Homicide: Life on the Street s03e10 Episode Script
Cradle to Grave
Whoa! Don't understand what we're doing, Gee.
We're murder boys for crying out loud! Detective Howard, this is the city recognising the men and women of the Baltimore City Police Department.
- It's an honour really.
- Honour? Hey, Gee, it's a photo-op.
- Look at that grass.
- What grass? This soil is soaked in the sweat and blood of Johnny Unitas.
Alan Ameche.
Tom Matte.
Marchetti used to flatten Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch on that 40-yard line.
Stan, these guys play for us just the same as your old Baltimore Colts heroes.
It's the same city, the same stadium.
It's the same game, almost, you know.
So young.
So ignorant.
'Ladies and gentlemen, in the Baltimore CFLs - 'the city's tribute to the people who serve our city - 'we're honouring those who keep Charm City safe.
'Give a big hand to the men and women of the Baltimore City Police.
' All right.
- How many shell casings? - Three.
OK.
Three shell casings.
.
32 calibre.
Got powder burns.
It's a close contact wound.
Got a half-circle muzzle imprint.
Yeah, someone jammed a barrel right into the kid's head.
Bam! Serious intentions.
We found this on the boy.
- Darryl Nawls.
- Nawls.
Take whatever shots you need.
We're gonna roll him in ten minutes.
- You saw the shooter walk in? - By himself.
He pulls out this bad-ass piece.
- Did Darryl run with any gangs? - He ain't down with that stuff.
Just strolls up, pulls his piece out, and zip, zip, zip right into the kid's head.
Right in his ear.
He was cold.
- He came out of nowhere? - Uh-huh.
- What's nowhere? - He just walked in.
You ever see this kid who shot Darryl before? Oh, yeah, I seen him before.
His name is Ronnie Sayers.
Man, would you stop.
You already put half a pound of sugar in that.
- Thought you hated sugar.
- Need a boost.
You'll get the sugar blues.
I'll get a coronary if we don't get beverage servers hired for the bar.
This is a watershed moment.
We're about to take on responsibilities.
We're becoming what I never imagined in my wildest dreams.
What's that? We're about to become bosses.
We're about to hire waitresses.
What are you getting wired up about? Morning, one and all.
Now remember, who we hire directly reflects upon who we are.
Let's proceed with all due care and consideration.
Right you are.
OK, if you would be so kind as to fill out this paper.
It concerns your previous employment history.
- You got a pen? - Yeah.
- Give me a pen.
- I don't have a pen.
Anybody have a spare pen or pencil, please? - I need something to write with, too.
- Anybody else? It's unanimous.
Hey, Beau, what do you think about this neighbour's statement? - Fine.
- Fine? Doesn't jive with the time of death.
This guy says he saw Leo Thomson working outside on his car at 10:00pm.
I've worked on my car into the night.
Felton, we're working on the Thomson case here.
The guy is working on his car, ten o'clock at night.
How does he end up dead - It's a 40-minute drive.
- Someone killed him.
That's it.
- Thank you, God.
- You got something? - I gotta go.
- You know who killed Leo Thomson? My kids.
Wellington at a HoJo's.
They've had to use their credit cards.
- They ran through the cash and savings.
- We've got a case.
Where were you a few weeks ago? Let's see if I remember the exact quote.
Something to the effect of, "This city, you can smell the decay.
" Where did you go? Who did you leave alone? - I had days due, huh.
- I'm doing my kids.
Yeah, here it is.
Nawls, number 1118.
- Someone home? - Somebody's here.
A little kid.
Hey.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Is there anyone else here? - No.
- Mom or Dad? - No.
We need to find your mom.
- She's at work.
- And your dad? There ain't no dad here.
- What's your name? - Jason.
Hi, Jason.
My name is Frank.
- And this is my partner Tim.
- Hi, Jason.
You know where your mom works? You wanna go to where she works? OK.
Lock this door for me.
- You had a lot of jobs.
- Uh-huh.
Duda's, John Steven's, Fletcher's, Jimmy's, The Dead End.
Just about every restaurant and bar in Baltimore.
You've never held a job for more than three weeks.
I'm really not a waitress.
- Oh? - I write.
One acts.
One acts.
One-act plays.
Read them and maybe we could talk about them, OK? And you had to ask me for a pen? My life is total irony.
All in one act, huh? One rule I don't abide by is, "The customer is always right.
" The customer is never right.
Momma.
These two guys are detectives.
Yes? Hi, are you Mary Nawls? Darryl's mother? I'm his mother.
Where is Darryl? Is he in trouble or something? - Has he been in some kind of accident? - Mrs Nawls, I'm a homicide detective.
Homicide? What homicide? - Mrs Mrs Nawls.
- No.
No.
No.
No.
- I'm I'm sorry.
- Oh, God! Don't look at me Looking back at you Out the window backwards Out the window backwards Sleep See this child twice stolen from me Out the window backwards Out the window backwards Sleep in now, now What's the matter? I have here on an arrest warrant for one Ronnie Sayers.
OK, ma'am.
Here's the arrest warrant.
Fall to the tile Stick your finger in your eye That's the only way you cry Hey now Hey now - What you doing? - I have to get something.
- Yeah, what do you have to get? - My spelling.
OK.
C'mon.
- Are you a good speller? - Yeah.
OK.
- I wasn't going to hurt you.
- I know.
No, you didn't.
- Where is your son Ronnie now? - He's with his friends.
- Where are his friends? - What did he do? - We want to talk about a shooting.
- A shooting? My Ronnie? - Do you know where he is? - Is he OK? He's OK, though? He may be involved in the shooting of a 13-year-old.
He was identified at the bowling alley where this shooting occurred.
- Where is Ronnie? - He was going to Henry's house.
After school to play basketball.
- When did you see him last? - This morning, here at breakfast.
He had a bowl of cereal.
He has a bowl of Raisin Bran every morning.
My Ronnie couldn't be involved in this.
He's only 14-years-old.
- He's how old? - 14.
Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie! What do you want? Come on, son.
Come with us.
We're police.
Henry, you gave me up? - Come on, son.
- Go where? I ain't going nowhere! Yes, we are.
We're going downtown.
- Shoot me.
- Whoa! Ronnie, come on.
No one's shooting anyone here.
- Back up, then.
- No one's backing up.
Nobody's backing up.
Put the gun down.
Henry, you turned me out.
Get this kid back! Ronnie, put the gun down.
- Easy, easy.
Come on.
- Ronnie.
- Ronnie.
Put the gun down, Ronnie.
- Is that right? That right? That's right.
I ain't going with you.
- Easy, son.
- You can't take me.
Easy, put the gun down.
Tell me about Darryl.
- Which Darryl? - You know.
- I don't know no Darryl! - The kid at the bowling alley.
- His name is Basil.
- Who? Basil? - Some guy who said he'd get me.
- His name's Darryl.
- I know who got hurt.
- His name is Darryl.
- You shot the wrong kid.
- His name's Darryl.
His name is Darryl, Ronnie.
Darryl.
- Easy.
Cuffs.
- Here you go.
- OK.
- Come on.
I understand you're the best interior decorator in Baltimore.
Listen, Larry, we don't want to go crazy with renovations.
It needs sprucing up.
Something fresher.
- Yeah.
- Talk to us, then.
- Well I love the glazed headers.
- Excuse me? - The original brickwork.
It's fabulous.
- Great.
OK, fabulous.
What else? - All this panelling.
It's so dark.
- This is a bar.
It's supposed to be dark.
- It's depressing.
- Bars are supposed to be depressing.
Munch, Runyon here is a professional.
We could always paint the panelling.
Eggshell, semi-gloss.
Elegant, yet warm.
I'm gonna check out the head.
If you start talking about brass fixtures and hanging ferns, you're fired.
Excuse me? I'm looking for the new owners.
- You found two of them.
- Good.
I'm from the Baltimore Landmark Preservation Society.
This building is a historic landmark.
I'm here to protect the integrity of the site.
Oh! We gotta do something about that bathroom.
It's like from the civil war.
We should rip everything out and start from scratch.
Surely you can understand our desire to protect that history, especially in connection to George Washington.
- George Washington? - George Washington.
In 1793, he was travelling from Mount Vernon to Philadelphia.
- He stopped here.
- He stopped here? Of course, it was a residence at the time.
- George Washington slept here in? - Well, no - He ate here? - No.
What did he do? Apparently the President, just coming from a dinner party where he had consumed quite a bit of wine, was in a bind.
He had no time to seek out a public chamber pot.
So we can't tear out our bathroom cos George Washington came here and took a wizz? Mmm.
If you gotta go, you gotta go, even if you are the father of your country.
- Gee, got our shooter.
- You have? - My God, he's young.
- Yeah.
He's supposed to be 14, but looks so small.
Notify Juvenile.
We'll have to step carefully.
- Frank.
- Gee, this is Ronnie Sayers.
Sit down, Ronnie.
Hello, Ronnie.
This room smells funny.
I told Tim.
By the numbers on this one.
Ronnie, would you like anything? Coffee? Juice? Soda? Tea? That's great.
Oh, she's gonna do that? Good, good.
Bye-bye.
So? The State's Attorney's Office is sending Maggie Conroy.
She said she'd call up Juvenile for us.
You have my son.
Where is he? - Mrs Sayers, this is not - Mom? - Mrs Sayers.
- You don't have to be here.
Where have you been, damn it? - Nowhere.
- I have been worried sick.
- You can stop worrying.
- Your brother's home with fever.
- He didn't sleep.
- You should be with David.
I'm OK.
- Does she have to be here? - I'm your mother, Ronnie.
You can't help me.
I don't want you here, all right? - I shot that kid.
- You didn't shoot anyone.
- Shot the wrong kid.
- He couldn't have shot anyone.
You didn't do anything.
Tell them.
You've made an admission.
I have to read your rights.
What is wrong with you? Tell them you didn't do anything! Do I have the right not to have her here? He doesn't know what he's saying.
- Do I? - You have that right.
- Then I wanna her out of here.
- Bayliss.
Good move.
- It's my right.
- I'd have done the same.
You comfortable? - I'm tired.
- God knows.
You must be a hard ass to sneak up behind the kid and pop him.
- When do I go home? - Two shots behind the left ear.
- I didn't sneak up.
- He was shot in the back of the head.
But I shot the wrong kid.
This is a mistake? If you're driving and you hit someone, it's an accident.
Ronnie, you shot an innocent kid.
Accidents kill innocent people all the time.
How's this different? Get your feet off my table.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Er I'm here to see Detective Pembleton.
Oh, yeah.
Look, why don't you have a seat over here? Here you go.
Yeah, you just have a seat here.
I'll go find Detective Pembleton for you.
Momma, I'm thirsty.
Wait until after we see the detective, Jason, OK? - Jason? - Yeah.
Is this Jason? I can get you something.
What would you like? We've got a soda machine over there.
You can help me look for the detective.
- Like a Coke, huh? - Yeah.
I don't like the caffeine in it.
Well, we have root beer and strawberry soda.
Your mom can watch you all the way.
Root beer's my favourite.
Has been ever since I was your age.
No, it's on me.
I get all my sodas for free.
I have secret ways.
Come on.
- Don't let him say he did anything.
- Mrs Sayers, that's up to him.
But he's only a child.
- So was the other kid.
- I have to be in there with my Ronnie.
- I'm sorry.
- He doesn't know what he's saying.
Excuse me, all right.
I'm sorry.
- Hi.
He admitted to the shooting.
- How? He volunteered the information.
- You advised him of his rights? - We didn't have a chance.
The mother shows up.
He doesn't want her here so he cops to the killing.
- The mother's here? - There.
Frank's in here with the kid.
Frank.
I'm Maggie Conroy, an Assistant State's Attorney.
This is Mr Bad Ass Bad Boy.
All of 14-years-old.
I did the shooting, didn't I? Ronnie, I'm going to advise you not to say another word until we have someone here to represent you.
Whatever.
You OK? My boy.
He's in trouble? He was missing.
Now they have him in there.
- But they found him all right? - Mmm.
What are you reading? Oh, this is my little boy's comic.
- He's with one of the detectives.
- He's in trouble.
No, no.
He just He went to get a soda.
I don't know what he reads these days.
- X-Men.
Who's that? - My littlest reads that.
He's home probably going through one as we speak.
Superheroes that fight the evil in the world.
We could use some real X-Men in this town.
Don't I know it.
I'm Patrice.
- Mary.
- Thank you.
You know, I never been in this place before.
I always imagined it to be a lot noisier.
I thought it'd be bigger somehow.
- Theresa.
- Maggie.
Al, Tim, this is Theresa Cousart, out of the Public Defender's office.
- We've met.
- Is Juvenile here? - Waiting on 'em.
- I'm on pension by the time they're here.
I should take you to your client.
- What? - Ronnie? Theresa Cousart.
I'm here to provide you with legal representation.
- I was sleeping.
- I'd like to consult with my client.
What? I already told 'em.
- Clue the lady in, will ya? - Ronnie here has made a statement.
It'd be in your best interests not to say anything.
My best interests.
Ain't you too cool, lady? You tell her.
- No.
- Do I have to have her here too? You got a serious charge facing you.
That I shot that kid? - Ronnie! - Hey, what's the big deal? I meant to shoot this other kid.
Honest mistake.
You can't blame me for that.
Why don't you start at the beginning and tell me everything? From now on, I don't want you to say anything to anyone without me.
- Where are all the men these days? - Mmm.
In my neighbourhood there's Gerald.
He's 26.
Then there's Marcus.
Marcus has gotta be 80-years-old.
Girl.
That's it in my neighbourhood.
- There's one guy.
Might be in his 30s.
- Mmm.
- I haven't seen him in a while.
- Mmm.
I don't know.
Maybe something happened to him.
How many kids you got? Two.
I had two.
Darryl and Jason.
Jason's He's a quiet little fella.
But Darryl was the one for adventure.
What happened to Darryl? - Darryl was shot.
He got killed.
- I'm sorry.
He told me, "Momma, I'm gonna join the Army or the Navy, "and see the whole world.
" He told me he's gonna see people in Germany and France and He was Here, baby.
Thanks.
I've been to three funerals this year for Darryl's friends.
It seems like that's how we have our socials now.
I'm gonna get my boys out of here.
Every place I can think of costs money, but I'm thinking about Canada.
Maybe they don't kill each other so much up there.
Canada, huh? Mmm.
I don't know nothin', except it's supposed to be a whole bunch of snow and cold.
Maybe the snow keeps a lid on things.
Do you think? Could be.
He's 14, so he's at the magic cut-off point.
He could go juvenile, but I'm strongly inclined to get him charged as an adult.
He doesn't realise the severity.
He thinks he's innocent because he shot the wrong guy.
- He's waived his rights.
- He doesn't know what he's saying.
Then what do we do? Let him go? Then next week, next month, next year, haul his ass back here for another murder? Please.
- Ronnie.
- What's the matter, Patrice? Where are you taking my boy? He's going to Processing.
He confessed to murder.
Er, Detective Pembleton, I'm here to see you.
- It will be a while.
- We're taking him to Processing.
- Ronnie didn't shoot that boy.
- What boy? He didn't kill what boy? That's the boy who killed my baby? - The bastard that killed my son? - Mrs Nawls, please.
- Miss.
- That's your boy? Momma.
He didn't kill anyone.
Ronnie, explain things to 'em! Tell 'em, Ronnie! - You're gonna have to stay outside.
- Give me back my boy! - Give me my boy! - Stay outside.
- Wish I could help, Detective Howard.
- Thanks anyway, Sally.
- Hey, Frank, you got a minute? - You tell me.
I gotta get back to Processing.
We're booking Ronnie Sayers.
I gotta bounce this off somebody.
Got this dead guy at Henderson's Point.
The interviews square up, except one - the neighbour.
- Drink a lot of coffee? - What's a lot? I must knock back three, four pots of this stuff a day.
Yeah, well, anyway, I am suspicious of this neighbour, see? Logic tells you that, right? But I'm suspicious of my suspicions.
Could it be this easy? I get out of bed and drag myself to the next coffee.
I take a sip, the caffeine kicks in.
My brain starts to order the day.
I'm up.
I'm alive.
I'm ready to rock.
So you wouldn't suspect the neighbour? Time is coming when I'm not getting out of bed.
I'm not getting up for coffee or food or sex.
If it comes to me, fine.
If it won't, fine.
No expectations.
The longer I live, the less I know.
I should know that coffee is killing me.
- You're suspicious of your suspicions? - Yeah.
I'm jealous.
I'm so jealous, Kay.
You still have the heart to have doubts.
I'm locking up a kid for the rest of his natural life.
I gotta do this.
This is my job, the law, my day.
I have no doubts or suspicions.
Heart has nothing to do with it any more.
It's all in the caffeine.
C'mon, Ronnie.
Let's go.
Wipe your hands.
Come on.
We're gonna put you in isolation away from the adults, OK? - I ain't scared of them.
- Take off your ring.
- What you doin'? - I'm taking your belt.
- Leave my shoelaces.
What you doin'? - We don't want you to hurt yourself.
- Should've when I had the chance.
- Put your earring in here.
It's the big time, huh? Does this look like the big time to you? Your life is over, Ronnie.
Nah, man.
Nah.
Ronnie, you better get clear cos this is not a joke any more.
If you're charged as an adult, you're gonna die in a cell, OK? Better than on the street.
- You think you're safer in jail? - Ain't I? Jesus, slow down, Frank.
- Don't you like my driving? - This is hurtling.
- Hurtling? - Yeah.
You are a menace to society.
You're reckless.
If you've something against my driving, you take the wheel, and then I'll do the play-by-play critique.
Oh, 14-years-old.
Jeez, when I was 14 I was in ninth grade.
You know, I don't remember much about what I was doing, but I do know I was nowhere near picking up a gun and shooting some kid.
- So how old should our shooter be? - About 14.
So if he's 15, 16, that makes any more sense? - No.
- How old should he be? What's the cut-off age? 17? 18? 19? - I don't know.
- When you find out, clue me in.
None of this killing at any age from six to sixty makes any sense.
One time, I'd like to hear about a murder that makes any sense.
One time, for any reason.
Drop me off at the waterfront.
You know this place needs a theme.
A theme? It's a bar, Munch, not a prom night.
Guys in the unit voted for country and western on the jukebox.
That goes a long way to determining the theme.
There's no way we're gonna play any cracker-assed music in my bar.
My sentiments exactly, but business is business and country and western gets the money machines jingling.
Hey.
We're almost ready for the grand opening, huh? Everyone wants to come.
Even some of the brass.
Gee said get him a seat right there.
- Glad you could join us.
- Johnny.
Just figuring out musical selections.
Well, maybe we should get a little blues.
Maybe some Koko Taylor, a little Etta James.
Etta James.
Billie Holiday.
Buddy Guy.
We need songs that remind our customers they're better off in here.
We need someone singing ditties about a cheating wife.
We want customers crying in their beer.
Whatever the music, we play it loud.
- I don't want a headknocker's bar.
- No.
The louder the music, the more people drink.
My research.
We're gonna crank them speakers up so loud their ears gonna bleed.
- Evening.
- Hey.
Can I speak to the owners? - You got 'em.
All three.
- You're the owners? - Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
- I got old news for you new owners.
- I'm have to shut you down.
- Excuse me? I'm the Deputy City Sheriff.
I'm here to serve papers of delinquency on back taxes.
But we complied with every regulation in the contract.
Obviously someone didn't do a thorough enough search on the property for you.
Hey, we are law enforcement officials, just like you, huh? - Surely you could help us out.
- Come on.
- You're cops? - Yeah.
Three of you? - We work Homicide.
- Then you should have known better.
You should have investigated the building more aggressively.
We have used our life savings to invest in this bar.
Give us a break.
Your licence has to come down.
You have to turn it over to me.
Have a heart.
Given the severity of the crime, and that the defendant shows no remorse, State asks he be denied bail.
Your Honour, my client is only 14-years-old.
We move he be remanded to his mother's custody.
Given his age and lack of financial resources, we do not consider there's a flight risk.
Despite the defendant's youth, he's accused of a capital offence.
The defendant is hereby denied bail and will remain incarcerated until trial.
Ronnie, hang on one second.
Please let me talk to your son alone.
Ronnie, sit down.
Sit down.
What do you want? You kept me awake last night and I resent that.
I need my sleep.
Sorry for nothing.
You know now, don't you? Hmm? You got the fear now.
Don't you? Son, I don't usually find myself giving advice, especially to 14-year-old killers.
Please listen to me just this one time.
Keep your eyes to the wall.
Don't trust anybody, believe anybody, help anybody, and don't ask anybody for anything.
Do you understand? If you want you can call me any time.
OK.
Ron.
Ronnie.
Bye, Momma.
You know, my wife and I we're talking about children.
- Oh.
- About maybe having a kid.
- You? - Mmm.
You're gonna be a father? Yeah.
Something wrong with that? No.
No, I think that'd be great.
How do I bring a child into this world when we charge children with murder? Oh I think with you, it'd be different.
- Different? - Yeah.
You know - Spit it out.
- You know.
- I wanna hear you say it.
- It'd be different.
You have different circumstances.
- Because I don't live in the ghetto? - No.
Don't you have the means to give a child a better chance? Oh, so my kid would be safe.
That's what they said about drugs.
It'll never happen in my neighbourhood.
Then AIDS came along.
Ron.
Ronnie.
- Oh, God! Somebody help me.
- Frank.
Please.
Somebody.
Oh, please, somebody help me.
I asked the detectives how I could find you.
I wanted to say I'm sorry.
Sorry is not enough for what I need to say.
- I thought you'd be in Canada.
- No.
I'm stuck in Baltimore.
David, what are you doing? Stop it! - You tell that little boy you're sorry.
- Sorry.
We weren't fighting.
You don't play rough! He didn't mean it.
It's OK.
Kids are kids, and kids gotta play.
This is for your Darryl.
Take it, please.
It's a mass card.
I know my boy's in a good place.
Thanks.
For the mass card.
How's your son? - How's Ronnie? - I don't know.
They won't let me see him till Sunday.
I'll take him some food.
- They like playing with each other.
- They do.
Maybe they could get to know each other.
What would happen if they did that? What would happen if they found out about each other's brothers? David, let's go.
David, let's go.
We're murder boys for crying out loud! Detective Howard, this is the city recognising the men and women of the Baltimore City Police Department.
- It's an honour really.
- Honour? Hey, Gee, it's a photo-op.
- Look at that grass.
- What grass? This soil is soaked in the sweat and blood of Johnny Unitas.
Alan Ameche.
Tom Matte.
Marchetti used to flatten Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch on that 40-yard line.
Stan, these guys play for us just the same as your old Baltimore Colts heroes.
It's the same city, the same stadium.
It's the same game, almost, you know.
So young.
So ignorant.
'Ladies and gentlemen, in the Baltimore CFLs - 'the city's tribute to the people who serve our city - 'we're honouring those who keep Charm City safe.
'Give a big hand to the men and women of the Baltimore City Police.
' All right.
- How many shell casings? - Three.
OK.
Three shell casings.
.
32 calibre.
Got powder burns.
It's a close contact wound.
Got a half-circle muzzle imprint.
Yeah, someone jammed a barrel right into the kid's head.
Bam! Serious intentions.
We found this on the boy.
- Darryl Nawls.
- Nawls.
Take whatever shots you need.
We're gonna roll him in ten minutes.
- You saw the shooter walk in? - By himself.
He pulls out this bad-ass piece.
- Did Darryl run with any gangs? - He ain't down with that stuff.
Just strolls up, pulls his piece out, and zip, zip, zip right into the kid's head.
Right in his ear.
He was cold.
- He came out of nowhere? - Uh-huh.
- What's nowhere? - He just walked in.
You ever see this kid who shot Darryl before? Oh, yeah, I seen him before.
His name is Ronnie Sayers.
Man, would you stop.
You already put half a pound of sugar in that.
- Thought you hated sugar.
- Need a boost.
You'll get the sugar blues.
I'll get a coronary if we don't get beverage servers hired for the bar.
This is a watershed moment.
We're about to take on responsibilities.
We're becoming what I never imagined in my wildest dreams.
What's that? We're about to become bosses.
We're about to hire waitresses.
What are you getting wired up about? Morning, one and all.
Now remember, who we hire directly reflects upon who we are.
Let's proceed with all due care and consideration.
Right you are.
OK, if you would be so kind as to fill out this paper.
It concerns your previous employment history.
- You got a pen? - Yeah.
- Give me a pen.
- I don't have a pen.
Anybody have a spare pen or pencil, please? - I need something to write with, too.
- Anybody else? It's unanimous.
Hey, Beau, what do you think about this neighbour's statement? - Fine.
- Fine? Doesn't jive with the time of death.
This guy says he saw Leo Thomson working outside on his car at 10:00pm.
I've worked on my car into the night.
Felton, we're working on the Thomson case here.
The guy is working on his car, ten o'clock at night.
How does he end up dead - It's a 40-minute drive.
- Someone killed him.
That's it.
- Thank you, God.
- You got something? - I gotta go.
- You know who killed Leo Thomson? My kids.
Wellington at a HoJo's.
They've had to use their credit cards.
- They ran through the cash and savings.
- We've got a case.
Where were you a few weeks ago? Let's see if I remember the exact quote.
Something to the effect of, "This city, you can smell the decay.
" Where did you go? Who did you leave alone? - I had days due, huh.
- I'm doing my kids.
Yeah, here it is.
Nawls, number 1118.
- Someone home? - Somebody's here.
A little kid.
Hey.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Is there anyone else here? - No.
- Mom or Dad? - No.
We need to find your mom.
- She's at work.
- And your dad? There ain't no dad here.
- What's your name? - Jason.
Hi, Jason.
My name is Frank.
- And this is my partner Tim.
- Hi, Jason.
You know where your mom works? You wanna go to where she works? OK.
Lock this door for me.
- You had a lot of jobs.
- Uh-huh.
Duda's, John Steven's, Fletcher's, Jimmy's, The Dead End.
Just about every restaurant and bar in Baltimore.
You've never held a job for more than three weeks.
I'm really not a waitress.
- Oh? - I write.
One acts.
One acts.
One-act plays.
Read them and maybe we could talk about them, OK? And you had to ask me for a pen? My life is total irony.
All in one act, huh? One rule I don't abide by is, "The customer is always right.
" The customer is never right.
Momma.
These two guys are detectives.
Yes? Hi, are you Mary Nawls? Darryl's mother? I'm his mother.
Where is Darryl? Is he in trouble or something? - Has he been in some kind of accident? - Mrs Nawls, I'm a homicide detective.
Homicide? What homicide? - Mrs Mrs Nawls.
- No.
No.
No.
No.
- I'm I'm sorry.
- Oh, God! Don't look at me Looking back at you Out the window backwards Out the window backwards Sleep See this child twice stolen from me Out the window backwards Out the window backwards Sleep in now, now What's the matter? I have here on an arrest warrant for one Ronnie Sayers.
OK, ma'am.
Here's the arrest warrant.
Fall to the tile Stick your finger in your eye That's the only way you cry Hey now Hey now - What you doing? - I have to get something.
- Yeah, what do you have to get? - My spelling.
OK.
C'mon.
- Are you a good speller? - Yeah.
OK.
- I wasn't going to hurt you.
- I know.
No, you didn't.
- Where is your son Ronnie now? - He's with his friends.
- Where are his friends? - What did he do? - We want to talk about a shooting.
- A shooting? My Ronnie? - Do you know where he is? - Is he OK? He's OK, though? He may be involved in the shooting of a 13-year-old.
He was identified at the bowling alley where this shooting occurred.
- Where is Ronnie? - He was going to Henry's house.
After school to play basketball.
- When did you see him last? - This morning, here at breakfast.
He had a bowl of cereal.
He has a bowl of Raisin Bran every morning.
My Ronnie couldn't be involved in this.
He's only 14-years-old.
- He's how old? - 14.
Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie! What do you want? Come on, son.
Come with us.
We're police.
Henry, you gave me up? - Come on, son.
- Go where? I ain't going nowhere! Yes, we are.
We're going downtown.
- Shoot me.
- Whoa! Ronnie, come on.
No one's shooting anyone here.
- Back up, then.
- No one's backing up.
Nobody's backing up.
Put the gun down.
Henry, you turned me out.
Get this kid back! Ronnie, put the gun down.
- Easy, easy.
Come on.
- Ronnie.
- Ronnie.
Put the gun down, Ronnie.
- Is that right? That right? That's right.
I ain't going with you.
- Easy, son.
- You can't take me.
Easy, put the gun down.
Tell me about Darryl.
- Which Darryl? - You know.
- I don't know no Darryl! - The kid at the bowling alley.
- His name is Basil.
- Who? Basil? - Some guy who said he'd get me.
- His name's Darryl.
- I know who got hurt.
- His name is Darryl.
- You shot the wrong kid.
- His name's Darryl.
His name is Darryl, Ronnie.
Darryl.
- Easy.
Cuffs.
- Here you go.
- OK.
- Come on.
I understand you're the best interior decorator in Baltimore.
Listen, Larry, we don't want to go crazy with renovations.
It needs sprucing up.
Something fresher.
- Yeah.
- Talk to us, then.
- Well I love the glazed headers.
- Excuse me? - The original brickwork.
It's fabulous.
- Great.
OK, fabulous.
What else? - All this panelling.
It's so dark.
- This is a bar.
It's supposed to be dark.
- It's depressing.
- Bars are supposed to be depressing.
Munch, Runyon here is a professional.
We could always paint the panelling.
Eggshell, semi-gloss.
Elegant, yet warm.
I'm gonna check out the head.
If you start talking about brass fixtures and hanging ferns, you're fired.
Excuse me? I'm looking for the new owners.
- You found two of them.
- Good.
I'm from the Baltimore Landmark Preservation Society.
This building is a historic landmark.
I'm here to protect the integrity of the site.
Oh! We gotta do something about that bathroom.
It's like from the civil war.
We should rip everything out and start from scratch.
Surely you can understand our desire to protect that history, especially in connection to George Washington.
- George Washington? - George Washington.
In 1793, he was travelling from Mount Vernon to Philadelphia.
- He stopped here.
- He stopped here? Of course, it was a residence at the time.
- George Washington slept here in? - Well, no - He ate here? - No.
What did he do? Apparently the President, just coming from a dinner party where he had consumed quite a bit of wine, was in a bind.
He had no time to seek out a public chamber pot.
So we can't tear out our bathroom cos George Washington came here and took a wizz? Mmm.
If you gotta go, you gotta go, even if you are the father of your country.
- Gee, got our shooter.
- You have? - My God, he's young.
- Yeah.
He's supposed to be 14, but looks so small.
Notify Juvenile.
We'll have to step carefully.
- Frank.
- Gee, this is Ronnie Sayers.
Sit down, Ronnie.
Hello, Ronnie.
This room smells funny.
I told Tim.
By the numbers on this one.
Ronnie, would you like anything? Coffee? Juice? Soda? Tea? That's great.
Oh, she's gonna do that? Good, good.
Bye-bye.
So? The State's Attorney's Office is sending Maggie Conroy.
She said she'd call up Juvenile for us.
You have my son.
Where is he? - Mrs Sayers, this is not - Mom? - Mrs Sayers.
- You don't have to be here.
Where have you been, damn it? - Nowhere.
- I have been worried sick.
- You can stop worrying.
- Your brother's home with fever.
- He didn't sleep.
- You should be with David.
I'm OK.
- Does she have to be here? - I'm your mother, Ronnie.
You can't help me.
I don't want you here, all right? - I shot that kid.
- You didn't shoot anyone.
- Shot the wrong kid.
- He couldn't have shot anyone.
You didn't do anything.
Tell them.
You've made an admission.
I have to read your rights.
What is wrong with you? Tell them you didn't do anything! Do I have the right not to have her here? He doesn't know what he's saying.
- Do I? - You have that right.
- Then I wanna her out of here.
- Bayliss.
Good move.
- It's my right.
- I'd have done the same.
You comfortable? - I'm tired.
- God knows.
You must be a hard ass to sneak up behind the kid and pop him.
- When do I go home? - Two shots behind the left ear.
- I didn't sneak up.
- He was shot in the back of the head.
But I shot the wrong kid.
This is a mistake? If you're driving and you hit someone, it's an accident.
Ronnie, you shot an innocent kid.
Accidents kill innocent people all the time.
How's this different? Get your feet off my table.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Er I'm here to see Detective Pembleton.
Oh, yeah.
Look, why don't you have a seat over here? Here you go.
Yeah, you just have a seat here.
I'll go find Detective Pembleton for you.
Momma, I'm thirsty.
Wait until after we see the detective, Jason, OK? - Jason? - Yeah.
Is this Jason? I can get you something.
What would you like? We've got a soda machine over there.
You can help me look for the detective.
- Like a Coke, huh? - Yeah.
I don't like the caffeine in it.
Well, we have root beer and strawberry soda.
Your mom can watch you all the way.
Root beer's my favourite.
Has been ever since I was your age.
No, it's on me.
I get all my sodas for free.
I have secret ways.
Come on.
- Don't let him say he did anything.
- Mrs Sayers, that's up to him.
But he's only a child.
- So was the other kid.
- I have to be in there with my Ronnie.
- I'm sorry.
- He doesn't know what he's saying.
Excuse me, all right.
I'm sorry.
- Hi.
He admitted to the shooting.
- How? He volunteered the information.
- You advised him of his rights? - We didn't have a chance.
The mother shows up.
He doesn't want her here so he cops to the killing.
- The mother's here? - There.
Frank's in here with the kid.
Frank.
I'm Maggie Conroy, an Assistant State's Attorney.
This is Mr Bad Ass Bad Boy.
All of 14-years-old.
I did the shooting, didn't I? Ronnie, I'm going to advise you not to say another word until we have someone here to represent you.
Whatever.
You OK? My boy.
He's in trouble? He was missing.
Now they have him in there.
- But they found him all right? - Mmm.
What are you reading? Oh, this is my little boy's comic.
- He's with one of the detectives.
- He's in trouble.
No, no.
He just He went to get a soda.
I don't know what he reads these days.
- X-Men.
Who's that? - My littlest reads that.
He's home probably going through one as we speak.
Superheroes that fight the evil in the world.
We could use some real X-Men in this town.
Don't I know it.
I'm Patrice.
- Mary.
- Thank you.
You know, I never been in this place before.
I always imagined it to be a lot noisier.
I thought it'd be bigger somehow.
- Theresa.
- Maggie.
Al, Tim, this is Theresa Cousart, out of the Public Defender's office.
- We've met.
- Is Juvenile here? - Waiting on 'em.
- I'm on pension by the time they're here.
I should take you to your client.
- What? - Ronnie? Theresa Cousart.
I'm here to provide you with legal representation.
- I was sleeping.
- I'd like to consult with my client.
What? I already told 'em.
- Clue the lady in, will ya? - Ronnie here has made a statement.
It'd be in your best interests not to say anything.
My best interests.
Ain't you too cool, lady? You tell her.
- No.
- Do I have to have her here too? You got a serious charge facing you.
That I shot that kid? - Ronnie! - Hey, what's the big deal? I meant to shoot this other kid.
Honest mistake.
You can't blame me for that.
Why don't you start at the beginning and tell me everything? From now on, I don't want you to say anything to anyone without me.
- Where are all the men these days? - Mmm.
In my neighbourhood there's Gerald.
He's 26.
Then there's Marcus.
Marcus has gotta be 80-years-old.
Girl.
That's it in my neighbourhood.
- There's one guy.
Might be in his 30s.
- Mmm.
- I haven't seen him in a while.
- Mmm.
I don't know.
Maybe something happened to him.
How many kids you got? Two.
I had two.
Darryl and Jason.
Jason's He's a quiet little fella.
But Darryl was the one for adventure.
What happened to Darryl? - Darryl was shot.
He got killed.
- I'm sorry.
He told me, "Momma, I'm gonna join the Army or the Navy, "and see the whole world.
" He told me he's gonna see people in Germany and France and He was Here, baby.
Thanks.
I've been to three funerals this year for Darryl's friends.
It seems like that's how we have our socials now.
I'm gonna get my boys out of here.
Every place I can think of costs money, but I'm thinking about Canada.
Maybe they don't kill each other so much up there.
Canada, huh? Mmm.
I don't know nothin', except it's supposed to be a whole bunch of snow and cold.
Maybe the snow keeps a lid on things.
Do you think? Could be.
He's 14, so he's at the magic cut-off point.
He could go juvenile, but I'm strongly inclined to get him charged as an adult.
He doesn't realise the severity.
He thinks he's innocent because he shot the wrong guy.
- He's waived his rights.
- He doesn't know what he's saying.
Then what do we do? Let him go? Then next week, next month, next year, haul his ass back here for another murder? Please.
- Ronnie.
- What's the matter, Patrice? Where are you taking my boy? He's going to Processing.
He confessed to murder.
Er, Detective Pembleton, I'm here to see you.
- It will be a while.
- We're taking him to Processing.
- Ronnie didn't shoot that boy.
- What boy? He didn't kill what boy? That's the boy who killed my baby? - The bastard that killed my son? - Mrs Nawls, please.
- Miss.
- That's your boy? Momma.
He didn't kill anyone.
Ronnie, explain things to 'em! Tell 'em, Ronnie! - You're gonna have to stay outside.
- Give me back my boy! - Give me my boy! - Stay outside.
- Wish I could help, Detective Howard.
- Thanks anyway, Sally.
- Hey, Frank, you got a minute? - You tell me.
I gotta get back to Processing.
We're booking Ronnie Sayers.
I gotta bounce this off somebody.
Got this dead guy at Henderson's Point.
The interviews square up, except one - the neighbour.
- Drink a lot of coffee? - What's a lot? I must knock back three, four pots of this stuff a day.
Yeah, well, anyway, I am suspicious of this neighbour, see? Logic tells you that, right? But I'm suspicious of my suspicions.
Could it be this easy? I get out of bed and drag myself to the next coffee.
I take a sip, the caffeine kicks in.
My brain starts to order the day.
I'm up.
I'm alive.
I'm ready to rock.
So you wouldn't suspect the neighbour? Time is coming when I'm not getting out of bed.
I'm not getting up for coffee or food or sex.
If it comes to me, fine.
If it won't, fine.
No expectations.
The longer I live, the less I know.
I should know that coffee is killing me.
- You're suspicious of your suspicions? - Yeah.
I'm jealous.
I'm so jealous, Kay.
You still have the heart to have doubts.
I'm locking up a kid for the rest of his natural life.
I gotta do this.
This is my job, the law, my day.
I have no doubts or suspicions.
Heart has nothing to do with it any more.
It's all in the caffeine.
C'mon, Ronnie.
Let's go.
Wipe your hands.
Come on.
We're gonna put you in isolation away from the adults, OK? - I ain't scared of them.
- Take off your ring.
- What you doin'? - I'm taking your belt.
- Leave my shoelaces.
What you doin'? - We don't want you to hurt yourself.
- Should've when I had the chance.
- Put your earring in here.
It's the big time, huh? Does this look like the big time to you? Your life is over, Ronnie.
Nah, man.
Nah.
Ronnie, you better get clear cos this is not a joke any more.
If you're charged as an adult, you're gonna die in a cell, OK? Better than on the street.
- You think you're safer in jail? - Ain't I? Jesus, slow down, Frank.
- Don't you like my driving? - This is hurtling.
- Hurtling? - Yeah.
You are a menace to society.
You're reckless.
If you've something against my driving, you take the wheel, and then I'll do the play-by-play critique.
Oh, 14-years-old.
Jeez, when I was 14 I was in ninth grade.
You know, I don't remember much about what I was doing, but I do know I was nowhere near picking up a gun and shooting some kid.
- So how old should our shooter be? - About 14.
So if he's 15, 16, that makes any more sense? - No.
- How old should he be? What's the cut-off age? 17? 18? 19? - I don't know.
- When you find out, clue me in.
None of this killing at any age from six to sixty makes any sense.
One time, I'd like to hear about a murder that makes any sense.
One time, for any reason.
Drop me off at the waterfront.
You know this place needs a theme.
A theme? It's a bar, Munch, not a prom night.
Guys in the unit voted for country and western on the jukebox.
That goes a long way to determining the theme.
There's no way we're gonna play any cracker-assed music in my bar.
My sentiments exactly, but business is business and country and western gets the money machines jingling.
Hey.
We're almost ready for the grand opening, huh? Everyone wants to come.
Even some of the brass.
Gee said get him a seat right there.
- Glad you could join us.
- Johnny.
Just figuring out musical selections.
Well, maybe we should get a little blues.
Maybe some Koko Taylor, a little Etta James.
Etta James.
Billie Holiday.
Buddy Guy.
We need songs that remind our customers they're better off in here.
We need someone singing ditties about a cheating wife.
We want customers crying in their beer.
Whatever the music, we play it loud.
- I don't want a headknocker's bar.
- No.
The louder the music, the more people drink.
My research.
We're gonna crank them speakers up so loud their ears gonna bleed.
- Evening.
- Hey.
Can I speak to the owners? - You got 'em.
All three.
- You're the owners? - Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
- I got old news for you new owners.
- I'm have to shut you down.
- Excuse me? I'm the Deputy City Sheriff.
I'm here to serve papers of delinquency on back taxes.
But we complied with every regulation in the contract.
Obviously someone didn't do a thorough enough search on the property for you.
Hey, we are law enforcement officials, just like you, huh? - Surely you could help us out.
- Come on.
- You're cops? - Yeah.
Three of you? - We work Homicide.
- Then you should have known better.
You should have investigated the building more aggressively.
We have used our life savings to invest in this bar.
Give us a break.
Your licence has to come down.
You have to turn it over to me.
Have a heart.
Given the severity of the crime, and that the defendant shows no remorse, State asks he be denied bail.
Your Honour, my client is only 14-years-old.
We move he be remanded to his mother's custody.
Given his age and lack of financial resources, we do not consider there's a flight risk.
Despite the defendant's youth, he's accused of a capital offence.
The defendant is hereby denied bail and will remain incarcerated until trial.
Ronnie, hang on one second.
Please let me talk to your son alone.
Ronnie, sit down.
Sit down.
What do you want? You kept me awake last night and I resent that.
I need my sleep.
Sorry for nothing.
You know now, don't you? Hmm? You got the fear now.
Don't you? Son, I don't usually find myself giving advice, especially to 14-year-old killers.
Please listen to me just this one time.
Keep your eyes to the wall.
Don't trust anybody, believe anybody, help anybody, and don't ask anybody for anything.
Do you understand? If you want you can call me any time.
OK.
Ron.
Ronnie.
Bye, Momma.
You know, my wife and I we're talking about children.
- Oh.
- About maybe having a kid.
- You? - Mmm.
You're gonna be a father? Yeah.
Something wrong with that? No.
No, I think that'd be great.
How do I bring a child into this world when we charge children with murder? Oh I think with you, it'd be different.
- Different? - Yeah.
You know - Spit it out.
- You know.
- I wanna hear you say it.
- It'd be different.
You have different circumstances.
- Because I don't live in the ghetto? - No.
Don't you have the means to give a child a better chance? Oh, so my kid would be safe.
That's what they said about drugs.
It'll never happen in my neighbourhood.
Then AIDS came along.
Ron.
Ronnie.
- Oh, God! Somebody help me.
- Frank.
Please.
Somebody.
Oh, please, somebody help me.
I asked the detectives how I could find you.
I wanted to say I'm sorry.
Sorry is not enough for what I need to say.
- I thought you'd be in Canada.
- No.
I'm stuck in Baltimore.
David, what are you doing? Stop it! - You tell that little boy you're sorry.
- Sorry.
We weren't fighting.
You don't play rough! He didn't mean it.
It's OK.
Kids are kids, and kids gotta play.
This is for your Darryl.
Take it, please.
It's a mass card.
I know my boy's in a good place.
Thanks.
For the mass card.
How's your son? - How's Ronnie? - I don't know.
They won't let me see him till Sunday.
I'll take him some food.
- They like playing with each other.
- They do.
Maybe they could get to know each other.
What would happen if they did that? What would happen if they found out about each other's brothers? David, let's go.
David, let's go.