Blue Bloods s06e22 Episode Script
Blowback
1 JAMIE: Hey.
Russell.
What do you got? Okay, there's been a series of armed robberies in this neighborhood.
And those two fit the description to a tee.
These guys? RUSSELL: Yeah.
Let's go.
Set? Yup.
Set.
Hey, get your hands out of your pockets! Go, go, go! Let's go! Hey! Police! JAMIE: Hey! JANKO: Stop! (man grunts) JANKO: Stop running! JAMIE: Stop! Police! Watch it! Move it! (people yelling, shouting) Aah! Move it! Aah (grunts) JAMIE: Police! JAMIE: Hands behind your back.
Yeah.
Stay in the car.
Stay in the car! Stop! Police! Stop! Oh, what do we have here? Huh.
Okay.
Look at this.
Looks like you're going to jail.
(distant gunshot) Call it in! Russell! Russell, what happened? He refused to give up the knife.
Th-Th-Then he started coming toward me.
Put your gun away.
Hey, back up please.
Do me a favor, back up.
WOMAN: You didn't even give him a chance! (crowd clamoring) MAN: You didn't have to shoot him! (crowd continues yelling) He had his hands up, man! You didn't have to shoot him! I had no choice.
Hey, hey, look, I swear to God, man.
I had no choice.
Don't say anything else, okay? (all yelling) Stop talking.
(siren wailing) He's just a kid! A kid! MAN: he's dead! (clamor continues) Okay, everybody please step back.
Give us some room.
Please step back.
(panting, running footsteps on body-camera video) RUSSELL: Hey! Hey, put that down! MAN: No hice nada.
Put the- put the knife down! No hice nada! No hice nada.
No hice nada.
I said put it down! No hice nada.
(turns off video) How old was the kid? Seventeen.
(inhales) Seventeen.
With items stolen in an armed robbery that triggered the incident on his person.
So? That's now a capital offense? So, he's not just a kid, he's an armed felon confronting one of my officers.
Who brought a knife to a gunfight.
That's just a saying, Mr.
Mayor.
You're three times as likely to die from a stabbing as you are a gunshot.
Frank, what the hell was your guy thinking, just blowing him away? He was thinking what he was trained to think.
The suspect repeatedly ignored commands to throw down the weapon.
His hands were in the air.
And one of them held a knife.
Look, there's no guarantee a cop with a gun can stop a dedicated attacker with a knife from twice that distance.
That's not the point.
It's exactly the point.
He could've backed away.
And let the perp flee into the population, armed with a knife, with nothing to lose? That's your advice? So, execution? That's the only other option? You really gonna call this an execution? Maybe you need to think about that for a second.
And Frank, you really think I'll be the only one? What do you think the people's takeaway's gonna be here? Throw that cop a parade? Of course not, but the fact remains, my officer reacted as he was trained to.
Listen, I didn't realize that the Academy offered classes in killing teenagers.
That's a cheap shot, Mr.
Mayor.
Yes, it is, to a bad shooting, Frank.
Get used to them.
You want to honor your office, help the public to understand.
Frank, my office is the mayor.
Of the people.
Not PR for the NYPD.
Execution? Listen, that's not my word.
I will not say that.
But I will make a statement, Frank, and you're not gonna like it.
Because it would be premature.
No, Frank, because these pictures tell a story that any fool could see.
And I cannot wait for the result-- Oh, sure you can.
Listen, I can't wait for the results of an investigation not to express the outrage that's happened here.
By any measure of responsibility, you should wait.
But if you won't please make damn sure you do not condemn my officer for doing his job.
And that is an order, Commissioner? (sighs) Blue Bloods 6x22 Blowback @elderman RUSSELL: Put that down! No hice nada.
Put the knife down! No hice nada.
No hice nada.
I said put it down! Yo no hice nada.
The video clearly contradicts eyewitness accounts.
Perez did advance on Officer Russell.
Russell also provided repeated warnings before he fired.
So it appears to be justified use of force.
But if this video hits the Internet-- a 17 year old with his hands in the air Get a judge to issue a protective order to seal the video.
Already on it.
You wanted to see me? Erin's presenting the Perez shooting to the grand jury.
You'll be sitting second chair, Marta.
Will we be charging Officer Russell prior to his appearance? Facts don't support it.
EGAN: Not to mention that charging him would cause serious tension between our office and the NYPD.
Is that a relevant concern? If your job is convicting criminal defendants in this city, it's highly relevant.
EGAN: This is why God made grand juries, Marta.
Lay out the facts, let them make the call.
Sarge said things are getting pretty ugly out there.
We'll have to watch our backs for a while.
They're suspending auxiliary patrol, no more one-man foot posts.
Yeah, just till this thing blows over.
I feel really bad for Russell.
Some idiot on TV is already calling him a rogue cop.
People got agendas.
Got nothing to do with the truth.
Yeah.
Hey, Hayes.
How you guys doing? Hanging in there.
You talk to Eric? Yeah, he's pretty stressed out.
Feels real bad about the kid.
Send him our best.
You guys talk to shooting team investigators? Yeah, we gave our statements.
Well, I know you stood up for Russell.
We were taking down the other perp, so we didn't see the shooting.
So you played it like that? He was wearing a body camera.
The incident's on tape.
Even if it wasn't, we wouldn't be doing Eric any favors playing fast and loose with the truth.
He needed you guys to have his back.
We did.
Whether you get that or not.
(scoffs) Guess those agendas go both ways.
ERIN: Officer Russell, did Mr.
Perez have the knife in his hand when you were chasing him? No.
He pulled the knife out of his pocket after he stopped running.
Your body-cam video shows Mr.
Perez with his hands in the air.
Why did you find it necessary to fire? He still had the knife.
He continued to advance on me.
I ordered him to stop.
Did you consider falling back to wait for other officers? RUSSELL: I couldn't take that chance.
I feared for the lives of the bystanders in the vicinity.
Did you fear for your own life as well? Yes.
Officer Russell, would you like to make any further statements at this time? I just want to say I did my job as I was trained to do it.
And I'd do it again.
But the last thing I ever wanted to do was shoot that kid.
Yeah.
Thanks for the heads up, John.
My source says the grand jury declined to indict Officer Russell.
Well, that's huge, boss! Your source at the DA's Office? Are you kidding? Not a chance.
Well, at least that's good news.
Well, in five minutes, it'll be old news.
Well, all due respect, boss, you ever savor the moment? Not when what's just around the corner.
Game plan's in place.
All precincts are on high alert.
There's gonna be a lot of anger out there, Sid.
I don't want any unnecessary confrontations.
Understood.
But if it gets hot Throw water on it, not gasoline.
Somebody leaked the body-cam of the Perez shooting.
Who? I don't know.
It went viral in 20 minutes.
Here he goes.
What do you think he's gonna say? I got a hunch.
The NYPD officer who shot and killed Diego Perez has been exonerated by a grand jury.
However, the body-cam video of the incident raises serious questions about the use of force by the NYPD, in this case Talk about gasoline on the fire.
POOLE: questions that go above and beyond the purview of a single grand jury panel.
So I am ordering a full and independent investigation of this matter, effective immediately.
GARRETT: Son of a bitch.
What are you gonna do, Frank? What I'm paid to do: my job.
(sighs) I can't believe that body-cam video's on the Internet.
As if things weren't tense enough already.
You got to figure people are gonna see that and they're gonna realize that Russell he didn't have a choice, right? I think people are gonna see what they want to see, Eddie.
(radio beeps) HAYES (over radio): 12 Frank, show us responding to the commercial alarm at 1813 Green.
Uh, Central, we're a few blocks away from that commercial alarm.
Show us on the back.
(over radio): We're good, 12 David.
We got this.
Orders are no calls without backup, 12 Frank.
(gunshot over radio) PARTNER: Mark! Aah! Mark, units! Mark, Mark! (siren wailing) Hey, Hayes, you guys all right? 12 Frank, I got an officer down! Officer shot at his location! Well, hang on, Hayes, we're coming! Eyes open, keep your eyes open.
Breathe.
Mark, come on.
(groaning) Hang in there.
Hayes! Hayes! JANKO: What happened? Hey.
Guy came out of nowhere.
Shot through the window.
We never had a chance to see who it was.
Come on, keep pr-- keep pressure on it.
Help is on the way, brother.
It's on the way, buddy.
Help is on the way.
Keep your eyes open.
Anybody see anybody? You see a shooter? You see anything? Anybody see which way the shooter went? Hey, hey, anybody see anything? You guys see a shooter? Come on, come on.
Anybody see anything? Hey, come on! Somebody talk to me! Anybody see a shooter? Anybody see which way he went? As you were.
And make sure we have someone assigned to his family.
Of course.
(reporters clamoring) (sighs heavily) (clamor continues) (clears throat) Let's just stick to the facts.
Thanks for the tip.
(reporters clamoring) We only have time for a few questions.
What's the condition of the wounded officer? Officer Hayes had surgery to remove a bullet next to his spine.
Was this an act of revenge against the NYPD in the wake of the Perez decision? Well, it's an ongoing investigation, but it certainly appears that Officer Hayes and his partner were targeted because they were police officers.
(reporters yelling) Some believe that the reason that your officer was not indicted for killing Diego Perez, is because he was wearing a badge.
Officer Russell did his duty protecting lives.
That's what the grand jury found.
Will the NYPD be reviewing its use of force policies? No.
Has the source of the leaked body-cam video been identified? Not yet, but clearly, we are looking for someone with access to the system and an ax to grind.
Namely? (reporters clamoring) Namely, I don't know, Helen.
But the mayor did call for an independent investigation into the Perez shooting, and you can be damn sure we will have our own independent investigation to find out who is responsible for the leak.
That's all the time we have for now.
(reporters clamoring) (heart monitor beeping steadily) Hey, Eric.
Guys.
Hey.
You know, everyone's pulling for you back at the house.
Anything you need? I'm okay.
I know you guys think I was out of line about you covering for Russell with IAB.
Hang on, I never asked for anyone to cover for me.
Hey No, listen, none of that matters now.
Yeah, it does.
Eric's my best friend, but it's more than that.
It's war on the streets: us against them.
Yeah, well, there's a right way and a wrong way to fight it.
It's not about right and wrong, it's about life and death.
If cops don't stand up for cops cops lose.
Like I did.
Plan on spending the night? (sighs) I can't believe someone would try to kill a police officer like that.
Well, when a kid like Diego Perez gets killed by a cop, especially these days, you can bet all hell's gonna break loose.
I just keep thinking that maybe it wouldn't have happened, if we would've charged Officer Russell before we took him to the grand jury.
Well, you can't charge people on public opinion, or what might keep the peace.
We presented the facts.
Perez's family claimed that he didn't speak English well enough to understand Officer Russell's commands, but we didn't present that to the grand jury.
That's because we interviewed others, including Perez's accomplice, who said his English was fluent.
And he did respond to Officer Russell's command to halt.
I'm just saying that maybe if we would've, you know, presented them with a more complete picture We gave the grand jury what they needed to make a decision on an indictment.
I know you may feel responsible for what happened to Officer Hayes, but you're not.
Sometimes cases blow up.
But that doesn't mean you didn't do your job.
(indistinct police radio communication) How we doing? Hey.
Uh, good.
Guys found a .
38 in an alley a couple blocks from here, but it's not the gun used in the Hayes shooting.
Nice neighborhood.
Any physical evidence? Not yet, but we got all hands down here.
How about witnesses? We're not getting much cooperation from the community.
Well, this street was crowded when this went down.
Someone must've seen something.
Folks in this neighborhood don't like cops under normal circumstances.
Well, these ain't normal circumstances.
Keep us updated, and you guys be careful.
All right, shooter must've come this way, ran up on the car here, blasted Hayes right through the window here.
Took off that way.
So when the shooter stopped to take aim, that's our best bet at an I.
D.
Yeah.
Let's take a walk.
Hey! You own this newsstand? Yeah.
You working here last night? I don't see nothing.
You know it was a cop that got shot, right? I mind my own business.
What's your name, Mr.
Mind Your Own Business? Hector Castillo.
Hector Castillo, you realize without the police looking out for people like you in the community, you wouldn't even have a business here, Mr.
Castillo, right? Like I say, I don't see nothing.
Yeah.
Okay.
You know that woman over there? (sighs) Yeah, it's my daughter.
All right, have a nice day.
What's your name? Gabby.
Gabby, were you working here last night? She wasn't here last night.
I thought you said you mind your own business! And we got work to do! Cop gets shot in the street like this and nobody sees a damn thing.
Nothing bad, or nothing at all? About Officer Russell? Well, people are talking about him, obviously, but it's just in regards to the incident.
What's this all about? Between us? Of course.
The mayor's conducting some kind of independent investigation.
I expect they're turning over rocks to see if they can gerrymander some other plan of attack.
Or just good old character assassination? Or both.
Don't know.
Can you keep your ears open? See who they're talking to, what their angle is? Much as I can.
(knocking on door) Hey.
You want me to wait? I'm just going.
See you both on Sunday.
(door closes) I really shouldn't be here, Dad.
Why not? You're my daughter.
Whose office is in the chain of custody of the leaked video.
Did you leak it? No.
Well, then we're good.
And since you came up the back way, no one's the wiser.
What can I do for you? I think they mayor may be behind the leak.
Yeah, I think the press has picked up on that.
Yeah, well, what do you think? I think he's a sitting mayor and you're taking a huge risk by publicly inferring that.
Do you think the mayor ordered the leak? To what end? To marginalize my department.
And your office.
To effectively pronounce that we cannot be trusted in a matter like this, only he can.
The mayor is not the only one upset about this shooting, you know.
But he had access and motive.
That is a very serious charge, Dad.
Well now I need evidence to back it up.
The DA has assigned a team of investigators to trace that leak.
I am not part of it.
I understand.
But I also understand the reach of City Hall.
You want me to monitor the investigation and report back to you? That would be a no.
(taps desk) I'm asking you to help me find the truth.
Oh, well, when you put it that way, the answer is still no, as you know it has to be.
I ask you to respect that.
(door opens) (sighs) (door closes) What do we got? Suspect wearing clothes Hayes described.
It may be our cop shooter.
Male wearing a purple track jacket entering this building.
All right, you two go this way through the lobby, I'm gonna go this way in case he makes a break for it.
Hey Hey! Stop! Police! Stop! Police! Police! Put your hands on the back of your head right now.
Turn around, get on the ground, and put your hands on the back of your head right now! I said put your hands on the back of your head! Okay.
My hands are up.
You got not witnesses.
So go ahead.
Kill me.
You gonna test me? Come on.
Kill me.
Kill me like you killed that kid.
Well, I suppose I could.
Do it.
But then I'd be saving you from a life in prison.
Do it.
Do it! You're under arrest, you son of a bitch.
(handcuffs clicking) Come on! Come on.
You're in a lot of trouble, Santana.
I got nothing to say to you.
You don't like cops much, do you? Unlock these chains, and I'll show you how much.
Trust me, there's nothing I'd like to do more than take those off and kick your ass.
(snorts) DANNY: But business before pleasure.
Some scumbag matching your description shot a cop in your neighborhood.
Don't know nothing about that.
We're gonna stay here until you give it up, Miguel.
I didn't shoot no cop.
Then why'd you run when you saw us? Maybe you haven't heard, hmm? Cops like to shoot guys who look like me for no good reason.
You've got a sheet a mile long: assault, armed robbery, Mm-hmm.
Right.
selling guns.
Which doesn't prove a damn thing.
You got nothing.
And you know it.
Hey DANNY: you were pissed off when Diego Perez was killed.
Yeah.
But I wasn't surprised.
But you wanted payback.
So you decided to take out a cop and try and get even.
The cop didn't die.
That ain't even.
Yeah, but you wanted to be a hero.
You wanted to be a big, bad man in the neighborhood.
Well, now's your chance to tell the whole world about what you did.
Start talking.
I want a lawyer.
You're gonna need one.
Call his lawyer.
Yeah.
Watch him.
That son of a bitch is lucky you're watching.
Unfortunately, all you've got is resisting arrest.
Even that's a stretch.
What are you talking about? He fits the description that Officer Hayes gave of the shooter.
A matching garment is not a positive I.
D.
You have the gun that was used to shoot Hayes? Well, not yet.
Any witnesses? No! No one's talking yet.
(sighs) I want to nail the guy who shot Hayes as much as you do.
Wow, could've fooled me.
The public is angry that the grand jury refused to indict Officer Russell for shooting Perez.
What the hell does one case have to do with the other one? Everything.
They saw a cop shoot a kid with his hands raised.
Regardless of the facts, a lot of people do not consider that justice.
Well, that's their problem.
Actually, it's ours.
How? If we charge Santana on questionable evidence, an already volatile situation is gonna get a lot worse.
This son of a bitch, Santana, shot a cop at point-blank range! Maybe.
But in the wake of the Perez verdict, the DA will not charge Santana unless you have him dead to rights.
I'm sorry.
JAMIE: Hey, Eric.
How you doing? Hanging in.
Word on the street is you're transferring to Staten Island? Somebody posted my home address online.
My wife and kids have gotten threats.
You're gonna be missed around here, Eric.
I-I can't get that kid's face out of my head, you know? Diego Perez screwed up, got himself killed.
That's on him, not you.
Yeah.
But I'm the one that has to live with it.
So how's the case against the guy who shot our cop? Not good enough for the DA's Office.
You know it's not, Danny.
You know we could use a little support, Erin.
Looking for love in the wrong place.
We're doing our job.
Yeah, well, Russell and Hayes were doing just that, their jobs, and now they're looking at losing those jobs.
HENRY: Santana has to pay for shooting a cop.
All hands should be on that deck.
Okay, but that's not the way it works, and you all know that.
Search of his apartment came up empty.
The guy's good at covering his tracks.
That's because a snake never leaves tracks.
Actually, they do.
What? Just sayin'.
Well, don't.
Look, charging Santana with just circumstantial evidence, in the wake of the kid with the knife being killed, could push the city over the edge.
We all get that.
Thank you.
But you start letting the court of public opinion hold sway We're not You're pretty much telling justice to take a hike.
That is not what is happening.
The standards for evidence have not been met.
JACK: Here's what I just don't understand about this whole thing: The tape clearly shows Perez coming up to a cop with a knife out.
What did he think would happen? Exactly right.
Really? Nicky, please.
You got another opinion, Nicky? Look, I'm not saying that Diego Perez didn't make a mistake.
He made a lot of mistakes.
Yeah, armed robbery, for starters.
NICKY: Okay, yes, but at some point there has to be alternative to deadly force.
You can't give someone a death sentence for stealing a watch or an iPhone.
DANNY: You're right.
You are, you're absolutely right.
Officer Russell should've taken the one and a half seconds that stood between a knife and his throat, and asked this Diego Perez character, "Hey, how you feeling?" LINDA: That is not what Nicky is saying.
It just seems It is what she's saying.
like these things happen way too often.
Thank you.
Like cops getting shot for doing their job? Thank you.
From where I sit, Officer Russell did the right thing.
The problem is somewhere along the line the trust between the cops and the public broke down.
And there's plenty of blame to go around.
But until both sides start working to restore that trust neither side's gonna be safe.
Nicky doesn't mean any disrespect, she's just Young.
After one year of college, apparently all-knowing.
I seem to remember somebody else like that.
I know, Jamie was really full of himself, wasn't he? Listen, Dad, I just heard from Before you start I'm sorry.
I should not have asked you to come up and put you in the spot.
That's true.
And I shouldn't be saying this to you: The leak did not come from the Mayor's Office.
(sighs) Have you identified the individual responsible? Not yet.
Our people are questioning all personnel who had hands-on access to the tape.
And they're 100% sure? We've identified the server that was used to disseminate the video.
It came from the courthouse where the grand jury was empaneled.
I see.
Guess I need to talk to the mayor.
Sunday night at the office.
It's the city that never sleeps, Frank.
Haven't you heard? The district attorney confirmed that the leak did not come from here.
Sorry to disappoint you.
I may have implied that it was you that released the tape.
May have, Frank? You flat-out said it in a room full of reporters.
I apologize.
I was wrong.
And I fully understand if you feel I can no longer serve as your commissioner.
Frank, you know, the surgeon who operated on Officer Hayes, operated on me when I was shot.
Saved my life.
But everything changed.
And now Officer Hayes faces some of the same realities.
His career with the NYPD is over.
The Department, his union will take care of him for the rest of his life.
But he will never re-gain what he lost, Frank.
When I think that my comments could've contributed to this attack could've contributed to someone experiencing the same kind of pain I lived through The attack on Officer Hayes could've happened, whether you spoke out or not.
Yeah, but I did speak out, Frank.
Partly because I was angry, and also so my enemies wouldn't attack me.
I never considered the damage I could cause.
You couldn't know what would happen, Mr.
Mayor.
Frank, when I took this job, I made a promise to myself to never put politics above my responsibility to the people of this city.
I broke that promise.
I don't want you to step down, Frank, because the next mayor is gonna need your help.
I've decided to resign.
DANNY: You sure? Every single thing? All right.
Yeah, thanks.
Crime lab? Yep.
Had them run everything we found in Santana's apartment for glass shards.
Blowback from the windshield of Hayes' RMP.
That's smart, Danny.
Yeah, but unfortunately, we came up empty.
DA's not gonna charge him for resisting arrest, so Santana walks in a few hours, and we got nothin'.
Even if we put Santana back on the street, the investigation isn't over.
Eventually, we're gonna nail him.
Yeah, but by that time, he'll be banging mojitos in Santo Domingo.
What's that? TARU dug up a new piece of surveillance tape from a taco joint down the street from where Hayes was shot.
Great, let's take a look at it and come up with more nothing.
(Danny sighs heavily) Same as the other tape, there's nothing we can I.
D.
Santana.
Okay, okay, but hold on, right there.
Back it up a little bit.
Can you zoom in? It's Gabby Castillo.
That's the girl we talked to at the newsstand.
That's the girl we're gonna talk to again.
You work full-time in your father's newsstand, Gabby? No, I take nursing classes up at Hunter.
It's a good school.
Look I told you guys, I didn't see that cop get shot.
We know what you told us.
And we also know what we see, and right here, I see you, staring right at our shooter, just after he shot Officer Hayes.
It happened really fast.
And I was scared.
Imagine how Officer Hayes felt.
You guys don't understand.
Try us.
People in my neighborhood, they don't trust the police.
Like your father.
If he knew I was here, he'd be really mad, yeah.
Did your father raise you to tell the truth? It's not that simple.
If I cooperate with you guys and people find out We can protect you.
I'm not worried about myself.
Then who are you worried about? My father came here with nothing.
He built his business from nothing.
If people think I snitched, they'll come after him.
You know the shooter.
This guy is gonna shoot someone again.
He will.
Just you being here puts you in danger with him.
You want to protect yourself, you want to protect your family, then you got to stop this guy.
I'm gonna ask you again: Do you see the man who shot Officer Hayes? Okay.
What's going on? We traced the release of the body-cam video to a server from the courthouse.
Do you know who leaked it? I think you owe us all an explanation.
When you released a sealed piece of evidence, you betrayed this entire office, and damaged the reputations of everyone who works here.
I grew up in the neighborhood that Diego Perez was killed.
Okay? I represented those people as a Legal Aid attorney.
They had a right to see that video.
They had a right to decide for themselves if Officer Russell's actions were justified.
That was the judge's call, not yours.
(sighs) Our presentation to the grand jury was one-sided, obviously representing the pro-police bias of this office.
We presented the facts and the grand jury rendered its decision.
You know damn well grand juries rarely indict officers in line-of-duty shootings.
Maybe that should change.
That's a political argument.
And you having a Hispanic ADA to sit second chair in the death of a Hispanic victim wasn't political? Prosecutors, defense attorneys, even defendants, use ethnicity and gender to influence juries every single day-- that is the system.
That's the way it works.
You broke the law.
Your employment is terminated, effective immediately, and the DA will personally pursue your disbarment.
The judge has issued a subpoena for you to appear.
You will likely be charged with criminal contempt.
WOMAN: Oh I am sorry about what happened with Officer Hayes.
But I don't regret what I did.
That's even worse.
Frank.
Mr.
Mayor, I wanted to come up personally to tell you we just got a positive I.
D.
on Miguel Santana for the shooting of Officer Hayes.
(sighs) Has the DA brought charges? Attempted murder of a police officer.
It'll be announced this afternoon.
Well, if you're worried about me holding a press conference I'm not.
You think I've given short shrift to the interests of the NYPD.
At times.
As I know I've thought, "Screw city hall," a dozen times a day.
Frank, I will not be your boss much longer.
Now's your chance.
Tell me what you really think.
Okay, I will.
I don't think you should step down.
You're the only guy at the One PP that feels that way.
Well luckily, I'm the only vote that matters.
Look, your comments after the grand jury decision were unfortunate, but they weren't responsible for getting Officer Hayes shot.
How can you be sure? Chronic offender like Miguel Santana doesn't take his marching orders from the Mayor's Office.
The death of Diego Perez was a time bomb, and that body-cam video going viral flicked the switch.
Well, my comments certainly didn't help.
And in the wake of that boy's death, my officers, including Officer Hayes, they knew they were targets but they still manned their posts.
They did not walk away.
You think I'm taking the easy way out.
Oh there's nothing easy about your job.
You do your best and a hundred voices claim they could do it better, and at times, I have been one of those voices.
And at times, the loudest.
Look, you're gonna do what you want, but you're a good man and a good mayor.
(inhales, exhales) Thank you, Frank.
But when the DA charges Santana, there's gonna be a public outcry about the double standard between police officers and ordinary citizens.
I know that.
And after shooting off my mouth the way I did, Frank I just don't think I'm the guy anymore to talk this city off the ledge.
Actually, it makes you exactly the right guy.
Thought you could use one.
You thought right.
What time's the mayor come on? Ah, we got a couple minutes.
DANNY: Hopefully, he won't trash us like he did last time.
And what are you doing here? I just came by to make sure you didn't put a foot through the TV screen.
Well, if it isn't his foot, it'll be mine.
I'm sure.
I'm gonna grab a beer.
(chuckles) Hey, make it two.
Well! Hey! What do you think he's gonna say? I have no idea.
Pops off again, it'll be my precinct that pays the price.
You guys did a hell of a job holding the fort down there.
Amen to that.
Thanks.
What's up with all the cars in the driveway? Okay.
What's this, a secret meeting of the Reagan Boys Club? Oh, luckily, you're a charter member.
It's time.
Here we go.
(sighs) Here, I got it on mute.
POOLE: Miguel Santana has been charged in the shooting of NYPD Officer Mark Hayes.
Now I know some of you have expressed anger because no charges were brought in the shooting death of Diego Perez.
I expressed, publicly, my own anger when that decision was handed down from the grand jury.
That was a mistake and I regret it.
I'll be damned.
POOLE: The death of Diego Perez was a tragedy, but it was a tragedy of his own making.
The shooting death of Officer Hayes was a cowardly act of vengeance.
If Mr.
Santana is guilty, then Mr.
Santana deserves to be punished.
But there's been enough violence, and as your mayor, I urge everyone to remain calm and let our system work.
Hmm! TV ANCHORMAN: Mayor Poole commenting on the two shootings that have triggered unrest in the city over the past few days.
Not every day you see a politician admit that he screwed up.
Would've been better if he'd kept his yap shut in the first place, but I'm not sure you're qualified to preach about self-restraint.
Oh-ho.
She got you there.
DANNY: Well, if someone who worked for me released the video, I probably wouldn't be talking smack right now.
Man made a mistake, owned up to it.
Took a lot of guts.
JAMIE: Almost makes me wonder if he got some good career advice.
Maybe from a certain PC? The last couple of days could've been a whole lot worse without all the people in this room.
Hear, hear.
Maybe I don't say it enough.
I'm proud of you.
I'm just sayin'.
@elderman
Russell.
What do you got? Okay, there's been a series of armed robberies in this neighborhood.
And those two fit the description to a tee.
These guys? RUSSELL: Yeah.
Let's go.
Set? Yup.
Set.
Hey, get your hands out of your pockets! Go, go, go! Let's go! Hey! Police! JAMIE: Hey! JANKO: Stop! (man grunts) JANKO: Stop running! JAMIE: Stop! Police! Watch it! Move it! (people yelling, shouting) Aah! Move it! Aah (grunts) JAMIE: Police! JAMIE: Hands behind your back.
Yeah.
Stay in the car.
Stay in the car! Stop! Police! Stop! Oh, what do we have here? Huh.
Okay.
Look at this.
Looks like you're going to jail.
(distant gunshot) Call it in! Russell! Russell, what happened? He refused to give up the knife.
Th-Th-Then he started coming toward me.
Put your gun away.
Hey, back up please.
Do me a favor, back up.
WOMAN: You didn't even give him a chance! (crowd clamoring) MAN: You didn't have to shoot him! (crowd continues yelling) He had his hands up, man! You didn't have to shoot him! I had no choice.
Hey, hey, look, I swear to God, man.
I had no choice.
Don't say anything else, okay? (all yelling) Stop talking.
(siren wailing) He's just a kid! A kid! MAN: he's dead! (clamor continues) Okay, everybody please step back.
Give us some room.
Please step back.
(panting, running footsteps on body-camera video) RUSSELL: Hey! Hey, put that down! MAN: No hice nada.
Put the- put the knife down! No hice nada! No hice nada.
No hice nada.
I said put it down! No hice nada.
(turns off video) How old was the kid? Seventeen.
(inhales) Seventeen.
With items stolen in an armed robbery that triggered the incident on his person.
So? That's now a capital offense? So, he's not just a kid, he's an armed felon confronting one of my officers.
Who brought a knife to a gunfight.
That's just a saying, Mr.
Mayor.
You're three times as likely to die from a stabbing as you are a gunshot.
Frank, what the hell was your guy thinking, just blowing him away? He was thinking what he was trained to think.
The suspect repeatedly ignored commands to throw down the weapon.
His hands were in the air.
And one of them held a knife.
Look, there's no guarantee a cop with a gun can stop a dedicated attacker with a knife from twice that distance.
That's not the point.
It's exactly the point.
He could've backed away.
And let the perp flee into the population, armed with a knife, with nothing to lose? That's your advice? So, execution? That's the only other option? You really gonna call this an execution? Maybe you need to think about that for a second.
And Frank, you really think I'll be the only one? What do you think the people's takeaway's gonna be here? Throw that cop a parade? Of course not, but the fact remains, my officer reacted as he was trained to.
Listen, I didn't realize that the Academy offered classes in killing teenagers.
That's a cheap shot, Mr.
Mayor.
Yes, it is, to a bad shooting, Frank.
Get used to them.
You want to honor your office, help the public to understand.
Frank, my office is the mayor.
Of the people.
Not PR for the NYPD.
Execution? Listen, that's not my word.
I will not say that.
But I will make a statement, Frank, and you're not gonna like it.
Because it would be premature.
No, Frank, because these pictures tell a story that any fool could see.
And I cannot wait for the result-- Oh, sure you can.
Listen, I can't wait for the results of an investigation not to express the outrage that's happened here.
By any measure of responsibility, you should wait.
But if you won't please make damn sure you do not condemn my officer for doing his job.
And that is an order, Commissioner? (sighs) Blue Bloods 6x22 Blowback @elderman RUSSELL: Put that down! No hice nada.
Put the knife down! No hice nada.
No hice nada.
I said put it down! Yo no hice nada.
The video clearly contradicts eyewitness accounts.
Perez did advance on Officer Russell.
Russell also provided repeated warnings before he fired.
So it appears to be justified use of force.
But if this video hits the Internet-- a 17 year old with his hands in the air Get a judge to issue a protective order to seal the video.
Already on it.
You wanted to see me? Erin's presenting the Perez shooting to the grand jury.
You'll be sitting second chair, Marta.
Will we be charging Officer Russell prior to his appearance? Facts don't support it.
EGAN: Not to mention that charging him would cause serious tension between our office and the NYPD.
Is that a relevant concern? If your job is convicting criminal defendants in this city, it's highly relevant.
EGAN: This is why God made grand juries, Marta.
Lay out the facts, let them make the call.
Sarge said things are getting pretty ugly out there.
We'll have to watch our backs for a while.
They're suspending auxiliary patrol, no more one-man foot posts.
Yeah, just till this thing blows over.
I feel really bad for Russell.
Some idiot on TV is already calling him a rogue cop.
People got agendas.
Got nothing to do with the truth.
Yeah.
Hey, Hayes.
How you guys doing? Hanging in there.
You talk to Eric? Yeah, he's pretty stressed out.
Feels real bad about the kid.
Send him our best.
You guys talk to shooting team investigators? Yeah, we gave our statements.
Well, I know you stood up for Russell.
We were taking down the other perp, so we didn't see the shooting.
So you played it like that? He was wearing a body camera.
The incident's on tape.
Even if it wasn't, we wouldn't be doing Eric any favors playing fast and loose with the truth.
He needed you guys to have his back.
We did.
Whether you get that or not.
(scoffs) Guess those agendas go both ways.
ERIN: Officer Russell, did Mr.
Perez have the knife in his hand when you were chasing him? No.
He pulled the knife out of his pocket after he stopped running.
Your body-cam video shows Mr.
Perez with his hands in the air.
Why did you find it necessary to fire? He still had the knife.
He continued to advance on me.
I ordered him to stop.
Did you consider falling back to wait for other officers? RUSSELL: I couldn't take that chance.
I feared for the lives of the bystanders in the vicinity.
Did you fear for your own life as well? Yes.
Officer Russell, would you like to make any further statements at this time? I just want to say I did my job as I was trained to do it.
And I'd do it again.
But the last thing I ever wanted to do was shoot that kid.
Yeah.
Thanks for the heads up, John.
My source says the grand jury declined to indict Officer Russell.
Well, that's huge, boss! Your source at the DA's Office? Are you kidding? Not a chance.
Well, at least that's good news.
Well, in five minutes, it'll be old news.
Well, all due respect, boss, you ever savor the moment? Not when what's just around the corner.
Game plan's in place.
All precincts are on high alert.
There's gonna be a lot of anger out there, Sid.
I don't want any unnecessary confrontations.
Understood.
But if it gets hot Throw water on it, not gasoline.
Somebody leaked the body-cam of the Perez shooting.
Who? I don't know.
It went viral in 20 minutes.
Here he goes.
What do you think he's gonna say? I got a hunch.
The NYPD officer who shot and killed Diego Perez has been exonerated by a grand jury.
However, the body-cam video of the incident raises serious questions about the use of force by the NYPD, in this case Talk about gasoline on the fire.
POOLE: questions that go above and beyond the purview of a single grand jury panel.
So I am ordering a full and independent investigation of this matter, effective immediately.
GARRETT: Son of a bitch.
What are you gonna do, Frank? What I'm paid to do: my job.
(sighs) I can't believe that body-cam video's on the Internet.
As if things weren't tense enough already.
You got to figure people are gonna see that and they're gonna realize that Russell he didn't have a choice, right? I think people are gonna see what they want to see, Eddie.
(radio beeps) HAYES (over radio): 12 Frank, show us responding to the commercial alarm at 1813 Green.
Uh, Central, we're a few blocks away from that commercial alarm.
Show us on the back.
(over radio): We're good, 12 David.
We got this.
Orders are no calls without backup, 12 Frank.
(gunshot over radio) PARTNER: Mark! Aah! Mark, units! Mark, Mark! (siren wailing) Hey, Hayes, you guys all right? 12 Frank, I got an officer down! Officer shot at his location! Well, hang on, Hayes, we're coming! Eyes open, keep your eyes open.
Breathe.
Mark, come on.
(groaning) Hang in there.
Hayes! Hayes! JANKO: What happened? Hey.
Guy came out of nowhere.
Shot through the window.
We never had a chance to see who it was.
Come on, keep pr-- keep pressure on it.
Help is on the way, brother.
It's on the way, buddy.
Help is on the way.
Keep your eyes open.
Anybody see anybody? You see a shooter? You see anything? Anybody see which way the shooter went? Hey, hey, anybody see anything? You guys see a shooter? Come on, come on.
Anybody see anything? Hey, come on! Somebody talk to me! Anybody see a shooter? Anybody see which way he went? As you were.
And make sure we have someone assigned to his family.
Of course.
(reporters clamoring) (sighs heavily) (clamor continues) (clears throat) Let's just stick to the facts.
Thanks for the tip.
(reporters clamoring) We only have time for a few questions.
What's the condition of the wounded officer? Officer Hayes had surgery to remove a bullet next to his spine.
Was this an act of revenge against the NYPD in the wake of the Perez decision? Well, it's an ongoing investigation, but it certainly appears that Officer Hayes and his partner were targeted because they were police officers.
(reporters yelling) Some believe that the reason that your officer was not indicted for killing Diego Perez, is because he was wearing a badge.
Officer Russell did his duty protecting lives.
That's what the grand jury found.
Will the NYPD be reviewing its use of force policies? No.
Has the source of the leaked body-cam video been identified? Not yet, but clearly, we are looking for someone with access to the system and an ax to grind.
Namely? (reporters clamoring) Namely, I don't know, Helen.
But the mayor did call for an independent investigation into the Perez shooting, and you can be damn sure we will have our own independent investigation to find out who is responsible for the leak.
That's all the time we have for now.
(reporters clamoring) (heart monitor beeping steadily) Hey, Eric.
Guys.
Hey.
You know, everyone's pulling for you back at the house.
Anything you need? I'm okay.
I know you guys think I was out of line about you covering for Russell with IAB.
Hang on, I never asked for anyone to cover for me.
Hey No, listen, none of that matters now.
Yeah, it does.
Eric's my best friend, but it's more than that.
It's war on the streets: us against them.
Yeah, well, there's a right way and a wrong way to fight it.
It's not about right and wrong, it's about life and death.
If cops don't stand up for cops cops lose.
Like I did.
Plan on spending the night? (sighs) I can't believe someone would try to kill a police officer like that.
Well, when a kid like Diego Perez gets killed by a cop, especially these days, you can bet all hell's gonna break loose.
I just keep thinking that maybe it wouldn't have happened, if we would've charged Officer Russell before we took him to the grand jury.
Well, you can't charge people on public opinion, or what might keep the peace.
We presented the facts.
Perez's family claimed that he didn't speak English well enough to understand Officer Russell's commands, but we didn't present that to the grand jury.
That's because we interviewed others, including Perez's accomplice, who said his English was fluent.
And he did respond to Officer Russell's command to halt.
I'm just saying that maybe if we would've, you know, presented them with a more complete picture We gave the grand jury what they needed to make a decision on an indictment.
I know you may feel responsible for what happened to Officer Hayes, but you're not.
Sometimes cases blow up.
But that doesn't mean you didn't do your job.
(indistinct police radio communication) How we doing? Hey.
Uh, good.
Guys found a .
38 in an alley a couple blocks from here, but it's not the gun used in the Hayes shooting.
Nice neighborhood.
Any physical evidence? Not yet, but we got all hands down here.
How about witnesses? We're not getting much cooperation from the community.
Well, this street was crowded when this went down.
Someone must've seen something.
Folks in this neighborhood don't like cops under normal circumstances.
Well, these ain't normal circumstances.
Keep us updated, and you guys be careful.
All right, shooter must've come this way, ran up on the car here, blasted Hayes right through the window here.
Took off that way.
So when the shooter stopped to take aim, that's our best bet at an I.
D.
Yeah.
Let's take a walk.
Hey! You own this newsstand? Yeah.
You working here last night? I don't see nothing.
You know it was a cop that got shot, right? I mind my own business.
What's your name, Mr.
Mind Your Own Business? Hector Castillo.
Hector Castillo, you realize without the police looking out for people like you in the community, you wouldn't even have a business here, Mr.
Castillo, right? Like I say, I don't see nothing.
Yeah.
Okay.
You know that woman over there? (sighs) Yeah, it's my daughter.
All right, have a nice day.
What's your name? Gabby.
Gabby, were you working here last night? She wasn't here last night.
I thought you said you mind your own business! And we got work to do! Cop gets shot in the street like this and nobody sees a damn thing.
Nothing bad, or nothing at all? About Officer Russell? Well, people are talking about him, obviously, but it's just in regards to the incident.
What's this all about? Between us? Of course.
The mayor's conducting some kind of independent investigation.
I expect they're turning over rocks to see if they can gerrymander some other plan of attack.
Or just good old character assassination? Or both.
Don't know.
Can you keep your ears open? See who they're talking to, what their angle is? Much as I can.
(knocking on door) Hey.
You want me to wait? I'm just going.
See you both on Sunday.
(door closes) I really shouldn't be here, Dad.
Why not? You're my daughter.
Whose office is in the chain of custody of the leaked video.
Did you leak it? No.
Well, then we're good.
And since you came up the back way, no one's the wiser.
What can I do for you? I think they mayor may be behind the leak.
Yeah, I think the press has picked up on that.
Yeah, well, what do you think? I think he's a sitting mayor and you're taking a huge risk by publicly inferring that.
Do you think the mayor ordered the leak? To what end? To marginalize my department.
And your office.
To effectively pronounce that we cannot be trusted in a matter like this, only he can.
The mayor is not the only one upset about this shooting, you know.
But he had access and motive.
That is a very serious charge, Dad.
Well now I need evidence to back it up.
The DA has assigned a team of investigators to trace that leak.
I am not part of it.
I understand.
But I also understand the reach of City Hall.
You want me to monitor the investigation and report back to you? That would be a no.
(taps desk) I'm asking you to help me find the truth.
Oh, well, when you put it that way, the answer is still no, as you know it has to be.
I ask you to respect that.
(door opens) (sighs) (door closes) What do we got? Suspect wearing clothes Hayes described.
It may be our cop shooter.
Male wearing a purple track jacket entering this building.
All right, you two go this way through the lobby, I'm gonna go this way in case he makes a break for it.
Hey Hey! Stop! Police! Stop! Police! Police! Put your hands on the back of your head right now.
Turn around, get on the ground, and put your hands on the back of your head right now! I said put your hands on the back of your head! Okay.
My hands are up.
You got not witnesses.
So go ahead.
Kill me.
You gonna test me? Come on.
Kill me.
Kill me like you killed that kid.
Well, I suppose I could.
Do it.
But then I'd be saving you from a life in prison.
Do it.
Do it! You're under arrest, you son of a bitch.
(handcuffs clicking) Come on! Come on.
You're in a lot of trouble, Santana.
I got nothing to say to you.
You don't like cops much, do you? Unlock these chains, and I'll show you how much.
Trust me, there's nothing I'd like to do more than take those off and kick your ass.
(snorts) DANNY: But business before pleasure.
Some scumbag matching your description shot a cop in your neighborhood.
Don't know nothing about that.
We're gonna stay here until you give it up, Miguel.
I didn't shoot no cop.
Then why'd you run when you saw us? Maybe you haven't heard, hmm? Cops like to shoot guys who look like me for no good reason.
You've got a sheet a mile long: assault, armed robbery, Mm-hmm.
Right.
selling guns.
Which doesn't prove a damn thing.
You got nothing.
And you know it.
Hey DANNY: you were pissed off when Diego Perez was killed.
Yeah.
But I wasn't surprised.
But you wanted payback.
So you decided to take out a cop and try and get even.
The cop didn't die.
That ain't even.
Yeah, but you wanted to be a hero.
You wanted to be a big, bad man in the neighborhood.
Well, now's your chance to tell the whole world about what you did.
Start talking.
I want a lawyer.
You're gonna need one.
Call his lawyer.
Yeah.
Watch him.
That son of a bitch is lucky you're watching.
Unfortunately, all you've got is resisting arrest.
Even that's a stretch.
What are you talking about? He fits the description that Officer Hayes gave of the shooter.
A matching garment is not a positive I.
D.
You have the gun that was used to shoot Hayes? Well, not yet.
Any witnesses? No! No one's talking yet.
(sighs) I want to nail the guy who shot Hayes as much as you do.
Wow, could've fooled me.
The public is angry that the grand jury refused to indict Officer Russell for shooting Perez.
What the hell does one case have to do with the other one? Everything.
They saw a cop shoot a kid with his hands raised.
Regardless of the facts, a lot of people do not consider that justice.
Well, that's their problem.
Actually, it's ours.
How? If we charge Santana on questionable evidence, an already volatile situation is gonna get a lot worse.
This son of a bitch, Santana, shot a cop at point-blank range! Maybe.
But in the wake of the Perez verdict, the DA will not charge Santana unless you have him dead to rights.
I'm sorry.
JAMIE: Hey, Eric.
How you doing? Hanging in.
Word on the street is you're transferring to Staten Island? Somebody posted my home address online.
My wife and kids have gotten threats.
You're gonna be missed around here, Eric.
I-I can't get that kid's face out of my head, you know? Diego Perez screwed up, got himself killed.
That's on him, not you.
Yeah.
But I'm the one that has to live with it.
So how's the case against the guy who shot our cop? Not good enough for the DA's Office.
You know it's not, Danny.
You know we could use a little support, Erin.
Looking for love in the wrong place.
We're doing our job.
Yeah, well, Russell and Hayes were doing just that, their jobs, and now they're looking at losing those jobs.
HENRY: Santana has to pay for shooting a cop.
All hands should be on that deck.
Okay, but that's not the way it works, and you all know that.
Search of his apartment came up empty.
The guy's good at covering his tracks.
That's because a snake never leaves tracks.
Actually, they do.
What? Just sayin'.
Well, don't.
Look, charging Santana with just circumstantial evidence, in the wake of the kid with the knife being killed, could push the city over the edge.
We all get that.
Thank you.
But you start letting the court of public opinion hold sway We're not You're pretty much telling justice to take a hike.
That is not what is happening.
The standards for evidence have not been met.
JACK: Here's what I just don't understand about this whole thing: The tape clearly shows Perez coming up to a cop with a knife out.
What did he think would happen? Exactly right.
Really? Nicky, please.
You got another opinion, Nicky? Look, I'm not saying that Diego Perez didn't make a mistake.
He made a lot of mistakes.
Yeah, armed robbery, for starters.
NICKY: Okay, yes, but at some point there has to be alternative to deadly force.
You can't give someone a death sentence for stealing a watch or an iPhone.
DANNY: You're right.
You are, you're absolutely right.
Officer Russell should've taken the one and a half seconds that stood between a knife and his throat, and asked this Diego Perez character, "Hey, how you feeling?" LINDA: That is not what Nicky is saying.
It just seems It is what she's saying.
like these things happen way too often.
Thank you.
Like cops getting shot for doing their job? Thank you.
From where I sit, Officer Russell did the right thing.
The problem is somewhere along the line the trust between the cops and the public broke down.
And there's plenty of blame to go around.
But until both sides start working to restore that trust neither side's gonna be safe.
Nicky doesn't mean any disrespect, she's just Young.
After one year of college, apparently all-knowing.
I seem to remember somebody else like that.
I know, Jamie was really full of himself, wasn't he? Listen, Dad, I just heard from Before you start I'm sorry.
I should not have asked you to come up and put you in the spot.
That's true.
And I shouldn't be saying this to you: The leak did not come from the Mayor's Office.
(sighs) Have you identified the individual responsible? Not yet.
Our people are questioning all personnel who had hands-on access to the tape.
And they're 100% sure? We've identified the server that was used to disseminate the video.
It came from the courthouse where the grand jury was empaneled.
I see.
Guess I need to talk to the mayor.
Sunday night at the office.
It's the city that never sleeps, Frank.
Haven't you heard? The district attorney confirmed that the leak did not come from here.
Sorry to disappoint you.
I may have implied that it was you that released the tape.
May have, Frank? You flat-out said it in a room full of reporters.
I apologize.
I was wrong.
And I fully understand if you feel I can no longer serve as your commissioner.
Frank, you know, the surgeon who operated on Officer Hayes, operated on me when I was shot.
Saved my life.
But everything changed.
And now Officer Hayes faces some of the same realities.
His career with the NYPD is over.
The Department, his union will take care of him for the rest of his life.
But he will never re-gain what he lost, Frank.
When I think that my comments could've contributed to this attack could've contributed to someone experiencing the same kind of pain I lived through The attack on Officer Hayes could've happened, whether you spoke out or not.
Yeah, but I did speak out, Frank.
Partly because I was angry, and also so my enemies wouldn't attack me.
I never considered the damage I could cause.
You couldn't know what would happen, Mr.
Mayor.
Frank, when I took this job, I made a promise to myself to never put politics above my responsibility to the people of this city.
I broke that promise.
I don't want you to step down, Frank, because the next mayor is gonna need your help.
I've decided to resign.
DANNY: You sure? Every single thing? All right.
Yeah, thanks.
Crime lab? Yep.
Had them run everything we found in Santana's apartment for glass shards.
Blowback from the windshield of Hayes' RMP.
That's smart, Danny.
Yeah, but unfortunately, we came up empty.
DA's not gonna charge him for resisting arrest, so Santana walks in a few hours, and we got nothin'.
Even if we put Santana back on the street, the investigation isn't over.
Eventually, we're gonna nail him.
Yeah, but by that time, he'll be banging mojitos in Santo Domingo.
What's that? TARU dug up a new piece of surveillance tape from a taco joint down the street from where Hayes was shot.
Great, let's take a look at it and come up with more nothing.
(Danny sighs heavily) Same as the other tape, there's nothing we can I.
D.
Santana.
Okay, okay, but hold on, right there.
Back it up a little bit.
Can you zoom in? It's Gabby Castillo.
That's the girl we talked to at the newsstand.
That's the girl we're gonna talk to again.
You work full-time in your father's newsstand, Gabby? No, I take nursing classes up at Hunter.
It's a good school.
Look I told you guys, I didn't see that cop get shot.
We know what you told us.
And we also know what we see, and right here, I see you, staring right at our shooter, just after he shot Officer Hayes.
It happened really fast.
And I was scared.
Imagine how Officer Hayes felt.
You guys don't understand.
Try us.
People in my neighborhood, they don't trust the police.
Like your father.
If he knew I was here, he'd be really mad, yeah.
Did your father raise you to tell the truth? It's not that simple.
If I cooperate with you guys and people find out We can protect you.
I'm not worried about myself.
Then who are you worried about? My father came here with nothing.
He built his business from nothing.
If people think I snitched, they'll come after him.
You know the shooter.
This guy is gonna shoot someone again.
He will.
Just you being here puts you in danger with him.
You want to protect yourself, you want to protect your family, then you got to stop this guy.
I'm gonna ask you again: Do you see the man who shot Officer Hayes? Okay.
What's going on? We traced the release of the body-cam video to a server from the courthouse.
Do you know who leaked it? I think you owe us all an explanation.
When you released a sealed piece of evidence, you betrayed this entire office, and damaged the reputations of everyone who works here.
I grew up in the neighborhood that Diego Perez was killed.
Okay? I represented those people as a Legal Aid attorney.
They had a right to see that video.
They had a right to decide for themselves if Officer Russell's actions were justified.
That was the judge's call, not yours.
(sighs) Our presentation to the grand jury was one-sided, obviously representing the pro-police bias of this office.
We presented the facts and the grand jury rendered its decision.
You know damn well grand juries rarely indict officers in line-of-duty shootings.
Maybe that should change.
That's a political argument.
And you having a Hispanic ADA to sit second chair in the death of a Hispanic victim wasn't political? Prosecutors, defense attorneys, even defendants, use ethnicity and gender to influence juries every single day-- that is the system.
That's the way it works.
You broke the law.
Your employment is terminated, effective immediately, and the DA will personally pursue your disbarment.
The judge has issued a subpoena for you to appear.
You will likely be charged with criminal contempt.
WOMAN: Oh I am sorry about what happened with Officer Hayes.
But I don't regret what I did.
That's even worse.
Frank.
Mr.
Mayor, I wanted to come up personally to tell you we just got a positive I.
D.
on Miguel Santana for the shooting of Officer Hayes.
(sighs) Has the DA brought charges? Attempted murder of a police officer.
It'll be announced this afternoon.
Well, if you're worried about me holding a press conference I'm not.
You think I've given short shrift to the interests of the NYPD.
At times.
As I know I've thought, "Screw city hall," a dozen times a day.
Frank, I will not be your boss much longer.
Now's your chance.
Tell me what you really think.
Okay, I will.
I don't think you should step down.
You're the only guy at the One PP that feels that way.
Well luckily, I'm the only vote that matters.
Look, your comments after the grand jury decision were unfortunate, but they weren't responsible for getting Officer Hayes shot.
How can you be sure? Chronic offender like Miguel Santana doesn't take his marching orders from the Mayor's Office.
The death of Diego Perez was a time bomb, and that body-cam video going viral flicked the switch.
Well, my comments certainly didn't help.
And in the wake of that boy's death, my officers, including Officer Hayes, they knew they were targets but they still manned their posts.
They did not walk away.
You think I'm taking the easy way out.
Oh there's nothing easy about your job.
You do your best and a hundred voices claim they could do it better, and at times, I have been one of those voices.
And at times, the loudest.
Look, you're gonna do what you want, but you're a good man and a good mayor.
(inhales, exhales) Thank you, Frank.
But when the DA charges Santana, there's gonna be a public outcry about the double standard between police officers and ordinary citizens.
I know that.
And after shooting off my mouth the way I did, Frank I just don't think I'm the guy anymore to talk this city off the ledge.
Actually, it makes you exactly the right guy.
Thought you could use one.
You thought right.
What time's the mayor come on? Ah, we got a couple minutes.
DANNY: Hopefully, he won't trash us like he did last time.
And what are you doing here? I just came by to make sure you didn't put a foot through the TV screen.
Well, if it isn't his foot, it'll be mine.
I'm sure.
I'm gonna grab a beer.
(chuckles) Hey, make it two.
Well! Hey! What do you think he's gonna say? I have no idea.
Pops off again, it'll be my precinct that pays the price.
You guys did a hell of a job holding the fort down there.
Amen to that.
Thanks.
What's up with all the cars in the driveway? Okay.
What's this, a secret meeting of the Reagan Boys Club? Oh, luckily, you're a charter member.
It's time.
Here we go.
(sighs) Here, I got it on mute.
POOLE: Miguel Santana has been charged in the shooting of NYPD Officer Mark Hayes.
Now I know some of you have expressed anger because no charges were brought in the shooting death of Diego Perez.
I expressed, publicly, my own anger when that decision was handed down from the grand jury.
That was a mistake and I regret it.
I'll be damned.
POOLE: The death of Diego Perez was a tragedy, but it was a tragedy of his own making.
The shooting death of Officer Hayes was a cowardly act of vengeance.
If Mr.
Santana is guilty, then Mr.
Santana deserves to be punished.
But there's been enough violence, and as your mayor, I urge everyone to remain calm and let our system work.
Hmm! TV ANCHORMAN: Mayor Poole commenting on the two shootings that have triggered unrest in the city over the past few days.
Not every day you see a politician admit that he screwed up.
Would've been better if he'd kept his yap shut in the first place, but I'm not sure you're qualified to preach about self-restraint.
Oh-ho.
She got you there.
DANNY: Well, if someone who worked for me released the video, I probably wouldn't be talking smack right now.
Man made a mistake, owned up to it.
Took a lot of guts.
JAMIE: Almost makes me wonder if he got some good career advice.
Maybe from a certain PC? The last couple of days could've been a whole lot worse without all the people in this room.
Hear, hear.
Maybe I don't say it enough.
I'm proud of you.
I'm just sayin'.
@elderman