Fatal Instinct Page #4

NED:

Ladies and gentlemen... I ask you...

does this look like the face of a

crook?

ANGLE - MILO CRUMLEY

sitting next to Laura at the defense table... STILL wearing

the panty hose over his head.

BACK TO SCENE:

NED:

Of course it does. But the question

of my client's guilt or innocence is

not the issue here today. I'm certain

every member of the jury can clearly

see that he's guilty!

BLIND JUROR:

I can't.

ANGLE ON NED - JURY'S POV

Ned ignores this, turning to look directly at the CAMERA as

he addresses the jury... holding up a pair of nylon pantyhose.

NED:

Put yourself in his shoes. Look

through his eyes. See the world the

way HE sees it!

He puts the pantyhose over the LENS, obscuring our view.

NED:

Things just don't look the same.

It's fuzzy... and frightening!

NEW ANGLE - TO INCLUDE NED AND JURY

The nylon pantyhose are draped over the frightened face of a

WOMAN JUROR. All the other Jurors are holding up their own

socks and nylon stockings, trying to peer through them.

Ned steps over to Milo, motioning toward him.

NED:

Ladies and gentlemen... Milo Crumley

is not the perpetrator here. He is

the VICTIM!

Milo unwraps a piece of bubble gum and pushes it into his

panty-hose covered mouth, chewing the nylon and gum together.

NED:

Like ALL of us... this man is the

unfortunate victim of these tragically

difficult economic times. And what

does that mean? He can't support his

family!

Ned motions toward the gallery, where we SEE...

...MILO'S WIFE and TWO CHILDREN, all wearing panty hose over

their faces. Ned motions toward Milo.

NED:

For God's sake!... He can't even

support his own FACE!

JUDGE ALLEN notices that Milo is chewing gum.

JUDGE ALLEN:

Mr. Crumley... you cannot chew gum

in my courtroom... unless you have

enough for everyone.

Milo holds up a big plastic bag filled with bubble gum. Judge

Allen grabs it, takes a piece of gum and hands it to the

Bailiff.

JUDGE ALLEN:

Bailiff. Pass these out.

The Bailiff takes the bag, offers one to Ned... who takes a

piece, unwraps it and starts chewing. The Bailiff then

proceeds to pass out gum to EVERYONE in the courtroom.

The JURY FOREMAN raises his hand and clears his throat.

JUDGE ALLEN:

And don't forget the jury.

NED:

And so, desperate and broke, with no

other options before him, Mr. Crumley

went to eleven Savings & Loans and

did what any of you would have done.

He stole back the money that the

S&Ls had stolen from him!

The courtroom erupts in CHEERS! Judge Allen raps the gavel.

JUDGE ALLEN:

(interrupting)

Mr. Ravine... please approach the

bench.

He does. The Judge leans toward him, reaching out to cover

the microphone, covering the end of the gavel instead. The

Judge's voice is AMPLIFIED over the courtroom speakers.

JUDGE ALLEN:

You're not running for congress here,

so knock off the speeches and quit

inciting these brainless morons! Now

pick up the pace and wrap this son-

of-a-b*tch up! Call your first

witness.

Ned turns... looking out over the courtroom.

NED:

I call... Detective Ned Ravine.

There is a surprised GASP from the crowd... and a loud MURMUR.

The BAILIFF holds out a video box. It's titled HOLY BIBLE -

THE VIDEO. Ned puts one hand on it, raises the other.

BAILIFF:

Do you swear to tell the truth, the

whole truth and nothing but the truth,

so help you God?

NED:

I do.

Ned sits down... then gets up, his demeanor changing.

NED:

Detective Ravine, at the time of the

arrest, did you read the defendant

his Miranda rights?

He slips back into the witness box.

NED:

Of course. That's standard procedure.

Ned steps over to Arch, who is sitting in the first row of

the gallery. Arch hands him the Miranda "cue cards."

NED:

Are these the cards Officer Brooks

used to prompt you while reading Mr.

Crumley his rights?

He lays them on the corner of the stand... then slips into

the chair. He picks the cards up and flips thru them. On the

back we can see scribbled... "NED'S IDIOT CARDS"

NED:

Yeah. These are them.

Ned jumps to his feet, pacing dramatically, grabbing the

cards.

NED:

Reading from the cards now... quote

"You have the right to remain silent,

if you waive that right, anything

you say... may be used against you

in a court of law." Is that right?

NED:

(back in the chair)

That's right.

NED:

(stands up, announces)

WRONG! The official Miranda warning

is... "anything you say CAN be used

against you in a court of law." Not

"may"... "CAN!"

(on the attack)

Don't you know the difference between

"can" and "may", Detective? Every

school kid knows "can" is a verb

that indicates ability to perform,

while "may" is a verbal auxiliary

indicating the permission to act.

Ned pivots into the witness stand, changing his attitude

from aggressive attorney to defensive, angry witness as he

hits the chair.

NED:

I didn't have time to worry about

past participles or interrogative

pronouns! I was trying to protect

society from a deranged MADMAN!

(leaps up, pointing)

But this ivy league fop...!!!

The courtroom ERUPTS! The Judge bangs the gavel. Ned strides

proudly toward the defense table.

NED:

I have no more use for this witness.

JUDGE ALLEN:

Mr. Ravine...

Ned turns. The Judge motions with a finger for Ned to approach

the bench. Ned does, resting his hand on it.

JUDGE ALLEN:

I'm dismissing this case on the

grounds of improper grammar.

The Judge smacks Ned's hand with a ruler!

NED:

Ow!

PROSECUTOR:

(jumps up)

But your Honor...!

JUDGE ALLEN:

I know, I know. It's a technicality.

But it's the kind of technicality

that makes the American legal system

what it is today! Court's adjourned!

The Judge mistakenly picks up the microphone and whacks it

on the bench like a gavel. BAM! BAM! BAM! It is DEAFENING!

Everyone covers their ears in pain.

The THX Sound System Logo appears at the bottom of the

screen... along with "The Courtroom Is Listening"

INT. NED'S LAW OFFICE - LATE AFTERNOON

Ned turns the key... enters through the private door. He

HEARS the plaintive sound of a saxophone playing Lola's

Theme... his eyes drawn to the slightly opened door to the

outer office.

ANGLE - NED'S POV THRU OPENING

A gorgeous pair of legs, sleek nylons, high-heeled shoes.

There are several CANDY WRAPPERS, CIGARETTE BUTTS and other

pieces of TRASH stuck to the bottom of one shoe.

NED:

pushes the door open. It's Lola. She wears a tight white

dress, long white gloves and broad-brimmed hat. The hat tips

up slowly, revealing her eyes.

LOLA:

I waited. You never came back.

Ned reaches in his pocket, pulls out a wet paper towel.

NED:

I got busy. Here's that paper towel

I promised.

LOLA:

Thanks...

NED:

How'd you get in? The door was locked.

Lola proudly holds up a tiny bobbie pin. She smiles.

LOLA:

It's miraculous what a real woman

can do... with a bobbie pin.

Ned looks at the door. The frame and lock have been brutally

chewed away, as if someone used a jackhammer on them! She

pulls out a pack of cigarettes... BLACK LUNG LITES.

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