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Shakedown (1988)
You looking
for something, my man? I'm looking for lightning. Got ups, got downs, got smiles, got frowns. Got smoke, got blow. Take you anywhere you wanna go. I only have big bills. That's cool. Got plenty change. Could you turn off that box? I really hate rap music. Sure, my man. Thank you, man. Call 54. 1091 Central Park West, 53rd K. Car 54 K. Cuff him, cuff him! Where the fuck are you going? I'm gonna help that young man over there! Fuck him, take care of this one first! This one's dead! Would you get the fucking handcuffs off him? Hey fuck your goddamn! Take it easy, man. Get him to the hospital! Police officer Patrick O'Leary was shot late last night in Central Park. The Mayor and the Police Commissioner express their outrage at a press conference at the Widow's house in Queens. O'Leary was the fourth police officer slain in the line of... Hi. Baby, baby, baby. Congratulations. Girl, you're beamed me up. You beamed me up in the middle of my ecstasy. Don't you think it's a little early in the morning for heavy metal? Gail, Gail, honey, sweety. I love you, I wanna marry you but you're making me feel very old. This is not heavy metal. This is Hendrix. Genius, maybe, but this is definitely not heavy metal. Okay. Why don't you open your present? Present, right. What's the occasion? Huh, congratulations, for what? On your last week with legal aid. Hey, groovy, beautiful. Why don't you wear one of the new suits daddy's guy made for you? Just try it. I don't know Gail. I don't think the Wall Street garb will swing with the Riker's Island crowd, you know? They'll take me for a pimp. What does that make me? The best. What are you drinking? Orange Julius, homemade. Want some? No, no thanks. Oh, I've got to run. I've got to be at Bumble and Bumble in 45 minutes. So try your new suit. Remember to call about the apartment. You bet. And Roland, about that tie. Yeah, what about it? Egh. I like this tie. Well Don, you're finally gonna bag it at Legal Aid, huh pal? Yup, yup, yup, yup, yup. What about the fight for the underprivileged, the homeless and the destitute? You know what I'm talking about, the good fight, pal. Pap and drivel, blood. Just liberal pap for the multitudes. Okay, let's do it. Okay. These I got to prosecute. These I'm willing to let cop a plea. You take the whole package, I let these go for time served. It's beautiful. Yeah man. All right. Groovy. This is not a going away party, Dalton. I can't live with that. Come on Home. It's my last week in the jungle then I'm finito. Buy the next six lunches too? No guts, no glory. Oh baby. Dalton I never figured you for this upwardly mobile bullshit, man. It is a sellout. Hey, blood. The substance in a lot of America lies in keeping the money in this country out of the hands of the widows and orphans and in the hands of the major insurance companies Who know best how to manage it. Hey, Susan. Hi, Shawn. Hi. From the looks of you I'd say you found your insurance company. Yeah, Wall Street, next week. You don't exactly look like chopped liver yourself. Thanks. Well once again I see that justice is being served. For lunch. Here, you forgot this one. Just your average crack dealing cop killer. No big deal. Yeah but I have to interview the man. Could be innocent. Bloody likely. Still I'm impressed you still care about minor details such as that. I'll meet you over at the pier. Yeah, you got it. I'll see you in court. A little history there, pal? Yeah, the whole world, man. What'd she mean see you in court? Probably talking about that cop killer you got in your hand, pal. What are you saying? She's a public defender in Brooklyn. No she's not. No? She's the new Assistant D.A. Come on, is that straight? Tag 'em and bag 'em man. You're dead. I don't know, what's the habs, babe? Okay, wiseguy, through the detector. I don't know why are you torturing yourself? Empty your pockets. It's the watch, it's the watch. It's always the watch. Watch. See? You love me, you know it. Crack, crack, crack. This got it here. Hey, Bowlski! My name isn't Bowlski. You want a condom with you lunch? Condom? Yeah. The Mayor says we got to offer every convict a condom a day along with counseling on safe sex. I don't want a condom. I want a condom. Thank you very much. Michael Jones, Roland Dalton. I'm over here from Legal Aid. I've been appointed to represent you. You've been charged with first degree murder of an undercover narcotic police officer. You don't look too bad for a guy who's been shot. Shit, I mean the guy used a 38, man. 38 couldn't kill a cockroach. That's why I use a nine mil. You get somebody with a nine, he don't get up. Oh yeah, you used a nine mil on this cop? Yeah. Well what's the pitch, Micheal? You're not gonna tell me you didn't do it? Of course I did it. I'm on the park selling drugs. White dude come up to me, pull out a gun, say give me your money. Pshh, so I shot him, self defense. Micheal you want a lawyer, or you want your mother? 'Cause she's the only fool that's gonna buy that bag of shit. Hey man. I done a lot of bad things but I'm not stupid. I don't lie to my lawyer. Here we go. Dude was a blue jean cop, man. Blue jean cop? Yeah, blue jean cop. What are you saying, you shot him 'cause you didn't like his pants? Dude don't even show me no badge. I didn't know he was a cop till they booked my ass. I thought he was a vigilante. Had to defend myself. Well that little mistake may very well get your ass cooked. Shit man. I work for somebody who pays his bills. Crack, you dig? I dig. This cop must have been trying to cut himself a piece of my man's action. Shit, all he had to do was say so. I would have handed him my grade, let him and my man work it out. I'm still no dust between NC and Pitch. Who's NC? Oh man. I didn't say that. Morning, Richie. Morning, Billy. Hey babe, I'm white and I can't fight. Well, coming up in the world, huh? What's the mortgage on this condo? What are you doing here? What the fuck are you doing here, man? I work for my apartment chief. Oh yeah, oh yeah. Your old lady, she told me to tell you if you don't get your ass home and do the right thing, she's gonna pack up all your shit and ship it back to Rope and Ride or Bump and Grind or whatever the hell it is the name of that hip town in Texas you come from. What else did she say? She said pick up the laundry. Right. See what you got to look forward to, counselor. How's your fiancee? Eh, she doesn't like Jimi Hendrix. Who? Come on, let's get some chow, my treat. Do I smell another shakedown? As for that, gringo. Nice tie. I knew there was a reason I liked you. Look at this box. I don't believe all this glass, man. What is this shit? Empty crack containers, counselor. Popcorn. You wanna know what the latest drug craze is, you should go check out Uncle Billy's trash can. Junkies come and go, but Billy's trash can is always there. Right now it's full of that shit. Speaking of that shit, tell me something. What's a blue jean cop? Where'd you hear that? From a client. Well I'm strictly bargain based. Wranglers and Levis. You lost me. As I bust on the other hand wear Sergio Valentes. Richie, you wanna run this by me in English? All right. Take some cop, some average guy who never had a shot at the big bucks all his life. Just going along, grinding out his 27 five a year. All of a sudden he ends up in a mod squad. One mustard. One afternoon he busts some scumbag carrying a bag full of chemicals. The bag full of chemical's is worth more than the cop's gonna make in 10 years. Next day is out shopping for designer jeans. The lure of easy money, very hard to refuse. What about this cop that got whacked at Central Park. O'Leary, was that the deal with him? I knew you were gonna have such a sweat about this. Word is you're out of the game in another week. Call me a creature of habit. O'Leary? What about him? Oh great, thanks. Come on Dalton, even if I knew the answer to that, why am I gonna tell you? Oh fuck man, I gotta find out what's going down here. So look around. Oh look around, great, what look, who what? I'm gonna tell you something, Dalton. Cops don't know shit about hiding money. Check out his house. His house? Okay. Killed you to tell me that, didn't it? Hell, the last of the big fucking spenders, man, great. I have another, Richie, straight up. How come no designer jeans for you? I just figured they were meant for girls with cute little asses and guys with no balls. Besides, I'm independently wealthy. Oh right. I love what you did with the condo. This ain't high school, Dalton. These guys got guns and money and not a fucking thing to lose. I appreciate the advice. P.S, who's NC? You just don't fucking get it, do you? You just don't get it. Don't fuck with these people. Richie, I don't want to fuck with them. I just wanna dance. The devil gives it to you soft. The devil will give it to you any way you want it. Uh, Mrs. O'Leary, I am involved with the people prosecuting the man who killed your husband. I know this may not be the most appropriate time but I'd like to ask you a few questions if I may. Come in. I was just making some tea. Would you like some? Or something stronger? I wanna have whatever you're having. Okay. Where the hell is Marks? Why isn't he with us? He's downtown, he's picking up the warrants. He's gonna take the subway here and meet us. It's cool, don't worry. I would never take a subway to this part of town. Why, what you talking about, he's a cop. He's got a gun. Patrick O'Leary was a cop, he had a gun. This place is worse than Beirut. Hey what do you want? If you guys wouldn't mind, could I get out of this car before we get there? I mean you're supposed to be undercover but even a blind man can tell you're cops. If someone sees me with you, I'm dead meat. Hey listen, dipshit! If somebody sees you with us, you are dead meat. You know, they're gonna kill you maybe, cut your balls off, gouge your eyes out. But it's gonna be over soon enough. But if the information you've given us turns out to be bullshit, we're gonna put you in a cell with Big Leroy. A 350 bull nigga faggot. Now you get out in five years maybe, you'll be able to look up your asshole and see the sky. Don't fuck with me. It's TV, TV. Let me have a cigarette, will you? Buy your own. What the fuck's wrong with you? I really appreciate this. Why, you're quite welcome. Where are your cans? Are they in the garage? Yeah, no. Well the garage is locked. Just put it at the bottom of the stairs. Okay? Yeah, thank you. Nice meeting you. Nice meeting you, bye. Bye. Thanks. Ladies. Put your bags on the conveyor. And gentlemen, let's see your green Good. Now one at a time, walk through the detector. Welcome to Wonderland. Welcome. Wow, listen, you think that was real? Did you hear those screams? You can't fake that. I think they really cut them off. You gotta let me have some more, you got to. You know the rules. No credit, cash only. I don't have any more on me. I'll pay you back, I promise. Mr. Carr signs things like that. But I wouldn't advise you. Please? Tell the man your story. Uh. I gave them all my money. But I need more. For most, there's no other way but pay. But for you maybe there's another. Here's Marks, let's go. Dipshit, take off. All right, ready to rock and roll? Yeah, I'm ready. Good. Got them fucking warrants? Shit. All right, here's the deal. These watches here are synchronized. At exactly 11:11, you blow up the back, we'll blow in the front. You see anything you like? Let's do it. Everybody freeze! Move over to the wall, come on! Let's go, go. Go, fuck! Hey yo, it's not the women, we maze man. Over to the park. Get it, move! Get on the fucking wall. Get up! Why don't you take Mr. Nicky downtown? We'll stay here, clean up, book the evidence. Give me his toy. Let's see how you dance, Scale. Because of the quantity of drugs seized and the defendant's prior record, I'm going to set cash bail at one million dollars. Objection! Wait a minute, let me get this straight. You are the prosecutor and you are objecting to one million dollars cash bail? Yes, your honor, it's not enough. Miss Cantrell, it's 11:55 on a Friday night. That's a lot of cash to come up with at this hour. Nicky Carr can pull that amount out of his small change purse. It's not enough to ensure that he'll appear for trial. Objection overruled. Mr. Rosen, do you have anything to say? Yes your honor. My client will make bail. Fuck. Evidence room. Hello, Larry? This is Margaret O'Leary. Someone broke into the garage last night. I think they saw Patrick's car. Uh, thanks, I'll get back to you on that. Larry, I'm worried. Can you talk now? No, but I'll call you later. Just checking to see if the Nicky Carr evidence got booked in all right. Yeah, yeah, it's there. Good. A lot of cash, wasn't it. Oh it was a lot of cash. But it wasn't a lot of cash. Yeah. Give me two of whatever he's having. You want a quadruple boilermaker? Yeah, and a Pepsi. You're not planning on driving home. I got no plans, Richie. But speaking of driving, there's a brand new bright red Porsche Cabriolet Turbo stuck under a tarp in the back of Dan O'Leary's garage. I'm sorry to hear that. Yup, I don't know, I just don't know, Richie. Once upon a time all I planned to do was play the tenor sax. Forever. That's it. Bills bill, man. But my dad, everybody said I was a sap. No money in it. So I go to law school. And I am here now. Gone from that other place. Where I could play the tenor sax all day and all night. Everything was possible. And I was very certain that at any minute I was going to meet the love of my life. The love of your life? Yeah. I met the love of my life. Only I killed her dog before I had a chance to tell her. Then she was everything I ever wanted. We met at Shakespeare in the park. Told her I was a lawyer. That line seemed to work for you. Rained like hell in a day. Had an umbrella. We went back to her apartment. She went to the bathroom, I sat on the couch. She had this great big damn dog. The dog had a ball. I threw it. The dog brought it back. I threw it again harder. I'll never forget the sound of that dog's paws on the newly waxed floors. How was I supposed to know she left the window open? Her dog fell 13 stories, landed on top of a parked car. I went over, leaned out the window, looked down, threw up and left. Left. Without ever telling her she was the one. Happy is the fleeting hope of youth. Who said that? Me. I'm gonna take this case, Richie. Good for you, counselor. Me too. Hi. Looking for a runner. Go up this high. White, 135 pounds, brown hair, wears a little ponytail. He's wearing a pair of gray pants and a flashy kind of gray sweater and a pair of Felony flyers the night of the bust. Hey cop. What's your problem? This place is legal now. You looking for a cut, you got to talk to your boys down at the station. Yeah. Get up. I said get up. Hey cop. Stop harassing me before I call my lawyer. You know what this is? It's a gun. And you're a fucking genius. Now listen to this. This gun is clean, no serial numbers. So I could blow out what's left of your brain and chuck it in the East river and case is closed. People downtown are gonna file it under DSAF. Did Society a Favor, you got it? I understand, I understand. Now where is he? He's August. On the twos over at New Amsterdam. Yeah, yeah? You said you wanted to go along for the ride. Yeah, man. The bus is leaving, amigo. Okay, where? New Amsterdam theater on 42nd street, 30 minutes. I'm down. 25 cents? For 25 cents that guy can go give himself some head, shit. To online, the downstairs room. It's a man to a half, crazy. Two girls can't get enough of each other. Enough there, for only one dollar you can do off to a naked girl. Legally naked woman all low. Ira! Nice to see you. Whoah, wait a minute, Stevie. Yeah, this one looks real. You bet your ass it's real. Hey Bob, I want you to change the sheets in the honeymoon suite. This is what I got. And this is what I want. Stevie, which room is he in? Now this, Chief, I don't think he wants to be disturbed right now. The honeymoon suite, he's in the honeymoon suite. Shit. Real live girls, gentlemen, real live girls. Look at Bobbie in booth three, Melanie in booth four and Tamara in booth five. These are real live women, live flesh. Step into a booth. Richie, Richie, look. I don't know what kind of party we're crashing up here, man. You don't happen to have a little something for me, do you? Like a bazooka? You know how to use one of these? Fucking A, papa. I'm from New York City. Don't shoot me in the ass. Holy shit. Oh yeah. Police officer, freeze! Hands up, get your goddamn hands up. Anything you say, officer. Dammit! I'm gonna get that son of a bitch! Hey! You drive, I'll shoot! Stay back, motherfucker! My house, stupid! Get out! How's it going, Max? Too bad about dipshit, huh? Gave us a lot of good tips. Yeah, I bet he did. What kind of shit you carrying? That ain't regulation. It's a gun of my own to exercise my own constitutional right to bear arms. Hey ain't you something. Big John Wayne fan huh? 45 Magnum. Plan on taking down an army? A lawyer. Right. Sweetheart, I'm going to bed. Okay, good night. Did you call about the apartment? I'm sorry, sweetie, I forgot. I forgot all about it. Listen I've had all this work to do. My ass still aches from the motorcycle. Roland, you promised. We don't call, we lose the apartment. I know Gail, I know. I'll call about the apartment tomorrow. I just can't believe you're spending all this time trying to get this guy set free and you can't find five minutes to do something that's really important for us. This guy's a crack dealer, he's a rapist. People like him belong in jail. I can't believe you want him out. Gail, honey, I don't necessarily want him out. I just don't want him in for something he didn't do. Who cares if he did it? If he didn't do this, he damn sure did something else. Who gives a fuck if he's innocent? Well I do, I give a fuck. For Christ's sake, this man sells death to schoolkids! Gail, hey, hey, sweetie. What's going on here, huh? Come here. Now what's all this about, huh? Is this some kind of panic that I'm gonna take a left turn on your dad's offer about his law firm? I don't know, maybe. I just don't understand your fascination with all this. Hey, it's all in your mind. I'll call about the apartment, I promise. I'll call tomorrow, all right? Okay. And you love me, right? I love you. A lot. Okay. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, one thing I promise not to do in this courtroom is to pretend to you that I am representing Snow White for a client. Simple fact of the matter is that all the seven dwarves couldn't match his record on a weekend pass in Singapore. I'm not going to conceal this fact from you and I apologize to my humble colleague the District Attorney for snatching that ham bone from her plate. However I do promise to use every means of persuasion I can muster to prove to you that my client Michael Jones did not commit the crime of first degree murder. But that he in fact shot officer Patrick O'Leary in self defense. Humorous yet restrained, rhetorical yet substitative. You managed to cover everything except the will of God. Saving that for my closing. I thought so. You cleared for miracles? Seems to be the new one proud. I'm glad I have a front row seat. Okay, so what's the deal? No deals today buddy, you missed that boat. I'm taking your boy to the max. I'm not taking about that deal. I'm talking about this deal. What gives here, what do you want from me? Do I look like I want something? Look, why don't you take your mind games and run them by those doors at the ACLU 'cause I don't have time for this bullshit. Oh yeah, I forgot, your star is rising in the financial arena. Correct. Complete with Miss Right, I hear too. Hey, look Susan. I loved you better than anybody's ever gonna love you in your lifetime and you left me holding the bag. You took a hike, remember? Now I can't figure it, but I pulled myself together, I moved on and boom, you show up here? Well look, I didn't ask for it and I didn't want it. So why don't we just sort of swing on through this with a minimum of bloodshed? And in case you didn't grasp that, I was crazy about you. Isn't that your waking state? Look, do me a favor will you? Will you just tell me so I can quit bugging myself about it? Just tell me why. You were turning cynical and judgemental and berating and mean. And concocted some bullshit story about how credit cards were gonna save your life. Well why didn't you tell me that then? I did. In my own way, you just didn't hear it. Oh. I miss you, Roland. Oh yeah? Well what are we gonna do now? Uh huh, uh huh, yeah. Gentlemen, I got 10,000 dollars that says the Harlem Shuffle gonna kick the cracker's ass. Anybody want a piece? See the man, right? Come on babe. Yo, yo yo! What we gonna do? Win! Go on your ride. Yeah, yeah. We're gonna win. Oh shit. Hold this for me. Rydel, you know you could fuck up on wet jeans? Come on, we gotta talk. Listen, this is my play time. Can I at least watch the race? Sure. I ain't here to give out parking tickets. Let's get it on! Shit. Tough luck, cracker. Hey, get my money. Now what can I do for you? Richie Marks. What about him? I see. What's in it for me? Evidence against you in the police department's safe disappears. 147,000 dollars and seven pounds of cocaine just disappears in the police evidence safe? Won't be the first time. I got your message. You're the new boy at the precinct. But you'll find out I always pay my bills. But the people I work for are just a little pissed off. What the fuck happened in Central Park? One time small time mistake. Ain't gonna happen again. 50K a month, and midtown north is yours. Don't be worrying about no Michael Jones. I'm gonna clean up that mess personally. But you are gonna have to take care of Richie Marks. It's a deal. You do your thing. I'll take care of Marks pronto. I forgot how much I love this room. My treehouse. I forgot how much I love listening to you. I forgot how much I love having you here. You like the line, that chitchat then. Except you do most of the talking. Yeah, I do. I gotta go. I won't be your mistress, Dalton. Well I just can't not show up. Make it easy for both of us. This time it was what it was. If there's a next time, you have to stay the whole night. So I just put a bow on that baggage and present it to my fiancee? It's up to you, my dear. I said, does the defense have any questions? Oh I'm sorry. Yes your honor. We have some questions. Officer Varelli, when you came up on the scene, you recognized the deceased to be a police officer, right? Yes I did. In fact you knew him to be an undercover police officer investigating narcotics in your area, correct? That's correct. When you approached officer O'Leary, he was lying on the ground unconscious. Objection, conclusion. Sustained. Okay, officer Varelli, his eyes were closed? Yes. He was not moving? No he wasn't. It was clear to you that there was not any semblance of mind. Objection, conclusion. Sustained. Officer Varelli, when you arrived upon the scene, were there any other police officers in the proximity except for your partner? No. Well to the best of your knowledge, isn't it correct police procedure when an officer's going to make a narcotics arrest on the street, to have some sort of backup person, some sort of assistant, some sort of support or protection? Usually that's the case. Well Officer Varelli, in your experience, don't you find it highly unusual if an officer's gonna be engaged in a dangerous circumstance of a narcotics arrest to be proceeding alone? Objection. Your honor, this is conjecture. What is usual for Officer Varelli may not be usual for someone else. Patrick O'Leary was an undercover policeman. What his particular procedure was, we do not know. Sustained. In any event, Officer Varelli, Officer O'Leary's partner never arrived, nor did anyone else resembling a human being who claimed to have any work with him, true? That's true. So what you saw was, you saw a man lying on the ground who was shot. But you did not actually see anyone do the shooting, did you? Of course not, I already said I wasn't there but it's obvious what happened. Now I submit to you that it is not obvious what happened. It is not obvious. But it is fair to say that you assumed what happened because you were not there, Officer Varelli. And you did not see what happened. Right, I already said that, right. And your assumption was that Patrick O'Leary in the middle of a narcotics arrest was shot by Michael Jones. But since you were not there, you could assume anything. You could assume as a matter of fact, it might be Patrick O'Leary shot himself. Or maybe you could assume because you were not there that Patrick O'Leary did not identify himself as a police officer because his badge was not out and you could assume, Officer Varelli, that Patrick O'Leary pulled his gun out first and shot Micheal Jones, Objection! Planning to kill him and steal his money and his drugs! Objection! Could you assume that, officer Varelli? Bullshit! Mr. Dalton, you will please approach the bench. Nice moves. Dazzling, aren't I? But what do you got after that, though? Hang on tight, partner. Oh I see, the ride gets rougher than this. You betcha. It's just the way I like it. You better watch out. I can roll with anything you put out, buddy. Yeah, you're a regular bronc buster, you are. That's what's called a discreet turn of the phrase, right? You got it, cowboy. I'm gonna brand you this time, horsey, so everybody know's you're mine. How does that grab you? Oh yeah? Where's your iron? Tell her. Can you handle this or is this too real for you? Yeah I can handle it, just do me a favor, will you? Professional or personal? Personal. Done. Whisper yippeayeoh in my ear. Roland! Hi! Oh hi, Gail. How are you? Mr. Feinberg. Roland. Can you believe it? I told daddy that we were having lunch together and he said he was free and he'd join us. Can you imagine daddy being free for lunch? I can't. Let's do it. Attempted murder of a police officer. It's gonna get your friend here three years in the joint. What are you gonna do? Gonna go along with him or you wanna assume the position and let me bust you for loitering or some other bullshit charge? I know what you're thinking. You're young and fast. I'm old and slow. What are you gonna do, asshole? Dumb fucking question. Police officer! Everybody down! I got a gun! Get out of here! Let me through, get back, get back! Get back, get back! Fuck you, blood! No actually asshole, it's fuck you. Oh Jesus, better get a shovel. Ah, good morning. Yeah. You all right? Yeah. Are you sure? I'm fine. You want something to eat? Hmm, yes I want something to eat. God, I love you. I didn't tell her. I lied to her, told her I was going to Boston. And she believed you? Yeah, why wouldn't she, sure? Don't be so sure, Dalton. Women aren't stupid. I wanted to tell her. I wanted to but then her dad showed up for lunch. Oh, so your guts dried up in the face of Daddy Warbucks. Now is this gonna be some kind of female territorial doo wop? You know, you really piss me off. Here we go. This isn't about me. This is about you. Yeah, I'm a woman and I'm jealous, so what? This is about you and who you are and who you really wanna be. You know, you really lose the best of yourself when you're around the gold. And now here we are one year ago back in the hi jive, self realization bit. So you're gonna take 14 years of legal aid and chuck it out the window? You just don't get it, do you? I mean you got me in some kind of retrograde Clarence Derryl or something I mean, but you just don't get it. You keep thinking I'm leaving legal aid because I wanna be somewhere else? I'm out of here babe, because it's kicking the life out of me, see? Day in and day fucking out with the scumbags and the jerkoffs and the sex creeps and the freaks and the killers, goddammit. I can't live in it anymore. And god forbid I get one, somebody, just one somebody who's innocent and I can't prove it so instead of risking a loss, I got to plea bargain his ass. So he doesn't do eight years of hard time. He ends up only doing one in Attica with the rest of the human puke but that doesn't matter anyway. Because after one year in that nightmare, his life is over. And so what if I want things, Susan? People want shit, you know? I want things. I know, life's a bitch, huh, Roland. Why do you think it's so goddamn manifest destiny for me to be picking shit with the chickens the rest of my life? Because you love it. You love it to death. And of everything you do it's the thing you do best. Now Mr. Mistrangelo, you stated that you owned and operated a reputable, honest, exotic automobile business, right? Yes I did. The Casadoro Custom Car Emporium, correct? That's right. Sounds like a brothel in Tangeres. Objection. Sustained. You also stated that officer O'Leary purchased a customized Turbo Porsche Cabriolet. Right. And that he paid 87,300 dollars for it? Right. How did he pay for it? Cash. He paid cash. And did you give him a warranty? No. Did you give him a receipt? No. So in fact, there is no record of this actual transaction. Well we have some records. But we recently moved locations and they got lost in the shuffle. So you would just have this court take your word for it that this actually occurred? Well it's the truth. Oh and you would tell the truth because you're an honest and reputable man. Objection, your honor. The District Attorney is obviously badgering and ridiculing this witness. Overruled. Isn't it a fact that on February 10th, 1984, you were convicted of trafficking interstate stolen automobiles? Objection, your honor. Sustained. Miss Cantrell. No more questions. Your honor, at this time, I would like to call as my last witness the defendant Michael Jones. Will the defendant please rise? Approach the witness box. Swear him in. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you god? I do. For the record, state your full name, your occupation, and where you live. Michael Ezekiel Jones. I'm a drug dealer. I live in Riker's Island prison. The witness may take the stand. Michael Jones. Michael Ezekiel Jones. Now Michael, would you tell us in your own words exactly what happened to you on Friday night October the ninth, approximately 10 p.m. in Central Park near the West Side 61st street pedestrian tunnel? I was selling drugs. White guy came up to me. Asked to buy lightning. The stuff you call crack. I told him I have some. He said he only had big bills. Said I had plenty change. He reached into his jacket. And instead of pulling out his wallet, he pulled out a gun! He looked at me in my eye and said, goodbye nigga. I thought he was gonna kill me. I didn't know he was no cop. I went for my gun. He fired, I fired. I remember getting hit. But I don't remember no more. I uh, I was one of the first two cops to come upon the Dan O'Leary death scene. I'm the one that booked the evidence. The black kid's ghetto blaster, when I found it was in the record position. You listen to the tape? No. I've heard rumors. I don't even wanna know if they're true. Why you telling me this now? One of the cops that got killed in Times Square by that skell you finally got, was my brother. You have any idea what's gonna happen if I give this information to the defense attorney? A lot of brother officers are gonna go down in the investigation this thing causes. Yeah, this is police officer Marks. I got an emergency call for defense attorney Roland Dalton. Mr. Jones. Have you ever been arrested for selling crack before? Yeah. And when you were arrested, was the officer wearing a uniform or street clothes? Street clothes. And also when you were arrested, did he pull out his badge and say hello, I'm a police officer? Or did he try to buy some drugs and make a deal? Your honor, excuse me, I request a personal emergency recess. Your honor, I object to this transparent ploy. Excuse me, your honor, I know it seems hideously contrived except I request an emergency personal recess. Well, it's ten minutes to four. This court recess until nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Oh wait! Gail! What, Gail, hi. Richie Marks is waiting for me. He's got some things. I got to talk to you about something. I got to talk to you. There's something very important I have to tell you. Wait. I'm pregnant. Isn't that great? Really? Yeah. Oh wow. Gail, this is great. I threw up this morning. You did? Richie Marks is waiting for me with the thing. No, sweetie, tonight. Bye. Get your hands off me! I'm just gonna get some band aids. Sergeant, my name is Roland Dalton, I'm from legal aid. I got a court order here giving me access to your evidence room. Did you hear me? Well can you read, this is a court order. Up the fucking stairs! Thanks. Evidence room. Dalton's coming up. All right, thanks. Yo, I got a court order here that grants me access to certain evidence in the Jones-O'Leary case. This is a court order. Christ, it's a shame. My key just broke off on the lock. It did? Well I don't suppose between you and the putz downstairs, you got a pair of bolt cutters. Well maintenance does but they knock off at five. You have to come back in the morning. In the morning, huh? Yeah. Thanks. You know, you cops, you're the best that money can buy. Thank you, have a nice day. So what were you looking for? True love, isn't that what we're all looking for? That's cute. That's very cute. You're a tough guy, huh? What were you looking for? I think I wish to speak to my lawyer. I'll file with the legal aid. Why don't you speak to my asshole, huh? What were you looking for? The fuck are you doing? Shut the fuck up! Let's play again. Got lucky last time. The tape. Okay, the tape, the tape. What tape? The tape, Michael Jones recorded everything on the tape recorder. The tape's in the ghetto blaster. Play the fucking tape. The fuck is that? Thank you, man. Goodbye, nigger. Larry, don't get nervous. We're going downstairs at the fire alarm box. When the bell goes off, shoot him. I shoot him? Yeah. His fingerprints are all over the bolt cutter and the evidence room locker. I haven't got a clean gun. The fuck you talking about? There are 245,000 of those police specials floating around New York City. By the time they figure this shit out it'll be long gone. This your evidence? Here's your evidence. Well hurry up and go pull the goddamn thing! Just do it. Where's Dalton? Third floor interrogation. He's waiting for his lawyer. Hello baby, Daddy's coming home real soon. Goddamn oh, goddamn, oh fuck! Richie, get the tape, the tape, the tape! Goddamit man. How you doing? They had the gun, they had the gun in my head. Record this, I got to get this. Okay, I got court. Goddamit. Oh world, what a fucking world. Do I know you? Hey, I recognize you from TV. You're the guy defending the cop killer. Alleged cop killer, alleged. What, you mean he didn't do it? Yeah man, he did it but he did it in self defense. Really? Yeah, really. Hey, they coming after you? Yup, yup, they're coming after me. Why? Well, because the bad cop lied to him and I know the truth and if they know I know the truth, a lot of bad cops are in deep fucking trouble so let's go to court. Hey, I studied the Constitution. I passed my citizenship test. You got a right to be in the court. I'll get you to court. You hold on. Ah, fuck you! Boys, break it up! Bring it up! Woohoo!! Mr. Dalton! What in hell is going on here? Your honor, I got a court order of the evidence. This tape is police officers. It's vital you hear. Bailiff, bring Mr. Dalton to my chambers. Your honor, I have to arrest him. On the streets you are the law. But on the steps of this courthouse, I am the law. If this police officer does not lower his gun, arrest him for obstructing justice. Go ahead, whitebread. Make my day. Judge Maynor, there's evidence on this tape. Mr. Dalton. The legal ramifications that would allow you to testify about what you heard or maybe didn't hear on this tape, or even if this tape is in fact the tape that was in Michael Jones's radio at the time of the alleged incident. I mean it boggles the mind. I cannot allow it to be introduced as evidence. Now, Miss Cantrell will complete her cross examination and then both of you will give your closing arguments. And then I will give this case to the jury. And Mr. Dalton, if the jury should rule against you, you can exercise your right of appeal. And that is that. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I'd like to give you a few words from the book of Matthew. If I may, chapter 10 verses 26 and 27. There is nothing covered up that shall not be uncovered. There is nothing hidden that shall not be known. Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must repeat in the daylight. And whatever is whispered, you must shout from the rooftops. Now the truth. The truth ain't always pleasant. But the truth however is always the truth. Now the prosecution will have you believe that this is just some simple straightforward case. A bad man shoots down a decorated police officer in the line of duty to avoid one more in a long series of endless arrests. However, I say that Officer Patrick O'Leary was not working in the line of duty Friday night October the ninth. And I say that officer Patrick O'Leary made a lot of money stealing from drug dealers. And I also say that Patrick O'Leary on Friday night October the ninth didn't even bother to identify himself to my client Micheal Jones. If he had, he'd be alive today. You already heard Michael Jones acknowledge to you, admit, confess, time and time again under cross examination by the district attorney that he considered it standard operating procedure simply the cost of doing business to pay off cops. But, Officer Patrick O'Leary pulled out his gun before he pulled out his badge. And my client Michael Jones thought he was some kind of nut. Hey, so would I. Wouldn't you? And after being shot once point blank by Patrick O'Leary, my client, drug dealer or no, pulled out his own gun and fired in self-defense. Now the prosecution's case rests on two points. Gotta cut them loose. What? Yeah I can't do the time. I won't make it. So I just go around, can't do the time. You can't do the time. You can't do the time, Michael? But you can take money from these 10 year old kids and blow holes in their lives with the poison you push? Now you wanna cry on my shoulder 'cause you can't do the time? Stand up. Hey man, chill out. Stand up! I'm standing, you stand too! The jury's back. Has the jury reached a verdict? Yes, your honor. Will the defendant please rise and face the jury? Will the foreman read the verdict? The jury finds the defendant not guilty. That's great, Mike. See you in jail. I dig these lovenotes in class, Richie, what the heck? Carr and Rydel are heading for the airport. You wanna drive, you wanna shoot? I drive, you shoot. Hey, baby. It's not forever. I'll be back. Besides, Costa Rica's just a puddle hop away. Richie, this is O'Leary's wheels. You copped O'Leary's car. I didn't think he'd give a shit. Come on, keep going! So long, sucker. Jesus Christ, that was in hydraulics. Hey, landing gear won't retract. White Tower, this is 750 Alpha Charlie. Flame out. Flame out port engine. Shut it down! Mayday, mayday, mayday. White Tower, we have to land. 750 Alpha Charlie, clear to land. Richie, I love you pal. But you are definitely new to the planet. Roland. I have a confession to make. The rabbit, it never died. I'm sorry. I just didn't wanna lose you. Everyone, there's something I need to tell you. I lost the baby. I'm not pregnant anymore. Oh Gail. It's okay. I really don't even wanna talk about it. Besides, we have loads of time for children. And now I'm not gonna have to buy that larger wedding dress. Uh, Roland. Speaking of the wedding, your mother and I must get together. The plaza only seats 600. And I'm afraid that with all of our friends that only some of the relatives will be able to come. The relatives, well. Excuse me. Uh Gail, Mr. Feinberger, Mrs. Feinberger. I know this is real bad timing, but. Yo, Dalton, I thought you went to Wall Street. Crack, crack, crack. Homeboy, that's a serious sigh you got on. Okay, bowlski! |
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