The Verdict Page #31

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Galvin and Mickey seated next to him, flying home in silence.

Mickey smoking a cigarette. Galvin stone-faced, beat.

MICKEY:

I talked to Johnnie White at the Bar

Association.

(beat)

The broad used to work for one of

Concannon's partners in New York

awhile ago.

(beat; lamely)

She wanted to move to Boston.

(beat)

How badly did she hurt us, Joe?

GALVIN:

I don't know.

A beat.

MICKEY:

We got a mistrial, you know. Joe --

did you hear what I said...?

GALVIN:

I don't want a mistrial.

INT. MICKEY MORRISSEY'S HOUSE - DAY

The doorway to his study. A basketball game dimly SEEN in

the half-light. Mickey, o.s.:

MICKEY:

He's not here.

(pause)

Yeah. I don't know when.

(pause)

All right.

Sound of him hanging up a telephone. He enters the frame

carrying a bottle of booze, goes through door into study.

CAMERA FOLLOWS HIM INTO THE ROOM. THE TV:

ANNOUNCER (V.O.)

The Knicks are pressing hard...

(etc.)

He sits on a sofa opposite the

television. Watches the game a beat.

Opens the fresh bottle of whiskey

and pours a large shot into the almost-

empty glass in front of him. Looks

to his left. Reaches behind him to

some glasses on a shelf, takes one

down, pours drink into the new glass,

leans to his left, CAMERA MOVES WITH

him, and we SEE Galvin sitting in a

deep leather armchair, staring. Mickey

offers him the drink.

Galvin becomes aware of him, shakes his head "no." Beat.

Mickey moves back into his seat, they both stare at the

television.

INT. COURTROOM -- JUDGE'S P.O.V. - DAY

Half full of spectators.

ANGLE:

Galvin gets up from Plaintiff's table, takes up a large book

as Dr. Towler takes the stands. He reads:

GALVIN:

Dr. Towler; page 406,

'Contraindications to general

anesthetic. Ideally a patient should

refrain from taking nourishment up

to nine hours prior to induction of

general anesthetic.' Does that sound

familiar?

DR. TOWLER

Yes. I wrote it.

Galvin shows the book.

GALVIN:

'Practice and Methodology in

Anaesthesia.' General textbook on

the subject. Is that correct?

DR. TOWLER

I. Yes. It is.

GALVIN:

And you wrote that...

DR. TOWLER

Yes.

GALVIN:

(reading)

...Page 414, 'If a patient has taken

nourishment within one hour prior to

inducement, general anesthetic should

be avoided at all costs because of

the grave risk the patient will

aspirate food particles into his

mask.' Is that what happened to

Deborah Ann Kaye? She aspirated into

her mask?

DR. TOWLER

She threw up in her mask, yes. But

she hadn't eaten one hour prior to

admission.

GALVIN:

If she had eaten, say one hour prior

to admission, the inducement of a

general anesthetic... the type you

gave her... would have been

negligent...?

DR. TOWLER

Negligent. Yes... it would have been

criminal. But that was not the case.

GALVIN:

Thank you.

Galvin signals he is done. The Judge signals Dr. Towler to

leave the stand, which he does.

JUDGE:

Mr. Concannon...?

CONCANNON:

Nothing further, your Honor.

JUDGE:

Mr. Galvin, rebuttal?

GALVIN:

(to Bailiff)

Katherine Price.

The Bailiff calls out her name.

BAILIFF:

Katherine Price...

ANGLE:

Kathy at the back of the court, coming down the aisle. As

she passes the Defendant's table, Towler grabs Marx and starts

whispering frantically. Concannon looks on, ignorant of what

is happening. We hear Dr. Towler's "Oh, my God..."

ANGLE:

Galvin surveys the courtroom, Kathy crosses in front of him,

takes the stand, we hear the Bailiff administering the formula

as we WATCH Galvin turn and look at the Jurors.

BAILIFF (V.O.)

State your name please.

KATHY (V.O.)

Katherine Lynn Price.

BAILIFF:

D'you swear that the evidence you

are about to give will be the truth,

the...

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