Law & Order (1990) s09e20 Episode Script
Empire
NARRATOR: In the criminal justice system the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups, the police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.
These are their stories.
Don't be a drag, Brooke darling, some amaretto soufflé, a little Vin Santo, and then you and whoever, can do whatever.
Ciao.
Ciao, Massimo.
Stai.
We really shouldn't, but then we thought well, maybe just a little dessertio? (SPEAKING ITALIAN) Tonight I'm going to bed with a Frenchman.
Proust.
I'm sure you read his Cliff Notes at Vassar.
I know who Proust is.
He invented that cookie, right? (BOTH LAUGHING) (SPEAKING ITALIAN) MASSIMO: Oh! Signor Sanderson.
Please Doctor Sì.
Yes, a doctor.
Please uh, is there a doctor? Please.
(SPEAKING ITALIAN) Signor Sanderson.
No, no, no, no, no.
(SIRENS WAILING) What happened to him? He was short of breath.
Witness thought he was choking.
I had an uncle once, croaked on a piece of steak in a Blarney Stone.
(SPEAKING ITALIAN) Hey, where you going? Gentlemen, please.
Signor Sanderson did not die from anything he ate in my place.
Eh, please.
Wonderful man.
Kept a townhouse right next door.
Always ate here whenever he stayed in town.
Capisci? You know? We'll pump his stomach.
It'll give you the whole menu of his last meal.
Thanks a lot.
But offhand, I'd say this guy had a garden variety coronary.
(DIAL TONE DRONING) Tried to dial 911, couldn't hack it.
So he staggered outside for help, so? Well, they say a heart attack, you can't see straight.
You can't think straight.
Look at this.
Beautiful wife, beautiful kids.
Beautiful sailboat.
Well, maybe not thinking straight got him in this jam in the first place.
Looks like he got something straight.
It's just so weird.
You put the kids to bed.
You take a long bath, thinking how glad you are now that spring is finally here and then you get that phone call.
And everything seems dreamlike after that.
It's just weird.
What about your husband's routine, ma'am? I always dropped him off at the station early on my way to work out at the gym.
Was it unusual for him to stay here alone? No, not at all.
That's what it's here for.
If he had business dinner, or there was a snowstorm.
It was a godsend.
Often we'd make a night of it, after a party.
So, you kept some things here, changes of clothing and so forth? Yes, a few things.
These, for instance? La Fica on Park Avenue, I have drawers full.
Left ventricle showed some signs of scarring, probably from a previous infarction and there was a small clot in the aorta.
Sexual activity? Nothing obvious.
No carpet burns, no protruding flashlights.
Dried semen? Well, the guy's skin was still damp and lubricious.
He'd just got out of the shower.
Look, if you're asking, did he die in the saddle, I'd say doubtful.
Although sex wasn't too far out of the picture.
Oh? Viagra.
Thousand milligrams in his blood.
Ingested orally, maybe an hour before the big one hit him.
So, what'd he do, overdose? I mean, the stuff's as safe as oysters, right? It's the speediest approval in FDA history.
Those old farts couldn't wait to get their own hands on it.
VAN BUREN: So the guy's a pinstriped commuter, right out of John Cheever country but when he gets to the city And just a couple of cocktail glasses rinsed and put away, no forced entry, no rough stuff.
There was Viagra in his blood, but no trace of it in the apartment, no prescription.
Nothing but a stray pair of panties, which the wife insists are hers.
So what are we going on here? Man's intuition.
Mmm-hmm.
Hey, after a certain age, there's two things a guy has he doesn't want to screw up.
Uh, his golf swing and the remote control? His heart, and his, you know, plumbing.
I mean, you're careful, unless you're just plain stupid.
His cardiologist warn him? Plus his GP in Scarsdale.
They both told him taking Viagra with his condition was suicidal.
So maybe somebody slipped it to him.
BRISCOE: No, there's not much here, except for about a half a rainforest worth of mahogany.
Mr.
Sanderson liked to keep his dealings in his head.
Well, that'll make it hard to pick up the pieces, won't it? We'll manage.
So, Mr.
Hughes, what is it exactly that you do, in simple terms? We provide expertise during takeovers, for example, we help with the funding.
We also, of course, issue bond analysis.
You mean like, Borough of Queens municipal upgraded to Triple A.
Not that high, but yes, that's us.
Make a Hoop Foundation.
What's that? HUGHES: Mr.
Sanderson had a lot of charities.
But only one, the night that he died.
You got a location? The Spector tower.
He was Mr.
Spector's guest at a thousand dollar a plate dinner for underprivileged kids.
But the real point of the evening was to unveil the model of the new stadium complex.
Oh, yeah, the new Spector stadium.
The one that's going to displace 10,000 underprivileged kids.
That's one point of view.
Did he have a date for the evening, do you know? Mr.
Sanderson's date for the evening was his closest friend, Mr.
Spector.
Gentlemen.
(SPEAKING JAPANESE) Sorry, gentlemen, the Nikkei closed down 550 yesterday, or is it tomorrow.
I always get it mixed up.
Anyway, they're freaking out over the yen taking another pounding.
Something to drink? No, thanks.
Ah.
You're here about Gil Sanderson.
Why do you assume that, Mr.
Spector? Well, it's a terrible loss for the city that he served so well, and a terrible, terrible personal loss for me.
We're homicide detectives, Mr.
Spector, not reporters.
And I'm a big fan of the department.
And I appreciate your directness.
So, what do you need to know? Mr.
Sanderson sat at your table at the fundraiser, is that correct? Yes, that's correct.
Did you notice anything unusual or anyone, out of the ordinary? No, just the usual new-agey craperoo from some speaker on the motivational circuit.
Gilbert and I had a few pops that evening and then I had my hands full with some worried Asian investors.
Frankly, I never saw him leave.
Did he have a woman with him at this event? No, I doubt it, although there were 200 women in that Monaco ballroom that night, Detective Curtis.
This is Detective Briscoe.
You know what, I would love it if you and your wives were my personal guests when we bring the Giants home from exile in New Jersey.
Oh, thanks, anyway, but I'm a Jets fan.
We would like to have a copy of the guest list from that dinner party, if you'd be so kind.
Well, those events are hosted by professional fundraisers, Detective, but surely you know that.
Of course, which one? He did a lot of good behind the scenes, Gilbert.
Performing arts for children, a strong advocate for the mentally disabled, a friend of historic preservation.
Was he a friend of yours, Ms.
Ludlow? My work is all about making friends, Detective.
But a personal friend? No.
Did he leave the dinner with anybody? I heard he had a massive coronary.
You did? Some friends of mine were at II Bidone.
The East 60's is a very small world.
So we're told.
We're not allowed above 42nd Street.
We don't mind a few tourists.
But why homicide investigators? Well, we think Sanderson's heart attack might have been helped along.
That's hard to believe.
BRISCOE: Yeah, I know.
But you'd be surprised.
I'm stunned.
He gave me a check for $5,000 for the basketball program, then shook hands, kissed a few cheeks, and left.
Whose cheek? I don't know.
Angela Rinaldi.
The city council woman? Yes.
I think he caught a ride home with her and her husband.
I dropped off Mr.
And Mrs.
Rinaldi first and then I took Mr.
Sanderson where he told me.
Which was where? East sixty-something.
Guy offered me $20, but I said no, he already did me a solid with the inside dope.
What dope? Well, I asked him, what did he think about buying stocks on the Internet.
He said it was for suckers.
Then he says, watch Spector, if it drops to 50, buy it.
He have company in the car when he was giving you this inside dope? No, nobody.
That phone in the back seat.
He make a date with someone later on? I wasn't listening.
Of course not.
The phone, yours, or the city's? The council woman uses it, strictly for business.
Of course she does.
A guy doesn't take Viagra just to have fun with himself, so they tell me.
Luds on the call Sanderson made from the limo leads us to Escort service.
Katrina Ludlow.
How long they talk? Uh, two minutes, She a size two, European? If that.
Hey, we could go door to door in the East 60's, see who the panties fit.
(VAN BUREN LAUGHS) Start with Ludlow, ask her about the phone call, Prince Charming.
I didn't mention the phone call because it didn't seem significant.
It wasn't, it was a brief thank you.
For what? The good fundraising job we did.
Perfectly ordinary, little courtesy.
An East 60's thing, Lennie.
Manners and courtesy aren't in the police manual.
You do all right.
Anything else? Yeah, do you know of a high-priced underpants boutique called La Figga or something supposed to be around here someplace? La Fica.
Madison and 73rd.
Have fun.
Lieutenant, we know the owner of the smoking panties.
$550 with the matching bra.
And they're Ms.
Ludlow's.
How do you know? She came in on her own steam about an hour ago, wanting to get some things off her chest.
The matching ensemble? Do they have to be here, Lieutenant? It's their case, yes.
I was with Gilbert Sanderson before he died.
VAN BUREN: "With," Ms.
Ludlow? How? In the biblical sense? Yes.
We spent maybe half an hour together and He seemed fine when I left.
Did you ever see him take Viagra? No.
It was just a brief encounter.
I was trying to be discreet because, you know, he had a wife and everything.
BRISCOE: Yeah, we met her.
I'm sorry, I didn't realize this would turn into such a BRISCOE: Middle-aged guy in a clandestine schtupp, the guilt alone could've brought on the coronary.
Ludlow's lying.
I don't know.
She seems credible to me.
She's trained to be credible, hustling for charities.
Then why would she kill one of her golden geese? What about the wife? Husband screwing around, life insurance policy.
There's a time-honored motive for you.
What? She spiked Sanderson's favorite scotch? Why not? She's in the gym every morning.
Maybe for someone else's benefit? Viagra? I need an aphrodisiac right now like I need a hole in the head.
But you'd be able to get it, just the same.
I get a headache, I drink herbal tea and I go to bed.
So, no.
I have no idea where anyone would get Viagra, nor want to.
Mrs.
Sanderson, we know that your husband's heart attack was precipitated by a dose of Viagra.
Now we don't know if he took it himself or if someone gave it to him.
I'm sure you loved your husband I did.
(SIGHS) You know, I did.
Maybe it was the stress, the pressures of business and all.
He did get a jolt the night before.
Maybe 3:00 in the morning, the phone rings.
Gil said, "I know it's show time in Tokyo, "but give me a break, Jules.
" Then he just listened, said "I see," or something like that, then put on his robe and went downstairs.
BRISCOE: Who's Jules? Julian Spector.
They're friends from prep school.
He always called whenever he felt like it.
But that was the first time I ever heard Gil get so rattled.
This is everything I had time to pull together on the stadium project.
But as I told you on the phone Yeah, a lot of the information in Mr.
Sanderson's brain went six feet under with him.
Anything in here raise a red flag to you? No, the project was approved, as you know, pending the final ratings report on Spector's bond to finance the construction.
Pending? Yes.
He could see hidden strengths in corporations and municipalities that others couldn't.
And what would happen if it went the other way, if this instinct said, something around here stinks? He'd lower the rating, and all hell would break loose.
Well, take the new stadium for instance.
What kind of hell are we talking about? Ooh.
The team stay in Jersey, the Mayor is humiliated, the lawyers have a field day, and Spector stock drops to bupkis.
And bupkis would be what? $50 a share? Gil didn't discuss any problem he was having with Julian Spector.
Not the sort of thing you two talked about? My business dealings are an open book, but the people I solicit, they inhabit another planet, they speak a different language.
From the rest of us plebeians? We plebeians can't write a million dollar check for, say, pediatric AIDS, Detective Curtis, right? Is "Detective" your first name? Rey.
Yeah, you can call me Lennie, as long as we're getting to know each other.
So, at the fundraiser, did you get some idea of how Sanderson and Spector were getting along? I don't like that you expect me to betray confidences.
Especially if it helps nail the guy who killed the guy who was sweating up the sheets with you.
Or were you raising funds? CURTIS: Ms.
Ludlow, we appreciate the fact that there are aspects to your relationship with Mr.
Sanderson that you'd like to keep private.
Thank you.
But But.
Gil was like a lot of rich, powerful men.
They start out being dazzled by your knowledge of the tax codes pertaining to charitable gifts, then they want to hear about your junior year in Florence, then it's, "I can't get you out of my mind.
" "And who do I make out the check to?" I'm saying the line between charming someone out of a million dollars, and being perceived as a philanthropy whore sometimes gets blurred.
By whom? By men like Julian Spector, who are used to getting their way.
So until I hear someone assure me that my name will be kept out of this The district attorney doesn't have to know about you.
Well, there aren't any guarantees.
Your best efforts is fine with me.
Funny thing about men like Spector, the bigger the portfolio, the bigger the mouth.
You can go down to La Nouvelle Air any night of the week and listen to them bragging to each other about the deal they've just closed.
Isn't that, what's his name, played left field for San Diego last year? Yeah, with Jackson of the Blue Jays.
Must be free agents now.
Everybody's a free agent these days.
Loyalty doesn't exist.
Hey, how are you? Who's that? What? You never read the history of studio 54? Mario was a fixture at Halston's table.
Fixture, what do you mean, as in dealer? You gonna tell us what these are? Or do we let the lab take a crack at it? I supply nutritional supplements without a license.
Big deal.
You ever supply Spector with Viagra? I doubt he needs it, the guy's got girls all over him.
Must be that sexy bald spot.
You know, I can appreciate you not wanting to rat out the most powerful guy in town, Mario, but I don't know, I just don't see you lifting weights with the brothers up in Attica.
Maybe I should call my lawyer.
Maybe you should answer the question first.
I traded him.
Eight pills for opening game tickets.
I thought that's generous of him.
CURTIS: Spector's bond rating is currently Triple A.
But he's heavy into the Asian markets.
Now if Sanderson were to lower it to a B, Spector's stock goes into the toilet, along with the bond for the construction.
No bond, kiss the stadium goodbye.
That's a powerful motive.
What else? He obtained the Viagra, and had ample opportunity to slip it into Sanderson's drink at dinner.
So, he would've slipped him what, two or three pills? If we find the others, can forensics match those with what was in Sanderson's blood? We can check it.
Okay.
We'll need Sanderson's records and a search of Spector's homes and offices, all of them.
It's root, root, root for the home team.
I'll convene a grand jury, get the warrants and subpoenas issued.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) Did I hear this right? You're investigating Julian Spector on a murder rap? A grand jury has been impaneled in the matter of the death of Gilbert Sanderson.
And whose brilliant idea was this? Mine.
What are we afraid of? You wound the rhinoceros, make sure you have a tree handy.
We're covered.
Best way to deal with Spector is face to face.
Fine.
I'll get one of his 38 lawyers on the phone and find out if his Eminence is available.
Yes, Adam Schiff for Mr.
Spector.
Now I know you have been to every Columbia home game since the 60s and they've won what, eight games in 30 years? (LAUGHING) A few more than that.
Well, I admire your loyalty to old blue, Adam, I really do.
But pretty soon lvy League football won't be the only game in town anymore.
Jules, my people have some questions they want to ask you.
(CHUCKLES) Not unless you toss that ridiculous grand jury subpoena where it belongs.
This doesn't have to be adversarial.
Of course it does.
Everything is.
The whole point is to destroy the other guy, but you know that.
That's why all our friends are going to pony up three hundred grand a season for the best corporate boxes, so they can get the best view of the carnage.
Mr.
Spector, can we shift the conversation back to your friend Mr.
Sanderson? You know, I'm really sorry, Adam, but my helicopter's waiting.
Listen.
It was great seeing you again.
Yeah.
You know what this is.
A motion? To dissolve the grand jury.
Having read the moving papers, the People's briefs, and the supporting affidavits, I find insufficient basis to proceed with a grand jury.
Thank you, Judge.
Your Honor, I'm giving notice of intent to appeal.
Do what you have to, Mr.
McCoy.
I'm issuing an injunction barring you from proceeding with this matter, effective immediately.
Thank you for your time.
I started to worry when I didn't hear back from you right away.
Worry? Thought I was being left out in the cold, if Spector has judges in his pocket.
Oh, no, no.
There's no way he would've known you talked to us.
It's the whole power structure, Rey.
Even the D.
A.
's office.
Listen, Jack McCoy is a hard-ass.
I've never seen him lie down for anyone.
I had a mad uncle, a classics professor at Harvard, used to spend the summer in Maine with us.
He'd shake us down for our allowance by bellowing "Pro bono publico, "you over-privileged snots.
" For the good of the people.
You wouldn't believe what some people do in the name of the public good.
So, why did you call me, Ms.
Ludlow? I needed to tell somebody.
And here I am, the Rolodex queen, flipping through hundreds of contacts, friends, for someone to trust, until there was just you.
I have a partner.
Detective Leonard Briscoe.
His career hasn't exactly walked the straight and narrow.
Oh, so you've checked up on us? I'm careful.
I was told your partner's a little shady.
Old rumors.
I'm already taking a chance on you, Rey.
Please.
Okay.
(SIGHS) I have a piece of insurance.
You get me out of the city, you guarantee my safety, I'll tell you what it is.
You need my help to run away? Julian knows everybody I know.
Here's my pager number.
If I don't hear from you by tomorrow morning No.
I'll call you.
There's a motel off Route 22 in Putnam county.
We've used it before.
It's nice dump.
It's not exactly a chalet in Aspen.
It's temporary.
We'll get together with the D.
A.
's office on Monday.
On Monday? How long do you expect me to babysit her? Well, she trusts you, Rey.
Just get her squared away.
If she gets to be too much of a handful, my weekend's wide open.
I'd feel better if she trusted somebody else.
VAN BUREN: Me, too.
Woman's intuition.
Well, on the positive side, Julian'd never think to look for me in a place like this.
So now you're safe.
Now you're out of the city.
Julian told me this was some sort of a homeopathic mood enhancer.
He wanted me to give it to Gil to help him have the time of his life.
Viagra? If I had known what it was, what it would do I have to log this in, get it down to the lab.
Wait.
What What's your hurry? It's the weekend.
It's procedure.
Rey, you can't leave me here by myself.
Look, you're going to be okay.
Half the retired cops in the world live in this county.
Nothing to be afraid of.
Well, what're you afraid of? That I'll try and take advantage of you? Hey, easy.
Afraid you'll say yes? That's enough.
I'm sorry.
I really don't want to be left alone here.
(DIALING PHONE) Hey, sweetie, it's Daddy.
How's Mommy doing? Oh, that's too bad.
Hey, will you bring the phone over to her? Okay.
Hey, sweetheart, so, it looks like I'm going to have to stay with this witness.
I don't know.
She's pretty rattled.
You want me to call Sarah, have her come over and give you a hand? You sure? Okay.
Well, I hope you feel better.
Yeah, I love you, too.
Yeah, I'll call you later.
Okay, bye.
Thank you.
So does your wife know that I'm not a 78-year-old grandmother? Yeah, I told her.
And she doesn't mind we're here for the night? She knows better.
I know better.
I'm attracted to you, Rey.
You'll get over it.
I guess I will.
Is there something the matter with your wife? Yeah, she has MS.
She has good days and bad days.
Today is not such a good day.
I'm sorry.
I had a cousin with MS and I didn't mean to put it like that.
It's okay.
Deborah and I know what could happen.
This may sound dumb, but how do you live with that? We pray a lot.
And do you think about what you'll do after? No.
We just concentrate on the time we have together.
I just hope if and when it does come, it It's peaceful.
You have a lot of responsibilities, Rey, I'm sorry I'm adding to your problems.
It's not a problem.
I'm going to take a shower.
(SHOWER RUNNING) We got a beautiful thumbprint off the tin.
Do we have a match? Yeah.
We pulled a copy of Spector's gaming license for his Jersey casino.
What about the chemical analysis of the pills? The lab says it's consistent.
So? Is there anything else? We only get one shot at these bastards.
Yeah, but this is our best shot.
Then let's take it.
It's mud now, gentlemen, but by next year, this will be hallowed ground.
Help yourselves to drinks.
I'll be right back.
Detectives Briscoe and Curtis, right? What can I do for you? You can place your hands behind your back, please.
You're kidding.
You're under arrest for murder.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you I don't know whether a district attorney can be held in contempt, Your Honor, but the State has clearly, willfully, and recklessly disregarded your previous order, barring them from proceeding Yes, yes, Mr.
Mosbeck, I get the message.
Mr.
McCoy, why aren't we in chambers with this? Because, Your Honor, this is not a confidential negotiation of a billion dollar deal.
This is a very public case of murder.
The medical examiner had an opportunity to determine an accidental cause of death, but she did not.
The police have diligently pursued this case, even when it seemed no one was interested, and have uncovered a financial motive.
JUDGE: Get to the point, McCoy.
The State has new evidence, Your Honor.
I'd like to see this so-called evidence.
The People can show a direct link between Mr.
Spector and the medication in Mr.
Sanderson's system.
JUDGE: More compellingly than last time? Absolutely, yes.
What's more, the court has a second opportunity to make right what it failed to do the last time.
To demonstrate with courage and certainty, that the law is above the high and mighty in this city.
The injunction is lifted, the charges may stand.
The People may proceed.
(GAVEL POUNDING) How many pills did Mr.
Spector give you? Six.
He said to only give him Don't extemporize.
Keep your answers short and sweet, and stay on point.
Okay.
Sorry.
Six.
And where did this exchange occur? In Mr.
Spector's house in the Hamptons.
CARMICHAEL: Where in the house? In the upstairs.
Now you're coming off as evasive.
I'm not hiding anything.
It's just so intrusive.
You'll have to grow a thicker skin.
I don't want you collapsing when Spector's dogs come after you.
I don't have to do this, you know.
I'm sorry, as a matter of fact, you do.
I just want you to be prepared.
We were in the bedroom.
We're old friends.
Mr.
Spector knew I planned to meet Mr.
Sanderson after the fundraiser.
That's why he gave me the pills.
What did he say when he gave them to you? That they would give Gilbert pleasure, that it was a A favor for his friend, like sending champagne on his birthday or something.
JACK: Did he suggest how you were to administer the pills? Well, he told me he wanted it to be a surprise for Gilbert, that I should slip it in his drink, or dessert.
JACK: Were you aware Viagra poses a serious risk to people with heart conditions? I wasn't then, no.
To your knowledge, was Mr.
Spector aware of his friend's heart condition? Objection, hearsay.
To her knowledge, Your Honor.
Overruled.
Witness may answer.
Yes, he was aware.
When Mr.
Spector found out I was attracted to Gilbert, he was happy for him.
JACK: Why was that? He said that Gilbert used to be quite the ladies' man, but that he'd slowed down since his heart attack.
Thank you.
Would you state your legal name for the record, please? KATRINA: I already did.
Ah, well, my memory isn't what it used to be, so humor me, will you? Katrina Ludlow.
No, I mean, your given name, the name on your birth certificate.
My name is Katrina Ludlow.
Born Kathryn McGurk.
McGurk.
December 12th, 1968, is that correct? Your Honor, is this name game leading anywhere? Goes to credibility, Your Honor.
Overruled.
When you were still Kathryn McGurk, weren't you hospitalized for depression? A lot of women are.
Well, we're not talking about a lot of women here, Ms.
Ludlow.
We're talking about you.
When you were 22, didn't you attempt suicide, which also required hospitalization? Yes.
Are you currently taking the anti-depressant Zoloft? Yes.
And seeing a psychotherapist twice a week? Me, and half of Manhattan.
Well, again, half of Manhattan is not our concern here.
Our concern is a young woman who was expelled from Briarcliffe because she falsely put on her application that she was a member of the Astor family.
Was that you? Yes.
Now, Ms.
Ludlow, you've told the court that you were a professional fundraiser, what exactly does that entail? I put important people together to do good works.
Would it be more accurate to say that you put yourself together with important people? Specifically, by sleeping with powerful men.
No.
Objection.
And isn't it true that you stole those pills from Mr.
Spector to sexually gratify Mr.
Sanderson? That's not true.
And misled the authorities to turn a medical accident into a murder conspiracy? No.
Why would I do that? Why? To make yourself more important, Ms.
Ludlow.
Objection.
Withdrawn, Your Honor.
No more questions.
We ran the usual checks on her, none of that McGurk stuff came up.
We didn't go back far enough.
Our mistake.
She could've volunteered it.
Which could be the whole point.
I hate to sell out the sisterhood, but maybe she does rely on more than brains to succeed in a man's world.
Maybe Spector sent her in to steal our signals, sabotage the case.
Spector didn't buy a piece of work like her with opening game tickets.
So find out what her price is.
I don't know what you've got on this woman, but I'll tell you what.
The tax laws for charities are extremely complicated, and these are the most carefully-maintained records I've ever seen.
Her last benefit was for the Make a Hoop Foundation, she report on that yet? Yeah.
Projected only, but very successful.
What was it, some kind of telethon? Just a dinner for 500.
Must've been some dinner.
We try to teach these kids, you can jam, you can do anything.
Just apply the same energy, and The sky's the limit.
That's right.
As long as the funding holds out.
Ah, we've been blessed.
Seven million dollars from the Spector family trust? I'd call that a miracle.
Two million, but even so, we'll start with this leaky old roof.
Two? Mmm-hmm.
Not seven? Mmm-mmm.
Four installments of half a million each.
Ms.
Ludlow was nice enough to move the second one forward, so we can pay some salaries and what all.
Hey, attaboy, John.
You keep excellent records, Ms.
Ludlow.
Unfortunately, the paper trail takes a left turn up to Harlem.
What are you talking about? CARMICHAEL: The Make a Hoop Foundation.
They're about five million short from the Spector family trust, but Reverend Jenkins thinks the world of you, he's sure you'll make it right.
And I will, as soon as What? Spector pays you off? It wasn't a pay-off.
It was my usual fee for putting some people together.
Not for murdering Sanderson? Okay, now we know you had a financial stake of your own, in Sanderson taking Spector's financial problems to his grave.
WOLLINSKY: What you're suggesting doesn't make any sense.
Without her, you wouldn't have a case against Spector.
We don't have much of one now, thanks to her.
She was a ringer for Spector.
You really don't understand the first thing about me, do you? I wasn't gonna wait for Julian to lay this little scheme on my doorstep.
What is it they say in football? The best defense is a good offense? I kept those pills as insurance.
When I saw the writing on the wall You cashed in your policy? Oh, you are quick.
Here's what you're going to do to make it right, Ms.
Ludlow.
Get back on the stand and tell the truth.
WOLLINSKY: What are you offering? She pleads murder two, she's eligible to sweet talk the parole board in Fifteen years is a lifetime.
How about this? I take a complete stroll in return for not a taking the stand as a witness for the defense, and breaking your Detective Curtis' confidence.
What's that supposed to mean? I gave him those Viagra pills on a Friday night.
All weekend, I kept asking him, "Are they safe?" "Shouldn't you turn them over to someone?" Because any good defense attorney could argue that Spector's prints were transferred onto that tin by the police.
I read where they can do that.
What did Detective Curtis say to that? He seemed more worried about what his wife would say about us than safeguarding the evidence.
Oh, well.
(SIGHS) At least he didn't need to take them.
So I had the pills with me.
I logged them in with the evidence room on Monday, so what? Oh, come on, Detective.
What? It's nothing, it happens all the time.
Not in this case, not before this jury.
All Spector's lawyers have to do is sell the faintest whiff of tainted evidence.
The evidence is good.
The girl says that's not all that's tainted.
What else? She says you two have a relationship.
She says you talked about your wife, about the two of you.
What? JACK: About a future together, if and when your wife's illness leads to an untimely death.
No, no.
This woman is crazy, I mean, she's twisted everything around.
Then take the stand and untwist it, Detective.
Before Spector's lawyers put Katrina Ludlow's version before the jury.
And have my wife hear all that crap? Forget it.
Let her take the stand, McCoy, you show them what a psychopathic liar she is.
I'd be happy to, but I can't do it without you.
Nothing happened, Lieutenant.
All right.
You don't believe me.
Actually, I do, Rey.
But with women, it's not only did you jam it to some stray, it's did you open your heart to her, or even want to.
It's the emotional betrayal we can't stand.
I didn't betray anything.
But how is it going to sound to Deborah? You don't have any choice, Rey.
You have to testify.
JACK: When Ms.
Ludlow gave you the tin with the Viagra pills, what did you do with them, Detective? Ms.
Ludlow was afraid for her safety.
She told me repeatedly that she did not want me to leave her alone in the room, so, I secured the pills in my vehicle.
JACK: Secured how? Put them in my briefcase, which I then locked inside the trunk.
Knowing their importance as evidence, and wanting to keep them safe, until they could be entered as evidence, is that correct? Yes.
And were they kept safe? Yes, they were.
JACK: No further questions.
Detective, this, um This safehouse, can you give us a general description of it? Well, for instance, is it a room in the precinct house? It's a motel outside the city.
Oh, you took Ms.
Ludlow away for the weekend? Where, up in the country? Well, that's nice.
Early spring, the birds and the bees are humming.
We stayed indoors.
Ah! Well Well, I don't blame you there.
Must have been hard, though.
Everything was completely professional.
Oh, come on, Detective.
I've got this big eight by ten picture in my mind of Ms.
Ludlow, just out of the shower in some no tell motel, and you standing there talking about preserving the chain of custody of the evidence.
Your Honor, is there a question before the witness? Yes, there is.
Detective, Ms.
Ludlow did take a shower, didn't she? Several showers, during your two days there? Yeah.
And she told you that she was attracted to you, didn't she? Yes, she did.
So, your conversations weren't entirely about professional matters, were they? Not entirely, no.
Mmm-hmm, you talked about personal matters, intimate matters, didn't you? We were just making conversation.
In fact, you admitted to her the attraction was mutual, didn't you? No, I never said that.
Didn't you say that you knew better? Something like that.
You knew better than to be alone in a room in a motel with a young, attractive woman? That's not what I meant.
Did you complain that your wife, your poor dear wife, was a burden to you? No! That you just prayed, that she would go in peace? No! That her moment would, come soon? No! Detective! Didn't you tell Ms.
Ludlow that, you hoped your wife would go in peace? Yes or no, Detective? My wife has multiple sclerosis.
She's in a lot of pain and it's getting worse.
What I told Ms.
Ludlow, what I meant was That if the condition got worse, I just didn't want it to No.
She's suffered enough already.
Is that a yes, Detective? I love my wife! More than my own life.
Now, I betrayed her trust once, just once.
But with her love and with God's help Your Honor, would you direct the witness to answer the question.
CURTIS: I haven't been unfaithful to her since.
I know better.
My mistake was trusting Katrina Ludlow.
So, yes, I've made mistakes, as a man, but as a cop? No, sir.
I did not tamper with that evidence.
Oh.
Mr.
Foreman, has the jury reached a verdict? Yes, Your Honor, we have.
JUDGE: On the sole count of the indictment, murder in the second degree, how do you find? We find the defendant, Julian Spector, guilty.
(CROWD MURMURING) We brought down the rhino, Adam.
The system won.
So how come he's doing the celebrating? Bail continued pending his appeal, which could be two years from now.
That's not why.
Don't you people read the business section? As of last night, his bond for the stadium is fully subscribed.
CARMICHAEL: So killing Sanderson bought him enough time to get his finances in order.
Groundbreaking ceremony's next week.
Got my invitation this morning.
A hollow victory, Adam.
He'll be watching the games live from his stadium on television, along with his fellow inmates.
He'll still have a better seat than Sanderson.
KATRINA: That was a beautiful speech, Rey.
I was deeply touched.
It wasn't a speech.
You mean, you really meant it? You let me down.
You don't get it, Curtis.
A hundred years from now, we're all ashes and dust and no one will remember who slept with whom and who was naughty and who was nice.
They'll look at that incredible piece of steel and concrete and know that I was a part of it.
Part of the first public building named after a convicted murderer.
Hardly the first.
The Pantheon, the Temple of the Vestals? They all have the names of emperors over the door, and talk about murderers.
Pro bono publico, right? Relax, Rey.
The empire isn't gonna fall tonight.
Go on.
Go home to your wife.
These are their stories.
Don't be a drag, Brooke darling, some amaretto soufflé, a little Vin Santo, and then you and whoever, can do whatever.
Ciao.
Ciao, Massimo.
Stai.
We really shouldn't, but then we thought well, maybe just a little dessertio? (SPEAKING ITALIAN) Tonight I'm going to bed with a Frenchman.
Proust.
I'm sure you read his Cliff Notes at Vassar.
I know who Proust is.
He invented that cookie, right? (BOTH LAUGHING) (SPEAKING ITALIAN) MASSIMO: Oh! Signor Sanderson.
Please Doctor Sì.
Yes, a doctor.
Please uh, is there a doctor? Please.
(SPEAKING ITALIAN) Signor Sanderson.
No, no, no, no, no.
(SIRENS WAILING) What happened to him? He was short of breath.
Witness thought he was choking.
I had an uncle once, croaked on a piece of steak in a Blarney Stone.
(SPEAKING ITALIAN) Hey, where you going? Gentlemen, please.
Signor Sanderson did not die from anything he ate in my place.
Eh, please.
Wonderful man.
Kept a townhouse right next door.
Always ate here whenever he stayed in town.
Capisci? You know? We'll pump his stomach.
It'll give you the whole menu of his last meal.
Thanks a lot.
But offhand, I'd say this guy had a garden variety coronary.
(DIAL TONE DRONING) Tried to dial 911, couldn't hack it.
So he staggered outside for help, so? Well, they say a heart attack, you can't see straight.
You can't think straight.
Look at this.
Beautiful wife, beautiful kids.
Beautiful sailboat.
Well, maybe not thinking straight got him in this jam in the first place.
Looks like he got something straight.
It's just so weird.
You put the kids to bed.
You take a long bath, thinking how glad you are now that spring is finally here and then you get that phone call.
And everything seems dreamlike after that.
It's just weird.
What about your husband's routine, ma'am? I always dropped him off at the station early on my way to work out at the gym.
Was it unusual for him to stay here alone? No, not at all.
That's what it's here for.
If he had business dinner, or there was a snowstorm.
It was a godsend.
Often we'd make a night of it, after a party.
So, you kept some things here, changes of clothing and so forth? Yes, a few things.
These, for instance? La Fica on Park Avenue, I have drawers full.
Left ventricle showed some signs of scarring, probably from a previous infarction and there was a small clot in the aorta.
Sexual activity? Nothing obvious.
No carpet burns, no protruding flashlights.
Dried semen? Well, the guy's skin was still damp and lubricious.
He'd just got out of the shower.
Look, if you're asking, did he die in the saddle, I'd say doubtful.
Although sex wasn't too far out of the picture.
Oh? Viagra.
Thousand milligrams in his blood.
Ingested orally, maybe an hour before the big one hit him.
So, what'd he do, overdose? I mean, the stuff's as safe as oysters, right? It's the speediest approval in FDA history.
Those old farts couldn't wait to get their own hands on it.
VAN BUREN: So the guy's a pinstriped commuter, right out of John Cheever country but when he gets to the city And just a couple of cocktail glasses rinsed and put away, no forced entry, no rough stuff.
There was Viagra in his blood, but no trace of it in the apartment, no prescription.
Nothing but a stray pair of panties, which the wife insists are hers.
So what are we going on here? Man's intuition.
Mmm-hmm.
Hey, after a certain age, there's two things a guy has he doesn't want to screw up.
Uh, his golf swing and the remote control? His heart, and his, you know, plumbing.
I mean, you're careful, unless you're just plain stupid.
His cardiologist warn him? Plus his GP in Scarsdale.
They both told him taking Viagra with his condition was suicidal.
So maybe somebody slipped it to him.
BRISCOE: No, there's not much here, except for about a half a rainforest worth of mahogany.
Mr.
Sanderson liked to keep his dealings in his head.
Well, that'll make it hard to pick up the pieces, won't it? We'll manage.
So, Mr.
Hughes, what is it exactly that you do, in simple terms? We provide expertise during takeovers, for example, we help with the funding.
We also, of course, issue bond analysis.
You mean like, Borough of Queens municipal upgraded to Triple A.
Not that high, but yes, that's us.
Make a Hoop Foundation.
What's that? HUGHES: Mr.
Sanderson had a lot of charities.
But only one, the night that he died.
You got a location? The Spector tower.
He was Mr.
Spector's guest at a thousand dollar a plate dinner for underprivileged kids.
But the real point of the evening was to unveil the model of the new stadium complex.
Oh, yeah, the new Spector stadium.
The one that's going to displace 10,000 underprivileged kids.
That's one point of view.
Did he have a date for the evening, do you know? Mr.
Sanderson's date for the evening was his closest friend, Mr.
Spector.
Gentlemen.
(SPEAKING JAPANESE) Sorry, gentlemen, the Nikkei closed down 550 yesterday, or is it tomorrow.
I always get it mixed up.
Anyway, they're freaking out over the yen taking another pounding.
Something to drink? No, thanks.
Ah.
You're here about Gil Sanderson.
Why do you assume that, Mr.
Spector? Well, it's a terrible loss for the city that he served so well, and a terrible, terrible personal loss for me.
We're homicide detectives, Mr.
Spector, not reporters.
And I'm a big fan of the department.
And I appreciate your directness.
So, what do you need to know? Mr.
Sanderson sat at your table at the fundraiser, is that correct? Yes, that's correct.
Did you notice anything unusual or anyone, out of the ordinary? No, just the usual new-agey craperoo from some speaker on the motivational circuit.
Gilbert and I had a few pops that evening and then I had my hands full with some worried Asian investors.
Frankly, I never saw him leave.
Did he have a woman with him at this event? No, I doubt it, although there were 200 women in that Monaco ballroom that night, Detective Curtis.
This is Detective Briscoe.
You know what, I would love it if you and your wives were my personal guests when we bring the Giants home from exile in New Jersey.
Oh, thanks, anyway, but I'm a Jets fan.
We would like to have a copy of the guest list from that dinner party, if you'd be so kind.
Well, those events are hosted by professional fundraisers, Detective, but surely you know that.
Of course, which one? He did a lot of good behind the scenes, Gilbert.
Performing arts for children, a strong advocate for the mentally disabled, a friend of historic preservation.
Was he a friend of yours, Ms.
Ludlow? My work is all about making friends, Detective.
But a personal friend? No.
Did he leave the dinner with anybody? I heard he had a massive coronary.
You did? Some friends of mine were at II Bidone.
The East 60's is a very small world.
So we're told.
We're not allowed above 42nd Street.
We don't mind a few tourists.
But why homicide investigators? Well, we think Sanderson's heart attack might have been helped along.
That's hard to believe.
BRISCOE: Yeah, I know.
But you'd be surprised.
I'm stunned.
He gave me a check for $5,000 for the basketball program, then shook hands, kissed a few cheeks, and left.
Whose cheek? I don't know.
Angela Rinaldi.
The city council woman? Yes.
I think he caught a ride home with her and her husband.
I dropped off Mr.
And Mrs.
Rinaldi first and then I took Mr.
Sanderson where he told me.
Which was where? East sixty-something.
Guy offered me $20, but I said no, he already did me a solid with the inside dope.
What dope? Well, I asked him, what did he think about buying stocks on the Internet.
He said it was for suckers.
Then he says, watch Spector, if it drops to 50, buy it.
He have company in the car when he was giving you this inside dope? No, nobody.
That phone in the back seat.
He make a date with someone later on? I wasn't listening.
Of course not.
The phone, yours, or the city's? The council woman uses it, strictly for business.
Of course she does.
A guy doesn't take Viagra just to have fun with himself, so they tell me.
Luds on the call Sanderson made from the limo leads us to Escort service.
Katrina Ludlow.
How long they talk? Uh, two minutes, She a size two, European? If that.
Hey, we could go door to door in the East 60's, see who the panties fit.
(VAN BUREN LAUGHS) Start with Ludlow, ask her about the phone call, Prince Charming.
I didn't mention the phone call because it didn't seem significant.
It wasn't, it was a brief thank you.
For what? The good fundraising job we did.
Perfectly ordinary, little courtesy.
An East 60's thing, Lennie.
Manners and courtesy aren't in the police manual.
You do all right.
Anything else? Yeah, do you know of a high-priced underpants boutique called La Figga or something supposed to be around here someplace? La Fica.
Madison and 73rd.
Have fun.
Lieutenant, we know the owner of the smoking panties.
$550 with the matching bra.
And they're Ms.
Ludlow's.
How do you know? She came in on her own steam about an hour ago, wanting to get some things off her chest.
The matching ensemble? Do they have to be here, Lieutenant? It's their case, yes.
I was with Gilbert Sanderson before he died.
VAN BUREN: "With," Ms.
Ludlow? How? In the biblical sense? Yes.
We spent maybe half an hour together and He seemed fine when I left.
Did you ever see him take Viagra? No.
It was just a brief encounter.
I was trying to be discreet because, you know, he had a wife and everything.
BRISCOE: Yeah, we met her.
I'm sorry, I didn't realize this would turn into such a BRISCOE: Middle-aged guy in a clandestine schtupp, the guilt alone could've brought on the coronary.
Ludlow's lying.
I don't know.
She seems credible to me.
She's trained to be credible, hustling for charities.
Then why would she kill one of her golden geese? What about the wife? Husband screwing around, life insurance policy.
There's a time-honored motive for you.
What? She spiked Sanderson's favorite scotch? Why not? She's in the gym every morning.
Maybe for someone else's benefit? Viagra? I need an aphrodisiac right now like I need a hole in the head.
But you'd be able to get it, just the same.
I get a headache, I drink herbal tea and I go to bed.
So, no.
I have no idea where anyone would get Viagra, nor want to.
Mrs.
Sanderson, we know that your husband's heart attack was precipitated by a dose of Viagra.
Now we don't know if he took it himself or if someone gave it to him.
I'm sure you loved your husband I did.
(SIGHS) You know, I did.
Maybe it was the stress, the pressures of business and all.
He did get a jolt the night before.
Maybe 3:00 in the morning, the phone rings.
Gil said, "I know it's show time in Tokyo, "but give me a break, Jules.
" Then he just listened, said "I see," or something like that, then put on his robe and went downstairs.
BRISCOE: Who's Jules? Julian Spector.
They're friends from prep school.
He always called whenever he felt like it.
But that was the first time I ever heard Gil get so rattled.
This is everything I had time to pull together on the stadium project.
But as I told you on the phone Yeah, a lot of the information in Mr.
Sanderson's brain went six feet under with him.
Anything in here raise a red flag to you? No, the project was approved, as you know, pending the final ratings report on Spector's bond to finance the construction.
Pending? Yes.
He could see hidden strengths in corporations and municipalities that others couldn't.
And what would happen if it went the other way, if this instinct said, something around here stinks? He'd lower the rating, and all hell would break loose.
Well, take the new stadium for instance.
What kind of hell are we talking about? Ooh.
The team stay in Jersey, the Mayor is humiliated, the lawyers have a field day, and Spector stock drops to bupkis.
And bupkis would be what? $50 a share? Gil didn't discuss any problem he was having with Julian Spector.
Not the sort of thing you two talked about? My business dealings are an open book, but the people I solicit, they inhabit another planet, they speak a different language.
From the rest of us plebeians? We plebeians can't write a million dollar check for, say, pediatric AIDS, Detective Curtis, right? Is "Detective" your first name? Rey.
Yeah, you can call me Lennie, as long as we're getting to know each other.
So, at the fundraiser, did you get some idea of how Sanderson and Spector were getting along? I don't like that you expect me to betray confidences.
Especially if it helps nail the guy who killed the guy who was sweating up the sheets with you.
Or were you raising funds? CURTIS: Ms.
Ludlow, we appreciate the fact that there are aspects to your relationship with Mr.
Sanderson that you'd like to keep private.
Thank you.
But But.
Gil was like a lot of rich, powerful men.
They start out being dazzled by your knowledge of the tax codes pertaining to charitable gifts, then they want to hear about your junior year in Florence, then it's, "I can't get you out of my mind.
" "And who do I make out the check to?" I'm saying the line between charming someone out of a million dollars, and being perceived as a philanthropy whore sometimes gets blurred.
By whom? By men like Julian Spector, who are used to getting their way.
So until I hear someone assure me that my name will be kept out of this The district attorney doesn't have to know about you.
Well, there aren't any guarantees.
Your best efforts is fine with me.
Funny thing about men like Spector, the bigger the portfolio, the bigger the mouth.
You can go down to La Nouvelle Air any night of the week and listen to them bragging to each other about the deal they've just closed.
Isn't that, what's his name, played left field for San Diego last year? Yeah, with Jackson of the Blue Jays.
Must be free agents now.
Everybody's a free agent these days.
Loyalty doesn't exist.
Hey, how are you? Who's that? What? You never read the history of studio 54? Mario was a fixture at Halston's table.
Fixture, what do you mean, as in dealer? You gonna tell us what these are? Or do we let the lab take a crack at it? I supply nutritional supplements without a license.
Big deal.
You ever supply Spector with Viagra? I doubt he needs it, the guy's got girls all over him.
Must be that sexy bald spot.
You know, I can appreciate you not wanting to rat out the most powerful guy in town, Mario, but I don't know, I just don't see you lifting weights with the brothers up in Attica.
Maybe I should call my lawyer.
Maybe you should answer the question first.
I traded him.
Eight pills for opening game tickets.
I thought that's generous of him.
CURTIS: Spector's bond rating is currently Triple A.
But he's heavy into the Asian markets.
Now if Sanderson were to lower it to a B, Spector's stock goes into the toilet, along with the bond for the construction.
No bond, kiss the stadium goodbye.
That's a powerful motive.
What else? He obtained the Viagra, and had ample opportunity to slip it into Sanderson's drink at dinner.
So, he would've slipped him what, two or three pills? If we find the others, can forensics match those with what was in Sanderson's blood? We can check it.
Okay.
We'll need Sanderson's records and a search of Spector's homes and offices, all of them.
It's root, root, root for the home team.
I'll convene a grand jury, get the warrants and subpoenas issued.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) Did I hear this right? You're investigating Julian Spector on a murder rap? A grand jury has been impaneled in the matter of the death of Gilbert Sanderson.
And whose brilliant idea was this? Mine.
What are we afraid of? You wound the rhinoceros, make sure you have a tree handy.
We're covered.
Best way to deal with Spector is face to face.
Fine.
I'll get one of his 38 lawyers on the phone and find out if his Eminence is available.
Yes, Adam Schiff for Mr.
Spector.
Now I know you have been to every Columbia home game since the 60s and they've won what, eight games in 30 years? (LAUGHING) A few more than that.
Well, I admire your loyalty to old blue, Adam, I really do.
But pretty soon lvy League football won't be the only game in town anymore.
Jules, my people have some questions they want to ask you.
(CHUCKLES) Not unless you toss that ridiculous grand jury subpoena where it belongs.
This doesn't have to be adversarial.
Of course it does.
Everything is.
The whole point is to destroy the other guy, but you know that.
That's why all our friends are going to pony up three hundred grand a season for the best corporate boxes, so they can get the best view of the carnage.
Mr.
Spector, can we shift the conversation back to your friend Mr.
Sanderson? You know, I'm really sorry, Adam, but my helicopter's waiting.
Listen.
It was great seeing you again.
Yeah.
You know what this is.
A motion? To dissolve the grand jury.
Having read the moving papers, the People's briefs, and the supporting affidavits, I find insufficient basis to proceed with a grand jury.
Thank you, Judge.
Your Honor, I'm giving notice of intent to appeal.
Do what you have to, Mr.
McCoy.
I'm issuing an injunction barring you from proceeding with this matter, effective immediately.
Thank you for your time.
I started to worry when I didn't hear back from you right away.
Worry? Thought I was being left out in the cold, if Spector has judges in his pocket.
Oh, no, no.
There's no way he would've known you talked to us.
It's the whole power structure, Rey.
Even the D.
A.
's office.
Listen, Jack McCoy is a hard-ass.
I've never seen him lie down for anyone.
I had a mad uncle, a classics professor at Harvard, used to spend the summer in Maine with us.
He'd shake us down for our allowance by bellowing "Pro bono publico, "you over-privileged snots.
" For the good of the people.
You wouldn't believe what some people do in the name of the public good.
So, why did you call me, Ms.
Ludlow? I needed to tell somebody.
And here I am, the Rolodex queen, flipping through hundreds of contacts, friends, for someone to trust, until there was just you.
I have a partner.
Detective Leonard Briscoe.
His career hasn't exactly walked the straight and narrow.
Oh, so you've checked up on us? I'm careful.
I was told your partner's a little shady.
Old rumors.
I'm already taking a chance on you, Rey.
Please.
Okay.
(SIGHS) I have a piece of insurance.
You get me out of the city, you guarantee my safety, I'll tell you what it is.
You need my help to run away? Julian knows everybody I know.
Here's my pager number.
If I don't hear from you by tomorrow morning No.
I'll call you.
There's a motel off Route 22 in Putnam county.
We've used it before.
It's nice dump.
It's not exactly a chalet in Aspen.
It's temporary.
We'll get together with the D.
A.
's office on Monday.
On Monday? How long do you expect me to babysit her? Well, she trusts you, Rey.
Just get her squared away.
If she gets to be too much of a handful, my weekend's wide open.
I'd feel better if she trusted somebody else.
VAN BUREN: Me, too.
Woman's intuition.
Well, on the positive side, Julian'd never think to look for me in a place like this.
So now you're safe.
Now you're out of the city.
Julian told me this was some sort of a homeopathic mood enhancer.
He wanted me to give it to Gil to help him have the time of his life.
Viagra? If I had known what it was, what it would do I have to log this in, get it down to the lab.
Wait.
What What's your hurry? It's the weekend.
It's procedure.
Rey, you can't leave me here by myself.
Look, you're going to be okay.
Half the retired cops in the world live in this county.
Nothing to be afraid of.
Well, what're you afraid of? That I'll try and take advantage of you? Hey, easy.
Afraid you'll say yes? That's enough.
I'm sorry.
I really don't want to be left alone here.
(DIALING PHONE) Hey, sweetie, it's Daddy.
How's Mommy doing? Oh, that's too bad.
Hey, will you bring the phone over to her? Okay.
Hey, sweetheart, so, it looks like I'm going to have to stay with this witness.
I don't know.
She's pretty rattled.
You want me to call Sarah, have her come over and give you a hand? You sure? Okay.
Well, I hope you feel better.
Yeah, I love you, too.
Yeah, I'll call you later.
Okay, bye.
Thank you.
So does your wife know that I'm not a 78-year-old grandmother? Yeah, I told her.
And she doesn't mind we're here for the night? She knows better.
I know better.
I'm attracted to you, Rey.
You'll get over it.
I guess I will.
Is there something the matter with your wife? Yeah, she has MS.
She has good days and bad days.
Today is not such a good day.
I'm sorry.
I had a cousin with MS and I didn't mean to put it like that.
It's okay.
Deborah and I know what could happen.
This may sound dumb, but how do you live with that? We pray a lot.
And do you think about what you'll do after? No.
We just concentrate on the time we have together.
I just hope if and when it does come, it It's peaceful.
You have a lot of responsibilities, Rey, I'm sorry I'm adding to your problems.
It's not a problem.
I'm going to take a shower.
(SHOWER RUNNING) We got a beautiful thumbprint off the tin.
Do we have a match? Yeah.
We pulled a copy of Spector's gaming license for his Jersey casino.
What about the chemical analysis of the pills? The lab says it's consistent.
So? Is there anything else? We only get one shot at these bastards.
Yeah, but this is our best shot.
Then let's take it.
It's mud now, gentlemen, but by next year, this will be hallowed ground.
Help yourselves to drinks.
I'll be right back.
Detectives Briscoe and Curtis, right? What can I do for you? You can place your hands behind your back, please.
You're kidding.
You're under arrest for murder.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you I don't know whether a district attorney can be held in contempt, Your Honor, but the State has clearly, willfully, and recklessly disregarded your previous order, barring them from proceeding Yes, yes, Mr.
Mosbeck, I get the message.
Mr.
McCoy, why aren't we in chambers with this? Because, Your Honor, this is not a confidential negotiation of a billion dollar deal.
This is a very public case of murder.
The medical examiner had an opportunity to determine an accidental cause of death, but she did not.
The police have diligently pursued this case, even when it seemed no one was interested, and have uncovered a financial motive.
JUDGE: Get to the point, McCoy.
The State has new evidence, Your Honor.
I'd like to see this so-called evidence.
The People can show a direct link between Mr.
Spector and the medication in Mr.
Sanderson's system.
JUDGE: More compellingly than last time? Absolutely, yes.
What's more, the court has a second opportunity to make right what it failed to do the last time.
To demonstrate with courage and certainty, that the law is above the high and mighty in this city.
The injunction is lifted, the charges may stand.
The People may proceed.
(GAVEL POUNDING) How many pills did Mr.
Spector give you? Six.
He said to only give him Don't extemporize.
Keep your answers short and sweet, and stay on point.
Okay.
Sorry.
Six.
And where did this exchange occur? In Mr.
Spector's house in the Hamptons.
CARMICHAEL: Where in the house? In the upstairs.
Now you're coming off as evasive.
I'm not hiding anything.
It's just so intrusive.
You'll have to grow a thicker skin.
I don't want you collapsing when Spector's dogs come after you.
I don't have to do this, you know.
I'm sorry, as a matter of fact, you do.
I just want you to be prepared.
We were in the bedroom.
We're old friends.
Mr.
Spector knew I planned to meet Mr.
Sanderson after the fundraiser.
That's why he gave me the pills.
What did he say when he gave them to you? That they would give Gilbert pleasure, that it was a A favor for his friend, like sending champagne on his birthday or something.
JACK: Did he suggest how you were to administer the pills? Well, he told me he wanted it to be a surprise for Gilbert, that I should slip it in his drink, or dessert.
JACK: Were you aware Viagra poses a serious risk to people with heart conditions? I wasn't then, no.
To your knowledge, was Mr.
Spector aware of his friend's heart condition? Objection, hearsay.
To her knowledge, Your Honor.
Overruled.
Witness may answer.
Yes, he was aware.
When Mr.
Spector found out I was attracted to Gilbert, he was happy for him.
JACK: Why was that? He said that Gilbert used to be quite the ladies' man, but that he'd slowed down since his heart attack.
Thank you.
Would you state your legal name for the record, please? KATRINA: I already did.
Ah, well, my memory isn't what it used to be, so humor me, will you? Katrina Ludlow.
No, I mean, your given name, the name on your birth certificate.
My name is Katrina Ludlow.
Born Kathryn McGurk.
McGurk.
December 12th, 1968, is that correct? Your Honor, is this name game leading anywhere? Goes to credibility, Your Honor.
Overruled.
When you were still Kathryn McGurk, weren't you hospitalized for depression? A lot of women are.
Well, we're not talking about a lot of women here, Ms.
Ludlow.
We're talking about you.
When you were 22, didn't you attempt suicide, which also required hospitalization? Yes.
Are you currently taking the anti-depressant Zoloft? Yes.
And seeing a psychotherapist twice a week? Me, and half of Manhattan.
Well, again, half of Manhattan is not our concern here.
Our concern is a young woman who was expelled from Briarcliffe because she falsely put on her application that she was a member of the Astor family.
Was that you? Yes.
Now, Ms.
Ludlow, you've told the court that you were a professional fundraiser, what exactly does that entail? I put important people together to do good works.
Would it be more accurate to say that you put yourself together with important people? Specifically, by sleeping with powerful men.
No.
Objection.
And isn't it true that you stole those pills from Mr.
Spector to sexually gratify Mr.
Sanderson? That's not true.
And misled the authorities to turn a medical accident into a murder conspiracy? No.
Why would I do that? Why? To make yourself more important, Ms.
Ludlow.
Objection.
Withdrawn, Your Honor.
No more questions.
We ran the usual checks on her, none of that McGurk stuff came up.
We didn't go back far enough.
Our mistake.
She could've volunteered it.
Which could be the whole point.
I hate to sell out the sisterhood, but maybe she does rely on more than brains to succeed in a man's world.
Maybe Spector sent her in to steal our signals, sabotage the case.
Spector didn't buy a piece of work like her with opening game tickets.
So find out what her price is.
I don't know what you've got on this woman, but I'll tell you what.
The tax laws for charities are extremely complicated, and these are the most carefully-maintained records I've ever seen.
Her last benefit was for the Make a Hoop Foundation, she report on that yet? Yeah.
Projected only, but very successful.
What was it, some kind of telethon? Just a dinner for 500.
Must've been some dinner.
We try to teach these kids, you can jam, you can do anything.
Just apply the same energy, and The sky's the limit.
That's right.
As long as the funding holds out.
Ah, we've been blessed.
Seven million dollars from the Spector family trust? I'd call that a miracle.
Two million, but even so, we'll start with this leaky old roof.
Two? Mmm-hmm.
Not seven? Mmm-mmm.
Four installments of half a million each.
Ms.
Ludlow was nice enough to move the second one forward, so we can pay some salaries and what all.
Hey, attaboy, John.
You keep excellent records, Ms.
Ludlow.
Unfortunately, the paper trail takes a left turn up to Harlem.
What are you talking about? CARMICHAEL: The Make a Hoop Foundation.
They're about five million short from the Spector family trust, but Reverend Jenkins thinks the world of you, he's sure you'll make it right.
And I will, as soon as What? Spector pays you off? It wasn't a pay-off.
It was my usual fee for putting some people together.
Not for murdering Sanderson? Okay, now we know you had a financial stake of your own, in Sanderson taking Spector's financial problems to his grave.
WOLLINSKY: What you're suggesting doesn't make any sense.
Without her, you wouldn't have a case against Spector.
We don't have much of one now, thanks to her.
She was a ringer for Spector.
You really don't understand the first thing about me, do you? I wasn't gonna wait for Julian to lay this little scheme on my doorstep.
What is it they say in football? The best defense is a good offense? I kept those pills as insurance.
When I saw the writing on the wall You cashed in your policy? Oh, you are quick.
Here's what you're going to do to make it right, Ms.
Ludlow.
Get back on the stand and tell the truth.
WOLLINSKY: What are you offering? She pleads murder two, she's eligible to sweet talk the parole board in Fifteen years is a lifetime.
How about this? I take a complete stroll in return for not a taking the stand as a witness for the defense, and breaking your Detective Curtis' confidence.
What's that supposed to mean? I gave him those Viagra pills on a Friday night.
All weekend, I kept asking him, "Are they safe?" "Shouldn't you turn them over to someone?" Because any good defense attorney could argue that Spector's prints were transferred onto that tin by the police.
I read where they can do that.
What did Detective Curtis say to that? He seemed more worried about what his wife would say about us than safeguarding the evidence.
Oh, well.
(SIGHS) At least he didn't need to take them.
So I had the pills with me.
I logged them in with the evidence room on Monday, so what? Oh, come on, Detective.
What? It's nothing, it happens all the time.
Not in this case, not before this jury.
All Spector's lawyers have to do is sell the faintest whiff of tainted evidence.
The evidence is good.
The girl says that's not all that's tainted.
What else? She says you two have a relationship.
She says you talked about your wife, about the two of you.
What? JACK: About a future together, if and when your wife's illness leads to an untimely death.
No, no.
This woman is crazy, I mean, she's twisted everything around.
Then take the stand and untwist it, Detective.
Before Spector's lawyers put Katrina Ludlow's version before the jury.
And have my wife hear all that crap? Forget it.
Let her take the stand, McCoy, you show them what a psychopathic liar she is.
I'd be happy to, but I can't do it without you.
Nothing happened, Lieutenant.
All right.
You don't believe me.
Actually, I do, Rey.
But with women, it's not only did you jam it to some stray, it's did you open your heart to her, or even want to.
It's the emotional betrayal we can't stand.
I didn't betray anything.
But how is it going to sound to Deborah? You don't have any choice, Rey.
You have to testify.
JACK: When Ms.
Ludlow gave you the tin with the Viagra pills, what did you do with them, Detective? Ms.
Ludlow was afraid for her safety.
She told me repeatedly that she did not want me to leave her alone in the room, so, I secured the pills in my vehicle.
JACK: Secured how? Put them in my briefcase, which I then locked inside the trunk.
Knowing their importance as evidence, and wanting to keep them safe, until they could be entered as evidence, is that correct? Yes.
And were they kept safe? Yes, they were.
JACK: No further questions.
Detective, this, um This safehouse, can you give us a general description of it? Well, for instance, is it a room in the precinct house? It's a motel outside the city.
Oh, you took Ms.
Ludlow away for the weekend? Where, up in the country? Well, that's nice.
Early spring, the birds and the bees are humming.
We stayed indoors.
Ah! Well Well, I don't blame you there.
Must have been hard, though.
Everything was completely professional.
Oh, come on, Detective.
I've got this big eight by ten picture in my mind of Ms.
Ludlow, just out of the shower in some no tell motel, and you standing there talking about preserving the chain of custody of the evidence.
Your Honor, is there a question before the witness? Yes, there is.
Detective, Ms.
Ludlow did take a shower, didn't she? Several showers, during your two days there? Yeah.
And she told you that she was attracted to you, didn't she? Yes, she did.
So, your conversations weren't entirely about professional matters, were they? Not entirely, no.
Mmm-hmm, you talked about personal matters, intimate matters, didn't you? We were just making conversation.
In fact, you admitted to her the attraction was mutual, didn't you? No, I never said that.
Didn't you say that you knew better? Something like that.
You knew better than to be alone in a room in a motel with a young, attractive woman? That's not what I meant.
Did you complain that your wife, your poor dear wife, was a burden to you? No! That you just prayed, that she would go in peace? No! That her moment would, come soon? No! Detective! Didn't you tell Ms.
Ludlow that, you hoped your wife would go in peace? Yes or no, Detective? My wife has multiple sclerosis.
She's in a lot of pain and it's getting worse.
What I told Ms.
Ludlow, what I meant was That if the condition got worse, I just didn't want it to No.
She's suffered enough already.
Is that a yes, Detective? I love my wife! More than my own life.
Now, I betrayed her trust once, just once.
But with her love and with God's help Your Honor, would you direct the witness to answer the question.
CURTIS: I haven't been unfaithful to her since.
I know better.
My mistake was trusting Katrina Ludlow.
So, yes, I've made mistakes, as a man, but as a cop? No, sir.
I did not tamper with that evidence.
Oh.
Mr.
Foreman, has the jury reached a verdict? Yes, Your Honor, we have.
JUDGE: On the sole count of the indictment, murder in the second degree, how do you find? We find the defendant, Julian Spector, guilty.
(CROWD MURMURING) We brought down the rhino, Adam.
The system won.
So how come he's doing the celebrating? Bail continued pending his appeal, which could be two years from now.
That's not why.
Don't you people read the business section? As of last night, his bond for the stadium is fully subscribed.
CARMICHAEL: So killing Sanderson bought him enough time to get his finances in order.
Groundbreaking ceremony's next week.
Got my invitation this morning.
A hollow victory, Adam.
He'll be watching the games live from his stadium on television, along with his fellow inmates.
He'll still have a better seat than Sanderson.
KATRINA: That was a beautiful speech, Rey.
I was deeply touched.
It wasn't a speech.
You mean, you really meant it? You let me down.
You don't get it, Curtis.
A hundred years from now, we're all ashes and dust and no one will remember who slept with whom and who was naughty and who was nice.
They'll look at that incredible piece of steel and concrete and know that I was a part of it.
Part of the first public building named after a convicted murderer.
Hardly the first.
The Pantheon, the Temple of the Vestals? They all have the names of emperors over the door, and talk about murderers.
Pro bono publico, right? Relax, Rey.
The empire isn't gonna fall tonight.
Go on.
Go home to your wife.