Original subtitles

Finding a dead guy in a cemetery, kind of redundant, don't you think?

I don't like cemeteries.

Any particular reason?

I don't wanna talk about it.

You brought it up, you picked the topic.

Well, it wasn't a topic, it-- it was a statement.

No, no, you don't get how this works.

How what works?

Stan would say something. I would disagree.

We could argue about it for an hour solid.

Well, let me show you how it's done.

Cemeteries. Cemeteries.

You ever have sex in a cemetery?

- No. - I did.

1963, East Point Park.

Judy Biggs, back seat of her father's Chrysler.

We were parked between the Steinmetz mausoleum and Citriniti family plots.

Now, that's... conversation.

Officer Rogers, how you doing?

What have we got?

The caretaker found the body about 20 minutes ago.

- What's with the dog? - Here when they found the body.

He won't budge.

Better call the animal shelter.

It's the victim's dog. He was here when the murder happened.

Dog might be our only witness.

- Here, boy. - Watch it, watch it.

Be careful.

It's all right. It's all right.

Hey! Whoa.

Careful, Megan.

You're a big help, aren't you?

I'm a cat man.

It's-- it's all right.

It's all right.

What's the guy doing in the cemetery at 8am anyway?

Visiting a loved one.

Well, how did he get here?

- There's no car nearby or anything. - Maybe he took the bus.

- Well maybe the guy who killed him took his car. - Maybe.

What have we got, Scheiner?

A ligature mark on the neck.

So he was strangled?

Looks like some kind of a wire.

Oh yeah, look at this. Bruises, scratches.

This guy put up a fight.

Roll him.

Okay. Ah! He's still got his wallet.

All right, let's see...

Edgar Rodzinski.

Diners Club, American Express, $57.

Awww.

Baltimore City Police Department ID card.

He's a cop?

This card's stamped retired, 1985.

Hey, Rodzinski.

I was right. He was visiting his wife.

Yeah, for the last time.

The victim was an ex-cop?

Edgar Rodzinski, 30 years in Vice.

He was garroted. Strangled with a piece of wire.

I want that information kept away from the press.

He still had his wallet, cash, credit card, but no keys.

No one saw him arrive at the cemetery.

Let's check with the DMV, see if he owns a car.

Rodzinski?

I know a Rodzinski.

Was he a cop?

Yeah. I went to the Academy with him.

Jake Rodzinski.

No, that's not him. This guy's in his 60s.

Jake's old man was a detective.

Edgar Rodzinski?

Yeah.

Aw, jeez! Aw, jeez.

Does Jake know about this?

Where can we find him?

He works in Check and Fraud.

Look, Lewis, go with Munch and Russert.

Notify the son.

An ex-cop was killed on my watch, I don't like this.

Hey mister, wanna buy some candy? $4 a box.

What's that? What you got?

- Thin Mints. - Thin Mints.

I don't know.

And why should we buy candy from a little hustler like you, huh?

It helps kids stay off the streets.

That's what school is for.

You know, there is a teachers' conference today.

Teachers' conference?

I got kids in school, and I didn't hear about any teachers' conference.

I'll tell you what we'll do, we'll take him down to the station,

call the school and confirm his story.

Okay, okay, okay!

You guys are cops.

For you, $3.50 a box.

- Two for six, you got a deal. - Okay.

All right. Got change for a hundred?

- No. What? - Just kidding.

All right, big guy. Thanks.

- Oh, yeah. - Bye!

- Are they thick or they thin? - They got more goo in these ones.

Hey, Lewis, how you doing?

This is Megan Russert, John Munch.

- They work with me in Homicide. - Hey, hiya.

He's my partner, Pez McCadden.

- Yeah, I know Pez. - How you doing?

What are you guys having lunch at Whitey's here or what?

It's about your father.

Yeah, what about him?

We found his body this morning.

Your father's dead, man, I'm sorry.

We found him.

At Holy Redeemer Cemetery next to your mother's grave.

What, he'd had a heart attack or something? What happened?

Wait a second, you guys are Homicide--

You saying he was murdered?

I'm afraid so.

Carol?

- Meldrick, hi. - Hey.

It's good to see you.

Yeah.

Jake's in there?

I couldn't go in.

Yeah.

Hey, Jake.

Max, hey. Come here, boy.

How you doing?

Thanks, Lewis.

After Mom died, uh...

my dad looked out for me.

He was...

such a son-of-a-bitch, you know,

always pushing me to stay in school and join the Academy.

Come on, Max. Let's go home.

So, Munch and Russert, they, uh...

they got any leads?

Well, you know, we'll get your pop's car out there on the teletype,

and then we track it down, and maybe it'll lead us to a suspect.

Which means they got nothing.

No. Not yet.

Now, Russert, she was double demoted from Captain,

and from what I hear about Munch,

he's some ex-hippie or something?

Nah, they're good police.

- That's not what I'm saying. - Then what are you saying?

I wanna find out who murdered my father

and I don't want this investigation getting hung up, you know?

It's gotta be done right.

It'll be done right, Jake.

You'll make sure of that?

Yeah, I'll make sure of that.

Half a sandwich in here with Kellerman's name on it.

- Take it. - All right.

He won't be in till Monday.

He's best man at his cousin's wedding up in Wisconsin.

Ah, trust Kellerman to have relatives in the Dairy State.

Hey, how's the Rodzinski case coming?

We're working the case, Meldrick.

How's Jake doing?

Lousy. How'd you be doing?

You know his father well?

Yeah, you know, see him around once in a while, graduation, Jake's wedding.

Yeah, he'd say, "Hello, Meldrick." I'd say, "Hello, Mr. Rodzinski."

We'd talk about the Colts for a while and then that'd be about it.

The guy was a good cop, simple guy.

Now he's up in cop heaven with tens of thousands of other slain officers,

there's a big post-mortem ball in the sky,

full dance band, spiked punch, all the doughnuts you can eat.

Wanna know where Rodzinski's gonna go?

Into the ground like everyone else.

Thus speaks the Catholic.

The goal is to get out before being killed,

go someplace peaceful like, uh, Idaho.

Half the LAPD retired to Idaho. They call it "Blue Heaven".

I'll tell you what, LAPD, no LAPD,

if Rodzinski had moved there when he had turned in his badge, he might still be alive.

If you ask me, between Idaho and eternity, he's better off dead.

That's enough!

Sorry, Gee. Were you a friend of his?

No.

I never met him.

I do know that he was a member of this department for 30 years.

That alone should be enough for

everyone here to treat this with dignity and respect.

Lewis, line one.

Oh, that sandwich has been in the fridge about two weeks!

Bon appétit!

Hey, Rogers. What's going on?

I got a call from the caretaker.

Rodzinski showed up, started asking questions about the investigation.

I said he should talk to Munch or Russert.

He said you were on the case.

Oh, yeah?

- You guys all done here? - Yeah.

Okay, I'll take over from here.

- Okay. - Thanks a lot.

Sure.

Hey, Jake.

What's going on?

Well, I just wanted to see where he was killed.

Why don't you let the investigating detectives take care of this.

This is not your case.

It's not my case either, for that matter.

Look, I can't help it, you know? It--

I just keep thinking I let him down somehow.

Lab guys finished?

Yeah. Uh-huh. They're done.

So why is the damn tape still up?

Come on, Jake.

Let's go home.

Okay, let's go.

John!

Your housekeeper let me in.

Wanted to bring you up to date.

You have nice things.

Well, thanks.

No, really. I mean, this is very tasteful.

Bolander lives in an efficiency.

I mean, the man has to pull out a couch to sleep.

John, the case?

Yeah, I called all the midnight-shift lieutenants.

They're gonna read the teletype on Rodzinski's car at roll calls.

- Oh, good. - I also requested a computer run on all ag assaults, robberies,

- and car thefts in the area around the cemetery. - Right.

Plus I typed a temporary office report,

and copied it to Giardello and Barnfather.

You did what?

I did the office report.

Oh, perfect.

That's perfect.

Barnfather's trying to keep me jacked up

and you send him a progress report that shows no progress.

Aren't you a little paranoid about Barnfather?

Um, a month ago I was Captain,

and now I'm a detective, remember?

Look, John, would you do me a favor?

Uh, from now on, before you talk to any of the bosses,

talk to me first.

- Talk to you first? - Yeah.

I'm the primary on this case.

Yeah, well, um...

that may be so, but...

I think when it comes to politics, I have a better feel for it.

You know, you're not chain of command any more. You're partnering on this case.

And it's enough that I had to take crap from Stanley Bolander.

At least he had 30 years on me.

What are you saying?

That I'm not as good a detective as Bolander?

All I'm saying is,

12 hours into this investigation, we have nothing.

Well. Fine.

You know, I didn't ask to be partnered with you. You wanna find somebody else?

- Somebody else? - Somebody else!

- No, I don't. - Okay, then!

- Okay, then. - All right.

- I gotta go. - All right.

- See you in the morning. - See you in the morning.

Partner.

Jake Rodzinski went to the crime scene yesterday afternoon?

What did he want?

I don't know.

He's not exactly your average bereaved family member, you know.

The guy's a cop.

He just wanted to see if we--

If what? If we missed something?

I don't know, Munch.

I can't get inside the guy's head.

Well, he's your friend.

Look, we went to the Academy together, we hooped it up at the Y now and again.

That don't exactly make us bosom buddies.

Well, whatever you call him, just tell him to stay away from the crime scene, okay?

So what, am I supposed to tell him not to care, Munch?

Huh? His father was killed, Munch!

And we ain't got nothing on it.

What's that all about?

Oh, you know the drill.

Jake Rodzinski leans on Meldrick, Meldrick leans on us.

Now it's my turn.

Where are we in the investigation?

Gee, I'm telling you, Edgar Rodzinski did not have an enemy in the world.

According to his cop buddies at the FOP Lodge,

even the guys he locked up liked him.

Have you re-interviewed the cemetery caretaker?

Twice.

Well, maybe three time's the charm.

It's bad enough there was a murder in my cemetery.

Now I got detectives all over the place.

Mr. Prochnik, we need to know if you remember anything else.

I don't.

You were in the gatehouse when the murder occurred?

Yeah, I was here, but I didn't see anything.

You didn't see anybody arrive, you didn't see anybody leave?

How many different ways can I tell you?

I don't know anything.

It's just odd is all.

A car comes or goes,

you're in the gatehouse, it's gotta pass by you, right?

Hey, man. What's up?

Hey Munchkin, have you got the--

No, we don't have any leads on the Rodzinski murder yet.

That ain't what I was gonna ask you.

Nice suit. Where are you going?

Jake's house.

They're having some people over there after the wake.

What I was gonna ask you is if you got the bar key for the good liquor cabinet?

I gotta take a bottle of something over there.

- You're goin' to Jake's house? - Yeah.

Is it all right if I come along?

Yeah, you wanna come with?

Yeah, Edgar Rodzinski was one of us.

The more the merrier.

If you're going, I'm going.

Don't go on my account.

That's exactly why I'm going.

I gotta ride around with you all day.

You're gonna give me that look and make me feel guilty.

- You're going out of guilt? - Yes.

Guilt is almost as good a motivator as fear.

Besides, it's almost dinner time, I'm very hungry,

and you can always count on cops for a lot of good cold cuts.

Honey?

He won't stop barking.

What do you want me to do?

Put him in the backyard.

Max. Cool it.

Okay, boy.

Augie, want you to meet Meldrick Lewis, John Munch, Megan Russert.

They're the detectives assigned to Dad's case.

Homicide, huh? The elite?

Where they speak for the dead?

You with the Department, sir?

Used to be.

I was Edgar's partner for a while, before I moved over to County.

I was always trying to get Edgar to get out too, but he loved Baltimore.

Look, the FOP guys wanted to do something for your father, so--

Wait a minute. Everybody ought to hear this.

Everybody? Can I have your attention?

Ed Rodzinski was my partner.

He was also my friend.

I was there when this one was born.

Anyway, I just thought everybody ought to know that the FOP has stepped forward

and is putting a $20,000 reward out for information regarding the murder.

- That's right. - Here, here!

Here, here!

So you talked to the cemetery caretaker?

He didn't see anything.

What about my dad's car?

Uh, well, we're still looking.

So you don't have any leads?

Well, no.

Then what are you doing here?

We just wanted to pay our respects.

You wanna pay respects, find my father's killer.

Hey, Jake, come on, man.

Coming here? Brilliant idea.

The longer this takes, the less chance there's gonna be of anything.

Evidence disappears, witnesses forget. You know that.

Hey, Lewis?

You're a homicide cop,

maybe you and me, we could do a little investigating on our own.

Oh, come on, Jake.

We can't go off on a rogue investigation.

And besides, I've taken a lot of heat in the past

for sticking my nose in other people's cases.

Now, we have to do this according to procedure.

- We have to do this by the book. - Uh-huh.

Follow the rules, you mean?

- Damn straight! - Mmm-hmm.

My old man, he followed the rules.

Look where it got him.

Hey listen, I just wanna apologize to you guys for last night.

I was out of line.

Hey, with what you're going through, no need.

And I thought of something that might help.

My dad was stabbed once, on the job.

Of course, this was a long time ago.

Do you remember any of the specifics?

I was just a kid, so this would be sometime in the late '60s.

I asked him what happened, but he said it was just part of the job.

Here it is.

March 1966.

Edgar Rodzinski, hospitalized for a stab wound to the stomach.

But there's no report.

I mean, you were his partner back then. What happened?

We were working on an extortion investigation against Simon Gandolph.

I wasn't with him when he got stabbed.

Edgar wouldn't talk to me about it.

Here's the file. Gandolph was convicted.

He died in prison.

Edgar interviewed Gandolph's mistress Paula Schwenk 19 times.

He re-interviewed her 19 times? Why?

She was the State's primary witness against Gandolph.

That's a lot of interviews.

He was thorough.

I think we ought to have a conversation with Paula Schwenk.

Ms. Schwenk, do you remember a detective named Edgar Rodzinski?

Oh, yes!

Oh, he was such a gentleman.

Ed was murdered two days ago.

Ah...

When he was on the Simon Gandolph case, he got stabbed.

We were wondering if there's a connection.

Do you know who stabbed Edgar, Ms. Schwenk?

Of course I know. It was my son.

Your son?

Alan.

He was only ten years old.

That's why Ed never filed a report.

Do you know why he stabbed Ed?

He didn't like him.

He didn't... like him?

Oh, who knows why some people like certain people, and they don't like others.

Anyway, Ed took care of everything.

He covered the whole thing up.

Ms. Schwenk, do you know where your son is now?

No, I don't.

He's been in and out of jail.

I haven't talked to him in years.

Do you think that your son might still have carried a grudge against Edgar Rodzinksi?

Alan has a grudge against the whole world.

I'm really sorry to hear about Ed.

That means they're all dead.

Excuse me?

Every man I ever slept with.

They're all dead.

So old Edgar was getting some on the side with Paula Schwenk.

I always liked to believe that people behaved better back then.

1966?

Nope. People definitely weren't behaving better then.

So you think that's why her son stabbed Rodzinski,

'Cause they were having an affair?

Maybe.

Well, in any case, I don't think we need to mention

that particular detail to Jake Rodzinski.

He knows.

How do you know that?

I mean, he may not know the details,

but every son knows when his old man's screwing around.

You don't wanna know, but you know.

Your father had an affair?

Nope, never.

Then what do you know about it?

All I'm saying is, if my old man did have an affair,

I would have known about it.

But he didn't.

Right. He didn't.

End of story.

Now, what do you wanna talk about?

Nothing.

What do you mean nothing?

I mean, I would like to sit here and look out the window.

I would like to gather my thoughts.

I'd like to concentrate on closing this case.

Is that too much to ask?

- No, that's not too much to ask. - Thank you.

You wait here, boy.

I won't be long.

Hey, Harvey.

How you doing?

Making my parole. What do you want?

Oh, come on, Harvey.

- You have to ask? - Detective, please.

Is that what my father said, "Please?"

What? Your father?

No, I guess he wouldn't have. See, my old man,

he never asked anybody for anything his whole life.

- Man, I don't know what you mean. - Let me in, Harvey.

I just wanna talk to you.

Alan Schwenk?

I'm Detective Munch. This is Detective Russert.

We're from Baltimore Homicide.

Stop! Damn it!

Police! Stop!

Alan?

We need to talk to you!

Put that down now! Drop it!

Drop it! Put it down now!

Put your hands on your head! On your knees!

Cross your legs!

It's not what you think.

- What's not what we think? - Munch.

I didn't mean to do it.

I didn't mean to stab him.

Stab who?

Sal Fischback.

Who the hell is Sal Fischback?

He's a cabbie.

I needed the money.

Cabbies carry a lot of cash.

That is why you're here, isn't it?

Alan Schwenk is being processed for the stabbing of Sal Fischback.

He had nothing to do with the Rodzinski murder.

- Any of Rodzinski's other cases lead anywhere? - No, Gee.

What about the $20,000 reward?

An excuse for every nut case in Baltimore to call in claiming they know something.

- What about the car? - Every officer in the city knows it's high priority.

We're still looking.

What the hell's taking so long?

Al, there are a lot of chop shops.

Besides, the car might be out of state by now.

Jake Rodzinski's just been arrested.

What?

He beat up a suspect he claims killed his father.

A guy named Harvey Otto.

Otto's lawyer took photos of the injuries

and the Court Commissioner had a warrant sworn out on Jake.

- Where's Jake? - In lock-up.

I gotta go down to Central Booking and bail his ass out.

Thanks, Lewis.

How'd you get me out? You talk to my lieutenant?

I posted your bail.

Bail? What, are you serious?

The guy was resisting arrest.

Arrest?

Arrest for what?

I get a line on a suspect, I go to arrest him, he pops me one.

- I gotta subdue him. - Subdue him?

Jake, you put him in a hospital.

Yeah, like I was saying, he resisted arrest.

Not that it was your arrest to make.

What the hell did you think you were doing there?

Huh? They're gonna press charges.

So what?

So what is it to you?

Your career maybe?

I'm not gonna get convicted. The only thing that's gonna happen is,

IID's gonna start a folder on me.

It's not gonna go beyond that.

Look, the guy is stone guilty.

He killed my dad.

If you thought Otto was a suspect, why didn't you tell us about him this morning?

Well, I didn't think about him until after you left.

Look, I busted Otto years ago, and he always swore that someday,

after I'd forgotten all about him, he was gonna make me remember.

You should've told us about him.

Well, I wanted to deal with it myself.

So you sent us on a wild goose chase looking for Paula Schwenk?

Harvey Otto didn't kill your father.

What? No, he had to.

Would've been nice if you'd checked his alibi first.

I did. I went by his factory

and I found out the day my dad died, he wasn't there.

Somebody signed out his time card for him and he wasn't there.

You're right, you're right, he wasn't at his job.

But apparently Otto was a recent convert to AA,

and he was having a rough day, so he cut out of work to go to a meeting.

Now, he didn't tell anyone, 'cause he's got a bad absentee rate,

so a buddy signed him out

and there are at least 15 people at AA willing to vouch for him.

Rodzinski is suspended until this matter is resolved.

Oh, come on, Gee! The guy's father's been killed.

This ain't right. You know it ain't right.

Look, whether it's right or wrong, it's not my call.

Munch and Russert got no leads on this and the case is getting colder by the minute.

It's no wonder Jake is jacked up.

Lewis...

Lewis, you wanna help Jake?

- Yeah. - Take him home.

Tell him to stay home.

I'll pay you back, Lewis.

What was the bail, five grand?

10% to the bail bondsman.

- I'll pay you back. - You sure as hell will.

Why didn't you come to me, man?

Now you're in a jam. You're on suspension.

You're gonna be pressing license plates next.

Yeah well, I'm not like you. You know, I don't like to talk.

I got a problem, I deal with it on my own.

Yeah, I remember. I remember.

It's like when we were playing basketball, man.

You had a decent jump shot,

but when it comes time to passing the ball, man, you had no dish.

Well that's 'cause if I ever gave it to you, I'd never get it back again.

I have to say though, we were pretty good out there.

You know, we pushed that ball just as hard as we could.

Yeah, but without fouling out, though.

So you still playing ball now and again?

- No, not in years. - Yeah, me neither.

Why is that?

Too much has changed.

You know, these kids today, it's not just a game, it's...

...take no prisoners.

Last man standing wins.

It's war.

I gotta talk to you.

Mr. Prochnik. Megan, look who's here.

Yeah, I remembered something about the other morning.

What jogged your memory?

You want my information or not?

Oh, have a seat, Mr. Prochnik.

My daughter, she's been dating this louse, a real creep.

He goes by Kenny D.

I think his real last name is Damon.

And we should be interested in this information because?

You know the kind, the drugs, stealing cars, worthless.

I've been telling her to dump him, but she don't listen to me.

Anyway, the night before the cop got murdered,

he comes to the cemetery

and tells me to stop hassling Becky.

And?

Well, we argued.

All of a sudden he attacked me.

Attacked you how?

- He tried to strangle me. - Strangle you?

Strangle you with what, Mr. Prochnik?

A piece of wire. Had it around my throat.

Thought I was going to have to make use of my own services as far as a cemetery plot goes,

but Becky showed up and he ran off.

Why didn't you tell us this before?

We came down, we interviewed you three times.

You didn't think we'd wanna know about this?

Can I have the $20,000 now?

The reward is for information leading to a conviction.

Now, would you be willing to testify?

I didn't know about that.

Hey, do you want the $20,000 or not?

- Yeah. - Well, we'll be in touch, Mr. Prochnik.

- Damon? - Damon.

Kenneth Damon, aka Kenny Damon, aka Kenny D.

A couple of convictions for narcotics as a juvenile, busted twice for auto theft.

Spent eight months in DOC, released last spring.

Arrested two years ago for assault.

He tried to strangle someone.

Case never went to trial. The victim couldn't make a positive ID.

I hate to say it, but I think we made Mr. Prochnik $20,000 richer.

What've we got?

- Finally a break in the case, Al. - We just got another one.

That was the Auto Squad, they've located Rodzinski's Ford,

at least what's left of it, at a chop shop in Dundalk.

They found the car?

- Russert and Munch, get over there. - Yeah.

- I should go with, huh, Gee? - We're okay on our own, Gee.

We've stalled on this case long enough.

Lewis wants to help, let Lewis help.

- Howard. - Sir.

Have the dumpsters in the area been searched?

I don't know.

Well, find out. There was carpet from that car.

We need that carpet.

You got it.

I want you to process the entire vehicle for prints,

Leuco for blood stains, and vacuum the interior.

I want every hair, every fiber, every scrap of physical evidence, okay?

- Gotcha. - Thanks.

We've gotta find that carpet.

Would you settle for the murder weapon?

Lab found hairs in the car matching hairs found on Edgar Rodzinski's body.

DNA is doing final analysis.

They also found Kenny Damon's fingerprint on the door handle.

Get a warrant, make an arrest.

I'll call Ed Danvers.

Wanna call your buddy Rodzinski?

Uh, hey, hey, hey.

Let's wait till we get Damon in custody.

Yeah, he deserves to know.

Make an arrest first, then we'll give him the full story.

Kenny Damon!

Baltimore Police!

We have a warrant for your arrest for the murder of Edgar Rodzinski.

Don't do anything stupid, Kenny.

Edgar Rodzinski was a retired cop.

We have back-up around this whole building.

All right. I'm coming out.

Hands on your head!

You think this is funny?

Come on. Put your hands behind your back.

What's he doing here?

I don't know.

We heard about the warrant.

I just wanna see him.

Take it easy now, Jake.

You got a problem?

Yeah, it was my dad.

Who, the dead guy?

I don't know what anybody's talking about, man.

You laughing at me?

Yeah. You're hilarious.

Hey! Hey! Hey!

- Back off! - Come on!

Is that police brutality?

- Can I sue him for that? - No.

You want this lowlife convicted, you keep your friend away from him!

Our strongest evidence is the DNA matching the hairs found on Edgar's body

and the scrapings under his fingernails to Kenny Damon.

What about his prior for assault?

Inadmissible. My motion to show pattern was denied.

Can we win this case?

If the jury believes the DNA, yes.

And if not?

Damon's lawyer's gonna hammer away at the fact that the victim was an ex-cop.

They'll claim prejudice.

We still got the cemetery caretaker.

If the jury thinks he's credible, which they might not.

You got anything optimistic to say, Danvers?

I'm a lawyer. It's not my job to be optimistic.

Can we get Damon convicted?

I'll do my best, Al. That's all I can do.

I'll have to live with that.

Yeah, but can Jake?

The defendant Kenneth Damon got into an argument

with his girlfriend's father, Dale Prochnik, the cemetery caretaker.

And as you'll hear from Mr. Prochnik, Damon tried to strangle him.

When Prochnik's daughter showed up, Damon, in a rage, left.

But Damon returned to the cemetery the next morning to finish the job on Mr. Prochnik,

but when he couldn't find him, he vented his frustration

and anger on the first person he saw.

The victim, Edgar Rodzinski, a retired police officer.

Damon strangled Edgar Rodzinski with a wire coat hanger and then stole his car.

DNA evidence will prove the defendant's skin cells

were under Mr. Rodzinski's fingernails.

DNA evidence will prove the defendant's hairs

were on Mr. Rodzinski's clothing and also in his car.

We have fingerprint evidence proving the defendant was in Mr. Rodzinski's car.

The chain of physical evidence is overwhelming.

Kenneth Damon is guilty of the murder of Edgar Rodzinski.

Detective Russert,

how long was the victim's car missing before you were able to examine it for evidence?

About 48 hours.

So you have no idea who else might have touched that car?

No.

Mr. Prochnik, you testified that the defendant

tried to choke you the night before the murder?

Yes.

But you didn't report that to the police.

No.

And then, when the detectives who were investigating Edgar Rodzinski's death

first interviewed you, you also said nothing.

I didn't think it was important at the time.

Oh.

The victim's son Jake Rodzinski, is a policeman, correct?

- Yes. - You were at the Academy together.

That's right.

Did you or did you not recently post bail for Jake Rodzinski?

That's correct, sir.

So it's possible that someone other than my client put the wire coat hanger in that car?

Well, it's possible, yes, but Kenny Damon's fingerprint was found on the car,

- so we believe that Kenny-- - Did you find

any other fingerprints on the car other than my client's, Detective Russert?

- Of course. - Mr. Prochnik,

how much will you earn if my client is convicted?

- Excuse me? - Well, you turned him in.

You are aware there is a reward to catch the killer?

- Yes. - And how much is it?

It's $20,000.

Mr. Prochnik,

what would it cost to have you say that Kenneth Damon is innocent?

Objection!

Withdrawn.

There was nothing in our investigation that led to a suspect other than Kenny Damon.

Oh.

Did you decide that before or after you had my client in custody?

Objection.

Overruled. Witness may answer.

At no point in the investigation

was there any reason to believe there was another suspect.

All of our evidence pointed to Kenneth Damon as the killer.

You posted bail for Mr. Rodzinski

because he'd beaten up a man who he thought to be his father's killer.

A police officer attempted to arrest the wrong man for Edgar Rodzinski's murder,

but this time around, we're supposed to believe you guys got it right!

- Objection. - Sustained.

One thing has nothing to do with each other.

You are the one who found the murder weapon, correct?

Just because Mr. Rodzinski and I have a personal relationship,

it doesn't mean I'd compromise the investigation for him.

Well. You said it, Detective, not me.

Objection. Move to strike.

- So ordered. - I have nothing further.

Redirect, Your Honor.

Detective Lewis, Edgar Rodzinski was strangled with a wire coat hanger?

Yes.

You found a wire coat hanger in the victim's car.

- Yes, I did. - You found Kenneth Damon's fingerprints in that car.

- Yes, sir. - The Police Department's decision to arrest Kenneth Damon

was based solely on scientific evidence.

Is that also correct?

- That's also correct, sir. - Thank you, Detective Lewis.

It's been three hours.

I can hear them arguing.

What are they arguing about?

Three hours is a good sign.

If they were gonna acquit, they wouldn't be taking this long.

I always thought it was the other way around.

I'm starving. Anybody want to order Chinese?

Yeah, maybe that would help.

Jake?

I'm not hungry.

You know, they'll let us know when there's a verdict.

We don't have to hang around here.

You wanna get a drink or something?

No. No, I think I wanna stay, but, uh...

but you, why don't you go ahead?

And leave you alone?

You're bad enough with two-way conversations, let alone a monologue.

You know, when my husband got sick,

he refused to talk about death,

about the funeral, about where he wanted to be--

I-- I had to take care of everything.

And I did. I did.

But once he was gone, I couldn't decide on a headstone.

Granite, quartz.

Square, rounded.

Which was silly because I was the one who had to look at it, not him. But, uh...

But I wanted it to be right.

I wanted him to like it.

So, now I never go.

I picked the wrong headstone, Munch.

That's why I don't like cemeteries.

You want to get a hot chocolate or something?

Warm us up?

Okay. Okay.

You're buying.

This Kung Pao is great, Jake. Why don't you have some?

You should eat something.

No.

How about a fortune cookie?

I said no. What part of that do you not understand?

The jury just sent a question to the judge.

They want an exact description on the difference between first and second-degree murder.

They're talking guilty.

Second-degree? How can they be talking about second-degree?

Never mind that. They turned the corner.

They're talking guilt in there. Guilty.

Damon's lawyer approached me with a plea.

A plea to what?

Second-degree murder.

He'll get 25 years.

But he'll be out on parole in ten.

That's, um, that's not enough.

Anything more than that, they figure they might as well take their chances with the jury.

Jake, maybe we should consider it.

No.

Five hours.

Five hours, what the hell does that mean?

Someone's holding out. I can hear her voice.

Shh. Shh. There it is.

We're still left with the fingerprints, the DNA...

Do you think it could be a hung jury?

Who is that?

- It's that woman, the one with the blonde hair. - Jake.

That bitch! She must be the holdout.

Everybody else is talking guilty, and she's the one holding out!

The jury's back.

Members of the jury, have you agreed on a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

Will the defendant please rise and face the jury?

How say you?

In the case of the State versus Kenneth Damon,

we find the defendant not guilty of all charges.

They asked for the difference between first and second degree.

How could they find him not guilty?

Excuse me, ma'am! I'm sorry, I have to ask.

That was my father that was murdered.

- I know. I'm sorry. - What happened in there?

We heard the yelling from the jury room.

I'd rather not talk about it.

You asked for clarification on the difference between first and second-degree murder.

How the hell does that end up not guilty?

It-- it didn't. I was--

There was this man.

Right from the beginning he insisted not guilty.

Didn't matter what we said.

He kept talking about reasonable doubt and--

Wait, so are you saying that 11 people thought he was guilty?

No.

Only the two of us and the one of him.

No one else really seemed to care.

So what happened?

We-- we kept voting.

Each time I voted guilty, except--

Except what?

I voted guilty 11 times, and then, just for a second--

Everyone was tired.

We wanted to go home for the weekend.

That man was never going to change his mind.

You wanted to go home for the weekend?

I'm so sorry.

Jake. I'm sorry, man.

Let me give you a lift home.

She wanted to go home for the weekend.

Someone gets off on a technicality, you know--

You mess up on a search warrant, you screw up on a lab test,

I understand that, you know?

I don't like it, but...

there are rules and you gotta follow them.

We followed the rules.

We did it right, didn't we? I mean...

And, uh...

And they just didn't care.

Come on, man.

My car is down by the curb.

Take Carol home for me, will you?

- Jake-- - Just do this for me, will you, okay?

All right, man.

Hey, Lewis.

Maybe sometime you and me, we can catch a pick-up game of hoops, huh?

Yeah, man.

I mean, we had great times playing basketball, didn't we?

I always could kick your ass, though.

Hey, Kenny.

Oh, one thing.

What?

Sleep with one eye open.