The Star Chamber Page #5

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and the five women.

But that doesn't matter...

because they found it, and that's the law.

W- What happened to right and wrong?

It's gotta be somewhere in one of those books.

There's so many books.

It's gotta be in there somewhere.

I don't know if I can do it anymore.

I don't know if I can look at one more face

come into my court expecting right...

and I gotta tell them wrong.

I just, um... I don't know anymore.

All rise. Department 121 of the Superior

Court of the State of California...

All rise. Department 121 of the Superior

Court of the State of California...

for the County of Los Angeles

is now in session.

The honorable Steven R. Hardin judge

presiding. Please be seated and come to order.

In the case of, uh,

People v. Lawrence Monk and Arthur Cooms...

a motion has been made

by defense to suppress certain evidence...

specifically an article of clothing

belonging to the victim...

on the grounds

that it was obtained in an illegal search.

The prosecution has stated that this

piece of evidence is crucial to their case.

Whether that is true or not, my basis for

ruling cannot be guided by that criteria.

My criteria is, and always will be...

the constitution and the laws

of the State of California.

Lf, in fact, this single piece

of evidence is that crucial...

then it is the responsibility

of the prosecution...

to make doubly sure that it

conforms to the laws and precedents...

laws and precedents

the prosecution is quite familiar with.

My responsibility...

is to ensure a fair trial for the accused.

If I knowingly allowed a procedural defect...

or a violation of the law to pass before me...

I would not be fulfilling

those responsibilities.

I would be equally derelict if I simply

allowed something like this to pass...

and forced the appellate court

to overturn a conviction...

that was based

on that evidence or procedure.

I believe that the search in question...

would be found by any appellate court...

to be without probable cause.

And as a result, as painful as it may be...

I must rule in favor of the defense...

and rule that the evidence be excluded.

Your Honor...

As I stated yesterday...

this evidence is the main link...

between the defendants

and the hideous crime that was committed.

If we are forced to proceed without it...

we do not feel that we will be able

to properly prosecute this case.

We are rendered powerless

without that evidence.

I understand.

I have no choice.

Your Honor, the defense moves for dismissal

on the grounds of insufficient evidence.

How do the People respond?

Your Honor,

the People have no choice either.

We do not object.

The motion is granted. The case of People v.

Lawrence Monk and Arthur Cooms is dismissed.

The defendants are hereby released.

God bless f***ing America!

No.

Can we lose this place now, man?

It'll take a couple of hours to do the paperwork,

then you can pick up your belongings and go.

The Monk is free.

The wheels of justice have turned.

I believe it's the scales of justice.

- Hey, uh, you did okay, man.

- Thank you.

Yeah. Maybe you wanna come

and have a drink or something?

Look, I did my job.

The lady who holds those scales

is blindfolded.

She doesn't have to see who I do it for.

However, I do.

I checked with the Bar Association...

and they said I don't have to

have a drink with you.

No. No.

Goddamn it, no!

No.!

- Give me the gun, man!

- No.!

Goddamn it, it's over!

Dusty Baker.

Charge.!

Charge.!

- Baker's a class act.

- For 800,000, he should be.

- $800,000?

- A year.

That's four times more

than the President of the United States makes.

- Baker's a better hitter.

- Sometimes.

Steve Sax. Second base.

Why does everybody here bring radios?

It's as if they won't believe what they see

till Vince Scully tells 'em he saw it too.

Come on, Sax! Do something!

- Which one's Sax?

- The one up at bat.

Sax is a class act.

Ahhh! You wimp!

He wants more money than Baker.

If Mays was playing now,

they'd have to give him his own state.

What did you mean when you said that

you didn't complain about what's going on...

that you did something about it?

- What?

- At lunch.

One day you said that

you did something about it.

- I did?

- Yes. What did you mean?

I'm old. I say things.

How the hell do I know what I mean?

But what do you think that you meant?

Throw the stupid ball!

Pedro Guerrero.

- Don't you play games with me.

- This is not the time.

- Was that a home run?

- No, it was a single.

- Why is this not the time?

- Not now, kiddo.

- When?

- When you're ready.

- Ready for what?

- For what I will tell you.

I don't understand.

- I don't understand.

- You don't have to!

- I'll come to you when the time is right.

- When?

Soon. Come on, Guerrero!

A class act, that guy.

- Inspector.

- Another body?

Looks like 11 years old, maximum.

No identification. It's unbelievable.

- Time of death?

- Within the last four hours.

- Tire tracks?

- Indentations.

The body was transported here.

- Anybody see a van in the area?

- Nobody saw nothing.

A patrolman spotted the body

making routine rounds...

looking for smoochers, that sort of thing.

A little kid.

What kind of thing

we got running loose in this city?

I never saw anything like it.

I have.

I wanted to check to see

that you could make bail.

Yes. I'm putting my house up as collateral.

The policeman.

I'm told he's gonna be all right.

- Yes.

- That's good.

Well, if there is anything that I can do,

please just let me know.

That's very kind of you.

I think you've done enough.

Tell me, do they really

make license plates in prison...

or is that just in the movies?

- Dr. Lewin...

- I'm not upset, you know.

I'm really not. I tried to do something.

At least I tried to do something.

My only regret

is that I didn't kill those two creatures.

You want absolution?

I'm not gonna give it to you. Try a priest.

No, I understand.

As a man, I would have tried to kill 'em too.

As a judge, I can't.

Well, you don't have to worry.

You didn't murder my son, so you're covered.

I take it that's what you wanted to hear.

Maybe, yeah.

You did murder someone else's son.

You're gonna have to

deal with that pretty soon.

- What are you talking about?

- Didn't you hear?

You should be in prison.

They have a wonderful

communications system in this place.

It's better than the six o'clock news.

Another little boy was tortured

and murdered last night just like Danny.

There's another father that's gonna have those

sounds in his ears for the rest of his life.

And you're gonna have to face him...

and explain to him

how you let those two go...

so they could murder his child.

This one's on you, Your Honor.

This one you did.

That boy would be alive

if you hadn't let 'em go.

You go tell that father about your system.

You give him the... the lecture

on your precious justice.

Save all the platitudes

that you were gonna use on me.

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