Anatomy of a Murder Page #2

on the theory it does exist...

...has bought himself room and board

in the state penitentiary.

Maybe for life.

With that in mind, perhaps we can proceed

with a few questions and answers that...

Can I borrow your lighter?

We can proceed with a few questions...

...that might be of some help

in your defence.

But probably won't be.

That's a nice lighter.

- How old are you?

- Twenty-eight.

- How long have you been in the service?

- Since '50.

- Have you seen any action?

- Korea.

- Do you 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.

Eating crackers in bed,

you know, the usual stuff.

The 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 gun did you use on Quill?

War souvenir. Luger.

The police have it now.

I suppose you've read

the newspaper stories about your case?

Some of them.

- Are they substantially correct?

- Yes.

And you didn't see Quill

rape and beat your wife?

No. When she got back to the trailer,

she told me what had happened.

How long was it

before you went to Quill's and killed him?

I don't know exactly. Maybe an hour.

That long?

The newspapers say your wife volunteered

to take a lie-detector test.

Know anything about this?

Only what I read and what she told me.

Do you know

how the lie-detector test turned out?

- They didn't tell her.

- Yes, Sulo?

Pauly, we got lunch served for the jail.

Do you want to eat with us?

- Does your sister still cook for the jail?

- Sure, she cooks.

You give her my compliments, Sulo.

I've got a luncheon date downtown.

- Nice going...

- I'll be back after lunch.

I'm sorry if I offended you a while ago.

No, you're not.

Come on, bucko.

Pass the salt, Pauly.

Thank you.

Did you give the lieutenant

the well-known lecture?

If you mean,

"Did I coach him into a phoney 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 defence.

You might guide him, show him the way

and let him decide if he wants to take it.

- Want some salt?

- No, I'm not ready.

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!

- Hello, there.

- I usually answer to the name Paul.

Are we gonna have some more jokes?

Not unless you want to be the comic.

- I brought you some cigarettes.

- Thanks.

- Peace?

- Sure.

Fine. Now, Lieutenant...

...there are four ways I can defend murder.

Number 1:
It wasn't murder.

It was suicide or accidental.

Number 2:
You didn't do it.

Number 3:
You were legally justified.

Like protecting your home or self-defence.

Number 4:
The killing 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 wouldn't I be legally justified

in killing the man who raped my wife?

The time element.

If you'd caught him in the act, the shooting

might be justified. But you didn't.

You had time to get the police.

You didn't do that, either.

You're guilty of murder,

premeditated and with vengeance.

That's first-degree murder

in any court of law.

- So I should 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?

I'm not telling you to do 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're very bright.

Let's see how really bright you can be.

Well, I'm working at it.

Because your wife was raped, you'll have

a favourable atmosphere in the courtroom.

The sympathy will be with you

if all the facts are true.

What you need is a legal peg...

...so the jury can hang up

their sympathy in your behalf.

- You follow me?

- Yes.

What's your legal excuse, Lieutenant?

What's your legal excuse

for killing Barney Quill?

Not justification, huh?

Not justification.

Excuse.

Just excuse, huh?

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.

I mean, I must've been crazy.

Am I getting warmer?

Okay, Sulo. I'm going...

Am I getting warmer?

I'll tell you that

after I've talked to your wife.

In the meantime, see if you can remember

just how crazy you were.

Is 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.

I haven't decided to take the case yet.

You surprise me, sometimes.

Why? I've been around.

Yeah, well...

- Hi.

- Hi.

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?

Not that kind of music.

I guess that settles it.

I'm a funny kind of a lawyer.

Where's your home, Mrs. Manion?

Where'd you go to school?

Where did you grow up?

No place in particular. We moved around.

My father was a boomer.

Construction boomer.

Building dams mostly. Call me Laura.

- Is your family still alive, Laura?

- No.

I have some cigarettes

around here someplace.

- 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?

He gave me this because I liked the one

he had. He's like that.

He gives me presents all the time.

You have a happy marriage?

Yes.

What went wrong with the first marriage?

What went wrong

is when I went for Manny.

- That's honest enough.

- It was more than just that.

Like I told you, I grew up on the move,

and Jack, my first husband...

...didn't like to move.

He wouldn't even take a transfer.

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.

Bring me a bottle of beer, will you?

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