The Equalizer (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Judgment Day - full transcript

Previously on The Equalizer

I mean, who do you go to
if you can't go to the cops?

We've gotten dozens of hits
off that message you sent out.

What are you doing? I'm
using my powers for good.

He's gonna be heavily guarded.

Well, then, I'm
gonna need backup.

Trouble's my specialty.

Yes, it is.

Looks like you made some improvements
with the place. What do you need?

I need those freaky-ass
superpowers of yours.

Detective Marcus Dante.
Have you guys ever



come across this woman as
a part of your investigation?

The facial rec
turned up negative.

They said it's like
she doesn't exist.

Except she does.

Tommy, open up.
It's Dale. I made it.

Tommy?

Tommy? Tommy!

No.

Stop. I can walk from here.

What, you don't want me to
pump up my old-school joints?

Hey!

Hey, Jazzy. Mom.

I haven't seen
Jasmine in some time.

Any reason for that?



No. Just been busy. See you.

Yeah?

Morning, sunshine. Bad time?

No, I'm good. What's up?

There's some lawyer

putting the word out to
the "got a problem" person.

He sounds pretty desperate.

We got to find something
better to call me than that.

Go ahead and set up the meet.

So the rumors are
true... you really do exist.

I've heard rumors, too.

Nic Palermo. Public defender.

Used to be a pretty good
lawyer until you hit the bottle.

Yeah, well, I'm
not here about me.

It's about an old client.

Dale Aldridge.

The murderer that just escaped
Danford a few days back?

I don't help criminals.

Please.

He's innocent.

His case nearly broke me.

I spent ten years
trying to show folks

that what happened to Dale
was a gross miscarriage of justice.

But everywhere I turned,
there were brick walls.

It wears on a man.

He's out of appeals now,

but he's still trying to
prove that he didn't do it.

And if the cops find him,
they'll probably kill him.

He deserves better,
better than I could do.

Look, if you don't believe
me, just take a look at the case.

There's something off about it.

Okay, I'll look at the case,

but I need to meet
him face-to-face.

He called me from a burner.
I don't know where he is.

Let me handle that.

Tommy Venti. Parolee.

Released from prison
four months ago.

U.S. Marshals found the body

when they were tracking
down that escapee,

Dale Aldridge.

Smart money's on a prison beef.

He and Aldridge were cellies.

This is Deputy U.S.
Marshal Mike Monroe.

He's leading the
fugitive task force.

Detective Marcus Dante.

Not much for you, Detective.

Neighbor saw Aldridge
fleeing the scene.

Pretty cut-and-dry. Except
this was more than a prison beef.

These marks... this
was an interrogation.

Someone wanted information.

Or just wanted to make it last.

If Dale Aldridge is settling
scores, this won't be

the only homicide
you're following down.

Easy, Dale. Easy,
Dale. I'm not a cop.

Your lawyer Nic, he
sent me to help you.

How'd you find me?

Tracked your burner phone.

What are you,
some kind of a P.I.?

No. I'm more of a specialist.

Your lawyer says you're
trying to clear your name.

How you planning on doing that?

There's this guy named Preacher,

and my last cellmate,
Tommy, did time with him

a couple of years back upstate.

Overheard him confess

to the murder I'm in for.

When Tommy got out,
he tracked him down.

We were gonna
confront him, but...

Preacher, he got to Tommy first.

Beat him to death.

So that was your plan,

force a confession
out of a killer?

Even if you did,
you're out of appeals.

You wouldn't even
get a new trial.

I don't care about a trial.

The only thing I
care about is him.

That's my son, Blake.

He thinks he's the
son of a murderer.

His mother says
he's self-destructing,

going down the wrong path.

If I can just show him
I'm not who they say I am,

maybe he won't think
that's who he is, either.

I just want him
to have a chance.

Okay, so, where
is this Preacher?

That's just it.
Tommy wouldn't say,

'cause everything's
recorded on prison phones.

Preacher, that's
just a nickname.

I don't even know his real name.

Well, let me worry about that.

But it might take a minute.

I can put you up in a
safe house for a few days.

I can keep myself
safe. Cops consider you

armed and dangerous.

They will shoot to kill.

I appreciate the help.

Would you trust
anyone if you were me?

Well, okay.

But use this phone.

No one can track it but me.

Keep it on. Lose the other.

And don't even think about
trying to contact your family.

Cops will be on 'em.

In the meantime,

I'll try to locate Preacher.

I remember this case.

They called it "Terror
in Great Neck."

The guy would cut alarms and
break in when no one was home.

Except for the last
time someone was.

Carol Walton,

an ER nurse... she was
found stabbed to death.

A neighbor said they saw Dale

hanging around
her house that night.

Sounds suspicious.

Well, until you find
out that he was working

as a handyman at
the house next door.

So based on the
testimony of one person,

Dale got sentenced to life.

There had to be other evidence.

I mean, DNA or a murder weapon.

Not according to
his lawyer's files.

And he had no record.

Prosecution used
the fact that he was

working-class and
struggling, trying to provide

for his family as motive.
It's hard to imagine

being locked up for
something that you didn't do,

and then watching, helpless,

as your kid goes
down the wrong road.

Got him.

No thanks to the
Department of Corrections.

Their I.T. system's
a pit of idiocy.

Reginald Floyd, aka Preacher.

Did a nickel at
Fishkill for B and E.

Shared a block with
Tommy for two of them.

Look at this.

What? Apparently,
he got a traffic ticket.

Rolling through a
stop sign in Great Neck.

Date on the ticket?

June 11.

Same night as one
of the first burglaries.

That's our guy.
How do I find him?

- It looks like he's in Queens.
- Apparently found God

on the inside...
he's got some kind

of inner-city, ministry now.

Then he should know all
about the power of confession.

Yo. Rob, hey.

Just watch your back out there.

That, that cop

that's been looking for
you, Marcus Dante, he's on

the task force that's
hunting Aldridge.

Then I'll keep my eyes open.

If you have to carry the sheep,

that means not only was it
far away, it was wounded.

The enemy kidnapped your dreams,

kidnapped your hopes,

kidnapped your future,
and tried to kill you

in the process.

You were down, and
you were bleeding.

But you survived.

Is there... Are there any
survivors in the church today?

Are there any survivors online?

Make a sound if
you're a survivor.

Ooh, you got a pretty good swing

for a man of God.

What?

What do you want from me?

The truth.

'Cause, Preacher,
today is judgment day.

I know what you're thinking...
I'm a killer... but you're wrong.

Says the man who tried
to grand-slam my head.

You broke into my house.

I heard someone
from my prison days

was looking to get even,
then you showed up.

Looking for answers,

about Great Neck, the
Carol Walton murder.

Tommy Venti heard you confess.

Then he starts asking
questions and ends up dead.

Tommy's dead?

I did confess

to the burglaries.

But I ain't never killed nobody.

You expect me to believe that?

When Carol Walton was murdered

by someone using the exact
same M.O. as those robberies?

I'm a man of God now.

I confessed my sins,
and I'm telling you,

murder wasn't one of them.

So, what?

This just a coincidence?

No. It's the same M.O.,

'cause whoever killed that woman

used my crime to get
away with their own.

When the cops picked
me up on another charge,

I was terrified they were
gonna pin that murder on me,

until they arrested
that other guy, Dale.

After that, I thanked God

every day.

I changed my life.

I promised I'd do his work.

By letting an innocent
man take the fall?

You could've come
forward. And said what?

"I did the robberies
but not the murder"?

Black man, white woman?

It don't matter if I
had a rock-solid alibi.

I'd never see daylight again.

Okay, so you had
an alibi for then.

What about last night
when Tommy was killed?

I was ministering
in a soup kitchen.

I ain't never kill nobody.

Not then, not now.

Somebody used my crimes
to get away with murder,

and now they're
trying to make sure

that their secret stays buried.

And we've got officers
posted there as well.

Well, that's good to know.

Well, if it isn't
Detective Dante.

District Attorney Grafton.
Didn't want to interrupt.

I was hoping for a
moment with Judge Cooley

about Dale Aldridge's case.
You were the prosecutor?

We were just discussing
security measures.

And since he's
all out of appeals,

he's got nothing to lose.

I, on the other
hand, have a family.

I've reviewed his
phone calls from prison.

So far, he hasn't made any
direct threats against you

or anyone else
involved in the case.

Hardly a comfort,

given he murdered a woman

in cold blood and just
killed his old cellmate.

I understand. It's just...

What?

Also in those calls, Dale
and Tommy spoke about

finding the real killer.

Sounded like Dale was
looking to clear his name.

I hate to ask, but...

Detective... No.

It's fine.

It was a big case, Detective.

Lots of media attention.
So yes, we looked.

I can assure you,
there was no evidence

it was anyone other
than Dale Aldridge.

Your Honor, we're ready.

I'm due back in court.

You have any other
questions, please call.

Did you really just
accuse the judge

of putting away the wrong guy?

I'm a cop, not a lawyer.

Meaning? Not every
question is an accusation.

My job is to make sure
the story fits the facts.

By all accounts, Dale
and Tommy were friends.

Doesn't make
sense he'd kill him.

And when I pulled surveillance,

I saw a stolen car
leaving Tommy's place.

The man in it wasn't Aldridge.

Detective, we have an escaped
killer running around my city.

If you want to chase ghosts,
how about you do it after he's back

behind bars and before
another body drops?

- But it has to be him.
- He confessed.

To the break-ins,
not the murders.

I checked Preacher's
alibi from ten years ago

and the night Tommy was killed.

It's not him.

So, what? This
was all pointless?

No. It means the real
killer is still out there.

We just need to find 'em.

How? Th-There's
no place to start.

We start with the victim.

Carol Walton. Someone
wanted her dead.

We just need to find out who.

After a decade?

You really think
that's possible?

Well, the killer
seemed to think so.

Otherwise, he wouldn't
have moved on Tommy.

Which also means
you're not safe.

Not here or back there.

You need to let me protect you.

No.

I'm tired of putting my
life in other people's hands.

I'll figure it out on my own.

Dale.

You know that
phone you gave him?

It's in a Jersey landfill.

He's clearly not that into you.

Well, can you blame him?

Ten years of fighting,

and his one shot ends
with his friend being dead.

I think he's losing hope.

So, what are we supposed to do?

If someone doesn't want
our help, do we just stop?

We help him anyway.

I mean,

we're not getting paid
to do any of this, right?

We're making a choice
to help people who need it.

I mean, clearly,
this dude needs it.

He's out there, he's alone.

So we help him before
he gets himself killed.

Hey.

What's that for?

It's for you being you.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

So what's our next move?

Well, Carol's body was found
by her friend Elaine Gibson,

so maybe she can shed some light

on what was going
on in her life back then.

In the meantime, we
got to find Dale again.

And see if you can
get eyes on his family.

I got a feeling he's gonna
do something stupid.

You're still duct-taping
the door handle.

You shouldn't be here.

How's Blake?

Tell me.

I've tried, Dale. I have.

He's just so angry
about everything.

He hasn't been home for weeks.

Your last letter, you
said he was in trouble.

You remember Bobby Crenshaw?

Yeah.

Blake is jacking
cars for him now.

I have to see him.

Promise you won't. The cops...

You should get going
before the Marshals

waiting outside get suspicious.

Promise me.

I can't lose you both.

Hey, promise me you'll
get the handle fixed, okay?

I love you.

Excuse me. I need
to see Elaine Gibson.

Totally! That call cost
them the touchdown.

I know! Pass interference, bro.

Hey. You mind using
your inside voice?

You see that family?
They're grieving.

I'm the head of
emergency surgery.

Then it would be a real shame
if you couldn't use your hands.

Hi. I'm Elaine.
You looking for me?

Carol was more than a friend.

She was like a sister. We
even got matching tattoos.

It never sat right,

what they said happened.

I know it's been a minute,
but can you think of anyone

that would want
to come after her?

Bad relationship?

Money problems? Anything?

No, nothing like that. I mean

she was a crusader. How so?

Back then, the opioid
wave was just hitting.

In the ER, we saw
the damage firsthand.

Someone was flooding the
streets with prescriptions.

Carol wanted to find out who.

The night she died, she
said she'd gotten a name.

Some guy running a pill mill.

She just needed verification.

The next morning, she was dead.

Did you tell this to the police?

Yeah, I did. They
said they'd look into it,

but then they caught that guy.

Said the evidence
was overwhelming.

You know, what else
was I supposed to do?

Dale's lawyer never saw.

Elaine's statement
about another suspect.

Someone buried it? Yeah.

And they were
willing to drop bodies

to keep the truth
from coming out.

Well, I think I might know who.

You know your buddy at
the NYPD, Detective Dante?

While everyone's been,

running around
searching for Dale,

this dude's been quietly
swimming upstream.

Check this out.

He pulled these off the cameras

in front of Tommy's
apartment the night that Dale

supposedly killed him.

It's a guy in a car.

It's not just any car.

That's a stolen car
right there, man.

That was, that was reported
stolen earlier that day.

You know, and what a
coincidence, some guy's

roaming around in
a stolen car in front

of Tommy's apartment
the night he's murdered.

Yeah, that's
definitely not Dale.

Well, the bad news is, is
that photo is way too grainy

for the NYPD to run facial rec,

so your boy Dante's
gonna be at a dead end.

So what's the good news?
Well, the good news is

I may be able to, run it through

a little NSA software
to clean it up.

But it's gonna take me a minute.

Well, I got to pick up
Delilah from school,

so just let me
know what you find.

Yep. You want to watch, honey?

You're adorable.

Hey, Robyn.

How you been? Hey, Angela.

I saw your Jazzy yesterday.

Heard she saw you, too.Yeah.

I don't like to ask,
but did you notice

some weirdness
between our girls?

Yeah, I noticed they
completely ignored each other.

Any idea what that's about?

Jasmine hardly tells
me anything anymore.

Right now, I'm just
her Uber and her ATM.

You and me both.

Hey, why don't we just do
one of our old movie nights?

All four of us. Saturday.

Maybe we can mend
whatever the hell this is.

I'll bring the popcorn.

I will bring the M&M's,
"Me and Merlot."

Hey. What were you and
Jazzy's mom talking about?

We were just thinking
how fun it would be

if the four of us hung
out again, you know?

Watched a movie, snuggled
up under the blankets.

Like we used to.

Tell me you did not just
create a play date for me.

What is wrong
with a little hang?

Hang? I mean, what's
wrong is you didn't ask me.

This is Jazzy
we're talking about.

Okay, tell you what, you want to

hang out with Jasmine so bad,

you can go without me.

Delilah, where are you going?

To find another ride home.

Delilah, come back here.

Delilah, I understand
you are upset,

but I will not tolerate you
slamming a door on me.

Do you understand?

Fine, but you shouldn't have
done what you did, either.

Maybe I would understand
better if you tell me what's up.

Do you promise not to
judge me or try to fix it?

You might as well ask
your mama for a pony.

Okay, we just aren't interested
in the same things anymore.

Like what things?

I don't know, she thinks
she's all crazy woke.

I mean, all Jazz and her
new friends do is go to rallies

and make protest posters.

And what is wrong with that?

Life is about more than
just parties and clothes, Dee.

And there it is. Thank you
for the life lesson, Mom.

Hey, those things are important.

Yes, that's the problem.

They don't care
about the causes.

It's all about their Instas.

I mean, she's just
in it for the likes.

If you're gonna do
something, believe in it.

Isn't that what you
taught me, Mom?

Well, have you
tried to talk to her?

Tell her how you
feel? Okay, what?

So she can act mad
salty with her new friends?

But y'all been friends
since you were little.

It's not like we
fought or anything.

Okay? She changed. I changed.

It's not a thing.
There's nothing to fix.

Maybe I should just call Angela.

Tell her what? Her
daughter's fake woke?

Come on, Aunt Vi.

They've been like sisters.

You don't just toss that away.

I mean, even during the divorce,

it was Jazzy and Dee, Angela
and me doing everything.

So, who are you really
trying to fix this for?

Hey, so, we I.D.'d the guy

in the stolen car
outside Tommy's.

His name is Trent Sawyer.

Grand theft, assault,
some drug convictions.

Reminds me of my prom date.

Would make sense he's involved.

Except Trent is 23.

Which means when
Carol was murdered,

he was 13 and
living in another state.

So, how's he
connected to all of this?

That's exactly the
question we were asking.

Then we saw this.

So, what are you thinking?

I'm thinking we make a trade.

With who?

That cop. Detective Dante.

Our info for their
info on Dale's case.

You're gonna set a trade

with the guy who's hunting you?

Why don't you just,
like, throw rocks

at a wasps' nest
while you're at it?

He will make the trade.

How do you know?

Because I know him.

Career law enforcement.

His father was a cop, too.

A legend who got
busted for being dirty,

which means he has
to do things cleaner

and better than anyone else.

Wow, stalker much?

Know thy enemy.

Okay, so he's a Boy Scout.

Who's atoning for
sins that aren't even his.

Yet he almost tanked
his career going after

an ADA who put
politics before justice.

The man cares.

I can work with that.

Okay, who's to say, though,
he doesn't draw you in,

and then arrest you
when your guard is down?

My guard is never down.

Detective Dante.

Do you know who this is?

Why don't you tell me?

I'm that photograph
you have in front of you.

You know who I
am, so who are you?

Let's just say, when the
scales of justice are rigged,

I serve as an equalizer.

You mean "lawless vigilante."

Then I guess
you're not interested

in this information I
have on the Aldridge case.

What information is that?

The guy you're looking for.

The guy in the stolen car

in front of Tommy Venti's house.

How do you know?

Tell you what.

I'll give you his name

for some information from
Carol Walton's case file.

Why would I agree to that?

Because we both
know Dale's innocent.

All right, I'll play.

You first.

Your man's name is Trent Sawyer.

And up until a few days ago,

he was awaiting
trial on a murder two.

Says it was dismissed.

Technicality.

Look who dismissed it.

Judge Felicia Cooley.

Who just happened to
be the original prosecutor

on Dale's case.

So, Cooley
dismisses the charges,

Sawyer goes to
Tommy's house, and...

And Tommy ends up dead.

Now, that's either the world's
biggest coincidence, or...

Or Cooley's involved.

You mentioned Carol
Walton's case file.

What information do you want?

Walton's friend, Elaine Gibson.

She gave a
statement to detectives

about a possible
motive for murder,

unrelated to Dale.

Dale's public
defender never saw it.

You want to know who buried it.

Well, you can pull
the physical file.

If I do find something, how
do I get in touch with you?

Don't worry.

I'll find you.

You like that he's
looking for you.

Any luck finding Dale?

No. Nothing.

Blake.

You don't have to do this.

Yeah, says the convict

with every cop in the
city looking for him.

Says your father, who loves you.

Yeah, well

that's your problem.

You know there's
a reward for you?

All right, one call and
you're back in prison.

Okay, 15 minutes.

That's... that's all I ask.

Just give me 15 minutes.

Fine.

Detective Dante.

You got something for me?

You were right.

Elaine's statement was
definitely suppressed.

I spoke to one of
the cops on the case

who remembers
taking her statement

and turning it over to the
D.A. at the time... Cooley.

And she buried it?

That wasn't the only thing.

There's a key witness
statement that's referenced

in one of the files.

And it's missing, too.

Any idea what was in it?

No.

And the detective who
filed it retired years ago.

I've e-mailed Pension
for a forwarding address,

but that'll take few days.

Give me the
name. I'll find them.

Why should I trust you?

Because we're
running out of time.

We got him. Let's go!

Name's Gail Montgomery.

But it may be too late.

What's happening, Harry?

It's Dale. They found him.

The day you were born...
The moment I laid eyes you

I wanted to give you the world.

Then after the arrest,
all those appeals,

I did everything I
could to get back to you.

But you didn't.And it killed me.

Y-Y-Your visits
were what I lived for.

Then your mother said
you refused to come.

Do you have any
idea what it's like

when your father's a murderer?

How other kids look at you?

I mean, half of
them scared of me,

the other half showing
how tough they are

by wailing on me.

That's what you gave me.

Blake

I swear to you I didn't
do those robberies,

and I did not kill that woman.

That's not who I am.

And this... this stealing,
that's not who you are.

How would you know who I am?

Look, I'm gonna figure this out.

Okay? I'm gonna
get to the bottom of it.

All right, nobody
believes you, Dad.

Why should I?

Don't move!

What did you do, Blake?

What did you do?

Show me your hands!

Like you wanted. Do it now!

Get your hands up! Put
'em up where I can see 'em!

Hey, if you don't
believe anything,

you believe this

I love you.

What is it?

Nothing.

Just thought I saw something.

They're gonna
arraign Dale tomorrow.

For the prison break
and Tommy's murder.

He wants to plead guilty.

But he risked everything.
We can't let him.

I mean, we're not done.

He's done.

His own kid turned him in.

He's got nothing
left to fight for.

You tried.

We all did.

What was that about?

Dale's throwing in the towel.

And you?

Well, the clock's ticking,

but the buzzer
hasn't sounded yet.

Good, 'cause I tracked
down the detective

who took the missing
witness statement.

The night of the
murder, a neighbor saw

a man leaving Carol
Walton's house.

Cops matched the
neighbor's description

to a colleague of Walton's.

Someone from the hospital?

Yeah, someone from the ER,

but the prosecutor
deemed it irrelevant

'cause they already
had Dale in custody.

Deemed it irrelevant,

and then made the
statement disappear.

Did the detective happen
to remember who it was?

No, just that he
was an ER surgeon...

Young, brash and
a piece of work.

So, I looked up
the hospital records,

and there were
only three surgeons

working the ER back then.

Two were in their 50s.

And one

was this guy... Conner Geraghty.

We've already met.

I told you, it's a
waste of my time.

Give it to the new guy.

Yeah, Harry, what'd you find?

Dr. Conner Geraghty.

Guy's squeaky clean
until you dig deep enough.

Or you meet the guy.

Yeah, at the time
of Carol's murder,

he was the registered
owner of three LLCs...

Companies describing
themselves as community clinics.

Well, somehow I don't see him

as the "caring about
the community" kind.

Yeah, but what if
there was money in it?

Carol was looking into
opioids flooding the streets.

So those clinics were

pill mills.

Charging addicts for scripts.

Using multiple shell companies

so none of the
pharmacies would trip to it.

Nothing but a drug
dealer in a lab coat.

Yeah, and then after the murder,

suddenly he shuts 'em all
down, still has enough dough

to pay off a quarter
of a million dollars

in student loans, all
on a resident's salary?

Carol was gonna expose him.

He would lose his
license, face some jail time.

It all fits.

Except for Cooley.

I mean, I don't get it.

Why would she go out
of her way to protect him?

I think I just found out why.

Hey! What are you
doing in my office?

Hey!

So, Geraghty and
Cooley knew each other.

He's friends with her son.

It looks like they graduated

to murder.

Yeah.

So, an ambitious prosecutor
suppresses evidence

in a high-profile case

to help her best friend's son

slip a murder rap,

all the while making
her own career.

Now, if that ain't the American
dream, I don't know what is.

So she spun Dale
into the better story.

A working stiff terrorizing
a wealthy neighborhood.

Now they need to make
sure the story sticks.

Well, fantastic theory.

High fives all around.

But we can't prove any of it.

Which means we can't save Dale.

Well, I think we can.

With a little inside help.

You can't be serious.

Are you serious?

Do you know what
you're asking here?

I'd have to bring in the D.A.

So bring in the D.A.

Tell her what?

To trust the word
of a vigilante?

She'd sooner have you arrested.

You seem like a man
who wants justice,

real justice.

It's why you didn't
go after me today.

Because you know
Dale is innocent.

So what are you willing
to risk to make this right?

Tell me, Detective, in
your wildest dreams,

how did you expect
that this would go?

I know how it sounds.

Do you?

Because it sounds like

you want me to take down
a state judge on your say-so.

It could blow up in my face.

And even if it
didn't, it would look

like I was big-game hunting
to help my electoral chances.

I wasn't really thinking
about the election.

I was thinking about
an innocent man

that deserves to be free.

I was thinking I
want to sleep tonight.

And I won't be able to, knowing
I didn't do everything I could.

Will you?

You have no proof.

Which is why I need you.

You couldn't have known,

but you do now.

And it's our duty to
do something about it.

So what are you willing to risk,

Madam D.A., for
what you believe in?

If I do this, I'm going
to need to know

where you're getting
your information.

I don't think I can do this.

Yes, you can.

Holding Dale's life
in my hands again,

after all these years?

Look.

I know the system let you down.

But this is your
chance to make it right.

Haven't worn this
suit in about five years.

How do I look?

Like one hell of a lawyer.

Dante.

We good? Not sure.

Grafton said she was in.

But I've been
calling all morning,

and I haven't heard back.

This doesn't work without her.

I did what I could,

but we may be on our own.

Well, if that's true,

I just sent Dale's
lawyer into a slaughter.

People v. Dale Aldridge.

I see counsel are here

and have entered
it into the record.

Dale Aldridge faces one count

of escape in the first
degree, one count of murder...

Your Honor?

I have a motion.

Mr. Palermo, this
is an arraignment.

I'll set a motions date.

I'm moving for your
immediate recusal, Your Honor.

On what grounds?

Bias.

You were the prosecutor

when my, um, client
was initially convicted.

Motion denied.

I also have.

I have information

that suggests

you failed to disclose

exculpatory evidence

to the defense

during the murder
trial of my client.

Is this true? Denied.

Sit down, Mr. Palermo.

Which is a Brady violation.

Prima facie evidence

of prosecutorial misconduct.

I also have evidence that

I'm not going to tell you again.

Well, then I'll tell you.

You must recuse yourself
because you are involved

in an ongoing
criminal conspiracy.

You actively engaged in a
cover-up for the real killer

in the case against my client.

Bailiff!

Clear the courtroom, now.

Approach the bench, Mr. Palermo.

How dare you come
into my courtroom

and level such
outrageous accusations?

I'm citing you for contempt

and moving for your disbarment.

I think that would be unwise.

Detective Dante,
you should stay.

D.A. Grafton?

What are you... Thanks
to Mr. Palermo's efforts,

new facts have come to light.

Like a witness statement
that you failed to disclose,

placing an
acquaintance of yours,

Dr. Conner Geraghty,

at the victim's house
just prior to her murder.

There is no such statement.

That's because you destroyed it.

Along with a statement
from the victim's friend

that went to motive

and would've helped the defense.

You're citing documents
that don't exist.

The documents may no longer
exist, but the witnesses do.

Which is why, when you
learned that Aldridge had escaped

and was working with Tommy
Venti to find the real killer,

you dismissed charges

against a street thug
named Trent Sawyer

and sent him to kill
Tommy and the defendant.

No. No, I...

We just took
Sawyer into custody.

It's why I was running late.

So what story

do you think he's gonna tell?

Now, the way I see it,
you have two options.

Face the media
circus of a trial,

or flip on Geraghty

in exchange for a
reduced sentence

and we do this quietly.

After all,

you have a family to protect.

I... I didn't know
Geraghty was involved.

Not at first.

When I put it together,
he threatened me.

Threatened you how?

One night at dinner with my son,

Geraghty heard me talking
about the string of burglaries.

How we couldn't find the guy.

He was fascinated.

Kept asking questions.

And you divulged
privileged facts

only the real
burglar would know.

Facts he used to
stage the crime scene.

He threatened to implicate me.

And when Aldridge escaped,

Geraghty called me again.

Sawyer was just supposed to

talk to Venti.

I never imagined
he would kill him.

I never wanted
that. How could you?

This is my life.

No, you wanted

a prestigious career, and
you knowingly sacrificed

an innocent man for it.

Bailiff,

take the judge into custody.

My handwriting is fine.
Get some freaking glasses.

Dr. Geraghty?

You're under arrest
for the murders

of Carol Walton
and Thomas Venti.

You have the right
to remain silent.

Anything you say can and
will be used against you

in a court of law.

Justice may be
delayed or deferred,

but we must never give up hope.

My client didn't.

And today, he walks free,

an innocent man, having
been given a full pardon.

All right, thank you, everybody.

Thank you very much.

Congratulations, Detective.

Had my doubts about you.

If I start pulling punches
because the target's too big,

I'm in the wrong line of work.

I still wonder, though,

how you managed to unravel

a decade-old conspiracy
single-handedly.

Like I said,

good old-fashioned police work.

And a good lawyer.

That must be it.

Blake?

I...

Why would he want to
see me, after what I did?

He broke out of prison for you.

He'll never stop
believing in you.

Maybe it's time
you believe in him.

I called Angela. I told
her movie night is off.

I overstepped.

And I'm sorry.

You know, I just... I
miss us hanging out.

You know, you and Jazzy,
and all your crazy dance moves.

Hey, I miss her, too.

Not her now, but us then.

I think we just held
onto our friendship

longer than we should have.

Well, you never know.

Hey, why don't we
do movie night tonight?

Yeah?

Just us.

Popcorn and M&M's?

Girl, you already know.

I'm in.

But I have an essay to
finish, so give me an hour?

Perfect.

'Cause I got one
more errand to run.

I love you, baby. I love you.

Give me an A!

Trust me, I got it.

You're a good man,
Detective Dante.

Opinions vary.

Tell me, what's more fun?

Working with me
or chasing after me?

We're working together now?

Well, we did just set
an innocent man free.

Doesn't mean I
approve of your methods.

How many laws did you break

to get the information
you needed?

About as many as y'all
did putting him away.

This equalizing you're doing

if you don't stop,

I have to come after you.

I'd be disappointed
if you didn't.

Night, Detective.

Catch you later.

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