Blue Bloods s11e04 Episode Script

The facts here are not in question.
Richard Farmer had dinner and drinks at a local restaurant, and then he got behind the wheel of his car.
He then struck and killed Veronica Brooks.
Mr.
Farmer's blood alcohol level was above the legal limit.
And these destructive actions constitute vehicular manslaughter.
All facts.
Now, the defense argues that Mr.
Farmer has a clean record and is the father of two young children.
This attempt to evoke sympathy cannot distract you from the cold, hard facts.
Diane Brooks lost her only child.
So the people are not asking for your sympathy.
We're asking for justice.
It's okay, Kerstin.
Take your time.
In fact, why don't you take us back to the beginning, okay? A couple of friends and I went dancing at Zero Club.
- On Bleecker Street? - Yeah.
When I was ready to leave, I texted for a car.
Rideshare company? I've never had a problem before.
Go on.
I spotted the car outside, just like the one they said they were sending.
- So you got in the car? - Yeah.
At first, things seemed fine.
Then I noticed we were in a neighborhood I didn't recognize.
Next thing I knew he was in the back seat with me, and his face was covered with some kind of mask.
Did he put his hands on you, Kerstin? He tried to pull off my dress.
That's when I opened the car door and ran.
And you found the two police officers who took you to the hospital? Yeah.
I feel so stupid.
I can't believe I let this happen.
It's not your fault.
I shouldn't have eaten that breakfast burrito.
Gallon of hot sauce you used probably didn't help.
No guts, no glory.
Keep it up, there'll be a hole where your guts used to be.
Units confines of the 2-9 Precinct.
We have a confirmed 10-13.
Repeat, 10-13, officer shot in front of 1412 River Street.
It's two blocks from here.
Hang in there, Gordon.
Hey! What happened? Spotted a perp robbing a woman.
When we tried to make the arrest, he got hold of my partner's gun, shot him.
All right.
On three.
One, two, three.
Where's the perp now? Took off that way.
- He's hit bad.
- He's gonna be okay, Flores.
Hey, we got this.
Go.
Go to the hospital.
Hey.
Worst part of the job.
And then some.
Detective Mulaney, please come forward.
For her bravery and sacrifice in the line of duty, it is my honor to award Detective Allison Mulaney with the Police Combat Cross.
Our city is, uh, deeply grateful for her service.
We wish you Godspeed in your retirement.
And whatever you need, the NYPD is here to help.
Please.
Thank you, sir.
For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a cop.
Protecting this city means everything to me.
So, there is something I need from the NYPD.
I'm a New York City police detective and now a decorated one.
I want to keep on doing my job.
Okay, guys, uh, work the street where Gordon got hit.
Full enforcement.
Anything comes close to probable cause, make the arrest, bring them in for debriefing.
Someone knows who did this, okay? Hey, this guy put Gordon in the hospital.
He's out there walking around with his gun right now.
Nobody goes home until we nail this son of a bitch.
- All right? - Yes, sir.
Let's go.
- How's he doing? - He's still in surgery.
Docs don't know if he's gonna make it.
All right, let's stay positive on that.
This is on me.
No, it's not, Ray.
Way this went down, it could have been you that got shot.
Be easier to live with.
Only one to blame here is the guy who pulled the trigger.
And when I find that bastard, I'm gonna put a bullet in his head.
As of now, you're off-duty.
Go home.
We'll get this guy.
He's not thinking straight.
Yeah, I'm in his shoes, I'm not thinking straight, either.
I was actually surprised to get your call.
I wanted to thank you for making the jury understand what that man did to our family.
Well, I certainly hope the verdict - gave you some consolation.
- It did.
But it won't bring Veronica back.
She was everything I had in this world.
And justice is the only thing I have left to give her.
Which is why I'm here.
I understand you'll be making a recommendation to the judge for Farmer's sentence.
Yes.
And you want Mr.
Farmer's sentence to fit the crime.
To the extent it ever could, yes.
You understand that the judge will make the decision.
But the judge relies on the prosecutor's opinion.
You've done your homework.
Richard Farmer killed my little girl, Ms.
Reagan.
I know you'll do the right thing.
- I spoke to Kerstin's rideshare company.
- And? Driver said when he arrived at the location, she wasn't there.
Which means it's possible she got in the wrong car.
The company's been having a lot of problems with rogue individuals intercepting orders and posing as their drivers.
My Sean took one of those to a party once.
I grounded him for a week.
Yeah, a lot of people use them, Danny.
Yeah, but it's like playing Russian roulette.
Every time you use one of those cars, you never know who the hell you're gonna get behind the wheel.
Mm, to be fair, a lot of these companies have really taken the steps to improve safety.
Safety? You know, the top company had 6,000 reports of sexual assault in a two-year period? That's scary.
Big time.
Reagan.
Yeah.
A security camera about a block from the club picked up a black sedan pulling up about a minute before Kerstin was abducted.
Yeah.
Got it.
- They get a shot of the tags? - Yeah.
It was registered to a Dennis Strand.
You get Kerstin down here right away for a lineup.
I'm gonna go pick this mutt up myself.
Mind if I work in? Just kidding.
I'm not sure I could keep up.
Commissioner.
You know, you kind of took me by surprise at that press conference.
I want to stay on the job, sir.
A point you might have made privately.
All due respect, we both know where that would have gone.
Exactly nowhere.
Clearly you don't have a lot of faith in my judgment.
When you work a tough case, you got to use all the leverage you got.
I don't take well to that kind of pressure.
And yet here you are, sir.
No detective has ever worked an active crime scene from a wheelchair.
We had a mayor who ran this city from a wheelchair.
A mayor has a desk job, a detective does not.
We aren't frontline officers.
We solve crimes that already occurred.
And I'd put my clearance rate up against any gold shield in the department.
You are a gifted investigator.
But answering calls is part of the job.
And many of my colleagues can't climb a flight of stairs without having a coronary.
All I'm asking for is a chance.
Sorry to interrupt your workout.
Dennis Strand.
Detective Reagan.
That your car? Yeah.
Mind if I ask where you were last night? Um, I was working.
I deliver prescriptions.
At night? People get sick at night, too.
Your car last night it was spotted on Bleecker Street in the vicinity of a nightclub where a young woman was picked up.
Driver tried to rape her.
You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you? Of course not.
I-I mean, I It's possible I drove past there last night, but I didn't pick anybody up.
Tell you what since you're such a model citizen, maybe you wouldn't mind coming down to the squad room, standing in a lineup for me, huh? Not at all.
Great.
Let's go.
Hey, what's going on? EDP with a knife wandered onto the playground, started threatening the kids.
Aah! I will do it! Sir! I need you I'm gonna do it.
- I'll do it.
- To put the knife down.
Is that Mr.
Farmer? - Stand back.
- Yeah, that's why I called you.
Lives in the neighborhood.
Apparently, he was heading home when he saw what was going down.
We need you to drop the knife, sir.
Look, I know you don't want to hurt anyone.
Just put down the knife and walk away.
Every one of you! I'm gonna get you! Are the officers gonna be able to take action? They can't open fire on this guy without endangering the kids.
Drop the knife! Now! Mr.
Farmer.
You okay? The kids okay? Yes.
Yes, because of you.
Oh Apply pressure here.
Apply pressure, sir.
I need a bus at this location forthwith.
That's not necessary.
Relax, Mr.
Farmer.
Just take it easy, okay? You did good, Mr.
Farmer.
You did good.
Just take it easy.
- Eddie.
- Hey.
- Is it our guy? - Fits the description.
And he was carrying Gordon's gun.
Single gunshot wound to the head.
Flores.
What are you doing here? Heard the job come over the air.
Just wanted to make sure this guy got what he had coming.
Looks like he did.
There are currently 11 disabled officers serving in the NYPD.
Yeah, but on ceremonial and administrative duty.
They're cutting ribbons or speaking in schools.
They're not out on the street.
Which is where Detective Mulaney requested to be.
Oh, come on, she practically demanded it in a room full of reporters.
Which took guts on her part.
- Well, it did.
- I'm not saying it didn't, but you can't be a detective from a wheelchair.
You can't chase down suspects or run up stairs.
The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination based on disabilities.
It's not going away, Sid.
Employers have to make reasonable accommodations for their disabled employees.
Which we do.
But allowing her to work criminal cases stretches the definition of "reasonable.
" Into a damn pretzel.
The ADA is still the law.
Well, you can legislate that anyone can do anything.
- It doesn't make it so.
- But if you deny her request, she can sue the department.
City cuts her a big, fat check.
Probably what she was after in the first place.
Hey.
Hold on.
I'd do the same thing if I was in her shoes.
No.
I think she's after one thing: Keeping her job.
Which is honorable and utterly impossible.
But the press, and the people will take her side.
It's a classic underdog story.
Tell me about it.
I'm just saying I admire what Farmer did.
It took a lot of guts.
Smart PR, too.
You think Farmer played hero just to get a lighter sentence for killing Veronica Brooks? - Don't you? - No.
He doesn't seem like that kind of guy at all.
Yeah.
Killing that girl is a lot to carry around.
I actually feel bad for him, and I'm not sure I should.
This is about, uh, his sentencing recommendation, isn't it? I got a letter from the parents of those kids begging me for leniency.
I doubt Diane Brooks would agree.
Yeah, but the problem is they're both right.
For my money, the two incidents are separate.
Yeah, but they involve the same individual.
So the question is should a man be judged by his best day or his worst? Somewhere along the line, every bad guy did something good.
Doesn't mean he gets a pass on the bad stuff.
Kerstin, how you doing? Kind of nervous.
They can't see you, so just take your time.
If you recognize anyone, just let us know, and let us know where you recognized him from, okay? Okay.
- Anyone look familiar? - His back was to me when I got in the car.
And when he got in the back, his face was covered with a mask.
What about when he was outside the car? I was checking my messages.
Okay, well just take another look, okay? I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Detectives.
I just can't be sure.
It's okay.
Come on.
Make sure she gets home okay.
Now what? That's our guy.
No telling how many women that son of a bitch did it to.
But without a positive ID, the D.
A.
will never charge him.
I know.
Let's get a warrant, search his car.
Maybe we'll find a forensic link to Kerstin.
Yeah, and it'll buy me more time.
For what? To have a conversation with this scumbag.
Flores threatened to put a bullet in his head, exactly the way that that guy got executed.
Well, it's got to be a coincidence.
- Flores isn't that guy.
- I agree with you, but he had motive and opportunity, and he issued a verbal threat.
I had to notify IAB.
I'm afraid they're gonna jam him up.
Only if he killed this guy.
Ask me, he had it coming.
Well, we don't work that way.
Well, sometimes, like when a cop gets shot, I wish we did.
Probably think you're pretty smart, don't you? Smart enough to know we wouldn't be here if I was identified in that lineup.
- Mm.
You don't know that.
- And I'm willing to bet you came up empty when you examined my car.
Yeah.
We came up empty when we cleaned your car.
CSU said that you had scrubbed the back seat and vacuumed the carpet.
Now, why would you do that? I've always been kind of a clean freak.
You're definitely a freak.
That's okay.
We run into lots of freaks like you on the job.
Worst type are sexual offenders like yourself.
I just got a call from the D.
A.
's office.
We need to charge Strand or cut him loose.
Give me another hour with him.
Get him to admit everything.
The D.
A.
's office is gonna call back in ten minutes.
Okay, well, when they do, tell them he did it and he's gonna do it again.
- Lieutenant, I'm Sergeant Reagan.
- Sergeant.
I was just wondering if you're gonna be bringing me in for an interview.
That won't be necessary.
I just thought maybe I could tell you what kind of cop this guy is.
We gave Flores every opportunity to clear himself.
He refused to answer any questions.
- He's pretty shaken up.
- He's also officially suspended.
When our investigation's complete, he'll likely be charged with murder.
- Any change? - He's in a coma.
They don't know if he's gonna wake up.
Heard you wouldn't answer any questions for IAB.
Had nothing to say.
If you don't defend yourself, they're gonna hang you out to dry.
- I deserve it.
- You ask me, it sounds like you're a guy who's looking to get himself punished.
We done here? No, we're not done here.
I got a lot of cops in my house I figure would go rogue if their partner got shot.
You're not one of them.
Gordon's safety was on me and I dropped the ball.
Things happen on the street.
You can't take all that weight.
- He wasn't your partner.
- No.
But I've been there.
You know what happens to cops in prison? I'll take what I have coming.
Look me in the eye and tell me that you killed that perp in cold blood.
I have to get back to my partner, sir.
I know this was short notice, so thank you for coming up.
My schedule's pretty flexible these days.
Right.
So.
I am on your side.
I hope you know that.
You're on my side as much as my circumstances allow you to be.
Okay.
I got a call from Chief Ellison this morning.
A spot just opened up in his command.
- The Chief of Detective's office? - Yes.
There's room for advancement, and your work will impact every detective in this department.
Thank you very much.
But I'm gonna have to pass.
May I ask why? I'm a squad detective.
I conduct investigations.
It's what I do.
You were a squad detective.
Things change, other doors open.
Those are not the doors I want opened.
Look, this is an excellent opportunity.
And frankly, it's the only one I've got.
I didn't become a cop to ride a desk and push papers around.
Well, neither did I, but I like to think I pull my weight.
There's not a slice of my life that hasn't been turned inside out by this except for one.
I've spoken to a lawyer.
That is your right.
But I have a responsibility to keep my people safe, and I will.
My current partner's ready to work with me.
I would never ask him to take that risk, and neither should you.
Baker? Then I'll work alone.
That's a non-starter for any detective.
I am not the enemy here, but I have a job to do.
You know, guys like Strand always screw up.
Yeah, well, we don't have time to wait around for him to screw up.
No telling how many more woman he's gonna hurt, so next club he ends up at, we're gonna be there waiting for him.
Well, how? It's not like we can tail him 24-7.
We can't? What is that? Not "what.
" Who.
- You put a GPS on Strand's car? - Yeah.
Pal of mine at TARU owed me a favor.
Well, without a court order, that device is illegal, Danny.
Nobody's gonna know about it, okay, 'cause we're gonna catch him red-handed.
How? Next club he hits, we'll have an undercover officer waiting for him who just happens to need a ride home.
A decoy? Yes.
A female officer.
One he's never actually seen the face of.
Very attractive.
Do you have anyone in mind? I do.
You get a bonus for staying after? I'm hoping so.
Richard Farmer? Yup.
Tough call.
Yeah.
Lucky me.
How can someone be a killer and a hero at the same time? People can be more than one thing.
Most are.
Yeah, but how do I weigh Farmer's sin against his virtue? Sounds a little above your pay grade.
I once complained to the archbishop that I was tired of playing God.
Well, what did he say? Imagine how God feels.
He also said that God puts you in a position, but he doesn't expect you to be perfect.
Well, that's comforting, but I still don't know what I should do.
Well if you got to make a decision that's gonna change people's lives, you might want to talk to the people whose lives you're gonna change.
- Great pie, Gramps.
- Mm-hmm.
Added in some shredded coconut.
- Mm.
- Apparently, not everyone was thrilled with the new recipe, though.
Yeah, what's going on, Sean? You haven't said two words the whole meal.
- Girl problems.
- Dad, could you just not? Did you and Lisa break up? No, Lisa broke up with him.
So what happened? - Sean.
- Come on.
- Give the guy a little privacy.
- Thank you.
Since when has anyone respected privacy at this table? Since never.
- Yeah.
- Yup.
Lisa accused me of flirting with Britney Carmichael.
- Mm-hmm.
- Did you? I wouldn't call it flirting.
Wrong answer.
Mm-mmm.
Okay, so Britneys are always trouble.
Well, have you tried to work it out with this Lisa? His last name is "Reagan," remember? - What's that supposed to mean? - It means that every man at this table has a reputation for bad breakups.
Oh, thank you very much.
Not every man at the table.
Just some of the men.
Is there something that I should know? Yes, you should know about Gina from his law firm.
Did he ever tell you about her? - What? - Who is Gina? Oh, let's not go down that road.
Yeah, I'm with Dad! She was convinced that Jamie - was going to propose.
- Uh-huh.
Maybe she convinced herself.
- Yeah - Really? Could you please pass the whipped cream? Oh, laugh it up, Romeo.
Have you heard from Nancy Drake lately? No, no, no.
Hey, you opened that door.
It's a different scenario.
Before your mom and dad met, he was hot and heavy with Nancy from Chicago.
Yeah Oh! - Flight attendant, as I recall.
- Yes.
Who wanted me to move to Chicago, which was never gonna happen, so Yeah, but you never broke up with her.
You just jumped on the next flight to New York.
- Oh.
- Yeah, without a word - on her birthday.
- Yeah.
Did she hunt you down and kill you? She was a nice girl.
I didn't want to ruin her big day.
- Oh.
Uh-uh.
- SO you just took the coward way out and let her hurt forever.
Well, sometimes it's better just to - rip off the Band-Aid.
- Yes, exactly.
I think Mom told me about some woman that you dumped for her.
It was, um Deborah something.
Deborah? Now there was a bombshell.
Pop.
Oy.
Well, now, I never heard about this bombshell.
No comment.
No.
No, no, no.
Tell us! Hey, my lips are sealed.
Oh, my God.
Got a text from Strand to meet him at the corner.
You ready to go? Yeah, except this damn wig.
It's itching the hell out of me.
No pain, no gain.
Okay, Strand's pulling up.
Got him.
Once you're in the car, signal me the second he makes his move.
Copy that.
Who the hell are you? I'm Leo.
Police.
Turn off the engine, get out of the car.
Now.
Come on.
Get your hands on the hood.
Let's go.
Hands on the hood.
Let's move it.
Why are you driving Dennis Strand's car? He lets me use it sometimes to pick up some fares.
Off orders you intercept for ride share companies? Well yeah.
Lots of people do it.
Where's Strand? He's using his other car tonight.
Danny, we've got a problem.
Uh, Dennis, I just got pulled over by the cops.
They were looking for you, man.
What'd you tell 'em, Leo? I-I didn't tell 'em anything.
Uh, are you in some kind of trouble? Of course not.
Everything's fine.
Look, man, tell me where you are.
I'll come get you.
Why would I want you to do that? How are you tonight, Detective Reagan? Son of a bitch.
Where's the girl? I'm afraid she can't talk right now.
Come on, Dennis.
A young woman was reported missing after walking outside of a club and getting in a car in Washington Heights an hour ago.
Fits your M.
O.
to a tee.
Put her on the phone.
Listen to me.
If she comes out of this okay, you could still come out of this okay.
Now put her on the phone.
It has been lovely talking to you, Detective.
Thanks for the call.
You get a location? His phone is pinging in the vicinity of Greenwich and West 11th.
Good.
I want every uni in the area looking for that vehicle.
Copy that.
W-What about me? You stay put.
We need a statement from you.
Can I at least get my phone back? No.
After reading all these reports, I'm starting to think that Flores really did kill this guy.
Yeah, it doesn't look good.
He was drinking at a bar seven minutes away from where the guy was killed.
And he made sure to use Gordon's gun when he did it.
Like he was sending a message, which also points to Flores.
Maybe we're looking at the wrong end of this thing.
Hmm? The morning Gordon was shot? Yeah.
Several witnesses saw the incident.
- And? - But all of them have one thing in common in their statements.
There's no mention of Flores.
Wait, how is that possible? Only one way I can think of.
Well If Flores wasn't there when his partner was shot.
Look, I know this is awkward, but maybe you can relax No.
- And get to know each other? - No.
- You're so beautiful.
- No.
I'm sure you get that all the time, though.
- No - We just met, - but already we're so close.
- No! I told you I'd get you.
Get up against the car.
Hey.
It's okay, it's okay.
You're gonna be okay, okay? You're gonna be okay.
I wasn't gonna hurt her.
I never hurt them.
One more word out of you, and I'm gonna hurt you.
Scumbag.
So, what did you want to talk to me about, Ms.
Reagan? Mr.
Farmer's sentencing is tomorrow, and I need to make a recommendation to the judge.
I thought we already discussed this.
We did.
But things got a little bit more complicated.
Because of what Farmer did on the playground.
You suffered a huge loss.
Richard Farmer is responsible.
- Yes.
- You think he deserves a lighter sentence because he saved those kids.
Honestly, I don't know what to think.
It sounds like you want to be let off the hook.
Look, I'm a prosecutor.
I make tough decisions every single day, and then I move on.
It's people like you and Mr.
Farmer who have to live with the impact of those decisions.
What do you want from me? Guidance.
And after everything you've been through, I know I don't have the right to ask, but I'm asking.
When I found out what Farmer did I thought about those parents and how grateful they must be that their children are alive.
But my child is dead and he has to pay for that.
Question is, how much? And as the living victim in this case, I'm gonna leave that decision up to you.
We heard Gordon regained consciousness.
Doc says he's gonna be okay.
That's great news.
He remember anything? - Didn't ask.
- When I take his statement, is he gonna tell me you weren't there when he got shot? Witnesses confirm it.
Where were you, Raymond? We were on patrol, and I wanted a pack of gum, so I went into the bodega on the corner.
That's when I heard the shot.
And by the time you got out the perp was already gone? Gordon was bleeding on the sidewalk.
I should have been with him.
You didn't do anything wrong.
And you didn't kill the guy who shot him.
I wanted to.
I just couldn't.
That's 'cause you're a good cop.
Who almost got his partner killed? What happened was an accident.
Bad timing, nothing more.
I think your partner needs you.
Thank you, sir.
Pardon me, but it's a fluid situation.
What is? First came over as shots fired in Port Authority Bus Terminal.
- Where am I headed all of a sudden? - Word just came in that one of our detectives had checked in with the desk there that she was working plainclothes on stakeout.
So it's officer-involved.
- Yes.
- Likely? I don't have a status, except that the plainclothes was in a wheelchair.
In light of the tragic consequences of your crime, I was going to recommend the maximum sentence.
I understand.
However, in light of your more recent heroic actions, this office believes a lesser sentence may be appropriate.
That's very generous.
The sentencing guidelines for vehicular manslaughter No.
I'm sorry? There's no excuse for what I did, for the pain I caused.
One selfish, stupid decision, and I stole that girl's future from her.
And her family.
Are you suggesting that I recommend the maximum sentence? It's what I deserve.
- Ms.
Brooks.
- What is this? Diane has been listening in.
Her opinion is highly relevant here.
The only thing that's gotten me through this is the thought of you rotting in jail for what you did.
- I understand.
- Maybe one day I'll be able to forgive you for what you did.
But not today.
But my daughter believed in finding the good in people.
She believed in second chances.
Thank you.
So maybe we can put our heads together and find a recommendation that we can all live with? Detective.
They called you up here for this? It's kind of what I do.
The situation was fluid because your squad had no idea of what you were up to.
Yeah, I can see that.
What were you up to? I got word the scumbag who put me in this chair got bored of laying low upstate.
So I called my partner.
He was off the clock, just helping me out.
I see.
He covered the Utica arrival gate, I covered Troy.
The scumbag came in from Troy.
He made me as soon as I rolled up on him.
He got a shot off and nicked me in the wrist, while I kneecapped him with the baton and caught him in the mouth on the way down.
That's very impressive.
But you're on restricted duty.
You're not supposed to be on the street making collars.
What are you gonna do, toss me off the job? I'm not looking for pity.
Or a handout of a desk job.
I don't want to stay where I'm not wanted.
I'm not gonna sue the department.
So it's all or nothing.
I've got applications out to New Haven, Newark and the Philly PDs.
If you could reach out Reach out how? Like, "I got this great detective, but I can't use her 'cause she's in a wheelchair"? You told me in my office your partner, Detective Yang, was willing to ride with you.
He rode with me today.
For free.
I know that.
What if you had to have a third detective with you when you were in the field? I could live with that.
What if you had to prioritize your safety and that of your fellow officers at all times? I know what I can and can't do out there.
What if you had to make weekly reports to me about your progress? You'll be the first.
Make it work so others can follow.
Nice work, Detective.
You just flipped the PC.