see them.
Maybe we came to the
wrong field.
- Maybe they called it off.
- Valerie.
Hi.
Hey, you don't have to do that.
I'm one of the good guys.
- So you keep telling me.
- So you like soccer, Robbie?
- Spare us the courtroom
charm, Mr. Graham.
- I like sports.
- You like games.
- Come on, mom.
- You're one tough customer.
You know that?
Okay, Rusty Pirone's missing.
Disappeared.
Nobody knows where he is.
Not even his own guys.
- You want me to find
him for you?
- Maybe you can tell us
where to start looking.
I'm sorry.
That was clumsy.
Listen to me.
Please.
It's just me here.
No wires.
No backup.
It's not about nailing
anybody anymore.
I just wanna know.
Did Rusty Pirone get to you?
You just gotta say one word.
Yes or no.
I can't do anything to you.
I don't want to.
I just wanna know.
- You live your life
believing in justice
and the rule of law and
someone grabs you
off the street in
broad daylight.
Walks right past the
police into your bedroom.
Tells you he'll reach out
from the grave
and kill your son if you
don't do what he says.
Have you ever been confronted
by that kind of evil?
You don't think about
right or wrong.
All you think about is survival.
You do what you have to do.
- Thanks.
- [Robbie] Mom, come on.
Let's go.
- Valerie.
You'll be okay?
- I'll be fine.
Now I'll be fine.
[gentle music]
[bright music]