Interrogation (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - Det. Dave Russell vs Chris Keller 1983 - full transcript

I need an ambulance. Hurry.

My mom--
she's fucking dying, okay?

Just get over here.

Hey. Who's there?

Fuck.
Who the hell are you?

looking for money.Hold on.

Hold on, Mr. Fisher.

Please.

Her arms.

A little more
towards you.

There you go.



Down there.

Sunlight is 256 times
brighter than interior light.

He couldn't see her, Russ.

Not through there.
Too much glare.

The problem is
none of the neighbors

saw Chris Keller.Well, Mary told me
that he came by.

Asking for work.

She said she didn't have any,
so he got pissed off.

A pissed-off drug addict.

Okay? An-And he's violent.
Eric's roommate.

Listen, he--

The next morning,
he comes by, he's desperate.

He breaks into the house
to steal something.

Mary comes home,
she surprises him.



She tells him to
get the hell out...

And Chris kills her.

Eric comes home right after
to fix his car,

looks through the window,
sees his mother on the floor.

Yes, and-and he breaks in
and tries to save her.

There's no sign
of a break-in.

Well, Mary left
the door unlocked.

And Keller's mother
says that

he was out of
the state March 10.

Well, of course she does.
She's protecting him.

What else is she
gonna say?

That's why we're
looking into it.

No parent wants to believe
that their son

could do something
like this.

Detective.

We'll be out of here soon.

Fisher, Eric Henry.

Stand up, face the wall.

What are you doing?

Face the wall.

Tower Records, video store,
Mark C. Bloome.

Wild guess, no one remembers him

looking for a job March 10?

And Chris Keller.

What about him?

Arrested a couple
nights ago.

New Mexico, Silver City.
Home break-in.

Came through a window
with a knife.

Vic was an older woman.
Sound familiar?

Yeah. And if Chris Keller
was in town on March 10,

I'd take a real
hard look at him.

March 8, he goes
to his mom's

in Thousand Oaks.

His mom sends him
to his dad in New Mexico.

That's the thing.

Grant County Sheriffs like him
for a burglary there

on March 10.

The kid alibied out.

He said he was here?Backed it up with receipts.

Some Hollywood dive motel.

Fuck me!

Gotta go.

New Mexico.

Gotta exclude him
as a suspect.

If you can't rule
Keller out,

Fisher's lawyer's gonna
make an issue of it.

Look, you know me, I like
to keep an open mind.

Maybe this single-killer
theory of yours

was a little
premature.

It's a crime of passion,
all right?

You saw what he did.
You were there.

He strangled her,

stabbed her,
crushed her skull in.

Only a son does that
to his mother.

Keller doesn't factor.
It was all Eric.

Just like he told you
the day of the crime,

when you got the cop-out.

I forgot, you didn't
get the cop-out.

Yeah, not yet, but who knows?

Maybe someone else will
get it for me.

7000 unit.
Ever heard of it?

Excuse me.

Henry Fisher...

for my son Eric.

Psst.

Eric isn't gonna show.

Right before you got here,

two sheriffs put him
on a transport van.

Where the hell
are they taking him?

I checked the transport sheet.

No official orders.

But I'm thinking downtown.

County jail.

Fresh... fish.

Here, fishy, fishy.

Enjoy your stay.

You can't just leave me here.

It's county jail, Eric;
you won't be here long.

It's the city saving gas for
your court appearance this week.

What court appearance?

Lawyers, they never
tell you shit.

Hey, let me out!

Aw, let me out. Let me out!

I didn't do it either.

You can't do this!

You can't do this. Aw...

Mommy, Mommy,
please help me.

Is someone there?

Eric, you okay?

How do you know my name?

I heard the sheriff
when you came in.

I'm no psychiatrist,
but it's not a stretch to say

that unexplained transfers
while incarcerated

lead to hypervigilance,

increased anxiety...Fuck, man.

Indeed.

It's nothing to trifle with.
Not a lot of options.

But thankfully,
there's always

good old-fashioned
talk therapy.

And lucky for you...

I'm a good listener.

Your turn.

What are you in for?

Don't say a word, kid.
Ed's a snitch.

He'll smooth-talk you,
find his way in,

open you up like
a can of soup.

Shut up, Paulie.

He wants you to confess.

Hey, you're the fucking
snitch, Paulie!

Save it!
No, save it!

This is the snitchiest
bitch of 'em all.Stop fucking with me!

That was loud.

I don't know why I'm here.You're here...

so they can get
a confession out of you.

Anything you say,

anything...
he'll piece it together

and use it for a reduction
on his sentence.

I got a piece of something
for you, Paulie.

You want to see blue skies?
Keep your mouth shut.

Aw, come on.

Shut your own
fucking mouth.

Fine, we're all
snitches.

Don't talk to anyone,
not even me.

"Don't talk to anyone,
even me."

Shut the fuck up!You lie when you breathe.

No one's listening
to you, asshole!

I understand.
Thank you.

The county jail says
he's not there.

Well, where the hell else
could he be?

Subject's in transit.

Destination isn't listed yet.

You need to get a real
criminal defense lawyer.

Great, you're quitting.

Yeah, you think he did it.

I- I think you need
a real lawyer, Hank.

A better one.

I made some calls.

Robert Sullivan. He's top-notch.

You know, Gary, a lot of people
have turned their back on me.

Never expected you
to be one of them.

At least this will be quick.

I fly to New Mexico, I get
the alibi and I'll fly back.

The Mary Fisher murder.

That's the only thing
you'd miss this for.

Miss what?

Fuck...

Come on. I'm not gonna miss
Buster's first picture.

This is gonna be a
very quick, easy trip.

Hello.

Well, if it isn't the
Los Angeles Police Department?

Detective Dave Russell.
Deputy Boyd?

Used to be. Detective now.

Arresting officer
on Keller, Chris.

Looks like your big case and
my little case got synced up.

Anything I can do to help you,

just let me know.

The air is so dry.

Can you do something
about that?

I'll put in the request, sir.

I can hit the ground running
on this thing, Detective.

I studied up
on your Fisher case.

Went to the library,
read the L.A. Times.

Then you're up to speed.

Read to me like Fisher's
your only suspect,

but I'm thinking Chris Keller
may have some intersect.

I mean,
it makes sense.

Third-party
culpability.

That's a problem, no?

You bring Keller in,

it could blow up
your case on Fisher.

One suspect turns on the
other, add a couple big-time

piece of shit defense lawyers,
could lose them both.

Maybe you do things differently
in Grant County, Detective.

In L.A., we don't
lock in and lock out.

We keep an open mind.

Open mind?

Yes, sir. Copy that.

What Fisher did
to his mom's head.

Opened it up like a hatchet
on a honeydew melon.

For what? Grocery money?

Say anything about the murder?

Mention Eric Fisher?

Not a word.

Any visitors?

Just the public defender.

One phone call,
to his dad.

The number was
out of service.

In this situation,
what's your general approach?

Can you track him down for me?

The father, Mark Keller.

Be a big help.

Detective Dave Russell,
Los Angeles Police Department.

Today's date is
the 25th of March, 1983.

Approximate time's 4:04 p.m.
Mountain Standard Time.

What is your name?

Chris Keller.

Christopher Keller?

Age 16, date of birth is 5/1/66?

Yes.

Okay, very good.

I think you already know
why I want to talk to you.

A lady by the name
of Mary Fisher was murdered

back on the 10th of March
in Sherman Oaks, California,

and the victim's son Eric Fisher
is in custody for the murder.

You lived with him.

He was your friend,
you knew Mary.

So, your friend Eric

says that you killed her,

and that he had
nothing to do with it.

So, let's not waste
each other's time.

Your mother says that you showed
up at her place on March 8?

California. Yeah.

I thought I was going home.

Hon, you got a visitor.

Christopher.

Who's that?

It's a friend
of your mom's.

W- What are you doing here?

You going to Zuma?

Haven't been there
in a while.

My ninth birthday, you-you hired
a fucking beach clown.

Um...

I don't think
today is a good idea.

That's cool.

I just wanted to ask

for some money
for a place.

I- I could pay you back.

How about
the Presbyterian?

They've got
a really nice shelter.I'd rather stay with Dad.

Hey.
Come on.

Sorry, honey, I got to go.

I'm coming.

Then where'd you go?

I hitched back to the Valley.

Did you see Eric Fisher?

Chris? Fuck.

Hey.When did you
get back?

Just
a couple days ago.

It's good to see you.Yeah.

You, too, man.

Where, where
you staying?

Just a place off Balboa.

It's got free Z Channel.

Cool.

Launch time, baby.

Your rocket ship awaits.Yeah, yeah.

Okay, um...
All right.

I'll see you around.

Yeah.

See you.

You sure
you didn't stay

with Eric?

He didn't offer,

so I didn't ask.

He was your friend,
you lived with him.

Did you have a fight?

About what?

Dope, money.
Okay.

Tuesday. Wednesday,
what'd you do Wednesday?

I went
to the Galleria again.

I... roamed around a bit, I...

Then, I-I went
to visit Mr. Fisher.

Ask for work? Money?

No. No.

Just to say hey.

There he is.

Hello.

I thought we lost you
to New Mexico.

I'm not that easy to get rid of.

It's nothing but cactus

and country music.

And it-it, it wasn't so easy,
with my dad out there.

Well, we are glad
to have you back.

Cookies.

Wow.
So,

you saw Eric last night?

How is he?

You know, Eric has that thing...

...no matter
what happens,

he'll always land on his feet.

My goodness.
Look at the time.

I've got to go.

No, I-I got
to get going, too. Um...

Thank you for the cookies.

For the road?

Okay. Thank you.

And then you left.

I caught a bus to Hollywood,

hiked up Laurel Canyon,
slept in the woods.

Why? Why not stay at a motel?

I was conserving my budget.

Plus, I don't mind
sleeping outside.

Well, when the bugs aren't
biting and when the sun

doesn't wake me
up at 5:00 a.m.

So, the next morning,

I hitched back down Laurel,
and then I got a motel.

Okay.
What time did you check in?

Some time that morning.

11:00, maybe?

Five dollars for the key,
refundable,

$21 for the room, $26 total.

Twenty-six.

11:00 a.m.?

You're sure about that?
You checked in at 11:00

on March 10, day of the murder?

Young and Restless
starts at 11:00, so...

You need some more champagne.

The Young and the Restless?

Just fucking kiss her already.

Used to watch it with my mom.

After my dad split.
Just the two of us.

And then what?

Then, I ran out of weed,

I was hungry.

I walked down Sunset,

I- I bought some pot.

I got into a knife fight
with some black dude.

A knife fight?
Yeah.

Tell me about the knife fight.

Okay, um...

So this black dude
comes up to me.

He's fucking dirty
and he's asking for money.

and I don't have any.Help a brother out?

I'm not your fucking brother.

What'd he look like?

The guy you stabbed?

You got him good.
You saw him, right?

A black guy...

Was he young? Old?
Dirty...

Short?
O- Old?

Dirty.
Fat? Thin?

What kind of knife was it?

Jackknife?
Stiletto?

Okay. So, Thursday night.

I went back to the motel.

So, how'd you pay for it?

The motel.
Where did you get the money?

I had about 40 bucks left.

Fuck.

Tuesday and Wednesday,

you slept on the street,
and then Thursday,

you spring for a room.
Why is that?

It was my last day in L.A.

I was fucking sick of it.
All of it.

That's-that's

why I came back here.

Friday.

The day after the murder. Okay.

We're going off tape.

This interview with
Christopher Keller is concluded.

It is 5:07,

Mountain Time.

Everything you just told me
does more to implicate you

in this crime
than to rule you out.

So, I need names,
places, times.

Checkable facts.

And you better pray
that you checked in

to that motel at 11:00.

Good. I've got your attention.

When I come back,
checkable fucking facts.

If you could do me a favor
and check all Hollywood area

ADW, robbery and injury reports
involving a black male victim

around 30, dreadlocks,
with a knife wound

over a 48 hour period
starting 1800, March 10.

His hotel on Sunset,

Tropicana.

He claims to have checked in
at 11:00 a.m.

Yeah. Okay, thanks, partner.

Do you know
how many Kellers

with no phones
live around here?

Works
the nights, though,

so we can't talk to him
till the morning.

You like that?

My daughter, she,

she loves fishing.

Debbie. She's five.

That's, great work. Okay?
Thank you.

Hello?

No Chris Keller
checked in

around 11:00 a.m.
on March 10.

Somebody who looked
hell of a lot

like him did at 3:00.

under the name
Mark Smith.

Open mind, Russ.

Open mind.

You've reached
the Russell residence.

We can't answer your call
right now.

You know the drill.

Hey, it's me.

Good,
you're asleep.

So I have a little more work
to do down here

and I don't know if I'll be back

in time for the doc,
but I'm gonna try.

Talk tomorrow, babe.

Kiss the girl for me.

I love you... to the moon.

Psst. Hey.What?

Come on, Eric,
I got something for you.

It's a little something
to help pass the time.

It's good shit, man.

The kind.

Don't do it, Eric.

World goes slow.
We go fast.

Fuck, man.

I just quit this shit.

Then you're going
supersonic.

Don't.

Yeah.

You ever shoot it?

When was the last time
you got high?

When was the last time
you got high, man?

Fuck, what?When'd you quit?

Yeah,
the-the-the-the day my...

my mom died.

The day my mom died,
I- I-I haven't done it.

Don't talk.

- Since...
- Shit, man.

Don't talk
to him.

I- I... I-I-I... I tried...Don't say anything.

I tried to help her, okay?

Sure, after
you killed her.

Shut the fuck up! Shut up!

...condition was rapidly
deteriorating

and he was moved to
the intensive care unit

a little before 5:00 p.m.

At 10:02 p.m.
Mountain Standard Time,

Barney Clark,
the world's first recipient

of a permanent artificial heart,

passed away. And though...

Well, he's here.

Guard just saw him.

Let's go get him.

He's not on the sheet.
He's not officially here.

But he is here, right?

7000 unit. Lot of confessions

have been coming
out of there lately.

It's a snitch tank.

Jesus.I'll file an emergency motion

to move him back first thing
in the morning. That'll work.

Henry, it's okay.

A, he's innocent.

B, I know just from meeting you,

he's smart enough
to keep his mouth shut.

You're in good hands.

You know what
I'm doing now?

I'm praying.

I'm praying for you, Eric.

I fucked up, Paulie.

I fucked up.

I fucked up so bad.

Don't tell me.

Tell Jesus.

Jesus forgives
everything.

Mr. Keller.

He ever mention a friend
named Eric Fisher?

I don't know.

Maybe.

We didn't swap diaries.When Chris returned

March 11,

did you notice anything unusual?

He paid for breakfast.

That was real
fucking unusual.

I get him at the bus station,
he says he's hungry for waffles.

Check comes, he picks it up.

Peels a 20
off a flash roll,

leaves a big fat tip.

He say how he got the money?Didn't need to.

He stole it,

like he stole from me
second we got home.

I leave my wallet
in my work pants.

Go to work that night,
take it out to buy some smokes,

it's fucking empty.

Thank you for your time,
Mr. Keller.

Yeah.

How'd it go?

Take me to Chris Keller.

You claim you checked in
to the motel at 11:00 a.m.

You lied.

You checked in at 3:00
as "Mark Smith"

with money that you stole
from Mary Fisher's purse.

I didn't steal anything.

Sure you did.
You stole it the day before.

No, I didn't.

All right.

Going off tape.

10:51 a.m. Mountain Standard
Time. Bathroom break.

Hey. You're gonna give me
a sworn statement

that you stole that money

from Mrs. Fisher's purse
on March 9.

But I didn't.

Sure you did,
and you spent it on dope,

motel the next day,

Greyhound bus out here...No.

...to buy your dad a fat waffle
breakfast when he picked you up.

You spoke to him?He told me

you came back from L.A.
with a big flash roll.

No,
that's-that's bullshit.

So let me tell you
what your status is, okay?

You're either gonna
go back with me to L.A.

where you're gonna be
in a heap of trouble,

or you're gonna be a goddamn
great witness for me.

Okay?

Now you are not
either/or.

You are one or the other.

I'm gonna offer you immunity
for your sworn statement.

Hey, that's a world-class offer.

Back on the record
with Chris Keller.

Bathroom break is over.
It is 11:02 a.m.,

Mountain Standard Time.

So this is what I think
happened, Chris.

You tell me if I'm right.

March 8,

two days before the murder,

you go over to Eric's place,

and the two of you
do dope together.

Right? But you split because
he runs out and you need more.

That's not true at all.I'm not done.

You try to score,

but it's hard
'cause you have no money.

You can't go back to Eric's,
so that night, yeah,

you-you sleep in a carport.

And the next day,
March 9,

the day before the murder,

you go back to Mrs. Fisher's.

And while she's being all sweet and baking you cookies,

you steal 150 bucks
from her purse.

No, I didn't.And then you head off
to Hollywood

where you score,
and then the next day,

Mrs. Fisher finds
her empty wallet.

Naturally, she blames Eric.

He's stolen from her
lots of times before.

So when he comes over,
she fucking blows up at him.

They fought all the time, right?

Yeah. They fought.

And he snaps,

and he attacks her,

and he crushes her skull.

All of those horrible things

that he did to her.

This, and this, and this.

And this, and this.

I'm right. Look at me, Chris.

Am I right?

You know him.
You know what he does to women.

You know what
he's capable of.

Kim Decker.
You know what he did to her.

This is Eric.

All you did..

...was steal a little
dope money, that's all.

I- I saw Eric
the first night,

and that's it.

I didn't steal anything.

Eric couldn't do this.

So, if you don't
tell me the truth,

I'm gonna take you
back to L.A.

and make sure
you go down for this.

Last chance.

11:05 a.m. Mountain
Standard Time,

we are terminating this
interview with Chris Keller.

Sure, it's cleaner
if Fisher did it alone.

But if Keller's involved,
he's involved.

You'll have to bring him
back to Los Angeles,

even if it screws
with your case.

Like you said...

Open mind.

Turns out the old lady
who shot at Keller

is blind as a bat.

Couldn't make a positive ID

if you dunked him in red paint.

You got a point?

I may be small town,

but I know how to lose
a piece of shit like Keller

in the system
for a week or so.-

If you think you
might need him.

Unlawful detainment, that how
you do things around here?

No. But I thought
you might be open to it.

Actually, I thought it was
a world-class offer.

Yeah.

Thanks for the help.

Detective Russell.

For your daughter.

Thanks.

Safe flight.

I'm supposed to be at Sylmar.
It fucking says.

Yo, Sylmar's for juveniles.

I'm 17, man.

No, you're not.
Minor in adult jail,

that's against the law.

Hey, if you're 17,
I'll get you out.

Someone lets a juvie in here,
he's getting fucking fired.

Then get me out.

Shit.

1965.

You're right.
Yeah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Deputy!

Deputy!

We got a juvenile
in here!

Garry Shandling is here tonight.

He is one of the brighter
young comedians

that's emerged in the past
several years.

He's currently appearing
at the Universal Amphitheatre

in Los Angeles
with Donna Summer.

Garry Shandling! Gare?

Well, thank you, sir.

Babe?
Hey.

You're home.

Honey. What's going on?

I lost it.

I lost the baby.

Right after you left.

I was at work.

Shh... Hey.

You didn't tell me.

What?

I- I-I-I called last night.

Right.

You weren't here.

I'm sorry.I was alone.

It's okay.

Did you tell them?

I sure fucking tried.

You didn't say anything.

No, I told them that,
Eric didn't do it.

You know,
they got the wrong guy.

You told them about Chris.

I started to, but he
didn't want to hear it.

He was, you know, just...

Fucking kicked me right out,

like he thought I was high.

They're fucking cops, Amy.
Come on.

We could go back.

Together.

Make them listen.Let me tell you something.

I would never let anyone
treat my baby

the way that these
motherfuckers just treated me.

You understand that?

Yeah.
Come on, you're gonna
be late for work.

Let's go.

Stand up, face the wall.

What are you doing?

Taking you back to Sylmar.

I don't know why,
and you know what,

I'm not asking.

It's all right, Sheriff.

We know why.

We don't have all day.

Thank you.

I'm praying for you.

I'm praying for you, Eric.

How'd it go?

Fine.

It's all good.

All good.

So Keller was here
on March 10,

but he wasn't at the house.

But you couldn't
rule him out.

Eric Fisher did this.

Look, Russ... I get it.

Your first big case
as primary.

Your history with the kid.

How you locked in
at the post.

If the facts don't
fit your theory,

you don't change the facts.

Eric Fisher did this.

You got something else?

D.A. called.

Judge read him the riot act
over moving a 17-year-old

to the 7000 unit at county.

Fuck!
They put him back?

This morning, yeah.

Fisher's new lawyer
filed an emergency motion.

Aw, shit.

That 7000 unit,
that's a tough place.

Inmate got injured there
just this morning.

For some reason, this inmate

wants to speak
with you.

Wants to tell you all about it.

Thank God.
Thank God.

You okay?
Yeah, I'm okay.
I'm okay.

Robert Sullivan.
Hi.

Nice to meet you, Eric.

You didn't talk to anybody
in there about your case?

Wh-- No, no.

I did-- I didn't say a word.

Those guys are--

Those guys are
all snitches.

Good.

Good?

Then let's get started
on your defense.

Okay.

Mr. Manning.
Detective Dave Russell.

I hear you've been talking
to Eric Fisher.

Eric's been talking
to Jesus.

I've just been
listening in.