A Time to Kill Page #3

The State of Mississippi.

In 11 years of service...

...how many trials did you testify

in that used the insanity defense?

This is my 46th trial.

Of those 46 trials...

...how many times have you testified

the defendant was legally insane?

Objection!

The doctor cannot be asked...

...to recall all of his testimony

at those trials. It's absurd.

Overruled.

Thank you.

I can't remember.

Could the reason you

can't remember be...

...that in 1 1 years and 46 trials...

...you never saw a defendant

whom you found insane?

I can't recall at this time.

Can you recall testifying

at Dan Baker's trial?

Objection! This has nothing to

do with the proceedings here.

Overruled.

This better be good.

Thank you.

I'll ask again.

Can you recall testifying

at the trial of Dan Baker?

It's a rather brutal double homicide

where you found the defendant sane?

A dissenting psychiatrist

disagreed with you.

And Mr. Baker was found insane

and institutionalized.

Where is he currently?

At Whitfield.

Who is the chief psychiatrist there?

I am.

You are.

Dr. Rodeheaver is the

chief psychiatrist.

Now help me make this clear to the jury.

In 1985, you testified that Dan Baker...

...was legally sane.

The jury disagreed with you.

And Mr. Baker was found not

guilty by reason of insanity.

Since then he has been a patient in your

hospital as a paranoid schizophrenic.

Is that correct?

Do you normally admit patients...

...keep and treat them for 10

years if they are of sound mind?

No.

Then it would be fair to say...

...that you find insane people

sane for the purposes of trial?

Objection! Argumentative!

Withdraw the question.

Nothing further.

Genius, Roark.

How can you get a fair trial?

Get an ambulance!

Heard any news on the guard?

Ozzie says he's probably paralyzed.

Some stranger...

...somebody's husband...

...somebody's son...

...put himself in harm's way...

...for me.

When I saw the blood...

...I got so scared because

I thought it was you.

Do you want me to stay?

Yeah.

I want you to stay.

So you better go.

Oh, sh*t.

Speed limit's 45, not 70, ma'am.

-Have you been drinking?

-No, I just wasn't thinking.

Get out of the car for a minute.

-Is that really necessary?

-Get out of the car.

Isn't it customary to ask

for license and registration?

Be still, b*tch!

Get in there!

You can't blame a n*gger

for being a n*gger...

...no more than you can

blame a dog for being a dog.

But a whore like you...

...co-mingling with mongrels,

betraying your own...

...that makes you worse than a n*gger.

I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll leave you tied up here naked.

First it'll just be

the bugs eating at you.

One day, maybe two.

That sun's going to cook you.

And animals...

...they'll pick up your stink.

They'll come for something to eat.

Carl Lee Hailey should've shot you too.

Come on, boys. Let's go.

It's okay.

Mr. Brigance, you may

call your first witness.

Yes, Your Honor. The defense calls

Dr. Willard Tyrrel Bass.

Have you seen Roark?

Not yet.

Would you explain to the jury...

...the effect his daughter's rape

had on Mr. Hailey's condition?

Tonya's rape caused a relapse...

...a temporary break with reality.

But yesterday, a Dr. Rodeheaver...

...suggested that Mr. Hailey's

act of calculation was...

...the definition of sanity.

That's ridiculous.

Many of the most famous

schizophrenics are calculating.

John Hinckley, for example.

Calculating.

And legally insane.

So, Dr. Bass, how would

you diagnose Mr. Hailey...

...at the time?

Mr. Hailey experienced a recurrence

of a dissociative condition...

...as a result of the trauma

caused by his daughter's rape.

Now, since Mr. Hailey was unaware

of the reality of his actions...

...he couldn't tell right from wrong.

Nor could he understand the

consequences of his actions.

He was, therefore, legally insane.

Couldn't tell right from wrong,

or understand the consequences.

Therefore, legally...

...insane.

Thank you, Dr. Bass.

I have no further questions.

Your witness.

I'm sorry, excuse me.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Dr. Bass...

...could you please state for

the record your full name?

Willard Tyrrel Bass.

Tyrrel Bass. That's a very unique name.

Now...

...Doctor...

...ever been convicted of a felony?

Of course not.

You're sure?

As certain of that as you are of

the testimony you've just given?

Of course.

Let me understand this now...

...since you are under oath.

You're telling me, and this jury,

that on October 17th, 1960...

...you weren't convicted

of statutory rape?

Objection!

Dr. Bass is not on trial.

This goes to show the

credibility of the witness.

Overruled.

Continue.

Thank you. Now, Doctor...

...were you convicted of statutory rape?

You got the wrong man.

Really?

I have some interesting

photographs of you...

...with an underage female...

...in a motel by the Dallas

police on September 11th, 1960.

Would you like to look at these images

and see if they refresh your memory?

I didn't think so.

We would like to introduce

into evidence these records...

...showing that on

September 15th, 1960...

...this man, one Tyrrel Bass...

...pled guilty...

...to statutory rape.

Now, Doctor, I'm going to

ask you one last time...

...were you or were you not

convicted of statutory rape?

I can explain--

I'm not interested.

Answer the question, yes or no.

Yes, I was.

That's enough.

I have nothing further.

Redirect, Mr. Brigance?

None.

Court'll recess one hour for lunch.

You told me he was a credible witness.

I didn't know.

The record was expunged.

Buckley really outdid himself.

Lucien, I was counting on you.

You wanted this case.

You got it.

It isn't easy saving the world,

but you stick with it.

You might have a knack for it.

Don't do what I did. Don't quit.

What are you talking about,

'quit'? You're a hero.

Hero, my ass!

Did the world need me beating

cops on that picket line?

I was needed here, in that courtroom.

I let them push me.

I gave them an excuse to kick me out...

...and now I can never

plead a case again.

But you can.

You're an attorney.

Be proud.

Your job is to find justice, no

matter how well she hides from you.

So you go in there...

...and do your job.

Hurry up.

They'll start without you.

Come with me.

I can't.

I love you...

...but I can't.

You know that.

I'll never go in a courtroom again.

And I can't be you.

Don't be me.

Be better than me.

And how did you feel?

I felt...

I don't know...

It was like I was outside myself...

...watching myself.

All the while I kept

hearing my baby say...

...'I called for you, Daddy.

When them men was hurting me...

...I called for you over and over but...

...you didn't never come.'

Thank you, Mr. Hailey.

I have no further questions.

You have an emergency call.

Mr. Hailey...

Before you stepped outside yourself to

watch yourself shoot Willard and Cobb...

...were you aware that if convicted

they might be freed in only 10 years?

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