Original subtitles

Ladies and gentlemen, the facts don't lie.

This was a brutal, senseless crime committed by a man who has no respect

human life.

The people have proven that the defendant, Michael Johnson, shot Tran

to death.

Why?

Because Mr.

Dinh attempted to prevent Mr.

Johnson from stealing a six -pack of beer from his liquor store.

pack a beer, and for that, the life of a husband, father, and son was snuffed

out, casually, the way you or I might swat a fly.

Mr. Din spent long hours at the store, hoping to make a better life for his

family because he loved them.

And they loved him.

But Mr. Johnson didn't care about that.

Mr. Johnson didn't care that Rose Din would be a widow at 35.

And Mr.

Johnson didn't care about the children.

They would miss their father every day for the rest of their lives.

Please, send a message to the vultures who prey on our society.

Tell them they're not going to get away with this.

Tell them that we won't tolerate their murderous behavior.

And tell them that justice will be served.

Find Michael Johnson guilty of first -degree murder.

Murder won. Congratulations.

Thank you.

Okay, you've got the press at three, the state bar at four, and drinks with the

governor's people at six. Their hotel.

Bad news is it's downtown.

Oh, a 45 -minute drive. Great.

But worth it if they draft you to run for attorney general.

Both.

Here's that. Thank you.

Meg, Heather's in your office. She says it's really important.

Heather, I said no. There's no way you're going.

Mom, everybody else is.

Well, you're not everybody, and I can't help it if nobody else has standards. I

do, and I'm not letting my teenage daughter go to any co -ed overnight

Mom, it's only for honor students.

Boys and girls have separate rooms, and about 50 parents would be there to

chaperone. Don't argue with me. You know the rules. No overnights with boys.

You know, this isn't about boys.

This is about one boy, Derek.

It's because he's going and it's because he's black.

Heather. You wouldn't let me go out with him because he's black. And now you

don't even want me near him. That's enough.

I don't have time for this. You are not going, period, and I will see you at

home. No, you won't.

I'm not going home.

Heather, wait. I...

Attorney General's on the phone.

Cancel all my meetings.

Except the governor.

And bring up my car.

And then get a hold of my Rolodex.

And get Derek Aldis' address.

Who? Aldis. Derek. Wannabe boyfriend of Heather.

It's a good car, huh? Yeah, it's a nice one.

Twenty -five bucks.

Twenty -five?

Twenty -five.

You need a receipt?

No, no, that's fine.

Tax rate, huh?

Not where I live.

All right.

Have a good one, huh?

You too.

Hey, need help, huh?

Yeah, there's something wrong with my car.

No, really?

Oh, Alyssa, I don't need your jokes right now.

I need my car fixed. I'm in a hurry.

It started smoking when I was coming over on 3rd Street. I was looking for

Avenue, trying to get to my daughter.

Is she lost?

I suppose you could say that.

What do you think it is?

An irradiator or something?

Ma 'am, it's hard to tell in five seconds.

Oh. And then my cell phone gave out.

Ran new and it dropped dead.

I tell you, these Japanese are running such a scam on these phones.

Hey, man, you should just chill out a little bit there. You'll live a lot

if you just smile and lay back.

I don't need your advice.

I need my car.

Sorry. Can't help you.

What?

Why? It's your water pump, and I don't have the parts to fix it.

My mechanic's not in until tomorrow.

And one more thing.

I don't like your attitude.

My attitude?

Mine? What am I supposed to do now?

What most of us do.

Use the payphone.

Or take a bus.

Operator? Operator?

Taxi? Hey, taxi!

Taxi!

Get your green card, Swami!

Hey, it's a free country, right?

Don't panic.

There's got to be a phone around here that works.

I've lost something.

when no sample you got.

Now. Enter to learn. Go forth to serve.

It's time, Megan.

You wouldn't let me go out with him because he's black. Now you don't even

me to stand.

May God have mercy on us all. Just a little further.

David?

David! No, not yet.

First, you're due in court.

Court? I had a heart attack, right?

Correct.

You have a heart attack, you go to intensive care or you sue for

But I'm not nice to you, so where am I?

Think about it.

Oh, my God.

Exactly.

Glad you could make it. I am late again.

Sorry, Your Honor.

Your Honor?

Is this some kind of a joke? Did my staff arrange this?

Let me see here.

Ms. Megan Margaret McCleary, you are charged with treating

your fellow human beings with contempt.

You're charged with showing no mercy.

And, ah, yes, you are charged with racism.

What? That's a crock.

I object.

Really?

Well, you are an officer of the court which promises equal

justice for all.

Justice is blind.

But you're not, are you?

You can see color very clearly. But Derek's great.

He gets straight A's. He's on the student council and the basketball team.

Interracial couples have a very hard time. And so do their children.

Mom, I'm not marrying Derek. I'm just going to the junior prom with him. No,

Heather, you're not. You and Derek are very different kind of people. And I'm

sure his parents feel the same way. You don't know that.

I know that it's not going to go very far in the long run. I just don't want

to be hurt.

I already said I'd go with him.

Well, then you'll apologize, and he'll understand, and it'll be the best for

everybody.

I was just protecting Heather.

From an honor student?

I am not a racist.

Well, what about before you were an officer of the court, when you were an

officer of the law?

I can't help it if minorities fit the profile.

You're sworn to prosecute on the evidence, Miss McCleary, not on the

Detective McCleary, do you see the shooter here in the courtroom?

Yes, it's the defendant, Hector Soto.

May God Almighty have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to

everlasting life.

The defendant,

Hector Soto.

God help you. Hector Soto, I sentence you to death.

May God have mercy on your soul.

Innocent.

Please, I'm innocent!

I'm innocent!

May God have mercy on your soul.

Hector Soto was innocent.

No, Hector Soto was a cold -blooded killer.

I saw him with my own two eyes.

I'm afraid what you saw is a man with the wrong skin color.

Your Honor, my client was in love with the victim, which may have clouded her

judgment at the time.

There are such things as honest mistakes.

No, this was no mistake.

Hector Soto killed David.

Request a sidebar, Your Honor. No, it's not. Necessary here, Ms. McCleary.

I have reached my decision.

I'm sentencing you to life.

What? No, that's actually good.

You will have three days on Earth to rectify your mistake and prevent the

execution of Hector Soto.

You will go back... Three days?

I can't get this done in three days. You don't know the New York criminal

justice system.

Your Honor, I am pleading with you to... You have shown no mercy in your court.

Why should I show you any in mine?

Three days.

You will go back with all your memories intact.

No one will recognize you. You are a free agent in the universe with the

blessing of God Almighty and his court.

But... How?

That...

Very funny, Jones.

Who's Jones?

Nobody.

Come on.

You know, I have a right to be frisked by a female officer.

What are you, a lawyer?

Come on. Better make it look good for the Johns, don't I, detective?

Better not be that good or I'll rearrange your face in a manner your

won't even recognize.

Don't get your knickers in a wad.

This isn't funny.

You better get me out of here.

Listen, I don't want no partners. Get the name straight, all right? It's

Nobody can see me unless I want them to, which I don't.

I'd ignore me unless you want them to think you're nuts.

You know what? I'm sorry. Jones was the name of my last partner.

Oh, yeah?

I know the guy?

Not unless you're dead and you're trying to get into heaven.

Message received.

Okay, fun's over.

I'm Hispanic.

Hey, good for you.

I'm Italian.

What's the story on that anyway, Esposito? You don't look like the Rican.

Well, looks can be deceiving.

Shake a leg, Chiquita.

We're going to get back the 11th for that meeting on the Martinez operation.

Wait a minute.

Martinez.

That's the bus where David got killed.

The trade with Martinez's people will take place here.

Backup will be in a stakeout in the van across the street.

Hazen McCleary, this is your operation.

If anything goes hinky, you call it. Nothing will go wrong, sir. It's an

airtight setup.

That's right. I'm going in as a Miami money man looking to score 20 kilos.

Meg will be wired right next to me. And Vice will be there to ID the device.

Where's Vice?

Right here, sir.

Me. Ma 'am.

Sposito. What?

I didn't have this operation. It wasn't for my snitch.

Snitch? Going on the word of a snitch, huh? No wonder this thing gets blown.

How do we know this isn't a setup?

David's going to be out there. I mean, Detective Hayes is going to be out there

in the open.

We know, Officer McCleary.

Clearly, I am Detective Esposito.

And we're getting them female and Puerto Ricans.

Thanks for your input, Esposito, but we got it under control.

You and your nervous friend here, Senorita Esposito, cover the street.

Lumley and Cove, you got Van Doody.

Why didn't she come in? And T and Clute, I want you up on the roof.

Don't you want to share with the class?

Oh, sir, sorry.

Hazel will be wearing a vest, right?

Uh, negative. They're probably going to want to pat me down.

I'm his partner, okay?

I got his back.

If you can't handle it, Esposito, just say the word and you're off it.

I want to go.

I'm going.

Well, then let's do it.

Appreciate the concern, but don't worry, I'm wearing my lucky socks.

I thought I smelled them.

You're quick, Esposito. You're all right.

Listen, when this goes down, my partner and I will buy the beers.

Don't go.

What is it?

I miss... I mean, I miss having a partner like you.

Oh, Graffia.

He's okay.

For a male chauvinist pig.

Put his hands on you yet?

Oh, yeah.

You know, there ought to be a law.

There will be.

See you out there.

It hurts me to look at him. He's the most alive man I've ever met, and

leading him off to the slaughter.

Meg, your mission here is to stop the execution of an innocent man, remember?

So if I stop David from being killed, Hector Soto won't be arrested, and there

will be no execution, right?

Do you think anyone would mind if we maybe borrowed a little?

Well, it'd be enough to send you to law school full time instead of at nights.

Not to mention my classic cherry red Corvette.

What do you need with a phase magnet like that?

Oh, because I got to keep my babe happy. She likes to go fast, you know.

Have you checked out the rival gangs in the area? Any of them connected to

Martinez or hold a grudge against him?

Martinez is a solo operator.

He runs a tight operation.

Yeah, he's also a scum who would double -cross his mother if it meant a buck in

his pocket.

Have you got some information you want to share?

No, I just have a gut feeling, and it doesn't feel good.

A gut feeling? Are you a cop or a psychic?

Just careful.

You're a hand -wringer, and hand -wringers make me nervous.

Okay, okay.

Esposito, I know you're new to major cases, but it's nothing to worry about,

okay? It's a simple handle.

How about you wear the vest?

If I'm wrong, I'll buy the beers. Gee, she's stubborn. She reminds me of you.

You want to talk stubborn?

Take it.

They start to pat you down, we'll move in.

Hayes, you're going to be in the line of fire here. Where I've been plenty of

times before.

I can take care of myself.

Then do it.

Team one, Mance, you ready?

Team two, Groff, you ready?

Here they come.

Let's do it.

David, it's not too late to call this thing off.

Why do you vice guys think you're the only ones who can do undercover?

Here we go.

Don't forget, Esposito, we buy the beers.

We're making contact here.

Oh, don't tell me a bright little old maid.

She doesn't like to let me out of her sight.

You know, women, can't live with them, can't shoot them.

So are we okay?

Let him go, David.

Let him go.

Okay.

Martinez!

You left him alone.

I had no choice. You want to blow the whole deal?

I've lost visual on Hayes.

I got him.

I don't like this.

He's going to get trapped in there if that car doesn't move. I'm going in.

hold tight.

You want to blow our cover?

Tell me he's wearing a vest.

Tell me.

He's wearing a vest.

Of course I am.

Oh, hey, it's not that I don't trust you boys, but it's a bad neighborhood.

You know what I mean?

Show me the green.

Show me the white.

Change is being made.

He's got a knife. Get ready.

What is it?

Martina's pulled a knife.

Allow me.

Steady. He's only testing.

It's okay.

He's walking. Get ready.

Done.

Deal's been made.

and i mean i think moving and and

and and and and and and and

What are you doing? Stop him.

You're going to be all right. You can't die on me.

We've got some things to do.

We've got to get you that Terry red Corvette, huh?

Get away.

Don't touch him. He's fine.

Come on, David.

David, look at me.

Look at me.

Hold on.

Bring him back. You can do it.

I can't. Take me.

Me for him.

But it's not just you, is it, Meg?

I can't believe what I saw.

It wasn't Hector.

God forgive me.

He does.

You know, if I had a computer, I could pull up the right guy before she even

knew the difference.

Can't you help me?

I don't know any more than you do.

It's 1982. The department doesn't have computers yet.

We may do with what we have. Yeah, but I'm about to convict an innocent man.

That's why you're here.

So stop yourself before it's too late.

I want this, Luke.

I can't give it to you.

He was my partner.

If I were a man, you'd let me work it. If you were a man, I'd send you home to

your wife.

I was the only one who saw the perp, which makes me the only eyewitness

got.

No, it doesn't.

Fine. I'll work it with her, then.

Esposito.

Yes?

You two are on this together.

I'll give you 24 hours, then I'm calling it a homicide.

All right, that's good.

Oh, McCleary. Yes?

He was a good man.

Yeah, he was.

Meg, can I talk to you for a second?

Just leave me alone, all right?

You know, everyone would understand if you went home, especially David.

How would you know what David would or wouldn't understand?

I know David would just want you to keep your head on straight, even if it meant

taking some time off. Forget it!

I'm going to nail this, Beck. You got a problem with that Esposito?

Yeah, I got a problem with it.

He's not Hispanic.

Oh, I see.

It would be real bad for your people if one of your paisanos killed a cop.

You really ought to get your racial service straight.

Paisano's Italian.

But understand this. I want this guy as badly as you do.

You know, this morning you seemed to know exactly what was going to happen.

Why is that?

I told you I had a gut feeling.

Call it women's intuition.

ESP. Call it whatever you want to call it, but get it straight. I saw him and

he's white.

He's Hispanic.

Look, I know things have been crazy. I'm just asking you to take a little time

and think about it.

You think I thought of anything else since it happened?

I know.

But you're thinking about David.

How if just one little thing had been different.

How if he hadn't been looking at you, he would have seen the knife.

His blue eyes.

And how...

Why you didn't say I love you before you got out of the car?

Stop! Don't you dare try to use my feelings to change my mind. I know what

saw.

So back off!

She's grieving.

And so are you.

I don't know what I'm doing here.

I can't change anything. I couldn't even stop David from being killed.

Some things aren't meant to be changed.

Predestination.

The time is running out. You have less than two days.

You have to focus, Meg.

You couldn't save David, but you can still save Hector.

How am I going to convince myself that he didn't do it?

She's positive that he did.

Prove her wrong.

Morning, Chiquita.

Pulling all nighter?

Yeah, I would say.

Is that mine?

Mm -hmm.

You're pregnant.

Maybe you really are a psychic.

David didn't even know about it. I was going to tell him.

Maybe if I had, he would have listened to you.

Been more careful.

Been alive today.

Listen, I've come to believe that nothing in heaven or earth would have

that. And I'll tell you this, it's not over for David. It's just beginning.

There's a whole other life after life.

I was thinking of...

You know, not having it.

Thank God I didn't do that. This baby's all I have left of David now.

All that said, I may just die of morning sickness.

Cheese grits.

Grits. Yeah, it'll get you through it.

What kind of Latino are you? Grits.

Wait a second, that's starting to sound really good.

Sorry, ladies.

Cleary, we got a match.

That's him.

Hector Soto.

Physicals match.

Member of the 117th Street Gang.

You can't let her bring him in. You've only got one more day. Once he's in the

system... I know.

Oh, wait a minute. It says right here, former member of the 117th Street Gang.

Yeah, right. The guy's got a rap sheet about as long as your arm.

Grand theft. Possession of coke.

Assault. This is our guy. He's your guy. He's not mine.

What's this?

I thought you guys had this guy ID.

He is.

This is the scum that murdered David.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute. It says here that he had a tattoo on his knife

hand. Do you remember seeing a tattoo?

I wasn't looking at his hand. I was looking at his face. I was looking at

face, too. And that's not the guy. You need to get your story straight. I don't

want any mistakes made on this. Neither do I.

I'm picking this guy up.

Are you coming or not?

Get the artist back on that same description, white male.

I don't want to get in the middle of any cut. Just do it.

Do it.

I tell you, he's not here.

Miss, you are wrong.

My actor, he no with that gang no more. He cleaned himself up.

Ask Father Ignacio. He'll tell you. He helped him.

I'd rather ask Hector.

Where is he?

Hanging with his gang or just take the dope and run off? He not run, no.

He go to church. Then he run some errands for me. Church?

Is that what they call gang central now?

If you hear anything at all from Hector, please call me.

Esposito, por favor, ayúdame.

Mi hijo es inocente.

What's she saying?

She's saying her son is innocent.

Ask her the name of the church.

I don't speak Spanish.

¿Dónde está la iglesia?

Sobre la calle Tercera. La iglesia de Santo Tomás.

Gracias.

Look at that. She told the truth.

Why would she lie if he's innocent?

Come on. I think I'd say it for the priest, Esposito.

Confession's good for the soul, huh, Hector?

Excuse me.

That's right. You see it coming. Better than what David got.

Who's David?

The man you killed.

Stand up.

Killed?

I didn't kill anyone. I'm clean.

Okay, I've been clean. Ask Father and not you. You can ask him when he reads

your last rights.

You're under arrest for the murder of Detective David Hayes.

Read him.

You have the right to remain silent.

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

believe me. I never killed anyone in my life. An attorney will be appointed. And

I hope you burn in hell. You understand your rights.

Judge not, lest you be judged.

Save it for someone who cares.

Fred, you're all out, Hector.

All out of cigarettes?

All at a lice, all at a time.

Do you know what death throws me like, Hector?

I felt David's body convulse as he died in my arms.

It's a shaking no human can stop, like an electrical storm.

And that's what you're going to feel when they put you in the electric chair

pull the switch.

I'm not afraid.

Because I'm innocent. I didn't do it.

You liar!

Meg, come on. You want me dead.

Who's the murderer?

You're lying!

You're all liars! Meg, you're losing it. Come on.

Get him out of here.

What do you want me to do with him? Book him. Release him. No.

No. No. You don't have any evidence.

I saw him. I'll say you didn't see him. Do you think that the DA is going to

move on conflicting eyewitness testimony?

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'll pick him up again and again and again until he pays.

Me. If I disappear now, boy, Hector Soto's a dead man.

I'm sorry.

It's your third day. You don't have much time left.

What difference does it make? My life is going to be nothing if he goes down.

You know, I looked at Hector Soto tonight.

I really looked at him.

And for the first time, I didn't see the color of his skin.

I saw a man who was struggling to be.

Just trying to exist in a state of grace.

And then you touched him.

And he felt that.

What did he feel, Meg?

The same thing we all want to feel.

What, Meg?

Love.

Then reach out to the part of yourself that understands that.

How?

How do I reach that part of myself?

Why are you on their side?

There are no sides here.

There's only the truth.

And David wouldn't have done it this way.

You didn't even know David. I know what David stood for.

I know that he wouldn't convict an innocent man just because he felt

Guilty of what?

The stakeout was your idea.

You feel responsible for David's death.

And you think that by convicting Hector Soto that all the guilt will go away.

But it won't.

The only thing it'll do is destroy everything you care about.

Your ethics.

Your happiness.

And your daughter.

You're a freak.

Meg.

Meg, don't be afraid of me. It's like being afraid of yourself.

What do you want from me?

I want the truth.

Let's go. I don't have a lot of time.

So let's go.

Why are you bringing me here?

So you can remember everything you already know.

I know David is dead and I'm never going to see him again.

Do you believe in miracles?

No.

You have a miracle growing inside you right now.

What is it you want me to do?

Think back.

Every detail.

Fear.

Some people stink with fear.

David smelled like... Yes.

Remember everything.

David had completed the bye and was walking towards us.

A man knocked us from behind.

He was wearing a black motorcycle jacket.

He turns, raises a knife, Which hand did he have the knife?

Right, in the right hand.

He didn't have a tattoo.

God help me.

He will.

What do I do now?

Well, you find the guy that did this, and you put him behind bars.

And you finish law school.

And then you raise your child and you go on with your life.

How do I do that without David?

One day at a time.

I just wish I could see him one more time, you know? Tell him.

He knows.

I gotta go.

Go where?

What about the case?

Oh, you can handle it. I've got to get on with my old life, or my new life, I

hope.

Hi.

Heather.

What's that?

David smelled like Heather.

What you say?

My daughter, Heather.

She's gonna kill me.

Can't be helped.

She's gonna need a new water pump.

It's a he.

What's that?

You called it a she, and it's a he.

Can you fix it, though? Oh, I can fix it, but not tonight. I gotta order some

parts.

You look worried.

Can I give you a ride somewhere?

I'm just a little late for my daughter.

But thank goodness for the Japanese.

After Pearl Harbor, I am not too impressed.

Come on, now we have to forgive and forget. That's what the good book says.

It also says an eye for an eye. Well, but if we did that, we'd all be blind.

Mom,

there she is. I told you, dear.

She did miss Cleary. She said she bet you had car trouble.

You're going to go broke keeping that old thing going, and one day you're

to be in big trouble and it breaks down. Tell her, Derek.

You worry too much.

Tell her, Derek. I can't tell her anything. She's just like you.

Derek's parents are waiting dinner for us.

You know, I'm always late. Hold on, I'll get my purse.

Seriously, Mom, when are you going to get rid of this old car?

Oh, probably when you're finished with high school. I'll give it to you as a

graduation present.

All right.

You're a lawyer, Mom. You're supposed to have a better car than your client.

I'm a public defender.

It is better.

So you'll take care of this, huh?

Yes, ma 'am. You can count on it. I got my man out there on it right now.

Thanks.

Have I seen you someplace before?

Maybe in another life.

You will watch over him for me, won't you?

Oh yeah, even cars deserve a second chance.