C.J. Ambush-Interrogates Sloane on Buried Excessive Force Scandal
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
C.J. confronts Officer Sloane about a 17-year-old reprimand for excessive force, initiating a tense exchange about his past actions.
Sloane defends himself, claiming self-defense against a physically formidable suspect, Walter Tapus, and questions the motivation behind reviving the old accusations.
C.J. presses Sloane on why he didn't disclose his record before being honored at the White House, highlighting a breach of trust.
Sloane, visibly shaken, pleads his innocence and expresses dismay that his past is resurfacing, emphasizing his current status as a community hero.
C.J. firmly informs Sloane that she must disclose the information to the press to control the narrative, despite his protests.
Sloane, defeated, mentions his family at the party, highlighting the personal cost of the impending scandal, as C.J. advises him to return to them silently.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Stricken discomfort blending defensive fury and plaintive desperation.
Waits in adjacent office, responds uncomfortably to greeting, shakes hands, sits, recounts chase details defensively emphasizing self-injury and Tapus's size/athleticism, pleads recent heroism, family at party, and assumed amnesty, looks stricken at disclosure news, agrees to silence.
- • Convince C.J. of self-defense to avoid disclosure
- • Preserve hero status and family evening amid scrutiny
- • Recent school heroism erases past allegations
- • Physical mismatch proves no excessive force occurred
Pragmatic resolve masking urgency, steely focus on crisis management.
Sweeps into office, confirms Sloane's presence, shakes hands, sits abruptly, interrogates about Tapus incident with pointed accusations, rejects denials and pleas, vows proactive press disclosure for narrative control, instructs silence and return to party.
- • Preempt press discovery of Sloane's past
- • Control the scandal narrative through proactive disclosure
- • Non-disclosure amplifies vulnerability to media exploitation
- • Presidential spotlight demands full transparency on exemplars
Calm and neutral professionalism.
Stands vigilantly in her office as C.J. passes, crisply confirms Sloane's presence with 'Yeah,' facilitating the ambush confrontation.
- • Relay access for C.J.'s urgent interrogation
- • Maintain operational flow in press office
- • Prompt confirmation enables crisis response
- • Discretion protects White House processes
Portrayed historically as combative during arrest.
Heavily invoked in dialogue as the athletic armed robbery suspect Sloane pursued and allegedly kicked repeatedly while cuffed, fracturing his leg; cited in lawsuit and motive to lie.
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referenced as having pointed to Sloane as an example
referenced as unable to bring a case against Sloane; civil suit dismissed
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Dimly lit night bastion hosts the abrupt ambush: Carol stands sentinel, Sloane waits in adjacent inner sanctum, C.J. surges in for handshake, chair-scraping sit-down, tense interrogation over scandal; shadows amplify ethical clash, funneling post-SOTU chaos into intimate crisis choreography.
Vividly recalled by Sloane in defensive recount: chain-link fences, storage areas behind warehouse as savage chase site where he pursued Tapus, grappled during cuffing, amid self-injury claims blurring heroism and excess into 17-year echo.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Embodies the administrative crucible where C.J. enforces protocol on unvetted SOTU guest Sloane, protecting presidential example from scandal bleed; pulls hero from party for interrogation, balancing heroism optics against transparency imperatives in post-address frenzy.
Looms as predatory external force driving C.J.'s disclosure vow; their inevitable discovery threatens to twist Sloane's heroism into brutality narrative, forcing White House preemption to 'stay ahead of the pitch' and control story spin.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Josh's revelation of Jack Sloane's past reprimand sets the stage for C.J.'s confrontation with Sloane about the same issue."
"Josh's revelation of Jack Sloane's past reprimand sets the stage for C.J.'s confrontation with Sloane about the same issue."
"C.J.'s deflection of Mark's inquiry about the First Lady's activities leads to her eventual confrontation with Sloane about his past reprimand, as she seeks to control the narrative."
Key Dialogue
"C.J.: "So you fractured his leg." SLOANE: "I didn't fracture his leg.""
"SLOANE: "He was 19 years old. 6'2"...190 pounds. And he won 2 bronze medals at the State High School Track and Field Championships. Miss Cregg, look at me. Do you think there's any way I catch up to this guy if his leg isn't fractured already? It didn't happen.""
"C.J.: "No, but I have to tell them." SLOANE: "Why?" C.J.: "Cause they'll find out and I have to stay ahead of the pitch. If I issue it in a brief statement then it looks like we're not trying to hide anything and I get to control the story for a while.""