JFK Page #49

Jim watches this mystery man walking away. The figure

vanishes in the Washington breeze. Flags flap over some

distant memorial to some distant history of the Republic.

Jim rises, a decision made.

EXTERIOR OF CLAY SHAW'S HOUSE - NEW ORLEANS(1967)

Jim, Lou, Al, Numa and several policemen stand at the door

as Clay Shaw comes to it.

LOU:

Mr. Shaw, you're under arrest, charged

with conspiracy and entering into an

agreement with other persons for the

specific purpose of committing the

crime of murder of President John F.

Kennedy in violation of...

The voice dropping away as the devastated look on Shaw's

face spreads, sickly, undone, his arrogant public composure

gone, face now filled with terror, disbelief.

LOU:

...we have a warrant to search the

premises.

The policemen take Shaw while the D.A. staff moves into the

carriage house past the butler, Frankie Jenkins.

INSIDE SHAW'S HOUSE

In the bedroom, Numa points out to

Jim the hooks screwed into the

ceiling. Al pulls out five whips,

several lengths of chain, a black

hood and matching black cape. Dried

blood is on one whip.

NUMA:

It's either a Mardi Gras outfit, or

we got the Marquis de Sade here,

chief.

JIM:

I don't care if he was doing it with

giraffes in the zoo, Numa, it's none

of our business. Let's keep this

side of it quiet, shall we?

AL:

When you're in a war, boss, you use

every weapon you got.

JIM:

Not one word. That's an order.

NEW ORLEANS POLICE STATION

Shaw is being fingerprinted. He seems rattled. Police

officers try to get the press under control.

OFFICER:

Name? First, middle, last.

SHAW:

Clay Lavergne Shaw.

OFFICER HABIGHORST

Address?

SHAW:

1313 Dauphine, New Orleans.

OFFICER HABIGHORST

Ever use any aliases?

SHAW:

Clay Bertrand.

Habighorst notes it as routinely as Shaw seems to have said

it, without thinking, possibly preoccupied by thoughts of

press people pushing in.

OFFICER HABIGHORST

Next of kin?

NEWSMAN 12

Mr. Shaw - What do you have to say?

MONTAGE - NEWSREEL MUSIC

We see a shot of the exterior of the Justice Department in

1967.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CONFERENCE ROOM

The acting Attorney General speaks to the press.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Yes, Mr. Shaw was included in our

investigation and there was no

connection found at all between Shaw

and the President's assassin.

GARRISON'S OFFICE - CONFERENCE ROOM(1967)

Jim confronts a packed room. Bill is with him.

JIM:

If Mr. Shaw had no connection to the

assassination, why did the FBI

investigate him? And why, if they

did, is his name not mentioned once

in the entire 26 volumes of the Warren

Report, even it if is to clear his

name? I doubt this Attorney General

would qualify for my staff.

We see a shot of the Supreme Court building in Washington,

D.C. and then a corridor inside the building. A Chief

Justice, looking gray and wise like Earl Warren, moves along

the corridor in his black robe delivering his verdict to the

press.

CHIEF JUSTICE:

No, I don't think so. Mr. Garrison

has presented absolutely nothing

publicly to contradict our findings.

As yet I have not heard one fact to

refute the Commission determination

that Lee Oswald was the lone killer.

In his own office, Jim responds to Justice Warren.

JIM:

I congratulate Mr. Shaw. Most

witnesses have to wait for trial

before they're allowed to produce

sacred cows like the Chief Justice

of the land as a character witness,

who is of course not under oath and

free from the laws of perjury.

NEWSMAN 13

Mr. Garrison, if what you say is

even partly true in this case, you

realize you are damaging the

credibility of our government,

possibly destroying it?

JIM:

Let me ask you... is a government

worth preserving when it lies to the

people? It has become a dangerous

country, sir, when you can't trust

anyone anymore, when you can't tell

the truth. I say let justice be

done, though the heavens fall.

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