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- A beloved
Bronx schoolteacher
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who dedicated his life to
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helping the city's most
underprivileged students...
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- I said, man, that's like
a war zone up there.
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- Discovered tortured and
murdered in his own apartment.
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- And we observed
a lot of blood.
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He had slash wounds,
but they weren't deep--
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superficial,
to get his attention.
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And then, boom, and it's over.
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- The investigation discovers
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this hard-working teacher's
true identity.
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- This was the son of
the Time Warner CEO.
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- Facing expectations
and pressure
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from New York City's
highest ranks.
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- The NYPD used
six tactical squads.
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- [imitating forceful knocking]
Police.
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- I don't know
who pulled the trigger.
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But the teacher is dead
because of him.
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[gun cocks]
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[dramatic music]
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* *
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[upbeat music]
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- By 1997,
New York City was safer
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than it had been in decades,
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with crime plummeting
across all boroughs,
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except one, the Bronx...
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Which still struggled with
poverty, drugs,
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and violent crime,
even in the borough's schools.
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And the school with
the worst reputation
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was the William H. Taft High
School in the South Bronx,
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where English teacher
Jonathan Levin
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dedicated his life to
proving to his students
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there is life
beyond the streets.
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- Jonathan loved
what he was doing.
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He was very dedicated.
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He wanted to make a difference
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in the lives of his students.
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- They cherish that.
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They value that very much
when we believe in them,
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no matter what they come from
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and no matter the struggle
they go through,
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that we were there
to help them.
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[school bell rings]
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I was going to
a workshop
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about restructuring
the school.
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All the teachers were going to
be there.
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John was in charge of
restructuring
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one of the groups for English.
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Early spring, we were getting
very close.
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That's when we were, like,
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spending a lot of time
together,
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and we started a relationship.
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I couldn't wait for
the workshop.
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I arrived early Saturday
morning, probably 7:30.
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And I was just looking for him.
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And the time goes by,
and the meeting finishes,
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and I haven't seen Jonathan.
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If I was dedicated to student,
he was even more.
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And for him not to be there
on Saturday
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knowing that he was, like,
a strong participant
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in the restructure,
it was surprising to me.
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[line rings]
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I called Jonathan,
and I left a message.
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[answering machine beeps]
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How come you were not there?
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Are you OK?
I hope you're still alive.
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He never got back to me.
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[answering machine beeps]
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Monday, when he didn't
show up in school
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after having perfect attendance
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for the three years
that he was teaching,
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I feel something is
really wrong.
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I was trying to ask
every colleague that I know
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if they had seen him.
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One of my male colleagues,
he said,
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"Oh, he's OK.
Don't worry about him."
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But all day,
I couldn't sit down.
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I was, like, moving back
and forth, and I say,
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"I do not know what to do."
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So my female colleague
went with me
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to his apartment that night
to check on him.
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[knocking]
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I couldn't get in.
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But I will never forget
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the scent coming through
his door.
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So I started, like,
crying right away.
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And that's when my colleague
called 911.
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[sirens wailing]
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- I guess it was around 10:00,
I get a knock on the door.
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There were two uniformed
police officers
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and these teachers,
friends of Jonathan.
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They were very concerned
about Jonathan Levin.
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I have a key to
Jonathan's apartment
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because he had asked me
if he had to work late,
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could I walk the dog for him?
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So I go to the apartment,
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but soon as I opened the door,
I smelled a putrid smell.
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[ominous music]
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* *
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The apartment was
totally dark.
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I couldn't see anything.
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I instinctively go towards
the crate
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where Jonathan kept the dog.
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When I walked into
the kitchen,
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I could see the cage was empty.
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And I saw a very dark shape
on the floor.
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And that's when I said,
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"Oh, my god.
I think the dog is dead."
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And my eyes got more adjusted
to the dark,
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and I could see
it wasn't the dog.
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I could see it was a body.
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- I said, I need to get in.
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I need to see
what happened to him.
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They just grabbed my hand,
and they pulled me out.
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And I said, let go, let go.
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But then I saw the body.
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And I knew it was Jonathan
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because he was wearing
a shirt that I gave him.
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I started going crazy,
like crying, screaming.
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* *
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- My partner and I were
having dinner,
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and we got a buzz
on the beepers.
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We were told it was
a young man dead
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on Columbus Avenue.
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I said, OK, and we responded.
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The West Side has always been
a nice area.
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You can walk the streets
at night, in the day,
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and feel perfectly safe.
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- There were a lot of
restaurants and street cafes
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on Columbus Avenue at the time
where people would hang out.
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It was a destination place
all through the '90s.
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[siren blares]
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[ominous music]
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- We got there,
went up to the apartment.
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It was just a mess.
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Drawers were open.
Stuff was on the floor.
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And then I saw the body,
and we observed a lot of blood.
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- Jonathan's body was
partially decomposed.
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He had probably been there
for three days.
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- However, the decomposition
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did not prevent
Detective McKenna
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from getting a closer look at
the obvious cause of death.
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- He was shot in the head.
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And he had slash wounds across
the neck and on the chest,
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but they weren't deep--
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superficial to
get his attention.
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But he had stab wounds too,
which means they stuck him.
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It hurts a lot more
to get stuck
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than it does to get sliced.
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When I got there,
he was on the floor.
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He had binds on his legs
and on his hands.
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So imagine they had him
tied to the chair.
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Crime Scene,
they safeguarded the duct tape
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and they dusted it for prints.
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- Duct tape that's used to bind
his hands, to bind his feet,
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and slashes and pinpricks
are consistent with torture.
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It tells us a lot about
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the intent of the person
who was there.
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- He was tortured
and he was shot.
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Why?
They needed something from him.
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What's the normal thing that
they would need from him?
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Money.
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There was a wallet, and it
didn't have his bank card.
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We couldn't find that.
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- McKenna makes a note to
look into
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Jonathan's recent banking.
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In New York, anyone could be
the target of a robbery.
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But Jonathan's apartment
doesn't instantly scream
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wealth to detectives.
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- Our building,
it wasn't like a slum,
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but it wasn't
an expensive building.
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It didn't have a doorman
or anything like that.
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It's a brick prewar
with small apartments.
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In New York,
it means a glorified closet.
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I wouldn't say it was
bare bones,
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00:09:01,741 --> 00:09:04,911
but it was close to that.
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00:09:05,011 --> 00:09:07,313
- McKenna turns his attention
to the messy condition
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00:09:07,347 --> 00:09:08,815
of Jonathan's apartment.
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00:09:08,848 --> 00:09:12,085
- A lot of food, bottles.
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00:09:12,118 --> 00:09:15,088
Somebody had been
drinking, eating.
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00:09:15,121 --> 00:09:17,590
- There were two plates of
Chinese food,
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00:09:17,624 --> 00:09:19,793
and the food was
still on the plate.
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00:09:19,826 --> 00:09:22,362
So two people were in
the process of
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literally sharing a meal.
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- There was no forced entry.
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So I think Jonathan
knew who killed him.
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- They still had my door open
at 4:00 in the morning.
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This was still like
Grand Central Station going on.
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[indistinct radio chatter]
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00:09:39,045 --> 00:09:41,281
And then the police were
coming out with the dog.
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And I said,
where you taking the dog?
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And they said, the dog was
locked up in the bedroom
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this whole time.
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So I grab Julius and
I go out of the building.
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00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:56,262
And this is the first time
I walk out of the building.
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And there is an army of media.
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Every network in New York City
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00:10:03,003 --> 00:10:05,305
was parked in front of
my apartment.
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00:10:05,338 --> 00:10:09,642
- I was a reporter for
a new Time Warner startup
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00:10:09,676 --> 00:10:11,845
called New York 1.
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00:10:11,878 --> 00:10:14,180
I found myself covering
the story
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00:10:14,214 --> 00:10:17,484
from the outside of
the apartment building.
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00:10:17,517 --> 00:10:20,653
In cases of murder,
especially in a neighborhood
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00:10:20,687 --> 00:10:24,491
like the Upper West Side,
it's a big story.
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00:10:24,524 --> 00:10:28,795
[ominous music]
206
00:10:28,828 --> 00:10:30,397
- But a murder on
the Upper West Side
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00:10:30,430 --> 00:10:33,900
isn't the only reason this
case draws so much attention.
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00:10:33,933 --> 00:10:38,204
The media catches wind of
Jonathan's secret identity.
209
00:10:38,238 --> 00:10:43,209
- I overheard that his father
was the CEO of Time Warner.
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00:10:43,243 --> 00:10:46,379
And I was in shock.
I didn't realize.
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00:10:46,413 --> 00:10:48,148
- Gerald Levin ran corporate.
212
00:10:48,181 --> 00:10:51,184
He was on
a C-suite executive board.
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00:10:51,217 --> 00:10:53,720
And at some point,
my news director told me,
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00:10:53,753 --> 00:10:57,290
this is the boss' son.
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00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:01,261
- Coming up...
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00:11:01,294 --> 00:11:04,097
- If you are one of the most
powerful men in New York
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00:11:04,130 --> 00:11:06,499
and your son could be murdered
in his own apartment,
218
00:11:06,533 --> 00:11:09,402
then who is safe in Manhattan?
219
00:11:09,436 --> 00:11:12,706
- It was an incoming call on
the answering machine.
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00:11:12,739 --> 00:11:14,841
Mr. Levin,
I got to speak to you.
221
00:11:14,874 --> 00:11:16,943
It's really, really,
really important.
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00:11:25,352 --> 00:11:27,954
[suspenseful music]
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00:11:28,221 --> 00:11:32,359
* *
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00:11:32,392 --> 00:11:34,894
- Dedicated English teacher
Jonathan Levin was found
225
00:11:34,928 --> 00:11:39,566
tortured and executed
inside his own apartment.
226
00:11:39,599 --> 00:11:41,101
Crime scene investigators
push through
227
00:11:41,101 --> 00:11:42,902
a crowded sidewalk of cameras
228
00:11:42,936 --> 00:11:45,271
to recover potentially crucial
pieces of evidence,
229
00:11:45,305 --> 00:11:48,308
like duct tape, to forward to
the lab for testing
230
00:11:48,341 --> 00:11:50,443
while reporters dig
into Jonathan's history
231
00:11:50,477 --> 00:11:53,213
and unearth his true identity.
232
00:11:54,781 --> 00:11:56,750
- The day after the body was
discovered
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00:11:56,783 --> 00:11:59,185
was when I was informed that
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00:11:59,219 --> 00:12:03,690
this was the son of
the Time Warner CEO.
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00:12:03,723 --> 00:12:06,726
- He is a media mogul,
one of the most powerful
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00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:08,428
corporate figures
in the entire city.
237
00:12:09,295 --> 00:12:11,631
- Rudy Giuliani was trying to
get reelected
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00:12:11,664 --> 00:12:13,366
after his first term.
239
00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,269
He's the so-called
law and order mayor
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00:12:16,302 --> 00:12:19,406
and advertising New York
as a safer place
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00:12:19,439 --> 00:12:21,274
under his administration.
242
00:12:23,143 --> 00:12:27,347
- So if you are one of the most
powerful men in New York
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00:12:27,380 --> 00:12:30,483
and your son could be murdered
in his own apartment,
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00:12:30,517 --> 00:12:33,787
then who is safe in Manhattan?
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00:12:35,388 --> 00:12:38,491
- For Giuliani and
the powers that be,
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00:12:38,525 --> 00:12:41,461
the specter of fear
is something that
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00:12:41,494 --> 00:12:42,729
they couldn't have.
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00:12:45,365 --> 00:12:46,966
- When I heard that,
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00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,135
I knew there was going to be
a lot of heat on the case.
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00:12:49,169 --> 00:12:51,905
And I knew we had to
have it right.
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00:12:58,445 --> 00:13:00,046
- Meanwhile,
Jonathan's community
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00:13:00,046 --> 00:13:01,147
at Taft High School
in the Bronx
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00:13:01,181 --> 00:13:03,049
finds out about his murder
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00:13:03,049 --> 00:13:06,252
when news crews show up
outside.
255
00:13:06,286 --> 00:13:10,623
- I had the difficult task of
talking to these students
256
00:13:10,657 --> 00:13:12,525
outside of the high school.
257
00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:15,095
There was a lot of emotion.
These--these kids knew him.
258
00:13:16,963 --> 00:13:20,800
You could tell that
they cared about him.
259
00:13:20,834 --> 00:13:24,537
He was making a difference
in their life.
260
00:13:24,571 --> 00:13:28,308
- Jonathan showed love to
the students.
261
00:13:28,341 --> 00:13:30,844
And he tried identifying
with them,
262
00:13:30,877 --> 00:13:34,114
what they were going through
in their lives.
263
00:13:34,147 --> 00:13:37,417
When the school found out,
we had to call the crisis team
264
00:13:37,450 --> 00:13:40,453
to talk to students.
265
00:13:40,487 --> 00:13:43,890
- Jonathan's students were
crying and screaming.
266
00:13:43,923 --> 00:13:47,460
They were really overcome
with emotion.
267
00:13:47,494 --> 00:13:52,565
Some were hospitalized.
Some were in shock.
268
00:13:52,599 --> 00:13:54,401
- He was a father figure
to them.
269
00:13:57,604 --> 00:13:59,706
- Jonathan's funeral
becomes a reflection of
270
00:13:59,739 --> 00:14:01,374
the blended life he led,
271
00:14:01,408 --> 00:14:04,811
with over 1,500 mourners
in attendance.
272
00:14:06,246 --> 00:14:10,483
- It was attended by a lot
of powerful, wealthy figures.
273
00:14:12,252 --> 00:14:15,588
Ted Turner's there,
Jane Fonda's there,
274
00:14:15,622 --> 00:14:17,424
but it's really the students
that are sort of
275
00:14:17,457 --> 00:14:18,625
the focus of this event.
276
00:14:18,658 --> 00:14:22,195
And they marched down
the aisle with signs that say,
277
00:14:22,228 --> 00:14:25,565
"We are his kids."
They sit in the front pews.
278
00:14:25,598 --> 00:14:28,068
In this hall of immensely
powerful people,
279
00:14:28,068 --> 00:14:30,603
they are the emotional center.
280
00:14:30,637 --> 00:14:33,573
[somber music]
281
00:14:33,606 --> 00:14:35,608
* *
282
00:14:35,642 --> 00:14:38,411
- Jonathan being the son of
a New York elite
283
00:14:38,445 --> 00:14:42,515
doesn't just apply pressure,
it suggests a possible motive.
284
00:14:42,549 --> 00:14:45,985
- I went to the funeral.
I usually go to all of them.
285
00:14:47,854 --> 00:14:49,222
If you're looking for a perp,
286
00:14:49,255 --> 00:14:52,359
a lot of times,
the perp will go.
287
00:14:52,392 --> 00:14:53,893
But if you don't know
who you're looking for,
288
00:14:53,927 --> 00:14:56,896
you just look at the crowd.
289
00:14:56,930 --> 00:14:59,632
There's a lot of people,
an awful lot of people.
290
00:14:59,666 --> 00:15:02,635
[suspenseful music]
291
00:15:02,669 --> 00:15:07,440
* *
292
00:15:07,474 --> 00:15:09,275
- After the funeral,
detectives talked to
293
00:15:09,309 --> 00:15:10,577
each of Jonathan's friends
294
00:15:10,610 --> 00:15:13,480
to find out more about
his relationships.
295
00:15:13,513 --> 00:15:18,051
- We had spoken to
his girlfriend.
296
00:15:19,686 --> 00:15:22,088
- Detectives,
they went to my house.
297
00:15:22,122 --> 00:15:25,592
And I told them,
Jonathan and I met in 1996
298
00:15:25,625 --> 00:15:28,628
when I was hired to teach
bilingual students.
299
00:15:28,661 --> 00:15:30,797
And after that,
we started a relationship.
300
00:15:30,830 --> 00:15:33,299
[upbeat music]
301
00:15:33,333 --> 00:15:35,435
He had went to
Dominican Republic with me.
302
00:15:35,468 --> 00:15:38,505
He met my family, my son.
303
00:15:38,538 --> 00:15:39,639
He even told me,
304
00:15:39,673 --> 00:15:44,310
if we ever get married,
we would get married here.
305
00:15:44,344 --> 00:15:46,413
I couldn't say a word
after he said that!
306
00:15:48,848 --> 00:15:50,483
Jonathan and I, we were, like,
307
00:15:50,517 --> 00:15:52,318
spending a lot of time
together.
308
00:15:52,352 --> 00:15:57,457
And my ex-husband didn't have
access to me like he used to.
309
00:15:57,490 --> 00:16:00,226
We'd been separated
for over three years.
310
00:16:00,260 --> 00:16:02,829
But he was used to see me
just single,
311
00:16:02,862 --> 00:16:05,665
only with our child,
nobody else.
312
00:16:05,699 --> 00:16:10,337
Around April 1997,
probably like a month before,
313
00:16:10,370 --> 00:16:13,540
my ex-husband came to
the house uninvited.
314
00:16:15,208 --> 00:16:17,711
I said, I have a visitor.
You have no place here.
315
00:16:17,744 --> 00:16:22,682
He couldn't believe I was,
like, telling him to stay away.
316
00:16:22,716 --> 00:16:25,051
- Detectives learned that
the visitor was Jonathan,
317
00:16:25,085 --> 00:16:28,321
and Cleo's ex-husband was
not having it.
318
00:16:28,355 --> 00:16:33,126
- When I saw his face, he was
completely, like, transformed.
319
00:16:33,159 --> 00:16:35,328
He was in a very jealous rage.
320
00:16:38,398 --> 00:16:41,534
He started to make trouble
with Jonathan,
321
00:16:41,568 --> 00:16:44,237
calling him names.
322
00:16:44,270 --> 00:16:46,673
And Jonathan could
run his mouth
323
00:16:46,706 --> 00:16:49,876
when somebody made him angry.
324
00:16:49,909 --> 00:16:52,078
I was trying to be calm,
325
00:16:52,112 --> 00:16:56,316
not to cause any trouble
between the two of them.
326
00:16:56,349 --> 00:16:59,085
My ex-husband and I were
talking outside
327
00:16:59,119 --> 00:17:00,920
for like an hour.
328
00:17:01,021 --> 00:17:04,924
And finally, he left the house.
329
00:17:05,025 --> 00:17:07,627
- You got a husband mad at
the ex-wife.
330
00:17:07,660 --> 00:17:09,662
We need to know more.
331
00:17:09,696 --> 00:17:12,565
- We need to know if
Cleo's ex-husband was capable
332
00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:15,902
of this kind of brutal torture
and murder.
333
00:17:15,935 --> 00:17:18,772
- The precinct detectives
interviewed both Cleo
334
00:17:18,805 --> 00:17:24,411
and they interviewed her
ex-husband about this conflict.
335
00:17:24,444 --> 00:17:25,679
- They were interested
in knowing
336
00:17:25,712 --> 00:17:28,081
what happened with
my ex-husband.
337
00:17:28,114 --> 00:17:32,419
I told them, that night, I was
worried because I saw his face.
338
00:17:32,452 --> 00:17:34,220
But I knew him very well.
339
00:17:34,254 --> 00:17:36,389
We were friends
before we got married.
340
00:17:36,423 --> 00:17:38,792
So I told them,
my ex-husband is not capable of
341
00:17:38,825 --> 00:17:40,460
doing something like this.
342
00:17:40,493 --> 00:17:42,062
- In the end, we learned that
343
00:17:42,062 --> 00:17:43,930
the verbal conflict
didn't escalate
344
00:17:43,963 --> 00:17:48,968
and that the ex-husband did not
have a history of violence.
345
00:17:49,069 --> 00:17:50,603
And he told detectives that
346
00:17:50,637 --> 00:17:53,807
he had been with his own
girlfriend at the time.
347
00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:55,809
During the course of
their interviews,
348
00:17:55,842 --> 00:17:58,178
his girlfriend,
she was able to confirm that
349
00:17:58,211 --> 00:18:02,048
he had a credible alibi.
350
00:18:02,082 --> 00:18:03,550
- She could be
telling us the truth,
351
00:18:03,583 --> 00:18:05,018
but we can't rely on
her statement.
352
00:18:05,051 --> 00:18:06,453
It wouldn't be the first time
353
00:18:06,486 --> 00:18:10,223
a girlfriend lied to protect
her boyfriend.
354
00:18:10,256 --> 00:18:12,826
- You need to find a way
to rule in or rule out
355
00:18:12,859 --> 00:18:15,562
the ex-husband as a suspect.
356
00:18:15,595 --> 00:18:17,630
They're showing photos to
neighbors
357
00:18:17,664 --> 00:18:20,834
to see if they've seen him in
the area or in the building.
358
00:18:20,867 --> 00:18:23,636
They see if there's video
surveillance of the area.
359
00:18:23,670 --> 00:18:28,041
But in 1997, there's
no significant video evidence.
360
00:18:28,074 --> 00:18:32,045
And ultimately, there wasn't
any indication of him
361
00:18:32,045 --> 00:18:35,415
being at or around Jonathan's
apartment at any time,
362
00:18:35,448 --> 00:18:37,317
and that sort of
shut that door.
363
00:18:37,350 --> 00:18:39,352
He didn't appear to be
a likely suspect.
364
00:18:42,889 --> 00:18:44,391
- With Cleo's ex-husband
cleared,
365
00:18:44,424 --> 00:18:46,226
McKenna reviews evidence
from the crime scene,
366
00:18:46,259 --> 00:18:48,261
and one thing stands out.
367
00:18:48,294 --> 00:18:51,431
[suspenseful music]
368
00:18:51,464 --> 00:18:55,335
- There was messages on
Jonathan's answering machine.
369
00:18:55,368 --> 00:18:57,804
So of course
I'm going to listen to it.
370
00:18:57,837 --> 00:19:01,808
- A lot of the messages were
from concerned friends
371
00:19:01,841 --> 00:19:04,010
who didn't know where he was.
372
00:19:04,044 --> 00:19:05,779
But one of those messages,
373
00:19:05,812 --> 00:19:08,882
right around the time that
he was last seen alive...
374
00:19:08,915 --> 00:19:10,750
[answering machine beeps]
375
00:19:10,784 --> 00:19:12,719
Was different.
376
00:19:19,426 --> 00:19:21,861
[suspenseful music]
377
00:19:22,128 --> 00:19:24,631
* *
378
00:19:24,664 --> 00:19:28,301
[phone ringing]
379
00:19:28,335 --> 00:19:31,671
[suspenseful music]
380
00:19:31,705 --> 00:19:36,276
- The afternoon of May 30th,
there was an incoming call
381
00:19:36,309 --> 00:19:38,044
on Jonathan Levin's
answering machine.
382
00:19:38,078 --> 00:19:39,446
[answering machine beeps]
383
00:19:39,479 --> 00:19:43,650
"Mr. Levin, this is Corey.
I got to speak to you.
384
00:19:43,683 --> 00:19:46,720
"It's really, really,
really important.
385
00:19:46,753 --> 00:19:49,222
I got to see you."
386
00:19:49,255 --> 00:19:51,224
He sounded urgent.
387
00:19:51,257 --> 00:19:53,560
My thought process:
identify this guy,
388
00:19:53,593 --> 00:19:56,730
find out who he is,
what he's all about.
389
00:19:56,763 --> 00:20:00,867
He sounded young,
so I assumed it was a student.
390
00:20:00,900 --> 00:20:03,136
* *
391
00:20:03,169 --> 00:20:05,238
Two days later,
we developed information
392
00:20:05,271 --> 00:20:08,742
from his fellow teachers
and friends.
393
00:20:08,775 --> 00:20:10,410
[school bell rings]
394
00:20:10,443 --> 00:20:12,879
When Jonathan told me
he was working at Taft,
395
00:20:12,912 --> 00:20:16,349
I said, man, that's like
a war zone up there.
396
00:20:16,383 --> 00:20:19,052
But he kept on giving,
kept on giving.
397
00:20:19,085 --> 00:20:21,821
That was his nature.
398
00:20:21,855 --> 00:20:26,426
Jonathan,
he was a diehard Yankee fan.
399
00:20:26,459 --> 00:20:28,795
He would talk about
taking a bunch of kids
400
00:20:28,828 --> 00:20:30,697
to Yankee Stadium.
401
00:20:30,730 --> 00:20:32,899
- Places they never thought of
visiting,
402
00:20:32,932 --> 00:20:36,236
like, expensive ticket
to baseball games,
403
00:20:36,269 --> 00:20:38,071
he was doing all that,
404
00:20:38,104 --> 00:20:41,274
trying to show a different life
outside the neighborhood
405
00:20:41,307 --> 00:20:42,909
for the students.
406
00:20:42,942 --> 00:20:45,912
- Take it away, Mr. Levin.
- Yo, Taft, represent.
407
00:20:45,945 --> 00:20:49,582
Class of '96, congratulations.
Keep it real.
408
00:20:49,616 --> 00:20:53,486
- When it come to student, he
didn't know about boundaries.
409
00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:57,123
- Jonathan gave out
his phone number, his address.
410
00:20:57,157 --> 00:20:59,159
He would lend them money.
411
00:20:59,192 --> 00:21:03,863
- He saw that these kids lack
a lot of things that they need
412
00:21:03,897 --> 00:21:05,498
to grow up in life,
413
00:21:05,532 --> 00:21:08,868
and he took it as
responsibility to help.
414
00:21:08,902 --> 00:21:11,805
[somber music]
415
00:21:11,838 --> 00:21:17,944
* *
416
00:21:17,977 --> 00:21:23,350
- We show up at Taft High
School looking for Corey.
417
00:21:23,383 --> 00:21:25,952
- There's no current student
named Corey,
418
00:21:25,985 --> 00:21:31,858
but there was a student in
the 1993 to 1994 school year
419
00:21:31,891 --> 00:21:35,528
who teachers identified
as Corey Arthur.
420
00:21:39,132 --> 00:21:41,801
- The name definitely
rang a bell with me.
421
00:21:41,835 --> 00:21:45,138
Corey Arthur, at one time,
was my student
422
00:21:45,171 --> 00:21:47,674
as well as Jonathan's.
423
00:21:47,707 --> 00:21:51,177
Corey Arthur was
a rough and tough kid,
424
00:21:51,211 --> 00:21:54,214
and it showed in the classroom.
425
00:21:54,247 --> 00:21:57,951
He did what he wanted to do
when he wanted to do it.
426
00:21:57,984 --> 00:22:01,054
- Many just considered him
a lost cause,
427
00:22:01,054 --> 00:22:03,490
but not Jonathan.
428
00:22:03,523 --> 00:22:04,591
[school bell rings]
429
00:22:06,860 --> 00:22:11,464
- Corey was in Jonathan's
eighth period English class.
430
00:22:11,498 --> 00:22:14,067
And Jonathan and Corey
forged a friendship.
431
00:22:14,067 --> 00:22:16,069
And they discovered, actually,
that they had
432
00:22:16,069 --> 00:22:17,837
the deeper bond of rap music.
433
00:22:17,871 --> 00:22:19,506
[hip-hop music]
434
00:22:19,539 --> 00:22:20,874
- Jonathan Levin understood
435
00:22:20,907 --> 00:22:24,210
that rap was the literature
of the day,
436
00:22:24,244 --> 00:22:27,480
that the kids from Taft didn't
want to hear Shakespeare.
437
00:22:27,514 --> 00:22:29,983
They wanted to talk about
division,
438
00:22:30,083 --> 00:22:32,352
and race, and frustration
439
00:22:32,385 --> 00:22:35,121
from the language that
they could understand.
440
00:22:35,155 --> 00:22:38,458
And it resonated with them.
441
00:22:41,594 --> 00:22:46,299
- Jonathan encourages Corey to
write poetry, rap lyrics.
442
00:22:46,332 --> 00:22:48,768
- Jonathan found a poem
that Corey wrote
443
00:22:48,802 --> 00:22:51,271
and said,
you should pursue this.
444
00:22:51,304 --> 00:22:55,575
And Corey actually
takes that advice
445
00:22:55,608 --> 00:22:59,512
and becomes sort of like
a D, C-level rapper
446
00:22:59,546 --> 00:23:02,682
running around with
Christopher Wallace,
447
00:23:02,716 --> 00:23:04,617
a.k.a. Notorious B.I.G.
448
00:23:07,721 --> 00:23:09,589
- Despite Jonathan's effort
to mentor him,
449
00:23:09,622 --> 00:23:11,758
Corey was already
deeply embedded
450
00:23:11,791 --> 00:23:15,061
in his life on the street.
451
00:23:15,061 --> 00:23:17,063
- Corey grew up in
the housing projects
452
00:23:17,063 --> 00:23:19,899
in Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn
453
00:23:19,933 --> 00:23:21,067
from a really impoverished
neighborhood,
454
00:23:21,101 --> 00:23:22,469
a dangerous neighborhood.
455
00:23:22,502 --> 00:23:25,405
[siren blares]
456
00:23:25,438 --> 00:23:28,241
- In 1994,
at just 16 years old,
457
00:23:28,274 --> 00:23:31,211
Corey was arrested three times
in just four months
458
00:23:31,244 --> 00:23:32,779
for drug possession,
459
00:23:32,812 --> 00:23:37,083
once caught with over
200 vials of crack cocaine.
460
00:23:37,117 --> 00:23:41,621
At the time, Corey pled guilty
to felony drug sale.
461
00:23:41,654 --> 00:23:43,990
- Corey's sent to
a sort of military style
462
00:23:44,090 --> 00:23:46,693
juvenile prison upstate.
463
00:23:46,726 --> 00:23:49,295
- Even though Corey was
no longer a student,
464
00:23:49,329 --> 00:23:50,797
Jonathan felt like
he could still
465
00:23:50,830 --> 00:23:52,866
make a difference
in Corey's life.
466
00:23:52,899 --> 00:23:55,935
And he felt like this is
what his purpose was.
467
00:23:55,969 --> 00:23:59,572
He wanted to be able to
give someone who had
468
00:23:59,606 --> 00:24:03,243
very little reasons to be
optimistic about their future
469
00:24:03,276 --> 00:24:06,780
some sort of glimpse of what
their life might be like
470
00:24:06,813 --> 00:24:11,051
if they began to make
the right choices.
471
00:24:11,051 --> 00:24:14,654
- That's why he was, like,
getting close to Corey,
472
00:24:14,688 --> 00:24:18,391
even invited him to his place
to talk to him.
473
00:24:20,060 --> 00:24:23,329
[dramatic music]
474
00:24:23,363 --> 00:24:25,131
- Detectives need to determine
475
00:24:25,165 --> 00:24:28,134
how much Corey knew about
Jonathan's background.
476
00:24:28,168 --> 00:24:31,371
- Very few in the school even
knew who his father was--
477
00:24:31,404 --> 00:24:32,839
students and teachers.
478
00:24:32,872 --> 00:24:38,144
But near the end, he came out
as to who his father was,
479
00:24:38,178 --> 00:24:39,679
the head of Time Warner.
480
00:24:39,713 --> 00:24:41,481
- I knew him very well.
481
00:24:41,514 --> 00:24:44,084
And I was warning him that
it was dangerous.
482
00:24:44,084 --> 00:24:47,087
I said to Jonathan,
it's kind of risky
483
00:24:47,087 --> 00:24:50,090
to expose yourself so much
to the students.
484
00:24:50,090 --> 00:24:52,092
What if they got
the wrong idea?
485
00:24:52,092 --> 00:24:55,995
[dramatic music]
486
00:24:56,096 --> 00:24:57,097
- Coming up...
487
00:24:57,097 --> 00:24:59,466
- We need to go out and
get him off the street.
488
00:24:59,499 --> 00:25:03,169
- The NYPD used
six tactical squads.
489
00:25:03,203 --> 00:25:05,372
- We had 20-something
detectives
490
00:25:05,405 --> 00:25:07,173
and a homicide squad working.
491
00:25:07,207 --> 00:25:08,942
- Corey Arthur's girlfriend
told us
492
00:25:09,042 --> 00:25:10,543
they should probably act
quickly
493
00:25:10,577 --> 00:25:13,179
because he was making plans
to flee to North Carolina.
494
00:25:13,213 --> 00:25:15,648
* *
495
00:25:15,682 --> 00:25:18,585
[dramatic music]
496
00:25:23,256 --> 00:25:26,226
[dramatic music]
497
00:25:26,259 --> 00:25:28,228
* *
498
00:25:29,129 --> 00:25:31,364
- For many years,
very few colleagues
499
00:25:31,398 --> 00:25:34,067
and no students knew about
Jonathan's family connection
500
00:25:34,100 --> 00:25:37,103
to one of New York's
most powerful businessmen.
501
00:25:37,137 --> 00:25:38,071
But it comes to light
502
00:25:38,071 --> 00:25:39,806
that about a month
before his murder,
503
00:25:39,839 --> 00:25:43,610
Jonathan told his class
who he really was.
504
00:25:48,148 --> 00:25:50,583
- Jonathan had his students
write
505
00:25:50,617 --> 00:25:54,087
biographies of themselves,
506
00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:57,090
basically where they would
describe their lives.
507
00:25:57,090 --> 00:26:01,361
And as part of that process,
he submitted his own.
508
00:26:01,394 --> 00:26:04,497
- He wrote that his father was
a wealthy person
509
00:26:04,531 --> 00:26:07,934
as an example how to write it.
510
00:26:12,572 --> 00:26:15,342
[sirens wailing]
511
00:26:15,375 --> 00:26:16,810
- Corey already dropped out
512
00:26:16,843 --> 00:26:18,611
by the time Jonathan assigned
the project,
513
00:26:18,645 --> 00:26:20,613
but gossip can travel fast.
514
00:26:20,647 --> 00:26:22,115
If he believed
Jonathan was rich,
515
00:26:22,148 --> 00:26:24,351
that makes for
a possible motive.
516
00:26:24,384 --> 00:26:25,885
Detectives trace the call,
517
00:26:25,919 --> 00:26:28,722
hoping its origin will confirm
or clear Corey Arthur
518
00:26:28,755 --> 00:26:31,925
as the voice in the message.
519
00:26:31,958 --> 00:26:35,095
- We can trace that phone call
to where it comes from.
520
00:26:35,128 --> 00:26:38,631
We work with
the telephone company.
521
00:26:38,665 --> 00:26:42,802
In this particular case,
it came from a payphone
522
00:26:42,836 --> 00:26:46,439
between Central Park West
and Columbus Avenue.
523
00:26:46,473 --> 00:26:49,175
And then we called for Crime
Scene to come and just dust it
524
00:26:49,209 --> 00:26:52,078
to see if they could come up
with prints on it.
525
00:26:52,078 --> 00:26:54,447
But I mean,
it was three or four days,
526
00:26:54,481 --> 00:26:58,585
and a lot of people
pressing numbers all the time.
527
00:26:58,618 --> 00:27:02,522
So they did not find
any prints on the phone.
528
00:27:05,925 --> 00:27:07,594
- Then they get a call from
the crime lab
529
00:27:07,627 --> 00:27:10,296
with a critical
piece of evidence.
530
00:27:10,330 --> 00:27:12,332
- Chief said,
we got a fingerprint
531
00:27:12,365 --> 00:27:14,834
inside the roll of duct tape,
532
00:27:14,868 --> 00:27:17,771
and it's Corey Arthur.
533
00:27:17,804 --> 00:27:20,707
[dramatic music]
534
00:27:20,740 --> 00:27:24,044
* *
535
00:27:24,044 --> 00:27:27,180
- There is no acceptable
explanation
536
00:27:27,213 --> 00:27:30,917
for his fingerprints
on the duct tape.
537
00:27:30,950 --> 00:27:32,619
Fingerprints found on a weapon
538
00:27:32,652 --> 00:27:34,688
or, in this case,
the duct tape
539
00:27:34,721 --> 00:27:38,725
not only places Corey Arthur
at the scene,
540
00:27:38,758 --> 00:27:41,061
it tells us that he handled
541
00:27:41,061 --> 00:27:42,962
one of the instruments
of death.
542
00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:49,569
- We had certain
locations of family.
543
00:27:49,602 --> 00:27:51,071
We go to speak to them.
544
00:27:51,071 --> 00:27:53,073
- But we don't find Corey
at the homes of
545
00:27:53,073 --> 00:27:54,708
any of his family members.
546
00:27:54,741 --> 00:27:55,775
- Many people would think that
547
00:27:55,809 --> 00:27:59,746
Corey Arthur would
get on a bus, get on a plane,
548
00:27:59,779 --> 00:28:02,882
get out of Dodge
to avoid being found.
549
00:28:02,916 --> 00:28:06,086
Nine times out of ten,
people return home.
550
00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:08,254
So I think he is
seeking refuge
551
00:28:08,288 --> 00:28:10,190
in the comfort of
his community.
552
00:28:10,223 --> 00:28:13,927
- Apparently, he had a lot of
friends at Bedford-Stuyvesant.
553
00:28:14,027 --> 00:28:17,430
I said, Corey Arthur,
he's out in Brooklyn.
554
00:28:17,464 --> 00:28:20,100
We need to go out and
get him off the street.
555
00:28:20,133 --> 00:28:23,236
[dramatic music]
556
00:28:23,269 --> 00:28:26,773
[sirens wailing]
557
00:28:28,274 --> 00:28:30,276
- With physical evidence
tying Corey Arthur
558
00:28:30,310 --> 00:28:32,078
directly to
Jonathan Levin's murder,
559
00:28:32,112 --> 00:28:34,948
we now have
a Brooklyn-wide manhunt.
560
00:28:36,282 --> 00:28:40,253
- Let's go. Everybody out,
everybody looking.
561
00:28:40,286 --> 00:28:45,058
We had 20-something detectives
in the homicide squad working.
562
00:28:45,091 --> 00:28:47,227
Let's get him in.
563
00:28:47,260 --> 00:28:53,600
- The NYPD used as many as
six tactical squads
564
00:28:53,633 --> 00:28:54,901
looking for Corey Arthur.
565
00:28:54,934 --> 00:28:58,138
[radio chatter]
566
00:28:58,171 --> 00:29:00,140
- Each of Corey's friends
and associates
567
00:29:00,173 --> 00:29:02,475
point detectives in
a different direction,
568
00:29:02,509 --> 00:29:06,446
tracking Corey's movements
around Bed-Stuy.
569
00:29:06,479 --> 00:29:11,117
- There was tremendous
distrust of police,
570
00:29:11,151 --> 00:29:13,620
particularly in
the African American community
571
00:29:13,653 --> 00:29:15,321
in Brooklyn at that time.
572
00:29:15,355 --> 00:29:18,658
So we believe Corey's friends
or neighbors
573
00:29:18,692 --> 00:29:22,262
give Corey Arthur
the benefit of the doubt
574
00:29:22,295 --> 00:29:25,231
and helped him evade capture
by police.
575
00:29:25,265 --> 00:29:28,768
[sirens wailing]
576
00:29:28,802 --> 00:29:29,936
- But we don't give up.
577
00:29:30,036 --> 00:29:31,137
And while teams in Brooklyn
578
00:29:31,171 --> 00:29:33,340
continue searching for
Corey Arthur,
579
00:29:33,373 --> 00:29:35,709
here in Manhattan,
detectives get a lead
580
00:29:35,742 --> 00:29:37,510
on Jonathan's banking history.
581
00:29:37,544 --> 00:29:39,612
[dramatic music]
582
00:29:39,646 --> 00:29:41,314
- We found out about the ATM.
583
00:29:41,348 --> 00:29:43,316
It was only a couple blocks
from his house,
584
00:29:43,350 --> 00:29:46,052
and they told us
he had a withdrawal
585
00:29:46,052 --> 00:29:49,556
on the afternoon of May 30th.
586
00:29:49,589 --> 00:29:52,125
- So the evidence showed that
there was $800 withdrawn,
587
00:29:52,158 --> 00:29:54,294
which would have been the
maximum amount at that time.
588
00:29:58,365 --> 00:30:00,200
- The transaction took place
589
00:30:00,233 --> 00:30:04,504
just minutes after Corey left
a message for Jonathan.
590
00:30:04,537 --> 00:30:07,507
- We ask if they have film
of the transaction.
591
00:30:07,540 --> 00:30:12,078
Yes, they do. We want it.
592
00:30:12,112 --> 00:30:16,182
- So surveillance at ATMs
in the 1990s was
593
00:30:16,216 --> 00:30:21,388
comparatively primitive
to what it is now.
594
00:30:21,421 --> 00:30:23,990
Even from the grainy
appearance of the tape,
595
00:30:24,024 --> 00:30:26,493
it was clear to
investigators that
596
00:30:26,526 --> 00:30:31,564
whoever was using the card was
likely short and stocky.
597
00:30:31,598 --> 00:30:35,135
Corey was 5'11",
about 200 pounds,
598
00:30:35,168 --> 00:30:37,871
and that is completely
inconsistent
599
00:30:37,904 --> 00:30:39,673
with the image of the person.
600
00:30:39,706 --> 00:30:43,843
- The guy in the bank
was Black.
601
00:30:43,877 --> 00:30:47,547
But the problem is,
602
00:30:47,580 --> 00:30:49,549
it wasn't Corey Arthur.
603
00:30:49,582 --> 00:30:52,552
[suspenseful music]
604
00:30:58,525 --> 00:31:01,494
[suspenseful music]
605
00:31:01,528 --> 00:31:04,564
* *
606
00:31:05,632 --> 00:31:08,468
- ATM surveillance video
from the day of the murder
607
00:31:08,501 --> 00:31:10,570
shows someone withdrawing
hundreds of dollars
608
00:31:10,603 --> 00:31:13,740
from Jonathan Levin's account.
609
00:31:13,773 --> 00:31:15,475
But the person in the video
610
00:31:15,508 --> 00:31:20,347
is not our prime suspect,
Corey Arthur.
611
00:31:20,380 --> 00:31:22,148
Now detectives theorize
612
00:31:22,182 --> 00:31:25,218
Corey Arthur may have had
an accomplice.
613
00:31:25,251 --> 00:31:28,555
Together, the two men might
have tortured the victim
614
00:31:28,588 --> 00:31:32,859
to get him to give up his bank
card and his PIN number.
615
00:31:32,892 --> 00:31:34,094
- There has to be more than
one guy.
616
00:31:34,094 --> 00:31:35,695
It's got to be two guys,
617
00:31:35,729 --> 00:31:37,464
because one guy's
got to stay here
618
00:31:37,497 --> 00:31:39,265
while the other guy
tries to get cash.
619
00:31:39,299 --> 00:31:42,602
* *
620
00:31:42,635 --> 00:31:45,372
[sirens wailing]
621
00:31:45,405 --> 00:31:47,540
- The clock is ticking,
and we need a way
622
00:31:47,574 --> 00:31:50,543
to identify
our second suspect.
623
00:31:50,577 --> 00:31:54,381
- There is the announcement of
an $11,000 reward
624
00:31:54,414 --> 00:31:57,283
from the police
for information.
625
00:31:57,317 --> 00:32:00,186
[phone rings]
626
00:32:00,220 --> 00:32:02,389
- They received this
anonymous tip
627
00:32:02,422 --> 00:32:06,092
that Corey Arthur had confessed
to getting into some drama
628
00:32:06,126 --> 00:32:08,261
with somebody called Monty
629
00:32:08,294 --> 00:32:11,831
and gives them the name
Montoun Hart.
630
00:32:13,867 --> 00:32:16,136
If they can find
the kernel of truth,
631
00:32:16,169 --> 00:32:18,138
something that's
consistent with facts
632
00:32:18,171 --> 00:32:20,073
that are already known,
633
00:32:20,073 --> 00:32:21,708
then that might be something
to follow up.
634
00:32:21,741 --> 00:32:26,346
So here, the tip is connecting
Monty, or Montoun,
635
00:32:26,379 --> 00:32:28,415
to Corey Arthur.
636
00:32:28,448 --> 00:32:32,218
So as soon as the police have
a new name, here Montoun Hart,
637
00:32:32,252 --> 00:32:34,621
they're going to want
to know who he is.
638
00:32:34,654 --> 00:32:37,090
Police discover that by 1997,
639
00:32:37,123 --> 00:32:40,126
Montoun Hart had more than
one felony conviction
640
00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:42,429
and more than
one crime of violence.
641
00:32:42,462 --> 00:32:45,298
Let's see if Montoun Hart
wants to talk.
642
00:32:45,331 --> 00:32:48,335
[sirens wailing]
643
00:32:48,368 --> 00:32:52,105
- Now, we know
who we're looking for.
644
00:32:52,105 --> 00:32:55,909
We put two guys in a car
right outside of his house,
645
00:32:55,942 --> 00:32:58,378
and you wait until
they get home.
646
00:32:58,411 --> 00:33:01,147
* *
647
00:33:01,181 --> 00:33:04,050
- 5:00 AM on June 7th,
648
00:33:04,050 --> 00:33:05,785
he pulls up in
his mother's car.
649
00:33:05,819 --> 00:33:08,188
* *
650
00:33:08,221 --> 00:33:11,057
Detectives, they don't have
enough to arrest him,
651
00:33:11,057 --> 00:33:12,292
so they can't put
handcuffs on him.
652
00:33:12,325 --> 00:33:15,829
They can't take him
fully against his will.
653
00:33:15,862 --> 00:33:19,199
So he voluntarily accompanies
them to the precinct,
654
00:33:19,232 --> 00:33:21,701
where he's given
his Miranda warning,
655
00:33:21,735 --> 00:33:24,270
speaks with detectives,
and starts to talk.
656
00:33:24,304 --> 00:33:27,273
[suspenseful music]
657
00:33:27,307 --> 00:33:30,243
Montoun Hart said that
Corey Arthur told him that
658
00:33:30,276 --> 00:33:33,913
Jonathan Levin had access to
crazy money,
659
00:33:33,947 --> 00:33:36,483
that he would be a good mark.
660
00:33:36,516 --> 00:33:38,852
We can only assume that
that's a reference to
661
00:33:38,885 --> 00:33:41,921
his dad, to his family,
and their tremendous wealth.
662
00:33:43,823 --> 00:33:45,158
- Montoun tells detectives
663
00:33:45,191 --> 00:33:47,594
that the whole thing
was a robbery.
664
00:33:47,627 --> 00:33:48,595
They taped Jonathan up
665
00:33:48,628 --> 00:33:52,232
and demanded his bank card
and PIN number.
666
00:33:52,265 --> 00:33:56,102
- Corey would implore,
"I don't want to hurt you.
667
00:33:56,136 --> 00:34:00,273
Better tell me
the PIN numbers."
668
00:34:00,306 --> 00:34:02,842
When you get a knife put to
your throat,
669
00:34:02,876 --> 00:34:05,779
they cock a gun at your head,
670
00:34:05,812 --> 00:34:07,047
you're gonna tell people
things.
671
00:34:07,047 --> 00:34:09,282
You want to survive.
672
00:34:09,315 --> 00:34:12,385
- Montoun Hart said that
he took the card from Corey
673
00:34:12,419 --> 00:34:15,321
and that he, meaning Montoun,
went to the ATM
674
00:34:15,355 --> 00:34:18,058
to withdraw the cash,
brought it back.
675
00:34:18,058 --> 00:34:21,528
And it was at that point that
Arthur shot Jonathan Levin.
676
00:34:21,561 --> 00:34:24,531
[dramatic music]
677
00:34:24,564 --> 00:34:26,966
[gunshot]
678
00:34:27,834 --> 00:34:32,539
Montoun provides an account of
being complicit to a robbery,
679
00:34:32,572 --> 00:34:34,374
but not a murder.
680
00:34:34,407 --> 00:34:36,543
Montoun tells the police that
681
00:34:36,576 --> 00:34:39,913
Corey Arthur did
all of the dirty work,
682
00:34:39,946 --> 00:34:41,414
that it was Corey
who pushed his way in,
683
00:34:41,448 --> 00:34:45,251
that it was Corey
who bound him with duct tape,
684
00:34:45,285 --> 00:34:47,721
and, according to
Montoun Hart,
685
00:34:47,754 --> 00:34:50,557
that it was Corey who shot
Jonathan Levin.
686
00:34:51,958 --> 00:34:55,962
- We have enough to formally
arrest Montoun Hart.
687
00:34:55,995 --> 00:35:01,134
But the other perpetrator,
Corey, is still at large.
688
00:35:01,167 --> 00:35:03,837
- We get out in the street
and talk to the people.
689
00:35:03,870 --> 00:35:06,606
And we found out that
Corey had a girlfriend.
690
00:35:08,475 --> 00:35:10,110
- She told the police that
she knew that
691
00:35:10,143 --> 00:35:12,379
Corey Arthur had killed
Jonathan Levin
692
00:35:12,412 --> 00:35:16,750
and that she knew it because
Corey Arthur had told her so.
693
00:35:16,783 --> 00:35:18,585
- Corey Arthur, he told her,
694
00:35:18,618 --> 00:35:20,053
"I can't see you
for a couple of days.
695
00:35:20,053 --> 00:35:21,454
"I gotta hide from the cops.
696
00:35:21,488 --> 00:35:24,758
They're after me for killing
that guy in Manhattan."
697
00:35:24,791 --> 00:35:26,960
- Then Corey's girlfriend
tells detectives that
698
00:35:27,060 --> 00:35:29,195
she knows where he is.
699
00:35:29,229 --> 00:35:33,299
He's hiding in an apartment
in Bed-Stuy.
700
00:35:33,333 --> 00:35:36,903
- Corey Arthur's girlfriend
also indicated that
701
00:35:36,936 --> 00:35:38,738
they should probably act
quickly
702
00:35:38,772 --> 00:35:41,675
because he was making plans to
flee to North Carolina.
703
00:35:43,510 --> 00:35:45,912
- I've got a little
adrenaline going.
704
00:35:45,945 --> 00:35:49,816
You know, I'd like to get my
hands on him and bring him in.
705
00:35:49,849 --> 00:35:51,618
[siren blares]
706
00:35:51,651 --> 00:35:53,620
- We quickly respond
to the location,
707
00:35:53,653 --> 00:35:55,822
hoping that the information
is accurate.
708
00:35:55,855 --> 00:35:59,125
[dramatic music]
709
00:35:59,159 --> 00:36:02,529
- [imitating forceful knocking]
Police.
710
00:36:02,562 --> 00:36:04,297
"What do you want?"
We want to speak to Corey.
711
00:36:04,330 --> 00:36:06,099
And he's still there.
712
00:36:07,767 --> 00:36:09,636
So I said, we got him.
713
00:36:09,669 --> 00:36:12,405
- They're able to scoop him off
of the streets of Brooklyn
714
00:36:12,439 --> 00:36:17,143
rather quickly
and rather calmly.
715
00:36:17,177 --> 00:36:19,846
Now, once they have them
in custody,
716
00:36:19,879 --> 00:36:21,414
especially in New York,
717
00:36:21,448 --> 00:36:25,051
the police do what is called
a perp walk.
718
00:36:25,085 --> 00:36:26,653
They call the media.
719
00:36:26,686 --> 00:36:30,623
Cameras line up outside the
station to show the public,
720
00:36:30,657 --> 00:36:35,528
and you can feel a whole lot
safer because we caught them.
721
00:36:35,562 --> 00:36:39,099
- I remember the reaction of
some of the teachers.
722
00:36:39,132 --> 00:36:41,868
We heard that they arrested
an African American student,
723
00:36:41,901 --> 00:36:43,403
and his name was Corey Arthur.
724
00:36:43,436 --> 00:36:47,240
I said, a student would do this
to a teacher?
725
00:36:47,273 --> 00:36:50,677
It was so unbelievable.
726
00:36:50,710 --> 00:36:54,080
- They read him
his Miranda warnings.
727
00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:58,218
And Corey Arthur decides that
he's gonna talk to the police.
728
00:36:58,251 --> 00:37:02,489
He said that Jonathan paged him
because he wanted to buy crack.
729
00:37:02,522 --> 00:37:05,692
Corey Arthur goes to
Jonathan's home.
730
00:37:05,725 --> 00:37:07,627
And that shortly after
he arrives,
731
00:37:07,660 --> 00:37:11,898
two men push into
the apartment.
732
00:37:11,931 --> 00:37:16,870
These two strangers tell Corey
he's gotta bind up Jonathan.
733
00:37:16,903 --> 00:37:19,506
Corey Arthur told the police
that he did it,
734
00:37:19,539 --> 00:37:22,876
but he did it because it was
at threat of knifepoint.
735
00:37:22,909 --> 00:37:26,713
Corey then tries to
make a break for it.
736
00:37:26,746 --> 00:37:28,181
According to Corey Arthur,
737
00:37:28,214 --> 00:37:29,716
Jonathan is still alive
when he leaves.
738
00:37:29,749 --> 00:37:31,918
* *
739
00:37:31,951 --> 00:37:34,688
- He told us,
"I would never shoot Jonathan.
740
00:37:34,721 --> 00:37:36,256
He was my friend."
741
00:37:36,289 --> 00:37:39,726
* *
742
00:37:39,759 --> 00:37:43,930
- Corey was asked
why he didn't come forward.
743
00:37:43,963 --> 00:37:46,066
He said that he thought that
744
00:37:46,099 --> 00:37:49,302
his fingerprints on the duct
tape would seal the deal,
745
00:37:49,336 --> 00:37:50,737
that nobody would believe
his story.
746
00:37:50,770 --> 00:37:53,740
[dramatic music]
747
00:38:01,481 --> 00:38:04,017
[suspenseful music]
748
00:38:04,217 --> 00:38:06,353
* *
749
00:38:06,386 --> 00:38:09,589
- After a week on the run,
Corey Arthur is now in custody
750
00:38:09,622 --> 00:38:11,725
and telling his side
of the story.
751
00:38:11,758 --> 00:38:14,928
Detectives can tell
he gets one thing right:
752
00:38:15,028 --> 00:38:16,730
we don't believe him.
753
00:38:16,763 --> 00:38:18,732
* *
754
00:38:18,765 --> 00:38:21,034
- Corey's story doesn't
line up with
755
00:38:21,034 --> 00:38:22,836
what the police already know.
756
00:38:22,869 --> 00:38:26,706
We've talked to Montoun Hart
at the same time.
757
00:38:26,740 --> 00:38:32,045
And Arthur's story doesn't
reference Montoun Hart at all.
758
00:38:32,078 --> 00:38:33,546
According to Corey Arthur,
759
00:38:33,580 --> 00:38:36,383
he and Jonathan smoked crack
together.
760
00:38:36,416 --> 00:38:39,652
- I mean, just inane stuff
like that,
761
00:38:39,686 --> 00:38:42,589
that they were doing drugs.
Come on.
762
00:38:42,622 --> 00:38:46,192
The toxicology report,
it came back negative.
763
00:38:46,226 --> 00:38:49,295
Jonathan wasn't a drug user.
764
00:38:49,329 --> 00:38:51,364
- The only inference
we can draw from that
765
00:38:51,398 --> 00:38:53,199
is that Corey's a liar.
766
00:38:53,233 --> 00:38:56,736
And what the judge will charge
this jury is that if they found
767
00:38:56,770 --> 00:38:59,673
that the defendant has
lied to them about one thing,
768
00:38:59,706 --> 00:39:04,277
they are free to find that he's
lied to them about everything.
769
00:39:04,310 --> 00:39:07,480
- Corey faces charges of
first and second-degree murder
770
00:39:07,514 --> 00:39:09,916
and first-degree robbery.
771
00:39:10,316 --> 00:39:13,253
He's tried first.
772
00:39:13,286 --> 00:39:15,789
- We thought that his
fingerprints on the duct tape
773
00:39:15,822 --> 00:39:19,259
and that Corey Arthur had
confessed to his girlfriend
774
00:39:19,292 --> 00:39:21,561
would seal the deal.
775
00:39:25,432 --> 00:39:28,034
The jury deliberated
for two days.
776
00:39:28,034 --> 00:39:32,772
They returned the verdict on
November 11th, 1998.
777
00:39:32,806 --> 00:39:34,774
Among the jurors,
some felt that
778
00:39:34,808 --> 00:39:36,576
there's not
sufficient evidence
779
00:39:36,609 --> 00:39:38,478
of murder in the first degree.
780
00:39:38,511 --> 00:39:40,747
But they found Corey Arthur
781
00:39:40,780 --> 00:39:42,482
guilty of murder
in the second degree.
782
00:39:42,515 --> 00:39:47,787
* *
783
00:39:47,821 --> 00:39:49,823
- I wasn't in the apartment,
784
00:39:49,856 --> 00:39:55,195
don't know
who pulled the trigger.
785
00:39:55,228 --> 00:39:59,366
But Jonathan Levin is dead
786
00:39:59,399 --> 00:40:02,469
because of Corey Arthur.
787
00:40:03,870 --> 00:40:06,439
- Due to the vicious nature of
Corey's betrayal,
788
00:40:06,473 --> 00:40:12,212
the judge hands down a maximum
sentence of 25 years to life.
789
00:40:12,245 --> 00:40:14,714
Two months later,
Montoun Hart goes to trial
790
00:40:14,748 --> 00:40:17,717
on charges of
second-degree murder.
791
00:40:17,751 --> 00:40:20,387
- The Montoun Hart case is
a tougher case.
792
00:40:20,420 --> 00:40:23,656
The police, they didn't have
his prints in the apartment.
793
00:40:23,690 --> 00:40:27,627
They didn't have anybody,
including Corey Arthur,
794
00:40:27,660 --> 00:40:31,965
implicating that he was
the one who did it.
795
00:40:31,998 --> 00:40:35,568
So the confession was
the foundation of
796
00:40:35,602 --> 00:40:37,671
the prosecution's case.
797
00:40:37,704 --> 00:40:41,675
And it's the only evidence
they have.
798
00:40:41,708 --> 00:40:43,743
- On February 11th, 1999,
799
00:40:43,777 --> 00:40:46,713
not guilty on all charges.
800
00:40:48,915 --> 00:40:50,550
That means that the jury
decided that
801
00:40:50,583 --> 00:40:52,218
the prosecution
could not prove his guilt
802
00:40:52,252 --> 00:40:53,386
beyond a reasonable doubt.
803
00:40:53,420 --> 00:40:55,722
It's not a declaration
of innocence.
804
00:40:55,755 --> 00:40:58,858
But once somebody's been
acquitted of a crime,
805
00:40:58,892 --> 00:41:01,327
he will walk out the courtroom
a free man.
806
00:41:01,361 --> 00:41:04,464
[ominous music]
807
00:41:04,497 --> 00:41:06,499
- My colleagues at Taft,
808
00:41:06,533 --> 00:41:10,170
we were outraged that Montoun
was acquitted,
809
00:41:10,203 --> 00:41:15,075
'cause, at the least,
he admitted to being there.
810
00:41:17,210 --> 00:41:22,615
- I felt that I wasn't sure
that justice was met.
811
00:41:22,649 --> 00:41:25,151
[somber music]
812
00:41:25,185 --> 00:41:28,621
We were on a break,
and he died.
813
00:41:28,655 --> 00:41:32,092
The workshop on
that Saturday morning,
814
00:41:32,092 --> 00:41:34,361
well, this is my opportunity
to talk to him.
815
00:41:34,394 --> 00:41:37,197
And I was going to say,
"Yes, I'm in love with you.
816
00:41:37,230 --> 00:41:40,266
Let's go for it."
817
00:41:40,300 --> 00:41:44,671
And now that opportunity
is gone.
818
00:41:44,704 --> 00:41:51,745
* *
819
00:41:51,778 --> 00:41:53,947
- After Jonathan's passing,
820
00:41:53,980 --> 00:41:58,418
the Yankees had a tribute
memorial game
821
00:41:58,451 --> 00:42:01,755
to Jonathan Levin.
822
00:42:01,788 --> 00:42:05,625
About a thousand students
823
00:42:05,658 --> 00:42:09,529
from Taft High School
were at that game.
824
00:42:11,231 --> 00:42:15,235
And one of the athletes from
Taft High School
825
00:42:15,268 --> 00:42:20,807
was honored with
throwing out the first pitch.
826
00:42:20,840 --> 00:42:23,476
It was 0-0 going into
extra innings,
827
00:42:23,510 --> 00:42:28,648
and we were all
on the edge of our seat.
828
00:42:28,682 --> 00:42:32,118
Another batter comes up
and hits a line drive
829
00:42:32,152 --> 00:42:34,854
that drives in
the game-winning run
830
00:42:34,888 --> 00:42:37,123
to win the game for Jonathan.
831
00:42:37,157 --> 00:42:41,761
Those thousand students
from Taft went bananas.
832
00:42:41,795 --> 00:42:45,198
Jonathan would have been
going bananas, I'm sure.
833
00:42:45,231 --> 00:42:49,402
[cheers and applause]
834
00:42:49,436 --> 00:42:52,305
* *
835
00:42:52,339 --> 00:42:53,273
- Off the baseball field,
836
00:42:53,306 --> 00:42:55,675
Jonathan's legacy
continues to live on
837
00:42:55,709 --> 00:43:01,147
in his family, friends, and
the students he's inspired.
838
00:43:01,181 --> 00:43:03,650
- You know, they named
a street after him
839
00:43:03,683 --> 00:43:07,354
in front of the high school.
840
00:43:07,387 --> 00:43:11,057
And I think his legacy is the
students that have graduated,
841
00:43:11,057 --> 00:43:12,759
and went forward in their life,
842
00:43:12,792 --> 00:43:16,062
and that he had something
to do with that.
843
00:43:16,062 --> 00:43:20,266
And I'd like to think that
his students will--
844
00:43:20,300 --> 00:43:22,235
will take him forward.
845
00:43:22,268 --> 00:43:24,070
[somber music]
846
00:43:24,070 --> 00:43:25,505
- There's not one day of
my life
847
00:43:25,538 --> 00:43:28,074
that I don't think about him.
848
00:43:28,074 --> 00:43:29,542
I made a promise that day
849
00:43:29,576 --> 00:43:31,311
that I was going to continue
850
00:43:31,344 --> 00:43:33,847
with the legacy
that he left behind,
851
00:43:33,880 --> 00:43:36,583
trying not to
let students down ever,
852
00:43:36,616 --> 00:43:41,087
and to let them know that we
are there for them like he did.
853
00:43:41,087 --> 00:43:46,826
* *