Original subtitles

Elandro!

Elandro!

And we'll have a riot that makes last night's

riot look like a picnic.

Because he likes fast cars and flashy women.

And sometimes he steals them both.

Get down!

Every time a Chicano goes for his wallet,

he's gunned down by some frightened policeman.

Hey, you know what they say about the beach don't you,

Charlie?

No waves, no ride.

6, Johnson High, 0.

Yes! Yes!

We did it!

We ran those bums into the ground!

Hey, Dad smells beer in the car, man, it's back to walking.

Or the bus.

Oh no, not the bus, man!

Look what you made him do.

You're crazy, Ricardo, you know that?

Yes, I am crazy.

But that's not the point.

The point is that, yes, we trashed it.

Yes, we're probably going to get it.

But tonight we're heroes!

Hey, Lisa, think about it.

She likes you, man.

She likes you.

She likes everything about you.

Yeah, we're going to a party after this.

All right, let's go!

Who's pumping the gas?

Somebody pump the gas, man.

OK, the bus.

Not the bus again.

Cars and women, man, nothing but a headache.

Nothing but a problem.

Aich, look at that.

Nice car, man.

Not Bad, capital B.

You guys like her, huh?

She's clean.

You can have her, man.

You gonna fill it up?

No, man, you got a mechanic?

Yeah.

Let me talk to him, OK?

Left at 6 o'clock.

Be back tomorrow at 8:30.

Gracias, senior, man.

Hey, you guys know anything about cars, huh?

This boy.

Little.

Oh yeah?

A little, huh?

What about, oh, let's say $100, huh?

If you fix the car, huh?

Hey, you got a deal.

- Man, you quick, huh? - Yeah.

You better open the door for me.

Yeah, I'll get you coffee if you want.

You know what you're doing, right?

Yeah, start it up.

Cut it.

Cut it!

Man?

Try it again.

Cut!

Sorry, man.

It... this... she looks fried.

You're a genius, huh?

You keep the $100, all right?

Hey.

Man?

You keep the $100, OK?

- You sure? - Course he's sure.

What you talking about?

Hey, man, you keep it.

And you know, maybe you can give us a ride, OK?

OK.

All right, man.

V monos, man, let's get out of here.

Let's go get some more beer.

My car's right here, man.

Six to one he runs it.

What would you call that, partner?

Rolling stop, shall we?

This is 381.

We're code 6 with a Chevy Impala,

license 1 Paula Charlie Edward 421.

Boyle Heights, corner of Stone Court and Overhill.

Roger 381.

Come on, sonny, just tell him who your dad is.

Hello, officer.

Can I take a look at your license?

Yes, sir.

You see that stop sign back there, Antonio?

Uh, no sir, no I didn't.

You're not legally blind, are you?

No.

No sir, I'm not.

Well, them I'm going to give you a ticket.

Let me see your registration.

Yes, sir.

You been drinking, Antonio?

No sir, not me.

OK, everybody, out of the car.

Hey, we're coming out, man!

Don't shoot, please!

Get out!

Let me see those hands! - Come on, man.

Don't shoot. We didn't do nothing.

Don't shoot. - Over there!

Don't shoot.

Lay down, arms and legs spread, now!

Keep those arms out!

Both officers went down.

Who was it?

Conrad and Bennett.

Conrad's dead, and Bennett looks bad.

And we've got three dead suspects.

We don't know what the hell happened.

OK, put a man on the black and white, one on the Chevrolet.

Seal off the entire area.

Set up search teams.

Do a complete sweep.

If you find anything, don't touch it.

Put a man on it.

And everybody get a log start. - Right.

You know, when we got here, there

were a dozen guys back there.

Now there's two dozen.

One thing we sure don't need is a major 415.

We're going to need the whole damn watch to cover this.

Well, let's piece the scene together, huh?

What are his chances?

He's lost a lot of blood.

We thought he was dead when we got here.

- Where's his badge? - I don't know.

I never saw it.

You ride with him to the hospital.

If he says anything, write it down, and get it back to me

immediately. Understand?

- Yes, sir. - Hunter?

Yeah.

This kid's still alive.

Damn shame.

Knock that off.

Put him in the wagon along with Bennett.

Yes, sir.

Sergeant?

Sergeant.

Sandra Browning, KCPY News.

Yeah, hi, how you doing?

The officer says you're in charge sure.

Sure am.

Is it true that the boys shot here this evening were unarmed.

Listen, I don't have the time.

Excuse me. Thank you.

Sergeant.

Sergeant, are you aware that two of the boys

were shot in the back while lying face down on the ground?

Was this an execution?

You want to tell him to shut that off for me?

You haven't answered my question, Sergeant.

Miss Browning, you're interfering

with the police officers' investigation of a homicide.

If you continue to harass me, I'm

going to arrest you and him.

My opponent wants you to think of me as a Chicano.

Well, since I am, this is one time he's right.

He would like you to believe that I have special interests,

Chicano interests, the illiteracy of our young people,

crime, unemployment.

But these are not issues confined to the Barrio.

They transcend the boundaries of race,

yet my opponent refuses to address them.

Perhaps he can afford not to.

The people of this city cannot.

Together, on election day, we can make a difference.

Thank you.

Speak to you, sir.

There's a problem.

Your son's been taken to the hospital.

Sir, it was a reporter who called.

He saw Tony wheeled in.

That's all.

Come on.

Someone definitely left here standing up.

Yeah, that explains Bennett's missing gun and badge.

Also explains the ancient police proverb that where

there's press, there's brass.

I just talked to the hospital.

That young Hispanic had taken in with Bennett

was councilman Elandro's son.

Needless to say, with the Elandro involved,

things are going to get very sticky.

You two are going to have to do a thorough job.

Well, commander, we always do a thorough job, regardless

of whose son is involved.

Whether you like it or not, this department

is now on display.

The press is going to have a field day with this.

Two unarmed Hispanics shot in the back

by white police officers.

I don't have to tell you that community

relations in this part of town are strained enough as it is.

I'll be sure to tell that to Conrad's wife.

Get that under control, Sergeant.

Now where you running to?

You're such a big target.

I tell you every time, man.

It don't hurt no more.

It just... it feel like I got air condition.

Compadre, I am dying.

You've got to get me to a hospital.

Be reasonable, amigo.

I can't take you to a hospital.

You can't leave me here, man.

If they find you alive, you'll tell them everything.

Please.

Ai, Benito, it's funny, huh, after all

the things we've been through, for it to come to this.

No. No...

Councilman do you think your son's shooting

was racially motivated?

Do you have any comments, Councilman?

- What? - Your son is near death.

Will it affect your campaign?

Excuse me.

Councilman, is there anything

that you want to say about...

All right, Evelyn.

Keep us posted on that, would you?

Hey, we're at the hospital.

Thank you.

Well, we've received two more bomb threats at the station,

and they have burned, in fact, two more black and whites.

We had an entire watch out there.

Have Bowen declare a tactical alert.

Councilman, I've arranged for a room where we can talk.

Won't be necessary, commander.

What happened?

Your son was pulled over for a moving violation.

Apparently, he and the other two suspects

were shot accidentally.

Suspects.

Suspected of what?

Well, we don't have all the facts yet.

Why is it every time a Chicano goes for his wallet,

he's gunned down by some frightened policeman?

That's just not the case.

I want to see my son.

Commander, we understand

you want a riot on your hands. What can you tell us?

No, no, we don't have a riot.

We're not even close to a riot.

What we have here is a misunderstanding, apparently.

Yes, my son was just brought in here.

His name is Antonio Elandro.

Yes, Councilman.

He's an ICU.

Intensive care?

Yes.

Well, do know how serious his injuries are?

No, I'm sorry.

I don't.

But Dr. Eller will come out and talk

to you just as soon as he can.

In the meantime, is there anything I can do for you?

No.

Well, why don't you have a seat

in our waiting room over there.

Thank you.

Dr. Elias to emergency room, stat.

Dr. Elias to emergency room, stat.

Volunteer to main lobby.

Volunteer to main lobby.

His father is over there waiting for you.

Councilman Elandro?

Yes.

I'm Dr. Eller.

Oh, uh, my son... how is he?

I'm afraid there's nothing we could do.

Oh, no.

The bullet entered his chest, and his heart and his left lung

were irreparably damaged.

We did everything possible.

OK.

Uh, may I see him?

Yes, of course.

Ai, Antonio.

Ai, mijo.

They won't get away with this, Tony.

I swear to you.

I won't rest until they pay for what they've done to you.

Ai.

Remember, you're not the first team.

You're support.

So make sure you coordinate your sweep with the units

already on the scene.

Now, Rawlings is in charge of sector one,

is in two, is in three,

and Seneca, you got four.

Make sure your men have masks.

We had to use gas and some it's still floating around.

Be careful.

It's a very volatile situation out there.

I cannot emphasize that enough.

Now, we want our presence felt out there, but remember,

you're targets, so watch your backs, all right OK, take off.

We have something, Charlie.

A report came in a couple of hours

ago there was gunfire down near the river, about a mile

away from the shooting.

And they found this guy, Benito..

He was shot twice, although we have three witnesses that

claim they only heard one shot.

So you think he was wounded before he got to the river?

Yeah, there's no way the guy could

have gotten there by himself.

Now, had a known associate, a Santiago Munez.

They're Marielitos.

They were serving a murder prison term in Havana

when Castro sent them over here as part of the amnesty

deal back in '80.

They did a six year stretch in a Texas penitentiary

for armed robbery, and for the last two years,

they've been working strong arm for Louie

Garrison in Las Vegas.

Where'd you get all this stuff?

Las Vegas police.

Garrison's dead.

Munez shot him today in an argument in bar at 12:30.

There were witnesses, but Munez got away.

And you know it only takes five hours to get here from Vegas.

What do these two have to do with those kids?

We don't know.

Can you place Munez and

at the scene of the shooting.

No.

The blood we found outside the kid's car on the ground

is the same type as, but we can't prove it's his.

What about fingerprints on the car?

Nothing.

Now, Canio was wearing gloves, perhaps Munez was also.

Oh, nobody's going to believe this story unless you find

Munez and some physical evidence to put

him at the scene of the crime.

Bennett just got out of surgery.

He's stable.

Thank god.

Bowen?

Yes, sir.

Have Henderson bring me down a cot, will you?

You've got it.

Put out an APB on Munez.

You find him, we have a chance to get

this thing under control.

Oh, no.

Don't you people ever sleep?

Come on, Sporty. Let me in.

It's important.

Gimme a handle on this guy, McCall.

Las Vegas police says he likes fast cars and flashy women,

and sometimes he steals them both.

What's he into?

Shooting cops.

Last night, Boyle Heights.

That's right.

He even stole one of the officer's badge and gun.

But I can't figure it.

What was he doing with Elandro's boy?

Sporty, if I find him, I'll ask him.

Let me tell you something.

If you find this guy, I guarantee you

that the chief is going to give you a medal personally.

No, no, no, McCall.

That is the kind of notoriety I will go to my grave avoiding.

But for you, I'll get the word out before breakfast.

All right, ladies and gentlemen, the councilman

won't be answering any questions.

Please, please, no questions right now.

Please.

He'll be making a statement momentarily.

Ladies, please.

Last night, three outstanding young men

were killed in cold blood.

One of them was my son.

Hi.

Hi.

Get in.

Oh, hey, you didn't get no offer.

I didn't do nothing.

Either you get in or I come out and get you.

I thought I knew every vice cop west of Pomona.

Got a new one now, baby.

This tragedy is not mine alone.

The Barrio is a troubled community.

Our young people are our hope for the future.

Last night that future was put in doubt by the sound of police

gunfire, a sound heard all too frequently

in the Hispanic community.

I make this pledge to the memory of Ricardo, ,

Angel, my son, Antonio,

and all those whose efforts have elected me to public office.

I will fight... excuse me...

I will fight until the institution

responsible for their deaths is brought to justice.

OK, Mr. Elandro, do you have any idea

at all what your son could have been doing last night?

That's a strange question.

You don't know what he was doing, and yet you killed him.

Look, we think that there was two

armed fugitives in the car with him

when he was pulled over last night.

Now, our preliminary report shows that your son

was shot by accident.

Fugitives.

Yes.

Do you really expect me to believe that?

Now, just... just a minute.

Tell me Sergeant, how do you think two fugitives ended up

in that car with my son and his friends on their way home

from a soccer game?

I mean, do you have anything to back up that statement?

No.

I don't know.

But please, don't forget.

A police officer is dead.

Another one is near death.

Oh, please.

Please.

I've got a 17-year-old son lying in the morgue with that cop's

bullet in his chest!

First you kill my son.

Now you come here with some makeshift story.

But what's the... why?

What, to help you justify it?

Mr. Elandro, we're just trying to find

the truth in this thing.

The truth?

Yeah, the truth?

Does that scare you?

Oh, just... just get out.

Look, Mr. Elandro, you cannot continue

to make speeches like that to rile the people of the city up.

It's not going to bring your son back.

Get out.

Please, get out.

Get out.

Come on.

Come on.

Put it down.

I told you I told you to stay away from that phone.

Didn't I, huh?

Don't you ever listen?

Huh?

Now listen, and listen good.

I'm going out on business, police business.

If you even look out a window, when I get back,

I'll rip your heart out.

You know I will, don't you?

You be a good little muchacha and maybe when I come back,

we play house some more, huh?

Ai, mami.

Honey, huh?

Don't forget, huh?

No peeky out the window, huh?

NEWS REPORTER: An estimated 500

rioters battle policemen last night after the tragic shooting

death of three unarmed Hispanic teenagers

by two members of the metro PD.

One of the boys was Councilman Michael Elandro's son.

The three youth were buried today at St. Agnes cemetery

where more than 100 mourners joined

the parents of the slain boys.

Councilman Elandro made a formal request

to the district attorney to initiate

a grand jury investigation into the shooting.

The police model to protect and serve

must be transformed from paint on the outside

of a city patrol car to something the police

feel in their hearts.

They must be accountable.

At the moment, the streets of Boyle Heights

are quiet after last night's conflict.

How long they'll remain that way in light of Elandro's charges

and the police department's inability

to explain the shootings is anyone's guess.

Turn it off.

And on the lighter side

of the news today, there hasn't been a pit

bull attack in eight weeks.

After your visit to the councilman's office

this morning, I'm holding you responsible

for his uncooperative attitude.

Tact and diplomacy are part of a professional image.

Or didn't you know that?

No, I knew that, commander.

But I have a murder case to solve, and in doing so,

I suggest you walk the line.

One more insensitive move and we could

have a riot that makes last night's

riot look like a picnic.

Commander Kane, would you like for us to...

What I would like is for all press

inquiries and all information to be channeled through my office.

I believe that was my last directive, wasn't it, Captain?

Yes sir, it was.

Now that the councilman has asked for a grand jury

investigation, all the facts must

be treated as confidential.

No one but me makes any statements.

Know

You know, it really is too bad he failed his fireman's test.

Don't make waves, Hunter.

Hey, you know what they say down the beach,

don't you, Charlie? No waves, no ride.

Excuse me, sir.

I'm looking for the officer in charge of the murders

in Boyle Heights.

Sergeant Hunter?

Yeah.

A couple of guys in a Corvette broke down in my station

last night. - Mhm.

They spoke Spanish.

I think... I think they were Cuban.

Those kids that got killed in Boyle Heights...

They were there, too.

They gave the guys from the Corvette a ride.

Does that look like them?

Yeah, I think that's them.

You think that's them.

Sit down.

I want to talk to you.

What are you talking about?

Commander gave specific orders not to talk to Elandro.

You give Kane a reason, he'll suspend you.

Look, if Elandro understands how his son wound up in that car

with Munez, perhaps he'll help keep

the people off the streets.

All right, maybe I ought to go with you.

No, no, no, no. I'll go alone.

This way if Elandro doesn't listen to me,

there'll be somebody left to work this case.

OK, look.

I'll go over to SID and see if they have anything

off of Munez's Corvette.

And if you get something, call me.

See? See?

You're safe.

So if you see that sucker, you let me know, OK?

All right.

Ow!

Hello, ladies.

How's business?

You still interested in that dude

you told me about this morning?

You got something?

I know you remember what you promised me now, don't you?

Do I look like an amnesiac to you, woman?

I'm just making sure, you know, because last time I...

Hey, hey, everybody knows that Sporty James

always makes good on his deals.

Now what you got for me?

OK.

Go ahead.

Tell him what you told me.

Guy with a badge picked me up this morning.

A cop?

I don't think so.

You and me gonna make a little phone call, mama.

Uh, you got a quarter?

Have anything yet, Reuben?

We've lifted a few prints, but nothing that matches

Elandro's kid or his friends.

What about Munez?

Deedee, if he was in this car, he was wearing gloves.

Reuben?

I think I got a new one.

Give me the tape.

It's different, all right.

Index cards, please?

No, next.

It's a match.

Whose is it?

Elandro's son.

L56, L56, come in, please.

This is L57.

L56, go ahead.

Hunter, Elandro's son was definitely at the gas station.

Reuben just pulled a set of his prints right off Munez's hood.

Good work, partner.

I'll call you later.

L56 out.

Sir, you can't go in without an appointment.

Please, sir. - I do understand that.

I'd like to talk to you just for a second.

What in the hell do you think you're doing?

After his soccer game, your son went to a gas station.

There he met two men.

He gave them a ride.

He did not know that they were armed fugitives.

Now, the gas station attendant was a witness to that.

Your son was just being a good Samaritan.

Well, I appreciate your bringing me this dubious bit

of information, Sergeant, but that still does

not account for what happened.

My son was unarmed when he was shot.

His two friends were lying face down on the ground

when they were shot, in the back.

Now, have you an explanation for that?

No, I don't. Not yet.

I'm working on that.

This was not police brutality.

And I'll bet you when we look into this,

it had nothing to do with race.

You've got to be more responsible for what you're

telling people out there.

You're inciting a riot.

Now, nobody can change what has happened.

We can't bring your son back, unfortunately.

But you do have the power to change things.

You can keep things from getting worse.

What would your son want?

He would want to be alive.

Sergeant McCall?

There's a Sport James on the phone for you.

It's over there.

Thanks.

Yeah, Sporty?

Where have you been?

I have been looking all over creation for you.

Do you have something for me?

- I - think I have found Munez.

Where?

He is at an apartment on Crenshaw and Baltic.

Thanks.

L56, this is L90.

We're all set.

We got a land line open to the station.

Here he comes.

Let her go!

Drop it!

Drop it, or or she dies!

Drop it.

Come on.

Move it back.

Get down!

Ow!

Which way did he go?

Took off down the street.

He's got a gun.

This is L56.

All units, I have a 187 suspect, last seen on foot at Crenshaw

Boulevard, headed for Baltic.

Hispanic male wearing blue sports coat,

considered armed and dangerous.

L56 out.

Get in.

I lost him.

Put a 10 block perimeter on this place

and get an area unit in here.

How's Bowen?

Took in a lot of water, but he'll be all right.

What happened?

I was right on his tail and I lost him.

Maybe he stole a car.

No, he didn't have time.

A damn bus.

ID this guy.

What is this, a cop convention?

I'm looking for a Latino man with a blue sport

coat, got on a ways back.

- The other bop? - Yeah, the other cop.

Where'd he get off?

Back there at 43rd and Fig.

I think he headed for the motel on the corner.

Yeah, $12 an hour, $36 all day.

Looking for a Latino man in a blue sport coat.

You seen him?

He's here, but he ain't here.

What does that mean?

That means he's in 14, but he ain't in 14.

So where is he?

He said he wanted a bottle of booze,

so I sent him over there.

I watched him walk down there about five minutes ago.

OK, thanks.

He went into that little market over there.

I'm going in.

Call the cavalry.

Watch your rear.

I'll get there as soon as I can.

Freeze!

Police!

That is why I thought it important that I come here

to police headquarters, in order to express

my sincere hope that together we can stop these riots.

Councilman, don't you think that just about

ends the possibility of your being elected mayor?

After all, the majority of your support

comes from the Hispanic community,

a community outraged by the very people

you seem to be apologizing to.

Well, in this case, Ms. Padrosa,

an apology would not be out of order.

Councilman, I find it strange that you

would choose this particular district

to make that sort of statement.

Are you apologizing to the people

responsible for your son's death?

Apparently, Ms. Browning, you were

not listening to what I said.

My son picked up two hardened criminals.

These men were responsible for my son's death and the shooting

of two police officers, one of whom is dead,

and the other in critical condition.

This is not, I repeat, not a race issue.

And I'm here to make that clear.

Councilman...

Just... just please.

I vowed after my son's death to find the truth.

Those who seek the truth and find it

must be prepared to face it.

I'd rather lose this election than promote

a lie that would lead to more violence and bloodshed.

Thank you.

One more question, Councilman...

Well, that just about ends a promising political career.

Maybe.

Dr. Marler, please call the operator.

Dr. Marler, please call the operator.

Councilman.

Well, hell, Sergeant.

I want to thank you for the speech made last week.

I wish I could have been there.

Well, you didn't miss anything.

I did what I had to do. I just, uh, told them the facts.

I understand you've gone up six points in the polls.

How about that?

And I thought I was committing political suicide.

But you didn't.

Thanks again.

Thank you.

Remember to vote.

So what do you think your stuff is, anyway?

It's spinach.

It's creamed spinach.

This is good for you.

This will give you strength.

It'll make you get better faster.

It has iron in it.

Hi, group.

Hey.

Hey, Hunter.

Hi, Bennett.

How you doing?

OK.

You know who was just here to see me?

Our next mayor, Councilman Elandro.

Oh, yeah.

Pretty good, huh?

Oh, I got your badge back for you.

How about that?

Congratulations.

That's great, Hunter.

Thanks a lot.

Yeah, when you getting out of here?

Three days, with good behavior.

And good nutrition.

Do what the doctor says and eat your spinach, all right?

We gotta go.

See you later.

Good luck.

Adios.

I'm glad he's feeling better.

Feeling better?

How could you feel better eating that garbage food?

If I had to rely on getting better in this hospital

eating that food, I'd be in the morgue.

What are you talking about?

The hospital plans a nutritional meal like that for you

to eat so you'll get better.

Let me tell you something about planning

a nutritional meal.

They don't know what they're doing

in hospitals nutritionally.

Is that right?

Well, what would you serve, Mexican food?

Well, let me tell you something, Ms. Weisenheimer.

I knew a guy who was dumb enough to ride

his daughter's skateboard.

He broke both bones in his lower leg.

We tied a jalepeno pepper behind his name and he got better.