BISBING (O.S.)
No further questions, your honor.
JUDGE STEINSMA (O.S.)
Would you care to cross examine the
witness, Mr. Knox?
MICKEY (O.S)
As a matter of fact, your honor, I
would.
CU of Mallory, who grins at Mickey like a Cheshire cat.
CU of Grace's eyes as they look downward.
CU of Judge Steinsma as he shuffles paper on his bench.
CU of Mickey's feet crossing the court floor.
CU of Bisbing as her eyes follow Mickey across the court.
Mickey enters the frame, with a pencil pressed to his lips in
though. Mickey is looking straight into the CAMERA.
Mickey's POV of Grace sitting on the witness stand, staring into
her lap.
ECU of Grace's finger rolling a large, male-style, High School
class ring around her palm.
CU of Mickey glancing to the ring. Mickey smiles.
Mickey's POV of Grace as she pulls from a reserve of strength.
Clenching the ring tight in her fist, her eyes come up and lock
hatefully on Mickey.
CU Mickey as he walks forward towards Grace.
MICKEY
That's one helluva story, Miss
Mulberry.
GRACE
Yes it is.
MICKEY
Grace... I hope you don't mind if I
call you Grace...
BACK TO: Grace as we DOLLY from a MED CU into a ECU.
MICKEY
Grace. I'd like to talk to you about
your late brother Tim, if you feel up
to it.
CUT TO:
INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
ECU of Grace's eyes as her head is pulled back into frame. Her
eyes are wide with fear. The CAMERA pulls back to reveal a gag
in her moth and a knife pressed against her throat.
She's back at the night of the murder.
Mickey's wearing a black leather jacket over a white t-shirt,
which is covered with blood. Blood is smeared on his face, and
he's holding a knife pressed to his lips, also covered with
blood. But he's walking and talking with the same manner and
poise as in the courtroom.
MICKEY
Grace... I hope you don't mind if I
call you Grace...
MALLORY
Naw, she don't mind.
MICKEY
Grace. I'd like to talk to you about
your murdered brother Tim, if you feel
up to it.
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
CU of Grace in a daze.
MICKEY (O.S.)
Did you get along?
MICKEY
Miss Mulberry?
GRACE
More or less.
MICKEY
More or less...
MICKEY
What do you mean by that?
GRACE
Well, he's my older brother. When we
were growing up, there were times we
could of very well done without each
other. But when it counted, we were
close.
CAMERA PANS from shadows to find Mickey, the pan continues
through his line.
MICKEY
I'd like to talk about Tim's martial
arts abilities. How long had he been
studying?
GRACE
He started when he was in the seventh
grade, so that would make it nine
years.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL - DAY
CAMERA PANS from darkness into a well lit martial arts class
room in full session. TIM MULBERRY and expert martial artist is
competing against a lesser opponent while their master looks on.
CAMERA PANS back into shadows, then...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
CAMERA PANS from darkness and locks on a CU of Mickey.
MICKEY
When you study the martial art, they
give out belts that come in different
colors to signify what level you're at
in your training. Am I correct on that
point?
GRACE
Yes you are.
MICKEY
What was the color of Tim's belt?
GRACE
The style of fighting that Tim studied
didn't believe in belts.
MICKEY
Is that a fact? Well then, Grace,
could you tell us what form of martial
arts it was that Tim was schooled in?
GRACE
Tim studied several styles, but his
favorite was Jeet Kune Do.
MICKEY
Jeet Kune Do... Now I did some research
on that form of fighting, and I found
out that Jeet Kune Do was a style
developed by Bruce Lee. Did you know
that?
GRACE
Yes, I did. That's why Tim studied it.
Because it was Bruce Lee's fighting
style.
CU of COURT CLERK'S HANDS typing in SLOW MOTION.
MICKEY
Now, while I freely admit total
ignorance on the subject, I have heard
of Bruce Lee. And I was under the
impression that Bruce Lee was one of
the, it not the greatest fighter in the
history of martial arts.
GRACE
That's what Tim said.
MICKEY
So, I think it would be safe to say
that anybody who studied the fighting
style that Bruce Lee, arguable the
greatest martial artist of all times,
developed for nine years, that would be
a fella who could defend himself.
Would you describe Tim that way, Grace?
GRACE
Yes, I would.
MICKEY
Point of fact, weren't Tim's hands
registered as lethal weapons?
GRACE
Yes, they were.
MICKEY
That means his hands are considered a
weapon like a gun or a knife. Am I
correct on that point?
GRACE
Yes, you are.
MICKEY
Yet, in your testimony just now, you
described that Tim...
MICKEY (O.S.)
...kicked me four times in the head.
INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
INSERT: The night of the Murder. Tim cuts loose and hammers
Mickey with four punishing kicks to the head.
CUT TO:
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
CU of Mickey.
MICKEY
And his trained martial artists kicks
had little to no effect.
INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
CAMERA is LOW ANGLE as Tim backs up after his attack. We notice
the High School Ring he wears on his right fist as he steps into
a fighting stance, ready for Mickey to drop.
Mickey, however, spits out a stream of blood, and smiles at him.
CUT TO:
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
CU of Mickey.
MICKEY
Then, after shrugging off four blows to
the head like I was Superman. I lifted
Tim-nine-years-of-Jeet-Kune-Do-Mulberry
off the ground and threw him across the
room.
CUT TO:
INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
WIDE SHOT as Tim flies into FRAME, CRASHING into the living room
wall.
CUT TO:
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
We quickly PAN down a number of items with white evidence tags
on them. We stop at Mickey's Buck Knife. Mickey's hand comes
into FRAME and picks up the knife.
MICKEY
Then I took...
MICKEY
...this knife and proceeded to tear him
limb from limb. And this man, whose
hands are lethal weapons---
BISBING
Objection, defence is intimidating the
witness with the murder weapon.
JUDGE STEINSMA (O.S.)
Sustained. Mr. Knox, put the knife
down.
MICKEY (cont'd)
--had little to no defence.
GRACE
(yelling)
I don't know how you did it, but you
did it!
JUDGE STEINSMA
Mr. Knox! The knife!
MICKEY
How do you think a human being could
possibly be capable of doing something
like that?
GRACE
(yelling)
I don't know!
MICKEY
Now... I don't believe that Grace. I
think you have a definite opinion on
how I was able to do those things you
described. Now, I'm going to ask you
again. And I want you to remember you
are under oath.
MICKEY (O.S.)
In your opinion, Miss Mulberry, how was
I able to murder you brother Tim
Mulberry in the manner you described.
Grace looks back into her open palm. CU of the ring.
BACK TO: Mickey bearing down on her, waiting for an answer.
BACK TO: Grace as we slowly DOLLY closer she looks up at Mickey
timidly.
GRACE
(softly)
You're not human.
GRACE
I thought about it a lot. And the only
thing I could figure is that you're not
human.
Mickey straightens up as Grace continues.
GRACE
You're a vampire, or the devil, or a
monster, or cyborg, or something like
that. But you're not human.
Grace breaks down. Putting her hands to her head to stop the
pain.
CU of Mickey smiling down at her.
CU Mallory smiling proudly at Mickey.
CU Judge Steinsma betraying no emotion looks down at Grace.
CU of Grace sobbing, she tries to collect herself by clutching
the ring tighter.
Mickey rolls his pencil in his hand the CAMERA tilts up as he
leans into a CU.
MICKEY
(softly)
Thank you. Grace, there is one other
thing...
GRACE
(softly into her lap)
What...
MICKEY
You're right.
CAMERA whips to CU of Bisbing jumping up screaming as
pandemonium breaks out behind her in SLOW MOTION.
CU pencil puncturing Grace's blood soaked chest in SLOW MOTION.
CU Judge Steinsma slams his gavel while directing the Sheriff
Deputies in SLOW MOTION.
CU of the Sheriff Deputies are running to Mickey in SLOW MOTION.
ECU of Grace a tear rolls out of her widen eye in SLOW MOTION.
CU of Mickey. His attack is unending in SLOW MOTION.
MED Grace goes limp. As the Sheriff Deputies reach Mickey from
all sides the pencil breaks off inside Grace in SLOW MOTION.
CU the bloody eraser end of the pencil in Mickey's hand in SLOW
MOTION.
SIDE ANGLE as Grace's head falls back into a CU. Her mouth
plops open and as her eyelids close, they pinch out a tear that
rolls down her cheek in SLOW MOTION.
CU of Mickey's torso as the Sheriff Deputies wrestle him away
from Grace. Mickey still has the bloody end of the pencil.
CU of Grace's hand dropping into frame and as her fist opens,
the ring falls in SLOW MOTION.
CU of the ring hitting the floor and rolling out of frame.
DOLLY along side the rolling ring on the floor until it hits a
shoe and stops.
ECU of Mickey's eyes looking down at his feet.
ECU of Mickey dropping the bloody pencil stub. CAMERA follows
it in SLOW MOTION.
CU of bloody pencil stub hitting the floor next to the ring in
SLOW MOTION.
CU of Mickey looking over to Mallory
CU of Mallory surrounded by Sheriff Deputies. She smiles at
Mickey.
MALLORY
Show off.
MICKEY
No further questions your honor.
Mickey's POV of a Sheriff Deputy stepping in front of him with a
riot club.
DEPUTY #1
Light's out Prick.
CUT TO BLACK:
EXT. COURTHOUSE REAR - DAY
Mickey, dressed in county blues, is led out of the courtroom by
sheriffs deputies. He's cuffed hand and leg. Reporters throw
out questions, photographers shoot photos, Mickey is somewhere
else, no mugging to the crowd this time.
WAYNE (V.O.)
After the deadly brewhaha in the
courtroom, the judge, honorable Burt
Steinsma, passed down a sentence that
was to make legal history.
Interview with Judge Steinsma in his den at home.
M.O.S. SHOT of Wayne and Judge talking.
WAYNE (V.O.)
We spoke with retired Judge Steinsma at
his home in Baltimore, Maryland.