Interrogation (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - Henry Fisher vs Eric Fisher 1992 - full transcript

As riots erupt after the Rodney King verdicts, Henry Fisher (David Strathairn) pays an emotional visit to Eric in prison and confronts him with a very difficult question. Eric, entangled in...

I need an ambulance. Hurry.

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

Just get over here.

A stunning verdict
from Southern California.

has just reached its verdict.

The four police officers
who were videotaped

repeatedly beating
an unarmed man

were found not guilty
on all but one count.

The all-white jury,
deadlocked on that one charge...

You hear the verdict?

Lab boys had it on the radio.



As you said,
the judge, the jury found...

I thought Faith was coming.

Well, maybe her séance ran long.
I don't know.

She gets dead people talking,
she can't shut 'em up.

Faith's not coming.

Hank, sit.

You know, they're gonna
burn the whole place down.

Your latest tests.

They're not good.

Well, what?

Tell me, Doc.
Is it three strikes?

There's nothing more we can do.

Jesus, Howie.

You make it sound
like I'm dying.



Okay. So, how long?

Weeks? Days?

Months.

A year, tops.

You want me to talk to Faith?

No. I can handle that.

What about Eric?

That's one hell
of a house call, Doc.

How's he doing?

He grew up in prison.

How the hell do you
think he's doing?

Those freakin' cops.

Innocent.

For Tony.

Picasso. You file that appeal?

Then you won't mind
giving me back that case

you sliced out
of the Pacific Reporter.

Man, I didn't slice nothing.Yeah, I was gonna trade you.

Giants are playing tonight,

and your boy
Trevor Wilson's pitching.

Wait a minute.

20 ramen for Benadryl.

Benadryl's free, counselor.
Ramen's for this.

I found your missing case.

You can put 20 on my commissary.

Piece-of-shit hustler.

Supply and demand.

Yeah. You and your man Drake.

You like prison.
You don't want to get home.

How many appeals
you won lately?

How many inmates
you walk out of here?

You see,
I hustle ramen.

You hustle hope.

Big day.

Picked the right man
for the job.

So, what's up?

Waiting for my daughter.

Hey, Drake, visitor.

Your, your daughter.

Chelsea.

Did something
happen with her?

You like the job?

Of course you do.

Movement, action.

Yeah, I like the job.

I need you to do
something for me.

The catwalk between C block
and the T-station.

It's a badge shortcut.

Movie night next week,
you're gonna leave it unlocked,

both ends.

You're gonna
take out a guard?

My daughter lives
in Bakersfield.

15-hour diesel therapy
getting here,

and that motherfucker pulls
her off for a strip search.

Full cav, no gloves.
Just those fat, dirty mitts.

Every visit
the last eight months.

She only told me
this last time because...

she's pregnant.

Thinks she's gonna lose
the baby 'cause of him.

Outside justice,

cop frames you for killing
your mom, can't do shit.

Inside justice, that shit
gets done, brother.

Count time.

Badges out.

Mitchell.

Check.

I got a clean
record, man.

'Cause I kept AB off your ass.

I kept you alive.

Yes or no.

Drake.

All right, yeah.

Here at Normandie and Florence,

what we have down here, folks,
is rioting in the street.

This in the aftermath
of the Rodney King verdict.

There's terrible violence
down here.

In terms of police presence,
there's none.

Are you saying you don't see

the violence spreading
beyond South Central?

- Well, I don't know.
- There's a lot of anger here.

And as a friend of mine
told me this morning,

that kind of anger
doesn't spring up overnight.

Hey, did you see those monsters?

Dragging that poor guy
out of his truck?

Hey.

Riot flowers.

Way things are
going out there,

I might not have a
chance to do that again.

Howard called.

Didn't know you were going
to see him today.

It was just a regular
appointment. No big deal.

No, it wasn't.

He's wrong, by the way.

You are not going to die.

At least,
not anytime soon.

Because I'm not gonna
let that happen.

You're going to see your son.

No, I-I can't do
that to him.

Not now.

It's not for him, sweetheart.
It's for you.

You've just been carrying
around all these feelings

bottled up inside
for so long.

It is literally
making you sick.

Feelings? Ha. You and that
ouija board malarkey.

Faith, let's
just call it what it is.

Stage four COPD.

My God.

Okay. Sit down. Come on.

The feeling I'm talking
about is doubt.

That doubt you've
had about Eric,

ever since the
first moment

you saw him in the back
of that police car.

Hey, that's not true.

H- He...
Honey.

You need to go see him,
to look him in the eye,

and you need to ask him...

Jesus Christ. You...

Y- You think he killed her.

Honey.

I don't think
Eric killed her.

I know he didn't.

But you don't.

It has been a long,

ugly night here following
the police trial verdicts.

A night in which reason
gave way to insanity.

That's right, Bill.

And heading into
what looks to be

another night
of rioting and looting,

a citywide curfew has been
declared from dusk to dawn.

You believe this shit?

Mayor Bradley,

telling people
to stay home tonight,

watch Cosby's last show.

You think any of
them listened?

Any unit in the vicinity,
officer needs help.

8- Adam-14 taking rocks and
bottles at Pico and Robertson.

Unit handling, identify.

8- Mobile-1. Show us responding.

We're close. Command post can
wait a couple minutes, right?

Fuck the police!

- Go, go!
- Come on, man!

Run, run!

Watch the back alley!

We were doing a Code 7 run
for the watch commander.

I'll call in
an R.A. unit.

No, no.
Not-not-not yet.

We'll transport her
ourselves. Your shop.

Come on.There's another unit rolling in.

I'm gonna hitch a ride
back to the CP.

See you there.Yep.

Move! Move!

Officer with a head injury!

- Hey!
- Wet got a cop.

Wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait.

Sit back.
Let's get her
into a bed.

She's gonna
need a CT scan.

You okay?

A little swamped
right now, but yeah.

Where's Debbie?Debbie's fine.

Not if she's at your sister's.
I just came

from that area.Yeah, I heard the call.

And not if she's at
your apartment.

You think I left her at home?

I don't.
Detective Russell.

I'm in the
middle here.

Your husband.

The officer you brought in--
just in time.

Brain bleed.
She's gonna be okay.

That's good.
Good news, Dr...

Hughes. Ted Hughes.

Rapid response team to ICU 3.

Rapid response team
to ICU 3.

You want to see your daughter?

I didn't drop her anywhere.

You just want to make sure
she's okay.

You don't actually
want to talk to her

or see how she's holding up.

And I got to get back out there.

Me, too.

...You okay?

I wrote Eric a letter today.

Well, you didn't tell him,
did you?

No.

Why would I?
You're gonna get better.

Just said you were coming
for a visit, that's all.

Okay. Okay, mister. Come on.

Let's go back to bed.

The truth is, honey,

your dad doesn't have
much time left.

: You know him. He won't want to talk about it,

so when you see him,
please let him bring it up.

And if there's anything
you need to tell him,

anything you need
to get off your chest,

now's the time.

How much do you think
your weak relationship

between you
and Chief Daryl Gates

affected the aftermath
of the riot?Yeah, not at all.

We've got to get on
with the healing process,

and that cannot...
will not happen

until Daryl Gates is off
the scene as chief of police.

- No doubt, road dog.
- Something's up.

My dad's coming.

He's sick.

That's why my man
in Visiting set you up.

I'm grateful.

No need, no need.
We do for each other.

Something else, something extra,
with your dad?

Don't want to say, don't say.

Movie night is coming up.

You good?

Yeah, I'm good.

No doubt.

Are you sure you don't
want to come in?

No, no. You're on
your own, baby.

Ask him.

It's just a visit. You know.

Make it a good visit.

Yeah.

All right.

How was the drive?

Too long.

Kind of like
your hair is right now.

Yeah.

Wait till you see my ink.

Come on.

It's good to see you.

Well, we got this
all to ourselves.

How did you pull that?

Made a reservation.

You're the maître d'
here now?

Dad, what's going on?

Nothing.

No, I j...

just wanted to come see my boy.

And, um...

I've-I've been doing
some thinking, Eric.

You know.
A lot of thinking, really.

You know, with all this time on
my hands 'cause this, you know.

And, um...

I owe you an apology.

For how I was as a father.

Or how I wasn't.

You know this isn't how visits
are supposed to work, right?

You're supposed to come
and cheer me up.

I didn't protect you.

And that's pretty much
the job description of...

of being a dad.

You know, that day?
You know, the...

The day.

After you called,
screaming,

"Come home, Dad,"
I- I d-didn't remember anything.

No, I didn't remember
driving there. I didn't...

Nothing.

Except this one thing.

I remember seeing you
in that patrol car.

And it was the way I saw you.

Mary, pick him up.

Pick him up, honey.

He doesn't know me.

Folks, we got to get this done--
before Mom changes her mind.

Well, there's your mom
right there, Gary.

Pick him up, honey.
He wants you.

Sweetheart.

Th-This is the
right thing.

It's-it's the
only thing.

We do this, and
we're a family.

Congratulations.Thanks.

I didn't protect you.

Protect me from what, Dad?

From her.

From your mother.

Mommy.

I have to go potty.

He did, right after dinner.

Mommy.

Don't you dare.

Mommy.
You missed it.

Shocking-- you worked late.

But I fed him, I read to him,
I said good night.

He has to learn

to calm himself down.

Mommy.

What's the
matter, buddy?

What are you crying for?

God.

Mary...

I'm gonna have to clean you up.
I'm sorry.

Come on, pal.

Okay, I'm dreaming.

No, you're not, Mary.

I went in there, and he
was covered in shit.

Clean sheets
in the closet.

I know, buddy.
I'm sorry.

I should've seen it
from the beginning,

but I... Well, I did.

I- I... I-I just didn't
want to see it.

You know, we tried
for-for such a long time,

and she was fine with it,
not having a kid.

I mean, she-she had her job,
you know, she loved working.

She had all
her friends and...

She already had a life.

You know,
the truth is,

she was never cut out
to be a mom.

That's it. You're doing it.

Don't let go!I won't. You're doing it.

Don't!
I won't!

You need to promise.I promise.

You got it.Mom? Are you still holding?

Pedal!
Pedal, pedal, pedal!

Mom!
Keep pedaling.

Mom?
Pedal, pedal, pedal.

You lied!Hey, you did it.

You did great. Come on.

Did you see that?Well, let's just try it again.

No! She promised!Come back here.

Now!

Go get him.
He has to learn.

Learn what?

To ride a bicycle.

Mary, he was ri...

You little shit!

Daddy!

Mary, what's going on?

Well, th-that's okay.

You think?You can mend that.

Mary, what are
you doing?

Mary, stop it. Stop.

You like that?
Does that feel good?

Why?

Why are you doing this?

I wasn't a...

I wasn't a good father.

Eric...

...whatever happened
between you and your mother

on-on that day...You're dying,

and before you go, you want
to know if I did it,

I mean, it'd be okay
if I did, right?

You'd forgive me...

...because you didn't
protect me.

I did...

You never fucking believed me.

That's why you got me
that shitty lawyer,

never pursued Chris Keller.

You never even
fucking bailed me out.

I couldn't.
I didn't have the money.

If you believed in me, you
would've had that money easy.

You'd have borrowed
on the house,

you'd have sold that
fucking stamp collection.

The fucking stamps,
they weren't worth

the glue on the back of 'em.

But that fur...

I was glad you cut it.

That's what you remember.

That's not how it happened.

Where were you?

Since when do
you care where I am?

Don't you
walk away from me.

Christ, Henry.

You don't even have
the decency to hide them.

You know, Mary, I-I don't even
know what you're talking about.

Your women.

Is there anyone
you're not fucking?

Well, well, why would I
want to fuck you?

You can't even take care
of your own son.

My son or our dog?...

Because that's how
you brought him home.

You didn't
want him from day one.

Well, why would I?
You think I believe that story?

Do you think anyone
believes that story?

Tell the truth.

Is Eric your real son?

Did you knock up
one of your slut clients?

You don't believe that.

You can't.

Baby,
- shh.

It's okay, baby.

It's okay.

Shh. It's okay.

Simple fix, you know?

"Adoption." Surprise.

Say hi to Eric.

Jesus Christ.

Yeah, go ahead,
breathe,

and then when you're done,
tell me I'm fucking wrong.

Go on.

What, you think...

I'm your real father?

Would explain a lot.

Why she was so angry, you know.

Why she was so unhappy
all the time.

No, you...

don't believe that.

Why not?
You think I killed her.

Part of you does.

It's why you're here.

No, it's not why I'm here.

And you didn't.

I know you didn't.

You couldn't.

Eric...

I have a lot of regrets
in my life,

but adopting you
wasn't one of them.

You know, maybe I forced her
to sign those papers.

Yeah, I did. I know I did
because it was the only way

I could get what I wanted.

I wanted a son.

I wanted you.

I may not be
your natural father,

but I am your father.

And you don't belong here.

You don't.

You just surviving this place,

Eric, it's not
good enough.

I want you out.

I want you to lead
a- a real life.

Yeah.

How the fuck
is that gonna happen?

I'm leaving you money.

New lawyers,
new in-in-investigators,

whatever it takes.

I mean, come on,
look at you. Look at you.

You've got to do
better than this.

Eric, you have to work.

You have to,
you have to learn something,

develop some skills.

Will you do that? For me?

I don't know.

I kind of like it here.

Eric, this is no joke.

Hey.

I love you.

I love you,
and you need to do this.

Hey!

For you?

I'll try.

I'm not cutting
my fucking hair, though.

So, how did it go?

You get your answer?

Pretty day.

Shut your damn mouth!

Road dog,
where you been?

Look, I'm not
doing it.

What you asked,
the-the-the door.

I- I just, I can't,
I can't, man.

I quit the job.

No one quits that job.
That's why I got it for you.

Yeah, right, 'cause
we're friends?

Friends.

Yeah.

No doubt.

Look, man, I just want
to be straight with you.

Right.

You're a stand-up guy.

I was thinking, this weekend,

half-day boat off Malibu Pier,

all three of us.

What?

Fishing this weekend.

I'm at Mom's this weekend.

Forget something?

Honey?

Thought you were Debbie.
She forgot her lunch.

Yeah, well, I forgot she was
getting a ride to school today.

I'll drop it off
on my way to work.

The roses look beautiful.

I just water them.

Where is it?

Her lunch.

It's inside.

I'll grab it for you.

Yeah, I know.
Come here, come here.

You know...Shut up.

You want to know what I know.

Look, I got issues
in my case. Okay?

I got a bad lawyer,
I got a snitch,

I got a fucking
crooked cop.

You-you ain't
got time, man.

No. I got nothing but.

Okay? And it's all for you.

I need to learn.Way I hear it,

the AB boys got
your pine box made.

Mr. Franklin, please.

Look, I'll do
whatever you say.

Whatever you want.

Come on.

My brother, Willie,

why I'm here.

Jack Nicklaus wins

the '86 Masters,
I go downstairs to find him,

catch him fucking my niece.

His own little girl.
Six years old.

I blew his brains out.

Drake and the AB shitheads

are sending you
straight to hell.

If you run into Willie,
tell him I say hey.

Hey! Knock it off!

Get out of here.
Come on.

Jesus. You are a mess.

So... Hey.

Does this mean
you're coming home?

I got to go.
I'm gonna be late for work.

How about dinner tonight?

No. Shit, I can't.

The West Bureau's
mandated some bullshit

community policing training
seminar for supervisors.

The new LAPD.

Yeah. I remember
when the job

was just taking bad
guys off the board.

Now, with Gates on his way
out, those days are over.

Yeah, it does.

It does mean
I'm coming home.

Man.

- Attention, inmates.
- Movie night begins

in the common room
in five minutes.

Excuse me.

Sure.

Face forward!

Get down on the floor!

Face forward!

All personnel,
facilities are on lockdown.

Make sure all inmates
return to their cells

and sit on their butts
and wait for the count.

Shit.

Sheriff's investigators
are ten minutes out.

A rug?

I had no idea.

Shit.

You have said that you have
a department out here

that has lost the faith
of the community.

A dep-department that itself
is-is demoralized.

Yes, morale
is at rock bottom

in the police department.

The-the Rodney King,
incident of-of the past year,

the-the... the magnifying glass
that every officer was under,

their activities.

Then you have

a- a community who,
because they've had

a battle with the chief,
for quite a few years,

has lost, faith and trust
in the police department.

Um, and there's not
a lot of bridges

built between
the community and...

And it's not just
the-the minority community.

It's all the communities.

I think th-they want
to see a change.

They're keeping their doors
open, they have their hand out.

They're saying,
"Come in and work with us,

and we'll work with you."

Welcome to Legal Aid Education

at Webson State Prison.

We're gonna take one case

through the entire
judicial system,

learn the constitutional and
procedural issues involved

as we go.

What about, paperwork?

How to file things.

We'll be learning
about that, too. S...For parole hearings,

grievances, appeals?

That's a tall order,
but sure, we can try.

If you let me continue.

I want to learn it all.

Everything.

Look, I don't want
to be a hustler, man.

I want to be like you.

All right? I want to read cases.
I want to know their lessons.

They're not lessons, man;
they're holdings.

I've got a grievance,
lawyer man.

I know they're called holdings.

Well, then, hold on,

shit dick.

I steal a hot dog
from chow,

this fucking sergeant pulls
my conjugal visits

for three months.

I can't live like that.

Can't help you, man.

I'm backed up
with appellate work.

You're gonna
fucking help me.

You're gonna help me big-time.

Three months.

I mean, that sounds like
a disproportionate response.

Shut your hole.I mean, it's clear.

I mean, look, clearly,
it's a-a level three grievance.

Right?Sounds right.

So, what, we file directly
with correctional corporal?

Yeah.

You got your ticket?

Let me see.

Okay, yeah, so we'll file
a level three today, and...

How long till they let me fuck?

Like, a week, tops.

No problem.

You better fucking hope so.

How was that?

Man.

It's gonna be
a long fucking road.

You want to leave
a high top to this?

No.

Take it all off.

I want it clean.

All right.

New man.

Fucking A.

Brand-new.