Law & Order (1990) s17e12 Episode Script
Charity Case
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.
Keep him covered! He's fine.
I just don't want him to be photographed.
Not a lens in sight, sweetheart.
(SQUEALING) I'm just saying.
Come on, honey.
There you go.
So, what flavor? Strawberry.
No, chocolate.
Okay.
No way.
You're Sofia Archer! Yes, that's right.
Uh, she'll have chocolate.
Oh, my God, is that the child from Africa? Can I be the first to see him? Uh, he's a little cranky right now.
Oh, just a peek! My mom would lose her mind.
Can you please just give us the ice cream? SEAN: Get away, don't touch him! Back off! Back off! What are you doing? Get away me! Oh, my God.
Put that gun down, stop! (GUNSHOT) Oh! Oh, my God! Call the police! (BABY CRYING) (SCREAMING) Sean! The baby's fine.
Mom was getting shocky so EMS got her to Bellevue.
And daughter and nanny are back home with uniforms.
Two blocks from here.
Nobody saw anything more than a scuffle? And his head exploding.
Nobody on the street came forward? No.
Nobody.
It's dead this early.
(SIREN WAILING) So, an attempted robbery? Well, if it was, it didn't get far.
I hate to say it, but it looks like a kidnapping attempt.
I mean, this adoption got a whole lot of press.
Yeah, but not in months.
The nanny said it was one of the first times since the adoption the kid was out in public.
Bad luck? Huh.
I doubt it.
Sean was awonderful man.
He died protecting our child.
Have there been any threats against the new baby? I mean, it was big news.
A lot of it negative.
For no good reason.
We didn't do anything wrong.
A lot of human rights organizations, children's rights groups, sprouted up looking for press and donations.
When the cameras were gone, so were they.
Their beef being? Oh, that it was for publicity.
You know, for my career.
Just because Angelina and Madonna.
It was all above board.
We had signed permission from the President of Mamuno and the baby's real father.
He knew this was the only way that his son would have a decent life.
Well, what about your husband? Could somebody have been comin' after him? I don't know.
Um.
(CLEARS THROAT) Oh! John Brody doesn't have the balls to hurt a fly.
What? Sean just got back from six weeks of producing a film in Gibraltar.
He was sleeping with his star, Darla.
Brady's wife.
I have to admit, I'd be a little less casual about that.
Well, Sean and I have had an arrangement.
But I don't want that getting out in the press.
He died a damn hero.
But Darla's husband John, he found out about the affair? (SIGHS DEEPLY) He was ruined.
JOHN: Yeah, so, what's this got to do with me? Did you hear what I said, Mr.
Brody? Yeah.
And that's atough break for Sean Archer.
CASSADY: Getting laid off is a tough break.
Bullet to the head's something else.
Want me to cry for him? He was banging my wife.
Been out of my house and away from my kids because of him.
Yeah? That's an awful situation.
Got you drinking.
You bet.
You drinking to drown your sorrows or to boost your confidence? What, to shoot him? I mean, come on, I have enough problems.
Where were you at 7:00 this morning? Here.
Anyone verify that? Oh, come on.
I'm a writer.
We don't kill people, we just write about it! So what'd you hope to accomplish by calling Sofia to tell her her husband was stepping out with your wife? Get a little damn revenge.
You know what she said? "Good for him," and hung up.
Miss Humanitarian.
Mother to the poor and downtrodden.
Her and her husband? Both of 'em whores.
You own a gun, Mr.
Brody? No, but if you wanna look around, be my guest.
Won't take long.
There it is, my worldly possessions.
There was nothing in Brady's hotel room, and he doesn't have a record.
And no alibi.
The bourbon on his breath says he just woke up, the Times was at his door and the gunpowder residue test came back negative.
So he was all bark and no bite.
Which shoots a hole through the image of and Sophia and Sean, who are supposed to be this happy Hollywood power couple.
An actress' real life doesn't match her press? Well, this is more than press.
This whole adoption thing? She's making herself out to be a saint.
Does any of it help our case? It expands the suspect pool.
Jilted lovers, husbands and wives of those jilted lovers.
Wonderful.
Ballistics came back on shell casing found at the crime scene, it matches a gun registered to Marlon Cooper, Defense Attorney.
Last year he assaulted a cop.
Have fun.
Did you notice the charge was dropped, or you didn't read that far? Oh, watch yourself, smart ass.
I stopped where it said you put one of us in the hospital! First of all, I had no idea he was one of yours, because he was in plain clothes, planted to incite.
That was at the rally for Darfur refugees.
The UN's inattention to, and thus murder of, Darfur refugees, yeah.
So you're involved in African causes? I'm a civil rights attorney! I'm involved in a lot of things.
International child adoption? What do you guys want exactly? What's your take on Sofia Archer? Sofia Archer? Jeez, uh, diva actress? And her adoption of an African baby? Hey, they cleared room for her on the bandwagon.
Good for her.
Look, I'm a busy guy.
Where's your .
9mm, Mr.
Cooper? Um, it got lost two years ago, or stolen.
You didn't report it? It was in a box when I moved apartments, it might have gotten thrown out.
What's to report? Where were you this morning, 7:00? I was with a client.
Accused drug dealer, actually, he got flaked by a cop.
What's your client's name? Bobby Suarez.
"International League for Child Rights.
" Isn't this one of the groups protesting Sofia Archer's adoption? I got that flyer on the subway.
Right.
On the subway.
Cooper did some pro-bono work for us after the Darfur rally.
But, we parted company on the Sofia adoption.
The New York Ledger says your organization was at the forefront opposing it.
That was Marlon who gave those quotes.
When the article came out, we cut ties.
He made it sound like Sofia wasn't even on his radar.
Oh, more like there was nothing else on his radar.
He was obsessed, he said she was copycatting and trying to boost her career with a baby theft.
Theft? What'd he base that on? Mamuno has maybe three laws concerning adoption, written 50 years ago.
But one of them says that adoptive parents have to live in the country for a year before the child can leave.
She was there three days.
And Cooper draws the line at star adoptions? Well, he didn't talk about kidnapping or murder.
Well, what then? Protests, pickets, rallies outside her apartment.
Why did that get him the boot? I'd think that'd bring more publicity to you cause.
Listen, we want money for AIDS and war orphans.
Whatever her motivation, Sofia brought attention and money to Mamuno.
And that just didn't fly with Cooper? He kept calling her the baby thief.
You can read all about it in his letter to the editor.
"Why travel 15,000 miles to adopt a child of color? "How about Detroit, St.
Louis? "Hell, Sofia, hop a 5 train to the Bronx "and I'll guarantee scores of orphans.
"But will you? No.
"Because the celebrity career-boosting accessory du four "is no longer a sweater-weari ng Ch I h uah ua, "it's a destitute African AIDS orphan, "ready for purchase from any number of countries desperate for foreign cash.
" Yeah.
Guy's got a serious bone to pick and his gun is the murder weapon.
Well, a kidnapping would bring a lot of attention to the cause.
Or himself.
The guy's a total windbag.
Well, he's a windbag with an alibi.
Bobby Suarez, that dope dealer kid that he was to supposed meet up with, backs Cooper up.
A dope dealer? And why should we believe him? Because he met him at his P.
O.
's office.
It's legit.
But check these out.
TARU just sent these over.
They're security stills from inside Sofia's lobby.
They're not from the day of the murder, but they're from last week.
It looks like Marlon Cooper was giving you a payoff, Mr.
McCready.
He said he was paparazzi.
What'd he want? Heads up when she left with the new kid.
Which you gave him the day of the murder.
That don't make me responsible.
How much was it worth to him? A grand.
Cash.
CASSADY: How'd you give him the heads up? Called his cell.
We dumped his cell, there were no calls from you.
I just called the number he gave me! You better find that number.
Now.
So you don't mind doin' 25 years, is that it? Sit down! I didn't kill Sean Archer! Then who did? Who'd you give that weapon to? My gun was stolen! Then Why'd you pay off her doorman? Look.
I don't see any money here.
Okay, then who you been talkin' to at this disposable cell number? The doorman said he called you at this number the morning of murder.
Then there's cell site hits for this phone near the crime scene at the time of the shooting.
But you were with your drug dealer client then, so you had to have passed off the phone! To the same guy you gave that gun to.
I think we're seeing coincidences.
Marlon, you were on a mission! Babytheft.
Illegal adoption.
Those are things I strongly protest! And what better place to make a statement than at a huge press event like a kidnapping? Except the best laid plans, right, Cooper? What went wrong? You know what? I'm sorry Sean Archer is dead.
I'm sure the person who killed him is, too.
But these people were pure biblical evil.
You tell me I'm wrong! For stealing babies? Three days is not a year! Did you try to take the baby and something went wrong? Look, whomever did this, I'm sure he's remorseful.
And I hope he's getting a good head start on you.
I got nothing more to say.
ED: Anybody comin' in or out of Cooper's apartment? It's revolving door.
He say clients, I say swine.
Anyone in the last few days? Who knows? I stop paying attention to him year ago.
ED: Okay.
Police! Open up! (KNOCKING) ED: Police! (DOOR OPENING) (WINDOW BREAKING) I'll take the street.
(RATTLING) Police! Freeze! Nina, he's comin' out the back of the building! Black male, around 25, he's got a grey jacket, black pants.
He's limping.
Something's wrong with his leg.
NINA: Stop, police! (TIRES SCREECHING) Central, be advised, perpetrator has jumped into a cab.
Heading east on Dikeman.
We found loose ammo for a .
9mm that ballistics says is consistent with the slug pulled from Sean Archer.
Any lifts? Oh, my God, there was a thousand in that guest room, but believe it or not, none of 'em in the system.
Hmm.
A first-timer blows a guy's face off.
Our guy's a foreigner.
I traced a pre-paid credit card found in Cooper's apartment.
Airline charges for a round-trip ticket from Mamuno with about 20 different connections, ending in Toronto.
And then another charge for a child seat, one-way, from Toronto to Mamuno.
The child's father, what's his name? Ephraim Mogae.
Obviously Cooper was smuggling him in through Toronto.
To take his son home.
Were there any other charges on that pre-paid card? Nothin'.
He's in the wind.
Any relatives, friends you can talk to? Nothin'.
Well, you're gonna have to find someone.
That guy's out there with a gun.
Mr.
Mogae said he had a brother.
It was a cousin.
He said he lived in New Jersey.
Do you know this cousin's name? Mmm.
I think it's in my BlackBerry, let me get it.
Did Ephraim Mogae try to make contact after the adoption? Yes.
Here you go, sweetie.
To see his son? Yes.
What happened? I told Mary that I didn't want to hear from them again.
I mean, if we were going to be a family, then we needed time to bond.
When was the last time he tried to make contact? (SIGHS DEEPLY) It's been a while.
But you cut him off.
No contact at all? Opposite of your press statements.
I don't need to defend myself to you.
Cousin's name is Festus Lepetu.
Has he ever contacted you guys? After we asked them to stop calling, we haven't heard from any of 'em.
And you didn't think to mention any of that? Well, it's been months.
Months.
Festus Lepetu? Yes.
I don't know where Ephraim is.
He got in your cab this morning, didn't he? No, Miss.
Well, he was limpin'.
How bad he hurt himself jumpin' out of that window? Sorry, Miss.
You got a family here, Festus? Yes! Your family's papers in order? Look, we're gonna talk to your cousin one way or another! He is just here to visit me! Okay, I want to hear him say that.
Will there be any justice for him against this woman? If you don't help us bring him in peacefully, there's gonna be nothin' for him but a shootout in the street.
Come on.
Hey, hey.
Come on.
But.
Mr.
Mogae? Do you speak English? Yes.
We need you to come with us.
Can you walk? (SCREAMS IN PAIN) Oh, Okay.
Sit, sit, sit.
Sit, sit.
I'll call for a bus.
Mr.
Mogae, we know why you're in the city.
We know that Sofia Archer refused to let you see yourson.
We can make our D.
A.
's understand.
If they hear your story, they can help you with your sentencing.
If not, you're just another murderer, which we don't think you are.
Where's the gun? In a trashcan near my cousin's home.
Good.
Now, what happened yesterday morning? Mr.
Cooper said he got a call.
They left the apartment.
He got the call from Sofia's doorman? Yes.
ED: Did Mr.
Cooper give you the gun? He did not know I took the gun.
You can't protect him, Mr.
Mogae.
He did not know! Or my plan to take Christopher back home.
Didn't you approve of the adoption? Sign the papers and all that? I thought they'd be in Mamuno for a year.
Then they were gone! Gone! Okay, so what happened when you confronted her husband? He would not let me see my son.
Even for a moment! He pushed me.
Is that why you drew the gun? Yes, but, I did not pull the trigger.
I cocked it, yes, to scare him.
But it went off! And then I ran.
Okay, good.
Um, we're gonna tell the D.
A.
's what you said.
But we need you to write down first, all right? I did not want to hurt anyone.
I deserve what is to come to me and will do what you ask.
But I must see my son.
Let's concentrate on your statement.
First my son.
Then anything you wish.
But first, my son.
Hell, no! No! Look, I understand your reluctance.
You don't understand a damn thing! He shot my husband! If you allow the visit, he'll plead guilty to manslaughter and do 15 years.
He deserves athousand! But if you refuse this visit, he'll press for atrial.
You'll have to testify and maybe even your daughter, too.
He shot Sean in the face! And he admitted to it.
How could there possibly be atrial? We've recovered the gun, and there was a flaw with the firing pin.
It could support an accidental shooting.
Mr.
Mogae could come off sympathetic to ajury.
How could he possibly come off as sympathetic? The fact that you refused him access to his child? Who'll they'll argue was adopted in an unorthodox way.
That's not true! They will argue it regardless! It's just five minutes.
He can't come within three feet of the child.
He will be supervised by myself and the detectives that covered this case.
And yourself if you like.
I do not wanna see him! MARY: I'll do it.
He killed my husband.
(CRYING) He killed my husband.
Mary, he killed my husband.
(DOOR BUZZING) (BABY BABBLING) You have five minutes.
May I please see more of his face? (CHUCKLING) Mr.
Mogae? Is there a problem? This is not my son.
This is not my son.
What the hell is that supposed to mean? He insists he's not his son.
When's the last time he saw the child? Four months ago, and the baby's 9-months-old now.
Compare a photo.
Press photos from the orphanage show a malnourished who is deathly underweight.
Sofia has refused to let the child be photographed since their return to the States.
Given proper care, the child could have doubled its weight in that time, but still.
He's backing out of his guilty plea until he sees his son or finds out his whereabouts.
Or he saw his son and we're being played.
Well, if that was a put-on, it was damn good! He's the last person I'd want pleading his case in front of a courtroom.
Well, let's not forget he shot a man in face! The jury's not likely to overlook that.
A faulty gun and a questionable foreign adoption? You think Sofia Archer will fight you over a sample of the child's DNA? I can't imagine why not.
Then you better lace him up, Jack, because if Mr.
Mogae is right and that's not his then where is his son? Your Honor, section 532 of the Family Court Act permits you to order a child to submit to DNA testing.
For a paternity action, as opposed to this, which is a non paternity action.
Donald FF v.
Jennifer FF, the Family Court Act does not authorize a proceeding which aims to illegitimize achild.
This isn't about parental responsibilities.
We want this resolved so that we can wrap up Mr.
Mogae's murder case and, if necessary, begin the search for his son! Please.
He's a confessed murderer, in the country illegally, demanding a DNA test on a child that he claims isn't his.
Where's his standing? If Mr.
Mogae's claim is true, we have evidence of a crime.
If Mr.
Mogae is this baby's father, that's the end of all this.
No further disruptions in the child's life.
The test seems minimally invasive and would resolve the cloud hanging over this child's head.
Mr.
Farmer, your client will produce the boy for a DNA test.
Got your seatbelt on? The boy's DNA didn't match Mr.
Mogae.
It sure didn't.
He was right.
So where is the son? I don't know, but I've got someone to ask.
The DNA popped a match 'm CONS.
The child's real mother.
Lashonda Harris.
Felony trafficking, four months into a 10-year bit.
She tried to smuggle in four ounces of heroin from Amsterdam.
And one of the balloons broke inside of her stomach.
She was pregnant at the time.
Any connection between Lashonda Harris and Sofia Archer? Lashonda is her former assistant.
What the hell's going on here, Connie? I'm takin' a ride to Bedford Hills to find out.
Obviously, I was into some pretty bad behavior at the time.
Sofia was very generous.
She agreed to take care of your child? Raise my child, pay for good schools, everything.
When did she first approach you? Like four months ago? Right after I got locked up.
Where was your baby before then? At my sister's house in Philly, which was, ugh! It was a very kind thing that Sofia did.
Did you know anything about the child she'd adopted in Africa? Christopher? Uh, I mean, yeah, I knew she had plans to do that, but do you have any idea where he is? What do you mean? As far as we can figure it right now, Sofia has been passing off your son as the child she adopted.
What? Do you know where the child she adopted might be? No.
No! (sums) Did you know that Sofia planned to use your child this way? No! Mary came here and visited me, and said, "Sofia wants to raise your son.
" Whoa, whoa.
Mary came to you? And I thought it was the best thing at the time, but, now what is going on? Is my son okay? It's not your son I'm worried about.
There is only one explanation my client can think of for why the child she has been caring for is the son of Lashonda Harris and not Ephraim Mogae as she thought.
We're all ears! One week after the adoption of Christopher Mogae and Sofia's return to the Unites States, she left the child in the care of her assistant, Mary Calvin, for six weeks.
And where was she these six weeks? A private, weight rehabilitation facility in Ojai, California.
A health spa? FARMER: It's my client's assertion that during these six weeks, Christopher Mogae came to some harm under the care of Mary Calvin and that Mary Calvin approached Lashonda Harris.
Whoa, are you saying she got a replacement? A replacement child? Is this some kind of ghoulyjoke? That's a question for Mary, not for me.
But you didn't notice the switch.
I had been gone for six weeks.
Oh, so all brown babies pretty much look the same, is that what you're saying? Please! My client had been in the presence of Christopher Mogae for no more than three days.
His care was almost exclusively in the hands of Miss Calvin.
Contrary to her press statements.
Yes.
So adopting a baby was just a publicity stunt.
I was giving Christopher a better life! And I was drawing attention to a region of the world that is buckling under an AIDS pandemic.
Save that for the press, Mrs.
Archer.
Was he going to be raised by the nanny? Yes.
But so is my daughter, and so are the children of a lot of working women! Not to the extent that their children are unrecognizable to them.
He was severely underweight in Africa.
I just I just thought he had gotten healthy.
What are the chances that Miss Calvin will have a different story? Oh, I'm sure she'll come up with some lie.
But no.
We've heard you, Miss Archer.
And we've heard enough.
She's lying! And throwing you under a bus? And what exactly is she saying I did to Christopher? Why don't you just tell us your side.
Mmm.
For what? What's on the table? How can I know that, Miss Prather, when all I've got is a missing child and two supposed caregivers on opposite sides of the truth? I didn't hurt him.
lcouldn't! I would never hurt a child! Then what happened to him? For a week after we got back from Mamuno, she tried to care for Christopher herself.
Because of the bad press? It was a disaster.
But she tried.
I left for an hour to buy food for dinner.
When I came back, she was screaming.
She said the baby turned blue.
Why didn't you call an ambulance? He was dead.
I'll ask that again.
I did CPR for 20 minutes! I defibrillated him with a portable unit in the house! He was dead.
Then why didn't you call the hospital or his pediatrician or anyone? Sofia lost her mind.
She ordered me not to.
She said if I did, she'd blame me to the police.
And that the press was already against her for the adoption, and now they'd say that she killed the baby.
Did she? Maybe she shook him.
Whose idea was it to switch the children? Sofia's.
I never met Lashonda Harris before seeing her in prison.
I can't imagine you went to all this trouble out of the goodness of your heart.
She offered me half a million dollars.
I needed the money.
(SOBBING) I felt so bad for that little boy.
But he just died.
Where is he? (CHATTERING) Connie, we got nothin' so far.
Maybe she's wrong about the location.
Is that something you really forget? Where you buried a dead kid? (nos WHINING) (nos BARKING) OFFICER: Detectives, we got somethin'! Bones.
Human.
Looks like an animal got it.
She's a collar.
Sofia Archer, too.
Based on what? She knew.
She had to know.
She's a collar.
If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you.
Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you? Just get me my lawyer.
Ready to meet your public? Back it up! Back it up! (CLAMORING) Rib fractures consistent with a child who'd been beaten to death.
That is a sad truth, Mr.
McCoy, but my client's not responsible.
Mary Calvin killed my baby.
There are no cameras in here.
You could lose the pretense.
Your assistant could be a little more respectful.
Your client could be a little less nauseating.
So this is personal, is that what I'm gleaning here? Because where's your evidence of Sofia's involvement? Her child buried in the park! Her reputation, career, and social standing at stake if harm came to the child.
And a half million dollar payment for disposal of the body.
That was a loan so that Mary could pay her mother's medical bills.
Paid in full in cash the day you left New York for Ojai.
JACK: You wanna explain that coincidence to ajury? Regardless of what Mary Calvin says or what purpose she claims that money was for, you can't prove murder.
You got nothing.
There's no way Sofia didn't recognize the child when she got back from weight camp.
There's no way that story's true! The M.
E.
pinpoint when the child died? JACK: Only within a week or so.
Sofia may have been in town or already in Ojai.
Is there any abuse in Mary Calvin's background? No arrests.
Her former employer says their child made a few trips to the E.
R.
But that child was autistic, he's accident-prone.
I doubt that's the way the defense will present it.
But who do you believe? Mary Calvin, who admitted to burying this child and took us to his remains, or Sofia, who claims she didn't recognize the child she had adopted? We'll need to make a deal with Mary Calvin for her testimony.
Disposal of a body and hindering prosecution.
Okay, but that's it.
That's the horse you've got to ride.
JACK: And then, what did you do, Miss Calvin? I found a dark spot in the park.
I dug the best hole I could with the garden shovel, Took Christopher out of the duffel bag.
Then I covered him up.
Why did you bury the child instead of going to the authorities? Sofia ordered me not to and threatened to blame me.
Then, she promised to pay me.
And why did you approach Lashonda Harris? Sofia said she needed to cover up Christopher's death.
She needed another baby.
Did she justify this switch? She said that Lashonda's baby needed help, too.
That it would be charitable to raise him as Christopher.
And that the press and the public would never know the difference.
Miss Calvin, isn't it true that you're the one who murdered Christopher Mogae? No, it's not.
You killed him while my client was in Ojai, California, didn't you? He died when she was in New York! Who buried the child? I did.
Who approached Lashonda Harris to adopt her child? Only because Sofia paid me! You ever been violent with a child in the past? Never.
Before your employment with Sofia Archer, you worked for Paige and Franklin Littlefield, is that right? Nannying for their son Jackson.
That's right.
And how many times did you take little Jackson to the Emergency Room while you were his nanny? I never hurt him.
How many times? Three times! Broken wrist, broken arm, black eye.
He had autism and he would act out violently.
Well, it doesn't sound like the basis for atermination, but the Littlefields, they fired you, didn't they? His behavior was getting worse as he got older, and they wanted an autism specialist! Or they just didn't want any more broken bones or worse.
Objection, Your Honor! Counselor, leave the testimony to the witness.
Nothing further.
Sofia, explain your purpose in adopting Christopher Mogae.
I thought I had a good life to offer him.
And I wanted to shed light on the AIDS pandemic in his home country.
Did you do any research before adopting Christopher? Months' worth.
I'd learned that 14% of Mamuno's 12 million people are infected with HIV.
That the number of orphans is around one million.
What happened when you brought Christopher home? When I came home from Mamuno, my agent called and said there were talks of a remake of Black Narcissus, and I was being considered for the Sister Clodagh role.
But I had to get in shape.
So I left Christopher with Mary Calvin.
When you returned home from Ojai, how much contact did you have with the child you thought was Christopher? Not very much.
But I think Mary was keeping him from me.
I mean, he was always a little sick, or asleep.
But she said he was fine and gaining weight, which was obviously a lie.
Sofia, did you kill Christopher Mogae? I did not.
Did you charge Mary Calvin with arranging to replace him with Lashonda Harris' baby? I didn't have anything to do with that.
And it breaks my heart to think a child whose life I was trying to save wound up in these awful circumstances.
Nothing further.
You refused to let the child be photographed or allowed out of the house during the six weeks of your absence, didn't you? There had been enough press.
Or was that to ensure that no one could compare him to the boy that you adopted in Mamuno because it wasn't the same boy! That couldn't have been my concern, I didn't know what had happened to him.
You said to the press that you would raise the child yourself, you insisted on that, but you lied, didn't you? Yes.
So you have a history of skillful lying.
What's to say you're not lying now? I only lied to the press to steer attention to the orphanage.
Which resulted in three million dollars worth of donations.
And that was just to boost your career, now the stakes are a little higher, aren't they? Mary Calvin killed my child and buried him! You killed your child and paid her to bury him! Paid her a half a million dollars, didn't you? I gave her the money to save her dying mother! I never hurt Christopher! And I'm incapable of harming or even raising my voice to a child! Just neglecting one to the point of being unable to recognize him.
Your own adopted son, who you told millions of people would be raised as your own blood! I adopted Christopher to save his life.
And others like him.
I thought if my celebrity could serve a good purpose, then why shouldn't it? But it wasn't enough.
And, yes.
I am responsible.
Not for his murder but for leaving him with the wrong person.
I never saw her yell or raise a hand at her daughter.
Because she was patient, or she just wasn't around? She wasn't around much.
And perfect behavior when she was? No, she was absent.
She didn't pay attention.
But that's what I was there for.
And you never, ever gave her any drugs? No! I Look, you already asked me these questions months ago.
And I am asking you again! No! She doesn't drink, she didn't do drugs, except for the prescriptions.
Look, I don't think that she was capable of beating that kid like you said! If he started crying, she would have just left the room.
What if she was alone? She probably would have put her iPod on and waited for somebody to help.
She wasn't cruel! She was just absent! (SIGHS) You ever work as a babysitter? I delivered newspapers.
I had eight regulars, infants to adolescents.
Paid for my first car.
Rule number one, if you do not watch them like a hawk, something from the floor will end up in their mouth.
What am I looking at? It's from the initial search of Sofia's home, from the household vacuum bag.
Eight tablets of dexamphetamine.
Diet pills? One alone would be a lethal dose for an infant.
I think she spilled her pills and didn't think to pick them up.
Fun story.
Interesting theory.
Your fingerprints were the only ones found on the pill bottle.
And Christopher Mogae's DNA was recovered from his dried saliva on four of the tablets found in the vacuum bag.
Don't Don't dignify it.
She wiped his mouth, then handled the pills.
So what? A subpoena of your pharmacy also revealed that you called from your weight treatment center in California to cancel an expensive order of mephloquine.
Malaria medication for Christopher's ongoing condition.
FARMER: So she went to another pharmacy.
Mephloquine isn't aspirin.
It's only available through the CDC and no other order has been placed, past the one your client cancelled.
Once you got to Ojai, why did you suddenly stop treatment for Christopher's malaria? Because he was dead.
And you knew it! I cancelled the order because Avanity adoption, a hoodwinked father, and the child overdoses on your diet pills? You would have been pilloried in the press.
What if it was an accident? You're saying you perjured yourself? She's posing a hypothetical, which she will not do again.
An accident doesn't make me a killer.
JACK: You might have been able to sell the adoption as simple goodwill.
And Christopher's death as maternal incompetence.
But you replaced him with another child! You knew exactly what you were doing! Do you know Do you know that millions of dollars went into Mamuno because of me? Medicine, food, clean drinking water! Do you know how many other children will live years past their life expectancy because of me? We're only concerned with the one who won't.
I did my best.
Man two, 15 years.
I wanna have kids.
You know? Iwanna wake up with them in the morning, make 'em breakfast, see 'em off to school, and tuck 'em in at night.
I just can't imagine seeing that as a burden.
Some people are wired wrong.
Ugliest part of our work.
It's babies Babies as fashion.
Pour me another? (DRINK POURING)
These are their stories.
Keep him covered! He's fine.
I just don't want him to be photographed.
Not a lens in sight, sweetheart.
(SQUEALING) I'm just saying.
Come on, honey.
There you go.
So, what flavor? Strawberry.
No, chocolate.
Okay.
No way.
You're Sofia Archer! Yes, that's right.
Uh, she'll have chocolate.
Oh, my God, is that the child from Africa? Can I be the first to see him? Uh, he's a little cranky right now.
Oh, just a peek! My mom would lose her mind.
Can you please just give us the ice cream? SEAN: Get away, don't touch him! Back off! Back off! What are you doing? Get away me! Oh, my God.
Put that gun down, stop! (GUNSHOT) Oh! Oh, my God! Call the police! (BABY CRYING) (SCREAMING) Sean! The baby's fine.
Mom was getting shocky so EMS got her to Bellevue.
And daughter and nanny are back home with uniforms.
Two blocks from here.
Nobody saw anything more than a scuffle? And his head exploding.
Nobody on the street came forward? No.
Nobody.
It's dead this early.
(SIREN WAILING) So, an attempted robbery? Well, if it was, it didn't get far.
I hate to say it, but it looks like a kidnapping attempt.
I mean, this adoption got a whole lot of press.
Yeah, but not in months.
The nanny said it was one of the first times since the adoption the kid was out in public.
Bad luck? Huh.
I doubt it.
Sean was awonderful man.
He died protecting our child.
Have there been any threats against the new baby? I mean, it was big news.
A lot of it negative.
For no good reason.
We didn't do anything wrong.
A lot of human rights organizations, children's rights groups, sprouted up looking for press and donations.
When the cameras were gone, so were they.
Their beef being? Oh, that it was for publicity.
You know, for my career.
Just because Angelina and Madonna.
It was all above board.
We had signed permission from the President of Mamuno and the baby's real father.
He knew this was the only way that his son would have a decent life.
Well, what about your husband? Could somebody have been comin' after him? I don't know.
Um.
(CLEARS THROAT) Oh! John Brody doesn't have the balls to hurt a fly.
What? Sean just got back from six weeks of producing a film in Gibraltar.
He was sleeping with his star, Darla.
Brady's wife.
I have to admit, I'd be a little less casual about that.
Well, Sean and I have had an arrangement.
But I don't want that getting out in the press.
He died a damn hero.
But Darla's husband John, he found out about the affair? (SIGHS DEEPLY) He was ruined.
JOHN: Yeah, so, what's this got to do with me? Did you hear what I said, Mr.
Brody? Yeah.
And that's atough break for Sean Archer.
CASSADY: Getting laid off is a tough break.
Bullet to the head's something else.
Want me to cry for him? He was banging my wife.
Been out of my house and away from my kids because of him.
Yeah? That's an awful situation.
Got you drinking.
You bet.
You drinking to drown your sorrows or to boost your confidence? What, to shoot him? I mean, come on, I have enough problems.
Where were you at 7:00 this morning? Here.
Anyone verify that? Oh, come on.
I'm a writer.
We don't kill people, we just write about it! So what'd you hope to accomplish by calling Sofia to tell her her husband was stepping out with your wife? Get a little damn revenge.
You know what she said? "Good for him," and hung up.
Miss Humanitarian.
Mother to the poor and downtrodden.
Her and her husband? Both of 'em whores.
You own a gun, Mr.
Brody? No, but if you wanna look around, be my guest.
Won't take long.
There it is, my worldly possessions.
There was nothing in Brady's hotel room, and he doesn't have a record.
And no alibi.
The bourbon on his breath says he just woke up, the Times was at his door and the gunpowder residue test came back negative.
So he was all bark and no bite.
Which shoots a hole through the image of and Sophia and Sean, who are supposed to be this happy Hollywood power couple.
An actress' real life doesn't match her press? Well, this is more than press.
This whole adoption thing? She's making herself out to be a saint.
Does any of it help our case? It expands the suspect pool.
Jilted lovers, husbands and wives of those jilted lovers.
Wonderful.
Ballistics came back on shell casing found at the crime scene, it matches a gun registered to Marlon Cooper, Defense Attorney.
Last year he assaulted a cop.
Have fun.
Did you notice the charge was dropped, or you didn't read that far? Oh, watch yourself, smart ass.
I stopped where it said you put one of us in the hospital! First of all, I had no idea he was one of yours, because he was in plain clothes, planted to incite.
That was at the rally for Darfur refugees.
The UN's inattention to, and thus murder of, Darfur refugees, yeah.
So you're involved in African causes? I'm a civil rights attorney! I'm involved in a lot of things.
International child adoption? What do you guys want exactly? What's your take on Sofia Archer? Sofia Archer? Jeez, uh, diva actress? And her adoption of an African baby? Hey, they cleared room for her on the bandwagon.
Good for her.
Look, I'm a busy guy.
Where's your .
9mm, Mr.
Cooper? Um, it got lost two years ago, or stolen.
You didn't report it? It was in a box when I moved apartments, it might have gotten thrown out.
What's to report? Where were you this morning, 7:00? I was with a client.
Accused drug dealer, actually, he got flaked by a cop.
What's your client's name? Bobby Suarez.
"International League for Child Rights.
" Isn't this one of the groups protesting Sofia Archer's adoption? I got that flyer on the subway.
Right.
On the subway.
Cooper did some pro-bono work for us after the Darfur rally.
But, we parted company on the Sofia adoption.
The New York Ledger says your organization was at the forefront opposing it.
That was Marlon who gave those quotes.
When the article came out, we cut ties.
He made it sound like Sofia wasn't even on his radar.
Oh, more like there was nothing else on his radar.
He was obsessed, he said she was copycatting and trying to boost her career with a baby theft.
Theft? What'd he base that on? Mamuno has maybe three laws concerning adoption, written 50 years ago.
But one of them says that adoptive parents have to live in the country for a year before the child can leave.
She was there three days.
And Cooper draws the line at star adoptions? Well, he didn't talk about kidnapping or murder.
Well, what then? Protests, pickets, rallies outside her apartment.
Why did that get him the boot? I'd think that'd bring more publicity to you cause.
Listen, we want money for AIDS and war orphans.
Whatever her motivation, Sofia brought attention and money to Mamuno.
And that just didn't fly with Cooper? He kept calling her the baby thief.
You can read all about it in his letter to the editor.
"Why travel 15,000 miles to adopt a child of color? "How about Detroit, St.
Louis? "Hell, Sofia, hop a 5 train to the Bronx "and I'll guarantee scores of orphans.
"But will you? No.
"Because the celebrity career-boosting accessory du four "is no longer a sweater-weari ng Ch I h uah ua, "it's a destitute African AIDS orphan, "ready for purchase from any number of countries desperate for foreign cash.
" Yeah.
Guy's got a serious bone to pick and his gun is the murder weapon.
Well, a kidnapping would bring a lot of attention to the cause.
Or himself.
The guy's a total windbag.
Well, he's a windbag with an alibi.
Bobby Suarez, that dope dealer kid that he was to supposed meet up with, backs Cooper up.
A dope dealer? And why should we believe him? Because he met him at his P.
O.
's office.
It's legit.
But check these out.
TARU just sent these over.
They're security stills from inside Sofia's lobby.
They're not from the day of the murder, but they're from last week.
It looks like Marlon Cooper was giving you a payoff, Mr.
McCready.
He said he was paparazzi.
What'd he want? Heads up when she left with the new kid.
Which you gave him the day of the murder.
That don't make me responsible.
How much was it worth to him? A grand.
Cash.
CASSADY: How'd you give him the heads up? Called his cell.
We dumped his cell, there were no calls from you.
I just called the number he gave me! You better find that number.
Now.
So you don't mind doin' 25 years, is that it? Sit down! I didn't kill Sean Archer! Then who did? Who'd you give that weapon to? My gun was stolen! Then Why'd you pay off her doorman? Look.
I don't see any money here.
Okay, then who you been talkin' to at this disposable cell number? The doorman said he called you at this number the morning of murder.
Then there's cell site hits for this phone near the crime scene at the time of the shooting.
But you were with your drug dealer client then, so you had to have passed off the phone! To the same guy you gave that gun to.
I think we're seeing coincidences.
Marlon, you were on a mission! Babytheft.
Illegal adoption.
Those are things I strongly protest! And what better place to make a statement than at a huge press event like a kidnapping? Except the best laid plans, right, Cooper? What went wrong? You know what? I'm sorry Sean Archer is dead.
I'm sure the person who killed him is, too.
But these people were pure biblical evil.
You tell me I'm wrong! For stealing babies? Three days is not a year! Did you try to take the baby and something went wrong? Look, whomever did this, I'm sure he's remorseful.
And I hope he's getting a good head start on you.
I got nothing more to say.
ED: Anybody comin' in or out of Cooper's apartment? It's revolving door.
He say clients, I say swine.
Anyone in the last few days? Who knows? I stop paying attention to him year ago.
ED: Okay.
Police! Open up! (KNOCKING) ED: Police! (DOOR OPENING) (WINDOW BREAKING) I'll take the street.
(RATTLING) Police! Freeze! Nina, he's comin' out the back of the building! Black male, around 25, he's got a grey jacket, black pants.
He's limping.
Something's wrong with his leg.
NINA: Stop, police! (TIRES SCREECHING) Central, be advised, perpetrator has jumped into a cab.
Heading east on Dikeman.
We found loose ammo for a .
9mm that ballistics says is consistent with the slug pulled from Sean Archer.
Any lifts? Oh, my God, there was a thousand in that guest room, but believe it or not, none of 'em in the system.
Hmm.
A first-timer blows a guy's face off.
Our guy's a foreigner.
I traced a pre-paid credit card found in Cooper's apartment.
Airline charges for a round-trip ticket from Mamuno with about 20 different connections, ending in Toronto.
And then another charge for a child seat, one-way, from Toronto to Mamuno.
The child's father, what's his name? Ephraim Mogae.
Obviously Cooper was smuggling him in through Toronto.
To take his son home.
Were there any other charges on that pre-paid card? Nothin'.
He's in the wind.
Any relatives, friends you can talk to? Nothin'.
Well, you're gonna have to find someone.
That guy's out there with a gun.
Mr.
Mogae said he had a brother.
It was a cousin.
He said he lived in New Jersey.
Do you know this cousin's name? Mmm.
I think it's in my BlackBerry, let me get it.
Did Ephraim Mogae try to make contact after the adoption? Yes.
Here you go, sweetie.
To see his son? Yes.
What happened? I told Mary that I didn't want to hear from them again.
I mean, if we were going to be a family, then we needed time to bond.
When was the last time he tried to make contact? (SIGHS DEEPLY) It's been a while.
But you cut him off.
No contact at all? Opposite of your press statements.
I don't need to defend myself to you.
Cousin's name is Festus Lepetu.
Has he ever contacted you guys? After we asked them to stop calling, we haven't heard from any of 'em.
And you didn't think to mention any of that? Well, it's been months.
Months.
Festus Lepetu? Yes.
I don't know where Ephraim is.
He got in your cab this morning, didn't he? No, Miss.
Well, he was limpin'.
How bad he hurt himself jumpin' out of that window? Sorry, Miss.
You got a family here, Festus? Yes! Your family's papers in order? Look, we're gonna talk to your cousin one way or another! He is just here to visit me! Okay, I want to hear him say that.
Will there be any justice for him against this woman? If you don't help us bring him in peacefully, there's gonna be nothin' for him but a shootout in the street.
Come on.
Hey, hey.
Come on.
But.
Mr.
Mogae? Do you speak English? Yes.
We need you to come with us.
Can you walk? (SCREAMS IN PAIN) Oh, Okay.
Sit, sit, sit.
Sit, sit.
I'll call for a bus.
Mr.
Mogae, we know why you're in the city.
We know that Sofia Archer refused to let you see yourson.
We can make our D.
A.
's understand.
If they hear your story, they can help you with your sentencing.
If not, you're just another murderer, which we don't think you are.
Where's the gun? In a trashcan near my cousin's home.
Good.
Now, what happened yesterday morning? Mr.
Cooper said he got a call.
They left the apartment.
He got the call from Sofia's doorman? Yes.
ED: Did Mr.
Cooper give you the gun? He did not know I took the gun.
You can't protect him, Mr.
Mogae.
He did not know! Or my plan to take Christopher back home.
Didn't you approve of the adoption? Sign the papers and all that? I thought they'd be in Mamuno for a year.
Then they were gone! Gone! Okay, so what happened when you confronted her husband? He would not let me see my son.
Even for a moment! He pushed me.
Is that why you drew the gun? Yes, but, I did not pull the trigger.
I cocked it, yes, to scare him.
But it went off! And then I ran.
Okay, good.
Um, we're gonna tell the D.
A.
's what you said.
But we need you to write down first, all right? I did not want to hurt anyone.
I deserve what is to come to me and will do what you ask.
But I must see my son.
Let's concentrate on your statement.
First my son.
Then anything you wish.
But first, my son.
Hell, no! No! Look, I understand your reluctance.
You don't understand a damn thing! He shot my husband! If you allow the visit, he'll plead guilty to manslaughter and do 15 years.
He deserves athousand! But if you refuse this visit, he'll press for atrial.
You'll have to testify and maybe even your daughter, too.
He shot Sean in the face! And he admitted to it.
How could there possibly be atrial? We've recovered the gun, and there was a flaw with the firing pin.
It could support an accidental shooting.
Mr.
Mogae could come off sympathetic to ajury.
How could he possibly come off as sympathetic? The fact that you refused him access to his child? Who'll they'll argue was adopted in an unorthodox way.
That's not true! They will argue it regardless! It's just five minutes.
He can't come within three feet of the child.
He will be supervised by myself and the detectives that covered this case.
And yourself if you like.
I do not wanna see him! MARY: I'll do it.
He killed my husband.
(CRYING) He killed my husband.
Mary, he killed my husband.
(DOOR BUZZING) (BABY BABBLING) You have five minutes.
May I please see more of his face? (CHUCKLING) Mr.
Mogae? Is there a problem? This is not my son.
This is not my son.
What the hell is that supposed to mean? He insists he's not his son.
When's the last time he saw the child? Four months ago, and the baby's 9-months-old now.
Compare a photo.
Press photos from the orphanage show a malnourished who is deathly underweight.
Sofia has refused to let the child be photographed since their return to the States.
Given proper care, the child could have doubled its weight in that time, but still.
He's backing out of his guilty plea until he sees his son or finds out his whereabouts.
Or he saw his son and we're being played.
Well, if that was a put-on, it was damn good! He's the last person I'd want pleading his case in front of a courtroom.
Well, let's not forget he shot a man in face! The jury's not likely to overlook that.
A faulty gun and a questionable foreign adoption? You think Sofia Archer will fight you over a sample of the child's DNA? I can't imagine why not.
Then you better lace him up, Jack, because if Mr.
Mogae is right and that's not his then where is his son? Your Honor, section 532 of the Family Court Act permits you to order a child to submit to DNA testing.
For a paternity action, as opposed to this, which is a non paternity action.
Donald FF v.
Jennifer FF, the Family Court Act does not authorize a proceeding which aims to illegitimize achild.
This isn't about parental responsibilities.
We want this resolved so that we can wrap up Mr.
Mogae's murder case and, if necessary, begin the search for his son! Please.
He's a confessed murderer, in the country illegally, demanding a DNA test on a child that he claims isn't his.
Where's his standing? If Mr.
Mogae's claim is true, we have evidence of a crime.
If Mr.
Mogae is this baby's father, that's the end of all this.
No further disruptions in the child's life.
The test seems minimally invasive and would resolve the cloud hanging over this child's head.
Mr.
Farmer, your client will produce the boy for a DNA test.
Got your seatbelt on? The boy's DNA didn't match Mr.
Mogae.
It sure didn't.
He was right.
So where is the son? I don't know, but I've got someone to ask.
The DNA popped a match 'm CONS.
The child's real mother.
Lashonda Harris.
Felony trafficking, four months into a 10-year bit.
She tried to smuggle in four ounces of heroin from Amsterdam.
And one of the balloons broke inside of her stomach.
She was pregnant at the time.
Any connection between Lashonda Harris and Sofia Archer? Lashonda is her former assistant.
What the hell's going on here, Connie? I'm takin' a ride to Bedford Hills to find out.
Obviously, I was into some pretty bad behavior at the time.
Sofia was very generous.
She agreed to take care of your child? Raise my child, pay for good schools, everything.
When did she first approach you? Like four months ago? Right after I got locked up.
Where was your baby before then? At my sister's house in Philly, which was, ugh! It was a very kind thing that Sofia did.
Did you know anything about the child she'd adopted in Africa? Christopher? Uh, I mean, yeah, I knew she had plans to do that, but do you have any idea where he is? What do you mean? As far as we can figure it right now, Sofia has been passing off your son as the child she adopted.
What? Do you know where the child she adopted might be? No.
No! (sums) Did you know that Sofia planned to use your child this way? No! Mary came here and visited me, and said, "Sofia wants to raise your son.
" Whoa, whoa.
Mary came to you? And I thought it was the best thing at the time, but, now what is going on? Is my son okay? It's not your son I'm worried about.
There is only one explanation my client can think of for why the child she has been caring for is the son of Lashonda Harris and not Ephraim Mogae as she thought.
We're all ears! One week after the adoption of Christopher Mogae and Sofia's return to the Unites States, she left the child in the care of her assistant, Mary Calvin, for six weeks.
And where was she these six weeks? A private, weight rehabilitation facility in Ojai, California.
A health spa? FARMER: It's my client's assertion that during these six weeks, Christopher Mogae came to some harm under the care of Mary Calvin and that Mary Calvin approached Lashonda Harris.
Whoa, are you saying she got a replacement? A replacement child? Is this some kind of ghoulyjoke? That's a question for Mary, not for me.
But you didn't notice the switch.
I had been gone for six weeks.
Oh, so all brown babies pretty much look the same, is that what you're saying? Please! My client had been in the presence of Christopher Mogae for no more than three days.
His care was almost exclusively in the hands of Miss Calvin.
Contrary to her press statements.
Yes.
So adopting a baby was just a publicity stunt.
I was giving Christopher a better life! And I was drawing attention to a region of the world that is buckling under an AIDS pandemic.
Save that for the press, Mrs.
Archer.
Was he going to be raised by the nanny? Yes.
But so is my daughter, and so are the children of a lot of working women! Not to the extent that their children are unrecognizable to them.
He was severely underweight in Africa.
I just I just thought he had gotten healthy.
What are the chances that Miss Calvin will have a different story? Oh, I'm sure she'll come up with some lie.
But no.
We've heard you, Miss Archer.
And we've heard enough.
She's lying! And throwing you under a bus? And what exactly is she saying I did to Christopher? Why don't you just tell us your side.
Mmm.
For what? What's on the table? How can I know that, Miss Prather, when all I've got is a missing child and two supposed caregivers on opposite sides of the truth? I didn't hurt him.
lcouldn't! I would never hurt a child! Then what happened to him? For a week after we got back from Mamuno, she tried to care for Christopher herself.
Because of the bad press? It was a disaster.
But she tried.
I left for an hour to buy food for dinner.
When I came back, she was screaming.
She said the baby turned blue.
Why didn't you call an ambulance? He was dead.
I'll ask that again.
I did CPR for 20 minutes! I defibrillated him with a portable unit in the house! He was dead.
Then why didn't you call the hospital or his pediatrician or anyone? Sofia lost her mind.
She ordered me not to.
She said if I did, she'd blame me to the police.
And that the press was already against her for the adoption, and now they'd say that she killed the baby.
Did she? Maybe she shook him.
Whose idea was it to switch the children? Sofia's.
I never met Lashonda Harris before seeing her in prison.
I can't imagine you went to all this trouble out of the goodness of your heart.
She offered me half a million dollars.
I needed the money.
(SOBBING) I felt so bad for that little boy.
But he just died.
Where is he? (CHATTERING) Connie, we got nothin' so far.
Maybe she's wrong about the location.
Is that something you really forget? Where you buried a dead kid? (nos WHINING) (nos BARKING) OFFICER: Detectives, we got somethin'! Bones.
Human.
Looks like an animal got it.
She's a collar.
Sofia Archer, too.
Based on what? She knew.
She had to know.
She's a collar.
If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you.
Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you? Just get me my lawyer.
Ready to meet your public? Back it up! Back it up! (CLAMORING) Rib fractures consistent with a child who'd been beaten to death.
That is a sad truth, Mr.
McCoy, but my client's not responsible.
Mary Calvin killed my baby.
There are no cameras in here.
You could lose the pretense.
Your assistant could be a little more respectful.
Your client could be a little less nauseating.
So this is personal, is that what I'm gleaning here? Because where's your evidence of Sofia's involvement? Her child buried in the park! Her reputation, career, and social standing at stake if harm came to the child.
And a half million dollar payment for disposal of the body.
That was a loan so that Mary could pay her mother's medical bills.
Paid in full in cash the day you left New York for Ojai.
JACK: You wanna explain that coincidence to ajury? Regardless of what Mary Calvin says or what purpose she claims that money was for, you can't prove murder.
You got nothing.
There's no way Sofia didn't recognize the child when she got back from weight camp.
There's no way that story's true! The M.
E.
pinpoint when the child died? JACK: Only within a week or so.
Sofia may have been in town or already in Ojai.
Is there any abuse in Mary Calvin's background? No arrests.
Her former employer says their child made a few trips to the E.
R.
But that child was autistic, he's accident-prone.
I doubt that's the way the defense will present it.
But who do you believe? Mary Calvin, who admitted to burying this child and took us to his remains, or Sofia, who claims she didn't recognize the child she had adopted? We'll need to make a deal with Mary Calvin for her testimony.
Disposal of a body and hindering prosecution.
Okay, but that's it.
That's the horse you've got to ride.
JACK: And then, what did you do, Miss Calvin? I found a dark spot in the park.
I dug the best hole I could with the garden shovel, Took Christopher out of the duffel bag.
Then I covered him up.
Why did you bury the child instead of going to the authorities? Sofia ordered me not to and threatened to blame me.
Then, she promised to pay me.
And why did you approach Lashonda Harris? Sofia said she needed to cover up Christopher's death.
She needed another baby.
Did she justify this switch? She said that Lashonda's baby needed help, too.
That it would be charitable to raise him as Christopher.
And that the press and the public would never know the difference.
Miss Calvin, isn't it true that you're the one who murdered Christopher Mogae? No, it's not.
You killed him while my client was in Ojai, California, didn't you? He died when she was in New York! Who buried the child? I did.
Who approached Lashonda Harris to adopt her child? Only because Sofia paid me! You ever been violent with a child in the past? Never.
Before your employment with Sofia Archer, you worked for Paige and Franklin Littlefield, is that right? Nannying for their son Jackson.
That's right.
And how many times did you take little Jackson to the Emergency Room while you were his nanny? I never hurt him.
How many times? Three times! Broken wrist, broken arm, black eye.
He had autism and he would act out violently.
Well, it doesn't sound like the basis for atermination, but the Littlefields, they fired you, didn't they? His behavior was getting worse as he got older, and they wanted an autism specialist! Or they just didn't want any more broken bones or worse.
Objection, Your Honor! Counselor, leave the testimony to the witness.
Nothing further.
Sofia, explain your purpose in adopting Christopher Mogae.
I thought I had a good life to offer him.
And I wanted to shed light on the AIDS pandemic in his home country.
Did you do any research before adopting Christopher? Months' worth.
I'd learned that 14% of Mamuno's 12 million people are infected with HIV.
That the number of orphans is around one million.
What happened when you brought Christopher home? When I came home from Mamuno, my agent called and said there were talks of a remake of Black Narcissus, and I was being considered for the Sister Clodagh role.
But I had to get in shape.
So I left Christopher with Mary Calvin.
When you returned home from Ojai, how much contact did you have with the child you thought was Christopher? Not very much.
But I think Mary was keeping him from me.
I mean, he was always a little sick, or asleep.
But she said he was fine and gaining weight, which was obviously a lie.
Sofia, did you kill Christopher Mogae? I did not.
Did you charge Mary Calvin with arranging to replace him with Lashonda Harris' baby? I didn't have anything to do with that.
And it breaks my heart to think a child whose life I was trying to save wound up in these awful circumstances.
Nothing further.
You refused to let the child be photographed or allowed out of the house during the six weeks of your absence, didn't you? There had been enough press.
Or was that to ensure that no one could compare him to the boy that you adopted in Mamuno because it wasn't the same boy! That couldn't have been my concern, I didn't know what had happened to him.
You said to the press that you would raise the child yourself, you insisted on that, but you lied, didn't you? Yes.
So you have a history of skillful lying.
What's to say you're not lying now? I only lied to the press to steer attention to the orphanage.
Which resulted in three million dollars worth of donations.
And that was just to boost your career, now the stakes are a little higher, aren't they? Mary Calvin killed my child and buried him! You killed your child and paid her to bury him! Paid her a half a million dollars, didn't you? I gave her the money to save her dying mother! I never hurt Christopher! And I'm incapable of harming or even raising my voice to a child! Just neglecting one to the point of being unable to recognize him.
Your own adopted son, who you told millions of people would be raised as your own blood! I adopted Christopher to save his life.
And others like him.
I thought if my celebrity could serve a good purpose, then why shouldn't it? But it wasn't enough.
And, yes.
I am responsible.
Not for his murder but for leaving him with the wrong person.
I never saw her yell or raise a hand at her daughter.
Because she was patient, or she just wasn't around? She wasn't around much.
And perfect behavior when she was? No, she was absent.
She didn't pay attention.
But that's what I was there for.
And you never, ever gave her any drugs? No! I Look, you already asked me these questions months ago.
And I am asking you again! No! She doesn't drink, she didn't do drugs, except for the prescriptions.
Look, I don't think that she was capable of beating that kid like you said! If he started crying, she would have just left the room.
What if she was alone? She probably would have put her iPod on and waited for somebody to help.
She wasn't cruel! She was just absent! (SIGHS) You ever work as a babysitter? I delivered newspapers.
I had eight regulars, infants to adolescents.
Paid for my first car.
Rule number one, if you do not watch them like a hawk, something from the floor will end up in their mouth.
What am I looking at? It's from the initial search of Sofia's home, from the household vacuum bag.
Eight tablets of dexamphetamine.
Diet pills? One alone would be a lethal dose for an infant.
I think she spilled her pills and didn't think to pick them up.
Fun story.
Interesting theory.
Your fingerprints were the only ones found on the pill bottle.
And Christopher Mogae's DNA was recovered from his dried saliva on four of the tablets found in the vacuum bag.
Don't Don't dignify it.
She wiped his mouth, then handled the pills.
So what? A subpoena of your pharmacy also revealed that you called from your weight treatment center in California to cancel an expensive order of mephloquine.
Malaria medication for Christopher's ongoing condition.
FARMER: So she went to another pharmacy.
Mephloquine isn't aspirin.
It's only available through the CDC and no other order has been placed, past the one your client cancelled.
Once you got to Ojai, why did you suddenly stop treatment for Christopher's malaria? Because he was dead.
And you knew it! I cancelled the order because Avanity adoption, a hoodwinked father, and the child overdoses on your diet pills? You would have been pilloried in the press.
What if it was an accident? You're saying you perjured yourself? She's posing a hypothetical, which she will not do again.
An accident doesn't make me a killer.
JACK: You might have been able to sell the adoption as simple goodwill.
And Christopher's death as maternal incompetence.
But you replaced him with another child! You knew exactly what you were doing! Do you know Do you know that millions of dollars went into Mamuno because of me? Medicine, food, clean drinking water! Do you know how many other children will live years past their life expectancy because of me? We're only concerned with the one who won't.
I did my best.
Man two, 15 years.
I wanna have kids.
You know? Iwanna wake up with them in the morning, make 'em breakfast, see 'em off to school, and tuck 'em in at night.
I just can't imagine seeing that as a burden.
Some people are wired wrong.
Ugliest part of our work.
It's babies Babies as fashion.
Pour me another? (DRINK POURING)