[Beth got Jim released on a technicality, that his name had been miswritten]
JimNeither one of us knew it was gonna be a kangaroo court.
Yeah, I don't understand it! You told them the truth!
Jim
Yeah, and they didn't buy it. Hey look, I'm out, right?
Temporarily. They're gonna hit you with another subpoena, Jim.
Jim
Well, let them. This time I go in knowing the ground rules. I give them my name and I take the Fifth Amendment all the way.
That's what I'd do. Well, they think you're guilty anyway.
Jim
Look, I can use the Fifth Amendment, can I? I mean, they haven't repealed the law or anything?
No, sure, you can take it, and they'll dismiss you, it will just be postponing the inevitable. Gary Bevins will apply to the Department of Justice for a grant of immunity, then you'll be recalled and you'll have to testify, or be held in contempt of court, again. This time they're gonna get your name right, my love.
BBevins
Now, then, Mr. Rockford, what was the nature of your relationship with Frank Sorvino?
Jim
I refuse to answer on the grounds that it might tend to incriminate me.
BBevins
Of all the constitutional amendments, that seems to be your favorite. Isn't that correct, Mr. Rockford?
Jim
I refuse to answer on the grounds that it might tend to incriminate me.
BBevins
Not the First, not the Sixteenth, but the Fifth. It seems to be a universaI favorite among felons.
FForeman
Mr. Bevins, we're all interested in the truth, but is it necessary to badger Mr. Rockford?
BBevins
I'm sorry, Mr. Foreman, but this witness has steadfastly sought to withhold evidence that is vital to this inquiry.
Jim
Mr. Foreman...
BBevins
However, rather than burden the grand jury with another appeaI to Mr. Rockford's sense of civic duty and responsibility, Mr. Foreman, I will, instead, ask that the witness be excused, and file an appeal with the Department of Justice for a grant of immunity. When such grant is forthcoming, this witness will be recalled.
Jim
Mr. Foreman, may I make a statement?
FForeman
To what purpose, Mr. Rockford?
Jim
To clarify a situation that could use some clarification.
FForeman
All right, Mr. Rockford, a brief statement.
Jim
There's an old saying, you never buy a pig in a poke. Well, I bought one when I walked into this courtroom the other day. I thought I was walking into a court of law, not an inquisition.
BBevins
Mr. Foreman, I protest.
Jim
No, Mr. Bevins, I protest. I'm a citizen of the United States. And, as a citizen, I'm guaranteed certain rights under the constitution. When I try to avail myself of those rights, I'm jailed, I'm threatened, I'm subjected to the worst kind of intimidation...
BBevins
Mr. Foreman, this witness is trying to impugn the character and reputation...
Jim
What character?
FForeman
Mr. Rockford, I must warn you that you can be held in contempt for such statements.
BBevins
The character of decent citizens who have been impaneled for the purpose...
Jim
I'm not indicting the grand jury, I'm indicting Mr. Bevins. For misusing and manipulating...
FForeman
(bangs gavel) Mr. Rockford, I warn you.
Jim
I told you the truth, and you called me a liar. You paraded my prison record before these jurors, and ignored the fact that I was pardoned. Well, Mr. Bevins, you have less respect for the law than any of the men I ever did time with.
Jim
I haven't done a damned thing. I have been subjected to harassment, character assassination, and your presence. Let me tell you, Mr. Bevins, you go ahead and get your grant of immunity, and you stick it in your ear!
Jim
I've testified before this grand jury on two prior occasions. As a result, I've been imprisoned twice, I've been very nearly killed, and I've been subjected to the most flagrant abuse of power...
BBevins
Mr. Rockford, You are coming dangerously close to contempt of court again.
FForeman
Mr. Bevins, can't Mr. Rockford finish? We are interested in what he has to say.
Jim
Thank you, Mr. Foreman. See, it's been quite an education, Mr. Bevins. I've not only been cited with contempt, but I've been treated with contempt. And with a total disregard for my rights guaranteed to me under the constitution. I've been guilty of nothing except ignorance of the fact that the man that I knew as George Catman was in fact Frank Sorvino. And with the ignorance that in a proceeding of law you could slander and threaten and try to intimidate me with impunity. Well, Mr. Bevins, I want an apology. And I want it now.
BBevins
The grand jury has no apology to make. You've been treated with scrupulous regard to your rights. The abuse of power to which you refer is the power conferred upon this body.
Jim
I wasn't referring to the grand jury, Mr. Bevins.
BBevins
The witness is excused.
Jim
I read an article in a recent legal publication. I'd like to introduce it into the record, if that's all right? [Foreman nods] Thank you. It said, "There is no such thing as a small injustice. There is no such thing as a minor abridgement of rights. That if even one citizen is so deprived, make no mistake, we all suffer."
BBevins
Stirring, Mr. Rockford.
Jim
Thank you very much. That was part of a summation of a case that attracted quite a bit of attention a few years back. The client had been subjected to harassment, illegal search and seizure, a series of injustices in the name of justice.
BBevins
Mr. Rockford, would it be too much to hope that there's a point to this rather lengthy reminiscence? The term of the current grand jury expires in nine months.
Jim
Oh, I think you'll want to hear how it ended. It's a real Cinderella story. You see, the defense attorney not only won an acquittal for his client with this impassioned outcry, but that very attorney was plucked from private practice by no less than the Attorney GeneraI of the United States and appointed as an Assistant Federal Prosecutor.
BBevins
And, I trust, lived happily ever after.
Jim
I hope not, Mr. Bevins. I sincerely hope not. You don't remember the words, do you, Mr. Bevins? Because they're your words. As you said before, the grand jury has another nine months to serve here. I'd like to think that the grand jury will remember your words. Thank you, Mr. Foreman.
Bobby Boyajian's brothers tell us that you two guys took the kid apart in the wedding chapel in La Jolla, and now he's dead. So don't sit there like butter wouldn't melt in your mouths!
Jim
I don't care what they say, we didn't start anything, it was Boyajian himself.
That's right, they're a bunch of liars, if you've ever dealt with the Boyajians, you'd know what creeps they are!
Mr. Martin, Bobby's sister Regine said that you telephoned her at Azie Boyajian's house last night, you tried to arrange a meeting with her brother so you could iron out some problems, is that right?
Jim
Wait a minute, Angel, you did what?
Regine can't testify against me, she's my legal wife.
Regine hung up on you, Mr. Martin, so maybe you telephoned Bobby at his home and he agreed to meet you.
Bobby's wound was point-blank. It had to be somebody who knew him, somebody who could walk right up to him.
Right. So what I'm saying is this: you (points at Angel), or you (points at Jim) or both of you met Bobby and got what you really wanted, which wasn't to iron out any problems, but to fill the kid's face with double-aught buckshot!
It was birdshot, Lieutenant!
[Slams her purse on table] Birdshot, buckshot, how much speculation do we have to listen to?! You may have a motive, maybe opportunity, but do you have an eyewitness, a weapon, anything that's at all solid?
Jim
Well, I think that ought to take care of that. I don't think the District Attorney's office is gonna file on loose charges, will they?
Jim
What for, you can't file a charge?
Not on the homicide, not yet. But I've got you on fraud, grand theft! Complaint signed by the Boyajian brothers. Sergeant, get somebody from the Bunko Squad up here, book these guys for the Red Barn Con. [Dennis leaves. Chapman removes the visitors' passes from Rockford and Angel's chests] Like I said, sit down, gentlemen.
[Jim angrily glares at Angel]
[Jim and Beth walk out of the police station]
Hey, Jimmy, how you're doing? [Jim and Beth glare at him angrily] What are you cheesing me about, I got you off the bunko rap!
Jim
Angel, you get too close to me, I'm gonna pull out your beard hair by hair!
Hey, it ain't like you're the one who got the chargin', no, I mean it wasn't your partner that got beaten to death. You're not the one who's got somebody going to hit you over the head with a lead pipe. For you, it's over with!
[They encounter the Boyajian brothers]
ABAzie Boyajian
Hey! Hey, what are you two guys doing out on the street?
Hey Azie, how are you? I'm so terribly sorry to hear about Bobby.
[Leads Jim away] Jim, just keep walking. Don't say anything, I mean it!
AAzie
Rockford, you scumbag, don't you turn your back on me!
HBHank Boyajian
Azie, don't get into it, not here!
AAzie
Yeah, we gotta pick up Bobby's belongings, then I guess we're gonna give them to the Goodwill, cause he ain't never gonna use them no more. His whole face is gone! Then the police lets sleaze like you go free, huh? Okay, so be it! We know where to find both of you!
I'm Mr. Rockford's attorney, should I interpret that as a threat?
HHank
Come on, come on! [The Boyajians leave]
Jim
[Glares at Angel] It's over, huh?
Jim, I think the thing for you to do is just lay low until the cops nab Bobby's killer. These guys will cool off.
But they ain't gonna make that call if they're set on sticking me and Jimmy with the killing. I'm talking about survival now, you're gonna have to try and find that murderer!
Oh no, no, absolutely not. I don't want--
Jim
[Interjects] Beth. Beth, he's right. It's either that or we wait to join the melon rinds in the back of some garbage truck.
This was supposed to be my honeymoon. I had a good woman and look what I did. I could have been with her tonight, holding that warm, sweet body instead of this fungo bat.
Jim
Save the Hank Williams, will you? I left my fiddle at home.
What, I ain't entitled to have regrets?
Jim
The only thing you're upset about is the spot you're in. What about the spot you handed Regine, huh? I wouldn't be surprised now if she turns off men completely.
Jim
It happens, Angel. It happens. Let me tell you something, if I had my choice between you and her right now, I'd pick her.
Jimmy, I had to stay alive.
Jim
You're alive. Be happy. You have plenty of good years left for sniveling and complaining.
[Angel is in Jim's trailer]
Jim
[Enters; sees Angel, slams the door] Angel, I am in a foul mood today and the last person I wanna see is you, so out!
I can feature you being browned off at me, Jim, so I'm not gonna stick around, but I was hoping that maybe I could stash my stuff here. See, Regine's annulment petition went through and I gotta give her my entire collection as part of the settlement. Well, I mean, originals, collectors items! Avery Joe Hunter, Little Walter...
Jim
You wanna hide them here, after what you've done? Look, as far as I'm concerned, Regine deserves all four of your limbs.
Wait till you go through a divorce, we'll see what kind of tune you sing!
Jim
I might as well have gone through one, I had lunch with a banker today. You know, I have to refinance my trailer to pay back a $2,000 debt for that property option, also owe a bill for the rental of a bulldozer, Rocky won't even talk to me because his friend's camper did a patty melt.
RRegine
[Outside, knocks on the door] Jim!
Jim
Well, she said she might drop by, she wants me to help track down an old boyfriend of her.
You mean that bozo Donny Angle, I know all about that that guy. But you don't do missing persons work.
Jim
For her I do, I might even do it for free. You know, if I didn't know you were such a lizard, I might think you were jealous.
[Regine knocks again, Angel tries to stall]
Jim
What am I supposed to do, she's out there?!
The Rockford Files · 359 quotes
