The Practice (1997–2004): Season 8, Episode 11 - Police State - full transcript

(police radio chatter)

CARROLL: Officer down!

Officer down!

Officer down!

(siren wails)

OFFICER: Get on the ground.

Come on, get down.

Get down!

MORAN: Oh, God!
I didn't do anything!

Get off of me.
OFFICER: Who is he?

What's his name?



What's his name?
Get off of me!

I didn't do anything!

Corner of Columbus and Temple!

OFFICER: I said who is he?

Get the hell off me!
OFFICER: Where's your buddy?

I didn't do anything, man!
I swear to God

I didn't do anything!
OFFICER: Shut up.

(siren wails)

OFFICER: Stop!

I said stop!

(siren wailing continues)

(tires screeching)

OFFICER: Halt!

OFFICER: Don't move!



Stop!

Stop running.

OFFICER: Freeze!

OFFICER: Freeze!
Put your--

(groans)

(tires screech)

OFFICER: Call it in.

OFFICER: Thirty-two,
suspect's down.

We got one in custody

in the alley off
of 93rd street.

OFFICER: Where's the gun?
BECK: I don't have a gun!

OFFICER: Where's the gun?
I don't got a gun!

OFFICER: Where's the gun?
I haven't got a gun!

WOMAN (over radio):
(indistinct) David,

1099966--

Go look for it!

Right. You guys heard him.
Split up.

Martinez,
you and Davis take the alley.

OFFICER: Let's go.

Now, look everywhere.

(music playing)

How late are you
going to stay?

I can't study at home.

STRINGER:
How about sleeping at home?

It's almost 11:00.
Uh-huh.

I--I'm almost done.

(telephone rings)

Hello.
MORAN: Hello. Yes,

I need to speak
with Jimmy Berluti.

Mr. Berluti isn't here
at the moment.

Our office hours--
You have to find him.

This is an emergency.
Page him.

Who are you, sir?

My name is Joe Moran.
He knows me.

The police are torturing
a friend of mine,

I--and I need to get a lawyer
down here right now.

Hold on.
No. No. I can't hold on.

They got him in a room
and he's been shot.

Who--who's been shot?

MORAN (over phone): My friend.

The police think
that he shot a cop.

Now they got him in a room.

We're at Brookridge Hospital.

They threw the doctors out
and now he's screaming.

All right, wait--
MORAN: No. No. No.

Find Jimmy Berluti.

I'm gonna put you on

with Jamie Stringer.

She is a fine lawyer
and she's very anxious

to speak with you.
MORAN (over phone): No.

I want Jimmy.
WILSON: Hold on, sir.

BECK: (screaming)

Jamie Stringer.
How can I help you?

You just had
to fob it off on me.

I'm not a member of the bar.
Oh, midnight.

You were a member
of the bar last week

to laugh at that Chinese guy.

Keep paging Jimmy.

WOMAN (over PA):
Dr. McJoe to neonatology.

Dr. McJoe to neonatology.

MORAN: Excuse me,
are you Ms. Stringer?

STRINGER: Joe?
Yeah.

They have him back here.

(elevator bell dings)

They're gonna kill him.
I swear to God.

STRINGER: Wait, before--
They think he shot a cop,

but he didn't.

BECK: (screams)

That's him screaming.

They got him back there.

Are doctors with him?

No, it's just the police.

BECK: (screaming continues)

OFFICER: You can't go in there.

Yes, I can.
I'm his lawyer.

I don't care who you are.

BECK: (screaming)

OFFICER: You can make it easier

for yourself.
Hey!

You don't.

This man is now
represented by counsel.

OFFICER: You need to leave.
No, I'm not. No--

OFFICER: Let's go!
Get her out of here!

OFFICER: Get her out now. Move!
Get your hands off of me!

Get your hands off me!

BECK: (screams)

STRINGER: Ow!

Take these off of me!

Shut up!

BECK: (groaning)

Move that chair.
I don't wanna hear her.

Eugene.

we have a situation.

MAN (over PA):
Ambulatory director, call 7790.

WILSON: She's right
through there.

They handcuffed her?
Yes.

WOMAN (over PA):
Dr. Gamble to pediatrics.

Dr. Gamble...

Get the cuffs off now.

She's interfering
with an investigation.

Get those handcuffs off
that woman now

or I will make it
my mission in life

to bring down
your entire department.

Eugene.

What the hell's
going on here?

McGUIRE: What's going on
is your client

shot a police officer
who's now in surgery.

That's a brutality claim.

That's a civil rights
criminal violation.

Take the handcuffs off.

Keep her away from us.

We wanna see our client.

McGUIRE: That's not possible.

Your client's currently
being questioned.

He asked for his lawyer.

Fine. File your motion
to suppress,

but you're not going
in that room.

YOUNG: If he's being denied
medical treatment--

The doctor said his injury
isn't life-threatening.

STRINGER: He's been shot
and those thugs in there

are sticking a flashlight
into an open wound.

McGUIRE: The next lawyer
that goes into that room

will be arrested
for obstruction of justice.

We have a right
to see our client.

No, you don't.

We have a right
to hold him for 48 hours.

We are--
Who's the D. A. on call?

Don't know.

Mike.

Eugene, your guy shot a cop.

I am not helping you out here.

Hey!

Hey! I wanna see
your chief of staff.

I'm the chief of the E. R.

YOUNG: Your hospital
is looking at a lawsuit.

Don't lecture me
on liability, please.

Police have taken over.

MORAN: Jimmy!
What the hell's going on?

Wait.

YOUNG: Look, everybody
over here now.

Jimmy, talk to this, uh...

Moran.

Moran.

Find out what happened.

Tara, borrow a computer.

Draft a habeas petition
down and dirty.

What good will that do?

We haven't got a judge.

Mike!

Who's the duty judge?

Don't know.

Does anybody here know
a judge we can call?

Roberta Kittleson.

You got her home number?

BERLUTI: Yeah.
Call her up.

Ellenor,
go to the FBI office.

Report what's going on here.

Tell them a civil rights
crime is being committed

and is ongoing.

BECK: Help!

OPERATOR (over phone):
We're sorry, you have reached

a number
that has been disconnected

or is no longer in service.

We haven't actually
stayed current.

Anybody else know a judge?

How can none of us
be friendly

with a single judge?

They all know our work.

Look, call Alan.

Maybe he's bribed some judge
along the way.

Jimmy, get his story.

Ellenor, FBI.

Let's go.

BECK: (screaming continues)

(elevator bell dings)

MAN: Net pulse, IV push.

WOMAN: Forcep.

Another retractor?

MAN: No.

Get another P. T.,
P. T. T. and--

MAN: On the way,
pulse (indistinct) 98.

What do we know?

I can't tell.

It seems like it's taking
a long time

just to get a bullet.

MAN: Suction.
WOMAN: Suction.

MAN: Ligature.

You need something?

YOUNG: Just checking to see--

What the charges
are gonna be?

Mike.

(machine beeps)

WOMAN:
Doctor, pressure's dropping.

MAN: He's bleeding out.

More suction.

Get me the sternal saw.

We've got to crack his chest.

(indistinct)

MAN: Put more tension
on that retractor.

I need to get in
and massage the heart.

Let's push another
five milligrams.

WOMAN: Here we go.
Five milligrams pushed.

(overlapping chatter)

MAN:
All right. Hold.

MAN: Yeah.

MAN: Get a clip.

Continuing massage.

Hold massage.
Let me check the rhythm.

MAN: All right.
Still nothing.

No spontaneous respiration.

Nothing?

WOMAN: No.

MAN: Okay.
No (indistinct)

MAN: Pump one more time.

WOMAN: Anything?

WOMAN: No.

MAN: Asystolic.

(overlapping chatter)

CARROLL: (sobs)

No.

No.

Annie.

No.
Hey.

MORAN: Todd came out first

'cause he was gonna
get the car.

Came out from--

The bar.

Um, so, as I come out,

I hear shots.

I hear shots real close,

and I see Todd take off to,

you know, run for cover.

How far away were you?

I don't know. Um...

25 yards or something
like that.

So then I see the cops
suddenly chasing him,

and, you know,
I think they see him running.

They must figure
that he's, you know,

the shooter or something.
BERLUTI: Well,

if he's innocent,
why did he run from the police?

MORAN: I don't know.

It's a parole violation

for him to be out past 10:00.

Plus, he may have
had some drugs on him.

So, I--

Jimmy, he didn't shoot anybody.

I'm telling you.

Look, Joe,

I know this guy is your friend,

but as your lawyer,

if you can help yourself
here at all,

a police officer is dead.

MORAN: Well,
Todd didn't shoot him!

BERLUTI: Listen to me.

If they make your buddy,

you could be going up
on conspiracy.

There's a window of opportunity

to help yourself.
MORAN: No, no,

he's innocent, man.

I swear I'm telling
the truth.

We got nothing
to do with this.

WOMAN (over PA):
Hospital receptionist

page surgical pre-op.

What's going on?

YOUNG: We need to get
a court order

to get a client out
of police custody.

Tara is drafting a habeas,

but we don't have a judge.

Would you be able to find one?

At 2:00 in the morning?

BECK: (screams)

Well, it's a little urgent.

WALSH: Eugene.

I'm told you're looking
for the D. A. on call.

You?

Is there a problem?

YOUNG: Yes, there's a problem.

The police are back there
coercing a wounded suspect.

A suspect who has
a Fifth Amendment right

to remain silent.

A suspect who has a Sixth
Amendment right to counsel.

A suspect
who has a civil right

not to be tortured.

All of those rights

are currently being trampled on.

Well, certainly,
any and all evidence obtained

in violation of your client's
constitutional rights

would not be admissible.

I'll be sure not
to introduce it.

Anything else?

I wanna see him.

When we're ready.

As I said...

it's urgent.

I don't understand.

They're only screwing up
their own case.

Why are they doing this?

Maybe they're afraid
they don't have a case.

(screaming continues)

WALSH: Did you see him
fire the gun?

No, I heard the shot

and looked up,

but he was the only one there,

the only one around.

I need you to look
at his face again

and confirm that.

Can you do that for me?

Yes.

(music playing)

(coughs)

That's him.

You're sure?

That's him.

Were you able to get photos?

Photos?

No, the police just yanked her
right out of the room.

We--we're not even being
allowed access.

Okay.

Thank you.

Okay? What "okay"?

Aren't you gonna
go down there?

DENKE: No, ma'am.

The procedure between us

and local law enforcement

is we don't get involved

until either they've
charged your client

or released him.

I don't think you understand.

Local law enforcement
is committing the crime.

The torture is ongoing
as we speak.

Until they've completed
their investigation,

we can't get involved.

You're the FBI.

A man is being tortured.

I can be your friend,
Mr. Beck.

I can make these people stop

and I can get you
proper treatment.

But for me to help you,

you need to help me.

I didn't do it.
WALSH: Todd,

we already know you did it.

What we need
is to find the gun

so it doesn't fall
into the wrong hands.

A little cooperation here

go a very long way.

I promise you.

Where's the gun?

I don't know!

I don't know!

YOUNG: You don't have any
recording devices

in this entire hospital?

Believe it or not,
we don't bug the rooms.

Tara, keep dialing our office.

Get as much of this
as you can

on our answering machine.

Jimmy, I need you to find us

a tape recorder
or something.

What happened?

They won't intervene.

He wrote up a 302,
he filed it,

and thanked me for reporting it.

STRINGER:
This is unbelievable.

Here's the deal.

You give us
a statement from Moran

that he saw Beck
shoot the officer.

We'll then let you see Mr. Beck.

Moran didn't see
Beck shoot anybody

because Beck
didn't shoot anybody.

WALSH: Eugene, I'm trying
to play nice here.

Let me tell you something.
WALSH: No, let me share.

I knew that officer personally.

I know his widow.

I know his two children.

Now, what have you got to say?

Marcia!

Marcia,

I need to speak with you.

(screams)
Shh! Shh! Shh! Shh!

Good heavens.

You've woken up
whoever he is.

What are you doing here?

SHORE: You don't
pick up your phone

or answer your bell.

Luckily, I remembered
where you hide your key.

Alan!

I have an emergency.

POLLACK:
What the hell's going on?

I'm very sorry, sir.

Judge Pollack?

Hello, sir.

I didn't recognize you

without your robe.

Alan Shore.
I appeared before you

in an antitrust matter once.

You were terrific,
by the way.

Alan, what in God's name--

I'm not here for sex

you'll be relieved to know.

I'm sure you're relieved.

We have a client.

The police are currently trying

to beat a confession out of him.

The man is wounded,
in need of medical attention.

It's extremely exigent.

I have a habeas petition.

I just need a signature
from either of you actually.

Are you out of your mind?

Marcia,
he's 20 years old,

bleeding, and the police
won't let the doctor

remove the bullet.

(sighs)

Please.

(sighs)

She said no?
SHORE: As soon as I mentioned

his alleged crime.

I don't know how much more
he'll be able to take,

but they are gonna keep him
in there until he confesses.

He's gonna break.

Does he even know
anybody's out here

trying to help him?

I said I was counsel
before I was hauled out,

but I don't know
if it registered.

Were you able to talk to him?

No.

(door opens)

Mr. Beck is going
into surgery

to have
his shoulder repaired.

You people can speak
to him when he comes out

if you'd like.

What did you do to him?

I'm surprised
at that question, Ellenor.

Where is Joe Moran?

He's right there.

Joe Moran?

MORAN: Yes?

You're under arrest
for the murder

of Officer Peter White.

What the hell's going on?

Mr. Beck gave us a statement

that Mr. Moran here
is the shooter.

What are you talking about?

That's crazy!
Be quiet, Joe.

Jimmy, I didn't shoot anybody!

Do not say a word.

I'll see you in custody.

McGUIRE: You have the right
to remain silent.

Anything you say can
and will be used against you

in a court of law.

You have the right
to an attorney.

If you cannot afford
an attorney,

one will be appointed to you.

Do you understand these rights
as I told them to you?

STRINGER: Can't we just
suppress the statement?

Obviously it was coerced.

The guy was tortured.

But he's not the one
being charged.

We can't assert Beck's
constitutional rights

to suppress evidence
against Moran.

Tara, when will Beck
come out of recovery?

WILSON: Oh, they said 7:00 AM.

YOUNG: Good.
Ellenor, Jamie.

You need to be there.

The police know they got
reliability problems

on the statement,
and they'll probably try

to get another one under
less coercive circumstances.

STRINGER: Look, regardless
of whose constitutional rights

have been violated,
can't a statement be quashed

if it's given involuntarily?

Good question.

Research that.

(yawns)

We keeping you up?

Yes, actually.
It's 4:00 in the morning.

FRUTT: Eugene, we probably
should try to get some sleep.

We have other cases that we need
to be awake for tomorrow.

This is the most
important case, Ellenor.

I mean, we all went
to law school.

The idea that
a government agency--

they just tortured a man
in front of us.

This is our most
important case!

(sighs)

Why are they making us
just sit here like this?

Probably to play
with your head a little,

which seems to be working
from the looks of you.

MORAN: (sighs)

My God, man.
I still can't believe

this is happening.

BERLUTI:
Look, it's a good sign

that they haven't hauled you off
to arraignment yet.

It could mean
they know their case wobbles.

What do they wanna talk about?

I don't know.

But whatever goes down here,

you say nothing.

You hear me, Joe?

I will do all the talking.

You don't open your mouth.

If you need to breathe,

do it through your nose.

(vomiting)

Great.

BECK: That's my signature,

but I don't remember
saying all that.

You don't remember?

BECK: They were sticking stuff
into my wound.

I know that's what
they were asking me to say.

Whether I said it or not,

I don't remember.

I was practically blacking
out the whole time.

FRUTT: Okay, well,
let's get to the heart of it.

Is this statement true?

No, Joe didn't shoot anybody.

What happened last night?

We came out of a bar

and we heard gunfire.

I got a little freaked,

so I started running to my car.

I then saw two cops
coming at me.

I had been drinking

and I was out past 10:00.

I'm on parole, you know?

So I just took off.

I went down a dead end alley.

I couldn't go nowhere else,
so I put my hands up,

you know, to surrender,

and they shot me.

What's gonna happen to Joe?

I don't know,

but obviously he's in
a little bit of trouble.

He didn't do anything, okay?

I'm sorry if I said he did.

I was out of it.

I swear.

Look, we probably need

to get you a new counsel.

Why?

Joe Moran is a firm client

and we can't represent
both of you.

Joe and I are together.

FRUTT: Yeah. Well,
you signed a statement

saying that he was the shooter.

And even if you--
I'll take it back!

Ms. Frutt, you people
were there last night.

You saw what happened to me.

Which could make us witnesses

in any civil claim.

No lawyer who comes in now
is gonna believe me.

I got a record.

A cop is dead.

My friend is charged.

Look, you saw what went down

or, at least, you heard.

You know we didn't do this.

WALSH: (clears throat)

Okay, then.

This is my favorite
kind of meeting,

the one where I
and only I, talk.

Your job here, Mr. Moran,

is to listen closely.

Pretend as if the rest
of your life

might turn on what I say.

You already know
your job, counsel.

A police officer is dead.

Somebody must, of course,
go to prison.

At the moment, it appears
as if that person

will be you.

If, however,

you were to sign a statement

saying Mr. Beck is the shooter,

if you agreed
to provide testimony

against Mr. Beck,
of course, truthful,

then we would give you use

in transactional immunity.

Your counsel can explain that.

In layman's terms,

you go free.

Anything short...

of a statement and testimony,

we prosecute you for murder.

I'm gonna give you some time

to discuss this
with Mr. Berluti.

There will be an arraignment
at 1:00.

It'll either be Mr. Beck's

or yours.

(sighs)

I should've seen it.

Seen what?
What the hell is going on?

Here's a crash course
in criminal procedure.

If they coerce a confession
from Beck,

they can't use it against him.

It's unconstitutional.

So what they were doing
in the room

with their torture

was forcing him
to give a statement

against you,

which they can use against you.

Now, they come back to you

with his statement as leverage

to get you to make a statement
against Beck,

which they can legally use
against Beck.

They're doing an end run

around the constitution.

Is this legal?

Legal? No.

Torture's against the law,

but is Beck's statement
admissible against you?

Yes.

Would your statement
be admissible against Beck?

Probably, yes.

Look, I'm gonna go discuss this
with my partners.

We'll formulate a plan
of attack.

I'll be back in an hour.

Make the deal.

I'm sorry?

If they guarantee
that I go free,

I'll give them
whatever they want.

First of all,

that isn't necessary.

They got no real case
against you.

They have enough to arraign me
in two hours,

possibly enough to put me
on trial.

I mean, that alone screws me!
BERLUTI: And second,

I can't commit fraud.

You didn't see Beck
shoot anybody.

You're his alibi
that he didn't shoot the guy.

I was mistaken.

Now that I think back,

he did kill that cop.

Joe, you can't do this.

Come on.

I've done prison.

I can't go back, I can't.

Beck is the guy
they're really after.

They're just using you.

We don't know that for sure!

Even if that's true,

they're still gonna try
to get me

on conspiracy
or something else!

Listen--
MORAN: No! No. I can't risk it.

They're offering me a chance
to go free here, I'm sorry.

Todd Beck is your friend.

Who tried to flip me!

Because he was tortured!

For God's sake, Joe,
don't do this.

What do I have to--
what do I have to bank on, huh?

A fair trial or justice?

I got a glimpse of justice
in that hospital room.

Five lawyers,
you guys couldn't do anything.

I don't wanna hurt Todd, but...

I got to save myself.

(sighs) Make the deal.

I won't.

I'm telling you as my attorney--
Then I'm withdrawing

as your attorney.

I will not commit fraud,

especially to help convict
an innocent man.

I'm done here.

Jimmy?

I expect our privileged
conversations

to stay privileged.

Wait just a second.

They take a statement

that they get as a result
of torture,

use it to get another statement

that they then use
against the guy

who was tortured?

How is that not
poisonous fruits?

YOUNG: Because it isn't.

No court has said so.

And Moran?

BERLUTI: He's already hired
a new attorney.

They're supposedly cutting
a deal as we speak.

SHORE: Sometimes the only
legitimate thing to do

is fight fire with fire.

Meaning?

Well, I have several
professional lady friends.

I say we catch this guy Walsh
on camera

in the act of getting fellatio,

blackmail him into dropping
the charges.

Trust me, it works.

I've settled at least three
cases this way.

WILSON: They've got him.
MAN (over TV): Information

is still coming in.

Mr. Beck was arrested

in the hospital and was,
in fact, released to police

by hospital officials.

He'll be arraigned shortly

at Suffolk Superior Court.

Beck was apprehended--
Well, gee, that's good to know.

I guess I better get down there.

YOUNG: Hold on.

I'm representing Beck.

MAN (over TV):
Police tell us at that time

Beck resisted arrest,
he himself was shot,

although not seriously wounded.

WALSH: Mrs. White.

I'm Kenneth Walsh,

the district attorney.

We've actually met before.

Yes.

Please accept my sincere
condolences.

Your husband
was an exceptional man,

an outstanding police officer.

Why was he killed?

Nobody is telling me
what happened.

We don't exactly know why yet.

Look,

we've got the guy.

We're about to arraign him,

but you don't need
to be here for this.

Go be with your family.

Let me take care of things
on this end.

I wanna see him.

I wanna see the face
of the man

who killed--
I really...

don't recommend that today.

Look, he's not getting out.

There'll be plenty of time
later at his trial.

Let me handle things,

okay?

(music playing)

WOMAN: Case number 72334,

Commonwealth versus Todd Beck,

charge of murder
in the first degree.

Eugene Young for the defendant,
Your Honor.

Waive reading, follow motion

to dismiss the charges.

And we ask, Your Honor,

given the illegal
and outrageous conduct

of the police
and district attorney,

we ask that this motion
be heard now.

Now?

Isn't that jumping the gun
slightly?

YOUNG: There is no gun,
Your Honor.

There is no case.

These charges are being
fabricated.

They were done so by means--
Did we fabricate

the death of Officer
Peter White?

Did we--
YOUNG: There is no witness.

There is no evidence.

There is no trace metal
or powder residue

to indicate that my client

ever fired
or even touched a gun.

We have a signed statement.

YOUNG: Which is the product
of torture,

the product of--
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Mr. Young, you seem a little
on the amped side here.

Todd Beck was shot
by the police.

He was then put in a room,

denied counsel,
denied medical treatment

while police officers
stuck a flashlight

and other foreign objects
into the wound.

They did so for three hours

until they coerced him

into giving a statement
against Joe Moran.

They then used the statement

to leverage Mr. Moran
against Todd Beck.

Mr. Moran was, in fact,

arrested for this murder

at 3:00 this morning.

And represented by you,
by the way.

Not anymore.
We now represent Mr. Beck.

There's a conflict of interest.

Which pales in the face
of torture.

TEMPLE: All right.

Mr. Walsh,

did you coerce a statement
from Mr. Beck?

I wasn't in the room,
Your Honor,

when the statement was given.

You heard the screaming.

He'd been shot.

TEMPLE: Mr. Walsh,

if you get cute with me,

you will not like my finding.

What happened?

Let's assume it happened exactly
as Mr. Young says.

So what?

If the police coerced
a statement from Mr. Beck,

it's not being used here.

We're relying
on Mr. Moran's statement.

Which you only got

by threatening him
with prosecution.

Which we do all the time.

Forsaking criminal
charges is a...

negotiating tactic

used by every
law enforcement agency

in the country.
Not every agency

commits acts of torture,
Mr. Walsh.

I don't know for a fact
that torture

was committed,
Your Honor.

But once again,

any statements obtained

through that kind of coercion,

we would never seek
to introduce.

But they are using it.

They used a coerced statement

to ultimately get evidence
against my client.

That's poisonous fruits.
According to who?

There's no case law
supporting that.

TEMPLE: What evidence

does the Commonwealth have
against the defendant?

The surviving police officer

will testify
about being shot at.

She'll testify that she saw
Mr. Beck flee the scene.

He ran from the police.

Mr. Moran will testify

that his friend was the shooter.

Call me crazy,
but that's a case.

Mr. Moran's statement is a lie.

WALSH: That's for a jury
to decide, not you.

Your Honor...

I realize we live
in different times.

The Supreme Court has eroded
the exclusionary rule,

we have laws called
the patriot act.

We detain suspects for months,
even years,

without even giving them
a hearing.

We declare persons
of interest--

You're getting off track.

I'm on the track!

I'm on the track.

With each passing day,

we're becoming more
and more a police state.

We no longer hold dear
civil rights.

We no longer lay claim
to expectations of privacy.

In our new world,

we even embrace
this loss of freedoms,

so long as it makes us
feel safe.

But when police officers
commit acts of torture,

there comes a point
where we as lawyers,

as judges,
as guardians of democracy,

where we have to say,
"enough,"

they locked a wounded man
in a room--

Your Honor?

Enough.

(music playing)

The fact that he even took it
under advisement

is a good sign.

For him to consider kicking it
at the arraignment stage,

obviously,
their case looks weak.

I still like my hooker idea.

STRINGER: Ellenor's right.

Even if we go to trial,

all they have
is Moran's statement,

which we can easily attack.

I still don't even know
why they're bringing this case

and with such a rush.

A cop is dead.

STRINGER: Jimmy, there still
needs to be evidence,

for God sakes.

I mean, this just doesn't make
sense.

(sighs)

The judge is back.

(music playing)

MAN: All rise.

Be seated.

I have a 10-year-old son.

Sometimes, I help him
with his homework,

and with math,

he's required to show the work.

It's too bad we don't require
the same of law enforcement.

The police don't have to show
their methodology,

only the evidence that they
actually introduce,

and if anyone needs proof
of the potential for abuse,

we need only look at this case.

Mr. Walsh,

I'm disgusted.

I wish that you had the guts
to prosecute

the officers involved here.

Clearly, you don't,

perhaps because of your own
culpability.

To think that my son

might grow up in your legacy,

it horrifies me.

But Mr. Young,

the evidence being introduced
here against your client,

however reprehensibly obtained,

is technically admissible.

Mr. Moran was not tortured.

His statement,

though made under the threat
of criminal prosecution,

was voluntary.

It stands.

Your motion for dismissal
is denied.

Trial date is set
for June the 6th.

The defendant is held
without bail.

We're adjourned.

Hard fought, Eugene.

I thought you argued well.

For the record,

I consider your guy guilty.

For the record,

you tortured him.

Look, Eugene,

I don't know exactly
what happened on the street

the other night
and neither do you.

Six months.

Six months?

For a cop killer?

We drop the murder charges.

He pleads guilty
to unlawful discharge

of a firearm
within city limits.

I need a response now.

My response is
you'd never offer this

if you really thought
he was guilty.

You can't find the gun,
you have no evidence,

you know you'll lose.
WALSH: You wanna run

the risk of a trial, Eugene?

Fine.

But I'd certainly get
your client's input

before exposing him
to a life sentence

with no parole.

You got a bad shoot

and then you torture
an innocent kid

to cover your--
WALSH: We maintain

the shoot was justified.

I'm offering an out, Eugene.

For who?

I've offered your client
six months

for a class B misdemeanor.

If you feel the need
to reject that,

then please do,

but again,

you might wanna run it
by the client.

(music playing)

(knocks on door)

Beck took the deal.

He had to, Eugene.

He couldn't risk a murder trial.

And as weak
as their case was...

he had to.

No argument.

You okay?

Fine.

(sighs deeply)

Of everything that happened
in the last 24 hours,

the most frightening to me

is the look of futility
in your eyes.

Eugene,

people like you,

they can't give up.

Most people don't wanna live
in a police state.

Most people still believe

that civil liberties
and human rights

are more important than just
rounding up bad guys.

And with the erosion
of our basic human rights

and everything else
that is going on

in this country,

what most people need right now,

desperately need,

is for men like you

not to give up.

(music playing)

(music playing)

WOMAN: You stinker!

(music playing)