by two separate yet equally important groups:
the police, who investigate crime
and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.
These are their stories.
( whimpering )
( barks )
Come on, babe.
Riles.
Come on.
( whimpering )
Oh, my God.
What do we got?
16-year-old found next to a Dumpster.
Disoriented, racial stuff scrawled all over her.
Raped?
Not sure yet, I'd say more than likely.
She's been pretty unresponsive so far.
You get the EMT results?
They're just finishing up.
Got a name?
Astrea Crawford.
Thanks.
Excuse me.
Who's at the scene?
Patrini and Hanson.
GREEVEY: Anybody get pictures of that?
LOGAN: Hey, hey.
You want to hold on to those?
We're going to need to bag them.
Astrea?
I'm Sergeant Greevey.
This here is Detective Logan.
We're here to find out what happened to you.
It's okay.
It's all right.
Astrea, can you open your eyes?
Mm-mm.
I think you can if you try.
No one here's going to hurt you.
They can't help you if you don't tell them what happened.
Now, come on, open your eyes.
You did it once before.
Come on.
LOGAN: Okay.
Okay, that's a start.
Sweetheart, do you know who attacked you?
Mm-hmm.
Can you tell us who it is?
Mm-mm.
Astrea, I'm going to give the nurse my pad.
She's going to hold it for you.
What I want you to do
is to write down who did it.
What?
Captioning sponsored by NBC/Universal
No discernible contusions.
Traumatized, disoriented.
EMT's original Glasgow coma was off.
It should be ten to 12.
Did you administer a rape kit?
I didn't see any bleeding or bruises in the perineal.
Humor me. Just do one.
She hasn't stated she's been raped.
She hasn't stated that she hasn't been either.
Dr. Kirtchey, you're wanted in emergency.
GREEVEY: FBI should be notified
at least to cover the civil rights vios.
Media catches a sniff... whew.
If these guys turn out to be ours, I want them fast.
You order a kit?
Yeah.
Good, what else?
I requested a rape intervention specialist.
She's already there.
What about parents?
Mother arrived just as I was leaving.
Mike's with her and the specialist now.
Nothing more from the girl?
No.
I figure to give her a day to let her calm down.
I just knew something bad had happened this time.
She stay away from home before, ma'am?
Usually only for a night if things were bad at home.
Were things bad?
We just didn't want her seeing this particular boy.
Who is that?
Don't know.
Only, um... Hill?
GREEVEY: Mike.
Excuse me.
Anything?
She didn't even file a missing persons report
until last night.
Three days?
One of my kids is 15 minutes late
and I go through the roof.
Are you finished here?
I'd like to get her with her daughter.
How long can you stay with her?
Long as it takes.
If she comes out with anything at all--
location, names-- even if it sounds like nonsense, call us.
I know the drill, Sergeant.
And when the press comes sniffing around on this,
nothing goes to them that might jeopardize this investigation.
In other words, don't say anything.
I didn't know she was gone.
They pretty much keep to themselves.
You don't know of any fights or arguments
they may have had lately?
Why? You ain't got none in your house?
Ma'am, do you know a young man
last name Hill that Astrea
was supposedly seeing?
Never heard.
You know any of the friends she hangs out with?
I got enough taking care of my own.
She did used to run with this girl down the hall,
but they moved-- the projects up on 109th.
You know her last name?
Hardison? Leona, I think?
This one fits.
Leona Hardison.
Hey, hey, come on.
I just want to ask you a few questions.
I don't talk to the man.
You know Astrea Crawford?
Maybe.
You know she's been missing?
What kind of missing?
Attacked missing.
Maybe raped missing.
So you say.
You don't seem too upset by that.
Me and her, we don't hang no more.
Still...
No still, Bill.
We fell out.
Over a guy?
Do I look like I would lose a guy to her?
You know her friend Hill?
Yeah.
You want to give us his first name?
Jordan.
So where can we find Mr. Jordan Hill, Leona?
Well, if he's out of jail,
he be doing community service.
Remember a kid named Jordan Hill?
You got to be kidding.
Any given day, I get 175 actives.
If it ain't multiple homicide,
best I can domaybe is notes on the day of the bust.
If we're lucky, we get them to run through
the day or days prior to the crime,
see where they screwed up.
You saw Hill after the arraignment.
Yeah, I managed to slide him into a detox space.
He ever mention anything about a girl named Astrea Crawford?
Sorry.
Ba-bing.
He says he spent the early afternoon with her
the day he was arrested.
That's him over there.
Got a good job here, Jordan.
500 hours of community service?
Hell of a job.
What do you want?
Seen Astrea lately?
Why, is she in trouble?
When was the last time you saw her?
Four or five days.
I want to know if Astrea's okay.
Where was that?
Some hang on 103.
Specifically what day, Jordan?
I don't know.
Hey, hey, don't grease us, okay?
I am not in the mood.
Now was she with you
the day you got busted in the sweep?
I don't know.
You know, we pulled your yellow sheet, Jordan.
Now the last time you got busted for crack,
you got a nice, little program.
Courts are full of people
who'd like to take your place.
Mike, Mr. Hill's had a tough week.
Give me your hand.
What?
GREEVEY: Give me your hand.
Remember the day, Jordan, and call me.
Before quitting time.
LOGAN: in this dump?ested
( whistles )
Snow cone in hell we find anything
to place her in here.
Might as well call forensics in anyway.
What do you expect to find, Max?
This place is going to be a nightmare for a team.
They got prints in here going back to the Civil War.
Maybe we'll get the goods
on the guy who killed Lincoln.
Anyway, it's all we got.
Procedure.
Let's go see if the girl's calmed down any.
Dr. Miller, 3541. Dr. Miller, 3541.
I'm sorry, gentlemen, there are no visitors at this time.
Consider your job well done.
You got a second?
The family has hired itself an advisor.
Everything's got to run through him at this point.
What?
You may have some trouble
getting statements out of the girl.
Why's that?
Are you familiar with the good Ronald Eaton?
Congressman Ronald Eaton?
( sighs )
Great.
No crime scene,
no physical evidence, no witnesses,
holes appearing by the hour, a mute vic
and now we've got "Mr. Civil Rights Sound Bite"
putting on his makeup.
housekeeping to 409. Housekeeping to 409,
Problem, Detective?
Sergeant Greevey.
This is Detective Logan.
Yes, I have problems
when prevented from doing my job, Congressman.
I suffer the same frustrations, Sergeant.
Meaning?
My concern is with the girl--
that her cries for justice are not steamrolled
by the old white boy power structure.
Well, it's a little premature
to be shouting cover-up, isn't it?
Premature.
Yeah.
How many black homicide cases
does your precinct not clear every year, Detective?
And how many white cases?
You've seen the numbers.
Don't tell me what premature is.
And you think withholding pertinent information
in this case is going to change all that?
I think it will get the attention
of state and federal authorities.
The FBI's already been notified
about any potential civil rights violations.
That just means they'll be looking over your shoulder.
I want them staring you in the face.
Keep away from us.
We don't need no help from no white cops here.
Lester, please.
Excuse me.
Oh, uh...
One "G" in Logan, am I right?
Yeah. Why?
Hate for you gentlemen
to see your names misspelled in the papers.
Dr. MacKenzie, 2943, Dr. MacKenzie...
( knocking )
Messengered in this morning.
Eaton wants a photo array.
All the white cops
working or residing on the Upper West Side?
He can't be serious.
This guy's got stones, huh?
CRAGEN: Except for his mouth, the good congressman's got squat.
If there are wrong cops in this precinct,
I want them as bad as he does.
But I will be damned if he's going
to put every cop on the force on trial for this.
What if he goes over your head?
Probably already has.
But, until I hear differently,
we conduct this like any other investigation.
We got anything on the parents?
Model citizens.
Mother's an X-ray technician.
Father's a cab driver, deacon of his church.
Not even a traffic ticket.
What about the FBI?
They're monitoring, waiting on results from the rape kit.
When's that girl due to be released?
Tomorrow morning.
I want her in here before noon for questioning.
With or without Eaton?
Without. He is not her lawyer.
He has a problem with that, he takes an obstruction charge.
Let him see what his spin doctors can do with that.
Ooh, man...
You care to elaborate on that, Detective?
I'm just wondering how much gas this fire can take.
Meaning what?
Meaning she's the victim
and we're treating her like a suspect.
Let's keep this low profile.
I don't want you guys out of the car
unless a riot's about to start.
She already told you once.
She's not here.
Mr. Crawford, come on, we just want to ask a few questions.
The longer we wait,
the greater the chances of her forgetting details.
Good, I'm glad to see
you've got her best interests at heart.
The congressman told us
that you'd be coming here to get her.
Told us that you would grind her up,
so you could bury her story.
He told us...
It's okay, baby. It's okay.
Mrs. Crawford, I'm sure
that whatever Congressman Eaton told you
was well-intentioned, but...
Well, you can't get to her now.
You can't touch her.
The police raped my baby.
Killed her inside.
He told us that you'd be coming here
with your filthy hands to protect your own.
Well, you can't get her!
She's safe now. Do you understand?
You can't get her.
She's safe, you hear?
You satisfied?
You think you got some kind of license
to come and do this kind of crap?
To rip open people's lives?
GREEVEY: The parents don't trust the police.
Of course not.
That's because Eaton's involved.
I give the bastard an hour
to have the press out in full force.
Didn't know you knew the man.
Since the King assassination.
Back when he was Uhuru Eaton.
Staged a sit-in at City Hall.
Demanded 100 buses
to take people to the funeral.
Not the worst reason in the world to have a sit-in.
That's what I thought, right up until he told me
he was going to burn the place down
if he didn't get exactly what he wanted.
Things got out of control.
People got hurt.
The man is dangerous.
See what... what's-her-name, the rape specialist's got, huh?
I'm out of the loop.
Your choice?
Let's just say I'm not about to jump on Eaton's bandwagon.
Where's he taking this thing you think?
Off the record?
I'm sure he's got some sort of political agenda.
He always does.
Whether Astrea was raped or not
has taken a back seat.
You don't know if she was raped?
You got the lab reports.
You tell me.
End of business today.
Something happened to her,
but I'll be surprised if the kit comes back positive.
All right, suppose, for whatever
dime-store psychology reason, it is a hoax.
She had to stay somewhere for three days.
I know where you're going, Max,
and if you're thinking the boyfriend,
I'm telling you, the crack house will get us nowhere.
Even if we're lucky with forensics,
I doubt they'll be able to time-frame it.
At best, it will be weak circumstantial evidence.
How about we just get on the board
before we start second-guessing evidence we don't have.
So, Max, I was up till 2:00 in the morning last night
watching one of those old Chaplin films.
Modern Times?
No wonder you drag your butt until noon.
What do you want?
Only had half the bed.
You still dragging things home?
Hey, this one's different, man, really.
She's an NYU film student.
She's really, really smart.
Right, let me guess.
She wears a lot of black.
She likes cops.
She says it makes her feel connected to real life.
Oh, she loves guns.
Oh? Snub-noses too?
Max, Captain Cragen just called.
Said, quote,
"Get in. It's really hit the fan."
where Congressman Eaton ...our live mini-cam, NEWSCASTER:
Baptist church a sanctuary. has declared the former
CRAGEN: So Eaton has no legal grounds?
No. Sanctuary doesn't apply,
and it certainly doesn't apply
if the building isn't even a church.
But that doesn't change people's perceptions.
It used to be a church.
You yank her in for questioning now,
we'll have a massive backlash on our hands.
( phone ringing )
What?
Yeah, put him through.
Max, what the hell is going on?
Ten minutes.
I think we better get over there.
You've heard the expression
"taking the law into your own hands."
These are your hands.
Is this a government of the people?
CROWD: No!
Are you the people?
CROWD: Yes!
Then you are the government.
( crowd cheering )
Three rings.
Eaton's doing his Barnum imitation.
3:00-- Just in time for the evening news.
Why don't we lose the squad cars,
and downplay the entire thing.
That solve your perception problem?
I say we go on up and haul her butt in.
If we don't, it's gonna look
like he's got a jackpot on the names
and the entire force is on the run.
Eaton has named cops?
Teal and Rudolph,
couple of night shift uniforms from 73.
Don't know them.
I'm advising you not to go in, Captain.
Max, I want you to go make the congressman an offer.
Let him know you're here only to talk.
You're offering to hear Astrea's side of the story
but it's got to come from the girl, nobody else.
You know him.
You should go talk to him.
Max, I hate the man.
Captain...
Forget it.
I want you to go on in
but no arrests, no removal for questioning.
You're making a mistake.
EATON: ...those changes were not prompted by apathy
by laziness, by acceptance of the status quo.
Those changes were prompted by
a call to action.
We're not here to take her in.
We just want to hear her side of the story.
Astrea's presence here signifies her recognition
that any relief
that she is to receive
will have to come from a higher authority.
I cannot stop them from entering this church,
but I will lay down my life
to protect the rights of black women everywhere.
( crowd cheering )
Be it from you, from your uniformed brethren
or an entire city.
( cheers and applause )
Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!
EATON: Do you hear it?
That is the sound of rage, gentlemen.
And it's a rage that will be louder in 24 hours
and louder than that in 48.
And that is the fault
of the New York City police department,
which doesn't even have the sensitivity
to send a black investigator up here.
But it's also the fault
of corrupt and crumbling black officials
who will sell their very soul
in the betrayal of their own people.
It will not stop
until the fires of oppression
have been quenched.
Until the racial iniquities
and the sexual abuses of white...
Stop! Stop it!
Astrea, do you want to talk to us?
The child is traumatized.
I won't allow her to be badgered.
Stay out of this!
Mike.
EATON: Understand something, Detective.
You are dangerously close to a civil suit.
Oh, that's fine, Congressman,
but, while you're hunting around for some ink,
what about her case?
Hey, hey, come on now.
Let's please stick to the point.
We're getting nothing...
You're getting nothing?
You got no business here.
You're just trying to break her emotionally.
I can't do this! I don't want to hear it, please!
Oh, my God! Oh, my God.
Oh, my baby.
Oh, God...
REPORTER: What's going on, Detective?
No comment.
How come white cops are here to interrogate her
when there have been accusations made
that white cops raped her.
The department has no comment
other than to state that we were there only to listen.
We did not ask Miss Crawford
to accompany us to the station.
There aren't any black uniforms.
What message is the city trying to send
to the black community, Detective?
( reporters clamoring )
Terrific. Exactly what we need.
CRAGEN: You saw the statement.
We did not go in to take her out.
The statement? The statement means nothing
when she's carted off in an ambulance.
She accuses white cops, I don't even see...
You don't come into my office and accuse my people.
Use your head!
You jumped into this
like it's some by-the-numbers rape.
It's a whole collection of unverified accusations,
news flashes and sound bites.
Fine! You got anything under your hat besides speeches?
Yeah. Your people are yanked off this case as of now.
This is no longer a police matter.
"Police drive Crawford girl to breakdown."
Nothing like starting in your own end zone.
Nine yards in.
Cragen's office called last night.
The two uniforms Eaton named have substantiated alibis
for the time in question.
Did you see this?
The FBI's rape kit results. No indications.
Gynecological tests, forensics-- all negative.
She faked it.
Well, at this point, all we know is what's on paper.
Do you think Eaton's willing
to stake his political future on this?
If this plays out, he's a genius.
He goes from gang member to rabble-rouser to congressman
to spokesman for the entire black community.
He's an urban Horatio Alger.
Go militant, young man.
Or it turns south
and he loses credence on both sides of the track.
Do you see any indication of him turning south?
The whole burden of proof is on us.
He's put the whole system on trial.
So this isn't enough then.
We don't disprove a cover-up,
every minority in this city will assume that Eaton is right,
no matter how many of those lab reports we publish.
So how do we counter the momentum?
Call Eaton.
Interesting place for a meeting.
I thought you should see firsthand
what it's all about.
Maybe the cobwebs will fall.
From my eyes?
From your heart.
My best wishes for the girl's health aside,
I didn't come here for a speech.
I know that, Mr. Stone,
or I wouldn't have agreed to see you.
Nurse Kent to nurses station. P.A.:
to nurse's station three. Nurse Kent
You want to know where I'm planning on taking this.
You want me to give you a free glimpse of the future.
Look, it's fairly obvious you have a private agenda.
Of course I have an agenda.
Your system isn't serving the African-American population.
Let's dial this back a second.
Does your system have any evidence
that the rape was committed?
Because my system has found nothing
to suggest a crime actually took place,
nor do I have access to the victim.
And you won't.
I believe Astrea completely, but...
if I give you what she's got,
I run the risk of it being squashed.
Do you think I don't know
how many people would like to see this thing disappear?
Even if there was a cover-up,
the press has made that impossible at this stage.
That's not a risk I'm willing to take.
We've come too far.
Yeah, but you are willing to risk
the emotional health of a teenager
and my ability to try the perpetrators?
I'm only here to help the Crawfords.
Look, you want to do
your Martin Luther King imitation, be my guest,
but don't think for one second that I'm giving up.
I don't care if Astrea's
black, white, yellow or polka-dotted.
If she was raped, I'll find the cops,
I'll prosecute them and I'll convict them.
White cops?
Black girl?
If?
Who are you kidding?
You don't want me to find them, do you?
Why shoot rats when you can go big-game hunting?
And whose heads do you want on your wall?
Cragen's...
the police commissioner's...
yours.
There he is.
Will you give us a statement, Mr. Stone?
We are trying to investigate a crime
without any assistance from the alleged victim.
Alleged? Does that mean the D.A.
does not believe Astrea Crawford's story?
The temperature on the three nights in question
was in the low 30's,
yet emergency room personnel found no evidence of exposure.
The FBI, not the NYPD, ran a rape kit,
the results were negative.
You can draw your own conclusions.
Why was the request for a photo array denied?
The police have adhered to normal investigative procedure.
What if the girl had been white?
Would you have released the photos of black cops?
ADA Stone and I have just concluded
a lengthy meeting on the Crawford attack.
Unfortunately, Mr. Stone's myopic view of the case
only served to dampen
any hopes I had harbored of a fair investigation
into the action of this city's law enforcement officers.
Do you believe the D.A. is capable
of an impartial investigation, Congressman?
I believe there's a tacit agreement
running through the power structure of this city.
If Astrea Crawford had been white
and her attackers black...
That's not the point, Adam.
I know the facts, you do, he does.
I'm certain Eaton knows the facts.
But the press, and thus the public
hear what he wants them to hear.
Is he lying?
I think he believed her at first.
But even if he doesn't believe her now,
it's too good an opportunity for him to let go.
Every move we make rings cover-up.
We go too slow, we're dragging our feet.
Too fast, we're after the girl.
I can read a lousy hand.
What do you want to do?
I want a grand jury impaneled.
I want to run it.
The last shot out of the gun.
If it doesn't turn there...
We're dead, I know.
But we're face down as it is.
It could get worse before it gets better.
The one hope is the boyfriend
if he admits that she was with him.
I'll take a shot.
That's different than what you told your youth officer.
Plus you told the police
you had seen her a few days previous.
Maybe.
Which is it?
All I know is I didn't see her
the three days before I got busted.
We have hair and fibers samples from the crack house
that say otherwise, Jordan.
I don't care. I didn't see her.
Has anyone spoken to you about the three days?
Some.
Eaton?
My nephew does not lie, Mr. Robinette.
And certainly not to a man
as esteemed as Mr. Eaton.
Thank you, ma'am.
That's very helpful.
If he told Mr. Eaton that's what happened,
then that's what happened.
I'll be in touch with Jordan
if I need him for the grand jury.
I'm assuming you'd be willing
to state the same under oath?
You got that right.
Watch your mouth, young man.
You going to subpoena him?
No, he'd lie.
We'd prove he perjured himself,
he'd lose his work program.
What for?
The faint rumblings of a heart in there?
No, that's a brain
and it's decided to subpoena Miss Crawford.
Talk about backlash.
What choice have we got?
If we don't let her testify, they'll scream cover-up.
When we do, what do you think Eaton'll scream then?
I don't know.
We'll find out.
I think I'll subpoena him, too.
STONE: In your expert opinion, Miss Wilkes, would you say
there are characteristics most often associated
with false allegations of sexual assault
in the Crawford case?
There are certain characteristics
that are present in this case
that tend to appear more often in false allegations
than in the case of true sexual assault.
In the Crawford case, specifically,
are there any physical characteristics
that match the established guidelines
for false allegations?
Yes, there were.
Would you list them, please?
Miss Crawford's damage to her clothing
was inconsistent with that of her injuries.
Writing on the body is also very common in false allegation
as is self-mutilation.
And probably most important of all,
the expected laboratory findings of rape are absent.
EATON: The district attorney's office,
in an attempt to fracture our resolve,
has issued subpoenas
for myself and my clients, Astrea Crawford and her mother.
I've agreed to testify
only to show the vicious indifference
within this city's lily-white power structure
as young Astrea Crawford's cries for justice go unheeded.
( crowd cheers )
So upon hearing of Miss Crawford's
alleged rape in the papers,
you contacted her family with an offer of your services?
My help to a constituent, Mr. Stone.
I supply no services.
And this help was in the form of a suggestion
to Miss Crawford and her family
that they not cooperate
with the duly constituted authorities
in this investigation?
I embraced the family's hope for justice.
Only in subsequently bonding together as a whole,
our desires for justice for Astrea, the individual
were only surpassed
by those issues lying on the larger plane.
Which are?
Four centuries of oppression, Mr. Stone.
We became front-line activists in the struggle
to uproot a system of injustice through this particular case.
Congressman, the purpose of this grand jury
is to determine whether a particular crime
has been committed
and if so, is there an attempt to bury it
as has been charged in various public forums by yourself.
Therein lies the problem, Mr. Stone,
for the real agenda here
should be the American system of justice
and its treatment of black Americans
versus that of whites.
For better or for worse, it's the only system we've got
and circumventing it, sir,
no matter how noble the perceived ends,
cannot be justified.
If you persist in preventing Miss Crawford and her family
from testifying before this jury,
I have no other alternative, sir,
but to go to warrant for their arrest.
We must have the truth, sir.
Not only for the black community,
but for every one of the citizens of this city.
You leave me no other option.
Then you'll have to excuse me, Mr. Stone,
for I can find no justifiable reason
to become a party
to this mockery of truth and equality.
ROBINETTE: Your Honor, as the evidence clearly establishes,
defendants were served subpoenas
ten days previous to notice of grand jury appearances.
They have, as the evidence shows,
willfully and deliberately failed to appear.
The people request immediate determination of contempt
and ask the court to impose
maximum sentence provided by law.
Mr. Gaines?
The defendants' stated position
has been clear on this issue for some time, Your Honor.
The DA's issuing of said subpoenas
was a clear attempt to break the resolve
of this girl's stance on racial justice.
Spare me the diatribe, Counselor.
This is a hearing, not a trial.
While there is, unfortunately,
much truth in the stated position
that minorities in this city
often fall onto uneven terrain
within the court system,
that is not reason enough for your clients to ignore
the lawful mandates of this court.
Is it your intention
to show any pertinent information
in the defense of this contempt citation?
Apparently none that would do any good, Your Honor,
as it is becoming readily apparent
that the court's mind is already made up.
Tread lightly, Mr. Gaines.
I'm becoming annoyed.
Given the legal document submitted by the People
and the lack of any substantive defense,
this court finds both defendants guilty of contempt.
You are hereby sentenced as follows:
Mrs. Thelma Crawford
$250 fine along with 30 days incarceration.
Miss Astrea Crawford, 30 days in a suitable juvenile facility.
At the end of that time
or before if they wish to cooperate,
I will see them in this courtroom.
Your Honor, request incarceration be delayed
until immediately after the next grand jury date,
so that defendants can reflect upon the court's decision?
So ordered.
Yes, Mr. Gaines?
Congressman Eaton would like to make
a brief statement, Your Honor.
With all due respect to Congressman Eaton,
he has no business in this court, Mr. Gaines.
Justice silenced is justice denied, Your Honor.
Congressman Eaton, go ahead, sir.
Your Honor, for the record, I'd like to state
an overwhelming sense of disappointment
at the court's handling of this affair.
JUDGE: Excuse me.
Sir.
Yours and Mr. Gaines' clear implication
is that I have been sitting here oppressing black Americans
and I will not have it.
And while I'm on the subject,
this court would like to advise the defendants.
In my legal opinion
you have had reprehensible and irresponsible advice
from their retained counsel.
I hope you take what time has been granted
to fully examine the situation and purge the contempt citation.
This court does not relish
having you spend one hour in jail
for what it perceives to be
the self-serving actions of others.
If Eaton convinces the girl and her mother
to be martyrs and take the 30 days,
we're dead in the water.
Suppose Angela Wilkes' theory is right--
that this thing started as a child's fib.
Do you think you could prove
that Eaton took the ball, orchestrated for the media,
and keep the mother and the girl out of it?
I don't think that will fly.
It would be like a witch hunt.
We're jumping around looking for a villain,
and I actually think Eaton might still believe the girl.
We may have one more shot.
Give me the day.
MAN: Why me?
Because he'll see you.
Just your presence will diffuse the situation.
I'll do the talking.
Paul, I just know the man
from the rubber chicken circuit.
I know I can cut this short.
He's got to be feeling pressure at this point.
If I can provide him with a graceful exit,
he might take it.
Or he eats you for lunch,
holds you up to the press as a "Tom Messenger"
sent by the white establishment.
So what?
So what, we sit back and watch him tear the city in half?
He's already set back race relations 30 years.
I work with these people.
I know how they feel.
There is no cover-up.
You know me.
You think I'd be a party to it?
It's unbelievable.
I become a lawyer, turn down Wall Street,
go into the one area I think I can help
and everybody thinks I'm a damn Oreo.
Excuse me, Father.
Maybe there's another way.
Have you talked to the mother?
Eaton's got his hand in her back.
She's talking, but he's pulling the strings.
The Crawford's are parishioners.
If I can get her to talk to you alone...
I'll take a run at her.
THELMA: Mr. Robinette?
You okay?
Yeah.
Father Warren said you wanted to talk to me?
How about we go get some coffee?
I can't stay long.
This thing has gotten...
I don't know what to do.
It's gone too far.
Did it happen?
Did any of it happen?
She's pregnant.
The Hill boy.
But we're Catholic.
She was terrified.
Her daddy, he has a terrible temper.
She wanted to have an abortion.
She thought by saying that white cops raped her
that she would...
He'd let her have it.
I never thought it would get this big.
And this is a part of it?
I had to tell him the truth.
ROBINETTE: That's not the point.
Yeah? You give me the view
from where you sit, Mr. Jives DA.
and you tell me I got no reason to be up behind this?
I'm saying there's no reason to go on with it.
I'm giving you an out.
The city will drop the cross charges
and the gag order will work both ways.
No quotes, no finger pointing from anybody, including us.
It will just disappear from the papers?
No fuel, no fire, Mr. Crawford.
The press will print other people's speculations,
but they're not going to print their own.
Look, I don't know what you need me for?
She's already agreed to it.
It won't work unless everyone's in agreement.
And Eaton?
That will be my problem.
Fine.
I'm sending a social worker by.
Look, we don't need any more help from you.
That's not an option, Lester.
You beat her again,
I'll come at you every way I know how.
If what you're telling me is true,
you may be the most simple-hearted,
down-the-river-nigger ever to wear a tie.
You want to call them?
They won't pick up the phone.
Don't you have any sense of connection to your people?
Cut the crap, Congressman.
There are no cameras here.
The thing was a hoax.
It's over.
Let it go.
A hoax?
You know that now.
I know that now.
But does it really make a difference?
What do you think the point of all this madness was?
Besides the obviously self-serving aspects?
How long do you think it will be again
before an entire society
is focused on an issue of racial equality?
Ends justifying the means.
You look me in the eye
and you tell me this system is just, this system is equal.
At times the system stinks, Eaton.
I know that as well as you do.
But don't for one damn minute tell me
that your self-aggrandizing polarization
is going to solve the problem.
Don't tell me that tearing down a 200-year-old justice system,
no matter how flawed,
is going to alter the consciousness of a society.
We're past the separate drinking fountain stage.
We're past legal discrimination.
We're at the hearts and minds stage.
And believe me,
there's no quick fix.
Your intentions might have been good,
but your execution stunk.
Another zombified soul
casts his vote for order rather than justice.
Negative peace over positive peace.
Paraphrasing Martin Luther King's thoughts
won't lend credence to yours.
King walked with the angels.
You slide in slime on your belly to get what you want.
SCHIFF: So you said we're out and they agreed to what?
Gag orders all around.
We drop the cross complaints...
Drop the... What the hell does that get us?
Get us?
It's not the best deal on the surface, but it's livable.
It'll work, it'll help the press deflate themselves.
Cops were named, records maligned...
What? You want no casualties?
Six months, the people will know it was a hoax.
It'll be back page news.
He'll live with it.
By morning, he'll probably love it.
You think I sold out?
Does it matter what I think?
If it does, I'll tell you,
but it's something you got to decide for yourself.
You-got-to-shave-yourself- in-the-morning speech?
Maybe. You think of yourself as a black lawyer,
or a lawyer who's black?
Depends on the context.
You made a decision based on something from within.
You live with it, you examine it.
It's all you got.
Think by morning I'll come to love it?
No, but I don't think you'll have any problem
with the guy in the mirror.
I'll see you tomorrow.