1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:00,760 Speaker 1: Hi. 2 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 2: There a quick note before we start. Most of you 3 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 2: love listening to ads. I know that, But if you don't, 4 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 2: here's an option. Subscribe to True Crime Clubhouse on Apple Podcasts. 5 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 2: You'll get ten episodes of Empire on Blood the Director's 6 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 2: cut ad free and one week early with exclusive bonus content. 7 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: And it's a mere two ninety nine a month. 8 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 2: Previously on Empire on Blood, we were under siege. 9 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: We were going to lose the City of New York 10 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: cases on today for the court's ruling. 11 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 3: People said New. 12 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,599 Speaker 4: York they did sloppy work and then they intentionally did 13 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 4: wrong work. 14 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 2: Most of these, ain't they intentionally did wrong work In 15 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 2: the Calvin case, Yes. 16 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 3: From what I can see so far. 17 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 1: You're not going to give up. 18 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 5: This is what happened. 19 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 4: You had a lot of killings in the summer of 20 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 4: nineteen ninety five. As the pool he was and oh no, 21 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 4: hold it right. 22 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 2: So he's signed down the stairs and he's not supposed to. 23 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 3: Do that, you mean from upstairs by himself. 24 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 4: He's one hundred and twenty seven years old. 25 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 3: He does the right to do that. 26 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 2: This is Alan Karen, a longtime prosecutor in the Bronx 27 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 2: and a rescuer of turtles. 28 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 3: Oh my God, said, did you keep him in a 29 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 3: cage or are they No? 30 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 4: No, no, He's free to walk around. 31 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 3: This is Andrea Giant. 32 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 4: He's a giant for his species. And I got him 33 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 4: from the Turnoibac Zoo in nineteen eighty nine when he 34 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 4: was dying. 35 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 3: And h he's part of the permanent group. 36 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: Wow. 37 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 3: How many do you have? 38 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 6: Twenty? 39 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: Wow? 40 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,959 Speaker 3: And take more. I'm trying not to look at the 41 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 3: discussion store. 42 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 2: As a journalist, I've been threatened, arrested, even shot at once. 43 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: But this is my first reptile encounter. 44 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, you rub him on the top of the 45 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 3: next You love that? Okay? 46 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 2: Alan marches Andre up the stairs, But tortoises, they're relentless. 47 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 3: Hold on, do not come down stairs. 48 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 2: Alan, Karen and I are at his home in Westchester, 49 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 2: his bachelor pad. Alan is short, wiry fit, an outdoor 50 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 2: tennis player all year round. His house is modest, compact 51 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 2: living room, bachelor's kitchen meaning cereal and soda cartan stacked 52 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: against a counter. There's music memorabileyond the walls in the 53 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 2: living room. One photo signed Yoko and John. But most 54 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 2: remarkable is that turtles and tortoises, run free, turtle. 55 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 3: Models, turtle candy, dish. 56 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: Okay, and so. 57 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 2: Alan Karen is known by colleagues and criminals alike as Turtleman. 58 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: I like that name. 59 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 2: Sounds like a superhero, so that's what I'm going to 60 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 2: call him, Turtleman. For years, Turtleman was perhaps the best 61 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: prosecutor in the Bronx, certainly one of the best, rarely lost. 62 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: Oh and he loved the job. 63 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 2: He used to grab his briefcase as he walked out 64 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 2: the door and sing song off to fight crime. Had 65 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 2: he ever considered being a private defense attorney making real money. 66 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 4: A lot of the people you'd have to represent are 67 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 4: real scum and are. 68 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 3: Guilty, So that is not for me, right, He. 69 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 2: Walked into the prosecutor's office and thought, this is it, 70 00:03:58,200 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 2: This is where I should be. 71 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: Yep, pretty much. 72 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 4: I like being a trial lawyer, and I like investigating 73 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 4: cases and my approaches. But bed guys in jail, my 74 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 4: approach was different than a lot of people in the office. 75 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 4: You were involved here, I would say, I would definitely say. 76 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 2: I would too. I've interviewed a bunch of prosecutors over 77 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 2: the years. Often they talk in attorney speak about not 78 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 2: overreaching and being judicious with the power vested in them. Turtleman, 79 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 2: he strikes a different tone. We go out to a 80 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 2: restaurant near Turtleman's house to talk more. I like to 81 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 2: talk to people in restaurants. It's friendlier. Though Noisier lawyers 82 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 2: are very superstitious. 83 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 4: They don't like to make predictions. 84 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: My occasion may have and on many. 85 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,479 Speaker 4: Occasions I have said that much people should grin up 86 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 4: my viewer chief. I guarantee a king Vitraino's case. And 87 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 4: when I've said that, I have always got the conviction. 88 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 2: Could you do that in the Bwari case, that's, of 89 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 2: course the people versus Calvin Bowari. KL was accused of 90 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 2: a double homicide committed in nineteen ninety two. Alan Karen 91 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 2: was the prosecutor assigned to the case, which, by the 92 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 2: time he got involved, was on life support. Years had 93 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 2: gone by with no conviction. But Turtleman, he's confident, even arrogant. 94 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,359 Speaker 2: He will get the job done no matter what it takes. 95 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 2: The Calvin Bowari case is no exception. 96 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 1: Absolutely. I told that to my office. I told that 97 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: to the judge, and I told that. 98 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 3: To check you if you change your mind on the server. 99 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 1: Let me know, let me have a cama mile t. 100 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 4: I'll do lemon and honeywot I told that to the 101 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 4: defense attorney. 102 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: Your guy is dead in Bari. There was no doubt 103 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 1: in my mind he was going down. 104 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 2: And so a ballsy prosecutor stalks at drug kingpin through 105 00:05:57,720 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 2: the streets of the Bronx. 106 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 6: Fucking you, build some blood. He's the king the birds. 107 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 6: You know, we have a bird nob a sweet friend 108 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 6: that told the last. 109 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 2: Word from Orbit Media. This is Empire on Blood, a 110 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,159 Speaker 2: story of murder, betrayal and a man who fought the 111 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 2: law for two decades. 112 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: End of the prosecutor who fought back. I'm Steve Fisherman. 113 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: So Alan Karen is the picture of the badass law man, 114 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 2: even as he stands in the middle of his living 115 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 2: room affectionately stroking the neck of a one hundred and 116 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 2: twenty seven year old tortoise. There's no doubt in my 117 00:06:56,480 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 2: mind that society needs people like him. Fearless of bad guys. 118 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 2: Turtleman is in the Rudy Giuliani mold. He will get 119 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 2: the job done, take control of the bad guys. Once 120 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 2: Turtleman makes up his mind, you're on the wrong side 121 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 2: of the law. He locks and loads. Oh he enjoys 122 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 2: the fight. Just ask the people who fought beside him. 123 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 3: I remember one time was years back during the trial. 124 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 2: This is Frank Vigiano, a New York City police detective 125 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 2: who worked with Turtleman. 126 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 4: I found the witness that we couldn't find in the 127 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 4: last minute and on TV like we got. 128 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 5: We got the witness, understand, you know, and he testified 129 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 5: and he was. 130 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 6: Damaging big time. 131 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 4: So after the testimony, Alan's standing next to the defense 132 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:45,239 Speaker 4: attorney with the bad guys sitting. 133 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 3: There, and he says, how does your clients feel? 134 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 4: Now? 135 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 3: You know those kind of things. 136 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 4: Like and the kid got up, was going to kill him, 137 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 4: like the courthouse is at forever, you know. 138 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 3: But that's Allen, you know. 139 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: He just yeah, that's his. 140 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 6: Way, you know, you know what I mean. 141 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 5: You know, he fought put a big guy away. You 142 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 5: go to whatever you had. 143 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: To do to do it, you know, whatever he had 144 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: to do to do it. 145 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 4: I have my own style, which probably is different than 146 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 4: many people. And essentially I did whatever I wanted and 147 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 4: I never got reversed for anything I did that. He's 148 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 4: probably here, we go. 149 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:33,319 Speaker 3: There we go, we'll kind of tortoises that again. Use 150 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 3: a leopard tortoise the North Africa. 151 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 2: So Turtleman marches Andre the Giant the dog's ezed tortoise 152 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 2: up the stairs again. But back to fighting crime. Let's 153 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 2: look at what Turtleman had to work with in the 154 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 2: People Versus Buari. Other assistant district attorneys had taken a 155 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 2: swing at the case, but they had just one witness 156 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 2: identifying Calvin as the murderer, and that guy, a crack 157 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 2: dealer like Calvin, died in Jamaica before he could testify, 158 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 2: so the case had stalled. Still a double murder, there's 159 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:15,479 Speaker 2: pressure to clear those and Turtleman had an obvious suspect. 160 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 3: He was the head of the organization. 161 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 4: He was the leader, there is no doubt about that. 162 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 4: And we knew that when I first got the case. 163 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 4: We knew this is the guy responsible for all the killings. 164 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 2: Calvin had just turned twenty two when he was arrested 165 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 2: for the murder of the Harris brothers. Soon he'd be 166 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 2: charged with a third murder. By the time Turtleman got 167 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 2: Calvin's case, none of the charges had led to a 168 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 2: conviction or even a trial. The third murder rat was 169 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:50,960 Speaker 2: eventually dropped. Through it all, Calvin remained on the streets 170 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 2: of the North Bronx, distributing crack and living the life. 171 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 2: Ware strutted around his neighborhood. 172 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 1: In mink Coats. 173 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 2: He had two and he drove a forty thousand dollars BMW. 174 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: He had two at that. 175 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 2: Time, A cop with five years experience earned just a 176 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 2: little over forty thousand dollars a year. Calvin Buwarre rubbed 177 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 2: their noses in his success. Mayor Giuliani took crime personally. 178 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:26,559 Speaker 2: It made him angry. Turtleman is the same. He has 179 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 2: no patience for bad guys. But until Turtleman takes on 180 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 2: the Harris Brothers case, it looks like Cal is going 181 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 2: to riggle free. Cal says that Turtleman's predecessors offered him 182 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 2: a deal plead guilty to the double homicide and take 183 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 2: a three year sentence. Now that's a crazy offer. Three 184 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 2: years for two murders. Dealers get more than that for 185 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 2: carrying a few vials of crack in their pockets. But 186 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 2: Cal he rejects the DA's offer. If they're putting that 187 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 2: on the table, they obviously have no case and also 188 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 2: don't forget. Cal says he's innocent. At this point, it's 189 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 2: worth noting Cal believes in the criminal justice system. Believes 190 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 2: that if he's innocent, then the system will affirm that 191 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 2: you had detectives. 192 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 4: You DA's trying to make a case, so they asked me. 193 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 4: They said, it's an old case. We don't think there's 194 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 4: a witness. 195 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 5: Do what you can. 196 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:26,960 Speaker 3: Keep it alive. 197 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 2: The DA hopes to keep it alive long enough to 198 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 2: catch a break. Turtleman keeps the charge on the docket, 199 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 2: shows up at court, requests adjournments. 200 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 3: At that point, his lawyers should have moved to dismiss No, 201 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 3: we answered ready. 202 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 2: In other words, Turtleman stood up in court and said, 203 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 2: there is no reason to dismiss this case, your honor, 204 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 2: We are ready to go to trial. 205 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 3: We answered ready. We were. I would have gone as 206 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 3: far as I could and then ended. 207 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 4: Up dismissing it. 208 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 3: We answered ready on the case. Oh, it's a total bluff. 209 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:06,319 Speaker 4: It was a total bluff, because it's either going to 210 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 4: be dismissed or your answer ready. 211 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: A total bluff. 212 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 2: But luck favors the prepared mind, and Turtleman is nothing 213 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 2: if not prepared. Here comes the luck three years after 214 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 2: the Harris Brothers murder, a turf war breaks out for 215 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 2: control of the crack trade. Bodies are falling in and 216 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 2: around the corner on Blood Cow's Corner. One of the 217 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,319 Speaker 2: dead is the older brother of a guy named Dwight Robinson. 218 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 2: Dwight's a young dealer who sells crack for Cow. For 219 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 2: a long time, Dwight fell close to Cal. In fact, 220 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 2: he idolized Cow, emulated him and believed he understood him. 221 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 5: And that's the type of mentality we have to rise above. 222 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 5: If you got to kill a few people to get 223 00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:00,559 Speaker 5: what you want in life, showed be it. If that's 224 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 5: part accomplish your goal, She'll be it as long as 225 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 5: your goal is accomplished. 226 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:14,680 Speaker 2: So in nineteen ninety five in the North Bronx goals 227 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 2: are getting accomplished. The death toll is mounting six seven, 228 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 2: eight shootings in the period of a month or so. 229 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 2: It's dangerous out there if you're trying to earn a 230 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 2: living selling crack, But if your Turtleman, it's an opportunity. 231 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 2: Turtleman is working with detectives at the forty seventh Precinct. 232 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 2: The cops are talking to everyone connected to the turf war. 233 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 2: They summon Dwight Robinson to the station. Dwight is in 234 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 2: the middle of it. He's scared his brother has been murdered. 235 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 2: Dwight could be next. He's already facing drug charges. There 236 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 2: might be an attempted murder to pin on him too. 237 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 2: But Turtleman and the cops make something clear to Dwight. 238 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 2: They don't want him. The bigger picture to them is Cow. 239 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 4: Second time we had him in, we got him talking 240 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 4: about his brother. I said, well, can you help us 241 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:16,200 Speaker 4: at all? Can you? You weren't the witness to your brogra, 242 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 4: not a witness to. 243 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 1: That, but maybe he saw something. 244 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 4: I did see him do one other one though old case. 245 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 2: Dwight told Turtleman he saw Cow kill the Harris brothers 246 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 2: three years earlier. The case the Turtleman has been desperately 247 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 2: trying to keep alive. 248 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 1: A stroke of luck and drikes it. 249 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was there, Turtleman claps as he recalls that moment. 250 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 2: A new witness, Turtleman jumps on it. He may not 251 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 2: fully understand Dwight's motivation. Dwight may not fully understand his 252 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 2: own motivation, but well, this is a moment to transact 253 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 2: business not psychologize. With Dwight on his side, Turtleman has 254 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 2: a shot at finally getting his man, and he's ready 255 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 2: to deal with a lot to offer. Turtleman can make 256 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 2: Dwight's drug charges disappear and an attempted murder. Don't worry 257 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 2: about that. That's the message Dwight takes away. 258 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 5: At this point, I says to myself, I could give 259 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 5: him up. 260 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 2: So Dwight signs on the dotted line and Turtleman gets 261 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 2: even more than he bargained for. Dwight isn't just another cooperator. 262 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 2: He becomes a super cooperator. He's like Turtleman's deputy. He 263 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 2: recruits witnesses, his drug associates, people that col supplied with crack. 264 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 2: He even accompanies one of them to the precinct in 265 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:47,480 Speaker 2: the back of a police cruiser, and he encourages others 266 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 2: to testify against cal. 267 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 3: Was it hard to get those guys to come in 268 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 3: or not deserve this? 269 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 5: Now? Of course, at that point he had wrong so 270 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 5: many people that are a lot of people wanted him gone, 271 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 5: so he became like a bully to everybody else. Weird 272 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 5: dudes felt like like there was a dude that was literally. 273 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 2: Terrified of this man, Dwight does his best to turn witnesses. 274 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 2: This is Jamo, the ex con and street novelist who 275 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 2: ran with Dwight and County trying to get you to 276 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 2: testify your time. 277 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: Yes, Dwight tried three times to get you to testify 278 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: against Cal. 279 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 5: Recruit me the Whight asked to me to Rochester and 280 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 5: it made me rich again. 281 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 1: Oh go fuck yourself, a motherfucker. I was never rich 282 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: and I'm not going away with you. Let me forget that. 283 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 3: Sha Yeah, I'm gonna said too much that all right. 284 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 2: Jamo, by the way, doesn't agree to testify against Cal. 285 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: Doesn't matter. 286 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 2: Three dealers, including Dwight, do testify, as well as others 287 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:05,919 Speaker 2: around the drug scene. Turtleman waves his magic wand and 288 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 2: drug weapons robbery charges poof, No one will do time, 289 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 2: So we'll. 290 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 3: Make this case without Dwight. 291 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 4: Obviously, Could we have made it without him? 292 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 3: Without d White, we wouldn't have had anybody. 293 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 4: Could we have tried the case without him and with 294 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:26,679 Speaker 4: the other witnesses, Sure, but that makes no sense. 295 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 1: I mean, Dwight was a gift, but how to keep 296 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: that gift secret from Cow's defense. That's after the break. 297 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 2: We're back with Empire on Blood. I remember the first 298 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 2: time I went to Turtleman's house. He was standing in 299 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 2: the driveway cradling one of his prized possessions, a turtle. 300 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: He was smiling. 301 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 2: It was a big, beaming smile. They make great pets, 302 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 2: he tells me, so cuddly. No kidding, he really says this. 303 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 2: Turtleman devoted his entire career to the DA's office, forty 304 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 2: plus years. He sacrificed any semblance of a social life. 305 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 2: Turtleman retired a couple of years back. He ended up 306 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 2: with a good pension, a small plaque, a souvenir badge, 307 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 2: a bunch of reptiles. He's been trying to make up 308 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 2: for lost time. 309 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 3: How's thematch dot com life thing? 310 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 1: Oh? 311 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 6: It sucks. 312 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:43,119 Speaker 5: It sucks. 313 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:46,399 Speaker 3: Not what I enjoy doing. 314 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 4: But did do the best you can. 315 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 2: And so Turtleman is happy to return with me to 316 00:18:51,960 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 2: more heroic times. Dwight flips in August nineteen ninety five. 317 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 2: Calvin's trial starts three months later. One problem for Turtleman. 318 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 2: Calvin has no apparent motive to kill the Harris brothers exactly, 319 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 2: says Turtleman. That's what makes Calvin so dangerous. He's deep down, 320 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 2: ruthless and petty and thin skinned. He's not like you 321 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 2: or me, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. He kills 322 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 2: for cause and for no cause. 323 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 4: It sends a message in the street. Everybody was scared 324 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 4: at Calvin. See, the Harris brothers had nothing to do 325 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:38,719 Speaker 4: with drugs. They had to do with cars, but they 326 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:43,720 Speaker 4: knew him from the area. Their sin was insulting him 327 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:45,000 Speaker 4: in front of people. 328 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 2: Insulting Calvin in front of people. According to Turtleman, that 329 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 2: happened three years earlier, on the night of September tenth, 330 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:00,879 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety two. That evening, the Harris brother stopped on 331 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 2: East two hundred and thirteenth Street, just off Bronxwood. They 332 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 2: ordered some food to go from the Jamaican restaurant on 333 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 2: the corner. As they walked out, they passed a group 334 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 2: of Cow's drug dealers. One brother is heard saying, get 335 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 2: that money, kid, I hear you got. 336 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 1: A street sweeper. A street sweeper is a powerful rifle. 337 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 2: So the brothers are poking their noses into other people's business. 338 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 4: And Calvin took a fence at that. So he got 339 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 4: the gun from the garbage can and he just went 340 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,120 Speaker 4: into the restaurant, came back with their food, got into 341 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 4: the BMW, and he just opened fire, and he just 342 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 4: killed those motherfuckers. 343 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 2: I wonder about Turtleman's version of Calvin. Turtleman never actually 344 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 2: spoke with Cal with the cow I've been speaking to 345 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 2: these past seven years, risk his profitable enterprise over a 346 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:01,679 Speaker 2: stray remark or two. The Cal I know is all 347 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 2: about the money. If it doesn't make dollars, it doesn't 348 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 2: make sense. That's what he likes to say. So to me, undisciplined, 349 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 2: lashing out, it doesn't seem like cal But admittedly I've 350 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,919 Speaker 2: only known Cal as a mature person, middle aged, and 351 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 2: I've never known him on the streets. In any case, 352 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,440 Speaker 2: Turtleman doesn't need to prove to a jury that Cal's 353 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 2: impulsive or cruel. Just floating the idea can be effective. 354 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 4: A trial is like going to war, and the goal 355 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 4: is obviously to prove the defendant guilty beyond the reasonable doubt. 356 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 4: But it's also important to make the jury dislike the defendant. 357 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:52,120 Speaker 4: If you can dislike things about him, if you can 358 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 4: make the jury see who the defendant really was and 359 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 4: dislike him, you're. 360 00:21:57,680 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 3: Ahead of the game. 361 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: I had to ask anyone. 362 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 3: There's no chance he's innocent. 363 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 2: No chance, So game on. Cal hires a defense attorney 364 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,439 Speaker 2: named Ken Shreiber. Ken spent a couple of years working 365 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 2: for Legal Aid, but soon went out on his own, 366 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 2: a solo practitioner with an office in Queen's. Ken's white haired, 367 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 2: with a paunch these days, and recently retired. My producer 368 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:25,960 Speaker 2: and I meet him at a diner on Long Island, 369 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:30,879 Speaker 2: a Greek diner. Naturally, I ordered Jewish food for everyone. 370 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 6: Not even pura man. 371 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:34,120 Speaker 5: Magh say, I'm surprised. 372 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 3: You know. 373 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 6: This is my That's very nice. 374 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 5: It must not help my diet. 375 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 7: And since I retired, I put on about twenty pounds 376 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 7: the retirement I was a bad back. 377 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:46,120 Speaker 5: I think that helped too. 378 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 2: Ken is not a crusader in a Holy war, unlike Turtleman. 379 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 2: He's good at his job. He's lost his share of trials. 380 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 2: Defense attorneys often lose, but he's won several acquittals too. 381 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:05,240 Speaker 1: Be Cow was innocent, I don't know, to be can that? 382 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 6: I don't know? 383 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 7: And you know that didn't That never was part of 384 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 7: the equation with me. 385 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 2: To Ken, Innocent's guilt not essential to his job. In fact, 386 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,400 Speaker 2: for Ken, having a guilty client is easier. You don't 387 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:25,400 Speaker 2: feel bad losing either way. Ken gets paid to provide 388 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 2: a vigorous defense. There's no bonus for winning. His job 389 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:33,679 Speaker 2: is to introduce doubt. If a jury has reasonable doubt 390 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:38,200 Speaker 2: about Cal's guilt, then he walks. What's reasonable doubt? Simple 391 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 2: a doubt that you can give a reason to. In 392 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 2: Cal's case, that's not going to be simple. Not with 393 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 2: all the witnesses against him, and these aren't Col's rivals. 394 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 2: At least three of the cooperating witnesses worked with Cal, 395 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 2: and more witnesses keep popping up, witnesses whose names Turtleman 396 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 2: hasn't heard before. One phone's the disc attorney's office the 397 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 2: day the trial starts. 398 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:04,159 Speaker 1: He wants to testify. 399 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 2: Turtleman welcomes the volunteers in the usual way if they 400 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 2: face charges, He offers them a deal. One witness is 401 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:15,119 Speaker 2: already in prison. In that case, Turtleman can put in 402 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 2: a word and help with parole. That kind of power, 403 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 2: it's hard for a defense attorney to compete with it. 404 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:26,400 Speaker 7: You talk about an unfair playing ground. If a defense 405 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:29,919 Speaker 7: lawyer were to give a fact witness fifty dollars to 406 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 7: encourage him to testify on his client's behalf. 407 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: That would be called bribery. 408 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 7: If a district attorney offers a man facing twenty five 409 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 7: years for murder a walk in exchange for his testimony, 410 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 7: that's called justice. So there's that problem that's inherent in 411 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 7: any case when you're dealing with cooperators. This case deal 412 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 7: with nothing but cooperators. 413 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 2: Ken's memory is a little faulty. There were a couple 414 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 2: of witnesses who didn't need deals. But even the judge 415 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 2: seemed exasperated at one point when he said, I'm reading 416 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 2: from the transcript quote maybe there's a call out in 417 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:09,159 Speaker 2: the Northeast area anybody having narcotics cases pending against him. 418 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:11,920 Speaker 2: By going to the district attorney's office, you'll get probation. 419 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 1: I don't know. End quote. 420 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 2: The trial begins on October eleventh, nineteen ninety five. Turtleman's 421 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 2: witnesses all tell similar stories, the crux of which is 422 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 2: I saw Calvin Bwari gun down the Harris Brothers. Witnesses 423 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 2: say they decided to come forward after a brief phone 424 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 2: call from Dwight, like a thirty second call. Why Because 425 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 2: I want to do the right thing. 426 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 7: There was nothing that can be done about it except 427 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,679 Speaker 7: to attempt to show as best you can to the 428 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:49,919 Speaker 7: fact find is that this was taking place. For me 429 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 7: to stand up and scream that's not fair. You're using 430 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 7: people that are going to life to say and do 431 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 7: anything is not going to accomplish anything. 432 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:01,400 Speaker 2: Ken tries to introduce doubt in the minds of the factbinders, 433 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 2: that's the jury. 434 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: He cross examines the cooperators. 435 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 7: This was several years ago. Did you tell your mother 436 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:10,160 Speaker 7: about it? Did you tell police officers about it? Did 437 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:11,159 Speaker 7: you tell anybody about it? 438 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:11,400 Speaker 1: Before? 439 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 7: Alan Karen offered you I got out of jail card 440 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 7: and they said no, they didn't. 441 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 1: Fighting cooperators. 442 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 2: That's tough for a defense attorney, especially in the Calvin 443 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 2: Buari case, because, as a prosecutor in New York State, 444 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 2: Turtleman has another. 445 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:29,919 Speaker 1: Weapon, like a nuclear weapon. 446 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 2: Ordinarily, the prosecution provides a list of its witnesses to 447 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 2: defense lawyers before the trial starts, accompanied with background information 448 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 2: on them, notes of interviews with witnesses, police reports, that 449 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 2: kind of thing. But there are exceptions. In this case, 450 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 2: Turtleman doesn't want to give the defense even the names 451 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 2: of his witnesses until that is they are on the stand. 452 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 2: He tells the judge that cal is so dangerous that 453 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 2: witnesses are afraid for their lives. He asked the judge 454 00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 2: for a protection order, and the judge later he says 455 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 2: he feels duped. He says he'll never do this again. 456 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 2: But when Turtleman asks, the judge says okay. He lets 457 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 2: Turtleman keep the names of his witnesses a secret. So 458 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:20,760 Speaker 2: Col's attorney, Ken Shreiber, he can't even be sure who 459 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:25,360 Speaker 2: exactly will testify against his client, And it was torture. 460 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 7: To go dealing with individuals who you didn't know who 461 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:31,280 Speaker 7: You really didn't know anything about their background, or he 462 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 7: didn't have an opportunity for an investigator to investigate. You 463 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:37,639 Speaker 7: really didn't even have an opportunity to evaluate the court files, 464 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 7: which were in that same building for the most part 465 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:40,879 Speaker 7: that you're on trial. 466 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 5: So it was difficult. 467 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 2: Ken didn't know the name of one mystery witness, as 468 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 2: he called him like it was a game show. That 469 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,200 Speaker 2: mystery witness was thirteen when he says he saw the shooting. 470 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:59,120 Speaker 2: He testifies when he's sixteen. He's been busy in the interim. 471 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 2: A cumulate in armed robbery a weapons charge, a drug charge. 472 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 2: Turtleman waves his wand no jail time for the teenager, 473 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:11,880 Speaker 2: so he's happy to testify. He says he was either 474 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:14,639 Speaker 2: a block or a block and a half away. He 475 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:18,679 Speaker 2: can't keep his story straight either way. He testifies that 476 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 2: he not only saw Cal do the killing, but was 477 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:24,560 Speaker 2: able to see through the car windows, past the driver 478 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 2: and into the passenger seat. Oh, and he testified that 479 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:31,639 Speaker 2: he recognized that the brothers were murdered in a late 480 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:35,120 Speaker 2: model Beamer, and that col was carrying a hat, a 481 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 2: kangle hat in his hand, a hat and a gun apparently, 482 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 2: and that from two hundred and fifty feet away, across 483 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 2: a busy street with parking on both sides. Ken didn't 484 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 2: have time to investigate that story. He couldn't even be 485 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 2: certain that Dwight Robinson would testify. 486 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:57,800 Speaker 7: No, I've just learned his name, either that morning or 487 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 7: the day before, and I was given the background information 488 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 7: probably twenty minutes before I had started my cross examination. 489 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 2: On the stand. Dwight is brilliant. He speaks softly, calmly. 490 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 2: He calls Ken Schreiber sir repeatedly. It gets under Ken's skin, 491 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 2: as if Dwight is making fun of him, and then 492 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 2: Dwight calmly tells the jury the account all the others 493 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 2: have told. He saw Cal shoot the Harris brothers. But 494 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:37,480 Speaker 2: for me, the climactic moment of the trial is somewhere else. 495 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 2: There'd been a series of chaotic events just weeks before 496 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 2: the trial started, including shootouts and murders. Cal survived in 497 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 2: an assassination attempt. I'm reading from the transcript. Now, defense, 498 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:54,080 Speaker 2: that's Ken Schreiber. Did you have anything to do with 499 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 2: the shooting of Calvin Buari Dwight's response, No, I didn't, sir. 500 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:06,440 Speaker 2: We'll return to Dwight and to this moment in the 501 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:10,640 Speaker 2: next episode. For now, let's stay with Cal in Ken 502 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 2: Shreiber's memory. Cal just stared at Dwight from the defense table. 503 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 2: Cal was quiet, composed. He's Cal in full control of 504 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 2: his conscious behavior at least, but then there's his subconscious. 505 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 2: Cal has a nightmare about Dwight's testimony. 506 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 8: He's looking at me and laughing at me at the 507 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 8: stand because he's utilizing the system. Now, he utilized the 508 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 8: system to take my life. So it's like and directly 509 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 8: he's telling me, I didn't get you, but I got you. 510 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 8: That's the thing, nightmare end. The nightmare ends with me 511 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:46,560 Speaker 8: waking up and I'm sitting in a cell. Steve, you 512 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 8: know I'm in a cage. 513 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 2: When we return in dreams begin reality, it's Dwight versus 514 00:30:57,280 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 2: cal with consequences for both. 515 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 1: We're back with Empire on Blood. 516 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:20,680 Speaker 2: I'm sitting in the Greek diner with Ken Schreiber, Cow's 517 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:23,840 Speaker 2: defense attorney. I want to understand what a lawyer does 518 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 2: when he believes that a witness just flat out lies. 519 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 7: You don't necessarily say, aren't you lying? Because this is 520 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 7: not Perry Mason where they're going to snap up and 521 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 7: say you got me, you got me, counsel. You have 522 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:39,320 Speaker 7: to try to impeach his credibility in a variety of directions. 523 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 7: And that's why time and effort of an investigator and 524 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 7: background information was invaluable, which I didn't have. 525 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:52,040 Speaker 2: A trial is a contest of unequal forces. It's designed 526 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 2: that way, and Ken Schreiber, he's not particularly well armed. 527 00:31:57,800 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 2: The best he can do is try to wear down 528 00:31:59,840 --> 00:32:03,480 Speaker 2: the other side, make a point here, a point there. 529 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:05,200 Speaker 1: Hopefully they add up. 530 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 2: In every trial, there are competing truths, but let's face it, 531 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:16,400 Speaker 2: Turtleman's truth is well supported six witnesses say they saw 532 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 2: the crime, did they lie? Did they weigh the benefits 533 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:23,160 Speaker 2: and make let's call it a business decision, spend years 534 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 2: in prison or cooperate tell the story the DA wants 535 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:26,960 Speaker 2: to hear. 536 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 1: Hmm. 537 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 2: That's for the jury to decide. The jury deliberates for 538 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 2: a mere two hours. The verdict guilty as charged. Cal 539 00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 2: is sentenced to fifty years to life. He is off 540 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:48,520 Speaker 2: the streets, and that means there's a job opening in 541 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:52,280 Speaker 2: the crack trade. Guess who fills it. The Corner on 542 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 2: Blood promotes from within. 543 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 4: Dwight was articulate. These guys are not what you would 544 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:06,280 Speaker 4: think of as sort of ghetto drug dealers. And Dwight 545 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:09,680 Speaker 4: was likable, and we're talking to him and I said, listen, Dwight, 546 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:14,160 Speaker 4: I'm not going to ask you to not commit crime. 547 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 4: There's a ghostraight or this and that, because I could 548 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 4: say whatever I want and you can say like fuck you. 549 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 4: But just as a practical matter, man, your brother's dead, 550 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:25,800 Speaker 4: your friends are dead, these people are going to jail. 551 00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 4: Nobody's fucking winning here, So you know what doesn't make sense. 552 00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 4: So he said, you know, mister Karen, I'm done with 553 00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:36,080 Speaker 4: this man, you know, I see what's happening to the community. 554 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 3: But in talking to. 555 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:42,320 Speaker 4: Him, I mean, he seemed to be intelligent, and he 556 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:44,480 Speaker 4: was saying, man, I'm getting out of this man, because 557 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:46,240 Speaker 4: I know so many people who are dead. 558 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:50,160 Speaker 3: There's no reason, you know, I'm done with this. Then 559 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:51,000 Speaker 3: he goes right back. 560 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:55,040 Speaker 2: Tontal Man thought he understood Dwight. Dwight had upheld his 561 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 2: end of the bargain and was rewarded. Drug charges go away, 562 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 2: and there's an attempted murder that Dwight seems to be 563 00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 2: involved in. That investigation goes away too. Exceptional clearance is 564 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:10,480 Speaker 2: the reason, given that's a rarely used designation. But then 565 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:15,600 Speaker 2: Dwight has earned it. Turtleman cares about Dwight. Dwight was 566 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:20,600 Speaker 2: his protege, but Dwight he wasn't necessarily what he seemed. 567 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:27,799 Speaker 2: Dwight returns to East two hundred and thirteenth in Bronxwood. 568 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 2: He's now the boss Emperor of the Empire on Blood. 569 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:36,799 Speaker 2: He runs his own crew, dresses like cal sometimes is 570 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:43,040 Speaker 2: mistaken for him. Two years later, Dwight is arrested for 571 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:46,880 Speaker 2: murdering a rival drug dealer. The details of that crime 572 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 2: resemble the murder of the Harris brothers. A lone gunman, 573 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:54,640 Speaker 2: same type of weapon and same spot the corner on blood. 574 00:34:56,000 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 2: The assistant DA assigned to prosecute Dwight comes to Turnurtleman. 575 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:04,560 Speaker 2: He knows that Dwight has been a super cooperator. Should 576 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:10,520 Speaker 2: they give him a break back in the restaurant in Westchester. 577 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:12,520 Speaker 2: I asked Turtleman about that. 578 00:35:13,320 --> 00:35:17,959 Speaker 1: I said, basically, fuck him. He did this. He goes 579 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:18,520 Speaker 1: down to it. 580 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:24,040 Speaker 4: You know, if he had been arrested for let's say, 581 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:27,120 Speaker 4: selling marijuana or I certainly would. 582 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:28,839 Speaker 3: Have you know, said niche, let's help this guy. 583 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 1: He helped us. Let's killing somebody. 584 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:32,240 Speaker 5: You get nothing there to say. 585 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:38,680 Speaker 2: Up and so Dwight finds he does not possess a 586 00:35:38,719 --> 00:35:41,960 Speaker 2: get out of jail free card. He's sentenced to twenty 587 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:48,279 Speaker 2: five years to life, and Alan Karen Turtleman, well, his 588 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 2: record speaks for itself. At his house, I ask him directly, 589 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:54,560 Speaker 2: but so. 590 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,720 Speaker 3: Never got reversed for anything. Nope. 591 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:04,600 Speaker 2: And then I catch a glimpse of Andre the Giant again, 592 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:10,360 Speaker 2: Turtleman's cuddly ancient tortoise, his boon companion. I have a 593 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 2: feeling that Andrea will be around long after the rest 594 00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:31,360 Speaker 2: of us have gone. Next time on Empire on Blood, 595 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 2: my new friend Dwight Robinson. 596 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:40,320 Speaker 5: The statue of limitation is seven five. I think my 597 00:36:40,520 --> 00:36:46,440 Speaker 5: tent murder. Yeah, but anyway, I don't know if he 598 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:49,600 Speaker 5: says something, he turns a carl to get back out, 599 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:54,800 Speaker 5: stands and look around and uh he gets back in. 600 00:36:55,960 --> 00:37:00,920 Speaker 5: Actually know it's just raining shots. 601 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:04,719 Speaker 2: The director's cut of Empire on Blood is produced by 602 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:09,680 Speaker 2: Emmy Klein. Austin Smith is our associate producer and production coordinator. 603 00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:12,600 Speaker 2: The original production of the Empire on Blood was also 604 00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:16,880 Speaker 2: produced by Emil Klein. Me And Lobell was our executive producer. 605 00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:22,120 Speaker 2: Julia Parton our story editor, fact checking by Stephen McDaniels. 606 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:27,800 Speaker 2: Our advisor was Joel Dusk. Mastering by Jason Glebred, original 607 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:31,480 Speaker 2: scoring by Joel Saint Julian and our theme song, The 608 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:36,360 Speaker 2: Lonely King is by mister Lynn. Special thanks to Andy Bowers, 609 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:38,000 Speaker 2: who championed. 610 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 1: The original production at Panaplein. 611 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 2: I'm Steve Fishman, Lucky Goil. 612 00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:50,160 Speaker 6: To Blood Levesday King, the Birds where the burd love 613 00:37:50,160 --> 00:38:02,000 Speaker 6: between friend and old. The last. 614 00:37:59,080 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 2: Welcome to you, Hi, there before we go, You've just 615 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:13,279 Speaker 2: listened to another brilliant episode of Empire on Blood the 616 00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:18,040 Speaker 2: Director's Cut. To hear episodes of this series one week 617 00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:22,040 Speaker 2: early and ad free with exclusive content, Subscribe to True 618 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:26,239 Speaker 2: Crime Clubhouse on Apple Podcasts. It's just two ninety nine 619 00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:26,600 Speaker 2: a month.