03x12 - Night of the Execution

[bunniefuu]

Good evening.

This looks like a hand grenade, doesn't it?

Please don't be frightened. It really isn't
a grenade, it's a music box.

You see, if this were real,
and I were to pull the pin,

I'd be blown into bits in a few minutes.

But when I pull the pin on this one,

we shall hear the sweet strains of
I'm All Shook Up.

Watch.

There must be something wrong.

Oh, it's all right.
I just got the wrong grenade.

The musical ones didn't have
this inscription on it.

It says, "Whoever finds this grenade,
I love you."

While I stand here waiting
for something to happen,

suppose you observe as our drama unfolds.

The Harolds case. Acquittal.

The Rogers case. Acquittal.

The Williams case...

I fought for a conviction
in every one of them.

Warren, my dear boy, a Prosecuting
Attorney is like a race horse.

It doesn't matter how hard he runs.

Either he wins most of the time
or he's put out to pasture.

And if I can't gallop into the homestretch
with this case, it may be my last race.

Warren, I'm your father-in-law,
I'm deeply concerned about your future.

But a woman has been
m*rder*d in her kitchen

and you'd think the circus had come to town.

Sidney, wouldn't you say that I've proved
Rodman guilty?

Absolutely from every legal aspect.
But a jury doesn't want only logic.

They want passion. The public doesn't want
only argument. It wants theatrics.

Surely you're not asking me
to put on a performance?

It's not up to me to ask you anything,
my boy. But I do know one thing.

You send Rodman to the chair
and you insure your political future.

But I've already been promised
the nomination for District Attorney.

Warren, there's a large group
of the boys down at City Hall

that would like to see Vance
on the ticket for D.A. instead of you.

Vance?

I know, I know, he's five years younger,
he hasn't half your experience.

But he has charm and assurance.

And he's not afraid to use any
cheap trick to make a jury laugh or cry.

That is it, isn't it?

People talk about him on street corners.

How many people know your name
well enough

to recognize it on a ballot
come election time?

Okay, Sidney.

Okay, if that's what they want,
I'll put on a show for them.

There's...

There's one more thing.

It concerns Doreen.

Doreen?

Since the day you two were married,
I've never interfered in...

Go ahead, Sidney, please.

She came to see me last night.
She seemed rather unhappy.

Do you know why?

No, she didn't say.

She'd be furious if she knew
I even dropped a hint.

Sidney, if you have even the faintest idea.

She loves you very much, Warren.
Naturally, she has your success at heart.

But the fact that you haven't gotten
to the top as quickly as you'd hoped...

That's just a guess on my part.

Doreen's been a great help to me.

Perhaps I've said too much.
If I have, I'm sorry.

But this may be your last chance,
Warren, politically.

You've got to get a conviction.

The judge is ready.

All right, I'm coming.

Ladies and gentlemen, you now have
the incontrovertible facts.

Each of you must look
into his own conscience,

and admit that if this man, Rodman,
is allowed to leave the courtroom scot-free,

then m*rder is being rewarded
by toleration.

And so, the State demands that Rodman
be punished to the full extent of the law.

Cold-blooded, premeditated m*rder is the
most heinous of human crimes.

This k*ller of the woman
he promised to cherish.

This slayer of his mate in life must not be
allowed to seek the respite of a prison.

So, I demand a death sentence.

You will return one of three verdicts.

Guilty of m*rder in the first degree,

guilty of m*rder with a recommendation
for life imprisonment, or acquittal.

The jury will now retire
to consider the evidence.

Oh, there he is.

Oh, hi, boys.

Hello, Mr. Vance.

Oh, no, Charlie. You can't quote me
in that paper of yours.

Off the record?

Well, off the record,
I have to hand it to Selvy.

He was trying his best to make a show
during the summation.

A matter of poor timing?

You know, too little, too late.

Oh, I saw a couple of jurymen
with their eyes open.

But they were crying when
the defense worked them over.

No, gentlemen, I'm afraid
Selvy has lost again.

Don't be too certain, Vance.

Anyone want to bet?

Give me odds?

Oh, come now, gentlemen,
no gambling in the Halls of Justice.

But I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll buy you both a drink at Gallagher's.

Follow me.

I think I'd like the divan covered with this.

Hello?

Darling.

Warren, what was the verdict?

The jury's still out.

Where are you?

Gallagher's.

The jury may be out for hours.

Doreen, will you come?

Yes, dear.

I'm sorry I'm late. The traffic was just awful.

What do you want? Martini?

No, I don't think so right now.

Oh, why don't you relax?
Everything is going to be fine.

I wish I was sure.

I felt pretty confident until this morning.
Sidney spoke to me.

What did he say?

He seemed worried about my
nomination for District Attorney.

He seemed to think everything
depends on this case.

He upset you, I'm sorry.

Doreen, I know I haven't come up as fast
as you and your father thought I would.

But please be patient with me?

Now, Warren, I really believe in you.

Do you?

Do you think I'd be sitting here if I didn't?

Someday your name's gonna be important
in this state.

All you need is just the

chance to prove yourself politically.

There's just no telling how far you can go.

Well, hello, lovebirds.
Oh, Hank.

Hello, Hank.
How are you? Nice to see you.

I've my fingers crossed.

Thank you, Hank.

It's like old times, isn't it? Sweating it out?

Remember the three of us sitting
out the Ashley trial?

Seven hours that jury argued
and then let Ashley go scot-free.

Well, Hank, you know.

I think this time Warren's jinx is broken.
You just wait and see.

Let's hope so.

If anyone is obviously guilty, it's Rodman.

Good luck.

Thank you, Hank.

Mr. Selvy?
Yes?

How long before the jury gives its verdict?

I don't know.

Will it be guilty?

I think I proved Rodman guilty.
But I don't know.

Selvy, the jury's sent word it's
reached a verdict.

What do you know, less than two hours.

Mr. Selvy, I have something
important to say to you.

Mr. Selvy, please.

Mr. Selvy, it's very important.

Mr. Selvy!

Now listen to this one.

"I am dining on the biggest
black crow in town."

"Congratulations on the Rodman conviction.

"Vance."

Oh, I'm so proud of you.

You know, you're going to be
Governor someday.

Delusions of grandeur.

Now, the District Attorney's office
is the first step to the...

Governor's mansion.

We better make one step at a time.

There's no harm in planning ahead.

You'd be the most beautiful Governor's lady
in history of the world, do you know that?

Warren?

Mmm-hmm?

Now, before we start your
fall campaign for D.A.,

why don't we take a vacation?

We haven't been to Europe since...

Since our honeymoon.

Where do you want to go?

Italy? Rome?

How about Florence?

How about

that little green stucco hotel
on the Via Del Sorto.

Do you know how much I love you?

Let's not answer it.

Whoever it is, I'll get rid of him.

Yes?

You remember me, Mr. Selvy?
Could I speak to you?

Not tonight. Why don't you come to see me
at the office tomorrow morning?

Please, only for a minute.
It's very important.

All right. Come on in.

This is my wife, Mr...

Barnes. Ed Barnes.
I'd like to talk kind of in private, Mr. Selvy.

No, no, no, honey.

Mr. Barnes, anything that
you want to discuss with me,

you can discuss in front of Mrs. Selvy.

If you'll come to the point quickly, please.

That man you just convicted.

Rodman? What about him?

I've been in Florida for a couple of months.

I didn't read a paper
or hear a radio or nothing.

Then when I come back,
he's already on trial.

I didn't know what to do.
You can see that, can't you?

See what?

I should have come to you sooner
but I was scared.

About what?

Then yesterday, when you was
summing up to the jury,

I made up my mind I'd talk to you.

Because this guy Rodman, well,
he's kind of young.

What is he, ?

I'm past .
Warren.

Yes, Mr. Barnes, either make sense
or you'll have to leave.

But I need your advice. Something awful.

For heaven's sake, about what?

Rodman didn't k*ll his wife.

I did.

Can I get you another drink?

Please.

Gosh, I'm sorry. I kind of upset your wife,
barging in like this, huh?

It's all right.

Now, about this preposterous tale of yours.

It's true.

I can't let another guy die
for something I did.

I proved Rodman guilty
beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Why you wanna come here with your story,
I don't know, nor do I care.

Because it's a lie from start to finish.

If it's a lie, Mr. Selvy,
a bright lawyer like you could catch me.

Why don't you ask me questions, huh?

That's exactly what I intend to do.

Let's get to your story right now.

I was hitchhiking east.

The th of July?

The th of July.

Go on.

I got a lift into Wilford.

I was walking around town trying to figure
to get food, a job, anything.

Then I saw this big fancy house.

A big brick house on the corner?

A white wooden house on top of a hill.

Am I right?

I knocked on the back door.

This nice lady answered.

She didn't have no job for me,
but she give me a sandwich.

What was she wearing?

Something blue.

I wondered when you were gonna slip up.
She was wearing a pink dress.

It won't do no good. It was blue.

All right. Go on. Get on with it.

While she was gone, I looked around the jars
and the cupboard for dough.

She came back,
caught me at it and got sore.

She didn't yell or nothing
but I knew she meant trouble.

That's when I did it. I went off of my head.

How did you do it?

Just those? Just those?

A black scarf on the back of a chair.

No, no. I remember now.
It was tan. A tan scarf.

Why were your fingerprints never found?

I wiped them off.

Look, ask yourself.

Would I be sitting here talking
like this if I didn't do it?

It took a lot out of me
to come here, Mr. Selvy.

I know a big man like you wouldn't
want to send an innocent man...

I proved Rodman guilty.

But I k*lled her.

Warren.

Father's on the phone.
He wants to talk to you.

No, not now, dear.
Tell him I'll call him back.

Darling, it's very important.
Why don't you take it in the bedroom?

Yes, Sidney?

I see.

Yes, there's going to be that vacancy
in the Sixth Ward,

and the boys all think
you should run for US Representative.

Yes, isn't that fine?

Yes.

No, couldn't we have lunch tomorrow?

Fine. Good night.

Well?

It was the Rodman case that did it.

I guess when you won that case,
they could see what

father and I had been insisting
all along was true.

The people's choice.

That's right.

And when they want you
down at the Hall, you're in.

I can't accept now.

Why not?

Well, you heard that old man.
He k*lled Mrs. Rodman.

Warren, that's...

That's just an old drunk.

I can't let an innocent man go to the chair
knowing somebody else did it.

I have got to ask for his pardon
first thing tomorrow.

Darling...

This is...

This is running for congress.

This is what you have always
wanted, isn't it?

That was before Barnes showed up.
I can't let Rodman go to the chair.

Well, he's guilty...

I don't care what the old man says.

What if he isn't?

Look, Warren.

You see, darling, it's...

It's Rodman or us.

You know, this could be the beginning of

everything you ever wanted.

All right.

All right.

Well, Mr. Barnes.

You're gonna need another drink for what
you're going to go through.

What do you mean?

Well, you just confessed to a m*rder.
You understand that, don't you?

I don't get it. This paper's blank.

That's for your confession.
I'll fill in the rest later.

I don't know.

What did you think you
were gonna get for a m*rder?

A gold medal, a pat on the back,
a free ticket home?

I guess I didn't think about it.

I just kept thinking about that
guy who's innocent.

What did you think they
were gonna do to you?

Jail.

I'm old. Rodman's young.

It's only right they should let him go
and put me in jail.

You think you're gonna spend
the rest of your days

playing checkers in some prison cell?

You're dead wrong, Mr. Barnes. You're no
better than Rodman. They're gonna burn you.

Burn me?

Prison, yes.

But not that.

, volts, and they'd give it to you
for three minutes just to make sure.

No. I won't sign.

I didn't mean what I said.

Operator, give me the police.

What are you doing?

Putting you in the chair instead of Rodman.

No. No. Don't do it.

It's not true. I didn't k*ll her.

It's a lie. It's all a lie.

That's right, Mr. Barnes.
It's a lie, it's all a lie from start to finish.

And I never saw you before in my life, did I?

All right, get out of here.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Selvy.
I didn't know what they'd do to me.

All right, get out of here.

Yeah, thank you.

Go on, get out of here.

How do you like it, darling?

Well, it's brand-new. It cost you a fortune.

No, no.

No more elbow lifting, it's : .
It's time for you to get ready.

Ready?

You remember, father's taking us
to the Governor's testimonial dinner.

I wonder what Rodman's having for dinner.

Why don't you go and shave?
I'll lay your things out.

I can't go.

Of course, you can go.

Father will cheer you up.
He always does. Come on.

Only an hour and a half left.

Warren, you promised
not to think about that.

You know something?

You really need to shave.

An hour and a half left to live,
and he didn't even do it.

Now, listen to me.

Rodman k*lled his wife.

You presented that evidence brilliantly.

The jury found him guilty, and you got
a conviction. And I'm proud of you.

So is father.

Now, would you please get dressed?

Would you please go without me?

Darling, I don't want to leave you alone.

I want to be alone.

I'd rather be alone.

I'll be all right.

Oh, Warren, I...

I mean, I can't keep father waiting, he's...

He's one of the principle speakers.

All right.

I'll be home just soon as I can.

All right.

What are you doing here?

The door was unlocked.

Every single day I tried to forget,
but it was no use.

Yesterday, I hitchhiked here.
I couldn't stay away no more.

There's only a few minutes, Mr. Selvy.

I told you not to come here.

There's only a few minutes left, Mr. Selvy.

That's right.

At : , it will all be over.

But there's still time.
I thought it all out.

I'm willing to die.
You've got to call the Governor.

It wouldn't be any use.

I'm going to try.

Get away from that phone.
Stay away from that phone.

Warren.

What on earth?

He's dead.

I did it.

But what happened?
What was old Barnes doing here?

You know him?

Of course. I'd know old Barnes anywhere.

When I was on the bench,
he was always confessing to m*rder.

He'd study the evidence,
and then claim he did it.

Bit touched, but harmless.

Warren, why did you do it?

Thus, as it so often happens, a life is ruined.

A promising career is nipped in the bud.

All because of one mistake
made in the heat of the moment.

There's a lesson here for all you good folk.

Just one mistake.

If Warren had only k*lled his wife first,
he would have gotten away with it.

I'm sure you're wondering
what happened to the grenade?

A little gray-haired old lady
came by selling apples,

and I managed to slip the grenade
into her basket.

By now, she should be selling apple sauce.

She very kindly gave me this.
However, I just don't feel hungry.

How shocking.

She gave me a grenade,
disguised as an apple.

It's getting so you can't trust anyone
these days. At any rate,

we shall be back another time
to explore further

the dark alleyways of human behavior.

Until then, good night.