Law & Order (1990–2010): Season 3, Episode 11 - Extended Family - full transcript
A Broadway producer's daughter is abducted from a department store. Later, she and her mother are found in a women's shelter. The mother claims that the daughter was abused by her father, but the daughter's accounts are inconsistent.
(male 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.
[people chattering]
Look at this. Which
one's your favorite?
Yeah, that's pretty.
Come on, let's go.
Would you like to
sample our new fragrance?
Sure.
It's called Tango
from De La Cuesta.
We're offering a complete
makeover with every purchase.
Ah, should we make ourselves
pretty for Daddy, Samantha?
Such marvelous skin.
You must be Scandinavian.
I'm originally from
Copenhagen, actually.
You know, De La Cuesta does make a
moisturizer with the sun block mixed in.
Uh-huh.
And you could also go a little
bit darker on the eyebrows, okay?
Samantha, how do I look?
Samantha?
My God! Samantha?
Samantha?
Samantha!
Saman...
Samantha!
Samantha!
Samantha!
Did you check the east wing?
What are you
waitin' for? Get going.
We're from the 27.
Oh, lucky you,
you're first on line.
The borough commander's pulling
manpower from four precincts.
Now, ESU, they made
three passes. Nothing.
Parents here?
No. Only the nanny. I called the
father, Gary Silver. Know the name?
Yeah. Big Broadway producer.
He's got more Tonys
than Southern Italy.
Ma'am? Ma'am.
[sobbing] She wouldn't go
anywhere without Brown Dog.
Now listen to me.
Where was the last
place you saw the girl?
Here.
Sitting right here.
Now did you see anybody
around her? Would you...
No, I'm... I'm the father
of the girl. Christina!
What the hell
happened, Christina?
Well, she's gone.
Gone? Where the hell were you?
[sobbing] I don't know.
(Briscoe) Are you
the girl's father?
Are you in charge? Who's
in charge around here?
Take it easy.
Has my daughter been kidnapped?
We're trying to
figure it out, Mr. Silver.
There's nothing to figure
out. She's here or she isn't.
Has she been kidnapped?
She'll be all right.
They'll find her.
Isn't that right?
(Gary) For God's sake.
(Christina) I know she
will. They'll find her, right?
[police chattering over radio]
And that's all I can do? Wait?
Until somebody calls.
And m-make a list
of anybody who
might wanna get at you.
People who don't
like me send lawyers,
not kidnappers.
I thought this only
happened in South America.
Aren't you supposed to call
the FBI or something?
Only after a ransom request.
We'd like you to give us
any information you can
on your staff.
My staff?
Lola, my housekeeper, has
been with us for 12 years.
Look, Christina, Samantha's,
uh, nanny, is so upset
she had to be
sedated by the doctor.
Believe me, she's not involved.
Is she involved with you?
Look, do me a favor, will you?
Don't give the newspapers
any more to play with. Okay?
Aren't you and the
girl's mother divorced?
We share joint custody.
Janet left the day before
yesterday for Majorca. Some spa.
Of course, they
don't have a phone.
My agent's trying to contact
the consulate right now.
I mean, why don't
they call? I mean...
They want money,
I'll... I'll give them money.
Mr. Silver, it's possible
that this isn't about ransom.
Children get taken
for all kinds of reasons.
Oh, God.
You vote for a perv?
Hey, there's a lot
of guys out there
who think that's what
7-year-olds are for.
Just doesn't feel
like a pro, Don.
She was picked up in the store,
not in the street,
and in nine hours,
not one phone call.
Yeah. When you wanna score big,
you call before
we set up the tap.
137 people there.
Nobody sees the kid?
What did you get
off the picture?
A 2-by-2 out of Dad's wallet,
and he doesn't even
think it looks like her.
All right,
let's get the new
picture out to the papers.
I'll have the 19 do
everybody again.
[knock on door]
What?
[telephone ringing]
Just one tape?
They got no cameras
on the escalator.
Security guards
only hit the tapes
when they see
something suspicious,
when an item's picked up.
Here, toy department.
(Logan) That's her.
And that's not the nanny.
Freeze it.
Look at that jacket.
The people in the stock
room wore jackets like that.
Go forward, maybe
he turns around.
They said as soon as
she talked to an employee,
the tape was shut off.
Yeah, they recognized
the jacket, too.
Let's get a list. Every
employee in the store.
Four hundred people?
What in the hell could they
all be doin' in stock rooms?
A lot of things you
don't wanna know about.
Now, here's a guy, 1-to-3
for receiving stolen goods.
You hire him as a stock clerk?
(Logan) Hey, hey.
Hey, we just got a bite.
Zorn, Harold.
From school
teacher to stockroom.
On parole when
hired. Three years ago.
Charged with sex abuse one.
Pled down to 3, a misdemeanor.
Didn't serve any time.
Sexual abuse of who?
[people chattering]
10-year-old girl.
Where does he work in the store?
Fifth floor stockroom.
Children's toys.
(Fairfield) He's an
excellent employee.
The stuffed animal
display was his idea.
He knew children get
bored shopping with parents.
Now, wait a minute.
This man had a Ph.D.
and he wanted to
be a stock clerk?
I mean, doesn't that
raise a flag for you?
In this economy?
We have investment
brokers down in shipping.
What time did his
shift usually start?
Oh, he won't be
in today. He called.
Said he has the
flu or something.
Well, I guess we should
make a house call.
Mr. Zorn, police. Open up.
Hey, you gonna break it down?
Why don't you
save us the bruises?
You got a warrant?
We're lookin' for
a 7-year-old girl.
Now open it.
Jeez.
You mean he's one of those?
[sighs]
(Briscoe) Porno?
Cartoons.
[sighs]
Mama.
Lennie.
Mama.
It's chocolate.
What does he do,
roll around in it?
(Logan) No.
What he does is a night shift.
Pay-check stub,
Schroeder's Fine Chocolates,
631, East 88th Street.
[machine whirring]
Is your inclination
the same as mine?
You wanna stick
his head in the vat?
We know that ain't gonna work.
Molesters are all wimps.
If we spook him,
he's gonna freeze.
And then no Samantha.
So it's kinder, gentler.
[woman chattering over speaker]
Hi, Harold Zorn?
I haven't done anything.
Take it easy, Harold. I'm
Det. Briscoe, this is Det. Logan.
Am I being arrested?
No, why? You
haven't done anything.
Harold, Harold, we just
wanna clear up a few points.
Now, maybe this isn't
the best place to talk, huh?
It's about the girl.
Just a few questions.
Okay, I wanna get this settled.
I'm not denying I spoke to her.
I've never denied that.
And then?
Then, I left the store to have
coffee at Bennie's on my break.
You know all this.
Why aren't you checking it out?
People are checking it, Harold.
It's... it's... I don't think
we have the full picture.
Yeah, like I don't
understand why you ran.
I didn't run.
I tried to go back to the
store, but I was locked out.
I've done everything I'm
supposed to about my problem,
counseling, medications,
ask my parole officer.
I'm trying to deal with it.
Look at that picture.
You still wanted
her, didn't you, Zorn?
Harold,
what... what was Samantha
like when you talked to her?
What did you talk about?
I asked her if she
liked the giraffe.
She pointed to
the stuffed gorilla
and said a woman at the
register was buying it for her.
That's all. I left.
[knock on door]
[telephone ringing]
His lawyer?
His alibi. It checks.
They know him
at the coffee shop.
He was there when they
were shutting down the store.
[sighs]
Square one.
Square minus one.
I think you're right. Get
back to me, all right?
(Briscoe) Who's
got Silver's house?
I do, but there's nothing yet.
No calls, no ransom notes.
Silver's probably
taking tranquilizers.
Mike,
They, uh, checked
the register tapes.
Somebody bought
the stuffed gorilla
maybe three minutes
before they locked the doors.
$400. Cash.
$400?
What was it stuffed with?
Oh, wait, three minutes
to take the escalator
down from the 5th Floor with
a little girl, a big stuffed animal
and get out the front
door before it's sealed?
Who did the interviews at the
back door, the loading entrance?
Uh, it was the 26.15,
20 guys, plus uniforms.
Okay, so the order
goes out to seal the place.
How much you wanna
bet the news traveled faster
to the main floor
than the loading dock?
Go for it.
(Bova) Aunt Polly gives
them a flowered tie,
they exchange it
for a toaster oven.
Too many Aunt Pollies,
my back goes out.
Merry Christmas.
We locked the gate.
Before the street
doors, after, I don't know.
Anybody ask you if
you saw the little girl?
Only about 40 cops.
I had 20, 30 customers here,
kids, loading stuff into cars.
I mean, even if I was looking...
Anybody load a
big stuffed gorilla?
End of the day, you could give
me a box of thousand-dollar bills,
I wouldn't notice.
Gorilla? I... I helped her.
She had a kid with her.
You get a look at the lady?
Dark hair. Kinda old,
40 or something like that.
I didn't really get
a good look at her.
What about her car?
It was real nice, uh, brand new,
um, grey, with one of
them black leather tops.
Landau.
Is that what they call
it? It was a Lincoln.
Huh, lucky she
didn't get towed, man.
I tell her, "Over here you get
towed." All she got was a ticket.
(Logan) Three square blocks,
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. shift?
I mean, how many tickets
can two meter-maids write?
Looks like they nailed over
200 cars, most of them Japanese.
Oh, there's another
reason to buy American.
[exclaims]
61st and Lex. 1:45.
Green Lincoln. Street cleaning.
Street cleaning? They
still do that in New York?
Red zone, 63rd and
3rd. 2:00. Grey Lincoln.
How you doin'? You Alan Fischer?
Yeah.
You own a grey Lincoln?
What happened?
Somebody steal it?
Ah, look, we wanna ask
you a few questions, okay?
I drove it an hour
ago, it's okay.
The question's about
Samantha Silver.
Look, you guys have a warrant?
'Cause if you
don't, I'm afraid...
We don't need a warrant.
(Briscoe) Stay right
there. Don't move.
Samantha, come
here, honey. Mommy!
Are you Samantha?
Get your hands off her!
Who the hell are you?
This your daughter?
Don't touch my daughter.
All right, we made a mistake.
Alan, what's going on?
Mike.
(Myra) Jennifer,
it's okay, honey.
No one's gonna hurt
you. It's gonna be okay.
It'll be all right.
This is crazy.
I bought that for my daughter.
Ah, sure you did.
That's why you
wouldn't open the door.
Your car, Mr. Fischer. It was
ticketed right outside the store.
(Alan) I couldn't find a spot.
I had to pick up some...
Some, uh,
Airplane tickets?
Clothes? Shoes?
What'd you have to pick up?
Where'd you park the car?
62nd Street.
63rd. Your wife drove the car.
We have somebody
who can identify her.
Is the little girl
dead, Alan? Is that it?
Somethin' go wrong before
you could write the ransom note?
Why did you take her?
What did you wanna do to her?
Was it your wife?
We had nothing to do with it.
You bought the stuffed animal.
The store had six of
'em. Now they have five.
We bought it downtown somewhere.
Somewhere in the village.
Keep diggin', Mrs. Fischer.
Spencer's is the only
place that sells them.
You have a daughter.
You wanna trade Christmas presents
with her in a prison waiting room?
We did nothing wrong.
[telephone ringing]
I wanna see my husband.
You can't keep
us here like this.
Well, you can
always have a lawyer.
We don't need a lawyer.
You can't be as stupid
as you sound, Mr. Fischer.
Kidnapping's just like murder.
25 years to life.
We didn't kidnap her!
Really?
What did you do, huh?
Invite her home to play with
your daughter? Where is she?
[knock on door]
Mr. Fischer's clean.
Myra Fischer, one
count trespassing in 1991.
She handcuffed herself to
the front door of Gracie Mansion
protesting starter enforcement
of child support payments.
Job history as a volunteer
for Abused Children's
Legal Defense Fund.
[clears throat]
Thanks.
[sighs]
[phone ringing]
Of course our justice
system affords protection.
Thousands of children
abused and nobody cares.
And nobody gets convicted.
So we rescue the
children ourselves.
Does that include
Samantha Silver?
Who's Samantha Silver?
All right. You
can call it rescue.
A grand jury
calls it kidnapping.
Is that a threat, Detective?
No, it's penal law.
Now, where did the
Fischers take the girl?
The Fischers have nothing
to do with this organization.
Oh, so you've
heard of the Fischers,
but you've never heard
of Samantha Silver?
(Logan) Well, let
me just inform you,
the Fischers are in a
cell at Central Booking.
Would you care to join them?
This is the last
stop on the train.
Unless we find
Samantha, you're it.
Maybe you should talk to...
Sally... Ned.
We gave her money,
what she does with it
is not our responsibility.
You have to talk
to Ramona Stark.
She's a child psychologist.
Very well known.
You better hope she's
still on the train, too.
Where do we find her?
[dog barking]
[girl laughing]
[car honks]
Lennie, Lennie, come here.
Do you hear that?
(girl) Why? I can...
[door opening]
What do you think? No warrant.
Well, we've got
exigent circumstances.
[children chattering]
All right, you wanna get
away from the door, ma'am?
It's the police.
[children chattering]
Ramona Stark?
Yes.
Nice to meet you.
You're under arrest for the
kidnapping of Samantha Silver.
It's okay, Samantha. We're
gonna take you home to your daddy.
No!
I'm Janet Silver.
Samantha's my daughter.
She wasn't kidnapped.
She's here at my request.
Mrs. Silver, your daughter was
abducted from a department store
and from your
husband's legal custody.
She was taken
for her protection.
My husband will
never see her again.
I want charges
brought against him.
Samantha has told us that her
father repeatedly molested her.
You're not gonna do anything?
Does Samantha have to spell it
out for you in her alphabet soup?
She took showers with
him and his live-in girlfriend,
naps with them
when she was naked.
My child was living in terror.
Mrs. Silver, we are
sorry for your daughter,
but an accusation is not
enough for us to prosecute.
(Dr. Jenner) Oh, no.
I examined the girl.
No, there is no
doubt what happened.
Dr. Jenner, you examined
her two weeks ago.
It's too late for us to
corroborate your report.
Is my integrity
in question here?
You have a history of
testifying in these cases.
That'd be brought out in court.
We'd like to have Samantha
examined by our psychiatrist.
Dr. Stark has a Ph.D.
in child psychology.
She has dedicated
her life to this.
Is she not a good enough expert?
Nothing changes, does
it? A child is in danger
you're refusing to protect her.
I won't give her up.
I'll go to jail before
she goes back to him.
There is not enough evidence.
It is as simple as that.
Come on, Ben. Is this about
evidence, or is it visibility?
Sexual abuse.
(Preston) Public figure.
It scares the hell
out of you, doesn't it?
You guys are supposed
to be the white knights.
(Preston) Look, you tell Schiff
I'd like charges filed today
or I'll make sure his
amour gets real tarnished
on the front pages tomorrow.
Mr. Preston is threatening me?
Huh?
Arrogance of the young.
Good lawyer, always
on the right side.
Which doesn't make
his client a saint.
[police siren wailing]
Wife sues for full
custody, doesn't get it.
Sudden charge of molestation.
Have we heard that story before?
I don't know, Adam.
Showering with the
kid, sleeping nude.
My grandson plays Little League.
I tell him, "Go get 'em,
tiger," I pat him on the can,
and you'd haul me
away in leg irons.
A medical report,
the psychologist,
you don't wanna
believe any of it?
It doesn't matter
what I believe.
The man has no history of this.
An accusation alone
could destroy his life.
We pursue it, it doesn't stick,
we end up with
high-profile egg on our face.
There's gonna be high-profile
egg no matter what we do.
We need corroboration.
You get a court order
to examine the child.
No corroboration, no indictment.
What does that do to Samantha?
My client is concerned.
The effect of a
psychiatric exam.
We can't ignore the charge.
(Gary) Did you see the
papers when we got divorced?
"Wife calls producer
selfish and brutal."
She smeared me
all over the papers.
And now you're
helping her do it again.
And just because I'm in
love with my daughter's nanny
does not make
me a child molester.
We're fighting the court order.
Insufficient grounds.
Counselor, we have
a medical exam.
Well, of course, you do.
I mean, whose doctor?
I read about this
Ramona Stark. She's a nut.
I mean, my wife
wants to destroy me
and you'll ruin my...
My daughter's life.
For what? Public
spectacle, page 6!
[door opening]
[door slamming]
Ramona Stark as
your prime witness?
I wouldn't go
to trial with that.
[door opening]
Who's Silver worried about?
His daughter? Or himself?
He may be right about Stark.
So let's find out what other
cases she's been involved in.
She's a saint.
They should put a statue of
her in front of Family Court.
Hmm.
She testified for you
against your husband.
And gave us a place to hide,
until they put
that swine in jail.
Did your child testify?
She was very frightened.
But, uh, Ramona helped her.
By getting her ready to testify.
My daughter didn't
invent it. It happened.
If Ramona helped her put it
into words, that's not a crime.
The fact that you're
worried about Ramona,
and not Gary Silver,
proves you're part of the
problem, not the solution.
I never had much
faith in divorce laws
and nothing's happened
to change my mind.
You lost custody of your son.
You want a shotgun offence?
I'll give you my ex-wife,
her fleabag lawyer
and Ramona Stark.
Now, you were charged with
molesting your son, Mr. Sanders.
I was charged with it, but
it never went to trial, did it?
(Mr. Sanders) I caved in.
I gave my wife what she wanted.
Suddenly she
decides not to testify.
You people don't have a case.
I never touched my son.
But people are
accused all the time.
They defend themselves.
[exclaims]
I sat in her lawyer's chair
and I watched a tape.
My little boy saying that I
put my hand on his "dupe."
I knew I was dead.
(Mr. Sanders) I
haven't seen him since.
$1,100 child support.
I don't even get visitation.
And what does that prove?
She's a busy lady.
We got a Chinese menu here.
Column A, she's the savior
of all molested children.
Column B, she scares innocent
men into giving up their kids.
Silver's lawyer is right.
With Stark's history, we put her
on the stand they'll eat her for lunch.
We don't put her on
the stand, they will.
[telephone ringing]
Paul Robinette.
Hmm-mmm.
Thanks.
We got the order.
Olivet sees Samantha
Silver in the morning.
Good.
What are your favorite
pets, Samantha?
Mommy tells me you like puppies.
Sometimes Brown Dog barks.
You can't hear it. But I can.
What's Brown Dog barking at?
Secrets.
That's very good.
I have an idea.
Why don't we draw a
picture of your family?
Who's that?
Mommy.
I need blue for her eyes.
And what about you?
That's fine.
What's Daddy look like?
[whispers] It's okay. Go ahead.
Remember what I told you about
"good touches" and
"bad touches", Samantha?
How did Daddy touch you?
When's Mommy coming back?
She'll be here soon.
Where did Daddy
touch you? Show me.
Just draw a circle
where he touched you.
I don't wanna talk anymore.
Her behavior's
consistent with abuse.
Avoidance, reluctance
to discuss details, guilt.
I'm sure that's what
Ramona Stark reacted to.
But she did not say that
her father molested her.
Which doesn't
mean it didn't happen.
What about the medical report?
Do you agree with Jenner?
If I'd seen her at the
time, I might be sure.
Jenner says
there's scarring near her
labia and she's not intact,
but there are no
bacterial traces
which you'd expect
with a recent abuse.
Why does every word you say
sound like maybe and then maybe not?
I think it happened.
But is it conclusive?
Not to mention
that she's confused.
Too much prompting
from Stark and her mother.
(Olivet) She's not
a terrific witness.
This gets better every minute.
What about the father? Does
he fit the portrait of a molester?
Mid-50s, no prior record,
you wouldn't think so.
Unless he's a "preferential."
(Stone) What's that?
Only family members.
Wasn't he married before?
Twenty years ago.
Did they have any children?
The night I was born,
Hair opened on Broadway.
Guess whose premiere
Daddy attended?
Doesn't sound like
you've patched things up.
Oh, as far as he's concerned,
I'm a show that closed
on opening night.
Anyhow, I moved
out when I was 7.
Jesus Christ Superstar.
Mom's big break.
Mary Magdalene sends me
to Grandma's in Greenwich
for the length of the run.
Grandma never sends me back.
(Leslie) She hated
him. She still does.
Maybe because Mom moved
you to Grandma's for other reasons.
(Robinette) They
say in families,
it usually doesn't
happen only once.
I suppose you've spoken with
your Dad in the last few days.
Okay. There are some
memories that seem strange.
I remember being alone in bed,
and I'd hear their door
open down the hall
and Daddy walking
towards my room.
I'd wet the bed.
I thought that would protect me.
Protect you from what?
Look, I don't wanna
talk about this anymore.
You absolutely convinced?
Doesn't leave me
with any doubts.
It's not showers and sleeping
in the same bed anymore, Adam.
If he molested the first one,
the chances of his not
doing it again are almost nil.
(Robinette) I checked the
older daughter's new apartment.
Silver paid for it,
closed 10 days ago.
He bought her off.
Useless without her testimony.
What about his girlfriend?
She's the child's nanny.
His lawyer won't
let us near her.
Your medical doctor
is questionable,
this Ramona Stark is tainted.
She makes Joan
of Arc look modest.
The child is a terrible witness.
So you wanna plead him?
He molested his own child, Adam.
Plead him. Sex abuse two.
He won't do better from a jury.
Sexual abuse two.
Considering what he
did, it's a gift from God.
I didn't do anything
to Samantha.
What about your first daughter?
Leslie's mother was,
for years, clinically depressed.
(Gary) Of course,
Leslie has problems.
My understanding is
that Leslie has absolutely
nothing negative to say about me.
Odd time to buy
her an apartment.
Come on, if you had anything new
we wouldn't be here.
Our psychiatrist says
Samantha was probably abused.
Ten minutes with Ramona Stark,
she'll accuse her father
of being a serial killer.
(Teller) My client
comes out of this clean
or his life's over.
I'll see you in court.
You're bluffing.
Let's go.
You'll ruin my daughter's life.
Mr. Silver, that process was
well underway before now.
I'm glad you're so sure.
[door opening]
What do you mean, the psychiatric
examinations aren't enough?
You have all that.
You have Miss Stark's report.
I believe he did it, but we don't
have enough to convince a grand jury.
What do you want?
Do you think Gary's gonna
stand up and say he did it?
7 million people in
New York are convinced.
Go anywhere and
mention his name.
Grand jury doesn't
indict by Gallup poll.
David, let's give them the tape.
I've been around the
law enough to know
one doesn't sit idly by.
This takes it well beyond
any reasonable doubt.
(Ramona) Do you miss your daddy?
Don't you wanna see him?
Did he ever touch you?
(Samantha) Yes.
[whispers] Tell me, Samantha.
It's bad where Daddy touched me.
Can you tell me why?
Because.
Can you show me where?
Here.
And?
He made me touch him, too.
(Stone) Turn it off.
Yup. Very convincing.
If we had done it.
It convinced the grand jury.
Come on, even her mother's
lawyer knows it's trouble.
Homemade
evidence. I don't like it.
The courts like it less.
Who's your judge?
Wally Schreiber.
You expect to get this in?
Schreiber thinks
the admissibility rules
were made in Heaven, not Albany.
A man's own daughter.
I hope there's an afterlife.
For some crimes, the
penal law is inadequate.
Mrs. Silver had the tape made.
She's a lunatic. And
so is Ramona Stark.
Their state of mind does not
make the tape inadmissible.
Doesn't it, Ben?
We don't know what was
said before the tape was made.
There's no reason to believe that
it wasn't spontaneous, Your Honor.
About as spontaneous
as the Pledge of Allegiance.
Your Honor, Dr. Olivet said the
child was subjected to trauma.
Without that tape, we
have to put her on the stand.
We don't wanna do that.
(Teller) How
warm-hearted of you.
The kid was coached, Judge.
It's all made
up, every bit of it.
Now, easy, Nick, I
read Olivet's report.
It's not all made up. Gentlemen.
Ben, do you remember
a case in Rhode Island?
Insulin, needles,
the lady in the coma?
They go into the man's
house, take the black bag...
Which was admitted as evidence.
Yeah, in my view, a mistake.
And the basis, I might
add, for a successful appeal.
Now here, we have an out-of-court
statement and the witness is available.
I can't allow the tape, Ben.
Your Honor, the
interests of the child...
Balanced by the
interests of justice.
If the man did it,
then put him away
but we have to
have the girl testify.
I'll be glad to do it in chambers
with closed-circuit video,
make it as painless as possible.
Think about it, hmm?
Children have special ways
of telling us what happened.
Please describe for the court what
you expect in cases of sexual abuse.
Children who have been molested
often cry when asked
about the incident.
(Ramona) They show anger,
fear and sadness
and in almost all cases,
the child is
unwilling to discuss
the specific details
of what happened.
(Stone) In your expert opinion,
does Samantha
Silver fit this profile?
Yes, in virtually every respect.
And Dr. Stark, is it possible
that the alleged sexual
abuse of Samantha Silver
is totally invented?
Oh, no, I don't
think that's possible.
I... I can't tell you in
explicit detail what went on
but something
certainly happened.
Thank you.
Your witness.
Something happened.
That's fairly vague, isn't it?
I'm a psychologist,
not a psychiatrist.
But none of this
is an exact science.
The girl went through a serious
trauma concerning her father.
That could mean anything.
Can you state with
medical certainty
that Gary Silver
molested his daughter?
I can't say with certainty
the sun will rise tomorrow.
But, yes, short of
absolute certainty,
I think he molested
his daughter.
(Teller) You testified
that Samantha Silver
had been subject to trauma
involving her father.
Could that include her mother
convincing her Daddy molested her?
If you're suggesting
that her mother planted
the accusation in her head,
no, I don't believe that's true.
Suppose I find cereal
spilled on the kitchen floor.
I ask my son, "Did you do
this?" What does he say?
I don't know your
son, Mr. Teller.
He'll lie, Dr. Stark,
because he's afraid
Daddy will be angry.
But if I say I won't be
angry, he'll admit it, won't he?
Possibly.
(Teller) He will.
Because he wants to please me.
Now, Samantha Silver was
taken from a department store
and held in a
strange environment.
If she thought the only way out
was to accuse
Daddy of bad things
isn't it possible she'd lie?
It's possible, yes, but
she didn't need to lie.
She just told us what happened.
I was naive when I married Gary.
I was his third wife.
I thought I would be the
one to make him settle down.
I was wrong.
Well, what made you
feel you were wrong?
I thought that Gary was
obsessed with Samantha,
that he was using her to make
up for neglecting his first child.
(Christina) It... it,
It seemed unnatural.
In what way, Mrs. Silver?
Objection. This
is all speculation.
She can talk about her
own feelings, Counselor.
(Judge Schreiber) Overruled.
Mrs. Silver.
He, uh,
he wanted to take
her everywhere.
He wouldn't let her out of
his sight, he was hugging her,
picking her up all the time.
It was too possessive.
But why did you ask Ramona
Stark to help you hide Samantha?
(Christina) Samantha said
that she was taking
nude naps with Gary and...
(Christina) Well,
the nanny, his girlfriend.
I, uh, I tried to ask
if anything else was going on
but, uh, I scared her.
I didn't... I didn't know
how to ask the question.
It was... it was so ugly.
My...
My attorney said that Ramona
Stark would know how to ask.
(Stone) Fine, thank
you, no further questions.
So, uh,
you couldn't talk to your
own daughter, is that right?
I didn't know if... If my
suspicions were right.
I... I needed a professional.
Oh, so you did think
your husband had
done something wrong?
[coughs]
Look, I... I didn't know.
Or was it just that
you were jealous
because he abandoned
you for a younger woman?
I was worried, okay?
I'm... I'm allowed
to be worried.
Of course, you are.
But you are not allowed to
brainwash your own daughter.
Objection.
We... we didn't brainwash
her, for God's sake.
We got a doctor.
I'm a pediatrician with a
subspecialty in internal medicine.
Have you consulted
on other cases
involving the sexual
abuse of children?
I volunteer my services for the
Abused Children's Defense League.
I'm on call at no charge.
(Stone) Now
please tell the court
the results of your physical
examination of Samantha Silver.
I found scarring and
bruising on the labia,
and the hymen had been ruptured.
And what did you
conclude from that?
(Dr. Jenner) These were unusual
conditions for a child of her age.
I concluded that Samantha Silver
had, in some way,
been sexually abused.
Thank you.
Dr. Jenner,
could the conditions you describe
be caused by anything else?
I don't think so.
Now, you say you work on
these cases at no charge.
In fact, don't you
make it a career?
I have a thriving
pediatric practice, sir.
How many of these
cases have you testified in?
Twenty-two.
(Teller) Very impressive.
Have you testified
for a defendant?
In all the cases
that I've worked on,
the defendants were guilty.
Really?
How many of them were acquitted?
Thirteen.
Didn't you say
they were all guilty?
They were.
Not in the eyes
of the law, Doctor.
No further questions.
Don't have any choice.
She's a confused,
frightened little girl.
I don't know how
she'll do on the stand.
If we can get her to say
what she said to Stark...
She's talked to too many people.
(Stone) She can't
remember what happened.
Olivet prepped her six
times. Six different answers.
We don't put her on, the jury's
gonna wonder what we're hiding.
The wife and... What's
her name, Stark?
Yeah, the two of them
tied your hands behind your
back and then asked you to swim.
And they sullied every
piece of testimony we needed.
Not to mention the wife
looked jealous on the stand
and that doctor...
He defined the word "zealot."
The child's gonna have to talk to
the jury and tell them what happened.
(Samantha) People always
wanna talk about Daddy.
(Stone) We'd like to know
a few things that
your daddy did.
You mean the bad things?
That's right.
Why should I talk to you?
We wanna make sure
that your daddy doesn't
do the bad things again.
Mommy says you're
going to put him in jail.
Why do you think your
mommy would say that?
Because I told her it was
bad where Daddy touched me.
And how many times
did he touch you?
Ramona said he did it a lot.
She's real mad, too.
(Stone) Now what
Ramona says doesn't matter.
What matters is
what you remember.
I told you.
Daddy touched me, and
Ramona and Mommy said he's bad.
Aside from touching you,
what are some of the other
things that your daddy did?
I don't know what
I'm supposed to say.
I forgot.
Samantha, thank you.
Thank you for talking with us.
(Teller) Samantha, do you
have puzzles like that at home?
I have bigger ones in my room.
At your daddy's house?
I have a big room
next to Christina's.
(Teller) Does Daddy
do puzzles with you?
(Samantha) Daddy
doesn't like puzzles.
We watch movies.
You love your Daddy,
don't you, Samantha?
You don't wanna see
him go to jail, do you?
Your Honor?
Let's back away from
that, Mr. Teller. Hmm?
Has your daddy
done anything to you
that you think he
should be punished for?
Mommy says Daddy
won't let me go to France.
He won't let you go to France?
To live with Mommy
and her boyfriend,
where I can have a pony.
No more questions.
(Stone) You wanted
to leave the country.
To do that you needed
full custody, right?
I wanted to protect her from her
father. What's wrong with that?
What is wrong is that a
jury can now be persuaded
that you wanted full
custody for other reasons.
You withheld
crucial information.
That doesn't change
what happened.
In a jury's mind it might.
Are you saying Mrs. Silver lied?
No, what I'm saying is that the
clarity of the case rests on Samantha,
and your client and Mrs.
Stark had other agendas.
They've so muddied the water I
don't know what a jury'll believe.
We wanted to protect the child.
You put so many
ideas in her head
she can't tell us
anything clearly.
When... when Samantha
told me about the showers,
and that... that... That
girl naked in the house,
what was I supposed to do?
Samantha was mixed up today.
The jury knows
what the father did.
I hope you're right.
(Judge Schreiber) Has
the jury reached a verdict?
(forewoman) Yes,
we have, Your Honor.
On the sole count
of the indictment,
the charge of sexual
abuse in the first degree,
how does the jury find?
We find the
defendant not guilty.
No.
[sighs]
[knock on door]
The girl is gone.
And Janet Silver refuses
to say where she is.
She'll have to
produce the child.
The husband has a court order.
And now I've got to make
a victim out of the mother.
She's the one going to jail.
I only see one victim here.
And she's only 7 years old.
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.
[people chattering]
Look at this. Which
one's your favorite?
Yeah, that's pretty.
Come on, let's go.
Would you like to
sample our new fragrance?
Sure.
It's called Tango
from De La Cuesta.
We're offering a complete
makeover with every purchase.
Ah, should we make ourselves
pretty for Daddy, Samantha?
Such marvelous skin.
You must be Scandinavian.
I'm originally from
Copenhagen, actually.
You know, De La Cuesta does make a
moisturizer with the sun block mixed in.
Uh-huh.
And you could also go a little
bit darker on the eyebrows, okay?
Samantha, how do I look?
Samantha?
My God! Samantha?
Samantha?
Samantha!
Saman...
Samantha!
Samantha!
Samantha!
Did you check the east wing?
What are you
waitin' for? Get going.
We're from the 27.
Oh, lucky you,
you're first on line.
The borough commander's pulling
manpower from four precincts.
Now, ESU, they made
three passes. Nothing.
Parents here?
No. Only the nanny. I called the
father, Gary Silver. Know the name?
Yeah. Big Broadway producer.
He's got more Tonys
than Southern Italy.
Ma'am? Ma'am.
[sobbing] She wouldn't go
anywhere without Brown Dog.
Now listen to me.
Where was the last
place you saw the girl?
Here.
Sitting right here.
Now did you see anybody
around her? Would you...
No, I'm... I'm the father
of the girl. Christina!
What the hell
happened, Christina?
Well, she's gone.
Gone? Where the hell were you?
[sobbing] I don't know.
(Briscoe) Are you
the girl's father?
Are you in charge? Who's
in charge around here?
Take it easy.
Has my daughter been kidnapped?
We're trying to
figure it out, Mr. Silver.
There's nothing to figure
out. She's here or she isn't.
Has she been kidnapped?
She'll be all right.
They'll find her.
Isn't that right?
(Gary) For God's sake.
(Christina) I know she
will. They'll find her, right?
[police chattering over radio]
And that's all I can do? Wait?
Until somebody calls.
And m-make a list
of anybody who
might wanna get at you.
People who don't
like me send lawyers,
not kidnappers.
I thought this only
happened in South America.
Aren't you supposed to call
the FBI or something?
Only after a ransom request.
We'd like you to give us
any information you can
on your staff.
My staff?
Lola, my housekeeper, has
been with us for 12 years.
Look, Christina, Samantha's,
uh, nanny, is so upset
she had to be
sedated by the doctor.
Believe me, she's not involved.
Is she involved with you?
Look, do me a favor, will you?
Don't give the newspapers
any more to play with. Okay?
Aren't you and the
girl's mother divorced?
We share joint custody.
Janet left the day before
yesterday for Majorca. Some spa.
Of course, they
don't have a phone.
My agent's trying to contact
the consulate right now.
I mean, why don't
they call? I mean...
They want money,
I'll... I'll give them money.
Mr. Silver, it's possible
that this isn't about ransom.
Children get taken
for all kinds of reasons.
Oh, God.
You vote for a perv?
Hey, there's a lot
of guys out there
who think that's what
7-year-olds are for.
Just doesn't feel
like a pro, Don.
She was picked up in the store,
not in the street,
and in nine hours,
not one phone call.
Yeah. When you wanna score big,
you call before
we set up the tap.
137 people there.
Nobody sees the kid?
What did you get
off the picture?
A 2-by-2 out of Dad's wallet,
and he doesn't even
think it looks like her.
All right,
let's get the new
picture out to the papers.
I'll have the 19 do
everybody again.
[knock on door]
What?
[telephone ringing]
Just one tape?
They got no cameras
on the escalator.
Security guards
only hit the tapes
when they see
something suspicious,
when an item's picked up.
Here, toy department.
(Logan) That's her.
And that's not the nanny.
Freeze it.
Look at that jacket.
The people in the stock
room wore jackets like that.
Go forward, maybe
he turns around.
They said as soon as
she talked to an employee,
the tape was shut off.
Yeah, they recognized
the jacket, too.
Let's get a list. Every
employee in the store.
Four hundred people?
What in the hell could they
all be doin' in stock rooms?
A lot of things you
don't wanna know about.
Now, here's a guy, 1-to-3
for receiving stolen goods.
You hire him as a stock clerk?
(Logan) Hey, hey.
Hey, we just got a bite.
Zorn, Harold.
From school
teacher to stockroom.
On parole when
hired. Three years ago.
Charged with sex abuse one.
Pled down to 3, a misdemeanor.
Didn't serve any time.
Sexual abuse of who?
[people chattering]
10-year-old girl.
Where does he work in the store?
Fifth floor stockroom.
Children's toys.
(Fairfield) He's an
excellent employee.
The stuffed animal
display was his idea.
He knew children get
bored shopping with parents.
Now, wait a minute.
This man had a Ph.D.
and he wanted to
be a stock clerk?
I mean, doesn't that
raise a flag for you?
In this economy?
We have investment
brokers down in shipping.
What time did his
shift usually start?
Oh, he won't be
in today. He called.
Said he has the
flu or something.
Well, I guess we should
make a house call.
Mr. Zorn, police. Open up.
Hey, you gonna break it down?
Why don't you
save us the bruises?
You got a warrant?
We're lookin' for
a 7-year-old girl.
Now open it.
Jeez.
You mean he's one of those?
[sighs]
(Briscoe) Porno?
Cartoons.
[sighs]
Mama.
Lennie.
Mama.
It's chocolate.
What does he do,
roll around in it?
(Logan) No.
What he does is a night shift.
Pay-check stub,
Schroeder's Fine Chocolates,
631, East 88th Street.
[machine whirring]
Is your inclination
the same as mine?
You wanna stick
his head in the vat?
We know that ain't gonna work.
Molesters are all wimps.
If we spook him,
he's gonna freeze.
And then no Samantha.
So it's kinder, gentler.
[woman chattering over speaker]
Hi, Harold Zorn?
I haven't done anything.
Take it easy, Harold. I'm
Det. Briscoe, this is Det. Logan.
Am I being arrested?
No, why? You
haven't done anything.
Harold, Harold, we just
wanna clear up a few points.
Now, maybe this isn't
the best place to talk, huh?
It's about the girl.
Just a few questions.
Okay, I wanna get this settled.
I'm not denying I spoke to her.
I've never denied that.
And then?
Then, I left the store to have
coffee at Bennie's on my break.
You know all this.
Why aren't you checking it out?
People are checking it, Harold.
It's... it's... I don't think
we have the full picture.
Yeah, like I don't
understand why you ran.
I didn't run.
I tried to go back to the
store, but I was locked out.
I've done everything I'm
supposed to about my problem,
counseling, medications,
ask my parole officer.
I'm trying to deal with it.
Look at that picture.
You still wanted
her, didn't you, Zorn?
Harold,
what... what was Samantha
like when you talked to her?
What did you talk about?
I asked her if she
liked the giraffe.
She pointed to
the stuffed gorilla
and said a woman at the
register was buying it for her.
That's all. I left.
[knock on door]
[telephone ringing]
His lawyer?
His alibi. It checks.
They know him
at the coffee shop.
He was there when they
were shutting down the store.
[sighs]
Square one.
Square minus one.
I think you're right. Get
back to me, all right?
(Briscoe) Who's
got Silver's house?
I do, but there's nothing yet.
No calls, no ransom notes.
Silver's probably
taking tranquilizers.
Mike,
They, uh, checked
the register tapes.
Somebody bought
the stuffed gorilla
maybe three minutes
before they locked the doors.
$400. Cash.
$400?
What was it stuffed with?
Oh, wait, three minutes
to take the escalator
down from the 5th Floor with
a little girl, a big stuffed animal
and get out the front
door before it's sealed?
Who did the interviews at the
back door, the loading entrance?
Uh, it was the 26.15,
20 guys, plus uniforms.
Okay, so the order
goes out to seal the place.
How much you wanna
bet the news traveled faster
to the main floor
than the loading dock?
Go for it.
(Bova) Aunt Polly gives
them a flowered tie,
they exchange it
for a toaster oven.
Too many Aunt Pollies,
my back goes out.
Merry Christmas.
We locked the gate.
Before the street
doors, after, I don't know.
Anybody ask you if
you saw the little girl?
Only about 40 cops.
I had 20, 30 customers here,
kids, loading stuff into cars.
I mean, even if I was looking...
Anybody load a
big stuffed gorilla?
End of the day, you could give
me a box of thousand-dollar bills,
I wouldn't notice.
Gorilla? I... I helped her.
She had a kid with her.
You get a look at the lady?
Dark hair. Kinda old,
40 or something like that.
I didn't really get
a good look at her.
What about her car?
It was real nice, uh, brand new,
um, grey, with one of
them black leather tops.
Landau.
Is that what they call
it? It was a Lincoln.
Huh, lucky she
didn't get towed, man.
I tell her, "Over here you get
towed." All she got was a ticket.
(Logan) Three square blocks,
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. shift?
I mean, how many tickets
can two meter-maids write?
Looks like they nailed over
200 cars, most of them Japanese.
Oh, there's another
reason to buy American.
[exclaims]
61st and Lex. 1:45.
Green Lincoln. Street cleaning.
Street cleaning? They
still do that in New York?
Red zone, 63rd and
3rd. 2:00. Grey Lincoln.
How you doin'? You Alan Fischer?
Yeah.
You own a grey Lincoln?
What happened?
Somebody steal it?
Ah, look, we wanna ask
you a few questions, okay?
I drove it an hour
ago, it's okay.
The question's about
Samantha Silver.
Look, you guys have a warrant?
'Cause if you
don't, I'm afraid...
We don't need a warrant.
(Briscoe) Stay right
there. Don't move.
Samantha, come
here, honey. Mommy!
Are you Samantha?
Get your hands off her!
Who the hell are you?
This your daughter?
Don't touch my daughter.
All right, we made a mistake.
Alan, what's going on?
Mike.
(Myra) Jennifer,
it's okay, honey.
No one's gonna hurt
you. It's gonna be okay.
It'll be all right.
This is crazy.
I bought that for my daughter.
Ah, sure you did.
That's why you
wouldn't open the door.
Your car, Mr. Fischer. It was
ticketed right outside the store.
(Alan) I couldn't find a spot.
I had to pick up some...
Some, uh,
Airplane tickets?
Clothes? Shoes?
What'd you have to pick up?
Where'd you park the car?
62nd Street.
63rd. Your wife drove the car.
We have somebody
who can identify her.
Is the little girl
dead, Alan? Is that it?
Somethin' go wrong before
you could write the ransom note?
Why did you take her?
What did you wanna do to her?
Was it your wife?
We had nothing to do with it.
You bought the stuffed animal.
The store had six of
'em. Now they have five.
We bought it downtown somewhere.
Somewhere in the village.
Keep diggin', Mrs. Fischer.
Spencer's is the only
place that sells them.
You have a daughter.
You wanna trade Christmas presents
with her in a prison waiting room?
We did nothing wrong.
[telephone ringing]
I wanna see my husband.
You can't keep
us here like this.
Well, you can
always have a lawyer.
We don't need a lawyer.
You can't be as stupid
as you sound, Mr. Fischer.
Kidnapping's just like murder.
25 years to life.
We didn't kidnap her!
Really?
What did you do, huh?
Invite her home to play with
your daughter? Where is she?
[knock on door]
Mr. Fischer's clean.
Myra Fischer, one
count trespassing in 1991.
She handcuffed herself to
the front door of Gracie Mansion
protesting starter enforcement
of child support payments.
Job history as a volunteer
for Abused Children's
Legal Defense Fund.
[clears throat]
Thanks.
[sighs]
[phone ringing]
Of course our justice
system affords protection.
Thousands of children
abused and nobody cares.
And nobody gets convicted.
So we rescue the
children ourselves.
Does that include
Samantha Silver?
Who's Samantha Silver?
All right. You
can call it rescue.
A grand jury
calls it kidnapping.
Is that a threat, Detective?
No, it's penal law.
Now, where did the
Fischers take the girl?
The Fischers have nothing
to do with this organization.
Oh, so you've
heard of the Fischers,
but you've never heard
of Samantha Silver?
(Logan) Well, let
me just inform you,
the Fischers are in a
cell at Central Booking.
Would you care to join them?
This is the last
stop on the train.
Unless we find
Samantha, you're it.
Maybe you should talk to...
Sally... Ned.
We gave her money,
what she does with it
is not our responsibility.
You have to talk
to Ramona Stark.
She's a child psychologist.
Very well known.
You better hope she's
still on the train, too.
Where do we find her?
[dog barking]
[girl laughing]
[car honks]
Lennie, Lennie, come here.
Do you hear that?
(girl) Why? I can...
[door opening]
What do you think? No warrant.
Well, we've got
exigent circumstances.
[children chattering]
All right, you wanna get
away from the door, ma'am?
It's the police.
[children chattering]
Ramona Stark?
Yes.
Nice to meet you.
You're under arrest for the
kidnapping of Samantha Silver.
It's okay, Samantha. We're
gonna take you home to your daddy.
No!
I'm Janet Silver.
Samantha's my daughter.
She wasn't kidnapped.
She's here at my request.
Mrs. Silver, your daughter was
abducted from a department store
and from your
husband's legal custody.
She was taken
for her protection.
My husband will
never see her again.
I want charges
brought against him.
Samantha has told us that her
father repeatedly molested her.
You're not gonna do anything?
Does Samantha have to spell it
out for you in her alphabet soup?
She took showers with
him and his live-in girlfriend,
naps with them
when she was naked.
My child was living in terror.
Mrs. Silver, we are
sorry for your daughter,
but an accusation is not
enough for us to prosecute.
(Dr. Jenner) Oh, no.
I examined the girl.
No, there is no
doubt what happened.
Dr. Jenner, you examined
her two weeks ago.
It's too late for us to
corroborate your report.
Is my integrity
in question here?
You have a history of
testifying in these cases.
That'd be brought out in court.
We'd like to have Samantha
examined by our psychiatrist.
Dr. Stark has a Ph.D.
in child psychology.
She has dedicated
her life to this.
Is she not a good enough expert?
Nothing changes, does
it? A child is in danger
you're refusing to protect her.
I won't give her up.
I'll go to jail before
she goes back to him.
There is not enough evidence.
It is as simple as that.
Come on, Ben. Is this about
evidence, or is it visibility?
Sexual abuse.
(Preston) Public figure.
It scares the hell
out of you, doesn't it?
You guys are supposed
to be the white knights.
(Preston) Look, you tell Schiff
I'd like charges filed today
or I'll make sure his
amour gets real tarnished
on the front pages tomorrow.
Mr. Preston is threatening me?
Huh?
Arrogance of the young.
Good lawyer, always
on the right side.
Which doesn't make
his client a saint.
[police siren wailing]
Wife sues for full
custody, doesn't get it.
Sudden charge of molestation.
Have we heard that story before?
I don't know, Adam.
Showering with the
kid, sleeping nude.
My grandson plays Little League.
I tell him, "Go get 'em,
tiger," I pat him on the can,
and you'd haul me
away in leg irons.
A medical report,
the psychologist,
you don't wanna
believe any of it?
It doesn't matter
what I believe.
The man has no history of this.
An accusation alone
could destroy his life.
We pursue it, it doesn't stick,
we end up with
high-profile egg on our face.
There's gonna be high-profile
egg no matter what we do.
We need corroboration.
You get a court order
to examine the child.
No corroboration, no indictment.
What does that do to Samantha?
My client is concerned.
The effect of a
psychiatric exam.
We can't ignore the charge.
(Gary) Did you see the
papers when we got divorced?
"Wife calls producer
selfish and brutal."
She smeared me
all over the papers.
And now you're
helping her do it again.
And just because I'm in
love with my daughter's nanny
does not make
me a child molester.
We're fighting the court order.
Insufficient grounds.
Counselor, we have
a medical exam.
Well, of course, you do.
I mean, whose doctor?
I read about this
Ramona Stark. She's a nut.
I mean, my wife
wants to destroy me
and you'll ruin my...
My daughter's life.
For what? Public
spectacle, page 6!
[door opening]
[door slamming]
Ramona Stark as
your prime witness?
I wouldn't go
to trial with that.
[door opening]
Who's Silver worried about?
His daughter? Or himself?
He may be right about Stark.
So let's find out what other
cases she's been involved in.
She's a saint.
They should put a statue of
her in front of Family Court.
Hmm.
She testified for you
against your husband.
And gave us a place to hide,
until they put
that swine in jail.
Did your child testify?
She was very frightened.
But, uh, Ramona helped her.
By getting her ready to testify.
My daughter didn't
invent it. It happened.
If Ramona helped her put it
into words, that's not a crime.
The fact that you're
worried about Ramona,
and not Gary Silver,
proves you're part of the
problem, not the solution.
I never had much
faith in divorce laws
and nothing's happened
to change my mind.
You lost custody of your son.
You want a shotgun offence?
I'll give you my ex-wife,
her fleabag lawyer
and Ramona Stark.
Now, you were charged with
molesting your son, Mr. Sanders.
I was charged with it, but
it never went to trial, did it?
(Mr. Sanders) I caved in.
I gave my wife what she wanted.
Suddenly she
decides not to testify.
You people don't have a case.
I never touched my son.
But people are
accused all the time.
They defend themselves.
[exclaims]
I sat in her lawyer's chair
and I watched a tape.
My little boy saying that I
put my hand on his "dupe."
I knew I was dead.
(Mr. Sanders) I
haven't seen him since.
$1,100 child support.
I don't even get visitation.
And what does that prove?
She's a busy lady.
We got a Chinese menu here.
Column A, she's the savior
of all molested children.
Column B, she scares innocent
men into giving up their kids.
Silver's lawyer is right.
With Stark's history, we put her
on the stand they'll eat her for lunch.
We don't put her on
the stand, they will.
[telephone ringing]
Paul Robinette.
Hmm-mmm.
Thanks.
We got the order.
Olivet sees Samantha
Silver in the morning.
Good.
What are your favorite
pets, Samantha?
Mommy tells me you like puppies.
Sometimes Brown Dog barks.
You can't hear it. But I can.
What's Brown Dog barking at?
Secrets.
That's very good.
I have an idea.
Why don't we draw a
picture of your family?
Who's that?
Mommy.
I need blue for her eyes.
And what about you?
That's fine.
What's Daddy look like?
[whispers] It's okay. Go ahead.
Remember what I told you about
"good touches" and
"bad touches", Samantha?
How did Daddy touch you?
When's Mommy coming back?
She'll be here soon.
Where did Daddy
touch you? Show me.
Just draw a circle
where he touched you.
I don't wanna talk anymore.
Her behavior's
consistent with abuse.
Avoidance, reluctance
to discuss details, guilt.
I'm sure that's what
Ramona Stark reacted to.
But she did not say that
her father molested her.
Which doesn't
mean it didn't happen.
What about the medical report?
Do you agree with Jenner?
If I'd seen her at the
time, I might be sure.
Jenner says
there's scarring near her
labia and she's not intact,
but there are no
bacterial traces
which you'd expect
with a recent abuse.
Why does every word you say
sound like maybe and then maybe not?
I think it happened.
But is it conclusive?
Not to mention
that she's confused.
Too much prompting
from Stark and her mother.
(Olivet) She's not
a terrific witness.
This gets better every minute.
What about the father? Does
he fit the portrait of a molester?
Mid-50s, no prior record,
you wouldn't think so.
Unless he's a "preferential."
(Stone) What's that?
Only family members.
Wasn't he married before?
Twenty years ago.
Did they have any children?
The night I was born,
Hair opened on Broadway.
Guess whose premiere
Daddy attended?
Doesn't sound like
you've patched things up.
Oh, as far as he's concerned,
I'm a show that closed
on opening night.
Anyhow, I moved
out when I was 7.
Jesus Christ Superstar.
Mom's big break.
Mary Magdalene sends me
to Grandma's in Greenwich
for the length of the run.
Grandma never sends me back.
(Leslie) She hated
him. She still does.
Maybe because Mom moved
you to Grandma's for other reasons.
(Robinette) They
say in families,
it usually doesn't
happen only once.
I suppose you've spoken with
your Dad in the last few days.
Okay. There are some
memories that seem strange.
I remember being alone in bed,
and I'd hear their door
open down the hall
and Daddy walking
towards my room.
I'd wet the bed.
I thought that would protect me.
Protect you from what?
Look, I don't wanna
talk about this anymore.
You absolutely convinced?
Doesn't leave me
with any doubts.
It's not showers and sleeping
in the same bed anymore, Adam.
If he molested the first one,
the chances of his not
doing it again are almost nil.
(Robinette) I checked the
older daughter's new apartment.
Silver paid for it,
closed 10 days ago.
He bought her off.
Useless without her testimony.
What about his girlfriend?
She's the child's nanny.
His lawyer won't
let us near her.
Your medical doctor
is questionable,
this Ramona Stark is tainted.
She makes Joan
of Arc look modest.
The child is a terrible witness.
So you wanna plead him?
He molested his own child, Adam.
Plead him. Sex abuse two.
He won't do better from a jury.
Sexual abuse two.
Considering what he
did, it's a gift from God.
I didn't do anything
to Samantha.
What about your first daughter?
Leslie's mother was,
for years, clinically depressed.
(Gary) Of course,
Leslie has problems.
My understanding is
that Leslie has absolutely
nothing negative to say about me.
Odd time to buy
her an apartment.
Come on, if you had anything new
we wouldn't be here.
Our psychiatrist says
Samantha was probably abused.
Ten minutes with Ramona Stark,
she'll accuse her father
of being a serial killer.
(Teller) My client
comes out of this clean
or his life's over.
I'll see you in court.
You're bluffing.
Let's go.
You'll ruin my daughter's life.
Mr. Silver, that process was
well underway before now.
I'm glad you're so sure.
[door opening]
What do you mean, the psychiatric
examinations aren't enough?
You have all that.
You have Miss Stark's report.
I believe he did it, but we don't
have enough to convince a grand jury.
What do you want?
Do you think Gary's gonna
stand up and say he did it?
7 million people in
New York are convinced.
Go anywhere and
mention his name.
Grand jury doesn't
indict by Gallup poll.
David, let's give them the tape.
I've been around the
law enough to know
one doesn't sit idly by.
This takes it well beyond
any reasonable doubt.
(Ramona) Do you miss your daddy?
Don't you wanna see him?
Did he ever touch you?
(Samantha) Yes.
[whispers] Tell me, Samantha.
It's bad where Daddy touched me.
Can you tell me why?
Because.
Can you show me where?
Here.
And?
He made me touch him, too.
(Stone) Turn it off.
Yup. Very convincing.
If we had done it.
It convinced the grand jury.
Come on, even her mother's
lawyer knows it's trouble.
Homemade
evidence. I don't like it.
The courts like it less.
Who's your judge?
Wally Schreiber.
You expect to get this in?
Schreiber thinks
the admissibility rules
were made in Heaven, not Albany.
A man's own daughter.
I hope there's an afterlife.
For some crimes, the
penal law is inadequate.
Mrs. Silver had the tape made.
She's a lunatic. And
so is Ramona Stark.
Their state of mind does not
make the tape inadmissible.
Doesn't it, Ben?
We don't know what was
said before the tape was made.
There's no reason to believe that
it wasn't spontaneous, Your Honor.
About as spontaneous
as the Pledge of Allegiance.
Your Honor, Dr. Olivet said the
child was subjected to trauma.
Without that tape, we
have to put her on the stand.
We don't wanna do that.
(Teller) How
warm-hearted of you.
The kid was coached, Judge.
It's all made
up, every bit of it.
Now, easy, Nick, I
read Olivet's report.
It's not all made up. Gentlemen.
Ben, do you remember
a case in Rhode Island?
Insulin, needles,
the lady in the coma?
They go into the man's
house, take the black bag...
Which was admitted as evidence.
Yeah, in my view, a mistake.
And the basis, I might
add, for a successful appeal.
Now here, we have an out-of-court
statement and the witness is available.
I can't allow the tape, Ben.
Your Honor, the
interests of the child...
Balanced by the
interests of justice.
If the man did it,
then put him away
but we have to
have the girl testify.
I'll be glad to do it in chambers
with closed-circuit video,
make it as painless as possible.
Think about it, hmm?
Children have special ways
of telling us what happened.
Please describe for the court what
you expect in cases of sexual abuse.
Children who have been molested
often cry when asked
about the incident.
(Ramona) They show anger,
fear and sadness
and in almost all cases,
the child is
unwilling to discuss
the specific details
of what happened.
(Stone) In your expert opinion,
does Samantha
Silver fit this profile?
Yes, in virtually every respect.
And Dr. Stark, is it possible
that the alleged sexual
abuse of Samantha Silver
is totally invented?
Oh, no, I don't
think that's possible.
I... I can't tell you in
explicit detail what went on
but something
certainly happened.
Thank you.
Your witness.
Something happened.
That's fairly vague, isn't it?
I'm a psychologist,
not a psychiatrist.
But none of this
is an exact science.
The girl went through a serious
trauma concerning her father.
That could mean anything.
Can you state with
medical certainty
that Gary Silver
molested his daughter?
I can't say with certainty
the sun will rise tomorrow.
But, yes, short of
absolute certainty,
I think he molested
his daughter.
(Teller) You testified
that Samantha Silver
had been subject to trauma
involving her father.
Could that include her mother
convincing her Daddy molested her?
If you're suggesting
that her mother planted
the accusation in her head,
no, I don't believe that's true.
Suppose I find cereal
spilled on the kitchen floor.
I ask my son, "Did you do
this?" What does he say?
I don't know your
son, Mr. Teller.
He'll lie, Dr. Stark,
because he's afraid
Daddy will be angry.
But if I say I won't be
angry, he'll admit it, won't he?
Possibly.
(Teller) He will.
Because he wants to please me.
Now, Samantha Silver was
taken from a department store
and held in a
strange environment.
If she thought the only way out
was to accuse
Daddy of bad things
isn't it possible she'd lie?
It's possible, yes, but
she didn't need to lie.
She just told us what happened.
I was naive when I married Gary.
I was his third wife.
I thought I would be the
one to make him settle down.
I was wrong.
Well, what made you
feel you were wrong?
I thought that Gary was
obsessed with Samantha,
that he was using her to make
up for neglecting his first child.
(Christina) It... it,
It seemed unnatural.
In what way, Mrs. Silver?
Objection. This
is all speculation.
She can talk about her
own feelings, Counselor.
(Judge Schreiber) Overruled.
Mrs. Silver.
He, uh,
he wanted to take
her everywhere.
He wouldn't let her out of
his sight, he was hugging her,
picking her up all the time.
It was too possessive.
But why did you ask Ramona
Stark to help you hide Samantha?
(Christina) Samantha said
that she was taking
nude naps with Gary and...
(Christina) Well,
the nanny, his girlfriend.
I, uh, I tried to ask
if anything else was going on
but, uh, I scared her.
I didn't... I didn't know
how to ask the question.
It was... it was so ugly.
My...
My attorney said that Ramona
Stark would know how to ask.
(Stone) Fine, thank
you, no further questions.
So, uh,
you couldn't talk to your
own daughter, is that right?
I didn't know if... If my
suspicions were right.
I... I needed a professional.
Oh, so you did think
your husband had
done something wrong?
[coughs]
Look, I... I didn't know.
Or was it just that
you were jealous
because he abandoned
you for a younger woman?
I was worried, okay?
I'm... I'm allowed
to be worried.
Of course, you are.
But you are not allowed to
brainwash your own daughter.
Objection.
We... we didn't brainwash
her, for God's sake.
We got a doctor.
I'm a pediatrician with a
subspecialty in internal medicine.
Have you consulted
on other cases
involving the sexual
abuse of children?
I volunteer my services for the
Abused Children's Defense League.
I'm on call at no charge.
(Stone) Now
please tell the court
the results of your physical
examination of Samantha Silver.
I found scarring and
bruising on the labia,
and the hymen had been ruptured.
And what did you
conclude from that?
(Dr. Jenner) These were unusual
conditions for a child of her age.
I concluded that Samantha Silver
had, in some way,
been sexually abused.
Thank you.
Dr. Jenner,
could the conditions you describe
be caused by anything else?
I don't think so.
Now, you say you work on
these cases at no charge.
In fact, don't you
make it a career?
I have a thriving
pediatric practice, sir.
How many of these
cases have you testified in?
Twenty-two.
(Teller) Very impressive.
Have you testified
for a defendant?
In all the cases
that I've worked on,
the defendants were guilty.
Really?
How many of them were acquitted?
Thirteen.
Didn't you say
they were all guilty?
They were.
Not in the eyes
of the law, Doctor.
No further questions.
Don't have any choice.
She's a confused,
frightened little girl.
I don't know how
she'll do on the stand.
If we can get her to say
what she said to Stark...
She's talked to too many people.
(Stone) She can't
remember what happened.
Olivet prepped her six
times. Six different answers.
We don't put her on, the jury's
gonna wonder what we're hiding.
The wife and... What's
her name, Stark?
Yeah, the two of them
tied your hands behind your
back and then asked you to swim.
And they sullied every
piece of testimony we needed.
Not to mention the wife
looked jealous on the stand
and that doctor...
He defined the word "zealot."
The child's gonna have to talk to
the jury and tell them what happened.
(Samantha) People always
wanna talk about Daddy.
(Stone) We'd like to know
a few things that
your daddy did.
You mean the bad things?
That's right.
Why should I talk to you?
We wanna make sure
that your daddy doesn't
do the bad things again.
Mommy says you're
going to put him in jail.
Why do you think your
mommy would say that?
Because I told her it was
bad where Daddy touched me.
And how many times
did he touch you?
Ramona said he did it a lot.
She's real mad, too.
(Stone) Now what
Ramona says doesn't matter.
What matters is
what you remember.
I told you.
Daddy touched me, and
Ramona and Mommy said he's bad.
Aside from touching you,
what are some of the other
things that your daddy did?
I don't know what
I'm supposed to say.
I forgot.
Samantha, thank you.
Thank you for talking with us.
(Teller) Samantha, do you
have puzzles like that at home?
I have bigger ones in my room.
At your daddy's house?
I have a big room
next to Christina's.
(Teller) Does Daddy
do puzzles with you?
(Samantha) Daddy
doesn't like puzzles.
We watch movies.
You love your Daddy,
don't you, Samantha?
You don't wanna see
him go to jail, do you?
Your Honor?
Let's back away from
that, Mr. Teller. Hmm?
Has your daddy
done anything to you
that you think he
should be punished for?
Mommy says Daddy
won't let me go to France.
He won't let you go to France?
To live with Mommy
and her boyfriend,
where I can have a pony.
No more questions.
(Stone) You wanted
to leave the country.
To do that you needed
full custody, right?
I wanted to protect her from her
father. What's wrong with that?
What is wrong is that a
jury can now be persuaded
that you wanted full
custody for other reasons.
You withheld
crucial information.
That doesn't change
what happened.
In a jury's mind it might.
Are you saying Mrs. Silver lied?
No, what I'm saying is that the
clarity of the case rests on Samantha,
and your client and Mrs.
Stark had other agendas.
They've so muddied the water I
don't know what a jury'll believe.
We wanted to protect the child.
You put so many
ideas in her head
she can't tell us
anything clearly.
When... when Samantha
told me about the showers,
and that... that... That
girl naked in the house,
what was I supposed to do?
Samantha was mixed up today.
The jury knows
what the father did.
I hope you're right.
(Judge Schreiber) Has
the jury reached a verdict?
(forewoman) Yes,
we have, Your Honor.
On the sole count
of the indictment,
the charge of sexual
abuse in the first degree,
how does the jury find?
We find the
defendant not guilty.
No.
[sighs]
[knock on door]
The girl is gone.
And Janet Silver refuses
to say where she is.
She'll have to
produce the child.
The husband has a court order.
And now I've got to make
a victim out of the mother.
She's the one going to jail.
I only see one victim here.
And she's only 7 years old.