01x09 - Zuma Canyon

[bunniefuu]

In the city of Los Angeles,

the people are represented

by two separate, yet
equally important groups:

The police who investigate crime

and the district attorneys who
prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

The cow manure
is in the garage.

- Livan says it'll
burn the pansies.

- Livan?

Livan doesn't have an MFA in
landscape design from Otis.

- Oh, I forgot to tell you,

the alcazars are having a party.

- Oh, nice of them to invite us.

- It's not that kind of pay.

It's for their daughter,
some kind of family thing.

- Family named alcazar was
having a birthday party

for their 15-year-old daughter.

- Quincea?era?
- Yeah.

Two s.U.V.
S pulled into the front.

sh**t came into the backyard.

- How many?
- Four-Latino males,

young guys, bandanas
over their faces.

- Any plate numbers
on the vehicles?

- No. There was a dark-colored s.
U.V. and a light one-

white or gray.

- Check out the ordnance-

7.62, 5.56, as*ault r*fles.

There's got to be
over 100 rounds.

- That's Mr. alcazar.

His wife and daughter are okay.

Nine dead in all...

Including three kids.

- Easy pickings.

- Yeah, let's get to work.

My husband. Dead...
For no reason.

But if you can just tell
us how it happened?

- They came down the
driveway with machine g*ns:

Four of them.

They sh*t everybody, and they
walked back to their cars.

- What kind of cars?
- A black 4runner

and a-a white cherokee
with a roof rack.

I didn't see the license plates.

- Mr. alcazar- what'd
he do for work?

- He was a developer.
He built houses.

He was a good man.

- Se?ora alcazar,

did you notice anything
unusual in the last few days?

- He looked worried,

and he said that there was
some trouble at work.

- What kind of trouble?

- He didn't say.

I thought that it was the
money for the party,

because hernando-
he wanted liana

to have the most beautiful
quincea?era.

- Mommy, why?

Why did I have
this stupid party?

Why?

- Four masked gunmen rained
a*t*matic-weapons fire

into the family's
quincea?era party

and fled in two sports
utility vehicles.

The police have no
suspects and no motives...

- The D.A. Will have papers on
alcazar's bank and accountant

first thing in the morning.

I hear you, partner.

I'd hit 'em tonight if we could.

All right.

- Hey.

- Hey.

I'll tuck the kids in.

- I put them to bed
about two hours ago.

From the news, it
sounds like a bad one.

- Yeah, it's pretty bad.

I promise I won't wake 'em.

- Hernando and I worked on
a tear-down in Los feliz

a few years ago, decided
to share space.

He was a good guy.
That's his desk.

- His wife said he was
worried, nervous.

Any idea why?

- I think he had a big
project fall through.

He found the perfect spot
for a new development.

He was so excited, he was waving
around photos of the place.

- What happened?
- Nothing.

I asked him about it last week.

He said, "forget it.
It didn't pan out."

- Are these the pictures?

- Yeah, that's them-

some old housing tract up
in the canyon somewhere.

- Looks like they were
taken with a cell phone

about a week and a half before
the sh**ting, on a Friday.

- And right around the
time his wife said

he started acting nervous.

GPS lost him right around here.

Went off the grid
for 35 minutes.

- No cell reception here either.

- Looks like alcazar's pictures.

- Do you smell that?

- Yeah.
Smell like someone cooking?

- Think I see something blue

in the brush past the
houses over there.

Looks like a tent.

Hey.

Hello? Police.

- There's food and water...

Spanish comic books.

- a*mo for a 38 special.

Winters...

Over here.

Must be 100 acres of pot
almost ready for harvest.

Guy's guarding the crop.

- Alcazar must have seen
this, had a run-in with him.

- Now, whoever this belongs to
probably had alcazar k*lled.

We find the guard,
we're halfway home.

- Won't be able to track him
in these canyons on our own.

Come on.

g*n! g*n! g*n!

Police.

Police- drop your w*apon.

- Call it, partner.

Okay.

- All right, calm down.

Calm down.

I got what you ordered.

- From the looks of him

and the symbols he
drew on the rocks,

I'd say he was either a
yaqui Indian or opata,

probably from sonora.

- Muchas gracias.

- Opata o yaqui?

- Yaqui.

- Los Angeles.

Si.

- Three months, he didn't
know where he was?

- Fernando...

- Fire?

- No talk. No talk.

- If he won't tell
you his family name

or even what town he's from,

there's not much our consulate
can do to help you.

- I'm sure his parents filed
a missing persons report.

We can give you
photos, fingerprints.

- Maybe he'd be more forthcoming

if he were returned to Mexico

and placed in our
social service system.

- We're not releasing him.

He was arrested guarding a
marijuana field with a g*n,

and he's a material witness
in the m*rder of nine people.

- You can't be serious.
He's a child.

You can't put him in prison.

- He's being held in the
eastlake juvenile facility

under a pseudonym for
his own protection.

- Very well.

We'll be in touch with our
embassy in Washington,

and they'll be in touch
with your state department.

Good day.

- Good day.

- Tell me I didn't overhype it.

This boy is our only
link to the murderers.

- Alcazar saw the pot field.

If Fernando made him,

he would have told his
boss, this snake foot.

Next thing you know,
four guys show up

to make sure alcazar
keeps his mouth shut.

- Look, while we
wait for Fernando

to make up his
mind to cooperate,

find out who owns the
land under the dope farm.

- The development b*rned down
before we could finish it.

And then after the
county closed the road

and condemned the entire
area as a fire risk,

well, that sealed it.

- But you still own the land?

- It's still on our books...
As a loss.

- Then you care to explain
why you paid the county

to turn the water back
on five months ago?

- An individual leased the
land to grow avocados.

- Oh.

- Does that look like
Avocados to you?

'Cause that is 100 acres of
pure California sinsemilla.

Now what's the name
of this individual?

- Uh, Cesar.

What's my company's
liability here?

- A lawyer can answer that.
- Then I need to call him.

Excuse me.

- This Cesar must have
scouted the land up in Zuma

and found ralston the
same way we did.

- A title search.

That would leave a paper trail.

- We're a title company.

We do title searches
all the time.

It's nothing unusual.

- If it wasn't unusual,
we wouldn't be here.

Who hired you to do the search?

- It was my cousin
ray- ray mota.

He asked me to search the
titles for five properties.

They're all undeveloped land.

He said he had an idea for
a business opportunity.

He was doing something
wrong, wasn't he?

- Now, what makes you say that?

- He was in trouble before...

With a g*ng.

I thought maybe he was
turning his life around.

- Now, did ray ever mention
anyone named Cesar

in connection with
these properties?

- He drove up to my
place two weeks ago.

I think he had a friend
named Cesar in the car.

- What kind of car does
your cousin drive?

- A cherokee.

- Describe it.

- It's white with a roof rack.

Afternoon.

Hey.

I'm looking for ray mota.
- Yeah, I'm ray mota.

What's this about?

- We don't want to
spoil your party.

Want to step inside?
- Oh, but he's the cook.

You know, you got
to watch the corn.

- And where's your cherokee?
We didn't see it out front.

- Yeah, it got stolen last week.

- You have the police
report number?

- Nah, didn't report it.

You guys never find
nothing anyway.

- Is one of you Cesar?

- Yo, I didn't take his truck.

- What's your last name, Cesar?

- Torres.
- You got some I.D.?

- You got some warrant?

He's a guest in my backyard.

He ain't got to show you d*ck.

- Corn's burning.

Have a nice day.

You...

You're Cesar.

- Oh, I think you're confused.

- Yeah? I think you're a liar.

Your boots, they snakeskin?

- Yes, they're python.

- Snake's feet.

What's your problem, Cesar?

You have your friends
take the heat for you?

Ah, it's okay.

We know who you are.

Now get on the wall.

- Ahora si.

- Cesar vargas- sonora, Mexico.

You here on a tourist
visa, Cesar?

- Visiting my cousins.

- Cesar...

Smile.

Hasta luego, Cesar.

- We need yocerveza
for our can drive.

- No se. No se.

- You're wrong,
Fernando, all right?

You're stronger than him.
I see it.

- Do you understand?

- Well, you can't blame the kid.

Cesar knows where
his family lives.

Did you get Cesar's
prints off the can?

- He's got nothing local.

We sent them to our friends
South of the border.

We're waiting to hear back.

- Assuming Fernando told
Cesar about Mr. alcazar,

Cesar would have had to
get alcazar's address.

- Right, off alcazar's
license plate.

- So first thing tomorrow,
check with the dmv

about any unauthorized
searches on the database.

- Good idea.

- Lily, honey, would
you please sit down

and finish the rest
of your broccoli.

No broccoli, no pie.

- Daddy didn't eat his.

- Touche.

- Oh, yeah?

Mmm.

- So good.

Get down!

- Baby? Lily!

- Mommy, daddy's hurt.
- What, honey?

- Daddy's hurt!
- It's okay, sweetheart.

Look, daddy's right here.

- Honey...Where- are you okay?

Oh, God!

- Daddy.
- No, no, no. Shh.

It's okay, sweetheart.

Mommy's gonna call
for help, all right?

It's gonna be fine.
Daddy's gonna be fine.

I'm right here.
Mommy's right here.

Shh, honey.

Yes, please.
My husband has been sh*t.

Please send a rescue ambulance
to 3318 vicksburg road.

- Mommy!

- Yes, it was a drive-by
sh**ting with a*t*matic weapons.

Please hurry.
My-my husband is a police officer.

Oh, God, no.

No.

- Daddy!

- Breathe, honey.

Breathe.
It's gonna be okay, sweetheart.

Please, honey.

Baby.

- Hi, you've reached
the winters family.

Leave a message.
We'll call you back.

- Now you know who I am, chota.

- No! No! No!

Oh, Casey.

I'm so sorry.

- Mrs.
winters, we're very sorry.

- He called the house...

The suspect that Rex
told me about-Cesar.

He-he called right after to...

To let Rex know that it was him.

- Whatever it takes, Casey...

We'll get him.

- I know.

- By now, vargas is probably
making his way to the border.

- We've already
notified homeland security.

They'll be waiting for him.

- Ray mota's house-
we can start there.

- I'll get a warrant.
- There's no time for that.

Do what you have to do.

- I don't know where Cesar is.

He split after the barbecue.
Maybe you guys spooked him.

How about you?
Where were you five hours ago?

- I was tappin' my chica
all night long, homes.

- You're lying.
You were at my partner's house.

- Uh-uh. Not me, man.

- I don't care.

My partner's dead.

You give me Cesar,

or you're taking
the whole weight.

- In your dreams, homes.

Get me a lawyer.

- I want you to look at and see

what ray is responsible for.
- I don't believe it.

Ray had nothing to do with that.

- Believe what you want,

but the d.A.
Is going after ray and his friends.

And that includes whoever
he's sleeping with.

- I could go to jail?

- Yolanda, you're
in big trouble.

And if you want our help,

you have to start talking to
us about ray and Cesar vargas.

- You're just
trying to scare me.

- You recognize this?
This is Ray's cell phone.

I was seeing if Cesar
sent him a text.

Check out what I found.

This is from a- it's an
orange county number?

- Mm-hmm.
- "You are so damn fine.

Hook up tomorrow.
Tell me where."

That didn't come
from you, did it?

Your boyfriend's a real player.
This is from a 646 number.

"See you this weekend.
Bring your tongue, chico."

- What?

- This guy's been
running around on you.

- You want to go
to jail for him?

Come on, yolanda, you're
smarter than that!

- Okay.

Last night ray got a
call around 2:00.

I don't know if it was Cesar,
but it did sound real serious.

- What'd you hear?

- Something about
a change in plans

'cause the border was hot.

And then ray asked about
el chamaco de rancho.

- The farm boy.
- Yeah.

Ray said if the farm boy
was still at eastlake,

maybe they could go find
somebody to visit him.

- Fernando, the farm boy-

sounds like they want
to put a hit on him.

- Even worse, they know we
have him stashed at Eastlake.

He's there under a pseudonym.

- I assure you, I spoke
to no one about the boy.

- Strange that half the
gangbangers in Los Angeles

seem to know where he is.

- What are you saying, Mr.
morales...

That we Mexicans
are all corrupt?

- Not all Mexicans,

just certain people
in this building.

- I find that offensive.
- You find that offensive?

Wait till I slap a
m*rder-conspiracy charge

against you.
- Conspiracy?

- You traded information
with the suspect

in the hancock park murders-
with Cesar vargas.

- I've had no such dealings
with se?or vargas.

- "Se?or vargas"- so
you know who he is.

What's the nature of your
relationship with Mr. vargas?

- I don't have to
answer your questions.

- You know, my mind is going to
a very dark place right now,

se?or Ortega.

Mr. vargas is responsible
for the k*lling

of a police officer last night.

You might want to remember that

when you're driving
home tonight,

and you see a police car
in your rearview mirror.

Now... about Mr. vargas?

- My relationship with Mr.
vargas

is as a consular officer.

He presented himself
here this morning,

seeking refuge and asking
to be repatriated.

- He's here, in this building?

- He has been given sanctuary
as a Mexican national.

- How much did he pay
for this sanctuary?

- This building is
sovereign territory.

I demand
you leave immediately.

- It breaks my
heart when I think

what the drug cartels have done

to the country of
my grandfathers.

And it makes my blood
boil that it was done

with the happy cooperation of
corrupt cerdos like you.

- Hey, have you
lost your marbles?

I've gotten a dozen phone
calls this morning

from the state department,
Attorney General's office!

Since when is it up
to you to declare w*r

on the Mexican government?

- Their consulate is
harboring a cop k*ller.

Our government should send in
federal agents to arrest him.

- That is never going to happen.

I've been reminded a
dozen times this morning

that Mexico is our ally
in the w*r on dr*gs.

- Well, somebody forgot to
inform their consulate.

We have a valid arrest warrant.

If vargas was in Mexico,

our extradition treaty
would kick in-

- wait till he's back in Mexico.

I'll file a formal
extradition demand.

- Oh, fat lot of
good that'll do.

He's ten blocks away now.

What are our chances gonna be
when he's back over the border?

If vargas slips
through our fingers,

there'll be hell to pay,
and you know that.

- There's a Mexican prosecutor

I met a couple years
ago at a conference.

She's now a big deal

in the department
of justice there.

- We are not surrendering
Cesar vargas.

- Never mind what he
did in Los Angeles.

Do you want this animal
loose in your own country?

- He's presumed innocent
under your legal system.

Mr. morales lost sight
of this principle.

He owes my deputy an apology.

I tend to behave badly when
someone lies to my face.

- These three women
are Mexican citizens.

They're currently
incarcerated in California.

Your Attorney General
has requested

that I recommend repatriation

so they can finish their
sentences in Mexico,

closer to their families.

- I know these cases.

You've always refused.

- Now I'm offering you a trade-

three for one.

- Now I am the one
who is refusing.

- Did you hear that, maricela?

Yes, I did, Jerry.

I think someone's not
using their head.

- This is my old
friend maricela Diaz-

recently been appointed

deputy assistant attorney
general of Mexico.

- Pick up the phone,
se?or contreras.

- Hola, licenciada Diaz.

Si. Si. Si, si, si.

No, pero-si.

Si. Si, licenciada.

Okay. Muchas gracias.

Gracias, maricela.

Huh? Hasta la proxima.

- Out!

You're under arrest for
ten counts of m*rder.

Now you know who we are.

You're the one who
should be going to jail.

- You kidnapped me.
- You tried that at arraignment, Mr. vargas.

- It's getting old.
- My client understands

that he has to stay
in Los Angeles

to face your charges.

I'm asking that you
consent to some bail,

or at the very least, release
him from 24-hour lockdown.

- How about a candlelight
dinner with j.Lo?

- You can be as glib as you want, Mr.
morales.

Your lab can't match
my client's voice

to the detective's
answering machine.

And Mr. vargas here has alibis
for the times of the sh**ting.

- He pulled the strings,
not the triggers.

- Do you have witnesses
to that effect?

Or is that little boy you
have locked up cooperating?

I didn't see his statement
in your arraignment papers.

Miss... did you misplace it?

- We didn't come here to give
you a preview of our case.

You'll get to see it in
ten days at the prelim.

They know Fernando
isn't talking.

No.

- You promised him what?

- That we'd get his family up
here from Mexico immediately,

set them up.

If we do that, Fernando
said he'd testify.

- The only way to resettle
a Mexican family here

is by granting them
political asylum.

And you had no authority
from the state department

to make that offer.

- Mr. washburn, without
Fernando's testimony,

vargas walks.

Once he's out, Fernando
and his family's lives

aren't worth a nickel.

- You realize, by
granting them asylum,

the U.S. government would
be, in effect, saying

Mexico can't protect
its own citizens.

- I have relatives in Mexico
who would agree with that.

- Personal anecdotes
aside, we understand

this puts the state department
in a difficult situation.

- I really don't care about the
geopolitical message here.

- We do.

We're not in the business
of antagonizing our allies.

Your request is denied.

- I thought it was worth a try.

Thank you for coming in, bo.

- Oh, one more thing.

See you in federal
court tomorrow.

This is an emergency petition
to compel the state department

to grant political asylum to
three citizens of Mexico-

flora, Jorge, and
graciela Ramirez.

- The government realizes Mr.
morales has his hands full,

but the state department
doesn't consider Mexico

a repressive regime.

By definition, there can
be no grant of asylum.

- Mexico is in a state of
w*r with the drug cartels.

Corruption is rampant.

The innocent have
no place to hide.

- The cartels are
out of control,

but we can't open the
floodgates and give asylum

to every frightened
Mexican national.

I have amicus briefs from
senators and governors

who oppose granting asylum
to Mexican citizens.

- There's no time for
that, your honor.

The defendant in
this criminal case

will be freed unless we
can place our key witness

on the stand on Tuesday.

- Mr. morales, I'm concerned

about setting a dangerous
precedent here.

- The danger here, your honor,
is refusing this request.

An 11-year-old Mexican
boy is ready to stand up

to a brutal narco-trafficker
in open court

and do this community a service.

He's willing to testify

despite the clear and
imminent thr*at,

both to himself and his family.

And if we're too timid

to match this young
boy's courage,

the Mexican drug lords will know

that we are a nation
of straw men,

and here is a land
of opportunity

waiting for them.

- Ma...Ma.

- Gracias.

Gracias.

Thank you for finding our son.

- Now he'll have to
testify in court.

- There will be danger for him.

- We'll find you a new home...

Far away from Los Angeles,
give you new names.

- Ay, dios.

Esta bien, se?or.

We will stand with our son.

- Thank you.

- Gracias.

- I'm gonna check
on our witness.

- Hola, se?or morales.

- Hola, Fernando.

Hasta luego.

- Hasta luego.

- I'm the interpreter
assigned to the witness.

I just need to prepare with him.

- All rise.

Be seated.

- On the date in question,

gunmen working for Cesar
vargas opened fire on a party

in the backyard of hernando
and Maria alcazar.

Nine people were k*lled,
and seven were wounded.

The people will present
sufficient evidence

to hold Mr. vargas to answer
these capital charges

in a trial by jury.

- Call your first witness, Mr.
morales.

- The people call
Fernando Ramirez.

- Yes?

- I came back to get
the kid out, and...

- Who was back here?

- Just the interpreter.
She- - where is she?

- She must have left through
the judge's corridor.

- Lock down the building.
Start a search.

- Our witness was m*rder*d
in the holding cell

by a woman posing as
a court interpreter.

There's a statewide
manhunt in progress.

- Under the circumstances,
I can't imagine

you're prepared to go forward.

- We're asking for
a continuance.

- Your honor, with
all due respect,

this is the tenth day.

If Mr. morales doesn't
have a case to present,

my client must be set free.

- Fernando Ramirez was m*rder*d

on orders from this defendant.

On behalf of the people of
the state of California,

I implore this court, do
not release this man.

- The law stipulates
that- - don't you dare...

Lecture me about the law!

This piece of dirt

has the blood of four
children on his hands!

- Mr. morales.

Mr. morales, I have
to follow the law.

The complaint is dismissed.

The defendant is released.
We're adjourned.

You k*lled my son!

- The feds?
What are you talking about?

- I can't refile m*rder
charges against vargas.

All we have left is a federal
civil rights violation case.

You make a request to the u.
S. Attorney.

The f.B.I. And the d.
E.A. Get involved.

- Five minutes ago, you told me

there were no witnesses
and no forensics.

- The feds have
resources we don't.

Once they file charges, they
can squeeze the Mexicans

to extradite vargas.

- Yeah, and the U.S.
cavalry comes in and saves our bacon!

Is that what you want-
to humiliate this office?

- I want justice done.

- I reached out to Mexico city,

to the state department.

I called in a lot of
chits on your behalf.

- On my behalf?

I thought we spoke
for the victims.

I quit the police
department 12 years ago

because I thought
here, in this office,

I might make a real difference.

But if it's all politics
and posturing...

- Don't kid yourself!
You love the politics.

- Yes, I did, until
I saw where it led.

You want humiliation, Jerry?

How about a prosecutor
quitting his office

and rejoining the police force...

Because his boss is too
vain to ask for help

in bringing a cop
k*ller to justice?

- That's your spin?

Okay, here's mine.

Deputy district attorney
Ricardo morales resigns...

After being replaced
as riding prosecutor

in the Cesar vargas case.

I will tell them the case
needed a fresh pair of eyes.

I will tell them that if
it takes us ten years,

we will bring vargas to justice.

It's your move.