Law & Order (1990–2010): Season 22, Episode 4 - Benefit of the Doubt - full transcript
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.
No, no, no, leave those.
I'll take care of it.
I promised your mom
I wouldn't let you be late.
- It's all right.
- I'm carpooling with Annie.
Her mom's picking me up.
Did you finish that
"Scarlet Letter" thing?
- The homework thing?
- Yes, Dad.
And I'm ready for the
math test, so stop worrying.
You'll understand one day.
I already do.
They're almost here.
Bye, I love you.
Love you.
Love you more.
Love you the most.
Yeah, Jalen, what's up?
Somebody really put
this poor girl through it.
Based on rigor, she died
within the last eight hours.
Multiple stab wounds.
No obvious signs of sex assault,
but petechial hemorrhages
in the eyes
indicate neck compression.
- More later.
- ID?
Bag her hands.
Not a lot of blood, considering.
Could have been stabbed
post-mortem,
killed elsewhere, dumped here.
What's up with her ear?
Looks like an earring
was ripped out.
A clump of hair was cut.
Souvenir collector?
Let's not get ahead
of ourselves.
It sure would be nice
if we could ID her.
Detectives, we think
this might be the vic's bag.
Officer,
you never move evidence.
Give it.
It's too late now.
Christina Watkins.
That's the author.
My Sweet
and Spicy Life as a Waitress
"at a Five Star Restaurant."
Why would the killer
leave that here?
Maybe he wanted us to know
that she was somebody.
A promising young author
making an exciting debut.
Okay, talk to me.
- Our vic is Christina Watkins.
- She's 28.
She published a memoir
last month about working
at a downtown restaurant.
She was found by a city
employee at High bridge Park.
So uptown, underpopulated,
remote area of the city.
Let me guess, no video?
And no blood trail.
And no witnesses
who saw how she got there.
What about a murder weapon?
Didn't find one,
but wounds indicate
a sharp, angular blade
sharp enough to cut off
some of her hair as well.
So she was tied up,
and an earring was torn off.
Are we thinking there might
have been a ritual element?
Not going there yet.
Do we know
where she was beforehand?
Working on a timeline.
We found her phone
on Upper Broadway,
four miles from the crime scene.
It had been run over
a few times.
Are there any texts,
calls in the cloud
that might tell us
who she was with?
Just a couple messages
after 10:00.
One for an Uber she canceled
just before midnight,
and another to a Scott Baker,
who seems to be her roommate.
We found this photo of them
together on social media.
Are those the
same kind of angular blades
as the murder weapon?
Who is this guy?
He calls himself
a man with an edge.
What?
Christina's dead?
That's insane.
Were you two an item?
No.
She was all about her writing.
There was a party at the
restaurant where she worked
to celebrate last night.
Were you there?
No.
I had to be at my regular
gig at the Flying Hatchet.
What's that?
It's an ax throwing bar
in Williamsburg.
- Alcohol and sharp objects.
- What could go wrong?
How late were you there until?
3:00 in the morning.
I'm the manager.
I had to clean up.
When you got home,
was Christina here?
No.
I thought she might have hooked
up with someone at the party.
Do you have a location
of this soiree?
The Yellow Ribbon.
I can't believe this.
When did Christina leave?
Around midnight, I think?
She was feeling a little off.
Do you know if she left
with anyone?
No, but I was
kind of distracted.
There were a lot of VIPs.
People really wanted to come
out and celebrate her success.
She was really beloved
by everyone.
And nobody gave her
a hard time about what
she wrote in the book?
Not that I saw.
But I know there
was some commotion
when Tina went out to the
corner to wait for her Uber.
This is you, 11:50 last night
outside Yellow Ribbon?
- Yeah, I just left the party.
- I saw the two of them arguing.
He was...
Drunk.
He started ranting and raving
at Christina, so I, uh...
You jumped in to protect her,
is that right?
Yeah.
Yeah, he was
so aggressive, right?
So I... I pushed him away.
Thankfully, he just walked off.
I'm... I'm no hero, trust me.
I'm not like you guys.
So, um, when this drunk guy...
Excuse me.
After this drunk guy walked off,
where did Christina go?
Did you see?
Did she hail a cab,
start walking home?
- What happened?
- I wish I knew.
- I'm not really sure.
- What about you?
- Where'd you go?
- Home.
I had a really early
call time this morning.
Yeah.
Um, anything else, guys?
I'm really sorry.
I have to get to set.
Just one last thing.
The guy who was harassing her,
do you know who he was?
Yeah, I'm afraid so.
Why are you afraid?
Because he's a friend of mine.
Victor Bernini.
The chef.
What's up?
Uh, we... we're looking
for a Victor Bernini?
Join the club.
Uh, what does that mean?
He was supposed to meet me
here around midnight.
- He never showed.
- He never showed?
Mm-hmm.
Um, do you have any idea
where he would be?
No, I just crashed here
when he blew me off.
- Hmm.
- Yeah.
To be honest, I actually
don't know him that well.
Uh, we just get together
and party once in a while.
Did he mention stopping
by his old restaurant
- early in the evening?
- Yeah.
Yeah, he seemed
pretty torqued about it.
In fact, he's generally
pretty torqued these days.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
So Victor Bernini
is nowhere to be found.
Well, we're waiting
on cell phone, credit card,
and E-ZPass records.
And you think
he's a credible suspect?
Multiple arrests for DUI
and disorderly conduct.
Plus, he got into an argument
with the vic
shortly before the murder.
I thought he was some kind
of world-renowned chef.
He is, but this guy
goes hard in the paint.
I mean, a lot of drugs,
a lot of drinking.
- It seems like he's spiraling.
- Meaning?
He was forced out of his
own restaurant by investors,
and he just declared
personal bankruptcy.
Okay, so Bernini's
having a rough time.
Why would he go after
Christina Watkins?
I've been reading her book.
She's not very flattering.
Victor comes off
like a drugged-out sex addict.
Two days after
that book was published,
that's when he got pushed out
of the restaurant.
And then his staff celebrated
for a week after his exit.
See, the point here is,
Victor is a person of interest.
The sooner we lay hands
on him, the better.
You might not
have to wait that long.
Operations just notified me
there's an EDP job
at Yellow Ribbon.
It's Bernini.
Okay, guys, watch yourselves.
- Drop it now!
- Let go! Put it down!
Blue coming through.
Hey, Victor, what's going on?
Chef!
- Yeah, you got her, Chef.
- Put the knife down.
You've already taken
everything I have.
I'm not letting you
take this place too.
Hey, hey, Chef.
I'm giving you a choice here.
Now drop the blade,
or I drop you.
If I lose this place,
I have nothing to live for.
Chef, put the knife down,
or my partner's gonna
make sure you never see
the inside
of another kitchen again.
Do you understand me?
Is that the ending you want?
Is it?
Put it down.
First smart decision
you've made all day.
You keep asking.
The doctors keep asking
what drugs I took
because my blood pressure
is heightened.
I don't remember.
I guess I'm in trouble now.
Yeah, murder is a pretty
big deal, even these days.
What are you talking about?
Christina Watkins
was found murdered uptown.
And you think I did it?
That's crazy.
You confronted her outside
of the book party.
I liked Christina.
But when I heard that
they were gonna do the party
at the Yellow Ribbon,
my restaurant...
The book really hurt me.
Oh, so you put a hurting on her?
No.
After we argued,
we went our separate ways.
Except the woman
you were supposed to
hook up with that night
said you never showed,
and you don't even remember
what drugs you took.
I didn't do it.
I swear.
Where'd you go when
the book party broke up?
This is from 12:20
last night?
Yeah, Victor came in loaded,
throwing money at the dancers
and bitching about
our food quality.
How long did he stick around?
He was still here when I
came in at 10:00 this morning.
He passed out in the VIP room,
so we let him stay 'cause
he's such a loyal customer.
If Victor's not our guy,
we're back to square one.
Well, maybe not.
M.E.'s done with the autopsy.
Wants to see us ASAP.
You were right.
Broken hyoid bone confirms
manual strangulation.
And most of the stab wounds
were post-mortem.
No obvious indicia of fluids
or other DNA sources.
I stopped listening after
you said "you were right."
But you missed burn marks
on the back side
and bruising on the torso.
Uh, yeah, because she was
dressed when we found her.
Exactly.
Indicating they took her
somewhere else,
undressed her and tortured her,
dressed her again,
and brought her to the park.
Otherwise, there'd still be
more grass on her skin.
So we were right about that too.
- Nuh-uh.
- Here's what you missed.
A small puncture
from a needle stick.
So what, she was dosed
with a sedative?
Well, there's enough propofol
in her to knock over a horse.
To immobilize her
while he treated her
like a voodoo doll.
I can't speak to the psychology,
but I've seen this MO before.
- When?
- A few years ago.
I pulled the case file
before you got here.
Thank you.
- Oh, you son of a bitch.
- You still got all your hair.
Shaw, meet Jerry Ryan.
I hate to say it,
a great detective
and also godfather
to my daughter, Lily.
- Hey, how you doing?
- How you doing?
- How's Wendy and the kids?
- Oh, she's good.
You know, she's still working,
still doing the church
volunteer thing.
So at least one of us is,
uh, gonna go to heaven.
Anyway, this is why I had
you guys come over here.
Is this the similar case
the M.E. was talking about?
Yeah, five years ago,
this woman, Li Na Chang,
was found stabbed and strangled
at a Chinatown hot sheets motel.
Okay, anything else?
Yeah, she was doped
with Rohypnol,
tied up, beaten.
Multiple stab wounds,
but no rape.
Is that it for the similarities?
No, that's not it.
I got cases here from
New Jersey, California, London,
all with the same MO.
No rape.
Our guy gets his kicks,
you know, otherwise.
London?
Yeah, I get alerts
from Interpol.
Are those all
the connections, Jerry?
No!
You think I'd drag you guys
out here on a wild goose chase?
These are copies
I made at Squad.
Take them home.
See for yourself.
This dude is the guy
for all four cases.
I'll bet my shield on it.
Look, Frank,
I'm not sure I agree
with your friend's theory
tying all these cases together.
Like, the two were robberies,
and none of them
involve propofol
or post-mortem stabbing.
Okay, okay, I get it.
But I wasn't just
blowing smoke in there.
He's a great cop
with good instincts.
I'm sure he is,
but right now, he's grasping.
These suspects sketches
can be anybody.
Okay, but you do see
the similarities
in the victims' looks, right?
They all have dark hair,
strong features.
Of course I see that,
but they're all from
different backgrounds.
They're all from different
kinds of neighborhoods.
Some of these were planned,
some of these were crimes
of opportunity.
- It doesn't make sense.
- Maybe he was escalating.
To what?
Escalating with the
brutality of the attacks
and the type of victims
he was selecting.
Going up the social ladder
rung by rung,
getting bolder and bolder
with each murder.
It's a nice theory.
But based on the evidence
that's available to us,
it's not enough.
Witnesses describe
a tall white dude in shades
near all the crime scenes.
In Chinatown and California,
witnesses describe also seeing
a tall white dude
driving a black Tesla.
Hold on.
New Jersey, New Jersey,
Jersey, Jersey.
The witness in the
New Jersey murder
saw a black Tesla
near the crime scene.
The license plate
stuck out to him
because it started
with H-A, like ha,
as if the suspect was laughing.
Using the same vehicle
in all his killings?
I don't know.
A little too obvious?
Or a little too brazen.
This is from the area
around the party that night.
Aggregated from
Traffic Division.
It's a lot to get through.
- Hold up.
- That's a black Tesla.
How far away is that
from the restaurant?
A block away,
right before Christina left.
Show me the area
that's close to where
Christina's phone was tossed.
Maybe there's a better angle
of the plate?
I was looking before,
but it's a busy street,
and the closest camera
was a quarter mile away.
Stop. Stop. Right there.
Let's see who
that's registered to.
Niles Harper, the actor.
He wasn't lying.
About what?
Not being a hero.
I was supposed to be
on my day off today,
but when you told me about
this Niles Harper guy,
I just... you know,
just kind of went to town.
- What'd I tell you, Shaw?
- Dog with a bone.
I tracked Niles's schedule
of acting jobs
over the past few years
and tried to correlate that
with the pattern
of the serial killer.
Alleged serial killer.
Well, just check me on this,
Detective Shaw, okay?
- Mm.
- All right.
So five years ago,
time of the Chinatown murder,
Niles is living in the city
doing theater.
A year later, he's out
in Jersey making a TV show.
And nine miles away,
a cleaning lady gets strangled.
Then, three years ago,
he's outside of LA
making a TV commercial.
A soccer mom
in Joshua Tree gets killed.
And then, two years ago
in London, an ad executive
is killed one mile away
from the set of this
Jack the Ripper movie he's
doing, all with the same MO.
Getting warmer,
but it's still circumstantial.
All right, well...
Check that out.
That's from the
Chinatown Motel lobby.
Uh, I mean, it could be Niles.
Maybe not. Can't really tell.
Well, compare it to this.
Look at his wrist.
That's our guy.
You know it, and I know it.
Okay, let's figure out
where he is right now
so we can talk to him,
get to him
before he lawyers up.
So sorry we got to talk
on the run, guys,
but, uh, we are way
behind schedule.
- Time is money.
- No problem.
Just want to double check on
something about
the last time you saw Christina.
Yeah, like I said, I, uh...
I dropped her off at the subway
station on my way uptown.
That's odd, I don't remember
you saying you gave her a ride.
- I didn't.
- Why's that?
The woman that was
in my trailer before,
she's my girlfriend.
I just... I didn't feel like
advertising the fact
that I gave Christina
a ride to the subway.
Are you saying you and Christina
- fooled around in your car?
- No, no, no, no.
I just gave her a ride.
But Megan, my girlfriend,
you know, she's a girl.
She gets jealous.
Hey, uh, do you mind
if I ask you a question?
Yeah.
What is the story with
that thing on your wrist?
- This?
- Yeah.
I used to have a tat there.
Yeah, a...
A director asked me to get it
removed for a period picture.
And they couldn't
just put makeup on it?
Well, I had a girlfriend
at the time,
and she didn't
like it much, either.
Hey, uh, what time
did you get home that night?
Uh, 12:00, 12:30.
Something like that.
Listen, guys,
I got to go to set.
The line producer...
He's gonna murder me.
We can talk more
later if you want.
- What's going on, Jerry?
- You heard him, Frank.
He lied about giving a ride
to Christina that night.
That makes him a legitimate
suspect, which makes this car
- a potential crime scene.
- Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
Hey, Jerry, we need a warrant.
You know that.
We don't have any time.
What's your probable cause then?
Hey, Frank told me you got
a law degree, but we're cops.
So maybe you should
start thinking like
one of us instead of
one of them.
What the hell's going on?
We'd like to search your
car if that's okay with you.
Sorry, I'm running late.
It'll take two,
three minutes, tops.
You got a warrant?
Not yet.
- I see blood.
- Hands off the wheel.
- Step out of the vehicle.
- Okay, relax.
- Step out of the vehicle.
- Relax, bro.
I'm just an actor.
There's no blood in there.
- What do you got, Jerry?
- Talk to me.
- I saw something red.
- Just give me a second.
Frank, right there.
Right on the edge of the mat.
You see it?
Matches the earring
we found on Christina.
Cuff him.
What are we doing here,
gentlemen?
My client already told you
he gave Christina Watkins
a ride to the subway.
Big deal. Her earring fell off.
There was blood on the earring,
so it didn't exactly fall off.
He's right. He's right.
I... I didn't want
to admit this before,
but we started kissing
in the car, all right?
And it got physical.
And, uh, she liked it rough.
That's what you're
gonna tell the judge?
That she liked her earrings
ripped out of her ears?
We just searched your apartment,
and we found some
very interesting items.
I'm sure you did.
Fans send me
crazy souvenirs all the time.
Yeah, like a clump
of streaked hair
that was hacked off the victim?
We also found a set
of specialized chef knives
from a limited edition.
Only one of those knives
was missing.
It was a boning knife
with an angular blade...
The kind that was used
to stab Ms. Watkins.
Stand up.
Niles Harper,
you're being charged
with the murder
of Christina Watkins.
Mr. Harper, how do you plead?
Not guilty, Your Honor.
Bail?
Judge, the people
request remand.
The defendant is an
international film star
with an overseas support network
and projects in countries
without extradition treaties
with the U.S.
Your Honor, Mr. Harper has
family in the area,
strong ties to the community,
and has made major investments
in struggling parts
of the South Bronx.
The police found the victim's
bloody earring in his car.
Mr. Harper
has an airtight alibi
for the night of the murder.
He was at home
with his girlfriend in Tribeca
while Ms. Watkins
was getting killed
on the opposite end
of Manhattan Island.
Mr. Harper,
given the risk of flight
in the face of these charges,
you are remanded.
Next case.
I just need to ask you
a few things.
I already said I don't want
to talk to you people.
Well, then you can testify
in court under subpoena.
Niles was home by 12:30,
and he was in bed with me
the rest of the night.
We both know
that isn't the truth.
Look at these.
Look what he did to these women.
They weren't human to him.
They were just things
he tore up and threw away.
You think this
won't happen to you?
You're wrong.
There's no way he did this.
He's a killer, a savage.
He was with me from 12:30 on.
So if you ask me to testify,
that's what I'll say.
Niles Harper is a prime example
of the power of celebrity.
People do or say anything
to protect him.
Can we shake his alibi?
Is there any video
near his house that shows
- what time he got home?
- We didn't find anything.
And he turned off his phone
and disabled the GPS in his car
so we can't track his movements.
Maybe you can use that
to show consciousness of guilt.
Bad news... Judge Maldonado
just denied
our Molineux application.
He rejected it outright?
We can't mention any
of Niles's prior bad acts.
So nothing about
the other homicides
in New Jersey, London,
California, and Chinatown.
Okay, so we need to make this
case about Christina Watkins...
And only Christina Watkins.
Won't be easy.
Niles is a handsome,
charming movie star.
The jurors are gonna have
a hard time believing
he did something this depraved.
The facts are the facts.
Niles lied about giving
Christina a ride
to the subway that night.
We found clumps of her hair
in his apartment
and her bloody earring
in his car.
We're good, Jack.
The case is strong.
Niles's lawyer just filed
a motion to suppress.
I don't think I've ever
seen a more blatant violation
of the Fourth Amendment
than this search
of my client's car.
No warrant, no probable cause.
Detective Ryan thought he saw
blood in the defendant's car.
That gave him
probable cause to search.
And yet,
no blood was ever found.
They found a bloody earring.
They should have got a warrant.
Mr. Harper was about
to drive away.
That created
exigent circumstances.
The detective should have
impounded the car
and got a warrant.
All right, I've heard enough.
I agree with the defense.
Your Honor,
this is a technicality.
It's inevitable they would
have found the earring.
The application
to suppress is granted.
Thank you.
It follows that whatever
they recovered
from my client's apartment...
The hair and the knives...
Are fruit of the poison tree
and must be excluded as well.
Agreed.
What the hell kind of
prosecutors are you guys?
I thought you knew
what you were doing.
We're lucky the judge didn't
dismiss the entire case.
And what is that
supposed to mean?
You had no right
to enter the car.
They have a point, Jerry.
There was no blood in the car.
- You were not th...
- Okay, okay, okay.
It is what it is.
Let's move on.
Figure out how
we can win this thing.
Well, I can tap dance
for a few days,
call a medical examiner,
victim's family members
to testify.
But if we don't find some
hard evidence, we're done.
The case will be dismissed.
Talk about a Hail Mary.
Yeah, you heard the man, Jerry.
We got two days to the trial,
and we got stugatz.
This park used to be
a dumping ground
for stolen cars.
You remember that, Frank?
How did Niles know
about this place anyway?
What did he do?
Shoot a movie here?
No. No, I already checked.
Hey, buddy!
You got a minute?
What can I do for you?
I'm Ray.
You happen to find any knives
around here with that thing?
No knives.
No guns.
Found a Cadillac fender,
though, two days ago.
Took him straight
across the bridge
to the scrap yards in the Bronx.
There's not as many scrap yards
as there used to be.
People fixing up those
old warehouses trying to,
uh, you
know, revitalize the area.
Yeah, thank you for your time.
I appreciate that.
That's the way it is
in New York, right?
- That's right.
- Yeah, yeah. Sure, sure.
Things always change.
They always change.
Didn't Niles's lawyer
say that he was investing
in struggling neighborhoods
in the Bronx?
Yeah, and she sounded
real proud of it, too,
like it proved her client
was a good guy or something.
I'm gonna get my phone,
I'm gonna call Yee,
I'm gonna see if she can find
out what properties he owns.
This is the address.
License plate reader puts
Niles's car across the street
the night of the murder,
so he was here.
Spread out. Watch yourselves.
Hey, I got something over here.
What do you got?
One-bedroom apartment.
Hit that with luminol.
Niles must have used a tarp
and bleached the hell
out of this place.
I can still smell it.
No blood.
All right, let's keep looking.
Clock is ticking. Let's go.
- Frank, come here.
- Yeah.
I already looked over there.
No, I think
you missed something.
You, too, Jalen.
Take a look for yourself.
To Christina.
With love, from Mom.
We got him, Jerry.
- Yeah, we did. We did.
- We've got him.
Yeah.
Most of you probably recognize
the defendant, Niles Harper.
He's a movie star.
He's played many memorable
and compelling characters.
You've seen him
on the big screen.
You like him.
But you don't really know him.
The actual Niles Harper is a
violent and sadistic predator
who saw Christina Watkins at a
party, lured her into his car,
then tortured and killed her
in a warehouse
he owns in the Bronx.
The evidence against the
defendant is substantial.
He lied to the police
on numerous occasions
when trying to explain
his whereabouts
on the night of the murder.
Even more damning, the police
found Christina's necklace
in the defendant's warehouse,
which just so happens
to be located a quarter mile
from the park
where her mutilated corpse
was found.
Ladies and gentlemen,
don't make the same mistake
Christina Watkins made.
Don't let Niles Harper
fool you into thinking
he's a good person
because he's not.
He's a violent,
vicious murderer.
I agree with much of what
Mr. Price just said.
This case is full of illusions.
But it's the evidence
against my client
that is the illusion.
They have nothing.
No witnesses, no forensics,
no confession.
And to make matters worse,
this case is rife
with police misconduct.
We used to always
give the police
the benefit of the doubt.
Not anymore.
Scrutinize every word that
comes out of their mouths,
because we've seen what they do
when they think
no one is looking.
Don't let them get away
with it this time.
Have Cosgrove reach out
to Christina's mother.
We need to nail down
some of these details.
I'm sorry, I don't keep track
of things too well.
I don't get a whole lot
of sleep these days.
Uh, remind me what it
is I'm looking for.
I'm looking for credit card
statements or receipts
that would show
that you purchased
that necklace for Christina.
Right, sorry.
I just remembered
I paid cash for it.
- Does that hurt the case?
- It's not a big problem.
We still have the necklace.
It's a good piece of evidence.
Thank God.
I just want to make sure that
that monster pays
for what he did to my Tina,
and that he never does it
to anyone else's daughter.
Patti, we all feel the same way.
I know you do.
Jerry spoke so highly of you.
Jerry?
I didn't know you spoke
with Detective Ryan.
Yeah, he came by the other day
just to check and see
how I was doing.
Wait, did I say something wrong?
Oh, no, not at all.
Not at all.
Let's see if we can
find that receipt.
Next round's on you.
Bottoms up, my friend.
By the way, I didn't realize
you stopped by
and saw Christina's mother.
Oh, that's what
I always told you.
You stay in touch
with the victim's family
because you never know
when somebody's gonna
- remember something useful.
- Good advice.
That's why I was
surprised you didn't ask
me and Shaw to come with.
We were supposed to be
primaries on the case.
Is this about your ego, Frank?
No, it's about
the fact that you went by
and saw Christina's mother now
before we searched
the warehouse.
What are you saying?
That spot where
we found the necklace,
I searched that area a minute
before and it wasn't there.
You're confused.
Ahh.
I need a refill.
Jerry.
Jerry, it's me.
This is not the way we do it.
I have been doing it
the right way for 32 years.
The necklace was there.
You just missed it.
Can you tell us what we're
looking at here, Detective?
It's footage
from a three-hour window
around the time
that Niles Harper told us
that he dropped
Christina Watkins
off of the subway station.
And does Christina Watkins
appear in it at any time?
No, she does not.
What are we looking at here?
That's an image
from NYPD Auto Crime
around 2:00 a.m.
that same night
when they were in the area
looking for stolen cars.
Can you identify the car?
It's a vehicle registered to
Niles Harper parked in front
of the warehouse
he owns in the Bronx
at a time when he claimed
he was home in bed.
The same Bronx warehouse
where this necklace was found?
- Yes.
- We were searching the premises.
I noticed something glimmer
under a tool cabinet.
I called over
Detectives Cosgrove and Shaw.
Detective Shaw reached down
and found the necklace
and read the inscription.
"To Christina.
With love, from Mom."
- Thank you.
- No further questions.
Counselor.
Detective Ryan, are you modest?
Uh, no, not particularly.
I'm a detective first grade.
Means I'm really good at my job.
Mm.
And yet you credit
Detective Shaw
with finding the necklace.
But you were the one who
spotted it first, didn't you?
I did.
Even though the other officers
had already looked in the area?
Well, that can happen in a rush.
Detective,
you planted that necklace
in the warehouse, didn't you?
No.
You remember you're
under oath, don't you?
The penalties for tampering
and perjury are serious.
I know the law.
You hate my client, don't you?
I hate people who murder women.
So, yeah, I don't
care for him too much.
And you'd do anything
to ensure he's convicted,
wouldn't you?
No.
I'm an honest cop.
I do it the right way.
But you already know that.
This is a photo taken
the night of the murder.
As you can see,
Christina isn't wearing
the necklace you claim
to have found in the warehouse.
So if she's not wearing it,
how did it end up in a warehouse
a few hours later?
Could have been in her purse,
her pocket, her hand.
Who knows?
But it was there.
We found it in the warehouse.
That's a fact.
You finding it is a fact.
That doesn't mean
you didn't plant it.
- Objection.
- She's badgering the witness.
Sustained.
Move on, Ms. Hunt.
Nothing further.
The defense rests, Your Honor.
Court is adjourned
for the jury to deliberate.
Frank, if you got something
to tell me, tell me now.
We got our man, Jalen.
That's all you need to know.
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
Will the defendant please rise?
In the charge of murder
in the second degree,
we find the defendant,
Niles Harper, guilty.
Members of the jury,
thank you for your service.
Court is adjourned.
- Ma'am.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Something smells good.
I brought dessert.
Good.
Mom put out an extra setting.
Uncle Jerry
is here to celebrate.
What do you say, Frank?
All's well that ends well, huh?
Honey, take this in to your mom.
Tell her to hold off on dinner.
I need to talk
to your godfather.
Okay.
Dinner's almost ready.
Well, really went
for it this time.
18-year-old single malt,
sherry cask, the whole deal.
Cost me 400 bucks,
but the guy said
it was worth it.
Here you go.
What's wrong?
I can't accept this.
Frank, why not?
Frank, justice was served today.
You need to leave.
Jerry, you need to leave.
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.
No, no, no, leave those.
I'll take care of it.
I promised your mom
I wouldn't let you be late.
- It's all right.
- I'm carpooling with Annie.
Her mom's picking me up.
Did you finish that
"Scarlet Letter" thing?
- The homework thing?
- Yes, Dad.
And I'm ready for the
math test, so stop worrying.
You'll understand one day.
I already do.
They're almost here.
Bye, I love you.
Love you.
Love you more.
Love you the most.
Yeah, Jalen, what's up?
Somebody really put
this poor girl through it.
Based on rigor, she died
within the last eight hours.
Multiple stab wounds.
No obvious signs of sex assault,
but petechial hemorrhages
in the eyes
indicate neck compression.
- More later.
- ID?
Bag her hands.
Not a lot of blood, considering.
Could have been stabbed
post-mortem,
killed elsewhere, dumped here.
What's up with her ear?
Looks like an earring
was ripped out.
A clump of hair was cut.
Souvenir collector?
Let's not get ahead
of ourselves.
It sure would be nice
if we could ID her.
Detectives, we think
this might be the vic's bag.
Officer,
you never move evidence.
Give it.
It's too late now.
Christina Watkins.
That's the author.
My Sweet
and Spicy Life as a Waitress
"at a Five Star Restaurant."
Why would the killer
leave that here?
Maybe he wanted us to know
that she was somebody.
A promising young author
making an exciting debut.
Okay, talk to me.
- Our vic is Christina Watkins.
- She's 28.
She published a memoir
last month about working
at a downtown restaurant.
She was found by a city
employee at High bridge Park.
So uptown, underpopulated,
remote area of the city.
Let me guess, no video?
And no blood trail.
And no witnesses
who saw how she got there.
What about a murder weapon?
Didn't find one,
but wounds indicate
a sharp, angular blade
sharp enough to cut off
some of her hair as well.
So she was tied up,
and an earring was torn off.
Are we thinking there might
have been a ritual element?
Not going there yet.
Do we know
where she was beforehand?
Working on a timeline.
We found her phone
on Upper Broadway,
four miles from the crime scene.
It had been run over
a few times.
Are there any texts,
calls in the cloud
that might tell us
who she was with?
Just a couple messages
after 10:00.
One for an Uber she canceled
just before midnight,
and another to a Scott Baker,
who seems to be her roommate.
We found this photo of them
together on social media.
Are those the
same kind of angular blades
as the murder weapon?
Who is this guy?
He calls himself
a man with an edge.
What?
Christina's dead?
That's insane.
Were you two an item?
No.
She was all about her writing.
There was a party at the
restaurant where she worked
to celebrate last night.
Were you there?
No.
I had to be at my regular
gig at the Flying Hatchet.
What's that?
It's an ax throwing bar
in Williamsburg.
- Alcohol and sharp objects.
- What could go wrong?
How late were you there until?
3:00 in the morning.
I'm the manager.
I had to clean up.
When you got home,
was Christina here?
No.
I thought she might have hooked
up with someone at the party.
Do you have a location
of this soiree?
The Yellow Ribbon.
I can't believe this.
When did Christina leave?
Around midnight, I think?
She was feeling a little off.
Do you know if she left
with anyone?
No, but I was
kind of distracted.
There were a lot of VIPs.
People really wanted to come
out and celebrate her success.
She was really beloved
by everyone.
And nobody gave her
a hard time about what
she wrote in the book?
Not that I saw.
But I know there
was some commotion
when Tina went out to the
corner to wait for her Uber.
This is you, 11:50 last night
outside Yellow Ribbon?
- Yeah, I just left the party.
- I saw the two of them arguing.
He was...
Drunk.
He started ranting and raving
at Christina, so I, uh...
You jumped in to protect her,
is that right?
Yeah.
Yeah, he was
so aggressive, right?
So I... I pushed him away.
Thankfully, he just walked off.
I'm... I'm no hero, trust me.
I'm not like you guys.
So, um, when this drunk guy...
Excuse me.
After this drunk guy walked off,
where did Christina go?
Did you see?
Did she hail a cab,
start walking home?
- What happened?
- I wish I knew.
- I'm not really sure.
- What about you?
- Where'd you go?
- Home.
I had a really early
call time this morning.
Yeah.
Um, anything else, guys?
I'm really sorry.
I have to get to set.
Just one last thing.
The guy who was harassing her,
do you know who he was?
Yeah, I'm afraid so.
Why are you afraid?
Because he's a friend of mine.
Victor Bernini.
The chef.
What's up?
Uh, we... we're looking
for a Victor Bernini?
Join the club.
Uh, what does that mean?
He was supposed to meet me
here around midnight.
- He never showed.
- He never showed?
Mm-hmm.
Um, do you have any idea
where he would be?
No, I just crashed here
when he blew me off.
- Hmm.
- Yeah.
To be honest, I actually
don't know him that well.
Uh, we just get together
and party once in a while.
Did he mention stopping
by his old restaurant
- early in the evening?
- Yeah.
Yeah, he seemed
pretty torqued about it.
In fact, he's generally
pretty torqued these days.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
So Victor Bernini
is nowhere to be found.
Well, we're waiting
on cell phone, credit card,
and E-ZPass records.
And you think
he's a credible suspect?
Multiple arrests for DUI
and disorderly conduct.
Plus, he got into an argument
with the vic
shortly before the murder.
I thought he was some kind
of world-renowned chef.
He is, but this guy
goes hard in the paint.
I mean, a lot of drugs,
a lot of drinking.
- It seems like he's spiraling.
- Meaning?
He was forced out of his
own restaurant by investors,
and he just declared
personal bankruptcy.
Okay, so Bernini's
having a rough time.
Why would he go after
Christina Watkins?
I've been reading her book.
She's not very flattering.
Victor comes off
like a drugged-out sex addict.
Two days after
that book was published,
that's when he got pushed out
of the restaurant.
And then his staff celebrated
for a week after his exit.
See, the point here is,
Victor is a person of interest.
The sooner we lay hands
on him, the better.
You might not
have to wait that long.
Operations just notified me
there's an EDP job
at Yellow Ribbon.
It's Bernini.
Okay, guys, watch yourselves.
- Drop it now!
- Let go! Put it down!
Blue coming through.
Hey, Victor, what's going on?
Chef!
- Yeah, you got her, Chef.
- Put the knife down.
You've already taken
everything I have.
I'm not letting you
take this place too.
Hey, hey, Chef.
I'm giving you a choice here.
Now drop the blade,
or I drop you.
If I lose this place,
I have nothing to live for.
Chef, put the knife down,
or my partner's gonna
make sure you never see
the inside
of another kitchen again.
Do you understand me?
Is that the ending you want?
Is it?
Put it down.
First smart decision
you've made all day.
You keep asking.
The doctors keep asking
what drugs I took
because my blood pressure
is heightened.
I don't remember.
I guess I'm in trouble now.
Yeah, murder is a pretty
big deal, even these days.
What are you talking about?
Christina Watkins
was found murdered uptown.
And you think I did it?
That's crazy.
You confronted her outside
of the book party.
I liked Christina.
But when I heard that
they were gonna do the party
at the Yellow Ribbon,
my restaurant...
The book really hurt me.
Oh, so you put a hurting on her?
No.
After we argued,
we went our separate ways.
Except the woman
you were supposed to
hook up with that night
said you never showed,
and you don't even remember
what drugs you took.
I didn't do it.
I swear.
Where'd you go when
the book party broke up?
This is from 12:20
last night?
Yeah, Victor came in loaded,
throwing money at the dancers
and bitching about
our food quality.
How long did he stick around?
He was still here when I
came in at 10:00 this morning.
He passed out in the VIP room,
so we let him stay 'cause
he's such a loyal customer.
If Victor's not our guy,
we're back to square one.
Well, maybe not.
M.E.'s done with the autopsy.
Wants to see us ASAP.
You were right.
Broken hyoid bone confirms
manual strangulation.
And most of the stab wounds
were post-mortem.
No obvious indicia of fluids
or other DNA sources.
I stopped listening after
you said "you were right."
But you missed burn marks
on the back side
and bruising on the torso.
Uh, yeah, because she was
dressed when we found her.
Exactly.
Indicating they took her
somewhere else,
undressed her and tortured her,
dressed her again,
and brought her to the park.
Otherwise, there'd still be
more grass on her skin.
So we were right about that too.
- Nuh-uh.
- Here's what you missed.
A small puncture
from a needle stick.
So what, she was dosed
with a sedative?
Well, there's enough propofol
in her to knock over a horse.
To immobilize her
while he treated her
like a voodoo doll.
I can't speak to the psychology,
but I've seen this MO before.
- When?
- A few years ago.
I pulled the case file
before you got here.
Thank you.
- Oh, you son of a bitch.
- You still got all your hair.
Shaw, meet Jerry Ryan.
I hate to say it,
a great detective
and also godfather
to my daughter, Lily.
- Hey, how you doing?
- How you doing?
- How's Wendy and the kids?
- Oh, she's good.
You know, she's still working,
still doing the church
volunteer thing.
So at least one of us is,
uh, gonna go to heaven.
Anyway, this is why I had
you guys come over here.
Is this the similar case
the M.E. was talking about?
Yeah, five years ago,
this woman, Li Na Chang,
was found stabbed and strangled
at a Chinatown hot sheets motel.
Okay, anything else?
Yeah, she was doped
with Rohypnol,
tied up, beaten.
Multiple stab wounds,
but no rape.
Is that it for the similarities?
No, that's not it.
I got cases here from
New Jersey, California, London,
all with the same MO.
No rape.
Our guy gets his kicks,
you know, otherwise.
London?
Yeah, I get alerts
from Interpol.
Are those all
the connections, Jerry?
No!
You think I'd drag you guys
out here on a wild goose chase?
These are copies
I made at Squad.
Take them home.
See for yourself.
This dude is the guy
for all four cases.
I'll bet my shield on it.
Look, Frank,
I'm not sure I agree
with your friend's theory
tying all these cases together.
Like, the two were robberies,
and none of them
involve propofol
or post-mortem stabbing.
Okay, okay, I get it.
But I wasn't just
blowing smoke in there.
He's a great cop
with good instincts.
I'm sure he is,
but right now, he's grasping.
These suspects sketches
can be anybody.
Okay, but you do see
the similarities
in the victims' looks, right?
They all have dark hair,
strong features.
Of course I see that,
but they're all from
different backgrounds.
They're all from different
kinds of neighborhoods.
Some of these were planned,
some of these were crimes
of opportunity.
- It doesn't make sense.
- Maybe he was escalating.
To what?
Escalating with the
brutality of the attacks
and the type of victims
he was selecting.
Going up the social ladder
rung by rung,
getting bolder and bolder
with each murder.
It's a nice theory.
But based on the evidence
that's available to us,
it's not enough.
Witnesses describe
a tall white dude in shades
near all the crime scenes.
In Chinatown and California,
witnesses describe also seeing
a tall white dude
driving a black Tesla.
Hold on.
New Jersey, New Jersey,
Jersey, Jersey.
The witness in the
New Jersey murder
saw a black Tesla
near the crime scene.
The license plate
stuck out to him
because it started
with H-A, like ha,
as if the suspect was laughing.
Using the same vehicle
in all his killings?
I don't know.
A little too obvious?
Or a little too brazen.
This is from the area
around the party that night.
Aggregated from
Traffic Division.
It's a lot to get through.
- Hold up.
- That's a black Tesla.
How far away is that
from the restaurant?
A block away,
right before Christina left.
Show me the area
that's close to where
Christina's phone was tossed.
Maybe there's a better angle
of the plate?
I was looking before,
but it's a busy street,
and the closest camera
was a quarter mile away.
Stop. Stop. Right there.
Let's see who
that's registered to.
Niles Harper, the actor.
He wasn't lying.
About what?
Not being a hero.
I was supposed to be
on my day off today,
but when you told me about
this Niles Harper guy,
I just... you know,
just kind of went to town.
- What'd I tell you, Shaw?
- Dog with a bone.
I tracked Niles's schedule
of acting jobs
over the past few years
and tried to correlate that
with the pattern
of the serial killer.
Alleged serial killer.
Well, just check me on this,
Detective Shaw, okay?
- Mm.
- All right.
So five years ago,
time of the Chinatown murder,
Niles is living in the city
doing theater.
A year later, he's out
in Jersey making a TV show.
And nine miles away,
a cleaning lady gets strangled.
Then, three years ago,
he's outside of LA
making a TV commercial.
A soccer mom
in Joshua Tree gets killed.
And then, two years ago
in London, an ad executive
is killed one mile away
from the set of this
Jack the Ripper movie he's
doing, all with the same MO.
Getting warmer,
but it's still circumstantial.
All right, well...
Check that out.
That's from the
Chinatown Motel lobby.
Uh, I mean, it could be Niles.
Maybe not. Can't really tell.
Well, compare it to this.
Look at his wrist.
That's our guy.
You know it, and I know it.
Okay, let's figure out
where he is right now
so we can talk to him,
get to him
before he lawyers up.
So sorry we got to talk
on the run, guys,
but, uh, we are way
behind schedule.
- Time is money.
- No problem.
Just want to double check on
something about
the last time you saw Christina.
Yeah, like I said, I, uh...
I dropped her off at the subway
station on my way uptown.
That's odd, I don't remember
you saying you gave her a ride.
- I didn't.
- Why's that?
The woman that was
in my trailer before,
she's my girlfriend.
I just... I didn't feel like
advertising the fact
that I gave Christina
a ride to the subway.
Are you saying you and Christina
- fooled around in your car?
- No, no, no, no.
I just gave her a ride.
But Megan, my girlfriend,
you know, she's a girl.
She gets jealous.
Hey, uh, do you mind
if I ask you a question?
Yeah.
What is the story with
that thing on your wrist?
- This?
- Yeah.
I used to have a tat there.
Yeah, a...
A director asked me to get it
removed for a period picture.
And they couldn't
just put makeup on it?
Well, I had a girlfriend
at the time,
and she didn't
like it much, either.
Hey, uh, what time
did you get home that night?
Uh, 12:00, 12:30.
Something like that.
Listen, guys,
I got to go to set.
The line producer...
He's gonna murder me.
We can talk more
later if you want.
- What's going on, Jerry?
- You heard him, Frank.
He lied about giving a ride
to Christina that night.
That makes him a legitimate
suspect, which makes this car
- a potential crime scene.
- Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
Hey, Jerry, we need a warrant.
You know that.
We don't have any time.
What's your probable cause then?
Hey, Frank told me you got
a law degree, but we're cops.
So maybe you should
start thinking like
one of us instead of
one of them.
What the hell's going on?
We'd like to search your
car if that's okay with you.
Sorry, I'm running late.
It'll take two,
three minutes, tops.
You got a warrant?
Not yet.
- I see blood.
- Hands off the wheel.
- Step out of the vehicle.
- Okay, relax.
- Step out of the vehicle.
- Relax, bro.
I'm just an actor.
There's no blood in there.
- What do you got, Jerry?
- Talk to me.
- I saw something red.
- Just give me a second.
Frank, right there.
Right on the edge of the mat.
You see it?
Matches the earring
we found on Christina.
Cuff him.
What are we doing here,
gentlemen?
My client already told you
he gave Christina Watkins
a ride to the subway.
Big deal. Her earring fell off.
There was blood on the earring,
so it didn't exactly fall off.
He's right. He's right.
I... I didn't want
to admit this before,
but we started kissing
in the car, all right?
And it got physical.
And, uh, she liked it rough.
That's what you're
gonna tell the judge?
That she liked her earrings
ripped out of her ears?
We just searched your apartment,
and we found some
very interesting items.
I'm sure you did.
Fans send me
crazy souvenirs all the time.
Yeah, like a clump
of streaked hair
that was hacked off the victim?
We also found a set
of specialized chef knives
from a limited edition.
Only one of those knives
was missing.
It was a boning knife
with an angular blade...
The kind that was used
to stab Ms. Watkins.
Stand up.
Niles Harper,
you're being charged
with the murder
of Christina Watkins.
Mr. Harper, how do you plead?
Not guilty, Your Honor.
Bail?
Judge, the people
request remand.
The defendant is an
international film star
with an overseas support network
and projects in countries
without extradition treaties
with the U.S.
Your Honor, Mr. Harper has
family in the area,
strong ties to the community,
and has made major investments
in struggling parts
of the South Bronx.
The police found the victim's
bloody earring in his car.
Mr. Harper
has an airtight alibi
for the night of the murder.
He was at home
with his girlfriend in Tribeca
while Ms. Watkins
was getting killed
on the opposite end
of Manhattan Island.
Mr. Harper,
given the risk of flight
in the face of these charges,
you are remanded.
Next case.
I just need to ask you
a few things.
I already said I don't want
to talk to you people.
Well, then you can testify
in court under subpoena.
Niles was home by 12:30,
and he was in bed with me
the rest of the night.
We both know
that isn't the truth.
Look at these.
Look what he did to these women.
They weren't human to him.
They were just things
he tore up and threw away.
You think this
won't happen to you?
You're wrong.
There's no way he did this.
He's a killer, a savage.
He was with me from 12:30 on.
So if you ask me to testify,
that's what I'll say.
Niles Harper is a prime example
of the power of celebrity.
People do or say anything
to protect him.
Can we shake his alibi?
Is there any video
near his house that shows
- what time he got home?
- We didn't find anything.
And he turned off his phone
and disabled the GPS in his car
so we can't track his movements.
Maybe you can use that
to show consciousness of guilt.
Bad news... Judge Maldonado
just denied
our Molineux application.
He rejected it outright?
We can't mention any
of Niles's prior bad acts.
So nothing about
the other homicides
in New Jersey, London,
California, and Chinatown.
Okay, so we need to make this
case about Christina Watkins...
And only Christina Watkins.
Won't be easy.
Niles is a handsome,
charming movie star.
The jurors are gonna have
a hard time believing
he did something this depraved.
The facts are the facts.
Niles lied about giving
Christina a ride
to the subway that night.
We found clumps of her hair
in his apartment
and her bloody earring
in his car.
We're good, Jack.
The case is strong.
Niles's lawyer just filed
a motion to suppress.
I don't think I've ever
seen a more blatant violation
of the Fourth Amendment
than this search
of my client's car.
No warrant, no probable cause.
Detective Ryan thought he saw
blood in the defendant's car.
That gave him
probable cause to search.
And yet,
no blood was ever found.
They found a bloody earring.
They should have got a warrant.
Mr. Harper was about
to drive away.
That created
exigent circumstances.
The detective should have
impounded the car
and got a warrant.
All right, I've heard enough.
I agree with the defense.
Your Honor,
this is a technicality.
It's inevitable they would
have found the earring.
The application
to suppress is granted.
Thank you.
It follows that whatever
they recovered
from my client's apartment...
The hair and the knives...
Are fruit of the poison tree
and must be excluded as well.
Agreed.
What the hell kind of
prosecutors are you guys?
I thought you knew
what you were doing.
We're lucky the judge didn't
dismiss the entire case.
And what is that
supposed to mean?
You had no right
to enter the car.
They have a point, Jerry.
There was no blood in the car.
- You were not th...
- Okay, okay, okay.
It is what it is.
Let's move on.
Figure out how
we can win this thing.
Well, I can tap dance
for a few days,
call a medical examiner,
victim's family members
to testify.
But if we don't find some
hard evidence, we're done.
The case will be dismissed.
Talk about a Hail Mary.
Yeah, you heard the man, Jerry.
We got two days to the trial,
and we got stugatz.
This park used to be
a dumping ground
for stolen cars.
You remember that, Frank?
How did Niles know
about this place anyway?
What did he do?
Shoot a movie here?
No. No, I already checked.
Hey, buddy!
You got a minute?
What can I do for you?
I'm Ray.
You happen to find any knives
around here with that thing?
No knives.
No guns.
Found a Cadillac fender,
though, two days ago.
Took him straight
across the bridge
to the scrap yards in the Bronx.
There's not as many scrap yards
as there used to be.
People fixing up those
old warehouses trying to,
uh, you
know, revitalize the area.
Yeah, thank you for your time.
I appreciate that.
That's the way it is
in New York, right?
- That's right.
- Yeah, yeah. Sure, sure.
Things always change.
They always change.
Didn't Niles's lawyer
say that he was investing
in struggling neighborhoods
in the Bronx?
Yeah, and she sounded
real proud of it, too,
like it proved her client
was a good guy or something.
I'm gonna get my phone,
I'm gonna call Yee,
I'm gonna see if she can find
out what properties he owns.
This is the address.
License plate reader puts
Niles's car across the street
the night of the murder,
so he was here.
Spread out. Watch yourselves.
Hey, I got something over here.
What do you got?
One-bedroom apartment.
Hit that with luminol.
Niles must have used a tarp
and bleached the hell
out of this place.
I can still smell it.
No blood.
All right, let's keep looking.
Clock is ticking. Let's go.
- Frank, come here.
- Yeah.
I already looked over there.
No, I think
you missed something.
You, too, Jalen.
Take a look for yourself.
To Christina.
With love, from Mom.
We got him, Jerry.
- Yeah, we did. We did.
- We've got him.
Yeah.
Most of you probably recognize
the defendant, Niles Harper.
He's a movie star.
He's played many memorable
and compelling characters.
You've seen him
on the big screen.
You like him.
But you don't really know him.
The actual Niles Harper is a
violent and sadistic predator
who saw Christina Watkins at a
party, lured her into his car,
then tortured and killed her
in a warehouse
he owns in the Bronx.
The evidence against the
defendant is substantial.
He lied to the police
on numerous occasions
when trying to explain
his whereabouts
on the night of the murder.
Even more damning, the police
found Christina's necklace
in the defendant's warehouse,
which just so happens
to be located a quarter mile
from the park
where her mutilated corpse
was found.
Ladies and gentlemen,
don't make the same mistake
Christina Watkins made.
Don't let Niles Harper
fool you into thinking
he's a good person
because he's not.
He's a violent,
vicious murderer.
I agree with much of what
Mr. Price just said.
This case is full of illusions.
But it's the evidence
against my client
that is the illusion.
They have nothing.
No witnesses, no forensics,
no confession.
And to make matters worse,
this case is rife
with police misconduct.
We used to always
give the police
the benefit of the doubt.
Not anymore.
Scrutinize every word that
comes out of their mouths,
because we've seen what they do
when they think
no one is looking.
Don't let them get away
with it this time.
Have Cosgrove reach out
to Christina's mother.
We need to nail down
some of these details.
I'm sorry, I don't keep track
of things too well.
I don't get a whole lot
of sleep these days.
Uh, remind me what it
is I'm looking for.
I'm looking for credit card
statements or receipts
that would show
that you purchased
that necklace for Christina.
Right, sorry.
I just remembered
I paid cash for it.
- Does that hurt the case?
- It's not a big problem.
We still have the necklace.
It's a good piece of evidence.
Thank God.
I just want to make sure that
that monster pays
for what he did to my Tina,
and that he never does it
to anyone else's daughter.
Patti, we all feel the same way.
I know you do.
Jerry spoke so highly of you.
Jerry?
I didn't know you spoke
with Detective Ryan.
Yeah, he came by the other day
just to check and see
how I was doing.
Wait, did I say something wrong?
Oh, no, not at all.
Not at all.
Let's see if we can
find that receipt.
Next round's on you.
Bottoms up, my friend.
By the way, I didn't realize
you stopped by
and saw Christina's mother.
Oh, that's what
I always told you.
You stay in touch
with the victim's family
because you never know
when somebody's gonna
- remember something useful.
- Good advice.
That's why I was
surprised you didn't ask
me and Shaw to come with.
We were supposed to be
primaries on the case.
Is this about your ego, Frank?
No, it's about
the fact that you went by
and saw Christina's mother now
before we searched
the warehouse.
What are you saying?
That spot where
we found the necklace,
I searched that area a minute
before and it wasn't there.
You're confused.
Ahh.
I need a refill.
Jerry.
Jerry, it's me.
This is not the way we do it.
I have been doing it
the right way for 32 years.
The necklace was there.
You just missed it.
Can you tell us what we're
looking at here, Detective?
It's footage
from a three-hour window
around the time
that Niles Harper told us
that he dropped
Christina Watkins
off of the subway station.
And does Christina Watkins
appear in it at any time?
No, she does not.
What are we looking at here?
That's an image
from NYPD Auto Crime
around 2:00 a.m.
that same night
when they were in the area
looking for stolen cars.
Can you identify the car?
It's a vehicle registered to
Niles Harper parked in front
of the warehouse
he owns in the Bronx
at a time when he claimed
he was home in bed.
The same Bronx warehouse
where this necklace was found?
- Yes.
- We were searching the premises.
I noticed something glimmer
under a tool cabinet.
I called over
Detectives Cosgrove and Shaw.
Detective Shaw reached down
and found the necklace
and read the inscription.
"To Christina.
With love, from Mom."
- Thank you.
- No further questions.
Counselor.
Detective Ryan, are you modest?
Uh, no, not particularly.
I'm a detective first grade.
Means I'm really good at my job.
Mm.
And yet you credit
Detective Shaw
with finding the necklace.
But you were the one who
spotted it first, didn't you?
I did.
Even though the other officers
had already looked in the area?
Well, that can happen in a rush.
Detective,
you planted that necklace
in the warehouse, didn't you?
No.
You remember you're
under oath, don't you?
The penalties for tampering
and perjury are serious.
I know the law.
You hate my client, don't you?
I hate people who murder women.
So, yeah, I don't
care for him too much.
And you'd do anything
to ensure he's convicted,
wouldn't you?
No.
I'm an honest cop.
I do it the right way.
But you already know that.
This is a photo taken
the night of the murder.
As you can see,
Christina isn't wearing
the necklace you claim
to have found in the warehouse.
So if she's not wearing it,
how did it end up in a warehouse
a few hours later?
Could have been in her purse,
her pocket, her hand.
Who knows?
But it was there.
We found it in the warehouse.
That's a fact.
You finding it is a fact.
That doesn't mean
you didn't plant it.
- Objection.
- She's badgering the witness.
Sustained.
Move on, Ms. Hunt.
Nothing further.
The defense rests, Your Honor.
Court is adjourned
for the jury to deliberate.
Frank, if you got something
to tell me, tell me now.
We got our man, Jalen.
That's all you need to know.
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
Will the defendant please rise?
In the charge of murder
in the second degree,
we find the defendant,
Niles Harper, guilty.
Members of the jury,
thank you for your service.
Court is adjourned.
- Ma'am.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Something smells good.
I brought dessert.
Good.
Mom put out an extra setting.
Uncle Jerry
is here to celebrate.
What do you say, Frank?
All's well that ends well, huh?
Honey, take this in to your mom.
Tell her to hold off on dinner.
I need to talk
to your godfather.
Okay.
Dinner's almost ready.
Well, really went
for it this time.
18-year-old single malt,
sherry cask, the whole deal.
Cost me 400 bucks,
but the guy said
it was worth it.
Here you go.
What's wrong?
I can't accept this.
Frank, why not?
Frank, justice was served today.
You need to leave.
Jerry, you need to leave.