Sweet Country Page #3

---

and was asked to go to black hill station.

What'd you find when you got there?

I found the body of Harry march

laid out where he died.

He was there, that blackfella.

He'd put a canvas over the body and

he was trying to keep the flies off it.

Order!

I examined the deceased, Harry march.

He'd been there for a good day and a half.

A gunshot wound to the neck

had severed the carotid artery.

He would have died almost immediately.

Were there any other wounds?

No, there was the smell of rum,

which was very strong.

A few yards away there was a

rifle with a bayonet attached.

And there was another rifle, a little way

off which I presume was the murder weapon.

A murder is yet to be determined, doctor.

Please stick to the facts and keep

your presumptions to yourself.

Yes, your honour.

Please remove your hat.

You're in a court of law.

Archie.

Do you have a second name?

I want you to tell me what

happened at black hill.

We'll get to that.

I want to know what happened

before he was killed.

That isn't my question.

Order.

Why did you go to black hill station?

Philomac?

The boy who accompanied you

to Harry march's property?

Why were you looking for him at black hill?

His chains?

Yeah.

Why did he chain him up?

Why did he chain him up?

I call to the stand

the defendant's wife, Lizzie.

Lizzie.

Lizzie!

Mr Smith, is there a problem?

There's no problem, your honour.

Lizzie, come on for Sam.

Come on.

The lord will watch over you.

Come on.

There you are.

You'll be alright.

I understand you're nervous.

I only have a few questions.

When you and your husband returned from

Harry march's property

to black hill station,

Sam Kelly asked mr Fred Smith to take

your niece Lucy back into town.

Why?

Lizzie, you do understand you have

to answer these questions.

Lizzie, did Harry march...

Physically assault your niece, Lucy?

You must reply.

I remind you you are compelled

to answer my questions.

This is getting nowhere.

You may step down.

I call to the stand,

the defendant, Sam Kelly.

Well what's he got to say?

Any last words?

Mr Kelly, please remove your hat.

We was doing work on his property.

Woman's doing housework.

And that Harry...

Mr march...

He been lookin' at Lucy funny way.

He been askin' about me.

Is she promise?

Promise?

Yeah, like promise husband for Lucy.

What did you say?

Didn't like that.

He been tell us.

He been kick us off

from his property.

Told us to get.

No Tucker.

Nothing.

What was the reason he gave for

kicking you off his property?

I think

I think shame job for him.

I must say, mr Kelly, I don't understand

why Harry march would have been ashamed.

Why do you think he was ashamed, mr Kelly?

Mr Kelly, I'm asking you a question.

What he done to my wife.

What did he do to your wife, mr Kelly?

Did Harry march force

himself onto your wife?

Is that why you shot him?

Because he forced himself onto your wife?

No, he was gonna kill me.

Did you see Harry march

force himself onto your wife?

Mr Kelly, did you see Harry march

force himself onto your wife?

You must answer me.

My wife family way now.

That's why we stop running.

We been keep up.

Whitefella never catch me.

I ask you again.

Did you see Harry march

force himself onto your wife?

Mi" Kelly!

I'm asking you a question.

This finish now.

Sam Kelly, you listen to me.

This is a court of law,

and if you do not answer my questions,

you are in contempt,

and I will place you in jail

until you decide to answer.

More than that, I will place your

wife in jail for contempt, too.

About three weeks ago...

Harry march come looking

for that little boy...

Philomac.

He was shouting.

He started shooting.

He come to the front door.

Even point the gun at me.

I been grab Fred's gun

and I been shoot him right there.

Finish.

Why did you run, mr Kelly?

I shot a whitefella.

And you say you only gave yourself

up because your wife is with child?

How long has your wife been with child?

Since Harry march.

How do you know the child's not yours?

Can't have kids.

Can't have family.

Sam Kelly, you may step down.

F***in' chook is ready!

Two weeks off.

Two weeks, no f***in' work.

- Archie's a f***in'...

- Hey, old man.

Old man!

Got a nice lubra to keep

you warm tonight, eh?

If I was twenty years younger, mate...

Take it easy, Fred.

Just havin' a laugh, mate.

Go say goodbye to your black.

He's gonna be hangin' tomorrow!

He that is unjust

let him be unjust still.

And he which is filthy,

let him be filthy still.

And he that is righteous

let him be righteous still.

And he that is holy,

let him be holy still and behold,

my reward is with me.

For give me every man,

according as his work shall be.

For I am Alpha and omega

the beginning and the end,

the first and the last.

Blessed are they that do his commandments.

You're f***in' joking.

They that have the

right to the tree of life...

Philomac!

Into the gates and

into the city of god.

Where the f*** have you been?

Nowhere, boss.

Shut up.

Go with d*ckhead over here,

load up the sulky.

We're getting out of here as

soon as this sh*t's finished.

Go on, Archie. F*** off.

Could you all stand for judge Taylor.

Have faith, Sam. God is with you.

Take your seats.

Come on, ya black bastard!

- Yeah!

- Hey, ya prick.

Go away.

- F***in' swing him.

- Bring him out.

Hey?

Harry march went to black hill station

in search of a boy by the name of philomac.

It's clear he was not sober at the time

and was in an agitated state.

He made the presumption,

that Sam Kelly and his wife,

were sheltering the boy.

Now Harry march could have

simply knocked at the door,

but this was not the case.

In his state of mind,

he made an aggressive approach,

which resulted in him kicking at the door

and firing a gun into the house.

Order!

Order!

Now when Harry march woke Sam Kelly

and his wife in this aggressive manner,

did Sam Kelly fire the first shot?

No.

Did he fire the second shot?

No.

The third?

No.

Harry march, through his own actions,

caused a situation that ended in his death.

Sam Kelly's actions were

the natural response,

to a violent, unprovoked attack.

I find that this is a case of self-defence

and the defendant has no case to answer.

Sam Kelly...

You are free to go.

Order!

This is a court of law!

Take him back to the bush!

You wanna challenge the judge's verdict?

Sergeant Fletcher...

Please release the prisoner...

And escort him safely out of town.

Mongrel!

Mongrel!

I'll ride with you to the edge of town.

- F***in' let him go.

- Sam?

Yep, a free man.

Bloody bastard.

Should be right from now on.

You right, Sam?

Yes, boss.

Sam, don't call me boss.

Yes, Fred.

Oh, Sam, sh*t!

Sh*t!

Oh, Sam.

F***, Sam.

Oh sh*t.

Sam?

You cowards!

Bloody cowards!

Oh, sh*t.

What chance have we got?

What chance has this country got?

Rate this script:3.8 / 4 votes