Ed Danvers quotes from Homicide: Life on the Street

Danvers

Unless a case was absolutely winnable, I'd take a plea. Can't get first-degree? Lets go for second. Can't get second? How about manslaughter? Maybe we send him away for a year. Maybe when he gets out, he won't sell any more drugs. Maybe he won't rape any more children, rob any more stores. Maybe he won't murder anyone!

Danvers

I thought that if I won enough cases, filed enough briefs, worked enough hours, I could rid the world of all the Julius Cummings. Somewhere along the way I just forgot the victims' faces.

Danvers

[to Kellerman] I remember when the truth mattered to you more than your paycheck.

Danvers

The jury's coming back.

Felton

That was fast.

Howard

Is that good or bad? I can't remember.

Felton

Of course it's good! We can go eat dinner soon.

Munch

We have the city of Angels, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, The city of Brotherly Love, and now, Baltimore, City of the Broken-Hearted. She asked me to marry her. Twice. She asked me. But I love Felicia beyond the immediate moment. I love her for all of eternity and so I know, she's too young. I tell her and here I see you, dallying with Linda. It is Linda, isn't it? My heart sinks to the floor to see your youth. Your fleeting youth. Come autumn, and autumn does come, doesn't it, Kay? You'll be sitting in that big bay window of yours...

Howard

What bay window?

Munch

Some other window you got. Whatever looks out onto the street.

Howard

Oh.

Munch

The rains will be falling; those first hard, vicious rains of the season and you'll wonder what exactly it was that broke you and Danvers up...

Danvers

Wait a minute.

Munch

You know what I'm saying Danvers. I can tell by your tone of voice, you know. You've been in that window, looking down, haven't you? Everyone will be outside, holding hands, being in love, and you'll wonder why you and Danvers are now just good friends. And you'll be standing somewhere by yourself, and there will be that song, that song. Doesn't matter when you hear it, when it comes on, it'll make you think of all those silly little things you did together. You'll break up, get back together, break up, get back together... Call it off for good, find yourself sitting up in bed next to her on one last desperate evening saying to yourself, I miss her. And she's laying in bed next to you thinking the same thing about you...

Bolander

Munch, if you don't shut up and shut up fast, I'll gut ya.

Munch

Truth hurts; doesn't it, Stanley?

Howard

Life is so depressing. Love is hopeless.

Danvers

C'mon, Kay. I'll take you home.

Howard

No, Ed. I need to be alone tonight. Goodnight.

Danvers

Thanks a lot, Munch.

Bolander

C'mon, Linda. Let's go too. [to Munch] I'll deal with you in the morning, and don't look forward to it.

Danvers

She has Multiple Personality Disorder. That helps her, not me.

Munch

I got it! Why don't we charge one of the personalities with harboring a fugitive?

Pembleton

Okay. Theoretically,a woman can lead a man on, go up to his room, take off her clothes, jump into bed -- it becomes rape the moment she says stop. Jim may have feared for his life at some point during the confrontation, but he wasn't afraid at the moment he fired the fatal bullet.

Bayliss

He made a bad judgment call. You're gonna crucify him for making a mistake?

Pembleton

This is more than a bad judgment call. He killed Gersel for some other reason.

Danvers

What other reason?

Pembleton

I think it's racially motivated.

Bayliss

Why does that not surprise me, Frank? Why am I not stunned that you've unearthed yet another racial injustice?

Pembleton

I guess you know me too well, Tim.

Bayliss

Danvers, will you put a stop to this nonsense?

Danvers

I could deem the incident accidental, a misunderstanding established by circumstances. I could decide that the suspect not be charged. But I'm not sure I should take on the burden of determination... I'm going to recommend we go before a Grand Jury --

Bayliss

On what charge?

Danvers

Manslaughter.

Bayliss

What? Why?

Danvers

Because you're a cop. Because your cousin's white. I don't want it to look like we're showing any favoritism.

Bayliss

Oh, I see. In an effort not to show favoritism, Jim's being overly prosecuted.

What the hell do you want?

Danvers

What do I want? To kill you. Only unlike you, I don't have a gun, so I'm gonna kill you the only way I know how. With the law. It may take the rest of my life, Julius, but I came here to swear an oath to you. I will live to see you die.

You son of a bitch! You offered Dawkins immunity to get whatever you can on the Administration.

Danvers

But you refused immunity to Walter Boyce, who's already doing life in prison, just so you can torpedo our case.

There are larger issues at stake. This is more than a murder here.

Danvers

[scoffs] More than a murder?

Corruption at the highest level.

What proof do you have? Dawkins has no corroboration. All you've got is innuendo and allegation!

Danvers

That's all he needs. He set it up so that is case will never get to court! You don't want a jury trial - a chance to determine who's guilty and who's not.

Danvers

We'll get Luke Ryland, Tim.

Bayliss

Yeah, I know. These things, they just take time. Patience. Of course, being a murder police, I've learned one inescapable truth. Justice is a bitch.