Proven Innocent (2019) s01e07 Episode Script

1 Previously on Proven Innocent - We've never officially met.
- Rick Zahn.
It's a pleasure.
- I'm gonna need a lot of money.
- I will do everything I can to get you seated in the AG's office.
EASY: My wife, she thinks I'm talking to my pastor right now.
But you came to a therapist instead.
Heather Husband asserts that the defendant took a swing at them with a baseball bat.
No, Brian came at me.
We will be seeking 25 years in prison.
VIOLET: It's a news story about you.
"Scott's prime suspects include her brother.
" That's Dylan's paper.
- His name is in the byline.
- He was using me.
I'm so sorry.
MADELINE: Success comes from experience.
Easy and I use what happened to me in the justice system as motivation.
I lived the hell.
We don't want another innocent person to have to go through that.
And being good at what we do doesn't hurt either.
- [AUDIENCE CHUCKLES.]
- Does taking "winner" cases help your firm, too? Y'all seem to only take the flashy, newsworthy cases everybody knows about.
Just like your case, Ms.
Scott.
- That's not necessarily true.
- You make headlines on the backs of the wrongfully accused.
Let's keep it real, Ms.
Scott.
You miss the attention.
I don't miss anything about losing ten years of my life to prison.
I did 20.
[AUDIENCE OOHING.]
Wrongfully convicted, just like you.
I got out thanks to the dedicated lawyers at the Innocence Project.
That's great, miss Amina Jackson.
I'm a civil rights activist, and an organizer for the folks here in East Cleveland.
[AUDIENCE MURMURING.]
This is my community.
[APPLAUSE.]
That is great, Ms.
Jackson, but I just want to make one thing clear.
Our firm takes every deserving client we come across.
We don't care if the client is famous or if the trial will make the news.
We believe the justice system is flawed.
And we are here to help fix that.
We're trying to end these mistakes.
Oh, please.
There ain't no ending anything when you come from an underprivileged and dying community.
If someone needs our help, we don't give a damn where they come from.
Good.
An innocent East Cleve man, Davon Watkins, is on death row, blamed for murdering a cop.
He's not famous.
And he's poor as dirt.
You ready to fight the case that everybody else was too damn afraid to take? [AUDIENCE MURMURING.]
Like I said, no attorney in Ohio will touch it.
It's because Davon was a drug dealer.
Davon is not a saint, but he for sure ain't a killer.
Davon grew up three houses away from me.
I know him like I'd know my own brother.
And there is no way he killed an undercover cop.
Why'd they arrest him? Because of the car he was driving.
There was a drive-by shooting in the park.
A bullet hit an undercover cop.
Folks say the shooter was a man with a gun, driving a black Impala.
Yeah, but it couldn't have been Davon.
He was picking me up from the grocery like he always do the first of the month.
The cops didn't believe his alibi? You know how it goes.
One of their own gets hit, and they come down with a fury.
BERNICE: There was some mistake.
Davon is innocent.
Can we help them? A cop killer? That's rough.
Well, maybe we could.
You said he's on death row, right? Can you imagine how horrible that is? Yeah, I can imagine.
I work with you every day.
We've never tried a death penalty case before.
We'd have to file a motion for permission to appear pro hac vice in Ohio.
So you're doing this? I think we should look into it.
Why? Because Amina Jackson dared you to? No, because I believe her.
The client is a known drug dealer.
The victim is an undercover narcotics officer.
There's no evidence of prosecutory misconduct or police abuse.
I'm curious.
[SIGHS.]
Death is the ultimate price to pay for any crime.
It's also an admission that our criminal justice system is really about revenge.
On this week's Until Proven Innocent, we'll discuss the case of Davon Watkins, a man sentenced to death.
We'll talk about the death penalty.
And whether you think it's good for society or not, you should know that it is used disproportionately against the poor and minorities.
And more than that, since humans are fallible, what happens when we execute the innocent? It is a decision that can never be undone.
Hey, D.
Sis.
MADELINE: Hi, Davon.
I'm Madeline Scott.
Amina said you had a partner.
Uh, yeah, Easy.
He couldn't make it issue with another one of our cases.
Yeah? Or is it an issue with my case? That's not it at all.
Easy's never been afraid of taking chances, and neither am I.
You're what kind of lawyer? Reinsurance investigations.
- That sounds kind of boring.
- Oh, it definitely is.
You know, I'm sorry, Mr.
Boudreau, you just you don't seem like the right kind of lawyer for my case.
But you wrote me a letter, not the other way around.
Maybe we should just see how this goes.
She's cool, Davon.
So a taxi driver named Sasha Novak saw the crime.
Identified you as the shooter.
He's lying, 'cause I wasn't there.
I swear on my mother's grave I didn't kill no cop.
All right? I don't even own a gun.
Mr.
Novak also told the police that he said the shooter was driving a black Impala that night and that he saw the first four digits of the license plate which were an exact match to your car.
Can you explain that? He can't explain it.
- Isn't that your job? - No, my job is to find out if there's a path to exoneration.
It wasn't even my car.
All right? I was borrowing it from my homie, Ray MADELINE: Who's Ray? Ray Gibbs.
He used to run drugs with Davon back in the day.
All right.
I think the cops I think the cops fed that taxi driver some information.
Told him what to say, told him my license plate, all that.
What happened when they pulled you over? They just ran up on me with their guns out and started screaming, "G-Get out the car, get on the ground.
" Then they cuffed me and just threw me in the back of the car.
Did they tell you why you were being arrested? They said a witness ID'd me.
Lying taxi driver.
MADELINE: If Mr.
Novak is lying why'd he pick you? Did you know him? Did he dislike you? A-All I know is that he said I was the shooter.
But he's wrong.
You hear me? I didn't-I didn't do this.
[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER P.
A.
.]
I'm on the street 15, 16 hours a day.
I know what's going on out there.
I see that Impala cruising by real slow.
I know it's dopers or worse.
And I was right, too, because an hour later, same car drives by [IMITATES GUNSHOTS.]
Poor cop gets killed.
You knew the victim, Steve Sampson, was a cop? No, not at the time.
Afterwards.
And you have zero doubt about your recollection, then or now? Zero.
I saw what happened.
The punk drives by, shoots the cop and then drives off.
I mean, I immediately radioed the-the cops and I gave them the make, the model and the license plate number.
And then I ID'd him.
You went down to the station for a lineup? No, I drove around with them for a few blocks till we saw that same car with the license plate.
They asked me if the punk handcuffed inside is the shooter and I says, "Yeah.
" And then they put him in the-the police car.
He was already in handcuffs when you ID'd him? Yeah, thankfully.
[SCOFFS.]
You know, cops ought to be grateful that I'm around.
You know, I saw that same damn car, same damn license plate, two days later.
I have an eagle eye for this kind of thing.
Look, I got to get back.
We done here? MADELINE: [STAMMERS.]
Sure.
Thanks.
AMINA: [SIGHS.]
I told you he was a liar.
He saw the same car with the same license plate two days later? It's impossible.
Yeah, absolutely.
The cops would have impounded the car if it was involved in a crime.
Told you.
Something doesn't add up.
So tell me you gonna take Davon's death penalty case or not? I'm in.
Morning.
Good morning.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
The hell's going on? Zahn's people have invaded.
Campaign strategy's being formed, lots of bodies.
Guess that's what happens when you have an unlimited bankroll.
Well, they can't have a campaign headquarters in my office.
Why didn't you tell them that? What are you both doing out here? Excellent question.
- They're not listening to us.
- Not at all.
I was trying to infuse your idea about Rosemary's Law into their strategies Ah, there he is: Mr.
Bellows.
Such a pleasure to finally meet you.
- Noah Weiss, campaign strategist.
- Ah.
I'm sure Mr.
Zahn has mentioned me.
Well, not specifically, but, uh, you can't be here.
- There are laws.
- Oh, that's understood.
We're finding space across the street.
In the meantime, what I need from you is your reaction to what we've been working on.
- So, uh - You know, uh, Mr.
Weiss? - Noah.
- Noah.
You've met Connor Mayfeld and Isabel Sanchez, they're both on my campaign staff.
Perhaps you should hear some of their ideas as well.
Of course.
You folks had a really cagey and pinpointed operation here, but I think Mr.
Zahn has something more grand in mind.
Sorry, grand? Well, with the kind of cash infusion that he's talking about, we're gonna need to change the entire structure of the campaign.
[WHISPERS.]
: It's time to go big.
- How big? - Nine figures big.
In a post-Citizens United world, this is it.
This is the only way to win.
And in the last three years, my firm has won dozens of elections at every level.
I promise you, sir, you're gonna be really happy with the results.
Thank you, sir.
CONNOR: This is ridiculous.
Mr.
Big-Time New Yorker, he can't just come in here and tell us how to do our jobs.
Train is racing ahead, Connor.
If you want to stay my campaign manager, you better get out the knives and show me why it ought to be you instead of Mr.
Big-Time New Yorker.
All right, good news, guys.
I spoke with the East Cleveland police and they confirmed that Davon's black Impala was indeed impounded for six weeks after his arrest.
So the cabbie must've seen a different black Impala? Yeah, exactly.
They also confirmed that his black Impala was stolen from a, uh, car rental agency.
Okay, so Davon's buddy Ray stole an Impala and then loaned it to Davon? How does this help our case? I don't know, but I don't see you bringing anything to this meeting.
I brought the cappuccinos.
We need to go back to Cleveland.
BODIE: No, thank you.
Other than the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, there's nothing for me there.
Take Boudreau.
Uh, wish I could, but I have other pressing court dates.
You're still against Davon's case? I didn't say that, but we have other clients, too.
You got this.
Take Bodie and Violet as backup.
BODIE: Are you guys talking about me? - Nope.
- Yup.
It's a sweet ride.
I can get you a deal on the weekly rental.
Eh.
I'm looking for something a little more, you know, unique.
These cars are all identical.
Yeah, we buy them at fleet rates to keep the costs down.
I mean, they're literally identical, even the license plates are sequential.
What do you-what do you guys do, send all the paperwork into the DMV at the same time or something? - You with the cops? - Nah.
I'm trying to get an innocent guy off death row.
Hey, you guys keep good records? Yeah, sure.
What do you need? Looking for a 2004 black Impala.
- All right.
- Would've been rented out March 1, 2006.
And boom goes the dynamite.
You guys had six black Impalas.
You think they all had consecutive license plates like these? Identical except the last digit.
Interesting.
[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING.]
- Ray.
[CHUCKLES.]
- Hey.
What's up, Amina? - Hey.
How you doing, man? - Good, how are you? Um, good.
You got a couple of minutes for some questions? Hey, look, I don't know nothing about nothing, all right? Come on, Ray, act like you got some home training.
These folks here to talk about Davon.
MADELINE: Davon's life is on the line, and we understand that you used to deal drugs with him years ago.
Yeah, and that's just what it was: years ago.
I'm a whole barber now, as you can see.
We respect that.
We just want to know if you can tell us about the car you loaned Davon the night he was arrested.
Hey, look, if y'all ain't no paying clientele, y'all get the hell out, straight up.
- For real, for real? - For real.
RAY: Oh, man.
This some bull.
You want a fade, man? The hell I'm supposed to do with this? Just make me pretty, man, just make me pretty.
That's hard work.
[CHUCKLES.]
Look, I ain't steal no car.
I don't want that type of hassle, you know.
Yeah, but your name isn't on any of the car rental records.
That joint neighborhood-owned, more like "hood-owned.
" [LAUGHS.]
Drug runs? Make running product a little easier.
They loaned out cars off the books to drug gangs? Hell yeah.
Every Vice Lord know the drill.
Man, you show that money, them keys yours.
So there could've been another black Impala on the road that night.
Definitely.
I mean, name one hustler that don't want to drive an Impala.
Why you ain't say that at Davon's first trial? Because ain't nobody asked me.
[SIGHS.]
All we have to do is find out who was driving the other Impalas, we'll find the shooter.
Good luck with that.
[CHUCKLES.]
Meaning? Meaning this is East Cleveland.
If you snitch, you're dead.
Facts.
MADELINE: I know you're pissed off about the Dylan article.
I'm angry too.
- But you can't keep avoiding me.
- Nah, actually, it's better this way.
Less I'm with you, less I'm in the paper.
He's out of my life, all right? He used me.
He wrote what you told him, that you think that I killed Rosemary.
I [SIGHS.]
Look, you were right, okay? About Heather and the Adderall.
I spoke to Linda Barrett and she's Well, none of that was in the article, was it? Well, I didn't know that Dylan would Yeah, you did! You of all people would know.
Come on, Maddie, when we were on trial you knew that we had to stick together, 'cause anything that we could say, it would-it would come back to hurt us.
And guess what, now I'm the one that's hurt.
- I'm sorry.
- No, you're not, though.
You're happy, because now you have everything just the way that you want it.
- What does that mean? - It means that big brother screws up and little sister gets to come and bail him out.
- That's our pattern.
- Well, that's not fair.
I love you and I want to help you.
Maybe if you didn't screw up all the time with the lying and the drugs.
You make it so difficult for me to trust you.
I make it difficult? [SCOFFS.]
You're the one that just poisoned a jury in my assault case.
You don't have to worry about that, all right? I will instruct the jury - to make sure that they - No, no, no.
Don't do anything.
I'm firing you.
- Take my chances with legal aid.
- Levi, don't be stu That's a mistake.
At least it's my mistake now.
This one has nothing to do with you.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
- You got a lawyer? - No, I kind of have a lawyer.
He does reinsurance law.
I wrote a letter to every lawyer in Illinois.
I thought only the criminal lawyers would respond, but he says he's trying something new.
What kind of fool is this? You know, he didn't look like a fool.
He was actually a young, handsome black man.
- You never said he was black.
- So? Come on, a black guy, helping the white infamous girl in a murder rap? You're not gonna see a guy like that answering any of my letters.
Maybe that's 'cause you didn't write any letters.
Maybe that's 'cause I'm guilty as all hell.
Maybe we should just bring the rental car company into court.
Multiple Impalas? That has got to be a slam dunk.
Madeline's good, but she's not, like, LeBron James - of the Cleveland courtroom.
- Doesn't LeBron - play for the Lakers now? - Yeah, he does.
And that's one of the reasons that Cleveland's so depressing.
Okay.
Let's stay focused.
Uh, yes, I will bring that to court.
We still need to find the real shooter.
Yeah, so does Cleveland.
All right, so, I got good news.
We found the other witness.
Wait.
What's this "we"? I tracked her down.
I showed you where to look.
Nancy Curtis.
She was married and divorced a couple times since Davon's trial, which is why she was so difficult to find.
She testified at Davon's trial that she saw the shooting from her window across from the park.
This is great.
We'll talk to her.
Uh, okay, sorry, I have to take care of something before we head back to Cleveland.
- Hot date? - Uh, we'll go up there tomorrow.
See you later.
BRIAN: My wife and I were headed for our car when Levi just came out of nowhere with a baseball bat.
He swung at Heather, but I blocked it.
He punched me, but I disarmed him.
[QUIETLY.]
: He's lying.
DUNCAN: Did you or your wife provoke Mr.
Scott? BRIAN: No, no, no, no, he just-just came at us.
We're lucky to be alive.
Your witness.
When I agreed to substitute in on this case for the vacationing Judge Boxer, I promised to quickly clear her calendar.
I keep my promises, Mr.
McGuire, so, quickly.
Yes, Your Honor, just, uh, one moment.
No further questions.
EASY: It's frustrating.
I want to be open and honest about my emotions, but I don't want to seem unstable.
Well, I don't see what's open and honest about skulking around with your therapist and not telling your wife.
- Nobody's skulking.
- [SCOFFS.]
Easy and I have been discussing some changes that he's been experiencing in his life.
Oh.
I'll tell you when things changed.
When he answered Madeline Scott's letter.
Yeah, see, here we go, blaming Madeline again for ev No, baby, I don't blame her, I blame you.
You made the decision to change your life, change your career, and change the time that you spend with your family.
That's all you, not Madeline.
And what I really want to know is where was your family when you made this decision? Because this affects us, too.
Easy? Any idea as to why? I needed something more.
- More than your family? - That's not what I'm saying.
I love you, I love my family.
But just VANESSA: Easy, let me ask you this.
Whatever it is you need in your life, can some of that come from your marriage, your family? Yes.
Uh, absolutely.
Irene, what do you think? I honestly don't know anymore.
He was wildly swinging the baseball bat.
I think it hit my husband in the face.
He threatened to kill us.
- What did he say? - I don't recall, exactly.
I was terrified.
I'm still having nightmares.
I can just see these vacant, soulless, killer eyes.
I'm just grateful my baby girl wasn't there.
Thank you.
Your witness.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
Um Mrs.
Husband, where did Levi get the bat from? I don't know.
I didn't catch a store label while he was swinging.
Apologies, I meant, where did Levi retrieve the-the bat from, his car or? You'd have to ask him.
He's the one that tried to kill us with it.
Uh [PAPERS SHUFFLING.]
Madeline Scott for the defense, Your Honor.
Objection.
Ms.
Scott is no longer defense counsel on this case.
The defendant has the right to add me to the defense team.
Levi? Uh, let her.
You may end up in jail with me.
It's fine.
Ms.
Scott, you may proceed.
Tell us, Heather, where was your baby girl? She was waiting in the car.
Waiting for what? For you and your husband to confront Levi with your baseball bat? No.
I left my scarf on the field.
And it took the two of you to retrieve a scarf? It's a nice scarf.
You said that Levi threatened you.
Why? I don't know.
He just did.
Levi has always been violent, ever since high school.
When was Levi violent in high school? You'd know better than anybody.
I'll ask the question again.
When did you personally see Levi be violent in high school? He killed Rosemary Lynch.
I saw him standing over her dead body.
What's more violent than that? You saw that? - Yes.
- Really? Because at our trial, I distinctly remember that you said that you were with Linda Barrett.
That you never saw Rosemary's body.
So were you lying then or are you lying now? I can't remember what I said 17 years ago.
MADELINE: I do.
I have read those transcripts dozens of times.
You're a liar.
In fact, this whole case is nothing more than a personal vendetta against my brother.
- Isn't that right? - Objection, Your Honor.
Defense counsel is offering testimony.
Withdrawn.
I'll ask again, when did you see Levi be violent? He hit my husband in the face with a baseball bat.
The bat hit your husband in the face? Because your husband just testified that Levi punched him.
So which was it, a bat or a fist? It it all happened so fast.
Levi is a killer.
You know, since you can't tell this court the difference between a bat and a fist, I'd say that you're a liar.
Just like you lied at our original trial.
Tell me something, why do you keep lying - against the Scott family? - Objection, Your Honor.
Withdrawn.
I think we know where this witness stands on the truth.
Nothing further.
- Levi.
What, no "thank you"? - Thank you.
What Come on.
[SCOFFS.]
While your lawyer was organizing papers, I proved that Heather was lying.
I probably saved your ass 25 years in prison.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Why are you laughing? You don't see it, do you? You think that you're there for me, but really, you just show up when you want to be the hero.
- I do not.
- Okay, fine.
Well, then you believe what you want to believe, but I don't need you saving me anymore.
I'm fine on my own.
[SIGHS.]
MADELINE: You weren't so easy to find, Ms.
Curtis.
Why do I need to be found? I said what I saw in court.
Well, no one said where you lived.
Is this the window you said you saw the Davon Watkins shooting from? Yeah.
You see the woman on that bench? Can you tell if she's wearing glasses or not? - NANCY: No.
- MADELINE: Yeah, me, neither.
What about that blue car? Can you tell if the driver is a man or a woman? I don't really, uh Nancy.
Why did you testify that Davon was the shooter? You can't possibly have seen him from that far away.
I know what I saw.
- You all can leave now.
- We're not trying to upset you.
We're just trying to save an innocent life.
Yeah? So am I.
Did someone threaten you? Threaten your son? VIOLET: Nancy, do you know who the real shooter was? You think I'm a damn fool? That's how you get yourself killed.
We're not gonna tell nobody what you say to us.
Look, I'm not testifying to nothing, that's for damn sure.
But that cop he was playing with fire.
Everybody knew when he got burnt, it was gonna blow back on all of us, and it sure enough did.
Wait, are you saying that everyone knew that Sampson was a cop, even before the shooting? Everybody knows everything in this neighborhood.
Just ain't nobody gonna say what that everything is.
This was no accidental shooting of a cop.
No.
It was a hit.
So you're saying it wasn't a stray bullet that killed that cop? This is good news, Davon.
Maybe now they can find the real killer.
Nah, I don't know, Gram.
I figure at least, if it was a kid, then it was an accident.
Somebody would talk.
But this a hit? Nah, everybody hushed.
I'm-a die in here for this one.
Davon? I can't imagine what it's like to be on death row.
But I know what it's like to have no hope.
I was eight years in, nothing but prison bars and violence ahead of me.
All I had was my truth, I didn't do this.
You know what kept me going all this time? Thinking about the life that I could've had.
You know.
Me and my girl, we'd have some kids, get the hell up out of East C.
But that's not my reality.
Do you know anyone that we can look at for this? You asking me if I know anybody in East Cleveland that'd want to kill a cop? Everybody.
I got 97 whole days left.
I could have a thousand more and still, nobody's gonna talk.
Well, I'm still gonna try.
I heard Madeline Scott annihilated your star witness on cross.
[SIGHS.]
Does Bellows know I got my ass handed to me? Not yet.
But I think there's a way we can manage the situation and both come out winners.
I'm not giving up.
You should offer a simple assault plea, Class C misdemeanor.
A slap on the wrist? [CHUCKLES.]
No way, I can do better than that.
You can, but you won't.
Offer a deal that sends Levi Scott to anger management counseling.
I'll do the rest.
And how does this help me? You'll be second chair when we re-prosecute Madeline and Levi Scott for the murder of Rosemary Lynch.
Neighborhood like this only exists in survival mode.
Violence happens for whatever reasons it happens, but nobody sees anything.
VIOLET: So it'll never be safe.
Police is supposed to make this place safe.
The rest of these folks are just trying to stay alive.
No one snitches, no one helps the police, so the police don't come, don't do anything and the cycle of violence continues? Yeah, something like that.
It gets depressing if you think about it too hard.
But that's why I'm fighting to change all that.
If Sampson, the undercover cop, wasn't undercover, that puts a huge target on his back.
Well, only a few folks can shoot at that target and get away with it.
You mean someone who instills enough fear that no one snitches.
So who are we talking about? [SIGHS.]
I don't know all those old neighborhood players.
But I can tell you who does.
Look, we know it was a hit.
It's just a matter of who did it.
Or who could get away with it.
Look, man, I don't know nothing.
You're scared.
Why are you scared? Because gangbangers don't like questions.
But it was 15 years ago.
Whoever did this is still around.
And that's why nobody's talking.
Ray, you got family outside of East Cleveland? Somewhere you can go? Tell us what we need to know.
We'll help you get out.
You feel trapped.
We know what that feels like.
MADELINE: Imagine how scared Davon is, waiting to die.
Hey, y'all got to understand, man.
I mean, there's so much information out there that people know, but the streets just ain't talking.
It's Troy D's world, baby.
The rest of us just trying to live in it, you know? Been this way 20-some-odd years now.
I mean, Troy found out the man was undercover.
Felt like he needed to take him out.
Troy D.
He's the shooter? AMINA: Nah.
Troy D's too smart for that.
Someone does his dirty work.
Omar Blackwell.
Thank you.
Hey, listen.
Maybe I'll take you up on that offer.
You know, to help me get down to my sister in Lexington.
- Absolutely.
- Yeah.
How do we find Omar? That's easy.
Omar's in prison.
- Where? - Down at Southie.
On death row.
[DOOR ALARM BUZZES.]
[LOCK CLICKS.]
You a pretty thing, ain't you? I'm Davon Watkins' attorney.
He's on death row for the murder of Officer Steve Sampson.
I thought that name would ring a bell.
We have all the proof we need that you murdered Officer Sampson, not Davon.
If that was true, you wouldn't be sitting here.
So let's cut it up and tell me what y'all want.
All right.
Admit to the shooting so Davon doesn't die for what you did.
You've exhausted all your appeals.
What have you got to lose? You make a request of me, I make one to you.
We see what comes of it, yeah? Depends on the request.
I got a son.
His mama told him I'm dead.
Maybe, but not just yet.
You bring him here so I can set eyes on him and we in business.
I don't understand what I'm looking at.
EASY: They're slides from Rosemary's autopsy.
Your prosecutor, Gore Bellows his theory was that you and your brother used a rock to kill Rosemary.
These slides clearly indicate that the blunt force object used to kill Rosemary was not a rock.
Bellows was wrong.
How did you see that? Medical professionals I use in my reinsurance practice they said it was obviously some kind of rusty pipe or metal object.
- What does this mean? - It means I think we have a shot of getting you and your brother out of prison.
And I ain't seen you since you was in diapers.
They told me you were dead.
That ain't really a lie, I guess.
OMAR JR.
: You're in here for killing a man.
And now another man is going to lose his life because of you.
You hear that? He cares more about Davon than he does his old man.
Well, Davon never killed anyone.
You did.
She tells me you're a doctor.
Every man in our family been behind bars.
It's time one of us stay free.
Banging, dealing.
You chose that life over your family.
Was it worth it? That's what I thought.
Goodbye, Omar.
[DOOR BUZZES, LOCK CLICKS.]
- Goodbye, son.
- [DOOR CLOSES.]
If I admit to killing that cop, they gonna let Davon out? If you testify, yes.
Okay.
I'll tell the truth.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
ISABEL: Coffee's better at AA.
Or is it Bible study? Just stay away from that sacramental wine.
- That's the best part of mass.
- [CHUCKLES.]
What's your deal? What-what do you mean, "What's my deal?" It's anger management, not speed dating.
Mm.
Ah.
Well, this coffee sucks, so now I want to kill someone.
I'm kidding.
I didn't I don't really want to [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
I don't-I don't I don't know what my deal is.
Hmm.
Self-discovery type.
If this was speed dating, I'd be into it.
Hey, do you mind? Not at all.
Looking for a home The bottom of the well And I'm all out of rope Searching for a savior To carry me home [GATE BUZZES.]
- Wait here.
- Been lost so long out on my own PRISONER: Big O! Big O.
Omar.
When the-the devil won't let you I know you, bruh? Hey, you know, I had to come say something to the legend, man.
You need a smoke? The devil won't let you - Thanks, blood.
- Yeah, man.
Well, you know, man it's a real shame when a legend dies.
- [CHUCKLES.]
I ain't dead yet.
- Hmm.
[GRUNTING.]
You know we got ears everywhere, you little punk-ass rat.
The devil won't let you go.
They know who killed Omar? Not yet.
All right, how bad is it? The case, I mean, without Omar? Well, we have his sworn affidavit.
We'll get that admitted.
But, to be honest, without Omar, it could be a long shot.
The judge might not let it in.
I spent 4,710 days in solitary.
I'll take a long shot.
Can I steal you for a minute? Um, yeah, I, um [CLEARS THROAT.]
I have to get to this staff meeting for the campaign.
It'll just be a second.
It's a new development, may help with the campaign.
- Okay.
- It's about Levi Scott.
You know that Levi took a plea.
Community service and anger management classes.
I do.
Well, the support group he's been attending is pretty much one big confidential therapy session.
I think Levi will spill some things that'll help, - if you need it.
- And you can get him to talk? About Madeline and Rosemary Lynch? Of course.
You know, I put him on the stand.
Once he opens his mouth, he can't help but incriminate himself.
My thoughts exactly.
Unlike that sister of his.
Listen, I got to get to this meeting.
Uh, why don't you come along, Isabel? There's room for me on the train? [CHUCKLING.]
: You kidding? There's always room for you on the train.
MADELINE: Your Honor, we have filed a motion for a new trial supported by a sworn affidavit signed by Omar Blackwell, who states that he's the one who killed Detective Sampson.
We'll put this case on for a hearing and Mr.
Blackwell can come in and testify to the contents of his affidavit.
He's at the morgue, Your Honor.
He was shanked yesterday for confessing.
In light of his sworn affidavit, and pursuant to Chambers v.
Mississippi, we move for a new trial.
This is a statement against interest, it clearly exposes Mr.
Blackwell to criminal liability.
That is not enough to satisfy your burden of proof, Ms.
Scott.
- Your Honor - Furthermore, Omar Blackwell was already facing a death sentence.
- What's one more? - Your Honor, you have a signed confession in your hand.
Davon Watkins was denied his freedom for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
He's been mistreated by the justice system and he's going to die because of it.
Yeah, the rest of us have the luxury of going home tonight and not counting down the days until we die.
Davon Watkins? He's counting.
And that number gets shorter every day.
So, please, with everything that has been presented to you, do you not have even the slightest doubt? Your client was convicted by a jury.
Their verdict was upheld on appeal six times.
Finality is a fundamental value of the criminal justice system, Ms.
Scott.
So is innocence, Your Honor.
All right, Ms.
Scott.
I will grant Davon Watkins - a stay of execution - [GASPS.]
so that you may have enough time to gather evidence to establish the credibility of Mr.
Blackwell's confession.
Let's re-calendar for six months.
Mm VIOLET: Imagine that you are in a boxing ring.
Your opponent is the U.
S.
criminal justice system.
Now imagine that match lasting 20 years because that's how long it takes for a death row inmate to exhaust all of their appeals.
Each appeal is like another round.
It's another chance at freedom.
But it's also a reminder that you are running out of chances and time.
Uh, a-a stay of execution what-what does that mean, really? It means your execution's been deferred.
We didn't get you out just yet, but keeping you alive means we can.
I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but it does buy us time to find some good Ohio lawyers and investigators so we can build a case against Troy D.
MADELINE: And we'll keep tabs on you, Davon.
All right, if you need anything, we're just a phone call away.
Thank you.
For real thank you.
VIOLET: We saved an innocent man's life today, but Davon is still in prison.
ALL [CHANTING.]
: Do the right thing! Free Davon! Do the right thing! Free Davon! Do the right thing! VIOLET: So we don't stop fighting.
We make phone calls to the Ohio governor's office, file a clemency application with the Ohio Parole Board, because Davon's life, his freedom, are in our hands.
All of our hands.
All I need Calm Calm water MADELINE: It takes them two seconds to lock someone up, but an eternity to admit they're wrong.
Stay of execution is a good thing.
Davon should've been exonerated.
He should be going home.
That doesn't mean he won't be, eventually.
You gave him hope, Maddie.
That is a powerful thing.
Levi says I have a hero complex.
That unless I'm saving someone, mainly him, - I don't feel right.
- Sounds accurate.
- Yes, absolutely true.
- Yeah, I agree.
- But that's not a bad thing.
- [PHONE DINGS.]
Got to get home.
I actually have a date tonight.
- BODIE: You do? - VIOLET: Mm-hmm.
I got sword class.
- Talk about a hero complex.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- Of course he has sword class.
- Hmm.
- My hero.
- [SNORTS.]
We got a court date.
My lawyer thinks that he can prove that we're innocent, or at least vacate our convictions.
This time next week, I could be going home.
I'm so sorry, baby.
- I don't want to leave you.
- [CRYING.]
I don't know how I could.
You're the only person who's ever made me feel safe.
Please don't be sad.
I'm not sad, dummy.
[CHUCKLES.]
These are tears of joy.
[WREN CHUCKLES, CRIES.]