Original subtitles

...Must be stopped.

You and all the school-parent groups about the country,

And you must stand united on this,

Can stamp out this frightful assassin of our youth.

You can do it by bringing about compulsory education

On the subject of narcotics in general,

But dread Marihuana in particular.

That is the purpose of this meeting,

Ladies and gentlemen.

To lay the foundation for a nationwide campaign by you

To demand by law such compulsory education.

Because it is only through enlightenment

That this scourge can be wiped out.

Out of the traffic in these drugs,

A lawlessness that we can scarcely estimate

Has grown and is now flourishing.

It exists in almost every city and hamlet in the country.

It might be interesting and important

For you to know some of the methods used

In bringing these drugs into the country,

And the work of the forces of law and order,

Which are daily combating the traffic,

Always at the risk of life by their agents.

This ceaseless fight against the drug traffic

Is directed by the department of narcotics, Washington.

I've received a letter of vital importance

From a member of the narcotics bureau.

I'm going to read this letter to you.

"My dear Dr. Carroll:

"The suppression of the use of Marihuana

"And of the forces lurking behind it

"Are the most important jobs

"This department is now engaged in.

"At the outset of this letter,

"There is one vital fact I would like to submit.

"There is a powerful agency,

"I speak of the school-parent associations of this country,

"Which can be invaluable in stamping out this scourge.

"Their help, their eternal vigilance,

"Could be the deciding factor in our fight against it.

"The weed Marihuana is grown in every state in the union.

"Recently, in the city of Brooklyn, New York,

A field of Marihuana was found behind a tenement court.

The weed was here being cultivated,

Regularly stripped and dried,

And sold in schools and at government army posts

In and around New York.

The dried leaves and berries are ground up

And made into cigarettes by a simple hand machine.

The deadly narcotic is thus

Quickly and easily prepared for its market.

The sale of Marihuana

Is even more difficult to detect and halt

Than the traffic in drugs

Such as opium, morphine, and heroin.

They are hidden in fake jewelry cases,

In the heels of shoes, women's shoes especially,

Because the drugs can be secreted in false heels.

Hollowed shaving brushes are another medium.

Books with false centers are often used.

Watch cases are convenient hiding places.

The value of drugs thus seized is enormous.

Recently, a huge supply of heroin was taken.

It was concealed in an apparently harmless shipment

Of 35 barrels of olive oil.

The deadly drug was burned in the incinerator

Of the bureau of engraving and printing.

And more vicious, more deadly

Even than these soul-destroying drugs

"Is the menace of Marihuana."

No doubt, many of you

Do not believe that these things do happen,

That they cannot happen to you.

You may also believe that the facts have been exaggerated.

Let me tell you of something

That happened right here in our own city.

You probably read about it in the papers.

However, I'll give you the real facts behind the case.

There was an apartment near one of our high schools.

It was run by a woman known as Mae Coleman.

Hey.

Come on, Mae. Get up.

What time is it?

Time to get up and give this place a going-over.

Looks like the marines had landed.

Oh, that bunch last night was high enough

To take over the marines and the navy.

You better get on the job.

Some of the kids may be up this afternoon.

Oh, Jack, we can get along without

drugging those young kids up here.

Oh, why don't you button up your lip?

You're always squawking about something.

You got more static than the radio.

Ah, greetings.

Well, hello, fella. How are you?

Fine, how are you? Come in, come in.

Hi, Jack. Glad to be here.

Is Mae in?

She'll be right in. Just sit down.

Make yourselves comfortable.

Hey, what kind of a joint is this, Eddie?

Oh, it's all right, Gwen.

See, they probably had a party last night.

Oh.

A couple of your customers, Mae.

Yeah?

They're old enough to know what they're doing.

Not like those young kids you bring up here.

All right, all right.

Listen, I'm gonna blow.

Where you going?

I gotta make some deliveries

And I'll probably drop by Joe's place

And bring back a couple of the kids.

Oh, I wish you'd lay off those kids.

Oh, why don't you get over your complex?

Oh, by the way, Ralph,

I'm sort of giving a little party

Saturday afternoon over at my grandmother's.

You know, the place with the swimming pool.

Like to come?

Thanks, Eddie. Maybe I will.

I'd sure like to have you.

Ok, I'll probably dropp over.

So long, Ralph.

[ Ralph ] See you later.

[ Jack ] Hey, Ralph! How are ya, kid?

Fine, Jack. And you?

Aw, great. Where you headed?

Oh...

Hey, how do you like that?

That's the one I was telling you about.

Very nice.

I don't know why you wanna make such a fuss

Over that Ralph Wiley.

Oh, he's a swell swimmer.

He made the freshman team

That year he went to college.

Yeah, and that lets him off.

My dad knows his family.

None of them are any good.

Father, mother just got a divorce in Paris.

Yeah?

You know, Ralph runs around

Pretty much on his own.

He's been in a couple of jams.

Well, I only kinda say hello to him.

I don't go around with him.

Well, you better not.

He's a little too old for us.

That's what my dad said.

Hmmm.

Hello, Mary.

How are you, Bill?

[ Bill ] How are you Ralph?

Oh, hello, Ralph.

You know my brother, Jimmy, don't you?

How are you?

Swell.

I'd like you to meet

A friend of mine, Jack Perry.

Mary. Bill.

[ Mary ] How do you do?

Glad to know you.

We're going over to Joe's place.

Why don't you come along?

We have a date to play a set of doubles.

[ Ralph ] Oh, you can play any time.

Come on, we'll have some laughs.

Oh, we can't today, Ralph.

Some other time.

Can I go along with you?

Sure.

Hey, I'll see you at dinner, sis.

Don't be late, Jimmy.

I won't.

Hello, Joe.

[ Woman ] Jimmy!

Hey, Agnes.

Hey, he ain't no paper man.

Why, don't you know him?

That's "hot fingers" Pirelli.

Boy, he really swings out hot

With a mess of jive.

You wanna dance?

Do I!

Mae's expecting us

At the apartment a little later.

Any new prospects?

Maybe.

[ Jimmy whispers ] Come on.

Oh, Jimmy, you're wonderful.

You just finding that out?

[ Jack ] Why can't we go now?

Mmm, sure.

Hey, kids, we're having a little party

Up at my girlfriend's apartment.

Wouldn't you like to come?

Oh, I'd love to.

You wanna come, don't you, Jimmy?

Oh, sure. Any place with you.

Well, come along.

We can all go in my car.

[ Jack ] See you later, Joe.

So long.

[ Mary ] It's sweet of you to help me, Bill.

Well, I'll try anything

Except domestic science.

Why, Bill, don't you wanna learn something

About running your own home?

The answer is no.

[ Laughs ] You know,

After that session we had yesterday,

I went home and told mother that

The trouble with her pot roast gravy

Was she hadn't added

Three heaping teaspoonfuls

Of olive oil.

What did she say?

She didn't say anything.

She just threw me out of the kitchen.

Well, I don't wonder.

Hello, children.

Hello, mother.

Hello, Mrs. Lane.

That was sweet of you, mother.

Gosh, hot chocolate. Thanks, Mrs. Lane.

[ Mrs. Lane ] I know you can't study on empty stomachs.

Now then, enjoy yourselves.

He will.

She will, too, Mrs. Lane.

May i?

Oh, thank you, kind sir.

You're so very, very kind.

Mary, before we do that math,

How about reading some of this?

It's swell.

Romeo and Juliet.

Don't you like it?

Uh-huh.

You know, when I study this,

I kinda think of you.

I just sorta feel

As though you're there beside me.

Oh, listen.

It is my soul that calls upon thy name.

How silver-sweet

Sound lovers' tongues by night,

"Like softest music to attending ears!"

"Romeo!"

"My dear?"

[ Mary ] "What o'clock tomorrow "

"Shall I send to thee?"

"By the hour of nine."

"I will not fail. 'Tis 20 years till then."

Well, I'll see you tonight, Mary.

Goodbye, Mrs. Lane.

[ Mrs. Lane ] Goodbye.

So long.

Oh!

Oh, Bill!

I guess I'm all right.

Well, bye. Bye.

Hey, daddy!

Oh, Junior.

There you are.

Hey, dad, you got anything for me?

Don't bother your father every night.

Aw. Have ya?

There you are.

What made you so late, Bill?

I was getting worried.

Oh, I had to study, ma.

He was not.

I saw him out walkin' with his girl.

[ Chants ] Bill's got a girl.

Ma, make him cut it out.

Junior.

Well, Bill has got a girl.

Quiet. And put that candy away till after dinner.

Henry, you shouldn't have given it to him.

Well, he has got a girlfriend,

And her name is Mary.

I'll shut you up.

Bill, Junior, quit that carrying on.

Junior!

Oh, let them alone, Ellen.

They're all right. They're young.

[ Chanting ] Mary's little lamb! Mary's little lamb!

I didn't mean it, Bill.

Honest I didn't.

Oh, well. Well, I'm burned up about it

That you didn't say Bill had a swell girl.

Gee, it must be love.

She'd have to be swell

For you to like her.

Uh-huh, sounds like you want something.

Come on, what is it?

Well, it's my model airplane.

It won't work.

Gosh, Bill, you could fix it.

You can fix anything.

[ Laughs ] Ok, I'll fix it.

[ Junior ] Hey, dad, read me the funny papers, will ya?

[ Henry ] Go ahead. Here we go.

[ Jimmy ] Hey, Bill!

Oh, hello, Jimmy.

Mary told me to wait and tell you

She had to go home.

Her mother wanted her to go

To the dressmaker with her.

Oh, thanks, Jimmy.

Hmm, must be getting grown up.

I see Mary let you have the car.

Yeah, can I take you any place?

Well, I wasn't going any place in particular.

Well, then, how 'bout driving over

To the... Joe's place with me?

I'll buy you a soda.

I never drink that stuff.

Well, gee, I'll buy you something else.

Ok, you're on the hook for one root beer.

Swell.

Hi, Bill. Hi, Jimmy.

What'll you have?

[ Ralph ] Hey, Jimmy!

[ Woman ] Hello, Jimmy. Hello, Bill.

[ Woman ] Come on. Slide in.

Hello, Blanche. Hello, Ralph.

Hello, Blanche. How you been, Ralph?

Hello, Jim.

Two sodas... no.

I mean, one soda and one root beer.

How's Mae?

Oh, she's fine.

We're going up to her apartment

A little later.

Couldn't Bill come along?

Uh-huh.

Oh, come along, Bill.

You'll get a kick out of it.

Thanks, just the same...

Oh, come on, Bill.

Mary won't be jealous.

[ Jimmy ] Sure, a lot of the kids will be there.

[ Jimmy ] It's keen.

Well, I don't know.

I really should... well, ok.

*

*

Hiya, kids.

Hello, Jack.

[ Blanche ] Hello, Jack. How are you?

Yeah, come on in.

Hi, Agnes!

Jimmy!

Come on, Bill. Don't stand there.

[ Agnes ] Bill the hillbilly!

Hi, you kids.

Mae, this is Bill Harper.

He's ok.

Hello.

Well, if you say so,

He's all right with me.

I'll be back in a minute.

Hi, you kids. How you doing?

[ Man ] Ok. Hiya, Mae.

There's a new one in today.

Yeah, Bill Harper. He's all right.

Blanche has got herself quite a yen for him.

Not bad. I didn't think she had

That much taste.

She knows what she's doing.

She's got Ralph nuts about her,

And now she's got her hooks out

For this new kid.

Hey, we haven't many more smokes.

You better run over and get some.

Why couldn't you find that out

When I was here this morning?

Now I've got my car in the shop.

Well, what of it?

That kid out there, Jimmy, he's got a car.

He'll take you.

Come on, get going. Hurry up.

[ Jack ] Hey, Jimmy.

[ Jimmy ] Yup.

I gotta run over to Cedar Avenue

For a minute.

You've got a car, haven't you?

Why, yeah, my sister's.

Mind giving me a lift?

Why, sure. Come on.

Ok.

*

No, thank you.

Well, here we are.

Oh, thanks.

Oh, Mae, don't forget me.

I never forget you.

Oh, dear.

If you want a good smoke, try one of these.

I thought you were a sport.

Of course, if you're afraid...

[ Blanche ] That's better. That's more like it.

I know you'll like that, really you will.

Now just take a puff of that.

Just be a minute, kid.

Hey, Jack, give me a cigarette

Before you go, will ya?

Hello, Jack.

Hi, boss.

How's business?

Gettin' better every day.

Those kids sure go for it.

Swell.

Had to run over

For a couple more cartons.

Ran short today.

All right.

Danny, pack ten gross for Jack Perry.

Who? Pete Daley?

All right, send him in.

It's all right. Stay where you are.

I wanna talk to you.

All right, go ahead.

Jack's ok. What's the beef?

Listen, you never heard no beef

When I had to sell that rotten gin.

You're after the dough, aren't you?

Yeah, but I don't need dough that bad.

Taking two-bit pieces from kids.

There are millions of two-bit pieces

Just beggin' to be taken.

Don't be a dope.

I'm just dope enough to draw the line,

Selling hop to kids.

All right, Pete.

You know what my policy's always been.

If the boys are not satisfied,

I'm always glad to have them retire.

Retire permanently.

So long.

I only wish you had a couple of kids, so I could...

[ Boss ] Get out!

All right, Jack.

Pick up your stuff from Danny.

It ought to be ready by now.

Ok, boss.

Let's go, Jack. I'm red-hot.

Better be careful how you drive,

Or the first thing you know, you'll be ice-cold.

Take it easy, kid.

[ Jack ] Slow down. You'll kill somebody.

Mary, you're not eating your breakfast again.

Bill Harper hasn't been around lately.

Anything wrong between you two?

Why should there be anything wrong?

There shouldn't be, I'm sure.

And whatever it is isn't serious, I know.

I'm sorry, mother,

For snapping at you like that.

Don't worry about it, dear.

Why don't you speak frankly to Bill?

He'll be honest whatever the trouble is.

I'm sure Bill Harper

Never lied about anything.

Yes, that's right.

Bill's mother says he never lies.

There, you see.

You think it would be all right

If, if I speak to him about it?

Why, of course.

Oh, Jimmy.

Hello, ma.

Sit down, darling, and I'll have your breakfast

For you in a moment.

Jimmy, there's something worrying you?

What have I got to worry about?

Why don't you tell me?

Oh, for Pete's sake,

Don't start to cross-examine me!

I'm all right.

Jimmy!

Don't let mother see you like that.

There is no doubt

That there is an organized gang

Distributing the narcotic to students,

Not only in my school, but all over the city.

You government men have got to find some way

To put an end to it.

Of course, I agree with you, Dr. Carroll.

But do you realize

That marihuana is not like other forms of dope?

You see, it grows wild

In almost every state in the union.

Therefore, there is practically

No interstate commerce in the drug.

As a result, the government's hands are tied.

And frankly, the only sure cure

Is a widespread campaign in education.

Oh, it's all right

To talk about education, Mr. Wyatt.

But we educators can't do anything

Until the public is sufficiently aroused.

Let me show you something.

In 1930, the records on marihuana

In the Washngton office of the narcotics division

Scarcely filled a small folder like this.

Today, they fill cabinets.

All these devoted to marihuana records.

Here is an example.

A 16-year-old lad apprehended

In the act of staging a holdup.

16 years old and a marihuana addict.

Here is a most tragic case.

Yes, I remember, just a young boy.

Under the influence of the drug,

He killed his entire family with an axe.

Then there is the most vicious type of case.

Here.

In Michigan, a young girl, 17 years old, a reefer smoker,

Taken in a raid in the company with five young men.

Here is a particularly flagrant case.

Yes, I remember

The newspapers made quite a play of it.

In West Virginia, wasn't it?

Yes.

And there are hundreds of them coming up,

New ones every day.

I'd like to take these records, if I may.

I feel they would be

Of invaluable assistance to me

In combating the evil in my school.

You're very welcome, Dr. Carroll.

Thank you.

Sit down, Bill.

There seems to be something wrong.

What is it?

You were always a fine student.

You always had excellent grades.

Well, I guess the work is getting

A little harder, Dr. Carroll.

No. No, it isn't that.

Bill, I'd like to help you.

But of course, I can't unless you let me.

You're undermining your health.

Well, there's nothing, Dr. Carroll.

Really there isn't.

I'll study harder, honest.

Honest?

If you were being honest with me

And honest with yourself,

I'm afraid you'd tell me an entirely different story.

Bill, I'm going to ask you a straightforward question,

And I'd like to have a straightforward answer.

Yes, sir.

Isn't it true that you have, perhaps unwillingly,

Acquired a certain harmful habit

Through association with certain undesirable people?

Well?

Oh, no, sir. I haven't, Dr. Carroll.

Well, that is, you see, I'm worried

About something at home.

All right, my boy.

We'll just have to let it go at that.

But remember, if you ever want to confide in me,

No one will ever be the wiser.

Thank you, Dr. Carroll.

Hello, Mary.

You wanna play a set?

Thanks, Teddy, but I'm waiting for someone.

Well, if you're waiting for Bill,

He hasn't been here for weeks.

[ Cheers ] Come on, Jimmy! Play something hot!

Ok!

*

[ Blanche ] Come on, Billy! Dance with me!

*

Didn't take that new kid long to catch on.

Don't take any of 'em long.

Hey, don't you ever get fed?

You're feeding me. Can't you see?

Give me a knife and a fork, will ya?

Get it yourself.

*

Come on, Bill. Come on.

[ Blanche ] Oh, come on.

Come on, Bill. Come on.

Come on.

*

Good morning, miss.

We're from the police department.

Good morning.

We're tracing a hit and run driver.

Someone caught the license number

At the place of the accident,

But didn't get it quite right.

So we're checking all numbers like it,

And yours is one of 'em.

Well, I'll try to help you.

You remember what you did

On the 29th of last month?

Oh, that was the day

Before mother's birthday.

Oh, yes, I remember that because

I left school and went directly

To the dressmaker's with mother.

I was there all afternoon.

Did you happen to loan your car

To a couple of men?

No, no, I had the car all afternoon myself.

Well, thanks, miss.

Sorry to have troubled you.

Tell me, did they...

Was the person killed?

Fortunately, he wasn't.

But that's still no excuse

For hit and run driving.

Has Jimmy Lane been here today?

He was in.

He went over to Mae's place.

You know where that is.

Well, he was gonna wait for me here.

So he didn't give me Mae's address.

Are you sure Jimmy didn't leave

Any message for me? Mary?

No, he didn't.

But I guess you're ok.

I'll write it down for you.

Mary, come right in.

Is Jimmy here?

Oh, why, he's around somewhere.

I think he went out to take Agnes home,

But he'll be right back.

Come in and sit down, Mary.

And let me take your coat.

Who's the new kid just came in?

Oh, it's that gal

That Ralph's gone overboard for.

Funny, we've never been able

To get her up here before.

Hey, hey. Scram, will ya?

Smoke, Mary?

Thanks.

Are you sure Jimmy will be back soon?

Sure, any minute.

Say, what's the matter?

Am I an orphan?

Where do you put it?

You got a hollow leg?

Thanks, dear.

Here, Mary.

Oh, Mary. Give me a kiss, Mary.

Ralph, stop!

Please don't, Ralph!

Oh, Mary!

Leave me alone!

Go away!

[ Shrieks ] Go away!

Leave me alone!

Oh, leave me alone!

[ Ralph ] Everything's over!

[ Screams ] Leave me!

tomorrow shall I send to thee?

Oh thank you kind sir...

Ralph! Ralph!

Look!

Jack, is she all right?

She's dead.

Mae, get me some water.

Now, listen, you two,

I want you to get out of here.

Get out of here

And forget you were ever in here today.

I'll handle this. Now, get going.

Give it to me.

Here.

Mary?

Mary?

Mary!

What happened?

You killed her.

Look, after I scram, you call the cops.

And this is your story. Remember it.

These two kids came up here

For a couple of beers.

You were out in the kitchen,

And you heard the shot.

When you got in here, that's what you found.

Just stick to that story.

Mary!

Mary, speak to me.

Mary.

*

Hello, Jack.

I was just talking to a friend of mine, a cop.

A sergeant on the homicide squad.

The guy you hit that day died.

Died?

You, I mean, you didn't...

No, I didn't crack. I'm not going to.

Nobody will ever know

You were driving that car.

Thanks, Jack.

Just as long as you keep your mouth shut

That you were ever up in Mae's apartment.

Why, sure, Jack. Sure.

Ok.

Your honor, I'd like to recall

Dr. Alfred Carroll to the stand.

Call Dr. Alfred Carroll to the stand.

Dr. Carroll, as principal of the lakeside high school,

Did you during the last three months

Notice any changes in the demeanor and attitude

Of your student, William Harper?

[ Carroll ] Yes, in a number of things.

For example, at times, disassociation of ideas.

In another instance, I happened to attend

The recent inter-scholastic

Tennis matches.

While Bill Harper had been considered

An exceedingly good player,

I saw him miss the ball

By as much as three or four feet.

This, I understand, could be attributed

To the use of marihuana.

It causes errors in time and space.

Objection, your honor.

The witness isn't qualified

To express opinions

Upon the effects of narcotics.

Sustained.

Dr. Carroll has been called

Merely as a character witness.

Well, then, although you didn't know

To your own knowledge

That the defendant was using marihuana,

Did you notice any changes

That would lead you to believe, as an educator,

That he was under some severe mental strain,

Which might possibly have been induced by some drug?

Yes, I recall distinctly a few weeks ago.

It was during a class of English literature.

There was a serious discussion

Of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet,

When he suddenly burst into

An uncontrollable fit of hysterical laughter.

By the way, Dr. Carroll, six months ago,

What would've been your opinion

Regarding the character of my client?

He was a fine, upstanding American boy,

A good scholar, a good athlete,

And representative of the caliber of young men

We are proud to graduate from our school.

[ Blanche ] Oh, snap out of it, will ya?

It's not our fault.

Why did I ever bring him up there, anyway?

He's just a kid. They can't hang him.

Shut up! Shut up!

Why don't you let yourself go?

Talk.

Go off your nuts

And have me that way, too.

It's his own fault, wasn't it?

Shut up!

They've got us hidden out, haven't they?

The cops can't find us.

Jack. Jack, I wanna get out of this place.

You're gonna stay here

As long as we have to keep

Those two out there under cover.

Till the trial's over,

Or the boss gets a better idea.

But they're getting on my nerves.

It can't last much longer.

Not worried about her.

We gotta keep him gagged.

Oh, he's about ready to crack.

All you gotta do is keep him

From having too many reefers.

Any day now, that punk will get hot.

He'll probably spill and tell all he knows

If he gets a chance.

I don't think he'll get it.

I'll see you later.

Where are you going?

I'm gonna see the boss.

Hello, Jack.

Hello, boss.

What are we gonna do about that Wiley guy?

Still jittery, huh?

I don't know what the punk's gonna do.

Keep feeding him those hot sticks.

That's what Mae's been doing.

That's no good.

I got a hunch that he's due to crack

When that Harper verdict comes in.

He's on the tee.

He's liable to take a powder on us

And blow his topper to the D.A.

You mean, you think we'd all be better off

If he never heard the verdict?

Well, what are you waiting for?

You, ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

Have a duty to perform.

A duty to yourselves and to our community.

Mary Lane is dead.

The evidence you've heard at this trial

Could not have failed to convince you

Of the guilt of the defendant.

By his own admission,

He pressed the trigger of the weapon

That sent lovely and innocent Mary Lane

To a tragic and untimely death.

We're not so much concerned about the motives

Behind the deed, as to the deed itself.

While the defendant has told you

That he saw someone attacking Mary Lane

And that his mind went blank from that moment on,

The defense has been unable to produce one witness

To substantiate that statement.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

You have heard able men testify at this trial,

Men who have tried to bring out the fact that

The defendant might have become momentarily insane

When he fired the shot that killed Mary Lane.

But the defense has been unable to prove

That he was insane.

William Harper was sane

When he visited the apartment

Where the tragedy occurred.

He was in the habit of visiting the place.

He was sane when he went into a bedroom

With another young woman.

You have all heard what went on in that room.

You heard it from the defendant's own lips.

Involved, as he was, in a tawdry love affair,

Mary Lane was in the way.

She had found him out.

In a moment of anger,

He deliberately and willfully killed her.

If such deeds are permitted to go unpunished,

This community would cease to be

A decent and safe place for us,

Or our children to live.

I do not believe I have to plead or even demand

That you bring in a verdict to punish the defendant

For the crime that he has committed against society.

You are upright citizens.

That is why you were chosen to judge another.

And as honest upright citizens,

There is only one verdict which you can find,

And that is a verdict of "guilty."

[ Man ] And this court will be adjourned

Until the jury's verdict is reached.

I suppose you all feel the same about this case.

But he might have been insane when he did it.

No, he wasn't.

He knew what he was doing.

But supposing he was insane.

You could never make me believe it,

Nor anybody else.

We'll take a first vote.

11 for conviction. 1 for acquittal.

But there's a reasonable doubt

About the boy's sanity.

We can't...

No doubt about the fact that he murdered her.

He admitted it himself.

That wasn't the first time he was there.

We gotta make an example before boys like that

Contaminate all of our children.

We can't have every murderer

Hiding behind the gag that he's insane.

Sure, they see red before they kill somebody,

But whose fault is it?

Have you reached a verdict?

We have.

The defendant will rise.

What is your verdict?

We find the defendant guilty as charged.

No. [ Cries ]

*

Stop that racket! Stop it!

What's the matter with you?

Give me the creeps.

Mae, Mae!

What do you want?

Bring me some reefers.

* *

They're going to hang him.

Blanche, they're going to hang him.

Oh, come on. Get a hold of yourself.

Here you are.

Quit that crazy Laughing.

Where's Jack?

I wanna get outta here.

They'll pick you up and hang you

If you don't pipe down.

I wanna see Jack. Jack.

I wanna see Jack.

[ Ralph ] Jack.

You better quiet him.

I can't do anything with him.

I've gotta see Jack.

We can't let that kid hang.

He'll be here.

Don't worry.

He'll be here in a little while.

I've got to see him.

I've got to.

*

Come on, darling.

Everything will be over soon.

You want me to play something for you?

Yeah, yeah that's it.

Play something.

All right. Come on.

Sit down.

*

Honey, give me a smoke, will ya?

Faster. Faster!

Play faster.

* *

Faster. Play faster.

Faster.

* *

I know what you want.

You wanna kill me.

You're crazy.

Take it easy, kid.

I just wanna talk to you.

Hurry, hurry.

There's a terrible fight going on.

Yes, yes. Apartment 32.

[ Blanche ] Stop it! Stop it!

Let go of me!

Take your hands off of me!

Stop it!

Take your hands off of me!

Stop it! Stop it!

[ Man ] Who hired you and Jack perry?

[ Man ] Are you ready to tell what you know?

[ Blanche ] Yes, I'll talk.

If we can gain some measure of leniency for my client,

She is prepared to enter a plea of guilty,

And in addition, turn state's evidence

In the case of William Harper.

I regret that this court is not prepared

To bargain with justice.

I'll tell anyway.

I was there. I saw it.

I know who killed Mary!

And I'll tell you who killed Mary Lane!

It wasn't Bill. It was Jack.

Jack Perry. He shot Mary.

And then he put the gun in Bill's hand.

We were all at the apartment one afternoon,

And Mary came in looking for her brother.

Bill and i, we'd been in another room,

And Bill came in.

He caught Ralph with Mary, and they started to fight.

But it was Jack who had the gun.

He was gonna hit Bill over the head with it

To make him stop.

And then the gun went off.

I saw it. I can see it now!

It was horrible!

And before we knew it, Mary, Mary was dead.

[ Blanche ] but you see judge,

Bill didn't know he hadn't killed Mary.

He was so doped up they made him think he had.

Ralph wanted to tell ya, too.

Oh, if they'd only let him.

But this is the truth, judge.

I'm telling you the truth.

After Jack saw that Mary was dead,

He put the gun in Bill's hand.

It was Jack's fault.

And it was my fault, too.

I got all of them

To come up to the apartment.

I'm just as much to blame.

I am. I am. [ Weeps ]

Do I understand you wish to plead guilty

To a charge of fostering moral delinquency

In the case of William Harper?

Yes, yes, I'm guilty. I am! [ Weeps ]

Prepare a statement for signature

And also an order setting aside the jury's verdict

In the case of the people vs. William Harper.

In the interest of justice,

I shall direct a verdict of not guilty.

Sign here, please.

You shall be brought into court on Thursday the 17th

When sentence will be pronounced.

Meanwhile, you will be held as a material witness

In the case of the people vs. Ralph Wiley.

We have come in the hearings before this court today

To what I hope will be the final actions

Revolving about an unhappy and unfortunate case,

One whose horrible tragedy will forever remain with me.

[ Judge ] I am happy to have been enabled

Before it was too late

To order the verdict of the jury

In the case of the people vs. William Harper

To be set aside.

But young man, although this court is convinced

That to declare you guilty would've been

A gross miscarriage of justice,

We cannot condone your acts.

[ Judge ] and we can express only the hope

That your experiences may not alone keep you,

But thousands of others

From the vicious pitfalls of marihuana.

Thus, I am ordering you to remain in this court

During the next case,

So that you will be obliged to witness

What you yourself so narrowly escaped.

Call the case of the people vs. Ralph Wiley.

[ Henry ] Bill.

Bill.

Your honor, in this case, the state waives trail

Of the defendant, Ralph Wiley.

It is recommended, your honor,

That the defendant be placed

In an institution for the criminally insane

For the rest of his natural life.

Defendant's counsel joins the state in this request.

Since counsel for the defense

As well as counsel for the state

Seem to agree on this,

I see no reason

Why the request should not be granted.

That happened right here to your neighbors.

It is not too much to say that in your hands

Lies the possibility

Of averting other tragedies like it.

We must work untiringly

So that our children are obliged to learn the truth.

Because it is only through knowledge

That we can safely protect them.

Failing this, the next tragedy may be that

Of your daughter or your son,