Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 16, Episode 12 - Padre Sandunguero - full transcript

NARRATOR: In the
criminal justice system,

sexually-based offenses are
considered especially heinous.

In New York City,

the dedicated detectives who
investigate these vicious felonies

are members of an elite squad
known as the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

(ELEVATOR DINGING)

Hey, can I help you?

Yeah, where's Nicky? SONNY: Who?

Nicky Amaro.

I'm his sergeant. And you are?



You're the sergeant?
I'm the father.

(LAUGHING)

You're Nick's dad?

Yeah. Nicolas. How are you?

My son never told me his
boss was so encantadora.

(LAUGHING) Okay.

Why don't you have a seat and
I'll let him know that you're here.

Thank you.

Nick. What's your name?

Yeah, she wanted it.

NICK: I'm sure she did.

RAB: First of all, she was hot.

- Okay.
- Okay, hot. Got it.

Nick, got a minute?



NICOLAS: Some people roll 'em,
he unrolled 'em, right? (CHUCKLING)

SONNY: (GUFFAWING)
Wait, wait, wait, how old was he?

NICOLAS: Five. Hand to God. I come
home, he's cutting up my Montecristos.

I said, "What are you doing?"

He says, "Smoking
is really bad for you."

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Speak of the devil. Nicky.

What are you doing here?

Ah, you see how
he talks to his father?

I just come by,
just to say hello.

That's all.

Yeah, well, I'm working.

Sergeant, would you mind if I took
my son to lunch? It'd mean a lot to me.

Uh, I don't know if
now's, uh, the best time.

No. No, I got it. I
can mop up with Fin.

Oh, that's nice. You
got real friends here.

What do you say, big guy, huh?

You still like Chinese?

I'll be 20 minutes.

Okay.

You want to go? Let's go.

Good people, huh?

Hey, you'd think after
all these years on the job,

you might have your own
office by now though, huh?

I've barely seen you since I
was 15. You can't just show up.

Nick, look, I'm, I'm throwing a party and
I need you to come. I want you to come.

Please.

It's not happening.

It is happening. It's
a rehearsal dinner.

I'm getting married,
Nick. I'm in love.

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

How old is she, 25?

Gabriella? Come on, she's 28.

Hmm.

Her whole family moved here
from a little village down in DR.

So why are you getting
married here, anyway?

I dunno, I've kinda
outgrown Miami, you know.

What am I gonna do at my
age? Die of an early-bird special?

Well, Gabriella's
folks are here now, so.

Well, you're not moving back?

I might. Ooh!

You know, I got a lead. I
gotta show you something.

Mixed martial arts gym.

Look at this.

Beautiful, right?
Yeah, it's nice.

You should come by. It
feels good to hit something.

Do you hear yourself?

Hey, Nicky, you know, whatever
happened between me and your mom,

in your imagination,
you know, it's over.

She's over it.
We're all over it.

Oh, you two are talking?

Yeah, we talk. We talk all
the time. We talk about you,

we talk about your sister,
we talk about everything.

She worries about you, you know.

She knows how
hard it's been on you.

When Maria walked out with
your daughter like that, I mean...

Look, I don't want
you talking about me.

And I don't want you
talking about Zara.

Okay. Let's talk about your son.

All these years, you don't
even know about him?

It's a shame, Nicky.

It was nice seeing you, Nicolas.

Let's do this again
in another 20 years.

Don't walk out on me,
Nick. Don't walk out.

How'd that go?

So, Nicolas Fiorello Amaro
is getting married. Again.

To a child bride. And
he wants me to come.

Okay. And?

Well, since going
would require pretending

that he and I have
a relationship...

I hear you. Or that what
happened in our home

didn't actually happen...

Nick, you have every
right to be upset.

No, he doesn't get
to wipe the slate.

It's not about him.

This is about you
holding on to your anger.

Okay? I've learned that in
order to heal, we have to let go.

Oh, so, what, you've forgiven
your father? Or William Lewis?

Huh? Have you forgiven them?

Wow.

Look, I'm sorry. I...

NICK: You're talking to him?

You're really going
to this charade?

I promised your sister. She
just wants everyone to be happy.

No, she wants
Nicolas to be happy.

Hey, how much money has
she borrowed from him? Ah!

Sonya had it tough
for a long time.

Things never came easily
for her the way they did for you.

Yeah, well, I've worked
hard for everything I got.

Hey, I didn't go out partying, I
didn't ring up credit card debt.

(DOORBELL BUZZING)

Just be nice. She's your sister.

Wait, she's here?
She flew in from LA?

(CHEERFUL GREETING)

Hi! Daddy!

Hey, Zara! What are
you doing here? Ho-ho!

Nobody told me.

It was supposed
to be a surprise.

I had bonus miles
and I convinced Maria

it was such a special
occasion. (PANTING)

SONYA: Wow, look at you.

You never age,
you son-of-a-bitch.

Hey. Daddy, I have a
new dress for the wedding.

I'm a flower girl!

Really? Wow! Um,

look, why don't you let Abuelita
help you put that dress on.

I really wanna see it.

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

Nicolas put you up to this?

Oh, gosh. I figured you'd be
upset, but I knew once we got here...

No, I already told
him I'm not going.

And guilting Mom
into this? I didn't.

Either way, Zara's not going.

It was Mom's idea.

Hey, you set me up.

See, if I tell that little girl she
can't go, she'll be heartbroken.

If you're worried about her coming
out tonight, then why don't you come?

No, I gotta go back
to work. All right?

Just let me spend a
little bit of time with Zara.

(KISSING)

It is good to see you.

But if you are going
to take her to this party,

do me a favor, just
take it easy for once.

What is that supposed to mean?

(LATIN MUSIC PLAYING)

Get me one of those mojitos,
and I'll love you forever.

Hold that thought.
I'll be right back.

Look, Abuelita.
We're sitting together.

(SQUEALING) How did that happen?

You don't believe she's
marrying an old goat like me, right?

That's cause you fall out
of the bed, I fall into the bed.

I'm the lucky one.

Hey! It's not some
kind of a no-fly zone.

The night is for Gabriella!

(CROWDS MURMURING APPROVINGLY)

And you!

Let's live it up. Let's
tweak it up! Let's rip it up!

Baila, baila, bailar!

(CROWD CHEERING AND WHISTLING)

Hey, when you're done racking up
that OT, I'm going bowling at the Piers.

Some friends from law school.

Uh, law school?

They're not lawyers yet.
Some of them are hot.

Well, they... They're not
hot. They, they're pretty.

Uh, rain check.

Suit yourself. Take it easy.

(RAP MUSIC PLAYING)

Yes, Maria, Zara's here.

Yeah, she's at the party
with Sonya and my mother.

It's all fine.

Of course I'm glad to see her.

I just don't like
being sandbagged.

I mean, this is my
family and I'm her father.

Wait, hold on, Maria.

Hey, Zara.

(PEOPLE SCREAMING) Daddy,
come quick! They're fighting.

(GLASS SHATTERING) (THUDDING)

All right, just tell
me what's going on.

CESARIA: Zara! Zara!

Abuelita!

(INCOHERENT SHOUTING)

Zara!

Zara!

Daddy! Hey, Zara.

Daddy, it was scary.

Are you okay? Mima, qué pasó?

One minute everyone was
dancing, then all hell broke loose.

Uh, excuse me. This is
my mother and daughter.

Can you get them out of
here, make sure they get home?

(SPEAKING SPANISH) Okay.

LUIS: Animal! Nicolas is a pig!

I wanna see Gabriella!

SONYA: Nick! (NICK
SPEAKING SPANISH)

Oh, God! Thank God you're here.

Well, what the hell happened?

Gabriella's over there.
I gotta go find Papi.

Hey, excuse me. I'm Nick
Amaro, Manhattan SVU.

The detectives are
inside. Who called SVU?

No, I'm with the family. Gabriella?
Hey, I'm Nicolas' son, Nick.

We, we're gonna get you
taken care of you all right?

GABRIELLA: (FAINTLY) I'm dizzy.

Nicolas, he was so angry.

He said that I wasn't showing
him respect. And then he hit me.

(STAMMERING) What?

(GABRIELLA GROANING FAINTLY)

My father did this to you?

Espérate, Nicolas es tu papá?

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

I don't feel well. Please,
just take me to a hospital.

Yes, ma'am. Detective, please.

NICOLAS: I don't believe
this. After all I've done for him?

Hey, amiga mia,

I don't want to see you
get in any trouble, all right?

Yep. Uh-huh. My
son here, Nick, yeah,

a very important
New York detective.

Right, Nick?

DUNBAR: We
gotta take you in, sir.

You wanna talk to him?

Nah. Do what you gotta do.

NICOLAS: What are you doing?
DUNBAR: I gotta take you in.

Come on. Come on. I
said what are you doing?

Okay, you heard her outcry,
so we'll need your statement.

Meet us at the hospital.

Yeah. Yeah, okay.

NICOLAS: Hey, Nick!

Are you gonna tell 'em?

That you're my son?

Yeah, just... Just
do what they say.

Take it easy.

Liv, hey, what are
you doing here?

I heard about the
fight. Is Zara okay?

Yeah, she's fine, you know.

Nicolas was arrested. His
fiancée has a head injury.

Sergeant Benson, thank you for
coming. Can we talk? Uh, in private?

Absolutely.

I'll go call my mother,
check on Zara.

Nick, it's probably
best if you go home.

Go home.

What's going on? Okay, so,

this isn't on us, but,

the EMT at the
scene, a real stickler,

overheard the vic telling your
detective that his father hit her.

Okay, nobody's looking for
special favors here, believe me.

Just hear us out.

So we do our interview and
the girl who has a fractured skull

tells us a completely
different story.

Changing stories, cover stories, we
all know what happens in DV cases.

The problem is the
EMT thinks it happens

after Detective Amaro said
something to her in Spanish.

He thinks Amaro told
her to change her story?

That's not possible.

When I was talking to the
first detective, I was confused.

When you say "first detective," you
mean Nicolas' son, Detective Amaro?

Yes. Hmm.

But I was wrong to say that
it was Nicolas' fault. It wasn't.

Mmm-hmm. So can you
tell us how you got hurt?

(FRUSTRATED GRUNTING)

I, I was, I was dancing with one of
the guests. I think his name was Javier.

And he, he got fresh.

I pushed him away and
I went into the bathroom.

DUNBAR: Downstairs?

Sí. Pero, he followed me.

He pushed me into the
corner and touched my breast.

Okay. Um, and
what happened then?

Nicolas came down, he
tried to pull Javier away,

and that's when I hit
my head against a wall.

By accident.

Did anyone hit you?

No.

So your head just hit the wall?

Yes.

Was anybody else there?

No, it was just the two of us.

I mean, three.

You told Detective Amaro
that Nicolas was angry at you.

He was worried.

If he wouldn't have come down, I
don't know what would have happened.

Gabriella, listen to me.

If you're afraid of Nicolas
or afraid that his son is a cop,

we can keep you safe.

Just let Nicolas go.
He didn't hurt me.

If my father did something,

I don't want anyone here
risking anything on his behalf.

Yeah, but now she's claiming some
other guy sexually assaulted her?

Look, I don't know
a thing about that.

In the meantime, Nick,
you're back at the desk.

Oh.

You two, get me a timeline, uh,
witness statements, cell phone pics,

any video footage
from that party.

(CELL PHONE CHIMING)
And this guy she's accusing?

Javier Arenas. Ah, look at this.

Up until a year ago, he was
on the registry. Statutory rape.

Start there.

Statutory rape? (SCOFFING)

I was 19, she was 16,
her father was a cop.

Took me ten years
to clear my name.

And one night to mess it up.

Gabriella Nuñez claims
you assaulted her.

Come on.

We did some dirty dancing.

I had my hands on her,

but she was backing up that
bus on me pretty good first.

That's it?

I whispered to her that I could do
things without needing a blue pill.

She caught Nicolas looking
at her, she freaked out, took off.

Downstairs, where
you followed her.

No. I'm a lover, not a fighter.

I stayed on the dance
floor. Ask anyone.

Nicolas's daughter. Sonya?

Whatever. I danced
with her next.

She didn't just back up
the bus, she parked it.

Better yet, ask Gabriella's father,
Luis. He saw the whole thing.

Spartacus is the only one
who keeps me calm now.

After what happened
to Gabriella.

Mr. Nuñez, did you actually see
what happened to your daughter?

No, but I know that it was Nicolas
Amaro who hit her. Piece of garbage.

But if you didn't see it,
how do you know it was him?

She was dancing, having fun. And then
he stares at her. And she stops dancing,

goes down and he followed her.

See anybody else go downstairs?

Just him. A few minutes
later, he comes up,

grabs some ice from a water
glass, and rubs it on his knuckles.

Then I run downstairs and I
see my daughter all bloody...

That's when you
went after Nicolas?

I want him in jail.
Even if I have to go, too.

TUCKER: Detective
Amaro, if I'm talking to you,

it must be time to
pay my water bill.

What're we up to, three, four
investigations a year, huh?

I did not pressure the victim.

Well, the EMT claims you
ID'd yourself to the victim

as both NYPD and
her fiancé's son,

and you spoke to her in Spanish.

I told her everything was
okay and asked if I could help.

And just like that, she decided
it wasn't your father who hit her?

I did not tell her to
back off that story.

Not in Spanish, not in English

I believe you.

Just do us all a favor,
will ya? Steer clear.

It can't look like a cop is
pulling strings to protect family.

Well, like Ms. Nuñez told your
Sergeant and everyone else,

this fellow, Javier,
was harassing her.

I heard her scream, I went
downstairs, I pulled him off her.

FIN: And that is what she said.

Problem is we can't find one
witness that saw Javier go downstairs.

Yeah. The only person anyone
saw go after Gabriella was, was you.

D'ANGELO: Oh, drunk
people in a dark, chaotic room.

What do they know?

We also have a witness
that saw your client

come upstairs and
put ice on his knuckles.

Yeah, I hit a wall
defending my fiancée.

(SNIGGERING) I mean,
he had it coming to him.

Well, according to Javier, who,
he didn't have a mark on him.

Gabriella was twerking,
you got jealous, you beat her.

All due respect, no witnesses, she's
not pressing charges, we're done.

Domestic violence
is a must-arrest.

Yeah, but it's not
a must-charge.

Domestic violence?
This is an accident

that happened the
night before our wedding.

Come on. I'd never hit a woman.

You know, Cubans come to this
country, and within one generation

we're doctors, lawyers,
CEOs of major corporations.

But the only headline
you ever read in the paper

is "Crazy Cubans in
Wedding Brawl." I hate this.

Look, none of us wanna be here,

but this guy is guilty.

You seem awfully sure. (SIGHING)

Is there anything
else I need to know?

Yeah. There is.

Assault charges, huh?
And $100,000 bail?

(NICOLAS CHUCKLING)

You gotta get me
out of here, kid.

No, I'm not bailing you out.

(CHUCKLING)

You're that behind
on your alimony, huh?

(SNIGGERING)

Look, what you need to
do is take a plea, okay?

Look, don't put everyone
through a trial, all right?

What you talking about? I'm not
gonna pled guilty to something I didn't do.

Come on, stop. You
hit her. What are you...

Oh, my God. We both know it.

Gabriella told me herself.

She's mixed up. She's mixed up?

Hey! You talk to
50 people at a party,

you're gonna get
50 different answers.

Right.

You know, I thought I could
talk some sense into you.

You're walking out on me?

No, you're the
expert on walking out.

(BANGING ON TABLE) I didn't use
the belt enough with you! Come here!

You gonna walk out?

Yeah. Go ahead, walk out.

I brought you into this world,
kid, you don't walk out on me.

I'm your father. Yeah, you
don't dare walk out on me.

Where you going? You
wanna know why you hate me?

'Cause I'm your my
flesh and blood, Nicky!

Yeah! You're no
different than me.

That's right, you're
Nicky Amaro Junior!

You hear me? Junior!

(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)

Sergeant. We gotta
stop meeting like this.

Amaro has no interest
in protecting his father.

He's not trying to fix this.

All right, so much
for the small talk.

But since you're asking, I
would hate to be him right now.

Either he testifies against
his father, which is barbaric,

or he looks like he's
conspiring to cover up a crime.

I almost feel sorry for him.

Wow. You're getting
soft in your old age.

Maybe.

So, are you gonna just stand
here, talking about Amaro,

or can I buy you a drink?

How's the wine here?

I think you should
try the bourbon.

You want me to testify?

But last I heard you
wanted me to stay away.

I did. Pero tu padre,

who's even more stubborn
than you are, wouldn't take a plea.

He says his honor's
too important.

Well, that's not my problem.

Well, look, there were 100 people
at that party and I wasn't one of them.

And none of them saw the fight.

You're the one who Gabriella
made her outcry to, Nick.

You're also the only one who can
testify that it was part of a pattern.

You told him about that? Those
were private conversations.

It was pertinent,
Nick. I had to inform.

Inform is right.

(SCOFFING) You
enjoying this, huh?

No.

If your father sees your name
on the list, maybe he'll plea it out.

And what if he doesn't?

I mean, how do I explain
that to the rest of my family?

Aunt Sonya says you
want Grandpa in jail.

Mi amor, go play on your iPad.

I don't wanna play on
my iPad. I wanna talk...

Zara.

Okay, okay. Don't yell.

Please tell me it's not true.

I can't talk about this.

You know, you
can be called, too.

I hope I am.

I'm still in his corner. He
wouldn't hurt Gabriella.

Are you serious? We
all know what happened.

She must've done something.

So it was her fault?

And she deserved
it just like you did?

Your father's not who he was.

All right.

You wanna help him?

Tell Nicolas to plead guilty.

And he'll get community
service and anger management.

A lot of good that's done you.

Sonya... Ma...

Don't let him do this.

He will destroy the family.

Hey, it's too late.

Hey, Papi already did that.

Talk fast, Mr. D'Angelo. We're five
minutes from opening statements.

Well, I can't talk as fast as
you, Mr. Barba, but here it goes.

In the interest of sparing his
family any more embarrassment,

my client is willing to pled to
a crime that he did not commit.

You know my office can't accept a
plea without a genuine admission of guilt.

Well, you have no
cooperating complainant.

You have no eyewitnesses. Let's say
we drop this down to a disorderly conduct,

be done with it. Dis-con?
He cracked her skull.

Hey, I was defending my fiancée.

Please. What, you think
some jury is gonna believe that?

Well, I'll tell you what.

My daughter will testify.
So will my fiancée.

Now, why are you
making this up? Hmm?

No one saw this.

You counting on my son? 'Cause
there's something you should know.

He's never had the nerve to go up against
his father, all right? He still doesn't.

Assault three,
60 days in Rikers.

(SCOFFING)

Nicolas, you're looking
at serious time here.

Please, for the
sake of your family.

I don't take crumbs.

Especially from this,

this gentleman who
wears suspenders.

Mr. Arenas, you were initially
questioned by those SVU detectives

as a suspect in this
case. Is that correct?

They said Gabriella had
accused me of assaulting her.

Why would she say that?

Objection. Calls for
speculation, Your Honor.

Agreed. Mr. Barba,
you're off to a flying stop.

You were dancing with
Ms. Nuñez at the party?

We were enjoying ourselves

until Nicolas
started staring at us.

Giving me the malocchio.

RAFAEL: The evil eye.

Then what happened?

Nicolas went after
Gabriella, down the stairs.

Did you follow them?

I may have been tempting fate by
dancing with her, but even I know

you don't get between
a man and his woman.

When was the next time that you
saw either Ms. Nuñez or Mr. Amaro?

Uh, Nicolas came upstairs a few
minutes later, put ice on his hand.

Did you see Ms. Nuñez?

Later, when her mother was helping
her up the stairs. She was out of it.

By then, the fight
had broken out.

Gabriella's father, Luis,
was protecting his daughter.

Objection. Speculation again.

Agreed. Jury will disregard.

Nothing further.

Mr. Arenas, uh, you said
you did not go down the stairs.

So you have absolutely
no idea what transpired?

I know she got hurt down there.

She? You mean Gabriella Nuñez? The
woman who accused you of hurting her?

She blamed me cause
she's afraid of Nicolas.

Speculation again, Your Honor.
I mean, this is a really bad habit.

I will ask the witness to testify to
what he knows and what he saw.

Good idea.

Now, prior to this party, had you
ever met Ms. Nuñez or Mr. Amaro?

No. A friend brought me.

So you don't know
anything about the couple,

you didn't see what
happened between them,

and she's accused you of
assaulting her. Yeah, but I told you...

Thank you. No further questions.

How was Mr. Amaro treating your
daughter on the night in question?

He was yelling at her for
the way that she was dancing.

She tried to walk away, and I
saw him follow her downstairs.

He came back up,
couple minutes later,

and he grabbed some ice
and he put it on his knuckles.

Where was your daughter?
On the floor downstairs.

He'd hit her.

On the night before her wedding.

Objection! It's a speculation
party, Your Honor.

Mr. Barba, rephrase.

When you found your
daughter on the floor,

bloodied with a head injury, did
you see anyone else downstairs?

No.

And did you see anyone else come
up the stairs other than Mr. Amaro?

No, just Nicolas. Only him.

Thank you. Nothing further.

You never liked
Nicolas Amaro, did you?

A man his age marrying a girl
my daughter's age? It's not right.

It's fair to say that you
didn't want the wedding,

and you would do anything
you could to derail it?

Anything in my power.

How about lying on
the witness stand?

Objection. Withdrawn.
Thank you. I'm done.

Mr. Barba, your next witness?

Your Honor, it's
late in the day.

If the defense has no objection,
can we reconvene tomorrow?

Let Mr. Barba take all the time
he needs. We're ready when he is.

RAFAEL: Make it a double.

Tough day?

It's a he-said, she-won't-say.
No one else saw what happened.

And the jury senses all my witnesses
have a grudge against your father.

Thank you.

Do they see why? I doubt it.

He's sitting at the table,
smiling at the judge,

flirting with the stenographer,
egging his attorney on.

He's got the whole
room on his side.

(GROANING) It's
the story of my life.

He beat my mother and
she'd testify for him if he asked.

I'm gonna see if they'll
take a plea of harassment.

What, a misdemeanor?

He fractured her skull.
You and I know that.

But even if you testify,
he could still walk.

What... What are you telling me?

You don't have to do this.

I should never have asked you to
testify in open court against your father.

Wait, are you
playing me now? No.

I know what it's like to have
to face down your old man.

Mine's dead 15 years,
my hand still curls into a fist

whenever I think of him.

So, what, he just gets
to walk away, again?

It's your family, your call.

Okay, Nick, so
just tell the facts.

Don't say more than you have
to. Don't burn the house down.

Yeah, Barba said the same thing.

That's a beautiful color
on you. Will you stop it?

There he goes. Saint Nick.

Could you imagine if he was just
a fun cop? (BENSON SIGHING)

Don't touch her.

Could you tell him what going
up against his father publicly

is gonna do to his
family? Is this worth it?

Excuse us. Let's go. Nick...

You know, you could just tell
the truth, end this right now.

Okay. Mmm.

You do what you
do, I'll do what I do.

Okay, Papi. You're always right.

Yeah. It took you 40
years to learn that?

Not everyone throws
me under the bus.

My eight-year-old daughter
called me from the party,

said there was a fight
going on and she was scared.

RAFAEL: What did
you find at the scene?

Mayhem. Um, guests
were bloody, under arrest,

and my father's fiancée was being
treated by EMTs for a head injury.

And when you approached her?

She made a spontaneous outcry that
Nicolas had lost his temper and hit her.

Did you believe Ms.
Nuñez's statement?

Yes, I did.

Can you tell us why?

Well, because... D'ANGELO:
Your Honor, may I approach?

I know this is an
outcry witness,

but I believe Mr. Barba is about
to try and delve into family history.

History of a pattern that is relevant
to this case. We've been over this.

I'm sorry, Mr. D'Angelo, but
he is right and I'll have to allow.

But up to a point.

(EXHALING DEEPLY)

Detective Amaro,

why did you find her credible?

Because I recognized
what set him off.

Whenever he was jealous or
felt like he'd been disrespected,

that's when he would
beat my mother and me.

And I still... I still have nightmares
where he uses that same language.

Thank you. Nothing further.

Detective Amaro, I imagine
this is difficult for you,

testifying against
your own father.

Yes, it is.

Now, you two haven't spoken much
over the past 20 years, have you?

We've seen each
other a few times.

Events, graduations,
funerals, you know.

That's all? So your
relationship isn't exactly close.

Mmm.

Would you say there's tension?

Yes, and with good reason.

D'ANGELO: Probably many.

But isn't it true

that your father

came to you in the
spirit of reconciliation

and invited you to his wedding?

(SCOFFING) Spirit.

No, he wanted to create the
illusion that we have a relationship.

D'ANGELO: You
refused? NICK: Yes.

Because you're
still angry with him?

Yes, but that's not why I'm...

Detective, would you say that you
have your own issues with anger?

No, I'd say, everyone
has a temper, Counselor.

Yes, but we haven't all
beaten up a civilian... Objection.

In plain view of a yard

full of school children.
RAFAEL: Objection. Prejudicial.

JUDGE: Sustained.
Jury will disregard.

Detective, is it fair to say that
you have anger at your father

that may prejudice
you against him?

Look, I know what I
heard Gabriella say.

D'ANGELO: Even when
she immediately denied it.

Is it possible that you heard
what you wanted to hear?

No. That you're using this
case against your father?

No, I'm not.

What, you think I
want to be here?

I don't want to be here. I...

But he hit her.

And he smashed her
head against the wall.

Oh. So, you saw
it? You were there?

No, I wasn't there, but
I know what happened.

Do you? Yes.

Maybe this is just another
nightmare from your childhood.

RAFAEL: Objection.

D'ANGELO: Withdrawn.
Nothing further.

Mommy says Aunt Sonya's really
mad at you. And Grandma, too.

You know, sometimes you
have to do things that are right

but still make people mad.

Okay, Daddy. Don't look sad.

Okay.

I made this today. Do you
want me to make you one?

(CHUCKLING) Yeah.
Yeah, I'd like that.

Now you better go do your
homework. Okay? I love you, Zara.

I love you, too, Daddy.

D'ANGELO: Were you upset
with her? NICOLAS: I wasn't upset.

Not with Gabriella, no.

I was upset with this,
this, uh, lowlife, you know.

Kept putting his hands
all over her, Javier.

And did you confront him?

Yeah, he followed her
down to the bathroom.

He started groping her, you know.
And I mean everywhere, you know.

Gabriella got between us, but,

you know, she hit her head,
you know, against the tile wall.

D'ANGELO: So
you did not hit her?

NICOLAS: No, with God
as my witness. Come on,

I'm supposed to marry her
the next day, but it's okay.

It'll be good.

Gonna be married soon enough.

Now, we heard from
Mr. Nuñez, the father of the bride,

testify that he saw
you come upstairs

rubbing ice on your
knuckles. Why was that?

It's true. I was defending my
fiancée, that's his daughter.

But, of course Luis saw me. You
know, Luis has this idea about me.

I don't know. He's never liked
me to begin with. I don't know why.

D'ANGELO: And is your
fiancée in the courtroom today?

Yeah, she's right here.

Looking so beautiful.

I'm blessed.

She refused to testify
for this D.A., you know.

Your Honor. Move it
along, Mr. D'Angelo.

D'ANGELO: And we heard your
son testify about your past violence.

Is there any basis? No.

That, that's painful
between us, because Nick,

he's never forgiven me
for, for leaving his mother.

And, uh, I live in hope.

Hope one day we'll
make peace with that.

Thank you. Nothing further.

Okay, Señor Amaro,
it is your testimony

that you were not jealous when your
fiancée was dancing with Mr. Arenas?

I didn't like it. You claimed to
be defending her from this man.

Why? Why would that be necessary
if he never even went downstairs?

You know how quickly
this occurred, sir?

We've heard six
witnesses testify to the fact,

so maybe it didn't happen
as quickly as you thought.

You suffered an injured hand, but Mr. Arenas
had absolutely no marks on him of any kind.

Well, he's a coward. He ducked.

He ducked? He ducked.

He ducked so your fiancée incurred
a bruised face, a fractured skull?

You said it yourself,
sir. RAFAEL: What?

I was defending my fiancée.

Your own son testified

to Ms. Nuñez's initial outcry
that you, in fact, had hit her.

Are you calling him a liar? No.

I'm not gonna call
him a liar. He's my son.

He has his issues.

RAFAEL: I'm sure that he
appreciates your concern.

But is he telling the truth?

Is he telling the truth about
what Ms. Nuñez said that night?

Is he telling the truth about what
happened in your own home?

What do you know about my home?

I wasn't there. You're not
answering the question.

I should have been. Your Honor.

I could have shown him
how to conduct himself.

You know, maybe as a man.

I'm gonna ask you again.

Mr. Amaro, did you hit
Gabriella Nuñez that night?

No, I did not.

So even though absolutely nobody,
nobody saw Mr. Arenas go downstairs,

or come back up,

you are still denying that
you alone hurt Ms. Nuñez?

I would never hurt her.

Nothing further.

JUDGE: Mr. Amaro,
you may step down.

D'ANGELO: The
Defense rests, Your Honor.

JUDGE: We will
proceed with summations.

You okay?

I shouldn't have come. I mean,
he used me to play the jury.

You and me both.

He flat out lied on the stand.

I knew he would. I've known
guys like this my whole life.

I went straight at him,
he slipped every punch.

I don't know what happened up
there. (CELL PHONE CHIMING)

No, I do.

What's up?

Jury's back.

In 20 minutes?

(SIGHING)

On the charge of assault
in the second degree,

we find the
defendant not guilty.

On the charge of reckless
endangerment in the second degree,

we find the
defendant not guilty.

JUDGE: Members of the jury, the State
of New York thanks you for your service.

You are dismissed.

Mr. Amaro, if there are
no holds, you're free to go.

Thank you.

(INDISTINCT WHISPERING)

That was a lousy case.
Justice was swift and wrong.

It's over.

Good night, Nick.

Goodnight.

You want a few days off?

Nah.

Mr. Amaro.

Let me have a word with my son.

I don't think
that's a great idea.

Nah, Liv, it's okay.

Nick.

It's fine.

May I sit?

You here to gloat?

No. I meant what I
said on that stand.

No, you were just
trying to get off.

Well, I'm free
now. And I'm here.

That was something.

Finally, you stood
up to your old man.

You protected Gabriella, your
mother and your sister all in one shot,

so that was good.

Yeah and they hate me for it.

Ah, they'll get
over it, you know.

Hell, I'm the big
bad wolf, all right?

I had to say what I said
on that stand there because,

I don't know.

(SIGHING)

I'm too old.

Too old for jail.

I put you in a
horrible position.

Can we start fresh?

I mean, even Gabriella, God
bless her, even she's forgiven me.

I mean, (LAUGHING) that's
not gonna happen again.

See, you're still lying.
To me, to yourself.

Nick, I get it, I
get it, come on.

You're angry, you stay
angry as long as you want.

Nicky, I'm just, I'm here
'cause I'm your father, all right?

You wanna yell, just don't
take it out on Maria or Sonya.

God forbid, little
Zara, you know.

I would, I would never. I
would never lay a hand on her.

I am not you, all right?

Nicky, Nicky, Nicky, please,
can we stop? Can we stop?

Stop? Can we talk? Just talk.

Just talk to me. You know?

Just call me at 4:00 in the
morning, tell me I ruined your life.

Say whatever you
gotta say, Nicky.

Cause this hatred that
you have for me, Nicky,

come on, it sits in your
chest, it's in your gut.

It's not going away, you
know? I lived this. I lived it.

Do you get it?

I'm not the one to
fix it, you gotta fix it.

I can't change the past.

If you wanna talk,

I wanna listen.

When you're ready.