1. In the criminal justice system
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2. the people are represented by two
separate yet equally important groups,
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3. the police who investigate crime
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4. and the district attorneys
who prosecute the offenders.
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5. These are their stories.
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6. Dad?
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7. Dad?
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8. Dad?
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9. Oh, hi, hon. You're
home already.
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10. Dad, you're going to burn
the place down some night.
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11. Well, I got it all
under control.
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12. You're going to wake Mom up.
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13. No, she's not gonna wake up.
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14. No, Dad, Dad.
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15. What's wet? What's wet?
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16. Come on, get up.
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17. What is...
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18. Mom!
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19. Mrs. Merrick, why don't we step into
the other room so we can talk, all right?
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20. I was in here
watching some movie.
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21. James Bond movie, the
one with the painted girl.
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22. Where was your wife?
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23. She goes to bed early.
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24. When did you hit the sack?
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25. After the movie.
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26. Did you talk to her?
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27. She was already asleep.
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28. And you're sure the
front door was locked?
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29. I guess.
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30. She used to lock up,
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31. and now I can't believe this.
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32. You just sit right
there, Mr. Merrick.
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33. We're going to test for powder
residue on his hands, all right?
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34. The door wasn't locked,
sometimes Mom forgets.
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35. Your parents keep any
money or jewelry around?
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36. No.
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37. My father paints
apartments, they hardly get by.
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38. You keep a regular
schedule at the hospital, right?
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39. Yeah. In the E.R.
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40. Did I tell you my
father's deaf in one ear?
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41. So if he sleeps on his right
side, he can't hear anything,
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42. so if somebody
was in the house...
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43. Yeah, he would've
slept right through it.
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44. Ms. Merrick, how long has your
father had a drinking problem?
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45. My father doesn't drink.
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46. Neither did I.
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47. Come on, his hands are shaking,
he reeks of breath freshener.
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48. Why don't you tell us
what really happened?
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49. The door was locked
when I got home.
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50. Dad was asleep in bed.
He'd had too much to drink.
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51. Mom was next to
him, and she was dead.
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52. Did he say anything
about how that happened?
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53. He said he couldn't
remember anything.
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54. How did they get along?
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55. They fought, but
Dad never hit her.
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56. He loves her. He didn't do this.
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57. That's why I got
rid of the bottles,
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58. because I knew
what you would think.
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59. Daddy's little helper.
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60. Yeah, I used to
have one like that.
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61. I keep telling you, I
can't remember anything.
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62. That happen a lot, when
you can't remember things?
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63. Yeah, but something
like this I'd remember.
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64. We found gun powder residue
on your hands. It has to be you.
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65. But I don't have a gun, so
how could I have killed her?
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66. Well, that's what
we're trying to find out.
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67. So let's take it step by step.
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68. You were watching Goldfinger
on TV and drinking rye and ginger?
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69. You're right. I remember that.
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70. And your wife, she wasn't
happy you were drinking,
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71. was she? Said it disgusted her.
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72. Well, what's it to her? You're a
grownup. You can do whatever you want.
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73. Yeah, right, that's
what I kept telling her.
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74. Yeah, fat lot of good it did.
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75. I bet she just never
shut up about it, right?
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76. No, never.
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77. Yeah, and you just want to sit
there in peace and watch your movie.
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78. So you go and you get
your gun from its hiding place.
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79. Well, how could I do
that if I don't have a gun?
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80. We already established
you have a lot of blackouts.
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81. Yeah, I know.
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82. All right, you're standing
there in front of the bed
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83. with the gun.
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84. Carol's flat on her back,
snoring, her mouth wide open.
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85. You remember that?
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86. Yeah, I remember that.
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87. And you pulled the trigger.
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88. I don't remember.
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89. That's the way it
happened, isn't it?
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90. I don't know.
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91. Yeah, come on.
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92. I don't...
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93. I don't remember.
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94. I don't know.
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95. I don't remember.
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96. Carol Merrick called in a
complaint against him two years ago.
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97. She had his handprint on her
face. She dropped the charges.
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98. Nothing new there.
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99. We find the gun, it's over.
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100. CSU's opening the
drain pipes as we speak.
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101. The canvass is batting zero with
the neighbors. No one heard a shot.
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102. We got to come up with
something to turn him around.
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103. As soon as he sobers up, he's going
to wonder why we haven't booked him.
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104. Yeah, and figure out we were pulling
his chain about the powder residue.
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105. M.E. recovered a nine millimeter
slug out of Carol Merrick.
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106. They sent it to Ballistics.
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107. Six with a right twist. Italian
steel, Beretta 92-series.
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108. Big gun.
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109. Even if he fired it from
across the bedroom,
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110. the slug should've
gone clear through.
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111. Through the
headboard into the wall.
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112. Well, maybe the
bullet had a short load.
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113. They don't quality-test every
one of these at the factory.
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114. Still would've exited the skull.
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115. We did a muzzle-
to-first-surface test,
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116. this little piggy was fired
from 50-100 yards away.
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117. Unless Merrick played a
bank shot around the room
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118. before it hit her,
we got a problem.
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119. Well, it didn't come through a brick
wall, and I didn't see any broken windows.
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120. But you weren't the
first one at the scene.
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121. You got the hump that did it,
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122. does it matter if he sleeps with
the windows open or closed?
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123. If it didn't, we wouldn't be keeping
you from your busy schedule.
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124. It was closed. Really?
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125. Well, the daughter told us her parents
had a running battle on the subject.
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126. Mr. Merrick liked it open.
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127. Well, I guess
that night he lost.
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128. You know what, Wheeler?
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129. We got a couple of
unknown prints off the window.
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130. We find they match yours...
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131. All right, all right, all
right. Look, look, look,
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132. I've been coming
off of this flu thing.
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133. The room was freezing. The
window was wide open. I closed it.
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134. You know, it would've been nice
if you included that in your report.
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135. Yeah, it would've.
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136. Thanks for the dog.
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137. First, the M.E. ran a probe into the wound.
That gives us our first calculations.
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138. Then we fire a test shot
into a skull-like object.
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139. That gives us the
angle of the trajectory.
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140. Here, you want to
see what we did?
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141. I'll give it to
Mr. Peabody here.
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142. Yeah, you take in the
velocity, the drop rate.
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143. Yeah, I got that.
Fast-forward, please.
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144. That roof.
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145. We get this scum
up here all the time.
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146. Smoking dope,
having sex, drinking.
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147. I call the cops, they're too
busy. I try to keep them out.
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148. I put a new padlock on
the door. They don't care.
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149. What about last night?
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150. I was fixing the boiler. I didn't
come up for air until midnight.
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151. You hear that?
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152. You got animals taking
drugs and killing the weak.
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153. See, I'm taking my son
Eddie to Santo Domingo
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154. to live with his grandmother.
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155. I don't want him dying here.
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156. Lennie, nine mil, just to
the right of the line of fire
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157. into the Merrick's place.
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158. There's also some blood drops on
the ground near the edge of the roof.
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159. Yeah, you play with guns,
you're going to get hurt.
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160. We got a dozen sets of footprints
around your shooter's position,
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161. running shoes, boots,
all sizes, kids to grownups.
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162. Eddie, you ever come
up here with your friends?
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163. No.
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164. My dad says it's too dangerous.
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165. But you've seen other
kids come up here, right?
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166. Sometimes.
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167. How about last night?
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168. Answer the man.
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169. I saw a couple of older
kids, but they don't live here.
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170. You know them?
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171. I just seen them around
at Mr. Reyes' bodega.
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172. What do they look like?
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173. One's a black kid,
the other one's white,
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174. he had on a red baseball
hat, you know, backwards.
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175. The black kid called him Nacho.
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176. The only nachos around here
are for sale, man. What'd he do?
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177. Nothing, it's what he might've
seen somebody else do.
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178. A white kid with a red
cap turned backwards?
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179. Yeah, about 12 or 13.
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180. If he wasn't wearing a red cap turned
backwards, maybe I would've noticed him.
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181. Sorry. All right, thanks.
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182. Kids, they're like roaches,
for every one you see,
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183. there's a million you
don't, but they're out there.
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184. Well, try to stay focused
on this one kid, okay, Monty?
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185. He's a white boy, early teens.
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186. This him?
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187. No, that's my partner.
This kid's name is Nacho.
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188. Nacho? Yeah, like the snack.
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189. Yeah, yeah, I know Nacho.
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190. He gave me a dollar once to
help him carry his groceries home.
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191. Where's home? Two blocks.
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192. Ninth Street, fourth floor,
no elevator, nearly killed me.
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193. You remember what his name is?
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194. Nacho, like you said.
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195. He got a fine-looking mama.
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196. Listen, you take us
to where she lives,
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197. and maybe you can buy
her some flowers, huh?
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198. I don't know where Lonnie is.
He must be out with his friends.
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199. What do you want with him?
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200. He may be a witness to a
crime. We just want to talk to him.
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201. Well, leave your number. When
he gets home, we'll call you.
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202. It's a little more
urgent than that.
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203. Where does he go when
he's out with his friends?
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204. I don't get his
appointment schedule.
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205. He's around, in
the neighborhood.
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206. Fine, we'll just wait here.
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207. Come on, guys, I got to go now.
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208. See, we really hate to keep you
from your errands, Ms. Rickman.
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209. Hey, this number with the
pager's prefix, that's Lonnie's?
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210. No. What's the "L" stand for?
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211. You know somebody else with a
pager? Maybe your dope connection?
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212. Look, sweetheart, we're
not gonna hurt your son.
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213. So why don't you just do us
all a favor and page him, huh?
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214. It's just for emergencies.
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215. Guess what? You
have an emergency.
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216. When he calls back, tell
him to come home right away.
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217. Mom, what's the matter?
What are they doing here?
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218. They just have some questions.
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219. I'm Detective Lennie Briscoe.
This is my partner, Rey Curtis.
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220. Want to take a seat?
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221. So, they call you Nacho
because that's what you like to eat?
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222. This is what you want to know?
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223. Some people saw you going
up on a roof over on Seventh
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224. a couple of nights ago
between 11:00 and midnight.
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225. We just want to know
what you saw up there.
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226. I wasn't up on any roof.
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227. Well, maybe you weren't
supposed to be up there,
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228. but nobody's making a
big deal out of that, see?
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229. You're here because it's no
big deal. I wasn't there, okay?
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230. So where were you?
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231. I was shooting hoops
over in Tompkins Square
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232. with my partner Clayton.
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233. What's his last name?
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234. Clayton Doyle.
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235. So you and Clayton were
shooting hoops till midnight?
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236. What, on a school night?
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237. Yep.
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238. After we did our homework.
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239. Look, Lonnie, if you're lying
'cause you're scared, then...
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240. I'm not lying. I'm not scared of
anything, and I'm not scared of you.
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241. Okay, all right, all
right, take it easy.
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242. Hey, you take it easy!
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243. I know what you did. You come down
here to hassle my mom so she calls me.
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244. Who the hell do
you think you are?
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245. You got no right
to do that to her.
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246. Now, get out of here! Sit down.
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247. Hey! Rey, Rey.
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248. Listen to me.
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249. You can BS us all you want, but
we know you were up on that roof.
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250. Yeah, you know jack.
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251. We don't have to talk to you,
so why don't you just leave?
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252. There's one kid who doesn't
want to grow up to be a cop.
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253. If he grows up. You see the
burn marks on his fingers?
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254. Yeah, kid's on the pipe.
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255. I tell you what, Rey.
That kid's not a witness.
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256. He's the shooter.
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257. He's 13 and smokes crack.
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258. Or he's just clumsy
with matches.
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259. Anyway, it looks like
it's an old family tradition.
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260. And that makes
him Billy the Kid?
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261. Matches the description,
the street name fits.
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262. Well, that puts him
on the roof, period.
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263. If he saw someone
up there waving a gun,
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264. he might have an incentive
to keep his mouth shut.
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265. Well, he was seen
with a black kid,
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266. could be this
Clayton he mentioned.
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267. Yeah, the one he supposedly
cracked the books with.
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268. I don't think we're going
to find him at the library.
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269. Well, maybe they
ditched the same classes.
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270. Check with their
school. Find the kid.
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271. We're not telling you anything
till we know why you want him.
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272. Well, Lonnie Rickman told us he
was with Clayton on Monday night.
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273. We just want to verify that.
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274. Lonnie Rickman? What's he done?
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275. We're not sure yet.
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276. Where was your son Monday night?
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277. First, answer my question. Why
you looking at Lonnie Rickman?
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278. He may have been involved
in a shooting on Seventh Street.
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279. Oh, my God.
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280. Now, how about
answering my question?
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281. Clayton had told us he
was playing basketball.
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282. And was he?
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283. I don't know.
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284. Came home, he had a cut on the
side of his head just above his ear.
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285. Told us he got it jumping over
the fence at the playground.
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286. You didn't believe him?
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287. Well, he was shaking,
but he wouldn't tell us why.
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288. But we thought somebody
might have hurt him.
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289. Meaning Lonnie Rickman?
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290. That boy's always been getting
Clayton in trouble at school.
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291. Cutting class, being
kept after, kid stuff.
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292. But now...
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293. But now it's what?
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294. Couple of weeks ago, Luanne
found $300 in Clayton's pocket.
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295. Said he found it on the street.
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296. He's peddling dope,
him and that boy Lonnie.
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297. We weren't anywhere near that
roof. We were shooting hoops.
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298. Is that right?
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299. Well, your friend Lonnie told
me you were at the movies.
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300. That is some bull...
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301. You mind your mouth, if
you know what's good for you.
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302. Mr. Doyle, please.
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303. Clayton.
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304. You know about blood types,
right? Like type A, type B?
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305. Yeah, I seen it on TV.
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306. Yeah, well we got your blood
type from your family doctor,
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307. and our lab is
matching it up now
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308. against the blood that
we found up on that roof.
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309. Matter of fact, their report should
be on my desk right about now.
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310. Think I'll go check.
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311. Listen, Clayton, I know
you want to do the right thing.
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312. What have you got in there that
looks like it might be a lab report?
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313. Well, take your pick. An
expense report or a booking sheet.
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314. Tell the truth now, Clayton.
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315. You wait for him to come back
with those test results, it's over.
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316. You're going to be in
the same boat as Lonnie.
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317. For God's sake, Clayton, tell
them what they want to know.
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318. You little punk! You
show your mother respect!
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319. Hey, you're hurting
me! Frank! Frank!
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320. You're going to tell the truth!
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321. You're not going to ruin
your life for some dope dealer!
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322. Stop, stop! He
can't let him do that.
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323. - Tell the truth!
- Stop! You're hurting me!
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324. Detective Curtis!
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325. Take Mr. Doyle outside now.
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326. Listen, young man, this
has gone on long enough.
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327. Now, you're going to tell me what
Lonnie did to you up on that roof.
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328. He put a gun to my head.
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329. Why?
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330. 'Cause Ross told him to.
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331. Ross who?
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332. Ross Morales. I didn't want
to be in his crew no more.
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333. Selling dope? Yes.
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334. Lonnie got me started.
I wanted to quit, though.
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335. Lonnie did say Ross
told him to kill me.
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336. He shot once and just missed,
and that's how I got hurt.
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337. And when he pulled the
trigger again, the gun jammed.
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338. He was gonna kill you?
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339. That's what he said.
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340. Roscoe Morales,
a.k.a. Ross Morales.
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341. Arrests for battery, possession,
carrying a concealed weapon.
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342. Investigated for two
shootings, one fatal.
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343. Never charged.
And he's all of 22.
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344. You talk to the D.A.
about murder charges?
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345. Yeah, they okayed it against
Lonnie, but not Morales.
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346. Well, you heard Clayton.
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347. Lonnie told him
Morales put him up to it.
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348. Well, it's a double-hearsay,
not evidence.
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349. Here's the paper on the boy.
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350. Lennie, give me a minute
with Detective Curtis?
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351. Your conduct was unacceptable.
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352. Why? 'Cause I let a
father discipline his kid?
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353. No one lays a hand on a
suspect in my interrogation room.
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354. Now, that man was out of control.
It was up to you to manage it.
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355. Well, that kid was out of control.
And you know what scares me?
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356. That somebody like that can
go to school with my daughter.
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357. You think you're the
only one who loses sleep?
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358. Look, if you don't like the
way this place is run, transfer.
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359. You were out of line, Rey,
just accept it and move on.
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360. As a cop, okay, I should've
stepped in, but as a parent?
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361. Man, that kid was selling crack.
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362. That rates a big hug
and a trip to Disneyland?
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363. This really burns you, huh?
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364. Hell, yes.
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365. The guy's fighting
for his kid's life.
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366. What, by beating up on him?
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367. If it comes to that.
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368. I'm not one of those
parents who has a problem
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369. taking a strong stand against
drugs. I never took drugs,
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370. and I don't feel like a
hypocrite telling my kids not to.
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371. So if I tell my kids not to drink,
that makes me a hypocrite?
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372. Whatever, Lennie. I don't
want to get into personalities.
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373. Now I got Pat
Buchanan for a partner.
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374. Hello, again, Cassie.
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375. Don't you people have phones?
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376. We want to see Lonnie.
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377. He's not here.
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378. We want to see for
ourselves. We insist.
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379. Look all you want.
He's not here.
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380. It's okay, they're
homicide cops.
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381. All right, then.
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382. I'll see you around.
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383. A new acquaintance?
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384. Whatever.
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385. Look, Lonnie's not here. I
don't know where he went,
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386. and the batteries
died in his beeper.
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387. The story never
changes with you, does it?
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388. I stick with what
works. Now, goodbye.
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389. I'll get a unit to sit outside,
in case the kid turns up.
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390. Kid's selling crack,
mom's turning tricks,
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391. this is one family Norman
Rockwell never met.
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392. Hey, we arrest Lonnie,
we'll be doing him a favor.
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393. The kid worked for Ross Morales.
We tap Morales, maybe we get lucky.
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394. Funny, I didn't see Morales
in the business directory.
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395. Clayton would know
where he hangs his shingle.
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396. According to our informant,
Morales has been operating
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397. out of a ground floor apartment
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398. on 11th Street
for the past month.
Copy !req
399. Now, twice a day, he comes by with
Lonnie Rickman to collect the receipts.
Copy !req
400. We're aiming for
a 9:00 p.m. pickup.
Copy !req
401. They're both
considered dangerous.
Copy !req
402. We've decided to take
them down inside the building,
Copy !req
403. the super's cooperating.
Copy !req
404. You want me inside?
Copy !req
405. No, I need you outside
with Morrissey to ID Lonnie.
Copy !req
406. Wilson and Dickerson will
take the back. Any questions?
Copy !req
407. Yeah, who's got a deck of cards?
Copy !req
408. Come on.
Copy !req
409. Number one?
Copy !req
410. Number one.
Copy !req
411. It's 10 past, maybe
they won't show.
Copy !req
412. Give it another 30.
Copy !req
413. Ten minutes. Is he
always that anal?
Copy !req
414. Hey, I need somebody
around like him,
Copy !req
415. otherwise I'd never
get out of bed.
Copy !req
416. Well, chill him out, please.
Copy !req
417. You know me.
Copy !req
418. "I play it cool, I dig all jive
Copy !req
419. "That's the reason I stay alive"
Copy !req
420. "My motto, as I live and learn
Is dig and be dug in return"
Copy !req
421. You read Langston Hughes
on a men's room wall?
Copy !req
422. Back when I was a beatnik
for about five minutes,
Copy !req
423. it used to work pretty good on
the Jewish girls from Riverdale.
Copy !req
424. It does pretty good with
girls from Washington Heights.
Copy !req
425. Number one, they're coming in.
Copy !req
426. Police! Freeze!
Copy !req
427. All right, then!
Copy !req
428. It wasn't me! Help!
Copy !req
429. Get over here!
Copy !req
430. Help me! Get off me!
Copy !req
431. Get down! Get back here!
Copy !req
432. Get up! Get up!
Copy !req
433. All right, this one's
clean. No weapon.
Copy !req
434. Same here. Okay, turn around.
Copy !req
435. What do we got,
huh? What do we got?
Copy !req
436. Oh!
Copy !req
437. Three vials of rock, okay.
Copy !req
438. Roscoe Morales, you're
under arrest for possession.
Copy !req
439. Lonnie Rickman,
you're under arrest
Copy !req
440. for the murder of Carol Merrick
Copy !req
441. and the attempted
murder of Clayton Doyle.
Copy !req
442. Get them out of here!
Copy !req
443. You have the right
to remain silent.
Copy !req
444. Anything you do say can
and will be used against you...
Copy !req
445. This is an outrageous
abuse of authority.
Copy !req
446. I am taking this to the
Civilian Review Board.
Copy !req
447. You say police brutality.
We say resisting arrest.
Copy !req
448. I didn't resist nothing. I
thought y'all was heisting me.
Copy !req
449. And where's my ice pack? I
been waiting here for an hour.
Copy !req
450. They didn't tell you? Somebody
stole our ice cube trays.
Copy !req
451. Come on, man, I got
baseballs growing down here.
Copy !req
452. I'll lend you my jock
Copy !req
453. as soon as we get this thing with you
and Lonnie Rickman straightened out.
Copy !req
454. Look, the kid just follows me
around like I'm his big brother.
Copy !req
455. Yeah. The big
brother who uses him
Copy !req
456. to keep his other
employees in line.
Copy !req
457. Mr. Morales is a part-time auto
mechanic. He has no employees.
Copy !req
458. He does as a
full-time crack dealer.
Copy !req
459. I don't know
anything about that.
Copy !req
460. Let me guess, you were at that
apartment to visit a sick friend?
Copy !req
461. Yeah, that's right.
Copy !req
462. You can't connect him to any illegal
activity occurring in that apartment.
Copy !req
463. We've got Clayton
Doyle to do that.
Copy !req
464. And I would be very surprised
Copy !req
465. if your witness has any first-hand
knowledge of my client's actions.
Copy !req
466. What about the three vials of
crack we found in his pocket?
Copy !req
467. His dry cleaner left them there?
Copy !req
468. Look, I got a substance
abuse problem.
Copy !req
469. I'm working on it.
Copy !req
470. When you sent Lonnie Rickman up on
that roof with a gun to kill Clayton Doyle,
Copy !req
471. you became liable for
everything he did with that gun,
Copy !req
472. which includes
shooting Carol Merrick.
Copy !req
473. Work on that.
Copy !req
474. Have a seat.
Copy !req
475. How long is this gonna take?
Copy !req
476. First of all, I want to make
sure that you both understand,
Copy !req
477. Lonnie has the right to
have an attorney present.
Copy !req
478. He doesn't need a lawyer. He'll
tell you whatever you want to know.
Copy !req
479. Lonnie, are you sure
you don't want one?
Copy !req
480. Yeah. Okay.
Copy !req
481. We talked to Clayton Doyle.
Copy !req
482. He told us what
happened on that rooftop.
Copy !req
483. We'd like to hear your version.
Copy !req
484. Nothing to say.
Copy !req
485. Well, he told us you
worked for Ross Morales,
Copy !req
486. and that Morales
told you to kill him.
Copy !req
487. All right, let me explain
something to you, Lonnie.
Copy !req
488. We've got an eyewitness
who saw you go up
Copy !req
489. on that roof 15 minutes
before the shooting,
Copy !req
490. so we got you dead
to rights for murder.
Copy !req
491. But if Morales told
you to kill Clayton,
Copy !req
492. if you were acting
on his orders,
Copy !req
493. that changes everything.
Copy !req
494. What do you mean,
it changes everything?
Copy !req
495. He'll plead to a lesser charge.
Copy !req
496. We'll agree to a reduced
sentence, if you give us Morales.
Copy !req
497. You understand, Lonnie?
Copy !req
498. Any time you're
ready, little man.
Copy !req
499. Go on, tell them what you did.
Copy !req
500. Clayton's lying. I
don't work for Morales,
Copy !req
501. and I wasn't gonna cap Clayton.
Copy !req
502. I took him on the roof
on my own account,
Copy !req
503. just to scare him,
because he pissed me off.
Copy !req
504. I busted that bullet, and
nobody else was behind it.
Copy !req
505. Just me.
Copy !req
506. Okay.
Copy !req
507. We'll be back in a few minutes.
Copy !req
508. Either Morales was pulling
the strings or he wasn't.
Copy !req
509. This kid walks on
his own two feet.
Copy !req
510. This kid changed
his own diapers, too.
Copy !req
511. It's moot, as long as he
says he acted on his own,
Copy !req
512. I doubt we'll convince
a jury otherwise.
Copy !req
513. So we send Mr. Morales
home in a limo?
Copy !req
514. He stays. Resisting arrest,
possession with intent.
Copy !req
515. "Case number 456020.
People v. Lonnie Rickman.
Copy !req
516. "The charge is Murder
in the Second Degree."
Copy !req
517. Your plea, Mr. Rickman?
Copy !req
518. Not guilty.
Copy !req
519. Your Honor, the People ask
Copy !req
520. that the defendant be remanded
without bail to the youth authority.
Copy !req
521. Without objection, Your Honor.
Copy !req
522. Done.
Copy !req
523. Goodbye, Mr. Rickman.
Copy !req
524. Does Lonnie know there's
no MTV where he's going?
Copy !req
525. There's no Cassie
Rickman. That sold it to me.
Copy !req
526. Me, too. We're
off to a good start.
Copy !req
527. Don't get used to it. Motion
to exclude his confession.
Copy !req
528. He was denied counsel.
It was nice while it lasted.
Copy !req
529. It was by the
numbers, Your Honor.
Copy !req
530. As the defendant's legal guardian,
his mother waived counsel.
Copy !req
531. The defendant
himself acquiesced.
Copy !req
532. The defendant's 13.
Copy !req
533. His mother was high on crack.
Copy !req
534. Neither of them was
competent to waive counsel.
Copy !req
535. The police get waivers from
drunken drivers every day of the week,
Copy !req
536. and the courts
routinely uphold them.
Copy !req
537. Mrs. Rickman wasn't waiving her
own rights, she was waiving her son's.
Copy !req
538. He was utterly at her mercy.
Copy !req
539. Ms. Kincaid should have
disregarded the waiver
Copy !req
540. and stopped the interrogation.
Copy !req
541. Your Honor, she wasn't
bouncing off the walls.
Copy !req
542. She was coherent. She didn't
appear to be under the influence.
Copy !req
543. I don't understand what
counsel expected us to do,
Copy !req
544. run a drug test on her?
Copy !req
545. Ms. Rubinoff, there's
nothing in the case law stating
Copy !req
546. a defendant has to be stone
cold sober to waive counsel.
Copy !req
547. You uphold my motion,
Your Honor, and there will be.
Copy !req
548. Well, being first isn't
all it's cracked up to be.
Copy !req
549. Your motion's denied, the confession
stays. Sorry to spoil your day.
Copy !req
550. You can make it up
to me, Your Honor.
Copy !req
551. I want the case
remanded to Family Court.
Copy !req
552. Absolutely not, this
is a violent offender.
Copy !req
553. He's committed a serious crime
without expressing an iota of remorse.
Copy !req
554. Family Court's not
equipped to deal with him.
Copy !req
555. The issue is, with
proper counseling,
Copy !req
556. would he still pose
a danger to society?
Copy !req
557. Mr. McCoy, you prove to me he should
be tried as an adult, he's all yours.
Copy !req
558. Have your briefs on
my desk in a week.
Copy !req
559. And I want this boy to have a
chat with a court psychiatrist.
Copy !req
560. I didn't even know that lady.
Copy !req
561. I didn't mean it to
happen. It just happened.
Copy !req
562. Has anything like this ever
happened to someone you knew?
Copy !req
563. Yeah.
Copy !req
564. A friend at school got shot.
Copy !req
565. And this other kid in the
neighborhood was pushed off a building.
Copy !req
566. Did your parents
ever hit each other?
Copy !req
567. My dad, before he dumped us,
Copy !req
568. he used to hit my
mom when he got high.
Copy !req
569. Did he ever hit you? No.
Copy !req
570. How about your
mom? Has she ever...
Copy !req
571. She's not like that.
Copy !req
572. Okay.
Copy !req
573. You want to tell
me what she is like?
Copy !req
574. What do you want me to say?
Copy !req
575. She's funny.
Copy !req
576. She makes me laugh.
Copy !req
577. How do you feel
about her taking drugs?
Copy !req
578. It's not her fault.
Copy !req
579. My dad got her hooked,
and I'm helping her get off it.
Copy !req
580. You think she takes
good care of you?
Copy !req
581. Yeah.
Copy !req
582. Because of her, we
got a place to stay.
Copy !req
583. And this one time, they
tried to put me into foster care,
Copy !req
584. but my mom fought
like hell to keep me.
Copy !req
585. She always says I'm the
most important thing in her life.
Copy !req
586. He's seen a good
deal of violence,
Copy !req
587. but he doesn't seem
preoccupied with it,
Copy !req
588. so it's possible
he's not dangerous.
Copy !req
589. What about treatment?
Is he a candidate?
Copy !req
590. Maybe. I don't know
enough about him.
Copy !req
591. Good, more hedging.
Copy !req
592. He's been abused by
his mother, this I'm sure of.
Copy !req
593. He told you that?
Copy !req
594. He denied it a little
too vehemently.
Copy !req
595. He's very defensive on the
entire subject of his mother.
Copy !req
596. That's it?
Copy !req
597. No, I read the police reports.
Copy !req
598. He gave Detectives Briscoe
and Curtis a very hard time,
Copy !req
599. in contrast to how he
behaved toward me or Claire.
Copy !req
600. He gets angry at men, but he's
very submissive toward women.
Copy !req
601. That's the pathology
for maternal abuse.
Copy !req
602. So what's your recommendation?
Copy !req
603. I'd have to say Family Court.
Copy !req
604. Because he was abused.
Copy !req
605. Fine, we send him there,
Copy !req
606. and when they let him out in
a few years and he kills again,
Copy !req
607. we get another bite at him.
Copy !req
608. That's right.
Copy !req
609. What if we got him to roll on
Morales? He's the one we really want.
Copy !req
610. We want them both.
Copy !req
611. Papers are calling this
kid a super-predator.
Copy !req
612. He's not getting a lollipop for
killing a woman in her sleep.
Copy !req
613. A murder he
claims full credit for.
Copy !req
614. He even denies he
works for Morales.
Copy !req
615. He's 13. He's probably
terrified of Morales.
Copy !req
616. He doesn't want to be the only
one pointing the finger at him.
Copy !req
617. What do you suggest?
Copy !req
618. If we find evidence that
he was Morales' employee,
Copy !req
619. we convince him we're going to
make the case against Morales
Copy !req
620. with or without him.
Copy !req
621. That should bring him around.
Copy !req
622. Who made you this
kid's fairy godmother?
Copy !req
623. I just know what Lonnie told me.
Copy !req
624. I never heard Ross telling
him to do no drug business.
Copy !req
625. You ever see him give
Lonnie money or drugs to sell?
Copy !req
626. No.
Copy !req
627. Lonnie said Ross never got his
hands dirty with the small stuff.
Copy !req
628. How did you get paid?
Copy !req
629. Lonnie gave me money
for being a lookout.
Copy !req
630. So as far as you knew, you could
have been working for Lonnie.
Copy !req
631. Lonnie said Ross was the man.
Copy !req
632. He even showed me where
Ross beat him on his back
Copy !req
633. just for being
short five dollars.
Copy !req
634. Is that why he was covering for
him? Because he was scared?
Copy !req
635. Yeah, for his mom.
Copy !req
636. Ross said if he ever went
against him, he'd hurt his mom.
Copy !req
637. Lonnie is devoted to that woman.
Copy !req
638. He does her chores.
He cleans her up.
Copy !req
639. He's even dragged her
from the crack houses.
Copy !req
640. It is pathetic.
Copy !req
641. Now, that boy came home with
Clayton a couple of months ago.
Copy !req
642. He had not eaten in two days.
Copy !req
643. So what happened?
Copy !req
644. His mom sold their food stamps.
Copy !req
645. She must have owed
a dealer a lot of money.
Copy !req
646. So I gave him something to eat.
Copy !req
647. Who feeds him the rest
of the time? Morales?
Copy !req
648. I don't know, but Ross doesn't
like anybody messing with Lonnie.
Copy !req
649. How do you mean?
Copy !req
650. Well, a couple of weeks ago,
Copy !req
651. I found Lonnie at the park,
and he couldn't breathe,
Copy !req
652. so I called an ambulance.
Copy !req
653. And when Ross found
out, he was real mad.
Copy !req
654. And what did he do?
Copy !req
655. He just went off, saying that I
should've called him, not the ambulance.
Copy !req
656. And then he wanted to
know what hospital he was at.
Copy !req
657. Paramedics brought him in. He
was in cardiac shock, too much crack.
Copy !req
658. So what's he done?
Copy !req
659. He's charged with murder.
Copy !req
660. Great. He was a mess. We pumped
his stomach, nothing came out.
Copy !req
661. His back and legs were covered in bruises.
He looked like he hadn't slept in a week.
Copy !req
662. Did he say how he
got those bruises?
Copy !req
663. It was a fight just to
get a name out of him.
Copy !req
664. He wouldn't tell
us where he lived.
Copy !req
665. He didn't want us
to call Child Welfare.
Copy !req
666. So why did you release him?
Copy !req
667. We didn't. This
Hispanic guy came in.
Copy !req
668. He paid the bill in cash,
Copy !req
669. then before we could stop
them, he grabbed the kid and left.
Copy !req
670. Kid didn't say a word.
Copy !req
671. Just because he
paid the kid's bill
Copy !req
672. doesn't imply that
Lonnie worked for him.
Copy !req
673. He could just be
a good Samaritan.
Copy !req
674. Who beat him like a dog.
Copy !req
675. And again, it's all
just hearsay unless
Copy !req
676. we get it directly
from Lonnie's mouth.
Copy !req
677. Then we're back
where we started.
Copy !req
678. That's too bad.
Copy !req
679. Because Morales' attorney just filed
an Article 78 motion to get him released.
Copy !req
680. He had less than three grams of
rock cocaine, all for his personal use.
Copy !req
681. He's willing to plead to
Possession in the Seventh Degree,
Copy !req
682. take his time served
and pay a fine.
Copy !req
683. But Mr. McCoy won't
even take my calls.
Copy !req
684. Mr. Morales is a
known drug dealer.
Copy !req
685. He has numerous convictions.
Copy !req
686. Only one for possession
with intent, Your Honor.
Copy !req
687. We arrested him on the
way to one of his drug outlets.
Copy !req
688. He was there to
collect the daily take.
Copy !req
689. He was arrested in a
common-use hallway.
Copy !req
690. He could have been
going anywhere.
Copy !req
691. Mr. McCoy, are you willing to
discuss a plea on Mr. Morales?
Copy !req
692. Not at this time, Your Honor.
We're looking at other charges.
Copy !req
693. For example?
Copy !req
694. It's a continuing investigation.
Copy !req
695. I'm not going discuss it
in front of the defendant.
Copy !req
696. He's stalling, Your Honor.
Copy !req
697. Mr. McCoy is punishing my client
Copy !req
698. because we filed a
complaint of police brutality.
Copy !req
699. That's nonsense.
Copy !req
700. But we'll drop the complaint
if Mr. McCoy agrees to a plea.
Copy !req
701. Sounds reasonable,
Mr. McCoy, how about it?
Copy !req
702. I'm sorry, Your Honor.
Copy !req
703. Mr. McCoy, the police arrest 150
people a day for simple possession,
Copy !req
704. there's just nowhere
to put them all.
Copy !req
705. I'm not adding to the problem. I don't
want Mr. Morales in jail. Is that clear?
Copy !req
706. May I approach alone?
Copy !req
707. Objection.
Copy !req
708. Your objection is noted.
Come up, Mr. McCoy.
Copy !req
709. Your Honor, we're developing
another case against him.
Copy !req
710. He may be facing murder charges.
Copy !req
711. If you release him, the chances
are he'll flee the jurisdiction
Copy !req
712. and we'll never find him.
Copy !req
713. You have any direct evidence
connecting him to this murder?
Copy !req
714. No, Your Honor.
Copy !req
715. Step back, Mr. McCoy.
Copy !req
716. I can't order you
to accept this plea.
Copy !req
717. But if you don't, I'll
dismiss the charge
Copy !req
718. on grounds of
legal insufficiency.
Copy !req
719. You have till tomorrow
morning to make up your mind.
Copy !req
720. We're adjourned.
Copy !req
721. It doesn't matter whether Ingles dismisses
the charges or we accept the plea.
Copy !req
722. Once Morales walks out the
door, it's the last we'll see of him.
Copy !req
723. You found him once,
you'll find him again.
Copy !req
724. When we've got a witness in
custody who can nail him for murder?
Copy !req
725. He's jumped bail before.
Copy !req
726. Besides, Lonnie's more likely
to talk if Morales is already in jail.
Copy !req
727. Maybe we can hit him
with another charge.
Copy !req
728. As far as I know, you can't
walk into an emergency room
Copy !req
729. and grab a minor out of his bed.
Copy !req
730. That could be kidnapping.
Copy !req
731. Yeah. It could.
Copy !req
732. Where'd you come up
with kidnapping, man?
Copy !req
733. I didn't kidnap
that little slice.
Copy !req
734. Ross, cool it.
Copy !req
735. Mr. McCoy, you don't know
the storm of crap you are in for.
Copy !req
736. You've just graduated from police
brutality to malicious prosecution.
Copy !req
737. Your client forcibly removed a
sick child from a hospital bed.
Copy !req
738. The boy went with
him of his own free will.
Copy !req
739. Not according to the
attending doctor and nurses.
Copy !req
740. Lonnie was scared
out of his mind.
Copy !req
741. Not to mention the fact that
Mr. Morales has no legal standing
Copy !req
742. to take the boy
anywhere, willing or not.
Copy !req
743. That's bull.
Copy !req
744. I'm his de facto guardian.
Copy !req
745. My client was acting with Mrs.
Rickman's knowledge and permission.
Copy !req
746. You expect us to believe that she
entrusted her son to a drug dealer?
Copy !req
747. Well, you ask her, man.
Copy !req
748. She gave him to me.
Copy !req
749. You see, I'm like a father
figure to the local kids.
Copy !req
750. I'm their hero.
Copy !req
751. He's right, I asked him to
keep an eye on Lonnie for me.
Copy !req
752. You let him baby-sit your son?
Copy !req
753. Yeah, out there.
Copy !req
754. I mean, Lonnie's a kid, he
needs somebody to protect him.
Copy !req
755. Morales isn't all bad, you know.
Copy !req
756. He turned him into a gangster.
Copy !req
757. He did?
Copy !req
758. I thought it was the rap music.
Copy !req
759. I don't see the humor.
Copy !req
760. No, you're the joke
here, Mr. McCoy.
Copy !req
761. You bitch and moan because
Morales owns the street,
Copy !req
762. when it's you and your stupid
laws that gave him the power.
Copy !req
763. I didn't come here
for an argument.
Copy !req
764. If you think he's a suitable
guardian for your child...
Copy !req
765. Yeah, well our last nanny quit,
so it was Morales or nothing, huh?
Copy !req
766. Ms. Rickman, if you're just saying
this because he threatened you...
Copy !req
767. I've said everything
I'm gonna say.
Copy !req
768. All right, keep
talking that way.
Copy !req
769. You'll be facing charges of reckless
endangerment and child abuse.
Copy !req
770. Now, that's funny.
Copy !req
771. Look at me.
Copy !req
772. I can hardly get myself through
the day, so who's he better off with?
Copy !req
773. Now, why don't you and
your skinny little friend get lost?
Copy !req
774. Crackhead logic
never ceases to amaze.
Copy !req
775. Maybe she's right
about one thing.
Copy !req
776. Don't believe her,
you look fine to me.
Copy !req
777. I was talking about Morales.
Copy !req
778. Right.
Copy !req
779. Let's all petition
to legalize drugs.
Copy !req
780. That'll free Mr. Morales
to pursue his true calling,
Copy !req
781. curing cancer or Alzheimer's.
Copy !req
782. How many people does our office
put in jail every year for drugs?
Copy !req
783. Five, six thousand?
Copy !req
784. Not including repeat
offenders, maybe seven.
Copy !req
785. And it hasn't even made a dent.
Copy !req
786. We're standing on the beach,
bailing out the ocean with a teaspoon.
Copy !req
787. You want to reform sentencing
rules, you get no argument from me.
Copy !req
788. But legalize drugs, open the
floodgates, it's not responsible.
Copy !req
789. Jack, I can make a
couple of phone calls
Copy !req
790. and have any kind of
drug delivered right here.
Copy !req
791. Anyone who wants
them can get them.
Copy !req
792. We have kids being terrorized by
dealers, innocent people being shot.
Copy !req
793. We turned a disease into
a war, and we're losing.
Copy !req
794. Anyway, here we are,
two grunts in the trenches,
Copy !req
795. arguing about
whether war is bad.
Copy !req
796. And we can't even put scum
like Morales in jail for kidnapping.
Copy !req
797. Maybe there's a good reason
Copy !req
798. that Cassie Rickman allowed
Lonnie to go to work for Morales.
Copy !req
799. I'm listening.
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800. Didn't somebody tell you that she
was deeply in debt to her dealer?
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801. To Morales?
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802. And now, two months later,
she's buying drugs from him?
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803. How did she pay him off?
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804. You're wrong, she
wouldn't do that to me.
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805. How much money did she
owe Morales? $500? $1,000?
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806. Where did she find
that kind of money?
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807. I don't know. I don't
work for Morales, anyway.
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808. Can't you get that straight?
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809. Don't treat us
like idiots, Lonnie.
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810. You're going to jail for him.
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811. How much dope is that
gonna buy your mother?
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812. It's not true. My mom loves me.
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813. Jack, this is cruel.
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814. And selling your kid
to a drug dealer isn't?
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815. Young man, if you want to protect
your mother, protect her from me.
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816. I can put her in prison
for what she did to you.
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817. But if you testify against
Morales, I won't charge her,
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818. and you can go to Family Court.
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819. What exactly would
he have to say?
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820. That he was acting under Morales'
orders when he fired that gun,
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821. and that he obeyed
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822. because his mother agreed to let
Morales do what he wanted with him.
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823. It won't make
Mr. Morales a happy man.
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824. We'll make arrangements
for their protection.
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825. Let me talk to him.
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826. Forget it. I'm not
talking against my mom.
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827. Lonnie... No, nobody
made me do anything.
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828. Then you and your mother
can write to each other from jail.
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829. Empty threat, Jack.
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830. Selling your kid may be
despicable, but it's not illegal.
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831. As for Family Court, I think
we're halfway there already.
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832. Come on, Lonnie.
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833. She's right.
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834. No statute against
selling your kid.
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835. His mother put him at risk for
his life. That rates as a felony.
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836. Yeah.
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837. You want him to testify against
Morales and risk both their lives.
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838. You're not giving the
kid much of a choice.
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839. He'd rather go to prison than
admit what his mother did to him.
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840. So we throw in the towel.
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841. Ross Morales goes home,
Cassie Rickman stays on crack,
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842. and her kid spends the
next 25 years in a cell.
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843. Is everybody happy?
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844. Didn't you say that's
where he belonged?
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845. That must have been some other
arrogant, moralistic son-of-a-bitch.
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846. Thirteen and living in a madhouse,
who knows what any of us would do?
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847. Give him a taste of
reality. He loves his mother.
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848. Does he know how
much she loves him?
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849. It's not going to be pretty.
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850. I'm not going to do it. I'd
have to be out of my mind.
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851. It'll prove to the jury Lonnie had
to do whatever Morales wanted.
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852. First of all, I did not give my son to
Morales, that is absolutely, 100% untrue.
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853. What kind of mother
do you think I am?
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854. Please. Let's cut
through the bull, lady.
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855. We all know what kind of
mother you've been to that boy.
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856. Blame it on the ex-husband or
the drugs if it makes you feel better,
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857. but right now, you have one
chance to help your son. Take it.
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858. If you testify against Morales,
Lonnie goes to Family Court.
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859. He gets a lighter
sentence. He gets help.
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860. What do I get? I
get my throat cut.
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861. We can offer you protection.
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862. Yeah, right.
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863. Lonnie pulled the trigger.
He killed that woman.
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864. You send him wherever you want,
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865. I don't care, he's
a pain in the ass.
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866. Juvenile detention.
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867. Five years.
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868. Ross said Clayton was
trying to quit the crew.
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869. He gave me the gun and told me
to take Clayton upstairs and kill him.
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870. What specifically did
he instruct you to do?
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871. He told me to put the gun up
against the side of his head and shoot.
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872. Did you follow
these instructions?
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873. I tried to,
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874. but I couldn't.
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875. I couldn't kill him.
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876. The first time, I
missed on purpose.
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877. The second time, the gun jammed.
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878. If it hadn't, would you
have killed Clayton?
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879. I don't know.
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880. I like Clayton. He's okay.
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881. I didn't want to kill him.
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882. Then why did you
take him up on the roof?
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883. Because I was scared
of Ross Morales.
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884. But you could have run away.
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885. You could have gone to your
mother, or even to the police.
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886. I couldn't.
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887. Why not?
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888. Lonnie, tell these people
why you didn't run away.
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889. Because of my mom.
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890. She said I had to stay with
Ross and do what he said.
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891. Why?
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892. She owed him money,
and he was going to hurt her.
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893. How long were you with
him before you were arrested?
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894. I'm not sure. It
was a lot of weeks.
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895. What did you do
during that time?
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896. I went to the store for
Ross, I got him cigarettes,
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897. I took his clothes
to the coin laundry.
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898. What else did you do?
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899. I helped him sell drugs.
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900. I carried it for him.
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901. I watched the other kids.
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902. Did he pay you?
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903. No, sir.
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904. Did he feed you?
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905. Sometimes.
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906. Didn't you get hungry?
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907. Yes, sir, but
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908. Ross told me to smoke crack
so my stomach wouldn't hurt.
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909. Didn't you ever complain?
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910. Yes, sir, once.
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911. What happened?
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912. He hit me on my
back and my legs,
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913. and he said he'd hurt my mom.
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914. How long were you
supposed to stay with him?
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915. I don't know.
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916. As long as your
mother needed drugs?
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917. I don't know.
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918. Lonnie, how much money did
your mother owe Ross Morales?
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919. $865.
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920. Thank you, Lonnie,
no more questions.
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921. Mr. Foreman, has the
jury reached a verdict?
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922. Yes, we have, Your Honor.
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923. In the first count of the indictment,
Murder in the Second Degree,
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924. how do you find?
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925. We find the defendant,
Ross Morales, guilty.
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926. Has Ms. Rubinoff explained to you
the consequences of taking this plea?
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927. Yes, ma'am.
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928. You realize that you'll be
incarcerated in a juvenile facility
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929. until your 18th birthday?
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930. Yes, ma'am.
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931. Then in accordance with the
provisions of the Family Court Act,
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932. I hereby sentence you
to a term of five years.
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933. Per Mr. McCoy's recommendation,
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934. you will receive psychiatric counseling
during that term of incarceration
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935. and for a period of
five years thereafter.
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936. We're adjourned.
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