Line of Duty Page #5

Very tense beats.

Steve has no further evidence to present so he

is frustrated. Danny knows it and looks very

cool.

Hastings looks to Steve to see if he’s got any

further evidence on this point.

HASTINGS (O.S)

Steve?

Steve brings up the next document on screen.

Post Mortem results.

STEVE:

Document 11. Post-mortem result.

Three bullets were recovered from

the head wounds and were identified

as 9-by-19 millimetre parabellum

rounds fired by a Glock 17 pistol

issued to Authorised Firearms

Officer Victor Charlie Five One.”

DOT:

Three shots. You made sure, didn’t

you, sergeant?

MARLEY:

Victor Charlie Five One regrets the

loss of life but I don’t need to

remind everyone that he was an

Authorised Firearms Officer acting

on the lawful orders of a Strategic

Firearms Commander.

STEVE:

You regret killing him?

MARLEY:

As I’ve said -

STEVE:

I’m asking Victor Charlie Five One.

MARLEY:

Victor Charlie Five One has the

right to be interviewed by an

officer at least one rank superior.

HASTINGS:

Did you regret killing him, Victor

Charlie Five One?

DANNY:

I regret the loss of life.

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

X:

Music Ends

10:
15:24

HASTINGS:

Three shots, fella!

STEVE:

It’s standard practice to aim at

the maximum body mass, the chest.

HASTINGS:

Why head shots?

DANNY:

I was ten metres away in good

visibility. The shots were highly

achievable.

STEVE:

Standard practice is to double-tap

the trigger, discharging shots in

pairs.

HASTINGS:

Not two shots, not four.

DANNY:

He collapsed after the third shot

so I ceased fire.

HASTINGS:

Yeah, right. You shot him down like

a dog!

MARLEY:

Sir, your language is inflammatory.

STEVE (O.S)

You’d prefer only to have wounded

him?

DANNY (O.S)

We don’t shoot to wound. We shoot

to neutralise the lethal threat.

STEVE:

You were the only AFO to strike the

target.

DANNY:

Yes, that’s what happened.

HASTINGS:

Listen to me, son. We weren’t born

yesterday. You shot that fella in

cold blood while your wee mates

stood by and watched.

DANNY:

I shot first and the others fired a

fraction later, by which time the

suspect had collapsed, and their

shots missed.

DOT:

You saw all that in a fraction of a

second?

DANNY:

I’ve never been to this building

before. You saw me walk into this

interview room, sit down in a

matter of a few seconds. Over my

left shoulder are three rows of

open-plan desks in front of a glass

partition dividing the open-plan

area from a private office range 20

metres. Seated at the desks are

seven personnel comprising, four

males and three females. Over my

right shoulder is a longitudinal

partition at chest height beyond

which is gate-controlled access

range 20 metres. Entrance and exit

to this floor level are via key-

controlled lifts adjacent to the

waiting area at my 4 o’clock

position range 35 metres.

HASTINGS:

Why the second shot? Why the third?

STEVE:

The first shot was fatal.

HASTINGS:

Why did you keep firing? Were you

losing it out there, fella?

DANNY:

I cite under Common Law my lawful

right to use lethal force for

preservation of life or in self-

defence where this threat is

immediate.

HASTINGS:

Yes. And in response I cite Section

117 of the Police and Criminal

Evidence Act, the use of reasonable

force. And for the tape the

emphasis is mine and not contained

in the Act.

DANNY:

That’s an easy argument from behind

a desk, Sir.

HASTINGS:

From behind this desk, Sergeant, we

uphold standards, standards you’re

expected to meet as a serving

police officer!

Steve clicks the remote to bring up a headshot

of Ronan Murphy’s body on the morgue table.

HASTINGS (CONT’D)

Do you recognise the man in this

image?

MARLEY:

I object in the strongest possible

terms. Victor Charlie Five One’s

been involved in an extremely

tragic and distressing incident and

this line of enquiry is offensive

and insensitive.

DOT:

(To Marley)

Your man doesn’t strike me as the

sensitive type.

STEVE:

(To Danny.)

Are you?

DANNY:

Am I what?

STEVE:

“Sensitive.”

Danny flares at that. He knows its code for gay.

Kate leans in.

STEVE (O.S)(CONT’D)

On your personnel file, there’s no

recorded next of kin.

Danny continues to look angry and struggles to

contain it. See Kate’s POV.

STEVE (CONT’D)

Wife? Fianc.e?

Dot grins. Danny looks like losing his cool for

the first time.

Music

10:
18:33

DUR:
3’14”.

Specially

composed by

Carly

Paradis.

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

MARLEY |

This line of questioning has no |

bearing on the investigation. |

|

STEVE |

We don’t know that yet. |

|

Steve knows he’s got to Danny, and Danny knows |

he’s shown it. Danny hits back brilliantly. |

|

DANNY |

I’m single. The suspect was an |

armed criminal with a history of |

violence posing an immediate and |

credible threat to the public. In |

respect of Operation Damson, on May |

13th the Strategic Firearms |

Commander authorised the use of |

firearms. Under Section 3 of the |

Criminal Law Act 1967 I am also |

entitled to use such force as is |

reasonable in the circumstances to |

prevent crime, and under Section |

117 of the Police and Criminal |

Evidence Act 1984 I am entitled to |

use reasonable force in the |

exercise of police powers. Under |

Common Law I have the lawful right |

to use lethal force for |

preservation of life or in self-|

defence where this threat is |

immediate. At no time has anyone in |

this room put forward credible |

evidence that I acted unlawfully |

and therefore I formally request |

that my withdrawal from operational |

deployment be lifted and my |

firearms permit be reinstated so I |

can get back to doing what I do |

best. |

|

HASTINGS |

This investigation is far from |

over, son. As far as I’m concerned|

we’ve only just scratched the |

surface. Requests denied. |

|

On Kate, her POV. Return to interview room. |

|

HASTINGS (CONT’D)|

Interview terminated. |

(Kate’s POV intentionally garbled)|

(Off you go the two of you).|

(back in the interview room)|

Desk duty only. |

|

10:
20:22

10:
20:50

Danny walks straight out without looking back, |

followed slightly apologetically by Marley.|

Hastings, Dot and Steve watch him go. |

|

CUT TO:
|

|

INT. AC-12. LIFTS/WAITING AREA. MOMENTS LATER. |

|

Danny waits by the lifts, fuming, with Marley|

presses the lift button. Danny sees Steve head |

into the waiting area to summon the next |

interviewee (an AFO or forensic investigator). |

Danny makes a move. Marley heads towards the |

lift buttons. |

|

MARLEY |

Danny, don’t do this. |

|

DANNY |

(Nearing Steve.)|

What was that, my personal life, |

what was that? |

|

STEVE |

Nothing personal. |

|

DANNY |

No? |

|

The lift pings. |

|

MARLEY |

Interview’s finished, Danny. |

|

DANNY |

I’m not. |

|

STEVE |

Good. Neither are we. |

|

Tension crackles between Steve and Danny, |

neither man giving an inch. |

|

Danny heads into the lift. |

|

The lift door closes on Danny and Marley, |

leaving Steve grim faced. |

|

CUT TO:
|

|

INT. AC-12 UNDERGROUND CAR PARK. MOMENTS LATER. |

|

Steve heads to his car. |

|

When he reaches it, he finds the driver’s door |

open. Instantly, Steve is on edge. |

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes