All language subtitles for The Commish S03E20 The Letter of the Law

Close your eyes.

Now, trace the letters with your hand.

What's that spell?

Snow.

Good, Linda.

You did great today.

Can I go outside and play?

Yeah, I'll come get you in a while.

She's really coming along.

I'm glad.

Oh, that reminds me. I have some good
news.

Linda's pictures would be amazing if
somebody twice her age drew them. Oh,

loves to do it.

Well, Kids World Weekly has an art
contest every year, and we always submit

of our kids' drawings, and we never hear
anything.

Well, this year, we heard.

Not only do they want to publish Linda's
pictures, they want to put this one on

the cover.

You sent these in without asking me?

Abby, I thought you'd be pleased.

I bring my daughter here to work on her
reading skills. If I wanted her to be an

artist, then I would send her to art
school.

Well, that's exactly what you could do.

They want to give her a scholarship. I
don't want these pictures published.

stick to teaching her how to read and
leave the rest of Linda's education to

Mrs. Scali, show me some of your
pictures.

Is that why you came to see her today?

They are beautiful.

So proud of you.

Listen to me. Listen to me. I want you
to stay here and don't move.

Hey, help!

Hey! Hey, help!

The guy in the mountain bike, he took
this woman's purse. He rode down the

creek. Red hair, long red hair.

Got it.

Who's out on 29th Street?

Holiday. Next 3 -7, we'll be back about
29th.

Get away from me.

I'm gonna end it.

Lee, put the gun down. We'll talk some
more. Don't pretend to be my friend.

I got nobody.

Sounds like you've been feeling alone
for a long time.

I'm going through.

That's right, I don't. But I know from
my own life that nothing's easy in this

world.

For example, my mother -in -law's
cooking impaired and I gotta eat over

twice a week.

I lost my job.

My wife left.

I can't. I just.

I can't go on. You feel bad today. I
hear that.

But tomorrow you might feel better.

Now we're going to find out if you're
not here.

I just don't know anymore.

Lee.

You gotta give me the gun now.

And we're gonna talk.

What do you say?

I'm

gonna

head for our actor, Lee Leland.

When somebody's about to commit suicide,
they feel completely isolated.

See if you can get them talking.

See if you can get them laughing.

Make them understand that you know how
they feel.

If you make a connection, you just may
save a life.

It's not much. It's a fortune.

I haven't worked in a year and a half.

Last thing I did was a commercial for
Henshaw's orange juice.

Now I remember you. You were the singing
orange.

Yeah. I also wrote that jingle.

A day without O .J.

is no day at all.

Do you remember?

It's a squeeze that frees a drink up and
have a ball.

Yeah. Must be fun doing those ads.

Yeah.

Yeah, it used to be.

Well, you did a great job out there
today.

Who's acting?

My wife did leave me.

My career's in the toilet.

I just should never have played the
orange.

You know, I got typecast, and I couldn't
get work, and then I started drinking

too much.

And the next thing I know... Jenny was
gone.

So I just keep thinking...

Why go on? What's the point?

Sounds like you've been feeling alone
for a long time.

I'm sure you feel helpless today. I hear
that.

But tomorrow you might feel better.

Shut up.

Oh, my God.

Are you all right?

Oh, my God. There must be a sign.

You saved my life.

Well, I'm...

Anybody would. No, but you did.

You did.

Oh. You did.

Um, somebody want to call the elevator
company?

Lee.

Lee.

Last name?

Davenport.

Social security number.

You really need all that?

It's just routine, but we do.

Hi, honey. What's up?

There was a mugging right outside the
school.

Linda Davenport's a witness.

And this is her daughter, Linda.

Hi. Hi.

She gave a pretty good description of
the crime scene.

I think she might be changing her mind.

Hi, I'm Police Commissioner Scali. Uh,
Abby Davenport.

I understand you witnessed the mugging?

Guy snatched a purse from an older lady.
She didn't get a good look at him, but

Miss Davenport did.

Not really.

You said he had long red hair.

Did I? I don't know. I'm not sure.

Mr. Davenport, you did something today
that we wish a lot more citizens would

do. You saw a crime and you got
involved.

I'm not sure really how much I saw.

The guy on the bike has two priors.

In one of them, a woman was seriously
injured.

Now, if you identify him, we can put him
away for a long time.

It's past Linda's dinner time. I think I
should be going.

You don't have to be afraid of this guy.
We're not going to let him get anywhere

near you or your daughter.

But we can't get him without your help.

All right.

Thank you.

I'll keep him behind bars overnight, and
we'll set up a lineup for tomorrow

afternoon.

I'll be here.

Tony. I wanted to surprise you.

Look, four brand new steel belted radial
tires. The finest the money can buy.

You can't be too safe with the family
car. I got them a couple of years ago

doing this tire spot. I wrote the
jingle. A day with no radials is no

day at all.

You know your old lady will thank you
from summer to fall.

I can't take these tires from you. It
happened. It's over. You don't have

Feel that?

What? That's my heart, Tony.

There's only one reason it's still
beating.

When I think that I was on the verge
of... And then you...

Beautiful.

Commissioner Scali, please.

Tony, I'm a little worried.

What's the matter, hon?

Well, Abby's daughter didn't come to
school today.

We tried Abby at home and she wasn't
there. She didn't show up for work

That mugger's still in jail, right?

He is, but he may have friends on the
outside.

What if something happened to them?

I'm going to go to Abby's apartment.

I'll call you later.

Linda?

Yes?

Closets are empty.

Looks like they cleared out.

There's more to this than just a nervous
witness.

Put on an APB.

You better make that on the Jane Doe.

The name, social security number, former
address that she gave us, all bogus.

Abby Davenport doesn't exist.

Amy, they didn't need my bus.

She doesn't own a car. It's still our
best bet.

An agent sold a ticket to a woman with a
little girl about half an hour ago.

Where to?

It was an open ticket.

I guess she's used to being on the run.

How many buses have left since then?
Two, Atlantic City and Philly. I radioed

ahead. They'll both be intercepted at
the first stop. Good. Let's check the

of the buses.

Any luck?

No, not yet.

I'll call you about the silly bus at the
first stop.

Okay, I'll be right there.

You taking a trip?

My God, is it really worth all of this
for purse snatching?

In the first place, yes.

In the second place, I want some
answers.

All right, I'll talk to Rachel.

How about you talk to the both of us?

My real name is Marcia Daniels.

Eight years ago, I married Stuart Walsh.

It was in Hartford.

His family's rich. He runs one of their
businesses.

We were well off.

We had Linda.

I thought that we were building a life.

One day I came home. Stuart wasn't
expecting me, and I found him

in Linda's room.

He was touching her.

How old was Linda?

Oh, she was barely four.

I don't know how many times he had... I

divorced him.

He, of course, denied everything. He had
hired the best lawyers and

psychiatrists. And they said that I was
delusional.

That I had been...

molested as a child and that I was
projecting my traumas onto Linda.

Had you been molested as a child?

I'm not delusional. I know what I saw.

Did Linda ever talk to anybody about her
father?

She'd just say, I love my daddy.

I mean, God knows what he had said to
her. She was terrified.

She wouldn't even talk about it at all.

Would she talk now?

Maybe if I had the money to pay for
years of therapy.

The court awarded us joint custody,
which left Linda living in his house

the time.

So the first chance I got, I took her. I
left.

You understand that makes you a
kidnapper.

Wouldn't any mother do the same?

Wouldn't you do the same?

Yes.

You ask Stan to come in here, please.

What's going to happen to Linda?

We'll keep her.

Take very good care of her. Oh, she'd
like that.

Thank you.

Stan, would you take Miss Daniels here
down to the lockup?

I don't care what happens to me, but I'm
begging you.

Don't give my daughter back to that
monster.

You have to let her go.

I can't.

You can't send that little girl back to
her father.

You're assuming that Abby or Marsha is
telling the truth.

You heard her.

We already know she's a good liar. She's
been lying all along about her name,

her background.

To protect her child.

I would do the same thing, Tony.

So would any parent. I know this woman.
I've seen her every week for six months.

She loves Linda.

What she told us today is the truth.

I feel it.

The court in Hartford didn't... Well,
the court in Hartford... is wrong. They

made a mistake.

You can't just put that woman away when
you know that she's innocent.

All I know is that she's a kidnapper.

Rachel, she's a fugitive. I have to
arrest her. It's the law.

The Tony Scali I know would never put
the letter of the law above the spirit

a situation like this.

You see that Tony Scali around?

Tell him I was looking for him.

It's going to be for a little while,
sweetie.

And you get to stay with Mrs. Scali,
okay?

Everything is going to be fine. I
promise you.

I'm sorry for the way that I acted
yesterday. I know that you were just

to help.

It's just that I couldn't take a chance.
You know, this picture might get on the

news or in the paper.

My husband, he's got detectives
everywhere.

I understand.

I don't think you do.

You couldn't.

Yeah, I've had to be so careful.

We've moved four times in three years.

Linda, she's got no friends, no life.

I didn't know what else to do.

You did what you had to do.

And the worst part is, it was all for
nothing.

You go to my house for a while.

Okay?

What's up?

I got the files from Hartford an hour
ago.

Stuart Walsh is a pillar of the
community.

There's no physical evidence of abuse,
no evidence at all, except for what

Marsha claimed she saw.

So maybe she was lying out of spite, or
because she wants sole custody of the

girl? Maybe.

It's just... Rachel believes her, and I
have an awful lot of respect for

Rachel's judgment.

We need some time to look into it.

I'm afraid we just ran out of time.

Hartford PD notified Walsh that we have
Linda in our custody. He's coming to

pick her up.

When? Tonight.

What am I, Lord? I got 800 pounds of
fertilizer for the Silex deer manure

commercials. Had no idea what to do with
it.

Until now.

The smell? Purely temporary.

Two weeks, Tops.

Two weeks?

Hey, this place is going to be the envy
of the block. This stuff works. Believe

me. I only write ads for stuff that I
believe in.

A day without green grass is no day at
all.

So get it.

Spread it. Then watch your lawn grow
tall.

Sorry.

There's a stream right next to the
house.

The water's cold.

And this is my dog, Valentine.

You have a dog?

No, but I will. I'll get him and he's a
puppy and he'll always love me.

You're quite an artist.

I know.

You know, um, your daddy's gonna be here
soon.

Maybe you should make one last trip to
the bathroom.

I miss Mommy.

You're going to see her again soon.

She just has some things to take care
of.

Will I see you again?

Sure.

Yeah, we'll come and visit you.

whose child brought pictures as sweet
and beautiful as these. I mean, they're

bright and sunny, and the families are
all together.

Everything she always wanted, never had.

Jennifer? Stuart Walsh.

Come on in.

I really appreciate your looking after
Linda.

Well, my wife is getting ready now. She
really is a great little girl.

Well, these last three years, I've
missed her more than I...

Daddy's here, honey.

My God.

She doesn't even remember me.

Oh, sweetheart.

It's been a long time, I know.

We'll be close, just like before.

You'll see.

It'll probably take some time.

It's probably just as well that she
can't go with you right this minute.

I thought you knew.

I can't release her until the court
makes it official. The court made it

official three years ago.

Well, if faxes aren't legal, I need
certified copies.

There'll probably be another day or two.

Well, I've waited three years. I guess
another day or two won't kill me.

You'll keep her here?

Daddy's got to go away for a little
while.

But don't you worry.

I'll be back.

I love you very much.

You take good care of her now.

What are we going to do?

I want to help you.

Help me?

You told them we were here.

I saw Linda's reaction when Stuart
walked through the door.

I'm going to do everything that I can to
prevent Stuart from taking her back.

But I need more evidence.

It's too late.

If you testify against the mugger, we
can delay your extradition to Hartford.

you're here, that'll keep Stuart here
while we get more evidence against him.

I already told you everything.

Are there any witnesses who can back you
up?

A housekeeper, another relative.

Do you know of any other victims?

There was a girl, Val Brody.

Before Stuart and I got married, she
lived in his house. Her mother was the

housekeeper. And then one day, they just
left.

And after Stuart and I got married, I
started hearing the rumors.

Well, rumors won't help us. But they're
true. Val even admitted it. She just

won't testify.

How do you know?

Every six months or so, I would call her
up. I thought that maybe if she came

forward, then Linda and I could finally
stop running.

She'd just hang up on me.

Where is she now?

Valerie, please, listen to me.

I know what I'm asking is difficult.

I know how awful those memories are for
you. You don't know.

I've got a life now.

I've been clean for a year.

I'd like to keep what happened in the
past.

But it's not really in the past, is it?

Is it, Valerie?

And it won't be until you close the book
on him.

That's what we're trying to do.

Close that book.

My mom... It helped kill my mom what he
did to me.

We always thought no one would believe
our word against his.

They will believe it now.

We'll make them believe it, Val.

Will you come to Eastbridge and tell
them the truth?

For Marsha's sake and for her
daughter's?

He hurt that girl.

Same as he hurt you.

And if I testify... You don't have the
baby.

Don't let this bozo twist your arm.

Linda was only four years old. That
don't concern us.

Let them people handle their own
problems.

Last thing we need is bringing up crap
that's old news.

You don't have to go down there and let
them mess with your head.

You're safe here now.

There's a little girl who wants to be
safe, too.

She suffered just like you did.

And she may have to continue suffering.

You owe it to her to prevent that.

To prevent the pain that you went
through.

Mr. Walsh.

Call me Stu.

I, uh, I talked with my lawyer.

He said that the extradition hearing's
being delayed because of some mugging

case you have to dispose of. Oh, right.
Uh, we need Marsha's testimony. She's

our only witness.

Well, Commissioner, muggings happen
every day.

Unfortunately, that's true, but that
doesn't make them any less serious.

No, no, of course not.

I'm just saying, can't we accelerate the
process?

If the victim's looking for help, I'll
write a check myself.

I want Linda home with me.

She's got a right to be safe.

Look, the thing is in front of mine. Why
don't I light a fire under him? The

perp in the mugging case will be hungry
to make a deal.

I'll wrap this up in no time for you.

What do you mean, stall?

I just got Marshan to agree to petty
larceny. Don't accept it. Don't accept

Tony.

I've just been in intense negotiations
for two and a half hours with his

Two and a half hours in an enclosed room
with a man who I know had beans for

lunch. I need you to go to trial.

With what for a case?

I don't have a witness. The old lady
didn't say a thing. With Marsha.

Marsha Daniels.

Who kidnapped their own daughter.

My chief witness is going to be a wanted
fugitive. I'm going to crash and burn

with her, Tony. They're going to write
Hindenburg across my chest. Why do you

hate me, Tony, huh? What have I done to
you that you hate me so? I need you to

drag out this process until I get
something on Stuart Walsh.

You close?

I got nothing.

I'll drag it out as long as I can.

Thanks, Alex.

It's not going to be easy because
Prezenza, you know, he likes his cases

and sweet.

If anyone can bring the system to a
grinding halt.

Hey, I'm your man.

Excuse me.

Thank you. Make way, please.

Make way. Luncheon for the commissioner.

Luncheon for the commissioner. Good day.

Mustn't be late. Good day. Good day.
Mustn't be late. Luncheon for the

commissioner. Luncheon. Ah,
commissioner. Here we are, sir.

Hey, how about this? Room service.

Very good, sir. We start off with your
small Caesar salad with homemade

croutons. Please. Follow that with a
lovely vichyssoise, which leads to your

poached salmon with dill sauce, diced
tomato and vinaigrette, and for dessert,

your choice of blueberry cheesecake or
hot apple pie.

Right this way, sir. It would be my
pleasure to serve you. Please.

I already ate.

Oh.

No problem.

I'll just leave it and you can graze
later.

It's okay.

I love this man.

You're lucky you're working for him.

Have we won the war against crime?

How do you get rid of a guy who thinks
he owes you his life?

Psycho -slavish behavior.

Up you are.

Saw a movie about it once.

Well, it wasn't exactly about it. It was
more of a... Well, okay, it was a women

with whips domination kind of thing.

Some of the guys rented it.

Anyway, the point is the need to be
dominated, i .e. to be a slave, is often

rooted in a sense of indebtedness.

This I know.

Well, that need can be erased if the
slave feels he's paid back the debt.

Listen.

I can get you a copy of the movie if you
want.

But then again, you probably don't want
to because it's not really a classic

film.

Take this downstairs to Marsha. She can
use something edible.

Oh.

I was just, uh... Look, it's not that I
didn't want to tell you in person

because, well, I mean, you're certainly
one of my closest and most admired...

Listen, Alex.

The purse snatching case?

Marsha Daniels on the stand?

What happened?

I'm sorry, Tony. I won it. It's over.

What? I kept her on the stand all
morning. Okay, I thought Judge Prozenza

going to issue a continuance. We'd break
for lunch. I'd drag it out for as long

as I wanted.

I'm good, Tony. I was very good. And I
didn't realize... The judge sentenced

purse snatcher to three years in county.

And Marsha's extradition hearing is
tomorrow morning, 9 o 'clock.

Sometimes you just got it, even when you
don't want it.

I know, Lisa. I went to law school, too.

17 exceptions to the hearsay rule. One
of them's got to apply.

Yes, Val Brody admitted to me she'd been
molested.

Right.

Right, Lisa.

I know it's after midnight.

The extradition hearing is in nine
hours.

Well, call me.

We got nothing.

I'm going to walk into that courtroom
tomorrow with Butkus.

And Marsha Daniels will be in Hartford
by the end of the day.

And did the form of molestation to which
Stuart Walsh subjected you include

sexual intercourse?

Yes, it did.

And how old were you at this time?

I was 12.

Could you speak up a little bit, please?

I was 12.

Thank you, Valerie.

Why did it take you nine years to report
this alleged sexual molestation?

I didn't want anyone to know about it.

Did you undergo a medical examination at
that time?

Is that a no?

No.

Why are you here now?

Because I don't want him to get away
with this again.

I don't want him to hurt that little
girl.

Isn't it true the real reason you're
here is that your mother tried to extort

$50 ,000 from Stuart Walsh with this
invented story of molestation? No, she

not. It didn't work then, and you're
getting revenge by joining Marsha's

hunt now. He molested me.

Counsel is badgering the witness.

Ms. Peterson. You've been convicted for
kiting checks, haven't you?

Objection. Overruled. And didn't you
serve six months for telephone fraud?

Objection. Overruled. In fact, Ms.
Brody, you're an habitual liar, aren't

He molested me.

He did it. Her previous record has
nothing to do with this case.

Ms. Frederick, the witness's background
aside, you've presented no medical

evidence to support the charge of
molestation.

I can't overturn the ruling of the
family court in Hartford based on this

woman's unsupported testimony.

The custody of the minor Linda Walsh is
hereby granted to her father, Stuart

Walsh. And Marsha Daniels is to be
extradited to the authorities in

stand trial for kidnapping.

He hurt my wife.

You can't let him get away with it.
Remove that man from the court.

What the hell kind of judge are you
anyway?

You got kids?

You want him loose around them?

Put him away, man.

I know you want to be with your mom,
Linda.

And you will be.

I'm going to make sure of that.

You have to trust me.

It's going to be okay, sweetie.

It really is.

I love you very much.

This will remind you that we're always
nearby.

Okay?

Hi, come on in.

Hello, Commissioner.

She's all ready.

Linda, your daddy's here.

I'm sorry I had to go through all this.
I can only imagine what it's been like.

It's a nightmare.

Look, I don't care now.

I just hope the damage that Linda's
mother inflicted on her isn't permanent.

Who knows what she's filled her mind
with.

Hi, honey.

Let's bundle up. It's cold out.

What's her name, huh?

Samantha. Why, hi, Samantha.

Thank you for taking care of her. Oh,
it's been our pleasure.

Linda's a very special girl.

You're going to love your new room.

We've got lots of video games.

You like video games?

Got lots of stuffed animals, too.

Enough to start your own zoo.

You're right, daylight's missing.

Since when?

Stay in the car, sir.

Can I see your registration and
insurance card, please?

Yeah.

This windshield looks like it's tinted
beyond the legal limit.

What?

And the tread on these tires are low.

I'm gonna have to cite you for that,
too. What is your problem, pal?

You gonna make your quota? The tires are
fine.

Hey. I said stay in the car. Look, I'm a
personal friend of Commissioner Scali.

In fact, I just came from his house. I
don't think he's going to like it when I

tell him how you treat people, Officer
Kelly.

What, just because you wear a gun, you
think you have the right to harass

people?

You done?

You're under arrest for disorderly
conduct.

Up against the car.

Okay, don't.

You're also under arrest for failure to
comply with a direct order from a police

officer. You want to go for the hat
trick?

Look, this is ridiculous.

I have a seven -year -old daughter in
this car who has been through hell.

You have no idea what kind of
psychological damage it will do if you

us.

Take this, little girl.

I want to book this guy.

Are you out of your mind?

Slap your department with a lawsuit so
fast you won't know what hit you.

There's going to be nothing left of you
when my lawyer's done, Kenny.

Come on, get in there.

Where's Scali? I demand to see Scali!

This man's going to kill me. Has he
threatened you?

No, but I know him. Just get along.

Don't leave us alone in here. Guard!

I

guess

this is my lucky day.

Why are you here?

When you threaten to kill a judge, he
don't cut you much slack.

Especially when he knows you mean it.

Look, I know what Valerie told you, but
it's only one side of the story. It's

not the truth.

Valerie was 12 years old, man.

After all these years, she still wakes
up in the middle of the night,

heart pounding out of her chest.

Is that what she said to you? No.

You, uh... You have to understand.

I'm sorry.

You're sorry?

You molested my wife.

I couldn't help myself.

You don't know what it's like.

It's a fever that can't be cooled down.

Unless...

I didn't want to hurt her. You gotta
believe me.

I tried to stop, but

I'm sorry.

I'll pay you anything you want.

$10 ,000.

I don't want your money.

Everybody wants money.

What do you need?

$20 ,000?

$50 ,000?

Money won't pay for what you did.

Scali? This sells Wyatt Walsh.

We got it all.

I just got the lowdown from the district
attorney, Alex Beebe.

And based on what Stewart said in the
cell, Judge Fenwick ruled you were

out of necessity.

You were ensuring Linda's safety.

So, all charges against you will be
dropped.

I feel like I've been let out of prison
for the first time in five years.

You got any plans?

No. Linda wants to stay here, be near
her favorite teacher, Mrs. Galley.

Well, that makes me very happy.

You've given us our life back. Thank
you.

Let's go.

Bye.

You coming home for supper?

Depends on what you're making.

I'll be home.

Hey, you wanted to see me? Yeah, Lee, I
just wanted to thank you. My lawn's

never looked better, and Rachel's car's
driving smooth as silk. Believe me, it's

nothing. Walk me out. Who do you want to
walk out with, Jackie Gleason?

And away we go.

How about a little bit of Groucho?
That's the most ridiculous thing I've

heard. And, uh, there's a dude, John
Wayne.

If you want, I can teach you any one of
them, Pilgrim. They're easy.

So, this thing has...

Three -speed jacuzzi jets.

Auto swirl. 500 -gallon capacity.

This tub will do everything but nibble
your ears.

I wish I had had one two years ago.
Jenny and I would still be together.

So, I want to arrange a time to swing by
your house and install it. Oh, that's

way too generously.

Compared to what you've done for me?

Put your hands on your heads.

Both of you.

Give us your money.

Now.

We don't want any trouble, okay?

Beat it!

Tony.

Tony, are you okay?

I am now, thanks to you. How did you do
that?

I did a spat a couple of years ago for
Lee Won Ho's karate studio.

You did?

Of course, I only know the two moves.

Well, those two moves just saved my
life.

Hey, I guess that makes a square. I
saved your life, you saved my life, so

even. Even?

Are you kidding me?

Do you know what just happened?

I got to be a hero. That's the rule of a
lifetime.

Look, I'm a character actor. I never get
to save the girl, let alone the police

commissioner.

I got chills.

Thank you, Tony.

I'm going to paint your house.

Outside and in.

Did you ever see my commercial for
Murphy's Paint? It was a tap -dancing

paintbrush.

A day without fresh paint is no day at
all.

Slap some of our water -based semi
-gloss right on your wall.