Just Cause Page #4

If you have time later, thank you.

You got a busy afternoon lined up,

Mr. Armstrong.

Some people to see, yes.

Ever been here before?

No.

Come on. It's a nice little town.

How's old Bobby Earl doing?

He's holding it together.

"Holding it together."

I'd expect he would be

"holding it together."

Cold-hearted son of a b*tch.

Stayed right frosty to the end.

Get that vehicle back in the street, Charlie.

That's the last time I'll tell you.

Sorry, J.T.

Then he just started spitting it out,

like a goddamn machine.

Scared me to death.

Scared you to death?

What did Bobby Earl tell you?

About the bare-assed light bulb

at 4:
00 a.m.?

I beat on him with a rubber hose?

How about a phone book?

White pages or yellow pages?

Mr. Armstrong?

Now, you listen to me.

Do you think if I'd gotten physical

with Bobby Earl...

...he wouldn't be wearing my anger

all over him at that arraignment?

What do you think, Professor?

I'm impressed.

You have a nice day now.

Harvard University. Do tell.

I'm a graduate of Florida State.

Bobby Earl Ferguson.

Change of venue, denied.

Motion to suppress a confession, denied.

Objection to an all-white jury, overruled.

Noted for the record.

I said, "You'll have to plead guilty,

take a 25-year hit.

"You'll have a life left when you come out."

He says, "But, sir, I didn't do it."

So he made you go to trial?

This matching blood statement

by Dr. Doliveau...

...why didn't you challenge it?

Even us backwoods

Florida State Law School alumni know...

...that an O-positive match

doesn't mean anything...

...unless you get genetic screening

or an enzyme-base analysis.

You just narrowed it down

to 40 million suspects.

How did this testimony

survive cross-examination?

Half the people in the courtroom knew

that woman well.

She's known here as a very fine physician.

And a doctor is a god.

You know that.

Pathetic.

Jury didn't care.

I'll tell you, worst thing in that courtroom

was Bobby Earl himself.

He sat there, day after day,

looking guilty as hell.

It's not a popularity contest.

I find that a naive statement, Counselor.

Is that what you teach your law students:

"The truth will prevail"?

When's the last time you tried a case?

It's been 25 years.

Does that make you feel better?

Hell.

Hang dog, show dog,

I don't think it'd make any difference...

...if Bobby Earl was

a 6'4" golden-haired Caucasian...

...who just quarterbacked Florida State

past Miami, 62-0 in the Cotton Bowl.

That jury won't disregard

the boy's own words.

His confession was coerced.

Why didn't you get an expert

to analyze his voice on tape?

I tried, sir.

Truly, I tried.

I know my job, Mr. Armstrong.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes