All language subtitles for Law and order S20E12 - Blackmail

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.

You would be a totally
anonymous source.

You know what?

I just don't
really see the point
in talking about it.

I wouldn't have
to use your name.

Yeah, but how hard
would it be
to figure out?

Look, I have a new job.

I'm not widely
considered a slut.

Things are just fine
the way they are.

It's not right.
You know it.

And it keeps happening
over and over again.

Let me think about it.

I'll let you know.

Developer ran out
of money.

One day he's selling
the greatest new project
since Rockefeller Center,

the next he's selling
the fixtures.

When did
construction end?

Maybe six months ago.

Security's half-assed.

Junkies, homeless,
who called it in?

9-1-1 call,
from a pay phone.

The caller forgot
to leave his name.

Yeah, he was
probably scavenging,

pulled back
this sheet of metal.

And voilà.

Bruises on her neck.
No blood.

Anybody find a purse?

No. No cell phone.
No ID.

Hey, you think maybe
a working girl?

She brought
a John up here?

Her clothes are clean.
No track marks
on her arms.

No chips
in her manicure.

She could have
been here forever
before somebody found her.

I think that
was the plan.

Well, she's fresh.
Died sometime last night.

Cause of death
is definitely
strangulation.

The bruises
look hand-shaped.

I'll put her in the fridge
and see if I can get
more definition.

Any signs of
sexual assault?

There's no vaginal tearing
and there's no semen in her,

so she hadn't had sex
within 72 hours
or she used a condom.

But I did find this.

A pubic hair from
her upper inner thigh,
and it isn't hers.

Wrong color?

No, wrong gender.

Find the penis it belongs to
and you'll have a lead.

We'll get right on that.

Lieutenant,
we got a hit.

What would you think
M-R-S stands for
on a hospital bill?

What?

M-R-S on a hospital bill.

"Mrs."?

It costs $89 and
it's not covered
by insurance.

Well, then it's
definitely not "Mrs."

"Mucous Recovery System."

A box of tissues.

All right, one second.

These...
These I fight.

These I got 30 days.

Okay. All right,
you have something?

Yes.

Our Jane Doe's name
is Megan Kerik.

Her fingerprints
matched a set in
the Pentagon's database.

She was a soldier?

No, a freelance journalist

who accompanied
a USO troupe
to Afghanistan.

The Pentagon, they take
their prints and DNA

in case they get blown up
by an IED.

It's thoughtful.

They also list
next of kin.

I just got off the phone
with Ms. Kerik's sister
in San Diego.

They weren't very close,
but she said Megan
wasn't married,

she'd never heard
of any boyfriend,

and our victim spent
most of her time

writing for a website
called CitySmear. Com.

Is that what
it sounds like?

Digs up dirt
on celebrities
and others.

The more embarrassing,
the more they like it.

You'd better find out
who Ms. Kerik had
been embarrassing lately.

Megan Kerik?
She's been murdered?

We were hoping
you could help us out.

Has this been reported
anywhere yet?

You're looking
for a scoop?

It depends what
she was working on.

Derek?
Yeah.

What was Megan Kerik
working on?

I don't know.

Just that thing about
the big environmental
movie star

who sent
her cocker spaniel
to Paris. Why?

These are police.
Megan's been killed.

Has it been reported
anywhere yet?

It doesn't matter.

Megan wasn't working
on anything for us
that could get her killed,

if that's what
you're asking.

You figure
the cocker spaniel's
in the clear, then?

That's...

How well did you know
Ms. Kerik?

She's a freelance
contributor.
We have hundreds.

Did she have a desk?
We'd like to take a look.

No, as far as I know,
she worked from home.

Shopping list.

Yogurt, coffee,
ink cartridges, cupcakes...

Yeah, a freelancer's diet.

This place
is neat and tidy.

If she was killed here,
she didn't put up
much of a fight.

Ink cartridges would be
for this printer here.
You see a computer?

Nope.

Somebody took it.

This file drawer's
unlocked.

There's a big gap inside.

The killer
took her purse.

He had her keys.

She was working
on something,
or he thought she was.

What?

Look, it's Sara.

I'm sorry,
but I really don't want
to talk about this.

I think you should
just forget the story.

It's just going to
upset a lot of people
for no reason.

What did Megan want
from you exactly?

I only met her
that one time.

She emailed me
out of the blue

and said she wanted
to interview me
for a story.

A story about what?

People who sleep
with their bosses.

Which I did.

And didn't want
to talk about?

I have a boyfriend.
I have parents.

I have a new boss. I...

I really didn't need
for them to know.

Yeah, but Megan
was gonna do
the story anyway.

I don't know.
I never talked
to her again.

If you'd never
met her before,

how did she know
about your history?

She said that she talked
to a woman

who used to work
where I used to work,

and had the same position
before I did.

That would
be your position
with the boss?

No one lasted more
than a few months.

Sara, we're going to need
to talk to this guy.

Ah. That's just the thing.

It's not a he.

What?

Well, maybe
that's what you'd advise
a teenage daughter, Bella.

Remind me never
to send my kid
to talk to you.

But seriously,

I think we can all agree
that communication

with our children is...

Vanessa Carville?

Megan Kerik wasn't
writing an article

about women sleeping
with their bosses.

She was writing
about women

who were sleeping
with Vanessa Carville.

That may
have included Megan.

It turns out that
before she reduced herself

to digging up gossip
for CitySmear,

she was
a production associate
on The Sisters.

I love this show.

It's a great way of
turning off your brain
for an hour.

Would you love it as much
if you knew Vanessa Carville

was plowing through
her female employees?

She's married.
She has a family.

If she caught wind
what Megan
was writing about...

Go see her.

You know, if it were
for anything else,

I'd ask you to get me
tickets to the show.
And one more thing...

You know,
I don't know what kind

of downtown look
you guys are going for

with the stubble and all,
but it's not working.

For downtown
or for you?

Both.

Have you looked
in a mirror lately,
Detective?

You're not
in Karachi anymore.

All right?

Okay.

... of the trust
that people have in you,

and you know,
in the end,

it always
comes down to trust.

- Am I right, ladies?
- Yeah.

Who's with me?
Can I get a what, what?

You ever
watch her show?

Sure, when I'm not
knitting booties
for my cat.

There she is.

You think one
of those guys
is her husband?

Yeah, this could
be awkward.

Well, that's why
we get paid
the big bucks.

This costs. I swear,
I have to set someone...

Ms. Carville?
Yes?

Mr. McCoy?

Detectives.

You must be
mind readers.

I was just going
to call 1 PP.

You may know Vanessa Carville,
by reputation anyway.

She just came to me
with her attorney
to report a crime.

She's being blackmailed.

I leave
for the studio early.

I like to read the papers
before anyone else
gets there.

So, it was
about 6:00 a.m.

I came out of my house
and nearly tripped over it.

"Personal
and confidential."

I'd say that was
an understatement.

Did you see
who left it?

No. My driver pulled up
just then.

I had brought it into
the back seat with me
and took a look.

What I saw, let's just say
I didn't need a second cup
of coffee.

Emails,
diary entries, photos,

messages,
you with various women.

Are they authentic?

Does that matter?

It probably does.

They're real.
But I'd rather deal
with it, all of it,

than pay $3 million
to some blackmailer.

The cover letter asks
for $3 million,

or this will all
be published in a book.

Ms. Carville is supposed
to stand by at home for
a phone call today at noon,

to arrange payment.

A lot of this
concerns a woman
named Megan Kerik.

I'm aware.
Things with Megan
ended rather awkwardly.

It's occurred to me
this might be some sort
of attempt at revenge.

Megan Kerik was murdered
two nights ago.

Oh, God.

And before she died,
she was interviewing women

for a proposed article
about this.

So I'm a suspect?

Vanessa...
I have to be.

Did you know
she was working
on that article?

No. I... I hadn't talked
to Megan in over a year.

This is awful.
Just worse and worse.

So, what do we do now?

It can't be a coincidence
that the blackmail

comes at the same time
as the murder.

We play along
with the blackmailer,

if you're up to it.
Are you?

Well, I've got to get
to the studio.

But I'll be home
before noon.

Well, I'd like to
get my people in
before that.

I'll arrange for it.

Jack, thank you.

What do you think?

Well, if she killed
Megan Kerik to
keep her quiet,

coming forward with
a bogus blackmail story

would be
a pretty smart way
to throw us off.

I find that hard
to believe.

But just in case...

This blackmailer,
whoever he is,

is probably
the murderer, right?

That's possible.

Half the stuff
in that envelope
came from Megan,

the rest could
have been stuff
she gathered,

so he got it from her,
maybe she tried
to back out.

That's a theory.

And the other theory
is that I did it?

That's a theory.

No more sandwiches
for you.

It's nearly 1:00.
He said he was
gonna call by noon.

Has that bastard
called yet?
Not yet.

Why not?

I mean,
what's he waiting for?

You don't need
to be here, Wayne.
They're handling it.

I don't know.

My wife's affairs
with other women,
$3 million.

It's a little more
interesting

than anything happening
in the office today.

I'm heading
for the studio.

You can stay
if you want to.
All of you.

Just us guys.

He never called.

Did he know
you were there?

Maybe he was watching
the house.

Well, we were careful.
There's a service entrance.

So he's
leaving $3 million
on the table?

Maybe he's reformed.

Or Vanessa Carville made
the whole thing up.

She didn't
make this up.

"I see you
behind the monitor and
all I can think about

"is licking the sweat
rolling towards
your nipple."

A message from Carville
to Megan Kerik.

Have you seen the stuff
in this blackmail package?

I'd have paid
the 3 million.

Here's one
from Megan's diary...

"I was nervous at first,
but we split one
of her Vicodins

"and a bottle of wine
and then bliss."

Hey, Lupes,
look at this.

What do you see?

- That picture.
- Mmm-hmm.

It's in Sara Bradley's
apartment.

Yeah, the girl who said
she didn't cooperate

with Megan Kerik's
research.

So how did
that picture end up
in the blackmail surprise?

Yeah, I took that.

But I never gave it
to Megan.

I never gave
Megan anything.
I told you.

Well, then how
did she get it?

I don't know.
What does it matter?

Did you give it
to anybody else?

No. Like who?

The person who got it
might be the person
who murdered Megan.

If you have
any involvement with him,
you should tell us now.

What,
like I'm an accomplice?

That is ridiculous.

I never gave Megan anything.
I never gave anyone anything.

And I definitely...

My hard drive.

Your hard drive?

I kept some old photos
on a backup hard drive.

A couple of weeks ago
my apartment
was broken into

and that was
one of the things
that was stolen.

Did you file
a police report?

Yeah.

Is that why somebody
broke into my apartment,
just to get that picture?

Lupo.

All right.
We'll set it up.

Carville got the call.
It's a go.

Excuse us.

- I got her.
- Gotcha.

Ms. Carville,
can you hear us?

Yeah, loud and clear.

I haven't been this nervous
since I interviewed
Dick Cheney.

You're doing great.

Take a seat
on the bench right there.

He's late again.

I've got a visual on a male
in a black overcoat,
40 feet and closing.

I got him.

Oh, God.

Okay,
stop talking to us now.

It's Di Palma,
Megan's editor.

Yeah, the one
who said he had no idea
what she was working on.

Well, I guess he lied.

Did you bring
the check?

Who are you?

Did you
bring it or not?

Why are you doing this?

What the hell
is she doing?

I'm not the one paying
to keep dirty secrets.

Conducting an interview.

When do I get
the originals of the things
in that envelope?

As soon as I know
your check is good.

Oh, and I'm supposed
to trust you?

Vanessa.

You have no choice.
Now, you have
about 10 seconds.

Just give him
the damn check.

You should be ashamed
of yourself.

He's got it.

Hey, remember me?
Turn around.

Let's go.

My client has
nothing to say.

Your client just
got caught red-handed

committing larceny
by extortion.

He needs to
help himself out here.

It was a simple
misunderstanding.

Yeah.
For Megan Kerik it was.

She brought you
her big story,
didn't she?

She wanted you
to publish it,

but you had
a better idea.

A way of making
some real money.
Then what happened?

She disagreed?

I had nothing to do
with what happened
to Megan.

Dennis,
don't say anything.

No more questions.
Should I try that
in French?

Just one more.
Does your client want

to give us a key
to his apartment,

or would he prefer
we take the door off
its hinges?

Search warrant is
on its way.

What did the police find?

Enough to nail Di Palma
on the blackmail
ten times over.

Megan Kerik's notebooks
and diaries,

the originals of
all the blackmail
material.

The stolen
computer hard drive.

How about for the murder
of Megan Kerik?

The pubic hair found
under Di Palma's sheets

matches the hair found
on her body.

So they were lovers. And?

It seems
pretty obvious
what happened.

Megan felt burned
by her relationship
with Carville.

She was expecting
a promotion, at least,

but instead got dumped

for the next flavor
of the month
and then laid off.

It's all in her diaries.
She wanted to get even.

And Di Palma
hijacked her article

and turned it
into blackmail.

Can you prove that?

That wasn't
in her diary.

So what have you got
on the murder?

Enough to nail Di Palma
on the blackmail
ten times over.

It's better
than nothing.

And could be a lever to
shake something loose.
Move on it.

"Case 34321
People v. Dennis Di Palma

"attempted Grand Larceny
in the First Degree."

The defendant enters
a plea of not guilty.

People request remand,
Your Honor.

In addition to the crime
he's charged with
here today,

Mr. Di Palma is
the key suspect
in a related homicide.

Says who?
Based on what?

That's completely
irrelevant

to the issue of bail
on this charge.

This is the attempted
extortion

of that television
personality...

for $3 million?
Is that correct?

That's the charge,
but Mr. Di Palma
is innocent.

You mentioned that.

Meanwhile, for bail,
why don't we pick a number

that is relevant
to this case?

$3 million?

In this case, so far,
we've only heard
one side of the story,

Ms. Carville's side.

Which the police
and District Attorney
have swallowed whole.

But this case
isn't just about
the motive, intent,

and conduct
of Dennis Di Palma.

It's also about the motive,
intent and conduct
of Vanessa Carville.

Mr. Di Palma looks forward
to telling the full story
in court,

and, if in defending
his reputation,

other people's
are damaged,

well, that's just
the way it's got to be.

I for one
have a few questions
for Ms. Carville.

Actually, more than a few.

Now the real
blackmail begins.

It's only fair,
Your Honor.

Mr. Di Palma has
the right to get
his side of the story out.

This is rather a long list
of material you're seeking.

All of which
is likely to lead

to credible
and relevant evidence
for the defense.

Ms. Carville's tax returns
for the past 10 years?

To see if she's taken
any business deductions

for the purchase
of embarrassing material.

Oh, you think she itemized
previous blackmail attempts?

I want to know if
she's bought any material

similar to
that offered her
by Mr. Di Palma.

He wasn't
selling her a book.

He was committing larceny
by extortion.

Actually,
he was conducting
a journalistic sting.

Mr. Di Palma was going
to publish an exposé

of Ms. Carville's behavior
on his website.

Well, then why didn't he?

Why demand
$3 million check
not to publish it?

He was never going
to cash that check.

He was going to
post a photo of it
on his website

as proof that she had
something to hide.

We are straying into
absolute fantasy here.

Really? What kind
of blackmailer asks
for payment by check?

A dumb one.

This isn't
an intelligence test.

This is a criminal
proceeding.

And these defense subpoenas
are onerous, unreasonable,

and designed merely
to harass the victim
of the crime. I mean...

"Full personnel files"
of more than 200

of Ms. Carville's
employees,

going back to 1992?

Have any complained
of sexual harassment?

Have any been granted
special treatment

in exchange
for sexual favors?

Your requests
are extraordinary,
Mr. Baron,

but I will see
the briefs on this.

The judge
is going to allow it?

No. She just
hasn't decided yet.

I can't imagine
she'll give him
everything he's asking for.

But some of
what he's asking for?

We're using all
of our resources.

The law is
on our side.

I just had a candid talk
with my audience
about this whole situation.

I hoped
I would never have
to say anything else.

Well, you will have to be
a witness at the trial.

I guess I knew that.
I just didn't...

Things are a little
tense right now
on the home front.

My husband,
or his attorney,

may end up sitting
at that trial,

taking notes
if we end up fighting
about child custody.

The things
that could come out.

I promise you,
we'll fight

to keep the trial
as narrowly focused
as we can.

The other guy's
the criminal.

Why are we doing
all the fighting?

Child custody?

She's probably
wishing she paid
the 3 million.

Baron's playing a game.
Nothing he's asking for
is relevant.

Well, that judge
might disagree.

We'll handle it.

Meanwhile,
let's shoot down
the claim

that Di Palma was
practicing journalism,
not blackmail.

That check
he was supposedly
never going to cash.

Yeah, made out,
at his request,

to something called
Feature Literistics.

And what the hell
is that?

I'm a little busy.

The owner made me
Acting Editor
until this business

with Dennis
gets sorted out.

Well, by the looks
of things,

you may be acting
for the next
eight-to-ten.

Oh, no, thank you.

I'm getting
a little tired of sorting
through celebrity trash.

I might be going back
to school, though,
maybe architecture.

I just need to know,
have you ever heard

of something called
Feature Literistics?

Feature Literistics?

Sounds like
a literary enterprise

named by someone
who can't read.

Was Di Palma involved
with anything
with that name?

A publishing house?
A magazine?

Anything with
a bank account.

I've got to tell you,
I think you're on
the wrong trail here.

Dennis was never
hard up for money.

He has a nice
apartment, nice car,
takes nice vacations.

Vacations where?

The Cayman Islands.

An offshore
bank account.

Opened one month ago
in the name of
Feature Literistics,

a corporation registered to
a Bahamas post office box.

Mr. Di Palma went to
a lot of trouble to create
an untraceable account

to deposit a check
that he was never
going to cash.

Yeah, he was definitely
more interested
in the $3 million

than the Pulitzer Prize.

But there's more.

He opened the account
in person

during a three-day stay
at a beach resort,
with Megan Kerik.

A little more pubic hair
transferring going on?

Apparently.

Either they were doing
the blackmail together,
and had a falling out.

Or she really was working
on an article,

he found out about it,

decided to go
the blackmail route
instead,

she didn't want
to go along,
and he kills her.

Or his accomplice did.

What accomplice?

The weekend they were
in the Caribbean

it was the same weekend
Sara Bradley's apartment
was broken into,

and her hard drive with
the compromising photos

showed up
in Di Palma's apartment.

The police assumed
that he had stolen it.

We all did.

- My accomplice to what?
- I didn't do anything.

Mr. Di Palma,
you may have
an opportunity here.

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

So let them explain.

As you know, we're taking
this blackmail charge
very seriously.

But murder is always
a higher priority.

Murder, again?

You know, and I know,
you don't have a shred
of evidence

against Mr. Di Palma.

If another person
was involved,

and Mr. Di Palma
can help us find
that person,

then there's always
the possibility of
a plea negotiation.

Sara Bradley's computer
hard drive was found
in your apartment

after it was stolen
from hers.

How did it come
into your possession?

That was research,
for my exposé.
I got it myself.

You're confessing
to burglary?

He's not confessing
to anything.

Well, he's covering
for somebody. Why?

Well, I guess we don't
have anything else to say.

Except...

I've been reviewing the briefs
in this matter with interest.

But I see no basis
for the defense to get
Ms. Carville's tax records.

And the request
to see the notes

of her marriage
counseling sessions

is out of bounds for about
five different reasons.

The personnel files
of Ms. Carville's employees

are likewise privileged
and confidential.

They're also relevant
and material on their face.

This case is about
Ms. Carville's relationships
with her employees.

Actually, it's about
your client's attempt
to commit blackmail.

If you lost your copy
of the indictment,

you can take a look
at mine.

The material
Mr. Di Palma compiled

came largely from a woman
named Megan Kerik.

Whom we suspect
Mr. Di Palma of murdering.

I didn't see
any mention of that

in the indictment,
either.

Ms. Kerik had
conducted research

amongst Ms. Carville's
former employees,

several of whom
are not named.

We need to
find these women
to ask them

what Ms. Kerik told them
about her project.

These women do not
want to be dragged
into the limelight.

If they can shed
exculpatory light

on Ms. Kerik's
and Mr. Di Palma's
intentions,

that's not their choice.

My client has the right
to compel their testimony.

That's the one point
of your argument
I'll grant, Mr. Baron.

But you need to draft
your subpoena more narrowly
to include the files

only of those women
who might have been
candidates

for Ms. Kerik's research.

Very good, Your Honor.
Thank you.

Former lovers
on parade.

I wonder how
Vanessa Carville is going
to feel about that.

I'll go talk to her.

How did it go?

See for yourself.

Well, I don't know
about the rest of you,

but I've been having
a pretty lousy week.

Yeah. Thank you.

As I mentioned before,
I've done some pretty
kinky things in my life.

I mean, was anybody
really surprised?

But now, owing to
the wondrous nature
of our legal system,

the man accused
of blackmailing me
about those things

has been
granted the right

to drag a whole lot
of wonderful people

who've worked for me
through the mud.

Yeah, I know.
She's good.

I know. It's true,

and on some level
that's fair, I guess,

but I think it stinks.

And as much
as I would like
to see justice done,

I wouldn't be able to live
with myself if I thought

so many good people,
so many good friends,

many of whom
I've already hurt

would have
their reputations
and lives messed up.

So I feel
I have no choice.

I'm going to
abandon my complaint
against this man,

even if it means
a blackmailer goes free.

Not to mention
a murderer.

Right.

The defense motion
to dismiss is premature.

Our evidence
hasn't disappeared.

Your complaining
witness has, Mr. Cutter.

I do read the papers.

The trial hasn't
even begun.

It's a little early
to say that she's not
going to show up.

She just told
10 million people
she wouldn't.

Yes, and that made
good television,
didn't it?

We are continuing
communication

with the victim
of this crime.

And good luck to you.

I won't dismiss for now,

but I'm releasing
Mr. Di Palma on
his own recognizance.

There doesn't
seem much point
to keep him in jail

waiting for a trial
that may never happen.

Oh, that's great.
Now he and his accomplice
can go out for a beer

and have a big laugh
about this whole thing.

You know what?

That might not
be a bad idea.

Have you seen
what's on the internet?

It says here
Dennis Di Palma just got
half a million dollars.

To write a book
about Vanessa Carville.

His lawyer always said
it was a journalistic project.

He's only 2.5 million short.

So far.
There's still paperback,

first serial,
movie rights...

This could be
as profitable

as what he tried
with Carville.

Publishing that material
is perfectly legal,

while threatening
to publish it is a felony.

That doesn't seem
to make sense,
yet, somehow, it does.

Because it's coercion.

Glad to know
we prosecute it
for a reason.

Yeah.

Feel good to be back?

What do you think?

I hear congratulations
are in order.

Yeah, I graduated top
of my class at Rikers.

I just read about
your book deal.

I'm surprised
you didn't call me
to share the good news.

No one's called me.
It's just publishing gossip.

Half a million dollars.
I want 250.

There is no money.
It's just a rumor.

Really?
Are you hiding it
in the Caymans

like you were going
to hide the money
from Carville?

- There's nothing to hide.
- I'm telling you. I swear.

Are you sure
that's the way
you want to be?

It worked, the phony
book deal story.

I thought it might
give Di Palma

and his friend
something to talk about.

Do the police know
who the caller is?

Yeah, Derek Fanning.
Works on the website.
I met him.

He told me
he was thinking about going
to architecture school.

Guess he's raising
tuition money.

Well,
there were two calls
made after this one.

Fanning kept asking
for money.

Di Palma kept saying
there wasn't any.

Fanning kept
calling him a liar.

Hello?

We'll be right over.
Thanks.

That was
Lieutenant Van Buren.

The police just found
Megan Kerik's
missing laptop.

It was dropped off
in the lobby
of Megan's building

with a note saying
that it had been found

abandoned in
a coffee shop.

Megan's address
was on a sticker
on the bottom.

That was very nice
of some Good Samaritan.

Oh, you have no idea.

Wait until
you see the video
we found on it.

Play it.

A video of Di Palma
murdering Megan Kerik?

Or having rough sex.

She didn't die.
Not on camera.

Is there a date
on that?

The day of the murder.

But it's not hard
to fudge the time stamp

if you know
what you're doing.

This Good Samaritan,
do we know who it was?

The note was unsigned
and no prints.

If we arrest Di Palma
for murder based on this,
there's a provenance issue.

That's the least of it.
You see his right hand?

That ring
would leave marks.

The M.E. Didn't find
any matching marks
on the victim's neck.

She was still alive.
He took the ring off
before he killed her.

If he's the one who did.

There's a reflection
in the alarm clock.

Someone else was
in the room.

Okay, so, on its face,

this is evidence
that Di Palma
is a murderer.

But it miraculously
shows up right after
Di Palma's accomplice

demands a quarter of
a million dollars

and Di Palma tells him
he can't pay.

The blackmailer
was being blackmailed.

So what's new?
It's no secret
my client was dating her.

Dating?
That's what
you call it?

If you thought
that made my client
a murderer,

then he'd already
be under arrest.

Well, we haven't
given up the thought.

I hope you brought
your toothbrush.

Something's wrong
with this video,

and you know it,
or we wouldn't be here.

Well, we'd like to
hear what Mr. Di Palma
has to say about it.

About everything,

or this becomes People's
Exhibit Number One
at his murder trial

and we can discuss
what's wrong or right
about it there.

He made me do it.

Who made you do what?

Derek Fanning.

He showed up while
I was with Megan
with a gun.

Where was he standing?

On the side
of the bed.

You knew someone was there.
You knew this video is fishy.

What exactly did
Mr. Fanning make you do?

Pretend to
strangle Megan.

He... He said
he would shoot me.
He was crazy.

Why did he do that?

When Megan came to me
about Vanessa Carville,

I thought it was
a great story.

I asked Derek to help
with the research.

And he broke
into Sara Bradley's apartment
when she wouldn't cooperate?

He said we shouldn't
publish the story,

that we could make
a lot of money.
I went along.

I dropped the stuff
at Carville's door.

That night
Megan figured out
what we were doing.

She said
she'd call Carville,

she said she'd call
the police, so...

Derek made me do that.

When I left,
Megan was alive.

Derek called me later
and said that he'd
taken care of her,

and it was safe
to go through
with the blackmail now.

I... I freaked.
I didn't call Carville
like I was supposed to.

Derek said
that if I didn't
get back into it,

he would send that video
to the police. So...

I did what he said.

I think that's
the craziest story
I ever heard.

So it's got to
be true, right?

"Case 35924,
People v. Derek Fanning.

"Murder in
the Second Degree."

- How do you plead?
- Not guilty.

This is related to
that blackmail case,
Ms. Rubirosa?

Yes, the defendant
is accused

of murdering the source
of the blackmail information

when she threatened
to call the police.

The People's main witness
is the former blackmail
defendant.

He's hardly credible.

We believe he is.

He was as shocked
as anyone

by the brutal and
coldblooded nature
of this murder.

His credibility's
an issue for a jury,
not a hearing on bail,

which I'll set
at $3 million.

Why break precedent?

Our analysis of that video
will lend us some support.

We also found
Derek Fanning's gun
and fingerprints

on Sara Bradley's hard drive
and in Megan's apartment.

But a jury's still going
to be skeptical about you.

We'll have to work
to convince them
to trust your testimony.

We can
save you the effort.

Mr. Di Palma has decided
not to appear.

Excuse me?

He's decided it's not
in his best interest
to testify.

We can still prosecute him
for the murder instead.

I think that ship
has sailed.

Ms. Rubirosa already
told the judge

that Mr. Fanning
is the killer.

It would be pretty easy
to raise reasonable doubt
if you try Mr. Di Palma.

What is it, huh?

You afraid that Fanning
will be acquitted
and come after you?

Is he holding
something else
over your head?

I just don't think
that publicly swearing

I was involved in
blackmail and murder

is the best possible
career move.

Plus I could get sued,
the Feds could come
after me.

I don't see any upside.

We can give you immunity
and then subpoena you.

If you choose not
to testify,

we can charge you
with contempt.

Contempt I can handle.

Well, don't worry.
You already have ours.

So, blackmail
and a brutal murder,
and everybody walks.

Maybe we should go
into another line
of work. Dry cleaning?

We could charge
them together
for both crimes.

And they'll
both stay silent,

and you'll be pushing
two rocks up two hills.

What about
your blackmail victim?

Is she still
on the sidelines?

Resolutely.

There's something
in those personnel files

she doesn't want the world
or her husband to see.

This blackmail thing,
it really works.

Maybe we should try it.

Jack, I'm sorry
it had to be this way.

I know you went
the extra mile
on my behalf.

I just couldn't
let it go to trial.

I know, Vanessa.
That's what I wanted
to talk to you about.

Oh, this is a surprise.

What is this, some kind
of shock therapy

to make me
change my mind?

We'd like you to remember
how you felt when you got
that package,

when you saw him,
in the park, demanding
$3 million.

What are we doing here?
Playing a memory game?

I remember.
It was awful.

But I can't
let innocent friends

get hurt by him and him
in some public spectacle.

I understand, Vanessa.
So I'm sorry.

About what?

We're charging you
with criminal sale
of a controlled substance

in the fifth degree.
It's a Class D felony.

What?

From Megan Kerik's diary

"I was nervous at first,
but we split one
of her Vicodins

"and a bottle of wine
and then bliss."

Half a Vicodin?
I gave it to her.
I didn't sell it.

It doesn't matter.

Legally, to sell
means to sell, exchange,
or to give.

The law still applies
and so does the penalty.

You can't possibly be serious.

I'm sure the charge
won't do you much good
in a divorce

or a fight
over child custody.

You sons of bitches.

You're no better
than he is.

So, you'll testify?

Sure. I can't wait.

Wait a minute.
Can she still do that?

Yes. The case hasn't
been dismissed.

But I don't think
she ever will.

That's not the plan,
is it?

Well, now that we have
Ms. Carville's cooperation,

Mr. Di Palma is looking
at 10 years in prison
for blackmail.

But if he
changes his mind

about testifying
against Mr. Fanning,

you might let
that slide.

We could probably
work something out.

He nails Fanning
for the murder,
then takes a plea.

He does two years.

You screwed with me
to screw with him.

Bank shot.

You're still
a son of a bitch.

We have a deal?

Deal.

A blackmail daisy chain.
They definitely didn't
teach that in law school.

Turnabout.
It was only fair.

So that's
the new game plan?
We do what they do?

Next time
we try a murderer,
we'll kill somebody.

I don't know.
We'll have to ask the boss.