The Pelican Brief

The. Pelican. Brief. 1993

The Pelican Brief

Any signs got my name on them?

Quite a few.

What do they say?

The usual.

"Death to Rosenberg. "

"Retire Rosenberg. "

"Cut off the oxygen. "

That's my favorite.

Of course, you, Mr. Grantham...

...did pretty good by me

your last time out.

"Rosenberg equals the government

over business...

...the individual over government,

the environment over everything...

...and the Indians, oh,

give them whatever they want. "

With all due respect,

that wasn't my line, that was a quote.

From one of your unnamed

Senior White House officials.

Senior White House bastard,

you should have said.

Got in there by...

...stirring up these people,

one against the other.

Never fails to amaze me...

...what a man will do

to get an oval office.

Yes?

Looking for Mr. Sneller.

Mr. Sneller?

Yes, Mr. Edwin F. Sneller.

Hello.

Everything is in place.

All the money must be there

when I arrive in Zurich.

It will be there

if the job is finished.

It will be finished.

May I help you?

I'd like to order room service.

- What would you like?

- Coffee...

...scrambled eggs, whole-wheat toast

and orange juice, please.

It'll be about 15 minutes.

Thank you.

When we substitute

threat for an argument...

...violence for principle,

we allow our passion...

...to overcome our capacity for reason.

Passion and self-interest

are threats to liberty...

...which brings us

to Bowers against Hardwick.

A police officer entered Mr. Hardwick's

apartment to serve him a warrant...

...for an unpaid violation

for drinking in public.

They caught him with an open beer.

When he entered

Mr. Hardwick's bedroom...

...he found him in bed with a man.

The officer arrested Hardwick...

...for violating Georgia's statute

which outlaws sodomy.

Even though Georgia dropped the case...

...Hardwick challenged

the constitutionality of the statute.

Now, what was his claim?

- That it violates the right of privacy.

Why?

He's got the right to do

as he pleases in his home.

But what if he decided to sell drugs

at his home or engage in child abuse?

Those actions don't fit

within the right of privacy.

The court, beginning with Griswold...

...has limited the right of privacy

to actions which are intimate...

...which are deeply personal,

which allow us to control our lives...

...to define who we are.

But is that a constitutional claim?

There's no...

...right to define oneself

written into the Constitution.

It's not even in the Bill of Rights.

If the State of Georgia can regulate

Hardwick's sexuality...

...engaged in private with consenting

adults, Hardwick cannot be free.

The Constitution ensures

limited government.

If there's no right of privacy

and Georgia can enforce the statute...

...we sacrifice the liberty the framers

thought they'd guaranteed us.

The Supreme Court disagreed with you.

They found that the statute

did not violate the right of privacy.

Why?

They're wrong.

So all three of you girls

find him irresistible. Why?

Sexual attraction.

You mean he's just got it?

Does he ever!

What you're saying...

...is that if you could clone

three of him, you'd all be happy.

Okay, tell us, what is your secret?

I'm not sure I can say on TV.

But what I can say is

it's a big secret.

A very big secret.

My goodness gracious!

I can't believe my ears!

Hope my mom's not watching.

She hopes so too!

Ma, I was just kidding.

Ladies, have you changed

your opinion about our stud?

You still like him?

I like big guys!

I think your fan club has increased.

Everything has increased!

They found Rosenberg around 1 A.M.

His nurse was also murdered.

Jensen was found two hours later

in some queer club.

Voyles called me, wildly upset.

It's hardly good for FBI's reputation.

He and Giminski are on the way.

Giminski?

Yes. The CIA should be involved,

at least for now.

You must wait two hours to address

the nation if we want an audience.

A coat and tie may seem a bit rehearsed.

How about a cardigan?

You want me to talk to the nation in a

time of crisis wearing a sweater?

Mr. President...

...I've already told Justice

to put together a list of nominees.

Restructuring the court

will be your legacy.

Mr. President.

Mr. Voyles,

does the FBI have any suspects?

It's too soon.

We'll have ballistics

and autopsies later.

I would like to have a report

on your security and where it broke down.

You're assuming it broke down.

We have two dead judges, both of whom

were being protected by the FBI.

Bob, I'd like a straight answer.

Are these killings in any way

linked to the CIA...

...or to any other agency

of the United States government?

I'm shocked you'd think that.

Bob, just look into it, okay?

I suggest we meet back here at five.

Five, gentlemen.

Thank you.

It's rally-around-the-leader time.

Your approval ratings will go

through the roof.

That's the weather

in New Orleans. This is Tim Bellew.

We interrupt our program now

for a special bulletin.

In a special address,

live from the White House...

...the president of the United States.

My fellow Americans...

...our country has suffered

a grievous loss.

Last night...

...Supreme Court Justices

Rosenberg and Jensen...

...were assassinated.

These assassinations may be an

attempt to strike at the very fabric...

...of our government.

But I can assure each...

...and every American...

...that these dastardly acts

will not go unpunished.

Everything...

...is being and will be done

to bring the culprit...

...or culprits to justice.

For justice must...

...and shall prevail.

I wish you could have known him

when I used to clerk for him.

Last time I saw him,

only the mind was left.

That's why they killed him.

That mind was still a threat.

But why kill him now,

when he had so little time left?

Maybe they couldn't take a chance

he'd last till the elections.

So why Jensen?

This president nominated him.

He and Rosenberg had almost

nothing in common.

That's what they should look for.

Decisions on which they both agreed.

Boy, if there ever was a moment

for a drink...

One day at a time, right?

We're talking a conspiracy,

then who are the conspirators?

If we've let foreign terrorists in,

there'll be hell to pay politically.

The intelligence community can't be

blamed for a weakness in immigration.

Denton, who are your suspects?

This has to be kept very quiet.

Of course.

This is the Oval Office.

At least 11 Underground Army members

have been in the D.C. area...

...and we suspect them in at least

...porno houses,

gay clubs all over the country.

The truth is,

you don't have a suspect.

Correct?

Watch your claws.

Gray Grantham covers the

Supreme Court for the Washington Herald.

You actually interviewed

Justice Rosenberg...

...before he was shot on,

as it turned out, the day he died.

Did he say anything that might shed

some light on these dreadful events?

Yes. He spoke about things...

...off the record,

appropriately for a sitting justice.

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