Murder in the First Page #5

His first act was murder.

Now, he himself was a murder weapon,

but the hand that held that weapon...

...and plunged it into the throat of

Rufus McCain belonged to someone else.

I point to the associate warden, Mr. Glenn,

the warden, Mr. Humson...

...and the institution Alcatraz,

and say, "I accuse."

- Objection.

- I accuse them individually and collectively.

I accuse Alcatraz of the torture

of Henri Young.

I accuse Alcatraz of the murder

of Rufus McCain.

Silence! This court will come to order.

Clear the courtroom.

Henri Young is not going to be

the only defendant here.

Oh, no. Alcatraz is on trial.

I will address your objection

tomorrow morning.

Henri Young, on trial for his life...

...is seen leaving

the San Francisco courthouse...

...followed by his young and now very

popular public defender, James Stamphill.

Stamphill has accused the infamous Rock

of torture...

...using the tagline,

"crimes against humanity."

Stamphill has turned the once-quiet trial

of a convict killing into a media circus.

In most cases, they do get better.

And in the case of Henri Young, uh...

...this happens not to be true.

Young is a noisemaker.

Some prisoners have a problem

when they're in, uh...

...ahem, solitary.

Uh, all we do

is try to discourage misconduct.

This is the first verbal attack...

...on the jewel of the prison system.

This bastion that houses evil

opened in 1934.

It brought gangsters like Capone...

...Machine Gun Kelly and Henri Young

close to the magical city by the bay...

...less than one half-mile

from world-famous Fisherman's Wharf.

We went to the streets

to find out public opinion.

That's ridiculous. You can't put a place

on trial. It's a prison for prisoners.

Now the murderers are accusing

the wardens of this and that.

That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Warden Humson seems like a good guy.

I like him.

If that place wasn't here,

I wouldn't live here.

- You think it's too close?

- think it's perfect.

He's innocent until proven guilty

and he'll get a fair trial.

But nonetheless, he's a murderer.

This grizzly evidence bears mute witness...

...to the brutal crime perpetrated

by Henri Young.

Note the spoon.

Can a prison be put on trial?

Judge Clawson's ruling tomorrow

may clear the way...

...to put Alcatraz on trial.

"The warden can be relied upon

to carry out the instructions of the bureau...

...that no brutality or inhumanity

shall be practiced.

Sustained food and medical attention

shall be given."

And we have wholeheartedly

followed those instructions.

Thank you.

So many opinions being expressed.

We attempted to get a statement

from the recent graduate of Harvard...

...assigned to defend Henri Young.

Uh, why don't we just keep the trial

in the courtroom? Thank you.

I would like to address a few words...

...to the counsel for the defense.

Mr. Stamphill, you are hereby

put on notice...

...that this court has no interest

in newspaper headlines...

...and will not be swayed by them.

And I further admonish that counsel's

attempts to try this case in the press...

...and not before this court,

will put him in the utmost peril.

Is that clear, Mr. Stamphill?

Yes, Your Honor.

Well, good.

Bailiff, approach the bench.

Before I hand down my ruling

on Mr. McNeil's objection...

...I would like to address a few words

to the counsel for the defense.

While I cannot give legal advice

and sit on the bench at the same time...

...I will express grave concern

with the defense's strategy.

Counselor, I strongly recommend

you walk a straight line...

...in terms of your defense.

Anything you state in this courtroom

will be evaluated not only by the jury...

...but very closely scrutinized by myself.

- s that understood, Mr. Stamphill?

- Yes, Your Honor.

Very well.

Prosecution's objection is overruled.

Mr. Stamphill, you may pursue

your line of defense...

...concerning the penitentiary

at Alcatraz...

...and I will rule on any objections

on a point-by-point basis.

- Exception.

- Noted.

Mr. McNeil, you may call

your first witness.

Prosecution calls Terrence Swenson.

Court calls Terrence Swenson.

Witness shall remain standing...

...until sworn in.

Put your hand on the Bible.

Cut it out.

Swear to tell the truth

and nothing but the truth...

...in the matter before this court,

so help you, God?

So help me God.

- You may be seated.

Mr. Swenson, as a guard at Alcatraz,

did you know Henri Young?

- Yes, sir.

- Could you point him out for us?

That's him right over there, sir.

Thank you, Mr. Whitney. Thank you.

Now, on the morning of June 11, 1941,

where were you?

I was on duty in the dining hall.

And everything was normal.

And I saw the defendant...

- Henri Young.

- That's correct.

I saw him standing over Rufus McCain.

He lifted up his chin and...

- Heh. Excuse me, I'm nervous.

- That's all right.

And he plunged a metal object...

...which I later learned was a spoon,

into McCain's throat.

He then ripped it open.

Did the defendant ever appear...

...to be ranting or raving?

No, sir.

Mr. McKeon, was he frothing at the mouth?

No, sir.

Did he in any way give the impression

of one who was insane?

Objection. This man is not

a qualified psychiatrist, as far as I know.

Sustained.

So it appeared to you that it was a cool,

calculated and deliberate act?

Objection.

Overruled.

The witness may answer the question.

Yes, sir. Young did it,

just as cool as a cucumber.

Thank you. No further questions.

This court will reconvene after the holiday...

...9 a.m., July 5th.

All rise.

- You should have played cards with me.

Alcatraz.

It was built by the military

during the Civil War.

In May of'33, the War Department

abandoned the island.

It was leveled, all except for the lower floor,

which is now used for storage.

Note to myself:

I have to get access to the lower level...

...because that's where the dungeons have

gotta be located.

The only guard on record to be fired

or dismissed during Henri's solitary time...

...was Derek Simpson.

Locate Simpson.

The prison opened in June of'34

under Warden Humson.

He insisted on a high level

of guards to prisoners.

Glenn was the first appointee.

Mr. Henkin.

Two things:
First, you work for me.

- was just on my way.

- Let me finish.

You work for me, which means

when I call you, you drop everything.

You return my call or you will cease

to work for me.

I don't care if you're holed up

with Rita Hayworth. Understand?

- Yes, sir.

- Good.

Now, what the hell

you think you're doing with this trial?

Trying to defend my client.

Then why don't you defend him

for chrissake?

Knock down the charges,

say it was a crime of passion...

...or figure out how

you're gonna cross-examine witnesses...

...instead of this psychological coma crap

that doesn't mean anything in a court of law.

But, sir, I think it does.

As long as this is my case...

Fair enough. I tried to talk reasonably

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