All language subtitles for Law & Order s01e11 Out Of The Half Light.ng

Narrator:. In the criminal justice
system, the people are represented

by two separate yet
equally important groups-

the police
who investigate crime,

and the district attorneys
who prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

Man: Hey, what's happening?

Come on, baby.

Riles-?
Come on!

Oh my God!

what do we got? 16-year-old
found next to a dumpster.

Disoriented, racial stuff
scrawled all over her.

Rape?
Not sure yet.

I'd say
more than likely.

She's been pretty
unresponsive so far.

You get EMT results?
They're finishing.

Got a name?
Astrea Crawford.

Thanks.
Excuse me.

who was
at the scene?

Patrini
and Hanson.

Max: Anybody get pictures of that?

Logan: Hey, you want
to hold on those?

we're gonna need
to bag them.

Astrea?

I'm Sergeant Greevey,
this is Detective Logan.

we're here to find out
what happened to you.

It's okay.
It's all right.

Astrea, can you
open your eyes?

Um-mmm.

I think you can
if you try.

No one here
is going to hurt you.

Honey, they can't
help you

if you don't tell them
what happened.

Now come on,
open your eyes.

You did it
once before.

Come on.

Logan:
Okay...

Okay,
that's a start.

Sweetheart,

do you know
who attacked you?

Mmm-hmm.

Can you tell us
who it is?

Um-umm.

Astrea, I'm gonna
give the nurse my pad.

She's gonna
hold it for you.

All I want
you to do

is to write down
who did it.

what?

No discernible
contusions,

traumatized,
disoriented.

EMT's original
Glasgow coma was off.

It should be
about 10 to 12.

Did you administer
a rape kit?

I didn't see bleeding or
bruises in the perineal.

Humor me,
just do one.

She hasn't stated
she's been raped.

She hasn't stated

that she hasn't
been, either.

Max:
FBI should be notified,

at least to cover
the civil rights vios.

Media catches
a sniff- whew!

If these guys turn out to
be ours, I want them fast.

You order a kit?
Yeah.

Good. what else?

I requested a rape
intervention specialist.

She's already there.
what about parents?

The mother arrived
just as I was leaving.

Mike's with her
and the specialist.

Nothing more
from the girl?

No, I figured to give her
a day and let her calm down.

I just knew something
bad had happened.

Did she stay away from
home before, ma'am?

Usually only
for a night

if things were bad
at home.

were things bad?

we just didn't want her
seeing this particular boy.

who is that?

Don't know.
Only Hill-

Max:
Mike?

Excuse me.

Anything?

She didn't even file a Missing
Persons Report until last night.

Three days?

One of my kids
is 15 minutes late

I go through
the roof.

Are you finished? I'd like
to get her with her daughter.

How long
can you stay?

As long
as it takes.

If she comes out
with anything at all-

location, names
- even if it sounds like nonsense, call us.

I know the drill,
Sergeant.

And when the press comes
sniffing around on this,

nothing goes to them

that might jeopardize
this investigation.

In other words,
don't say anything.

I didn't know
she was gone.

They pretty much
keep to themselves.

You don't know
of any fights

or arguments they
may have had lately?

why? You ain't got
none in your house?

Ma'am, do you know
a young man,

last name Hill,

that Astrea
was supposedly seeing?

Never heard.

Do you know the friends
she hangs out with?

I got enough
taking care of my own.

She did used to run
with this girl down the hall.

But they moved

to the projects
up on 109th.

Do you know
her last name?

Hardison?

Leona, I think.

This one fits.

Leona Hardison!

Hey, hey, come on.

we just want to ask you
a few questions.

I don't talk
to the Man.

Logan: Do you know
Astrea Crawford? Maybe.

You know
she's been missing?

what kind of "missing"?

Attacked missing.

Maybe raped j j missing.

So you say?

You don't seem
too upset by that.

Me and her
- we don't hang no more.

Still
- No still, "Bill. " we fell out.

Over a guy?

Do I look like I would
lose a guy to her?

Do you know
her friend Hill?

Yeah.

Logan: Want to give
us his first name?

Jordan.

where can we find
Mr. Jordan Hill, Leona?

well, if he's
out of jail

he'd be doing
community service.

"Remember a kid
named Jordan Hill?"

You gotta
be kidding.

Any given day,
I get 175 actives.

If it ain't
multiple homicide

the best
I can do maybe

is notes on the day
of the bust.

If we're lucky,

we're given a run-through
of the day or days

prior to the crime,
see where they screwed up.

You saw Hill
after the arraignment.

Yeah, I managed to slide him
into a detox space.

He ever mention
anything about a girl

named
Astrea Crawford?

Sorry.

Ba-bing!

Says he spent the early
afternoon with her

the day
he was arrested.

That's him
over there.

worker 1: This isn't coming
off, man. worker 2: Scrub harder.

Got a good job here,
Jordan.

500 hours
of community service?

Hell of a job.
what do you want?

Seen Astrea
lately?

why, is she in trouble?

when was the last time
you saw her?

Four or five days.

Look, I want to know
if Astrea's okay.

where was that?

Some hanger on 103.

Specifically
what day, Jordan?

I don't know.

Hey, don't
grease us, okay?

I am not
in the mood.

Now, was she
with you

the day you got
busted in the sweep?

I don't know.

You know, we pulled your
yellow sheet, Jordan.

The last time you
got busted for crack

you got a nice
little program.

Court's full of people who'd
like to take your place.

Mike, Mr. Hill's
had a tough week.

Give me your hand.

what? Give me your hand.

Remember
today, Jordan

and call me...

before
quitting time.

Logan: 12 people
arrested in this dump?

Snow cone in hell we find
anything to place her in here.

Might as well call
Forensics j in anyway.

what do you expect to find, Max?

This is gonna be a
nightmare for a team.

You got prints in here
going back to the Civil war.

Maybe we'll get the goods on
the guy who killed Lincoln.

Anyway... that's all we got
- procedure.

Let's go see if the
girl's calmed down any.

Dr. Miller. 3-5-4-1,

Dr. Miller,
3-5-4-1.

Guard: Sorry, gentlemen.
No visitors at this time.

Consider your job
well done.

You got
a second?

The family has hired
itself an advisor.

Everything's got to run
through him at this point.

what?

You may
have some trouble

getting statements
out of the girl.

why is that?

Are you familiar
with the good Ronald Eaton?

Congressman
Ronald Eaton?

Oh, great.

No crime scene,
no physical evidence.

No witnesses, holes
appearing by the hour,

a mute vic,
and nowwe've got

"Mr. Civil Rights
Soundbite"

putting on
his make-up.

Problem,
Detective?

Sergeant
Greevey.

This is
Detective Logan.

And yes,
I have problems

when prevented from
doing my job, Congressman.

I suffer the same
frustrations, Sergeant.

Meaning?

My concern
is with the girl,

That her cries for justice
are not steamrolled

by the old white-boy
power structure.

Logan: Well, it's a
little premature to be

shouting cover-up,
isn't it?

Eaton: Premature? Yeah.

How many black
homicide cases

does your precinct
not clear every year?

And how many
white cases?

Now, you've seen
the numbers.

Don't tell me
what "premature" is.

And you think withholding
pertinent information

in this case is going
to change all that?

I think it'll get
the attention

of state and federal
authorities.

The FBl has
already been notified

about any potential
civil rights violations.

That just means they'll be
looking over your shoulder.

I want them
staring you in the face.

Keep away from us. we don't
need help from no white cops.

wife:
Lester, please.

Excuse me.

Oh-

one "g" in Logan,
am I right?

Yeah. why?

Hate for you gentlemen

to see your names
misspelled in the papers.

Dr. MacKenzie, 2-9-4-3,

Dr. MacKenzie...

Messengered in
this morning.

Eaton wants
a photo array.

Max:
"All the white cops

working or residing
on the Upper west Side"?

He can't
be serious.

This guy
has got stones, huh?

Stone: Except for his mouth,
the Congressman's got squat.

If there are
wrong cops in this precinct

I want them as bad as he
does, but I will be damned

if he's going to put
every cop on trial.

what if he
goes over your head?

He probably already has,
but until I hear differently,

we conduct this like
any other investigation.

we got anything
on the parents?

Model citizens.

Mother's an x-ray technician.
Father's a cab driver.

Deacon of his church.
Not even a traffic ticket.

what about the FBl?

They're monitoring. waiting
on the results of the rape kit.

when's that girl
due to be released?

Tomorrow morning.

I want her in here
before noon for questioning.

with or without Eaton?

without.
He is not her lawyer.

He has a problem with that,
he takes an obstruction charge.

Let him see what his spin
doctors can do with that.

Ooh, man.

You care to elaborate
on that, Detective?

I'm just wondering how
much gas this fire can take.

Meaning what?

Meaning she's the victim. we're
treating her like a suspect.

Max: Let's keep this low profile.

I don't want you
out of the car

unless a riot's
about to start.

She already told you,
she's not here.

Mr. Crawford, come on, we just
want to ask a few questions.

The longer we wait,
the greater the chances

of her forgetting
details.

Good.
I'm glad to see

you got her best
interests at heart.

The congressman
told us

that you'd be
coming here to get her.

Told us that you
would grind her up

so you could
bury her story.

He told us. It's okay, baby.

Mrs. Crawford,

I'm sure that whatever
Congressman Eaton told you

was well-intentioned
but-

Well, you can't
get to her now.

You can't
touch her.

The police
raped my baby-

killed her
inside.

He told us that
you'd be coming here

with your filthy hands
to protect your own.

well, you can't
get her.

She's safe now,
do you understand?

You can't get her!
She's safe, you hear?

Lord, I just can't take no more
- ! Are you satisfied?

You think you got some kind of
license to come and do this crap?

To rip open
people's lives?

Max: The parents
don't trust the police.

Of course not.

That's 'cause
Eaton's involved.

I give the bastard an hour to
have the press out in full force.

Didn't know
you knew the man.

Since the King
assassination,

back when he was
"Uhuru" Eaton.

He staged a sit-in
at City Hall.

Demanded 100 buses to
take people to the funeral.

Not the worst reason
in the world to have a sit-in.

That's what I thought,
until he told me

he was going to burn the place
if he didn't get what he wanted.

Things got out of control.
People got hurt.

The man is dangerous.

See what...

what's-her-name-
the rape specialist's got.

I'm out
of the loop.

Your choice?

Let's just say

I'm not about to jump
on Eaton's bandwagon.

where's he taking
this thing, you think?

Off the record?

I'm sure he's got
some political agenda.

He always does.

whether Astrea was raped or
not has taken a back seat.

You don't know
if she was raped?

You got the lab
report, you tell me,

End of business today.

Something happened
to her,

but I'll be surprised
if the kit comes back positive.

All right, suppose for whatever
dimestore psychology reason,

it is a hoax.

She had to stay
somewhere for three days.

I know where
you're going, Max.

And if you're
thinking the boyfriend,

I'm telling you,
the crack house

j j is going to get us nowhere.

Even if we're lucky
with Forensics.

I doubt they'll be
able to timeframe it.

At best, it'll be weak,
circumstantial evidence.

How about
we get on the board

before we start second-guessing
evidence we don't have?

Logan: Max, I was up till
2:00 in the morning last night,

watching one of those
old Chaplin films,

"Modern Times. "

No wonder you drag
your butt until noon.

what do you want?

I only had
half the bed.

You still dragging
things home?

Hey- this one's
different, man.

Really.

She's an NYU
film student.

She's really,
really smart.

Right, let me guess-
she wears a lot of black?

She likes cops.

She says it
makes her

feel connected
to real life.

Oh, she loves
guns.

Snubnoses, too?

Captain Cragen just
called. He said,

quote, "Get in, it's really
hit the fan. "

Reporter:... to a live
minicam where Congressman Eaton

has declared the former
Baptist church a sanctuary.

Cragen: So Eaton
has no legal ground?

No, sanctuary
doesn't apply.

It certainly doesn't apply if
the building isn't a church.

That doesn't change
people's perceptions.

It used
to be a church.

You yank her in
for questioning now,

we'll have a massive
backlash on our hands.

what? Yeah,
put him through.

Max, what the hell
is going on?

10 minutes.

I think we better
get over there.

Eaton: You've heard the expression

"taking the law
into your own hands"?

These are your hands.

Is this a government of
the people? Crowd: Yes!

Are you the people? Yes!

Logan: And you
are the government...

Three rings.

Eaton's doing his
"Barnum" imitation.

3:00- just in time
for the evening news.

why don't we lose
the squad cars

and downplay
the entire thing?

That solve
your perception problem?

I say we go up
and haul her butt in.

we don't, it's going to look
like he's got the names

and the entire force
is on the run.

Eaton has named cops?

Teal and Rudolph, a couple of
night shift uniforms from 7-3.

Don't know them.

I'm advising you
not to go in, Captain.

Max, go make
the congressman an offer.

Let him know
you're here only to talk.

we're offering to hear
Astrea's side of the story.

But it's got to come from
the girl. Nobody else.

You know him. You
should go talk to him.

Max, I hate
the man.

Captain-
Forget it.

I want you
to go on in.

But no arrests and no
removal for questioning.

You're making
a mistake.

Eaton:
... by laziness,

...by acceptance
of the status quo...

Those changes were prompted
by a call to action!

we're not here
to take her in,

we just want to hear
her side of the story.

Astrea's presence here
signifies her recognition

that any relief
that she is to receive

will have to come
from a higher authority.

I cannot stop them
from entering this church

but I will
lay down my life

to protect the rights
of black women everywhere.

Be it from you-
from your uniformed brethren,

or an entire city.

Eaton:
Do you hear it?

That is the sound
of rage, gentlemen.

And it's a rage that will
be louder in 24 hours,

and louder than that
in 48.

And that is the fault

of the New York City
Police Department,

which doesn't even
have the sensitivity

to send a black
investigator up here.

But it's also
the fault...

of corrupt and crumbling
black officials

who will sell
their very soul

in the betrayal
of their own people.

It will not stop...

until the fires of oppression
have been quenched.

Until the racial
inequities

and the sexual
abuses of white-

Stop!
Stop it!

Astrea, do you
want to talk to us?

The child is traumatized. I
won't allow her to be badgered.

Stay out of this.

Mike
- Understand something, Detective.

You are dangerously close
to a civil suit.

Oh, that's fine,
Congressman.

while you're hunting for
some ink, what about her case?

Hey, come on now.

Let's please stick to the
point. we're getting nothing-

You're
getting nothing?

You got
no business here.

You're just trying
to break her emotionally.

I can't do this! I don't
want to hear it. Please!

Oh, my God.
My baby!

Oh. my baby-
please, oh, God!

Reporter:. what's going on,
Detective? Is the ambulance for Astrea?

No comment. How come white
cops are here to interrogate her

when there have been accusations
that white cops raped her?

The department
has no comment

other than to state that we
were there only to listen.

we're not asking Ms. Crawford
to accompany us to the station.

There aren't even
any black uniformed.

what message is the city trying
to send to the black community?

Terrific, exactly what we
needed. She accuses a white...

Cragen:
You saw the statement.

We did not go in
to take her out.

The statement means nothing when
she's carted off in an ambulance.

She accuses white cops
and I don't even see-

Damn it, don't come into my
office and accuse my people.

Use your head.
You jumped into this

like it's some
by-the-numbers rape.

It's a whole collection
of unverified accusations,

news flashes and soundbites. Fine.

You got anything under
your hat besides speeches?

Yeah, your people are yanked
off this case as of now.

This is no longer
a police matter.

"Police drive
Crawford girl to breakdown. "

Nothing like starting
in your own end zone.

Nine yards in.

Cragen's office
called last night.

The two uniforms
Eaton named

have substantiated alibis
for the time in question.

Did you see this?
FBl's rape kit results.

No indications: gynecological
tests, forensics, all negative.

She faked it.

At this point all we know
is what's on paper.

You think Eaton is willing to
stake his political future on this?

If this plays out,
he's a genius.

He goes from gang member to
rabblerouser to congressman

to spokesman for the entire
black community.

He's an urban
Horatio Alger.

"Go militant,
young man. "

Or it turns south and he loses
whatever credence

he has on both sides
of the track.

Do you see any indication
of it turning south?

Because the whole
burden of proof is on us.

And he's put
the whole system on trial.

So this isn't
enough, then?

If we don't
disprove a cover-up

every minority in this city
will assume Eaton is right

no matter how many
lab reports we publish.

So how do we
counter the momentum?

Call Eaton.

An interesting place
for a meeting.

I thought you should see
first-hand what it's all about.

Maybe the cobwebs
will fall.

From our eyes?

From your heart.

My best wishes for the
girl's health aside,

I didn't come here
for a speech.

I know that,
Mr. Stone,

or I wouldn't have
agreed to see you.

You want to know where I'm
planning on taking this.

You want me
to give you

a free glimpse
of the future.

It's fairly obvious you
have a private agenda.

Of course
I have an agenda.

Your system isn't serving the
African-American segment of the population.

Let's dial this
back a a second.

Does your system have any
evidence the rape was committed?

My system has found nothing to
suggest a crime actually took place.

Nor do I have
access to the victim.

And you won't.

I believe Astrea
completely.

But if I give you
what she's got,

I run the risk
of it being squashed.

You think I don't know
how many people

would like to see
this thing disappear?

Even if there was
a cover-up

the press have made that
impossible to stage.

That's not a risk
I'm willing to take.

we've come too far.

But you are
willing to risk

the emotional health
of a teenager

and my ability to try
the perpetrators?

I'm only here
to help the Crawfords.

Look- you want
to do

your Martin Luther King
imitation, be my guest.

Don't think for one
second that I'm giving up.

I don't care if Astrea is black,
white, yellow or polka-dotted,

if she was raped,
I'll find the cops

I'll prosecute them
and I'll convict them.

white cops,
black girl?

If?

who are you kidding?

You don't want me
to find them, do you?

why shoot rats when
you can go big-game hunting?

And whose heads do you
want on your wall?

Cragen's,
the Police Commissioner's...

yours.

There he is. Can you a give
us statement, Mr. Stone?

we are trying
to investigate a crime

without any assistance
from the alleged victim.

"Alleged"? Does that mean the DA

does not believe
Astrea Crawford's story?

The temperature on the nights
in question was in the low 30s,

yet emergency room personnel
found no evidence of exposure.

The FBl- not the NYPD
ran a rape kit.

The results were negative. You
can draw your own conclusions.

why was the request for a photo
array of the cops denied, sir?

The police have adhered to
normal investigative procedure.

Eaton: What if the
girl had been white?

would you have released
photos of black cops?

ADA Stone and I

have just concluded a meeting
on Astrea Crawford attack.

Unfortunately, Mr. Stone's
myopic view of the case

only served to dampen
any hopes I had harbored

of a fair investigation

into the action of this city's
law enforcement officers.

Do you believe the DA is capable
of an impartial investigation?

I believe there is
a tacit agreement

running through the power
structure of this city.

If Astrea Crawford had been
white and her attackers black...

Stone: That's not the point,
Adam. I know the facts-

you do, he does
- I'm certain Eaton knows the facts.

But the press and thus the public
hears what he wants them to hear.

Is he lying?

I think he believed her at
first. Even if he doesn't now

it's too good an opportunity
for him to let go.

Every move we make j rings
cover-up- we go too slow,

we're dragging our feet; too
fast, we're after the girl.

I can read a lousy hand.
Now, what do you want to do?

I want a grand jury impaneled.
I want to run it.

Last shot out of the gun.
If it doesn't turn there...

Stone: We're dead, I know.
But we're face down as it is.

And it could get worse
before it gets better.

The one hope is the boyfriend.
If he admits she was with him-

I'll take a shot.

That's different than what you
had told your youth officer.

Plus, you told the police you
had seen her a few days previous.

Maybe.
which is it?

I didn't see her any of the
three days before I got busted.

we have hair
and fiber samples

from the crack house
that say otherwise, Jordan.

I don't care.
I didn't see her.

Has anyone spoken to you
about the three days?

Some.
Eaton?

My nephew does not
lie, Mr. Robinette.

And certainly
not to a man

as esteemed
as Mr. Eaton.

Thank you, ma'am.
That's very helpful.

If he told Mr. Eaton
that's what happened,

then that's
what happened.

I'll be in touch with Jordan if
I need him for the grand jury.

I'm assuming you'd be willing
to state the same under oath?

You got that right. watch
your mouth, young man.

Are you going to subpoena
him? No, he'd lie.

we'd prove
he perjured himself,

he'd lose his work
program. what for?

Oh, the faint rumblings
of a heart in there.

No, that's a brain

and it's decided
to subpoena Ms. Crawford.

whew!
Talk about backlash.

what choice have we got? If we don't let
her testify, they'll scream "cover-up. "

If we do, what do you
think Eaton will scream?

I don't know.
we'll find out.

I think I'll
subpoena him too.

Stone: And in your expert
opinion, Mrs. Wilkes,

would you say there are
characteristics associated

with false allegations of sexual
assault in the Crawford case?

There are certain characteristics
present in this case

that tend to appear more
often in false allegations

than in the case
of true sexual assault.

In the case, specifically, are
there physical characteristics

that match established
guidelines for false allegations?

Yes, there were. would
you list them, please?

Mrs. Crawford's
damage to her clothing

was inconsistent with that
of her injuries.

writing on the body
is also very common

in false allegations
as is self-mutilation.

And probably,
most important of all,

the expected laboratory
findings of rape are absent.

Eaton: The District
Attorney office has,

in an attempt
to fracture our resolve,

issued subpoenas
for myself and my clients,

Astrea Crawford
and her mother.

I've agreed
to testify to show

the vicious
indifference

within this city's
lily-white power structure

as young Astrea's cries
for justice go unheeded.

So upon hearing of Mrs. Crawford's
alleged rape in the papers

you contacted her family
with an offer of your services?

My help to a
constituent, Mr. Stone.

I supply
no "services. "

This help was in the
form of a suggestion

to Ms. Crawford
and her family

that she not cooperate
with the duly-constituted

authorities in this
investigation?

I embraced the family's
hope for justice.

Only in subsequently
bonding together as a whole,

our desires for justice
for Astrea the individual

were only surpassed by those
issues lying on the larger plane.

which are?

Four centuries
of oppression, Mr. Stone.

we became front-line
activists in the struggle

to uproot a system
of injustice

through this
particular case.

Congressman, the purpose
of this grand jury

is to determine whether
a particular crime

has been committed,
and if so,

was there an attempt
to bury it,

as has been charged
in various public forums

by yourself.

Therein lies,
the problem, Mr. Stone.

For the real agenda here
should be

the American system
of justice

and its treatment of black
Americans versus that of whites.

For better or for worse, it's
the only system we've got.

Circumventing it, sir,

no matter how noble
the perceived ends,

cannot be justified.
And if you persist

in preventing Ms. Crawford
and her family

from testifying
before this jury,

I have no other
alternative, sir,

but go to warrant
for their arrest.

we must have the truth, not
only for the black community

but for every one
of the citizens of this city.

You leave me
no other option.

Then you'll have
to excuse me, Mr. Stone.

I can find
no justifiable reason

to be party to this
mockery of truth and equality.

Robinette: Your Honor, as the
evidence of this hearing establishes,

the defendants were served
subpoenas 10 days previous

to the notice date
of grand jury appearances.

They have,
as the evidence shows,

willfully and deliberately
failed to appear.

The People request immediate
determination of contempt

and ask the Court
to impose

the maximum sentence
provided by law.

Mr. Gaines?

The defendants' stated position has
been clear for some time, Your Honor.

The DA's issuing
of said subpoenas

was a clear attempt
to break the resolve

of this girl's stance
on racial justice.

Spare me the diatribe,
Counselor,

this is a hearing,
not a trial.

While there is
unfortunately much truth

in the stated position

that minorities in this city
often fall onto uneven terrain

within the Court system,

that is not reason
enough for your clients

to ignore the lawful
mandates of this Court.

Is it your intention

to show any
pertinent information

in the defense
of this contempt citation?

Apparently, none that would
do any good, Your Honor,

as it is becoming
readily apparent

the Court's mind
is already made up.

Tread lightly, Mr. Gaines.
I'm becoming annoyed.

Given the legal documents
submitted by the People

and the lack of any
substantive defense,

this Court finds both
defendants guilty of contempt.

You are hereby
sentenced as followed:

Mrs. Thelma Crawford,

$250 fine along with
30 days' incarceration;

Miss Astrea Crawford,

30 days in a suitable
juvenile facility.

At the end
of that time,

or before,
if they wish to cooperate

I will see them
in this courtroom.

Your Honor, request
incarceration be delayed

until immediately after
the next grand jury date

so that defendants can reflect
upon the Court's decision.

So ordered.

Yes, Mr. Gaines?

Congressman Eaton would like
to make a brief statement.

All due respect
to Congressman Eaton,

he has no business
in this Court, Mr. Gaines.

Justice silenced is
justice denied, Your Honor.

Congressman Eaton,
go ahead, sir.

Your Honor, for the record
I'd like to state

an overwhelming sense
of disappointment

at the Court's handling
of this affair.

Excuse me
- j sir.

Yours and Mr. Gaines'
clear implication

is that I have been sitting
here oppressing black Americans,

and I will not
have it.

And while I'm
on the subject,

this Court would like
to advise the defendants-

in my legal opinion
you have had reprehensible

and irresponsible
advice

from their retained
counsel.

I hope you take
what time has been granted

to fully examine
the situation

and purge
the contempt citation.

This Court
does not relish

having you spend
one hour in jail,

for what it
perceives to be

the self-serving actions
of others.

If Eaton convinces the girl
and her mother to be martyrs

and take
the 30 days,

we're dead
in the water.

Now suppose that Angela
Wilkes' theory is right,

that this thing started
as a child's fib.

You think you could prove
that Eaton took the ball,

orchestrated it
for the media,

and keep the mother
and the girl out of it?

I don't think
that'll fly.

It'd be like a witch hunt. we're
jumping around, looking for a villain.

And I actually think Eaton
might still believe the girl.

we may have
one more shot.

Gimme the day.

warren: why me?
Robinette: He'll see you.

Just your presence
will defuse the situation.

I'll do all
the talking.

Paul, I just know the man from
the "rubber chicken" circuit.

Look, I know I can
cut this short.

He's got to be feeling
pressure at this point.

If I provide him with a
graceful exit he might take it.

Or he eats you
for lunch-

holds you up
to the press

as a "Tom" messenger, sent
by the white establishment.

So what?
So what, we sit back

and watch him
tear the city in half?

He's already set back
race relations 30 years.

I work with these people.
I know how they feel.

There is no cover-up.

You know me. You think
I'd be a party to it?

This is
unbelievable.

I become a lawyer,
turn down wall Street,

go into the one area
I think I can help,

and everybody thinks I'm a
damned "Oreo. " Excuse me, Father.

Maybe there's another way.
Have you talked to the mother?

Eaton's got his hand
in her back.

She's talking, but he's
pulling the strings.

The Crawfords
are parishioners.

If I can get her
to talk to you alone...?

I'll take a run
at her.

Mrs. Crawford:
Mr. Robinette?

You okay?

Yeah.

Father warren said
you wanted to talk to me.

How about we go
get some coffee?

I can't stay long.

This thing has gotten...

I don't know
what to do.

It's gone too far.

Did it happen?

Did any of it happen?

She's pregnant.

The Hill boy?

But we're Catholic.

She was terrified.

Her daddy, he has
a terrible temper.

She wanted to have
an abortion.

She thought by saying
that white cops raped her that-

He'd let her have it.

I never thought
it would get this big.

This is a part of it?

I had to tell him
the truth.

Robinette:
That's not the point.

You give me the view from
where you sit, "Mr. Jive DA,"

and tell me I got no
reason to be up behind this?

I'm saying there's
no reason to go on with it,

and I'm giving you
an out.

The city will drop
the cross charges

and the gag order
will work both ways.

No quotes, no
fingerpointing from anybody,

including us.

And it'll just disappear
from the papers?

No fuel, no fire,
Mr. Crawford.

The press will print
other people's speculations,

but they're not going
to print their own.

Look, I don't know
what you need me for.

She's already
agreed to it.

It won't work unless everyone's
in agreement. And Eaton?

That'll be my problem.

Fine.

I'm sending
a social worker by.

Mr. Crawford: Look, we don't
need any more help from you.

That's not an option,
Lester.

You beat her again,

I'll come at you
every way I know how.

If what you're telling me
is true,

you may be the most
simplehearted,

"down-the-river" nigger
ever to wear a tie.

You want to call them?

They won't pick up
the phone.

Don't you have any sense
of connection to your people?

Cut the crap,
Congressman,

there are
no cameras here.

The thing was a hoax.

It's over.
Let it go.

A hoax?

You know that now,

I know that now...

but does it really
make a difference?

what do you think the point
of all this madness was?

Besides the obviously
self-serving aspects?

How long do you think
it will be again

before our
entire society

is focused on an issue
of racial equality?

Ends justifying
the means?

You look me in the eye

and you tell me
this system is just-

this system is equal.

At times,
the system stinks, Eaton.

I know that as well
as you do.

But don't
for one damn minute

tell me that your
self-aggrandizing polarization

is going to solve
the problem.

Don't tell me that tearing down
a 200-year-old justice system-

no matter how flawed-

is going to alter the
consciousness of a society.

We're past the separate-
drinking-fountain stage.

We're past
legal discrimination.

We're at the hearts-
and-minds stage.

And believe me,

there's no quick fix.

Your intentions

might have been good...

but your execution
stunk.

Another zombified soul

casts his vote
for order

rather than justice.

Negative peace
over positive peace.

Paraphrasing
Martin Luther King's thoughts

won't lend credence
to yours.

King walked
with the angels.

You'd slide in slime
on your belly

to get
what you want.

Adam:
So, he said we're out?

And they agreed
to what?

Gag orders all around,
we drop the cross complaints-

Drop the
- what the hell does that get us?

"Get us"?

Granted, it's not the
best deal on the surface,

but it's livable,
it'll work.

It'll help the press
deflate themselves.

Cops were named.
Records maligned.

what, you want
no casualties?

Six months and people
will know it was a hoax.

It'll be
back page news.

He'll live with it. By
morning he'll probably love it.

You think
I sold out?

Does it matter
what I think?

If it does,
I'll tell you,

but it's something
you decide for yourself.

You got a "shave yourself
in the morning" speech?

Maybe.

Do you think of yourself as a black
lawyer, or a lawyer who's black?

Depends on the context.

You made a decision based
on something from within.

You live with it, examine it.
It's all you got.

You think by morning
I'll come to love it?

No, but I don't think
you'll have any problem

with the guy
in the mirror.

I'll see you
tomorrow.

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