All language subtitles for Law.and.Order.S15E23.In.God.We.Trust.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

the people are represented
by two separate

yet equally important groups--

the police
who investigate crime

and the district attorneys
who prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

What's your location,
Ladder Seven-Two Can Man?

Search negative
in apartment six-baker.

Everybody's out.

Received.
Six is clear.

I'm gonna go check
the stairwell to the roof.

I got a flash over
in six-baker now.

Time to get out of there,

Ladder Seven-Two Can Man.

I don't like this.

Halt all transmissions.

Evacuate the building,
Ladder Seven-Two Can Man.

Mayday, may--

Get the fast truck
in there, now!

That was Sean!

He got trapped on top
of the main burn.

Poor guy had two choices,
jump or be incinerated.

What about
his emergency line?

The old ones
were too heavy to carry,

and the brass hasn't approved

any of the lighter-weight
models.

Well, I take my hat
off to you guys.

Personally, I'd rather dodge
bullets than run

into a burning building.

What was his name?

Sean Grafton
from Ladder Seventy-Two.

His old man and two brothers
in the department.

He have a family?

Yeah, wife and two kids.
That's rough.

How'd it start?

That's why we called.

Guys who were up there
said multiple points of origin.

Arson?
Well, we'll know more

when we get back in
the building, but nine times

out of ten,
you're right.

Which means Sean Grafton
was murdered.

in two separate areas
of the sixth floor--

the east stairwell landing
and the hallway.

Was there any evidence
of an accelerant?

Here and here
and a gallon milk bottle

with traces of gasoline.

We're really lucky just to have
the one fatality.

We need to figure out
who the target was.

So we're thinking personal,
not arson for profit?

Well, it doesn't make sene
to me that someoe

would torch the top floor
if they wanted

to burn down
the whole building.

Gas in a milk bottl.

This guy was an amateur.

Well..

there's four apartments on six.

And they're all burned out.

So while you guys

run down the residents,

I'll canvass the gas stations
in the area.

My smoke detector
never went off.

If one of my neighbors
hadn't pounded on the door,

we would've been fried
to a crisp.

You live with somebody?

My daughter Hannah.

We went out the fire escape.
She was terrified.

How's she doing now?

She's okay.

I sent her to school.

It's better
she's with her friends

than sitting upstairs
in the hotel room.

Do you or your daughter
have any problems

outside of the home?

What do you mean?

Does anyone want
to cause you harm?
No.

No.

Where's Hannah's father,
Miss Wilder?

Oh, he's been

out of the picture
since before she was born.

And your neighbors
on the sixth floor--

Do any of them have
ongoing disputes

that you're aware of?

Not really.

It's always been
a quiet building.

That was something, huh?

To see that man
go off the roof?

Reminded me
of the Towers.

Is there any reason
why this might've been

directed at you,
Mr. Worthy?

You think somebody
set that fire?

We're just covering
all the bases.

Then you should cover
that woman

across the hall from me.

The one in 6B.

Emily Wilder?

With her little girl.

If I had a dollar
for every argument

she got into
with some boyfriend...

Is there anything
more specific you can tell us?

Anything
that happened recently?

Uh...

Last week, was it?

A man pounding
on her door,

yelling for her
to let him in.

I looked
through my peephole

to see what
all the commotion

was about.
Get a look
at the guy?

I got a look
at his back.

White, brown hair
over his collar,

had on an MTA jacket.

Thanks.

So Emily Wilder forgot
to mention her rowdy boyfriend.

So she can be protecting him

or scared he might finish
what he started.

Maybe we should scare her.

There might be
an easier way.

Have you contacted
the Board of Education?

We don't have time to get jammed
up under bureaucracy.

I'm sorry, Detective--

All right,
let's go, Fontana.
No, no, wait a second.

You heard about
the fire last night,

the one where
the fireman got killed?
Yes.

Well, it happened
in Hannah Wilder's building.

We think she still
may be in danger

or have some information
that can help us.

A fire...

then the police.

This kid's gonna be
scared to death.

Well, it just so happens
that my partner here

has two children and he really
knows how to talk to kids.

So while he's talking
to Hannah,

I'll just go get myself
a cup of joe.

What do you say?

All right.

Do you have a gun?

No, no, no.
I left that in the car.

Those are cool sneakers.

Thanks.

Now, my daughter says

she wants to get Skechers
for her birthday.

What do you think?

Those are cool too.

My mom said I might get
a canopy bed for my birthday,

but...now,
'cause of the fire...

we don't have
anyplace to live.

I'm sorry you had
to go through that, Hannah.

So you and your mom,
you're gonna stay in the hotel?

I don't know.

We can't stay with my dad
'cause my mom says

his apartment
isn't big enough.

Where does he live?

In the Bronx.

I never get to go there,

'cause mom says
it's too far away.

But he likes it
'cause it's close

to his work.

Oh, yeah?
What does he do?

He drives the city bus.

Is his last name Wilder
like yours?

Uh-uh. Gruner.

Al Gruner?

No, John Gruner.

Okay, sir,
you can open it up.

I can't just let you
in his apartment.

Sure, you can.
We're authorized.

Hey.

C'mere.

Smell this jacket.

Yeah? What?

You don't smell gasoline?

No.
And I don't like this.

And he has matches
in his pocket.

Well, the guy's a smoker.

Pretty Woman?

I didn't see
a DVD player in here.

Wizard Video,
Astoria,

Queens.

You know what I think?

I think we should find out

who John Gruner
is watching chick flicks with.

NYPD, Miss Tarantino.

You mind if we come in?

Uh, well, the house
is kind of a mess right now.

Don't worry about that.
We're used to that.

What is this about?

Well, you see,
John Gruner's apartment

got burglarized last night,
and we're trying to find him

so we can secure
his belongings.

I don't know
a John Gruner.

See, I told you. There must be
some screw-up on our end.

You mind if we come in

and straighten
this out?

Can you come back
a little later?

Is someone home
with you?

My brother.

Listen, why don't we
cut to the chase.

If Gruner's in here,
you're harboring a fugitive.

Now, you gonna let us
look around or not?

Police!
Don't move!

There's nowhee
to go, Grune.

It's up to you now.

Get dow.
Dow!

Cuff him.

I wanna know
what kind of a guy

tries to burn
his own daughter out.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

I wanna understand your side
of it, I really do.

But I have to have an answer
to that question.

What if I don't?

Detective Falco,
can I have

a few minutes
with Mr. Gruner, please?

You sure?

You see, Detective Falco
was in law school.

And I don't want
to get him jammed up

by anything that I might say...

or do.

You had your chance, Gruner.

So you and Emily Wilder

were having problems, huh?

Hannah told us.

You talked to her?
Oh, yeah.

I don't like you talking
to my daughter.

And I don't like you
trying to burn her alive.

And if you mouth off to me
one more time,

I'm gonna put your head
through this table.

I love that kid.

And Emily wouldn't let her
anywhere near me.

But I didn't start
that fire.

Results of
the spectrograph analysis

of the jacket we recovered
from your closet.

Positive for gasoline.

I work on a bus.

Yeah, well, last time I checked,
buses ran on diesel.

So you know what
we're gonna do now?

We're gonna go get Hannah,

and we're gonna
bring her here,

and you can explain it
all to her right here

in this room,
just the four of us.

You can't do that.

Well, how 'bout it,
Mr. Lawyer Man, can I do it?

I read the case.
U.S. versus Pennington.

There you go.
I'll go get her.

No!

That's too bad.

She'll always remember her daddy
cuffed to a table,

trying to explain
how he torched her home

and nearly killed he.

Hannah wasn't supposed
to be there!

And you hated her mother
that much

that you tried
to burn her alive?

Is that what you did?

We're gonna need it all
in writing.

I want every detail of how

you set that fir.

Yeah.

M.E. wants you.
I'll babysit him.

We just now gt

a confession on the fire.

Yeah?
Hope you can still use it.

A slug.

Looks like a .38.

Yeah, it dropped out

when I cut off
the fireman's bunker gear.

There's a bullet hole
in his pants

and a graze wound
on his left thigh.

Somebody shot him
at the fire.

So is it possible
he didn't jump?

up here with Grafton, right?

Somebody would've seen 'em.

Anybody in one
of these buildings

could've taken a pot-shot
at him with a handgun.

Take a look
at this air vent.

One of the shutters
has a nick in it.

Well, whatever made it
came from the inside.

Could you pry
this housing off, please?

Yeah, sure.

Feel around in there,
would you?

Is something wrong
with your hand?

Luciano Barbera.
Please.

You're high-maintenance, man.

Hey, hey, hey.

38.

Five spent shells.

And I'm bettin'
that one of 'em

wound up in the leg
of Sean Grafton's pants.

Ballistics says the fire
made the gun go off.

Two rounds in the cylinder
exploded in the heat

that was raging
up the air vent,

one of them
through the barrel.

And it matches
the slug they found

in Sean Grafton's
bunker gear?

Yes, ma'am.
And guess what?

There are firing pin strikes

on the other
three shell casings--

the ones that didn't explode.

Meaning that gun was fired

long before someone
hid it on the roof.

Ballistics is runnig
the gun nw

to see if it matches up
with any old shootings.

D.A. says
they'll charge Gruner

with arson and felony murder,

which means he'll do

at least 25 to life.

Well, how about we give this
collar to the Fire Marshals?

No problem with us.

There's a match
on your mystery bullet.

To what?
An open homicide.

Check it out.

Nine years ago on this block

a male black
named Justin Lennard

was shot three times.
What was it about?

We never really knew.

Lennard worked
part-time at Kinko's.

Someone lit him up when he was
leaving for the night.

Nothing like
a cold case.

All right.

This is where
we found the body.

In this store entrance.

There was a struggle at first.

This window was shattered.

CSU found blood
in the broken glass,

which wasn't
from the victim.

Which means DNA's in play.

Anybody in the store
see anything?

It was closed.

But, uh, the manager
from Kinko's said

that Lennard was arguing
with three black men

when he was locking up.

Arguing about what?

She wasn't sur.

She picked
the local troublemaker

out of one of the books,
a LeShawn Muncie.

My guys picked him up,

but we couldn't get
anything to stick.

I got enough problems
without y'all trying

to put a body on me
from nine years ago.

Maybe we can package this up

with the case
you're in on now.

Two for the price of one.

But I didn't do no murder.

Aw, come on, man,
we have the murder weapon

with your prints on it.

Don't even try
to play me like that.
Okay.

If you're not involved,
and you help us out,

we'll put in a good word

with the D.A.

If I remember correctly,

I went to Kinko's that night.

What were you doing?
Copying your thesis?

Nah.

I was helping a couple of dudes
make some IDs.

It's all very fascinating.
Tell us more.

The brother locked the door

as we's rollin' in.

We had a few words,
but that's it.

This is Justin Lennard.

Yeah, that's him.
That's good.

So if you had nothing
to do with this,

you'll give us
the names and addresses

of the friends
that you were

with that night.
I don't think so.

Or a DNA swab.

Hell no.

Never know what loose ends

I might hae
out in the worl.

You ak

the white dude
who was out there

that night for his DNA?

What white dude?
Guy waiting outside

of Kinko's for his friend
to get off work.

Give us a description.

White, 'bout 30.

Aw, man.

Man, that's nine years ago,
man!

If you're jerking us around,
LeShawn,

you haven't seen
the last of us.

Open up.

Then I got nothin'
to worry about.

Justin was my only child.

It was just me and him
after my wife died

when Justin
was in grade school.

We're terribly sorry
for your loss, sir.

I'm sure Detective O'Brien
asked you this nine years ago,

but was Justin having problems
with anyone at the time?

Oh, no, no.
He was a good boy.

He had this way
of talking to people,

make 'em laugh,

put 'em at ease,
you know?

We were told
he was in school.

Yeah, he was going

to Pratt Institute,
going for a Master's Degree,

Graphic Arts,
doin' real good too.

Look, the only explanation
I have

is no explanation at all.

Wrong place, wrong time.

To lose him like that
almost killed me too.

Did he ever mention any kind
of romantic problems?

He had a nice girlfriend.

A girl he met who worked
at the college, uh...

Nancy was her name.

She was at the funeral.

They were just starting
to get serious, too.

I met Justin when he cae
into the placement offie

looking for
a part-time job.

The two of you hit it off.

We did.

How long were you seeing
each other when...

Six months.

Are we bothering you,
Miss Harvard?

Mrs.

It's just that...

I don't know...

That was a lifetime ago.

I'm married now.

Brings back
a lot of hard memories.

Well, I'm sure you'd like to see
whoever killed Justin

be brought to justice.

Yes, I would.

I'm sorry.

Was there anyone else
in your life back then?

Who would kill Justin?

Well...

No.

No, not at all.

When was this picture taken?

About nine years ago.

Not long after Justin died.

It's in New Hampshire,
my parents' 30th anniversary.

April 13t.

And the man in the picture
with you,

the one with the bandage
on his hand?

It's my brother, Bruce.

Did he live
in New Hampshire back then?

No.
On the West Side, actually.

On 49th Street?

How did you know that?

I met Justin once or twice.

What a tragedy
for his family.

And it was hard
on my sister.

How'd you and Justin
get along?

Like I said,
I never knew him very well.

You had a hand injury back then,
Mr. Elwin.

Did I?
We saw it
in the anniversary picture

in your sister's office.

You're right.

I had a bandage on
at my parents' party.

You know, I still
have a scar

from that.
How'd you hurt yourself?

I fell.

Cut my hand
on some broken glass.

Did you go to a hospital
and get it looked at?

No.

I believe
I took care of it myself.

Is there anything else
I can help you with, Detectives?

Not right now, Mr. Elwin.

Thanks.

You like the brother?

Too many coincidences.

The hand injury,
the murder weapon

in the building
next to him...

He could access
the roof there?

Easily,
perfect stash spot.

We went back
and showed Elwin's photo

to the mutt who had an argument
with the victim that night,

and he was pretty sure
it was Elwin

who was standing
outside the copy place.

But it's been too long
for him to be certain.

What about a motive?

The victim was dating
his sister.

And he didn't approve
because...

Black guy, white girl.

Well, bring the sister in,
rattle her cage,

see if you can get her
to consent to a DNA swab.

It could eliminate
her brother.

Or put a nail
in his coffin.

Bruce was never crazy
about any of my boyfriends.

You know
how big brothers are.

We'll take that to mean
that he didn't like him.

If you knew my brother,

you would know
he could never hurt anybody.

If you're so sure he hd
nothing to do with thi,

you'll have no problem
giving us a DNA sample.

I don't know.

What's the problem, Nancy?

Are you beginning
to doubt your brother?

No!

It's just--well, I think

that we should talk
to a lawyer about this.

So can I go now?

Yeah, sure.

If you don't want
to cooperate, it's gonna go

on our reports, you know.
I don't care.

My brother
didn't kill anybody.

Detective.

This guys says
his sister's up here.

Bruce,
what are you doing here?

I killed Justin, Nancy.

I killed Justin Lennard.

Mr. Elwin, did you rea,
understand and sin

a coy
of your Miranda warning?

Yes.

You want to waive
your rights

and proceed
with this statement?

Yes.

Nine years ago,

did you know a man
named Justin Lennard?

He was my sister's
boyfriend.

Did you see him on the night
of April 7, 1996?

Yes.
On Broadway and 108th Street.

Tell us what happene.

I waited for Justin

to leave work.

When he came out,
I followed him for half a block.

Why?

I had a gun
in my pocket.

To scare hi.

But he grabbed my am

and tried to wrestle
the gun away from me.

We broke a store window
when we were struggling,

and I cut my hand.

Somehow I managd
to pull fre.

I stepped away...

and I shot him.

I shot him three times.

What did you do then?

I left him there
on the sidewalk

and I went home.

I hid the gun
in a vent on the roof

of the building next to mine.

Were you intoxicated
or using drugs

the night you shot Lennard?

No.
I was stone sober.

So if you

just wanted to scare him,

why did you end up
shooting him?

'Cause he said
he and Nancy were in love.

And I didn't want my sister
to marry a black man.

Docket number 0-5-9-4-3.

People versus Bruce Elwin.
Murder in the Second Degree.

How do you plead,
Mr. Elwin?

I'd rather not choose,
Your Honor.

Talk to your client,
Mr. Clemens.

What's the matter?

I don't want
to choose.

He refuses to enter a plea.
He's adamant.

Then I'll do it for him:
Not guilty.

People on bail?

Your Honor, the defendant

freely confessed

to a murder motivated
by racial animus.

We plan a hate crie
enhancemen.

We're askig
that Mr. Elwin be remande.

So I suppose
you're going to tell me

that he deserves some bail
because he turned himself in?

Actually no.

Mr. Elwin consents
to remand.

Wish they were all
that easy.

Defendant is remanded.

Send it to a Trial Part.

I'm as competitive
as the next guy.

You think it was fun sitting
on my hands at arraignment?

So what's it about, Kevin?

There's no hidden agenda here.

Elwin's genuinely remorseful.

The first thing he said to me
is he wants to throw himself

on the mercy of the court
and do his time.

All 30 years of it?

He knows the deal.

And you're just
gonna stand back

and assist him
in committing legal suicide?

He's the client.

I advise him of his options,
and he makes the calls.

If it walks like a duck
and talks like a duck...

When was the last time
you had a case

where the defendant surrendered,
confessed, and, I quote,

"threw himself
on the mercy of the court"?

Never.
There's your duck.

So calendar an allocution
on a guilty plea.

We'll see if Elwin balks.

Your client intends to enter

a plea of guilty to Second
Degree Murder, Mr. Clemens?

That's correct, Judge.

Does he wish to challenge

the hate enhancement filed
by the District Attorney?

No.

Mr. Elwin,
do you understand that I can

sentence you to up to
30 years to life on this plea?

Yes, sir, I do.

Very well.

Will you take his allocution,
Mr. McCoy?

On the night

of April 7, 1996,

did you shoot Justin Lennard

with the intent
to kill him?

Yes.

Can you tell us
in your own words

how this happened?

I went to the store
where Justin worked,

and I waited outside for him.

May I be heard, Judge?

I've been retained
to represent Bruce Elwin.

You're a little late,
Ms. Weiss.

He's just abot
to allocut.

Not anymore.
His guilty plea is withdrawn.

Sorry for the histrionics,

but I was retained an hour
before this case was calendared.

If you were proceeding
with a guilty plea,

you wouldn't be here.

You always could read

the handwriting
on the wall, Jack.

Maybe you
should do the same.

We have a rock solid
confession

and a murder weapon
stashed 50 feet

from your client's front door.

I know you have a strong case
on the evidence,

but I have a strong case
on the equities.

This is a hate crime.

For the past nine years,

my client has led
an exemplary life.

Meaning he hasn't murdered
any other black men.

Meaning he shouldn't be
prosecuted at all.

He is a different persn
than the one who committd

what even he agrees
is a despicable crime.

What's the punch line?

I'm filing
a Clayton motion asking

that his case be dismissed
in the interest of justice.

Ever since he committed
this crime,

Mr. Elwin's been
a born-again Christian.

thi.

If Judge Taylor
grants the Clayton motion,

it's a dismissal
on the merits.

The defendant walks.

A successful Clayton motion
is rare enough.

I don't think this one has
a snowball's chance in hell.

There are more people

who believe
in angels in this country

than in evolution.

I doubt if Judge Taylor
is one of them.

Then we lucked out.

There's a judge or three who
could be sympathetic to this.

For instance?

Justice Scalia said

our laws derive
their authority from God.

William O. Douglas wrote
that we're a religious people

whose institutions presuppose
a Supreme Being.

How does that translate
into a free pass for murder?

The defense is arguing
that since Elwin

has redeemed himself
in the eyes of the Lord,

the law
should recognize that.

It will.

After he admits
his responsibility.

He tried that.
Weiss pulled the plug.

This stratagem is just
an excuse for Wendy Weiss

to put on a little guerilla
theater in the courtroom.

No better time
than now, Jack.

She's dreaming if she thinks
she can cash in on that.

Would you have ever dreamed

that Congress and the President
would intervene

in the Terry Schiavo
situation?

Or that the Colorado
Supreme Court would split

3-2 on whether
the jury could consult

the Bible
on the death sentence?

Trust me, Wendy Weis

is not a true believer.

What does she have to lose?

If her Clayton motion is denied,
she's no worse off.

If Judge Taylor doesn't bite,

this could work
as jury nullification.

In New York City,
I'll take my chances.

Maybe it's a good thing
I'm not on your jury.

Really?

I go to church, Jack.

I believe
in spiritual redemption.

The born-again Christians
that I know

have had
a genuine moral awakening.

And people facing life
in prison

often awake to find religion.

So why don't I find out
just how genuine

Elwin's transformation was?

Bruce moved in here
over ten years ago.

He had a stereo system
on this wall, a big TV,

tons of video games.

He had a real nice leather sofa
set over here.

What happened to it all?

One day a Salvation Army truck
pulled up, took it all.

Gave away his BMW too.

When was this?

About nine years ag.

That's when he drank
the Kool-Aid.

He found religion?
Yeah.

One day I call him u,

and he says
he's not hanging out anymore,

says he's changing his life.

The next thing I know,

it's Jesus this
and the Lord that.

Whoa, man, I went
to Catholic school, all right?

So we didn't hang out
anymore.

And he quit his job too.

Started to work for one of them
do-gooder outfits.

Bruce was a Senior Systems
Analyst at a bank.

He said he wanted
to give notice and work here.

Did he say why?

He didn't need to.

It was obvious he wanted
to change his life

and give something back
to the community.

How could you tell?

There are many people
like Bruce,

people who wake up
one morning

and are unhappy with
what they see in the mirror.

He was making $200,000.

I told him
the West Side Family Center

could only pay him
eight or nine.

And he said he'd take it
on one condition.

That I tithe 10% of his salary

and earmark it
for one of our children's funds.

I talked to friends,
coworkers, family.

Bruce Elwin is
the real deal.

Within weeks after he murdered
Justin Lennard,

he renounced his lifestyle

and most of
its worldly accoutrements.

Means you're going to have

to oppose his motion
on the merits.

That's fine,
because it has no merit.

You may think that,
but the facts indicate

that Elwin's spent
the last nine years

atoning for what he did.

I don't care
if he comes to court

with a hair shirt
and a scourge.

Murder is murder.

And the defense will argue

that if rehabilitation
is the reason

that we put murderers
in jail,

Elwin's well on his way

to accomplishing that
on his own.

Well, there are other reasons
for incarceration--

deterrence, denunciation...

and there's a catharsis
for everyone

in seeing
the guilty punished.

Well, we stopped holding
executions in the Town Square.

And they're not called
penitentiaries anymore,

they're correctional facilities.

Anyone who's ever been in one

knows that
that's a bad joke.

You can't dispute
the fact

that Elwin is doing more
for society now

than if he spent
his life in jail.

So we'll forgive you
if you kill someone

so long as you demonstrate
you're really sorry.

Forgiveness
is a Christian ideal.

And if you don't believe
in Christ, well, then,

you just have
to do your time?

The logical outgrowth
of this insanity.

The defense is asking
Judge Taylor to recuse himself.

Why?

He has an anti-Christian bias.

You sent my blood pressure
off the charts

with this one, Ms. Weiss.

Nothing personal, Judge,

but when you consider
the subject matter,

of our Clayton motion--

Of course it's personal.

It's blatant judge shopping,
Your Honor.

And you better convince me
otherwise, Counselor.

When you sat
in Civil Term,

you demonstrated
an anti-Christian bias

in severl
of your decision.

In Cohen v. Tenants
Association

you ordered a crèche removed
from Gramercy Park.

In Waverly v. Board of Ed
you prohibited

funding for
an after-school Bible club--

Those decisions were mandated
by the First Amendment.

You joined in a memo forbidding
the singing of carols

at the courthouse
Christmas party.

You were supported

for your re-electin
by the Libertarian Part,

the ACLU-

Do you have
a list of the books

Judge Taylor borrowed
from the library?

You know what, Ms. Weiss?

As deeply offended by this
as I am,

I'm going to recuse myself.

I can't believe you're
acquiescing to this, Judge!

I don't need you riding me,
Mr. McCoy.

If you entertain
this application,

you will only encourage
more disqualification motions--

black defendants
demanding black judges,

gay defendants seeking--

I get the point.

But I need the resolution
of this matter

to be bulletproof.

To avoid the appearance
of any impropriety

or retaliation
against the defendant,

I'll refer this matter
for a hearing

in the Motion Part.

That would be..

Judge Proctor, who I'm sure
is on all the right lists.

When did Bruce Elwin join
your congregation, Pastor?

Nine years ago.

And is he
an active member

of the Second Church
of the Lamb?

Oh, yes.

Bruce is a regular worshipper
and a frequent volunteer.

He's on our Steering Committee,

and he wors
two nights a wek

in our church pantry
serving meals to the indigent.

Did Mr. Elwin ever consult you
on personal matters, Pastor?

From time to tim.

Did he ever tell you
what prompted him to become

a born-again Christian?

Only in a roundabout way,
Mr. McCoy.

He talked about his faith
and how grateful he was

to find salvatin
in the Lord Jesus Chris.

He never admitted to you that
he murdered Justin Lennard?

No.

So you didn't know
that he killed him

because he was
an African-American?

Even so.

If Bruce now accepts
the Lord Jesus Christ

as his personal savior,

I'd still embrace him.

Did you kill Justin Lennard?

Yes, I did.

Can you tell us
what happened

after you shot him, Bruce?

I went back
to my apartment.

I had a bottle of bourbon,

and I started drinking
until I passed out.

I woke up the next day
in a pool of my own vomit.

And then I remembered
what I had done.

I-I went outside,

and I walked to one of the piers
on the Hudson River.

Why, Bruce?

To decide whether to

throw myself into the river
or turn myself in.

I sat there and stared

at the wate.

And I decide.

The river was
my only way out.

That's when I heard church bells
off in the distance.

I stoppd
and I listene.

It was Jesus calling me back

from the edge of that pier.

And at that moment, I...

turned toward him
and never looked back.

May I ask a question?

As you sit here today,
Mr. Elwin,

how do you feel about
what you did to Justin Lennard?

What I did and what I felt
was evil.

The hate that was
inside me...

was because I kept Jesus
out of my soul.

After you had
this epiphany, Mr. Elwin,

why didn't you
turn yourself in?

I thought the police
would come for me.

I-I called in sick
and I just sat

in my apartmet
day after da.

I praye.

And I waited for that knock
on the door,

but it never came.

Then I realizd
the Lord hd

other plans for me.

That's when I quit my job

and dedicated my life
to serving Christ.

A righteous man
would've admitted his crime.

Why'd you wait nine years?

I just put myself
into Christ's hands,

and he sends me
where he sends me.

You read the Bible?

Most day.

You adhere
to what it teaches

about murder
and retribution?

Thou shalt not kill.

An eye for an eye--

Yes, those are part
of my beliefs.

So you believe
you should be punished

for the sin you committed?

That's not for me to say.

All I can tell you is
I-I let Jesus Christ

into my heat
and asked him for salvatio.

Did Jesus direct you

to file a motion

to dismiss the murder charge
against you?

I'm not some kind
of nut, Mr. McCoy.

The Calvary Hill Foundation
hired Miss Weiss

to represent me.

Once she knew all the facts,

she had this ide.

To change your plea of guilty
to murder into a motion

to excuse you
from all the consequences?

I know it doesn't sound
logical to you.

When the Lord closes the door,
He opens a window.

God works in mysterious ways,
Mr. Elwin.

You don't need to convince me,
Mr. McCoy.

It's not easy to cross-examine
a true believer, Jack.

Religion's one thing.

But to invoke it
as a mantra

to avoid personal
responsibility--

Mantra or not,
Judge Proctor seemed riveted.

Excuse me.

Is he going to get away
with killing my son?

Not if I can help it, sir.

I believe in God too,
Mr. McCoy.

I try to forgive,
I just don't have it in me.

I wish there was something
I could say besides "I'm sorry."

No offense, but I've been
hearing "sorry" all morning.

How about, "Don't do it
in the first place"?

Elwin's the last
of the defense witnesses.

I wonder why they're not
calling his sister.

She didn't give the cops
a DNA sample.

Maybe she isn't a true believer
in her brother.

Let's hit her
with a subpoena.

Bruce and I didn't know
any African-Americans

growing up in New Hampshire.

So how did he react
when you started

dating Justin Lennard?

He asked how serious it was.

I told Bruce
that I was in love with him.

How did your brother respond?

I don't remember.

He's admitted
to killing Justin

because he was black,
Mrs. Harvard.

He must've said something.

I guess, maybe he did.

Well, what did he say?

He said that...

He said that he didn't
want me to waste my life.

Waste it how?

Waste it how, Mrs. Harvard?

To waste it on--

To waste it on a black guy.

Was that the language he used?

No, he--

He used another word.

Do I have to say it?

So after saying
what he said

and doing what he did,

do you honestly believe
your brother is different now?

Yes.

I mean--I--

He called me from jail
to say how sorry he was.

And you accepted his apology?

I did.

I really want to...

But how can you know

what's in
another person's heart?

No one could argue
with a straight face

that Bruce's faith and
rehabilitation aren't sincere.

So here's
the $64,000 question, Judge.

Will the law recognize
his rebirth in Jesus Christ?

Or is it too scary
to acknowledge

that there's
a higher moral authority

than what's written
in a law book somewhere?

Bruce Elwin rendered himself
unto the very power

we openly acknowledge
is the inspiration,

even the source,
of our legal institutions.

God is wovn
into the fabrc

of our laws.

Our legislative
and our judicial bodies

open their sessions
with prayer.

Witnesses who coe
into this courtrom

are asked to swer
on a Bibl.

Over your head, Judge,
higher than the law itself

is a simple statement:

"In God We Trust."

Is that just lip service?

Let's put our money

where our mouth is.

Look at what God's done
for Bruce Elwin.

Can the justice

of men do better?

Is Ms. Weiss serious?

If you really, really,
really turn to God,

you can murder someone

and walk away
with a clean slate?

That doesn't put
Mr. Elwin in line

with any higher moral authority
I'm aware of.

It places him above the law.

We can all acknowledge
the existence

of a higher moral authority.

We see it in action
when our collective conscience

compels us
to reject unjust

or immoral laws.

But while our actions may be
guided by our faith,

we deliberately

don't conduct them
under the guise of religion.

Our founders left God

out of the Constitution,

not for lack of faith
among them,

but because of what they knew

about the toxic combination

of state and religious power.

So if Mr. Elwin regards his
prosecution for a hate murder

as unjust or immoral,

let him present his arguments

without the cloak of religion.

To that, the People
say the defendant's

virtuous conduct after
Justin Lennard's murder

should be a factor
in his sentencing.

But to dismiss
this case outright

would be a miscarriage
of justice that contradicts

more than 200 years
of American jurisprudence.

If you kill someone,
Mr. Elwin,

you have to answer
to the State first,

and to Justin Lennard
and his family,

and then,
hopefully, someday,

to your Maker.

I commend the defendant
for using his religion

and remorse
for his heinous conduct

as a fulcrum
to change his life.

I believe his transformation
is heartfelt and sincere.

Nevertheless, for the reasons
stated by Mr. McCoy,

I'm denying
the defendant's motion

to dismiss the murder charge
in the interest of justice.

Let's set a trial date.

Unless the defendant wants

to put his money
where his mouth is.

No, this is going
to a jury.

Don't you want
to hear my offer?
I know you, Jack.

I know it's not gonna be
anywhere in the ballpark.

Then you know I'll do everything
in my power

to keep you
from jamming this defense

in through jury nullification.

Well, you can't stop me

from calling lots
of character witnesses.

Back door's as good
as the front.
No.

No--
this is a sign.

Bruce, please.

I murdered him.

I'll plead guilty.
Do that,

and you'll spend the rest
of your life in jail, Bruce.

If that's
what the Lord wants.

There's only one way for me
to be at peace with Jesus now.

And it's to pay
for what I've done.

I'll, uh...
I'll call the judge.

I'll let her know.

Too bad.

Way things are going
in this country,

I could've hung that jury.

Next time, Wendy.

I'm just curious, Jack.

What were you going
to offer?

I was considering going
as low as Man One,

praise the Lord.

Captioning by Holly Rose
at CaptionMax
www.captionmax.com