Monster (11 page)

 

CUT TO: O'BRIEN turns the cup up.

 

THEN: The camera moves farther and farther away from the pair. We see another prisoner and lawyer enter the room. We don't hear O'BRIEN's questions or STEVE's answers but we see O'BRIEN turning the cup.

 

FADE TO BLACK.

 

FADE IN: INTERIOR: CELL at nighttime: We barely see the outlines of the inmates, 2 of whom are sleeping on the floor.

 

VO (INMATE 1)

 

The prosecutor said I was lying. I wanted to ask her what she expected me to do when telling the truth was going to get me 10 years.

 

VO (INMATE 2)

 

When they got you in the system, it ain't time to get all holy. You in the system, you needs to get out the system.

 

VO (INMATE 1)

 

What's the truth? Anybody in here knows what the truth is? I don't know what the truth is! Only truth I know is I don't want to be in here with you ugly dudes.

 

STEVE

 

Truth is truth. It's what you know to be right.

 

VO (INMATE 2)

 

Nah! Truth is something you gave up
when you were out there on the street. Now you talking survival. You talking about another chance to breathe some air 5 other guys ain't breathing.

 

VO (INMATE 1)

 

You get up on the witness stand and the prosecutor talks about looking for truth when they really mean they looking for a way to stick you under the jail.

 

VO (INMATE 3, in a cry for help)

 

I've spent half my life in the joint, man. Where's my life? Where's my damned life?

 

We hear the toilet flush as scene ends.

 

CUT TO: INTERIOR: JAIL. STEVE is dressing for court. We see him checking out his hand, which is slightly swollen.

 

CUT TO: STEVE sitting in back of van. He holds his hands out in front of his face. They are shaking.

 

CUT TO: STEVE on stand.

 

O'BRIEN

 

Mr. Harmon, did you act as a lookout for the drugstore robbery or check out the store so that a robbery could be safely committed?

 

STEVE

 

No, I did not.

 

O'BRIEN

 

Mr. Harmon, did you discuss with anyone that you would act as a lookout or that you would check out the store?

 

STEVE

 

No, I did not.

 

O'BRIEN

 

Mr. Harmon, were you in the drugstore owned by Mr. Nesbitt, the victim, on the 22nd of December of last year?

 

STEVE

 

No, I was not.

 

O'BRIEN

 

Are you sure in your mind that you know what a lookout would do?

 

STEVE

 

Yes, I am.

 

O'BRIEN

 

One last question. Were you in any way involved with the crime that we are discussing here? To make it clear—were you, in any way, involved with the holdup and murder that occurred on the 22nd of December?

 

STEVE

 

No, I was not.

 

O'BRIEN

 

Nothing further.

 

CUT TO: PETROCELLI riffling through papers. She stops occasionally, looks toward STEVE, and nods. PETROCELLI leans back in her chair and visually confronts STEVE for a long beat. Then she gets up and goes to podium.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Mr. Harmon, do you know James King?

 

STEVE

 

I know him from the neighborhood.

 

PETROCELLI

 

You talk to him much?

 

STEVE

 

Once in a while.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Once in a while. When was the last time you spoke to him before the robbery?

 

STEVE

 

I don't know exactly, but it was during the school year.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Didn't you speak to him in December?

 

STEVE

 

I don't think so, but I might have.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Which is it? You don't think so or you don't remember?

 

STEVE

 

Both. I mean, I might have spoken to him, but we don't talk about anything important enough to remember.

 

PETROCELLI

 

What do you talk about?

 

STEVE

 

Usually I see him in the playground. Maybe he'd say something like “Those guys can't play ball,” stuff like that.

 

PETROCELLI

 

“Those guys can't play ball.” Did you ever see him play ball?

 

STEVE

 

I don't remember seeing him play ball.

 

PETROCELLI

 

You having trouble remembering what you've seen?

 

STEVE

 

No, but I've seen a lot of ball games. I watch a lot of ball games.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Are you nervous? Do you want to take a few minutes?

 

STEVE

 

No.

 

PETROCELLI

 

You talk to Bobo sometimes?

 

O'BRIEN

 

Objection. We've been referring to the witness as Mr. Evans.

 

JUDGE

 

Sustained.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Have you spoken with Mr. Evans?

 

STEVE

 

I might have said “Hi” to him. I've
never had a conversation with him.

 

PETROCELLI

 

You ever talk to Mr. Cruz? Osvaldo Cruz?

 

STEVE

 

Yes, he's about my age. I've talked with Osvaldo.

 

PETROCELLI

 

What did you talk to Mr. Cruz about?

 

STEVE

 

Same thing, mostly. About playing ball, or the weather. Or what's going on in the neighborhood.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Did you hear Mr. Evans's testimony that—let me put it this way—you heard Mr. Evans's testimony that you came out of the drugstore just before the robbery. Is that right?

 

STEVE

 

I heard his testimony.

 

PETROCELLI

 

And are you saying it was just a coincidence that you were coming out of the store at that time?

 

CUT TO: FLASHBACK of O'BRIEN turning over the cup.

 

CUT TO: STEVE on witness stand.

 

STEVE

 

I don't know exactly when the robbery happened, but I know I wasn't in the drugstore that day.

 

PETROCELLI

 

So Mr. Evans was lying?

 

STEVE

 

I don't know what he was doing, but I know I wasn't in the drugstore.

 

PETROCELLI

 

You heard Mr. Cruz say that you were supposed to go in and “check the store out” for cops. Is that right?

 

O'BRIEN

 

Objection! I believe the testimony was that Mr. Cruz was told that was the case.

 

JUDGE

 

Do you want the testimony read back?

 

PETROCELLI

 

I'll withdraw the question as framed. Mr. Harmon, do you remember Osvaldo saying that he understood you to be the lookout?

 

STEVE

 

I heard him say that.

 

PETROCELLI

 

And according to you, Mr. Cruz was lying, too?

 

STEVE

 

No, somebody could have told him that, but I know I wasn't there.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Then he must have lied, is that right?

 

O'BRIEN

 

Objection. The prosecution is soliciting an argument.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Withdrawn. Mr. Harmon, you say you weren't at the drugstore anytime during the day of the robbery. Perhaps you would tell us where you were.

 

STEVE

 

I don't know exactly where I was when the robbery took place. Most of the day I was going around taking mental notes about places I wanted to film for a school film project.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Well, if you don't know exactly where you were, can you tell me anyone who might know where you were?

 

STEVE

 

I don't even remember where I was. When the detectives asked me where I was, I couldn't even remember the day they were talking about. They didn't ask me about it until weeks later.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Then how do you remember—what did you say?—taking mental notes for a school film project?

 

STEVE

 

I know that because I was planning to do the film of my neighborhood over the holidays.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Getting back to Mr. King. Would you consider yourself a friend of his or an acquaintance?

 

STEVE

 

An acquaintance.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Mr. Cruz, friend or acquaintance?

 

STEVE

 

Acquaintance.

 

PETROCELLI

 

Mr. Bobo Evans, friend or acquaintance?

 

STEVE

 

Acquaintance.

 

PETROCELLI

 

So you're acquainted with everyone involved in this robbery, is that—

 

BRIGGS

 

Objection! She knows better than that! She knows better than that!

 

JUDGE

 

Sustained. The jury will disregard the last question. There is no one who was involved in this affair until the jury makes that decision. And yes, Miss Petrocelli, you do know better.

 

PETROCELLI (satisfied)

 

Nothing further.

 

We see STEVE stand shakily and head back to the defense table. He looks out onto the onlookers and sees his parents. His MOTHER forces a smile and his FATHER makes a fist and nods emphatically. We see STEVE sit down, start to pick up a glass of water, and have to put it down because his hand is shaking so badly. O'BRIEN crosses to the desk and writes on the pad in front of STEVE. We see what she has written. It says “TAKE DEEP BREATHS.”

 

O'BRIEN

 

The defense calls George Sawicki.

 

CUT TO: CU of GEORGE SAWICKI.