Anatomy of a m*rder (1959)

[bunniefuu]

♪♪ [Jazz band]

♪♪ [Jazz continues]

Hi, toivo.

Your pal just drove

Into town, mr. Mccarthy.

I'll have one more, toivo.

I'm afraid I'll have to

Pay my bar bill tomorrow.

You're good with

Me, mr. Mccarthy.

Thank you, toivo.

Good night, toivo.

Good night, mr. Mccarthy.

[Woman] operator.

Operator, I want

489, Thunder bay.

I want to speak to mrs. Manion.

M-a-n-i-o-n.

This is paul biegler

Speaking. Iron city, 700.

[Train bell clanging]

Well, do they know when

She'll be there? No, they don't.

I see. Well, just leave a message,


And tell her to call this number.

Thank you.

All right. What do you

Say there, counselor?

Save your money.

What's in the brown paper bag?

[Faucet running] it might

Be a cabbage head.

But it wouldn't be.

You're a very suspicious man.

True. I'm everlastingly


Suspicious of,

And/or fascinated by,

The contents of

Brown paper bags.

Can I sneak a peek?

You do that, counselor.

You do that,

And after you sneak a


Peek, why, you uncork...

Whatever you find.

Shall I pour? Your privilege.

My pleasure, sir.

♪♪ [Jazz]

You fought this

Soldier by yourself.

You've been


Drinkin' alone, polly.

I don't like that.

Ah, drop the stone, counselor.

You live in a glass house.

My windows have been busted a

Long time ago, so I can say as I please.

Have an italian cigar?

No, thanks. Those stinkweeds are


Another sign of your decadence.

[Match striking]

Polly, it's a fact. Since mitch

Lodwick beat you out of the office...

Of public prosecutor, you haven't

Been worth salt for peanuts.

Not that I don't

Understand how you feel.

When a man gets beat out of an


Office he's held for a long time,

He feels his community

Has deserted him,

The finger of scorn

Is pointed at him.

None but the lonely heart

Shall know my anguish.

Polly, you're a good lawyer.

You ought to make like one.

Be here, ready for clients, not out

Fishin' and playin' that rooty-tooty jazz.

♪♪ [Continues] oh,

I'm making a living.

I run a few abstracts and divorce jane

Doe from john doe every once in a while.

Threaten a few d*adbeats.

And in the evening I sit around

And drink bourbon whiskey...

And read law with

Parnell emmitt mccarthy,

One of the world's great men.

That was a kind word, polly.

You know, I might have been.

That's one of the reasons I hate to see

Your talent pushed aside by lesser men.

I look at you and I

See myself years ago...

With the same love for the smell of

The old brown books and the dusty office.

Here's a rose, a lily,

A sweet lupine.

The united states

Supreme court's reports.

Well, what shall we read

This evening, counselor?

How about a little, uh,

Chief justice holmes?

[Phone ringing]

Restrain chief justice holmes

For a minute. I might have a client.

Waiting for a call. Hello?

[Operator] mr. Biegler? This

Is paul biegler speaking.

Here's your party.

Hello? Mrs. Manion?

What? [Woman] mr. Biegler?

I'm sorry I missed you a while

Ago. Did you get my message?

Who is that? What is that

Name? Just a minute, please.

We seem to have a bad

Connection. Hold on.

A woman named manion.

Maida took a message from her.

In thunder bay? Uh-huh.

If she wants you to

Represent her husband, say yes.

I don't know what it's about.

Pretend you do and say yes.

Hello? Oh, yes. It's

Much better now.

I can hear you fine.

I've waited for your

Call all afternoon.

Well, I just got in

A few moments ago.

You've read about my

Husband? Muffy, please.

Yes. Mr. Biegler, have you

Read about my husband?

Muffy, please!

Well, yes, I have. A little.

Will you defend him? I don't know.

I'd have to know more about it.

Will you talk to him?

He's in the county jail.

Will you see him in the morning?

He's very anxious to see you.

You've been so highly

Recommended. I have?

Yeah. Someone told him

About you. Will you see him?

Well, I suppose I could. I'll

See him tomorrow morning.

Would you want me

There too, mr. Biegler?

I think that'd be

Fine. About 10:00, huh?

Thank you. Thank you so much.

You're quite welcome. Bye.

Now, what's this all about?

A man named barney

Quill r*ped mrs. Manion.

Her husband, he's a

Lieutenant in the army.

There's a temporary base in

Thunder bay. Gunnery or something.

The lieutenant goes to quill's place

And plugs mr. Quill about five times,

Which causes mr. Quill to

Promptly die of lead poisoning.

When did all this happen?

A couple of nights ago.

If you hadn't been out fishing in a

Rowboat in some godforsaken backwater,

You'd have known about it.

♪♪ [Whistling]

[Snoring]

Morning, maida. Oh, there it is.

What? The newspaper.

I thought maybe they didn't

Bring it. We haven't paid the bill.

Did you get my note?

Uh-huh. We may be in the case.

I'm just reading up on it now

Before talking to lieutenant manion.

Doesn't he ever go

Home? You mean parnell?

We were up late last

Night. Is that a fact?

Yeah. I think maybe you'd better

Cancel all my appointments for today.

What appointments? People think

You have migrated into the woods.

If this refrigerator

Gets any more fish in it,

It'll swim upstream and

Spawn, all by itself. [Muttering]

May I have your attention

For a moment, please?

Yeah. I was going over

Your checkbook yesterday.

I can't pay me my salary.

What did you do with the

Fee for the walkers' divorce?

Help salt a uranium

Mine or something?

Uh, I bought a few bare necessities.

Like a new outboard motor.

I wish I could be

Classed as a necessity.

Aren't you gonna

Have your toast? No, no.

I'll, uh... I'll, uh,

Call you and let you

Know how things are going.

Don't let him pay you

Off in purple hearts.

Those professional

Soldiers never have a dime.

I ought to know. I

Was married to one.

I beg your pardon.

Are you mrs. Manion?

Hi. I'm paul biegler.

I'm laura. How do you do?

This is muff. Hello,

Muff. The jail's right here.

You're tall.

Hello, polly. Hi, sulo.

You wait here, muffy.

Good to see you,

Polly. How ya feelin'?

Fine. I guess you come

For the soldier boy.

Yeah. Sulo, do you think it'd be all

Right if we talked in the sheriff's office?

Oh, sure, polly.

I'll bring him down.

Would you mind taking your

Glasses off, mrs. Manion?

Gee whiz. Barney

Quill do that to you?

Mm-hmm. More than that.

You should see. All over.

You can put them back on if

It's more comfortable for ya.

This is polly biegler.

This is the bucko, polly.

Lieutenant manion. Hello there.

Hi, manny. Hello, laura.

Uh, mrs. Manion, I

Wonder if you could meet

Me at my office about

2:00 This afternoon.

It's 305 west barnham.

Of course. Fine.

Is there anything I can get

You, hon? I'm all right, hon.

Right in here.

"Wanted." The big ten.

[Scoffs] they got the

Ten best-dressed dames,

The ten top teams,

The ten top tunes...

And now, the ten most wanted.

Well, don't knock it. That's the american

Dream. Those boys made the grade.

You were the district attorney

Around here, weren't you?

Mm-hmm. Ten years.

What's your experience

As a defense lawyer?

Not very much.

How do I know you

Can handle my case?

Well, I guess you don't know.

Shall we talk about it?

I suppose so.

Come on, lieutenant.

Don't be so bored.

It might very well be that no

Lawyer can handle your case,

If you mean getting

Off scot-free.

You seem to be forgetting

Barney quill r*ped my wife.

I have the unwritten

Law on my side.

The unwritten law

Is a myth, lieutenant.

There is no such thing

As the unwritten law,

And anyone who commits a m*rder

On the theory that it does exist...

Has just bought himself room

And board in the state penitentiary.

Maybe for life.

Now, with that in mind,

Perhaps we can proceed with a few

Questions and answers that... That, uh...

Can I borrow your lighter?

We can proceed with

A few questions and

Answers that might be

Of help in your defense.

But probably won't be.

Yeah. Nice lighter.

- Okay.

- How old are you?

Twenty-eight. How long

Have you been in the service?

Since '50.

Seen any action? Korea.

Have any decorations? Plenty.

Is this your first marriage?

No.

You're not on the witness stand.

You don't have to answer yes or no.

Just give me the

Matrimonial rundown.

- Is this necessary?

- I'll be the judge of that.

My first wife divorced me.

Charged cruelty. [Chuckles]

Eating crackers in bed.

You know, the usual stuff.

Truth was, she found

Another guy when I was in korea.

I met laura four

Years ago in georgia.

We were married

Right after her divorce.

Did you know the husband?

He was in my outfit down there.

You mean you were buddies?

I'll withdraw the question.

That's a little old-fashioned.

Have there been any children by

Or from any of these marriages?

No. Any present prospects?

Not unless barney

Quill started something.

What kind of a g*n

Did you use on quill?

w*r souvenir. Luger.

The police have it now.

I suppose you've read the newspapers?

The stories about your case?

Some of them. Are they

Substantially correct?

Yes. And you didn't see quill

r*pe and beat your wife?

No. No.

When she got back,

Uh, to the trailer,

She told me what had happened.

Then how long was it before you

Went over to quill's and k*lled him?

I don't know exactly.

Maybe an hour.

That long, huh?

Now, the newspapers say that your wife

Volunteered to take a lie detector test.

You know anything about this?

Only what I read

And what she told me.

Do you know how

The test turned out?

They didn't tell her. Yes, sulo?

Polly, we got lunch served for

The jail. You want to eat with us?

Does your sister

Still cook for the jail?

Oh, sure. She cooks. Uh-huh.

Well, you give her

My compliments, sulo.

I've got a luncheon

Date downtown. Nice go...

I'll be back after

Lunch. Look, uh...

I'm sorry if I offended you

A while ago. No, you're not.

Come on, bucko.

Thank you.

Pass the salt, polly.

Thank you.

Did you give the lieutenant

The well-known lecture?

If you mean did I coach

Him into a phony story, no.

Maybe you're too pure, paul.

Too pure for the natural

Impurities of the law.

Could be that you owe the

Lieutenant a chance to find a defense.

Could also be that you

Might guide him a little,

Show him the way, and let

Him decide if he wants to take it.

Want some salt?

No. I'm not ready.

Anyway, I'm not the right

Lawyer for this fellow.

He's insolent. Hostile.

You don't have to love

Him. Just defend him.

What's the matter?

Don't you need a fee?

You know something? I think

You might be a little bit afraid.

Afraid of what? That

You might get licked.

You know, there's only one thing

More devious than a philadelphia lawyer,

And that's an irish lawyer.

Pass the salt.

Put it down. Put it down.

Hello there. I usually

Answer to the name paul.

Are we gonna have

Some more jokes?

Not unless you

Want to be the comic.

Oh. I brought you

Some cigarettes.

Oh, thanks. Peace?

Oh, sure. Fine, fine.

Now, lieutenant,

There are four ways

I can defend m*rder.

Number one, it wasn't m*rder.

It was suicide or accidental.

Number two, you didn't do it. Number

Three, you were legally justified,

Like the protection of

Your home or self-defense.

Number four, the

k*lling was excusable.

Where do I fit into

This rosy picture?

I'll tell you where you don't fit.

You don't fit in any of the first three.

Why? Why wouldn't I be legally justified

In k*lling the man who r*ped my wife?

Time element. If

You'd caught him in the

Act, the sh**ting

Might have been justified,

But you didn't catch him.

You had time to bring in the

Police, and you didn't do that, either.

You're guilty of m*rder,

Premeditated and with vengeance.

That's first-degree

m*rder in any court of law.

Are you telling

Me to plead guilty?

When I advise you to

Cop out, you'll know.

"Cop out"? That's plead

Guilty and ask for mercy.

If you're not telling me to cop

Out, what are you telling me to do?

I'm not telling you anything. I just want

You to understand the letter of the law.

- Go on.

- Go on with what?

Whatever it is

You're getting at.

You know, you're

Very bright, lieutenant.

Now let's see how

Really bright you can be.

Well... I'm working at it.

All right. Because

Your wife was r*ped,

You'll have a favorable

Atmosphere in the courtroom.

The sympathy will be with

You, if all the facts are true.

What you need is a

Legal peg so that the jury

Can hang up their

Sympathy in your behalf.

You follow me? Mm-hmm.

What's your legal

Excuse, lieutenant?

What's your legal excuse

For k*lling barney quill?

Not justification, huh?

Not justification.

Excuse.

J-just excuse.

What excuses are there?

How should I know? You're

The one that plugged quill.

- I must've been mad.

- How's that?

I said I must've been mad.

A bad temper's no excuse.

Well, I mean, uh... I... I

Must've been crazy.

Am I getting warmer?

Okay, sulo. Paul?

Am I getting warmer?

I'll tell you that after

I talk to your wife.

In the meantime, see if you can

Remember just how crazy you were.

[Typewriter keys tapping]

Mrs. Manion here yet?

She's been waiting

Quite a while.

She's been through all your

Albums from dixieland to brubeck.

What do you think

Of her? Soft, easy.

The kind men like to

Take advantage of.

And do. Did you

Get any money? Huh?

Money! Oh. Oh, no. I haven't

Decided to take the case yet.

[Keys tapping] you know,

You surprise me sometimes.

Why? I've been around.

Yeah, well...

♪♪ [Loud dixieland jazz] hi.

Hi.

I, uh... ♪♪ [Stops]

I hope you don't mind. I

Think we'd better talk.

You're a funny kind of a lawyer.

The music, I mean. Aren't

Lawyers supposed to like music?

Well, not that kind of music.

Well, I guess that settles

It. I'm a funny kind of lawyer.

Where's your home, mrs.

Manion? Where'd you go to school?

Where'd you live when you were

Growing up? No place in particular.

We sort of moved around. My father

Was a boomer, construction boomer.

Building dams, mostly.

You can call me laura.

Is your family still

Alive, laura? No.

I don't know. I have some

Cigarettes around here someplace.

Do you want a cigarette?

No, I wanted to offer you one.

- You could light it for me.

- Oh, yes.

Here.

That's just like your

Husband's, isn't it? Mm-hmm.

He gave me this because

I liked the one he had.

He's like that. He gives

Me presents all the time.

Do you have a happy marriage?

Yes.

What went wrong

With the first marriage?

Well, what went wrong

Is when I went for manny.

Well, that's honest enough.

It was more than just that. Like I

Told you, I grew up on the move,

And jack... That was

My first husband...

Jack didn't like to move. He wouldn't even

Take a transfer when he had the chance.

I was really bored.

Manny likes to go. We're always

Going, whenever we get the chance.

We've been all

Over. I'm thirsty.

Water? Or would a beer do?

I think a beer would do fine.

Maida, bring me a

Bottle of beer, will you?

Are you married? No.

That's nice.

What do you do alone in this

House if you aren't married?

Well, it's the family home.

I'm the last of the family.

There you are. Thank you.

Aren't you having one?

No, not right now. Thanks.

There you are. [Dog whines]

Oh, could muff have a little? In

That ashtray, maybe. He loves beer.

You want a beer

For the dog? Mm-hmm.

Here we are.

He'll go to sleep now.

Isn't he cute? Yeah.

Well, how about

It? Are you ready?

I mean, are you ready

To tell me the story?

I know what you mean.

Yeah. Well, now, suppose you tell me

Everything you told the state police...

Plus everything you

Didn't tell the state police.

Where shall I begin? What time

Did you leave for quill's bar?

Right after dinner.

About 8:30, I guess.

Manny was late getting

Home from the firing range,

So we had dinner and he

Laid down and went to sleep.

I hadn't been out of the

Trailer almost all day,

So I took muff and a flashlight

And walked over to the bar.

I bought a drink and played the

Pinball machine. Many people in the bar?

Not many. Barney came over

And challenged me to a game.

For drinks, you know. How

Well did you know barney?

Well, he owned this bar where

Manny and I went sometimes. That's all.

Had he ever made a pass at

You? No. Nothing like that at all.

Was he drinking

Heavily that night?

He didn't seem to be. At least

Not when we were playing pinball.

Were you with him the

Whole time you were there?

Oh, no. There were

Other people playing too.

What time did you leave the bar?

Oh, about 11:00, I guess.

I left by the side door. Muff

Was carrying the flashlight.

He carries it in his mouth.

He's so cute running along ahead

With the light shining. Was he sober?

Muff? Of course he was sober.

Oh, you're joking now, aren't you!

Yes, I'm joking. Uh, go on.

Well, barney came from

Somewhere. Not the door I left by.

And he said he was going my

Way and he could drive me home.

He said the bears had been prowling around

That night and I oughtn't to walk home.

The bears come out of the woods at night

To scavenge. They're harmless, aren't they?

Yeah. I suppose I wouldn't

Have been afraid in

The daylight. Well,

The dark isn't the same.

Yes, I know. Now, you

Got into barney's car.

I got in and he drove straight to

The trailer park. He made overtures?

No, nothing. When we

Got to the trailer park,

The auto gate was closed.

Mr. Lemon closes it about

11:00 Or a little after.

So I thanked barney and

Started to get out of the car,

But he said that there

Wasn't any need for me to walk,

That he could drive me into

The park on another road.

I didn't know there was another road, but

He drove on before I could say yes or no.

Were you alarmed? No.

I'm not usually afraid of men.

And anyway, he hadn't touched

Me or said anything out of the way.

Well, doesn't a woman sort of instinctively

Know when a fellow's on the make?

Oh, sure. But that's

Only usual with me.

With men, almost all

Men. Ever since I was a kid.

You, for instance.

You're interested.

But there isn't any

Reason to be afraid of you.

It was like that with barney.

Mrs. Manion, believe

Me, I'm not in the least...

Call me laura.

Uh, laura.

I'm only interested in helping

Your husband. Nothing more.

Oh, I don't mean

You'd try anything.

I just mean it's... It's

The way you look at me.

Well, it'd be very difficult

Not to look at you.

Oh, the way I dress, you

Mean? You don't like it?

I love it. I just love it.

Now, we'd better keep

Moving along with this thing.

Now, uh, how were

You dressed that night?

Oh, in a sweater

Like this and a skirt.

And the rest. What about that?

Underneath?

I had on a slip and

Panties and a bra.

No girdle? I don't need a girdle.

Do you think I need a girdle?

I don't know!

I don't know. How sh...

Look, I'm only concerned

With a few facts...

That might be of help to me in

The defense of your husband.

That's all. Well,

I don't wear one.

Okay. No girdle.

Okay. All right.

Now, go on. Well, he turned off

The highway into a lane in the woods,

And he stopped the car

And turned off the lights.

And then he grabbed

Me, and he said,

"I'm gonna r*pe

You." Just like that.

Did he use those words?

Exactly those words.

Muff began to bark, so he

Threw him out the window.

I could hear little muffy whining

Outside the car all through it.

Barney began to

Try to get at me,

And I fought him off as best I

Could, but he was terribly strong.

Did you cry out? Did you scream?

It didn't seem to be much

Use, out there in the woods.

He began to shout names at me like

"Army sl*t" and some other names.

And then he drew back

And hit me with his fist.

He hit me again, and I

Didn't fight anymore.

I must've been only half conscious,

But I know that he tore my panties off...

And did what he wanted.

The newspapers said that a doctor examined

You, and he didn't think you'd been r*ped.

I don't care what the doctor thought.

A woman doesn't mistake these things.

All right. All right.

Now, go ahead.

Well, i...

I don't know exactly what

Happened then. I must've fainted.

But the next thing I

Remember, the car was moving.

Barney was driving very fast,

And he was breathing hard.

An ugly, gasping sound.

We were on the main

Road to the trailer park,

And he swung in by

The gate and stopped.

I opened the door to

Get out. Muffy jumped out

First, with a lighted

Flashlight in his mouth.

Wait a minute. I thought you said he'd

Thrown muff out of the car in the woods.

Well, he did, but muff was

In the car when we got back.

He must've let him

Back in. I don't remember.

All right. You opened the

Door, and muff got out first.

Before I could get

Out, barney grabbed me...

And said he was gonna tear all

My clothes off and attack me again.

I got away and ran. I could see

Muff at an opening in the fence.

He was scooting back and

Forth with the flashlight.

Barney caught me from

Behind, and I fell to the ground.

He fell on top of me and began

To beat me again with his fists.

I thought he was gonna k*ll me.

I screamed, and somehow or

Other I got to my feet again and ran.

I went through the opening in

The fence and followed muffy.

He was running

With the flashlight.

And I kept following the light

Until he led me to our trailer.

And you didn't see barney again?

Never laid eyes on

Him again, dead or alive.

Well, i...

I think that's enough for now.

I've got lots of

Time. All you want.

Where can I reach you?

I'm still in thunder bay, but I can

Drive down again in the morning.

- Was there something else?

- No.

Thanks for letting

Me play the records.

You're very welcome.

Thanks a lot. Bye.

Who's that? The

Lady in the case.

Oh. And you're not

Gonna take the case, huh?

Well, I don't know. That depends on

What manion has to tell me tomorrow.

He's thinking things out.

Oh, well, that's more like it.

Now, if I take the

Case, I want you in it.

Me? In a big m*rder case?

Why, polly, the sight

Of this whiskey drinking

Old man at the counsel

Table would ruin you.

I need you. Do you mean that?

Why else would he say it?

Well, I'd be glad to work with

You outside of the courtroom,

But not in the courtroom.

Well, suit yourself

About that. Either way,

I'm gonna have to be

Able to depend on you.

Will you lay off the booze?

I don't know. I don't

Know about that, polly.

Why don't you know?

Do you think I could

Lay off the booze?

[Maida] ever tried it?

Try it.

I've never been on

A big m*rder case.

Not once in all my life.

It's up to you, parn.

Would you be around tonight?

Yeah. Yeah. I'll be around.

You know, maida, darlin',

I might manage it.

I might manage to be

A real lawyer again.

For a little while, anyway.

I tried remembering.

There were still

Some pieces missing.

I remember...

Going to quill's bar with a g*n,

And I remember quill's

Face behind the bar.

But I don't remember anything

Else, not even going home.

Don't you remember

Firing the g*n?

Five shots. That's a

Lot of noise to forget.

Yeah, I remember hearing shots, but

They don't seem to be connected with me.

They seemed far away.

Like somebody else

Was doing the sh**ting.

Lieutenant manion,

I'll take your case.

Why, thanks.

Thanks, mr. Biegler.

All right. Now, there's

The little matter of a fee.

Three thousand dollars.

That's reasonable...

Oh, sure, sure. More

Than reasonable.

I'll have to pay you

Later. Right now I'm broke.

You're what? I'm

Broke. I'm flat busted.

I don't have three

Dollars, much less 3,000.

Can you raise it? Oh, yeah,

As soon as I get outta jail.

But, uh, next week's payday.

I'll be able to give you $150.

If you get me off, I'll give you a

Promissory note for the rest.

Suppose I don't go along with

You unless you pay me half the fee?

Well, I'll have to take a

Lawyer the court appoints.

I got my defense

Now. Right? Insanity.

I think I'll stick around and

Make damn sure you get off.

Where do we start? We're

Gonna need a psychiatrist.

As much as neither one of us has any money,

Do you think the army'll stir one up?

I know a colonel

In the pentagon.

I'll write a letter.

Good. Do that. Sulo.

Where are you going now?

I'm going to see your

Wife, for one thing.

Why? Didn't you

See her yesterday?

That's right. I did.

She's a very pretty

Woman, your wife.

A man gets used to the way his

Wife looks. Yeah. I can see that.

I'll see ya.

Come on in, polly. Come on in.

You haven't been in

Here since you vacated.

Hardly recognize

The old place, huh?

Mary did it for me. She just

Finished a decorator's course.

Smart girl. Very

Smart. Look at this.

A real, genuine picasso

Print. It's very nice.

Here. Try this chair. It

Sort of does things for you.

Sit right down.

[Mechanical rattling] great, isn't it?

Good for the nerves, they say.

Yeah. How do you shut

It off? Here we are.

Feel better? I feel

All shook up. Whew!

Uh, mitch. I just dropped by to tell

You I've got both feet in the manion case.

You're going to cop

Out, aren't you? No.

That's a mistake. It's open

And shut. Well, maybe. We'll see.

Judge maitland is

Still in the hospital.

Maybe you'd like to agree to a

Continuance until he gets back.

If we go with the case

Now, we'll have to try...

Before some grab bag

Judge they'll send in.

Me, I'd rather have

Maitland. Yeah. So would i.

But that'd also mean my

Client would lie around in jail...

Another two or three

Months before the trial.

Now, if you'll drop the

Charge to manslaughter...

So I can get him out on bail,

We'll agree to a continuance.

You wouldn't do that

If you were still d.a.

Oh, I don't know. I might.

I might, since a great big fat lie detector

Test has given proof to the r*pe story.

He'd have the jury with him.

How did you know what the lie...

Bit, didn't i? Yeah. You did.

Anyway, a lie detector test isn't

Admissible evidence. You can't use it.

No, but it carries moral weight.

Mitch, I wouldn't sit

In that chair too much.

It could shake a

Fellow's brains loose.

I'll see you later.

[Dog barks]

He remembers you,

Paul. He likes you.

He likes the beer

In my icebox. [Laughs]

What's the occasion

Today? A buffalo hunt?

I bought these in arizona

When we were stationed there.

Aren't they smart? I think they're

Very smart. Here. We can sit in my car.

Here you are.

Here you go, muffy.

Several things

Have occurred to me.

The, uh... The undergarments

That barney quill tore off.

Who has them now? The police?

You mean my panties?

All right. Your panties.

I haven't seen them since.

I gave the torn skirt

And sweater to the police,

And then I went with them up that lane

Into the woods to look for the panties.

But we couldn't find anything

But my glasses. Your glasses?

You mean you were wearing

Glasses through all that?

No. I had them in

A case in my hand.

I wear them for reading,

Playing pinball. Things like that.

I must've tried to get out of

The car and dropped them. Uh-huh.

You might be interested to

Know that your lie detector test...

Turned out in your favor.

Of course it did. I

Could've told you it would.

You weren't worried

About it? No. Why should I be?

Would you like to have

Something to worry about?

Silly. Like your husband

Watching us from his cell window?

All right. Let's have it.

Did he say something

To you? Just enough.

Are you afraid of him?

Yes.

Is that why you volunteered

For a lie detector test? For him?

Yeah. Mmm. Does he have

Reason to be jealous?

He was jealous even

Before we were married.

I should have known

How it would be.

It's funny though. He...

He likes to show me off.

He likes me to

Dress the way I do.

And then he gets furious if a

Man pays any attention to me.

I've tried to leave

Him, but I can't.

He begs. I give in.

If you think I've forgotten

My question, I haven't.

I have. All right.

All right. Then

I'll ask it again.

Does your husband have

Any reason to be jealous?

No. Not once. Not ever.

All right? You like

The place all right?

I was just lookin'

At these pictures.

That was barney quill, wasn't

It? That's right. Barney quill.

I'm paul biegler... I

Know who you are.

Seen you around iron city.

You didn't tell me your name.

Paquette. We don't open until 5:00.

That's all right. I can wait. I

Don't have the shakes yet. [Chuckles]

You were on the job

That night, weren't you?

The night barney

Quill was k*lled.

Like the newspaper

Said, I was present.

You were the fellow that

Stopped lieutenant manion outside.

That's right. He, uh... He

Pointed the g*n at me and said,

"You want some too, buster?" And you

Said no, because your name isn't buster.

There wasn't anything funny about it,

Mr. Biegler. No. There wasn't. I'm sorry.

Where were you when barney

Quill was k*lled, mr. Paquette?

[Sighs]

I gather you don't want to

Talk about that night, huh?

That's right. I don't

Want to talk about it.

Have to talk to me about

It in court. Why not now?

Because I don't have to

Now. Reason enough, okay?

Okay.

Okay. Old barney, he was kind of

A rugged character, wasn't he?

Ex-prize fighter, muscle

Man. Fancy with g*ns.

He paid his debts,

Ran a clean place.

Me, I liked him. You

Run the place now?

No, I just work here.

Mary's running things.

Mary. Was that barney's wife?

No. He wasn't... He didn't have

A wife. Mary was his manager.

Oh. Gee, wonder who's

Gonna inherit the place.

Mary, I guess. Mary again, huh?

What's the matter with that?

You mean what's the matter

With mary? I don't know.

Mary what? Pilant. Mary pilant.

She's in the back booth.

We don't talk about our

Customers here, but if we did...

Which we don't... Thank you.

[Whispers] that's her.

That's mary pilant.

Do you know lieutenant manion's

Wife? Sure. I know the lieutenant too.

He's a good officer.

She's all right too.

Friendly. Good kid. [Laughs]

What do you know

About it? Knock it off.

I didn't mean anything. She's a

Dish. What's the matter with that?

You want this lawyer

To get wrong ideas?

What chances has the

Lieutenant got, mr. Mccarthy?

Pretty good, I'd say, with a couple

Of character witnesses like you.

I'd like to help him

Out. I sure would, but

We're moving out. The

Whole outfit. Berlin.

Oh. Uh, tell me,

Who is this babe...

At the hotel?

Name's mary pilant. She

Was quill's private property.

Would you like a

Table, sir? Yes, please.

Will you be alone? I'll

Be joined by two others.

May I take your hat? Well,

Thank you. Thank you very much.

How was the manicure?

Just ask me any questions about

Anybody. I've got all the dope.

Can you tell me about a woman

By the name of mary pilant? Easy.

Mary pilant may or may not have

Been the mistress of the late b. Quill.

Oh? The manicurist is in

Favor of the mistress theory,

But the hairdresser

Is against it.

However, they both agree that some

Sort of hanky-panky must've been going on.

To be continued. Menu?

Thank you.

Pretty, huh? Yes,

She's very pretty.

Well, go on.

Well, anyway, there's one story that says

Barney's wild night with mrs. Manion...

Was somehow

Triggered by mary pilant.

Seemed she'd been running around with

Some soldier, and barney blew his stack.

He got tanked up and

Exploded. Is mary pilant local?

No, she's a canadian. Barney brought

Her in here to sort of dress up the place,

And she stayed on

To manage it for him.

Looks like she's done all right. Better

Than all right. She's in for the estate.

Oh? She doesn't look

Like a bad sort, does she?

Hmm? Where? What

Do you mean, where?

The pretty one with the

Menus. This girl right here?

Uh, miss pilant, may

I introduce myself?

I'm paul biegler, attorney

For lieutenant manion.

This is mrs. Rutledge and

Mr. Mccarthy, my associates.

How do you do? I wonder if you

Could sit with us for a minute?

Yes, I can take a

Minute. Thank you.

I'd like to ask you a few

Things, if you don't mind.

What sort of

Things, mr. Biegler?

Like what kind of a

Man your employer was,

Mr. Quill. A very nice man.

If that's true, how do you explain what

Happened with lieutenant manion's wife?

I don't know what happened

With lieutenant manion's wife,

So there really isn't anything

For me to explain, is there?

Your loyalty to the dead mr. Quill

Is very touching, miss pilant.

Barney was well liked here

By everyone, mr. Biegler.

It was very generous of

Everyone to overlook his

Little faults, like

Raping other men's wives.

If you'll pardon me,

The waitress will take your

Order when you're ready.

Nice to have met you, mr. Biegler,

Mr. Mccarthy, mrs. Rutledge.

You've just been

Generous, lieutenant.

Ten, twenty... [Sulo] manion.

Any word, lieutenant? Yeah.

This. From washington.

They'll let a doctor come to

Testify, but there's a string on it.

They want me to go to an army

Hospital in detroit for an examination.

Doesn't the army understand you're

In jail on a non-bailable offense?

That's it, as far as

The army's concerned.

I don't know how I can get around

This. I'll try and think of something.

Look. My wife hasn't been here

For two days. Have you seen her?

No, not for a while.

Where the hell is she?

You've got other

Things to worry about.

I'll get in touch with your

Wife. I'll tell her you miss her.

Yeah. You tell her that.

Thanks, sulo. Okay, polly.

I know just how

You feel, lieutenant.

I'd be tearin' my hair out too if I

Had something like that outside.

Something like what

Outside? You know what I mean.

Something like that,

Running around on the loose.

[Yells]

Now, what's the

Big noise, buckoes?

It's me, dummy. I hit my

Elbow on this lousy iron bar.

Oh. You want some

Rubbing alcohol, maybe?

Nah. But a little

Bourbon might help.

[Men laugh] knock it off.

Knock it off, buckoes.

Let's finish the

Game, lieutenant.

♪♪ [Jazz]

♪♪ [Continues]

Oh! Hey! What a crazy

Lawyer we've got.

Hiya, polly. That's what

They call you, isn't it? Polly?

That's a crazy name

For a crazy lawyer!

Thanks for letting

Me sit in, pie-eye.

Hey, you're not splitting

The scene, man? Huh?

I mean, you're not cuttin'

Out? No, I'll be back.

Well, hi, polly. Fellas,

This is manny's lawyer.

How are ya? Sit down, won't you?

Sorry, I can't right now. Mrs. Manion,

May I talk to you for a moment, outside?

"Mrs. Manion"? I thought we dropped

The formalities a long time ago.

I think maybe we'd better pick

Them up again. This is important.

All right. I'll go with

You. All right, come on.

Hey! You're coming back, aren't

You? Sure. What do you think?

See ya later, pie-eye. Okay.

Did you get my phone

Message? Yeah, but I got busy.

Why haven't you been

To see your husband?

I don't see why I have

To see him every day.

It'd be a very

Good idea if you did.

All right. I'll see

Him every day. Okay?

No, not okay. Where's your car?

I came with them. All right.

Mine's right over here.

Wait a second! I've

Got friends inside.

Friends or no friends, you're

Goin' home. Who do you think you are?

I'm the lawyer trying to beat a rap

For your husband! Do you remember?

What's that got to do with...

Wait. Now, you listen. You listen.

Until this trial is over, you're

Gonna be a meek little housewife...

With horn-rimmed spectacles, and you're

Gonna stay away from men and juke joints...

And booze and pinball machines,

And you're gonna wear a

Skirt and low-heeled shoes,

And you're gonna wear a

Girdle... And especially a girdle.

Look, laura, believe

Me, I don't usually

Complain of an

Attractive jiggle, but just...

You save that jiggle for your husband to

Look at, if and when I get him out of jail!

Now, come on. Let's go.

I'm sorry. I really am.

I wouldn't hurt manny's

Chances for anything.

Come on. Come on.

Is this about where

Barney knocked you down?

Yeah. Right over here.

Over there is the

Opening in the fence

Where muffy was running

With the flashlight.

Where's your trailer?

Up there on the hill.

This is my favorite place.

Sometimes when manny was

Sleeping, I'd come out here and just sit.

I had to get out

Of that trailer. I

Couldn't stand being

Cooped up all the time.

I'm... I'm lonely, paul.

I'm awful lonely.

I wouldn't have gone to that

Roadhouse if it weren't for that, you know.

Maybe you're getting in some

Good practice being lonely.

You mean you think

Maybe manny won't get off?

That'll be up to the jury, and

You can never tell about them.

If he didn't, it'd be

One way to end it.

No. I don't mean that. I...

I may think it sometimes,

But I don't really want it.

Hello, sweetie. Did ya miss me?

Of course you missed me.

You wanna come in, paul?

You can if you

Want to, you know.

No, thank you, laura.

I'm sorry I had to spoil

Your fun over at that place.

I...

Good night, laura. Good night.

Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye.

The circuit court for the county

Of iron cliffs is now in session.

You can be seated.

For those of you I haven't

Met, my name is weaver.

I'm from downstate,

And I'm sitting

Temporarily while your

Good judge maitland...

Is recovering from

A severe illness.

There's no need, I think, to

Dwell at length upon my methods.

One judge is quite like another.

The only differences may be in

The state of their digestions...

Or their proclivities

For sleeping on the bench.

For myself, I can

Digest pig iron.

And while I might appear

To doze occasionally,

You'll find that

I'm easily awakened,

Particularly if shaken gently by a

Good lawyer with a nice point of law.

We will now take up the

Criminal docket. Case number one.

The people v. Clarence madigan.

Breaking and entering

In the nighttime.

Will the defendant

Rise and come forward?

That's me, your honor.

"State of michigan,

Court of iron cliffs.

"I, mitchell lodwick,

Prosecuting attorney,

"Come into said county of iron cliffs

And give the court to understand...

"That one clarence madigan,

"Alias 'one-shot' madigan,

Alias 'smoky' madigan,

"Did break and enter the

Dwelling house of casper katz,

And did there commit the felony

Of larceny on said premises."

Does mr. Madigan

Have an attorney?

Oh, no. A man's gotta have money

To ask them fellows the time of day.

Mr. Madigan, if you're

Impoverished, it's my duty...

To appoint an attorney

On your behalf.

Oh, I wouldn't bother, your

Honor. I stole the whiskey.

I'm guilty as hell. It was a full case

Of expensive bourbon, your honor.

Did you sell this whiskey?

Oh, no. I drank it. All of it?

You bet, judge.

Are you aware that it will be

Necessary to punish you for this crime?

It was worth it, your honor.

Well, I'll accept your plea of guilty,

Mr. Madigan. You'll be sentenced later.

- You may now return

To your place.

- Thanks, your honor.

Case number two. The

People v. Frederick manion.

The charge: m*rder.

Paul biegler for the defendant. My

Formal appearance is already on file.

Which of these men is

Your client, mr. Biegler?

None of them, your

Honor. Mr. Sheriff,

Will you produce the prisoner?

Well, I'm afraid I can't

Do that, your honor.

Perhaps someone should

Explain. I'm not clairvoyant.

The defendant is in detroit being

Examined by a psychiatrist, your honor.

Shouldn't the court

Have been consulted...

Before the defendant was

Allowed to leave its jurisdiction?

Well, your honor, we're dealing

With the army in this matter,

And this was the only crack the army would

Give us at one of their psychiatrists.

The court was not present,

And it was very urgent...

That we get the defendant

To the psychiatrist.

What does the attorney

For the people say to this?

It was done with my

Knowledge, your honor.

I've always heard that this upper peninsula

Of our fair state was a q*eer place.

If it's customary here

To allow a man charged

With first-degree m*rder

To wander about at will,

I don't suppose it behooves

An outsider to point out...

That the law makes no provision

For such quaint liberalism.

Your honor, the

Defendant is in the care of

A deputy and will be

Returned this afternoon.

We'll formally arraign

The defendant on his return.

For the sake of the docket, can

You give me a clue as to his plea?

The defendant will waive reading

Of the information and stand mute.

A plea of not guilty

Will be entered.

The case of frederick manion will

Be placed first on the trial docket.

Can you hurry it up, polly?

Somebody tells that judge...

The prisoner was lounging

Around the railroad

Station, he'll really

Give me the works.

Just take a minute,

Sheriff. Okay.

Come on over here.

Well, lieutenant,

How'd things turn out?

I was temporarily insane.

Did he tell you that?

Yeah. Said he's gonna

Write you a letter,

But I took some notes on my own.

Doctor's name is smith. Smith.

Anatole rugby smith or

Ludwig von smith, I hope.

A name like that would impress

The jury. Just plain matthew smith.

He said that when I shot quill, I was

Suffering from dissociative reaction.

Dissociative reaction. Sounds

Pretty good, doesn't it, parn?

Yeah. What does it mean in

Plain english? It means I had...

An irresistible

Impulse to sh**t quill.

That's okay, isn't it? But what did he

Say about your knowing the difference...

Between right and wrong

When you shot quill?

I don't think he said anything.

Why? Is that important?

You better not keep the

Sheriff waiting. You better go.

[Mccarthy] thank you, sheriff.

You ever heard of a michigan court

Accepting irresistible impulse as insanity?

No. Maybe we better

Switch to self-defense.

Even mitch lodwick would

Make a monkey out of us on that.

[Belches] damn strawberry soda.

Here. Want a peanut? No, thanks.

Well, tomorrow's saturday.

We just have the

Weekend before the trial.

When do you want to start

Working? Tomorrow morning, early.

[Bell chiming]

[Rustling]

- Polly!

- Hey, listen to this, parn.

Never mind that. Just find...

People v. Durfee, 62

Michigan, 486. Year 1886.

Yeah, that's it. I have it

Right here in the a.l.r.

Listen. "The right-and-wrong test,

Though condemned as being unscientific,

Is adhered to by most

Of the states, but..."

Listen to this "but." "But the fact that

One accused of committing a crime...

"May have been able to comprehend the

Nature and the consequences of this act...

And to know that it was

Wrong, nevertheless..."

Dear, sweet, endearing

Word, "nevertheless"!

"Nevertheless, if he was forced

To its execution by an impulse...

"By an impulse which he

Was powerless to control,

He will be excused

From punishment."

Why, the michigan supreme court

Did accept irresistible impulse, parn.

This is precedent! Boy, I think

We got ahold of something here.

Good old durfee, 1886.

How about that. Give me a pad.

By the saints, this

Strawberry soda pop is

Beginning to taste like

Real bourbon whiskey.

Well, don't get drunk yet.

We've got to convince a jury...

That our client was

Irresistibly impulsed.

Remember that.

Ladies and

Gentlemen of the jury.

Before we proceed further, it will

Be necessary for me to examine you...

On your qualifications

To sit as jurors.

Will you please remember

That you are under oath?

Are all of you citizens?

Will you please raise

Your hand if you are not.

Are there any justices of the peace or

Law enforcement officers among you?

[Jury] no.

Are any of you related by blood or

Marriage to any law enforcement officer?

[Jury] no. So much

For qualifications.

I will now examine for cause.

Do any of you have any

Business pending with

The prosecuting

Attorney, mitchell lodwick?

[Jury] no.

Do any of you have any business

Pending with paul biegler,

Attorney for the defense? No.

Are any of you acquainted

With the defendant,

Sitting there on

Mr. Biegler's left?

[Jury] no. Will

Mrs. Laura manion,

The defendant's

Wife please stand?

Do any of you know

Mrs. Manion? No.

Thank you, mrs. Manion.

You may be seated.

Counsel may challenge

The jury for cause.

Your honor, before

Counsel's challenge, may

I introduce mr. Claude

Dancer to the court?

Mr. Dancer is an assistant

Attorney general from lansing.

Because of the peculiar

Nature of this case,

I have requested the

Attorney general...

To allow mr. Dancer to

Sit in with the prosecution.

Your reputation

Precedes you, mr. Dancer.

It's a privilege to

Have you in my court.

Thank you, your honor. I'm

Sure it will be instructive.

Do any of you jurors

Have any business pending...

Before the attorney

General's office? No.

I must apologize for

My disparaging remarks...

About the upper

Peninsula and its customs.

I've seldom seen a m*rder jury

Selected and sworn in less than half a day.

You have won my heart

Completely, gentlemen.

Now, mr. Dancer, you asked for

The recess. What's your problem?

There was a little suggestion

I wanted to make, your honor.

By all means. Since the

Defense plea is insanity,

The prosecution has

Retained a psychiatrist.

Under the statute we have the right

To petition for a mental examination...

Of the defendant

By our own doctor.

Are you familiar with

That statute, mr. Biegler?

Uh-huh. Moderately.

I think it would only delay

Things to file a formal petition,

So why don't we get

Together and informally

Agree to ask his honor

For an adjournment.

Only a day or so, and our doctor

Can visit with the defendant.

I think it would save everyone

Time. Don't you, mr. Biegler?

Yes, I'm sure it would. Good.

But suppose you just file

That formal petition anyway.

Of course, you're a

Little late, aren't ya?

Oh, maybe his honor

Will overlook that.

And then, I'd sort of

Like the jury to see...

You think our insanity

Plea has some merit.

There really won't be any need for

Our doctor to examine your client.

Naturally, I was only following the

Usual procedure. Naturally, I'm all for it.

Do you wish to file

The petition or not?

Yes, your honor... It

Won't be necessary.

That's right, it

Won't be necessary.

Skirmish over. Shall we join

Now on the field of battle?

The body of quill had

Sustained five g*nsh*t wounds.

One of the b*ll*ts had

Passed through the heart.

Death, in my opinion, was

Almost instantaneous,

And was directly

Caused by this wound.

Dr. Raschid, may I have your

Detailed report? Certainly.

I ask that this report be marked

People's exhibit one for identification.

So received and marked.

The people hand the

Defense a copy of the report.

Counsel may cross-examine.

Dr. Raschid, your primary purpose was to

Ascertain the cause of death, was it not?

Yes. And yet, I read in your

Report here, that you checked...

To determine whether spermatogenesis was

Occurring in the body at the time of death.

Objection, your honor. The people call this

Witness only to show the cause of death.

Your honor, the entire

Report was offered as evidence,

And the report contains this

Information about spermatogenesis.

Overruled, mr. Lodwick.

The witness may answer.

Yes, I made that

Examination on the deceased.

Would you tell the

Court your findings?

Spermatogenesis was

Occurring at the time of death.

In other words, the deceased, in life,

Was not sterile. He could produce children.

That is correct. Now, doctor,

If a woman says she has had

Intercourse with a certain man,

And the man is proved fertile, even though

No evidence is found in the woman's body,

Could a lawyer... Say a

Prosecuting attorney...

Could he use this as evidence

That the woman is lying?

Your honor. I object to

This line of questioning.

We're not concerned with whether there have

Been relations between a man and a woman.

Your honor, as long as an examination

For spermatogenesis has been made,

At least we're entitled to know

Why. Overruled. You may answer.

Yes. Prosecution could use that,

Though it certainly would not

Be conclusive that she was lying.

Why not? There could be several

Reasons the test on her was negative.

The use of a contraceptive,

Or possibly there was no

Completion on the part of the man.

Now, on this postmortem were you

Also asked to determine whether...

The deceased had reached a sexual

cl*max shortly before his death?

No, sir. Could you have

Made such a determination?

Oh, yes. So you were only

Asked to make such examination...

As might be useful to the prosecution,

None that might help the defense?

I object, your honor. The

Question is argumentative.

Counsel is trying to impugn the intent

Of the representatives of the people.

Mr. Biegler, you must be aware

That the question is improper.

I withdraw the question,

Your honor, and apologize.

The question and

Answer will be stricken,

And the jury will disregard

Both the question and the answer.

That's all the questions I had.

No redirect. The people

Now call lloyd burke.

[Bailiff] will the witness

Step forward, please.

[Whispering] how can a jury

Disregard what it's already heard?

They can't,

Lieutenant. They can't.

The whole truth, and nothing

But the truth, so help you god?

I do. Sit down, please.

Will you state your

Profession, please, mr. Burke?

I'm a commercial photographer.

Were you called upon by the police...

To take photographs of the body

Of the deceased bernard quill...

Before and after he was

Removed from the scene of death?

Yes, sir, I was. Were these photographs

Of the deceased made by you?

They were.

The recorder will

Please mark these people's

Exhibit 2a to 2d

For identification.

Photographs are tendered

To the defense for examination,

And the people move their

Admission as evidence. Your witness.

Uh, no questions. No objections.

He took pictures of me too.

Just a minute, mr. Burke.

Uh, mr. Burke,

These photographs

Offered as evidence,

Are they the only photographs

You took that night?

Why, uh, no.

I suppose the others

Didn't turn out. Is that it?

All my pictures turn out!

[Spectators laugh] of

Course. I beg your pardon.

Did you give the other

Pictures to the police?

- Yes, sir, I did.

- Well, what were they?

Were they side shots, or a

Shot of the moon, perhaps?

Or a black bear

Scavenging the dump?

[Spectators laugh] I object! I can't see

How other photographs are relevant.

The photographs in

Evidence were introduced

To show the deceased

Met with a violent death.

Your honor, I should

Think that any photograph

Pertaining to the

Case would be relevant.

The point is good,

Mr. Biegler. Continue.

What were these other

Photographs of, mr. Burke?

Lieutenant manion's wife.

You mean these

Photographs showed how she

Looked that night after

Barney quill was k*lled?

Yes. Your honor, how

She looked is irrelevant.

No evidence has been introduced to

Connect mrs. Manion's appearance...

To a charge of

m*rder. [Judge] sustained.

I'm sorry, your honor.

I wanted to make sure

The prosecution wasn't

Withholding evidence.

Now, look here!

I protest to the defense

Attorney's persistent attacks...

On the motives of

The prosecution.

The jury will disregard the remark

Made by the attorney for the defense.

There is no reason to believe that the

Prosecution has not acted in good faith.

My apologies to the

Prosecution, and to the court.

But your honor, as long

As protests are being made,

I'd like to make a

Protest myself.

Now, I'm perfectly willing to take on

These two legal giants any time, any place,

But in all fairness, it

Ought to be one at a time.

I don't want these two fellows pitching

Knuckle ba*ls at me at the same time.

It seems to me you're batting

Close to a thousand, mr. Biegler,

But your point is well taken.

Whichever attorney

Opens with the witness,

He alone shall continue with that

Witness until the witness is excused.

Thank you, your honor.

No more questions.

No questions.

My, we're drawing well,

Aren't we? Where's parnell?

Parnell? Why? Isn't he here?

No, he's not here. He's not in his rooming

House, and he hasn't been there all night.

You were the last to

See him. Where is he?

I promised not to

Tell, so don't ask me.

Aw, he hasn't fallen off

The wagon? No. He was sober.

Is he gone somewhere? He did

Borrow my car for something or other.

Your car? That was smart! He

Hasn't driven a car in 20 years.

He'll k*ll himself.

Where's he gone?

My word is my bond.

♪♪ [Humming]

Good morning,

Ladies and gentlemen.

[Jury] good morning.

You may proceed.

Your honor, the, uh...

The defense notices a third

Person at the prosecution's table.

We were wondering if the court

Shares our curiosity as to just who he is.

I was about to introduce him.

Your honor, this gentleman

Is dr. W. Gregory harcourt.

Dr. Harcourt is the people's

Psychiatrist in this case.

We asked that dr. Harcourt be allowed

To sit at our table as an observer.

What are you gonna have him

Observe... The constellation of taurus,

Or the life and times

Of a bumblebee? [Laughter]

To observe the defendant,

Of course. Oh! That's fine.

The defense has no objection, your

Honor. I just wish to express my relief...

That the new recruit is not additional

Legal reinforcements from lansing.

[Spectators chuckle] [lodwick]

Call alphonse paquette.

Raise your right hand, please.

You do solemnly swear that the

Testimony you shall give in this cause...

Shall be the truth, the whole truth and

Nothing but the truth, so help you god?

[Paquette] I do. Take

A seat, please.

Will you state your name,

Please. Alphonse paquette.

You work at the thunder bay

Inn, don't you, mr. Paquette?

I'm bartender there. Were you working

On the night that quill was shot by manion?

I was. Were you a

Witness to the sh**ting?

I was. Will you tell us in your

Own words, please, what happened?

I was at a table by the

Door when lt. Manion came in.

Did you know lt. Manion by

Sight and by name? Yes, sir.

Go ahead. Well, he came in

And walked over to the bar...

And began to sh**t.

He shot barney when he came up

To the bar, and when barney fell,

He kept on sh**ting down

At barney, behind the bar.

Then he turned

Around and walked out.

When lt. Manion entered the

Bar how did he appear to you?

Well, he walked slow.

Kind of deliberate, I

Guess you could say.

Did he speak to barney

Quill? Not a word.

Just walked over and

Pulled out his g*n, and bang.

And then he walked out. Yes.

When he walked out,

How did he appear to you?

He seemed just like he

Did when he walked in.

Like he was a mailman

Delivering the mail.

[Lodwick] when lt. Manion walked

Out of the bar, what did you do?

[Paquette] well, it happened

So fast, I guess I was stunned.

But then I ran out after

Him. Did you find him outside?

Yes, sir. He was walking

Away. Did you speak to him?

Yes, sir. I said, uh, "lieutenant,

You'd better not run away from this."

Did he reply to you?

He said, "do you want

Some too, buster?"

Was he pointing the g*n at you?

He was holding the g*n in my

Direction, but the muzzle was low.

When he said, "do you

Want some too, buster,"

How was that expressed?

Did he shout it?

Was it hysterical?

Was he hoarse? Did his

Voice tremble? No, sir.

He just said it cool and

Hard and looked right at me.

Did he appear to you,

As far as you could tell,

To be in complete

Possession of his faculties?

Yes, sir, far as I could

Tell. Your witness.

Mr. Paquette, did you

See laura manion, the

Wife of lt. Manion,

In the bar that night?

Your honor, there he goes again.

This is immaterial and irrelevant.

Your honor, I don't see

What the prosecution's

So jumpy about. I haven't

Gone anyplace yet.

Well, let's see where he's going

Before we start objecting, mr. Lodwick.

You may proceed, mr. Biegler.

Did you see mrs. Manion

In the bar that night?

She was there. Did barney

Quill leave the bar that night?

Yes. Do you remember

When he returned?

I think he came back

Around midnight.

From which entrance did he come?

Did he come from the lobby entrance...

Or from that, uh,

Outside entrance?

It was from the lobby.

- And how did he appear

To you at that time?

- How do you mean?

You understood the

Prosecuting attorney

Very well when he

Asked you that question...

About lt. Manion's appearance.

Oh, he was just old

Barney, like usual.

You mean he was just

Good old sober, reliable,

Gentle, salt-of-the-earth,

Friend-to-man barney? Your honor!

What kind of a question is

That? I withdraw the question.

Mr. Paquette,

Had barney changed his

Clothes since he left the bar?

- I don't remember.

- Might his clothing

Have been different?

That is, might he have

Changed his clothes?

I couldn't say. I didn't notice.

Was barney drinking that night?

Well, he... He always

Had a few shots...

While he was talking

To the customers.

- He was friendly.

- Oh, sure he was. Good old barney.

How many shots would you

Say good old barney usually had?

I don't know exactly.

Wasn't he, in fact,

Pretty loaded that night,

Mr. Paquette? Objection, your honor.

Even if the deceased was dead

Drunk, it's no defense to this charge.

Sustained. I suggest you

Get off this, mr. Biegler.

Mr. Paquette, what would you call a

Man with an insatiable penchant for women?

- A what?

- A penchant.

A desire, taste, passion.

A ladies' man, I guess.

Or maybe just a damn

Fool. [Spectators laugh]

Just answer the

Questions, mr. Paquette.

The attorneys will

Provide the wisecracks.

Well... [Laughs] what else

Would you call a man like that?

We can't see the drift

Of this, your honor.

You mean you do

See, mr. Lodwick.

- You may answer.

- Can you think of another name,

Mr. Paquette?

Woman chaser. Try again.

Masher?

Oh, now, come,

Now, mr. Paquette.

Mashers went out with

Whalebone corsets and hairnets.

[Spectators laugh] did you ever

Hear the expression "wolf"?

Sure, I heard that. It

Just slipped my mind.

Just slipped your

Mind. Naturally it would.

Clanking around in there with all

Those rusty old mashers. [Laughing]

Have you ever known a man who

You could call a wolf? I'm not sure.

Was barney quill a wolf,

Mr. Paquette? I couldn't say.

Or wouldn't? Objection!

Sustained. The question was

Answered. He said he couldn't say.

Mr. Paquette, when barney

Returned from wherever he had gone,

Did he relieve you

At the bar? Yes.

And what did he say to

You? That I'll take over.

When you came out from

Behind the bar, where did you go?

I went over to the table where

The pedersons were sitting.

You testified that you were by

The door when lt. Manion came in.

Is that the reason you were by the door,

Because the pedersons' table was there?

Yes. Uh-huh. And how long

Was it before lt. Manion came in?

I don't know exactly.

Maybe 30 minutes. And you remained

At the pedersons' table all that time.

Yes, they're friends of mine. Is

There also a window beside that table?

I think so. You think so.

How long have you worked

At the thunder bay inn?

About six or seven years. Well,

Does this window beside the table...

Does it suddenly vanish

And then reappear...

And come and go in

A ghostly fashion?

It's there all the

Time. While you were

Talking, did you happen

To look out the window?

I might have. And were you

Looking for something special?

No. No, I wasn't

Looking for anything.

Didn't barney quill tell you to go over to

That window and watch out for lt. Manion?

[Sighs]

Did he tell you to

Look out for lt. Manion?

He did not.

Mr. Paquette, barney was

Quite a marksman, wasn't he?

With g*ns. He'd won a lot of

Prizes for sh**ting, hadn't he?

Yes. Did he keep any

g*ns behind the bar?

Well, he might have.

Isn't it a fact that there

Are three concealed

p*stol racks behind

The bar, mr. Paquette?

Your honor, the defendant's plea

Is one of insanity, not self-defense.

I'm sure mr. Biegler hasn't

Forgotten that fact, mr. Lodwick.

You may answer. Are there

Concealed g*n racks behind the bar?

Yes. And how many people

Know about these g*n racks?

I couldn't say. Isn't it a fact

That barney, every once in a while,

He'd take the g*ns out of these

Racks, and twirling them on his fingers,

He'd demonstrate his

Skill to the patrons?

I don't remember. Oh, now,

Come on! Try and remember.

Did you ever see him do that

Yourself? Once or twice he did.

That's all, mr. Paquette.

[Lodwick] no further questions.

[Judge] the witness may step

Down. Call george lemon.

[Whispering] biegler's

Going off in all directions.

What's he getting at?

[Bailiff swearing in witness] I have a

Feeling he's afraid of what we'll get at.

Mr. Biegler's putting up a

Smoke screen for some reason.

I do. Take a seat, please.

Will you state your name,

Please? George lemon.

What kind of work

Do you do, mr. Lemon?

I'm caretaker of the

Tourist park in thunder bay.

I see the place is

Clean and orderly.

I check people in, check 'em

Out and lock the gate at night.

And what is your

Authority for these duties?

I'm paid by mastodon

Township, and I'm also

A deputy sheriff...

Just courtesy, sort of.

Did you see lt. Manion

On the night of the 15th?

The night barney quill

Was k*lled? Yes, sir.

Will you tell the court...

About how and when

You saw lt. Manion?

About 1:00 a.m., A knock

On my door waked me up.

I went to the door, and lt.

Manion was standing there.

He said, "you better take me, mr. Lemon,

Because I just shot barney quill."

I told him to go back to his trailer

And that I would call the state police.

How did lt. Manion appear to

You when he asked you to take him?

He said what he had to say and did

What I told him. There wasn't any fuss.

Did he appear to you to

Be, as far as you could tell,

In complete possession

Of his faculties?

As far as I could

Tell, yes, sir.

Take the witness.

Mr. Lemon, did you go to

The manions' trailer? Yes, sir.

Did you see mrs.

Manion at the trailer?

Yes, sir. What was

Her appearance?

She was a mess.

[Spectators laugh]

Objection. No evidence has been introduced

To make mrs. Manion's appearance relevant.

No evidence has been introduced to

Make barney quill's appearance relevant,

But you didn't object

To the question then.

Is that because you know that barney

Quill bathed and changed and cooled off...

After he r*ped and beat

Hell out of this poor woman?

Your honor, everybody in this court

Is being tried except frederick manion!

I must protest... Now, listen, this is a

Cross-examination in a m*rder case!

It's not a high school debate! What

Are you and dancer trying to do?

Railroad this

Soldier into the clink?

Mr. Biegler, you are an

Experienced attorney,

And you know better than

To make such an outburst.

I will not tolerate

Intemperance of this sort.

If you once again try

The patience of this court,

I shall hold you in contempt.

Sorry.

Your honor, I apologize,

And it won't happen again.

The witness's answer will be stricken,

And the jury will disregard the answer.

Now you may proceed,

Mr. Biegler. Yes, sir.

Mr. Lemon,

On the night when lt. Manion

Awakened you and turned himself in,

Had you been awakened before?

Had anything else disturbed

Your slumbers? No, sir.

There were no soldiers singing?

No, sir. Not in my park after 10:00.

There were no women screaming? Well,

Those screams were down by the gate.

Objection! Objection!

I see no reason for

Objecting yet, mr. Lodwick.

Tell us about those

Screams, mr. Lemon.

I didn't hear 'em myself. There were

Some tourists from ohio in the park,

And they heard 'em and told me

The next day. Now, mr. Lodwick.

This testimony is

Incompetent, hearsay,

Irrelevant, immaterial,

Inconclusive...

Well, that's too

Much for me. [Laughter]

The witness is yours,

Mr. Lodwick. Huh?

Oh, uh, no questions.

Witness may step down.

Call your next witness. Um...

Detective sergeant james durgo.

Hi, polly. [Whispering]

Hi, jim. Come here.

As soon as we break, you'd better

Phone that army psychiatrist.

Tell him to be here day

After tomorrow. Will do.

Will you please tell me

Where parnell has gone?

Won't do.

You're fired.

You can't fire

Me till you pay me.

[Man] detective sgt.

James durgo, state police.

[Lodwick] were you called to

Thunder bay by deputy sheriff lemon...

On the night that barney

Quill was shot and k*lled?

Yes, sir, I was. My

Companion officer and I

Were the first to be

Called in on the case.

Sgt. Durgo, when you arrived at

The manion trailer, who was there?

Lt. Manion and his

Wife were there.

What did lt. Manion say to you?

He said that his wife had had

Some trouble with barney quill.

He had gone to the

Tavern and shot quill.

He asked us whether quill was

Dead or not. We told him he was.

How did lt. Manion

Take this information?

He didn't seem surprised. What

Did you do then, sgt. Durgo?

I asked for the g*n he'd used.

Did you take lt. Manion to the county

Jail here in iron city on that same night?

Yes, sir. We drove the

Lieutenant down with his wife.

On the drive to iron city, did the

Lieutenant talk further about the sh**ting?

He remarked that if he had the whole

Thing to do over again, he'd still do it.

[Lodwick] during all this... At the

Trailer, the drive to iron city...

How did lt. Manion

Appear to you?

He was very quiet

Most of the time.

Seemed clearheaded. As far as

You could tell, would you say...

That he was in complete

Possession of his faculties?

Seemed so to me. Your witness.

Sgt. Durgo, you testified that lt. Manion

Told you that he shot barney quill...

After he learned that his wife

Had had some trouble with quill.

Now, were these the words

Lt. Manion used? "Some trouble"?

No, sir. Those were

My words, not his.

And was it your notion to come

Here and use your own words?

No, sir. It was not.

Was the suggestion

To call it "some trouble"

Made by somebody

Here in this courtroom?

Yes, sir, it was.

All right, sergeant.

Would you tell the court...

What words lt.

Manion actually used...

To describe the

Trouble his wife had had?

Objection, your honor.

We've been over this before.

This information would not be

Relevant to any issues before the court.

This statement

Concerning some trouble...

Was brought out during the

Direct examination of sgt. Durgo.

Up to now you've

Adroitly restricted all

Testimony as far as

Laura manion's concerned.

All right. The cat's out of the

Bag. It's fair game for me to chase it.

This is a sore point, mr. Biegler,

And it's getting sorer.

I'd like to hear from

The prosecution.

The burden is on

The defense to prove

Temporary insanity at

The time of the sh**ting.

Now, if the reason for the alleged

Insanity is important to this case,

Then that is a matter

For a competent witness,

An expert on the

Subject of the human mind.

What the defense

Is trying to do...

Is introduce some

Sensational material...

For the purposes of

Obscuring the real issues.

Your honor, how can the jury accurately

Estimate the testimony being given here...

Unless they first know the

Reason behind this whole trial...

Why lt. Manion

Shot barney quill?

The prosecution would like to

Separate the motive from the act.

Well, that's like trying to take the core

From an apple without breaking the skin.

The core of our defense is that

The defendant's temporary insanity...

Was triggered by the so-called

Trouble with barney quill.

And I beg the court...

I beg the court to let

Me cut into the apple.

Our objection still

Stands, your honor.

Objection overruled.

[Spectators murmuring]

Sgt. Durgo, tell the court...

How lt. Manion described the

Trouble his wife had with barney quill.

He told us that quill

Had r*ped his wife.

Now, can you recall generally what

Lt. Manion told you about this r*pe?

Yes, sir. He said he'd been

Asleep since right after dinner.

He was waked up by some

Noise. Screams, he thought.

He got up, opened the

Trailer door and went outside.

His wife came running out of

The dark and fell into his arms.

You saw his wife in the

Trailer. How'd she look?

She was a little hysterical.

She'd been pretty badly beaten up.

She had big black bruises

Over her face and her arms.

Did mrs. Manion tell you about

This r*pe and beating? She did.

And did she take you to the place where it

Had happened? Yes, sir. The next morning.

Did you find anything? Any

Evidence pertaining to the story...

That mrs. Manion had told you?

On the lane in the woods we found

Some tire tracks and some dog tracks...

And a leather case with some

Horn-rimmed glasses inside.

We also looked for...

A certain undergarment of

Mrs. Manion's, but we didn't find it.

Will the attorneys for both

Sides approach the bench, please.

[Whispering] mr. Biegler, you

Finally got your r*pe into the case,

And I think all the details should

Now be made clear to the jury.

Do you agree,

Mr. Lodwick? Absolutely.

What exactly was the undergarment

Just referred to? Panties, your honor.

Do you expect this subject

To come up again? Yes, sir.

There's a certain light connotation

Attached to the word "panties."

Can we find another

Name for them?

I never heard my wife call

'Em anything else. Mr. Biegler?

I'm a bachelor, your honor.

That's a great help. Mr. Dancer?

When I was overseas during the w*r,

Your honor, I learned a french word.

I'm afraid that might be slightly

Suggestive. Most french words are.

All right, gentlemen.

Back to your places.

For the benefit of the jury, but

More especially for the spectators,

The undergarment referred to

In the testimony was, to be exact,

Mrs. Manion's panties.

[Spectators laughing]

I wanted you to get your

Snickering over and done with.

This pair of panties will be mentioned

Again in the course of this trial,

And when it happens,

There will not be one laugh,

One snicker, one giggle,

Or even one smirk

In my courtroom.

There isn't anything comic

About a pair of panties...

Which figure in the

Violent death of one man...

And the possible

Incarceration of another.

Proceed, mr. Biegler.

Did you give mrs. Manion a

Lie detector test? Objection.

A polygraph test is inadmissible

Evidence in our courts.

I only asked if he gave the

Test. I didn't ask the results.

[Judge] he may answer that.

I gave her a lie detector

Test at her request.

After all this investigation,

Did you believe mrs. Manion? I did.

Even after the lie detector

Test? Your honor, I object!

It constitutes flagrant,

Sneaking subterfuge

On the part of the

Defense counsel!

Objection sustained. Ladies

And gentlemen of the jury,

A polygraph or lie detector

Test is not admissible in evidence...

Because no one has

Ever been quite sure...

That some people couldn't lie to

A lie detector and get away with it.

Go ahead, mr. Biegler. In any

Case, sgt. Durgo, you, yourself,

In your own heart and mind are quite

Convinced of mrs. Manion's honesty.

Yes, sir. That's all.

Just a moment. [Whispering]

Yes, of course.

Sgt. Durgo, did you look for the panties

Elsewhere than the lane in the woods?

We looked in barney quill's

Car and in his room in the hotel.

We didn't find the panties.

Do you know why mrs. Manion

Requested a lie detector test?

I know what she

Said. What was that?

She said she wanted

Everybody to believe her

Story, because it

Would help her husband.

Was that the only

Reason she gave?

She said she'd sworn to her husband. She

Wanted everybody else to believe it too.

One moment, please, your honor.

Ask him in what

Manner she swore.

Did mrs. Manion say how she

Had sworn to her husband?

Yes, sir. She said she'd

Sworn on a rosary.

Sergeant, this lane in the woods.

What's it used for? Where does it go?

Used to be a logging road.

Doesn't go any place. Just stops.

Who uses it now?

I think it's a road kids drive down

To park. You mean it's a lovers' lane.

I think so. Yes, sir. The

Witness is yours, mr. Biegler.

No more questions. [Judge]

The witness may step down.

In view of the evidence concerning r*pe

Which your honor has ruled admissible,

The prosecution asks for a 30-minute

Recess in order that we may bring in...

Another witness whom we

Had not anticipated using.

All right. We'll take a

30-Minute recess. Recess.

Why didn't you tell

Me about that rosary?

We forgot it.

We didn't forget it. Manny said

Maybe we shouldn't tell that again.

It might have looked like something

Else. Like I didn't believe her.

How much more

Didn't you tell me?

Everything else. We

Told you everything else.

Is that right, laura?

Oh, yes. Everything else.

All right. Now,

Get this, both of ya.

When you get up on that stand,

I want you to tell the truth.

I don't want you to tell

Anything but the truth.

Don't try and lie. Don't try and conceal

Anything, or you'll get skinned alive.

This fellow dancer's

Gonna move in.

Dr. Dompierre, did you have

Occasion to come to the county jail...

On the night of

August 15 of this year?

I did. Who called

You to the jail?

The police authorities.

What did they want you to do?

They wanted me to make a test

For the presence of sperm...

On the person of a

Mrs. Frederick manion.

I made the test. In making this

Test, what was your conclusion?

Negative. There was none.

Your witness, mr. Biegler.

Doctor, in making these tests, did you

Notice any bruises or marks on mrs. Manion?

I did. Were you asked to

Determine the reason...

For these bruises? I was not.

Where did you do the laboratory

Work on your test for sperm?

Saint margaret's

Hospital in this city.

Who worked up

The slides for you?

A technician at the hospital.

Wouldn't it have been better

To have these slides worked up...

By a pathologist or

An expert in this field?

Yes. But the police

Were in a hurry,

And I happened to know this young

Fellow came on at 7:00 in the morning.

Wouldn't it have been especially

Better to wait for the expert...

If the possible question

Of r*pe hung on the result?

- It would have been.

- Doctor, in the newspaper...

On the evening of august 16, it was

Stated that you found no evidence of r*pe.

- Is that true?

- It is not true. I made no such statement.

But did you form an opinion as to

Whether mrs. Manion had been r*ped?

No. Why didn't you

Form an opinion?

It's impossible to tell if a mature,

Married woman has been r*ped.

That's all. Doctor,

Did you have an opinion

About whether or not

She'd had any recent

Relations with a man?

Insofar as no sperm was present,

It didn't appear that she had

Had recent relations with a man.

That's all. Just one

More question, doctor.

The fact that no evidence

Was present in her body...

Does not mean that she

Was not r*ped, does it? No.

Do you know what

Constitutes r*pe under the law?

Yes, sir. Violation is

Sufficient for r*pe.

There need not be a completion.

No further questions. [Judge]

The witness may step down.

The people recall alphonse

Paquette to the stand.

Your honor, since counsel for the

Defense has forced the question of r*pe,

It becomes necessary to take this

Additional testimony from mr. Paquette.

You're still under

Oath, mr. Paquette.

Mr. Paquette,

Would you take a look at mrs. Manion,

Seated there behind the defense table?

Was she dressed in this manner

On the night of the sh**ting?

Nah. How was she dressed?

She had on a real tight skirt

And sweater kind of thing.

Sort of glued on. She was wearing

A pair of red shoes with high heels.

Was she wearing hose?

No. She was bare legged.

Was she wearing a hat? No.

Mr. Paquette, what kind of hair

Does mrs. Manion have under that hat?

We'd be very happy to show

The court mrs. Manion's hair.

Mrs. Manion, would you

Take off your hat, please?

[Spectators gasp]

Thank you, mr. Biegler.

Mr. Paquette, was she

Wearing glasses that night?

I think she was when

She played pinball.

Considering the tight skirt and

The tight sweater and the bare legs,

What was the result

In her appearance?

Would you say mrs. Manion's appearance

Was deliberately voluptuous and enticing?

You could see

Everything she had.

Your honor, the defense will concede

That mrs. Manion, when dressed informally,

Is an astonishingly

Beautiful woman.

Well, stand up,

Please. Will you?

As a matter of fact...

Take your glasses off.

As a matter of fact,

It's easy to understand

Why her husband became

Temporarily deranged...

When he saw such beauty

Bruised and torn by a beast.

Your honor, I protest.

Mr. Biegler is perhaps

The least disciplined

And completely

Out-of-order attorney...

I've ever seen in a courtroom. The

Jury will ignore mr. Biegler's oration.

Uh... Was mrs. Manion

Drinking heavily that night?

I sold her six drinks myself, and then

Barney came over and got some more for her.

I don't remember how many.

Would you say that she was tight?

Oh, she was high, all right. What did

She do to make you think she was high?

Well, she took off her

Shoes and went barefooted,

And when she played pinball she'd kind of

Swish around to give the machine english.

You mean she was flipping

Her hips around. Yeah.

Anything else?

Well, when she made a

Good score, she jumped

Up and down and

Squealed like women do.

She was playing pinball with

Barney quill, wasn't she? Yes, sir.

What was her attitude toward

Barney quill? Friendly, you could call it.

More than friendly,

Would you say? I thought so.

[Dancer] why did you think so?

Uh, she'd kind of lean on him, and a couple

Of times she bumped him with her hip.

Uh, would you say that mrs. Manion

Was making a play for barney quill?

Objection. That calls for an

Assumption on the part of the witness.

I withdraw the question.

Would you say that...

Mrs. Manion was free

And easy with barney quill?

I would. Your

Witness, mr. Biegler.

Mr. Paquette, the attorney

For the people asked you...

If mrs. Manion was tight,

And you said that she was high.

Now, speaking as a bartender,

What's the distinction between the two?

- I don't think I understand.

- Well, I mean...

When we say a person's

Tight, we usually mean

That they're a little

Stupid with the drink.

Isn't that so? I guess

That's about it. Yes.

And if they're high, they're g*y

And enjoying themselves. Yes.

In other words, mrs.

Manion was happy.

Is there anything wrong with

Being happy in thunder bay inn?

No. Thunder bay itself

Is a resort, isn't it?

Swimming, fishing,

That sort of thing? Yes.

Is there anything unusual about seeing

A barefooted woman in thunder bay?

No. So mrs. Manion's taking

Her shoes off in thunder bay,

That doesn't necessarily mean

That she was being unladylike, does it?

I guess not. Yes or no?

No!

Now, you testified...

That mrs. Manion was squealing

And jumping up and down...

And swishing... I think that

Was the expression you used...

Swishing her hips around

The pinball machine.

Now, was she creating a disturbance?

Was she attracting a crowd?

No. Were all the men at the bar

Standing around watching mrs. Manion?

No. But you were very

Conscious of mrs. Manion.

You were conscious enough so that

You can tell us all about her actions.

Yes. And certainly barney quill.

He was conscious of mrs. Manion,

Because he was playing pinball

With mrs. Manion, wouldn't you say so?

Yes. So it seems that

Only you and barney quill...

Were acutely aware of mrs. Manion

And her actions and her appearance.

And maybe good old barney, when he

Came up to get some drinks from you,

Maybe he winked and said, "alphonse, I'm

Gonna take this babe out and r*pe her."

No! No, he didn't. And maybe

You said, "do it once for me, boss!"

[Dancer] objection, objection.

Counsel is attacking the witness.

No more questions!

[Gavel banging]

The court's had about all of this

Dogfight it can take for one day,

And I'm sure the jury is

Equally tired and hungry.

Tomorrow the defense takes

Over, and with expedition, prayer...

And a little self-discipline

On the part of counsel,

Perhaps we can reach

An end by saturday night.

Will you adjourn

Court? [Gavel pounding]

Hear ye, hear ye, hear

Ye. This court stands

Adjourned until 9:00

Tomorrow morning.

[Car horn honking]

He's banged up a little, but there

Doesn't seem to be anything else.

We'd like to watch

Him for a day or so.

How much damage did he do?

Wrecked a gate and a barn door.

He hasn't got a

Driver's license.

He'll have to appear in the

J.p. Court when he's able.

The old fool. Speak

Kindly of the dead.

Mind if I have a minute with

The corpse? Sure, polly.

Now, was it worth

Trying to k*ll yourself...

For whatever it is

You've been up to?

How's the trial going? I'm making a lot

Of noise. Dancer's racking up the points.

Come on. Now,

Where have you been?

Quill hired mary pilant up

North of sault sainte marie.

Struck me funny

He'd go all the way up

There to hire somebody

Just to work for him.

I been up there nosin' around.

Did you find anything useful?

Not until I looked up

Her birth certificate.

Born blind river, ontario,

1934, Out of wedlock.

Mother was a

Waitress: simone pilant.

Father was a lumberjack.

Name: barney quill.

Say, I'd like to see

Miss mary pilant.

It's late, mister. I

Know. This is important.

Real important? Real important.

[Ringing] [woman on phone] yes?

Miss pilant, sorry if I

Woke you up. There's

A guy to see you. Says

It's real important.

What's your... Paul biegler.

Biegler. I don't

Wish to see him.

Okay. [Buzzes]

She, uh, said it's not

Important enough.

Call her back and tell her I

Mentioned blind river, ontario.

I'll be in the bar.

♪♪ [Jazz ]

Evening, alphonse.

Drinking, mr. Biegler?

Or just snooping?

Well, I think I'll

Try a little of both.

What do you say we

Start out with a beer?

On the house, and

That's all you get.

A beer. No questions,

No answers.

I'm just a lawyer

Trying to do my job.

What are you so afraid of, al?

[Rustling]

Sit over there, please?

Miss pilant, I owe you an apology.

I was a little rough before.

I didn't know that barney

Quill was your father.

You didn't come here

Just to apologize. No.

But the apology was part of it.

To tell you the truth, I hoped

Maybe it would thaw you out a bit.

All I want you to do is just

Listen to me. Just for a few minutes.

I need some strong evidence to back

Up laura manion's story about the r*pe.

The prosecution's gonna

Attack that story pretty hard.

And if the jury

Thinks she's lying,

Well, that could turn the

Decision against manion, you see.

Well, isn't she lying? Barney didn't do

What she said he did. He couldn't have.

What did you know about your

Father? All I needed to know.

He took care of me and of my

Mother for as long as she lived.

He was always there

When I needed him.

That's what I know about my father.

Will that back up laura manion's story?

I don't want to get at you.

I don't want to hurt you.

I appreciate your

Affection for your father,

But as a lawyer

I've had to learn...

That people aren't

Just good or just bad.

But people are many things.

And I have a feeling that barney quill

Was many things. I don't want to hear this.

No, please. Please hear me out.

I believe that barney told al

Paquette what happened that night,

And he told him to go to this

Window and wait for manion.

Barney stayed behind the bar,

Next to a g*n rack, just waiting.

Manion came in and fired the

Minute he got inside that door,

And the first shot went

Right through barney's heart.

Now, here's what

I want you to do.

I want you to try to persuade al to

Come to the court as a defense witness...

And tell the court exactly

What barney told him that night.

That he'd r*ped and

Assaulted mrs. Manion.

Al wouldn't conceal a thing like that.

Why wouldn't he tell it, if it were true?

I don't know. But I know this.

Everybody loves

Something or someone.

Me, I love fishing...

And an old guy by

The name of parnell.

Manion loves his freedom. He'd

Like to have a little more of it.

Barney loved you.

Maybe so does al.

I wouldn't blame him. But

He doesn't want to hurt you.

He doesn't want you to

Know the truth about barney,

That he could be

Dangerous and brutal.

If you'd just ask al. If you could

Just ask him right straight out.

Al?

Al, mr. Biegler knows

That barney was my father.

He thinks you know something

About the night my father was k*lled,

Something you won't tell.

Lawyer, I told you once,

And I'll tell you again.

No questions, no

Answers. Wait, al.

Did my father r*pe mrs. Manion?

Barney wouldn't hurt a woman.

Is there any reason you wouldn't

Tell me the truth about that, al?

What reason?

Anything else, mr. Biegler?

I'm gonna leave a pass

For you and al at the trial.

You might like to watch

Lt. Manion get convicted.

You gonna spread it around

About mary being barney's kid?

No, I'm not gonna

Spread it around, al.

Thank you for the beer.

Good night, miss pilant.

All right, now let's

Get at this rosary thing.

It's been testified that your

Wife swore to you on a rosary...

That she'd been

r*ped by barney quill.

Did you ask your wife

To swear on a rosary?

My wife was hysterical. She

Wasn't making much sense.

I thought if I asked her to

Take an oath on a rosary...

It might serve to calm her,

Make her think more clearly.

Did the rosary help?

She was able to tell me in

Detail what had happened.

All right. Go on from there.

What did you do

Then, lieutenant?

Well, i... I had

Her lie on the bed,

And I got some cold

Cloths for her head.

And, uh... Oh, yes. I gave

Her a drink of brandy.

After a while she became calm.

Seemed to go to sleep.

Then I went to the closet. I

Got my g*n, and I loaded it.

Was it in your mind to k*ll

Barney quill? [Whispering] no.

Then why did you go to the

Closet, get your g*n and load it?

I-i-i knew I had to go to quill's

Place. I thought I might need it.

Why?

I knew mr. Quill kept

g*ns behind the bar.

I was afraid he might sh**t me.

Might sh**t you if you did what?

What were you gonna do?

I'm not sure.

I remember having some idea...

Of finding him...

And holding him while

I called the police.

Well, that mister...

What's his name...

Mr. Lemon, right at the tourist

Court there, he was a deputy sheriff.

Why didn't you get

Him to go with you?

Maybe because he always seemed to

Be just the old caretaker of the park.

Maybe because I wasn't thinking

About anything too clearly...

Except finding barney quill.

Why didn't you call the state

Police before you went to the bar?

I don't know.

I was in sort of a daze.

It was a horrible thing to see

What had been done to my wife.

Now, you say you

Were in a sort of a daze.

When you got to the bar, did

You see that the bar was crowded?

I...

I didn't see

Anyone at the bar...

Except barney quill.

He was the only person I saw.

What was he doing?

I think he was just standing

There behind the bar.

Well, now, did he make a

Threatening move to get a g*n?

I don't know.

He may have. I don't know.

Now, you say you

Went there to find him,

To hold him for the police.

Why did you sh**t him?

I don't remember sh**ting him.

Now, when you left the

Bar, do you remember...

Alphonse paquette coming

Up to you and stopping you,

And saying, "you'd better

Not run away from this,"

And your reply, "do you

Want some too, buster?"

Remember that?

I-i seem to have a

Vague recollection...

Of somebody speaking to me,

But I don't remember what I

Said or what was said to me.

When did you realize

That you had shot quill?

I was... I was getting

A drink of water.

I remember my throat

Was so dry it hurt.

When I put the glass

Down, I saw the g*n...

On the kitchen

Sink, beside the tap.

I noticed the g*n was empty.

I'd like you to show

The court and jury...

Just, uh, just how you

Knew this g*n was empty.

Well, this gadget here...

When it sticks up, you know

The last round's been fired.

Lieutenant manion, on

The night of the sh**ting,

Did you love your wife?

Yes, sir. Do you still love her?

Very much.

The witness is

Yours, mr. Dancer.

Lieutenant manion,

How many men have you k*lled?

Now, wait a minute.

Your honor, a

Man's w*r record...

In lieutenant manion's

Case, a great record...

Certainly shouldn't

Be used against him.

Your honor, I'm as

Patriotic as the next man,

But the simple truth is, w*r can

Condition a man to k*lling other men.

I simply want to determine how

Conditioned the lieutenant may be...

To the use of firearms

On other human beings.

I don't quite like the

Question, mr. Biegler,

But I don't see

How I can exclude it.

Let him answer.

I know I k*lled at

Least four men in korea,

Three with a hand grenade...

And one with my

Service automatic.

I may have k*lled others. A

Soldier doesn't always know.

Now, lieutenant, in

These acts of k*lling,

Did you ever have

A lapse of memory...

Such as you had when you

k*lled barney quill? No, sir.

Did you ever have a lapse

Of memory during battle?

No, sir. Were you ever

Submitted to a constant barrage,

Constantly in a

Sweat for many hours,

Constantly under attack,

Or attacking? Many times.

Were you ever treated for

Shell shock, battle fatigue...

Or any w*r neurosis

Or psychosis? No, sir.

Did you ever experience any

Unusual mental state during the w*r?

Well, I do remember having

One great urge. What was that?

To get the hell out and

Go home. [Spectators laughing]

You would do well to consider the

Seriousness of the situation you are in.

I'm sorry, your honor. I

Sympathize with the lieutenant.

I expect he has the same

Feeling about getting out of jail.

But the main point here, lieutenant, is

That at no time during your w*r service...

Did you have a record

Of mental disturbance.

You were always in complete

Possession of your faculties.

Yes, sir, that's right.

No more questions. [Biegler]

No redirect, your honor.

[Judge] step down, please.

Call your next witness.

We call laura

Manion to the stand.

Up these stairs and

To the right. Thank you.

Now, how long after you told

Your husband what had happened...

Did he leave the trailer?

I-i don't know, exactly.

Everything was kind of fuzzy.

I was faint, and I

Lay down on the bed.

He sat beside me.

I vaguely remember his

Getting up and going out.

I remember wondering if

He was going for a doctor.

And then he came back in.

It seemed like just a few seconds,

But it must have been longer.

I must have gone to sleep.

When he came back

In, he sat on the bed...

And he had a g*n in his hand.

And I said, "what

Are you going to do?"

And he said, "I think

I've already done it.

I think I've k*lled

Barney quill."

Are you sure he didn't

Say, "I've k*lled barney quill."

No, i-i remember distinctly.

"I think I've k*lled

Barney quill."

Then what did you do?

I put my arms around

Him and began to cry and...

And I said, "you'd

Better go to mr. Lemon."

And my husband said,

"I forgot about that."

What did he mean?

Forgot about what?

He meant that he'd forgotten

Mr. Lemon was a deputy sheriff.

And he said, "yes, I'll go

Turn myself in to mr. Lemon."

Yes, I see. Your honor, I have no

Other direct questions at this time,

But since I'm sure it's

Difficult to visualize...

The part a little dog

Played on this night,

I should like a few moments to show

The court this remarkable little animal.

Do the people object?

I'm sure that if we raised

An objection, your honor,

Mr. Biegler will declare that we're

Haters of all small, furry animals.

[Spectators laughing] a creature that

Cannot talk will be a welcome relief.

[Laughter continues]

Bring in the dog.

Thank you, sir. Will the, uh,

Deputy bring in the dog, please.

You can put him right there.

Fine. Hey, muff!

Hey, muff! Come on!

Come on! Come on!

Come on! Come on!

That's a boy.

And now I'll ask mrs. Manion to

Bring a flashlight for the dog.

Now, I ask the court to notice

That the dog turned on the light.

[Laughing]

Well, it's easy to see that muff

Doesn't know who his enemies are.

[Laughter continues]

Remove the dog, please.

Yes, sir. The witness

Will resume the stand.

Here we go, muff.

Mrs. Manion, may I congratulate

You on your well-trained pet.

May I also say that

I'm pleased to see...

You are not today hiding

Your lovely hair under a hat.

Your honor, is the assistant attorney

General from lansing pitching woo,

Or is he going to cross-examine?

Let's get on with it.

Mrs. Manion, what was your

Occupation before you were married?

Housewife. Oh, then

You've been married before?

Yes, once. I suppose

Your first husband died.

No.

Did you divorce your first

Husband to marry lt. Manion?

Your honor, if counsel wants to know

The grounds for mrs. Manion's divorce,

Let him ask that question. What were

The grounds for divorce, mrs. Manion?

Mental cruelty. Naturally. And

How long after your divorce...

Was it that you married

Lieutenant manion?

Uh, I'm not sure.

May I refresh the witness's

Memory for mr. Dancer?

By all means. I

Believe she told me...

That they were married

Three days after the divorce.

Thank you, mr. Biegler. Is

That correct, mrs. Manion?

Yes. Then unless yours

Was a whirlwind courtship,

You must have known lieutenant

Manion before your divorce.

- Did you?

- Yes.

Mrs. Manion, what is

Your religious affiliation?

I'm a catholic.

- Catholic in good standing?

- Well, no. The divorce, you know.

You mean you were

Excommunicated...

Because of the divorce

And remarriage? Yes.

Wouldn't you say that a

Catholic who can blithely ignore...

One of the cardinal

Rules of her church...

Could also easily ignore an

Oath taken on one of its artifacts,

Say, an oath taken on a rosary?

I-i-i don't think that's true.

But wouldn't there be some doubt

About the integrity of such a person?

I don't know.

All I know is the rosary

Means something to me.

I see. Well, I'll pass

On to something else.

Mrs. Manion, you testified

That your husband came home...

Late from his work on

The night of the sh**ting.

Were you a little angry

About his being late?

I guess I was a little put out.

Did you have an argument?

Not much. A little.

When you left the

Trailer to go to the inn,

Did your husband know you

Were going? He was asleep.

Was part of your reason for

Going without his knowledge...

Because you were, uh, vexed?

Well, i-i'd been

Ironing all day and i...

- Yes, I guess that's true.

- Your honor, the counsel

Has deliberately...

Cut off my view of the

Witness. I'm sorry, mr. Biegler.

I wouldn't want to interfere

With your signals to mrs. Manion.

I object to the implication

I was signaling the witness.

This is the shabbiest

Courtroom trick I've ever seen.

You haven't lived, mr. Biegler.

Your honor, I ask the court

To rule on my objection.

Mr. Dancer, will you be

Careful not to place yourself...

Between mr. Biegler

And his witness.

Of course, your honor.

Anything else, mr. Biegler?

You do it once

More, I'll punt you...

All the way out into the middle

Of lake superior. [Spectators laughing]

Gentlemen, gentlemen.

This rowing has got to stop.

The next one of you that speaks

Out of turn will have me to deal with.

Now get on with your

Cross-examination.

Would you have gone to the inn

If your husband had been awake?

- He probably would have

Gone with me.

- But would you have gone alone?

Not if he didn't want me to.

Would he have not wanted you to?

I'm not sure. I don't

Know how to answer that.

Well, had you ever gone

To the thunder bay inn...

Or elsewhere in thunder

Bay... Alone at night?

Yes, sometimes. Did your

Husband know you were going?

Not always. He goes

To sleep early and...

And sometimes I'm restless.

Where did you go

On these occasions?

Oh, I'd take a walk by the lake

Or went to the bingo place.

Maybe to the inn. You ever

Go to meet another man?

No, I didn't. I never did that.

You mean to say, mrs. Manion, a lovely

Woman like yourself, attractive to men,

Lonely, restless, that

You never once... Objection!

Your honor, the witness has

Answered the question about other men.

Counsel is now making a

Veiled suggestion to the jury.

I withdraw the question.

Now, mrs. Manion, on these

Occasional excursions into the night,

Did you always go and

Return home alone? Of course.

You testified that the reason

You got into barney quill's car...

Was because you were

Afraid to go home alone.

Why were you so frightened

On this particular night?

I said that it was because he told

Me bears had been seen around.

Was this the first time you'd heard that

Bears came around thunder bay for scraps?

No. Had you seen

The bears before?

Yes. Oh, this was just the first

Time you were afraid of them?

No, I was always afraid of them.

Oh, this was just the first

Time you were enough afraid...

To allow a man to take you home

From one of your evening prowls?

Objection! The use of the word

"Prowl" is meant to mislead the jury.

[Judge] sustained. I apologize.

Mrs. Manion, I didn't mean to

Imply that you were a huntress.

Was this the first time that

You were enough afraid...

To allow a man to take you home

From one of your evening walks?

Well, it... It wasn't just that.

It was... Oh, come

Now, mrs. Manion.

You should be able to answer that straight

Off. That's a simple enough question.

Your honor, how can the

Witness answer straight off,

When the counsel keeps

Interrupting the answer?

The witness seemed a

Little slow to me, mr. Biegler.

However, let her complete her

Answers before you interrupt.

Of course, your honor. In any case,

Mr. Biegler's objection has given...

Mrs. Manion sufficient time to

Think of an answer to my question.

You've thought of one,

Haven't you, mrs. Manion?

What I was going to say was that

I didn't want to offend mr. Quill...

By making him think that I was

Afraid of him or didn't like him.

He'd been very pleasant to my

Husband and me when we'd been in his bar.

That's very good, mrs.

Manion. Very good indeed.

Your honor, please.

The attorney for the people will

Reserve his comments for the arguments.

I will ask you this

Question, mrs. Manion.

Was this the first

Time you had been...

In barney quill's car at night?

Mrs. Manion, did you

Hear the question?

[Quietly] yes, I heard.

Yes, it was the first time.

Would you raise your

Voice a little, mrs. Manion?

[Laura] I said it

Was the first time.

Now, mrs. Manion, I'm quite

Concerned about the lost panties.

Would you describe this article

Of clothing for the court, please?

They were nylon, and

Had lace up the sides.

There was a label of

The place I got them...

The smart shop,

In phoenix, arizona.

What was the

Color of the panties?

I believe white. You believe?

I have white and pink. They may

Have been pink. You're not sure?

Haven't you checked your lingerie

To see which pair of panties is missing?

No. When your husband came

Home late from his work...

And you had this little spat, were

You already dressed to go out?

No. When did you dress?

After dinner,

When he was asleep.

It's been stated here that you were

Barelegged in the bar. Is that true?

Yes. In your anger

At your husband...

And your haste to

Get out of the trailer,

Perhaps you didn't put on

Any panties, either? Objection.

The witness has already testified

As to what she was wearing.

Sustained. Do you always

Wear panties, mrs. Manion?

Your honor, I object to

This line of questioning.

It's immaterial what mrs.

Manion does all the time.

On the night she was attacked,

She was wearing panties,

And that's all we're

Concerned with.

Mrs. Manion seems a little uncertain

About what kind of panties she was wearing,

And since these panties

Have not been found,

I submit that it's possible that she

Wasn't wearing any and has forgotten.

Now, that's all I'm

Trying to get at.

You may answer, mrs. Manion.

Do you always wear panties? No.

On what occasions

Don't you wear them?

When you go out alone at night?

Oh, no, no. Objection.

He says he's going after one

Thing, then he goes after another.

I'll sustain the objection.

Strike out the last two

Questions and mrs. Manion's answer.

Now, mr. Dancer,

Get off the panties.

You've done enough

Damage. Yes, your honor.

Mrs. Manion, is your husband

A jealous man? He loves me.

I'm sure of that, but is

He excessively jealous?

Your honor, how can the

Witness answer that question?

What's the norm of jealousy?

Can you put your question a

Little differently, mr. Dancer?

Has your husband ever struck

You in a jealous rage? No, no.

Mr. Dancer's fishing now. What's

The relevancy of this question?

Your honor, the shoe is

Squeezing mr. Biegler's foot.

In his own words, this is

Not a high school debate,

This is a cross-examination

In a m*rder trial.

Proceed, mr. Dancer.

Mrs. Manion,

Did you ever go out

Socially in thunder bay?

Yes, a few times.

When your husband's

Outfit moved to thunder bay,

Didn't barney quill

Throw a c*ck party...

For the officers

And their wives? Yes.

Didn't your husband strike a young

Second lieutenant at this party?

There was a little

Scuffle. It wasn't much.

What was it about?

I'm not sure I remember.

Were you too drunk to

Remember? No, I was not!

I-i-i think it was

Because the lieutenant...

Was cutting in too much when

I was dancing with my husband.

And shortly afterwards,

On the veranda of the inn,

Didn't your husband

Slap you hard enough...

So that you fell

Against the wall? Well...

H-he was drinking. [Dancer]

Wasn't this a jealous rage?

I don't know! Do you

Remember why he struck you?

Yes. Wasn't he enraged at

You because he thought...

You'd encouraged

This young lieutenant?

He might have thought so.

There are witnesses to this

Whole affair. I'll ask you again.

Wasn't this a jealous rage?

I guess you could call it that.

Now I'll ask you,

On the night of the

sh**ting, what did you swear?

What oath did you

Take on the rosary?

It was about barney

Quill raping me.

Why did you swear on the

Rosary that he r*ped you?

For the reason that my husband

Said... Because I was hysterical.

That was the reason he

Gave for asking you to swear.

What was your reason for

Swearing? So he'd believe me.

- Why shouldn't he

Believe you?

- Objection.

The reason for the use of the

Rosary has been established.

- These questions are immaterial.

- No, I think I'll take

The answer, mr. Biegler.

I'll ask you again, mrs. Manion.

Why shouldn't he believe you?

Because I wasn't

Making much sense.

Did he think you'd lie

About a thing like that?

Objection, your honor!

Lieutenant manion

Has already testified

As to what he thought.

Sustained. Did your husband

Strike you that night?

Did he hit you that night?

Well, he... He...

He may have slapped me,

Because I was hysterical.

And didn't you swear to a lie to

Keep him from hitting you again?

No! No, I didn't. I did not.

Hadn't he beaten you

Up at the gate when he

Caught you coming

Home from lover's lane...

Objection! Objection! The

Witness has already testified...

She was beaten by barney quill.

[Spectators murmuring]

Quiet, quiet.

No more questions.

I think the witness has

Had enough, your honor.

The witness may step down.

We'll recess for lunch.

[Gavel bangs]

Recess until 1:00.

Sorry, baby. You were fine.

Dr. Smith?

I've come to meet you, sir.

My name is... I'm sorry.

You've made a mistake.

Maybe I'm the one you're

Looking for. Are you mr. Biegler?

No, I'm his associate

In the case.

Don't tell me you're

Dr. Smith. That's me.

The army psychiatrist? Maybe

You expected me to be in uniform.

No. Well...

I didn't expect

Anybody so young.

I'm 40.

I sort of hoped you'd have

A beard and wear a monocle.

Oh, I see.

Is that better? Helps. You're

On the stand this afternoon.

Doctor, have you

Formed an opinion...

As to frederick manion's

Mental and emotional state...

At the time he

k*lled barney quill?

I have. And what

Is that opinion?

He was temporarily insane

At the time of the sh**ting.

At the time of the

sh**ting, do you believe...

He was able to distinguish

Right from wrong?

He may or may not have been. It

Doesn't make too much difference.

All right. Now, doctor,

As clearly as you can,

Will you explain frederick

Manion's temporary insanity.

It is known as

Dissociative reaction...

A psychic shock which creates

An almost overwhelming tension...

Which the person in

Shock must alleviate.

In lieutenant manion's

Case... A soldier...

It is only natural that

He would turn to action.

Only direct, simple action

Against barney quill...

Would relieve this

Unbearable tension.

This is not too uncommon...

For example, in combat,

Some of the more remarkable

Heroics take place in this state of mind.

Is there another name

For dissociate reaction,

One we might be more

Likely to recognize?

Yes, it has been known

As "irresistible impulse."

Now, doctor, a man in the

Grip of irresistible impulse...

Would he be likely to go

To his neighbor for advice,

Or call up the police

To come to his aid?

- Completely incompatible.

- Yes. But our man was able

To think...

Of going and taking

Out a g*n and loading it...

Before setting

Out to find quill.

Well, that was his

Conscious mind working.

But if no g*n had been available,

He would have gone anyway.

How would a man look in the

Grip of dissociative reaction?

He might appear to be deadly

Calm... Fiercely deliberate.

Mm-hmm. Would you describe

His behavior as being...

Like a mailman delivering

The mail? That's not bad.

Like a mailman, he would have

A job to do, and he would do it.

Your witness.

Doctor, did you find any psychosis

In frederick manion? I did not.

Any neuroses? I found

No history of neuroses.

Any history of,

Uh, delusion? None.

Loss of memory? Not

Before this instance.

[Whispering] hey! Can

You spot mary pilant?

She didn't come

Back after lunch.

I think you'd better

Give up on that one.

Doctor, you stated that the

Defendant might or might not...

Have been able to distinguish the

Difference between right and wrong,

But that it wouldn't have

Made much difference.

Am I right? Is that what

You said? Approximately, yes.

Did you mean that at

The time of the sh**ting...

He could have known the

Difference between right and wrong?

He might have, yes.

Dr. Smith, if the defendant could

Have known what he was doing...

And could have known

That it was wrong,

How can you come here and

Testify that he was legally insane?

I'm not saying he

Was legally insane.

I'm saying that in

His mental condition,

It would not have made any difference

Whether he knew right from wrong.

He would still have shot quill.

Dr. Smith, are you willing...

To rest your testimony

In this case on this opinion?

Yes, I am.

Your honor, I'd like to

Ask for a short recess.

The attorneys for the

People would like to meet...

With mr. Biegler and the

Court in chambers. Mr. Biegler?

Glad to oblige, your honor.

Short recess. Jury will remain.

Someday I'm going

To horrify tradition...

And lay a dense blue cloud of tobacco

Smoke in that hallowed courtroom.

What's on your mind, mr. Dancer?

Your honor, in view

Of dr. Smith's testimony,

I thought perhaps the defense

Might like to change their plea.

Change it to what?

Guilty, of course.

No, we'll still go

For broke. Hell, polly.

You know a guy's not considered

Legally nuts in michigan...

Unless he didn't know

Right from wrong.

Why don't you come on and get this

Over with? Your honor, would you...

Turn to page 486?

[Lodwick] what's that?

Appears to be a law

Book, mr. Lodwick.

[Laughing] oh, I'm

Sorry, your honor.

I make those things to

Help me think sometimes.

For perch? No, it's for frog.

What case is he citing, judge?

We gig frogs down in

My part of the country.

Yeah, well, it's

The same up here.

I'm a trout man, myself, but this

Is a new wrinkle I'm gonna try.

They do it in the

Bayous down south.

The idea is, they get a

Great big long pole...

And about a ten-pound line, just

Sort of drift along a high bank in a boat.

Then you see that great

Big old bullfrog in a crevice,

And you sort of float

This along in front of him.

Pop! That old tongue of his

Snaps out and... [Clicks tongue]

You've got frog's legs for

Supper. Well, I'll be darned.

Why don't you keep it? Try

It sometime. Thanks. I will.

Four eighty-six.

What is it, your honor?

People v. Durfee, 1886.

Looks like a precedent.

Would you like to

Read it, mr. Dancer?

No, thank you, your honor.

I think I recall the case.

We're, uh, hooked...

Like the frog.

Dr. Harcourt, where did you

Receive your university training?

Johns hopkins, in

Baltimore, maryland.

And where do you practice now?

I'm the medical

Superintendent...

Of the bonder state

Hospital for the insane.

It's been stated here that dissociative

Reaction, or irresistible impulse,

Is not uncommon among

Soldiers in combat.

Do you agree with

That statement? I do,

But not as it was

Put by dr. Smith.

Where would you depart from

Dr. Smith? Dissociative reaction...

Is not something that comes out of

The blue and disappears as quickly.

It can only occur... Even

Among soldiers in combat...

If the individual has a psychoneurotic

Condition of long standing.

It's been testified here that a

Psychiatric examination of the defendant...

Showed no, uh,

Evidence of neuroses...

And no history of

Dissociative reaction.

You've further

Heard it testified...

That the defendant's behavior on the

Night of the sh**ting was cool and direct.

As an observer, do you

Remember this testimony? Yes.

And from this, have

You formed an opinion...

About the defendant's sanity

On the night of the sh**ting?

Yes. I'm of the opinion that he was in

Sufficient possession of his faculties,

So that he was not dominated

By his unconscious mind.

In other words, he was not in

The grip of irresistible impulse?

In my opinion, he was not. Thank

You, doctor. Your witness, mr. Biegler.

Dr. Harcourt, psychiatry

Is an effort to probe...

Into the dark, undiscovered

World of the mind.

And in there, the world might

Be round, it could be square.

Your opinion could be wrong.

Dr. Smith's opinion could be right.

- Isn't that true?

- I'd be a poor doctor

If I didn't agree with that,

But I believe my

Opinion to be right.

Do you think you might

Have changed your opinion...

If you had examined the

Defendant, as dr. Smith did?

I don't believe so.

But dr. Smith's opinion was made

Under better circumstances, wasn't it?

If you mean that he was

Able to examine the man, yes.

Yeah. Well, thank you, doctor.

That's all, dr. Harcourt.

Is there more rebuttal?

We're over a barrel, mitch.

We have to use him.

We call duane

Miller to the stand.

Will the sheriff please

Bring in the witness.

What can he tell?

Nothing.

He can't tell anything.

Raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear that the

Testimony you shall give in this cause...

Shall be the truth, the whole truth and

Nothing but the truth, so help you god?

I do.

Would you state your

Name, please. Duane miller.

Most folks call me duke. Where

Do you presently reside, mr. Miller?

Across the alley in the jail.

Do you know the

Defendant, frederick manion?

Yeah, I got to know him

In the past few weeks.

His cell's next to mine. When was the last

Conversation you had with the lieutenant?

Except for "hello" this morning,

The last time was last night.

Did you discuss his trial

Last night? Yeah, some.

Would you tell the court what lieutenant

Manion had to say about the trial.

Well, I said, "things

Looking up, lieutenant?"

And he said, "I got

It made, buster."

He said, "I fooled my lawyer.

I fooled that head shrinker.

I'm gonna fool that bunch

Of corn cobbers on the jury."

You're a liar! You're

A lousy, stinkin' liar!

[Inaudible]

Take it easy.

I apologize for my

Client, your honor.

Yet his outburst

Is almost excusable,

Since the prosecution has seen

Fit to put a felon on the stand...

To testify against an officer

In the united states army.

Your honor, I don't know who is the

Worse offender, manion or his lawyer.

We're close to the end.

In the name of heaven, let's have peace

And courtesy for these last few hours.

Mr. Dancer, you will continue

Your interrogation without comment.

Mr. Biegler, you will not

Sound off at every opportunity,

And the defendant will remain seated

In his chair and keep his mouth shut.

Now go ahead. Mr. Miller,

Are you certain that

Lieutenant manion said,

"I've got it made, buster"?

That's what he said.

Mr. Miller, did lieutenant

Manion say anything else?

Yes, sir. He said

When he got out...

The first thing he was going to do was

Kick that b*tch from here to kingdom come.

To whom was he

Referring? To his wife.

Your witness, mr. Biegler.

What are you in

Jail for, mr. Miller?

Arson. I copped out, and

I'm waiting for a sentence.

And how many other

Offenses have you committed?

Well, I was in reform school

When I was a kid, but that's all.

Your honor, I'd like to see

This man's criminal record.

Do you have his

Record, mr. Lodwick?

Yes, sir.

Here it is.

Well, your record here

Shows you've been in prison...

Six times in three

Different states.

You were in three

Times for arson,

Twice for as*ault with a

Deadly weapon, once for larceny.

Yeah. Also shows you've done

Short stretches in four city jails...

On charges of indecent

Exposure, window peeping,

Perjury and disorderly conduct.

Is this your true record?

Them things are never right.

How did you get the ear of the

Prosecution in order to tell them...

About this conversation you

Had with lieutenant manion?

The d.a. Was taking us to his

Office. Taking who to his office?

Us prisoners in the jail. He take

You all at once, or one at a time?

One at a time.

Him and that other lawyer

Took us to his office...

And asked us questions

About lieutenant manion.

Were you promised a lighter

Sentence if you came over here...

And went on the witness stand?

Your honor, the people object...

Overruled. Answer the question.

I wasn't promised anything.

Oh, you just thought...

It would help your own troubles if you

Dreamed up this story to please the d.a.?

I didn't dream up nothing. You're

Sure that's what lieutenant manion said?

Yeah, I'm sure. Just as sure as you

Were about your criminal record?

Well, I guess I kind

Of goofed on that.

Your honor, I don't feel I can dignify

This creature with any more questions.

Take the witness away.

Mr. Biegler, would you like a

Conference with your client?

I can see how the last

Witness was quite a surprise.

No, your honor. We

Don't need a conference.

I'll recall lieutenant

Manion to the stand right now.

Now you've heard the

Testimony of this miller.

Is any part of it true?

None.

Lieutenant, do you have any idea why

He might come here with a tale like that?

No, sir.

Have you ever

Talked with this man?

Yes. What did you talk about?

Nothing important.

Certainly nothing about my

Personal life or my feelings.

That's all I wanted to know.

Lieutenant manion,

Have you ever had any sort of...

Trouble with, uh, miller?

I don't know. Do you mean an

Argument? Something like that?

Well, did you ever attack

Miller... Physically attack him?

Your lawyer can't answer the

Question for you, lieutenant.

Did you ever physically

Attack miller?

I wouldn't call it

An attack, exactly.

I pushed his head against

The bars one day. Why?

He said something

Ugly about my wife.

Do you remember pushing or

Bumping his head against the bars?

Sure. I just told you.

Then this was not

Dissociative reaction?

The defendant isn't qualified

To answer that. Sustained.

Lieutenant manion, wasn't your

Action against barney quill...

Much the same as your

Action against miller...

And against the lieutenant you

Struck at the c*ck party...

All in the heat of anger, with a

Willful, conscious desire to hurt or k*ll?

I don't remember my

Action against quill.

How long had you known your wife

Was running around with barney quill?

I never knew anything

Like that. I trust my wife.

I suppose you just beat her up

Occasionally just for the fun of it.

Nothing has been established

To permit a question like that.

He keeps implying things

Without ever getting to the point.

Let him ask the lieutenant,

Did he ever beat his wife.

I'll sustain the objection.

Would you like to rephrase

Your question, mr. Dancer?

No, thank you, your honor.

I've finished.

Well, then I'll ask him. Did you,

Lieutenant manion, ever beat your wife...

On the night of the sh**ting,

Or at any other time? No, sir.

Is there any doubt in your mind

That barney quill r*ped mrs. Manion?

No, sir. That's all.

Step down, lieutenant.

Are we hurt? We're hurt bad.

[Whispering] paul.

[Whispering]

Your honor, I know

Time is very pressing.

I don't want to

Ask for a recess.

I would like to leave the

Courtroom for a moment.

If it's important, we can

Be at ease for a minute.

Thank you, sir.

This is highly

Irregular, your honor.

Well, there's no reason to

Make a federal case out of it.

Thank you very much, your honor.

We now have another

Rebuttal witness.

The defense calls

Mary pilant to the stand.

Your honor, we must

Protest this whole affair.

The noble defense attorney

Rushes out to a secret conference,

And now the last-minute witness is

Being brought dramatically down the aisle.

The whole thing has obviously

Been rigged to unduly excite the jury.

It's just another one of

Mr. Biegler's cornball tricks.

Your honor, I don't blame

Mr. Dancer for feeling put upon.

I'm just a humble country

Lawyer trying to do the best I can...

Against this brilliant prosecutor

From the big city of lansing.

Swear the witness.

Raise your right hand, please.

Do you solemnly swear the

Testimony you shall give in this cause...

Shall be the truth,

The whole truth...

And nothing but the

Truth, so help you god?

I do. Sit down, please.

Where do you live, miss pilant?

At the thunder bay

Inn, in thunder bay.

And how long have you

Lived there? For two years.

And what's your

Profession? I manage the inn.

Now, miss pilant, how is the

Laundry handled at thunder bay inn?

It's chuted down

To the laundry room.

Where is the location of that

Chute on the second floor?

Between room 42 and 43.

Who lives in those rooms?

I live in 42.

Mr. Quill lived in 43.

Now, would mr. Quill,

Coming up from the lobby,

Have to pass by the

Mouth of that chute...

On the way to his room? Yes.

Would it be very easy for him to

Drop something into that chute...

As he passed by? Yes.

Have you ever had occasion

To go down into the laundry...

At any time? Yes. Part

Of my job is to sort...

Various pieces of laundry as they

Come out of the wash-and-dry machine.

Would you tell the

Court what you found...

Among those pieces of laundry

On the day after mr. Quill was k*lled.

I found a pair of

Women's panties.

What did you do with them?

I threw them in the rag bin.

When did you learn the

Significance of those panties?

Here. This morning

In the courtroom.

And then you went home and

Got them out of the rag bin?

Yes. Did you bring

Them with you?

Yes.

I offer this

Article of lingerie...

As exhibit number

One for the defense.

They're white, they

Have lace up the side...

And they're badly torn,

As if they'd been ripped

Apart by powerful hands.

The label reads,

"Smart shop, phoenix, arizona."

If there is no objection, the

Exhibit will be received in evidence.

That's all, miss pilant.

Did you ever talk to mr. Lodwick,

The prosecuting attorney,

About the death

Of barney quill? Yes.

He came to the hotel several

Times after mr. Quill was k*lled.

Did you tell mr. Lodwick that you

Didn't believe quill had r*ped mrs. Manion?

Yes, I told him that. Miss pilant,

Did you ever talk to mr. Biegler...

The defense attorney? Yes.

Was this also in connection

With the sh**ting of quill? Yes.

Did you tell him you didn't

Believe quill had r*ped mrs. Manion?

Yes. How many times did

You talk to mr. Biegler?

Twice. When was the last time?

Last night. And have you

Now changed your mind?

Do you now believe barney

Quill r*ped mrs. Manion?

I-i don't know now. I

Think he might have.

When did you change

Your mind? Last night?

No. No, it was

Here, this morning.

When were you given the

Panties? Was that last night?

Now, wait a minute! Use the proper

Form of objection, mr. Biegler.

No, on second thought, I

Don't object, your honor.

I'd like the jury to

Hear her answer.

The witness may answer. No.

I was not given the panties,

Last night or at any other time.

I found them exactly as I said.

Do you know for a fact that barney

Quill dropped the panties down the chute,

Or did you just

Assume it? I assumed it.

Had you thought that perhaps someone

Else might have put the panties there...

Someone who wanted them found in

The laundry? I hadn't thought of that.

Mm-hmm. And in the grip of what mr. Biegler

Might call irresistible impulse,

You rushed in here

With the panties...

Because you wanted to crucify the

Character of the dead barney quill.

Isn't that true? No! I

Thought it was my duty.

Your pride was hurt, wasn't

It? I don't know what you mean.

Your honor, he's trying

To confuse the witness.

Let him ask her a question

She can understand.

Yes, mr. Dancer, I myself would

Like to know what you're driving at.

Miss pilant, when

You found the panties,

Was your first thought that barney

Quill might have r*ped mrs. Manion,

Or was it that he might have

Been stepping out with mrs. Manion?

What does he mean? I

Don't know what he means.

Mr. Dancer, once

Again I must ask you...

To put straight

Questions to the witness.

Here is a straight

Question, your honor.

Miss pilant, were you barney

Quill's mistress? No! No, I was not!

Did you know it's common knowledge in

Thunder bay you were living with quill?

That's not true!

Barney quill was...

Was what, miss pilant?

Barney quill was

What, miss pilant?

Barney quill was my father.

[Spectators murmuring]

No more... Questions,

Your honor.

That's all for me.

The witness may step down.

We will recess for 15 minutes,

After which we will hear

The closing arguments.

If possible, I would like to

Charge the jury before nightfall.

♪♪ [Piano playing jazz]

Think they're gonna

Stay out all night?

Can't somebody say something?

What do you want me

To say, maida, darling?

Tell me we're gonna win.

I'm counting on getting that

Promissory note from the lieutenant.

I hope we can borrow

Some money on it.

I need a new typewriter.

Half the time the "p" and

The "f" don't strike on mine.

"Party of the first part" sometimes

Comes out "arty of the irst art."

Doesn't make sense.

It's embarrassing.

"Arty of the irst art"?

I kind of like that.

It has a ring to it.

Twelve people

Go off into a room.

Twelve different minds,

Twelve different hearts,

From 12 different walks of life.

Twelve sets of eyes,

Ears, shapes and sizes.

And these 12 people...

Are asked to judge

Another human being...

As different from them as

They are from each other.

And in their judgment they must

Become of one mind... Unanimous.

It's one of the miracles of man's

Disorganized soul that they can do it.

And in most instances,

Do it right well.

God bless juries.

I don't know what I'd

Do if I were on that jury.

I really don't know.

Do you?

[Chuckling]

I loved that, polly...

I loved that "humble

Country lawyer" bit.

[Laughing] you had

Mr. Dancer dancing.

I'm afraid he got

In the last dance.

That's the best summary I've

Ever heard in a courtroom.

I liked yours

Much better, polly.

Do you have to play that stuff?

Can't you play "danny boy,"

Or "sweet isle of innisfree"?

♪♪ [Playing "danny

Boy" in upbeat, jazzy style]

[Telephone rings]

Paul biegler's office.

Yes, sir. Right away.

[Phone hangs up] they're ready.

[Laura] hey, sweetie!

Go on, go on.

The jury's coming

In. Yeah, I heard.

You can tell my loving

Husband I'll be waiting in the car.

You're sure he's gonna

Come out? Oh, sure.

[Giggles] he's lucky.

Some people have all the luck.

You can tell him I'm waiting

To get kicked to kingdom come.

Oh! Hey, sweetie, I have

A souvenir for you.

[Laughs]

Well, you better keep that.

You might need it again sometime.

You never know.

No, you don't, do you?

Oh, I like you, polly.

I warn all those present not to

Interrupt the taking of the verdict.

I will stop the proceedings

And clear the courtroom...

If there is any demonstration.

Proceed, mr. Clerk.

Members of the jury, have

You agreed upon a verdict,

And if so, who will

Speak for you? We have.

I'm the foreman. [Judge]

The defendant will rise.

What is your verdict?

We find the defendant not

Guilty by reason of insanity.

[Spectators cheering]

[Gavel banging]

Maida gave you that

Promissory note, didn't she?

Right here, ready to be

Signed by our happy client.

You know, I used to think the world

Looked better through a glass of whiskey.

It doesn't.

I think I'll keep it this way.

Looks nice.

Well, I got one good

Thing out of this case...

A new law partner,

If it's all right with him.

He'd be mighty proud to have

His name on a shingle with yours.

I guess you're looking for lt.

Manion, aren't you, mr. Biegler?

Yeah. He gave me

This note for you.

Felt real sorry for mrs.

Manion. She was crying.

Left a mess, didn't they?

Well, we'd better get busy here.

"Dear mr. Biegler. So sorry,

But I had to leave suddenly.

I was seized by an irresistible

Impulse. Frederick manion."

Now, how in the world

Are we gonna face maida?

Gin.

I knew there was something

Wrong with that guy.

Never saw a gin drinker

Yet you could trust.

Partner, what do you say

We go and see our first client?

Who might that be? Mary pilant.

We're gonna administer

Barney quill's estate.

Now, that's what I call

Poetic justice for everybody.

Yeah.