All language subtitles for For Life 1x01 - Pilot

I used to be just like you.

Mm.

I had a wife I loved.

I had a family and a home.

I owned a business.

I paid my taxes.

Got you!

I had my friends.

Say "cheese."

Some of them were the kind of friends

you'd be better off without.

Maybe I should've known.

NYPD! Search warrant!

- Hands up!
- Don't move!

Show me your hands!
Stay where you are!

No!

Aaron!

He didn't do anything!

How long have you been bringing in drugs?

I told you, I had no idea...

The powers that be
came down on me.

So, here I am now, nine years later,

for the first time,
back in the same courthouse

where they came to take my life away.

Except today,

no matter what anybody thinks about me,

about who I am and how I got here,

today I've got a way to fight back.

And you can be damn sure
that's what I'm going to do.

Mrs. Rodriguez.

Now, remember,
this is just about arguing the motion

to get your retrial.

We're not even coming out of here
today with a decision on that.

Hey.

You're innocent.

You were overcharged.

You've done time you never should have.

We're gonna end that.

Yeah. Yeah, well,
what do you want me to say?

Rookie bailed... his wife's pregnant,

she needed to go to the O. B.,
blah, blah.

I just caught this
eight minutes ago.

Look, order the drinks,
give me 30, I'll meet you there.

Yeah.

How are you here?

Hard work and good will.

What's your method?

All rise.

Mr. Wallace,

I understand this will be your first time

arguing before the bench.

It is, Your Honor.

I won't hold it against you,

as long as you know what you're doing.

I guess we'll see about that,
Your Honor.

Let's have at it, then.

So, this is it now. Day One.

I wasn't expecting him to be here,

but that's all right.

It'll only make this sweeter.

See, ADA Dez O'Reilly

is one of the bastards
that put me away...

That's right.

I, Aaron Wallace,

am under the permanent custody
of the State of New York,

serving a life sentence
for something I didn't do.

Let's go, boys. Step up.

Wallace.

Rodriguez.

Mouth.

Squat.

Cough.

So now you're probably asking yourself

how was I sitting in
that courthouse in that suit?

But for me, the question

isn't how I could be
out there in the world.

The question is, how can I be in here?

And how am I ever gonna get out?

Synced & corrected by -robtor-
www.addic7ed.com

You got 90 seconds to tell me
how the hell it happened.

So, apparently when he got to prison,

he went to work for
the paralegal association,

representing inmates

in their internal cases inside prison.

Yeah, I'm familiar.

That got him unlimited access
to the library.

From there,
college and law degrees online,

then he figured out

some totally insane loophole
in the system.

First, he took the Vermont bar,
which is the only state

where you can sit for the bar exam

with a degree from
an unaccredited law school.

Then, he applied to have his license

accepted reciprocally in New York.

But he's a convicted drug dealer.

He couldn't have passed the morality test

without someone with serious juice.

Remember Henry Roswell?

Retired state senator,
former public defender?

Of course.

Well, in his spare time,

he arbitrates prison paralegal cases.

Apparently he was impressed with Wallace

and sponsored him for the bar.

Unbelievable. What's this case, anyway?

Latino kid in for statutory rape.

Plus, the girl OD'd on drugs he gave her.

He's serving 20 on the sex
charge and attempted murder.

And they're looking for a retrial?

They say the kid never bought the drugs,

claim the dealer's changing his story.

- Who's the judge?
- It's Tanaka.

But Wallace is a joke.

Plus, he's popping his cherry on this.

I'll run rings around him,
if it comes to that.

All right, but I need to be in the loop.

The second you get Tanaka's
ruling, I want to know.

You got it.

This all for your case?

Yep.

- That's the dude going against us now?
- Uh-huh.

Yeah, you know, that's what
I was kind of wondering about.

What went down in court yesterday,

it seems like it's personal
between you and him.

It's not going to affect
how I do anything.

I was talking to my Grandma,
and she's kind of concerned

that if, like, they got
something against you already,

it may make things harder for me.

Got somebody else lined up?

I don't think she did very well
by you the last time around.

I-I know. I know. I just...

I bet you think you know
what I've been doing in here

over all these years.

Fighting the system
that screwed me over, right?

Wrong.

What I do as prison rep
is commodity to keep me alive.

Becoming a lawyer
is what's getting me out.

You're just the first.

I'm gonna use your case
to start attacking the D. A.

Day by day, case by case.

Time I'm done

and he's soft and his credit's shot,

that's how I'm gonna prove
that he worked me over.

Everything I do, everything I've done

is about getting my freedom,
getting back to my family.

You want another lawyer? Have at it.

But you're not gonna find
anybody more motivated than me.

How the hell am I supposed to
pay for that?

You're supposed to do
what I tell you to do.

Hey, how you doin'?

Good.

Long drive.

I, uh, got you some ties,
'case you need 'em for court.

- Thanks.
- Mm-hmm.

Still no Jazz, huh?

Sorry. She got extra SAT prep today.

- That her report card?
- Yeah.

- Gotta sign it, right?
- Yep.

You okay with these grades?

Kids have ups and downs, Aaron.

She quit gymnastics.

She looks exhausted.

And last time I saw her,

- I'm damn near sure she was stoned.
- She's not stoned.

Something's goin' on,
and whatever it is...

- It's on me, right?
- No, it's on Darius.

- Come on.
- He's not hard enough on her.

He's not her father.

Well, if he's not willing to
take on that responsibility,

maybe he should get out of your bed.

Well, I might kick him out
if you came back home,

but you're not, 'cause
you're locked up for life.

You're not telling me something.

You should've taken the plea.

It was 20 years, Marie.

You would've got parole in 12...

Three years from now.

I would've waited for you.

And Jasmine would still have her father.

Hey.

You remember what I was like?

The kind of...

Every day, every second
I'm not there for her...

for you...

I'm sorry, I can't.

No, Marie, come back. Marie!

Marie, come back!

Marie!

Guards! Got a fight down here!

Get 'em out of here now!

Separate and restrict them both
to their cells

for the rest of the day!

Warden on the Tier!

What happened?

We're short-handed.

McClintock quit this morning.

I told you some people wouldn't hack it.

Good riddance.

Ma'am, I gotta say,

these reforms, all these changes,

it's all going too quick
for anybody to keep up with.

Look at the numbers, Captain.

This incident not withstanding,
violence is down 34%,

suicide attempts cut in half.

Drug use plummeting... in five months.

Now, your staff may not like the reforms,

but they're working,
and it's your job to sell that.

Now I want to walk the yard.

Warden's down
from the Big House today.

I guess she wants to see
how the other half live.

She must be trippin'...

You gettin' out to go to court.

I'm licensed now.

Ain't nothin' she can do about it.

The hell this bitch want?

Joey Knox got thrown in the hole.

Looks like Wild Bill wants you
to get into it for him.

Can I get a word?

You hear about Joey?

Yeah, brawlin' with Custody?

I can't say how
that's gonna help anybody.

I'm beginning to wonder
if maybe you ratted him out.

You're smokin'
too much crystal, man.

Oh, yeah? Well, you spend a lot of time

up in that Warden's office
every week, don't you?

I'm the prisoners' rep.
I talk about your rights.

Well, then you got no problem
taking Joey's case, do you?

What?

What, you got a problem
with my tats? Is that it?

I thought a Law Man
wasn't supposed to judge.

Yeah, well, I make certain exceptions.

Well, I want him out.

And I'd hate to hear
that the folks out in this yard

began to question what really goes on

up in that Warden's office
with you and the Madame.

Then there's no choice, is there?

So, next time, don't leave it
till the last minute.

Look, I gotta go, but I'll
be home for dinner, okay?

I love you.

Your son or daughter?

It's always my son.

But I think that's just boys.

Yeah, I wouldn't know.

I heard you were talking to
Wild Bill in the yard today.

I'm guessing he wants you to
rep Joey Knox.

You still trying to eliminate solitary?

You don't think I can pull it off?

Not without a revolt from the guards.

Well, revolt or not, it's my next move.

But I can't do it

if I still have prisoners
sitting in there.

Repping Joey's not gonna
play well in my community.

But I'll think about it.

Fine.

So, what can you tell me
about the drug use?

Down, as far as I can see.

What about the flow?

I told you... you get what I know

about the guards, not the prisoners.

It's the only way
this thing's gonna work,

unless you want me dead.

I was talking about the guards.

Then nothing.

But I'll keep my eyes open.

Your ears, too.

Uh, we're not done.

I, uh... I got a call
from the court today.

You got your retrial with Jose.

That's great. Thank you.

You think you got a chance there?

Yeah, we'll see.

Well, good luck.

And watch your back.

Every minute of every day.

So, you're a high school junior,

you got a B average,

you got your friends,

you're on the soccer team,
you even got yourself a girl.

Tell us about that.

Molly was, like,
from a good family, you know?

Uh, with money.

And me, my dad split,
my moms was workin' three jobs,

and I was eatin'
frozen waffles for dinner.

I bet her parents liked you. Not much.

And they said it was 'cause
I was 17 and she was only 15,

but she was a sophomore.

We was only one grade apart.

So, what did you do?

Snuck around a couple months,

but I knew I had to break it off
before my birthday.

Because in the State of New York,

an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old
is considered statutory rape.

And they'd for sure call the cops.

Did you know that in Virginia,
Texas, Colorado, Arizona,

Florida, and Pennsylvania,

a boy and girl can get married
and have kids at those ages?

Objection.

Look, I get he's still
figuring all this out,

but I'm pretty sure he knows
the laws in other states

are irrelevant here.

Sustained, Mr. Wallace.

And you should know,
in many of those states,

parental consent is required.

So, you broke up. Then what?

She keeps cryin' and beggin'

and sayin' she's gonna hurt herself

if I don't get back to her.

Then one day, she promises

if I just come over one more time,

she'd be all right.

And you went?

She said her parents
were gonna be gone for the day,

so yeah, I went over there.

Then after we were, you know, together...

I fall asleep.

When I wake up, there's a note next to me

- saying she's gonna kill herself.
- Objection!

The police never found this note.

The victim herself swore under oath

that she didn't write it.

- This has been hashed and rehashed.
- Sustained.

I'll allow this line of questioning

if and only if you can produce

any corroborating evidence of this note.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Let's get back to that day.

After you woke up, then what?

I found her in the living room.

Next to an empty bottle of Oxy.

I tried to wake her,

then when I couldn't, I called 911.

And you waited for the ambulance?

No.

Well, why not?

Because I knew her parents
would come after me.

Which is what they did.

Even though Molly survived?

I guess they wanted to punish me.

And the prosecution had text
messages between you and Molly

where you kept promising to buy her Oxy.

Yeah, they did.

Can you explain those?

She kept asking me,
but I just kept stalling.

Hoping she'd give up.

Why didn't you just tell her "no"?

Because I thought she'd just
go to the school dealer

- and buy them herself.
- And were you right?

That's what she ended up doing.

The dealer just lied about it
six years ago, pinned it on me,

and that's how I ended up
doing all this time.

Let the record show

that I intend to call the drug dealer

and the police officer on the scene

who saw that missing suicide note.

No further questions.

Are you saying

the District Attorney's office is racist?

I'll leave that
for other people to decide.

But there's no question
the system's broke

for anybody who doesn't have
power or money.

Overcharging people
who can't afford a lawyer,

then forcing them into a plea

is an epidemic in this country.

And if you look at the numbers,

the Bronx has been one of
the worst under Glen Maskins.

The timing on this
has got to be difficult for Maskins,

who's in a neck-and-neck battle

in the upcoming election
for Attorney General

against Brooklyn D. A. Anya Harrison.

You drop everything else on your plate

and do not even contemplate
losing this case.

You didn't tell me

Aaron Wallace was going
scorched earth on Maskins.

Mm. What do we have here?

Bacon and eggs.

Mmm, yummy.

We talked about him taking some cases.

You didn't say anything about
him grandstanding on the news.

This is gonna hurt Maskins and help you.

Unless he gets backed into a corner,

lashes out,

and starts pointing out
our conflict of interest.

I think you're getting
ahead of yourself. I really do.

I hope so.

You need to study
for that midterm, don't you?

I want to go see Dad.

He has a right to know what's going on.

You know the baggage he has around this.

He's just gonna make you feel
like you screwed up.

You don't need that right now.

You know, you say you're protecting me.

I really feel like
you're protecting yourself.

I think you're scared
he's gonna say you screwed up.

What's going on?

She's pissed I'm keeping her
from seeing Aaron.

Well, your mother has good reasons...

Are you talking to me
about this? Seriously?

Well, I live here

- and I support you, so yeah.
- Darius.

Just because you're banging
your best friend's wife

doesn't mean you get to start
playing daddy with me.

- Hey!
- We're together, Jazz,

and that ain't changing.

You're gonna have to
start to accept that.

How about never?!
How's that work for you?

Jasmine!

I know how hard this has been for you.

But you can't talk to Darius like that.

I know.

I'm sorry.

He's just trying to help however he can.

You think he knows you still love Dad?

I think he understands

there are different kinds of love.

I know you think your dad
is coming back some day,

but he's not.

He's never getting out of there.

The sooner we all accept that,

the easier it'll be to live our lives.

I don't care about what's easy.

And I'm not just gonna give up on him.

Here for Freddy Dawkins.

He's one of my witnesses.

I got to prep him
before we head over to court.

And in the days leading up to
her suicide attempt,

Molly had arranged to meet
with you, and you agreed?

That's right.

And what did she want?

To buy Oxy.

So, six years ago, why did you testify

that Jose was the one who bought 'em?

Come on, man.
We've been over this.

This is the part where you tell the court

that you were scared
'cause Molly's a minor

and that the D. A. Cut you a deal...

If I said, "I sold it to Jose."
I know. I got it, man.

- Then what's the problem?
- I don't know. I just...

I don't know if I want to
get involved in all this.

- You tryin' to shake me down?
- No, man.

No!

What did they promise you?

I hope it's protection,
'cause you're gonna need it

when people find out
you rolled on 'em again.

Hey, man. Are you threatening me?

Not a threat. It's a fact.

And I won't be able to stop it.

- No, this is messed up, man.
- What's messed up is

this kid's been
rotting in here for six years

and he's gonna do 14 more
because you lied.

Freddy, this is your chance
to make things right.

Lockdown in effect!

Back to your cells!

Repeat... we are in lockdown!

- Let's go!
- Let's go.

- Later, man.
- Freddy.

We're locking it up!
Everybody in, let's go!

Freddy!

I gotta know
what it's gonna be here, man.

- Gotta clear it out.
- Freddy!

- Hey, you want to end up in the hole?
- Freddy!

I-I-I'll do it, all right? I'll do it.

Do you hear me? Let's go!

Let's go.

So, first, I'm gonna call
the cop on the scene

who saw Molly's suicide note
on the floor.

After that, we got Freddy.

Hold on. Yo!

Where we goin'?

First stop's supposed to be the Bronx.

What are you, my navigator?

Hey, where they taking you, man?

Queens County.

Yo, you got the wrong route!

Yo, we gotta be in court by 9:00!

This is gonna make us two hours late!

Your Honor, I'm very sorry.

- There was a problem with transport.
- I'll say there was.

The driver says
he had to change his route

because you were riling up the inmates

and he had to get them off
the bus for security reasons.

No, that's just... not true, Your Honor.

Whatever it is, you're not
getting your witness back.

Why not? We can just call him tomorrow.

He's working an undercover case.

This was his only opening.

You got the paperwork on that?

I have word from his Captain,
and that is good enough for me.

Let's just move on to the next witness.

Would that be Freddy Dawkins?

Supposed to be, yeah.

Well, here's the thing...

Um, Mr. Dawkins is now reverting back

to his original testimony
from six years ago.

Here's the affidavit, Your Honor.

- Where'd you get that?
- His lawyer sent it to us.

And he confirms once again

the defendant purchased
the drugs, not the victim.

- You bought him!
- Mr. Wallace.

Bought or coerced, which is it?

- Whoa. Take it easy.
- Mr. Wallace.

You telling me you don't see
what's going on here?!

- He's tampered with my witness!
- Can you prove that?

That's what they do all day, every day...

Move people around like they're
pieces on some chess board!

But that kid... that kid
right there is not some pawn!

He had a life,
and then you took it from him!

Mr. Wallace, you need to settle down.

Settle down? Know my place?

- Is that what you mean?
- Security.

I am warning you, Mr. Wallace.

You are dangerously close
to being in contempt.

I'd imagine your hold on your license

is pretty tenuous as it is.

So, if I were you, I would stop
this tantrum right now.

Open cell 4.

Aah!

But you still also need to protect...

Anya. You are looking lovely as ever.

Still leading with how women look, Glen?

In 2019?

What do you think people are gonna say

when it's pointed out to them

that your wife
is the one allowing Wallace

to head out to court?

So, you decided to go
right at Maskins with the media.

I was approached,
and I saw an opportunity.

Well, now he's threatening to
expose our relationship,

tie it back to my wife,

and make it look like we
weaponized you to go after him.

Anyone can connect those dots.
That was always a risk.

No one would have been looking.

But your tirade to the press
makes it a story now.

You know I thought

that when you decided to
take on these other cases,

you were doing it out of solidarity
with your fellow inmates.

But that's not it, is it?

You're just using them
to provoke Maskins.

And prove a pattern of corruption.

Then prove it!

Instead of spouting off to the press

before you've accomplished anything.

You know, every time I petition
the county clerk for records

or ask for old police reports,
you know what they say?

"No dice. Ongoing investigation."

Nine years later.

So I got no choice but to provoke him,

hoping he gets reckless
and makes a mistake.

So, that's your long game?

I don't see any other way.

How about win your cases?

Get yourself some credibility.

I'll stay away from the press.

But you let me worry
about my credibility.

Gotta be out for chow time, 20 minutes.

Hey.

It's over, man.

Is that what you're comin' to tell me?

Where'd you get this?

Six years.

Six years in this hell, I stayed off it.

You made me believe, man.

I believed.

Get up.

Hey.

You never showed me this.

Where'd it come from?

She wrote me... after I got in here.

You once told me
that you remember every word

that Molly wrote you
in that suicide note.

Yeah.

So what?

- Hello?
- Hey, how you doin'?

I'm okay. Just on my way to work.

Listen, I'm sorry
about what happened last week.

Yeah, me too.

I was hoping maybe you could do
something for me.

You're the only one I can trust.

I'm listening.

Yo. Joey Knox still in the hole?

Well, they ain't letting him out
for Sunday brunch.

Aaron'll take his case.

But he's gonna need something from you.

- Where'd you get it?
- Thrift store.

Guy said it was over 10 years old.

Great. I'll be right back.

Whoa, whoa, Aaron. What is this about?

I told you, it's best you don't know.

I gotta go. Wait right here.

- Coming down now.
- Almost.

30 seconds.

This'll wipe 'em all out?

Partials, man. You want partials.

The oven at 450?

Yeah, but we gotta get out of here.

All right, three minutes.

Once again, visiting time is over.

Take all your belongings
and move towards the exit.

Let's go, ma'am, time's up.

Where you going, Wallace? It's over.

- I need to get something...
- Nah, gotta wait till next week.

- Let's go.
- All right.

Hey! I told you.
It's a letter for my daughter.

- Back to your cell.
- I'm going, I'm going.

- Now!
- All right! All right.

Clearly, that letter was sent to
me by one of the cops on the scene

from Molly Davison's overdose.

- And he enclosed this in the envelope?
- That's right.

We've had that note analyzed
by a handwriting expert

who certified that the note is forged.

And I got an expert of my own
who says with 100% certainty

that she wrote that letter.

The idea that a cop kept that
note after all this time is ridi...

Guilty conscience runs
on its own calendar.

Maybe you'd know that if you had one.

So, we're going there now?

You can see from the postmark

that was sent
a half a mile from the precinct.

Did you run a fingerprint
analysis on this?

We did, Your Honor.

We found multiple partials,
but nothing identifiable.

So, we're at an impasse.

Not if we subpoena Molly Davison.

She's already said she won't testify.

But we now got evidence

that she needs to corroborate
one way or the other.

She can corroborate without
being called to the stand.

That's true, but if she did
write that letter,

that means she lied six years ago.

Defense should have an opportunity

to confront her on the stand.

And I'd appreciate
if she wasn't tampered with.

I, Molly Davison,
promise to tell the truth,

the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth,

so help me God.

Please be seated.

Morning, Ms. Davison.

Good morning.

Now, if you don't mind,

I'd like to cut right to the chase here.

Could you tell us about your
relationship with Jose Rodriguez?

He was my boyfriend in high school.

- And did you love him?
- Objection.

The witness has been called
to corroborate

a specific piece of evidence.

The evidence is tied to her
feelings for the defendant.

I'm trying to establish
context here, Your Honor.

I'll allow it.

Thank you.

Mr. Wallace?

Mr. Wallace.

Did you love him?

Yes.

And do you think he loved you?

Yes.

Then why did your relationship end?

Jose broke up with me.

And why would he do that?

Are you looking to somebody for answers?

He was afraid of what my parents might do

if we stayed together.

And how did he wind up at your house

on the day you overdosed?

I have records of text messages

between you and him from that day.

Would you mind reading
the one I highlighted?

"Just come over one last time.

I swear I'll be okay after
that and I'll leave you alone."

But that wasn't true, was it?

Objection! Leading the witness.

'Cause you already had a plan
for what you were going to do.

Objection! He's badgering!

Careful, Mr. Wallace.

Would you mind reading that, please?

Ms. Davison?

"Dear Jose,
you are my light,

you are my heart, you are my everything."

"I hate my parents
and I ha... hate my life,

and if I can't be with you,
then I don't want to live.

I'm so sorry.

I'll love you forever. Molly."

Do you recognize those words?

Are those the words you wrote to
Jose the day you overdosed?

This isn't the note.

But... But, yeah, these are the words.

Objection, Your Honor.

She's only here to establish the veracity

of this particular piece of evidence.

Overruled.

Continue.

If those are the words,

where's the original version
of that note?

My parents destroyed it
the day I went to the hospital.

And why would they do that, Molly?

Because they didn't want anyone
reading what I wrote.

They didn't want me to get
arrested for buying drugs.

But you testified six years ago

that Jose was the one who bought the Oxy.

I lied.

Jose never wanted to get them
for me, and he never did.

He didn't even know that I-I had them.

He would've taken them away.

They made me lie about everything.

I am so sorry, Jose.

I'm so sorry.

No further questions.

I didn't think you could do it.

I know.

Can't ever thank you enough.

You go live your life, man.

Oh!

Time to get changed.

I heard about Jose. Congratulations.

Really.

Got a lot of guys coming to me now.

I'm sure.

But I'm gonna need you
to let things cool down

till after the election.

That was the deal we made with Maskins.

Put me back in my cage.

It's only four months.

That's easy for you to say.

You get to go home
to your family every night.

I want you to think about this.

If you go after him and it backfires,

he wins the election,
becomes Attorney General.

Not only will he help kill
all the reforms

that have been making
everyone's lives here better,

but he will take away your license

with one stroke of his pen

and crush any chance you have of
getting your own case to court.

So, if you're really playing
the long game,

going after him is not
the smart move right now.

Thank you for trusting me.

There's my girl. Hey, sweetheart.

Hey, Dad.

Hey.

I'm so glad you're here.

Jasmine has something to tell you.

What is it, sweetheart?

The reason I haven't been
coming here is...

Hey, whatever it is,
I can handle it, all right?

We can handle it together.

Come on. What's going on?

Please don't be mad.

I'm not mad, my angel.

I'm not mad.

Well, how far along?

17 weeks.

And it's Ronnie's?

We're still together,
and he's taking responsibility.

I want you to know I'm having a boy.

I was gonna name him Aaron.

It's gonna be a blessing, Dad.

But you have to get out of here
to be a part of it.

I'm gonna need you,

and your grandson is gonna need you, too.

I used to be just like you.

I had a family and a career.

I had friends.

I even thought I had time.

And then I got here...

The place where time stands still.

You get through it.

You tell yourself
you'll catch up someday.

But then something happens
when you least expect it

to remind you the world's gonna
keep spinning without you.

The Warden thinks I can afford to wait.

But she can never understand
what it's like for me...

for the others in here who don't belong.

So now there'll be no more long game.

No more biding my time.

Not one more moment.

Whatever it takes,
whoever I have to fight,

no matter how hard they come at me,

no matter what power they have,

I will get myself home,

and I will have my life again.