Original subtitles

Narrator: In the criminal justice system, the people are represented

by two separate yet equally important groups——

the police, who investigate crime,

and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

Man: So we go into this place——

this SRO up on 113th Street,

and we hear this guy, muffled like,

going, "Help, help," but inside someplace.

We search. We can't find this guy.

This room is maybe 12' by 12'

There's not a lot of space to hide.

Can't find him, until Handler looks up,

and sees this guy—— jaybird naked

gaffer—taped to the ceiling. ( chuckles )

I'm telling you—— (screaming)

Hey, hey! My dog!

He just found something down there!

I think it's a guy or something.

I don't know if he's dead or hurt!

Oh, my God! Somebody——

Back here.

It's right over here. At first I thought it was a glove or something.

( stammering ) Look at it.

( police radio chatter, camera clicking )

Ready? Lift. Yeah.

He's hurt pretty bad, but he's not dead.

I.D.’? Nope, nothing on him.

Hey, Bobby, make sure you bag it all!

( engine starts, siren blares )

Max: He gonna wake up’?

The nurses' pool says no.

How much is in the pct? 30 bucks.

If they were sure, there'd be at least 100.

He's got a shot. Come here, let me show you.

There's a hairline fracture and subdural hematoma.

Bad enough, but it looks worse than it is.

Just a love tap. Whoever did it wasn't trying to kill him.

I'm sure his family will find that comforting.

The blow to the head doesn't worry me as much as the heart attack.

Heart attack’? Caused by the bIoW?

Impossible to tell. He could have had the heart attack first.

But...

there is one odd thing. Yeah’?

His underpants were on backwards.

( theme music playing )

( phone ringing, chatter)

Logan: Ugh—— what the hell is that?

Glass eye—— garbage.

Hey, listen to this.

When I worked the 9th, we'd get a scratch, Tompkins Square,

so we nose around the pants, the streets, blah, blah, blah.

What do we find under the bench?

A hand—— a human hand

with the watch still on the wrist, ticking.

Ugh!

Brontosaurus rex—— garbage.

Rolling papers...

maybe.

Bingo!

All right!

7:00 or 8:00, I don't know.

Dinner was on the table when he called.

Did you know where he was going’?

Just that he had to work late,

and... I'm sorry.

I was up most of the night.

These picturesjust came back from being processed.

May I’?

Woman : I don 't understand.

Irv doesn't wom anywhere near Central Pam.

Where does he work’?

Max: So, you left with Mr. Diamond?

Woman: About 5:30.

He said he wanted to discuss receivables——

over a drink at Jangle's.

Did you do a lot of yourwork with him over drinks?

I like myjob—— but not that much.

Thank you.

Man: Sure, I remember him.

Comes in here once or twice a month,

"window shopping,"

then he goes home to the wifey.

What about last night?

Last night he's with some knockout

who's trying to pretend she's got nothing to look at.

Now me, I wouldn't go near one like that.

First it's "Don 't touch, don 't touch, "

and then it's "Why not? Why not?" ( chuckles )

Did you think they were gonna go take a swim,

orjust sit on the beach?

She wasn't interested.

The guy was in heat. He's pawing her,

she's got zero interest and she walks.

And. ..? And——

in come the "BBQs"--

Brooklyn—Bronx—Queens——

the bridge— and—tunnel set.

Teased—hair teasers.

He goes after three in a row, bim, bam, bom.

The Mike Tyson of romance.

I mean, dead meat.

So... I buy him a drink,

he buys himself a couple or three more,

and by the time he left,

he couldn't walk.

Thanks.

Another strikeout. What have we got left?

Five block radius, we got the Pequot,

the Standish, the Stanley.

Then you get past that—— Then?!

In his condition, you think he'd make it more than five blocks?

Let's work the phones. I don't want this to get cold.

I don't get it, Max. It'sjust a little "humma—humma."

Did you see the pictures? So? Lots of vics got kids.

Until you have some, you won't understand.

Mr. Diamond—— ah, yes.

He checked in last night,

about 8:00—— alone,

no luggage, gold card.

Maid just cleared up his room.

The maid quarters are downstairs?

Uh-huh. Thanks a lot.

(steam hissing )

( slowly ) Did you clean his room this morning?

Did you see anything out of the ordinary?

Signs of a fight, blood?

Did he use his bed?

Did you find anything in the room?

Please get it—— please.

( steam hisses )

"Personals for Pleasure."

(chuckling)

A sports fan.

Gracias. Don't read that, you'll go blind.

(cart rumbling)

( mutters ) Wait a minute...

Man: 50 cents!

I've been working hotels for 40 years,

and I ain't seen a two—bit tip since those Kennedys been in office.

You see what I'm getting at?

Then this duke asks me about

getting a gin.

And I tell him——

"A big tipper like you don't need no girl."

And that's when he ordered the champagne?

No, later. He ordered two glasses,

so I figure he solved that problem by himself.

Now, when I get to his room,

he's in his drawers and socks,

and on the bed is this blonde.

A cute little thing with a farmgirl face.

The "farmgirl" got a name?

E ven/one got a name, but he don't call her nothing that I hear.

They talk about anything?

She's talking, and talking to him,

and I figure she's talking a little Iovey.

But she wasn't talking that.

What were they talking about?

Pool! ( cackles )

20th precinct shoots tomorrow night, fellows.

Sergeant Greevey, Detective Logan.

Which one of us got a problem?

Logan: A blonde. That's helpful.

We're looking for a young girl with a fresh face,

happens to be a blonde.

Very wholesome, likes to play pool.

Ring a bell? Could be Jolene.

She in some kind oftrouble?

I don't know her last name.

Green League, Tuesdays.

She started playing in July. I remember she came in after the 4th.

What team she play on? They call themselves the "Femme Fatales."

Can you believe that? Pool's "in."

We got all kinds of teams, gin teams, gay teams.

We even got a team of transvestites—— as long as they pay their fee.

How does she pay? Cash or check?

Check, some business——

funny name.

Messilina.

Max: Yeah?

Yeah!

Correspondence Unit report on Messilina.

No liens, no credit codes, no judgments,

no records of any Messilina Corporation.

Hold on.

I got a DEA.

County clerk? Yeah.

"Messilina Enterprises doing business——

as 'Poppy Catering'“

Address?

"6—8-9

East 79th Street."

That puts it right in the middle ofthe East River!

Thanks.

Great.

What noW? ( mutters )

Our Mr. Diamond, maybe he'll wake up and tell us what happened.

Oh, yeah, right.

This Diamond guy, he's got a nice wife,

he's got three kids. What's he doing going to a hooker?

Your objection moral or economic?

I'll tell you this, I'm never gonna pay for it.

( chuckles ) Let's talk about it

after you've been married for 20 or 30 years,

and have nothing more to look forward to

than "more ofthe same home cooking."

What are you saying? You'd do it?!

Me? I'm lucky. I like my wife's cooking.

But I don't judge.

You can never know someone else's story.

Wait a minute! "Poppy Catering"?

Yeah?

"Poppy Escorts"!

Pow!

What can I tell you? That's the way I like them——

young, fresh, blonde——

wholesome, like they just came off a farm.

Thank you.

(knocking) Just a minute.

Be right there.

( knocking )

Coming, coming.

Here I am. Sorry.

Hi, guy. Hi.

I'm Jolene.

You can call me Mike.

I'll call you "Daisy" if you want——

but what's your real name?

Mike.

Where are you from... "Mike"?

( chuckles )

Upstate.

I sure hope you have a plane ticket.

Uh...

Now, Mike... you're not

the kind of guy who would take offense

if I asked you a personal question?

No, not at all.

Are you a cop?

( laughs )

No, why? Your shoes.

Brogans. And knit socks.

Cop shoes, cop socks.

Look...

I'm not a cop.

It's $220 for a half—hour,

$250 for an hour,

and for that you get "straight,"

or "half and half."

What do you say to that-— "Mike"?

I say, "You're under arrest."

You said you weren't a cop.

I lied.

Isn't there some kind of illegal thing about that?

What? Lying?

I'm allowed to lie. They pay me to lie.

( typing continues )

It doesn't seem right.

Maybe we can work something out.

Like what?

We know you were with a guy named Diamond

the night before last. What happened?

The night before last?

I was...

"upstate."

Max! Hospital just called.

Diamond had another coronary.

He's dead.

I sure hope you have a plane ticket.

You don't understand.

I didn't realize he was still alive.

I thought he was dead.

I've never seen anyone die before.

Honey, just tell us what happened.

I called my driver.

He was waiting for me in the garage.

He told me to split.

So I went home.

You didn't try to give him CPR?

Oh, God! I didn't know he was still alive.

He wasn't breathing.

I got scared, okay?

I would neverjust leave somebody to die.

Do you think he would have been——

all right?

How did he get to Central Park?

I don't know.

You'd have to ask Cookie. Cookie Molina.

The driver.

Where can we find him?

In his car, I guess.

He works out at the West End Garage.

Max: You guys know a guy named Cookie?

Yeah, he's right over there. Thanks.

Yo! Cookie Molina?

Who wants to knoW?

I thought "Cookie" was a girl's name.

Come on, get out ofthe car, get out.

Cops!

So, tell us about Mr. Diamond.

Never heard of him.

Oh! I hope you belong to a softball league, Cookie.

He must be an all—star.

He's hitting the ball so hard, he's making it bleed.

Logan : Mr. Diamond—— they found

tiny, wooden slivers in his head.

Somebody hit him with something.

Yeah, something—— like this.

Like a bat. Could've even been this bat.

And since you don't know Mr. Diamond,

we'll take it down to the lab and see what they turn up.

Look, the guy, Diamond, was dead before I hit him.

Heart attack.

Logan : Wrong order, Cookie.

Heart attack, you hit him...

then he died.

No way, he was history in the room.

I'm afraid the hospital where he croaked,

would disagree.

Why don't you just talk it through, hmm?

BIow—by—blow.

Jolene beeps me.

I go up——

the john's lying there.

He ain't moving. He ain't breathing.

I call Jasmine——

Jasmine?

She runs the day—to—day. I tell her, "We got trouble."

She puts me on hold,

comes back a minute later and says,

"Dress the guy. " Diamond?

Diamond. "Pretend he's drunk, take him to the car,

dump him someplace, make it look like a mugging."

So I drive the car to the park,

dump him, turn out his pockets,

toss his key and wallet into the bushes.

Then you hit him. When I told Jasmine, she freaked.

"What did ya do that for?" she's screaming.

It's not my fault.

She said, "Make it look like a mugging."

You did a good job.

I can see the future.

Oh yeah? You guys are gonna read me my rights.

( saxophone jazz music playing )

Sultry woman: Hello.

I'm Jasmine.

Hello.

I believe you asked for me?

Yeah.

First time?

What?! ( laughing )

First time here?

Yeah.

Well, relax, hmm?

We're gonna have a good time.

Did they explain the rates downstairs?

No.

It's $250 an hour,

I... don't do halves,

Congratulations——

you just said the magic word.

Look at me, I'm overweight.

Suppose I had a bad heart like Diamond,

doesn't that bother you?

Give me a break.

Does Jack LaLanne ask for a cardiogram?

Johns are big boys.

If they choose to go to an escort service——

You mean "whorehouse", don't you?

You know, you should have sent your partner.

I don't usually do discipline,

but I would love to teach him some manners.

(dry chuckle)

Whoa! In and out—— just like work, huh?

I'm only as quick as the guy I'm with.

You—— look like under a minute.

Joe, her lawyer—— this guy AuCIair,

just set a new record, bail in under an hour.

You know anything about him? He dresses sharp.

Aside from that. I've never seen him around these parts before.

Not a regular pross-pumper.

What do you think?

Of a hooker who's got a lawyer who looks like

he spends more on clothes than I make in a year?

I think whoever's paying his bill ought to adopt me.

(laughing)

Logan: What's it been, eight hours?

I hate this.

What do we got?

Well...

Jasmine's lawyer——

Roger AuCIair, Esquire,

has never handled a press bust before.

In the last three years, AuCIair handled

only 34 criminal cases.

Nothing complicated, all the rest corporate stuff.

Favors for corporate clients.

He's the firm's fixer.

19 drug—related charges,

seven larceny or shoplifting,

six assault,

wife—beating, husband—beating, pet poodle—beating.

More dropped charges.

What do you say we pack it in,

catch a couple or three hours sleep?

Roach coach is open.

Let's get some fresh coffee.

Five possibilities left, Max.

There you go, have a good day.

Hey!

We should have started at the other end ofthe pile.

Four months ago, AuCIair starts a Theft of Services case

against a guy named Stringfellow, on behalf of——

Poppy Catering!

Stringfellow's wife—— she won't pay the bill.

This is the part ofthejob that I like.

Beautiful, Max.

Mrs. Stringfellow: Yes, we are being sued by Poppy Catering.

But, gentlemen, they are not caterers.

They are whores.

Whores my husband used.

And charged on his gold card.

Yes, but I'm sure I don't need to remind you

that a contract entered into for an illegal act——

is void.

In any case, I certainly

do not intend to pay this bill.

It's the principle of the thing.

And what about the publicity?

I had a little research done.

The woman who is running "Poppy Catering,"

this whorehouse,

is a Winthrop.

Laura Winthrop.

Her mother is a Matthews.

I went to Spence with her.

Laura...

is a very capable woman.

She holds an MBA from Harvard.

Imagine, my husband paid $1, 000

for four hours' service.

That's almost as much as I'm paying my divorce lawyer.

Got everything? We all set?

We got our warrant, what else do we need?

You're cranky when you don't sleep at night.

Cranky? I love this.

Let's go bust a prostitute.

Whoo! Look at the size ofthis place.

( doorbell ringing )

( guests chatter)

Max: Police here to see Laura Winthrop.

Search warrant!

Max: Laura IMnthrop, you have the right to remain silent

and refuse to answer questions. Do you understand?

How does the defendant plead?

Not guilty, Your Honor.

I assume you are requesting bail?

AuCIair: We are, Your Honor.

Prosecution does not consider Ms. Winthrop a flight risk, Your Honor.

However, the 35—woman prostitution ring,

which the defendant ran, is one ofthe largest

and most lucrative uncovered in recent years.

Listen up, Andrew, and get some pointers!

( laughter) ( gavel bangs )

I gather this is alleged to be an efficiently run business?

Stone: Thoroughly computerized, with a client list

that includes doctors, diplomats,

CEO's of some of the city's largest corporations——

Judge: Get to the point, Mr. Stone.

Despite the impressive list of assets,

promoting prostitution

is still merely a Class D felony.

This office requests bail commensurate

with the serious impact of the crime

on the moral fibre of this community.

Ya hear that, Andrew? Fiber!

I told you we all need fiber!

( raucous laughter)

Ladies and gentlemen!

I realize it's late,

and all of us, including me, would rather be somewhere else,

but since we are compelled to spend some time together,

perhaps we could have a little order?!

Bail, $5,000.

( reporters shouting )

Pardon? Watch your step.

Reporter: ...excessive? No, not at all.

IMll this affect your catering—— Yes, and they weren't even invited.

And here I am at night court in my peafls——

Counselor!

You're treading water.

My client invested in the catering business.

She knew nothing about, and had nothing to do with prostitution.

The records we got in the bust give us a good start proving otherwise.

Circumstantial at best.

See you in court.

Winthrop: .. This city? I can't imagine. ( reporters laughing )

It stinks.

The DA ain't gonna give you a total walk, Cookie.

You want to nail Winthrop?

I can sing you a top—10 hit,

but I gotta slide to a misdemeanor and time served.

Give him the walk.

If people only knew.

Do you know how many john's heads thisjerk

has probably hit fungos with?

I don't care if he's the damned "Sultan of SNat."

I'm hunting for bigger fish, Max.

Her operation could kill hundreds. The deal is approved.

(phone ringing)

"Million Dollar Madam.

Blueblood busted in prostitution ring.

Cops called her Madame."

What do the telephone records say?

No calls to or from her apartment to the whorehouse.

She's smart.

But sloppy.

Last February—— the heat went off in the whorehouse.

Winthrop called the people who managed the building to complain.

She was so snobby on the phone.

When she called, she clearly identified herself?

Notjust on the phone, she came in.

Oh—— would you like a danish or some coffee?

No, thanks. Manager: What a scene.

You know, plumbers are not the easiest thing to get in New York City.

Not in the middle ofwinter, in the middle of the dinner hour.

I mean, it takes time, it takes a lot of doing.

But not for "Miss Impatience," no.

Well, maybe it's easier in hoity—toity Connecticut.

She said she was from Connecticut? No!

She reminds me of my sister—in—Iaw from Connecticut.

Ma'am, is this the woman who complained?

Yeah. ( laughing )

Yeah, she even looks like my sister—in—Iaw.

Did you copy the whole trick book?

Just the A—Iist. 15 names, each worth over a hundred mil.

Phipps MacKenzie, Colin Metcalf, David Hamilton——

it reads like the Social Register.

Child: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10.

Anyone around my base is it!

I understand your position.

But you understand, I'm sure, there's...

no way I could testify.

I understand your position, Mr. Hamilton,

but you're gonna be under subpoena.

I don't have to remind you what the penalties are for perjury.

You put me on the stand,

and I'll make damn sure you spend

the rest of your insignificant career prosecuting jaywalkers.

(sighs)

Thanks for your time, Mr. Hamilton.

And I hope your grandson has a happy birthday.

Ben!

( chuckles )

Looking for our lunch date?

I didn't know we were on for lunch.

We're not.

Oh... Hello, Paul.

Still flacking for the mayor?

You know, Paul, I really love your partner, here, so does the mayor, Ben.

He especially loves the WOW you 've been doing on prostitution.

He really thinks you should have a bigger staff, a bigger budget.

Maybe... there should be a task force,

which as you know, since crack has become much more visible,

much more aggressive, a major task force——

major effort. What do you think, Ben?

Are you interested?

I think we ought to put stocks—— two to a block,

guarded and heated—— all the way up and down Broadway.

Anyone convicted of possession of crack

has to sit in those stocks from sunup till sundown,

with a dunce cap and clown nose—— we'd clear up the problem in six months.

What do you think?

If that's the way you want to play it, Ben.

Gentlemen.

Ms. Winthrop's friends are getting nervous.

They're going to be looking for a scapegoat——

like maybe Jolene and Cookie conspired to roll Diamond.

We've got to make sure Jolene is not connected to Cookie.

Check the bat,

make sure her prints aren't on it.

Get a sample of her blood,

make sure there's no match with the blood found on Cookie's bat.

All cliches are true.

Such as?

"Politics makes strange bedfellows."

Murder two?! That's absurd.

Diamond died. You can't prove that was a result of a blow to the head.

I think I can prove your client had reckless disregard for human life.

Bull! Yeah? Let's see what thejury has to say.

Counselor!

All right, all right.

She'll plead to promoting prostitution.

I want her to do time.

What are you, a religious fanatic?

And more than one year. Iwant prison, notjail.

AuClair wants to make a deal.

And? I'm tempted. Is that the lab report?

The wood fiber found in Diamond's head matches——

Cookie's bat. The blood type on the bat——

Matched Diamond's? Some of it does.

There are other types. So, what's the problem?

All the lab reports came in——

including Jolene's.

Her blood was on the bat?

No... it wasn't that, but...

there's a new blind screening program for HIV.

She's got AIDS?

Makes her a hell of a compelling witness.

The public health angle is explosive.

Actually, I'm glad you called, Mr. Stone.

I've decided not to testify.

I'll plead to the prostitution charge.

I'm sorry. I really am.

I know you were counting on my testimony,

but Laura Winthrop's been good to me.

That's not why we're here.

It's not?!

Why?

The blood sample that was taken...

it became part of a blind test.

What kind of test?

An AIDS test?

They did an HIV test?

Yes.

No.

No, I was tested.

Two months ago.

All positives are double—checked.

(forced laugh )

Health food.

Robinette: We've got her nailed on the prostitution charge.

It's the other charges that are gonna put her behind bars.

As my Dad used to say, "Unless you're holding a full house——

jacks high or better—— call, don't raise."

Your dad was a philosopher.

With Jolene and Cookie, I'm still in the game.

Sounds like a low pair to me.

Yourwife has been an invalid for 14 years, is that correct?

Yes. Stone: During that time,

have you had any occasion to use the services of prostitutes?

Witness: Yes.

Stone: How many? Maybe... 2,000.

Have you ever used the same woman twice?

Not often.

Most of the girls weren't worth using once, let alone twice.

( laughter )

What about Jolene Curtis?

Jolene?

I used herwhenever she was available.

She's very, very good at what she does.

What does she do?

Oh, she gets you very, very excited.

Whatever she does,

is it hard on the heart?

She's hard on everything.

( laughter )

Stone: Mr. Hamilton, can you tell me about the whipping incident?

What I did at Ms. Winthrop's establishment,

didn't exactly involve any whipping.

Wasn't a whip in the room?

Was anyone holding the whip?

( faintly ) The young lady.

I'm sorry, I can't hear you. Would you please speak up?

The young woman...

was holding the whip.

I don't recall her name.

Your witness.

I know how awkward——

how embarrassing

this situation must be for you.

I wonder if you would mind

elaborating on your visit

to Ms. Winthrop's service?

With the young woman, about the whip...

she only used it to dress up.

Playing... make—believe?

Yes.

AuClair: Helping to alleviate

the perfectly understandable

ennui that comes after so many years of marriage?

They're buying it. Yep.

Cookie: Jasmine had to check with IMnthrop whenever

there were problems with the clients.

Stone: These clients, were they generally healthy or not?

Sure, the service had clients

who weren't in the best of health.

Men with bad hearts, like Mr. Diamond?

I don't know about Mr. Diamond's heart.

Did any other of her clients have bad hearts?

Look, their hearts——

that's not the part of their anatomy

the girls were most involved with.

Answer the question, Mr. Molina.

A lot ofthe guys I drive,

I heard them complaining to the girls

about their wives,

their work.

They're a tense breed—— workaholics.

What was Ms. Winthrop's attitude toward them?

I never met Ms. Winthrop.

I know, but you must have overheard conversations she'd had about them.

Yeah, with Jasmine.

They were in the coffee shop near the service.

They didn't see me. They were joking about the "hard—driving johns."

What was her attitude?

Objection.

Supposition on the part of the witness.

He has no idea what Ms. Winthrop had in mind.

I'll rephrase the question.

Can you tell me exactly what Ms. Winthrop said?

Oh, yeah, it stuck in my mind.

She said, "A deuce——"

that's a two—hour session——

"will either kill 'em or cure 'em,

and I don't care which,

as long as their gold cards are still good."

AuClair: Your Honor, this man is despicable.

He's made a deal to walk

Yeah, but it didn't affect my memory.

I hear you're in trouble. Check your sources.

Molina gave us an early Christmas present.

( chuckles )

What was AuCIair's reaction?

Still wants to make a deal.

Yeah, well... you want my advice?

Make the deal.

You can't prove IMnthrop gave the order.

Why not?

What makes this case so important?

Adam, you got me wrong.

Are you going to make a deal with AuClair?

No, I mean they're all important.

(sighs)

It's going to be very bad if she walks.

She won't walk!

Stone: As a member of the Health and Human Resources Board,

you woflred on the ma yor's AIDS white paper?

I did. In that report,

how many prostitutes were presumed to be HIV—positive?

From 70 to 85%.

It's difficult to be more precise because of the virus' incubation time.

It ranges from months up to 10 years.

Thank you ven/ much.

I onlyjust found out I've got the AIDS virus.

Stone: How many men did you have sexual intercourse with

in the 18 months you woflred for Ms. Laura IMnthrop?

800.

Maybe 1,000.

Am I missing something here? she's our witness.

Watch. And during those 18 months,

you worked solely for Ms. Winthrop?

Yes. Sto n e : Your witness.

Ms. Curtis...

I'm sure that you 're aware,

the incubation period for HIV

can be up to 10 years?

Yes. Ms. Curtis,

were you a virgin

before you began your association

with Poppy Escorts?

Mmm... (nervous laugh)

A simple "yes" or "no" will suffice.

No.

No further questions.

Redirect, Your Honor. Go ahead, Mr. Stone.

Jolene...

before you went to work——

for Ms. I/Ifinthrop, how many men had you slept with?

Three.

And to your knowledge, are they all healthy?

They're very healthy.

The prosecution rests, Your Honor.

AuClair: Ms. Winthrop, are you concerned about the health of your employees?

Yes, I'm quite concerned about the health of my girls.

Along with regular check—ups,

I insist they carry medical insurance.

You urge them to seek psychotherapy?

Yes, that's one ofthe reasons

I insist they carry medical insurance.

It pays for the therapy. We do encourage it.

Thank you.

Your witness, sir.

Ms. Winthrop, this insistence on health insurance,

and medical check—ups,

do you do this out of altruism?

Let's say—— enlightened self—interest.

If my male guests were to pick up a bug——

Ms. Winthrop, do you consider AIDS a "bug"?

AIDS is a very serious disease, Mr. Stone.

That's why I don't want anyone in my little family infected.

So you screen prospective employees

and if any ofthem tested positive——

I wouldn 't hire her.

And they wouldn't be part of your "little family"?

My “little family“ was the best

finishing school on the East Coast.

Girls came to me without education,

without wit, without class.

I taught them how to speak, how to dress.

Aftera year, these naive young women

learned sophistication.

And for that, Ms. Winthrop, shame on you.

You act as though I don't care about them.

Let's talk about that.

Have you ever tried to help any ofthese girls,

like the ones that you didn't hire?

No.

Ifthey had ever tested positive for AIDS——

They would have to stop working for me.

In the past three years,

how many of your long—term employees

have stopped working for you

because they tested positive for AIDS?

I'd say about a dozen.

Have you tried to help any ofthem?

No.

Have you visited any of them?

Have you?

No.

Do you even know what's happened to them?

Tried to find out?

No.

I've never tried to find out.

Ms. Winthrop, how much money do you make from your business in one year?

In this past year? Yeah.

I really don't know.

$1 00, 00? Probably.

One million? I don't think so.

Oh?

I do think you do think so.

I think that you made $1 ,672,000.

At least, that's what you stated,

on your New York State income tax return.

And with all that money,

you didn't help these girls once.

And as for your customers—— Ms. Winthrop,

have you ever tried

to contact customers

and warn them that they had slept

with women who are HIV—positive?

( faintly ) No.

Ms. Winthrop, I can't hear you.

Would you please speak up?

( normally ) No.

So isn't it true, Ms. Winthrop, that you are creating

an atmosphere of reckless disregard for human life

which must inevitably lead to someone's death,

one way or another?

All right, Stone, what do you want?

Make me an offer.

Winthrop: Why don't we hear Mr. Stone's thoughts on the matter first?

I think it might be more appropriate if you let your lawyer handle this.

If you don't mind, I find this quite fascinating.

How about involuntary manslaughter?

I can be out in five years, right?

Two and a half with good behavior.

I'm always on my best behavior, Mr. Stone.

It's a deal.

Reporter: Excuse, me, Miss, can we get a comment

from you on the Winthrop case?

You were the foreman of the jury,

could you tell what the verdict would have been?

I can't speak for the others——

she seemed like such a nice girl——

uh, a real lady. Still...

I probably would have voted to convict.

Thank you.

Robinette: Maybe you shouldn't have done a deal.

Maybe...

but it ain't bad for a pair oftreys.

( theme music playing )