Law & Order (1990–2010): Season 16, Episode 14 - Magnet - full transcript

A teenager from a rich family kills a schoolmate because he refused to sell him test answers. His defense argues that he was not responsible for his actions because of the medication he was prescribed.

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.

Miss K. Miss K.

Hey, Jason.

Hey, uh,
can I talk to you a sec?

Yeah, I've got a few minutes.

In private?

Why don't we go
into the music room?



Is this about
your Faulkner essay?

Uh, I scored two tickets
to see Spamalot.

I was wondering if maybe
you wanted to go with me?

You mean just the two of us?

Yeah. Fourth row orchestra.

Jason, you're my student.
I can't date my students.

What, you mean age?

You're probably only a
couple years older than me.

Jason, this conversation
is over, okay?

Oh, my God.

Alex Garcia, 18. Strangled.

Any witnesses?

No. Teacher and another student

found him here about 30 minutes ago.
Already DOA.



Music teacher?

English Lit.

Did you know this kid? Seen
him around school. Good kid.

Well, it looks like there was a struggle.
Did anybody hear anything?

Music room, soundproof.

Thank you.

Hey, man. What you got?

Ligature strangulation.

I also found defensive
wounds on his arms.

There's tissue under
the fingernails.

Any idea what
he was strangled with?

I'm thinking a cello bow.

Found several strands
of coarse white hair

and what looks like rosin
on his neck.

Killer probably came up behind
him and used it like a garrote.

Hey, man. Check all the trash
receptacles in the school.

We're looking for a busted
cello bow, all right? Thanks.

You got a time of death
on this one?

1:26. Must've smashed it
when he went down.

That's an expensive watch.

Looks like he could afford it.

Found 300 bucks on him.

Well, it's not a robbery,
but this poor kid

should have never
turned his back.

We've assembled the student body

in the auditorium and the gym.

Grief counselors
are already there.

We'll also need a list of all the
students who went to class with him.

I'll have my assistant
get on that.

So, where's the boy's parents?

His father is on the way in now.

Was Alex having problems
with other kids here?

Not that I know of.
He was a rather quiet boy.

I got the sense
he was still finding himself.

Well, we found several hundred
dollars in his wallet.

Is there any chance
he was selling drugs?

Alex was as clean cut
as you get.

He played cello in the school orchestra.
He got great grades.

In fact, he tested in

with some of the highest
scores we've ever seen.

Tested in? You have
a magnet program here?

Math and science. Open admission for
those who live in the catchment.

Students from other areas
have to test in.

So, where did he transfer from?

Ignatius Junior High.

Spanish Harlem.

Many of our best students come
from disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Calculus,
macroeconomics, Virgil.

See what I missed. I should've
paid more attention at school.

Hey.

Left his cell phone
in his jacket.

One of those new, fancy ones.

No outgoing.

Got three incoming from the
same guy, Freddie Colon.

When was that? They're all
around 8:00 this morning.

Excuse me, Detectives.
Mr. Garcia's here.

Mr. Garcia,
I'm Detective Fontana.

This is Detective Green.

Please accept
our condolences, sir.

Will Alex's mother be
joining us this morning?

She died three years ago.

I'm sorry to hear that.
Have a seat.

Mr. Garcia, we want to find
out who did this to your son.

So we have to ask you
some questions, okay?

Was Alex having any
problems here at school?

He never mentioned anything.

Was he involved
with gangs or drugs?

Why are you asking that,
because he was dominicano?

No, sir. We'd have to ask that
question of any high school student.

Mr. Garcia,
Alex had $300 in cash

and a very expensive
watch on him.

That wasn't drugs.

Alex tutored
other students here.

They paid him $85 an hour.

That watch was
a present to himself.

He got a couple of
calls this morning

from somebody
named Freddie Colon.

Does that name ring a bell?

Freddie's from our neighborhood.

They both transferred here
in the ninth grade.

They used to be close.

What happened? They have
a falling out or something?

Alex said Freddie changed
when he came to this school.

That he only wanted to hang
out with the white kids.

That's a load. I didn't want
to just hang out with white kids.

I made new friends. Alex
and me just drifted apart.

Why did you call him
three times this morning?

I just wanted to talk to him.

About what?

A couple of buddies of mine
gave him a hard time yesterday.

And I didn't do
anything to stop them.

Define hard time.

Making fun of him because
he played in the orchestra,

calling him a nerd,
stuff like that.

We're gonna need their names.

Okay, but they were just ribbing him, man.
It was nothing.

Well, if it was nothing, why
did you call him this morning?

I felt bad.
I wanted to say I was sorry.

So, where were you
between 1:00 and 2:00 today?

Chemistry class. Why?

Look, maybe Alex and I didn't
hang out that much anymore,

but I liked the guy.

You had a funny way
of showing it, kid.

Lou wants to see us outside.

Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back.
All right?

Let me guess, cello bow.

You got it. We just
found it in the trash

wrapped up in a sweatshirt.

Looks like dried blood. Got
some tissue particles, too.

Extra small.

Could be looking for a female.

You can call me a sexist,
but doesn't it take

an awful lot of upper body
strength to strangle someone?

You been to a gym lately?

She could've had help.

Now, look, here's a list of the students
who had access to the music room.

Start with the girls first.

Okay.

I must've left my sweatshirt in the
music room during free period.

What were you doing there?

I was practicing my violin solo.

And what time was that?

Um, from about 12:30 to 1:00.

Did you see Alex?

He came in as I was leaving.
We talked for a sec,

and then I headed off
to science lab.

Was anybody else
hanging around there?

No, just Alex.

I still can't believe...

Were you two friends?

We'd been in orchestra
together since ninth grade.

Did he ever talk about
his personal life?

A little. I know he thought that

some of the kids at Foster
were pretty stuck up.

Was he having problems
with anyone in particular?

I don't know
if it was a problem,

but he'd been going out
with this girl.

Told me her ex-boyfriend
was being a real jerk.

How so?

He said the guy was racist.

How long had you and
Alex been seeing each other?

A little over three months.

Things were going pretty well?

We had this connection.
Alex was sensitive, you know?

He thought about
more than just himself.

We heard that
your old boyfriend, Keith,

was giving Alex a hard time.

Do you know what that was about?

Keith's got
a chip on his shoulder.

He was just ranting.

About what?

When he heard Alex got a full
scholarship to Princeton,

he thought it was because of,
you know, special treatment.

You mean affirmative action?

L told Keith if he scored
a 2350 on the S.A.T.s,

he'd get special treatment, too.

So Keith's rant was
not because he was angry

that you and Alex
were seeing each other?

No, it was way over
between me and Keith.

I dumped him as soon as I
realized what a loser he was.

Did you ever see him
do anything violent?

Even talk about
hurting somebody?

Alex Garcia?

We didn't hang
in the same crowd,

but it still sucks
what happened to him.

What does that mean,
the same crowd?

Hey, I got nothing
against minorities.

I'm just not into
reverse discrimination.

Let's cut to the chase
here, Detectives.

Keith was with his girlfriend
in the school darkroom

from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m.

Doing what?

My client wants to be
as helpful as he can,

but before we go on,
I need certain assurances.

Like what?

Keith is 18. The girl
he was with is only 15.

They were having sex.

Ah, so you're worried about a
statutory rape charge, huh?

Look, first of all, we
need to talk to the girl.

Give them her name, Keith.

Sonya Merrick. She's a freshman.

I need to talk to you two.

We'll be back.

Colby did some data recovery
on Garcia's cell phone.

Came up with some
interesting stuff.

Answers to a chemistry test that
was taken at Foster last month.

What, so Alex was cheating?

He'd use his cell to shoot
photos of his answers,

email them to other kids
taking the same test.

Couldn't get a photo, he'd
text message the answers.

We've come a long way
from writing the answers

in the palm of our hands.

Any idea how many kids
were involved?

We found the names of 16
students on his buddy list.

He wasn't tutoring.
He was selling grades.

The whole school cheats.

Bad grades can, like,
affect your whole life.

Hey, why didn't you
tell us all this before?

I didn't want to get anyone
kicked out of school.

Come on, your boyfriend was
murdered for crying out loud.

I know that. Look, I'm sorry.

I just didn't think this had
anything to do with it.

Look at this list.
Tell us who jumps out.

Greg Loomis.

He and Alex got into this
thing a few weeks ago.

And what was
this thing they got into?

Greg wanted the answers
to a biology midterm.

He told Alex
he was short on cash,

asked him if he could
trade him his iPod instead.

How much did Alex usually
charge for something like that?

Around 100 bucks a test.

He also wrote term papers.

Did he take the iPod?

It didn't work. Alex
gave him back the iPod.

Told him he could study for
his own tests from now on.

How did Greg react?

He got pretty furious over it,

but Alex wouldn't back down.

Any idea why Greg
didn't show up today?

His parents called,
said he wasn't feeling well.

Can you get us his home address?

Sure.

Has he had any
behavioral problems?

Fights? Vandalism?

No. Nothing like that.

Greg's only problem
is his sense of entitlement.

Rubs people
the wrong way sometimes.

Couldn't get that silver
spoon out of his mouth, huh?

We heard he transferred
here from a private school?

Uh, Sinclair Hall. Before
that, he was at Crestpoint.

Here's his locker.

Those are pretty
prestigious schools.

Well, his parents said
they were looking for

a more well-rounded
academic education.

In other words,
he got kicked out?

Basically. They live in this
catchment, so Foster was

the natural choice.

Why would I cheat?
I've got 3.7 GPA.

We believe that
Alex Garcia deserves

most of the credit
for that average.

What is that supposed to mean?

Alex has been selling
your son, Greg, here

test answers and term papers
since he got to Foster's.

That's not true, Dad. I
barely even knew Alex Garcia.

You're in all of his classes.

What does that have to do
with the Garcia boy's death?

We don't know if it has
anything to do with it,

but we're following leads.

Leads? Are you saying
my son is a suspect?

We're talking to dozens of suspects.
Your son is one of them.

And we're asking them
all the same question.

Where were you when
Alex Garcia was killed?

I was in PE.

Oh, yeah. Ls that how you got those
scratches on your face, Greg?

I was playing hockey.

If you have
any further questions,

you can contact my attorney.

Sure we will.

Gregory Loomis was a student
here last year, that's true.

But as for his conduct,
I don't recall.

His records from here hint
at some behavior problems.

We were hoping to get that
a little more defined.

I don't recall his behavior.

Why did he leave?

I'd have to check my records.

So let's go check them.
They're confidential.

This isn't a hospital,
Mr. Englander.

I have an obligation to protect
the privacy of my students.

Listen, we just need
some indication

that we're dealing
with the right kid

so we don't go wasting a whole
lot of time, all right?

Or we can have a subpoena
here in two hours.

There'll be 10 more of us
hauling out file boxes

past all the soccer mommies
waiting to pick up the kiddies.

Yeah, so you can answer one of our
questions or two hundred of theirs.

You'll have to get a subpoena.

I could get fired
or sued if you don't.

But I can tell you this,

what's in Greg Loomis' records
are the kinds of offenses

that money couldn't
buy him out of. All right?

I just got off the phone with
the Greg Loomis' gym teacher.

He was a no-show
on the day of the murder.

So, he has no alibi
and a history with the victim.

It's hard to believe anyone
would kill over a test score.

It gets deeper than that. He got kicked
out of two other private schools

for poor academic achievement.

Foster was his last shot.

Yeah, and I guess
Alex pulled the plug on that.

The lab just matched
Greg Loomis' thumbprint

to the one found
on the cello bow.

Wait. I thought you said
he wasn't in the system.

We got a print off a comb
from his locker.

Go pick him up.

Greg left a little while
ago with his parents.

How long is a little while ago?

About an hour, hour and a half.

They happen to say
where they were going?

Took the car.

You know these people
pretty good.

You have any idea
where they went?

Not really.

Mr. Loomis gave you a big
Christmas bonus this year?

Yes, sir, he did. But I still
don't know where they went.

What kind of car does he have?

Mercedes G-Class. Black.

Those cars have GPS.

Tom?

Tom, what's going on here?

We could ask you the same thing.

We have a warrant
for your son's arrest.

Oh, no. No.

Sherman. Sherman.

They've come for Greg.
They want to arrest him.

I'm calling my attorney.

While you've got him
on the phone, have him explain

the aiding and abetting
laws to you.

We came out here
for a long weekend.

Mr. and Mrs. Loomis, please.

He's upstairs in his bedroom.

Let's go.

Greg. Greg!

Son, open up.
The police are here.

Come on. Open up.

Oh, God. ELLEN: Oh, God.
He's bleeding.

He's bleeding.
Stay back. Stay back.

Greg. Greg. Get us an ambulance!

- Take it easy.
- Please, calm down.

I'm sorry, Dad.

Docket number 101672.

People v, Greg Loomis on a charge
oi Murder 'm the Second Degree.

How does your
client plead, Counselor?

Not guilty, Your Honor.

- JUDGE McNEIL: People on bail.
- People seek remand.

We're concerned
about a flight risk.

When apprehended, the defendant
had fled the jurisdiction.

He was with his parents at their
vacation home in Long Island.

Kind of nippy on the Island

this time of year,
isn't it, Counselor?

Where he attempted suicide.

Now, Your Honor,
we have taken the liberty

of securing a room at the Green
Haven Psychiatric Facility,

where he could stay as a
condition of recognizance.

Your Honor, it's a country club.

Rolling lawns, minimal security.

He could be well guarded
and receive counseling.

His parents are concerned that there
could be a second suicide attempt.

And they're willing
to put up their $5 million

penthouse as collateral.

I'm sold. Five million bail.

Condition of recognizance
is commitment to Green Haven.

Come.

It's nice, like you said,
the place he's going?

Well, it's not like a country club.
I played that up.

But it's not jail.

No.

I met his parents at the school.

They are wealthy people, and that
lawyer, I've seen her on Court TV.

We don't got
a shot against them.

We absolutely do, Mr. Garcia.

Uh, Ms. Borgia.

I thought I'd save
a messenger fee.

Notification of our defense.

Involuntary intoxication.

Greg Loomis was taking Centinall
for Attention Deficit Disorder.

Shane's claiming the drug caused
him to snap and kill Alex Garcia.

Designer defense
for a designer attorney.

And a successful one,

who's won some cases
on some pretty thin ice.

So don't ever underestimate
Rebecca Shane.

I've heard of her. But the pills made
me do it is a hard sell, even for her.

I guarantee you that she
has bought an expert

or three to back her up.

I'll find an expert
to destroy her.

A battle between the experts
generally goes to the defense, Jack.

Especially when
there's a kid involved.

A malingerer.

This Greg Loomis
got a criminal record?

Nothing, but he
bounced around a lot of

fancy private high schools.

Records only indicate that
he was asked to leave.

Kind way to avoid
the word expulsion.

He was a bad student.

Alex Garcia was the only
thing keeping him in school.

He committed murder
over a biology grade.

You seem to be hell-bent
against this kid, Jack.

You sure taking on a TV lawyer is
not playing in to this at all?

It's the abdication of personal
responsibility to a medication

that's got me hell-bent.

What's next,
my inhaler made me do it?

And I've never
met Rebecca Shane.

Well, you're going to.
She wants to sit down.

Good. But unless she's
willing to take murder two,

we're going to trial.

When Gregory was
put on Centinall,

his doctor was not aware of
the dangerous side effects.

It's an FDA approved drug

that's prescribed for
millions of kids every year.

Just because it's FDA approved
doesn't mean it's safe.

I mean, look at
Vioxx, thalidomide.

Centinall is directly associated with
suicidal and homicidal behavior.

But as a coincidence
or an inciting factor?

Oh.

In 1997, there was a 14-year-old
boy who killed three students

and wounded five others at a
high school prayer meeting.

1998, young man
in Huntsville, Alabama

chopped up his parents
with an ax.

Both were on Centinall.

Maybe they both
had brown hair, too.

I didn't mean to kill Alex. I
didn't know what I was doing.

Quiet, Gregory, please.

We're willing to concede
to a man two charge.

Ten years probation
with counseling.

I was thinking more along
the lines of 20 to life.

My God. What...

Our psychiatrist
wants to see your client

tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m.

I never liked
being on the pills.

The pills themselves, or the idea of
being on them in the first place?

Both, I guess. I never
thought I was crazy.

How did having to
take them make you feel?

I knew it was for the best.

Why?

Well, it made
my parents feel better.

But there were times
where I just felt like hell.

Physically, I mean.

HOW?

Well, sometimes, I could get
really paranoid, you know.

Just thinking everyone
was looking at me.

Did that ever happen before you
started taking the Centinall?

No.

And then other times, I wouldn't
sleep for days, you know?

Just walk around like a zombie.

Like I was actually
outside my body, you know?

Floating above myself, watching
myself talk to people,

ride the subway,

just totally apart.

Was there a trigger
to these feelings?

Out of the blue.

Did you ever tell
anyone about them?

My dad, sometimes,
but he didn't believe me.

He just said it was normal.

Dr. Olivet, look,

if I'd had any clue that something
like this was going to happen,

I'd have stopped
taking the pills.

But I did what I was told.

Maybe I shouldn't have.

It did sound like he'd
memorized the warning label.

He probably had more coaching

than my neighborhood
Little League.

I also reviewed Greg's
medical file.

He was taking a standard dosage,

and he never reported any adverse
reactions to his physician.

Sounds like he clearly had
the ability to form intent.

And Greg's suicide attempt,
real or staged,

indicates
consciousness of guilt.

Defense's expert will say it
indicates he wasn't of sound mind.

But we'll have you
to say he was.

I believe he was, yes.

But the truth is we don't
really know for certain

what effects these drugs
have on developing brains.

I'd prefer that you
kept that to yourself.

Dr. Smith, would you tell us a little
about your field of expertise?

I study the effects of drugs
on children eight to 20 with.

Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

What does the drug Centinall do?

It's a central nervous
system stimulant,

which affects key
neurotransmitters in the brain

to enhance focus
and attentiveness.

And its effect?

It chemically alters that part of the
brain that controls spontaneity,

impulse control and aggression.

It also reduces
overall blood flow

and can possibly cause
shrinkage or atrophy.

And does this lead to psychotic
or violent behavior?

Those conditions have
been reported, yes.

Centinall is classified
as a Schedule ll drug,

in the same category as morphine,
PCP, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

Has it been associated
with homicide?

There are dozens of
documented cases worldwide.

Thank you. No more questions.

How many children

take psychoactive drugs
like Centinall every year?

The figure has exploded
in recent years.

I believe it presently stands
at around eight million.

But not every child that
takes a psychotropic drug

commits suicide or homicide.

Of course not.

How many do, Doctor?

100,000?

No, no.

10,000?

It's hard to get
accurate statistics.

0,000?

Perhaps 8,000.

Out of eight million.

That's one tenth of one percent.

And is there any proof
that the violence committed

by that one tenth of one percent

was solely caused
by Centinall alone?

That would be
impossible to determine.

Because there are co-factors.

There's never a single cause.

There are biological, environmental
and psychological factors,

which have to be
considered as well.

Thank you, Doctor. That's all.

I had read about
this miracle drug,

so I made an appointment
with a psychiatrist.

Why did you feel it was necessary
to put your son on medication?

Well, Greg had been having
some trouble at school.

And he's...
He's such a smart kid.

He's so sharp,
but he was struggling.

After he started the drug, did you
notice any change in his behavior?

Did he ever complain
about how he felt?

Oh, he... He did not
like the side effects.

And yet you continued
to keep him on Centinall?

L wanted him to go
to a good college.

I wanted him to be successful.

So I forced him to
stay on the medication.

In spite of his complaints?

I ignored them.

Even when I could tell
that he was agitated,

because he was finally
doing so well in school.

It was the worst decision
I have ever made.

The rewards for success are high in your
household, aren't they, Mr. Loomis?

Well, we reward achievement.

Your Honor, prosecution
exhibits 19 through 25.

Emails to your son

that promise him a Porsche

if he gets into
an Ivy League college.

I did promise that.

And an allowance of $60,000.

Those were merely incentives.

Big money incentives
for big achievement.

But the consequences for failure in
your family are conversely dire.

You lose your home.

"Either you get into college"

"or when you turn 18,
you're out of the house."

My son was spending
all of his time

smoking marijuana
and playing video games.

"You will have
failed me as a son,"

"and failed your whole family."

Success is about working hard.

I was just trying
to motivate him.

By withholding affection and
threatening to kick him out.

That's an enormous amount
of pressure on a child.

Greg did not kill Alex Garcia

because of the pressure
of getting into college.

That is exactly why
he killed him,

and why he was
buying his grades.

Objection. Argumentative.

Sustained.

Greg would never kill anyone.

It was this drug.

Or the car, the money,
the apartment

and your affection for him.

He has always had my affection.

Maybe... Maybe I work too much.

Maybe I have pushed
him in the wrong way,

but he has always had
my love and affection.

I remember being in the music
room with Alex Garcia.

And I remember his mouth moving,

but it was like I couldn't
hear what he was saying.

What happened next?

Well, I see it all
in these weird flashes.

He's talking to me and then...

And then I push him.

And then I see the
cello bow in my hand.

And then I go blank.

What do you remember next?

Waking up in the hospital
with cuts on my wrists.

How did you feel
that day before school?

Everything was in these flashes,

and I was feeling real

aggressive.

Were you feeling aggressive
specifically against Alex Garcia?

Only after he told me he wouldn't
give me the test answers.

It's like all that anger
just went toward him.

How did you feel about
Alex Garcia in general?

I liked Alex. A lot.
He was my friend.

So what reason would you
have to do him harm?

None at all. Why would I hurt him?
He was helping me.

That's right.

He was helping you.

Thanks, Greg.

You raised your
grade point average

considerably due to Alex Garcia's
test answers, didn't you?

And because I was studying.

Isn't it correct that failing

your biology midterm would
have put your GPA average

below consideration
for Ivy League schools?

Objection. Speculative.

Sustained.

Prosecution exhibits
190 through 200.

Your text message communications
with other students

stating that you knew this fact.

Objection. Argumentative.

Sustained.

You've led a privileged life.

Ever not gotten what you wanted?

I didn't hurt Alex
because of grades.

You didn't hurt him.
You killed him,

over his refusal to give
you what you wanted.

I had no idea what was going
on in the music room that day.

Did you know what was going on

on November 14th of last year

in the science room
of the Crestpoint school,

when you ignited a class project

with an alcohol burner

after receiving what you
thought was an unfair grade?

That was a complete accident.

And six months later, in March,

in the Sinclair Hall Academy,

were you aware of your actions

when you stabbed holes in the
school's supply of basketballs

after you were cut from
the junior varsity team?

That was a prank.

And it wasn't my idea.

Two other guys were with me.

There's always
an excuse, isn't there?

An accident, someone
else, the medication.

But you're never
at fault, are you?

I didn't...

I didn't mean to do it.

No?

Or is that just

another excuse?

Nothing further.

Redirect, Your Honor.

How did you feel about what
happened to Alex Garcia?

Awful.

Like I want to cry
all the time about it.

If you could take back
what happened that day,

would you? Objection, relevance.

Overruled.

Would you?

I'd do anything to take it back.

I stayed on that medication

and dealt with being a zombie

because I wanted to
make my dad proud.

So I could be who
he wanted for a son.

But that's not why I hurt Alex.

Mr. Garcia,

I'm sorry.

But it was like
someone else did it.

I don't know how to explain it any better.
I'm so sorry.

Mr. Garcia.

Greg addressing you
in court was a cheap ploy.

And no doubt Shane planned it.

We got to talk about something.

I just got a call from
an old friend of my son's.

He heard about
Greg Loomis' defense

for killing Alex, and said
it doesn't make sense.

That Greg Loomis wasn't
taking those pills.

He was selling them.

It guts his defense.

A month before Greg killed Alex,

I traded him for his
whole bottle of Centinall.

To sell to kids to help
study for midterms.

Did he ever sell
pills to you before?

Just that one time.

How'd he approach you?

He heard I had my teeth pulled
and said we can make a trade.

For your painkillers?

And I saw him stash the
pills I traded him for.

There's a secret hole under
a floorboard in his room.

He had lots
of pill bottles there.

Do you know if Greg
sold pills to other kids?

I don't know, maybe.

I'll write up a search
warrant for his room.

And talk to kids in the school.
I want another buyer.

Sorry, I don't know anything about
Greg Loomis selling his Centinall.

Do you know anyone who might?

Not really.

Have you ever heard of kids selling
their prescriptions before?

Sure.

Can you tell me
who they might be?

It's not any one
person, you know?

Kids just go
to pharming parties.

Pharming, like Pharmaceuticals?

To trade their pills
or their parents' pills.

So it's more
like a general thing.

Did Greg Loomis go
to these parties?

I don't know.

Scott.

You know something
you're not telling me.

I want to help,

but I also want to
go to college, okay?

I'm not looking to
get you into trouble.

That's what you say.

As opposed to whom?

There were some men here
earlier, talking to kids.

Shane's private investigators?

Four of them.

Telling kids anything said to the
DA's office about illegal activities

would go on their transcript
and we'd prosecute.

Deep pocket dirty trick.

We could ask for a continuance,

have the cops blanket
the school for at least

one more kid they didn't get to.

You won't get the continuance,

and besides,
the well's poisoned.

Those kids looked at me like I
was there to ruin their lives.

Shane spent that money well.

How was Freddie Colon in prep?
Solid.

Put him on.

How were you
approached to make this trade?

Greg came up to me
in the lunch area.

He asked how bad
my mouth was hurting

from getting my wisdom
teeth pulled out.

What did you say?

It didn't hurt. I was fine.

Then what did he ask?

If I knew how much
I could sell Centinall for.

Did you?

I'd bought it before
for seven bucks a pill.

Did you make this trade?

The next day after school, he
gave me his bottle of pills,

I gave him mine.

How many pills were in
Greg's bottle of Centinall?

Thirty.

Did you notice if that was every
pill in the prescription?

That's what it said
on the bottle.

Where did this trade happen?

In his room.

After we made the trade,
he hid what I gave him

under a loose board
in the floor.

Nothing further.

So, Mr. Colon, you made
this supposed trade

on October 17th?

Around then, yeah.

In his room? At his apartment
on East 86th Street?

That's right.

Video surveillance tapes from
the Loomis' apartment building.

They contain the entire months of
September, October and November.

And you don't appear
in any of it.

Now, why do you think
that is, Mr. Colon?

Objection. Not yet in evidence.

I'll allow it. De bene.
Please answer.

Uh, maybe I got the day wrong.

Or maybe you just
were never there at all.

I knew people were
trading pills with him.

But not you.

I just heard about it.

Alex used to be my best friend,

but he struggled
to fit into Foster.

I... I just wanted to help him.

Mr. Garcia said that it would.

He put you up to this?

I sit in that courtroom
all day and watch them lie.

Loomis doesn't take his meds.

Freddie Colon lying on the stand
destroys our credibility with the jury.

But what he said was the truth.

But he never bought drugs.

That's perjury, and it
seriously undermines our case.

Your case was a lot of
words, a lot of talk.

Maybe you don't see it, but all
those displays Ms. Shane's got,

and her clothes, and the diamonds in
her ears, the jury can't look away.

I can't look away.

This was no way to get
justice for your son!

How then?

Because I don't have the
money to buy it like Loomis.

So I assume the kid lying was a lousy
break, not intentional misconduct.

We had no idea.

We'll see you at closings.

I have a proposal.

Three years probation
with counseling.

No deal.

You'd rather an acquittal?

Because that's what
he's going to get.

Ten years in a maximum
security psychiatric facility.

That's worse than penitentiary.

He deserves 20 to life.

But he's going to walk.

So why offer the three?
Why are we talking?

I just had
a very pragmatic moment.

Doesn't happen very often.

How much did it cost
to review three months

of the Loomis apartment
surveillance tapes? 15,000?

Yeah, about that. Got the
truth though, didn't it?

Is that what you're in this for?

Three years probation
with counseling.

Offer expires in two hours.

Consider it.

Should we?

That's a lot of pills, isn't it?

Precisely the amount

that Gregory Loomis took over
his two years on Centinall.

It was supposed to help him study
and achieve his full potential.

But what he didn't know, and
what his parents didn't know,

and what the doctor didn't know

was that every one
of these pills

could be as lethal as a bullet.

No one knew because
the manufacturing drug company

never told anyone about
possible side effects

of suicide or murder.

Tragically, one of these
bullets went off,

and killed Alex Garcia.

Now, Gregory is not a criminal.

He didn't volunteer
to take these pills.

It was not his choice.

He is a child.

And he did
as his parents told him.

And his parents did
what the doctor told them.

And the doctor
prescribed this medication

because he had been assured by the
manufacturer that it was safe.

Now, follow that line and you'll
find where the blame lies.

But it does not stop at Gregory.

He is not responsible
for this tragedy.

No doubt about it,

Rebecca Shane and her team have
put on a dazzling defense.

To hear her tell it,
you could almost think

that no one is responsible for
what happened to Alex Garcia.

We're counting on your
good sense to remember

that behind the impressive display,
the facts remain the facts.

Greg Loomis is an uncommonly
privileged young man

with a history of violent
reactions to not getting his way.

His family's wealth

has allowed him to escape all the
more unpleasant consequences

of his past explosions.

They placed him in new schools,

and gave him money
to avoid hard work,

and to buy his way
out of tough spots.

So based on past experience,

he expects to evade responsibility
for Alex Garcia's murder,

and to get another free
pass, this time from you.

Who did this,
Centinall or Greg Loomis?

And how did Centinall
give Greg Loomis

his pattern of violent behavior,

his motive and the sense
of entitlement

that made him think
he could wrap a garrote

around Alex Garcia's throat
and get away with it?

How do we survive as a society

if no one is accountable
for their actions?

We don't.

No one here is willing
to take responsibility.

So the task falls on you.

The law says he must be held
accountable for his actions.

Uphold the law.

There isn't an excuse
for everything.

In the matter of
The People v. Gregory Loomis,

on the count of Murder in the
Second Degree, how do you find?

We find the defendant,
Gregory Loomis, guilty.

Jury is dismissed
with the thanks of the Court.

You know, it isn't very often

I have the displeasure of having
to say to the opposing counsel,

congratulations.

We're threadbare,
but we get the job done.

Impressively.

You know, our firm is
thinking of expanding.

Have you ever considered
private practice?

Considered it and dismissed it.

A long time ago, I accepted
my place in the world.

I suppose that's a virtue.

Although,
I personally can't see it.

You or the Loomis family.

Do you think if there had
been less parental pressure,

that Greg might've turned out to
be a perfectly content plumber?

You can never find a good one.

My limo.

Good night, Mr. McCoy.

It's been a pleasure.