Free Verse

Free Verse
Series	Miami Vice
Season	2
Episode	20 (42nd Overall)
Airdate	April 4, 1986
Production	220
Writer(s)	Shel Willens & Jim Trombetta Teleplay: Jim Trombetta
Director	John Nicolella
Guest Stars	Byrne Piven Yamil Borges Hector Mercado Jaime Tirelli and Bianca Jagger
Previous Episode	"Payback"
Next Episode	"Trust Fund Pirates"

"Free Verse" is the twentieth episode of Miami Vice's second season. The episode premiered on April 4, 1986.

Summary

The Vice squad is assigned to protect a hard-partying political prisoner from assassins so he can testify before Congress.

Plot

A recently freed Central American wheelchair-bound political prisoner named Hector Sandoval (Byrne Piven) arrives in Miami escorted by Castillo and company (requested instead of Federal agents due to their "efficiency and being inconspicious"), due to a potential assassination attempt on a stopover before testifying before Congress about the conditions in his country. A mystery man passes a gun to an assassin named Carmen (Bianca Jagger) in the airport, but no action is taken yet. They meet up with Sandoval's daughter Blanca (Yamil Borges) and Sandoval tells about being hunted by right-wing death squads due to a book he wrote. Castillo wants him to cancel two personal appearances due to the death threats but Sandoval insists on attending, especially the function where he is to receive an award. Blanca tries to convince her father not to attend but he refuses. Castillo will set up security sweeps and protection at both functions, meanwhile the assassins are planning their next move. Tubbs & Blanca discuss Sandoval's poetry and to party with the younger women, even before he was in prison (which is why he wants to attend the parties so much). Blanca publishes for the opposition newspaper, knowing if she were still there she would be dead. Sandoval attends the first party at an art gallery, meeting numerous people, including Carmen again, who leaves a message for him--they (the opposition) are tired of him, and that he needs to disappear, this time she pulls her gun, Tubbs recognizes her from the airport and shoots Carmen dead before she can kill Sandoval. Back at the Safe House, Blanca brought in her acquaintance Manuel Guerrero (Hector Mercado), much to the dismay of the Vice cops, who fear Sandoval's safety has been compromised. Gina & Trudy are at a hotel bar where Guerrero is and four members of the Death Squad kidnap Guerrero and get away under a hail of automatic weapon fire. Sandoval will not forego the award ceremony regardless of the risks, so security will be tight. The Safe House will be staffed by police if the squad tries a hit there thinking Sandoval is in the house. While Sandoval is at the ceremony, the Death Squad car is spotted at an old mansion, Zito & Switek head over there. They find Guerrero has been tortured by high-pitched sound, and also beaten physically, and taken to the hospital. Guerrero said the main kidnapper was Alfredo Gomez (Jaime Tirellii), and they thought they were heading for the award ceremony but they didn't make it there. Crockett said Guerrero supports leftists with his own money which is why they didn't kill him, and they didn't ask any questions about the Safe House. Sandoval left the Casablanca Hotel after complaining about the hotel and disappeared. He is at a bar in Miami Beach picking up young ladies and dancing in his wheelchair when someone takes one of his ladies away, he pulls out a gun and fires one shot and the lady comes back. Sandoval emerges from the club, slightly drunk ang wanting to fire his gun up in the air when Crockett & Tubbs find him and bring him with them. The Death Squad places a bogus call to Blanca's room saying her father is in the lobby, and they kidnap her when she arrives. A drunk Sandoval is taken to OCB, where Castillo informs Crockett & Tubbs that someone (other than the police) was watching the Safe House, and that Guerrero is a highly specialized left-wing assassin. The leftists want to make Sandoval a martyr while the right-wings want to kill him outright. The Death Squad contacts Sandoval at OCB and make their demand--his life for his daughter's. Sandoval is at a hotel beachfront waiting for the kidnappers, when they lead him into where his daughter is, the Vice cops quickly eliminate all the Death Squad members. Guerrero comes back to see Blanca, pulls a gun on Sandoval intending to kill him, but Crockett & Tubbs shoot him down before he can. Sandoval heads to Washington to testify in Congress.

Notes

• Don Johnson doesn't appear until about 18 minutes into the episode.
• This episode refers to the trend of "Banana Politics" in the 1980's, referring to the coups and civil wars that occurred in Central American & Caribbean countries during that time.
• Luis Guzman plays one of the Death Squad members in this episode. He also appeared in "The Prodigal Son" as one of the Rivera drug cartel.

Music

• "Feel It Again" by Honeymoon Suite (at hotel bar)
• "Institutionalized" by Suicidal Tendencies (Performed live in bar)
• "Maybe The Poet" by Bruce Cockburn (End scene with shootout)