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.
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.
I wasn't referring to the grand jury, Mr. Bevins.
BBevins
The witness is excused.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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?
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?
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?
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!
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]
[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--
[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.
Save the Hank Williams, will you? I left my fiddle at home.
What, I ain't entitled to have regrets?
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.
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.
You're alive. Be happy. You have plenty of good years left for sniveling and complaining.
[Angel is in Jim's trailer]
[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...
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!
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!
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.
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]
What am I supposed to do, she's out there?!
ATAlvin Thomas
I can't believe the way you people operate.
Well Marcy seems punctual and well-organized. I, I'm more like her.
ATAlvin Thomas
Are you a connoisseur of art?
I had a painted turtle when I was a kid.
