Original subtitles

I said put it down.

Don't make me shoot. Your partner shot too fast. Christine Cagney had to make a

decision her life depended on. And what kind of decisions do you have to make? I

mean, that guy made me have to be some gunslinging witch who crawls around

ghettos blasting away underprivileged children.

That was self -defense.

You know what? You're riding in here on your white horse trying to save the day.

I think she'd like to tell us what the NYPD can do to regain the trust of the

residents of Spanish Harlem after her brutal and unwarranted shooting of Jesus

Pino. Brutal and unwarranted?

The next time they have one of these things, I'm out of town.

Let Sam go in front of the firing squad and get shot at. They have a right to be

angry.

It's tough enough trying to raise kids these days without gang vendettas and

dope butchers on every corner.

You have to sympathize, Christine.

Fine, but I mean, why do we have to be the villains?

First they accuse us of letting criminals run wild in the streets. Then

accuse us of harassing the locals because we've got to do for Puerto

the low -rent district. Please, you can't win with these people.

This doesn't have to be a contest.

Everything's a contest.

I disagree, Christine.

Including getting in the last word with you.

That's the truth.

Oh, would you pull over up here? I want to get some milk for the boys for

breakfast.

But the kids can't eat their crispy crinkles dry?

Real men eat their crispy crinkles dry.

You're not having as tough as you think you are.

What do you think you're doing?

Okay,

just put that thing down right there nobody needs to get hurt here

Put it down

don't make me shoot

What's the name of this here?

Uh, Churritos.

Churritos! Um, I'll, uh, toast both of them.

He just kept coming at me with the thing.

I shot him in the shoulder.

He didn't even stop.

You okay to stay here?

I'm going to get an ambulance.

Stand back, folks. Stand back.

Let's get a close -up of that mic.

Real tight. Real tight.

Whoa. Did some damage, didn't they?

Okay. Let's get some crowd reaction.

Over here.

Get the mic ready.

Like I told the officer when I called in.

David will take your statement at the precinct. Yes, sir. Is there anything

else? Yeah, I suggest you two just get your stories straight before we get

there.

Oh, God. He's Chris.

Christine, he's the cop.

Good shot.

10 % out of 45.

Thank you.

How many times did you order him to halt?

At least three or four. Which is it, three times or four times?

Three. Then what? Then there was no response.

Not to any words, not to any warnings.

Not even to the first gunshot. Personally, I think the kid was high on

something. Maybe PCP.

I don't want what you think right now.

Well, I'm interested in the facts of what actually happened.

Got it?

Now, you fired two shots?

First time I went for the shoulder. Why?

Because I didn't want to kill him.

I'd had a .45. The shoulder hit would have taken him down.

And he would be in better shape.

An officer, you're an experienced detective. She'd know you never fire

weapon to wound.

You're always fired to kill.

I don't agree with you.

Okay, then what?

It's just like I told you before.

Tell me again.

But you only heard the one shot.

Yes, when I came out of this door. When I was inside, I couldn't hear myself

think. You know, the music was blasting so loud.

What kind of music?

Spanish music.

It was loud.

Very loud music.

Why were you sure he was breaking in?

Well, I figured the bat was bigger than any key I'd ever seen. A smart aleck

attitude is going to help your case, Detective Cagney. My case? I believe the

penal law calls it attempted murder.

Well, I call it self -defense.

Of course you do, because you're involved up to your eyeballs on this

But just between us investigators,

passionate protests of innocence aren't conclusive in the court of law.

What I need is hard evidence to classify this incident a good shooting. Am I

going to make my job easier?

Or stay on your high horse all night long.

Okay.

Let's take it from the top.

That's my line.

I told you when I got there, he was unconscious.

He couldn't hold on to anything.

I don't know what more you want me to say.

Well, right now, I'd settle for anything that could help your partner.

Would you have shot the second time if he hadn't raised the bat?

I wouldn't have shot the first time or the second time if my life had not been

endangered.

Well, what would you have done?

Off the record?

Without backup?

Without witnesses?

But a juvenile can be alleged to be unarmed? You saw those broken windows! I

broken windows up and down the alley and up and down East 118th Street and all

over the godforsaken neighborhood.

Who can prove who's responsible or when?

I would have used a throwaway gun.

Forced to wreck it.

I'm down the chain. I'm going to bed.

Sounds pretty shook up on the phone. You okay?

Did you eat?

Mm -mm.

I'll scramble you up some eggs. Honey, honey, don't walk. Hey, hey, hey, you

gotta eat, don't you?

How's Chris?

Oh, she's all right, I guess.

I mean, you know, Christine, if she wasn't all right, we'd never know it.

It shouldn't have happened, Harv. I mean, we stopped by a market.

It makes me very angry. If I told her once, I told her 250 times, don't go off

by yourself.

And off she goes. It's all over. Come on.

I'll sprinkle some Parmesan cheese in it where you like it, huh?

He's really young, Harg. He's like two, three years older than Harv Jr., maybe.

His poor mother.

Was it a good shoot?

Yeah.

Yeah, he was coming after her with a baseball bat.

He tried to kill her.

Why does a kid do a thing like that?

Get you some milk. You'll sleep better.

We're out of milk. That's how come I went by the market. I picked up some on

way home.

I'm not home right now, but if you want to leave a message, you can wait for the

tone, and I will get right back to you.

Hi.

Give me a call when you get home.

Just give me a call.

in some parts of Connecticut and New Jersey.

Tomorrow, we can look forward to highs in the 50s in metropolitan New York,

the winds coming in at about 10 to 15 miles per hour.

Well, that's it for the weather. Now, back to you, Pam.

Thank you, Sid.

And now for a special report live from East 118th Street in Manhattan, we go to

our nightly reporter, Arturo Perez, on the scene.

Pam, I'm here at Spanish Harlem, the scene of a shooting.

approximately 7 p .m. this evening.

The police cars and ambulance are gone, but the residents of this community are

angry and confused at another in a series of police shootings in their

neighborhood.

Tonight, an unarmed 15 -year -old Puerto Rican boy, Jesus Pinheiro, was shot and

critically wounded by a police detective.

This turkey's a graduate student in, get this, romance languages.

You must be doing something right, Victor.

Yeah, I probably talk some of that mushy stuff to him in Russian or something.

Russian isn't a romance language.

I checked with the physician.

The patient is in critical condition.

I'm sorry, detectives, but we cannot release a blood sample while a patient

not in a mental condition to defend.

Excuse me, ma 'am, but it's potential evidence. It could influence the way

case is being handled. It is a violation of the patient's rights not to mention

of the Fifth Amendment protection against self -incrimination.

Excuse me, ma 'am, but I don't think you understand that a fellow officer's

career and reputation are on the line here. I'm terribly sorry, but my

responsibility is to the patient.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to.

They just love to bust your chops.

She's just doing her job.

Marcus, I have to ask you something.

You're married, right?

And you're approaching your early middle years, right?

Early middle years?

I'm not 21 anymore.

Remind me.

Do you, uh... Well, do you sense a drop -off in...

And performance as you're getting older.

Victor,

this is very personal stuff.

Okay, well, this is more for the partners, right?

I mean, if I can't talk to you about this kind of thing, who else can I talk

about it?

Yeah.

Um, well, from a purely physiological point of view, yes.

What do you do about it?

Well, what can you do?

Anyway, there are other things important to a woman besides...

stamina.

Right.

Like what?

Like intimacy, tenderness, you know,

technique.

Marcus, I have read The Sensuous Woman.

I have also been aware of all the erogenous zones from A to Z.

Believe me, there's nothing wrong with my technique.

You know about vitamin E.

It's good for your complexion.

Lieutenant, I resent this.

Standard operating procedure, Cagney.

Officers involved in shooting incidents are assigned clerical duty pending the

outcome of the firearms review team's investigation. That's all.

Is Greco behind it?

The firearms review team is behind you.

Whether or not you got the good sense to realize it. Christine, I'm sure it'll

be all cleared up in a day or two. And... Right, sir?

There are no outside caseloads for the duration of an internal investigation.

Now, Lacey here is going to be getting all the blisters while you are going to

be leading the life of Riley, huh?

I say to you, enjoy it while you can.

Right, Lacey? Yes, sir.

Doesn't sound too bad to me.

So how long do I get to be so lucky?

Well, until we get all the evidence before the grand jury and they rule that

there was no improper behavior involved.

Four days, five days, a week at the most, not long.

Oh, well, if it isn't the talk of the town herself.

Seen this?

Yeah, sure. It's the afternoon edition. It's even juicier.

Must have been a slow day for the news.

I direct your attention to the second paragraph.

Allegedly armed with a baseball bat, a 15 -year -old resident of a largely

Puerto Rican community was shot at point -blank range by off -duty detective

Christine Cagney, who claimed that the youngster was threatening her with

harm. Well, I don't care for their choice of words, but those are the

When is public opinion ever based on the facts? We look bad.

What do you think the Community Watch campaign was all about?

We needed to improve our image in Spanish Harlem, not destroy it.

The fact that he's a Puerto Rican juvenile does not make him automatically

innocent. How do we know he didn't have a record a yard long and a mile wide?

It makes no difference if he's a convicted axe murderer.

Tell them, Bert.

Juvenile records are sealed. We have to subpoena them. We have to subpoena

records from our own department?

He's a juvenile.

Yeah, a juvenile with the restraint of four men twice his size and a hardwood

bat to back him up.

I already told the review officers I thought he was on dust.

That's pure conjecture on your part.

So have we gotten the live test back on the PCP?

Petrie and his Becky were at the hospital this morning, and we can't

-45 while the boy is still in a coma.

We have to wait for the patient's consent.

Well, there must be some way we can get around that.

Not unless the boy...

Died? That's all we need.

Here come the vultures.

I don't want you saying anything to the press.

Anything at all. You got that, Cagney?

We'll have an official statement this afternoon at One Police Plaza, Mr.

I'd like to speak to the officer involved.

She has no statement to make at this time. She doesn't.

I think she'd like to tell us what the NYPD can do to regain the trust of the

residents of Spanish Harlem.

after her brutal and unwarranted shooting of Jesus Pinheiro. Brutal and

unwarranted?

Involved in department investigations are prohibited.

We are aggressively investigating the situation to determine that the officer

record acted within department guidelines. I assure you, no individual

contaminate the integrity of the best of our men and women in blue will be

tolerated. Okay, that's it. Maybe you can answer another question. No, no, you

want to play 20 questions, mister, you do it someplace else.

My office has got work to do. So do I, officer.

Lieutenant. Lieutenant Samuels.

I take it you're Detective Cagney's commanding officer. Good guess.

Then you're the man responsible for releasing Cagney's service record.

Excuse me? The Freedom of Information Act.

Any private citizen is entitled to request the record of a public servant

examination. That's right. Any private citizen has the right to go through the

proper channels, including you, mister. Don't worry, lieutenant. The paper works

on its way.

I don't believe it.

You hear?

Yeah.

That kid tried to kill me.

He got me asked for it.

And I can't get his arrest sheet without some subpoena. Any jerk can come in off

the streets and get my records.

That's the law, Chris. Yeah, well, it's damn unfair.

That's who.

So where are you dashing off to?

Sidori.

in touch with him, huh? No, not really. My answering machine talked to his

answering machine and they said we'd get together tonight.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Chris, if you want to talk and Dory poops out, I'll give you the best

telephones.

I don't want any of your Mother Teresa routine.

I'm just fine, okay?

Sure.

Oh, Cagney, aren't you ever home?

It's McKenna. I'm calling you from beautiful downtown Trenton.

The freight tonight is off.

We're down here on the trail of some major suppliers, and I'm telling you,

so close to collaring the main man, I can sniff him.

Relax, Chris.

It's just a figure of speech.

I'll give you a ring as soon as I hit town. Oh, and by the way, I've got a

surprise for you.

You're gonna love it.

I'm telling you, it's part of the territory.

Now, what did I tell you right from the start? You've got to keep on your toes

at all times, all times.

I'll never forget one time we were frisking a couple of guys down at Canal

Now, just as I took a switch, I'm telling you, Chrissy, it was not long

this punk shirt when his partner jumps my partner and starts to run for it.

Well, Jack the Ripper here gets the jump on me, knees me in the south of the

border. He turns into some kind of a crazy octopus. He's grasping and

trying to get his hands on the blade.

I'm telling you, I took every bit of juice I had just to get my hands on my

piece before he finished me off.

So what happened?

I did what came naturally. I shot the creep before he sliced me.

Hey, they only fool with Charles Fitzgerald Cagney once.

He died?

Yeah.

He was pretty tough.

But he did all his time at Attica, as I recall. I'll tell you another thing. He

never came on my beat again.

So, uh, did the department...

Stay behind you?

Behind me?

Hey, I got a commendation from the commissioner.

I was doing my job, Chrissy.

Protecting the streets of New York City.

Your fellow officers respect you for that, and people look up to you.

Yeah, well, police work's a little more complicated now, Charlie.

Yeah, I know, yeah. Those are what you call review boards.

You've got to practically ask the guys permission before you shoot. Then they

ask you 600 questions.

Questions I don't mind.

I know we are accountable.

Hey, hey!

A guy comes at you with a baseball bat trying to do a yin. What are you

to do?

They blow it?

Yeah, right, you're right.

Those bums are pathetic. See what the Knicks are doing.

You believe those Jets.

Fourth and two to go in the 23. They go for three and they miss.

Jets.

You want another drink?

I don't want to see that. I do not want to see it. Hey, hey, hold

it. You've got nothing to be ashamed of. You're among friends here.

a victim still in serious condition from gunshot wounds he suffered last night

in a darkened alleyway off 118th Street in Spanish Hall.

Senor Abinero, can you share your feelings at this moment with us?

universal language worth a thousand words.

The image of a beloved son shown here in the robes he wore as an altar boy at

St. Ursula's Church.

A good boy who worked hard to support his widowed mother.

I don't believe this.

He's just milking it.

Because an off -duty police officer thought she heard noises in the alleyway

that Jesus was walking through on his way home.

Thought the baseball bat he had used just a few short hours before in the

playing field behind St.

Ursula's Church was a weapon.

Thought that a young brown -skinned boy out after darkness... What are you

doing?

I just ate dinner. I don't have the stomach for that crap.

Wait a minute.

There's nobody in the world who would believe you'd shoot a kid like that

you had real provocation. He tried to kill me.

That isn't provocation enough.

Yeah, yeah, sure.

That's what I said.

And you got witnesses to back you up, right?

Good night, Charlie.

Where are you going? I'm on your side!

I mean, it would have been nice if someone had sent a limo to the house

morning, but hey. Christine, the boy died approximately 3 .15 this morning.

Gee, you must have strong roots.

Me, I'd have a fistful of hair if I tried something like that. You know what

Perez is going to do with this?

Christine, the facts of the case are going to prove themselves out. Daniel

right.

Because no one ever listens to facts when you've got a media con artist like

that guy planning those.

Melodramatic stunts, uh -uh. Like last night.

Did you love the bit about the kid taking care of the poor widowed mother?

Maybe it was.

One way or another, it doesn't matter because the facts... No, it matters a

whole lot. What matters a whole lot is if the members of the grand jury ever

Perez's report.

I mean, that guy made me out to be some gunslinging witch who crawls around

ghettos blasting away underprivileged children.

It was self -defense.

You're damn right it was. And I'm the one that's getting crucified here.

I did, but any good cop would have done it, right?

I remember how I felt when I found out it was my bullet that killed that kid. I

asked you a question.

Your life was in danger. You saved your life.

Any cop worth his salt who gave a damn about himself or the job would do the

same thing.

So make peace with it, huh?

Yeah.

At least now we can run the drug test.

But in light of Mrs. Pinedo's death, don't you think the NYPD should take a

long, hard look at the citizen's complaint on Detective Cagney's record?

The complaint that charged her with inflicting bodily harm and a routine

questioning at a family disturbance?

Family disturbance?

I'll tell you about family disturbance.

The citizen to whom Mr. Perez is referring is one of the biggest pimps in

South Bronx.

You're off limits, Cagney. Does that entitle you to deny the man his civil

rights and protection by law?

The same way you denied Jesus Pinero the right to reach manhood?

What about my rights? Stop it, Cagney.

Lieutenant Samuels, why does the department refuse to discipline those

who use excess force in the line of duty?

Well, I don't believe that there is sufficient evidence to...

suggests that Detective Cagney has done anything but serve the citizens of New

York City in any but the most responsible and trustworthy manner.

Then why was she overheard to remark at the Pinheiro shooting scene that, I'm

quoting here, I just wish I'd had a .45?

Now, we presume that to mean that a .45 could blow a bigger hole or do more

damage. No, I'm not going to comment on hearsay.

Well, then you comment on the fact that... No, I will not. Now, this

is finished right now. I want you out of my office, Julius.

Did you get the door slamming in my face?

All right, that's good. That'll help us.

Take a lure off.

What's the matter? You never take a coffee break?

Huh?

I guess a little caffeine wouldn't hurt.

Thank you.

I got a good squad here, huh?

I think probably the best in the city.

You know how long I've been on the force?

20 years.

22.

You're a very dedicated man, Lieutenant.

Who said that masochism can't be fun, huh?

22 years.

I had a lot of close calls, but... I never had a bullet of mine take another

person's life.

That's not what I meant to say.

What I meant is... I... But, you know, they give

judges and juries six months, a year, maybe more, to make a decision that they

expect us to deliver in a split second just like that.

You're supposed to act like God.

But the most you can do is just muster up the best you got. That's all.

I was lucky.

I can't say that I know how you feel right now because I don't.

A lot of cops, you know, pull pension without ever having to go through what

you're going through right now.

But I'll tell you this much, kid.

I can tell you this, that there is not one of us that doesn't wonder what it

would be like and how we would act in the same situation.

Not one of us that doesn't understand the kind of guts it takes to go through

all of it.

Well, I imagine that you probably got your plans for tonight, huh?

No, I don't have any.

Well, I do.

Well...

You missed me?

Well, I missed you.

So what do you think of my surprise?

What surprise?

Oh.

Take a good look.

You shaved off your mustache.

Right.

So what do you think of it?

Nice.

You know, Dory, it would have been considered if you'd let me know you were

arriving.

What, and spoil the spirit of spontaneous adventure?

Ah, besides, this way I get to surprise any competition that might be lurking

around in my absence.

Actually, I always kind of liked your mustache.

I'll grow it back.

Caviar and champagne.

So what's the occasion?

The champagne is for you and the caviar is for me.

The occasion is you and me.

And the coloring of the biggest middleman south of Boston and north of D

the real sweet part of it is the guy just hustled in a shipment of horse

half million dollars on the street. All just waiting for us. Neat and clean and

easy as pie.

Congratulations.

Let me taste this caviar.

McKenna, you are on a roll.

I tell you, Chris, this is one of the biggest busts to come down in the tri

-state area since they hauled that trawler off the Jersey coast in 82.

Here's to the big collar.

They don't get much bigger.

It was a good shoot, this.

The guy came at you with an intent to kill him. There wasn't a cop on the

that wouldn't have blown him away.

I just know he was high on something, Dory.

I just know he was.

You know how those guys get, uh... that are on PCP, they...

They're almost superhuman. They're flying so high

that you just can't even touch them. They don't...

here, and they don't feel.

And that first bullet, it's like it never even touched him.

What's the matter? Weren't the lab tests conclusive?

I haven't gotten them back yet.

Someone's falling down on the job.

Time to kick a little butt and see how fast you get results.

No, wait, Dory, wait a minute. Did he have a record?

I'm still waiting for the subpoena. Dory, listen to me. Well, not after I

through with it. No, I don't want you involved in this. No. Don't worry. I'm

going to get this thing fixed up. No, I didn't ask you to fix anything.

I don't want you to fix anything.

What's wrong?

I used to want you riding in here on your white horse trying to save the day.

I can solve my own problems.

Now, what's getting loaded going to do for you?

Seems to me I used to say the same thing to you not so long ago.

And it seems to me I finally stopped kidding myself and asked for help.

But you patronized me.

Here, give me that.

Please.

I'm sorry.

Look what you did.

Look what you did!

Chris. No, just get away from me!

Your partner's a little late this morning, isn't she?

Oh, really, sir? I hadn't noticed. But I do know that she stayed late last night

to finish up these BB -5s and we're waiting on her. That's good. Yeah, okay.

Well, you tell her I want to see her as soon as she comes in. Yes, Lieutenant.

I was wondering what... Well,

is there anything that I can do to help out, sir?

Thank you, Lacey. I think I'd like to handle this one on my own, if it's okay

with you.

Oh, it's okay with me, sir.

How's Chris?

Late.

Let me know when she gets in. I'll put you on the list.

Vitamin E, Victor?

Yeah. I have a little problem with my complexion.

Looks okay to me.

Well, it's always good to take this stuff before you have a problem.

You know, like a preventative medicine.

Morning.

Good morning.

You look a little tired out, Christine.

Dory's back in town.

Oh.

Well, then you had a good night then, huh?

Well, had its moments.

I won't get too comfortable. I filled out three phone calls for you. Petrie

wants to talk to you, and the lieutenant wants to see you in his office.

I don't know.

You wanted to see me, Lieutenant?

Yeah. Nice of you to join us this morning, Kay.

Sorry.

It's a strange night.

Well, it's going to be a good day.

DD -45 is on top.

They found 0 .75 milligrams of PCP in his bloodstream.

There's juvenile records underneath.

Three primes for burglary in the last seven months.

So will that do it?

Yeah, and I'll be surprised if we don't get...

justified homicide for the grand jury in 24 hours.

So, that's it?

I don't know.

Thank you.

So, I said, I think I deserve a second chance.

And she said, you can't stoke a dead fire.

So, I said, hey, it's obvious there's still sparks between us.

You see what I was trying to do? I was trying to pick up on how our minds were

working. You're mirroring her metaphor.

Yeah.

Yeah, you could say that.

Anyway, just speak to yourself.

Or I say, hey.

Hey.

I know a woman like you want.

He says, do this.

So, the jury comes in. Saturday night. Her place.

Good luck, Victor.

No problem.

Looks good, Tim.

Samuels has been wrong before. You know that's not what I mean.

Look.

You think I don't know what's been going on with you?

I was in the very same shoes you're standing in right now after I killed

kid up in Harlem.

Pretending that the only thing on my mind was putting the shooting and the

press behind me, getting on with my job.

lying to myself just like you are. I have been straight with every single

involved. Yeah, everybody except yourself.

Cagney, you killed somebody.

Real live human being, not one of those cardboard dummies we blow away in target

practice.

Damn right I killed somebody.

But that's what I was trained to do.

Oh, of course, of course. They taught us how to do it.

But nobody told us.

How to deal with the consequences.

It's part of the job.

Oh. Does that mean that you can't wish it didn't happen?

That you didn't have the weight of taking the life of some human being on

soul?

You've got some unfinished business, Chris.

Look, I'm sorry. I have a rent strike I have to cover tonight, okay? What about

tomorrow night?

If there's time. If there's time.

Hey, you had time to build a case against my partner and made her look

Adolf Eichmann. And now I think you have a responsibility, you know, to set the

record straight.

Don't lecture me about responsibility.

The one for people like me, Watergate, would be just another hotel in the

platoon. Yeah, well, try this on. It's unfair.

It's editorializing. It's unethical. And it stinks. And you and I both know it.

Ethics is a philosophical term. I don't deal in philosophy.

I deal in the real world. No realer than mine. What about poverty? Huh? What

about the slums? What about unemployment?

What about an entire Hispanic community drowning in crime, insufficiently

protected by the police, and neglected by City Hall?

Huh? What about them?

How is cutting down one police officer going to fix any of those things?

Maybe someone in City Hall is listening.

Maybe we'll get police protection instead of police brutality.

Oh, geez, brutality?

Jesus Pinero tried to kill my partner, and she did kill him. And that's a

tragedy all the way around, and you only told the one side of it.

Yeah, I only told the one side of it, but he didn't deserve to die.

Jesus Pinero was a kid who made some mistakes.

Your partner shot too fast. That's all there is to it.

No, sir, that's not all there is to it.

Christine Cagney had to make a decision her life depended on. Now, what kind of

decisions do you have to make?

What color tie are you going to wear when you're on TV?

Pam, have we gotten those reports on that rent strike in Brooklyn?

Anything on the UPI?

Senor Panera, may I come in, please?

Are you from the World Affairs Department?

I'm Detective Cagney.

You would let me... No!

No!

Explain to you.

I never saw him like this.

When I saw him, he was very angry.

And he was very dangerous.

He didn't know what he was doing.

Senora, I never wanted to kill your son.

I just wanted to stop him.

The drugs just made him too strong.

Are you understanding anything?

I came here today to...

Let you know that I was sorry that your son died.

And I'm sorry that I was the one who shot him.

I know.

I'm thirsty.