All language subtitles for Law.and.Order.S11E24.Deep.Vote.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

by two separate
yet equally important groups:

by two separate
yet equally important groups:

the police,
who investigate crime

and the district attorneys,
who prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

Are you kidding me?

If Babe Ruth
was playing today

he'd be lucky
to hit .200.

200 home runs,
that's what he'd hit.

The pitchers
are stronger...

They're a bunch
of bums.

They throw faster.

Baseballs today are
like Superballs.

Babe Ruth had
a drinking problem

a hot dog problem...

Drunk and fat, he'd
still hit 200 home runs.

Whoa.

I'll call 911.

Get some help!

Oh, man.

Two vehicle event--
one injured, one dead.

Driver of the Volvo,
Martha Krasner.

Would've been 32 next week.

I'm sorry for the lady

but why call us?

At first,
EMT couldn't figure

why she cashed in.

Compression chest wounds
didn't look life-threatening.

She had a
heart attack?

Bullet.
Small entrance wound

behind the left ear,
hell of an exit under the hair.

Well, that'll impair
your driving skills.

Any additional
rounds fired?

Still checking
for slugs and casings.

Nature of the wound, they
couldn't have gone far.

What about
this second driver?

Says Krasner drifted
into the intersection.

Didn't see her coming.

Didn't see a shooter, either.

Any luck with the
huddled masses?

Bag lady might've
seen something.

Or she's just trying
to get her 15 minutes.

I was on the corner

back there by the doughnut shop

an-and I hear somebody yelling

and honking their horn,
so I-I look up.

'Course I sitting down
so I can't see so good.

Well, what did you see?

This car coming out
of the parking spot.

Which side
of the street?

It was the right side.

It was a gray car, one of
them, one of them big ones

that the kids
are driving now.

S.U.V.?

Is I what?

Who was doing the
honking and the yelling?

I couldn't see.

I guess
it was somebody

who wanted it to hurry it up

or wanted the spot
or something.

Where was it parked?

On the corner right there

and then, then
finally it takes off

and then five seconds later

these other two cars,
they crash.

Did you see
who was in the gray car?

No, I was, you know,
working. I sorry.

That's all right, you did good.

You call me

if you think of
anything else.

I don't have any money.

Here.

So the guy
in the car behind her

wants the parking spot.

So does Ms. Krasner.

She flips him the bird...

He gets pissed, overreacts, and pops her
one.

Or she's honking
at the guy in the S.U.V.

telling him to get a move on,
and then he pops her.

Either way,
the last thing

she does in this life is
put her foot on the gas.

The car keeps going,
the shooter takes off.

You could spend your whole life
fighting traffic in this town.

Yeah. And then you die.

[Captioning sponsored by
STUDIOS USA TELEVISION

and NBC]

I don't understand how
something like this

can happen over
a parking space.

We're very sorry
for your loss.

Can you think of anyone

who would have wanted
to hurt your wife, Mr. Krasner?

I thought you said
it was road rage.

That's what it looks like.

Martha had no enemies.

For God's sakes...

We're just trying
to touch all the bases.

This is one base you
can skip, detective.

Nobody was having any affairs,
or selling any drugs.

Please, just... find her killer.

We're going
to do our best.

Tell me the truth.

Did she suffer?

No, sir.

She never felt a thing.

Window was rolled up

about three-quarters.

Bullet entered between
the glass and frame.

Eye level.

So she's yelling
at the guy.

She sees the gun.

She tries to roll up the
window as she hits the gas.

Or she's rolling the window down

to yell back at him,
but he shoots her first.

How many shots?

Just the one. No other
slugs or casings.

One shot through
the side of the head.

The guy was a hell
of a marksman.

Or just lucky.

Well, not
with this kind of bullet.

Found it under
the passenger seat.

.38 caliber,
158 grain Black Talon.

Hollow point. Double your
damage, double your fun.

Lady picked the wrong guy

to get into a traffic dispute
with.

Yeah, that's why I don't even honk my horn
anymore.

You guys got a visitor
in Interview One.

A Mr. Simon, drives
a gray S.U.V.

Gentlemen.

How'd you find out
we were looking for you?

Uh, on TV.

It's that bag lady.

I was parked on the
corner, like she said.

And you got into the car and...?

It was a tight
spot, you know

and I just got the car.

So I'm trying to pull out

and I guess I was going
kind of slow or something.

Anyway, somebody's
honking their horn

and I look over and...

Did you get out of the car?

Why would I do that?

Maybe you got mad,
someone was giving you lip...

Nobody gave me any lip.

Look, I came in here
of my own volition.

Did you see the cars
behind you?

There was a... blue car

looked like it was
waiting for the spot.

Was there a woman driving it?

A strawberry blond?

I think so.

She the one who was killed?

Any other cars?

I think maybe there was a...

green car next to it.

What kind?

I couldn't
be sure.

Big, small?

Medium.

Wait a second.

Lady was shot
from her left.

Simon's in the spot
on her right.

It doesn't make sense.

Her husband drives a
green, mid-size sedan.

Yeah, and the shooter
really wanted her dead.

He used a dum-dum bullet.

Maybe we should round
those bases again.

Look, Martha was killed
by some lunatic.

Where were you Monday morning,
Mr. Krasner?

Teaching at P.S. 124

and I have 30 ten-year-olds
who can vouch for me.

Where was your car?

On the street.

Mr. Krasner, is it possible

that your wife was
seeing someone else?

It was nothing like that.

We were just having
disagreements, you know?

Disagreements about what?

Martha used to be
a teacher, too.

She was terrific
in the classroom.

Then her cousin Jeff
convinced her

to jump on the
Internet bandwagon.

It was a disaster.

We're going to need Jeff's
full name and address.

They were family.

We still need
his name.

You guys never stop,
do you?

Do you know why your wife
was in Tribeca?

Maybe a meeting.

This woman bought
her groceries at Key Food

she bought her clothes
at JC Penney's--

a New Jersey outlet.

Martha Krasner--
party animal.

City pension, IRAs...

The largest cash amount
she withdrew

in the last year was...

$400.

Well, she wrote a check
last week for $7,000

payable to a Jeffrey Waites.

That's the dot-com cousin.

Yeah, the husband
never mentioned

seven grand changing hands.

Hmm.

Maybe he didn't know.

It was a dynamite
business plan.

Which was?

Boilerplate websites
for public schools.

Schools buy the websites,
Martha sells the ad space.

There's 100,000 schools
in this country--

virgin territory.

What was your role
in this dot-com?

I gave her an office,
got her some meetings

helped with the first round of
financing, that sort of thing.

Sounds idyllic-- why the split?

I had a lot of contacts
in the candy business.

They wanted to run ads

on Martha's
websites.

So, what was the problem?

Martha
didn't think

candy products were appropriate
for school websites.

So how come two weeks ago
she paid you $7,000?

Compensation for the connections I threw
her way.

And, uh, who gets
the rights to this

dynamite business plan,
now that Martha's dead?

Guys, I don't need
to shoot people to get rich--

I'm already rich.

Then how come you hit her up for
seven grand?

It was business.

Did you, uh, ever
throw Martha any connections

downtown in Tribeca?

That's where she was killed.

Actually, I hooked her up
with a firm uptown...

on 55th and Madison,
that morning.

What's the name of this firm?

Reynolds Advertising.

Martha Krasner?

Yeah, Jeff
Waite's cousin.

Right... I-I felt bad
about blowing her off.

Something came up and I had to baby-sit
this idiot client.

So, you didn't see her?

Just for a second to apologize.

What's this about,
detectives?

Someone killed
Ms. Krasner, sir.

You're kidding.

I wish we were.

You know where she went
when she left?

Like I said, I was
dealing with this crisis.

She asked
to borrow my phone.

Her cell wasn't
working or something.

Do you know who
she called?

Sorry.

What time was this?

About 9:30.

Well, we can pull the records
from the phone company.

Actually, I have them
all on my PC.

We monitor the phones
for personal calls.

I met Martha at an I.T.
confererence in Seattle.

Her sites would have been ideal

for advertising
our trading cards.

I'm so sorry to hear about...

Ms. Snowden, Martha called you yesterday
morning, about 9:30.

She said a client
canceled on her

did I have time
for a cup of coffee.

And did you?

I told her to park
in my space downstairs.

In the garage?

It was a nice morning,
I walked to the office.

I figured, why should she

pay 20 bucks
for a cup of coffee.

Was that wrong?

Ms. Krasner was shot

when she was driving
away from your building.

Did you tell anybody else that she was
going to be stopping by?

No, it was
totally last minute.

Unless our shooter
was psychic

he couldn't have known that she was going
to be in that garage.

Maybe he tailed her.

Or it was road
rage after all.

Fancy joint like this

you think the garage
has security cams?

Okay, here's your Volvo.

There's nobody tailing her.

Can I see?

Lennie, what's Krasner's plate
number?

M-S-T-5-9-2.

That's not our Volvo.

Our Volvo?

That's not our lady.

All right,
here comes Jane Doe.

And two minutes later,
there's our D.O.A.

Martha Krasner.

Two identical cars

two redheads.

On the theory that the killer
was waiting for Jane Doe

Reina's got the DMV
running plates on every car

that entered that morning.

Especially mid-size
green sedans.

Any I.D. on the woman
who got away?

DMV's checking that, too.

Well, since nobody
could've known Krasner

was in the building,
we're thinking

the shooter was waiting
for the Jane Doe, screwed up

and nailed Krasner
by mistake.

That's a real big "oops."

And we're sure
he didn't follow Jane Doe in?

There's nothing on the tape.

We figure he was
already inside.

Why not do her inside?

If we find him, we'll ask him.

But what about
when Krasner

drove out? Anyone follow her?

There's no
security cameras

on the exit ramp.

Lieutenant,
'92 Buick Skylark

green, entered
the garage at 9:20.

We got film
on the driver?

Face is turned away
from the camera.

Maybe on purpose. Who's the
owner?

Guy named Mendel,
reported it stolen

three days ago.

Well, that's convenient.

Second time this year.

Let's go.

Nice they send you all
the way from Manhattan.

That where they found it?

Yeah, it was seen
there two days ago.

What do you mean,
"seen"? Seen by who?

Why don't you just
start by telling us

where it was stolen from?

The synagogue parking
lot, if you can imagine.

On shabbos, yet.

Rabbi, this is the second time
you've reported the car stolen.

The other time doesn't
matter; I got it back.

We figured as much

but there's no police
record of the recovery.

We think your car
may have been

involved in a homicide.

Now, if you have any idea
who might've stolen it

please tell us.

Last time it was my nephew David, my
sister's youngest.

He borrowed it, he brought it back, no
problem.

Kol b'seder.

So maybe he
borrowed it again?

He's in New Mexico.

He's on one of those,
you know, uh...

like a kibbutz

Commune?

Right.

Excuse me.

Detective Green.

I'll yell you
the truth.

I liked him better when
he was stealing cars.

I got a nephew
just like that.

All right. Lennie,
Jane Doe's got a name.

Thanks, Reina.

Thanks for
your time, Rabbi.

Her name's Kate Pierce.

Reina gave me
her work address.

How do you tell someone
somebody wants them dead?

Quickly.

A bullet to the head, huh?

I read about it

but I don't think she
really looks like me.

Oh, still,
from a distance...

The garage was dark.

You have the same car,
same height

same weight, hair color.

There must be
10,000 women

in New York who fit
that description.

We wouldn't be here
if we weren't concerned.

You park in that garage
on a regular basis?

I work out in the second-floor gym every
morning. Why?

Predictable movements.

It fits.

Fits what?

The theory that the killer
was waiting for you.

Can you think of anybody

who might want
to harm you, Ms. Pierce?

I don't know; I never
really thought about it.

You married?

My last boyfriend
broke up with me.

And if anybody's going to kill
anybody, I'm going to kill him.

"Crooked Cops:
Exception or the Rule?"

Is this typical
of your work?

I'm an investigative journalist.

Pissed anybody off lately?

If I'm doing
my job right.

Ms. Pierce, we really
could use your help here.

Believe me, I get it, detective.

It's just... what can I do?

I can't just turn over my files.

Still, you might
want to consider it

given that somebody
may be trying to harm you.

I covered the Taliban
in Afghanistan without a veil.

No one is questioning
your courage.

I can give you clippings--
anything that's public record--

but that's as far as I can go.

We'll need everything

from the last
three months.

Oh, uh,
do me a favor.

Sit facing the door.

Here's a profile
of the Gucci family:

"Warfare Among
the Properly Attired."

Guns don't kill people,
handbags do.

Here's another one:

"Battle of the Ballots:
State Senate Race on Hold."

Yeah, the election's over.

Here's one, couple weeks ago:

"Caputo Crime Family
Moves in on Public Housing."

Windows.

Windows?

Replacement units,
for the Housing Authority.

The Caputos got a lock
on the market.

This is newsworthy?

We're talking 30,000 windows
per year

100 bucks a pop--
pure profit.

Three million bucks.

I'd kill somebody for that.

How'd the Caputos corner
this gold mine?

The usual--

a little schmear,
a little kneecapping.

We just turned in the Organized
Crime Task Force investigation.

Between you and me,
U.S. Attorney's about

to hand down some
major indictments.

Any chance that

Kate Pierce sparking
the investigation

pissed off the Caputos?

Wouldn't take much.

Guys, got a hit
on the rabbi's car.

Let me guess.

Not New Mexico.

Chelsea. Driver
ran a stop light.

Keep me posted, this
connects to the Caputos.

You got it.

We found
gunshot residue

on the front seat
of the Skylark, Mark.

I didn't... I didn't
shoot anybody, I swear.

We also have
a video of you

driving into the garage
where the lady was shot.

What garage?

What lady?

How old are you?

Seventeen.

That's good;
that's good for you

because that means that
the D.A. can't touch you.

Yeah. The Supreme Court says

minors can't be held
legally responsible

if they cooperate
with the authorities.

If you cooperate.

I-I only got the car yesterday.

Where?

I'll-I'll get in trouble.

Mark, look around you--
you're already in trouble.

I bought the car off a guy
I know-- 300 bucks.

Give us a name.

Jimmy Coleman.

Where'd
he get it?

The place he works.

Junkyard up in the Bronx.

Look, will... will you tell him

that you tortured me
or something

to get me to talk?

Yeah, rubber hoses.

Jimmy Coleman?

Who wants to know?

Consumer Reports.

We're looking for a
'92 green Buick Skylark.

I can't help you.

Try again, and ask yourself if we'd be
here

if we didn't already
know something.

I sold it.
It's not a crime, is it?

Only if it wasn't yours.

How'd you come
by the car, Jimmy?

Hey, man, if you
don't tell us

we're going to have
to assume you stole it.

You know, I'm guessing
a guy in your business

has at least
a couple of priors.

That three-strikes sentence
can be brutal.

Hold on. Hold on.

Some guy brought it by.

Told me to put it
in the crusher.

"Some guy"?

I never saw him before.

He gave me two C notes, told me
to mash it and trash it.

Didn't make any sense.

You still got the bills
he gave you?

Martin Blatt. Armed robbery, assault,
burg-two.

Should I go on?

We got your prints from one
of the hundreds you gave

to the junkyard dude
up in the Bronx.

The guy's an idiot,
but he's got real good eyesight.

He picked you right out
of this six-pack.

I never liked that picture.

Oh, yeah? You'd
prefer the one

from the garage where
you waited for that lady?

Is this the part
where I slip up and confess?

You might as well.

We found gunpowder residue inside the
Skylark.

I'm strictly a Ford man myself.

You might want to watch
your back, Marty.

The Caputos can't be

real happy
with you right now.

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

You did the wrong
broad, genius.

Hitter like you, that can't
be good for your rep.

You'd better start
talking, Blatt.

Who hired you?

Elvis.

Yeah, well,
you're going to be

joining the King
pretty soon.

We didn't turn up

any weapons
in Mr. Blatt's apartment

but we did find a cute little
hollow space in a VCR

that contained a box
of .38 caliber

158 grain Black Talons.

Usable prints, too.

Thought
you'd want to know.

Have a short life, bro.

What's in it for me?

How about three hots and a cot

instead of
a gurney?

The lady wasn't Pierce, huh?

Housewife.

Go figure.

Who wanted the reporter dead,
Marty, and why?

I want protection.

In the joint.

We'll take care of the Caputos.

Caputos? What do they
got to do with this?

This isn't about the windows?

What kind of windows?

Guy that gave me the button

said it had something
to do with an election.

What election?

I don't vote.

The shooter claims

The shooter claims

the hit had nothing
to do with family business.

People say politicians
play for keeps.

I doubt they envisioned
anything like this.

Who exactly did Blatt
say gave him the contract?

Small-time wise-guy
named Albert Bonatto.

No major crime family
affiliation.

Then what was Bonatto's
connection to all this?

Well, Blatt claims
he doesn't know.

Just that Bonatto wanted

this reporter out
of the picture.

She's writing
an article

about some state
senate race.

What are we doing
to pick him up?

Well, I've
got people

sitting on his house,
places he normally frequents.

Okay.

Let me see if I can get this
reporter to give me any more.

So if what this shooter
is saying is true

this Bonatto is somehow
connected to your story.

Who is he?

Convicted felon.

Not previously in the muscle end of
things.

I don't recognize him.

Well, what can
you tell me

about the election story
you were working on?

It was about
the 63rd District

State Senate race

and some irregular
absentee ballots.

Right. Anne Benton's District.

Benton was reelected
by less than 200 votes.

Then they discovered almost 400 overseas
ballots had been altered.

Altered in what way?

Official at
the Election Board

was adding
registration numbers

to the ballots after they'd been received.

What happened?

A judge tossed
them out.

Doesn't sound like much
of a motive for murder.

There was
something else.

I'm sorry.
I can't answer that.

Even if your life
is in danger?

I'm not a hero,
Ms. Carmichael.

But when you take
a job like this

it comes with certain risks.

Things a journalist has to put
above her own safety.

Ms. Pierce...

I promise
I'll be careful...

change my schedule...

but if I tell you
what you want to know

I'd be revealing information
I have no right to reveal.

And there's no way
I can do that.

Any word on Bonatto?

Nothing so far.

And the reporter?

She's blacked out
so much of her notes

it's hard to put
anything together.

Is she protecting
her life or her story?

Either way, she says
it goes with the territory.

And she's made it
perfectly clear

she's not about to breach
any journalistic confidences

in order to
help us out.

Well, there's no law
that says

we can't speak to the same people she
spoke to.

As long as I get the byline
when the story breaks.

The Board of Elections have been
doing this

for over a hundred years.

The only time
we get headlines

is when there's a screw-up.

A city worker overworked and
underappreciated.

I can relate.

Kate Pierce
interviewed you

about the election
three times.

Tell me what you told her

I go away.

That's what she said.

Pierce was looking into
irregularities

in the absentee ballots
in the 63rd District.

The added
registration numbers.

Anything to it?

My opinion--
simple honest mistake.

But she came
to see you twice

after her article came out.

She wasn't satisfied?

A reporter's questions
might be optional, Commissioner.

With all due respect

mine aren't.

She wanted to know
if any other

voting irregularities
could have contributed

to Anne Benton
being reelected.

What other irregularities?

We had some
voting machines

break down
in Benton's District.

Some?

You have to understand

these voting machines
are practically antiques.

How many machines?

Twelve.

Is that a lot?

It is when they happen
to be in one polling place.

And you told all this
to Kate Pierce?

Didn't have to.
She was already on to it.

What happens when
the machines go down?

Ordinarily,
we'd cannibalize

parts from other machines.

It's a little different when
it happens on election day.

We use emergency paper ballots.

And who's in charge
of those machines?

I got no idea what went wrong.

Our technician says

someone weakened
the rivets at the back.

That's why the levers broke.

On all 12 machines.

Who asked you to rig
those machines?

We know you were the last mechanic to work
on them.

A woman's been killed, Mr. Eckert.

If you don't help us

you'll be held responsible
for your part in her death.

There's a guy
I know from the union...

Al Bonatto.

He asked me if I could mess with some of
the machines

in Benton's district.

Did he say why?

Just that he wanted them
to go down

at this one polling place.

But nothing about any woman.

So when the machines

break down, the voters
are given paper ballots.

Following procedures

set forth in
the Election Law.

And we think
these breakdowns

have something to do
with this woman's murder?

Kate Pierce

was the real target.

Martha Krasner just happened
to be in the wrong place

at the wrong time.

On the theory Bonatto
was not working for himself

we went back to try to find
a connection between him

and one of the two candidates.

State senators are allowed
to maintain private

law practices while
they serve in office.

Anne Benton was once
Al Bonatto's lawyer.

A low-life like that

and a senator
from the Rainbow Coalition.

And nobody has been able to find
Bonatto since the shooting.

I think we should have
a conversation

with Senator Benton.

Anne Benton was one
of the people who lobbied

for my appointment

with Rudy.

Are we playing favorites?

Just speak softly
and carry a big subpoena.

I've never made a secret of my
relationship

with Albert Bonatto.

However, I no longer
represent the man.

I haven't in years.

When was the last time
you spoke to him?

I can't really say.

If you could possibly
pinpoint it

a little better
than that, Senator

we'd appreciate it.

Maybe your
Chief of Staff

could check
your records?

Mr. Coulter?

I'll check the Senator's
appointment calendar.

I'm still not clear
what exactly

your concern here is.

At this point

all we can really say is

that Bonatto may be
involved in a murder.

Murder?

That's not the Al Bonatto
I was familiar with.

Two felony convictions

for taking kickbacks
from city union officials

there's a variety

of fraud allegations...

May I ask how
the Senator's name came up?

Only by way

of her connection
to Mr. Bonatto.

Which I've
already stated

is a matter of public record.

Beyond that I'm afraid attorney-client
privilege kicks in.

But if there's any other assistance I
could provide

I would be happy to do so.

Now, Mr. McCoy

Ms. Carmichael...
if you'll excuse us

the Senator has a committee
meeting in about five minutes.

You'll give my regards to Nora.

Certainly.

Never admitted anything

never denied anything.

The perfect politician.

It's too much
of a coincidence

her having been
Bonatto's lawyer.

Especially the mechanic
tying Bonatto

to those voting machines.

We could haul her
before a grand jury

ask her about Bonatto
under oath.

Yeah, but if
Benton's involved

she'll take the Fifth.

And there's no way Nora's
going to give her immunity

until she knows the full extent of her
participation.

When I went to see that Commissioner at
the Board of Elections

I used Pierce's notes
as a road map.

I talked to who
she talked to.

How'd she know
where to go?

She had a source.

You're asking me to force

a reporter to identify a source?

A source who may
have information

about a cold-
blooded murder

and whose life may very well
be in jeopardy.

Your Honor, a
reporter has to know

that everything she sees

everything she hears
is sacrosanct.

Everything? What if a reporter
knew of a terrorist plot?

But doesn't
New York's shield law

bar the People
from asking

for a source's identity?

The protection
isn't absolute.

Knight-Ridder v. Greenberg.

In that case,
the Court of Appeals

noted the limitations
of journalistic privilege.

A journalist was forced
to turn over a videotape

of a murderer's confession.

The tape itself
was hard evidence.

He makes
a point.

The distinction

between a killer's statement

and the name of a source
sounds pretty real.

I talked
to this person.

They don't want
their name revealed

and I won't betray that.

There's the
hitch, McCoy.

If I order disclosure

it'll only result
in refusal by Ms. Pierce

a contempt citation
and an appeal.

The motion to quash disclosure

and the identity
of Ms. Pierce's source

is granted.

I wonder how much Pierce
really told her source

about the danger
they're in

with Bonatto still
on the loose.

She's going to end up
protecting this guy

right into his grave.

Let's assume Anne Benton's
behind the scheme

to rig the machines.

What'd she accomplish?

You mean other than

proving women can be
as ruthless as men

when it comes to seeking office?

Her margin of victory
was under 200

every vote made a difference.

Well, paper ballots
would have meant longer lines

maybe voters go home.

Benton's opponent was carrying
that neighborhood two to one.

Looks like her strategy worked.

Official tally,
Board of Elections.

Almost 2,000 fewer votes

were cast at that
polling place

than in the
last election.

Not according to the actual
voter sign-in books.

The vote was up.

If that's right,
about 2,000 votes are missing.

How many votes are
we talking about?

1,865.

The polling place
was going

heavily in favor of
Benton's opponent.

So then these
missing ballots

were the key
to her reelection.

Can we link her to the man
who rigged the machines?

Not directly.

Where are
these ballots now?

According to Mr. Feinberg
of the Board of Elections

they never arrived,
so they don't exist.

Now you see 'em,
now you don't.

Briscoe and Green
just picked up Albert Bonatto.

Well, let's see
if he's registered.

Blatt fingered you.

Explains why nobody's seen the little
weasel. Al...

We've seen him, Mr. Bonatto.

He killed the girl
and you hired him.

And we've got Joey Eckert

the mechanic who rigged
the machines for you.

So now we'd like
to know what you have.

I think we all know what he has.

Anne Benton.

Anne was what you'd call
a motivating factor.

She ordered the hit?

Took a little convincing

but I always said
Annie's a pragmatist.

People will forgive a politician
almost anything.

Fixing an election
isn't one of them.

What are we looking at?

In exchange for his testimony,
20 to life.

Not exactly an offer

I couldn't refuse.

What if I sweeten the pot?

With what?

All present and
accounted for?

Abbie said four boxes,
we got four boxes.

Lot of voters got ripped off.

So what's new?

And Ms. Benton goes to Albany
instead of her opponent.

Well, maybe
they'll find

some better accommodations
for her upstate.

Session's over, Senator.

Have you lost your mind?

Please stand up, ma'am?

Anne Benton,
you're under arrest

for the murder
of Martha Krasner.

I'll call your husband.

Call my lawyer.

You have the right
to remain silent.

Anything you say...

Docket ending 261:

People v. Anne Benton.

Charges are Murder
in the Second Degree

Conspiracy
in the First Degree.

Is the defendant
prepared to enter a plea?

Not guilty, Your Honor.

Are the people requesting bail?

Given the fact that Ms. Benton
has been implicated

in a murder-for-hire

the People
would request bail

in the amount of... MAN: This is absurd.

Senator Benton is only
implicated in this awful crime

by a reputed
organized crime figure--

a confessed killer
and a two-time felon.

There isn't a scintilla
of direct evidence

tying my client
to any of these charges.

Ms. Carmichael, are the People
going forward with anything more

than the word
of this alleged accomplice?

Yes, Your Honor.

The people are in possession
of certain

missing ballot boxes,
which we maintain

corroborate Mr. Bonatto's statements.

This prosecution is nothing
but a political witch hunt.

An effort by my client's
political enemies

to try to do in court
what they were unable to achieve

at the polls.

In any event, Senator Benton
hardly seems a flight-risk

unless the People
consider Albany

to be too far outside
its jurisdiction.

The defendant is released
without bail.

Abbie...

I just saw Benton
and her lawyer.

Judge let her walk.

She's got a lot of juice
in this courthouse.

Makes you want to play
in a bigger arena.

What?

I've had another
job offer, Jack.

I didn't want
to spring it on you

in the middle of a case
like this, but...

um... they need an answer
in the next day or so.

I guess you're thinking
about taking it.

It's the U.S. Attorney's
Office-- Southern District.

Ah... the bigger arena.

They're putting together
a task force on major crimes.

When would you start?

As soon as
this case is over.

Oh...

But I would be
right next door

so if there were
any problems

with any of my cases...

I don't have to tell you

how much you'll
be missed.

No, you don't have
to tell me that...

but I'd still
like hearing it.

The Senator rigged the election

then tried to kill a reporter to cover it
up.

You've got the gist of it.

By that reasoning

she'd have to eliminate
half a dozen newspeople.

Only Kate Pierce had a source.

And the name of this source?

That's what I thought.

Doesn't change
Albert Bonatto's testimony.

But the Senator
did what?

Sabotage some voting machines?

Those machines were due
for the scrap heap

during the Carter
administration.

Those machines were inspected
and declared operational.

That is until a mechanic
was asked by Mr. Bonatto

to rig them
to fail.

What mechanic?
I never met the man.

The beauty of
a conspiracy charge, Senator

is one hand doesn't have to know
what the other's doing.

People's theory, if I grasp it

is that the Senator
arranged to steal votes

in a neighborhood that was going
heavily against her.

It's not complicated,
Counselor.

Flaw in your theory;
those missing votes

would have
gone our way.

As I understand it the machines
didn't go down

until after noon.

Which means
that the paper ballots--

the ones that got lost--

were from people coming home
from work.

People who have jobs.

They are my core
constituency.

So, you see, the Senator had no reason

to tamper with the machines, and as such

certainly no reason to kill the reporter.

Other than egg on my face,
what am I left with?

Benton's theory about carrying
that neighborhood is absurd.

It may be, but at least it's supported

by an official
election result.

What is our theory
supported by?

A witness.

Al Bonatto's been convicted
of two felonies.

He's a member of the mob,
for God's sake.

In addition to which

he's testifying pursuant
to a plea bargain.

Nora, if we shied away
every time

a defense attorney cross-examined one of
our witnesses

about a plea bargain,
we'd never bring a case.

What about the fact

that Pierce writes mob stories?

Blaming Benton could be
a Bonatto smoke screen.

Covering his own ass
for family business

that has nothing to do
with the election.

You don't believe that.

It doesn't matter
what I believe.

The question is
what's a jury going to believe

when Benton's lawyer stands up
and said she had no motive

to commit the murder because

she had no motive
to steal the ballots.

There's not a single exit poll
that can support that.

Exit polls

aren't evidence.

Without a source,
we've got nothing.

We have the ballots.

We count them,
they go against Benton

we have our motive.

Count the ballots.

That's outrageous.

What is this?

An election or a
criminal action?

Counsel, I'm going
to construe your outrage

as a motion to suppress.

But he has a point,
Mr. McCoy.

Not if his client

is going to hide behind those uncounted
ballots

to get away
with murder.

The bottom line is
the People can't make out

chain of custody
on those ballots.

Any count would be
hopelessly tainted.

As I understand it

Mr. Bonatto had the ballots
in his possession?

Yes, Your Honor and he's prepared

to testify they were in his social club
under lock and key.

Is he also going to tell us
how he stole them?

Furthermore, Judge

the People have
provided the court

with an affidavit
indicating that

the security tape
on those ballot boxes is intact.

Which doesn't mean
the ballots themselves remain

in their original condition.

They've been jostled,
transported...

These are paper ballots
marked with a pencil.

How could jostling
possibly affect anything?

You can argue
whatever you like to the jury

about who killed Ms. Krasner,
but your motion is denied.

Then I insist on being part
of any process

that involves counting
these ballots.

Counselor...

I'm not going to have a replay
of recent shenanigans.

Not in New York.

Not in a murder case.

You can be present,
but that's it.

Tell the Board of Elections
to start counting.

Come on, that's clearly a "yes."

Come on, that's clearly a "yes."

I counted those already.

Let me see that.

I say yes.

He circled the name,
he didn't check the box.

The voter's intention is clear.

And so are the rules.

No extraneous markings.

Put it with the "maybes."

Been going on like that all night?

Bipartisanship at its best.

Thanks.

Even without the maybes,
the vote's running...

roughly 70% against Benton.

This holds up, we have
her motive

for Martha Krasner's murder.

ADA John J. McCoy?

Right here.

Sir, this is a temporary
restraining order

from the Appellate Division

ordering you and the Board of Elections to
immediately halt

the counting of
these ballots

and for you to appear tomorrow morning,
10:00 AM.

How the hell
did they manage that?

They had help.

Committee to Reelect
Senator Benton

Voters Caucus of New York

The Association
for Electoral Justice...

It goes on.

Just like the election.

In conclusion, we ask a halt

to this so-called count
on the grounds

that the District Attorney's
office cannot prove

the bona fides of these ballots.

That they are in fact
in their original condition.

Mr. Linde, as I understand
it

these ballots have been missing for over
three weeks?

That's correct, Your Honor.

And they were

in the possession of a reputed
organized crime figure.

Again, that's correct,
Your Honor.

Well, security tape

or not, on these facts alone

it's clear to me
they have no place

in a criminal trial.

Thank you, Mr. Linde.

Mr. McCoy.

With all due respect, I think
this Court is losing sight

of the purpose of this count.

Let me be clear.

The people have no interest
whatsoever

in the outcome of this election except as
it pertains to this

defendant's motive to commit
a homicide.

Still, regardless
of your reasons

you're talking about possibly

overturning a decision
by the voters

of this state.

I'm sorry,
but as I understand it

the outcome of this count
will be strictly limited

to the criminal trial.

That's correct, Your Honor.

Then I fail to
see the harm

in allowing the count
to continue.

I think it's naive
to believe

this outcome will be limited
to the trial.

The fact is any
result which differs

from the official election
is certain cause for confusion.

The people learn the truth.

I don't see
how that constitutes harm.

Well, how is your case

without this evidence,
Mr. McCoy?

This evidence is vital

to the People's case,
Your Honor.

And right there
is another concern.

Even with the ballots counted

your case is not a strong one.

What happens

when we turn this election
on its ear and you lose?

I find this court's reluctance
difficult to fathom.

And any willingness
to let a killer go free

to protect a politician
from the truth is a betrayal

of the most basic principles
of law.

Thank you, Mr. McCoy.

This court will recess briefly.

None are more conscious
of the limits of the judiciary

than this court.

Now that being said,
when contending parties

invoke the legal process,
it becomes

our unsought responsibility

to resolve the issues
confronting us.

The Court

with two dissents, grants

the injunction sought
by the Petitioner.

The ballots will not be counted.

Without the ballots, the case
against Benton

just becomes her word
against Bonatto's again.

A fact that couldn't possibly
have eluded the court.

The vote went right down
party lines-- three to two.

I never thought I'd see the day

when a court let politics
prevent a murder prosecution.

Oh, they're all politicians.

Just some of them wear robes.

The irony is

Bonatto and Blatt end up
serving 15-to-life.

Anne Benton gets a second term.

They can always ask Benton
to help them apply for a pardon.

It's all nonsense.

There's no legal basis
for this decision.

Don't kid yourself.

The same thing will happen
on appeal.

It's over, Jack.

We're fresh out of evidence.

Are we?

What are
you saying?

Mr. McCoy.

They're going to let her go.

I wish I could help you.

We both know you can.

I already told you.

My source won't come forward.

Then give me a name.

I can compel the testimony.

Don't you understand?

The people who talk to me
have to believe

that their identities
will be protected.

It's the only way
I can do my job.

I doubt a journalist's
commitment

to her professional obligations
will be much comfort

to Martha Krasner's family.

That isn't fair,
and you know it.

This woman's life was taken

because someone confused her
for you.

And now you're refusing
to give me information

that would prevent her killer
from going free.

What's fair about that?

And when I break
my confidence...

when I violate his decision
not to come forward

what do I tell my source,
Mr. McCoy?

Tell him

Martha Krasner never had
a chance to decide

whether to become
part of the story.

Raise your right hand.

Sir, do you solemnly swear

to tell the truth,
the whole truth

and nothing but the truth

in the matter in which
you are about to testify?

I do.

State your name and occupation
for the record, sir.

Matthew Coulter.

Chairman, Committee
to Reelect Senator Anne Benton.

Mr. Coulter,
do you know a man

named Albert Bonatto?

I do.

Do you also know
Anne Benton?

Yes. I do.

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