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Tonight, on A Close Look, the nocturnal world of criminal justice in Manhattan.

All right, here are the rules.

No one talks in my court. Get that?

No one.

Okay, I might have to.

A world where society has gone astray, and unsung workers labor tirelessly to

uphold the law.

Workers? Like the district attorney.

To be a good DA, you've got to be tough.

But I think you'll find that away from court that I'm white, well -respected,

even maybe, well, a little admired by the people I work with.

The man's a pig.

A filthy, disgusting pig.

The public defender.

Hello, my name is Christine Sullivan. I've been assigned to defend you.

FIBA versus Manny, the court clerk.

I can call up schedule, case, prize, whatever, just by doing this.

Financial criminal court part two is now in session.

The judge.

I'm going to have to rule in favor of the defendant.

Struggling to keep things moving and in perspective.

You held up an international house of pancakes?

How waffle.

The arraignment process.

For some, the road to exoneration.

For others, the road to incarceration.

I'm Ed Druthers.

Join me in viewing justice in its most primitive state as we take a close look

at Manhattan's night court.

It's 3 p .m., and the night shift begins its workday in the cafeteria with some

conversation and a cup of coffee.

Yeah, I guess it's become something of a nightly ritual getting together with a

gang like this.

We like to catch up on some of the nutty things we do outside of work. Oh, yeah?

Like what?

Oh, gosh.

Well,

I didn't have to think about that.

Oh, Matt!

Mac was just telling us about what he did on his weekend. Oh, yeah, yeah,

I rented one of those rug shampoos. And darn if I didn't use too much soap.

Had to rinse three times.

It's shag, you know.

As Robinson drones out about his shag, the group is joined by assistant D .A.,

Dan Fielding. Hey, what a night. Put a few more notches on the old bedpost last

night.

I'm a woodcarver.

It's an hour before session in the holding cell.

Just another day as prisoners are processed for arraignment.

Are you presently sick or taking any medication?

No, ma 'am. Are you currently under doctor supervision?

No, ma 'am. Are you looking for an intelligent single woman who likes good

witty conversation, and kickboxing by moonlight?

Okay, let's move it!

They are taking their first steps into the most overworked judicial system in

the nation.

First of all, let's see.

How would you describe tonight? Slow, medium, busy?

Well, let's see.

I'd say we're a little busier than normal.

Despite the overcrowding, Shannon assured me they were staying on top of

But we found evidence to the contrary.

You've been here how long, Mr. Borelli?

41 hours.

41 hours. And he still hasn't been arraigned. How do you explain it?

Well, either he's an apparition composed of antimatter from a parallel universe,

or we made a boo -boo.

So how does a man get lost in the system for 41 hours?

In this case, Borelli was arrested at the 33rd Precinct. Some doofus put him

the bus to the women's jail instead of here. You were sent to a women's

detention center.

Deloused in jail with 300 women.

Why didn't you say anything?

Would you?

Ironically, Borelli's side trip may have earned him his freedom. If a prisoner

isn't arraigned within 48 hours, he must be set free. But not everyone can get

off on a technicality. So most welcome the help of a good lawyer.

Hello, my name is Christine Sullivan. I've been assigned to defend you.

Seven years.

And one of the most thankless jobs in the legal system.

Why do you stay at it? It's the greatest job in the world. Because I get to roll

up my sleeves and fight for a person who might not otherwise be able to defend

themselves.

And for those who find the system a little bit overwhelming, I like to

it and try to make them feel as comfortable as possible.

And then we'll plead not guilty and we'll get a trial date and I'm sure that

judge will waive bail. Do you have any questions?

Excuse me, did anyone happen to speak any Hindi, Danny?

It's 3 .42, and Sullivan meets with her 15th client of the night, Lori Quinn,

booked for assault on her husband's alleged mistress.

You know, I think you can relax, Mrs. Quinn. I'm sure the judge will reduce

charges. It was a crime of passion for which you show obvious remorse.

No, I don't. Men are pigs.

I don't really mean that. Oh, sure.

I suppose your husband never cheated on you.

Well, actually, he never had a chance.

We were really only married for a day.

I see.

So I guess he got what he wanted.

At 347, Bailiff Bull Shannon leads six defendants into the courtroom before

session even starts.

Bull, what the hell are you doing?

We're overcrowded down in Holy, so the head bailiff told me to bring these

prisoners up to you.

Bull, when you take prisoners out of a cell, you're supposed to give them back

their belts.

The job of prosecuting these cases falls to Assistant DA Dan

Fielding. A 14 -year veteran of the DA's office, Fielding is a man who exudes

self -confidence, a man who knows what he wants.

Watching you in action, one gets the impression you really enjoy your work.

I love my work.

I guess it's because I feel as though I'm really making a difference.

It's a tough battle, but it's one we have to win.

And if we don't?

Chaos. Anarchy.

After all, laws are what separate men from bees.

It's been said you have big ambitions.

Don't we all?

You've run for public office twice.

You lost both times.

Win some, you lose some.

You lost to a dead man.

All right, fine.

But I ran an honest campaign.

And I'm proud to say that I had the guts to take a stand on the issues of

morality and ethics.

Excuse me.

Yes, Miss Homesteader?

The building manager's here. He says someone saw you sneaking quarters out of

the coffee kitty.

With 132 cases on the docket, Fielding can't prosecute them all, so he plea

bargains as many as he can.

McAnally. Yeah, this guy, he's a family man. You have to charge him with

indecent exposure.

He shows up at a public beach wearing nothing more than a hot dog bug and a

relish. What am I supposed to charge him?

Vending without a license?

Eventually, deals are made, including one for John Borelli, who is now but in

custody for 42 hours.

The DA has decided to reduce charges to assault two if you plead guilty.

Otherwise, it's armed robbery.

Hey, why should I agree to anything, huh?

If they don't arraign me in the next couple hours, I walk, right?

Well, right.

But that's a gamble. I mean, this is for sure six months in jail.

Finally, the deals are struck, the docket is set, and Bailiff Russell makes

final security check in the courtroom.

Excuse me, sir. May I inspect your briefcase?

Thank you.

All rise.

Manhattan Criminal Court Part 2 is now in session.

The Honorable Harold T. Stone presiding.

Judge Harry Stone is known as a maverick with little regard for traditional

ideas of how a judge should behave.

All right, in light of all this evidence, I assume that I'm going to

rule in favor of the defendant.

Harry, are you out of your mind? Look at him. He's obviously lying. Anybody with

an ounce of common sense could see that.

Yet despite his unusual style, Stone commands a high degree of loyalty from

troops. I'd gladly swallow molten lava for that man.

Fortunately, he's never asked me to.

Oh, I've worked with Harry, Judge Stone, for about five years now. And over that

time, we've developed a very close relationship.

Oh, that didn't come out right. I mean, it's not like we have a relationship

relationship.

You know what I mean.

Harry, he's okay.

You want to get that thing out of my face?

People shouldn't jump to conclusions just because two co -workers have

a certain amount of personal rapport.

Why are you looking at me like that?

I have nothing but the highest respect and admiration for Judge Harry Stone.

I expect to see him on the Supreme Court one day.

Excuse me, there was a noise outside. Can you repeat that for us?

Jeez, how many times did you expect me to say this without barfing?

All right, we kissed a couple of times.

But this is not his baby.

649. Laurie Quinn and Lucy Walsh are brought before Judge Stone.

Mrs. Quinn here attacked Miss Walsh after catching her and Mr. Quinn in

flagrante delecto.

What are you talking about? He was in the sack with her.

Slut. Shrew.

Tart. Vixen.

Witch.

Jezebel. Ladies, ladies, ladies, ladies. Now that we have exhausted every word

in the bitch family.

Actually, sir, they left out Strumpet, Slattern, Meritrix, Harlot, and Demi

Moore.

Under threat of contempt, the women calmed down, and the prosecution

its case. Sir, people call as a witness Mr. Quinn, also known as...

The Bridgeport Lobster.

The Bridgeport Lobster is a mascot for a minor league baseball team visiting New

York. I know what you're thinking, Judge.

You'd expect better behavior than this from the lobster.

So did you use a bib and a little butter on the side?

Under oath, Quinn testifies that Miss Walsh is not his mistress, but his

masseuse, who he frequently employs to help stay loose.

I work hard. Being a lobster requires skill and timing.

I mean, it takes years of training to do what I do. What do you mean, running

around on top of a dugout looking like a goof? Don't get started with me,

Laurie.

You're going to be walking sideways when I'm through with you. I do not walk

sideways. How many times do I have to tell you? I am a lobster, not a crab.

Before the quins come to blows, Judge Stone recesses and orders the couple to

conference room to work out their differences.

Crowded jails, crushing caseloads, weary, overworked personnel.

Yet the system seems to somehow function.

Or does it?

You're under arrest!

Long hours, overwhelming workload, lousy food.

You must be under a lot of stress, yet you all seem to get along.

How is that?

I guess it's because we're all such good friends.

Yep. Yep. And when you have friends, you have to stick good with the best.

Yeah. You know, like when a guy prattles on endlessly about his wife's little

idiosyncrasy. Or when a guy holds up court to wash out his eyes because he

maced by the sandwich girl.

Or when somebody orders a public employee to take his armadillo to be

Or when somebody dries out his boxer shorts on the judge's personal hot

Obviously, tension is inevitable, but each has their own way of

dealing with the pressures of the job.

I like to collect various items of historical importance.

Christine Sullivan is a connoisseur of Charles and Di memorabilia.

Chuck and Di teacups. Chuck and Di dinnerware.

Chuck and Di bedroom slippers.

Even Chuck without Di.

Oh, and I have a Charles and Di desk platter.

You know, some people say that I look a little like Princess Di, but I don't see

the resemblance myself.

Do you?

Well, I find classical music in the car on the way home helps me unwind.

Excuse me.

Yeah? I have the video store on hold. You were supposed to return Spank Me

Doctor two weeks ago.

Bela Bull Shannon also uses music as a release.

One person who seemingly has no tension to work off is court clerk Mack

Robinson. Your co -workers call you the most relaxed, easy -going guy in the

building. What's your secret?

Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because I have a stable home life. And the others

don't.

Don't make me laugh.

What do you mean?

Between you and me, the only woman who's seen Harry's apartment in the last year

is his cleaning lady, Imelda.

And Dad, his idea of commitment is exchanging last names.

Really?

And Christine, well, I mean, she's nice, but she's a little uptight.

When she found out her cat was a Tom, she wouldn't let him sleep in her bed.

Let me know before you turn that camera on.

Before the late session, Robinson reminds Stone of the 48 -hour deadline

Borelli case.

Stone assures his clerk that they'll arraign the man.

Of course, nowadays, everything is pretty routine. Very little surprises me

anymore.

What prisoner?

You know, Borrelli!

The prisoner that reporter's asking all those dumb questions about.

Are you telling me there's a dangerous criminal out there roaming the

halls?

No, sir.

As a seasoned professional, I always make sure that before I release my grip

an inmate, he's secured to a stationary object.

And where is that?

I'm not at liberty to divulge that at this time.

Stone reassures the nervous bailiff and suggests he retrace his steps to

remember where he left Borelli. Retrace my steps.

Good thinking, sir.

Let's see.

The last thing I did was... Your Honor!

Your Honor, I lost a prisoner!

Meanwhile, remember the Quinn, the lonely lobster, and his irate wife?

Judge Stone had ordered them confined to this interview room together.

He figured...

Given the chance, the couple might work out their differences.

This camera recorded their progress.

While the Quinns communicated and Bailiff Shannon searched for Borelli,

the court staff prepared for evening session.

I am scum and I'm in jail.

I am scum and I'm in jail. Won't get out till I make bail. Won't get out till I

make bail.

Sound off. We're scums. Once more.

We're bums. Bring it on down now.

The evening's cases run the gamut from the supernatural.

You say you weren't trespassing. Rather, you're a visitor from the spirit world.

To more typical domestic squabbles. He's always demanding something, Your Honor.

I can't sit down for three seconds before he's yelling, give me this, give

that. Where's my food? Where's my paper?

Finally, the abuse became physical.

And that's when I told that pig to stop it.

Mark, who's a pig? Who's a pig?

I'm on a cracker.

I'm on a cracker. Give me the pretty wrestle. Give me the pretty wrestle.

Oh, please, do it again. I'll make him stop. I'll make him stop.

It's been a particularly brutal session. But as they hit the homestretch, Stone

is still trying to keep things light. This is the third time the defendant has

been caught breaking into the butcher shop.

So we meet again.

I would have thought by now he'd moined his lesson.

But apparently he doesn't know what's at stake here.

Hey, where are you guys going?

This is prime stuff.

Outside the courtroom, bailiff Shannon is still seeking missing prisoner John

Borelli. Let's see. I wave to the janitor.

stepped over his bucket, and then I ran around the corner.

1121. Stone orders the Quinns back into his chambers, only to learn they still

haven't worked things out.

He's never home.

Being the lobster is all that matters to him.

Hey, you can't tell me you don't get a charge out of when people say, hey,

goes Mrs.

Lobster. And thanks to me, you got to meet Chuck Carter.

Again, the argument rages, but finally, there's a breakthrough.

I'm out there night after night working my tail off for you and the kids.

All I ever wanted was your approval.

How could I approve of something that takes you away from me?

Being a lobster is my life.

Pinching kids, poking the public.

It's who I am.

And what makes me somebody special?

Oh, my God.

But Mrs. Quinn didn't worry, for Stone sees an opening.

You know, Walt, you don't have to go on the road to pinch kids and poke folks.

There must be hundreds of places right in Bridgeport that could use a good

lobster like you.

Walt is skeptical, but Stone points out that many businesses hire mascots for

publicity purposes.

He's right, Walt.

I just heard...

Sid's Seafood House just had to let their clam go.

See?

You think Sid would give a lobster a chance? Oh, he'd be crazy not to, Walt.

You're the best lobster around.

Oh, baby.

You've got to promise me it's over between you and that girl.

Oh, she didn't mean anything to me.

I didn't even take the suit off.

Against the odds, Stone brought the Quinns together. That left only one

unresolved. But just minutes before the 48 -hour arraignment deadline, John

Borelli is nowhere to be found.

Just between you and me, how does it feel to be responsible for all this?

It feels like somebody reached down inside my gut and gave my kidneys a real

hard noogie.

I just don't understand it. I did everything exactly the way I did before.

Wait a minute.

I stopped to go to the bathroom!

Come on!

Ha!

I knew I'd find you, Borrelli.

It looks like Borrelli will be arraigned after all.

Until...

You didn't see a set of keys, did you?

But luck is holding up for Shannon tonight.

Well, Mr. Borelli, you almost made it.

But I'm going to order you held over for trial.

And so they've made it through another night. And now it's time to forget the

day's travails.

Stone does it with help from Mel Torme.

Christine Sullivan will spend some time with her prince while the others head

for the cafeteria to find something to nibble on before heading home.

Unorthodox? Irregular?

Certainly unusual.

Yet the bottom line in assessing Judge Stone and his co -workers is they get

job done.

Today, Judge Stone conducted 134 arraignments, 15 trials, sentenced four

to jail, and sawed two defendants in half.

I'm Ed Druthers.

Join me next week when we take a close look at the controversy surrounding the

sordid world of bikini waxing.

Good night.

When does that come on?