Diggstown (2019) s03e07 Episode Script
Christian Spry
1
Sergeant Baker, please.
He's gone for the day, Mr. Spry.
- I can take a message.
- I don't want to leave a message.
Look, I need to see him, please.
Mr. Spry, I can't help you. I'm sorry.
- I need to see him.
- I can't do anything.
I've had multiple interviews.
Two detectives. No one has followed up.
Sergeant Baker!
Sergeant Baker.
Sergeant Baker!
(TENSE MUSIC)
Sergeant Baker, I'm talking to you!
OFFICER: Sir, step away from the glass.
(TENSE MUSIC)
- OFFICER 2: Buddy, calm down.
- Go to hell.
Get over here.
Spread your feet.
- CHRISTIAN: Get your hands off of me.
- OFFICER: Give me your hand.
CHRISTIAN: Please, get
your hands off of me.
- Please.
- Come here.
JOYCE: Shall we begin?
Madame Adjudicator, the relationship
between the LGBTQ+ community
and the Halifax Police Department
has always been strained.
One glance at the history
shows a pattern of antipathy,
neglect, and at times,
outright hostility.
And this pattern is evident
in the handling of my
client's sexual assault,
from the delayed processing of
his sexual assault evidence kit
to the lack of follow-up on leads.
Christian Spry
reveals just how the justice system
fails queer people.
Sexual assault is a
it's a horrible and
traumatizing experience.
And Christian Spry's
trauma was just dismissed
by the very people we
trust to serve and protect
because of their prejudice.
That makes my client a victim of assault
and a flawed system. And that
just isn't justice.
Thank you, Counsel.
Ms. Chen?
It's true.
Justice wasn't served in
Mr. Spry's assault case.
No assailant was located.
And what is alleged to have
happened to the complainant
in the early hours of May
28th is undeniably horrible.
But, uh, let's be clear,
the Halifax Police Department
have acknowledged their historical bias
towards the LGBTQ+ community.
They declined uniformed
participation in Pride.
They hired an Equity
and Diversity Officer
to build relationships with
neighbourhood organizations.
Identity is not the issue here.
The sad reality is not every
case can find resolution.
It's understandably frustrating,
but it isn't evidence of homophobia.
Suggesting that Constable Fitzpatrick
or Sergeant Baker's behaviour
reflects their personal bias
ignores the more than
40 years of service
between these two men.
But maligning their character?
That won't provide Mr. Spry
with the justice he's
so desperately seeking.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Marea!
You didn't tell me you were coming.
When did you get in?
Last night.
Is there any chance we can have lunch?
I have court. What about dinner?
That's the only time I can see Mom.
Well perfect, you can see us both.
Is Mom gonna be cool with that?
Yeah, she'll be fine. I'll call her.
Honey, I'm sorry. I
have to go to the office.
But come to dinner
tonight. It'll be fine.
I promise.
- Text me.
- Okay.
New haircut?
Same cut, new product.
It's that grape seed oil stuff that
Dani keeps pushing at the salon.
You look terrible.
Wow, I agree to meet you for
coffee and this is what I get?
I'm worried about you.
Ever since you teamed
up with Marcie Diggs
- and her anti-police outfit
- Anti-police?
Mom, you have it so wrong.
This Christian Spry business,
trying to make us all
out like we're homophobes.
It's one discrimination case.
I take offence to it.
I need to ask you a question.
Go ahead.
I need to know about Gary Baker.
You really gonna do her dirty work?
ELLERY: We both know
that only complaints
that go to a hearing get published.
I just need to know if he's decent.
He walks a line, no question.
But I've never heard of him crossing it.
(SOFT JAZZ MUSIC)
But you still try and call my phone ♪
Tell me how does it feel
to be left in the smoke ♪
Goodbye baby, goodbye baby ♪
Goodbye baby, baby goodbye ♪
Goodbye baby ♪
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
AVERY: I-I knew you were good.
But you were really good.
I did not ask you to come
down here to turn my head.
I'm just speaking facts.
Ah, Marcie mentioned
you wanted me to help your
minister with something?
Not the minister, one
of the parishioners.
Fulton Parker, you remember him?
Yeah, yeah, I know the case.
It was a Black teen jailed
for killing a White boy,
claims he didn't do
it, says he was framed.
That's right.
His poor mother died two years ago.
Never got over seeing
her son in that situation.
So, how can I help?
Fulton's got a son.
Grown boy, eighteen.
Promised his grandma he'd
prove his father's innocence,
but he's just a college student, Avery.
He's not equipped for this.
Look, I
I feel like this is more up
Marcie's alley, Mrs. Diggs.
You're the prosecutor, ain't ya?
Who knows better how to
fight the law than a law man?
MARCIE: Mr. Spry, could you
describe the events leading up to
and following your
assault on May 28th, 2020?
I'd had a bit of a day,
so I called a friend
to blow off some steam.
Ah, we went to dinner at the Oyster,
and then went to a couple
bars in the north end.
MARCIE: And this friend
was Xavier Tennant?
- When was this?
- Um, dinner was at six,
so we got to Gottingen around eight,
started at Parkside
and then Xavier suggested
we go to The Barracks.
MARCIE: And could you describe
your level of intoxication
at this point, Mr. Spry?
I was buzzed, but I knew to pace myself.
I'd only had maybe five or six pints
in the course of six hours.
MARCIE: And then what happened next?
CHRISTIAN: I remember
looking at my phone.
It was about 12:30,
and the crowd was more intense.
I figured I'd have one more
drink and then head home.
That's the, the last
thing I remember before I,
I woke up face down.
My pants were around my ankles.
(CHRISTIAN GROANS)
- (CHRISTIAN SHIVERS)
- (DREAMY SOMBRE MUSIC)
CHRISTIAN: I didn't know where I was,
but as I got my bearings,
I realized I was at a train yard,
very near The Barracks.
I was feeling horrible.
I didn't have my phone or my things.
I wasn't good.
Mr. Spry, if this is too
much for you, we can
- we can stop.
- CHRISTIAN: No.
I got home, I went to work,
um, but I had to excuse
myself halfway through.
I was nauseous and and disoriented.
I kept getting these
flashes.
I I knew I'd been assaulted.
I went to the hospital and
a nurse administered a
a rape kit.
MARCIE: Can you describe
Constable Fitzpatrick's demeanour?
Distracted.
Disinterested when he
found out I was a man.
And he conducted the interview?
CHRISTIAN: He asked for
permission to access the kit,
and, um, said someone would be in touch.
I waited two weeks and then
went to the precinct myself.
What happened then?
CHRISTIAN: I connected
with Constable Shadd.
She was unfamiliar with my case.
She conducted a short
interview and said she'd call.
Did she?
No.
CHRISTIAN: Four weeks later
I learned that my case
had been transferred to Sergeant Baker.
MARCIE: And what was your
experience like with Sergeant Baker?
Sergeant Baker asked if I was cruising,
if I'd been doing any illegal drugs.
He wanted to know how often
I went to The Barracks,
why I was there, if I'd
picked up there before.
So, did he follow-up?
No.
Three months went by.
Nothing happened.
MARCIE: Three months without any
progress on the investigation?
No follow-up with eyewitnesses
or no visit to the crime
scene that you're aware of?
That's correct.
MARCIE: Thank you, Mr. Spry.
In Sergeant Baker's notes,
you mentioned having an
argument with your husband
prior to meeting up with Xavier Tennant.
Mr. Tennant is a former romantic
partner, is that correct?
Objection. Relevance?
Get to the point, Ms. Chen.
Had you gone to The Barracks before?
Yes.
MS. CHEN: And, uh, describe
that establishment, Mr. Spry.
It's a bathhouse.
MS. CHEN: A place where
men go to hook up,
party, right?
Yes, but not all the time.
MS. CHEN: And participate
in recreational drug use?
Objection, Madame Adjudicator.
ADJUDICATOR: It's a proper question.
Go ahead.
CHRISTIAN: I mean, yes.
There's drug use.
MS. CHEN: In Sergeant Baker's note,
you told him you'd used
street drugs before.
I partied in my twenties.
MS. CHEN: On the night of your
assault, you alleged you were dosed
with gamma-Hydroxybutyric
acid, or "GHB",
the blackout drug. Is that correct?
Yes.
MS. CHEN: In your previous
visits to The Barracks,
had you used GHB before?
- Yes.
- MS. CHEN: And do you recall if you hooked up
on those nights when
you took a blackout drug?
MARCIE: Objection. This case
is about police response,
not about whether a criminal
offence was committed.
Ms. Diggs is correct. I think
we can move on, Ms. Chen.
So he's a military man
who can't tell time.
Maybe he's still on Sudan time and
thinks we're meeting for dinner.
Ah.
Here he is.
You made it.
TYRONE: Of course.
Mr. Thompson, how do you do?
IAN: Dad, this is Tyrone.
Tyrone, nice to meet you.
TYRONE: I am sorry I'm late.
The Major General is weighing in
on the new officer-in-charge
appointment.
(STAMMERING) I don't mean to pry,
but if the new guy in
charge happens to be you,
doesn't that make you Ian's boss?
Isn't that fraternizing?
Is that allowed?
I mean, let alone getting married.
TYRONE: I was Ian's immediate
superior when we met.
As soon as it got serious,
we declared the personal relationship
to the chain of command.
Now there are protocols in place.
I'm not involved in performance reviews,
decisions about posting,
duty assignments.
Huh.
I'm sorry, Marcie.
Don't apologize.
Their lawyer's job is to
poke holes in your credibility. It's
it's early days.
Hey, you okay?
All this talk about
bathhouses and drugs.
Did you even consider how this
was going to affect your job?
Our adoption?
Jamie, I went out for
a drink with a friend.
It's not my fault that I was raped.
The police had no right to
treat me the way that they did.
Do you understand that?
Do you?
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
(JAMIE SIGHS)
Why do I feel like I
need a PhD in algebra
to understand these acronyms
on these police files?
"C.P", "Q.T."?
ELLERY: Ah, C.P. is "complaining party".
Q.T. is "secrecy required".
DOUG: What the heck is "O.C."?
IRIS: Maybe the police are
fans of early 2000 teen soaps
like you, Doug.
That was supposed to remain
in the vault, remember?
IRIS: So I shouldn't mention
"Pretty Little Liars"?
No.
Hey, wait, Fitzpatrick and Baker
are all over these documents.
Wasn't there a third officer?
MARCIE: Constable Shadd.
She was on the case briefly,
but then left the force.
IRIS: I reached out to her
when we started the case,
but I've never heard back.
MARCIE: Can you follow up again?
Maybe she wants to break rank.
Roger that.
You said you only found two
complaints against Baker?
Did you ask around?
He's not the greatest person
but he has a good rep as a cop.
According to who?
ELLERY: My mom.
She's an inspector at the HPD.
Respectfully, I don't need
cops vouching for other cops.
We've got enough of that
going on in the hearing.
ELLERY: I know you're looking for
dirt on the police to help your case,
- but if there's nothing there
- Just because your mother said something
doesn't make it true, Ellery.
And if Baker has even one complaint
that justified a hearing,
you know there's more.
So find out.
(TENSE DRAMATIC MUSIC)
♪
We got somewhere today.
Hold on to that, okay?
- Whatever it takes.
- Sure.
- See you next week.
- Sure.
Mr. Diggs, I heard
about you and Mrs. Diggs.
You guys are good people.
Look at you,
you're always working an angle.
He just needs space.
Come on in.
Ah, Velma told me she filled
you in on Fulton's case, right?
Mentioned you had the case files, yeah.
Thank you for doing this. Follow me.
No problem.
(TENSE DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Here you go.
AVERY: (SIGHS) Okay.
Yeah.
MS. CHEN: Sergeant
Baker, in his complaint,
Mr. Spry points to your failure
to go to the crime scene
as evidence of a botched investigation.
It's a train yard.
Any evidence worth gathering would
have been gone after 48 hours.
There wasn't any point.
MS. CHEN: Mr. Spry claims his complaint
was not investigated properly
because of his gender identity,
because he's a gay man.
I've done tons of work with our
Equity and Diversity Officer.
Part of the training
is to consider factors
of the lived realities of communities
with every case we handle.
Sergeant, have you
ever had any complaints
from the LGBTQ+ community
filed against you?
Every officer gets complaints.
In twenty years, I've only had
two complaints from that community.
Both were dismissed as unfounded.
Thank you.
Could you please read
paragraph two on page 14
under "Sexual Assault
Investigation Guidelines".
"Police will respond
immediately to the reports
of recent sexual violence.
Attempts will be made to
interview the victim/survivor,
secure any evidence,
and gather information
thoroughly and expeditiously."
Want me to keep going?
"The officer will take steps
to preserve the privacy
of the victim/survivor
and ensure that the complainants
do not have to keep
retelling their experience
to multiple investigative officers."
MARCIE: Thank you. And would you say
that the handling of Mr. Spry's case
follows these protocols?
Objection. Leading.
Ms. Diggs, go about it another way.
If those are standard protocols
for handling sexual assault cases,
what made Mr. Spry's case different?
BAKER: As I mentioned,
multiple officers were involved
in Mr. Spry's file before me.
That makes it messy.
Sometimes hard questions have
to be asked more than once.
MARCIE: And how many attempts
did you make to interview
Xavier Tennant, Mr. Spry's friend?
At least two.
And it's your evidence that
he didn't return your call?
I didn't say that. He
returned, eventually.
I took his statement
and put it in the file.
Did you interview any other witnesses?
BAKER: Look, Ms. Diggs, there
were no new leads to chase down,
no fresh description of
the alleged assailant.
I'm sorry that this is
unsatisfying for your client,
but without a physical
description or DNA
I don't know what people expect.
- Just for you to do your job, Sergeant Baker.
- Objection.
Really? I'm done with the witness.
Thank you.
IAN: I thought you had a new job.
Isn't this your old office?
Yes and no.
Uh, a little different.
So,
Tyrone.
What about him?
Well, he's just a little
older than I had expected.
Fifty-two in May.
Nearly twice your age.
Is that why you disapprove?
I don't disapprove. I'm just asking.
He's your commanding officer.
If you two break up, are you
gonna end up in a war zone?
- Please, Dad. Don't be ridiculous.
- Seriously, how does that work?
IAN: Like Ty said,
- there are protocols in place.
- REGGIE: Oh come on, Ian.
You two break up and I mean,
who do you think is
gonna come out ahead?
Can you at least just give him a chance?
We're so happy you called.
We want to do whatever
we can to support you
in this human rights case.
I pulled all the materials.
I've also gathered information
on a number of other cases
ELLERY: Sorry if I wasn't clear earlier.
I am only looking for
information on Gary Baker.
I'm not going after the entire HPD.
Why not?
ELLERY: I am focused on Gary Baker.
This is Baker's failure
not a policing failure.
CAMERON: Just the bad
apples and not the barrel.
I get it.
Well, if you have any evidence
that can stand up in
court against Gary Baker,
let me know. I'd love
to take a look at it.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
IRIS: Hey, I've located Constable Shadd
in Prince Edward Island.
I mean, she was super
friendly when I first called.
And then I mentioned Christian,
and she hung up on me.
Oh, well pack your bags.
You're heading to PEI.
Really?
MARCIE: Really.
Think I'll run into Anne?
Bye, Iris.
Hey.
AVERY: Hey.
So I see you spoke to Mom.
Yeah. Yeah, this is insane.
This Fulton kid is in the
backseat of a guy's car named Flex
when the shooting happened. He
never even laid eyes on the victim.
Well, what was the evidence?
Witness statement from the same Flex guy
and blood splatter on Fulton's hoodie.
Look at him.
He didn't kill anybody.
Someone set this kid up, Marcie.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Oh my God, I miss this so much.
I'm so tired of frozen fish sticks.
- (MICHELLE CHUCKLES)
- Well you should move home.
- Be nice to have our baby back.
- MICHELLE: Mmm.
Are you guys back together?
Of course not.
Then what's all this?
Sweetheart, it's not serious.
MAREA: Man, you guys.
Last time I came to visit,
I made fifty trips
between Hali and Eskasoni
just so you two wouldn't
have to see each other.
Now you pull this on me?
Leah was so surprised
when I told her I was
meeting you both for dinner.
And I defended you guys.
How mature you were being for my sake.
And you just wanted me in
on your dirty little secret?
I'm so tired of this.
Just leave her.
I'll talk to her tomorrow.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
(CHRISTIAN SIGHS)
CHRISTIAN: Thank God you're here.
You hit a parent?
We've been dealing with crank
phone calls the whole night.
- Every bloody detail for this hearing is online.
- Oh God.
CHRISTIAN: I get to
the school this morning
and I was helping
unload kids off the bus
and this dad comes at me
says, "It must be illegal for
a fag to be near his kids".
I belted him.
Marcie, if I'm charged for this,
my life is ruined.
My job,
the adoption.
MARCIE: The adoption.
Christian,
I think I might have an idea.
Ellery, yeah.
I need a favour.
(UPBEAT ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC)
♪
You're for sure ♪
Can't be detained ♪
I'm really bright ♪
I'm light of day ♪
(CAMERA CLICKING)
(CAMERA CLICKING)
(UPBEAT ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC)
♪
(DOOR KNOCKING)
Can I help you?
Andria Shadd?
I'm Iris Beals. I called
about the Christian Spry case?
You sounded persistent on the phone.
It's okay, babe.
It's not a good time.
When would be a good time?
I can meet you at Founder's
Hall & Food Market,
the end of Prince Street.
My lunch is at noon.
Inspector.
Thank you for taking the time to see me.
So, Ellery tells me you want a favour.
Yes, my client Christian Spry
got into a scuffle with a
homophobic parent at school.
CHOZANNE: Your client seems to find
homophobia everywhere he looks.
I'm wondering if it's
possible for the charges to
CHOZANNE: I talked to the officer.
The parent isn't interested
in pressing charges.
Oh, ah
CHOZANNE: I know my daughter
thinks you're the second coming.
Me, I'm less impressed.
Thank you, Inspector.
CHOZANNE: And Ms. Diggs?
Ellery doesn't give you status here.
In case there was any confusion.
Am I gonna see you tonight?
I can't tonight.
What about Friday?
No.
And I need to talk to you.
Is this about Marea?
Last night at dinner, you told Marea
that this thing between you and me
was nothing.
Is that what you really think?
Because
it's not nothing to me.
Are you saying you want
to get back together?
No.
Yes.
Maybe, I don't
I don't know.
I just want it to be something.
It is something.
It's fun.
And I like having you in my life.
And my bed.
Without having to rely
on you for anything.
(DOUG GROANS)
Your mom seems, uh, interesting.
I wish I could've witnessed that meet.
(BUZZER RINGING)
(DOOR KNOCKING)
(TENSE DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Is everything okay?
People like you, you never get it.
It's not the apples,
it's the whole bloody barrel.
- I told you, I'm not
- CAMERON: I heard you.
Everything you want to know
about your friend, Gary Baker.
(TENSE DRAMATIC MUSIC)
SHADD: Hi.
Glad you made it.
I can only stay for a few minutes.
How are things in the 'fax?
You know, same old.
I mean, it's so beautiful here.
I know.
It was nice to get a fresh start.
Put my time at HPD behind me.
Things weren't so good there, huh?
You might not believe it,
but I did my best on the Spry case.
I wanted to go back to that crime scene,
do a reconstruction,
try to figure it out,
but they didn't want
me wasting time on it.
I'd had enough.
Would you be willing to give
testimony on all of this?
I'm sorry, I I can't.
I just can't.
I don't understand.
SHADD: That's my brotherhood.
Yeah, it's dysfunctional as hell,
but you don't stop being police.
What about Christian Spry?
Isn't he your "brother" too?
All right.
When you get back,
look into "Operation Citadel".
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
♪
Uneasy is the head that wears the crown.
- Spry case?
- Mm-hmm.
It's brutal.
Victimized in a violent assault.
Is victimized again
with the police's bias and incompetence.
And now his relationship's crumbling.
I just don't want this to
be for nothing, you know?
Like we gotta win.
What happened to Christian
can't keep happening.
Iris is on line one.
She wants to talk to both of us.
I met with Shadd.
MARCIE: Did she give us
anything that we can use?
Well, she dropped a hint as
to what "O.C." stands for.
"Operation Citadel".
Operation Citadel? That was a,
an undercover sting operation
the police ran in 1990
up on Citadel Hill.
IRIS: Yeah.
Targeting men participating
in consensual sex acts.
And charging them with
trespassing and indecent exposure.
ELLERY: But what does that
have to do with anything?
Queer activists complained
and the HPD shut that down.
That was long before Christian Spry.
Unless the notation doesn't
just apply to one operation,
but all files involving
gay complainants,
like, um, you know, like a shorthand.
It could show us that that is more
than one isolated
case of discrimination.
- Thanks, Iris.
- IRIS: I'll see you guys when I get back.
I'm gonna make an appointment
with the Equity and Diversity
officer this afternoon.
Paul Nowak.
And I want you there.
I'll be there.
But I have a meeting first.
I've been coming to this
survivors' group for four years.
After I got spiked at a party
and woke up in that same site
that Christian was in.
The injuries from my sexual
assault were so severe
I was in hospital for ten days.
I still remember the cops
making jokes about me in the ER.
MAN 2: My coach raped me
after a hockey
tournament when I was 17.
I reported it.
The cops said that I shouldn't
have been drinking under age.
I filed a complaint.
Nothing.
MAN 3: I got picked up by two cops.
They found me bleeding
and half-undressed
at the Public Gardens.
When I told the cops I'd been assaulted,
they threatened to charge
me with public indecency.
I complained, too.
Cops met me after work one day,
persuaded me to drop it.
Is it okay if I write this down?
I have already taken
statements from all these men.
NOWAK: You must be Marcie Diggs.
And Ellery!
Oh, it's nice to see you.
It's been a long time since
your parents barbecue, huh?
Yeah, nice to see you too, Paul.
MARCIE: Thanks for seeing
us on such short notice.
NOWAK: That's what I'm here for.
We've made such progress in
in training our officers to
treat marginalized communities
with increased sensitivity.
It's very sad to see a
case like Christian Spry
fall through the cracks like that.
MARCIE: Indeed.
Well, I'm sure you're
making a huge difference.
Um, we were hoping to have
a look at specific cases
handled within the LGBTQ+ community.
Specific cases?
These cases.
This is an extremely unorthodox request.
ELLERY: Paul, I know you
care as much as we do
about improving police procedures,
so it would be a huge help
if you could cross reference that list
with your sexual assault evidence kits
that you have in storage.
Now we don't need the kits,
we just need the associated files.
Okay, but the files need
to stay in this office,
and only for you.
You don't have to do this.
Use the Lopez name. It's, um
It could have some blowback.
I know.
Your mother
It's not about my mother, it's about me.
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
There's more downstairs.
"O.C."
"O.C."
"O.C."
"O.C."
- They're all marked.
- Yeah.
And unprocessed.
"Operation Citadel" is just a
shorthand for "low priority".
CLIFF: How are the nachos?
Okay, I'll have two of those, please.
Yeah. Thank you.
Hey!
Wow, you look beautiful.
- IRIS: Thank you.
- CLIFF: Yes, yes.
Now see, there's a lot more lawyer jokes
than minister jokes.
Let me hear one.
Everyone says lawyers are going to hell,
but I don't believe it though.
Why not?
Because God loves overachievers.
Created the world in
six days, didn't he?
(IRIS GIGGLES)
Yeah.
I wouldn't quit my
day job if I were you.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah, my, um
Can't mind your business?
Can you, Reverend?
Superintendent Costello.
Fulton Parker's case
deserves another look.
You didn't want to oversee a review.
Just remember,
if you kick dirt in my face,
- I hit back.
- Dad, come on.
MARCIE: Sergeant Baker,
can you please explain
the "O.C." notation
on these sexual assault files?
It's just a notation.
But what does it mean?
BAKER: We scribble all
sorts of stuff on files,
maybe "other course" or "only copy"?
Sergeant, are you familiar
with the term Operation Citadel?
It was an undercover
sting in the late nineties.
Targeting gay men?
It was focused on individuals
participating in public
indecency and trespassing.
MARCIE: But community activists
saw it as unfairly targeting
men having sex with men.
That operation ended in 2002,
and those files also
feature the "O.C." notation,
is that correct?
Yes.
MARCIE: So these two sets of files
relating to two separate
police operations
sharing the same notation,
but the only detail that they
share in terms of the context
is the sexual orientation
of the complainants?
Coincidence.
MARCIE: You mentioned earlier
you'd been the subject
of two complaints from
the LGBTQ+ community.
But that's not quite true, is it?
Two complaints made it to a hearing,
but the actual number
of filed complaints
was over ten times that.
Joe Rogers,
Earl McKinnon,
Roaul Proulx,
each of these men were
sexually assaulted,
and you were the investigating
officer on those cases.
Each filed a complaint against you
for not investigating their
cases properly. I mean,
you didn't even process their rape kits.
- Objection.
- ADJUDICATOR: Overruled.
Continue, Ms. Diggs.
You have a problem with
gay men, Sergeant Baker?
We're allowed to use our discretion.
System would be bankrupt if
we processed every rape kit.
The investigating officer doesn't
think the case warrants it,
we don't process the kits.
MARCIE: And yet the
percentage of unprocessed kits
from queer victims of
assault is vastly higher
than the percentage of kits
from the general population.
Circumstances in those
cases were different.
What circumstances?
BAKER: We can't respond to every case
with the same amount of manpower.
We have to factor in
community considerations.
If we pursued every report that
came in from that community,
- the department would be overrun.
- And when you say that community,
who do you mean exactly?
BAKER: I mean grown men who
are going out to get drunk,
get high and get laid in places
no respectable person would go to.
Parks, bathhouses,
train yards, you name it.
They put themselves
in dangerous situations
and expect us to dedicate resources
when they party too hard
and things go sideways.
Every cop on the beat understands that.
You learn from day one.
That'll be all.
Marea, please talk to me.
Dad, I don't have time for drama.
I'm gonna miss my flight.
At least let me drive
you to the airport.
Save you a few bucks.
And spend the next hour listening
to your lies and excuses?
You know what really pisses me off?
The way you think I'm so stupid.
Like I wouldn't find
out about you and Mom,
or that you didn't care what I thought.
I do care.
I just didn't think.
I didn't think about you.
I mean, I've always felt bad
about what I did to your mom,
and to you kids in the past.
I didn't think about how
it'd affect you as an adult.
I'm glad that you made me notice.
The things a person has to do in
this family for some attention.
I walked out of a lobster dinner!
After you finished your roll.
Did I make us late again?
Sorry to keep you waiting.
REGGIE: No no no, you're early.
I I was earlier.
Glad you could make it.
Are you kidding?
Ian has told me so much
about sailing with you
when he was growing up.
I am really looking forward to this.
Yeah, we had some good times.
Uh, are those the only shoes you got?
IAN: Please Dad, don't
start with the shoes.
REGGIE: I'm not criticizing.
It's a safety issue.
Look, uh, Tyrone,
ah, I have not been as welcoming
to you as I should have been.
The truth is,
I didn't know how hard
it was gonna hit me
when suddenly Ian
shows up, and with you,
and announces he's gonna get married.
TYRONE: (CHUCKLES) Yeah, I get it.
The truth is, he kind of
took me by surprise too.
You have a fine son there, Mr. Thompson.
It's Reggie.
Thanks, Dad.
(REGGIE CHUCKLES)
Okay, let's go sailing.
But those won't do. What size are you?
I think I might have some
extra boat shoes in my car.
- Oh don't worry.
- These have gum rubber soles.
Best deck shoes I've found so far.
Tyrone used to be an instructor
with the Canadian Forces Sailing
Association at Munroe Head.
Ah, well played.
(CHUCKLING)
Could be a few months before
we receive a formal judgement,
but I'm confident
things will go our way.
I expected you to be happier.
Is it the job or?
- CHRISTIAN: No, the school is keeping me on.
- Oh.
It's Jamie.
We're gonna get a divorce.
Oh, Christian.
No Marcie, it was a long time coming.
He has this fantasy that
we're Cam and Mitchell
from Modern Family.
It's not me.
I'm messy.
And I'm of pretending to
be something that I'm not.
So you're saying all this was worth it?
It doesn't change what happened.
And it doesn't put people behind bars.
But it's good to feel like I matter.
That the system finally admitted
that what happened
to me wasn't my fault.
But check on me in a few months.
I promise.
Twice in one week.
I'm happy to see you,
but is everything okay?
You weren't straight with me before
when I asked you about Gary Baker.
What are you talking about?
You told me he was a good cop.
Mom, I just found out that he's
he's terrible. He's
the worst kind of cop.
And he just gets away with it
because so many other
cops take it for granted
that they can mistreat
and ignore LGBTQ+ people.
And I just don't understand
how you didn't know that.
Baker is a macho jerk.
The system and some of the people in it
are far from perfect.
Sometimes
sometimes people fall
through the cracks.
What about me, Mom?
What if I fall through the cracks
and get treated like
Christian Spry or Abe Hirsch?
That's okay with you?
Don't be ridiculous.
I would never let that happen to you.
You're family.
We protect our own.
Goodbye baby, all the love is gone ♪
Goodbye baby, tonight I'm moving on ♪
Sergeant Baker, please.
He's gone for the day, Mr. Spry.
- I can take a message.
- I don't want to leave a message.
Look, I need to see him, please.
Mr. Spry, I can't help you. I'm sorry.
- I need to see him.
- I can't do anything.
I've had multiple interviews.
Two detectives. No one has followed up.
Sergeant Baker!
Sergeant Baker.
Sergeant Baker!
(TENSE MUSIC)
Sergeant Baker, I'm talking to you!
OFFICER: Sir, step away from the glass.
(TENSE MUSIC)
- OFFICER 2: Buddy, calm down.
- Go to hell.
Get over here.
Spread your feet.
- CHRISTIAN: Get your hands off of me.
- OFFICER: Give me your hand.
CHRISTIAN: Please, get
your hands off of me.
- Please.
- Come here.
JOYCE: Shall we begin?
Madame Adjudicator, the relationship
between the LGBTQ+ community
and the Halifax Police Department
has always been strained.
One glance at the history
shows a pattern of antipathy,
neglect, and at times,
outright hostility.
And this pattern is evident
in the handling of my
client's sexual assault,
from the delayed processing of
his sexual assault evidence kit
to the lack of follow-up on leads.
Christian Spry
reveals just how the justice system
fails queer people.
Sexual assault is a
it's a horrible and
traumatizing experience.
And Christian Spry's
trauma was just dismissed
by the very people we
trust to serve and protect
because of their prejudice.
That makes my client a victim of assault
and a flawed system. And that
just isn't justice.
Thank you, Counsel.
Ms. Chen?
It's true.
Justice wasn't served in
Mr. Spry's assault case.
No assailant was located.
And what is alleged to have
happened to the complainant
in the early hours of May
28th is undeniably horrible.
But, uh, let's be clear,
the Halifax Police Department
have acknowledged their historical bias
towards the LGBTQ+ community.
They declined uniformed
participation in Pride.
They hired an Equity
and Diversity Officer
to build relationships with
neighbourhood organizations.
Identity is not the issue here.
The sad reality is not every
case can find resolution.
It's understandably frustrating,
but it isn't evidence of homophobia.
Suggesting that Constable Fitzpatrick
or Sergeant Baker's behaviour
reflects their personal bias
ignores the more than
40 years of service
between these two men.
But maligning their character?
That won't provide Mr. Spry
with the justice he's
so desperately seeking.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Marea!
You didn't tell me you were coming.
When did you get in?
Last night.
Is there any chance we can have lunch?
I have court. What about dinner?
That's the only time I can see Mom.
Well perfect, you can see us both.
Is Mom gonna be cool with that?
Yeah, she'll be fine. I'll call her.
Honey, I'm sorry. I
have to go to the office.
But come to dinner
tonight. It'll be fine.
I promise.
- Text me.
- Okay.
New haircut?
Same cut, new product.
It's that grape seed oil stuff that
Dani keeps pushing at the salon.
You look terrible.
Wow, I agree to meet you for
coffee and this is what I get?
I'm worried about you.
Ever since you teamed
up with Marcie Diggs
- and her anti-police outfit
- Anti-police?
Mom, you have it so wrong.
This Christian Spry business,
trying to make us all
out like we're homophobes.
It's one discrimination case.
I take offence to it.
I need to ask you a question.
Go ahead.
I need to know about Gary Baker.
You really gonna do her dirty work?
ELLERY: We both know
that only complaints
that go to a hearing get published.
I just need to know if he's decent.
He walks a line, no question.
But I've never heard of him crossing it.
(SOFT JAZZ MUSIC)
But you still try and call my phone ♪
Tell me how does it feel
to be left in the smoke ♪
Goodbye baby, goodbye baby ♪
Goodbye baby, baby goodbye ♪
Goodbye baby ♪
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
AVERY: I-I knew you were good.
But you were really good.
I did not ask you to come
down here to turn my head.
I'm just speaking facts.
Ah, Marcie mentioned
you wanted me to help your
minister with something?
Not the minister, one
of the parishioners.
Fulton Parker, you remember him?
Yeah, yeah, I know the case.
It was a Black teen jailed
for killing a White boy,
claims he didn't do
it, says he was framed.
That's right.
His poor mother died two years ago.
Never got over seeing
her son in that situation.
So, how can I help?
Fulton's got a son.
Grown boy, eighteen.
Promised his grandma he'd
prove his father's innocence,
but he's just a college student, Avery.
He's not equipped for this.
Look, I
I feel like this is more up
Marcie's alley, Mrs. Diggs.
You're the prosecutor, ain't ya?
Who knows better how to
fight the law than a law man?
MARCIE: Mr. Spry, could you
describe the events leading up to
and following your
assault on May 28th, 2020?
I'd had a bit of a day,
so I called a friend
to blow off some steam.
Ah, we went to dinner at the Oyster,
and then went to a couple
bars in the north end.
MARCIE: And this friend
was Xavier Tennant?
- When was this?
- Um, dinner was at six,
so we got to Gottingen around eight,
started at Parkside
and then Xavier suggested
we go to The Barracks.
MARCIE: And could you describe
your level of intoxication
at this point, Mr. Spry?
I was buzzed, but I knew to pace myself.
I'd only had maybe five or six pints
in the course of six hours.
MARCIE: And then what happened next?
CHRISTIAN: I remember
looking at my phone.
It was about 12:30,
and the crowd was more intense.
I figured I'd have one more
drink and then head home.
That's the, the last
thing I remember before I,
I woke up face down.
My pants were around my ankles.
(CHRISTIAN GROANS)
- (CHRISTIAN SHIVERS)
- (DREAMY SOMBRE MUSIC)
CHRISTIAN: I didn't know where I was,
but as I got my bearings,
I realized I was at a train yard,
very near The Barracks.
I was feeling horrible.
I didn't have my phone or my things.
I wasn't good.
Mr. Spry, if this is too
much for you, we can
- we can stop.
- CHRISTIAN: No.
I got home, I went to work,
um, but I had to excuse
myself halfway through.
I was nauseous and and disoriented.
I kept getting these
flashes.
I I knew I'd been assaulted.
I went to the hospital and
a nurse administered a
a rape kit.
MARCIE: Can you describe
Constable Fitzpatrick's demeanour?
Distracted.
Disinterested when he
found out I was a man.
And he conducted the interview?
CHRISTIAN: He asked for
permission to access the kit,
and, um, said someone would be in touch.
I waited two weeks and then
went to the precinct myself.
What happened then?
CHRISTIAN: I connected
with Constable Shadd.
She was unfamiliar with my case.
She conducted a short
interview and said she'd call.
Did she?
No.
CHRISTIAN: Four weeks later
I learned that my case
had been transferred to Sergeant Baker.
MARCIE: And what was your
experience like with Sergeant Baker?
Sergeant Baker asked if I was cruising,
if I'd been doing any illegal drugs.
He wanted to know how often
I went to The Barracks,
why I was there, if I'd
picked up there before.
So, did he follow-up?
No.
Three months went by.
Nothing happened.
MARCIE: Three months without any
progress on the investigation?
No follow-up with eyewitnesses
or no visit to the crime
scene that you're aware of?
That's correct.
MARCIE: Thank you, Mr. Spry.
In Sergeant Baker's notes,
you mentioned having an
argument with your husband
prior to meeting up with Xavier Tennant.
Mr. Tennant is a former romantic
partner, is that correct?
Objection. Relevance?
Get to the point, Ms. Chen.
Had you gone to The Barracks before?
Yes.
MS. CHEN: And, uh, describe
that establishment, Mr. Spry.
It's a bathhouse.
MS. CHEN: A place where
men go to hook up,
party, right?
Yes, but not all the time.
MS. CHEN: And participate
in recreational drug use?
Objection, Madame Adjudicator.
ADJUDICATOR: It's a proper question.
Go ahead.
CHRISTIAN: I mean, yes.
There's drug use.
MS. CHEN: In Sergeant Baker's note,
you told him you'd used
street drugs before.
I partied in my twenties.
MS. CHEN: On the night of your
assault, you alleged you were dosed
with gamma-Hydroxybutyric
acid, or "GHB",
the blackout drug. Is that correct?
Yes.
MS. CHEN: In your previous
visits to The Barracks,
had you used GHB before?
- Yes.
- MS. CHEN: And do you recall if you hooked up
on those nights when
you took a blackout drug?
MARCIE: Objection. This case
is about police response,
not about whether a criminal
offence was committed.
Ms. Diggs is correct. I think
we can move on, Ms. Chen.
So he's a military man
who can't tell time.
Maybe he's still on Sudan time and
thinks we're meeting for dinner.
Ah.
Here he is.
You made it.
TYRONE: Of course.
Mr. Thompson, how do you do?
IAN: Dad, this is Tyrone.
Tyrone, nice to meet you.
TYRONE: I am sorry I'm late.
The Major General is weighing in
on the new officer-in-charge
appointment.
(STAMMERING) I don't mean to pry,
but if the new guy in
charge happens to be you,
doesn't that make you Ian's boss?
Isn't that fraternizing?
Is that allowed?
I mean, let alone getting married.
TYRONE: I was Ian's immediate
superior when we met.
As soon as it got serious,
we declared the personal relationship
to the chain of command.
Now there are protocols in place.
I'm not involved in performance reviews,
decisions about posting,
duty assignments.
Huh.
I'm sorry, Marcie.
Don't apologize.
Their lawyer's job is to
poke holes in your credibility. It's
it's early days.
Hey, you okay?
All this talk about
bathhouses and drugs.
Did you even consider how this
was going to affect your job?
Our adoption?
Jamie, I went out for
a drink with a friend.
It's not my fault that I was raped.
The police had no right to
treat me the way that they did.
Do you understand that?
Do you?
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
(JAMIE SIGHS)
Why do I feel like I
need a PhD in algebra
to understand these acronyms
on these police files?
"C.P", "Q.T."?
ELLERY: Ah, C.P. is "complaining party".
Q.T. is "secrecy required".
DOUG: What the heck is "O.C."?
IRIS: Maybe the police are
fans of early 2000 teen soaps
like you, Doug.
That was supposed to remain
in the vault, remember?
IRIS: So I shouldn't mention
"Pretty Little Liars"?
No.
Hey, wait, Fitzpatrick and Baker
are all over these documents.
Wasn't there a third officer?
MARCIE: Constable Shadd.
She was on the case briefly,
but then left the force.
IRIS: I reached out to her
when we started the case,
but I've never heard back.
MARCIE: Can you follow up again?
Maybe she wants to break rank.
Roger that.
You said you only found two
complaints against Baker?
Did you ask around?
He's not the greatest person
but he has a good rep as a cop.
According to who?
ELLERY: My mom.
She's an inspector at the HPD.
Respectfully, I don't need
cops vouching for other cops.
We've got enough of that
going on in the hearing.
ELLERY: I know you're looking for
dirt on the police to help your case,
- but if there's nothing there
- Just because your mother said something
doesn't make it true, Ellery.
And if Baker has even one complaint
that justified a hearing,
you know there's more.
So find out.
(TENSE DRAMATIC MUSIC)
♪
We got somewhere today.
Hold on to that, okay?
- Whatever it takes.
- Sure.
- See you next week.
- Sure.
Mr. Diggs, I heard
about you and Mrs. Diggs.
You guys are good people.
Look at you,
you're always working an angle.
He just needs space.
Come on in.
Ah, Velma told me she filled
you in on Fulton's case, right?
Mentioned you had the case files, yeah.
Thank you for doing this. Follow me.
No problem.
(TENSE DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Here you go.
AVERY: (SIGHS) Okay.
Yeah.
MS. CHEN: Sergeant
Baker, in his complaint,
Mr. Spry points to your failure
to go to the crime scene
as evidence of a botched investigation.
It's a train yard.
Any evidence worth gathering would
have been gone after 48 hours.
There wasn't any point.
MS. CHEN: Mr. Spry claims his complaint
was not investigated properly
because of his gender identity,
because he's a gay man.
I've done tons of work with our
Equity and Diversity Officer.
Part of the training
is to consider factors
of the lived realities of communities
with every case we handle.
Sergeant, have you
ever had any complaints
from the LGBTQ+ community
filed against you?
Every officer gets complaints.
In twenty years, I've only had
two complaints from that community.
Both were dismissed as unfounded.
Thank you.
Could you please read
paragraph two on page 14
under "Sexual Assault
Investigation Guidelines".
"Police will respond
immediately to the reports
of recent sexual violence.
Attempts will be made to
interview the victim/survivor,
secure any evidence,
and gather information
thoroughly and expeditiously."
Want me to keep going?
"The officer will take steps
to preserve the privacy
of the victim/survivor
and ensure that the complainants
do not have to keep
retelling their experience
to multiple investigative officers."
MARCIE: Thank you. And would you say
that the handling of Mr. Spry's case
follows these protocols?
Objection. Leading.
Ms. Diggs, go about it another way.
If those are standard protocols
for handling sexual assault cases,
what made Mr. Spry's case different?
BAKER: As I mentioned,
multiple officers were involved
in Mr. Spry's file before me.
That makes it messy.
Sometimes hard questions have
to be asked more than once.
MARCIE: And how many attempts
did you make to interview
Xavier Tennant, Mr. Spry's friend?
At least two.
And it's your evidence that
he didn't return your call?
I didn't say that. He
returned, eventually.
I took his statement
and put it in the file.
Did you interview any other witnesses?
BAKER: Look, Ms. Diggs, there
were no new leads to chase down,
no fresh description of
the alleged assailant.
I'm sorry that this is
unsatisfying for your client,
but without a physical
description or DNA
I don't know what people expect.
- Just for you to do your job, Sergeant Baker.
- Objection.
Really? I'm done with the witness.
Thank you.
IAN: I thought you had a new job.
Isn't this your old office?
Yes and no.
Uh, a little different.
So,
Tyrone.
What about him?
Well, he's just a little
older than I had expected.
Fifty-two in May.
Nearly twice your age.
Is that why you disapprove?
I don't disapprove. I'm just asking.
He's your commanding officer.
If you two break up, are you
gonna end up in a war zone?
- Please, Dad. Don't be ridiculous.
- Seriously, how does that work?
IAN: Like Ty said,
- there are protocols in place.
- REGGIE: Oh come on, Ian.
You two break up and I mean,
who do you think is
gonna come out ahead?
Can you at least just give him a chance?
We're so happy you called.
We want to do whatever
we can to support you
in this human rights case.
I pulled all the materials.
I've also gathered information
on a number of other cases
ELLERY: Sorry if I wasn't clear earlier.
I am only looking for
information on Gary Baker.
I'm not going after the entire HPD.
Why not?
ELLERY: I am focused on Gary Baker.
This is Baker's failure
not a policing failure.
CAMERON: Just the bad
apples and not the barrel.
I get it.
Well, if you have any evidence
that can stand up in
court against Gary Baker,
let me know. I'd love
to take a look at it.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
IRIS: Hey, I've located Constable Shadd
in Prince Edward Island.
I mean, she was super
friendly when I first called.
And then I mentioned Christian,
and she hung up on me.
Oh, well pack your bags.
You're heading to PEI.
Really?
MARCIE: Really.
Think I'll run into Anne?
Bye, Iris.
Hey.
AVERY: Hey.
So I see you spoke to Mom.
Yeah. Yeah, this is insane.
This Fulton kid is in the
backseat of a guy's car named Flex
when the shooting happened. He
never even laid eyes on the victim.
Well, what was the evidence?
Witness statement from the same Flex guy
and blood splatter on Fulton's hoodie.
Look at him.
He didn't kill anybody.
Someone set this kid up, Marcie.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Oh my God, I miss this so much.
I'm so tired of frozen fish sticks.
- (MICHELLE CHUCKLES)
- Well you should move home.
- Be nice to have our baby back.
- MICHELLE: Mmm.
Are you guys back together?
Of course not.
Then what's all this?
Sweetheart, it's not serious.
MAREA: Man, you guys.
Last time I came to visit,
I made fifty trips
between Hali and Eskasoni
just so you two wouldn't
have to see each other.
Now you pull this on me?
Leah was so surprised
when I told her I was
meeting you both for dinner.
And I defended you guys.
How mature you were being for my sake.
And you just wanted me in
on your dirty little secret?
I'm so tired of this.
Just leave her.
I'll talk to her tomorrow.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
(CHRISTIAN SIGHS)
CHRISTIAN: Thank God you're here.
You hit a parent?
We've been dealing with crank
phone calls the whole night.
- Every bloody detail for this hearing is online.
- Oh God.
CHRISTIAN: I get to
the school this morning
and I was helping
unload kids off the bus
and this dad comes at me
says, "It must be illegal for
a fag to be near his kids".
I belted him.
Marcie, if I'm charged for this,
my life is ruined.
My job,
the adoption.
MARCIE: The adoption.
Christian,
I think I might have an idea.
Ellery, yeah.
I need a favour.
(UPBEAT ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC)
♪
You're for sure ♪
Can't be detained ♪
I'm really bright ♪
I'm light of day ♪
(CAMERA CLICKING)
(CAMERA CLICKING)
(UPBEAT ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC)
♪
(DOOR KNOCKING)
Can I help you?
Andria Shadd?
I'm Iris Beals. I called
about the Christian Spry case?
You sounded persistent on the phone.
It's okay, babe.
It's not a good time.
When would be a good time?
I can meet you at Founder's
Hall & Food Market,
the end of Prince Street.
My lunch is at noon.
Inspector.
Thank you for taking the time to see me.
So, Ellery tells me you want a favour.
Yes, my client Christian Spry
got into a scuffle with a
homophobic parent at school.
CHOZANNE: Your client seems to find
homophobia everywhere he looks.
I'm wondering if it's
possible for the charges to
CHOZANNE: I talked to the officer.
The parent isn't interested
in pressing charges.
Oh, ah
CHOZANNE: I know my daughter
thinks you're the second coming.
Me, I'm less impressed.
Thank you, Inspector.
CHOZANNE: And Ms. Diggs?
Ellery doesn't give you status here.
In case there was any confusion.
Am I gonna see you tonight?
I can't tonight.
What about Friday?
No.
And I need to talk to you.
Is this about Marea?
Last night at dinner, you told Marea
that this thing between you and me
was nothing.
Is that what you really think?
Because
it's not nothing to me.
Are you saying you want
to get back together?
No.
Yes.
Maybe, I don't
I don't know.
I just want it to be something.
It is something.
It's fun.
And I like having you in my life.
And my bed.
Without having to rely
on you for anything.
(DOUG GROANS)
Your mom seems, uh, interesting.
I wish I could've witnessed that meet.
(BUZZER RINGING)
(DOOR KNOCKING)
(TENSE DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Is everything okay?
People like you, you never get it.
It's not the apples,
it's the whole bloody barrel.
- I told you, I'm not
- CAMERON: I heard you.
Everything you want to know
about your friend, Gary Baker.
(TENSE DRAMATIC MUSIC)
SHADD: Hi.
Glad you made it.
I can only stay for a few minutes.
How are things in the 'fax?
You know, same old.
I mean, it's so beautiful here.
I know.
It was nice to get a fresh start.
Put my time at HPD behind me.
Things weren't so good there, huh?
You might not believe it,
but I did my best on the Spry case.
I wanted to go back to that crime scene,
do a reconstruction,
try to figure it out,
but they didn't want
me wasting time on it.
I'd had enough.
Would you be willing to give
testimony on all of this?
I'm sorry, I I can't.
I just can't.
I don't understand.
SHADD: That's my brotherhood.
Yeah, it's dysfunctional as hell,
but you don't stop being police.
What about Christian Spry?
Isn't he your "brother" too?
All right.
When you get back,
look into "Operation Citadel".
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
♪
Uneasy is the head that wears the crown.
- Spry case?
- Mm-hmm.
It's brutal.
Victimized in a violent assault.
Is victimized again
with the police's bias and incompetence.
And now his relationship's crumbling.
I just don't want this to
be for nothing, you know?
Like we gotta win.
What happened to Christian
can't keep happening.
Iris is on line one.
She wants to talk to both of us.
I met with Shadd.
MARCIE: Did she give us
anything that we can use?
Well, she dropped a hint as
to what "O.C." stands for.
"Operation Citadel".
Operation Citadel? That was a,
an undercover sting operation
the police ran in 1990
up on Citadel Hill.
IRIS: Yeah.
Targeting men participating
in consensual sex acts.
And charging them with
trespassing and indecent exposure.
ELLERY: But what does that
have to do with anything?
Queer activists complained
and the HPD shut that down.
That was long before Christian Spry.
Unless the notation doesn't
just apply to one operation,
but all files involving
gay complainants,
like, um, you know, like a shorthand.
It could show us that that is more
than one isolated
case of discrimination.
- Thanks, Iris.
- IRIS: I'll see you guys when I get back.
I'm gonna make an appointment
with the Equity and Diversity
officer this afternoon.
Paul Nowak.
And I want you there.
I'll be there.
But I have a meeting first.
I've been coming to this
survivors' group for four years.
After I got spiked at a party
and woke up in that same site
that Christian was in.
The injuries from my sexual
assault were so severe
I was in hospital for ten days.
I still remember the cops
making jokes about me in the ER.
MAN 2: My coach raped me
after a hockey
tournament when I was 17.
I reported it.
The cops said that I shouldn't
have been drinking under age.
I filed a complaint.
Nothing.
MAN 3: I got picked up by two cops.
They found me bleeding
and half-undressed
at the Public Gardens.
When I told the cops I'd been assaulted,
they threatened to charge
me with public indecency.
I complained, too.
Cops met me after work one day,
persuaded me to drop it.
Is it okay if I write this down?
I have already taken
statements from all these men.
NOWAK: You must be Marcie Diggs.
And Ellery!
Oh, it's nice to see you.
It's been a long time since
your parents barbecue, huh?
Yeah, nice to see you too, Paul.
MARCIE: Thanks for seeing
us on such short notice.
NOWAK: That's what I'm here for.
We've made such progress in
in training our officers to
treat marginalized communities
with increased sensitivity.
It's very sad to see a
case like Christian Spry
fall through the cracks like that.
MARCIE: Indeed.
Well, I'm sure you're
making a huge difference.
Um, we were hoping to have
a look at specific cases
handled within the LGBTQ+ community.
Specific cases?
These cases.
This is an extremely unorthodox request.
ELLERY: Paul, I know you
care as much as we do
about improving police procedures,
so it would be a huge help
if you could cross reference that list
with your sexual assault evidence kits
that you have in storage.
Now we don't need the kits,
we just need the associated files.
Okay, but the files need
to stay in this office,
and only for you.
You don't have to do this.
Use the Lopez name. It's, um
It could have some blowback.
I know.
Your mother
It's not about my mother, it's about me.
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
There's more downstairs.
"O.C."
"O.C."
"O.C."
"O.C."
- They're all marked.
- Yeah.
And unprocessed.
"Operation Citadel" is just a
shorthand for "low priority".
CLIFF: How are the nachos?
Okay, I'll have two of those, please.
Yeah. Thank you.
Hey!
Wow, you look beautiful.
- IRIS: Thank you.
- CLIFF: Yes, yes.
Now see, there's a lot more lawyer jokes
than minister jokes.
Let me hear one.
Everyone says lawyers are going to hell,
but I don't believe it though.
Why not?
Because God loves overachievers.
Created the world in
six days, didn't he?
(IRIS GIGGLES)
Yeah.
I wouldn't quit my
day job if I were you.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah, my, um
Can't mind your business?
Can you, Reverend?
Superintendent Costello.
Fulton Parker's case
deserves another look.
You didn't want to oversee a review.
Just remember,
if you kick dirt in my face,
- I hit back.
- Dad, come on.
MARCIE: Sergeant Baker,
can you please explain
the "O.C." notation
on these sexual assault files?
It's just a notation.
But what does it mean?
BAKER: We scribble all
sorts of stuff on files,
maybe "other course" or "only copy"?
Sergeant, are you familiar
with the term Operation Citadel?
It was an undercover
sting in the late nineties.
Targeting gay men?
It was focused on individuals
participating in public
indecency and trespassing.
MARCIE: But community activists
saw it as unfairly targeting
men having sex with men.
That operation ended in 2002,
and those files also
feature the "O.C." notation,
is that correct?
Yes.
MARCIE: So these two sets of files
relating to two separate
police operations
sharing the same notation,
but the only detail that they
share in terms of the context
is the sexual orientation
of the complainants?
Coincidence.
MARCIE: You mentioned earlier
you'd been the subject
of two complaints from
the LGBTQ+ community.
But that's not quite true, is it?
Two complaints made it to a hearing,
but the actual number
of filed complaints
was over ten times that.
Joe Rogers,
Earl McKinnon,
Roaul Proulx,
each of these men were
sexually assaulted,
and you were the investigating
officer on those cases.
Each filed a complaint against you
for not investigating their
cases properly. I mean,
you didn't even process their rape kits.
- Objection.
- ADJUDICATOR: Overruled.
Continue, Ms. Diggs.
You have a problem with
gay men, Sergeant Baker?
We're allowed to use our discretion.
System would be bankrupt if
we processed every rape kit.
The investigating officer doesn't
think the case warrants it,
we don't process the kits.
MARCIE: And yet the
percentage of unprocessed kits
from queer victims of
assault is vastly higher
than the percentage of kits
from the general population.
Circumstances in those
cases were different.
What circumstances?
BAKER: We can't respond to every case
with the same amount of manpower.
We have to factor in
community considerations.
If we pursued every report that
came in from that community,
- the department would be overrun.
- And when you say that community,
who do you mean exactly?
BAKER: I mean grown men who
are going out to get drunk,
get high and get laid in places
no respectable person would go to.
Parks, bathhouses,
train yards, you name it.
They put themselves
in dangerous situations
and expect us to dedicate resources
when they party too hard
and things go sideways.
Every cop on the beat understands that.
You learn from day one.
That'll be all.
Marea, please talk to me.
Dad, I don't have time for drama.
I'm gonna miss my flight.
At least let me drive
you to the airport.
Save you a few bucks.
And spend the next hour listening
to your lies and excuses?
You know what really pisses me off?
The way you think I'm so stupid.
Like I wouldn't find
out about you and Mom,
or that you didn't care what I thought.
I do care.
I just didn't think.
I didn't think about you.
I mean, I've always felt bad
about what I did to your mom,
and to you kids in the past.
I didn't think about how
it'd affect you as an adult.
I'm glad that you made me notice.
The things a person has to do in
this family for some attention.
I walked out of a lobster dinner!
After you finished your roll.
Did I make us late again?
Sorry to keep you waiting.
REGGIE: No no no, you're early.
I I was earlier.
Glad you could make it.
Are you kidding?
Ian has told me so much
about sailing with you
when he was growing up.
I am really looking forward to this.
Yeah, we had some good times.
Uh, are those the only shoes you got?
IAN: Please Dad, don't
start with the shoes.
REGGIE: I'm not criticizing.
It's a safety issue.
Look, uh, Tyrone,
ah, I have not been as welcoming
to you as I should have been.
The truth is,
I didn't know how hard
it was gonna hit me
when suddenly Ian
shows up, and with you,
and announces he's gonna get married.
TYRONE: (CHUCKLES) Yeah, I get it.
The truth is, he kind of
took me by surprise too.
You have a fine son there, Mr. Thompson.
It's Reggie.
Thanks, Dad.
(REGGIE CHUCKLES)
Okay, let's go sailing.
But those won't do. What size are you?
I think I might have some
extra boat shoes in my car.
- Oh don't worry.
- These have gum rubber soles.
Best deck shoes I've found so far.
Tyrone used to be an instructor
with the Canadian Forces Sailing
Association at Munroe Head.
Ah, well played.
(CHUCKLING)
Could be a few months before
we receive a formal judgement,
but I'm confident
things will go our way.
I expected you to be happier.
Is it the job or?
- CHRISTIAN: No, the school is keeping me on.
- Oh.
It's Jamie.
We're gonna get a divorce.
Oh, Christian.
No Marcie, it was a long time coming.
He has this fantasy that
we're Cam and Mitchell
from Modern Family.
It's not me.
I'm messy.
And I'm of pretending to
be something that I'm not.
So you're saying all this was worth it?
It doesn't change what happened.
And it doesn't put people behind bars.
But it's good to feel like I matter.
That the system finally admitted
that what happened
to me wasn't my fault.
But check on me in a few months.
I promise.
Twice in one week.
I'm happy to see you,
but is everything okay?
You weren't straight with me before
when I asked you about Gary Baker.
What are you talking about?
You told me he was a good cop.
Mom, I just found out that he's
he's terrible. He's
the worst kind of cop.
And he just gets away with it
because so many other
cops take it for granted
that they can mistreat
and ignore LGBTQ+ people.
And I just don't understand
how you didn't know that.
Baker is a macho jerk.
The system and some of the people in it
are far from perfect.
Sometimes
sometimes people fall
through the cracks.
What about me, Mom?
What if I fall through the cracks
and get treated like
Christian Spry or Abe Hirsch?
That's okay with you?
Don't be ridiculous.
I would never let that happen to you.
You're family.
We protect our own.
Goodbye baby, all the love is gone ♪
Goodbye baby, tonight I'm moving on ♪