Law & Order (1990) s06e02 Episode Script
Rebels
NARRATOR: In the crímínal justíce system the people are represented by two separate yet equally ímportant groups, the políce who ínvestígate críme and the dístríct attorneys who prosecute the offenders.
These are theír storíes.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING) Is this the place? You don't want to go in there, honey.
Our biker bar is on the next block.
(GIRLS EXCLAIMING) l see what you mean.
Beautiful machines, though.
You all right? FRANK: Oh, sweet Lord! Hank, go call 91 1 .
lt happened in there.
Most of the customers split.
Those we could grab, we're holding inside.
All right.
Keep them cozy.
What do you got? JACKSON: Gone.
Gut Iooks like the alien clawed its way out.
You want his wallet? Meet Tommy Bell, NYU student.
Well, l guess he decided to see how the other half lives.
lt doesn't live very long.
How do you want to split this up? You want me to work the street? What're you going to do? Listen for echoes? No, come on, Iet's go inside and see who was too fat, stupid or lazy to get away.
CURTIS: Another victim? SLATTERY: Passed out.
Drunk.
We have two blood trails.
Big one to the front door, some drops to the back.
So either the victim took a stroll in two directions at once, or somebody else was on the receiving end of the weapon.
Yo, innkeeper, tell me a story.
Missed it.
l was in the basement bringing up a case of Jack.
Yeah? l don't see any case.
(GRUNTS) You see it now? What about you? l must've been in the bathroom.
You want to see what l was bringing up? Oh! It rises! And where were you during the fight? Been right here all night.
CURTIS: Well, l guess you saw everything then? l suppose.
But l got a short-term memory problem ever since l fell on my head.
So your memory will come back if you fell on it again? l don't think so.
Hey, what do l got to do to get another beer? lt's closing time.
Go ahead.
What're they going to do? Call a cop? You ever eat the worm at the bottom of the mescal bottle? Name.
Last thing l remember, l'm slurping that pickled dirt sucker, then like l'm dealing with brain-bucket Nazi headquarters.
What's your name? They call me Mountain.
That's your name? Mountain? That's my last name.
First name's Rocky.
He learning? (LAUGHS) He may get it figured out by the time l retire.
He wanted to go one-on-one with King Kong.
l think he thought l had his back.
So did you get anything? Anybody find a murder weapon? CSU's still at the scene, but l've got another witness for you.
Brought himself in, and doesn't want to be seen by these apes.
l iust saw Cats and then l was trying to find this iazz club listed in my Zagat's, but l had to take a pee.
l'm from Lawrence, Kansas.
Really? So what happened? Well, l went into the bar and l saw this boy, the one who was stabbed, but before, and somebody was yelling at him.
Well, what did the person doing the yelling look like? l kind of kept my head down.
l went right to the bathroom.
But when l came out, the boy was bleeding, his girlfriend was screaming.
BRISCOE: Whose girlfriend? The one who was stabbed.
What did she look like? She was short, pretty, her hair was in braids, yelling her head off.
Did you get anything? Amnesia victims with blood on their boots.
Well, we'll hold the ones we can.
There've got to be some with outstanding warrants.
(PHONE RINGING) Van Buren.
Where is he? l'm Louis Bell Tommy's fathér.
ls it one of them? l asked him to wait.
lt's okay.
We're iust beginning our investigation, Mr.
Bell.
l'm very sorry about your son.
l've been to the morgue.
l saw his body.
You ought to go home now.
We'll call you tomorrow if we have anything l don't want to go home.
lsn't there anything that l can do to help? Mr.
Bell, did your son have a girlfriend? Short, hair in braids? She's involved? Well, who would ''she'' be, sir? (SIGHS) Caridad Montero.
Trash.
My son was at NYU.
Why he was fooling around with ls she pretty? l'm sure my son thought so.
Yeah, l was with Tommy last night.
(TV CHATTERING) (SPEAKING SPANISH) l was going to call you, but l didn't know anything.
l didn't see anything.
CURTIS: That's all right.
Just tell us what you can.
What'd you and Tommy do last night? He came by here.
We were going to go to a club, but he wanted go to that bar to meet somebody about buying a motorcycle.
What'd you do when you got there? Tommy went to the bar.
l went to the ladies' room and when l came out, all these people were shouting and Tommy was hurt bad, and l was scared, so l just ran home after Tommy was You missed the whole thing? You didn't hear an argument? You didn't see a fight? l told you, l was in the ladies' room.
And where is the ladies' room in that club, Miss Montero? Past the pool table, along the wall with the hubcaps.
Sounds like you know the place pretty well.
You recognize anybody in there? No.
Tommy was the one who wanted to go there.
He was a college student, but he liked to be like a low person.
From what we hear maybe you helped !him out in that department.
From who? Tommy's father? l'm a Puerto Rican slut, right? Una bandolera, right? Take it easy, take it easy, all right? He's iust a little upset right now.
Yeah.
Ruining his pretty boy from Park Avenue.
The man's a pig and a racist.
Whatever.
Look, we iust want to know what happened, that's all.
(BOTH SPEAKING SPANISH) l left my Berlitz dictionary in my other suit.
She just said again that she didn't see.
A girl in a place like that, she was scared.
She probably didn't want to see.
Hey, if she can lie in one language, she can lie in two.
Oh, what, she's lying now? Because a man like Louis Bell doesn't like her? Oh, she isn't? Just because you and she parleyed español? (SPEAKING SPANISH) The blood trail to the front door was your victim's.
The other trail is an unknown.
Proving once again that you can't be in two places at the same time.
Well, with something like this in your belly, you can't be anywhere at all.
lt was in a trash can about a block away from the bar.
No prints.
What is it? lt's an oil can opener, from when oil came in cans.
Yeah.
With the guard cut off.
What? Somebody carried that as a weapon? lt's also a beer tool.
Stick the point in the top of the can, pour it down.
lt's great for chugging.
You ever hear of a beer bong? A what? The guys in my college dorm used to punch a hole in the bottom of the can, pop the top, shoot it down.
Well, in my college dorm, which was a place called Shorty's on Second Avenue, we used to lower a shot glass into a pint and swallow.
Called it a depth charge.
Well, that sounds pretty good, too.
Maybe we ought to try it sometime, huh? l mean Never mind.
Sorry.
Sorry about what? Nothing.
You checked me out.
Come on.
You checked me out! Yeah.
When l got assigned to you, l checked you out.
lt was the Iogical thing to do.
Well, as long as it was logical.
What'd you find out about me? You were a good cop, then you fell into a bottle.
You climbed out again, but the jury is still out.
l see they don't teach tact at the academy anymore.
Must've replaced it with multicultural studies.
Well, l think we ought to start to try to find out who Tommy Bell was meeting last night.
Unless you'd rather continue investigating me.
All l knew is he was going to Caridad's.
Two phones? What? Roommates get an extra line nowadays? Three.
Tommy had one for his modem.
You mind if l play around with it? l'm sure Tommy doesn't.
Did Tommy get any calls yesterday? Have any visitors? Just from his dad for their monthly brawl.
Brawl? What about? Tommy's lack of direction.
Tommy's waste of his talents.
Tommy's poor choice of friends, me included.
And Caridad? ''That Puerto Rican slut,'' Mr.
Bell's number one topic.
Mr.
Bell wanted Tommy to marry Suzy Creamcheese and move to the suburbs.
But Tommy preferred the urban lifestyle? Said he was serious this time.
Either he dumped Caridad and flew straight, or that was it.
No more money, no school, get a job, the whole deal.
And? Tommy said no way.
Oh, yes, makes a father's heart proud.
Hey.
Here's a list of motorcycles for sale.
Looks like a print-out from an online download.
Hold on a second.
CURTIS: Yeah, okay.
He's got a biker BBS in his telecom address book here.
Electronic want ads, chat groups.
Something called ''The New York Slimes: ''your weekly review of outlaw action.
'' ''Last weekend some guy named Stiletto ''threw a garbage can through a cop car window in Port Jefferson.
''Then he and his buddies crotch-rocketed down the center line.
'' We need all that? Tommy thoughtfully printed out the ads for us right here.
No, he didn't print this.
E-mail.
5:OO p.
m.
, yesterday.
''See you at Strokers at 10:OO, l'll bring my bike.
Axel.
'' Axel.
Oh, Axel's phone number's right here on the ad.
They call me a rubber, ''rich, urban biker.
'' l've been riding Harleys since some of these outlaws were on tricycles.
How long you been using the name ''Axel''? Since l was born.
lt's been in my mother's family for generations.
You made a date to meet Thomas Bell at Strokers, right? Yeah, l was letting go of my '75 Sportster.
Fifty-five hundred, if you're Interested? Mr.
Bell was.
So what happened? He never saw it.
He wasn't there by 10:30, so l left for a midnight supper, post-opera, with some friends from Virginia.
l was supposed to go to the opera, too, but how many times can you see Trístan? Yeah, l'm waiting for the movie to come out, myself.
So you left at 10:30 for a midnight date? That must be a pretty slow Sportster.
Hardly, l would have waited longer, but the mood at Strokers turned unpleasant.
A couple of Yankee Rebels showed up.
The biker gang? l believe they call it a club.
Anyway, they were drinking heavily and getting pretty frisky.
Early withdrawal seemed prudent.
You think there's a secret knock? Yeah.
Hard.
Well, Mr.
Mountain.
Eat any worms lately? You got the wrong address.
Yankee Rebels, right? Yeah, and l'm sergeant-at-arms.
Oh! Fellow officer.
How nice.
What's this? Father-son day at the Wonder Bread factory? They're cops, Igor.
That's cute.
We were just wondering which of you fellows might've been at Strokers last night.
l stayed home to watch the Ice Capades.
How about you? l don't talk to spics unless l'm drunk.
Go ahead, l'm buying.
l'll have a double bourbon with a beer chaser.
BRISCOE: All right, now take it slow.
Nice and slow.
Rey.
Rey! And what the hell was that about? l thought it was appropriate.
For what? D-day? They pay us both to use our best judgment, that's what l did.
Yeah? Well your judgm'ent is a little limited by the fact that you've been on the street about 15 minutes.
Yeah, well, l know you don't get any respect unless you kick a little ass.
l would've respected the hell out of them if they'd have kicked our asses, which they almost did.
What? You think you talk your way out of every jam? Hey, hey, hey! There wasn't any jam until he called you a spic and you pulled your gun.
My goal, no iams.
BRISCOE: Now what? You drafting a complaint to the Anti-Defamation League? Cellular modem.
Remember that review of outlaw action on the BBS? Yeah.
Maybe whoever writes it has had time to write about Iast night's action.
(COMPUTER BEEPS) ''Another non-boring evening at Strokers, boys and girls, ''when a wannabe got in front of more torque than he could handle.
'' Yada yada yada.
''And Dadi found out ''she should have stayed in her ex-old man's bitch seat.
''She had to dive for cover , ''when the opener juiced her new, cager squeeze.
Who's Dadi? The kid's father? D-A-D-l.
That's ''Dadi.
'' It's a nickname for Caridad.
Oh, the one who spent the evening in the ladies' room.
l told you, l don't know these people.
Oh, yeah? Then how come they all know you, Dadi? (CLICKS TONGUE) (SPEAKING SPANISH) Don't even try.
You want to get locked up? 'Cause l'm ready to do that! Good.
Then l'd be safe.
lf l know these men, if they know me, what do you think is going to happen if l tell? What's going to happen is we're going to arrest the guys who killed your boyfriend.
ls that before or after they kill me? We can protect you.
CURTIS: Look, what about Tommy? Huh? Don't you feel anything for him? Don't you want to get the people that did this to him? He's a nice boy.
l was thinking of maybe spending the summer with him, not eternity.
(SIGHS) She's scared, and she is not very sentimental.
l can work on her.
l'm sure.
This ''New York Slimes'' thing, ''Dadi should have stayed in her ex-old man's bitch seat.
'' Yeah, that's the passenger seat on a motorcycle.
Thank you.
Maybe her ''ex-old man'' got jealous when she walked into Strokers with someone else.
She tell you who he is? No.
She's not in a real talkative mood.
Well, you want to find out who a girl dated, you ask other girls.
l think Curtis can handle this one.
Hello, ladies.
Hola.
l'm Detective Curtis.
''Reynaldo.
'' Is this real? (GIGGLING) Doesn't it look real? Listen, you mind if l ask you a couple of questions? Do you know a girl named Caridad Montero? She lives right up there.
Well, we see her.
Be careful, Rosa, he's a policeman.
You wouldn't dare arrest a girl like me, would you? Depends on what you're carrying.
Caridad, what's she carrying? l need to talk to the biker she used to go out with.
Well, you're gonna do a séance or something, 'cause that poor boy was killed.
No, not him.
The one before that.
He was thin.
Yeah.
He had a scar on his face.
Yeah.
He wore one of those jackets.
What'd it say on it? ''Leather fools?'' Yeah.
l don't know.
It had flags on it.
Yeah, Caridad, she'd wear that jacket, too.
You know, like, she was showing off or something.
Like we cared.
With two flags? Mmm-hmm.
Do you remember his name? Boris.
Something like that.
lgor? Yeah.
Igor.
lGOR: Thís ís crap, man.
Well, you're going to be swimming in it for 20 or 30 years, so you better get used to it.
What for? Hurt your feelings when l called you a spic? And l don't need my gun any more, Igor.
l got you in my clubhouse now.
Let me tell you, you got some pretty sorry members.
Oh, but you're going to love the secret handshake.
You can clean that up when l walk out of here.
lt's part of your job, isn't it? BRISCOE: Now pay attention, Igor.
There were two Yankee Rebels in that bar.
You are a Yankee Rebel and you used to go out with Caridad, and Caridad's new boyfriend winds up dead.
(LAUGHING) Oh, man.
BRISCOE: You know, it's funny 'cause you don't Iook like the jealous type to me.
Jealous? Over that bitch? You got to be kidding.
You know, l bet she made you feel about that big when she walked on you, right? She didn't walk, l pushed her.
After l passed her around to a few of the guys.
She pulled the whole train, man.
After that, we don't touch them.
We can't hold Igor.
We're still going to need a witness.
Did Curtis try to shoot him again? Robocop? He's busy sending electronic mail to Mr.
New York Slimes.
Thinks he can draw him out.
What do you think? Me? l used a computer once, lost 27 straight games of solitaire.
(VAN BUREN LAUGHS) Sent.
So what do you want to do now? How about talking to somebody we can actually Iook in the eye? Fine.
l'll iust freshen up.
He doesn't like me, does he? l told you, l was in the basement.
BRISCOE: Yeah, when the kid was being killed.
How about before? Then l wasn't in the basement.
Very funny.
You know, l could have the yellow tape put back up outside and close you down for about a week.
Look, the kid stood there and he had a beer.
Oh, yeah? Well, who stood right here, then? People were coming and going.
A guy named Igor, did he come or go? He was around.
Well, how'd he react when he saw his ex-old lady walk in with this college kid? lf he saw them, l doubt he noticed.
Why is that? Is he blind? She's used goods.
The Rebels had a little party with her one night, and since then l did her myself once, behind the bar, and Igor didn't even look up.
Well, l guess we can shelve the jealousy theory.
You think you're going to find a new one in there? Maybe.
E-mail from Mr.
New York Slimes.
And? You want to look him in the eye? He says he'll meet tonight at his place.
He's got a great view.
(RATS SQUEAKING) CURTIS: He must be a squatter.
BRISCOE: Is that a rat? CURTIS: Yes, it is.
This has got to be the place.
(CURTIS GROANS) This guy's yanking our chains.
l'm sorry.
Let's track this son of a bitch down and see how he likes our practical jokes.
l can find the guy who runs the electronic bulletin board.
l put an ad for my shop on the net.
Next thing, l had my own BBS.
lt's good for business.
We're interested in the guy who does the outlaw news.
(ELECTRONIC DRILL BUZZING) Very popular.
Most of my customers ride desks.
They love to read about guys riding hogs through nude beaches, stuff like that.
Hey, l save all his uploads.
''Then we all went out to hunt sluts and score some brews.
'' Who sends these? Beats me.
The guy just Iogs on once a week.
Calls himself ''the Phantom.
'' CURTIS: Well, he missed two weeks in July.
Then came back on with a story about a bunch of guys running wild in Columbia County until a guy called Stiletto wrecked his bike in Ghent.
He got hauled into a hospital.
Didn't he write about Stiletto before? CURTIS: Could be they're close.
Could be they're the same guy.
Right.
Thank you.
Columbia County hospital.
Stiletto, a.
k.
a.
Milton Stillman, was laid up for the same two weeks the Phantom didn't publish.
Well, did you get an address? No, he left a phony one and dodged the bill.
But l got something better.
His blood type matches the trail out the back door at Strokers.
So he must've had a front row seat at the murder.
Or he's the murderer.
Could be.
At least our friend Milton's a regular correspondent, if anything.
''Hello, cop idiots.
''Did you think l wouldn't know who you were? ''How did you like the apartment?'' (SIGHS) This e-mail, whatever the hell it is, it's got to have a return address, right? YOSHIMATA: l've monítored hís log-íns to the BBS.
They're coming from an internet provider called NetFix.
Access times match the account of a podiatrist in White Plains.
So the Phantom hacks in and takes it over.
Use the local POP? Mostly.
Trap-and-trace netted us a cloned cell phone.
Transmitter? Yes! We got him! We got who? The Phantom.
His modem's hooked up to a cellular phone with a stolen number.
And he's using it within a mile of 103rd and Broadway, right? Oh, great.
Only two million people live there.
Yeah.
But we have a cellscope and yagi.
A yagi? lt's a radio tuner and directional antenna.
l'll get him chatting.
We can hone in on him.
lt's simple triangulation.
Well, you get the yagi, l'll get the donuts.
(RADlO TUNER BEEPING) Keep going straight.
He says we're ''cyberspace morons.
'' YOSHIMATA: We're getting warmer.
Say something moronic.
Keep him talking.
''Dear Phantom.
How does biker scum like you (TYPING) ''learn to operate anything more complicated than a kickstand?'' That ought to be moronic enough.
Slow down.
He says, ''lf cops want to play with computers, ''they'd better just stick with Ms.
Pacman.
'' There, that building, definitely.
(TUNER CONTINUES BEEPING) (WHISPERING) Come here.
(DOOR CREAKING) Go get him.
What's the crime here, McCoy? lllegal use of a cellular phone? lt's a felony.
Probation.
What's the big deal? Actually, we're thinking of charging you with murder, Mr What should l call you? Stiletto, the Phantom, or Milton Stillman? You can call him a cab home.
How do you make Mr.
Stillman a murderer? His own words on the biker BBS put him on the scene where Thomas Bell was killed.
He's got a wound in his back from the same weapon that killed Mr.
Bell.
ln the middle of my back, in a spot l can't even reach.
l showed your doctor.
So you're saying that he killed this kid, and then he felt so bad about it that he tried to commit suicide by throwing an oil can opener up in the air and then lying down so it'd hit him in his back? Maybe there was a struggle.
Maybe Tom Bell grabbed the weapon and stabbed your client before your client grabbed it back and killed him.
Or maybe whoever it was that killed Mr.
Bell swung a little wide and nicked my client, too.
ls that what happened, Mr.
Stillman? Yeah.
lf you were close enough to be wounded, you were close enough to see the killer.
Who was it? l don't have to tell you a damn thing.
Fine.
Then l'll hold you as a material witness for the grand jury.
You don't tell them and you go to jail for contempt.
Actually, he doesn't have to tell the grand jury anything either.
And why is that? Because he's the Phantom? Because l'm a journalist protecting my sources.
Thomas Bell's father is going to the papers, and l don't blame him.
You say we're stymied because this Phantom says he's a journalist? He's arguing that his contributions to the electronic bulletin board qualify him as a reporter under the Journalist Shield Law.
That law only applies to professional journalists.
This electronic thingamajig pay him? Only in the admiration of his peers.
But he has sold couple of articles to Bíker Mommas magazine.
Who's hearing the motion? Judge Conners.
Oh, good.
l don't think she subscribes.
GREEN: And what is your current position, Dr.
Farnsworth? l'm the associate dean of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.
Have you had a chance to look at Mr.
Stillman's postings to the computer bulletin board? Yes, l have.
And in your expert opinion, are they journalism? Oh, yes.
Even though they don't appear in a newspaper or a magazine or on a television newscast? No.
The proper question is not where they appeared, but what function they served.
People interested in certain subjects consult these reports.
Any inhibitions on Mr.
Stillman's information gathering limits the information reaching his audience.
And that's what the Press Shield Law was designed to prevent.
Thank you, Doctor.
Dr.
Farnsworth, is this the current catalog of courses offered by the Graduate School of Journalism? Yes, it is.
Could you show me the courses in writing for computer bulletin boards? l'm afraid there are no such courses.
So it's journalism, but your own institution doesn't even recognize it as such? FARNSWORTH: Well, no, it's new.
When television started, print iournalists didn't think those reporters were real reporters either.
So, many journalists today would not recognize Mr.
Stillman as a reporter? Well, some would, some wouldn't.
CLAIRE: But you do? Mmm-hmm.
So those who don't are wrong? Obiection.
Argumentative.
Sustained.
''Then we all went out to hunt sluts and score some brews.
'' ls that journalism, Dr.
Farnsworth? Freedom of the press is not reserved for good journalists.
lf we decide that Mr.
Stillman doesn't deserve protection because we don't like what he writes, well, then, we have just taken the first step onto a slippery slope that leads to censorship.
You see who they're calling tomorrow? The assistant editor o_ The New York Tímes.
To defend ''The New York Slimes''? ''Slippery slope,'' Claire.
Stillman could even win this thing.
What about the victim's girlfriend? The cops say she's afraid to talk.
You take a run at her.
At least she's not claiming to be Connie Chung.
''Might even win this thing?'' Because of my cross? You were great.
You made ''hunting sluts'' sound like a capital crime.
l told the police, Tommy was a nice kid, but it's not like we're in India or somewhere, where l'm going to jump into the grave with him.
Well, if you testify before a grand jury, we can protect you.
(SCOFFS) Sure.
l live around the corner from these people.
They kill you.
We can put you up in a hotel.
What about my iob? You going to wipe the floors for me, too? We'll get you some money.
Yeah! And then you're off to the next bad guys, and l'm back here, unemployed, with a target on my back.
Doesn't it bother you that whoever killed Tommy is out there walking around free? Are not you listening, lady? lt bothers me a hell of a lot more than it'll ever bother you.
Don't give me that crap! My son is murdered in a room full of people, and you've got nothing! Mr.
Bell is certainly entitled to know what you've found.
We're not keeping anything from him.
You're not telling me anything either.
(INTERCOM BUZZES) lf they're there, send them in.
ADAM: Mr.
Bell Councilman Ra'be, Assistant District Attorneys Jack McCoy, Claire Kincaid, prosecuting your son's case.
What prosecution? ADAM: Status, Jack? We believe we will get Milton Stillman before the grand jury.
That bastard has rights, but my son doesn't.
What about that girlfriend of his? She's terrified.
Why don't you terrify her more? What are you people for? Mr.
Bell, rest assured, the full resources of this office will be brought to bear.
They'd better be, Adam.
Did you iust throw us to the wolves because his son was murdered, or because he has brunch with a city councilman? Are you going to bring me something or aren't you? The girl is afraid.
Then make her unafraid.
Get her whatever she needs.
ADAM: What about your Phantom? Final arguments tomorrow.
It's up in the air.
Well, bring it down to Earth.
Get me a name.
Make an arrest.
l refer Your _onor to In re: Dan, which the court may find at 363, New York Sup 2nd, page 493.
Even if Mr.
Stillman is a journalist entitled to protect his sources, he's still obligated to testify as to what he witnessed with his own eyes.
And he's obligated to do nothing if he witnessed nothing.
The uncontroverted evidence of his wound is that his back was turned to the incident.
Afterward, he spoke to people that had been involved.
They told him what had happened, and at that point, he was practicing journalism.
But the Press Shield Law only applies if the people interviewed know they're talking to a reporter.
ln this case, they most likely thought they were talking to some guy picking himself up off the bar room floor asking what happened.
They had no expectation of confidentiality and so no protection.
Okay, l've got your briefs.
You'll have my ruling soon.
(WHISPERS) Jack, the girlfriend went for the full gift package.
She's changed her mind.
Good.
We appreciate this, Miss Montero.
Well, when you said hotel, l was thinking of something a little nicer.
We're limited by our budget.
We know you're making a sacrifice.
Well, it was time for a change.
You can pay for me to get to Miami? And get set up? lt's arranged.
And nobody knows where l am, right? Not unless you told them.
JACK: We'd like to get a statement from you now.
(SIGHS) l know.
l'll tell you everything.
lt was this guy l was hanging with.
Igor.
Yeah.
The police spoke to him.
His real name is Danny.
What happened? l walked in with Tommy and Igor didn't like it.
Well, he told the police he wasn't jealous over you.
ls that what he said? Well, maybe he was so drunk he forgot he didn't care.
She told the police she was in the bathroom.
She'll tell the grand jury that she wasn't.
And the killer turns out to be her ex-boyfriend, who dumped her by passing her around to his motorcycle friends.
''Dear John'' letter just doesn't suffice anymore.
ls that a problem? lt gives her a motive to lie.
l'd be a lot happier if we had a second witness.
Yeah, well, while you were out baby-sitting, the judge issued a ruling.
''Milton 'the Phantom' Stillman does not have to testify ''about anything he Iearned from sources.
''But he does have to tell what he witnessed personally.
'' He'll probably say he had a bag over his head.
l'm not sure l'd want to put him in front of the grand jury anyway.
He won't sign a waiver of immunity, and he doesn't have to.
ADAM: And? Without the waiver, full immunity's automatic.
l don't know enough about what happened in that bar.
Do you think he killed that boy? No.
Then you call him.
And you move this ahead.
Yeah, l was standing at the bar, so were a lot of people.
JACK: Like who? Spaceman, Super Steve, a guy named Ed.
What about Thomas Bell and Caridad Montero? They were there.
And Daniel Smith, otherwise known as Igor? Him, too.
Did he say anything to Mr.
Bell or Miss Montero? He might have.
Let me remind you, Mr.
Stillman, you answer these questions or you will be held in contempt.
Yeah.
Igor said something to the kid.
l didn't hear what he said.
Did Mr.
Bell say anything to Igor? l couldn't hear.
Did you see his lips move? My view was blocked.
People were standing around.
Around his face? The collar of his jacket was up.
Did Igor touch Mr.
Bell? Not that l saw.
Mr.
Stillman, did Igor kill Thomas Bell? Nope.
lf your view was blocked, how can you be so sure? Because l killed him.
l told you! Igor did it! You're sure you're not bending the truth a little, Caridad? You don't believe me? What am l doing here? l messed up my whole life.
l can't go back home.
And all l got is this crappy hotel room.
You got a new life in exchange for this testimony.
Well, isn't that fair? Only if it's true.
Do you know a biker named Stiletto? That's what he calls himself.
The others call him Stinky.
Did you see him in the bar that night? Yeah, so? He says he killed Tommy.
But he doesn't have the guts to kill a cockroach.
And if he says he did it, it's because Igor and his friends made him.
He is iust as scared of them as l am.
Fine.
You're testifying tomorrow.
The can opener thing was on the bar.
lgor picked it up, and stuck it in Tommy.
l saw him.
Then l ran out.
That's all l know.
Thank you, Miss Montero.
l have no further questions for this witness.
Yeah? Mr.
Lang? l have a question for this witness.
She said she recognized this guy, Igor, because he was her old boyfriend.
Did they part on good terms or what? As your legal advisor, l instruct you the question is immaterial, and l decline to pose it.
Miss Montero is excused, and we'll take a little break.
Mr.
McCoy.
JACK: Yes.
The reason l ask We're off the record now, Mr.
Lang.
That's fine with me.
It's just some of us aren't so sure about this Igor.
We're still thinking, maybe it's the other one, that one who confessed.
Okay.
Thank you.
You think that question was a lucky guess? They're kicking all the tires.
A confession does make an impression.
You want to take it to a different grand jury? No.
l'd like this grand jury to hear a completely convincing account of how and why Igor did it.
Because that's what l want to hear.
l think Caridad is credible.
Then explain to me once again what Igor's motive WaS.
He wasn't iealous.
Stillman testified he couldn't see Tommy's face because his jacket collar was up.
So Igor killed him to get a better view? There was no jacket on the body.
The motive was robbery? Well, people get murdered for their sneakers.
Find out what kind of jacket Tom Bell was wearing.
Then we'll look in Igor's closet.
Sure, Tommy had a motorcycle jacket.
Plus boots, chaps, helmet.
For someone without a motorcycle, he's pretty well equipped.
That was Tommy.
Lifestyle was fashion.
What did his jacket look like? See for yourself.
This is his? Yeah.
His father didn't want it, so l inherited it.
He was wearing a jacket when he walked into Strokers.
Not this one.
When he left here that night, he was wearing a T-shirt.
Where did he get this one? Cycledrama, on Eighth Street.
You remember Tom Bell? Good customer.
l love those college kids.
But he didn't buy a jacket that night.
Are you sure? l was closed.
ls there anywhere else around here he could have gotten one? Not around here.
Go on, try this on.
Duralon thread in the seams.
Anti-road rash padding in the shoulders and over the ribs.
Yeah.
A friend of mine rides a Yamaha.
Rice burner.
Quarter-mile in 15 flat.
You have anything brighter than this? l'm all out of the pink.
How about something like that? Club colors? Unless you're a member, Miss, you don't wear something like that if you want to stay healthy.
Well, this poor boy was killed because someone was trying to steal a jacket? No, Adam, because somebody objected to its color scheme.
These gangs are very proprietary.
Making the killer who? lgor.
He was a hardcore Yankee Rebel.
Stillman was just a hanger-on.
(SIGHS) lt's a motive.
Yeah, it's a motive.
lf your victim was wearing the jacket.
He stopped off at his girlfriend's place before he went to the bar.
And she used to go out with a Yankee Rebel.
The neighborhood girls said that she used to wear Igor's jacket.
She could have kept it.
Was this boy wearing the jacket or wasn't he? We'll find out.
We might've found out already if we didn't have to keep popping in here every hour to report.
You'll report here whenever l tell you to.
So we assume that he didn't know it was dangerous to wear.
Did the girl know? She must have.
She should have been crazy about Tommy.
Not that she's shown it by her subsequent actions.
Your son's roommate told the police yOU SaW yOU l SOn on the day he died, and tried to convince him to break up with Caridad.
Convince him? l offered to pay him.
Money? He liked money.
It runs in the family.
l offered to give him $10,OOO for his birthday if he just got his damned act together.
Did that include dropping Caridad? And going to class once in a while.
JACK: What'd he say? l was a meddling old man.
He was Romeo and that girl was Juliet.
Well, maybe he changed his mind after you left, and took your checkbook with you.
He went to that bar to buy a $5,OOO motorcycle.
Could he afford it without your gift? No.
Maybe he thought you'd give him the money anyway.
Buy him a motorcycle? He'd have to Oh, my God, it was because of me.
He must have dumped that little bitch.
l don't want to get into details, but Tommy and me, we made each other plenty happy.
Miss Montero, don't you think that we can find witnesses to say that you owned a Yankee Rebel jacket? That Tom Bell wasn't wearing one when he got to your apartment? That he was wearing one when he left? That you knew how dangerous that was? So, what if you could? So, what? l charge you with murder.
Hey, l didn't kill Tommy.
This is called the penal law.
Section 1 25.
25 defines murder as reckless conduct that creates the risk of death to another person and causes the death of that person.
That's what you did.
l told you Igor stabbed him.
You didn't believe me.
Now, we do, because now we know why Igor stabbed him.
lt was because of you.
l want to call my lawyer.
So will Igor.
He'll want to tell his side of the story first, cut a deal and nail you for murder.
lt's not as if he loves you or anything the way he passed you around.
What if l tell first? We're listening.
l knew what was going on.
Tommy liked shoving me into his father's face, until daddy made him pay for it.
Tommy didn't want to be poor.
He just liked to play poor and screw poor.
He told you about his father's money? Yeah.
He was so stupid.
He said that he had to meet this guy at Strokers.
l told him let's spend one last night together.
Old times' sake.
l told him he'd fit in better if he wore the jacket.
And he went for it? He loved it.
He thought it'd impress the guy selling the bike.
Look, l didn't think he'd get killed.
l thought he'd maybe get beat up.
That's all.
But Igor was there, he was drunk, and some of the other guys started ragging him about Tommy, saying, ''Hey, who's the new Yankee Rebel? ''Ooh, l'm scared.
You guys are tough.
'' And Igor said he'd show them tough.
He picked up the opener and shoved it into Tommy's stomach.
Casual, like he was passing him something.
What happened to the jacket? lgor took it.
He said there was no way Tommy deserved to be buried in it.
Look, l didn't mean for this to happen.
You made it happen.
One boyfriend dead, one going to jail.
lgor passed me around like if l was a And Tommy traded me in for a motorcycle.
How sorry am l supposed to feel? Hmm? (SIRENS WAILING) Didn't we already dance this dance? This time it's going to be a long slow one.
Daniel ''lgor'' Smith, you're under arrest for the murder of Thomas Bell.
You have the right to remain silent.
We indicted Igor on murder two, Stillman for perjury and the girl pleaded to reckless endangerment.
She sign a waiver of immunity? lt was part of our original deal, fortunately.
Good.
Night, Ben.
l did do a couple of things right here, Adam.
You did, you did.
Doggone good.
Three felons, three felonies.
Something for everybody.
Except the victim.
These are theír storíes.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING) Is this the place? You don't want to go in there, honey.
Our biker bar is on the next block.
(GIRLS EXCLAIMING) l see what you mean.
Beautiful machines, though.
You all right? FRANK: Oh, sweet Lord! Hank, go call 91 1 .
lt happened in there.
Most of the customers split.
Those we could grab, we're holding inside.
All right.
Keep them cozy.
What do you got? JACKSON: Gone.
Gut Iooks like the alien clawed its way out.
You want his wallet? Meet Tommy Bell, NYU student.
Well, l guess he decided to see how the other half lives.
lt doesn't live very long.
How do you want to split this up? You want me to work the street? What're you going to do? Listen for echoes? No, come on, Iet's go inside and see who was too fat, stupid or lazy to get away.
CURTIS: Another victim? SLATTERY: Passed out.
Drunk.
We have two blood trails.
Big one to the front door, some drops to the back.
So either the victim took a stroll in two directions at once, or somebody else was on the receiving end of the weapon.
Yo, innkeeper, tell me a story.
Missed it.
l was in the basement bringing up a case of Jack.
Yeah? l don't see any case.
(GRUNTS) You see it now? What about you? l must've been in the bathroom.
You want to see what l was bringing up? Oh! It rises! And where were you during the fight? Been right here all night.
CURTIS: Well, l guess you saw everything then? l suppose.
But l got a short-term memory problem ever since l fell on my head.
So your memory will come back if you fell on it again? l don't think so.
Hey, what do l got to do to get another beer? lt's closing time.
Go ahead.
What're they going to do? Call a cop? You ever eat the worm at the bottom of the mescal bottle? Name.
Last thing l remember, l'm slurping that pickled dirt sucker, then like l'm dealing with brain-bucket Nazi headquarters.
What's your name? They call me Mountain.
That's your name? Mountain? That's my last name.
First name's Rocky.
He learning? (LAUGHS) He may get it figured out by the time l retire.
He wanted to go one-on-one with King Kong.
l think he thought l had his back.
So did you get anything? Anybody find a murder weapon? CSU's still at the scene, but l've got another witness for you.
Brought himself in, and doesn't want to be seen by these apes.
l iust saw Cats and then l was trying to find this iazz club listed in my Zagat's, but l had to take a pee.
l'm from Lawrence, Kansas.
Really? So what happened? Well, l went into the bar and l saw this boy, the one who was stabbed, but before, and somebody was yelling at him.
Well, what did the person doing the yelling look like? l kind of kept my head down.
l went right to the bathroom.
But when l came out, the boy was bleeding, his girlfriend was screaming.
BRISCOE: Whose girlfriend? The one who was stabbed.
What did she look like? She was short, pretty, her hair was in braids, yelling her head off.
Did you get anything? Amnesia victims with blood on their boots.
Well, we'll hold the ones we can.
There've got to be some with outstanding warrants.
(PHONE RINGING) Van Buren.
Where is he? l'm Louis Bell Tommy's fathér.
ls it one of them? l asked him to wait.
lt's okay.
We're iust beginning our investigation, Mr.
Bell.
l'm very sorry about your son.
l've been to the morgue.
l saw his body.
You ought to go home now.
We'll call you tomorrow if we have anything l don't want to go home.
lsn't there anything that l can do to help? Mr.
Bell, did your son have a girlfriend? Short, hair in braids? She's involved? Well, who would ''she'' be, sir? (SIGHS) Caridad Montero.
Trash.
My son was at NYU.
Why he was fooling around with ls she pretty? l'm sure my son thought so.
Yeah, l was with Tommy last night.
(TV CHATTERING) (SPEAKING SPANISH) l was going to call you, but l didn't know anything.
l didn't see anything.
CURTIS: That's all right.
Just tell us what you can.
What'd you and Tommy do last night? He came by here.
We were going to go to a club, but he wanted go to that bar to meet somebody about buying a motorcycle.
What'd you do when you got there? Tommy went to the bar.
l went to the ladies' room and when l came out, all these people were shouting and Tommy was hurt bad, and l was scared, so l just ran home after Tommy was You missed the whole thing? You didn't hear an argument? You didn't see a fight? l told you, l was in the ladies' room.
And where is the ladies' room in that club, Miss Montero? Past the pool table, along the wall with the hubcaps.
Sounds like you know the place pretty well.
You recognize anybody in there? No.
Tommy was the one who wanted to go there.
He was a college student, but he liked to be like a low person.
From what we hear maybe you helped !him out in that department.
From who? Tommy's father? l'm a Puerto Rican slut, right? Una bandolera, right? Take it easy, take it easy, all right? He's iust a little upset right now.
Yeah.
Ruining his pretty boy from Park Avenue.
The man's a pig and a racist.
Whatever.
Look, we iust want to know what happened, that's all.
(BOTH SPEAKING SPANISH) l left my Berlitz dictionary in my other suit.
She just said again that she didn't see.
A girl in a place like that, she was scared.
She probably didn't want to see.
Hey, if she can lie in one language, she can lie in two.
Oh, what, she's lying now? Because a man like Louis Bell doesn't like her? Oh, she isn't? Just because you and she parleyed español? (SPEAKING SPANISH) The blood trail to the front door was your victim's.
The other trail is an unknown.
Proving once again that you can't be in two places at the same time.
Well, with something like this in your belly, you can't be anywhere at all.
lt was in a trash can about a block away from the bar.
No prints.
What is it? lt's an oil can opener, from when oil came in cans.
Yeah.
With the guard cut off.
What? Somebody carried that as a weapon? lt's also a beer tool.
Stick the point in the top of the can, pour it down.
lt's great for chugging.
You ever hear of a beer bong? A what? The guys in my college dorm used to punch a hole in the bottom of the can, pop the top, shoot it down.
Well, in my college dorm, which was a place called Shorty's on Second Avenue, we used to lower a shot glass into a pint and swallow.
Called it a depth charge.
Well, that sounds pretty good, too.
Maybe we ought to try it sometime, huh? l mean Never mind.
Sorry.
Sorry about what? Nothing.
You checked me out.
Come on.
You checked me out! Yeah.
When l got assigned to you, l checked you out.
lt was the Iogical thing to do.
Well, as long as it was logical.
What'd you find out about me? You were a good cop, then you fell into a bottle.
You climbed out again, but the jury is still out.
l see they don't teach tact at the academy anymore.
Must've replaced it with multicultural studies.
Well, l think we ought to start to try to find out who Tommy Bell was meeting last night.
Unless you'd rather continue investigating me.
All l knew is he was going to Caridad's.
Two phones? What? Roommates get an extra line nowadays? Three.
Tommy had one for his modem.
You mind if l play around with it? l'm sure Tommy doesn't.
Did Tommy get any calls yesterday? Have any visitors? Just from his dad for their monthly brawl.
Brawl? What about? Tommy's lack of direction.
Tommy's waste of his talents.
Tommy's poor choice of friends, me included.
And Caridad? ''That Puerto Rican slut,'' Mr.
Bell's number one topic.
Mr.
Bell wanted Tommy to marry Suzy Creamcheese and move to the suburbs.
But Tommy preferred the urban lifestyle? Said he was serious this time.
Either he dumped Caridad and flew straight, or that was it.
No more money, no school, get a job, the whole deal.
And? Tommy said no way.
Oh, yes, makes a father's heart proud.
Hey.
Here's a list of motorcycles for sale.
Looks like a print-out from an online download.
Hold on a second.
CURTIS: Yeah, okay.
He's got a biker BBS in his telecom address book here.
Electronic want ads, chat groups.
Something called ''The New York Slimes: ''your weekly review of outlaw action.
'' ''Last weekend some guy named Stiletto ''threw a garbage can through a cop car window in Port Jefferson.
''Then he and his buddies crotch-rocketed down the center line.
'' We need all that? Tommy thoughtfully printed out the ads for us right here.
No, he didn't print this.
E-mail.
5:OO p.
m.
, yesterday.
''See you at Strokers at 10:OO, l'll bring my bike.
Axel.
'' Axel.
Oh, Axel's phone number's right here on the ad.
They call me a rubber, ''rich, urban biker.
'' l've been riding Harleys since some of these outlaws were on tricycles.
How long you been using the name ''Axel''? Since l was born.
lt's been in my mother's family for generations.
You made a date to meet Thomas Bell at Strokers, right? Yeah, l was letting go of my '75 Sportster.
Fifty-five hundred, if you're Interested? Mr.
Bell was.
So what happened? He never saw it.
He wasn't there by 10:30, so l left for a midnight supper, post-opera, with some friends from Virginia.
l was supposed to go to the opera, too, but how many times can you see Trístan? Yeah, l'm waiting for the movie to come out, myself.
So you left at 10:30 for a midnight date? That must be a pretty slow Sportster.
Hardly, l would have waited longer, but the mood at Strokers turned unpleasant.
A couple of Yankee Rebels showed up.
The biker gang? l believe they call it a club.
Anyway, they were drinking heavily and getting pretty frisky.
Early withdrawal seemed prudent.
You think there's a secret knock? Yeah.
Hard.
Well, Mr.
Mountain.
Eat any worms lately? You got the wrong address.
Yankee Rebels, right? Yeah, and l'm sergeant-at-arms.
Oh! Fellow officer.
How nice.
What's this? Father-son day at the Wonder Bread factory? They're cops, Igor.
That's cute.
We were just wondering which of you fellows might've been at Strokers last night.
l stayed home to watch the Ice Capades.
How about you? l don't talk to spics unless l'm drunk.
Go ahead, l'm buying.
l'll have a double bourbon with a beer chaser.
BRISCOE: All right, now take it slow.
Nice and slow.
Rey.
Rey! And what the hell was that about? l thought it was appropriate.
For what? D-day? They pay us both to use our best judgment, that's what l did.
Yeah? Well your judgm'ent is a little limited by the fact that you've been on the street about 15 minutes.
Yeah, well, l know you don't get any respect unless you kick a little ass.
l would've respected the hell out of them if they'd have kicked our asses, which they almost did.
What? You think you talk your way out of every jam? Hey, hey, hey! There wasn't any jam until he called you a spic and you pulled your gun.
My goal, no iams.
BRISCOE: Now what? You drafting a complaint to the Anti-Defamation League? Cellular modem.
Remember that review of outlaw action on the BBS? Yeah.
Maybe whoever writes it has had time to write about Iast night's action.
(COMPUTER BEEPS) ''Another non-boring evening at Strokers, boys and girls, ''when a wannabe got in front of more torque than he could handle.
'' Yada yada yada.
''And Dadi found out ''she should have stayed in her ex-old man's bitch seat.
''She had to dive for cover , ''when the opener juiced her new, cager squeeze.
Who's Dadi? The kid's father? D-A-D-l.
That's ''Dadi.
'' It's a nickname for Caridad.
Oh, the one who spent the evening in the ladies' room.
l told you, l don't know these people.
Oh, yeah? Then how come they all know you, Dadi? (CLICKS TONGUE) (SPEAKING SPANISH) Don't even try.
You want to get locked up? 'Cause l'm ready to do that! Good.
Then l'd be safe.
lf l know these men, if they know me, what do you think is going to happen if l tell? What's going to happen is we're going to arrest the guys who killed your boyfriend.
ls that before or after they kill me? We can protect you.
CURTIS: Look, what about Tommy? Huh? Don't you feel anything for him? Don't you want to get the people that did this to him? He's a nice boy.
l was thinking of maybe spending the summer with him, not eternity.
(SIGHS) She's scared, and she is not very sentimental.
l can work on her.
l'm sure.
This ''New York Slimes'' thing, ''Dadi should have stayed in her ex-old man's bitch seat.
'' Yeah, that's the passenger seat on a motorcycle.
Thank you.
Maybe her ''ex-old man'' got jealous when she walked into Strokers with someone else.
She tell you who he is? No.
She's not in a real talkative mood.
Well, you want to find out who a girl dated, you ask other girls.
l think Curtis can handle this one.
Hello, ladies.
Hola.
l'm Detective Curtis.
''Reynaldo.
'' Is this real? (GIGGLING) Doesn't it look real? Listen, you mind if l ask you a couple of questions? Do you know a girl named Caridad Montero? She lives right up there.
Well, we see her.
Be careful, Rosa, he's a policeman.
You wouldn't dare arrest a girl like me, would you? Depends on what you're carrying.
Caridad, what's she carrying? l need to talk to the biker she used to go out with.
Well, you're gonna do a séance or something, 'cause that poor boy was killed.
No, not him.
The one before that.
He was thin.
Yeah.
He had a scar on his face.
Yeah.
He wore one of those jackets.
What'd it say on it? ''Leather fools?'' Yeah.
l don't know.
It had flags on it.
Yeah, Caridad, she'd wear that jacket, too.
You know, like, she was showing off or something.
Like we cared.
With two flags? Mmm-hmm.
Do you remember his name? Boris.
Something like that.
lgor? Yeah.
Igor.
lGOR: Thís ís crap, man.
Well, you're going to be swimming in it for 20 or 30 years, so you better get used to it.
What for? Hurt your feelings when l called you a spic? And l don't need my gun any more, Igor.
l got you in my clubhouse now.
Let me tell you, you got some pretty sorry members.
Oh, but you're going to love the secret handshake.
You can clean that up when l walk out of here.
lt's part of your job, isn't it? BRISCOE: Now pay attention, Igor.
There were two Yankee Rebels in that bar.
You are a Yankee Rebel and you used to go out with Caridad, and Caridad's new boyfriend winds up dead.
(LAUGHING) Oh, man.
BRISCOE: You know, it's funny 'cause you don't Iook like the jealous type to me.
Jealous? Over that bitch? You got to be kidding.
You know, l bet she made you feel about that big when she walked on you, right? She didn't walk, l pushed her.
After l passed her around to a few of the guys.
She pulled the whole train, man.
After that, we don't touch them.
We can't hold Igor.
We're still going to need a witness.
Did Curtis try to shoot him again? Robocop? He's busy sending electronic mail to Mr.
New York Slimes.
Thinks he can draw him out.
What do you think? Me? l used a computer once, lost 27 straight games of solitaire.
(VAN BUREN LAUGHS) Sent.
So what do you want to do now? How about talking to somebody we can actually Iook in the eye? Fine.
l'll iust freshen up.
He doesn't like me, does he? l told you, l was in the basement.
BRISCOE: Yeah, when the kid was being killed.
How about before? Then l wasn't in the basement.
Very funny.
You know, l could have the yellow tape put back up outside and close you down for about a week.
Look, the kid stood there and he had a beer.
Oh, yeah? Well, who stood right here, then? People were coming and going.
A guy named Igor, did he come or go? He was around.
Well, how'd he react when he saw his ex-old lady walk in with this college kid? lf he saw them, l doubt he noticed.
Why is that? Is he blind? She's used goods.
The Rebels had a little party with her one night, and since then l did her myself once, behind the bar, and Igor didn't even look up.
Well, l guess we can shelve the jealousy theory.
You think you're going to find a new one in there? Maybe.
E-mail from Mr.
New York Slimes.
And? You want to look him in the eye? He says he'll meet tonight at his place.
He's got a great view.
(RATS SQUEAKING) CURTIS: He must be a squatter.
BRISCOE: Is that a rat? CURTIS: Yes, it is.
This has got to be the place.
(CURTIS GROANS) This guy's yanking our chains.
l'm sorry.
Let's track this son of a bitch down and see how he likes our practical jokes.
l can find the guy who runs the electronic bulletin board.
l put an ad for my shop on the net.
Next thing, l had my own BBS.
lt's good for business.
We're interested in the guy who does the outlaw news.
(ELECTRONIC DRILL BUZZING) Very popular.
Most of my customers ride desks.
They love to read about guys riding hogs through nude beaches, stuff like that.
Hey, l save all his uploads.
''Then we all went out to hunt sluts and score some brews.
'' Who sends these? Beats me.
The guy just Iogs on once a week.
Calls himself ''the Phantom.
'' CURTIS: Well, he missed two weeks in July.
Then came back on with a story about a bunch of guys running wild in Columbia County until a guy called Stiletto wrecked his bike in Ghent.
He got hauled into a hospital.
Didn't he write about Stiletto before? CURTIS: Could be they're close.
Could be they're the same guy.
Right.
Thank you.
Columbia County hospital.
Stiletto, a.
k.
a.
Milton Stillman, was laid up for the same two weeks the Phantom didn't publish.
Well, did you get an address? No, he left a phony one and dodged the bill.
But l got something better.
His blood type matches the trail out the back door at Strokers.
So he must've had a front row seat at the murder.
Or he's the murderer.
Could be.
At least our friend Milton's a regular correspondent, if anything.
''Hello, cop idiots.
''Did you think l wouldn't know who you were? ''How did you like the apartment?'' (SIGHS) This e-mail, whatever the hell it is, it's got to have a return address, right? YOSHIMATA: l've monítored hís log-íns to the BBS.
They're coming from an internet provider called NetFix.
Access times match the account of a podiatrist in White Plains.
So the Phantom hacks in and takes it over.
Use the local POP? Mostly.
Trap-and-trace netted us a cloned cell phone.
Transmitter? Yes! We got him! We got who? The Phantom.
His modem's hooked up to a cellular phone with a stolen number.
And he's using it within a mile of 103rd and Broadway, right? Oh, great.
Only two million people live there.
Yeah.
But we have a cellscope and yagi.
A yagi? lt's a radio tuner and directional antenna.
l'll get him chatting.
We can hone in on him.
lt's simple triangulation.
Well, you get the yagi, l'll get the donuts.
(RADlO TUNER BEEPING) Keep going straight.
He says we're ''cyberspace morons.
'' YOSHIMATA: We're getting warmer.
Say something moronic.
Keep him talking.
''Dear Phantom.
How does biker scum like you (TYPING) ''learn to operate anything more complicated than a kickstand?'' That ought to be moronic enough.
Slow down.
He says, ''lf cops want to play with computers, ''they'd better just stick with Ms.
Pacman.
'' There, that building, definitely.
(TUNER CONTINUES BEEPING) (WHISPERING) Come here.
(DOOR CREAKING) Go get him.
What's the crime here, McCoy? lllegal use of a cellular phone? lt's a felony.
Probation.
What's the big deal? Actually, we're thinking of charging you with murder, Mr What should l call you? Stiletto, the Phantom, or Milton Stillman? You can call him a cab home.
How do you make Mr.
Stillman a murderer? His own words on the biker BBS put him on the scene where Thomas Bell was killed.
He's got a wound in his back from the same weapon that killed Mr.
Bell.
ln the middle of my back, in a spot l can't even reach.
l showed your doctor.
So you're saying that he killed this kid, and then he felt so bad about it that he tried to commit suicide by throwing an oil can opener up in the air and then lying down so it'd hit him in his back? Maybe there was a struggle.
Maybe Tom Bell grabbed the weapon and stabbed your client before your client grabbed it back and killed him.
Or maybe whoever it was that killed Mr.
Bell swung a little wide and nicked my client, too.
ls that what happened, Mr.
Stillman? Yeah.
lf you were close enough to be wounded, you were close enough to see the killer.
Who was it? l don't have to tell you a damn thing.
Fine.
Then l'll hold you as a material witness for the grand jury.
You don't tell them and you go to jail for contempt.
Actually, he doesn't have to tell the grand jury anything either.
And why is that? Because he's the Phantom? Because l'm a journalist protecting my sources.
Thomas Bell's father is going to the papers, and l don't blame him.
You say we're stymied because this Phantom says he's a journalist? He's arguing that his contributions to the electronic bulletin board qualify him as a reporter under the Journalist Shield Law.
That law only applies to professional journalists.
This electronic thingamajig pay him? Only in the admiration of his peers.
But he has sold couple of articles to Bíker Mommas magazine.
Who's hearing the motion? Judge Conners.
Oh, good.
l don't think she subscribes.
GREEN: And what is your current position, Dr.
Farnsworth? l'm the associate dean of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.
Have you had a chance to look at Mr.
Stillman's postings to the computer bulletin board? Yes, l have.
And in your expert opinion, are they journalism? Oh, yes.
Even though they don't appear in a newspaper or a magazine or on a television newscast? No.
The proper question is not where they appeared, but what function they served.
People interested in certain subjects consult these reports.
Any inhibitions on Mr.
Stillman's information gathering limits the information reaching his audience.
And that's what the Press Shield Law was designed to prevent.
Thank you, Doctor.
Dr.
Farnsworth, is this the current catalog of courses offered by the Graduate School of Journalism? Yes, it is.
Could you show me the courses in writing for computer bulletin boards? l'm afraid there are no such courses.
So it's journalism, but your own institution doesn't even recognize it as such? FARNSWORTH: Well, no, it's new.
When television started, print iournalists didn't think those reporters were real reporters either.
So, many journalists today would not recognize Mr.
Stillman as a reporter? Well, some would, some wouldn't.
CLAIRE: But you do? Mmm-hmm.
So those who don't are wrong? Obiection.
Argumentative.
Sustained.
''Then we all went out to hunt sluts and score some brews.
'' ls that journalism, Dr.
Farnsworth? Freedom of the press is not reserved for good journalists.
lf we decide that Mr.
Stillman doesn't deserve protection because we don't like what he writes, well, then, we have just taken the first step onto a slippery slope that leads to censorship.
You see who they're calling tomorrow? The assistant editor o_ The New York Tímes.
To defend ''The New York Slimes''? ''Slippery slope,'' Claire.
Stillman could even win this thing.
What about the victim's girlfriend? The cops say she's afraid to talk.
You take a run at her.
At least she's not claiming to be Connie Chung.
''Might even win this thing?'' Because of my cross? You were great.
You made ''hunting sluts'' sound like a capital crime.
l told the police, Tommy was a nice kid, but it's not like we're in India or somewhere, where l'm going to jump into the grave with him.
Well, if you testify before a grand jury, we can protect you.
(SCOFFS) Sure.
l live around the corner from these people.
They kill you.
We can put you up in a hotel.
What about my iob? You going to wipe the floors for me, too? We'll get you some money.
Yeah! And then you're off to the next bad guys, and l'm back here, unemployed, with a target on my back.
Doesn't it bother you that whoever killed Tommy is out there walking around free? Are not you listening, lady? lt bothers me a hell of a lot more than it'll ever bother you.
Don't give me that crap! My son is murdered in a room full of people, and you've got nothing! Mr.
Bell is certainly entitled to know what you've found.
We're not keeping anything from him.
You're not telling me anything either.
(INTERCOM BUZZES) lf they're there, send them in.
ADAM: Mr.
Bell Councilman Ra'be, Assistant District Attorneys Jack McCoy, Claire Kincaid, prosecuting your son's case.
What prosecution? ADAM: Status, Jack? We believe we will get Milton Stillman before the grand jury.
That bastard has rights, but my son doesn't.
What about that girlfriend of his? She's terrified.
Why don't you terrify her more? What are you people for? Mr.
Bell, rest assured, the full resources of this office will be brought to bear.
They'd better be, Adam.
Did you iust throw us to the wolves because his son was murdered, or because he has brunch with a city councilman? Are you going to bring me something or aren't you? The girl is afraid.
Then make her unafraid.
Get her whatever she needs.
ADAM: What about your Phantom? Final arguments tomorrow.
It's up in the air.
Well, bring it down to Earth.
Get me a name.
Make an arrest.
l refer Your _onor to In re: Dan, which the court may find at 363, New York Sup 2nd, page 493.
Even if Mr.
Stillman is a journalist entitled to protect his sources, he's still obligated to testify as to what he witnessed with his own eyes.
And he's obligated to do nothing if he witnessed nothing.
The uncontroverted evidence of his wound is that his back was turned to the incident.
Afterward, he spoke to people that had been involved.
They told him what had happened, and at that point, he was practicing journalism.
But the Press Shield Law only applies if the people interviewed know they're talking to a reporter.
ln this case, they most likely thought they were talking to some guy picking himself up off the bar room floor asking what happened.
They had no expectation of confidentiality and so no protection.
Okay, l've got your briefs.
You'll have my ruling soon.
(WHISPERS) Jack, the girlfriend went for the full gift package.
She's changed her mind.
Good.
We appreciate this, Miss Montero.
Well, when you said hotel, l was thinking of something a little nicer.
We're limited by our budget.
We know you're making a sacrifice.
Well, it was time for a change.
You can pay for me to get to Miami? And get set up? lt's arranged.
And nobody knows where l am, right? Not unless you told them.
JACK: We'd like to get a statement from you now.
(SIGHS) l know.
l'll tell you everything.
lt was this guy l was hanging with.
Igor.
Yeah.
The police spoke to him.
His real name is Danny.
What happened? l walked in with Tommy and Igor didn't like it.
Well, he told the police he wasn't jealous over you.
ls that what he said? Well, maybe he was so drunk he forgot he didn't care.
She told the police she was in the bathroom.
She'll tell the grand jury that she wasn't.
And the killer turns out to be her ex-boyfriend, who dumped her by passing her around to his motorcycle friends.
''Dear John'' letter just doesn't suffice anymore.
ls that a problem? lt gives her a motive to lie.
l'd be a lot happier if we had a second witness.
Yeah, well, while you were out baby-sitting, the judge issued a ruling.
''Milton 'the Phantom' Stillman does not have to testify ''about anything he Iearned from sources.
''But he does have to tell what he witnessed personally.
'' He'll probably say he had a bag over his head.
l'm not sure l'd want to put him in front of the grand jury anyway.
He won't sign a waiver of immunity, and he doesn't have to.
ADAM: And? Without the waiver, full immunity's automatic.
l don't know enough about what happened in that bar.
Do you think he killed that boy? No.
Then you call him.
And you move this ahead.
Yeah, l was standing at the bar, so were a lot of people.
JACK: Like who? Spaceman, Super Steve, a guy named Ed.
What about Thomas Bell and Caridad Montero? They were there.
And Daniel Smith, otherwise known as Igor? Him, too.
Did he say anything to Mr.
Bell or Miss Montero? He might have.
Let me remind you, Mr.
Stillman, you answer these questions or you will be held in contempt.
Yeah.
Igor said something to the kid.
l didn't hear what he said.
Did Mr.
Bell say anything to Igor? l couldn't hear.
Did you see his lips move? My view was blocked.
People were standing around.
Around his face? The collar of his jacket was up.
Did Igor touch Mr.
Bell? Not that l saw.
Mr.
Stillman, did Igor kill Thomas Bell? Nope.
lf your view was blocked, how can you be so sure? Because l killed him.
l told you! Igor did it! You're sure you're not bending the truth a little, Caridad? You don't believe me? What am l doing here? l messed up my whole life.
l can't go back home.
And all l got is this crappy hotel room.
You got a new life in exchange for this testimony.
Well, isn't that fair? Only if it's true.
Do you know a biker named Stiletto? That's what he calls himself.
The others call him Stinky.
Did you see him in the bar that night? Yeah, so? He says he killed Tommy.
But he doesn't have the guts to kill a cockroach.
And if he says he did it, it's because Igor and his friends made him.
He is iust as scared of them as l am.
Fine.
You're testifying tomorrow.
The can opener thing was on the bar.
lgor picked it up, and stuck it in Tommy.
l saw him.
Then l ran out.
That's all l know.
Thank you, Miss Montero.
l have no further questions for this witness.
Yeah? Mr.
Lang? l have a question for this witness.
She said she recognized this guy, Igor, because he was her old boyfriend.
Did they part on good terms or what? As your legal advisor, l instruct you the question is immaterial, and l decline to pose it.
Miss Montero is excused, and we'll take a little break.
Mr.
McCoy.
JACK: Yes.
The reason l ask We're off the record now, Mr.
Lang.
That's fine with me.
It's just some of us aren't so sure about this Igor.
We're still thinking, maybe it's the other one, that one who confessed.
Okay.
Thank you.
You think that question was a lucky guess? They're kicking all the tires.
A confession does make an impression.
You want to take it to a different grand jury? No.
l'd like this grand jury to hear a completely convincing account of how and why Igor did it.
Because that's what l want to hear.
l think Caridad is credible.
Then explain to me once again what Igor's motive WaS.
He wasn't iealous.
Stillman testified he couldn't see Tommy's face because his jacket collar was up.
So Igor killed him to get a better view? There was no jacket on the body.
The motive was robbery? Well, people get murdered for their sneakers.
Find out what kind of jacket Tom Bell was wearing.
Then we'll look in Igor's closet.
Sure, Tommy had a motorcycle jacket.
Plus boots, chaps, helmet.
For someone without a motorcycle, he's pretty well equipped.
That was Tommy.
Lifestyle was fashion.
What did his jacket look like? See for yourself.
This is his? Yeah.
His father didn't want it, so l inherited it.
He was wearing a jacket when he walked into Strokers.
Not this one.
When he left here that night, he was wearing a T-shirt.
Where did he get this one? Cycledrama, on Eighth Street.
You remember Tom Bell? Good customer.
l love those college kids.
But he didn't buy a jacket that night.
Are you sure? l was closed.
ls there anywhere else around here he could have gotten one? Not around here.
Go on, try this on.
Duralon thread in the seams.
Anti-road rash padding in the shoulders and over the ribs.
Yeah.
A friend of mine rides a Yamaha.
Rice burner.
Quarter-mile in 15 flat.
You have anything brighter than this? l'm all out of the pink.
How about something like that? Club colors? Unless you're a member, Miss, you don't wear something like that if you want to stay healthy.
Well, this poor boy was killed because someone was trying to steal a jacket? No, Adam, because somebody objected to its color scheme.
These gangs are very proprietary.
Making the killer who? lgor.
He was a hardcore Yankee Rebel.
Stillman was just a hanger-on.
(SIGHS) lt's a motive.
Yeah, it's a motive.
lf your victim was wearing the jacket.
He stopped off at his girlfriend's place before he went to the bar.
And she used to go out with a Yankee Rebel.
The neighborhood girls said that she used to wear Igor's jacket.
She could have kept it.
Was this boy wearing the jacket or wasn't he? We'll find out.
We might've found out already if we didn't have to keep popping in here every hour to report.
You'll report here whenever l tell you to.
So we assume that he didn't know it was dangerous to wear.
Did the girl know? She must have.
She should have been crazy about Tommy.
Not that she's shown it by her subsequent actions.
Your son's roommate told the police yOU SaW yOU l SOn on the day he died, and tried to convince him to break up with Caridad.
Convince him? l offered to pay him.
Money? He liked money.
It runs in the family.
l offered to give him $10,OOO for his birthday if he just got his damned act together.
Did that include dropping Caridad? And going to class once in a while.
JACK: What'd he say? l was a meddling old man.
He was Romeo and that girl was Juliet.
Well, maybe he changed his mind after you left, and took your checkbook with you.
He went to that bar to buy a $5,OOO motorcycle.
Could he afford it without your gift? No.
Maybe he thought you'd give him the money anyway.
Buy him a motorcycle? He'd have to Oh, my God, it was because of me.
He must have dumped that little bitch.
l don't want to get into details, but Tommy and me, we made each other plenty happy.
Miss Montero, don't you think that we can find witnesses to say that you owned a Yankee Rebel jacket? That Tom Bell wasn't wearing one when he got to your apartment? That he was wearing one when he left? That you knew how dangerous that was? So, what if you could? So, what? l charge you with murder.
Hey, l didn't kill Tommy.
This is called the penal law.
Section 1 25.
25 defines murder as reckless conduct that creates the risk of death to another person and causes the death of that person.
That's what you did.
l told you Igor stabbed him.
You didn't believe me.
Now, we do, because now we know why Igor stabbed him.
lt was because of you.
l want to call my lawyer.
So will Igor.
He'll want to tell his side of the story first, cut a deal and nail you for murder.
lt's not as if he loves you or anything the way he passed you around.
What if l tell first? We're listening.
l knew what was going on.
Tommy liked shoving me into his father's face, until daddy made him pay for it.
Tommy didn't want to be poor.
He just liked to play poor and screw poor.
He told you about his father's money? Yeah.
He was so stupid.
He said that he had to meet this guy at Strokers.
l told him let's spend one last night together.
Old times' sake.
l told him he'd fit in better if he wore the jacket.
And he went for it? He loved it.
He thought it'd impress the guy selling the bike.
Look, l didn't think he'd get killed.
l thought he'd maybe get beat up.
That's all.
But Igor was there, he was drunk, and some of the other guys started ragging him about Tommy, saying, ''Hey, who's the new Yankee Rebel? ''Ooh, l'm scared.
You guys are tough.
'' And Igor said he'd show them tough.
He picked up the opener and shoved it into Tommy's stomach.
Casual, like he was passing him something.
What happened to the jacket? lgor took it.
He said there was no way Tommy deserved to be buried in it.
Look, l didn't mean for this to happen.
You made it happen.
One boyfriend dead, one going to jail.
lgor passed me around like if l was a And Tommy traded me in for a motorcycle.
How sorry am l supposed to feel? Hmm? (SIRENS WAILING) Didn't we already dance this dance? This time it's going to be a long slow one.
Daniel ''lgor'' Smith, you're under arrest for the murder of Thomas Bell.
You have the right to remain silent.
We indicted Igor on murder two, Stillman for perjury and the girl pleaded to reckless endangerment.
She sign a waiver of immunity? lt was part of our original deal, fortunately.
Good.
Night, Ben.
l did do a couple of things right here, Adam.
You did, you did.
Doggone good.
Three felons, three felonies.
Something for everybody.
Except the victim.