Law & Order (1990) s16e06 Episode Script
Birthright
In the criminal justice system the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups, the police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.
These are their stories.
Damn, Mo, hurry your ass up.
You sure we're not gonna get busted? Man, stop crying, you sound like a girl.
I ain't no girl.
Well, you ain't no man, you never got no play.
You neither.
Did so.
Denise, Marisela, Rashel.
I tapped all them shorties.
Yeah, right! Took them home to show them my nine mil, and yo Hold on.
Where's the dude? Hey, yo.
Yo, Calvin! What's that? Yo.
Hey.
You all right? Yo, what do we do? Victim got a name yet? From the vendor's license on the cart, Samuel Register, 68.
Looks like multiple stab wounds to the chest.
He's pretty fresh.
Maybe two hours, around 6:00, 6:30.
How many times he been stabbed? Nine obvious wounds.
Might find more when we get him on the table.
No wallet, no money.
Robbery gone bad? No, if he were stabbed once or twice, that would be a robbery.
Nine times? That's personal.
Forty-eight years.
And he still called me his beautiful bride.
I know this is hard, Mrs.
Register, but did your husband have any problems? Maybe he owed somebody? Sam was a good man.
He didn't drink or Or gamble.
He helped people.
So you can't think of anyone that would want to hurt him? There were people who thought maybe Sam was too good.
Which people exactly? People around here.
"Somebody has to stop them from acting like fools.
" he'd say.
If he saw a boy with his pants hanging low, he'd tell the boy to pull his damn pants up.
If he saw them breaking windows, breaking the law, he would call the police! Do you have any names? I mean, any of those people that may have had a grudge against your husband? Their names are all made-up anyhow.
Just walk around the block and take your pick! Excuse me.
Fontana.
Okay, we're on our way.
Ah, well, thank you for your time, Mrs.
Register.
We'll be in contact, all right? A black girl.
I was out here when she ran past.
She had blood on her shirt.
What time was this? Mmm, about 6:45.
Okay? No, no, no, it's not okay, wait a minute.
We got some questions about this girl.
Have you ever seen her around here before? I don't remember.
We got a lot of customers in here.
All right, how about we just stand out here until you do remember? What if she has friends? What if they come and smash up my store? Will you be here then? We'll order extra patrols for you, we'll have our people keep an eye out for you.
Now come on! She has been here before.
I had to run her off for shoplifting a couple of times.
Do you know her name? Oh, she has a baby, a little girl.
She came in once or twice with Lillie Sands.
A regular customer.
Please don't tell her we sent you.
It sounds like Traci, my granddaughter.
What did she do now? Has she been in trouble before? Since she learned how to walk.
She was living here after she had her baby.
But not anymore.
I don't allow drugs in my house.
Is that Traci's kid? No, this is my other great-grandbaby.
And this beautiful little boy here came from my niece.
They both live here with you? Young women in my family have made babies they can't care for.
Some for drugs, one was sent to Iraq.
So they give them to me because they know I'll raise them properly.
But Traci's child is still with her.
I wanted to care for Kesha.
Traci wouldn't allow it.
Do you know where she lives? We need to ask her a couple questions.
I don't care how handsome you think you are, young man, don't lie to me.
I know how this goes.
I mean you no disrespect, ma'am, uh, but we do need to find Traci.
It's important.
She's with her dope addict mother.
Jefferson Gardens, tower six, first floor.
Althea Sands, the mother of Traci Sands? I don't have no money for no bail.
Y our daughter hasn't been arrested, ma' am, we 'gust want Well, she ain't here.
Please, ma'am, you don't wanna do that.
What's this about? We're just looking for Traci.
You can look all you want, but she ain't here.
Well, do you know where we can find her? Who knows? When do you expect to see her next? She ain't been around since your people took the baby.
She just up and left.
Wait, Child Services took the baby, Kesha? Yeah, two weeks ago.
That little girl's welfare was supposed to pay the damn bills.
You need a license to drive a car, but they'll let anybody have kids.
Yeah, you gotta be You know what? Let's go to ACS, find out what's going on with Kesha.
And her loving mother.
Traci Sands.
One of the kids I was trying to protect until she became one of the parents I had to investigate.
Traci was abused? Physically, emotionally, sexually So, what happened with Kesha? Two years of complaints from neighbors.
Such as? Slapping the baby, slamming her into a wall, cuts and bruises on her arms, face and legs.
We finally get a court order to remove Kesha, when this happens.
Oh, boy.
Our witness heard screams, looked in the window and saw Traci pouring boiling water on her.
Apparently, she was crying too much.
Look at the witness.
Sam Register.
Nice guy.
I'm sure he'd be willing to He's dead.
Look, Traci wasn't at her mother's house, she wasn't at her grandmother's.
You have any idea where we can find her? She was with her boyfriend when we served her a court order.
Thug wannabe named Paz.
He's got a record.
Police! Police! On the floor! On the floor! Yo, yo, yo! Come on! On the floor! Stop! No! Stop! Kick his ass! Kick his ass! Shut up! Get off me! Stop! Get off me.
I'm gonna kill you! - Get your ass up! - Get off me! We're taking you down, too.
I'm gonna kill you! Get up, get up! Get up! Get off me! Hey, yo! I need some water, please! Yo, police! On the other side of that glass! Possession collar at age nine.
Theft at 10, intent to distribute, four assault charges, shoplifting.
Doesn't leave much time for homework, but that doesn't prove she's the killer.
She had bloody clothes at Paz's apartment.
They're at the crime lab.
Will you look at this, huh? Tailor-made.
I expect to be reimbursed.
One pissed off little girl.
She's a 'Mead up crack head.
You go call your tailor, and I'll take the interview.
Hey! You guys just gonna leave me here all night? I need some water! I'm dying in here! Here's the problem, Traci.
We've got a witness who puts you at the scene.
We found the victim's wallet in your boyfriend's place.
Then why aren't you sweating him? Because we found blood on your clothes.
First of the month, welfare day, but you didn't get a check, did you? All because Sam the donut man called Child Services after you.
So? I don't need that check.
And I can always have another baby.
You know, the blood on your clothes was a type match to the victim, so I figure you got about a minute to convince me you're worth the help, or I'm gonna send your baby-making behind to Sing Sing for life.
I ain't afraid of you.
No? You should be.
Abuse your own blood, an innocent little girl.
Shut up! And then when someone finally stops you, you kill him.
Ls that what you want the jury to hear? That old rat had it coming! But I didn't touch him.
Mmm.
Pitiful.
L think it's time you made a statement.
Get me a lawyer.
DNA confirms the blood match.
Traci Sands is definitely our girl.
I'll try her as an adult, she'll get 25 years.
And come out worse than she is now.
She blew her last chance when she murdered Sam Register.
Van Buren.
Yes, we were just discussing What? How did this happen? Well, find out and call me back.
Nobody touched her.
I swear.
She say anything about being sick? She just complained a lot, about everything.
I thought she was faking, but then she wouldn't get up this morning.
Then you figured out she wasn't faking it.
All we have at this time is the initial report.
Some form of anemia.
Yes, natural causes.
Well, as soon as we know more, DCPI will be issuing a statement.
Yeah, all right.
LA's already opened a case.
They wanna talk to everyone.
Oh, man, she was fine when we dropped her off.
She asked for a glass of water, and we're supposed to recognize that as death throes? Just be ready for the questions.
So, what's up? Oh, the M.
E.
's ready for us.
She wants you to come, too.
Why? I'm ruling her death a possible homicide.
Based on what? Okay.
Immediate cause of death was severe hemolytic anemia.
Genetic testing showed she had a sickle syndrome disease.
As in sickle cell anemia? Sickle syndrome.
It's related, but less serious.
Almost never fatal.
Either way, it's a disease.
Mmm-hmm.
Autopsy revealed heavy scarring in her uterus.
And this.
An IUD.
She was on birth control.
This isn't your average IUD.
These pockets were designed to carry a drug, something called benecrine, which popped up on her tox screen.
PDR lists it as a cheap anti-malarial, but in developing countries, benecrine is also used as a sterility drug delivered by IUD.
Somebody sterilized her.
And benecrine causes anemia.
You give it to someone with sickle syndrome And it's lethal.
Whoever sterilized Traci Sands caused her death.
Let's find out who took care of Traci's medical needs.
I always feared she'd be dead before 20.
I just didn't think it would happen like this.
Has she had any medical procedures lately? Not that I know of.
Anything gynecological maybe? Not since she had her baby.
Do you know where she received her medical help? Everyone in the family goes to Operation Remedy.
That's the free clinic on Third, right? Yeah.
Good people.
Thank you, ma'am.
Talk to anyone around here, chances are they'll tell you the same thing.
This place, Nurse G, saved their life.
She got me the right meds for my diabetes, gave me training, a job.
Nurse G? Nurse Gloria Rhodes.
She built this clinic up from nothing.
So she would have treated Traci Sands? Yes, I always took care of Traci.
Gloria Rhodes.
You're with the police? Ah, yes, ma'am, we are.
Have you got a minute? Sure.
A lot of confused, lost girls come through here.
Traci needed more help than most.
What kind of help? Medical? Emotional, psychological, you name it.
She was a troubled, angry kid with a terrible drug problem.
Have you been able to find out why this happened? The paper just said anemia.
Well, the medical examiner's still working on all that.
When was the last time you treated her? About six months ago.
You mind if we ask what for? I don't suppose confidentiality applies anymore.
Traci had gonorrhea.
Did you refer her to a doctor? I prescribed some antibiotics for her.
I'm a nurse practitioner, Detective.
You ever prescribe a benecrine IUD? For sterilization? Those are used overseas.
We don't do that here.
It's not FDA approved.
Your clinic performs sterilizations though? We provide birth control.
Depo, Norplant, the pill.
And yes, we provide referrals for surgery.
Tubal ligation.
Are you an advocate for sterilization? I'm an advocate for giving young women a choice.
A chance to improve their circumstances, to break the cycle of waste.
That's ayes? It's far more complicated than just a yes or no, Detective.
These young women have such hard lives, such limited choices.
To add children into the equation makes no sense.
So if they ask for help, I offer it.
But why would she risk using an illegal drug when she can offer a legal procedure to anybody who wants it? Well, maybe Traci didn't want it.
Forgive me for asking, Lieutenant, but how does the nurse put this thing in Traci without Traci noticing it? Well, she's 16, maybe she thought she was going for a routine exam, and if that's the case, this nurse is guilty of a hell of a lot more than an illegal medical procedure.
Hey, I got something.
This is from the Operation Remedy website, they get major contributions from the Center for Population and Hygiene.
Which is? It's a medical charity.
Read this interview by Dr.
Milton Thorst.
"Fertility control is essential to our national security.
" "Without it, America will soon be overwhelmed" "by a flood of immigrants and immigrant offspring," "causing chaos and anarchy.
" Yeah, somebody needs some diversity training, don't you think? We tracked a serial number on the IUD to a medical supplier in Trenton.
Why don't you guys get on that? Popular model.
I ship thousands of these to Asia every month.
For use with benecrine? No clue.
I just ship the lUDs.
You know anything about this drug, benecrine? I know baseball, beer and lUDs, buddy, that's it.
Here.
The lot with that serial number shipped to a charity in Manhattan, Center for Population and Hygiene.
Yeah.
We support 25 free clinics in nine states.
Operation Remedy is one of our greatest success stories.
For advancing the cause of sterilization? Dr.
Thorst's comments are sometimes taken out of context.
The only cause we advance is providing safe, free medical care to those who need it most.
Excuse me, where is this? Vietnam.
In addition to our work here, we sponsor teams in the poorest areas of developing countries, providing essential health services.
Such as? Uh, vaccinations, basic medicine, dental care.
Fertility control? Contraception and sterilization.
Number one request from our female patients.
Do you use benecrine? Benecrine is a single procedure, no surgery.
Complications are rare.
And it's cheap.
About one dollar per patient.
That ought to help stop the flood of immigrants.
Detective, the maternal mortality rate in these countries is staggering.
For them, birth control is life-saving.
Do you know a nurse named Gloria Rhodes? Of course.
Every year she does a two-week mission with Population Hygiene.
Doing benecrine sterilizations? They don't admit it, but Traci's IUD came from a lot used in Cambodia last year, where Rhodes was "serving the disadvantaged".
Well, looks like she brought home a souvenir.
My guess would be more than one.
Get her in here.
I'm sorry, Detectives, but I'm afraid you're confused.
Oh, you think so? I told you before, I haven't treated Traci in six months.
You can check my records at the clinic.
We did better than that.
We checked Traci's belongings.
Antibiotics.
We're guessing that Traci had gonorrhea again.
These were prescribed by you, Miss Rhodes, 10 days before her death.
Which means that you just lied to us.
My prescription pad went missing.
Traci must have stolen it.
Yeah.
We stopped by her pharmacy.
Now that's not her handwriting, is it? Oh, come on, you tried to help Traci and she died.
It's as simple as that, isn't it? Now this is pretty much over, you better tell us your side of the story.
L think I'd like to call my lawyer.
From a legal standpoint, I don't think we have enough to charge her.
Excuse me? Without proof she knew about Traci's sickle syndrome, it's malpractice, but I'm not sure there's a criminal case.
She burned and scarred the uterus of a young girl with a drug that caused her death.
Arrest her.
We'll find the right charge.
Gloria Rhodes, you're under arrest in connection with the death of Traci Sands.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you do say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
You have the right to an attorney Ms.
Borgia? Paul Robinette.
Ah, I hear you used to have my office.
You were probably still in high school.
Tell Jack McCoy hello for me.
I will.
Docket number 41899.
People v.
Gloria Rhodes.
On the charge of manslaughter, second degree.
How do you plead, Ms.
Rhodes? We shouldn't even be here, Your Honor.
My client performed a simple medical procedure with regrettable complications.
Mr.
Robinette.
Not guilty, Your Honor.
Bail, Ms.
Borgia? The People request remand, Your Honor.
The Defendant travels extensively outside the country, and she has wealthy contacts who might help her flee.
My client is a trusted professional and lifelong resident of New York.
Who sterilized a 16-year-old girl with an unapproved procedure.
All right, the press has heard you both.
Bail is set at 200,000, and Ms.
Rhodes will surrender her passport.
A white nurse used a forbidden drug to sterilize a poor black girl who happened to have sickle syndrome, and the young lady died.
Am I missing anything here? That's pretty much it.
Except that the girl who died was the primary suspect in a murder investigation, had a rap sheet from here to Hartford, and recently had her child taken away because she threw a pot of boiling water on her.
And we're charging this nurse with second degree manslaughter.
Recklessly causing the death of another.
It's not a slam dunk, but if we can prove that she knew about the sickle syndrome and the potential lethal interaction with benecrine, we'll be okay.
Lot of ifs.
We could charge something less.
Reckless endangerment.
Illegal sterilization, white nurse, black girl.
Lot of reasons not to go soft.
Stick with manslaughter.
And find somebody who can tell you what Rhodes knew.
Nurse G is a good person.
You don't know what it's like down there, you don't see what she deals with.
You mean like Traci scalding her daughter? Yeah, stuff like that.
So, sterilizing her, you think Nurse G did the right thing? Did Nurse G know about Traci's sickle syndrome? I don't know.
You don't recall her asking? No.
Did Traci ask to be sterilized? I checked your rap sheet, Savannah.
You're still on probation.
I know.
But I'm clean now.
If you're lying to me, I'll have to file charges, meaning your probation will be revoked immediately.
You'd do that? Yeah.
So please, just tell me what you know.
Traci wasn't the first.
The assistant claims Nurse Rhodes performed the same procedure on several other girls.
Any of them die? No, but some had serious complications.
Headaches, excessive bleeding.
Rhodes blamed them on yeast infections, but the symptoms are consistent with benecrine.
There any proof? No.
Rhodes isn't stupid.
She never filed any paperwork for the exams or the preceding visits.
But this assistant remembers the names? Five girls in the last two years.
Was race a factor? The only common thread is they all had records of drugs and crime.
A white woman sterilizing delinquent girls because she judged them unfit to reproduce? Eugenics.
Thought that ended in Nazi Germany.
California was performing forced sterilizations until 1964.
Have Green and Fontana track down the other girls.
I already did.
One died of a drug overdose, two are in prison, one moved out of state.
And the fifth? Living in Queens.
Isabella Perez.
I'm meeting her this afternoon.
No, I'm not the same person no more.
I'm sober.
Ain't been arrested in, like, three years.
I work nights, I go to school, church.
That's where I met my boyfriend, uh, my fiancé, Daryl.
We're gonna get married next spring.
Oh, wow.
Congratulations.
So, uh, Gloria Rhodes.
Ah, Nurse G.
Yeah, man, she wouldn't hurt nobody.
She really helped change my life around.
You know, taught me that if I didn't respect myself, nobody else would either.
I'm here about an exam she gave you.
Do you remember having some trouble about two years ago? Yeah, I remember passing out.
Nurse G took me to the clinic, and took real good care of me.
You know, stayed up with me half the night.
What was the problem? Some infection.
I had real bad cramps.
I was bleeding a lot.
Did she offer to take you to the emergency room? Oh, no, she knew I didn't have no money.
But I haven't had a problem since.
Isabella, would you be willing to let one of our doctors examine you? What for? Medical exams show Isabella Perez was sterilized using benecrine.
And had no idea this was done to her.
Two of the other girls Savannah mentioned said the same thing.
I'm looking into the others.
Makes it hard to believe Traci Sands gave consent.
Sterilizing one girl's terrible.
Sterilizing five is a mission statement.
Up the charge to murder.
Depraved indifference? Arthur, I'm not so sure we can get there.
You think jurors won't be as horrified as we are? I think the argument for eugenics is more seductive than you imagine.
Jack, please, no sane person is going to agree with what she did.
In 1991, a judge ordered an abusive mother to go on Norplant as a condition of her parole.
A year earlier, a Philadelphia Enquirer editorial suggested coerced contraception to reduce the black underclass.
The sympathy for eugenics in this country leads back to 1927.
Supreme Court, Oliver Wendell Holmes Buck v.
Bell.
Every law school in the country mocks that decision as a colossal miscarriage of justice.
Oliver Wendell Holmes was one of the great judges in this country's history.
And he held that it was legal to sterilize Carrie Buck for being feeble-minded and having a child out of wedlock.
He was convinced that eugenics makes sense.
All Robinette has to do is convince one juror that this nurse did the right thing.
Well, you'll have to convince them all of the truth.
This is murder.
You have had experience with benecrine sterilizations, isn't that correct, Dr.
Horton? Yes.
I performed the procedure numerous times while working with the Center for Population and Hygiene in Cambodia.
In Cambodia? Did you work with the defendant? Yes, she assisted me.
She assisted you with sterilizations? At first.
But as I learned more about benecrine, I refused to administer it.
After that, she performed the procedures herself.
Why did you refuse to administer benecrine? It may be carcinogenic.
That's why it's not approved in the U.
S.
If it's not safe enough for Americans, why is it okay for Cambodians? Did you ever share these concerns with the defendant? Yes.
But she didn't stop performing benecrine sterilizations.
How many benecrine sterilizations did Nurse Rhodes perform in Cambodia? Roughly 200.
Did anyone die? Not to my knowledge.
Have you, Dr.
Horton, ever lost a patient as a result of a benecrine sterilization? No.
So, in your experience, benecrine sterilizations are actually quite safe.
Just because no one died doesn't mean they're safe.
Well, that's exactly what it means, right? Hundred of procedures, no fatalities? We were lucky.
Why's that? None of our patients had sickle syndrome.
So what you're saying is, if a medical professional is unaware that a patient has sickle syndrome, he or she would have no basis to believe that the procedure is life threatening? Yes, I I suppose that's right.
Thank you.
We still need someone who can testify that Rhodes knew about Traci's sickle syndrome.
We've been over this, Jack, that person doesn't exist.
There are no records? No evaluations? Notes? I looked at every damn paper in that clinic.
There's nothing.
So what do we do? Hope when we call Isabella Perez, that the jury assumes.
Nurse Rhodes asked Traci the same questions she asked her.
Isabella's reluctant to take the stand.
This has been really rough on her.
She wanted to start a family.
Then she should be even more reluctant to see Nurse Rhodes go unpunished.
Before the procedure, did Nurse Rhodes ask you if you had sickle cell anemia or sickle syndrome? Yes.
Do you? No.
But she asked? Yes.
I remember 'cause nobody asked me questions like that before a pap smear.
Could you tell the jury what happened after your visit to Nurse Rhodes for a simple pelvic exam approximately two years ago? I got sick.
I remember Nurse Rhodes pulled something out of me.
It hurt.
I didn't see what it was.
But you were concerned that something was wrong? Yes, sir.
Afterwards, I even asked.
Take your time, Miss Perez.
I asked her if I could still have babies.
And what did Nurse Rhodes say? She just smiled at me.
She said, "You're young.
" "Straighten out your life before you worry about that.
" She lied right to my face.
Did she ever explain to you why she chose to sterilize you? No, sir.
At the time this happened, had you been in trouble with the law? I had several convictions for drug possession and solicitation.
Have you been arrested in the last three years? No, sir.
I went through a treatment program.
I go to college now.
Thank you, Miss Perez, nothing further.
Convicted of solicitation.
How many times? Four.
Have you ever had gonorrhea? Objection.
It goes to an alternate explanation for her sterility, Your Honor.
It goes to villainizing the witness.
Overruled.
But proceed with caution, Mr.
Robinette.
Miss Perez? Have you ever had gonorrhea? Answer the question, please.
Yes.
What about chlamydia? I don't remember.
You don't remember being diagnosed on March 4 of You know, that's not why I'm here.
Did you have chlamydia or not? Shut your mouth! Why you on her side, anyway, huh? Your Honor! She did this to me! She took away my babies! Straighten out my life, bitch, for what? Miss Perez, please.
I can't have babies! I can't be a mother! You gonna pay, bitch! You know that? You gonna pay! You're gonna pay for this! So our key witness had a meltdown on the stand.
Not necessarily fatal.
Her emotion might win some sympathy for Traci.
Or she scared a few jurors into thinking Gloria Rhodes was right.
L think I need to offer a plea.
I talked to Robinette.
He'll accept man two.
It's not enough.
I know you've already condemned her to NOW, and the NAACP, and half of New York.
It's not about politics, Jack, I'm outraged, like a lot of people.
Our legal system is how society vents that outrage instead of vigilantism.
I just don't wanna see her walk.
Then don't let her.
Nurse Rhodes, why did you perform a benecrine sterilization on Traci Sands? Traci was a lost, frightened young woman with a serious drug addiction.
She'd been in trouble with the law since she was nine.
After two abortions, she had a baby girl, Kesha, whom she abused terribly.
Threw boiling water on her.
So when Traci Sands came to me after Child Services had taken her baby, in tears, begging me to perform the procedure, begging me to save her from herself, from her own worst instincts, I agreed.
Why did you agree? I thought I was doing her, and her potential unborn children, a favor.
Why benecrine specifically, instead of tubal ligation or Norplant? Traci was afraid of surgery, but she wanted it to be permanent.
Based on my experience, benecrine was a safe alternative.
Did you ask Traci Sands if she had sickle syndrome? Yes.
What did she say? She said no, that she was healthy.
Benecrine sterilization was safe? Are you aware that it isn't FDA approved? Safety isn't the only reason the FDA withholds approval.
Did you know there are concerns that benecrine causes cancer? Only because the studies that prove it doesn't are incomplete.
When did you learn that Traci Sands had sickle syndrome? Shortly after she passed on.
She had been diagnosed as a child, but those records were never forwarded to my clinic.
She had been diagnosed with sickle syndrome.
And yet it's your testimony that she told you she was healthy? Yes.
I think she wanted the procedure so badly she was willing to lie.
After you made it clear that benecrine could kill a person in her condition, she chose to lie and put her own life at risk? It may not make sense to someone like you, Mr.
McCoy, but for a girl crushed by poverty, addiction and abuse, it was perfectly clear.
Perfectly clear to whom? To you? To anyone capable of sympathy.
When you see how Traci tortured her own daughter, you know it should never be allowed to happen again.
But that doesn't change the fact that Traci asked me for help.
That it was her choice.
You think the jury believed her? Every word.
Do we have fuel to impeach? Of course.
But we don't have any rebuttal witnesses.
What about Traci's grandmother? On what basis? She told us Traci wanted more children.
Why would somebody who wouldn't take the pill agree to sterilization? Track her down.
I just want to wash my hands of this whole thing and move on.
I can subpoena you.
And make me say what? That Traci wanted more children.
That she refused to use contraceptives.
That she would never have consented to being sterilized.
I just wanna put this thing behind me, can't you understand that? If she was my granddaughter, I'd want answers.
I'd want the truth to come out.
But she is not your granddaughter.
And sometimes the truth, especially up here, ain't so pretty.
Nurse Rhodes killed Traci.
Gloria was just trying to help.
The same with Savannah, and everyone else at that clinic.
What do you mean? Those are good people trying to do right.
You can't fault them for what happened! Miss Borgia? Did you lie to me, Savannah? What? No! You told me Traci Sands came to the clinic alone.
She did.
Like I said, it was just Nurse G and Traci in the exam room.
What about Lillie Sands, her grandmother? What about her? How does she know you? She comes in sometimes.
Don't lie to me, Savannah.
Savannah.
Miss Sands came in a few days before Traci.
What for? She was just talking to Nurse G! About what? Security sign-in sheets confirm you were at the clinic two days before Traci was sterilized.
Yet you received no medical services.
What did you and Gloria Rhodes discuss, Mrs.
Sands? I can't say anything.
I can't get in trouble.
Lillie.
Who's gonna look after my family if I'm not around? Sara and Damien, I'm all they've got.
No one else cares if they live or die.
If you agree to testify truthfully, I can grant you immunity.
You won't go to jail.
Understand, Mr.
McCoy, that you're not just making a deal with me.
You're making a promise to them.
Tell the truth and you won't go to jail.
You have my word.
Traci didn't know she was being sterilized.
But I did.
How did you know? I talked to Nurse Rhodes.
I could see the path Traci was on.
I couldn't get her off drugs, couldn't stop her having sex.
I tried to get her Norplant, but doctors wouldn't do it without Traci's consent.
So what did you do? I went to the clinic, talked to Gloria Rhodes, and she told me about benecrine.
What did you say to her? I asked her Oh, God.
I asked her to make it so that Traci could never have kids.
I had to do something.
After what she did to Kesha.
See, Traci was my mistake.
My fault.
Her mother I should have protected Traci.
I should have raised her.
It can't go on like this.
It has to stop somewhere.
Did you tell Nurse Rhodes about Traci's sickle syndrome? Yes.
I was worried about it.
So I told her.
Traci was diagnosed when she was seven.
And Gloria says she didn't know Traci had it.
But she did know.
L told her.
Did she say that would be a problem? She didn't say anything.
So I asked her if she could still give Traci the IUD.
And she told me it would be fine.
Nothing further.
She was convincing.
Just to be safe, make sure we include man two in the jury instructions.
I already tried.
Robinette objected.
After he said he'd accept it as a plea? That was then.
The People made this political, Your Honor.
They chose to up the ante to murder, but now they want to hedge.
Your Honor, we have met all the elements of reckless manslaughter.
I'm not sure you should have it both ways, Mr.
McCoy.
The law allows them to consider all the options.
Not necessarily.
And I'm inclined to see them pressed to respond.
When the Nazis sent my father to Dachau, it was because people who knew it was wrong didn't get mad enough to stop it.
Much as I would like them to, the jury shouldn't have to believe Nurse Rhodes is Josef Mengele to think that she broke the law.
You're right.
I'll go with the prosecution's recommendation.
The jury may consider man two.
Have you reached a verdict? We have, Your Honor.
What say you? On the first count of the indictment, murder in the second degree, we find the defendant, Gloria Rhodes, not guilty.
On the second count in the indictment, manslaughter in the second degree, we find the defendant guilty.
The court thanks the jurors for their service.
Sentencing to take place tomorrow morning, 9:00 a.
m.
We'll fight this on appeal.
It isn't over.
Far from it.
We've filed charges relating to the other girls she sterilized.
And we're launching an investigation to determine the full extent of your client's crimes.
You don't understand, Mr.
McCoy.
You don't see how these girls These children treat their babies.
I never meant to hurt her, but I couldn't risk it.
The world doesn't need another Traci Sands.
We've found evidence that you performed at least 20 other forced sterilizations, Miss Rhodes.
What the world doesn't need is you.
So Why'd you take it, Paul? Why defend someone like Gloria Rhodes? I could give you reasons.
The good she's done with the clinic, innocent until proven guilty.
But tell me your job wouldn't be easier if people like Traci were never born.
That the world wouldn't be a better place.
I won't say that.
You already did.
Gloria Rhodes isn't Josef Mengele.
Nobody wants to admit they think she did the right thing.
But if they look for it, you look for it, deep down, it's there.
That deserves a defense.
These are their stories.
Damn, Mo, hurry your ass up.
You sure we're not gonna get busted? Man, stop crying, you sound like a girl.
I ain't no girl.
Well, you ain't no man, you never got no play.
You neither.
Did so.
Denise, Marisela, Rashel.
I tapped all them shorties.
Yeah, right! Took them home to show them my nine mil, and yo Hold on.
Where's the dude? Hey, yo.
Yo, Calvin! What's that? Yo.
Hey.
You all right? Yo, what do we do? Victim got a name yet? From the vendor's license on the cart, Samuel Register, 68.
Looks like multiple stab wounds to the chest.
He's pretty fresh.
Maybe two hours, around 6:00, 6:30.
How many times he been stabbed? Nine obvious wounds.
Might find more when we get him on the table.
No wallet, no money.
Robbery gone bad? No, if he were stabbed once or twice, that would be a robbery.
Nine times? That's personal.
Forty-eight years.
And he still called me his beautiful bride.
I know this is hard, Mrs.
Register, but did your husband have any problems? Maybe he owed somebody? Sam was a good man.
He didn't drink or Or gamble.
He helped people.
So you can't think of anyone that would want to hurt him? There were people who thought maybe Sam was too good.
Which people exactly? People around here.
"Somebody has to stop them from acting like fools.
" he'd say.
If he saw a boy with his pants hanging low, he'd tell the boy to pull his damn pants up.
If he saw them breaking windows, breaking the law, he would call the police! Do you have any names? I mean, any of those people that may have had a grudge against your husband? Their names are all made-up anyhow.
Just walk around the block and take your pick! Excuse me.
Fontana.
Okay, we're on our way.
Ah, well, thank you for your time, Mrs.
Register.
We'll be in contact, all right? A black girl.
I was out here when she ran past.
She had blood on her shirt.
What time was this? Mmm, about 6:45.
Okay? No, no, no, it's not okay, wait a minute.
We got some questions about this girl.
Have you ever seen her around here before? I don't remember.
We got a lot of customers in here.
All right, how about we just stand out here until you do remember? What if she has friends? What if they come and smash up my store? Will you be here then? We'll order extra patrols for you, we'll have our people keep an eye out for you.
Now come on! She has been here before.
I had to run her off for shoplifting a couple of times.
Do you know her name? Oh, she has a baby, a little girl.
She came in once or twice with Lillie Sands.
A regular customer.
Please don't tell her we sent you.
It sounds like Traci, my granddaughter.
What did she do now? Has she been in trouble before? Since she learned how to walk.
She was living here after she had her baby.
But not anymore.
I don't allow drugs in my house.
Is that Traci's kid? No, this is my other great-grandbaby.
And this beautiful little boy here came from my niece.
They both live here with you? Young women in my family have made babies they can't care for.
Some for drugs, one was sent to Iraq.
So they give them to me because they know I'll raise them properly.
But Traci's child is still with her.
I wanted to care for Kesha.
Traci wouldn't allow it.
Do you know where she lives? We need to ask her a couple questions.
I don't care how handsome you think you are, young man, don't lie to me.
I know how this goes.
I mean you no disrespect, ma'am, uh, but we do need to find Traci.
It's important.
She's with her dope addict mother.
Jefferson Gardens, tower six, first floor.
Althea Sands, the mother of Traci Sands? I don't have no money for no bail.
Y our daughter hasn't been arrested, ma' am, we 'gust want Well, she ain't here.
Please, ma'am, you don't wanna do that.
What's this about? We're just looking for Traci.
You can look all you want, but she ain't here.
Well, do you know where we can find her? Who knows? When do you expect to see her next? She ain't been around since your people took the baby.
She just up and left.
Wait, Child Services took the baby, Kesha? Yeah, two weeks ago.
That little girl's welfare was supposed to pay the damn bills.
You need a license to drive a car, but they'll let anybody have kids.
Yeah, you gotta be You know what? Let's go to ACS, find out what's going on with Kesha.
And her loving mother.
Traci Sands.
One of the kids I was trying to protect until she became one of the parents I had to investigate.
Traci was abused? Physically, emotionally, sexually So, what happened with Kesha? Two years of complaints from neighbors.
Such as? Slapping the baby, slamming her into a wall, cuts and bruises on her arms, face and legs.
We finally get a court order to remove Kesha, when this happens.
Oh, boy.
Our witness heard screams, looked in the window and saw Traci pouring boiling water on her.
Apparently, she was crying too much.
Look at the witness.
Sam Register.
Nice guy.
I'm sure he'd be willing to He's dead.
Look, Traci wasn't at her mother's house, she wasn't at her grandmother's.
You have any idea where we can find her? She was with her boyfriend when we served her a court order.
Thug wannabe named Paz.
He's got a record.
Police! Police! On the floor! On the floor! Yo, yo, yo! Come on! On the floor! Stop! No! Stop! Kick his ass! Kick his ass! Shut up! Get off me! Stop! Get off me.
I'm gonna kill you! - Get your ass up! - Get off me! We're taking you down, too.
I'm gonna kill you! Get up, get up! Get up! Get off me! Hey, yo! I need some water, please! Yo, police! On the other side of that glass! Possession collar at age nine.
Theft at 10, intent to distribute, four assault charges, shoplifting.
Doesn't leave much time for homework, but that doesn't prove she's the killer.
She had bloody clothes at Paz's apartment.
They're at the crime lab.
Will you look at this, huh? Tailor-made.
I expect to be reimbursed.
One pissed off little girl.
She's a 'Mead up crack head.
You go call your tailor, and I'll take the interview.
Hey! You guys just gonna leave me here all night? I need some water! I'm dying in here! Here's the problem, Traci.
We've got a witness who puts you at the scene.
We found the victim's wallet in your boyfriend's place.
Then why aren't you sweating him? Because we found blood on your clothes.
First of the month, welfare day, but you didn't get a check, did you? All because Sam the donut man called Child Services after you.
So? I don't need that check.
And I can always have another baby.
You know, the blood on your clothes was a type match to the victim, so I figure you got about a minute to convince me you're worth the help, or I'm gonna send your baby-making behind to Sing Sing for life.
I ain't afraid of you.
No? You should be.
Abuse your own blood, an innocent little girl.
Shut up! And then when someone finally stops you, you kill him.
Ls that what you want the jury to hear? That old rat had it coming! But I didn't touch him.
Mmm.
Pitiful.
L think it's time you made a statement.
Get me a lawyer.
DNA confirms the blood match.
Traci Sands is definitely our girl.
I'll try her as an adult, she'll get 25 years.
And come out worse than she is now.
She blew her last chance when she murdered Sam Register.
Van Buren.
Yes, we were just discussing What? How did this happen? Well, find out and call me back.
Nobody touched her.
I swear.
She say anything about being sick? She just complained a lot, about everything.
I thought she was faking, but then she wouldn't get up this morning.
Then you figured out she wasn't faking it.
All we have at this time is the initial report.
Some form of anemia.
Yes, natural causes.
Well, as soon as we know more, DCPI will be issuing a statement.
Yeah, all right.
LA's already opened a case.
They wanna talk to everyone.
Oh, man, she was fine when we dropped her off.
She asked for a glass of water, and we're supposed to recognize that as death throes? Just be ready for the questions.
So, what's up? Oh, the M.
E.
's ready for us.
She wants you to come, too.
Why? I'm ruling her death a possible homicide.
Based on what? Okay.
Immediate cause of death was severe hemolytic anemia.
Genetic testing showed she had a sickle syndrome disease.
As in sickle cell anemia? Sickle syndrome.
It's related, but less serious.
Almost never fatal.
Either way, it's a disease.
Mmm-hmm.
Autopsy revealed heavy scarring in her uterus.
And this.
An IUD.
She was on birth control.
This isn't your average IUD.
These pockets were designed to carry a drug, something called benecrine, which popped up on her tox screen.
PDR lists it as a cheap anti-malarial, but in developing countries, benecrine is also used as a sterility drug delivered by IUD.
Somebody sterilized her.
And benecrine causes anemia.
You give it to someone with sickle syndrome And it's lethal.
Whoever sterilized Traci Sands caused her death.
Let's find out who took care of Traci's medical needs.
I always feared she'd be dead before 20.
I just didn't think it would happen like this.
Has she had any medical procedures lately? Not that I know of.
Anything gynecological maybe? Not since she had her baby.
Do you know where she received her medical help? Everyone in the family goes to Operation Remedy.
That's the free clinic on Third, right? Yeah.
Good people.
Thank you, ma'am.
Talk to anyone around here, chances are they'll tell you the same thing.
This place, Nurse G, saved their life.
She got me the right meds for my diabetes, gave me training, a job.
Nurse G? Nurse Gloria Rhodes.
She built this clinic up from nothing.
So she would have treated Traci Sands? Yes, I always took care of Traci.
Gloria Rhodes.
You're with the police? Ah, yes, ma'am, we are.
Have you got a minute? Sure.
A lot of confused, lost girls come through here.
Traci needed more help than most.
What kind of help? Medical? Emotional, psychological, you name it.
She was a troubled, angry kid with a terrible drug problem.
Have you been able to find out why this happened? The paper just said anemia.
Well, the medical examiner's still working on all that.
When was the last time you treated her? About six months ago.
You mind if we ask what for? I don't suppose confidentiality applies anymore.
Traci had gonorrhea.
Did you refer her to a doctor? I prescribed some antibiotics for her.
I'm a nurse practitioner, Detective.
You ever prescribe a benecrine IUD? For sterilization? Those are used overseas.
We don't do that here.
It's not FDA approved.
Your clinic performs sterilizations though? We provide birth control.
Depo, Norplant, the pill.
And yes, we provide referrals for surgery.
Tubal ligation.
Are you an advocate for sterilization? I'm an advocate for giving young women a choice.
A chance to improve their circumstances, to break the cycle of waste.
That's ayes? It's far more complicated than just a yes or no, Detective.
These young women have such hard lives, such limited choices.
To add children into the equation makes no sense.
So if they ask for help, I offer it.
But why would she risk using an illegal drug when she can offer a legal procedure to anybody who wants it? Well, maybe Traci didn't want it.
Forgive me for asking, Lieutenant, but how does the nurse put this thing in Traci without Traci noticing it? Well, she's 16, maybe she thought she was going for a routine exam, and if that's the case, this nurse is guilty of a hell of a lot more than an illegal medical procedure.
Hey, I got something.
This is from the Operation Remedy website, they get major contributions from the Center for Population and Hygiene.
Which is? It's a medical charity.
Read this interview by Dr.
Milton Thorst.
"Fertility control is essential to our national security.
" "Without it, America will soon be overwhelmed" "by a flood of immigrants and immigrant offspring," "causing chaos and anarchy.
" Yeah, somebody needs some diversity training, don't you think? We tracked a serial number on the IUD to a medical supplier in Trenton.
Why don't you guys get on that? Popular model.
I ship thousands of these to Asia every month.
For use with benecrine? No clue.
I just ship the lUDs.
You know anything about this drug, benecrine? I know baseball, beer and lUDs, buddy, that's it.
Here.
The lot with that serial number shipped to a charity in Manhattan, Center for Population and Hygiene.
Yeah.
We support 25 free clinics in nine states.
Operation Remedy is one of our greatest success stories.
For advancing the cause of sterilization? Dr.
Thorst's comments are sometimes taken out of context.
The only cause we advance is providing safe, free medical care to those who need it most.
Excuse me, where is this? Vietnam.
In addition to our work here, we sponsor teams in the poorest areas of developing countries, providing essential health services.
Such as? Uh, vaccinations, basic medicine, dental care.
Fertility control? Contraception and sterilization.
Number one request from our female patients.
Do you use benecrine? Benecrine is a single procedure, no surgery.
Complications are rare.
And it's cheap.
About one dollar per patient.
That ought to help stop the flood of immigrants.
Detective, the maternal mortality rate in these countries is staggering.
For them, birth control is life-saving.
Do you know a nurse named Gloria Rhodes? Of course.
Every year she does a two-week mission with Population Hygiene.
Doing benecrine sterilizations? They don't admit it, but Traci's IUD came from a lot used in Cambodia last year, where Rhodes was "serving the disadvantaged".
Well, looks like she brought home a souvenir.
My guess would be more than one.
Get her in here.
I'm sorry, Detectives, but I'm afraid you're confused.
Oh, you think so? I told you before, I haven't treated Traci in six months.
You can check my records at the clinic.
We did better than that.
We checked Traci's belongings.
Antibiotics.
We're guessing that Traci had gonorrhea again.
These were prescribed by you, Miss Rhodes, 10 days before her death.
Which means that you just lied to us.
My prescription pad went missing.
Traci must have stolen it.
Yeah.
We stopped by her pharmacy.
Now that's not her handwriting, is it? Oh, come on, you tried to help Traci and she died.
It's as simple as that, isn't it? Now this is pretty much over, you better tell us your side of the story.
L think I'd like to call my lawyer.
From a legal standpoint, I don't think we have enough to charge her.
Excuse me? Without proof she knew about Traci's sickle syndrome, it's malpractice, but I'm not sure there's a criminal case.
She burned and scarred the uterus of a young girl with a drug that caused her death.
Arrest her.
We'll find the right charge.
Gloria Rhodes, you're under arrest in connection with the death of Traci Sands.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you do say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
You have the right to an attorney Ms.
Borgia? Paul Robinette.
Ah, I hear you used to have my office.
You were probably still in high school.
Tell Jack McCoy hello for me.
I will.
Docket number 41899.
People v.
Gloria Rhodes.
On the charge of manslaughter, second degree.
How do you plead, Ms.
Rhodes? We shouldn't even be here, Your Honor.
My client performed a simple medical procedure with regrettable complications.
Mr.
Robinette.
Not guilty, Your Honor.
Bail, Ms.
Borgia? The People request remand, Your Honor.
The Defendant travels extensively outside the country, and she has wealthy contacts who might help her flee.
My client is a trusted professional and lifelong resident of New York.
Who sterilized a 16-year-old girl with an unapproved procedure.
All right, the press has heard you both.
Bail is set at 200,000, and Ms.
Rhodes will surrender her passport.
A white nurse used a forbidden drug to sterilize a poor black girl who happened to have sickle syndrome, and the young lady died.
Am I missing anything here? That's pretty much it.
Except that the girl who died was the primary suspect in a murder investigation, had a rap sheet from here to Hartford, and recently had her child taken away because she threw a pot of boiling water on her.
And we're charging this nurse with second degree manslaughter.
Recklessly causing the death of another.
It's not a slam dunk, but if we can prove that she knew about the sickle syndrome and the potential lethal interaction with benecrine, we'll be okay.
Lot of ifs.
We could charge something less.
Reckless endangerment.
Illegal sterilization, white nurse, black girl.
Lot of reasons not to go soft.
Stick with manslaughter.
And find somebody who can tell you what Rhodes knew.
Nurse G is a good person.
You don't know what it's like down there, you don't see what she deals with.
You mean like Traci scalding her daughter? Yeah, stuff like that.
So, sterilizing her, you think Nurse G did the right thing? Did Nurse G know about Traci's sickle syndrome? I don't know.
You don't recall her asking? No.
Did Traci ask to be sterilized? I checked your rap sheet, Savannah.
You're still on probation.
I know.
But I'm clean now.
If you're lying to me, I'll have to file charges, meaning your probation will be revoked immediately.
You'd do that? Yeah.
So please, just tell me what you know.
Traci wasn't the first.
The assistant claims Nurse Rhodes performed the same procedure on several other girls.
Any of them die? No, but some had serious complications.
Headaches, excessive bleeding.
Rhodes blamed them on yeast infections, but the symptoms are consistent with benecrine.
There any proof? No.
Rhodes isn't stupid.
She never filed any paperwork for the exams or the preceding visits.
But this assistant remembers the names? Five girls in the last two years.
Was race a factor? The only common thread is they all had records of drugs and crime.
A white woman sterilizing delinquent girls because she judged them unfit to reproduce? Eugenics.
Thought that ended in Nazi Germany.
California was performing forced sterilizations until 1964.
Have Green and Fontana track down the other girls.
I already did.
One died of a drug overdose, two are in prison, one moved out of state.
And the fifth? Living in Queens.
Isabella Perez.
I'm meeting her this afternoon.
No, I'm not the same person no more.
I'm sober.
Ain't been arrested in, like, three years.
I work nights, I go to school, church.
That's where I met my boyfriend, uh, my fiancé, Daryl.
We're gonna get married next spring.
Oh, wow.
Congratulations.
So, uh, Gloria Rhodes.
Ah, Nurse G.
Yeah, man, she wouldn't hurt nobody.
She really helped change my life around.
You know, taught me that if I didn't respect myself, nobody else would either.
I'm here about an exam she gave you.
Do you remember having some trouble about two years ago? Yeah, I remember passing out.
Nurse G took me to the clinic, and took real good care of me.
You know, stayed up with me half the night.
What was the problem? Some infection.
I had real bad cramps.
I was bleeding a lot.
Did she offer to take you to the emergency room? Oh, no, she knew I didn't have no money.
But I haven't had a problem since.
Isabella, would you be willing to let one of our doctors examine you? What for? Medical exams show Isabella Perez was sterilized using benecrine.
And had no idea this was done to her.
Two of the other girls Savannah mentioned said the same thing.
I'm looking into the others.
Makes it hard to believe Traci Sands gave consent.
Sterilizing one girl's terrible.
Sterilizing five is a mission statement.
Up the charge to murder.
Depraved indifference? Arthur, I'm not so sure we can get there.
You think jurors won't be as horrified as we are? I think the argument for eugenics is more seductive than you imagine.
Jack, please, no sane person is going to agree with what she did.
In 1991, a judge ordered an abusive mother to go on Norplant as a condition of her parole.
A year earlier, a Philadelphia Enquirer editorial suggested coerced contraception to reduce the black underclass.
The sympathy for eugenics in this country leads back to 1927.
Supreme Court, Oliver Wendell Holmes Buck v.
Bell.
Every law school in the country mocks that decision as a colossal miscarriage of justice.
Oliver Wendell Holmes was one of the great judges in this country's history.
And he held that it was legal to sterilize Carrie Buck for being feeble-minded and having a child out of wedlock.
He was convinced that eugenics makes sense.
All Robinette has to do is convince one juror that this nurse did the right thing.
Well, you'll have to convince them all of the truth.
This is murder.
You have had experience with benecrine sterilizations, isn't that correct, Dr.
Horton? Yes.
I performed the procedure numerous times while working with the Center for Population and Hygiene in Cambodia.
In Cambodia? Did you work with the defendant? Yes, she assisted me.
She assisted you with sterilizations? At first.
But as I learned more about benecrine, I refused to administer it.
After that, she performed the procedures herself.
Why did you refuse to administer benecrine? It may be carcinogenic.
That's why it's not approved in the U.
S.
If it's not safe enough for Americans, why is it okay for Cambodians? Did you ever share these concerns with the defendant? Yes.
But she didn't stop performing benecrine sterilizations.
How many benecrine sterilizations did Nurse Rhodes perform in Cambodia? Roughly 200.
Did anyone die? Not to my knowledge.
Have you, Dr.
Horton, ever lost a patient as a result of a benecrine sterilization? No.
So, in your experience, benecrine sterilizations are actually quite safe.
Just because no one died doesn't mean they're safe.
Well, that's exactly what it means, right? Hundred of procedures, no fatalities? We were lucky.
Why's that? None of our patients had sickle syndrome.
So what you're saying is, if a medical professional is unaware that a patient has sickle syndrome, he or she would have no basis to believe that the procedure is life threatening? Yes, I I suppose that's right.
Thank you.
We still need someone who can testify that Rhodes knew about Traci's sickle syndrome.
We've been over this, Jack, that person doesn't exist.
There are no records? No evaluations? Notes? I looked at every damn paper in that clinic.
There's nothing.
So what do we do? Hope when we call Isabella Perez, that the jury assumes.
Nurse Rhodes asked Traci the same questions she asked her.
Isabella's reluctant to take the stand.
This has been really rough on her.
She wanted to start a family.
Then she should be even more reluctant to see Nurse Rhodes go unpunished.
Before the procedure, did Nurse Rhodes ask you if you had sickle cell anemia or sickle syndrome? Yes.
Do you? No.
But she asked? Yes.
I remember 'cause nobody asked me questions like that before a pap smear.
Could you tell the jury what happened after your visit to Nurse Rhodes for a simple pelvic exam approximately two years ago? I got sick.
I remember Nurse Rhodes pulled something out of me.
It hurt.
I didn't see what it was.
But you were concerned that something was wrong? Yes, sir.
Afterwards, I even asked.
Take your time, Miss Perez.
I asked her if I could still have babies.
And what did Nurse Rhodes say? She just smiled at me.
She said, "You're young.
" "Straighten out your life before you worry about that.
" She lied right to my face.
Did she ever explain to you why she chose to sterilize you? No, sir.
At the time this happened, had you been in trouble with the law? I had several convictions for drug possession and solicitation.
Have you been arrested in the last three years? No, sir.
I went through a treatment program.
I go to college now.
Thank you, Miss Perez, nothing further.
Convicted of solicitation.
How many times? Four.
Have you ever had gonorrhea? Objection.
It goes to an alternate explanation for her sterility, Your Honor.
It goes to villainizing the witness.
Overruled.
But proceed with caution, Mr.
Robinette.
Miss Perez? Have you ever had gonorrhea? Answer the question, please.
Yes.
What about chlamydia? I don't remember.
You don't remember being diagnosed on March 4 of You know, that's not why I'm here.
Did you have chlamydia or not? Shut your mouth! Why you on her side, anyway, huh? Your Honor! She did this to me! She took away my babies! Straighten out my life, bitch, for what? Miss Perez, please.
I can't have babies! I can't be a mother! You gonna pay, bitch! You know that? You gonna pay! You're gonna pay for this! So our key witness had a meltdown on the stand.
Not necessarily fatal.
Her emotion might win some sympathy for Traci.
Or she scared a few jurors into thinking Gloria Rhodes was right.
L think I need to offer a plea.
I talked to Robinette.
He'll accept man two.
It's not enough.
I know you've already condemned her to NOW, and the NAACP, and half of New York.
It's not about politics, Jack, I'm outraged, like a lot of people.
Our legal system is how society vents that outrage instead of vigilantism.
I just don't wanna see her walk.
Then don't let her.
Nurse Rhodes, why did you perform a benecrine sterilization on Traci Sands? Traci was a lost, frightened young woman with a serious drug addiction.
She'd been in trouble with the law since she was nine.
After two abortions, she had a baby girl, Kesha, whom she abused terribly.
Threw boiling water on her.
So when Traci Sands came to me after Child Services had taken her baby, in tears, begging me to perform the procedure, begging me to save her from herself, from her own worst instincts, I agreed.
Why did you agree? I thought I was doing her, and her potential unborn children, a favor.
Why benecrine specifically, instead of tubal ligation or Norplant? Traci was afraid of surgery, but she wanted it to be permanent.
Based on my experience, benecrine was a safe alternative.
Did you ask Traci Sands if she had sickle syndrome? Yes.
What did she say? She said no, that she was healthy.
Benecrine sterilization was safe? Are you aware that it isn't FDA approved? Safety isn't the only reason the FDA withholds approval.
Did you know there are concerns that benecrine causes cancer? Only because the studies that prove it doesn't are incomplete.
When did you learn that Traci Sands had sickle syndrome? Shortly after she passed on.
She had been diagnosed as a child, but those records were never forwarded to my clinic.
She had been diagnosed with sickle syndrome.
And yet it's your testimony that she told you she was healthy? Yes.
I think she wanted the procedure so badly she was willing to lie.
After you made it clear that benecrine could kill a person in her condition, she chose to lie and put her own life at risk? It may not make sense to someone like you, Mr.
McCoy, but for a girl crushed by poverty, addiction and abuse, it was perfectly clear.
Perfectly clear to whom? To you? To anyone capable of sympathy.
When you see how Traci tortured her own daughter, you know it should never be allowed to happen again.
But that doesn't change the fact that Traci asked me for help.
That it was her choice.
You think the jury believed her? Every word.
Do we have fuel to impeach? Of course.
But we don't have any rebuttal witnesses.
What about Traci's grandmother? On what basis? She told us Traci wanted more children.
Why would somebody who wouldn't take the pill agree to sterilization? Track her down.
I just want to wash my hands of this whole thing and move on.
I can subpoena you.
And make me say what? That Traci wanted more children.
That she refused to use contraceptives.
That she would never have consented to being sterilized.
I just wanna put this thing behind me, can't you understand that? If she was my granddaughter, I'd want answers.
I'd want the truth to come out.
But she is not your granddaughter.
And sometimes the truth, especially up here, ain't so pretty.
Nurse Rhodes killed Traci.
Gloria was just trying to help.
The same with Savannah, and everyone else at that clinic.
What do you mean? Those are good people trying to do right.
You can't fault them for what happened! Miss Borgia? Did you lie to me, Savannah? What? No! You told me Traci Sands came to the clinic alone.
She did.
Like I said, it was just Nurse G and Traci in the exam room.
What about Lillie Sands, her grandmother? What about her? How does she know you? She comes in sometimes.
Don't lie to me, Savannah.
Savannah.
Miss Sands came in a few days before Traci.
What for? She was just talking to Nurse G! About what? Security sign-in sheets confirm you were at the clinic two days before Traci was sterilized.
Yet you received no medical services.
What did you and Gloria Rhodes discuss, Mrs.
Sands? I can't say anything.
I can't get in trouble.
Lillie.
Who's gonna look after my family if I'm not around? Sara and Damien, I'm all they've got.
No one else cares if they live or die.
If you agree to testify truthfully, I can grant you immunity.
You won't go to jail.
Understand, Mr.
McCoy, that you're not just making a deal with me.
You're making a promise to them.
Tell the truth and you won't go to jail.
You have my word.
Traci didn't know she was being sterilized.
But I did.
How did you know? I talked to Nurse Rhodes.
I could see the path Traci was on.
I couldn't get her off drugs, couldn't stop her having sex.
I tried to get her Norplant, but doctors wouldn't do it without Traci's consent.
So what did you do? I went to the clinic, talked to Gloria Rhodes, and she told me about benecrine.
What did you say to her? I asked her Oh, God.
I asked her to make it so that Traci could never have kids.
I had to do something.
After what she did to Kesha.
See, Traci was my mistake.
My fault.
Her mother I should have protected Traci.
I should have raised her.
It can't go on like this.
It has to stop somewhere.
Did you tell Nurse Rhodes about Traci's sickle syndrome? Yes.
I was worried about it.
So I told her.
Traci was diagnosed when she was seven.
And Gloria says she didn't know Traci had it.
But she did know.
L told her.
Did she say that would be a problem? She didn't say anything.
So I asked her if she could still give Traci the IUD.
And she told me it would be fine.
Nothing further.
She was convincing.
Just to be safe, make sure we include man two in the jury instructions.
I already tried.
Robinette objected.
After he said he'd accept it as a plea? That was then.
The People made this political, Your Honor.
They chose to up the ante to murder, but now they want to hedge.
Your Honor, we have met all the elements of reckless manslaughter.
I'm not sure you should have it both ways, Mr.
McCoy.
The law allows them to consider all the options.
Not necessarily.
And I'm inclined to see them pressed to respond.
When the Nazis sent my father to Dachau, it was because people who knew it was wrong didn't get mad enough to stop it.
Much as I would like them to, the jury shouldn't have to believe Nurse Rhodes is Josef Mengele to think that she broke the law.
You're right.
I'll go with the prosecution's recommendation.
The jury may consider man two.
Have you reached a verdict? We have, Your Honor.
What say you? On the first count of the indictment, murder in the second degree, we find the defendant, Gloria Rhodes, not guilty.
On the second count in the indictment, manslaughter in the second degree, we find the defendant guilty.
The court thanks the jurors for their service.
Sentencing to take place tomorrow morning, 9:00 a.
m.
We'll fight this on appeal.
It isn't over.
Far from it.
We've filed charges relating to the other girls she sterilized.
And we're launching an investigation to determine the full extent of your client's crimes.
You don't understand, Mr.
McCoy.
You don't see how these girls These children treat their babies.
I never meant to hurt her, but I couldn't risk it.
The world doesn't need another Traci Sands.
We've found evidence that you performed at least 20 other forced sterilizations, Miss Rhodes.
What the world doesn't need is you.
So Why'd you take it, Paul? Why defend someone like Gloria Rhodes? I could give you reasons.
The good she's done with the clinic, innocent until proven guilty.
But tell me your job wouldn't be easier if people like Traci were never born.
That the world wouldn't be a better place.
I won't say that.
You already did.
Gloria Rhodes isn't Josef Mengele.
Nobody wants to admit they think she did the right thing.
But if they look for it, you look for it, deep down, it's there.
That deserves a defense.