Boomerang! Page #7

Fifth, Waldron made

a statement in writing...

admitting the crime.

Sixth, a revolver

found on Waldron...

was a.32-caliber weapon...

and was the gun

from which a bullet...

found in the head

of the deceased was discharged.

The function

of the city court...

and the coroner having been

discharged in due course...

it naturally fell

under my jurisdiction for action.

The evidence against the accused

seemed overwhelming.

Upon its face, at least,

it seemed like a well-nigh perfect case...

affording little difficulty in the matter

of successful prosecution.

My own view, necessarily,

was that if the facts above stated...

were subject to verification...

the accused

was undoubtedly guilty.

But there were

sufficient circumstances...

of an unusual character

involved...

making it highly important...

that all the facts be scrutinized

with the utmost care...

and in a most

impartial manner.

It goes without saying...

that it is just as important

for the state's attorney...

to use the great powers

of his office...

to protect the innocent

as it is to convict the guilty.

Your Honor, I have endeavored

to approach this case...

without any

preconceived notion.

I have personally interrogated

all the witnesses.

I've examined all the evidence

with the utmost care.

If Your Honor please, it is my belief

that the defendant is innocent...

and I intend

to enter a plea accordingly.

Order! Order! Order!

Are you out of your mind?

- Order in the court!

- The court will be recessed until 9:00 tomorrow morning.

And if there is any recurrence

of this outrageous conduct...

the courtroom will be cleared

by the sheriff...

and the proceedings

will be conducted in private.

Mr. State's Attorney,

I'll see you in my chambers.

Court is dismissed.

Oh, witnesses, that's all.

You can go.

I figured he was

working on some angle.

Oh, he can't, huh?

He just did! That's exactly what happened.

- I'm tellin' you!

- The whole place is goin' nuts.

I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll get a hold

of Harvey, and then I'll call you back.

- Yeah.

- How do I know?

Well, okay, get a hold

of John and tell him, will ya?

Yeah, that's right.

There's an awful lot of noise here.

I can hardly

hear myself think.

I've known you

a long time, Henry...

and I've always respected

your ability.

- But there's something about this that

doesn't smell right. - I think I'm within my-

Now, don't tell me

about your legal rights!

I've been on the bench long enough

to know what you can do and what you can't do.

You represent

the two million people of this state...

in prosecuting

a particularly brutal murder...

and I'm gonna see that

their rights are protected.

I don't pretend to know your motives

in asking for a nolle prosequi.

But if they're political, I'll not only

take steps to have you disbarred...

I'll also do my best to have you prosecuted

for malfeasance in office.

It's quite possible that

my motives are political.

It's also possible that

I think the man's innocent.

Mr. Harvey, you'd better do

a great deal more than think.

Why don't you

turn him loose, Whitey?

Cut it out, fellas.

Don't do it.

Lay off, do you hear?

- We'll take good care of him.

- Uh-uh. No.

- You knew Father Lambert, Whitey.

- I can't do it.

- You're not gonna let him get away with this!

- Take your hands off!

Break it up! You boys

aren't acting very smart.

We're friends of Father Lambert's.

He's not gonna get away with this.

I don't think Lambert

would have liked it this way.

Suppose we take him?

Quite a few of us are gonna get hurt.

Wanna be first?

You don't have

to get tough about it.

That's right. I don't.

Excuse me.

All right, take him.

All right.

Why don't we all go on home, eh?

Come on! Break it up,

every one of ya! Let's go!

Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! Come on!

Come on! Move it!

You too!

Get on your way!

Go ahead, all of you!

Thought for a minute you were gonna

have trouble there, Robbie.

Nah. I don't have trouble

with that kind.

- They're easy.

- What's the matter, Robbie?

- You sound bitter.

- Bitter? Me? Why should I be bitter?

I'm a cop, Mr. Harvey.

Remember?

An honest cop

backing up honest men.

- Now, listen, Robbie-

- No, not this time. I'm through listening.

We've got our man, and we'll convict him

if it takes the next 10 years.

And I don't care what shenanigans you

and the rest of your crowd are trying to pull.

Never did like politicians.

Then why didn't you let us in on it?

What are you trying to do?

- Don't start anything, Mac. I don't wanna

discuss it. - Wade's talked with you. Maybe-

That's the second time today

I've been accused of political chicanery...

- and I'm getting tired of it!

- Then what is the story?

There's no story, Mac,

or any angles to it.

- I just happen to believe the boy's innocent.

- Can you prove it?

I don't know. I thought I had the case

going perfectly straight.

And, all of the sudden, it comes back

and hits me right between the eyes.

- I just don't know.

- Let's think about you for a minute.

What are you going to do? Destroy two years'

work? Throw your career in the ash can?

- It's the boy's life, Mac.

- If he's innocent.

He can't be. You said yourself

it was a perfect case.

And even if he were,

is it worth it?

We've cleaned out the city,

we've thrown out the crooks and the grafters.

We've made this town

a decent place to live.

Is one man's life

worth more than the community?

Yes, Mac, it is.

Good luck, Henry.

You'll have to fight

the whole town.

Hello, Madge.

Are you all right, dear?

A little the worse for wear,

but I guess I'll make it.

I held dinner.

Paul Harris is in the living room.

- He said he had to see you.

- Oh, no.

Now what does he want?

You run along and eat, dear.

I'm not particularly hungry anyway.

- Now, Henry-

- Maybe a sandwich later.

Now, run along.

Hello, Henry.

Hello, Paul.

Henry, I don't like the way

you're handling this case.

You don't?

No. I suppose Mac told you

what you're doing to the party.

- It can't happen, Henry. We've got to win an election.

- We do?

Absolutely.

And to do it...

we need a conviction.

You're going to move

an indictment for murder, Henry.

- I am?

- Yes.

I've had a pretty

trying day, Paul.

I'm gonna give you

just one minute to get out of here.

And then,

I'm gonna throw you out.

I think you'd better

sit down till I've finished.

- Just don't take any longer than a minute.

- I'll see what I can do.

You remember our project

for a recreational center for children?

We're to buy some 10 acres from the

Sunset Realty Company for the project.

I'm still not interested.

I'm the Sunset

Realty Company, Henry.

- What?

- I own the Sunset Realty Company.

And I've sunk

every cent I have into it.

If the city doesn't buy that land from me

at my price, I'm ruined.

And if we don't win this election,

the city won't buy.

And you expect me

to be a party to this?

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