Law & Order (1990) s22e20 Episode Script
Class Retreat
1
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.
Was he upset?
[SCOFFS] No, more like livid.
Eh, not that I blame him.
I mean, no one likes to get fired.
I get it.
But just to be safe,
we should beef up security
for the next few weeks.
I'm sure I'm overreacting,
but you never know.
Pride is a dangerous thing.
Okay, sounds good.
See you tomorrow, bright and early.
[SIGHS]
I love this city.
[GROANS]
What are we lookin' at?
Male, white, mid-50s.
Blunt-force trauma.
Several severe blows
to the side of the head.
- Ooh.
- Still got his watch.
Patek Philippe.
So either the killer
doesn't know watches
or this was not a robbery.
Uh, the latter?
Wallet's still in his front pocket.
- Time of death?
- Around 9:30.
911 call came in at 9:37.
From her.
She know anything?
Uh, saw someone.
Running west. That's about it.
Well, unless the killer's
a fish, he didn't run east.
[CHUCKLES]
All right, let's get a canvass going.
Some witnesses
and surveillance cameras, yeah?
Jerome Elliot, CEO/founder
of Shelvern Capital.
"We find innovative ways
to sustain life."
Not innovative enough.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
Jerome was a good man.
He was
my everything.
Sorry.
No, we're sorry for your loss.
May I ask you, is there anyone
who wanted to harm your husband?
Did he have any enemies?
Uh, not that I'm aware of.
Not on a personal level, anyway.
How about a professional level?
I'm not sure.
We didn't talk about his business much.
Any idea why he was walking
in East River Park last night?
That's what he did at night.
He liked to walk
and look around
and take in the city lights.
It was one of his favorite
things in the world.
Said that's
when he did his best thinking.
- Mom?
- Hi, baby.
You go to Cromwell Academy?
- I'm a junior.
- Good for you.
I just have to ask you,
did you notice anything unusual
these past two weeks with your father?
Was anyone following him?
Was anyone harassing him?
I don't know.
Okay. Thank you.
That should be it.
Thank you for your time.
It's probably nothing,
but a few days ago,
Jerome started complaining about work.
- Was that unusual?
- Very.
He never complained,
but the other night,
he seemed, um
really stressed.
Said he was tired of being
the bad guy all the time.
Thank you.
Guy's got, what,
a $40 million-apartment?
- Maybe more?
- Give or take.
My point is, if he's a billionaire,
why is he so stressed out about work?
- I don't get it.
- I don't know.
Maybe that's why he's a billionaire.
Small world:
Lily goes to the same school
as his daughter.
- Cromwell Academy.
- Ooh, fancy shmancy.
You got a side hustle
I don't know about?
- Free ride.
- Ah, must be smart.
- Takes after her mama, huh?
- [CHUCKLES]
Great school.
But?
But nothin'.
Okay, fine, it's a little
too progressive for me.
Vi, it's me. Hey, listen.
Hey, I need you to start combin'
through Elliot's emails and texts.
Word is he was stressed out about work.
Let's see if we can find out why.
So I sent some stupid texts.
Problem is, Elliot was killed
shortly after you sent
those stupid texts.
So they're not just stupid,
they're evidence.
And we spoke with one of his employees.
Said he had to beef up security
because he was so concerned about you.
Please, I didn't kill Jerome.
- I was just pissed.
- Why's that?
Son of a bitch persuaded me
to partner up with his firm.
We were going to change the world
and make billions doing it.
Then two months after
the deal closes, he fires me.
That would piss me off too.
When's the last time you saw him?
Yesterday morning, around 11:00.
But like I said, I didn't kill him.
Hell, he made me rich.
I walked away
with a $50 million-parachute.
- [WHISTLES]
- Mm.
Just the same, we're gonna need to know
what you were doing last night
around 9:30.
I was in my apartment drinking Scotch.
I ordered some Chinese food around 9:00.
Ask my doorman.
- He'll verify all this.
- Yeah, we will.
You and Elliot spend
a lot of time together?
Yeah, during the due diligence process,
we were inseparable
for three or four months.
Was there anything unusual going on?
Was anyone threatening him? Suing him?
A guy like Jerome?
Guessing he gets threatened
and sued a lot.
But from where I sit,
it sounded like his bigger
problems were at home.
Meaning what?
Few days ago,
he got into a nasty argument
with his daughter.
I could hear her screaming
through the phone.
She was furious.
He found a vape pen in my bedroom,
started yelling at me,
and, yeah, I got upset.
He said some mean things that
I lost my temper and started screaming.
- Did you two argue a lot?
- Yeah, but, um
It was usually my fault.
I can be a nightmare.
When's the last time
you saw your father?
Yesterday morning before school.
What about last night?
Did you go out? Stay home?
I had dinner with my mother
at a sushi place
in the Meatpacking District.
What time did you finish?
Little after 8:00.
I didn't even get to say goodbye
[SNIFFLES] Or sorry.
Sorry for what?
We got in a fight yesterday morning.
Another one.
He was pissed I bought tickets
to Taylor Swift without asking him.
And he called me a spoiled brat.
And I-I I got really mad.
Last thing I said to him
was, "I hate you."
[SOBBING]
- [GRUNTS]
- Hey, sweetheart.
Whoa, whoa. Whoa, you look good.
Client's in town from San Francisco.
We're doing a dinner thing.
Can't knock the hustle.
I feel like I should know that phrase.
- Jay-Z.
- Mm.
- Rough day?
- Yeah.
This case I'm workin'.
The vic left behind
a 16-year-old daughter.
Mm.
In fact, the student goes to Cromwell.
Really?
That's terrible.
Wonder if Lily knows her.
- Be safe.
- Mm.
I mean, we're not,
like, friends or anything.
- She a good kid?
- I guess.
I don't know her too well.
She hangs out with the rich kids.
Mm.
But we spent a lot of time together
at the retreat.
Retreat?
That field trip up in Woodstock.
She was in my share group.
What's that?
We broke into small groups
and talked about our problems.
Some kids got really deep too.
Like, talked about all kinds of things.
Yeah?
Like what?
I'm not supposed to talk about it.
Lily, I'm your father.
You can tell me anything.
It'll stay between you and me,
I promise.
What did they share?
Kids talked about stuff like
eating disorders, sexual assault, drugs.
What?
And the school wanted you
to actually talk about this
in front of other kids?
That's the whole point. Yeah.
W-what'd you share?
Nothing bad. [CHUCKLES]
Lily, that wasn't the question.
I didn't say much.
I just listened.
There's nothing to worry about.
What about this Sophia Elliot?
She share anything that was concerning?
Dad, I'm not supposed
to, like, talk about that.
Look, if she said something
that can help me find the
person who killed her father,
I need to know.
She said her father was abusive
and that
she was afraid
he might kill her someday.
Sophia?
I don't mean to bother you.
I just, uh
I just have
a few follow-up questions I'd
Would you mind if we talked in private?
Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.
This is my boyfriend, Aaron.
- Hey.
- Good to meet you, Aaron.
What's going on?
You've already asked her
a bunch of questions.
We just have a few more.
Let's talk outside.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Someone told us that, uh
your father may have been abusing you.
What?
You told some of your classmates
that you were afraid of your dad
and that he was abusing you.
Is that correct?
The retreat was supposed to be private.
Who told you that?
We can't say.
Your daughter?
Sophia, I know this is hard.
We're just trying to figure out if
If what?
I killed him?
I loved my father.
He was my best friend.
Then why'd you say he abused you?
I don't know. I
I didn't mean it literally.
I was just venting.
I he never hit me
or anything like that.
He wo he would just get mad
at me for doing stupid things,
like all fathers.
So when kids were sharing
their negative experiences, I
That's what popped into my head.
Okay.
I think I understand.
Thanks.
Sophia and her mom got home at 8:20,
but Sophia is seen sneaking out
of the building alone
- at 8:50.
- Mm.
Doesn't get back
till well after midnight.
Cameras track her stopping off
at a condo in Tribeca at 9:12.
So she lied to us about
turning in for the evening.
Yes, sir.
We know who she was visiting?
Shouldn't be too hard to figure out.
There's only five units in the building.
Here's a list of the registered owners.
Walsh.
I recognize that name.
There's a kid in Lily's class
named, uh
Cooper Walsh.
That's our guy.
Cooper Walsh?
Hey, hey! Kid, don't run!
Yo! Hey! [BRAKES SCREECH]
[HORN HONKS]
Police!
[GRUNTS]
Stay on the ground! Stay on the ground!
Cooper, turn over.
[GRUNTING]
Nice work, bro.
Felt good too. [HANDCUFFS CLICKING]
[CHUCKLES]
I really didn't know
you guys were the police, okay?
I heard someone yell my name,
and then I got nervous.
- Nervous?
- Yeah.
Why's that?
Hey.
One of my friend's fathers
just got murdered, okay?
Okay, and I might have
smoked a little bit of weed
with my buddies, so I'm
a little bit paranoid, okay?
- You're 18, right?
- Yes. Yeah, why?
Just wanna make sure we don't
have to call Mommy and Daddy.
Okay, well, I didn't do anything wrong.
I swear, so
Cooper, you're friends
with Sophia Elliot.
- Right?
- Yeah.
She was over at your condo
two nights ago?
Yeah. Yeah, she came over
around, like, 9:00 or 9:30,
something like that.
What time did she leave?
Midnight, I guess.
Maybe. Something like I don't know.
Why? What's going on?
We're just trying to understand
where Sophia was
around 9:30 that evening.
And like I said, she was with me, so
- Just the two of y'all?
- Yeah.
[CHUCKLES] My parents were in London.
Help us out here, Cooper,
'cause when we asked her
where she was the night
of her father's murder,
she never mentioned
that she was seeing you.
Is there a reason?
Is she hidin' something?
No, look, I think
she feels badly about
[CLEARS THROAT]
She has a boyfriend, okay?
She's tried to break up with
him several times, but he
He gets very emotional, and
she starts feelin' all guilty.
And we're back to nowhere.
Well, I wouldn't say
we're back to nowhere.
I'd say we're [CLEARS THROAT]
Nowhere-adjacent.
Yeah, okay.
So what do we know?
Well, killer is about 5'9"-ish.
Uh, thin build.
And robbery was not a motive.
Okay, so either
it is a random act of violence
or somebody was targeting him.
I don't believe in randomness.
Yeah, neither do I.
So let's assume
that this was a targeted attack
and the killer didn't just get lucky
and bump into Elliot at East River Park,
which means they knew where Elliot was.
Hey, I'm checking the victim's cell.
Elliot was sharing GPS data
with another phone.
Someone was tracking him?
Question is, who?
Yeah.
And why?
I'm sorry, but I have no idea
what you are talking about.
Jerome Elliot's phone
was sharing GPS data
with a burner phone
registered in your name.
We just want to know why.
I don't own a burner.
And I don't know Mr. Elliot.
I've never even met him.
Okay, Cooper.
- Your number is 646-555-0144?
- No.
- Is that right?
- No, it's not.
This is my number.
Okay. I think we're done here.
Excuse me?
If you want to ask any more questions,
I need to notify his parents.
- Man's 18.
- He's still a kid.
And I'm still head of the school.
Okay, okay.
Cooper, you can go. Thank you.
Okay. Thank you.
Is there anything else
I can help you with?
Yes.
Who is in charge of the class retreat?
Excuse me?
The retreat for the juniors
up in Woodstock.
How do you know about that?
Oh, my daughter goes to school here.
- Oh.
- Shocking, I know.
A cop's kid goes to a place like this?
- I didn't mean it like that.
- Sure you did.
I get it all the time.
Anyway, who's in charge
of the retreat?
It was a great couple of days.
And I think the kids really needed it.
- They've been through a lot.
- What do you mean?
They spent half their high
school career in isolation.
COVID robbed these kids
of a normal life.
They lost two years
Two very important years.
Instead of socializing and having fun,
they were trapped at home
staring at their computers
and their phones.
I agree. It's been very hard on them.
I assume Lily didn't
share anything of concern.
What the kids say at the retreat
stays at the retreat.
Ah, like Vegas. [CHUCKLES]
I respect your desire for privacy.
I'm just trying to find out
if Cooper Walsh
said anything concerning.
I just told you,
I can't discuss what the kids
Sure you can.
Cooper is a person of interest
in the murder of Jerome Elliot.
And I'm a homicide detective.
Sorry.
I can't talk about anything
that was discussed in confidence.
Okay. Let's forget about the retreat.
Let me just ask a general question.
Is Cooper a good kid?
He's a great kid.
Top of his class,
active in charitable programs.
In my opinion, as a psychologist,
there's nothing that suggests
he's capable of violence.
That's good to know.
And for the record, in
my opinion as a homicide cop,
everybody's capable.
This kid, Cooper,
seemed genuinely baffled.
I think he's tellin' the truth.
So someone
registered the phone in his name?
For what? To frame him?
Or spy on Jerome Elliot
without gettin' caught.
Hey, Yee, how are we doing
on that address
where the prepaid phone was delivered?
It's 468 Madison Avenue, apartment 7F.
It's definitely not Cooper's address.
- Ah.
- It's an apartment owned
by the Lawrence Cynthia Cole
Family Trust.
They got kids?
One. Aaron Cole, age 16.
Aaron?
Wasn't that the name
of Sophia's boyfriend?
Yeah.
Pull up his social media.
Okay.
Show me the video we have
near the crime scene.
Mm-hmm.
Here it is in slo-mo.
Same size, build.
I got no idea what's going on
or why this kid, Aaron, has
been tracking Jerome Elliot,
but we need some answers.
We need to talk to him now.
We can get you something
to drink, if you'd like.
I'm fine.
Hey, Frank, Dad's on his way up.
How about something to eat?
Granola bar? Apples?
I'm not hungry.
Okay. Up to you.
Why don't you have a seat?
And we'll come back when
your dad gets here, all right?
There you go.
I thought Sophia was cheating on me.
She was always busy, you know?
And every time I tried
to hang out with her,
she'd say she was having dinner
with her father,
so I hacked into his phone.
- And I know that isn't right
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
We wanna talk all about that,
but not right now.
Not before your dad gets here.
She was terrified. I had to protect her.
And so, I killed him, but I
didn't have any other choice.
And I know it's not the right thing,
but I-I just didn't know
any other way to protect her.
Stop talking. Not another word.
Let's go, Aaron. We're leaving.
No, no, no. It's too late for that.
Step back.
Your son just confessed to a murder.
Put your hands behind your back, son.
[HANDCUFFS CLICK]
The defendant isn't a hardened criminal.
He's a 16-year-old kid.
Who brutally murdered
a pillar of New York's
business community.
I'm not arguing for absolution, Sam.
I'm saying he's a mixed-up teen
who made a terrible mistake.
Are you suggesting we kick
this over to juvenile court?
Well, I'm suggesting
we at least consider it.
[SCOFFS] If he were a Black gangbanger,
would we be having this conversation?
No, this has nothing to do with race.
But it does.
The last three homicide cases
involving similar-aged defendants
have all been tried as adults.
And they have all been Black.
All right, if you're
saying that this office
has been systematically overcharging
young Black defendants, I agree.
But how does trying Aaron Cole
as an adult
solve that problem?
It doesn't.
But it keeps the city from rioting
and accusing us of being racist.
You wanna sacrifice this kid's future
in the name of politics?
What I want
is to treat everyone equally.
And right now, that means
trying him as an adult.
He's six weeks shy of his 17th birthday
and he beat a man to death.
[SIGHS]
Forgive me for not shedding a tear.
We're seeking remand, Your Honor.
The defendant confessed to the murder.
And the evidence we've collected so far
supports that confession.
Aaron Cole has no criminal record
and poses no flight risk.
His father's a respected surgeon.
His mom runs a charitable foundation.
The defendant's parents
aren't on trial here.
We're talking
about an honor roll student
who's never been
in trouble before, Judge.
He's a kid.
This case should be tried
in a juvenile court.
Kid, adult, sultan of Brunei,
a man's skull was caved in.
Remanded. [GAVEL BANGS] Next case.
Mom.
We're going to get you
out of here, Aaron.
Don't worry.
Why are you doing this?
Why are you pretending he's an adult?
He's just a boy, for God's sake.
We're moving to suppress the confession.
The confession is valid.
The detectives invited Aaron Cole
to have a conversation
at the 27th Precinct.
He agreed.
En route, they called his parents,
let them know what was going on.
Once they arrived at the precinct,
they escorted Aaron to a safe space.
They didn't ask him a single question.
And then, totally unprovoked,
he blurted out his confession.
There's nothing
the detectives could have done.
Sure there is.
They could have waited
for his parents to show up
before taking him to the precinct.
They could have brought him
to a safer location.
A break room in a busy police precinct?
That's hardly an appropriate
place to question a child.
The detectives did the best they could
under the circumstances.
The statute doesn't care
about best efforts.
It cares about preventing
abuse and manipulation.
There is no evidence suggesting
their actions were abusive
or manipulative.
It is not their fault that he confessed.
What'd you expect them to do,
block their ears?
The defendant was 16 years old
at the time of the homicide, Judge.
He should have been accorded
more protection.
And don't give me this nonsense
about a break room being a safe space.
I promise you, that's not what
the legislature had in mind.
He was never questioned
in the break room
or anywhere else.
So it really doesn't matter
where they escorted him.
He would have confessed anyway.
But he's 16.
He will be 17 in two days.
The confession is suppressed.
Hey. How's it looking?
Without the confession,
more like a three-point shot
than a lay-up.
I don't know.
The evidence is still pretty strong.
We have proof Aaron was
tracking Sophia and her dad
on a burner phone he purchased
using another student's name, right?
Plus, the video of him a few
blocks from the crime scene
minutes before the murder
wearing the same hoodie as the killer.
There was blood on it too,
so that should
That DNA report just came back.
The blood sample is too small.
The lab can't definitively prove
that the blood is a match to Elliot's.
Blood is blood.
The jury can do the math.
Not unless we paint the right picture.
The jury needs to understand
why Aaron killed Elliot,
which means we have to prove
that Aaron knew what
Sophia said at the retreat.
And the problem is, Aaron wasn't there.
He was home, recovering from COVID.
Exactly.
But there were 78 other kids
at the retreat.
It's hard to imagine they all
kept their mouths shut.
Uh-huh.
I'll have Cosgrove and Shaw dig back in.
[PHONE CHIMES, BUZZES]
Good news.
Good enough to make me forget
that we just lost Aaron's confession?
No, but close.
Detective Yee just found footage
of Aaron walking in and out
of a vacant lot
near his place
30 minutes after the murder.
[DUMPSTER LID CREAKS, THUDS]
Oh.
Whoa.
I got something here.
And that ain't ketchup.
I just heard back from the lab.
The blood on the tennis racket
matches the victim's.
- Fingerprints?
- No luck.
Ah, doesn't matter.
The video we have
of Aaron coming and going
out of the vacant lot
should be good enough.
Plus, all the additional
evidence we have.
- Strong case.
- Well, not according to Price.
He still wants proof that Aaron
knew about the alleged abuse.
Hey, I think I found something.
This was sent to Aaron's phone
the day after the retreat.
"Crazy that Sophia had to live
with this threat hanging over her."
Do you know who sent it?
The name didn't pop up on Aaron's phone,
but I can track this number.
That's okay.
I'll take care of it.
Hey, Lil.
Uh, we need to talk.
Okay.
We found
the text you sent to Aaron.
What do you mean?
About Sophia's father?
I knew Aaron was dating her.
And we're in the same
history class, so I-I just
Why didn't you tell me?
Well, I didn't think it was a big deal.
It is.
This this is my fault?
This is my fault, isn't it?
[STAMMERING]
If I hadn't told Aaron, then
No, that's not what I meant.
I was so freaked out
about what Sophia said.
And I needed to talk
To talk about what I'd heard,
- so I told Aaron.
- Come here. Come here.
Come here, sweetie.
I'm sorry.
[SOBBING]
Don't tell anybody, okay?
Can you keep this a secret, please?
Your daughter goes to school
with the defendant?
Yeah, and she told the defendant
what Sophia said
about her father at the retreat
and texted him too.
Well, that's obviously
helpful information.
I know, but
if there's anything you can do
to keep my daughter
off the witness stand,
I'd appreciate that.
[SIGHS]
Look, I get it, but
I need to do what's best for the case.
Your daughter's conversations
with the defendant are important.
They help establish motive.
They prove he knew
of Sophia's abuse allegations.
There has to be other kids
that talked to Aaron about this.
Maybe, but we haven't
been able to find any
and neither have you.
She's my kid, Nolan.
I'm sorry, Frank. I really am.
But I have no choice.
The teacher said they wanted us
to divulge our secrets to the group
Our feelings, hardships.
And did the victim's daughter
disclose allegations of abuse
at her father's hand?
Yes, they were really disturbing.
And did you have occasion
to convey to the defendant
those allegations
the day after the retreat?
Yeah.
I told him what Sophia said.
And what did Aaron do after you told him
about those allegations?
He was upset.
He said Sophia's father was a monster.
I swear to God
I thought he was just gonna make sure
that Sophia was okay,
not kill her father.
Thank you, Miss Cosgrove.
Miss Cosgrove,
you're on scholarship
at Cromwell, correct?
That's right.
No chance you're lying here today
to make yourself
the center of attention?
Maybe impress all those rich
kids that look down on you?
Objection. Argumentative and absurd.
Sustained.
Your father is a detective.
He was involved in this case, correct?
Yes.
Well, that's one more reason to lie.
- Your Honor?
- Sustained.
Watch it, Ms. Whitmer.
I'm telling the truth.
I told Aaron what Sophia said
at the retreat.
Hmm.
You shared your own secrets at
that retreat too, didn't you?
Yes, all the students did.
Did you tell your fellow students
that you had suicidal thoughts?
Objection. Relevance?
Goes to impeachment.
The witness's admission
of emotional instability
at the retreat
undermines her credibility.
My daughter is not on trial here.
Sit down, Detective.
Interrupt again,
I'll hold you in contempt.
Judge, may we approach?
Miss Cosgrove's personal
disclosures at that retreat
are irrelevant and should
be stricken from the record.
Her mental state
informs her credibility.
I agree with Ms. Whitmer.
It goes to impeachment.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- But you've made your point.
I'm not allowing a trial
about Miss Cosgrove's
emotional well-being.
Understood. I have no more
questions for this witness.
Mr. Price, you can redirect,
if you wish.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Miss Cosgrove, your father
is a detective, correct?
Yes.
So growing up,
you have been exposed
to the legal system.
You know how critical it is
to tell the truth
in a court of law, right?
Yes.
Are you currently experiencing
any emotional instability
that might impact
your truthfulness here today?
Objection.
If the witness is emotionally unstable,
she is not competent
to assess how that instability
affects the truthfulness of
her testimony.
Overruled. The witness can answer.
No.
I'm fine.
And I told the truth.
I told the truth.
Lily. Lily.
- Lily, wait.
- Lily, stop.
Lily, Lily. Hey, hey, hey.
Hey.
- I never talked about suicide.
I never said I had those thoughts.
But even if you did, you can
always talk to us about it.
You know that, right?
All I said was that
when I get really stressed,
I can I can understand
how kids can do crazy things.
Like, I-I was just trying
to bear my soul and be open
like the school told us to do,
but I swear I'm fine.
We understand. It's gotta be stressful.
You know you can always
come to us with anything.
I know, but
you said you wouldn't
tell anybody about this,
and you lied.
I got her.
She just needs to blow off some steam.
Ms. Whitmer.
The Defense calls Alan Meyerson.
Uh, Judge, may we approach?
The People object to this witness.
- Excuse me?
- Cromwell Academy's
potential liability
for the victim's death
is a civil matter.
Has nothing to do with this case.
We intend to argue that Aaron Cole
is not guilty by reason of insanity.
- What? Insanity?
- And that the reckless
disclosures of the victim's
daughter at the retreat
helped to insight
Mr. Cole's mental breakdown.
So now he did it
but only because
the retreat drove him insane?
That that is insane.
The defendant wasn't even there.
She's blaming the school for the murder.
They can call
whomever they want, Mr. Price.
Your objection is overruled.
- Your Honor
- Now, step back.
The retreat is integral
to fostering a spirit of
community amongst our students.
It's an aid to their emotional growth.
Dr. Meyerson, do you have a degree
in developmental psychology?
No, my doctorate is in education.
But surely you vetted
the retreat's agenda
with developmental psychologists, right?
Well, the creation of a safe space
for our students
doesn't require a form
- Meaning you didn't.
- Objection.
The witness is entitled to answer.
Dr. Meyerson?
[CLEARS THROAT]
No, we didn't vet the retreat
with anybody,
nor do we need to.
Meaning you don't have
the slightest idea
whether your retreats damage
your students or not, do you?
They most certainly do not.
Are you aware of any emotional trauma
suffered by students
stemming from your retreats?
No, our retreat is designed
to prevent emotional trauma,
not trigger it.
Well, I think there's a design flaw,
because your retreat triggered my client
to commit a regrettable act of violence.
But even more regrettable
is he was a 16-year-old student
at your school.
Your job was to help
your students, protect them,
not fill their heads
with complicated stories
of abuse and violence.
Objection. She's making a speech.
Withdrawn.
Dr. Meyerson, how many retreats
- has your school sponsored?
- Eight.
Prior to this, has any student
ever behaved in a violent manner
in the wake of one of those retreats?
No.
Because the retreat is
a positive, constructive event
- that helps students, correct?
- Yes.
It doesn't
turn them into killers.
Of course not.
Yeah. Nothing further.
You're excused.
The Defense calls Aaron Cole.
When your friend, Lily, told you
what Sophia said about her father,
how did that make you feel?
Awful.
I was scared for her.
Scared he might hurt her again.
Or worse, kill her.
Did you and Lily
have additional conversations
about Sophia and her father
after that text?
Yeah.
We talked about it at school,
texted about it more.
Just made me angrier.
What do you remember about the evening
you killed Jerome Elliot?
I remember feeling
this incredible anger.
And my heart started racing like
Like I was in danger.
It's it's hard to describe.
Because you were worried about Sophia?
Yeah.
I kept thinking
he was gonna kill her.
And then
I blacked out.
I don't even remember
walking to East River Park.
I
I just remember standing there
over Mr. Elliot's body
with my tennis racket.
And
he was
He was dead.
I'm so sorry.
[SIGHS]
I'm so sorry. [SNIFFLES]
Nothing further.
Mr. Price.
Mr. Cole, do you recall
secretly manipulating the GPS data
on Jerome and Sophia Elliot's phones
three weeks prior to the retreat?
Yes, I'm ashamed of that.
Oh, but you did it anyway, right?
So you could stalk Sophia
and make sure she wasn't
cheating on you, right?
Yes.
The day after the retreat,
do you remember
picking out your tennis racket,
then tracking down Mr. Elliot
in East River Park,
and striking him repeatedly in the head
- until he was dead?
- No.
You then hid that tennis racket
in a vacant lot near your apartment
so no one could find it.
I don't remember any of that. I swear.
The truth is, you executed
a careful and methodical plan
to kill the father of a girl
you loved to impress her.
Objection. Counsel's testifying.
Sustained.
You set out to kill Jerome Elliot
and you succeeded, correct?
I don't
I don't remember any of that.
I swear.
Sophia, I love you.
I thought
your dad was going to kill you.
I was just trying to do the right thing.
That's enough. We're adjourned.
[GAVEL BANGS]
Thought you said
you were gonna tread lightly?
Well, he's a better liar than I thought.
Why, was I Was I too aggressive?
- Definitely weren't timid.
- [CHUCKLES]
I needed to establish his state of mind,
that he knew right from wrong
and that he made
all kinds of logical choices
and decisions that evening.
Hey. Got a second?
I wanna discuss a plea.
Something that's fair
to all parties concerned.
If it were only that easy.
How's man one sound? Ten years.
Come on, Nolan. You know that's fair.
Whether or not
my client is actually insane,
it is clear that he's emotionally
and psychologically unstable.
And he is incredibly immature.
And he killed a 53-year-old
man with a tennis racket.
What he did was horrific, I get it.
But he's just a boy.
And there's no way
he deserves to rot in prison.
I will wait for your call.
The evidence is strong, right?
Hell, the Defense admits
Aaron killed Jerome Elliot.
The only question is,
does the jury buy this
ridiculous insanity defense?
No, the only question is,
will they blame Cromwell Academy
more than young, lovesick Aaron Cole?
They might.
Like I said before, he is
a screwed up, sympathetic kid.
What's your point? [SIGHS]
Maybe it's time
we acknowledge he's just 17.
We're trying him as an adult, Nolan.
We made that decision already.
You mean, you made that decision.
I damn well did.
For what it's worth, I agree with Jack.
The kid who killed my sister
was just 17 too.
Didn't make it any less horrible
and didn't make her any less dead.
Now, you always say
that we can't rewrite the law
every time we have empathy
for a defendant.
I'll call Whitmer.
On the sole charge of murder
in the second degree,
how do you find?
We find the defendant
guilty.
No!
We thank you for your service.
We're adjourned. [GAVEL BANGS]
No, I
Please, no.
[SOBBING] No!
No, please.
No!
Mom? Dad?
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
How's she doing?
[SIGHS]
♪
I love you, kid.
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.
Was he upset?
[SCOFFS] No, more like livid.
Eh, not that I blame him.
I mean, no one likes to get fired.
I get it.
But just to be safe,
we should beef up security
for the next few weeks.
I'm sure I'm overreacting,
but you never know.
Pride is a dangerous thing.
Okay, sounds good.
See you tomorrow, bright and early.
[SIGHS]
I love this city.
[GROANS]
What are we lookin' at?
Male, white, mid-50s.
Blunt-force trauma.
Several severe blows
to the side of the head.
- Ooh.
- Still got his watch.
Patek Philippe.
So either the killer
doesn't know watches
or this was not a robbery.
Uh, the latter?
Wallet's still in his front pocket.
- Time of death?
- Around 9:30.
911 call came in at 9:37.
From her.
She know anything?
Uh, saw someone.
Running west. That's about it.
Well, unless the killer's
a fish, he didn't run east.
[CHUCKLES]
All right, let's get a canvass going.
Some witnesses
and surveillance cameras, yeah?
Jerome Elliot, CEO/founder
of Shelvern Capital.
"We find innovative ways
to sustain life."
Not innovative enough.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
Jerome was a good man.
He was
my everything.
Sorry.
No, we're sorry for your loss.
May I ask you, is there anyone
who wanted to harm your husband?
Did he have any enemies?
Uh, not that I'm aware of.
Not on a personal level, anyway.
How about a professional level?
I'm not sure.
We didn't talk about his business much.
Any idea why he was walking
in East River Park last night?
That's what he did at night.
He liked to walk
and look around
and take in the city lights.
It was one of his favorite
things in the world.
Said that's
when he did his best thinking.
- Mom?
- Hi, baby.
You go to Cromwell Academy?
- I'm a junior.
- Good for you.
I just have to ask you,
did you notice anything unusual
these past two weeks with your father?
Was anyone following him?
Was anyone harassing him?
I don't know.
Okay. Thank you.
That should be it.
Thank you for your time.
It's probably nothing,
but a few days ago,
Jerome started complaining about work.
- Was that unusual?
- Very.
He never complained,
but the other night,
he seemed, um
really stressed.
Said he was tired of being
the bad guy all the time.
Thank you.
Guy's got, what,
a $40 million-apartment?
- Maybe more?
- Give or take.
My point is, if he's a billionaire,
why is he so stressed out about work?
- I don't get it.
- I don't know.
Maybe that's why he's a billionaire.
Small world:
Lily goes to the same school
as his daughter.
- Cromwell Academy.
- Ooh, fancy shmancy.
You got a side hustle
I don't know about?
- Free ride.
- Ah, must be smart.
- Takes after her mama, huh?
- [CHUCKLES]
Great school.
But?
But nothin'.
Okay, fine, it's a little
too progressive for me.
Vi, it's me. Hey, listen.
Hey, I need you to start combin'
through Elliot's emails and texts.
Word is he was stressed out about work.
Let's see if we can find out why.
So I sent some stupid texts.
Problem is, Elliot was killed
shortly after you sent
those stupid texts.
So they're not just stupid,
they're evidence.
And we spoke with one of his employees.
Said he had to beef up security
because he was so concerned about you.
Please, I didn't kill Jerome.
- I was just pissed.
- Why's that?
Son of a bitch persuaded me
to partner up with his firm.
We were going to change the world
and make billions doing it.
Then two months after
the deal closes, he fires me.
That would piss me off too.
When's the last time you saw him?
Yesterday morning, around 11:00.
But like I said, I didn't kill him.
Hell, he made me rich.
I walked away
with a $50 million-parachute.
- [WHISTLES]
- Mm.
Just the same, we're gonna need to know
what you were doing last night
around 9:30.
I was in my apartment drinking Scotch.
I ordered some Chinese food around 9:00.
Ask my doorman.
- He'll verify all this.
- Yeah, we will.
You and Elliot spend
a lot of time together?
Yeah, during the due diligence process,
we were inseparable
for three or four months.
Was there anything unusual going on?
Was anyone threatening him? Suing him?
A guy like Jerome?
Guessing he gets threatened
and sued a lot.
But from where I sit,
it sounded like his bigger
problems were at home.
Meaning what?
Few days ago,
he got into a nasty argument
with his daughter.
I could hear her screaming
through the phone.
She was furious.
He found a vape pen in my bedroom,
started yelling at me,
and, yeah, I got upset.
He said some mean things that
I lost my temper and started screaming.
- Did you two argue a lot?
- Yeah, but, um
It was usually my fault.
I can be a nightmare.
When's the last time
you saw your father?
Yesterday morning before school.
What about last night?
Did you go out? Stay home?
I had dinner with my mother
at a sushi place
in the Meatpacking District.
What time did you finish?
Little after 8:00.
I didn't even get to say goodbye
[SNIFFLES] Or sorry.
Sorry for what?
We got in a fight yesterday morning.
Another one.
He was pissed I bought tickets
to Taylor Swift without asking him.
And he called me a spoiled brat.
And I-I I got really mad.
Last thing I said to him
was, "I hate you."
[SOBBING]
- [GRUNTS]
- Hey, sweetheart.
Whoa, whoa. Whoa, you look good.
Client's in town from San Francisco.
We're doing a dinner thing.
Can't knock the hustle.
I feel like I should know that phrase.
- Jay-Z.
- Mm.
- Rough day?
- Yeah.
This case I'm workin'.
The vic left behind
a 16-year-old daughter.
Mm.
In fact, the student goes to Cromwell.
Really?
That's terrible.
Wonder if Lily knows her.
- Be safe.
- Mm.
I mean, we're not,
like, friends or anything.
- She a good kid?
- I guess.
I don't know her too well.
She hangs out with the rich kids.
Mm.
But we spent a lot of time together
at the retreat.
Retreat?
That field trip up in Woodstock.
She was in my share group.
What's that?
We broke into small groups
and talked about our problems.
Some kids got really deep too.
Like, talked about all kinds of things.
Yeah?
Like what?
I'm not supposed to talk about it.
Lily, I'm your father.
You can tell me anything.
It'll stay between you and me,
I promise.
What did they share?
Kids talked about stuff like
eating disorders, sexual assault, drugs.
What?
And the school wanted you
to actually talk about this
in front of other kids?
That's the whole point. Yeah.
W-what'd you share?
Nothing bad. [CHUCKLES]
Lily, that wasn't the question.
I didn't say much.
I just listened.
There's nothing to worry about.
What about this Sophia Elliot?
She share anything that was concerning?
Dad, I'm not supposed
to, like, talk about that.
Look, if she said something
that can help me find the
person who killed her father,
I need to know.
She said her father was abusive
and that
she was afraid
he might kill her someday.
Sophia?
I don't mean to bother you.
I just, uh
I just have
a few follow-up questions I'd
Would you mind if we talked in private?
Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.
This is my boyfriend, Aaron.
- Hey.
- Good to meet you, Aaron.
What's going on?
You've already asked her
a bunch of questions.
We just have a few more.
Let's talk outside.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Someone told us that, uh
your father may have been abusing you.
What?
You told some of your classmates
that you were afraid of your dad
and that he was abusing you.
Is that correct?
The retreat was supposed to be private.
Who told you that?
We can't say.
Your daughter?
Sophia, I know this is hard.
We're just trying to figure out if
If what?
I killed him?
I loved my father.
He was my best friend.
Then why'd you say he abused you?
I don't know. I
I didn't mean it literally.
I was just venting.
I he never hit me
or anything like that.
He wo he would just get mad
at me for doing stupid things,
like all fathers.
So when kids were sharing
their negative experiences, I
That's what popped into my head.
Okay.
I think I understand.
Thanks.
Sophia and her mom got home at 8:20,
but Sophia is seen sneaking out
of the building alone
- at 8:50.
- Mm.
Doesn't get back
till well after midnight.
Cameras track her stopping off
at a condo in Tribeca at 9:12.
So she lied to us about
turning in for the evening.
Yes, sir.
We know who she was visiting?
Shouldn't be too hard to figure out.
There's only five units in the building.
Here's a list of the registered owners.
Walsh.
I recognize that name.
There's a kid in Lily's class
named, uh
Cooper Walsh.
That's our guy.
Cooper Walsh?
Hey, hey! Kid, don't run!
Yo! Hey! [BRAKES SCREECH]
[HORN HONKS]
Police!
[GRUNTS]
Stay on the ground! Stay on the ground!
Cooper, turn over.
[GRUNTING]
Nice work, bro.
Felt good too. [HANDCUFFS CLICKING]
[CHUCKLES]
I really didn't know
you guys were the police, okay?
I heard someone yell my name,
and then I got nervous.
- Nervous?
- Yeah.
Why's that?
Hey.
One of my friend's fathers
just got murdered, okay?
Okay, and I might have
smoked a little bit of weed
with my buddies, so I'm
a little bit paranoid, okay?
- You're 18, right?
- Yes. Yeah, why?
Just wanna make sure we don't
have to call Mommy and Daddy.
Okay, well, I didn't do anything wrong.
I swear, so
Cooper, you're friends
with Sophia Elliot.
- Right?
- Yeah.
She was over at your condo
two nights ago?
Yeah. Yeah, she came over
around, like, 9:00 or 9:30,
something like that.
What time did she leave?
Midnight, I guess.
Maybe. Something like I don't know.
Why? What's going on?
We're just trying to understand
where Sophia was
around 9:30 that evening.
And like I said, she was with me, so
- Just the two of y'all?
- Yeah.
[CHUCKLES] My parents were in London.
Help us out here, Cooper,
'cause when we asked her
where she was the night
of her father's murder,
she never mentioned
that she was seeing you.
Is there a reason?
Is she hidin' something?
No, look, I think
she feels badly about
[CLEARS THROAT]
She has a boyfriend, okay?
She's tried to break up with
him several times, but he
He gets very emotional, and
she starts feelin' all guilty.
And we're back to nowhere.
Well, I wouldn't say
we're back to nowhere.
I'd say we're [CLEARS THROAT]
Nowhere-adjacent.
Yeah, okay.
So what do we know?
Well, killer is about 5'9"-ish.
Uh, thin build.
And robbery was not a motive.
Okay, so either
it is a random act of violence
or somebody was targeting him.
I don't believe in randomness.
Yeah, neither do I.
So let's assume
that this was a targeted attack
and the killer didn't just get lucky
and bump into Elliot at East River Park,
which means they knew where Elliot was.
Hey, I'm checking the victim's cell.
Elliot was sharing GPS data
with another phone.
Someone was tracking him?
Question is, who?
Yeah.
And why?
I'm sorry, but I have no idea
what you are talking about.
Jerome Elliot's phone
was sharing GPS data
with a burner phone
registered in your name.
We just want to know why.
I don't own a burner.
And I don't know Mr. Elliot.
I've never even met him.
Okay, Cooper.
- Your number is 646-555-0144?
- No.
- Is that right?
- No, it's not.
This is my number.
Okay. I think we're done here.
Excuse me?
If you want to ask any more questions,
I need to notify his parents.
- Man's 18.
- He's still a kid.
And I'm still head of the school.
Okay, okay.
Cooper, you can go. Thank you.
Okay. Thank you.
Is there anything else
I can help you with?
Yes.
Who is in charge of the class retreat?
Excuse me?
The retreat for the juniors
up in Woodstock.
How do you know about that?
Oh, my daughter goes to school here.
- Oh.
- Shocking, I know.
A cop's kid goes to a place like this?
- I didn't mean it like that.
- Sure you did.
I get it all the time.
Anyway, who's in charge
of the retreat?
It was a great couple of days.
And I think the kids really needed it.
- They've been through a lot.
- What do you mean?
They spent half their high
school career in isolation.
COVID robbed these kids
of a normal life.
They lost two years
Two very important years.
Instead of socializing and having fun,
they were trapped at home
staring at their computers
and their phones.
I agree. It's been very hard on them.
I assume Lily didn't
share anything of concern.
What the kids say at the retreat
stays at the retreat.
Ah, like Vegas. [CHUCKLES]
I respect your desire for privacy.
I'm just trying to find out
if Cooper Walsh
said anything concerning.
I just told you,
I can't discuss what the kids
Sure you can.
Cooper is a person of interest
in the murder of Jerome Elliot.
And I'm a homicide detective.
Sorry.
I can't talk about anything
that was discussed in confidence.
Okay. Let's forget about the retreat.
Let me just ask a general question.
Is Cooper a good kid?
He's a great kid.
Top of his class,
active in charitable programs.
In my opinion, as a psychologist,
there's nothing that suggests
he's capable of violence.
That's good to know.
And for the record, in
my opinion as a homicide cop,
everybody's capable.
This kid, Cooper,
seemed genuinely baffled.
I think he's tellin' the truth.
So someone
registered the phone in his name?
For what? To frame him?
Or spy on Jerome Elliot
without gettin' caught.
Hey, Yee, how are we doing
on that address
where the prepaid phone was delivered?
It's 468 Madison Avenue, apartment 7F.
It's definitely not Cooper's address.
- Ah.
- It's an apartment owned
by the Lawrence Cynthia Cole
Family Trust.
They got kids?
One. Aaron Cole, age 16.
Aaron?
Wasn't that the name
of Sophia's boyfriend?
Yeah.
Pull up his social media.
Okay.
Show me the video we have
near the crime scene.
Mm-hmm.
Here it is in slo-mo.
Same size, build.
I got no idea what's going on
or why this kid, Aaron, has
been tracking Jerome Elliot,
but we need some answers.
We need to talk to him now.
We can get you something
to drink, if you'd like.
I'm fine.
Hey, Frank, Dad's on his way up.
How about something to eat?
Granola bar? Apples?
I'm not hungry.
Okay. Up to you.
Why don't you have a seat?
And we'll come back when
your dad gets here, all right?
There you go.
I thought Sophia was cheating on me.
She was always busy, you know?
And every time I tried
to hang out with her,
she'd say she was having dinner
with her father,
so I hacked into his phone.
- And I know that isn't right
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
We wanna talk all about that,
but not right now.
Not before your dad gets here.
She was terrified. I had to protect her.
And so, I killed him, but I
didn't have any other choice.
And I know it's not the right thing,
but I-I just didn't know
any other way to protect her.
Stop talking. Not another word.
Let's go, Aaron. We're leaving.
No, no, no. It's too late for that.
Step back.
Your son just confessed to a murder.
Put your hands behind your back, son.
[HANDCUFFS CLICK]
The defendant isn't a hardened criminal.
He's a 16-year-old kid.
Who brutally murdered
a pillar of New York's
business community.
I'm not arguing for absolution, Sam.
I'm saying he's a mixed-up teen
who made a terrible mistake.
Are you suggesting we kick
this over to juvenile court?
Well, I'm suggesting
we at least consider it.
[SCOFFS] If he were a Black gangbanger,
would we be having this conversation?
No, this has nothing to do with race.
But it does.
The last three homicide cases
involving similar-aged defendants
have all been tried as adults.
And they have all been Black.
All right, if you're
saying that this office
has been systematically overcharging
young Black defendants, I agree.
But how does trying Aaron Cole
as an adult
solve that problem?
It doesn't.
But it keeps the city from rioting
and accusing us of being racist.
You wanna sacrifice this kid's future
in the name of politics?
What I want
is to treat everyone equally.
And right now, that means
trying him as an adult.
He's six weeks shy of his 17th birthday
and he beat a man to death.
[SIGHS]
Forgive me for not shedding a tear.
We're seeking remand, Your Honor.
The defendant confessed to the murder.
And the evidence we've collected so far
supports that confession.
Aaron Cole has no criminal record
and poses no flight risk.
His father's a respected surgeon.
His mom runs a charitable foundation.
The defendant's parents
aren't on trial here.
We're talking
about an honor roll student
who's never been
in trouble before, Judge.
He's a kid.
This case should be tried
in a juvenile court.
Kid, adult, sultan of Brunei,
a man's skull was caved in.
Remanded. [GAVEL BANGS] Next case.
Mom.
We're going to get you
out of here, Aaron.
Don't worry.
Why are you doing this?
Why are you pretending he's an adult?
He's just a boy, for God's sake.
We're moving to suppress the confession.
The confession is valid.
The detectives invited Aaron Cole
to have a conversation
at the 27th Precinct.
He agreed.
En route, they called his parents,
let them know what was going on.
Once they arrived at the precinct,
they escorted Aaron to a safe space.
They didn't ask him a single question.
And then, totally unprovoked,
he blurted out his confession.
There's nothing
the detectives could have done.
Sure there is.
They could have waited
for his parents to show up
before taking him to the precinct.
They could have brought him
to a safer location.
A break room in a busy police precinct?
That's hardly an appropriate
place to question a child.
The detectives did the best they could
under the circumstances.
The statute doesn't care
about best efforts.
It cares about preventing
abuse and manipulation.
There is no evidence suggesting
their actions were abusive
or manipulative.
It is not their fault that he confessed.
What'd you expect them to do,
block their ears?
The defendant was 16 years old
at the time of the homicide, Judge.
He should have been accorded
more protection.
And don't give me this nonsense
about a break room being a safe space.
I promise you, that's not what
the legislature had in mind.
He was never questioned
in the break room
or anywhere else.
So it really doesn't matter
where they escorted him.
He would have confessed anyway.
But he's 16.
He will be 17 in two days.
The confession is suppressed.
Hey. How's it looking?
Without the confession,
more like a three-point shot
than a lay-up.
I don't know.
The evidence is still pretty strong.
We have proof Aaron was
tracking Sophia and her dad
on a burner phone he purchased
using another student's name, right?
Plus, the video of him a few
blocks from the crime scene
minutes before the murder
wearing the same hoodie as the killer.
There was blood on it too,
so that should
That DNA report just came back.
The blood sample is too small.
The lab can't definitively prove
that the blood is a match to Elliot's.
Blood is blood.
The jury can do the math.
Not unless we paint the right picture.
The jury needs to understand
why Aaron killed Elliot,
which means we have to prove
that Aaron knew what
Sophia said at the retreat.
And the problem is, Aaron wasn't there.
He was home, recovering from COVID.
Exactly.
But there were 78 other kids
at the retreat.
It's hard to imagine they all
kept their mouths shut.
Uh-huh.
I'll have Cosgrove and Shaw dig back in.
[PHONE CHIMES, BUZZES]
Good news.
Good enough to make me forget
that we just lost Aaron's confession?
No, but close.
Detective Yee just found footage
of Aaron walking in and out
of a vacant lot
near his place
30 minutes after the murder.
[DUMPSTER LID CREAKS, THUDS]
Oh.
Whoa.
I got something here.
And that ain't ketchup.
I just heard back from the lab.
The blood on the tennis racket
matches the victim's.
- Fingerprints?
- No luck.
Ah, doesn't matter.
The video we have
of Aaron coming and going
out of the vacant lot
should be good enough.
Plus, all the additional
evidence we have.
- Strong case.
- Well, not according to Price.
He still wants proof that Aaron
knew about the alleged abuse.
Hey, I think I found something.
This was sent to Aaron's phone
the day after the retreat.
"Crazy that Sophia had to live
with this threat hanging over her."
Do you know who sent it?
The name didn't pop up on Aaron's phone,
but I can track this number.
That's okay.
I'll take care of it.
Hey, Lil.
Uh, we need to talk.
Okay.
We found
the text you sent to Aaron.
What do you mean?
About Sophia's father?
I knew Aaron was dating her.
And we're in the same
history class, so I-I just
Why didn't you tell me?
Well, I didn't think it was a big deal.
It is.
This this is my fault?
This is my fault, isn't it?
[STAMMERING]
If I hadn't told Aaron, then
No, that's not what I meant.
I was so freaked out
about what Sophia said.
And I needed to talk
To talk about what I'd heard,
- so I told Aaron.
- Come here. Come here.
Come here, sweetie.
I'm sorry.
[SOBBING]
Don't tell anybody, okay?
Can you keep this a secret, please?
Your daughter goes to school
with the defendant?
Yeah, and she told the defendant
what Sophia said
about her father at the retreat
and texted him too.
Well, that's obviously
helpful information.
I know, but
if there's anything you can do
to keep my daughter
off the witness stand,
I'd appreciate that.
[SIGHS]
Look, I get it, but
I need to do what's best for the case.
Your daughter's conversations
with the defendant are important.
They help establish motive.
They prove he knew
of Sophia's abuse allegations.
There has to be other kids
that talked to Aaron about this.
Maybe, but we haven't
been able to find any
and neither have you.
She's my kid, Nolan.
I'm sorry, Frank. I really am.
But I have no choice.
The teacher said they wanted us
to divulge our secrets to the group
Our feelings, hardships.
And did the victim's daughter
disclose allegations of abuse
at her father's hand?
Yes, they were really disturbing.
And did you have occasion
to convey to the defendant
those allegations
the day after the retreat?
Yeah.
I told him what Sophia said.
And what did Aaron do after you told him
about those allegations?
He was upset.
He said Sophia's father was a monster.
I swear to God
I thought he was just gonna make sure
that Sophia was okay,
not kill her father.
Thank you, Miss Cosgrove.
Miss Cosgrove,
you're on scholarship
at Cromwell, correct?
That's right.
No chance you're lying here today
to make yourself
the center of attention?
Maybe impress all those rich
kids that look down on you?
Objection. Argumentative and absurd.
Sustained.
Your father is a detective.
He was involved in this case, correct?
Yes.
Well, that's one more reason to lie.
- Your Honor?
- Sustained.
Watch it, Ms. Whitmer.
I'm telling the truth.
I told Aaron what Sophia said
at the retreat.
Hmm.
You shared your own secrets at
that retreat too, didn't you?
Yes, all the students did.
Did you tell your fellow students
that you had suicidal thoughts?
Objection. Relevance?
Goes to impeachment.
The witness's admission
of emotional instability
at the retreat
undermines her credibility.
My daughter is not on trial here.
Sit down, Detective.
Interrupt again,
I'll hold you in contempt.
Judge, may we approach?
Miss Cosgrove's personal
disclosures at that retreat
are irrelevant and should
be stricken from the record.
Her mental state
informs her credibility.
I agree with Ms. Whitmer.
It goes to impeachment.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- But you've made your point.
I'm not allowing a trial
about Miss Cosgrove's
emotional well-being.
Understood. I have no more
questions for this witness.
Mr. Price, you can redirect,
if you wish.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Miss Cosgrove, your father
is a detective, correct?
Yes.
So growing up,
you have been exposed
to the legal system.
You know how critical it is
to tell the truth
in a court of law, right?
Yes.
Are you currently experiencing
any emotional instability
that might impact
your truthfulness here today?
Objection.
If the witness is emotionally unstable,
she is not competent
to assess how that instability
affects the truthfulness of
her testimony.
Overruled. The witness can answer.
No.
I'm fine.
And I told the truth.
I told the truth.
Lily. Lily.
- Lily, wait.
- Lily, stop.
Lily, Lily. Hey, hey, hey.
Hey.
- I never talked about suicide.
I never said I had those thoughts.
But even if you did, you can
always talk to us about it.
You know that, right?
All I said was that
when I get really stressed,
I can I can understand
how kids can do crazy things.
Like, I-I was just trying
to bear my soul and be open
like the school told us to do,
but I swear I'm fine.
We understand. It's gotta be stressful.
You know you can always
come to us with anything.
I know, but
you said you wouldn't
tell anybody about this,
and you lied.
I got her.
She just needs to blow off some steam.
Ms. Whitmer.
The Defense calls Alan Meyerson.
Uh, Judge, may we approach?
The People object to this witness.
- Excuse me?
- Cromwell Academy's
potential liability
for the victim's death
is a civil matter.
Has nothing to do with this case.
We intend to argue that Aaron Cole
is not guilty by reason of insanity.
- What? Insanity?
- And that the reckless
disclosures of the victim's
daughter at the retreat
helped to insight
Mr. Cole's mental breakdown.
So now he did it
but only because
the retreat drove him insane?
That that is insane.
The defendant wasn't even there.
She's blaming the school for the murder.
They can call
whomever they want, Mr. Price.
Your objection is overruled.
- Your Honor
- Now, step back.
The retreat is integral
to fostering a spirit of
community amongst our students.
It's an aid to their emotional growth.
Dr. Meyerson, do you have a degree
in developmental psychology?
No, my doctorate is in education.
But surely you vetted
the retreat's agenda
with developmental psychologists, right?
Well, the creation of a safe space
for our students
doesn't require a form
- Meaning you didn't.
- Objection.
The witness is entitled to answer.
Dr. Meyerson?
[CLEARS THROAT]
No, we didn't vet the retreat
with anybody,
nor do we need to.
Meaning you don't have
the slightest idea
whether your retreats damage
your students or not, do you?
They most certainly do not.
Are you aware of any emotional trauma
suffered by students
stemming from your retreats?
No, our retreat is designed
to prevent emotional trauma,
not trigger it.
Well, I think there's a design flaw,
because your retreat triggered my client
to commit a regrettable act of violence.
But even more regrettable
is he was a 16-year-old student
at your school.
Your job was to help
your students, protect them,
not fill their heads
with complicated stories
of abuse and violence.
Objection. She's making a speech.
Withdrawn.
Dr. Meyerson, how many retreats
- has your school sponsored?
- Eight.
Prior to this, has any student
ever behaved in a violent manner
in the wake of one of those retreats?
No.
Because the retreat is
a positive, constructive event
- that helps students, correct?
- Yes.
It doesn't
turn them into killers.
Of course not.
Yeah. Nothing further.
You're excused.
The Defense calls Aaron Cole.
When your friend, Lily, told you
what Sophia said about her father,
how did that make you feel?
Awful.
I was scared for her.
Scared he might hurt her again.
Or worse, kill her.
Did you and Lily
have additional conversations
about Sophia and her father
after that text?
Yeah.
We talked about it at school,
texted about it more.
Just made me angrier.
What do you remember about the evening
you killed Jerome Elliot?
I remember feeling
this incredible anger.
And my heart started racing like
Like I was in danger.
It's it's hard to describe.
Because you were worried about Sophia?
Yeah.
I kept thinking
he was gonna kill her.
And then
I blacked out.
I don't even remember
walking to East River Park.
I
I just remember standing there
over Mr. Elliot's body
with my tennis racket.
And
he was
He was dead.
I'm so sorry.
[SIGHS]
I'm so sorry. [SNIFFLES]
Nothing further.
Mr. Price.
Mr. Cole, do you recall
secretly manipulating the GPS data
on Jerome and Sophia Elliot's phones
three weeks prior to the retreat?
Yes, I'm ashamed of that.
Oh, but you did it anyway, right?
So you could stalk Sophia
and make sure she wasn't
cheating on you, right?
Yes.
The day after the retreat,
do you remember
picking out your tennis racket,
then tracking down Mr. Elliot
in East River Park,
and striking him repeatedly in the head
- until he was dead?
- No.
You then hid that tennis racket
in a vacant lot near your apartment
so no one could find it.
I don't remember any of that. I swear.
The truth is, you executed
a careful and methodical plan
to kill the father of a girl
you loved to impress her.
Objection. Counsel's testifying.
Sustained.
You set out to kill Jerome Elliot
and you succeeded, correct?
I don't
I don't remember any of that.
I swear.
Sophia, I love you.
I thought
your dad was going to kill you.
I was just trying to do the right thing.
That's enough. We're adjourned.
[GAVEL BANGS]
Thought you said
you were gonna tread lightly?
Well, he's a better liar than I thought.
Why, was I Was I too aggressive?
- Definitely weren't timid.
- [CHUCKLES]
I needed to establish his state of mind,
that he knew right from wrong
and that he made
all kinds of logical choices
and decisions that evening.
Hey. Got a second?
I wanna discuss a plea.
Something that's fair
to all parties concerned.
If it were only that easy.
How's man one sound? Ten years.
Come on, Nolan. You know that's fair.
Whether or not
my client is actually insane,
it is clear that he's emotionally
and psychologically unstable.
And he is incredibly immature.
And he killed a 53-year-old
man with a tennis racket.
What he did was horrific, I get it.
But he's just a boy.
And there's no way
he deserves to rot in prison.
I will wait for your call.
The evidence is strong, right?
Hell, the Defense admits
Aaron killed Jerome Elliot.
The only question is,
does the jury buy this
ridiculous insanity defense?
No, the only question is,
will they blame Cromwell Academy
more than young, lovesick Aaron Cole?
They might.
Like I said before, he is
a screwed up, sympathetic kid.
What's your point? [SIGHS]
Maybe it's time
we acknowledge he's just 17.
We're trying him as an adult, Nolan.
We made that decision already.
You mean, you made that decision.
I damn well did.
For what it's worth, I agree with Jack.
The kid who killed my sister
was just 17 too.
Didn't make it any less horrible
and didn't make her any less dead.
Now, you always say
that we can't rewrite the law
every time we have empathy
for a defendant.
I'll call Whitmer.
On the sole charge of murder
in the second degree,
how do you find?
We find the defendant
guilty.
No!
We thank you for your service.
We're adjourned. [GAVEL BANGS]
No, I
Please, no.
[SOBBING] No!
No, please.
No!
Mom? Dad?
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
How's she doing?
[SIGHS]
♪
I love you, kid.