The Devil's Advocate Page #15

MILTON:

I'm taking you off the case.

KEVIN:

What?

MILTON:

I want you to drop this case.

KEVIN:

This case? Cullen?

(incredulous)

John, I've got a jury showing up this morning.

MILTON:

Do you love this woman?

KEVIN:

Yes.

Of course I do.

(CONTINUED)

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE - Rev. 10/22/96 97.

170 CONTINUED:
170

MILTON:

Kevin, she's sick. Everyone will understand. I'll understand.

KEVIN:

(stunned)

What about Cullen?

MILTON:

We'll find someone new. You

consult. You live to fight another day.

KEVIN:

I put together a great jury.

MILTON:

It's a disappointment.

We all have them. Embrace it.

Use it.

You move on.

KEVIN:

Hang on, we gotta talk about this.

MILTON:

What's to talk? It's your wife,

man. And she's very sick. And

that's gotta come first.

(beat)

Are you telling me the possibility of leaving the case has never crossed your mind?

KEVIN:

You know what scares me? I quit the case. She gets better. And I

hate her for it.

(silence)

I don't want to resent her, John.

I've got a winner here. I gotta nail this f***er down, do it

fast, and put it behind me.

Just get it done. Then put all my energy into her.

MILTON:

I guess you have thought about it.

I stand corrected.

CUT TO:

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE - Rev. 11/15/96 98.

171 INT. CULLEN COURTROOM - DAY 171

Packed. JUDGE ARMAND POE presiding. Cullen seated with

Kevin and Pam. The jury in their box. And prosecutor FRANK BROYGO on his feet, just wrapping up his opening statement -

BROYGO:

... And when all that evidence is

laid before you, when all these pieces weave together, you will conclude -- you will know -- that Alexander Cullen is guilty of murdering three people in coldblood with malice aforethought.

Done. The courtroom is silent. The jury liked him.

JUDGE POE:

Mr. Lomax...

(checking his watch)

We can break for lunch now, or you can do a stop and start...

KEVIN:

If it's a choice, I'll go now. I

won't be as long as Mr. Broygo.

JUDGE POE:

Proceed.

KEVIN:

We just spent our morning listening to Mr. Broygo talk about his 'evidence'. What he neglected to tell you is what this case is really about. He left out the most

important fact of all: Alex Cullen

was somewhere else when these

murders took place. Now, Alex

Cullen has done a lot of things I don't like. He's been a terrible

husband to all three of his wives.

He's been a destructive force in

the lives of his step-children.

He's cheated the city. His partners.

His employees. He's paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties and fines over the years. I don't like

those things. I don't expect you to like them. There will be other things during the course of this trial that you will hear about and like even less. But this isn't a popularity

contest. It's a murder trial and

Alex Cullen hasn't killed anybody.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE - Rev. 11/15/96 99.

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KEVIN (CONT'D)

The state is going all out here.

They've got a whole team over

there. They're throwing

everything but the kitchen sink

at this case. I need one thing

from you. That's it. One thing.

I need you to ask yourself, 'Is

not liking this man reason

enough to convict him of

murder?'

(beat)

Enjoy your lunch. We'll talk again.

Stunned silence, and then -

172 INT. COURTHOUSE - SMALL CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

Kevin thrown back against a wall -

CULLEN:

What the f*** was that? Are you

out of your f***ing mind?

(murderous)

They f***ing hate me!

Kevin -- one push -- Cullen sent flying.

KEVIN:

Listen to me like you've never

listened to anybody before. I'm going to bust my ass to make sure

they hate you. Because as long as

you're out boning Melissa, you're

not home killing your wife.

CULLEN:

(pause, as he warms to the idea)

Why didn't you tell me before?

KEVIN:

Then it doesn't look spontaneous.

HARD CUT TO:

CUT TO:

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE - Rev. 11/2/96 100.

173 INT. CULLEN COURTROOM - DAY 173

A Forensic TECHNICIAN on the stand. A display chart beside him.

Blowups of the bloody hand-prints.

KEVIN:

Let me put it this way, then: can

you tell from a blood sample if the person were alive or dead?

TECHNICIAN:

The victim? Of course not.

KEVIN:

And there's a two hour window in

which to place these murders.

TECHNICIAN:

Yes.

KEVIN:

So, you've got absolutely no way to determine the condition of the

victims when Alexander Cullen put his hand on that wall.

CUT TO:

174 OMITTED 174

&&

175 175

176 EXT. CARNEGIE HILL GROCERY - LATE AFTERNOON 176

Kevin into the evening air, carrying a bag of stuff.

Barzoon standing there in a jogging suit. Furious.

KEVIN:

Eddie...

BARZOON:

Saw you go in.

KEVIN:

What's up?

BARZOON:

(cold)

Congratulations.

(CONTINUED)

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE - Rev. 11/2/96 101.

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176

KEVIN:

It's not over yet.

BARZOON:

I'm not talking about the trial.

KEVIN:

What are you talking about?

BARZOON:

How the f*** does your name get on the firm's charter?

KEVIN:

What?

BARZOON:

Looks like it's been there for

years. Now you're a partner?

When did that happen? I am

still the managing director of this firm. You want my job? Take me

head on. Backdoor me one more time

and I'll take your partnership papers and stuff 'em down your throat.

KEVIN:

I don't know what you're talking about, but I sure as hell don't

like your tone of voice.

BARZOON:

Bullshit.

KEVIN:

You got a problem with documents,

I suggest you put together one of your late-night shredding sessions.

BARZOON:

You think you're tough enough to run this firm? Fine.

(backing away)

You tell Milton next time Weaver

calls maybe I pick up the phone.

(CONTINUED)

102.

176 CONTINUED:
(2) 176

Kevin standing there, watching him jog away, as we -CUT

TO:

177 INT. MILTON'S APARTMENT - DUSK 177

Kevin sitting there with his bag of groceries.

looking sadly perplexed -

MILTON:

Was he drunk?

KEVIN:

I doubt it. He was going running.

What the hell was he talking about?

MILTON:

Eddie's gotten himself into trouble again. And he wants me to

save him. And I can't.

KEVIN:

Why does he think I'm after his job?

MILTON:

Do you have any experience with manic depression?

KEVIN:

Not directly, no.

MILTON:

You do now.

Milton already on the phone. Punching a number.

MILTON:

Yes, it's me.

(beat)

Get Eddie Barzoon. Right away.

He may be out running, so page him if you have to. It's an

emergency.

(hangs up, turns back to Kevin)

Looks like you could use a drink.

CUT TO:

103.

178 INT. LOMAX APARTMENT - DUSK 178

Mary Ann coming through the living room. She looks

stoned. But moving with purpose. As if she were hearing something. Opening the terrace doors and staring out over the park, as we -

CUT TO:

179 EXT. CENTRAL PARK RESERVOIR - DUSK 179

The reservoir entrance. It's a nice night and busy with runners and bikes and --

Barzoon comes jogging past.

CUT TO:

180 INT. MILTON'S APARTMENT - DUSK 180

Kevin has a vodka in his hand.

MARY ANN:

Eddie Barzoon.

(wearily)

I've nursed him through two

divorces, a cocaine rehab, and a

pregnant receptionist.

(beat)

God's creature, right?

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