The Verdict Page #25

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INT. JUDGE'S CHAMBERS CORRIDOR-DAY

Galvin walking down the corridor, having just come from the

Judge's Chambers. Sally Doneghy comes up to him.

SALLY:

What does it mean?

(beat)

I... I mean we, you have other

tactics...

GALVIN:

We, yes. Yes. They, they present

their side, and I get the same chance.

To cross-examine... to... to...

SALLY:

Are we going to win?

(beat, desperately

needing to trust)

We have, you know, other tactics,

though...

GALVIN:

Yes.

She nods. Beat. Walks off. Galvin turns to the open door to

the Courtroom, through which the SPECTATORS are reentering

for the afternoon session. Mickey is standing by the door,

he catches Galvin's eye. They look at each other a moment.

INT. COURTROOM - DAY

Dr. Towler on the witness stand. Concannon walking away from

him.

CONCANNON:

No further questions.

ANGLE:

Galvin at the Plaintiff's table, hastily scribbling notes,

he looks up. Gets to his feet, walks over to Dr. Towler in

the witness box, the CAMERA MOVES WITH him.

GALVIN:

Dr. Towler...

TOWLER:

Yes.

GALVIN:

You have a record of what happened

in the operating room...

TOWLER:

Yes, that's correct.

GALVIN:

...there are notations every thirty

seconds...

TOWLER:

Yes.

GALVIN:

...of the procedures...

TOWLER:

Yes, the roving nurse...

GALVIN:

But those notations stop...

(consults notes)

...Four-and-one-half minutes after

Deborah Ann Kaye's...

TOWLER:

We, we were rather busy...

GALVIN:

Four-and-one-half minutes after her

heart stopped.

(beat)

And they resume seven minutes...

TOWLER:

As I've said we had some more...

GALVIN:

...they start again three minutes

earlier...

TOWLER:

We had rather more important things

on our mind than taking notes.

(beat)

We were trying to restore her...

GALVIN:

What happened in those three...

TOWLER:

...we were trying to restore her

heartbeat.

GALVIN:

What happened in those three

minutes...?

TOWLER:

(beat; controls himself)

We'd gone to 'Code Blue,' we were

administering electro...

GALVIN:

Why did it take that long to get her

heartbeat...

CONCANNON (V.O.)

Objection, we've...

GALVIN:

...to get her heartbeat back...?

CONCANNON (V.O.)

We've touched on this, his own witness

has said...

GALVIN:

(overriding him)

...almost nine minutes... causing

brain damage.

CONCANNON:

Your Honor...! Your Honor...

TOWLER:

Brain damage could have been... it

didn't necessarily take nine minutes,

it could have been caused in two...

GALVIN:

Wait, wait, wait, you're saying that

her brain damage could have been

caused by her being deprived of oxygen

for two minutes...?

TOWLER:

Yes.

GALVIN:

(contemptuous)

Huh. And why is that?

TOWLER:

Because she was anemic.

(beat)

It's right there on her chart. Her

brain was getting less oxygen

anyway...

Galvin is struck dumb. He has just made a terrible error.

He looks at Mickey.

ANGLE - P.O.V. Mickey looks at Galvin. He shakes his head

sadly.

INT. COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR - DR. THOMPSON - DUSK

The last of the spectators coming out of the court. Galvin

and Dr. Thompson are standing there.

DR. THOMPSON

I didn't do too well for you.

GALVIN:

No, you did fine.

DR. THOMPSON

I'm afraid that's not true.

(beat)

Will you want me to stay on till

Monday?

GALVIN:

No. No thank you, Doctor. You go

home.

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