Law & Order (1990–2010): Season 1, Episode 2 - Subterranean Homeboy Blues - full transcript

Narrator:. In the criminal justice
system, the people are represented

by two separate yet
equally important groups-

the police
who investigate crime

and the district attorneys
who prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

Announcer:.
Next stop, 14th Street.

Change for
the uptown local.

Announcer:.
Next stop, 23rd Street.

Let me through!

Out of the way!
Come on!

Cop:
Come on, come on!



Station 45? we have a
shooting in car number seven.

I heard
there was two.

One's still
down there.

They got two detectives
coming down right now.

Patrolman: How you doing, fellas?

where are we
going, Joe?

He's right
over there.

Looks like
we're in here.

How's this one?

He's okay. Guy doesn't
look so good to me.

You're right,
he'd look better dead-

one less jerk
with a screwdriver.

You see the shooter?

I did.



Could you describe him
for me?

Her.

Her?

What did she
look like?

A ballerina.

A ballerina?

Oh, yeah.

Talk about
your "nutcracker," huh?

You Jones?

How you feeling?

I didn't
do nothing.

Of course you didn't, Michael
- you're a newborn babe.

what you want with me?
Your speedy recovery,

so you might have
a happy productive life.

Actually...

we're on your side,
Michael.

why'd she shoot you?

I don't know, man.

The chick must be going
crazy or something.

what did Darnell
do, then?

Nothing.

Nothing?

we heard he was coming
onto her pretty strong.

whoever told you that
is lying.

My partner asked her
for some apple...

and she shot him.

It's that simple.

Asked,
or demanded?

Asked.

Besides, why'd she
shoot me, huh?

I didn't do
a damn thing to her.

I was just sitting down
doing nothing, man.

Listen, Michael,
now listen real good.

If the lady popped you two
'cause you were "mau-mauing" her,

and they put her
on trial,

I'll testify for her.

But if you're telling
the truth-

if you're telling the truth
I'll haul her into that court

and nail her
for attempted murder.

I am telling
the truth.

Like I got a real
good chance of proving it.

Got a bleeder here.
Hemostat. Here you go.

Tie him off. Come on,
come on. Get the lead out.

Doctor:.
What's the hurry?

This guy won't be
running a marathon.

Nurse:
Can you see all right?

wrap it up.

Cragen:
You recover a slug?

Two. One in the subway,
one in Chenault's lower back.

Cragen: That's a start.
Any leads on the gunman?

Gunwoman.

Gunperson.

A lot
of phone calls.

Uh-huh. who from?

Bunch of psycho sisters.
Each one...

claiming to be
the "Avenging Angel. "

Oh great,
that is great.

who's calling her that?
It's already on the radio.

why do you think we're
getting all these volunteers?

Maybe they can
relate to her.

They'd like to peddle their
life story to the highest bidder.

I don't want the press
going into a feeding frenzy.

You mean, like, "Babe
to punks: Drop dead"?

Maybe we should
deputize her.

Just find her.

woman: Positive
- he was grinding himself

right in
that woman's face.

what about the other
one? He was just as bad,

but I kept my attention on
the one who was pushing on her.

Are you willing to testify in
court to what you've told us?

Of course.

A lot of people develop
short-term memory loss these days.

I'm not afraid
of punks like that.

I dealt with worse
when I taught fifth grade.

Mrs. Hastings,

the woman who did
the shooting,

she's the one
that we're looking for.

well, you shouldn't be.
when you find her

I hope she gets
a medal.

"Midtown Dance Club. "
I think that's what it was.

"Manhattan. "

You have good eyes. You
got to pay attention-

Chaz- That's how come
I seen the ice pick.

Ice pick?
what ice pick?

The one with
the Yankees cap.

Look, I'm a Mets fan,
I hate the Yankees,

and he's waving an ice pick.
I'm thinking, "what's this for?

It's all automatic
ice cubes now. "

we heard it was
a screwdriver.

I seen what I seen.

You really think we like
these two dirtbags?

So what's
your problem?

Shooting people you don't like
is a big problem.

Unless you're
defending your own self.

Are you saying it was
self-defense? I seen what I seen.

why do I get the feeling
we're on the wrong side here?

'Cause you're thinking
like a civilian.

Oh yeah, right.
I should've known better.

Hey, don't worry, Max,

next time I'll be
a good little German.

You got a wise mouth.

Oh yeah?
Yeah.

what, you want every fruitcake
on the BMT packing six on his hip?

'Course I don't want that,
I just think those-

Don't think!

The city ain't
a free-fire zone.

Gimme a-

...turn, turn,

and port de bras.

Okay, let's take five.

Miss Putterman?
Mm-hmm.

I'm Detective Logan.
I called you before.

Yes, I told you, it
sounds like Laura di Biasi.

You got her address?

what do I look like,
a phone book?

In Manhattan.

Okay, everybody,
let's take it again.

Logan:
Yes, I am aware-

okay, I'm aware
it's unlisted.

I told you for the 1 Oth time,
I'm a police officer.

Let's get this straight-
Detective Mike Logan,

Badge number nine-

warrant, huh? warrant
this, lady, all right?

I need a warrant, it's
going to take me three hours.

Now you listen to me.
You listen to me!

Hold on.

Hi. To whom am I speaking, please?

Hello,
Miss Schweder,

this is
Sergeant Greevey.

Could you connect me with
your central office supervisor?

Maybe we can straighten
some of this out.

Thank you so much.

Max: Chenault's got
priors up the ying-yang.

Nothing on Jones.
Nothing?

Computer came up with 12
felons named "Michael Jones,"

"Michael J.,
Michael Ray"-

"Michael T."

I hate walk-ups.

No positive make
on our own

"Michael
no-middle-initial Jones. "

Zippo.

Nobody home-

down the stairs.

whoa, whoa, whoa.

Ahem!
Oh!

Excuse me. It's all right,
ma'am. we're the police.

Do you knowwhere the lady
who lives there is?

Miss di Biasi?

She works
at Murray Hill Hospital.

Man: I'm the Chief
Administrator in this place,

and I've
told you twice-

You don't discuss
personnel.

I'm telling you, I'm not
interested in a discussion!

I want to know
where she is!

She's working
in Radiology.

Miss di Biasi?

Sergeant Greevey,
Detective Logan.

we'd like to ask you
a few questions.

Yeah, I imagine
you would.

I felt threatened.

Max:
It's a threatening city.

I felt I had to defend
myself. Is that a crime?

That's what we're
trying to determine.

why'd you run?

Because I was
freaked out.

Okay, we can
appreciate that,

but where'd you get
the gun?

Somebody gave it to
me. Logan: Boyfriend?

Somebody. I don't
know, it was years ago.

Meaning it's probably
unlicensed.

Logan:
Okay...

what did you do
with it?

I guess I threw it. "Guess"?

I dropped it down
there. In the subway?

Yeah.

Listen, are you sure you
don't want to call your lawyer?

My lawyer?

Do I look like I could afford
to have a personal lawyer?

Anyway, I don't need one.
I haven't done anything wrong.

I wouldn't
count on that.

Are you arresting me?

Not at the present time.

But if we do arrest you,

a lawyer will be
provided for you at no cost.

why are we busting
her chops?

That the way
you see it?

Two kids jump her
on the subway,

she defends herself,
okay?

we're not talking
about "Squeaky" Fromme here.

we don't know that. we don't?

Look, she did the shooting,
that makes her the perp.

That's all I know.

what, you want
to do her or something?

Hey, hey-

it's all
that simple, huh?

when it comes to the
law, it better be.

Jones doesn't
even have a record.

He say he was sitting down
when she shot him.

Yeah, and he's such an
innocent-looking guy, Max.

Oh, that's terrific.

"You're under arrest
for looking guilty. "

That's a cheap shot.

The hell it is. That kind of
thinking, you can't do the job.

when it comes to the law,
everybody's the same.

That's when it works-
when everybody's the same.

It's like football-
you hold somebody,

you get caught,
it's a penalty.

Doesn't matter whether
you're Billy Sims

or some rookie
for East Podunk State.

Max: She admitted that
she did the shooting-

it's on videotape.

She also says, "Yes, I wanted
to kill them, to hurt them. "

Isn't that enough? You want
to arrest her on the Sullivan?

A gun charge is pretty lame,
don't you think?

It's still mandatory
jail time.

She fired into a crowded
subway car, for God's sakes!

You want to go
for attempted murder,

you're going to need a formal
statement from the other vic-

Mr. Chenois.

That's Chenault.
Darnell Chenault.

whatever.

Chenault's been upgraded.
Room 322.

Jones? Jones is in 324,
but you better hurry.

Excuse me, ma'am.

Dr. Garcia,
pick up your messages...

Look here.

Michael Jones?

Used to be.

Man: I don't want
a shot, sweetheart,

I want to get
out of this damn bed.

Nurse: That's not going to
happen for a while, Damell.

So just take it easy.

Darnell: Take it easy? Hey, baby,

give me some decent drugs
if you want me to take it easy.

Nicely, Darnell,
nicely.

what are you
so upset about?

Man, they say I'm going
to be paralyzed, man.

Dumb mothers give me
freaking aspirin with codeine.

You a new specialist?

Sergeant Greevey,
Detective Logan.

Yeah, Darnell,
just the facts, okay?

The facts is,
why'd the bitch shoot me?!

I didn't do nothing.

Stone:
Reckless endangerment?

That tells the jury
the girl was a little upset,

but so long as no innocent bystanders
were hit, there's no problem.

There's something
to that, isn't there?

I got a subway
full of eyewitnesses

who claims they saw
one of the victims

accost Miss di Biasi-
threaten her.

with his hand on his
crotch? with a screwdriver!

Or with an ice-pick,
or a pick axe.

It's funny what the eye
can witness.

Attempted homicide.

I know we're going
to prosecute,

but do we have
to hang her out to dry?

why, so every loophead
can blast away

when someone asks him
for the time?

Yeah, I forgot, you guys
in the DA's office

are a regular bunch
of "Carnacs. "

You ask me, the young
gentlemen were not asking

for the time of day.

Let us suppose, just
for the sake of argument,

that Miss di Biasi has
had a really horrendous day,

and someone jokingly says,
"Stick 'em up. "

She kills them.
It's not self-defense, right?

So she's liable
for negligent homicide,

only in this case-

in this case
the guy didn't die.

Okay, so we go
for attempted murder,

if you're sure
you can make it stick.

You'd better hope I can.

She walks, New York
is Dodge City.

May I make a
suggestion? By all means.

Skip the "legal
beagling"

and go with plain
vanilla murder two.

The coroner
is determining

the COD
on Mr. Jones

even as we speak.

Murder two?

Bring her in.

wait a sec, huh?

Ooh.

Sergeant Greevey.

Hold on.

Relax, relax.

Just tell me
what happened, honey.

No- well, why
worry about it then, huh?

Yeah, of course.

we'll talk about it
later tonight, okay?

I'll get home
as soon as possibly can, okay?

Yeah, me too.

what?

It's nothing.

Oh, I thought
it might've been something.

Eileen got
roughed up at school.

She hurt? No, you
know, just some bruises.

Is that all?

Yeah.

Yeah, that's all.

Come on,
let's wrap this up.

who did it?

Three guys
from her basketball team.

She ignored them so they slammed
her up against the lockers.

Bastards.

I wonder if Chenault
and Jones were any good.

At what?

Basketball.

Don't touch me
with that thing.

Max: Did you
re-Miranda-ize her?

Yeah, on the way in.

where's my lawyer?
why isn't she here yet?

The Public Defenders
have a heavy caseload.

She told me
she'd be here.

Maybe she's stuck
in traffic.

Have a seat.

I really...

want a lawyer.

I don't want
to talk to you.

You understand,
Miss di Biasi,

that you are charged
with negligent homicide?

And when you appear
before the judge

he'll determine
what the bail will be,

if the court decides
that you're eligible.

why is this woman
handcuffed?

Sorry, there was
an accident on the FDR.

You haven't said
anything, I trust?

"Trust" and "lawyer," that's a
pair of words that don't match.

How about "cop"
and "IQ over 90"?

Shambala Green,
I'm Miss di Biasi's PD.

So I gathered.

And I ask again,
why is she handcuffed?

Because she's
an accused killer.

Look, Ms. Green,

why don't you save your
attitude for the courtroom?

Do you have
a toothbrush?

'Cause we have to take you
over to the women's side

until you're
arraigned.

Here, Counselor,

do something useful.

what nuance? I spelled it out
for them in black and white.

Adam: Yup, and
therein lies the rub.

what, the color angle?

Forget it, Adam,
this isn't Selma.

Neither was Howard Beach, and
you knowwhat happened there.

You read "The Times" poll-
blacks favor tougher sentences

for street crime
then whites do.

Very good.

we've still got to worry
about the perception of racism.

Did she think these
guys were a threat

because they were
street toughs...

or because
they were black?

I can't answer that.
All I know is that self-defense

requires that the response be in
direct proportion to the threat.

The threat as she
reasonably perceives it.

If she thinks she is
about to be raped

can she kill
her attacker?

The law says yes,
absolutely.

And what if her
perception is wrong?

If we let her go, do you realize
what we are unleashing in this city?

There's always
the weapons charge.

You can't be serious.

If we don't prosecute, we're
creating a city of vigilantes.

A man is dead.

I don't need a summation.
Nowwhat do you want?

Permission to file
a murder indictment?

You want to ask
for deniability?

I told you to file?
Since when do I dictate to you?

You don't have
a problem?

It's not my problem
to have.

Robinette:
No, I'm not a policeman.

I work for
the District Attomey's office.

what do you want
to know.

Is Miss di Biasi
an RN?

No, a technician.
She used to be a dancer.

She told you that?

we're friends.
She told me about it.

She was performing with
a modern dance company.

I don't know if she
made a living at it.

But you do know
what happened?

She was attacked-

down in the subway, by
three youthful offenders.

After she recovered,
she came to work here.

And what was her
reaction to the attack?

Same as anybody's.

She was fearful, resentful
of all the little...

"Little" what?

"Little black
bastards"?

You see some black
teenagers on the train,

are you automatically
afraid of them, Miss Maltese?

Aren't you?

Sometimes
the stereotype fits.

Long as the story's
true.

Cops have shot kids with screwdrivers
before. why not a 90-pound woman?

How threatened could she have been?
She sat down right next to them.

She's got a right
to sit anywhere she wants.

So do the other passengers, but they
moved away because it seemed prudent.

Maybe she was tired of getting
moved around by the mugging class.

"The mugging class"?

what's that about?

You're an Assistant
District Attomey.

You work
for the people.

we follow the letter
of the law here.

Go talk
to Chenault.

My man tried-

scared her,

maybe with
a screwdriver,

but we was just
sitting there.

Cut the crap, Darnell,
you weren't sitting,

you were standing up in her face
- everybody says so.

I'm sitting here now,
ain't I?

I'm going to be sitting
for the rest of my life.

So maybe you should
lighten up on the 'tude.

Nobody likes a wise-ass
in a wheelchair.

whose side you on,
anyway?

Nobody's.

I just want
the truth.

And I want
payback, man.

Like I said,
that's up to you.

All right.

All right-
we had the screwdrivers.

We were going to rob some
lockers down at Grand Central.

But we was never, ever,
threatening to nobody,

especially
no white... chick.

You were unthreatening enough so
everybody was down the end of the train?

Except her, man. She came in
and sat down right next to us.

Nowwhy you think
that was, huh?

woman: Even with a court order,
it'll take three working days.

I'm afraid I can't wait. The
wheels of justice are turning.

Don't you guys
have your own files?

Hey, you're the paper
of record.

Green: If this were a Greek
tragedy, I'd be guilty of hubris.

Public sentiment on my side,
witnesses on my side,

precedent on self-defense
going back to the days

of knights bashing each
other over the head with...

those whatchamacallit-
those spiked balls...

Maces?
Maces.

Thank you.
See what I mean?

Now I am trying
not to gloat,

but what have you got
on your side, Stone?

Not very much,
I agree.

Only the New York
penal law.

I don't think we have to
discuss the Sullivan statute-

concealed weapons have been
illegal for the past 70 years.

The code is also clear when
it comes to self-defense.

I'm afraid you have
not convinced me

that your client
acted in a way

proportional to imminent
attack. Oh, come on.

The defendant must also act in a
way that is thwarting the attack,

not inflicting
grave injury on the victim.

Let's get it down
to single syllables, okay?

The penal law also
clearly allows

for the use of deadly force
to repel robbery,

kidnapping,
forcible sodomy

and?or forcible rape.

I don't see anything forcible
about it. He was only asking.

what kind of piggish attitude
is that, Counselor?

Are you suggesting

that my client
was asking for it?

Miss Green, this is not
a personal attack,

nor an attack
upon the species.

The fact is, there may have
been some degree of threat,

but where that becomes
attempted rape is a fine line.

which all too many women of
this city have been pushed across

while they've been wondering,
"Is this really happening to me?"

The law is our only defense against
the rapists and the shooters.

People break it,
cops try to catch them,

and I try to cook them.
It's my job.

Sometimes I don't like it,
but it's all we got.

Yeah.

See you
in court, Stone.

Laura,
D- I-B as in boy, I-A.

"Letter to the editor"?
That's all you got?

That's it.

I owe you one.

Robinette: "The police seemed
to treat this vicious attack

as 'just one
of those things. '

The authorities
don't want decent people

j carrying weapons
to protect themselves.

we agree to give up this
right on the assumption

that the police will do
the protecting for us.

Obviously this is
no longer the case.

Laura di Biasi,
New York City. "

The seeds of premeditation.
way to go. Yes?

Secretary: Sergeant Greevey
and Detective Logan are here.

Send them in. Get a search
warrant for her apartment.

There may be other letters.
Some people keep copies.

Stone: Want to run through it?

Sure.

Now Detective Greevey, describe
for the court, if you will,

the accused's state of mind
when you questioned her.

She was upset.

She said she intended

to "blow their heads off,"
if necessary.

was that a question?

Are we in
the same room, Max?

Look, we both know
what went down.

She was scared
half out of her wits

by those... two perps.

Victims, Max. Victims.
what's going on?

Meaning what?

Meaning you were gung-ho about
this before. what's happened?

Michael Jones,
the dead victim,

the one the computer
boys said was so clean

you could eat off of him? Yeah?

The coroner sent out
his fingerprints on a hunch,

just to see, you know,
for the hell of it.

Turns out his real name's
Michael Mosket!

whoa-
"Mosquito Mosket"?

Yeah, ring a bell?

Attempted murder,
negligent homicide?

Two years at Spofford
when he was 14 for manslaughter?

Real winner, this kid.

This is really going
to win us points with the jury.

They take
one look at him,

they figure the little bastard
got just what he deserved.

That's how you figure it,
Max? I remember Mosket.

That was all gang-related.
There was no sex involved!

Now as far
as I read it,

that girl was revenging
the earlier attack,

and self-defense
does not allow for revenge!

The law allowed Michael Mosket
to walk free.

Until real justice was served
down in the subway?

Do you have any other
personal views on this subject

you'd like to air before
we walk into court

and Ms. Shambala Green hands us
our asses on a platter?!

Nope, not a one.

I don't believe this.

The entire New York City Police
Department's lost its mind.

Do you have
anything to say?

I go along
with what my partner says.

which is...?

The accused stated

that she intended
to harm the victims.

Absolutely.

Stone: The defense will
prove that not only fear,

but anger stemming
from a previous incident,

led Miss di Biasi to an act
not of self-defense,

but of vengeance.

Armed with a deadly weapon,

she waited
for the very next pretext-

in essence, she went looking for
Damell Chenault and Michael Jones,

whose only offense
against the accused

was that they appeared
to be threatening.

If Miss di Biasi is
so threatened by urban life,

perhaps she could've
avoided the subway.

Objection!
Objection, Your Honor.

I trust there will be
nothing further

along that line,
Counselor?

Green: Of course
I'm more than willing

to make a statement.

The behavior
of the prosecution

is totally
inappropriate.

I find it incredible that
a civil servant of this city

could suggest that a woman
doesn't have the right

to ride the subway
without fear.

Mr. Stone, did you really
mean to say that Laura di Biasi

has no right to live
in New York City?

You're being a bit literal,
aren't you?

I don't think so. I think your
implication was pretty clear.

If a woman is afraid of rape,
she has no right to live here.

That's a curious position
to take for a prosecutor.

Ballet books,
poetry-

couple of how-to books
on achieving orgasm.

Oh, great.

Now what?

Did you find anything
incriminating?

"Small Arms Manual,"

"Shoot to Kill,"
"Hand-to-hand Combat. "

So? Unusual bedtime stories.

That's my business.

I assume you have
a warrant?

Save it.

Excuse me, I'm sorry
to bother you, I really am.

I know you're going
through a tough-

Yeah, right-

you know.

I haven't slept a full hour
since this whole thing started.

Look, I should be going,
and I'm sorry,

but I have
to take these.

It's not enough
you hang me,

I have to buy you
the rope, too, huh?

what have you got
against me?

I'm sorry?

I don't understand
why you hate me.

Look, I'm not free
to dis-

I don't.
Of course I don't.

Then why are you-

we really shouldn't be
having this conversation.

I wouldn't
shoot you!

Don't you
understand?

It all became
unreal.

It wasn't happening
to me.

All I could feel was fear.
I was afraid of them.

I was terrified!

Not because
they were black,

but because
of who they were.

I didn't mean
to kill him.

I couldn't
make it stop.

They wouldn't-
it wouldn't-

Please,
that's enough.

what if you were
on a train,

and a bunch of rednecks
started hassling you?

wouldn't you
be afraid?

wouldn't you?!

Miss di Biasi, please.
I'm sorry,

I can't comment.

I can't stay.

I came by to give you my
unconditional support. Only...

"Number one,
tone it down a little;

number two, try
a little damage control"?

PR's not my job.

You seen
the papers?

She was looking
for it. "

They're having
a field day out there.

I can't help that.
Our whole strategy

is sandbagging
the self-defense scenario.

Even if she comes off a revenge
seeker with a hair trigger?

She pulled off five shots
in three seconds.

Excellent,
but it would be nice,

real nice, if we could have
a concrete piece of evidence

to support
your revenge theory.

DA Schiff.

Paul.

"Shoot to Kill"?

Damage control.

I found all this
in her bedroom.

Check the dates. The first
one was six months ago.

Stone:
She's improving.

wow.

what were the extent
of those injuries?

They were fairly
extensive.

Could you describe them
for me?

They were tall,
muscular,

one had an Afro
with a goatee-

Stone: No, no, Miss di
Biasi, I'll rephrase.

Could you please
explain

and describe
for the court

the injuries?

Oh.

I had a shattered disc
in my back,

some broken ribs,

torn cartilage
in the right knee.

And these injuries required
several operations, didn't they?

Yes, several.

Stone:
Three? Five?

Four, I think.
Five.

I don't know.

They hurt me,
isn't that enough?

Yes, of course.

And no one blames you
for being resentful.

These injuries finished you
as a dancer, didn't they?

Yes.

That seem fair to you?

I object, Your Honor.
what's the relevancy?

I'll allow it.

No.

No, it wasn't fair.

I think it's
grossly unfair.

I'm sure if I were
in your position,

I'd carry a 9mm, too.

Objection!
withdrawn.

Miss di Biasi...

in your dreams,
in your fantasies,

did you ever wish

you'd gotten back
at those youths?

Green: Objection. Objection.

Your Honor,
this is unbelievable.

She was defending herself
against a man who's been accused

of multiple homicides.

Mr. Mosket's priors have
no bearing on this case, Judge.

Nor, of course, could
she have known about them.

Judge:
Overruled.

Besides, he wasn't
the only threat, was he?

who else did you find
threatening, Miss di Biasi?

Mr. Chenault?

What exactly
did he say?

He said...

"How about a taste...

for my friend?"

which you took

as an overture
to rape?

He was crowding me,
he was right up against me.

Who, Mr. Chenault?

Mr. Mosket?
Both of them?

Yes! No.

I don't know.
At least one.

And you tried to get
away? Yes, of course.

The second time, too?

Yes.

That's why you shot him
the second time, to get away?

Objection,
Your Honor.

why did you shoot
Darnell Chenault

a second time,
Miss di Biasi?

I was petrified.
I wanted to make sure.

So you said,
"Here's your taste. "

You said,
"Here's your taste. "

Sounds rather cool.

Green: Objection, Your
Honor. No further questions.

Miss di Biasi,
you say

you "didn't have time
to think. "

Nor should anyone
be required to think

when faced with grave
bodily harm.

The human response
is not to think,

but to react.

Miss Green,
get on with it.

"Detached reflection

cannot be demanded
in the presence

of an uplifted knife. "

Or screwdriver.

Objection, Your Honor,
this has no bearing

on why Miss di Biasi
was waiting-

This has all the bearing
in the world.

A lot more than
the Jesuitical casuistry

offered up by
the District Attorney.

May we approach
the bench, Your Honor?

If you can
be brief.

Your Honor,

the speed
of the events,

the timeframe
of my client's reaction,

is crucial
to my defense.

I'd like permission
to stage

a demonstration
of the incident,

if it please
the court?

Isn't this enough
of a circus, Your Honor?

I'll decide that.

All right, but I warn you,
Miss Green,

I don't want to see
any undue theatrics.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Judge:
Ladies and gentlemen,

the court has agreed
to allow the defense

to stage a re-enactment
of the occurrence in question.

Crime Stoppers!
Your Honor, these people

are on record as supporting
the vigilante tactics-

If that's an objection,
you're overruled.

Judge:
Proceed, Miss Green.

How about
a taste, baby?

Man, what the homeboys doing,
narcing for the white folks?!

Order! Order!

Huh?! Little punks!

Get off of me!
Get off of me!

Come on,
you bunch of freaks!

Judge:
Order! Order!

If the Crime Stoppers
didn't do it,

Darnell sure as hell did.
So how much worse can it get?

Not much. I want you up
there for the rest of the day.

what, an antidote
to brother Darnell?

The name
on everyone's lips.

I got a woman down the hall who
can't stop talking about him.

I'll- I'll sign
a complaint,

point the finger,
you name it.

You recognized Mr. Chenault how,
from seeing him on the news?

Uh-huh,
that's right.

And the other one,
the one that died-

Mosquito Mosket?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.
Too bad.

I mean, he's-

he's the one
that tried to rape me.

That I'm sure of.
And I'm pretty sure

that the guy in the wheelchair,
he held me down.

How sure is "pretty sure,"
Miss Diamond?

Like I said,
I'm positive

of the one that died.

Adam, I need to twist Darnell.
I need your permission.

Yeah, what are you
talking about?

There's a woman right now
with Stevenson

swearing out a complaint
about Chenault.

what's that got to do
with anything?

Maybe nothing,
maybe everything.

But if those two are
rape-happy, I want to know that

before I go tearing
into Laura di Biasi again.

Can't anyone around here stay on the
same side of the street for 10 seconds?

well?

If we change
our tune now,

we're facing
a public relations disaster.

I know that. You don't
have to tell me that.

But if I don't listen
to my reasonable doubt-

I thought Mosket
was a gang member-

violent, but no history of sexual
crimes. with what I know now,

the defendant's perceptions
may be accurate.

I can't prosecute on that level.
All right, but we've got to consider-

I won't do it.

what the hell,
go for it.

I'll ask Leon
for a continuance.

Damn, cuz, slow down!
what do you want, man?

The truth.

Look, I was
sitting down, man,

just like I'm
sitting down now.

I didn't even
move a muscle.

Damn, man, Mosquito's the one
into biting on white chicks.

Judge: This is rather
unbelievable, Mr. Stone.

The defense has an obligation
to defend its client vigorously

even if it has knowledge
of the client's guilt.

The prosecutor's job
is much more restrictive.

I have to drop the charges if I
believe the accused is innocent,

and with the new information
on Mosket, I have no choice.

There is reasonable
doubt on murder two.

So what are you
looking for?

That she plead
on the gun charge

and the reckless
endangerment-

Chenault was shot sitting down
according to an eyewitness.

Miss Green?

Forget it, Judge.

Mr. Stone is hardly
in a position to negotiate.

why don't we just
go back in there,

tell the jury the truth
about Mosket,

and let them decide
how to deal with my client?

You are
a Public Defender.

Try defending the public.
If this goes to a jury,

they won't convict
on the gun charge.

She is innocent.

Miss Laura di Biasi
is not innocent

of carrying and discharging
a lethal weapon

in a closed
and crowded subway car.

And if we acquit her on
this, we will be inviting

nine million people
to arm themselves.

This is not a question
of win or lose,

it's a question
of justice.

we're both paid
by the people.

we're both part
of the system.

Let's let it work
the way it's supposed to.

Are you flexible
on sentencing

for the Sullivan
violation?

One year suspended,

three years probation,

2000 hours of community
service on the Sullivan.

Five years suspended
on the reckless endangerment.

Plus she must submit
to a psyche profile test,

and whatever care mandated by
the hospital during probation.

Deal?

Naturally,
my client is gratified

that justice
has been served.

we look upon this as not
only a personal vindication,

but also a victory
for every woman and man

that rides the subways or
walks the streets of New York.

And I want to thank
the district attorneys

for having the courage
of their convictions.

It's not
a perfect world,

but at least we can
walk away from this one

feeling we did
the right thing.

Really? It feels to
me like all we did

was make the wrong
seem like a right.

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