Quincy M.E. (1976–1983): Season 6, Episode 18 - Vigil of Fear - full transcript

Watch me, big brother, and
I'll show you how it's done.

- Got a neighborhood
crime patrol.
- Vigilantes?

It's wrong to chase around in
cars with guns and baseball bats!

Calling yourselves a crime
patrol doesn't make any difference.

That's obviously not the
same guy that robbed my store.

If you can't protect us, then
we're gonna protect ourselves.

(SIRENS WAILING)

- Frank! No!
- (GUN FIRES)

The apparent cause of
death was a short temper,

and a desperate need to solve
the problems of our society.

Gentlemen, you
are about to enter



the most fascinating
sphere of police work,

the world of forensic medicine.

Frank!

- Nice of you guy to join us!
- What's the big deal?

We took a little cruise
and had a little warm up.

Yeah, people are
beginning to notice us.

We broke up a crap game
without even getting out of the car!

Hey, tell me where it was.

I'll go over there and
take some of the action.

Here, Tony, they work now.
I got some new batteries.

Okay! We'll take the same area,

we get out of range,
one way or another,

we touch base once an hour.

- Yes, sir, boss man.
- Any questions?



Whoo! That's what
you call a mean dude!

Yeah! Mean and lean
and ready for action.

Try to use your head
and not your muscles.

Well, I'll speak softly
and carry a big stick.

Here's another one for you.

Spare the rod
and spoil the child.

Where you going, pigeon hunting?

You might say that. We
decided, didn't we? No guns.

You decided, big brother.

No guns, Frank. Now
put it back and lock it up.

What?

Fine, fine. Okay?

Okay. Everybody do me a
favor and use your heads.

Now let's hit it!

(VOCALIZING)

(HONKING)

What?

Do you boys live around here?

Hey, may I presume, my
man, to ask what it is to you?

You know, I've never
seen 'em before.

I'll bet they're from Pacoima.

They look like
they're from Pacoima.

Hey, gents...

Pacoima's a nice place.
Why don't you go back to it?

Hey, man, dude came to
my school to make a speech.

Know what he say?

He say, "America,
it's a free country!"

MAN: Right on.

Oh, wow, man.

Hey, uh, why
don't you go be free

in your own neighborhood, ace?

Move it, jive mouth!

And don't come back.

Hey, it's your world.

Come on, y'all. It's your
world. Big, ugly... Your world.

Boy, could sure use
a cup of coffee now.

Even the cops take
time out for that.

Why don't you lay off the cops?
They got their problems, too.

Oh, yeah, like what?

Mooching free coffee,

or giving tickets
to cute broads?

Tough job, huh?

- (GUN FIRING)
- What the hell was that?

Let's go, it came
from back there.

You got it! Let's go!

(TIRES SCREECHING)

Back there, customer...

they shot him. I don't know
why. They shot him for nothing!

He's dead.

Come on, let's get that
guy! Wait, you hothead!

I don't want you to
do anything stupid!

Call the cops and then
call an ambulance for him.

Had no reason. They just stood
there and shot him down like a dog!

Ruben, Ruben, do
you read me? Over.

Come on, we don't need those guys.
There he is. We'll get him ourselves.

All right, freeze in there!
We got you surrounded!

Don't be stupid, man, he just
killed somebody! I told you, didn't I?

- (GUN FIRING)
- What are you tryin' to do?

Frank, don't be crazy, man!

- Wait for the police.
- I can do this
better than any cop.

Next to Nam this is like
taking candy from a baby.

But we decided, no guns!

The trick is to
aim at the flash.

Watch me, big brother, and
I'll show you how it's done.

Frank!

I think I got him.

Hell, I know I got him.

He's in here, guys!
I think I got him!

- He robbed a...
- Freeze!

Drop the shotgun! Drop it!

Now, both of you, move!

Get up against
the side of the car.

Maybe you didn't hear
what I said, Officer.

- We're from the...
- Shut up!

I said both of you, move!

Now let's get some light in
here so we can see what we got.

Coroner's Case 5653,
body of a male Caucasian,

John Doe seventy-six.

Thirty-five to
forty years of age,

approximately a hundred
and eighty-five pounds,

seventy-two inches tall.

External examination reveals

there are numerous penetrating
wounds to the anterior trunk.

The field extends from the
chin to the lower abdomen.

- We got any X-rays?
- Yeah.

Well, looks like double-ought
buckshot, standard police load.

- Let's count the pellets...
- It wasn't the police.

A citizen shot him. Some
kinda neighborhood crime patrol.

What, vigilantes?

All I know is what I'm told.

They were private
citizens. All local addresses,

who claimed to be
patrolling the neighborhood.

For the purpose
of deterring crime.

- What's the count
on the buckshot?
- I count ten.

Well, there are twelve
individual gunshots.

Two of the pellets must have gone
clean through and are unaccounted for.

From the lack of hemorrhage
around the wound,

it appears the decedent died
within seconds of the blast.

- Let me see
the at-scene photos, will ya?
- Right.

Thanks.

Huh, he was found on his side.

These look like impact bruising.

What do ya see, Quince?

Well, the report doesn't say
anything about a struggle.

Take a look at 'em
Sam. What do you see?

Yeah.

This contusion here,

and there on the elbow.

And notice these abrasions?

He was into some rough stuff.

Some kind of a scuffle.

Doesn't look like it was long
before the shotgun blast, either.

Let's have Marc make frozen
sections of these contused areas.

And as soon as we've got the
autopsy specimens, run a full tox screen.

I'd say there's a lot more to this
one than Monahan has any idea of.

Get a new set up, will ya?

Well, what have we
got here, the posse?

All six, Lieutenant.

Well, where do you
think you are, Dodge City?

I told you were gonna
get in a lot of trouble

if you didn't stop playing
cowboys and Indians, didn't I, huh?

Listen, Lieutenant,

we would have never been
out there in the first place

if you people did your job.

Sit down!

- Why,
am I a criminal or somethin'?
- Sit down.

Do what he says, Frank.

Will somebody please tell me what
I've got to be so ashamed about?

You shot a man.
That's a serious thing.

I shot a murderer!
A piece of slime!

And everybody's treatin'
me like Al Capone!

And that's exactly what you
are when you break the law.

Calling yourselves a crime
patrol doesn't make any difference.

The guy assassinated
an innocent bystander.

Blew him away like pulp!

The bottom line is,
you bungled something

that we might've been able
to stop without even a shot.

- You weren't there.
- As usual.

MONAHAN: Look, we got to the
scene a minute after the shooting.

And I warned you people
when you formed a group.

I said the first time
you used force,

you were gonna get
yourselves in a lot of trouble.

And look at ya, two weeks.

Two weeks later and you
got blood on your hands!

What's wrong to shoot
back at somebody

when they're
shootin' at ya, huh?

It's wrong to chase around in
cars with guns and baseball bats!

Now, why don't
you just sit there

and practice a little
self-discipline, huh?

And after I get
the autopsy report,

and after I talk to the detective
that took your statement,

I'll let ya know exactly
what kinda trouble you're in.

- Quincy, Quincy, good morning.
- Morning.

Listen, these test requisitions
indicate you used a full tox

on that armed robber.
Now, was that necessary?

- Yep...
- Wasn't that
pretty cut and dried?

- Cut and dried?
- Well,

couldn't you use a partial series,
considering the cost of a full tox...

What are we running here,
an investigative agency

or a Taiwan toy factory? Wow!

Oh, that's very
funny, very funny.

Listen, all I'm asking, was
a tox absolutely necessary?

Sam, bring me 5653, will ya?

Thank you. We'll start
with the basics, okay?

We got a blood
alcohol level of .34.

- Does that
sound cut and dried?
- Well, that depends.

The perpetrator was
drunk as a skunk,

so how could he be
running around firing a pistol

when he had so
much alcohol in him,

I don't think he
could have stood up.

That could be significant.

I tell ya, it was impossible.

Okay, now, I had Marc
do particle analysis

on some tape-lift samples
from the man's hands.

There was no trace of
gunshot residue whatsoever.

He never even fired a weapon!

All right, you made your point.

You know, I just get these
simplistic reports from Monahan.

"Armed robbery,
suspect apprehended."

You could jump all
over me with your...

Your skimble-skamble obloquise.

Now, I think this case needs
our full resources, so see to it.

BOTH: Skimble-skamble obloquise?

Sorry you had to come
down here, Mr. Bendelson.

You must be feeling kinda shaky.

But you're the only one
who could identify the man

who robbed your store.

Well, to tell you the
truth, Doc, I feel lucky.

If it didn't hurt so
much, I'd laugh

for the pure pleasure
of just being alive.

Well?

- Uh-uh.
- What do ya mean, uh-uh?

- That's not him.
- You're sure?

Doc, I stared at that
face for five minutes

while it made obscene jokes
and... And threatened my life.

That laughing, mocking face
is etched in my brain forever.

You got the wrong man.

That's obviously not the
same guy that robbed my store.

I... I can't believe it.

The guy was
standin' right there,

blastin' away at me like
Jesse James. Three rounds,

three rounds he fired
before I even got off a shot.

I'm sorry, Frank. The man you
shot never fired a gun last night.

The clerk said he wasn't the
one who robbed the store either.

Excuse me, Doctor,
let's say you're right.

Then who was he, and what was
he doin' in the middle of a gun fight?

We're working on that right now.

Oh, you're working on
it... 'Til hell freezes over.

Believe it or not, Frank,
we're doin' the best we can.

- Yeah?
- Uh, am I interrupting?

No, no, your timing's perfect.
Doctor Quincy, this is Mr. Travis

from the D.A.'s office.

Doctor's the M.E. on the case.

Did you talk to your boss?

Uh, yeah. Could I see
you alone for a minute?

Sure. Step right out to my
private office. Excuse us.

Doctor, I mean, you
weren't even there.

How would you know who
fired a gun and who didn't?

Frank, anyone who fires a gun
has residues left on his hand.

It's unmistakable.

Now, we tested the dead
man and we didn't find a trace.

On top of that, he was so drunk

he probably couldn't
remember his own name.

That's impossible! When I saw
him he was running like a sprinter.

I think you better listen to
what the D.A.'s office has to say.

We've discussed things pretty
thoroughly downtown, Mr. Penner,

and this is what
we've come up with.

If you had shot the suspect
after he had fired at you first,

then it clearly would have
been a matter of self-defense.

On the other hand, if you
had fired first and killed him,

we have a complex legal
situation open to interpretation.

However,

the evidence seems to indicate
that the man was not the suspect,

nor had he fired a weapon,

which if substantiated makes
the situation absolutely clear.

Now, if you haven't
been following all this,

it means you're being
charged with murder.

There's gotta be
some kinda mistake.

The mistake is he took
the law in his own hands,

and you're lucky we don't
hold you as an accessory.

We've got a make on
the victim, Lieutenant.

We matched his prints
to a prior arrest sheet.

You hear that? Maybe
he wasn't so innocent.

What's the prior?

Drunk and disorderly,
public nuisance.

A whole pile of
them going way back.

I guess he had a
problem with the sauce.

He was a night elevator man in a
warehouse across the boulevard.

Mueller, Bert Mueller.

Oh, yeah, and there's a
Mrs. Mueller with two kids.

She's on her way down
to make her statement.

Ma'am? Mrs. Mueller?

- Yes.
- I'm Frank Penner.

I swear. I thought...

I mean, as God is my witness...

It was a mistake.

I'm sorry.

I'm really sorry.

Tony...

And for a minute I couldn't
see or hear anything.

You can't believe what was
churning through my mind.

I even thought
maybe Frank was hit.

You mean, nothing was
visible here in the alley?

No, just the gun
flashes. It was pitch black.

Tony, show us where your
brother positioned himself, will ya?

Well, it's kinda hard to say.

He ran over here,

and he waited
for the guy to fire.

He needed... He needed
something to aim at.

Now, it seems to me
he was just about here,

and aiming there.

The body was found between
the crates and that step.

If your brother was here, and
he's aiming where you're aiming,

the spread of the shots

should've been
through to those crates.

Nothing. No sign of buckshot.

I don't think it
was the line of fire.

Know why, Sam?

Look at those tracks.

You can still see them.
The man was dragged there.

MONAHAN: Well, wait a
minute. If somebody dragged him,

that definitely establishes
a second person.

That's right.

Kinda looks like
a splatter of blood.

He was bleeding when
he was at this point.

Must have been standing
here when he was shot.

And then dragged there.

- BRILLS: Lieutenant?
- Yeah.

We found something.

- What?
- Looks like blood.

Anybody else want a pacifier?

I was gonna make a joke
about drinking on duty,

but I guess it wouldn't
be too funny right now.

Yeah, we're really
something, you know that?

Two lousy weeks in the business

and one of us gets
busted for killing a drunk.

Personally, I don't think
Frank screwed up any worse

than the cops always do.

Who said he screwed up, man?

Maybe a few creeps around here

will start looking for a neighborhood
where people don't shoot back.

You can put my personal
amen on that, brother.

Look at it this way.
Even the government

is putting more
muscle into defense.

So, what's it gonna be, Tony,

business as usual?

Stop making excuses for Frank.

What he did was wrong.

Well, what do ya want us to do,

pack up our dolls and go home?

I'm sayin' just the opposite.

I'm sayin' because
of what happened

we're bein' watched by every
punk in the neighborhood,

if we don't show
our faces tonight,

they're gonna figure there's
nobody else to stop 'em.

And that'll be the
end of it, fellas.

We might as well take
our families and get out.

(PHONE RINGING)

Auto shop. Yeah, this is Tony.

Sure, Doctor Quincy! You
better believe I'll be there.

Okay, the man who robbed the
liquor store, our John Doe Killer,

he ran through the alley

when he saw that Frank
and Tony were following him.

He ran into Bert
Mueller right here,

who was takin'
a slug of whiskey.

Now, how do you know
he was drinking at the time?

Well, that's where the police
found the whiskey bottle.

It was open and it
has his prints on it.

Now, there was a scuffle.

Our killer worked Bert Mueller
over very fast and very hard.

He struck him on the cheek.

He must've been
wearing a large, ornate ring

because he left a contusion
with a very distinctive pattern.

You'll notice,

you can see what
appears to be two circles

above a geometric form.

MONAHAN: Well,
if we find the guy,

this shouldn't be
too hard to match up.

No, it shouldn't. When
the shooting started,

the killer had Mueller in a choke
hold and was using him as a shield.

Now, right here there
was a splatter of blood.

That's where the
killer fired his third shot

and Frank fired
back at the flash.

Mr. Mueller took a load
of buckshot in the chest.

John Doe retreated,
dragging him with him.

You've definitely been
able to establish that?

Yes, Mr. Mueller's feet

were dragged through
the grime here and here.

The backs of his
shoes show tracks

are being dragged
in that direction.

We found material from the alley
embedded in the seams of the heels.

Now, the killer was not able
to drag Mueller any further.

He dropped him here, he ran to the
wall, and he got away over the roof.

Well, that's the wall Sergeant
Brill found Mueller's blood on.

Only it wasn't Mueller's
blood. It was the killer's.

You see, when we
examined Mueller's body,

most of the pellets were
deep inside the rib cage,

but for a few,
right through here.

They were right on the surface.

Now, these pellets had
to go through something

before they hit Mueller.

And that something
was the killer's arm.

The killer was shot in the
forearm. He was wounded.

- Yes.
- It was his blood
on the wall, type O.

The victim's was type A.

So, what you're telling
us, Doctor Quincy,

is that we have an
unknown killer on the loose,

with a wounded arm
and a very distinctive ring.

Well, we hope he's not unknown
for too much longer, Mr. Travis.

You see, we called
in our sketch artist

to make a composite from the
liquor store clerk's description.

I wish you luck, Lieutenant.

If I were that guy I'd be a
thousand miles from here by now.

Hey, cowboy, where you been?

Here and there.

What happened to your arm?

Oh, some dumb broad
spilled coffee all over it.

All right! That's a nice shot.

Hey, look, my man, you couldn't lay
a couple of aces on me, could you?

What are ya, nuts? I'm tapped.

Well, maybe if we
put our heads together

we could come up
with some brainy ideas.

Stick around.

Maybe we can think of somethin'
to get us off the poverty program.

- Hey...
- (SCOFFS)

Doctor, what
happens to Frank now?

Well, Travis thinks he has a
good chance of being released

on his own recognizance.

He's gonna talk to his
boss at the D.A.'s office.

So relax, go home, get
yourself a good night's sleep.

We'll probably have
word by tomorrow.

The sleep'll have to
wait. We talked it over.

The patrol's going out again.

Tony, why don't you give it a rest? At
least until Frank's situation is clarified.

Doctor, if we don't
go out tonight,

it'll be like we're waiving
a white flag of surrender.

The animals'll jump on our
neighborhood like a pack of hungry wolves.

It's a war zone out there.

They've been robbing our
homes, stealing our cars

and doing things to our women
I don't even want to talk about.

Tony, how many
times have I told ya,

this is not a job for
a patrol of vigilantes.

With all respect, you cops
just don't have the manpower...

I don't care what
your situation is,

I don't want armed
citizens roamin' the streets.

Now, your brother's
a perfect example.

Look, Lieutenant, I'll
make you this one promise.

No more guns, but we
are going out tonight,

because there's a
whole lot of decent people

who are tired of feeling scared,

and are tired of
feeling helpless,

and they've been
pushed to the edge

and they're not
gonna take it anymore

without putting up one
hell of a bloody fight.

There you go.

If he made that,
I wouldn't drink it.

The last time Frank
made a pot of coffee,

they were passing out
Harry Truman buttons.

Doctor Quincy, I'd like
you to meet Ernie Spool.

He's our community
relations man.

He works with the Neighborhood
Task Force program.

Ernie... Oh, don't
get up for me.

That's why you wanted
me to come over, huh?

That's right.

Now, Frank told me about
this East Heights group

that's been acting like
throwbacks from the Wild Bunch.

If you want the truth, I think they're
people like you and me and him.

They're mad, they're scared, they
don't want to be victims anymore.

Hey, I agree with you.

I wouldn't have taken this job

if I wasn't in favor
of what they're doing.

But there's a right
way and a wrong way.

You see, when we set up
a program, we structure it,

and we teach everybody
the best way to be effective.

And we also make them aware
of the limits of their authority.

Why haven't you guys
tried to contact them before?

Quincy, I did. When they
first started organizing,

I talked 'til I was
blue in the face,

but they wanted to
do it their own way.

And all they've got to show
for it is one dead innocent man.

Well, maybe that's knocked
some sense into them.

Maybe they're ready to listen.

We're hoping. And we
think you could really help.

- Me?
- Yeah.

Oh, come on, Lieutenant,

that's way outta my
field of expertise. Aw!

Quincy, look, we figured they
would be more receptive to you

because of what you
did for Frank Penner.

Introduce me. Talk to them.

At least maybe they'll
let me make my pitch.

Quincy, listen, it would
be worth a try now,

because if they refuse
to stay within the law,

work within the law, we're
gonna have to treat them

just like common criminals.

And as much as I
hate vigilante groups,

that'd be something
I'd really hate to do.

Now, come on.

Don't think about it, do it!

I know what I'm talkin' about.
I've lived around here all my life.

Sure, we had crime.
We always had crime.

But not like this. Not
a dozen times a day,

and twice that on
a Saturday night.

Muggings, burglaries, auto
thefts, purse snatching, you name it!

The worst part is being
scared for your women.

Your women and your kids.

What about the old people, man?

My mother lives
two blocks from here

and she hardly
ever comes to visit.

To her, those two blocks
seem like no-man's land.

She's even too damned scared
to walk it in broad daylight.

My aunt was mugged coming
back from the grocery store last week!

Punks around here,

they even know what
day our retired people

are getting their
Social Security checks.

Don't get us wrong, Officer.
Nobody's blaming you guys.

We know you got a tough job.

We know you don't
have enough manpower.

But what it boils down to is

if you can't protect us, then
we're gonna protect ourselves.

Okay, fellas, okay.

I just want to start
by saying I know

the frustration you're feeling.

But believe me, it's not
just this neighborhood alone.

They're feeling the same kind
of helplessness in Brentwood

and Westwood and Beverly Hills.

Now, crime has gone crazy.

All out of proportion. But...

Now, you people
have gotten together

and said, "We're not
gonna take it anymore.

"We're Americans, and
the American tradition says,

"when the wagons are attacked

"we band together and we fight."

So, in theory, you're
doing the right thing.

But in practice, gentlemen,
you're doing it all wrong.

We've been cruisin'
along on instinct, you dig?

An arm for an arm, a leg for a
leg, and whatever else in between.

Sure, that's a natural reaction.

But let me tell you this.

A handful of guys walking the
streets, swinging baseball bats

is not gonna do half what an
organized neighborhood could.

Without shouting, without fighting,
without even resorting to force at all.

Believe this wisdom, Officer.

Criminals don't respect anything

except broken arms and legs!

Then let us do it when
it becomes necessary.

We're better equipped
and we're better trained.

Sure, our lines are thin

and we can't be
everyplace at once.

But that's where
you guys come in.

The real way you can be valuable

is to get everybody
in the neighborhood

to act as our eyes and our ears.

Man, you can't even get
half the people around here

to talk to each other.

You think it's any
different anyplace else?

That's what takes hard
work and dedication.

You guys seem like
you're willing to give.

You want us to organize people?

Street by street
and block by block.

The most important
thing is for everybody

to keep an eye on
his neighbor's property.

Now, if you see anything
that looks suspicious, report it.

Get to know who
belongs and who doesn't.

And when old
people go to the store,

then you arrange
an escort service.

Get the guys with CBs
to kick in some time

on a voluntary basis.

And then,

you get the block
captains to meet with me

once or twice a month.

With the local cops,
too, who work here.

Then we'll get the ideas and
complaints going two ways

instead of one.

What do ya say, Doctor Quincy?

You're the expert, Ernie,

and I agree with every
one of your proposals.

I sure hope you guys'll
give this program a chance.

Ruben!

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

What's wrong?

My wife says somebody broke into

the old lady's house next
door and she's hurt bad!

QUINCY: Easy, now...

Yeah, we'll keep a
close check on her,

on her respiratory assessment,

in case she starts developing
a tension pneumothorax.

If air leaks around
her lungs it can kill her

before anybody
knows what happens.

How is she, Doc?

As well as can be expected
for a seventy year old woman

who's just been pistol-whipped.

RUBEN: Broad daylight!

They came and they beat
her with the barrel of a pistol!

You know, I can't help but think

if we had been in the streets
instead of sitting around

rapping about police science,
this never would've happened.

You'll pardon me, my friend,
but I was thinkin' just the opposite.

I was thinkin' we can't be
everywhere at the same time

any more than the cops can.

The people on this
block were here.

If they knew what to
look for and what to do,

then maybe this
wouldn't have happened.

Personally, I gotta go
along with Ernie, here.

I say we give his way a try.

What do ya say, guys?

All right.

Look, Mr. Zwaydos,

how do you know you
don't want to get involved

until you find out
what it's all about?

All we're asking is you
come to the community center

on Saturday afternoon and listen
to what the guy has got to say.

If you need a ride, we'll
swing by and pick you up.

Hey, what's goin' on here?
Looks like a nursery school co-op.

That's great, that's
fantastic, Mr. Zwaydos.

See you at twelve o'clock sharp.

They did it! They
did it! They sprung ya!

Ain't no jail in the territory big
enough to hold me, pardner!

Is that it? You're free?
On my own recognizance.

But there's gonna be a hearing.

You risk your life
to try and nab a killer

and all they give
you is a hearing.

When're you people gonna
get it through your head

that what he did was wrong?

Wrong, illegal and immoral.

No matter what the reason.

I admit it. I killed a man.

An innocent bystander.

And I saw his wife's face.

I'd die myself if I thought
it would change anything.

But I didn't make those wrongs

that are out on
those streets, Tony.

I went to Nam to
fight for this country,

and when I got back
I felt like I got spit on.

Now, if I have to fight
for just my own home,

I'm gonna fight
for it, and nobody,

nobody in the world's gonna
make me feel guilty for that.

Come on, let's get busy.
We've got a lot of work to do.

All right.

Now, let me give you
another for instance.

Suppose one of you
sees or hears a prowler

and you've got your neighbor's
numbers written down by the phone.

Then it becomes a simple
matter to call each other

and have everybody turn
on their lights inside and out.

Now, if that doesn't
scare the man,

all those lights going on all over
the place, I don't know what will.

I don't believe it.
Only twelve people.

Then why bother?

It's just the first meeting, man. It
takes time and it takes hard work.

Okay, now, here's another way
you can help us and help yourselves.

Now, this is our police artist's
rendition of a man we believe

has committed a whole
string of serious crimes

in your neighborhood,

as recently as last Thursday,

when he robbed and
pistol-whipped Elsie Braverman.

We also believe he's the
maniac who shot a customer

at Pete's Liquors
on Third Street.

Now, the printed material
below will tell you what to do

and the telephone
number to call.

But the most important
thing of all is to memorize this.

Do not approach this man.

He is armed and dangerous.

Tight as a drum.

Man, won't be
hard to bust it open.

What the hell for?

Besides, who even knows if
there's anything inside worth stealin'.

Hey, man, I'm tellin' you, we
gotta find some decent action.

No more grandmas with ten
cent piggy banks, you understand?

Yeah, yeah.

(PHONE RINGING)

I'll get it.

Auto shop.

Are you sure?

Mr. Richland, you should
have called the police directly.

Didn't you see the number
on the bottom there?

No, no, believe
me, Mr. Richland,

you did a good job.
I'm proud of you.

Now just hang up
and I'll call 'em myself.

Him? Somebody saw him?

Yeah, Richland, in front
of his store over at the mall.

Yeah, yeah, this is the
East Heights Crime Patrol.

We... Damn! They put me on hold.

It's a joke! Nothin's gonna get
done, Tony! We gotta do it ourselves!

Frank! Will you wait?

This is the East Heights Crime
Watch. We got an emergency.

The John Doe
suspect on our leaflet!

He was just spotted
at the Fifth Street Mall.

My name is Tony Penner. I'm
on my way over there right now!

Frank!

- Frank! No!
- (GUN FIRES)

It's gonna be all
right, little brother.

I swear to you, it's
gonna be all right.

Coroner's case number 5702.

This is the body
of Frank Penner.

Twenty-eight years
old, male Caucasian,

sixty-seven inches,

hundred and thirty-five pounds.

The apparent cause of
death was a short temper,

lack of control

and a desperate need to solve
the problems of our society.

Hey, Quince... I'm sorry, Sam.

Look, Quincy, give
us a break, will ya?

I checked the punch-tape system.

The call came at
exactly 4:01:16.

It was dispatched code three,

at exactly 4:01:44.

Now, that's less
than a half a minute.

A little quicker and you
might have saved his life.

Oh, is that it?

Or is it because
he was doin' a job

he was told not to do?

I mean, don't
dump on us, Doctor.

Now, Ernie Spool laid out the
rules for this group step by step.

Now, whose fault is
it they didn't listen?

When Tony called the
police, he was put on hold.

I hear that every day!
Now, when is it gonna stop!

Am I the treasurer in this
city? the hell do I know?

They got a forty million
dollar computerized system

laying on the drawing board
that could dispatch instantaneous.

It's a matter of
priorities, my friend.

So, you tell me, how
long is it gonna be?

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

Thanks, amigo.

Salud.

Some sweet world.

I've already got a
couple of offers for his car.

Well, little brother, I'll
make you this promise.

It'll never get driven again

as long as I live.

Are we intruding?

Please, join us for a drink.

Frank would have been honored.

Neither of us could
shake loose for the funeral,

but, we wanted to drop
by and pay our respects.

Consider them paid.

If we keep makin'
toasts like this,

I'm not gonna make
into work today.

Maybe we work too much.
Maybe that's the trouble.

Terrific piece of equipment.

It's more powerful than
the one I have on my boat.

Frank and I were goin' back
east this summer for a vacation.

My plans have kinda changed now.

So, I thought I'd treat
myself to something

that could help us in our work.

- Then you're not quitting?
- RUBEN: Are you kidding?

The system works.

Don't forget, it was a citizen

who put in that call
on the John Doe Killer.

And we're picking up a couple
of new volunteers every day.

And that's just part of it.

All of us are getting
CBs put in our cars.

We're doing it in memory
of Francis J. Penner.

Vietnam couldn't kill him,

but his neighborhood did.

I told ya to get
pickles on mine.

Pardon me. I happened to
be a little nervous, you know?

You're all talk, aren't
you, loudmouth?

Hey, look, man, I teamed up with
you for a couple of scores, you know?

You never told me killin'
was part of your way of life.

Man, look at this!

Where did you get this?

They're blowin' all over
the streets like confetti!

So, you on your own, baby.

You can go straight to
hell in a jar of pickles!

- Hey, loudmouth...
- What?

Have a nice forever.

Come on, man... Come on, man!

You sure you guys don't
want one for the road?

No. Listen, I'd get fired if they
knew I was drinkin' on duty.

- Doc...
- Yeah?

- Can I ask you a question?
- Sure.

I know you're a coroner,
but are you a regular doctor?

Of course. I've even been known
to remove an appendix or two.

Terrific, because you see, I pulled
something in my back last week,

- and I was wondering...
- Do you believe
this big lummox?

Asking for a freebie?

(ALL LAUGHING)

Hey, quiet!

MAN: (ON CB RADIO) All
units in the vicinity, and 13-A-43.

A 187 suspect

reported at an
abandoned food market

at 7170 Dowling Street.

Suspect described as Caucasian,

male, five feet eleven, a
hundred and sixty pounds,

wearing blue jeans
and Western-type shirt.

- Suspect's right
arm is bandaged...
- That's him.

From wrist to elbow.

Suspect is reported armed
and extremely dangerous.

That's the guy with the bandage.

No, Tony, not you, too!

No, Tony, no! Don't be
a damned fool! No, Tony!

Don't touch it!

Stand up.

Do it very, very slowly.

Hey, hey, baby,

I don't know what your beef is,

but if you want some of my
stuff, you're welcome to it.

I want you, baby!

And the only reason I didn't
shoot you in the back of the head

is because I want
you to see it coming.

He's already in there.
We may be too late.

Who the hell are you?

I'm the big brother of a beautiful
kid that you killed in cold blood!

SPOOL: No, Tony, don't!

That's the way, Tony.

Everything's cool.

Nice and easy.

- Nice and cool.
- You stop!

Stay where you
are and don't move!

It's all over, Tony.

All I want to do is help
you get this guy locked up.

When you take him outta here,
Ernie, he's going out feet first on a slab!

This guy's a maniac!

I don't know what you
been smokin', mister...

You shut up!

- You shut your face.
- SPOOL: Tony!

If you kill him it'll be
first degree murder.

And no lawyer in the world'll be
able to twist it into anything else.

You know what?
I really don't care.

Tony, listen to me.

You're doing the
same thing as Frank.

You're making yourself the judge
and the jury and the executioner.

He's the executioner!
Look at him!

Then let him be
punished, under the law.

By the people
empowered to do it.

I'm empowered!

My black funeral clothes
give me the power.

I understand your grief, honest.

I know the pain you
must be suffering,

but it's making you lose
sight of a lot of other things.

You've started a
wonderful program here,

and it's working.

You've shown this neighborhood
that there is a way to fight back

without resorting to violence.

(SIRENS WAILING)

Deploy some men out
front. The rest, come with me.

GEORGE: The police are
here. I hear them coming!

You tell 'em to stay outta here!

I'm gonna do this my own way!

Tony...

Tony, you're standing
there, but you're going against

every decent instinct
you have ever had.

And don't tell me I'm wrong.

I can see it in your face.

You're turning everything you
have ever believed in into a lie.

Up until now, you
have been the heart

and the soul and the
conscience of this community.

I can't believe you're willing
to throw it into the gutter

for a couple of
seconds of revenge!

You better tell
'em to stay back!

SPOOL: They will.

That's what I want
you to do, Tony.

I want you to hand it to me.

Your decision

is the direction this
community will take.

Do you want to turn loose
a lynch mob mentality,

or are you gonna show
the kinda intelligence

that will set an example for
the people who want a safe

and decent place to live?

Cause it's up to you,
right now, this minute.

You have the power
to make it go either way.

Please, Tony.