In the criminal justice system,
sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous.
In New York City, the dedicated detectives
who investigate these vicious felonies
are members of an elite squad
known as the Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
I don't want a sitter, mommy. I want you.
I promise I won't be long.
- Okay. - Oh.
Ally, thank you, you're a lifesaver.
No problem.
- Hey, Tommy, I'm leaving now. - Hello!
Yeah, 52 Cormack Court.
You told me already. I'll see you there.
You're back with Tommy.
I thought that you guys broke up.
No. Well, maybe. I don't know.
- He just wants to talk. - Oh.
I love you, sugar bear. Be a good boy.
I'll be back soon.
Tommy.
Voicemail, really?
Fine, I'm five minutes away.
Yes, ma'am, they're on their way right now.
911. What is your emergency?
I'm hearing this couple fighting.
She's screaming. 52 Cormack Court, Babylon.
Neighbor's reporting a domestic. 52 Cormack Court.
On my way.
911. What is your emergency?
Hello, can you hear me?
Yes, ma'am. Go right ahead.
I'm driving down Cormack, and I just heard gunshots.
What is the address?
Copy, report of shots fired.
I'm approaching the scene. Requesting backup.
Police!
Tommy!
Step away from him. Hands up! Get up!
- I didn't do anything. - Up, up, up!
- I called you! - Is there anyone else
- in the house? - No, just Tommy.
He's... my boyfriend.
How long have you been here?
I just got here. He was shot when I pulled up--
You weren't arguing? Uh, screaming?
No! I screamed when I saw.
- What's your name? - Jessie Sturgis.
Jessie Sturgis, you're under arrest.
What? no! I didn't do anything.
- Come on, come on. - No!
You have the right to remain silent.
- I didn't do it! - Anything you say can and...
Okay, thanks.
Liv, when's the last time you heard from Jessie Sturgis?
Jessie...
The single mom who was raped in the meatpacking district.
Yeah, that was Labor Day Weekend.
That still hasn't gone to trial yet, right?
The DA's office hated that case.
She was drunk, and her story was a mess.
- But she was raped. - I'm not arguing that.
She knew her assailant, I remember.
She was afraid that her boyfriend would find out.
Okay, her boyfriend, Tommy,
last night, Jessie was arrested for killing him.
ADA Barba wants to see us now.
♪ ♪
Sync & corrections by Alex1969 www.addic7ed.com
I'm arraigning Sturgis today, Counselor. Get back to me.
I just need to go over the case files
with the SVU detectives.
Have a good day.
- The Suffolk County DA... - Pam James.
Drove in to see you about Jessie Sturgis?
Pay no attention to Ms. James's icy demeanor.
Underneath, she's all steel.
So why is she rushing to charge Jessie?
I mean, if Jessie did shoot Tommy,
it had to be self-defense.
He appears to have been unarmed,
and she brought a gun to the scene.
That's an odd scenario for self-defense.
Big question is, what's this got to do with our rape case?
Just going to ask you the same question.
Walk me through it.
Four months ago,
Jessie Sturgis was raped by a Michael Provo.
Provo's side, it was consensual sex,
and she lied 'cause she was afraid of her boyfriend.
Tommy Bandolce.
The guy that Jessie's accused of murdering last night?
Right.
That's why Ms. James wants to see your case.
She wants background on Jessie.
She's also worried Provo was falsely accused.
Did she tell you that Michael Provo
is a CI for their office,
helped make her the DA?
She's just looking to protect her own.
Didn't come up.
Either way, she wants us to open our kimono.
- Excuse me? - She wants to see
all of our case work, all the DA's files.
So she can build a case against Jessie.
I assume you told her no.
Detective, there's a protocol among DAs.
I can't just say no.
I told her I was new to the office
when the case broke, and I needed to get up to speed,
so get me up to speed.
Labor Day Weekend.
Local precinct got the first call?
No, EMS.
Jessie had been out partying with her girlfriends,
she collapsed on the street. She was taken to Mercy Hospital.
What have we got?
The vic's name is Jessie Sturgis.
EMS picked her up, semi-conscious on Gansevoort.
Well, did she say anything?
Well, she was pretty out of it. She was drunk.
She told them that she'd been raped.
Now, I found this receipt in her bag to Babar's Den,
time-stamped two hours ago.
Fin and Rollins are on their way.
- This place again? - Third call this month
about one of their patrons getting raped.
Sorry, you guys, you missed last call.
What about her?
Oh, yeah. She one of them "Woo-Hoo" girls.
- Say what? - One of them girls
who comes in here, thinks she can drink like a man.
Winds up screaming "Woo-Hoo."
Her friends started to hook up, she left.
Don't tell me she drove.
She was assaulted after she paid her tab.
Why didn't you cut her off?
This place is strictly bottle service, at the table.
Completely out of my hands.
Did you see her leave with anyone?
Nah, but she was on her cell phone when she left.
Look, I'm sorry she was assaulted,
but that's not on the club.
Never is, is it?
Detectives? Why? I didn't call you.
Jessie, before you passed out,
you told EMS that you'd been assaulted,
and the rape kit confirms trauma.
Rape kit? I don't remember.
Never mind, I gotta go home.
Matthew's waiting up for me.
Matthew, your little boy.
His picture's on your cell phone.
Why were you looking through my phone?
We're cops. You were unconscious.
We needed to find an emergency contact number.
You didn't call Tommy?
Tommy? Tommy Bandolce.
Now, that's the number that you had listed.
Is there a problem? What'd you tell him?
Uh, I got to go. If he sees me like this, he's--
Okay, hold on, Jessie.
Jessie, you have a face full of bruises.
You have internal injuries.
Now, we need to find out who did this to you.
Uh, I don't know. It was all a blur.
That can happen.
Do you remember anything? Who you were with?
Uh, yeah, I--
Well, Tommy and I had a fight today,
so I wanted to have a girls' night out with my friends.
But you didn't leave with them?
No, I was by myself.
But, uh-- Oh, actually, I remember,
a town car pulled up, and the driver had a gun,
and he made me get in.
Okay. What did this driver look like?
He, uh...
he was black.
He attacked me.
Was--right there, in front of the club?
'Cause you were found around the corner.
All I remember was the gun.
All right, what type of gun?
It was like a-- a machine gun.
Okay. Jessie, can you tell us
who you called tonight from the club?
Excuse me?
You called another number three times,
once right before you left.
Jessie! Where the hell is she?
- Tommy. - Hey, take it easy, pal.
- Jessie. Jessie, what happened? - Just take me home, Tommy.
Jessie, that's not good for you.
All right, listen, come on.
Let's take a little walk outside, huh?
Look, you can't keep her if she wants to go.
Jessie, the babysitter's on the clock.
- I know! - Get your stuff.
- Sir, step back a second. - Where are your shoes?
- She needs to see a doctor. - I don't know
- where my shoes are. - Let's go. Come on.
Jessie, if you need more time,
there's no need to rush out of here.
You need to see a doctor now, okay?
Come on. Let's go.
I, uh, I just want to go home, that's all.
We knew that it was a crap story,
but we also knew that she was afraid of her boyfriend.
This boyfriend, Tommy Bandolce,
the one she shot last night, what's his deal?
Two-bit contractor.
Couple of assault convictions, bar fights.
Suffolk County Police responded
to three prior domestics at Jessie's house.
Jessie never pressed charges.
The number she called that night at the bar,
who was it?
We traced it to Michael Provo--
Your DA pal's confidential informant.
The next day, Fin and I drove out
to his PI office in Islip.
You guys didn't have to make the trip.
I could've come by.
I'm in and out of the city all the time.
Half your department owes me drinks.
- Hmm. - So you were on the job?
Former ATF. I've been a PI for about six years.
Security consultant, background checks.
What can I do for you?
Uh, do you know a Jessie Sturgis?
Yes, I know Jessie.
See her last night?
What's this about?
You work law enforcement. We both know that's a yes.
Okay. Okay. Um, yes, she called me.
She had too many drinks, and she asked me to pick her up.
So you two are... friends?
Look, we're all adults here. I'm married.
I'm also seeing Jessie. It is what it is.
What was "It" last night?
Like I said, she was drunk,
mad at Tommy.
When Tommy does something to her, she does me.
Her little way of getting back.
Okay, so was that before or after you smacked her around?
Whoa, what--
Is that what she said?
Wait, that's Tommy's MO.
Go on.
We were in the car, she's all over me,
she gets a text from Tommy, she freaks out,
she asked me to take her back by the club.
Is she okay?
Oh, so she was fine when you left her?
A little drunk, maybe a little scared.
Look, I'll give you DNA, prints, emails, voicemail,
whatever you need. I got nothing to hide.
Hey, Provo. I was a bad girl.
I had a few drinks. I want to see you.
So, Jessie, aside from Tommy,
you were also in a relationship with Michael Provo?
He's sort of there when Tommy isn't.
And the black gunman in the town car,
he's not real, is he?
No, I'm sorry. I made him up.
I didn't want Tommy to know.
To know what? That you called Michael three times?
That you got in a car with him?
Jessie...
you weren't raped, were you?
I didn't make that part up, I was raped
by Michael Provo.
I begged him to stop.
She said he kept smacking her until she shut up.
So Jessie drunk-dials Provo, situation goes south,
- and he rapes her? - One more thing.
She said if Tommy found out, he'd kill her.
And then she winds up shooting him.
Let's go back to Labor Day Weekend,
the night of the rape.
Jessie did not want Tommy Bandolce
to find out about the affair.
Is it possible that he did find out,
and he's the one who assaulted her?
That was my first thought, but Tommy had an alibi.
Turned out he spent Labor Day Weekend in Bellport,
attending to the needs of a client's wife.
Huh. The client's wife confirmed?
Along with Tommy's E-Zpass and GPS records.
Okay, so Bandolce didn't rape her... for now,
but Jessie still could have cried rape
to cover up the relationship with Provo.
And beat herself up to make it look good?
Look, Jessie may have lied from the start,
but once she accused Provo,
she was consistent in all of her details.
You're the one who talked me into pressing charges.
Why haven't you arrested him yet?
We just want to make sure that there aren't any surprises.
Am I on trial, or is he?
Okay.
I'll be back, sweetie.
I've been sober seven months now,
but Tommy and I had a fight that night,
and I had a little slip.
When you were out with your girlfriends?
Yes, but I can never just have one drink.
I've got monster momentum.
When I'm picking up, I'm picking up.
So you called Michael.
And how long has he been in the picture?
Oh, gosh, since the spring.
The last time Tommy and I broke up.
Michael's his friend. He came by to say
he was checking in on me, and then he kept coming by.
So has Michael ever gotten rough with you before?
No, but, uh, it was my fault he did.
I shouldn't have told him to stop.
Jessie...
you can say no... anytime.
So... did you?
When we were going at it in his car, he gets a call...
from his wife.
And you didn't know he was married.
Not till I hear kids crying in the background,
and she's like, "Babe, bring me baby aspirin."
I was like, "Take me home."
and he got mad.
He said, "Bitch, you can't tell me what to do."
And then, after he's done with me,
he drops me on the street,
reminds me he's a cop, and he says,
"You tell anyone, you'll regret it."
Provo's not a cop. He was an analyst
for Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms six years ago.
Right, so either he's lying to her, or she's lying to us.
What do we know about him? Does he have a record?
Nothing in the NYPD database, but look at this--
four years ago, he was questioned
for sexual assault in Islip-- Consuelo Diaz.
They make it stick?
Charges were never filed,
but the victim was deported to Belize...
after immigration got a tip from "Former federal agent."
Provo dropped a dime on her. He plays rough.
Mr. Provo, we have a problem.
Jessie won't move off her accusation.
Poor girl's got Stockholm syndrome.
Tommy's abused her for so long,
she's terrified of telling the truth.
Maybe, but he didn't assault her.
He's got an alibi. You don't.
Look, here's the truth. Jessie was bombed.
She's all over me, and then...
my wife calls, which freaked her out.
You didn't do it, Tommy didn't do it.
Somebody did a number on her.
Look, I feel bad about this.
She was so mad at me, she jumped right out of my car.
It could have been anybody after that.
Why is she insisting that it was you?
I'm here of my own volition, Detective.
I know you got a job to do,
but you're hanging your hat on the wrong rack.
Okay, let's try another rack. Consuelo Diaz.
You were questioned about raping her.
Those charges were never filed.
Then why'd she accuse you?
She was the fiancee
of a friend of mine fighting deportation.
She thought she'd get sympathy by crying rape,
then she thought better.
After you had her sent back to Belize?
What? I know nothing about that.
Counselor David Elias for Mr. Provo.
He didn't ask for a lawyer.
Actually, Detective, I'm with the Suffolk County
- DA's office. - David, everything okay?
We need Mr. Provo's help with a case.
I'm sorry, guys. You have my number.
Sorry to drag you in on this.
DA just has a couple questions.
Did not see that coming.
And that's when we knew this guy had juice.
Okay, Provo's got hooks.
First, we thought he might just be a source for the DA
working off a charge.
But then we started looking
at the trials where Provo testified.
We backtracked to the case files,
and we found his anonymous CI number.
Turns out he's been a rat since 2008.
2008?
That's a year before the Consuelo Diaz rape.
Maybe that's why Pam James
never pressed charges on that case.
It's not unusual for a DA to protect her asset.
She's still protecting him.
She's arraigning Jessie in two hours.
What are we waiting for?
Mr. Barba, I am due in court in three minutes.
- Where's that case file? - I've hit a couple
of red flags. It turns out Michael Provo
was accused of rape four years ago.
It's not an issue. Charges were never filed.
You mean you never filed them.
You were the prosecuting attorney on that case.
This isn't The City. We don't drag
the wrongfully accused through the mud.
Especially not if he's your CI.
Save yourself some grief. Drop your charges against Provo.
Jessie Sturgis is an unstable witness and a murderer.
You don't want to put her on the stand.
The people versus Jessica Sturgis.
The charge is murder in the second degree.
How do you plead?
Not guilty, Your Honor. I'm innocent.
People on bail?
Your Honor, we ask that bail be denied.
Ms. Sturgis represents a flight risk.
She's facing a murder charge.
Ms. Sturgis works at a local pharmacy
and has a five-year-old son.
She's not going anywhere.
Even so, I have to agree with our district attorney.
Bail is set at $200,000.
What? I can't afford that.
None of this is true.
- What about Matthew, my son? - Ma'am, calm down.
Who'll take care of him?
The court will be in touch with social services.
Detective Benson, please tell him!
Tell him I didn't do it!
You know I didn't do this! Tell him!
- That's enough, Ms. Sturgis. - Please tell him!
Things seem to be moving awfully fast out here.
We're in someone else's courthouse,
and it's not our case. She's their defendant.
I know, but she's also our victim.
This is a nightmare.
They're putting Matthew into foster care?
I didn't kill Tommy!
He just wanted to talk. He was dead when I got there.
Jessie, the murder charge is in the hands
of the Suffolk County DA.
We can't talk to you about it.
- What? - Unless you think
that it might have some bearing on your rape case.
You said that Tommy was angry about it.
Do you think that's why he wanted to talk to you?
Maybe, I don't know.
He just called me twice, upset,
said he had to see me.
He had me to meet him at this house at 8:00.
All right. Well, what happened when you got there?
I rang the bell, but there was no answer.
The door wasn't locked, so I walked in.
I see him lying there on the floor.
He'd been shot in the chest,
and I tried to stop the blood.
While I'm on the phone with 911, the police come.
Hold on. How do you mean?
I hadn't even given them the address yet,
and cop cars showed up, sirens going.
Okay, and what time was this?
Right at 8:00. They walk in, they see me,
Tommy dead, the gun on the floor.
Wasn't my gun. I've never even touched a gun.
But they arrested me.
Jessie... had you been drinking?
I haven't had a drink since the night I was raped.
I swear.
Please, you have to help me.
I didn't do this.
I have to get back to my son.
Please.
We need to check the timeline on her 911 call.
Liv, if you were a cop on that scene,
you would have arrested her too.
Look, I get it, it looks bad,
but I gotta tell you, I believe that she's telling the truth.
I want to see that case file.
I got a cousin on the job out here.
I'll see if I can pull a favor.
Detectives, fancy meeting you here.
- You saved me a trip to the city. - What's this?
A subpoena to appear before a Grand Jury
in Jessie's murder case.
See you tomorrow.
Detective, didn't Jessie Sturgis initially claim
to have been raped at machine gun point
by a stranger in a town car?
- Yes, but victims frequently-- - Just answer the question.
- Did she lie? - Yes.
And did she say she lied because she didn't want
her boyfriend, Mr. Bandolce, to know the truth--
That she was having an affair?
Actually, she said that she was--
Yes or no, was she trying to hide
her affair from her boyfriend?
- Yes. - Would you describe
their relationship as acrimonious?
I would say that she was afraid of him.
And yet, to your knowledge, after he found out
about the affair, did he harm her in any way?
- No. - In fact, did Mr. Bandolce
pick her up from the hospital on the night of the alleged rape
- and take her home? - Yes, but--
No further questions.
How was the Grand Jury?
They'll indict her by lunch. What's all this?
My cousin came through.
We got the Bandolce murder case file.
Anything that helps Jessie?
Well, you were right about the timeline.
The night of the murder, Tommy Bandolce calls Jessie
once at 7:06, once at 7:40.
She said he begged her to meet her by 8:00
at a house that was 15 minutes away.
When she called back at 7:50
to say she was five minutes away, he didn't pick up.
What doesn't follow, at 7:55, a neighbor,
Larry Banks, calls in
a domestic disturbance at that house.
911. What is your emergency?
I'm hearing this couple fighting, she's screaming.
52 Cormack Court, Babylon.
Even if Jessie was there,
I mean, they got into that argument awfully fast.
Yeah, and then, three minutes later,
a woman driving by calls.
911. What is your emergency?
Hello, can you hear me?
Yes, ma'am. Go right ahead.
I'm driving down Cormack, and I just heard gunshots.
Who was that?
That came from a no-name phone.
Suffolk County Police are trying to track her down now.
Then at 8:02, Jessie calls to say she found Tommy.
By then, the police have arrived.
They see her next to the body, the gun.
I mean, it's a little tight,
but I can see why they charged her.
- They find prints on the gun? - No.
And no residue on Jessie's hands.
Were they able to trace it?
Yeah, registered to owner...
Gorromini & Sons on Fifth Avenue.
It's "Quality sellers of fine clothes and firearms."
And when Suffolk County Police spoke to him,
he claimed Jessie stole it from him.
But he didn't report the gun stolen
until the cops talked to him?
I say we follow up on that.
My family has been clothiers and armorers
for hundreds of years.
We have a license for every rifle in the store.
The handgun used in the murder
was registered to you personally, Mr. Gorromini.
Yes, I know. It's very unfortunate.
I told the other police everything that I know.
Tell us again.
Last June, she came into the store.
I noticed her immediately.
She had a certain... something.
She say why she needed a gun?
Yes, she said her pharmacy was robbed,
she needed protection. I told that her
that we didn't sell handguns, and never without a license.
So you just gave her one?
I believe she took the gun from my bedroom closet.
That night, I made the mistake of sleeping with her.
So why didn't you report it stolen?
I didn't notice.
The-- The Suffolk County Police
assured me that this wouldn't be a problem,
since I was cooperating with their case.
You're dealing with Manhattan now, Chief,
so you're coming with us.
- I'm not sure why we're here. - You're not?
Your client either knowingly provided a weapon
that was used in a murder, or he failed to report it stolen.
Either way, he's in trouble.
Not if you give him Queen For A Day.
Sold. We'll throw in a tiara,
as long as he tells us everything,
right now, no holding back. We won't use it against him.
You've lied twice. Last chance.
Same question, how did Jessie get the gun?
I'm not sure.
So she was never in your apartment?
- You never slept with her? - No.
I never even met her.
Friend asked to borrow the gun on her behalf.
- What friend? - His name is Michael Provo.
- And when was this? - About a week ago.
He said it was a personal favor.
That's a big favor. You'd risk your license for him?
This Queen For A Day covers everything, right?
Yeah, go ahead.
Provo saved my license ten years ago.
He tipped me off about an ATF sting.
He called the other night, said the gun was used in a crime,
said he'd smooth it over with the DA.
And the story about Jessica stealing the gun?
That came from Provo. Every word.
Provo got Gorromini to lie.
Find out if he coerced any other witnesses.
I'm way ahead of you, Counselor, as usual.
Larry Banks, who made the first 911 call
about a domestic dispute.
Any Suffolk County Police contacts?
Two DUIs, both of which were dropped.
Oh, that's interesting.
What about the woman who called in the gunshots?
Well, the Suffolk County Police claims
that they're still trying to trace the cell phone.
But our working theory is that Provo held a gun
to Tommy's head, forced him to call Jessie.
Once she's on her way, Provo triggers the 911 calls,
and the police arrive just after Jessie does.
Sounds like it's time for a sit-down
with the Suffolk County DA.
Open our kimono? I don't think so.
The gun came from Manhattan.
We're closing in on a conspiracy.
This is our case now.
Michael Provo, need to speak with you privately.
We're about to hit the road. Go get the dog.
No, you're not. We have a warrant
for your arrest in the County of New York.
- What for? - Besides a rape charge,
you're under arrest for conspiracy and murder.
You gotta be kidding me.
I said get inside! Call Pam James, now.
You really have to do that?
You still think you're special.
Get in the car.
Ms. James, what brings you to town?
I was heading to the governor's fundraiser
when I heard that your SVU minions arrested Mr. Provo in Islip.
Yeah, they said traffic was terrible coming back.
I'm more than a little surprised
I didn't get a heads-up from your office.
You weren't exactly forthcoming
when you came to ask about Jessie Sturgis.
And you're paying me back
by trying to blow a hole in my murder case.
This isn't about payback, and it doesn't stop
with Michael Provo framing Jessie for murder.
Michael Provo did not frame Jessie.
You can't admit that, right?
If Provo framed Jessie, he could've framed anyone,
which means you'd have to reopen
every case he was ever involved with.
Your whole office could be vulnerable here.
This guy's got you jumping through hoops, Pam.
Dropping rape charges, DUIs--
You attack the integrity of my office,
you're in for the fight of your life.
I never mind a little blood on the canvas.
You got an event to get to? Enjoy.
I got a case to prepare.
So you can prove it?
That Michael killed Tommy and set this whole thing up?
Our DA's adding conspiracy and murder
to Provo's rape charge.
Oh, thank God. Can I go home tonight?
My boy's in foster care.
See, Jessie, that's the bad news,
is that the Suffolk County DA won't drop the charges.
Why? That's impossible. Michael did it.
We believe you were framed. They think you did it.
It's two separate counties, two separate trials.
This is insane.
He raped me, killed Tommy, put me in here.
You're telling me you can't get me out?
What if they convict me?
We're building your case.
We're working with your defense team.
The DA will not give up. I just--
We just need you to hang in there a little longer, okay?
"Just hang in there"?
Get out.
Leave.
Get out!
Guard.
Your Honor, the Grand Jury indicted Michael Provo
for rape, murder, and conspiracy.
We would like to consolidate these charges
to proceed to trial together.
At the very least, the charges should be separate.
- There's no link between them. - They are absolutely linked.
We intend to prove that the defendant
framed Jessie Sturgis for murder
because she accused him of rape.
Mr. Barba has overstepped--
It's a complicated case,
but I do see a basis for consolidating.
Defense motion denied.
Your Honor?
Ms. James.
I know it's unusual, but I'd like to address the court.
Objection.
The Suffolk County DA
is not a party in this case.
This matter has bearing on a case set for trial in Islip.
I want to make you aware of that conflict.
Approach.
What do you have, Ms. James?
The alleged victim in this trial, Jessie Sturgis,
is under indictment in Suffolk County
for the same murder.
We go to trial on Monday.
I'm asking you to dismiss the charges here.
Your Honor, the law clearly allows for different defendants
to be tried in different jurisdictions
- for the same crime. - Thank you, Mr. Barba.
I'm aware of what the law allows.
And he's right.
Then we ask that you stay your case
until our trial is over.
And your jury's verdict
dictates the course of our trial.
Ms. James, all due respect,
I don't run the Manhattan courtroom
on Suffolk time.
You try your case, Mr. Barba tries his.
We're in business.
- Are we? - Mm-hmm.
Two trials at the same time?
What if Suffolk County goes to jury before us?
Leave that for our esteemed appellate court.
While Jessie rots in her jail cell
- and Provo's out on bail. - Detective...
you think you can do this faster?
Help yourself.
We are gonna prove, beyond a reasonable doubt,
that Ms. Sturgis cheated on her boyfriend, Mr. Bandolce.
She lied to him about it,
and when he confronted her,
she shot him.
Forget what you may have read
or heard about the Suffolk County DA's case.
This trial is about injustice compounded.
Michael Provo brutally raped Jessie Sturgis,
and when she dared to tell the truth about it,
he conspired to frame her for murder.
We appreciate your being here, Mr. Provo.
You know the jury's been informed
that you are currently on trial in Manhattan
for the murder of Mr. Bandolce?
Yes, that's correct.
Did you murder Mr. Bandolce?
No, absolutely not.
But you were involved with his girlfriend,
the defendant, Jessie Sturgis?
Yes. She and Tommy were... rocky.
I was her port in the storm.
When was the last time the two of you talked?
A week before the murder.
She said she wanted to teach Tommy a lesson.
And she asked me for a gun.
Ms. Sturgis, after Michael Provo raped you,
what did he say?
He said he was a cop, and if I told anyone,
I'd regret it.
- And did that concern you? - Yes.
He'd always brag to me about all the connections he had.
He said he could set up anyone, anytime.
So Jessie's doing fine? She'll be okay during cross?
I hope so. Yesterday, in Islip,
Provo charmed his jury.
And he's getting a little help from DA James.
She just produced a new witness.
Second 911 caller, the one who heard the shots,
she testifies tomorrow.
And she comes forward two days into Provo's trial?
They sandbagged us.
Provo got the others to lie for him.
Find out what he's got on her.
Who the hell are you?
Looking for Carol McEwan.
Yeah, what do you want with her?
Carol, can we speak with you privately, please?
- No. - We're married ten years.
I'm more comfortable with my husband here.
- Okay, we're here-- - I know why you're here.
My 911 call. The DA told me
not to talk to anyone before I testify, not even cops.
Okay. But, uh,
you live a half hour from the crime scene.
You just happened to be driving by that night?
I was taking a shortcut to meet my husband.
- It was our anniversary. - Okay?
Good-bye. Go back to the city.
She got nothing else to say to you.
- Carol, please. - No, I'm sorry.
If you're scared of Michael Provo--
Well, that was a wasted trip.
Either of you find any connection
- between Carol McEwan and Provo? - Not yet.
However he reached her, he covered his tracks.
She may not be the connection.
What'd you make of the husband?
- He was piece of crap. - Three-time loser.
He was paroled last January after a five-year bid
in Queensboro Correctional.
Felony, cocaine sales. The best part--
The informant who set him up...
testified against him-- Michael Provo.
Wait, so why is Eddie
letting his wife testify for Provo?
That's it. That's my last pay stub.
Eddie, got a minute?
I told you, I ain't got nothing to say.
No, you told us your wife had nothing to say.
We want to talk to you.
You got no reason to be bustin' my balls.
I haven't broken recycling laws since I been out.
Michael Provo. You used to be friends, right?
That's how he set you up.
Yeah, so-called friend. Stabbed me in the back.
Every word that he ever said is a lie.
Well, why's your wife helping him, Eddie?
If I had any say, she wouldn't be.
Okay?
"If I had any say"? He's got Carol cowed.
It's the same way Tommy pushed Jessie around.
Oh.
Carol.
I'm not supposed to talk to you.
Says who?
Your husband... or Michael Provo?
You know you could be charged with perjury
for lying in front of a jury?
Who said I was going to lie?
You told us you heard shots
on the way to your anniversary dinner,
but it turns out you two are common law.
So what? I didn't say it was a wedding anniversary.
No, it was another kind of anniversary.
It's been a year since Eddie was paroled from prison.
Where Michael Provo helped to send him.
So you know we don't owe him anything.
Except we checked,
and Eddie was supposed to do 15 years upstate.
Instead, he does five in Queensboro Correctional
in Long Island City.
That's a lot closer to your house.
He got time off for good behavior.
Yeah, after Michael Provo got the DA
to intercede on his behalf.
See, we know Provo's MO.
He was having a relationship with you
while your husband was away.
- You can't prove that. - Carol...
it's what he does.
He takes advantage of women who are already in trouble.
I love my husband.
Did Provo threaten to tell Eddie about your affair?
I'm Eddie's whole world. If he finds out, he'll kill me.
Then he'll kill himself.
And we don't want to have to tell him.
But there's an innocent woman who's looking at 25 to life.
So you're gonna blackmail me into doing what's right?
Who's taking advantage of who now?
What is going on, Mr. Barba?
Professional courtesy. I didn't want to blindside you.
I've just been informed that Jessie's defense attorney
is gonna recall Mr. Provo to the stand.
- I'm not worried. - No? You should be.
Your friend, Gabriel Gorromini,
misinformed the Suffolk County Police.
Jessie didn't steal that gun from him.
In fact, he gave it to you, Mr. Provo.
He's lying.
What'd you do, jam him up on his license?
No. That's what you did, actually.
Our office is already looking into this.
Well, actually, there's lots to look into.
Let's take a walk, shall we?
Now, this is Larry Banks.
He was the first 911 caller
the night of the shooting.
He now admits that the call was a fake.
It was just payback to Mr. Provo
for getting him out of two DUIs.
I did no such thing. Hand to God.
All right, let's continue.
You remember Carol McEwan.
She made the second 911 call,
Reporting gunshots that nobody else heard...
moments before Jessie even got there.
This is my witness. She's on my list.
- She's on mine now. - She's going to testify
that she was blackmailed by Provo
into making a false report.
That lying bitch.
Your frame's collapsing, huh, Provo?
You know, Carol gave everything up.
She even saved the texts that you sent her.
I can only imagine how angry you must feel right now.
You can see why I wanted to give you a heads-up.
Don't believe any of this. They're framing me--
Michael.
Mr. Barba, you have to understand,
these allegations come as a complete shock to me.
You can be assured that my office
will conduct a thorough investigation.
- I've no doubt you will. - And in the meantime,
all your charges against Jessie can be dropped.
Due diligence first, Detective.
Due diligence? I'd call it saving face.
Jessie Sturgis is innocent.
She has a child in Foster care.
More to the point, once I get Mr. Provo
convicted of conspiracy,
every one of your cases
he was involved with will be under the microscope.
So will your office.
Think about what that means, Pam.
Don't threaten me. Either of you.
Counselor... no threat was intended.
You and I, we both want the same thing.
We're on the same side. Mistakes were made.
But at the end of the day, we both want justice.
Yes, of course.
Let's keep this simple, then.
Tommy Bandolce was killed in Babylon.
If you withdraw all charges against Provo,
I will withdraw all charges against Jessie.
- The hell you will. - And you will file
murder charges against Provo in Suffolk County?
Are you effing kidding me?
And conduct an internal investigation
into all cases he was involved in.
You'd really sell me out, Pam?
After everything I've done for you?
You'd still be putting your tits on the table
for traffic court judges if it wasn't for me!
Get him out of my sight.
- Come on. - Okay.
If I'm going down, you're going down too.
I will bury you! I will bury you!
Oh, my God! Matthew!
Hi. Hi, honey. Oh!
Look, I lost another tooth.
Oh! Well, we better let the tooth fairy know, right?
It's over now? They can't hurt us anymore?
Provo's going away for a very long time.
What about the rest of the case?
What Michael did to me?
Hey, Matty, why don't you show me
that missing tooth, huh?
Jessie...
we had to withdraw charges.
What?
But... he raped me. He beat me.
He left me bleeding in the street.
Barba had to make a deal to get you out right away.
That was-- that was the priority.
And the rape never happened?
Legally, no.
Jessie, take Matthew home.
You won.
That one's loose too.
Just let it fall out.
Just don't yank it.
Hey, Matty.
Raped, put in jail, her kid taken away.
I don't know how she held it together.
She did it for her son.
Sync & corrections by Alex1969 www.addic7ed.com