Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005) s01e13 Episode Script
Eros in the Upper Eighties
[Man Narrating.]
In the criminal justice system all defendants are innocent until proven guilty, either by confession, plea bargain or trial byjury.
This is one of those trials.
She had such great taste.
Simple, elegant, but edgy.
I was on my way to yoga this morning, and I saw her door was ajar, so l-I opened it.
And there she was on the floor, covered in blood.
Her face was- [Sniffles.]
It was awful.
We can talk later.
So- [Clears Throat.]
Steak knife was right about here, five feet from the body.
How old? Turned 18 a week ago.
Hell of a birthday present.
Pretty.
Yeah.
Especially for a guy.
Name's Carlos Martinez.
Rumor has it Carlos Martinez got his ass kicked three nights ago in a bar on 158th Street.
By whom? A kid named Luis Ramirez.
Hey, you Luis? Detective Ravell, N.
Y.
P.
D.
We need to talk to you about Carlos Martinez.
Okay.
He got killed last night.
Yeah.
Oh.
I didn't know that.
- What happened to your eye? - Basketball.
I caught an elbow.
Aw, same thing happened to me last year.
Broke my nose.
Where do you play, the gym on 166th? No, the "Y" on 155th.
They play fours or fives up there? Um, fours.
See, that's a better game.
The lanes don't get so crowded, right? Yeah.
We were hoping to go down to the station, clear up a few things.
Yeah, it won't take long, 10 minutes.
We can get a warrant if you want.
Uh, no, no, no, that's okay.
Ten minutes, right? Not even.
Come on.
[Luis.]
I met her at a club two weeks ago.
She had a black dress on.
She looked hot.
I saw the pictures.
Exactly.
So you know what I'm sayin'.
Hell, yeah.
So, what happened? So we smoked a- a- Come on.
I'm Homicide, not Narcotics.
We got high, and then, um, you know, we fooled around.
But I thought she was a woman named Angelina.
I mean, she had- Breasts.
Right.
But then my friend tells me she's a guy.
And I'm like, " No way.
She's a chick and hot.
' ' But he kept saying that I was wrong, that I got played.
So, the other night we went down to Club 186 lookin' for her.
Mm-hmm.
And then what? And then we took her into the bathroom, and we pulled down her skirt.
And you saw she wasn't a woman.
Right, and I flipped out.
So I started yelling, and she slapped me.
She slapped me.
So, I hit her back, and she ran out the door.
You go after her? No.
Come on, Luis.
Don't lie to me.
I've been straight with you, right? Maybe I should talk to a lawyer.
Sure, if you want.
You just give me the word, and I'll stop.
But I gotta tell ya, once lawyers get involved, things get very complicated.
I mean, I can't talk to you.
You can't talk to me.
Which means I can't hear your side of the story.
He's so damn cocky.
Luis, we know you did it.
[Scoffs.]
What? A guy saw you walking out of Carlos's building with blood on your pants.
And on top of that, we found your hairs in the apartment.
D.
N.
A.
Doesn't lie.
This is your last chance to come clean, Luis.
Otherwise I gotta call the D.
A.
' s office.
I didn't mean to kill her.
[Sobbing.]
Of course you didn't.
She had a knife and I knocked it away, and we just started fighting.
I didn't mean to kill her though.
I swear to God.
It just- It just kinda happened, you know? [Sobbing.]
I didn't mean to kill her.
I swear to God.
You believe him? Do I ever? His prints are all over the apartment.
What about the knife? Still waiting on lab results.
Well, either way, it supports his self-defense claim.
Except he wasn't cut.
And he didn't call 911.
Well, charge him with murder, but be careful.
I know.
Men in tight dresses make lousy victims.
Exactly.
In light of the violent nature and the gravity of the crime, we request that Luis Ramirez be held on remand.
[Judge.]
Ms.
Mendez? Mr.
Ramirez has no criminal record, works part-time and is a student at City College.
His father owns a successful plumbing business, employs 23 people- - Keep moving, counselor.
- Mr.
Ramirez has deep-rooted ties to this city, in particular, Washington Heights.
My point, Your Honor, is- Let me guess.
- He's not a flight risk.
- Correct.
In the audience today are his parents, sister, friends and a priest.
Thanks for coming.
Please be seated.
The defendant shall be remanded.
[Gavel Raps.]
You couldn't cut this kid some slack? He killed someone.
In self-defense.
Nice to see you again, Ana.
Yeah, nice to see you too.
I'd shake your hand, but protocol.
I understand.
Let's discuss this.
Who's she? She used to work here.
She was a prosecutor? Yeah, good.
One flaw- Sometimes she thought the defendants were telling the truth.
Angelina Martinez is the 26th transgendered person assassinated this year, yet no one cares because she was transsexual.
Killing a tranny isn't like killing a regular person.
It's less evil.
Almost acceptable.
[Continues, Indistinct.]
If the self-defense theory falls apart, she'll turn Carlos into a promiscuous freak who liked to trick straight boys.
Yeah, and then hide behind some gay panic theory.
It's worked before.
How dare you accuse my son of murder! And for what? Because he got into a fight with some joto? My son is- - Hey, don't touch me! - [Officer.]
Hey, hey! Is everything okay here? Yeah, it's fine.
Okay, let's go.
He left school when he was 15 'cause of the abuse.
Kids picking on him, beating him up, calling him marica.
[Sighs.]
But he was always a good kid.
Were you close? But we lost touch last year.
He was upset at me, because I refused to call him Angelina.
I just-just couldn't do it.
I tried, but it never felt right.
Even when he was dressed like that, he was still my boy Carlos.
Did he ever mention somebody called Luis Ramirez? Not to me.
But like I said, we haven't talked in a while.
I met her two years ago when she moved into my building.
Became best friends right away.
We just connected.
Well, would Carlos ever lie about his identity? You mean with men? With straight men.
She liked to flirt.
I know that.
It made her feel good to pass.
It was like the ultimate compliment.
Would she ever have sex with someone without letting him in on the secret? I hope not.
Say she's at a bar and some guy's chatting her up.
Does Carlos say, "Don't get too excited, big boy, I'm a guy," or does she sit there, smiling, pretending she's J.
Lo? I'd like to think she'd be honest, but- But what? Last few months, she'd wait for them to ask.
It was like a game.
- What if they didn't ask? - She wouldn't tell.
Did Carlos ever mention a guy named Luis? Only man she talked about, last few months anyway, was some hottie named Julio.
Lived in Chelsea.
Said he was the man of her dreams.
It's hard to imagine having sex with someone and not noticing- It wasn't that kind of sex.
And you had no idea he- No.
And if I did, I would've stopped.
Why did you go to Carlos's apartment that night? To tell her to stop lying about me.
So the two of you weren't a couple? A couple? I'm not gay.
We did it once, like I told you.
Right.
So what happened when you went to Carlos's apartment? She started- He started.
Carlos is a man.
We need a jury to look at this as a fight between two men, not a man and a woman.
When I got to his apartment, I wanted to go tell him to stop lying about me, and he flipped out.
He grabbed a knife.
I slapped it away.
And we started fighting.
You thought he was going to kill you, so you beat him up.
Right.
How many times did you punch him? The victim was struck 15 times in the head and face.
Fractured nose, cheekbone, jaw.
And we got significant contusions and edema in and around the cerebellum.
Any offensive wounds? Nothing substantial.
So it wasn't really a fight.
Oh, it was a massacre.
Victim may have been knocked unconscious after the first punch.
[Gaffney.]
So the next 14 were - Meant to kill.
It was ugly.
No doubt.
Can you testify to the first-punch theory? Not yet, but I'll keep diggin'.
Man two, four to 12, sounds reasonable to me.
Are you kidding? Why don't we just send him to bed without supper and call it a day? - He's a good kid.
- Who punched a 110-pound girl 15 times in the face.
- After he pulled a knife.
- You want a deal, go to Bloomingdale's.
Their winter sale started this morning.
Just so you know, we already have two witnesses prepared to testify they hooked up with Carlos under false pretenses.
- So? - So he was playing a dangerous game and- And what? Got what was coming to him? File a motion to exclude all testimony relating to Carlos's sex life.
What the hell is he doing here? Help you, gentlemen? We need to talk.
One of my employees told me that my son got in a fight with some- with a transsexual at Club 186.
So I asked Luis about it, and, uh, he told me he and this person met a few weeks back, had a drink, and- But he thought that this person was a girl.
[Speaking Spanish.]
So I asked Luis how many people knew about this person, and he said a lot.
That Carlos was spreading lies about him, telling people that they were dating.
So I told Luis we must speak to this man right away.
I mean, this is a young man's reputation we're talking about.
An honorable Latino man.
I understand.
We went to Carlos's apartment, and I told him to stop lying.
"My son made a mistake.
He thought you were a girl.
I mean, déjalo ahÃ, you know, leave it at that.
' ' But he started yelling, this little- this little tulip.
Calling me a bastard.
"Chi chi cabrón," he kept saying.
"Chi chi cabrón.
' ' So, I told him to calm down.
You know, I just wanted to talk.
But he grabbed a knife, and before I knew it, he cut me.
So l- I grabbed his wrist and I slammed it against the wall.
And we fought.
And when it was over, he was dead.
Luis never touched that boy.
He confessed because he's a good man.
A loyal son.
Siéntese.
Two confessions for the same crime? It's better than none.
Well, maybe not.
The jury could eat it up.
A father and son so loyal that they both confess to the same crime to protect the other.
Well, loyal, maybe, but it doesn't mean they're not guilty.
Well, since when does being guilty guarantee a conviction? Hold off on indicting the father until you corroborate his story.
We need to make sure he's telling the truth and not playing hero.
I was watching TVin bed when I heard Orlando screaming at Luis.
Screaming? [Speaking Spanish.]
Right.
Talking.
So I went to see what was going on, and they were walking out the door.
[Door Closes.]
Go upstairs, sweetie.
Are you okay, Mama? Yes, of course.
Did Orlando say anything to you before he and Luis left for Carlos's apartment? I'm an attorney.
Anything you say is 100% confidential, so, please, speak freely.
He walked out and slammed the door.
That is not what happened.
[Speaking Spanish.]
I came to you, I told you that Luis and I were going out for a little while.
And then I kissed your cheek.
And then I asked if you wanted anything from the store, and then we left.
Remember? Right.
Good.
I knew Luis didn't kill that boy.
- Luis couldn't kill a flower.
- Then why is he in jail? He'll be out soon.
And my husband? He'll be arrested in a few days, charged with murder.
Then what? Then we convince a jury he's innocent.
Now, we may need to call you as a witness.
If so, all you need to do is tell the truth.
You're all right with that, right? If telling the truth will get my son out of jail.
Hey, so I spoke to the lab.
Blood on the knife, D.
N.
A.
Under the fingernails match Orlando's.
Son of a bitch, he was telling the truth.
Sure.
About pounding Carlos to the ground anyway.
You don't believe the knife story? A guy needs a story to tell, right? He grabs a knife, he cuts himself.
All of a sudden it's self-defense.
You got proof? I don't have proof the Easter bunny doesn't exist, but I'm pretty sure I'm right there too.
The father's the real bad guy.
Except he's got a decent defense.
Yeah, his blood's on the knife, but his prints aren't.
His self-defense story could fly.
If Luis changes his story to jibe with his father's.
We'd impeach his testimony based on his original confession, but- Who knows what the jury will believe? [Sighs.]
Flip the son against the father.
But do it soon, before defense lawyers rewrite history on us.
Scare that kid so he serves up papa on a Tiffany platter.
Only two people know what happened in that apartment.
I represent one, you represent the other.
[Latin.]
Your point is? There's no need to panic or try to cut a deal.
[Sniffles.]
If we work together, both of them will walk.
Work together? Make sure that their testimony is consistent.
Especially with respect to the knife.
I represent Luis.
I'll do whatever I think is best for him.
Understand? [Laughs.]
Is that what they taught you up there in New Haven, how to act like a WASP bitch? Thanks for the coffee, Pedro.
Life in prison is a long time when you're 20 years old.
I get it.
You're prepared to make him a generous offer for his cooperation.
A fair offer.
Fine, fair.
Will he talk? Well, I hope so.
He's innocent.
Well, he's not that innocent.
If he hadn't taken dear old dad to the apartment, Carlos might still be alive.
It's my problem.
It's up to me to tell them - To what? To go to jail for 30 years for smoking pot and having sex with a transsexual? [Sighs.]
You know, she was so- Beautiful.
I mean, she looked like a model.
You saw her.
You know.
She made me laugh.
I still hate her though, for lying and tricking me.
But she didn't deserve to die.
And you don't deserve to celebrate your 50th birthday in prison.
[Sighs.]
I wish I didn't tell my father where she lived.
Just tell the prosecutor what happened.
You're a good kid, Luis, and a good son, but you're an idiot if you don't take this deal.
He came into my bedroom and punched me in the face.
Started calling me a faggot.
I said I didn't know she was a man.
But he kept saying I was a disgrace.
Then he-Then he pulled me out of bed and said, " Get dressed.
We're gonna find your girlfriend and set things straight.
' ' [Kibre.]
You knew where Carlos lived? Well, the night that- the night when we- Okay.
When we got there, I rang the buzzer.
She let us in.
I apologized for hitting her before.
So that she would let you in? Yes.
Keep going.
When we got inside, my-my father just- He just pushed her, started screaming at her, calling her a liar.
And then Angelina just spit at him.
- And he- - Did you try to stop it? No, but I wanted to.
Okay.
What about the knife? When he stopped hitting her, he was afraid she might be dead.
So he grabbed a knife, cut himself and he threw it on the floor.
And wiped his prints off it? Yes.
So your father punched Carlos in the face 15 times because he spit at him? Yes.
Are you prepared to tell a jury what you've just told us? Yes.
Are you telling the truth? Yes.
Man two, three to nine.
One to three.
Forget it.
There's no intent here, Tracey.
You know that.
[Clears Throat.]
You always open high.
Three to nine, best and last.
And in case you forgot, when I say "best and last," I mean it.
Three to nine it is.
Luis? Is that a yes? Yes.
Before I put my client's liberty in your hands, I need to know that each of you is prepared to acquit Mr.
Ramirez if the People do not meet their burden of proof.
If you cannot promise me that, raise your hands.
Thank you.
Counsel, approach the bench.
Peremptories, Ms.
Kibre? Jurors Six and Eleven, Your Honor.
Both Hispanic? Your Honor, Batson clearly states that- I know what it states.
Ms.
Kibre? This has nothing to do with race.
In Hernandez v.
New York, the U.
S.
Supreme Court held that a prosecutor has the right to dismiss bilingual Latino jurors based on a concern that such jurors might not disregard Spanish testimony.
It's an excuse to create a jury with no Latinos in violation of the Equal Protection Clause.
We have several witnesses who will testify in Spanish.
Jurors Six and Eleven have stated that they might disregard the English translation of the court interpreter.
With all due respect, this is racist.
Maybe.
But I'm not in the mood to overrule Justice Kennedy this morning.
Jurors Six and Eleven may be excused.
I gotta tell you, I don't like it.
I'm just trying to put the bad guy away, not win the Nobel Peace Prize.
You excused those jurors because you thought they'd sympathize.
Look, when you're first chair, you can have whoever you want on your jury- Latinos, lawyers, convicted felons - go crazy.
But right now, you support my choices whether or not you think they're aggressive.
Or cheap.
I was being polite when I said aggressive.
I'm sorry, but I think it's out of line to hide behind Hernandez like that.
Well, I don't care what you think.
Oh.
And neither does Angelina Martinez.
- Angelina? - Yeah, Angelina.
- What, so it worked? - Yeah, we changed her gender.
Well, I guess I'll be drafting a motion.
Miss Kibre filed a motion to amend the indictment.
- In what respect? - To change the victim's name from Carlos to Angelina.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Mrs.
Martinez changed her son's name - to Angelina last week.
- You're kidding? She felt it was important to honor her daughter's identity posthumously.
You're not suggesting we refer to the victim as Angelina in court? Well, as of last week, that is her legal name.
He was born Carlos and died Carlos.
- But today she's Angelina.
- [Judge.]
I agree.
Your Honor - You saw the certificate, Mr.
Moreno.
In light of the name change, Your Honor, I think it's appropriate that we refer to Angelina as a woman and use all feminine pronouns.
This is ridiculous.
You could slap a Prada dress on a bull and call him Sally- that does not make the damn thing a she.
Carlos Martinez was a man, anatomically.
To refer to him as a woman is absurd.
Sure is.
The victim's name is Angelina Martinez, and he, or she, shall be referred to as such at all times in my courtroom.
After that, you can call him or her whatever you want.
The jury will do the math.
Ms.
Kibre.
You just used up your "creative argument" quota, okay? The defendant brutally beat to death Angelina Martinez for one reason- Because she had the audacity to tell a few neighborhood friends that she was dating his son.
As the trial progresses, you will hear testimony from a witness who was in Angelina's apartment the night that she was murdered, who saw with his own eyes what happened.
When he's finished, you will have no doubt that Orlando Ramirez is guilty of murder.
The name of the witness is Luis Ramirez- the son of the defendant.
[Kibre.]
What happened when your father came home that night? He said he heard about what happened with Angelina at Club 186.
Then what? I told him that I thought that Angelina was a woman and that I freaked out when I found out that she wasn't.
Anything else happen? He said we need to speak to Carlos about the situation.
Is that it? Yes.
Did your father punch you, Luis? - Objection.
Leading.
- Sustained.
What happened when you and your father went to Angelina's apartment? What happened when you were inside the apartment, Luis? May we take a break, Your Honor? Do you need a few minutes, Mr.
Ramirez? - No.
- Continue, Ms.
Kibre.
What happened once you and your father were inside Angelina's apartment? Um, they started arguing and Angelina pulled a knife.
- Excuse me? - Angelina pulled a knife.
Angelina pulled a knife? In a sworn statement, you said your father stabbed himself after he- [Moreno.]
Your Honor.
Please.
Permission to treat the witness as hostile.
May I please be heard, Your Honor? - Who the hell are you? - Ana Mendez, counsel for the witness.
May I please have five minutes alone with my client? - I wasn't raised that way.
- What way? To tell the truth? No, to testify against my father.
Yes, it's tough.
I know.
But the truth is, we ran out of easy choices the night you watched your old man kill Carlos.
You tell the truth, you spend three years in jail, or take the Fifth and be tried for murder.
Your call.
I'm not testifying.
You're sure? You're a fool.
Witnesses lie, Tracey.
Jurors know that.
They're not blind.
Thank you.
I know.
Just should have seen it coming.
He's been protecting his father since day one, telling anybody who'd listen that he's some kind of Latino saint.
And then in return, his father kicks the hell out of him.
It's not easy to be objective about your father.
- Takes a lot of strength.
- Or in my case, therapy.
Now what? We get ready for more lies.
- Orlando's testifying? - First thing tomorrow.
Tell me again.
Whose genius idea was this to flip a young Dominican boy against his father? If he's good, he walks.
Then be sure he's not good.
When Mr.
Martinez grabbed the knife, did you believe you were in danger of your life? Yes.
Absolutely.
And I, of course, was worried about Luis too.
So, how come you didn't just run out of the room? There was nowhere to go.
The apartment was small.
The door was shut.
If I had turned to open it, he would have stabbed me.
And, like I said, I was worried about Luis.
I mean, I couldn't leave my son in there.
I'd rather die than have something happen to him.
Thank you.
The knife that Angelina grabbed was on the table, in the living room, right? Yes.
Strange place for a steak knife.
Objection.
- Sustained.
- When Angelina grabbed the knife, you were seven feet from the door, right? Yes.
It's a small apartment.
But you chose not to run out the door because you were afraid she might stab you or your son? - Right.
- But Luis was even closer to the door than you were.
I mean, he could've been out the door in one second.
And you in two.
Is there a question, Your Honor? There is.
Angelina didn't really grab a knife off the table in the living room, did she? - What? - You're making that up, aren't you? Objection.
Sustained.
[Kibre.]
After Angelina grabbed the knife, you claim she stabbed you? - Yes.
- Did you need stitches? No.
After she "cut" you, you slammed her wrist into the wall, the knife fell and you started fighting? Yes.
So you forced the knife out of her hand before you threw the first punch? - Yes.
- How much do you weigh? 155 pounds.
[Kibre.]
And you were afraid for your life even though Angelina- who weighed no more than 110 pounds- was no longer in possession of a knife? She might pull another knife.
Or maybe a gun.
Oh, well, that must be why you punched her- all 110 pounds of her- 15 times in the face and head, because you were afraid for your life.
Yes.
[Scoffs.]
Nothing further.
Jury's back.
That's way too fast.
On the sole count of the indictment, murder in the second degree, we find the defendant not guilty.
Thank you.
Sorry about the verdict.
What are you gonna do? The kid screwed you.
Screwed himself.
How's that? - I'm gonna try him for murder.
- Good.
I want you to find out everything you can about this kid- where he hangs out, who his friends are.
Right now, he's looking a little too clean.
Sure.
I'm not a mind reader.
How did I know he was- Apologize? What are you, crazy? To that ass-kissing- Yeah, well, that's okay by me.
I like Staten Island.
The grass is greener.
Yeah, well, screw you too.
You all right? Yeah, sure.
Politics at the precinct.
You know how it is.
Yeah, we got more work to do.
Kibre's gonna try Luis for murder.
Even though the old man got a pass? It's because the old man got a pass.
Oh, I knew that chick had balls.
Speaking of chicks with balls, Kibre wants us to go uptown, check out the tranny scene.
See if anyone knows our buddy, Luis.
What do you mean they're trying Luis for murder? Technically- I don't care about technically! All I know is my kid is in jail for something he didn't do, and I'm paying you 400 bucks an hour.
To represent Luis to the best of my ability.
Ay mujer! Just tell me how I get my kid out of jail.
Are you willing to testify? And say what? That you killed Carlos Martinez all by yourself, that Luis wasn't involved.
I'm not going back to jail.
You won't have to.
Doublejeopardy.
You've been tried and acquitted.
That means you can say whatever you want and there's nothing Kibre or anyone else can do about it.
[Latin.]
Mm, never seen him.
Too bad.
He's cute.
Don't you think? - Not my type.
- Name Luis Ramirez ring a bell? You know any other places around here that, uh, cater to men, who might prefer a certain type of female? I'll get on the stand, I'll smile at thejury, and I'll explain how I beat the hell out of that mariposa.
Say Luis had nothing to do with it.
That he tried to stop me, that he was crying.
Hard to convict someone of murder when you have a witness raising his hand, saying, " I did it.
' ' Luis still brought his father to the apartment knowing he was gonna kill that girl.
Luis watched a fight between two men.
A fight a jury has already decided wasn't a crime.
- He's still guilty of murder.
- Fine.
You'll lose again.
Before you go, I should probably tell you about some of my witnesses.
They're really tall.
Attractive.
Very feminine.
Great boobs.
Penises.
I've got five men who seem to know Luis- or should I sayJulio- very well.
Apparently he uses a different name when he's in that world.
So what? So Luis wasn't tricked.
He was dating Angelina for months.
But you already knew that.
So he was dating a tranny.
Doesn't mean he's guilty of murder.
Gives us great motive though.
Man leads a double life and gets outed, so he and his father kill the "outer" to ensure that his secret stays safe.
- Sounds pretty compelling to me.
- You're threatening my witness.
No.
I'm just sharing information, just like you.
Looks like your friends are finally gonna find out just what kind of a man Luis really is.
The whole city is about to find out that my son is a- a faggot.
You're a disgrace to me.
To your mother.
To your sister.
To God.
It's not like I wanna be this way.
I just am.
You make me sick.
I can change.
- It's too late.
- What do you mean? I'm done with you forever.
You killed Angelina because I loved her.
Don't do this to him.
I'm not gonna testify for that- Orlando, please.
Let that joto rot in jail! [Sobbing.]
He loved Angelina.
I mean, really loved her.
He didn't know his father was going to kill her.
But he did.
And he lied on the stand.
He has to answer for that too.
He lied to protect the father who beat the hell out of him and killed the person he loved.
Look, either way, Angelina's dead.
And Orlando is sipping beer and eating sancocho at his favorite café.
Man two, one to three.
Best and last.
I'll speak to Luis.
Talk fast.
Offer's good till 9:00 a.
m.
Tomorrow.
It's a good thing we know each other- someone else might think you'd gone soft.
Whatever.
[Judge.]
Is there an agreed-upon recommendation? [Man.]
Yes, Your Honor, five years'probation - [Mouthing Words.]
With a condition of drug treatment and counseling as deemed necessary.
[Judge.]
Mr.
Timmins, I will accept your guilty plea and hereby impose the sentence as described by the assistant district attorney.
[Whispering, Indistinct.]
Please see the probation officer before you leave.
Thank you.
[Gavel Raps.]
[Sobbing.]
[Whispering, Indistinct.]
My wife made me come.
L- Your son hanged himself three hours ago.
I'm sorry for your loss.
He always was weak.
Yeah, well, he wasn't tough like you.
Not everybody's got the guts to kill a 110-pound girl, or sacrifice their only son on the altar of their own pathetic pride.
L- I am a good father.
Ana! [Sighs.]
I just want to say I'm really sorry about Luis.
Thank you.
I never told that kid to lie.
You know that, right? Yeah, I know.
[Howling.]
In the criminal justice system all defendants are innocent until proven guilty, either by confession, plea bargain or trial byjury.
This is one of those trials.
She had such great taste.
Simple, elegant, but edgy.
I was on my way to yoga this morning, and I saw her door was ajar, so l-I opened it.
And there she was on the floor, covered in blood.
Her face was- [Sniffles.]
It was awful.
We can talk later.
So- [Clears Throat.]
Steak knife was right about here, five feet from the body.
How old? Turned 18 a week ago.
Hell of a birthday present.
Pretty.
Yeah.
Especially for a guy.
Name's Carlos Martinez.
Rumor has it Carlos Martinez got his ass kicked three nights ago in a bar on 158th Street.
By whom? A kid named Luis Ramirez.
Hey, you Luis? Detective Ravell, N.
Y.
P.
D.
We need to talk to you about Carlos Martinez.
Okay.
He got killed last night.
Yeah.
Oh.
I didn't know that.
- What happened to your eye? - Basketball.
I caught an elbow.
Aw, same thing happened to me last year.
Broke my nose.
Where do you play, the gym on 166th? No, the "Y" on 155th.
They play fours or fives up there? Um, fours.
See, that's a better game.
The lanes don't get so crowded, right? Yeah.
We were hoping to go down to the station, clear up a few things.
Yeah, it won't take long, 10 minutes.
We can get a warrant if you want.
Uh, no, no, no, that's okay.
Ten minutes, right? Not even.
Come on.
[Luis.]
I met her at a club two weeks ago.
She had a black dress on.
She looked hot.
I saw the pictures.
Exactly.
So you know what I'm sayin'.
Hell, yeah.
So, what happened? So we smoked a- a- Come on.
I'm Homicide, not Narcotics.
We got high, and then, um, you know, we fooled around.
But I thought she was a woman named Angelina.
I mean, she had- Breasts.
Right.
But then my friend tells me she's a guy.
And I'm like, " No way.
She's a chick and hot.
' ' But he kept saying that I was wrong, that I got played.
So, the other night we went down to Club 186 lookin' for her.
Mm-hmm.
And then what? And then we took her into the bathroom, and we pulled down her skirt.
And you saw she wasn't a woman.
Right, and I flipped out.
So I started yelling, and she slapped me.
She slapped me.
So, I hit her back, and she ran out the door.
You go after her? No.
Come on, Luis.
Don't lie to me.
I've been straight with you, right? Maybe I should talk to a lawyer.
Sure, if you want.
You just give me the word, and I'll stop.
But I gotta tell ya, once lawyers get involved, things get very complicated.
I mean, I can't talk to you.
You can't talk to me.
Which means I can't hear your side of the story.
He's so damn cocky.
Luis, we know you did it.
[Scoffs.]
What? A guy saw you walking out of Carlos's building with blood on your pants.
And on top of that, we found your hairs in the apartment.
D.
N.
A.
Doesn't lie.
This is your last chance to come clean, Luis.
Otherwise I gotta call the D.
A.
' s office.
I didn't mean to kill her.
[Sobbing.]
Of course you didn't.
She had a knife and I knocked it away, and we just started fighting.
I didn't mean to kill her though.
I swear to God.
It just- It just kinda happened, you know? [Sobbing.]
I didn't mean to kill her.
I swear to God.
You believe him? Do I ever? His prints are all over the apartment.
What about the knife? Still waiting on lab results.
Well, either way, it supports his self-defense claim.
Except he wasn't cut.
And he didn't call 911.
Well, charge him with murder, but be careful.
I know.
Men in tight dresses make lousy victims.
Exactly.
In light of the violent nature and the gravity of the crime, we request that Luis Ramirez be held on remand.
[Judge.]
Ms.
Mendez? Mr.
Ramirez has no criminal record, works part-time and is a student at City College.
His father owns a successful plumbing business, employs 23 people- - Keep moving, counselor.
- Mr.
Ramirez has deep-rooted ties to this city, in particular, Washington Heights.
My point, Your Honor, is- Let me guess.
- He's not a flight risk.
- Correct.
In the audience today are his parents, sister, friends and a priest.
Thanks for coming.
Please be seated.
The defendant shall be remanded.
[Gavel Raps.]
You couldn't cut this kid some slack? He killed someone.
In self-defense.
Nice to see you again, Ana.
Yeah, nice to see you too.
I'd shake your hand, but protocol.
I understand.
Let's discuss this.
Who's she? She used to work here.
She was a prosecutor? Yeah, good.
One flaw- Sometimes she thought the defendants were telling the truth.
Angelina Martinez is the 26th transgendered person assassinated this year, yet no one cares because she was transsexual.
Killing a tranny isn't like killing a regular person.
It's less evil.
Almost acceptable.
[Continues, Indistinct.]
If the self-defense theory falls apart, she'll turn Carlos into a promiscuous freak who liked to trick straight boys.
Yeah, and then hide behind some gay panic theory.
It's worked before.
How dare you accuse my son of murder! And for what? Because he got into a fight with some joto? My son is- - Hey, don't touch me! - [Officer.]
Hey, hey! Is everything okay here? Yeah, it's fine.
Okay, let's go.
He left school when he was 15 'cause of the abuse.
Kids picking on him, beating him up, calling him marica.
[Sighs.]
But he was always a good kid.
Were you close? But we lost touch last year.
He was upset at me, because I refused to call him Angelina.
I just-just couldn't do it.
I tried, but it never felt right.
Even when he was dressed like that, he was still my boy Carlos.
Did he ever mention somebody called Luis Ramirez? Not to me.
But like I said, we haven't talked in a while.
I met her two years ago when she moved into my building.
Became best friends right away.
We just connected.
Well, would Carlos ever lie about his identity? You mean with men? With straight men.
She liked to flirt.
I know that.
It made her feel good to pass.
It was like the ultimate compliment.
Would she ever have sex with someone without letting him in on the secret? I hope not.
Say she's at a bar and some guy's chatting her up.
Does Carlos say, "Don't get too excited, big boy, I'm a guy," or does she sit there, smiling, pretending she's J.
Lo? I'd like to think she'd be honest, but- But what? Last few months, she'd wait for them to ask.
It was like a game.
- What if they didn't ask? - She wouldn't tell.
Did Carlos ever mention a guy named Luis? Only man she talked about, last few months anyway, was some hottie named Julio.
Lived in Chelsea.
Said he was the man of her dreams.
It's hard to imagine having sex with someone and not noticing- It wasn't that kind of sex.
And you had no idea he- No.
And if I did, I would've stopped.
Why did you go to Carlos's apartment that night? To tell her to stop lying about me.
So the two of you weren't a couple? A couple? I'm not gay.
We did it once, like I told you.
Right.
So what happened when you went to Carlos's apartment? She started- He started.
Carlos is a man.
We need a jury to look at this as a fight between two men, not a man and a woman.
When I got to his apartment, I wanted to go tell him to stop lying about me, and he flipped out.
He grabbed a knife.
I slapped it away.
And we started fighting.
You thought he was going to kill you, so you beat him up.
Right.
How many times did you punch him? The victim was struck 15 times in the head and face.
Fractured nose, cheekbone, jaw.
And we got significant contusions and edema in and around the cerebellum.
Any offensive wounds? Nothing substantial.
So it wasn't really a fight.
Oh, it was a massacre.
Victim may have been knocked unconscious after the first punch.
[Gaffney.]
So the next 14 were - Meant to kill.
It was ugly.
No doubt.
Can you testify to the first-punch theory? Not yet, but I'll keep diggin'.
Man two, four to 12, sounds reasonable to me.
Are you kidding? Why don't we just send him to bed without supper and call it a day? - He's a good kid.
- Who punched a 110-pound girl 15 times in the face.
- After he pulled a knife.
- You want a deal, go to Bloomingdale's.
Their winter sale started this morning.
Just so you know, we already have two witnesses prepared to testify they hooked up with Carlos under false pretenses.
- So? - So he was playing a dangerous game and- And what? Got what was coming to him? File a motion to exclude all testimony relating to Carlos's sex life.
What the hell is he doing here? Help you, gentlemen? We need to talk.
One of my employees told me that my son got in a fight with some- with a transsexual at Club 186.
So I asked Luis about it, and, uh, he told me he and this person met a few weeks back, had a drink, and- But he thought that this person was a girl.
[Speaking Spanish.]
So I asked Luis how many people knew about this person, and he said a lot.
That Carlos was spreading lies about him, telling people that they were dating.
So I told Luis we must speak to this man right away.
I mean, this is a young man's reputation we're talking about.
An honorable Latino man.
I understand.
We went to Carlos's apartment, and I told him to stop lying.
"My son made a mistake.
He thought you were a girl.
I mean, déjalo ahÃ, you know, leave it at that.
' ' But he started yelling, this little- this little tulip.
Calling me a bastard.
"Chi chi cabrón," he kept saying.
"Chi chi cabrón.
' ' So, I told him to calm down.
You know, I just wanted to talk.
But he grabbed a knife, and before I knew it, he cut me.
So l- I grabbed his wrist and I slammed it against the wall.
And we fought.
And when it was over, he was dead.
Luis never touched that boy.
He confessed because he's a good man.
A loyal son.
Siéntese.
Two confessions for the same crime? It's better than none.
Well, maybe not.
The jury could eat it up.
A father and son so loyal that they both confess to the same crime to protect the other.
Well, loyal, maybe, but it doesn't mean they're not guilty.
Well, since when does being guilty guarantee a conviction? Hold off on indicting the father until you corroborate his story.
We need to make sure he's telling the truth and not playing hero.
I was watching TVin bed when I heard Orlando screaming at Luis.
Screaming? [Speaking Spanish.]
Right.
Talking.
So I went to see what was going on, and they were walking out the door.
[Door Closes.]
Go upstairs, sweetie.
Are you okay, Mama? Yes, of course.
Did Orlando say anything to you before he and Luis left for Carlos's apartment? I'm an attorney.
Anything you say is 100% confidential, so, please, speak freely.
He walked out and slammed the door.
That is not what happened.
[Speaking Spanish.]
I came to you, I told you that Luis and I were going out for a little while.
And then I kissed your cheek.
And then I asked if you wanted anything from the store, and then we left.
Remember? Right.
Good.
I knew Luis didn't kill that boy.
- Luis couldn't kill a flower.
- Then why is he in jail? He'll be out soon.
And my husband? He'll be arrested in a few days, charged with murder.
Then what? Then we convince a jury he's innocent.
Now, we may need to call you as a witness.
If so, all you need to do is tell the truth.
You're all right with that, right? If telling the truth will get my son out of jail.
Hey, so I spoke to the lab.
Blood on the knife, D.
N.
A.
Under the fingernails match Orlando's.
Son of a bitch, he was telling the truth.
Sure.
About pounding Carlos to the ground anyway.
You don't believe the knife story? A guy needs a story to tell, right? He grabs a knife, he cuts himself.
All of a sudden it's self-defense.
You got proof? I don't have proof the Easter bunny doesn't exist, but I'm pretty sure I'm right there too.
The father's the real bad guy.
Except he's got a decent defense.
Yeah, his blood's on the knife, but his prints aren't.
His self-defense story could fly.
If Luis changes his story to jibe with his father's.
We'd impeach his testimony based on his original confession, but- Who knows what the jury will believe? [Sighs.]
Flip the son against the father.
But do it soon, before defense lawyers rewrite history on us.
Scare that kid so he serves up papa on a Tiffany platter.
Only two people know what happened in that apartment.
I represent one, you represent the other.
[Latin.]
Your point is? There's no need to panic or try to cut a deal.
[Sniffles.]
If we work together, both of them will walk.
Work together? Make sure that their testimony is consistent.
Especially with respect to the knife.
I represent Luis.
I'll do whatever I think is best for him.
Understand? [Laughs.]
Is that what they taught you up there in New Haven, how to act like a WASP bitch? Thanks for the coffee, Pedro.
Life in prison is a long time when you're 20 years old.
I get it.
You're prepared to make him a generous offer for his cooperation.
A fair offer.
Fine, fair.
Will he talk? Well, I hope so.
He's innocent.
Well, he's not that innocent.
If he hadn't taken dear old dad to the apartment, Carlos might still be alive.
It's my problem.
It's up to me to tell them - To what? To go to jail for 30 years for smoking pot and having sex with a transsexual? [Sighs.]
You know, she was so- Beautiful.
I mean, she looked like a model.
You saw her.
You know.
She made me laugh.
I still hate her though, for lying and tricking me.
But she didn't deserve to die.
And you don't deserve to celebrate your 50th birthday in prison.
[Sighs.]
I wish I didn't tell my father where she lived.
Just tell the prosecutor what happened.
You're a good kid, Luis, and a good son, but you're an idiot if you don't take this deal.
He came into my bedroom and punched me in the face.
Started calling me a faggot.
I said I didn't know she was a man.
But he kept saying I was a disgrace.
Then he-Then he pulled me out of bed and said, " Get dressed.
We're gonna find your girlfriend and set things straight.
' ' [Kibre.]
You knew where Carlos lived? Well, the night that- the night when we- Okay.
When we got there, I rang the buzzer.
She let us in.
I apologized for hitting her before.
So that she would let you in? Yes.
Keep going.
When we got inside, my-my father just- He just pushed her, started screaming at her, calling her a liar.
And then Angelina just spit at him.
- And he- - Did you try to stop it? No, but I wanted to.
Okay.
What about the knife? When he stopped hitting her, he was afraid she might be dead.
So he grabbed a knife, cut himself and he threw it on the floor.
And wiped his prints off it? Yes.
So your father punched Carlos in the face 15 times because he spit at him? Yes.
Are you prepared to tell a jury what you've just told us? Yes.
Are you telling the truth? Yes.
Man two, three to nine.
One to three.
Forget it.
There's no intent here, Tracey.
You know that.
[Clears Throat.]
You always open high.
Three to nine, best and last.
And in case you forgot, when I say "best and last," I mean it.
Three to nine it is.
Luis? Is that a yes? Yes.
Before I put my client's liberty in your hands, I need to know that each of you is prepared to acquit Mr.
Ramirez if the People do not meet their burden of proof.
If you cannot promise me that, raise your hands.
Thank you.
Counsel, approach the bench.
Peremptories, Ms.
Kibre? Jurors Six and Eleven, Your Honor.
Both Hispanic? Your Honor, Batson clearly states that- I know what it states.
Ms.
Kibre? This has nothing to do with race.
In Hernandez v.
New York, the U.
S.
Supreme Court held that a prosecutor has the right to dismiss bilingual Latino jurors based on a concern that such jurors might not disregard Spanish testimony.
It's an excuse to create a jury with no Latinos in violation of the Equal Protection Clause.
We have several witnesses who will testify in Spanish.
Jurors Six and Eleven have stated that they might disregard the English translation of the court interpreter.
With all due respect, this is racist.
Maybe.
But I'm not in the mood to overrule Justice Kennedy this morning.
Jurors Six and Eleven may be excused.
I gotta tell you, I don't like it.
I'm just trying to put the bad guy away, not win the Nobel Peace Prize.
You excused those jurors because you thought they'd sympathize.
Look, when you're first chair, you can have whoever you want on your jury- Latinos, lawyers, convicted felons - go crazy.
But right now, you support my choices whether or not you think they're aggressive.
Or cheap.
I was being polite when I said aggressive.
I'm sorry, but I think it's out of line to hide behind Hernandez like that.
Well, I don't care what you think.
Oh.
And neither does Angelina Martinez.
- Angelina? - Yeah, Angelina.
- What, so it worked? - Yeah, we changed her gender.
Well, I guess I'll be drafting a motion.
Miss Kibre filed a motion to amend the indictment.
- In what respect? - To change the victim's name from Carlos to Angelina.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Mrs.
Martinez changed her son's name - to Angelina last week.
- You're kidding? She felt it was important to honor her daughter's identity posthumously.
You're not suggesting we refer to the victim as Angelina in court? Well, as of last week, that is her legal name.
He was born Carlos and died Carlos.
- But today she's Angelina.
- [Judge.]
I agree.
Your Honor - You saw the certificate, Mr.
Moreno.
In light of the name change, Your Honor, I think it's appropriate that we refer to Angelina as a woman and use all feminine pronouns.
This is ridiculous.
You could slap a Prada dress on a bull and call him Sally- that does not make the damn thing a she.
Carlos Martinez was a man, anatomically.
To refer to him as a woman is absurd.
Sure is.
The victim's name is Angelina Martinez, and he, or she, shall be referred to as such at all times in my courtroom.
After that, you can call him or her whatever you want.
The jury will do the math.
Ms.
Kibre.
You just used up your "creative argument" quota, okay? The defendant brutally beat to death Angelina Martinez for one reason- Because she had the audacity to tell a few neighborhood friends that she was dating his son.
As the trial progresses, you will hear testimony from a witness who was in Angelina's apartment the night that she was murdered, who saw with his own eyes what happened.
When he's finished, you will have no doubt that Orlando Ramirez is guilty of murder.
The name of the witness is Luis Ramirez- the son of the defendant.
[Kibre.]
What happened when your father came home that night? He said he heard about what happened with Angelina at Club 186.
Then what? I told him that I thought that Angelina was a woman and that I freaked out when I found out that she wasn't.
Anything else happen? He said we need to speak to Carlos about the situation.
Is that it? Yes.
Did your father punch you, Luis? - Objection.
Leading.
- Sustained.
What happened when you and your father went to Angelina's apartment? What happened when you were inside the apartment, Luis? May we take a break, Your Honor? Do you need a few minutes, Mr.
Ramirez? - No.
- Continue, Ms.
Kibre.
What happened once you and your father were inside Angelina's apartment? Um, they started arguing and Angelina pulled a knife.
- Excuse me? - Angelina pulled a knife.
Angelina pulled a knife? In a sworn statement, you said your father stabbed himself after he- [Moreno.]
Your Honor.
Please.
Permission to treat the witness as hostile.
May I please be heard, Your Honor? - Who the hell are you? - Ana Mendez, counsel for the witness.
May I please have five minutes alone with my client? - I wasn't raised that way.
- What way? To tell the truth? No, to testify against my father.
Yes, it's tough.
I know.
But the truth is, we ran out of easy choices the night you watched your old man kill Carlos.
You tell the truth, you spend three years in jail, or take the Fifth and be tried for murder.
Your call.
I'm not testifying.
You're sure? You're a fool.
Witnesses lie, Tracey.
Jurors know that.
They're not blind.
Thank you.
I know.
Just should have seen it coming.
He's been protecting his father since day one, telling anybody who'd listen that he's some kind of Latino saint.
And then in return, his father kicks the hell out of him.
It's not easy to be objective about your father.
- Takes a lot of strength.
- Or in my case, therapy.
Now what? We get ready for more lies.
- Orlando's testifying? - First thing tomorrow.
Tell me again.
Whose genius idea was this to flip a young Dominican boy against his father? If he's good, he walks.
Then be sure he's not good.
When Mr.
Martinez grabbed the knife, did you believe you were in danger of your life? Yes.
Absolutely.
And I, of course, was worried about Luis too.
So, how come you didn't just run out of the room? There was nowhere to go.
The apartment was small.
The door was shut.
If I had turned to open it, he would have stabbed me.
And, like I said, I was worried about Luis.
I mean, I couldn't leave my son in there.
I'd rather die than have something happen to him.
Thank you.
The knife that Angelina grabbed was on the table, in the living room, right? Yes.
Strange place for a steak knife.
Objection.
- Sustained.
- When Angelina grabbed the knife, you were seven feet from the door, right? Yes.
It's a small apartment.
But you chose not to run out the door because you were afraid she might stab you or your son? - Right.
- But Luis was even closer to the door than you were.
I mean, he could've been out the door in one second.
And you in two.
Is there a question, Your Honor? There is.
Angelina didn't really grab a knife off the table in the living room, did she? - What? - You're making that up, aren't you? Objection.
Sustained.
[Kibre.]
After Angelina grabbed the knife, you claim she stabbed you? - Yes.
- Did you need stitches? No.
After she "cut" you, you slammed her wrist into the wall, the knife fell and you started fighting? Yes.
So you forced the knife out of her hand before you threw the first punch? - Yes.
- How much do you weigh? 155 pounds.
[Kibre.]
And you were afraid for your life even though Angelina- who weighed no more than 110 pounds- was no longer in possession of a knife? She might pull another knife.
Or maybe a gun.
Oh, well, that must be why you punched her- all 110 pounds of her- 15 times in the face and head, because you were afraid for your life.
Yes.
[Scoffs.]
Nothing further.
Jury's back.
That's way too fast.
On the sole count of the indictment, murder in the second degree, we find the defendant not guilty.
Thank you.
Sorry about the verdict.
What are you gonna do? The kid screwed you.
Screwed himself.
How's that? - I'm gonna try him for murder.
- Good.
I want you to find out everything you can about this kid- where he hangs out, who his friends are.
Right now, he's looking a little too clean.
Sure.
I'm not a mind reader.
How did I know he was- Apologize? What are you, crazy? To that ass-kissing- Yeah, well, that's okay by me.
I like Staten Island.
The grass is greener.
Yeah, well, screw you too.
You all right? Yeah, sure.
Politics at the precinct.
You know how it is.
Yeah, we got more work to do.
Kibre's gonna try Luis for murder.
Even though the old man got a pass? It's because the old man got a pass.
Oh, I knew that chick had balls.
Speaking of chicks with balls, Kibre wants us to go uptown, check out the tranny scene.
See if anyone knows our buddy, Luis.
What do you mean they're trying Luis for murder? Technically- I don't care about technically! All I know is my kid is in jail for something he didn't do, and I'm paying you 400 bucks an hour.
To represent Luis to the best of my ability.
Ay mujer! Just tell me how I get my kid out of jail.
Are you willing to testify? And say what? That you killed Carlos Martinez all by yourself, that Luis wasn't involved.
I'm not going back to jail.
You won't have to.
Doublejeopardy.
You've been tried and acquitted.
That means you can say whatever you want and there's nothing Kibre or anyone else can do about it.
[Latin.]
Mm, never seen him.
Too bad.
He's cute.
Don't you think? - Not my type.
- Name Luis Ramirez ring a bell? You know any other places around here that, uh, cater to men, who might prefer a certain type of female? I'll get on the stand, I'll smile at thejury, and I'll explain how I beat the hell out of that mariposa.
Say Luis had nothing to do with it.
That he tried to stop me, that he was crying.
Hard to convict someone of murder when you have a witness raising his hand, saying, " I did it.
' ' Luis still brought his father to the apartment knowing he was gonna kill that girl.
Luis watched a fight between two men.
A fight a jury has already decided wasn't a crime.
- He's still guilty of murder.
- Fine.
You'll lose again.
Before you go, I should probably tell you about some of my witnesses.
They're really tall.
Attractive.
Very feminine.
Great boobs.
Penises.
I've got five men who seem to know Luis- or should I sayJulio- very well.
Apparently he uses a different name when he's in that world.
So what? So Luis wasn't tricked.
He was dating Angelina for months.
But you already knew that.
So he was dating a tranny.
Doesn't mean he's guilty of murder.
Gives us great motive though.
Man leads a double life and gets outed, so he and his father kill the "outer" to ensure that his secret stays safe.
- Sounds pretty compelling to me.
- You're threatening my witness.
No.
I'm just sharing information, just like you.
Looks like your friends are finally gonna find out just what kind of a man Luis really is.
The whole city is about to find out that my son is a- a faggot.
You're a disgrace to me.
To your mother.
To your sister.
To God.
It's not like I wanna be this way.
I just am.
You make me sick.
I can change.
- It's too late.
- What do you mean? I'm done with you forever.
You killed Angelina because I loved her.
Don't do this to him.
I'm not gonna testify for that- Orlando, please.
Let that joto rot in jail! [Sobbing.]
He loved Angelina.
I mean, really loved her.
He didn't know his father was going to kill her.
But he did.
And he lied on the stand.
He has to answer for that too.
He lied to protect the father who beat the hell out of him and killed the person he loved.
Look, either way, Angelina's dead.
And Orlando is sipping beer and eating sancocho at his favorite café.
Man two, one to three.
Best and last.
I'll speak to Luis.
Talk fast.
Offer's good till 9:00 a.
m.
Tomorrow.
It's a good thing we know each other- someone else might think you'd gone soft.
Whatever.
[Judge.]
Is there an agreed-upon recommendation? [Man.]
Yes, Your Honor, five years'probation - [Mouthing Words.]
With a condition of drug treatment and counseling as deemed necessary.
[Judge.]
Mr.
Timmins, I will accept your guilty plea and hereby impose the sentence as described by the assistant district attorney.
[Whispering, Indistinct.]
Please see the probation officer before you leave.
Thank you.
[Gavel Raps.]
[Sobbing.]
[Whispering, Indistinct.]
My wife made me come.
L- Your son hanged himself three hours ago.
I'm sorry for your loss.
He always was weak.
Yeah, well, he wasn't tough like you.
Not everybody's got the guts to kill a 110-pound girl, or sacrifice their only son on the altar of their own pathetic pride.
L- I am a good father.
Ana! [Sighs.]
I just want to say I'm really sorry about Luis.
Thank you.
I never told that kid to lie.
You know that, right? Yeah, I know.
[Howling.]