Original subtitles

Right there. Don't move.

Relax. Turn around.

Have you come to your damn job? Shut up. Malinsky.

Take this guy.

Mark. Come here.

Get these guys out of here.

What's your problem? If you hadn't caught that son of a bitch, you would

killed him. That's not your business.

When are you going to get these nigger dope dealers off the street, huh? Come

here.

When?

All right, all right.

Settle down a lot, okay?

Just calm down.

Stay put.

That's what we got here.

Really?

Business man, huh?

Hey, man. Get going. I'll get him out of my own business.

Have a seat there, Mr. Danko.

Relax a little bit.

Cool off.

Let me explain something to you.

In a community watch, you report all suspicious behavior to the police

department. That's why they call it a community watch instead of a community

lynch mob.

Look, I'm block captain of the Jackson Street Watch, and we're sick and tired

dirt like that thrashing the streets that our kids play on. You cops talked

into forming the watch. Now, are you going to haul us down here every time

we try to help you out?

Every time you break the law, I'm going to bring you in. Well, what the hell do

you expect? We call you guys, and maybe, maybe you get around to coming by next

week. You cops don't do squat.

If you can't keep those drug -pushing creeps off of our streets, then by God,

will.

Possession, buying, selling, using.

Is there anything we don't have on you, Finch? What happened to my phone call?

Your phone call is coming.

Narco's been watching you the last six weeks. We got a short novel here on what

you've been up to.

Nothing's gonna change that.

Yo, sis, you can't hold me with this.

Come on, Fitz.

Give it up.

You're a two -time loser.

This ain't gonna go down good for you.

Now, wait a minute.

I get chased by a pack of racist dogs, and I'm the one that needs a hanky and a

lawyer? You know the song.

Sell crack, go to jail.

I wasn't doing nothing.

Come on, pal. We had you staked out.

I saw you make the sale. No, what they saw was a bunch of white boys trying to

kill my black butt for being in the wrong neighborhood.

In their neighborhood.

Maybe the jury will buy that.

Of course, there is the five grand and the bag of crack you had stuffed in your

back pocket.

Now you get your money.

We had the guy under surveillance until you butted in, Danko. So what? With our

court system, that crack dealer will be back on the same corner in two hours.

He's already got two convictions on the sheet. We can put him away again if the

jury doesn't buy how a poor, innocent black kid got hammered out by a group of

vigilantes and powered by the police department.

Two convictions?

That's exactly what I'm talking about. Two convictions and he's still out there

selling dope.

Will you give it a rest?

Hey, you don't know how to do your job. Don't blame me.

Let me tell you something.

Bad guys come in all colors. Don't you ever forget that.

Get out of here. Your friends are outside waiting for you.

Go on, get out.

What are you looking at, Jerry?

Fitch is calling his lawyer. You get him squared away?

It'll take more than talk to get him squared away.

Watch programs don't work. They never have and they never will.

Somewhere down the road, a lynch mob developed.

You might be right.

I hear the watch was ready to beat the crap out of this guy until the police

stepped in.

Yeah. Can you imagine a watch program for today's drug dealers?

Who were the arresting officers?

Sergeant Hunter.

Hunter? Yeah.

Mr. Stormtrooper himself, huh? I didn't know you knew him.

Yeah, sure. So they have to see the officials in this town.

Malinsky I ran into a few years ago at 77th Street Division.

There's a good mix of characters here, Sam.

Why don't you take a runner?

Go ahead.

Cops can't keep this filth out of our neighborhood, Mr.

Danko continued. And the law -abiding, tax -paying citizen has every right to

protect himself and his family in any way that's left to him. I thought you

an agreement with this guy, Danko. Who wrote that? Who do you think wrote it?

Andy McBride, the Dr.

Sardonicus of the press.

Andy McBride, I know him. Yeah, everybody knows Andy McBride. He's a

butt.

I want you to personally handle this matter now. It's not exactly a Metro

The watch program is the chief's baby. He went out on a limb to guarantee its

success. Where the hell's my jacket?

Needless to say, something like this could easily sink it.

All McBride needs is more fuel from a creep like Danko. We'll get right on it.

All right. If you need more officers, let me know. Yeah.

How well do you know McBride?

Enough to give him the other side of the story. Good. Give it to him.

What are you doing here?

Read the newspapers. Wanted to talk to you about it.

What's there to talk about? I got a right to express myself. I rubbed you

wrong way.

It's not my problem. And when did you talk to McBride?

Butt out, Hunter.

Pretty high -strung guy, aren't you? You ever raise any kids, Sergeant?

No, I haven't. Yeah, well, I got three of them. And every day I send them off

school, I gotta worry about what's gonna happen to them on the street.

Somebody's gotta take care of the problem. If not you, then stop!

Look it.

We can't clean up the streets over the night. I wish to God we could. I know

what I'd do if it was up to me.

But some people might interpret that as a blow to personal rights. Yeah, well,

I've got rights, too.

Look, I know you do, but you can't go running up and down the street beating

on people. That's not what the watch is about.

Look, I've got the right to bear arms, and if I have to use them to protect my

property and family, I will. And if I have to talk to reporters to let them

how I feel, then that is exactly what I will do.

Community Watch woke us up, Sergeant, to the fact that we all feel the same way

about things.

We can take care of our own neighborhood.

Let me tell you something, Danko.

You better be careful. Go by the rules or you could turn this neighborhood

upside down.

I got work to do, Sergeant.

Hey, Danko.

You break the law and I'll arrest you like any other criminal. Don't make me

come back here.

Well, well, well.

Joanne Molenski.

You remember.

Are you kidding? How could I forget? Cold coffee, stale donuts, blazing

long sleepless nights watching you toss felons into the paddy wagon.

I read your article.

So did my captain.

You mean the one on Jackson Street?

Yeah. Oh, and I thought that you were going to stop by to catch up on my life.

You know, why haven't I won the Pulitzer yet? Has some lucky lady landed me? No,

I'm afraid not.

And you're wondering where I get off making the cops look like the Three

Stooges. Yeah, that's right.

Well, I guess Hunter sent you, huh?

Tell me, how is the sergeant? Still busting heads and cracking cases?

Still trying to do his job, like the rest of us.

Now, about that article.

Listen, Lewinsky, I'm not just going after the cops.

I'm going after the whole thinking system that says that decent people have

just stand by and do nothing while a good neighborhood just slowly sinks into

the sunset.

You're just stirring people up.

I didn't make the situation on Jackson Street.

You're not helping the situation on Jackson Street either.

Jackson Street has enough problems already without you adding wood to the

That article was unfair to the reality of the situation, and you know it. Okay.

So what is the reality of the situation, Malinsky?

How many police officers did you interview?

Not one.

You talk to a hothead?

That's irresponsible.

Really? I seem to remember a case I covered a few years ago in Griffith

And I also remember a young police officer who came off looking pretty good

those articles.

That's not what we're talking about.

Those articles got you noticed, Malinsky.

There are people who say that you might still be at 77th Street Division if it

hadn't been for McBride.

LAPD does not staff Metro from newspaper articles.

All right.

So where do we go from here?

You're an investigative reporter.

Investigate. Find out the truth.

Help us.

Help Jackson Street.

Look, Malinsky, I'd like to.

But watch programs don't work.

They may have in World War II or in some suburbs where there may be some petty

thievery, but that's it.

No. The police department is trying to fool the public into believing that they

have the cure for their own problem.

And that's irresponsible.

Joe? In the kitchen, Ma.

Where's your sister? She's upstairs.

You should have seen the line at the grocery store. Everybody in town wanted

buy groceries at the same time. Did you get the tomatoes?

They're right on top.

You know, I told you I'd take care of the shopping. You've got enough to do.

I got it!

I got it!

I said I got it. Don't eat up the phone, okay?

Mind your own business.

Look, all you do is talk on the phone. Make it quick.

It'll take me about ten minutes.

Okay.

Okay. Bye.

See you later. Where do you think you're going?

Don't be late for dinner!

What are you so upset about, Joe?

Lisa can take care of herself. You're her brother, not her father. Let her

her life, you live yours.

Look, I don't want her out on the street, okay? You know, if Dad were

wouldn't want her out there either.

Yeah, there's all those dope dealer's muggies. What about your community

Isn't that doing some good?

It's fine, Ma.

Look, where does she always go, anyway?

There's other ways of protecting your family than fighting in the streets. You

listen to the police, Joe.

Look, I gotta run an errand, okay?

You're as bad as your sister. Don't be late for dinner.

Hey, Jacob.

Hey, Joey, what's up?

Oh, Lisa, what's up?

What's the matter?

Oh, I don't know, man.

I don't know what she's doing anymore. I don't know where she's going. Come on,

she's just a kid, Joe. Just a kid.

That cop Hunter got in my face again today.

Hey, Chuck, can I get some change?

Why?

I don't know. I guess you got nothing better to do. You know, he rides around

all day in that police car. He's insulated from what's happening on the

He hasn't got any kids being hit over the head by these dope dealers.

Thanks, Chuck.

What'd you tell him?

I told him you don't know nothing.

Be careful.

Why'd you say that to me?

I don't know. Look, you want some smokes?

Yeah, I do.

Get Raymond and Bob now.

Now!

in this neighborhood, boy?

No, I don't. Then where do you live?

What's all this about? What this is about is you're in the wrong place at

wrong time, buddy.

Maybe you're here to visit somebody, huh? Somebody wants to buy some dope or

something? Hey, look, man, I don't know what you're talking about.

I'll always... You take a message, nigger. I don't want any more of you

dealers anywhere on Jackson Street.

Get out!

Get him!

Get him!

Let me out!

Come on, let's go. What do you have? Head injury.

Any other injuries?

Minor contusions.

I see you.

I see you.

Volunteer to east -west.

I want 12, stat.

Open IV all the way.

Call X -ray.

Watch his head.

Get a hematocrit. Type and cross -match.

X -ray is on the way.

What's BP?

80 over 50.

Let's prep the area.

Give him more D5LR.

I want 1 % xylocaine.

Should I call OR?

Have him stand by.

You want O2?

Yes, 5 liters.

Update BP.

80 over 48.

I heard the call on the way home.

What's happening?

Kid got beat up over near Jackson Street.

What's the condition?

Took a hell of a beating. Doesn't look good right now. Gee, Mary and Jay, I

this was going to happen. Any witnesses?

Well, we do have one woman who saw the whole thing happen from a four -story

fire escape.

Great. That means she can't ID anyone, right? Where is he? I want to see my

Where is he?

Somebody please talk to me.

Please. Malinsky?

Would you help this lady out, please?

It's okay, officer.

I want to see my boy.

Are you Randy Ellison's mother? Yes.

Is he all right? I'm Officer Joanne Malinsky, LAPD. Is he in there? Let's go

over here and talk. Calm down. Relax.

Please tell me. They're doing everything they can. Have a seat right here. Two

of these incidents in two days.

The chief called me this morning wanting an update.

I told him all was well and you were on the case.

Well, I'm on the case, all right, but all is not well, Charlie.

Our witness didn't describe anybody specifically, but she did say Randy's

attackers were white.

Don't tell me there were five of them. Yep.

We have got to pray to God one of them wasn't Danko. Why do I feel he is?

I thought you talked to him again. Well, I did talk to him, but apparently he

didn't listen to me.

Oh, no.

What?

What's he doing here? I don't know.

McBride!

Wait a second, Hart.

What are you doing here?

I'm doing my job.

Just like you, Sergeant.

My job doesn't include pumping up an entire neighborhood. Relax. I am a

reporter. I'm objective.

And I'm here to get the facts.

You don't need the facts. You write whatever you want.

Well, you seem to have a lot of trouble with facts. Let me just tell you

something. All right, relax.

I only write what's there.

That's a lie. Yeah, as a matter of fact, that last piece you did was a little

one -sided, wouldn't you say?

Decent, hardworking citizens protecting their homes. You make it sound like

there were murderers. I am not going to be intimidated by this police

department.

I'd like to hear the song you're going to sing when your editor gets a phone

call from Commander Burns, Pally.

Malinsky?

What did Miss Ellis have to say?

Randy was supposed to be meeting a girl from his school named Lisa Baker.

They were going to get together for a tutoring session at the library in

Heights. Now, wait a minute. What are you saying? This kid may not be a drug

dealer? He's an innocent student on his way to the library?

Tomorrow, bright and early, you're at the Baker house. You got it? Got it.

I'm going to go see a jerk.

You stay away from Danko.

Tonight, anyway.

Hi, how's it going?

Good.

Sorry I don't have time for breakfast, but how about dancing Thursday night?

Oh, heck, Thursday nights I have karate class.

Friday, then. I mean, I got a job, a car, all my own teeth.

Me, too. Small world.

See, we have so much in common.

So what's keeping us apart?

I'm Officer Joanne Malensky.

Do you know someone named Lisa Baker?

Yeah, I know her. She's my sister.

Look, she already went to school. What do you want to talk to her about?

I just want to ask her some questions.

Joe!

Oh, hi.

What's going on?

Police officer, Ma. She wants to talk to Lisa.

Look, I told her she already went to school.

Well, is Lisa in some sort of trouble?

Oh, no. I just wanted to talk to her about something that happened yesterday

evening. Oh, what was that?

Sorry, I didn't know I was interrupting.

Look, I thought you already went to school.

I'm Officer Joanne Malensky, Los Angeles Police Department.

Do you know a young man named Randy Ellis?

Yeah.

Randy was apparently jumped by a group of men in a vacant lot not far from here

yesterday afternoon.

He's in the hospital in serious condition.

What? Oh, my God.

Randy's mom said he was on his way to the library to meet you.

Is that true?

Yeah, he was tutoring me in art, and I was helping him with chemistry class.

I was going to meet him, but he never showed up.

Hunter, come here a second. I need to talk to you.

This is Detective Ray Snyder, Narco. He's got something for us.

Detective? Sergeant.

You'd think, with all the heat on the Jackson Street area, the homeboys would

lay low.

But we zeroed in on a crack house that's been doing serious business all summer.

We're talking non -stop around the clock.

Place is run by a man named David Allen Walker.

Early 30s, 6 '2", brown on brown, emerald ring, a gold Rolex you could

press. Your average white trash pusher.

Showtime's midnight.

Open up! Police! Quiet!

Freeze! Police!

Don't shoot, man! Don't shoot!

I want to make a deal.

You ain't got nothing to make a deal with.

The black kid.

Over on Jackson Street.

The one that got beat up. What about him?

I know who hammered him.

Surely there's no need for a pair of handcuffs on the boy.

Joe, I'll call Mr.

Mills. He'll know where. He'll know just what we should do.

He didn't do anything. You'll find out.

Don't worry, Mom. It's going to be all right.

Hey,

Hunter.

Oh, and I just had lunch.

Well... You made an arrest based on the word of a crack deal who'd sell his

lungs if he had to. Walker was an eyewitness. His story checked out.

bull. Let me tell you something.

If I slammed the stories you slammed, I'd have been fired a long time ago. Joe

Baker works six days a week. He supports his mother and his sister. He takes

classes at night. And he still has time for that watch program that's trying to

clean up his neighborhood.

Too bad he listened to Danko. Well, at least Danko and Baker have the guts to

the dirty work. Have you been drinking?

If you want to write the story, the real story, write our side of it. You'll

sell more papers. Yes, no, the story is police manipulation, and I know that.

Joel Baker beat up a kid, a good kid, a decent kid, an honor student even. Did

you know he has a full scholarship to Cal Conservatory? Yeah, he does.

Now take a nap, wake up, and write the truth.

A good kid, huh?

Officer Joanne Malenke, LAPD.

How you feeling?

Better, thanks.

Good.

I met your mom the other night. They brought you into the hospital.

She's real nice.

And real worried about you.

Yeah. My mom is the greatest.

So what happened the other day, Randy?

I was on my way home from the library when five men jumped me and chased me

the street.

Five white men?

Yeah. Five white men.

Did you see any of their faces?

It all happened so fast, I wasn't concentrating on much except for getting

of there.

I see.

Do you have any idea why they attacked you?

No.

You live at 129 Green Street, right?

Yeah. What were you doing over on Jackson Street?

I was walking home from the library.

Well, isn't Jackson Street about a mile out of the way from where you live?

Randy, your mom said you were meeting Lisa Baker at the library to do

I think my mom must have made a mistake.

No, I don't think so. She seemed real sure about it.

No.

I went to study by myself.

You do know Lisa Baker?

Yeah. She's in a couple of my classes.

But you weren't over on Jackson Street to meet her?

No. I said no.

You know, Lisa Baker lives about two blocks from where you were beaten up.

Do you know Joe Baker?

Lisa's big brother.

So you know Lisa pretty well.

Like I said, we're in a few classrooms together.

We arrested Joe Baker as one of the five men who chased you and beat you up.

Something doesn't make sense here, Randy.

What's going on?

Dr. Parker, 3 North. Dr. Parker, 3 North, please.

Randy, can I talk to you for a second?

Yes, sir.

This won't take a minute.

What's on your mind? Well, I just got a phone call.

Have a seat.

What's with the phone call?

A Jackson Street thing.

Got a call from Commander Burns a little while ago.

Sam, Joe Baker's going to beat this rap. There is not a jury in the world that's

going to convict this kid.

Forget about it. Listen, Andy, are you sure you're not using that story to

attack the police department?

What the hell are you talking about?

Burns asked me if this newspaper is condoning vigilantism.

That's ridiculous.

It's not ridiculous.

Let me tell you something, Annie McBride. The way it sits right now, it

like this newspaper is condoning vigilantism. I want to tell you

do not.

That's just great.

Everywhere I go, somebody's trying to pull me back every time things get a

little hot.

The truth is out there on the street, Sam, but you don't want to stir things

And that's too bad.

Because that's what a newspaper's for. To stir things up.

That's what sells.

It's not just about selling newspapers, Andy.

Yes, it is.

You brought me in to boost the circulation. Something this newspaper

bad.

Let me do my job, Sam.

We do want to sell newspapers.

And we do need that story.

But, please, make sure you're right.

Sam, we've known each other a long time, right?

A long time.

You've got to trust me.

You've got to trust me.

You've also got to buy a new tie. I mean, you're the editor of a newspaper,

God's sake.

you wanted from San Jose just got in.

Gloria, I love you.

Randy Ellis, the alleged victim, was arrested in San Jose in 1987 for

of marijuana.

Convicted in juvenile court, he was sentenced to 40 hours community service

two years probation.

Why am I hearing about this from Andy McBride?

Ellis was 13 years of age when that happened. Doesn't mean he was down on

Jackson Street selling dope.

Well, our case against Baker is severely damaged.

Oh, look, I know. I just didn't think to check his background.

Well, Andy McBride sure as hell did.

Now, Baker's lawyer's going to stroll into court and say, here's my stand -up

white client just trying to protect his neighborhood against a black drug

dealer, and all we got that says anything different is the word of David

Walker, a two -time drug dealer.

Now, get me some evidence.

Francis has already gone over every square inch of this place.

Now, the woman who saw Randy being beaten said the men came out of here and

off down the street.

I say we give the street the one so we can see what we find.

They made a right hand turn and ran up the street.

Come here for a minute.

What's it look like to you?

A stinking door to me. No, no, no. The pipe.

Oh, no.

Yeah, come on. I'll hold your jacket. Yeah, this is great stuff.

What does the lab say?

Nothing yet. They're checking for prints and a possible match on Randy Ellis'

blood type.

Fabulous. Fabulous. So how soon will we hear from the lab?

Within the hour. All right, great.

Let me know when the lab comes through. Okay. I'm going to come in at Clayton's

office. You come with me. I'm going to give you a complete update.

in about two hours.

Okay. Got it.

Officer?

Don't you think you're pushing that press path a little far?

You got a lot of nerve showing up here.

This is one of my most treasured possessions.

I mean, without it, I'm on the outside.

You don't get it, do you?

I guess Hunter told you about our little conversation on Joe Baker, right?

Look, I'm real busy.

I've been thinking.

Maybe you and Hunter are all right.

I want to discuss the case and get the police department's point of view.

Can you give me a little time?

Please.

Metro, Malensky.

Oh, yeah.

Okay, that's great.

Great. I'll be right there.

Okay.

Have a seat.

I'll be right back.

Thanks.

Joe, so what if they do find your prints on that pipe? What you did was right.

Look, Danko, fingerprints are fingerprints, and no alibi is going to

That may very well be, but we've got to build public sympathy for you.

Look, we can appeal to the court that you acted emotionally to a dope dealer

your neighborhood.

What do you mean?

Look, Lisa, you don't know everything that there is to know about Randy Ellis.

Considering that your brother's freedom is on the line, you can't say for sure

that Randy doesn't still feel dope occasionally, can you?

Why?

Randy was never feeling dope to anyone at any time.

Look, Lisa, just give Joe the benefit of the doubt.

That's all.

Are you asking me to lie?

Honey, we're talking about your brother here.

You want to help Joe out, don't you?

Lisa, it's a chance to help me out.

After all, Rainey did sell dope once.

Joe was just trying to protect his neighborhood and his family.

Now it's your turn.

You've got to help Joe out, Lisa.

You could be a very big part of this case.

Those cops and those judges could get nuts with this.

We don't know what'll happen to Joe.

Think about that, will you, honey?

So you're sure about all this now, Lisa?

Yes.

Randy Ellis did use drugs at school occasionally?

Yes.

And sometimes when you were studying together, he offered them to you, right?

Yeah.

Now, the night that Randy got beat up, he was down on Jackson Street to sell

drugs, is that correct?

Yes.

So will you make a formal statement?

Of course you will.

He's not talking to you.

Now, Lisa, a formal statement is like...

Testifying in court.

It's very important that you tell the truth. Now, you understand that, don't

you? What are you calling her, a liar?

No, sir, I'm just trying to make sure she understands what she's in for.

You do follow me now, don't you?

Yes, I'll make a statement.

Good.

Come with me.

You see, Hunter, people like us know more about what's happening on the

than you do. Get out of here. Let's go, Danko. Come on.

What did Randy Ellis say when you told him that Joe Baker might have beat him

up? He didn't react. He just clammed up.

Yeah. These kids are hiding something. Let's find out what it is.

Lisa Baker made a formal statement this morning, Randy.

She said you were on Jackson Street that day to sell her dope.

Is that that?

Yes, she did. What do you think about that?

I was on my way home from the library. I told Officer Malinsky about... I know

what you told Officer Malinsky, Randy.

You also said you didn't see the people who attacked you. That's right. That's

what I said.

You sure you didn't recognize Joe Baker?

Yes, I'm sure.

Randy, if you did, it's okay, but you've got to speak up and speak up right now.

Stop protecting Lisa.

Hey, I'm not protecting Lisa.

You don't seem to understand.

If you don't tell us what's going on, Randy, the men at Beechup are going to

look like heroes.

Mind if I sit down?

Sure. Go ahead.

How you doing?

Fine. At least I know how hard this has all been on you.

How hard it was to do what you had to do this morning.

I just want everything to be all right.

I know you do.

But lying to Joe isn't going to solve it.

I believe you didn't mean for this to happen.

But lying for him only makes it worse.

It poisons everything it touches.

It'll affect Joe's life, Randy's life, and your life, Ruth.

You've got to tell the truth.

Randy and I helped each other with our homework.

He was helping me with art history.

You'll see some of his drawings.

I have seen it.

Randy's art teacher showed me this.

It took a lot of talent to do that kind of work.

You're in love with Randy, aren't you, Lisa?

You know how my

brother is.

How my family is.

Randy is so good.

I was sitting for him. I couldn't see it.

That afternoon he called me.

He wanted to come over and meet my family.

I said no.

And he called back.

I agreed to meet him.

Can you imagine the look he would have gotten when he walked in?

The look I would have gotten?

Randy saw his attackers, didn't he?

Thank you.

What's your problem now, Hunter?

The warrant for your arrest?

Oh, yeah. What's for?

Instruction of justice.

Attempted murder.

You're crazy.

Really? Malinsky!

He had at least a lie about Randy.

You couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?

You act so brave and tough.

But I think the reason you beat up Randy is because you're afraid.

Afraid of anyone who's different than you.

See, Randy identified you from a photograph as the one who led the attack

against him.

I don't have to take this crap.

Well, in speech.

How are the streets?

You opened the forensics file that was on my desk.

Stole the information and gave it to Danko, didn't you?

Hey, hold on. What, are you crazy?

It doesn't bother you that Randy Ellis could have been killed.

That Lisa Baker had to lie to keep her brother out of jail.

All you care about is your byline.

I printed what I believed in.

You don't believe in anything.

You're an opportunist.

You just stir up the pot. You don't give a damn about the truth or who gets

hurt. Oh, is that so? Yeah, that's... So, I don't want to see your face in

anymore. Your press privileges have been suspended.