Homicide: Life on the Street s04e21 Episode Script
The Wedding
Medic 19 pronounced Antoine Giles at 21:48 hours.
Mr Giles was launched from the ninth floor or higher.
- Dead on impact.
- time of call, Er Brodie, keep your head up.
Downtown suits! Come across the boulevard when the nigger falls! This is gettin' really ugly.
Never see no badges when the drama starts! - We're not wanted here.
- "We", pale face? Tactical is on the way.
Damn these towers! There's only one way to police the terrace - napalm.
That's not funny.
Damn! Brothers and sisters, hear me please! Brothers and sisters, your gracious attention.
Muslims.
As if the rabble wasn't already roused.
There's been a tragedy here tonight.
A brother who saw personal gain by selling poison to his people has reaped from the seeds he's sown.
While the result was inevitable, we still grieve as for any of our brethren.
As for these gentlemen, they require a respite to perform their function.
We ask that you depart with assurances that we will be here to make sure our brother's remains will be respected.
You may proceed.
Then out of nowhere come the Muslims.
They shut it down.
How long the Muslims been in the terrace, Gee, City gave them a contract last year.
It's a federal grant.
It's an insult to get outside groups to police the projects.
They haven't had a murder there in months.
They're just pushin' crime a block or two west.
Who's the dead guy, He's Antoine Giles, the dealer workin' the 224 building.
See what you can find out.
Mmm.
Mmm.
'1425 Bloom, 'I have shots fired on the eighth floor.
'Shots fired.
Boston Homes.
Yeah, 124, I got that.
'Where are you, 124,' McCulloh and Dolphin.
I'm on my way.
- Three more weeks.
- What, - the Big Man comes back.
- Really, June 1 st, with the Washington follies far behind him, and indiscretions forgotten, Stan Bolander returns to the department and his old desk, so you better ask Gee for a new one.
- You saw Stanley, - No.
- Well, you spoke to him, - Not exactly.
- How do you know, - Why wouldn't he, If he were planning on coming back, we'd have heard by now.
- He'd had least of told Al.
- He'll be back! - OK, OK.
- He will.
- All right.
- He'll be back.
OK, OK.
I'll look for a new desk.
- Forgot your flashlights, - We'll use yours.
- You the first on the scene, - Stu Gharty.
Follow me.
- They call this the maze.
- Oh the hallways connect all three buildings.
It smells terrible down here.
But it's a great place to hide.
Watch the puddle.
- Thank you.
- I found these two quick enough.
Just followed a path of spent shells down from the eighth floor.
You got your shooter and your victim, or your victim and your shooter.
It depends on how you look at it.
On your left, that's Justin Hermos, On the right, Cyrus Dunham, 14, gunshot to the head.
One's chasin' the other, and they run in here.
Both fire, both fall down dead.
How often do you have a murder that solves itself, - Never.
- Yeah, Well, now you got two.
There's your weapons, and there, my guess, is your motive.
I wish every crime were this easy.
Let's check with the lab.
There might be an outside shooter.
I'm gonna wait for the ME.
Figure he'll need an escort.
- thanks, Gharty.
- Yeah.
Shame, huh, What a place to die.
Wanna get high, Antoine lived here, You know, the spelling is atrocious.
Personally, I blame the schools.
All right, let me handle this.
I speak the lingo.
Miss the sister does not wish to speak to you.
Excuse me.
Mrs Giles, Baltimore Homicide.
I don't know nothin'.
I ain't sayin' nothin'.
Get your ass out.
Now, hold on.
Let's back up a minute here.
We came here to find out why your boy got thrown off the tower.
As I said, the sister does not wish to speak to the police.
This doesn't really concern you, OK? So what are you doin' here, that's my question to you.
The brother is at least among his own in this matter, but if he is unwelcome, you are even more so.
We're tryin' to find out who murdered your boy.
- If you - Get your ass out! All right, Mrs Giles.
Listen you change your mind, you want to talk, call me.
You really handled that well.
- Hey, did you see the board, - Uh-huh.
Well, Hermos and Dunham are already up there in black.
Uh-huh.
We haven't ruled out the possibility of a third shooter.
Not so.
You see, a thoughtful, generous and considerate someone got up early this morning, swung by the morgue, matched bullets to their respective weapons, came back to his desk, sharpened a pencil and did the paperwork.
- You got the ME report, - Preliminary report.
Now that someone's fortunate and appreciative partner has two more closed cases in her column, and has only to sign her name.
- I can't sign this.
- Why not, Where's the victim print-out, the crime lab analysis, the witness' statements, - What else did I miss, - We haven't talked to the relatives.
- Next of kin's been notified.
- We should talk to them.
- They might know something.
- Shlomo and Shlomo shot each other.
- We should just move on.
- After we talk to the families.
Next you'll be grading my penmanship.
- What did you find out, - Nothing.
We had Malik or Hakeem or Abdul staring us down.
- Muslims intimidating the witnesses, - Oh, yeah.
- We don't know that for sure.
- They're watching everyone we talk to.
Maybe the people like having the Muslims around.
Maybe they feel safe with them.
Excuse me.
Do you have a problem, No, we ain't got no problem.
A Muslim tried to pull a blue-eyed, white devil thing on Mikey.
One cop against the other.
- Didn't work, though.
- Nah.
No way.
So you're no closer to findin' the killer of Antoine Giles, - No closer.
- Mmm.
- Well, maybe Hamp Mears can help.
- Who, Hamp Mears, from the Western Drug Unit.
Oh, he's in the coffee room.
Where you get a name like Hamp, - Lewis, - Yeah.
- Mike Kellerman.
- How you doin', What have we got, I'm doin' a surveillance when Antoine Giles comes out of the 224 building with an angry crew on his ass.
- Which angry crew, - the Muslims.
- You saw the Muslims chase Antoine, - they caught him.
They had Antoine up against the wall.
I was thinking, "Who do I root for," - What, they kicked his ass, - they just talked.
The head guy is lecturing.
Then he goes in Antoine's pocket, comes up with a bundle.
- He took his drugs off of him, - Yeah, and let Antoine go.
I see the head guy put the bundle in his own pocket, go up Fayette.
- I follow him.
- You lock him up, I didn't get a chance.
Before I could, he tosses the bundle down a sewer hole.
- He threw the drugs away, - Mmm.
- Can you point this hero out to me, - Yeah.
So you see the Muslims chase Antoine, and the next day Antoine ends up one with the sidewalk.
That don't mean the Muslims killed him.
It don't mean they didn't.
The shots woke me out of bed.
I went straight for the phone.
- You called 911, - Don't know why I bothered.
- And why is that, - I waited and waited.
Nobody came.
What time did you hear the first shots, I don't know.
It was so loud.
Now, after you hung up, how long did the shooting go on, - It seemed like years.
- Well, was it ten minutes, More, 20, What took the police so long, that's what we're trying to find out, but we need your help.
No, ma'am We needed your help.
You want to hear about my son, When Justin was a boy, you know what he wanted to be, - What's that, - A police officer.
He used to watch the TV, run around with his toy gun.
Then Justin grew up.
Saw his sister get shot.
Saw his home here turned to trash.
Know what he called you cops then, Cowards.
- Listen to this.
- Snoop Doggy Dogg, the tape from the Boston Homes Dispatch.
What am I listening for, - What time does the report come in, - 10:32pm.
Right.
Gunshots from the eighth floor.
We're notified, and it's five after eleven.
So, Gharty was at McCulloh and Dolphin when he gets the call.
It takes him a half an hour to go two blocks, Maybe there was a traffic jam or somethin'.
McCulloh and Dolphin at 10:30pm isn't exactly rush hour.
So he got there earlier than he admitted, Well, maybe.
Or took his time getting there.
- Let's go.
- Where, to see if Gharty can muster up an explanation.
Yeah, same as yesterday! Still a bomb, girl! Elevator's broken.
The residents need the stairs.
- They can wait until - Your business here is concluded.
Step to me then, bitch.
Raheem, help these sisters with their bags.
Discrepancy, huh, Yeah, between the distance travelled, and the time it took you to get there.
My partner is very meticulous.
So from your reported location it should have been five minutes to the crime scene, max.
She's being precise.
So you wanna explain the extra half hour, - I waited for the shootin' to stop.
- You what, I pulled up to Boston.
I heard gunfire.
I waited until it was safe.
Oh, yeah, until two people were dead.
Look, Gharty, those two kids, by the way, chased each other down eight flights of stairs.
Now, you could have stopped 'em.
Stopped them, It was just me and my 9mm.
- Might as well waved a white flag.
- He was waitin' for backup.
You were waitin' for backup, Look, I got work to do.
Are we through here, - Did you call for backup, - I'm 54 years old.
Six months away from a cosy desk job.
What are my options, they shoot me, then finish each other off.
Or worse, I kill a kid.
What then, He's black.
I'm white.
His mother points her finger.
The whole neighbourhood is ragin' against me.
My family is dragged through hell.
Why should I take that risk, Because it's your job.
You don't want to go in, so get backup.
Now did you or did you not call for backup, - Is there a problem here, Officer, - No.
Meet Detectives Munch and Russert from Homicide.
- Sir.
- Lieutenant Nat Galvin.
- Hi.
- The Megan Russert.
I guess.
The first female captain in the Baltimore PD.
Yeah, well, not any more.
Yeah, Barnfather, right, What a jerk.
To what do we owe this honour, We're goin' over details of the shootin'.
All right.
So I won't interrupt.
- Say hi to Al Giardello for me.
- I sure will.
Bye.
Look, Detectives, Hermos and Dunham took care of their business.
- I gotta worry about the paperwork.
- You may have more to worry about.
Is she serious, - Next time, don't come with me.
- I didn't want to go anyway.
You stood there and contradicted everything I said.
You questioned him like he was a lowlife.
I was trying to find out the facts.
Two kids killed each other.
Gharty didn't do anything.
Exactly! Two mothers are asking, "Why not," - Cheap shot.
He's a cop.
- I know he's a cop.
I'm gonna see if there's a history of late response, negligence.
What if it was Kay or Meldrick or me, You'd turn me in, Kay Howard would have called for backup.
The same with Meldrick.
The same with you.
I used to think Stan was a hard-boiled person.
You make him look like a cheese omelette.
Why don't you give him a call, Ask him when he's coming back.
- I will call him.
- Go ahead.
OK.
Again, the machine.
Stanley, this is Detective John Munch, your lowly cohort from the Homicide Unit.
Do you mind, this is the 26th message I've left.
It's getting embarrassing.
Failure to take police action, dereliction of duty Gharty doesn't think he's done anything wrong.
Neither does Munch.
Where do I go with this, Maybe you should take it to Internal.
Well, I still gotta wait for the final on the ME, and then I gotta pull Gharty's jacket, and listen to the dispatch tape again.
You do that computer stuff.
I'll go see what's taking Scheiner.
Hey, thanks! - Maybe we need to add brothers.
- We need to have a chat.
I'm not in the habit of conversing with law enforcement officers.
- Hardhead, huh, - Now, hey, hold on.
We need to exchange information.
The best way is for us to just chill.
- Am I charged with a crime, - Would you like to be, Under the laws of this so-called democracy, if I'm not charged with a crime, I'm free to end this conversation.
- Get your hands off me! - Hey, come on now! - Lewis, whose side are you on, - An excellent question.
Stay out of this! This ain't the way to go.
Don't put your hands on a cop! You want charges, You got them.
KGA, this is Unit 7410.
I need an ambo at 224 North Carey.
An ambulance for who, Who do you think you are, We are still the toughest gang on the block.
Yeah, well, not here.
Not any more.
You put your hand on a cop, you're gonna take a charge.
OK, so explain somethin' to me.
How one night can you chase a dealer out a high-rise, and the next night that same dealer is tossed off that high-rise, - You're makin' yourself a suspect.
- Because he did it.
- Will murder get you rep enough, - Your lies mean nothing.
The history of the white race is 500 years of deceit and genocide, and you judge me, - I wouldn't waste a second - Wait a minute.
You're tryin' to silence our black Messiahs, but we know we're the chosen people of Allah.
What we do is what this government doesn't want done.
Now I ask you, how do the drugs get to the terrace, Who is served by us in prison, so many addicted, so many dying from a CIA-sponsored virus, Save the speech for someone who cares! America has no need for the black man, for the original man! - It wants niggers! - This is a load of crap.
- How can you work with him, - Who, Him, He hates us.
Why do his bidding, No, he hates you, and most of the time he does my bidding.
Let's talk about you for a minute.
Before you became Ishmael El-Hadj, you was just Levon Epps.
Just another chump-change knucklehead with a sheet.
You did your six-year bit up at Hagerstown.
Six years up there with them redneck guards up in the mountains.
I found my faith in Hagerstown.
I needed a white man's jail cell to see my heritage as an original man.
I am trying to find the truth about a murder here! You're not gonna help me, are you, Hermos was a better shot.
Dunham died instantly.
Took the bullet in the cranium that lodged in the occipital lobe.
Hermos took his bullet in the pulmonary artery.
- He bled to death, - Uh-huh.
Which takes from ten to twenty minutes.
Gharty was in no hurry to make it to the scene.
If he would have gotten there earlier, Hermos might have survived.
It's possible.
What about those dispatch tapes, - No record of a backup call.
- Time to include Internal.
He's got such a clean jacket, including two commendations, one in 1983, the other one in 1990.
Commendations notwithstanding, I still think you've got a case.
- I want to warn Gharty first.
- Why, I don't know.
I don't know.
Maybe he'll 'fess up and save me the trouble.
How many killings were there in the terrace last year, too many.
- This year, - One so far.
And here I am in custody in this room.
This government has its boot heel at the neck of your people.
Enough with the boots and the necks.
You're from around the way, I'm from around the way, right, I respect what y'all doin' in the 'jects.
- Special guest at the bar tonight.
- Who might that be, - Stanley Bolander.
- Oh.
If you harass him enough, the Big Man caves in.
- The Big Man! - He seemed pleased to hear from me.
- Anybody seen Kellerman, - He's in the coffee room.
We're gonna need extra-light beer tonight.
- You know who's comin' back, - the Big Man! Mikey.
Gonna go out and have beers, What do you mean by that, I don't know where my partner is in this case.
- I'm right here.
- And when he took a swing at me, You want me to say somethin' to make you feel better, - I'm trying to him talkin'.
- So it's just business, this is what we do.
A guy beats his kids, I tell him I do.
I'm talkin' to a rapist, I tell him I have nuns.
This guy, he hates whites, he hates Jews, he hates me.
You have go to admit that these guys have done right by Highland terrace.
They're thugs! You got a white neighbourhood, OK, like Gilford.
It's fine for them to have their own security, but God forbid that we in a black community should decide to police our own.
It's suddenly perceived as a threat.
The Muslims come to town, and crime rate goes down.
The crime rate was low under Hitler! What are you talking about, I'm talkin' about you.
I'm talkin' about you.
I don't see you up in the towers, or volunteerin' to police that neighbourhood.
I gotta get back to my interview.
- Nat Galvin.
- Hey, Al.
- Come to rescue me, I hope.
- Bad day, Bosses, bodies, bodies, bosses.
I hate to add to your list, but we have to talk about Boston Homes.
OK.
Why didn't you come to me first, Under the circumstances, a trial board hearing is extreme.
It looks bad, but Gharty's a good cop.
He's a veteran.
He's paid his dues.
Gharty waited 30 minutes.
Two kids died.
Drug dealers.
There's a difference.
We took an oath to serve and protect.
That's not a selective term.
I know that.
Gharty knows it, too.
Believe me.
A fire-fighter gets an alarm.
He can't just sit on his ass.
He does that, the building burns, people fry.
- That's not a fair comparison.
- No, Someone dials 911, they expect to get help.
If not, a trust is broken.
And Gharty was there.
- And did nothing! - Come on, Al.
Are you telling me that you never once hesitated, Never thought about your wife and kids, Whether it was worth it, For a split second maybe, but not for half an hour! When it takes that long, that's the day to retire.
- One more question, Al.
- What, Now, all this other stuff aside would Russert have dinner with me, - Is the Big Man here yet, - Not yet.
Why is Bolander called the Big Man, Is he fat, Granted, Stanley Bolander is far from svelte.
He has what some might call a Brobdingnagian build.
It is not mere bulk which has earned the Big Man his title.
He is a man of magnitude.
Enormously fair, tremendously honest and a whale of a detective.
So when Stanley comes tonight, give him our best light beer, OK? I'll be back with some hors d'oeuvres.
He really misses the guy.
You think Meldrick will ever talk that way about me, Brobdingnagian, you know, find himself in a bar waxing poetic about his old partner, If the future goes as planned, the only thing he's gonna be waxing is a bright red Lamborghini.
Waterfront.
Hey, Stan, how's it goin', What, Oh, right.
Right.
Well, he's rightin' back.
I can just Yeah, OK.
You, too.
OK.
The Big Man's favourite, chicken fingers.
All right! That was the Big Man on the phone there, Munch.
- He's runnin' late, - No.
- He's not coming.
- Not coming, No.
What does that mean "not coming", He said he'd try to make it tomorrow.
Did he ask to speak to me, Look, just forget about Stan, Munch.
Drink that.
- All that stuff I said before, - Uh-huh.
I take it back.
Give me another one.
Who put a charge on a Muslim, - Detective Kellerman and Lewis.
- They're off this case.
What, Call the State's Attorney.
Get the charges against the Muslim dropped.
I don't want our people having contact with the Highland terrace security staff.
People are working on a murder case.
Muslims may be involved.
This is not a perfect world.
- It's not, - It's Baltimore.
It's not possible to be elected to office without the support of that black majority.
Politics as usual.
The Mayor's office and Council members will be all over me.
And what about Antoine Giles, the case could stay in the red forever without another word spoken.
The Muslims control their part of the city in their own fashion.
Until HUD cancels their contract.
There's growing opposition to funding the Muslims.
There's a HUD audit of security contracts under way.
We sit out the battle and win the war.
- If you insist.
- Thank you.
It's Giardello.
"Efforts to investigate the slaying "have been thwarted by political interference, "according to one ranking police commander "who asked not to be identified.
" Behold, a ranking, albeit unidentified, police commander, and a true master of the game.
Lewis, Kellerman, my office.
Uh-oh.
What's this with us being taken off the case, Politics.
I'm dealing with it.
The Muslims got that drag, I don't think the Muslims did it.
I can't see Ishmael takin' off Antoine Giles.
Why not, Drugs, violence, the project.
It's all about race to him.
I can't see him takin' a black life.
The only demons in his head are white ones.
Well, it's all academic.
We're reassigned.
No, I expect that to change shortly.
Gee.
Well, yes, sir.
Immediately, sir.
Oh, they're here.
the Disciplinary Hearing Board is now convened.
- Is Officer Stuart Gharty present, - I am.
Charges are as follows On the evening of April 10th, 1996, Officer Stuart Matthew Gharty demonstrated an unwillingness or inability to take police action.
Violation of rule one, section 19.
General order 288.
Officer Gharty was waiting in the basement when you arrived.
- How did his demeanour strike you, - Friendly.
Professional.
- Talkative.
A little nervous, I think.
- And then, He led us to the victims, gave us information, and then he left the area.
Garty excused himself.
He seemed eager to leave the crime scene.
Lieutenant, Detectives Kellerman and Lewis are reassigned to the Giles' case, and Mr Al-Hadj has assured me that in light of this morning's press, he and his colleagues are ready to cooperate.
Very good.
May I escort you to our Homicide office, - Oh, and Lieutenant.
- Yes, If I learn the source of this press leak, he will be walking foot on the outskirts of Philadelphia.
That goes without saying.
Justin Hermos was 18 years old.
Cyrus Dunham only 14.
Rundowns on the two victims show a total of 23 juvenile and adult arrests.
Both were enrolled at Westside High School where Dunham played running back.
Hermos served one year at Hickey for stabbing a police officer.
Medical intervention might have stopped Justin's bleeding in time.
The shooters represented a significant threat to Stuart Gharty's life.
He anticipated that threat.
What do we know, We've been given a complete hour-by-hour itinerary for Ishmael Al-Hadj and his crew.
They've alibied themselves nicely.
- You believe them, - Do I have a choice, - You didn't enter the building, - No.
Is it not proper procedure, in such a situation, for a solitary officer to radio for backup, - It is.
- Can you explain your decision, I was alone.
I believe to enter Boston Homes I was placing myself in physical jeopardy.
Proper procedure says call for backup, and yet you opted not to, I was shook up.
I can't remember whether I called or not.
How many calls came in on the night of April 10th, This was two nights ago, Officer.
You've already forgotten, - Like I said, I was confused.
- 2,089 calls, And what happens, Miss Browder, if two units call in at the same time on the same frequency, One call blocks the other.
I refer the board to document 1 b.
After the initial phone call, recordings from April 10th indicate no communication from Unit 124.
According to the transcript, Officer Gharty, you never requested assistance.
Does that help your memory any, On a busy night like April 10th, is it possible, if Officer Gharty did radio for backup, his request was overridden, - Yes, it's possible.
- Thank you, Miss Browder.
I have nothing further.
We tried many times to dissuade Antoine Giles from selling his narcotics in Highland terrace.
We did not, however, take his life.
But you know who did.
You know everything that happens in those towers.
You know the name of the killer.
We provide security in Highland terrace precisely because we do not deal with the police.
You will cooperate just enough so you'll get your HUD grant renewed, but not enough to help us solve the murder.
Here's the deal.
You are not off the hook until I get the killer's name.
Until then a reporter will ask for an update.
I'll say that you're still suspect.
That ought to make a HUD auditor think twice.
I will tell you and I will tell him.
But not him, an unbeliever.
- Just get the name.
- Mike He ain't goin' anywhere.
- Nothing, - Nada.
They gave us the name, but not the guy.
We better have another talk with Ishmael.
Detective Russert this is my wife, Flora, my daughter, Ellen, my grandchildren.
This is Andrew and Sarah.
Hello.
Er - I should be heading back.
- Of course.
Er Detective.
Listen, er I've been thinking a lot about those kids and their families.
I don't blame you for bringing all this about.
I don't blame myself either.
I blame the city, see.
I blame the situation, how people behave, the way cops are treated.
I didn't call for backup.
I knew that once backup came, I would have to go in.
The truth is, either way, I wasn't up to it.
Not with backup.
Not by myself.
Not in that neighbourhood.
It's like I told Flora, maybe with how things are, it's better I retire.
You should let the Board decide that, Officer Gharty.
Yeah, you're right.
I'll wait and let the Board decide.
They know the situation out there.
They'll make the call.
- So Gharty got off, - Uh-huh.
Tonight he'll be celebrating with his wife and family.
Tomorrow he'll be back on the street.
It's absurd, huh, Infuriating, Oh, who knows, Kay, I should be shocked.
I guess I should feel angry, but, I don't know, I don't.
Maybe Gharty's no worse than the rest of us.
People can't trust the police and we can't trust each other.
So who's left to rely on, - Our contract was not extended.
- I heard.
So today we are leaving the terrace.
It's yours again to police.
Or not.
I'm sorry.
Y'all were doing good work.
You helped to destroy that.
Tarred us with a murder.
You lost the contract for many reasons.
A piece of the larger plan.
Take a look at these towers.
This is the handiwork of the world's most affluent country.
This is how they want it to be.
If you had given me the name, y'all would still be here.
- We'd steer clear of the publicity.
- Have you made an arrest.
He skipped and you know it.
He could be anywhere from Queens to Kingston, and you tipped him off, huh, You made sure we found an empty apartment.
We identified the brother.
He will not be returning to Highland terrace.
- Is he alive, - Certainly.
- We believe in redemption.
- You don't want to give him to me, One black man more or less in prison will not matter.
Be for real.
You took on a responsibility to police this community! The guy threw a man off this building - a black man! I was beginning to see you as only a buckdancer.
A buckdancer, Might you be interested in making the Kalimah Shahadah, - A profession of faith, - Very good, Brother Lewis.
You should have given me that, Jake.
Salaam Aleykum, Brother Lewis.
Aleykum Salaam.
I took a little nap Woke up in the jungle I sip a little sap From the living tree trying too hard Living should be easy Don't wanna be king Of your overblown thing No, no, no, no take a little swing through the sometime jungle the bag in your drum Got nothing to say Screaming too loud talking to the people Don't wanna be chief Give me some relief took a little nap Woke up in the jungle Red tops! Got them killer reds, yo! Red tops! - Red tops, get 'em here! - Time out! Time out on Carey! Red tops! Red tops make you sparkle! Get your red tops! Red tops! Red tops! Get them killer reds!
Mr Giles was launched from the ninth floor or higher.
- Dead on impact.
- time of call, Er Brodie, keep your head up.
Downtown suits! Come across the boulevard when the nigger falls! This is gettin' really ugly.
Never see no badges when the drama starts! - We're not wanted here.
- "We", pale face? Tactical is on the way.
Damn these towers! There's only one way to police the terrace - napalm.
That's not funny.
Damn! Brothers and sisters, hear me please! Brothers and sisters, your gracious attention.
Muslims.
As if the rabble wasn't already roused.
There's been a tragedy here tonight.
A brother who saw personal gain by selling poison to his people has reaped from the seeds he's sown.
While the result was inevitable, we still grieve as for any of our brethren.
As for these gentlemen, they require a respite to perform their function.
We ask that you depart with assurances that we will be here to make sure our brother's remains will be respected.
You may proceed.
Then out of nowhere come the Muslims.
They shut it down.
How long the Muslims been in the terrace, Gee, City gave them a contract last year.
It's a federal grant.
It's an insult to get outside groups to police the projects.
They haven't had a murder there in months.
They're just pushin' crime a block or two west.
Who's the dead guy, He's Antoine Giles, the dealer workin' the 224 building.
See what you can find out.
Mmm.
Mmm.
'1425 Bloom, 'I have shots fired on the eighth floor.
'Shots fired.
Boston Homes.
Yeah, 124, I got that.
'Where are you, 124,' McCulloh and Dolphin.
I'm on my way.
- Three more weeks.
- What, - the Big Man comes back.
- Really, June 1 st, with the Washington follies far behind him, and indiscretions forgotten, Stan Bolander returns to the department and his old desk, so you better ask Gee for a new one.
- You saw Stanley, - No.
- Well, you spoke to him, - Not exactly.
- How do you know, - Why wouldn't he, If he were planning on coming back, we'd have heard by now.
- He'd had least of told Al.
- He'll be back! - OK, OK.
- He will.
- All right.
- He'll be back.
OK, OK.
I'll look for a new desk.
- Forgot your flashlights, - We'll use yours.
- You the first on the scene, - Stu Gharty.
Follow me.
- They call this the maze.
- Oh the hallways connect all three buildings.
It smells terrible down here.
But it's a great place to hide.
Watch the puddle.
- Thank you.
- I found these two quick enough.
Just followed a path of spent shells down from the eighth floor.
You got your shooter and your victim, or your victim and your shooter.
It depends on how you look at it.
On your left, that's Justin Hermos, On the right, Cyrus Dunham, 14, gunshot to the head.
One's chasin' the other, and they run in here.
Both fire, both fall down dead.
How often do you have a murder that solves itself, - Never.
- Yeah, Well, now you got two.
There's your weapons, and there, my guess, is your motive.
I wish every crime were this easy.
Let's check with the lab.
There might be an outside shooter.
I'm gonna wait for the ME.
Figure he'll need an escort.
- thanks, Gharty.
- Yeah.
Shame, huh, What a place to die.
Wanna get high, Antoine lived here, You know, the spelling is atrocious.
Personally, I blame the schools.
All right, let me handle this.
I speak the lingo.
Miss the sister does not wish to speak to you.
Excuse me.
Mrs Giles, Baltimore Homicide.
I don't know nothin'.
I ain't sayin' nothin'.
Get your ass out.
Now, hold on.
Let's back up a minute here.
We came here to find out why your boy got thrown off the tower.
As I said, the sister does not wish to speak to the police.
This doesn't really concern you, OK? So what are you doin' here, that's my question to you.
The brother is at least among his own in this matter, but if he is unwelcome, you are even more so.
We're tryin' to find out who murdered your boy.
- If you - Get your ass out! All right, Mrs Giles.
Listen you change your mind, you want to talk, call me.
You really handled that well.
- Hey, did you see the board, - Uh-huh.
Well, Hermos and Dunham are already up there in black.
Uh-huh.
We haven't ruled out the possibility of a third shooter.
Not so.
You see, a thoughtful, generous and considerate someone got up early this morning, swung by the morgue, matched bullets to their respective weapons, came back to his desk, sharpened a pencil and did the paperwork.
- You got the ME report, - Preliminary report.
Now that someone's fortunate and appreciative partner has two more closed cases in her column, and has only to sign her name.
- I can't sign this.
- Why not, Where's the victim print-out, the crime lab analysis, the witness' statements, - What else did I miss, - We haven't talked to the relatives.
- Next of kin's been notified.
- We should talk to them.
- They might know something.
- Shlomo and Shlomo shot each other.
- We should just move on.
- After we talk to the families.
Next you'll be grading my penmanship.
- What did you find out, - Nothing.
We had Malik or Hakeem or Abdul staring us down.
- Muslims intimidating the witnesses, - Oh, yeah.
- We don't know that for sure.
- They're watching everyone we talk to.
Maybe the people like having the Muslims around.
Maybe they feel safe with them.
Excuse me.
Do you have a problem, No, we ain't got no problem.
A Muslim tried to pull a blue-eyed, white devil thing on Mikey.
One cop against the other.
- Didn't work, though.
- Nah.
No way.
So you're no closer to findin' the killer of Antoine Giles, - No closer.
- Mmm.
- Well, maybe Hamp Mears can help.
- Who, Hamp Mears, from the Western Drug Unit.
Oh, he's in the coffee room.
Where you get a name like Hamp, - Lewis, - Yeah.
- Mike Kellerman.
- How you doin', What have we got, I'm doin' a surveillance when Antoine Giles comes out of the 224 building with an angry crew on his ass.
- Which angry crew, - the Muslims.
- You saw the Muslims chase Antoine, - they caught him.
They had Antoine up against the wall.
I was thinking, "Who do I root for," - What, they kicked his ass, - they just talked.
The head guy is lecturing.
Then he goes in Antoine's pocket, comes up with a bundle.
- He took his drugs off of him, - Yeah, and let Antoine go.
I see the head guy put the bundle in his own pocket, go up Fayette.
- I follow him.
- You lock him up, I didn't get a chance.
Before I could, he tosses the bundle down a sewer hole.
- He threw the drugs away, - Mmm.
- Can you point this hero out to me, - Yeah.
So you see the Muslims chase Antoine, and the next day Antoine ends up one with the sidewalk.
That don't mean the Muslims killed him.
It don't mean they didn't.
The shots woke me out of bed.
I went straight for the phone.
- You called 911, - Don't know why I bothered.
- And why is that, - I waited and waited.
Nobody came.
What time did you hear the first shots, I don't know.
It was so loud.
Now, after you hung up, how long did the shooting go on, - It seemed like years.
- Well, was it ten minutes, More, 20, What took the police so long, that's what we're trying to find out, but we need your help.
No, ma'am We needed your help.
You want to hear about my son, When Justin was a boy, you know what he wanted to be, - What's that, - A police officer.
He used to watch the TV, run around with his toy gun.
Then Justin grew up.
Saw his sister get shot.
Saw his home here turned to trash.
Know what he called you cops then, Cowards.
- Listen to this.
- Snoop Doggy Dogg, the tape from the Boston Homes Dispatch.
What am I listening for, - What time does the report come in, - 10:32pm.
Right.
Gunshots from the eighth floor.
We're notified, and it's five after eleven.
So, Gharty was at McCulloh and Dolphin when he gets the call.
It takes him a half an hour to go two blocks, Maybe there was a traffic jam or somethin'.
McCulloh and Dolphin at 10:30pm isn't exactly rush hour.
So he got there earlier than he admitted, Well, maybe.
Or took his time getting there.
- Let's go.
- Where, to see if Gharty can muster up an explanation.
Yeah, same as yesterday! Still a bomb, girl! Elevator's broken.
The residents need the stairs.
- They can wait until - Your business here is concluded.
Step to me then, bitch.
Raheem, help these sisters with their bags.
Discrepancy, huh, Yeah, between the distance travelled, and the time it took you to get there.
My partner is very meticulous.
So from your reported location it should have been five minutes to the crime scene, max.
She's being precise.
So you wanna explain the extra half hour, - I waited for the shootin' to stop.
- You what, I pulled up to Boston.
I heard gunfire.
I waited until it was safe.
Oh, yeah, until two people were dead.
Look, Gharty, those two kids, by the way, chased each other down eight flights of stairs.
Now, you could have stopped 'em.
Stopped them, It was just me and my 9mm.
- Might as well waved a white flag.
- He was waitin' for backup.
You were waitin' for backup, Look, I got work to do.
Are we through here, - Did you call for backup, - I'm 54 years old.
Six months away from a cosy desk job.
What are my options, they shoot me, then finish each other off.
Or worse, I kill a kid.
What then, He's black.
I'm white.
His mother points her finger.
The whole neighbourhood is ragin' against me.
My family is dragged through hell.
Why should I take that risk, Because it's your job.
You don't want to go in, so get backup.
Now did you or did you not call for backup, - Is there a problem here, Officer, - No.
Meet Detectives Munch and Russert from Homicide.
- Sir.
- Lieutenant Nat Galvin.
- Hi.
- The Megan Russert.
I guess.
The first female captain in the Baltimore PD.
Yeah, well, not any more.
Yeah, Barnfather, right, What a jerk.
To what do we owe this honour, We're goin' over details of the shootin'.
All right.
So I won't interrupt.
- Say hi to Al Giardello for me.
- I sure will.
Bye.
Look, Detectives, Hermos and Dunham took care of their business.
- I gotta worry about the paperwork.
- You may have more to worry about.
Is she serious, - Next time, don't come with me.
- I didn't want to go anyway.
You stood there and contradicted everything I said.
You questioned him like he was a lowlife.
I was trying to find out the facts.
Two kids killed each other.
Gharty didn't do anything.
Exactly! Two mothers are asking, "Why not," - Cheap shot.
He's a cop.
- I know he's a cop.
I'm gonna see if there's a history of late response, negligence.
What if it was Kay or Meldrick or me, You'd turn me in, Kay Howard would have called for backup.
The same with Meldrick.
The same with you.
I used to think Stan was a hard-boiled person.
You make him look like a cheese omelette.
Why don't you give him a call, Ask him when he's coming back.
- I will call him.
- Go ahead.
OK.
Again, the machine.
Stanley, this is Detective John Munch, your lowly cohort from the Homicide Unit.
Do you mind, this is the 26th message I've left.
It's getting embarrassing.
Failure to take police action, dereliction of duty Gharty doesn't think he's done anything wrong.
Neither does Munch.
Where do I go with this, Maybe you should take it to Internal.
Well, I still gotta wait for the final on the ME, and then I gotta pull Gharty's jacket, and listen to the dispatch tape again.
You do that computer stuff.
I'll go see what's taking Scheiner.
Hey, thanks! - Maybe we need to add brothers.
- We need to have a chat.
I'm not in the habit of conversing with law enforcement officers.
- Hardhead, huh, - Now, hey, hold on.
We need to exchange information.
The best way is for us to just chill.
- Am I charged with a crime, - Would you like to be, Under the laws of this so-called democracy, if I'm not charged with a crime, I'm free to end this conversation.
- Get your hands off me! - Hey, come on now! - Lewis, whose side are you on, - An excellent question.
Stay out of this! This ain't the way to go.
Don't put your hands on a cop! You want charges, You got them.
KGA, this is Unit 7410.
I need an ambo at 224 North Carey.
An ambulance for who, Who do you think you are, We are still the toughest gang on the block.
Yeah, well, not here.
Not any more.
You put your hand on a cop, you're gonna take a charge.
OK, so explain somethin' to me.
How one night can you chase a dealer out a high-rise, and the next night that same dealer is tossed off that high-rise, - You're makin' yourself a suspect.
- Because he did it.
- Will murder get you rep enough, - Your lies mean nothing.
The history of the white race is 500 years of deceit and genocide, and you judge me, - I wouldn't waste a second - Wait a minute.
You're tryin' to silence our black Messiahs, but we know we're the chosen people of Allah.
What we do is what this government doesn't want done.
Now I ask you, how do the drugs get to the terrace, Who is served by us in prison, so many addicted, so many dying from a CIA-sponsored virus, Save the speech for someone who cares! America has no need for the black man, for the original man! - It wants niggers! - This is a load of crap.
- How can you work with him, - Who, Him, He hates us.
Why do his bidding, No, he hates you, and most of the time he does my bidding.
Let's talk about you for a minute.
Before you became Ishmael El-Hadj, you was just Levon Epps.
Just another chump-change knucklehead with a sheet.
You did your six-year bit up at Hagerstown.
Six years up there with them redneck guards up in the mountains.
I found my faith in Hagerstown.
I needed a white man's jail cell to see my heritage as an original man.
I am trying to find the truth about a murder here! You're not gonna help me, are you, Hermos was a better shot.
Dunham died instantly.
Took the bullet in the cranium that lodged in the occipital lobe.
Hermos took his bullet in the pulmonary artery.
- He bled to death, - Uh-huh.
Which takes from ten to twenty minutes.
Gharty was in no hurry to make it to the scene.
If he would have gotten there earlier, Hermos might have survived.
It's possible.
What about those dispatch tapes, - No record of a backup call.
- Time to include Internal.
He's got such a clean jacket, including two commendations, one in 1983, the other one in 1990.
Commendations notwithstanding, I still think you've got a case.
- I want to warn Gharty first.
- Why, I don't know.
I don't know.
Maybe he'll 'fess up and save me the trouble.
How many killings were there in the terrace last year, too many.
- This year, - One so far.
And here I am in custody in this room.
This government has its boot heel at the neck of your people.
Enough with the boots and the necks.
You're from around the way, I'm from around the way, right, I respect what y'all doin' in the 'jects.
- Special guest at the bar tonight.
- Who might that be, - Stanley Bolander.
- Oh.
If you harass him enough, the Big Man caves in.
- The Big Man! - He seemed pleased to hear from me.
- Anybody seen Kellerman, - He's in the coffee room.
We're gonna need extra-light beer tonight.
- You know who's comin' back, - the Big Man! Mikey.
Gonna go out and have beers, What do you mean by that, I don't know where my partner is in this case.
- I'm right here.
- And when he took a swing at me, You want me to say somethin' to make you feel better, - I'm trying to him talkin'.
- So it's just business, this is what we do.
A guy beats his kids, I tell him I do.
I'm talkin' to a rapist, I tell him I have nuns.
This guy, he hates whites, he hates Jews, he hates me.
You have go to admit that these guys have done right by Highland terrace.
They're thugs! You got a white neighbourhood, OK, like Gilford.
It's fine for them to have their own security, but God forbid that we in a black community should decide to police our own.
It's suddenly perceived as a threat.
The Muslims come to town, and crime rate goes down.
The crime rate was low under Hitler! What are you talking about, I'm talkin' about you.
I'm talkin' about you.
I don't see you up in the towers, or volunteerin' to police that neighbourhood.
I gotta get back to my interview.
- Nat Galvin.
- Hey, Al.
- Come to rescue me, I hope.
- Bad day, Bosses, bodies, bodies, bosses.
I hate to add to your list, but we have to talk about Boston Homes.
OK.
Why didn't you come to me first, Under the circumstances, a trial board hearing is extreme.
It looks bad, but Gharty's a good cop.
He's a veteran.
He's paid his dues.
Gharty waited 30 minutes.
Two kids died.
Drug dealers.
There's a difference.
We took an oath to serve and protect.
That's not a selective term.
I know that.
Gharty knows it, too.
Believe me.
A fire-fighter gets an alarm.
He can't just sit on his ass.
He does that, the building burns, people fry.
- That's not a fair comparison.
- No, Someone dials 911, they expect to get help.
If not, a trust is broken.
And Gharty was there.
- And did nothing! - Come on, Al.
Are you telling me that you never once hesitated, Never thought about your wife and kids, Whether it was worth it, For a split second maybe, but not for half an hour! When it takes that long, that's the day to retire.
- One more question, Al.
- What, Now, all this other stuff aside would Russert have dinner with me, - Is the Big Man here yet, - Not yet.
Why is Bolander called the Big Man, Is he fat, Granted, Stanley Bolander is far from svelte.
He has what some might call a Brobdingnagian build.
It is not mere bulk which has earned the Big Man his title.
He is a man of magnitude.
Enormously fair, tremendously honest and a whale of a detective.
So when Stanley comes tonight, give him our best light beer, OK? I'll be back with some hors d'oeuvres.
He really misses the guy.
You think Meldrick will ever talk that way about me, Brobdingnagian, you know, find himself in a bar waxing poetic about his old partner, If the future goes as planned, the only thing he's gonna be waxing is a bright red Lamborghini.
Waterfront.
Hey, Stan, how's it goin', What, Oh, right.
Right.
Well, he's rightin' back.
I can just Yeah, OK.
You, too.
OK.
The Big Man's favourite, chicken fingers.
All right! That was the Big Man on the phone there, Munch.
- He's runnin' late, - No.
- He's not coming.
- Not coming, No.
What does that mean "not coming", He said he'd try to make it tomorrow.
Did he ask to speak to me, Look, just forget about Stan, Munch.
Drink that.
- All that stuff I said before, - Uh-huh.
I take it back.
Give me another one.
Who put a charge on a Muslim, - Detective Kellerman and Lewis.
- They're off this case.
What, Call the State's Attorney.
Get the charges against the Muslim dropped.
I don't want our people having contact with the Highland terrace security staff.
People are working on a murder case.
Muslims may be involved.
This is not a perfect world.
- It's not, - It's Baltimore.
It's not possible to be elected to office without the support of that black majority.
Politics as usual.
The Mayor's office and Council members will be all over me.
And what about Antoine Giles, the case could stay in the red forever without another word spoken.
The Muslims control their part of the city in their own fashion.
Until HUD cancels their contract.
There's growing opposition to funding the Muslims.
There's a HUD audit of security contracts under way.
We sit out the battle and win the war.
- If you insist.
- Thank you.
It's Giardello.
"Efforts to investigate the slaying "have been thwarted by political interference, "according to one ranking police commander "who asked not to be identified.
" Behold, a ranking, albeit unidentified, police commander, and a true master of the game.
Lewis, Kellerman, my office.
Uh-oh.
What's this with us being taken off the case, Politics.
I'm dealing with it.
The Muslims got that drag, I don't think the Muslims did it.
I can't see Ishmael takin' off Antoine Giles.
Why not, Drugs, violence, the project.
It's all about race to him.
I can't see him takin' a black life.
The only demons in his head are white ones.
Well, it's all academic.
We're reassigned.
No, I expect that to change shortly.
Gee.
Well, yes, sir.
Immediately, sir.
Oh, they're here.
the Disciplinary Hearing Board is now convened.
- Is Officer Stuart Gharty present, - I am.
Charges are as follows On the evening of April 10th, 1996, Officer Stuart Matthew Gharty demonstrated an unwillingness or inability to take police action.
Violation of rule one, section 19.
General order 288.
Officer Gharty was waiting in the basement when you arrived.
- How did his demeanour strike you, - Friendly.
Professional.
- Talkative.
A little nervous, I think.
- And then, He led us to the victims, gave us information, and then he left the area.
Garty excused himself.
He seemed eager to leave the crime scene.
Lieutenant, Detectives Kellerman and Lewis are reassigned to the Giles' case, and Mr Al-Hadj has assured me that in light of this morning's press, he and his colleagues are ready to cooperate.
Very good.
May I escort you to our Homicide office, - Oh, and Lieutenant.
- Yes, If I learn the source of this press leak, he will be walking foot on the outskirts of Philadelphia.
That goes without saying.
Justin Hermos was 18 years old.
Cyrus Dunham only 14.
Rundowns on the two victims show a total of 23 juvenile and adult arrests.
Both were enrolled at Westside High School where Dunham played running back.
Hermos served one year at Hickey for stabbing a police officer.
Medical intervention might have stopped Justin's bleeding in time.
The shooters represented a significant threat to Stuart Gharty's life.
He anticipated that threat.
What do we know, We've been given a complete hour-by-hour itinerary for Ishmael Al-Hadj and his crew.
They've alibied themselves nicely.
- You believe them, - Do I have a choice, - You didn't enter the building, - No.
Is it not proper procedure, in such a situation, for a solitary officer to radio for backup, - It is.
- Can you explain your decision, I was alone.
I believe to enter Boston Homes I was placing myself in physical jeopardy.
Proper procedure says call for backup, and yet you opted not to, I was shook up.
I can't remember whether I called or not.
How many calls came in on the night of April 10th, This was two nights ago, Officer.
You've already forgotten, - Like I said, I was confused.
- 2,089 calls, And what happens, Miss Browder, if two units call in at the same time on the same frequency, One call blocks the other.
I refer the board to document 1 b.
After the initial phone call, recordings from April 10th indicate no communication from Unit 124.
According to the transcript, Officer Gharty, you never requested assistance.
Does that help your memory any, On a busy night like April 10th, is it possible, if Officer Gharty did radio for backup, his request was overridden, - Yes, it's possible.
- Thank you, Miss Browder.
I have nothing further.
We tried many times to dissuade Antoine Giles from selling his narcotics in Highland terrace.
We did not, however, take his life.
But you know who did.
You know everything that happens in those towers.
You know the name of the killer.
We provide security in Highland terrace precisely because we do not deal with the police.
You will cooperate just enough so you'll get your HUD grant renewed, but not enough to help us solve the murder.
Here's the deal.
You are not off the hook until I get the killer's name.
Until then a reporter will ask for an update.
I'll say that you're still suspect.
That ought to make a HUD auditor think twice.
I will tell you and I will tell him.
But not him, an unbeliever.
- Just get the name.
- Mike He ain't goin' anywhere.
- Nothing, - Nada.
They gave us the name, but not the guy.
We better have another talk with Ishmael.
Detective Russert this is my wife, Flora, my daughter, Ellen, my grandchildren.
This is Andrew and Sarah.
Hello.
Er - I should be heading back.
- Of course.
Er Detective.
Listen, er I've been thinking a lot about those kids and their families.
I don't blame you for bringing all this about.
I don't blame myself either.
I blame the city, see.
I blame the situation, how people behave, the way cops are treated.
I didn't call for backup.
I knew that once backup came, I would have to go in.
The truth is, either way, I wasn't up to it.
Not with backup.
Not by myself.
Not in that neighbourhood.
It's like I told Flora, maybe with how things are, it's better I retire.
You should let the Board decide that, Officer Gharty.
Yeah, you're right.
I'll wait and let the Board decide.
They know the situation out there.
They'll make the call.
- So Gharty got off, - Uh-huh.
Tonight he'll be celebrating with his wife and family.
Tomorrow he'll be back on the street.
It's absurd, huh, Infuriating, Oh, who knows, Kay, I should be shocked.
I guess I should feel angry, but, I don't know, I don't.
Maybe Gharty's no worse than the rest of us.
People can't trust the police and we can't trust each other.
So who's left to rely on, - Our contract was not extended.
- I heard.
So today we are leaving the terrace.
It's yours again to police.
Or not.
I'm sorry.
Y'all were doing good work.
You helped to destroy that.
Tarred us with a murder.
You lost the contract for many reasons.
A piece of the larger plan.
Take a look at these towers.
This is the handiwork of the world's most affluent country.
This is how they want it to be.
If you had given me the name, y'all would still be here.
- We'd steer clear of the publicity.
- Have you made an arrest.
He skipped and you know it.
He could be anywhere from Queens to Kingston, and you tipped him off, huh, You made sure we found an empty apartment.
We identified the brother.
He will not be returning to Highland terrace.
- Is he alive, - Certainly.
- We believe in redemption.
- You don't want to give him to me, One black man more or less in prison will not matter.
Be for real.
You took on a responsibility to police this community! The guy threw a man off this building - a black man! I was beginning to see you as only a buckdancer.
A buckdancer, Might you be interested in making the Kalimah Shahadah, - A profession of faith, - Very good, Brother Lewis.
You should have given me that, Jake.
Salaam Aleykum, Brother Lewis.
Aleykum Salaam.
I took a little nap Woke up in the jungle I sip a little sap From the living tree trying too hard Living should be easy Don't wanna be king Of your overblown thing No, no, no, no take a little swing through the sometime jungle the bag in your drum Got nothing to say Screaming too loud talking to the people Don't wanna be chief Give me some relief took a little nap Woke up in the jungle Red tops! Got them killer reds, yo! Red tops! - Red tops, get 'em here! - Time out! Time out on Carey! Red tops! Red tops make you sparkle! Get your red tops! Red tops! Red tops! Get them killer reds!