Original subtitles

The jury will disregard the witness's remarks.

Your opinion of the defendant's ability to distinguish between his ass and his

elbow is not an issue before this court, Miss Pluck.

Fifteen-minute recess.

That Miss Pluck, she's my kind of witness.

I have to make a call.

How many cases are you working on?

Good. You have room for one more.

A murderer named Jack Quinn has managed to get his conviction overturned.

Jack Quinn? Yeah. I've refiled the charges.

Uh, that was three years ago. I know. It's been a long time, but you have one

advantage. Your pet cop here was the detective on the original case.

Just get him to dig up the old dirt, and you'll be home free.

It's late. You can start tomorrow.

You have two days before the bail hearing.

Two days?

Don't do us any favors. God created the form from the void in less time.

It's a Nike deal. Just do it.

Arthur! Quinn alleges prosecutorial misconduct. The appellate court agrees

with him.

I hate it when that happens.

You know, with your ability to track people down, you should have been a cop.

Put your ego in your gym bag, Dickie.

I am here to see you.

Yeah, right.

Yeah, that's right.

You got a problem?

You gotta be kidding. Don't bet on it.

Unbelievable.

Can't believe I gotta go through this crap again.

He blames his lawyer for getting himself convicted. That's why he's representing

himself. These guys always blame somebody else.

It's never their fault that they're in here.

What exactly did the prosecutor do that got overturned?

an unredeemable menace to society and a good argument for reinstating the rack

in the dungeon.

I'm glad that the court has appointed someone to give you legal advice, Mr.

Quinn.

The problem with legal advice is the only place you can get it is from

lawyers.

Boy, it looks like you went down in the world, Dick.

Big tough cop babysitting a deaf prod.

You really understand all that stuff?

Yeah. So what'd she say?

She thinks your interests would be better served with a real lawyer.

I got my conviction overturned without a real lawyer, dick.

Don't worry about me.

Oh, you're pretty much the last person on earth I'd worry about, Quinn.

Can we talk about the crime?

I have to advise you not to make any statements to these people.

Shut up.

We can talk about it, dick, but since I wasn't there, I got nothing to

contribute to the conversation.

It's a formality. Humor me.

You didn't rob the market at 5th and Main the night of October 6th, 1986.

No.

You didn't shoot the proprietor. No. And leave her lying in a pool of her own

blood between the Twinkies and the SpaghettiOs.

An eyewitness identified you.

Sure. Crazy old Bible-sumper. He was mistaken.

Oh. And what we have here is a terrible miscarriage of justice.

Maybe what you should do is sue the state.

What? I can't have my own opinion?

This is great.

I could watch this all day.

I could watch you all day.

Are you listening?

Huh?

But I gotta tell you this.

You're wasting your time.

Because I didn't rob that store.

I didn't kill that old cow.

And I'm gonna roll over you in court.

I'd like to roll over you someplace else, too.

Thank you for your time, Mr. Quinn. We'll see you tomorrow in court.

I'll tell you this, Dick, you ain't gonna get me for no murder.

But you could get me in flagrante delicto with her any time.

I'll dig out my old notebooks.

There's a lot of stuff in there. It's not in the file.

Reverend Otto Mason.

We'd never have gotten the conviction without him. He's the best non

-professional witness I've ever seen.

Defense couldn't shake him.

Jury couldn't believe he'd lie.

Where he is now?

I don't know. No.

We need him.

You got it.

Hi. Hi.

I haven't heard from you.

I'll be busy in three.

You got a minute now?

Of course.

I won't keep you. I was just wondering if you've given any thought to the

marriage counselor idea.

Look, Tess, I need you to work with me on this.

Okay? Okay.

Bye-bye.

I know.

I'll see you later.

So, like I was saying, I always figured she'd be a hot ticket.

But I mean, man, I had no idea.

Who are you kidding, Holland?

Couldn't get lucky in a woman's house of detention with a fistful of pardons.

You think what you like, Cobb. That don't change the fact. I've been eating

off your plate.

Tastes good, too.

You're all mouth, huh?

One of these days... Hey!

I'm standing right here. You got a mind to shut me up?

Now who's all mouth, huh?

Excuse me, sister.

I'm Detective Cobb. I'm looking for Otto Mason. I think you can find him in the

sunroom, right down the hall.

Thank you.

Reverend Mason?

Otto.

It's me, Dickie Cobb.

He had a stroke two years ago.

The only thing that keeps this guy human is that he breathes.

I'm sure the poor old guy wishes that every breath would be his last.

Who's this?

Johnny Ray Simpson.

He was in the market when Quinn came in. He saw the whole thing.

We didn't use Johnny Ray Simpson on the stand because Johnny Ray Simpson is

lower than whale droppings. And the DA didn't want him anywhere near Mr. Mason.

We didn't need Johnny Ray Simpson.

Well, if Johnny Ray Simpson is our only choice, we are in serious trouble.

Well, these words are exciting, huh?

We're parked here because if you're looking for pond scum, sooner or later,

some will float by this corner.

Quinn, Johnny Ray, they all used to hang out down here.

Reverend Mason was down here trying to save their souls.

Probably would.

Gave him a stroke.

Ah! Bingo!

Normal stance. She's glad to see me after all these years.

Dickie!

Now, it's like dealing with mules. First, you gotta get their attention.

I'm looking for Johnny Ray Simpson.

Johnny Ray's long gone.

Dead? As far as I know.

You ain't gonna introduce me?

Forget about her.

What about Johnny Ray?

I don't know where he is, man.

One day, he just wasn't there anymore.

Marty Tao.

I don't know where he is either, man.

Check for peanuts.

He keeps up.

Can I go now?

Somebody has put a leash on me. You and Goom.

Marty Tao is Johnny Ray's partner.

Two of them could chop a stolen car quicker than the owner could report the

theft.

Officer Cobb, as I live and breathe.

Fine, go ahead.

This man busted his butt, and everybody else is trying to make these mean

streets safe. I'm happy to say he had no luck.

No luck at all.

You can't beat the greed out of people.

It's a sad state of affairs, but it's good for business.

This is Peanuts Avery, philosopher and businessman.

Nose to the grindstone, ear to the ground.

I wouldn't give Cobb a hand out of hell, but I am always willing to talk to a

beautiful lady.

Thank you.

It won't take much of your time. We're looking for Marty Towle.

Marty Towle?

Marty Towle.

Work with Johnny Ray Simpson.

Ooh.

Nobody should have to work with Johnny Ray Simpson.

The lowest form of life.

Eat a carry-on.

Burp on the food chain. You know where Marty is or don't you?

Marty's still around.

He's still working.

You find the floating chop shop, you find Marty.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some greed to feed.

You could do better, little lady.

I

don't

care if these people like me.

I don't want these people to like me.

If they liked me, I think I was doing something wrong.

This is not the Gold Coast.

People down here don't give you what you want because you're being nice.

You know, for an estranged husband, that guy is sure around a lot.

That's all right. It's not my business. Come on. I'll give you a ride.

No, no, no.

You keep looking.

Do you have time for this?

I've got some good news.

I found us a marriage counselor who signs and made us an appointment for

next Wednesday.

G-Test tried to control your enthusiasm. We're in a public place.

You didn't say you wouldn't.

Look, maybe I jumped the gun a little bit.

But I'm trying to stack the deck in your favor.

You're rushing me.

I don't mean to be rushing you, but this is important.

The longer we wait, the longer these things are just going to sit out there

and fester.

I'm trying to save our marriage, Tess.

I can't do it by myself.

One session.

Just one. If you don't like it, we don't have to keep going.

Big crowd today, huh?

Yeah. So, uh, what can I get you?

I would like a turkey sandwich on rye, please.

Okay, turkey on rye. Right.

And, uh, hold the tomato. And hold tomato. Okay, got it. How about you?

I'll have the thing.

Same?

Okay, I'll have that out in a few.

Have you seen Marty Tao?

If you aren't Marty Tao, I'm not all that interested.

Okay.

Okay!

Oh, okay.

What, no Holland?

Why would I bring him here?

Why would you bring him anywhere?

But I guess that's your business.

Yeah, I guess so.

What can I do for you, Kay?

I came to get some of my stuff, if that's okay with you.

That's why you came over at 11 o'clock at night?

Get some of your stuff?

Do you expect me to believe that?

I just expect to get some of my stuff.

You been drinking, Kay?

Yeah, a little.

No, I'd say a little more than a little.

Look, it's after hours. You can stop being a cop.

I'm not.

I just care about what happens with you.

You got problems, Kay. You're not going to find the solutions in the bottom of a

bottle.

You want to get back at me lying down for Holland's not going to get the job

done. Who said that? What do you think?

Did you believe him? No.

I didn't sleep with him.

I believe you.

Good night, Tiki.

Good night, Kay.

I'll get you something before the day is out. All I gotta do is find a needle in

a haystack.

Think he'll get bail?

It's the same judge that presided over the first trial.

He'll bend over backwards to be fair to the defendant.

All right, as long as he doesn't bend over frontwards. Look, I don't want this

guy walking.

You give it everything you got.

You too.

I can't force you to accept representation, Mr. Quinn.

But I would strongly urge you to give some weight to the advice of the legal

advisor I've appointed.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Mr. Milbanks has been very helpful.

I'm glad to hear that, Mr. Quinn.

Ms. Kaufman.

In the matter of bail, Your Honor, the appellate court reversed the conviction

on narrow technical grounds.

The facts of the case remain the same. Bail was denied in the original case,

and it's the people's position that bail should continue to be denied.

We believe that the defendant is still dangerous to the community.

and that he remains a flight risk.

Mr. Quinn?

Your Honor, for the past three years, I've spent every spare moment in a

prison library reading law books.

I filed a successful appeal.

My only desire is to confront my accusers in a court of law.

I'm not guilty.

I'm not dangerous, and I'm certainly not a flight risk.

Mr. Quinn, it's the court's opinion that the scales are weighted in the

prosecution's favor in this matter.

Bail is denied.

You may, of course, appeal my decision if you wish to do so. On the contrary,

Your Honor, I have spent three years in prison for a crime I did not commit.

My only wish is that the case be speedily adjudicated.

Then let's move on to setting the trial date.

Ms. Kaufman?

Your Honor, the people's interest...

in a speedy administration of justice is as strong as that of the defendant.

But I ask the court to take into consideration the fact of the matter

before you is three years old. The people need some time to reconstruct

their case.

How much time, Ms. Kaufman?

Three weeks, Your Honor.

Mr. Quinn?

The court is familiar with the quote, justice delayed is justice denied.

Three years is a long delay, Your Honor.

Three years is a long wait for a chance to prove my innocence.

You don't have to prove your innocence, Mr. Quinn. The prosecution has to prove

your guilt, as I'm sure you're aware.

However, I agree with you that there seems to be no cogent reason for

delaying the course of justice any further.

Trial is set for Monday next, 10 a.m.

Your Honor, the witnesses who testified in the original trial, are not where

they were three years ago. Then you have one week to find them, Ms. Kaufman.

Monday next, 10 a.m.

Why

didn't

you get a continuance?

Wasn't up to me.

I tried. I'm not the judge.

Well?

The physical evidence is circumstantial and inconclusive.

Without an eyewitness, you have no case. No case, no trial.

We have until Monday.

A lot can happen in a couple of days. Unless it does, we're looking at either

an acquittal or another reversal. And if that is still the situation on Monday

morning, you can forget about it. Find the witness or drop the charges.

Otter theft, Staley speaking.

Could you hold, please?

Is there anybody here willing to give me some information without wiping their

feet on me first?

Are these places legit?

They're all legit as far as we've been able to prove.

You want my opinion?

These two are your best bet.

They're not chop-chops. I'm Julia Roberts.

Thanks, Lois.

If you want my opinion, you got it all over Julia Roberts.

You got it?

Put it over the hood.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Long time, Marty.

All I want is Johnny Ray Simpson. Talk to me.

Don't you have a brain?

I said I just want to talk.

If he hadn't done anything, why'd you chase him? He ran.

Where's Johnny Ray? He ran because you chased him. Did you identify yourself?

He knows who I am. Where's Johnny Ray? I'll take that as a no. I think the

judge will too. Where's Johnny Ray?

I didn't recognize him.

I thought he was one of those guys who goes around beating up Asians.

No, I'm not cutting him loose.

He's under arrest for assaulting a police officer. He can damn well tell it

to a judge.

He was cutting up a stolen car, for God's sakes. Did you have a warrant that

mentioned stolen cars, detective?

No! No!

He's the only link we have to Johnny Ray Simpson.

And Johnny Ray's the only way we've got to convict Quinn.

Now, you've seen Quinn.

You really want him out on the street?

No. Okay, so give me some damn help.

But how about that?

Learn how to talk to people instead of beating the crap out of them. I didn't

beat the crap out of them. I subdued a suspect who was resisting arrest.

It happens. You know, it's not all hearts that have flowers out there.

Your way?

What's that?

Put them in a comfortable chair, give them a cigar, wait for their better

nature to surface?

These people don't have a better nature. Do you?

One copy.

Hey, I heard you was back in the neighborhood.

You were here how you could get rid of me?

Yeah, Johnny Ray Simpson.

Know where I can find him?

Nope.

I don't find him. Come Monday, he'll be saying hello to Jack Quinn.

Remember Jack Quinn? He used to rip you off every time you needed to finance his

habit.

I don't know where Johnny Ray is, but, uh...

I bet his brother does.

Brother? What brother?

Marty Tau.

Marty Tau is Johnny Ray's brother?

One of them was adopted. I forget which.

Surprise, aren't you? Huh?

Just didn't ever occur to you, did it?

Never assumed.

You processed the guy earlier today, Marty Tao, T-A-O. Did you get an address

on him?

You waiting for a bribe?

John Dugan was my partner for a lot of years when I was on the street.

You got a problem with me?

Then jump me in on Dark Alley when we're off duty.

When you're on duty, do your damn job.

How's your love life?

Mine's great. Arlen!

Did you say something?

That's what I thought.

You dreamed it.

Okay. So maybe I looked at her.

I'm a man.

Men look.

It doesn't mean anything.

It does to me.

Well, maybe this is something we could talk about in therapy.

We could talk about it now.

But then we'll just go around in circles. I'll say it means nothing.

You'll say it doesn't. I'll say it doesn't. Then what?

I don't know.

I think I've made a pretty good case for us going to therapy.

We need an outsider to help us break the log jam.

Hi, it's me. I gotta see you right away.

Okay. Can't come right away.

Stop trying to save me, Johnny Ray.

I just came here to warn you.

Okay, you're on your own. I'm out of here.

Well, you're a hard man to find, Johnny Ray.

You really cleaned up your act, didn't you, Johnny Ray? My name's Jerry.

Jerry Blake.

I changed it legally. I can show you the court papers.

What is this stuff?

Lesson plans.

I teach adult literacy.

Never knew anybody as bad as you who got out.

Listen, I can't go back to being Johnny Ray Simpson, not even for a while.

All right, I got a wife and a little girl. They don't know. My boss doesn't

know. You think they're all gonna dump you if they find out? I'm not gonna take

the chance. Not for Jack Quinn, not for you, not for anybody.

I am not testifying.

You want this guy to come around?

Let me handle it.

Fine, you handle it.

You really believe in all this goodness and mercy stuff, don't you?

Yes.

You'll get over it.

Sound it out.

This, this tea, this thingy.

Excellent.

High five.

You really didn't think I was just going to disappear now, did you?

This is Tess Kaufman from the DA's office. She'd like to ask you a few

questions. Hi, I'm Jerry Blake.

Give me a minute, Mr. Cuadro.

Mr. Kwan thinks this is the greatest country in the world because everybody's

free. He hasn't been here very long.

You were in the story the night that Jack Quinn robbed and killed Lisa Smith.

I'm sorry. I don't remember. I was drunk.

That's your story. You're sticking with it?

That's right. You haven't changed.

You're still the same selfish bastard you've always been.

She says we need your help.

You know, I have a deaf student named Victor, and he could use me. Oh, come

on. Save it for the telethon, will you? You bucking for sainthood. Testify

against Quinn.

She read your rap sheet.

She wants to know what turned you around.

My wife.

My wife. They say you can't change someone else, but she changed me.

She's the same.

Who are these people, Jerry?

Um, this is Tess Kaufman from the DA's office, Detective Cobb. This is my boss,

Mr. Hayworth.

Are you in trouble, Jerry? No.

He was witness to a crime that's coming to trial on Monday.

We need him to testify.

Well, I'm sure Jerry will do his civic duty.

He sure seems reluctant, Mr. Hayworth.

We're sorry to take Mr. Blake away from his work, sir.

We just came here to talk with him.

We had him.

He was on the ropes and you pulled me off.

How many times do I gotta say it?

He's all we've got.

He is all we've got.

He's vulnerable.

We squeeze him, he pops.

We win.

Quinn loses.

What's your problem?

Yeah. Children, children.

The passion is stimulating, but let me bring the situation into focus for you.

I wouldn't mind squeezing this person if I thought it would do any good.

But if he's going to testify that he doesn't remember witnessing the crime,

then what's the point?

If he shows up in court on Monday, fine. If not, Quinn walks. I don't like it any

better than you do.

Now go to your room.

And you may not come out until you kiss and make up.

What scares you sometimes?

Yeah, well...

I scare myself sometimes, too.

Sometimes I have... like this out-of-body

experience.

You know, I... I stand outside myself, and I

see what I'm doing.

It's me. I mean, I know it's me.

But I don't believe that I... I don't think... I don't like that.

I don't like what I see.

So, change.

See, that's the thing. It's not so simple.

Because I see other things, too.

And, you know, I see the result of a Jack Quinn bullet, and I see...

The family that poor woman left behind, and when I see that, I don't care that

Jack Quinn came from broken home, and I don't care that his mother was a drunk.

Yeah, what about him?

Am I supposed to hold some kind of testimonial for Johnny Ray Simpson

because he's turned his life around?

Why? Because he gets up and he goes to work in the morning like a million other

people in the city?

I'm not trying to ruin his life.

But if it's a choice between keeping Jack Twin in jail and Johnny Ray Simpson

losing his job, for me, hey, that's an easy call.

Yeah, well, you know, it's a cold world out there, and... Johnny Ray Simpson, he

knows that better than the next guy.

No, not that tough.

At all.

This is the problem, Dr. Robertson. Whenever she feels threatened, she

closes herself off. It's like trying to pry open a clam with a toothpick.

Some people find it difficult to discuss their feelings, Mr. Kaufman.

But that's not usually an insurmountable problem. Do you love her?

I wouldn't be here if I didn't.

What about you, Mrs. Kaufman?

Yes, do you love him?

Is your marriage important to you?

Yes.

Do you think you can save it without help?

I don't think we can. I can't even get her to talk to me about things that

matter.

It had to do with her desire to be as self-sufficient as one can, Mr. Kaufman.

But I think it's the underlying message here that needs to be addressed.

You'll have to tell me what that is, then.

Have you made any attempt to learn sign language?

She can't learn to hear you, Mr. Kaufman.

But you can learn to sign. The problem is not that we can't communicate. The

problem is that we don't, because she won't.

We can't even agree on what the problems are.

That's easily solved.

Whatever you think is a problem is a problem.

Whatever she thinks is a problem is a problem.

Can we proceed on that assumption?

Sure. Sure?

Okay. I know what you think the problem is.

Her unwillingness to be dependent on you.

That's not what I said.

You're paying me to listen between the lines.

That's what I heard.

What do you think the problem is?

What did you say?

Other women.

Okay.

Now we can begin.

I do love you, you know.

I love you, too.

But not in that way.

If you mean not in the way that you need, that's probably true.

You make it sound like it's my problem.

You make it sound like wanting a home and a family and security is wrong.

No, it's not wrong, Kay. It's just something I can't commit to now.

Why? Because you tried it once and it didn't work out?

That means that you can't ever try it again?

I don't know about ever.

I just know about now, and right now, I can't do it.

I don't want to lose you.

Can't you meet me halfway?

Halfway.

That's a good word to describe this relationship.

And it's not good enough.

Not for me.

I always knew you'd break my heart.

What are you gonna do?

Do the best you can with what you've got. You don't have anything.

Well, we're going to try to get the judge to let us introduce Mr. Mason's

original testimony.

Oh, great.

So if the judge will allow it, you're going to get a court reporter to sit

there and answer and read questions for an hour in a monotone.

The jury's going to be asleep in five minutes.

I decided to come clean.

Yeah.

Everything work out all right?

I told you she was a saint.

What about your boss?

She talked to him. It's gonna be okay.

Good today.

Thank you.

Do you do doing anything tonight?

Want to get dinner?

Right.

Have a nice evening.