Interrogation (2020) s01e07 Episode Script

1 I need an ambulance.
Hurry.
My mom she's fucking dying, okay? Just get over here.
No.
No, no-no.
Th th this is wrong.
Do you, uh - want to see the drawing? - Yeah.
She's in the exact position.
Russell testified that Eric couldn't have seen his mother, - because of the glare.
- I know.
I was there.
But if there was no glare on the day of the murder, then he could see her.
In fact, because of that planter, this is the only window he could see her through.
Just like Eric said.
You hadn't worked with Dave Russell before.
You had no reason to doubt him.
It was my case.
If mistakes were made, and I'm not saying that there were, it was my case.
The $150, the money missing from Mary Fisher's purse.
- You told the jury that Eric stole it.
- Because he did.
Yeah, sure, we should've found it, but we didn't.
Real life, guys.
Shit happens.
O.
J.
should've been drenched in blood, but he wasn't.
Shit happens.
Fisher's relationship with the victim, his drug use, his confession.
We had a strong case.
Three weeks after Eric's conviction, the court clerk logged the contents of the purse.
Last entry.
Six.
$20 bills found in a side compartment.
Detective Russell testified that he'd searched the purse.
Do you think he was lying? If Russell was framing Fisher, he would have taken that money, too, right? And after everything you've seen today, you still have no doubt about Eric Fisher's guilt? Mr.
Eckert? I didn't say that.
Oh, you're not gonna believe this.
- What's it say, Charlie? - Jesus, they got everything.
All of Dave Russell's fuckups and lies.
Fuck me.
- What? - DA Eckert says he has reasonable doubt.
Don't make it sound better than it is.
- Did he say that, or ? - It's a direct quote.
- Oh, fuck.
- Fisher.
- Okay.
Uh, I got to I got to go.
- Hey.
- Lying sack of shit.
- Come on, - I'm using the CO's phone, man.
- No, not you.
Russell.
Big picture with that shit-eating grin.
Get used to it, asshole.
This takes Russell down and gets you your innocence hearing.
Uh, hold on.
Excuse me, excuse me.
Those are mine.
Thanks.
Yeah, we did it.
Eric, you there? Uh - Fucking did it, huh? - Good day, huh? You don't even know, baby.
Hey, LT.
- I heard.
- That's how you make lieutenant, huh? We've had our differences, Captain.
But you know I didn't do this.
I know your work now.
Nothing's changed.
I'm the same cop I always was.
I called over to PSB this morning.
They're looking into a new complaint.
I didn't do anything wrong.
They're gonna believe a convict over me? I got 33 years on.
Something like this front page.
RHD has to reopen Fisher.
Well, they'll find the same thing I did.
- Fisher did it.
- While they're at it, they'll go through all your other cases, look for a pattern.
"They.
" This isn't the LAPD I signed up for.
Well, that's the problem, Russ.
You think it should be.
Yeah.
This is Deborah Russell at the public defender's office.
- Hey, honey, it's me.
- Leave a message and I'll call you back.
You there? If you are satisfied with your message, press one.
- It's your father.
- If you'd like to re-record your message, press two.
- Mm.
- If you'd like to change your Dave.
My God, I'm so sorry.
How you doing? I've had better days.
I'm trying to find Debbie.
Her car's here.
I figured she might be, too.
Actually, she's up north, some kind of legal conference.
Her, uh our house is airport parking.
All right, well, if you see her before I do, tell her to call me.
I need to talk to my daughter.
- Is he gone? - He's your father, honey.
Is he gone? I hate lying.
Sign here, here and here.
And it's official.
How's it feel? Eh, it takes some getting used to, I suppose.
But better for you than for him.
His mother gets murdered, and you steal his whole life.
Look, I appreciate your interest, Mr.
, uh, Mr.
Poulos, but the, the problem is, I missed the deadline for my federal habe We make them waive a deadline.
Establish likelihood of innocence at an evidentiary hearing.
Yeah.
Sure.
That's gonna happen.
Rampart.
Rodney King.
Times have changed.
But getting the hearing, that's just the start.
We've got to dismantle the entire case to get a good ruling on your habeas claims.
And what's that gonna cost me? Not a thing.
Until we get you out.
Charlie Shannon says you're low on funds.
Yeah, well, Charlie should know.
Look, it's no slam dunk, but my firm is willing to take the risk.
- If we get that hearing - Mm.
if your conviction is overturned Okay, then it's the, the civil suit, and you guys get a piece of my settlement.
How much? What Detective Russell did to you, what the city of Los Angeles allowed him to do, if we prove your innocence, the powers that be will have a deep, abiding interest in seeing to it that justice is served.
My firm gets 40% of that justice, plus costs.
Eric.
It's gonna take a lot of work, pal.
And it's not gonna happen overnight.
It's a big case.
Big settlement.
Big lawyer in a fancy suit.
This old thing? Wait till you see me in court.
I'm gonna take all of 'em, man.
Here you go.
- Thank you very much, man.
- All right.
All rise.
United States District Court is now in session.
The Honorable Thomas Smith presiding.
Be seated.
I've reviewed the transcript of the innocence hearing, as well as the magistrate's recommendations on the claims in Mr.
Fisher's habeas petition.
The relief sought by Mr.
Fisher is granted in only the most extreme circumstances.
Regrettably, Mr.
Fisher, I find that our criminal justice system failed you.
- Yes.
- I accept the magistrate's finding that the jury's guilty verdict was based on false evidence, and I vacate Mr.
Fisher's 1985 conviction for the murder of Mary Fisher.
Ms.
Cameron, given your obvious desire to keep Mr.
Fisher in prison, I assume the city would like a second bite at the apple.
- Absolutely, Your Honor.
- Very well.
I grant the city 120 days to decide on a retrial.
What are they talking about? - What are they talking about? - Let them try, - let them try.
- It's okay, it's okay.
We got this.
We got it.
You're a free man now.
You need to look like one.
I can go? Yeah, you can go.
- I can go? - Yeah.
- Like, now? - Like, right now.
Like, right now.
Eric Fisher was a victim of a corrupt detective and a legal system that values closed cases over the pursuit of the truth.
Those responsible, I promise you, will be held accountable for this travesty of justice.
You think the city's gonna go for a retrial? One can only hope.
So how's it feel, man? Hello? Anybody home? It's, it's just so big.
How do I know that? Okay, I'm done.
I'm not talking to you anymore.
Just a piece of the truth, that's all I need.
And all I need is a fucking lawyer.
Either book me or let me go.
Put your hands in your front pocket.
Russell couldn't squeeze water from a wet sponge.
120 days, people, focus up.
We need to put Eric Fisher back where he belongs, yeah? That shoe print from the kitchen Poulos is gonna say it's Chris Keller's.
Dave Russell framed an innocent kid.
- Or framed a guilty kid.
- Talk to Russell, see if we can use him, check everything there is to check.
You two need to give me a bulletproof case.
Poulos is no Dream Team.
Fisher's not getting out of this.
I'm gonna retry this asshole.
Not a problem.
Absolutely.
We can take care of that.
There you go.
- Thanks.
- Thank you.
Hey.
You okay? It's open.
Freedom present, my man, from me to you.
No worries.
I'll even show you how to use it.
If it makes you feel any better, I'll bill you for it.
It's okay, man, relax.
They're not here for you.
See? Eric, Eric.
- Fuck! - Christ.
Hey, man, what are you doing? Fuck! Hey, move! Look it is a big fucking world, all right, just that's what it is.
Look, just get back in the car, man.
Hold-hold on.
- Come on! - Go around! Those reporters had an agenda.
I was at the real crime scene.
I looked through the window, I couldn't see anything.
And you saw the photos, I assume.
I reconstructed the scene.
No way he could've seen his mom through that window.
Oh, we're just getting started, Dave.
We looked over some of your other cases.
You're a damn good copper.
And since we all want the same thing here Fisher back inside we could use your help on a couple things his lawyers are gonna jump on.
The shoe print in the kitchen.
Yeah, an expert determined it didn't match Fisher's.
Yeah, 25 years later.
Somebody else left a shoe print, a single shoe print? After the I.
A.
Sergeant Lynch drank Fisher's Kool-Aid.
I know it, like, could've been one of us, like tech or cop or first responder, but I saw the print, it was definitely Fisher's.
Why'd you exclude Chris Keller? Please.
This is overkill, rage very personal.
That's why we wanted to talk to you.
Get your straight-up perspective.
So you want to know how toxic I am and if you can use me at the retrial.
All right.
That's my perspective.
Voilà.
- It's nice, man.
Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
She, uh, gave it to me before she passed.
"Give it to him when he gets out, Charlie.
" Faith.
It's a good name for that woman.
You should've waited.
For what? What if they retry me? That's not gonna happen, all right? No Dave Russell, no case.
Just take a load off.
This-this is good.
Yeah.
Eric Fisher was a victim of a corrupt detective Hello? Alice? Um, hi, it's-it's, uh, it's Eric.
Fisher.
Oh, my God, Eric.
I'm watching you on the news.
Yeah.
I just, I just got out.
Um I was hoping that I could, uh, that I could see you.
Um I mean, you know, just to, just to meet.
To thank you for your support.
Mm, how about Thursday night? I'm having dinner at my house.
- Uh, dinner? - Yeah.
Um, I'm gonna send you the details, okay? I can't wait to meet.
Hello? Wait, I don't have your addre This is a collect call from - Eric Fisher.
- an inmate at California State Prison Webson.
Press "1" to accept the call.
- Eric, hey.
- Melanie, how was your birthday? Did you get what you wanted? I got the sweetest card from your stepmom.
It's very generous, thank you.
Holy shit.
Birthday card from Faith, 2005.
Yes, according to Kim Decker, she was Chris Keller's girlfriend.
You find her? You haven't talked to him since he's been out? It was a long time ago.
- What happened to Eric - To Eric, Melanie? Or his mom? He didn't do it.
Two years ago, Eric Fisher sent you $7,500.
Why? I wrote to him.
I was having money trouble.
You also talked on the phone.
After the articles, when it looked like Eric was getting out.
Yeah, it feels like a payoff.
To keep your mouth shut? No, it was compensation.
For what? He gave me herpes.
20 years before? Uh-uh.
You really want to protect someone who did this to his mother? Stop.
Okay, if Eric didn't do it, who did? He told me Chris Keller.
I believed him.
Chris was real violent.
What about the other people in his apartment complex? Like Trey Carano, the Pines? That was Chris's.
You remember this? A cord? He kept it on his backpack.
He wanted to use it on me.
To choke me.
For sex.
Nurse Pruitt? I wouldn't let him do it.
Can I go now? Let's go take care of that cough.
I believe her if someone tried to choke me with that thing, I'd remember it.
Fisher's defense is gonna use the cord.
They're gonna say Keller did it.
Who knows? Maybe we are, too.
Eric Fisher.
Finally.
I invited a few friends over for dinner.
I hope that's okay.
No, it's, uh, it's fine.
I told them not to ask too many questions, you know.
You know, the man just got out.
But if you feel uncomfortable at any moment, just, you know, say the word.
Is he here? Um - Eric Fisher, meet Dolph.
- Dolph Weber.
The boyfriend.
Hey, man welcome back.
How's it feel? Fuck, we need ice.
He's not my boyfriend.
This is exactly why we shouldn't trash physical evidence.
Even after two appeals.
Medium-velocity blood spatter.
Not just drips.
I remember.
Caused by some type of hit.
Meaning he was present at the murder.
Not necessarily.
Fisher said he was kneeling beside her.
His foot, near her mouth Contrary to Russell's testimony, there were drops of blood on the sleeves here.
And these were grease stains, not blood.
Same for his pants.
No blood spatter, day of the crime.
Do you think this could've caused this pattern here? I'd have the coroner take a look.
Your father sounds like an amazing man.
He gave me hope.
Prison if you give up hope You give up.
Trina runs a podcast about the American justice system.
All right And if she asks you to do it now, I'm gonna shoot her.
What about when you confessed? Which he did.
Like, four times, I think.
Yeah, to get parole.
Eh, Detective Russell why did he go after you? Look, I don't know, man.
You got to ask him.
But the papers looked at his other cases.
- It's not like he framed somebody else.
- Okay.
Hey.
- What? - Cut it out.
Why? 'Cause you want to fuck him? I get along, finding myself in the darkness Good luck with that.
Well, we waste our time When we could be righting every wrong.
Lose ourselves Yeah, I had a patient who was in county for a year on a DUI.
He couldn't talk about it for six months.
Of all that never was but should have been You survive by holding onto the truth.
I mean, if you don't say it over and over and over again to yourself, out loud, to anybody who will listen it slips away.
Like a white doe in the woodlands.
So, keep doing that.
Um, telling your story.
Your truth.
No, not just for you.
To help make sure it doesn't happen to anybody else.
Start with Trina's podcast.
She's got a huge audience.
- I don't know.
- After that, I've got loads of connections.
You need to own your story.
Let it go with Do you think ? The hurt of all the promises Do you believe that I'm innocent? The pride behind apologies Like, do you know that? And the tragedy of hope they left for dead You want to check again? Eric take it out on me.
What they did to you.
I can handle it.
I want to, I want to handle it.
Oh, shit.
It's okay, it's okay.
Listen to me.
If that hadn't happened, I'd be worried.
So, this wasn't the Quadrobow? It's possible.
The coroner's testing it now.
Okay, well, Poulos is already lining up experts who will say it's from the same shoe as the print in the kitchen.
Chris Keller's, yeah.
We're fine with that.
Melanie Pruitt says the cord belonged to Keller.
And Keller told Dave Russell he was in town two days before the murder.
That's it, man.
We're all cleaned out.
What day is it? Thursday.
All right, come on.
She won't be back before 3:00.
So they head over to Eric's house.
Fuck.
Oh, goddamn it.
Eric? What the hell are you doing here? Nothing.
Jesus.
You're high.
You shit, - you need to get out of here.
- Don't fucking touch me, bitch.
Aah! Fuck! Oh, shit! Shit! Fuck.
Look away.
Look away! Chris Keller gets blood on his sneaker.
Goes into the kitchen to clean up.
Leaves the second shoe print.
Then what? Well, his clothes would be drenched in blood after an attack like that, so, yeah Either Eric forgot to check the sneakers or he didn't see the blood.
Meanwhile, Keller goes through the purse.
But he didn't find the six 20s in the side pocket.
Then he gets the hell out of there.
Takes Eric's bloody clothes so he can ditch them.
And Eric stays behind, calls his dad, the operator, - tells his story.
- Multiple weapons.
Multiple killers.
It makes more sense than Russell's theory.
"More" or just as much? 'Cause Fisher says that he crawled through the window after he saw his mother inside on the floor.
So, if you've got hard evidence that contradicts that, I haven't heard it yet.
The blood spatter on the shoe print our analyst says that it proves that Fisher was in close proximity to his mother.
While he was killing her or after he found her? 'Cause, Jesus, he admits proximity.
Melanie Pruitt.
Can she help? For the defense, maybe.
She thinks Keller did it alone.
Best we can do is use the asshole's herpes payoff to discredit her testimony.
And you're sure we can't use Russell? Not if we want to win.
We need more.
We need more or we're gonna look like the bad guys.
Shrinks, counselors, friends, neighbors, all the leads that Russell ignored.
What do think we're doing? - Do it better.
- Okay.
If you're still having doubts about who the bad guys are, you need to listen to this.
The way he answers the second time, when they call him back.
Sherman Oaks.
Please hurry.
Calm down and tell me what happened.
- I don't know how it happened.
- He's all frantic.
They-they stabbed her.
Oh, my God, she's dying.
Get over here! Just hang on a few minutes.
We're sending an ambulance to you - right away.
- Okay, hurry.
Mr.
Fisher, this is the Los Angeles City Fire Department.
- Now listen.
- Yeah, hi.
We're calling you back.
You said there was an attack.
A-Attack? Yes.
Yes, there was! And then he ramps himself up again.
Can you tell me who attacked your mom? This guy is so fucking guilty.
President Obama, meanwhile, praised the two men for listening to each other's points of view and he cites their dialogue as a teachable moment.
And in local news, L.
A.
County District Attorney - Mmm.
- Bacon and eggs.
Problem is, can only make 'em for 400.
The DA's office stands by Eric Fisher's conviction.
We have every intention - of retrying this case.
- What the fuck? Mr.
Poulos, care to comment on the DA's announcement that they'll retry your client Eric Fisher? My client welcomes the opportunity for a new jury - to hear the true facts of his case - Fucking "welcomes"? which will prove his innocence once and for all.
Hey.
DA wants to retry me.
You're out here giving him the fucking finger.
They've got no shot.
Their evidence is either lost or discredited.
Their star witness is a proven liar.
I could win this case in my sleep.
I say bring it on.
Look, man, as far as we're concerned, they're just adding zeroes to the settlement.
It's-it's the money.
The money.
- It's all you care about.
- And you should care, too, a lot.
What are you gonna do for work? Who's gonna hire you? Until you've been compensated for what they stole from you, you're never gonna be free.
When I'm finished with them, you'll be set for life.
Yeah, I got to fucking fire his ass.
I'm gonna represent myself.
Motherfucker.
Poulos is right.
Think about it.
That money represents I mean, that could give you a future.
A future I'd I don't know like to be part of.
Yeah, well, why wouldn't you? You know? Why wouldn't you want to be a part if it's a fucking payday? Yeah, that's why I wrote to you in prison for the last two years.
I thought, "Oh, "he's gonna get out for sure, get a big fat settlement check.
I'll be straight.
" Come on.
Come on.
- Do you think I want your money? - What money? They're gonna put me back in prison.
I got to get the fuck out of here.
Hey, brother, you got some change? Hey, man, hey, you got some change? H-Hey, check this one out.
Sensible artwork.
Everything by hand.
Look I've been alone for 26 years.
I'm not used to trusting anybody.
But if you give me a second chance, I-I'd like to try.
Just just don't walk out on me like that.
- Thank you.
- Hope you packed your toothbrush.
Hey.
We got this.
All rise.
The Honorable Caitlin Berkley presiding.
Be seated.
We're here for a status conference on People v.
Fisher.
Ms.
Cameron, does the DA's office intend to proceed with the prosecution of this case? Your Honor, there is no doubt in my mind that Eric Fisher is guilty of murder.
Blood spatter on his shoes, motive, and the personal nature of the crime all incriminate Fisher as the perpetrator of this brutal murder.
And then we have his obvious lies after the murder, his multiple confessions of guilt, and more recently, evidence that he paid a witness a substantial sum of money to keep her from testifying against him.
That's something we believe we can prove.
If it's time for opening arguments, I got a real doozy.
It's called the truth, and it refutes every word she just said and more.
Point taken, Mr.
Poulos.
Ms.
Cameron.
It's been 26 years.
Witnesses have died.
Crucial evidence has been destroyed.
If we could time-travel back to the 1980s, I'm confident that we could prove Fisher's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
But here and now, we're not certain that we could achieve that result.
And so, regrettably, we move to dismiss this case without prejudice.
Mr.
Fisher, you're free to go.
Yes! Yes.
Yes.
Yeah.
- What the hell was that? - Evidence wasn't good enough.
Not for my boss, not for the city Hey, this is wrong.
He's done 26 years.
Carol.
It's just politics.
What's your name and location? It's Eric Fisher.
4568 Addison Street.
Sherman Oaks.
Please hurry.
Can you tell me how it happened? I don't know how it happened.
They-they stabbed her.
Oh, my God, she's dying.
Get over here! Just hang on a few minutes.
We're sending an ambulance to you right away.
Okay, hurry.
He said "they.
" "They stabbed her.
" "They stabbed my mother.
" If he did it with Keller, he wouldn't say "they.
" Drop it.
It's over.
Crazed hippies.
That's what he told the first responders.
What if he was telling the truth? You're not gonna help me pack up, - are you? - I'm serious.
What if there's a real "they"? Oh, they're real.
And they're still out there.
Los Angeles City Fire Department.
I need an ambulance.
Hurry.
Calm down and tell me what happened.
My mom's fucking dying, okay? Just get over here.
What's your name and location? It's Eric Fisher.
4568 Addison Street.
Sherman Oaks.
Please hurry.
Can you tell me how it happened? I don't know how it happened.
They-they stabbed her.
Oh, my God, she's dying.
Get over here! Just hang on a few minutes.
We're sending an ambulance to you right away.
Okay, hurry.
Mr.
Fisher, this is the Los Angeles City Fire Department.
Yeah, hi.
We're calling you back.
You said there was an attack.
A-Attack? Yes.
Yes, there was! My mom.
You need to come quickly.
Can you tell me who attacked your mom? I have no idea.
I saw her through the window, so I-I broke in.
Mom, hang on.
Okay, but it wasn't you, right? It wasn't me.
I don't know, I don't, I don't know who did it.
Oh, God.
Oh, Jesus.