Quincy M.E. (1976–1983): Season 8, Episode 1 - Baby Rattlesnakes - full transcript

I want you to get
cleaned up for dinner.

Okay, Mom!

Call an ambulance!

The little girl hurt
in that shooting.

She just died a few minutes ago.

I didn't do it!

Nobody ever did it.

Every kid who comes
through claims he was set up,

There ain't no way I'm gonna
say I did somethin' when I didn't.

Those babies are lethal killers.

Ethan Kellogg did
not kill that child.



We want to see you make good.

You know what I see out there?

Committed people doing jobs,
working extra long hours for no pay.

Maybe you should walk
a mile in their moccasins.

Gentlemen, you
are about to enter

the most fascinating
sphere of police work,

the world of forensic medicine.

Whoa! What's
happening, little man?

Hi.

- Hi, Mrs. Billingsley.
- Hey, Sonja. como esta?

I'm fine, honey. How's
your momma feeling?

She's better.
She's taking a nap.

You want some coffee?

No thanks. I'll just
sit here for a minute.



You kids. In about ten minutes, I
want you to get cleaned up for dinner.

Okay, Mom!

Yo, man, check out that car.

Oh, my God!

Call an ambulance!
Call the police!

Oh, Mattie!

Mattie, baby.

Hang on, hang on...

Oh... Yeah, Durado.

I know it's early. I only got
two hours of sleep last night.

What do you want?

What?

Who?

Oh my...

Where is he now?

Yeah.

All right, I'll be right down.

Damn it!

Oh, wouldn't you know?

- Hello, Doctor Hanover...
- Rick Durado.

Rick, is something wrong?

One of our kids got
involved in a gang shooting.

They picked him up and he's
in custody at Juvenile Hall.

- Who is it?
- Ethan Kellogg.

Ethan? Oh, no... Are they sure?

They picked him up on a tip. But he
had particles of gunpowder all over him

and they found the gun in a trash
bin not far from his house, so...

- Where are you now?
- Home,
but I'm heading for juvie.

I'll meet you there.

Hey, I don't have to tell you,
this couldn't come at a worse time.

The Board is meeting next week
to decide on funding us again.

Don't run scared yet. Let's
just see what happened, okay?

- Right. I'll see you there.
- All right.

Oh... Don't worry, little
fella. I'll get back to you later.

He was processed
about an hour ago.

Then he went to the infirmary.
He's got a bruise on his cheek.

- I'll talk to you
in a few minutes.
- Thanks, Don.

Ethan.

- Dr. Hannover, I...
- What went down, Ethan?

I didn't do it.

All right, come on, now just
tell us, how did it happen?

I was just ridin' in
the car, doin' nothin'.

All of a sudden,
there were shots...

I don't know... I don't
know what happened.

Who were you with?

I'm waiting.

Just some guys.

You were with the
Ravens, weren't you?

You went out cruising
with the gang bangers!

We were just goin' to get
some ice cream! That's all!

One of the conditions of your
probation is that you do not associate

with the Ravens, period!

That means you don't mingle with, you
don't talk to, you don't get in a car with,

and you sure as hell
don't eat ice cream with!

It sounds pretty easy
to you, don't it, man?

You keep forgettin' I'm
the one's gotta live there.

I don't give any of them
guys cause to get mad.

If somebody says, "Hey, bro, you
wanna go get some ice cream?"

What d'ya say? You think
I'm gonna turn him down?

That's exactly what I think because the
minute you do that, you're in violation!

Hey, Rick...

We just got word... The
little girl hurt in that shooting.

She just died on the operating
table a few minutes ago.

Oh!

I didn't do it! I swear to God!

Didn't do it, huh?

There's an eyewitness
who said he saw you do it!

He's wrong!

Flecks of gunpowder all over
you when they picked you up!

And the gun was less than
a block from your house!

Okay, Rick, just hold it. Ethan, you
know how bad this all looks for you.

You've got to tell us
what really happened!

I already told you, didn't I?

You're not gonna believe me
anyway, so why don't you just forget it?

The body is ready, Quince.

It came in last night. Asten's asked
us to get on this one right away.

I guess we're under some
heat to give the findings.

Yeah, I heard.

It's Mattie
Billingsley, age nine.

- A child?
- Yeah.

Height, one hundred twenty-two centimeters,
weight, twenty-three kilograms.

Oh, no...

Not pretty.

Initial observation shows impact
wounds of what appear to be

shotgun pellets in the
head and upper thorax.

There is severe
mutilation of the face and...

Do they know who did this, Sam?

According to witnesses, there
were a bunch of kids in a car...

Three, maybe four. They cruised
along the street in South Central L.A.,

then suddenly opened fire.

People scattered,
but this girl was hit.

A little girl playing
in front of her house.

But why? Why would they
mow her down like that?

The police figure it was
a gang-related retaliation.

The target wasn't the girl, but
someone else in the neighborhood.

She just happened to be at the
wrong place at the wrong time.

They make an arrest? Yeah,
one kid they picked up on a tip.

He's fourteen years old.

Fourteen?

Sam, what does it take to make a
murderer out of a fourteen year old?

And the phone's been
ringing since early this morning.

The papers, radio, TV, so I
called a press conference.

I don't get it, why
the big guns now?

Don't you know
it's election time?

Arthur Degauss is
running for state Senate...

Degauss? I know him.

I've never agreed with one
thing he had to say, you know.

Well, you'd better remember
that a lot of people do.

He's chairing a special
commission on juvenile crime.

And he'll be there on the
podium with you today.

Wait a minute, I don't know if I
want to appear in public with him.

Quincy, it's an important issue.

Juvenile crime is out of hand.
A day doesn't go by but you

hear about a young person
committing murder, assault, rape.

People are scared,
and with good reason.

Something's got to be done.

Why is it something
has to be done at election

time and then
afterwards it's forgotten?

And death resulted from multiple
wounds inflicted by shotgun pellets.

Doctor Quincy, has
the gun been found?

It's my understanding the
gun has been retrieved and has

been sent to the
police crime laboratory.

I also have a question
for Mr. Degauss.

Certainly.

Thank you, Dr. Quincy,
thank you. Your question?

Mr. Degauss, you're a candidate
for office in the next primary election.

Why is it you're here as part of
a coroner's press conference?

I'm glad you asked that.

I am Chairman of the newly formed
State Commission on Juvenile Crime.

As such I want to make sure that an
atrocity like this one never happens again.

As a citizen and a taxpayer,
I share the outrage the public

feels over a situation
which is clearly out of hand.

Juvenile crime is skyrocketing.

Young marauders roam the streets,
attacking the innocent, young and old,

black, white and brown.

The juvenile justice system
has failed us, and I intend to

see that we put some teeth
back in our prosecution of

these young people. The murderer
of the young girl is in custody

and I'm going to make sure that he
is put away where he will never again

be a threat to decent,
law-abiding citizens.

Aren't you rushing
things a bit, Mr. Degauss?

I'm sorry. You are...

W. Emily Hanover,
County Mental Health.

And I'd like to remind you
that children, like adults,

have certain rights
under the law.

One of those is the assumption
of innocence until proven guilty.

The child in
custody is a suspect.

He is not a murderer yet,
and until he's proven one,

we can't really lock him
up and throw away the key.

- Well, Miss Hanover...
- That's Doctor Hanover.

All right. Doctor Hanover,
I'm not sure why you're here

or what your interest
in this matter is...

I'll tell you what it is. I'm a
psychiatrist. I deal with these children...

Oh, you're a psychiatrist?

Well, let me tell you
something, ladies and gentlemen.

Let me tell you what
doesn't work anymore.

It's the lenient, namby-pamby,
slap-on-the-wrist attitude of

psychologists and social
workers who molly-coddle

young hoodlums and send
them home with a talking to,

a pat on the head, and a
warning to be good boys.

This incident illustrates the failure
of that approach once and for all.

He's gonna crucify us.

The young man in custody
for this murder was part of a

special new program instituted
by the Probation Department.

A program which took thousands
of hardcore gang members

and instead of putting
them away in institutions

where they belong, set
them loose on the streets!

And the result?
An innocent life lost.

A tiny child, tragically mowed
down in front of her own home.

Oh, wait a minute!

How many more are
going to have to die

before we acknowledge that there's
only one place for these monsters,

behind bars!

It's that kind of stupid rhetoric
that ruins every program!

Belt up, Emily!

And I remind you...

Baby rattlesnakes are tiny,

but their venom is as
potent as a six-foot rattler.

Those babies are lethal killers.

- Dr. Hannover.
- Yes?

I just wanted to meet
you. I'm Doctor Quincy.

- Yes, I know. I know all about you.
- You do? We just met.

- Your reputation
precedes you, Dr. Quincy.
- It does?

You're a grandstander
and a publicity monger.

You're just like Art Degauss,
grabbing all the press space

and TV time you can.
Any time there's a hot issue,

who's right in the center
of it? Doctor Quincy.

You get more press
than the Mayor!

Now, wait a minute...

Now here's the latest issue:
juvenile crime. Children who kill.

A really juicy issue, right,
Doctor? Just the kind of thing that

elects senators and gets
medical examiners a lot of publicity.

And you wanna know what I think?

I think you're up there
supporting Art Degauss

and you don't even know
what you're talking about.

Wait a minute I didn't
support Degauss!

You're up there
with him, aren't you?

That implies sanction.

Please, don't give me that
humble public servant garbage.

Excuse me, Doctor, but where do you get
off making vaulting assumptions, anyway?

Is that the kind of
scientist you are?

You don't know one
real thing about me,

what I like or what I feel or what
I want, and yet, you judge me.

Well let me remind you that even
grandstanding publicity mongers like us

have certain rights, like we
are innocent until proven guilty!

Then maybe you should be
a little more careful in the way

you exercise the
power of this office.

Maybe you should
do a little research,

check your facts before you
imply support of Art Degauss.

Because you don't really know
anything about this issue, do you, Doctor?

As far as I'm concerned,
you're nothing but a hot dog.

Hot dog! Hot dog?

They said you wanted to see me?

- Ethan Kellogg?
- Yeah.

- You a cop?
- No, I'm a doctor.

- What you want with me, then?
- Just to talk.

- I got nothin' to say.
- Doctor Hanover sent me over.

- Oh, yeah? You know her?
- Well, sort of.

She's a good lady. She
listens when you talk.

If you'll talk to me,
I promise I'll listen.

What you want me to talk about?

You.

What's goin' on here?
What kind of doctor are you?

I'm not here as a
doctor, just as a person.

Oh, man, that's a good one!
I seen people like you before.

You wanna see what a gang
banger looks like up close.

What kinda kid is it that
could blow somebody away?

- Ethan, it's not that.
- Don't shine me on, man.

I'm not too smart the
way you think it counts.

And I don't get along
too good in school.

But there are other
ways of being smart,

and one is knowin' when
somebody's trying to jerk you around.

Get lost, man. Go find a circus
if you want to stare at a freak.

Ethan? What happened?

I made him mad. He's
got a pretty short fuse.

But he's a good kid. Rick
Durado, County Probation.

I'm Doctor Quincy from
the Coroner's Office.

I know they told me you were
here. I was kind of surprised.

I got galvanized into coming.

- By Emily Hanover.
- Yeah.

Yeah how did you know? Well,
I heard her call you a hot dog.

Ho-ho. Emily, she works
with me, unofficially.

She got real interested in this
program and wanted to help out.

The program, that's what Degauss
was talking about the other day?

Right, the Special Gang
Supervision Program.

It's a terrific plan, Doctor Quincy,
the only one of its kind in the country.

But it's still controversial.

If you're turning hardcore
criminals loose on the streets,

it should be controversial.

Hang on, are you buying Art Degauss'
rhetoric? It's not quite like that.

Okay, convince me.

Come on I'll buy you a
cup of coffee and explain it.

Okay.

Two years ago in Los Angeles
the murder rate in gang slayings

was over 350 and rising.

We wanted to cut that number. So
we took two thousand of the toughest

chronic juvenile offenders
we could find, and

put them in a special
surveillance program

of specially trained
probation officers.

Most P.O.s have case loads of, what,
250 to 300? Our guys get fifty, max.

And they stick to
these kids like flypaper.

But the kids are
free, not behind bars.

Aren't they still a
danger to the community?

Doctor, don't make us sound
like woolly-brained romantics.

Believe me, if there's a dangerous,
violent offender, we put him away.

We're not interested
in impossible crusades.

We're taking the kids we think we can
affect, tough kids who could go either way.

We're saying to them,

"Okay, you got a chance to
make this work but it's all up to you.

"You stay clean and
you got no problem.

"But if you mess up just once, just that
much we'll have you sent away so fast,

"you won't even be able
to get a quick breath."

- And we do.
- And this
procedure's effective?

In the first year of that program,
the gang homicide count was down

by over one hundred.

That's an incredible
drop in one year's time.

Rick, it sounds good. But
in this case, it didn't work.

There's a dead girl
who might be alive if that

kid in your program
hadn't been set loose.

- Ethan Kellogg did
not kill that child.
- How do you know?

I know it. I know it in here.

Doctor Quincy, I grew up
on the streets of East L.A.

I was in and out of Juvenile Hall
and probation camps and I was headed

for a life behind bars.

But one man felt, in his heart,
that there was some good in me.

He was my probation officer,
and, well, he changed my life.

I have that feeling in
my heart about Ethan.

Listen let me buy
you dinner. I'll tell you

all about what it's
like to be a gang kid.

You bought me coffee,
let me buy you dinner.

I know a restaurant, you're gonna
love the owner, he's an adult delinquent.

Very good, gentlemen. Spread
'em out around the floor. No touching.

When we gonna get beds, man?

My name's
Mr. Kennedy, not "man."

You wanna ask again? When
we gonna get beds, Mr. Kennedy?

I don't like sleepin'
on the floor.

Soon as we get beds,
we move you into 'em.

Hey, what's that there?

I saw that, mister. Let's go.

No, man, that's a crock.

Listen, you flash a gang
sign in here, you go to lock-up.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

I didn't flash no gang
sign! You're seein' things!

And you're askin'
for extra time.

Put your hands in your
pockets and let's go.

The rest of you, it's
lights out, and quiet.

I got a message from the Wallbangers,
boy. We heard what went down.

You tried to make a hit
on us. You're dead, sucker.

- Hi, Danny.
- Hey, Quince. How's it goin'?

Pretty good. What's
the special tonight?

Ah, linguine with pesto sauce.

Heavenly. I crushed the
basil myself, with my used .45.

Sounds terrific. I'm
waiting for a friend...

- Well, let me know
when you're ready.
- Okay.

- Let me have a beer, Johnny.
- Comin' up.

- Dr. Hanover?
- Dr. Quincy!

What are you doing here?

I'm meeting someone.
I don't see him.

Can I buy you a
drink while you wait?

All right.

- What'll you have?
- I'll have a beer.

Oh, take mine.
Johnny, another beer.

That's pretty generous of you
considering how I acted today.

I'm really sorry.

I've got a quick temper and a big
mouth it's gotten me in trouble before.

No, don't apologize. You were absolutely
right, and it got me off the dime.

I went to Juvenile Hall this afternoon.
I'm having dinner with Rick Durado tonight

to find out more about
the Probation Department.

- Wait a minute, Rick Durado?
- Yeah.

- I'm having dinner
with Rick Durado.
- Not tonight?

I was with him
this afternoon and...

It's been a few years
since it's happened to me,

but unless I miss
my guess, Doctor,

- you and I have been set up.
- I'd say you're right.

I'd also say I think
it was a fine idea.

And that we should stop
calling each other Doctor?

Okay, what do I call you?

Oh, Quincy, Quince,
anything you want.

- Don't you have a first name?
- Everybody calls me Quincy.

- What should I call you?
- Everybody calls me Emily.

All right, Emily. Listen, what
does the W really stand for?

I'll tell you if you tell
me your first name.

Cheers.

Good evening. Dinner for two?

- We don't want to
disappoint Rick.
- Good.

- We'll order in
a couple of minutes, Danny.
- Whenever.

- Thanks, Diane.
- You're welcome.

I do owe you an apology.

I called you some
terrible names today.

Oh, believe me, I've
been called worse.

It's just that when I care about
something, like Rick's project,

and I hear it being maligned and
slandered and in danger of being shut down,

I get pretty steamed up.

You know, I talked with the
boy who's accused of the murder.

- With Ethan?
- Yeah. He's a tough kid,
and very angry.

Well, he has reason to be.

- If you'd lived his
life you'd be angry, too.
- I'm sure.

But with all that he's been
through, Ethan's a survivor.

He's bright, he's
clever, he's a real leader.

That's why we targeted him.
What do you mean, targeted?

With some kids you can tell
they're going to be the gang leaders

of the future, like Ethan.

We've been trying to get to
them early, turn them around,

see if they can't take those
leadership qualities and

put them to work in
the other direction.

- That makes a lot of sense.
- Ethan could take all
his native intelligence,

his ambition, and turn it into a
real plus. Or he could use it to keep

going in a life of crime.
He's right on the border.

Well, are we ready to order?

What do you recommend?

Linguini with pesto sauce.

No, listen, I want you

to bring us two of your tasty,
special, incomparable, delicious

foot-long hot dogs.

Excellent choice. Why'd I ever
go into the restaurant business?

I want you to see that any resemblance
between a hot dog and a medical examiner

and a hot dog is
purely fictitious.

Hey, bro, look at this.

The word is, you better keep your
mouth shut and not rat on the brothers.

I don't wanna take this rap,
man. I didn't kill anybody.

You're fourteen.

Ain't nothin' so terrible
gonna happen to you.

I got a jacket on me in here. The
Wallbangers are gonna lean on me.

Then lean back. That's
how you make it in here.

'Cause if you rat on the Ravens,

they gonna lean on your momma
and your baby brother. Real bad.

Hear you got your
detention hearing today, boy.

Gonna try to get
yourself sent home?

Pick it up.

Pick it up!

Ow!

Hold it!

What's goin' on in here?

- This dude's crazy, man. He bit my leg.
- I bit him...

Wait a minute. We're
not gonna argue about

who started it. You're
both goin' to lock-up.

Get your hands in your pockets!

Not too smart, pulling somethin' like
that the day of your detention hearing.

No way they're gonna
send you home now, son.

The gangs stake out a
territory using a placa.

That's the graffiti
you see all over.

Like that one, see?

The first thing in a placa is
the person writing it, Spookey.

Then the gang name. BB
stands for Brown Bloods.

The R means rifa, or
long live the Brown Bloods.

Thirteen is for the thirteenth
letter of the alphabet,

which is M, meaning
they're into marijuana.

And the numero uno means
they're number one. The best.

After they've staked
a territory then what?

Then anybody from a rival
gang that walks through it or even

comes near it risks his life.

Do you really think we're
going to get any information

about that shooting
in this neighborhood?

You're showing me Chicano
territory. Ethan was in a black gang.

We canvassed the
Ravens and got nothing.

They're shutting
up tight on this one.

But the Brown
Bloods are close by.

There's a curious network of
information among the gangs.

Sometimes you get lucky.
You get a lead from a rival gang.

There's some gang
bangers over there. See 'em?

See how they're dressed?

Oversized khakis, oversized
shirts? That's for intimidation.

How are baggy
pants intimidating?

Because in baggy pants and
shirts it's easier to conceal a weapon.

You never know if
he has one or not.

- Like at a store, home boy.
- You got a bill
of sale for it?

Oh, man! I left it at
home, in my safe!

You guys hear what went
down over at Banning last week?

You know anything about it?

Yeah, we know, man. Ravens
made a hit on Wallbangers. So?

Anything else?

Please, if you know anything,
tell us. There's a life at stake.

- Yeah? Well, there always is, man.
- Watch your mouth!

Hey, c'mon. What do you know?

- Nothin'!
- Look, we gotta go, all right?

Yeah, go on, beat it.

I don't get it. Everybody's
clammed up on this one.

If somebody doesn't come forth,
blow the whistle on whoever did this,

Ethan's gonna take the rap.

Check that out.

You should have been there.
It was bad. We were dragging

down the middle of the
street, neck and neck.

Isn't that Peter Morales,
one of your probationers?

Yeah. Let's talk to him. Hey,
hold it right there, you guys!

Grab some paint.

What's this?

I found it, right back
there in the alley. Honest!

And you were taking it
home to your mother, right?

And how come you're
gettin' in a car with BBs?

I got lost. They were just
givin' me a ride, that's all.

Pete, you're in violation
of your probation.

You're associating with gang members
and you're carrying an illegal weapon.

I'm taking you in.

- Aw, man, don't do this.
- Josh, cuff him.

This is what I mean, Doctor.

Who knows what Pete
was up to with that knife?

Now he'll have to cool
off and think about it.

I think people like Degauss have the
wrong idea about the probation department.

Maybe I can do
something about that.

Mr. Degauss, I went
out riding with Rick

Durado. I saw the kind
of thing they're doing.

And it isn't the way
you're portraying it.

They're not a bunch of do-gooders
who let kids get away with murder.

Believe me, they're very tough.
They're on-the-line professionals.

They take a hard line with
these kids. Hard and fair.

What are you saying, Doctor
Quincy, that I'm on a witch hunt?

No, I'm not saying that.
But you have been hitting

pretty hard against the
probation department.

Not just the
probation department,

the entire juvenile
justice system in this state.

And I won't back off from my
statements because I believe

they are absolutely accurate.

The people of the state deserve
better protection than they're getting.

I'm sorry, but what I see
out there out in the real world

a lot of highly dedicated,
committed people doing jobs,

working extra long
hours for no pay.

They do rough jobs, dirty jobs,
that don't have many rewards.

And all you can do here, in the halls
of justice, with your suits and your ties,

and your leather
briefcases is point the finger

of blame and say they
aren't doing enough.

Maybe you should walk
a mile in their moccasins.

What do you think I am, Doctor?

Some kind of monster, that I want
to undo all the good in the world?

Do you seriously think I would
be taking irresponsible pot-shots

at a system if it were
working? Give me a little credit.

This leather briefcase isn't a
status symbol, it's a work symbol.

It's full of research I've
gathered for over a year.

And do you know
what it tells me, Doctor?

That young people are committing
more and more violent crimes.

That the public is
scared and it's angry.

I don't deny that. People should
be accountable for their acts.

But what we're talking about here
is some way to curb the problem

before it gets to violent crime.

Well, there you're
in trouble, Doctor.

You gonna cure
society's ills for us?

That's a bit much
even for a politician.

No, I think hardcore kids
should be locked up and kept

there until they're past
the age of trouble-making.

There's only one place for the
little animals and that's behind bars.

There's just one thing
you're forgetting, Mr. Degauss.

They aren't animals,

they're human beings.

Ethan, I think your best
bet is to plead guilty.

I'm not guilty! Why
should I say I am?

Because if you plead not
guilty to murder and you lose,

you'll be locked away in an
institution for a long, long time.

But, if you plead guilty
to a lesser charge,

say manslaughter, you
come out way ahead.

What do you mean?

If you plead guilty
to manslaughter,

they'll still send you to a
California Youth Authority.

In theory they can keep you
there till you're twenty-one.

But the reality is
that you'll spend far

less time there under
a manslaughter charge.

Maybe only eighteen months.

Eighteen months?

As opposed to three years,

four years, maybe even more.

That's a big difference, Ethan.

This whole thing
stinks. You think about it.

Let me know your
decision tomorrow, okay?

Do what he says, baby.

Eighteen months,

that's not so bad.

The man makes sense.

Please, listen to him.

Dr. Quincy.

Oh, hi, Quince. I
just left Simonides.

He wants Ethan to plead down.
I just don't know if he should.

Emily, I know how important this is to
you. I wish there was something I could do.

Oh, Quincy, there's
nothing anybody can do.

Simonides told Ethan to think about it
and he's going to talk to him tomorrow.

Uh-huh. Well, if there is anything
I can do, please call, will ya?

Well, you've already
done a lot, Quince.

You've been a really
good friend. Thank you.

Hey, did I tell you what a terrific time I
had with you at Danny's the other night?

- So did I.
- Did you?

- I sure did.
- Well, that's terrific.

- We'll have to do
it again, real soon.
- Okay.

- Bye.
- Bye.

Well, Ethan. You been
thinkin' about our talk?

So what do you think?
Wanna go for manslaughter?

No, sir.

- Ethan!
- Mr. Simonides,

don't try to talk
me out of it now.

I've been awake all night
trying to figure it out in my mind.

I go back and forth, to
one end, then the other,

until my head feels
like it's ready to explode.

The answer still comes out
the same, eighteen months.

It doesn't sound like much to you.
But to me, that's a big chunk of my life.

I don't wanna go to Y.A.
Not even for eighteen months.

There ain't no way I'm gonna
say I did somethin' when I didn't.

Mr. O'Brien, isn't there any way to
keep Ethan from standing trial today?

Couldn't the state
dismiss the petition?

Doctor, I didn't even want to file
this case, but I've got no choice.

There's strong circumstantial evidence.
And an eyewitness willing to identify him.

Believe me, my office went out
and investigated this case thoroughly.

We know there was
some question about it.

But we couldn't get anybody
to give a different story.

We couldn't shake
'em loose either.

Maybe there's
nothing to shake loose.

Dr. Quincy, the hardcore
D.A.'s office prosecutes

nothing but these
kinds of offenses.

And you know what?
Nobody ever did it.

Every kid who comes through
claims he was set up, or framed,

or he was never
there in the first place.

Now, sometimes
that's actually true.

And we work hard to uncover those times.
We don't file against an innocent kid.

But this time, I gotta tell ya, I
can't find the chink in the story.

What would you need
to dismiss the charges?

Somebody to come forward
and substantiate Ethan's story.

The names of the
other guys in the car.

Some solid piece of evidence
that proves that Ethan didn't do it.

Give me anything to
cast doubt and I'll listen.

- Okay, thank you very much.
- Okay.

Well, what now?

Well, now I try to find
something that'll make him listen.

I suppose you're here to give me
the same line everybody else has.

"Tell us who set you up, Ethan.

"Why don't you cooperate, Ethan?

"We can't help you if
you don't help us, Ethan."

I thought you knew
me better than that.

I came here to see how you're feeling. To
see if there's anything I can do for you.

Your hearing is today. I'd
be pretty nervous if I was you.

Yeah, well,
maybe I am, a little.

There's a lot at stake. You must
be scared about maybe going to Y.A.

Wouldn't you be? There's
some pretty tough guys in there.

I mean, I can take care
of myself and all, but...

But you don't think
you deserve to go there.

No way! Listen...

I know it was stupid of me to get in
that car. But I didn't know that then.

I thought maybe they
got used to the fact

that I wasn't going to go
gangbanging anymore.

We can still be
brothers. Pretty stupid.

It's what they wanted me for was to get
some dope out of the pharmacy I work at.

And when I wouldn't do it,
well, you know what happened.

I was doin' pretty good
before then, Doc, honest.

I was stayin' clean, I had a job,
and... I don't wanna get sent up.

Ethan, maybe you won't have to.

What the hey! Nobody cares
about what I want anyway.

Send one more black
boy up, who's countin'?

You are absolutely
wrong, Ethan. And unfair.

You're surrounded
by people who care.

There are plenty of people out there,
right now, trying to find ways to help you.

The probation department. The
coroner's office. The District Attorney.

County Mental Health. Ethan,
what do you think we're all in this for?

To hurt you? We are bending over backwards
to keep you out of an institution.

Because we want to see
you get that last chance.

We want to see you make good.

This is the gun, Quincy.

Though what you hope to
find at this point, I don't know.

You matched the casing
found at the scene to this gun?

Sure, there's no
question about it.

The firing pin
mark was identical.

The police did a gunshot residue
test on the boy. It was positive.

Is there any way he could have
residue and not have fired that gun?

Sure. With a shotgun,
especially an older one like this,

the residue could have
gone almost anywhere.

It was probably on most
of the kids in the car.

Probably all over the car, too.

So the residue doesn't prove
conclusively that Ethan fired the gun.

No. But it sure puts
him in close proximity.

Johnny, is there
anything you can think of,

anything you found in this
gun that might be a discrepancy,

anything that might be
evidence I could give to the D.A.

to prove that that
kid's telling the truth.

Well, I'm sorry, Quincy,
I can't think of a thing.

Neither can I. I'm fishing.

I'm looking for something
and I don't even know what it is.

- Do me a favor, will ya?
- Sure.

Check the pellet
dispersion pattern.

See if any of the distances
don't fit the crime scene.

- Yeah, will do.
- Call me if you find anything.

Okay.

Dr. Quincy.

Quincy? You owe me a big
one. What? What happened?

- I test-fired
your shotgun for you.
- And?

And it has one
heck of a blowback.

Is that a discrepancy
with the D.A.'s story?

Oh, is it! Listen...

No. Don't tell me
now. Tell me in court.

Do you swear to tell the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

I do.

State your name
and your title, please.

I'm John Cole, firearms
expert in the police crime lab.

I test-fired the shotgun that was
used in the Banning Street incident.

I was a little careless about
test-firing the gun, Your Honor,

and this is what happened.

The gun is old and it produces
what we call blow-back.

That's hot gases,
gunpowder, and bits of metal.

It's caused by an imperfect seal on
the barrel around the shotgun shell.

Every time that I fired the gun after that,
it created severe blow-back particles.

In my opinion, there's no
way for anyone to fire the gun

without being pelted
and burned the way I was.

Your Honor, there is no evidence
of burn damage on the minor's face.

And the night he was admitted to
Juvenile Hall after the shooting incident,

he visited the infirmary.

There is no record
of any burn damage.

Thank you, Mr. Simonides.
You may step down, Mr. Cole.

Ethan, what was it you said
happened after the gun was fired?

The guy, he covered his
face and yelled or something.

Your Honor, in light of this
new evidence, and in the

furtherance of justice, we
move to dismiss the petition.

We have heard an eyewitness
testify that he saw the minor

holding the shotgun and
firing it out of the car window.

In light of the evidence
presented just now,

and the fact that
the witness may have

occasion to be prejudiced, I am inclined
to accept the minor's version of the story.

The State has moved to dismiss
the 602-187 Petition For Murder.

So moved.

However, I still have before me a
777 Petition for Violation of Probation.

And by the minor's own
admission, he was violating

the terms of his
probation document

by associating with
known gang members.

There is an extensive probation
report prepared by Mr. Durado,

and I am inclined to follow
his recommendations.

I feel what the minor has
been through in the past weeks

has more than taught him a lesson. I
am remanding him home on probation,

subject to the same terms and
conditions as his previous probation,

under the Special Gang
Supervision Program.

So you're free to go.

All right!

- Congratulations.
- Thank you, thank you.

Great job!

Well, Doctor Quincy, you've sure
made one young man mighty happy.

I couldn't be happier myself.

But what about your
program? It's still in danger.

The hearing is next week.
But I gotta tell you, I think

the outcome of this case will
make all the difference in the world.

I hope so.

Hey, Rick! Rick, wait up.

Listen, I wanted to ask about your
recommendation on Pete Morales.

- Yeah?
- He was picked up on a 777

probation violation, and your
report recommends sending him

- to a secure camp.
- That's right.

Well, come on, now
isn't that a little strong?

I mean, this is his
first violation, and...

Look, Scott, if you're trying
to get me to lessen the terms

in that report, forget
it. I want Pete put away,

and not on short term,
either. No compromises.

I think he should be
given another chance.

No. Not one more. None.

He goes away and that's that.

Okay.

Rick, I know you know your
business, but I got to admit I'm confused.

- About what?
- About what? I've
just seen you take a week

out of your life to try to keep
a kid from being sent away.

Now here's another one and you're
just as determined to send him up.

That's right, Quincy. But you see,
that's the whole point of my program.

- What do you mean?
- We know the kids.

We don't get socked with 300 cases
that we try to handle over a phone.

We see them, we
visit, we get involved.

We can treat each of them as
individuals, not as case histories.

But why did you
want this kid away?

Pete needs that
kind of structure.

We gave him a
chance on the streets

and he's messed up a
couple of times already.

He's got to get the message
that we mean what we say.

You violate, you get busted.
Now, Ethan was different.

See, he's younger, he's less
experienced, more vulnerable.

For him, I think being sent
away would have been harmful.

Two different kids, two
different attitudes towards 'em.

We gotta be realistic, Quincy, and look
at each and every kid as an individual

human being with his own
unique set of circumstances.

Quincy! Where were you last night?
We missed you at the poker game.

You didn't miss me. You missed
my money. That's what you missed.

We're goin' to the Dodger game
tomorrow night. You wanna go?

- Tomorrow night?
- Yeah.

- I'd better check it out.
- Check it out with who?

Check it out with my
schedule, that's with who.

You're sure it's your schedule
you need to check it out with, huh?

Yeah, I'm sure it's the schedule
I have to check it out with.

As Emily ordered, the
best bubbly in the house.

Hey, champagne?
What's the occasion?

Good news! Rick called me and his
program has been approved for another year.

That's terrific! Why isn't
he here celebrating with us?

Because he's on his way to San
Diego, and then on to Salt Lake City.

He's going to try to set up the
same program in those cities.

I know it's only a beginning
but it's very encouraging.

And I talked to
Ethan's teacher today.

He's back in school,
he's really bearing down.

And thanks to that
evidence you uncovered,

the police arrested a
suspect in that murder.

- It looks like
another happy ending, huh?
- That's right.

- Hey,
Quince, what's the matter?
- Nothing. Why?

Well, this is a happy occasion.
What's the matter with you?

Oh, nothing, no, no, really, I'm
happy, really, these are terrific...

Well, look, I mean, we've been working
very closely together lately, and...

It's been terrific, and
now everything seems

to be coming to a
close and wrapping up...

- And?
- Does that mean I'm not gonna

see you anymore?

Dr. Quincy! You just
try to get away from me!

Fellas?

Forget the ball game, will ya?