Homicide: Life on the Street s02e04 Episode Script

# So you want # To be free # To live your life # The way you want to be # Will you give # If we cry # Will we live # Or will we die # If that's what you think Marky Deutch! If it's your people on this scene, I know it's screwed.
Yeah, but you workin' the murder, it'll stay open forever.
Maybe, but I'll get my 40 hours overtime.
You're gonna get more than that.
This has got red ball written all over it.
The Deputy Commissioner was called.
He's on his way.
Yeah, why? What's the deal? Catherine Anne Ellison, mother of two, tourist.
She takes one in the face at close range.
You got one.
45 shell casing on the ground.
- Witnesses? - Yeah, her family.
I sent them downtown.
Husband and two kids.
Most I could get out of them was three yo's, 18 to 30 years, who stole a wallet, a purse and a gold locket.
They ran south after doin' the deed.
- On foot? - So says the husband.
Only one place they could be heading in south Baltimore.
Hamburg and Leadenhall.
Do you want the District DEU? The more, the merrier.
I just have to answer a few questions, OK? Then we'll go back, sleep for a while.
Get Munch, Bolander, Pembleton, Crosetti, Bayliss, Lewis.
We've got a red ball.
I need them all.
- Crosetti's on vacation.
- Not anymore.
I got witnesses from Sharp Street.
- Who are they? - Hell if I know.
We're just the transport.
- You got a fresh pot on? - In the coffee room.
- I'm Lieutenant Giardello.
You are? - Her husband.
You're the victim's husband? I'm sorry, sir.
- Is this necessary? - Unfortunately.
- Come on, honey - Why? I told you everything.
He had a gun, he took my wallet, my wife's locket.
I mean While it's still fresh in their minds, we've got to talk to these kids.
Come on.
Let's go for a ride! - No - You can go with her.
We're just gonna go in here and have a talk.
May I talk with you? Have you got some questions? Where have they taken my wife? She's at the Medical Examiners office.
The law requires that we do an autopsy.
- Where do I go? - No.
You don't wanna do down there.
Just tell the funeral home of your choice that that's where the body is.
You recommend someone Iocally Sure.
I'll write it down for you.
This is a very ugly room.
Yeah, we're gonna have to throw some paint on the walls.
What's that mirror for? Is this where you change policeman clothes? No.
No, policeman don't change.
Dad, Matt is mad at me.
No, he's not mad at you.
So, what grade are you guys in? Matt's in eighth grade.
Really? Oh.
He's a lot bigger than I was.
I liked the eighth grade.
I got to be in charge of the playground.
I was a patrol boy.
Matt? Abby? Your mum was hurt today.
These three guys, they robbed us.
Didn't they, daddy? Yes, they did.
Did you see these three guys? They were young and saying bad words.
Yeah.
Do you remember what these guys looked like? I didn't see them too good.
Mummy pushed me in back of her.
Matt, do you remember anything anything you might be able to tell me? Come on Don't be scared, all right? OK, just, er You just try, all right? OK? Try - I can't remember - All right.
- Come on.
- My mum - Yeah? - She's on the ground.
And there's blood, everywhere.
All right.
I know it's difficult.
Just try I can't That's it! Please.
No more! We have to stop.
My mum.
Matt He never cries.
It's OK.
It's all right.
Five-oh, five-oh! Shop's closed, boys and girls.
Move back, man! This ain't right! I'm backup four years.
I can't take a humble like this! Parole backup? For what? - Possession with intent.
- Talk to me.
You lookin' for them boys who ran through here about an hour ago, right? - Make your play.
- I don't know 'em! - Let's go! - No, no, man! Hey, I'm East Side, man.
I ain't from around here.
Yo, I got street names.
One of them call himself Kid Funkadelic.
Police! Freeze! - Marvin! Where's the gun? - What you doin', coming in here? - You ain't done nothin', right? - You were here all day, right? I suggest you read this warrant.
Hey, hey! Kid Funkadelic on the cutting edge, huh, baby? - What do you know about it? - Crap! Come on, man! Respect the music! Oh, look what I found, Marvin! .
45's! Got you, Marvin.
'The husband doesn't think he can ID anybody.
' I ask him to describe the gun.
He said, "It's big, it's metal.
" With a hole in it, like this Why is it every civilian says the same thing about a robbery? Three non-descript yo's, with a barrel the size of the Fort McHenry Tunnel.
I am gonna rack up the overtime on this one.
This funny to you? - This is a big joke? - Mr Ellison I want him off this case! I'm sorry about your wife.
I know this must be tough on you.
But I'm the primary.
You don't have a choice.
I want to make a complaint.
I want to make a complaint to his superior.
- I am.
- OK, I'll start with you.
- I want to start now.
- Please come with me.
A few weeks ago he was working on a father of four shot in east Baltimore.
After that, a domestic stabbing.
And after that, a drug shooting in a project where an innocent bystander was killed.
And next week it will be somebody else.
He's not gonna feel what you feel.
None of us are.
But you, you're not him.
Mr Ellison, I can still remember the first murder I ever handled.
Walbrook Junction.
Kenny Damon Barnes.
I can still remember that look he had on his face.
I can remember how he was laid out in the apartment.
I can remember the pictures of his kids that he, er had taped to the refrigerator.
I can't remember my 50th or my 40th.
None of us can.
But the only difference between Felton and the rest of us is that he doesn't have the patience to hide that fact.
You need him to solve your murder, not to grieve.
I just want to get my kids and get out of here.
No one's gonna bother you if you go this way.
OK guys, give me a break! Mr Ellison, have you identified any of the suspects? Do you know the men who murdered your wife? How are your children handling the trauma? What are you going to do now? How do you feel, Mr Ellison? What? We can't go home without mummy.
We are, Abby.
Cos mum's dead.
Stop saying that.
She's dead.
She's not coming home.
Yes, she is.
I'm gonna sit on her lap, all the way home on the plane, just like when we came out.
You're acting like such an idiot.
- She's dead! - Hey, hey! Come on.
You've got to go to sleep.
We've got a big day tomorrow.
I'm trying to tell Abby that mum's not coming home with us.
Come on.
Gotta go to sleep.
Why are we going without her? Go to sleep, now.
Gotta get up early and pick up grandma.
Come one, Matt.
Goodnight.
Goodnight, dad.
Goodnight! Goodnight.
Come on, Man! Antonio Barr, AKA Tweety.
Guess what we found with him? This brain-dead yo leaves the murder, takes the vic's jewellery, goes home, gives it to his girlfriend, We kick open the door, and she swears that her mama gave it to her! I guess that makes this guy her daddy, right? Cross them up, Beau.
Meldrick, you come with me.
Kay, you take Bolander.
- You got it.
- Beau Hey, hey! Kid Funkadelic! Look who dropped by to say hello, huh? See, he's waving to us.
Hello, Tweety! He wasn't tough to find, either.
See, we know you and he are rap buddies.
So, being smart police, we pulled your sheet up and hunted up co-defendants.
And surprise, you and Tweety took a charge together back in '91.
We're taking up a pool on who gives it up first.
- You want in? - Smart money's on Tweety.
His game's a little weak.
Marvin, you have the right to remain silent.
Although I don't feel remaining silent is all it's cracked up to be.
Smoke? See him? He's givin' you in.
He's giving you up.
We know he's the shooter.
He says you're the shooter.
Hey, Tony.
You know how the gas chamber works? - You understand? - Death penalty, Marvin.
Chill out with all that death penalty stuff.
I ain't goin' out like that.
Especially cos of some fresher on the block knucklehead, man, gone and blown some bitch away.
Don't know what the hell he's doin'.
Are we talking about Marvin? Hell, no.
It's Vaughn.
Vaughn Perkins.
19 years of age Whoa! His sheet shows only a shoplifting and a disorderly charge.
- Kid's a virgin.
- Doesn't sound like a shooter.
- Got an address in Baltimore County.
- Everybody's gotta start someplace.
Tweety has Vaughn asking for the gun right before they get the Ellison's.
How does a kid go from stealing a new pair of tennies to homicide in one leap? Game's over, Marvin.
Tweety gave up Vaughn.
Says you gave the boy the gun.
Tweety always was a punk.
I still think he's leaking all over us and calling it rain.
I don't think Vaughn's the shooter.
He doesn't have the sheet for it.
I think you are the shooter.
Look, man.
I've put that.
45 in people's faces two or three hundred times and I've never once let go of a bullet.
That's why I use a.
45.
Cos people are fool enough to argue with anything smaller.
I'm a stickup man.
I know my business.
What about the shooting charge in '84? You got three years for that.
- That bitch, he needed to get shot! - Uh-huh.
That weren't no robbery, either.
I loaned him my Eddie Hazel album and he put it in the back of his raggedy Cutlass on a 100 degree day.
Eddie Hazel album? A collector's item.
I guess the guy had it coming! I ain't saying nothing else.
You and I know the two of us gonna be doing 30 in just for having anything to do with it, and third one will see death row.
So you just ship my ass back to city jail and we'll see how it plays out.
Cos I ain't saying nothing else without a lawyer.
Between you and me Look, I ain't sayin' you're right about anything.
But that boy you mentioned, if he was there I bet he didn't mean to do it.
Someone hit you with some brown paint? Looks like you got rust on it.
You're rusting out, Vaughn.
I was just playing with you, Vaughn.
Vaughn! What are you doin'? You're wasting all your shots.
I'm Robert Ellison.
Are you the mortician? No, that's me, sir.
Richard Reinhold.
Reinhold Funeral Homes.
I'm terribly sorry about your loss.
I've spoken to your people back in Iowa and I'll be handling the arrangements for shipping the body back home.
I'd like to see my wife.
Where are her clothes? She had a band A wedding band? - Where's the wedding ring? - Check with the cops.
It was a gold wedding ring like this.
We had them made together.
All personal effects and clothes of the victim are taken.
- No one told me this.
- You should've been told.
No one tells me anything! They don't tell me anything! Oh Excuse me, may I have a word with you? Excuse me a moment Mr Ellison.
Where's her ring? My wife's wedding ring.
All of her personal objects were taken as evidence.
- Her ring is safe.
- Oh But who gave you permission to take her clothes? She's lying down there in that damn room with no clothes.
You don't know Catherine.
She's very proper.
She wasn't very much at ease with her body.
I understand how you feel.
You've got her lying in a damn morgue in a plastic bag with no clothes.
I want her out of the plastic bag, I want her clothes back - I want someone there to protect her.
- I understand - You keep leaving her there alone.
- Mr Ellison You remember Detective Bayliss.
We've identified three possible suspects.
We'd like you to look at some photos.
Here you go.
Mr Ellison, just a couple of things - these are photographs, the complexions and shadings can change, and differ on each person.
Also the hairstyles can be easily changed.
- All right? - All right.
Take your time.
OK.
I can't say.
Why? Do you think it should be easy? Some sort of snap? Take another look.
Take your time.
It all happened so fast.
I bet if someone murdered your wife you'd remember all their faces.
But I'm just an average guy! All I remember is the gun.
I just stood there, staring at it.
I just stood there and watched them kill my wife.
I didn't do anything.
But you! You would have done something, wouldn't you? - I'm not saying - But you're thinking it, aren't you? Hell, everybody's thinking it.
Even my own son thinks it! Like there's a list of things that you're supposed to do before your wife Maybe you grab the gun or you shield her.
And if you can't do anything, at least remember their faces, so when the police show you pictures, you can point them out.
Him, him, him! No That's not the way we do things here, Mr Ellison.
We need your help in finding the men that murdered your wife.
You tell me who did it.
I'll identify them.
Baltimore Police.
We're looking for Vaughn Perkins.
- What now? - May we come in? Please come in.
- Where's your son, ma'am? - He's not my son, he's my nephew.
Has he been caught stealing again? - Vaughn's connected to a homicide.
- Oh, my God! - Have you seen Vaughn? - No.
He's not a bad boy.
He sings on the church choir with me.
We just wanna ask him a few questions.
Our records have you listed as Vaughn's mother.
Well, I helped to raise Vaughn, and his brother, Emanuel.
My brother, Jeffrey, married Vaughn's mother.
After he died, we took the boys in.
- Renaie just has trouble all the time.
- She's a dope fiend.
She has trouble being patient with the world.
- Your brother died? - Murdered.
Three years ago.
Renaie was in so much grief.
She, er She didn't notice her babies.
I wrote down I was their mother so that they could go to school here.
There are better schools out here.
Was Jeffrey's killer ever caught? No.
- Which murder is this? Jeffrey Perkins? - Perkins? How did Vaughn react when his father died? Everyday, he would go out to the kerb just like a little puppy hoping to see Jeffrey come down the road.
We love Vaughn, but that girl Renaie just was not able to think ahead for those boys.
Mrs Landry, where's the mother living? - Vaughn, baby.
What you been into? - Nothing.
Hey, hey! I ain't seen you put nothing in there, boy so don't you be taking nothing out.
Whoa! Down you go! Baby! My baby! Leave him alone, he ain't done nothing.
- Leave him alone! - Are we ready to go? We got him.
Come on, off we go, downtown, to see your friends.
- He ain't done nothin'.
- What is it exactly he ain't done? Whatever it is you say he did, he ain't done it.
He shot and killed a woman for 70 dollars and some jewellery.
You mean that white lady downtown? He couldn't have had nothin' to do with that.
He was home with me and my man that day.
Right here, watching TV.
- All day? - Yeah, all day! - You can't take my baby away.
- All right, come on.
Grand jury's gonna wanna hear these details.
They might charge you with perjury if they find you're lying about your boy.
- Grand jury? - That's right.
Now, come on.
Let's go.
Ain't nobody said nothing about no perjury! Mum Mr Ellison, I have your wife's things here.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I'm outta here.
I gotta get home.
If you'd like, I can have a uniform take you back to your hotel.
Oh It's Catherine's wedding band.
Do you always wear a gun? Yeah, pretty much all the time, sure.
- Everybody in your world wears a gun? - Yeah.
Funny thing is, I've never even held one.
No? Do you mind? Could I hold it? I just wanna feel it.
Come on, let me hold it.
Mr Ellison I'll tell you something.
A thing like this happens and people, they spend the rest of their lives telling themselves, "If I only did this, if I only did that.
" But the killer is the one with the gun.
Not you, Mr Ellison.
You just have to let go of that.
Right? Just put that behind you.
- Put it behind me? - Yes.
Let me tell you something.
When they pulled that gun out Catherine's chin, way up.
You know? Real defiant! You don't know how many times I've been on the receiving end of that chin.
Me? I got my hand frozen on my wallet.
Paralysed.
I didn't do anything.
You understand what I'm saying? Yeah.
So, I'd just like to hold your gun, just to feel what it's like.
I've got two kids.
I'm not gonna do anything crazy.
Take the bullets out.
All right? OK It's the truth, Vaughn.
If you don't believe it now, you will at the arraignment.
Your pals are puttin' you in.
This morning, in there, Tweety said you done all this shooting.
And Marvin, he's too professional to be throwin' people down like that, he says.
What do you say, Vaughn? He's got nothin' to say cos there is nothin' to say.
We got him already, Kay.
We're done.
I'm not, do you mind? Cos there's more something goin' on, isn't there? It was Marvin.
We both know it.
Can I have some paper and a pencil? Paper? And a pencil or pen? Please.
Stinkin' lowlife! Whoa! Beauregard Felton - maturity, stability, a lawman for our time! He sits in there for 4 hours without saying a word, then he writes a letter, says, "Please give this to the lady's husband!" What does it say? He's sorry! Like the family wants a condolence letter from this character.
"Dear Sir, I know nothing I can say can change what I have done.
"I can't say why it happened and I know I can't take it back.
"I had the power but forgot who I was.
"This won't make you feel different, but I'm sorry just the same.
" Well, sounds like he learned his lesson.
What's say we just send him home? When did you ever hear a shooter say he was sorry? They say they're sorry when they're charged.
"I had the power but forgot who I was.
" I don't get that part.
You threw that away? That is what we refer to in law enforcement as evidence.
Doesn't exactly say he shot the woman.
- What is with you, Kay? - It doesn't fit right, Beau.
- Did Vaughn say he shot her? - He doesn't admit anything.
He writes the letter and he demands a lawyer.
It doesn't fit.
Who gives a damn? His homeboys put him in, he's willing to take the weight, I'm on to new business.
- Leave it up in red, Beau.
- Why? Do you really believe that Vaughn Perkins is your shooter? You deal with three squealers, you get four lies! The kid is willing to eat the whole meal.
He's takin' the fall for his buddies.
Why would he do that? That's what I wanna find out.
Kay, this case is down.
You do what you gotta do.
I'm on to the next dead guy.
In case you haven't heard, they're piling up around here.
Vaughn's pulling out of the arraignment.
What? The guilt stricken fella wants to save the taxpayers' money! We arrest him and boom ten days later, a guilty plea.
On to new business.
I like that.
I call that justice.
Petey says he wants life, no parole.
He won't take less.
Let's get to the courthouse.
He's going into court asking for a life sentence? I've said it before, I'll say it again - he's taking the fall for those guys.
Are you making this plea today of your own accord.
Yes, I am.
Are you aware that by pleading guilty that you are giving up virtually all legal grounds by which you could appeal? Yes, sir.
Then I am in no position to sentence you to the custody of the Division of Corrections for life, without the possibility of parole.
Mister you get my note? I just wanna What you want is not important, you hear me? You didn't even give it to him? Just like I asked you to do, huh? Why didn't you give it to him, huh? What you afraid of? Why didn't you give it to him? What note? What's he talking about? Get off me! Why didn't they give it to him? - Sir, I'd like to follow through on this.
- Convinced we've got the wrong man? Vaughn was there, he just didn't pull the trigger.
I know I can't help thinking Mrs Ellison gets shot and the mayor, the governor and the commissioner are on the phone within the hour.
A tourist that gets shot is not the thing that keeps white folks coming to town.
That's what's bothering me.
We had a red ball goin' full throttle, but if instead Catherine Ellison's name was Louella Jones from Calhoun Street would Beau have got an hour of overtime? Kay take a few days, see what you can find out.
Thank you, sir.
- He's a very sensitive child.
- How so? Let me show you this.
Look here Now, here's Vaughn, Emanuel, my husband, down by Greenvale.
I guess Vaughn must have been He must have been about 12 or 13 here.
My husband had taken him hunting.
And Vaughn shot a rabbit.
And you know what he did? He buried it.
He felt terrible.
Said he was worried about how sad that mama rabbit was gonna be when the baby didn't come home.
Mrs Landry, do you think Vaughn killed that woman? You raise two boys, give them the same love and one of them ends up at West Point, at the top of the class.
I honestly don't know if he killed her.
- He said he did.
- He told you that? He called from the jail, told me he did it.
Said, "Aunt Rose, I'm sorry.
" My husband and I, we battled for that boy's soul.
And that last time that he went to his mother, I thought, "That's it, we've lost him.
" But when he called me from that jail, I knew we didn't.
His soul, we didn't lose.
Can't nobody say I didn't love that boy.
Not Rose Landry, not social services, not your damn police - can't nobody say that.
I stayed on methadone while I was carrying him and a good while after.
I married Jeffrey on account of him.
I did these things, know what I'm saying'? Did Vaughn go and live with the Landry's right after your husband died? They got a lot of love for him.
Maybe they He decided for his own self.
What'd he learn from them anyway? Vaughn decided to come back here? He could've stayed but he wanted to be with his mama.
Singing in a church! Goin' fishing down the Boondocks! What that got to do with my Vaughn? I don't know.
You got any idea why he killed that woman? He ain't the one.
I don't care what you say.
I know that boy.
It ain't in him to murder nobody.
He's going to spend 30 years in jail.
How do they determine that number? I mean, how do they gauge that 30 years of his life equals what he helped that boy do to my wife? Is there some sort of slide rule? Do they do it that way? Homicide sentences have been developed over the course of time.
Time? Well, that's what he got, didn't he? Time.
Thank you for coming.
I know you didn't have to.
- Yes, I did.
It's my job.
- Mine too, I guess.
After going to all the arraignment hearings and trials I feel like it was my vocation.
I thought saw them get what they deserve, I'd feel better.
I don't.
It didn't mean anything.
Catherine's death, that's the only thing that means anything.
It's like some sort of instant replay.
I mean, let's look at that one again.
Here's the gun, cold lips, cops laughing, me all alone.
You're not alone.
You're right.
The funny thing is the instant they pulled that trigger, I lost my wife, but I joined a club.
It's a very exclusive club.
But the funny thing about the club is none of the members want to belong.
It's like a secret society, where only the initiated can recognise the other members.
Here comes an associate member.
She probably had someone who was close to her killed, but not that close.
Maybe her mother-in-law.
There's a long-term member.
He's seen a lot of people go.
There's thousands of us.
And it's growing each year.
And we all end up talking to some poor homicide detective like you, asking, "Why? "Why me?" Truth is, it's not "Why me?" anymore.
It's "When me?" Don't take this personally, Detective, but I hope I never see you again.
Mr Ellison, before you go Vaughn Perkins wrote you a letter.
Would you like it? - No.
- Vaughn wanted you to have this - Did he? - Take it Why don't you give it to anyone of the people passing by here.
I think they'd understand it as well as I would.
You'd be better off just letting it be.
What do you expect him to say that he hasn't had 20 chances to say already? I don't know.
- What are you gonna say to him? - I don't know.
# Meets the sea # And in the sticky heat, I feel you # Open up to me # Love # Comes out of nowhere, baby # Just like a hurricane # And it feels like rain # They got me out of the dormitory saying I had a lady friend here.
- They didn't say it was no damn police! - Vaughn, please wait.
Sit down.
My name is Abdul Aziz.
You're a Muslim now? Nation of Islam or Moorish brethren? You got something to say to me? Sit down, Vaughn.
Please.
Please.
I wanna know if you killed that woman.
It was the will of Allah.
Come on, Vaughn! I know about you.
I talked to your aunt.
Oh, yeah? You know me? Well, why don't you tell me then? You don't know nothing about me.
I saw your mum, too.
Is she all right? How's she look? She looks fine.
She still doesn't think you could have possibly murdered Catherine Ellison.
She swears you don't have the heart for it.
Heart ain't got nothing to do with it.
You know what I'm saying? I've talked to a lot of people who've done what you've done.
Very few of them had your options - nice home in Baltimore County with people who love you.
You should be there right now.
What were you doing in south Baltimore sticking people up? Do you think your dad would have respected it? No, it's nothing like that at all.
I wanted to hold the gun because I wanted the power.
Then everyone would be safe and nothing would happen.
You took the gun so nothing would happen? I thought if I took the gun But the lady she wouldn't give up the locket.
And I felt the whole sky fall on top of me.
What I did to that lady It's done.
She's gone.
Can't do nothing about that.
She's gone.
And this This is about me.
- Well? - Well, what? Were the mysteries of life unveiled? - He's still no shooter, right? - He is the shooter.
- You should have left it alone.
- Yeah.
# Across Lake Pontchartrain # And it feels like rain # And it feels like rain #