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[Car. Busy LA highway. Reed is driving in the service lane with his emergency light on.]
Libby: You could use one of the lanes like everybody else.
Reed: Yeah, it's a perk. I mean, people go on and on about the health insurance policy. Nah, you give me the bubble light
any day of the week. Watch.
[Reed swerves and runs a red light.]
Libby: I'm going to take a wild guess here. You were the youngest in the family, right?
Reed: Let me take a guess. You were the oldest.
Libby: Guess again.
Reed: I think I'm pretty on the money.
[They pull up outside of a building. A crowd has gathered.]
Libby: Hi, Libby Galante, Reed Sims. What do you have for us?
Detective: Do you believe in magic? Take a look at this.
[They go inside a theatre. There's a man floating above the stage, light as a feather still as a board style.]
Detective: Murray the Magician. Performed this hundreds of times with his assistant. She said he just stopped breathing.
[A dove flies over their heads.]
Libby: What did the other witnesses say?
Detective: The same thing.
Libby: Are you sure he's dead?
Reed: Looks like full rigger to me.
[Reed waves his hand around, looking for the wires holding the guy up]
Reed: How does he do this?
Libby: It's some kind of illusion.
[Reed crawls under him and can't find the lines.]
Reed: Check this out.
[A rabbit crawls out of the dead guy's coat.]
Detective: What the hell?
[They all laugh. HAHA Death!]
[Stupid credits. Just when I think they're growing on me, the line 'The ci-tee of Aaaangeeeellllls' is belted out and...
Nope. Still hate it.]
[Property. There's the bunny again. I wonder if he got his SAG card for this.]
Reed: Oh, Martha.
Libby: It is the property of the deceased. It was literally on his body. Come on, Martha. What are we supposed to do with
it?
Reed: Animal control? Martha, look at this face.
Martha: He is very cute, but I'm not taking him home.
Reed: The next of kin will be here tomorrow.
Martha: I heard that two dogs three cats and a cockatoo ago. I have no more room for orphaned animals.
Reed: Okay, but look at it this way. Let's be thankful the deceased wasn't an elephant trainer. Huh? Big problem, big
mess, right? This guy, all you've gotta do is make sure Bernstein doesn't see him.
Martha: We better cover the cage.
Bernstein: Ah, just the two I want to see. Alright, in my office.
Reed: What's up, boss?
Bernstein: Officer involved shooting in South Central.
Libby: LAPD?
Bernstein: Here we go again.
Martha: Oh, Manny, would you help me with that.
Manny: Yeah. Uh, how come you have an empty cage?
Martha: What did you say? [They pull the cover off and the rabbit is gone.]
[Bernstein's Office]
Libby: Wow.
Bernstein: Listen to this.
TV Reporter: Gun fire exploded in South Central tonight leaving one suspect dead another at large, and an angry community
asking questions that so far police refuse to answer.
Bernstein: Well, they're going to be all over the LAPD on this and probably all over us. Zucchini bread?
Reed: Huh? No. White cop, black kid?
Bernstein: Yeah, and conflicting eye witness stories. Libby? I baked it myself. [She reaches for a piece. Reed pushes
her hand away and coughs.]
Libby: I...break out in hives if I eat...zucchini.
Bernstein: You get hives? Oh, my. Poor girl.
Libby: But thank you. Do we get the case?
Bernstein: You get the body, and get it right. I want you to treat this scene like Johnny Cochran is looking over your
shoulder.
Reed: Okay.
[Hallway. Bunny is riding around on a supply cart.]
[Autopsy Room]
Manny: Looking for the hombre who brings deceased Kodak moments.
Dudley: Alright, one for the magic mug (?). Yo, why'd you get his tux all messed up?
[Manny straightens it, then starts pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket...and pulling and pulling.]
Dudley: Stop, stop, stop!
[Flowers pop out of one of the pockets.]
Dudley: It's the amazing Manny.
[South Central. The crime scene is crowded and crazy. People are yelling.]
Detective: I want you to call downtown and tell them to send some more guys over here right away!
Officer: Got it!
Detective: You guys should have worn your flack jackets, it's getting ugly down here. Looks like we've got a drug deal
here. Patrol spots it going down, moves in for the bust. One kids splits, this idiot [dead guy] pulls out a gun, gets off
one shot.
Libby: I worked South East division for 2 years, we're lucky these guys didn't have Uzis. Where's the gun?
Detective: Paramedics kicked it over there.
Libby: Any word on the runner?
Detective: Not yet.
Libby: Thanks.
Detective: I didn't get an ID on him yet.
Libby: Are we going to do a GSR test, see if he fired the gun?
Reed: You better believe it. [By this point the crowd is so loud they have to yell to hear each other.] Let's see who
you are?
Detective: You hear what I said? Get them back!
Reed: Kyle Wilson. Turned eighteen two weeks ago. Looks like we got six hits.
Detective: How many?
Reed: Six.
Detective: Good shootin'.
[Reed and Libby stare at him.]
[Corner's Office]
Bernstein: We have a high profile case coming in, very sensitive. I want you to handle it.
Chan: I'm not the only pathologist on staff, Dr. Bernstein.
Bernstein: But you are the best. Don't look so surprised. Once I put down my scalpel someone had to take my place.
[South Central]
Tiffany: Excuse me! Excuse me!
Reed: Check out the tattoos. Looks like our Mr. Wilson was a (jumbled).
Libby: Yeah, 650 dollars cash and two vials of coke. The guy was having a good day.
Reed: Are you feeling some heat around here?
Libby: Oh, yeah.
Reed: Yeah. It's our first time in combat together.
Libby: I'm so glad I'm armed.
Reed: Hey, what are you waiting for, an introduction?
Tiffany: Call me rude, but let's skip the formalities. Are you guys ready?
Reed: Go.
Tiffany: Let's roll.
Reed: Get on down.
[Reed sees a guy in the back of a police car.]
Reed: That's Charles Rogers.
Detective: Yeah, he looks like our runner. We found his car a couple of blocks away from here.
Reed: You know he lives in the neighborhood.
Detective: We've got an eyewitness that puts him at the scene.
Reed: The guy plays for UCLA, are you sure about this?
Detective: [Starts yelling at one of the other cops]
Reed: Let's roll, let's roll! Guys, what do you say? You got it? Not the right time to be standing next to a white sheet.
[Autopsy Room]
Reed: Charles Rogers. He's an unbelievable football player. First game out, 161 yards rushing.
Libby: What is it about fleeing football players in this city?
Reed: You count six entry wounds, Dudley? Dudely?
Dudley: Uh, yeah, seven.
Reed: Seven?
Dudley: Right here.
Reed: Through and through. Close up on that please.
Dudley: So they think Charles was buying dope from this guy?
Reed: Yeah.
Dudley: Do you believe that?
Reed: What do you want from me? Eyewitness accounts.
Libby: Why else would he run?
Dudley: Young black male running from the LAPD? Gee, let me think about that.
Bernstein: Alright, talk to me.
Reed: Looks clean, boss. GSR came back positive. He fired that gun.
Bernstein: Dr. Chan will perform the autopsy. Pending our results I want all reports in at six am.
Reed: Okay, in the meantime we've got to notify this kid's--
Bernstein: The young man's grandmother already knows. She's waiting upstairs.
[Family Room]
Reed: I apologize for this Mrs. Wilson, but we need it for positive identification. Is this your grandson?
Mrs. Wilson: I heard the gunshots. Hear gunshots most nights. Always pray it isn't Kyle.
Reed: I'm very sorry we didn't reach you before you heard about this.
Mrs. Wilson: He's been working his way towards this since the day he was born. Devil laid a hand on this child, would
not let go.
Libby: Is there anything we can do for you? Anyone we can call?
Mrs. Wilson: May I see him?
Libby: Oh, I'm sorry. We really don't have that kind of a facility here.
Mrs. Wilson: They said the police shot him.
Reed: We're going to conduct a full investigation from this office. It'll be independent from the police.
[Bunny hops past the door.]
Mrs. Wilson: Are you a mother?
Libby: Yes.
Mrs. Wilson: Please. Let me see my grandbaby.
[Autopsy Room]
[Mrs. Wilson touches Kyle's face. Libby and Reed watch through the window.]
Reed: No sign of the bunny.
Libby: Imagine not being surprised that your grandson was dead. I don't understand. I mean, there seems to be a lot of
love there. I wonder what happened.
Reed: Look, you saw that kid's record. He couldn't stay out of trouble.
Libby: Yeah, but if that woman couldn't keep a kid out of trouble then I don't think I stand a chance. How do you protect
them?
Reed: Hey, boss. You look a little pale.
Bernstein: Charles Rogers is dead.
Libby: What happened?
[Holding]
Yomiuri: He went off when we brought him in. It took three of us to bring him down. We put him in lockup, came back ten
minutes later, he'd killed himself.
[Charles's cell is trashed, he's hanging from the bars with a blanket tied around his neck.]
[Commericals]
[Holding Cell]
Yomiuri: Charles freakin' Rogers dead on my watch.
Reed: Did anyone touch anything?
Yomiuri: No. Guess he couldn't take getting busted. No scholarship, no Rose bowl. Saw his whole life going down the crapper.
[Reed stares at him for a minute.]
Reed: Whose been in here?
Gueard: Are you handling this?
Reed: [Snaps] Yeah, we handle all in custody deaths. Whose been in here?
Yomiuri: Myself and the officer who found him, Scott Williams.
Reed: Any of those guys? [Points to the other guards hanging around.]
Yomiuri: Nope.
Reed: You want to get them out of here for me?
Yomiuri: Sure.
Reed: Thanks.
Libby: Hey Sims, you might want to take a look at this.
Reed: What?
Libby: Right over here on the left side.
Reed: He didn't have the bruise at the scene.
Libby: He cleaned his shoes.
Reed: Those are school issued.
Libby: If the guy was so depressed about his life wouldn't he be crying or praying or feeling sorry for himself? Why would
he take the time out to clean his shoes?
Reed: Okay, we're going to seal off this area, roll out our own people. Has his family been notified?
Yomiuri: No. Is there a problem?
Reed: Yeah. Charles Rogers died on your watch.
Yomiuri: Uh-uh. He killed himself on my watch.
Reed: Where's Williams?
[Interrogation Room]
Williams: Roger's was whacked on some kind of drugs. His pupils were dilated, he was sweating, he was rambling, not making
any sense.
Reed: Well, you know, I, uh, I saw him at the scene. He didn't look whacked to me. He looked scared.
Williams: Why don't you ask the other guys? His veins were bulging, his eyes were about to pop out of his head. I thought
he was having a seizure until he picked me up and tossed me across the room.
Libby: So you guys had to do a number on him, huh?
Williams: No, we didn't do a number on him. Just got a little...rough.
Reed: So you put him in the cell...what?
Williams: Came back, 10 minutes. and he was hanging there.
Libby: Why wasn't he under a suicide watch?
Williams: Because he didn't seem suicidal. Just irrational. Coked out.
Reed: He ask for anything?
[Williams shakes his head.]
Reed: Nothing?
Williams: No, nothing. Not even his phone call. Okay? Great.
[Hallway]
Reed: You catch that?
Libby: Yeah. If Charles didn't ask for anything, how does he get the blanket?
[There's a cop behind them, Libby turns to look.]
Reed: Just keep walking.
Libby: I'm getting sick to my stomach.
Reed: Stop eating (something) for breakfast.
[There's a crowd of cops behind the door. They just stand there as Reed and Libby try to walk through.]
Reed: Ah. Friends of yours?
Libby: Stop. Imbeciles. [Okay, "Imbeciles" is dubbed. The actress totally says "assholes." Ha.]
[Coroner's Office]
Tiffany: I looked everywhere. Even in the rose garden.
Martha: Do you think that rabbit could have been an illusion?
[Ew, shot of rabbit poo]
Tiffany: Than this is an illusion too.
Dr. Chan: I thought Kyle Wilson was highly sensitive.
Bernstein: He was. Charles Rogers is even more so.
Dr. Chan: Why, because he played football?
Bernstein: Well, as crass as it sounds, yes. And because we now lead the investigation.
Dr. Chan: If someone had been as concerned about his mind as his ability to play football, maybe he wouldn't be dead.
Bernstein: Maybe, but he is dead and I trust no one but you to find out why.
[Tiffany is cleaning the poo. Chan stares at her.]
Tiffany: A clean work place is a happy work place.
[Holding Cell]
Libby: If he tore the blanket, wouldn't he have fibers on his hands?
Amy: He would have fibers on his hands from just using the blanket.
Libby: Oh.
Amy: Remember last year, that 96 yard punt return he ran against Washington?
Reed: Thing of beauty. [Tie Tuck Alert! Maybe the first one, ever!] You ever hear of him using drugs?
Amy: I heard he worked with kids to keep them off drugs. Where are the rest of his things?
Libby: I already bagged them. Do you guys think we should take the ligature off?
Reed: No, we'll leave that for Claudia. I don't want her yelling at me. You take a look at this knot? If I were to kill
myself I don't think I'd be this fancy.
Amy: [Trying to stand up] Oh...
Libby: Okay? The last two months are always the hardest.
Amy: (something) is kicking like crazy.
[Reed puts a hand on her belly. Aw.]
Amy: [To her belly] Hey, this is the only time you're going to be in a jail cell, do you hear me?
Reed: Your uncle Reed's gonna kick your butt.
Yomiuri: If you guy's are about through you better get the hell out of here. We got a mob forming out front.
Reed: It's a good time to go.
Amy: Yep.
[Out front a huge mob is screaming and yelling]
[Inside the police station. Reed and Libby are on different phones.]
Reed: We got a situation here, boss.
Libby: I don't have time to fight with you, Bobby. Can you watch the girls or not?
Reed: We've got a bunch of pissed off people protesting Charles' arrest and when they find out he's dead I think we're
going to have a little problem
Libby: No, look, just pick them up at noon at my mother's house, okay? What? No, I am not going to talk to you about this.
Reed: How's the ex?
[Libby gives him a dirty look]
[Bernstein's Office]
Bernstein: What's your take on the crime scene?
[Police station, Reed is on the speakerphone.]
Reed: We've got contusions on the body, and some odd behavior for a suicide. I don't like it.
Bernstein: I should have taken that consulting job in Seattle.
Reed: We sent Amy out the back. Now we got to figure out a way to get the body out of here.
Bernstein: How do you purpose to do that without starting a riot?
Reed: I don't know. But I'm telling you, we're sitting on a time bomb here.
Bernstein: Well then, I suggest you move Mr. Rogers [Hee!] like any other bomb.
[Police Station. They use the bomb squads truck to transport the body.]
[Truck]
Libby: You know we're screwed. I mean, no matter what happens, we are screwed.
Reed: Pretty much. If we ever make it through this day you want to grab a bite to eat?
Libby: Sure.
Reed: You do?
Libby: Grab some dinner? Sure, why? I mean it is just dinner, right?
Reed: Right. Yeah.
Libby: Did you mean a date?
Reed: No, no. No date. Absolutely not. Just...Food. Of course, it could sort of be a date. [Libby looks at him.] Forget
it. No. Just food. Food's good. I like food.
Libby: Let's just get through this day.
[Coroner's office]
Bernstein: Bring him in, photograph him, Dr. Chan is standing by.
Libby: We also need a tox screen, check for cocaine first.
Bernstein: Well, the press knows he's dead. I don't how but I know it better not be from this office, but they know, so
they agreed to hold off for an hour so you can make the notification. They are rabid animals, all of them. Here.
Reed: What's this? Community Baptist Church
Bernstein: Right, his parents are holding a vigil for his arrest, come on, go go go.
[About half way through this scene Bernstein gets into an elevator. The doors start to close and smack Chris right in
the back, so hard he jerks foreword. I can't tell if it was on purpose or not.]
[Church]
[Choir sings. Reed tells Charles' parents and younger son what happed. Mrs. Charles screams and cries. Mr. Charles pushes
Reed a little bit.]
[Autopsy Room]
Chan: Well, I can tell you this. He was dead before this ligature was applied.
[Commercials]
[Bernstein's Office]
Bernstein: Would you say this confirms your suspicion about the crime scene?
Reed: I'd say it moves it in the right direction. We've got blood work...?
Amy: Tomorrow morning. I found a white substance in his pants pocket, it looks like cocaine, I'll know in a couple of
hours.
Libby: Are you ruling out suicide?
Chan: I'm not ruling out anything until I do a complete autopsy.
Bernstein: By that time the city may be up in flames. The family of Charles Rogers has scheduled a press conference for
three pm, and from what I understand they're going to accuse the LAPD of murder and label this office as coconspirators.
Chan: I didn't say anything about murder, I said the ligature was applied post mortem.
Dudley: So someone tampered with the crime scene, made it look like a suicide. They're guilty about something.
Libby: Before we go off accusing these guys we've got a lot of work to do.
Dudley: Are you defending what happened here?
Libby: No, I'm just saying we don't know what happened.
Dudley: Come on, this is LAPD, we know what happened.
Libby: I used to be in the LAPD, okay--
Dudley: Alright, then you know the dance.
Bernstein: Please, people. Come on. We're fighting an entire city here. Do we really have to fight among ourselves? Alright,
Dr. Chan, we will wait for your word.
[Hallway. Bunny is hanging out.]
Reed: Not that there's any pressure on you.
Chan: You're the one heading to South Central.
Reed: Yeah, but I think if you were a really good friend you would--[She walks off]. Need back up?
Libby: What the hell are you doing here? Where are the girls?
Bobby: What are you trying to prove? You want to back off on this Charles Rogers case? Listen to me, a couple of us checked
Mr. Rogers out. Guy's no angel, partied a lot. Did coke. Loved Blondes.
Libby: So do you. Get your hands off me.
Bobby: This is such a bunch of crap, you guys investigating it. Is this about me?
Libby: Oh, God.
Libby: Are you still trying to--
Libby: Do you know how arrogant you are, Bobby? No, this is not about you, and I'm going to ask you one more time: Where
are my girls?
Bobby: With Diane. She's going to be their stepmother. I thought they should spend some time together.
Libby: Yeah, well, I think they should be spending some time with their father right now.
Bobby: I know. Look. Could we just keep them through the weekend? I want to take them to Disney Land. Get them out of
town before the riots.
Libby: You're not funny, Bobby.
Bobby: I'm not trying to be. Call me.
[Car]
Libby: Next I'm going to be hearing some crap about a planted glove.
Reed: Yeah, there are a couple of Columbian drug lords I want to check out. CIA too. I think they may be involved in
this.
Libby: What is it about death in this city?
Reed: I think I've got that figured out.
Libby: Enlighten me.
Reed: Showbiz, babe.
Libby: That's sick.
Reed: That's LA. Aren't you glad we've got a front row seat?
Libby: Not this time.
Reed: Okay. Maybe Charles does flip out, the cops flip out, they pull a Rodney King on him, except this time the guy dies.
Libby: So they panic and cover it up.
Reed: Why not?
Libby: First of all they didn't pull a Rodney King, he wasn't that bruised. Second of all I was a cop for eight years,
the only Rodney King I ever saw pulled was Rodney King. You ever lie in a report?
Reed: Nope.
Libby: Ever beat a suspect?
Reed: No.
Libby: Ever partner with someone who did?
Reed: Twice. I happens. Now unless Charles came back from the dead and put that ligature on himself, how did it get there?
[Interrogation Room]
Libby: So tell me what happened when you put him in the cell.
Yomiuri: He was okay, he calmed down. I asked if he wanted to make a phone call, he did answer me. We left.
Libby: Where was he when you left?
Yomiuri : On the bed.
[Office]
Williams: He was on the bed when we left.
Reed: Did he ask for anything?
Williams: No.
Reed: How did Charles get that blanket to hang himself?
Williams: It must have been in the cell.
[Interrigation Room]
Yomiuri : I guess Williams gave him the blanket.
Libby: You guess?
Yomiuri : I know I didn't.
Libby: What did Williams say after he found the body?
Yomiuri : What do you think he said? He said, "The guy's dead."
[Office]
Williams: The guy was dead.
Reed: So what did you do?
Williams: I left to get Sargent Yomiuri.
Reed: I believe you. But, see, I got a problem. That blanket. I know it was put on after he died, I just don't know who
did it, you or Yomiuri.
[Interrogation Room]
Yomiuri: It wasn't me. When I saw Rogers he already had the blanket around his neck.
Libby: Okay, so you're saying Williams did it..
Yomiuri: I'm saying I didn't. Williams is a good kid, I just don't buy that he'd do this.
Libby: Even if he thought you'd beaten Roger Charles to death?
[Office]
Williams: [Upset] Never even got that rough, I swear. He should have been fine.
Reed: But he wasn't. So you staged the suicide?
Williams: I should get a lawyer.
Reed: Yeah.
[Autopsy Room]
Chan: May 16 1997 4:20 PM. I am Dr. Claudia Chan beginning the post mortem examination of Charles Martin Rogers at the
Los Angeles coroner's office. Dr. Neil Bernstein is attending. The body is that of a well developed, well nourished African
American male stated to be age 19. The body weights 189 pounds and measures 70 inches from crown to sole. The hair on the
scalp is black, the irises appear to be brown, pupils fixed and dilated. There are not tattoos, deformities, or amputations.
A linear surgical scar on the right knee (something) measures 2 inches in length. There's a contusion under the left eye,
multiple non pattern contusions on the chest.
[Car]
Libby: This city is going to freak out.
Reed: Ye.
[Hallway]
Reed: What do you got on the autopsy?
Chan: The autopsy was inconclusive. There were signs of cardiac stress, but not enough to be fatal.
Reed: How bad was he beaten?
Chan: He had a single deep bruise on his cheek and contusions on his chest, all consistent with his being restrained.
He had no broken bones, no internal hemorrhaging.
Libby: So then he wasn't beaten to death.
Chan: No. I have no idea what killed him.
Reed: Hey, what's going on?
Dudley: It's looking bad out there.
[Everyone's watching TV]
TV: The tension is mounting here on south 51st street as the city awaits word from the LA coroner's office on the autopsy
of Charles Rogers. As you can see, LA police are out in full force. In a move that upset many African American community leaders,
the mayor this afternoon imposed a citywide curfew that will remain in affect until sunrise tomorrow.
Reed: You going to give a statement, boss?
Bernstein: Well, I'm going to leave off until we get toxicology tomorrow. Dr. Chan I would like you to announce the findings.
Chan: No. Thank you.
Bernstein: Can I ask you why?
Chan: May I speak frankly?
Bernstein: Absolutely, Dr. Chan.
Chan: I'm a pathologist, I'm not a black prop for display purposes.
Bernstein: Well, allow me to be frank with you. I take great umbrage with that, Dr. Chan. Great umbrage.
Chan: And I take greater umbrage with you using me to cover your political white ass.
[She gets a 9 years later OH SNAP! from me. Commercials]
[Autopsy Room]
Reed: I thought you might be in here.
Chan: Do you think I'm wrong?
Reed: I'm just a white guy from the valley, what do I know?
Chan: Answer me.
Reed: This city is going to do what it wants to do. That's not on your shoulders.
Chan: I thought I was beyond my color being an issue. For most of my career, I've either ignored it or sidestepped it
or, on those rare occasions, taken advantage of it. But I guess until now, I've never really chosen to deal with it.
Reed: We really don't understand each other, do we? Genders, races, all these labels. Human being seems to get lost in
the mix.
Chan: I am just so sick of the never-ending parade of black men I see on my table. He's never once asked me to make a
statement about any of them.
Reed: None of them were on their way to a Heisman trophy.
Chan: When he was on my table he wasn't on his way anywhere. He was a body, same as all the others. God. If they could
see them the way we do, they'd know we're all the same.
[Coroner's Office]
Reed: So how do you feel about Mexican? Place down the street has the best margaritas in LA.
Libby: Aren't you exhausted?
Reed: We had a date.
Libby: Dinner plans.
Reed: Dinner plans. Food. I like food.
Libby: Can I take a rain check? I'm sorry, Reed, I'm just--I'm just exhausted. I really need to get to bed.
Reed: Yeah, no, it's cool.
Libby: You think LA will still be standing tomorrow?
Reed: Go get some sleep.
Libby: Good night.
Reed: Good night.
[She leaves. Reed pretend-stabs himself in the heart and bangs into the file cabinet. Heh.]
[Morning. Charles' Dorm Room]
Libby: What a waste.
Reed: Yeah, I ran his record last night, nothing. Hey, check this out. [shows her a picture] Kyle Wilson and Charles.
Friends? Or dope dealer?
Libby: Maybe both. Looks like this picture was taken a couple years ago.
Mr. Rogers: Put that down. Put it down! How dare you. You killed my boy, and now you start digging up crap. All of it
just a bunch of lies so you can justify yourself.
Priest: What about the LAPD? Why aren't you investigating them?
Libby: We are. And we did not kill your son, Mr. Rogers.
Reed: Gentlemen, we don't work for the LAPD. And with all do respect, we don't work for either of you. We work for the
deceased, which in this case is unfortunately your son. Now, we know you're upset. You think we're the enemy? We're not.
Mr. Rogers: Get out.
Reed: No, sir.
Mr. Rogers: I want you out of my sons room.
Priest: Preston--
Reed: Sir, I want you to step back. We're going to finish this search. Now you can stand in the doorway and watch us.
We've got nothing to hide.
Priest: Come on, Pres. We're watching you.
Reed: Sir, the whole city of Los Angels is watching us.
[Family Room]
Mrs. Wilson: People been filling my ears with hate and anger, I told them that's what killed Kyle. I want no part of it.
But I'm investigating this investigation, and what my eyes don't catch, divine eyes will.
Libby: Kyle Rogers, Mrs. Wilson, did Kyle ever talk about him?
Mrs. Wilson: Kyle knew Charles: Every now and then he'd brag about it.
Reed: How'd they know each other?
Mrs. Wilson: He told me they met playing basketball.
Reed: They were friends?
Mrs. Wilson: Kyle didn't need friends like that. I know Kyle did wrong. The Lord's judging him and I hope he shows mercy.
But the Lord should also take a good look at Charles Rogers too.
Libby: Did Charles Rogers buy drugs from Kyle?
Mrs. Wilson: That's all I'm going to say.
Libby: Please, Mrs. Wilson--
Mrs. Wilson: I'm not one to cast stones.
Libby: Did you ever meet Charles?
Mrs. Wilson: No. Met his father.
Libby: You met his father?
Mrs. Wilson: Preston Rogers is nothing but a big bully. You want to know about Kyle and Charles, ask him.
[Hallway]
Reed: You think he threatened him?
Libby: Sounds like it, which means he knew Charles was doing drugs.
Reed: I think we're about to find out.
[Lab]
Bernstein: I don't know if this is good news or bad news. Charles Rogers overdosed.
Amy: The cocaine in his blood level was 16 milligrams per liter. toxic is .09.
Chan: That caused the cardiac stress.
Reed: What about the struggle with the cops?
Chan: He's gotten worse bruises after a football game. Cause of death, acute cocaine poisoning.
Bernstein: Right, so I'll schedule the press conference in two hours. Does that give you enough time?
Reed: Unfortunately, yeah.
Bernstein: Okay. Go to it.
[Car]
Libby: They're not going to believe us. Even coming clean with the cops, they're not going to believe us.
Reed: His parents or the city?
Libby: Both.
Reed: Not our problem.
Libby: Yeah, well, it will be when the riots start. If you ask me, it's Preston Rogers problem.
Reed: Yeah, why?
Libby: Look at this. Look how far Charles had to come. He was probably a good kid, just wound up with the wrong crowd.
His father knew he was doing coke, but did he get him out of school, did he get him help? No. And why? Because of the almighty
football.
Reed: He did something. He threatened his drug dealer.
Libby: He covered it up. Exactly what he's accusing us of doing. You think I'm being to hard.
Reed: No. Just think you're leaving out the love.
[Rogers' House]
Mr. Rogers: I know my son. Charles did not do drugs.
Reed: Sir--
Mr. Rogers: He did not do drugs.
Libby: Mr. Rogers, all the files and the people who worked on this case are available to you at any time. Dr. Bernstein
is waiting to meet with you whenever you are.
Mr. Rogers: So we can hear more lies?
Libby: The DA is filing obstruction of justice charges .
Mr. Rogers: Are they going to be charged with murder?
Libby: No.
Mr. Rogers: They killed my son.
Reed: Cocaine killed your son. Cocaine and his friendship with Kyle Wilson. Now you can lie to yourself, you can lie to
the whole city of LA. Are you going to lie to Danny? Are you going to lie to your little boy?
Mrs. Rogers: No.
Reed: You have a chance for you sons death to mean something. Charles did not die because he was black. He died because
of drugs.
Mr. Rogers: We thought he had stopped. I warned Charles and Kyle. Why didn't they just listen?
Reed: Would you like to see your son?
[Coroner's Office]
Danny: Every Saturday I have a game, but every Friday and Tuesday I have a practice.
Reed: Uh-huh. We've got some coloring books in here.
Danny: Where's my mom and dad?
Reed: They're talking to some friends of mine right now. They'll be back soon. Would you like a soda?
Danny: Look! There's a rabbit over there!
Reed: There is?
Danny: Yeah, don't' you see it?
Reed: Gee, I don't--No. Maybe it's only a special rabbit you can see. Where's it at?
[Danny pets the rabbit and holds it. Aw. Cutest kid ever.]
[Later]
Reed: So how'd it go?
Bernstein: Well, I asked them to make a joint statement, so we'll see if they show up. For the sake of the city I hope
they can set aside any petty problems.
Dudley: Petty problems?
Chan: Why are all three of my autopsies tomorrow morning black?
Bernstein: Are they?
Chan: Yes.
Bernstein: I don't know. Maybe coincidence.
Chan: Fine. Prove it. Give me three white cadavers.
Bernstein: I will not. Come on, this is ridiculous. Dudley, will you please tell her that she's overreacting?
Dudley: Uh-uh. Sorry Dr. Bernstein.
Chan: You know what the problem is? The problem is that you are so far removed from your own perception of prejudice that
you don't think it exists.
Bernstein: Don't talk to me about persecution and prejudice. My people know those two subjects quite well.
Dudley: Look, um, it's the middle of may. How many times you been stopped by the cops this year?
Bernstein: None.
Dudley: None. They've stopped me six times. No ticket. I wasn't doing anything wrong, they just stopped and hassled me.
DWB. Driving while black.
Bernstein: I find this very hard to believe. We've come way, way beyond that.
Chan: And You are living in a fantasy world.
[Bar]
Libby: You were right again, Sims. I mean, underneath everything, they were just parents that lost their child.
Reed: Hopefully they save their other child. And gained a rabbit.
Libby: Hey.
Reed: Hmm?
TV: In just a few moments, we will be going live to the Community Baptist Church where the Rogers family is about to make
a statement.
Mr. Rogers: We will never --Our son, Charles, will never come hope to us again because of drugs. Go look at your children
and hold them tonight and pray. Pray that the day you and their mistakes will never take them from your arms.
Reporter: All is peaceful in LA tonight as the parents of Charles Rogers make a heartwarming plea for peace.
Reed: Think it will stay that way?
Libby: Until the next time something happens. Yesterday Sammy was telling me something about a kid in her class and I
didn't know which one it was, and she pointed her out and said 'the one in the green shirt.' It was this little girl named
Carley. She had dreadlocks, she was from Jamaica, dark skin. All Sammy saw was the green shirt.
Reed: Kids are great. Until they become adults.
Libby: I'm going to miss them.
Reed: When are they coming home?
Libby: Tomorrow.
Reed: Oh. So there's no reason for you to...rush home.
Libby: Guess not.
Reed: Does this feel like a date to you?
Libby: No.
Reed: It does to me. You know how I know is that whenever it's a great date I feel like sending flowers. Roses, actually.
Libby: You just had this sudden floral urge?
[Libby's house, the next morning. She goes outside and picks up the paper. There are a dozen potted roses in her yard.
She picks up a card. All it says is "Guess who?"]
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