Blue Bloods s02e06 Episode Script
Black and Blue
Look at this gun collar, two weapons possessions, two outstanding warrants.
You know, we gotta take these transit assignments more often, Jack.
Yeah, well, maybe they'll think twice before they jump the turnstile with a pistol in their pocket.
That's right, Einstein.
Try to save yourself two bucks, you get two years instead.
The NYPD crackdown on subway fare-beaters has once again yielded numerous arrests on more serious charges.
But not everyone is singing the praises of Commissioner Reagan's popular program.
I'm here with the Reverend Darnell Potter of the Disciples of Isaiah Church.
Reverend, this program has gotten dozens of guns off the street.
Isn't that hard to argue with? Not if the ends don't justify the means, Jane.
I mean, this program is oppressive.
It is offensive.
Yet another example of Commissioner Reagan's extreme tactics, and one that I don't see him practicing in the white neighborhoods.
What exactly are you saying? I'd give my right arm to stick my left foot in your mouth, Pal.
I'm afraid that would be considered excessive force, Pop.
Fine, then I'll use a sock instead.
What's he saying about me this morning? That you're an oppressor and a racist.
That's all? He's dogging it.
It's not funny, Francis.
The buck has got to stop somewhere, and this time, it's on Frank Reagan's desk.
This guy's dangerous.
Only if you're standing between him and a television camera.
Do you think we're gonna see this kind of chain-gang parade in SoHo? Hm? No.
I swear, Reagan, sometimes I'm convinced that God Himself is a member of the Fraternal Order of Police.
- Yeah? Why's that? - 'Cause every once in a while he lets a clown like this blow a red light when I'm right behind him.
- It's your lucky, day, Sarge.
- Yeah, I guess so.
License and registration.
I don't care, I want it on my desk in ten minutes! If you don't have Stadler's numbers on it, I don't care.
I don't care, either.
Take your time.
He's gonna be a while, all right? License and registration.
Male with a gun at 122 Lenox.
Show us responding, okay? What do you know it turns out it's your lucky day, GQ.
We got a call about a robbery in progress.
All police inquiries go through Reverend Potter's office.
Show us your hands, please.
That's a sanctuary up there.
Yeah? Not for a man with a gun.
Now, step aside.
There's no firearms permitted inside.
That's exactly the way we feel.
Step aside.
Now.
- Back up.
- I said.
Back up.
We have two officers approaching now.
Over here.
All right, that's far enough.
Right there.
You were told this is a house of worship.
- Step aside right now.
- Man, you're not getting in.
We're not screwing around anymore.
Now, make a hole.
Get your hands off him! Sarge Sarge, you okay? - Huh? - You all right? Sarge Hey, back up! Back up! Stay back! Uh, 122 Lenox.
I need a bus.
What's going on? Officers in distress, a few blocks away.
All right, take them.
Jack, we gotta go.
Take them.
- Watch out! - Excuse me.
- Move aside! - Step back! Let go! I got you, Sarge.
This way.
What the hell's going on? - Back up! - Hey, kid! - Danny - What happened? He's hurt.
A bus is on the way.
- Whoa! Hey! Back off! - Hey! I said back up! This is a church! Hey! Come here come here What are you doing, huh? Put your hands on a police officer, huh? Better watch your back, pig! Hey! Back it up! We got a situation here.
I said back up! -DIFUNDE LA PALABRA- How's he doing? - Hey.
- He'll live.
Yeah, he caught a lot worse than that in fifth grade, banging around for the basketball under the basket.
- Intentional foul.
- Eh, it was fair and square, kid; I'm just going for the ball.
How's the sergeant? They don't know yet.
How are you? I'm fine.
It's not as bad as it looks.
The guy that pushed you down the stairs you see him over there? No.
No, they must still be in the building.
Hey, J.
You get a good look at him? Yeah, it was a big guy, uh, with an earring, and a skinny guy.
Caught him with a backhand when I was going down.
Well, the guy you collared in the car may know who they are.
We better get them out of here, though, - before they launch a rescue.
- Yeah, all right.
- You all right? - Yeah.
Are you sure you're all right? Yeah I just feel stupid walking into something like that, you know? There was supposed to be a robbery, but I don't know.
Whoa, hey, somebody says there's a guy with a gun, you go in.
Yeah, I know.
Kid, I know I bust your chops about Harvard and all that stuff, but listen to me what you did today was true blue.
I understand.
- I'll see you later.
- All right.
Sergeant Renzulli sustained a concussion, Officer Reagan just some minor cuts and bruises, so far as we know.
- Is the scene secure? - In process.
It's a commercial building, but Reverend Potter's church rents an old theatre on the second floor for their sanctuary.
Police officers and members of the church.
Now, details are sketchy, but apparently the fight broke out when the police officers were denied entry in the building It's on the sensitive locations list.
Communications should have relayed that to the responding officers.
And look, I know the guy that runs this place is a thorn in your side You give him too much credit He's just a camera hog.
But the church does a lot of good.
Yeah, they tossed some drug dealers out of the neighborhood.
Well, now they've tossed two police officers down a flight of stairs.
Please don't tell me we're heading out there.
What, and make his day? Not if I can help it.
The police don't know what to do, because the church members will not budge.
Thank you.
Erin? Well, if it isn't Larry Skolnick.
You missed me.
I'm touched.
So, how's private practice treating you? Good.
Heard you had a big tax evasion case lot of press.
Ka-ching, ka-ching.
It paid for the new condo.
You should come check it out.
Yeah ugh, heights make me dizzy.
Oh, even better.
There's a great little Italian place on the ground floor.
- You'd love it.
- Thank you, Larry, but We could talk about opportunities for you.
People in my firm would jump to have you.
Yeah, I don't think I'm quite ready to cross over to the dark side.
What, you really enjoy butting heads with scuzzball drug dealers? You think I'm going to enjoy defending them? Which reminds me my 11:00 a.
m.
Scuzzball should be here any moment.
Actually He's early.
Larry Skolnick, counsel for the scuzzball.
- Commissioner, sir - As you were.
I'm sorry, Commissioner, but the situation's gone from bad to worse.
Don't apologize, Ed.
I know that was the last phone call you wanted to make.
Ed? It's a standoff.
They're over there, we're over here.
No communication whatsoever.
And the peanut gallery's getting larger by the minute.
- All the exits secured? - Ten minutes ago.
- E.
S.
U.
? - Captain? - James? - Sir.
We can take the building any time.
Simultaneous tactical entry at five points.
We can have this over before lunch.
This crowd's going to love that.
There's Potter.
You should talk to him.
I'm right here.
Lucinda, I'm glad you and your colleagues are here to witness this.
A church that has rid the community of drugs has run job training programs to help the people.
And what do we get? A sea of blue surrounding a house of worship.
But there are unconfirmed reports, Reverend, that church security guards assaulted two police officers answering a 911 call.
You don't think a police response was warranted? I have a question for you: Do you think we'd get this same response if these unconfirmed reports happened - in St.
Patrick's Cathedral? - Hell, no! Hell no is right! And there'll be no negotiation until the police remove their army of occupation.
Captain, get your men ready.
Can I get an amen on that? Amen! We ain't going anywhere here.
We'll stay right here.
Right here! How you feeling, Sarge? Like I fell down a flight of stairs on my noggin.
That's funny 'cause that's exactly what you did.
Well, what do you know? Doc says you got a concussion.
You got to rest up a couple more days.
Yeah.
Hey, do me a favor.
Would you check the drawer? Make sure my watch is still there.
My old man gave it to me when I went on the job.
Said after the gun, a cop's best friend is knowing what time it is.
Smart guy, your old man.
Yeah, he was.
He would have liked you, Reagan.
He would have thought you was a good influence on me.
Close call out there today, Sarge.
Could have went either way, but it went ours.
Never look back, though, right? That's what you taught me? That's right, kid.
And I wish I would have met your old man so I could have set him straight about one thing.
It's you who's a good influence on me.
And you don't forget it.
All right.
The guy with the earring what was his name? - Thurgood Marshall.
- And the skinny guy was, uh, Clarence Thomas? - You mock us? - Hey, you started - with the jokes, friend.
- Not to mention assaulting a police officer.
Someone pushed me from behind.
- Uh-huh.
- I tripped into you.
Right.
This whole thing was a police provocation.
Oh, right, so those two officers they just pushed themselves down the stairs.
Is that right? They burst into a place of worship.
With weapons.
- For no reason.
- Except there was a report of an armed robbery.
What robbery? We were praying.
It's a church.
Right, it's a church and you were praying.
Then why did two officers just burst in for no reason? There are elements in the police, huh? Racists, provocateurs.
Let's get one thing straight.
Those cops weren't racists and they weren't provocateurs.
So they were manipulated and lied to.
There was no armed robbery.
Guy sees the world through a very special set of blinders.
Yeah, I'm beginning to think there was no armed robbery at all.
Yeah, but somebody called up and said there was one.
- Mm-hmm.
- So let's pull the 911 tape, see if we can't figure out who it was.
We shall not be moved! - No! - We must witness! Stand tall, stand tall! We're gonna stand right here, y'all.
With minimum force, Captain.
- Understood.
- Once you're inside, take special care with any religious objects.
Wasn't a Bible that threw two men down the stairs.
Yes, sir.
Frank.
The mayor's here.
See, that's what I'm talking about.
How are you doing? Yes, I'm doing good, sir, I'm doing good.
What the hell is he doing? Campaigning.
- Come on back now, huh? - We'll see you.
That's what I'm talking about.
That is what I'm talking about.
Praise God.
Frank.
Mr.
Mayor.
How are we going to defuse this? In about 90 seconds, we are going to enter that building and arrest the men who assaulted my officers.
Don't you think negotiating would be a better idea? Reverend Potter doesn't seem to want to talk.
We can't negotiate with ourselves.
Let me speak with Reverend Potter.
You just did.
Frank, look around.
Going in would be a mistake.
Sir, sending a message to the crowd that assaulting a police officer doesn't have consequences that would be a mistake.
Captain, you're a go.
Go now.
No, no, no! That's not gonna happen.
No, no! You see what's happening? You see this? This is not justice! - This is not justice! - Give me your hands! Yes, you! Let's go, go, go! You see what they doing to my church! Not on my watch! Not on my watch! Oh, hell, no! This is not justice! No! You need to witness up here! This is not justice! This is a church! Sorry, Captain.
Are you sure? I can keep them around while you think it over.
The guys who shoved us, they're not here.
They must've skipped out the back before we secured the building.
Okay.
Cut 'em loose.
There's a man with a gun he's robbing people at 122 Lenox.
I just ran out of there.
He's a bad-ass.
Got a gun.
Be careful.
Doesn't mention it's a church? That's a funny thing.
Even funnier thing is the call came from a pay phone in Washington Heights.
That's nowhere near 122 Lenox.
No.
So what does he do? He runs out of a church in Harlem, doesn't stop till he gets to Washington Heights? What's wrong? There's no pay phones between Harlem and Washington Heights? No, it's a bogus call.
It's gotta be a bogus call.
But who would want to trick the cops into running into a prayer service? I don't know.
Let's go find out.
I'm sure we can work something out for Mr.
Harten here.
Sure.
Since he was found in possession of four kilos of heroin and enough cocaine to levitate Manhattan, I think a guilty plea will settle things nicely.
He'll plead to Criminal Possession, Fourth Degree.
So, one Class C felony instead of two A-1's? He'd take the maximum.
- I would? - Yeah.
This is not Christmas, and I am certainly not Santa Claus.
Well, I'll save you the trouble of a trial.
It's no trouble.
The drugs were found in his refrigerator.
Search warrant was valid.
His fingerprints were all over the wrappers.
Plus he gives you a half-dozen dealers who buy from him in upper Manhattan Harlem to Washington Heights.
So he'd give us the guys who buy from him? Names, addresses, times, places.
Yeah, I think you forgot what we do here.
We give a deal to a little fish who gives us a big fish, not the other way around.
How about the people he buys from? What, are you nuts? I like breathing.
Looks like we're done here.
Manhattan North Narcotics says a guy, Otto Jackson, runs everything that goes on up here.
Those guys probably all work for him.
Looks like a narcotics - convention's going on.
- Yeah.
That's the pay phone they made the 911 call from.
Don't they all use their cells? Ah, I guess so but they got eyes, so maybe we can get some citizen cooperation.
Hey! We're recruiting for a new game show.
Whoa! Hey! Come here! Come here Don't worry, this won't take long.
It's called Name That Tune.
We're gonna play you a tape, you're gonna tell us who's singing on it.
You got it? You busting me? Not yet.
Play the tape, Detective.
There's a man with a gun, he's robbing people at 122 Lenox.
I just ran out of there.
He's a bad-ass.
Got a gun.
Be careful.
Look at how fast your heart's pumping.
I think you're ready to be our grand prize winner.
I don't know who that is.
Okay, empty your pockets then.
You ain't got no probable cause.
You know what? We'll empty your pockets cuff him.
Yep.
Come here.
You got anything sharp in there? Okay, okay, okay! Okay! His name's Wendell.
He lives he lives over there.
First floor in the rear.
Okay.
He's kind of a dummy.
Unlike yourself? Hey, I told you what you want.
You want your parting gift now? Yeah, please.
Thank you.
Let's go see Wendell.
I'd appreciate it if you check the attitude at the door, Frank.
If it's all the same to you, I'd rather hang it on the back of my chair.
You need to talk to Potter.
If he has names and addresses for the men who assaulted my officers.
Frank, the only way we're gonna have that conversation, is to have the larger one first.
Just try to put yourself in his position; see things from his perspective.
A bunch of white cops surrounded his church Stop right there.
It was a bunch of cops surrounding his church white, black, Hispanic, female.
Anyone who wants to paint my department as being all white, all male, all the time, had better check their facts.
All right, Frank.
No, it's not all right.
Mr.
Mayor, I get real tired of seeing decades of progress in the ranks ignored for the sake of greasing the rhetoric.
The cops who were assaulted were white, the alleged perps were black that's all.
"Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone.
But if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.
" Malcolm X.
And hello to you, too, Reverend.
This is a vital summit, Commissioner.
Let's try to get off on the right foot.
Now it's a summit? I thought the three of us could sit down.
Okay.
Fine.
Let's start with the names of the men who assaulted my officers.
Frank He makes conditions? If this is a summit, that's the first thing on the agenda.
We need to begin by discussing the conditions that underlie the tensions in my community vis-a-vis your department.
Two from your community shoved two from mine down a flight of stairs.
Frank, please See what I'm talking about? No willingness to work together, no interest in building consensus.
"A genuine leader is not a seeker of consensus but a molder of consensus.
" Martin Luther King.
I don't care if Frank Reagan won't talk to me.
I'm just one man.
But this is an insult to the community.
To all of us.
To all of you.
We supported Mayor Poole in his election, and we demand that he remove Frank Reagan as police commissioner.
- Reagan must go! - Yeah.
Reagan must go! Let 'em hear you.
Reagan must go.
Let 'em hear you.
Reagan must go! - On time now.
- Reagan must go! - Let 'em hear you.
- Reagan must go! And if he won't do that, well, then guess what? What? We will remove Mayor Poole.
Somebody needs to work on his people skills.
Nah, he's got 'em in the palm of his hand.
Oh, you meant me.
I know Potter takes himself way too seriously, but that doesn't mean you get to write him off.
He's a sideshow, Garrett.
He doesn't matter.
- No.
He matters to the mayor.
- Why? How many votes could he possibly control? It was a close election, and it always will be with a minority candidate in this city.
Plus, there may be personal loyalty there.
Both Potter and Poole started out working in the same anti-poverty programs.
Which makes them, what, friends, allies, strange bedfellows? - Does it matter? - Garrett, I don't want to start a war with the mayor.
Who said you were? Say something.
We're getting a warrant to search Potter's church and office.
On second thought, don't say anything.
The men we're looking for are his people.
He's withholding information in a criminal investigation.
To recap, you're in this mess because you invaded Potter's church, so your next bright idea is to invade it again? It will be the most polite search in NYPD history.
I've given strict instructions to conduct it as if they were tossing Mother Teresa's place.
There's a man with a gun.
He's robbing people at 122 Lenox.
I just ran out of there.
He's a bad-ass.
Got a gun.
Be careful.
So? I don't know.
You don't know what, Wendell? You don't know why you made the call? I don't know.
You got to know something.
I mean, you must have had a reason to make the call.
I don't know.
Okay, let me make it easy for you.
Do you know a guy named Otto? Uncle Otto.
Uncle Otto? Otto's your uncle? Oh, okay.
Did your Uncle Otto ask you to make the call? You're supposed to report crimes.
That's what they told us in school.
Yeah? Kid's lawyer's here.
What? Who called him? Take a wild stab.
Sit tight.
Mr.
Maxwell, the attorney.
Oh, you must be Uncle Otto.
Where's my nephew, detectives? You taking good care of him? Well, we're doing about as good as we can, considering his phony phone call caused a riot.
Which, if true, constitutes Falsely Reporting an Incident in the Third Degree.
Yeah, that's right.
- Which is a misdemeanor.
- Mm-hmm.
- Plus, he's a juvenile.
- Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
And you may have noticed that he's also mentally challenged.
Yeah, I noticed.
I also noticed that Uncle Otto is not mentally challenged.
Is there any particular reason you put your nephew up to this? Now, I'm sure my nephew hasn't said any such crazy things.
Come on, did you make the kid make the phony phone call to cause problems with Potter's church and the cops? Can we go see Wendell now? Go ahead.
Come on.
Hey.
Have you people no shame? Actually, Reverend, yes.
Uh, as a practicing Catholic, I have a great and deep sense of respect for, uh, any house of worship.
Then get out.
Then give us the names of the guys who pushed two New York City police officers down a flight of stairs, and we'll gladly go.
I was prepared to discuss that with the commissioner.
It's my understanding the commissioner does not negotiate police procedure.
Reverend, may we have your assistance in opening this locked door? No, you may not.
This is outrageous.
All right, well, if we're gonna have to jack the lock, it's gonna take a minute, and I'm sure you want us out of here as swiftly as possible.
My lawyer is on his way.
Actually, uh, sorry, Reverend, but, um And stop with the "Reverend.
" When you say it, it sounds but the execution of this search warrant does not require us to wait for your legal representation to arrive.
And you cannot imagine what a locksmith costs these days.
Detectives got something.
Right there.
Church picnic? A prayer retreat, upstate.
Where Harriet Tubman worshipped and conducted the Underground Railroad.
Helping hundreds of people escape slavery and retreat 'em.
Sounds like a nice retreat.
- That skinny guy right there.
- Mmm-hmm.
Ah, don't touch it, Officer.
It's church property.
- This guy with the earring? - Mmm-hmm.
That's Shawn Hunter and Nathan Bradley.
Well, well, well, any idea where we might be able to find these gentlemen, Reverend? What's next, Frank? You gonna send a Strip-o-Gram to his Sunday service? You heard from Reverend Potter.
That search warrant was executed for legitimate purposes.
So this is nothing personal? Have you ever really listened to what he says about this department? Frank, you're gonna have to understand Potter.
He comes from a long tradition of polemicists who serve as lightning rods to simply move the cause forward.
At the end of the day, his vision of the Promised Land is his own show on MSNBC.
Okay, that is harsh.
You're right.
I'm sorry.
Maybe I just wanted it to be him.
I'm not sure I'm following.
I asked the Special Frauds team at the DA's Office to give me what they had in ongoing investigations involving Potter.
$1.
2 million in federal funds unaccounted for from the West Harlem Jobs Training Program which Potter started along with You're investigating me? Not at all.
But the two of you go way back.
You drill down or Potter, your name does tend to pop up.
What else were they looking into? Not for me to say.
Ongoing investigation.
I see.
Well, Frank, I don't know anything.
Maybe nothing you can prove.
Potter started out as a good guy, but there are rumors: no-show jobs, odd people hanging around.
So I distanced myself.
I left those programs.
I know that.
One of those odd people a guy named Otto Jackson? Yeah.
He and Potter were pretty tight.
Why? Just a name comes up.
Really? In the D.
A.
files? There is no ongoing investigation, is there? Well, I heard there was, but you'd have to confirm that with the D.
A.
I have just been flipped by an NYPD detective.
Former detective.
And sometimes we all need a little push to do the right thing.
I should fire you, Frank.
You can, but you won't, because you're a good man.
And you are a pain in the ass.
I'll take that as a compliment.
Um, how'd you get that, Uncle Jamie? I took a flight of stairs with the wrong end of me.
You fell? I was pushed.
Uncle Jamie and his partner were pushed down some stairs.
Really? Papers made it sound like it was 'cause you were white.
Nonsense.
It's because he was blue.
The uniform.
What happened is there were some black men who thought that the white cops were trespassing in their church.
Were they? No, they weren't.
They were doing their job.
Well, that doesn't always matter.
Shouldn't Grandpa have sent black cops instead? Should all your teachers be white just 'cause you are? And your coaches? That would be stupid.
It's called "segregation," and it is dumb.
All this stuff is very complicated, you know? I mean, on the one hand, you got white cops who walk the beat in black neighborhoods, and you know, sometimes they feel like not everybody trusts 'em just 'cause they're white.
You got black kids who feel like a white cop's gonna ask them just because they're black.
It's happened a million times in this country.
But I am an equal opportunity cop.
I don't care what color you are, what race you are.
You break the law, I'm breaking your head.
Danny! Gandhi speaks.
So, how do we make it better? One decent person at a time.
You put a knock on anybody who talks trash like that.
Remember this: white, black, blue, purple we're all the same color on the inside.
And in every gospel sermon and prayer in every church, temple and mosque, it all boils down to one sentence: go out of here and treat everybody you meet a little better.
Amen.
And pass the potatoes.
So is our mayor still on the fence about this? You know, I really think he'd like to see Reverend Potter gone, but black on black, he can't do it himself.
So he's gonna send in the white police commissioner? Can't call the fire department.
He's not on fire.
Who wants the last lamb chop? Nobody? Okay, pass it on down.
One lamb chop coming up.
It's a beauty.
So how does the white police commissioner get rid of the rabble-rousing minister? Well, you start by nailing him for the phony 911 call, which was only done to give Potter something to rant about.
Wait, he made the phony 911 call? Technically, no.
But a drug dealer and buddy of his did.
How do you know they were buddies? I don't know.
Dad dug it up.
Why would a drug dealer do a favor for Potter? He's the one that kicked them out of the neighborhood.
No supposedly he kicked them out of the neighborhood.
You never know with a guy like Potter.
It could have all just been a P.
R.
stunt.
Especially when it comes to this Otto guy.
Otto Jackson? You know him? What, is he your dealer or something? No, I heard his name the other day.
Defense attorneys offer him up as part of a plea bargain.
Great.
Why don't you take it? Look, you get this guy to roll on Otto then we can use that to flip Otto against Potter.
I already turned him down.
My case is solid.
Plus, this lawyer is this smug jerk who just hits on me all the time.
Well, you know, you don't necessarily have to give the client a deal.
You could, you know, sleep with the lawyer.
Come on, sis.
You got to learn how to take one for the team once in a while.
And the doctor says I'm all good now.
Takes more than one flight down to crack this thick skull.
Marie's on her way up to get me now.
You need to have your head examined again, Sarge.
Going home's supposed to be the good news.
Yeah, except now I got to eat her cooking again.
It's like dog food.
Hey.
If it isn't Humpty and Dumpty.
- Hey.
- Hey.
You're talking to a wounded member of service here.
Nice try, Sarge.
Doc told me your head cracked the stairs, not the other way around.
He's funny.
Yeah, I was going to bring you some flowers, but instead I brought something for you, Jamie.
What's this? Well, once we got the names of the goons that did this to you, TARU traced their cells.
They're holed up in in Midtown.
Since you can I.
D.
them, I was wondering if you want to come hit their door with me.
- Yeah.
- Yeah? Good.
What do you say, Sarge? Mind if I take the kid, show him how the real cops work? Go ahead, knock yourself out.
Just don't forget what you learned.
Good night, Sarge.
Get on the ground! Go! Go! Easy, my man.
Get your hands up! We got the guy with the earring.
Come on, bring him out.
Come on, bring him out! - Bedroom clear.
- Check the back.
- Kitchen clear.
- Let's go.
- What do you say, kid? - Second bedroom clear! - These guys look like the guys? - Yeah, that's the guys.
You gentlemen remember this officer here? - I want my lawyer.
- You want your lawyer? How about we get you a doctor instead? What you going to do, throw us down the stairs now? I don't know, you threw my kid brother down the stairs.
What do you say? No, it's the wrong century.
It's a kinder, gentler NYPD.
Be glad he's the forgiving type.
Let's go.
A message from you at 10:00 last night.
I hope I didn't miss a drunk dial.
I'm taking your deal, Larry.
And what happened to you not being Santa Claus? We have a backlog here, and I have more serious cases, so No.
There's something going on.
You want the deal or not, Larry? Sure.
Done.
Your guy supplies evidence sufficient to convict the half dozen dealers including one Otto Jackson.
Done, done and doner.
All right.
I'll draw up the papers.
Does this mean you'll come see my apartment, too? All right.
There's the good Reverend Potter.
You ready to go, Otto? That son of a bitch.
Aw, man, Harten, I swear, I'm gonna kill him! Hey, you do remember you're wearing a wire, right? I'm kidding, all right? I'm just kidding.
Let's go over it again.
Look, man, I've been through it with juries six times already.
I know what I'm supposed to say.
You know it when I say you know it.
Let's go over it again.
- I go inside the restaurant.
- Right.
- I sit down with Potter.
- Right.
Get him to talk about the 911 call how he asked me to do it.
And then, you know, how he wanted to cause trouble and get his face back on the front pages Front pages again, exactly.
And you're going to keep on talking until? Until he admits to it.
Right.
And if you don't get him to admit to it? I kind of like you, Otto.
I hope you don't screw this up.
All right, time to go.
Bon appetit.
Is it true that you've been caught on tape admitting to setting up the false 911 call? No comment.
Who did you tell to make the call, and why? No comment.
Do you have any words for the police officers whose lives you endangered? - How do you explain - Reverend Potter First time that fella's ever been speechless.
The press is having a field day.
That recording found its way to every media outlet in town.
How the hell did that happen? Good question.
- The mayor made a statement.
- One sentence, about how Potter is having no official or unofficial role in his campaign or his administration.
Distancing himself.
Distancing him, like, to Cleveland.
And Potter's office says he's out on a Spiritual sabbatical.
You know, I heard an interview with Bernie Williams this morning on the radio, as I was coming in.
Turns out he's the first guy to win the batting title, the Golden Glove, and the World Series ring - all in the same year.
- I know that.
- Know what he does now? - What? Plays guitar.
Well enough to record on a major label.
Turns out he's been playing almost as long as he played baseball.
Good for him.
What's your point? Who said I had a point? You always have a point.
Scratch that you always think you have a point.
Okay, how many times have I heard you go on about, you've got no talent or taste for politics.
And I was watching this week, and lo and behold, you've got a talent for politics.
Up to and including today's little turn of events.
You won't find my fingerprints on that leak, ever.
It's as if Bernie Williams stepped up to the plate as a Yankee and instead of swinging a bat, picked up a Stratocaster and whipped off the Hendrix version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" I mean who knew? I think you could make a run for mayor.
Seriously.
Keep that thought to yourself.
Seriously.
You got to admit, Gracie Mansion would be a nice place to retire from.
I like it just fine, right where I am.
-DIFUNDE LA PALABRA-
You know, we gotta take these transit assignments more often, Jack.
Yeah, well, maybe they'll think twice before they jump the turnstile with a pistol in their pocket.
That's right, Einstein.
Try to save yourself two bucks, you get two years instead.
The NYPD crackdown on subway fare-beaters has once again yielded numerous arrests on more serious charges.
But not everyone is singing the praises of Commissioner Reagan's popular program.
I'm here with the Reverend Darnell Potter of the Disciples of Isaiah Church.
Reverend, this program has gotten dozens of guns off the street.
Isn't that hard to argue with? Not if the ends don't justify the means, Jane.
I mean, this program is oppressive.
It is offensive.
Yet another example of Commissioner Reagan's extreme tactics, and one that I don't see him practicing in the white neighborhoods.
What exactly are you saying? I'd give my right arm to stick my left foot in your mouth, Pal.
I'm afraid that would be considered excessive force, Pop.
Fine, then I'll use a sock instead.
What's he saying about me this morning? That you're an oppressor and a racist.
That's all? He's dogging it.
It's not funny, Francis.
The buck has got to stop somewhere, and this time, it's on Frank Reagan's desk.
This guy's dangerous.
Only if you're standing between him and a television camera.
Do you think we're gonna see this kind of chain-gang parade in SoHo? Hm? No.
I swear, Reagan, sometimes I'm convinced that God Himself is a member of the Fraternal Order of Police.
- Yeah? Why's that? - 'Cause every once in a while he lets a clown like this blow a red light when I'm right behind him.
- It's your lucky, day, Sarge.
- Yeah, I guess so.
License and registration.
I don't care, I want it on my desk in ten minutes! If you don't have Stadler's numbers on it, I don't care.
I don't care, either.
Take your time.
He's gonna be a while, all right? License and registration.
Male with a gun at 122 Lenox.
Show us responding, okay? What do you know it turns out it's your lucky day, GQ.
We got a call about a robbery in progress.
All police inquiries go through Reverend Potter's office.
Show us your hands, please.
That's a sanctuary up there.
Yeah? Not for a man with a gun.
Now, step aside.
There's no firearms permitted inside.
That's exactly the way we feel.
Step aside.
Now.
- Back up.
- I said.
Back up.
We have two officers approaching now.
Over here.
All right, that's far enough.
Right there.
You were told this is a house of worship.
- Step aside right now.
- Man, you're not getting in.
We're not screwing around anymore.
Now, make a hole.
Get your hands off him! Sarge Sarge, you okay? - Huh? - You all right? Sarge Hey, back up! Back up! Stay back! Uh, 122 Lenox.
I need a bus.
What's going on? Officers in distress, a few blocks away.
All right, take them.
Jack, we gotta go.
Take them.
- Watch out! - Excuse me.
- Move aside! - Step back! Let go! I got you, Sarge.
This way.
What the hell's going on? - Back up! - Hey, kid! - Danny - What happened? He's hurt.
A bus is on the way.
- Whoa! Hey! Back off! - Hey! I said back up! This is a church! Hey! Come here come here What are you doing, huh? Put your hands on a police officer, huh? Better watch your back, pig! Hey! Back it up! We got a situation here.
I said back up! -DIFUNDE LA PALABRA- How's he doing? - Hey.
- He'll live.
Yeah, he caught a lot worse than that in fifth grade, banging around for the basketball under the basket.
- Intentional foul.
- Eh, it was fair and square, kid; I'm just going for the ball.
How's the sergeant? They don't know yet.
How are you? I'm fine.
It's not as bad as it looks.
The guy that pushed you down the stairs you see him over there? No.
No, they must still be in the building.
Hey, J.
You get a good look at him? Yeah, it was a big guy, uh, with an earring, and a skinny guy.
Caught him with a backhand when I was going down.
Well, the guy you collared in the car may know who they are.
We better get them out of here, though, - before they launch a rescue.
- Yeah, all right.
- You all right? - Yeah.
Are you sure you're all right? Yeah I just feel stupid walking into something like that, you know? There was supposed to be a robbery, but I don't know.
Whoa, hey, somebody says there's a guy with a gun, you go in.
Yeah, I know.
Kid, I know I bust your chops about Harvard and all that stuff, but listen to me what you did today was true blue.
I understand.
- I'll see you later.
- All right.
Sergeant Renzulli sustained a concussion, Officer Reagan just some minor cuts and bruises, so far as we know.
- Is the scene secure? - In process.
It's a commercial building, but Reverend Potter's church rents an old theatre on the second floor for their sanctuary.
Police officers and members of the church.
Now, details are sketchy, but apparently the fight broke out when the police officers were denied entry in the building It's on the sensitive locations list.
Communications should have relayed that to the responding officers.
And look, I know the guy that runs this place is a thorn in your side You give him too much credit He's just a camera hog.
But the church does a lot of good.
Yeah, they tossed some drug dealers out of the neighborhood.
Well, now they've tossed two police officers down a flight of stairs.
Please don't tell me we're heading out there.
What, and make his day? Not if I can help it.
The police don't know what to do, because the church members will not budge.
Thank you.
Erin? Well, if it isn't Larry Skolnick.
You missed me.
I'm touched.
So, how's private practice treating you? Good.
Heard you had a big tax evasion case lot of press.
Ka-ching, ka-ching.
It paid for the new condo.
You should come check it out.
Yeah ugh, heights make me dizzy.
Oh, even better.
There's a great little Italian place on the ground floor.
- You'd love it.
- Thank you, Larry, but We could talk about opportunities for you.
People in my firm would jump to have you.
Yeah, I don't think I'm quite ready to cross over to the dark side.
What, you really enjoy butting heads with scuzzball drug dealers? You think I'm going to enjoy defending them? Which reminds me my 11:00 a.
m.
Scuzzball should be here any moment.
Actually He's early.
Larry Skolnick, counsel for the scuzzball.
- Commissioner, sir - As you were.
I'm sorry, Commissioner, but the situation's gone from bad to worse.
Don't apologize, Ed.
I know that was the last phone call you wanted to make.
Ed? It's a standoff.
They're over there, we're over here.
No communication whatsoever.
And the peanut gallery's getting larger by the minute.
- All the exits secured? - Ten minutes ago.
- E.
S.
U.
? - Captain? - James? - Sir.
We can take the building any time.
Simultaneous tactical entry at five points.
We can have this over before lunch.
This crowd's going to love that.
There's Potter.
You should talk to him.
I'm right here.
Lucinda, I'm glad you and your colleagues are here to witness this.
A church that has rid the community of drugs has run job training programs to help the people.
And what do we get? A sea of blue surrounding a house of worship.
But there are unconfirmed reports, Reverend, that church security guards assaulted two police officers answering a 911 call.
You don't think a police response was warranted? I have a question for you: Do you think we'd get this same response if these unconfirmed reports happened - in St.
Patrick's Cathedral? - Hell, no! Hell no is right! And there'll be no negotiation until the police remove their army of occupation.
Captain, get your men ready.
Can I get an amen on that? Amen! We ain't going anywhere here.
We'll stay right here.
Right here! How you feeling, Sarge? Like I fell down a flight of stairs on my noggin.
That's funny 'cause that's exactly what you did.
Well, what do you know? Doc says you got a concussion.
You got to rest up a couple more days.
Yeah.
Hey, do me a favor.
Would you check the drawer? Make sure my watch is still there.
My old man gave it to me when I went on the job.
Said after the gun, a cop's best friend is knowing what time it is.
Smart guy, your old man.
Yeah, he was.
He would have liked you, Reagan.
He would have thought you was a good influence on me.
Close call out there today, Sarge.
Could have went either way, but it went ours.
Never look back, though, right? That's what you taught me? That's right, kid.
And I wish I would have met your old man so I could have set him straight about one thing.
It's you who's a good influence on me.
And you don't forget it.
All right.
The guy with the earring what was his name? - Thurgood Marshall.
- And the skinny guy was, uh, Clarence Thomas? - You mock us? - Hey, you started - with the jokes, friend.
- Not to mention assaulting a police officer.
Someone pushed me from behind.
- Uh-huh.
- I tripped into you.
Right.
This whole thing was a police provocation.
Oh, right, so those two officers they just pushed themselves down the stairs.
Is that right? They burst into a place of worship.
With weapons.
- For no reason.
- Except there was a report of an armed robbery.
What robbery? We were praying.
It's a church.
Right, it's a church and you were praying.
Then why did two officers just burst in for no reason? There are elements in the police, huh? Racists, provocateurs.
Let's get one thing straight.
Those cops weren't racists and they weren't provocateurs.
So they were manipulated and lied to.
There was no armed robbery.
Guy sees the world through a very special set of blinders.
Yeah, I'm beginning to think there was no armed robbery at all.
Yeah, but somebody called up and said there was one.
- Mm-hmm.
- So let's pull the 911 tape, see if we can't figure out who it was.
We shall not be moved! - No! - We must witness! Stand tall, stand tall! We're gonna stand right here, y'all.
With minimum force, Captain.
- Understood.
- Once you're inside, take special care with any religious objects.
Wasn't a Bible that threw two men down the stairs.
Yes, sir.
Frank.
The mayor's here.
See, that's what I'm talking about.
How are you doing? Yes, I'm doing good, sir, I'm doing good.
What the hell is he doing? Campaigning.
- Come on back now, huh? - We'll see you.
That's what I'm talking about.
That is what I'm talking about.
Praise God.
Frank.
Mr.
Mayor.
How are we going to defuse this? In about 90 seconds, we are going to enter that building and arrest the men who assaulted my officers.
Don't you think negotiating would be a better idea? Reverend Potter doesn't seem to want to talk.
We can't negotiate with ourselves.
Let me speak with Reverend Potter.
You just did.
Frank, look around.
Going in would be a mistake.
Sir, sending a message to the crowd that assaulting a police officer doesn't have consequences that would be a mistake.
Captain, you're a go.
Go now.
No, no, no! That's not gonna happen.
No, no! You see what's happening? You see this? This is not justice! - This is not justice! - Give me your hands! Yes, you! Let's go, go, go! You see what they doing to my church! Not on my watch! Not on my watch! Oh, hell, no! This is not justice! No! You need to witness up here! This is not justice! This is a church! Sorry, Captain.
Are you sure? I can keep them around while you think it over.
The guys who shoved us, they're not here.
They must've skipped out the back before we secured the building.
Okay.
Cut 'em loose.
There's a man with a gun he's robbing people at 122 Lenox.
I just ran out of there.
He's a bad-ass.
Got a gun.
Be careful.
Doesn't mention it's a church? That's a funny thing.
Even funnier thing is the call came from a pay phone in Washington Heights.
That's nowhere near 122 Lenox.
No.
So what does he do? He runs out of a church in Harlem, doesn't stop till he gets to Washington Heights? What's wrong? There's no pay phones between Harlem and Washington Heights? No, it's a bogus call.
It's gotta be a bogus call.
But who would want to trick the cops into running into a prayer service? I don't know.
Let's go find out.
I'm sure we can work something out for Mr.
Harten here.
Sure.
Since he was found in possession of four kilos of heroin and enough cocaine to levitate Manhattan, I think a guilty plea will settle things nicely.
He'll plead to Criminal Possession, Fourth Degree.
So, one Class C felony instead of two A-1's? He'd take the maximum.
- I would? - Yeah.
This is not Christmas, and I am certainly not Santa Claus.
Well, I'll save you the trouble of a trial.
It's no trouble.
The drugs were found in his refrigerator.
Search warrant was valid.
His fingerprints were all over the wrappers.
Plus he gives you a half-dozen dealers who buy from him in upper Manhattan Harlem to Washington Heights.
So he'd give us the guys who buy from him? Names, addresses, times, places.
Yeah, I think you forgot what we do here.
We give a deal to a little fish who gives us a big fish, not the other way around.
How about the people he buys from? What, are you nuts? I like breathing.
Looks like we're done here.
Manhattan North Narcotics says a guy, Otto Jackson, runs everything that goes on up here.
Those guys probably all work for him.
Looks like a narcotics - convention's going on.
- Yeah.
That's the pay phone they made the 911 call from.
Don't they all use their cells? Ah, I guess so but they got eyes, so maybe we can get some citizen cooperation.
Hey! We're recruiting for a new game show.
Whoa! Hey! Come here! Come here Don't worry, this won't take long.
It's called Name That Tune.
We're gonna play you a tape, you're gonna tell us who's singing on it.
You got it? You busting me? Not yet.
Play the tape, Detective.
There's a man with a gun, he's robbing people at 122 Lenox.
I just ran out of there.
He's a bad-ass.
Got a gun.
Be careful.
Look at how fast your heart's pumping.
I think you're ready to be our grand prize winner.
I don't know who that is.
Okay, empty your pockets then.
You ain't got no probable cause.
You know what? We'll empty your pockets cuff him.
Yep.
Come here.
You got anything sharp in there? Okay, okay, okay! Okay! His name's Wendell.
He lives he lives over there.
First floor in the rear.
Okay.
He's kind of a dummy.
Unlike yourself? Hey, I told you what you want.
You want your parting gift now? Yeah, please.
Thank you.
Let's go see Wendell.
I'd appreciate it if you check the attitude at the door, Frank.
If it's all the same to you, I'd rather hang it on the back of my chair.
You need to talk to Potter.
If he has names and addresses for the men who assaulted my officers.
Frank, the only way we're gonna have that conversation, is to have the larger one first.
Just try to put yourself in his position; see things from his perspective.
A bunch of white cops surrounded his church Stop right there.
It was a bunch of cops surrounding his church white, black, Hispanic, female.
Anyone who wants to paint my department as being all white, all male, all the time, had better check their facts.
All right, Frank.
No, it's not all right.
Mr.
Mayor, I get real tired of seeing decades of progress in the ranks ignored for the sake of greasing the rhetoric.
The cops who were assaulted were white, the alleged perps were black that's all.
"Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone.
But if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.
" Malcolm X.
And hello to you, too, Reverend.
This is a vital summit, Commissioner.
Let's try to get off on the right foot.
Now it's a summit? I thought the three of us could sit down.
Okay.
Fine.
Let's start with the names of the men who assaulted my officers.
Frank He makes conditions? If this is a summit, that's the first thing on the agenda.
We need to begin by discussing the conditions that underlie the tensions in my community vis-a-vis your department.
Two from your community shoved two from mine down a flight of stairs.
Frank, please See what I'm talking about? No willingness to work together, no interest in building consensus.
"A genuine leader is not a seeker of consensus but a molder of consensus.
" Martin Luther King.
I don't care if Frank Reagan won't talk to me.
I'm just one man.
But this is an insult to the community.
To all of us.
To all of you.
We supported Mayor Poole in his election, and we demand that he remove Frank Reagan as police commissioner.
- Reagan must go! - Yeah.
Reagan must go! Let 'em hear you.
Reagan must go.
Let 'em hear you.
Reagan must go! - On time now.
- Reagan must go! - Let 'em hear you.
- Reagan must go! And if he won't do that, well, then guess what? What? We will remove Mayor Poole.
Somebody needs to work on his people skills.
Nah, he's got 'em in the palm of his hand.
Oh, you meant me.
I know Potter takes himself way too seriously, but that doesn't mean you get to write him off.
He's a sideshow, Garrett.
He doesn't matter.
- No.
He matters to the mayor.
- Why? How many votes could he possibly control? It was a close election, and it always will be with a minority candidate in this city.
Plus, there may be personal loyalty there.
Both Potter and Poole started out working in the same anti-poverty programs.
Which makes them, what, friends, allies, strange bedfellows? - Does it matter? - Garrett, I don't want to start a war with the mayor.
Who said you were? Say something.
We're getting a warrant to search Potter's church and office.
On second thought, don't say anything.
The men we're looking for are his people.
He's withholding information in a criminal investigation.
To recap, you're in this mess because you invaded Potter's church, so your next bright idea is to invade it again? It will be the most polite search in NYPD history.
I've given strict instructions to conduct it as if they were tossing Mother Teresa's place.
There's a man with a gun.
He's robbing people at 122 Lenox.
I just ran out of there.
He's a bad-ass.
Got a gun.
Be careful.
So? I don't know.
You don't know what, Wendell? You don't know why you made the call? I don't know.
You got to know something.
I mean, you must have had a reason to make the call.
I don't know.
Okay, let me make it easy for you.
Do you know a guy named Otto? Uncle Otto.
Uncle Otto? Otto's your uncle? Oh, okay.
Did your Uncle Otto ask you to make the call? You're supposed to report crimes.
That's what they told us in school.
Yeah? Kid's lawyer's here.
What? Who called him? Take a wild stab.
Sit tight.
Mr.
Maxwell, the attorney.
Oh, you must be Uncle Otto.
Where's my nephew, detectives? You taking good care of him? Well, we're doing about as good as we can, considering his phony phone call caused a riot.
Which, if true, constitutes Falsely Reporting an Incident in the Third Degree.
Yeah, that's right.
- Which is a misdemeanor.
- Mm-hmm.
- Plus, he's a juvenile.
- Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
And you may have noticed that he's also mentally challenged.
Yeah, I noticed.
I also noticed that Uncle Otto is not mentally challenged.
Is there any particular reason you put your nephew up to this? Now, I'm sure my nephew hasn't said any such crazy things.
Come on, did you make the kid make the phony phone call to cause problems with Potter's church and the cops? Can we go see Wendell now? Go ahead.
Come on.
Hey.
Have you people no shame? Actually, Reverend, yes.
Uh, as a practicing Catholic, I have a great and deep sense of respect for, uh, any house of worship.
Then get out.
Then give us the names of the guys who pushed two New York City police officers down a flight of stairs, and we'll gladly go.
I was prepared to discuss that with the commissioner.
It's my understanding the commissioner does not negotiate police procedure.
Reverend, may we have your assistance in opening this locked door? No, you may not.
This is outrageous.
All right, well, if we're gonna have to jack the lock, it's gonna take a minute, and I'm sure you want us out of here as swiftly as possible.
My lawyer is on his way.
Actually, uh, sorry, Reverend, but, um And stop with the "Reverend.
" When you say it, it sounds but the execution of this search warrant does not require us to wait for your legal representation to arrive.
And you cannot imagine what a locksmith costs these days.
Detectives got something.
Right there.
Church picnic? A prayer retreat, upstate.
Where Harriet Tubman worshipped and conducted the Underground Railroad.
Helping hundreds of people escape slavery and retreat 'em.
Sounds like a nice retreat.
- That skinny guy right there.
- Mmm-hmm.
Ah, don't touch it, Officer.
It's church property.
- This guy with the earring? - Mmm-hmm.
That's Shawn Hunter and Nathan Bradley.
Well, well, well, any idea where we might be able to find these gentlemen, Reverend? What's next, Frank? You gonna send a Strip-o-Gram to his Sunday service? You heard from Reverend Potter.
That search warrant was executed for legitimate purposes.
So this is nothing personal? Have you ever really listened to what he says about this department? Frank, you're gonna have to understand Potter.
He comes from a long tradition of polemicists who serve as lightning rods to simply move the cause forward.
At the end of the day, his vision of the Promised Land is his own show on MSNBC.
Okay, that is harsh.
You're right.
I'm sorry.
Maybe I just wanted it to be him.
I'm not sure I'm following.
I asked the Special Frauds team at the DA's Office to give me what they had in ongoing investigations involving Potter.
$1.
2 million in federal funds unaccounted for from the West Harlem Jobs Training Program which Potter started along with You're investigating me? Not at all.
But the two of you go way back.
You drill down or Potter, your name does tend to pop up.
What else were they looking into? Not for me to say.
Ongoing investigation.
I see.
Well, Frank, I don't know anything.
Maybe nothing you can prove.
Potter started out as a good guy, but there are rumors: no-show jobs, odd people hanging around.
So I distanced myself.
I left those programs.
I know that.
One of those odd people a guy named Otto Jackson? Yeah.
He and Potter were pretty tight.
Why? Just a name comes up.
Really? In the D.
A.
files? There is no ongoing investigation, is there? Well, I heard there was, but you'd have to confirm that with the D.
A.
I have just been flipped by an NYPD detective.
Former detective.
And sometimes we all need a little push to do the right thing.
I should fire you, Frank.
You can, but you won't, because you're a good man.
And you are a pain in the ass.
I'll take that as a compliment.
Um, how'd you get that, Uncle Jamie? I took a flight of stairs with the wrong end of me.
You fell? I was pushed.
Uncle Jamie and his partner were pushed down some stairs.
Really? Papers made it sound like it was 'cause you were white.
Nonsense.
It's because he was blue.
The uniform.
What happened is there were some black men who thought that the white cops were trespassing in their church.
Were they? No, they weren't.
They were doing their job.
Well, that doesn't always matter.
Shouldn't Grandpa have sent black cops instead? Should all your teachers be white just 'cause you are? And your coaches? That would be stupid.
It's called "segregation," and it is dumb.
All this stuff is very complicated, you know? I mean, on the one hand, you got white cops who walk the beat in black neighborhoods, and you know, sometimes they feel like not everybody trusts 'em just 'cause they're white.
You got black kids who feel like a white cop's gonna ask them just because they're black.
It's happened a million times in this country.
But I am an equal opportunity cop.
I don't care what color you are, what race you are.
You break the law, I'm breaking your head.
Danny! Gandhi speaks.
So, how do we make it better? One decent person at a time.
You put a knock on anybody who talks trash like that.
Remember this: white, black, blue, purple we're all the same color on the inside.
And in every gospel sermon and prayer in every church, temple and mosque, it all boils down to one sentence: go out of here and treat everybody you meet a little better.
Amen.
And pass the potatoes.
So is our mayor still on the fence about this? You know, I really think he'd like to see Reverend Potter gone, but black on black, he can't do it himself.
So he's gonna send in the white police commissioner? Can't call the fire department.
He's not on fire.
Who wants the last lamb chop? Nobody? Okay, pass it on down.
One lamb chop coming up.
It's a beauty.
So how does the white police commissioner get rid of the rabble-rousing minister? Well, you start by nailing him for the phony 911 call, which was only done to give Potter something to rant about.
Wait, he made the phony 911 call? Technically, no.
But a drug dealer and buddy of his did.
How do you know they were buddies? I don't know.
Dad dug it up.
Why would a drug dealer do a favor for Potter? He's the one that kicked them out of the neighborhood.
No supposedly he kicked them out of the neighborhood.
You never know with a guy like Potter.
It could have all just been a P.
R.
stunt.
Especially when it comes to this Otto guy.
Otto Jackson? You know him? What, is he your dealer or something? No, I heard his name the other day.
Defense attorneys offer him up as part of a plea bargain.
Great.
Why don't you take it? Look, you get this guy to roll on Otto then we can use that to flip Otto against Potter.
I already turned him down.
My case is solid.
Plus, this lawyer is this smug jerk who just hits on me all the time.
Well, you know, you don't necessarily have to give the client a deal.
You could, you know, sleep with the lawyer.
Come on, sis.
You got to learn how to take one for the team once in a while.
And the doctor says I'm all good now.
Takes more than one flight down to crack this thick skull.
Marie's on her way up to get me now.
You need to have your head examined again, Sarge.
Going home's supposed to be the good news.
Yeah, except now I got to eat her cooking again.
It's like dog food.
Hey.
If it isn't Humpty and Dumpty.
- Hey.
- Hey.
You're talking to a wounded member of service here.
Nice try, Sarge.
Doc told me your head cracked the stairs, not the other way around.
He's funny.
Yeah, I was going to bring you some flowers, but instead I brought something for you, Jamie.
What's this? Well, once we got the names of the goons that did this to you, TARU traced their cells.
They're holed up in in Midtown.
Since you can I.
D.
them, I was wondering if you want to come hit their door with me.
- Yeah.
- Yeah? Good.
What do you say, Sarge? Mind if I take the kid, show him how the real cops work? Go ahead, knock yourself out.
Just don't forget what you learned.
Good night, Sarge.
Get on the ground! Go! Go! Easy, my man.
Get your hands up! We got the guy with the earring.
Come on, bring him out.
Come on, bring him out! - Bedroom clear.
- Check the back.
- Kitchen clear.
- Let's go.
- What do you say, kid? - Second bedroom clear! - These guys look like the guys? - Yeah, that's the guys.
You gentlemen remember this officer here? - I want my lawyer.
- You want your lawyer? How about we get you a doctor instead? What you going to do, throw us down the stairs now? I don't know, you threw my kid brother down the stairs.
What do you say? No, it's the wrong century.
It's a kinder, gentler NYPD.
Be glad he's the forgiving type.
Let's go.
A message from you at 10:00 last night.
I hope I didn't miss a drunk dial.
I'm taking your deal, Larry.
And what happened to you not being Santa Claus? We have a backlog here, and I have more serious cases, so No.
There's something going on.
You want the deal or not, Larry? Sure.
Done.
Your guy supplies evidence sufficient to convict the half dozen dealers including one Otto Jackson.
Done, done and doner.
All right.
I'll draw up the papers.
Does this mean you'll come see my apartment, too? All right.
There's the good Reverend Potter.
You ready to go, Otto? That son of a bitch.
Aw, man, Harten, I swear, I'm gonna kill him! Hey, you do remember you're wearing a wire, right? I'm kidding, all right? I'm just kidding.
Let's go over it again.
Look, man, I've been through it with juries six times already.
I know what I'm supposed to say.
You know it when I say you know it.
Let's go over it again.
- I go inside the restaurant.
- Right.
- I sit down with Potter.
- Right.
Get him to talk about the 911 call how he asked me to do it.
And then, you know, how he wanted to cause trouble and get his face back on the front pages Front pages again, exactly.
And you're going to keep on talking until? Until he admits to it.
Right.
And if you don't get him to admit to it? I kind of like you, Otto.
I hope you don't screw this up.
All right, time to go.
Bon appetit.
Is it true that you've been caught on tape admitting to setting up the false 911 call? No comment.
Who did you tell to make the call, and why? No comment.
Do you have any words for the police officers whose lives you endangered? - How do you explain - Reverend Potter First time that fella's ever been speechless.
The press is having a field day.
That recording found its way to every media outlet in town.
How the hell did that happen? Good question.
- The mayor made a statement.
- One sentence, about how Potter is having no official or unofficial role in his campaign or his administration.
Distancing himself.
Distancing him, like, to Cleveland.
And Potter's office says he's out on a Spiritual sabbatical.
You know, I heard an interview with Bernie Williams this morning on the radio, as I was coming in.
Turns out he's the first guy to win the batting title, the Golden Glove, and the World Series ring - all in the same year.
- I know that.
- Know what he does now? - What? Plays guitar.
Well enough to record on a major label.
Turns out he's been playing almost as long as he played baseball.
Good for him.
What's your point? Who said I had a point? You always have a point.
Scratch that you always think you have a point.
Okay, how many times have I heard you go on about, you've got no talent or taste for politics.
And I was watching this week, and lo and behold, you've got a talent for politics.
Up to and including today's little turn of events.
You won't find my fingerprints on that leak, ever.
It's as if Bernie Williams stepped up to the plate as a Yankee and instead of swinging a bat, picked up a Stratocaster and whipped off the Hendrix version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" I mean who knew? I think you could make a run for mayor.
Seriously.
Keep that thought to yourself.
Seriously.
You got to admit, Gracie Mansion would be a nice place to retire from.
I like it just fine, right where I am.
-DIFUNDE LA PALABRA-