Marshall Page #2

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because of their race.

That's our mission.

You understand?

So I need to know this...

Look at me now.

Did you do

what they said you did?

I never touched that woman.

Okay, Joseph.

You got lawyers now.

Go ahead.

Change the station.

What do you know

about the prosecutor?

Lorin Willis.

Graduated Yale

the day he was born.

Unless you came over on the

Mayflower, you're nothing to him.

They're grooming him

to be senator, I hear.

What do you know about the judge?

Judge Foster?

Former law partner

of Willis's father.

I'll move your admission

Monday morning, and then...

Back to fighting off

those insurance claims.

Yeah, I know.

So you like

Langston Hughes?

Of course.

Don't you?

I don't give a damn

about no poetry.

Come on.

I actually went to school

with Langston.

I just wish he'd do something

more worthwhile with his time.

Another bourbon, Mr.

Marshall? Sure.

You know, Tad's got a law degree too.

From Fordham.

You told me you were a driver.

Yep.

The state of Connecticut decided to not

allow me a license to practice law.

They were generous enough to give

me a driver's license, however.

I see.

What about you, Irene?

What are you gonna be when you grow up?

A nurse like your mother?

No.

A lawyer then?

No.

A fighter pilot.

A fighter pilot?

Well, I feel a whole lot

more safe knowing that.

All right, say good night

to Mr. Marshall, Renie.

Good night.

You got kids?

Buster and I have

been trying for a while.

Buster is my wife. Sometimes people

think I'm talking about my dog.

You should get a dog and

name it "Mrs.Marshall."

So, you think this boy did it?

Hey, whose side you on?

Women don't just go around lying

about being raped, Mr. Marshall.

You're going to have to figure

out why she'd do such a thing.

Burden of proof is on the State.

Is it now?

Hey there.

So what can you tell me about

this Friedman guy anyway?

Sam and me played trombone

together in the high school band.

You trust him?

Sam? Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

If you dropped a nickel while kicking him

in the balls, he'd return it to you.

Couldn't play trombone

for sh*t though.

Gentlemen!

Can I have a minute, please?

Just a minute! Who is this,

a relative of Spell?

I'm Mr. Spell's attorney.

Thurgood Marshall.

I thought you were Spell's lawyer, Mr.

Freeman.

It's Friedman.

Sam Friedman.

Of Friedman and Friedman.

Local counsel. That is all.

The defense team? -Is your

boy innocent, Mr. Friedman?

He is not my... Let me state this to

you all clearly and unequivocally.

Our client, Joseph Spell,

is an innocent man.

Well, let's get

a picture of you two.

All rise.

Superior Court

is now in session.

The Honorable Carl Foster

presiding.

You may be seated.

The State of Connecticut

v. Joseph Spell.

Are the parties

ready to proceed?

The State is ready, Your Honor.

Mr. Willis.

Good morning.

How's your father doing?

He's better. Thank you.

That's kind of you to ask.

The defense is ready

as well, Your Honor.

Well then, let's get on with it.

Mr....

Mr. Friedman.

You filed an application to

admit an out-of-state attorney?

Yes, Your Honor. Attorney Thurgood

Marshall of the Maryland Bar.

I have the application

in front of me, Mr. Friedman.

Why do we need to admit this lawyer, Mr.

Friedman?

Does he have a long-standing

relationship with the defendant?

No, Your Honor, but...

- How long has he known him?

- Not long, Your Honor, but...

Exactly how long?

Well, he met him for the

first time a few days ago.

However...

A few days ago?

Well, then what possible reason

could there be to admit him?

You're a perfectly capable attorney,

are you not, Mr. Friedman?

You have tried cases before,

haven't you?

Only civil cases, Your Honor. But Mr.

Marshall is with the NAACP.

And they are concerned that their

defendant receive a fair trial.

So are we all,

Attorney Friedman.

So are we all.

But he's not a member

of our bar, is he?

No, he's not.

However, Your Honor, Mr. Marshall

is a respected attorney.

He argued in the United

States Supreme Court.

That has no bearing

on this case.

Your Honor, may I be heard?

No, you may not.

The court has heard enough

and will rule.

The court sees

no legal requirement

to admit out-of-state counsel

in this case.

But, Your Honor...

However,

the court not only wishes to

be fair to all of the parties,

but to maintain the appearance

of fairness as well.

Therefore, the court

will allow Mr. Marshall

to enter his appearance

for the defense...

Respectfully...

His written appearance,

Mr. Willis.

Mr. Marshall

may sit at counsel table.

However, he may not speak.

Your Honor,

I must speak for the client.

He may not speak, argue,

or examine witnesses.

If he violates this ruling, he

will be held in contempt of court.

And you as well,

Mr. Friedman.

You will conduct this case.

Me?

Yes, you.

The trial will begin

a month from today

at 10:
00 a.m.

Court adjourned.

All rise.

What the...

What the hell just happened?

What just happened here? Shut

up and be quiet. Let me think.

I can't do this. You know that.

Shut up.

Excuse me?

That son of a b*tch.

I've tried cases before judges who were

Grand Dragons of the Ku Klux Klan,

who forced me to enter

through the back door,

but this horseshit is a first.

I cannot get involved

in a case like this.

Are you listening to me?

It would destroy my practice.

This is not my problem.

The hell it isn't.

No, you heard the judge.

Until we can find somebody

better, it's you and me.

It's our problem now.

Mr. Marshall...

According to

Eleanor Strubing's account,

Spell rapes her at home, ties and

gags her, then drives up here.

He stops approximately 60 feet

onto the bridge, like so...

Joseph! Please!

Takes her out of the car...

No! No!

Then pushes her

over the guardrail,

into the reservoir,

right about here.

He throws rocks at her,

then drives away.

Somehow she gets to shore.

Dripping wet.

Then climbs up to the road.

Awfully scary down there though.

Go take a look

where she climbed out.

Me? These are

my best shoes.

Please try to

make yourself useful.

Stop. Stop!

Stop.

This is where

the truck driver found her.

What do you want with those?

It's an old Negro superstition.

Always take a little piece

of the earth with you.

Really?

Mr. Friedman, your picture's on

the front page with Mr. Marshall.

Not a bad picture.

Of me, anyway.

- Also, your wife called.

- Sam. Perfect.

Where you been? -Out getting the

cutlery I need to castrate you.

You must be Irwin.

I am.

Mr. Marshall. Pleasure to meet you.

Pleasure.

Sam, listen, I have great news.

I made some calls. Harry

Gruber, he wants the case.

Harry Gruber.

The Communist.

Sam, at least he handles

criminal defense.

Can you get Gruber

on the line, Ruth?

Sure thing.

Thank you.

This is not

a cut-and-dry case.

You should really consider whether or not

this is something you want to commit to.

You want the Communist

Party taking over?

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