The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Emily!

You're the medical examiner?

Mr. Rose?

I'm sorry, Mr. Rose...

...but I cannot state conclusively...

...that the cause of death | was natural.

Your daughter, she...

Excuse me, Father?

Father Moore.

You'll have to come with me.

- Father Moore! | - Will you plead guilty?

- Tell us about the exorcism! | - Over here, Father Moore!

We're at Crescent County Courthouse. | We show you Father Richard Moore...

- They're not talking to the police.

Do we charge them?

he ran the show.

We need a Christian on this.

Preferably a Catholic.

Somebody that knows this sh*t | inside out...

...and who the public will see | as unbiased.

We're going after a holy man here.

Ethan Thomas.

He's not Catholic, though. | Methodist, I think.

But the guy practically lives at church. | Choir, teaches Sunday school.

He's no choirboy in the courtroom. | I've seen him tear people up.

He's a shrewd son of a b*tch.

All right, pull him off whatever | he's doing. He's lead prosecutor.

There's ambition. She never stops. | She even works while she drinks.

- Gentlemen, you know Erin Bruner. | - Of course.

- Hello. | - I was so sure Van Hopper would fry...

...but you proved me wrong, lady.

The system worked, that's all.

Gentlemen, you'll excuse us, | will you?

Have you seen the news | about this priest?

I heard something about an exorcism | gone bad, but I don't know the details.

The DA charged him | with negligent homicide.

They offered a very reasonable plea | bargain, but the priest turned it down.

Do not ask me to take this...

The archdiocese | specifically requested you.

- Why me? | - They followed the Van Hopper trial.

They think you're smart...

...and convincing.

They want you to ask the priest | to reconsider.

Well, what if he won't?

This sounds like a quagmire. | If I'm smart, I'll leave it alone.

Erin, the Van Hopper case | got you back on the fast track.

Once again, you're a rising star.

- Chivas, neat, please. | - Tanqueray martini, dry.

- What are you saying? | - I'm saying, you do this for me...

...and the rising star keeps rising.

The case is yours.

And just how high | do I get to rise this time?

I've been junior partner | for too long now, Karl.

- It's not like other firms haven't called. | - Erin...

I want my name on the door, | right next to yours.

Okay.

Try to get the deal.

If the priest won't | and this goes to trial...

...the archdiocese feels he could | be an embarrassment.

So under no circumstances | is he to testify.

No, of course. | If I'd put Van Hopper on the stand...

...he'd be marking time on death row | instead of sunbathing in Miami.

His tab.

Good morning, I'm Erin Bruner.

May I sit down?

They brought the chair | for my public defender.

I guess they left it when they decided | I wasn't going to kill myself with it.

My firm represents the archdiocese.

Yes.

Yes, I was expecting them | to send someone.

- Why did they choose you? | - I wanted this case.

- So you like the spotlight? | - I'm used to it.

I defended James Van Hopper.

And now you've come | to further your celebrity.

No.

I'm here to make senior partner | at my firm.

- Are you a Catholic? | - No.

I'm an agnostic, I guess. | I'm not really sure.

If you're not sure, then you are one.

I don't think you're the right attorney. | I'll stick with my public defender.

He can't get the DA | to get you a better deal. I can.

I won't be making | any plea agreement.

If you don't, the archdiocese | won't post your bail.

You'll be stuck in here for the trial.

Do you understand how long | they can put you away?

It's been explained to me.

The DA's office doesn't like it when | religion holds itself above the law.

And this prosecutor, | Ethan Thomas?

You're gonna need somebody | hungry and smart...

...and aggressive | to even have a chance.

What would your strategy be to defend | me against such a formidable man?

- That depends. | - On what?

On how you wanna be defended.

What's your main concern, | other than staying out of jail?

- Is it how you're being portrayed? | - I don't care about my reputation.

I'm not afraid of jail.

What I care about | is telling Emily Rose's story.

I want people to hear | what only I can tell.

And what is that?

What really happened to Emily...

...and why.

If I let you defend me...

...will you promise to let me testify and | tell the truth about what happened?

And what is the truth you would tell? | That the ritual killed her?

- Was it your fault she died? | - No.

All right. | Then I'll let you tell her story.

But only if you agree to let me do | whatever else it takes to win.

You're not used to | this kind of place.

I'm sure our life is very strange | to you.

Not so strange.

I grew up in a little town.

But our house wasn't as nice | or as big as this.

My mother, she raised me alone.

She was a schoolteacher, | so we had very little money.

What a wonderful thing to be.

That was Emily's dream, | to be a teacher.

That's why she went away | to the university.

A lot of cats live here.

There are...

...11 now, I think.

Emily always brought them home.

Ever since she was a little girl, | she couldn't leave a stray abandoned.

Before these troubles began...

...was Emily a happy girl?

Oh, yes.

Before she went away | to university...

...my Emily was so very happy.

What is going on...? Girls!

Mama.

Is it...?

It's a scholarship, Mama.

They pay for it. | They pay for everything.

This is your dream, Emily.

You'll be leaving us.

It's okay.

I'll be okay.

I'm gonna show this to your father.

- Counselor. Thanks for meeting me. | - Sure.

Can I buy you a drink, Mr. Thomas? | He makes an excellent martini.

Just water for me, please.

So...

...the judge thinks we should offer | a new plea agreement.

She feels the community might be | better served without this trial.

How do you feel about it?

Personally.

My job is to represent | the interests of the people...

...and make an effort to be objective.

I ask because I know | you're a churchgoer.

Now you're set to prosecute | a man of God.

Your priest broke the law...

...and a young girl is dead.

If he's a man of God, then, personally, | I think he's even more subject...

...to the laws of moral behavior. | If it were up to me, he'd get no deal.

And forgiveness and compassion? | Isn't that part of your creed?

Or does that just get in the way | of your work?

If you have compassion | for your client...

...you'll persuade him to accept this:

Charges reduced | to reckless endangerment.

Twelve months in a county jail.

Reducible to six, plus probation, | if he stays out of trouble.

Somehow I expect | he can manage that.

But please understand me. | If he refuses, I will seek the maximum.

Father Moore has made it clear | there will be no plea agreement.

He will not lie or admit to something | he is not guilty of.

- And he was never neglectful of Emily. | - "Never neglectful"?

Have you seen | the postmortem photographs?

We'll go to trial. My client wants | the public to know the truth.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes