Original subtitles

Before you go knocking on doors,

I need you to understand something.

This ain't just about registering voters.

People have been beaten for less.

Some have been killed.

The dark-haired young man

seated at the center of the group

was Andrew Goodman.

Tonight, Goodman and fellow volunteers

Michael Schwerner and James Chaney

are the focus of the nation's concern.

They've been missing since Sunday.

Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner were in Mississippi

for the Freedom Summer civil rights initiative

working to register Negro voters.

Deputy Sheriff Cecil Price

says he detained them

for driving 65 in a 30-mile-an-hour zone.

They were released that evening.

They paid the fine and I released 'em.

They got in their car and left.

That's the last time we saw any of 'em.

Sometimes they break quickly.

Other times, it's a prolonged effort.

This may be a prolonged effort

but it will be continued until it is solved.

Until we find the bodies

of those three men that have disappeared

and the persons who may be responsible

for their disappearance.

Who are you?

Why are you doing this to me?

Where the bodies at, Eddie?

I'm a man of God.

Please.

Where the bodies at, Eddie?

I'm gettin' real tired of askin'.

I just... I just...

I just don't know nothing.

Okay.

You don't know nothing?

No, sir.

Okay, well here's the windup.

It's the bottom of the ninth.

The bases are loaded.

Coming to the plate, folks, is the Grim Reaper.

Reaper checks his swing.

He didn't like the looks of that one.

You ain't like them Hoover boys, is you?

You different.

Yeah,

I'm a hitter.

-Here's the windup... -Wait, wait, wait.

-It's a fastball. -Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Wait, wait, wait.

All right.

Burrage's...

Old... Jolly... Farm.

Buried.

Who's buried, Eddie?

Come on, you're gonna have to spit it out.

We're gonna have to start all over again.

You don't wanna start all over again.

Two kikes!

And the nigger.

Good boy. You know you could have

saved yourself a little discomfort

had you just shared

that information earlier, right?

Yes, sir...

New guy just trying to look busy.

Come on, man, don't do me like that.

I'm just trying to educate myself

on what's going on down here.

It's like case after case, unsolved, unsolved,

unsolved.

Make me wonder why Hoover even hired Negroes in the FBI.

'Cause he Black.

Grandpappy was a slaver.

Mama was half Black and Choctaw.

That's why he give those white boys

a murder pass.

He don't want people picking up

on that one drop of nigga he got in him.

Man, you better kill all that noise

'fore he McCarthy all our Black asses.

Excuse me, Agent Moore?

Wayne Strider, sir.

From Chicago.

Yes, sir.

But I'm... I'm originally from Mississippi, Hattiesburg.

I'd like to assist in the Klan investigation.

Why did you join the bureau, Agent Strider?

Because I believe in justice.

And I believe that Negroes

have to be a part in getting it.

Well, I need to get back to this work

if I stand any chance of seeing my wife

before she goes to bed.

Good night.

Good night, sir.

You came back to Mississippi

to make a difference and you are.

Just by being here.

At least in Chicago, I worked cases.

I wasn't breaking down doors,

but I was a part of investigations.

This ain't Chicago, Wayne.

You're ready for the world, baby.

This world ain't ready for you.

Yet.

But it will be.

And when it is...

they better look out.

Being here helps me understand you

in a way that I did not before.

Mississippi makes you work for it.

This place does not suffer fools, gladly.

You've been here for three weeks,

you already got us figured out?

No, I hope I never figure you out,

Wayne Strider.

Our struggle is a uniquely American one.

It's the struggle for freedom,

for justice.

It's the very struggle

that this country was built on.

-Look at you... -And we have

a potent weapon in our arsenal.

-Welcome home. -Hey.

It's the ballot, brothers and sisters.

Listen,

I am not saying

that the ballot can fix everything,

but it's a voice.

And if it don't mean that much,

how come they so hell-bent on not letting us have it?

It's a proclamation that we're here.

That we matter.

So here's what I'm gonna do.

I'm a blessed man.

Y'all buy from my store, you work my land.

You make it possible for me to provide for my family.

So I say that when a man has enough,

it's his obligation to give some of it back.

So you tell everyone you know

that if they can't pay their poll tax,

Vernon Dahmer will pay it for 'em.

'Cause you know what I believe.

If you don't vote...

You don't count.

I say if you don't vote,

-you don't count. -You don't count.

All right, troublemaker.

Troublemaker. It's good to see you.

It's great to see you.

Less than 40% of the Black population

are registered to vote.

And in some districts,

they're forced to pay a $2 poll tax to do so.

It's important that we get Negroes

out in large numbers to vote.

It'll be the coalition of the Negro vote

and the moderate white vote

that really make the New South possible.

Okay, how did he get you to leave...

fancy Chicago,

come all the way down here to this dusty old town?

He lied to me.

He promised me a big ol' house we could fill up with kids.

Daddy, can I just get two more cookies?

Of course you can, sweetheart.

-Get one for your brother. -Yes, Momma.

Just like that.

Don't get too big a house.

Then you might need to make too many babies to fill it up.

Yeah, you know about that, don't you?

And you chose to come back.

He never really left.

At least not in his heart.

He always said...

"America won't be right until Mississippi gets right."

Is that what I always say?

That guy's got some poetry, huh?

-It's them again. -Well, just...

Hang up on 'em, then.

That phone been ringing off the hook

ever since Vernon started paying folks' poll taxes.

Yeah, we getting hateful calls all the time.

Leave us alone!

They gonna keep calling, Vernon.

Well, if it ring again, I'll unplug it.

Come on. We don't need to worry about that nonsense.

We here to celebrate the return

of the prodigal son, Wayne Strider,

our very own Elliot Ness.

Yeah.

That's right.

Something like that.

Look at you.

And just the fact that you a bona fide agent

of none other than the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Well, that's important.

And I want you to know that we... we proud of you.

Thank you.

Well, thank you for having me.

And remember, if you don't vote, you don't count.

Now, that was Hattiesburg businessman

Vernon Dahmer,

who's jumping in to do his part

by offering to collect

the $2 poll tax

for any Negroes registering to vote.

If you cannot afford it, Mr. Dahmer will pay it him--

Wasn't enough that he owns his cotton machine.

No, he's making more money than any of us.

While a white family in this county

doesn't know where their next meal

is gonna come from.

That's right.

There was a time not too long ago

where a nigger

wouldn't so much as whisper the word "vote."

And now...

that son of a bitch is on the radio buying votes.

It is a shame what we've let our nation become.

Damn shame.

We took this land first.

We turned a savage nation

into the greatest country the world has ever known.

We are God's chosen people.

Amen.

Our fathers' fathers spilled their blood

so that this land could nourish our sons forever.

Damn right.

That Vernon Dahmer is a thief.

Unplug it.

Yeah.

Hello?

Out of the sacred pages

of our dear Bible

comes the story

of Calvary's rugged, yet holy, cross.

I'm gonna stay up for a little while, Hattie.

This cross is the sign of the Christian religion,

sanctified and made holy

nearly 19 centuries ago by the suffering and blood

of 50 million martyrs who died

in our most holy faith.

The cross inspired the Crusaders

in their perilous attempt to rescue

the Holy Land from the heathens

and is being used tonight to rally

the forces of Christianity

against an ever-increasing horde

of Antichrists

and for the principles of pure Americanism.

Hattie, wake up!

Everybody, wake up!

-Vernon! Vernon, are you hit? -Get to the back.

Go take care of Bettie. I'll get Hewlyn. Now!

-C'mon, boy! -Daddy!

Break it! Just break it.

You just go out and I'll hand 'em to you.

-Stay down, Hewlyn, stay down! -Daddy!

I got you, I got you. I'm right here, baby.

Come on, baby!

Come on!

Come on!

Come on, baby!

Come on, Vernon!

You go to the Harrisons, you run!

-Come now, Vernon! -No, no,

-I'm gonna hold 'em off! -I'll be right behind you.

Daddy, come!

I'll be right behind you.

I love you.

God damn it!

Get down!

Back to your trucks! Go, go, go, go!

Let's go!

Another sad day in America.

Vernon Dahmer, Forrest County's

NAACP president and businessman,

dead at 57.

His home firebombed in the middle of the night.

Police at this hour

are unwilling to share details...

I'm so sorry, baby.

...surrounding the circumstances,

but we'll continue to follow this story.

Negro lawmaker, Julian Bond, has been denied his seat

in the Georgia House of Representatives

despite the decisive victory at the polls.

State legislators have voted to exclude Bond...

Thank you.

Dear Lord, we thank you for your son.

We pray that his soul is with you

and I have never met a finer person.

And we know that though we walk through the valley

of the shadow of the dead, we will fear no evil, for God,

you are with us.

You brought us here for a reason.

Amen.

Oh, my God.

You wait right here. I'll be back.

The fuck you think you're doing, boy?

-FBI. -No, you're not.

You see this?

I don't see shit.

Now beat it, boy.

Excuse me, miss.

Can we ask you some questions?

I ain't got nothing to say. No.

No, no.

Did you learn anything?

Nothin' we didn't already know.

Sir, you can tell the president

that this has our full attention.

It's our top priority.

Our men are out in strength as we speak.

I understand, sir. I will keep you updated.

Hoover, who just got off with Johnson.

It seems the president feels that these boys

are making a mockery

of his voting rights legislation.

That segregation is over.

Say something.

Nobody's talking to us down in Hattiesburg, Roy.

Negroes and whites alike.

They're all terrified of retribution from the Klan.

Doesn't matter how many agents we have canvassing down there.

Nobody's going to tell us anything.

Not willingly, that is.

So what do you want to do, Roy?

Why do we have to eat spinach?

Because I said so. Just eat your dinner.

Hey, I'm home.

Ew!

Daddy!

Daddy!

Where's Junior?

He's been in his room since school.

I mean, he knows it's dinner time.

Gregory!

Move your ass before I come get you!

Junior!

Don't disrespect your mother. Come sit down.

Oh, my God.

What happened?

Who did this to you?

Just some guys at school.

-It's nothing. -Nothing?

Names.

Now.

Tommy Russo.

Eleanor's Tommy?

Look, tomorrow.

You find Tommy, you put him in a hospital, you hear me?

Make sure he looks ten times worse.

Crack his fucking head from ear to ear.

-Hello? -You're a good boy.

-I love you, son. -Greg, it's for you.

Eat your dinner.

Who is it?

Yeah.

I'm eating dinner.

With my kids.

Yeah.

Yeah, okay.

I'm coming.

Let's get this over with. I'm with my family.

We need you down south.

You're going back to Hattiesburg.

What, more Jews gone missing?

Negro.

Voting rights activist.

Murdered by the Klan.

I heard that before. Who cares? I ain't going.

It's not a request.

Listen real carefully.

Fuck you. I ain't going.

Unless you want Joe Colombo

to know who you really work for,

you're on a plane.

Got it?

It's all there.

Ticket,

motel in Mobile, check in, wait to be contacted.

Same deal.

File room.

Special Agent Strider.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir. Right away.

Who was that?

Leave us.

Thank you.

Special Agent Strider,

there may be an opportunity for you

to assist in the Dahmer murder investigation.

Your background

and your familiarity with the area

and the local players make you an ideal candidate for this.

This is entirely off the books.

No one knows.

No one can know.

Might this be of interest to you?

Very much.

Now, you would be partnered with a special investigator

who is uniquely qualified for this job.

You will pick him up at this hotel in Mobile.

You will take him to the Highway Host Motor Lodge

just outside of Hattiesburg.

You will give him this briefcase.

You will not open the briefcase,

and you will do exactly what this man says.

You will find witnesses,

and you will get signed statements.

You will not discuss this case with anybody.

Any questions?

Samuel Bowers is behind this, right?

Identifying those responsible is his assignment.

You are to be his handler, only.

Anything else?

No, sir.

Well, then, off you go.

I just want a little more time.

I'm gonna give it to you, relax.

Shit.

No, wait for me.

Who the fuck are you supposed to be?

Special Agent Wayne Strider, FBI.

We'll be working together.

Get the fuck out of here.

A colored G-man?

Supposed to bring you this.

-Say hi, honey. -Hi, honey.

Come in. Don't be shy.

This is work, baby. I told you I'm here for work.

Let me take care of my business.

What's the matter, baby?

Very thorough, you FBI.

Is that it, or are you supposed to drive me too?

I am not your driver. I'm your handler.

All right. Well, we're gonna need

to handle her to the airport,

before her husband gets worried.

We will put her in a cab.

We have a long drive back to Hattiesburg.

All right. Get dressed, baby.

G's gonna fetch you a cab.

-No, I'm not finished. -Jesus.

Wow.

You gonna wait for me in Miami, huh?

Take this off.

You take it off.

I'll just meet y'all outside.

You don't wanna watch?

You're gonna miss me?

I'm gonna miss you.

Hold this, baby.

-Airport. -Yes, sir.

Hey, babe.

You better keep it warm for me.

-I will. -All right.

Guess you are my driver.

So,

when did Hoover start letting you moolies in anyway?

Moolies. What's that, what y'all call Negroes up in...

What, New Jersey?

Hey, I ain't from fucking New Jersey.

I'm from Bensonhurst, motherfucker.

Brooklyn.

You gotta be the first one, though, right?

I mean, tell me I'm not sitting next

to the Jackie fucking Robinson of the FBI.

What's the matter, cat got your tongue?

I know you can fucking speak. Hello?

James Wormley Jones.

Who's that?

First Negro Special Agent appointed in 1919.

James Amos in 1921,

Earl Thomas and Thomas Leon Jefferson in '22.

There's been a bunch.

Two of us working at my office right now.

You're the first one I ever seen.

Shit.

Fuck.

You look like you're gonna shit yourself.

Just tell him you're a fed for chrissakes,

so we can get out of here.

We're on an empty highway at night in Alabama,

and I'm a Negro agent working in the Bureau.

Only thing these fellas hate more than people like me

are people who work where I work.

Fuck him.

What crime are you two running from?

None, sir.

Where ya headed?

Hattiesburg, sir.

What's in Hattiesburg?

A motel on US 49.

Motel, huh?

Yes, sir.

Y'all queers?

Hey.

Something funny?

Where you from?

New Jersey.

I need identification from both of y'all. Now.

I ain't driving. You don't need shit from me.

You don't tell me what I need.

I.D.

Now.

FBI?

The hell you got here?

What is this?

I work for the government.

I'm just taking him home. That's all.

No trouble.

No trouble.

Impersonating a G-Man.

Get out of the car.

Now!

Buddy.

We're gonna have some fun with you tonight.

-No. Wait. -What you doing?

Wait.

No. No.

You were right. That was fun.

You shot a cop.

We fucked.

No, he's fucked. Let's go.

Drop your weapon.

You gotta be kidding me.

Drop your weapon.

You really have no fucking idea

what the fuck you're doing, Jackie Robinson.

I'm gonna say this one more time.

Drop your fucking weapon.

Hey. Stunod.

Look around.

There's no witness. There's no weapons.

There's no crime.

Let's get out of here.

You ever arrest anybody before?

I didn't think so.

You're supposed to do the fucking cuffing.

Fucking unbelievable.

All right, you got me. You fucking got me.

Fuck.

Hey.

What the fuck are you doing?

I know you're not gonna call this in.

You tell anybody about this, I'm just gonna say it was you.

Who do you think they'd believe?

This fucking guy.

Un-fucking-believable.

This your first fuckin' day?

Hey. Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Hey, wipe it off.

You touched the fucking thing.

Wipe it off, now.

Fuck.

All right, that's enough.

Can we get the fuck out of here now?

You hungry?

I'm fucking starving. Let's go.

Bet you never seen that before.

I can do whatever the fuck I want.

There's no rules.

What, they didn't tell you?

Tell me what?

This ain't my first rodeo, Jackie.

I was down here two years ago doing this.

-Doing what? -What I do. What do you think?

MISSBURN?

The Freedom Summer murders?

That was me.

I'm the one who solved that.

You guys found those dead college kids

because of me.

I'm like James fucking Bond.

Come on.

That was nice.

So handsome.

Okay.

Got it.

Okay.

Two hands, please.

Okay, I'm not sure I can do this.

Yeah, well, you're firing like you're scared.

You don't wanna stand like this.

You need a strong base.

Show me.

Put your left foot...

...a little bit in front of your right foot.

-Pay attention. -I am paying attention.

Left foot a little bit in front of your right.

Okay.

Just like you're about to punch somebody.

I ain't never punched nobody a day in my life.

I don't know what you're talking about.

You need to protect yourself, my love.

From who?

Everybody.

There you go. Two hands.

Strong hand on top.

Pull the trigger. Don't squeeze.

Okay.

Whoo!

Annie Oakley over here.

What is wrong with you?

I just got put on special assignment.

Baby, that's amazing.

That is exactly what we wanted.

Yeah.

Come in.

Yeah. I told you.

Don't bet against the fucking Yankees.

What the fuck's the matter with you?

Mickey Mantle's the best who ever did it.

Yeah. You gotta bet on a winner.

Get the fuck out of here.

The Yankees won the World Series

seven times in 11 years.

Yeah. '51, '52, '53, '56, '58, '61, and '62.

Yeah.

You keep betting like that, your wife's gonna be gone.

She'll run off with the fucking milkman.

Even worse, she'll be laid up in the fucking bed

with that colored fucking bookie you got.

It's your boss, Agent Rhodes.

Here, he wants to talk to you.

Hold on. He's taking his sweet fucking time.

Yeah, who is this?

Agent Rhodes.

Don't you got to tell him anything?

Anything to report?

Come on, Barney Fife.

Tell him what we did the other night.

You don't wanna tell him?

No, sir. Nothin' to report.

Okay.

Okay. I told you I ain't got no fucking rules.

Now, come on, J.

Can I get a fucking smile, please?

Where to, man?

Gilmer's Gun Shop. You heard of it?

The revolver found at Dahmer's wasn't registered to nobody,

but it was sold from right here.

I guess Bobby Gilmer wanted

to keep it off books, huh?

Come on.

It's against protocol for me to join you in there.

That's not part of my assignment.

Protocol?

What the fuck is that?

Look, if I say it, you're doing it.

Unless you want to be assigned somewhere else?

Call your boss.

You do what I say.

Let's go. Come on. You're coming in.

Look, man, I live in this town, man.

I can't just walk into no gun shop.

That ain't how things work in Mississippi.

Walk into a gun shop

so they can put a bullet in my head

and get a prize for it?

-No, you on your own. -I know how things work, okay?

Listen to me. We go in there.

We ask a few questions. We get some information.

We have a little fun. We're gone. Let's go.

What do you want?

Go ahead, you do the honors.

Go ahead.

You got it?

Mr. Gilmer.

I'm Special Agent Strider, FBI.

Say what now?

You see that?

FBI.

Well, isn't that a sight.

A colored Federal agent.

A .22 Magnum Rohm,

found at the home of Vernon Dahmer,

firebombed by the Klan, was sold from your shop.

Now, the problem is,

you didn't register it to who you sold it to.

How did an unregistered gun sold

from your shop end up at a crime scene?

Well, all right.

Hey!

You put that back right fucking now!

Put it back!

Time for you to leave my shop.

You too.

Now this is getting good.

Get out, or I'll blow a hole right through this nigger.

Go ahead.

You can bury him in the back.

-Don't do it. -I mean it.

I'll shoot you too, you greasy son of a bitch.

Christ almighty!

Tell us who you sold that gun to

and we'll leave.

I've sold thousands of guns.

I can't remember every serial number!

My moron nephew,

William, he worked for me summer 'fore last.

He was always messing up, mixing up numbers and letters.

He must have mislabeled it.

Please, sir, if it was a mislabeled gun,

I can't tell you who it belongs to.

Jackie, you're gonna believe this shit?

No, I'm telling the truth.

Please.

-Let's go. -Yeah, give me a minute.

You all right? Come here. Let me ask you a question.

You all right?

Hey, hey!

-Who bought the gun, Bobby? -I... I don't know.

Stop.

Did you hear what the fuck I said?

Stop!

I got it. I got it.

Give me a fucking name.

Who'd you sell the gun to?

Don't lie to me.

You no good hillbilly motherfucker.

Give me a name, Bobby.

Last time I ask,

who'd you sell the gun to?

Please.

Please.

I don't know nothin'.

All right, all right, all right.

Fuck.

Well, okay.

You wanna ask him some more questions?

He didn't know anything. That was obvious.

What the fuck is wrong with you?

I needed to be sure.

Bullshit.

This ain't Bensonhurst

and you are not here to amuse yourself.

This is an official investigation

and you will not prevent me

from enforcing the law.

You understand me, motherfucker?

Your rules ain't shit.

That's why they brought me down here, dummy.

But you really wanna be the colored guy

who lets these redneck mopes off the hook?

Jackie fucking Robinson.

I ain't shining no fucking shoes.

I'm cracking fucking heads.

Martin Luther King, huh?

Talk about a guy with a fucking target

on his back? Jesus fucking Christ.

The line to do him's around the fucking block.

Put that down.

You know, I like that Malcolm X guy better.

What you know about Malcolm X?

Well, I know he don't take no shit.

I mean, I personally don't give a fuck

about your people.

But he's got a point.

Turn the other cheek?

That ain't really working, is it?

It's working?

What am I here, on vacation?

You don't know nothing about nothing, man.

How am I supposed to explain racism

to somebody like you?

I'm just saying, you get some guns,

you solve your problems real quick.

By any means necessary.

I like that.

Yeah, more killing.

That's exactly what we need. That'll work out

real well for us. That's a good idea.

You know what? On second thought,

maybe you should read that book.

Learn something.

I don't know why we don't just go over

to this fucking Bowers guy's house

right now, put him to sleep.

Instead of Mickey Mouse-in'

around this whole fucking hillbilly town.

Just making people disappear does not solve the problem.

We're gonna make cases,

put them in jail for breaking the law.

And make it public.

Let these crackers know there're consequences.

-Crackers? -Yeah, crackers.

What, you never heard of that?

No. What's that supposed to mean?

Saltine cracker.

White.

Salty.

No flavor.

White man.

-And square, right? -Yeah.

What about you?

What is it with you?

Chocolate, delicious.

Like a Tootsie Roll, right?

Get the fuck out.

Yeah.

You know you missed the turn for the highway, right?

Yeah, hang on, I got an idea.

The fuck are we doing here?

I am going to talk to a potential witness,

and you are gonna stay right here.

Why?

Because I don't need you to bash her head open.

She ain't gonna talk to no white folks anyway.

Hey there, old friend.

Who's coming up my steps?

Hey.

Look at you all grown now.

It's good to be home.

I heard you brought a pretty young city girl

to Dahmer's house the other day.

That's my wife, Allison.

From Chicago.

Chicago?

Can she cook?

Yes, ma'am.

What'd you see that night, Ms. Rebecca?

Night they burned Vernon's.

You don't want nothing to do with all that trouble.

I work for the FBI, Ms. Rebecca.

Trouble is what I do.

Is that right?

They killed Vernon, Ms. Rebecca.

We can't let that go unanswered.

It was a couple of pickups.

The blue one had the taillight busted out on one side.

Pulled out and swung around in the dark like a...

like an evil eye, I do recall that.

Pretty sure Mr. Dahmer shot at it

a couple of times as it was driving off.

You tell the FBI that?

I ain't tell them white boys in those suits nothing.

They come around here.

I ain't got nothin' to say to no authorities.

I don't want my house burnt down too,

you understand?

Hey.

We done yet?

Who... who is this?

That's my driver.

You got anything?

-Maybe. -Pretty smart.

You know, old ladies in the neighborhood,

they're always the ones with eyes

on everything, aren't they?

I'm starving.

I know a spot.

Office is searching mechanic shops

for this blue pickup

with a broke back light and pellet damage.

You know, last time I was here,

I got the best bacon I've had in my fucking life.

Nobody fries shit better than you people.

Bacon is bacon, asshole.

Here's what I wanna know.

Shoot.

How'd you break the case?

They really don't tell you shit, do they?

Let's just say there's a point where everybody talks.

So not real police work, then?

Fuck, do I look like police?

They brought me down here last time.

I did what I do, and I found those poor kids.

And I didn't pray or march

or sit down at some fucking lunch counter.

I knocked some fucking heads around

and I cracked the case.

You're free, Jackie.

You're free to fuck with anybody

who fucks with you.

You got your gun, you got your badge.

Now you gotta grow some balls.

This thing goes right,

it could be big things for you.

Might even get to meet Hoover, get your picture on the wall.

How about that, huh?

You're welcome.

Can I get you started with some drinks?

-Coffee. -How you like it?

Black.

Well, can we do it Thursday?

Because I think the turnout will be better.

Right.

Let me call you back.

My husband just walked in.

Yep.

You look like you had a hell of a day.

Hey, Ms. Hattie.

Hey, Wayne, you hungry?

Fix you a plate.

What's all this?

We puttin' together a march

after Vernon's funeral.

Figured I'm a local now, so I'm getting involved.

Are you sure you wanna be doing all this, Ms. Hattie?

You really shouldn't be putting all this stress

-on yourself. -My Vernon didn't die

for nothing.

So I will be working. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Are you gonna tell me what's going on?

It's nothing.

Hey.

Do not do that.

Sir.

It's me.

Did it ever occur to you

that maybe I don't want you getting involved?

It's too dangerous here.

Okay.

You're the one in the FBI.

You're the one who got me to come down here.

So if there is danger,

it is because you brought us into it.

Now we're here.

You're in it.

And I'm in it with you.

Who are you, man?

You're mobbed up, ain't ya?

That's me. Eighteen.

Young and dumb.

On the right side of the law, just like you, you know?

Merchant Marine made you a killer?

Nah, fuck.

Never saw combat.

My brother started going the wrong way.

He fell in with a local boss, began doing jobs for him.

My contract was up.

My father begged me to come home

and get him on the right track like me.

I was dead broke shovelin' coal with my father,

busting my hump every day.

Talk about getting treated bad.

My father's a wop.

-Know what that is? -No.

Without papers.

The coloreds of white people.

They're one step above those dirty fucking Irish.

Anyway, my brother tells me he's got

a way for me to make $200 in an hour.

Couldn't make $200 in a month, shovelin' coal.

Of course I said yes.

Before I know it, the wise guy's

handing me a gun wrapped in a napkin,

started just like that.

Then on and on, and here we are.

You're pretty proud of yourself, huh?

Proud, not proud. Who gives a fuck?

It doesn't matter.

You people think you're doing something.

You're just shovelin' that coal, man,

you vote, don't vote, whatever.

It's all bullshit anyway.

And what would you do if you was a Negro?

I'd kill 'em all.

Every last one.

Your boys found it fast, huh?

Yeah.

This shop is owned by a known Klan member, so...

It's best I sit this one out.

I didn't see that one coming.

Hey,

keep your hands to yourself.

We already drawing a lot of attention.

It ain't all about the lead.

I got a finesse game too, you know.

Being polite.

Howdy.

Can I help you?

Yeah, I've been trying to find that there pickup all day.

I'm the guy who knocked the taillight in.

Just smacked right into it when I was distracted.

You need somethin', sir?

Well, now, I'm not sure I really can say.

Say what you want to.

Yeah, I was passing this diner,

sweating bullets,

figured I'd grab a cold Coke

and get off my ass for a minute.

And I walk in, and there she is,

behind the counter.

Fine-looking thing.

Colored girl.

I'm talking black as midnight.

Smooth as whiskey

and built like a dream I shouldn't be having.

Don't you tell nobody now.

I ain't saying nothing to anybody.

So I sidle up to the counter, looking cool as hell.

She leans over with that smile, and she says,

"What can I get you, sweetheart?"

And right then, I'm thinkin', damn!

Maybe the world ain't as complicated

as folks make it out to be.

Maybe it's just me, her, and this Coke.

And then she spots my wedding ring.

Yeah, she gives me that look.

-I know that look. -I know, I know.

God damn it.

Silly for me forgetting about the missus.

-Yeah. -I got out of there,

hopped in my truck,

and plowed straight into a parked car,

across the street,

took the taillight clean off.

That's quite a story.

Yeah, the thing is,

that there truck...

That there truck was involved in a...

different sort of accident.

That's just the truck I'm looking for.

Tell you what, sure would like to make it worth your while.

Gimme a minute, huh?

You in on this one?

Hey,

we need him alive.

And talkin'.

Whatever you say.

You're gonna talk.

It's just a matter of when.

No?

All right, all right.

That's enough.

We gonna talk, Billy Roy.

Now, we know that you was involved

with the murder of Vernon Dahmer.

Now, who else was with you that night?

Who the fuck do you guys think you are

bustin' into my house like you did?

I ain't tellin' you nothin'.

And I definitely ain't tellin' you nothin'.

I'm callin' the fuckin' sheriff.

Finally.

You ain't callin' no-goddamn-body.

Fuck!

Listen, Billy.

We got a witness...

puts your truck at the scene.

That's right.

So this is your chance.

Hey, hey, hey.

Don't be stupid.

You know what they do

to skinny white boys up at Yazoo City?

Cut your time, Billy Roy.

Give up Bowers and the rest. Cut your time.

You hear the man speakin' to you?

You startin' to open up a little bit, right?

Yeah, you wanna get chatty, huh?

They gonna hang you

from the bridge in Shubuta, boy.

That your dog out there?

You know what?

I ain't listenin' to that fuckin' dog anymore.

No, no, no, no, no, wait!

You killed my dog.

-You killed my dog. -That's right.

And you're next if you don't talk.

Fuck you.

He gave me the green light now.

All right. Stop.

All right, stop.

We need him alive.

I said stop, that's enough.

-God damn it, that's enough. -Hey, don't touch me...

I told you we're takin' him in!

Fuckin' psychopath.

He was about to pop.

What the fuck is wrong with you?

FBI, you under arrest.

We takin' you in.

And you will tell us...

what we need to know.

Yeah, you got it from here.

Do your thing.

Y'all, come on, man.

You ain't gonna just stand there, are you?

FBI. I'm a federal agent.

And Mr. Pitts is under arrest.

Y'all need to get on back to your homes.

Hey, this nigger's got a gun.

FBI! I said FBI, goddamnit.

Come here, you fuckin'...

I got him!

Look out!

Shit.

Fuckin' nigger.

Stay down, boy.

Get down!

Watch out!

Come on!

Hey, get the fuck back.

Fuck! Whoo!

Holy shit.

You Black bastard, I saved your life.

You owe me for that one.

For lettin' them beat up on me, huh?

What the fuck is the matter with you?

I was lettin' you do it your way.

They was about to have

one more dead nigger on their resume.

You'd have been hangin' from a tree

right now if it wasn't for--

You motherfucker.

Come on.

I'm gonna rip the fucking eyes out of your fucking head!

Fuck.

You and your fuckin' rules.

Now we gotta get that guy all over again.

Yeah, like you ain't got no rules?

You go tell that to Joe Colombo,

Vito Genovese, or whoever the fuck it is you work for...

You better watch your fuckin' mouth, you hear me?

You don't know what the fuck you're talkin' about.

You know what? You worse than the fuckin' Klan.

They may be devils,

but at least they believe in somethin'.

What you believe in?

I believe in me, motherfucker.

Omerta?

Code of silence?

That's bullshit.

You walk around here in your fuckin' fancy suits,

your little toothpicks,

like you're a fuckin' big man, you're just a fuckin' rat.

What the fuck did you call me?

Another snitch workin' for the G.

I ain't no fuckin' rat.

I'm here helpin' you and your people.

Doin' the job you're too fuckin' scared

-to do. -Yeah, I'm done.

Yeah, I been tryin' to make a fuckin' man out of you.

-I'm done. -You and your fuckin' badge.

You think I give a fuck, huh?

Motherfucker.

-All right. -Sam.

I got you.

All right. Let me take a look at you. Come on. Come on.

The FBI killed my dog...

Let's get the cuffs off of you.

They killed Boone.

It'll be all right. We'll take care of 'em.

They're comin' after all of us, Sam.

-They know who we are. -All hands on deck.

Your orders were to leave him alone.

To let him operate.

But you chose to leave him

on the side of the goddamn road.

We're relieving you of your duties, Agent Strider.

I will need your gun and your badge.

Sorry. I'm sorry.

I don't like this.

I'm sorry.

You shot?

Go! Go! Go!

Go, come on!

I got you.

Huh? I got you.

Get him!

C'mon, boy!

-Hey, hey! -Shit!

I got you, motherfuckers.

Come on. Come on.

Move.

-Move! Move! -Go, go!

Go, go, go.

Fuck.

Come on.

Come on.

Huh? Come on.

Leave it, let's go!

C'mon!

Get back inside!

Come on. Come on.

Lawrence Byrd.

Got your ass.

Come on.

Archie gonna take you to The Edward Lee in Jackson.

I'm not going anywhere.

Allison, I can't have this conversation

-with you right now. -Wayne, listen to me.

Wherever you going, I'm going.

What I have to do, you cannot be a part of.

It's not safe.

It's not safe for you either.

They could kill you.

This is our home.

This will be our children's home.

We cannot let these animals take that from us.

Jesus Christ, you're so fucking stubborn.

We can't run forever.

I love you.

I love you too.

What do you want?

Get in the car.

You left me. We're done, remember?

You don't say when you're done.

I tell you when you're done.

They came for me.

And my wife.

Get your shit and get in the fucking car.

Let's end this and then you can go home.

This the motherfucker who shot up my house.

So what now?

Now we wait.

This is fucking boring, if you ask me.

I didn't.

When I was a kid, I burned a cop's car.

You? Dudley Do-Right?

Cop car?

No, a cop's car.

I wanted his car, not the county's.

My friend stole some gum from the grocery store.

One of these deputies, he was right outside.

He chased us.

About half a mile from here, right down that road.

I got away.

And your buddy didn't?

No.

The state trooper broke his arm.

Broke his jaw.

He dropped out of school.

I never did see him again after that summer.

I found out where that cop lived.

I set his fucking car on fire.

Good. He deserved it.

So what happened?

Nothing.

I got away with it, scot-free. How about that?

I don't know why I'm telling you this.

This fucking guy.

Only guy who gets away with something

and is pissed about it.

Yeah, well,

I don't like people getting away with shit.

Wake me up when something happens, will ya?

What's goin' on?

-Is that him? -I don't know.

Let's go.

Howdy.

You make a fucking noise,

I'll kill you right here, you hear me?

Hey, boy.

You done messed up, boy.

You done messed up.

Look at you.

Full of surprises.

I know who you are.

You're that crazy man from New York, ain't you?

Yeah.

Don't think you're gonna do to me

what you done to Edgar Ray,

'cause I ain't no pussy preacher.

Sounds like a challenge.

I love a challenge.

Stop.

What'd you say?

Did you say somethin'?

Who killed Vernon Dahmer?

Who killed Vernon Dahmer?

Who killed Vernon Dahmer?

Why do you care?

Why do you care?

You know, I don't, but my friend here does.

I only get paid if you tell him

what he wants to know.

Fuck you.

And fuck you too, whoever you are back there.

I like this one.

Styles.

Clive Styles.

Says here you got a mother. Lives in Natchez.

Here's what's gonna happen.

I'm gonna get up tomorrow.

I'm a-gonna go to Natchez, and I'm gonna find your mama.

And I am going to carve her up,

piece by piece, like a Thanksgiving turkey.

How's that sound to you?

This prick.

This prick won't even save his own mother.

Nothing yet?

Fuckin' Jerry Lewis over here screamin'

like a fucking bitch. Get over here.

Please. Please.

Stop. Stop. Stop.

Come on.

-Get down on your knees. -No!

Get in front of your boyfriend.

What the fuck

are you all thinking with all of this?

Are you thinking we're gonna get in some sort of trouble?

These are niggers for Christ's sakes.

This is Mississippi.

Get his shorts down.

Get his fucking shorts down now.

Get his dick out.

Come on.

Get his fucking shorts down fucking now!

Okay, okay!

Get 'em off.

Just kill me.

No, no, no, no.

You're gonna feel this.

Every last slice, you motherfucker.

Stop! Stop! Stop!

Please, I'll tell you.

I'll tell you.

It was Sam Bowers.

Just... just don't cut him.

Stop.

Speak.

Sam... Bowers.

He told us to get that nigger Dahmer.

It's me.

It's Clive.

Billy Roy Pitts.

Cecil Sessum.

William Smith.

Bowers said to make sure we got Dahmer,

that nigger FBI...

And the other house.

What other house?

That nigger old lady with the big mouth

who lived across the street.

No, no, no...

There it is, Jackie.

Stop! Stop! Please. Have mercy.

Please have mercy. Please have mercy.

Please have mercy. Please have mercy.

Please have mercy.

Please have mercy. Please.

Do you see where you are?

You see your friend over there?

Do you ever want to see my face again?

No, sir. Never.

Then you keep your mouth shut about this and you testify.

Unless you want to be swingin' from the bridge.

Yes, sir.

Hit the recorder.

Who else?

Nice and loud, nice and clear.

Charles Noble,

Melvin Martin.

Clifton Lowell.

Fourteen names,

signed and sealed.

Not bad.

Fuck's the matter with you?

It's a great day.

You're the only colored guy in the world

who gets to kill a white man and get away with it.

And look, not for nothing, but the bosses,

they're always going to need guys like us

to do these things.

They're not going to do it. That's why they're the bosses.

Time for me to go.

I'll see you around, Jackie Robinson.

Local Hattiesburg businessman Lawrence Byrd

signed a 22-page confession

detailing his and 13 others' involvement

in the murder of Vernon Dahmer.

This confession was the result of tireless work

on part of both local

and federal law enforcement authorities.

The protection of all citizens' civil rights

is a priority for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

♪ Rules, somebody's gotta make 'em

♪ But someone's always gotta break 'em

♪ And it's you

♪ You...

♪ You're the one

♪ When they tell you to go one way

♪ You'll just go the other

♪ 'Cause there's no other code You're living by but your own

♪ They can make whatever rules they make

♪ We won't let those rules get in my way

♪ Laws ain't made to get you what you need

♪ Sometimes what you gotta do, you gotta do

♪ By any means, by any means, by any means

♪ By any means

♪ Let them think that they can change you

♪ When you're not afraid they can't contain you

♪ You gotta do, do what you need to do

♪ So you do a little damage But it's worth the trouble

♪ But there's only one road you're going down

♪ And that's your own

♪ They can make whatever rules they make

♪ We won't let those rules get in our way

♪ Laws ain't made to get you what you need

♪ Sometimes what you gotta do, you gotta do

♪ By any means, by any means

♪ By any means

♪ By any means

♪ What you need

♪ By any means

♪ You can scream

♪ They won't listen

♪ You can't stop, you're on a mission

♪ No, you can't be held back No, you won't back down

♪ Something's started, there's no stoppin' now

♪ They can make whatever rules they make

♪ We won't let those rules get in our way

♪ Law's ain't made to get you what you need

♪ What you gotta do, you gotta do

-♪ By any means -♪ By any means, by any means

♪ By any means

♪ By any means

♪ Yeah

♪ Yeah

♪ Yeah

♪ Take what you need

♪ By any means

♪ Take what you need

♪ By any means

♪ By any means ♪