Previously on The Slap...
Your Honor, the State believes that if we let this go,
we're saying that a grown man can slap a kid.
And the bat was already on the ground.
It wasn't on the ground. He was swinging it around.
He was dangerous.
You remember that Ritchie was taking pictures of the barbecue?
He has pictures of Hugo being slapped.
You got pictures from the barbecue?
Can I see?
- The hell was that? - He has evidence, Gary.
No, we're not dragging Ritchie into any part of this.
What did I do wrong?
You told Rosie that I have pictures of the slap.
You never should have said that.
Keep away from me, Connie.
Mrs. Weschler, did you abandon your child
when he was just an infant?
Objection.
Your Honor, this has to do
with the environment in which that child grew up.
I have something that can fix this.
I'd like to request a continuance
to enter new evidence.
_
- No. - What now?
- What'd you do? - I didn't do anything.
It was an accident. I was hungry.
Okay, well, you know you're not supposed to
take something like that out of the fridge by yourself.
You ask your mommy.
I couldn't. She wouldn't get up.
Okay. Okay.
All right. Go get dressed.
- Okay, sorry, Daddy. - It's okay, buddy.
- Rosie. - Hmm?
Don't you think it's time to get up?
I guess so.
Come on, baby.
I need you.
Hugo needs you.
I know.
Yeah?
Gary, it's Bridget.
Uh... One second.
Okay, yes.
I've done the paperwork,
but I have a couple last questions.
Sure.
The court will want to know
how you became aware of these pictures.
Connie, a girl who babysits for us
who's a friend of Ritchie.
She told us.
- Have you seen them? - Not really.
I got a glimpse of them over here last week.
So why would you not have mentioned this before yesterday?
I wanted to keep him out of this.
But you've changed your mind.
Yes.
Listen.
He's very talented. Okay?
Very talented.
And he is a good kid.
And if you met him, you'd know.
You don't want to drag him into this.
I mean, he... He's an innocent guy, but...
Hey! Hugo, stay away from that.
- Ugh! - Get...
But, um...
Connie saw them and she told us he got all of it,
plus I saw him taking pictures that day.
Good. Uh...
I'll send a detective to talk to him.
Okay.
I want him treated very gently, Bridget.
I... I've been sort of a mentor of his, and...
Gary,
you did the right thing telling me.
Listen to me. Nothing matters but the slap.
If these pictures show the bat on the ground,
the force of the blow,
it's everything.
You've got to remember
you and Rosie are not on trial here.
Hmm.
Well, as it turns out, we actually are.
Wow.
They're really... Beautiful.
- What? - Nothing.
They're just sort of...
- Sort of what? - I don't know.
Bleak.
Really? That's your opinion.
I think they're a barrel of laughs.
Listen.
Ritchie, I had no right to drag you
into this mess with Rosie.
I thought I was doing the right thing.
Yeah, well, so did Gavrilo Princip.
What?
Pretend for one minute that
I am not another geek from your AP History.
He's the guy who shot Archduke Ferdinand.
He thought he was saving Serbia,
and all he managed to do was start World War I.
Well, I'm not Serbian.
I'm saying that one event can have a large impact.
I know. I know.
I'm just trying to have a good time with you.
We all do what we got to do, right?
Besides, those pictures from the barbecue
can't hurt anybody now.
What do you mean?
- Are these hung straight? - Um, no.
Well... Yeah, yeah.
They're gonna give you the art prize.
I mean, everyone's been saying it.
There's no contest.
Art is not supposed to be a stupid competition, stupid.
I know. And that's why you're gonna win...
Stupider.
I'm sorry.
Do you want to go be, like, teenagers later
and get milkshakes and crap?
Yes.
Yeah.
Hey.
Ritchie, this man is from the police.
and he said that you have
some photographs from that party.
- And he wants to be able to... - Okay.
Yeah, but you don't have to give this man anything.
- Okay? - Hi, Ritchie.
Look, I'm not looking to upset anyone.
But it's come to the attention of the District Attorney
that you have some photographs
from the day of the Apostolou party
that may be relevant.
And you just come in here without a warrant,
and you expect my son to turn over...
Let him finish. Let him finish.
What, you're gonna intimidate my son?
No, ma'am. Here's the warrant.
I don't have pictures.
I took pictures, but I deleted them.
So I don't know if I can help you.
Okay, well, the DA's office
may want to take a look at your computer.
Ugh, well, you know what?
Why don't you give me the name
of the damn DA that sent you down here?
What's his name?
It's ADA Bridget Saltire.
Mom, it's fine.
It was on a thumb drive. And you can have that too.
Wasting bites.
Thank you.
May I ask why you deleted them, the pictures?
That's none of your damn business.
- I didn't think they were good. - Is that a crime?
Depends what they showed, ma'am.
Sync, corrected by icephoenix www.addic7ed.com
I need to share something that you should see
before the rest of your family does...
If they see it at all.
_
What does this mean for us?
You could surmise that we are leaning
a few millimeters closer to a conviction.
Oh, my God.
What does that even mean?
It most definitely is the runway
for a nasty civil suit.
I really don't think this has
anything to do with money, Thanassis.
Harry, in my experience, everything is about money.
Now, I'm gonna tell you what is gonna happen.
The Weschlers are going to hire a bottom-feeder lawyer
working on contingency.
They might even get Jay Goldman.
I'm sure he made an impression.
I can get these pictures thrown out.
How?
This officer, Mulrooney,
had the bad judgment to stop off for a burger
and a couple of beers at Peter Looger's
between the confiscation of the computer
and his return to the station house.
We attack the chain of custody.
Evidence left sitting in a car.
Nobody can attest to it not being tampered.
I'm not even gonna ask how you knew where he was.
Ah, now you're learning.
So...
Pictures thrown out.
Now the case rests on the testimony of the boy.
That is, unless he does not testify.
Kiki.
We found out some things about Ritchie Joanou.
He moved here from Allentown, Pennsylvania,
with his mother last September.
His last name was Collins. He legally changed it.
He took his maternal grandfather's name.
It turns out that he and his boyfriend
were the victim of cyberbullying.
The kind that included pictures of very private acts
posted online and posted widely.
At which point, his boyfriend
jumps from the 8th Street bridge,
which was, incidentally,
the 80-something suicide from it.
Seven kids expelled, one in prison,
not charged as a juvenile,
and amidst all of this, Ritchie Collins-Joanou
- tries to kill himself. - Oh, my God.
He was in a private hospital
in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for six months,
after which time, they move here to start over.
You cannot put this kid on the stand.
Which is precisely the conclusion
that the prosecution will make when this story is known.
He's a fragile, reluctant witness.
He could say anything. He could do anything.
So no pictures. No witness. No conviction.
What are you talking about "once the story is known"?
You talking about leaking this?
Harry, even men with scruples
must protect themselves however they can
against nasty consequences.
- Hey, Connie. - Hey.
He's in his bedroom. Maybe you can pry him out.
Connie...
I'm real glad that you're here.
He needs you.
Come in.
Let me guess.
- Mafia. - Mm.
No. Blue steel.
Actually, I thought I should look like an artist,
you know what I mean?
You can barely pull off looking like you.
Dude, these are incredible.
They're awesome, for real.
When'd you shoot them?
I shot the carousel at the beginning of the year
and added the environments digitally.
It sounds harder than it is.
- Man, great job. - Thank you.
You're gonna have to get used to being popular.
Never.
- You gonna ditch me? - Like the plague.
Ritchie.
- Ritchie. - Hi.
This is Lionel Parks.
He runs the photography program at The New School.
Hey, Ritchie, Gary Weschler told me about you.
He sent me some images, asked if I thought he was crazy
thinking you had something real going on here, and...
He's not crazy.
- Call me. - Okay.
- Oh, Ritchie, hi. - Hi.
I'm Michael Reed. I write for the New York Post.
Oh, hi.
You got a lot of fans in there. I didn't want to intrude.
Yeah, weird.
So I want to fact-check a couple of things.
It's Ritchie Joanou. J-O-A-N-O-U, right?
Yeah, you're in a select group of people
who can spell my name.
And before you moved here, it was Collins.
How do you know that?
Well, I read an article in the Harrisburg Post,
but I don't trust papers like that
to get things right.
I don't understand.
What does this have to do with all of that?
Listen, Ritchie,
I'm not going to play games with you.
My paper has assigned me to do an article
about how a slap ends up in court.
Sort of a "only in New York," you know?
- But why me? - You're on a list of witnesses.
So let's start with a couple of dates.
How long after your friend's death did you move here?
I have to go.
Ritchie, wait!
I don't love this either, but the story's gonna come out.
Wouldn't you rather that we get it right?
Hey.
Are you wearing makeup?
I'm not.
You're nine years old.
Yeah, but Marcy said I couldn't eat lunch
with her and Jennifer
unless I "kicked it up a notch."
What?
Isn't that what that cook on TV says about gumbo?
Listen to me.
Do you really want to sit with girls
who put those sorts of requirements on your friendship?
Is that the kind of girl you want to be?
- No. - Yeah.
But I really want to sit with them.
- You guys are late. - We'll deal with this tonight.
Come on. Adam.
Chop, chop.
You guys should probably see this.
_
Why did you never tell me?
I thought we were friends.
Well, I thought Easter was about a big rabbit.
Turns out it's about someone
dying on a cross and coming back to life.
- Live and learn. - Please don't be glib with me.
- Not now. - Connie.
You, better than anybody,
should know that not every dirty little thing
about one's life needs to be broadcast.
Do you want to talk about it?
No.
Ritchie.
Can you come up here, please?
_
Oh, my God.
I never meant for any of this to happen.
What, you want to see them?
What?
Here. Look.
No, that's not what I was...
That's what you wanted to see, right?
Hmm?
You want to see them?
That's what you wanted, right? Huh?
That's what you wanted!
Look!
Come in.
I love you more than life itself.
You know that, right?
We're gonna get through this.
I spoke to the DA, Saltire,
and we can petition for you not to have to testify.
There's still time.
Okay.
Nobody's gonna make you stand in front of those people.
You understand?
And then what?
What do you mean?
- What happens then? - We can't stay here.
You can't deal with this again, and I don't think I can either.
We'll find another place.
And another name?
Tell them I'll testify.
- Ritchie. - It's fine, Mom.
What difference does it make?
I'm gonna go take some pictures.
Hi, I'd like to fill this, please.
Can I see an ID? Do you have insurance?
Sure.
This isn't due for another three weeks.
I know.
We're going on a vacation.
Well, you know, your insurance is not gonna cover it.
It's okay, I'll pay for it, and they'll reimburse me.
Okay.
I'll be back in a few minutes.
This is good.
I was worried the baby was in breech,
but it turned around.
So we are good.
How good?
Well, good as in you're gonna have a healthy baby...
Ah. Gilbert.
Right, a healthy little baby, period.
You agree, Dr. Cole?
Uh, oh, stop with the "doctor" just 'cause people are here.
Well, he or she looks splendid.
I wouldn't go pole dancing if I were you.
- Aww. - Pole dancing?
I'm not Californian.
Oh, Anouk, I have all of Hugo's cute
little handmade baby mittens and his cat hat.
Remember it?
Oh, yeah, his orange tabby cat hat.
I think this is cause for a glass of champagne.
Don't you?
Should we go somewhere cozy like the River Cafe?
What do you think? Do we have permission, Gilbert?
Small glass of bubbly won't hurt anyone.
Sorry. I'm gonna have to
take a rain check on that champagne,
and not for medical reasons.
Seems that one of the actors needs to be convinced
this character would not shave his head
in response to losing his girlfriend.
You see?
You're getting practice with bratty kids already.
Oh, Rosie, I wasn't referring to anything.
I'm fine. I'm fine.
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
- What do you mean? - You shouldn't be sorry.
You've got nothing to be sorry about.
This is an incredibly difficult situation.
Honey, I'm sorry I haven't been there for you.
I just couldn't get out of directing this episode.
I understand.
You've been such a good friend,
and I love you.
- I love you both. - I love you.
And I'm so happy for you.
I don't mean to spoil this.
I'm just... I'm just so ashamed.
I've made so many mistakes.
Why didn't I get a medical report earlier
or photographs?
What?
I thought you made the mistake of getting the police involved, Rosie.
Why don't you check in with me in three or four years?
I love you both.
- Glass of wine? - Hmm.
Demetrius looked good.
What do you mean?
Just that. He looked good.
He's dead.
Still. They did a good job.
That was his wedding suit, Georgia told me.
It still fits.
He did lose a little weight recently.
How do you think they get it on him?
Dearest Koula,
could you please change the topic?
When I'm gone, I want none of that.
Just put my ashes in a coffee can
and store them in the basement.
As if you'll go first.
- What about the plot in Queens? - Right, the plot in Queens.
Our children will want to see us, visit us.
You think?
So what?
We sacrifice everything in our lives for our kids.
We're supposed to do that afterwards too?
- Yamas. - Yamas.
Give me your jacket. I'll hang it up for you.
You can wear it tomorrow in court.
Somebody want to get that?
Thank you.
Oh.
That doesn't sound too good.
- God, Ritchie, how are you? - Hi.
I just wanted to drop something off.
What's going on? Come on.
I've been thinking about you.
- You want something, Coke? - No, no, no, no.
I just wanted to give this to you.
You asked for pictures from the party,
but that couldn't work out, so I figured...
You didn't have to do this.
All of us... And I mean, we all...
Just feel terrible about the way
you've been brought into this mess.
- It's okay. - No, it's not.
That article was insane.
Everybody's entitled to privacy and a modicum of respect.
- Right? - Yeah.
- You okay? - Yeah.
You sure?
Yeah.
Are you okay?
Getting through.
Life is hard enough. Why make it harder?
Yeah.
- Uh, you should open this. - All right.
_
Happier times.
"Man contemplating suicide on his 40th birthday."
What?
That's what you said right before I took it.
We all say stupid things sometimes.
Thank you. It means a lot to me.
So listen,
We'll be there tomorrow... I promise...
To help you get through.
A lot of people love you.
I got to go.
Yeah.
- Appreciate it. - Yeah.
Bye.
Hi. Is Gary here?
Gary not here. They went out.
- Okay, can I leave this for him? - You leave?
No, can I leave this for him?
- Ritchie! - Hey, Hugo.
Want to see my new space guy?
- No, Hugo, I'm so... - Wait!
Look, he's cool, right?
Wow. He's scary.
No, he's not. He's funny.
I think you're right. He is funny.
What if everything we think is scary is actually funny?
That'd be cool, right?
Does that mean
everything that was funny would be scary?
I didn't think about that.
Maybe. I hope not.
You're a smart kid.
Never forget that.
Whoopee!
_
Hello?
Oh.
Sure.
It's for you.
Hello.
Look. Um...
I know I'm not supposed to call, and I'm sorry.
But is Ritchie there?
No. How come?
I don't know.
I just have a really bad feeling.
We were supposed to get together tonight to blow off steam
before he had to go to court tomorrow, and he's not around.
I'm sure he's okay. Just text him.
I did, and he didn't answer, and he always does.
It'll be okay. Let me get back to you.
Bye.
Here you go, bro.
Big night, huh?
Bro.
- No, I haven't. - Not for a couple of days.
But he's fine.
In fact, he was here today.
He dropped something off for Gary.
Yeah, sure.
Don't worry.
Oh, man, this kid is something else.
Who was that?
It was Hector. He's trying to find Ritchie.
Why?
I don't know exactly. Connie called him.
Nobody seems to know where he is.
God, that's beautiful.
Yeah, it is.
_
It's up to other people to say what they mean.
Oh, no.
- Stay with Hugo. - Where are you going?
Ritchie!
Oh, God, no. No, no, no.
Hey, Ritchie.
Ritchie, hey.
Wake up.
Hey.
I need you to stay awake. Okay?
I need you to stay awake.
Hello.
Hey. Uh...
I need an ambulance.
I have a young man here who's overdosing
on, um, pills and alcohol.
I don't know what kind they are.
Um, we're at Jane's Carousel in Brooklyn.
That's in DUMBO.
Hurry. Please. Thank you.
Okay.
Hey, talk to me, man.
Hey.
Tell me about the carousel, huh?
How'd you make the picture?
Did you underexpose it for the digital print?
Tell me how you did it.
Ritchie.
Listen to me. Can you hear me?
I'm sorry.
Sorry for what? You didn't do anything.
So sorry.
Ritchie.
Hey, listen to me.
I did this.
Okay?
I did this.
Not Harry. Not the lawyers.
Me.
You trusted me,
and when I saw what they were doing to Rosie,
I threw you to the wolves.
I didn't think that it would come to this,
but that doesn't matter.
I did this, and that is the truth.
And maybe that's all we have.
It's the truth, no matter how painful
it's gonna be for people to hear it, including me.
You understand me?
Okay?
Okay.
Hey. They're here.
You ready?
All right.
Hey!
Mr. Joanou, let me ask you,
do you feel you have been put under any undue pressure
or duress from the State to appear here today?
- No, ma'am, I want to be here. - All right.
Now, how is it you came to be
at the party at the Apostolous'?
Connie had invited me at the last minute.
She called me to come with her.
She didn't want to be the only young person there.
And on this day,
you were taking pictures of the party.
Yes.
Did you see the moment
that has brought us all here today,
- Harry striking Hugo? - I did.
Could you tell me what you saw?
Hugo was waving the bat. He didn't want to be out.
So Mr. Apostolou came down
to where the children were playing.
Yes.
Was Hugo holding the bat?
At first, but Harry flung it out of his hands.
- You got to stop this. - Not now.
And then?
Hugo kicked him in the shin.
Go on.
He slapped Hugo.
Was Hugo holding the bat when Harry hit him?
No, he was not.
Thank you.
No further questions, Your Honor.
Your witness.
Ritchie...
I can call you Ritchie?
Last week was not easy for you.
I'm sorry that you have to be here.
Are you feeling all right?
- Yes, sir. - Good.
And you have not been pressured
in any way by the prosecution to appear?
Objection. Badgering.
Overruled.
I can answer that.
I chose to be here.
We have a mess here
that we have to get to the bottom of.
A man's future is on the line.
Mr. Apostolou is facing serious legal consequences.
You understand that, don't you?
- I do. - Good.
So you took photographs of the event, yes?
I did.
And subsequently, you deleted them.
I did.
Why?
Is it because the pictures
perhaps did not support the version of the events
as you had presented them?
Objection. Leading the witness.
- Sustained. - I will rephrase.
Why did you delete the pictures in question?
I deleted them because
there were pictures of everyone at that party.
Yes.
But we're talking about the slap.
I know. But there were other pictures.
There were pictures of people I admired.
There were pictures of Hector, a man I very much admire.
There were pictures of Hector with Connie...
That's my best friend...
In a moment that I didn't admire
and didn't think needed to be seen by anyone.
Your Honor, this is not relevant
to the issue at hand.
I don't agree.
Proceed.
There were pictures of Gary
drinking beer after beer after beer, arguing with Harry.
There were pictures of people
whispering in other people's ears
and of Rosie drinking wine and breastfeeding Hugo.
And there were pictures of these people,
these people I love,
trying hard to make it through a day.
You asked me why I deleted them.
I guess I deleted them because there was a time in my life
when someone revealed things about me
and made some pictures public...
And caused a lot of people a lot of pain.
But what was on them was the truth.
And I guess that's all we have.
Last night, I went over the arguments we've heard
in anticipation of a ruling.
And I realize that when you boil it all down,
somehow we've spent days debating whether or not
a five-year-old boy was holding a bat
when an adult struck him.
Then I realized maybe it's not about that at all.
It might have been just as easily
about the New York State statute
"neglect by parents due to inebriation or inattention."
Too bad it took the near death of a 17-year-old kid
to tell us what it's actually about:
Kindness, or the lack thereof,
which we cannot adjudicate in this court.
Still, I have a job to do.
Mr. Apostolou,
I find you guilty
of attempted assault of a minor in the third degree.
I'm sentencing you to time served,
the time you spent in custody at your arraignment,
because I'm not sure sending you to Riker's Island
will make you any more repentant than you are now.
Mr. and Mrs. Weschler,
before you leave this courtroom gloating,
you can expect a visit from Child Protective Services.
If there is another incident
of your son potentially being harmed
or harming someone else,
you will be held responsible.
Now, if you don't mind, I have three cases on my docket,
one involving the rape of a nine-year-old girl.
So go home and count your damn blessings.
Now get out of my courtroom.
And I was just starting to compose
my pissed off email to you in my mind.
Save it for a future boyfriend.
When are you visiting?
Um, I got to check my schedule.
- Screw you. - No, I'm not kidding.
It's like I don't know all the stuff that came out,
it's like I've got street cred or something.
People at art school think I'm interesting.
Well, maybe they're on to something.
- Ooh, that's me. - Hey, make me a promise.
No, we won't drift apart.
No, that's not it.
But yeah.
It's this:
Don't be stupid.
Okay.
That's a lot to ask, but I'll try.
Hey, be brilliant.
You too.
Here we are.
Treat time.
Oh!
- Mom made it. - And we decorated it.
Oh, you are too generous.
No, Harry buying him a baby Mercedes
is too generous.
We got to start the kid off right, huh?
I tried.
- I miss this age. - Dad!
I'm not saying I'd trade you.
Not exactly.
We bought him a little something from Greece.
Oh! Oh, Koula.
And this is for Jamie.
Where is he?
Uh, well, that didn't work out.
But this did.
_
- So you guys, how was it? - Oh, it was wonderful.
Olympus let us exchange the tickets.
First class both ways, just the two of us.
Oh, Uncle, always a class act.
We have pictures.
Aisha, my dear, you didn't miss much.
The country has fallen apart.
Why do we always remember things
better than they were?
Or worse.
I'll get it! Who else is coming?
Gary, the artist.
Koula, you remembered.
Said it was my party.
Always been a whore for drama.
Hey, everybod...
Oh, hey, surprise surprise.
Gary, we should leave.
Rosie, love, it's been a long time.
Just come see the baby.
You know, it's cool and we don't wish anybody any harm,
but this is not the way we wanted to...
Come on. It's Anouk's baby.
Let's just leave the presents and go.
Just give it to Anouk.
- Give 'em to me, hon. - I got it.
What do you want, huh?
Other than the $100,000 Jag you took us on...
You want a drink, man?
If it'll shut you up, I'll give you the Jag.
Hey, Gary, Gary, you want a drink?
- Hey, Hugo. - Hi.
What do you think?
Funny looking, no?
He's cute.
Yeah.
You want to hold him?
Come on.
- Sit down. - Okay.
All right.
It's okay. Open your arms.
There you go.
Oh.
I think he likes you.
You can teach him stuff.
Oh.
Don't worry, Hugo.
He won't break.
Got your nose.
You got a little nose.
Got your nose.
Sync, corrected by icephoenix www.addic7ed.com