Night Falls on Manhattan Page #4

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But their dying began well before

that tragic night.

Their deaths began on the day that

corrupt cops...

agreed to protect dope dealing

in Harlem.

Now, I grieve for

those dead policemen.

As far as I know,

they were not part of any conspiracy.

But I cannot let a man go to jail

for the rest of his life...

for doing what is acknowledged

as a man's most basic right:

the right of self-defense.

Thank you.

Vigoda's witness list includes 17 cops

from the six-four, the six-five...

and the seven-four.

What do you mean, don't worry?

- Because it's bullshit it's a theory.

Theories are crap.

He wants to confuse and divert the jury.

Don't let him divert you.

Three dead cops, one seriously wounded.

That's your case.

Cops on the take, Morgy.

- No kidding? Thanks for the information.

Washington had to be paying somebody.

Will you stop worrying about it?

That's another question. Take one.

That's another trial.

This one is about...

Three dead cops, one seriously wounded.

I know.

Oh, Eileen, I told you not spicy.

Damn.

So you were completely occupied

with Detective Casey...

and you really knew nothing...

about what was going on in the streets?

Yes, sir, that's correct.

Thank you, detective.

Your witness.

Detective Allegretto, have you ever

heard of the name Kleinhoff?

Who?

- Kleinhoff.

No, not that I can recall.

- Thank you. That's all.

The witness is excused.

Detective Liam Casey

Do you swear to tell the truth, the

whole truth and nothing but the truth?

I do.

Good morning, Detective Casey

Morning Counselor.

You're assigned to seven-four precinct?

- Yes, sir.

How long have you been there?

- Nine years.

You've been a detective for how long?

- Twenty years.

And how long have you been a policeman?

- Thirty-six years.

Thirty-six years.

So, you're well past

your eligibility for retirement?

Oh, they'll have to carry me out.

In fact they almost did.

Can you tell us how you became involved

with the defendant?

We all knew him:
Jordan Washington.

I mean, the word on the street was.

kingpin, top dog, numero uno, M.M.

M. M?

- Yeah, Mean...

Yes?

Mean Motherf***er.

That's what we called him: M.M.

And how did you specifically

get involved in the pursuit of him?

Well, me and my partner, that's Joey

Allegretto, we have us a snitch.

Naturally, I can't tell you his name.

- We understand.

One day, six-seven months ago...

we learned that the defendant...

if we got lucky,

we'd see him coming in or out.

So you cased that house for two and

a half weeks, all day and all night?

Damn near.

Oh, I mean, a couple of times

we'd miss some hours.

Once we both got sick from

some bad-hero sandwiches.

Things like that.

Didn't you ask for help from precinct

- In narcotics, you got to be careful.

On a good lead,

you don't want too much ord out.

What did you then do?

We got lucky.

Sunday night the snitch showed.

That's Sunday 13 October?

- Yes, sir. So now, we're in business.

So then, you had absolutely no knowledge

of what was going on outside?

The next thing I saw was you...

standing by my bed

in ICU at Metropolitan.

Thank you, Detective.

Your witness, Counselor.

Good afternoon, Detective Casey.

You on sick leave now?

- Yes, sir.

What's the prognosis?

Pretty good:
six to eight months,

I'll be as good as new.

I'm glad to hear it.

I only have two or three areas

that I'd like to cover.

You had a warrant?

- Yes.

Now, something that you said

has made me curious.

This thing about

not getting any help...

during what must have been

an arduous...

even tortuous surveillance.

You testified...

"On a good lead,

you don't want too much word out".

What did you mean by that?

- Narcotics are complicated.

The fewer people know about

what you're doing, the better it is.

Does that apply to your fellow officers?

- Objection, you honor.

The charge here is murder,

not police corruption.

The defense may tie the two together,

your honor.

A line of questioning you opened up,

cancelled, overruled.

You may answer, Detective Casey.

You have to be careful.

I don't understand. You mean narcotics

information is a two-way street?

That police officers can be informed

about dealers...

and dealers can be informed

about police officers?

I'm not sure I get the question.

Well, then...

regretfully, I must be blunt.

Were you afraid that

if you involved any other officers...

one of them might get word

to Jordan Washington?

Like I said, you got to be careful.

I'm sorry to press you, Detective,

but I must ask you to answer...

either yes or no.

Yes.

Since you didn't share this information

with men of your own precinct...

you didn't share it with officers

in any other precinct.

Am I correct?

Yes or no.

I shared it with nobody.

Except your partner.

- Except my partner.

I just have one more question.

You ever heard of the name Kleinhoff?

Not that I know of.

- He's an ex-police officer.

In fact, the records indicate that...

both of you served in the same precinct

for a period of some two weeks.

It was a long time ago,

about twenty years.

Kleinhoff,

does that name sound familiar?

No, counselor.

Like you said, a long time ago.

I understand.

Thank you, that's all.

Jordan Washington: 1-1-1...

Shall I play it for you again,

Lieutenant?

We hear Detective Allegretto very

clearly calling into the 74th precinct.

Why did men from the 64th precinct

respond?

They thought more help might be needed.

- More help.

But just a few seconds had elapsed

before your men responded. Why?

How did your men know

that more help was needed?

Did I hear you correctly, Sergeant?

Men of the six-five responded...

because

an "officer down" call had come in?

Yes, sir.

But the "officer down" call

did not go out...

until almost two minutes after

the original call came in...

and men from the six-five

were already on their way.

How do you explain that?

You drove, and I quote:

"like a bat out of hell".

Why?

It was a big collar.

We wanted in on it.

Finally, someone gives me

a straight answer.

You were how old at this point?

- Six or seven.

And this was your fifth foster home?

- I don't know, I lost count.

What about brothers and sisters,

Mr. Washington?

Five of us we got split up early.

No foster home wanted five kids.

You were the youngest?

- That's right.

Where was your mother

during this time?

All over.

Mama was all over.

She was a user,

an addict.

What happened to her?

- I don't know.

Father?

- I never knew him.

How old were you, Mr. Washington,

when you hit the streets permanently?

Maybe ten.

- How did you live?

I became a runner.

A drug runner?

- That's right.

Could you give us a description of

how you lived over the next few years?

I kind moved up

I learned where the money goes.

Then I got busted and

did two and a half in Elmira.

And when you got out?

- Carved out a piece of turf for myself.

Took it, one block at a time.

Nobody's stopping me.

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