Paul Robinette quotes from Law & Order

What's the matter with you guys in the D.A.'s office? Got no peripheral vision? Can't you see the big picture?

Robinette

We're just not blinded by it.

Robinette

You never answered Woodleigh's question, the one we had stricken from the record.

You mean would I do the same as him if it were my daughter? God, I hope not.

Robinette

Plane lands, 2:45. Doorman says Detective Shearer and his wife got home at 4. He went upstairs, dropped his bags, left again 10 minutes later.

To get the drycleaning.

After your honeymoon? That's very romantic. Paul?

Robinette

According to the doorman, Detective Shearer was gone for 3 hours.

Your drycleaner in Philadelphia?

You know how to read a rap sheet, don't you? Five arrests, three convictions.

Paul Robinette

So you're a loser, so...?

Paul Robinette

Never seen you like this before.

I have never done anything this potentially stupid before.

Robinette

Education. It’s a wonderful thing.

"Anything worth knowing cannot be taught in a classroom."

Robinette

Oscar Wilde?

Sister Mary Frances. She wielded a hell of a paddle.

If he goes to jail, whoever hired him will kill him.

Robinette

Listen, man: you don't go to jail and there are about 500 family members happy to kill you, you know what I'm saying?

El Cubano, he told me to send them a message. 'A few of them burn, so what?' he said. 'there's a lot more where that came from.' A lot of Salvadoreans in that club. And they...got the message. They got the message.

Robinette

Attempted homicide?! Those 53 people are homicides. They're dead.

He didn't mean to kill anyone, Paul!

Robinette

Don't tell me you're even thinkin' about negligent homicide. Now, look, if he's only a messenger boy, he'd better start namin' names, or he's goin' down alone.

He says if he goes to prison, the man'll have him killed.

Robinette

Listen to me, man! You don't go to jail, there's about 500 grievin' relatives out there who'd be happy to kill you! You hear what I'm sayin'?!

I'll take my chances with them.

Robinette

This is a ridiculous exercise. No matter what, he's goin' down. We send him upstate, downstate, it doesn't matter. Somebody'll get him. This is not a perfect world, Cesar, but then, you already know that.

It ain't fair! You know, that assassin didn't even pay me. I get nothing for the deal.

Robinette

What assassin? And what's the deal?

Tell him, Cesar. Tell him!

A lot of people give the Cubano a lot of money for their micas. 5, 6,000 cash. And then they find out they're bogus. A bunch of paper, man. So they start making noise.

Robinette

What kinda noise?

Lot of lawyers telling them, "Hey. You got rights, too". So the people, they want to turn the Cubano in. So he come to me, and he says, "Cesar, Cesar, I tell you what to do. You send those people a message. You put the fear of God into them".

Robinette

By burning down the club?

It was supposed to be a warning! Like what they do in El Salvador. The Cubano, he says, "So some people burn, then so what? There's a whole lot more where they come from." The people in El Cielo... Lot of Salvadorans. They got the message. They got the message.

Robinette

The Cuban. What's his name?

Guerra. Domingo Guerra. He owns a club himself. The Del Mundo. Del Mundo.

Have we got a clerk here? Is he on break or what? [reads docket] The People vs. Gary Wallace. The charge is murder, second degree. Is the defendant ready to enter a plea?

Your Honor, if it pleases the court...

Mr. Cobb, you couldn't please this court if you danced an Irish jig on your fingertips. Can we get a plea?

Not guilty.

Somebody talk to me about bail.

Your Honor, a five-year old crime ... My client is a respected businessman.

Whose car was used in the crime, counselor. Mr. Robinette?

Robinette

The People request 200,000, your honor. All cash.

Mr. Robinette, do you know me to be vindictive? Bond'll be fine. 300,000. [bangs gavel] Where's my clerk?!

If you're referring to the Jacobs case, that was six years ago, we were understaffed, and that laundry list of paperwork he made was abusive.

Robinette

It was good enough to suppress the murder weapon. Good enough to beat you.

You're not that smart- you never were. [grins] Call me, we'll do lunch. [He drives off.]

Robinette

You'd really eat lunch with him?

Oh, maybe. If he orders crow.

Robinette

If he takes the deal, I’d say 'Yes'.

If he takes the deal, I’ll start buying lottery tickets.

He was probably traumatized by the incident.

Robinette

Not enough to stay away from guns.

I don't know, I think 25 to life is pretty good.

Robinette

I know two people that would call it a gift.

Maybe this would cheer them up. [hands him a newspaper]

Robinette

The obituaries?

Richard Speck murdered eight nurses and died in prison. He was 49. Cheney's 42.

It's entrapment. You offered a bribe.

Robinette

You can lead a horse to water, you can't make him steal it.