61st Street (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Episode #1.4 - full transcript

Previously
on "61st Street"...

My lawyer told me
not to talk to you. Sign this and everybody
stands down.

They think
that's your confession.

It's not,
it's your defense.

I spoke to Dr. Algren,
I know.

He was wearing a wire
the day he died, Jessica.

He got a name,
your man in the Nation?

- Jesus, 2-2.
- 2-2 is Rufus.

I am demanding accountability

from the
Chicago Police Department.

100 grand
and he can come home. Don't worry.



If it's money that we need,
it's money we'll get.

We see you, boy.

It's always hard
the first time.

Hey, man, what's up?

My name, uh, Moses.

Welcome to
the promised land.

'Sup, new fish?

You play bones?

Naw, man, I'm good.

Well, what, you can't count
or something?

I-I know how to play,
but, you know,

I'm just trying to get my shit
situated, you feel me?

Man, look, most of what
you see on TV

about what's going on
in the joint,



look, that's all
nonsense, a'ight?

It's real simple
in here.

Mind yo' business,
and you'll be all good.

I'm Squirrel.

Moses Johnson.

My man, Moses.
Come on, man.

Come meet
some of the guys.

Hey, man.
Hey, hey, man!

That's my shit, man! No, I don't think so.

But if you really think
this yo' shit,

you should take it,
right?

Yeah.

Thanks, new fish.

Hello, ladies.

Would it be possible to give me
a headline on those?

The doctor's office
will contact you

in a few days
to discuss the results.

Okay, thank you.

Hey, man, ain't nothing in here
for you to take, a'ight?

They done took
everything.

No, you got that
all backwards.

It ain't about
what I want.

I'm here with
an opportunity.

I ain't here for that. You should be.

Reality is, this only gonna get
worse unless you clique-up.

Man, no disrespect, but I can
take care of myself, alright?

Can you?

You 'bout to be spooned up
with this dude,

pissing sitting down,
washing his dirty-ass drawz...

sooner than later,
I would imagine.

You ain't housewife
material, Moses.

I ain't "Nation"
material either.

You know, it get real cold
in here at night

when you ain't got
no blanket.

All you gotta do is come on in
where it's warm.

I don't gang-bang.

Never have, never will.

I'll take my chances
on my own.

Just remember
everything in here cost,

except this piece
of advice...

Respect is like air
in this bitch.

You gon' need it
if you want to survive.

I'm Lotty.

Erebody in here
know me.

You holla' at me
when you reconsider.

♪ Chicago

♪ Where the dollar and blue
collar go hand in hand ♪

♪ City of Dreams so big

♪ Nightmares
don't stand a chance ♪

♪ A concrete paradise
where roses grow ♪

♪ See the smile from a child

♪ Light up
the Magnificent Mile ♪

♪ And melt the coldest snow

♪ This is home

♪ Find the brightest minds
on these dark streets ♪

♪ See the heart and soul
on these old blocks ♪

♪ Where we grow,
we call it the Go ♪

♪ 'Cause we don't stop

You said you don't
feel guilty.

And you said the law
doesn't care about how I feel.

Mm, that's what I said.

Is that justice? Hmm?

Is law and justice
considered the same thing?

The law says
you have to stop

when a police officer
asks you to stop.

The law says you can't resist
arrest by a police officer.

There's no such thing
as self-defense

when a cop you know is a cop
wants to take you into custody.

That's what the law says.

Now let me ask you
a question.

When you walked up
into that drug bust

and you saw the cops see you,
what did you do?

I ran.
Why?

Ask Laquan McDonald.

You thought the cop chasing you
was going to kill you.

Yeah.
What else?

And when he caught you down
the alley, what did you feel?

I felt...
I felt terrified.

- What did you do?
- I-I-I... I... I tried to escape.

I... I tried
to defend myself.

But there's no
self-defense

in a situation
like that.

So, now, what's the answer
to your question?

My question?

Is the law and justice
the same thing?

No. No, it ain't.

Shouldn't it be?

Yes, it should.

Then I have an idea
to help make it so.

And it means you and me
fighting this

and fighting them.

Now, they're gonna come after us
with everything they got,

'cause they're strong,
and it's going to be hard

for you
and your family,

so I need to be sure
you want to do this.

Now, they said the cops
just jumped out they car

and shot him like
he was nothin'.

Now, I need to know why y'all
killed my boy like that.

Ma'am... I need to know!

I'm sorry, but I'm gonna
have to ask you to leave.

No, no, no.
We won't be going anywhere

until we get answers
about what happened... Officer Brown.

I'll assist
these ladies.

Meet you there.

Please, follow me.

Mrs. Porter,
I'm Lieutenant Brannigan,

and you have every right
to know

exactly what happened
to your son... and why.

Your son was dealing drugs
on a street corner.

He was a known member
of The Nation street gang.

He discharged a handgun
during a high-risk drug sweep.

Yeah, but them boys be on
the block selling dope all hours

of the day and night,
dozens of 'em at a time.

My son the only one gets shot
by the police?

Why him?

His weapon was raised.

He was ordered
to drop it.

He didn't do that.

He was shot to protect
police officers.

The shooting
was justified.

I'm sorry
for your loss.

W-Wait.
So that's it?

You came here
looking for answers.

I'm guessing the question
you most want an answer to

is, "Who killed
my son?"

It was me.

And I'm sorry.

But I'd have to do it again.

If you think it's gon' be
this easy, you're wrong.

It's not easy.

I need your help.

I have information
I don't know what to do with.

Her boy was a snitch.

That's right.

He had a victim's funeral,
the whole production,

and I don't want
to spoil that.

A mother's grief,
a mother's pride.

But she keeps making
a big noise about this...

I don't know.

You understand what I'm saying,
Mrs. Johnson?

You have 10 minutes.

You cannot bring any personal
objects except photos.

Violation of any
of these rules

will result in immediate
termination of the visit

and a 90-day suspension of an
inmate's visitation privileges.

Where is he?
Excuse me.

I'm here to see
Moses Johnson.

Officer.

What is this, Speak?

I thought
we should talk.

What did you do?

Where is he?

Like I said, Norma,
we should talk.

About what?

Still that angry?

After all this time?

See,
means it's still there.

I told you, I'd always
be right there.

How many times
you been gone?

Six or seven?

What is it, Speak?
You just like being locked up?

I'll be acquitted
on this one.

Still only about you,
huh?

Ain't never been about me,
our boys...

I never stopped caring
for my family.

But, uh, Moses thinks
he's a grown man now.

He's making
his own decisions.

Wait...

Yeah, I held out
an olive branch.

Let me guess... you sent one
of your soldiers

to talk to our son.

Norma, the Nation
is part of me.

I'm part of them.

The two just go together.

You're his father first!

Before anything.

Olive branch
is out there.

All he got to do
is take it.

Oh, y-you want me
to tell him, right?

You want me to advise my son
to join the life

that put you in here?

That the love of a parent
is conditional, yeah?

That if you don't join that
gang, then we don't love you?

Fuck you, Speak.

Yo!
Yo, Moses.

Oh, shit, yo!
Twin, what's good?

What's up, man?
Same shit, different day.

I just saw you
on the news, man.

Is you...
Is you playin' or what?

Y'all know who this is?

Man, this
Moses Johnson, man,

the fastest athlete in the...
In the county.

I mean, I'd probably say
the whole state.

Bet you a hundred dollars
he can't beat Smoke.

Smoke?

Man, a hundred dollars?
Bet that up.

Hey, man, slow down, Twin.
Nobody finna race up in here.

It's too late for that, man.
It's paper on it, fam.

Alright, y'all,
this how we gon' do this.

Since my man here, Smoke,
run the hundred meter

and my boy Moses run
the four hundred,

I think we should
do a shuttle run
up and down the court.

Up and back, wall to fence...
That's five times, 250 meters.

I think
that should be fair.

Just have my hundred dollars
on my books tomorrow

when Smoke get that ass.

Hey, runners
to y'all mark, man.

Let's get this show
on the road.

Come on. Moses.Mm.

Come on.

Yes, sir.

Side bets, side bets.

Let's go, Smoke!

Runners to your mark!

Get set.

Go!

Moses?

You okay?

Thank you, sir.Yep.

Thank you.

David,
you need a ride?

Oh, no, I know
exactly what to do.

Okay.

♪ Finna' drum it like a band

♪ You a opp getting fans

♪ And I put that on the mans

-♪ My bands be truie
-♪ True

-♪ My bag be Louie
-♪ Louie

♪ I rock with Louie

-♪ Louie gang, King Louie
-♪ Let's get it

-♪ We be Lawless Inc
-♪ Turn up

♪ Don't give a...
what you think ♪

Attention, customers...

Due to police activity
in the subway,

the train is being rerouted,
and Garfield is the next stop.

Damn! I repeat... this train
is being rerouted,

and Garfield is
the next stop.

Unh-unh... shoes.

It's a bit of a gimmick.

It's who you are.

And what is that?

Jesus Christ,
Mahatma Gandhi,

Francis of Assisi...

All three barefoot,
all three strong brands.

So I'm a brand now? Mm-hmm.

Sounds like
political cynicism.

Sounds like being 18 points
down in the polls a week ago,

then "Barefoot Martha"
arrives in the press,

and now we're only down
9 points.

Well,
can the campaign afford

to give "Barefoot Martha"
a pedicure?

No.
Absolutely not.

Entirely
the wrong message.

That's not the brand.

You are who you are,
and your feet are your feet.

Did Gandhi give a damn
about his bunions?

This is Armitage.
Please watch your step.

♪ Girl, don't you know
that he holding you back again ♪

♪ SMH, when he talk, he be

Left,
walk one block,

make another left,
200 steps.

189, 190...

194, 195...

197, 198...

200.

Hello.

♪ I was keeping quiet,
I was being cool ♪

♪ Even if it rain,
we comin' through ♪

♪ If I tell I love you,
I mean it ♪

♪ Whitey got killed, I seen it

♪ I was right there,
still can't believe it ♪

♪ Turned me to a demon

♪ Police ask me,
I ain't seen nun' ♪

♪ Back-to-back hits
like a rerun ♪

Ah.
I hope you won the race.

Yo, stop... stop being nice
to me, alright?

Stop, 'cause, you know,
you show emotions in here,

a-a-and you in trouble,
you done for, so just stop.

Nobody's watching, son.

Stop... Nobody's watching.

You know...

I ran track
back in the day.

High school
and college.

I was State Champ,
high hurdles.

But, you know, my two heroes
each ran one lap...

Edwin Moses
and Michael Johnson.

But I couldn't help
but notice

that you got
one of each of their names.

I wasn't born
no athlete, man.

No, you worked hard
at it.

Lord knows I know.

Derek Redmond.

You know who that is?

No.

Olympic semi-final.

Barcelona, 1992.

He pulled a hamstring
coming out of the first bend.

And...

just like that...

...it was over.

But he still wanted
to finish his race.

So he limped
down the back straight,

and he was in real pain,
and he wasn't gon' make it.

And then,
somebody ran on the track.

They put they arms
around Derek.

His father.

"You ain't gotta do this,"
his dad said.

"Yes, I do. Yes, I do,"
Derek told him.

"Okay.

Alright.

Okay.

Together."

So they hobbled 250 meters
to the finish line.

The whole stadium
got to its feet,

applauding them
to bring 'em home, you know?

He done lost everything
he done worked for.

Everything.

But together, you know...

...Derek and his dad
found a way to win.

You can still get there,
Moses Johnson.

You can still get there.

Alright.

But I'm trusting you.

Alright?
I'm trusting you, alright?

So let's do this.
Okay.

Let's do this.
Okay. Okay.

Okay.

How they know
where to find me?

You know,
to make the arrest.

They followed me.

But how they know
to follow you?

I talked
to the State's Attorney.

They're going for the maximum...
Life without parole.

He told me to be his lawyer.
I'm doing that.

But what I'm asking him to do,
he can't do with just me.

What are you saying?

He needs the support
that only his mother can give.

'Cause we going big.

You hear me?

We're going big.

Look,
I need money for Mo.

It's really real
out here.

This shit don't ever stop.
No breaks.

People got to get they medicine
or they get sick.

- Think you can handle that?
- For sure.

Shit like clockwork.

Thought you said
you had a square gig?

Man, that was some
sucker shit.

It's time to get paid
for real, alright?

What's up?

Lock it up, then,
little man.

♪ Till the next thing
coming, ay ♪

♪ There are
so many reasons to ♪

Gotta love
a righteous hustler.

Amen to that.

Totally illegal, no permit,
obstructing traffic.

And if we were a couple
of little old ladies,

we might even be
intimidated.

But I see it
as a victimless crime.

For the 45 seconds
I got to sit at the light

scratching my junk,
he's provides entertainment.

It's the American way.

You a good poker player,
Johnny?

Um...

I've held a hand or two.

That's a player's answer.

I saw something
a couple blocks back.

Welcome to
the neighborhood.

Yo, miss me with that
comedy shit, G.

This ain't a good time,
for real.

I saw the race.

I also saw how The Faction took
you humiliating they boy Smoke.

What the hell
that supposed to mean?

It means they coming
for your ass.

So the Faction wants you,
the guards,

they plotting how they gonna
throw your cop-killer ass

off the roof of one
of these buildings,

dangling from a rope.

I ain't interested
in anything you selling.

I'm just giving you
facts, is all.

You come in with us,
you stay alive.

Otherwise, I don't know.

I really don't.

Yeah, play it up, man.
Let's go.

Let's go.
Double 6, double 6!

Come on, man!

What's going on, guys?

Police... get back! Back, back, back!
Against the wall!

Where you going? Against the wall!
Against the wall!

Hands on the wall.
Hands on the wall.

Drop to your knees.

Drop to your knee...
Knees, knees, knees!

Interlock your fingers
behind your head.

Why you cuffin' me, man?!

For your safety
and mine.

These come off
as easy as they go on.

What's this?

Huh?

I don't think you have
a concealed carry permit,

which makes this
a felony.

On your knees.

Anybody else?

Huh?

Whose money is this
on the ground?

Who had the hot hand?

Surely, someone was
about to come up.

Gambling on the public way
is a misdemeanor,

but illegal guns
are a different matter.

I'll ask again... whose money
is this on the ground?

Get outta here,
all of you.

Go.

- Let's go, let's go!
- Go, go, go!

What's the story
with this gun?

What gun, officer?

The one that belong to whoever
money that is on the ground?

Smart man.

That was
the right answer.

You're welcome.

Kick rocks
before I change my mind.

Little over 400 bucks.
Not bad.

You good?

Sure.

Let's get a drink.

I don't know
why I'm here.

You know what I do?
I wear his shirts.

Just for the smell,
you know?

Yeah.

But you don't really have
anything like that, do you?

No, not really.

Here.

There he is.

There he is.

Um, I'm gonna...
Uh, you've had a...

A lot to drink,
so you probably shouldn't drive.

You can... You can take
that couch in Michael's den.

Okay.
Okay.

Who is she?

Hanging out with, you know,
a little chick.

Unh-unh,
no little chick.

What? What you do...
Come on. What you doing?

Come on. You really finna
pull my pants up?

Yes, sir. Come on.

Alright.
Mm-hmm, yep.

Presentable.

Looks great.

You could stay home.

Come on, Mom.
My friend's waiting on me.Yeah...

I'mma be alright, though,
alright?

I'mma stay out the way.

Be safe.Always.
You know that.

Be careful.

Come on, you know me.

Pull your pants up.

Come on, Ma.
Sag is swag.

Sag is swag. The shorties love it.

You gotta love it, too, okay?
But I love you, alright?

I'mma call you
before I get home.

Love you, too.
Love you more.Bye.

♪ We own everything

♪ We own everything

♪ We own everything

♪ We own everything

♪ We own everything

♪ We own everything

♪ We own everything

Damn, T.
Some fly-ass whips.

- Hey, what's up, Lil Nate?
- Good. Good.

Hey, walk over here
with me.

So, I talked you up
to the Boss, but, uh,

you gonna have to get
his blessing to roll with us.

For sure.
He here?

Yeah, he right
over there.

There you go, right there.
Damn, this his shit?

Hey, hey, just relax.

First impressions
are lasting.

Do this right.

Go on, now.

♪ I'll be obliged
if you step outside ♪

♪ Because my ride is awaiting
our date ♪

♪ Of steak and a night cap

♪ We mating, awaking

♪ By smells of perfume
that I inhale ♪

♪ And then tell how well
we raise hell on the dizzell ♪

How's Speak doin'?

I don't know.

I ain't talk to him
in a while.

Way different out here since
dudes like him was in this life.

A whole new script.

We expect you to handle business
regardless who yo' daddy is.

Your paper or your work
come up short, you accountable.

Feel me?

Yeah, I got you.

Some coppers
get their panties in a bunch

at the hint of impropriety.

How about you?

You ever bust a dice game,
pocketed the money?

Nah, not my style.

If it doesn't say
city of Chicago,

signed by the treasurer,
I don't want it.

Johnny?

Jessica, uh...

That's him on there?

Huh?

Michael's voice?

Yeah.
I want to hear it.

- Jessica, this is...
- They didn't let me see him.

They didn't let me
say goodbye.

I want to hear it.

If... If you...

If you knew what was on that
and who was on that...

I don't care... you would be in the middle
of what he was doing.

Like you are?

Yeah.

Play me the tape. There are consequences.

Play it.

My... My beautiful son
David has autism.

His needs aren't met
by regular teachers,

so he has...
He has a social worker.

Her name is Carmen.

Before the end of next week,

I am going to have to
tell my son

that Carmen has to stop
being his daytime mom.

Why?

Because our schools have lost
the funding to pay her.

At the same time,

they pay for more police
to be in our schools.

Now, what does that say?

They pay for the people
who kill our children

to be in school with them.

That is a declaration of intent
if I ever heard one.

No, no, no, no.
Let's call it what it is...

It is a declaration of war.

♪ Fold down your hands

♪ Give me a sign

♪ Put down your lies

Hands! Hands!
Show us your hands!

...supervisor and an additional
unit to our location.

Possible mental. Let
me see your hands, man!

Come on.

♪ Don't listen when I scream

Come on, let me see
your hands, man.

Show us your hands!
Show us your hands now!

Hands in the air! Show us your hands!

Don't do that!
Let me see your hands!

4, 5, 6, 7...

Anybody got questions
for me today?

Yes.

Barefoot Martha,
they're calling you.

What's that?

Some kinda humble-assed
bible thing?

Do you have a question?

They shot my son.

He dead.

And ain't nobody
asking why.

You're wrong.

Your son wasn't killed.

He was murdered.

We have to start using
the right words

for what they're doing to us.

And I want to do something
about that,

and the first thing is starting
to use language

that America
is ashamed to use.

Everybody,
this is Janet Porter.

Miss Porter, would you
join me up here, please?

Alright!

What happened to you
and your son...

...is why I do
what I do.

Please know that.

Thank you.

It's why I do what I do.

Victor Simmons.
Ranking member of The Faction.

Uh-huh.
See that?

Damn, I know that guy.

Cop?

The Faction in bed
with Brannigan?

One day, we gon' put a bullet
through both of 'em.

Maybe the same bullet.

Fever Ray's "Keep the Streets
Empty For Me" playing...

♪ Memory comes
when memory's old ♪

♪ I am never
the first to know ♪

♪ Following the stream
up north ♪

♪ Where do people
like us float? ♪

♪ There is room in my lap

♪ For bruises, asses,
hand claps ♪

♪ I will never disappear

♪ For forever, I'll be here

On the next episode
♪ For of 61st Street... here ♪

Michael Rossi was wearing
a wire when he died.

And you're just
telling me now?

new boy, Nation has an offer.

A plea deal
at the 11th hour.

- What's the offer?
- 20 years for murder one.

Moses' legal team bein' paid
for by the proceeds of crime.

How's that look on your
pro-bono husband?

Who is trying to kill me?

♪ Whispering