Monologue Eight – Juror Eight

(pp. 16-pp.18)

Italics indicate stage directions for the actor to follow/self-direct.

8th Juror – Well, if you want me to tell you how I feel about it right now, it’s alright with
me.
(Foreman responds)
(After a pause) All right. I haven’t got anything brilliant. I only know as much as you do.
According to the testimony the boy looks guilty. Maybe he is. I sat there in court for
three days listening while the evidence built up. Everybody sounded so positive that I
started to get a peculiar feeling about this trial. I mean, nothing is that positive. I had
questions I would have liked to ask. Maybe they wouldn’t have meant anything. I don’t
know. But I started to feel that the defence counsel wasn’t doing his job. He let too
many things go. Little things.
(Juror 10 responds)
Maybe. It’s also possible for a lawyer to be just plain stupid, isn’t it?
(Juror 6 responds – a few jurors laugh)
(Smiling) I kept putting myself in the boy’s place. I would have asked for another lawyer,
I think. I mean, if I was on trial for my life I’d want my lawyer to tear the prosecution
witnesses to shreds, or at least to try. Look, there was one alleged eyewitness to this
killing. Someone else claims he heard the killing and then saw the boy running out
afterwards. There was a lot of circumstantial evidence, but actually those two witnesses
were the entire case for the prosecution. Supposing they were wrong?
(Juror 12 responds)
Could they be wrong?
(Juror 12 responds)
They’re only people. People make mistakes. Could they be wrong?

Monologue Five – Juror Ten.

(pp.64-pp.65)

Italics indicate stage directions for the actor to follow/self-direct.

10th Juror – I don’t understand you people. I mean, all these picky little points you keep
bringing up. They don’t mean nothing. How can you believe his story? (To the 11th
Juror.) You’re an intelligent man. Well, you’re not gonna tell me you’re not. You know
the facts of life. Well, for chrissakes look at what we’re dealing with here. You know
what they’re like! I mean, that guy – (He points to the 8 th Juror.) over there, well, I don’t
know what the hell is going on with him. All that talk about psychiatrists. Maybe he
oughta go to one. Look, let’s talk facts. These people are born to lie. Now, it’s the way
they are and no intelligent man is gonna tell me otherwise. They don’t know what the
truth is. Well, take a look at them. They are different. They think different. They act
different. Well, for instance, they don’t need any big excuse to kill someone.
(The 5th Juror crosses to the wash-room door.)
Well, that’s true. Everybody knows it. They get drunk on wine or something cheap like
that. Oh, they’re very big drinkers.
(The 5th Juror goes into the washroom, slams the door behind him)
Smart guy! Look at him for chrissakes! What does that mean, slamming the door? And
then they’re dead drunk, and all of a sudden – bang – somebody’s lying dead in the
gutter. Okay, nobody’s blaming the for it. That’s how they are, by nature, y’know what I
mean? Violent! Human life don’t mean as much to them as it does to us.
(The 11th Juror rises and exits…)
Where are you going?
(The 11th Juror does not reply…)
While you’re in there, clean out your ears, maybe you’ll hear something.
(The 4th Juror rises…)
Look, you listen to me now. These people are boozing it up, and fighting all the time,
and if somebody gets killed, so somebody gets killed. They don’t care. Family don’t
mean anything to them. They breed like animals. Fathers, mothers, that don’t mean
anything. Oh sure, there are some good things about ‘em. Look, I’m the first one to say
that. I’ve known some who were okay, but that’s the exception .

Monologue Four – Foreman.

(pp.51-pp.52)

Italics indicate stage directions for the actor to follow/self-direct.

(Looking out of a window)

Foreman: Wow! Look at that come down, will ya? Think it’ll cool things off?
(pauses to listen to Juror 8)
Boy! Look at it go. Reminds me of the storm we had last - November something. What a
storm! Right in the middle of the game. We’re behind seven-six, but we’re startin’ to
move the ball off tackle, y’know. Boom! Boom! Boy, I’ll never forget that. We had this
kid Slattery. A real ox. Wish I had another one like him. Oh, I probably forgot to tell you
– I’m assistant head football coach at the Andrew J.McCorkle High School. That’s in
Queens.
(Pause as 8th Juror smiles briefly)
So anyway, we’re movin’ real nice. Their line is comin’ apart. I’m tellin’ ya, this Slattery.
Boy! And all of a sudden it starts to come cats and dogs. In two minutes, it was mud
practically up to your ass. I swear I almost bawled. We couldn’t go nowhere.

Monologue One – Judge.

(pp.1)
Judge: …and that concludes the court’s explanation of the legal aspects of this case. And
now, gentleman of the jury, I come to my final instruction to you. Murder in the first
degree – premeditated homicide – is the most serious charge tried in our criminal
courts. You’ve listened to the testimony and you’ve had the law read to you and
interpreted as it applies to this case. It now becomes your duty to try and separate the
facts from the fancy. One man is dead. The life of another is at stake. I urge you to
deliberate honestly and thoughtfully. If there is a reasonable doubt – then you must
bring me a verdict of ‘not guilty’. If, however, there is no reasonable doubt, then you
must, in good conscience, find the accused guilty. However you decide, your verdict
must be unanimous. In the event you find the accused guilty, the bench will not
entertain a recommendation for mercy. The death sentence is mandatory in this case.

I don’t envy you your job. You are faced with a grave responsibility. Thank you.

Monologue Seven – Juror Eleven

(pp.37-pp.38)
Italics indicate stage directions for the actor to follow/self-direct.

Juror Eleven: Pardon me, but I have made some notes here.
(Juror 10 interrupts)
I would like please to say something. I have been listening very closely, and it seems too
me that this man – (He indicates the 8th Juror.) has some very good points to make. From
what was presented at the trial the boy looks guilty, but maybe if we go deeper…
(Interrupted by Juror 10)
There is a question I would like to ask. We assume that the boy committed murder. He
stabbed his father in the chest and ran away. This was at ten minutes after twelve. Now,
how was he caught by the police? He came home at three o’clock or so and was
captured by two detectives in the hallway of his house. My question is, if he really had
killed his father, why would he come back three hours later? Wouldn’t he be afraid of
being caught?
(pause as he is interrupted by Jurors, 3, 7 and 4)
But if he knew the knife could be identified, why did he leave it there in the first place?
(Juror 4 responds)
This then depends on your definition of panic. He was calm enough to see to it that
there were no fingerprints on the knife. Now where did his panic start and where did it
end?
(Juror 3 responds)
Three hours later?
(Juror 3 responds)
If I were the boy and I had killed my father, I would not have come home three hours
later. I would be afraid that the police would be there. I would stay away, knife or no
knife.

Monologue Six – Juror Three.

(pp.73-pp.74)

Italics indicate stage directions for the actor to follow/self-direct.

3rd Juror: Everything – every single thing that came out in that courtroom, but I mean
everything, says he’s guilty. Do you think I’m an idiot or something? You lousy bunch of
bleeding hearts. You’re not goin’ to intimidate me, I’m entitled to my opinion. I can sit in
this goddamn room for a year. Somebody say something.
(The others watch silently)
Why don’tcha take that stuff about the old man – the old man who lived there – and
heard everything. Or take the knife, what – just because he – found one like it? The old
man saw him. Right there on the stairs. What’s the difference how many seconds it
took? What’s the difference? Every single thing. The knife falling through a hole in his
pocket – you can’t prove that he didn’t get to the door. Sure you can hobble around the
room all you want, but you can’t prove it. I’m telling you every single thing that went on
has been twisted and turned in here. That business with the glasses, how do you know
she didn’t have them on? The woman testified in court. Well, what d’ya want? That’s it.
(The others are silent)
That’s the whole case.
(The others are silent)
That whole thing about hearing the boy yell? The phrase was ‘I’m gonna kill you’. That’s
what he said. To his own father. I don’t care what kind of a man that was. It was his
father. That goddamn rotten kid. I know him. What they’re like. What they do to you.
How they kill you every day. My god, don’t you see? How come I’m the only one who
sees? Jeez, I can feel that knife goin’ in.

Monologue Three – Juror Four.

(pp.18-pp.19)

Italics indicate stage directions for the actor to follow/self-direct.

4th Juror: …Now suppose we take these facts one at a time. One. The boy admitted going
out of his house at eight o’clock on the night of the murder after being punched several
times by his father.
(pause as Juror 8 responds)
After being hit several times by his father. Two. The boy went directly to a
neighbourhood junk shop where he bought a…What do you call these things –
(together with Juror 3) Switch knives.
A switch-blade knife (to Juror 3) Thank you. Three. This wasn’t what you’d call an
ordinary knife. It had a very unusual carved handle. Four. The storekeeper who sold it to
him identified the knife in court and said it was the only one of its kind he had ever had
in stock. Five. At, oh about eight forty-five the boy ran into three friends of his in front of
a diner. Am I correct so far?
(pause)
The boy talked with his friends for about an hour, leaving them at nine forty-five. During
this time, they saw the switch-knife. Six. Each of them identified the death weapon in
court as that same knife. Seven. The boy arrived home at about ten o’clock. Now this is
where the stories offered by the boy and the State begin to diverge slightly. He claims
that he stayed home until eleven thirty and then went out to one of those all-night
movies. He returned home at about three fifteen in the morning to find his father dead
and himself arrested. Now, what happened to the switch-knife? This is the charming and
imaginative little fable the boy invented. He claims that the knife fell through a hole in
his pocket some time between eleven thirty and three fifteen while he was on his trip to
the movies and that he never saw it again. Now this is a tale, gentlemen. I think it’s quite
clear that the boy never went to the movies that night. No one in the house saw him go
out at eleven thirty. No one at the theatre identified him. He couldn’t even remember
the names of the pictures he saw. What actually happened is this: the boy stayed home,
had another fight with his father, stabbed him to death with the knife at ten minutes
after twelve and fled from the house. He even remembered to wipe the knife clean of
fingerprints.

Monologue Two – Juror 7.

(pp.4-pp.5)

Italics indicate stage directions for the actor to follow/self-direct.

7th Juror: (to 10th Juror) …goddam waste of time. (He laughs.) And what about that
business with the knife? I mean, asking grown-up people to believe that kind of bullshit.
(pause, as he listens)
Yeah, I suppose so.
(pause)
What’s the matter, you got a cold? Well, your horns all right. Now try your lights. (the 7th
Juror climbs on to the bench and tries the fan) Oh, that’s beautiful, the fan doesn’t work.
(He steps down.) Someone take a letter to the mayor. ‘Dear Stingy…’
(looking at his watch) Hey, Mr Foreman, let’s go. What d’you say (to the 2nd Juror) This
xbetter be fast. I got tickets to a ball game tonight. Yankees – Cleveland. We got this
new kid pitching, Modjelewski, or whatever his name is. He’s a bull, this kid. (he shoots
his hand forward and out to indicate the path of a curve ball) Shooooommmmm. A real
jug handle (no reaction at all from the 2nd Juror) You’re quite a ball fan, aren’t you?
(he turns to the Foreman) Where do you want us to sit?

Monologue - Juror Seven

(lights a cigarette and adjusts his hat)

I know I get on people’s nerves! My wife telled me all the time. “Al”, she says, “Al,
you’re getting on people’s nerves, stop with ya foolin’”. I nod, I agree, hell, I even
apologise… sometimes, but I can’t seem to stop. My problem is that… (pause) I
don’t take too many things seriously. I have always been a joker. When I was a
kid, I was always making jokes, actin’ the clown, being a goofball. If someone bent
over, I would make a fart noise…Frrrrppppppppp…and laugh, embarrasin’ them.
Not because I was being mean, but cause I found it funny, y’know?
(sits on a chair)
The one thing I don’t find funny tho? Baseball. The best sport in the world history
of sports. Hell, there aint nothin’ better. Watchin’ Modjeleski bat or Whitey Ford
pitch for the Yankees! That’s my happy place. The smell of salty popcorn in the
air, the taste of a hot dog and soda, the adrenalin’ and tension in the crowd. Man!
Nothin’ comes close. This one time, Whitey pitched this jug handle of a curve ball,
it broke low, the batter swung and just span out right there on the plate, his
shorts slowly making their way down his legs until they were round his ankles!
The crowd goddam roared with laughter. (starts laughing) I could not stop
laughin’ for days, I tell ya!
(laughs hard and then slowly stops)
My wife left me six months ago (pause) She said she could not take second place
to Baseball and was “sick of my jokin and foolin”. I sure am gonna miss her….
cookin!!
(starts laughing again)
END