 Felton ( Daniel Baldwin ) and Howard ( Melissa Leo ) investigate the murder of an Iowa woman who was shot to death in front of her husband Robert Ellison ( Robin Williams ) and two young children during a stick @-@ up . Since the victims are tourists , the case becomes a " red ball " and receives considerable attention from the press , city officials and top police brass . Bayliss ( Kyle Secor ) tries to interview the two young children , but Ellison stops him , protesting that the experience is too hard on them . After obtaining information from street thugs , the police arrest Marvin ( Antonio Charity ) , who possesses 45 @-@ caliber bullets matching those used in the shooting . A mournful Ellison overhears Felton making jokes about the investigation and bragging about the overtime he expects to receive from it . He angrily demands Felton be thrown off the case , but Gee ( Yaphet Kotto ) calms him down by explaining the police have to be detached from the victims because they encounter so many . Ellison takes his children back to their hotel room , where his daughter Abby ( Julia Devin ) is in denial about her mother 's death , and his son Matt ( Jake Gyllenhaal ) angrily refuses to talk to his father . 
