Night Falls on Manhattan Page #5

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So now you were a full-time dealer.

- That's right.

In your experience, Mr. Washington...

What's the most important thing

a full-time dealer needs?

Three different things:

a place to buy it, a place to sell it,

and protection.

Protection from other dealers?

- No, see, I takes care of that myself.

Protection from what?

- All of this sh*t.

How do you protect yourself from this?

- Well, how do you do anything?

Money.

Who is Kurt Kleinhoff?

- Ex-cop. My bag man.

Meaning the one who pays everyone off?

- That's right.

Can you tell us how that works?

- First of the month...

Kleinhoff go out with a little black

satchel, look like a doctor bag...

stops by the bar, the precinct and

the pizza parlor and pays off cops.

So much for the patrolman,

so much for the sergeant...

lieutenant, captain...

How much?

- Six hundred grand a year.

How much?

Six hundred grand a year: fifty grand

a month, three precincts to pay off.

And those precincts were?

- Six-four, Six-five, Seven-four.

Could you give us the names

of the officers involved?

Objection, your honor. The defendant

was not present at the alleged pay-off.

We must not take his word on this,

he must not name names.

Sustained.

Who is Carlos Alvarez?

- Guy trying to take over my operation.

How did he try?

- See, he moved the ante up.

He offered the cops six hundred

and fifty grand a year.

So my police friends tried

to shake me down for another fifty.

I said "No, get the f*** out of here.

Once that sh*t starts, I'm finished.

So I said no, and I figured

I'd take care of Alvarez my own way.

And did you?

- No, see, I never got the chance.

Alvarez figured

I'd be coming on after him...

so he tell the cops and...

they don't want to give up that fifty

so they come on after me.

And that was the night of October 13th?

- Yeah.

But I knew what was happening

maybe a month before that.

Kleinhoff say:

"First time they find you,

they coming on after you".

We're perfectly aware that you grew up

amid conditions that were heartbreaking.

Let me ask you something. Remember

the first time you hit somebody?

No. It seems like I'm always hitting

or being hit.

Oh yes, because you say in

your testimony here, and I quote:

"I've carved out a piece of turf

for myself I took it" end quote.

That must have taken a lot of hitting,

didn't it?

Did it?

When you were expanding your drug empire

and I quote:
"one block at a time"...

did you ever kill anybody?

Your honor, I am instructing my client

not to answer that question...

on the grounds of self-incrimination.

Are you pleading the Fifth Amendment,

Mr. Washington?

Yes.

- Did you ever order anyone killed?

Same instructions, your honor.

Fifth Amendment.

When you were in jail for assault with

deadly weapon, did you kill anybody?

Fifth Amendment.

- When your turf was firmly established,

when you were now numero uno, top dog,

kingpin, M.M., did you order anyone...

Fifth f***ing Amendment.

- Enough of this.

We'll ask questions and wait for

responses in a civilized way.

Your honor, the prosecutor is bating...

- Sit down, Mr. Vigoda.

I'll run this courtroom with no help

from you nor anyone.

Continue, Mr. Casey.

- Thanks your honor.

Let's go to the night of the shootout.

Sunday, October 13th.

Did you hear Detectives Casey and

Allegretto coming up the stairs?

When you fired fifteen shots

straight at the door...

did you see Detective Casey go down?

The door was there.

But by the end of your fusillade,

the door was in pieces.

Did you see Detective Casey get hit?

- No.

Did you see any blood?

- No.

When you got down to the basement,

did you see two policemen?

Oh, yeah.

Did you see their faces before firing?

- Yeah.

Were they young or old?

- I don't know.

You just said you saw their faces.

Not clear.

- Which is it:
yes or no?

I don't know.

When you fired your.357 Magnum,

did you see where the bullets hit?

Where did they hit?

- One in the head and one in the body.

Was there blood?

- Oh, yeah.

Lots of it?

- Yeah.

Let me ask you something.

Did any get on your tiny white sneakers?

Motherf***er.

Remove the defendant.

Remove the defendant.

Get him out of here.

Jury's on the way.

Two hours:
good or bad sign?

- Good sign, but who knows?

Guilty on all five charges.

Can you believe this?

- Okay, everybody.

Well did I smell it,

huh?

You all thought I was nuts,

but I knew this kid had it, had it all.

Sean, come on up here. Sean Casey.

- Yeah.

Come on.

A boundless love of the truth and

an instinct for the jugular vein.

That's what makes

a great prosecutor.

And I cannot think of a better moment

to announce my run for re-election.

I'm glad that opposing counsel

has seen fit to join us here tonight.

Welcome, come on, welcome.

I may offer Sam Vigoda the chairmanship

of my fund-raising committee.

He should live so long.

All right, have a good time.

Mr. Mayor.

Sir, Sean Casey. Sean,

Mayor Williams.

Congratulations, Mr. Casey. I couldn't

imagine this is your first major case.

Brilliantly done. Brilliantly.

Where's your father?

- He's in the back.

Liam. Over here.

- Mr. Casey.

I never knew I'd be helping

the prosecution.

I'm Peggy Lindstrom.

- Yeah, I know.

We met once in an elevator.

I work for Sam Vigoda.

One of twelve irreplaceable assistants.

- I know that I saw you at the trial.

Sit.

- Hi.

How are you?

- Fine.

I don't know if you can make it erect.

- I think I can.

Classy car.

- I'm lucky:
my parents have money.

Where are we going?

- Home.

I live in Queens.

- I don't.

You're a miracle.

I know. But only to people that

I want to like me.

How do you decide?

- Instinct.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing

when you cross-examined Washington.

I knew I was watching

the start of a great career...

I knew that, at the least,

I wanted to get you into bed.

How come you don't wait to be asked?

- I hate that coy bullshit.

I live my life as openly and

as honestly as possible.

You're completely attractive.

- I know.

So now you get 3.00 A.M.

scrambled eggs, I get ice-cream, and...

I hope I'm impressing you enough

so that we can see each other again.

I'm very impressed:

we'll see each other again.

And still...

tonight wasn't casual for me.

Well, it started casual for me.

I was a little loaded.

There's a beautiful and sexy woman,

well, what's there to lose?

Right now, it feels like

the beginning of something.

Can you spend the night?

Impelliteri is setting

the sentencing date tomorrow.

I should show up in my other suit.

See? The first heartbreak already.

I'll make up for it.

- How?

I don't know.

Good eggs.

What did you find?

- Forget about it.

Nothing left of that joker

but a skeleton.

God only knows how long

he's been down there.

Poor kids were crabbing.

One of their lines got snagged.

How do you like that?

On the first charge...

Would you stand,

Mr. Washington?

On the first charge,

the death of Patrolman Finney...

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