American Violence (2017) Movie Script
- Margaret.
What the hell am i
supposed to do with this?
- Doctor's orders, honey.
No staturated fat.
- Ma'am, that doctor is a hack.
And he's pathetic.
He shouldn't even
have a license.
Stop listening to the doctor.
Jesus.
You give me bread?
First of all it's not toasted,
second of all it's peanut
butter without any jam.
How do you expect me to
swallow this or get it down?
How many goddamn times do
i have to tell you that?
Get your nose out of a
cookbook and learn to make
a peanut butter
and jelly sandwich.
- Keep talking like that
and you'll be making
your own sandwiches.
- What did you say?
What was that?
- According to the global
health education consortium,
there are numerous social
causes for violence.
Poverty, unemployment,
illicit drug and alcohol
abuse, cultural norms.
But these external influences
don't explain the root
cause of violence.
Texas versus Johnson.
Ed Johnson was charged
with first degree murder
after the deaths of
his ex-girlfriend
and a boy she was seeing.
Because of the
heinousness of the crimes,
and the ages of the victims,
the prosecutors wanted to
push for the death penalty.
But because ed was a few
months shy of turning 18,
the judge balked.
He was released after
serving only five years,
for good behavior.
One week after being paroled,
ed was pulled over for
a routine traffic stop.
And the police found
the severed head
of a nine year old
little girl in his trunk.
Because of this new discovery,
ed was sentenced to death.
Had the state sentenced him
after the first violent act
where two innocent
lives were lost,
that little girl
would've been spared.
The most interesting part,
is according to his records,
there was no history
of mental illness
or neurological diseases.
So was he born violent?
Ask yourself that.
Now, without understanding
where violence originates,
it's impossible to rehabilitate,
let alone prevent
future violent acts.
- Well what if violence is
so ingrained to our society,
our American culture...
- excuse me, sir.
- That outbursts are inevitable?
There's no escaping it.
- I refuse to believe that
we're far from stopping
the epidemic of violence
sweeping through our country.
- Even with a system in place
that just trades
death for death?
- Okay, so are controlled
executions an act of violence?
Or an act of mercy for the
loved ones of the victims?
- Isn't the act of
killing always violent?
- Is it?
I want you guys to think about
that when you pick a case.
Look for the hidden motives,
and clues that were missed.
And had they not been missed,
would the tragedy
have been prevented?
And remember to be objective.
That is the key
to get an accurate
and impartial read on
the situation, okay?
Class dismissed.
And you are?
- Ben woods.
Assistant district attorney.
I'd like for you to
consult on a case for me.
His name is Jack shea, he's
set for execution in 72 hours.
With it being an election year,
the governor's
under extra pressure
to reevaluate the state's
position on capital punishment.
- Well the nuances of the law
aren't exactly my specialty...
- I'm not here for
legal advice, miss...
- doctor.
- Doctor, pardon.
Now you've watched the news,
national focus was
on the protests,
it's got the governor
backed into a corner.
Now if this execution
goes forward,
our schedule, without
an official review,
the governor won't stand a
chance of serving another term.
I just want you to
talk to him, hm?
Give him your
professional opinion.
Consider it your civic duty.
Maybe, just maybe,
you'll save a life.
My card and my
number's in there.
- Hey, quick
monkeying around, garimba.
- Well maybe if
you stopped lion around, Leo.
Get up, lazy bones, it's
time for adventuring.
- Mommy!
- Hi, baby girl.
Shouldn't you be in bed?
- Grandma said I could watch
one more show on TV before bed.
- She did now, huh?
- Yep, all the
animals on this show
live together at the zoo.
- Aw.
- Can we go to the zoo, mommy?
- Well I tell you what.
How about you go upstairs,
brush your teeth,
and you be a good girl
for grandma all week,
and then I will take
you next weekend, okay?
Go on up, brush your teeth
and I'll tuck you in.
- Can grandma read
me a story first?
Please, please please?
- I think I can manage that.
- Come on, grandma, let's go.
- Thanks, mom.
- No problem.
Oh, I left you some
dinner by the stove.
- Thank you.
- Good night, mommy, I love you.
- Good night, I love you.
- I thought you quit
three months ago.
Ally was bummed that
you didn't make dinner.
- I know she was.
You know, I just
couldn't get here.
But thank you for picking
her up from school today.
- It's no problem.
Come here.
- Thank you.
- Don't stay up too late, kiddo.
- I won't.
Good night, mom.
- Good night, sweetheart.
- Ben woods.
- Hey Ben, it's Dr. Tyler.
- Dr. Tyler.
- I'm in.
I'll do it.
I have a few conditions.
Our session needs to be private,
so I don't wanna be in a
standard interview room.
We should be somewhere
where he feels comfortable,
where he can at
least move around.
I mean we're not
gonna get anywhere
if I can't earn his trust.
- Ma'am.
- Thank you.
- Tick tock.
Tick, tock.
You need a hand with that, doc?
- I prefer to be addressed
as Dr. Tyler or Amanda.
Have a seat, please.
State your name for the record.
- Jackson Michael shea.
- Inmate 78011.
- There's a point to
all this, right doc?
Seeing as how the
sand of my hourglass
has just about run out.
I don't see this
benefiting me very much.
- My plan is to get
to the root cause
of your excessive violence.
- You mean the newspaper
and magazine stories
calling me a monster.
- I've read your file.
- And what?
You've read some papers.
Some file a prison hack too
stupid to make it on the outside
wrote about me after he
showed me some inkblots.
You read that shit and
think you're inside my head?
Doc, you don't know a
fucking thing about me.
- You're right, Jack.
I don't know a fucking
thing about you.
And if I did, I wouldn't be
here wasting my time, or yours.
Would you like me to leave?
- Tick, tock.
Tick, tock, tick, tick.
So what's a pretty little
thing like you doing here?
You draw the short straw?
- It's about the violence, Jack.
If I can pinpoint the
time, the place, the cause,
then maybe I can at least
help stop the cycle.
Now we have some very important
decisions to make, don't we?
Let's start...
- with my mother's tit milk.
Did I get enough as an infant
to properly nourish me for
life in civilized society?
- Did you?
- Tick.
Doc, you ready to hear a story?
Tick, tock.
Tick, tock.
Tick, tock.
It was the summer of '85.
We had no money, so we had to
move into my uncle
Mike's single wide.
Sometimes, when I close my eyes,
I can still smell
that musty trailer.
- Bigger bears try to pretend
that they came 'round the
corner to look for a friend.
That they came 'round the
corner to look for a frown.
- Hold on.
- And they try to
pretend that nobody cares.
Whether you walk on the
lines, or on the squares.
- Phone for you, Cynthia.
- Thanks, Mike.
Okay, well, your uncle Mike's
gonna help you finish
reading, okay book?
- Good night, mommy.
- Hey buddy.
- Hey, hey uncle Mike.
- Ready for your
birthday bedtime story?
- People always talk about god.
Where was god when my uncle
was sneaking into my
bedroom late at night,
telling me bedroom stories,
I didn't wanna hear.
- Everything is gonna
be okay, my son.
You are in the presence
of the lord now.
Tell me what happened.
- How did your
mother react to the news?
- Not the way you'd think.
- Mrs. shea, I'm,
I really wish I were here
under different circumstances,
I'm sorry.
It involves your
brother and your son.
- Well what is it?
- Has, has your son been
acting different lately?
Anything strange
about his behavior?
- My, my, my son is a good boy.
- Yes he is.
I don't know how to say
this, so I'll just say it.
We believe that your brother
has been inappropriately
touching your son.
- Inappropriately
touching my son?
- Your brother's been
molesting your son, Mrs. shea.
- That is not true.
- I'm sorry.
- That is not true.
I don't know where
you got that, but,
that ain't true.
- Mrs. shea, your son told me.
I'm sorry.
- That don't make no sense.
That don't make no sense.
That's a, that's a lie.
That is a goddamn lie.
You're making up stories.
And you come in here with
your lies and your stories.
You need to go.
You need to get the
hell outta here.
You need to get the
hell outta my house.
I said get the hell
outta my house.
Get out, get outta here.
And your lies, and your stories.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
What the hell did
you do to my boy?
- I was the victim.
But I may as well have
been the perpetrator
from the way she reacted.
- I said to get outta my house.
- I'm sorry.
May god be with you.
- This is my house!
It's my house!
Come in here, saying
things like that to me.
- Cynthia shea
drank herself to death
pretty soon after.
Killed, maybe.
What do you think?
Destined from a tender
age to be a criminal, or.
- Well it's too
soon in the process
for me to form an
opinion on that.
- What exactly is your process?
- I know that you're familiar
with the flag system.
So I am looking for
signs that stand out.
And recognizing the
red flags early enough
so that the violence
can be stopped.
So, let's talk about your uncle.
- I lived with him
until about the time I was 17.
After I got too old, uncle
Mike turned his attentions
to the kid of the
girl he'd been seeing.
She didn't suspect a damn thing.
Seeing him chase
after that little boy,
something just snapped.
- No no, please, god.
- I felt illuminated and free.
- Free?
- Well it was the
first time in my life
I was ever in control of
the events that guided me.
Nothing's more
freeing than that.
- You know you
could've stopped him
without putting him
in the hospital.
You chose to fly into a rage.
- Don't you get it, doc?
We're all just caged animals.
With animal instincts.
Time's up, Dr. Tyler.
- Firefighters
from waco and other cities
report that due to dry
weather and wind conditions,
the fire is still very
much an active threat
to local communities,
and that evacuation orders
will remain in place.
The fire is currently
reported to be 15% contained.
More information on
this ongoing story
will be reported as
it becomes available.
- God, I miss you.
Looking at law and order,
the impending execution of
Texas inmate Jackson shea
shines a harsh light
on capital punishment
in the lone star state.
Due to vocal public opinion
on both sides of the issue,
the governor has announced a
final review of the possibility
for a stay of execution
in Mr. shea's case
under the authority
of Dr. Amanda Tyler,
a noted criminal psychologist.
The governor has stated
that Dr. Tyler's findings
will likely be a key factor
in determining what action
the Texas department of
criminal justice will take.
- You ready to start, Jack?
- The judge gave me a choice.
Either go to military
school, or go to juvie.
I breeze through basic training,
get selected for sniper school
because I have 20/10 vision,
and I aced marksmanship.
- Well your file says
that you actually
got kicked out of
military school.
That resulted in
parole left 18 months.
There's consequences
for our actions, Jack.
Action.
Reaction.
Action, you put your
uncle in the hospital.
Reaction, you get
sentenced to 18 months.
- 18 months, served 12.
- So this is, what?
An example of the
system failing?
You think you're above the law?
- You ever cheat the
insurance companies, doc?
Bill a patient for cash
and put in a claim for it.
Us in the know call that
double back billing.
First line of defense
against the y2k buzz,
checking each
machine to make sure
it works properly
in the year 2000.
- Mia, could you give us two
fingers of the good stuff?
- Yes, Marty.
- I met Marty in prison.
Let's just say he was
someone in the know.
Once I got out, he
offered me a job,
'cause let's face it, who
else is gonna hire a con?
- Listen to me, kid.
I'm talking about doctors,
lawyers, dentists.
Large amounts of cash that
don't get reported to the IRS.
Won't be reported to the
cops if it comes up missing.
They hide their money in a
coat closet in their office,
or in a shoe box under the bed.
There was this one lawyer,
he hid 25,000 fucking
dollars in a coffee can
that he stuck in a microwave.
- There's a point
somewhere here, right?
- Yeah, this is the point.
That dickhead parole
officer I have?
He got me a night job
cleaning office buildings.
Hey.
This guy, he's gotta replace
the shop-vac on
the second floor.
- The hell I care for?
Just sign the damn board.
- Now in one of these
buildings is a gynecologist,
who gives a discount
to women who pay cash,
and then he bills their
insurance company.
There it is.
He's got a safe in his closet
that is bursting out
the fucking seams.
- How much money are
we talking about?
- We won't know 'til we open it.
This doctor must be
some kinda idiot.
He buys himself a wall safe,
but he doesn't put it in a wall.
You got the hammer, kid?
What're you doing, get the
chisel, come on, man, come on.
Come on.
Now just go down the sides,
it's soft there, come on.
Yes.
We won't know until we open
it, but I can tell you this.
If someone finds it necessary
to hide an unwired
safe in their office,
generally speaking, it's
for a very good reason.
Damn.
Just like milking a tit, kid.
Come on, pack it up,
get the fuck outta here
and meet me back at my
place for breakfast.
You listen to me.
You do what I say,
and both of us
could make our Mike bend it.
- Hey.
You forgot to sign out.
- Sorry.
I grew up poor, but there I was,
staring at more money than
my mama made in a year.
- $16,400.
Go ahead, take your half.
- Half?
- Yeah, we're partners.
Take half, that's what partners
do, right down the middle.
Come on, take it,
take it, take it.
So long as you follow
the rules, we're golden.
Number one rule.
You gotta stay innocuous.
Don't let them see you coming.
You know the cops in robbery,
they're looking for the asshole
who's walking down the street
with a shiny new rolex
the day after a big heist.
And once you're
pegged, you're pegged.
I mean, kid you
could buy yourself
a new pair of shoes
once in a while,
but you go walking down
Broadway in a silk Italian suit?
You'll be in a line-up
for the rest of your life.
We on the same train here, kid?
- Yeah.
I'd say that train
left the station.
- You gotta stop
drinking coffee.
Open that up.
It's gonna put a
hole in your stomach.
It's the worst thing
for you, coffee.
It's bad for your nerves.
This'll make it a little better,
but you really should stop that.
I'm your friend, you
know what I mean?
You got a big future.
Here's to crime.
Who says crime doesn't pay?
Salud.
- I was a student,
Marty the teacher.
After our third job together,
Marty put me to the test.
Find a mark of my own.
So I checked out a
few local dentists.
Hey doc, I don't have
an insurance card,
do you give discounts for cash?
- 'Fraid not.
Insurance and cards only.
Open wide, seems like
you've got a bad cavity.
- By the third dentist,
my gums were so swollen
that my teeth felt like
they were ready to fall out.
But, I had the cleanest
mouth in the city.
- I can't believe
you'd be so stupid.
How many times can you get
your teeth cleaned in one day?
Here we are.
Dentists.
- Good afternoon,
thank you for calling
sunshine dental.
- Hello, do you offer
senior and cash discounts?
Oh, yes sir, we do.
- Oh, you do.
You do offer discounts for cash.
Too right, we do.
- Well that's fantastic.
Thank you very much.
- Well
would you care to make an...
- what's the moral
of your story, kid?
Let your fingers do the walking
through the yellow pages.
- What's this?
- That is a Christmas present.
- So it's one of those,
too good to be
true type of deals.
- We don't know what's
in the fucking safe
until we open it, right?
Come on.
I can't sit here.
I hate that couch, you know
i found a rat in there once.
- Why didn't you tell me
that before I sat on it?
- Before you slept on it.
- Leo frank, attorney at law.
The tip game from an
old friend of Martin's
who was still doing time and
needed a stake when he got out.
Martin agreed to put
away 20% for him.
- Right on time.
Alright, we gain access
through the maintenance door
on the side of the building.
Let's go.
- Where's the safe?
- There it is, behind the bar.
Just like he said.
- Now why would you go
through all the trouble
with a safe like that if
you're not gonna wire it?
- You don't hardwire
something that doesn't exist.
- You sure about this, old man?
- Shit.
- What?
- Battery's dead.
- Are you kidding me?
- Do you have any extras?
- There's one in the
flashlights, will those work?
- No, this takes AAA.
- Think I found something.
- Get out of here with
that, it's disgusting.
- Hold on.
- You don't know
where that's been.
Have you no decency?
Just watch the door.
- Wrap it up, Marty.
- Okay, okay, alright.
Yes.
- Did you know that
motion for discovery
means the prosecutor
and the defendant
must exchange all
evidence and information
pertinent to a case?
- $660,000, divided
by two, minus 20%,
is a great night's work, man.
Fuck.
What?
What?
- I don't know,
Marty, it's just.
I know when something
is too good to be true.
- What's your point?
- My point is that there's not
that many safes lying around
with this kinda cash in it
that aren't for
something special.
- What's the matter with you?
Are you mental? Come on.
- I'm serious.
Marty, I will take the
money back for you,
tonight, if you want.
- Kid, what're
you talking about?
We can't put it back.
- We take the money, and buy a
condo on the beach somewhere,
play shuffleboard
with the old ladies.
Just, get outta town.
- Okay, okay, I'll
make you a deal.
Give me one week to
tie up some loose ends.
And then I've got
this friend in Texas,
I was gonna
introduce you to him.
But we'll take the
money, we'll leave town.
One week.
It's all I ask.
Okay?
- Robert?
Mr. belmont?
- Yeah.
- This is captain William
Wilder, robbery division.
- The point is this, Micky?
I got plenty of cops on payroll,
i don't need another one.
- The captain's got a
business proposal for you.
- Look, Mr. belmont.
My wife wants an
entirely new kitchen.
My sons want an entertainment
room in the basement.
And I want my own bathroom
so I don't have to look
at my wife's shit
hanging on the shower.
- Do I look like an
interior decorator to you?
- No.
- Then why do I give a
fuck about your wife's shit
handing in the bathroom?
- Information.
- Bob, hear him out.
- You gonna pay for these
things I want, Mr. belmont.
Plus a little bonus in exchange
for the man who
robbed your safe.
- You oughtta be very
careful, Mr. police captain,
or you might find yourself
missing in your own precinct.
- Robert.
- Yeah.
- The man is an
old school thief.
The kind that has
steel for balls.
Second story guy.
Leo comes to me after
your safe was robbed
and I do a little
quiet poking around.
My contacts tell
me that he's living
in a basement of a
department store.
You wanna know the address?
- What kinda kitchen
does your wife like?
- Where's my money, tough guy?
- I don't know.
I swear I don't know.
Jesus.
- Search the place.
You're a stubborn
son of a bitch.
- The catalyst that
launched you into hell.
- Hell might be a bit extreme.
- Well what would you call it?
Purgatory?
- Anticipation.
You know, that intense
feeling you get
right before you
jump into something
that you know will
change your life forever.
I guess purgatory's as
good a word as anyway.
Put your hands on
the steering wheel.
Handcuff yourself to
the steering wheel.
Pull forward.
You're gonna tell me who
murdered Martin bigg.
I need a name.
- I can't.
- I need a name.
- I can't, he'll kill me.
- What about me?
I will kill you right
here, right now,
unless you give
me a fucking name.
- Robert belmont.
Let go.
He's the key.
- Robert belmont.
Big time loan shark
and business man.
He wasn't hard to track down.
I started moonlighting
as a chauffeur,
driving the son of a bitch.
Learned his routine.
I even picked him up from
his mistress's place.
I always had a drink
waiting for him.
And then one night, I slipped
in a little something extra.
There he is.
Morning, sunshine.
I was worried I put a little
too much in your drink.
- Untie me, you piss ant fuck.
- There's no need to be rude.
- Okay, alright.
You proved your point.
Now untie me and tell
me what you want.
Wow.
You got balls, kid.
I'll give that to you.
You know, you may just be
the guy that I've
been looking for.
The guy that's gonna take my
business to the next level.
I fail to see what's so funny.
- You're alone, tied to a chair.
What about this situation
leads you to believe
you're in a position
suitable for bargaining?
- Okay.
Untie me, and walk away.
We'll just let this one go.
- You're not paying
attention, Bobby.
The only reason
you're still alive,
is I haven't killed you yet.
- How much?
- I will give you this.
You have fine taste in whiskey.
- How much?
- Stay with me, Bobby, boy.
Stay with me.
- One million.
- You remember this, don't you?
You arrogant fuck.
This belonged to my partner.
He didn't know the
money was yours.
You could've, let that one go.
- Your partner was a
degenerate fuck, alright?
He stole from me.
What am I supposed to do,
just pat him on the back?
Fuck that.
Okay, alright, I'm sorry.
Two million.
- You talk too much, Bob.
I'm not interested
in your money.
You tortured my friend.
You tortured him, and let him
bleed to death like a pig.
This is for Marty.
I gave that bastard a preview
of what's waiting
for him in hell.
Belmont got what he deserved,
but I wanna make one thing
real clear to you, doc.
I didn't commit murder.
I performed an execution.
There's a difference.
- Bullshit.
I don't believe that,
and neither do you.
- You talk a lot, but what
can you really speak for?
Can you speak for me?
- I wanna ask you a question.
- Tick, tock.
When it's my time, will
you care about me then?
That moment when the
needle, the very first one,
slips into my body
and relaxes my nerves.
Are you gonna watch me?
Are you gonna watch me, or are
you gonna turn and look away?
When the second needle
freezes my lungs,
are you gonna scribble scrabble
in your notepad for
future reference?
And when that third
needle stops my heart,
and they pronounce my body dead,
are you gonna anguish
over my death?
Or are you gonna rejoice
that the law of your
land was fulfilled?
- Neither.
- You ever see anyone die, doc?
You ever watch as
the light fades
out of someone's
eyes as they just,
drift away into nothing?
- It's none of your
fucking business.
It's not about me.
- This is about you.
This whole game
has been about you.
Your bullshit cocky attitude
isn't gonna work with me, doc.
- It's not about me.
- I don't,
I don't fucking care
if it's about you.
Fuck your questions, fuck you.
I'm done.
I'm not playing your
fucking games anymore.
- You're done playing
games when I tell you.
Got it?
- Any evidence should have
been destroyed in the fire,
so I figured it was
time to leave the city.
You know who runs this place?
- Mr. Charlie rose.
- Keep the change.
I found an address in
Marty's Texas travel book.
And then there she was.
She was the most beautiful
woman I'd ever laid my eyes on.
- Good evening.
- Hello, Billy.
I believe we have a guest.
- Right over there.
- Aren't you a sweetie.
- I'm sorry, have we met?
- Not exactly.
Olivia.
- Jackson.
- Shea, yes.
Martin bigg was a mutual friend.
Oh don't worry, I'm not a cop.
But that was quite a
job you did on belmont.
- Who says that was me?
- I have my sources.
- I don't like being followed.
- Noted.
Dance with me.
- And you're
too pretty to be a cop.
- I didn't know Martin.
But my father,
very close to him.
- Who's your father?
- Charlie rose.
Just like you.
He's a business man.
- What kinda business?
- Acquisitions.
- How'd you know
where to find me?
- You seen this place?
Somebody new walks into
town, I hear about it.
Besides, little Billy over
there has a sweet spot for me.
Wanna take a ride?
- Lead the way.
- Hi ladies.
- Good morning.
- Hey daddy.
- Well, my daughter's awake.
- Daddy, meet Jack shea.
Jack, meet Charlie.
- Mr. rose.
- Marty never said you
were such a city slicker.
- Is that gonna be a problem?
- No, not a problem, unless
you make it that way.
You all didn't do nothing
together, now, did you?
- Oh, daddy.
- Oh, come on, I'm
just playing with you.
Come on over here
and chat for a while.
Ladies, why don't you go on
inside and cool off a bit?
- Aw, baby.
- Hal?
- Yes sir.
Ladies, outta the pool, now.
- You know I like to
harness the energy of youth.
You want a beer?
- Look, Mr. rose, the
only reason I'm here
is because Marty said he
had a friend in Texas,
and that's it.
- Marty, Marty was
thick as a brick.
But he was a tremendous
judge of character.
Now, from appearance, you look
like you're up to the mark,
but it's what's underneath
that concerns me.
If you'll crack when the
heat gets cranked up.
You gotta keep a low profile.
I've been my entire life,
and I never got so much
as a hockey ticket.
I only do outside
horses and oil,
and I don't shit where i
live, if you catch my drift.
I spend a whole year, an entire
year, on a single project.
But the payoff is
always worthwhile.
And I don't touching nothing,
unless it'll fetch at
least five million U.S.
I use a crew, and i
rotate who's in charge.
Olivia there sometimes
acts as another guy,
when she's not causing chaos.
You know, I never hire a man
unless they're a Texas man.
I just don't trust 'em.
But Marty was a brother to me.
So I'm not gonna throw you out.
But you're gonna have
to prove yourself.
What do you think
there, blue eyes?
- When do we get started?
- How does 75 mil sound?
- Good afternoon, Mr.
And Ms. stroblekowitz.
How're y'all doing today?
- Very well, thank you.
- Mr. beeker's ready for you.
Flynn'll be taking you upstairs.
- Please follow me.
- Thank you.
- Y'all have a great day.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Simon beeker was the
President of the largest bank
nobody ever heard of.
Beeker handled overseas
financial transactions,
how the money flowed.
Just none of it
flowed to beeker.
- Mr. beeker,
your clients have arrived.
- Hi.
- Afternoon.
- Please, have a seat.
- Thank you.
- What can I do for you?
- We represent Mr.
Rose's interests.
- Yes, Mr. beeker.
- Cherry, can you
send Paul in, please?
- Right away.
- Um.
I, uh,
I didn't expect you so soon.
- The timeline's moved up.
- Now, Mr. beeker.
We know the vault's
codes change daily.
Now your man, they
show up at 11:00 pm,
not a second sooner or later,
with the codes,
and we're golden.
Anything after that, we're
not gonna do business.
Now, Mr. beeker.
We know that there's 75
million in bonds in that vault.
- 75 mil sounds good.
But this time I'm
the leading man.
- No ma'am, you are not.
- Oh yes sir, I am.
- I beg your pardon,
missy, but you are not.
- Daddy.
- Okay.
You wanna wheel and deal, missy?
You take hal.
- Got you, boss.
I'll take real good care of her.
- No, I am not taking hal.
Do we have a deal?
- Mr. rose's cut is 10
cents on the dollar.
Do I make myself clear?
- Yeah, that's understood.
- Alright then, pleasure
doing business with you.
- Okay, deal, no hal.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- I was happy.
It seemed like, just for once,
god smiled down on me.
- You know how much I love you?
I love you so much.
- I love you forever.
- Yeah.
- I got a job, I need a driver.
- Yeah, I can drive.
How much?
- The usual amount.
- What time do
y'all need me there?
- Couple days.
Keep your phone on.
I'll be in touch.
It's done.
- Sometimes you gotta keep
the training wheels on,
even though they
wanna roll alone.
- We cased the place.
We had blueprints,
guard schedules,
and Charlie even had a duplicate
of the security system
made for me to practice.
We had all the bases covered.
- Okay.
- We look like we're
dressed for a funeral.
- I see you brought
your boyfriends,
did you bring the codes?
- That's why we're here, Jack.
- Then let's get to work.
- Hey, keep an eye on
the scanners, alright?
Make sure all the
edges are sealed.
This is beeker's private floor.
There's no cameras here.
There you go.
Beeker put the security
cameras in the vault on loop.
Nice.
We got an hour, then beeker
will be here to get his cut.
- Codes.
- Here.
- If even one of those
numbers is wrong,
half the police department'll
show up outside.
- Listen, little lady.
I got it from beeker himself.
Wrote the numbers down
exactly the way he told me.
- Pressure changes things.
Makes a man write a
six instead of a nine.
- Not beeker, the man's ice.
- I was talking about you.
- You two about done bickering?
- Your husband's a prick.
You could do so much better.
Yo, what's it doing?
- It's synchronized the alarms,
it's deciphering
codes in stages.
Each stage has a
different color.
- What the hell
are we waiting for?
- That.
- Beeker's in the Van.
We'll split the bonds up there.
- You know,
something's been bothering me.
Now why would beeker
show up here in person
and put himself at risk?
- Fuck.
- Olivia, stay down.
- Olivia, we
gotta get the fuck out now.
- I'm not leaving Jack.
- Don't worry
about me, go with him.
Get out of here.
- Unlock this door.
- Look, I can't help
Jack, I can only help you.
- You are not leaving Jack.
- I'm getting
paid, motherfucker.
- Jack, oh Jack,
you out there, son?
Listen I got a
confession to make, pal.
Your wife whispered in my ear
that she wants to suck my dick.
You like that?
I'll make you a deal.
You give me what's mine
and I'll let you go.
It wasn't supposed to
be like this, Jack.
- Oh yeah?
How was it supposed to be?
You kill us and take the bonds?
- You got it.
Hey, get the fuck out there.
Nice shot, Jack.
Too bad it wasn't me.
Listen, fuck beeker.
Why should he get the money?
Me and you, we split
the money, 50/50.
How's that sound?
- Sounds like bullshit.
- Hey Jack.
After I kill you, I'm gonna
fuck that little whore of yours.
You keep what's mine.
Oh shit.
You hear that?
We're both gonna go
to fucking prison.
You wouldn't, uh,
you wouldn't shoot a man
in the back, would you?
- Yes, I would.
Gun, he's got a gun.
Geez, we got a situation here.
Call for backup.
- Margaret, don't
bring it up again.
Just tell the guys there's
a ladder in the garage,
or we'll rent theirs, 'cause
they'll charge you rent.
And have them climb
up on the roof
and don't tell 'em we
don't have insurance.
No, I'm not gonna
discuss it with you now,
I'll do it when I get home.
- Warden.
- How're you, sir?
- I'm fine.
- Thank you for your
service to your client.
But you are done here, sir.
- Thank you.
- I love the word
barrister, I always have.
And you have the
best job in America,
when you become a judge.
Because every day
you get to go to work
with a chance to be fair.
- Thanks again, warden.
- Good day, sir.
See, it's part of my job.
And your job is
trying to be spiderman
and climb up to second
stories and do bad things.
And you got caught.
Would you rather have the
water warmer or colder?
Strip.
Full frontal.
Very good, you'll do.
You don't need to cover it, bud,
we couldn't be shocked
by anything you'd have.
Hello son.
- Sir.
- How're you today, sir?
- Good, sir.
- Good.
How about you?
- About ready
to get out of here.
- Very good, sir.
Hey.
Well, that didn't work.
Maybe you're just rude.
You don't have manners.
When one of your betters is
outside and front of the bars,
you stand up, turn around,
and look him in
the goddamned eye.
That's more like it.
You know what I need from you?
Your attention.
And I'm gonna demand it
every time I look in
your fucking eyes.
How're you enjoying
our fine facility?
I hope it's up to
your standards.
Is it to your liking?
Or have you seen better?
Or would you rather be
in a hole underground?
Can you hear me?!
Because it's
important you hear me.
Every time I've ever
looked in your face,
even back in my office,
you never took your eyes off me.
I'm not that fucking
attractive, bud.
You always give me
that gold stare,
it don't mean shit to me,
you're not gonna scare me down.
You understand that, don't you?
I don't care how bad
you think you are.
You're not as bad
as the executioner.
- Hey, fish.
Got my jollies?
Do you know what's
happening here?
You know what's happening?
- Fuck off.
- Party, motherfucker.
A big party.
Get over here.
- I'm gonna skullfuck
you, pretty boy.
- A little
present from the warden.
- Hell yeah, that's what's up.
- What the fuck are you?
- Remember me, motherfucker?
- You've been up to a
lot of bad shit, son.
Why do I stay?
You know what I stay,
'cause I like bad guys.
Because they don't
wanna be bad guys.
And a lot of 'em think
we're the bad guys,
and I'm a bad guy.
And I like criminals,
professionals at what they do.
I particularly like
the second story man,
'cause he's gotta be
athletic, he's gotta be agile.
He's gotta think.
You put all that
ingenuity together,
and you wonder, why can't
we all just get along?
- What's your
proposition, warden?
- You know the difference
between a criminal,
and a law man?
One,
lives rent free, three
meals a day, a bed.
The other one,
can't even pay his rent.
And our uncle, who lives
back there on the east coast,
doesn't pay people like me shit.
Now I'm thinking
of retiring soon.
And I got three daughters.
So you do the math.
- You know what
the real difference
is between crooks and
law men is, warden?
- Try me.
- What side of the
bars they're on.
- That's clever.
With a mind like that,
you should be nowhere near
an institution like this.
You wanna stay here
the rest of your life?
Or you wanna be out there?
You want your girl
running around,
outside the walls of this
prison, looking like she does?
Without supervision?
I don't think so.
Now, in your own mind,
are you better in or out?
Because that's what
we're talking about.
So let's make a deal,
and you can take a hike,
and I can quit being
a fucking warden.
If you're gonna
make a deal with me,
you're gonna shake my hand.
Deal.
- The warden's
proposition was simple.
Some snitch had let it slip
that a drug deal was
going down by the border.
Having me get the cash
kept his hands clean.
And in return, I got a
get outta jail free card
with a new identity, and
a second chance at life.
And lucky for me, there was
a goodhearted woman waiting.
- You okay?
You don't have to do this.
We can go away, start again.
- We'll just have to
do it someplace else.
- Warden.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, we're here,
we're packing in.
- Just stay with
him until the deal's done.
You understand that, right?
- Got it.
You better be the shot
you say you are, boy.
I can't see a goddamn thing.
- Get ready with the bullhorn.
- No one else needs to get hurt.
You just do exactly what I say.
Drop your guns, throw your
keys, and keep walking.
Walk away and don't look back.
- You only killed
two, goddamn it.
- There's no need
to kill the rest.
- I'll say what is
needed, convict.
- Drugs weren't
part of the deal.
- Your deal, not ours.
- Yeah.
- Warden.
They checked into the
motel you got 'em.
- That's good.
You know what the story is.
- Yeah.
- You know what you have to do.
Got it?
- Copy that.
- Warden's man took the drugs,
but I held onto the money.
He'd meet me at the
hotel in the morning,
and I'd exchange his
money for my new life.
In the morning we'll just
give this money to Morton.
And we're done.
- I don't know.
This whole thing feels off.
Promise me, this
is the last one.
I can't lose you.
- On one condition.
Will you spend the rest
of your life with me?
- Yes.
- Try it on.
It fits.
What do you think?
- It's beautiful.
- Tell me how it
looks in the light.
- It sparkles.
- It sparkles like your eyes.
- I love it.
- I hope so.
- You spoiled me.
- When all this is done,
we'll have enough money.
We'll start over again.
We're gonna have a house,
maybe two baby boys.
I'll even retire, you know,
be a postman like a regular
old job or something.
Just to be able to wake up
every morning next to you.
What do you think
about that, babe?
- I love you so much.
- I'm glad you do.
- Thank you, baby.
- Baby, get down.
- Go on, get him.
- Baby.
It's okay.
No no, babe, no you're
okay, you're okay.
You're okay, hey,
you're gonna be okay.
Olivia.
Please stay awake.
Just a little longer,
we're gonna get that
house I promised you.
Okay.
We got a lot left to do.
- I love you, Jack.
- Olivia.
I'm sorry.
Olivia.
Please.
Tick.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
And so it goes.
- This was good.
This was a lot of progress.
And,
tomorrow we'll get
to the underlying...
- tomorrow I have a
date with a real doctor.
You know what the worst part is?
Nobody's gonna be
there to see me off.
Anyway.
It was nice talking
with you, Amanda.
- You too, Jack.
- I am telling you, he's
one nasty son of a bitch.
He hires young, he pays more
than all his competitors,
and when he gets his hooks
in 'em, he doesn't let go.
- Check all his analysts.
Even his guys down
there in the trenches,
they're bound to make a mistake.
And when they do,
we will be ready.
We will be ready.
Good work, Mr. Cartwright.
- Thank you.
- Good work.
Jill, give us a minute.
- Yeah sure, no problem.
- Thank you.
- Dr. Tyler.
- There you go.
- What do you got for me?
You can't be serious.
- I'm serious.
- Texas versus Johnson.
Okay.
You claim you wanna
save lives, doctor.
You preach fighting
the good fight.
You wave your flag of justice
around your lecture hall
like some avenging angel.
But this?
This is not a case study.
This is not about theorizing,
glorifying, or grandstanding.
Dr. Tyler, this is
about paying a debt.
It's not just a debt to the
families of the victims,
but to society, righting
a terrible wrong,
and preventing future wrongs.
Protecting the innocent.
And you, of all people,
should understand that
since your husband was murdered.
Am I correct?
- Yeah, you're correct.
My husband was murdered.
So let me ask you a question.
- Shoot.
- What if this time,
perpetuating the cycle
and continuing down
the wrong path,
and protecting a broken system,
isn't what's best for society?
- System's far from
broken, doctor.
We're traveling down a path
humanity's been navigating
since the dawn of society.
Law and order.
Crime and punishment.
Tit for tat.
Without this system in
place, we will surely
be living in a constant
state of hypersensitivity.
Wouldn't you say?
- No, we've moved beyond that.
We are past reacting off of
just our primal instinct.
- We've moved beyond.
Okay, doc. Okay.
Look who you're talking to here.
You're gonna sit here
and tell me this.
Even though an educated black
man in a three piece suit
right here in the
good state of Texas
can't run down the street
without possibly being
mistaken for a criminal
and shot down like a dog?
That we have evolved.
I'd have to argue
against that, doctor.
It's a delicate balance.
Punish too harshly,
you have a revolt.
Don't punish enough,
you have anarchy.
See, the very fear of violence
keeps violence at bay.
By not responding to
violence with violence,
we take away that fear,
and we take away the very thing
that keeps our system intact.
So no, doctor, our
system is not broken,
we are not headed
down the wrong path.
I'm doing my job for society.
Whether you are or
not is yet to be seen.
- What about
compassion and empathy?
And mercy?
- Mercy.
We're all just pieces
on the board, doctor.
We're just pieces on the board.
- Yeah, well, at
the end of the game,
the king and the pawns
go in the same damn box.
You don't wanna help me?
I'll take it to the
governor myself.
- Time to go.
- Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the
shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff,
they comfort me,
surely the goodness of mercy
shall follow me all
the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the
house of the lord forever.
- Any last words, shea?
- The worst part is,
nobody's gonna be
there to see me off.
- I love you.
I'll see you soon.
- Violence.
What is the cause?
To truly understand
the nature of violence,
we need to look
beyond the individual.
We need to look at the
culture of violence
that permeates our society.
And we also need
to look at the way
that we punish those that
commit acts of violence.
Because when we answer
violence with violence
and trade death for death,
all we're doing is
perpetuating a vicious cycle.
- But what if someone
you love was murdered?
Would you feel that answering
violence with violence
is appropriate?
- I believe I would
feel that in the moment.
But I wouldn't want
their deaths avenged
by a cruel and
capricious system.
What the hell am i
supposed to do with this?
- Doctor's orders, honey.
No staturated fat.
- Ma'am, that doctor is a hack.
And he's pathetic.
He shouldn't even
have a license.
Stop listening to the doctor.
Jesus.
You give me bread?
First of all it's not toasted,
second of all it's peanut
butter without any jam.
How do you expect me to
swallow this or get it down?
How many goddamn times do
i have to tell you that?
Get your nose out of a
cookbook and learn to make
a peanut butter
and jelly sandwich.
- Keep talking like that
and you'll be making
your own sandwiches.
- What did you say?
What was that?
- According to the global
health education consortium,
there are numerous social
causes for violence.
Poverty, unemployment,
illicit drug and alcohol
abuse, cultural norms.
But these external influences
don't explain the root
cause of violence.
Texas versus Johnson.
Ed Johnson was charged
with first degree murder
after the deaths of
his ex-girlfriend
and a boy she was seeing.
Because of the
heinousness of the crimes,
and the ages of the victims,
the prosecutors wanted to
push for the death penalty.
But because ed was a few
months shy of turning 18,
the judge balked.
He was released after
serving only five years,
for good behavior.
One week after being paroled,
ed was pulled over for
a routine traffic stop.
And the police found
the severed head
of a nine year old
little girl in his trunk.
Because of this new discovery,
ed was sentenced to death.
Had the state sentenced him
after the first violent act
where two innocent
lives were lost,
that little girl
would've been spared.
The most interesting part,
is according to his records,
there was no history
of mental illness
or neurological diseases.
So was he born violent?
Ask yourself that.
Now, without understanding
where violence originates,
it's impossible to rehabilitate,
let alone prevent
future violent acts.
- Well what if violence is
so ingrained to our society,
our American culture...
- excuse me, sir.
- That outbursts are inevitable?
There's no escaping it.
- I refuse to believe that
we're far from stopping
the epidemic of violence
sweeping through our country.
- Even with a system in place
that just trades
death for death?
- Okay, so are controlled
executions an act of violence?
Or an act of mercy for the
loved ones of the victims?
- Isn't the act of
killing always violent?
- Is it?
I want you guys to think about
that when you pick a case.
Look for the hidden motives,
and clues that were missed.
And had they not been missed,
would the tragedy
have been prevented?
And remember to be objective.
That is the key
to get an accurate
and impartial read on
the situation, okay?
Class dismissed.
And you are?
- Ben woods.
Assistant district attorney.
I'd like for you to
consult on a case for me.
His name is Jack shea, he's
set for execution in 72 hours.
With it being an election year,
the governor's
under extra pressure
to reevaluate the state's
position on capital punishment.
- Well the nuances of the law
aren't exactly my specialty...
- I'm not here for
legal advice, miss...
- doctor.
- Doctor, pardon.
Now you've watched the news,
national focus was
on the protests,
it's got the governor
backed into a corner.
Now if this execution
goes forward,
our schedule, without
an official review,
the governor won't stand a
chance of serving another term.
I just want you to
talk to him, hm?
Give him your
professional opinion.
Consider it your civic duty.
Maybe, just maybe,
you'll save a life.
My card and my
number's in there.
- Hey, quick
monkeying around, garimba.
- Well maybe if
you stopped lion around, Leo.
Get up, lazy bones, it's
time for adventuring.
- Mommy!
- Hi, baby girl.
Shouldn't you be in bed?
- Grandma said I could watch
one more show on TV before bed.
- She did now, huh?
- Yep, all the
animals on this show
live together at the zoo.
- Aw.
- Can we go to the zoo, mommy?
- Well I tell you what.
How about you go upstairs,
brush your teeth,
and you be a good girl
for grandma all week,
and then I will take
you next weekend, okay?
Go on up, brush your teeth
and I'll tuck you in.
- Can grandma read
me a story first?
Please, please please?
- I think I can manage that.
- Come on, grandma, let's go.
- Thanks, mom.
- No problem.
Oh, I left you some
dinner by the stove.
- Thank you.
- Good night, mommy, I love you.
- Good night, I love you.
- I thought you quit
three months ago.
Ally was bummed that
you didn't make dinner.
- I know she was.
You know, I just
couldn't get here.
But thank you for picking
her up from school today.
- It's no problem.
Come here.
- Thank you.
- Don't stay up too late, kiddo.
- I won't.
Good night, mom.
- Good night, sweetheart.
- Ben woods.
- Hey Ben, it's Dr. Tyler.
- Dr. Tyler.
- I'm in.
I'll do it.
I have a few conditions.
Our session needs to be private,
so I don't wanna be in a
standard interview room.
We should be somewhere
where he feels comfortable,
where he can at
least move around.
I mean we're not
gonna get anywhere
if I can't earn his trust.
- Ma'am.
- Thank you.
- Tick tock.
Tick, tock.
You need a hand with that, doc?
- I prefer to be addressed
as Dr. Tyler or Amanda.
Have a seat, please.
State your name for the record.
- Jackson Michael shea.
- Inmate 78011.
- There's a point to
all this, right doc?
Seeing as how the
sand of my hourglass
has just about run out.
I don't see this
benefiting me very much.
- My plan is to get
to the root cause
of your excessive violence.
- You mean the newspaper
and magazine stories
calling me a monster.
- I've read your file.
- And what?
You've read some papers.
Some file a prison hack too
stupid to make it on the outside
wrote about me after he
showed me some inkblots.
You read that shit and
think you're inside my head?
Doc, you don't know a
fucking thing about me.
- You're right, Jack.
I don't know a fucking
thing about you.
And if I did, I wouldn't be
here wasting my time, or yours.
Would you like me to leave?
- Tick, tock.
Tick, tock, tick, tick.
So what's a pretty little
thing like you doing here?
You draw the short straw?
- It's about the violence, Jack.
If I can pinpoint the
time, the place, the cause,
then maybe I can at least
help stop the cycle.
Now we have some very important
decisions to make, don't we?
Let's start...
- with my mother's tit milk.
Did I get enough as an infant
to properly nourish me for
life in civilized society?
- Did you?
- Tick.
Doc, you ready to hear a story?
Tick, tock.
Tick, tock.
Tick, tock.
It was the summer of '85.
We had no money, so we had to
move into my uncle
Mike's single wide.
Sometimes, when I close my eyes,
I can still smell
that musty trailer.
- Bigger bears try to pretend
that they came 'round the
corner to look for a friend.
That they came 'round the
corner to look for a frown.
- Hold on.
- And they try to
pretend that nobody cares.
Whether you walk on the
lines, or on the squares.
- Phone for you, Cynthia.
- Thanks, Mike.
Okay, well, your uncle Mike's
gonna help you finish
reading, okay book?
- Good night, mommy.
- Hey buddy.
- Hey, hey uncle Mike.
- Ready for your
birthday bedtime story?
- People always talk about god.
Where was god when my uncle
was sneaking into my
bedroom late at night,
telling me bedroom stories,
I didn't wanna hear.
- Everything is gonna
be okay, my son.
You are in the presence
of the lord now.
Tell me what happened.
- How did your
mother react to the news?
- Not the way you'd think.
- Mrs. shea, I'm,
I really wish I were here
under different circumstances,
I'm sorry.
It involves your
brother and your son.
- Well what is it?
- Has, has your son been
acting different lately?
Anything strange
about his behavior?
- My, my, my son is a good boy.
- Yes he is.
I don't know how to say
this, so I'll just say it.
We believe that your brother
has been inappropriately
touching your son.
- Inappropriately
touching my son?
- Your brother's been
molesting your son, Mrs. shea.
- That is not true.
- I'm sorry.
- That is not true.
I don't know where
you got that, but,
that ain't true.
- Mrs. shea, your son told me.
I'm sorry.
- That don't make no sense.
That don't make no sense.
That's a, that's a lie.
That is a goddamn lie.
You're making up stories.
And you come in here with
your lies and your stories.
You need to go.
You need to get the
hell outta here.
You need to get the
hell outta my house.
I said get the hell
outta my house.
Get out, get outta here.
And your lies, and your stories.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
What the hell did
you do to my boy?
- I was the victim.
But I may as well have
been the perpetrator
from the way she reacted.
- I said to get outta my house.
- I'm sorry.
May god be with you.
- This is my house!
It's my house!
Come in here, saying
things like that to me.
- Cynthia shea
drank herself to death
pretty soon after.
Killed, maybe.
What do you think?
Destined from a tender
age to be a criminal, or.
- Well it's too
soon in the process
for me to form an
opinion on that.
- What exactly is your process?
- I know that you're familiar
with the flag system.
So I am looking for
signs that stand out.
And recognizing the
red flags early enough
so that the violence
can be stopped.
So, let's talk about your uncle.
- I lived with him
until about the time I was 17.
After I got too old, uncle
Mike turned his attentions
to the kid of the
girl he'd been seeing.
She didn't suspect a damn thing.
Seeing him chase
after that little boy,
something just snapped.
- No no, please, god.
- I felt illuminated and free.
- Free?
- Well it was the
first time in my life
I was ever in control of
the events that guided me.
Nothing's more
freeing than that.
- You know you
could've stopped him
without putting him
in the hospital.
You chose to fly into a rage.
- Don't you get it, doc?
We're all just caged animals.
With animal instincts.
Time's up, Dr. Tyler.
- Firefighters
from waco and other cities
report that due to dry
weather and wind conditions,
the fire is still very
much an active threat
to local communities,
and that evacuation orders
will remain in place.
The fire is currently
reported to be 15% contained.
More information on
this ongoing story
will be reported as
it becomes available.
- God, I miss you.
Looking at law and order,
the impending execution of
Texas inmate Jackson shea
shines a harsh light
on capital punishment
in the lone star state.
Due to vocal public opinion
on both sides of the issue,
the governor has announced a
final review of the possibility
for a stay of execution
in Mr. shea's case
under the authority
of Dr. Amanda Tyler,
a noted criminal psychologist.
The governor has stated
that Dr. Tyler's findings
will likely be a key factor
in determining what action
the Texas department of
criminal justice will take.
- You ready to start, Jack?
- The judge gave me a choice.
Either go to military
school, or go to juvie.
I breeze through basic training,
get selected for sniper school
because I have 20/10 vision,
and I aced marksmanship.
- Well your file says
that you actually
got kicked out of
military school.
That resulted in
parole left 18 months.
There's consequences
for our actions, Jack.
Action.
Reaction.
Action, you put your
uncle in the hospital.
Reaction, you get
sentenced to 18 months.
- 18 months, served 12.
- So this is, what?
An example of the
system failing?
You think you're above the law?
- You ever cheat the
insurance companies, doc?
Bill a patient for cash
and put in a claim for it.
Us in the know call that
double back billing.
First line of defense
against the y2k buzz,
checking each
machine to make sure
it works properly
in the year 2000.
- Mia, could you give us two
fingers of the good stuff?
- Yes, Marty.
- I met Marty in prison.
Let's just say he was
someone in the know.
Once I got out, he
offered me a job,
'cause let's face it, who
else is gonna hire a con?
- Listen to me, kid.
I'm talking about doctors,
lawyers, dentists.
Large amounts of cash that
don't get reported to the IRS.
Won't be reported to the
cops if it comes up missing.
They hide their money in a
coat closet in their office,
or in a shoe box under the bed.
There was this one lawyer,
he hid 25,000 fucking
dollars in a coffee can
that he stuck in a microwave.
- There's a point
somewhere here, right?
- Yeah, this is the point.
That dickhead parole
officer I have?
He got me a night job
cleaning office buildings.
Hey.
This guy, he's gotta replace
the shop-vac on
the second floor.
- The hell I care for?
Just sign the damn board.
- Now in one of these
buildings is a gynecologist,
who gives a discount
to women who pay cash,
and then he bills their
insurance company.
There it is.
He's got a safe in his closet
that is bursting out
the fucking seams.
- How much money are
we talking about?
- We won't know 'til we open it.
This doctor must be
some kinda idiot.
He buys himself a wall safe,
but he doesn't put it in a wall.
You got the hammer, kid?
What're you doing, get the
chisel, come on, man, come on.
Come on.
Now just go down the sides,
it's soft there, come on.
Yes.
We won't know until we open
it, but I can tell you this.
If someone finds it necessary
to hide an unwired
safe in their office,
generally speaking, it's
for a very good reason.
Damn.
Just like milking a tit, kid.
Come on, pack it up,
get the fuck outta here
and meet me back at my
place for breakfast.
You listen to me.
You do what I say,
and both of us
could make our Mike bend it.
- Hey.
You forgot to sign out.
- Sorry.
I grew up poor, but there I was,
staring at more money than
my mama made in a year.
- $16,400.
Go ahead, take your half.
- Half?
- Yeah, we're partners.
Take half, that's what partners
do, right down the middle.
Come on, take it,
take it, take it.
So long as you follow
the rules, we're golden.
Number one rule.
You gotta stay innocuous.
Don't let them see you coming.
You know the cops in robbery,
they're looking for the asshole
who's walking down the street
with a shiny new rolex
the day after a big heist.
And once you're
pegged, you're pegged.
I mean, kid you
could buy yourself
a new pair of shoes
once in a while,
but you go walking down
Broadway in a silk Italian suit?
You'll be in a line-up
for the rest of your life.
We on the same train here, kid?
- Yeah.
I'd say that train
left the station.
- You gotta stop
drinking coffee.
Open that up.
It's gonna put a
hole in your stomach.
It's the worst thing
for you, coffee.
It's bad for your nerves.
This'll make it a little better,
but you really should stop that.
I'm your friend, you
know what I mean?
You got a big future.
Here's to crime.
Who says crime doesn't pay?
Salud.
- I was a student,
Marty the teacher.
After our third job together,
Marty put me to the test.
Find a mark of my own.
So I checked out a
few local dentists.
Hey doc, I don't have
an insurance card,
do you give discounts for cash?
- 'Fraid not.
Insurance and cards only.
Open wide, seems like
you've got a bad cavity.
- By the third dentist,
my gums were so swollen
that my teeth felt like
they were ready to fall out.
But, I had the cleanest
mouth in the city.
- I can't believe
you'd be so stupid.
How many times can you get
your teeth cleaned in one day?
Here we are.
Dentists.
- Good afternoon,
thank you for calling
sunshine dental.
- Hello, do you offer
senior and cash discounts?
Oh, yes sir, we do.
- Oh, you do.
You do offer discounts for cash.
Too right, we do.
- Well that's fantastic.
Thank you very much.
- Well
would you care to make an...
- what's the moral
of your story, kid?
Let your fingers do the walking
through the yellow pages.
- What's this?
- That is a Christmas present.
- So it's one of those,
too good to be
true type of deals.
- We don't know what's
in the fucking safe
until we open it, right?
Come on.
I can't sit here.
I hate that couch, you know
i found a rat in there once.
- Why didn't you tell me
that before I sat on it?
- Before you slept on it.
- Leo frank, attorney at law.
The tip game from an
old friend of Martin's
who was still doing time and
needed a stake when he got out.
Martin agreed to put
away 20% for him.
- Right on time.
Alright, we gain access
through the maintenance door
on the side of the building.
Let's go.
- Where's the safe?
- There it is, behind the bar.
Just like he said.
- Now why would you go
through all the trouble
with a safe like that if
you're not gonna wire it?
- You don't hardwire
something that doesn't exist.
- You sure about this, old man?
- Shit.
- What?
- Battery's dead.
- Are you kidding me?
- Do you have any extras?
- There's one in the
flashlights, will those work?
- No, this takes AAA.
- Think I found something.
- Get out of here with
that, it's disgusting.
- Hold on.
- You don't know
where that's been.
Have you no decency?
Just watch the door.
- Wrap it up, Marty.
- Okay, okay, alright.
Yes.
- Did you know that
motion for discovery
means the prosecutor
and the defendant
must exchange all
evidence and information
pertinent to a case?
- $660,000, divided
by two, minus 20%,
is a great night's work, man.
Fuck.
What?
What?
- I don't know,
Marty, it's just.
I know when something
is too good to be true.
- What's your point?
- My point is that there's not
that many safes lying around
with this kinda cash in it
that aren't for
something special.
- What's the matter with you?
Are you mental? Come on.
- I'm serious.
Marty, I will take the
money back for you,
tonight, if you want.
- Kid, what're
you talking about?
We can't put it back.
- We take the money, and buy a
condo on the beach somewhere,
play shuffleboard
with the old ladies.
Just, get outta town.
- Okay, okay, I'll
make you a deal.
Give me one week to
tie up some loose ends.
And then I've got
this friend in Texas,
I was gonna
introduce you to him.
But we'll take the
money, we'll leave town.
One week.
It's all I ask.
Okay?
- Robert?
Mr. belmont?
- Yeah.
- This is captain William
Wilder, robbery division.
- The point is this, Micky?
I got plenty of cops on payroll,
i don't need another one.
- The captain's got a
business proposal for you.
- Look, Mr. belmont.
My wife wants an
entirely new kitchen.
My sons want an entertainment
room in the basement.
And I want my own bathroom
so I don't have to look
at my wife's shit
hanging on the shower.
- Do I look like an
interior decorator to you?
- No.
- Then why do I give a
fuck about your wife's shit
handing in the bathroom?
- Information.
- Bob, hear him out.
- You gonna pay for these
things I want, Mr. belmont.
Plus a little bonus in exchange
for the man who
robbed your safe.
- You oughtta be very
careful, Mr. police captain,
or you might find yourself
missing in your own precinct.
- Robert.
- Yeah.
- The man is an
old school thief.
The kind that has
steel for balls.
Second story guy.
Leo comes to me after
your safe was robbed
and I do a little
quiet poking around.
My contacts tell
me that he's living
in a basement of a
department store.
You wanna know the address?
- What kinda kitchen
does your wife like?
- Where's my money, tough guy?
- I don't know.
I swear I don't know.
Jesus.
- Search the place.
You're a stubborn
son of a bitch.
- The catalyst that
launched you into hell.
- Hell might be a bit extreme.
- Well what would you call it?
Purgatory?
- Anticipation.
You know, that intense
feeling you get
right before you
jump into something
that you know will
change your life forever.
I guess purgatory's as
good a word as anyway.
Put your hands on
the steering wheel.
Handcuff yourself to
the steering wheel.
Pull forward.
You're gonna tell me who
murdered Martin bigg.
I need a name.
- I can't.
- I need a name.
- I can't, he'll kill me.
- What about me?
I will kill you right
here, right now,
unless you give
me a fucking name.
- Robert belmont.
Let go.
He's the key.
- Robert belmont.
Big time loan shark
and business man.
He wasn't hard to track down.
I started moonlighting
as a chauffeur,
driving the son of a bitch.
Learned his routine.
I even picked him up from
his mistress's place.
I always had a drink
waiting for him.
And then one night, I slipped
in a little something extra.
There he is.
Morning, sunshine.
I was worried I put a little
too much in your drink.
- Untie me, you piss ant fuck.
- There's no need to be rude.
- Okay, alright.
You proved your point.
Now untie me and tell
me what you want.
Wow.
You got balls, kid.
I'll give that to you.
You know, you may just be
the guy that I've
been looking for.
The guy that's gonna take my
business to the next level.
I fail to see what's so funny.
- You're alone, tied to a chair.
What about this situation
leads you to believe
you're in a position
suitable for bargaining?
- Okay.
Untie me, and walk away.
We'll just let this one go.
- You're not paying
attention, Bobby.
The only reason
you're still alive,
is I haven't killed you yet.
- How much?
- I will give you this.
You have fine taste in whiskey.
- How much?
- Stay with me, Bobby, boy.
Stay with me.
- One million.
- You remember this, don't you?
You arrogant fuck.
This belonged to my partner.
He didn't know the
money was yours.
You could've, let that one go.
- Your partner was a
degenerate fuck, alright?
He stole from me.
What am I supposed to do,
just pat him on the back?
Fuck that.
Okay, alright, I'm sorry.
Two million.
- You talk too much, Bob.
I'm not interested
in your money.
You tortured my friend.
You tortured him, and let him
bleed to death like a pig.
This is for Marty.
I gave that bastard a preview
of what's waiting
for him in hell.
Belmont got what he deserved,
but I wanna make one thing
real clear to you, doc.
I didn't commit murder.
I performed an execution.
There's a difference.
- Bullshit.
I don't believe that,
and neither do you.
- You talk a lot, but what
can you really speak for?
Can you speak for me?
- I wanna ask you a question.
- Tick, tock.
When it's my time, will
you care about me then?
That moment when the
needle, the very first one,
slips into my body
and relaxes my nerves.
Are you gonna watch me?
Are you gonna watch me, or are
you gonna turn and look away?
When the second needle
freezes my lungs,
are you gonna scribble scrabble
in your notepad for
future reference?
And when that third
needle stops my heart,
and they pronounce my body dead,
are you gonna anguish
over my death?
Or are you gonna rejoice
that the law of your
land was fulfilled?
- Neither.
- You ever see anyone die, doc?
You ever watch as
the light fades
out of someone's
eyes as they just,
drift away into nothing?
- It's none of your
fucking business.
It's not about me.
- This is about you.
This whole game
has been about you.
Your bullshit cocky attitude
isn't gonna work with me, doc.
- It's not about me.
- I don't,
I don't fucking care
if it's about you.
Fuck your questions, fuck you.
I'm done.
I'm not playing your
fucking games anymore.
- You're done playing
games when I tell you.
Got it?
- Any evidence should have
been destroyed in the fire,
so I figured it was
time to leave the city.
You know who runs this place?
- Mr. Charlie rose.
- Keep the change.
I found an address in
Marty's Texas travel book.
And then there she was.
She was the most beautiful
woman I'd ever laid my eyes on.
- Good evening.
- Hello, Billy.
I believe we have a guest.
- Right over there.
- Aren't you a sweetie.
- I'm sorry, have we met?
- Not exactly.
Olivia.
- Jackson.
- Shea, yes.
Martin bigg was a mutual friend.
Oh don't worry, I'm not a cop.
But that was quite a
job you did on belmont.
- Who says that was me?
- I have my sources.
- I don't like being followed.
- Noted.
Dance with me.
- And you're
too pretty to be a cop.
- I didn't know Martin.
But my father,
very close to him.
- Who's your father?
- Charlie rose.
Just like you.
He's a business man.
- What kinda business?
- Acquisitions.
- How'd you know
where to find me?
- You seen this place?
Somebody new walks into
town, I hear about it.
Besides, little Billy over
there has a sweet spot for me.
Wanna take a ride?
- Lead the way.
- Hi ladies.
- Good morning.
- Hey daddy.
- Well, my daughter's awake.
- Daddy, meet Jack shea.
Jack, meet Charlie.
- Mr. rose.
- Marty never said you
were such a city slicker.
- Is that gonna be a problem?
- No, not a problem, unless
you make it that way.
You all didn't do nothing
together, now, did you?
- Oh, daddy.
- Oh, come on, I'm
just playing with you.
Come on over here
and chat for a while.
Ladies, why don't you go on
inside and cool off a bit?
- Aw, baby.
- Hal?
- Yes sir.
Ladies, outta the pool, now.
- You know I like to
harness the energy of youth.
You want a beer?
- Look, Mr. rose, the
only reason I'm here
is because Marty said he
had a friend in Texas,
and that's it.
- Marty, Marty was
thick as a brick.
But he was a tremendous
judge of character.
Now, from appearance, you look
like you're up to the mark,
but it's what's underneath
that concerns me.
If you'll crack when the
heat gets cranked up.
You gotta keep a low profile.
I've been my entire life,
and I never got so much
as a hockey ticket.
I only do outside
horses and oil,
and I don't shit where i
live, if you catch my drift.
I spend a whole year, an entire
year, on a single project.
But the payoff is
always worthwhile.
And I don't touching nothing,
unless it'll fetch at
least five million U.S.
I use a crew, and i
rotate who's in charge.
Olivia there sometimes
acts as another guy,
when she's not causing chaos.
You know, I never hire a man
unless they're a Texas man.
I just don't trust 'em.
But Marty was a brother to me.
So I'm not gonna throw you out.
But you're gonna have
to prove yourself.
What do you think
there, blue eyes?
- When do we get started?
- How does 75 mil sound?
- Good afternoon, Mr.
And Ms. stroblekowitz.
How're y'all doing today?
- Very well, thank you.
- Mr. beeker's ready for you.
Flynn'll be taking you upstairs.
- Please follow me.
- Thank you.
- Y'all have a great day.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Simon beeker was the
President of the largest bank
nobody ever heard of.
Beeker handled overseas
financial transactions,
how the money flowed.
Just none of it
flowed to beeker.
- Mr. beeker,
your clients have arrived.
- Hi.
- Afternoon.
- Please, have a seat.
- Thank you.
- What can I do for you?
- We represent Mr.
Rose's interests.
- Yes, Mr. beeker.
- Cherry, can you
send Paul in, please?
- Right away.
- Um.
I, uh,
I didn't expect you so soon.
- The timeline's moved up.
- Now, Mr. beeker.
We know the vault's
codes change daily.
Now your man, they
show up at 11:00 pm,
not a second sooner or later,
with the codes,
and we're golden.
Anything after that, we're
not gonna do business.
Now, Mr. beeker.
We know that there's 75
million in bonds in that vault.
- 75 mil sounds good.
But this time I'm
the leading man.
- No ma'am, you are not.
- Oh yes sir, I am.
- I beg your pardon,
missy, but you are not.
- Daddy.
- Okay.
You wanna wheel and deal, missy?
You take hal.
- Got you, boss.
I'll take real good care of her.
- No, I am not taking hal.
Do we have a deal?
- Mr. rose's cut is 10
cents on the dollar.
Do I make myself clear?
- Yeah, that's understood.
- Alright then, pleasure
doing business with you.
- Okay, deal, no hal.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- I was happy.
It seemed like, just for once,
god smiled down on me.
- You know how much I love you?
I love you so much.
- I love you forever.
- Yeah.
- I got a job, I need a driver.
- Yeah, I can drive.
How much?
- The usual amount.
- What time do
y'all need me there?
- Couple days.
Keep your phone on.
I'll be in touch.
It's done.
- Sometimes you gotta keep
the training wheels on,
even though they
wanna roll alone.
- We cased the place.
We had blueprints,
guard schedules,
and Charlie even had a duplicate
of the security system
made for me to practice.
We had all the bases covered.
- Okay.
- We look like we're
dressed for a funeral.
- I see you brought
your boyfriends,
did you bring the codes?
- That's why we're here, Jack.
- Then let's get to work.
- Hey, keep an eye on
the scanners, alright?
Make sure all the
edges are sealed.
This is beeker's private floor.
There's no cameras here.
There you go.
Beeker put the security
cameras in the vault on loop.
Nice.
We got an hour, then beeker
will be here to get his cut.
- Codes.
- Here.
- If even one of those
numbers is wrong,
half the police department'll
show up outside.
- Listen, little lady.
I got it from beeker himself.
Wrote the numbers down
exactly the way he told me.
- Pressure changes things.
Makes a man write a
six instead of a nine.
- Not beeker, the man's ice.
- I was talking about you.
- You two about done bickering?
- Your husband's a prick.
You could do so much better.
Yo, what's it doing?
- It's synchronized the alarms,
it's deciphering
codes in stages.
Each stage has a
different color.
- What the hell
are we waiting for?
- That.
- Beeker's in the Van.
We'll split the bonds up there.
- You know,
something's been bothering me.
Now why would beeker
show up here in person
and put himself at risk?
- Fuck.
- Olivia, stay down.
- Olivia, we
gotta get the fuck out now.
- I'm not leaving Jack.
- Don't worry
about me, go with him.
Get out of here.
- Unlock this door.
- Look, I can't help
Jack, I can only help you.
- You are not leaving Jack.
- I'm getting
paid, motherfucker.
- Jack, oh Jack,
you out there, son?
Listen I got a
confession to make, pal.
Your wife whispered in my ear
that she wants to suck my dick.
You like that?
I'll make you a deal.
You give me what's mine
and I'll let you go.
It wasn't supposed to
be like this, Jack.
- Oh yeah?
How was it supposed to be?
You kill us and take the bonds?
- You got it.
Hey, get the fuck out there.
Nice shot, Jack.
Too bad it wasn't me.
Listen, fuck beeker.
Why should he get the money?
Me and you, we split
the money, 50/50.
How's that sound?
- Sounds like bullshit.
- Hey Jack.
After I kill you, I'm gonna
fuck that little whore of yours.
You keep what's mine.
Oh shit.
You hear that?
We're both gonna go
to fucking prison.
You wouldn't, uh,
you wouldn't shoot a man
in the back, would you?
- Yes, I would.
Gun, he's got a gun.
Geez, we got a situation here.
Call for backup.
- Margaret, don't
bring it up again.
Just tell the guys there's
a ladder in the garage,
or we'll rent theirs, 'cause
they'll charge you rent.
And have them climb
up on the roof
and don't tell 'em we
don't have insurance.
No, I'm not gonna
discuss it with you now,
I'll do it when I get home.
- Warden.
- How're you, sir?
- I'm fine.
- Thank you for your
service to your client.
But you are done here, sir.
- Thank you.
- I love the word
barrister, I always have.
And you have the
best job in America,
when you become a judge.
Because every day
you get to go to work
with a chance to be fair.
- Thanks again, warden.
- Good day, sir.
See, it's part of my job.
And your job is
trying to be spiderman
and climb up to second
stories and do bad things.
And you got caught.
Would you rather have the
water warmer or colder?
Strip.
Full frontal.
Very good, you'll do.
You don't need to cover it, bud,
we couldn't be shocked
by anything you'd have.
Hello son.
- Sir.
- How're you today, sir?
- Good, sir.
- Good.
How about you?
- About ready
to get out of here.
- Very good, sir.
Hey.
Well, that didn't work.
Maybe you're just rude.
You don't have manners.
When one of your betters is
outside and front of the bars,
you stand up, turn around,
and look him in
the goddamned eye.
That's more like it.
You know what I need from you?
Your attention.
And I'm gonna demand it
every time I look in
your fucking eyes.
How're you enjoying
our fine facility?
I hope it's up to
your standards.
Is it to your liking?
Or have you seen better?
Or would you rather be
in a hole underground?
Can you hear me?!
Because it's
important you hear me.
Every time I've ever
looked in your face,
even back in my office,
you never took your eyes off me.
I'm not that fucking
attractive, bud.
You always give me
that gold stare,
it don't mean shit to me,
you're not gonna scare me down.
You understand that, don't you?
I don't care how bad
you think you are.
You're not as bad
as the executioner.
- Hey, fish.
Got my jollies?
Do you know what's
happening here?
You know what's happening?
- Fuck off.
- Party, motherfucker.
A big party.
Get over here.
- I'm gonna skullfuck
you, pretty boy.
- A little
present from the warden.
- Hell yeah, that's what's up.
- What the fuck are you?
- Remember me, motherfucker?
- You've been up to a
lot of bad shit, son.
Why do I stay?
You know what I stay,
'cause I like bad guys.
Because they don't
wanna be bad guys.
And a lot of 'em think
we're the bad guys,
and I'm a bad guy.
And I like criminals,
professionals at what they do.
I particularly like
the second story man,
'cause he's gotta be
athletic, he's gotta be agile.
He's gotta think.
You put all that
ingenuity together,
and you wonder, why can't
we all just get along?
- What's your
proposition, warden?
- You know the difference
between a criminal,
and a law man?
One,
lives rent free, three
meals a day, a bed.
The other one,
can't even pay his rent.
And our uncle, who lives
back there on the east coast,
doesn't pay people like me shit.
Now I'm thinking
of retiring soon.
And I got three daughters.
So you do the math.
- You know what
the real difference
is between crooks and
law men is, warden?
- Try me.
- What side of the
bars they're on.
- That's clever.
With a mind like that,
you should be nowhere near
an institution like this.
You wanna stay here
the rest of your life?
Or you wanna be out there?
You want your girl
running around,
outside the walls of this
prison, looking like she does?
Without supervision?
I don't think so.
Now, in your own mind,
are you better in or out?
Because that's what
we're talking about.
So let's make a deal,
and you can take a hike,
and I can quit being
a fucking warden.
If you're gonna
make a deal with me,
you're gonna shake my hand.
Deal.
- The warden's
proposition was simple.
Some snitch had let it slip
that a drug deal was
going down by the border.
Having me get the cash
kept his hands clean.
And in return, I got a
get outta jail free card
with a new identity, and
a second chance at life.
And lucky for me, there was
a goodhearted woman waiting.
- You okay?
You don't have to do this.
We can go away, start again.
- We'll just have to
do it someplace else.
- Warden.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, we're here,
we're packing in.
- Just stay with
him until the deal's done.
You understand that, right?
- Got it.
You better be the shot
you say you are, boy.
I can't see a goddamn thing.
- Get ready with the bullhorn.
- No one else needs to get hurt.
You just do exactly what I say.
Drop your guns, throw your
keys, and keep walking.
Walk away and don't look back.
- You only killed
two, goddamn it.
- There's no need
to kill the rest.
- I'll say what is
needed, convict.
- Drugs weren't
part of the deal.
- Your deal, not ours.
- Yeah.
- Warden.
They checked into the
motel you got 'em.
- That's good.
You know what the story is.
- Yeah.
- You know what you have to do.
Got it?
- Copy that.
- Warden's man took the drugs,
but I held onto the money.
He'd meet me at the
hotel in the morning,
and I'd exchange his
money for my new life.
In the morning we'll just
give this money to Morton.
And we're done.
- I don't know.
This whole thing feels off.
Promise me, this
is the last one.
I can't lose you.
- On one condition.
Will you spend the rest
of your life with me?
- Yes.
- Try it on.
It fits.
What do you think?
- It's beautiful.
- Tell me how it
looks in the light.
- It sparkles.
- It sparkles like your eyes.
- I love it.
- I hope so.
- You spoiled me.
- When all this is done,
we'll have enough money.
We'll start over again.
We're gonna have a house,
maybe two baby boys.
I'll even retire, you know,
be a postman like a regular
old job or something.
Just to be able to wake up
every morning next to you.
What do you think
about that, babe?
- I love you so much.
- I'm glad you do.
- Thank you, baby.
- Baby, get down.
- Go on, get him.
- Baby.
It's okay.
No no, babe, no you're
okay, you're okay.
You're okay, hey,
you're gonna be okay.
Olivia.
Please stay awake.
Just a little longer,
we're gonna get that
house I promised you.
Okay.
We got a lot left to do.
- I love you, Jack.
- Olivia.
I'm sorry.
Olivia.
Please.
Tick.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
And so it goes.
- This was good.
This was a lot of progress.
And,
tomorrow we'll get
to the underlying...
- tomorrow I have a
date with a real doctor.
You know what the worst part is?
Nobody's gonna be
there to see me off.
Anyway.
It was nice talking
with you, Amanda.
- You too, Jack.
- I am telling you, he's
one nasty son of a bitch.
He hires young, he pays more
than all his competitors,
and when he gets his hooks
in 'em, he doesn't let go.
- Check all his analysts.
Even his guys down
there in the trenches,
they're bound to make a mistake.
And when they do,
we will be ready.
We will be ready.
Good work, Mr. Cartwright.
- Thank you.
- Good work.
Jill, give us a minute.
- Yeah sure, no problem.
- Thank you.
- Dr. Tyler.
- There you go.
- What do you got for me?
You can't be serious.
- I'm serious.
- Texas versus Johnson.
Okay.
You claim you wanna
save lives, doctor.
You preach fighting
the good fight.
You wave your flag of justice
around your lecture hall
like some avenging angel.
But this?
This is not a case study.
This is not about theorizing,
glorifying, or grandstanding.
Dr. Tyler, this is
about paying a debt.
It's not just a debt to the
families of the victims,
but to society, righting
a terrible wrong,
and preventing future wrongs.
Protecting the innocent.
And you, of all people,
should understand that
since your husband was murdered.
Am I correct?
- Yeah, you're correct.
My husband was murdered.
So let me ask you a question.
- Shoot.
- What if this time,
perpetuating the cycle
and continuing down
the wrong path,
and protecting a broken system,
isn't what's best for society?
- System's far from
broken, doctor.
We're traveling down a path
humanity's been navigating
since the dawn of society.
Law and order.
Crime and punishment.
Tit for tat.
Without this system in
place, we will surely
be living in a constant
state of hypersensitivity.
Wouldn't you say?
- No, we've moved beyond that.
We are past reacting off of
just our primal instinct.
- We've moved beyond.
Okay, doc. Okay.
Look who you're talking to here.
You're gonna sit here
and tell me this.
Even though an educated black
man in a three piece suit
right here in the
good state of Texas
can't run down the street
without possibly being
mistaken for a criminal
and shot down like a dog?
That we have evolved.
I'd have to argue
against that, doctor.
It's a delicate balance.
Punish too harshly,
you have a revolt.
Don't punish enough,
you have anarchy.
See, the very fear of violence
keeps violence at bay.
By not responding to
violence with violence,
we take away that fear,
and we take away the very thing
that keeps our system intact.
So no, doctor, our
system is not broken,
we are not headed
down the wrong path.
I'm doing my job for society.
Whether you are or
not is yet to be seen.
- What about
compassion and empathy?
And mercy?
- Mercy.
We're all just pieces
on the board, doctor.
We're just pieces on the board.
- Yeah, well, at
the end of the game,
the king and the pawns
go in the same damn box.
You don't wanna help me?
I'll take it to the
governor myself.
- Time to go.
- Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the
shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff,
they comfort me,
surely the goodness of mercy
shall follow me all
the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the
house of the lord forever.
- Any last words, shea?
- The worst part is,
nobody's gonna be
there to see me off.
- I love you.
I'll see you soon.
- Violence.
What is the cause?
To truly understand
the nature of violence,
we need to look
beyond the individual.
We need to look at the
culture of violence
that permeates our society.
And we also need
to look at the way
that we punish those that
commit acts of violence.
Because when we answer
violence with violence
and trade death for death,
all we're doing is
perpetuating a vicious cycle.
- But what if someone
you love was murdered?
Would you feel that answering
violence with violence
is appropriate?
- I believe I would
feel that in the moment.
But I wouldn't want
their deaths avenged
by a cruel and
capricious system.