American Crime (2015) s03e02 Episode Script
Season 3, Episode 2
1 We don't have enough workers this season as it is.
Laurie Ann: I don't know why not, since the borders are so out of control.
We need people We need them to work at a price.
Marvin: Do you speak English? Luis: No.
Quiero ir a Carolina del Norte.
Navarro: He wants to go to North Carolina.
Isaac: Me and my brother, we got to go out and get people to work the fields.
- It's hot out.
Want a ride? - [Brakes squeal.]
How 'bout you come work on the farm, get paid? You need beer I got that.
You want other stuff Yeah, you got the money? - It's all good? - Yes.
How old are you? Good answer.
- Freeze! Get your hands up! - [Gun cocks.]
Kimara: Shae? My name is Kimara.
If you let me, I'll do everything I can to help you.
Amanda: It's all about sex right now.
It's all about sex and drugs.
Kimara: [Chuckles.]
There was this article in The Observer.
It was all about the heroin crisis and sex trafficking and how these kids are trading their bodies to support their habits.
Yeah, I read that.
The D.
A.
read it, and now it is his mission in life to rid this county of drugs and prostitution At least, until some other article gets written.
Now we got this girl Shae Reese.
Mm-hmm.
I talked to her.
We need her to testify against her pimp.
Mm, she She doesn't want to help.
She just wants to walk.
She knows she's not facing any charges.
Now, this pimp was running other kids.
She's 17.
If we can convict on trafficking a minor, that's a Class D felony.
That sticks.
That matters.
Look, you know this girl has been in and out of the system God knows how many times.
She's not gonna trust us cops.
She's not gonna trust us prosecutors.
You're not gonna be doing this alone.
We will support you in every way.
But if you could just put any extra focus on this girl Billy Qualls.
Your pimp.
I'm not asking you I'm telling you.
He's under arrest.
Am I in trouble? You're under the age of consent.
You didn't do anything wrong.
You didn't commit a crime.
Nobody wants to prosecute you.
The prosecutors - They just want you to testify against Billy.
- So I can go? I told them I'm not doing that.
He ran you, and he ran five other kids.
Get them to do it.
Your testimony means more.
He didn't do nothing to me.
- All Billy did, he gave me someplace to live.
- He sent you out and made you collect money for sex.
I was bangin' people before I met Billy.
How are you gonna put him in jail for what I was doing, anyway? You tell me it felt right Going to a motel, going to an apartment, taking in some man who made you sick, and then taking the money How much did you get a turn, Shae? $50? $30? And then taking that money back to Billy because he said so? And where was he? Was he anywhere around? You tell me that that felt right to you, and I'll leave you alone.
When's the trial gonna be? There will be a few hearings, and the trial itself Maybe nine months.
I'm supposed to do what for nine months? We will get you into a jobs program.
We'll get you into a shelter For nine months? [Clears throat.]
You got no idea when a trial would be.
You just want me to hang out and be ready for when you all want me to speak against Billy.
Rodrigo: ¡ándale! ¡Despiértate! ¡Las vans salen a las cinco en punto! [Speaks Spanish.]
[Vehicles approaching.]
[Conversations in Spanish.]
[Air brakes hiss.]
[Brakes squeal.]
[Speaking Spanish.]
[Conversations continue.]
Rita: hazel pecan finish.
- Six fold-out leaves.
- It's nice.
- Made right here in North Carolina.
- Is it in stock? - It's hand-crafted.
- [Cellphone vibrates.]
It would take about three months for a piece that's not on the floor.
- Hello? - So, really, we're talking about one-of-a-kind pieces.
- When? Last night? - They hold their value.
- How many people? - I can't tell you in how many families these become heirlooms.
- Oh, geez.
Well, but not on the farm? - They really do.
- Uh-huh.
- Let Laurie Ann handle it.
- Particularly with our dining sets.
- JD, Laurie Ann will call Wilkens.
- Could you, um, just - No.
Whatever - Could you excuse me a moment? - Whatever you want to do, JD, that's on you, but you better talk to Laurie Ann first.
N [Sighs.]
- Jeanette: Everything okay? - Yeah.
Nothing.
Uh There was a fire.
- On the farm? - Uh, no.
On, uh, one of the lots where they house the workers.
- Did Did anyone get hurt? - Yeah, some people were killed.
- Who? - I don't know.
Some workers.
Was it Was it anyone we know? I I don't know.
It was some workers.
- It wasn't on the farm.
- Do you need to go? - Do Do you - No.
JD's talking to Laurie Ann.
They'll, uh, they'll handle it.
You okay? Yeah, uh, just It's bad timing.
Laurie Ann's got enough crap to deal with without this.
[Men speaking Spanish.]
[Tomatoes thumping lightly.]
[Panting.]
[Groaning, gasping.]
[Coughs.]
[Coughs.]
[Gasping.]
[Spits.]
Isaac: So, what's the problem? [Breathing deeply.]
I don't feel good.
What's that mean? I don't feel good.
You don't feel good, or you you You don't feel like working? - Hey, what's the problem? - No problem! You high? You You high? - I'm trying.
I - You need to get up and get to work.
I just need It's hard.
Isaac! What's the problem? - Come on.
Get up.
- Hey! - Get up! - What's the problem? No No problem.
Go do something! [Sighs.]
Laura: There are rules you have to follow.
Disobeying any of the rules will lead to your expulsion.
First, no drugs.
You're not allowed to take drugs, and you're not allowed to have drugs on the property.
There's chapel at 8:00 a.
m.
You must attend chapel every morning.
I'm not religious.
Chapel is not about conversion.
It's about fellowship.
You must attend chapel every morning.
There's a work program for residents who've graduated from high school.
For those who have not, we offer mandatory GED courses.
Are you a high-school graduate? No.
Then you will be expected to take the classes and pass your test.
While you're a client, you may no possess any electronic devices, have any unauthorized visitors, and leave the property without consent.
How many people stay in this room? Eight beds, eight girls.
When I was with Billy, there was only six to a room.
Abby: You say "slavery," and people think you're hysterical.
Well, we are not.
In North Carolina alone, 39% of the state's 150,000 farm workers report being illegally trafficked or otherwise abused.
So that is physical abuse, sexual abuse, death threats, and wage theft.
And there's always, you know, the possibility of, you know, exposure to farm chemicals, toxins, pesticides.
There's all that on one side, [Chuckling.]
and on the other side, there is an agricultural business that brings in over $200 billion into the U.
S.
economy.
So guess which side has the edge.
Okay, when you're dealing with workers in sex trafficking, in manual labor, in any area where there is a possibility of abuse, it's all about seeing the signs.
Nice to see you.
I'll see you guys next week.
Thanks for coming.
Good talk.
[Laughs.]
Yeah, if there's a good way to talk about exploitation.
But, you know, I just I just try and, like, drive home the warning signs You know, lack of communication, housing conditions, you know, the exposure to the heroin crisis.
You know what I love? I love that we're supposed to call it a "crisis.
" Like, when it was crack in the inner cities, it was a An epidemic.
Yeah, epidemic, like the black plague.
Now that's in heroin in the suburbs, it's a crisis.
Just a Just a bad thing that happens to good people.
Gosh, Abby.
I thought I was having a tough day.
Oh, you You can be a cynic and still have a heart of gold.
Honestly, I mean, I don't think you can do this job and not be one.
You know, I was with this girl today that I'm trying to help, and she says she thinks she's better off with her pimp.
Ohh.
Well, that's That's not the first time you've heard that.
[Sighs.]
No.
No, it's It's not, but it's You know, you go through this space early on that you hear something like that, and it depresses you, you know? And then you teach yourself not to let their perspective get to you, and Then you realize that the things you hear, the things these kids say It just doesn't quite It just doesn't bring the pain the way it used to.
[Sighs.]
You feel like you're burning out.
Abby, I feel like [Sighs.]
I feel like I'm on this lifeboat that only holds 10 people, and there was a time that I didn't care that it only held 10 people.
I'd try to get 100 people on that boat.
But now I just accept 10 is all I can get.
Maybe 10.
- Don't accept it.
- [Scoffs.]
- Listen.
- [Sighs.]
Keep fighting the fight.
Keep fighting it.
[Insects chirping.]
[Conversations in Spanish.]
[Cries.]
[Silverware clatters lightly.]
Le estás causando dolor.
- ¿O ni siquiera te importa? - Anna: Luis ¿No te importa lo que estás causando? De todos modos me voy.
¿No te importa cómo la estás haciendo sentir? ¡Teo! ¡Teo! [Door closes.]
¡Vamanos! Come on, let's go! [Conversations in Spanish.]
[Speaking Spanish.]
[Conversations in Spanish.]
[Insects chirping.]
[Indistinct shouting.]
[Mid-tempo music plays.]
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh [Horn honks.]
[Man singing in Spanish.]
[Conversations in Spanish.]
[Chuckling.]
[Vehicle door closes.]
- [Vehicle departs.]
- - - [Scoffs.]
No.
[Speaking Spanish.]
[Sighs.]
Dr.
Carlson: Do you currently use drugs? Shae: Yes.
Do you self-administer - drugs using needles? - No.
What drugs do you use? Weed.
Oxy when I can get it.
I drink.
Okay.
What do you drink? Whatever.
When's the last time you used drugs? Yesterday.
Are you addicted? I don't know.
Since you last used, have you experienced any increased pain sensitivity or gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting? - No.
- [Computer keys clacking.]
Okay, do you have any other health issues or concerns? No.
[Computer keys clacking.]
Yeah.
I'm pregnant.
[Computer keys clacking.]
How far along are you? Almost four weeks.
Have you ever been pregnant before? Yeah.
And how did that pregnancy end? It ended.
[Birds chirping.]
[Conversations in Spanish.]
[Panting.]
[Produce thumping.]
[Dog barking in distance.]
[Animal bleating in distance.]
[Footsteps approaching.]
$20, I will tell you about your son.
Rodrigo: Quiero dinero.
Veinte dólares.
Luis: Dile que pruebe que lo conoce primero.
Tell him something about the boy.
He was, uh, 17, 18 years old.
Diecisiete, dieciocho años.
- He worked, not hard.
- Trabajaba, pero no duro.
Kept talking about going to New York.
Hablaba de irse pa Nueva York.
The reason he was here He was gonna work his way to New York.
[Translating in Spanish.]
Thought he was gonna own a restaurant there one day.
QuerÃa ser dueño de un restaurante.
A little kid, but he had big things in his head.
Era un chiquillo, pero tenÃa sueños grandes.
[Sniffs.]
Your boy he was no good for working the fields.
Talk a lot.
Tell good stories.
He was funny.
Made people laugh.
But the bosses They don't like that.
Pero a los jefes no les gustaba eso.
Bosses only want people to work.
Quieren que la gente trabaje.
- ¿Qué le pasó? - What happened? One day, the bosses come around, hear him telling his stories one too many times.
Los jefes se cansaron de escuchar sus historias He says his son was a big talker.
Not just talk.
The bosses got in your boy's face he don't back down.
Los jefes lo querÃan ponerlo en su lugar, pero él no se dejó.
¿Fue el que empezó el problema? Teo started trouble? Teo didn't start anything.
He just wouldn't back down.
Told you He's a boy, but big in his head.
So the bosses, they don't want that.
Your son was lucky.
I see the bosses, they get mad.
Bad things.
This time, all they do They tell him to move on.
Pero nomás le ordernaron que se fuera.
No, no.
The bosses, they don't pay him what they owe him.
He's got no money, so A couple of farms around here, they are desperate.
They hire anybody.
Contratan a quien sea.
[Animal bleating in distance.]
People like your boy.
He tells good stories.
He's here somewhere.
He'll be easy to find.
Va ser fácil de hallarlo.
[Indistinct conversations.]
[Insects chirping.]
Hey! Hey! [Engine starts.]
[Tires screech.]
Hey.
[Engine revs.]
[Vehicle door opens, closes.]
What are you going to do, huh? Are you gonna have me arrested because you hire undocumented workers? Huh? Are you gonna tell the police that you don't pay people what you owe? That you have us living 20 people in a box, como animales? Yeah.
So tell them all that.
Go ahead.
Call them.
Call the police.
[Thumps.]
Diego: No, you can't be like that with them.
You know what I'm saying? These trabajadores They work for you.
[Door creaks open.]
You got to work them.
Isaac: I work 'em.
I seen you going soft for that fool you brought to the farm.
He's sick.
[Scoffs.]
Of what? Huh? Oxy fever.
White Trash-itis.
Mira They ain't your girlfriend.
They ain't your dog.
You ain't got to do nothing but make them work.
And that stringy white bitch ain't nothing but a junkie, and you are out here going soft for him.
I'm not soft.
Mm.
Listen to me, okay? I don't care, people Mexican, black, white They got to carry their own weight.
Yeah.
You and me we worked our asses off in those fields.
You remember? Mm.
Now these bosses They don't care which kind of fool does the picking.
That's just disrespectful.
If they ain't gonna respect us, then you got to respect yourself.
And I'm telling you [chuckles.]
you playing around with this white bitch is not how it gets done.
[Insects chirping.]
[Whispering.]
Hey.
Hey.
You got to get it together, you know? Yeah? [Whispering.]
Yeah.
You You lit up all All day.
I wasn't high.
I mean, you're puking all over the place.
I wasn't high.
I I'm just trying to get through the day.
Everybody else out there working, and you're lying in the dirt.
I'm the one that brought you in.
You're gonna make me look bad.
I'm not trying to make you look bad.
Look, I I know I know I'm not cutting it.
I know.
So, I'm I'm telling you.
I'm trying to get on it 'cause I I feel good about being here and working.
I do.
Serious.
I don't I don't want to be sitting around all day, messed up.
I don't want to hang out with those kind of people.
They They can't get their together, you know? I don't I don't want to be like that.
I, uh I texted my brother.
I told him I was working, told him I-I got a job.
He, uh He just thought I was trying to hit him up, but I told him, "I don't need any money.
" I told him I was making money.
But he, uh He didn't Anyway, he, uh I told him I didn't need money.
[Sniffles.]
[Sigh echoes.]
[Doorbell rings.]
[Door opens.]
- What's up, Aunty? - Jason, are you serious? - You are not taller than me.
- I guess.
Reggie: It freaks me out every time I say it Jason's going on his college tour.
You know, two more years, and that's it.
Kimara: Yeah? Where's he looking? Well, right now, he keeps talking about wanting to go to Duke, but he doesn't have Duke grades.
He's looking into UNC.
Denise wants him to look at Syracuse.
Listen, try and talk her out of it.
Hey, I am not getting into any domestic disputes.
[Chuckles.]
So, um, can I throw something at you? Yeah.
It's kind of personal.
Okay.
Um I've been trying, and I mean trying [Sighs.]
I've been getting IVF treatments, and they haven't taken.
And it's rough because I really want a family, but these treatments, they're no joke.
- They're expensive.
- Expensive like Like $12,000 a cycle.
Plus medications.
- Damn.
- Yeah.
And I've already had two cycles.
You need money? What I need [Sighs.]
Having a baby like this The doctor talks about the science and and everything's an "adjustment" or an "enhancement," and, "Just move on to the next office, and we'll help you fill out the paperwork.
" And [Sighs.]
The rooms are cold.
The sperm donor's anonymous.
It's just lonely trying to have a baby like this.
Shouldn't be this lonely trying to have a family.
But if this is gonna happen, I don't want the donor to be some number on a form.
I want it to be somebody I know.
I want it to be a good man.
[Sighs.]
That was a compliment.
That's a compliment.
That's, uh You know, um There was a time Yeah.
There was a time.
What, 20-whatever years ago? Look, if I had to keep it real, uh, I still sometimes think about Jason could have been ours.
And when you think about that? When I think about it It could have been pretty good.
[Sighs.]
I got to, uh Yeah, I know.
I-I know.
You need to You need to think about it.
I've got to talk to Denise.
I mean, that was part of the plan, right? I actually talk about this with my wife? That was part of the plan.
You really want a kid that bad? [Sighs.]
Yeah.
I really want a kid that bad.
[Sighs.]
Let me, uh Give me a couple of days.
[Bluegrass music plays.]
[Indistinct conversations.]
[Laughter.]
Thank you.
[Music, conversations continue.]
I'm so glad You have grown up so much.
[Laughs.]
[Music continues.]
[Laughs.]
[Speaking indistinctly.]
[Laughs.]
Carson: Do you remember Ben Whitlock? Ben: I can tell by that look she doesn't.
That's not true.
Ben.
And your wife, uh, Marcy.
Now, see, if I had a memory like that, I'd be in politics.
[Laughter.]
She's got enough work making me sound smart.
- No.
- [Laughter.]
[Music continues.]
[Slow bluegrass music plays.]
[Indistinct conversations.]
- JD.
- Mm? - You doing okay? - Doing good.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
- Oh - That's okay.
- I got it.
I got it.
I got it.
- No, no.
- It's all right.
- Let me get it.
Don't do that.
- Here.
- Get Jeanette, stop it! Oh, my.
I'm I-I-I don't like people running around after me.
- Ah.
- You know that.
Never did.
[Sniffles.]
Tammy didn't come tonight? Uh, doesn't like my mood lately.
What were you and Laurie Ann talking about? She didn't seem happy.
- [Woman laughs.]
- Man: I know.
I know.
That's not my business.
[Music continues.]
Carson said there was a fire.
Yeah.
Is everything okay? Some people got killed.
I'm sorry.
[Exhales sharply.]
I'm gonna get an Uber.
You staying? Yeah, I guess we are.
I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm just gonna get an Uber.
[Music continues.]
[Laughs.]
Well, we're gonna take care of that.
Tuesday.
- All right, I look forward to that.
- Thank you.
I-I just I want to say goodbye to Laurie Ann.
- Thank you.
- Good night.
- What? - Just Just Laurie Ann, I want to thank you for having us.
- Well, of course.
- It was really nice tonight.
- Really nice.
- Oh, good.
Good.
Is everything okay? Thank you.
Yeah.
- You sure? - Yeah, everything's fine.
Y'all keep saying that, but Carson's been on pins, and - Well, he shouldn't be.
- JD's beside himself.
Well, with Daddy how he is, things just been hitting JD harder lately.
Jeanette, will just come on? What What happened with this fire? Is it something we need do something about, or? I think that we all feel badly.
Yeah, but i-is Is there anything we should for anyone or anything I-I should do? Well, people, unfortunately Sometimes people confuse doing something good with having done something wrong.
These folks have our prayers.
And Lord knows you've been around the farm long enough to know that they're strong.
Night, Jeanette.
Carson, you get home safe, okay? Mm-hmm.
[Breathes sharply.]
[Birds chirping.]
[Cup thumps lightly.]
Jeanette: There's hardly anything online.
There's almost nothing at all.
Yeah, but what do you want them to say? People died.
You know, the news All it is, is It's bad things happening.
It's They're They're not gonna write up every little thing.
15 people.
It's like that, uh, plane crash.
- Doesn't seem like a little thing.
- Two weeks ago.
Four people died.
And as upset as you all are I didn't hear anything about it until I'm just worried about you and JD.
Well, why are you It's like you're morbid about this.
No, it concerns you.
It concerns thank you, honey your workers.
Come on.
It wasn't They weren't on the farm.
So you don't care? Geez.
You are talking in circles.
Yeah, I care.
I care.
I just I don't What I What am I supposed to do about it? JD was upset.
JD was drunk.
- Well, why was he drinking? - Because JD is a drunk.
No, why did he have to get himself drunk at the barbecue? His own wife didn't want to be with him.
Gosh, you know, you really You need to go some spend some time with your sister.
What? Well, ever since you You went and saw her, you've been, like I don't know.
You've been like you need to work something out or or or something's eating on you.
Don't do that to me.
Well, the only thing that's changed much in the last couple of weeks is you started seeing Raelyn again.
And you need to Whatever you feel about your sister, you need to deal with that.
Well, I don't need you telling me how I should feel about my sister.
Oh, yeah, but you figure you're gonna tell us what we should feel about some people we don't even know! [Sighs.]
Okay, I got to go.
Okay.
Bye.
- Bye.
- I love you.
[Door closes.]
[Sighs.]
Lopez: The fire started in the middle of the night.
One of the workers had a, uh one of them little fans.
Bad wiring.
Shorted out.
The flame jumped some fabric and burned through the place.
15 people in these trailers? There was more than 15 people.
Only six of them got out.
There was no other door? They couldn't get out through a window? Sometimes the workers nail chicken wire to the windows so that no one breaks in while they're in the fields.
They were trapped inside? We tell them not to do it.
They don't listen.
Laurie Ann: I don't know why not, since the borders are so out of control.
We need people We need them to work at a price.
Marvin: Do you speak English? Luis: No.
Quiero ir a Carolina del Norte.
Navarro: He wants to go to North Carolina.
Isaac: Me and my brother, we got to go out and get people to work the fields.
- It's hot out.
Want a ride? - [Brakes squeal.]
How 'bout you come work on the farm, get paid? You need beer I got that.
You want other stuff Yeah, you got the money? - It's all good? - Yes.
How old are you? Good answer.
- Freeze! Get your hands up! - [Gun cocks.]
Kimara: Shae? My name is Kimara.
If you let me, I'll do everything I can to help you.
Amanda: It's all about sex right now.
It's all about sex and drugs.
Kimara: [Chuckles.]
There was this article in The Observer.
It was all about the heroin crisis and sex trafficking and how these kids are trading their bodies to support their habits.
Yeah, I read that.
The D.
A.
read it, and now it is his mission in life to rid this county of drugs and prostitution At least, until some other article gets written.
Now we got this girl Shae Reese.
Mm-hmm.
I talked to her.
We need her to testify against her pimp.
Mm, she She doesn't want to help.
She just wants to walk.
She knows she's not facing any charges.
Now, this pimp was running other kids.
She's 17.
If we can convict on trafficking a minor, that's a Class D felony.
That sticks.
That matters.
Look, you know this girl has been in and out of the system God knows how many times.
She's not gonna trust us cops.
She's not gonna trust us prosecutors.
You're not gonna be doing this alone.
We will support you in every way.
But if you could just put any extra focus on this girl Billy Qualls.
Your pimp.
I'm not asking you I'm telling you.
He's under arrest.
Am I in trouble? You're under the age of consent.
You didn't do anything wrong.
You didn't commit a crime.
Nobody wants to prosecute you.
The prosecutors - They just want you to testify against Billy.
- So I can go? I told them I'm not doing that.
He ran you, and he ran five other kids.
Get them to do it.
Your testimony means more.
He didn't do nothing to me.
- All Billy did, he gave me someplace to live.
- He sent you out and made you collect money for sex.
I was bangin' people before I met Billy.
How are you gonna put him in jail for what I was doing, anyway? You tell me it felt right Going to a motel, going to an apartment, taking in some man who made you sick, and then taking the money How much did you get a turn, Shae? $50? $30? And then taking that money back to Billy because he said so? And where was he? Was he anywhere around? You tell me that that felt right to you, and I'll leave you alone.
When's the trial gonna be? There will be a few hearings, and the trial itself Maybe nine months.
I'm supposed to do what for nine months? We will get you into a jobs program.
We'll get you into a shelter For nine months? [Clears throat.]
You got no idea when a trial would be.
You just want me to hang out and be ready for when you all want me to speak against Billy.
Rodrigo: ¡ándale! ¡Despiértate! ¡Las vans salen a las cinco en punto! [Speaks Spanish.]
[Vehicles approaching.]
[Conversations in Spanish.]
[Air brakes hiss.]
[Brakes squeal.]
[Speaking Spanish.]
[Conversations continue.]
Rita: hazel pecan finish.
- Six fold-out leaves.
- It's nice.
- Made right here in North Carolina.
- Is it in stock? - It's hand-crafted.
- [Cellphone vibrates.]
It would take about three months for a piece that's not on the floor.
- Hello? - So, really, we're talking about one-of-a-kind pieces.
- When? Last night? - They hold their value.
- How many people? - I can't tell you in how many families these become heirlooms.
- Oh, geez.
Well, but not on the farm? - They really do.
- Uh-huh.
- Let Laurie Ann handle it.
- Particularly with our dining sets.
- JD, Laurie Ann will call Wilkens.
- Could you, um, just - No.
Whatever - Could you excuse me a moment? - Whatever you want to do, JD, that's on you, but you better talk to Laurie Ann first.
N [Sighs.]
- Jeanette: Everything okay? - Yeah.
Nothing.
Uh There was a fire.
- On the farm? - Uh, no.
On, uh, one of the lots where they house the workers.
- Did Did anyone get hurt? - Yeah, some people were killed.
- Who? - I don't know.
Some workers.
Was it Was it anyone we know? I I don't know.
It was some workers.
- It wasn't on the farm.
- Do you need to go? - Do Do you - No.
JD's talking to Laurie Ann.
They'll, uh, they'll handle it.
You okay? Yeah, uh, just It's bad timing.
Laurie Ann's got enough crap to deal with without this.
[Men speaking Spanish.]
[Tomatoes thumping lightly.]
[Panting.]
[Groaning, gasping.]
[Coughs.]
[Coughs.]
[Gasping.]
[Spits.]
Isaac: So, what's the problem? [Breathing deeply.]
I don't feel good.
What's that mean? I don't feel good.
You don't feel good, or you you You don't feel like working? - Hey, what's the problem? - No problem! You high? You You high? - I'm trying.
I - You need to get up and get to work.
I just need It's hard.
Isaac! What's the problem? - Come on.
Get up.
- Hey! - Get up! - What's the problem? No No problem.
Go do something! [Sighs.]
Laura: There are rules you have to follow.
Disobeying any of the rules will lead to your expulsion.
First, no drugs.
You're not allowed to take drugs, and you're not allowed to have drugs on the property.
There's chapel at 8:00 a.
m.
You must attend chapel every morning.
I'm not religious.
Chapel is not about conversion.
It's about fellowship.
You must attend chapel every morning.
There's a work program for residents who've graduated from high school.
For those who have not, we offer mandatory GED courses.
Are you a high-school graduate? No.
Then you will be expected to take the classes and pass your test.
While you're a client, you may no possess any electronic devices, have any unauthorized visitors, and leave the property without consent.
How many people stay in this room? Eight beds, eight girls.
When I was with Billy, there was only six to a room.
Abby: You say "slavery," and people think you're hysterical.
Well, we are not.
In North Carolina alone, 39% of the state's 150,000 farm workers report being illegally trafficked or otherwise abused.
So that is physical abuse, sexual abuse, death threats, and wage theft.
And there's always, you know, the possibility of, you know, exposure to farm chemicals, toxins, pesticides.
There's all that on one side, [Chuckling.]
and on the other side, there is an agricultural business that brings in over $200 billion into the U.
S.
economy.
So guess which side has the edge.
Okay, when you're dealing with workers in sex trafficking, in manual labor, in any area where there is a possibility of abuse, it's all about seeing the signs.
Nice to see you.
I'll see you guys next week.
Thanks for coming.
Good talk.
[Laughs.]
Yeah, if there's a good way to talk about exploitation.
But, you know, I just I just try and, like, drive home the warning signs You know, lack of communication, housing conditions, you know, the exposure to the heroin crisis.
You know what I love? I love that we're supposed to call it a "crisis.
" Like, when it was crack in the inner cities, it was a An epidemic.
Yeah, epidemic, like the black plague.
Now that's in heroin in the suburbs, it's a crisis.
Just a Just a bad thing that happens to good people.
Gosh, Abby.
I thought I was having a tough day.
Oh, you You can be a cynic and still have a heart of gold.
Honestly, I mean, I don't think you can do this job and not be one.
You know, I was with this girl today that I'm trying to help, and she says she thinks she's better off with her pimp.
Ohh.
Well, that's That's not the first time you've heard that.
[Sighs.]
No.
No, it's It's not, but it's You know, you go through this space early on that you hear something like that, and it depresses you, you know? And then you teach yourself not to let their perspective get to you, and Then you realize that the things you hear, the things these kids say It just doesn't quite It just doesn't bring the pain the way it used to.
[Sighs.]
You feel like you're burning out.
Abby, I feel like [Sighs.]
I feel like I'm on this lifeboat that only holds 10 people, and there was a time that I didn't care that it only held 10 people.
I'd try to get 100 people on that boat.
But now I just accept 10 is all I can get.
Maybe 10.
- Don't accept it.
- [Scoffs.]
- Listen.
- [Sighs.]
Keep fighting the fight.
Keep fighting it.
[Insects chirping.]
[Conversations in Spanish.]
[Cries.]
[Silverware clatters lightly.]
Le estás causando dolor.
- ¿O ni siquiera te importa? - Anna: Luis ¿No te importa lo que estás causando? De todos modos me voy.
¿No te importa cómo la estás haciendo sentir? ¡Teo! ¡Teo! [Door closes.]
¡Vamanos! Come on, let's go! [Conversations in Spanish.]
[Speaking Spanish.]
[Conversations in Spanish.]
[Insects chirping.]
[Indistinct shouting.]
[Mid-tempo music plays.]
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh [Horn honks.]
[Man singing in Spanish.]
[Conversations in Spanish.]
[Chuckling.]
[Vehicle door closes.]
- [Vehicle departs.]
- - - [Scoffs.]
No.
[Speaking Spanish.]
[Sighs.]
Dr.
Carlson: Do you currently use drugs? Shae: Yes.
Do you self-administer - drugs using needles? - No.
What drugs do you use? Weed.
Oxy when I can get it.
I drink.
Okay.
What do you drink? Whatever.
When's the last time you used drugs? Yesterday.
Are you addicted? I don't know.
Since you last used, have you experienced any increased pain sensitivity or gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting? - No.
- [Computer keys clacking.]
Okay, do you have any other health issues or concerns? No.
[Computer keys clacking.]
Yeah.
I'm pregnant.
[Computer keys clacking.]
How far along are you? Almost four weeks.
Have you ever been pregnant before? Yeah.
And how did that pregnancy end? It ended.
[Birds chirping.]
[Conversations in Spanish.]
[Panting.]
[Produce thumping.]
[Dog barking in distance.]
[Animal bleating in distance.]
[Footsteps approaching.]
$20, I will tell you about your son.
Rodrigo: Quiero dinero.
Veinte dólares.
Luis: Dile que pruebe que lo conoce primero.
Tell him something about the boy.
He was, uh, 17, 18 years old.
Diecisiete, dieciocho años.
- He worked, not hard.
- Trabajaba, pero no duro.
Kept talking about going to New York.
Hablaba de irse pa Nueva York.
The reason he was here He was gonna work his way to New York.
[Translating in Spanish.]
Thought he was gonna own a restaurant there one day.
QuerÃa ser dueño de un restaurante.
A little kid, but he had big things in his head.
Era un chiquillo, pero tenÃa sueños grandes.
[Sniffs.]
Your boy he was no good for working the fields.
Talk a lot.
Tell good stories.
He was funny.
Made people laugh.
But the bosses They don't like that.
Pero a los jefes no les gustaba eso.
Bosses only want people to work.
Quieren que la gente trabaje.
- ¿Qué le pasó? - What happened? One day, the bosses come around, hear him telling his stories one too many times.
Los jefes se cansaron de escuchar sus historias He says his son was a big talker.
Not just talk.
The bosses got in your boy's face he don't back down.
Los jefes lo querÃan ponerlo en su lugar, pero él no se dejó.
¿Fue el que empezó el problema? Teo started trouble? Teo didn't start anything.
He just wouldn't back down.
Told you He's a boy, but big in his head.
So the bosses, they don't want that.
Your son was lucky.
I see the bosses, they get mad.
Bad things.
This time, all they do They tell him to move on.
Pero nomás le ordernaron que se fuera.
No, no.
The bosses, they don't pay him what they owe him.
He's got no money, so A couple of farms around here, they are desperate.
They hire anybody.
Contratan a quien sea.
[Animal bleating in distance.]
People like your boy.
He tells good stories.
He's here somewhere.
He'll be easy to find.
Va ser fácil de hallarlo.
[Indistinct conversations.]
[Insects chirping.]
Hey! Hey! [Engine starts.]
[Tires screech.]
Hey.
[Engine revs.]
[Vehicle door opens, closes.]
What are you going to do, huh? Are you gonna have me arrested because you hire undocumented workers? Huh? Are you gonna tell the police that you don't pay people what you owe? That you have us living 20 people in a box, como animales? Yeah.
So tell them all that.
Go ahead.
Call them.
Call the police.
[Thumps.]
Diego: No, you can't be like that with them.
You know what I'm saying? These trabajadores They work for you.
[Door creaks open.]
You got to work them.
Isaac: I work 'em.
I seen you going soft for that fool you brought to the farm.
He's sick.
[Scoffs.]
Of what? Huh? Oxy fever.
White Trash-itis.
Mira They ain't your girlfriend.
They ain't your dog.
You ain't got to do nothing but make them work.
And that stringy white bitch ain't nothing but a junkie, and you are out here going soft for him.
I'm not soft.
Mm.
Listen to me, okay? I don't care, people Mexican, black, white They got to carry their own weight.
Yeah.
You and me we worked our asses off in those fields.
You remember? Mm.
Now these bosses They don't care which kind of fool does the picking.
That's just disrespectful.
If they ain't gonna respect us, then you got to respect yourself.
And I'm telling you [chuckles.]
you playing around with this white bitch is not how it gets done.
[Insects chirping.]
[Whispering.]
Hey.
Hey.
You got to get it together, you know? Yeah? [Whispering.]
Yeah.
You You lit up all All day.
I wasn't high.
I mean, you're puking all over the place.
I wasn't high.
I I'm just trying to get through the day.
Everybody else out there working, and you're lying in the dirt.
I'm the one that brought you in.
You're gonna make me look bad.
I'm not trying to make you look bad.
Look, I I know I know I'm not cutting it.
I know.
So, I'm I'm telling you.
I'm trying to get on it 'cause I I feel good about being here and working.
I do.
Serious.
I don't I don't want to be sitting around all day, messed up.
I don't want to hang out with those kind of people.
They They can't get their together, you know? I don't I don't want to be like that.
I, uh I texted my brother.
I told him I was working, told him I-I got a job.
He, uh He just thought I was trying to hit him up, but I told him, "I don't need any money.
" I told him I was making money.
But he, uh He didn't Anyway, he, uh I told him I didn't need money.
[Sniffles.]
[Sigh echoes.]
[Doorbell rings.]
[Door opens.]
- What's up, Aunty? - Jason, are you serious? - You are not taller than me.
- I guess.
Reggie: It freaks me out every time I say it Jason's going on his college tour.
You know, two more years, and that's it.
Kimara: Yeah? Where's he looking? Well, right now, he keeps talking about wanting to go to Duke, but he doesn't have Duke grades.
He's looking into UNC.
Denise wants him to look at Syracuse.
Listen, try and talk her out of it.
Hey, I am not getting into any domestic disputes.
[Chuckles.]
So, um, can I throw something at you? Yeah.
It's kind of personal.
Okay.
Um I've been trying, and I mean trying [Sighs.]
I've been getting IVF treatments, and they haven't taken.
And it's rough because I really want a family, but these treatments, they're no joke.
- They're expensive.
- Expensive like Like $12,000 a cycle.
Plus medications.
- Damn.
- Yeah.
And I've already had two cycles.
You need money? What I need [Sighs.]
Having a baby like this The doctor talks about the science and and everything's an "adjustment" or an "enhancement," and, "Just move on to the next office, and we'll help you fill out the paperwork.
" And [Sighs.]
The rooms are cold.
The sperm donor's anonymous.
It's just lonely trying to have a baby like this.
Shouldn't be this lonely trying to have a family.
But if this is gonna happen, I don't want the donor to be some number on a form.
I want it to be somebody I know.
I want it to be a good man.
[Sighs.]
That was a compliment.
That's a compliment.
That's, uh You know, um There was a time Yeah.
There was a time.
What, 20-whatever years ago? Look, if I had to keep it real, uh, I still sometimes think about Jason could have been ours.
And when you think about that? When I think about it It could have been pretty good.
[Sighs.]
I got to, uh Yeah, I know.
I-I know.
You need to You need to think about it.
I've got to talk to Denise.
I mean, that was part of the plan, right? I actually talk about this with my wife? That was part of the plan.
You really want a kid that bad? [Sighs.]
Yeah.
I really want a kid that bad.
[Sighs.]
Let me, uh Give me a couple of days.
[Bluegrass music plays.]
[Indistinct conversations.]
[Laughter.]
Thank you.
[Music, conversations continue.]
I'm so glad You have grown up so much.
[Laughs.]
[Music continues.]
[Laughs.]
[Speaking indistinctly.]
[Laughs.]
Carson: Do you remember Ben Whitlock? Ben: I can tell by that look she doesn't.
That's not true.
Ben.
And your wife, uh, Marcy.
Now, see, if I had a memory like that, I'd be in politics.
[Laughter.]
She's got enough work making me sound smart.
- No.
- [Laughter.]
[Music continues.]
[Slow bluegrass music plays.]
[Indistinct conversations.]
- JD.
- Mm? - You doing okay? - Doing good.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
- Oh - That's okay.
- I got it.
I got it.
I got it.
- No, no.
- It's all right.
- Let me get it.
Don't do that.
- Here.
- Get Jeanette, stop it! Oh, my.
I'm I-I-I don't like people running around after me.
- Ah.
- You know that.
Never did.
[Sniffles.]
Tammy didn't come tonight? Uh, doesn't like my mood lately.
What were you and Laurie Ann talking about? She didn't seem happy.
- [Woman laughs.]
- Man: I know.
I know.
That's not my business.
[Music continues.]
Carson said there was a fire.
Yeah.
Is everything okay? Some people got killed.
I'm sorry.
[Exhales sharply.]
I'm gonna get an Uber.
You staying? Yeah, I guess we are.
I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm just gonna get an Uber.
[Music continues.]
[Laughs.]
Well, we're gonna take care of that.
Tuesday.
- All right, I look forward to that.
- Thank you.
I-I just I want to say goodbye to Laurie Ann.
- Thank you.
- Good night.
- What? - Just Just Laurie Ann, I want to thank you for having us.
- Well, of course.
- It was really nice tonight.
- Really nice.
- Oh, good.
Good.
Is everything okay? Thank you.
Yeah.
- You sure? - Yeah, everything's fine.
Y'all keep saying that, but Carson's been on pins, and - Well, he shouldn't be.
- JD's beside himself.
Well, with Daddy how he is, things just been hitting JD harder lately.
Jeanette, will just come on? What What happened with this fire? Is it something we need do something about, or? I think that we all feel badly.
Yeah, but i-is Is there anything we should for anyone or anything I-I should do? Well, people, unfortunately Sometimes people confuse doing something good with having done something wrong.
These folks have our prayers.
And Lord knows you've been around the farm long enough to know that they're strong.
Night, Jeanette.
Carson, you get home safe, okay? Mm-hmm.
[Breathes sharply.]
[Birds chirping.]
[Cup thumps lightly.]
Jeanette: There's hardly anything online.
There's almost nothing at all.
Yeah, but what do you want them to say? People died.
You know, the news All it is, is It's bad things happening.
It's They're They're not gonna write up every little thing.
15 people.
It's like that, uh, plane crash.
- Doesn't seem like a little thing.
- Two weeks ago.
Four people died.
And as upset as you all are I didn't hear anything about it until I'm just worried about you and JD.
Well, why are you It's like you're morbid about this.
No, it concerns you.
It concerns thank you, honey your workers.
Come on.
It wasn't They weren't on the farm.
So you don't care? Geez.
You are talking in circles.
Yeah, I care.
I care.
I just I don't What I What am I supposed to do about it? JD was upset.
JD was drunk.
- Well, why was he drinking? - Because JD is a drunk.
No, why did he have to get himself drunk at the barbecue? His own wife didn't want to be with him.
Gosh, you know, you really You need to go some spend some time with your sister.
What? Well, ever since you You went and saw her, you've been, like I don't know.
You've been like you need to work something out or or or something's eating on you.
Don't do that to me.
Well, the only thing that's changed much in the last couple of weeks is you started seeing Raelyn again.
And you need to Whatever you feel about your sister, you need to deal with that.
Well, I don't need you telling me how I should feel about my sister.
Oh, yeah, but you figure you're gonna tell us what we should feel about some people we don't even know! [Sighs.]
Okay, I got to go.
Okay.
Bye.
- Bye.
- I love you.
[Door closes.]
[Sighs.]
Lopez: The fire started in the middle of the night.
One of the workers had a, uh one of them little fans.
Bad wiring.
Shorted out.
The flame jumped some fabric and burned through the place.
15 people in these trailers? There was more than 15 people.
Only six of them got out.
There was no other door? They couldn't get out through a window? Sometimes the workers nail chicken wire to the windows so that no one breaks in while they're in the fields.
They were trapped inside? We tell them not to do it.
They don't listen.