Original subtitles

(siren blaring)

NARRATOR: Coming tonight on Hill Street Blues...

Rosa Lombardy.

Her name in Christ, Sister Anna Carmel.

Raped, beaten with fists and blunt instrument. Mutilated.

(people shouting)

MAN: Get me out of here!

(overlapping dialog)

You guys did it.

I'll shut up and wait till my mouth get here.

FURILLO: Take your time, Sister.

I don't know.

You will be signing a death warrant.

Call the judge.

(indistinct chattering)

ESTERHAUS: Item Seven. Stakeouts.

(whispering)

As I was saying, Item Seven.

Stakeouts continuing are Hertle Avenue Market,

Ten Planets Video Arcade opposite Massey High School,

and in concert with our brothers from the Treasury Department,

Ramirez Check Cash, 140th and North.

We also begin an operation at the Allen Street bus terminal

concerning the commercial activities of, uh, gay gentlemen of pleasure

in the depot men's room.

(laughter)

In this regard, I call to your attention the currently voguish brown-bag maneuver,

in which one of two caballeros sharing a men's room stall

-stands with his feet in a shopping bag... -(laughter)

...thus convincing passing law enforcement agents

the, uh, stall has only a single and legitimate tenant.

(laughter)

Would that we could address our problems of urban blight

and inflation as resourcefully as we satisfy our passions.

(laughter)

Item Eight.

For those of you double-shifted at the Dee Dee Cleveland concert

at Memorial Auditorium tonight are listed on the upstairs board.

Be aware that for reasons unknown, vandalism and theft,

among those leaving Ms. Cleveland's concert in the past,

have tended to focus on shoe stores,

especially those dealing in, uh, your more exotic

and reptilian styles of contemporary footwear.

(chattering)

Alligator, lizards.

-Item Nine is a memo from Chief Daniels... -(all moan)

...regarding profanity in our dealings with the civilian populace,

which memo is also posted on the upstairs board.

People, I recognize downtown's tendency to be unrealistic in these matters,

but consider a complaint I took yesterday from an elderly woman

who had been rendered assistance

with a stolen vehicle by one of our uniforms.

Here was one of our own, going the extra mile in the performance of his duty,

yet he was so accustomed to certain patterns of speech,

that in arriving at the scene,

he cheerfully inquired (chuckles), and I quote,

"So, what the bleep's wrong with your car, ma'am?"

(laughter)

Said bleep allegedly causing complainant a severe episode of migraine.

Now, I've assembled some terms you might try substituting

for the swear words in question as you move through your daily routine.

Now, they won't come trippingly to your tongue at first,

but with time and usage, you could find them becoming second nature.

Your recourse to obscenity will then be fresh and vital

when you encounter those situations and individuals

-for whom only obscenity will suffice. -(chuckles)

Now, the officer in question could have used the word "heck."

(laughter)

Other more suitable terms, drat, shoot, fudge...

(laughter)

...instead of the more common expletive

usually associated with your street patois.

-Fudge patois. (laughs) -Yeah, fudge patois.

Item last. Starting today, and continuing for the next six weeks,

Sergeant Esterhaus will not be supervising the activities of the front desk.

He will instead be conducting an experimental,

six-week orientation class for senior cadets at the police academy.

(cheering)

In his absence, his duties upstairs will be divided between

Officer Schnitz and Sergeant Goldblume.

I will, however, continue to deliver the morning roll call.

(cheering)

That's it. Let's roll!

And, hey, let's be careful out there.

And, people, let's show a little restraint in defacing the chief's memo.

BATES: God, it's hot!

You know, I could rub ice cubes all over you.

It's not enough they issue a new procedure every goldarned week,

it's not enough that we're up to the seat of our pants in policy,

in everything from personal hygiene to choke holds.

-Will you get out of my way! -Excuse me!

Please. Now, they're trying to regulate my expression!

-Tell 'em to fudge off. -Morning, Lieutenant.

That's easy for you to say.

Bates, Coffey, robbery-shooting. A bodega at 4139 Jefferson.

Hill, Renko. Domestic beef.

9260 106th Street, apartment five.

-Let's go! You'll have to wait. -Now?

They're not going to regulate my facilities.

-Hygiene. -Ah, your facilities!

Don't look at me like that, sweet-face boy.

-Use it! -Why are we so stern?

-Last name first. -DuBois.

-First name? -Blanche.

WOMAN (on radio): Dispatch. We have a 9-11.

Armed robbery in progress.

See Surplus Store, corner People's Drive and 124th Street.

(sirens wailing)

(theme music playing)

Somebody's trade got a little rough, huh?

Some of us know how to incite passion.

Can't you change that to lascivious carriage?

It's a tonier kind of bust.

You were soliciting, pit breath.

I've never tricked for anyone I wouldn't have done gratis.

(phone rings)

-Belker. -Mickey, it's Mom.

-Hi, Ma. -(Rose talking indistinctly)

Ma, come on. So what if he was on the lawn?

He likes the fresh air.

-Well, it's warm, see? -(talking indistinctly)

Okay, so he forgot to put 'em on.

Next time you'll lay 'em out where he can see 'em better.

-He did what? -He peed on the oak tree.

-No, he didn't! -Yes, he did.

On Mrs. Caridi's oak tree?

-He was sleepwalking. -He's senile.

Don't say that. Don't use that word!

He was sleepwalking and he had to make water and that's all.

He does not think he's a dog. That's probably a deep cough.

I'm not going to-- We are not going to speak if you continue to say that word.

Senile, senile, senile!

I'll talk to you later. I will call you later on.

Give my love to Pop.

So, feed him!

Put it down there for him.

-How old is he? -None of your business.

He's 82.

Senility is nothing to be ashamed of, you know.

He is not senile.

-It's part of life. -Will you button it?

My grandmother was senile. She had such fun on her birthdays.

She'd open her present, then drift off.

Then look down, see her present, and get happy all over again.

That's what my father does with his breakfast cereal.

Frank. Frank.

I have a tax audit this afternoon. The IRS has called me.

-Receipts? -Yes.

Frank, I'm really worried.

Rosa's sister bought us a lottery ticket in New Hampshire last summer.

We won 2,500 dollars. Now she won't talk to us.

And you didn't report the income.

The man at the service said they'd never check.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

He said deduct a portion of our rent.

He said don't declare what Rosa made selling dress patterns.

Is he going to go with you to the audit? That's what they advertise.

Their office says they are trying to find him.

-Morning, Frank, Ray. -BOTH: Morning.

-I have a tax audit this afternoon. -It's probably just routine.

Oh.

-Iverson got 18 months. -Who is Iverson?

He didn't file a return for seven years, Howard.

-Who is Iverson? -He's a lieutenant, Midtown.

They let him do his time on the weekends.

All right! I cheated with Rudy. I'm that way!

I'm a creature of passion. But am I worth going to prison for?

(shouting)

-Rudy! Rudy! -Stop it!

It's the police, Carl! Do you want them to shoot you down?

-Like a dirty dog because of me? -Nobody's going to be shot, ma'am.

-Just tone down your language. -RUDY: Oh, is it the police?

-Yes, sir. It is the police. -(groans)

Oh, my goodness! Uh, sir, just take it easy, okay?

RUDY: Oh, my head's stuck! Get me out of here!

Now, Carl, give me that hammer.

(Rudy sobs) Ow! He's stepping on my hand!

Get off his hand, Carl.

Now, will everybody please take a minute

and tell me what it is that is happening here.

I came home to find my wife, that slut there,

in my bed with my former best friend, Rudy,

who I'm going to bust up real bad!

-(screams) -(gasps)

Give me the hammer, Carl!

You haven't hurt anybody yet. Now, come on!

Now, cousin, can you tell me how it is

that you happened to get your melon, uh, wedged in here like this?

-I don't know. -He slipped climbing out of the window.

I want him out of my bathroom.

Ah, he will get out of your bathroom, Carl,

if you give that hammer to Officer Hill.

-I'm not worth being killed for! -Ma'am, please!

Give the hammer to Officer Hill here!

(Rudy whimpering)

Attaboy, Carl. Way to go.

Oh, did he give him the hammer?

-Yeah, I got the hammer, sir. -(Rudy whimpers)

-Do you forgive me, sugar? -Take it easy, okay?

Now, what we have to do here is...

(screams)

-HILL: Be careful now. -Don't do that!

RUDY (breathing heavily): I can't breathe. I can't breathe!

I think we got a problem here, son.

-(indistinct chatter) -Let's get a little room here. Excuse me.

He gave everything. He didn't fight.

Why did they shoot him?

Would you like to sit down?

Do you remember anything else at all about the way they looked?

They're white. They have--

-WOMAN (on radio): Unit 2203... -I don't see them very well.

Mrs. Rodriguez, there are going to be some detectives

that are going to come back in a little while to talk to you.

There's going to be some men also that will try to get some fingerprints.

So you're going to have to keep the store closed

and just don't touch anything at all. All right?

You catch them?

Do you have someone to come stay with you?

My children will be home for lunch.

We got a call for Saint Mary's Church.

Sounds pretty bad. Crowd control.

-(clamoring) -Get back. Get out of the way!

Keep it clear!

MAN: Get down! Get back!

REPORTER: Captain, can we just get a word with you?

Captain Furillo.

Lieutenant Calletano.

Uh, Rosa Lombardy.

Her name in Christ is Sister Anna Carmela.

Thirty-eight. Raped, beaten with fists and blunt instruments. Mutilated.

They carved crosses in her torso and thighs with a knife.

Multiple internal injuries.

Shock and severe hemorrhaging.

Multiple skull fractures.

The ME thinks probably drugs with the level of violence.

Witnesses?

Sister Agnes looked out the convent window.

Saw a couple of guys running away from the sacristy.

She didn't see much, Frank.

Get her down to the station.

I want a house-to-house of streets facing the church.

Question the priest.

Any assaults or burglaries on or near the premises

with Sister Anna being harassed.

Get a list of all the parishioners. I want everybody questioned.

Inventory of what was taken as quickly as you can. Ray.

-(reporters clamoring) -(helicopter whirring)

I'm sorry. Excuse me.

CALLETANO: Get your hands off that car, please!

Thank you very much.

Get me out of here fast, Ray. I think I'm going to be sick.

(indistinct chatter)

Leo! Leo!

Would you please escort the press to the outside of the building? Thank you.

Howard, take your men outside, would you?

There are the makings of a first-class mob.

Alf! Alf! In my office.

Alf, I want a list of everybody with an MO for church busting in the last decade.

I want to know who's been arrested for loitering in churches,

for disrupting church services, or for vandalizing churches.

I want to know everybody who's been dealing in religious artifacts

or anything vaguely connected with church services.

I want a list of sex offenders with a history of this kind of violence.

I'll go through Division first, then put in a BCI request.

Do it. Good. Oh. Keep a line open to the labs

because when the evidence comes in, we want to match it up with names.

-Right. -Ray, call all the pawnshops.

Tell 'em we want anything that comes in from a church.

And even if they're not sure, have 'em call in.

And contact all the religious leaders in the community.

That means every denomination.

This crime is going to make them ugly, and we'll need all the help we can get

keeping the hysteria at a manageable level.

All right.

Captain, we just got word from the hospital

that Sister Anna's in surgery.

They expect it to take several hours.

Keep me posted. Hold it, hold it.

That's got to be Sister Agnes.

Tell 'em to run her through the mug books. But not here, in private.

-Use interrogation. -Right.

(indistinct chatter)

Yes. Yes!

Get me a supervisor or somebody with authority.

-I came to bail out Eddie Graig. -SCHNITZ: Come over this way.

Just tell your superior that I am unable to make

the 4:30 appointment to audit my tax return.

Because I'm a police officer and there is a crisis!

CALLETANO: What do you mean, that's no excuse?

Does a man have to be dying in his bed?

You wouldn't do that to me. You can't!

CALLETANO: This is the United States of America!

You can?

Maricon.

Costing me money, money and aggravation.

I'm tempted to leave him out in the rain and just let him melt.

Ramon, I want to go home.

Tell me. Who's going to buy you in this condition, huh?

If I had known that there would be a downtown in the apparatus,

I would let the city come down and take care of the tab.

Who are you, toe jam?

Not so close, Rover. I didn't have my typhoid shots this year.

-Ramon Hernandez. He's bailing out-- -I asked him!

-Please don't get involved. -Don't tell me where to get involved!

My, my, my. Personal involvement.

I see Eddie has soothed at least one savage breast with his boyish charms.

I asked you a question, mincemeat.

I'm his business manager.

And I'm going to take him home.

Right, Eddie?

Come here.

Don't look at me. Look at yourself.

What would you say, a young Dietrich?

You keep laughing, pal. You're killing yourself.

I should tell you about some of the things I've seen happen to your types.

You wouldn't laugh so much.

And that hair bag out there is bleeding you to death.

-Ramon is my only friend. -Like hell he is!

You seem like a pretty good guy. Why do you keep degrading yourself?

-It's what I do. -Then stop doing it.

Clean up your act, for God's sake!

You're so dear.

You were right. I should've kept out of this. Come on.

(door opens)

-Sister Agnes, this is Captain Furillo. -Sister.

I'm afraid I'm not being much help, Captain.

You're doing fine, Sister. Just keep looking.

They were running away, Captain. I hardly saw them.

None of these faces means anything.

Don't be too hard on yourself, Sister. These things take time.

We'll find these men, and I swear to you, they'll be punished.

SISTER AGNES: I saw the things that they did to her body.

It will be a hard memory to live with.

But I know Sister Anna has already forgiven them.

I wish I could.

(groans)

(hisses) The damn bolts are frozen solid!

Oh. You wouldn't believe how often these things happen, you know?

And you can lose 'em. They can strangle on you.

It ain't as simple as it looks.

I don't know why you don't try refined olive oil.

MAN: Petroleum jelly and shampoo is the best we've got.

Not saying it works every time.

How are you doing there, Rudy, bro?

RUDY: I'm sick, I'm nauseous and I can't breathe.

Okay. If this doesn't work,

we're going to have to call the fire department. All right?

I want him out of here. I want him out right now!

Carl, would you, please!

All right. Are you guys ready to do something about this here?

-I'm ready. You ready, Larry? -I'm ready. How about you?

-You ready? -RUDY: Yeah. I'm ready.

Terrific! Everybody's ready. All right. Come on over here.

Now, pull a hold of here on his leg and pull.

-Now, on the count. -Yeah.

ALL: One, two, three. (groaning)

-Okay, it's coming. -No, it's not!

-RENA: He's turning blue! -(all shouting)

Hey, the guy ain't breathing!

-(all shouting) -Watch it! Watch it!

-CARL: Watch it! Watch it! -RENA: He's going to die!

-(retching) -RENA: I can't help myself.

I love that face!

RUDY: I'm going to be sick!

Why don't you go outside and play, okay? Good.

(sighs)

Now, can you go into more detail about what they were wearing?

-What do you mean? -Were their shirts long or short-sleeved?

Did they have cuffs on their pants? Styles?

You're going to get hurt up there.

What about their general appearances? Any scars? Acne?

Bad teeth? Was one taller or shorter than the other?

Come on, man. Hey, man, where's the damn Forensics?

Saint Mary's.

-(sighs) -KID: Here.

-Go on. -(sighs)

Hey, don't touch anything back there. All right?

-Be a good guy now. -LARUE: Come on, man.

Hey, let's just do our job, eh, babe?

Hey, man, we're wasting our time, huh.

The scene's been trampled on by half the neighborhood.

I can get a better suspect description out of Helen Keller,

and Forensics is tied up till next Easter.

-It's a write-off, man. -Well, you tell her that, huh?

You think I like it any better than you do? Now let's face it.

On the homicide hit parade, this ain't exactly number 10 with a bullet.

Now we can stay here and waste time and play games,

or we can move on to something more promising.

-Cost efficiency, right, J.D.? -You got it.

-Results, my man. -MAN (on radio): 767.

-767. -See citizen at 1754.

MAN: I told 'em I had to go and get the jeweler's scale.

And I went in the back and I called the station.

I mean, I heard what happened up at Saint Mary's this morning.

And then when I came back out here, they was gone.

-Saint Mary's? -Two guys, about 10 minutes ago.

They came in here and tried to pawn some religious stuff.

-Six minutes. More like eight. -Six...

Soon as he goes to use the phone, they get jumpy, take off and split.

Yeah, they-they went that way.

Straight ahead, on-on foot. I-I saw them, the two of them.

The tall one had a black fishnet shirt and gray pants.

-The other, jeans and a gray sweatshirt. -I'll radio for backup.

-A ripped gray sweatshirt. -A ripped gray sweatshirt.

Yeah. They couldn't have gotten very far.

Okay, thank you, sir.

WOMAN (on radio): Two possible suspects from Saint Mary's

in the vicinity of Van Buren and Utica.

Two Black males between 20 and 25.

LARUE (on radio): We're approaching 132nd and Lynwood. Clear up here.

(man talking on radio)

Unit 2203, in the vicinity of Utica and 138th is clear.

You know, that's 30 seconds per block. That's four or five minutes.

They could be all the way to Dexter Avenue by now.

-Hold it. Get back. I think we got it. -(siren wailing)

-HILL: That's them. -All right. Let's punch it.

2202. We got 'em.

They're going north on Utica, west of Elwood.

They're going down an alley. Just south of Jefferson.

-(tires screeching) -(siren wailing)

(tires screeches)

(man groans)

-(man groans) -(sirens approaching)

(groaning)

-(grunts) -(man groaning)

(tires screeching)

Hey, come on. Move back. Move back. Give 'em some room.

FEMALE REPORTER: Who are they? Can you give me some names?

COFFEY: All right. Let's imagine there's a line here.

We're not going to go beyond this line.

(indistinct chatter)

-(pants) -Was it clean? Were they advised?

Oh, yeah. Right away.

-What'd they say? -Oh, they're a couple of virgins.

-They found the stuff in an alley. -(shouting)

Henry, show Sister Agnes the church stuff.

Then arrange a lineup. We'll wait for their lawyers.

Mm-hmm. And how long you lived there?

A couple of months! (coughs) Get out of my face!

-Or what? -Or I'll spit in it!

LARUE: Hey, you spit in my face, Celestine, and I'll break both your arms!

-Now, why'd you beat up the sister? -What sister?

-(coughs) Hey, where's my lawyer at? -He's on the way.

Now, I already told you, you don't have to tell us anything,

unless you figured your buddy, Gerald, is giving you up to my partner.

Giving me up for what?

Man, we tried to move some equipment.

Talk about we got over some nun. (sniffing)

-What do you mean, "got over"? -Raped her. Whatever.

LARUE: Nobody here said rape.

Well, beat her up! Hey, where's my damn lawyer?

Hey, hey, check our sheet, brother.

I mean, we did some breaking in, but never nothing like this here

what you're saying with this sister.

Was it you who robbed those other churches?

Maybe we did, maybe we didn't, you know?

I have to check with my lawyer.

GERALD: Hey, but I definitely say we didn't do nothing with this other job.

You telling me your partner couldn't do violence?

Hey, man, you talking about a fight? I mean, Celestine's--I mean, he's bad!

He'd take on that cowboy dude, you see?

But he wouldn't be messing with no religious nun.

No good, Gerald. You guys did it.

Celestine may have been in front.

Do you want to help yourself out?

Yeah, I'll help myself out, Jack.

I'll shut up and wait till my mouth get here. Move off me!

Frank, we got a positive ID from Sister Agnes on the church items.

Good. Did Chelsey get the search warrant for their rooming house?

Yeah. He's on his way over there.

-FURILLO: Are we ready in lineup? -I got Bates waiting with the sister.

-We'll need a lab report. -Belker's working on that.

-Tell him to kick some butts. -JOYCE: Frank. Frank.

-Can we get something on the arrest, Captain?

Ralph Mancuso, this is Captain Furillo.

-Hi. -How are you?

We're here to see Celestine Grey and Gerald Chapman.

I'm going to be doing affiliate work with Miss Davenport's office, Captain.

As you probably know, the public defender isn't permitted to defend...

-Yes, I know. -...multiple suspects.

I'd like to go on record that's a frightening group of people outside.

They think your clients have committed a frightening crime.

They'll need extra protection going to arraignment.

They'll get it, but first I want them in lineup.

Lineup for whom?

For the sister who saw the suspects fleeing.

We've already connected your people with the goods. Excuse me.

GOLDBLUME: All the way to the end. Hit your marks. Face forward.

Get your head up, number five. Number four, take your hat off.

Take your time, Sister.

GOLDBLUME: Turn to your left, profile.

I don't know. I'm sorry.

I was too far away and they were running so fast.

Frank.

-Damn! -She died without regaining consciousness.

Captain, the lab reports are a little sketchy.

They had to operate. That didn't help too much with the forensics.

-BATES: Lieutenant Calletano? -They give us anything?

Just the blood type. The attacker was type 0, for whatever that's worth.

-Do they know how many? -No. Are we going to lose these guys?

I'm worried when we bring them out, Frank.

Howard says there are 200 people on the streets and more coming.

Get some backups from Jefferson Heights.

MAN: When are they going to take 'em downtown?

-What's it to you, son? -Come on. I got a right to ask.

-What, you protect 'em? -Yeah, we do.

(breathes deeply)

-(door opens) -Frank.

I don't have to fly my colors for you to know I'm a law and order man.

-Howard. -Frank, I believe in justice,

swift and sure.

I've been willing to put my body on the line to deliver it.

What's your problem, How--?

I have been standing out there getting pelted

by what I suspect to be a pretty fair fraction

of this week's dairy and vegetable purchases on the Hill.

And I have been asking myself, why?

We're bringing in reinforcements from the Heights.

Oh, that's not the point, Frank.

If I wanted someone to interpose themselves

between those pulsing masses and these savages,

I would just as soon it were me.

After all, my EATers are family men.

No, Frank, the question is, why? Why should any of us?

-Howard-- -Frank, I know.

I know.

(sighs) It's blasphemy. But doggone it, Frank.

When I think of that poor nun, when I think of these miscreants,

when I contemplate their endless sojourn

through the futility of that judicial process,

Frank, I think to myself,

let us provide that mob with the lumber and the tools

and-and the picture of the scaffold,

and then we'll throw open the prison gates and let those two subhuman savages

be consumed by the monster that they have created.

(sighs) One man's opinion, without tears.

-(water runs) -Thanks for the input, Howard.

(door opens)

-(door closes) -(sniffs)

Eggplant?

(clamoring)

No. Leo, I need a visitor's pass.

We know two men are in custody, but as yet we have no names,

or if in fact the police intend to make formal charges.

-Where's Lieutenant Calletano? -I think he's in the squad room.

(chatter continues)

-Right there. -Thank you very much.

So what's it like out front?

Well, they're not too keen on the judicial process.

-Lieutenant Calletano? -Yes.

I'm Donald Murphy. I'll be going with you to the IRS this afternoon.

I don't understand. Where is Mr. Owens?

He's no longer with the company.

But I've had a quick look at your return.

Everything seems fairly in order.

But you don't know about the lottery ticket or dress patterns.

-How can you go with me? -What dress patterns?

I didn't declare some extra income. Mr. Owens said not to.

Well, that's a definite infraction. Uh, I must remind you, Lieutenant,

that we don't accompany you as legal advisers.

-I want to see Mr. Owens. -So does the FBI.

There are warrants out for his arrest for interstate fraud.

They think he's in Paraguay or Bolivia.

Oh, made mía.

I don't know. I guess your return looks in order,

providing the IRS hasn't found out about the additional income.

-What would they do to me? -Excuse me?

If they know, what will happen to me?

(chuckles) Yeah, I'm a little curious about that myself.

see, this is my first week on the job.

Kind of moonlighting, if you know what I mean.

Primarily, I sell biodegradable soap products.

Lieutenant, have you ever held a handful of ordinary laundry detergent?

There's a burning sensation. That's the phosphates.

Phosphates.

I am not going.

Lieutenant, I'm told the IRS does not take kindly to no-shows.

Get out. Get out!

Just search it again, Alf, and then come back in.

Yeah, and the vicinity of the building too. Right. Okay.

Oh, Joe, uh, have Leo call the DA's office. Hello.

And, uh, tell Bernstein not to leave for the grand jury till I get there.

Uh, Captain, this is Mrs. Eladio Rodriguez. Her husband.

-I'm sorry for your loss. -Where are your men, Captain?

I wait for the detectives to come back. I wait for who takes fingerprints.

I want who killed my husband to be caught!

-Mrs. Rodriguez-- -I know the sister is attacked today.

Did the sister support a family?

Does she have beautiful hands like my Eladio had?

Mrs. Rodriguez, will you please talk to Detective Goldblume? He'll help you.

(sighs)

Joe will fill you in. Do what you can.

COFFEY: Detective Goldblume is going to help.

MAN: Get your hands off me! Man, get off me!

Would you please?

Excuse me. Ow! You're on my foot.

Get off me, man!

Frank! Frank!

(clamoring)

-What is going on here? -Fay, I'm on my way out.

-WOMAN: Look out! He's got a gun! -(all screaming)

(gun shots)

You're trying to kill me! You're trying to kill me!

(grunting)

-Get him into interrogation now! -(shouting)

Everybody out. The press. Everybody out. now. Right now!

Bates, get somebody on the front door.

Don't let anybody through unless it's connected with a case.

-And frisk everyone. Anybody hit? -No. I think he shot high.

-You okay? -Frank, um...

You know, I just came by to ask you about Frank Jr.'s school registration.

Well, see, they want to skip him a grade. And...

Well, I'm real happy about it.

Well, I was thinking, you know,

maybe he should stay with his own age group. What do you think?

Fay, could we talk about this some other time?

He did so well on his achievement test and, uh...

I was so proud. Oh, my God, Frank. I'm bleeding.

You just caught some flying glass.

I don't think it's serious, but you're going to the hospital anyway.

Ray. Ray!

-FURILLO: Can you stand? -FAY: I think so.

I'll call you at the hospital. You all right?

(people shouting)

(siren wailing in the distance)

(door opens)

-BERNSTEIN: I'm sorry. I heard she died. -(door closes)

(sighs) For the grand jury, we are going to need the arresting officer,

the officers who recovered and ran down the religious articles

and one of the articles themselves.

We can have an indictment by six o'clock.

Don't go to the grand jury, Owen.

Don't go?

We've got a whole city screaming for action on this.

I know you can get an indictment now, but what about down the road?

We have no weapon, no forensics. No one to place them at Saint Mary's.

And all they have for priors are low-rent B&E's.

-You search their place yet? -Nothing in it.

No prints in the church either.

(sighs) So, come on. You take six months, you build a case.

Irwin, I have a lot of wrapping with nothing in the package.

You know as well as I do, what we don't have today

isn't going to get any better tomorrow.

They did it, didn't they?

Frank, (sighs) if you're holding something back from me--

I'm not holding anything back. Of course they did it.

I watched these guys in interrogation.

For an hour and a half, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

-So? -So, I need a confession, now.

If we indict for murder without it, they go right into protective.

Their lawyers are around them like armor plate,

and six months from now we don't have a confession or a case.

-But consider the alternative. -What alternative?

We charge them with what we have-- stolen property.

We set the bail accordingly and they'll have an interesting choice, won't they?

Are you kidding? Frank, there's a lynch mob out there.

I know there's a lynch mob out there. I think I can use it.

You will be signing a death warrant.

Call the judge.

-(tapping fingers) -(scoffs)

Mrs. Bernstein, look what your son Irwin is doing.

(dialing phone)

BAILIFF: 26 on the calendar. Gerald Chapman and Celestine Grey.

Charged with one 40.20 misdemeanor, possession of stolen property.

(crowd murmuring)

(gavel bangs)

Mr. DA, your application?

Your Honor, in view of the relative lack of seriousness of the crimes charged,

the People are not asking for bail.

Defendants may be released on their own recognizance.

-(gavels bangs) -JUDGE: Defense counsel?

-Uh, very reasonable. -Reasonable?

Judge, my client was shot at this afternoon.

My client's name is in every newspaper connected to a heinous crime.

Look at this courtroom infested with vultures.

I demand protective incarceration for my client.

JUDGE: As you know, Miss Davenport, it's not the purpose of bail

to protect defendants from matters not before this court.

DA's request granted. Released on recognizance.

-(chattering) -Judge, is the court unaware

there may be mob contracts on my client's life?

JUDGE: Miss Davenport, this is a tribunal of rules and procedures.

If your client were charged with a felony,

he could elect to remain in custody under CCP 3606.

But since we only have a misdemeanor--

Why only a misdemeanor, Judge?

Can you answer me that? Why?

The items taken from the church are very possibly of felony value.

Are you going to let the DA avoid the intent of 3606

by connivingly charging only a misdemeanor?

Don't let her start with that technical stuff, Judge! Give 'em to us!

-(crowd shouting) -(gavel bangs)

Your Honor, rather than overtax the Corrections Department

with a needless incarceration,

the People have decided simply to drop the charges.

The defendants, though they remain prime suspects

in a capital crime, are free to go.

Free to go? Your Honor, this is a travesty.

I petition for police protection for my client.

You'll have to speak to Captain Furillo about that.

Charges dismissed on motion of DA.

For the record then. For the record!

The district attorney and the police department

have clearly conspired to dismiss the charges in this case

in order to coerce a confession of murder by my client

or his co-defendant.

So what we have here is a neat little exercise

in legalist vigilantism.

What got you into their bed, Your Honor?

A little letter of the law in one ear,

a little good of the community in the other?

Miss Davenport, before you extend your speculations,

I'm going to suggest that you reflect on the fact

that there is no longer a case before this court.

And then count whatever it is you count

when you're trying to regain your self-control.

-In the interim, this court is adjourned. -(gavel bangs)

(shouting) And don't you ever,

when you come before this bench,

ever speak like that to me again,

or I'll throw you in jail.

(crowd murmuring)

You railroading bastard!

Captain, my client has advised me he would like to talk with you.

Second degree murder with no recommendation for leniency.

(scoffs) Captain, you're talking 25-to-life.

You work the numbers, counselor. No leniency.

But we do get the name change and the federal facility.

Standard change of identity.

Maximum security federal penitentiary.

But he rolls all the way over, confession plus testimony.

Gerald?

It was Celestine who said to do it.

She wouldn't let us.

She locked us out of the room.

And Celestine, all loaded and jumpin' bad--

Get the stenographer.

-(telephone ringing) -(indistinct chatter)

These are about what happens to some people when...

you know, they get senile.

They're from the library. You can keep them for 60 days.

Thank you.

-May I call you by your first name? -Sure.

Mick, it looked like Living With Forgetting was the best.

I think one of the chapters--

it's about not being ashamed.

I-I put a bookmark.

You look good.

I thought about what you said before about degrading myself.

No more bus station men's rooms for Eddie Graig.

Attaboy.

I'm going to work the men's room at the Hotel Excelsior.

I want you to know that what you did tonight frightens me.

-I understand. -Do you?

This is the kind of crime that tears a city apart.

It brings out but savage in thousands of people.

It has to be dealt with very quickly.

-So the book goes out the window. -I went by the book.

I pushed a little hard at the bindings.

That's a crock of the well-known article, Furillo.

-You bulldozed-- -I did what I've seen you do

for your clients 50 times. I used every resource.

Furillo, I'm a public defender.

I play a role in a system of checks and balances.

And other people are supposed to play theirs

with the same kind of energy.

You with your jungle justice threw that all out of whack today.

Gerald Chapman would've confessed to killing Abraham Lincoln

to avoid that mob tonight.

I can live with what I did, Joyce.

I went by my instincts and they were right.

Under these circumstances, I'd do it again.

You can trust your instincts, Frank.

Maybe even I can trust your instincts.

But I don't want to trust everybody's instincts.

I want there to be rules, and I want them obeyed,

especially by people who wear badges and guns.

You perverted the law tonight,

and you're so damned happy about snagging your confession,

you don't even begin to see it yet.

Please see it, Frank.

How's Fay? Is she all right?

I talked to her. She has a couple of stitches in her head.

Yeah, she's all right.

Frank, I don't think I want to be with you tonight.

I understand.

Gerald not only gave a confession,

he gave us the location of the murder weapon.

There's no mistake here. These are the killers.

Is that where you make your stand finally, Frank?

With the oldest excuse in the world--

the end justifies the means?

Frank, on the Rodriguez robbery-homicide.

I went over there with Mrs. Rodriguez. No witnesses.

No way we're going to get an ongoing SID.

Let's at least try, first thing tomorrow.

(sighs)

I'll do my best, but we're really jammed.

I don't think we're going to make this one, Frank.

-Frank. -Oh, Ray. How'd it go with the IRS today?

I called the district manager and explained our situation.

I will see him tomorrow afternoon at 4:30.

The men are proud of what you did today, Frank.

(dramatic music playing)

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.

(closing theme playing)