03x03 - Excessive Force

[bunniefuu]

I'm gonna duck into the
diner, ring it out.

I'm about to burst.

You want me to bring
you back something?

I'm good.

♪

Hey! This is the ladies!

What are you doing?
Get out of here!

Wait, oh! NYPD! Halt!

Let go of the g*n!

Oh! Oh, my God, you shot me!

You really shot me.

Precinct 55, this is
Charlie to Central. 10-13.

sh*ts fired in the
women's restroom

at Frankie's Diner,
46th and Third,

requesting a bus forthwith.

Stay down.

SCOTT: Sorry to keep
you waiting, Dr. Bull.

Suffice it to say,

it's not a good night
to be a police officer.

Police Commissioner
Scott, I don't envy you.

It can't be easy.

I see you got my message.
You-you started without me.

Simply grilled fish with
some steamed vegetables.

Thought I'd leave the
good stuff for you.

Ah, I can't eat. Don't
have any appetite.

On my way over,
somebody threw a rock

at a squad car at 179th Street,

and just as I was
coming in here,

we heard about a
Molotov cocktail

being thrown at a station house

in Kings County.

An officer shot an
unarmed black man,

and it wasn't for
the first time.

Oh, come on, the guy bursts
into a ladies' bathroom

just as the officer was
about to do her business.

Well, he drank too much, he
knew he was getting sick.

Men's room was locked.

So he says.

I guess the real question is:

Would she have shot
him if he were white?

Thanks.

We're talking about a
second grade teacher,

out celebrating his
Teacher of the Year award

who had a mimosa too many.

Hardly public enemy number one.

Where I come from, you
grab an officer's g*n,

you should expect to get shot.

I don't care what
your day job is.

Frankly, he's lucky
she just winged him.

Frankly, the department's
lucky she just winged him.

What can I do for you,
Commissioner Scott?

This, uh...

victim, this Cal Peterson guy

just hit us with a federal
civil rights claim.

Okay, City Hall has a
floor full of attorneys,

so I'll ask again.

Why are you paying for my fish?

I need more than a good lawyer, Dr.
Bull.

I need someone who can
really work a jury.

Anti-cop sentiment has
never been higher.

I'll give you my best
advice for free:

Settle, and do it quickly.

We made Peterson an
offer this morning.

His attorney made it clear

that we were off by a
factor of at least ten.

Offer more.

Dr. Bull.

Listen.

I heard what you said in there,

and in fact, it
may come to that,

but at least initially,

I owe it to the city, I
owe it to the force,

to go into a courtroom
and declare

in as full-throated
a way as I can,

that this had nothing
to do with race.

Nothing to do with some systemic
problem in the police force.

This was a woman
protecting herself

in a situation where
any reasonable person

would've felt threatened

and would respond just
as Officer Harris did.

And by the way, Officer Harris?

She's Tonya Harris.

She's a real person.

She takes home maybe
47 grand a year,

and if she weighs 105
pounds, she weighs a lot.

Doesn't she deserve the
right to clear her name?

Right now she is the most
hated woman in New York,

and that's not right.

Could I at least get
you to meet her?

♪

SCOTT: You see that pep
rally down the street?

That's where we're headed.

[chanting]: Don't sh**t!
Hands up! Don't sh**t!

♪

SCOTT: My offer still stands.

We'd be happy to put
you up in a hotel.

[crowd shouting outside]

It's getting kind
of crazy out there.

Why would I move?

I've got round-the-clock
protection.

My boys aren't gonna let
anything happen to me.

[sighs]

Tonya. [clears throat]

This is Dr. Bull, the
gentleman I told you about.

I think I'm gonna step out,
let you two have a chat.

CROWD: Hands up! Don't sh**t!
Hands up! Don't sh**t!

Hands up! Don't sh**t! Hands up!
Don't sh**t!

[door opens, closes]Hands up!
Don't sh**t!

[chanting continues]Nice
to meet you, Tonya.

No, it isn't.

You're here because I
shot an unarmed man.

There's nothing nice about it.

Sorry. Figure of speech.

Your commissioner thought

I should spend some time
with you, see if...

I thought there was
some way I could help.

Can you undo it?

I don't think you can undo it.

This isall my fault.

Ah, you know, um,
whether or not I decide

to help you... I'd encourage you
not to say that out loud again.

But it's true.

Is it?

Blame is for the jury to decide,

not you. Your job is
to tell me the truth

and let me guide you
through this process.

I am telling you the truth.

I hate that I hurt that man.

And I hate that every
police officer in the city

is three times
more anxious today

than they were four days ago.

And I am disgusted with myself
that I have given people

who are inclined to hate another
reason to go on doing it.

[shouting continues outside]

Huh. Let's do this.

I know you're supposed
to go to court tomorrow.

Let me reach out to Mr.
Peterson's attorney today,

and see if there isn't some
way we can settle this

before we even get to court.

Are you serious?

Mm.

That would be amazing.

I make no promises.

Thank you.

DANNY: Tell me it's not true.

Tell you what's not true?

TAC's not really gonna help
defend the police officer

that shot the unarmed
black school teacher?

Not that I'm aware of.

Where'd you get that idea?

Well, Bull just texted me.

"Find out everything you
can on Cal Peterson."

Cal Peterson is the
school teacher.

Yeah. First that
I'm hearing of it.

But would it upset
you if it were true?

I mean... you were
in law enforcement.

Did you see the bodycam
footage on the news?

He was going for her g*n.

The guy was drunk. He was going

for the sink to
puke his guts out.

Hmm... And that g*n should
have never been left

unsecured in the first place.

The cop broke protocol

by removing it in an
unlocked public bathroom.

She created the threat.

True, but... he
tried to grab it.

She had to defend herself.

The police officer is the
one with the training.

There are a dozen ways

she could have de-escalated
that situation.

Hey, you may be right, but I
don't think it matters anyway.

As far as I know, we don't have
anything to do with this case.

[sighs heavily]

WOMAN: You're not gonna
take them all, are you?

Oh.

[laughs]

No. This is...

I just... Doesn't matter.

[chuckles]

Ms. Ford. Mm-hmm.

I'm... Dr. Jason Bull.

I know who you are, and
I know what you do.

How can I help you, Dr. Bull?

Well, it's not me
that needs your help.

It's the City of New York.

They approached me, and
asked me to get involved

in this federal
civil rights suit

that you and your client filed.

Frankly, I came over here
to see what I could do

to make the whole thing go away.

Well, you can get them to
offer my client $25 million.

[laughs]

What is it about that
figure that amuses you?

Well, that's a big
number for a flesh wound

that's probably gonna heal
before this case finishes

winding its way
through the courts.

And my bigger fear is
that, in the meantime,

jackasses will line up on
both sides of the argument

and use it as an excuse
to make more trouble.

Hmm.

I'd always heard

that you were this crusader for
civil rights, human rights.

I like to think I have
been a significant voice

in that conversation,

a meaningful advocate for people
whose rights have been violated.

And it may seem like just a
flesh wound to you, Dr. Bull,

but to me, it's a
b*llet to the heart.

I'm reasonably sure if
that had been a white man

in that bathroom, there'd
have been no sh*ts fired.

I've also learned over the years
that the only thing that changes

an entrenched institution

like the City of New York is a
big ding to their bank account.

And that's what
I'm really after.

Big change.

Then I guess we're
going to court.

I guess so.

You want the good
news or the bad news?

Just... give us the news.

We're going to trial
tomorrow, working on behalf

of Officer Tonya
Harris and the NYPD.

Oh, my God.

And our strategy is...?

Well, Malia Ford is obviously
gonna make this case about race.

So in choosing our jurors,

we are gonna do
everything we can

to make it about everything but.

And how do we do that?

Well, we want to concentrate
on the circumstances.

Not the people.

When you present
the circumstances,

there is a solid
foundation of facts

that supports the idea
that Officer Harris...

was reasonably in
fear for her life.

She shot Cal Peterson
in self-defense.

White or black, our ideal juror

is someone who would make the
same split-second decision.

Someone who doesn't take
time to think in a crisis

but reacts in a blink.

What I call a "Blink Reactor."

Okay. So now we're looking
for Blink Reactors.

Whatever those are.

BULL: We're not
simply relying on how

jurors tell us they'd
react in a crisis,

but also how long they take
to answer the question.

The main thing is we don't care
who these Blink Reactors are.

In fact, the more our jury looks
like a jury forCal Peterson,

the more we will have started

to convince everyone
in that courtroom,

most especially that jury,

that we're not trying
a case about race.

We're trying a case
about circumstances.

Hello, Miss Sloane.

I see that you are
a hair stylist.

Actually, I own my own salon.

That's terrific.

Now, let's say one day...

a gentleman comes
into your salon.

I don't know if he's
crazy or high on PCP,

and he grabs one
of your scissors,

and he starts
swinging it around.

Threatening you and
your customers.

What would you do?

Come on. You a thinker
or a blinker?

I want you on this jury.

MARISSA: Seven seconds.

Eight seconds. BULL:
You can do this.

Throw bleach in his face. Hit
him with your hair dryer.

Move to strike, Your Honor.

What we don't want

are people who lack the
confidence to take action.

Now, Mr. Sails,
you work the door

at a club. Am I correct?

Yes, I do. Now, I bet
when it gets pretty late,

people have had too
much to drink,

gets kind of wild, huh?
SAILS: It does.

BENNY: So let me ask you:

What would you do if one of your
customers took a swing at you?

I would make it my business to
see to it that he regrets it.

Instantly.

Without hesitation?

Instantly.

We also want jurors who believe
people have a fundamental right

to protect what's theirs,
whether it's their property,

their life or the lives
of their loved ones.

Have you ever had your home

or apartment broken into?

Yes, a couple of years back.

And were you there at the time?
No, thank goodness.

Thank goodness because
you suspect the robber

might have hurt you or...?

Thank goodness because if
I would have been there,

there'd be one dead
robber right now.

This juror's acceptable to
the defense, Your Honor.

Ms. Ford?

This juror is acceptable
to the plaintiff, as well.

Then it looks like
we've got our jury.

I saw your boss on the
front page of the paper.

Sitting in court beside that
cop that shot Cal Peterson.

Okay.

CHUNK: You know, Anna,

it's my job. I don't
run the company.

I just work there.

You can hear how pathetic
that sounds, right?

Actually, I can't.

'Cause I know how hard
good jobs are to get.

And I know how important
my job is right now,

seeing as that you're the
one going to school.

And yeah, I know all
about your scholarships,

but somebody's got to pay
for books and housing...

Still pathetic.

[sighs]

I ever tell you what my dad
gave me for my 14th birthday?

He gave me "The Talk."

Sat me down and told me all
about how I should act

around the police.

"Don't attract attention.

"Don't make them mad.

Do whatever they say the
second they say do it."

[scoffs]

And it all made me so angry.

I was embarrassed that he was
telling me those things.

I was embarrassed that he
believed those things.

And I was enraged that he
accepted those things.

But deep down,

I knew what he was trying to do.

He was trying to...
tell me the truth.

And I knew my white friends
weren't having that talk.

[scoffs]

Not on their 14th birthday.

Not on their 40th birthday.

So, then, how can you go

and defend a white cop
who shot one of us?

Well, this is what
I tell myself.

For the justice system
to really work,

it has to be colorblind.

Look, I don't know what
really happened that night.

Who's right. Who's wrong.

But me being a part of it,

me being involved in the
fact-finding process?

Well, I have to believe
that somewhere,

my dad is smiling.

DANNY: Veronica Hill?

Ms. Hill. Hi.

My name is Danny James.

I'm an investigator working
on the Cal Peterson case.

The unarmed schoolteacher
who was shot

by the female police officer.

Okay, but I don't know
anything about that

other than what I read online.

Isn't it true that Cal Peterson
was your driver last year

after you summoned a rideshare
service on your phone?

I'm sorry. I don't
have time for this.

I have to pick something up for
my boss and get it back to him.

But I saw that you filed a
complaint against Mr. Peterson.

Do you mind telling
me what happened?

Look, I really don't
want to get dragged

into a big case like this.

Or I can subpoena you.

SCOTT: That's the
jury you picked?

Are you sure you know
what you're doing?

Nope. A lot of this
is just dumb luck.

You still sure you
don't want to settle?

CAL: I had been

to a big celebratory dinner
earlier in the evening.

Um, it was a
citywide celebration

honoring public education
and public schoolteachers,

and I actually received

a Teacher of the Year
award from the mayor.

And after this dinner,
what did you do?

Uh, went out with
some other teachers.

Had a few more drinks.

So, wait. Take us through this.

You're drinking with friends...

Well, uh...

this is embarrassing.

But the truth is I don't
normally drink very much.

So when I left my friends

and when I started to walk home,

I realized, um, I was
pretty messed up.

And then I started to get sick.

And I knew I really
needed a bathroom,

and there was that
diner, so I just ran in.

I tried the men's room
first, but it was locked.

I was feeling desperate.

I... I didn't want to
make a mess on the floor,

so I tried the door
to the ladies' room,

and it wasn't locked.

MARISSA: Surprise, surprise.
They like him.

Truth be told, I like him.

I don't recall anyone asking.

Okay, so, you open the door
to the women's restroom.

And what happened?

Uh, there was a woman
on the toilet,

but then I saw the sink...
She was on the toilet?

Just about.

She may have been
unbuttoning her pants

or something like that.

This woman, is she
here in the courtroom?

Right over there.

Officer Harris.

So, you move toward the sink.

And next thing I know,

she pulled her g*n and was
waving it in my face.

And then, uh...

then she shot me.

MALIA: Now, Mr. Peterson,

after Officer Harris grabbed her
g*n but before she shot you,

isn't it true you grabbed
the barrel of that g*n?

I did.

Can you tell us
why you did that?

I guess it was just instinct.

Seems like every time
you turn on the news,

you hear about some
unarmed black man

being shot by a white cop.

So when this white cop

was pointing her g*n at me,

I knew.

I knew she was gonna sh**t me.

So I grabbed the g*n and tried
to aim it away from me.

And thank God I did.

She only got me in the arm.

Who knows what she
would've hit if I hadn't.

I could be dead.

Objection! Speculation.

Overruled.

We have no more
questions at this time.

[clears throat]

So...

we've heard a lot about...

how much you had to drink
the night of the sh**ting.

But I was wondering if you
could also tell me about...

the illegal dr*gs
you also ingested

that evening.

I'm sorry. I apologize.

Must be me. I didn't
hear an answer.

I didn't offer one.

I don't have one.

I didn't take any
dr*gs that evening.

I don't take dr*gs. Ever.

Oh, I'm sorry.

[exhales] Forgive me.

My mistake.

Ah.

I see what the problem is.

I must have gotten thrown off
by this toxicity report.

Taken on the night
of the sh**ting.

See, they took you to the
hospital to stitch you up,

and they took some blood.

Remember?

Objection! I haven't seen
any toxicity report.

Defense didn't produce
it in discovery.

Again, I apologize.

I just got it from the
state lab last night.

They've been backed up.

That notwithstanding,
the plaintiff's counsel

had the same access
to this report

as I did, Your Honor.

I'll allow it.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, according to this report,

you weren't just drunk, Mr.
Peterson.

You were high on MDMA.

You know, MDMA?

Molly?

[scoffs]I need an answer, sir.

Is it still your testimony

that you didn't do any
dr*gs that evening?

And let me remind you that
you are still under oath.

No. I mean, yes.

I absolutely didn't take
any dr*gs that night.

All I can think of is maybe
somebody slipped something

in my drink, but I certainly
wasn't aware of it.

So someone slipped Molly

in your drink while you
were out celebrating

your Teacher of the Year award?

Objection. Argumentative.

Move it along, Mr. Colón.

Certainly, Your
Honor, certainly.

Th-The night that you charged

into Officer
Harris's bathroom...

that wasn't the first time

that you physically
threatened a woman,

was it, Mr. Peterson?

I don't know what
you're talking about.

Isn't it true that last year,

at this time, you used
the evening hours

to work as a driver for
a ridesharing company?

And isn't it true that a
complaint was filed against you

by one of your passengers?
A Ms. Veronica Hill?

Objection. Your
Honor, relevance?

The plaintiff's counsel
has gone to great lengths

to present the plaintiff
as a model citizen.

An honored teacher who
could do no wrong.

She opened the door to
character, Your Honor.

Overruled.

BENNY: Thank you.

Now, let me refresh your memory, Mr.
Peterson.

Isn't it true that Ms.
Hill became

so uncomfortable
with the aggressive,

sexual passes you made
while you were her driver,

that she demanded you pull
over three and a half miles

before she reached
her destination?

She did ask me to pull over.

But I wasn't being aggressive.

It was really just a
misunderstanding.

Oh, just a misunderstanding.

But didn't you chase her on
foot after she exited your car?

I was trying to reason with her.

You were trying to reason with
her while you were chasing her,

screaming at her,

threatening her.

I wasn't threatening her.

I just...

I just didn't want her
to file a complaint.

I really needed that job.

You're a big guy, Mr. Peterson.

How big would you say Ms.
Hill was?

Would you, would you
say that-that she was

a... large woman?

Or would you call her average?

Or-or-or might you use
the word "petite"?

Petite.

She was definitely petite.

Petite.

Got it.

No further questions,
Your Honor.

Let's take a 15 minute break.

Nice work.

You know...

for the first time, I think, uh,

we might actually have a
shot at winning this thing.

I think so, too.

And I think the plaintiff's
lawyer feels the same way,

which is why I would
urge you to authorize me

to use our newfound leverage

to try again and
broker a settlement.

Can you not feel the
tension in the air?

I don't think there is a
good ending for our city,

no matter which side wins.

Dr. Bull,

I hired you to clear

this officer's good name.

Why don't you worry about that
and let me worry about the city?

When my client came through
the door, what state of dress

or undress were you in?

I had unbuttoned my pants and
I was pulling down my zipper.

You must have been terrified.

I was startled.

My first concern was for my g*n.

It was on the sink and
I needed to secure it.

So you weren't scared?

There wasn't time to be scared.

And besides, it didn't seem
like he was coming for me.

It seemed like he was
going for my g*n.

And why would he be
going for the g*n?

And how would he have even
known that the person

in the bathroom had a g*n,
much less put it on the sink?

That's a terrific question, and
one I don't have an answer to,

except for the fact
that I could only deal

with the information
that was in front of me.

And the information
directly in front of me

was that there was a man

someplace he wasn't
supposed to be

and he seemed to be
going for my g*n.

So that drove your decision making?
Absolutely.

It didn't occur to you that
he might have been sick?

That he might have been
going for the sink?

I had no way of knowing that.

He didn't look sick?

His head was down.

He stumbled, but...

Did he look drunk?

It was four steps between
the door and the sink.

Did he look black?

[sighs]

He was black. He is black.

Isn't that why you
grabbed for your g*n?

No. That's ridiculous.

Without knowing what he
wanted, why he was there,

you grabbed for your g*n
because a black man

was standing over you while
you went to the toilet,

isn't that right?
With all due respect,

I was grabbing that
g*n no matter who

was standing over me while
I go to the toilet.

[scoffs] Did you
struggle for the g*n?

No. I got to it first.

I looked at the bodycam footage.

Didn't look to me like he
was even going for the g*n.

Is it possible that
you were wrong?

Is it possible that h-he
wasn't going for the g*n?

You weren't there.

Did you think he had a g*n?

It never crossed my mind.

My only concern was that
he didn't take my g*n.

So I'm confused.

If you had your g*n, and
you weren't thinking

about whether or not he had one,

then why were you pointing
it at him at all?

Because... He was black?

No.

L-Look at the bodycam footage.

The second I had the
g*n, he was on me,

trying to take the g*n from me.

Because you were
pointing it at him.

Because he didn't
want to get shot.

So the question is: Why were
you pointing it at him at all?

If all you wanted to
do was secure it,

then why did you end up
pointing it at my client?

Why did you end up
sh**ting my client?

And isn't the answer
because he's black?

Let's t... let's take a break.

You okay?

I'm thinking this is,
uh, about a tenth

of what you can expect
to face on the stand

when Malia Ford questions you.

You can't let her bait you.

You can't let her anger you.

This is her technique.
It's what she does.

She's famous for it.

You okay? Mm.

Great.

Let's go to court.

[crowd shouting]

TONYA [on video]: Halt!
NYPD. Halt!

W-What are you doing?

Let go. Let go of the g*n!

[groans]

CAL: Oh, my God, you shot me!

You really shot me. Oh.

TONYA: Precinct 55.
Charlie to Cent...

Wow. That's quite a tape.

I'm sure you won't forget
anything about that night

for years to come.

Burned in my memory.

So what color jacket
was my client wearing?

Excuse me?

What color sports jacket?

Was it black?

Was it blue? Was it brown?

The witness will please answer.

MALIA: It's all right.

I withdraw the question.

But do you happen to recall

the color of his shirt?

I don't know.

Mm. White?

Mm.

Yellow?

Mmm.

It was a very light blue.

Mm.

Now how about his face?

Objection, Your Honor.

Counsel is...[alarm blares]

Ladies and gentlemen, we've
received a b*mb threat.

We're gonna need everyone to
leave the courthouse right now.

CHUNK: According to the
commissioner's office,

the b*mb threat was specifically
targeted to our courtroom.

Rather remarkable piece
of timing, actually.

You took the words
right out of my mouth.

That was not great in there.

You... you were not
great in there.

I know.

She makes me nervous.

Well, maybe you want to
come down with something?

So you don't have
to continue today?

Boss. We got the all clear.
Everyone's headed back in.

I'm fine.

Are you sure?

I'm fine.

MALIA: Now, where did we leave off?
Oh, yes,

I was asking if you remember the
color of Mr. Peterson's face.

It was black.

We all know it was black.

And it's your testimony that
that did not contribute

in any way to your
decision to sh**t him?

Of course not.

So, then, logically, what
you're really saying is,

no matter who walked
in that room,

you were gonna react the same way.
BENNY: Objection.

Counsel is testifying.

Overruled. You may
answer the question.

Yes. No matter who
came through the door,

I would have reacted the same.

An old woman?

Yes. I believe so.

You believe so?

What about a child?

A boy, a four-year-old boy?

Your Honor, these are all
ridiculous hypotheticals.

The attorney is
badgering the witness.

I sense the attorney is trying
to make a point; I'll allow it,

but let's get to it
sooner rather than later.

I was asking about a child.

A four-year-old boy, you'd
still point your g*n?

Of course not.

Then it's not true.

Despite your earlier testimony

that no matter who
walked through the door,

you were gonna
behave the same way.

For some people you
point your g*n,

for others, no. And, frankly,

I think that's good.

You're a professional.

You should apply
critical thinking

to a decision like this.

So...

at what age do you start
pointing your g*n?

If a person's
12?BENNY: Objection!

JUDGE STALDER: The
point, please.14?

It's a 20-year-old boy instead
of a 38-year-old man,

you point your g*n?

What if it's a
20-year-old black boy?

Come on. BENNY: Your Honor?

[sighs] You want the truth?

Well, that would be nice.

You always apply
critical thinking

before you point your g*n.

But where does that critical
thinking come from?

Two places... your training
and your experience.

And I'm sorry. In my
experience doing this job,

if I'm in a women's
bathroom, and a man...

Yes, a black man...
If a black man

walks into it at 2:00 in the morning, and
moves for my g*n...

[gavel bangs]...I'm gonna
get it first, and I'm gonna

point it at him, and
anybody...[gavel banging]

Who does what I do for a living

and says any
different is a liar!

I have no further
questions, Your Honor.

I'm so sorry.

So, so sorry.

I can't believe I did that.

I just...

I cracked.

How bad is it?

For our case?

I'd say it's fairly
catastrophic.

You want to tell me
what the hell happened

in court today, Dr. Bull?

No big deal.

It's just, your totally
innocent officer decided

to act on the stand like she was...
totally guilty.

It happens all the...

Wait. Actually,
it never happens.

Well, I'm glad you're so amused.

I've got reports that my
officers are being att*cked

all over the city,
and right now,

I got a patrol car burning in
front of One Police Plaza.

We told you what to do.

Yes, you did.

You win. I give up.

You were right, so, let's
move to plan B, shall we?

Sit down and settle this thing.

Offer them whatever you have to,

but just do it quickly.

We'll start making calls.

[line ringing]

On second thought, let's not
make any calls till morning.

What she said was indefensible.

I second that.

[sighs] Indefensible.
Absolutely.

The thing is, I'm not
sure I believe any of it.

What do you mean?

Well, in the car after court,

she was saying how
sorry she was.

She was shaking her
head the whole time,

and it's not an absolute,

but sometimes, that can indicate

a person doesn't believe
what they're saying.

Well, wait. Why
wouldn't she be sorry?

Her testimony basically torpedoed
the city's whole case.

I don't know. It's
just a feeling.

DANNY: Please.

She's a r*cist.

Uh, people show you one face

when they know you're
looking, but the other one,

the real one...

It's always just peeking
out just a little bit,

laughing at you for getting
suckered by the mask.

If you say so.

It's not what I'm feeling.

Tomorrow?

Tomorrow. [clears throat]

Danny, you have a copy
of that bodycam tape?

I want to give it another look.

Yeah, I'll send you the link.

One last thing.

Does anybody know where Cal
Peterson ended up throwing up?

Well, he was sick.

So sick he had to go
to the women's room.

But I don't recall hearing
about where he threw up.

You're right. There
was nothing about it

in the crime scene photos,
nothing in the notes.

I get the feeling

we're not making any settlement
calls any time soon.

I get the feeling
we should order in.

[crowd shouting]

SCOTT: Gentlemen?

Where are we?

Why am I totally
in the blind here?

Have we commenced
settlement discussions yet?

We have not. I don't understand.

You want the good news or the bad news?
Oh, come on.

I have finally come to believe

this case isn't
about race at all,

and I think that is
cause for celebration.

I'm not following you.

I think it's really about good
old-fashioned American greed.

And isn't it great
to know there exists

at least two people in
this world who can finally

look past race or skin color
or religious differences

long enough to try and rip
off the City of New York

for a few million dollars?

Now, from your tox
screen report,

we know that not only were you

legally intoxicated the
night of the sh**ting,

but you were also high on Molly,

as well.

Mr. Peterson, I'm wondering

if you might have been high and
drunk that night on purpose.

I'm sorry. I don't
understand the question.

Well, I'm asking if perhaps
you drank to excess

and took some MDMA
in anticipation

of getting shot that night.

A little something
to numb the pain.

Objection! Now counsel is
making absurd assertions

in the hopes of
confusing the jury

and obfuscating facts
already in evidence.

Mr. Colón, I think

this courtroom has already
seen enough drama.

I agree, Your Honor,
but I promise if

you'll bear with me
a moment longer,

I will substantiate
my allegations.

Well, you'd better, or I will
be holding you in contempt.

It's a simple question, Mr.
Peterson.

Did you barge into that
bathroom that night

knowing full well
that you were going

to get shot by Officer Harris?

[scoffs]

Why would I want to
get shot by a cop?

So we could all end up here,

with you suing the City of
New York for $25 million.

[laughing] That's ridiculous.

Well, yes.

Unless of course, Officer
Harris was in on it.

MALIA: Your Honor, do I even

need to cite an objection? This-this
is outlandish![gavel bangs]

Yes, it is outlandish, Your
Honor, but I can assure you

that I can prove that Cal
Peterson and Tonya Harris

are not the strangers they've
been pretending to be.

That, in fact,

they've been romantically
involved for months now.

What the hell is he doing?

You people are supposed
to be defending me. Hmm.

Technically, the City of
New York is our client.

Since it seems you're
trying to swindle the city,

I fear you and I have a
serious conflict of interest.

[gavel banging]

Mr. Peterson, is this true?

Did you

plan this sh**ting
with Officer Harris?

Absolutely not.

Look at the bodycam footage.

I'm wrestling her for the g*n.

Were you?

That's funny, because
the more I look at it,

the more it looks like you were
holding the barrel of the g*n

to make sure that
the b*llet went

into your arm and
not your chest.

But...

that could just be me.

While you're thinking about
it, I'd like to enter

into evidence this
certified business record

of a history of Cal Peterson's
ridesharing customers.

And let the record reflect

that ten months ago,

he drove a Miss Tonya Harris.

Yeah. It's not surprising.

We all know he likes to use
the ridesharing vehicle

as his personal dating app.

I drive hundreds of women,
probably thousands.

[chuckles]

But in truth, I don'tremember
driving that woman.

BENNY: Mr. Peterson,

would it surprise you
to know that the...

front desk clerk at the
Bridgecroft Motel in Astoria

remembers checking you
in at least 23 times

in the last ten months?

No. It wouldn't surprise me.

My roommates can get loud.

Sometimes I rent a cheap
room to grade papers,

prepare lesson plans. Alone.

[inhales sharply]

Are you aware

that there is video surveillance
cameras in the hallways,

so the clerk can see if,
say, Tonya Harris decided

to join you in your room?

I'd be happy to enter the
video surveillance cameras

into evidence if you'd like.

Or perhaps I can just call
Tonya Harris to the stand,

see what she has to say.

But...

you know, as a
former prosecutor,

I should tell you that the
person who confesses first

is usually the one who
gets the lighter sentence.

You are still under
oath, Officer Harris.

We were lying in bed one night
at the Bridgecroft Motel,

and he turned to
me, and he said...

"You know, darlin', I'd
take a b*llet for you."

And the idea just
grew from there.

How many years you
think they'll get?

Whatever it is, it's
not long enough.

I'm not sure I ever
made it clear, but...

I admire the hell out of you.

[chuckles softly]

[sighs]

Would you like to get a drink?

I would love to get
a drink, but, uh...

[inhales sharply]

I'm sort of between
drinks right now.

If that circumstance
should ever change,

you can be sure
that I will, uh...

I'll call you first.

Well, we don't have to drink.

Oh, trust me. If you're
gonna be spending any time

with me at all, you are
gonna need a drink.

I have that on good authority

from a great many women.[laughs]

Well, don't look now, but...

I just might call you.

Don't you thr*aten me,
young lady.[laughs]