T.J. Hooker (1982–1986): Season 3, Episode 21 - Gang War - full transcript

(dramatic theme music)

(suspenseful music)

- Peace!

Between rival gangs.

(audience clapping)

Has been the impossible
dream since I grew up here.

And it's crucial to
this neighborhood

to regaining its self respect.

(audience clapping)

- Miss Mendez,

your concept of self respect
in the barrio is very nice,



but will it work?

- I've made it
work in other cities.

Thanks to Teresa,

and her generous
contribution of office space

in her cantina, NAPA, N-A-P-A,

Neighborhood Awareness
and Positive Action,

we now have a home.

(audience cheers)

And thanks to funding
from local merchants,

we'll be paying young people

for cleaning up
the neighborhood.

(audience cheers)

Giving them a sense of
achievement as well as

an honest dollar.



(audience cheers)

- Was it the merchants who
brought you back to our city?

- No, it was a man
you haven't met.

Police Sergeant T.J. Hooker.

- NAPA is Julie
Mendez's program.

I just let a few
people know about it.

- Hooker established Teresa's
cantina as neutral ground

between the territories
of the two strongest gangs

in the barrio, the
Ochos and the Primos.

- Come on Julie, let's
get this show on the road.

- Sgt Hooker's right.

It's time to get to work.

(audience cheers)

Thank you all!

(audience applauds)

- Look at the
faces of those kids.

Still innocent and vulnerable.

They come from good
homes, proud parents,

then some of
them hit the streets,

it's all downhill from there.

That's why Julie's here.

To give them the
chance they need.

- See Julie, I told you
it wasn't gonna work.

Getting the prez of the Ochos
and the prez of the Primos

together.

Me and my Ochos,
we're here, where's Chuy?

- Patience Luis, he'll
be here, he promised.

- Patience!

- If Chuy gave his
word he'll be here.

I worked with him before.

And under his macho
facade he's not a bad guy,

smarter than most gang members.

- How about showing us what

Teresa has set
up for you, Julie?

- Luis said his Ochos
are willing to talk about

a truce with your Primos.

- Maria, you know I don't
like you talking to Luis

or any of the Ochos.

- The line that separates
the Ochos from the Primos

is invisible to my
mother and me.

We don't choose sides
against our own people

because they live
on the wrong block.

They're still our people.

And they're yours, Chuy.

- When did you
get so serious, girl?

I'm on my way to your
mother's cantina anyway.

- Remember, it has to
look like the Ochos did it.

(dramatic music)

- Come on, now hand it over.

Come on, you're not my hat rack.

Come on, come on.

- Chuy, what's wrong?

- Come on, baby.

(tense music)

(gun fires)

- Oh, Chuy! (sobs)

- These gangs need
more help than ever.

They've been living
under the territorial rights

system for a long time.

- Thanks for the advice,
Hooker, but I've been through it

with every kind of
street gang there is.

- Not as bad as this.

You know how deep
the rivalries run here?

And they've been
festering for a long time.

- There have been a lot
of minor flare-ups lately.

- Right now I feel the pressure
building for an explosion.

- [Woman On Radio] 4-Adam-30
and all units in the vicinity

of 8th and Lincoln,
shots fired, man down.

Suspect's driving a
faded yellow Chevrolet,

low-rider type.

- That kind of call's what
you're up against down here.

(dramatic music)

That's gotta be him.

(sirens sound)

(fast tense music)

- 4-Adam-30 in pursuit of
'69 yellow Chevrolet Caprice.

License two six two
charlie adam mary.

Northbound 8th, passing Penn.

- Coming our way, let's give
Hooker and Romano a hand.

- 4-Adam-16, we're
northbound seven,

show us backing up 4-Adam-30.

(sirens sound)

(brakes squeal)

(sirens sound)

(car honks, brakes squeal)

(glass shattering)

- All right, punk, outta there.

Outta there!

Hands behind your neck.

(ominous music)

(subdued music)

- A through-and-through,
stomach wound.

- Maria, did you see who did it?

Was it them?

- Hey Maria, what
are they talking about,

we didn't do nothing.

- You shot Chuy.

- Maria, tell him, we're Primos,

we don't shoot our own.

- I don't know.

The ones in the car were
wearing red bandanas.

- You hear that
Luis, Ocho colors.

- Hooker, we had
nothing to do with this.

They did it.

- Ain't you got ears man?

Frankie and Angel are Primos,

the shooters were
wearing Ocho bandanas.

- You're on my turf, Primo pig!

- All right, all right,
hold it you guys.

Come one.

We'll find out
who's responsible.

In the mean time
let's not let this spoil

our first peace efforts.

- You gotta be kidding, man.

I ain't meeting with no guy
who shot the Primo prez.

- We didn't shoot nobody.

- Talking's the only
way you're ever gonna

end this kinda thing.

- I know how to
put an end to it.

I'll get off your turf man,
but when I come back

I'll come back to skin you, ese.

- Dale, any time.

It ain't gonna work, lady.

Forget it.

- Well no one said it
was gonna be easy.

- [Men] Three!

Four!

Five!

Two, three, four!

One two three four!

One two three four!

- Say anything, Hooker?

- Yeah, a bunch of lies.

Like I got from
his buddy, Angel.

They're guilty, I know it.

- I can't figure out
why we couldn't find

a weapon on them.

- They dump it
off to a compadre,

standard gang MO, partner.

- We got the car, they
were in a yellow low-rider.

- Yellow low-rider?

Do you know how
many yellow low-riders

there are in the barrio?

We could never
sell that to the court.

We book them
for evading arrest...

- They'll be out on
bail in a few hours.

- Now if those two
Primos shot their own prez,

what do you figure for a motive,

some kind of power play?

- Maybe to move in a new leader?

- Could be.

I have a hunch it's tied to
Julia's kick-off conference.

We gotta find out
who's behind it.

We can't let Julia's
program get stopped

before it's started.

- Stacey and I have worked
with some of those gang kids

in the Department
sports program.

Why don't we see what
we can do to keep the lid on.

- Start Teresa's cantina.

- Maybe Julie can get a lead.

She's at the hospital with
Chuy Vallestero right now.

- If she gets lucky
I wanna be there.

Because right now we're
sitting on a time bomb,

and the countdown has started.

(suspenseful music)

- Speak to Chuy?

- I tried, he wouldn't listen.

- I pleaded with him, Hooker.

But he won't order the Primos
to talk peace with the Ochos.

- Hooker, you know Chuy.

Why don't you talk to him.

- You talked me out
of a barrio gang once.

Anyone who could pull
that off might be able

to budge Chuy.

- Well somebody has to.

- You put me in here, Hooker.

You brought in that Mendez
lady with all her peace talk

and I bought it.

Left myself unguarded.

And Maria too.

- That's the whole
idea, Chuy, peace.

So you won't need any guards.

- You don't know
how it is out there.

- Well I know that a war
today will be far worse

than 90 82 rumble.

Gangs are bigger.

More heavily armed.

A major battle will
cost lives, lots of lives.

- Oh yeah?

You tell it to the Ochos
that tried to kill me.

- It wasn't the Ochos.

Two Primos gunned you down.

Frankie and Angel.

- No way man.

All Primos are blood
brothers, each one of us

takes a sacred oath.

Besides man, Angel and
Frankie are loyal to me.

- Well think about it, Chuy,

the right age for gang assassins,
you know as well as I do

that if they're found
guilty all they'll do

is serve some
juvi time at a camp.

I'm telling you, somebody
is using your people

to make sure that Julie's
program doesn't get started.

- I can't believe it.

- Give me a chance to
prove it, and if I'm wrong,

you'll have plenty of
time to start shooting.

- I can't go crawling
to those lousy Ochos.

- That's your pride talking.

Get past that.

You're one of the few
leaders in the barrio

who can make some change.

By using your gang
as a positive force

for talking instead of fighting.

- Primos ain't afraid
to fight nobody.

- Stop acting so macho.

Serve your people.

Put an end to
the cycle of killing.

Every time an Ocho kills a
Primo, a Primo kills an Ocho.

Can't you see
how stupid that is,

can't you see that is has
to be stopped by someone?

Sometime?

Why not you?

Why not now?

- Okay.

You go to the Primos,

and you tell them

that I want them to listen to
what Julie Mendez has to say.

- I'll deliver your message.

You get well.

(Latino dance music)

(people chatting in Spanish)

- How is Chuy?

- He's okay.

Your daughter's staying
with him at the hospital.

- Poor Maria.

She lost her father
in a gang shooting,

and now Chuy is shot.

It's too much.

- Not for Marie, she's
strong like you, Teresa.

She believes the barrio
is a place to be proud of.

- And it can be.

- What do you hear, Teresa?

- Noises about getting even.

You know what that means.

- Hooker, no go.

I been talking to Ochos
and Primos all day,

they're not about to sit
down at the same table.

- Looks like you made a
trip down here for nothing.

- Maybe not.

I'd like to make
an announcement.

- Sure, come on.

Muchachos, listen up.

Sgt Hooker's got
something to say.

- I've talked to
Chuy Vallestero.

He's gonna be okay and he'll
be outta the hospital soon too.

- Then we put in an
Ocho to take his place.

- You try it and a Primo
goes to the cemetery.

- Hey, take it easy
guys, take it easy.

Chuy wanted me to deliver
a message to the Primos.

He says to let Julie Mendez
put her program into operation.

That leaves it up to the Ochos.

Let's see if you're as
smart as the Primos.

- Let's kick it off with a
meeting of the leaders

tomorrow morning,
nine o'clock, right here.

- What do you say, Luis?

You'll speak with the Ochos?

- Why not?

- What about you, Manuel?

Can I count on you being
there in Chuy's place.

- I'll do whatever Chuy says.

- Okay.

- Hey hey!

(they clap and cheer)

When we get off duty,

why don't we have
a little celebration?

- Why not?

- I'd like that, but I
have a lot to do before

the meeting in the morning.

- Well maybe we
can help you out.

- We can all jump in and help.

- Sure.

- I appreciate the offer,
but it's my program.

- Well if your program works,
you know how much easier

our job will be?

- Why don't you all just
show up in the morning?

- Frankie and Angel,
where are they?

- Who knows, man, they
been celebrating on those

nickel bags you gave them.

- Yeah well find them.

I want that Julie Mendez
chick out of my life.

Forever.

- Can I speak to
you for a moment?

I don't like you
being here alone.

- You have a short
memory, Hooker.

You're talking to one
of the toughest female

gang soldiers ever
to walk this barrio.

- Until you learned that
you were smart enough

to go to college. Sit down.

- You know I still wonder
if you had anything

to do with me getting
that scholarship.

- Well I didn't get
the marks, you did.

I just wonder why you didn't
take a cushy university job

when you graduated.

- I feel I have to put something
back into the environment

that made me.

But don't worry, I've worked
with gangs in a lot of cities.

- I really think someone
ought to stay with you.

- I want the kids
here to trust me.

For that they have
to know I trust them.

With blue-suited
bodyguards around,

it'll never happen.

- You're dedicated to
your job and I respect that,

but I got a job to do too.

To protect people.

- (she laughs) Still
the white knight, huh?

- Isn't there any way
I can convince you.

- I'll be okay, really.

(ominous music)

(gun fires)

- All I heard was one shot.

- Yeah, that's all it took.

- Okay, split.

(subdued music)

- Hooker.

What's the word on Julie?

- She's in intensive care.

Doctors spent most of
the night digging a bullet

out of her abdomen.

- Did you talk to her?

- I got her before they
wheeled her into OR.

She managed to
get out a few words.

She said it was the
Primos who shot her.

- Primos?

Did she recognize any faces?

- She only knows the
leaders, she hasn't been back

long enough to know
all the gang members.

I should never
have left her alone.

- You can't blame yourself
for what happened to Julie.

- If Julie doesn't make it.

- Come on, Hooker,
she's a survivor.

- What are you doing here?

- Easy, partner.

- You got business here,
get on with it or get out.

- Hey lay off cop, or I'll
turn you for bugging me.

(they laugh)

- You know we got
rights, you know.

- Come on man, we're just
here to see Chuy, you know.

- Well then go see
him, before I bust you

for contaminating a hospital.

(man laughs)

They could be the ones, Romano.

I told you Julie
said it was Primos.

- But if Frankie and
Angel were trying to stop

Julie Mendez's program
and they shot Chuy,

and they wore bandanas to
put the blame on the Ochos,

why didn't they do the
same when they hit her?

- They didn't have to.

If Julie dies the
program dies with her.

- Hooker, you have
got to cool down.

- Not till I prove that Frankie
and Angel did this to her.

(dramatic music)

- [Woman On Radio]
4-Adam-30 regarding information

requested on Frankie
Alarcon and Angel Uriarte.

Juvenile records show
they're character witness

at several hearing
was one Julio Fuente.

- 4-Adam-30 roger.

- Fuente, isn't that the
name of the guy you said

was sitting with Manuel
at the cantina last night.

- He's suspected of
selling drugs and guns.

He hasn't been nailed yet
because he uses teenage

gang members to
do his dirty work.

- Well that's what he
could be doing now.

- Let's find out.

(men laughing)

- Man, as always, Manuel,
you get 10% of my action.

- Easy money, man.

These new 45s, the
guys will go ape over them.

- Look, all we need is a war.

Get outta here, get outta here.

Get up those steps.

- Nice car, Fuente. Yours?

- Yeah.

- Your taste in clothes
has gone uptown.

These studs real
or phony like you?

- Hey come on, you
know me Hooker.

I'm the genuine article.

- Business must be good.

- Yeah, a lot of people
are buying hubcaps,

if that's what you mean.

- No what my partner
means is guns and dope.

When things heat up on
the streets, you get rich.

- Aw, come on,
Hooker, get off my back.

I don't wanna no trouble.

- You thrive on trouble.

It feeds you the customers
for the guns you peddle.

And the kids need
money for the weapons,

and they hustle dope for you.

(he laughs)

- You got it all figured
out, don't you Hooker?

Well it's too bad you
don't have any proof.

- Well maybe we can find some.

- Hey!

Hey man, are you loco?

I think you better talk
to your buddy here about

police brutality.

- You put a hand
on a police officer,

he has a right to
defend himself.

- 'Cause he ain't got
no right to come in here

without a search warrant.

- What's the matter, Fuente?

Got something to hide?

- No, I think maybe
you're violating my rights

just by asking.

- I want you to pass the word.

Julie Mendez may
be out of commission,

but her program isn't.

I'm gonna start it and
run it until she's out.

(Latino music on radio)

- Come on, Julie Mendez ain't
dead and Hooker's taking over?

Come on, no way.

- He's got Chuy in his pocket.

And Luis will bring his
sniveling little Ochos

begging for a truce.

It's over.

- I got one more card to play.

- What's that?

- The queen, Maria.

- You crazy, man?

That's Chuy's girl.

I ain't gonna touch
her, forget it, man.

- Hey man, you're gonna
do what I tell you to do.

I still got the gun that shot
Chuy and Julie Mendez.

- Hey, I didn't shoot nobody.

- Yeah? Well your fingerprints
are all over that gun.

How about I just hand
it over to the cops, huh?

- No.

No man, you wouldn't.

- Look, we gotta make Chuy
think that it was the Ochos

who grabbed her man.

Okay?

All right.

We pick her up tomorrow
before the meeting.

Early.

- [Romano] Well,
we've been out all night.

They could be hiding
in a million places.

- No reason for Frankie
and Angel to hide,

they don't know that
we matched Chuy's bullet

with Julie's shooting.

They probably think she's dead.

And she could be.

I want those kids, bad.

- We'll get 'em, Hooker.

- Thing is, I know
they're just pawns,

carrying out Fuente's orders.

That's who turned
them into murderers.

- [woman On Radio] 4-Adam-30,
switch to Tac 2 for 4-Adam-16.

- 4-Adam-30 roger.

This is 30, go 16.

- Got a tip our suspects
could be in a rolling

shooting gallery,
an old paneled truck.

- Give us the
description of the truck.

- We have them
in sight right now.

A blue and white '71 Ford
northbound on Fountain.

- Stay with 'em.

We're at Alden and Sixth.

(sirens sound)

(dramatic music)

(horn honks)

- Frankie and Angel,
were they with you?

Were they with you?

- Take it easy, Hooker.

- Yeah man.

- Which way did they go?

Tell me, or so help me
you won't live long enough

to be tried as an adult.

- Over there, man.

(tense music)

- That one's yours.

That's mine.

- On your knees,
hands on your head.

(tense music)

(they grunt)

- Oh, what are you doing?

What are you doing?

Pull me back!

- Who sent you to
kill Julie Mendez?

- Please don't hurt me.

- Tell me! Tell me now!

- [Romano] Hooker,
don't do it! Don't.

Don't do it!

- You're crazy,
man, you're sick.

- Sick? You think this is sick?

When I get through with you,

you'll feel like a
walking plague.

Now move it!

(calm music)

Julie.

Julie.

I need a positive ID.

Can you manage it?

(she sighs)

- It was them, they did it.

They shot me.

- Thank you.

Get some rest.

- I heard you
brought my boys here.

- Frankie and Angel shot Julie,

and they shot you too.

- I told you they
were gonna say that.

He's a crummy liar.

- Ballistic results
prove that the same gun

was used in both shootings.

And Julie made a positive ID.

- They are Primos, Hooker.

Primos don't shoot Primos.

- This time they did.

Accept it, Chuy.

- And somebody,
probably in your own gang,

had to turn them into shooters.

Somebody who wants you
to think they were Ochos,

wants you to go for revenge.

- I'm listening.

- How about Julio Fuente.

He'd get fat on a war.

- Fuente's an ex-Primo,
he's loyal to the gang.

You ought to go
after Luis Molina,

he is a psycho nut.

He wants war with the
Primos no matter what it takes.

- We have a feeling you'd
like it to seem that way, Manuel.

(he laughs)

- Me, you gotta be kidding.

I'm the number two Primo.

- You keep bad company, Manuel.

We saw you at Teresa's
cantina sitting with Fuente.

You showed up here at
the hospital with Frankie.

Think about it Chuy.

Oh, Manuel.

There's a NAPA meeting
this afternoon at the cantina.

If you don't show, I'll make
sure that everyone knows

that you want war and are
probably involved in the shooting.

And Chuy, you get back to bed.

The sooner you get well,
the better the chances are

that the Primos
stay out of trouble.

(tense music)

(jarring chords)

- [Woman On Radio]
4-Adam-30, 4-Adam-30,

a 415 in progress
at the restaurant,

Teresa's cantina,
Fourth and Commerce.

4-Adam-30 handle code three.

- 4-Adam-30 roger.

(siren sounds)

- Hooker, it's Maria,
somebody beat her up.

- Hold it, hold it.

Break it up!

- Break it up, come on!

- Break it up.

- Get back.

- Back up.

- Do it man.

- Come on.

This is supposed to
be a peace conference.

- Did you see what
they did to Chuy's girl?

Cut her hair, disgraced her.

There ain't gonna
be no peace now.

And that's the
way Chuy'll want it!

- Hey you, outta here!

- You better watch
where you go, man.

You step on Ocho
territory and I cut it off.

- You, and you, out!

Get them outta here
in one piece, come on.

- Move, out!

- Get out!

- Get going, move!

- Look, Ochos, see what
they've done to my daughter.

All the work, all
the trying to reason,

it's all for nothing now.

There'll be a war for sure.

- Nothing's for sure.

We've just gotta keep on trying.

- I can't, Hooker.

I'm going to take my little
girl away from these streets.

A gang war took my husband
one week after Maria was born.

I'm not going to let
another war take her.

(suspenseful music)

- Fuente.

I'm gonna show this
shirt stud to Chuy.

It's not enough to bust Fuente.

Maybe Chuy will get the message

before all hell breaks loose.

(suspenseful music)

- Chuy, what are you doing?

- The Ochos.

They hurt Maria.

Shamed her.

Primos are going to
kill every stinking Ocho,

and I'm drawing first blood.

- No Chuy, give Hooker time

to find out who did it.

All the Ochos

can't be responsible.

- One Ocho,

all the Ochos.

Don't you see, it
makes no difference!

- Hey, what are you doing?

- Chuy is gone,
went to lead his gang,

I've heard nothing
will stop him now.

- Luisito, don't be a fool.

Call Sgt Hooker and
help him find the truth.

It's stupid to fight over
Manuel's failing words.

- Teresa, the Primos are
gonna keep spitting on us

till we make them respect
us like they used to.

And we're gonna do it.

They first get respect
shoved down their throats.

- No Luisito, no!

Boys will die, boys
that are innocent.

Luisito!

- Vamonos.

We're gonna get us
some Primo scalps.

Sale!

- Look at it.

It was given to me when I
was leader of the Primos.

Promise me that
you'll use it to avenge

what was done to Maria.

- I will.

I swear it.

Don't you want a
piece of the Ochos too?

- Hey this is your war.

Lead the Primos with courage.

- Judge Powell sure hustled
out that search warrant.

- We gotta get
Fuente put away fast,

before he unloads his artillery.

Warrant.

Fuente.

Fuente.

If I was Fuente I wouldn't leave

anything incriminating around.

- Fuente deals in guns and
smack and he does it from here.

There's gotta be something.

Once the first kid is hurt,
there'll be no going back.

- We don't even know
where the gangs are lined up

to kick it off.

- Let's hope that Stacy and
Corrigan come up with a lead.

Look at this.

Well, Fuente tried.

He was always wiping his hands,

but he never was clean.

And never will be.

- [Woman On Radio] 4-Adam-30,
meet 4-Adam-16 on Tac 2.

- 4-Adam-30 roger.

- Hooker, just talked to Teresa.

She said Luis said
something about before 82,

a place where the
Ochos were respected.

- Could be the
River Street Wash.

They used to race there,
the Ochos always won.

We're on our way, meet us there.

(tense music)

- Chuy!

Chuy don't!

Please.

Chuy, stop please.

- Go home Maria.

This is no place for you to be.

- Get her out of here Chuy,
she's caused enough trouble

as it is.

- He makes the trouble.

He makes the war, Chuy.

- The Ochos spit in my face
when they shame you like this.

I can't let that be.

Now go home.

Go home.

- All right, hold it.

Get back to your own turf.

I said hold it.

(men shout)

Get back there.

We found the gun that shot Chuy.

Same gun that shot Julie Mendez.

And the first fingerprints
we're gonna try and match

with those on the
gun are yours, Manuel.

We found these, with the gun.

They were worn by the shooters,

Frankie and Angel,

so they would look like Ochos.

- They tried to frame us.

- Not they, one man.

One man who comes in on
top no matter who wins this war.

- Hey, don't listen to him.

You saw what they
did to Chuy's girl.

- It wasn't the Ochos
that attacked maria.

- That's right.

- Who was it?

I want him myself.

- Listen to me, Chuy.

Who wants things
just as they are?

Who would lose if there
was peace on the streets.

Where did you get the
guns that you're carrying?

- Julio Fuente.

- When Maria was
attacked she ripped this

off of Fuente's shirt.

Your enemy isn't
Luis and the Ochos.

It's that man there.

(suspenseful music)

(sirens sound)

(dramatic rock music)

(cars crunching together)

(cars crunching together)

(cars crunching together)

- You're through in
the barrio, Fuente.

Julie and the kids, they win.

You lose.

(calm music)

- Not bad for starters.

- Now that NAPA is an
official city commission,

shouldn't you have a real
office in a real office building?

- Could have, but I
wanted to be on the street

with the people the
commission's supposed to help.

- I like it.

- I like the way you
got Luis to personally

deliver Chuy's
letter to the Mayor,

help make this official.

- A little loving
went a long way.

- You two find Chuy and Maria?

- Oh sure did.

Just in the nick of time,
they were about to run off

and get married.

- I think I convinced
her to wait until she

finished school.

- Listen Julie, we're gonna
help you get settled in here,

and this time we won't
take no for an answer.

- If you insist.

- Julie, this picture.

Why?

- Well you caught me, I
guess I have to admit it.

I used to have a crush on you.

- What do you mean used to?

- Who knows, maybe the
sparks could be rekindled.

If they were fanned.

(romantic music)

- Hey partner, end of watch.

What do you say we go to
that new pizza joint on Market?

- Sorry I'm busy.

I got some heavy fanning to do.

(dramatic theme music)