Law & Order Special Victims Unit s07e05 Episode Script
Strain
In the criminal justice system, sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous.
In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as The Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
What's wrong? Look at those.
Look at this! I've been searching all over The city for that pair of shoes.
I will buy them for you tomorrow.
We have to get here when the store opens.
Wait a second.
Now what? That's not a mannequin.
Oh, my god! Who is it? Robin Weller, 27 What he had his wallet under his ass, too? In the store room, in his pants pocket along with these keys.
One opens the front door.
He worked here? Robin was the manager.
I got his name off from phone list in the office.
I called the owner.
He closed the store 7 o'clock last night.
Robin left at five.
Maybe he forgot something, came back, and brought the perp with him.
Or the perp showed up after Robin was already inside.
And Robin must have known him and let him in.
No forced entry.
He was shot right here, execution style, small caliber weapon.
But there is no blood on any of his clothes or anywhere else on him.
Perp cleaned him up, this sponge was in the sink.
So we are thinking that he was forced to strip, sit in a chair, bounded with this wire, and then shot.
How did he get in the display? See those marks? Perp dragged that chair through the store and lifted the body into the window.
Guy's got a set on him, doing it on full-view of the street.
I don't think anybody saw him, those shades come all the way down, so they can change t heir window dressing.
Gave him all the time he need to stage the scene.
And write 'killer' in silver paint.
He went to a lot of trouble to send the message.
If our dead guy is the killer, who did he kill? The early bird catches the perp.
How're we doing? Its gonna take weeks to rule out the store employees and customers.
We got a busload of finger prints.
I doubt that killer left his, the crime scene is too much methodical.
Wires, shoes, lights that must've taken at least an hour, that's a long time to go without slipping up I don't think he did.
Every element of staging was intentional and meaningful.
Ok, so what's up with these shoes? Well, they're all pointing at Robin as if there is a crowd around watching one.
So you are saying, the perp staged it like some kind of sick play? Its theatrical, he wants the attention as is if he is saying "look at Robin", we all stand in judgment of him.
- Tutuola - Your perp is trying to tell the story.
To catch him, you gonna need to know more about who Robin was.
We can ask his father, he's on his way to the morgue to ID the body.
That's my son.
He looks so old.
He is not even 30.
When is the last time you saw him? Six or seven months ago.
You and him have a falling out.
Over his mother's death.
My wife passed away last year.
Robin and I disagreed about her care.
We need your permission to search his apartment.
/ Of course.
Look, I'd like to go home and see to the arrangements.
/ Sure.
His not going to be much help.
Guy's on a life time guilt trip.
Fights with his son over his dying wife, and never gets the chance to say he is sorry.
You should take a look at this.
- I don't see anything.
- Hit the light.
No fluids or sign of sexual trauma, but check out his hand.
Green.
Looks like one of those stamps you get when you go in and out of club.
Green Ballroom club is on 13th street, not far from where Robin was killed.
If the stamp was more than a day old, it would have washed off.
Looks like he went there last night! GREEN BALLROOM CLUB 382 WEST Have you ever seen this guy? Um, I don't recognize him, but that doesn't mean anything.
We were packed last night, a huge circuit party.
So everyone in the place was gay.
Not a lot of straight men feel comfortable in that crowd.
We need to know who was here last night.
We need to see your receipts, t talk to your bouncers.
What time did they get in? Um, seven, but I can help you now.
But, I thought you said you didn't recognize him.
I don't, but no one gets in here without ID.
We scanned them digitally and store them.
Come on.
People say our business will fall off.
You know, big brother watching and all that.
But nobody really seems to care, except the guys who are married.
There he is.
Robin Weller, line 71, came in at 11:14 last night.
He may have come with friends, we'll check names before and after.
System cost 11 grants.
We had put it in after we got hit selling liquor to 15 year old girl.
Can you pull up the photo on line 78? Ken Randall.
You know him? Yeah, I know him.
Dad! What are you doing here? I need to talk you about something.
I've got company.
Is your company a guy? Yeh.
You're gay.
Yeh.
You gotta problem with that dad? Thought so! That's why I never told you.
I gotta go.
He didn't know Robin Weller, didn't recognize him from his picture.
Crime scene is on the way to Robin's apartment.
/ Let's go.
You said you want to know about the victim, I've pulled photos and emails off his computer.
Victim liked to party.
on Fire Island.
South Beach, Palm Springs, P- Town, all gay hot spots.
Started young, too.
Look at this.
Palm Springs White party was just 17, and then 5 years later, looks like his 30.
Father was right, he got old quick! I think I know why.
Anyone found his medicine, yet? Ritonavir, this one's called Enfuvitide.
Enfuvitide is a new fusion inhibitor.
- Both are anti-retrovirals.
- Robin was HIV positive.
He had AIDS.
His T-cell count was extremely low, and his viral load was through the roof, and he got it recently.
- How did you know? - When I saw his blood work, I had the health department fax me his notification letter.
He tested HIV positive six months ago! Isn't that awfully fast to get full blown AIDS? Its unusual, speaking of which, I already got a phone call requesting Robin's death certificate.
The body is not even cold, who called? An insurance company.
His father took out policy on him.
How much? $500,000.
We checked your financials, you don't have a nickel in the bank.
Your credit rating is down the toilet.
You're broke! You think I murdered Robin for insurance money? Half-mil will solve your cash flow problems.
You don't understand, we spent all our money on him.
On a son, you don't speaking to? Oh, that happened later.
When his mother was sick, Robin came home.
- I hadn't seen him in years.
- Why? When he was 16, he told us he was gay.
I couldn't deal with it.
I kicked him out.
When he came back, I barely recognized him.
He looked terrible.
I asked him what was wrong.
He said he had drug problem, wanted to stop but he couldn't.
You tried to help him? I spent our entire life saving paying for his rehabs.
I couldn't even afford proper funeral for my wife.
Robin never stayed clean more than a few months.
I knew it was just matter of time before he overdosed.
So while he was clean, you took out insurance policy to get your money back! I knew Robin was going to die.
If it wasn't from drugs, it would be AIDS, - or that boyfriend of his.
- They had violent relationship? Last time, I spoke to Robin, he called from the emergency room.
Crying, the guy had beat him up! You know the boy friend's name? Lydon Grant.
LOFT OF LYDON GRANT 169 DNANE STREET MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 You sure, this is ok? Come on man, lets go.
No one home.
Oh, looks like a snow storm in here, what the hell happen? Fin! Killer! Single gun shot to the head, entry wound small bore.
Just like Robin Weller.
Same theatrics, same perp.
How long his been dead? Still warm, just going into rigor.
I'll say no more than 8 hours.
It wasn't a snow globe that got busted in here.
Crystal? Sex drug of choice.
That took a lot of crank to blanket Lydon's loft.
Worth hell of a lot in the street.
You think, the murders were about meth? Well, we know that Robin and Lydon were lovers, its even money.
If Lydon used, so the Robin.
Explains the rehab, and why Robin looks so much older.
I mean, Meth ages you fast! And it makes you violent, and paranoid.
Could be they both got high one night, and killed somebody, and this is just payback.
But it doesn't scan.
We talked to family, friends, colleagues.
These guys were well-liked, there is no criminal records.
Crystal can change all that.
Lydon had methane in his blood stream when he was shot! But he wouldn't just using.
Nobody keeps that much around unless dealing.
If his drug dealers, it could a turf war.
It means our perp could be another dealer.
Lets find out if Narcotics has Lydon on their radar.
NARCOTICS TASK FORCE SQUADROOM TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 We got nothing in the system on this Robin Weller.
And this guy, Lydon Grant, he is just the blip from the screen.
Low level meth dealer, don't have much on him.
- Where's your intel come from? - Wire tap, last year.
We were up on the cellular phone that belong to a runner for MKS.
MKS? / Manhattan Killer Squad, violent drug gang.
Oh, we have two homicides.
The perp painted killer on a side of wall.
MKS ever used that as their attack? Not that I have seen, but its possible.
These kids are savages.
- And the crystal meth? - Big time! They killed their way into control of the big chunk of the market.
- cooking it? - Heisting it.
They look for gay men, who're heavy users, beat them half to deaths, steal their drugs, and they sell it back to their gay dealers.
So, circuit party is like one stop shopping, users and dealers.
Gang bang inside of MKS? Had an informant, surfaced in the east river.
Haven't found the right replacement for him, yet.
MKS crew's mostly young white psychos from suburbs.
- Psycho enough to kill a dealer? - Oh, I wouldn't put it past them.
if MKS has your victim, there will be chatter on the circuit.
Gay kids in the club scene know what's going on.
Thank you for meeting me.
- Carrying water for my father? - No, he doesn't know that I'm here.
We are working on a homicide that may be connected to circuit parties.
So lets talk to the token gay guy? What do you want? Ever hear of MKS? Bunch of little freaks from the island, they hit the clubs, act like they're into the scene.
But they are not gay? More like fag bashers.
MKS kid goes into the party, spots the guy holding meth, lures him outside.
Where the rest of his crew is waiting to roll him? They beat the crap out of him, take his stash.
Have you ever been hurt? I'm not into meth.
Fin probably thinks I am.
Another reason to hate me.
- Your dad doesn't hate you.
- Dad doesn't know me.
Why don't you give him sometime? Look, you want to know about MKS? There is a party tonight.
At a club called, Euphoria.
A lot of people will be tweaking, dealers would be there.
"Meth equals death! Meth equals death!" What's happening up there? Some kind of protest.
Those guys don't look like MKS.
I'm mean nothing going down with all this drama out here.
Club people must have same idea, they are opening the rear fire door so people don't have to go through the protest.
Captain, check out the guy in white shirt! "Meth equals death! Meth equals death!" Play it safe, here's your protection.
Go away man!, leave me alone.
Hey, sweetheart! You lonely tonight? black shirt, blue jeans, hustling a guy in a gray sweater.
Looks like he can be MKS.
It could be just go in for quickie.
Fin, check him out.
- Its going down! - All units hit Courtland allay.
Police, stay where you are! Don't move! Captain, - check that out! Killer! - Come on.
Hey, Killer, You get that tattoo for off somebody? / Its my posse.
Manhattan Killer squad, they call you killer? / No.
King Henry.
- King of what? - Garden City, Long island? Henry Finello, possession seven, grand theft auto, assault.
Oh, just turned 18, three weeks ago.
Happy birthday, you are an adult.
No more calling daddy, no more juvee time.
I'll make bail before that faggot gets out of the hospital.
Who's calling who a faggot? You're gay doll must be jam.
Yeah, you may be just too scared to come out.
- I'm not queer.
- You're on the circuit.
That is until we put you in jail for murder.
Murder? Yo, I never saw them.
Yes, you did.
You killed them.
You wrote your name right there.
You think I wrack those fags? I ripped them off, that's it! Why do you target gay men? They're easy marks.
Don't call the cops when they get jumped.
Don't want anyone to know about their freaky sex lives, and their meth joints.
Killer, your tag, your crime.
I swear I didn't do it.
I didn't kill no one.
Can I talk to you two for a minute.
- I think I know what killer means.
- Yeah, him.
Doc doesn't think so.
Lydon Grant had AIDS just like Robin Weller.
Oh, that's not a surprise, they were lovers.
They both had same strain of HIV, so called Killer Strain.
Progresses from infection to death less than a year.
Resistance to most drugs.
First time, I ever seen it.
If Robin and Lydon had unprotected sex with anyone else, they could have infected their partners.
Making them both killers.
Well, this could be revenge, somebody who knew both Robin and Lydon had new strain of HIV.
Maybe sexual partner, one of them infected.
Or vigilante wiping out HIV victims.
Specifically, crystal methane users who are gay.
The whole country swimming in crank.
Why just kill gay men? Because after years of keeping HIV in check, meth has causing an increase in new infections.
Especially, among gay men in club scene.
They call it PNP, party and play.
When you are tweaking on meth, you can have sex for hours, but you are high so you're not likely to use condom.
And much more likely to spread HIV.
Then why the perp tricked out the victims, that just calls more attention to himself? The guy is desperate.
He wants people to wake up, and to pay attention to the danger.
But how did our perp know the Lydon and Robin had HIV? This is not something you advertise.
it had to be a mutual friend, or someone like doctor or health care worker who knew they were both infected.
As soon as tested positive, they have to submit a list of their sexual contacts to the health department.
NEW YORK CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT COMPUTER CENTER WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 I can't discuss anyone's HIV status.
Its not a discussion.
Its homicide investigation.
Department policy.
/ Look, sir! Someone in this office could be killing people with AIDS.
You don't help us, we subpoena your records, and bust you for obstruction.
Look, you didn't hear this from me.
They said don't talk about it.
Don't talk about what? Our computers were hacked.
Somebody got the names of people with HIV.
It happened in the Florida, too.
Shouldn't you tell the public? Our files are encrypted.
Hacker won't be able to read the list.
We need those names.
We're reconstructing the files, there were damaged when he copied.
He? You know who did this.
We can't prove it, but our overnight supervisor caught a janitor sitting at a computer terminal.
What's the janitor's name? Gabriel Thomason.
We fired him.
You wouldn't happen to know where he lives.
No, but I can tell you where he spends his time.
Wouldn't stop talking about some AIDS group, called the 'Rainbow Army'.
We are looking for Gabriel Thomason.
Hey, Gabe! Got some folks here to see you.
I'm Gabriel Thomason.
Can I help you? Detective Benson, Tutuola.
Saw you last night at a club Euphoria.
I had permit for the protest.
Yeah, where did you go afterwards? I hit a couple of clubs to look for condoms.
What's the matter with drug store? I was checking on their supply.
There was a time when all the clubs have bowls of free condoms.
So now, you run the condoms patrol, since you got fired from your janitor gig.
That was a misunderstanding.
We heard you hacked the Health Department's computer.
Yeah, What were you looking for? Yeah, actually, I was checking my e-mail.
Typical, right? Have a problem, blame it on the faggot janitor.
He's gonna stick to that story, we can't prove it otherwise.
He knows we can't nail him.
I bet my paycheck, he got that list.
Maybe we should talk to somebody at the gay officer's league.
Have a cop go undercover inside the Rainbow Army.
Gabriel's already raised up, he smelled a rat.
So where to next? I'm gonna drop you off at the squad.
I got a stop to make.
- Informant? - Maybe.
- I gotta go dad.
- I just need a minute.
I made enough mistake with you already.
I'm not trying to do it, again.
Come on, man.
I'm working on a case.
The one Olivia told me about, what the circuit parties? She talked to you? Yeah, about MKS.
I want to show you picture of dead guy, can I do that? / Yeah.
Why killer? Victim had new killer strain of HIV.
Can't scare me out of being gay.
I'm not trying to.
Then why ask me about the case? Ok, this guy was murdered after he came out of Green Ballroom club the night you were there.
That's how you found out about me.
It's all over the circuit about these two guys.
I heard about this.
You ever heard about the Rainbow Army? See their flyers everywhere.
They do good work.
- You think they're involved? - It's possible.
They're trying to help gay men, not kill them.
Well, somebody is killing these guys, and we don't find them, I guarantee he's gonna kill more.
You telling me this because I'm gay, and you want me to be careful? - Yes, and also need a favor.
- Okay.
You still majoring in computer science? RAINBOW ARMY STOREFRONT 40 WEST You know, I don't have classes on Tuesday.
I could come every week.
Good, we do a lot of demonstrations.
So your parents have gonna problem if you get arrested? Ah, they would be proud of me.
There is this one dude, his family can deal with him being gay.
But they hated it when he wound up in the papers.
"You gotta be so public about it, the whole world's gotta know" Right, what would the neighbors think? Yeah, they¡¯re more worried about - that than their own kids.
- Hey, how is it going? The glasses cam works great.
Whose Ken talking to? His name is Jason, office manager.
- Hey Jason.
- Hey, Gabriel - Jason,This is your man? - Ken Randall, Gabriel Thomason There is our friend.
Jason told me all about you.
- Not much to tell.
- Well, we're glad to have you.
You know, we need all the help we can get.
Seeing guys get sick for being stupid, makes me wanna do something.
Good, do you want to come inside for a second? - Sure.
- You good? So Jason tells me you're computer science major? Thinking about software engineering, unless I go premed.
But you're good with computers.
That's what my professors say.
Your fish just bit the hook Not yet, he's still sniffing the bait.
I can teach you, I think you guys do great work.
Good.
Well, actually, um, I got a little software problem.
- What kind? - Its a file, I can't open.
- Come to you by e-mail? - Its on a disk.
From a different operating system? You lost me.
Windows, Mac, Unix? You go from one to another, stuff gets garbled.
Well, if I just give you the disk, you think you can open it? I'll try.
There you go.
There is a better chance, I'll be able to open this on my setup at home.
All right, well, just take it, make sure I get it back What's the file you need to open? - It's the list of name.
- Got him.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RESPONSE UNIT ONE POLICE PLAZA THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 Theoretically, encryption is built into a system with its own encoding key, but Gabriel corrupted the file.
When it wouldn't open, he saved in another format.
- Is it compressed? - I don't think so.
Maybe its a UUE extension or something like that.
I'll try that.
There you go.
What do you think dad, not bad, um? That looks like our list.
Gabriel needs the list, why? To warn men or to kill them? He wants to stop this spread of killer HIV strain, he might kill anyone who's infected.
Then we canvass everybody on that list, and anybody who slept with Lydon Grant or Robin Weller.
Wait a minute.
Gabriel's last name is Thomason.
One of the name on Robin's list is Alexander Thomason, age 23.
Died three months ago.
Before that he lived at 458 West 10th street, apartment 3B.
That's Gabriel's address.
Alex Thomason is his younger brother.
I know a couple of families with two gay kids.
If Alex and Gabriel were close Gives Gabriel mondo motive to murder Lydon and Robin.
And let the whole world know they were killers.
But why the Health Department list? He already revenged his brother's death.
Gabriel wanted to know who infected Lydon.
It's a chain, he's working his way backwards.
Go pick Gabriel up before he finds his next victim.
"Meth equals death! Meth equals death!" Gabriel Thomason! We're busy, detectives, I can speak with you at the office tomorrow.
Put the sign down, please.
This is a peaceful protest, but she is gonna arrest me.
And what are the charges? Loitering while gay? No, homicide Gabriel Thomason, you are under arrest for murders of Robin Weller, and Lydon Grant.
You have right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.
I admit it.
I killed Robin and Lydon.
But what are two lives compared to the thousands that could be lost if the super strain becomes an epidemic? So you are confessing to murder? What choice do I have? They are high on Meth, having sex with each other night after night, exposing their partners who would infect their next partners? Just like they infected your brother? Alex always used a condom.
Got tested regularly.
Until Robin Weller got him hooked on crystal meth.
I saw Robin at the club that night.
He was so high, he didn't remember me.
I came onto him.
He took me back to the shoe store, he was expecting sex.
He killed my brother, I killed him.
So you play God, decide who lives and who dies.
Its called Messiah complex.
Gabriel believes that he can see things no one else can see, like a prophet.
/ So he's insane.
No, he knows that it's wrong to kill, he just feels justified in his action.
Then why was he so careful not to get caught? Because he still has work to do.
Killing for the cause.
He believes in what he is doing, that's why he confessed.
And the defense will argue extreme emotional disturbance, Gabriel was driven temporally insane by grief over his brother's death.
You really think that I'm that predictable? Casey? Oh, you are too late, Carolyn.
Your client gave it up.
- Did he? - Mm-hmm.
Doesn't matter.
Gabriel won't serve a day in prison.
How you gonna pull that off? You really expect me to give you all my secrets.
See you at arraignment.
Docket ending 497.
We will hear a plea, Miss.
Maddox.
Not guilty.
The defense can't argue diminished capacity.
Gabriel Thomason clearly stated in his confession that he knew what he was doing and he knew it was wrong.
We're not arguing EED.
Your honor, the plea is self-defense under the accepted theories of imminent harm and greater danger.
Self-defense? Robin Weller was tied to a chair and shot point blank in the head.
How could he have posed a risk to Gabriel Thomason? Robin Weller and Lydon Grant were the carriers of lethal virus.
But Gabriel wasn't having sex with them.
He was never in danger.
Two men with HIV, having drug fueled, compulsive sex puts other gay men in danger.
My client was defending the entire gay community from two men whose sexual behavior threatened thousands.
Your honor, this is ludicrous.
It's an interesting argument.
I'm not sure it'll work, but the jury should hear it.
I'm gonna allow the defense.
TRIAL PART 46 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11 At the Centers for Disease Control, we monitor HIV exposure patterns.
Then you must be very concerned about this new strain of HIV.
It may be more lethal than anything we've seen in history of this epidemic.
What does CDC recommend we do? Notify the public, increase education, and preventive measures.
Some people are proposing more radical solutions.
like what? / Prosecuting people, who knowingly infect their partners or making them bear a part of the cost of their medical treatment.
How about killing people who have the virus? Certainly not.
Killing is obviously not the answer.
Thank you, your witness.
Dr.
Sloan, is there any treatment for this new strain of HIV? It's resistant to most drug therapies.
We are trying to develop new treatments.
The virus has mutated, changed to fight off our attempts to kill it.
If it spreads further, we may not be able to stop it, ever.
So you're saying those infected will die quickly.
Yes, I believe we might be on the verge of disaster, - a new world wide pandemic.
- So what can we do? Test everyone and quarantine those with HIV to a desert island? Back in the 90s, the New York City Health Department established detention centers for people with TB who refused take their medicine.
Sounds like a good way to protect the public, why haven't you tried that? The law doesn't allow us to quarantine people with HIV.
So those infected with this new strain can keep on having unprotected sex, and spreading this virus? Yes, we have no way to stop them.
Thank you.
I came of age hearing about how so many gay men died.
In the 80s when there was no treatment.
And now it's happening again because of crystal meth.
How does that make you feel? Lonely, afraid, hopeless.
How do you deal with that? By trying to make difference, teaching young gay men to protect themselves.
I joined Rainbow Army to bring the message to the circuit.
Have you efforts been successful? I couldn't save my own brother.
Alex tested positive last year, and he died 5 month later.
After the funeral, I read his diaries.
I made a list of people who he slept with.
Why? So I can tell them to be tested.
Was Robin Weller, one of men you talked to? Yes.
He told me that he had killer strain, too.
That it was positive before he had sex with my brother, that he knew, he didn't tell Alex, and he infected him.
And that made you angry? Yes, and I saw Robin at the clubs picking up young guys.
I tried to warn them, but they were high on meth, they wouldn't listen.
I couldn't save them.
Robin was gonna murder them, just like he murdered my brother.
That's why you killed the two men responsible for Alex's death? Oh, I had to protect the other men they would have infected, and all the men they would have infected.
Gabriel, do you think you did the right thing? I do.
By stopping two lives, I saved thousands more.
Thank you.
Stopping two lives, that's some pretty fancy gift wrapping.
You murdered two men, didn't you? Yes, but they could have murdered thousands of innocent others.
Oh, like your brother? You think Alex was innocent? Of course.
Your brother wasn't raped.
He chose to have sex without a condom.
You blaming him? You heard Dr.
Sloan testify about the need for personal responsibility.
Robin Weller wasn't behaving responsibly, but neither was your brother.
Oh, Alex, um Alex did not know any better.
He was young.
- He was high.
- So was Robin Weller.
You blame one, you blame both.
What if Alex hadn't died? What if He had gone on using meth and partying? He could've infected others, would you have stopped his life? Answer the question! Would you have killed your own brother? There are no mysteries here, two people are dead.
Gabriel Thomason has told you that he shot and killed them both, and why he did it.
In 1981, 41 gay men were diagnosed with rare form of cancer no doctors that ever seen before.
Now, 40 million people are infected with HIV.
Gay and Straight.
And we keep hoping that they'll do something about it before its too late, and no one does.
That's why Gabriel Thomason took matters into his own hand.
Robin Weller and Lydon Grant infected dozens of men.
And could have infected hundreds, if their drug and sex binge continued.
They were terrorists.
Let me put it to you this way.
You walk out of here tonight, and on the courthouse steps Osama Vin Laden holding a dirty bomb.
Everything you know about this men tells you that he will detonate it, and turn Manhattan into a nuclear waste land, you've got a gun.
Would you shoot him to save city? Desperate times require desperate measures.
Gabriel Thomason did what he had to do to save innocent lives.
Now, its your turn.
Do what you have to do, find them not guilty.
Millions dying of AIDS isn't an unimaginable tragedy.
But does that mean that two more death, two murders, don't matter? The defense argues that these murders were justifiable, because they prevented future death.
It might sound rational, but consider this.
Tobacco executives, they make cigarettes.
And hundreds of thousands of people who smoke die of lung cancer.
Would it be all right to murder the tobacco CEOs? You think that two situations aren't the same, think it again.
People who smoke, they know the risks, and they choose to smoke despite them.
Just like people who choose to get high, and have sex without a condom.
Don't blame the victims.
Gabriel Thomason broke the law.
He killed two men.
He knew what he was doing, and he knew it was wrong.
You must hold him responsible.
Two to one, he walks.
I wouldn't take those odds on a double homicides, Safe money, 25 to life.
You didn't see Gabriel on the stand.
When he cried, the jury believed him.
No, they didn't.
Guilty.
Murder two, both counts.
I guess jury didn't buy his tears.
Sentencing report will ask for the max, consecutive, Gabriel gets fifty to life.
Judge could still drop it down.
Not after she hears Robin Weller's father.
He's looking for revenge, she'll give to him.
SENTENSING HEARING PART Your honor, Robin Weller's father would like to make a statement before you sentence Gabriel Thomason.
Step up Mr.
Weller.
I miss my son.
I miss him everyday.
There were years when we didn't speak.
When I was so angry at him for his life, for his behavior.
But now I regret that.
It's painful everyday.
But the last six months, I missed him the most because he wasn't my son anymore.
He had been taken over by his addiction, and the Robin I knew was gone.
I don't know how many people Robin infected, or how many more he would've infected, if he'd lived.
I don't approve of what Gabriel did, but I understand why he did it.
I didn't think I'd feel this way.
I thought I'd want revenge.
Please, don't punish him too severely.
Thank you, the court appreciates your statement.
Hi, I couldn't stay and listen.
How much time Gabriel get? Would gotten a lot more, if you had't spoken up.
I did so many things wrong with Robin.
Sure you did the best you could.
The night he told me he was gay, I told him I wished he was dead.
I give anything to have another chance with my son.
In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as The Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
What's wrong? Look at those.
Look at this! I've been searching all over The city for that pair of shoes.
I will buy them for you tomorrow.
We have to get here when the store opens.
Wait a second.
Now what? That's not a mannequin.
Oh, my god! Who is it? Robin Weller, 27 What he had his wallet under his ass, too? In the store room, in his pants pocket along with these keys.
One opens the front door.
He worked here? Robin was the manager.
I got his name off from phone list in the office.
I called the owner.
He closed the store 7 o'clock last night.
Robin left at five.
Maybe he forgot something, came back, and brought the perp with him.
Or the perp showed up after Robin was already inside.
And Robin must have known him and let him in.
No forced entry.
He was shot right here, execution style, small caliber weapon.
But there is no blood on any of his clothes or anywhere else on him.
Perp cleaned him up, this sponge was in the sink.
So we are thinking that he was forced to strip, sit in a chair, bounded with this wire, and then shot.
How did he get in the display? See those marks? Perp dragged that chair through the store and lifted the body into the window.
Guy's got a set on him, doing it on full-view of the street.
I don't think anybody saw him, those shades come all the way down, so they can change t heir window dressing.
Gave him all the time he need to stage the scene.
And write 'killer' in silver paint.
He went to a lot of trouble to send the message.
If our dead guy is the killer, who did he kill? The early bird catches the perp.
How're we doing? Its gonna take weeks to rule out the store employees and customers.
We got a busload of finger prints.
I doubt that killer left his, the crime scene is too much methodical.
Wires, shoes, lights that must've taken at least an hour, that's a long time to go without slipping up I don't think he did.
Every element of staging was intentional and meaningful.
Ok, so what's up with these shoes? Well, they're all pointing at Robin as if there is a crowd around watching one.
So you are saying, the perp staged it like some kind of sick play? Its theatrical, he wants the attention as is if he is saying "look at Robin", we all stand in judgment of him.
- Tutuola - Your perp is trying to tell the story.
To catch him, you gonna need to know more about who Robin was.
We can ask his father, he's on his way to the morgue to ID the body.
That's my son.
He looks so old.
He is not even 30.
When is the last time you saw him? Six or seven months ago.
You and him have a falling out.
Over his mother's death.
My wife passed away last year.
Robin and I disagreed about her care.
We need your permission to search his apartment.
/ Of course.
Look, I'd like to go home and see to the arrangements.
/ Sure.
His not going to be much help.
Guy's on a life time guilt trip.
Fights with his son over his dying wife, and never gets the chance to say he is sorry.
You should take a look at this.
- I don't see anything.
- Hit the light.
No fluids or sign of sexual trauma, but check out his hand.
Green.
Looks like one of those stamps you get when you go in and out of club.
Green Ballroom club is on 13th street, not far from where Robin was killed.
If the stamp was more than a day old, it would have washed off.
Looks like he went there last night! GREEN BALLROOM CLUB 382 WEST Have you ever seen this guy? Um, I don't recognize him, but that doesn't mean anything.
We were packed last night, a huge circuit party.
So everyone in the place was gay.
Not a lot of straight men feel comfortable in that crowd.
We need to know who was here last night.
We need to see your receipts, t talk to your bouncers.
What time did they get in? Um, seven, but I can help you now.
But, I thought you said you didn't recognize him.
I don't, but no one gets in here without ID.
We scanned them digitally and store them.
Come on.
People say our business will fall off.
You know, big brother watching and all that.
But nobody really seems to care, except the guys who are married.
There he is.
Robin Weller, line 71, came in at 11:14 last night.
He may have come with friends, we'll check names before and after.
System cost 11 grants.
We had put it in after we got hit selling liquor to 15 year old girl.
Can you pull up the photo on line 78? Ken Randall.
You know him? Yeah, I know him.
Dad! What are you doing here? I need to talk you about something.
I've got company.
Is your company a guy? Yeh.
You're gay.
Yeh.
You gotta problem with that dad? Thought so! That's why I never told you.
I gotta go.
He didn't know Robin Weller, didn't recognize him from his picture.
Crime scene is on the way to Robin's apartment.
/ Let's go.
You said you want to know about the victim, I've pulled photos and emails off his computer.
Victim liked to party.
on Fire Island.
South Beach, Palm Springs, P- Town, all gay hot spots.
Started young, too.
Look at this.
Palm Springs White party was just 17, and then 5 years later, looks like his 30.
Father was right, he got old quick! I think I know why.
Anyone found his medicine, yet? Ritonavir, this one's called Enfuvitide.
Enfuvitide is a new fusion inhibitor.
- Both are anti-retrovirals.
- Robin was HIV positive.
He had AIDS.
His T-cell count was extremely low, and his viral load was through the roof, and he got it recently.
- How did you know? - When I saw his blood work, I had the health department fax me his notification letter.
He tested HIV positive six months ago! Isn't that awfully fast to get full blown AIDS? Its unusual, speaking of which, I already got a phone call requesting Robin's death certificate.
The body is not even cold, who called? An insurance company.
His father took out policy on him.
How much? $500,000.
We checked your financials, you don't have a nickel in the bank.
Your credit rating is down the toilet.
You're broke! You think I murdered Robin for insurance money? Half-mil will solve your cash flow problems.
You don't understand, we spent all our money on him.
On a son, you don't speaking to? Oh, that happened later.
When his mother was sick, Robin came home.
- I hadn't seen him in years.
- Why? When he was 16, he told us he was gay.
I couldn't deal with it.
I kicked him out.
When he came back, I barely recognized him.
He looked terrible.
I asked him what was wrong.
He said he had drug problem, wanted to stop but he couldn't.
You tried to help him? I spent our entire life saving paying for his rehabs.
I couldn't even afford proper funeral for my wife.
Robin never stayed clean more than a few months.
I knew it was just matter of time before he overdosed.
So while he was clean, you took out insurance policy to get your money back! I knew Robin was going to die.
If it wasn't from drugs, it would be AIDS, - or that boyfriend of his.
- They had violent relationship? Last time, I spoke to Robin, he called from the emergency room.
Crying, the guy had beat him up! You know the boy friend's name? Lydon Grant.
LOFT OF LYDON GRANT 169 DNANE STREET MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 You sure, this is ok? Come on man, lets go.
No one home.
Oh, looks like a snow storm in here, what the hell happen? Fin! Killer! Single gun shot to the head, entry wound small bore.
Just like Robin Weller.
Same theatrics, same perp.
How long his been dead? Still warm, just going into rigor.
I'll say no more than 8 hours.
It wasn't a snow globe that got busted in here.
Crystal? Sex drug of choice.
That took a lot of crank to blanket Lydon's loft.
Worth hell of a lot in the street.
You think, the murders were about meth? Well, we know that Robin and Lydon were lovers, its even money.
If Lydon used, so the Robin.
Explains the rehab, and why Robin looks so much older.
I mean, Meth ages you fast! And it makes you violent, and paranoid.
Could be they both got high one night, and killed somebody, and this is just payback.
But it doesn't scan.
We talked to family, friends, colleagues.
These guys were well-liked, there is no criminal records.
Crystal can change all that.
Lydon had methane in his blood stream when he was shot! But he wouldn't just using.
Nobody keeps that much around unless dealing.
If his drug dealers, it could a turf war.
It means our perp could be another dealer.
Lets find out if Narcotics has Lydon on their radar.
NARCOTICS TASK FORCE SQUADROOM TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 We got nothing in the system on this Robin Weller.
And this guy, Lydon Grant, he is just the blip from the screen.
Low level meth dealer, don't have much on him.
- Where's your intel come from? - Wire tap, last year.
We were up on the cellular phone that belong to a runner for MKS.
MKS? / Manhattan Killer Squad, violent drug gang.
Oh, we have two homicides.
The perp painted killer on a side of wall.
MKS ever used that as their attack? Not that I have seen, but its possible.
These kids are savages.
- And the crystal meth? - Big time! They killed their way into control of the big chunk of the market.
- cooking it? - Heisting it.
They look for gay men, who're heavy users, beat them half to deaths, steal their drugs, and they sell it back to their gay dealers.
So, circuit party is like one stop shopping, users and dealers.
Gang bang inside of MKS? Had an informant, surfaced in the east river.
Haven't found the right replacement for him, yet.
MKS crew's mostly young white psychos from suburbs.
- Psycho enough to kill a dealer? - Oh, I wouldn't put it past them.
if MKS has your victim, there will be chatter on the circuit.
Gay kids in the club scene know what's going on.
Thank you for meeting me.
- Carrying water for my father? - No, he doesn't know that I'm here.
We are working on a homicide that may be connected to circuit parties.
So lets talk to the token gay guy? What do you want? Ever hear of MKS? Bunch of little freaks from the island, they hit the clubs, act like they're into the scene.
But they are not gay? More like fag bashers.
MKS kid goes into the party, spots the guy holding meth, lures him outside.
Where the rest of his crew is waiting to roll him? They beat the crap out of him, take his stash.
Have you ever been hurt? I'm not into meth.
Fin probably thinks I am.
Another reason to hate me.
- Your dad doesn't hate you.
- Dad doesn't know me.
Why don't you give him sometime? Look, you want to know about MKS? There is a party tonight.
At a club called, Euphoria.
A lot of people will be tweaking, dealers would be there.
"Meth equals death! Meth equals death!" What's happening up there? Some kind of protest.
Those guys don't look like MKS.
I'm mean nothing going down with all this drama out here.
Club people must have same idea, they are opening the rear fire door so people don't have to go through the protest.
Captain, check out the guy in white shirt! "Meth equals death! Meth equals death!" Play it safe, here's your protection.
Go away man!, leave me alone.
Hey, sweetheart! You lonely tonight? black shirt, blue jeans, hustling a guy in a gray sweater.
Looks like he can be MKS.
It could be just go in for quickie.
Fin, check him out.
- Its going down! - All units hit Courtland allay.
Police, stay where you are! Don't move! Captain, - check that out! Killer! - Come on.
Hey, Killer, You get that tattoo for off somebody? / Its my posse.
Manhattan Killer squad, they call you killer? / No.
King Henry.
- King of what? - Garden City, Long island? Henry Finello, possession seven, grand theft auto, assault.
Oh, just turned 18, three weeks ago.
Happy birthday, you are an adult.
No more calling daddy, no more juvee time.
I'll make bail before that faggot gets out of the hospital.
Who's calling who a faggot? You're gay doll must be jam.
Yeah, you may be just too scared to come out.
- I'm not queer.
- You're on the circuit.
That is until we put you in jail for murder.
Murder? Yo, I never saw them.
Yes, you did.
You killed them.
You wrote your name right there.
You think I wrack those fags? I ripped them off, that's it! Why do you target gay men? They're easy marks.
Don't call the cops when they get jumped.
Don't want anyone to know about their freaky sex lives, and their meth joints.
Killer, your tag, your crime.
I swear I didn't do it.
I didn't kill no one.
Can I talk to you two for a minute.
- I think I know what killer means.
- Yeah, him.
Doc doesn't think so.
Lydon Grant had AIDS just like Robin Weller.
Oh, that's not a surprise, they were lovers.
They both had same strain of HIV, so called Killer Strain.
Progresses from infection to death less than a year.
Resistance to most drugs.
First time, I ever seen it.
If Robin and Lydon had unprotected sex with anyone else, they could have infected their partners.
Making them both killers.
Well, this could be revenge, somebody who knew both Robin and Lydon had new strain of HIV.
Maybe sexual partner, one of them infected.
Or vigilante wiping out HIV victims.
Specifically, crystal methane users who are gay.
The whole country swimming in crank.
Why just kill gay men? Because after years of keeping HIV in check, meth has causing an increase in new infections.
Especially, among gay men in club scene.
They call it PNP, party and play.
When you are tweaking on meth, you can have sex for hours, but you are high so you're not likely to use condom.
And much more likely to spread HIV.
Then why the perp tricked out the victims, that just calls more attention to himself? The guy is desperate.
He wants people to wake up, and to pay attention to the danger.
But how did our perp know the Lydon and Robin had HIV? This is not something you advertise.
it had to be a mutual friend, or someone like doctor or health care worker who knew they were both infected.
As soon as tested positive, they have to submit a list of their sexual contacts to the health department.
NEW YORK CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT COMPUTER CENTER WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 I can't discuss anyone's HIV status.
Its not a discussion.
Its homicide investigation.
Department policy.
/ Look, sir! Someone in this office could be killing people with AIDS.
You don't help us, we subpoena your records, and bust you for obstruction.
Look, you didn't hear this from me.
They said don't talk about it.
Don't talk about what? Our computers were hacked.
Somebody got the names of people with HIV.
It happened in the Florida, too.
Shouldn't you tell the public? Our files are encrypted.
Hacker won't be able to read the list.
We need those names.
We're reconstructing the files, there were damaged when he copied.
He? You know who did this.
We can't prove it, but our overnight supervisor caught a janitor sitting at a computer terminal.
What's the janitor's name? Gabriel Thomason.
We fired him.
You wouldn't happen to know where he lives.
No, but I can tell you where he spends his time.
Wouldn't stop talking about some AIDS group, called the 'Rainbow Army'.
We are looking for Gabriel Thomason.
Hey, Gabe! Got some folks here to see you.
I'm Gabriel Thomason.
Can I help you? Detective Benson, Tutuola.
Saw you last night at a club Euphoria.
I had permit for the protest.
Yeah, where did you go afterwards? I hit a couple of clubs to look for condoms.
What's the matter with drug store? I was checking on their supply.
There was a time when all the clubs have bowls of free condoms.
So now, you run the condoms patrol, since you got fired from your janitor gig.
That was a misunderstanding.
We heard you hacked the Health Department's computer.
Yeah, What were you looking for? Yeah, actually, I was checking my e-mail.
Typical, right? Have a problem, blame it on the faggot janitor.
He's gonna stick to that story, we can't prove it otherwise.
He knows we can't nail him.
I bet my paycheck, he got that list.
Maybe we should talk to somebody at the gay officer's league.
Have a cop go undercover inside the Rainbow Army.
Gabriel's already raised up, he smelled a rat.
So where to next? I'm gonna drop you off at the squad.
I got a stop to make.
- Informant? - Maybe.
- I gotta go dad.
- I just need a minute.
I made enough mistake with you already.
I'm not trying to do it, again.
Come on, man.
I'm working on a case.
The one Olivia told me about, what the circuit parties? She talked to you? Yeah, about MKS.
I want to show you picture of dead guy, can I do that? / Yeah.
Why killer? Victim had new killer strain of HIV.
Can't scare me out of being gay.
I'm not trying to.
Then why ask me about the case? Ok, this guy was murdered after he came out of Green Ballroom club the night you were there.
That's how you found out about me.
It's all over the circuit about these two guys.
I heard about this.
You ever heard about the Rainbow Army? See their flyers everywhere.
They do good work.
- You think they're involved? - It's possible.
They're trying to help gay men, not kill them.
Well, somebody is killing these guys, and we don't find them, I guarantee he's gonna kill more.
You telling me this because I'm gay, and you want me to be careful? - Yes, and also need a favor.
- Okay.
You still majoring in computer science? RAINBOW ARMY STOREFRONT 40 WEST You know, I don't have classes on Tuesday.
I could come every week.
Good, we do a lot of demonstrations.
So your parents have gonna problem if you get arrested? Ah, they would be proud of me.
There is this one dude, his family can deal with him being gay.
But they hated it when he wound up in the papers.
"You gotta be so public about it, the whole world's gotta know" Right, what would the neighbors think? Yeah, they¡¯re more worried about - that than their own kids.
- Hey, how is it going? The glasses cam works great.
Whose Ken talking to? His name is Jason, office manager.
- Hey Jason.
- Hey, Gabriel - Jason,This is your man? - Ken Randall, Gabriel Thomason There is our friend.
Jason told me all about you.
- Not much to tell.
- Well, we're glad to have you.
You know, we need all the help we can get.
Seeing guys get sick for being stupid, makes me wanna do something.
Good, do you want to come inside for a second? - Sure.
- You good? So Jason tells me you're computer science major? Thinking about software engineering, unless I go premed.
But you're good with computers.
That's what my professors say.
Your fish just bit the hook Not yet, he's still sniffing the bait.
I can teach you, I think you guys do great work.
Good.
Well, actually, um, I got a little software problem.
- What kind? - Its a file, I can't open.
- Come to you by e-mail? - Its on a disk.
From a different operating system? You lost me.
Windows, Mac, Unix? You go from one to another, stuff gets garbled.
Well, if I just give you the disk, you think you can open it? I'll try.
There you go.
There is a better chance, I'll be able to open this on my setup at home.
All right, well, just take it, make sure I get it back What's the file you need to open? - It's the list of name.
- Got him.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RESPONSE UNIT ONE POLICE PLAZA THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 Theoretically, encryption is built into a system with its own encoding key, but Gabriel corrupted the file.
When it wouldn't open, he saved in another format.
- Is it compressed? - I don't think so.
Maybe its a UUE extension or something like that.
I'll try that.
There you go.
What do you think dad, not bad, um? That looks like our list.
Gabriel needs the list, why? To warn men or to kill them? He wants to stop this spread of killer HIV strain, he might kill anyone who's infected.
Then we canvass everybody on that list, and anybody who slept with Lydon Grant or Robin Weller.
Wait a minute.
Gabriel's last name is Thomason.
One of the name on Robin's list is Alexander Thomason, age 23.
Died three months ago.
Before that he lived at 458 West 10th street, apartment 3B.
That's Gabriel's address.
Alex Thomason is his younger brother.
I know a couple of families with two gay kids.
If Alex and Gabriel were close Gives Gabriel mondo motive to murder Lydon and Robin.
And let the whole world know they were killers.
But why the Health Department list? He already revenged his brother's death.
Gabriel wanted to know who infected Lydon.
It's a chain, he's working his way backwards.
Go pick Gabriel up before he finds his next victim.
"Meth equals death! Meth equals death!" Gabriel Thomason! We're busy, detectives, I can speak with you at the office tomorrow.
Put the sign down, please.
This is a peaceful protest, but she is gonna arrest me.
And what are the charges? Loitering while gay? No, homicide Gabriel Thomason, you are under arrest for murders of Robin Weller, and Lydon Grant.
You have right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.
I admit it.
I killed Robin and Lydon.
But what are two lives compared to the thousands that could be lost if the super strain becomes an epidemic? So you are confessing to murder? What choice do I have? They are high on Meth, having sex with each other night after night, exposing their partners who would infect their next partners? Just like they infected your brother? Alex always used a condom.
Got tested regularly.
Until Robin Weller got him hooked on crystal meth.
I saw Robin at the club that night.
He was so high, he didn't remember me.
I came onto him.
He took me back to the shoe store, he was expecting sex.
He killed my brother, I killed him.
So you play God, decide who lives and who dies.
Its called Messiah complex.
Gabriel believes that he can see things no one else can see, like a prophet.
/ So he's insane.
No, he knows that it's wrong to kill, he just feels justified in his action.
Then why was he so careful not to get caught? Because he still has work to do.
Killing for the cause.
He believes in what he is doing, that's why he confessed.
And the defense will argue extreme emotional disturbance, Gabriel was driven temporally insane by grief over his brother's death.
You really think that I'm that predictable? Casey? Oh, you are too late, Carolyn.
Your client gave it up.
- Did he? - Mm-hmm.
Doesn't matter.
Gabriel won't serve a day in prison.
How you gonna pull that off? You really expect me to give you all my secrets.
See you at arraignment.
Docket ending 497.
We will hear a plea, Miss.
Maddox.
Not guilty.
The defense can't argue diminished capacity.
Gabriel Thomason clearly stated in his confession that he knew what he was doing and he knew it was wrong.
We're not arguing EED.
Your honor, the plea is self-defense under the accepted theories of imminent harm and greater danger.
Self-defense? Robin Weller was tied to a chair and shot point blank in the head.
How could he have posed a risk to Gabriel Thomason? Robin Weller and Lydon Grant were the carriers of lethal virus.
But Gabriel wasn't having sex with them.
He was never in danger.
Two men with HIV, having drug fueled, compulsive sex puts other gay men in danger.
My client was defending the entire gay community from two men whose sexual behavior threatened thousands.
Your honor, this is ludicrous.
It's an interesting argument.
I'm not sure it'll work, but the jury should hear it.
I'm gonna allow the defense.
TRIAL PART 46 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11 At the Centers for Disease Control, we monitor HIV exposure patterns.
Then you must be very concerned about this new strain of HIV.
It may be more lethal than anything we've seen in history of this epidemic.
What does CDC recommend we do? Notify the public, increase education, and preventive measures.
Some people are proposing more radical solutions.
like what? / Prosecuting people, who knowingly infect their partners or making them bear a part of the cost of their medical treatment.
How about killing people who have the virus? Certainly not.
Killing is obviously not the answer.
Thank you, your witness.
Dr.
Sloan, is there any treatment for this new strain of HIV? It's resistant to most drug therapies.
We are trying to develop new treatments.
The virus has mutated, changed to fight off our attempts to kill it.
If it spreads further, we may not be able to stop it, ever.
So you're saying those infected will die quickly.
Yes, I believe we might be on the verge of disaster, - a new world wide pandemic.
- So what can we do? Test everyone and quarantine those with HIV to a desert island? Back in the 90s, the New York City Health Department established detention centers for people with TB who refused take their medicine.
Sounds like a good way to protect the public, why haven't you tried that? The law doesn't allow us to quarantine people with HIV.
So those infected with this new strain can keep on having unprotected sex, and spreading this virus? Yes, we have no way to stop them.
Thank you.
I came of age hearing about how so many gay men died.
In the 80s when there was no treatment.
And now it's happening again because of crystal meth.
How does that make you feel? Lonely, afraid, hopeless.
How do you deal with that? By trying to make difference, teaching young gay men to protect themselves.
I joined Rainbow Army to bring the message to the circuit.
Have you efforts been successful? I couldn't save my own brother.
Alex tested positive last year, and he died 5 month later.
After the funeral, I read his diaries.
I made a list of people who he slept with.
Why? So I can tell them to be tested.
Was Robin Weller, one of men you talked to? Yes.
He told me that he had killer strain, too.
That it was positive before he had sex with my brother, that he knew, he didn't tell Alex, and he infected him.
And that made you angry? Yes, and I saw Robin at the clubs picking up young guys.
I tried to warn them, but they were high on meth, they wouldn't listen.
I couldn't save them.
Robin was gonna murder them, just like he murdered my brother.
That's why you killed the two men responsible for Alex's death? Oh, I had to protect the other men they would have infected, and all the men they would have infected.
Gabriel, do you think you did the right thing? I do.
By stopping two lives, I saved thousands more.
Thank you.
Stopping two lives, that's some pretty fancy gift wrapping.
You murdered two men, didn't you? Yes, but they could have murdered thousands of innocent others.
Oh, like your brother? You think Alex was innocent? Of course.
Your brother wasn't raped.
He chose to have sex without a condom.
You blaming him? You heard Dr.
Sloan testify about the need for personal responsibility.
Robin Weller wasn't behaving responsibly, but neither was your brother.
Oh, Alex, um Alex did not know any better.
He was young.
- He was high.
- So was Robin Weller.
You blame one, you blame both.
What if Alex hadn't died? What if He had gone on using meth and partying? He could've infected others, would you have stopped his life? Answer the question! Would you have killed your own brother? There are no mysteries here, two people are dead.
Gabriel Thomason has told you that he shot and killed them both, and why he did it.
In 1981, 41 gay men were diagnosed with rare form of cancer no doctors that ever seen before.
Now, 40 million people are infected with HIV.
Gay and Straight.
And we keep hoping that they'll do something about it before its too late, and no one does.
That's why Gabriel Thomason took matters into his own hand.
Robin Weller and Lydon Grant infected dozens of men.
And could have infected hundreds, if their drug and sex binge continued.
They were terrorists.
Let me put it to you this way.
You walk out of here tonight, and on the courthouse steps Osama Vin Laden holding a dirty bomb.
Everything you know about this men tells you that he will detonate it, and turn Manhattan into a nuclear waste land, you've got a gun.
Would you shoot him to save city? Desperate times require desperate measures.
Gabriel Thomason did what he had to do to save innocent lives.
Now, its your turn.
Do what you have to do, find them not guilty.
Millions dying of AIDS isn't an unimaginable tragedy.
But does that mean that two more death, two murders, don't matter? The defense argues that these murders were justifiable, because they prevented future death.
It might sound rational, but consider this.
Tobacco executives, they make cigarettes.
And hundreds of thousands of people who smoke die of lung cancer.
Would it be all right to murder the tobacco CEOs? You think that two situations aren't the same, think it again.
People who smoke, they know the risks, and they choose to smoke despite them.
Just like people who choose to get high, and have sex without a condom.
Don't blame the victims.
Gabriel Thomason broke the law.
He killed two men.
He knew what he was doing, and he knew it was wrong.
You must hold him responsible.
Two to one, he walks.
I wouldn't take those odds on a double homicides, Safe money, 25 to life.
You didn't see Gabriel on the stand.
When he cried, the jury believed him.
No, they didn't.
Guilty.
Murder two, both counts.
I guess jury didn't buy his tears.
Sentencing report will ask for the max, consecutive, Gabriel gets fifty to life.
Judge could still drop it down.
Not after she hears Robin Weller's father.
He's looking for revenge, she'll give to him.
SENTENSING HEARING PART Your honor, Robin Weller's father would like to make a statement before you sentence Gabriel Thomason.
Step up Mr.
Weller.
I miss my son.
I miss him everyday.
There were years when we didn't speak.
When I was so angry at him for his life, for his behavior.
But now I regret that.
It's painful everyday.
But the last six months, I missed him the most because he wasn't my son anymore.
He had been taken over by his addiction, and the Robin I knew was gone.
I don't know how many people Robin infected, or how many more he would've infected, if he'd lived.
I don't approve of what Gabriel did, but I understand why he did it.
I didn't think I'd feel this way.
I thought I'd want revenge.
Please, don't punish him too severely.
Thank you, the court appreciates your statement.
Hi, I couldn't stay and listen.
How much time Gabriel get? Would gotten a lot more, if you had't spoken up.
I did so many things wrong with Robin.
Sure you did the best you could.
The night he told me he was gay, I told him I wished he was dead.
I give anything to have another chance with my son.