All language subtitles for the_commish_s04e15_accused

Tony, didn't you just watch that on TV
the other night?

For the millionth time.

I love it, but I can never make sense of
the plot, so I figured I'd clear it up

once and for all.

Hey, Gumshoe, we got some missing birds
of our own.

The lovebirds I gave you for our
anniversary.

What are you talking about? They're
right where they always... Well, don't

worry, they'll turn up.

You never liked them.

What are you talking about? I love them,
the little ceramic things.

Your porcelain, Tony. They're hand
-painted porcelain. I'm crazy about

I'll look for them tonight.

I'd look for them right now, but I gotta
stop by the courthouse on the way in.

Yeah. I can see you're in a real hurry.

I just wanted to finish the chapter.

Admit it. You don't care what happened
to them. I care. I'll look.

Tonight.

The law has been clear on this since
1967.

Cass versus the United States. This was
a motel room, not a residence.

My client had legal possession of the
room. For Fourth Amendment purposes, it

was his residence.

I agree, Miss Peterson.

The evidence is inadmissible.

Your Honor, without the drugs, we have
no case.

Then I guess you have no case.

The defendant is to be released
immediately. Court is adjourned.

I'm sorry, Tony.

I let you down.

It's a tough case.

This guy will screw up again. We'll get
him.

Congratulations, Brenda.

Another blow for justice?

Just doing my job like you do yours.
Your job's nothing like mine.

I'll be right back.

Her name's Maureen Franklin.

She's been beating up pretty bad.

Says she was raped by that guy over
there.

I found him in an alleyway hiding a
block from my house.

She's ID'd him.

He denies everything.

Now I can get a lawyer if I want, right?

Why waste time?

We already have a semen sample. Lawyer
or no lawyer.

We're going to get a sample of your
blood. We're going to run a DNA test.

It's very reliable.

More so than fingerprints.

But you're no dummy. You already know
that. Hey, look.

I never denied I was with her.

I must have misunderstood.

Yeah.

But it wasn't rape.

She wanted it.

She was beaten up.

Some women like it that way.

You know.

She called 9 -1 -1 hysterical.

You were found hiding a block from her
place. Now, how's that going to look in

court? Look, I want a lawyer.

That's your right, but you get a lawyer,
I can't help you anymore. Help?

Is this what you call helping me?

Yeah, I do.

Because if this goes to trial, you're
going to have to sit in front of a jury.

A jury with women on it.

Maureen tells her story and points you
out.

Well, you're a smart guy. You tell me
what's going to happen.

You're saying... You're saying I could
get a lighter sentence if I confess.

I'm saying it's possible.

So?

What do you think?

Are you going to run for mayor?

Maybe. We don't know. It's still in the
planning stage. See, I need a slogan.

I'm thinking B .B., B .B. Gunn, take aim
on crime.

No, no, no.

You're right.

Because that's too corny. Besides, a BB
gun is a toy, and you don't want to

fight crime with a toy.

But no, no, no, no. You're right. It's
business hours. We should stick to

business.

Okay.

Down to business.

John Mullins pleaded innocent to the
rape.

Why, he confessed.

Changed his mind. His lawyer's going to
be here any second to plea bargain.

His lawyer? Let me guess. Yep.

Brenda Peterson.

I swear that woman has battery acid in
the veins.

Tony?

Mind if I sit?

Well, I guess Alex told you Mr. Mullins
changed his plea. Too bad he can't

change the victim's testimony.

That's my job.

By cutting her to ribbons on the stand.

I'll have to attack the confession,
which means cutting you to ribbons as

Well, you can try.

You don't like me, do you? I don't like
the way you keep getting sleazeballs put

back on the street.

Mullins admitted this rape. He has a
history of assaulting women that dates

back... Sorry to break the news, but the
Constitution guarantees a fair trial,

even for people that Tony Scali thinks
are sleazeballs.

Attacking rape victims? That's your idea
of fair? A criminal defendant has the

entire weight of the government against
him. The only thing on his side is me.

My idea of fair is whatever it takes.

As you may have guessed, Brenda, there's
not going to be a deal on this one.

Well, I tried.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm due at the
garage.

Battery acid's a little low.

How's Sam Spade doing?

Well, he's in big trouble, sweetheart,
but I think he can handle it.

Did you find the lovebird?

Not exactly.

Did you look?

Not exactly.

Well, you better find him soon, big boy,
or you're going to be in big trouble.

It's a big town.

My town.

It was late at night.

Or at least I thought it was. My watch
had stopped years before.

I was alone in my office and behind in
my bills when...

Tony Scali, P .I.? One look and I knew.

Whatever it said on the driver's
license, the name was... Trouble.

Rachel Trouble.

She walked across a room the way a room
should be walked across.

Have a seat.

I need help.

I need help so very badly.

She was good.

She was very good.

Seems to be the trouble. Trouble?

The Eastbridge lovebird. They
disappeared from my home.

Find them and you'll receive a reward.

And my... Eternal gratitude.

This is my partner.

Polly, this is... Trouble. Better look,
Summer.

The Eastbridge lovebirds.

A lot of blood's been shed over these
babies.

A lot of men smarter than me have been
killed looking for them. Want to see

you can find out?

Sure.

Thank you, Mr. Cash.

I wasn't sure you'd help me.

Yeah.

Who's going to help me?

Trouble?

No.

you Mr.

Mullins from the school where you teach,
correct?

Only in passing.

Only in passing? You asked him in when
he rang your doorbell at 10 .30 at

He said he came to deliver some exams
I'd left in my classroom.

Couldn't you have taken the exams
without asking him in?

I was being polite.

Are you always that polite to strangers
at 10 .30 at night?

He wasn't a stranger. He was a man you
saw daily and asked into your apartment

late at night.

Did you tell him that you found him
attractive?

He asked me if I liked his haircut.

And you wanted to be polite.

A minute later, you took off your
sweater.

Just being polite?

I would talk.

So it would seem.

Object. You know better than that, Miss
Peterson.

You think I wanted that animal to attack
me? What matters is what you led Mr.

Mullins to think.

Make her stop.

Sit down.

You bastard.

You're not going to get away with this.
Balaam, remove that man from the

courtroom. I'm going to be waiting for
you.

Ladies and gentlemen, you will ignore
that outburst. No further questions for

Miss Franklin. What kind of trial is
this? He's guilty, not Marie. I request

protection for my client. He's been
publicly threatened.

After he's in jail, I'll make sure a
guard passes by his cell once a day.

Peterson.

Yes, Your Honor.

The defense calls Anthony J. Scali to
the stand.

Do you swear that the testimony you're
about to give is the truth, the whole

truth, and nothing but the truth?

I do.

How long have you been a policeman, Mr.
Scali?

About 20 years.

And you're a lawyer as well, correct?

That's right.

And despite all that knowledge and
experience, you're unaware of a

right to counsel?

I'm well aware of it.

Then why did you deny it to Mr. Mullins?

I didn't.

I have a transcript right here.

Mullins, I can get a lawyer if I want
to, right?

Scali, why waste any more time?

He didn't actually ask for a lawyer.

Very clever. But a minute later, he did
ask for one. In terms even you couldn't

miss. I said he could have one.

But if he did, you'd stop helping him.
Isn't that what you said?

Something like that.

How long were you in that room with him,
Commissioner?

Four hours.

Did he have anything to eat or drink?

He didn't ask for anything.

Did he talk to anyone besides you? See
anyone but you?

No.

In other words, you were his whole
world. A world that could disappear if

exercised his basic constitutional right
to call a lawyer. A bit manipulative,

wouldn't you say?

Doesn't mean the confession was false.

But it makes it more likely, doesn't it?
Not in this case.

It's like the Green Bay Packers under
Lombardi.

You know what's coming, but you still
can't stop it. You did better than most.

I've seen her reduce grown men to tears.
She actually asked me to assign

protection to Mullins.

You know, Brenda's got brass nerves.

How bad do you think things are going?

Well, the boyfriend's threat didn't help
much.

I'll tell you, with Brenda, you know,
she could make Mullins look like he was

the victim.

You see, you don't know. You never know
what the jury's thinking.

They're not thinking anything now, or at
any rate, it doesn't matter.

John Mullins was just found dead in an
alley near his apartment.

Murdered.

Too bad, isn't it? What, loans?

Too bad someone didn't do it sooner.
Save the state the cost of starting up a

trial. Hiya,

boss. We were just gathering evidence so
we can solve this crime just like we

would any other.

Yeah, yeah.

They shot him execution style.

Professional job. Maybe.

But I'll bet there's a long list of
people, professional and amateur, would

happy to see this guy dead.

Starting with Maureen Franklin's
boyfriend.

And including Maureen herself.

We can't rule it out.

Well, now you can rule it out. They were
at a friend's house the

whole evening.

Could the friend be covering for him?
There was a party. A dozen people saw

them. Maybe they hired someone else to
do it.

I'll check it out.

Surveillance, and I'll tap the phones.

Let's assume for now they're both in the
clear. Mullins has a history.

Publicity from this trial might have
brought back some old enemies.

I'll look into it.

Yeah? Brenda Peterson, to see the boss.

What's she doing here?

Filing a lawsuit on behalf of John
Mullen's estate against the city, the

department, and you.

This is ridiculous.

He was threatened.

I requested protection. You refused.

It was obvious you had no great liking
for Mr. Mulligan. You can't sue for

insufficient liking.

I can if it led to dereliction of duty,
which placed him at risk.

Congratulations.

I didn't think you could find any more
ways of abusing the system. But you did.

I think we've established I'm not the
only one capable of abusing the system.

Let me ask you something.

Suppose you were raped and a lawyer used
every trick in the book to get the guy

off. How would you feel? Terrible.

But I try to keep in mind the basis for
our legal system. The only way to

guarantee a defense for the innocent is
to provide one for the guilty. Now, let

me ask you a question.

Suppose you were accused of a crime.

What kind of lawyer would you want? One
who was fair or one who used every trick

in the book to defend you?

Paulie traced the birds to an antique
shop on the south side.

I didn't like the looks of the
neighborhood.

But I liked the looks of the dame in my
arms, so I decided to take my chances.

So, Miss Trouble hired the famous Tony
Scali. Tell me, did she pay you in money

or cheap promise?

Did you bring the birds? You bring the
bread? I brought the broad. Not too

bright. I brought a brute.

Forgive me, sir.

I must ask you to raise your hands. Give
me a piece, sir.

No dough. So, this was your game.

Take the money and keep the birds, too.
Well, it didn't work, so you're going to

have to deal.

You're hardly in a position to bargain,
sir.

I pull this trigger, you cease to exist.

So do your chances of finding the birds.

Pardon my words, sir.

You are a character. You really are.

But I really must insist.

I'll do the insisting here, Buster. Now,
I want those birds. We don't have them.

But we can get them for the right price.
Come, son.

Be reasonable.

Have a hot toddy.

Talk to Soma.

Well, you know how to cool off a hot
drink, don't you, Mr. Scali? Just put

lips together and blow.

What a distinctive perfume.

Eau de rat.

Enough sweet talk.

How much for the birds?

Tony, are you all right?

Phones. Somebody get...

Scali, you better get down here right
away. You find something?

You could say that.

Nothing fancy, just your typical bomb in
the mailbox.

This contact completes the circuit. Two
seconds later, you're fertilizing the

lawn.

Why didn't it go off?

Moisture from the sprinkler system
shorted the detonator. So if I'd come

hour earlier before the sprinklers. Like
I said, Judge, fertilizer.

We'll protect you from whoever set this
up. I'm going to send a man home with

you tonight.

Who'd do something like this?

Obviously someone who wasn't happy about
the Mullins case.

First Mullins, then you.

Let's go.

Get the bomb inside.

Step away.

Move away.

Come on, Dexter.

Congratulations. You may have won 10
million bucks.

Well, better safe than sorry.

Thanks, Dominic.

I'm surprised you're bothered, given our
relationship.

Well, just trying to avoid another
lawsuit.

Wouldn't have been enough of me left to
file one.

Look, we're protecting Judge Foley. I'll
assign a team to you as well.

You should stay in your house for a
couple of days. I've got too much to do.

We're talking about your life here. I've
received death threats before. If you

want to know, I average one a month.

You should report them. Most of them are
from cranks. Well, this guy's for real.

At least avoid public buildings. I work
in public buildings. Look, I appreciate

your concern, but... No!

I'm fine. I'm fine.

The guy came and went through the back
door. Cut the deadbolt over there.

How's she doing?

She stared the grim reaper right in the
face.

Probably scared the old guy senseless.

Look, I'm bringing in Maureen Franklin
and her boyfriend again. I doubt they're

involved, but we'll give it another
shot.

What about some of Mullen's previous
victims?

No suspects so far.

I did find out he was arrested as a
minor.

Records are sealed. We can't even tell
what the beef was.

How old?

Sixteen.

No, no, no, no, no, no. I can't let you
in here. I don't care.

What was high school?

You know, ask around.

A kid like that teaches all of them.

I'm looking for something important.
Hold on, hold on. Is there a problem?

I need to find something.

You know you can't interfere with the
gathering of evidence.

Here it is.

Damn.

And you and your father?

Brenda has parents?

Who'd have thought?

The man in the photograph, you didn't
recognize him?

Her father? No. Did you? Yeah.

It's Eugene Peterson.

I didn't make the connection before.

Back in 75 or something. Commissioner.

I'll have round -the -clock protection.

It's a bet.

What?

I wonder if some of your men would...

Well, be all that anxious.

My men will do their jobs, I promise
you.

But if it'll make you feel any better,
I'll take a shift myself.

Thank you.

Well, I debriefed the jury from the
Mullins case in five hours. Good night.

That horrible woman spiked your drink.

Let me clear your head.

Not so fast, sweet cake.

Maybe I don't need it cleared.

Maybe I'm seeing things just fine. Tony,
no. I'm on the level. Then why didn't

you pass out, too? I did. I just woke up
first.

Please, you have to believe me.

I thought you were glad to see me.

It's just a pistol in your pocket.

Come out here, you.

What the guns are like you doing here?

Where's the team?

I don't talk with Aaron Boyd. You'll
talk to me and like it.

You're too young to be packing.

A candy bar?

And there's more where that came from. I
don't take bribes. You're grounded for

a week.

Oh, the party just keeps getting bigger.

Who are you?

My name is of no importance, but the
statuettes are important, and he knows

where they are.

She has already killed two men to get
them back.

It's self -defense.

Both times.

You're lying!

If I killed anyone, they had it coming.

Everyone has it coming, Toots. Some just
get it earlier than others. And you are

both going to get it right now if you
don't hand over the Eastbridge

Holly!

What happened?

It was... a game.

It's a coffee, would you?

Thank you for coming.

Although the trial was cut short, I'm
very interested in your thoughts and

impressions. Please be blunt.

I'm a lawyer. I have to think again.

Samantha, I thought you were wonderful.

Very professional.

But personal, too, like you cared about
your client and about what we thought.

Well, thank you, Anne.

Martin. I noticed that you weren't,
um...

wearing a wedding ring, and I was
wondering if you'd like to have dinner

sometime.

I'm very flattered, Martin, but I never
mix business with pleasure.

I gave it a shot.

I worked on the block at Crestdale
Construction, and if you ever change

mind, give me a call.

I have to be honest. I didn't think much
of him. He seemed a little hostile.

Contemptuous, if you really want my
opinion.

Don't they teach common courtesy at the
police academy?

Look, this is a court of law, not a
popularity contest.

And it's not the dating game either.

You're right, he is hostile.

You can't seriously believe we had
anything to do with these explosions.

Come on.

You had the motive. You threatened
Mullins in public.

We didn't do it.

You hire anyone?

Steve works in a shoe store. We don't
know the first thing about hiring

How's it going?

Ronnie's doing a nice job.

But either these two are innocent or
they belong on Broadway.

What's that?

Just expenses.

$1 .65 lunch expense.

And that was overpriced. It's from the
cafeteria at Lincoln High, John Mullen's

alma mater.

Now I know why the dropout rate's so
high. It's the meatloaf.

Did any of Mullen's teachers remember
him? Oh, several.

He wasn't a good student. Didn't play
sports.

When it came to abusing girls, this kid
was a natural.

There's one case in particular everybody
seems to remember.

Her name is Robin Swanson. She was in
Mullen's class.

She was 15 when Mullen raped her.

She dropped out of school right after
the trial. Hasn't been seen since.

Here it is.

Place looks more like a prison than a
house.

Hello. Are you Robin Swope?

I'm Police Commissioner Scali. We'd like
to ask you a few questions.

My brother's not at home.

Well, we'd like to talk to you.

Please? Alright.

This won't take long.

We wanted to ask you about John Mullins.

Someone killed him a few days ago.

He's never going to bother you or anyone
else again.

You live alone.

It's important. We need you to talk to
us.

Have you ever been there?

No? They got the most beautiful sunsets
there like that. The sky is bright red

and orange. You sit on the beach, feel
like you're in heaven.

They have those white birds there, um...
Egrets.

Right, egrets.

When was the last time you were outside,
Robert?

Who takes care of you?

My brother.

Where does he work?

He's not in trouble, is he? No, no. We
just want to ask him some questions.

He works at Crestdale Construction.

Crestdale, uh... His name isn't Martin,
is it?

Martin Swope, white male, blonde hair,
six feet, early 30s, and should be

considered armed and extremely
dangerous.

Why the hell did they let this guy on a
jury?

The records were sealed, so nobody could
make the connection.

He probably thought it was fate that
they picked him for the Mullins case.

Yeah, when it looks like Mullins is
gonna walk, he goes berserk.

That's why I wanted to have dinner with
Brenda. He wanted to kill her.

We gotta find her.

She told me she was having a meeting
with Judge Foley. I'll tell them both.

Judge, it's Tony Scali.

Look! Just in time.

Court is now in session.

Come on!

Let's go, let's go.

Come on, come on, come on.

Over here, you're the defendant.

You too, lady. Come on, come on, come
on, come on.

Look, Martin, this isn't going to solve
anything. The only reason you're here is

for my protection.

You're meant to try any heroics and
you're the first hostage I shoot in the

head.

Be quiet.

What's going on here? What's going on
here is that if anybody else comes

that door, I'm going to start shooting
people and we're going to all end up on

the front page of tomorrow morning's
newspaper.

Get out of here!

Do as he says.

Ronnie, you've got a hostage situation.

They're all being held upstairs in
courtroom seven. I want all access

Let's get a copy of the building plan so
we can sneak a microphone through a

heating duct so we can hear what's going
on in there. Go.

Once upon a time, I used to believe in
the system until I watched people like

you thrash it.

Every day, criminals go free, and we ask
ourselves, how can this happen?

What went wrong?

Well, somewhere along the line, people
like you lost their way.

Today, I'm going to show you how the
system is supposed to work.

So I call to the witness stand the
defendant, Judge Earl Foley.

Raise your right hand. Raise it.

The truth, the whole truth.

Because you lie and you die.

I don't lie.

There are all kinds of lies, Judge.

Lies of commission, lies of omission.

You don't stand up for what's fair, for
what's just. That's just a lie of

omission in my book.

I mean, why did you become a judge,
anyway?

Didn't you have an appreciation, a love
of justice?

Or was it because you just looked good
in black?

What are you doing?

Just waiting for you to make a point.

Let's not keep the commissioner waiting.
Let's get to the point, which in my

mind is obvious.

Fairness, justice, that's the point.
People like you in black robes are

with seeing that fairness and justice
carry the day.

You've hidden behind that black robe and
you've ignored your responsibility,

Judge.

Never mind, let's hear it.

Boss, flip that through the vent.

Make any sense?

Makes sense.

I just don't know if I can do it.

Ronnie, take over. What do you want me
to do?

Keep him alive.

So what I'm saying, you judges, is
forget the robe and the gavel.

And you tell me, in your heart of
hearts, was Sean Mullins guilty?

It's not up to me to... To what?

To judge.

Was he guilty?

I have a 12 -year -old daughter.

And I had a 15 -year -old sister, and
Mullins raped her.

The judge gave him two years.

Two years.

Now, where's the justice in that? Come
on, come on, it's not that complicated.

Where'd Paulie go?

Better get here soon. I don't like where
this is headed.

I'm going to ask you one last time. Was
Mullins guilty or was he innocent?

That's right.

And you just sat there and did nothing
while this bitch put the woman that he

raped on the witness stand and destroyed
her.

And you were going to give him two
years.

You think I'm going to let that happen?

Sit there and watch his smirking face.
It was like seeing him do it to my

all over again.

Guilty as charged.

Go back to your seat.

This guy's gone.

Can't wait around much longer.

You're incapable of telling the truth,
so we'll just skip the oath.

Now, in your heart of hearts, providing,
of course, you actually have one, was

Mullins guilty or was he innocent?

I believe...

Yet you defended him. Yes.

For the money. He had none.

For the publicity.

For the principle. What principle? He
was guilty.

He was accused.

My job was to give him the best defense
possible.

And how do you sleep at night? I sleep
just fine.

Because I know that the system is based
on rules and procedures and not on the

whims of men who talk about justice and
hide behind guns.

And you think I like doing this? You
think that I like being here?

You think I like doing this?

I'm here because of people like you.

Rules and procedures.

It's just one big scorecard with you
people.

Winning and losing.

Well, this time... Look!

Hold it!

You said you were going to show us how
the system is supposed to work.

Is this it?

Blowing away people without a defense?

If this is really going to be fair...

She should have some kind of
representation.

Oh, and who's going to provide her with
that?

Me.

What's she doing?

Dulling around.

Come on, Paulie, whatever you're doing,
do it.

Tell me, Brenda.

Isn't it a fact that in our legal
system, the guilty sometimes go free?

Sometimes. More than sometimes.

And sometimes the innocent are punished
for no reason at all.

That's right.

And tell me, Brenda, in your own words,
what happened to your father?

My father has nothing to do with...
Answer the question.

Answer him, lady.

because it would be my extreme pleasure
to find you in contempt of court.

I am not going to beg this creep for my
life.

It's not just your life that's at stake
here.

My father was a worker in a textile
factory.

One day he was fired.

along with a hundred others.

My father spoke up.

The foreman... Go on.

The foreman hit him.

That night, some of the workers got
drunk and broke into the foreman's

They... They beat him to death.

And your father?

He was arrested for the murder.

Found guilty and sentenced to life
without parole.

Was he guilty?

No.

He was home with us when it happened.

The men who did it, they lied so that
they could go free.

By the time the truth came out, it was
too late.

My father died in prison.

And that's how you honor the memory of
your father?

By defending scum like Mullins?

I honor my father's memory by defending
anyone who needs a defense.

You just don't get it, do you?

You could have been with me, but no, you
have to go work for the enemy.

Stand up.

You two, come on!

Get up, Judge.

Isn't that customary when sentence is
about to be pronounced?

For your crimes, we the people sentence
both of you to death.

Martin! Shut up!

Go away!

Martin, don't shoot. That's our last
witness.

What witness?

You open that door, I'm going to shoot
these people!

Martin!

Trust me.

Do this, please.

Get her out of here!

Martin.

They did this to you.

These are the people who made you hide
out for all those years.

I'm here now.

I killed that guy.

I know.

Martin, these people, they have nothing
to do with it.

Please, let them go from me.

Baby, we'll see him later.

One of my officers will take you home,
okay?

Thank you.

John, take her home, please. Sure.

Robin, I've been thinking. We could make
a credible case that your brother was

temporarily insane from the moment he
saw John Mullins. Now, you have him,

me a call. I can find him some excellent
representation.

Wait a minute.

You going to help this guy?

He was just about to blow your head off.
I know, but he's still entitled to a

defense.

By the way, your cross -examination was
immaterial, irrelevant, and had

absolutely no bearing on the case.

Want to join my firm?

The case of the Eastbridge lovebirds was
a real brain buster. And busting my

brains always makes me tired.

Where I come from, they call it the big
tired.

Where I come from, there's only one cure
for the big tired.

Big sleep.

I couldn't have killed her. I was with
you. Not while I was knocked out.

I'll deal with you later.

Right now.

We'll take it from here.

Not a chance. The birds are mine.
They're mine.

No, mine.

No, mine.

It's mine.

They're mine.

Empty.

The bird's out there.

Which means your partner died for
nothing.

Paulie didn't have a lot of brains.

Hey!

But he wouldn't have followed someone
down a blind alley.

Not unless it was a dame.

Oh. He would have followed a dame.

Yeah. He was just dumb enough for that.

Turn her in!

Not her.

Her!

That's the fastest way.

You're under arrest.

Nice work.

See, Alex here is an undercover cop, an
old friend of mine. We help each other

out from time to time.

The

boss.

The boss.

What?

Take it off the mantel and put it in
with the toys.

How'd you figure that out?

Well, it's easy, sweetheart, when you're
good, when you're very good.

I suppose you think you are, big boy.

You bet.

How about that kiss?