Law & Order/Recap/S04/E15 Kids

Two boys watch one of their friends, named Angel Ramirez, play an arcade game at a pizzeria. One, Alex, cheers him on, but he says he has to go home or his mom will be angry. The kids leave. Meanwhile, a lady named Ida Abel gossips to her friend, Mrs. Sugarman, about a mutual acquaintance who thinks her breasts are too large. The two talk about Joanna, Sugarman's daughter, who is unhappy with her small breasts. They continue to talk as they leave the pizzeria, with Abel remarking that Joanna is 34 and still unmarried. Sugarman goes off in a different direction, and Abel talks to her dog.

""She thinks I'm talking love, Trixie. I was talking husband.""

- Ida Abel

Suddenly, two gunshots sound out. Alex and his companion, Leon, cry out Angel's name. Abel turns to see someone running right at her. The runner knocks Abel into the street as he runs by. Sugarman comes back as Abel yells about the rudeness of the youth who hit her. Abel says she wasn't shot, but her hip hurts. Sugarman tells her to look, and they see a body -- Angel was shot.

Briscoe asks Abel if she saw anything, as an EMT named Newman asks how she is. Abel says that her hip still hurts, and that all she saw was that the man who pushed her and presumably shot Angel was Puerto Rican. Sugarman chimes in that the streets are a war zone, and then she leaves with an Officer Banks as Newman and his colleagues take Abel away. Meanwhile, Alex and Leon tell Logan that Angel didn't do drugs. Logan, exasperated, has an Officer Reynolds let them stay warm in a squad car while they wait to be questioned again. Logan and Briscoe go over to the body, and Logan says that the boys think the shooter was across the street, but no one can find any shell casings. Logan then identifies the body to Briscoe, and names his school. As Angel is zipped into a body bag, a CSU member says that Angel was shot straight through the carotid artery and was killed pretty much instantly. The two detectives go with the body to the police van.

""Fourteen years old."

"Pretty soon we'll be passing out vests in kindergarten.""

- Michael Logan and Lennie Briscoe

Lila Ramirez, Angel's mother, is disbelieving that Angel could have died. Her husband is more able to believe it. Lila goes to call Leon's parents, but stops when Logan shows her a picture of Angel's body. She runs to her run. Mr. Ramirez protests that Angel didn't hang out with a bad group, do drugs, or have any enemies. He was even in the running for a scholarship. He breaks down into tears.

Briscoe tells Van Buren that Angel was practically a saint. Van Buren thinks that Angel had a bad past, but Logan doubts that there would be a contract killing on a fourteen-year old child. Van Buren doubts that the shot, which killed Angel instantly, was an accident or a drive by. Logan thinks it was just really bad luck.

""You take a walk, you get rained on. But you take another walk, you get a bullet through your skull.""

- Michael Logan

Logan doesn't think anyone had reason to hate Angel or try to kill him. He storms out. Van Buren asks what's wrong with Logan, but Briscoe just says that they had a long night -- Logan is taking the death of Angel hard, since Angel was so young and innocent. He adds that they found a bullet but it was smashed and untraceable. Van Buren says they should talk to Abel again, even though Briscoe says that she's still injured.

In the police station, Abel looks through a book of mug shots as Briscoe tends to her and offers her tea. She identifies three possibilities, named Navarez, Melendez, and Juan Domingo.

""You go out and arrest those animals, right now.""

- Ida Abel

On the phones, the cops learn that Navarez is dead and Melendez is in jail. Logan thinks Abel gave them bad advice. Briscoe learns that Domingo is still out, and he was once caught with a very large handgun. Furthermore, he lives seven blocks away from the shooting.

""Thank you very much, Mrs. Abel.""

- Lennie Briscoe

The cops pound on Domingo's door as Latin music plays from within the room. The cops use a battering ram to knock down the door. Domingo walks out from a back room and immediately freezes as everyone trains their guns on him. Briscoe finds a box full of guns, although none like the one that shot Angel. Domingo says he's a gun dealer and can prove it. He shows the cops where he has his federal firearms license. Logan, surprised, asks for Domingo's alibi, but he doesn't have one. He says he didn't kill Angel. He adds that he was walking down the street when someone opened fire, so he ran off, and he admits that he knocked down Abel as he fled.

""It's a crazy jungle out there.""

- Juan Domingo

Logan arrests Domingo, saying that his license mandates that his guns be secured at all times, but Domingo's guns are just lying in an open cardboard box.

Van Buren tells the detectives that getting a firearms license isn't hard.

""For $75 you can sell Howitzers to Qadafhi.""

- Anita Van Buren

Profaci comes in and says that there was a hit ten days ago by a gun dealer. Logan identifies the location as Domingo's neighborhood. Profaci adds that the shooting took place in an alley, and there was a witness, a Ricky Morales. Morales was supposed to see a lineup, but he was shot in front of his school, Saint Matthews Prep. The top suspect was Juan Domingo. Briscoe clarifies that Morales was supposed to identify Domingo before being killed, but Profaci says that Morales survived and is at Mt. Sinai Hospital. He's paralyzed from the waist down, and claims to have forgotten all about the gun deal.

At the hospital, Morales says he won't talk to the cops because of what happened the last time he did that.

""Hey, slow down. We're on your side."

"I'm slow. I'm going to be slow for the rest of my life.""

- Lennie Briscoe and Ricky Morales

Logan says they know what happened -- Morales saw Domingo shoot another gun dealer, and then he shot Morales to stop him from talking. Briscoe tells Morales that he can help stop Domingo, but Morales won't say anything else. Logan asks about Ramirez, and Morales says he knows him from TV, but not from real life. Briscoe comments that Domingo was standing right next to Ramirez when Ramirez was shot. Ramirez just repeats himself.

""I told you, we didn't see Domingo shoot anybody.""

- Ricky Morales

Logan realizes that Morales said 'we,' indicating that another person saw Domingo that night. Morales tries to play it off as a verbal slip, but when the police don't fall for it, he ends the interview.

The cops talk about the case outside. Logan develops a theory of the crime -- Morales and someone else saw Domingo shoot another dealer. Then Domingo shot Morales. The other witness got scared, panicked, and tried to shoot Domingo before Domingo found him. Unfortunately, he missed and killed Ramirez instead. They decide to check out who Morales is friends with at St. Matthews.

Monsignor Whalen at St. Matthews says that Morales' shooting was a tragedy; Morales, he tells them, is a good student from a poor but hardworking family. Briscoe asks if anyone might bring a gun to school, but Whalen says that they are a religious school and the students aren't armed. His head of security, Charles, arrives, and Whalen states that Charles uses a metal-detector wand on the students as they arrive, to make sure no weapons are brought on campus. The worst they ever found was a switchblade. Charles has brought in a list of Morales' friends, which Whalen gives the cops, but he tells them they won't find anything. Logan asks Charles if he agrees that the student body is that peaceful, but Charles admits that they have a lot of after-school fights. He's never seen a gun there, but he wouldn't be surprised if someone had smuggled one onto campus. Whalen maintains that his students are good boys, and offers to let the police search the lockers of Morales' friends.

Jimmy Todd's locker is searched, and nothing is there. Kevin Parker's locker is searched next, also with nothing inside it. The third is Billy Wojak's locker. Inside that locker, though, Logan finds a gym bag full of guns. One of them matches the caliber that was used on Ramirez.

Billy and his mother, Aileen, sit in Whalen's office with the cops, Whalen, and their lawyer Cox. Logan says that Billy is in real trouble, but Cox says that Billy might just hold the guns for the other students. Aileen insists that Billy wouldn't own a gun. Cox tells Billy to just say who the guns really belong to so that the cops, who want the shooter and don't really care about Billy, go easy on him. Billy claims that he never saw the guns before. Logan takes out the gun whose caliber matches the one used to kill Ramirez, the 9mm Glock, and tells Billy what they think the gun was used for. Billy says he won't tell on his friends, so Briscoe asks Cox to talk some sense into Billy. He threatens Billy with a charge of accessory to murder, but Cox thinks that they can only get a possession charge, if that. He adds that they'd need prints for a murder or murder accessory charge, so Logan says they will get them.

At the precinct, Briscoe tells Van Buren that Billy has cried a lot but hasn't given anyone up yet. He gripes that the Wojaks and Morales are all covering for someone. Logan comes in and says that the 9mm Glock was fired recently. Prints were found on the gun, but Logan doubts that they'll match anyone in the criminal database, and the serial number was burned off of the gun with acid. Van Buren complains that they have nothing and can't even match the slugs to the shooting. Logan suddenly realizes that Abel, Alex, and Leon all said that two shots were fired. One bullet was never found. The detectives go to find it.

At the crime scene, as a team of CSU agents examine the wall and ground, Logan wonders why no one saw the shooter; in the position they think he was in, the shooter would be completely exposed. A CSU worker comes by with a .45 shell, but Biscoe says that it's the wrong caliber. The worker complains about the overtime, but Logan says that, if it was the worker's kid who was killed, the worker would think it was worth it. The man goes back to work. Another worker finds a .22 shell.

""What the Hell is this, a firing range?""

- Lennie Briscoe

Finally, someone finds a new 9mm shell in the wall. Briscoe has him take the shell to ballistics. Logan examines the position of the shell and also Ramirez's location when he was shot; he determines that the bullets were fired from the street corner across the street. Briscoe recalls that Sugarman was standing right there. Logan thinks Sugarman would have seen the shooter, but Briscoe thinks that Sugarman had her back to the whole scene.

Sugarman, in her cubicle, says that she doesn't remember anything useful. Briscoe decides to try a technique to help her remember the scene; he has her close her eyes and try to visualize it. She suddenly remembers that a boy from a parochial school ran into her just as she was turning. She identifies the school as St. Elys based on the jacket the boy was wearing.

""He even said 'sorry' as he bumped into me.""

- Mrs. Sugarman

Logan clarifies that Sugarman guessed the school was Elys from the jacket colors; when she says that the jacket was red and black, he notes that these are actualy the St. Matthews school colors. Sugarman gives a vague description of the runner, but doesn't remember anything else. On the way out, Logan muses that Whalen's statements about the non-violent nature of his students aren't holding up very well. They go to check the ballistics.

The forensic technician, Arlene Shrier, says that the results are inconclusive. The bullet that killed Ramirez was smashed and can't be linked to the gun. The bullet in the wall came from the same batch as the bullet that killed Ramirez, and is an 85% match to the gun. Logan says that this indicates that the bullet which killed Ramirez came from the Glock.

""That's a long-distance call, but you get through.""

- Arlene Shrier

Shrier hasn't been able to raise the serial number, so Briscoe tells her to rush it to the FBI in Quantico. Logan says that Shrier just confirmed that Wojak's Glock was used to kill Ramirez. Shrier says that she's not certain, but Logan points out that Wojak doesn't know that.

Cox is still confident in the next interrogation, saying that even if the gun was used to kill Ramirez, there aren't any prints of Wojak's on it. Van Buren says they're dusting it again.

""With magic powder?""

- Cox

Van Buren says that their forensics team is so good that, if Wojack so much as brushed a finger against the gun, they'll find out. Aileen tells Billy to say whose gun it was, and Logan agrees.

""You better come up for air, Billy, or you're gonna drown.""

- Michael Logan

Logan says that Billy can't handle prison. Billy says that he can take it, but Logan threatens him with a five year sentence. Billy finally admits that it was Morales' gun, but Logan says that they already know that someone else used it. Billy confesses that it was a friend named Kevin Parker who fired the gun.

In interrogation, Van Buren says that Parker doesn't have to talk if he doesn't want to, and Logan says that he'll go over the case with him. He sums up what they think, saying that Domingo shot Morales and Parker shot at Domingo but missed. Parker says that he didn't do it. He begins to say, "Even if I did…" but stops, and when Van Buren asks what he was going to say, Parker just reasserts his innocence.

Briscoe knocks on the interrogation window, and Logan comes to talk to him. Briscoe wants to book Parker so they can get prints, but Logan says that, since the slug can't be conclusively matched to the gun, Stone won't like the case. Briscoe says that, if they can get motive, that will satisfy Stone, and says that he'll talk to Parker. Before he can start, though, Profaci shows up and says that Kevin's father has arrived. The father is an ex-cop from the 33rd precinct. Briscoe starts -- he knows the man.

""Ted Parker? Terrific.""

- Lennie Briscoe

At the coffee machine, Ted says that Kevin is scared. Briscoe says that they were just following procedure. They banter a little.

""You know, you age better than me."

"Well, you dress better than me.""

- Ted Parker and Lennie Briscoe

Ted says that he's a security officer at a corporate firm now. He asks after Briscoe's daughters, and Briscoe says that they're fine. Ted asks to talk in private.

In Van Buren's office, Ted asks what they have on Kevin. He says that he didn't call his attorney; he'd like to settle the whole thing amicably. Briscoe says that Ramirez is dead, and he can tie the gun to Kevin. Ted asks if the slugs match the gun, and Briscoe doesn't answer. Ted says he'll offer a hypothetical.

""There's a kid named Ricky. Goes to buy a gun…""

- Ted Parker

Parker continues, saying that the hypothetical Ricky wanted protection because his neighborhood is dangerous. This Ricky also brought a friend for protection. He then says that Ricky and his friend saw the dealer shoot another dealer, and then the dealer shot Ricky later. According to rumor, the dealer is coming for Ricky's friend next. So, Parker concludes, Ricky's friend got a gun and tried to shoot the dealer first. Wouldn't this be self-defense?, Ted asks. Briscoe says that Ted should have told Kevin to call the cops, but Ted, still maintaining that it's a hypothetical, says that the boy's father didn't know about any of this. He says that the hypothetical boy's father has divorced and works long hours, and trusts his son's parochial school to keep him out of trouble.

""You wanna destroy that boy for one mistake?""

- Ted Parker

Ted urges Briscoe to see things from his point of view, but Briscoe says that he can't. He says that it wasn't Domingo that died, but an innocent kid, and that's what's concerning him. Ted says that Kevin is his son and he'll go to bat for him. Briscoe begs Ted to say that Domingo did something at least vaguely threatening, but Ted can't. Briscoe says that he has to book Kevin and put him in a lineup. Ted asks if they can do the lineup first, so that if the witness doesn't identify Kevin, he can be released without being booked. Briscoe agrees.

Several boys, Kevin among them, are lined up. They are wearing jackets of various shades and patterns of red and black. Sugarman is led in, and identifies Kevin. Kevin is formally arrested. Ted, who is in the room, looks determined.

In court, Kevin is arrainged before Judge Bernard Kelman. Kevin's lawyer, Gordon Schell, says that the state is overreaching, but Kelman, who attests that Schell says this every single time he goes to court, just wants a plea and a bail number. Schell says that the case demands dismissal, but Kelman counters by saying that the case demands the immediate destruction of every firearm in the city. Kevin pleads not guilty. Kincaid requests $150,000 bail, and it's granted.

In his office, Stone says that he's sympathetic to Kevin, but Kevin still murdered someone. Schell thinks that second-degree murder is overly harsh, but Stone doesn't care. He's not convinced by the argument that Kevin meant to hit Domingo and not Ramirez.

""It doesn't matter who he aimed it at!""

- Ben Stone

Schell asks for mercy, but Stone says that Ramirez was only 14 years old. He then adds that he'll consider a plea to first-degree manslaughter. Ted, also in the room, says that it was self-defense, but Kincaid says that self-defense requires that someone present a real threat (such as by aiming a gun at Kevin), not just promise to hurt or kill at a later point in time. Kevin says that the streets are dangerous and that he had no choice -- he thinks that everyone has guns and that Domingo would have shot him. Ted then says that he doesn't see why Domingo was booked for murder but then out on the street again so quickly. Kincaid just tells Ted that Kevin should have called the cops. Ted points out that the cops couldn't save Morales. Stone tells Ted that Morales and Kevin were partially responsible for that, since they left the scene of the crime (Domingo shooting the other dealer).

""Now, if they had gone to a line-up, maybe Mr. Morales might still be walking, and maybe Angel Ramirez might not be dead.""

- Ben Stone

Schell says that Stone might convince a jury that Kevin had a gun and motive, and offers a plea to second-degree manslaughter, with the sentence in a juvenile facility.

""It's not his fault that the streets are a war zone, Ben."

"It is his fault that he joined the army.""

- Gordon Schell and Ben Stone

Later, Kincaid wonders if Schell has a point.

""When I was in school, they searched you for marijuana, not a 45.""

- Claire Kincaid

Schiff just responds that Ramirez is dead and Morales is paralyzed, and Kevin thinks he can take the law into his own hands.

""And you wanna deal him because he's a nice kid.""

- Adam Schiff

Kincaid protests that she just doesn't think they can convict. Stone chimes in, saying that Kincaid is right. They know Kevin was at the scene, thanks to Mrs. Sugarman, but they can't put a gun with the right bullets in his hand, since the one that actually hit Ramirez was smashed and the other only matched Kevin's gun with 85% accuracy. Kincaid says that their only hope is to convince Domingo to testify for them, since Domingo says he saw Kevin shoot at him.

""I love cases where a homicidal gun dealer is our best witness.""

- Adam Schiff

Kincaid then points out that, if Domingo testifies, he'll incriminate himself on shooting the other dealer. Stone remembers that Domingo lied on his firearms application, since he claimed not to do drugs but already had a pot bust. Domingo also transported guns, such as the one he sold to Morales. If the gun can be traced back to Domingo via the serial number, Domingo will face seven years in prison on various charges. Schiff protests that dealing with Domingo to convict Kevin is making a deal with the wrong side. Domingo killed one person and paralyzed another; Schiff wants him to be the one to go down. Stone says they can't prove that without Morales and Morales won't testify for risk of implicating Kevin. Schiff consents reluctantly.

Schrier tells Kincaid that the FBI managed to raise the serial number, though it was almost burned flat. The gun was sold to Juan Domingo.

In jail, Domingo says he doesn't know a Kevin Parker. His lawyer, Mr. Novello, tells Domingo to hear out the police, but Domingo just snaps at him.

""Get me bail, man. I don't like the food here.""

- Juan Domingo

Stone says that the gun was traced to Domingo. Domingo doubts them, so Kincaid lists the gun's manufacturer, also found via the serial number. Stone says that Domingo is looking at a minimum sentence of seven years.

""And you'd better start enjoying the food, because with your attitude, I don't think you're gonna see parole.""

- Ben Stone

Domingo says he thinks a deal is on the table. Stone says that, if Domingo testifies against Kevin, and also sets up the other gun dealers he knows to be taken down by the Feds, he'll only have to do four years in federal prison, and won't be charged on any state crimes. Domingo points out that, if he sets anyone up, he'll be killed in prison. Stone doesn't care, but Novello assures Domingo that he'll get solitary confinement. Domingo accepts.

Later, Kincaid is upset. Stone says that he knows Domingo shot Morales, but if Morales won't help the lawyers by identifying Domingo, Stone can't do anything for him. He also says they need Domingo to get Kevin. A courier hands him a motion, which he reads; Schell is moving to quash the gun on the basis that the locker search was illegal.

In chambers, Schell is indignant.

""Since when do cops break into school lockers?""

- Gordon Schell

Stone says that Whalen had a key, and Judge Sally Norton says that the 4th amendment doesn't always apply to schoolchildren. Schell says that there was no warrant, but Stone says that cops don't need a warrant to search school lockers. He cites a case, but Norton points out that, in that case, no cops were involved. A principal opened the locker. Stone says there weren't cops in this case either, but Norton points out that the detectives were there. Stone responds, however, that the cops never asks to search the lockers -- Whalen offered. Schell protests that Whalen wouldn't have offered if the cops were not there, but Norton isn't aware of the Supreme Court ever addressing that.

""Maybe kids should have the same rights as adults. The law says no.""

- Susan Norton

The gun is admitted into evidence.

In court, Schrier testifies about the bullets. She says that the wall bullet matched with 85% certainty, and the bullet found in Ramirez's body was consistent with the same gun. In the audience, Lila and Mr. Ramirez watch, and Ted Parker gets up and whispers something to Schell. Stone sits down, as does Ted, and Schell begins his cross-examination. He has Schrier admit that 'consistent' isn't certainty -- she can only say that there's only a good probability that the same gun fired both bullets. Schrier protests that ballistics isn't perfect, but Schell responds that the charges are serious and that certainty is important. She can't testify with absolute certainty that bullets from Kevin's Glock were used to kill Ramirez.

Leaving the courtroom, Lila Ramirez stops Stone, complaining that Schrier looked foolish. Stone tells her that the trial has only just begun. Mr. Ramirez sees the Parkers leaving, and begs Ted to tell Kevin to do right and confess.

""My son is dead!""

- Mr. Ramirez

Ted tries to drag Kevin off, but Kevin apologies first, saying he wishes he could change things. Then Schell encounters Stone, and says he's filing a motion to exclude Sugarman's testimony. He won't say why, though.

Norton cautions Schell that the motion better have something to it. Schell says that Ted just approached him with information about the lineup. Ted only just saw the police write-up of the lineup for the first time. Stone is confused.

""…[he] was at the lineup. What the Hell are you talking about?""

- Ben Stone

Schell says that the report jogged Ted's memory. Sugarman told the police, according to the report, that the boy running by her wore a black and red jacket. Kevin wore his jacket at the lineup; Schell thinks this taints the ID. Stone argues that everyone in the lineup did wear jackets, but Schell says that the jackets were all different. Some didn't have leather on the arms, and some of the reds were not the same. Norton tells Stone that jackets shouldn't have been used if they weren't identical. Stone claims this was just a minor mistake, since three of the jackets were literally identical and two others were virtually the same. Norton disagrees and excludes Sugarman's testimony.

Schiff ridicules Norton, saying that she gets overturned on appeal a lot.

""She gets overturned any more, she'll be walking upside-down.""

- Adam Schiff

All they have left is Domingo. Schiff doubts that their case will hold up.

In court, Briscoe testifies about Ted's conversation with him at the precinct. After some questioning, he brings up the whole 'hypothetical boy' part of the conversation. He tries to say that he thought Ted was talking about Kevin, but Schell objects and is sustained. Stone ends his questioning, and Schell stands up. He asks if Ted Parker spoke in hypotheticals, and Briscoe has to admit that Ted never directly said that Kevin committed in a crime. Schell ends his cross-examination.

Billy Wojak testifies that the Glock was Morales'. He had it when Morales was shot, and then held onto it at Kevin's request. Kevin asked him to do that because he (Kevin) couldn't bring the gun home or his father would see it. Stone asks why Wojak specifically had to hold the guns, and Wojak says that it made him feel important. He never got searched by Charles, because everyone thought he was a nerd and a good student. Billy also testifies that Kevin asked him to give him the gun for a short time. Kevin looks stunned in the witness stand. Billy testifies that Kevin told him why; he was afraid of Domingo and wanted to defend himself. He adds that a lot of the students do the same.

""You gotta carry or else.""

- Billy Wojak

Kevin returned the gun to Billy, Billy testifies, about a week later, after Ramirez was shot. In the audience, Parker looks angry.

In a conference room, Stone says that any deal requires substantial time. Schell asks if Stone's refusal to take a low plea deal is about public relations; Kincaid insists it's about a dead child. Schell says there were extenuating circumstances. Stone proposes first-degree manslaughter, with a sentencing recommendation of 3 to 9 years. Schell tells the Parkers to take the deal, and then asks Kevin to tell his story -- maybe Stone will feel more generous.

Kevin tells Stone that Morales was shot in the back and didn't see who did it. He knows that going to the police wasn't an option -- they'd have to confess to buying the gun, and Ted Parker would become furious at Kevin. Morales told people that, right after he was shot, he heard someone say that his friend would be shot too.

""I was scared.""

- Kevin Parker

Stone gets a phone call; it's for Schell. Ted watches carefully as Schell takes the call. He thanks the person on the other end, then says that they're no longer interested in a plea. Domingo was shot and killed doing an undercover buy for the Feds. Stone no longer has a witness. Stone protests that they have an agreement, but Schell points out that they never accepted it. Schell and the Parkers leave, and Schell says that he's not even going to put on a case.

In closings, Schell says that tragedy can sometimes bring out the best in people, and sometimes the worst. He claims that the prosecution of Ramirez's tragic death bought out the worst in Stone, and that Stone is just trying to find a scapegoat to convince everyone that he's doing something about the war zone on the streets. Schell insists that all the evidence so far is circumstantial, and that Stone hasn't proved his claim that Kevin shot Ramirez.

""All they proved is what we already know. Too many children have guns.""

- Gordon Schell

Schell says that society has failed, and Kevin shouldn't pay for society's failures.

Stone tells the jury that there are indeed too many guns in the hand of children, but that doesn't excuse Kevin. Kevin shot Ramirez, Stone says, and that deserves punishment.

""And though justice must be tempered with mercy, it can never lose a sense of retribution, or it is no longer justice.""

- Ben Stone

He tells the jury that they must still find him guilty.

Later, Stone complains that the jury has been out for nine hours and he doesn't know what's taking them so long. Schiff says that the jury is worried about feeling guilty if they convict. Kincaid comes in, wondering how Schell's office learned of Domingo's death before the prosecution did. She talked to Sally, Schell's secretary. The office learned from a call made by the 33rd precinct, which was helping set up the buy. Domingo was shot before the Feds even arrived. Stone thinks that the police in the 33rd just shot Domingo themselves. Schiff points out that they'll never prove it. Then he gets a call. Stone asks if it was the verdict, and Schiff says that Stone isn't quite right.

The forewoman says that they're deadlocked. Norton declares a mistrial, and ends the case. Kevin's bail is continued, and the Parkers embraced. The Ramirezes look crushed. Outside, Stone says they won't retry Kevin; they'll never get a conviction. Kincaid asks if the Parkers won, but Stone isn't sure who won what, if anything. The Parkers walk by.

""Mr. Parker, are you teaching your son what is right by getting a witness shot?""

- Ben Stone

Kevin is surprised, but Ted just urges Kevin to keep going.

Late that night, in a park, Ted and Briscoe meet up. After a few pleasantries about the coldness of the night, Briscoe comments on how lucky it was that Domingo was shot.

""You sleeping all right?"

"I'm sleeping fine."

"And your friends in the 3 3?"

"They're sleeping fine too.""

- Lennie Briscoe and Ted Parker

Ted asks how Lennie would feel if it was one of his kids. Briscoe can't answer, but he gives Ted a warning as he leaves.

""…there's no statue of limitations on murder. Sweet dreams, pal.""

- Lennie Briscoe