Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) s01e07 Episode Script
Poison
In New York City's war on crime, the worst criminal offenders are pursued by the detectives of the Major Case Squad.
These are their stories.
- Get a crash cart, stat! - All right, I'm on it.
Code Blue on Ward 11-B, north block, bed five.
Any peripheral pulses? / No.
V-fib.
She has a shockable rhythm.
- Start at 200 joules.
- Charging to 200.
Clear.
Alton on post on 11-B, north block.
Better catch your breath, or we'll need the crash cart for you.
I am so glad I was there when Mrs.
Taylor coded.
Not as glad as she is, I bet.
She's going to be fine.
Dr.
Gardetta's going to keep her sedated with Valium.
Good work, Colleen.
- Looks like you're a hero.
- No, I'm not.
Did you see in the papers? They're having a book fair on Third Avenue this Saturday.
Yeah? Well, I'm, you know, headed out to Sheepshead Bay, check on my folks.
I'll see you later.
Maintenance to cafeteria annex.
Maintenance to cafeteria annex.
Will you come see our new goldfish, Grandma? Of course, honey.
Ma, are you all right? I heard they had an emergency.
Mrs.
Taylor.
She had a little thing with her heart.
Okay, kids, let's let Grandma go to sleep.
Goodbye, Grandma.
We love you.
I don't know what I would've done if Stop staring.
How's your chest feel? It's better.
The doctor says my lung is healing fine.
I'm going to need some help at home when they let me out of here.
We'll get one of those home nurses.
Medicare won't pay for that.
How do you know that? You're always so negative about everything.
Can't you come stay with me for a while? Ma, I've fed your cat and watered your plants for two weeks already.
Time for your pills.
No, I just want to sleep.
It's all right, dear, you can take them when you wake up.
I brought the paperwork from Cutie Bear to sign.
You know, I think of you in your apartment all by yourself.
Lenny's things everywhere.
And for the last time, leave that poor woman alone.
Code Blue on ward 11-B.
Code Blue on ward 11-B, north block, bed five.
Mrs.
Taylor, she's dead.
Do the families know? No, and they haven't requested autopsies.
Did you advise them against autopsies? I'm a risk management officer.
I always advise against autopsies.
What about the risk to other patients? - We have an obligation.
- Our obligation is unclear.
I've asked Ed to advise us on a course of action.
You need a lawyer to tell you what to do? Matt, I understand your feelings.
We will deal with this situation ethically, but we won't fall on our sword.
Hello? I'm calling from Bellmore General.
I want to report a I want to report three murders.
Law & Order CI Your anonymous caller is grossly misinformed.
It's a statistical anomaly.
A long way from a murder.
Did you do autopsies on these "anomalies"? No.
/ Toxicology on blood or tissue samples? If tests were done, the results are covered by patient confidentiality.
What makes these anomalies anomalous? All three patients were on the surgery ward.
None had been admitted for life-threatening conditions.
You're saying they were misdiagnosed? That's not what I said.
Okay, so they developed life-threatening conditions after they were admitted? Either way, the hospital's on the hook.
Here are the names of the patients we got off the 911 call.
We want the addresses of their families.
Then you can fax us the names of everybody here who had anything to do with their treatment.
We'll expect it by this afternoon.
Montaldo Funeral Home Wednesday, April 14 We know what a shock this must be for you.
I can't believe anybody would want to hurt her.
We're not sure anybody did.
The only surgery your wife had was on her knee? Yes.
But then she got an infection from the cortisone shots.
That's why she was still in the hospital.
Did anything unusual happen to her before she passed away? Well, just that afternoon her heart stopped.
She had what they call a Code Blue.
They resuscitated her.
She have a history of heart problems? Just high blood pressure.
It was under control.
It's almonds.
Cyanide? I can tell you already how it's going to play out.
Angel of death.
Probably not a doctor, more likely a nurse or an orderly.
Single, late 20s to early 30s, lives alone or with a parent.
Average to above average intelligence, narcissistic, immature, likely to be a screwup on the job chronic lateness, minor errors that would show up on a work record.
The hospital sent over a list of 114 people who had one thing or another to do with the three victims.
Okay.
I want to make sure Mrs.
Taylor's not an isolated case.
You're gonna talk to your other families, you're going to get autopsies.
No problem.
And when you talk to the families, try to curb your enthusiasm.
I'll curb it when we get this freak locked in a box.
Poor Lenny.
Who would've imagined? Pulmonary embolism at age 44.
That's according to that city doctor.
You don't believe him? Lenny was a lot of things, but he was never sick.
What're you doing? Just want to make sure it's not all frozen.
What did you want to do, plant tomatoes? It's for when they put the headstone.
We haven't even ordered one yet.
We know where he is.
Trudy, he was your husband.
At least pretend you're sorry he's gone.
I am sorry.
Let's go before you catch cold.
My husband wasn't supposed to die.
He had his gall bladder removed.
He was a day away from being released.
Did anything unusual happen to him? No.
But the man in the bed next to him, he had a Code Blue the day before Aaron died.
But him they saved.
Excuse me.
Seems like a lot of Code Blues for a surgery ward.
When there's a Code Blue, security has to go up and cover the nurses' station.
Except up on the surgery ward, you're the only security that showed up every time.
Doesn't this seem strange to you? There's not a lot of room to move around in here.
So any chance I get, I go out on the floors.
So when there's a Code Blue, you're "Johnny on the spot.
" I guess so.
I heard some of these are worth a lot of money.
You collect them? No.
They're gifts.
From your wife, or your girlfriend? No, I'm not married.
They're from a nurse.
She likes you.
Yeah, she's not really my type.
Is she on the 11th floor? How'd you know that? Magic.
So what's this nurse's name? Home Of Colleen Braxton Wesrbury, Long Island Monday, April 19 Derrick's a nice man.
I'm sure he'd never hurt anybody.
He seems to pop up every time there's a Code Blue.
Is that your mom's or your dad's? My dad's.
You live here alone with him? Looks like he needs a lot of care.
Is that why you're always late for work? I'm not always late.
I'll bet your dad doesn't appreciate all the effort that you put out.
But they appreciate you at the hospital.
I don't know about that.
You save people's lives.
Like James McKee six weeks ago? When his heart stopped, you called a Code.
I just happened to be there.
And Bruce Sonshein in the same week.
People look up to you.
People like Derrick Alton.
It feels nice.
Yes.
It makes up for the other looks you get when you're late or make a mistake.
What'd you give them, Colleen, to make their heart stop? Oh God.
I gave them adenosine.
- It's a heart medication.
- For rapid heart rate.
But if you give it to someone with a normal heart rate? Their heart stops, just for 20 or 30 seconds.
- It's not lethal.
- But it's enough to call a Code Blue.
Okay, Colleen.
Now tell us what you did with Aaron Berkowitz, George Malloy and Jenny Taylor.
They were poisoned with cyanide.
I didn't do anything! Saving people wasn't exciting enough for you.
No, I didn't kill those people.
All I did was give Mrs.
Taylor adenosine just to make her heart stop.
But I did not give her cyanide.
I didn't.
You made her heart stop the afternoon before she died? Yes, but please, I didn't kill anybody.
I didn't kill her.
Okay, Colleen, stand up.
We're placing you under arrest.
Is there somebody who can come take care of your dad? - My sister.
- Better call her.
I'll call CSU, have them check the place for cyanide.
She didn't do it.
She's not the one.
She lives with her father, she's a screwup, she wants attention, she's all the wonderful things you said our angel of death would be.
And she admits inducing 34 Code Blues.
Yes.
And when she got tired of that, she graduated to murder.
So why are we having this discussion? Because once these people graduate to murder, they don't look back.
She wouldn't have induced a Code Blue on Jenny Taylor before poisoning her six hours later.
That wouldn't fit the profile.
And profiling is an art and not a science, isn't that so, Detective? Science didn't find a trace of cyanide in Colleen Baxton's home.
The ME found partially-digested gelatin caps containing cyanide in all three of the victims.
The capsules had the same color and brand marks as an over-the-counter headache medication called Necedrol.
I take that stuff.
So do the patients at Bellmore General.
It's what they give them for minor aches.
Nurse Baxton spiked the pills.
I'm telling you, she's not the one.
There's someone else.
Look, tie her to those poison pills.
I'll get the FDA into the loop.
Home Of Harold Malloy Queens Wednesday, April 21 That nurse Colleen brought my boy those Necedrol pills around noon.
You saw him take them? Yeah.
Why? Mr.
Malloy, your son died four hours later.
Cyanide would've acted quicker than that.
Your son was in a motorcycle accident.
He must've been in a lot of pain.
He complained they weren't giving him enough pills.
I talked to the nurses about it, but they said they couldn't do anything without the doctor's okay.
It must've been tough for you to see him like that.
Yeah.
You wanted to do something for him.
You gave him some extra pills some Necedrol that afternoon? Yeah.
/ Where did you get them? At the drugstore across the street from the hospital.
- I bought a bottle.
- Do you still have it? Yeah.
For once, I was really hoping you were wrong.
I told him I didn't see nobody fooling with Mrs.
Taylor's medication.
Why do you think they were asking? Why do you think, Ma? Probably somebody did something to Mrs.
Taylor.
Oh my God.
It could've been you.
Just think about that.
Oh, you look tired.
Why don't you go sit down? There's a chair in front of the prescription counter.
I don't know why we had to come here.
There's a perfectly good drugstore just around the corner from me.
The prices are better here.
Now go sit down.
I'll be done in a minute.
All right.
Yes, any cyanide deaths in the last three months.
Look, anything comes up, you let us know pronto.
Looks like he's getting the crap pounded out of him.
Here it comes, Necedrol headache number 14.
Yes, that's right, death by cyanide.
No, we're not kidding.
Yes, Goren, Major Case Squad.
Call me.
We hear from the lab yet on that bottle? No.
Upstairs has a theory.
Want to hear it? On her lunch break one day, Nurse Colleen Baxton walks across the street to the drugstore and plants a couple of hot pills in a bottle of Necedrol.
What do you want me to say? It's brilliant.
They want you to look at the nurse again.
And they want me to shut down the phone bank.
What, are they insane? They're worried we're going to start a panic.
A panic might save lives.
They have any idea what they're dealing with? It's terrorism.
Everyone's a potential victim.
Okay, got it.
Thanks.
Over at the 2-7 in Midtown, Cyanide poisoning six days ago.
Jeanine King was out dancing with her boyfriend.
They get home, he passes out.
Next morning he trips over her on his way to the john.
Tox screen came back positive for cyanide.
So our gut reaction was go for the boyfriend.
How'd he get his hands on cyanide? That's the thing.
The kid's just a bike messenger.
With no access to a chemical supply house or university lab.
If he wanted to kill the girl, it'd be easier for him to crack her over the head with his tire pump.
What came up in the search? Nothing yet.
So are you going to tell us where to look, or do we have to play 20 questions? The medicine cabinet.
We got a nut job out there? You didn't hear it from us, but yeah.
Someone's spiking tablets of Necedrol.
Oh really? Okay, two questions: How long have you known about this and just when were you planning to share it with the rest of the world? That's up to the commissioner's office.
Those idiots.
But if it were to leak out, it wouldn't be a bad thing.
The lab found two cyanide-tainted capsules in the Necedrol bottle in Jeanine King's bathroom.
The tox exam turned up both cyanide and Necedrol in her system.
The boyfriend said they bought the bottle of Necedrol in the city three weeks ago, before the deaths at the hospital.
Toss in the bottle Mr.
Malloy bought for his son, we got a product tamperer out there.
I'll run this up so they can contact the manufacturers about a recall.
We're keeping a lid on this.
The last thing we need is public hysteria.
Deakins.
No, sir.
Call you back.
Sources inside the 27th precinct said the 22-year-old victim took two Necedrol capsules minutes before her death.
The sources also told News Channel 4 the death might be related to recent deaths at Bellmore General Hospital.
Who the hell opened their big yaps? Deakins.
Hold him for a second.
What? / Phone canvass turned up two more cyanide deaths.
The FDA turned up The green dots show where the original bottles were purchased by the tamperer.
The blue dots show where each bottle was purchased by the victims.
We fed this stuff into geographic profiling program.
We start with the "least effort" principle.
Most people who run out for a gallon of milk, they go to the store nearest home.
Criminals work the same way, but out of caution, they keep a buffer zone around their home.
This is the buffer zone.
Outside that is the strike zone.
And here is the hot zone.
A three-block area where the tamperer lives.
Have you identified any possible suspects? We fed the addresses of hospital employees, the six victims' families and close friends and present and past employees of the Necedrol manufacturer into the program.
There're no matches.
This program is reliable.
The killer lives in the hot zone.
Thank you, Detective.
You can leave us now.
Now, Captain, you started working off another of Goren's profiles.
We had a shrink look at Colleen Baxton.
She was a hop, skip and a jump from going lethal.
Goren's profile saved lives.
And meanwhile, the person who was lethal was operating with impunity.
We're getting a thousand phone calls per hour.
Nobody knows how much of this poison there is out there.
You should've conducted a two-track investigation.
My point, sir, is however many tracks we have, we will catch this hump.
That's a promise.
I'm concerned because I think my husband may have taken Necedrol before he died.
A month ago.
I guess it would be okay to dig him up.
No, I can come down to your office.
Can I ask you, how long would a lawsuit take? Well, I'm not really the kind of person who goes around suing people, it's just that Lennie, he'd want me provided for.
The FDA analyzed the cyanide it's all from the same batch, but they're still trying to get a line on where it came from.
I put out the word to my own sources.
What sources? Watchdog groups who keep track of shipments of dangerous chemicals.
Tree huggers.
Might be helpful to get a line on a motive.
We haven't found anybody with a motive against any of the six victims.
What about the great American pastime? Which one, dieting or cheating on your taxes? Suing.
So far, our nationwide recall's costing us tens of millions of dollars.
Not to mention the cost of redesigning our packaging.
Anyone file a suit against you? Nine lawsuits so far.
We plan to settle them as quickly as possible.
You said nine lawsuits? Two class-action suits, but those are non-starters, plus the suits by the families of the seven victims.
Seven? We only know of six.
So did we until a couple of days ago.
Leonard Pomeranski of Manhattan.
Died of cyanide poisoning five weeks ago.
Why did it take five weeks to hear about it? Mr.
Pomeranski was originally diagnosed as having died of a pulmonary embolism.
When the tampering story broke, his widow had his body exhumed.
An autopsy found cyanide mixed with Necedrol in his system.
If we can be helpful in any other way, please let us know.
You bet.
Thanks for coming in.
Pomeranski doesn't live in the hot zone.
He was the first to die, first to be poisoned.
Somebody had to be first.
As Leonard Pomeranski might say "Why me?" I know you're very selective about your franchisees.
This is the second time I've applied.
I see your boutique experience is a little Lacking, I know.
But I have learned so much about children's clothes working at Macy's.
I've been taking business classes.
May I speak frankly, Ms.
Pomeranski? I'm quite concerned about financing.
Now despite the fact that you had someone co-sign for the credit Oh, that's not a problem.
See, I'm expecting a large check at the end of the month.
It's a settlement from a lawsuit.
It means I can make the entire first year's license payment as soon as I get that check.
I'm going to send your application upstairs for further review, and we will be in touch with you very shortly.
The thing is, I knew it wasn't a pulmonary embolism.
With Lennie, it was like he ate something that didn't agree with him, like a bad heartburn.
He went back to lie down and he never got back up.
I called 911 right away, but it was too late.
What're they doing? It's standard.
All the victim's homes got searched.
How did you know your husband took the Necedrol? Did you see him? No, but I remember he had a bad headache when he got home from work.
The drugstore where you bought the Necedrol, it's not exactly around the corner.
They have better prices over there.
I noticed that there's no pictures of you and your husband.
We didn't like taking pictures.
Lennie always thought he looked too fat.
Wedding pictures? I like looking at wedding pictures.
I threw them all out.
It was too depressing.
I don't like to dwell.
Right.
You got to move on with your life.
Yes.
That's a franchise operation.
I thought you worked in a department store.
I do.
It's just something I'm thinking about.
More getting on with your life? Yeah, like that.
With all the bad memories, you'll probably want to move soon.
Oh, no.
This place is rent-controlled.
Yes, both sides of the application.
I understand.
As soon as possible.
Thank you.
No trace of cyanide in her apartment.
- Something here stinks.
- Too bad it's not almonds.
What do you know, a tree hugger.
The way the FDA works, they call up the chemical companies and say, "Hey, did you ship any cyanide lately?" No? Okay, thanks.
- How do you work? - Hey, the baby can sign.
It's his ocean, too.
Didn't Bobby tell you? We got alternative methods of gathering information.
You hack into the companies' computers? If you're going to make it sound illegal What'd you find? A company in the lovely state of Oklahoma shipped 10 ounces of cyanide to a photo supply store in the West Village.
- Are you sure? - What's the big deal? They stopped using cyanide for photo processing 10 years ago.
That was the first tip-off.
Second one was the cyanide was shipped two weeks before people started dying.
What store? Marlon's Camera.
But they went out of business two years ago.
Post office had the forwarding address.
Right smack in the hot zone.
Who is it? I'm a police officer, ma'am.
There's an emergency.
I need access to your apartment.
What's going on here? What emergency? This is.
It's a search warrant.
This is a search for what? A package of dangerous chemicals was mailed to this address.
Well, I don't know anything about that.
Marlon Camera Supply.
Is this you? That was my husband's store.
He passed away two years ago.
Are you Loretta Marlon? Yes.
Your Percocet had an operation lately? Yeah, two weeks ago.
Bellmore General? - Mrs.
Marlon? - Who's this? Why, that's my daughter.
Trudy Pomeranski.
They already asked me at the hospital about Mrs.
Taylor.
I told them, I don't know anything.
Did you or your daughter ever visit Mr.
Berkowitz? He was five doors down from you.
No.
But Trudy went to the drugstore across the street, right? To get some magazines and some candy? No.
Are you sure? Because we heard somebody saw her there.
Not her.
And she was seen in the Dwyer's on Eighth and Broadway.
That's where Jeanine King bought her Necedrol that killed her.
Susan Cassadine, she got hers at the ShopRite at Seventh and Waverly.
And Ninette Wong's daughter bought them at the Gaydose's near Union Square.
And then your son-in-law, Leonard.
All these innocent people dead because they took the cyanide the chemical company shipped to your address.
No.
When you were in the hospital, who took care of your cat and your flowers? It was Trudy, right? And she planted all those tainted bottles while she was coming and going from your place.
Look at them, Mrs.
Marlon.
Don't these people's families have a right to know what happened? You could tell them.
It's the decent thing to do.
I'm sorry.
I don't know anything.
Trudy did this.
I know it, Detective Eames knows it you know it.
We'll talk to the DA.
We'll make sure she's not hurt.
There's a whole machine out there waiting to chew her up.
You have it in your power to save her.
I want someone to help me! I want a lawyer.
Where's the evidence this package was even delivered? You said yourself it was sent to an old address.
As soon as the company finds the signed receipt, we'll have the evidence.
Oh for God's sakes, Ron.
You think this old lady with one and a half lungs ran around the hospital like some tooth fairy from hell? No, but her daughter probably did, and your client is covering for her.
Then subpoena her.
In the meantime, she's not under arrest.
I'm taking her home.
See ya.
Quite a pistolero.
Question is how tough is her client? We might get her to talk two or three months from now.
She shut down in there.
She's in shock.
The idea that her daughter is responsible for seven murders it's too horrible to contemplate.
We can't afford to wait for three months.
The FDA planning a second look at Trudy Pomeranski's apartment? Yeah, we're also bringing in the FBI lab as a backup.
Let's keep our fingers crossed.
I feel bad for Mrs.
Marlon.
She reminds me of my grandma.
You going to share with the rest of the class? It's a fax from Cutie Bear Baby Clothes.
Trudy Pomeranski filled out this application for a franchise.
And this is the contract she signed.
It's a 100,000 bucks to buy in.
Funny how she can afford it now.
Here's your motive.
Trudy killed six innocent people to hide the fact she killed her husband for the lawsuit money.
You can lay that motive on everybody who's suing the drug company.
Still doesn't get you past square one.
Baby clothes? The contract has a morals clause.
"If a franchisee causes, by whatever means, negative publicity for, or associations with, the Cutie Bear brand, this will constitute a material breach and the company may terminate the contract without prejudice or compensation.
" Detective? Get an indictment against the mother.
For what? / Murder.
With what? With whatever.
Don't you have the grand jury eating out of your hand? I bet you could indict that clock.
I must be losing my mind.
Didn't we just agree the daughter did it? Trust me.
We start with the mother.
Isn't it great? My office'll be over there.
The company has this policy they won't take back what you can't sell.
But I already made this closeout deal with this department store in Puerto Rico.
So you see, Ma, I haven't even opened yet and I'm already in profit.
You haven't heard one word I've said.
Trudy, they think you killed people.
If that was true, I'd be in jail.
Anyway, I didn't do anything.
So don't worry about it.
Trudy did you use Dad's old account to order cyanide from that chemical company? No.
Look at these clothes.
They're so cute.
How how much is all this costing? The settlement money's taking care of it.
Would you quit worrying and just be happy for me? Trudy, what have you done? Ma, don't talk like that.
Did you kill Lennie? They feel so soft.
Answer me! You are so negative! You always think the worst of me.
The only reason I married Lennie was so that you wouldn't think I was a slut for sleeping with him.
You never cared what I wanted.
Now I've got what I want, Ma, and I'm not going to let you spoil it for me.
Grand Jury Room Number Three Monday, May 3 This hospital record, People's Grand Jury exhibit 4 reflects the fact that Mrs.
Marlon was on the ward at the same time as victims two and three were poisoned and that she shared a room with victim number four.
That concludes the People's evidence.
Yes? Is there any evidence at all that she tampered with those bottles? As your legal advisor, I'm telling you that is not relevant to your deliberations.
Ladies and gentlemen of the grand jury, let me remind you that the appropriate standard of law to be applied here is "legally sufficient evidence and reasonable cause to believe.
" I will leave you to deliberate and vote in this case.
I'm going to ask you to trust me on this one.
Thank you.
Here we go.
Sir.
Thank you.
From a wink, to a nod, to an indictment.
Docket number 709501, People v.
Loretta Marlon.
Seven counts of murder in the first degree.
How do you plead, Mrs.
Marlon? Mrs.
Marlon? All right.
Miss O'Brien, we will enter a plea of not guilty for your client, if that will work for you? It does.
Thank you, Judge.
People on bail? In light of the severity of these crimes, we ask for remand, Your Honor.
In light of the weakness of their evidence, remand's absurd.
The evidence passed muster with the grand jury.
Right.
Was my client indicted before or after the ham sandwich? Very amusing, Miss O'Brien.
Your client is remanded without bail.
Next! Docket number 734916.
People v.
Louis.
That's docket number 734916.
You're absolutely sure? This is her mother.
I don't want to tell you your business, but if it gets out that Trudy bought one of your franchises, Cutie Bear's going to become Cyanide Bear to most people.
It's just something to think about.
Have a good day.
I don't understand.
I have all the money I need from the settlement.
Yes, but that's not the issue.
Section 16 of the Standard Terms.
The morals clause.
If a franchisee causes negative publicity for the Cutie Bear brand, the company may void the contract.
But I haven't done anything wrong.
Your mother is charged with seven murders.
That doesn't have anything to do with me.
Unfortunately, it does.
People will find out who your mother is.
We sell baby clothes.
Baby clothes cannot be associated in the public mind with a cyanide killer.
But my mother didn't do it.
And we will wait until there's a final disposition.
But unless she's cleared, the company will have no choice but to void your franchise agreement.
I'm sorry.
This is just so awful and so unfair.
Please, have a seat.
My mother never hurt anybody in her whole life.
Sometimes, people do things when they get old and they're alone.
But she wasn't alone.
She had me.
She can't have done this.
She's innocent.
Well, no.
See, Mrs.
Pomeranski, we have a lot of good evidence against her the cyanide that was sent to her house, the fact that she was in the hospital when those people were killed.
She hasn't exactly been jumping up and down saying that she's innocent.
You saw her in court.
Innocent people don't act like that.
She looked guilty.
Even the DA said so.
But she had no reason to do this.
Maybe she got angry about the tumor in her lung.
Maybe she decided to take it out on the drug companies.
Or maybe she just didn't like Lennie didn't like the way he treated you.
No, Lennie treated me fine.
Ma got along with him.
Or maybe she felt sorry for you, she wanted to help you uh, to create a situation where you could make money suing the drug company.
You think that's possible? Ma's not that smart to think of that.
Well, whatever the reason there's just no way she's not going to jail for this.
But she didn't do it.
Can't you see? It's not possible.
I'm sure you believe that, but we can only go by what's in front of us.
Now, we could be wrong.
Someone could walk in here tomorrow and say they did it.
Does that happen? Not a lot.
But it's probably more likely in a case like this.
Why? What do you mean? Well, people who commit this kind of crime, they want attention.
If they see someone else getting the credit, they'll let us know.
They'll call, or write a letter to the newspaper.
But usually it turns out it's just some crackpot.
How do you know it is? They have to prove to us that they did it.
They tell us something about the crime, something only they would know.
Or give us a piece of evidence, like the murder weapon.
It takes something like that to make us believe a confession.
Take our word for it, without something like that, there's nothing that's going to change our mind about your mother.
I just can't believe this.
We don't want to give you false hope, Mrs.
Pomeranski.
You have to prepare yourself for the truth that your mother killed those seven people.
You understand me? We're very sorry about your situation.
The officer will show you out.
The Editor, The New York Ledger NYC, NY 10001 Car three, you stay with her.
We'll stay with the mailbox.
Yes? Very nice.
Thank you.
It's too bad.
What's too bad? You dropped this in the mailbox.
No, I We have it all on videotape.
It smells like almonds.
I'll bet you know what else smells like almonds.
Trudy Pomeranski, you're under arrest.
No.
/ Please turn around No! No! No! I don't want to hurt you.
No, no, no, no! I don't want to go, please, please, please! No! No! Please don't make me go! Come with us, ma'am.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
You're adorable.
That's what dreams are made of.
Bad dreams.
These are their stories.
- Get a crash cart, stat! - All right, I'm on it.
Code Blue on Ward 11-B, north block, bed five.
Any peripheral pulses? / No.
V-fib.
She has a shockable rhythm.
- Start at 200 joules.
- Charging to 200.
Clear.
Alton on post on 11-B, north block.
Better catch your breath, or we'll need the crash cart for you.
I am so glad I was there when Mrs.
Taylor coded.
Not as glad as she is, I bet.
She's going to be fine.
Dr.
Gardetta's going to keep her sedated with Valium.
Good work, Colleen.
- Looks like you're a hero.
- No, I'm not.
Did you see in the papers? They're having a book fair on Third Avenue this Saturday.
Yeah? Well, I'm, you know, headed out to Sheepshead Bay, check on my folks.
I'll see you later.
Maintenance to cafeteria annex.
Maintenance to cafeteria annex.
Will you come see our new goldfish, Grandma? Of course, honey.
Ma, are you all right? I heard they had an emergency.
Mrs.
Taylor.
She had a little thing with her heart.
Okay, kids, let's let Grandma go to sleep.
Goodbye, Grandma.
We love you.
I don't know what I would've done if Stop staring.
How's your chest feel? It's better.
The doctor says my lung is healing fine.
I'm going to need some help at home when they let me out of here.
We'll get one of those home nurses.
Medicare won't pay for that.
How do you know that? You're always so negative about everything.
Can't you come stay with me for a while? Ma, I've fed your cat and watered your plants for two weeks already.
Time for your pills.
No, I just want to sleep.
It's all right, dear, you can take them when you wake up.
I brought the paperwork from Cutie Bear to sign.
You know, I think of you in your apartment all by yourself.
Lenny's things everywhere.
And for the last time, leave that poor woman alone.
Code Blue on ward 11-B.
Code Blue on ward 11-B, north block, bed five.
Mrs.
Taylor, she's dead.
Do the families know? No, and they haven't requested autopsies.
Did you advise them against autopsies? I'm a risk management officer.
I always advise against autopsies.
What about the risk to other patients? - We have an obligation.
- Our obligation is unclear.
I've asked Ed to advise us on a course of action.
You need a lawyer to tell you what to do? Matt, I understand your feelings.
We will deal with this situation ethically, but we won't fall on our sword.
Hello? I'm calling from Bellmore General.
I want to report a I want to report three murders.
Law & Order CI Your anonymous caller is grossly misinformed.
It's a statistical anomaly.
A long way from a murder.
Did you do autopsies on these "anomalies"? No.
/ Toxicology on blood or tissue samples? If tests were done, the results are covered by patient confidentiality.
What makes these anomalies anomalous? All three patients were on the surgery ward.
None had been admitted for life-threatening conditions.
You're saying they were misdiagnosed? That's not what I said.
Okay, so they developed life-threatening conditions after they were admitted? Either way, the hospital's on the hook.
Here are the names of the patients we got off the 911 call.
We want the addresses of their families.
Then you can fax us the names of everybody here who had anything to do with their treatment.
We'll expect it by this afternoon.
Montaldo Funeral Home Wednesday, April 14 We know what a shock this must be for you.
I can't believe anybody would want to hurt her.
We're not sure anybody did.
The only surgery your wife had was on her knee? Yes.
But then she got an infection from the cortisone shots.
That's why she was still in the hospital.
Did anything unusual happen to her before she passed away? Well, just that afternoon her heart stopped.
She had what they call a Code Blue.
They resuscitated her.
She have a history of heart problems? Just high blood pressure.
It was under control.
It's almonds.
Cyanide? I can tell you already how it's going to play out.
Angel of death.
Probably not a doctor, more likely a nurse or an orderly.
Single, late 20s to early 30s, lives alone or with a parent.
Average to above average intelligence, narcissistic, immature, likely to be a screwup on the job chronic lateness, minor errors that would show up on a work record.
The hospital sent over a list of 114 people who had one thing or another to do with the three victims.
Okay.
I want to make sure Mrs.
Taylor's not an isolated case.
You're gonna talk to your other families, you're going to get autopsies.
No problem.
And when you talk to the families, try to curb your enthusiasm.
I'll curb it when we get this freak locked in a box.
Poor Lenny.
Who would've imagined? Pulmonary embolism at age 44.
That's according to that city doctor.
You don't believe him? Lenny was a lot of things, but he was never sick.
What're you doing? Just want to make sure it's not all frozen.
What did you want to do, plant tomatoes? It's for when they put the headstone.
We haven't even ordered one yet.
We know where he is.
Trudy, he was your husband.
At least pretend you're sorry he's gone.
I am sorry.
Let's go before you catch cold.
My husband wasn't supposed to die.
He had his gall bladder removed.
He was a day away from being released.
Did anything unusual happen to him? No.
But the man in the bed next to him, he had a Code Blue the day before Aaron died.
But him they saved.
Excuse me.
Seems like a lot of Code Blues for a surgery ward.
When there's a Code Blue, security has to go up and cover the nurses' station.
Except up on the surgery ward, you're the only security that showed up every time.
Doesn't this seem strange to you? There's not a lot of room to move around in here.
So any chance I get, I go out on the floors.
So when there's a Code Blue, you're "Johnny on the spot.
" I guess so.
I heard some of these are worth a lot of money.
You collect them? No.
They're gifts.
From your wife, or your girlfriend? No, I'm not married.
They're from a nurse.
She likes you.
Yeah, she's not really my type.
Is she on the 11th floor? How'd you know that? Magic.
So what's this nurse's name? Home Of Colleen Braxton Wesrbury, Long Island Monday, April 19 Derrick's a nice man.
I'm sure he'd never hurt anybody.
He seems to pop up every time there's a Code Blue.
Is that your mom's or your dad's? My dad's.
You live here alone with him? Looks like he needs a lot of care.
Is that why you're always late for work? I'm not always late.
I'll bet your dad doesn't appreciate all the effort that you put out.
But they appreciate you at the hospital.
I don't know about that.
You save people's lives.
Like James McKee six weeks ago? When his heart stopped, you called a Code.
I just happened to be there.
And Bruce Sonshein in the same week.
People look up to you.
People like Derrick Alton.
It feels nice.
Yes.
It makes up for the other looks you get when you're late or make a mistake.
What'd you give them, Colleen, to make their heart stop? Oh God.
I gave them adenosine.
- It's a heart medication.
- For rapid heart rate.
But if you give it to someone with a normal heart rate? Their heart stops, just for 20 or 30 seconds.
- It's not lethal.
- But it's enough to call a Code Blue.
Okay, Colleen.
Now tell us what you did with Aaron Berkowitz, George Malloy and Jenny Taylor.
They were poisoned with cyanide.
I didn't do anything! Saving people wasn't exciting enough for you.
No, I didn't kill those people.
All I did was give Mrs.
Taylor adenosine just to make her heart stop.
But I did not give her cyanide.
I didn't.
You made her heart stop the afternoon before she died? Yes, but please, I didn't kill anybody.
I didn't kill her.
Okay, Colleen, stand up.
We're placing you under arrest.
Is there somebody who can come take care of your dad? - My sister.
- Better call her.
I'll call CSU, have them check the place for cyanide.
She didn't do it.
She's not the one.
She lives with her father, she's a screwup, she wants attention, she's all the wonderful things you said our angel of death would be.
And she admits inducing 34 Code Blues.
Yes.
And when she got tired of that, she graduated to murder.
So why are we having this discussion? Because once these people graduate to murder, they don't look back.
She wouldn't have induced a Code Blue on Jenny Taylor before poisoning her six hours later.
That wouldn't fit the profile.
And profiling is an art and not a science, isn't that so, Detective? Science didn't find a trace of cyanide in Colleen Baxton's home.
The ME found partially-digested gelatin caps containing cyanide in all three of the victims.
The capsules had the same color and brand marks as an over-the-counter headache medication called Necedrol.
I take that stuff.
So do the patients at Bellmore General.
It's what they give them for minor aches.
Nurse Baxton spiked the pills.
I'm telling you, she's not the one.
There's someone else.
Look, tie her to those poison pills.
I'll get the FDA into the loop.
Home Of Harold Malloy Queens Wednesday, April 21 That nurse Colleen brought my boy those Necedrol pills around noon.
You saw him take them? Yeah.
Why? Mr.
Malloy, your son died four hours later.
Cyanide would've acted quicker than that.
Your son was in a motorcycle accident.
He must've been in a lot of pain.
He complained they weren't giving him enough pills.
I talked to the nurses about it, but they said they couldn't do anything without the doctor's okay.
It must've been tough for you to see him like that.
Yeah.
You wanted to do something for him.
You gave him some extra pills some Necedrol that afternoon? Yeah.
/ Where did you get them? At the drugstore across the street from the hospital.
- I bought a bottle.
- Do you still have it? Yeah.
For once, I was really hoping you were wrong.
I told him I didn't see nobody fooling with Mrs.
Taylor's medication.
Why do you think they were asking? Why do you think, Ma? Probably somebody did something to Mrs.
Taylor.
Oh my God.
It could've been you.
Just think about that.
Oh, you look tired.
Why don't you go sit down? There's a chair in front of the prescription counter.
I don't know why we had to come here.
There's a perfectly good drugstore just around the corner from me.
The prices are better here.
Now go sit down.
I'll be done in a minute.
All right.
Yes, any cyanide deaths in the last three months.
Look, anything comes up, you let us know pronto.
Looks like he's getting the crap pounded out of him.
Here it comes, Necedrol headache number 14.
Yes, that's right, death by cyanide.
No, we're not kidding.
Yes, Goren, Major Case Squad.
Call me.
We hear from the lab yet on that bottle? No.
Upstairs has a theory.
Want to hear it? On her lunch break one day, Nurse Colleen Baxton walks across the street to the drugstore and plants a couple of hot pills in a bottle of Necedrol.
What do you want me to say? It's brilliant.
They want you to look at the nurse again.
And they want me to shut down the phone bank.
What, are they insane? They're worried we're going to start a panic.
A panic might save lives.
They have any idea what they're dealing with? It's terrorism.
Everyone's a potential victim.
Okay, got it.
Thanks.
Over at the 2-7 in Midtown, Cyanide poisoning six days ago.
Jeanine King was out dancing with her boyfriend.
They get home, he passes out.
Next morning he trips over her on his way to the john.
Tox screen came back positive for cyanide.
So our gut reaction was go for the boyfriend.
How'd he get his hands on cyanide? That's the thing.
The kid's just a bike messenger.
With no access to a chemical supply house or university lab.
If he wanted to kill the girl, it'd be easier for him to crack her over the head with his tire pump.
What came up in the search? Nothing yet.
So are you going to tell us where to look, or do we have to play 20 questions? The medicine cabinet.
We got a nut job out there? You didn't hear it from us, but yeah.
Someone's spiking tablets of Necedrol.
Oh really? Okay, two questions: How long have you known about this and just when were you planning to share it with the rest of the world? That's up to the commissioner's office.
Those idiots.
But if it were to leak out, it wouldn't be a bad thing.
The lab found two cyanide-tainted capsules in the Necedrol bottle in Jeanine King's bathroom.
The tox exam turned up both cyanide and Necedrol in her system.
The boyfriend said they bought the bottle of Necedrol in the city three weeks ago, before the deaths at the hospital.
Toss in the bottle Mr.
Malloy bought for his son, we got a product tamperer out there.
I'll run this up so they can contact the manufacturers about a recall.
We're keeping a lid on this.
The last thing we need is public hysteria.
Deakins.
No, sir.
Call you back.
Sources inside the 27th precinct said the 22-year-old victim took two Necedrol capsules minutes before her death.
The sources also told News Channel 4 the death might be related to recent deaths at Bellmore General Hospital.
Who the hell opened their big yaps? Deakins.
Hold him for a second.
What? / Phone canvass turned up two more cyanide deaths.
The FDA turned up The green dots show where the original bottles were purchased by the tamperer.
The blue dots show where each bottle was purchased by the victims.
We fed this stuff into geographic profiling program.
We start with the "least effort" principle.
Most people who run out for a gallon of milk, they go to the store nearest home.
Criminals work the same way, but out of caution, they keep a buffer zone around their home.
This is the buffer zone.
Outside that is the strike zone.
And here is the hot zone.
A three-block area where the tamperer lives.
Have you identified any possible suspects? We fed the addresses of hospital employees, the six victims' families and close friends and present and past employees of the Necedrol manufacturer into the program.
There're no matches.
This program is reliable.
The killer lives in the hot zone.
Thank you, Detective.
You can leave us now.
Now, Captain, you started working off another of Goren's profiles.
We had a shrink look at Colleen Baxton.
She was a hop, skip and a jump from going lethal.
Goren's profile saved lives.
And meanwhile, the person who was lethal was operating with impunity.
We're getting a thousand phone calls per hour.
Nobody knows how much of this poison there is out there.
You should've conducted a two-track investigation.
My point, sir, is however many tracks we have, we will catch this hump.
That's a promise.
I'm concerned because I think my husband may have taken Necedrol before he died.
A month ago.
I guess it would be okay to dig him up.
No, I can come down to your office.
Can I ask you, how long would a lawsuit take? Well, I'm not really the kind of person who goes around suing people, it's just that Lennie, he'd want me provided for.
The FDA analyzed the cyanide it's all from the same batch, but they're still trying to get a line on where it came from.
I put out the word to my own sources.
What sources? Watchdog groups who keep track of shipments of dangerous chemicals.
Tree huggers.
Might be helpful to get a line on a motive.
We haven't found anybody with a motive against any of the six victims.
What about the great American pastime? Which one, dieting or cheating on your taxes? Suing.
So far, our nationwide recall's costing us tens of millions of dollars.
Not to mention the cost of redesigning our packaging.
Anyone file a suit against you? Nine lawsuits so far.
We plan to settle them as quickly as possible.
You said nine lawsuits? Two class-action suits, but those are non-starters, plus the suits by the families of the seven victims.
Seven? We only know of six.
So did we until a couple of days ago.
Leonard Pomeranski of Manhattan.
Died of cyanide poisoning five weeks ago.
Why did it take five weeks to hear about it? Mr.
Pomeranski was originally diagnosed as having died of a pulmonary embolism.
When the tampering story broke, his widow had his body exhumed.
An autopsy found cyanide mixed with Necedrol in his system.
If we can be helpful in any other way, please let us know.
You bet.
Thanks for coming in.
Pomeranski doesn't live in the hot zone.
He was the first to die, first to be poisoned.
Somebody had to be first.
As Leonard Pomeranski might say "Why me?" I know you're very selective about your franchisees.
This is the second time I've applied.
I see your boutique experience is a little Lacking, I know.
But I have learned so much about children's clothes working at Macy's.
I've been taking business classes.
May I speak frankly, Ms.
Pomeranski? I'm quite concerned about financing.
Now despite the fact that you had someone co-sign for the credit Oh, that's not a problem.
See, I'm expecting a large check at the end of the month.
It's a settlement from a lawsuit.
It means I can make the entire first year's license payment as soon as I get that check.
I'm going to send your application upstairs for further review, and we will be in touch with you very shortly.
The thing is, I knew it wasn't a pulmonary embolism.
With Lennie, it was like he ate something that didn't agree with him, like a bad heartburn.
He went back to lie down and he never got back up.
I called 911 right away, but it was too late.
What're they doing? It's standard.
All the victim's homes got searched.
How did you know your husband took the Necedrol? Did you see him? No, but I remember he had a bad headache when he got home from work.
The drugstore where you bought the Necedrol, it's not exactly around the corner.
They have better prices over there.
I noticed that there's no pictures of you and your husband.
We didn't like taking pictures.
Lennie always thought he looked too fat.
Wedding pictures? I like looking at wedding pictures.
I threw them all out.
It was too depressing.
I don't like to dwell.
Right.
You got to move on with your life.
Yes.
That's a franchise operation.
I thought you worked in a department store.
I do.
It's just something I'm thinking about.
More getting on with your life? Yeah, like that.
With all the bad memories, you'll probably want to move soon.
Oh, no.
This place is rent-controlled.
Yes, both sides of the application.
I understand.
As soon as possible.
Thank you.
No trace of cyanide in her apartment.
- Something here stinks.
- Too bad it's not almonds.
What do you know, a tree hugger.
The way the FDA works, they call up the chemical companies and say, "Hey, did you ship any cyanide lately?" No? Okay, thanks.
- How do you work? - Hey, the baby can sign.
It's his ocean, too.
Didn't Bobby tell you? We got alternative methods of gathering information.
You hack into the companies' computers? If you're going to make it sound illegal What'd you find? A company in the lovely state of Oklahoma shipped 10 ounces of cyanide to a photo supply store in the West Village.
- Are you sure? - What's the big deal? They stopped using cyanide for photo processing 10 years ago.
That was the first tip-off.
Second one was the cyanide was shipped two weeks before people started dying.
What store? Marlon's Camera.
But they went out of business two years ago.
Post office had the forwarding address.
Right smack in the hot zone.
Who is it? I'm a police officer, ma'am.
There's an emergency.
I need access to your apartment.
What's going on here? What emergency? This is.
It's a search warrant.
This is a search for what? A package of dangerous chemicals was mailed to this address.
Well, I don't know anything about that.
Marlon Camera Supply.
Is this you? That was my husband's store.
He passed away two years ago.
Are you Loretta Marlon? Yes.
Your Percocet had an operation lately? Yeah, two weeks ago.
Bellmore General? - Mrs.
Marlon? - Who's this? Why, that's my daughter.
Trudy Pomeranski.
They already asked me at the hospital about Mrs.
Taylor.
I told them, I don't know anything.
Did you or your daughter ever visit Mr.
Berkowitz? He was five doors down from you.
No.
But Trudy went to the drugstore across the street, right? To get some magazines and some candy? No.
Are you sure? Because we heard somebody saw her there.
Not her.
And she was seen in the Dwyer's on Eighth and Broadway.
That's where Jeanine King bought her Necedrol that killed her.
Susan Cassadine, she got hers at the ShopRite at Seventh and Waverly.
And Ninette Wong's daughter bought them at the Gaydose's near Union Square.
And then your son-in-law, Leonard.
All these innocent people dead because they took the cyanide the chemical company shipped to your address.
No.
When you were in the hospital, who took care of your cat and your flowers? It was Trudy, right? And she planted all those tainted bottles while she was coming and going from your place.
Look at them, Mrs.
Marlon.
Don't these people's families have a right to know what happened? You could tell them.
It's the decent thing to do.
I'm sorry.
I don't know anything.
Trudy did this.
I know it, Detective Eames knows it you know it.
We'll talk to the DA.
We'll make sure she's not hurt.
There's a whole machine out there waiting to chew her up.
You have it in your power to save her.
I want someone to help me! I want a lawyer.
Where's the evidence this package was even delivered? You said yourself it was sent to an old address.
As soon as the company finds the signed receipt, we'll have the evidence.
Oh for God's sakes, Ron.
You think this old lady with one and a half lungs ran around the hospital like some tooth fairy from hell? No, but her daughter probably did, and your client is covering for her.
Then subpoena her.
In the meantime, she's not under arrest.
I'm taking her home.
See ya.
Quite a pistolero.
Question is how tough is her client? We might get her to talk two or three months from now.
She shut down in there.
She's in shock.
The idea that her daughter is responsible for seven murders it's too horrible to contemplate.
We can't afford to wait for three months.
The FDA planning a second look at Trudy Pomeranski's apartment? Yeah, we're also bringing in the FBI lab as a backup.
Let's keep our fingers crossed.
I feel bad for Mrs.
Marlon.
She reminds me of my grandma.
You going to share with the rest of the class? It's a fax from Cutie Bear Baby Clothes.
Trudy Pomeranski filled out this application for a franchise.
And this is the contract she signed.
It's a 100,000 bucks to buy in.
Funny how she can afford it now.
Here's your motive.
Trudy killed six innocent people to hide the fact she killed her husband for the lawsuit money.
You can lay that motive on everybody who's suing the drug company.
Still doesn't get you past square one.
Baby clothes? The contract has a morals clause.
"If a franchisee causes, by whatever means, negative publicity for, or associations with, the Cutie Bear brand, this will constitute a material breach and the company may terminate the contract without prejudice or compensation.
" Detective? Get an indictment against the mother.
For what? / Murder.
With what? With whatever.
Don't you have the grand jury eating out of your hand? I bet you could indict that clock.
I must be losing my mind.
Didn't we just agree the daughter did it? Trust me.
We start with the mother.
Isn't it great? My office'll be over there.
The company has this policy they won't take back what you can't sell.
But I already made this closeout deal with this department store in Puerto Rico.
So you see, Ma, I haven't even opened yet and I'm already in profit.
You haven't heard one word I've said.
Trudy, they think you killed people.
If that was true, I'd be in jail.
Anyway, I didn't do anything.
So don't worry about it.
Trudy did you use Dad's old account to order cyanide from that chemical company? No.
Look at these clothes.
They're so cute.
How how much is all this costing? The settlement money's taking care of it.
Would you quit worrying and just be happy for me? Trudy, what have you done? Ma, don't talk like that.
Did you kill Lennie? They feel so soft.
Answer me! You are so negative! You always think the worst of me.
The only reason I married Lennie was so that you wouldn't think I was a slut for sleeping with him.
You never cared what I wanted.
Now I've got what I want, Ma, and I'm not going to let you spoil it for me.
Grand Jury Room Number Three Monday, May 3 This hospital record, People's Grand Jury exhibit 4 reflects the fact that Mrs.
Marlon was on the ward at the same time as victims two and three were poisoned and that she shared a room with victim number four.
That concludes the People's evidence.
Yes? Is there any evidence at all that she tampered with those bottles? As your legal advisor, I'm telling you that is not relevant to your deliberations.
Ladies and gentlemen of the grand jury, let me remind you that the appropriate standard of law to be applied here is "legally sufficient evidence and reasonable cause to believe.
" I will leave you to deliberate and vote in this case.
I'm going to ask you to trust me on this one.
Thank you.
Here we go.
Sir.
Thank you.
From a wink, to a nod, to an indictment.
Docket number 709501, People v.
Loretta Marlon.
Seven counts of murder in the first degree.
How do you plead, Mrs.
Marlon? Mrs.
Marlon? All right.
Miss O'Brien, we will enter a plea of not guilty for your client, if that will work for you? It does.
Thank you, Judge.
People on bail? In light of the severity of these crimes, we ask for remand, Your Honor.
In light of the weakness of their evidence, remand's absurd.
The evidence passed muster with the grand jury.
Right.
Was my client indicted before or after the ham sandwich? Very amusing, Miss O'Brien.
Your client is remanded without bail.
Next! Docket number 734916.
People v.
Louis.
That's docket number 734916.
You're absolutely sure? This is her mother.
I don't want to tell you your business, but if it gets out that Trudy bought one of your franchises, Cutie Bear's going to become Cyanide Bear to most people.
It's just something to think about.
Have a good day.
I don't understand.
I have all the money I need from the settlement.
Yes, but that's not the issue.
Section 16 of the Standard Terms.
The morals clause.
If a franchisee causes negative publicity for the Cutie Bear brand, the company may void the contract.
But I haven't done anything wrong.
Your mother is charged with seven murders.
That doesn't have anything to do with me.
Unfortunately, it does.
People will find out who your mother is.
We sell baby clothes.
Baby clothes cannot be associated in the public mind with a cyanide killer.
But my mother didn't do it.
And we will wait until there's a final disposition.
But unless she's cleared, the company will have no choice but to void your franchise agreement.
I'm sorry.
This is just so awful and so unfair.
Please, have a seat.
My mother never hurt anybody in her whole life.
Sometimes, people do things when they get old and they're alone.
But she wasn't alone.
She had me.
She can't have done this.
She's innocent.
Well, no.
See, Mrs.
Pomeranski, we have a lot of good evidence against her the cyanide that was sent to her house, the fact that she was in the hospital when those people were killed.
She hasn't exactly been jumping up and down saying that she's innocent.
You saw her in court.
Innocent people don't act like that.
She looked guilty.
Even the DA said so.
But she had no reason to do this.
Maybe she got angry about the tumor in her lung.
Maybe she decided to take it out on the drug companies.
Or maybe she just didn't like Lennie didn't like the way he treated you.
No, Lennie treated me fine.
Ma got along with him.
Or maybe she felt sorry for you, she wanted to help you uh, to create a situation where you could make money suing the drug company.
You think that's possible? Ma's not that smart to think of that.
Well, whatever the reason there's just no way she's not going to jail for this.
But she didn't do it.
Can't you see? It's not possible.
I'm sure you believe that, but we can only go by what's in front of us.
Now, we could be wrong.
Someone could walk in here tomorrow and say they did it.
Does that happen? Not a lot.
But it's probably more likely in a case like this.
Why? What do you mean? Well, people who commit this kind of crime, they want attention.
If they see someone else getting the credit, they'll let us know.
They'll call, or write a letter to the newspaper.
But usually it turns out it's just some crackpot.
How do you know it is? They have to prove to us that they did it.
They tell us something about the crime, something only they would know.
Or give us a piece of evidence, like the murder weapon.
It takes something like that to make us believe a confession.
Take our word for it, without something like that, there's nothing that's going to change our mind about your mother.
I just can't believe this.
We don't want to give you false hope, Mrs.
Pomeranski.
You have to prepare yourself for the truth that your mother killed those seven people.
You understand me? We're very sorry about your situation.
The officer will show you out.
The Editor, The New York Ledger NYC, NY 10001 Car three, you stay with her.
We'll stay with the mailbox.
Yes? Very nice.
Thank you.
It's too bad.
What's too bad? You dropped this in the mailbox.
No, I We have it all on videotape.
It smells like almonds.
I'll bet you know what else smells like almonds.
Trudy Pomeranski, you're under arrest.
No.
/ Please turn around No! No! No! I don't want to hurt you.
No, no, no, no! I don't want to go, please, please, please! No! No! Please don't make me go! Come with us, ma'am.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
You're adorable.
That's what dreams are made of.
Bad dreams.