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.
Have you got Patti LaBelle in there?
Because I just love Patti.
No Patti this morning.
I've got eight... No, nine... Yeah, eight of her records.
Hmm. Is that all?
Oh, my God!
Stay down. Down!
Mr. Fox. Mr. Fox!
Victim was shot in the chest.
Looks like he was on his way out.
Name's Gerald Fox.
The guy that writes that City Life column?
For The Ledger. EMS took him to Lenox Hill.
His driver, Alex Kostov, saw the shooter run off.
The lady with the dog see anything?
Had her face buried in the sidewalk.
We're still canvassing for other witnesses.
While you're at it, check the street for the gun.
What'd you see? Unbelievable.
I just parked the car, and then heard this bang.
This guy comes tearing out. Ran like a mad man, over to Amsterdam.
You get a good look at his face?
Everything happened so fast.
He... Dark hair. Was 30, or 40. Maybe six foot.
Was Fox a regular?
He had this standing pick up with my company.
I took him to The Ledger every morning, 7:00 a. m.
He ever talk about his problems on the way to work?
Nah, mostly hockey and music. We both like jazz.
Other than that, not really.
All right, go ahead. Leave your name with Sergeant Sebago, all right?
Now I know why I stopped reading Fox's column.
Why's that?
Local news depresses me.
He's a lucky guy.
Is that a fancy medical term for "He's gonna make it?"
Well, the bullet passed through the lung, then out the back.
We've got him sedated for now.
He say anything about what happened before the sedative kicked in?
No, he was out of it when he got here.
Surgeons do a laparotomy, to see the extent of his injuries.
Then, maybe you'll be able to talk with him.
Anybody come by to visit him?
Yeah, his girlfriend. The pretty one out in the waiting area.
Thanks. Mmm.
I just saw Gerald last night.
What time was that?
Early. Around 6:00.
We had dinner, and then I went home around 8:00.
And you went home right after dinner?
He went to hang out at a bar in Queens.
A cop bar.
I beg your pardon?
He was, um, doing investigation for some columns he's writing.
The first one was in the paper last week.
What was it about?
Some woman who works for this drug gang.
The, um... Def 40... Something.
- The Def 44 Crew? - Yeah, that's it.
He said they're pretty dangerous.
Are they?
Oh, I read the article.
It's a day-in-the-life kind of thing.
A grandmother who moves drug money in her Honda for the Def 44.
Not a bad plan.
I never did a drug-stop on a blue-haired lady.
You know, Fox did a piece last year
about the housing department's taking kick-backs
from mobbed-up unions.
City launched an investigation,
a lot of heads rolled. The guy's Good.
His girlfriend said he was working on a follow-up article.
Met with some cops last night, at a bar in Queens.
She know the name of the bar?
Fox didn't say.
And, we can't ask him. He's in bad shape.
Shot close-range in the chest. CSU recovered a. 25 slug.
He has a standing pick-up with a car service.
Looks like he opened his door, expecting his driver.
Uniforms found a. 25 in a trash can on Amsterdam.
Ballistics got a match on the slug.
But, the gun was clean for prints.
You get a serial number?
Yeah. Reported stolen. 19 years ago.
LaMotte interviewed the owner. Dead end.
It's just like Fox to poke around where he doesn't belong.
Go to The Ledger. See what he was digging into.
We'll need the grandmother's name from Fox's column.
Fox never gave me her name.
How about his notes?
I can't turn those over to you.
First amendment is still kind of an important thing around here.
More important than your star columnist's life?
Look, if I make an exception this time...
Yeah, yeah. Slippery slope. We've heard it all before.
We think his article ticked off the Def 44s.
If they went after him once...
Fox has been doing this for 25 years. He knows the risks.
He ever get any calls? Any threatening letters?
Hey, he's an investigative reporter!
We'll need to go through them.
Yeah, Cheron. Excuse me, huh, fellows?
We could call the D.A's office.
Maybe they can go to court
and get The Ledger to give up Fox's notes.
Better idea.
I once worked a case with a D.A. in Queens narcotics.
The drug-running grannies.
We've heard rumors about them a year ago.
But, you never came across any?
Gerald Fox is the only one who has.
You don't sound too thrilled about it.
Neither is my boss. How'd you like to get scooped by a reporter?
And the last thing Fox would do
is talk to you about it. Uh-huh.
So, where'd Fox find his source?
You tell me.
Well, maybe one of your Cl's decided to branch out.
Cl wouldn't talk to a reporter.
Even if a few dollars changed hands?
It's possible. Whoever it is, we have feelers out.
How about we talk to your feelers?
I'm not sure I want to jeopardize my investigation.
Maybe you won't have to.
I can't believe Dalton brought me in.
This is an attempted murder Investigation.
Gerald Fox. The Ledger.
I don't care if it's Rudy Giuliani.
I get made walking into this building, it's my ass.
Look, you're already here, right?
So, you might as well help us out.
I read the column.
This lady Fox talked to, doesn't ring a bell.
I'm not close enough to the money.
Anybody you're working with?
Guy I'm supposed to meet tonight.
Street captain named Delgado.
Manages 10, 15 spots.
We're gonna wanna take Delgado down, sweat him for a name.
Screw that!
I'm not under for nine months to clip this more with a couple ounces!
You won't be compromised.
With you two making the collar?
Is there a problem with that?
Look, we'll have your squad make the collar.
We'll come in on the back end.
Who're these guys?
We're the guys who can get you a ticket home.
Homicide detectives from Manhattan.
Homicide? Relax.
We just need some information on one of your mules.
Off of this? A-2 felony weight.
You're looking at six years.
You got no probable cause.
I was just meeting my cousin, for coffee.
Coffee? What, you bring your own sugar?
I can jam you and girlfriend up for a year,
waiting for a suppression hearing.
She ain't my girlfriend.
Look, you help us with a name,
you and your pal both walk.
What kinda name?
A Colombian woman. Uh... In her 50's, drives a Honda.
She moves money for your employers.
You boys be doing your police work out of the paper?
What do you mean? That crap about the abuela.
The Ledger printed up? That's some funny-ass stuff, man.
Me and my bros, we love that.
You want the walk, Delgado, stop playing games.
Come on, man. Half a million in some old lady's trunk?
That's better than Chris Rock.
Maybe you're trying to protect her.
Check it out. No one stashes in a wheel well.
It's the first place cops look.
Then they got old grandma making drops in Corona.
My people go over there, we get capped.
By who? Corona Paganos.
And, yo, that old lady be talking about her family.
Christina, Julio, tío Pepi...
What did he say?
Ten words or less?
Anybody who believes what Fox wrote is an idiot.
Fox did what?
His article on the Def 44 Crew
is a product of his imagination.
The guy won a Berger Award. He got a Polk Nomination.
Listen, we talked to five or six guys who run with the Def 44.
Fox's grandmother story is a running joke.
That son of a bitch.
We need a list of all the stories he worked on, all his notes.
I ought to take that Berger Award, and shove it...
Koblenz,
you know where Fox keeps his notes?
We went through his scrapbooks,
ran his by-line in a news database.
Ray's checking the status on anybody he wrote about, who was ever arrested.
Come across any retractions?
Well, a few months ago, he wrote an article that looked promising.
A sporting goods company owner who allegedly torched a couple of his stores.
Arson for profit?
Some nut who didn't like his Air Jordans.
The owner sued The Ledger, they settled out of court.
One of the names popped. A guy named John Franchetta.
Johnny Franchetta. The mobster who pushed, uh...
Rebecca Hampton out the window. 77th street
- Central Park West. - Central Park West.
What, you two been taking your vitamin E?
Oh, no, no. It was a big scandal back then. All over the papers.
Famous Broadway actress, two-bit hood boyfriend.
It was one of the first trials Fox covered.
Put his name on the map.
Well, Franchetta was paroled to the city two weeks ago
on a 20-to-life sentence.
20-year-old case, 20-year-old gun?
Maybe Gerald Fox forgot to print a retraction.
Listen, we can toss Franchetta's room
if we call in his parole officer.
The manager says Franchetta's been here since the 5th.
He comes and goes. Mostly goes.
Can't say I blame him.
We're thinking he might have picked up a gun since he got out.
Well, he violates, if he gets in touch with any of his old friends.
Nothing, except for a few changes of clothes and bottle of Stoli.
When's Franchetta due to report back into your office?
Three days. Anything you can hold him on?
He was late to his last appointment, 10 Minutes.
Do us a favor. If he surfaces,
violate him, and take him into custody.
I wrote a letter to the parole board opposing his release.
Why should they listen to me? I only helped convict the guy.
We're looking at Franchetta for the Gerald Fox shooting.
He got busy fast.
Any reason he might go after Fox?
A few years after his conviction, one of the jurors
claimed that her verdict was influenced by Fox's coverage.
Fox's articles put Franchetta
at the crime scene the day of the murder.
Wasn't he?
Not that we could prove.
And who was Fox's source?
We assumed it was someone who was afraid
to step forward because of Franchetta's mob connections.
It didn't seem to matter to the jury.
They convicted because of what Fox printed in his column?
There was a feeding frenzy for Johnny Franchetta's head.
Fox made a meal of it.
So, without Fox's coverage, you think Franchetta might have walked?
Everything I had was circumstantial.
Rebecca's daughter was too scared to take the stand,
but, her son testified
that Franchetta once held a. 38 to Rebecca's head and dry-fired it.
And, all this was on the front page, before the trail,
with Fox's by-line.
There was definitely a presumption of guilt.
So, Franchetta's got a reason to go after Fox.
And maybe Rebecca Hampton's son.
I got a letter about Franchetta's parole hearing.
I never thought they'd let him out.
He hasn't tried to contact you?
I would've called the police if he had.
Any strange phone calls, letters, things like that?
No, nothing.
Is there anything else?
This is the apartment where your mother...
That was her bedroom.
Was that her with Burt Lancaster?
At Elaine's after the Tonys. Are we done?
Sorry. I was a big fan.
It's not something I like to talk about.
Hi. Frederick kept me waiting,
so, I'm getting my haircut on Friday.
And who's this? The police.
I'm Detective Curtis. That's Detective Briscoe.
Hi, I'm Nicole Hampton.
Johnny Franchetta is out on parole.
Since when? A couple of weeks.
So, you two still live here?
I've lived here since college. Nicole stays here sometimes.
You just dropped by to tell us about Johnny?
I'll explain everything after they leave.
Curtis.
I don't know what else to tell you.
Yeah, if anything unusual happens, give us a call.
Franchetta's P.O.
Nice meeting you, Detective Curtis.
I can't believe this. I've been out two weeks.
And now you're here.
You been in touch with Gerald Fox?
Oh, the reporter who set me up.
That's original.
Try and look past your narrow frame of reference.
A miscarriage ofjustice is what that was.
And maybe, you're still pissed off about it.
Fox took one in the chest on Tuesday morning.
No, no, no, fellas. Not me.
Okay. Then, where were you Tuesday morning?
Last time I gave an alibi, I did 20 years.
You're looking at another 20,
unless you can account for yourself on Tuesday.
I was in bed. Making up for lost time with a lady friend.
Yeah, Johnny was at my apartment.
He showed up Saturday night for dinner,
stayed through Wednesday for dessert.
How about Tuesday morning, around 7:00?
Tuesday? I was here, at the diner. 6:00 to 1:00.
Johnny have a gun?
No. What's this all about?
A reporter named Gerald Fox got shot.
We think Johnny had a bone to pick with him.
Johnny never mentioned Fox.
We've been dating two years now. He tells me everything.
He was behind bars up until two weeks ago. How does that add up?
My brother's doing time. He introduced us visiting day.
Johnny changed. He even goes to church.
He tell you that?
I picked him up at Good Shepherd Church on Sunday.
73rd and Central Park West?
Yeah.
Just down the block from Andrew Hampton.
Twenty years ago, I talked to the cops.
I talked to the reporter.
Gerald Fox? Fox!
Fox. Yeah, that guy.
He wouldn't leave me alone. How come?
I was working the day Miss Hampton was killed.
I told Fox I saw the service elevator stop on her floor
when I was downstairs sorting the mail.
Did Franchetta have a key to the rear entrance?
Yeah, so he could get up to see her.
But, all the residents had them.
You tell Fox about Johnny's key?
Yeah. The next day, I look at the paper,
I'm his anonymous source.
He wrote things I never said.
The police know about your conversation with Fox?
I don't think so.
I didn't want to get involved.
I stand behind everything I wrote
about the Hampton murder.
Well, we talked to the doorman at her building.
And he says he never told you
Franchetta was there the day of the murder.
Twenty years. Doorman's got a good memory.
Franchetta says you framed him. This guy backs him up.
It wasn't Franchetta who shot me.
Five minutes.
We're listening.
That morning,
somebody called from my car service.
Asked If my pick-up was at 6:30. I said, "No,
"7:00," like it always is.
It wasn't Franchetta's voice.
How can you be sure?
He's been calling me from prison.
He wants me to clear his name.
Franchetta wants you to clear his name? Now, that's a story.
I made some calls for him.
Who'd you call?
Franchetta's old lawyer.
Rebecca Hampton's mother.
What, after 20 years, your conscience bothered you?
I wanted to keep Franchetta happy.
So he wouldn't expose how you railroaded him.
My editor know about this?
Not yet. But he knows about the Def 44 Crew.
Christina and Tio Pepe's brief stint on that soap opera.
You have to put your thumb on the scale to make an impact.
Sometimes, the facts get in the way of the story.
Tell that to Johnny Franchetta.
I got the LUD's on Franchetta's girlfriend's phone.
He was on a collect-call when Fox got shot.
Then Franchetta didn't shoot him.
Fox told you he did some checking around?
So Franchetta would think he was on the case.
So, Fox makes a couple of calls,
talks about re-investigating.
Word gets out to someone who'd rather let sleeping dogs lie.
Ugh! I have a feeling this is going to get ugly.
I'm not re-opening the Hampton Case.
Not your call.
You got to admit, Arlene, the case against Franchetta had some holes.
A reporter embellished a story, and we panic?
This was a high-profile case.
Or a high-profile disaster.
A juror claimed Fox's articles affected the deliberations.
And Franchetta moved for a new trial.
It was denied.
Jailhouse motion.
There's not a shred of hard evidence that exculpates him.
Do you really wanna dig up a 20-year-old land mine, Adam?
Do I have a choice? An innocent man may have gone to jail.
I don't think Franchetta was innocent.
He called Fox, he'll call somebody else.
We need to get some answers.
Volunteers?
Send me the file.
Twenty-year-old landmine.
Let's see if it's gonna blow up.
Our theory is whoever killed Rebecca Hampton,
got spooked by Fox's calls.
And then took a shot at Fox to scare him off.
So, officially, if anybody asks,
we haven't re-opened the Hampton murder.
We're Investigating the shooting of Gerald Fox.
Sounds like pretty thin cover.
Better we should have reporters talking to our witnesses, before we do?
Sure it won't look like we're hiding something?
Adam doesn't want us misleading anybody.
He just wants the investigation to be ours and not the media's.
His idea of a quarterback sneak.
You saw what happened the last time.
Well, if he thinks it'll clear this up, I'm all for it.
Franchetta badgered me for years after I represented him.
"They framed me. Can't you do something?"
The usual prison bull.
Then, Fox calls me out of the blue.
Did you tell anyone he called?
No.
I tried to locate some of Johnny's old alibi witnesses for him.
Two of the guys are dead.
One's in Leavenworth doing life plus something,
one has Alzheimer's.
Suddenly, you're convinced Franchetta's Innocent?
This wasn't about Franchetta.
You practice law in this city,
can't hurt to have a guy like Fox on your side.
Oh!
This is not about Fox.
This is about the Hampton murder.
No, Mr. Hagaman, I'm just looking for background.
I've been around the block a few times, Miss Carmichael.
You're reconsidering Franchetta's conviction.
Should I be?
Well, Rebecca Hampton wasn't the first girlfriend
who Franchetta slapped around.
He had a reputation for getting physical.
It was all in the papers. What more do you want?
Something beside what Fox wrote in his column.
Her son testified he put a gun to her head.
I'm the prosecutor, you're supposed to be the defense lawyer.
Well, you had to be there, Miss Carmichael.
Franchetta's blood was in the water. I was there.
With a stick, beating back the sharks.
Fox called me.
He said he was looking for the man that killed my daughter.
I told him to look in Sing Sing.
Why did he call you?
My grandchildren aren't listed.
Imagine, he thought I would help that thug.
I hung up the phone.
Did you mention Fox's call to anyone?
Just Andrew and Nicole.
And how did they react?
How the hell do you think they reacted?
They don't want to go through this again.
And now you're here, asking me all these questions.
Is it possible there was someone besides Franchetta,
who wanted to kill your daughter?
Me. Life was one big party.
She thought she could do anything she wanted,
and with anyone she wanted.
Hoodlums, politicians.
Maybe there was a jealous ex-boyfriend who didn't like her seeing Franchetta?
Any man dating Rebecca knew he was in for the short haul.
The only ones jealous of Johnny were her kids.
Rebecca's boyfriends took up all her time.
With no father around...
Sounds like they resented their mother's lifestyle.
That's right.
When Rebecca died, I moved in to take care of them.
After six months, I asked their Uncle Mickey
to go stay with them.
I'd had enough.
Well, Grandma told us Fox called her.
But, she didn't mention the details.
Didn't you think it was worth mentioning to the police?
Andrew told me not to.
Why?
The last thing Andrew wants is to replay
this whole psychodrama in the papers.
He has two kids in Arizona.
They don't know anything about their grandmother
and the life in the fast lane.
You think there's anything to the theory
that Johnny Franchetta didn't kill your mother?
Now, how does that help you figure out who shot Fox?
It's possible the wrong person was convicted
for your mother's murder.
You seem like an intelligent woman, Miss Carmichael.
Johnny Franchetta was a criminal.
The paper said that he was in the building when my mother was killed.
Gerald Fox admits that he made that up.
You can't be serious about this.
I wouldn't be here if I wasn't.
Well frankly, Miss Carmichael,
we'd prefer that you keep your nose out of it.
This is a private matter.
A criminal investigation is not a private matter.
I'm gonna call my brother.
We know people who can put a stop to this!
I'm sorry Nicole lost her composure.
She's very sensitive about this whole Hampton legacy.
But, why all these questions about my mother?
It's possible Johnny Franchetta was innocent.
That's where Nicole said you were going.
Why didn't you tell the detectives that you knew
Gerald Fox was looking into your mother's case?
My sister and I have been through a lot. We put this behind us.
I have to be honest, Mr. Hampton. It looks suspicious.
You think I shot Fox?
You fit the description.
Can you tell me where you were,
Tuesday morning, around 7:00 a. m.?
I was on my way to work. I walked.
From the upper west side?
It's the only exercise I get.
Did you stop on the way, maybe pick up a paper, a cup of coffee?
I'm not lying to you.
Come in for a line-up. I'll stop asking questions.
I have a stack of breakdowns to get through.
Tomorrow, then.
I don't think so.
I took over as guardian about six months after Rebecca died.
Lived with Andrew and Nicole for about two years.
Are you still close?
I see Andrew for a drink, about every four or five months.
Nicole, I bumped into her in a restaurant a few years ago.
How did Andrew get along with his mother?
Well, that's a strange question.
It's still a question.
You think it was Andrew? That's crazy.
He was the only stable member in the family.
Then he must have butted heads with his mother.
Well, it wasn't easy being the man in the house.
What do you mean?
Well, between Rebecca and Nicole, Andrew had his hands full.
Nicole was a problem?
Rebecca Junior.
Inappropriate boyfriends, alcohol, drugs.
She pulled a gun on one of her boyfriends.
She had a gun? Well, I don't know,
maybe it belonged to somebody else.
I didn't see it myself. Andrew took it away from her.
When was this?
I'm not sure.
I mean, Nicole's blow-outs all run together.
Well, how long after you moved in?
It was a year, I think.
Why is that important?
Yeah, I got a carry permit for a Raven Arms. 25 in 1978.
Managed a club called The Dragon's Tail.
You know, cash deposits in the middle of the night.
Ever dated a girl named Nicole Hampton back then?
Sure. Nicole, she was a regular. She's still alive?
Very much so.
Still beating the odds, huh?
You two date?
Oh, I wouldn't call it dating.
More like a roller-coaster ride.
What do you mean?
Well, she got me fired from my job.
She dropped a couple of Quaaludes, totaled my car.
She was a hell of a good time,
if you could contain the damage.
How long did you stay with her?
Five months. Girl was out of control.
Pretty low self-esteem. I always figured it was because she got raped.
Raped by who?
Some guy who was in jail. That's what she told me, anyway.
Did it ever occur to you that Nicole may have taken your gun?
I never gave it a thought.
I lived in a house with four guys,
lots of parties, people in and out.
I reported it stolen, bought another one.
Hey, if Nicole took it, it wouldn't surprise me.
Why'd you call me down here?
To be perfectly honest, Miss Hampton,
we think your brother shot Gerald Fox.
You people with your theories.
Although, you're from Texas. I should have known.
First Johnny Franchetta, and now this.
I never went to college myself. Too much to do.
Like stealing guns?
Guns?
We talked to your old boyfriend, Bennett Wainwright.
Who?
He was a bartender, at The Dragon's Tail.
Okay, Benny. He remembered me?
He said you were hard to forget.
Hmm.
So, what's he up to these days, hmm?
You stole his gun 20 years ago,
your brother used it to shoot Gerald Fox.
Where did Andrew keep the gun, Miss Hampton?
You know, no matter how much you harass me,
I won't point the finger at my brother.
Don't you wanna know the truth about your mother's murder?
Can't you just leave us alone?
I have someone waiting for me at Chanterelle.
Fox's driver just picked your client out of a line-up.
So what if he says he recognizes him?
Shooter's on the run, back to the eyewitness.
Give us a break, Miss Walsh.
We can link Mr. Hampton to the murder weapon.
I read the statement. 19 years ago.
The owner's not sure who stole it.
It's just a coincidence he used to date your sister?
It could be.
Attempted manslaughter on the Fox shooting.
We'll package it up with the other matter.
The Rebecca Hampton murder?
It gives him a motive for shooting Fox.
Fox was looking into the Franchetta Conviction.
You were afraid of being exposed.
Why would I kill my mother?
Everyone we talked to
said you had a contentious relationship.
She didn't give you the time of day.
You resented the life she led, the parties.
The men like Johnny Franchetta.
I was in the library at the Trinity School.
My sister was with me the whole time. She backed me up.
Andrew, maybe you better not go on... No, it's okay.
We came home from school together.
There were police all over the place.
My mother was dead.
Give us a minute.
He said he was with his sister
the whole time at school. He wasn't?
It's not what he told the detective who interviewed him
the day his mother was murdered.
So, where was he?
Not where was he, where was she?
A uniform stationed at the door of the building
logged Andrew Hampton in, at 4:17, alone.
What time was Nicole Hampton logged in?
She wasn't. Here.
They missed it 20 years ago.
Maybe they figured Nicole left school, came in the back door.
Or, there was such a media frenzy
about Johnny Franchetta, no one ever looked.
Let's go back in.
So, Mr. Hampton,
you're certain your sister can vouch
for your whereabouts at school that day?
I'm positive. Ask her.
I don't have to. I know what she'll say.
She didn't get along with your mother so well, either.
Nobody got along with my mother.
Especially since your mother didn't stop Johnny Franchetta from abusing her.
What are you talking about?
We contacted one of Nicole's old boyfriends.
She told him Franchetta raped her.
You... You don't understand.
Then you explain it to me.
Andrew, you don't have to explain a thing.
Your mother didn't do anything to stop Franchetta,
so Nicole killed her.
Nicole had a messed-up childhood, Mr. McCoy.
But, she didn't kill our mother.
Lieutenant.
Patrol Officer Charles O'Dell logged you into the building at 4:17.
After school, like I said.
No mention of your sister.
Well, maybe they missed her.
The detectives in your apartment that day didn't miss her.
"Interviewed Nicole Hampton at 3:45."
So?
So your sister left school,
pushed your mother out the window,
and hid in the building.
She told the police she was with you.
This had gone far enough.
You never contradicted her.
That's why you shot Gerald Fox.
To keep the secret that you two have had for the last 21 years.
We're arresting your client for
the attempted murder of Gerald Fox.
Pick up Nicole Hampton.
We're charging her with murder.
Good afternoon, sir.
Nicole Hampton?
Detective Curtis? Stewart.
You're under arrest for the murder of Rebecca Hampton.
You have the right to remain silent. Stewart!
Anything you say can and will be used against you
in a court of law. Don't let them do this to me!
Stewart! You have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you.
You understand these rights? Yes, I understand.
Watch your head.
"Case number 1134. People v. Andrew Hampton.
"One count of attempted murder. "
My client pleads not guilty.
People?
Your Honor, the defendant was identified by an eyewitness,
and can be linked to the weapon.
It's a matter of luck he's not here facing a murder charge.
People request half a million dollars bail.
Something more reasonable, Your Honor.
150 cash or bond. That's thousands, Arthur.
May 15th. Next.
"Case number 1135. People v. Nicole Hampton.
"One count of murder in the second degree. "
These cases related, Miss Carmichael?
Yes, Judge. Mr. Hampton shot Mr. Fox in order
to cover for this defendant, who murdered their mother, in 1978.
There is no jurisdiction in this court...
Will you let her finish?
Your Honor, the defendant
was 15 years old at the time of the alleged murder.
You dispute that, Miss Carmichael?
No, Judge. But, this court has concurrent jurisdiction
with the family court for juvenile offenders charged with murder.
Not in 1978, they didn't.
This is the relevant penal law in effect until 1979.
There is no jurisdiction here.
So, let's not waste anymore of the court's valuable time.
It appears he's right. People have an argument?
Not at this time.
Send Miss Hampton across the street, Arthur.
This case is transferred to family court for arraignment.
Apologize to the lawyers who've been waiting in the hall.
This next case isn't on the sign-in sheet.
"Docket number 931.
"In the Matter of Nicole H."
Is this some kind ofjoke?
Your Honor, the respondent is charged
with a crime she allegedly committed, when she was 15.
You want bail for this?
I want remand, Your Honor. This is a murder case.
Well, I can send her to juvenile detention,
where she will have to attend sex-ed classes,
and play basketball in the yard with 14-year-olds.
She should not be on the street. The defendant...
Excuse me, the respondent, killed her mother
and concealed her acts for 21 years.
Save it, Miss Carmichael. I'm moving to dismiss.
According to the law in effect at the time the crime was committed,
the best possible outcome for the People,
is a juvenile delinquency adjudication,
and confinement until age 21.
This whole thing is a waste of time.
Do you care to respond to that, Miss Carmichael?
I'd like a few days, Your Honor.
Sounds reasonable.
What do you want me to do with her in the meantime?
She's been remanded to Vernon C. Bain.
Kiddie jail. Let's hope the beds aren't too short.
I'm not laughing.
Maybe next time you won't get caught flat-footed.
Abbie hasn't been around as long as we have, Adam.
That's why they print the law books.
And who are the idiots who forgot to close the loophole?
Those idiots are my friends.
Back then, juvenile offenders were treated
like misbehaving children, not felons.
Rehabilitation instead of punishment. Another brilliant idea.
When that didn't work, juvenile delinquents became criminals again.
Little criminals.
If today's law applied, Nicole Hampton would be serving a life sentence.
I see. So, we warehouse her. For what?
You're defending Nicole Hampton?
I'm questioning the wisdom of treating juveniles like adults.
I don't see any convictions on her rap sheet.
Drugs, guns, a couple of botched marriages.
Maybe jail would have straightened her out.
Or changed her into a career criminal.
I feel like I'm back in moot court. Yes,
let's do something about the here and now.
There has to be some reasonable alternative
to dismissing the case.
It was never the law's intent to create a loophole
for Miss Hampton to slip through.
Then, it's up to the state legislature to fashion a remedy.
Not a judge in a family court.
Assuming I could do something, Mr. McCoy, what would it be?
Apply the statute that's now in effect.
Let us prosecute her as a juvenile offender.
Well, if I did that and she was convicted,
where would she serve her sentence?
In an adult facility.
And what would the maximum penalty be?
Nine-to-life.
You'd be treating her more harshly now, than you could back then.
If she was prosecuted when she was 15,
she'd face five years in a juvenile facility,
not a life sentence, in a maximum-security prison.
Times have changed. She is the one who concealed her crime.
I have big problems with this, Mr. McCoy.
There's no such thing as a 35-year-old juvenile delinquent.
So, how are we supposed to prosecute her?
I sympathize with you, Mr. McCoy,
but, my hands are tied by the statute.
Motion to dismiss is granted. The respondent is released.
Mr. McCoy, do you plan to appeal the judge's ruling?
Possibly. I'm not sure the court's decision was wrong.
So, you finally catch Rebecca Hampton's killer,
and there's nothing you can do about it? We're still looking into it.
Do you have anything to say to Johnny Franchetta?
If and when I do, I'll say it to him in person.
Now, if you'll excuse us.
Miss Hampton, do you admit that you killed your mother in 1978?
She has no comment.
How does it feel to get away with murder?
Deal with them, Andrew. No more questions.
Please, let us through.
Great work, people. Wonderful.
We tried to handle the media.
Looks like the media handled us.
Man-handled is more like it.
So much for keeping it low-key.
This woman killed her mother,
and let an innocent man go to jail.
You're telling me there's nothing we can do about it?
It's not our fault, Adam. There's a glitch in the law.
So, I just sit here and dodge the flak.
Yes.
Put him through.
We're filing a civil action against The Ledger.
It's going to be hard to prove our case,
unless you convict Nicole Hampton.
It's not our job to grease the wheels for you.
We're as upset about it as you are.
He did the 20 years.
You blew the chance to have him acquitted in 1978.
Now, wait a second.
Johnny got the best defense money could buy.
Or, you get what you pay for. We cleared Mr. Franchetta,
because we interviewed witnesses.
And scrutinized police reports.
Don't lay it all on me. Your people missed it, too.
We didn't represent him.
Somebody's going to compensate me for what happened.
I wouldn't push it, Mr. Franchetta.
There's no statute of limitations on unreported
sexual offenses against minors.
What sex offense?
You raped Nicole Hampton.
Rape?
The little bitch threw herself at me.
Talk to us, Mr. Franchetta.
What, so you can throw me back in jail?
Assuming it was only statutory rape,
you've more than served your time.
I'd be careful here, Johnny.
Yeah, right. Like last time.
Me and Nicole, we had a thing.
You had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old?
Fifteen going on 40. You have the letters?
Nicole wrote him for about three years, after he went upstate.
"My dearest Johnny.
"I think about you more, now that you're not here.
"The way you used to touch my body
"with your strong hands. "
You get the picture.
So much for rape.
Nicole Hampton killed her mother
to eliminate the competition.
Hmm. Still nothing we can do about it.
"That thing Andrew said at your trial
"about pointing the gun at my mother,
"he told me it never happened. "
Her brother lied at the trial.
Why didn't you raise this in Mr. Franchetta's appeal?
The appeal was denied before he got that.
Andrew lied to protect his sister.
You could argue he was her accomplice.
And he was 17. Not a juvenile.
You'll make us copies?
We plan to charge Mr. Hampton with murder in the second degree.
This is an outrage. Mr. McCoy can't prosecute the real killer,
so he trumps up a charge against Mr. Hampton.
What do you want me to do, Ms. Walsh?
Stop this railroad job before it gets started.
All right, calm down.
What about this, Mr. McCoy?
Andrew Hampton lied at a murder trial 20 years ago,
in order to fabricate a conviction against an innocent man.
Doesn't make out murder. Perjury, hindering prosecution, maybe.
He concocted an alibi with his sister,
so she could slip out of school and kill their mother.
He's doing this, so Adam Schiff can
clean some of the egg off his face.
I'm doing this because I think your client
was complicit in a murder.
I can't stop him, Ms. Walsh.
Sounds like he can make a case.
What's this going to accomplish, Jack?
I have no intentions of trying Andrew Hampton
for the murder of his mother.
But, he might implicate his sister in the Fox shooting.
We have no proof she was involved.
I don't know that, and you don't know that.
She's manipulated him for 21 years. Why not this time?
Well, how far you going to push it?
Until one of them breaks.
I have a life sentence to use as leverage.
Oh, my God!
Two nights in here, and I got lice.
What you're doing to my brother is despicable!
He concealed your crime in 1978.
The two of you shot Gerald Fox to protect your secret.
I had nothing to do with that.
She didn't, Mr. McCoy.
Why should we believe you?
She's been using you as her doormat for the last 20 years.
It's a nice theory, but, what are you going to present to the jury?
This dime-store psychology?
We're not going to a jury. We're gonna work out a couple of pleas right here.
Of course, if Miss Hampton won't admit to acting as an accomplice
in the Fox shooting, then I'll try her brother
as an accomplice in the murder of Rebecca Hampton.
You're blackmailing me.
What kind of deal are we talking about?
Five years then, five years now.
A gesture, acknowledging her responsibility.
Responsibility for what?
The murder of your mother.
Nicole?
Are you crazy?
There it is, Mr. Hampton.
What do you want me to do?
Tell us exactly how your sister was involved
In the Fox shooting.
She didn't do anything.
You're willing to go to jail for 25 years to protect her?
She never asked for any protection, for anything.
Even when she needed it.
With Johnny Franchetta?
He took advantage of her.
Your sister seduced him. That's a lie.
She killed your mother so she could have him all to herself.
Oh, please! We have the letters
she wrote to him in prison.
"Dearest Johnny,
"my friend says that they have these trailers
"where they let you do it.
"If they have one at your jail,
"maybe I could come visit you. "
Come on, Andrew, it was a joke.
A bikini shot. Was that a joke, too?
I felt sorry for him.
I don't understand, Nicole.
They're just doing this, because I got away with something.
You were sleeping with him!
You told me it was mom's fault. You little whore!
Don't call me that, Andrew!
You said you were raped.
You'll say whatever it takes to get your way!
She didn't give a damn about us!
All the times I came, and rescued you in the middle of the night!
I needed you.
You never even thought about me. It was always you.
You!
No, we always looked out for each other.
Remember what you said, Andrew?
Two people in a lifeboat.
As soon as you're ready, Mr. Hampton.
My sister
told me what time Fox went to work.
No, he's lying.
She told me to shoot Fox,
or they'd find out what she did.
Mr. McCoy, my brother's been in therapy.
He's got a lot of problems. How could you do this to me?
Maybe he's doing it for himself.
I'm dropping the murder charge against you.
And you're under arrest for the attempted murder of Gerald Fox.
Son of a bitch.
Andrew Hampton accepted our offer.
Attempted Man One, six to 12 years in jail.
Well, hopefully his sister will be joining him.
You don't think he can convince a jury Nicole put him up to it?
I think she'll toss her hair back a few times,
and convince them she didn't.
Pretty cynical, Abbie.
Well, if that doesn't work, she could always give an interview to The Ledger.
Hmm.