The Verdict Page #4

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The door to the corridor opens and DICK DONEGHY, a workingman

in his forties, comes into the room. Sally and Galvin stand.

SALLY:

This is my husband.

Donegy and Galvin shake hands uncomfortably. He motions the

two to sit.

GALVIN:

Please sit down. I told your wife.

I'm sorry that we have to meet out

here. I've got a case coming in two

days in the Superior Court and my

office is a mess of papers.

DONEGHY:

...that's all right.

GALVIN:

I was telling your wife, we have a

very good case here.

SALLY:

He saw her at the Northern Care...

GALVIN:

...and I have inquiries out to

doctors, experts in the field...

there is, of course, a problem getting

a doctor to testify that another

doctor's negligent...

DONEGHY:

...the Archdiocese called up, they

said who was our attorney, 'cause

the case is coming to trial...

GALVIN:

I doubt we'll have to go to trial...

DONEGHY:

...we told them we didn't want it to

come out this way.

GALVIN:

I completely understand...

DONEGHY:

We just...

SALLY:

We just can't do it anymore.

(beat)

This is our chance to get away.

GALVIN:

I'm going to see you get that chance.

DONEGHY:

What is this going to cost?

GALVIN:

It's completely done on a contingency

basis. That means whatever the

settlement is I retain one-third...

that is, of course, the usual

arrangement...

INT. BISHOP BROPHY'S SUITE - INSERT DAY

Yellowed newspaper clipping, a very lovely, patrician woman

in her twenties smiling at a well-turned-out Galvin around

thirty. Headline: "Patricia Harrington to Wed."

ALITO (V.O.)

His name is Frank Galvin. B.U. Law,

class of 'fifty-two. Second in his

class. Editor of the Law Review.

Worked with Mickey Morrissey twelve

years. Criminal Law and Personal

Injury...'

A hand turns a page and reveals a second clipping: "Boston

Lawyer Held in Jury Tampering Case," with a picture of a

very confused Galvin at around forty-five being led to jail.

ALITO:

'Married Patricia Harrington, nineteen

sixty...'

ANGLE:

The small, sumptuously appointed

Italianate office.

French windows, a fire in the grate, a view of Boston Common,

JOSEPH ALITO, a slender, elegant man in his forties dressed

in a very expensive suit, reading from his notes, news

clippings, etc., which are held in a leather folder.

ALITO:

'Joined Stearns, Harrington, Pierce

nineteen sixty as a full partner.

Resigned the firm nineteen sixt-ynine

over the Lillibridge case...' Do

you...?

Alito, strolling as he reads, moves toward the windows with

his file TO REVEAL BISHOP BROPHY, a self-contained man in

his early sixties, sitting on a leather couch, listening.

BISHOP:

He was accused of jury tampering.

ALITO:

Accused. Not indicted. He resigned

the firm. Divorced nineteen seventy.

Galvin worked with Michael Morrissey

until Morrissey retired in 'seventy-

eight. Since then he's been on his

own. Four cases before the Circuit

Court. He lost them all. He drinks.

BISHOP:

Four cases in three years...

ALITO:

The man's an ambulance chaser...

BISHOP:

...tell me about this case.

ALITO:

This is a nuisance suit. He's looking

for small change. He's asking for

six hundred thousand and betting we

don't want to go to court.

BISHOP:

No -- we don't want this case in

court.

ALITO:

Neither does he. That's where he

loses. This man's scared to death to

go to court. We only have to call

his bluff.

BISHOP:

I want to settle this thing and be

done with it. I don't want the

Archdiocese exposed.

ALITO:

No. Absolutely, and we're going to

see that it is not.

BISHOP:

So what I want to do is stop it here.

I'm going to make him an offer. I

want to do it myself. I want it to

come from me.

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