The Trial of the Chicago 7 Page #15

BOBBY:

Jive double-lip talkin’ Nixon? You

make me sound like one funky cat,

thank you sir.

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

Last warning, Mr. Seale.

SCHULTZ:

Did he say anything else?

FRAPOLY:

He said, “The revolution at this

time is directly connected to

organized guns and force.”

SCHULTZ:

No more questions.

BOBBY shakes his head to himself, then says simply and calmly-

BOBBY:

A jive, double-lip talkin’, funky,

funky cat.

106.

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

Would the defense like to cross-

examine the witness?

BOBBY:

Yes. I’m sitting here saying that I

would like to cross-

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

Only lawyers can address a wit-

BOBBY:

My lawyer is Charles Garry.

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

I’m tired of hearing that.

BOBBY:

I couldn’t care less what you’re

tired of.

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

What did you say?

BOBBY:

I said it would be impossible for

me to care any less what you’re

tired of and I demand to cross-

examine this-

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

Sit in your chair and be quiet and

don’t ever address the Court in

that-

BOBBY turns to the GALLERY-

BOBBY:

(to the crowd)

It was premeditated murder. Fred

Hampton was assassinated last

night.

The GALLERY gasps-

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

Marshals, put Mr. Seale in his

seat.

BOBBY keeps talking as a few MARSHALS come to deal with him-

BOBBY:

He wouldn’t have been able to hold

a gun in his right hand.

(MORE)

107.

BOBBY (CONT'D)

When they publish the coroner’s

report, make sure you ask about the

bullet wound in his wrist.

The MARSHAL’s have put BOBBY in his seat.

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

I strongly caution you, Mr. Seale,

I strongly caution you that-

BOBBY:

Oh strongly f*** yourself.

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

Marshals, take that defendant into

a room and deal with him as he

should be dealt with.

The MARSHALS grab at BOBBY and lift him out of his seat.

153 INT. HOLDING CELL -DAY 153

The door opens and BOBBY’s thrown into the room. The door

slams behind him.

154 INT. COURTROOM -SAME TIME 154

Tense silence as everyone waits.

155 INT. HOLDING CELL -SAME TIME 155

We see quick, very tight shards of BOBBY being put in

restraints. His wrists, his ankles-

A156 INT. COURTROOM -SAME TIME A156

ABBIE and JERRY are staring casual bullets at JUDGE

HOFFMAN...

RENNIE’s scratching out a note.

INSERT:
The notes reads--”Don’t stand for JH”.

RENNIE shows the note to TOM, who glances at it and

reluctantly nods “okay”. RENNIE passes the note to DAVE, who

looks at it and passes it to JERRY-

108.

B156 INT. HOLDING CELL -SAME TIME B156

A balled up rag is stuffed in BOBBY’s mouth. Another piece of

cloth starts to be tied around his face-

156 INT. COURTROOM -SAME TIME 156

Tense silence.

The side door opens and the MARSHALS bring BOBBY in--bound,

gagged and chained.

The GALLERY reacts in horror.

The MARSHALS stand BOBBY up at his chair. HOFFMAN raps his

gavel until there’s finally silence.

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

Let the record show that I tried,

fairly and impartially, I tried to

get the defendant to sit on his

own. I ask you again, and you may

indicate by raising your head up

and down or moving it from side to

side, if I have your assurance that

you will not do anything to disrupt

this trial if I allow you to resume

proper order.

BOBBY doesn’t move...just looks at him...

JUDGE HOFFMAN (CONT'D)

Do I have your assurance?

BOBBY looks at the judge and gently shakes his head “no”...

JUDGE HOFFMAN (CONT'D)

Mr. Schultz, call your next

witness.

SCHULTZ doesn’t move...nobody does...

JUDGE HOFFMAN (CONT'D)

Mr. Schultz, call your witness.

SCHULTZ:

May we approach, Your Honor?

JUDGE HOFFMAN waves the LAWYERS up to the bench.

109.

KUNSTLER:

Can he breathe?

(to BOBBY)

Can you breathe alright?

BOBBY nods “yeah”.

The LAWYERS step up to the bench and speak very quietly.

SCHULTZ:

Your Honor, a defendant is bound

and gagged in an American

courtroom.

FORAN:

He brought it on himself.

KUNSTLER:

(to FORAN)

Are you insane?

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

That’s enough.

KUNSTLER:

This is an unholy disgrace to the

law. This is a medieval torture

chamber.

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

I know no other lawyer who would

utter such a thing.

WEINGLASS:

This is an unholy disgrace to the

law and a medieval torture-

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

I said that’s enough!

(beat)

Love of God.

(beat)

What do you want, Mr. Schultz, this

is your sidebar.

SCHULTZ:

Your Honor, at this time the

Government would like to make a

motion that Bobby Seale be

separated-

FORAN:

Wait-

110.

SCHULTZ:

(to FORAN)

Yes. Just--please sir.

(to JUDGE HOFFMAN)

--a motion that Bobby Seale be

separated from the other defendants

and that a mistrial be declared in

his case.

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

You want me to give him his

mistrial?

KUNSTLER:

You took their black guy and made

him a sympathetic character.

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

I’ve lived a long time and you’re

the first person who’s ever

suggested that I’ve discriminated

against a black man.

WEINGLASS:

Then let the record show that I’m

the second.

JUDGE HOFFMAN:

(pause)

Step back.

The lawyers return to their tables.

JUDGE HOFFMAN (CONT'D)

I’m issuing an order declaring a

mistrial as to the defendant Bobby

G. Seale.

CHEERS go up in the courtroom.

JUDGE HOFFMAN (CONT'D)

Mr. Seale, you’re currently charged

with 16 counts of contempt for your

repeated displays of disrespect,

and you have a pending homicide

charge in Connecticut. You are not

home free and I doubt you ever will

be. We’re adjourned until ten a.m.

Monday.

BAILIFF:

All rise.

111.

TOM stands out of habit but no one else does. TOM immediately

sees his mistake but it’s too late to sit.

JUDGE HOFFMAN clocks this, nods at TOM approvingly, and exits

as we

CUT TO:

157 EXT./EST. CONSPIRACY OFFICE -NIGHT 157

We HEAR BERNADINE answer the phone-

BERNADINE (V.O.)

Conspiracy office, how can I help

you?

158 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE -SAME TIME 158

The mood is exhaustion. Everyone’s quiet.

BERNADINE:

(into the phone)

No, sir, I’m a white woman.

(listens)

Yeah, I’ve slept with several in my

life so far and on balance I’d have

to say yes, it is better and to

tell you the truth, I think that’s

a big part of what’s got you worked

up.

WEINGLASS:

Hang up the phone.

BERNADINE:

(into the phone)

It’s not even so much that it’s

bigger, it’s just better, you know

what I mean?

WEINGLASS:

Hang up the phone.

BERNADINE hangs up the phone.

WEINGLASS (CONT'D)

Was that a parting gift for Bobby?

BERNADINE:

No, that was just for me.

112.

WEINGLASS joins KUNSTLER and the DEFENDANTS who are sitting

around the living room. KUNSTLER’s got a drink and he’s

smoking a joint.

Out of the silence...

JERRY:

(to TOM)

Why the f*** did you stand up?

TOM:

I was just--it was a reflex.

RENNIE:

He was respecting the institution.

TOM:

And I don’t know what good it does

to insult the judge. And it was in

view of the jury. And the press.

And Foran and Schultz who’ll be

recommending sentencing if we’re

convicted.

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