The Chamber Page #6

Just let me rest.

I'm really touched you can share

your feelings with me, Sam,

but at the moment I don't give a damn.

I'm too busy trying to win my case.

Now, start talking!

Here are some synonyms for mitigating -

glossing over,

sugar-coating,

prettifying.

There's nothing pretty

about twin boys being blown to bits,

no glossing over the suicide of their father,

and there's no sugar-coating this fact -

my client is guilty

and he deserves to be punished.

Mens rea. To do the thing.

Sam Cayhall did the thing

but he does not deserve to be murdered

because he was taught from birth

that he had to do the thing.

That is what this court must understand.

He never knew he had any other recourse

but hatred and bigotry and violence.

His uncles and brothers were Klansmen,

his father was a Klansman,

even his grandfather.

His great-grandfather was one

of the co-founders of that hateful group.

I recently saw a photograph of him

at a lynching.

He was ten and it was his third.

Of course, this is awful, it's evil...

but blood and death

were served with Sunday breakfast.

His father was murdered at a funeral.

My client saw it.

As the court is no doubt aware,

my client is also my grandfather.

I'd like now to tell you some warm

and wonderful stories about our family.

Except I don't know any.

In fact, I don't find my grandfather

even remotely wonderful.

But I know this - the very things

that make him so monstrous

are the reasons that mitigate

against this state murdering him.

He was raised by his family and by this state

to become the man that he became.

By the time he was old enough

to choose he didn't have a choice.

This is the tragedy of Sam Cayhall.

It's a tragedy that has destroyed

three lives already.

In the name of mercy...

let it not murder what little is left of his life.

Thank you for seeing me like this.

Why are you here?

I'm hoping you'll ask the governor

to show some mercy.

Tell him you don't want my client to die.

I don't want him to die.

I don't want him to...

but I feel he must.

See, that's not true, it isn't, it...

Your word would carry a lot of weight,

and no one knows more than you

that there's been enough suffering

and it could all end right here, right now.

I didn't take them to nursery school

that morning because I was sick,

so I waved goodbye

from my bedroom window

and watched them

leapfrog off to their death.

Bye, Mommy, I love you!

You see, the whole thing was my fault.

Be good!

- Adam?

- Ma'am?

Why are you really here?

One day I found my father on the floor

in my bedroom with a gun in his hand.

And I remember wondering,

"What are all those towels doing there?"

And then I realised that

he had arranged the towels in a circle...

and very carefully laid down in the centre

so he wouldn't make a mess.

In his note he said that he loved me

and he was sorry and...

he hoped that one day I'd understand.

He told me to take care

of my mom and my sister.

And there was a plastic garbage bag

on the floor.

I was to put the towels in the bag,

clean up the mess and call the police.

"Don't touch the gun," he said.

"Hurry up before the girls get home."

He had picked a day when he knew

I'd be the first one home.

I was ten.

I would dearly love to help you, Adam.

Please know this.

Sam Cayhall destroyed both our families.

Mine just died first.

And I'm sorry but he has to die.

Why?

He has to die because I had champagne

at my birthday party.

He has to die because

a story needs an ending.

He has to die because

I don't care if he had no choice...

he chose to bomb that building...

and my family died.

You know, they were your age then.

And they would have been your age now.

Haven't given up, have you?

Sometimes I just like to see

if I still have what it takes.

Jesus. What are you doing here?

I've been watching you, kid.

You deserve the facts.

Back in '67 I found an old drunk,

he was a dishwasher.

He claimed the night before the bombing

he saw Sam in a diner with another guy.

I need a name.

The description matched a guy

that we always suspected but...

RW.

Rollie Wedge.

A real hater, but smart.

We could never tie him to anything.

Where is he now?

They've gathered - sort of like a reunion -

the night before the big execution

and all that.

I figure if he's here, he's there.

...slapped the hell out of him,

he took a lickin', didn't he?

Looking forward to...

Outside! Come on.

Get away from that boy.

Get.

Thank you. Oh, God.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

You do?

Rollie Wedge.

One of the many names

that I've been called.

What do you think you're doing here?

You planted the bomb that killed those kids.

Were you planning a citizen's arrest?

I just want to hear you admit it.

Delusion, Mr Hall.

You're looking for a clean "yes"

so you can identify,

quantify, organise a concept of evil.

If I did it then I'm the evil

and I can be culled from the flock,

removed, separated, destroyed.

Evil can be destroyed

and all you good people can feel safe

in the cocoon of your denial.

- Sam says you're his people.

- We are one.

Is this how you treat your people?

Let 'em take a fall for you?

What about loyalty?

What about the truth?

The truth, based on your laws, Attorney Hall,

is that Sam Cayhall is guilty

and has been sentenced to death.

Perhaps it's time for you

to show some loyalty

and let justice be served.

And after it is...

always look behind you.

Always.

- He's probably still there.

- And?

If Sam were tried as an accomplice,

the most he'd get is 20 years.

You said you wanted new information.

With all due respect, this is hardly

compelling evidence of anything.

Grant a stay, give me more time.

All right, men, listen up.

0800 hours, I hereby activate

the Emergency Operations Centre.

This institution is on lockdown status.

I expect each of you

to discharge your duty accordingly.

No second-guessing, no improvising.

This execution will take place in 16 hours.

What you did to those babies...

no one could ever forgive you for.

What you did to me...

and Eddie...

I've got to.

Not for you, old man...

for me.

Eddie said...

you'd never have shot Joe Lincoln...

if I'd have cried out for you not to.

Is that why you came here?

No.

Would you still have shot him?

Yeah, yeah.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

denied Sam Cayhall's last appeal.

The US Supreme Court

will rule later today on his fate.

If they deny, Governor David McAllister

will be his last chance.

The execution is set

for 12:
01 tomorrow morning.

Stephanie Bell Flynt, WLBT News.

Got a light, yeah?

Sam?

Met some of your real people last night.

Real interesting group, your real people.

Especially Rollie Wedge.

Rollie Wedge.

He was real interesting.

I have to talk to the guards.

Rack up Sam.

You look a lot like your brother.

I came to pay my respects, Sam.

Say goodbye.

Make sure you're still strong.

I saw those two little kids.

They was in the window.

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