The Insider Page #19

MICHAEL MOORE:

Right.

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

Now, they tried to get the Mississippi

Court to honor it, but the judge threw it

out...

(to Jeffrey)

However, for you, there is a more

perilous effect to the Kentucky gag

order...

MICHAEL MOORE:

(after a beat)

Dr. Wigand, you do understand what could

happen, don't you?

WIGAND:

I'm not free to testify...here...?

MOTLEY:

That's right. If you violate the

Kentucky order, when you step foot back

in Kentucky, they can find you in

contempt and they can incarcerate you.

And you ought to know that.

And Jeffrey fairly turns white, it's never occurred to him he

might go to jail...

WIGAND:

Jail?

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

Possibly, yes. That is one of the

possible consequences of your testifying

here today. That's right...

WIGAND:

How does one..."go...to...jail?" What

does my family do? Go on welfare? If my

wife has to work? Who's going to look

after the kids? Put food on the table?

My children need me. If I'm not

teaching...there's no medical...no

medical...even on co-pay, that's like...

Tuition...

MICHAEL MOORE:

Dr. Wigand, listen, you may not be able

to do this thing. As I understand from

Dick, you're our key witness. And, I

hope you don't withdraw. I guess we'd

all understand if you did...

(at watch)

Guys, I've got to go. I'm gonna be late

for court. I'll see y'all a little

later. Dr. Wigand, good luck.

He leaves. And Jeffrey's quiet, frightened. Having shaken

the departing Moore's hand, he now turns away from Scruggs

and Motley, thinking about consequences.

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

I know what you're facing, Jeff. And, I

think I know how you're feeling...

Jeffrey's skeptical anybody could know "how it is"...

RICHARD SCRUGGS (CONT'D)

(low, personal)

In the Navy I flew A-6's off carriers...

In combat, events have a duration of

seconds, sometimes minutes... But what

you're going through goes on day in and

day out. Whether you're ready for it or

not, week in, week out... Month after

month after month. Whether you're up or

whether you're down. You're assaulted

psychologically. You're assaulted

financially, which is its own special

kind of violence. Because it's directed

at your kids...what school can you

afford... How will that affect their

lives. You're asking yourself: Will that

limit what they may become? You feel

your whole family's future's

compromised...held hostage...

(after a beat)

I do know how it is.

EXT. RICHARD SCRUGGS' HOUSE, PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI - DAY

A white, traditional, Southern house, with a veranda and

gables...a large front lawn with weeping willows. And we see

Lowell, hands in his pockets, not an insider or an outsider,

waiting alone on the expansive lawn. The front door opens.

A Mississippi State Trooper, putting on his round brimmed hat

comes out and crosses the driveway. Then Jeffrey coming out

with Motley. Motley talks to him on the veranda for a moment

and then heads towards his car. Meanwhile, Jeffrey comes

down over to Lowell on the lawn.

And Jeffrey looks off, across the street from the house, at

the Gulf. And we see the street is blockaded by Mississippi

State Police cars. An armed camp. Other men in suits,

Lawyers and state officials, wait. Ron Motley gets in his

car and drives away.

LOWELL:

You attract a crowd.

WIGAND:

(smiles, wry)

Yeah, great.

LOWELL:

I heard about the Kentucky gag order...

WIGAND:

I don't know what to do.

And they're quiet, a breeze of the Gulf ruffling their

coats... He looks out at the water, a cargo container ship

passing by. He watches its slow progress...

And Jeffrey quietly starts to walk off across the lawn, hands

in his pockets, shoulders bent, head down, thinking... And

Richard Scruggs comes out, tying his tie, to wait beside

Lowell...

EXT. COURTHOUSE, CANTY STREET, PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI -

DAY:

Motley's car parks, and he and an Assistant are approached by

a flurry of media from the parking lot behind us, crossing

Canty Street to intercept him. And we SEE the lot is jammed

with Mercedes-Benzes, Town Cars and limousines belonging to

the 150-200 Big Tobacco, Wall Street lawyers. Some hang out

by their cars, killing time. It's a tailgate party. Beyond

them are trucks and vans with satellite dishes supporting the

media circus. They're all here for Jeff's deposition. The

scale of it dwarfs the plebeian storefront with its sign

"Temporary Jackson County Courthouse"...into which Motley

enters...

EXT. RICHARD SCRUGGS' HOUSE, PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI - DAY

Jeffrey contemplating.

INT. COURTROOM, PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI - DAY

One TOBACCO LAWYER, an Edward Bennett-type while waiting is

on his cell phone...

TOBACCO LAWYER:

(into phone)

Hold on a second...

(seeing Motley enter; to Jr.

Lawyer)

Would you please ask Mr. Motley if he

expects his witness to appear or not...?

JR. LAWYER crosses to Motley.

EXT. SCRUGGS' HOUSE, DOCK - DAY

Jeffrey alone on the jetty, looking out to sea. Trying to

decide, trying to untangle identity and consequence. A

moment. He turns, crossing to Lowell and Scruggs. Then.

it's the three men, standing on the lawn. Time seems to

slow...all of them aware it's a critical decision, personally

and historically...

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