Crime Story (TV Series)

Pilot (1986)

Stephen Lang: Atty. David Abrams

Quotes 

• Atty. David Abrams : Lieutenant Torello, you testified before the grand jury that your search warrant was obtained on the basis of information from a confidential informant. Is that correct?

  Lt. Mike Torello : Yes, it is.

  Atty. David Abrams : And you qualify your informant by citing prior cases, according to your affidavit. Now, in reviewing other affidavits you've sworn to, I see that you frequently cite a confidential informant as the basis for your actions.

  Lt. Mike Torello : Informants are critical to sucessful police work.

  Atty. David Abrams : So you use informants a lot?

  Lt. Mike Torello : Whenever it's necessary.

  Atty. David Abrams : The same informant?

  Lt. Mike Torello : I have several informants.

  Atty. David Abrams : Lieutenant, would you produce the informant that gave you the information in this case?

  Lt. Mike Torello : Well, that would be dishonorable. It's the same as the, uh, the attorney/client privilege.

  Atty. David Abrams : Except the attorney/client privilege is based on the attorney actually having a client, where in your case, the police/informant relationship is simply based on your say-so.

• Atty. David Abrams : If the court demanded you produce your informant, you could not do it, Lieutenant, could you? Even in dishonor, you could not produce your informant.

  Judge : Mr. Abrams, do you have a point?

  Atty. David Abrams : I have more than a point, Your Honor. I have Lieutenant Torello's informant.

  [holding up a wiretapping bug] 

  Atty. David Abrams : This is your informant, isn't it, Lieutenant Torello? This illegally placed listening device, taken from Mr. Taglia's telephone by a telephone security officer. Your Honor, I submit this as Defense Exhibit 15.

  Judge : What about it, Lieutenant?

  Lt. Mike Torello : May I see that, Your Honor?

  [the judge hands the bug over] 

  Lt. Mike Torello : Well, Your Honor, this isn't the kind that we use. This is a, uh, transistorized D-19, used exclusively by the FBI, never by us. They probably planted it, uh, investigating Taglia's link to the KGB.

  Atty. David Abrams : [incredulous]  KGB?

  Lt. Mike Torello : Well, it's strictly speculation. But word on the street is that Taglia is selling nuclear, uh, secrets to the Russians. I mean, I don't know how true it is, but...

  Atty. David Abrams : Your Honor, the man's a liar! That is a complete lie.

  [he throws his notebook at Mike, who throws it back] 

  Lt. Mike Torello : Your Honor, do I have to suffer these indignities, right here in the halls of justice?

  Judge : I think not. Mr. Abrams, tomorrow morning, 9:00. Show cause why you shouldn't be held in contempt.

• Atty. David Abrams : You lied on the stand, Lieutenant. You didn't tell the truth once.

  Lt. Mike Torello : That's not true. I gave my right name. Which reminds me, how'd you get this case in the first place?

  Atty. David Abrams : It's none of your damn business how I got the case.

  Lt. Mike Torello : Well, you were doing all right until you got emotional, and then you lost it.

  Atty. David Abrams : I didn't lose. We still got a trial, remember?

  Lt. Mike Torello : I mean, even if you cut him loose, what do you think you've accomplished? He hits the streets tomorrow, he does the same thing all over again.

  Atty. David Abrams : So you lie to put him in jail?

  Lt. Mike Torello : Oh, come on, counselor. Taglia was a bust-out the day he was born. This guy's been stealing since he was in kindergarten.

• Lt. Mike Torello : I lost $3 million in jewelry over the weekend. I'm not saying that Taglia was involved, but if he wasn't, he'll know who was. I'm gonna squeeze him. He scratches my back, I'm gonna get a clear head, and suddenly I'm gonna be very helpful. That's the way the courtroom game is played around here, isn't it, counselor?

  Atty. David Abrams : That's not the way I play.

  Lt. Mike Torello : Let me tell you something, pal. Half the time, we don't know which side the law is on. That's the way the wheels of justice turn in this town, and they're the only wheels we got. You bet I lied. You know, I wouldn't be wasting my time telling you all of this if I didn't think you were my kind of guy. You're working the wrong side of the courtroom, counselor, only you don't know it yet.