All language subtitles for Law.and.order.S12E19

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NARRATOR:
In the criminal justice system

the people are represented
by two separate
yet equally important groups,

the police
who investigate crime

and the district attorneys
who prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

Why you eat that crap?

Tastes good.

What's wrong with our pizza?

Not for breakfast.
The tomato gives me
that acid reflux.

Don't you ever let your
mother hear you say that.

Whoa, Pop!

What?

Oh, dear God.

White male, late teens,
early 20s.

Stab wound to the chest,
pretty deep.

Time of death?

From lividity and body temp,
my guess'd be 2:00 to 5:00
this morning.

Any luck with
the murder weapon?

ESU's still lookin'.

Well, the wallet's gone.
No cash, no ID.

Check out this blood trail.

We also found traces of blood
on the sidewalk out front.

So, the guy gets jumped
out there...

Yeah, and dragged back here
to rest in peace.
Who found the body?

Pizza guys,
opening for the day.

So, maybe he came by
for a slice.

Well, he got one.

I don't remember him
comin' in here,

but we do a pretty good
business at night.

How late were you open?

The last customers
trickled in about 1:45.
We locked up by 2:30.

Anybody see or hear
anything strange?

Nothing strange
but the customers.

What do you mean?
At that hour?

Mostly hookers and hustlers
comin' east off the river.

Kills me.
What?

SAL SR.: That These people
come in here all strung out.

Neighborhood's had
two muggings in the
past week.

Some of these guys are
wearin' skirts and heels.

I mean, they even use
the ladies' room.

So, we're looking for
a killer transvestite?

Yeah, with a taste
for sausage.

We talked to the RIP guys.
There's no word on any
dangerous transvestite.

But we did get the fives
on the two recent muggings.

Yeah, one of the perps
was picked up

on a turnstile jump
a few days ago.
He's in Rikers.

Well, that's
a convincing alibi.
And the other one?

Purse snatcher,
still at large.

The beat cops
are canvassing with
his description.

Well, what about our victim?
Does he have a name yet?

Computers have been down
all morning.

Cordova's just running
the prints now.

Well, tell me
we got something
from the crime scene.

Well, according to
the Medical Examiner,

John Doe was killed with
a 6-inch blade, curved
and very sharp.

A hunting knife or some
kind of tool, maybe.

Got a hit off of BCI.

Victim's name is
Andrew Hatcher,

but there's no listing
of him in the city.

BRISCOE: What was
the collar for?

It was sealed two years back.

Well, it could be
because he was a YO.

There's just a name, date
and location of arrest.
Washington Square Park.

Eighth Precinct.

Find out who ran
the conditions car that day.

Mostly we'd break up
gangs of kids gettin' high.

They got rowdy,
we'd toss 'em in the truck.

In my day we called it
The Goon Squad.

You recognize this kid?

Mmm.

Sorry.
Well,
you made the collar.

Your remember
anything about it?

Andrew Hatcher,
October 12th, 2000.

We know it was a while back,

but we were hopin'
maybe this kid made
an impression.

No, not him, the date.
October 12th, Columbus Day.

Is that a big day for you?

Student protest
at Stuyvesant College.

Five hundred years
of American imperialism
or some crap.

There's always a few
who take it too far.

You know,
throw a bottle or somethin'.

So, you sure the protest
was that year?

Yeah, it happens every year
Except for this one,
of course.

And these were
all college kids?

Who else is gonna
protest a holiday?

Here we go. Andrew Hatcher,
currently a senior.

What about an address?

427, Lakeview Drive,
Amherst, Massachusetts.

That must be the parents.

Or it's a hell of a commute.

No New York address?

These kids
move around so much.

All I have for Hatcher
is a PO box at
the student union.

What about a class schedule?

Journalism 415.
Sociology 305,
Group Dynamics.

History 230, Economics
and Social Injustice.

Earth Science 307.
Environmental Ethics.

GREEN: How about a class
this afternoon?

Earth Science lecture's
in half an hour.

You want to check that out?
See if anybody knows
where he lives?

If I can sit in the back.

Thank you.

NORTON: Andy's been
my roommate
for the past six months.

Yeah, we talked to
a student who told us
Andy had Journalism class

yesterday until 3:00.
Did you see him after that?

The last time I saw Andy
was around 5:00 p.m.
He was comin', I was goin'.

We talked about seein'
this band on Saturday.

We're just tryin' to
figure out where he
might've gone last night.

He didn't mention
anything to me.

Man, none of this
seems real.

Is this Andy's stuff?

We were gonna switch rooms
at the end of the semester.

I'd like to
take a look around,

see if he left a date book
or messages or something.

Sure, go ahead.

We found him in Chelsea
near 14th Street.

You know of any places
he liked to hang out
around there?

Uh, any bars maybe.

Andy didn't drink
on week nights.

It's more likely
he was at the library.

Lennie.

Is this yours or Andy's?

Hey,
we're homicide, not vice.
Don't worry about it.

But you gotta help us out.

Now, is this recreational
or did he sell, or what?

We were just buying
dime bags for ourselves.

GREEN: Buying them from where?

Sometimes 14th
near where you said.

But I swear,
it was always just dimes.
(CELL PHONE RINGING)

Yeah, Green.
Did you buy from
anybody in particular?

You just walk
up and down the street
and someone shows up.

It's like a different dealer
every time.

Lennie,
the parents are comin' in.

We're gonna have to
take this with us.

I should've called the police.
I knew something was wrong.

GREEN: Mrs. Hatcher, can you
tell us what happened?

Andy called me
early this morning
but we got cut off.

I kept calling back,
but there was no answer.

What time did your son call,
Mrs. Hatcher?

A little after 9:00 a.m.

I picked up the phone,
but there was no one there.

What made you think
it was him?

We have caller ID.
The number was
Andy's cell phone.

We didn't find a cell phone
with your son's belongings.

Andy never went anywhere
without that phone.

This had already happened
by 5:00 a.m.,

so it wasn't Andy
that called you.

Then who was it?

Hey, according to
the cell phone company,

there's no way to trace
the phone's location
with that model.

You get something for me?

They didn't have any tofu.
What about the LUDs?

Well, we got a few noteworthy
phone calls this morning.

First off, we got 9:04 a.m.,
508 area code,
four seconds long.

The call to Mom.

Exactly. The guy probably
hit redial by mistake.

But check this out
9:57 a.m.

Almost an hour later.
Uh-huh.

212 area code.
Call lasted four minutes,
36 seconds.

Pretty talkative
for a dead guy.
Exactly.

You want half?
Mmm-mmm.

ZWYBEL: Nobody called here
this morning.

I was at work by 8:00,
and my daughter was in school.

Phone records don't lie,
Mr. Zwybel.

Well, maybe it was
a wrong number or something.

The call lasted
almost five minutes.
Somebody was here.

Katie!

Were you in school today?

Yeah.
You tellin' me the truth?

Yeah.

Well, then who was here
talkin' on the phone
this morning?

Okay, I went in late.

I only missed gym.
I swear.

We'll talk about this later.

GREEN: Who called you, Katie?

Bobby.

Bobby Foster.
Kid from the neighborhood.

BRISCOE: What'd he say to you?

Just that he got
a new cell this morning.

Do you know
where we can find him?

Yeah, he plays ball every day
after school at the projects.

Yo, Iverson.
We need to talk.

Yo, but the game...

Consider yourself benched.

You made a phone call
to your friend Katie
this morning?

Yeah, but I didn't do
anything wrong.

Well, then you got
nothin' to worry about.

Just tell us
where you got the phone.

I bought it.

You bought it? From who?

This isn't a game, Bobby.

The kid who owned that phone
is dead.

What?
Jimmy killed some dude?

GREEN: Jimmy who?

I don't know.
He's this hustler.

He works on the corner
near my school.

He sold me the phone
for 5 bucks.

Where is it?

My friend Ron told me
I was a fool.

He said I'd probably
get busted for it.

So, I threw it under a subway
after I called Katie.

Where can we find this Jimmy?

He hangs out on 12th.
Wears a red leather jacket.
You can't miss him.

What do you want?

What you sellin', Jimmy?

You lookin' for a date, cop?

How much for just a feel?

Oh, I guess
you take it for free, man.

Oh, this looks like
stolen property, Ed.

"To Andy.
Love, Mom and Dad."

Just once I'd like to make
one of you bastards break
the news to the parents.

His name's Andrew Hatcher.

You tried to sell him
some weed, right?

Maybe he didn't like
the size of your bags.

You two get into an argument,
the next thing know,
it was you or him.

The D.A. might even
reduce the charge to
manslaughter, Jimmy,

if that's what happened.

I don't sell drugs.

No, you just use 'em, right?

I got it under control.

Well, if it wasn't drugs,
then what were you doin'
with Andy?

Nothin' man.
I've never seen
this kid before.

Then how'd you wind up
with his cell phone?

You're not gonna believe me,
so what's the point?

The point is
you got nothin' to lose.

Found it in a dumpster
this morning.

(CHUCKLES) You're right.
I don't believe you.

It's where
I was hidin' my stash.

There was other stuff
in there, too.

What kind of stuff?
A wallet.

What'd you do with it?

I left it there.
It was all messed up.

What do you mean,
messed up?

Blood on it.
Man, I didn't want to
touch that. Got diseases.

This from a guy
who keeps his stuff
in a dumpster.

GREEN:
Is this dumpster still there?

They only move it
once a week.

Let's go.

You sure
this is the right one?

Yeah.

Look at this.

It's a portable pharmacy.

And a bloody wallet
belonging to one
Andrew Hatcher.

What's the matter, Jimmy?

Didn't even want to take
the 8 bucks cash?

Look, I told you,
I didn't touch it.

Nothin' else in here
but sand.

Can I go now?

Oh, you're not off the hook
that easy, punk.

Cops are searchin'
the whole neighborhood now
for the murder weapon.

Once they find it,
they're gonna check it
for your prints.

Why would I show you all this
if I killed that kid?

Because that stuff
doesn't even point
the finger at you.

Detectives.
We found something.

Don't need a lab test
to tell us that's blood.

With any luck
it's the victim's.

Victim's blood,
killer's shirt. This yours?

No, that ain't mine.

Can you run this over
to the lab?

Yeah, we're gonna need
a sample from your suspect.

Test for a match
on the shirt.

Hair, fibers, blood,
everything.

Get ready to
open a vein, Jimmy
if you got any left.

After excluding a few leaves
and some rain water,

I ran serology
and fiber analysis tests

on every square centimeter
of the shirt.

Your victim's blood was
all over it. Thanks.

But no match
for our suspect?

I found a few hair shafts,
but they were all gray,

not consistent
with the suspect.

I guess Jimmy
caught a break.

But I did find
something significant.

Something significant
about the perp, I hope.

Not unless your killer's
got hooves.

When I first ran
the immunologic test
on the samples,

I got a non-human
antibody response.

I'm thinking
you get that a lot.

Well, take a look at this.

Uh, these are magnified
microscopic photos

of actual red blood cells
taken from the samples.

Do you see the large area of
central pallor in this one?

I see a white spot
surrounded by a red spot.

That's a normal human
red blood cell.

So, what's the other one?

Bovine.

As in cow?
Does that mean our killer
had steak for dinner?

The lab tech says
the blood cells were
still intact,

meaning that the blood
was uncooked.

So, the killer handled
raw beef. A butcher?

The shirt was found in
a sewer at Washington
and Gansevoort Streets.

That's right in the heart of
the Meatpacking District.

Well, that makes sense.

Besides prostitutes
and junkies,

meatpackers would be the
only activity in the area
at 4:00 a.m.

Hey, do you remember
the M.E.'s profile of
the murder weapon?

A 6-inch curved blade.

Uh-huh.
We did some checking.

It's consistent with
a butcher's boning knife.

All right,
show Hatcher's photo
around the meat plants.

Put those sides in
the walk-in for now.

Are you the manager?

I'm the owner,
Arthur King. Why?

Any of you guys seen
this man around here?
His name's Andrew Hatcher.

Don't recognize him.

Mind if I talk
to your workers?

Look, we got 10,000 cuts
to make this shift.

We'll try to stay
out of the way.

(QUESTIONS IN SPANISH)

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

He was lookin' for someone.

Who?

Mike Bledsoe.
He worked here two years ago.

You know what he wanted
to talk to Bledsoe about?

No.
But he said it was important.

I told him Bledsoe lives
in Brooklyn somewhere.

How come you didn't
want to tell us this
in front of your boss?

Mr. King think about
only one thing, quota.

BRISCOE: When's the last time
you saw the kid
in the picture?

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

He says that Hatcher
was here last Wednesday.
When'd you start work?

Midnight.

Couple of hours before
Hatcher punched out.

Gracias.
De nada.

Sorry, I don't know him.

Take another look,
Mr. Bledsoe.
His name's Andrew Hatcher.

You may have
been the last person
to see him alive.

I'm tellin' you,
I've never seen him before.
What's this about?

This kid was
a college student.

He got knifed to death
a few days ago in the
Meatpacking District.

What's that got
to do with me?

Some of the workers
at Elite Meats

said he came in on
Wednesday askin' for you.

He said he needed to
talk to you about something.

I don't know about what.

So, you're tellin' us
you have no idea why this kid
would come lookin' for you?

Look, someone called me
the other night.

I don't know,
could've been him.

BRISCOE: Did you talk to him?

Left a message on my machine.

I thought it was one of those,
uh, solicitation calls,

so I never called back.

You still got the message?

Think so.

My name's Andrew Hatcher,
and I have a few questions
I'd like to ask you.

You can reach me
at the NYPIRG office
at 212-555-0101. Thank you.

NYPIRG?

COREY: New York Public
Interest Research Group.

We oversee students interested
in public service issues.

Andy was a very
proactive volunteer.

You don't think this has
something to do with
his work here, do you?

At this point,
we don't really know.

Can you tell us why
Andy would visit this
meatpacking plant?

He was very interested
in animal rights.

I didn't realize that
they brought livestock
into Manhattan.

Elite Meats owns
a slaughterhouse upstate.

The carcasses are cut
and processed in the
Meatpacking District.

What's that got to do
with animal rights?

It was how they killed
and gutted the cows.

Andy was doing research.

GREEN: Are there any files
on the work he was doing?

Just an expense report.

Looks like he submitted
some receipts for some film.

He was taking pictures?

I don't know.
But he bought the film at
a place called Photofast.

Hatcher.
4 by 6, matte finish.
Been ready since Wednesday.

GREEN: We need to take
a look at those.

Guy's been in here
a couple of times this month.

Usually he picks 'em up
right away.

Yeah,
he's had a rough week.

Oh, look at this.

It's enough to make me
want to take up tofu.

Isn't that Arthur King?

Mr. Elite Meats.

GREEN:
Arthur King in the plant.

Arthur King
on the loading dock.

Arthur King in blue denim.

All right, watch Miguel.
See how he cuts
along the bone?

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

And remember,
fast, fast, fast. Rápido.

Mr. King.

What's goin' on?
You're coming with us.

Hey, I got a plant
to run here.

That's gonna have to wait.

Well, what's this about?
A blue denim shirt.

A lot easier when they
don't fight back, huh?

Andrew Hatcher,
the college kid who was
nosin' around your plant.

The one you said
you don't remember seeing.

I didn't.
He was killed with
a boning knife,

the same kind you use
at your plant.

Oh, everybody
in the meat business
uses that kind of knife.

Everybody in the meat
business wear these?

Some of that blood belongs
to the kid you filleted.

You recognize the shirt?

No.

BRISCOE: A picture's worth
a thousand words.

What's the matter?
You look like you're
about to have a cow.

It's not my shirt.

GREEN: You know, that's funny,
because one of your
cutters said that

you finished the night
wearing just a T-shirt.

Is it because
you ditched that?

BRISCOE: We're havin'
a warm winter, Artie,
but it's not that warm.

Look, am I under arrest,
or what?

Good question.

Anything other than
the photograph tying King
to the shirt?

Well, the fiber analysis
says there's a 75% chance

the hair strands on it
came from King.

What about the DNA?

The hair follicle
has to be intact for them
to make a comparison.

These are only hair shafts.

I suppose there's no chance
of finding the murder weapon.

Well, he probably brought it
back to the plant.

Any blood on it
would be mixed with
20 different cows by now.

That's a pleasant thought.

Do you want us to
release him or book him?

Arrest him.

Can we get an indictment?

Well, we've got enough
circumstantial evidence to
establish probable cause.

I figured the arrest
buys us time to find
something more concrete.

Where are we on motive?

The victim was
a college student.

It seems like he was looking
into the possibilities

of animal rights violations
at King's plant.

What type of violations?

Something to do with how
they were killing their cows,
handling the carcasses.

So, King murders him?

Pretty lean.

Apparently Hatcher
was about to make contact
with a Michael Bledsoe

right when he was killed.

Bledsoe worked at King's plant
about two years back.

What could this Bledsoe
have to say that would be
worth killing over?

He wasn't exactly forthcoming
with Briscoe and Green.

But Briscoe and Green couldn't
drop a subpoena on him.

I already
told those detectives
I never met the kid.

Then what is it you think
he wanted to talk to you
about, Mr. Bledsoe?

I have no idea.

Well, the police seem
to think you might.

Did it have anything to do
with the slaughter practices
at your old job?

If I never talked to him,
I wouldn't know, would I?

Well, the people at Elite
gave him your name.
Why would they do that?

Ask them.

I'm asking you.

And if I have to
ask you again,

it'll be in front of
a grand jury.

Ask me
anywhere you want,
but I can't talk about Elite.

You'd be under subpoena.

I don't know what that means.

All I know is
the lawyer said if I talk
I could lose my pension.

What lawyer?

The one who had me sign
the confidentiality agreement.

You signed
a confidentiality agreement
when you left Elite?

Just speak to the lawyer,
okay?

What's the lawyer's name?

I don't know.

Some guy who works
for AgriStar Enterprises.

If he didn't work for Elite,
why did he have you sign...

Look, miss,
you gotta talk to the lawyer,

or else subpoena me
or whatever.

But I'm not riskin'
my pension here, okay?

Jim Dittmar,
AgriStar's corporate counsel.

Hi.
And this is Bill Talbot,
our CEO.

Happy to help any way we can.

You said on the phone
this concerned Elite Meats?

Well, my office is
investigating a murder

we believe may have
been committed by
one of its employees.

Murder?

I'm sorry, this relates
to us in what way?

We know Elite Meats is
one of your food suppliers,

and one of their
former employees told me

that your company had him sign
a confidentiality agreement.

DITTMAR: Who's the employee?

Michael Bledsoe.

I recognize the name.

The agreement was part
of a litigation settlement.

AgriStar was in litigation
with Elite Meats?

Same side of the table.
We were co-defendants.

What were you being sued for?

It was Elite who got sued.

Plaintiffs dragged us in
as a deep pocket.

On what claim?

I'm sorry.
We'd like to help,

but the confidentiality
agreement that binds Elite

and the plaintiffs
binds us as well.

And I can certainly
appreciate that,

but this is now
a homicide investigation.

And it's possible
a murder was committed

to cover up something
that Elite was doing.

And what is it you think
Elite was involved in?

Right now,
our best information is that

there may have been some
animal rights violations
at the plant.

Well, without
violating confidentiality,

I can assure you that the
lawsuit had nothing to do
with animal rights violations.

Then what was it about?

I don't know.
The litigation records were
sealed by the court.

Well, if the lawsuit wasn't
about animal rights,

Bledsoe ought to be
able to talk to us
about animal rights.

So, either he was
just being uncooperative

or we need to adjust
our motive theory.

Only one way to find out.

Find a witness who didn't sign
a confidentiality agreement.

How about a meat inspector
from the USDA?

Maybe they can tell us
what was going on
at King's plant.

Well, slaughtering
infractions were something
we investigated initially.

Initially?

Unfortunately,
what we found was
something far more serious.

What do you mean?

What do you know
about E. coli?

It's a bacteria that can
cause serious infections.

Sometimes it infects
the cow's gut.

If the gut is then
handled improperly,

there's a potential
for a pretty dangerous
contamination.

Is that what was
happening at Elite?

If the gutting's
done properly,

the spill rate's less than
half a percent.

We put Elite's at 20%.

But there wasn't
anything we could do
about it at the time.

What do you mean?
You're the USDA.

At most,
we can pull our inspectors
and seals of approval

if we think a plant
is contaminating meat.

You can't just
shut the plant down?

We've tried
shutting plants down,

but the courts just keep
ruling against us.

Who informs the public?

It's not that simple.

Our response depends on
the severity of the problem.

We can't sound the alarm for
every case of food poisoning.

These companies would be sued
by anyone with a stomach ache.

E. colt's a little more
severe than a stomach ache.

Of course it is.
But I don't want you to get
the wrong impression.

Elite was just
one problem company

in an otherwise
very responsible industry.

So much for making brisket
this weekend.

Well, the USDA thinks
half of Elite's livestock
was infected with E. coli

but says they couldn't
do anything about it.

Half?

They were improperly gutting
one out of every five cows.

So, ground up,
one cow can contaminate
32,000 pounds of beef.

Well, why didn't the USDA
or CDC demand a recall?

Well, the USDA
doesn't have the authority,

and the CDC only finds out
if the company tells them

or if the problem
is widespread.

Makes you wonder
why we even have a USDA.

So, obviously
this kid Hatcher was onto
something far more serious

than a few
animal rights violations.

Well, I imagine
news of an E. coli outbreak
at King's plant

would cost him his business.

Only the person who
might be able to
answer these questions

thinks he's bound by
a confidentiality agreement.

An agreement that covers up
the lawsuit against Elite
and AgriStar.

If Elite was contaminating
beef, you can bet
that's why they got sued.

And why King killed Hatcher.

He was afraid
he'd blow the whistle

on whatever's in the pages
of that lawsuit.

Most judges aren't
going to like us looking

to try and violate
the privacy of rights
of civil litigants.

Find one who will.

I thought this was
a criminal case.

Why are you seeking
discovery of a civil lawsuit?

JACK: We believe that
the lawsuit may
contain evidence

relating to the
defendant's motive.

Kevin Roth for Arthur King
and Elite Meats, Your Honor.

Mr. McCoy's on
a fishing expedition.

I concur, Your Honor.
Jim Dittmar, counsel
to AgriStar Enterprises.

AgriStar is a party to the
confidentiality agreements

Mr. McCoy is looking
to vitiate.

It's the only way we can
get access to evidence

which may be material
to our case.

The key word being "may".

You've got no evidence
to justify violating a valid
nondisclosure agreement.

How can we
when the nondisclosure
is the very thing

that's frustrating
our investigation?

The agreement is
unenforceable if it frustrates
the pursuit of justice.

It's black letter law,
Your Honor.

A contract contrary to the
public good is unenforceable

no matter how many people
wish it wasn't.

I want to look
at the documents.
DITTMAR: Your Honor...

How can I determine
if the People's motion
has any merit

unless I see what
we're fighting over?

Don't worry, Mr. Dittmar,

I'm a steak and potatoes man.

Special delivery
from Judge Grady.

I guess the court's reading
of the documents was
different than Mr. Dittmar's.

Elizabeth Lawrence et al.
v.

Elite Meats Incorporated
and AgriStar Enterprises.

Elite was the
Manhattan area supplier of
beef patties to Big Bill's.

The fast food chain?

AgriStar was more than
just a deep pocket in this.
It owns Big Bill's.

According to the complaint,
Big Bill's patrons were
getting E. coli infections.

So, Hatcher was
onto something.

After one of the
customers got sick

their lawyer looked
for other cases,

but AgriStar
pulled out all the stops
to force a settlement.

List of affected customers.
Beth Lawrence, age five.

Emily Miller, age four.
Michael Foranda, age three.

Lisa Santos, age three.
Benjamin Davies, age four.

Jack, the plaintiffs' claim
was for wrongful death.

These children are all dead.

Five children dead. How?

They died of organ failure
after contracting E. coli.

It was in the beef
Elite sold to AgriStar's
subsidiary, Big Bill's.

It's a fast food chain.

I eat at Big Bill's.

You do?

They have the best fries.

It's amazing that AgriStar
was able to cover this up.

Why wouldn't the plaintiffs
blow the whistle?

I mean, why would somebody
whose child got sick
keep quiet?

As a negotiating tactic.

The parents sue for
compensation, not publicity,

but the threat
gives them leverage.

Once they settled,
the confidentiality agreements

make sure everything
got swept under the rug.

Only Andy Hatcher's
investigation threatened
to bring it back up

and drive King
out of business.

Not just Arthur King.

AgriStar was the one who
put up the confidentiality
smoke screen,

and its CEO misled Serena
when she asked what

its connection was
to Hatcher's investigation.

He was protecting his wallet.

Still, it doesn't prove
Talbot had something to do
with Hatcher's death.

Well, maybe not Hatcher.

But what about
those five children?

Right now, we have nothing
to show that AgriStar's
business practices were

anything other than
completely legal.

Why not?
Because the USDA tells us so?

They've already admitted
they either don't have
the teeth to do the job

or they're unwilling
to use them.

If they're not going to do
something about this, I will.

Doing the USDA's job
seems a bit off target.

I'm not talking
about doing their job.

I'm talking about
doing our job.

According to this,
AgriStar knew Elite was
giving them tainted food.

Second degree manslaughter.

Talbot was guilty
of reckless disregard.

And how do you plan
to show causation?

I don't.
That's your job.

Jack, you've already
prosecuted gun manufacturers,
drug companies, HMOs.

And I'm the one resisting.
That should tell you
something.

I don't think
you'd be resisting

if Arthur King
told you that Talbot was
the one responsible.

You want to see if
we can flip Arthur King?

ROTH: You're wasting
your time.

My client's not
interested in pleading

when all you've got
is a circumstantial case.

We're not here
on the Hatcher murder.

Then you're really
wasting your time.

That's the only crime
he's charged with.

So far.

What's she talking about?

Your client's culpability in
the death of five children.

For what?

For selling infected meat
to AgriStar

with reckless disregard
for the consequences.

Fortunately for you,
Mr. King, my boss is
more interested in knowing

whether Bill Talbot knew
that's what you were doing.

ROTH: You won't charge him
on the five kids if he
testifies against Talbot?

If he knows enough for us
to build a case against him.

And if he pleads man one
on the Hatcher murder.

He can give you AgriStar.
But you'll have to do better.

I can go as far as man two,

but I want to hear
what he knows before
I finalize any deal.

Two years ago,

we were cuttin' corners
just to make delivery.

Talbot knew,
but he didn't care.

Not as long as
we met our quota.

Then those kids died,
we get sued.

Suddenly everybody's
concerned about safety.

Bill Talbot knew that
your beef was being
exposed to E. coli?

Yes. I told him
we had to cut corners
to meet quota.

Plus, he was gettin'
the same reports I was.

He knew that E. coli
wasn't there for flavor.

What about Hatcher?

Talbot was tipped
by somebody that the kid
was nosin' around.

He said he was
some kind of activist

lookin' to
shut down the plant.

So, I started keepin'
my eyes open.

One night, I m workin

He's there takin' pictures,
so I followed him.

I just wanted to
get the film from him.
That's all I was gonna do.

I mean, I put 30 years
into Elite, you know?

But he wouldn't
give me the pictures.

He starts yellin'
at me instead,

sayin' that
I'm poisoning people.

So, I took out my knife,

just to scare him
so he'd give me the pictures.

I don't even know
how it happened.

He was just yellin',
and I was scared.

Scared

I was gonna lose everything.

After it happened
I took his things,

tossed the camera
in the Hudson.

All my life,

I never thought I could
do anything like this.

(CRYING)

TALBOT:
The Big Bill Junior Playland

is an interactive playground
for the 21st century.

We project that
by the end of 2004,

the Big Bill's franchises
in each of the major markets
will have one.

This point-of-sale destination
will help cement AgriStar's

relationship with the...
GREEN: William Talbot,

you're under arrest for
second degree manslaughter...

Gentlemen,
if you have a problem,
my secretary...

Elizabeth Lawrence.
Arrest?

Benjamin Davies.
Michael Foranda.

There must be a mistake.

Lisa Santos and Emily Miller.
I want my attorney.

Want fries with that?

This is a witch hunt.
It's vindictive prosecution.

JACK: If you thought you
could convince a jury of that,
you wouldn't be here.

The only reason we're here
is to stop this runaway train
you've started.

SOUTHERLYN:
You said on the phone
you had an offer.

You dismiss the indictment,

and in exchange,
AgriStar will disclose

the safety measures
we've already undertaken

and promise to
implement new ones,
which we can negotiate.

Thank you for your time.

Wait. At least
consider the offer.

There is nothing to consider.
Five children are dead.

I had nothing to do
with that.
Bill...

No, I want to say this.

I am not the villain here.

I refused to do
business with King unless
he cleaned up his act.

But only after
five people died.

We serve millions
of people a day.
This was five cases.

Five children,
killed by your product.

Not killed, counselor.
They got sick.

Look, let's get practical
for a minute.

If what your boss is
looking for is safer food,

our offer guarantees that.

Your offer
is a list of promises

with no means of assuring
that you won't loophole
your way out of them

the first chance you get.

And it's rejected.

Two years ago, our quota
was 10,000 pounds a day.

But sometimes a truck's late,
a grinder breaks.

We've gotta make up that time.

So, knives don't get
cleaned after gutting,

spills from the gut table
don't get wiped up
as carefully.

And as a result,
could E. coli co-mingle
with the meat?

Well,
when you've got a quota,
you don't waste.

Not the pieces from
the gut table or the pieces
that drop on the floor.

To your knowledge,
was the defendant aware

of these conditions
at your plant?

Yeah. I delivered short
on one shipment.

Talbot chewed me out over it.

I told him I couldn't
meet his quota without
cuttin' corners.

JACK: Cutting corners?

Health and safety.

I told him about spill rates

and how E. coli was
gettin' into the meat.

And I told him what we had
to do to keep things clean.

JACK: And what
was his response?

He said it was my problem,

and if I didn't meet quota,
he'd go elsewhere.

I'm barely breakin' even.

If he pulled his business,
I'd lose mine.

Mr. Talbot never
told you to sacrifice

health and safety to
meet quota, did he?

How else did he think
I was gonna do it?

Add more workers?
Expand the plant?

I told him
that sacrificing safety
was the only way.

What about
increasing efficiency?

I've been in this business
30 years, and it's always
been the same.

Faster, faster, faster.
Anything else is a pipe dream.

HUTCHINS:
Well, if 10,000 pounds a week
wasn't feasible,

you never should have
made the contract
in the first place.

Right?

You're currently
serving a prison sentence
for homicide, aren't you?

Objection.
HUTCHINS: Goes to credibility.

Overruled.

Only you received
a lesser sentence

in exchange for
your testimony against
Mr. Talbot, didn't you?

I'm tellin' the truth.

The truth is that
you're blaming my client
for your mistakes.

TALBOT: Big Bill's
is a family restaurant.

Two-thirds of our
fast food employees
are under the age of 20.

Over 25 million children
walk into our restaurants
every month.

We serve 10 million
burgers to kids a week.

The suggestion that
we're a company that
kills children is ludicrous.

And yet there is
a statistical association

between the deaths
of five children
and your company.

And when I learned about it
I was devastated.

But you're talking about
a statistical association,
not direct proof.

Look, King may have
had his problems,

but today his plant is clean
because I got it cleaned.

Not the USDA,
not the CDC. Me.

HUTCHINS: How?

By refusing to do
business with King unless
he cleaned up his act.

Well, you're aware that
Mr. King says that you
forced him to break the law.

TALBOT: Well, that doesn't
make any sense.

My company is his customer.

Why would I pay good money
for a product that wasn't
of the highest quality?

Nothing further.

Arthur King
testified under oath

that you knew he was
supplying a diseased product.
Was he lying?

His version of events doesn't
include when we found out.

As I said, as soon as
we knew there was a problem,

we refused to
do business with them
until they fixed it.

And this discovery just
happened to coincide

with the deaths of
these five children?

Objection.

Overruled.

These kids
caught an infection.

God only knows from what.

I don't know
about God, Mr. Talbot,

but to me,
it's no coincidence

that each of these five
children died within hours
of eating your product.

My product is food,
a living thing.

And with living things
disease is a fact of life.

Children can catch E. coli
from petting animals.

Why aren't you putting
the Bronx Zoo on trial?

In a zoo,
the danger to children
is kept in a cage.

I don't believe that the
food that my company sold
made those children sick.

Then why settle
with their parents?

Objection. Evidence
of out-of-court settlements
is inadmissible.

Not if it's being
used to impeach
the defendant's statement.

You put it in play,
Mr. Hutchins.

Answer the question.

It wasn't an admission
of guilt, Mr. McCoy.

We settled because
it was cheaper to do so
than to go to trial.

Just as it was cheaper
to purchase tainted food

than to take steps to
make sure that it was safe.

Objection.
JUDGE: That's sustained.

Actually, I'd like to answer.

I run a business, Mr. McCoy.

Everybody likes
a perfect product.

But if it's too
expensive or inconvenient,
no one buys it.

The airlines could
hand search every
passenger on every flight,

but the delays would
put them out of business.

Cars could be made
as safe as tanks.

But how many people
could afford a car that
costs as much as a house?

Risk-return analysis
isn't reckless.

It's responsible business.

So, is keeping
your customers alive.

Half the jury looked like
they were about to choke

on Talbot's
risk-return argument.

Even though it's really
a valid response.

The law doesn't require
companies to adopt

safety standards that'd
price them out of business.

There's no
cost-benefit analysis that
justifies children dying.

Still, there are limits to
corporate responsibility
even in the case of children.

Whether or not the
jury buys Talbot's argument,

it's still his word
against King's.

King's a blue collar felon,
while Talbot's a captain
of industry.

He's made his career
out of spin control

and creating a kid-friendly
corporate image.

Well, maybe it's time to
leverage that image
against them.

Out of the mouths of babes.

I imagine our original offer
is looking pretty good
right about now.

The only offer we would
consider at this point

would have to
include jail time.

Have we been sitting
in the same courtroom?

'Cause our case
has been going
pretty well for us so far.

"So far"
being the operative term.

What are you talking about?

We can still call
witnesses to rebut

your client's
risk-reward argument.

Oh, I doubt this jury
will be impressed by

some USDA inspector
or a hired gun economist.

I'm not talking
about an expert.

This is Roberta Miller.

JACK: Her name
might ring a bell.

Your company paid her
$1 million to settle
her wrongful death claim.

What the hell is this?

Do you want to hear
what she'll say in court?

That my daughter got E. coli
from one of your hamburgers.

That it attacked
her heart and kidneys,

just shut them down.

She was only four years old.

Four.

Can they do this?

A judge will
never let it happen.

Your client opened the door.

He argued that adequate safety
was too expensive
given the risk.

Mrs. Miller will testify
to the consequences of
ignoring that risk.

We have four other witnesses
in addition to Mrs. Miller.

Five distraught parents
before a media-packed
courtroom, if not a jury.

This might be
a good time for another
risk-reward analysis.

Forget it.
This is blackmail.

Let's at least
hear them out.

I am not going to jail.

Jail's not the only thing
you have to worry about, Bill.

Well, if you're
talking about publicity,
AgriStar can spin this.

There's no way
you can spin five distraught
parents, Mr. Talbot.

(WHISPERING)

(SOFTLY) Don't forget
about your family.

(INAUDIBLE)

I assume you'll allow him
to allocute in chambers?

I'll talk to my boss.

Criminally negligent homicide.
Two years for each child.

And 10 times that in the
court of public opinion.

Then why'd you let him
plead guilty in chambers?

Board rooms
have great acoustics.

Believe me,
the people I was talking to
heard us loud and clear.

Talbot's own board
wasted no time distancing
themselves from him.

Now he'll find out
what it's like at the
bottom of the food chain.