All language subtitles for The Interrogation Of Michael Crowe (2002)_en

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It's Michael, right?

Yes.Crowe?

Yes.Okay, Mike, my name
is Ralph Claytor.

I'm a detective
with the Escondido
Police Department.

I work in
the homicide unit.

Okay, so, what I'd like
to do, Mike,

is go over some of the
details of what's happened

and get your side of
the story. Is that okay?

Yeah. Okay.

What I'd like to do is
just make sure you understand
what your rights are.

You have the right
to remain silent.
Do you understand that?

Yes. Okay.

Anything you say may be
used against you in court.
Do you understand that?

Yes.

You have the right to
the presence of an attorney.

Do you understand that?

Yes.

If you can't afford
an attorney,

one will be appointed,
free of charge,
before we question you.

Do you understand that?

Yes.

Have you talked
to anyone else about this?
Any of your friends?

Um... Yeah.
My friend Josh.

Josh Treadway.

Did you jokingly
tell Josh anything?

That you were involved?
Or that you had
something to do with it?

No.

What I'd like you
to do is, just tell me
what you know about this.

I stayed home
from school Monday,

and again on Tuesday,
because I had bronchitis.

Hey, Michael. Soup's on.

Mom, what do
you mean, soup?

It's just
an expression, honey.

Michael, pizza's here.

Told you to knock first.

We're eating, so come on.

There's fungus on here.

You're so filthy.

Saw Mrs. Abbott
at the video store.

She says you blab
too much in class.

She did not.
She'd never say that.

Never say that.At least I don't get
Ds and Fs.

At least am not
a blabbermouth.

Hey, come on, guys,
we're ready to eat.

No, Michael,
you're not gonna eat
in here. Let's go.

Congratulations,

but you hit me in
a bad moment, Frank.

I got an A+ on
my English paper.

Good for you.Only Stacey Sandler
and me did.

"And I."
Stacy Sandler and I.

Went to pick up our
photos today, and they
said they lost 'em.

Really?

Yeah, they said they
filed it under somebody
else's name or something.

Okay, Stephanie,
Shannon, let me get
a picture of you guys.

Come on, you,
too, Michael.
The three of you.

Come on, humor me.
It'll take two seconds.

Take it of me. Me!

Okay, kids, try and act
like you love each other.

Yeah,
I know it's tough.

There you go.

Revenge!

Okay, and here's
one for us.

See, variables stand
for a number.

The name variable is picked
because it can stand

for different numbers
at different times.

China said Wednesday...

I hope you're not
getting Michael's bug.

Hmm... No.

Oh, it's just a headache.

Is he studying?

Oh, he's helping Stephanie.

He's a smart kid.

Oh, I know that.
That's not the issue.

Honey, it's freshman year.

You remember
what freshman year was
like for me. Come on.

Cheryl, you don't
got to make excuses
for him.

I'm not making
excuses for him.

I think that thing the other
night with the teachers,

that was really good.Yeah.

And he promised that
he was gonna study harder,

and they said they'd give
him more challenging work.

They said he could
be doing college work.

Right. So that's why
he's pulling Ds?

He's bored. Bored?

Well, welcome to the world.
I get bored, too,
painting cars all day long,

but that's just life.
It's a part of living.

You know, growing up.
He's gotta show
some responsibility.

Well, we took away
that PlayStation thing.

Yeah, frankly, I don't
even think he needs that.

He can play those games
in his head.

Hey!Honey, look at you.
That's gorgeous.

That's the dress for the,
um, volunteer banquet.

The library thing.Ah! Nice.

Get these out,
you'll hurt yourself.

Come here. You're
always joking.

You look real pretty,
sweetheart.You do.

Now, go change so this dress
still looks like new.

Night, Mommy.
Night, Daddy.
I love you.

Good night. Love you, too.Love you.

Brush your teeth.I will.

It's just the cat.

I went to sleep.

I don't know how long after,

but the next thing,

there was a pounding
coming from somewhere.

I thought someone was
knocking on the door
and someone had got it.

So, I went back to sleep.

The next thing I remember,
I woke up with a bad headache.

I turned on the TV,
so I could see
because it was dark.

The clock said 4:30.

So I got up,

opened my door,

and went to the kitchen to get
something for my headache.

I got a glass of milk,

some Tylenol,

and I took that
back to my room.

And I took the Tylenol,

drank the milk.

I turned off my TV,
shut the door,

and went to sleep.

When you
were coming back,

do you remember
if Shannon's door

was open or shut?

Um...

When I walked back,

all the doors...

I pretty much remember
all the doors being shut.

The door to
Stephanie's room, too?

Yes.

I think that was shut.

Oh, God!

Oh, God! No! No!

Oh, my God! No!

Cheryl...No! My baby!

Oh, my God! No!

She's not breathing.

Oh, Stephen!

Stephen, she's so cold!

Oh, Stephen, she's cold!

It's my daughter!

She's laying on the floor.
She's not breathing.

There's blood
all over the place.

Please, someone's
gotta help her.
My daughter's dead!

Please, do something!

Somebody, do something!

My baby! My baby girl!STEPHEN: 1475...

14750 Valley Center Road.

Please, you gotta...
You gotta get here fast!

Nobody talk to each other.

Who all was here?Just the immediate family.

They inside?Yes, sir.

Betesh and Walden
walked off the
perimeter of the house.

No sign of forced entry.

Some of the window screens
are bent,

but they've got dust
and cobwebs on them.

They haven't been
moved.

One entry was unlocked.

It's a sliding door
in the master bedroom.

Someone could have
come through there?

Maybe. Maybe not.

It's highly likely that
the killer, or killers,

were splattered with
blood during the attack.

Strange-looking guy,
dirty blonde hair, roaming
the neighborhood last night.

When I asked him
what he wanted,

he said he was looking for
someone named Tracy.

Yeah, he knocked
on my door, too,
looking for this Tracy.

12:30, I saw him standing
in the driveway here,
looking towards the house.

And I told him to go away,
and then I called 911.

I want my mommy!

Where
are you taking my kids?

We have to separate you to
take you to the station.No!

It's standard procedure.No! You can't take my kids!

You can't take my kids!OFFICER: Get in
the car, ma'am.

Watch your head.

I need my kids!

No! No!
I need my kids!

Mom!

Please!

Good.

So that's your room,
and Stephanie's down here.

Whose bedroom is this?

That's Michael's.

Did your sister have
any boyfriends?

She had lots of friends.

Any in particular
that you can think of

who maybe didn't like her?

Would she confide
in you and tell you things?
Personal things?

Usually.

And she recently hasn't
come to you with any problems
she was having with somebody?

No.

Any problems between
her and your folks?

No.

Anything you ever noticed
between your dad and her?

Anything that was maybe,
kind of,

not right?

No, not at all.

I need to see my kids!

Mrs. Crowe...I don't understand.

Where are my kids?
Where is my husband?

We have to talk to each
of you separately first.

Now, you were saying
something woke you.

A sound.

Like a bedroom door opening.
I figured it was the cat.

Was your daughter
sexually active?

She's 12 years old.

She's a 12-year-old
little girl.

She was very outgoing.

She was very well liked.

She just got
an award at school.

She won the citizenship award.

Who'd wanna hurt her?

There's no one.

I mean... I wouldn't know
anyone. She's 12 years old.

What kind of a relationship
would you say you
had with your daughter?

Would you say
you were close?

She was...

Would you say there
was anything about
your behavior that

someone might look at and

characterize as unsuitable
or, say, inappropriate?

No, of course not.

Of course not.

Officer, my...

My little girl was killed.

She was killed in my own home.

And I didn't stop it.

I didn't... I didn't...
Couldn't do anything about it.

You?

Stephen, how could they,
even for one minute,
think you had anything...

Listen, they... They're
saying now that they wanna
take some pictures of us.

We...

Detective, no.

You know, I mean...
They can't.

So, no more today, please.Mr. Crowe,

this will help us
to eliminate all
the family members.

No. I'm telling you.
That's it. We're not going
through any more here, today.

Fine. You can
either cooperate,

or you can wait in a cell
till we get a court order.

Either/or.

It could take days.

Now, listen, guys.

They... They're saying
that they... Michael.

Michael.

Listen. They're...
They're telling me that

they just wanna take some
photographs of us now.

Okay? So...
So that's all right.

We'll just do that.

Okay? We'll just do...
We'll just do like they say.

Right.

It's the police.

They're here to help us.

Josh?

Stephanie is dead.

She's dead.

Someone broke in
and killed her.

I saw her laying there
on the floor.

We've got a few more
questions for you guys.

You wanna go with
Detective Farber
for a few moments?

It's okay, you go ahead.

Go ahead. We...
We'll see you in a minute.

It's okay, sweetie.

We're taking your children
into protective custody.

What!

Protective custody?

What the hell!
Protective custody
from who?

You people have
done nothing but
lie to me all day!

With an in-house killing,
it's standard procedure

to take the surviving
children to a shelter.

"Standard procedure."
They just lost their sister!

I wanna see my kids! You...

I want you to bring me
my kids right now!

Stephen?

If they're gonna find
who did this to Stephanie,

we have to do
what we can to help.

Dad, don't let them
take us, please.

It's gonna be okay.I don't wanna go, Mommy.

These guys are...
They're good guys.

And we are gonna
come and get you

just as soon as we can.

Daddy.It's okay, honey.
Your mom is right, okay?

It's all right.

I know it's hard, but I need
you to be very strong.

The police are all here.

They're doing everything
they can to do their jobs.

We have to trust them.

They're gonna do what's best.That's right.

And we love you so much.We love you very much.

We love you both
so much. So much.

It's okay. It's okay.

It's okay, sweetie.

Okay.

It's all right.
It's all right.STEPHEN: It's okay, Michael.

Love you, honey.We love you.
Be strong, Michael.

We love you. We love you.We love you.

We'll get you soon.

No! No!

Stephen...

I don't mind.

I just wanna help
you guys out
any way I can.

Mr. Crowe, your brother.

Stephanie's dead, David.

My little girl is dead.

I know. I know.

Somebody killed her.I know.

They wouldn't let us
see you sooner.

They took Michael
and Shannon.

What?They did. They...

They said they have
to keep them.

Okay, come on. We're taking
you back to our place.

Richie Tuite?
I'm Detective Baker.

Remember we talked down...
Down here yesterday?

About those girls that
you followed into that
apartment complex?

This is
something different.

Richard, a lot of folks
up Valley Center Road

claim they saw someone with
your description wandering
around there last night.

Were you?

Who's Tracy, Richard?

My girlfriend.

She live up that way?

Sometimes she does.

And were you looking
for her last night?

Richard, we have to keep
your clothes for testing.

So you can just keep
these brand-new ones.
Is that okay?

Okay.Okay.

Well, we're letting you go.

And I don't want to see you
in here again, all right?

Will our parents
be coming, too?

We'll see
what happens in the morning.

I want my mom.

I want Mommy.It's okay. It's okay.

Now, there are
a couple of blankets there.

If you need anything,
someone will be down
the hall, at the desk.

It's okay.

Clothes, for the morning.

If you need anything,
anything at all.

I don't think
I can bear this.

I don't think
I can bear this.

I don't think
I can bear this.

I don't understand.

What do you mean,
we can't see them
or talk to them?

Why would you separate
children from their parents?

It's pretty much routine
in cases like these.

But at
a time like this?

With what they've
been through?

Detective, how are my children
supposed to understand?

They're so young.
They need us.

Mr. Crowe, we're gonna
wanna talk to you again
later today.

Josh Treadway?

Josh, who is it?

What's this?

A woodcarving project
I'm doing for school.

He says
he just wants to
ask me some questions.

Whose is this?The knife? My brother's.

Uh... My mom's
on her way home.

That's fine.
This is just routine.

We are just going around
talking to some of
Michael's friends.

Well, we've pretty much
finished searching the area.

Found an igloo cooler and
an old pair of blue socks.

No knife.

Keep looking.

Anything we should
know about?

Autopsy showed
eight stab wounds.

Was she molested?No. No evidence of it.

Detective, there is
something I think you
should see in here.

Final Fantasy 7,
Gauntlet...

Here's another one
he did himself.

It's all about
Dungeons & Dragons.

Here, look at that.

You know, we're
really trying to believe
what you're saying.

Would you have any problem
taking a truth verification
exam?

What's
the problem, Mike?

I feel like...

I just feel like...

Tell me what
you feel like.

I've spent all day
away from my family.

I feel like I'm being
treated like I killed

my sister, but I didn't.

All right, Mike.

You need to trust me on this.

This is gonna work out.

Like I told you,
I'm not blaming anyone.

We're just trying
to get to the truth.

Mike, this is
Chris McDonough.

Chris is with the Oceanside
Police Department.

Hey, Michael.

How you doing, pal?

Uh... I don't know.

Pretty hard?

Okay.

I have a son who's 14.

If my son ever did something,

which he has.

He took some candy out
of a store and got caught.

And the hardest thing
for him to do was...

What do you think?

Admit it.

Yeah.

You ever heard that saying,

"No man got to the top
of the mountain

"by falling there"?

How does a man get to
the top of a mountain?

He's gotta climb.Yeah.

You've gotta climb.

Sometimes that's difficult.

Sometimes things
get out of control,

and sometimes,
just like anything else,

nobody wants to say,
"Yeah, I made a mistake."

I mean, do you?

Of course not.

That doesn't make you
a bad person, does it?

Of course not.

This instrument is
what they call a Computer
Voice Stress Analyzer.

It's so accurate, it was
controlled by the government
for a long time,

because it's so accurate.

If you had done this,
would you tell us?

Yes.

And why?

Because if I did this,

I mean, I'd have to
be out of my mind.

I would feel like
I would need to be punished.

Punished or helped?

Punishment's a harsh word.

If I did that,

I should be punished.

Because...

I... I mean,

once you've done that,

you can't forget it.

I don't believe that it's
possible to ever forget it.

Kinda grinds on you,
doesn't it?

Yeah.

Almost like a cancer.

Eventually, the only freedom
an individual gets is,

you have to let it go.

Yeah.

I sense that there is
something there

we need to talk about.

I'm just being
honest with you. Okay?

Now, I don't know,
because am not
in your mind, okay?

But if there was something
that we should be
aware of, you know...

I'm a pretty good guy.
You obviously can sense that.

Yeah.

This'll help.

It's a tool,

and it won't lie.

Is the wall gray?

Yes.

Are you sitting down?

Yes.

A little louder.

Are you sitting down?

Yes.

Do you know who took
Stephanie's life?

No.

Is today Thursday?

Yes.

Did you take
Stephanie's life?

No.

I don't know why it says
I was lying right there,
I was being truthful.

Michael,

these investigators,
out at your house,
they're top-notch.

They're going to find
all sorts of stuff.
You know that?

I know.

I don't know
what to do anymore.

I'm being told
that I'm lying,
and I'm not lying.

Michael,
I'm not saying that.

I don't know
who did this. I swear!

One of the investigators
told me they found some hair.

Whoever did this,
she pulled some hair.
What if it's your hair?

It couldn't be.I'm just saying,
what if it is?

You want some water
or something?No, I'm fine.

I just want...

You want this
to be over with?

I want this over with.

I want this over with
for you, too.

Look, what if they
come back and say,

"Michael, we found
your hair in her hand"?

Hypothetically, could that
have happened?

No, not that I know of.

Not that you know of?

Like I said, I would have to
be completely unaware of it.

Have you ever
blacked out before?

No, never.

What are you pushing back?Nothing.

I can see. You're...
You're tightening up.

Like you're
fighting yourself.

I'm just trying
to get through this!

I loved her.

I loved her deeply.

I know you did.

I mean, this is your sister.

We understand that.

I called, um,

the police station tonight,
to see if I could...

Stephanie and I,

um, we found
the cutest little dress

for that banquet.

So cute.

And I called them to see
if I... If I could get it,

so she could be buried in it.

They have her things,
her clothes.

All her things.

What did they say?

Oh, Cheryl.

I can't help it. I just

keep thinking about her there.
Where they have her.

All alone.

And I can't...

I can't help it,
I keep thinking that

she's never gonna go
to New York like she
always talked about.

Did you know that
she wanted to do that?

Yeah, she told me.

And she's never
gonna graduate.

And she's never gonna
go to college herself.

And she's never gonna
get married, have kids.

I lived here my whole life,

and I always thought
it was safe!

And my baby...

I'm just so sorry.

Oh, God.

Mike, let me
explain a few things.

We have a lot of
things going for us

in the way of technology.

We do things like...

We don't just get the type
of hair and color of hair,

we go all the way to
the roots and we get
things like the DNA.

And with the DNA, we can
tell the exact person
with a 99.9% accuracy.

You remember there
was a lot of blood?

See, it's very
different... Mike.

Hey, Mike? Mike.

You need to stay with me.

It's very difficult for
the person who did it
not to get blood on them

and not to transfer
that blood

to other parts of the house.

We found blood
in your room already.

God!

Where did you find it?

I'm sure you know.

It's easy to make
mistakes in the dark.

God! God!Rather than put our
team through any more,

can you tell me what
you did with the knife?

No, I don't know.
I didn't do this!

Does that mean
you can't tell me
about the knife?

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

You're 14?

Yes.

You've got your whole life
ahead of you, don't you?

I don't know
if I have it anymore.

Mike,

why did this happen?

I'm going to throw up.

Are you getting sick?

I... I didn't do it.You need to
help me here, Mike.

You need to
help me here, Mike.I know! I know!

I would, but I didn't
do this. I didn't.

This is horrible!

You know what?
You know what?

It is terrible.Oh, God!

And you know what else?
We can live through it.

You can live
through it.I didn't do it.

And you know what else?
We can help you with that.

But you need to help us
understand how to help you.

Now, just because
a person makes a mistake
and does something bad,

A, it doesn't mean that
the world comes to an end,

and B, it doesn't mean
that you're a bad person.God! God!

Good people
do bad things.

Why are you
doing this to me?

I didn't do this!

If... If I did,

I don't remember it.

God!

You know what?

That's possible.

Have you ever
blacked out before?

No... Not that I know of.

What's gonna
happen to me now?

Even though I don't
even know if I did it,

what's gonna happen?

I'm gonna try everything
that the system can muster
to help you through this.

But you know what?
It can be done.

God!

God!

God!

Oh, God!

My whole life is just
down the drain now,

and I don't even remember.

Oh...

God.

Michael, you were
gone so long.
Where were you?

What's wrong?

Michael, where were you?

They think I did it.

Now, the reason you're
back today is because
we feel there is evidence

that warrants us talking
to you in greater detail.

Okay.

It really doesn't matter
to me whether
we even get that far.

We could just talk about you.

And quite frankly, that's
more interesting than

that other stuff for me.

How do you feel about that?

I don't know.

It's just...

Last night was the
worst night of my life.

Okay. Why?

Have you ever had one
of your siblings killed?

So, we're all set
for day after tomorrow.

After the service,
we'll proceed from
the church to the cemetery.

Just take all
the time you want.

My God. This...
This dress.

It's pretty.

She looks real pretty.

Once everybody understands,
I know that people
will be able to forgive.

But I didn't do it.

The good part of
Michael didn't do it.

The Michael
who helps his sister,

the Michael who helps her
with her math...

I didn't do this.

You
know what I think?

I kind of think there's
two parts to Michael.

The part who loved
your sister,

and who did good
for your sister,

and then the other part
that's not so good,

and that unconsciously
comes out.

If it's true, that's the most
horrible thought in the world.

What's your
greatest fear right now?

That I'm crazy.

There's someone else
inside of me,

and I don't know
who they are or
what they do,

and they could lock me up

for something
I can't even remember,

for a very long time.

I'm not sure that locking
you up is the answer.

You know what else?

What?

We don't do that
to 14-year-olds.

What do
you do to them?

We look for understanding.

And we try to help.

But it's a two-way street.

You cooperate with me,

I cooperate with you.

I wish I could help you,

but I don't know
what happened.

I swear to you.

Mike, did Shannon
kill Stephanie?

No.Why not?

She is much
too sweet for that.

What about your mom?

How are you so sure?

Because I just don't
wanna think that.

Well, you're gonna have to
help us out here, Michael,

because we have
a responsibility to Stephanie.

We have to think

who in that house was
capable of doing this.

What about your dad?

No, he couldn't have.

We can prove that
nobody came in that house.

All the doors were locked,

the windows showed no signs
of being entered.

We know the person
who did it was
inside that house.

Now, it's either Shannon,

or it's your mom,

or it's your dad,
or it's you.

I don't want it to be
anyone else in my family.

I don't want it to be me.

But you say the evidence
points toward me.

I can't remember.

You're asking me questions,
I can't remember.

Mike, look at me.

It's not that you
don't remember.

It's that you
selectively remember.

This has been
going on now

for a couple of days, Mike.

You're sharp enough to have
planned that out very well.

And you know what, son?

I'm reaching the
point to where I'm
not buying it anymore.

Think very seriously

because there's two paths.

The path of punishment,
which is jail,

and the path that says,

"Hey, I'm sorry
for what I did."

I've seen genuine tears,
and you know what, son?

I don't see them, okay?

I see the eyes of a child

who's willing to sit here in
front of two adults and say,

"Hey,

"I can pull
this selected memory

"and get away with it."

If you say I'm guilty,
I must be.

I wanna go down that
one path, but I can't.

Cut it out, Mike.

Quite frankly,
this is not a video game.

This is
reality-based, okay?

This interactive game
is reality-based,

and there's only two paths.

Only two.

Maybe it would help
if you just started talking.

Mike?

The reason I'm beginning
to sound impatient, Mike,

is because the eleventh hour
is rapidly approaching.

We put a rush on some things
that, quite frankly,

are gonna bury you, my friend

and you need to head
that off at the pass.

Let's hear it, Mike.

I wish I could.

I can't.

What's the worst thing
that could happen to me?

The worst thing is
not saying what happened,

and you live with this
the rest of your life.

That's the worst
conceivable thing.

What would they do with me?

The one path,
you could spend

a considerable
amount of time in jail.

The other path, we can see
what we can do to
help you live with this.

Right now, Mike, you're
sitting here all by yourself.

Whatever happens,
what got you here
is loneliness.

Let us come into your room,
and let us help you out.

Michael, that's not
the kind of life you want.

That's not the kind of life
you saw your sister leading.

Have you ever seen
a prison yard?

No.I've been there, okay?

You shower, you take a crap,
you take a leak

in the presence of hundreds
of other people who you don't
know from Adam, okay?

You do some things that...

Some of your most private
and intimate things

are gonna be done
in front of prison guards.

You have no privacy, okay?

We don't want that to happen.

What we want is,
we want you over here,

where you can get some help.

Time's up. These
people are rushing me here.

I wanna go back now.

Are we out of here, Mike?

I guess.

Eventually, someday,
I will be able to tell you.

You ought to do it now, man.

Mike.

Tomorrow's not going to work.No, it won't work.

Because the reality is,
if it didn't come up tonight,

it ain't never gonna come up.

What I tell you tonight
won't be true.

We're at the crossroads.

What do you have to tell me?

Tell us the story, Michael.

Okay.

But I'm telling you right now,

I'll have to make it up.

Tell us the story.

Okay.

This is true.

I am extremely
jealous of my sister.

Okay.

She's always had
lots of friends.

Good friends. People my age.

I mean, all the popular
girls and stuff like that.

That's true, okay?

Let me know when
you get to the lie part.

Okay.

Here's where I'll start lying.

That night, I got pissed off.

I couldn't take it anymore.

So I got a knife,

went in, and

I stabbed her.

And I pulled her off the bed.

How many times
did you stab her?

This is gonna be a lie.

Three times.

God! I hate telling
you that. God!

Well, then tell me
what the truth is.

The only reason
I'm trying to lie...

You presented me
with two paths!

How about beginning
at the beginning.

Where did you get the knife?I... I don't know.

What did you do with
the knife afterwards?Do you want me to lie?

I want details. Details.
Not your hollow lying.

Hello.

Yes.

Yes, this is he.

What is it?

Yes.What's he saying?

You have?

A confession?

Well, who?

Who is it?
Who did it?

Stephen...

What?

Tell me.

Tell me.

Police say Michael
killed Stephanie.

What are
you talking about?

He confessed.

No.

No.

No.

Michael,
I wanna hear you say it.

I want you to say it
with your own mouth.

Did you have anything
to do with this?

Did you murder Stephanie?

I don't know.

Guess you know I did.

Michael.

They told me I did.

What do you mean,
they told you?

They kept telling me.

What?
What do you mean?

They kept telling me
that I killed Stephanie.

For two days.

I don't think I did.

But they said
I just don't remember.

I don't know what
to believe anymore.

Two days? What?

Nobody even told
us that they were
questioning you.

They said you knew.

They said that you'd seen
the evidence, and you knew
I did it.

Michael, that's not true.

They said you weren't
coming back for me.

They said that...

You never wanted
to see me again.

Michael, listen.

I don't know
what they've told you,

but we haven't
seen anything.

Okay? Nobody has
told us anything.

We would never
ever say that we didn't

wanna see you,
that we weren't gonna
coma back for you.

All we've been doing
is waiting for you.

Waiting to get
your sister...GUARD: Please...

Cheryl.
Cheryl. Cheryl.You and your sister back,

like they told us
we have to.STEPHEN: It's okay.

Dad, I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

They said that
I can't remember.

That I'm doing this
on purpose. That I don't
wanna remember.

I was there in that room
all those hours,

everything made sense,
but now it doesn't.

Michael, why would
you tell anyone?

You don't know
what it was like!

They said that they found
blood in my room,

that, that, that I could
have blacked out.

But wouldn't
I remember?

No! No, don't leave.
Don't leave me here, please!

Honey, we can't.

Honey...Please don't keep me
here, Mom.

You have to stay here,
just, just for now.

Time to go.Michael... Please,
just please, one minute.

The district attorney
told us

that there's going to
be a court appearance, okay?

In a couple of days.

Okay? And they're gonna
appoint an attorney for you.

All right? So, listen,
it may take a little while,

but we're gonna
get you outta here, okay?

So, you gotta
trust us on that, Michael.

Okay? So, you have
to believe that.

All the time we thought
they were being taken care of.

He didn't do it.

Why would the police say...Stephen.

They obviously have
something to go on.

Stephen, how can you
for one minute...

Cheryl, they said that
they found evidence.

Blood in his room.

Stephen,
you saw him in there!

I know.
I know I did.

But why would they,
you know...

And I know that
he didn't do it.
He would never...

I don't know
what they did
to make him say that.

Whether they pressured him
till he had a breakdown or...

I know, I know.

But he didn't do it.

Will Michael be coming
home with us to Uncle David
and Aunt Jill's?

Listen, honey, Michael's
in a juvenile hall.

And he's gonna
have to stay there
for a while.

How long?

We're not sure.

Come here. Don't worry.

No, don't worry.

We're gonna
get him out.

We're gonna get him
out as soon as we can.

Experience has taught me,

assume the worst
about a client,

because...
Good morning, thank you.

There's a 90% chance
that he's guilty.

But in this case...

I watched these
tapes last night,

all eleven-plus
hours of them,

and got this
horrible feeling.

Michael's innocent,
and he's looking
at a life sentence.

Make yourselves comfortable.
Can I get you anything?

Coffee? Water?No. no. Thank you.
We're fine.

No, thanks.

Wouldn't there have been
blood on his shoes
or his clothes?

Or fingernails.
I know, it's absurd.

The facts don't
support any of it.

But a confession
is a powerful thing.

It's just about
the most powerful evidence
the prosecution can have.

Jury almost
always accepts it.

Miss Sorenson, why did
they zero in on our son?

They were suspicious
for two reasons.

He seemed, to them,

oddly unaffected by
his sister's stabbing.

They don't know him.And he told a story

about walking by her room

two hours before
she was found

without noticing anything.

They thought that
he should have seen
her body in the doorway.

We weren't even
told that they were
talking to our kids.

We would
have been there.

I mean, can they do that
without our permission?

Oh, yes. By law,
they certainly can.

They are allowed
to interrogate a juvenile

without a parent present,

as long as the child is aware
of his Miranda rights

and agrees to waive them.

Why would anybody
waive their rights?

Oh, many people do.
Over 80% of
criminal suspects.

And it is always
against their
best interests.

He's a child.

How is he
supposed to know
his best interests?

It really doesn't make
a difference whether
he's a child or an adult.

Most people
don't know their rights
when they're arrested,

what they can
or cannot do.

A lot of the times,
I think that the police,

they make the suspect
feel as if it's
a friendly situation

and calling a lawyer
will only make things
more difficult.

In fact, if you
are being interrogated

as a suspect
in a crime

and you have
not yet been charged,

you have the right

to walk out
of the police station.

I didn't know that.

This is from
the first session.

Which was the day
after the murder.

You need to let it go.

This is gonna get very
intolerable, and it's going
to eat you like a cancer.

Listen to me
for a second.

Maybe there's something
we need to understand
about Michael

and about your sister
that we didn't understand.

Are you getting sick?

I...
I didn't do it.

You need to help me
here, Mike.

I know.

I would,
but I didn't do this!

They found blood
in your room already.

God!

There's two paths.

The path of punishment,
which is jail,

or the path that says,

"Hey, I'm sorry
for what I did."

I see the eyes of a child
who's willing to sit here

in front of two adults
and say,

"I can pull
this selective memory
and get away with it."

How often do you
think you got punished for
something that maybe

Stephanie should
have got punished for?

What do you think?

Maybe daily.

She'd scream, "Mom."

Bingo, I'm in trouble.
Sent to my room.

That's why I hid
in there.

I tried coming out.
Doesn't work.

They don't want me around.

I tried explaining
that to them,

and they looked at me
like I was psycho!

How?

They're geniuses
and gods and goddesses,

but me, I'm just slime.

I don't deserve
to be in the room.

I think they made
the assumption he was guilty

before they even
started talking to him.

Oh, they had a theory,
and they stuck to it.

Once they decide
to do an interrogation,
there is one goal.

It is not to get the truth,
it is to get a confession.

They told him that
they found blood in his room.

Can they do that?

Lie like that?Absolutely.

It is not illegal
for the police
to lie about evidence

during an interrogation.

Unbelievable.

They can do just about
anything they want.

They also told him
that they could prove
nobody got into the house,

when, in fact,
not all the doors
were secured.

They can tell him
they found his fingerprints,

that a witness saw him.

That evidence was found,
blood, whatever,
that points to him.

That he failed
a lie detector test.

None of it has to be true.

Right. And what
was that voice stress
machine thing?

A crock is what it is.

It is seemingly so high tech,

but studies show,
that its reliability
in determining deception

is less than a coin toss.

It's just a way
for them to intimidate.

An interrogation is
deliberately designed
to be intimidating.

It is plain as day

that this boy was
psychologically coerced.

And that'll be the basis
of Michael's defense.

Thank God
we have it on tape.

Detective Claytor?

I'm Susie Houser.

My son's Aaron Houser.

He's friends with Michael
and Josh Treadway.

Yes.

Sorry, uh, but,
I know this may be nothing,

but when this happened,
I insisted that Aaron
check his knife collection.

So he did.

And he says
one's missing.

It just seemed like
something you might
wanna know about.

Yes, Mrs. Houser, it is.

I'll probably be in touch.

This your knife, Josh?

Joshua Treadway,
you're under arrest.

You have the
right to remain silent.

Anything you say can
and will be used against
you in a court of law.

No.

Oh, my God.

This is all they left of her.

It's like they're trying to
erase every trace of her.

My baby.

Can't even
stop to grieve for her.

If we do, we'll
lose our son, too.

I know.

I know.

If I can do anything...

Thanks, Bill.

That homeless guy,
I thought that was
gonna turn into something.

Oh, he was pounding on
everybody's door that night,

saying he was looking
for some ex-girlfriend.

I wasn't the only one
who reported him.

Are the police sure
that he had nothing
to do with it?

What homeless guy?

Detective.

Detective, this man...

This transient...Mrs. Crowe,

we brought him in
and we questioned him
a couple of times.

He didn't murder
your daughter.

You're,
you're certain of that?

He's too mentally incapable
to have carried out
a random murder

in a house
filled with people.

Look,
your son's responsible.

How can you say that?

Detective, just tell
us how you came
to that conclusion.

Sibling rivalry that
just got out of hand.

Sibling rivalry?
It just doesn't make sense.

Look, we know Michael.

Okay? And, whatever.

Every kid says that kind
of stuff about his sister.

You show me
a 14-year-old kid

who isn't moody
and belligerent at times.

Detective, my son
has never been in trouble
a day in his life.

He's never even been
to the principal's office.

We've made two more arrests.

Joshua Treadway
and Aaron Houser.

What did Josh
and Aaron tell them?

What the police
wanted to hear.

I saw the tapes.

The police told
each of them

that the other two
had ratted on them.

They kept telling
Josh Treadway

that he was the lookout
until he told them
that he was.

But how could
they do that?

They kept him
in there all night.

He couldn't even
go to the bathroom.

Josh said that he got up
and he walked over
to Aaron's house.

That's over
10 miles away.

Josh gets lost
five blocks from home.

Then Josh said that
he and Aaron walked
to your place,

and Aaron and Michael
went in and killed Stephanie

while Josh
was the lookout.

Did Aaron confess, too?

No. He said that
he was at home,
studying for finals.

They asked him how he would
kill someone if he wanted to,

hypothetically,
and he told them,

rather convincingly I'd say.

And now they have all
three boys in juvenile hall.

Would you excuse me
just for a moment?

Hello, Mr. Parker...

They didn't do this.

What are we supposed
to do now?

For starters, we can't
afford to believe a thing
the police tell us.

Not anymore.

I think you're gonna...
Really gonna like
the new place.

It's actually a lot
closer to town now.

We're two blocks
from the video store.

So...

Much closer to school.

Maybe that's
not so hot.

Your room's great.

Your stuff
looks great in it.

Yeah.

Here, we got
you something.

Shannon thought
you'd like that.

She bought it
with her own money.

Tell her I said thanks.

She...

Is she gonna
do anything this summer?

Uh...

Maybe volunteer
at the library.

She's looking into that.

Tell her I think
that's cool.

Okay.

Listen, uh, there's
gonna be something

called a 707 hearing

coming up in
a couple of weeks.

Where they decide
whether they'll try us
as juveniles or adults.

Ms. Sorenson told me.

Right.

Well, she, she says
that these hearings are,
you know, just...

Pretty in and out,
you know. No big deal.

They try me as an adult,
then they can ask for life.

Michael...Somebody in here
told me that.

Michael, Ms. Sorenson
knows that your confession
was coerced.

Okay?
Yours and Josh's.

She's trying to
get them thrown out.

If they show
those confessions,

everybody'll hear those
awful things I said about
Stephanie and you guys.

Honey, we know
what happened.

You keep saying that!

But you can't ever know
how they break you down,
what it's like!

Sweetheart...

Okay, that's it.We'll be back on Sunday.

Then Thursday again,
and the next Sunday.

I wish they'd
let Shannon come.

You'll see each other soon.

Mom, I can't stand this.

Sometimes I feel like
I can't breathe.

My heart starts
racing like mad,

like it's gonna
burst out of me.

Michael...

Let's go.Michael,
then you know what?

You call us. Okay?

Listen,

you call us when
you're feeling that way.

I can't.
I can't do that.

They listen in.
They'll just twist
what I say.

Michael...

Michael, we know
you didn't do this,

and we're doing everything
we can to get you out of here.

Listen, you gotta
believe that, okay?

Just you be strong. Okay?

We love you.
Don't forget that.

Hello, Cheryl,
nice to meet you.

All right, um,
the upshot is that they
lack forensic evidence.

So they're going to be
relying very heavily
on the confessions

to make their case.

Right, which is
what worries us.

Well, thank God the
confessions were taped.

They show all the tricks
the police used.

I've consulted
with Richard Ofshe,
a professor at Berkeley.

He is an expert
on coercion.

He's investigated
dozens of false confessions
in murder cases.

You wouldn't believe
how many times
this happens in this country.

He has reviewed
the tapes

and concludes that
these are classic examples

of coerced confessions.

Michael caved in to threats
and all sorts of promises,

and Joshua was fed details
of the crime and used
them to make up a story.

Ofshe will say
as much in court.

Will that
prove them innocent?

Well, there'll be
no deciding innocence
or guilt here.

This'll be a hearing
about whether to try them
as adults or juveniles.

The judge will look
at all the evidence,

including
their confessions.

If the judge decides
to try them as adults,

there is good news
and bad news.

We know
the bad news.

Well, if they're
tried as adults,

we'll finally be able
to post bond
and bring them home.

The prosecutors
do not have to prove
beyond a reasonable doubt

that the three committed
the crime in order
for them to be tried.

The issue that is
before the judge

is whether there is
a strong suspicion

the three
killed Stephanie.

So, we're going
to prepare for the 707

as if it an all-out trial
rather than a hearing.

I am getting them
to agree to let us
preview all the evidence.

What are you
doing in there?

Storing the evidence
or cooking it?

Can I see the other
side, please?

Richard Tuite's clothes.

Yeah, the transient.

Hmm.

This could be blood
set in a spatter pattern.

I want this tested for DNA.

It was tested.
I told you before.

And no sign
of blood was found.

I don't care.
I'm entitled to
have it tested again.

I've been tracking
this Richard Tuite.

Yeah, me, too.

This has gotta be
our guy. He's got
a string of convictions,

and a 1993 arrest
for stabbing a guy
with a steak knife

in a transient camp.I know.

And another arrest
shortly after
Stephanie's murder

for ogling two
12-year-old girls
on a bus,

and then
following them home.

They brought him in
on that, Dorothy.
They questioned him.

Well, he's just been
arrested again
for attempted burglary.

He's in jail
pending trial.

Police have never
taken him seriously
as a suspect in this case.

I know.

I talked
to Claytor about it.

He says because
of the mental illness,

Tuite's incapable
of being a killer,

even if he wanted to.

Bull!
He's just saving face.

Hey, the guy survived
on the street all this time,

kept himself fed
and clothed,

he obviously has
his lucid moments.

All rise.

I have looked
at almost 40 hours
of tapes,

read all the transcripts.

It's important
to recognize at the outset,

we're here because
a 12-year-old girl

was brutally murdered
in her bedroom at night,

and three young boys
have been charged
with that murder.

We all know
what's in our hearts.

All the confusion,

the emotions,
the incredible issues

that impact these kids,
their families,
and the community.

But what will rule
are the careful,

legal thoughts.

The careful arguments.

The carefully thought out
issues and facts and law

that will ultimately
determine the issues
that I have to decide.

The Serological
Research Institute Lab
has issued its report.

It's all in our favor.STEPHEN:
What does it say?

There was no DNA
or blood found
on Aaron's knife.

The hair in Stephanie's
hand could not be
positively identified.

The only prints
in the house are yours,
your family's.

And there were
no prints found either on
the knife, but Josh's.

Not Michael's or Aaron's?

But the police are going
to contend that it was
the murder weapon,

even if they
can't prove it.

Why?Because they really
believe the boys did it.

They just don't have any
hard evidence to back it up.

All they really have
are the damn confessions.

Yeah. Ed Mathers here.

Ed, hey.
What's the deal?

Nothing yet.I need the DNA results.

Richard Tuite's clothes
are still at the lab,
Dorothy.

When I know,
you'll know.

Now, these are not
three everyday,
ordinary teenagers

who happen to enjoy
interactive video games
with fantasy themes.

There are much
darker forces at play here.

All along,
they were plotting evil.

Look at the evidence
in Michael Crowe's bedroom.

The games, the books.

The medieval-themed items,
like Dungeons & Dragons.

No, the darker reality
is that these three boys

became so wrapped up in
the fantasy of these games

that they crossed the line

and became perpetrators
of cold-blooded murder.

I'm gonna
cut to the chase.

I find that the People
have established
a prima facie case.

But these confessions-slash-
admissions are troublesome.

I've read and re-read
the transcripts,

looked at the videotapes
until I'm blue in the face.

I believe that
when Michael broke down,

he gave the scenario
that had been handed to him.

And the same techniques
were used on Joshua.

There are problems in here.

There are things that
will have to be answered,

and that's something
a jury will have to decide.

That said,

they will be tried as adults.

I will release
all three minors on
their own recognizance

pending trial
in a superior court.

Ms. Sorenson, how do
you think this decision
will affect your case?

Is this the judgment
that you expected?

What it means is
that a neutral party

has finally raised some
pretty serious questions

about the nature
of these alleged
confessions.

Do you think
the District Attorney's
Office will drop the case?

Well, I wouldn't
want to speculate on that.

Come on, Michael,
wait till you see
how big my room is.

Shannon,
slow down, all right?

Take it easy on him.

I wanna show him,
I wanna show him

how I fixed it up.STEPHEN: You've got
lots of time.

What about lunch, guys?
How about some pizza?

Yeah.

Pizza would be great.

Come on, Michael,
I want you to see my room.

Uh, honey,
maybe he wants to see
his own room, huh?

Did you
ever think of that?

Okay.

Come on.

Mike.

How was the first
day of school?

Nobody asked how
I spent my summer vacation.

Well, I was gonna
run down and maybe
get a movie.

Wanna come with me?
Maybe we'll get
something up.

You know, I don't know
any of these movies, so

I need your help.

I've been stared at enough
for one day, thank you.

You have to ignore it.

You have to just be yourself.

And in time,
it will be okay.

How? It'll never
be okay again.

You have no idea
what my life is like.

You're right.Everybody thinks
I killed my sister!

I wish I'd
been killed, too.

Oh, God, Mike, no.

No.

No. You're right. I...

I can't know
what you're going through.

Nobody can.

And it isn't fair.

And there is nothing
I can say or do.

But you have to find a way
to just get on.

When I lost Stephanie,
and I had to stand by

while they did all those
awful things to you,

I had to find a way to
get on, and I didn't think
I could do it.

I didn't think
I had it in me.

And most days,
I'm still not that sure.

But you just do.

You just do.

And I'm here.

Today began the second week
of pre-trial hearings...

Thanks.Anytime.

...in the Stephanie Crowe
murder case.

Judge Thompson will determine
whether statements
obtained by the police

will be excluded
from their trial,

which is expected
to begin early next month.

Public defenders
in this case

are hopeful that
the statements
will not be allowed.

The District Attorney was on.

She kept on
calling her
"the little dead girl."

They say that without them,
there is little hard evidence
to convict the three boys.

So tired of this.

If this is how
this system works, then...

If something happens now,
some emergency?

What are we
supposed to do?

Call these cops?

Can't call these cops.

She was a very
important person.
She had a name.

Nobody even
remembers that.

All of us do,
people who knew her
and loved her.

So bright a light,
shall never truly fade away.

I'm afraid
I'm gonna forget her,
stuff about her.

Her voice,
what she sounds like.

You won't.

"So bright a light..."

Did you
write that, Michael?

Bye-bye.

Well, this is it.
Whatever happens here.

If Judge Thompson
decides the confessions
can be used in trial...

Well, let's just
hope he doesn't.

How are you
feeling, Michael?

Uh, I feel good.

Good. You just keep
thinking that way.

Whether intentional
or unintentional,

police engaged
in a coercive scheme

that led to promises
of leniency for Michael Crowe

if he admitted involvement
in the homicide.

As a result,
the statement by him
cannot be used at trial.

Though Aaron Houser provided
a hypothetical description
of killing someone,

detectives did not
advise him of
his Miranda rights.

I'm barring
Aaron's statement as well.

Joshua Treadway's statement,

I'm excluding all
but the last two hours.

Because while it was
voluntary, not coerced,

there were no Miranda rights
until the final two hours.

At that point, Joshua
repeated how the killing
was planned and executed.

I will allow that part.

But it can only be used
against Joshua Treadway

and not
the other two boys.

Josh Treadway
is gonna be tried first?

That's right.Did the judge indicate

when Michael and Aaron
will be tried?

At some later date.
Though now they cannot use

his alleged confession
at the trial.

The detectives testified
that their primary motivation

was to get at the truth.

What these police
officers wanted to get at

was their version
of the truth,
not the truth itself.

Michael's confession,
so-called,

has been seen for what it is.

Now this trial will have
to be about the facts.

Hey.Hey.

Well, not one of
these potential jurors
believes that somebody

could confess to
something they didn't do.

Dorothy Sorenson.

It's Ed Mathers.

We need to get you
and the prosecutor

and the other attorneys
on the line at the same time.

You have the DNA
results, don't you?

The DNA results
on Richard Tuite's
red sweatshirt...

The results
are definitive.

What do you mean,
definitive?

On three areas
of the sweatshirt.

Are you sure?

Yes. It means
that you can rule out

anybody who ever
walked the planet Earth

as a donor
of that bloodstain

on Richard Tuite's
sweatshirt, except

Stephanie Crowe.

Oh, God, thank you!

Oh!

Oh!

Thank you.

I can't believe
this nightmare is over.

You know what,
it's not.

Why not?

Judge Thompson is gonna
allow them time to explain

why Stephanie's blood
was found on
Richard Tuite's sweatshirt.

What? Why?
What is to explain?

Oh, there is all sorts
of speculation out there.

Did Tuite somehow come
in contact with the boys?

Did he maybe
find bloody clothes
the boys had thrown away?

Oh, come on.

Was the shirt somehow
contaminated by equipment
at the crime scene?

Or by me?

By you?
How could you have done it?

They're suggesting
that I put the blood
there somehow.

Ridiculous.

Ed Mathers,
the DNA guy,

says the drops
on the shirt
are spatter-type stains,

indicating they were
projected forcefully
onto the shirt,

not through
accidental contact.

But, despite that,
they're not going to throw in
the towel on this yet.

You can count on it.

Richard, can you
tell me why you're
in here right now?

I'm in here right
now because they think
I burglarized something.

I did not burglarize anything.

We don't wanna talk
about that, okay?

Do you remember
the little girl
that was killed

up in Escondido?

No.

We're here to find out
if you had something
to do with that.

A lot of people are trying
to say that maybe you did.

And now they're bringing up
a lot of questions,

and we're just trying to
maybe get some answers.

Richard, you're not
in any kind of trouble.

We're here to help you.

You're here to help me?

How can you help me?

Richard, there are
some people that think
you killed that little girl.

Did you?

You know what?
We believe you, we do.

We're not the ones
who say you did it,

but there are some
people who say you did.

All we wanna know is
what you can tell us

about when you were
up there

and when Detective Baker
took your clothes.

Well, obviously,
I'm not responsible
for killing anybody.

Do you remember
giving a shirt to somebody,

or giving somebody a shirt
that had blood on it?

No.

Do you remember
giving your clothes

to anybody else
besides Detective Baker

up in Escondido?

Did you give your
shirt to somebody?

This is the thing
we have been hoping for,
isn't it?

No. They are dismissing
the case without prejudice.

When you hear
the word "dismissal,"
that's not what it means.

Uh, you lost me.What it means is,

they still think
the boys are guilty.

Why? Why?
What do you mean?

They've put together
a 40-page motion to dismiss

that lays out their case
against the boys,

saying they think
they're guilty,

they just can't
prove it right now.

Or ever.And they need
more time to investigate.

Right. So where
does that leave us?

It leaves us nowhere.

It leaves us
knowing that the prosecution

could come back
any time they want

and charge Michael again.

Come on.
That is ridiculous.

Yes, basically
they're saying,

despite the DNA evidence
on Richard Tuite's shirt,

they still think
all the boys are guilty.

Wait a minute.

Don't they care
about the truth?

No, if they cared about
the truth, they'd go
after Richard Tuite.

This is about
something else.

This is about their not
wanting this to be another

JonBenet Ramsey
investigation.

They made a hasty
and unwise judgment

and, by God,
they're sticking with it.

We can't let them
get away with this.

Stephen and Cheryl Crowe
have filed a civil suit

against the city
of Escondido,

the Escondido
Police Department,

and the San Diego
county prosecutors.

Stephen, Cheryl,
why file suit now?

Didn't the judge
dismiss the case?

Without prejudice,

meaning they can re-file
against the boys at any time.

Why do you think
the prosecution
chose that route?

Because they don't want
to admit the obvious.

They were prosecuting
innocent people,

and they let
a murderer walk free.

And this is still hanging
over our son's head.

You know, I mean,
how are we supposed
to explain to him

that he gave up
a year of his life?

I mean, a year,

so that the police department
in this town could save face,
you know.

It's not right.

Thank God these
interrogations were taped.

If Michael and the other
boys had just written out
their confessions

and signed them,
can you imagine
where we would be?

The judge might very well
not have thrown them out.

Every interrogation and
confession in this country,

ought to be videotaped.

That is all there is to it.

In this day and age,
there is no reason not to.

They're saving face

at Stephanie's expense,

and Michael's,

and our family's.

We don't intend
to let them do that.

Whatever we have
to do to see that
the truth comes out,

that there is justice.

We have to see
that the truth comes out.