Original subtitles

Teresa took off, Kyle. At least that's what I heard. L.A., I think.

Where did she shot Bella?

You couldn't have sold tickets to shoot that shot. I'd have bought one of my

damn suckers. Look out!

Shut up! Hold it, punk!

I wanted to see it. Drop the gun!

Hug the pavement!

You're a very lucky man, Officer Cobb. Wait a minute. Let me get you on that a

while, Doc.

I almost died on one of the crummiest streets in town, and you say that I

should feel lucky?

A shot like that kills people every day.

Hits the femoral artery or it glances off the femur, tears your guts up. This

is nothing.

Nothing? Thank you. A little tissue damage, some sutures. You can go home

tomorrow. Start walking on a cane.

Not bad, huh? Not bad?

Thanks, Tess.

I'm glad you didn't get killed.

I don't want to die that way, Tess.

Not by some gangbanger with a Saturday night special.

It's just so anonymous.

Well, nail him.

Better nail him.

You gotta go somewhere?

A date?

With Asher? It's okay.

No, go.

Go on.

You're what the doctor said. I'm fine.

Really.

Get out of here.

Okay.

Take care.

Hello.

The me that was going to be here an hour and a half ago?

I can explain, Maggie.

But maybe you don't want to hear it.

Do I want to hear it?

I got shot.

I don't want to hear that. Try something else.

In the leg.

I'm in the hospital.

My God, you weren't kidding.

How bad?

Well, if I don't die tonight, I can go home in the morning.

If I can find someone...

I'll check with my drivers and see what I can do.

I would offer to walk your dog, but I don't think he likes me.

Yeah, my neighbor will do it.

So, were you mad at me?

Mad is a very simple emotion.

I'm glad Officer Cobb will be all right.

You two are very close, aren't you?

Best friends.

Just friends?

Am I too inquisitive?

I can see how it could almost happen.

There's a lot of warmth between you.

Men and women working together.

It's hard to be just friends.

Sooner or later, well, you know.

It's happened to you?

It's especially hard when the work is dangerous.

Even in a bookstore?

In Israel, even a bookstore can be dangerous.

Do you think of hiring someone to clean up this place?

Yeah, all the time, all the time.

Come on.

Come on, let's tuck you in so I can go make some money. Yes, ma'am.

John, get up.

Get up.

Hang on, hang on.

Okay.

Pretty close, huh, Meg?

Could have seriously damaged our relationship.

I thought our relationship was intellectual.

Almost spiritual.

Yeah.

You sure you don't want to stay?

I don't have anything I gotta do today.

Well, I do.

And you have to rest.

Watch Geraldo. Keep yourself spiritually balanced.

Okay.

I'll bring by some dinner tonight.

Deep down, she's nice, John.

You just gotta give her a chance.

Really. He shot a police officer, Mr. Sizemore.

Well, he... How is he?

The cop.

Not so bad.

But that doesn't make this any less serious.

Does the fact that other people were shooting at my client make it less

serious?

What people? I don't know.

Probably some of those gang kids.

They run amok. The whole area is infested.

Isn't that a gang tattoo?

I'm not a part of that anymore.

Since when? Yesterday?

Miss Kaufman, I'm truly stricken about Detective Cobb's misfortune. Really, I

am. But my client was simply...

Defending himself. Let it go.

They don't want to hear it.

The jury's already in, right?

You'll get your chance before a jury. Of my peers?

Guard!

I say to hell with this kid.

Let's hang him out to dry.

We might be able to plead it out.

Still send him to prison.

Why bother?

He got arrested a couple years ago for some gang brawl.

Now he's shooting cops. Your cop, I might add.

I don't want to go light on him, Arthur, but we're backed up. No, we need to send

a message here. A little answer to all this music about killing cops and

trashing the system.

Friend.

It's a slam dunk, Tess.

Yeah, how come you shaved the beard?

It was too gray.

A little too young to be a Dutch uncle, don't you think?

It's weird, John.

But you do not want a woman thinking that you live in a pig pen.

Ta-da.

I bought you some chili dogs for dinner.

I wish I'd been there when that creep tried to kill you.

Oh, I think your legs look better without any bullet holes in them.

Battle stripes.

I do believe you are jealous, Peggy.

Hi. Hi.

Officer Elliott.

Hi.

Don't let him talk you into ordering this junk.

He'll never get well.

I... for a little seafood pasta.

Very light, very tasty.

I'll see you later.

Great, Maggie.

Just great.

She was just trying to be helpful. I'm sure.

I also brought a little salad.

Maggie, you're the person I want to be here with.

Today, I thought about you being killed by that kid.

It wasn't thought.

It didn't happen.

I would have missed you, Dickie.

I really would have.

It's eight in the morning, Dickie.

I haven't slept this late for years.

That's what happens when you sleep with someone you like.

I sleep with someone I like every night.

That's what happens when you stay up till 3 in the morning with someone you

like. I have to go to work.

It's the perfect place to escape the real world.

What are you gonna do today?

Go to work.

Where's my other shoe?

John, I believe you'd prefer this relationship not to work.

And that would make your master very unhappy.

Bye, boys.

And if I saw one more talk show about abusive men and the women who love them,

I would have gone nuts.

But we like.

Legs fine.

Doctor said, Dickie, walk. So I'm walking. It's fine.

Excuse me.

Miss Kaufman, I'm Sue Midwood.

You're handling the case against my son?

I'm, uh, Detective Cobb.

I'm sorry about what happened. They came to tell us what a good boy your son is.

He is.

I mean it.

He's got a job. He's doing real well in school.

He's even... He carries a gun and he goes gangbanging for entertainment.

Dickie.

He's done with all that.

Can you help me?

Not unless he pleads guilty.

But he isn't guilty.

That's up to the jury to decide.

Sorry to take your time.

I have heard that so many times.

Kids are all angels.

I don't believe her.

Don't tell me that you believe her.

I don't think so.

Tess, one rule.

A kid packing an illegal handgun is no angel.

The felony charge against Mr. Midwood is assault with a deadly weapon with a

special enhancement of the use of a firearm.

There are also misdemeanor charges of carrying a concealed weapon, possession

of an unregistered firearm, brandishing a firearm in public, and discharging

that firearm within the city limits.

And how does Mr. Midwood plead to said charges?

Not guilty, Your Honor.

Motions, Mr. Sizemore?

No, no motions, Your Honor. We'd like to set bail and proceed to trial.

You see, Your Honor, my client's in school, and I might add... You may not

add, Mr.

Sizemore.

How do people feel about bail, Ms. Kaufman?

Your Honor, the indiscriminate use of a firearm is a particularly egregious

offense. There's also the possibility of gang activity here, and conviction

carries an automatic prison sentence.

Mr. Midwood represents a considerable flight risk.

The people ask bail of $100,000.

Mr. Sizemore? Your Honor, my client represents absolutely no flight risk at

all. My goodness gracious, he's an honor student, he's college bound, he needs to

get back to school. Your Honor, he's also working to help his family. I could

go on and on. Which I'm sure would edify us all, Mr.

Sizemore, but I think it's time for a bail quote.

Well, how does $10,000 grab you?

Would that be appropriate?

The court feels that $50,000 would be more appropriate.

Hey, Cobb.

You hear the news?

A little creep just made bail.

Where'd he get the money?

Probably from that job he had to help his mother.

Probably from his drug-dealing partners.

Kids are buying Cadillacs with cash these days.

He got it from Ronnie Phillips.

Basketball player? Former basketball player.

He's part of a mentoring program now.

Successful black men helping promising inner-city kids.

Oh, that's great.

Hey, Cobb, you better watch out.

Next thing you know, they'll be hiring Maggie Zomber as his defense attorney.

Well, I certainly hope not.

I've been working these gangs for five years, and I ran with them when I was a

kid. Steve Midwood got out a while back after that big war at Caprini Green.

He carries a gun, Mr. Gilliard.

Hits himself in shootouts.

You used to work down here, cop.

Haven't you told her what it's like? I've been trying to forget.

You get shot at enough, you carry a gun too.

Ain't that right, crazy twin?

What's that, Dennis?

Steve Mitwood ain't no gangster.

Don't mention that clown.

This is Ms. Kaufman and Detective Cobb from the DA's office.

You the cop he shot, huh?

That's right.

There were other people shooting that day. You know anything about it? Hey, I

don't know nothing.

And don't go try to land on the seven deuce.

Seventy-second place, their affiliation.

What do you got against Steve Midwood? He ain't down with the hood.

And now he's going to the penitentiary. Yeah.

Someone's gonna do him up there, too.

Because he's been dissing the wrong people, lady.

Word up. It's been known to be in the capital offense.

What are you trying to say, Tess?

We've talked to his principal.

his mentor, and a gang worker.

We keep hearing the same thing.

Whatever was in his past, he's no longer such a bad kid.

Well, hell, Legg, what do you think about that?

Aren't we investigating a crime here?

There were other people shooting. So what?

It still takes two to have a gunfight. There's no witness to verify another

shooter. His principal says that he's one of the ten best students in school,

and he hasn't missed a day of work in two years.

A lot of people.

With regular jobs, commit crimes.

You doubted his bail was legit, but it was.

What do you want to do?

I want to talk to him again and see if we can find out what happened.

I've got a side with Cobb on this one, Tess. I don't see the point.

Well, I do.

Dickie, I am really sorry about your leg, but I need to do this.

Sorry about the leg.

Yeah.

World is going to hell.

Thought about a lawsuit. Don't even start with me. I can work on it with

Maggie. Maybe at a reduced fee.

Why don't you two get acquainted?

Bye.

That's Tess Kaufman's ex-husband.

I think he likes you.

Another lawyer.

He's also an ex-con.

Real dangerous guy.

Works for Maggie Zombrow. That's the place for a dangerous guy. She's real

mean. She's tough, Elliot. There's a difference.

What do you see in her?

She's uptown, Cobb. Whole other side of the tracks.

And she defends a bunch of pukes that ought to be in jail.

She's doing her job, Elliot.

Just like us.

You're very brave, Miss Cartman, going to Dine City.

It's my job.

Worried about you?

Never. You seem very capable.

But I'd hate for something to happen to you.

I truly would.

In a country that's always at war, you lose people.

I like you.

I like your lips.

I like yours too.

I like everything about you.

I'm sorry.

What is being ready?

I don't know.

It's been a long time for me to...

In my country, you learn not to take too long a time.

I know it's a good line.

It's also the truth.

Cobb. Tess.

Glad I caught up with you. You're going to talk to Steve Midwood, right?

Right. Well, I've been thinking, Tess. Maybe your instinct was right all along.

What does that mean, Arthur?

Well, it means the press are beginning to pick up on this story. They think

this kid's a real hero.

Frankly, I didn't realize he was so talented.

I told you yesterday.

I guess you couldn't hear me without the press in the background.

Whatever.

Maybe there's something we can do here. You mean like a deal, Arthur?

Sorry, Cod.

90-day diagnostic.

Then kick him to probation.

In other words, make it go away.

Before it hits the front pages.

We could reduce the charge to simple assault.

I'm not interested in cutting a deal, man.

You'd have a 90-day diagnostic hold.

After which time you would be determined unsuitable for prison and be put on

probation. 90 days is still 90 days. I'd miss school and have a criminal record.

It's the law.

If you use a gun in the commission of a crime, you go to prison. I didn't commit

a crime.

I defended myself.

You were illegally carrying an unregistered handgun. To protect myself.

Something you people no longer have the ability or inclination to do.

If you're convicted, your life is going to be ruined. And if I buy what you're

selling, I might as well be dead.

Some guys in a car shot at me, lady, and I shot back.

What would you have done?

So we're going to trial, and it's going to be self-defense?

N-V-N-N-H-I.

What? Nigga versus nigga, no human involved.

That's what one of your cops called it before he found out a fellow officer was

involved. See, you all wrote us off a long time ago. Even the politicians

don't talk about us anymore.

Well, I'm not going to let you write me off.

Going a little easy on him, weren't you? How do you think, sir?

What are we trying to do, Tess?

Reward kids for running around the streets with guns?

It's not that complicated.

I mean, call me old-fashioned, but I still believe that a strong and swift

punishment is a deterrent.

Once again, we know where we stand.

Hunk Mackey.

How do you know?

We went eat with him.

I don't know why I didn't tell you.

It happened so sudden, I didn't think it would last.

What?

Every moment's a new adventure.

Sort of like walking on pond ice.

What feeling insecure yes, I'm still your friend

Hey

You should have come eat

Spying on me, huh? Shame on you.

Your nose is red, just like the reindeer in the Christmas song.

And what did you see watching me walk?

Pretty sure of myself, but not...

Completely content.

Me neither.

Why so serious?

Because... I want to be with you.

And I'm afraid... I'm not going to push you, Tess.

This has to be your decision.

Can I trust you?

You know you can.

How did you know that the defendant was the person who shot you? He was carrying

the gun.

The gun that ballistics has matched with the bullet that struck Detective Cobb.

Then what did you do?

I produced my weapon, identified myself, and had him assume the prone position

until backup arrived.

No further questions.

Most unfortunate about your injury, Detective Cobb.

I'm truly sorry when... Any innocent bystander becomes a victim in this

plague of inner-city violence.

Objection, Your Honor. Defense counsel is not here to testify.

Sustained. Move it along, Mr. Sizemore. Yes, sir.

Detective Cobb, we've heard testimony that Steve Midwood's gun was fired

twice. Do you have any idea where that second bullet might have gone?

I think it hit a car.

What car would that be?

A passing car.

Oh, was someone firing from that car?

I don't know.

But you did hear other gunfire, correct? Yes. Well, then it is possible that

someone could have been firing at my client from the passing car.

Objection. Calls for speculation and a conclusion.

Sustained.

Detective Cobb, as far as you know, did the defendant have any reason to want to

shoot you?

Objection. Irrelevant.

Sustained.

Nothing further at this time.

But I would like to reserve the right to recall this witness.

That's it, ma'am. That's what happened. I looked up, saw him behind the mailbox

with his piece out.

That's when I ducked.

Nothing further.

Mr. Moore, you see a lot of gunfire in your neighborhood?

Too much.

How often?

Once a month, once a week, once a day.

More like once a week.

Mr. Moore, is it a fact that you have a bulletproof barrier beneath your service

counter? Save my booty.

Save me a couple of times, too. Is it also a fact you keep a gun on the

premises? Yes, sir.

Do you ever use it?

Objection. I see no relevance to this testimony.

Your Honor, it is highly relevant. It goes to motive. It goes to the state of

mind of my client. I'll allow it, Mr. Moore.

I've used the gun.

Wouldn't be in business if I didn't.

Hell,

I might not even be alive.

He's going to build this whole case on the neighborhood.

You build your case on the evidence. Let the jury kick him if they want to.

You don't sound very concerned, Arthur.

I can't change the facts.

I hate it when this stuff turns political.

Oh, yeah.

I can tell it's just tearing you up inside.

What happened to you?

Weaver Snitch called about a load of guns. They were enough to start a war.

You got shot?

But the one who did it won't become an accord.

And so you killed him.

The bullet through the front door was an 86.

The living room window was hit in 89 and again last year.

Lord have mercy.

You mean to tell me your apartment has been hit by gunfire three times in the

past six years?

Objection. Irrelevant.

Your Honor, at the risk of repeating myself, it is highly relevant to my

client's state of mind.

Go ahead, Mr. Sizemore, but spare us the editorials.

Yes, sir.

Now...

What about this gang, the Seven Deuce Gangsters?

Do you know about them?

Our apartment building is on their... turf.

They sell drugs there, rob people and kill them, too.

What was your son's relationship with these people?

They started beating on him when he was 12. He finally joined them at 15.

How long was he in this gang?

Four years.

Do you know why he got out?

Because he knew he'd die if he stayed in.

Nothing further.

Ms. Midwood, did you allow your son to keep an illegal handgun in the house?

Yes. How did you feel about that?

How did I feel about it?

How do you think I felt about it?

Please answer the question, Miss Midwood.

I felt horrible.

Same as any mother would whose boy is carrying a gun, liable to get killed any

day.

Nothing further.

But what was I supposed to do?

Call a cop?

Call the mayor?

Oh.

God.

How about those bears?

Disinfectant will only sting for a little while.

Margaret Isabella Zombrow, visiting nurse.

I believe in a previous lifetime I was Florence Nightingale.

Lizzie Borden.

Ow!

Peggy Elliott killed her first perp yesterday.

Only her first?

She strikes me as the type who notches her gun quite regularly.

I think she enjoyed it.

That fits.

I don't think she even saw the face.

Not even the person.

I think the only thing she saw was the criminal.

I suppose she could say that's her job.

That's what I used to say when I worked down there. That's what you say now,

Dickie. We all do.

What's the matter?

Are you seeing the face of the kid who shot you?

I don't know if I think that's such a bad thing.

I think being with me just makes you sentimental.

I really like being with you.

I like being with you too. That's God, man.

My American surprise.

Married?

I go close, but no.

Should I do the same?

How did you know?

I could feel it.

Since I met you, the sadness flies away.

It's the one on the left.

A gun?

It's nothing, Tess. A simple .22.

But why?

I bought it from home. I was trained with it in the army.

At home.

I carry it when I visit my aunt in the kibbutz. The roads are dangerous.

Of course I don't carry it when I'm here.

It hangs in my closet for protection.

I hate guns.

So do I. But sometimes they are necessary.

They scare me.

There's nothing to be scared about.

Nothing.

Well, why didn't you just run or hide behind a building or something?

They were shooting at me. I didn't have time to run or hide. I tried to duck

behind the mailbox, but I still needed to defend myself.

Nothing further.

Mr. Midwood, could you identify the people who allegedly shot at you?

No, ma'am.

They were members of the Seven Deuce gangsters. How would I know if I

couldn't identify the individuals?

Mr. Midwood, speaking hypothetically, if you could identify the

people who shot at you, would you?

No. So we don't know if you're telling the truth or not?

No.

You make this very difficult, Mr. Midwood. It is difficult, Ms. Kaufman.

Since you've posted Bond, have you continued to carry a gun? Yes.

An unregistered handgun carried without a permit?

Yes.

Are you carrying it today? I don't need it up here.

But you are nevertheless admitting to criminal behavior when you're away from

this courtroom. I'm admitting to protecting myself.

It's still against the law.

Well, with all due respect, ma'am, where I live, the law no longer protects me.

Just one more question, Mr. Midwood.

Are you telling this court that even if you're acquitted today, you will

continue to carry an illegal weapon?

I would defend myself as long as I have to, and by any means necessary.

I find that very sad, Mr. Midwood.

Nothing further.

Your Honor.

At this time, the defense recalls Detective Cobb.

Detective Cobb, in the past, you worked as a patrolman in

Steve Midwood's neighborhood, correct?

Correct. And you've seen and known about various

robberies, shootings, assaults, correct?

Correct. Detective Cobb, if you lived in this neighborhood,

Road public transportation maybe had to walk back and forth to work in this

neighborhood would you consider carrying a handgun I Suppose I would

Would you carry a handgun?

Yes, thank you nothing further

And while it's true that Steve Midwood lives in a tough neighborhood and has

every right to protect himself, what message would a not guilty verdict send?

That it's permissible for every person to make their own laws?

That's what Steve Midwood is asking you to say.

He's admitted to breaking the law.

He's acknowledged that he would lie under oath to protect himself.

He's blatantly stated that even during the course of this trial, he has

continued to break the law and will continue to do so.

However flawed and in need of remedy our society may be, once we throw

out our laws and say it's every man for himself, we shall surely drown in a

tidal wave of darkness.

It's up to you.

to ensure that that doesn't happen.

Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, like Ms. Kaufman here, I do not wish you to discard

our laws.

What I wish you to do is to look at Steve Midwood as an individual, an

individual who's triumphed.

against nearly impossible odds, and is on the road to taking a productive place

in our society.

He didn't choose a neighborhood that was rife with poverty

and crime.

He was born there.

But what he did choose was not to succumb to despair,

not to succumb to the easy escape of drugs, not to succumb

to the easy money of crime.

And he chose, my friends, to walk away from one of the predatory gangs that

terrorize so many of our neighborhoods today.

If he must defend himself with a

gun, break the law.

It is because the law no longer protects him.

He's one of the thousand upon thousand of heroic young men

and women who are out there surviving by whatever means necessary while trying to

find their niche in a society that has miserably failed.

To brand Steve Midwood as a criminal for that.

would be a woeful bit of injustice.

Thank you.

I just wanted to take a moment to

say, great summation.

Thank you.

It means a lot.

Detective Cobb.

Congratulations, Steve. You're a free man.

Almost.

Obation for carrying a gun, community service.

Sounds pretty free to me. Sure beats prison.

Yeah, it does.

You got too good a brain to waste the fine bars.

You mean that? Yeah.

Look, I'm sorry things happened the way they did.

Hell, maybe Sizemore's right. Maybe we need two cops on every corner down

there. I don't know.

Or enough changes so we don't need any cops at all.

How about the gun?

I don't think I can get by without it. It is a lose-lose proposition.

I know you think you need it to survive down there, but in the end, a gun will

betray you.

You go back to school and finish up, and then you just keep on going.

Good luck to you.

Thanks.

Conversations with the enemy?

Asher? Uh, no. I don't think so.

Whoever the enemy is, it isn't Steve Midwick.

How you doing? You survive losing to Cliff Sizemore?

Yeah.

I'd have felt worse if you'd have won, too.

Come have dinner.

Thanks. I gotta be somewhere.

You'll never see each other anymore.

Well, I guess that means...

We're not as lonely anymore.

I've done all the research on reinstatement, Maggie. I just need you

to represent me.

And what does that entail?

Just a little arguing before the judge.

Arguing about what?

That I don't have the funds to repay a $30,000 fine.

Not until you pay the $40,000 you owe me.

And...

That I've reformed. You know, rehabilitated myself.

And have you rehabilitated yourself, Bruce?

We've seen ample evidence of that, Maggie. I really love this work. I would

love to continue this partnership.

Partnership?

Bruce, sometimes talking with you makes me want to jump in a shell.

What took you so long?