Act 1 Flashcards by Stella Nakova

Annie:

All I’ve done all day is perspire.

I bet you aren’t perspiring like that boy who was tried.

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Perfectly

Guard:

Just knock.

(Door is locked)

Did she lock that door?

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Jemi:

Yes, she did.

What do they think we are, crooks?

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Maya:

They lock us up for a little while…

And then they lock that boy up forever, and that’s alright with me.

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Emma:

It’s been a pretty hard week.

I feel just fine, so long as I’ve got my crocheting.

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Annie:

I just mentioned that I might not have a job by the time I get back.

Ask her to help you. She’s rich. I bet her husband could give you a wonderful job. Look at that outfit!

[motioning to Jemi]

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Alesya:

How horrible.

Did they get him?

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Jemi:

They couldn’t.

Why not?

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Alesya:

That isn’t going to happen here.

Six days. They should have finished it in two. Talk! Talk! Talk! Did you ever hear so much talk about nothing?

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Bibi:

Well- I guess- they’re entitled…

Everybody gets a fair trial… That’s the system. Well, I suppose you can’t say anything against it.

[throw paper cup at floor]

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Nine:

And that our tempers will get short.

That’s if we disagree - but this is open and shut. Let’s get it done.

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Ros:

Yeah. Let’s see who’s where.

Right. Let’s vote now.

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Maya:

Okay. Not guilty?

[Emma raises her hand]

Say, what’s the matter with you?

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Maya:

Now we know where we stand.

Do you really believe he’s not guilty?

(to Emma)

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Emma:

I don’t believe it’s as simple as A, B, C.

I never saw a guiltier man in my life.

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Emma:

Are we to vote on his face?

You sat right in court and heard the same things as I did. The boy’s a dangerous killer. You could see it.

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Emma:

Where do you look, to see if someone is a killer?

Oh, well!

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Emma:

He’s nineteen years old.

That’s old enough. He knifed his own father. Four inches into the chest. An innocent little nineteen-year-old-murderer!

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Jemi:

I think we should try to avoid emotionally colored arguments.

All right. They proved it a dozen different ways. Do you want me to list them?

Emma:

I don’t want to change your mind.

All right. What do you want?

Jemi:

But neither of us have ever killed.

I know what hard luck’s like, but I never killed no-body either.

Nine:

You don’t have a monopoly on the truth!

All right. Save it for Sunday! We don’t need a sermon.

Maya:

Shall we get back to the case?

Yeah, let’s.

Emma:

There is a life at stake here.

Okay, let’s get to the facts. Number one, let’s take that old man who lives on the floor right underneath the room where the murder took place. At ten minutes after twelve on the night of the killing he heard loud noises in the upstairs apartment. He said it sounded like a fight. Then he heard the boy say to his father, “I’m gonna kill you.” A second later he heard a body falling, and he ran to the door of his apartment, looked out, and saw the kid running downstairs and out of the house. Then he called the police. They found the father with a knife in his chest.

# Maya: And the coroner fixed the time of death at around midnight.

Right. Now, what else do you want?

# Jemi: The boy's whole story is flimsy. He claimed he was at the movies. That's a little ridiculous, isn't it? He couldn't even remember what picture he saw.

That's right. Did you hear that? You're absoultely right. | [to Emma][to Jemi]

# Bibi: But the cashier didn't remember him.

And the ticket taker didn't either.

# Maya: Now, take it easy.

Come on. Sit down. What're you letting her get you all upset for? Relax.

# Alesya: He was picked up for knife fighting. At fifteen he was in a reform school.

And they sent him to reform school for stabbing someone.

# Alesya: So would I - on a boy like that! Or if I couldn't - I'd see that his father did!

You're right. It's the kids nowadays. The way they are - you know? They don't listen. I've got a boy. When he was eight years old I caught him with some of the neighbourhood gang - fighting - and out on the street! After all I'd said about staying away from those toughs - he goes and joins them! I gave him a whipping he wouldn't forget! And you know what? When he was fifteen, he hit me - a woman - his own mother - in the face! He's big, you know. I haven't seen him in three years. Maybe I'm better off. A rotten kid! I hate tough kids! You work you heart out... All right. Let's get on with it... | [slams down crocheting][bitterly][pauses][very embarassed]

# Bibi: There is something personal!

Come on, now. She didn't mean you. Let's not be so sensitive.

# Jemi: While it doesn't change my opinion about the guilt of the boy, still, I agree with you that the defense counsel was bad.

So-o-o-o?

# Emma: This is a point.

What about facts?

# Emma: So many questions were never answered.

What about the questions that were answered? For instance, let's talk about that cute little switch knife. You know, the one that fine, upright boy admitted to buying.

# Emma: All right, Let's talk about it. Let's get it in here and look at it. I'd like to see it again, Madam Foreman.

We saw the thing once. I don't see why we have to look at it again. What do you think? | [to Emma][to Jemi]

# Jemi: The lady has a right to see exhibits in evidence.

Okay with me. | [shrugging]

# Jemi: The storekeeper was arrested the following day when he admitted selling it to the boy.

I think everyone agrees that it's an unusual knife. Pretty hard to forget something like that.

# Emma: Right.

You bet she's right. Now, listen to this lady. She knows what she's talking about. | [to Emma][to all]

# Emma: I'm not trying to make anyone accept it. I'm just saying it's possible.

And I'm saying it's not possible. What are you trying to do? | [rising, shouting][switch knife in table][slowly, amazed]

# Emma: I got it in a little junk shop around the corner from the boy's house. It cost two dollars.

Now, listen to me!

# Emma: I'm listening.

You pulled a real smart trick here, but you proved absolutely zero. Maybe there are ten knives like that. So what?

# Emma: Maybe there are.

The boy lied and you know it.

# Maya: I think we ought to get on with it now.

Right. Let's get going here.

# Ros: How do you like this woman?

Well, what do you say? You're the one holding up the show. | [shrugs and turns to Emma]

# Jemi: There's the old man downstairs. He heard it. He heard the boy shriek out...

The woman across the el tracks, she saw it!

# Maya: Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.

That's six.