Cold Case s06e13 Episode Script
Breaking News
The following story is fictional and does not depict any actual person or event Septenber 2,1988 Where's America's sweetheart? Everett.
Where's Everett?Has anyone seen Everett? Keep your pants on,Kravet.
I'm right here.
Well,you think I wake up looking like this? It takes time.
They want ratings,I'm giving 'em ratings.
You still eating those damn Tums? Only thing keeping me alive.
Okay,Jane,you've got the S&L thing and the rerun thing.
Little to your left,Jane.
- How's this,Clay? - Camera loves you.
Have you talked to them yet? Come on,Nathan.
Barbara Wa-Wa isn't the only one who can make celebrities cry.
Get me a special.
You won't remember my name when you sign that big contract with network,will you? - 6 5 4 3 - The adorable man who rescued me from tiny-town action news? - You kidding? - 2 - I'll talk to them.
- 1 A fire in a West Philadelphia row house claims six lives.
The Channel 7 News Team is on the ground with that story in just a moment.
And later we'll bring you the What? - We lost the teleprompter.
- Where is it? Um,the update on the Cut to commercial? Give her a second.
The story on the Bass Group's - $2 billion purchase of the Savings and Loan Association.
- Quiet,quiet,quiet.
- No,hang on - But first,what you've been waiting for.
After months of reruns due to the writer's strike,Falcon Crest, Murder She Wrote,and all your favorites are back.
The update after these messages.
All clear.
You get 'em,Jane.
- Okay.
- This ain't casual Friday.
What,are you trying out for the team mascot,Nick? Game's tonight.
You in,Scotty?Hitting Jones.
I don't do hockey.
I want to see a fight,I go to the ring.
This one's something.
Anyone remember a newscaster named Jane Everett,co-anchor at Channel 7? Jane Everett.
She was hot.
Yeah,strangled in Fairmount Park back in the '80s.
A research assistant from Channel 7 is on her way up to show us something.
Was that a tooth? Gloves are off,baby.
Tory Roberts? Channel 7.
I'm Detective Rush.
Why don't you come with me? OhI got it.
Make sure you get all her info,you know-- name,number marital status.
Said you had something to show us? An old Beta tape.
We're converting outdated formats to DVD.
I got stuck logging all the footage.
You'd give WCNU reporters a run for their money,they put you on the air.
- Going to make that jump one day.
- Yeah? So what do you got? This is Jane Everett of WCNU.
Tonight I'll be bringing you a special report.
Jane Everett.
What? Slow down.
Are you threatening me? Listen,just you did the right thing.
Just don't make any decisions tonight.
Tell me where you are.
I'll be there in 20 minutes.
Tape's got a time stamp.
November 2,1988 Everyone said her murder was this random thing, but they found the body six hours after that call.
Means Jane met her caller around midnight.
So the caller's either the last to see Or Jane's talking to her killer.
Presents Season 6 Episode 13 "Local cross-country team finds newscaster Jane Everett strangled in Fairmount Park.
" No shortage of coverage or man-hours on this one.
Story was all over the place.
People felt like they knew her.
Well,she was in their living rooms every night.
Pretty girl.
Looked great in a leotard.
Did you see that special she did on aerobics? You into aerobics,Nick? What's it to you? Don't let me catch you in a leotard.
Jane grew up in Manayunk.
Tough neighborhood.
Father was a tollbooth operator,died in '82; mom was a housewife.
Margie Everett.
Valens and Miller are talking to her now.
Only 27 years old.
- Strangled with her own scarf.
- Crime of passion.
No mention of a boyfriend.
Original theory was some perv saw an easy target.
No DNA or witnesses to discount the theory.
Abrasions,torn clothes.
She didn't go without a fight.
Lived a few blocks from the park.
Jogged there every morning at 5:00 a.
m.
before work.
are worse than ours.
She died in the same clothes she was wearing in that video: turtleneck,windbreaker.
Time of death was estimated between 2:00 and 6:00 a.
m.
Maybe she didn't go to the park for her run.
- Could have met the caller there.
- Or the caller knew she'd be there.
Tracked her down.
See what you can get from WCNU phone records.
If Jane knew her attacker,it's about time we did,too.
My daughter was a natural.
One look at her,people just fell in love.
Anything you can tell us about her personal life,Mrs.
Everett? Yeah,she didn't have one.
She spent years at stations out west.
Then she gets a job here in Philly,I still didn't get to see her.
Attractive woman like Jane must have had a boyfriend.
Well,if she did,she didn't tell me about it.
Two of you have a falling out? I left college in the middle of my junior year to have her.
I got my education from the school of Edward R.
Murrow and Walter Cronkite.
Janey and I,uh we bonded over the news when she was a little girl.
She'd even give her own broadcasts at dinner.
But by the time she died,the news wasn't the news anymore.
It was nothing but fluff,and she didn't seem to care.
Aerobics andcelebrity love lives.
That what your spat was over?Type of stories she was covering? She was co-anchoring the fourth largest market in this country.
It still wasn't enough for me.
- Hundreds of families - Janey,you're on.
are taking part in this great event.
Oh,what are you wearing? Um,it's a Halloween costume.
I got to say I think the adults are having as much fun as the kids.
- It's better than the sexy witch.
- And best of all,the proceeds go to charity.
Shaw Plastics raised $50,000 for disadvantaged kids.
It was a good cause.
More like a good advertisement.
Did Shaw Plastics pay you to cover that story? We do this kind of stuff all the time,Ma.
You give companies positive press,they buy ads.
Well,the Jane I knew dreamed of covering the presidential debates.
Mort is covering the presidential debates.
You know that.
Can't you cover them,too? Why do you always get stuck with the fluff? There's got to be something else.
Like what?The elections in Chile? Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan? Do you know what it would take to get people to watch a story about armed rebels in remote villages? Well,you don't really believe that,do you? Management made changes to improve our ratings.
I took their advice about my hair and my wardrobe,and we went up four points.
Four points for teasing your hair? I don't know how many times I have to tell you this,Ma.
It's justit's the way the business is now.
I justI don't understand why news had to stop being news.
Well,ask Nathan if you don't believe me.
We've made peace with it.
Maybe you should,too.
Janey,I'm not trying to be critical.
I know.
I've got an early morning,Ma.
I'll see you later,okay? Well The last time I saw my daughter alive and I was giving her a hard time.
Who's this Nathan she was talking about? Nathan Kravet.
He was her boss.
Well,he was her mentor,really.
They met when Janey was at Syracuse University.
Thanks for your time,Mrs.
Everett.
What I wouldn't give to see Janey on TV again,cat suit or not.
Everett was something else.
I gave a guest lecture at Syracuse her freshman year.
She sent me a story idea every week till she graduated.
They any good? Not bad,actually.
She had an eye for the angle.
Could find a story in any picture.
Where'd the cat suit fit in? By the time I hired her at WCNU,things were changing.
What qualified as news was anything that got ratings.
Including cute newsgirls? Before Reagan took office,stations had to serve the public,present balanced reports.
Hell,there were even limits on the amount of ads.
Reagan relaxed all the rules.
Relaxed is right.
Looks more like a vacation than reporting.
Company retreats.
Better ratings meant better profits.
Better profits meant better corporate retreats.
Any idea who might have been threatening Jane the night she died? No idea.
It wasn't like she was breaking Watergate.
Uh,I think her last story was about mall walkers.
You see her that night? I was holed up in my office on the third floor.
Jane was on the first,so no.
Did she always work till midnight? Evening news wrapped at Public persona like that,she ever attract the wrong kind of attention? Far as I knew,everyone loved her.
After a year at WCNU,she was getting more fan mail than the seasoned reporters.
Any of those seasoned reporters have a problem with that? There's one person who comes to mind.
The crime has left two people dead and an entire neighborhood devastated.
It's yet another casualty of the crack epidemic here in the Philly in,in the city of Ph In other news,he's this year's Sexiest Man Alive.
JFK,Junior.
So who made his list of sexiest women? We'll have the story after this.
All clear.
Last I checked,I was the lead anchor.
- I was trying to help you.
- You help by letting me finish the damn story.
It's called a transition.
Or don't they teach that in journalism school anymore? Take it easy,Mort.
She's doing her job.
You're the one who hired this amateur bubblehead newsreader.
As opposed to a pompous has-been? Hey,I was here before you,sweetie; I'll be here after.
- Ten,nine,eight,seven,six - Have you checked with management on that? - You bet against me,sweetheart,and I'll crush you - .
five,four three,two.
An update on a story from yesterday: the President has stated that his position will not change in spite of what Congress has proposed on the latest energy bill WCNU went from worst to first that year and there was only one reason: Jane Everett.
Mort knew it? His low-grade insecurity became full-blown paranoia.
Called me all hours of the night trying to get her fired.
Why not get rid of him instead? Thought about it.
Till he won a Peabody for his coverage of Jane's murder.
Bought himself another So I get this Bobby Badass in the squad car.
Thinks I'm hauling him down to PPD till he realizes,we're heading in the wrong direction.
The kid starts freaking out 'cause we're going into 29th Street territory.
- The rival gang? - Yeah.
He's begging us to turn around,and I'm talking to my partner about stopping for doughnuts.
Kid wets his pants,tells us everything.
That'd make a great segment.
Well,there's more where that came from.
How are things going? Jane Everett case? Stick aroundand I'll let you know.
Scratch my back,I'll scratch yours? Sounds good to me.
Hey,take that off,would ya? - What? - Looks like you're about to take flight.
Check out Casanova with that hottie from Channel 7.
Back in the saddle.
Excuse me.
What up,fellas? Rush dug up some dirt on Mort Ackerson.
Jane lodged a formal complaint against him with the WCNU Human Resources,October 18,'88.
That's two weeks before she's killed.
It said Mort showed up at her shoots,was following her to interviews and press conferences.
All right,Tory says the guy's a real tool.
Got serious issues working with the ladies.
Eat it,Zaretsky! That's gonna be better than the game.
Well,last I checked,this was a cop bar.
Is that the best you can do? - Newsroom Barbie? - Oh,damn it,Frankie.
What?I like hockey.
Your husband like hockey too? Admit it.
What? You're trying to make me jealous.
You're the one came here.
So,maybe it's working.
You know,you're not the only woman in the world.
Right now I am.
I should go.
Yeah,you should.
Come on.
Let's get out of here.
***I'm Detective Rush.
I don't normally do this,but you think I could have your autograph? Well,sure.
Call me Mort.
It's for my auntie.
Sign it "Dear Edie,see you in 50 to life.
" You think I hurt Jane Everett?Is that what this is all about? Convince me otherwise.
I always thought it was innocent until proven guilty.
Remember what happened to your ratings after Jane was murdered,Mort? I didn't pay attention to ratings.
They went up.
Or maybe it's 'cause of the Peabody Award I won? For covering Jane's murder.
You ever show up at her shoots? - No.
- Call her at home? No.
Oh,Jane's Human Resources file.
But I guess you already know about the complaint she filed against you.
So I wasn't her biggest fan.
But that girl didn't know her place.
That's the Shaw Plastics fundraiser,isn't it? Who's that fighting? David Wyatt.
He's their PR guy,isn't he? Doesn't make sense.
They take care of their employees.
Tell it to that guy.
Mandatory drug testing? Don't you think I know what that's about? My family has given Would you keep your voice down? Hey,look,I just want some answers,all right?! We both know I'm entitled to ask for a lot more than that.
Something's going on here.
So,what do you think,you're some kind of breaking news reporter all of a sudden? Why don't you go bother that new intern you've been circling,huh? Piece of advice,sweetheart? Stick to putting on your lipstick and smiling pretty for the camera.
And upstage you? Never.
She was investigating a story.
I was wondering about that myself.
But if there was a story there,Jane wasn't getting it.
She reported me to Human Resources the next morning.
She was just mad 'cause she didn't have what it took.
I was the one people trusted.
Where was that house located? Corner of 4th andLehigh? Where were you the night Jane died? I caught up with that new intern.
Rhonda Stewart.
Gonna need her number.
No problem.
I'm sure she'll remember.
Boss,got the phone records from WCNU.
Call to Jane's extension at 11:46 was local.
So there was no way to trace it back that far.
What about her reporter's notebook? Station cleaned out her office back when.
Mort Ackerson's alibi check out? Uh,Rhonda the intern.
Big producer over at WIXA now.
Uh,she vouched for him.
Mort's lucky day.
Canvassed the block of 4th and Lehigh.
Guy who lived in the corner house moved in '89.
Name's Evan Briggs.
Neighbor said he worked at Shaw Plastics with his wife.
Left the neighborhood after she died.
Where is he now? Meijers Plastics bought Shaw,December '88.
Lot of red tape getting to his personnel file.
See if ADA Bell can help with the warrant.
Sounds like this Briggs had real issues with Jane.
I,uh,think you got something of mine.
Something of yours? You sure? I'm sure.
Let me,uh,see what I can dig up.
Yeah,you do that.
Detectives,I'm Andrew Powers,CEO.
I was hoping to join your meeting, but,uh,I'm sure David can help you with whatever you need.
I'm David Wyatt.
Public Relations.
I understand you have some questions concerning a former employee,Evan Briggs? Two of you had some kind of altercation back in '88? That was a long time ago.
In fact,it didn't ring any bells until I pulled the file.
I'd only been with the company a few months.
What does this have to do with Jane Everett's murder? Can I see that file? Yes.
He was terminated for failing to pass a mandatory drug test.
I don't see any prior infractions,previous 21 years? We didn't start the testing until '88.
He could've been coming to work high every day.
We would never have known.
Meijers bought Shaw Plastics later on that year,right? Drug testing a precursor to the buyout? Did make sense,I mean,you'd want to get rid of the deadbeats first.
Well,drill it down,and yes,a guy like Evan Briggs was bad for business.
Shaw Plastics is a family corporation.
No room for drug use.
Family corporation?It's a funny way of putting it.
Sometimes we had to use a little tough love.
Jane Everett ever contact you about this "tough love" program? Uh,no.
Well,she ever talk to you about Briggs? Ms.
Everett covered a few fundraisers for us.
That's all.
Now,if you will excuse me,I do have some business I need to attend to.
Thanks for your time.
Oh,we're holding on to this.
Drill it down.
Guy's a schmuck.
Hey,I gotta swing by Channel 7.
See if they got more Jane Everett tapes.
You wanna come with?Hit Geno's after? Oh,you mean 'cause you don't wanna go to Channel 7 alone after you ditched that girl at the bar last night? What are you talking about? Leave me out of it.
Nope! Look who's back.
Yeah,Tory,listen on-the-line guys needed help with a bust over in Fishtown.
I wanted to tell you,but this kind of thing goes down quick and Your on-the-line guys always wear pencil skirts? Yeah,right,well,actually,that girl,she's an associate of the undercover unit.
Hmm,you know what?Next time something "goes down' I get a call for the exclusive.
Deal.
So,where do you want to start? Are these the tapes? Every tape Jane ever made.
So,you were Jane's cameraman? I knew Jane better than anyone.
Best angle,best lights.
Sounds intimate.
Nature of the job.
You two ever get involved? Wouldn't have minded.
But she was busy climbing the ladder.
She ever mention a story involving a plastics factory,Shaw Plastics? We covered a fundraiser for them once.
Jane saw something.
She had me film a couple of guys arguing while she pretended to talk to fans.
Was this man one of them? Yeah,he was arguing with a guy.
Looked like his boss,maybe.
Ever see him giving Jane any trouble? Yeah.
A couple of nights later,we were shooting B-roll at an aerobics class.
She wanted to go by his house.
But he definitely wasn't expecting us.
MR.
Briggs?Are you home? What the hell are you doing back here again? MR.
Briggs,the door was open; I thought you heard us.
I already told you,I got nothing to say.
Now that drug test was a lie.
Now,get before I call the cops! Please,I just want to talk to you,help figure things out.
Maybe that is what the test picked up.
Percocet? - You get out of here with that thing! - Easy,buddy! Wait outside,Clay.
I have done some research,and I think I can help you.
Look,I ain't going to ask you again.
Now,get out.
I don't know what that story was about,but whatever it was pissed that guy off.
You didn't think that might've had something to do with Jane's murder? Hotheads like him made good TV.
Way reporters earned their stripes.
******** Evan Briggs?Philadelphia Homicide.
Like to ask you a few questions.
What kind of questions? Kind about Jane Everett.
Got nothing to say.
You want to talk to us for an hour or talk to a grand jury for six? Your choice.
Briggs?Briggs?Run! Hey,don't hurt him,you hear?! Control the dog or the next one has his name on it.
Saw your brand of hospitality,Briggs.
Jane Everett come at you too many times,get the same treatment? I didn't hurt that reporter.
You were in a hell of a situation back in '88.
Lost your job,your wife Life was in a tailspin.
Jane found out you got terminated,threatened to make your life even worse by exposing your drug use.
Couldn't get worse.
Not when they took my health insurance.
Not when they took my house.
Had to sting.
Jane throwing you under a bus just to break a story.
Don't you get it? Story wasn't about me.
It was about my wife.
We worked at the factory together till she got cancer.
Jane knew who was to blame for her getting sick.
MR.
Briggs.
You scared me.
She's gone.
My wife.
Doctors said it was coming,but You don't want to believe.
I'm sorry.
Uh,what you were talking about? I'm listening.
I spoke to the pharmacist you go to about the Percocet you're taking for your cough.
She said you're not the only one from the factory taking it.
- So? - I met with a doctor.
Told him the tubing that Shaw manufactures is reinforced with asbestos.
He said the tests are just being confirmed,but a lot of people are saying that asbestos is bad.
Said it's probably what caused your wife's cancer.
They knew? There are others.
Doctor gave Peggy Foster four months this morning.
She's even younger than my wife.
Cliff Schuster.
Len Turner All right.
what do you want to do? I want to take them on.
Take on Shaw Plastics?Yeah.
Anyone opens their mouth,company will cut 'em off at the ankles.
They'll take their health insurance.
That's all those people got.
You do nothing,the company gets away with murder.
Hey,my word ain't going to mean squat against those suits.
That's why I found someone to back us up.
- An insider.
- Someone from Shaw? He agreed to go on camera,admit that Shaw knew their employees were being exposed to asbestos and covered it up.
- I'm going to film him tonight.
- Then what? Then I bring it to my boss and we break the story tomorrow.
Prime time.
Wait,your boss knows about this? Gonna tell him tonight.
He will stand by us.
- Ms.
Everett,uh - Jane.
These,uh,men they play dirty,and they ain't gonna stop at me.
So why are you doing this? What kind of a reporter would I be if I didn't? She ever tell you who this insider was? No idea.
Guys in management were cronies.
Can't imagine any one of them sticking a neck out.
Morning Jane died,where were you? Cleaning toilets in Center City.
Worked the midnight shift at the Atco Building after the factory canned me.
At least until I got sick.
You,too? Been in remission twice.
Don't think there'll be a third.
When my wife got diagnosed,would've given anything to be the one going through it.
Guess my prayers have been answered.
"You did the right thing.
Don't make any decisions tonight.
" Got to be this insider who called her that night.
Well,Jane wanted to broadcast the interview the next day.
Guy was trying to undo what he'd already done.
So if Jane recorded the interview,where's the tape? Well,it definitely ain't at WCNU.
I screened every tape Jane ever touched.
Could've brought it home with her.
That's what I would've done.
Who packed up Jane's house? Here are the rest of them.
Been in there for years.
Just couldn't bring myself to throw anything away.
Did Jane ever tell you about the last story she was working on? Was,um,something about people walking in malls for exercise,wasn't it? Lil,I got something.
November 2,1988.
A day before she died.
People deserve to know the truth about what's happening to them.
Why it's happening.
People are dying.
The people you're referring to are employees of Shaw Plastics? Factory workers.
They're being exposed to a dangerous toxin called asbestos.
How do you know this? Because I have the memo.
Shaw Plastics was aware of the effects of asbestos.
Can you explain what that means exactly? Well,if you drill it down,it means the company knew asbestos was causing cancer.
And instead of doing anything about it,they covered it up.
means exactly? Well,if you drill it down,it means the company knew There's our smoking gun.
That spin doctor,Wyatt.
Bad PR from a big,fat liar.
Like to see him spin this.
What'd you talk about,last time you saw Jane? A few fundraisers.
I told you,I-I barely knew her.
That what you called her about at 11:46 p.
m.
night before she was killed?"Fundraiser"? Shaw Plastics was knowingly harming people.
Company falsified the results of mandatory drug tests to flush out anyone who opened their mouth.
And you knew about it.
The thing is,21 years later,you're still working there.
- What's that make you? - This is ridiculous.
You people don't know what you're talking about.
explain what that means exactly? Well,if you drill it down,it means the company knew asbestos was causing cancer.
And instead of doing anything about it,they covered it up.
Gonna ask again.
What were you calling about night before she died? I didn't kill her.
"You did the right thing.
Don't make any decisions tonight.
" Got your conversation on tape.
You drill it down,she was trying to warm your cold feet.
Interview never aired.
You changed your mind and got rid of her to cover it up.
I'll be there in 20 minutes.
She was going to meet you; makes you the last to see her alive.
I was trying to help those people who were getting sick.
I tried.
I really did.
And then I thought about what the company would do.
Intimidation,blacklists - People's lives get ruined.
- Lives did get ruined.
It takes courage being a whistle-blower.
Heavy lifting for a schmuck like you.
Family corporation and all.
I thought I could talk her out of it.
I shouldn't have talked to you.
I want you to destroy the tape.
I gave Briggs my word,David.
Look,what the company is doing is wrong.
- That-that's not the issue.
- So what is? What are they going to do to us when they find out? Once the story's out,Shaw can't touch us.
Everyone will know the truth.
Don't back out on us,David.
Every minute we sit here someone else gets sick.
Tell me you're with me.
All right.
For every one of those people thank you.
I called Powers.
Bastard was sailing in the Cayman Islands.
You told him about Jane? The interview you gave her? I thought he'd fire me.
Instead I got promoted.
Keeping his enemies closer.
You keep your 401k and Jane ends up dead.
You sleep at night? I asked him to fix the problem so that more people would not get sick.
What'd he say he was going to do about it? He said all he had to do was call the station and the story would disappear.
No wonder he didn't stick around last time we met.
Andrew Powers? Remember that asbestos scandal you covered up back in '88? Looks like it's making a comeback.
Got stock in the company,might want to call your broker.
Insider information tip.
- ** - I'll meet you at the restaurant.
What do you want? We're thinking you're a conspirator to the murder of Jane Everett.
Murder? I didn't touch that girl.
I was in the Cayman Islands.
We know.
You called someone at WCNU from your house a few hours before Jane showed up dead.
Got the phone records to prove it.
You tell us who you called,maybe the conspiracy goes away.
I only wanted to kill a story.
Never intended for anyone to get hurt.
We'll let the jury decide that.
All we want is a name.
You friends with Andrew Powers,Nathan? Station covered a few Shaw fundraisers,but,uh,no,I didn't know him personally.
Think of any reason why he might've been calling your extension at WCNU from his house in the Cayman Islands? Corporate bigwigs liked throwing their weight around, bitching about a story,so sometimes they'd call.
This particular conversation happened at 1:15 in the morning, few hours before Jane was killed.
Probably had some idea he wanted the station to cover.
Looked into your financials,Nathan.
- Yeah? - You bought stock in Shaw Plastics two weeks before Meijers bought the company.
Stroke of genius made you a millionaire overnight.
What can I say?I had a good broker.
It was the '80s.
Guys like Powers were making millions and you wanted a piece of the pie.
Nothing wrong with free enterprise.
Except there was nothing "free" about it.
The stock tip came with strings attached.
Powers was calling you that night because he wanted a story to go away.
And he was right.
Jane had no business taking that interview.
No,David Wyatt was no scientist.
I mean,you had taught her better than that,letting her heart lead a story.
It's called journalistic integrity.
You don't just take the word of some PR hack.
How'd you know about that interview? What? The one Jane had with David Wyatt,that "PR hack"? Did Powers tell you about it? Orwas it Jane? I would never hurt Jane.
She was almost like a daughter to you.
- She was.
- Sending you those stories every week.
Coming to work for me.
But she was still holding onto something.
What,what was that you called it? - Journalistic - Integrity.
Wasn't as simple for you.
You had suits to answer to.
Ratings to get.
Hard not getting swept up in the bonuses,the kickbacks The business demanded it.
It was sink or swim.
You just wanted that tape.
- Simple request.
- That's all I wanted.
But Jane refused.
She knew that if she gave it to me we'd both be lost.
Nathan?What are you doing here? I've beenI've been trying to reach you all night.
I thought it was timeto take care of this.
So what'd you want to talk to me about? I know I asked for a celebrity special, but I have a story.
I have a real story.
The kind that we used to talk about at Syracuse.
Tell me.
Employees at Shaw Plastics are getting sick.
I found an executive who admitted management knew they were being exposed to asbestos, a toxin that causes cancer.
I got him on tape reading the memo.
Jane Everett, you cracked a story.
We break the story.
I mean,employees get a chance at getting their compensation.
They get they get their medical bills paid.
Right.
So,uh,where is it? - Where's what? - The tape.
- It's in a safe place.
- Great.
I'll need to vet it with,uh,legal first.
Legal? No,these people don't have that kind of time,Nathan.
We're exposed on this.
Shaw could take us to the cleaners.
We need to be responsible to our advertisers and to corporate sponsors.
Then I'll take it to another station.
Are you kidding me?We'll lose our jobs.
Be sued for slander.
This isn't college, Jane.
This is business.
Now what's it going to take for you to see that? One million.
I always knew you were smart,Everett.
A million it is.
Wait.
Hey.
Where you going? You were the one who lectured me about ethics! Come on,Jane.
News isn't news anymore.
You love it just as much as anybody.
- The ratings,the attention.
- No.
Not anymore! - Come here! - Just stay away from me! - Get over here! - Stay away from me! Give me the damn tape! No! Stop! * Shout Shout * * Let it all out * * These are the things I can do without * * Come on * * I'm talking to you * * Come on * * In violent times * * You shouldn't have to sell your soul * * In black and white * * They really, really ought to know * * Those one-track minds * * That took you for a working boy * Kiss them good-bye * * You shouldn't have to jump for joy * * You shouldn't have to jump * * Shout Shout For joy Let it all out * Let it all out * * These are the things I can do without * * Come on * * I'm talking to you * * Come on * * They gave you life * * And in return you gave them hell * * As cold as ice * * I hope we live to tell the tale * * I hope we live to tell Shout Shout The tale * * Let it all out * * These are the things I can do without * * Come on * * I'm talking to you * * Come on *
Where's Everett?Has anyone seen Everett? Keep your pants on,Kravet.
I'm right here.
Well,you think I wake up looking like this? It takes time.
They want ratings,I'm giving 'em ratings.
You still eating those damn Tums? Only thing keeping me alive.
Okay,Jane,you've got the S&L thing and the rerun thing.
Little to your left,Jane.
- How's this,Clay? - Camera loves you.
Have you talked to them yet? Come on,Nathan.
Barbara Wa-Wa isn't the only one who can make celebrities cry.
Get me a special.
You won't remember my name when you sign that big contract with network,will you? - 6 5 4 3 - The adorable man who rescued me from tiny-town action news? - You kidding? - 2 - I'll talk to them.
- 1 A fire in a West Philadelphia row house claims six lives.
The Channel 7 News Team is on the ground with that story in just a moment.
And later we'll bring you the What? - We lost the teleprompter.
- Where is it? Um,the update on the Cut to commercial? Give her a second.
The story on the Bass Group's - $2 billion purchase of the Savings and Loan Association.
- Quiet,quiet,quiet.
- No,hang on - But first,what you've been waiting for.
After months of reruns due to the writer's strike,Falcon Crest, Murder She Wrote,and all your favorites are back.
The update after these messages.
All clear.
You get 'em,Jane.
- Okay.
- This ain't casual Friday.
What,are you trying out for the team mascot,Nick? Game's tonight.
You in,Scotty?Hitting Jones.
I don't do hockey.
I want to see a fight,I go to the ring.
This one's something.
Anyone remember a newscaster named Jane Everett,co-anchor at Channel 7? Jane Everett.
She was hot.
Yeah,strangled in Fairmount Park back in the '80s.
A research assistant from Channel 7 is on her way up to show us something.
Was that a tooth? Gloves are off,baby.
Tory Roberts? Channel 7.
I'm Detective Rush.
Why don't you come with me? OhI got it.
Make sure you get all her info,you know-- name,number marital status.
Said you had something to show us? An old Beta tape.
We're converting outdated formats to DVD.
I got stuck logging all the footage.
You'd give WCNU reporters a run for their money,they put you on the air.
- Going to make that jump one day.
- Yeah? So what do you got? This is Jane Everett of WCNU.
Tonight I'll be bringing you a special report.
Jane Everett.
What? Slow down.
Are you threatening me? Listen,just you did the right thing.
Just don't make any decisions tonight.
Tell me where you are.
I'll be there in 20 minutes.
Tape's got a time stamp.
November 2,1988 Everyone said her murder was this random thing, but they found the body six hours after that call.
Means Jane met her caller around midnight.
So the caller's either the last to see Or Jane's talking to her killer.
Presents Season 6 Episode 13 "Local cross-country team finds newscaster Jane Everett strangled in Fairmount Park.
" No shortage of coverage or man-hours on this one.
Story was all over the place.
People felt like they knew her.
Well,she was in their living rooms every night.
Pretty girl.
Looked great in a leotard.
Did you see that special she did on aerobics? You into aerobics,Nick? What's it to you? Don't let me catch you in a leotard.
Jane grew up in Manayunk.
Tough neighborhood.
Father was a tollbooth operator,died in '82; mom was a housewife.
Margie Everett.
Valens and Miller are talking to her now.
Only 27 years old.
- Strangled with her own scarf.
- Crime of passion.
No mention of a boyfriend.
Original theory was some perv saw an easy target.
No DNA or witnesses to discount the theory.
Abrasions,torn clothes.
She didn't go without a fight.
Lived a few blocks from the park.
Jogged there every morning at 5:00 a.
m.
before work.
are worse than ours.
She died in the same clothes she was wearing in that video: turtleneck,windbreaker.
Time of death was estimated between 2:00 and 6:00 a.
m.
Maybe she didn't go to the park for her run.
- Could have met the caller there.
- Or the caller knew she'd be there.
Tracked her down.
See what you can get from WCNU phone records.
If Jane knew her attacker,it's about time we did,too.
My daughter was a natural.
One look at her,people just fell in love.
Anything you can tell us about her personal life,Mrs.
Everett? Yeah,she didn't have one.
She spent years at stations out west.
Then she gets a job here in Philly,I still didn't get to see her.
Attractive woman like Jane must have had a boyfriend.
Well,if she did,she didn't tell me about it.
Two of you have a falling out? I left college in the middle of my junior year to have her.
I got my education from the school of Edward R.
Murrow and Walter Cronkite.
Janey and I,uh we bonded over the news when she was a little girl.
She'd even give her own broadcasts at dinner.
But by the time she died,the news wasn't the news anymore.
It was nothing but fluff,and she didn't seem to care.
Aerobics andcelebrity love lives.
That what your spat was over?Type of stories she was covering? She was co-anchoring the fourth largest market in this country.
It still wasn't enough for me.
- Hundreds of families - Janey,you're on.
are taking part in this great event.
Oh,what are you wearing? Um,it's a Halloween costume.
I got to say I think the adults are having as much fun as the kids.
- It's better than the sexy witch.
- And best of all,the proceeds go to charity.
Shaw Plastics raised $50,000 for disadvantaged kids.
It was a good cause.
More like a good advertisement.
Did Shaw Plastics pay you to cover that story? We do this kind of stuff all the time,Ma.
You give companies positive press,they buy ads.
Well,the Jane I knew dreamed of covering the presidential debates.
Mort is covering the presidential debates.
You know that.
Can't you cover them,too? Why do you always get stuck with the fluff? There's got to be something else.
Like what?The elections in Chile? Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan? Do you know what it would take to get people to watch a story about armed rebels in remote villages? Well,you don't really believe that,do you? Management made changes to improve our ratings.
I took their advice about my hair and my wardrobe,and we went up four points.
Four points for teasing your hair? I don't know how many times I have to tell you this,Ma.
It's justit's the way the business is now.
I justI don't understand why news had to stop being news.
Well,ask Nathan if you don't believe me.
We've made peace with it.
Maybe you should,too.
Janey,I'm not trying to be critical.
I know.
I've got an early morning,Ma.
I'll see you later,okay? Well The last time I saw my daughter alive and I was giving her a hard time.
Who's this Nathan she was talking about? Nathan Kravet.
He was her boss.
Well,he was her mentor,really.
They met when Janey was at Syracuse University.
Thanks for your time,Mrs.
Everett.
What I wouldn't give to see Janey on TV again,cat suit or not.
Everett was something else.
I gave a guest lecture at Syracuse her freshman year.
She sent me a story idea every week till she graduated.
They any good? Not bad,actually.
She had an eye for the angle.
Could find a story in any picture.
Where'd the cat suit fit in? By the time I hired her at WCNU,things were changing.
What qualified as news was anything that got ratings.
Including cute newsgirls? Before Reagan took office,stations had to serve the public,present balanced reports.
Hell,there were even limits on the amount of ads.
Reagan relaxed all the rules.
Relaxed is right.
Looks more like a vacation than reporting.
Company retreats.
Better ratings meant better profits.
Better profits meant better corporate retreats.
Any idea who might have been threatening Jane the night she died? No idea.
It wasn't like she was breaking Watergate.
Uh,I think her last story was about mall walkers.
You see her that night? I was holed up in my office on the third floor.
Jane was on the first,so no.
Did she always work till midnight? Evening news wrapped at Public persona like that,she ever attract the wrong kind of attention? Far as I knew,everyone loved her.
After a year at WCNU,she was getting more fan mail than the seasoned reporters.
Any of those seasoned reporters have a problem with that? There's one person who comes to mind.
The crime has left two people dead and an entire neighborhood devastated.
It's yet another casualty of the crack epidemic here in the Philly in,in the city of Ph In other news,he's this year's Sexiest Man Alive.
JFK,Junior.
So who made his list of sexiest women? We'll have the story after this.
All clear.
Last I checked,I was the lead anchor.
- I was trying to help you.
- You help by letting me finish the damn story.
It's called a transition.
Or don't they teach that in journalism school anymore? Take it easy,Mort.
She's doing her job.
You're the one who hired this amateur bubblehead newsreader.
As opposed to a pompous has-been? Hey,I was here before you,sweetie; I'll be here after.
- Ten,nine,eight,seven,six - Have you checked with management on that? - You bet against me,sweetheart,and I'll crush you - .
five,four three,two.
An update on a story from yesterday: the President has stated that his position will not change in spite of what Congress has proposed on the latest energy bill WCNU went from worst to first that year and there was only one reason: Jane Everett.
Mort knew it? His low-grade insecurity became full-blown paranoia.
Called me all hours of the night trying to get her fired.
Why not get rid of him instead? Thought about it.
Till he won a Peabody for his coverage of Jane's murder.
Bought himself another So I get this Bobby Badass in the squad car.
Thinks I'm hauling him down to PPD till he realizes,we're heading in the wrong direction.
The kid starts freaking out 'cause we're going into 29th Street territory.
- The rival gang? - Yeah.
He's begging us to turn around,and I'm talking to my partner about stopping for doughnuts.
Kid wets his pants,tells us everything.
That'd make a great segment.
Well,there's more where that came from.
How are things going? Jane Everett case? Stick aroundand I'll let you know.
Scratch my back,I'll scratch yours? Sounds good to me.
Hey,take that off,would ya? - What? - Looks like you're about to take flight.
Check out Casanova with that hottie from Channel 7.
Back in the saddle.
Excuse me.
What up,fellas? Rush dug up some dirt on Mort Ackerson.
Jane lodged a formal complaint against him with the WCNU Human Resources,October 18,'88.
That's two weeks before she's killed.
It said Mort showed up at her shoots,was following her to interviews and press conferences.
All right,Tory says the guy's a real tool.
Got serious issues working with the ladies.
Eat it,Zaretsky! That's gonna be better than the game.
Well,last I checked,this was a cop bar.
Is that the best you can do? - Newsroom Barbie? - Oh,damn it,Frankie.
What?I like hockey.
Your husband like hockey too? Admit it.
What? You're trying to make me jealous.
You're the one came here.
So,maybe it's working.
You know,you're not the only woman in the world.
Right now I am.
I should go.
Yeah,you should.
Come on.
Let's get out of here.
***I'm Detective Rush.
I don't normally do this,but you think I could have your autograph? Well,sure.
Call me Mort.
It's for my auntie.
Sign it "Dear Edie,see you in 50 to life.
" You think I hurt Jane Everett?Is that what this is all about? Convince me otherwise.
I always thought it was innocent until proven guilty.
Remember what happened to your ratings after Jane was murdered,Mort? I didn't pay attention to ratings.
They went up.
Or maybe it's 'cause of the Peabody Award I won? For covering Jane's murder.
You ever show up at her shoots? - No.
- Call her at home? No.
Oh,Jane's Human Resources file.
But I guess you already know about the complaint she filed against you.
So I wasn't her biggest fan.
But that girl didn't know her place.
That's the Shaw Plastics fundraiser,isn't it? Who's that fighting? David Wyatt.
He's their PR guy,isn't he? Doesn't make sense.
They take care of their employees.
Tell it to that guy.
Mandatory drug testing? Don't you think I know what that's about? My family has given Would you keep your voice down? Hey,look,I just want some answers,all right?! We both know I'm entitled to ask for a lot more than that.
Something's going on here.
So,what do you think,you're some kind of breaking news reporter all of a sudden? Why don't you go bother that new intern you've been circling,huh? Piece of advice,sweetheart? Stick to putting on your lipstick and smiling pretty for the camera.
And upstage you? Never.
She was investigating a story.
I was wondering about that myself.
But if there was a story there,Jane wasn't getting it.
She reported me to Human Resources the next morning.
She was just mad 'cause she didn't have what it took.
I was the one people trusted.
Where was that house located? Corner of 4th andLehigh? Where were you the night Jane died? I caught up with that new intern.
Rhonda Stewart.
Gonna need her number.
No problem.
I'm sure she'll remember.
Boss,got the phone records from WCNU.
Call to Jane's extension at 11:46 was local.
So there was no way to trace it back that far.
What about her reporter's notebook? Station cleaned out her office back when.
Mort Ackerson's alibi check out? Uh,Rhonda the intern.
Big producer over at WIXA now.
Uh,she vouched for him.
Mort's lucky day.
Canvassed the block of 4th and Lehigh.
Guy who lived in the corner house moved in '89.
Name's Evan Briggs.
Neighbor said he worked at Shaw Plastics with his wife.
Left the neighborhood after she died.
Where is he now? Meijers Plastics bought Shaw,December '88.
Lot of red tape getting to his personnel file.
See if ADA Bell can help with the warrant.
Sounds like this Briggs had real issues with Jane.
I,uh,think you got something of mine.
Something of yours? You sure? I'm sure.
Let me,uh,see what I can dig up.
Yeah,you do that.
Detectives,I'm Andrew Powers,CEO.
I was hoping to join your meeting, but,uh,I'm sure David can help you with whatever you need.
I'm David Wyatt.
Public Relations.
I understand you have some questions concerning a former employee,Evan Briggs? Two of you had some kind of altercation back in '88? That was a long time ago.
In fact,it didn't ring any bells until I pulled the file.
I'd only been with the company a few months.
What does this have to do with Jane Everett's murder? Can I see that file? Yes.
He was terminated for failing to pass a mandatory drug test.
I don't see any prior infractions,previous 21 years? We didn't start the testing until '88.
He could've been coming to work high every day.
We would never have known.
Meijers bought Shaw Plastics later on that year,right? Drug testing a precursor to the buyout? Did make sense,I mean,you'd want to get rid of the deadbeats first.
Well,drill it down,and yes,a guy like Evan Briggs was bad for business.
Shaw Plastics is a family corporation.
No room for drug use.
Family corporation?It's a funny way of putting it.
Sometimes we had to use a little tough love.
Jane Everett ever contact you about this "tough love" program? Uh,no.
Well,she ever talk to you about Briggs? Ms.
Everett covered a few fundraisers for us.
That's all.
Now,if you will excuse me,I do have some business I need to attend to.
Thanks for your time.
Oh,we're holding on to this.
Drill it down.
Guy's a schmuck.
Hey,I gotta swing by Channel 7.
See if they got more Jane Everett tapes.
You wanna come with?Hit Geno's after? Oh,you mean 'cause you don't wanna go to Channel 7 alone after you ditched that girl at the bar last night? What are you talking about? Leave me out of it.
Nope! Look who's back.
Yeah,Tory,listen on-the-line guys needed help with a bust over in Fishtown.
I wanted to tell you,but this kind of thing goes down quick and Your on-the-line guys always wear pencil skirts? Yeah,right,well,actually,that girl,she's an associate of the undercover unit.
Hmm,you know what?Next time something "goes down' I get a call for the exclusive.
Deal.
So,where do you want to start? Are these the tapes? Every tape Jane ever made.
So,you were Jane's cameraman? I knew Jane better than anyone.
Best angle,best lights.
Sounds intimate.
Nature of the job.
You two ever get involved? Wouldn't have minded.
But she was busy climbing the ladder.
She ever mention a story involving a plastics factory,Shaw Plastics? We covered a fundraiser for them once.
Jane saw something.
She had me film a couple of guys arguing while she pretended to talk to fans.
Was this man one of them? Yeah,he was arguing with a guy.
Looked like his boss,maybe.
Ever see him giving Jane any trouble? Yeah.
A couple of nights later,we were shooting B-roll at an aerobics class.
She wanted to go by his house.
But he definitely wasn't expecting us.
MR.
Briggs?Are you home? What the hell are you doing back here again? MR.
Briggs,the door was open; I thought you heard us.
I already told you,I got nothing to say.
Now that drug test was a lie.
Now,get before I call the cops! Please,I just want to talk to you,help figure things out.
Maybe that is what the test picked up.
Percocet? - You get out of here with that thing! - Easy,buddy! Wait outside,Clay.
I have done some research,and I think I can help you.
Look,I ain't going to ask you again.
Now,get out.
I don't know what that story was about,but whatever it was pissed that guy off.
You didn't think that might've had something to do with Jane's murder? Hotheads like him made good TV.
Way reporters earned their stripes.
******** Evan Briggs?Philadelphia Homicide.
Like to ask you a few questions.
What kind of questions? Kind about Jane Everett.
Got nothing to say.
You want to talk to us for an hour or talk to a grand jury for six? Your choice.
Briggs?Briggs?Run! Hey,don't hurt him,you hear?! Control the dog or the next one has his name on it.
Saw your brand of hospitality,Briggs.
Jane Everett come at you too many times,get the same treatment? I didn't hurt that reporter.
You were in a hell of a situation back in '88.
Lost your job,your wife Life was in a tailspin.
Jane found out you got terminated,threatened to make your life even worse by exposing your drug use.
Couldn't get worse.
Not when they took my health insurance.
Not when they took my house.
Had to sting.
Jane throwing you under a bus just to break a story.
Don't you get it? Story wasn't about me.
It was about my wife.
We worked at the factory together till she got cancer.
Jane knew who was to blame for her getting sick.
MR.
Briggs.
You scared me.
She's gone.
My wife.
Doctors said it was coming,but You don't want to believe.
I'm sorry.
Uh,what you were talking about? I'm listening.
I spoke to the pharmacist you go to about the Percocet you're taking for your cough.
She said you're not the only one from the factory taking it.
- So? - I met with a doctor.
Told him the tubing that Shaw manufactures is reinforced with asbestos.
He said the tests are just being confirmed,but a lot of people are saying that asbestos is bad.
Said it's probably what caused your wife's cancer.
They knew? There are others.
Doctor gave Peggy Foster four months this morning.
She's even younger than my wife.
Cliff Schuster.
Len Turner All right.
what do you want to do? I want to take them on.
Take on Shaw Plastics?Yeah.
Anyone opens their mouth,company will cut 'em off at the ankles.
They'll take their health insurance.
That's all those people got.
You do nothing,the company gets away with murder.
Hey,my word ain't going to mean squat against those suits.
That's why I found someone to back us up.
- An insider.
- Someone from Shaw? He agreed to go on camera,admit that Shaw knew their employees were being exposed to asbestos and covered it up.
- I'm going to film him tonight.
- Then what? Then I bring it to my boss and we break the story tomorrow.
Prime time.
Wait,your boss knows about this? Gonna tell him tonight.
He will stand by us.
- Ms.
Everett,uh - Jane.
These,uh,men they play dirty,and they ain't gonna stop at me.
So why are you doing this? What kind of a reporter would I be if I didn't? She ever tell you who this insider was? No idea.
Guys in management were cronies.
Can't imagine any one of them sticking a neck out.
Morning Jane died,where were you? Cleaning toilets in Center City.
Worked the midnight shift at the Atco Building after the factory canned me.
At least until I got sick.
You,too? Been in remission twice.
Don't think there'll be a third.
When my wife got diagnosed,would've given anything to be the one going through it.
Guess my prayers have been answered.
"You did the right thing.
Don't make any decisions tonight.
" Got to be this insider who called her that night.
Well,Jane wanted to broadcast the interview the next day.
Guy was trying to undo what he'd already done.
So if Jane recorded the interview,where's the tape? Well,it definitely ain't at WCNU.
I screened every tape Jane ever touched.
Could've brought it home with her.
That's what I would've done.
Who packed up Jane's house? Here are the rest of them.
Been in there for years.
Just couldn't bring myself to throw anything away.
Did Jane ever tell you about the last story she was working on? Was,um,something about people walking in malls for exercise,wasn't it? Lil,I got something.
November 2,1988.
A day before she died.
People deserve to know the truth about what's happening to them.
Why it's happening.
People are dying.
The people you're referring to are employees of Shaw Plastics? Factory workers.
They're being exposed to a dangerous toxin called asbestos.
How do you know this? Because I have the memo.
Shaw Plastics was aware of the effects of asbestos.
Can you explain what that means exactly? Well,if you drill it down,it means the company knew asbestos was causing cancer.
And instead of doing anything about it,they covered it up.
means exactly? Well,if you drill it down,it means the company knew There's our smoking gun.
That spin doctor,Wyatt.
Bad PR from a big,fat liar.
Like to see him spin this.
What'd you talk about,last time you saw Jane? A few fundraisers.
I told you,I-I barely knew her.
That what you called her about at 11:46 p.
m.
night before she was killed?"Fundraiser"? Shaw Plastics was knowingly harming people.
Company falsified the results of mandatory drug tests to flush out anyone who opened their mouth.
And you knew about it.
The thing is,21 years later,you're still working there.
- What's that make you? - This is ridiculous.
You people don't know what you're talking about.
explain what that means exactly? Well,if you drill it down,it means the company knew asbestos was causing cancer.
And instead of doing anything about it,they covered it up.
Gonna ask again.
What were you calling about night before she died? I didn't kill her.
"You did the right thing.
Don't make any decisions tonight.
" Got your conversation on tape.
You drill it down,she was trying to warm your cold feet.
Interview never aired.
You changed your mind and got rid of her to cover it up.
I'll be there in 20 minutes.
She was going to meet you; makes you the last to see her alive.
I was trying to help those people who were getting sick.
I tried.
I really did.
And then I thought about what the company would do.
Intimidation,blacklists - People's lives get ruined.
- Lives did get ruined.
It takes courage being a whistle-blower.
Heavy lifting for a schmuck like you.
Family corporation and all.
I thought I could talk her out of it.
I shouldn't have talked to you.
I want you to destroy the tape.
I gave Briggs my word,David.
Look,what the company is doing is wrong.
- That-that's not the issue.
- So what is? What are they going to do to us when they find out? Once the story's out,Shaw can't touch us.
Everyone will know the truth.
Don't back out on us,David.
Every minute we sit here someone else gets sick.
Tell me you're with me.
All right.
For every one of those people thank you.
I called Powers.
Bastard was sailing in the Cayman Islands.
You told him about Jane? The interview you gave her? I thought he'd fire me.
Instead I got promoted.
Keeping his enemies closer.
You keep your 401k and Jane ends up dead.
You sleep at night? I asked him to fix the problem so that more people would not get sick.
What'd he say he was going to do about it? He said all he had to do was call the station and the story would disappear.
No wonder he didn't stick around last time we met.
Andrew Powers? Remember that asbestos scandal you covered up back in '88? Looks like it's making a comeback.
Got stock in the company,might want to call your broker.
Insider information tip.
- ** - I'll meet you at the restaurant.
What do you want? We're thinking you're a conspirator to the murder of Jane Everett.
Murder? I didn't touch that girl.
I was in the Cayman Islands.
We know.
You called someone at WCNU from your house a few hours before Jane showed up dead.
Got the phone records to prove it.
You tell us who you called,maybe the conspiracy goes away.
I only wanted to kill a story.
Never intended for anyone to get hurt.
We'll let the jury decide that.
All we want is a name.
You friends with Andrew Powers,Nathan? Station covered a few Shaw fundraisers,but,uh,no,I didn't know him personally.
Think of any reason why he might've been calling your extension at WCNU from his house in the Cayman Islands? Corporate bigwigs liked throwing their weight around, bitching about a story,so sometimes they'd call.
This particular conversation happened at 1:15 in the morning, few hours before Jane was killed.
Probably had some idea he wanted the station to cover.
Looked into your financials,Nathan.
- Yeah? - You bought stock in Shaw Plastics two weeks before Meijers bought the company.
Stroke of genius made you a millionaire overnight.
What can I say?I had a good broker.
It was the '80s.
Guys like Powers were making millions and you wanted a piece of the pie.
Nothing wrong with free enterprise.
Except there was nothing "free" about it.
The stock tip came with strings attached.
Powers was calling you that night because he wanted a story to go away.
And he was right.
Jane had no business taking that interview.
No,David Wyatt was no scientist.
I mean,you had taught her better than that,letting her heart lead a story.
It's called journalistic integrity.
You don't just take the word of some PR hack.
How'd you know about that interview? What? The one Jane had with David Wyatt,that "PR hack"? Did Powers tell you about it? Orwas it Jane? I would never hurt Jane.
She was almost like a daughter to you.
- She was.
- Sending you those stories every week.
Coming to work for me.
But she was still holding onto something.
What,what was that you called it? - Journalistic - Integrity.
Wasn't as simple for you.
You had suits to answer to.
Ratings to get.
Hard not getting swept up in the bonuses,the kickbacks The business demanded it.
It was sink or swim.
You just wanted that tape.
- Simple request.
- That's all I wanted.
But Jane refused.
She knew that if she gave it to me we'd both be lost.
Nathan?What are you doing here? I've beenI've been trying to reach you all night.
I thought it was timeto take care of this.
So what'd you want to talk to me about? I know I asked for a celebrity special, but I have a story.
I have a real story.
The kind that we used to talk about at Syracuse.
Tell me.
Employees at Shaw Plastics are getting sick.
I found an executive who admitted management knew they were being exposed to asbestos, a toxin that causes cancer.
I got him on tape reading the memo.
Jane Everett, you cracked a story.
We break the story.
I mean,employees get a chance at getting their compensation.
They get they get their medical bills paid.
Right.
So,uh,where is it? - Where's what? - The tape.
- It's in a safe place.
- Great.
I'll need to vet it with,uh,legal first.
Legal? No,these people don't have that kind of time,Nathan.
We're exposed on this.
Shaw could take us to the cleaners.
We need to be responsible to our advertisers and to corporate sponsors.
Then I'll take it to another station.
Are you kidding me?We'll lose our jobs.
Be sued for slander.
This isn't college, Jane.
This is business.
Now what's it going to take for you to see that? One million.
I always knew you were smart,Everett.
A million it is.
Wait.
Hey.
Where you going? You were the one who lectured me about ethics! Come on,Jane.
News isn't news anymore.
You love it just as much as anybody.
- The ratings,the attention.
- No.
Not anymore! - Come here! - Just stay away from me! - Get over here! - Stay away from me! Give me the damn tape! No! Stop! * Shout Shout * * Let it all out * * These are the things I can do without * * Come on * * I'm talking to you * * Come on * * In violent times * * You shouldn't have to sell your soul * * In black and white * * They really, really ought to know * * Those one-track minds * * That took you for a working boy * Kiss them good-bye * * You shouldn't have to jump for joy * * You shouldn't have to jump * * Shout Shout For joy Let it all out * Let it all out * * These are the things I can do without * * Come on * * I'm talking to you * * Come on * * They gave you life * * And in return you gave them hell * * As cold as ice * * I hope we live to tell the tale * * I hope we live to tell Shout Shout The tale * * Let it all out * * These are the things I can do without * * Come on * * I'm talking to you * * Come on *