Newman witnesses this and wrestles with his conscience about it.

Because of some rock throwing and heckling, a couple of cops throw an innocent boy off the roof of a building. In response to a pair of cop killings by a deranged hooker, Asner orders the cops to roust the ghetto, resulting in a riot. Ed Asner is the new precinct captain, wanting to get everything shipshape. The beat looks like one of the German cities that was bombed flat in WWII. Together they patrol their 40 block area with a population of 70,000. His partner is Corelli (Ken Wahl) a younger man who tries to dress for success. Paul Newman (Hud, Cool Hand Luke) is Patrolman Murphy, a veteran cop almost ready for retirement. This is straight forwarded NY story telling. The story is a well paced, gritty cop drama that side steps the usual Hollywood treatment of the good cop in the bad city, in this case the South Bronx (the film drew heat for it's realistic locations and hellhole depiction of the area). A truly moving tale of two men attempting to stay afloat in an urban wasteland, director Daniel Petrie's film features outstanding lead performances and an excellent supporting cast, including Danny Aiello and Pam Grier. But their extreme police actions provoke riots in the streets, and Murphy and Corelli are forced to face the corruption and indifference that pervade their department. When two rookie cops are murdered in broad daylight, the new police chief (Ed Asner) shakes up the force and demands violent and reactionary measures against the local citizens. Murphy's developing relationship with Isabella (Rachel Ticotin), a local nurse, is at the heart of the film, a captivating combination of romance, violence, and tragedy. Despite the hardships the two men face, they carry on with their off-duty lives, carousing at local bars, flirting with girls, and sharing a deep respect for each another. He and his partner, Corelli (Ken Wahl), hit the streets every day, facing desperate and impoverished conditions with a combination of courage, responsibility, and gritty humor. Paul Newman stars as Murphy, a loyal and ethical cop who has been working on the force for 18 years. Deep in the bombed-out streets of the Bronx lies Fort Apache, the local police station, in this hard-hitting drama that portrays the lives of two local cops working the beat in the worst precinct in New York.

A bronx tale screenplay online