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Post by Dale on Apr 18, 2008 19:16:34 GMT -5
JUSTICE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -We see Jude "The Evil Mood" Rumon standing in the middle of a train cart-
Jude "The Evil Mood" Rumon-
Let me tell you a story...
-We cut to the sea. It is very dark and rainy. A small boat has Tom "The Fiery Bomb" Scott by two sailors-
Tom "The Fiery Bomb" Scott-
There is bank
-We see a small town. There is a wooden building that reads "Nation's County Grand Bank"-
Tom "The Fiery Bomb" Scott- (VO)
It isn't a robbery that could be pulled of by one guy. Needs four.
-We see Kane "The Demonic Pain" Lewis standing in the cold. He is looking someone in the eyes-
Kane "The Demonic Pain" Lewis-
I NEVER DID ANYTHING LIKE THAT!
-We cut to Jack, he is in a small room with Kane, Tom and Jude-
Jack "The Devilish Tack" Fogg-
Would like to thank you all for coming out.
-Bella Rumon, Jude's wife is seen kissing Jude-
Jack "The Devilish Tack" Fogg- (VO)
You robbed banks before?
-All the men begin to smile. We cut to a montage of clips that show Jack running on horseback from a bank. Jude screaming at people in a bank. In another bank, Kane begins to smile as he is holding a hacksaw and walking torwards someone-
Officer Rupertmen- (VO)
Can I trust you?
-We see Jack being handed a sack of money-
From the Director of "Batman: The Musical"
and
From producer Xboxking ("Wasteland")
BLOOD THIRSTY MEN
Simon Pegg
Jackie Early Haley
Javier Bardem
Ron Perlman
Johnny Depp
Christian Bale
Nicole Kidman
Rated R for Graphic Blood Violence, Strong Language and a brief sex-scene
May 2, 2008. Fade in on a quiet, idyllic landscape view of Hobbiton in the Shire. We hear the voice of Gandalf narrating. GANDALF: (voice over) In the days before the Great War of the Ring, many of the people of Middle Earth lived in peace. But many also suffered. Quickly cut to the Laketown in flames. A shot of goblins destroying a town. GANDALF: (voice over) And the time would soon come when heroes would be found in unlikely places. Cut to Gandalf arriving at Bag End on his cart. We see Bilbo sitting and reading.GANDALF: I’m organizing a little … adventure. BILBO: Good for you, then! But I must admit I never saw much in adventures. Cut to a great battle in Gondor.GANDALF: (voice over) We looked for a warrior, but they were all busy defending other realms. So we settled on a burglar. Cut to a large group of dwarves in Bilbo’s hobbit hole. BILBO: Who do you want me to steal from? THORIN: Not “who”. “What”. We want you to steal from a dragon. A dragon named Smaug. Bilbo laughs.BILBO: Wait a minute. You’re joking, right? Music intensifies. Cut to a shot from Laketown of flames and smoke rising from the Lonely Mountain. A shot of huge piles of gold inside the mountain.
Cut to Gandalf, Bilbo, and the dwarves leaving the Shire. Cut to Bilbo looking amazed at the town of Rivendel. Cut to the group entering the cave in the Misty Mountains. GANDALF: We’ll sleep here for the night. Suddenly, the back wall of the cave opens up and goblins rush in, capturing the dwarves and the hobbit. A shot of Gandalf fighting the Goblin King underground.
Music intensifies once more.
A shot of two stone giants throwing boulders at each other.
A shot of Bilbo talking with Gollum.
A shot of the three trolls eating at their campfire. STARRING JAMES MCAVOY A shot of Bilbo running from a spider in Mirkwood. AND IAN MCKELLAN A shot of Gandalf and Saruman fighting hordes of orcs with magic in the Necromancer’s fortress.
The music reaches its climax.
A shot of elf, man, and dwarf armies gathering at the Lonely Mountain.
A shot of the White Council meeting.
A shot of a monster attacking Laketown. The camera cuts away before it can be fully seen.
A shot of a bear (Beorn) ripping through the orcs battle lines.
A shot of Bilbo finding the Arkenstone in Erebor.
Cut to a huge sweeping shot of the Five Armies meeting in battle.
Cut to an eagle being shot by orc archers.
Cut to Smaug flying towards camera with his mouth open wide. Fire bursts forth and the screen is enveloped in flame.  MAY 2nd ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEGENDARY PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS
AN AWESOM-O FILMS PRODUCTION
BASED ON THE SCREENPLAY "TWELVE ANGRY MEN" BY REGINALD ROSE
JUSTICE
FADE IN:
INT. - COURT ROOM - DAY
We pan across a jury box filled with twelve people looking
intently to the front of the court as the judge gives them
their final instructions. Flags of both the United States and the state of Nebraska hang above the judge.
JUDGE
(O.S.)
You've listened to a long and complex case - murder in the first degree. Premeditated murder is the most serious charge that is tried in our criminal courts. You've listened to the testimony, you've had the law read to you and interpreted as it applies in this case. It's now your duty to sit down and try to separate the facts from the fabrications. One man is dead, another's life is at stake. If there is a reasonable doubt in your minds as to the guilt of the accused, then you must bring forth a verdict of "Not Guilty." If, however, there is no reasonable doubt, then you must, in good conscience, find the accused "Guilty." However you decide, your verdict must be unanimous. In the event you find the accused "Guilty," there will be no reduced sentence-the death penalty by means of electrocution is the only option in the state of Nebraska.
The young defendant looks over at the jurors, pleadingly,
with tears in his eyes.
JUDGE
(O.S.)
The death sentence is mandatory in this case, as you've seen that the defendant has been rendered sane. You're faced with a grave responsibility. Thank you, ladies and gentleman.
The jury members reluctantly rise to their feet and slowly
walk to the jury room door, filing in one by one.
INT. - JURY ROOM - DAY
The members of the jury pile into the room awkwardly and look around. The room is old and run-down with bland white paint. There is an American flag hanging from one wall, just behind the head of the table, and a Nebraska state flag hanging from the wall across from it. There is a door to a bathroom on another side of the room, and a window opposite that side, which is three stories up from a busy street. There are several fans around the room.
Several jurors begin to sit down, taking their coats off. FOREMAN sits down at the head of the table, with the American flag behind him. The other jurors slowly sit down in their jury order in a clockwise fashion: with TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, and SIX on the Foreman's left, SEVEN at the opposite head of the table, and EIGHT, NINE, TEN, ELEVEN, and TWELVE to the Foreman's right.
SEVEN
(wiping forehead)
Jesus, it's gotta be at least ninety degrees in here.
Seven walks over to the fan behind him and attempts to turn it on. However, nothing happens.
SEVEN
(sitting down)
Figures...
FOREMAN
Well, I don't know how you'd like to do this. We could vote now, or we could wait and talk about it first-
FOUR
(interrupting)
Let's vote now...
(mumbling)
The faster we get out of here, the better.
FOREMAN
Alright, does everybody agree? A first vote, just to know where we all stand?
There are various murmurs of agreement from around the table.
FOREMAN
Alright, well let's just have everyone who votes "guilty" raise their hands now.
Immediately, the hands of Two, Four, Five, Nine, and Ten spring up with enthusiasm. A second later, hands of the Foreman, Eight, and Eleven go up. After looking around nervously at the other jurors several times, Three, Six, and Seven put their hands up.
FOREMAN
And those voting not guilty?
The only juror with his hand raised is Twelve.
FOREMAN
Alright, so that's eleven "guilty," and one "not guilty."
Two looks incredulously at Twelve. The two jurors are directly across from each other, with the Foreman at the head of the table between them.
TWO
You think the guy's innocent? Are you kidding me?
TWELVE
(quietly)
"Not guilty" and "innocent" are two different things.
NINE
Did you just sit through the same case I did? They proved he killed him, about six different ways! Is that not enough for you?
TWELVE
I'd just like to talk. We can't just bring a guilty verdict in after five minutes.
FOUR
Sure we can! Some of us have things to do here-
TWELVE
More important than the life of a boy?
TWO
You mean the life of a murderer. We don't owe this kid anything! He killed his father, and we are trying to make sure he gets what's coming to him.
EIGHT
Let me ask you something...do you have a child?
TWO
(quietly)
Yeah...I have a son.
(angrily)
I had a son. And don't try to get sentimental on me, using me having a kid against me. You want to know what my kid did to me? I work hard for years, all for him, and one day, after he finishes college, he leaves a note on my door. It tells me that he's finally free of me and that I will never see him again. That ungrateful son of a bitch just left, after everything I did for him...that's how kids are...don't appreciate anything.
Juror Two stops and looks down, wiping his eyes as a single tear was beginning to form.
TWO
I'm sorry for that...getting carried away over here.
TWELVE
Well...it seems you've already concluded that he's guilty.
NINE
Of course he has! Everybody with a half of a brain could tell the boy was guilty. Did you look at him? Walking into the courtroom in ragged clothes, looked like a drug dealer for Christ's sake! And you want to let him out on the street?
TEN
How?
NINE
(snapping)
How what?
TEN
How did he look like a drug dealer to you? Was it because he was poor, black, or-
NINE
Oh, don't you start with this! You know as well as I do-
FOREMAN
Everybody, everybody, calm down! This man (gesturing to Twelve) wants to talk it over, and we can do that. Maybe we can go around the table in order and see what everybody has to say, we can convince him that this boy is guilty.
EIGHT
That is a very good idea.
FOREMAN
I suppose I should start. I thought he was guilty for a number of reasons. There was the testimony of the old man who heard a fight between the father and son an hour before the murder. And plus, the kid was supposedly at the football game, but when the cops interrogated him, he didn't even remember the score.
TWO
Exactly. And that's not even the beginning of it. There's no way the kid's innocent, just look at all the testimony.
THREE
I-I agree with both of them. There was so much evidence. His prior record and everything, he'd been caught stealing and had been in fights.
TWELVE
Excuse me, but we are not trying this boy for a lifetime of crime, we are trying him for one murder, and one murder only.
FOUR
Did I think he was guilty? Hell, I know he's guilty! We're sitting here talking about nothing when we should be convicting this kid and getting on with it!
Twelve is about to say something before the Foreman puts his hand out and Twelve slumps back down.
FIVE
All of the evidence, it just adds up. You said it yourself, Mr. Foreman, his story didn't add up. I've been a lawyer for twenty-four years, and I think I can tell when somebody is guilty or not.
SIX
Well, he didn't seem like a very nice person. I thought he just seemed very guilty.
SEVEN
I don't really have too much else to say...I think he was just guilty. Nobody proved otherwise.
TWELVE
Nobody has to prove otherwise. The burden of proof is on the prosecution. The defendant doesn't even have to open his mouth. That's in the Constitution.
There is a brief pause before the Foreman looks over to Eight.
EIGHT
Well really, from all of the facts of the case, I think the boy was guilty. There were multiple witnesses to various things that seemed to add up to the murder. I do suppose we should talk about this, though, as we cannot send a boy off to die lightly.
NINE
This whole thing is a waste of time. We don't need to talk, we already know he's guilty!
FOREMAN
Alright, we understand. Please just settle down. Number ten?
TEN
Now come on, there's so much evidence that I don't even know what to do with half of it. We've got a man who heard them fighting just an hour before the fight, and that's not to mention the women who saw the boy running down the street with the knife.
ELEVEN
I agree. I mean, how could all of that evidence turn out false? Then again, the man didn't exactly have the best hearing...
TWELVE
Well, let's talk about the old man.
FOUR
No, let's not talk about the old man. Why can't you get it, he's guilty!
TWELVE
(ignoring him)
If I remember correctly, the man claimed to have heard the boy fighting with his father one hour before the murder, but he could not remember what it was about. Then, he later heard the son scream out "I'm gonna kill you!" exactly one second before he heard the body hit the floor.
FOREMAN
(reading case notes)
That's all correct. The man's apartment was immediately underneath the victim's. He heard the fight at around ten p.m., and heard the boy drop at around eleven, right after hearing the boy say "I'm gonna kill you!"
TWO
Well isn't that proof right there? He heard the kid's voice telling him he was going to kill him.
TWELVE
That's something I wanted to talk about. How many times a day do we hear "I'm gonna kill you!"? This phrase, how many times have all of us used it? Probably thousands. "I could kill you for that, honey." "Johnny, you do that once more and I'm gonna kill you." "Get in there, Rocky, and kill him!" We say it every day. That doesn't mean we're going to kill anyone.
TWO
Wait a minute. What crap are you trying to feed me? The boy said "I'm gonna kill you." The kid yelled it at the top of his lungs! Don't tell me he didn't mean it. Anybody says a thing like that the way he said it, they mean it.
FOUR
(impatiently)
Are you two done or can we get along with this?
TWELVE
Alright, alright. Now, after hearing the body hit the floor, the old man went down the stairs and saw the boy running out the front door?
The Foreman nods in agreement.
TWELVE
Well what if he didn't see that?
TWO
You've got to be kidding me! What, is he lying for fun? Of course he saw it! Did you hear the old man, he said it, he was positive that he saw the boy running out of the building?
TWELVE
But what if he just thought he saw the boy, or assumed?
TWO
"Assumed"? You've got to be kidding me! I've seen a lot of things in my life, but nothing as entertaining as this. He was sure he saw the boy, he said it a dozen times! He was positive!
NINE
I suppose you think that the old man was part of a conspiracy to put the poor murderer in jail?
TWELVE
Just hear me out. He was an old man, did you see how he walked? His left leg dragged behind him, even with his cane They had to help him up onto the witness stand.
SIX
I don't think that he would lie, he's just a poor old man!
TWELVE
That has nothing to do with it! I honestly do not believe that he could have even gotten close to the stairs to see that boy running away-and he said he got down there in twenty seconds!
TWO
He said thirty seconds!
TWELVE
He said twenty.
TWO
He said thirty! What are you trying to distort here?
EIGHT
He said twenty.
TWO
How does he know how long twenty seconds is? You can't judge a thing like that.
Juror Eleven begins to rustle through papers and folders on the case, finally emerging with the record of the man's testimony.
ELEVEN
He said twenty seconds, and was "very positive about it."
TWO
But look at the guy, he was an old man! Half the time he was confused and didn't know what was even going on! How could he be positive about anything-
Suddenly, Two realizes what he has just admitted and stops talking.
TWELVE
Alright, so, we need to establish whether or not the man could have gotten to the door in twenty seconds-
FOUR
(interrupting)
Did you wake up in the morning and wonder what you could do to waste our time? You're talking about nothing!
EIGHT
I must say, I agree with this gentleman, I'd like to explore this further. I never thought about it, but the man was an awfully slow-mover.
TWELVE
That's all I'm asking, that we just take a few minutes. I'd like to talk for a while before sending this kid to jail, it just doesn't seem right.
TEN
(looking at diagram of apartment complex)
Alright, let's hear it. According to this, he would have had to walk...sixty-five feet, and he claimed to have done it in nearly twenty seconds, and that includes him getting out of his bed and grabbing his cane.
TWELVE
Alright, I've got any idea here. Sixty-five feet, what would you say that is, up and down this table five times?
THREE
That sounds about right.
There are various nods and noises of agreement from around the table.
FOUR
How many times do I need to say this is a waste of time?
TWELVE
Well, according to you, it should only take twenty seconds. Now, has anyone got a watch with a second hand?
FIVE
I've got one right here...Are you ready? I'll bang by hand against to signal the body hitting the floor, and then you start.
She pauses, waiting for the second hand to reach 60. There is now a loud bang from the desk.
Twelve begins to walk down the table slowly, dragging one leg behind him like the old man. He continues to walk up and down the table five times. During this, Four has sighed heavily and looked away impatiently, while others look on apprehensively. Five keeps one eye on Twelve and one eye on the watch. After Twelve has walked up and down the table five times, he looks over to five.
TWELVE
Well? How many did you count?
FIVE
It took... just under thirty-five seconds.
TWELVE
Thirty-five seconds, and that is assuming that the man arose from bed as soon as he heard the noise. I do not think he could have seen the boy exiting the building. Here's what I think happened: the old man heard the fight between the boy and his father a few hours earlier. Then, when he's lying in his bed he heard a body hit the floor in the boy's apartment, got to his front door as fast as he could, heard somebody racing down the stairs and assumed it was the boy.
TEN
You're talking about a matter of seconds. Nobody can be that accurate.
TWELVE
Well I think that testimony that can put a boy into the electric chair should be that accurate.
SIX
I agree, this is somebody's son, somebody's friend, that we're talking about. Not just some name-a real person, just like one of us. How would you feel is twelve strangers sent you off to death without being sure?
TWELVE
Exactly. I just want to talk.
FOUR
Alright, buddy, you can go on about this stuff as long as you'd like, it's not gonna change any of our opinions. Nobody agrees with you, and we're going to be here all night-
TWELVE
Alright, then. We'll see if anybody agrees with me. I'm calling another vote, but this time, I'll abstain. And I want a secret vote, with ballots. If nobody else votes "not guilty," I'll submit, and we'll all walk into that courtroom and hand in a "guilty" verdict.
FOUR
Alright, let's go! Looks like we're getting out of here after all.
FOREMAN
Alright, here we go.
The Foreman rips a spare piece of paper into small pieces. He hands one to each of the jurors except Twelve.
Most of the jurors begin writing immediately, while others stare off into space, thinking. After a few moments, the Foreman calls out.
FOREMAN
Alright, everybody done? Pass them along, pass 'em along.
They all pass their ballots down the table to the Foreman, who begins to open them and read them out loud.
FOREMAN
(flipping through the ballots as he reads out the verdict)
Alright, let's see...Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty...Not Guilty...Guilty. That's ten votes "guilty," and one vote "not guilty."
Several groans are heard around the table at the reading of the "not guilty" vote.
NINE
Alright, who was it? I want to know who stands where. If you don't have the-
FIVE
Now hold on, this was a secret ballot. If whoever voted "not guilty" wants to remain secret, then-
NINE
Secret? What do you mean secret? There are no secrets in a jury room. I know who it was.
(turning to Ten)
Ma'am, you really are something. You sit here vote guilty like the rest of us, then this idiot starts rambling about the poor and how the underprivileged kid, just couldn't help becoming a murderer, and you change your vote. That's just sickening, that's what it is. Why don't you drop a quarter in his collection box!
TEN
Sir, I don't know who in the hell you think you are, but if you talk to me like that one more time, I'm gonna smack you silly.
SIX
Alright, calm down...
TEN
No, it's about time somebody taught this guy his place. Who do you think you are?
NINE
Alright, sister, then just tell me, what made you change your vote?
Pan to a close up of Eight.
EIGHT
She didn't change her vote...I did.
NINE
Oh, here we go...
EIGHT
Would you like me to tell you why?
FOUR
No, no, we wouldn't like that! What we'd like is to get out of this damned ninety-degree room before the football game starts in about twelve hours!
EIGHT
Well I'd like to make it clear anyways, if you don't mind.
NINE
Do we have to listen to this crap?
FIVE
Hey, the man wants to talk, let him talk. The point of this is to find out whether this boy murdered his father, not get out of here in time to catch a ball game.
EIGHT
Thank you, thank you very much. Now this man has been standing alone against us. Now he doesn't say that the boy is not guilty, he just isn't sure. Well it's not easy to stand alone against the ridicule of others, so he gambled for support and I gave it to him. I respect him greatly. Yes, the boy is most likely guilty. But I want to hear more. Right now the vote is ten to two.
Four gets up and walks to the bathroom towards the end of this speech. Eight stands up angrily.
EIGHT
Now hey, where do you think you're going? I'm talking here, you can't just leave!
Twelve stands up and puts his hand on Eight's shoulder, bring him down.
TWELVE
He can't hear you, and believe me, he never will. Let's just sit down.
Eight and Twelve sit down together.
TWELVE
Look, there was one man who supposedly heard the killing and saw the boy run out afterwards and there was a lot of circumstantial evidence. But, actually, those two witnesses were the entire case for the prosecution. Supposing they're wrong?
FIVE
What do you mean, supposing they're wrong? What's the point of even having witnesses at all?
TWELVE
But could they be wrong?
FIVE
What do you mean? They sat there and testified under oath. Under an oath that they would tell the truth and nothing but the truth, a sacred oath, swearing to their god.
TWELVE
They're only people. People make mistakes. Could they be wrong?
FIVE
No, I don't think so.
TWELVE
Do you know so?
FIVE
Oh Christ, come on. Nobody can know a thing like that. This isn't an exact science.
TWELVE
That's right. It isn't.
FADE OUT
FADE IN on the jury room. All jurors are sitting in their seats except for Seven, who is in the bathroom.
ELEVEN
But still, what about the woman who said-didn't she say she saw the boy running down the street with the knife? I could have sworn she said that, let me check...
She digs into the pile of records of testimony.
ELEVEN
Yes, that's right. She saw him from out of her window, and she said he was only a few feet outside of her window, carrying a knife!
TWO
Exactly! That's the case, right there. Why in the world would the boy be running down the street with a knife if he hadn't done anything? Doesn't make any sense.
TWELVE
Are you just going to cast aside the entire argument the defense made?
NINE
What argument? There was no argument! They tried to say that just because her father had been killed a few months back, it means she has some kind of personal vendetta against this kid! It's insane!
TWELVE
I thought it was pretty believable...at least for somebody with an open mind.
NINE
Now don't you start on me again. An open mind? Open to what, letting a killer walk free?
EIGHT
The woman admitted to still being angry over her father's death, I don't think it is too unreasonable to suggest she was biased and just wants to see the kid in jail. It could be any number of things, but there is a reasonable doubt.
TWO
What reasonable doubt? There isn't any doubt in any body's minds except for you two!
FIVE
There is doubt, whether you're too thick to see it or not. I'm changing my vote to not guilty.
FOUR
Oh Christ, here we go...
THREE
You know what...I agree. I'm voting not guilty.
TWO
What's wrong with you two? What in the world could have changed your minds out of all of this? He hasn't proved anything!
FIVE
When are you going to get it through your head that he doesn't need to prove anything? There's a reasonable doubt. The vote's eight to four.
FOUR
You guys have got to be shitting me...We might as well just sit here for a few days, right? We haven't got anything better to do!
EIGHT
You would honestly send a boy to his death if the alternative was a minor inconvenience to you? In all my days in this country, that is the saddest thing I've seen, by far.
NINE
The kid is nothing but a little punk, we've got to convict him. That's what happens to these kids in bad neighborhoods, ya' know? They're raised in crime, they see everyday people getting robbed, stabbed, and shot. And what will they end up doing? Robbing, stabbing, and shooting us! Nobody's blaming them, but that's the way it is! Its just something that ain't gonna change, ya' know?
TEN
None of us want to hear the ramblings of an insane racist. If you had any sense in you, you'd shut your mouth now before one of us does-
FOREMAN
Can we just get back to the case for god's sake? We were talking about the woman's testimony. The vote is eight to four in favor of guilty.
The camera pans around the room and reveals that many jurors, especially number Two, have sweat dripping down their shirts from the heat of the room. Juror number Seven is constantly wiping his face with his sleeve.
EIGHT
Aren't we forgetting that the woman had poor eyesight? I'm not sure if she could tell a knife from a pen.
FIVE
That's true. The boy's lawyer didn't do much justice to that part of the trial. He didn't seem too interested in the case at all, actually, and missed dozens of things that I personally would have picked up on.
ELEVEN
I agree. I'm not exactly sure he's guilty anymore.
TWELVE
If you're not sure, then you must vote not guilty.
ELEVEN
Yes...you're right. Change my vote to innocent.
FIVE
It's "not guilty" actually.
EIGHT
That's beside the point. The vote is seven to five for guilty.
THREE
Alright, forget the woman if you really want. But you can't deny the testimony of the boy himself. He could hardly get anything right. He was supposedly at a football game, but couldn't remember the score when he talked to the cops hours after and didn't have his ticket with him.
FOUR
Didn't you already change your vote? What side are you on anyway?
THREE
Well...yes. But I just have some doubts both ways. I don't have to be on a "side."
TWELVE
I don't get why we're getting so hung up on the score. Let's not forget that his father had just died.
TWO
You can go on as long as you want about this nonsense, but it doesn't change the other facts. How about the knife?
THREE
True, the knife was very important...
TWELVE
What about it?
TWO
What do you mean, "what about it?" The guy who owned a pawn shop a few blocks from the guy's house testified that he sold the exact same kind of knife that was found in the old man's back!
The Foreman takes out an evidence bag which contains a small knife with a green handle. He hands the bag to TWO, who takes out the knife and stabs it into the table so that all can see it.
EIGHT
Actually, it was the same type of knife, he could never identify it as the same exact knife.
TEN
Yeah, but didn't you hear them say that it was a one-of-a-kind knife? The shop owner himself said he'd never seen anything like it!
TWO
And the kid admitted to buying the knife! Oh, but of course, you're gonna believe his story about magically dropping it out of his pocket, and that he just happened, by coincidence, to buy the same knife that killed his father!
TWELVE
Do you all think it is not even possible that this is a coincidence?
TWO
No. There's no way, you heard them, this knife is one-of-a-kind!
In a flash, Twelve reaches into his pocket and takes something out. He slashes his hand across the table near the knife which is standing erect in the table. When he is finished, he has stabbed an exactly identical knife next to the murder weapon.
Suddenly, many of the jurors rise up from the table in shock and move closer to the knives.
FOUR
Where the hell did you get that?
TWELVE
After the second day of the case proceedings, I went near the kid's neighborhood. I went to a pawn shop three blocks away from the kid's house and bought it for six bucks.
Ten leans over and begins staring at the knives up close, hoping to find a difference. Eventually, she leans back in despair.
TEN
They're identical alright...
TWO
And what does that prove? Nothing! So what, there's more than one of this kind of knife. The boy admitted to buying the knife, do you hear me! That little scumbag killed his dad and you're trying to let him get away with it!
EIGHT
Now settle down, we don't know he's guilty, that's what we're trying to decide-
TWO
Like hell we do! This guy comes in here talking about nothing, making no points whatsoever, but you listen to him! I've had enough! What the hell is the matter with you? You all know he's guilty. And now you're going to let him slip through our fingers!
TWELVE
"Slip through our fingers?" What are you, his executioner?
TWO
I'm one of them!
TWELVE
Maybe you'd like the be the one to pull the switch, wouldn't you?
TWO
You're damn right I would!
TWELVE
I feel sorry for you... what it must feel like to want to pull the switch. You know what I think? I think that ever since you walked into this room, you've been acting like a self-appointed public avenger. I think you want to see this boy die because you personally want it, not because of the facts! You're nothing more than a sadist.
Two suddenly jumps up and lunges at Twelve, swinging frantically. Several jurors get up and hold him back.
TWO
I'll kill him! I'll kill him!
TWELVE
You don't really mean you'll kill me, do you?
FADE OUT
FADE IN on jury room. All of the jurors are sitting back down now. Two avoids eye contact with all of the jurors, looking down at the table. The table is silent with tension as many jurors have shocked looked on their faces or are looking at jurors Two and Twelve.
After several seconds, the silence is broken as Seven returns from the bathroom.
SEVEN
(opening door)
Sorry that took me so long, I knew I shouldn't have had White Castle's last night...Anyways, I thought I heard some yelling going on in here...?
Seven looks around for an explanation for the silence.
SEVEN
Well, my therapist always tells me to let out my emotions. She'd call all of that shouting progress.
THREE
What do you have a therapist for?
SEVEN
What I want to know is why some of these guys don't have therapists.
The room again goes silent as most jurors roll their eyes and glance back down.
SEVEN
(pulling out chair and siting down)
Damn...sorry for trying to lighten up the mood.
Seven glances around for a response, but gets none. He then looks dejected and slumps back in his seat, mumbling to himself. About ten seconds of more silence pass.
FOREMAN
This is too much-there is too much doubt. It's undeniable now, and we all know it-the old man couldn't have seen the boy, the woman might have been prejudiced, and the knife wasn't unique at all. The entire case is falling apart. There's no way around it-we cannot convict this man.
FOUR
You changing your vote or not?
FOREMAN
Yeah, I'm bloody changing my vote.
EIGHT
That brings it to a dead split...six-six.
SIX
No it isn't.
NINE
(demanding)
What?
SIX
I'm changing, too. The whole thing with the knife-
NINE
(interrupting)
Was a coincidence! The whole thing- a coincidence! So what, there are two knives that happen to look the same in this city! It's a big city! The knife doesn't prove anything at all.
EIGHT
You do realize that the defense doesn't have to prove anything?
NINE
(mumbling)
Bunch of technical jargon...People are either guilty or innocent. And the facts all say this kid killed his dad.
FOUR
This thing is never gonna' end, is it? I haven't been paying attention, what's the vote now?
FIVE
It's nice to see you are so concerned about a boy's life. It's seven not guilty to five guilty.
FOUR
Christ...you guys really think he's innocent?
Nobody answers and most continue to stare at number Four.
FOUR
Alright, alright! If it's gonna get me out of here sometime today, I change my vote. Happy now?
EIGHT
No, I'm not happy. Why are you changing your vote? Just to get out of here. You don't give a damn about this case, you just care about your busy schedule. That's what is wrong with this country these days. It's the indifference-the indifference to anyone other than ourselves.
FOUR
Alright, when you're done preaching over there, can we continue this and get out of here? I changed my vote because I think he's innocent now. That should be enough.
TWELVE
But why do you think he's innocent all of the sudden? Because you've realized that voting not guilty will get you out of here quicker?
FOUR
What do you care? I'm on your side now-you've been trying to convince me for an hour that the kid's innocent, and when I finally agree with you, you get all pissed off about it!
FIVE
Just let it be. We can't force him to take the case seriously. If he wants to change his vote, for whatever reason, it's his right. That makes it eight not guilty to four guilty.
TWELVE
Well, when I was alone, you all tried to convince me of the boy's guilt-so maybe we should try to convince them of the reasonable doubt now.
TWO
You're not going to convince me of anything.
TWELVE
Well, we'll just see about that.
NINE
(to Foreman)
I want you to tell me what made you change your vote.
FOREMAN
What do you mean?
NINE
What the hell do you think I mean? Why did you change your vote?
FOREMAN
Isn't it obvious? The knife was one of the biggest pieces of evidence, because it was so unique. Now that I know it isn't, I'm not so sure he did it anymore. Got a problem with that?
FIVE
Wait...what are you talking about with the knife? Is this what was going on while I was in the bathroom?
NINE
Didn't you find something odd about two knives sticking out of a table?
We see the two identical knives still stabbed into the middle of the table.
TWO
What happened is he
(gesturing to Twelve)
decided to go out knife shopping a few nights ago, and happened to find the same knife that this kid used to murder his dad. So now, everyone thinks that we've got to let him free.
FIVE
So...the knife wasn't really one of a kind after all?
TWELVE
Nope.
FIVE
Well, I wish somebody had told me that earlier. Put me down for not guilty.
TWELVE
That makes the vote nine for not guilty and three for guilty...
NINE
(angrily)
I don't understand you all. Sure, they keep bringing up all these little points about a difference of ten seconds and the fact that there's more than one of the same knife. But what do they mean? Nothing! You saw this kid just like I did. You can't honestly tell me you believe that fake story about losing the knife, and that crap about being at the football game. Look, you know how these people lie. It's born in them! They don't know what the truth is! And let me tell you, they don't need any real big reason to kill someone, either! They'll do it over anything, they're like animals!
Five gets up and walks over to the window, turning her back on Nine.
NINE
They get drunk all the time. They're all big drinkers-you know that-and bang-all of the sudden, somebody's lying in the gutter. Oh, nobody's blaming them for it. It's just the way they are! That's their nature. You know what I mean? They're plain violent!
Eight rises and walks to the window, standing next to Ten. They look out the window with their backs turned to Nine.
NINE
Hey, where are you going? I'm just saying here, human life don't mean as much to them as it does to us!
Three and Seven stand up and follow the others with their backs towards Nine, standing along different walls.
NINE
What are you all doing? All I'm saying is that they're always fighting, and if somebody gets killed, they don't care! I'm not saying they're completely bad or anything!
Eleven, and Six stand up and face various walls in the room, all with their backs towards juror Nine.
Nine
I've actually known a few of them who were alright, I've been friends with some. But they're just the exceptions! Most of 'em, it's like they have no feelings! They can do anything!
Foreman and Twelve rise and join the other jurors along the walls. As Twelve rises, he looks over at Two and Four, the only others remaining at the table listening to Nine.
NINE
What's going on here? I'm trying to tell you... you're making a big mistake! This kid is a liar! I know it. I know all about them! Listen to me! They're no good! Not one of them! I mean, what's happening in here? I'm trying to speak my mind, you can't all ignore me like this!
Slowly, both Two and Four glance at each other and leave the table. Everybody has their backs to Nine besides Ten, who is staring at him cruelly.
Nine
Listen to me. We're... This kid on trial here... his type, well, don't you know about them? There's a, there's a danger here. These people are dangerous. They're wild. Listen to me. Listen.
TEN
I have. The first minute I listened to you was a minute too long. Now sit down and don't open your mouth again.
Nine slowly looks around at the other jurors with their backs to him and sits back into his chair, staring at the floor.
FADE OUT
FADE IN on jury room. The jurors have now returned to their seats. Juror Nine is slumped in his chair and does not speak at all again. Everyone is quiet until Foreman begins to talk.
FOREMAN
(to Nine)
You voting not guilty now or what?
Nine simply nods his head yes and continues to stare downwards, not looking any of the other jury members in the eye.
FOUR
(looking at Two and Ten)
Now what have we got to do to convince you two? We're two votes away from getting the hell out of here.
TWELVE
There's still something that we haven't talked much about-the woman's eyesight. I think it has only been mentioned once, but I think it is a big issue. The witness to a suspect of a murder investigation has poor eyesight, but it was hardly even mentioned in court.
TEN
Now wait a minute, she had glasses. She could see fine with those.
TWELVE
Yes, that's true-but, let me ask you something: Do you wear glasses when you go to bed?
TEN
No, of course not. Nobody wears glasses in bed.
TWELVE
Exactly. Why would they? When you're tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep, you're not going to want your glasses on. I think we can assume she wasn't wearing them in bed.
TWO
How do you know that? You think you can just assume-
TWELVE
I can't be sure, but it is possible! Don't you see the possibility? She said she got right out of bed and looked out her window without doing anything else at all-including putting on her glasses. Maybe she thought she saw the boy, maybe she wanted to see the boy. Do you still honestly think there is no doubt? That the boy is guilty?
TWO
Yes, I think he's guilty!
TEN
Well I don't.
TWO
What? Are you kidding me?
TEN
I have a reasonable doubt in my mind...I can't vote guilty.
EIGHT
Eleven to one!
FOUR
Now this is what I call progress! Let's get this last guy convinced and we're out of here!
TWO
(looking downward)
You'll never convince me of anything. It'll be a hung jury, I'm never letting this kid off the hook!
TWELVE
That's your right-if you still honestly think he's guilty, then you have to vote guilty. If we can't convince you, we'll have to declare a mistrial.
TWO
(still looking down)
And you know that any other jury will say he's guilty. The only reason we didn't do that two hours ago was because you decided to put us all through this...assuming you know how fast a man walks, what a woman can see, and that since there is more than one of the same knife, that means anybody can just come upon one.
TWELVE
The funny thing about me finding that knife- it was all luck. I found it in the second place I went to, actually. I was planning to just look in three places. Apparently the boy didn't have the best lawyers out there, or they would have found it weeks ago, or another one like it.
FIVE
Well that was obvious. If I was that kid's lawyer, we wouldn't even be here, and he'd be back at home where he belongs.
TWO
(holding something beneath the table and staring at it)
That's the price of freedom, right? Money. Whoever can afford a good lawyer can afford freedom.
(looking into Twelve's eyes for the first time since attacking him)
Is that justice?
TWELVE
No...it isn't. But in the world we live in, that's just how it works, there's no changing that. But if there's one thing that keeps me going whenever I think that all is lost, it is that there's some good in this world... and that it's worth fighting for. We can still give the boy as fair of a deal as possible-without prejudice, without holding a personal vendetta on him. "The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."
Twelve pauses for a few seconds and starts up again.
TWELVE
That is justice-treating people with the same respect and dignity as you would want yourself to be treated if you were ever in this situation... Treating people as you would want somebody you loved treated...as you would treat your own son.
Two has a shocked look of sadness on his face and looks up from the object in his hands again. He looks into Twelve's eyes and then back down to the what is in his hands.
The camera moves around behind Two and we see what is in his hands-a picture, about five years old, of him with an older teenager, who looks about eighteen years old. The boy is wearing a graduation cap and gown and holding a diploma, with an arm around his father. He then breaks down crying, covering his face with his hand.
TWO
(sobbing)
No...not guilty. Not guilty.
Quickly, the Foreman stands up and walks over to the door, knocking on it. He whispers something to the guard, and a moment later the doors are opened.
The jury members begin to file out one by one. The only two now left in the room are jurors Two and Twelve. Twelve has the knife he bought from the pawn shop in his hands. He walks over to Two, standing face-to-face with him, about five inches apart. He holds the knife pointed at Two's stomach and stars into his eyes for a moment. He then flips the knife over, with the handle facing Two.
TWELVE
You keep it.
Two grabs the handle and walks away with the knife, as jurors Two and Twelve leave the jury room empty.
The screen fades to black, and the following comes onto the screen:
"It is better that ten guilty persons escape, than that one innocent suffer" -William Blackstone
FADE TO BLACK
JUSTICE
SEAN BEAN as "THE FOREMAN"
MATTHEW FOX as "JUROR TWO"
NATALIE PORTMAN as "JUROR THREE"
KEVIN CORRIGAN as "JUROR FOUR"
GLENN CLOSE as "JUROR FIVE"
LING BAI as "JUROR SIX"
ANTHONY ANDERSON as "JUROR SEVEN"
FORREST WHITAKER as "JUROR EIGHT"
BURT REYNOLDS as "JUROR NINE"
C.C.H. POUNDER as "JUROR TEN"
JESSICA LUCAS as "JUROR ELEVEN"
MORGAN FREEMAN as "JUROR TWELVE"
and
ALAN DALE as "THE JUDGE"
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