Law & Order (1990) s20e15 Episode Script
Brilliant Disguise
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.
Death cab for cutie? That's my favorite group too.
I thought GNR was your favorite.
- No, it's uh, it's a favorite metal band.
- Oh, is it? Well, it's nice to meet you, robbie.
- Oh, yeah.
Same.
Uh, hey, listen.
I know you're just here for the weekend, But there's a club in williamsburg.
With a great house band, that's - I promised my friend I would spend the evenings with her.
- Okay.
- Maybe, um, brunch tomorrow? - Awesome.
Yeah.
- Here.
Call me in the morning.
Okay? - Okay.
- All right.
- Hi, mom.
Yeah, I just got to new york.
Oh, and I met this really cute doctor on the train.
Well, almost a doctor.
He's still in med school.
- If we were staying in a nice hotel, We'd have 24-hour room service - Don't worry.
I got it handled.
- No way.
I am not eating leftovers.
- This stuff hasn't even been touched.
Look, a club sandwich, with steak fries.
Still warm.
- Is there ketchup? - Maybe under here.
See, honey, I would never let you starve.
[gasps.]
- She's not one of our employees.
Either a guest, or a guest of a guest.
- Security cameras cover this area? - No, just the main entrance and lobby.
Our guests like their privacy.
- Yeah, I'm sure her killer did too.
We'll need your guest list.
- Well, two gunshot wounds.
One to the back of the head, And one in the lower back, Plus plastic cable ties around her hands and feet.
- Mac and cheese and chocolate milk.
This must be off the children's menu.
- Yeah, well.
Pretty girl like this, I wonder whose menu she was on.
- I put the cart out after I got the kids to bed.
I didn't see anyone in the hallway.
- Justine stebbins, from richmond.
Checked in Friday.
Ms.
Stebbins? Hotel security.
- Ms.
Stebbins? Hello? - I don't see a purse.
- Maybe she went out.
- Lupes, grab that corner.
- I think we got the right room.
- First shot cut the spinal cord.
It was at close range, and aimed to paralyze her.
Below the waist.
There's a time gap before the kill shot.
At the base of the skull.
There's tearing around her mouth consistent with a ball gag.
No evidence of sexual assault.
- He bound her hands, feet, Gagged her, and paralyzed her - Yeah, then he watched her, wiggling around helpless.
Before finishing her off.
- It's called letting her know who's boss.
- Yeah.
- Justine worked part -time in a sports clinic in hopewell.
She was studying to be a physical therapist.
- We're very sorry, mrs.
Stebbins.
What brought your daughter to town? - Sightseeing.
She said she was staying with this girl candace.
But now you're telling me.
That justine was staying in a hotel? Maybe this friend it was a fib so I wouldn't worry.
- When was the last time you spoke with justine? - Friday.
She was all excited about a boy she met on the train.
[gasps.]
A medical student.
Then she sent me a text Saturday afternoon.
I can show you.
She was going jogging in the park.
- With this boy? - I don't know.
Oh, no I erased it.
I erased her text - A med student.
Maybe she checked into the hotel to play doctor with him.
- The hotel video has her checking in alone on Friday.
- Well, still, we need to find this young man.
- Yeah, well, there are no calls from her room.
We're still waiting on the dumps from her cell phone, Which by the way is missing, along with her purse and wallet.
- The killer's no amateur.
He brought plastic ties, He doesn't touch the girl Just pop-pop with a .
22 he tidies up the crime scene, Stashes the body where it won't.
Be traced to the room for a few hours.
He's one cool customer.
- Who somehow talked his way into her room.
C.
S.
U.
Find that in the trash? - Yeah.
Brunch for two on Saturday, And two tickets to the nishizawa museum.
- Art and food can work wonders on an impressionable girl.
- Right.
Table 23.
- You remember who she was with? - Uh, some med student working really hard to impress her.
He told her he could see the houdini sculpture.
In the nishizawa museum courtyard from his lab.
[laughs.]
- Yeah.
I don't get it.
- It's houdon, not houdini.
Uh, this date, you happen to catch his name? - On his credit card, which got declined, by the way.
She ended up taking care of it.
His name was robbie, last name "v-I" something.
I gotta get this.
- Yeah.
Robbie who works in a lab.
Overlooking the nishizawa museum.
Which is on spring.
- Next door to chelsea university.
- Oh, robbie vickery That med student.
- Right.
Is he here? - Well, you can find, uh, [clears throat.]
dr.
Vickery.
Consulting with his colleagues right back there.
- Robert vickery? - Yeah, that's me.
- Lab technician is there someplace we can talk? - I never actually told justine I was a med student.
I said I worked in a medical research lab.
- Hey, robbie, we're not gonna bust your chops.
For trying to impress a girl.
- I can't believe she's dead.
We real we really connected.
- Yeah? When was the last time you saw her? - Saturday.
We had brunch, then we went to the nishizawa museum.
- Is that it? - She told me she'd be in town till Monday.
She told me to call her.
I tried, twice.
It went to voicemail.
- So you, Saturday night? - Me? I was here.
I had to destroy some sick rats.
Then I had a burger at fratelli's in, um, brooklyn.
Then I went home and crashed.
- The bartender at fratelli's.
Remembers him leaving around - Well, that's time enough to get to the girl's hotel.
- Justine's cell records.
Show three calls from vickery on Saturday.
One in the morning and two quick ones later.
- It's pretty much what he told us.
- Yeah.
There are calls to her mom.
Then, she traded a bunch of calls with a no-name cell.
With a richmond area code, from mid-afternoon.
And all through the night Friday and Saturday.
- Calls at one -hour intervals.
It's an interesting pattern.
Google this richmond number.
- Well, well.
"urban excitement.
" Looks like justine was strumming more.
Than that guitar in her hotel room.
- So she had a booker in richmond.
Lining up appointments for her.
- Have the richmond pd talk to the booker.
Find out who had.
The last appointment Saturday night.
- Okay.
- All right, thanks.
- Hey, check this out.
I found ads going back six months.
She was in a different city every weekend.
Can't imagine what her mother's gonna think.
- Well, the booker said the last appointment.
Was with a guy named george.
He called from a no-name 9-1-7 cell phone.
And guess what, the call bounced off.
The cell towers around chelsea university.
- It looks like robbie found out what justine did on the side, And figured one way or the other, He was gonna get a date with her.
- Yeah, well, that gibes with what I got.
D-l-methionine and choline chloride.
Additives they feed to lab rats.
It was found in a rat turd in her hotel room.
It must've come in on robbie's shoe.
- A rat wrangler and a rub -down girl.
Ain't love grand.
- How many times I have to tell you guys, you're supposed.
To feed the rats on schedule, or they get sick! - Robbie.
Put the rat down.
Put the rat in the cage, now.
- You're under arrest, robbie.
Put your hands behind your back.
- I didn't do anything.
- Well, then you got nothing to worry about.
Here we go.
- I swear to god I didn't hurt her.
I'd never.
I respect women.
- Yeah, we found some of your [clears throat.]
Tokens of respect on your cell phone.
Nice cleavage shot.
And then there are the lies you told her.
- We're not unsympathetic, robbie.
Blue collar guys like us, we need to work a little harder.
To get a girl as pretty as this, am I right? - Yeah, that's for sure.
- Good.
Now let's talk about how you ended up in her room.
- I wasn't in her room.
I didn't know she was staying in a hotel.
- There was a cell phone call from chelsea university.
To her booker.
- Booker? Who are you talking about? - She was spreading her southern hospitality.
All up and down the eastern seaboard.
- Its one thing to be de -balled by someone better than you, But a common whore? - It's not true.
- She's no better.
Than those sick rats that you destroyed.
- No, it's all lies.
I want a lawyer.
- Oh, I'd feel better if your search had turned up the gun, Or the phone he used to book the appointment.
- Well, even without the actual phone, We might still be able to tie it to vickery.
Check the calls from that phone.
If any are to people who know vickery, we got him.
- My husband's busy right now.
- It's about a call two weeks ago to a number registered.
To cold stone limited.
- That's our telemarketing business.
- All right, well we need to know who made that phone call.
- Sorry, our computer's down.
- What exactly do you telemarket? - Is everything okay, sweetie? - We were just asking your wife.
About a telephone call made two weeks ago.
From this number.
- Must have been a wrong number.
- Yeah? Those injuries to your face, They look about two weeks old, just like that call.
- Every couple of weekends, our kids go.
Stay with my parents, and we get a room in the city.
We put an ad out on urban excitement.
Bruce takes the bookings.
- It's not our profession, you know.
But, my hours got cut back.
Anyway, this guy george called from that number.
He asked if the appointment was in a hotel.
He said that's what suited him.
- What happened when he showed up? - Right away he was waving a gun, He put me face down on the bed.
- Can you describe him? - I didn't get a good look.
White.
Young.
Tinted glasses.
Had a baseball cap that said poconos on it or something.
- Hm.
What happened next? - He tied me up with these plastic ties.
Then he emptied my purse.
Then he tried to gag me.
And I knew if I let him, I was dead.
I kicked and I screamed.
He hit me.
And then he ran out.
- You guys wait here.
She couldn't I.
D.
Vickery's photo.
- Well, this attack seems like it was about money, not revenge, Which points away from vickery.
What about those other calls from that no-name cell? - Well, dead ends or the numbers come back to escort ads.
Whoever was using that phone was targeting escorts.
- Show me the location of the towers.
Where the calls originated.
- Most bounced off a tower near vickery's job.
Some in brooklyn.
- Yeah, look at this cluster of calls here.
In norwich, connecticut.
- Yeah, all the same weekend, three weeks ago.
- And norwich has the indian casino.
- Which has surveillance video.
- Yes, that's me.
I was at the casino with my fiance.
How did you find me? - Your credit card.
We would have talked to your fiance first, But the casino didn't know who he was.
- We're just assisting the norwich police.
In an investigation.
A woman was assaulted in the washroom in the lounge.
The evening you were there.
Did you see anyone in the area? - No, I didn't use the washroom.
- Maybe your fiance did.
- No, we were together all evening.
- Oh.
Well, all the same, miss newton, we told the norwich police.
We'd talk to everybody.
- My fiance's very busy, But if you give me your card, I'll pass him the message.
- When's the big day? - Two months.
It's like a fairy tale.
- Hmm.
- They aren't even married, And already she has him under lock and key.
- Hey, hold up a second.
- Hi, this is carrie newton's uncle joe.
Hi no, I don't want to bother her.
I'm just I'm wondering where she's registered.
RightAnd her fiance, what's his name? Alex conway.
Right, of course.
And, I wanna get him something besides, uh, pots and pans, You know, something for his office, maybe.
And carrie told me what he does, and I don't remember.
What was it? Right, right.
Okay.
Uh, that's you know what, no need to tell carrie I called.
Thank you.
Grad student in behavioral science.
Guess who he shares a microscope with? - I don't see how answering your questions helps my client.
- Not answering them definitely won't help him.
- That weekend, did you talk about justine.
With anybody at the lab? - Yeah, after I got back from the museum.
I talked to some students.
They're always bragging about their hook-ups.
- Which students, specifically? - Atul khana, jason chai, they're med students.
And alex conway, he's a grad student.
- What did you tell them? - I showed them my pictures of justine.
I told them I got lucky with her.
- How'd they react? - Atul and jason, uh, they asked me.
If I squeaked when I was doing it with her.
- What about this alex conway? - He kept looking at my pictures of justine.
He thought she was hot.
He said, good for me.
What a phony.
- Well, if conway was trolling escort ads on the net, He would've seen justine's ad.
And he would've recognized her picture on vickery's phone.
- He figures she was working out of a hotel.
Perfect mark for a rip-off.
Conway likes gambling.
Gambling costs money.
This is a grad student from a prestigious university, I mean, a researcher with no criminal record.
Listen, prove that no-name cell belongs to conway.
Then you can bring him in.
- Right.
Hm, got the latest dumps off the no-name cell.
Mostly text messages, every night for the last week.
HuhAll to an internet messaging service.
He was using his cell to chat with somebody online.
- He has a text buddy.
We get a warrant, maybe we can be his buddy too.
- "you're all talk, lady.
Show me something.
" "what do you want to see?" "anything to get me off right now.
" - You know, we have a voice -text function.
- Yes, please.
Female voice: Pictures en route, tiger.
- Let's see what she sent him.
- Damn.
She's a tranny.
Male voice: You got my attention now.
Female voice: We've been talking for a week.
When are we finally gonna to get together? Male voice: Soon.
Female voice: This is a waste of time.
When you decide what you want, let me know.
- Damn, she hung up.
- Can we pretend we're her and hit him back.
- No problem.
- Sorry for the attitude.
It's just you tease me too much.
I don't even know what you look like.
I want to see your eyes.
Male voice: You'll see my eyes when we meet.
- I want to be tied up.
No sissy velvet ropes.
Male voice: How about plastic ties? I will treat you like the piece of garbage you are.
- Let me see.
Let's make it happen in an hour.
Bodega on tenth and avenue c.
Male voice: Deal.
An hour.
I'll be there.
- Our boy's into some serious strange.
- I don't know.
- What? You don't think that's strange? - I just think it's interesting, How people are wired differently.
- [laughs.]
okay.
Time to check mr.
Conway's wiring.
Alex conway! Alex! You're under arrest.
- For what? Just going to the store.
- Not anymore.
- What's this? Plastic cable ties and a pre-paid cell phone? What else you got? And a .
22.
- I'll take him.
- Leave him alone.
He didn't do anything! - Ma'am, I need you to step back, please.
- No, this is a mistake.
He's a scientist.
- Lupo.
This .
22 It's a pellet gun.
- That's the girl vickery dr.
Vickery, was bragging about.
I never met her.
Her I met.
In a hotel room.
When I told her I just wanted to interview her.
And I only had fifty bucks, She zooed on me, threatened to get me in trouble.
- You booked an escort to interview her.
- Sometimes I have to use deception.
To get people to sit down with me.
But, that's the nature of my research.
- What about transsexuals, alex? Research, or fun? I study the neurological basis.
Of non-traditional sexual behavior.
So, I interview.
As many promiscuous people as possible.
It can get dicey, So that's why I bring the pellet gun.
And those plastic ties you were carrying? What part of your research is that? I brought them as a token of good faith, Because I was asked to.
The cell phone that you had, That connects you to the murder of justine stebbins.
- Well, I use that so my interview subjects.
Can't get ahold of me.
I keep it on my desk, at the lab.
Everybody uses it.
He was meeting a transsexual for his research.
He said if I didn't hear from him in an hour, I should call 911.
Alex is a great person and a brilliant scientist.
He would never hurt anyone.
- You know he's seeing prostitutes? - For his research.
- One of those prostitutes accused him of robbing her.
- That's a lie.
My dad owns a chain of laundromats.
We don't need money.
- Except alex likes to gamble.
- We go to the indian casinos together.
Once or twice a month, maybe.
- Saturday night two weeks ago, where were you? - Home with alex.
We spent the night making the guest list for our wedding.
- Conway must have made us when we were texting him.
He set a trap.
- We walked right into it.
The pellet gun, the explanations for everything, The fiancee there to vouch for him.
- What about this fiancee, Can we get through to her? - She thinks he walks on water.
- The search of his place turned up nothing.
He's coming up for arraignment this afternoon.
I'm not sure we have enough to hold him.
- I'm not sure we should hold him.
Mr.
Conway's a clever boy.
Maybe the thing to do here.
Is to let him keep thinking he's clever.
- $5 million bail? My client's a respected academic with no priors.
It's simple mistaken identity.
- The defendant's fingerprints were found.
In the victim's hotel room, judge.
If he wants to argue sufficiency of the evidence, He can do it at trial.
- Excuse me, judge.
My name's oscar newton, And my daughter is engaged to mr.
Conway, And I believe in this young man.
But we're only able to post $3 million bail at this time.
- Sir, you are not allowed to speak.
Mr.
Cutter, are we boring you here? - Sorry, judge.
The, um, people need to amend the information.
I've just been informed.
That the fingerprint match I alluded to.
Wasn't borne out by a re-test.
But our other evidence is still compelling.
- Dream on.
Defendant is released r.
O.
R.
[bangs gavel.]
- Well, he's not dumb.
He's gotta figure we'll be watching him.
- Not dumb, but reckless.
He's a gambler who robs escorts in hotels.
He likes to take risks.
Let's prime the pump.
How's mr.
Vickery doing these days? - Tired of sitting in jail.
- Good, let's offer him a way out.
- So they let you out too, huh? - You know I didn't do anything.
- Whatever you say.
I need f-4 and f-5 prepped for dissection.
- Hey, uh You know, you want help with that thing, I mean, anything you want me to tell the cops - Excuse me? - I mean, not that you did anything, But if, you know, you want me to cover for you - Vickery, even if I did have something.
To worry about, which I don't, Do you think I would let a bug like you watch my back? - You know, I've watched your back plenty! That Monday after thanksgiving? Oh, your experiments? After you set them up, You disappeared for the rest of the night.
I had to enter the data for you.
And the next Monday, you pulled the same crap.
I covered your back.
I always cover everyone's back.
- Just get my rats ready.
- And the next Monday, You pulled the same crap! I covered your back! - The instructions were to get mr.
Conway to talk.
Not to go off on him.
- Mr.
Vickery held up his end of the bargain.
I expect you to hold up yours, And file for dismissal of all charges.
- All right.
- That worked like a charm.
- Vickery said conway was awol.
The first two mondays after thanksgiving, right? - Yeah, awol all night.
- A guy like him, I'd like to know where he was.
- Yeah, I got his credit card records here.
Yeah, on the first Monday, He's got a charge at a newsstand at penn station at 8:45 p.
M.
, And on the second Monday, There's another charge at penn station.
A snack bar, 8:50 p.
M.
- He was taking a train.
- Gotta be the 8:53 express to atlantic city.
You go to enough bachelor parties in a.
C.
, You get to know the train schedule.
- So alex conway was sneaking out of town.
To feed his gambling monkey.
- Know what else a.
C.
Is lousy with besides casinos? - Escorts.
- Yeah, the hat.
Poconos.
We had four robberies over those days.
That come back to a guy wearing this hat.
- These were robberies of escorts? - No.
Convenience stores, gas stations, A palm reader, even.
Two months, the guy's still in the wind.
- Not for long.
Couple of your casinos have our mr.
Conway.
On their security cameras on those dates.
- Mm -hmm.
- Hey, b, check this out.
When the victim tried to get up, the suspect hit him.
At the base of his spine with a pry bar, Causing temporary paralysis of his legs.
- We have new evidence, your honor, And a request from new jersey to hold mr.
Conway.
Pending extradition.
To face four robbery charges in atlantic city.
And we're seeking bail modification.
To $5 million.
- It's bootstrapping, judge.
Mr.
Cutter's got no case, So he's getting new jersey to do his dirty work.
- Sour grapes, mr.
Backlund.
Bail's set at $5 million.
[bangs gavel.]
- We're done here.
- Dad, we have to pay alex's bail.
- We're done here, carrie.
I'm sorry.
- I guess no more family dinners for mr.
Conway.
- Yeah, well, he can still count on his fiancee.
To be an alibi witness.
- Maybe we can do something about that.
- What are they doing here? - It's time to face the facts about alex.
- He's not the man you thought We thought he was.
- I won't listen to their lies.
- We're your parents, And we're entitled to five minutes of your time.
Now sit down and listen to them.
- Carrie, did you know alex.
Had gone to atlantic city to gamble? This is him at the golden dome casino.
On a night he was supposed to be in his lab.
He lost over $30,000.
- While alex was in atlantic city, Four businesses were robbed at gunpoint.
This is a sketch of the suspect.
- I don't want to hear it anymore.
- One of the victims was struck.
With a pry bar at the base of the spine.
The exact same spot where justine stebbins was shot.
Injuries meant to paralyze them below the waist.
Something someone with an intimate knowledge of neurology.
Would know how to do, And do with surgical precision.
- It's not possible.
I know him.
- Carrie, believe me, Some men keep part of themselves locked up.
They wear a mask.
Alex is one of those men.
- It can't be.
I love him.
- You can't protect him anymore.
- I lied for him.
The night the girl was killed, alex went out jogging.
He wasn't with me.
He wasn't with me.
Oh, my god We were going to be married.
Your fiancee's taken herself off your witness list.
You're all alone now.
- I've been alone since I was 11.
Anyway, better to find out now that she's weak, Than after we're married.
- Speaking of weak, your case is all hat and no cattle.
The only evidence tying my client to these crimes.
Is a poconos cap, thousands of which were sold.
- The only hat the jury will care about.
Is the one he was wearing when he was arrested.
The offer's 20 to life.
- This is all predicated.
On a misunderstanding of my research.
I interview my subjects in their native environment.
Because that's the only way to get accurate reporting.
- Masters and johnson would be so proud of you.
- This is gonna be fun.
- The research excuse.
That's some trial strategy.
- He's enjoying this too much.
We need to do our own research.
- Risk -taking, inflated sense of self, promiscuity.
There are 20 markers on the p.
C.
L.
R.
Scale of psychopathy.
Conway ticks most of them.
- I thought psychopaths were hyper -rational.
This guy's a runaway train.
- Well, he's not so out of control.
He went from robbing gas stations to escorts.
Because they weren't likely to report him.
- His exposure to that world is probably where he got his taste.
For sexual adventurism.
He allowed himself to be sucked into a vortex.
Of perversion and violence because it thrilled him.
- What about his research defense? - According to his professors, conway's working to identify.
The centers of the brain responsible.
For sexual orientation.
But commando stuff like field interviews.
With sex workers and transsexuals.
Isn't a normal part of it.
- Now that he has a taste for the violence, How likely is he to stop? - How about not bloody likely.
- Unless we stop him.
- I'd love to hear how.
No eyewitness, no murder weapon - We offered him a plea, he turned us down.
- Not surprising.
Psychopaths engage in a cost-benefit analysis.
Of their behavior.
They can't be bluffed.
- So sweeten the pot to make the plea more attractive.
- And give a budding serial killer a slap on the wrist? I'm gonna to put mr.
Conway in jail for a good long time.
- What were you saying about risk -taking.
And an inflated sense of self? How many markers on that scale does mike hit? - In this case, You might hear evidence of unusual sexual behavior.
With that in mind, what would you think of someone.
Who had sex with transsexuals? - I'd think he was sick.
- For cause, judge.
- Number six is excused with my thanks.
- Number seven, would you be prejudiced against a person.
Simply because he behaved in a manner.
That some might consider risky or outside the norm? - I don't, uh, I don't know.
It's really hard for me to focus.
My wife and I just separated, And, um, I really wish I wasn't here.
- This juror is acceptable.
- They're keeping him? - Now the genius thinks he's a lawyer.
The people have no objection.
- Number seven is empaneled.
- I fought him.
He punched me, but I just kept screaming.
Finally he ran out.
- Do you see that man here today? - That's him.
The defendant.
- Thank you.
- This economy must be tough.
On folks like you and your husband.
- It is.
The store where I used to work closed down.
My husband's working part-time.
We were in danger of losing the house.
We were under a lot of stress.
- Now, isn't it true.
That my client booked an appntment with you.
So he could interview you for his research? - No, it isn't.
- And when your husband found out you let my client run out.
Without paying you, Your husband lost his temper.
Under the weight of all the stress, He lashed out and hit you? - No, that's a lie.
- Thank you, no more questions.
- Alex kept looking at my pictures of justine.
- He asked me if I was sure she was from richmond.
Did her phone have a richmond area code? And I said yeah.
- The same area code as in justine's urban excitement ad.
Thank you.
- All day you pick up after med students and grad students, Help them get their degrees, the high-paying jobs, While you're stuck in the lab with your rats.
Little unfair, no? - Yeah, I guess.
- Now, finally you have.
Something to show off to those students, This hot girl you bragged about having.
Passionate sex with, right? - Yeah.
- So when justine didn't take your calls, It had to be frustrating.
After all that bragging, this prostitute.
Who had sex with strangers.
Thought she was too good for you.
- I didn't know she was a prostitute.
- Her face was plastered all over the internet.
And when you realized what she was, Your frustration boiled over.
- No.
- You tricked your way into her room.
And you taught her a lesson she'd never forget.
- That's not true.
- Then you blame this crime on someone who is better than you.
- No, he is not.
- Somebody who is more accomplished, more respected - He is not better than me! He's nothing! He's nothing! - No more questions.
- We'll take a brief lunch recess.
[bangs gavel.]
- And we've got a problem with number seven.
Pinter.
I think he's made up his mind.
- Yes, sir.
I understand my obligations.
- You understand that you have to keep.
An open mind until you hear all the evidence? I mean, if not, I'll excuse you.
- Oh, no.
I can keep an open mind, sir.
I lost my parents when I was a kid, like the defendant.
So, uh, I'll give him a fair shake.
- Well, you can return to the jury room.
- Mr.
Cutter, I'm satisfied with mr.
Pinter's answers.
Now can I get back to my sandwich? - Yes, your honor.
- Two weeks ago, pinter was bucking to get off the jury.
Now the judge gives him a way out and he doesn't take it? - Not just that.
He said conway lost his parents as a kid.
That hasn't been mentioned at trial yet.
- Somebody got to him.
- If you can't win in court, harass the jurors.
That's a trial strategy we haven't covered.
In law school yet.
- Hmm.
Hey, here we go.
- No wonder he can't keep his mind on the trial.
He's got a new squeeze.
- Hey, b.
Don't we know her? - Son of a bitch.
- Carrie newton? A juror's dating conway's fiancee? - Brown contacts and a dye job, but that's our girl.
The cops followed the happy couple to a hotel.
- Explains why pinter's not interested in our case.
She turned him against us and for conway.
- I thought you had an intervention.
I thought you turned her against conway.
- We were played.
Conway must've put her up to it.
Pulling her strings, it's the ultimate validation.
Of his ego.
- Speaking of ego, you wanted to go mano-a-mano with him, mike.
How's that working out for you? - I was having lunch at the courthouse cafeteria.
The first day of the trial.
She sat down.
We hit it off.
I told her I was on the case of a guy.
Accused of killing some masseuse.
She was shocked.
She told me he was her cousin.
She said a few things about him, But I swear, we never talked about the trial.
- I wanna know if he was offered sex or money.
In exchange for his vote.
- No, no, she never said acquit.
I swear.
- You're excused from further service.
I advise you to retain counsel.
- The people move for an immediate mistrial.
The jury's been contaminated.
- How? Deliberations haven't started.
- We'll question each juror.
If mr.
Pinter hasn't spoken to anyone about the case, We'll move forward.
- Jury tampering.
Obstruction.
You're going to jail for a long time.
Unless you testify that alex put you up to it.
- He didn't.
I was sad and I was lonely.
And I reached out to a stranger.
- Jordan pinter admitted that you discussed the case with him.
- I didn't say anything to him about how he should vote, So there's nothing that you can do to me.
Alex told me you'd try to use me to get to him.
- Carrie, can't you see? Alex is using you.
He's using you, He is sucking you down with him.
- No, he's not.
He's innocent.
I don't know why you people you can't see that! - The judge talked to all the jurors.
Pinter hadn't approached any of them - Yet.
Carrie was going to wait until deliberations started.
Before squeezing him to throw the verdict.
Conway coached her well.
- If the jury knew what he tried to do, They'd convict him in a second.
- They don't know and they won't.
This has gone far enough, mike.
The case is a shambles.
- I'm not offering him another plea.
He's taking the stand tomorrow.
I can get him.
- You're staking a lot on your ability to break him.
Maybe too much.
Just remember conway's not the only one.
Who does cost-benefit analyses of behavior.
I do too.
- Well I'm no bean counter, And if I have to go out on the ledge.
With conway to get him, Then that's what I'll do.
- When I chose this research method, I knew I was stepping into a dangerous world.
But when I consider the cost, even in the service of science, No, I can't say it was worth it.
- Thank you.
- So in other words, mr.
Conway, this case has been nothing.
But a giant nuisance to your academic standing.
- Not just that.
It's been devastating to the people I love.
- The people you love.
And who would that be? - My fiancee.
Your prosecution of me has utterly destroyed.
Our happy life together.
- Your fiancee.
Now, the, uh, police testified that she was with you.
When you were arrested.
On your way to meet a transsexual.
- To conduct a research interview.
Carrie knew that.
- And at the time of the arrest, she offered an alibi for you.
For the night of justine stebbins' murder, correct? - Correct.
- An alibi that she later recanted, correct? - Objection.
- His client opened the door.
Into what ms.
Newton knew or didn't know.
- So he did.
Overruled.
Answer the question, mr.
Conway.
- She withdrew the alibi because.
She was being relentlessly hounded by the police.
- In fact, she, uh, she broke off.
Her engagement with you, didn't she? - The stress overwhelmed her.
But once I'm cleared of all charges, We'll be together again.
I know it.
- Well, how can you know it? You can't even get her to testify for you, can you? - Like I said, The police and you, mr.
Cutter, manipulated her.
- Manipulated her? Into recanting a true alibi? A woman that you say loves you? - She does love me.
She looks up to me.
- Oh, I mean obviously, Not enough to speak up in your defense.
You don't command much loyalty from her, do you, mr.
Conway? - That's not true - You know, when I tell my people to jump, they jump.
Like ms.
Rubirosa here, I once ordered her.
To use her attractiveness.
To influence a juror, and she did.
But you you don't command that same obedience, Do you, mr.
Conway? - Wrong.
Carrie listens to me.
- She humors you, is that what you mean? - No, she would've testified if I wanted her to.
- Oh, she didn't testify on your orders? - Yes.
- Well, isn't it more likely.
It's because she knows you're guilty? - Wrong, she does what I tell her, whatever I tell her! She slept with one of the jurors, That pinter guy, because I told her to.
She does exactly what I say because she admires me.
- Objection, your honor.
Sidebar.
- Denied.
Mr.
Cutter? - No more questions.
- Mr.
Conway.
Having found you guilty of one count of second-degree murder, This court hereby sentences you to a term of 25 years to life.
In a facility to be determined by the department of correction.
We're adjourned.
[bangs gavel.]
- Good.
The right psychopath won.
- Listen, connie.
I'm sorry.
- Listen, I get it.
It's okay.
Whatever it takes to win, right? - Alex, baby! LookAlex, look! I'll be there! No matter where they put you, I'll be there! I'm here for you, alex! Baby, I love you! Alex! Alex! - Love's a bitch.
These are their stories.
Death cab for cutie? That's my favorite group too.
I thought GNR was your favorite.
- No, it's uh, it's a favorite metal band.
- Oh, is it? Well, it's nice to meet you, robbie.
- Oh, yeah.
Same.
Uh, hey, listen.
I know you're just here for the weekend, But there's a club in williamsburg.
With a great house band, that's - I promised my friend I would spend the evenings with her.
- Okay.
- Maybe, um, brunch tomorrow? - Awesome.
Yeah.
- Here.
Call me in the morning.
Okay? - Okay.
- All right.
- Hi, mom.
Yeah, I just got to new york.
Oh, and I met this really cute doctor on the train.
Well, almost a doctor.
He's still in med school.
- If we were staying in a nice hotel, We'd have 24-hour room service - Don't worry.
I got it handled.
- No way.
I am not eating leftovers.
- This stuff hasn't even been touched.
Look, a club sandwich, with steak fries.
Still warm.
- Is there ketchup? - Maybe under here.
See, honey, I would never let you starve.
[gasps.]
- She's not one of our employees.
Either a guest, or a guest of a guest.
- Security cameras cover this area? - No, just the main entrance and lobby.
Our guests like their privacy.
- Yeah, I'm sure her killer did too.
We'll need your guest list.
- Well, two gunshot wounds.
One to the back of the head, And one in the lower back, Plus plastic cable ties around her hands and feet.
- Mac and cheese and chocolate milk.
This must be off the children's menu.
- Yeah, well.
Pretty girl like this, I wonder whose menu she was on.
- I put the cart out after I got the kids to bed.
I didn't see anyone in the hallway.
- Justine stebbins, from richmond.
Checked in Friday.
Ms.
Stebbins? Hotel security.
- Ms.
Stebbins? Hello? - I don't see a purse.
- Maybe she went out.
- Lupes, grab that corner.
- I think we got the right room.
- First shot cut the spinal cord.
It was at close range, and aimed to paralyze her.
Below the waist.
There's a time gap before the kill shot.
At the base of the skull.
There's tearing around her mouth consistent with a ball gag.
No evidence of sexual assault.
- He bound her hands, feet, Gagged her, and paralyzed her - Yeah, then he watched her, wiggling around helpless.
Before finishing her off.
- It's called letting her know who's boss.
- Yeah.
- Justine worked part -time in a sports clinic in hopewell.
She was studying to be a physical therapist.
- We're very sorry, mrs.
Stebbins.
What brought your daughter to town? - Sightseeing.
She said she was staying with this girl candace.
But now you're telling me.
That justine was staying in a hotel? Maybe this friend it was a fib so I wouldn't worry.
- When was the last time you spoke with justine? - Friday.
She was all excited about a boy she met on the train.
[gasps.]
A medical student.
Then she sent me a text Saturday afternoon.
I can show you.
She was going jogging in the park.
- With this boy? - I don't know.
Oh, no I erased it.
I erased her text - A med student.
Maybe she checked into the hotel to play doctor with him.
- The hotel video has her checking in alone on Friday.
- Well, still, we need to find this young man.
- Yeah, well, there are no calls from her room.
We're still waiting on the dumps from her cell phone, Which by the way is missing, along with her purse and wallet.
- The killer's no amateur.
He brought plastic ties, He doesn't touch the girl Just pop-pop with a .
22 he tidies up the crime scene, Stashes the body where it won't.
Be traced to the room for a few hours.
He's one cool customer.
- Who somehow talked his way into her room.
C.
S.
U.
Find that in the trash? - Yeah.
Brunch for two on Saturday, And two tickets to the nishizawa museum.
- Art and food can work wonders on an impressionable girl.
- Right.
Table 23.
- You remember who she was with? - Uh, some med student working really hard to impress her.
He told her he could see the houdini sculpture.
In the nishizawa museum courtyard from his lab.
[laughs.]
- Yeah.
I don't get it.
- It's houdon, not houdini.
Uh, this date, you happen to catch his name? - On his credit card, which got declined, by the way.
She ended up taking care of it.
His name was robbie, last name "v-I" something.
I gotta get this.
- Yeah.
Robbie who works in a lab.
Overlooking the nishizawa museum.
Which is on spring.
- Next door to chelsea university.
- Oh, robbie vickery That med student.
- Right.
Is he here? - Well, you can find, uh, [clears throat.]
dr.
Vickery.
Consulting with his colleagues right back there.
- Robert vickery? - Yeah, that's me.
- Lab technician is there someplace we can talk? - I never actually told justine I was a med student.
I said I worked in a medical research lab.
- Hey, robbie, we're not gonna bust your chops.
For trying to impress a girl.
- I can't believe she's dead.
We real we really connected.
- Yeah? When was the last time you saw her? - Saturday.
We had brunch, then we went to the nishizawa museum.
- Is that it? - She told me she'd be in town till Monday.
She told me to call her.
I tried, twice.
It went to voicemail.
- So you, Saturday night? - Me? I was here.
I had to destroy some sick rats.
Then I had a burger at fratelli's in, um, brooklyn.
Then I went home and crashed.
- The bartender at fratelli's.
Remembers him leaving around - Well, that's time enough to get to the girl's hotel.
- Justine's cell records.
Show three calls from vickery on Saturday.
One in the morning and two quick ones later.
- It's pretty much what he told us.
- Yeah.
There are calls to her mom.
Then, she traded a bunch of calls with a no-name cell.
With a richmond area code, from mid-afternoon.
And all through the night Friday and Saturday.
- Calls at one -hour intervals.
It's an interesting pattern.
Google this richmond number.
- Well, well.
"urban excitement.
" Looks like justine was strumming more.
Than that guitar in her hotel room.
- So she had a booker in richmond.
Lining up appointments for her.
- Have the richmond pd talk to the booker.
Find out who had.
The last appointment Saturday night.
- Okay.
- All right, thanks.
- Hey, check this out.
I found ads going back six months.
She was in a different city every weekend.
Can't imagine what her mother's gonna think.
- Well, the booker said the last appointment.
Was with a guy named george.
He called from a no-name 9-1-7 cell phone.
And guess what, the call bounced off.
The cell towers around chelsea university.
- It looks like robbie found out what justine did on the side, And figured one way or the other, He was gonna get a date with her.
- Yeah, well, that gibes with what I got.
D-l-methionine and choline chloride.
Additives they feed to lab rats.
It was found in a rat turd in her hotel room.
It must've come in on robbie's shoe.
- A rat wrangler and a rub -down girl.
Ain't love grand.
- How many times I have to tell you guys, you're supposed.
To feed the rats on schedule, or they get sick! - Robbie.
Put the rat down.
Put the rat in the cage, now.
- You're under arrest, robbie.
Put your hands behind your back.
- I didn't do anything.
- Well, then you got nothing to worry about.
Here we go.
- I swear to god I didn't hurt her.
I'd never.
I respect women.
- Yeah, we found some of your [clears throat.]
Tokens of respect on your cell phone.
Nice cleavage shot.
And then there are the lies you told her.
- We're not unsympathetic, robbie.
Blue collar guys like us, we need to work a little harder.
To get a girl as pretty as this, am I right? - Yeah, that's for sure.
- Good.
Now let's talk about how you ended up in her room.
- I wasn't in her room.
I didn't know she was staying in a hotel.
- There was a cell phone call from chelsea university.
To her booker.
- Booker? Who are you talking about? - She was spreading her southern hospitality.
All up and down the eastern seaboard.
- Its one thing to be de -balled by someone better than you, But a common whore? - It's not true.
- She's no better.
Than those sick rats that you destroyed.
- No, it's all lies.
I want a lawyer.
- Oh, I'd feel better if your search had turned up the gun, Or the phone he used to book the appointment.
- Well, even without the actual phone, We might still be able to tie it to vickery.
Check the calls from that phone.
If any are to people who know vickery, we got him.
- My husband's busy right now.
- It's about a call two weeks ago to a number registered.
To cold stone limited.
- That's our telemarketing business.
- All right, well we need to know who made that phone call.
- Sorry, our computer's down.
- What exactly do you telemarket? - Is everything okay, sweetie? - We were just asking your wife.
About a telephone call made two weeks ago.
From this number.
- Must have been a wrong number.
- Yeah? Those injuries to your face, They look about two weeks old, just like that call.
- Every couple of weekends, our kids go.
Stay with my parents, and we get a room in the city.
We put an ad out on urban excitement.
Bruce takes the bookings.
- It's not our profession, you know.
But, my hours got cut back.
Anyway, this guy george called from that number.
He asked if the appointment was in a hotel.
He said that's what suited him.
- What happened when he showed up? - Right away he was waving a gun, He put me face down on the bed.
- Can you describe him? - I didn't get a good look.
White.
Young.
Tinted glasses.
Had a baseball cap that said poconos on it or something.
- Hm.
What happened next? - He tied me up with these plastic ties.
Then he emptied my purse.
Then he tried to gag me.
And I knew if I let him, I was dead.
I kicked and I screamed.
He hit me.
And then he ran out.
- You guys wait here.
She couldn't I.
D.
Vickery's photo.
- Well, this attack seems like it was about money, not revenge, Which points away from vickery.
What about those other calls from that no-name cell? - Well, dead ends or the numbers come back to escort ads.
Whoever was using that phone was targeting escorts.
- Show me the location of the towers.
Where the calls originated.
- Most bounced off a tower near vickery's job.
Some in brooklyn.
- Yeah, look at this cluster of calls here.
In norwich, connecticut.
- Yeah, all the same weekend, three weeks ago.
- And norwich has the indian casino.
- Which has surveillance video.
- Yes, that's me.
I was at the casino with my fiance.
How did you find me? - Your credit card.
We would have talked to your fiance first, But the casino didn't know who he was.
- We're just assisting the norwich police.
In an investigation.
A woman was assaulted in the washroom in the lounge.
The evening you were there.
Did you see anyone in the area? - No, I didn't use the washroom.
- Maybe your fiance did.
- No, we were together all evening.
- Oh.
Well, all the same, miss newton, we told the norwich police.
We'd talk to everybody.
- My fiance's very busy, But if you give me your card, I'll pass him the message.
- When's the big day? - Two months.
It's like a fairy tale.
- Hmm.
- They aren't even married, And already she has him under lock and key.
- Hey, hold up a second.
- Hi, this is carrie newton's uncle joe.
Hi no, I don't want to bother her.
I'm just I'm wondering where she's registered.
RightAnd her fiance, what's his name? Alex conway.
Right, of course.
And, I wanna get him something besides, uh, pots and pans, You know, something for his office, maybe.
And carrie told me what he does, and I don't remember.
What was it? Right, right.
Okay.
Uh, that's you know what, no need to tell carrie I called.
Thank you.
Grad student in behavioral science.
Guess who he shares a microscope with? - I don't see how answering your questions helps my client.
- Not answering them definitely won't help him.
- That weekend, did you talk about justine.
With anybody at the lab? - Yeah, after I got back from the museum.
I talked to some students.
They're always bragging about their hook-ups.
- Which students, specifically? - Atul khana, jason chai, they're med students.
And alex conway, he's a grad student.
- What did you tell them? - I showed them my pictures of justine.
I told them I got lucky with her.
- How'd they react? - Atul and jason, uh, they asked me.
If I squeaked when I was doing it with her.
- What about this alex conway? - He kept looking at my pictures of justine.
He thought she was hot.
He said, good for me.
What a phony.
- Well, if conway was trolling escort ads on the net, He would've seen justine's ad.
And he would've recognized her picture on vickery's phone.
- He figures she was working out of a hotel.
Perfect mark for a rip-off.
Conway likes gambling.
Gambling costs money.
This is a grad student from a prestigious university, I mean, a researcher with no criminal record.
Listen, prove that no-name cell belongs to conway.
Then you can bring him in.
- Right.
Hm, got the latest dumps off the no-name cell.
Mostly text messages, every night for the last week.
HuhAll to an internet messaging service.
He was using his cell to chat with somebody online.
- He has a text buddy.
We get a warrant, maybe we can be his buddy too.
- "you're all talk, lady.
Show me something.
" "what do you want to see?" "anything to get me off right now.
" - You know, we have a voice -text function.
- Yes, please.
Female voice: Pictures en route, tiger.
- Let's see what she sent him.
- Damn.
She's a tranny.
Male voice: You got my attention now.
Female voice: We've been talking for a week.
When are we finally gonna to get together? Male voice: Soon.
Female voice: This is a waste of time.
When you decide what you want, let me know.
- Damn, she hung up.
- Can we pretend we're her and hit him back.
- No problem.
- Sorry for the attitude.
It's just you tease me too much.
I don't even know what you look like.
I want to see your eyes.
Male voice: You'll see my eyes when we meet.
- I want to be tied up.
No sissy velvet ropes.
Male voice: How about plastic ties? I will treat you like the piece of garbage you are.
- Let me see.
Let's make it happen in an hour.
Bodega on tenth and avenue c.
Male voice: Deal.
An hour.
I'll be there.
- Our boy's into some serious strange.
- I don't know.
- What? You don't think that's strange? - I just think it's interesting, How people are wired differently.
- [laughs.]
okay.
Time to check mr.
Conway's wiring.
Alex conway! Alex! You're under arrest.
- For what? Just going to the store.
- Not anymore.
- What's this? Plastic cable ties and a pre-paid cell phone? What else you got? And a .
22.
- I'll take him.
- Leave him alone.
He didn't do anything! - Ma'am, I need you to step back, please.
- No, this is a mistake.
He's a scientist.
- Lupo.
This .
22 It's a pellet gun.
- That's the girl vickery dr.
Vickery, was bragging about.
I never met her.
Her I met.
In a hotel room.
When I told her I just wanted to interview her.
And I only had fifty bucks, She zooed on me, threatened to get me in trouble.
- You booked an escort to interview her.
- Sometimes I have to use deception.
To get people to sit down with me.
But, that's the nature of my research.
- What about transsexuals, alex? Research, or fun? I study the neurological basis.
Of non-traditional sexual behavior.
So, I interview.
As many promiscuous people as possible.
It can get dicey, So that's why I bring the pellet gun.
And those plastic ties you were carrying? What part of your research is that? I brought them as a token of good faith, Because I was asked to.
The cell phone that you had, That connects you to the murder of justine stebbins.
- Well, I use that so my interview subjects.
Can't get ahold of me.
I keep it on my desk, at the lab.
Everybody uses it.
He was meeting a transsexual for his research.
He said if I didn't hear from him in an hour, I should call 911.
Alex is a great person and a brilliant scientist.
He would never hurt anyone.
- You know he's seeing prostitutes? - For his research.
- One of those prostitutes accused him of robbing her.
- That's a lie.
My dad owns a chain of laundromats.
We don't need money.
- Except alex likes to gamble.
- We go to the indian casinos together.
Once or twice a month, maybe.
- Saturday night two weeks ago, where were you? - Home with alex.
We spent the night making the guest list for our wedding.
- Conway must have made us when we were texting him.
He set a trap.
- We walked right into it.
The pellet gun, the explanations for everything, The fiancee there to vouch for him.
- What about this fiancee, Can we get through to her? - She thinks he walks on water.
- The search of his place turned up nothing.
He's coming up for arraignment this afternoon.
I'm not sure we have enough to hold him.
- I'm not sure we should hold him.
Mr.
Conway's a clever boy.
Maybe the thing to do here.
Is to let him keep thinking he's clever.
- $5 million bail? My client's a respected academic with no priors.
It's simple mistaken identity.
- The defendant's fingerprints were found.
In the victim's hotel room, judge.
If he wants to argue sufficiency of the evidence, He can do it at trial.
- Excuse me, judge.
My name's oscar newton, And my daughter is engaged to mr.
Conway, And I believe in this young man.
But we're only able to post $3 million bail at this time.
- Sir, you are not allowed to speak.
Mr.
Cutter, are we boring you here? - Sorry, judge.
The, um, people need to amend the information.
I've just been informed.
That the fingerprint match I alluded to.
Wasn't borne out by a re-test.
But our other evidence is still compelling.
- Dream on.
Defendant is released r.
O.
R.
[bangs gavel.]
- Well, he's not dumb.
He's gotta figure we'll be watching him.
- Not dumb, but reckless.
He's a gambler who robs escorts in hotels.
He likes to take risks.
Let's prime the pump.
How's mr.
Vickery doing these days? - Tired of sitting in jail.
- Good, let's offer him a way out.
- So they let you out too, huh? - You know I didn't do anything.
- Whatever you say.
I need f-4 and f-5 prepped for dissection.
- Hey, uh You know, you want help with that thing, I mean, anything you want me to tell the cops - Excuse me? - I mean, not that you did anything, But if, you know, you want me to cover for you - Vickery, even if I did have something.
To worry about, which I don't, Do you think I would let a bug like you watch my back? - You know, I've watched your back plenty! That Monday after thanksgiving? Oh, your experiments? After you set them up, You disappeared for the rest of the night.
I had to enter the data for you.
And the next Monday, you pulled the same crap.
I covered your back.
I always cover everyone's back.
- Just get my rats ready.
- And the next Monday, You pulled the same crap! I covered your back! - The instructions were to get mr.
Conway to talk.
Not to go off on him.
- Mr.
Vickery held up his end of the bargain.
I expect you to hold up yours, And file for dismissal of all charges.
- All right.
- That worked like a charm.
- Vickery said conway was awol.
The first two mondays after thanksgiving, right? - Yeah, awol all night.
- A guy like him, I'd like to know where he was.
- Yeah, I got his credit card records here.
Yeah, on the first Monday, He's got a charge at a newsstand at penn station at 8:45 p.
M.
, And on the second Monday, There's another charge at penn station.
A snack bar, 8:50 p.
M.
- He was taking a train.
- Gotta be the 8:53 express to atlantic city.
You go to enough bachelor parties in a.
C.
, You get to know the train schedule.
- So alex conway was sneaking out of town.
To feed his gambling monkey.
- Know what else a.
C.
Is lousy with besides casinos? - Escorts.
- Yeah, the hat.
Poconos.
We had four robberies over those days.
That come back to a guy wearing this hat.
- These were robberies of escorts? - No.
Convenience stores, gas stations, A palm reader, even.
Two months, the guy's still in the wind.
- Not for long.
Couple of your casinos have our mr.
Conway.
On their security cameras on those dates.
- Mm -hmm.
- Hey, b, check this out.
When the victim tried to get up, the suspect hit him.
At the base of his spine with a pry bar, Causing temporary paralysis of his legs.
- We have new evidence, your honor, And a request from new jersey to hold mr.
Conway.
Pending extradition.
To face four robbery charges in atlantic city.
And we're seeking bail modification.
To $5 million.
- It's bootstrapping, judge.
Mr.
Cutter's got no case, So he's getting new jersey to do his dirty work.
- Sour grapes, mr.
Backlund.
Bail's set at $5 million.
[bangs gavel.]
- We're done here.
- Dad, we have to pay alex's bail.
- We're done here, carrie.
I'm sorry.
- I guess no more family dinners for mr.
Conway.
- Yeah, well, he can still count on his fiancee.
To be an alibi witness.
- Maybe we can do something about that.
- What are they doing here? - It's time to face the facts about alex.
- He's not the man you thought We thought he was.
- I won't listen to their lies.
- We're your parents, And we're entitled to five minutes of your time.
Now sit down and listen to them.
- Carrie, did you know alex.
Had gone to atlantic city to gamble? This is him at the golden dome casino.
On a night he was supposed to be in his lab.
He lost over $30,000.
- While alex was in atlantic city, Four businesses were robbed at gunpoint.
This is a sketch of the suspect.
- I don't want to hear it anymore.
- One of the victims was struck.
With a pry bar at the base of the spine.
The exact same spot where justine stebbins was shot.
Injuries meant to paralyze them below the waist.
Something someone with an intimate knowledge of neurology.
Would know how to do, And do with surgical precision.
- It's not possible.
I know him.
- Carrie, believe me, Some men keep part of themselves locked up.
They wear a mask.
Alex is one of those men.
- It can't be.
I love him.
- You can't protect him anymore.
- I lied for him.
The night the girl was killed, alex went out jogging.
He wasn't with me.
He wasn't with me.
Oh, my god We were going to be married.
Your fiancee's taken herself off your witness list.
You're all alone now.
- I've been alone since I was 11.
Anyway, better to find out now that she's weak, Than after we're married.
- Speaking of weak, your case is all hat and no cattle.
The only evidence tying my client to these crimes.
Is a poconos cap, thousands of which were sold.
- The only hat the jury will care about.
Is the one he was wearing when he was arrested.
The offer's 20 to life.
- This is all predicated.
On a misunderstanding of my research.
I interview my subjects in their native environment.
Because that's the only way to get accurate reporting.
- Masters and johnson would be so proud of you.
- This is gonna be fun.
- The research excuse.
That's some trial strategy.
- He's enjoying this too much.
We need to do our own research.
- Risk -taking, inflated sense of self, promiscuity.
There are 20 markers on the p.
C.
L.
R.
Scale of psychopathy.
Conway ticks most of them.
- I thought psychopaths were hyper -rational.
This guy's a runaway train.
- Well, he's not so out of control.
He went from robbing gas stations to escorts.
Because they weren't likely to report him.
- His exposure to that world is probably where he got his taste.
For sexual adventurism.
He allowed himself to be sucked into a vortex.
Of perversion and violence because it thrilled him.
- What about his research defense? - According to his professors, conway's working to identify.
The centers of the brain responsible.
For sexual orientation.
But commando stuff like field interviews.
With sex workers and transsexuals.
Isn't a normal part of it.
- Now that he has a taste for the violence, How likely is he to stop? - How about not bloody likely.
- Unless we stop him.
- I'd love to hear how.
No eyewitness, no murder weapon - We offered him a plea, he turned us down.
- Not surprising.
Psychopaths engage in a cost-benefit analysis.
Of their behavior.
They can't be bluffed.
- So sweeten the pot to make the plea more attractive.
- And give a budding serial killer a slap on the wrist? I'm gonna to put mr.
Conway in jail for a good long time.
- What were you saying about risk -taking.
And an inflated sense of self? How many markers on that scale does mike hit? - In this case, You might hear evidence of unusual sexual behavior.
With that in mind, what would you think of someone.
Who had sex with transsexuals? - I'd think he was sick.
- For cause, judge.
- Number six is excused with my thanks.
- Number seven, would you be prejudiced against a person.
Simply because he behaved in a manner.
That some might consider risky or outside the norm? - I don't, uh, I don't know.
It's really hard for me to focus.
My wife and I just separated, And, um, I really wish I wasn't here.
- This juror is acceptable.
- They're keeping him? - Now the genius thinks he's a lawyer.
The people have no objection.
- Number seven is empaneled.
- I fought him.
He punched me, but I just kept screaming.
Finally he ran out.
- Do you see that man here today? - That's him.
The defendant.
- Thank you.
- This economy must be tough.
On folks like you and your husband.
- It is.
The store where I used to work closed down.
My husband's working part-time.
We were in danger of losing the house.
We were under a lot of stress.
- Now, isn't it true.
That my client booked an appntment with you.
So he could interview you for his research? - No, it isn't.
- And when your husband found out you let my client run out.
Without paying you, Your husband lost his temper.
Under the weight of all the stress, He lashed out and hit you? - No, that's a lie.
- Thank you, no more questions.
- Alex kept looking at my pictures of justine.
- He asked me if I was sure she was from richmond.
Did her phone have a richmond area code? And I said yeah.
- The same area code as in justine's urban excitement ad.
Thank you.
- All day you pick up after med students and grad students, Help them get their degrees, the high-paying jobs, While you're stuck in the lab with your rats.
Little unfair, no? - Yeah, I guess.
- Now, finally you have.
Something to show off to those students, This hot girl you bragged about having.
Passionate sex with, right? - Yeah.
- So when justine didn't take your calls, It had to be frustrating.
After all that bragging, this prostitute.
Who had sex with strangers.
Thought she was too good for you.
- I didn't know she was a prostitute.
- Her face was plastered all over the internet.
And when you realized what she was, Your frustration boiled over.
- No.
- You tricked your way into her room.
And you taught her a lesson she'd never forget.
- That's not true.
- Then you blame this crime on someone who is better than you.
- No, he is not.
- Somebody who is more accomplished, more respected - He is not better than me! He's nothing! He's nothing! - No more questions.
- We'll take a brief lunch recess.
[bangs gavel.]
- And we've got a problem with number seven.
Pinter.
I think he's made up his mind.
- Yes, sir.
I understand my obligations.
- You understand that you have to keep.
An open mind until you hear all the evidence? I mean, if not, I'll excuse you.
- Oh, no.
I can keep an open mind, sir.
I lost my parents when I was a kid, like the defendant.
So, uh, I'll give him a fair shake.
- Well, you can return to the jury room.
- Mr.
Cutter, I'm satisfied with mr.
Pinter's answers.
Now can I get back to my sandwich? - Yes, your honor.
- Two weeks ago, pinter was bucking to get off the jury.
Now the judge gives him a way out and he doesn't take it? - Not just that.
He said conway lost his parents as a kid.
That hasn't been mentioned at trial yet.
- Somebody got to him.
- If you can't win in court, harass the jurors.
That's a trial strategy we haven't covered.
In law school yet.
- Hmm.
Hey, here we go.
- No wonder he can't keep his mind on the trial.
He's got a new squeeze.
- Hey, b.
Don't we know her? - Son of a bitch.
- Carrie newton? A juror's dating conway's fiancee? - Brown contacts and a dye job, but that's our girl.
The cops followed the happy couple to a hotel.
- Explains why pinter's not interested in our case.
She turned him against us and for conway.
- I thought you had an intervention.
I thought you turned her against conway.
- We were played.
Conway must've put her up to it.
Pulling her strings, it's the ultimate validation.
Of his ego.
- Speaking of ego, you wanted to go mano-a-mano with him, mike.
How's that working out for you? - I was having lunch at the courthouse cafeteria.
The first day of the trial.
She sat down.
We hit it off.
I told her I was on the case of a guy.
Accused of killing some masseuse.
She was shocked.
She told me he was her cousin.
She said a few things about him, But I swear, we never talked about the trial.
- I wanna know if he was offered sex or money.
In exchange for his vote.
- No, no, she never said acquit.
I swear.
- You're excused from further service.
I advise you to retain counsel.
- The people move for an immediate mistrial.
The jury's been contaminated.
- How? Deliberations haven't started.
- We'll question each juror.
If mr.
Pinter hasn't spoken to anyone about the case, We'll move forward.
- Jury tampering.
Obstruction.
You're going to jail for a long time.
Unless you testify that alex put you up to it.
- He didn't.
I was sad and I was lonely.
And I reached out to a stranger.
- Jordan pinter admitted that you discussed the case with him.
- I didn't say anything to him about how he should vote, So there's nothing that you can do to me.
Alex told me you'd try to use me to get to him.
- Carrie, can't you see? Alex is using you.
He's using you, He is sucking you down with him.
- No, he's not.
He's innocent.
I don't know why you people you can't see that! - The judge talked to all the jurors.
Pinter hadn't approached any of them - Yet.
Carrie was going to wait until deliberations started.
Before squeezing him to throw the verdict.
Conway coached her well.
- If the jury knew what he tried to do, They'd convict him in a second.
- They don't know and they won't.
This has gone far enough, mike.
The case is a shambles.
- I'm not offering him another plea.
He's taking the stand tomorrow.
I can get him.
- You're staking a lot on your ability to break him.
Maybe too much.
Just remember conway's not the only one.
Who does cost-benefit analyses of behavior.
I do too.
- Well I'm no bean counter, And if I have to go out on the ledge.
With conway to get him, Then that's what I'll do.
- When I chose this research method, I knew I was stepping into a dangerous world.
But when I consider the cost, even in the service of science, No, I can't say it was worth it.
- Thank you.
- So in other words, mr.
Conway, this case has been nothing.
But a giant nuisance to your academic standing.
- Not just that.
It's been devastating to the people I love.
- The people you love.
And who would that be? - My fiancee.
Your prosecution of me has utterly destroyed.
Our happy life together.
- Your fiancee.
Now, the, uh, police testified that she was with you.
When you were arrested.
On your way to meet a transsexual.
- To conduct a research interview.
Carrie knew that.
- And at the time of the arrest, she offered an alibi for you.
For the night of justine stebbins' murder, correct? - Correct.
- An alibi that she later recanted, correct? - Objection.
- His client opened the door.
Into what ms.
Newton knew or didn't know.
- So he did.
Overruled.
Answer the question, mr.
Conway.
- She withdrew the alibi because.
She was being relentlessly hounded by the police.
- In fact, she, uh, she broke off.
Her engagement with you, didn't she? - The stress overwhelmed her.
But once I'm cleared of all charges, We'll be together again.
I know it.
- Well, how can you know it? You can't even get her to testify for you, can you? - Like I said, The police and you, mr.
Cutter, manipulated her.
- Manipulated her? Into recanting a true alibi? A woman that you say loves you? - She does love me.
She looks up to me.
- Oh, I mean obviously, Not enough to speak up in your defense.
You don't command much loyalty from her, do you, mr.
Conway? - That's not true - You know, when I tell my people to jump, they jump.
Like ms.
Rubirosa here, I once ordered her.
To use her attractiveness.
To influence a juror, and she did.
But you you don't command that same obedience, Do you, mr.
Conway? - Wrong.
Carrie listens to me.
- She humors you, is that what you mean? - No, she would've testified if I wanted her to.
- Oh, she didn't testify on your orders? - Yes.
- Well, isn't it more likely.
It's because she knows you're guilty? - Wrong, she does what I tell her, whatever I tell her! She slept with one of the jurors, That pinter guy, because I told her to.
She does exactly what I say because she admires me.
- Objection, your honor.
Sidebar.
- Denied.
Mr.
Cutter? - No more questions.
- Mr.
Conway.
Having found you guilty of one count of second-degree murder, This court hereby sentences you to a term of 25 years to life.
In a facility to be determined by the department of correction.
We're adjourned.
[bangs gavel.]
- Good.
The right psychopath won.
- Listen, connie.
I'm sorry.
- Listen, I get it.
It's okay.
Whatever it takes to win, right? - Alex, baby! LookAlex, look! I'll be there! No matter where they put you, I'll be there! I'm here for you, alex! Baby, I love you! Alex! Alex! - Love's a bitch.