Law & Order (1990) s15e05 Episode Script
Gunplay
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.
Can't hear a damn thing.
Maybe we should drive over, get a visual.
I don't wanna raise 'em up.
(STATIC ON RADIO) I hate just sittin' here.
MAN 1: (ON RADIO) Yo, man.
We got something.
Sound's back.
MAN 3: What the heh' we doing at the GW, man? That's a good question.
What are they doin' at the bridge? MAN T.
Yo, man, let me see my money.
MAN 2: Ain't your money tiff we get our guns.
(CHUCKLES) You tell 'em, Cal.
MAN T.
You first pay, fool.
MAN 'l: What the hell? This doesn't sound good.
MAN T.
The money, man.
MAN 3: I don't think so.
(sun FIRING) Freakin' We got shots fired in undercover vehicle.
Move in, move in! (SIREN BLARING) Oh, no.
down, officers down.
VAN BUREN: Let the Chief of D's know that the two officers didn't make it and I'll be in touch as soon as we have anything.
(CHATTERING ON POLICE RADIO) So, who are they? Detectives Calvin May and Dexter Richmond.
They were dumped from their own car.
VAN BUREN: Anything on the vehicle? It's a gray SUV, location unknown.
Aviation has a bird in the sky as we speak.
Anyone in the neighborhood see anything? FONTANA: No, not this time of night.
Were they undercover? Firearms Investigation Unit.
Calvin You knew this guy? He was my friend.
They were on a gun buy.
Their wallets are gone and their weapons are missing.
Who's their CO? Terry Norfleet.
He's on the way.
One shot each.
The officer on my right Calvin May.
Close contact wound to the back of the head.
Was he in the passenger's seat? All right, he was probably shot first.
The driver Detective Richmond.
He must have turned at the sound.
He was shot in the right temple.
(SIGHS) Both shots were through-and-throughs.
From a large caliber gun.
If I didn't know that was Cal, I would have never recognized him.
It was a straight buy-and-bust, going for a couple of Tec-9s.
Richmond and May had three grand in marked buy money on them.
We didn't even have a visual on them at the end.
We had to rely on the Kels.
FONTANA: Yeah, I know, they're junk.
The garbage they send us out with.
Department's supposed to replace 'em, but Do you think the bad guys made Richmond and May as police officers? I don't think so.
It sounded like a robbery.
They sure didn't say anything that sounded like they knew.
Who set it up? A confidential informant.
Reliable? May and Richmond used him all the time.
Where can we find this dude? I already sent two guys down to sit on his last known.
There was no sign of him.
FONTANA: You'll let us know when he shows up, right? Detectives Green and Fontana.
Captain Norfleet.
Detectives.
Captain, I'm sorry about your guys.
Appreciate it.
What were they carrying? Calvin still had his .
38? You know it.
And Richmond had a 9mm Beretta.
ED: And Calvin and Richmond worked together a lot, right? Only about 300 cases in the last two years.
What do you think went wrong this time? They did exactly what they were supposed to do.
I heard the tape.
They weren't sloppy, they were robbed.
I don't care how many cars are tailing you.
After that, it's not about back up, it's about mop up.
Lieutenant, they found the SUV.
Good guys in the front, bad guys in the back.
That's never good.
And two bullet holes in the dash.
Hey! Excuse me.
I want those slugs out of that dash.
I don't care if you have to tear that whole engine block apart.
Just get them, okay? We've got 20 teams of detectives ready, willing, and able to canvass this whole area.
Somebody must've seen something.
It's the ones that don't wanna be seen that I wanna talk to.
Come on, folks.
Behind the yellow tape.
There's nothing to see here.
Nothin' to see here.
Ma'am? I saw you.
Please, I need your help.
Please.
Miss? I was in the back.
I hear nothing, saw nothing.
Sefiora, two police officers are dead.
(SPEAKING SPANISH) I'm sorry.
Like I said Ne, no, no.
Sefiora, por favor.
Did you ever call the police? Si.
And did we come, and did we help? Well, now we need your help.
Please.
Two of our people were killed by some very, very bad men.
We need to get them off the street.
It was late.
I fell asleep on the couch, watching TV.
I hear noises.
What kind of noise? Screechin' tires and voices.
I came to the window.
And I saw somebody runnin' away.
What did he look like? Black.
Young, like in the 20s.
Head like an eight-ball.
He had a shaved head? He was bald? Yeah.
A red and white jacket.
Which way did he run? Inside of that building, over there.
Yeah.
ED: What's your name? Trevor Hawkins.
Gonna ask you a few questions, Trev.
Man, I ain't got no wants or warrants, cleared them last week.
This your jacket? Yeah.
No.
You don't mind if we take a look around, do you, Trevor? Go ahead.
This is Calvin May's license.
He stays here.
He's my cousin.
Your cousin? Shut up! Come on, come on.
We're gonna go spend some time in our house.
I told you I found those wallets in the garbage.
Listen, man.
We're gonna find that money.
What money? There wasn't no money in those wallets.
$3,000 cash.
Marked money! Do you understand what I'm saying to you? And two guns.
You wish I had all of that.
Shoot, I do, too.
But wishing don't make it so.
Those wallets that you say you found in the garbage, do you have any idea who they belonged to? You keep saying some dead guys, but I don't know.
I didn't kill 'em.
Two police officers, Trevor! Two cops! Oh, man.
I ain't killed no cops.
Let me explain something to you.
It don't make no difference to me whether it was you or your partner.
I ain't got no partner.
Then you know what? Happy birthday and congratulations because you're the shooter.
And you're the one who's gonna take the fall all by yourself for killing those two policemen.
I didn't shoot nobody.
All right, I'm done.
All right, wait, wait.
I'm gonna tell you the truth.
I didn't snatch the wallets out of the garbage can.
I got 'em off the front seat of that car.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) That's your story? Sit down.
We get anything yet on that informant who set up the buy? We went through the detectives' notes.
It seems their Cl had a habit and a regular hangout.
Something I like about junkies, they're predictable.
He's probably there now, getting a fix.
Well, we'll hold on to Trevor for the time being.
You should check this out.
I swear, I don't know who they was meeting with.
You set it up.
I just put 'em in touch with somebody.
Sit! A guy named Ramsey.
He's like a broker.
A broker? You know, he put the word on the street.
What is the word on the street? He know a man who got Tec-9s, Mac-10s, Sweepers, whatever.
And Ramsey puts the buyer and the seller together? Right, right.
Ramsey's the man you wanna be talking to.
And then you called Richmond and May and you told them about this guy? They'd slip me a C-note for every tip.
And I hear about this, I take Ramsey's number and pass it on to the D's.
Yeah, and then they call Ramsey and he puts them in touch with the gun dealers? That's how it work, brother.
Please tell me that you remember Ramsey's number.
Remembering things ain't my problem.
It's the stuff I'd like to forget.
You all gonna take care of me, right? Knock yourself out.
Clear.
Clear.
In here.
Hey, Joe! In here! OFFICER: Seal it off! I'm guessing this is Mr.
Ramsey.
That's one way to cut out the middleman.
Through-and-through, huh? Look at this.
A snub-nose .
38, 9mm Beretta.
Wad of cash.
Convenient having all the evidence in one nice little pile, don't you think? He saw it comin', tried to lay low.
Not low enough.
The M.
E.
says that Ramsey was killed between 5:00 and 7:00 a.
m.
A few hours after May and Richmond were shot.
They must have freaked out when they figured out they killed two undercover police officers.
Then they tracked down Ramsey, took him out, and left the money and guns on him to cover their own tracks.
They messed up though.
It looks like they used the same gun.
Well, no one said they were smart.
Did you see the headlines this morning? We need someone on the inside.
I'll talk to Captain Norfleet when we pay our respects to the family.
Pam.
Eddie.
I am so sorry.
(CRYING) Pam, this is my new partner, Joe Fontana.
Did you know Calvin, too? No, ma'am.
I didn't.
I'm very sorry for your loss.
Thank you for coming, Detective.
Pam, if you need anything, anything at all, you or the babies, you let me know, okay? I'm glad you're on this, Ed.
(CRYING) Catch these guys.
Don't you worry about that, all right? Bye, babies.
Bye.
NORFLEET: Firearms has always been a small unit.
I've already had two officers ask for transfers.
I don't blame them.
Neither do I.
But we're stretched pretty thin.
The day he was killed, May had already done two hand-to-hands.
He was home with his kids when I beeped him, and asked him to please come in and go on a buy with Richmond.
Listen, lwish I could tell you we had a suspect in custody.
What can we do to help? I need to borrow an undercover.
I'll give you my secret weapon.
Excellent.
Our version of a trophy case.
Oh, damn.
That's impressive.
Yeah.
A lot of these guns, Calvin, Dex, and I took off the streets together.
Usually, I playthe girlfriend.
(CELL PHONE RINGING) Well, a lady on the set often softens the mood.
Yeah? You ever work undercover? (CHUCKLES) A million years ago in Chicago.
Yeah, hold on a minute.
Joe? Ballistics has got something for us.
Well, I'm gonna go see what they're saying on the streets about who killed Calvin and Dex.
Thanks a lot.
Ballistics recovered both slugs from the dashboard.
Forty-four caliber.
Both from the same gun which they also used to kill Ramsey with.
Now, if we just had the gun.
Well, we don't have the gun, but we know what it was.
It's in the system? Yeah, it was used in ajustifiable homicide a couple of years ago.
Self-defense case.
Then it was stolen from the legal owner and used in three subsequent crimes, two murders, one attempted.
That victim still live in the city? Uh-huh, Washington Heights.
Bring him downtown, show him some pictures.
Maybe we'll get lucky.
All right.
Me, I don't remember the gun.
Most people, they have a gun stuck in their face, that's all they remember.
I walked out of the subway, a guy asked me if the local was still running, then boom.
I wake up at Bellevue, my wallet gone and an eight-inch scar down my chest.
You got a good look at that dude.
Why couldn't you identify him? I don't know.
Or was it that you could, but wouldn't? Man, I came this close to dying on the table.
Okay, you testify against a guy like this and he walks, he'll kill you for sure.
Is that what you're worried about? Look, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't.
This guy killed two police officers.
He's not going anywhere.
This dude ain't coming after nobody, man.
You can believe that.
That's the guy.
That's him.
I don't remember his gun, but I'll never forget his face.
Never.
ED: That's Preston Hubbard, a.
k.
a.
Prez.
He's done time for robbery, assault, weapons.
Last known address was the Hamilton Housing Projects.
The name is not ringing any bells.
Well, the Ten Ring crew run the Hamilton.
Do you know anybody in that crew? That's why God created confidential informants.
VALENZUELA: Okay, I see 'em.
Do you know where I can find Prez? MAN T.
You must be Luisa.
VALENZUELA: How you doing? So, how you know my boy Marvin? He used to hang with my sister.
Yeah, I'd like to hang with you and your sister, too.
You think he'll pat her down? I think he'd like to.
So you looking for ammo? Mmm-hmm, for a .
44.
Hmm, that's a big piece for a little girl.
You shoot? It's for my man.
And you runnin' his errands.
That ain't right.
Iwouldn't send a little girl like you to do for me.
Oh, so you take care of business, huh? Got that right.
Yeah, that's what I heard.
So you heard about me, huh? Mmm-hmm.
I heard you took care of a couple D's.
A couple of undercovers.
Q? Did you hear that? I'm wonderin' how she heard it.
You been runnin' your mouth some? No, man.
Did he just give it up? Almost.
So it's true, you shot those cops? Nah.
That takes balls.
We got that for sure.
(ON TAPE) So how much money you wanna spend, baby? I don't know.
I got about 500.
If she had gotten one step further.
So Luisa gets him to be more specific.
Yeah, but if she keeps asking, you know they'll be suspicious.
How about I go? Undercover? I don't think so, Ed.
Look, Luisa's already established that she's got a boyfriend.
All she has to do is say, "My man wants to buy a gun to go with that ammo.
" Better yet, more than one gun.
I can't ask you to do that.
You ain't asking me.
I'm volunteering.
We're here.
Cherry Street, under the bridge.
Kels are up and running.
Let's hope that lasts.
ED: (ON RADIO) Here they come.
I see 'em.
We're on.
Where the money at? Right here.
Where are my guns at? We gonna take you to 'em.
Oh, wait a minute.
That's not what we talked about.
Hey, doth worn), sweetheart.
Your man's comm' fight back.
Or stay here, give us the cash, we bring you the .
38s.
ED: Yeah, right, so you can rob me? ELLIS: If we was trying to rob you, you'd be robbed already.
Besides, your girl know where we stay at.
We gonna take a little ride, make sure we clean and nobody's watching.
Yeah, no, I don't think so.
All right.
It don't matter to me.
I sell your guns to somebody else.
Hold up! Baby, I don't think you should go with them.
Don't worry about it.
I'm gonna be all right.
You stay right here, okay? I'll be right back.
Back up, can you hear me? Ed and the money are in a black Escalade with Hubbard and Ellis.
Everyone move out.
Stay as close as you can.
But don't get burned.
This is exactly what I didn't want to happen.
It's okay, it'll work out.
He's a smart guy.
Richmond and May were smart, too.
Delancey? Why do I gotta go all the way to Williamsburg to get these guns? Any unit, Williamsburg Bridge, Brooklyn side, black Escalade.
Your girl gonna be pissed she got to wait? She'll get over it.
Well, why you bring her to a deal anyway? We got it like that.
That's my girl.
You know, females like that thing.
As a matter of fact, I wanted to meet you all in person anyway.
Other day, had me mad jealous.
All she could do was talk about you all.
Oh.
yeah? Yeah.
Why you all tell my girl you all killed them undercover cops? I didn't say that.
See, I told her she had it twisted.
I know the cat that killed them dudes.
Dude named Smalls.
Aw, hell, no.
Lester Smalls? I know Lester Smalls, and he a punk.
Nothin' but.
That may be true, but Lester walking around saying he did it.
ELLIS: Lester don't know nothing, man.
Them cops never saw it coming.
Bang! Bang! Just like that.
Shut up, fool, you talk too much.
I think we got 'em.
Why you worried? You scared of the cops? Do I look scared? Just like he said.
Bang, bang! So it's like that? What, you gonna kill me now, too? Ah, jeez.
I don't like that.
Now why would I do that? You a cop? No, I ain't no damn cop.
You starting to sound like one.
All right.
We cool.
Turn here.
What the hell is this? (SIRENS BLARING) ELLIS: Hey, you watch it, son! Hey, you! OFFICER: Police! Out of the car! Go! Go! You never saw it comin', did you? OFFICER: Hands out of the window! Thanks, brother.
Did you all get that? Did you hear what they said? We got it.
We got everything on tape.
Lieutenant? Look what we found.
Three, four, five, six .
380s.
Guns were in the car all the time.
Ed, you okay'? JACK: What can I do for you, Mr.
Ardall? Cut my client a little slack.
A little slack? If New York's death penalty wasn't in limbo, I'd be asking for that.
Your client should count his blessings.
My client wasn't the shooter.
Quincy Ellis pulled the trigger.
Hubbard is still a cop killer.
Not interested.
Even if they didn't act alone? Someone else was involved? Preston Hubbard will testify.
I make no promises until I hear a name.
Would you settle for an address? You let one of these guys flip in exchange for a web address? Forty-to-life instead of Other detectives are at risk, Arthur.
This isn't just a web site, it's a high-tech hit list with eight other names on it.
This is the homepage.
"These undercover officers are in your neighborhood.
" All from the Firearms Unit? Just Richmond and May.
The others are from Anti-Crime, Narcotics.
So far Richmond and May are the only ones to be killed.
So, they see these detectives' photos on the website and decide to kill them? Since when do gun dealers surf the web? Well, everybody surfs the web, Arthur.
Everybody but you.
Recognize the pattern on that marble? These photos were taken inside the courthouse.
First floor, side entrance.
The D.
A.
's entrance.
I want to know who was on duty in the courthouse every time Richmond and May testified.
Am I gonna lose my job? Are you gonna lose your job? Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in, you big dummy? Right now, it's all about how much jail time you're gonna do.
I used one of them cell phones with a camera in it.
But I got nothing to do with no website.
I could barely figure out how to work the damn thing.
Why were you taking pictures of undercover detectives? This guy asked me to.
Said he'd buy it, all I had to do was point and shoot.
This guy "asked" you to? All right, paid me.
Does this guy have a name? Gordon Samuels.
He works at the courthouse time to time.
ED: Security? No, defense attorney.
Why am I not surprised? Look, I know what I did was wrong, but he offered me $500.
Two police officers were killed for your little $500.
Gordon Samuels? I'm his partner, James Wilson.
Can I help you, gentlemen? Would you mind asking your esteemed colleague to join us, please? Gordon! The police.
What's going on here? Gordon Samuels, you are under arrest for the murders of Detectives Calvin May and Dexter Richmond.
May I see a warrant? Show him the warrant.
You got it? You're making a mistake.
Actually, we're doing this exactly right.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law.
You have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you.
Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you? All my client did was post photos to a website.
Which resulted in the murder of two undercover officers.
Not his fault, or intent.
The website and its contents are free speech.
The website was camouflage for his criminal intent.
No, free speech, as my motion to dismiss explains to the constitutionally impaired.
Your motion is absurd.
Your client knew or should've known the consequences of his action.
(LAUGHS) Well, you have a constitutionally protected right to your opinion, however ill-conceived.
You want me to dismiss a murder charge because your client is somehow protected by the First Amendment? JACK: Not all speech is protected.
Not if it's a call to violence.
See the Supreme Court's recent decision on cross-burning.
The website contains no threats, your Honor.
It merely states the indisputable facts.
The photographs are of a number of undercover detectives.
To what end, obstruction of justice, interfering with police officers in the execution of their duties? Informing the public.
Yelling "fire" in a crowded theater.
More like showing everyone where the exits are.
That's disingenuous.
Posting photos of undercover officers is asking for harm to befall them.
Which is in fact what happened.
Two of the officers were murdered.
Eight of them weren't.
Not yet.
I suggest you allow counsel to earn his salary, Mr.
Samuels.
There's no criminal liability here.
All my client meant was, "Stay away from these guys.
" Like a "beware of dog" sign.
They're the threat to the community.
JACK: They protect the community, and Mr.
Samuels shared the same criminal intent as the actual perpetrators, your Honor.
The website posting itself is evidence of the defendant's intention.
I'm sorry, Mr.
McCoy.
You haven't satisfied me that you have sufficient evidence to proceed.
Your Honor This case is dismissed, with leave to re-open if you obtain new evidence.
The People object, your Honor.
And as a condition of the dismissal, we request that you order the defendant to dismantle his website, and enjoin him from any future postings.
I'll give you that much, Mr.
McCoy.
But I've done nothing wrong.
Do "nothing" again, Mr.
Samuels, and you'll be doing it from jail.
SERENA: At least you shut down the website, Jack.
I don't believe Samuels wanted to hurt all the undercovers on his site, anyway.
What would he have against Richmond and May? We still haven't found a connection between Samuels and the detectives.
Then we should look for a connection between Samuels and the killers.
A defense attorney and a couple of criminals? Maybe the firm of Samuels and Wilson represented these guys? One way to engage the services of a couple of hired killers.
Check the firm's cases on Westlaw, especially the gun cases.
Samuels and Wilson never represented Hubbard or Ellis.
Well, the ATF never dealt with them, either.
But there was one ATF case Wilson defended, U.
S.
v.
North.
Yeah, that was one of the iron pipeline cases.
"Iron pipeline?" Interstate 95.
It's one of the oldest gun-smuggling routes in the country.
Most of the illegal firearms in New York start off as legal gun purchases in a southern state.
Where the gun laws leave a lot to be desired.
In Georgia, you can buy as many handguns as you want in a single purchase.
All it takes is cash and a driver's license.
And, guess who's doing the buying these days? You tell me.
College students.
They're buying guns, then selling them in their old neighborhoods when they come home for Christmas vacation or spring break.
What about this particular case? Well, it was ajoint effort.
ATF, NYPD, Firearms Investigation Unit.
Who were the undercovers? Mmm.
Security concerns, all I have are shield numbers.
Those are the ones.
That's Calvin May and Dexter Richmond.
So, what about this defendant, Mr.
North? Is he some college student? Trask University in Atlanta.
Dumb kid.
By the time he gets out of Allenwood, he could have been a PhD.
NORTH: I had a scholarship and a job in the library.
SERENA: That wasn't enough? I was always strapped for cash.
My roommate was another guy from New York named Brian Brown.
Brian said that we could buy .
380 semi-automatics for 100 each and then sell them back home for like, $600 or $700.
I know it was stupid.
But we didn't think of what could happen.
So you and Brian Brown rented a car and drove the guns back to New York? To sell.
Then these two guys turn out to be cops, you know, undercover.
Soon as we sold them our guns, they pulled theirs.
I froze, but Brian (sums) Brian freaked 'cause he had another gun in his pocket.
And when the cop said, "Don't move," it was like, I don't know, Brian was scared or didn't hear him or something, because he went to pull the gun out of his pocket anyway.
And the officer shot him.
Killed him, right next to me.
(SIGHING) I got his blood all over me.
Mr.
Wilson said I was in shock.
Mr.
Wilson, how did he happen to represent you, anyway? Well, his partner asked him to take my case, pro bono.
Gordon Samuels? Why would he do that? Did you know Mr.
Samuels? Not really.
Because of Brian, I guess.
Mr.
Samuels was Brian's stepfather.
Jack, this is Detective Stephen Walker.
He was ghosting for Richmond and May when Brian Brown was killed.
Detective.
It's been two years.
IAB did a full investigation.
It was a good shooting.
Have a seat.
I'm not sure what you're looking for.
Neither are we.
Why don't you tell us how it went down? Kid pulled a gun, Calvin shot him.
That's all there was to it? Yeah.
Can you be more specific, Detective? I saw the whole thing on a surveillance tape.
One kid got his hands up quick fast.
That would be Jeffrey North? Yeah.
But the other one, Brown, sticks his hand in his pocket.
Man, you just don't do that.
May saw the barrel coming up and double tapped him.
Shot him twice in the chest.
Maybe the kid was just going to hand the gun over? Like I said.
It was a good shooting.
You're absolutely sure? That kid was only 19.
Calvin was beside himself.
I mean, he was shattered.
Cried like a baby.
Another black kid with a lot of promise.
Gone.
It hurt all of us.
You know, that's why we do this work.
Try to take these guns off the street.
And Brian Brown was the cause of it.
He wanted to make a buck, and he didn't think or care about the consequences.
(SCOFFS) He thought plenty about how to get away with it.
Etched out the serial numbers with acid.
But we traced them back to a licensed dealer in Macon.
And? Brown bought 20 semi- automatics from that shop.
He sold two to Richmond and May, died with athird in his hand.
So what happened to the other 17? We never found them.
They haven't shown up in any other cases? Maybe six of them did.
How many times do you intend to arrest my client? JACK: I assure you, this is the last.
When they arrested the men who killed Detectives Richmond and May, the police recovered six handguns.
I'm not surprised, they're gun dealers.
Those guns were originally purchased in Georgia, by your stepson, Brian.
If you say so.
Ballistics says so.
They restored the serial numbers.
The only possible connection between those guns, your stepson, and the two killers, is you, Mr.
Samuels.
And so now one plus one equals three? Brian came back for the holidays, hid the guns in your home.
But you didn't find them until after Brian died.
No.
You can't prove that.
We couldn't, until this afternoon.
While you were in court, Mr.
Samuels, the police got a warrant.
And they found the remaining SERENA: The serial numbers match the guns Brian bought down south.
What do you want, McCoy? Spare the taxpayers the expense of atrial.
And we get? Consideration at sentencing regarding correctional facility.
Well, that's not much.
Your client is guilty of two counts of murder two.
He'll have to allocute that he gave guns to Hubbard and Ellis as payment for killing the two undercover detectives who shot his stepson.
Who was trying to surrender.
Those detectives didn't just kill my son, Mr.
McCoy, they set a trap and they lured him into it.
What those officers did was murder.
And for what? Four more years, Brian would have graduated from law school.
He was foolish, yes, I know.
But he paid a heavy price for his bad judgment.
The good he would have done in this world, in his neighborhood, far outweighs the damage of putting a few more guns on the streets of New York.
That's like throwing a handful of sand on the beach.
Guard, take me back.
We are not done here yet.
You can't rescind our plea agreement.
We can, when your client lies to us.
He neglected to reveal his full part in a murder conspiracy.
And if Mr.
Hubbard doesn't want to tell us the truth, I bet his buddy, Quincy Ellis, will.
Man, I never even met nobody named Samuels.
That's the truth, straight up.
Then who gave you the guns? Dude named Ramsey.
He the one that told us about the website, too.
How convenient Mr.
Ramsey's dead.
I don't suppose there's anything you'd like to tell us about how that happened? Or why Ramsey gave you the guns in the first place? Man, it was ARDALL: Wait.
Same deal as before, to cover everything, including Ramsey.
I might give your client something for cooperating.
Ramsey give us the guns.
Said there'd be plenty more where they came from.
He told us about the website, blah, blah, blah.
Did he also tell you which of the 10 undercovers to kill? No, but on the website, right, it tell you what unit they're from.
Richmond and May were Firearms.
Right, right.
How did Mr.
Ramsey die? Man, we just thought, after we did these cops, nobody's gonna come looking for us if they think Ramsey done it.
So you killed him? No.
Q did.
It seemed like a good idea.
You can't tie Mr.
Samuels to this man, Hubbard.
We can tie him to Ramsey, and Ramsey to Hubbard.
We went through your firm's files, Mr.
Samuels.
Mr.
Ramsey was your client.
So what? I have hundreds of clients.
I represented him on some small civil matter, a dispute with his landlord.
And now he's dead.
That has nothing to do with me.
I won't accept the plea.
Hold on, Gordon.
The People will have to do better.
If he allocates, I'll give him the same deal I gave Preston Hubbard.
Forty-to-life.
It's something.
It's nothing.
I'm not interested in a deal.
Give us a minute.
That won't be necessary, Roger.
I'm gonna represent myself.
MAN 1: Ramsey said he'd give us half a dozen .
3805, if we take care of these two undercover cops.
What did you understand him to mean by "take care of?" Get rid of.
You know, kill.
You and Quincy Ellis agreed to murder two undercover police officers you'd never met? Yeah.
How did you find out who these undercover officers were? Ramsey told us to check out this website.
They had their pictures on it.
Covertcopssom? Yeah.
Mr.
Samuels' website.
Nothing further.
You don't know me from Adam, do you, Mr.
Hubbard? MAN 1: No.
Never saw me before today? No.
Lever ask you to kill anyone? Not that I could say.
Have I ever given you any guns? Man, you gave the guns to Ramsey.
Police tell you to say that? Objection! JUDGE: Sustained.
Did you see me give guns to Mr.
Ramsey? No.
I'll ask you again.
Did I ever give you any weapons? No.
The People rest, your Honor.
Mr.
Samuels.
I'd like to add a witness to my list, your Honor, an undercover officer identified in the People's VDF only as "Officer Y".
Anything that officer could testify to has already been elicited from Detectives Green and Fontana.
I'd like to make sure "Officer Y" tells the same lies Detectives Fontana and Green have.
JACK: Your Honor.
JUDGE: That's enough, Mr.
Samuels.
Your Honor, what he means is, there might be discrepancies in the officers' testimonies.
He'd like the chance to examine them.
All right, I'll allow it.
Approach, your Honor.
Step LIP- The People request that we clear the courtroom and use a screen to shield the identity of the undercover officer.
Judge, the Sixth Amendment secures my right to confront my accuser.
The witness will be here, just unseen by prying eyes.
Mr.
Samuels is fighting for his liberty.
He should be afforded every opportunity to make his case.
Judge, we've just lost two undercover officers.
I'm well aware of that, Mr.
McCoy.
Clearing the courtroom should suffice to protect everyone's rights.
Preston Hubbard and Quincy Ellis were arrested at the scene, and six .
380 semi-automatic pistols were collected from the rear of their vehicle.
Oh, come on, officer.
The only reason they were gonna sell you the guns in the first place was because you solicited them, right? They were more than willing.
Sounds like entrapment to me.
JACK: Objection.
Isn't that entrapment, officer? No.
We follow strict guidelines to avoid entrapment.
I gave them an opportunity to break the law and they did.
All the crime in this city, and the police are going around trying to create criminals.
Why would you do something like that? I'm sorry, I don't understand the question.
The police come into our communities to get people to say and do things they wouldn't normally say or do.
Objection, your Honor, defense is testifying.
They get people to commit crimes.
Sustained.
Try to stay on point, Mr.
Samuels.
In your capacity as an undercover, are you ever called upon to lie? Iwouldn't characterize it like that.
Posing as a drug dealer or a gunrunner is part of the job.
Is that right? Posing as someone else, misrepresenting oneself Your Honor Move on, Mr.
Samuels.
Detective Green, who went undercover with you to apprehend Preston Hubbard and Quincy Ellis, he was a friend of Detective May? Yes.
As are you? Yes.
And I was a friend to Dexter Richmond, too.
And you and Detective Green would do anything to avenge their deaths? Objection.
Sustained.
You and Detective Green are both good at making people believe what you want them to believe? We're good at our jobs.
Does your job include breaking the law? Technically.
I've bought drugs from drug dealers, and guns from gunrunners.
Guns and drugs? Sometimes I even break the speed limit in the pursuit of a criminal.
Find this amusing, do you, officer? This is all just a big joke to you? Objection.
Sustained.
Is it fair to say, as an undercover, you'd do whatever it takes to catch the so-called bad guys, even if it means breaking the law? We don't break the law.
The law allows us to pose as bad guys, and lie to bad guys, in order to catch the bad guys.
And if you can't catch them, you just kill them? Take the law into your own hands and gun them down to die like dogs in the street? How many people have you killed doing your job, Detective? How many? Your Honor! You are the bad guys, officer.
You! (BANGING GAVEL) That's enough, Mr.
Samuels, now sit down! Come on.
Gordon.
No further questions, your Honor.
Officer, have you ever lied under oath? No, sir, I have not.
No further questions.
Heard the verdict on Samuels came back in under three hours.
He was desperate.
All he could do was try and discredit the police.
Fat chance.
Crime's down.
City's safer than it's been in decades.
Jurors know they have the police to thank for that.
There was a shoot-out in Brooklyn about an hour ago, during a gun buy and bust.
Detective Valenzuela.
Is she all right? She's fine.
How about the suspects? They're in the morgue.
Good.
It saves us the trouble.
These are their stories.
Can't hear a damn thing.
Maybe we should drive over, get a visual.
I don't wanna raise 'em up.
(STATIC ON RADIO) I hate just sittin' here.
MAN 1: (ON RADIO) Yo, man.
We got something.
Sound's back.
MAN 3: What the heh' we doing at the GW, man? That's a good question.
What are they doin' at the bridge? MAN T.
Yo, man, let me see my money.
MAN 2: Ain't your money tiff we get our guns.
(CHUCKLES) You tell 'em, Cal.
MAN T.
You first pay, fool.
MAN 'l: What the hell? This doesn't sound good.
MAN T.
The money, man.
MAN 3: I don't think so.
(sun FIRING) Freakin' We got shots fired in undercover vehicle.
Move in, move in! (SIREN BLARING) Oh, no.
down, officers down.
VAN BUREN: Let the Chief of D's know that the two officers didn't make it and I'll be in touch as soon as we have anything.
(CHATTERING ON POLICE RADIO) So, who are they? Detectives Calvin May and Dexter Richmond.
They were dumped from their own car.
VAN BUREN: Anything on the vehicle? It's a gray SUV, location unknown.
Aviation has a bird in the sky as we speak.
Anyone in the neighborhood see anything? FONTANA: No, not this time of night.
Were they undercover? Firearms Investigation Unit.
Calvin You knew this guy? He was my friend.
They were on a gun buy.
Their wallets are gone and their weapons are missing.
Who's their CO? Terry Norfleet.
He's on the way.
One shot each.
The officer on my right Calvin May.
Close contact wound to the back of the head.
Was he in the passenger's seat? All right, he was probably shot first.
The driver Detective Richmond.
He must have turned at the sound.
He was shot in the right temple.
(SIGHS) Both shots were through-and-throughs.
From a large caliber gun.
If I didn't know that was Cal, I would have never recognized him.
It was a straight buy-and-bust, going for a couple of Tec-9s.
Richmond and May had three grand in marked buy money on them.
We didn't even have a visual on them at the end.
We had to rely on the Kels.
FONTANA: Yeah, I know, they're junk.
The garbage they send us out with.
Department's supposed to replace 'em, but Do you think the bad guys made Richmond and May as police officers? I don't think so.
It sounded like a robbery.
They sure didn't say anything that sounded like they knew.
Who set it up? A confidential informant.
Reliable? May and Richmond used him all the time.
Where can we find this dude? I already sent two guys down to sit on his last known.
There was no sign of him.
FONTANA: You'll let us know when he shows up, right? Detectives Green and Fontana.
Captain Norfleet.
Detectives.
Captain, I'm sorry about your guys.
Appreciate it.
What were they carrying? Calvin still had his .
38? You know it.
And Richmond had a 9mm Beretta.
ED: And Calvin and Richmond worked together a lot, right? Only about 300 cases in the last two years.
What do you think went wrong this time? They did exactly what they were supposed to do.
I heard the tape.
They weren't sloppy, they were robbed.
I don't care how many cars are tailing you.
After that, it's not about back up, it's about mop up.
Lieutenant, they found the SUV.
Good guys in the front, bad guys in the back.
That's never good.
And two bullet holes in the dash.
Hey! Excuse me.
I want those slugs out of that dash.
I don't care if you have to tear that whole engine block apart.
Just get them, okay? We've got 20 teams of detectives ready, willing, and able to canvass this whole area.
Somebody must've seen something.
It's the ones that don't wanna be seen that I wanna talk to.
Come on, folks.
Behind the yellow tape.
There's nothing to see here.
Nothin' to see here.
Ma'am? I saw you.
Please, I need your help.
Please.
Miss? I was in the back.
I hear nothing, saw nothing.
Sefiora, two police officers are dead.
(SPEAKING SPANISH) I'm sorry.
Like I said Ne, no, no.
Sefiora, por favor.
Did you ever call the police? Si.
And did we come, and did we help? Well, now we need your help.
Please.
Two of our people were killed by some very, very bad men.
We need to get them off the street.
It was late.
I fell asleep on the couch, watching TV.
I hear noises.
What kind of noise? Screechin' tires and voices.
I came to the window.
And I saw somebody runnin' away.
What did he look like? Black.
Young, like in the 20s.
Head like an eight-ball.
He had a shaved head? He was bald? Yeah.
A red and white jacket.
Which way did he run? Inside of that building, over there.
Yeah.
ED: What's your name? Trevor Hawkins.
Gonna ask you a few questions, Trev.
Man, I ain't got no wants or warrants, cleared them last week.
This your jacket? Yeah.
No.
You don't mind if we take a look around, do you, Trevor? Go ahead.
This is Calvin May's license.
He stays here.
He's my cousin.
Your cousin? Shut up! Come on, come on.
We're gonna go spend some time in our house.
I told you I found those wallets in the garbage.
Listen, man.
We're gonna find that money.
What money? There wasn't no money in those wallets.
$3,000 cash.
Marked money! Do you understand what I'm saying to you? And two guns.
You wish I had all of that.
Shoot, I do, too.
But wishing don't make it so.
Those wallets that you say you found in the garbage, do you have any idea who they belonged to? You keep saying some dead guys, but I don't know.
I didn't kill 'em.
Two police officers, Trevor! Two cops! Oh, man.
I ain't killed no cops.
Let me explain something to you.
It don't make no difference to me whether it was you or your partner.
I ain't got no partner.
Then you know what? Happy birthday and congratulations because you're the shooter.
And you're the one who's gonna take the fall all by yourself for killing those two policemen.
I didn't shoot nobody.
All right, I'm done.
All right, wait, wait.
I'm gonna tell you the truth.
I didn't snatch the wallets out of the garbage can.
I got 'em off the front seat of that car.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) That's your story? Sit down.
We get anything yet on that informant who set up the buy? We went through the detectives' notes.
It seems their Cl had a habit and a regular hangout.
Something I like about junkies, they're predictable.
He's probably there now, getting a fix.
Well, we'll hold on to Trevor for the time being.
You should check this out.
I swear, I don't know who they was meeting with.
You set it up.
I just put 'em in touch with somebody.
Sit! A guy named Ramsey.
He's like a broker.
A broker? You know, he put the word on the street.
What is the word on the street? He know a man who got Tec-9s, Mac-10s, Sweepers, whatever.
And Ramsey puts the buyer and the seller together? Right, right.
Ramsey's the man you wanna be talking to.
And then you called Richmond and May and you told them about this guy? They'd slip me a C-note for every tip.
And I hear about this, I take Ramsey's number and pass it on to the D's.
Yeah, and then they call Ramsey and he puts them in touch with the gun dealers? That's how it work, brother.
Please tell me that you remember Ramsey's number.
Remembering things ain't my problem.
It's the stuff I'd like to forget.
You all gonna take care of me, right? Knock yourself out.
Clear.
Clear.
In here.
Hey, Joe! In here! OFFICER: Seal it off! I'm guessing this is Mr.
Ramsey.
That's one way to cut out the middleman.
Through-and-through, huh? Look at this.
A snub-nose .
38, 9mm Beretta.
Wad of cash.
Convenient having all the evidence in one nice little pile, don't you think? He saw it comin', tried to lay low.
Not low enough.
The M.
E.
says that Ramsey was killed between 5:00 and 7:00 a.
m.
A few hours after May and Richmond were shot.
They must have freaked out when they figured out they killed two undercover police officers.
Then they tracked down Ramsey, took him out, and left the money and guns on him to cover their own tracks.
They messed up though.
It looks like they used the same gun.
Well, no one said they were smart.
Did you see the headlines this morning? We need someone on the inside.
I'll talk to Captain Norfleet when we pay our respects to the family.
Pam.
Eddie.
I am so sorry.
(CRYING) Pam, this is my new partner, Joe Fontana.
Did you know Calvin, too? No, ma'am.
I didn't.
I'm very sorry for your loss.
Thank you for coming, Detective.
Pam, if you need anything, anything at all, you or the babies, you let me know, okay? I'm glad you're on this, Ed.
(CRYING) Catch these guys.
Don't you worry about that, all right? Bye, babies.
Bye.
NORFLEET: Firearms has always been a small unit.
I've already had two officers ask for transfers.
I don't blame them.
Neither do I.
But we're stretched pretty thin.
The day he was killed, May had already done two hand-to-hands.
He was home with his kids when I beeped him, and asked him to please come in and go on a buy with Richmond.
Listen, lwish I could tell you we had a suspect in custody.
What can we do to help? I need to borrow an undercover.
I'll give you my secret weapon.
Excellent.
Our version of a trophy case.
Oh, damn.
That's impressive.
Yeah.
A lot of these guns, Calvin, Dex, and I took off the streets together.
Usually, I playthe girlfriend.
(CELL PHONE RINGING) Well, a lady on the set often softens the mood.
Yeah? You ever work undercover? (CHUCKLES) A million years ago in Chicago.
Yeah, hold on a minute.
Joe? Ballistics has got something for us.
Well, I'm gonna go see what they're saying on the streets about who killed Calvin and Dex.
Thanks a lot.
Ballistics recovered both slugs from the dashboard.
Forty-four caliber.
Both from the same gun which they also used to kill Ramsey with.
Now, if we just had the gun.
Well, we don't have the gun, but we know what it was.
It's in the system? Yeah, it was used in ajustifiable homicide a couple of years ago.
Self-defense case.
Then it was stolen from the legal owner and used in three subsequent crimes, two murders, one attempted.
That victim still live in the city? Uh-huh, Washington Heights.
Bring him downtown, show him some pictures.
Maybe we'll get lucky.
All right.
Me, I don't remember the gun.
Most people, they have a gun stuck in their face, that's all they remember.
I walked out of the subway, a guy asked me if the local was still running, then boom.
I wake up at Bellevue, my wallet gone and an eight-inch scar down my chest.
You got a good look at that dude.
Why couldn't you identify him? I don't know.
Or was it that you could, but wouldn't? Man, I came this close to dying on the table.
Okay, you testify against a guy like this and he walks, he'll kill you for sure.
Is that what you're worried about? Look, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't.
This guy killed two police officers.
He's not going anywhere.
This dude ain't coming after nobody, man.
You can believe that.
That's the guy.
That's him.
I don't remember his gun, but I'll never forget his face.
Never.
ED: That's Preston Hubbard, a.
k.
a.
Prez.
He's done time for robbery, assault, weapons.
Last known address was the Hamilton Housing Projects.
The name is not ringing any bells.
Well, the Ten Ring crew run the Hamilton.
Do you know anybody in that crew? That's why God created confidential informants.
VALENZUELA: Okay, I see 'em.
Do you know where I can find Prez? MAN T.
You must be Luisa.
VALENZUELA: How you doing? So, how you know my boy Marvin? He used to hang with my sister.
Yeah, I'd like to hang with you and your sister, too.
You think he'll pat her down? I think he'd like to.
So you looking for ammo? Mmm-hmm, for a .
44.
Hmm, that's a big piece for a little girl.
You shoot? It's for my man.
And you runnin' his errands.
That ain't right.
Iwouldn't send a little girl like you to do for me.
Oh, so you take care of business, huh? Got that right.
Yeah, that's what I heard.
So you heard about me, huh? Mmm-hmm.
I heard you took care of a couple D's.
A couple of undercovers.
Q? Did you hear that? I'm wonderin' how she heard it.
You been runnin' your mouth some? No, man.
Did he just give it up? Almost.
So it's true, you shot those cops? Nah.
That takes balls.
We got that for sure.
(ON TAPE) So how much money you wanna spend, baby? I don't know.
I got about 500.
If she had gotten one step further.
So Luisa gets him to be more specific.
Yeah, but if she keeps asking, you know they'll be suspicious.
How about I go? Undercover? I don't think so, Ed.
Look, Luisa's already established that she's got a boyfriend.
All she has to do is say, "My man wants to buy a gun to go with that ammo.
" Better yet, more than one gun.
I can't ask you to do that.
You ain't asking me.
I'm volunteering.
We're here.
Cherry Street, under the bridge.
Kels are up and running.
Let's hope that lasts.
ED: (ON RADIO) Here they come.
I see 'em.
We're on.
Where the money at? Right here.
Where are my guns at? We gonna take you to 'em.
Oh, wait a minute.
That's not what we talked about.
Hey, doth worn), sweetheart.
Your man's comm' fight back.
Or stay here, give us the cash, we bring you the .
38s.
ED: Yeah, right, so you can rob me? ELLIS: If we was trying to rob you, you'd be robbed already.
Besides, your girl know where we stay at.
We gonna take a little ride, make sure we clean and nobody's watching.
Yeah, no, I don't think so.
All right.
It don't matter to me.
I sell your guns to somebody else.
Hold up! Baby, I don't think you should go with them.
Don't worry about it.
I'm gonna be all right.
You stay right here, okay? I'll be right back.
Back up, can you hear me? Ed and the money are in a black Escalade with Hubbard and Ellis.
Everyone move out.
Stay as close as you can.
But don't get burned.
This is exactly what I didn't want to happen.
It's okay, it'll work out.
He's a smart guy.
Richmond and May were smart, too.
Delancey? Why do I gotta go all the way to Williamsburg to get these guns? Any unit, Williamsburg Bridge, Brooklyn side, black Escalade.
Your girl gonna be pissed she got to wait? She'll get over it.
Well, why you bring her to a deal anyway? We got it like that.
That's my girl.
You know, females like that thing.
As a matter of fact, I wanted to meet you all in person anyway.
Other day, had me mad jealous.
All she could do was talk about you all.
Oh.
yeah? Yeah.
Why you all tell my girl you all killed them undercover cops? I didn't say that.
See, I told her she had it twisted.
I know the cat that killed them dudes.
Dude named Smalls.
Aw, hell, no.
Lester Smalls? I know Lester Smalls, and he a punk.
Nothin' but.
That may be true, but Lester walking around saying he did it.
ELLIS: Lester don't know nothing, man.
Them cops never saw it coming.
Bang! Bang! Just like that.
Shut up, fool, you talk too much.
I think we got 'em.
Why you worried? You scared of the cops? Do I look scared? Just like he said.
Bang, bang! So it's like that? What, you gonna kill me now, too? Ah, jeez.
I don't like that.
Now why would I do that? You a cop? No, I ain't no damn cop.
You starting to sound like one.
All right.
We cool.
Turn here.
What the hell is this? (SIRENS BLARING) ELLIS: Hey, you watch it, son! Hey, you! OFFICER: Police! Out of the car! Go! Go! You never saw it comin', did you? OFFICER: Hands out of the window! Thanks, brother.
Did you all get that? Did you hear what they said? We got it.
We got everything on tape.
Lieutenant? Look what we found.
Three, four, five, six .
380s.
Guns were in the car all the time.
Ed, you okay'? JACK: What can I do for you, Mr.
Ardall? Cut my client a little slack.
A little slack? If New York's death penalty wasn't in limbo, I'd be asking for that.
Your client should count his blessings.
My client wasn't the shooter.
Quincy Ellis pulled the trigger.
Hubbard is still a cop killer.
Not interested.
Even if they didn't act alone? Someone else was involved? Preston Hubbard will testify.
I make no promises until I hear a name.
Would you settle for an address? You let one of these guys flip in exchange for a web address? Forty-to-life instead of Other detectives are at risk, Arthur.
This isn't just a web site, it's a high-tech hit list with eight other names on it.
This is the homepage.
"These undercover officers are in your neighborhood.
" All from the Firearms Unit? Just Richmond and May.
The others are from Anti-Crime, Narcotics.
So far Richmond and May are the only ones to be killed.
So, they see these detectives' photos on the website and decide to kill them? Since when do gun dealers surf the web? Well, everybody surfs the web, Arthur.
Everybody but you.
Recognize the pattern on that marble? These photos were taken inside the courthouse.
First floor, side entrance.
The D.
A.
's entrance.
I want to know who was on duty in the courthouse every time Richmond and May testified.
Am I gonna lose my job? Are you gonna lose your job? Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in, you big dummy? Right now, it's all about how much jail time you're gonna do.
I used one of them cell phones with a camera in it.
But I got nothing to do with no website.
I could barely figure out how to work the damn thing.
Why were you taking pictures of undercover detectives? This guy asked me to.
Said he'd buy it, all I had to do was point and shoot.
This guy "asked" you to? All right, paid me.
Does this guy have a name? Gordon Samuels.
He works at the courthouse time to time.
ED: Security? No, defense attorney.
Why am I not surprised? Look, I know what I did was wrong, but he offered me $500.
Two police officers were killed for your little $500.
Gordon Samuels? I'm his partner, James Wilson.
Can I help you, gentlemen? Would you mind asking your esteemed colleague to join us, please? Gordon! The police.
What's going on here? Gordon Samuels, you are under arrest for the murders of Detectives Calvin May and Dexter Richmond.
May I see a warrant? Show him the warrant.
You got it? You're making a mistake.
Actually, we're doing this exactly right.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law.
You have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you.
Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you? All my client did was post photos to a website.
Which resulted in the murder of two undercover officers.
Not his fault, or intent.
The website and its contents are free speech.
The website was camouflage for his criminal intent.
No, free speech, as my motion to dismiss explains to the constitutionally impaired.
Your motion is absurd.
Your client knew or should've known the consequences of his action.
(LAUGHS) Well, you have a constitutionally protected right to your opinion, however ill-conceived.
You want me to dismiss a murder charge because your client is somehow protected by the First Amendment? JACK: Not all speech is protected.
Not if it's a call to violence.
See the Supreme Court's recent decision on cross-burning.
The website contains no threats, your Honor.
It merely states the indisputable facts.
The photographs are of a number of undercover detectives.
To what end, obstruction of justice, interfering with police officers in the execution of their duties? Informing the public.
Yelling "fire" in a crowded theater.
More like showing everyone where the exits are.
That's disingenuous.
Posting photos of undercover officers is asking for harm to befall them.
Which is in fact what happened.
Two of the officers were murdered.
Eight of them weren't.
Not yet.
I suggest you allow counsel to earn his salary, Mr.
Samuels.
There's no criminal liability here.
All my client meant was, "Stay away from these guys.
" Like a "beware of dog" sign.
They're the threat to the community.
JACK: They protect the community, and Mr.
Samuels shared the same criminal intent as the actual perpetrators, your Honor.
The website posting itself is evidence of the defendant's intention.
I'm sorry, Mr.
McCoy.
You haven't satisfied me that you have sufficient evidence to proceed.
Your Honor This case is dismissed, with leave to re-open if you obtain new evidence.
The People object, your Honor.
And as a condition of the dismissal, we request that you order the defendant to dismantle his website, and enjoin him from any future postings.
I'll give you that much, Mr.
McCoy.
But I've done nothing wrong.
Do "nothing" again, Mr.
Samuels, and you'll be doing it from jail.
SERENA: At least you shut down the website, Jack.
I don't believe Samuels wanted to hurt all the undercovers on his site, anyway.
What would he have against Richmond and May? We still haven't found a connection between Samuels and the detectives.
Then we should look for a connection between Samuels and the killers.
A defense attorney and a couple of criminals? Maybe the firm of Samuels and Wilson represented these guys? One way to engage the services of a couple of hired killers.
Check the firm's cases on Westlaw, especially the gun cases.
Samuels and Wilson never represented Hubbard or Ellis.
Well, the ATF never dealt with them, either.
But there was one ATF case Wilson defended, U.
S.
v.
North.
Yeah, that was one of the iron pipeline cases.
"Iron pipeline?" Interstate 95.
It's one of the oldest gun-smuggling routes in the country.
Most of the illegal firearms in New York start off as legal gun purchases in a southern state.
Where the gun laws leave a lot to be desired.
In Georgia, you can buy as many handguns as you want in a single purchase.
All it takes is cash and a driver's license.
And, guess who's doing the buying these days? You tell me.
College students.
They're buying guns, then selling them in their old neighborhoods when they come home for Christmas vacation or spring break.
What about this particular case? Well, it was ajoint effort.
ATF, NYPD, Firearms Investigation Unit.
Who were the undercovers? Mmm.
Security concerns, all I have are shield numbers.
Those are the ones.
That's Calvin May and Dexter Richmond.
So, what about this defendant, Mr.
North? Is he some college student? Trask University in Atlanta.
Dumb kid.
By the time he gets out of Allenwood, he could have been a PhD.
NORTH: I had a scholarship and a job in the library.
SERENA: That wasn't enough? I was always strapped for cash.
My roommate was another guy from New York named Brian Brown.
Brian said that we could buy .
380 semi-automatics for 100 each and then sell them back home for like, $600 or $700.
I know it was stupid.
But we didn't think of what could happen.
So you and Brian Brown rented a car and drove the guns back to New York? To sell.
Then these two guys turn out to be cops, you know, undercover.
Soon as we sold them our guns, they pulled theirs.
I froze, but Brian (sums) Brian freaked 'cause he had another gun in his pocket.
And when the cop said, "Don't move," it was like, I don't know, Brian was scared or didn't hear him or something, because he went to pull the gun out of his pocket anyway.
And the officer shot him.
Killed him, right next to me.
(SIGHING) I got his blood all over me.
Mr.
Wilson said I was in shock.
Mr.
Wilson, how did he happen to represent you, anyway? Well, his partner asked him to take my case, pro bono.
Gordon Samuels? Why would he do that? Did you know Mr.
Samuels? Not really.
Because of Brian, I guess.
Mr.
Samuels was Brian's stepfather.
Jack, this is Detective Stephen Walker.
He was ghosting for Richmond and May when Brian Brown was killed.
Detective.
It's been two years.
IAB did a full investigation.
It was a good shooting.
Have a seat.
I'm not sure what you're looking for.
Neither are we.
Why don't you tell us how it went down? Kid pulled a gun, Calvin shot him.
That's all there was to it? Yeah.
Can you be more specific, Detective? I saw the whole thing on a surveillance tape.
One kid got his hands up quick fast.
That would be Jeffrey North? Yeah.
But the other one, Brown, sticks his hand in his pocket.
Man, you just don't do that.
May saw the barrel coming up and double tapped him.
Shot him twice in the chest.
Maybe the kid was just going to hand the gun over? Like I said.
It was a good shooting.
You're absolutely sure? That kid was only 19.
Calvin was beside himself.
I mean, he was shattered.
Cried like a baby.
Another black kid with a lot of promise.
Gone.
It hurt all of us.
You know, that's why we do this work.
Try to take these guns off the street.
And Brian Brown was the cause of it.
He wanted to make a buck, and he didn't think or care about the consequences.
(SCOFFS) He thought plenty about how to get away with it.
Etched out the serial numbers with acid.
But we traced them back to a licensed dealer in Macon.
And? Brown bought 20 semi- automatics from that shop.
He sold two to Richmond and May, died with athird in his hand.
So what happened to the other 17? We never found them.
They haven't shown up in any other cases? Maybe six of them did.
How many times do you intend to arrest my client? JACK: I assure you, this is the last.
When they arrested the men who killed Detectives Richmond and May, the police recovered six handguns.
I'm not surprised, they're gun dealers.
Those guns were originally purchased in Georgia, by your stepson, Brian.
If you say so.
Ballistics says so.
They restored the serial numbers.
The only possible connection between those guns, your stepson, and the two killers, is you, Mr.
Samuels.
And so now one plus one equals three? Brian came back for the holidays, hid the guns in your home.
But you didn't find them until after Brian died.
No.
You can't prove that.
We couldn't, until this afternoon.
While you were in court, Mr.
Samuels, the police got a warrant.
And they found the remaining SERENA: The serial numbers match the guns Brian bought down south.
What do you want, McCoy? Spare the taxpayers the expense of atrial.
And we get? Consideration at sentencing regarding correctional facility.
Well, that's not much.
Your client is guilty of two counts of murder two.
He'll have to allocute that he gave guns to Hubbard and Ellis as payment for killing the two undercover detectives who shot his stepson.
Who was trying to surrender.
Those detectives didn't just kill my son, Mr.
McCoy, they set a trap and they lured him into it.
What those officers did was murder.
And for what? Four more years, Brian would have graduated from law school.
He was foolish, yes, I know.
But he paid a heavy price for his bad judgment.
The good he would have done in this world, in his neighborhood, far outweighs the damage of putting a few more guns on the streets of New York.
That's like throwing a handful of sand on the beach.
Guard, take me back.
We are not done here yet.
You can't rescind our plea agreement.
We can, when your client lies to us.
He neglected to reveal his full part in a murder conspiracy.
And if Mr.
Hubbard doesn't want to tell us the truth, I bet his buddy, Quincy Ellis, will.
Man, I never even met nobody named Samuels.
That's the truth, straight up.
Then who gave you the guns? Dude named Ramsey.
He the one that told us about the website, too.
How convenient Mr.
Ramsey's dead.
I don't suppose there's anything you'd like to tell us about how that happened? Or why Ramsey gave you the guns in the first place? Man, it was ARDALL: Wait.
Same deal as before, to cover everything, including Ramsey.
I might give your client something for cooperating.
Ramsey give us the guns.
Said there'd be plenty more where they came from.
He told us about the website, blah, blah, blah.
Did he also tell you which of the 10 undercovers to kill? No, but on the website, right, it tell you what unit they're from.
Richmond and May were Firearms.
Right, right.
How did Mr.
Ramsey die? Man, we just thought, after we did these cops, nobody's gonna come looking for us if they think Ramsey done it.
So you killed him? No.
Q did.
It seemed like a good idea.
You can't tie Mr.
Samuels to this man, Hubbard.
We can tie him to Ramsey, and Ramsey to Hubbard.
We went through your firm's files, Mr.
Samuels.
Mr.
Ramsey was your client.
So what? I have hundreds of clients.
I represented him on some small civil matter, a dispute with his landlord.
And now he's dead.
That has nothing to do with me.
I won't accept the plea.
Hold on, Gordon.
The People will have to do better.
If he allocates, I'll give him the same deal I gave Preston Hubbard.
Forty-to-life.
It's something.
It's nothing.
I'm not interested in a deal.
Give us a minute.
That won't be necessary, Roger.
I'm gonna represent myself.
MAN 1: Ramsey said he'd give us half a dozen .
3805, if we take care of these two undercover cops.
What did you understand him to mean by "take care of?" Get rid of.
You know, kill.
You and Quincy Ellis agreed to murder two undercover police officers you'd never met? Yeah.
How did you find out who these undercover officers were? Ramsey told us to check out this website.
They had their pictures on it.
Covertcopssom? Yeah.
Mr.
Samuels' website.
Nothing further.
You don't know me from Adam, do you, Mr.
Hubbard? MAN 1: No.
Never saw me before today? No.
Lever ask you to kill anyone? Not that I could say.
Have I ever given you any guns? Man, you gave the guns to Ramsey.
Police tell you to say that? Objection! JUDGE: Sustained.
Did you see me give guns to Mr.
Ramsey? No.
I'll ask you again.
Did I ever give you any weapons? No.
The People rest, your Honor.
Mr.
Samuels.
I'd like to add a witness to my list, your Honor, an undercover officer identified in the People's VDF only as "Officer Y".
Anything that officer could testify to has already been elicited from Detectives Green and Fontana.
I'd like to make sure "Officer Y" tells the same lies Detectives Fontana and Green have.
JACK: Your Honor.
JUDGE: That's enough, Mr.
Samuels.
Your Honor, what he means is, there might be discrepancies in the officers' testimonies.
He'd like the chance to examine them.
All right, I'll allow it.
Approach, your Honor.
Step LIP- The People request that we clear the courtroom and use a screen to shield the identity of the undercover officer.
Judge, the Sixth Amendment secures my right to confront my accuser.
The witness will be here, just unseen by prying eyes.
Mr.
Samuels is fighting for his liberty.
He should be afforded every opportunity to make his case.
Judge, we've just lost two undercover officers.
I'm well aware of that, Mr.
McCoy.
Clearing the courtroom should suffice to protect everyone's rights.
Preston Hubbard and Quincy Ellis were arrested at the scene, and six .
380 semi-automatic pistols were collected from the rear of their vehicle.
Oh, come on, officer.
The only reason they were gonna sell you the guns in the first place was because you solicited them, right? They were more than willing.
Sounds like entrapment to me.
JACK: Objection.
Isn't that entrapment, officer? No.
We follow strict guidelines to avoid entrapment.
I gave them an opportunity to break the law and they did.
All the crime in this city, and the police are going around trying to create criminals.
Why would you do something like that? I'm sorry, I don't understand the question.
The police come into our communities to get people to say and do things they wouldn't normally say or do.
Objection, your Honor, defense is testifying.
They get people to commit crimes.
Sustained.
Try to stay on point, Mr.
Samuels.
In your capacity as an undercover, are you ever called upon to lie? Iwouldn't characterize it like that.
Posing as a drug dealer or a gunrunner is part of the job.
Is that right? Posing as someone else, misrepresenting oneself Your Honor Move on, Mr.
Samuels.
Detective Green, who went undercover with you to apprehend Preston Hubbard and Quincy Ellis, he was a friend of Detective May? Yes.
As are you? Yes.
And I was a friend to Dexter Richmond, too.
And you and Detective Green would do anything to avenge their deaths? Objection.
Sustained.
You and Detective Green are both good at making people believe what you want them to believe? We're good at our jobs.
Does your job include breaking the law? Technically.
I've bought drugs from drug dealers, and guns from gunrunners.
Guns and drugs? Sometimes I even break the speed limit in the pursuit of a criminal.
Find this amusing, do you, officer? This is all just a big joke to you? Objection.
Sustained.
Is it fair to say, as an undercover, you'd do whatever it takes to catch the so-called bad guys, even if it means breaking the law? We don't break the law.
The law allows us to pose as bad guys, and lie to bad guys, in order to catch the bad guys.
And if you can't catch them, you just kill them? Take the law into your own hands and gun them down to die like dogs in the street? How many people have you killed doing your job, Detective? How many? Your Honor! You are the bad guys, officer.
You! (BANGING GAVEL) That's enough, Mr.
Samuels, now sit down! Come on.
Gordon.
No further questions, your Honor.
Officer, have you ever lied under oath? No, sir, I have not.
No further questions.
Heard the verdict on Samuels came back in under three hours.
He was desperate.
All he could do was try and discredit the police.
Fat chance.
Crime's down.
City's safer than it's been in decades.
Jurors know they have the police to thank for that.
There was a shoot-out in Brooklyn about an hour ago, during a gun buy and bust.
Detective Valenzuela.
Is she all right? She's fine.
How about the suspects? They're in the morgue.
Good.
It saves us the trouble.