Original subtitles

Eddy, see that this gent's horse gets taken care of.

That's Mr. Adams at the poker table there.

He's expecting you.

I was told I could find a Mr. Adams here.

Here.

Over here.

Well, you didn't waste any time getting acquainted with him.

That man you bumped into.

You could have earned your thousand dollars right there.

And I'm telling you I'll do the same job for half that.

I pay top money for top men.

Mr. Adams, your letter identified you

as a district prosecutor

who is unable to obtain certain evidence.

That's right. I'll spell it out for you.

That man, Virge Beech, killed my brother.

Do you know what good being district prosecutor did me?

None.

When Beech wants to kill a man, he simply pushes him

into drawing first, and then he claims self-defense.

Mr. Adams, I do not hire out as an assassin.

And it's perfectly possible to bring a gunfighter into court

on charges of deliberately provoking a fight.

You don't understand, Mr. Paladin.

I want Beech to know he's being cheated,

the same way he cheated my brother.

I want him beat before he starts...

trapped and squirming and knowing he's going to die.

Mr. Adams, you have made a serious mistake.

I'm not an executioner.

You know, I'm not the only one that feels this way.

The whole town feels as I do.

You were our first choice.

Well, maybe second choice will work just as well.

One way or another.

Beech.

Turn and get it!

Another murder, Beech?

What are you saying?

Everybody here saw Haskins with his gun already out.

No.

All we saw was...

you draw first.

Well...

I reckon somebody ought to get the judge.

Won't take long, will it, Judge?

Costs me money every time you shut down the bar.

Sir, this will be a legally constituted court, won't it?

Tablerock District Territorial Circuit Court.

Informal but legal.

Are you aware, sir, that the murder charges

against the defendant are completely fraudulent?

A believer in reason and law.

I felt the same way once,

until the good citizens of my home state

impeached me for actually dispensing justice,

logically and lawfully.

And what does His Honor believe in now?

What every honest man ultimately admits:

my belly full, my skin intact.

Reason and law.

You tell 'em the truth.

You tell 'em what happened.

you ain't giving the orders anymore.

Ain't you got brave, though?

Only this morning it was, "Yes, Mr. Beech, sir."

How about it, Judge? Am I allowed?

If he gets too noisy.

Sit down.

That'll do, gentlemen.

Opera house accommodations are not required

for a penny puppet show.

Sheriff, call the court to session.

All right, folks, everybody shut up and grab a seat.

Are you staying for the proceedings, sir?

Yes, sir, I'm staying.

Now, this is a legal court under the laws of Arizona Territory.

There'll be no drinking or dancing allowed

until we're finished.

It seems our able district prosecutor

has snared a sinner.

Let's hear the charges.

We're charging Virge Beech

with murder in the first degree, Your Honor.

He drew down on Elmo Haskins and killed him in cold blood.

You're a liar!

Is that your defense, Beech?

Haskins had a gun out

pointing at my back.

Oh, that's always been your claim, hasn't it, Beech?

What about Pete Jarret, Tom Miller, the Lacey kid,

Mr. Adams' brother?

Those were fair fights.

Killing my brother was no fair fight, Beech!

Ridiculing him, insulting him, driving him into it!

You can call any witnesses

who may feel impelled to testify on your behalf, Mr. Beech.

You know blasted well there isn't anyone here

who's gonna take my side.

Then call your first witness, Prosecutor.

If it please the court,

may I call your attention to the fact

that defense has no counsel.

Uh, $25 fine for interrupting the proceedings.

Well, now, may I also call attention...

to the laws of this territory, which provide that any citizen

being tried for a capital offense is entitled

to defense counsel...

defense counsel of his own choosing,

or he's entitled to have the court appoint

the best available defense counsel.

Sheriff, take this man into custody.

Your Honor,

I think you should tell all of these people present...

that under the rules of Gisky v. Territory,

the absence of defense counsel not only jeopardizes

the legality of these entire proceedings,

but it makes every person in this room liable to prosecution.

Uh...

that is correct, Your Honor.

I don't mind doing it legally.

You're a fool, Adams.

Oh, I think, sir, that Mr. Adams means

he doesn't care how we do it, as long as Mr. Beech hangs.

Hey, throw him out of here!

Order! Order in the court!

Order!

Um...

Charge, countercharge,

lie, cheat,

kill, bury.

I wonder how many of us appreciate the...

sheer brilliance of our philosophical

and legal systems that enable a man to be

anything from angel to devil.

And with the slightest bit of cleverness,

be able to avoid the responsibilities, the pitfalls,

the negative aspects of both.

I admire your perceptiveness and wit, Mr. Paladin.

But don't doubt for one moment that this public servant

is going to give those fine, upstanding,

vengeful voters out there exactly what they want.

Now, perhaps since Mr. Paladin is such an expert on law,

he'd be willing to act for the defense, Your Honor.

Mm. Has it occurred to you that he may even

have been waiting for you to suggest that?

I accept.

Ah.

Well, now, agreeing that Mr. Beech is entitled

to the best available, and seeing how

you are the only available, we've complied with the law.

Call your first witness, Prosecutor.

Uh, sir, Your Honor...

the defense moves for a change of venue.

Denied.

Then, sir, the defense requests a delay in the proceedings.

Denied.

Your Honor, the defense requests a short recess.

Denied.

I did warn you, sir.

Uh, call your first witness, Prosecutor.

The prosecution calls Sheriff Matthew Tyler.

Your Honor... I believe the sheriff

might, uh, find that chair slightly less comfortable

if we complied with the territory statutes

requiring witness oaths.

Mm.

Raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth,

the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,

- so help you God? - I do.

Proceed.

Just what's in this for you, gunfighter?

Well, Mr. Beech, some people might call it justice.

You and your words don't make any sense.

Well, you better hope I do.

'Cause that's the only thing that'll keep you alive.

Tell us what you saw, Sheriff.

Well, Beech and Haskins had been arguing all afternoon.

That's a stinkin' lie right off!

I never even spoke to him today.

Mr. Paladin,

now, you're the one who insisted we do this by the rules.

Yes, sir, Your Honor.

I apologize for the conduct of my client.

Sit down, Mr. Beech.

You make me.

Go ahead, Sheriff.

Well, Beech there suddenly drew down on Elmo.

And you all know how fast Beech is.

Elmo didn't even get his gun out.

Defendant drew on victim, killed him.

Sworn to by your own sheriff.

Any cross-examination, Mr. Paladin?

Yes, sir.

Sheriff, will you repeat your oath of office?

What is this?

The defense is limited

to subjects introduced on direct examination.

Well, I'm very grateful

to the prosecutor for instructing me.

However, the, uh, prosecutor has brought out the fact

that this was testimony by the township's sheriff,

and I'm simply trying to establish

what special significance that fact holds.

I... can't deny the logic in that, Adams.

You had to stress the fact that Tyler is our sheriff.

Tell him what you can.

Well, as... as far as I can remember,

I said I'd support and defend the constitution of the land

and the laws of the territory.

Nothing about quelling riots, insurrections,

arresting criminals, protecting women and children?

Well, now, ain't that all included

when you say you'll uphold the law?

Yeah, but it's complicated, isn't it, Sheriff?

It's a vast system.

It's not a system.

It's a labyrinth of laws and legal procedures.

Why, a man could spend the better part of his life

learning just one small part of it.

It's too doggone mixed up and tangled up for my taste.

Hmm. Well, Sheriff, would you say

that it might be a better idea to, say, uh,

select the sheriff and the judge and the prosecutor,

and allow them to settle questions of right and wrong

as each one came up?

Well, now, I... I'd reckon

I'd trust my judgment all right, but, uh...

Your Honor, he's leading this

into completely immaterial areas!

Well, be a little quicker on your feet!

He's already made his point.

Well, well, tell the jury

not to pay any attention to all of this!

Disregard what you've heard.

And you quit telling me how to run my court.

I'm beginning to doubt

you even saw the shooting.

I was standing less than ten feet away!

Less than ten feet away?

Why didn't you interfere when Haskins drew his gun?

He had it out before I could move.

The sheriff has just testified

that he didn't even draw his gun!

Well, I...

Weren't you listening when the sheriff testified?

I tried to listen, and to get the story straight, but...

That's all. No further questions.

Now, it is a remarkable facet

of our system of jurisprudence.

We take a perfectly ordinary chair,

just like that one there,

we put a supposed thoroughbred in it,

and he immediately betrays himself

by braying like a jackass!

Now, wait a minute, Paladin.

You've got no right to make...

make a speech every time you stand up.

Sir, I was simply trying to point out

that our system of jurisprudence is remarkably efficient.

Now, you do agree with that, don't you?

I never said I didn't.

I-I'm just complaining that every time you...

Sir, I was simply trying to say that

our system of jurisprudence, whatever its faults,

and its lengthy, time-consuming formalities,

is still productive, generally speaking, of justice.

Or does our learned county prosecutor disagree with that?

Aren't you going to keep him in order?!

Mr. Paladin, um, I'm cautioning you that, uh...

that this is not a... an exercise in citizenship.

Uh, uh, what I'm saying is that, uh, it is not necessary

for the court or its officers to constantly

reaffirm a belief in this country's laws

or principles.

Uh...

Mr. Paladin, this is not an elocution platform.

The purpose of a trial is simply to determine

whether or not the defendant is innocent or guilty.

Yes, sir, Your Honor.

And any other reason for holding a trial...

would be...

hypocrisy.

I apologize for wasting the court's time

on a matter so obvious.

Well, Prosecutor, do you have another witness to call or not?

The prosecution calls Thomas Beeker.

I saw him sneak out about a minute ago.

Josh Cassidy.

Get up here, Josh.

Josh! Josh!

Look, all we need is one person

to corroborate the sheriffts testimony.

You mean, tell the same story.

I don't need your help!

Well, come on! There were dozens of you willing an hour ago!

Well, what difference does it make?!

Look, it seems to me

you're forgetting the real reason we're holding this trial!

A trial is a search for truth, Prosecutor.

Virge Beech is a murderer!

That's your precious truth!

I've seen him take life.

Every man in this room has seen the same!

If you must string him up,

take him out and do it for something he's actually done.

But don't ask me to-to run a proper court, and then

whine that the law casts too bright a light

for a... for a lynching!

Look, I say we have had a fair trial,

and it's time for a verdict!

Does the prosecution rest?

Yes!

Mr. Paladin?

Your Honor, I believe I've said enough.

Mm-hmm.

Like the judge was saying, Mr. Adams,

talking about lynching's one thing,

but sitting in a courtroom and...

twisting around with the law... that's something else again.

Mr. Foreman, I believe you have a very good point there.

The law should be something like...

well, something like church.

Can't you shut him up?!

I'm forced to find you in contempt of court, Prosecutor,

and assign...

You're a dead man, Adams.

There. You see?

He was already pulling the trigger.

Now, it didn't matter

how many of you behind me the blast got to!

Now, when there's a rattler loose in the room,

do you debate, or do you stomp on it?!

If it please the court...

...having undertaken the defense of Mr. Beech...

Now do you see that we're only trying to protect ourselves?

I see, Mr. Adams.

I always have.

What you're saying is that

if most of the members of any community decide

that one other member is dangerous

and should be done away with, then it should be done quickly,

without the delays and risks inherent in a court trial.

Well, that's about it.

Well, sir, I'm prepared to withdraw from this case,

I'm prepared to leave this town,

if you are prepared to accept an equally fair

and simple request.

See...

in order to guarantee equal treatment,

as is right and necessary in a democracy,

you will agree

to distribute, periodically, secret ballots

containing the names of each member of this community.

Those ballots will be marked

by every other member of this community:

yes or no, life or death!

I'm surprised no one has used this before.

Marvelously simple, efficient,

bound to curb theft, uh, adultery, gossip.

Uh, it may even stamp out bragging,

jealousy, uh, short-weighing by merchants,

overdue bills from customers.

A golden era.

Friendship, mercy, kindness, love.

Your Honor, I seem to detect some resistance to innovation.

Yeah.

Well, now,

since obviously you all wish to return

to the rather, uh, inefficient

and archaic system we've been using,

the court, uh, reluctantly in this instance,

must follow the dictates of law,

rather than personal dislike, fear or desire.

Noting that the testimony

offered by the prosecution has been conflicting

and without corroboration, the court rules

that no prima facie case has been proven,

and directs the sheriff to release the defendant.

There is a condition.

Defendant is herewith enjoined

from using firearms in this township,

and Mr. Paladin

appointed agent of the court in enforcing that order.

Court is adjourned.

Fairly?

Legally?

I'd, uh, hate for you to think

I'm not the appreciative sort, but the, uh,

old man did kind of put you in my way.

I'm, uh, sorry I put you in that position,

but, uh, a court must be practical,

as well as legal.

I suppose I understand, Your Honor.

Now, on the contempt charge against the prosecutor,

I'd appreciate it if you'd fine him exactly $1,000.

Are you charging us for killing Beech?

No, sir.

For defending him.

"Have gun will travel," reads the card of a man

A knight without armor in a savage land

His fast gun for hire heeds the calling wind

Paladin, Paladin, where do you roam?