Juror Three

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FOREMAN: Number Three?

"Guilty."

Two: How'd you like that?

(Look at Eight, amazed) What are you trying to do?

FIVE: I ... I'm not sure.

(Standing up) You're not sure about what? Now wait a second. (to EIGHT) What are you, the kids' lawyer or something? Who do you think you are to start cross examining us?

Foreman: It doesn't work.

(To Four) Aye, I didn't get a chance to look at the newspaper today. Anything new going on?

Ten: Great Idea! Maybe we can get him elected senator!

(To Two) How'd you like it?

EIGHT: (hard). This isn't a game.

(angry). Who do you think you are?

(There is a pause. No one moves for a moment, and then EIGHT rises and crosses to THREE. They stand looking at each other.)

(continued) OK. (To TWO.) Now, watch this. I don't want to have to do it again. (He turns to EIGHT, looks squarely at him, and squats to make himself shorter.) I'm six or seven inches shorter than you. Right?

TWO: I know they did, but I don't go along with it. The boy is five feet, seven inches tall. His father was six two. That's a difference of seven inches. It's a very awkward thing to stab down into the chest of someone who's more than a half a foot taller than you are.

(crossing to TWO and indicating the knife) Give me that. (TWO hands the knife) Look, you're not gonna be satisfied till you see it again. I'm gonna give you a demonstration. Somebody get up.

Nine: I think certain things should be pointed out to this man.

(interrupting) All right. It's not Sunday. We don't need a sermon.

Eight: That's right. It isn't.

(rise angrily) All right. (to Eight) Let's try to get to the point here. What about the switch knife they found in the fathers chest?

Eight: I'm not asking anyone to accept it. I'm just saying that it's possible.

(shouting) And i'm saying it's not possible.

ELEVEN: Excuse me. This was a secret ballot. We agreed on this--

(standing up angrily) Secret? What do you mean secret? There are no secrets in a jury room! I know who it was. (He turns to FIVE.) Lady you're really something! You come in here and you vote guilty ike everybody else, and then this golden-voiced preacher over here starts to tear your heart out with stories about a poor little kid who just couldn't help becoming a murderer. So you change your vote. If that isn't the most sickening... Why don'cha drop a quarter in his collection box?

TWELVE: (continued) Anyway, I was telling you-in the agency, when they reach a point like this in the meeting, there's always some character ready with an idea. And it kills me, I mean it's the weirdest thing sometimes the way they precede the idea with some kind of phrase. Like-oh, some account exec will say, "Here's an idea. Let's run it up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes it," or "Put it on a bus and see if it gets off at Wall Street." I mean, it's idiotic, but it's funny.

(to FIVE). Look, I was a little excited. Well, you know how it is -I didn't mean to get nasty. Nothing personal.

Four: No, they couldn't.

(to FOUR) Listen, what are you saying here? I didn't see any marks.

SEVEN: (continued) It musta been connected to the light switch.

(to FOUR) Some rain, huh? (FOUR nods.) Well, what d'ya think of this thing? It's even-steven. (FOUR nods.) Kind of surprising, isn't it?

FIVE: No, and neither was anyone else.

(to the EIGHT) You're giving us a lot of mumbo-jumbo here. I don't believe it..

------ACT 2------

------ACT 2------

TEN: (to THREE) How about him? Is that something?

A hung jury doesn't mean anything. They just have to start the trial with another jury. That's not what we're here for.

Four: I was just wondering how the market closed.

Ah I wouldn't know... Say, are you on the Exchange or something?

NINE: Thank you. I'm sure you'll pardon me for this, but I was wondering why you were rubbing your nose like that?

Ah, come on, now, will ya please!

FOREMAN: I heard you.

All right, what's this for? How come you're the only one in the room who wants to see exhibits all the time?

EIGHT: No. Nobody's hurt.

All right. There's your angle. Take a look at it. Down and in. That's how I'd stab a taller man in the chest and that's how it was done. Now go ahead and tell me I'm wrong.

EIGHT. Second, the woman in the apartment across the street. She claimed that she looked out of her window and saw the killing through the last two cars of the passing elevated train. Right? The last two cars.

All right. What point are you making here?

FIVE: I want to see this one too.

And I want to stop wasting time.

FOUR: I'll try. You've made some excellent points. The last one, in which you argued that the boy wouldn't have made the kind of overhand stab wound that killed his father, was very persuasive. But I still believe the boy is guilty of murder. I have two reasons. One: the evidence given by the woman across the street who actually saw the murder committed.

And how, brother! As far as I'm concerned that's the most important testimony in the whole case.

TWELVE: I'm changing my vote. I think he's "guilty."

Anybody else? The vote is eight to four. .

SIX: I think that's possible.

Assumed? Now listen to me, you people. I've seen all kinds of dishonesty in my day--but this little display takes the cake. You come in here with your sanctimonious talk about slum kids and injustice, and you make up some wild stories, and all of a sudden you start getting through to some of these old ladies in here. Well, you're not getting through to me. I've had enough. What's the matter with you people? Every one of you knows this kid is guilty. He's got to burn. We're letting him slip through our fingers here.

NINE: That's not the knife. Don't you remember?

Brilliant! (sticks the knife into the table.)

TEN: I voted guilty because I think he's guilty.

But now you don't care what happens?

Four: I think we all know that.

Come on, let's vote.

Five: There is something personal!

Come on, now. She didn't mean you, lady. Let's not be so sensitive.

EIGHT: (still hobbling) If you think I should go faster, I will.

Come on, willya! Let's get this kid stuff over with.

Ten: What's he so wise about? I'm telling you...

Come on. Sit down. (lead Ten back to his seat) What're you letting him get you all upset for?

FOREMAN: Now, please. I don't want any fights in here.

Did you see him? The nerve! The absolute nerve!

TWO: You can't send someone off to die on evidence like that.

Don't give me that!

EIGHT: I'm sorry for you.

Don't start with me now.

TWO: Um-there's something I'd like to say, I mean, it's been bothering me a little and as long as we're stuck... Well, there was this whole business about the stab wound and how it was made, the downward angle of it, you know?

Don't tell me we're gonna start with that. They went over it and over it.

EIGHT: We're not convinced. We want to hear them again. We have as much time as it takes

Everything-every single thing that came out in that courtroom, but I mean everything, says he's guilty. Do you think I'm an idiot or something? You lousy bunch of bleeding hearts. You're not goin' to intimidate me. I'm entitled to my opinion. I can sit in this room for a year. (The others watch silently.) Somebody say something. Why don'tcha take that stuff about the old man—the old man who lived there—and heard everything. Or take the knife, what just because he found one like it? The old man saw him. Right there on the stairs. What's the difference how many seconds it took? What's the difference? Every single thing. The knife falling through a hole in his pocket-you can't prove that he didn't get to the door. Sure you can hobble around the room all you want, but you can't prove it. I'm telling you every single thing that went on has been twisted and turned in here. That business with the glasses, how do you know she didn't have them on? The woman testified in court. Well, what d'ya want? That's it. (The others are silent.) That's the whole case. That whole thing about hearing the boy yell? The phrase was "I'm gonna kill you." That's what he said. To his own father. I don't care what kind of man that was. It was his father. That rotten kid. I know him. What they're like. What they do to you. How they kill you every day. My God, don't you see? How come I'm the only one who sees? Jeez, I can feel that knife goin' in.

EIGHT: Maybe you'd like to pull the switch.

For this kid? You bet I'd like to pull the switch.

EIGHT: I was wondering how clearly the old man could have heard the boy's voice through the ceiling.

He didn't hear it through the ceiling. His window was open and so was the window upstairs. It was a hot night, remember?

EIGHT: We're not. Not unless someone else wants to. I'd like to see if a very old man who drags one leg when he walks because he had a stroke last year can get from his bed to his front door in fifteen seconds.

He said twenty seconds.

NINE: He said fifteen seconds. He was very positive about it.

He's an old man. You saw him. Half the time he was confused. How could he be positive about anything?

EIGHT: And here's another guess. Maybe she honestly thought she saw the boy kill his father. I say that she saw only a blur.

How do you know what she saw? How does he know all these things? (To EIGHT.) You don't know what kind of glasses she wore. Maybe she was farsighted. Maybe they were sunglasses. What do you know about it?

EIGHT: It's logical to say that she wasn't wearing them while she was in bed, tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep.

How do you know?

FIVE: Not with the experience he'd had with these things. No, I don't think he would. He'd go for him underhanded...

How do you know? What-were you in the room when the father was killed?

ELEVEN: He said fifteen.

How does he know how long fifteen seconds is? You can't judge that kind of thing.

TWELVE: Wait a second. You have no right to ...

I apologize on my knees. (To EIGHT.) Come on. Let's get out from under this thing.

FOUR: I don't understand that. You thought it was immoral.

I don't anymore. There are people here who are so stubborn that you can't even ... We'll never get this thing done. We'll be here for a week. Well, I want to hear an argument. I say we're a hung jury. (He turns to EIGHT.) Come on. You're the leader of the cause. What about it?

EIGHT: (to THREE) You're alone.

I don't care whether I'm alone or not. It's my right.

EIGHT: We want your arguments.

I gave you my arguments.

Eight: Well he claims that-

I know. He bought it as a present for a friend of his. He was gonna give it to him the next day because he busted the other kids knife dropping it on the pavement.

FOREMAN: The vote is eight to four, in favor of "guilty."

I mean, everybody's heart is starting to bleed for this punk little kid like the President just declared it "Love Your Underprivileged Brother Week" or something! (To ELEVEN.) Listen, I'd like you to tell me why you changed your vote. Come on, give me reasons.

Eight: (quietly) I don't know.

I mean, let's be reasonable. You sat in court and heard the same thing we did. The man's a dangerous killer. You could see it.

FOREMAN: It's all right with me. Anyone doesn't want to vote?

I think we ought to have an open ballot. Call out your votes, y'know. Let's see who stands where.

EIGHT: Slip through our fingers? Are you his executioner?

I'm one of 'em.

EIGHT: Ever since we walked into this room you've been behaving like a self-appointed public avenger.

I'm telling you now! Shut up!

ELEVEN: (to THREE) What makes you consider this one vote a personal triumph?

I'm the competitive type. (To the others.) OK. Now here's what I think. I think we're a hung jury. Let's take it inside to the Judge. . .

FOREMAN: Come on now, sit down.

I've got a good mind to belt him one!

SEVEN: Anyone for charades?

I've never seen anything like this in my whole life!

FOREMAN: I don't know. The gentleman asked ...

I've never seen so much time spent on nothing!

Two: Well, no. I was just-

Interesting! (point to Eight) Listen, how come the kid bought the knife to begin with?

TEN: Why not?

It's dishonest. Why don't you vote "not guilty"?

Eight: (a beat) I don't know. It's a motive for him to be an angry kid, I'll say that.

It's the kids. The way they are nowadays. Angry! Hostile! You can't do a thing with them. Just the way they talk to you. Listen, when I was his age I used to call my father "Sir." That's right, "Sir!" You ever hear a boy call his father that anymore?

( THREE lunges wildly at the EIGHT. EIGHT holds his ground. FIVE and SIX grab THREE from behind. He strains against the hands, his face dark with rage.)

Let go of me! I'll kill him! I'll kill him!

TWELVE: Well, maybe ...

Let's vote on it.

Eight: (to THREE) Let me ask you this. It's one of the questions I wanted to ask in court. If the boy bought the knife to use on his father, how come he showed, what was going to be the murder weapon, to three friends of his just a couple hours before the killing?

Listen, all of this is just talk. The boy lied and you know it.

FOUR: Yes.

Listen, that business before, you know, where that guy was baiting me. I mean, that doesn't prove anything. Listen, I'm a very excitable person, y'know. So where does he get off calling me a public avenger and a sadist and everything? Anybody in his right mind would blow his stack, wouldn't he? He was just trying to bait me.

Eight: Isn't that what's supposed to happen in a jury room?

Listen, there are still eleven of us in here who think he's guilty.

ELEVEN: If I were the boy and I had killed my father, I would not have come home three hours later. I would be afraid that the police would be there. I would stay away, knife or no knife.

Listen, you voted "guilty," didn't you? What side are you on?

ELEVEN: There is a question I would like to ask. We assume that the boy committed murder. He stabbed his father in the chest and ran away. This was at ten minutes after twelve. Now, how was he caught by the police? He came home at three o'clock or so and was captured by two detectives in the hallway of his house. My question is, if he really had killed his father, why would he come back three hours later? Wouldn't he be afraid of being caught?

Look, he came home to get his knife. It's not nice to leave knives sticking around in people's chests.

TEN: Everyone's a lawyer.

Look, suppose you answer this for me. The old man who lived downstairs heard the kid yell "I'm gonna kill you." A split second later he heard a body hit the floor. Then he saw the kid run out of the house. Now what does that mean to you?

Two: Well, wait a minute. I think we oughta... There are some people who haven't talked yet. Shouldn't we..?

Look, they can talk whenever they like, now just be quiet a second, will ya? (turn to Eight) OK, what about the knife? You know, the one that fine, upstanding boy admitted buying on the night of the murder. Let's talk about that.

ELEVEN: This then depends on your definition of panic. He was calm enough to see to it that there were no fingerprints on the knife. Now where did his panic start and where did it end?

Look, you can forget all that other stuff. He still came home to dig out his knife and get rid of it.

FOUR: Very true. But we can't help letting the only motive we know creep into our thoughts, can we? And we can't help asking ourselves who else might have had a motive. Logically these things follow. (he nods to SIX) This gentleman is asking a reasonable question. Somebody killed him. If it wasn't the boy, who was it?

Modjelewski.

TWO: Well, I don't know. I remember I was arguing with the guy I work next to at the bank a couple weeks ago; so he called me an idiot; so I yelled at him.

No listen, this guy is making you believe things that aren't so. The kid said he was going to kill him and he did.

EIGHT: Don't you think that the woman might have made a mistake?

No!

EIGHT: It's not possible?

No! It's not possible.

Eight: Fathers don't seem to think it's important anymore.

No? Have you got any kids?

EIGHT: He said fifteen.

Now I'm telling you he said twenty. What're you trying to distort...

FIVE: What's the matter with you?

Now just calm down. Nobody's hurt. Right?

Eight: That's right. I broke the law.

Now listen to me! You pulled a real bright trick. Now, supposing you tell me what you proved. Maybe there are 10 knives like that, so what?

TEN: Logic! Holy cow!

Now, just you listen to this man. He's the only one in the room who knows...

EIGHT: There are twelve people in here concentrating on this case. Eleven of us didn't think of it, either.

OK, Clarence Darrow. Then what about the District Attorney? You think he'd try to pull a trick like that, have her testify without glasses?

FOUR: He did an excellent job. (He moves to the towel.) Excuse me. (He dries his hands.)

OK, maybe he did. I told you, I can't help that kind of thing. I'm a certain type of person, I get moved by this. But let me tell you, I'm sincere.

TWO: That's right. Maybe a little less.

OK. Let it be less.

SIX: Yeah, that's what I was just gonna say.

OK. She had marks on her nose. I'm givin' ya this. From glasses. Right? She never wore 'em out of the house so people'd think she was gorgeous. But when she saw this kid kill his father she was in the house. Alone. That's all.

SEVEN: Oh, brother! ..

Oh, now listen! What are you talking about? I mean, we're all going crazy in here or something! This kid is guilty. Why don'tcha pay attention to the facts? (To FOUR.) Listen, tell him, will ya? This is getting to be a joke!

FOUR: If you haven't got anything to add besides jokes, I suggest you listen.

Okay, just letting off some steam. I'm sorry.

Two: (flustered) Well, sure, I've heard of it. I know what it is. I— what I meant— well, the man is guilty. I mean, somebody saw him do it.

Okay. Now here's what I think, and I have no personal feelings about this. I'm talking facts. Number one, let's take the old man who lived on the second floor right underneath the room where the murder took place. At 10 minutes after 12 on the night of the killing he heard loud noises in the upstairs apartment. He said it sounded like a fight. Then he heard the kid say to his father, "I'm gonna kill you." A second later he heard a body fall, and he ran to the door of his apartment, looked out, and saw the kid running down the stairs and out of the house. Then he called the police. They found the father with a knife in his chest.

FOUR: All right. Maybe we can talk about setting some kind of a time limit. (Still polishing his spectacles, he turns and peers up at the clock.) The time is ... (He squints and puts on his spectacles.)

Quarter after six.

Four: I'm a broker.

Really? I run a messenger service. "The Beck and Call Company." The name was my ah-- ex-wife's idea. I employ thirty-seven people. Started with nothing.

Two: I mean, I've never been on a jury before.

Really? I've sat on juries before. This was ridiculous. Six days? They should have finished it in two. And these lawyers... Talk, talk, talk! Have you ever heard so much talk about nothing? Even when the case is as obvious as this one? I mean, have you ever heard so much talking about nothing at all?

FOUR: Two points. One: in his state of panic he may not have heard the scream. Perhaps it wasn't very loud. Two: if he did hear it, he may not have connected it with his own act. Remember, he lived in a neighborhood where screams were fairly commonplace.

Right! There's your answer.

Foreman: And the coroner fixed the time of death at around midnight.

Right. I mean, there are the facts for you. You can't refute facts. This boy is guilty. Look, I'm as sentimental as the next guy. I know the kid is only sixteen, but he's still got to pay for what he did.

FOREMAN: She had those marks.

She had dyed hair and marks on her nose. I'm asking ya what does that mean?

EIGHT: You want to see this boy die because you personally want it, not because of the facts.

Shut up!

EIGHT: You're a sadist!

Shut up, you son of a...!

Eight: Maybe there are.

So what does that mean? It's the same kind of knife. So what's that? The discovery of the century or something.

FIVE: She has those marks. I saw 'em.

So what? What d'ya think that means?

Ten: Fantastic!

Somebody's in left field. (To Eight) You think he's innocent?

Two: Well I guess they're entitled...

Sure they are. Everybody deserves a fair trial *shake head* That's the system. Listen, I'm the last one to say anything against it, but I'm telling you, sometimes I think we'd be better off if we took those tough kids and slapped 'em down before they make trouble, you know? Save us a lot of time and money.

ELEVEN: Three hours later?

Sure, three hours later.

Four: After being hit several times by his father. Two, the boy went directly to a neighborhood junk shop where he bought a... What do you call these things?

Switch knives.

FOUR: Let him live.

THREE: All right. "Not guilty".

EIGHT. Now, we agreed that an el takes about ten seconds to pass a given point. Since the woman saw the stabbing through the last two cars, we can assume that the body fell to the floor as the train passed. Therefore, the el train had been roaring by the old man's window for a full ten seconds before the body fell. The old man, according to his own testimony, hearing "I'm going to kill you" and the body falling a split second later would have had to hear the boy make his statement while the el was roaring past his nose. It's not possible that he could have heard it.

That's idiotic! Sure he could have heard it.

Eight: The man? He's sixteen years old.

That's old enough. He knifed his own father. Four inches into the chest.

Eleven: It would still be an incredible coincidence for another person to have stabbed the father with the same kind of knife.

That's right! She's right.

Four: (removing his eyeglasses) It was obvious to me, anyway, the boys entire story is flimsy. He claimed he was at the movies during the time of the killing and yet one hour later he couldn't remember what films he saw or who played in them.

That's right. Did you hear that? (to Four) You're absolutely right.

FOUR: And two: the fact that this woman described the stabbing by saying she saw the boy raise his arm over his head and plunge the knife down into his father's chest. She saw him do it—the wrong way...

That's right. That's absolutely right!

FOUR: I don't think you can determine what type of wound this boy might or might not have made simply because he knows how to handle a knife.

That's right. That's absolutely right.

EIGHT: (to FOREMAN) May I? (He takes the plan and puts it on a chair.) This is the apartment in which the killing took place. The old man's apartment is directly beneath it and exactly the same. Here are the el tracks. The bedroom. Another bedroom. Bathroom. Living room. Kitchen. And this is the hall. Here's the front door to the apartment. And here are the stairs. Now, the old man was in bed, in this room. (He indicates the front bedroom.) He says he got up, went out into the hall, down the hall to the front door, opened it and looked out just in time to see the boy racing down the stairs. Am I right so far?

That's the story, for the nineteenth time.

FOUR: Now, let's talk about this woman for a minute. She said that she went to bed at about eleven o'clock that night. Her bed was next to the window-and she could look out while lying down and see directly into the boy's window across the tracks. She tossed and turned for over an hour, unable to fall asleep. Finally, she turned toward the window at about ten minutes after twelve, and, as she looked out, she saw the killing through the windows of the passing el train. She says that the lights went out immediately after the killing but that she got a good look at the boy in the act of stabbing his father. As far as I can see, this is unshakeable testimony.

That's what I mean. That's the whole case.

EIGHT. (to THREE) Do you think so?

The old man said the boy yelled it out. That's enough for me.

TEN: All right. Forget it. It's not important. Know what I mean?

This isn't a game. Who does he think he's dealing with here?

(TWELVE takes the pencil. EIGHT sees TWELVE and THREE playing tic-tac-toe. He snatches the paper away, crumples it and throws it away. THREE leaps up.)

Wait a minute!

EIGHT: But supposing he really did hear it? This phrase: how many times has each of you used it? Probably hundreds. "If you do that once more junior, I'm going to murder you." "Come on, Rocky, kill him!" We say it every day. This doesn't mean that we're going to kill someone.

Wait a minute. What are you trying to give us here? The phrase was "I'm going to kill you," and the kid screamed it out at the top of his lungs. Don't tell me he didn't mean it. Anybody says a thing like that the way he said it—they mean it.

EIGHT: I don't know. I'm guessing. I'm also guessing that she probably didn't put on her glasses when she turned and looked casually out of the window. And she herself said that the murder took place just as she looked out and the lights went off a split second later. She couldn't have had time to put glasses on then.

Wait a second ...

Eight: All right. Let's talk about it. Let's get it in here and look at it. I'd like to see it again. (Turning to Foreman) Mrs. Foreman.

We all know what it looks like. (foreman whispers to guard, guard knocks and exits locking the door) What are we gonna get out of seeing it again?

EIGHT: Let's go over it again.

We went over it again. (He waves toward TWELVE.) J. Walter Thompson over there is bouncing backward and forward like a tennis ball...

Six: (To Eight) It's pretty obvious. I mean I was convinced from the first day.

Well who wasn't? (to Eight) I really think this is one of those open and shut things. They proved it a dozen different ways. Would you like me to list them for you?

FOUR: You didn't want a hung jury before.

Well, I want it now.

EIGHT: I have a proposition to make to all of you. I want to call for a vote. I'd like you eleven men to vote by secret written ballot. I'll abstain. If there are still eleven votes for guilty, I won't stand alone. We'll take a guilty verdict in to the judge right now. But if anyone votes not guilty, we'll stay and talk this thing out. (he pauses) Well, that's all. If you want to try it, I'm ready.

Well, finally you're behaving like a reasonable man.

EIGHT: (to NINE) He can't hear you. He never will.

Well, if the speech is over, maybe we can go on.

EIGHT. I don't know. It doesn't sound right to me.

Well, supposing you think about it. (To TWELVE) Lend me your pencil.

TEN: Those people in there are suddenly like it's some kind of mission or something. Look, they're not gonna switch, so let's go and tell the Judge—we'll be here all night. For Chrissakes, let's tell him we're hung. The hell with this. I mean, what am I gonna do, break my brains over scum like that?

Well, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever ... You took an oath in the courtroom. You can't just quit.

NINE: It's eleven to one.

Well, what about all the other evidence? What about all that stuff—the knife--the whole business?

FOUR: I did. Strange, but I didn't think about it before.

Well, what about the lawyer? Why didn't he say anything?

FOREMAN: No. There's nothing wrong. (FOREMAN collects the apartment plan from the table.) Just a little argument. Everything's OK. (He hands the plan to the GUARD. We're finished with this. (The GUARD takes the plan, looks carefully around the room, then exits, locking the door behind him. There is a pause. The others look at THREE.)

Well, what are you staring at?

EIGHT: It's your right.

Well, what d'ya want? I say he's guilty.

FOUR: The woman saw the killing through the window of a moving elevated train. The train had six cars, and she saw it through the windows of the last two. She remembered the most insignificant details. I don't see how you could argue with that.

Well, what have you got to say about that?

FOREMAN: Listen, I saw 'em, too. He's right. I was the closest one to her. She had these deep things, what d'ya call 'em, uh you know..

Well, what point are you making here?

TEN: Well-isn't this the thing you ever saw? Six to six. It's a joke.

What are we gonna do about it? Can't we break it somehow?

FOREMAN: There's another vote called for. How about taking seats?

What are we gonna gain by voting again?

SIX: Yeah. Maybe he didn't hear it. I mean with the el noise—

What are you people talking about?

TEN: I think we should just quit.

What are you talking about?

NINE: This woman was about forty-five years old. She was making a tremendous effort to look thirty-five for her first public appearance. Heavy make-up. Dyed hair. Brand-new clothes that should have been worn by a younger woman. No eyeglasses. See if you can get a mental picture of her.

What d'ya mean, no glasses? You don't know if she wore glasses. Just because she was rubbing her nose ...

TWELVE: Well I don't know...

What d'ya mean--you don't know?

EIGHT: I want to try this thing. Let's see how long it took him.

What d'you mean you want to try it? Why didn't the kid's lawyer bring it up, if it's so important?

SEVEN: You heard me. I've had enough.

What d'you mean-you've had enough? That's no answer.

TWO: Take it easy!

What do you mean-- take it easy?! D'you feel like seeing a proven murder walking the streets? Why don't we give him his knife back? Make it easier for him.

ELEVEN: I don't have to defend my decision to you. I have a reasonable doubt in my mind.

What reasonable doubt? That's nothing but words. (pulls out the switch knife from the table and holds it up.) Here, look at this. The kid you just decided isn't guilty was seen ramming this thing into his father. Well, look at it, Ms. Reasonable Doubt.

FOREMAN: Come on now, It's all over. Let's take our seats

What's all over? I want an apology.

FIVE: I don't know about ten or twelve seconds, maybe.

What's all this for?

Two: It's interesting that he'd find a knife exactly like the one the boy bought.

What's interesting? You think it proves anything?

FOUR: No, I'm convinced.

What's the matter with you?

SIX: (to THREE) Hey! What're ya talking to him like that for?

Who do you think you're talking to?

Seven: Hey, how about getting started here?

Yeah, let's get this over with. I'm guessing we've all got things to do.

Eight: Two.

Yeah, well I've got one. He's twenty. We did everything for that boy. When he was nine years old he ran away from a fight. I saw him. I was so ashamed I almost threw up. So I told him right out, "I'm gonna make a man out of you or I'm gonna bust you in half trying." Well I made a man outta him alright. When he was sixteen we had a battle. He hit me in the face. He's big, you know, I haven't seen him in two years. Rotten kid! You work your heart out... (pause) All right. Let's get on with it. (Look away, embarrassed)

Nine: The friend testified in court that the boy did break his knife.

Yeah. And how long before the killing? Three weeks. Right? So how come our noble lad bought this knife one half-hour after his father smacked him, and three and a half hours before they found it shoved up here in the father's chest?

Two: I don't know, it was pretty interesting

Yeah? I almost fell asleep.

Four: Just sit down. He's very excitable. Forget it. It doesn't matter.

You bet I'm excitable! We're trying to put a guilty man into the chair where he belongs and all of a sudden we're paying attention to fairy tales— and we're listening.

Eight: Yes, you are.

You bet he's right. (To all) Now listen to this man. He knows what he's talking about.

TWELVE: Well, it's not so easy to arrange the evidence in order.

You can throw out all the other evidence. The woman saw him do it. What else do you want?

NINE. Attention, maybe?

You keep coming up with these bright sayings. Why don't you send one in to a newspaper? They pay three dollars.

ELEVEN: He can only walk very slowly. They had to help him into the witness chair.

You make it sound like a long walk. It's not..

FIVE. Well, it stands to reason...

You're crazy. Why would he lie? What's he got to gain?

EIGHT: All right, here's the bed. I'm going to pace off twelve feet, the length of the bedroom. (He paces twelve feet.)

You're crazy. You can't recreate a thing like that.

EIGHT: If he heard anything at all, he still couldn't have identified the voice with an el roaring by.

You're talking about a matter of seconds here. Nobody can be that accurate.

TEN: "Not guilty." Do whatever you want.

You're the worst son of a ... I think he's guilty.

SEVEN: Listen, I'll tell you something. I'm a little sick of this whole thing already. All this yakkin's gettin' us nowhere so I'm going to break it up here. I'm changing my vote to "not guilty."

You're what?

EIGHT: I wonder if anybody has any idea how long it takes an elevated train...

Your turn. We might as well pass the time.

yay you did it

im so proud of you


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