Law & Order (1990–2010): Season 1, Episode 22 - The Blue Wall - 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.

Judge: On the first
count of the indictment,

criminal facilitation
in the first degree,

how does the jury
find? Not guilty.

On the second count
of the indictment,

money laundering
in the first degree,

how does the jury
find? Not guilty.



On the third count
of the indictment,

conspiracy in the fifth
degree, how does the jury find?

Not guilty.

Judge: Thank you.

Court is adjourned. (gavel raps)

Attorney: The
arrest was insulting,

the indictment was ludicrous,

and the result was predictable.

The district attorney wanted to
look tough on white-collar crime

so they smeared
three innocent men.

But they couldn't bamboozle a
jury of 12 honest New Yorkers.

Reporter: Thank you.

Mr. Stone?

Yes? The defense says this
was malicious prosecution.



If the law had allowed it

I'd have indicted those
defendants for murder.

Reporter #2: Wall Street
bankers for murder?

Bankers who help drug
dealers clean their money

are as guilty as the
drug dealers themselves.

Reporter #1: What about
that missing evidence?

I can't comment
on the investigation.

I do know someone in the
New York City Police Department

altered evidence by erasing bank
transactions on computer discs.

That is a felony,
ladies and gentlemen.

There'll be indictments.
This case is not over...

It's just beginning.

(theme music plays)

I don't remember, okay?!

Page nine, first
column on the bottom.

How long they been in there?

About an hour. Internal Affairs?

Yeah.

(phone ringing)

(staff murmuring)

What gives? These guys
taking a run at the whole precinct?

No, just me.

You gave the DA three dealers

and their bankers
on a silver platter.

Now they're after you?

If I was Internal Affairs,
I'd be looking at me, too.

O'Farrell is in charge of
the property clerk's office.

We go back a long way. He's
given me every one of my promotions.

And he passes
out captain's bars.

So the chief took care
of you for 20 years.

So what? That means you
two tampered with evidence?

They got to go after somebody.

You're guilty by association

because O'Farrell runs
the evidence department?

What did they say
happened to the evidence?

Manhattan Mercantile Bank.

Computer discs got erased.

All the illegal
transactions just vanished.

IAD didn't tell me
who, what, or why,

but am I at the top
of their list? Yeah.

How's your appointment book?

It's the Boorman murder.

Getting ready for trial.

What?

I'm in a corner,
here. It's an IAD case.

We'll see what we can find out.

Yeah. Whose collar was it?

Cassidy and Manetti's.

DA loses a case,
who gets the shaft?

Cops.

I'm telling you, we
did it by the book.

Ain't no best seller.

What happened?

Around the clock
stakeout. Colombians.

Doing maybe a million
a year. Not big dealers.

Yeah, they live in
tenements, right?

One day, we get a break.

They take their money
to Manhattan Mercantile.

Four briefcases... cash.

I want to bust in, get the
dealers and the bankers.

Cragen says no.

"You got to wait for the money
trail. Prove they laundered it."

They get some diode
heads downtown,

track the money by computer.

So when Stone goes to trial,

the computer discs are erased.

Right... but only the
incriminating files.

Whoever did it knew
what he was doing.

So to the jury, it looks like
the evidence was never there.

What about the computer
jock who traced the money?

What's his name?

An IAD case... you're
turning over rocks here.

Turn over a rock...

you might find a rattlesnake.

The way the DA's
screaming you'd think

it was the first
case they ever lost.

Every time's the first time.

What happened with
these computer discs?

The drug dealers...
The Colombians,

they leave the bank. We
wait three days then bust in.

I take two discs.
Shows the drug money

was wired offshore.
Cayman Islands.

So you saw the files,
the evidence was there.

I saw the files. Right
on my computer screen.

You didn't make a printout?

I'm leaving for my
honeymoon. Bermuda.

They say cancel.
I say, "Go to hell!

Send the disc to
the property clerk.

I'll do the trial work
when I get back."

When you get back,
the discs are changed?

You got it.

This captain, what's his name?

Cragen? What's his story?

You hear stuff, you know.

What do you hear?
Everything I heard,

I already told three times.

Don't you guys at
IAD talk to each other?

IAD?

Real smooth, Sergeant.

IAD swears me in blood
not to talk about this case.

You don't tell 'em,
we don't tell 'em.

Wow, this is freakin' amazing.

I don't know a computer
disc from a slipped disc.

Well, your name's
getting tossed around.

It's the same song everywhere...

People are saying
O'Farrell's your rabbi.

He's in charge of
the property clerk,

so your detectives knew
when evidence was there.

Then... what do you say?

He's reporting, not accusing.

IAD tells you you're
under investigation.

They mention why they think
you'd help these three bankers?

One thing they lean
on over and over...

They keep saying I talk to
the chief every couple of days

while this case is running.
What do we talk about?

You talk to him lately?

With IAD probably listening
in on my phone line? No.

Doesn't mean we can't.

O'Farrell: So this young DA...

I may be two
years on the force...

This DA... he's three weeks
out of Harvard, mind you...

He says to me, "Officer,
can you tell me the difference

between 'suspicion'
and 'probable cause'?"

So I look him in
the eye, and I say,

"Can you tell me what is in
Section 129 of the penal law?"

And he says, "I'll look it up."

(laughs)

What is in Section 129?

There is no Section 129.

There's a good cop.

Listen... we know we're
out of our league here.

We really appreciate
you talking to us.

That's all right.

Why are they after
you and Cragen?

All right, you're Schiff. You've
got an election coming up.

You've just blown
the bankers' case.

What do you do? Go
after some Irish cops.

But the evidence? Ethnic
politics, it never dies.

Something did happen to it.

Don Cragen and me,
now you just ask yourself

does it make any sense
for us to risk what we've got?

My guess, some
kid in the DA's office

checked out the discs
and he louses 'em up.

IAD is after cops.

If there is a cop
involved in this,

I will buy the whole
department dinner.

At what this steak cost you'll
have to take out a second mortgage.

Only if I'm wrong.

The Boorman case.
Pretty thorough, you guys.

Well, we always check our
evidence twice before we testify.

Right... and my
diet's working, too.

You were Cragen's partner?

Forget it. IAD's got a
bullet with his name on it.

They're after a good cop.

We're all good cops.

Even the dirty ones.

IAD? those jerk shoo-flies...

"Tweedledum" and
"Tweedledumber" come in here

and pop the file cabinets.
They copy every piece of paper.

Like? The sign-in logs.

Like who was here, when.

Mind if we take a look?

Page 57, column three.

What?

The week the evidence
was messed with.

Lots of cops through
here but your pal Cragen...

He was here that week,
twice. Two days in a row.

Like he was taking something
out and bringing it back.

Cragen: For the rest
of my life I sign nothing.

I'm gonna burn my
dry cleaning stubs.

So, you gentlemen
would like to know

why I was at the property clerk.

Joey Buscalera,

sergeant from the fraud
squad, you remember him?

Yeah, he was with
us... Two months?

Yeah. I had him on a case.

Auto parts. Chop shop?

Buscalera was testifying
on another case.

No time to do his
evidence summary.

So I drove to the property
clerk and did it for him.

Do a guy a favor and
look what happens.

What, Max, what is it?

Property clerk supervisor
says you were...

You were there
two days in a row.

Now you drive 100 blocks

back and forth two days in a row

to help some detective on loan?

When headquarters is on my tail?

When they're shoving
productivity reports down my throat?

Yes, Max, I do.

Two days in a row...

That's a lot of favor.

Max...

You know the procedure.

I did his evidence summary.
I brought it back here.

He signed it. I took it back,

logged it, and left
a copy with the DA.

Joey, this evidence summary
that Cragen helped you get ready...

I like Cragen.

He did you a favor.
Would I finger a cop?

I don't cross the blue wall.

Nobody's accusing you.

You know how it is. You
gotta testify in two trials.

You can't get downtown.
So you ask Cragen...

Not exactly.

Cragen asked if I'm
ready. I'm in a bind.

He volunteers to go to the property
clerk, do my evidence summary.

Whoa, he volunteers?
He's a good cop.

Yeah, yeah, good cop.

Thanks, Joey.

What, am I talking Swahili?

IAD's all over this case.

Come on, Mulvehill,
you were here.

I thought you could
tell me a little...

Tonight, I go home at 6:00.

In the garage, a '65 Malibu,

best Big Six they ever made.

When I'm finished
with it, mint condition.

If IAD comes after me
because I'm talking to you

I will be fixing cars every day

instead of nights and weekends.

24 years... that's
what Cragen's got in.

I don't know the man!

Look...

Supposedly Cragen's the only
cop in here two days in a row.

So you're saying if somebody
fiddled with the evidence...

Then it must be Cragen. Yeah.

Or an inside job.

Or both.

You son of a bitch!

You're ever in trouble,
I sure as hell hope

somebody treats you like this.

Hey.

All right. Upstairs...

the men's room,

five minutes.

Hendrickson? He's
already divorced.

Lives in a hellhole one
bedroom way down on Avenue C.

Avenue C?

You could get killed in the
crossfire on a good night.

With his alimony? He
wishes he was dead.

Let's go.

You got a quarter?

Just give it a whack.

(groans)

Cragen volunteered,
Buscalera didn't ask.

Maybe Cragen was
just doing his job.

I got to keep saying
this? I know he's not dirty.

Now I know why IAD's going
six ways through Sunday

to prove that he is.
Because it looks like

he wanted to be at the
property clerk's office.

Maybe someone else did, too.

Look at this.

Property clerk's duty roster,
headquarters master roll call.

Now the week the
evidence was tampered with

there were 28 cops and
13 civilians working there.

Any of 'em know Chief O'Farrell?

Assuming it was
O'Farrell's party.

Assuming.

You want me to dig up
their service records?

Forget reprimand from IAD,

that'll rate a
full-scale hearing.

Hey, wait a sec.

The master roll call and the
duty roster ought to be identical.

But what's his name from the
property clerk's gave you both.

There's gotta be
a reason, right?

Master roll call comes
from headquarters

at the beginning of the month.

Duty roster comes
out every Tuesday.

If it's an inside job,

when do they do it?

When there's no traffic.

Give me the names of everybody

on the duty
roster's third shifts.

Okay.

4:00 to midnight, Webster...

Um-hum. Dumoze...

Um-hum. McCrory...

Nope.

He's on the duty
roster, but headquarters

doesn't show him as
working on the master roll call.

Heh! Headquarters
says Officer Al McCrory

retired two weeks earlier.

He was retired, but he
worked two weeks later?

Maybe he loved working
at the property clerk.

Yeah, he loved it so
much he couldn't leave.

Let's get an address.

Think he'll talk to us?

Yeah, maybe he'll tell us
how he affords this house.

(knocks)

Al McCrory? Yeah?

Sergeant Greevey,
Detective Logan.

Do I know you fellas?
We ever work together?

No, we just want to ask you,

when you were gonna
retire, you worked

the property clerk's office
an extra couple of days?

What's this about?

There's a discrepancy... it says
you were retired but still working.

Some problem with my pension?

Hey, wait a minute, you
guys work for Cragen?

Hey, what am I wearing a sign
on my forehead that says stupid?!

Your captain's in
trouble don't come to me!

Wait a minute.
Hey, you touch me,

I'll have you up for assault.

You better get out of my
house, and out of my yard.

Now there's a guy
with nothing to hide.

(police radio chatter)

Woman: Max!

What a nice surprise.

We never see you anymore.

How's Marie? How are the kids?

Fine. Everybody's good. Good.

You're lucky, you
don't have to drink

his coffee today.
It's already made.

I've got an 8:00 flight,
so give my best to Marie.

Sure. Okay. Thanks, honey.

Bye-bye. Bye.

Just happen to be
in the neighborhood?

No. You want to come in?

Putting in a pool?

Yeah.

Oh.

You know a cop named Al McCrory?

Property clerk's
duty roster says

he worked the same
days you were there.

Master roll call says...

he retired two weeks earlier.

Friend of yours?

He used to drive for the
chief a couple of years.

You know him? Just to say hello.

And you haven't seen
him in years? That's right.

But you know him,
O'Farrell knows him,

and he worked after he retired.

You think you'll come in for
a few days after you retire?

So McCrory knows the
chief. That make him guilty?

Any more than my being
there makes me guilty?

McCrory, we saw him.
He knew who we were,

somehow put our names
together with yours.

Forget about him for a second.

What about Chief O'Farrell?

You just don't like
politicians, Max. Never did.

Not when they're
crooked. And especially not

when they try to bring
my friends down with them.

I had nothing to do with it. I'm
sure Pete O'Farrell didn't either.

Oh, that's great.

Donnie, what are you doing?
"See no evil, hear no evil"?

How can you even think I
would tamper with evidence?!

I don't! But
something isn't kosher!

I don't know what it is. I sure
as hell hope you don't either!

You do me a favor, huh, Max?

Forget I ever asked
you to help me.

You better run yourself
a little reality check.

The sharks are out...

and there's blood in the water.

The property clerk?

It's off-limits to you.

Just keep out of
this investigation.

What are you pulling "good cop-bad
cop" on me like I'm some kind of a perp?

For all I know, you are.

Listen to me, pal...
No, you listen to me!

You and Greevey keep
your noses out of this!

You talk to one
more cop one more...

Don't think reprimand. It's gonna
be a hearing for a suspension.

It's better for you, really. Stay
away from the property clerk,

the computer people, Buscalera,

from the FEC, and
from Chief O'Farrell.

Am I making myself clear?

Listen, the IAD mentioned
the FEC. What's the deal?

Federal Elections Commission.

What's that got to
do with an IAD case?

Oh no. What?

Billy Wilson. My congressman?

You're 15 years too
young to remember.

Before he was a
congressman, Wilson was a cop.

And? What have we been missing?

Motive. Why would
anybody help those bankers?

I'm waiting, Max.

Chief O'Farrell
was Billy Wilson's

hand-picked successor.

Who would O'Farrell
do a favor for?

Give me some quarters. This isn't a
call I want to make inside the precinct.

The House Banking Committee.

Billy Wilson's been there
since he was elected.

Those three
bankers that got off,

they gave his campaign
a lot of money...

The legal limit... at least
all that's on the books.

You give money to your
congressman, it's automatically a payoff?

Gee, I thought this
was a democracy.

O'Farrell was your rabbi the same
way that Wilson was O'Farrell's.

You need a motive for him to tamper
with evidence. I think you got one.

I said, help me out. Did I
ask you to nail Pete O'Farrell?

I think you're
taking loyalty too far.

O'Farrell is no more
corrupt than you are.

You think that, you're
gonna go down with him!

Is that right, Max? I'm
going down? For what?

You guys got a trial coming up?

The Boorman case?
Why don't you get to work?

You think this doesn't play?

If I were conducting
an orchestra

I'd say the violins
were missing.

Oh, come on. The
congressman is the conductor.

The bankers call
Congressman Wilson.

They've been paying his
bills since he got elected.

My guess...

The contributions go way
beyond federal campaign limits.

Now they want a payback.

"Fix this evidence, Congressman,

or you're going down with us."

One, the congressman's
behind this.

Can't prove it. Two...

Nothing concrete ties
Chief O'Farrell or Cragen.

Just a minute. Just
a minute. Three...

The discs. We have no
idea who altered them.

Gowdy: We asked O'Farrell
to conduct an investigation.

He took his own sweet time.

We have six detectives willing
to testify that he went slow.

Slow, fast... I don't care
if he was building a clock.

Without physical evidence,
the testimony's meaningless.

He's chief of operations.

Cragen, a career officer
with an unblemished record.

We need a clear-cut motive.

You know how
badly I want this case.

They tampered with
evidence. The bankers walked.

I can't move on supposition.
Easy... it's conspiracy.

The last time conspiracy
was easy to prove,

was Judas and the Romans.
Thank you, gentlemen.

We lose this one, after the
bankers, we look like idiots.

IAD doesn't have enough.

O'Farrell survives this...

any cop who talks
to us is finished.

As for Congressman Wilson...

He makes ABSCAM
look like "Hello Dolly."

Investigated for campaign
fraud a dozen times.

Draw the pyramid, or
you get no conviction.

Congressman Wilson, Chief
O'Farrell... Captain Cragen.

Yank a piece out...
Pyramid falls, maybe.

We appreciate your
coming over, Mr. Stone.

Anything to avoid
embarrassing the congressman.

You're besmirching
my reputation.

Oh, I think you're giving
me a lot of help there, sir.

And what will a jury think?

Chief O'Farrell
owes you his job.

Those bankers gave you more than
$100,000 in campaign contributions.

Do you know what that's called?

The greatness of
American politics?

No, sir, it's called
a "road map."

And I think a jury can
find its way from "A" to "B."

If you're convicted, you
lose your congressional seat.

And your pension.

If you resign
first, then plead...

Let's suppose...

And we're only just
supposing here...

The congressman mentioned
his constituent's problem

to Chief O'Farrell?

Without suggesting
anything be done.

We'll plead to rewarding
official misconduct,

second degree.

Consider bribery three.

You think I'd
plead to a D felony?

That's our offer.

Consider it rejected.

Paul. Max... Mike.

We ordered them
to stay out of this.

It's on our days
off. It's our time.

I warned you. Lieutenant
Kennedy, sit down.

Department's time or yours,
it's an IAD investigation.

If you call it
investigating. Max...

I'm going to have you up on
departmental charges, friend.

Back off, Kennedy!

The only departmental charge
here is gross incompetence.

Gentlemen, please.

Sit down.

Have you got anything specific?

Cop named McCrory. Retired.

Who worked the property
clerk's office, after he retired.

Wrong. We have
the master roll call.

You know why cops hate IAD?

Because you idiots
couldn't convict a 10-year-old

of selling
watered-down lemonade.

McCrory's on the duty roster.

Logan: Which you forgot to copy.

Is that important?

The master roll call is
made up at headquarters.

It shows everybody that's
supposed to be working.

McCrory's not on it.

Logan: The duty roster is a
record or everybody who was there.

That's the one McCrory was on,

two weeks after he retired.

And his house looks like it
costs six times my salary.

Mortgage on McCrory's house
is a point and a half below market.

Sounds like a good deal.

Robinette: Real estate agent
says McCrory got a $300,000 house

for 40¢ on the dollar.

Sounds like a better deal.

Previous owner,
"Parker, Evelyn."

Her maiden name.
Married to a congressman.

A congressman named Wilson?

That's not a good
deal, that's a bribe.

Bailiff: Albert McCrory,

Charges are: bribe receiving
in the second degree;

conspiracy in the third degree;

and tampering with
physical evidence.

How does the defendant plead?

Not guilty.

Peter O'Farrell and the
Honorable William Wilson.

The charges are bribery
in the second degree,

conspiracy in the third degree.

How do the defendants
plead? Congressman Wilson?

Not guilty, Your Honor.

Chief O'Farrell? Not guilty.

Your Honor, as lead council, we
ask the defendants be released ROR.

Mr. Robinette?

Your Honor, this is a case
about obstruction of justice

and public officials selling
the benefit of their office.

The People feel
bail is essential.

Your Honor, the
District Attorney's record

on white-collar criminal charges

does not make one
sanguine about their motives.

Interesting, Mr. Quinn.

But I don't recall a
section in the CPL

on "prosecutorial motive."

Bail is set at $50,000 each.

Taking a bribe,
evidence-tampering.

We're not talking
"hand in the cookie jar."

Don't be foolish.
You were a pawn.

That house put you at
the heart of this conspiracy.

Soft market. I got a good deal.

Here's a better deal.
Four-to-15 years

if you don't testify.

You think you can convict?
Where's the conspiracy?

Your client worked the property
clerk's office after he retired.

And a jury's gonna wonder why.

A jury needs a
clear line from that

to the tampered
evidence. You haven't got it.

When we do, we won't
be making any deals.

You're taking this personally.

You bet I am. You know it's
almost impossible to get a conviction

on a white-collar
criminal with evidence.

What he did, it's
worse than a crime.

If your client
doesn't cooperate,

I'm taking him down, too.

Criminal facilitation,
he does no time.

In this case,
everybody does time.

Bribe receiving, third
degree. He does 18 months.

He does zero months...
After he's acquitted.

McCrory, he's not
a computer expert.

Neither is Cragen.

Well, how hard is it? Cragen
could have done it in the precinct.

Yeah, that computer
guy in Forensics says

a 12-year-old could
have changed those discs.

Robinette: Hold on... Shearer?

The one who went to Bermuda?

Yeah, what about him?

Why didn't he do the trial work
before he went on his honeymoon?

They got to him.
Offered him a bribe.

Are you crazy?

Shearer was the one who told us

how the discs were changed.

Right. Ever hear
about the art expert...

Forged a Matisse,

a museum hires him
to see if it's a forgery?

Of course he
says it's a Matisse.

He authenticates
his own forgery.

Shearer takes the
discs, changes them,

tells IAD how it was
done, looks like a hero.

Paul, find out what time
Shearer's plane landed here...

The exact hour.
And see if McCrory

was at the property clerk's
office at the same time.

Internal Affairs cleared
Detective Shearer.

"Cleared"? IAD never
suspected Detective Shearer.

When did he get back
from the honeymoon, Paul?

Plane lands, 2:45.

Doorman says Detective Shearer
and his wife got home at 4:00.

He went upstairs,
dropped his bags,

left again 10 minutes later.

To get the dry-cleaning.

After your honeymoon?
That's very romantic. Paul?

According to the doorman,

Detective Shearer
was gone three hours.

Your drycleaner in Philadelphia?

You're riding the wrong horse.

Do you know what happens
when someone pleads

in the middle of a trial
like Officer McCrory?

I'll take a deal from
anyone to get your client.

You know, Stone, you're
wasting your talents.

You don't write indictments,
you write fairy tales.

Let's get out of here.

You really think
McCrory will make a deal?

Not a prayer... but
Shearer doesn't know that.

The tap in place?

Let's see who he calls.

Is Cragen involved?

I don't want to indict
him if I'm not sure.

What if we feed him
part of the picture...

McCrory getting his house on
the cheap. See how he reacts.

And if he's in on
the conspiracy,

anything you say goes
directly to O'Farrell.

Give away your case
before you get to court.

It's a gamble. So is a lottery.

(intercom buzzes)

Yeah? Thank you.

Cragen.

Like we told you, we
have nothing for you.

You still want to be
a sacrificial lamb?

What do you want?
Adam: We need O'Farrell.

If you're not part of this,
wear a wire on the chief.

And no cop ever trusts me again.

No crooked cop
ever trusts you again.

We're talking about a cop
involved in evidence-tampering

in a felony investigation.
That's a felony.

I don't want to indict you.

My God.

That house had been
empty for 15, 16 months.

But the house wasn't on the
market. Do you know why?

These days? Some
people don't even try.

When did it go on the market?

Well, out of the
blue, one afternoon,

she calls me... the
congressman's wife, Mrs. Wilson,

and she says, "Try to sell it."

So, I put a sign in the yard

and an ad in the county paper.

When did the defendant, Albert
McCrory, make an offer on the house?

Well now, I don't
remember exactly...

Two, three days later.

And did he say how he
knew the house was available?

He was driving by in
his car, saw the sign.

What did you tell the
congressman's wife

when the offer was made?

Well, I am not like some agents.

I don't hold back offers.

But I said, "This is crazy.

He is offering you
half of what it's worth."

Stone: Did she agree with you?

Well, she said, "Sell it."

Very firm, didn't
want any argument...

"Just sell it."

You reading the jury?

They don't like people who
buy houses at half-price.

Mr. Stone! Last night's
tape from the Shearer tap,

you're gonna want to hear it.

(Shearer on recording) They
say you're gonna make a deal.

McCrory: I don't
know you. Goodbye.

Shearer: Don't leave
me swinging in the wind.

McCrory: You're stupid.
Get off the damn phone.

Shearer: This was your idea.

(dial tone) Don't hang
up on me, damn it!

Why did you do it?

Needed money for the honeymoon?

Behind on the credit cards?

That tape proves nothing.

Stone: Sounds like
a confession to me.

You're finished as a cop.

The only question is, do you
want to work on computers

or do you want to
make license plates?

Bribery receiving, third degree.

Full restitution. We
recommend probation.

I don't want to go to jail.

And when did Al
McCrory approach you?

Shearer: The day after I
took the discs from the bank.

Did he offer you a bribe?

He asked me what I wanted.

Some judge... I
read in the paper...

He fixed a case for 20 grand.

I figure I'm worth 20
grand, too. He agreed.

When you returned
from your honeymoon,

what did you do?

I got in a cab, went
to the property clerk,

called McCrory from a pay phone.

He came out in a couple
minutes with the discs.

And then what did you do?

I went to "Computer
Heaven," 16th Street.

Used their display
model, my own utility discs.

Wiped a few tracks clean.

When you first brought the
evidence to the property clerk,

Officer McCrory wasn't
working there, was he?

No.

No one outside that office knew
you were working on this case?

No. So how did Al
McCrory find his way to you?

I don't know.

Somebody must have
told him, right? Objection.

Withdrawn, no further questions.

Detective Shearer,

in a conspiracy,

people engage
in illegal activity

with other people.

So, let me ask you,

have you ever
met Peter O'Farrell?

No, but Al McCrory
used to drive...

Yes or no, please.

Have you ever met
Congressman William Wilson?

Shearer: No.

Never talked to either one of
them on the phone, did you?

No.

Thank you. No further questions.

McCrory's going
down, no question there.

The congressman?

When the jury looks at the
bankers' campaign contributions,

they'll make the connection.

O'Farrell's still
out of the game.

The jury hasn't seen him in a
huddle, let alone calling a play.

But the chief was
Wilson's protégé.

The jury can make
that leap of faith.

I wouldn't. And if I
wouldn't, they won't.

O'Farrell's a better
politician than I am.

If he wasn't a cop,
he'd be president.

Indict Cragen.

You don't mean that? Don't I?

As a Catholic, you know

that sins of omission
are just as bad

as sins of commission.
He knows something.

I don't think so.
He looks guilty.

Shake the tree,
see what falls out.

Come on! That's
blackmail, Stone.

That's one word for it.

The grand jury calls
it a "bill of indictment."

He's been my
friend for 20 years.

Suppose the chief is innocent.

Going the ceremony?
Wear a wire. Prove us wrong.

(drum roll)

(bagpipes play)

Cheer up, you look
like your dog died.

Hard to be cheerful
when the DA's on your ass.

Hey, Larry, how you doing?

Look at this... I can't
even wear my uniform.

I'm indicted, I
got to wear a suit.

DA says I'm next.

You? You didn't do anything.

Stone says McCrory's scared.

To buy a plea, he'll name me.

That's crap. Stone's
jerking you around.

McCrory's a good cop. Who
took a payoff to do those discs.

It looks that way, doesn't it?

Whatever happened,
Don, nobody touches you.

"Whatever happened"?

You mean this investigation
going slow? You?

Me, I got nothing
to worry about.

You do Billy Wilson a favor?

Don, you don't happen to
be wearing a wire, do you?

Come on. Why would
I do that? I don't know.

But you know I'd never
do anything to hurt you.

You did a favor for
Wilson? I understand.

Billy... I owe a lot,
but not my career.

None of us walks on water.

The way I've been
smelling lately

we shouldn't even be talking.

I'll buy you dinner
after the trial. Okay, kid?

You got it.

Does this mean I
don't get indicted?

Stone: You did your best.

I had to push you.
I had no choice.

It's not your fault he didn't
say anything incriminating.

Tomorrow...

can you put the word out
that you're gonna indict me?

I'm gonna get O'Farrell for you.

Wait a minute, he didn't say
anything... I know what he said...

but I looked in his eyes.

So they indict you. It's
not the end of the world.

No, getting convicted... that
would be the end of the world.

Yeah.

IAD cleaned out my
office this morning...

but not everything.

Hey, they convict
you, I go down, too.

So what didn't they get?

Couple of memos...
Originals, no copies.

My detectives were complaining

that your investigation
of the erased discs

was going a little too
slow... on purpose.

They wanted to take it
to IAD during the trial.

And you took those memos home?

I guess I could burn 'em.

Even you...?

I always said you were straight.

Well, I got one foot in
bed with you already.

That was loyalty.

I'd like a little taste if I'm gonna
put the other under the covers.

After all, I do have a
swimming pool to pay for.

(sad chuckle)

Yeah.

20 grand we gave
that computer cop.

We would have given him 200.

For these memos,
you want a piece?

All right... me
and Billy Wilson...

split 300 grand.

Three ways, that's
100 apiece, even.

Is that fair?

Oh, that's more than fair.

Yeah.

My best cop.

I never would
would have figured.

Ben Stone, please.

Tell him it's Don Cragen.

During this conversation, did
the defendant, Peter O'Farrell,

admit to accepting a bribe?

Objection. Hearsay.

Statement against
interest, Your Honor.

Overruled. Witness will answer.

Chief O'Farrell told me that
he and Congressman Wilson

received $300,000 from the
three bankers to destroy evidence.

And did Chief O'Farrell tell you
he had offered a bribe to anyone?

He said he told McCrory to
pay Detective Shearer $20,000.

Did he offer you a bribe?

$100,000 to destroy evidence.

Thank you. No further questions.

No questions.

Concerning defendant
Albert McCrory,

on the charge of bribe
receiving in the second degree,

how does the jury find? Guilty.

On the charge of conspiracy
in the third degree?

Guilty. On the charge of
tampering with physical evidence?

Guilty.

Concerning defendant
William Wilson,

on the charge of bribery
in the second degree,

how does the jury find?

Guilty. On the charge

of conspiracy in
the third degree?

Guilty.

Concerning defendant
Peter O'Farrell,

on the charge of bribery
in the second degree,

how does the jury find? Guilty.

On the charge of conspiracy
in the third degree?

Guilty.

Before this court adjourns,

I want to note for the
record, that I am appalled.

We often say
that public officials

are not above the law,
but that's not enough.

They serve the law.

If they don't
respect it, who will?

Court is adjourned. (raps gavel)

(reporters clamoring)

O'Farrell? Not a cop.

He was always a politician.

Whatever you're feeling, don't.

The swimming pool, Max...

You were wondering about it?

Marge paid for it.

(theme music plays)