I Want to Live! Page #4

- It's a big rap.

- One slip-up, that's all I'd need.

- You can trust Ben.

How about you?

You know about me.

Make it easy, bet it hard.

Four trey, seven away.

Mama's goin' home to stay.

You made your point, sweetie.

Yeah, I guess I did.

I'm gonna need a password.

This line here.

- I came like water.

- And like wind I go.

- Ben?

- That's me.

Rita told you about the deal?

The money part?

You'll get it as soon as I'm out of here.

I guess that's all right.

As iong as you're OK in Rita's book.

One other thing. Any physicai evidence -

fingerprints, blood on your clothes?

You're nuts. I wasn't even there.

Will you play it straight with me?

I'm going way out on a limb for you.

I wasn't there. Let's get with it. We don't

have much time. 30 minutes, that's all.

That's long enough. Easy.

There's time

to run through it just once more.

It was the Encino Arms Motel.

I picked you up in town

near your house on 54th Street.

You were in a cab. I was waiting

at the corner of 54th and Sunset.

We went out to the motel and we...

Poor Aunt Maud.

But she shouldn't use a mustard plaster.

I guess so.

All right. We went out to the motel...

And we registered under the name

of Mr. and Mrs. J. Clark.

We stayed till seven o'clock

the next morning.

In cabin 20.

Then you took me home afterward.

If they ask me

why you've kept quiet until now...

I'm married, but now I see

it's a matter of life and death...

It sure is.

- Nothing better go wrong with this.

- Don't worry.

Where were you that night, really?

I've gotta know. If someone

saw you where you really were

and they show up at that trial,

where does that leave me?

- Nobody saw me.

- How can you be sure?

- You're not even sure where you were.

- I'm sure but I can't prove it.

If I could, I wouldn't need you, would I?

Suit yourself. Much as I'd like to save

that gorgeous hide of yours,

I just can't take that kind of a chance.

- We'd better forget the whole thing.

- Come back.

Yeah?

You got something you wanna say?

You've really got the hammerlocks on me.

- What do you want?

- You were there?

- Is that all you'll believe?

- It's easy to believe and I wouldn't worry.

- I'll double your money.

- Oh, baby...

Ben.

- Have it your way.

- You were with Perkins and Santo?

If you were, it's OK.

It'll be my story against Bruce King's.

- You were with them?

- All right, all right. I was with them.

Then from here on in, you just relax.

You're a cinch to beat the cyanide.

May it please the court,

counsel, members of the jury,

we will prove that

on the night of March 9, 1953

King, Santo, Perkins, Barbara Graham

brutally murdered Mrs. Mabel Monahan,

a crippled widow, 61 years of age.

You will see why they needed a woman

to gain admittance to the Monahan home.

We will show you how they searched

every nook and cranny of her house,

looking for a hidden cache of money.

And, in conclusin, District Attorney

Milton cries "We mean business."

"You members of the jury swore you

had no scruples about the death penalty,

even though one of

the defendants be a Woman."

"So now I say to you, invoke

the extreme penalty. Let justice be done."

You arrived in front

of the Monahan house, it was dark,

Santo tells Barbara Graham "You go

ahead in." You see her enter the house.

Then what happened?

After Mrs Graham entered the house,

Santo and Perkins insisted I follow.

- And did you?

- About a minute later.

When you went in,

what first attracted your attention?

Mrs. Graham was striking

Mrs. Monahan in the face with a gun.

- In the head and face.

- In what position was Mrs. Monahan?

She was standing up. Mrs. Graham

had her by the hair with her left hand

and was striking her with her right hand.

- Then what did you do?

- I told Mrs Graham to cease hitting her.

I put my hand in the way.

Mrs. Monahan collapsed.

And then?

They tied Mrs. Monahan up and searched

the house - Santo, Perkins and Graham.

And me.

- You may examine.

- Don't let him get away with that.

Tear him apart.

Was an offer made you by the district

attorney's office to testify at this trial?

- It was.

- Would you state what that offer was?

Mr. Milton told me

that if I were to tell the truth,

he'd ask the court

to dismiss the case against me.

That's the reason

for the testimony you have given?

- No, sir.

- What is the reason for it, then?

- To bring justice.

- To all concerned, including yourself?

You feel it is justice for you to be released

and perhaps the others condemned?

I do.

Mr. King, you testified earlier

that Emmett Perkins gave you a gun

about five minutes before

you reached the Monahan house.

- is that correct?

- Four or five minutes.

If you did not intend

to participate in violence,

even if you were there only on - how shall

we say? - your missin of mercy...

Objection.

He's characterising the testimony.

Sustained as to the last phrase.

Mr. King, pray tell

why did you take the gun?

You know something?

I've often wondered myself.

That sure rocked the jury. Look at 'em.

As the trial of Barbara Graham

goes into its third day,

the nationwide interest in the fate

of the Queen of the Murder Mob mounts.

Tonight, the police have been tipped off

that there's a gangland plot to spring her.

Extra precautions will be taKen

in court tomorrow.

Leave us in, pops. We wanna see Babs.

Go home. Ain't you kids

got nothing better to do?

Your mother wears army shoes.

Bonnie?

- Hi, Peg.

- I saw Bobby this morning.

- How is he?

- Wonderful. He'll be walking soon.

I've gotta see him take that first step.

- You will. You will. It's going fine.

- Yeah, sure.

I just haven't had my innings yet.

- Mrs Graham, I'm Ed Montgomery...

- I've seen the name.

- Who's she?

- Some autograph hound.

Me too. How about signing

an exclusive interview? I'll pay.

OK, Scoop. Here's your first instalment.

"Bloody Babs shuns press."

Please remain seated and come to order.

The court is again in sessin.

The record will show the jury,

counsel and defendants present.

You may proceed, Mr. Prosecutor.

Our next witness will be here

in a moment. He's just outside.

Hey.

- That's my man.

- Who?

It's Ben. Ben, the one I told you about.

Raise your right hand.

That's the fella

who was with you at the motel?

- That's my witness.

- Your witness?

He's just been called for the prosecution.

But that's Ben Miranda. That's my alibi.

- State your name, please.

- Benjamin Miranda.

- What is your occupation?

- Police officer for the city of Los ngeles.

Some time before today,

were you given a special assignment

to work on the Monahan murder case?

- Yes, sir. I was.

- What was that assignment?

On August 7 I went to the county jail

for a meeting with Mrs. Graham.

Was this meeting

at Barbara Graham's request?

They crossed me.

Both of them crossed me.

- That dirty, stinking little tramp.

- Shut up.

At the time and place

you first saw Barbara Graham,

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