The Sinner (2017) s01e08 Episode Script

Part VIII

1 Why can't I remember? How are you feeling today, Cora? There was this wallpaper like the design on a dollar bill.
It's on every wall.
You'll be sentenced in two weeks' time with no right to appeal.
These proceedings are concluded.
So we just got the car that Mason Tannetti saw at the crime scene.
Reported stolen last week in Trenton.
Two passengers.
Probably Oxy users.
This girl, she got pregnant.
She wanted to name the baby Winter.
But JD, he didn't want to be a father.
Maddie, getting pregnant doesn't make you matter.
Neither does jumping in front of a car.
Todd, this is Cora.
Me and him have been talking about working on a project together.
- I can't breathe.
My heart.
- You're okay.
Everything's okay.
Everything's okay.
No, no, the pill.
They poisoned me.
No, you're just peaking.
Are you coming? Cora, are you coming? [pulsing electronic music.]
Hey.
Help me! Breathe! [bone snaps.]
[song echoes.]
[inhales sharply.]
[gasps.]
It was Phoebe.
It was Phoebe all along.
I tried to take her home.
I knew something was gonna happen.
I knew it.
[crying softly.]
It's not your fault.
I should have stopped it.
Cora, it's not your fault.
It wasn't Frankie's fault either.
He was trying to save her, but I killed him.
What about what happened after? The scars on your arms.
The man with the mask.
I don't know.
[sighs.]
[dramatic music.]
[sighs.]
I'm gonna find a witness who was there.
Now we have a motive, and you have a defense.
- Okay.
Come on.
- You're gonna be okay.
I don't see why this is necessary.
Was there ever any wallboard in this room? - Any wallpaper? - No.
No, it's been the same since I started here.
Just saw his wife.
Todd Ritger died two years ago.
Kidney cancer.
Okay.
He could still be our masked man, though, right? July 5th, two days after the basement business, Ritger whisked his wife off to the Caribbean to renew their vows.
They stayed a month.
Oh, shit.
Okay.
That's our last chance.
Maybe the two guys knocked off Lambert 'cause he knew something.
Already on it.
The car was stolen in Trenton, so I had the tow interchange do a video match on the license plate.
Good.
Thanks.
Don't mention it.
[soft dramatic music.]
[indistinct chatter.]
Tell me.
Tell me.
I don't remember.
Good girl.
[groans.]
[sighs.]
A lot of DNA in that basement, none of it Cora Tannetti's.
We did get the DNA match on the body, though.
It actually is Phoebe Lacey.
That's not enough, but we'll find something, though.
Thanks.
Tollbooth got a hit.
Called Albany Vice.
They know the guy on the right: Daniel Burroughs, aka "Duffy.
" - Did you get an address? - No, but Duffy rented a 15-passenger van two days ago on his MileagePlus card.
- Let's put out an APB.
- Yeah.
- Did that already too.
- [keys jangle.]
Code 5 on a white late-model multi-passenger van, license plate 7-Gary-6024.
Vehicle spotted at 3342 Route 9.
- 4-5 is en route.
- [radio beeps.]
[suspenseful music.]
Suspect has entered a storefront.
The sign outside says "American Medical Clinic.
" - Is he still in there? - Yes, sir.
I'm not sure what's going on.
I'm waiting for backup.
[quietly.]
God damn it.
[soft indistinct chatter.]
Hey, this is a private business.
You got to leave.
Okay.
What kind of business you got here? Dude, I just said get the hell out of here.
All right, ladies, the bus is leaving.
Duffy? Daniel Burroughs? [sirens wailing.]
[tires squealing.]
- [gunshots.]
- [grunts.]
Suspect's down! Go to your left! Go to your left! Secure the clinic! I got it! I got it! Clear here! Clear over here.
Dispatch, we've got shots fired, Broadway and Division.
So, you take the girls to the clinics, they get their prescriptions, then you drive them to the pharmacies? And they get 50 bucks and we get the bottle.
- Who writes the scrips? - JD.
He's the one with the license number.
- So why kill him? - I didn't kill anybody.
That was Duffy.
He got nervous.
JD being picked up and then his woman getting busted, he thought JD was gonna use him as a bargaining chip.
All right.
And then, so He's lying.
Who hired you? - What? - To kill JD.
Look, I told you I didn't kill him.
Was it somebody at the Beverwyck Club? - The what club? - Harry.
We're done.
[soft dramatic music.]
[clears throat.]
You get any leads on Cora Tannetti from our suspect? Nope.
Three doctors.
California, Texas, Ohio.
Each defrauded of their license number in the past month.
That's it.
Well, you busted a local opioid ring, so that's something to be proud of on a Tuesday.
- [sighs.]
- Look, I'm sorry the Tannetti angle didn't work out.
It was still good police work.
There's a connection there.
Has to be.
I'm still looking.
It's just I thought that those two guys were gonna be the missing piece, but they weren't.
And I let's just go through it all again, and something will come up, I'm sure.
Why can't we just tell Judge Baird what happened to me? You need a witness, or your story doesn't hold up.
My sentencing is tomorrow.
I know.
I'm sorry.
[indistinct chatter.]
[gate buzzes.]
Tannetti! Visitor.
[indistinct chatter.]
[chair scrapes.]
I didn't think you would come.
Your father convinced me.
I want to tell you what happened to Phoebe.
So? I took her out that night, and I don't regret it Because she met a boy, and she fell in love.
They danced, they had sex And she died in his arms, exactly the way that she wanted.
[exhales sharply.]
You're disgusting.
I've never seen her happier than that night.
Phoebe was buried in the woods, in the dirt, alone.
Was that what she wanted? Why didn't you call the police when we didn't come home? Why didn't you look for us? We thought you ran away.
You think I didn't hear you whispering about Florida? Planning your escape, like I was some sort of monster? Turning Phoebe against me? We just wanted to live.
That's all it was.
And look at you now.
Just look what you've done to yourself.
I'm more free now than I ever was with you.
Cora Tannetti murdered a perfect stranger without provocation.
We see no need not to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.
Ms.
Hutchins, does your client wish to address the court? No, your honor.
I would give anything to go back to that day on the beach and undo all of this.
I'm sorry that I took your son from you.
I am not a killer.
That is not who I am.
But somebody took my sister and buried her in the woods, and they kept me in a room for months, and I don't even know what they did to me, - and they're out there.
- Mrs.
Tannetti.
They are still out there.
Mrs.
Tannetti, I realize that this is an emotional moment, but you've waived your right to a trial.
I'm sorry.
I can't consider your defense here.
While the defendant has pled guilty and shows remorse for her crime, a realistic course for her rehabilitation is unclear.
In order to effectuate justice for the victim and his family, I hereby sentence the defendant, Cora Elizabeth Tannetti, to be remanded to the Department of Corrections for a minimum sentence of 30 years.
[crowd murmuring.]
That concludes these proceedings.
All rise.
[dramatic music.]
[indistinct chatter continues.]
- [gate buzzes.]
- [chains clinking.]
[gate clangs.]
[door buzzes, opens.]
[suspenseful music.]
[soft dramatic music.]
Harry.
Yeah.
Why don't you come over and have dinner with us tonight? Working on my osso buco.
No, thanks.
I'm good.
You go ahead.
This is the fourth goddamn barbecue they've stolen.
- Who's "they"? - Junkies! How do you know they're junkies? Because who else would steal a friggin' barbecue four times in a row? Can you describe your barbecue for me, sir? Yeah.
It's a Napoleon.
Stainless steel with a side burner.
Side burner.
[indistinct chatter.]
Brenda, you got a visitor.
Hey.
[laughing softly.]
Hey, honey.
Hey, baby.
You're so big.
[breathing shakily.]
[sighs.]
Keep your hands on the table.
[sighs.]
There you are.
Okay, I could do that sideways.
You can do whatever you want.
I cannot get enough to watch this.
His teacher said that he's doing really good in school now.
- Yeah? - That his spelling is good.
His handwriting is good.
He doesn't really like listening to authority [laughs softly.]
Which I thought sounded kind of familiar.
[laughs.]
- Again.
- It's okay.
Is it a good idea to be bringing him here? And I just don't want to hurt him any more than I already have.
No, it's a good idea.
He needs his mom.
But if it's easier to move on for him, for both of you.
We're gonna come back next week, and every Thursday after that.
That's what we're gonna do.
Okay? [suspenseful music.]
Miss Beecham, I'm Detective Lieutenant Harry Ambrose.
This must be Winter.
- I'm not Miss Beecham anymore.
- Maddie Beecham? You're a hard woman to find.
But there's only one other baby named Winter on the birth registry.
It's up in Buffalo, so I thought I'd try here first.
[baby giggles.]
Can I help you? You know we opened a missing persons file on you.
Can I ask you why you left and changed your name? I was in a toxic relationship.
JD Lambert.
You were at the Beverwyck Club on July 3rd, 2012, Miss Beecham? You were there with Cora Lacey and her sister, Phoebe.
What do you remember about that night? JD and I had a fight, and I left before everyone else.
I got on a bus the next morning to my cousin's, to Vermont.
I had to get away from him.
Did you ever hear from JD after that night? He he wouldn't stop calling.
He threatened me, said that he would find me, and then he apologized and asked me to be part of a new business opportunity.
What kind of opportunity? [dramatic music.]
He was selling oxy.
JD's selling pills.
It started after that night? [dramatic music.]
Hello.
Doctor's office.
- Dr.
Strauss, please.
- Who's calling? Detective Ambrose, from Dorchester, New York.
- Let me see if he's available.
- Thank you.
[suspenseful music.]
Thank you.
Thanks, Your Honor.
Hello, Harry.
[indistinct chatter over police radio.]
[indistinct chatter.]
I hope you recognize this place.
I have a right to call my lawyer.
Sir, we're asking you step outside.
No.
I won't step outs It's okay.
Go ahead.
Take a look around.
[birds chirping.]
[suspenseful music.]
[ripping continues.]
[breathing shakily.]
- [cell phone ringing.]
- [grunts.]
- Hello.
- Dad? You gotta help me with something.
Something terrible has happened.
- Where are you? - I'm at the Beverwyck.
[connection breaks.]
What? Yeah, no, no hold on.
I'll be right there.
What's wrong? [sighs.]
Frankie? Dad.
Are you all right? It wasn't my fault.
- What happened? - I don't know.
She had, like, a heart attack.
I tried to do CPR, but she just broke.
This girl has a pulse.
Yeah, she freaked out.
She attacked Frankie, she attacked me.
- Who is this? - JD.
He's a he's a friend.
We have to get her to the hospital.
Frankie, they're gonna tell the police.
- It was an accident.
- Yeah? You want to try to convince them of that? You go to the police, I'm gonna tell them exactly what happened.
- And what is that? - That your son was balls-deep in this very sick girl, both of them high on pills, when she died.
Now, maybe that's an accident.
Maybe not.
All I know is it doesn't look good.
Frankie, go home.
Take your car and drive straight home.
- What are you gonna do? - Go! Just go! Go.
[suspenseful music.]
[shovels scraping.]
All right, that's good enough.
Now get out of here.
I'll take care of the rest.
- [coughs.]
- Whatever you say, man.
[whimpers.]
[straining.]
[breathing erratically.]
[birds chirping.]
- I want her out of this house.
- We can't do that.
You can drop her at the hospital.
You want to talk to the police about last night? Well, then what the hell do you intend to do with her? Oh, my God.
Don't look at this.
The less you know, the better.
- Get him ready.
- Ready for what? You're flying back to L.
A.
today.
Come on.
Let's get you in the shower.
Come on.
[soft dramatic music.]
How are you feeling today? [soft music.]
- [groans.]
- Cora, easy.
- [mumbling.]
- It's okay.
Shh.
[groaning.]
[keys jangling, door locks.]
[sighs.]
[sighs.]
[doorbell rings.]
What the hell are you doing here? I'm just checking in, make sure everything was good on your end.
And wanted to ask you something.
A favor.
- Is sending - His restaurant, Ink, Michael Voltaggio finds the debate hypocritical.
Weather is making news tonight - Still nothing? - No.
- Of the president.
- [sighs.]
Poor girl.
Her poor parents.
Once she's healed, I'll drop her somewhere.
Maybe she won't remember.
Military's oldest medal What if she does? [suspenseful music.]
[moans.]
Ow! [groaning and whimpering.]
Ow.
Tell me what you remember.
Please.
Tell me what you remember.
You all right? Where am I? Those stolen license numbers, they were all from colleagues of Dr.
Belmont.
JD was blackmailing him all along.
[soft dramatic music.]
It was you.
I remember your eyes.
I know you did it for your son.
[crying.]
I'm I'm so sorry.
It's okay.
I got her.
Thanks.
You know, when I first interviewed you at the station, the way you were blaming yourself I realized it felt familiar Because I do that too.
But the thing is, you're what somebody did to us when we were young, I know it wasn't our fault.
I know we didn't do anything wrong.
But somehow, I I don't know what to do with it all.
And he leaves her in a back alley in Poughkeepsie as if she were a bag of trash.
From that moment forward, Cora goes through life believing not only that she is a heroin addict, but that she's responsible for her sister's death.
Despite all of this, despite all of the abuse by Patrick Belmont, by JD Lambert, by her own family, does she give up? No.
No.
She gets clean, she gets married, she has a beautiful son, she lives a normal life, free of violence, free of her past, until one happy day at the beach with her family, she sees Frankie Belmont sitting on the towel next to hers.
And that's when it all comes rushing back.
This is a unique moment in my time in this privileged position.
Given this new evidence, I find that the defendant, Cora Tannetti, acted under the influence of extreme emotional disturbance.
I hereby reduce the conviction from murder in the second degree to manslaughter in the first degree, and rather than spend another day in prison, I hereby order Mrs.
Tannetti to be transferred to a secure psychiatric facility.
Her case will be reviewed every two years with the possibility of release if she's determined no longer to be a danger to herself or others.
- [gavel bangs.]
- Please rise.
[sighs.]
[soft music.]
[indistinct chatter.]
[dramatic music.]
- What? - Proud of you.
You look happy - maybe.
- [chuckles softly.]
Yeah.
Two years, I bet, and you're out.
I'll check in on you from time to time, make sure they're treating you right.
It's gonna be okay.
Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
[soft dramatic music.]
[sniffles.]
[sighs, sniffles.]
[sighs.]
[door opens.]
[door closes.]
We're very pleased with the ruling.
The court recognized that Mrs.
Tannetti's actions were not with intent to harm, but the result of psychological trauma.
We'll be making sure that she is given adequate care and is released as soon as possible.
[reporters all talking at once.]
We would like to give the Tannetti family appropriate space and time to process these developments.
[reporters all talking at once.]
No further comment.
[car door opens.]
[car door closes.]
[dramatic music.]
[electronic music.]

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