Law & Order (1990) s20e21 Episode Script
Immortal
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.
Bring home some root beer if you can.
Thank you, baby.
Hey, Jaden, finish your cereal.
Gotta change.
Breathe easy, Jay.
Saturday we going down to the park for some spring training.
We'll bring your inhaler.
You'll be fine.
Right? Derek Jeter better watch his back.
Now don't forget about the special trip we have planned.
And don't tell mom.
That's my boy.
He stumbled in here a little after 6:00.
Collapsed before he could get a word out.
Presented with a knife wound.
Any other injuries? - No.
Just a stab wound.
But it was deep enough to pierce his liver and sever his hepatic vein.
So somebody wanted him dead.
Well, they got their wish.
Thank you.
Patient outside having a smoke said she saw our guy get dropped off.
The driver sped away.
The car was old and blue.
Speaking of cars, set of keys to a Ford.
He's still wearing his wedding ring and watch.
Yeah, and about $800 worth of cash.
Jerome Turner.
Bronx address.
Wife and kid.
Happy family.
Sub by Adri_CSI Jerome didn't come home from his job at the bottling plant.
I kept trying his cell, but he didn't pick up.
We're very sorry, Mrs.
Turner.
Any ideas about where he was, who he was with? I really don't know.
Wait in your room for mommy.
I'll be right in.
Did he have any problems we should know about? People he didn't get along with? - No.
I mean, money's always been tight.
I give piano lessons to help make ends meet.
Jerome is a wonderful man.
And he's a good father to Jaden.
At what time did you speak to him last? In the afternoon.
He said he might be late.
There was a problem in Queens on the "e" train.
He didn't drive to work? We don't own a car.
There were a set of keys in his pocket for a Ford.
We don't know anybody who has a Ford.
Mom! - I gotta go see my boy.
Of course.
- Hmm.
Works in Queens, lives in the Bronx, But bleeds to death in a midtown hospital.
With somebody else's keys in his pocket.
Huh.
Mr.
Wonderful's been keeping secrets from his wife.
Jerome didn't work yesterday.
He's only been on two shifts a week since the holidays.
Why'd he get his hours cut? The bosses say we're bleeding money here.
I felt terrible cutting him back.
He didn't tell his wife about it.
He probably didn't want to upset her.
He told me she's a worrier.
You know if he found other work? Nah.
He kept pressing me to put him back full-time.
I let him know he'd be the first guy back If things turned around.
Whenever that is.
The Turners were up-to-date on rent and utilities.
There was cash coming in From something besides the wife's piano lessons.
The something that maybe got Mr.
Turner killed.
Any leads off his cell phone? Uh, still working through his calls for that day.
The weird thing is the calls ping from towers all over the place.
In the space of 52 minutes, he's in Queens, Harlem, downtown.
He was on the move.
- Yeah.
Check if he has a hack license.
The keys in his pocket are for a Crown Vic.
There's nothing in the TLC under Jerome Turner.
But a lot of those guys drive without a license.
Call the desk at the 3-1.
Have their sector cars call in any idle yellow cabs with no driver inside.
Right.
We spotted it about ten minutes After we heard the radio run.
Lady who lives in that building told us It was parked here overnight.
Well, let's see if we're in business.
All right, good work.
We got it from here.
Get the trunk.
- Yeah.
Cornell beverage.
Well, there's no blood on the inside, Which means Jerome was stabbed Somewhere between here and the hospital.
Maybe his last fare knows why he left his cab here.
If we're lucky, he used a credit card.
I didn't know Jerome very well.
I just rented him my cab.
Even though he didn't have a hack license? Well, I kept telling him he had to take care of that.
A license was the least of his problems.
He have any bad habits? Gambling, maybe.
A few days ago, He said he wasn't gonna have to drive anymore.
He was gonna come into a lot of money.
Yeah, I'm here.
Thank you.
Somebody used a credit card in the morning, But after that, nothing.
Any idea why Jerome left it in Chelsea? No.
I wanted to get it back early, But he said he had to pick his kid up at school.
He left every day in his company jacket Like everything was fine.
I guess Jerome was too proud to tell me.
Is there any reason you didn't tell us That Jaden was in the cab with him the day he was killed? What? No, Jaden was in school.
We checked with the school.
His father picked him up at noon And brought him back a few hours later.
You have any idea where they went? No.
- He also told some people That he was going to be coming into some money.
You know anything about that? No.
It doesn't make any sense.
Okay.
Can I speak to your son? Can you show me Jerome's calendar again, please? Thanks.
Hey.
What are you making, Jaden? A machine that makes dogs and horses and robots.
Hmm.
Nice.
Listen, I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about what happened to your father.
He's never coming back.
Yeah.
Is it okay if I ask you some questions about him? Do you remember when he picked you up At your school in his cab? He got me ice cream.
Oh, well, you must have done something pretty special To get ice cream.
Dad said I can't tell.
It was gonna be a surprise for my mom.
I promised.
Jaden.
You know that what happened to your dad Wasn't your fault, right? But you can help your mother right now.
Where did your dad take you before he bought the ice cream? Into a building.
With an office.
Were there other people there? A man.
He was big.
He hurt you? He put a q-tip inside my mouth and rubbed it around.
Right here? On the inside of your cheek? Then what did he do? - Nothing.
He talked with my dad, and then we left.
You know what, Jaden? Your dad would be really proud of you.
Thank you.
- Thanks.
He took a swab for dna.
Maybe Jerome was running a paternity test on his kid.
Yeah, his kid Or somebody else's.
Looks like one secret too many.
A dna test can be for a lot of things.
A dna test he was hiding from his wife.
Right, maybe he was hoping To jack the biological father up for money.
That was the payday he was expecting.
I'll talk to Mrs.
Turner.
Speak to the boy again.
The vending machine downstairs Just got some fresh gummi bears.
It's okay if you want to have one.
My mom would want me to wait until after dinner.
I don't want her to be mad at me.
I hear you.
I'm sure she's proud of you for telling the truth, right? I did.
The man that your father took you to see, Do you remember his name? No.
He talked about hot dogs.
The big man? He said Nathan's, the hot dogs.
What did he say about them? Nothing.
He just said Nathan's.
Hmm.
Jerome and I were married for ten years.
I never looked at another man.
Is there any other reason Jerome might want To test Jaden's dna? Jaden is Jerome's son.
You can test him yourself.
Was there any reason Your husband would be suspicious or jealous? No.
Believe me, if Jaden did have another father, I'd be hiting him up for child support right now.
Do you know anyone by the name of Nathan? No.
I don't know what Jerome was thinking.
I ran the name by her.
No reaction.
Well, still, Nathan could be the man Jerome thought was his son's real father.
Yeah, Jerome already had a bloodhound on the case.
His cell records show a call two weeks ago To a Joseph Hernandez, a private investigator, And two calls on the day of the murder.
Office is on west 23rd street.
A block from where we found Jerome's cab.
This P.
I.
Could have done the dna swab.
Let's check to see if Hernandez is an ex-cop.
Maybe we could get some professional courtesy.
Mr.
Hernandez is due back any minute.
Oh, no big deal.
We're just checking to see If our friend Jerome Turner called him.
Oh, you're welcome to wait.
This, I believe, is a very cute jack russell terrier.
Yeah? I got a mutt too.
He looks at me, I swear he knows Exactly what I'm thinking.
Oh, they do.
They know a lot.
More than people.
More than my ex-girlfriend, that's for sure.
I bet you I can read that upside-down.
What do you think? I'm good at this.
Larry krap.
It's park.
- Oh, park, krap.
Very close.
One more shot.
One more shot.
Maybe on this page.
Okay.
Now this time, please don't smile at me.
It's very distracting.
Well, of course, This is jeremy strucker.
Jerem struck.
Jerm it's your friend.
Jerome Turner.
- A-ha.
So it is, and I see he called about Nathan Robinson.
Can I help you guys? Yeah.
You know a Jerome Turner? Never heard of him.
Whatever she may have told you.
You took a dna swab from his son.
Now he's dead.
- Save your spiel.
I'm retired nypd.
Retired after you got jammed up for busting a suspect's jaw.
Even if I did have business with Turner, I was hired by a law firm.
Makes any communication privileged.
Bye-bye.
Only a couple hundred Nathan Robinsons in the tri-state area.
Hernandez has been in business for years.
This wouldn't be his first paternity test.
Which means he would have a lab he usually works with.
A lab that would pick up samples from his office.
That front desk guy, he should know the name.
So would she.
Oh, god.
Hey.
Oh, you okay? I'm sorry.
We didn't mean to cause trouble with your boss.
He's always like that.
He's such a - Private dick.
Yes.
- We figured.
Listen, we really need to find this Nathan Robinson.
Oh, Mr.
Hernandez doesn't talk to me about his cases.
Fair enough.
How about the name of the lab He uses to test dna samples? I don't think he's gonna use them anymore.
They had a dna sample of this guy, Nathan Robinson.
To compare with Turner's kid.
I guess.
Uh, anyway, the lab lost it.
Um, Mr.
Hernandez told me to call Hudson University To get another one.
Why, does Nathan Robinson work there? I don't know.
Mr.
Hernandez told me to talk to this technician Jeff.
Okay? Yeah, you could say Mr.
Robinson works here.
That's him right there.
And that's Mr.
Robinson here.
There's more of him.
His dna samples? His cells growing in culture.
We buy them and use them for research.
Nathan Robinson's been dead for over 50 years.
Puts him out of the running as Jaden's father.
Yeah.
Well, maybe this is about an inheritance.
Time to shake the family tree and see who falls out.
Nathan Robinson was me and my cousin Jerome's grandfather.
My mother's dad.
He passed in 1959 from cancer.
He was having tests done to prove That his son was Nathan's relative.
Any idea why? No.
Me and Jerome didn't talk much.
Gayle called and told us he was murdered.
I couldn't believe it.
I mean, what happened? Did he get robbed? When was the last time you spoke to him? I'm not sure.
Is there an issue with your grandfather's will? My daddy didn't have a will.
Then maybe a piece of property or an heirloom? You would have gotten a call from a probate lawyer.
Or maybe a private investigator contacted you.
Someone named Hernandez? No.
We didn't get any calls.
But if we do, um, should we get in touch with you? Yeah, that'd be great.
Just go ahead and call this number.
Your kid.
Quite the artist.
Yeah, Tanya, she's six.
That's nice.
One more question, Mr.
Reed.
Do you own a car? No.
No, I don't.
Lupo, check this out.
Three-day weekend coming up.
Thank you.
Well, there was an alternate parking schedule On Michael Reed's refrigerator.
He was lying about having a car.
Secrets seem to run in that family.
We got him.
DMV records show that Dora Reed owned an '81 blue Cordoba, which matches the description Of the car that dropped Jerome off at the E.
R.
You said owned.
- Mm-hmm.
It was sold to a Brooklyn junkyard by Michael Reed four days ago.
I hope his cousin's blood on the seat didn't hurt the resale value.
There it is.
Your '81 blue Cordoba.
Ugh.
Great.
It'll take csu weeks to get anything out of that.
Michael Reed doesn't know that.
Yeah, so I sold my mom's car.
They didn't want her driving anymore.
Interesting timing.
Day after your cousin was stabbed.
Well, I don't know anything about that.
Excuse the interruption.
What's that? So you didn't want your mother driving.
She get a ticket? Get in an accident? No.
Nothing like that.
Right, but all of a sudden, you junked her car, Maybe because your cousin's blood was all over it.
Maybe we should bring your mother down here.
Oh, no, you don't need to do that.
I was trying to save Jerome.
Save from who? Jerome was stabbed by that detective Hernandez.
I was trying to help him.
I mean, I took him to the hospital.
How do you know that Hernandez stabbed your cousin? He wanted Jaden's blood.
And those people, they were just gonna take it.
What people? What people are you talking about? Michael, who were you talking about? Those white people.
All these years, stealing my family's blood.
This is Mr.
Reed's attorney.
And you all are done here.
Right.
White people stealing blood.
Yeah, time to break out the garlic and silver bullets.
Joseph Hernandez took Jaden Turner's dna.
The boy picked his photo out of a six-pack.
Who was Hernandez working for? He's hiding behind attorney privilege.
Can we rule out Reed's allegation That it was Hernandez who stabbed his cousin? Well, Hernandez is the better suspect on paper.
He was drummed out of the department for excessive force.
Michael Reed has no record.
Look, don't get me wrong.
Hernandez is in this neck deep.
But Reed put himself at the scene, Admitted dumping his cousin at the hospital, Not to mention lying to us and trying to destroy evidence.
Okay, so we charge Reed with murder.
Next step, motive.
Vampires stealing his family's blood.
No problem.
How you gonna put my son in jail On a million-dollar bail and then ask for my help? Well, then help me get to the bottom of this.
Why would a private investigator Be interested in Jaden's dna? Maybe you should ask that investigator.
Michael said people had been Stealing your family's blood.
Michael gets worked up and says things That doesn't make any see.
Is this your father, Nathan Robinson? That's right.
That there church, my daddy helped build it.
Is one of these girls you? I'm the baby, and that's my sister mary.
She died a few years ago.
And the little boy? He's not around anymore either.
That's uncle Eddie.
He lives across the river.
He smiles all the time.
That's fine, Tanya.
Now go in the kitchen and get a cookie.
Never mind about those old photos.
I ain't talking to you no more Until you let my son out of jail.
Eddie has cerebral palsy.
He's been with us for almost 30 years.
Would it be okay if I asked him a few questions? Sure.
Eddie's not much of a conversationalist.
Hi, Mr.
Robinson.
I'm Connie Rubirosa.
Your niece Tanya says hello.
Would it be okay if I asked you a few questions About your nephew Michael? - Okay.
He says people have been stealing your family's blood.
Are you gonna Stick my arm? Of course not.
Why would you think that? His family doctor used to come by with a nurse A few times a year to take blood for some study he was doing.
But he hasn't come by for the last ten years.
Would you still have the name of that doctor? I'll have to check.
Dr.
Vincent Thurman.
He's the one who Sticks my arm.
Dr.
Vincent Thurman died in 1997.
He was an oncologist at ramapo hospital Where Nathan Robinson died in 1959.
It's safe to assume Thurman was Nathan's doctor, But it doesn't explain why he was pulling blood Out of Eddie Robinson Yeah, but Michael Reed's rant about white people trying To steal his family's blood is starting to make sense.
Take a look at this.
Thurman founded Hema Labs in 1959.
Yeah, I've heard of 'em.
Big company.
Didn't realize they started so small.
Yeah, very small.
Their first product was cancer cells sold for research.
Nathan Robinson died of cancer.
Do you have any ongoing research Related to a man named Nathan Robinson, Or Jerome or Jaden Turner? I'm sorry, all of our projects Are confidential and proprietary.
Well, the reason we're asking, Mr.
Dolan, is that, among other things, There are allegations concerning an assault On Mr.
Turner's seven-year-old son.
And you think this is related to my company's research? A private detective named Hernandez was involved.
Something may have occurred at the time that He was alone with this boy.
Alone? Is that what the child said? Well, that's confidential And proprietary.
Before I answer any more questions, I'd like to consult my legal department.
They're circling the wagons.
Nothing like a subpoena to bust up the party.
Hema Labs tested Jaden to see if he was a descendant Of Nathan Robinson.
For what purpose? Well, it doesn't say on the documents, But Hema cell line, the one they make gazillions Selling to research labs, Is known as na-ro.
For Nathan Robinson.
Jaden's great-grandfather.
Right.
We studied na-ro cells in medical school.
I never realized till today where they came from.
They're the first human cells to stay alive in cultures, So they're considered immortal.
They're a lab staple, like white mice or petri dishes.
But if Hema Labs had Nathan's cells, Why would they need genetic material From his great-grandson? Most likely testing a new drug.
Who knows what they're cooking up in the basement? All right, any more questions, you know where to find me.
These na-ro cells Are the basis of Hema's business.
We are talking billions in profit here.
Well, there's no records of any payments made To Nathan Robinson or his family.
You know, Hernandez tracked down Some of Nathan Robinson's descendants In stag hill, new jersey, In the ramapo mountains near where Robinson died.
Hernandez must have been hunting dna.
And maybe starting trouble between Michael and Jerome.
Yeah, I remember that private detective.
Hernandez.
We figured out he was from Hema Labs.
What did he want with your family, Mr.
Robinson? He was looking for Nathan's great-grandkids.
Offering 10 grand for their blood.
I told him all Nathan's kids moved to the city.
Didn't say where.
He was mad.
Did he threaten you? - Yeah.
Hell with him and that company.
It's not enough they stole Nathan's cells.
You know about Nathan's cells? They're magic.
Been all around the world.
Cured cancer, diseases.
It's like Nathan's still alive.
Nathan, uh, grew up around here? We all did.
Me, the rest of the cousins.
Our great-great-grandfather was ramapo indian, Runaway slaves, portuguese fishermen.
.
All different races mixed up together.
We call it squirrel stew, but it's chicken.
Honest.
Thank you.
It smells delicious.
So, um, How did Hema Labs get Nathan's cells In the first place? One of his doctors took a sample of his cancer Without him even knowing.
Nathan was in the colored ward.
This is a man who would spend his Sunday Fixing the neighbor's roof.
Never asked for a penny.
man, he could swing a hammer.
Let me show you his grave.
I'll never forget his funeral.
Hotter than hell.
Hey, Nathan.
You two are the first visitors he's had here in a while.
Any of his children or grandchildren Come back to visit? Dora came a few times.
She was trying to raise money for a gravestone.
We'll be taking care of that soon.
How is that? Michael said don't say anything.
I think we can trust them.
Nathan would have liked her.
Well, we don't want to cause any more trouble For your family, Mr.
Robinson.
I guess it's all right.
Michael Reed, Dora's boy, He was here a few weeks back.
He said, "if somebody comes asking for blood, don't give it.
" He's gonna sue Hema Labs, Get Nathan his gravestone.
Did Michael say anything about his cousin, Jerome? Said Jerome, us, the whole family, We had to stick together.
Michael was fired up.
Said Hema was finally gonna pay.
We'd all get new houses.
We know all about Nathan Robinson, The na-ro cell line.
We know you visited the relatives in stag hill To warn them not to cooperate with Hema Labs.
What happened? Did Jerome make his own deal, And that's why you stabbed him? Don't answer that.
- It wasn't me.
Jerome changed his mind.
That P.
I.
Stabbed him.
If you were innocent, why wouldn't you say What Hernandez was after? He doesn't know who to trust.
His family's been exploited for years.
That's how this is gonna play out? You have no idea, Mr.
Cutter.
Nathan Robinson, an impoverished black man, Lay dying while white doctors Dissected him like a guinea pig.
Wait till a jury hears it.
He's right.
A jury's gonna eat this up.
Yeah, and not just the jury.
Hema Labs hired me to locate A great-grandchild of Nathan Robinson.
They said I'd get 100 grand if I got results.
So you contacted Jerome Turner? I found his cousin Michael first.
of his girl's blood If we confirmed that she's Nathan's great-granddaughter.
He goes off on me.
Yelling he's gonna sue everybody, So I moved on and made a deal with Jerome for his kid.
When I took his kid's dna, I handed Jerome a check for $500, But he wanted cash, so I had him come back later.
So there was no dispute between the two of you? You're trying to put this on me now.
Any more questions, talk to my lawyer.
I'd like to put that guy through a window.
I have no doubt he's capable of murder.
Anything to corroborate his story? Well, the police canvassed his building And searched his office.
There was no evidence of a knifing Or an argument.
And Jerome did have over $500 in cash In his wallet that night.
Even so, the defense will probably use Hernandez As a straw man to put Hema Labs on trial.
We can't let them.
Well, the defense has a lot to work with.
Hema Labs has been exploiting Jerome Turner's family For 50 years.
You should see Where Nathan Robinson's relatives live, jack.
In falling-down shacks.
Company's treatment of this family, It's a disgrace.
Then you better get ahead of this.
Six months ago, one of our researchers Discovered that na-ro cells Contained a previously unknown oncogene For lung cancer, rj-42.
An oncogene? The genetic trigger that activates cancer In healthy cells.
It was a huge breakthrough.
But the next step was to prove proliferative advantage In cells carrying this oncogene, And the best way to do that Was to study the last descendants of Nathan Robinson.
Did you plan on compensating the Turners For this donation? They would have been given $10,000.
Now Nathan Robinson never consented To having his cancer cells harvested, correct? Same thing for his son, Eddie.
Nathan Robinson was cared for in a public hospital.
In a de facto colored ward.
This ward in ramapo hills hospital.
It was a different time.
Mr.
Robinson received free care.
So it was only fair to take samples For medical research.
Oh, and for profit.
Hema Labs never paid Nathan nor his descendants A single penny in compensation.
Let me be clear about this.
Taking the sample did not hurt Nathan Robinson Or impede his recovery one iota.
The drugs that we make Have helped millions of people.
Have you heard of the tuskegee experiments? Of course.
Then please, tell the jury what they were.
Doctors recruited black men with syphilis To study the disease.
There were abuses - Abuses? The doctors withheld penicillin and did nothing While these men rotted to death in agony.
That has nothing to do with this.
So you say.
Do you know the term "night doctors"? It's an urban legend.
Doctors snatching black residents off the streets To perform medical experiments without their consent.
And I can assure you It never happened at Hema Labs.
No, Hema Labs just did the same thing in the light of day.
So you can understand why Michael Reed Was so angry at his cousin for helping you.
Nothing further.
When you hired Mr.
Hernandez to find Nathan's descendants, You knew he had a violent record as a police officer? I believe so.
Making him the perfect fit to bully them into cooperating.
No.
Anything to get the blood you needed on the cheap.
Just like Dr.
Thurman did with Nathan Robinson.
Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
We did the swab no problem.
Jerome came back later to be paid in cash And left my office as happy as a clam.
Nothing further.
After you were fired by the police For breaking a man's jaw, You were hired by Hema Labs and sent to indonesia, Where one of their antiviral drugs Had made 4,000 people ill.
What were you doing there? Distributing compensation money To the people who got sick.
In other words, jamming lowball settlements Down the throats of illiterate villagers.
Objection.
Withdrawn.
So when Hema Labs needed To intimidate Nathan Robinson's family, You were the right man for the job? I didn't intimidate anybody.
But they promised you a $100,000 bounty For delivering Jaden Turner.
A commission.
A commission.
Isn't it a fact that Jerome Turner returned To your office that evening because he changed his mind About cooperating with Hema? Wrong.
Then the two of you argued, and you stabbed him Because you didn't want to lose your commission? Wrong about everything.
If you're trying to get a rise out of me, It's working.
I'm just glad you don't have a knife in your hand, Mr.
Hernandez.
Michael Reed stated during his questioning That white people had been stealing His family's blood for years.
And why did you consider that to be an admission, Lieutenant? Because it went to his motive, His state of mind, that he was angry.
Thank you.
Excuse me for asking, lieutenant, But aren't you undergoing medical treatment For cervical cancer? This is a private matter, your honor.
Well, it goes to the witness's state of mind.
Sorry, lieutenant.
Answer the best you can.
Yes, I'm undergoing treatment.
And have you taken any medications Made by Hema Labs, such as, uh, carboplatin, Used in chemotherapy, Or, uh, pegfilgrastim to bolster your white blood count? Both of those.
And does it disturb you That these drugs were developed From the cells of Nathan Robinson, Which were obtained without consent or remuneration? How could you ask me that? Please.
Just answer my question.
Well, what do you think, Mr.
Cutter? These drugs might save my life.
I'm grateful to Nathan Robinson and his family.
But that doesn't mean they were treated With justice, Mr.
Cutter Or dignity.
Lieutenant.
- I can't believe What you just did to me in there, Mr.
Cutter, Without the decency to ask my permission Or to let me know what was coming.
I'm sorry.
I.
.
it occurred to me In the moment that we could- - it occurred to you? Well, did it occur to you that I might have a problem with it? I was trying to keep the defense From using the same argument.
No, no, please.
I know what you were doing.
You were using me, Mr.
Cutter.
You violated my privacy So that you could win your case.
You are no better than Hema Labs.
My son Michael and Jerome Turner Were cousins.
They grew up together.
Michael would never hurt Jerome.
Can you tell us about their disagreement Regarding Hema Labs? Jerome made a deal to let them test Jaden, But Michael wanted to hold out.
He called a lawyer.
But I convinced Michael to forget about suing that company.
Jaden was sick.
Jerome had bills.
What did you tell Michael About your father Nathan's cells? That his grandfather was famous.
That those cells went all over the world To help cure sick people.
Hema Labs made a lot of money off of those cells.
Did you ever express any anger about that to him? I figured if my daddy's cells were helping All of those people, that was good enough.
Did Michael feel the same way? Sometimes Michael would get angry at Hema Labs, But never.
.
never at Jerome.
Thank you, Mrs.
Reed.
You were just a baby when your father died.
It must have been hard for your mom.
Three kids living in poverty in stag hill.
We managed.
It must break your heart to see Michael struggle.
And Jerome with his sick son.
Losing his family's health insurance While this, this giant corporation Makes billions of dollars, And they never paid your family anything, did they? Not a penny.
No, not for taking Nathan's cells, Not for taking your brother Eddie's blood, Not even an apology.
That's right.
Now they owe you, don't they, Mrs.
Reed, For what they took from your family, From your father, Nathan? All he did for science, all the lives that he saved, And what did he get? An unmarked grave? You're damn right.
They owe us.
They owe us.
They made all that money, And we can't even afford a doctor.
They need to pay something.
And your son felt the same way, didn't he? He just wanted what was fair.
He just wanted to help his family.
But he ended up killing his cousin.
Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
Jury's still out.
Three days.
They asked the judge to clarify the difference Between man one and man two.
They're looking for a way To let Michael Reed off the hook.
Now's the time to make a deal.
Michael's pretty intractable.
Until the jury's back, we have leverage.
Let's use it to do some good.
We're prepared to make your client an offer.
He pleads to man one, we'll recommend ten years.
Jury's still out.
We'll take our chances.
If they convict, Your client could be looking at 25 to life.
Now I think we all have an interest In settling this matter.
Hema Labs has no liability here.
But there is doing the right thing.
Or if that doesn't interest you, Mr.
Dolan, What's it worth to your company to avoid the publicity Of another trial? You want us to bribe Michael Reed To pleading guilty? I have no intention of taking the stand again.
To be divided equally among Nathan Robinson's heirs.
Your company has annual revenues Of $400 million.
We have to draw a line, Mr.
Cutter.
Otherwise, we'll be fighting off lawsuits left and right.
Or you may be fighting off a jail sentence.
Eddie Robinson, Nathan's son, In a group home with cerebral palsy.
He lives in my jurisdiction.
Read the definition of assault.
It includes taking blood without consent.
There's a statute of limitations.
Not for a concealed crime against an incompetent victim.
We've been to stag hill.
This family is beyond the edge of poverty, Struggling to put food on the table, While you're teeing off at the country club in ridgewood.
Make it ten.
Payable now.
Now you can wait for the jury verdict, But if you get convicted, Your mother will die while you're in prison.
And Jerome will have died for nothing.
You did try to save him, didn't you, After you stabbed him? I, uh, told him that The company had made millions, And we couldn't even afford to take our kids to the doctor.
And Jerome wouldn't change his mind, So, uh, I, uh.
.
I had the knife in the glove box and I, uh.
.
I was just so angry Because, you know, about Jerome helping the people That were cheating us I just, um.
.
I just lost it.
I took him to the hospital I really thought that he would be okay.
So I'll do it.
I'll take the deal.
Hey.
Joseph Hernandez's personnel file.
Thanks.
You don't need it anymore? No.
Uh, case pled out.
How did we do? All things considered, not so badly.
Lieutenant.
- Counselor.
These are their stories.
Bring home some root beer if you can.
Thank you, baby.
Hey, Jaden, finish your cereal.
Gotta change.
Breathe easy, Jay.
Saturday we going down to the park for some spring training.
We'll bring your inhaler.
You'll be fine.
Right? Derek Jeter better watch his back.
Now don't forget about the special trip we have planned.
And don't tell mom.
That's my boy.
He stumbled in here a little after 6:00.
Collapsed before he could get a word out.
Presented with a knife wound.
Any other injuries? - No.
Just a stab wound.
But it was deep enough to pierce his liver and sever his hepatic vein.
So somebody wanted him dead.
Well, they got their wish.
Thank you.
Patient outside having a smoke said she saw our guy get dropped off.
The driver sped away.
The car was old and blue.
Speaking of cars, set of keys to a Ford.
He's still wearing his wedding ring and watch.
Yeah, and about $800 worth of cash.
Jerome Turner.
Bronx address.
Wife and kid.
Happy family.
Sub by Adri_CSI Jerome didn't come home from his job at the bottling plant.
I kept trying his cell, but he didn't pick up.
We're very sorry, Mrs.
Turner.
Any ideas about where he was, who he was with? I really don't know.
Wait in your room for mommy.
I'll be right in.
Did he have any problems we should know about? People he didn't get along with? - No.
I mean, money's always been tight.
I give piano lessons to help make ends meet.
Jerome is a wonderful man.
And he's a good father to Jaden.
At what time did you speak to him last? In the afternoon.
He said he might be late.
There was a problem in Queens on the "e" train.
He didn't drive to work? We don't own a car.
There were a set of keys in his pocket for a Ford.
We don't know anybody who has a Ford.
Mom! - I gotta go see my boy.
Of course.
- Hmm.
Works in Queens, lives in the Bronx, But bleeds to death in a midtown hospital.
With somebody else's keys in his pocket.
Huh.
Mr.
Wonderful's been keeping secrets from his wife.
Jerome didn't work yesterday.
He's only been on two shifts a week since the holidays.
Why'd he get his hours cut? The bosses say we're bleeding money here.
I felt terrible cutting him back.
He didn't tell his wife about it.
He probably didn't want to upset her.
He told me she's a worrier.
You know if he found other work? Nah.
He kept pressing me to put him back full-time.
I let him know he'd be the first guy back If things turned around.
Whenever that is.
The Turners were up-to-date on rent and utilities.
There was cash coming in From something besides the wife's piano lessons.
The something that maybe got Mr.
Turner killed.
Any leads off his cell phone? Uh, still working through his calls for that day.
The weird thing is the calls ping from towers all over the place.
In the space of 52 minutes, he's in Queens, Harlem, downtown.
He was on the move.
- Yeah.
Check if he has a hack license.
The keys in his pocket are for a Crown Vic.
There's nothing in the TLC under Jerome Turner.
But a lot of those guys drive without a license.
Call the desk at the 3-1.
Have their sector cars call in any idle yellow cabs with no driver inside.
Right.
We spotted it about ten minutes After we heard the radio run.
Lady who lives in that building told us It was parked here overnight.
Well, let's see if we're in business.
All right, good work.
We got it from here.
Get the trunk.
- Yeah.
Cornell beverage.
Well, there's no blood on the inside, Which means Jerome was stabbed Somewhere between here and the hospital.
Maybe his last fare knows why he left his cab here.
If we're lucky, he used a credit card.
I didn't know Jerome very well.
I just rented him my cab.
Even though he didn't have a hack license? Well, I kept telling him he had to take care of that.
A license was the least of his problems.
He have any bad habits? Gambling, maybe.
A few days ago, He said he wasn't gonna have to drive anymore.
He was gonna come into a lot of money.
Yeah, I'm here.
Thank you.
Somebody used a credit card in the morning, But after that, nothing.
Any idea why Jerome left it in Chelsea? No.
I wanted to get it back early, But he said he had to pick his kid up at school.
He left every day in his company jacket Like everything was fine.
I guess Jerome was too proud to tell me.
Is there any reason you didn't tell us That Jaden was in the cab with him the day he was killed? What? No, Jaden was in school.
We checked with the school.
His father picked him up at noon And brought him back a few hours later.
You have any idea where they went? No.
- He also told some people That he was going to be coming into some money.
You know anything about that? No.
It doesn't make any sense.
Okay.
Can I speak to your son? Can you show me Jerome's calendar again, please? Thanks.
Hey.
What are you making, Jaden? A machine that makes dogs and horses and robots.
Hmm.
Nice.
Listen, I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about what happened to your father.
He's never coming back.
Yeah.
Is it okay if I ask you some questions about him? Do you remember when he picked you up At your school in his cab? He got me ice cream.
Oh, well, you must have done something pretty special To get ice cream.
Dad said I can't tell.
It was gonna be a surprise for my mom.
I promised.
Jaden.
You know that what happened to your dad Wasn't your fault, right? But you can help your mother right now.
Where did your dad take you before he bought the ice cream? Into a building.
With an office.
Were there other people there? A man.
He was big.
He hurt you? He put a q-tip inside my mouth and rubbed it around.
Right here? On the inside of your cheek? Then what did he do? - Nothing.
He talked with my dad, and then we left.
You know what, Jaden? Your dad would be really proud of you.
Thank you.
- Thanks.
He took a swab for dna.
Maybe Jerome was running a paternity test on his kid.
Yeah, his kid Or somebody else's.
Looks like one secret too many.
A dna test can be for a lot of things.
A dna test he was hiding from his wife.
Right, maybe he was hoping To jack the biological father up for money.
That was the payday he was expecting.
I'll talk to Mrs.
Turner.
Speak to the boy again.
The vending machine downstairs Just got some fresh gummi bears.
It's okay if you want to have one.
My mom would want me to wait until after dinner.
I don't want her to be mad at me.
I hear you.
I'm sure she's proud of you for telling the truth, right? I did.
The man that your father took you to see, Do you remember his name? No.
He talked about hot dogs.
The big man? He said Nathan's, the hot dogs.
What did he say about them? Nothing.
He just said Nathan's.
Hmm.
Jerome and I were married for ten years.
I never looked at another man.
Is there any other reason Jerome might want To test Jaden's dna? Jaden is Jerome's son.
You can test him yourself.
Was there any reason Your husband would be suspicious or jealous? No.
Believe me, if Jaden did have another father, I'd be hiting him up for child support right now.
Do you know anyone by the name of Nathan? No.
I don't know what Jerome was thinking.
I ran the name by her.
No reaction.
Well, still, Nathan could be the man Jerome thought was his son's real father.
Yeah, Jerome already had a bloodhound on the case.
His cell records show a call two weeks ago To a Joseph Hernandez, a private investigator, And two calls on the day of the murder.
Office is on west 23rd street.
A block from where we found Jerome's cab.
This P.
I.
Could have done the dna swab.
Let's check to see if Hernandez is an ex-cop.
Maybe we could get some professional courtesy.
Mr.
Hernandez is due back any minute.
Oh, no big deal.
We're just checking to see If our friend Jerome Turner called him.
Oh, you're welcome to wait.
This, I believe, is a very cute jack russell terrier.
Yeah? I got a mutt too.
He looks at me, I swear he knows Exactly what I'm thinking.
Oh, they do.
They know a lot.
More than people.
More than my ex-girlfriend, that's for sure.
I bet you I can read that upside-down.
What do you think? I'm good at this.
Larry krap.
It's park.
- Oh, park, krap.
Very close.
One more shot.
One more shot.
Maybe on this page.
Okay.
Now this time, please don't smile at me.
It's very distracting.
Well, of course, This is jeremy strucker.
Jerem struck.
Jerm it's your friend.
Jerome Turner.
- A-ha.
So it is, and I see he called about Nathan Robinson.
Can I help you guys? Yeah.
You know a Jerome Turner? Never heard of him.
Whatever she may have told you.
You took a dna swab from his son.
Now he's dead.
- Save your spiel.
I'm retired nypd.
Retired after you got jammed up for busting a suspect's jaw.
Even if I did have business with Turner, I was hired by a law firm.
Makes any communication privileged.
Bye-bye.
Only a couple hundred Nathan Robinsons in the tri-state area.
Hernandez has been in business for years.
This wouldn't be his first paternity test.
Which means he would have a lab he usually works with.
A lab that would pick up samples from his office.
That front desk guy, he should know the name.
So would she.
Oh, god.
Hey.
Oh, you okay? I'm sorry.
We didn't mean to cause trouble with your boss.
He's always like that.
He's such a - Private dick.
Yes.
- We figured.
Listen, we really need to find this Nathan Robinson.
Oh, Mr.
Hernandez doesn't talk to me about his cases.
Fair enough.
How about the name of the lab He uses to test dna samples? I don't think he's gonna use them anymore.
They had a dna sample of this guy, Nathan Robinson.
To compare with Turner's kid.
I guess.
Uh, anyway, the lab lost it.
Um, Mr.
Hernandez told me to call Hudson University To get another one.
Why, does Nathan Robinson work there? I don't know.
Mr.
Hernandez told me to talk to this technician Jeff.
Okay? Yeah, you could say Mr.
Robinson works here.
That's him right there.
And that's Mr.
Robinson here.
There's more of him.
His dna samples? His cells growing in culture.
We buy them and use them for research.
Nathan Robinson's been dead for over 50 years.
Puts him out of the running as Jaden's father.
Yeah.
Well, maybe this is about an inheritance.
Time to shake the family tree and see who falls out.
Nathan Robinson was me and my cousin Jerome's grandfather.
My mother's dad.
He passed in 1959 from cancer.
He was having tests done to prove That his son was Nathan's relative.
Any idea why? No.
Me and Jerome didn't talk much.
Gayle called and told us he was murdered.
I couldn't believe it.
I mean, what happened? Did he get robbed? When was the last time you spoke to him? I'm not sure.
Is there an issue with your grandfather's will? My daddy didn't have a will.
Then maybe a piece of property or an heirloom? You would have gotten a call from a probate lawyer.
Or maybe a private investigator contacted you.
Someone named Hernandez? No.
We didn't get any calls.
But if we do, um, should we get in touch with you? Yeah, that'd be great.
Just go ahead and call this number.
Your kid.
Quite the artist.
Yeah, Tanya, she's six.
That's nice.
One more question, Mr.
Reed.
Do you own a car? No.
No, I don't.
Lupo, check this out.
Three-day weekend coming up.
Thank you.
Well, there was an alternate parking schedule On Michael Reed's refrigerator.
He was lying about having a car.
Secrets seem to run in that family.
We got him.
DMV records show that Dora Reed owned an '81 blue Cordoba, which matches the description Of the car that dropped Jerome off at the E.
R.
You said owned.
- Mm-hmm.
It was sold to a Brooklyn junkyard by Michael Reed four days ago.
I hope his cousin's blood on the seat didn't hurt the resale value.
There it is.
Your '81 blue Cordoba.
Ugh.
Great.
It'll take csu weeks to get anything out of that.
Michael Reed doesn't know that.
Yeah, so I sold my mom's car.
They didn't want her driving anymore.
Interesting timing.
Day after your cousin was stabbed.
Well, I don't know anything about that.
Excuse the interruption.
What's that? So you didn't want your mother driving.
She get a ticket? Get in an accident? No.
Nothing like that.
Right, but all of a sudden, you junked her car, Maybe because your cousin's blood was all over it.
Maybe we should bring your mother down here.
Oh, no, you don't need to do that.
I was trying to save Jerome.
Save from who? Jerome was stabbed by that detective Hernandez.
I was trying to help him.
I mean, I took him to the hospital.
How do you know that Hernandez stabbed your cousin? He wanted Jaden's blood.
And those people, they were just gonna take it.
What people? What people are you talking about? Michael, who were you talking about? Those white people.
All these years, stealing my family's blood.
This is Mr.
Reed's attorney.
And you all are done here.
Right.
White people stealing blood.
Yeah, time to break out the garlic and silver bullets.
Joseph Hernandez took Jaden Turner's dna.
The boy picked his photo out of a six-pack.
Who was Hernandez working for? He's hiding behind attorney privilege.
Can we rule out Reed's allegation That it was Hernandez who stabbed his cousin? Well, Hernandez is the better suspect on paper.
He was drummed out of the department for excessive force.
Michael Reed has no record.
Look, don't get me wrong.
Hernandez is in this neck deep.
But Reed put himself at the scene, Admitted dumping his cousin at the hospital, Not to mention lying to us and trying to destroy evidence.
Okay, so we charge Reed with murder.
Next step, motive.
Vampires stealing his family's blood.
No problem.
How you gonna put my son in jail On a million-dollar bail and then ask for my help? Well, then help me get to the bottom of this.
Why would a private investigator Be interested in Jaden's dna? Maybe you should ask that investigator.
Michael said people had been Stealing your family's blood.
Michael gets worked up and says things That doesn't make any see.
Is this your father, Nathan Robinson? That's right.
That there church, my daddy helped build it.
Is one of these girls you? I'm the baby, and that's my sister mary.
She died a few years ago.
And the little boy? He's not around anymore either.
That's uncle Eddie.
He lives across the river.
He smiles all the time.
That's fine, Tanya.
Now go in the kitchen and get a cookie.
Never mind about those old photos.
I ain't talking to you no more Until you let my son out of jail.
Eddie has cerebral palsy.
He's been with us for almost 30 years.
Would it be okay if I asked him a few questions? Sure.
Eddie's not much of a conversationalist.
Hi, Mr.
Robinson.
I'm Connie Rubirosa.
Your niece Tanya says hello.
Would it be okay if I asked you a few questions About your nephew Michael? - Okay.
He says people have been stealing your family's blood.
Are you gonna Stick my arm? Of course not.
Why would you think that? His family doctor used to come by with a nurse A few times a year to take blood for some study he was doing.
But he hasn't come by for the last ten years.
Would you still have the name of that doctor? I'll have to check.
Dr.
Vincent Thurman.
He's the one who Sticks my arm.
Dr.
Vincent Thurman died in 1997.
He was an oncologist at ramapo hospital Where Nathan Robinson died in 1959.
It's safe to assume Thurman was Nathan's doctor, But it doesn't explain why he was pulling blood Out of Eddie Robinson Yeah, but Michael Reed's rant about white people trying To steal his family's blood is starting to make sense.
Take a look at this.
Thurman founded Hema Labs in 1959.
Yeah, I've heard of 'em.
Big company.
Didn't realize they started so small.
Yeah, very small.
Their first product was cancer cells sold for research.
Nathan Robinson died of cancer.
Do you have any ongoing research Related to a man named Nathan Robinson, Or Jerome or Jaden Turner? I'm sorry, all of our projects Are confidential and proprietary.
Well, the reason we're asking, Mr.
Dolan, is that, among other things, There are allegations concerning an assault On Mr.
Turner's seven-year-old son.
And you think this is related to my company's research? A private detective named Hernandez was involved.
Something may have occurred at the time that He was alone with this boy.
Alone? Is that what the child said? Well, that's confidential And proprietary.
Before I answer any more questions, I'd like to consult my legal department.
They're circling the wagons.
Nothing like a subpoena to bust up the party.
Hema Labs tested Jaden to see if he was a descendant Of Nathan Robinson.
For what purpose? Well, it doesn't say on the documents, But Hema cell line, the one they make gazillions Selling to research labs, Is known as na-ro.
For Nathan Robinson.
Jaden's great-grandfather.
Right.
We studied na-ro cells in medical school.
I never realized till today where they came from.
They're the first human cells to stay alive in cultures, So they're considered immortal.
They're a lab staple, like white mice or petri dishes.
But if Hema Labs had Nathan's cells, Why would they need genetic material From his great-grandson? Most likely testing a new drug.
Who knows what they're cooking up in the basement? All right, any more questions, you know where to find me.
These na-ro cells Are the basis of Hema's business.
We are talking billions in profit here.
Well, there's no records of any payments made To Nathan Robinson or his family.
You know, Hernandez tracked down Some of Nathan Robinson's descendants In stag hill, new jersey, In the ramapo mountains near where Robinson died.
Hernandez must have been hunting dna.
And maybe starting trouble between Michael and Jerome.
Yeah, I remember that private detective.
Hernandez.
We figured out he was from Hema Labs.
What did he want with your family, Mr.
Robinson? He was looking for Nathan's great-grandkids.
Offering 10 grand for their blood.
I told him all Nathan's kids moved to the city.
Didn't say where.
He was mad.
Did he threaten you? - Yeah.
Hell with him and that company.
It's not enough they stole Nathan's cells.
You know about Nathan's cells? They're magic.
Been all around the world.
Cured cancer, diseases.
It's like Nathan's still alive.
Nathan, uh, grew up around here? We all did.
Me, the rest of the cousins.
Our great-great-grandfather was ramapo indian, Runaway slaves, portuguese fishermen.
.
All different races mixed up together.
We call it squirrel stew, but it's chicken.
Honest.
Thank you.
It smells delicious.
So, um, How did Hema Labs get Nathan's cells In the first place? One of his doctors took a sample of his cancer Without him even knowing.
Nathan was in the colored ward.
This is a man who would spend his Sunday Fixing the neighbor's roof.
Never asked for a penny.
man, he could swing a hammer.
Let me show you his grave.
I'll never forget his funeral.
Hotter than hell.
Hey, Nathan.
You two are the first visitors he's had here in a while.
Any of his children or grandchildren Come back to visit? Dora came a few times.
She was trying to raise money for a gravestone.
We'll be taking care of that soon.
How is that? Michael said don't say anything.
I think we can trust them.
Nathan would have liked her.
Well, we don't want to cause any more trouble For your family, Mr.
Robinson.
I guess it's all right.
Michael Reed, Dora's boy, He was here a few weeks back.
He said, "if somebody comes asking for blood, don't give it.
" He's gonna sue Hema Labs, Get Nathan his gravestone.
Did Michael say anything about his cousin, Jerome? Said Jerome, us, the whole family, We had to stick together.
Michael was fired up.
Said Hema was finally gonna pay.
We'd all get new houses.
We know all about Nathan Robinson, The na-ro cell line.
We know you visited the relatives in stag hill To warn them not to cooperate with Hema Labs.
What happened? Did Jerome make his own deal, And that's why you stabbed him? Don't answer that.
- It wasn't me.
Jerome changed his mind.
That P.
I.
Stabbed him.
If you were innocent, why wouldn't you say What Hernandez was after? He doesn't know who to trust.
His family's been exploited for years.
That's how this is gonna play out? You have no idea, Mr.
Cutter.
Nathan Robinson, an impoverished black man, Lay dying while white doctors Dissected him like a guinea pig.
Wait till a jury hears it.
He's right.
A jury's gonna eat this up.
Yeah, and not just the jury.
Hema Labs hired me to locate A great-grandchild of Nathan Robinson.
They said I'd get 100 grand if I got results.
So you contacted Jerome Turner? I found his cousin Michael first.
of his girl's blood If we confirmed that she's Nathan's great-granddaughter.
He goes off on me.
Yelling he's gonna sue everybody, So I moved on and made a deal with Jerome for his kid.
When I took his kid's dna, I handed Jerome a check for $500, But he wanted cash, so I had him come back later.
So there was no dispute between the two of you? You're trying to put this on me now.
Any more questions, talk to my lawyer.
I'd like to put that guy through a window.
I have no doubt he's capable of murder.
Anything to corroborate his story? Well, the police canvassed his building And searched his office.
There was no evidence of a knifing Or an argument.
And Jerome did have over $500 in cash In his wallet that night.
Even so, the defense will probably use Hernandez As a straw man to put Hema Labs on trial.
We can't let them.
Well, the defense has a lot to work with.
Hema Labs has been exploiting Jerome Turner's family For 50 years.
You should see Where Nathan Robinson's relatives live, jack.
In falling-down shacks.
Company's treatment of this family, It's a disgrace.
Then you better get ahead of this.
Six months ago, one of our researchers Discovered that na-ro cells Contained a previously unknown oncogene For lung cancer, rj-42.
An oncogene? The genetic trigger that activates cancer In healthy cells.
It was a huge breakthrough.
But the next step was to prove proliferative advantage In cells carrying this oncogene, And the best way to do that Was to study the last descendants of Nathan Robinson.
Did you plan on compensating the Turners For this donation? They would have been given $10,000.
Now Nathan Robinson never consented To having his cancer cells harvested, correct? Same thing for his son, Eddie.
Nathan Robinson was cared for in a public hospital.
In a de facto colored ward.
This ward in ramapo hills hospital.
It was a different time.
Mr.
Robinson received free care.
So it was only fair to take samples For medical research.
Oh, and for profit.
Hema Labs never paid Nathan nor his descendants A single penny in compensation.
Let me be clear about this.
Taking the sample did not hurt Nathan Robinson Or impede his recovery one iota.
The drugs that we make Have helped millions of people.
Have you heard of the tuskegee experiments? Of course.
Then please, tell the jury what they were.
Doctors recruited black men with syphilis To study the disease.
There were abuses - Abuses? The doctors withheld penicillin and did nothing While these men rotted to death in agony.
That has nothing to do with this.
So you say.
Do you know the term "night doctors"? It's an urban legend.
Doctors snatching black residents off the streets To perform medical experiments without their consent.
And I can assure you It never happened at Hema Labs.
No, Hema Labs just did the same thing in the light of day.
So you can understand why Michael Reed Was so angry at his cousin for helping you.
Nothing further.
When you hired Mr.
Hernandez to find Nathan's descendants, You knew he had a violent record as a police officer? I believe so.
Making him the perfect fit to bully them into cooperating.
No.
Anything to get the blood you needed on the cheap.
Just like Dr.
Thurman did with Nathan Robinson.
Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
We did the swab no problem.
Jerome came back later to be paid in cash And left my office as happy as a clam.
Nothing further.
After you were fired by the police For breaking a man's jaw, You were hired by Hema Labs and sent to indonesia, Where one of their antiviral drugs Had made 4,000 people ill.
What were you doing there? Distributing compensation money To the people who got sick.
In other words, jamming lowball settlements Down the throats of illiterate villagers.
Objection.
Withdrawn.
So when Hema Labs needed To intimidate Nathan Robinson's family, You were the right man for the job? I didn't intimidate anybody.
But they promised you a $100,000 bounty For delivering Jaden Turner.
A commission.
A commission.
Isn't it a fact that Jerome Turner returned To your office that evening because he changed his mind About cooperating with Hema? Wrong.
Then the two of you argued, and you stabbed him Because you didn't want to lose your commission? Wrong about everything.
If you're trying to get a rise out of me, It's working.
I'm just glad you don't have a knife in your hand, Mr.
Hernandez.
Michael Reed stated during his questioning That white people had been stealing His family's blood for years.
And why did you consider that to be an admission, Lieutenant? Because it went to his motive, His state of mind, that he was angry.
Thank you.
Excuse me for asking, lieutenant, But aren't you undergoing medical treatment For cervical cancer? This is a private matter, your honor.
Well, it goes to the witness's state of mind.
Sorry, lieutenant.
Answer the best you can.
Yes, I'm undergoing treatment.
And have you taken any medications Made by Hema Labs, such as, uh, carboplatin, Used in chemotherapy, Or, uh, pegfilgrastim to bolster your white blood count? Both of those.
And does it disturb you That these drugs were developed From the cells of Nathan Robinson, Which were obtained without consent or remuneration? How could you ask me that? Please.
Just answer my question.
Well, what do you think, Mr.
Cutter? These drugs might save my life.
I'm grateful to Nathan Robinson and his family.
But that doesn't mean they were treated With justice, Mr.
Cutter Or dignity.
Lieutenant.
- I can't believe What you just did to me in there, Mr.
Cutter, Without the decency to ask my permission Or to let me know what was coming.
I'm sorry.
I.
.
it occurred to me In the moment that we could- - it occurred to you? Well, did it occur to you that I might have a problem with it? I was trying to keep the defense From using the same argument.
No, no, please.
I know what you were doing.
You were using me, Mr.
Cutter.
You violated my privacy So that you could win your case.
You are no better than Hema Labs.
My son Michael and Jerome Turner Were cousins.
They grew up together.
Michael would never hurt Jerome.
Can you tell us about their disagreement Regarding Hema Labs? Jerome made a deal to let them test Jaden, But Michael wanted to hold out.
He called a lawyer.
But I convinced Michael to forget about suing that company.
Jaden was sick.
Jerome had bills.
What did you tell Michael About your father Nathan's cells? That his grandfather was famous.
That those cells went all over the world To help cure sick people.
Hema Labs made a lot of money off of those cells.
Did you ever express any anger about that to him? I figured if my daddy's cells were helping All of those people, that was good enough.
Did Michael feel the same way? Sometimes Michael would get angry at Hema Labs, But never.
.
never at Jerome.
Thank you, Mrs.
Reed.
You were just a baby when your father died.
It must have been hard for your mom.
Three kids living in poverty in stag hill.
We managed.
It must break your heart to see Michael struggle.
And Jerome with his sick son.
Losing his family's health insurance While this, this giant corporation Makes billions of dollars, And they never paid your family anything, did they? Not a penny.
No, not for taking Nathan's cells, Not for taking your brother Eddie's blood, Not even an apology.
That's right.
Now they owe you, don't they, Mrs.
Reed, For what they took from your family, From your father, Nathan? All he did for science, all the lives that he saved, And what did he get? An unmarked grave? You're damn right.
They owe us.
They owe us.
They made all that money, And we can't even afford a doctor.
They need to pay something.
And your son felt the same way, didn't he? He just wanted what was fair.
He just wanted to help his family.
But he ended up killing his cousin.
Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
Jury's still out.
Three days.
They asked the judge to clarify the difference Between man one and man two.
They're looking for a way To let Michael Reed off the hook.
Now's the time to make a deal.
Michael's pretty intractable.
Until the jury's back, we have leverage.
Let's use it to do some good.
We're prepared to make your client an offer.
He pleads to man one, we'll recommend ten years.
Jury's still out.
We'll take our chances.
If they convict, Your client could be looking at 25 to life.
Now I think we all have an interest In settling this matter.
Hema Labs has no liability here.
But there is doing the right thing.
Or if that doesn't interest you, Mr.
Dolan, What's it worth to your company to avoid the publicity Of another trial? You want us to bribe Michael Reed To pleading guilty? I have no intention of taking the stand again.
To be divided equally among Nathan Robinson's heirs.
Your company has annual revenues Of $400 million.
We have to draw a line, Mr.
Cutter.
Otherwise, we'll be fighting off lawsuits left and right.
Or you may be fighting off a jail sentence.
Eddie Robinson, Nathan's son, In a group home with cerebral palsy.
He lives in my jurisdiction.
Read the definition of assault.
It includes taking blood without consent.
There's a statute of limitations.
Not for a concealed crime against an incompetent victim.
We've been to stag hill.
This family is beyond the edge of poverty, Struggling to put food on the table, While you're teeing off at the country club in ridgewood.
Make it ten.
Payable now.
Now you can wait for the jury verdict, But if you get convicted, Your mother will die while you're in prison.
And Jerome will have died for nothing.
You did try to save him, didn't you, After you stabbed him? I, uh, told him that The company had made millions, And we couldn't even afford to take our kids to the doctor.
And Jerome wouldn't change his mind, So, uh, I, uh.
.
I had the knife in the glove box and I, uh.
.
I was just so angry Because, you know, about Jerome helping the people That were cheating us I just, um.
.
I just lost it.
I took him to the hospital I really thought that he would be okay.
So I'll do it.
I'll take the deal.
Hey.
Joseph Hernandez's personnel file.
Thanks.
You don't need it anymore? No.
Uh, case pled out.
How did we do? All things considered, not so badly.
Lieutenant.
- Counselor.