The Verdict Page #23

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Alito nods, they stop outside a large double door.

ALITO:

Thank Mr. Concannon for me. Please

tell him I'll see him at his office.

Alito knocks on the door. The door is opened by a YOUNG

PRIEST.

Alito nods to the Young Lawyer, enters the Bishop's study.

The door is closed behind him.

INT. COURTROOM - DAY

The jury box. One JUROR leans over and makes a whispered

comment to another. The SECOND JUROR nods, inclines his head

toward the witness box.

ANGLE:

DR. Thompson on the stand. Composed, waiting. Concannon

consulting his notes.

CONCANNON:

Dr. Thompson, just so the Jury knows,

you never treated Deborah Ann Kaye.

Is that correct?

DR. THOMPSON

That is correct. I was engaged to

render an opinion.

CONCANNON:

Engaged to render an opinion. For a

price. Is that correct? You're being

paid to be here today?

DR. THOMPSON

Just as you are, Sir...

CONCANNON:

Are you board-certified in

anesthesiology, Doctor?

DR. THOMPSON

No, I am not. It's quite common in

New York State...

CONCANNON:

...I'm sure it is, but this is

Massachusetts, Doctor. Certified in

Internal Medicine?

DR. THOMPSON

No.

CONCANNON:

Neurology?

DR. THOMPSON

No.

CONCANNON:

Orthopedics?

DR. THOMPSON

I'm just an M.D.

CONCANNON:

Do you know Dr. Robert Towler...?

DR. THOMPSON

I know of him.

CONCANNON:

How is that?

DR. THOMPSON

Through, through his book.

CONCANNON:

What book is that?

DR. THOMPSON

Meth... Methodology and Technique...

CONCANNON:

...of Anesthesiology?

DR. THOMPSON

'Methodology and Techniques of

Anesthesiology.' Yes.

CONCANNON:

How old are you?

DR. THOMPSON

I am seventy-four years old.

CONCANNON:

Uh-huh. Still practice a lot of

medicine?

DR. THOMPSON

I'm on the staff of...

CONCANNON:

Yes, we've heard that. Doctor: you

testify quite a bit against other

physicians? Isn't that right? You,

you're available for that? When you're

paid to be there?

DR. THOMPSON

Sir. Yes. When a thing is wrong...

as in this case, I am available. I

am seventy-four years old, I am not

board-certified. I have been

practicing medicine for forty-six

years and I know when an injustice

has been done.

CONCANNON:

Do you, indeed. I'll bet you do.

Fine. Fine. We'll save the court the

time. We will admit the Doctor as an

'expert witness,' fine.

Concannon sits.

JUDGE:

(in undertone, to

Bailiff)

Do we have time this morning to...

(glances at watch,

Bailiff nods to him)

All right. Mr. Galvin, you want to

continue now, or we can resume with

Dr. Thompson this afternoon.

GALVIN:

(rising)

Thank you, your Honor, I'll continue.

Dr. Thompson. Did you examine Deborah

Ann Kaye last night at The Northern

Chronic Care Facility?

DR. THOMPSON

I did.

CONCANNON:

Objection.

JUDGE:

Sustained. Yes. The witness will

confine his testimony to review of

the hospital records.

GALVIN:

What?

JUDGE:

(patronizing)

I believe that's the law... is it

not, Mr. Galvin...?

A beat.

GALVIN:

Dr. Thompson. From your review of

the hospital records of May twelfth

nineteen seventy-six. In your

opinion, what happened to Deborah

Ann Kaye?

DR. THOMPSON

Cardiac arrest. During delivery her

heart stopped. When the heart stops

the brain's deprived of oxygen. You

get brain damage. That is why she's

in the state she's in today.

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