A Stoning in Fulham County (1988) - full transcript
Religious beliefs clash with the law when an Amish infant is killed in a rural community.
♪ ♪
Yeah.
Whoo! Yeah.
Let's go.
Yeah, come on!
♪ ♪
Neighbor hiltie has prepared
a fine feast for us.
But he sure worked us for it,
ja?
Now...
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
Yeah!
You want to go get it?
You want to go get it?
Okay, let's go get it.
So what do you think?
You've done wonders
with them, Susan.
Well, I had a good teacher.
When they're ready
for preserving, let me know,
and I'll come over and show you
how I do it.
Hi.
Hi.
Have you ever had
homemade preserves
from your very own garden?
Listen, you're talking
to a Chicago street kid.
Spare us; His father's
a minister in the wealthiest
part of the city.
Well, don't worry;
I don't tell anybody.
Thanks for coming.
Susan, I had a great time.
The kids had so much fun.
The kids had a blast.
Bye, guys.
You guys ready
to go home now?
I'm going to bring
those papers by your office
on Monday, okay?
All right, see you guys.
Thanks for coming.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Don't forget, now,
Saturday's our place.
Okay.
Bye.
Bye!
Have you ever seen anything
so lovely?
Beautiful.
What'd you have in mind?
Mom, when's dinner?
Whoo-hoo!
Can I hold Esther for you,
please?
Only till you're in.
Rachel?
I'm up.
Good night.
There's another one up ahead!
Yeah!
Nice.
Quick road.
Nearly to home.
♪ ♪
Get down.
Stay down, children.
Get down.
Stay down.
Whoa!
Oh!
Are you all right?
Whoa!
What happened?
What happened?
Are you all right?
Did they hit you?
Sarah.
No, it's my wrist only.
It doesn't hurt bad.
See?
Jock strap!
Peter.
Better I take a look at it.
It doesn't hurt bad, honest.
Better we go home.
All right.
Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit.
Did you see their faces?
I think we hit someone.
Hey, there's another one
up ahead!
Come on.
Let's get another one.
Yeah! All right!
Whoo-hoo!
Sure you're all right, mama?
Probably needs changing.
Surely does, mama.
Clear through her blanket.
Oh, my god.
Jacob!
Jacob!
Be still.
Mein gott.
Oh, god.
And the Israeli jets
are reported...
Mr. Grant!
Mr. Grant!
I must use your phone.
What's the matter, Jacob?
Some kids, they threw
at the buggy.
Dial 911.
That's emergency.
Where'd it happen?
The creek road,
some kind of old red truck.
Hello?
I need help quick.
An ambulance.
My baby is hurt...
Hurt bad.
Susie, what are you doing?
Listening to the quiet.
Don't ever say that
to anybody else.
But you know what I mean.
I'll get it.
Probably for you anyway.
Nah, I'll meet you out there.
Yeah, I don't know.
Maybe 15 minutes.
I got to get dressed.
Uh-huh, yeah,
I know where it is.
Who was it?
It was the sheriff.
Baby's been killed.
Oh, god.
Who?
One of the amish.
Steve's on his way out there.
He wants me to come.
Don't send anybody else
out here.
We don't need anybody else,
all right?
How many kids?
You didn't say how many kids.
You sure?
Now, folks, I really need you
to go on home.
He didn't recognize
any of the kids?
Didn't tell me if he did.
Hey, Jim.
What happened?
Mr. Grant's
the shulers' neighbor.
He's the one
got in touch with us.
Mr. Sandler's
the county prosecutor.
Terrible, just terrible.
Yes, it is.
The father ran over
to use his phone
to call for help.
Amish don't take
with owning phones.
Don't keep 'em
from using others', though.
He told Hector here
it was some kids
in a pickup truck did it...
Red, he thinks.
We put it out.
I'm surprised I got him
to tell me that much.
He was real upset.
They were throwing rocks
at the buggy.
One of them hit the baby.
She was dead
when the paramedics arrived.
How old was she?
Just seven months.
Did you talk to the father?
A little.
Excuse us, Hector.
I thought you'd better be
in on this from the beginning.
We don't want to make
any mistakes.
No, we don't.
Yeah.
Well, come on.
Jacob?
This is Mr. Sandler.
He's the county prosecutor.
Mr. Shuler,
I am really terribly sorry.
Yeah, yeah.
He moves in strange ways
sometimes.
Yes, he does.
The thing is...
The thing is, we need you
to help us.
Tell us what happened.
Just tell us what you saw.
We were over
at the hiltie place,
helping them with the crop,
coming home in the buggy when...
There was two boys
in the back throwing...
Rachel.
Sheriff, Charlie stone says
they got 'em over in Carson.
Better let me handle this.
Oh, hell.
Evening, Mr. Woodman.
We weren't doing nothing,
sheriff.
So what's all this?
You fixing to start a war,
Phillip?
You knew we weren't doing...
I know you've done
this sort of thing before.
We was just out claping,
that's all.
We was just trying
to have some fun.
Fun?
Yeah.
You killed a kid.
That your idea of fun, bowman?
Charlie!
Take 'em back to Fulham.
Book 'em on a 203,
suspicion of bodily harm,
until the county prosecutor
decides what the charge
will be.
And Charlie.
Nobody's to talk to them
till I get a chance
to get statements.
You understand?
Oh, god, no.
We didn't mean
for nobody to get hurt.
Sorry to bother you, Jacob,
but we've just been over
to Carson and wanted you
to know we're pretty sure
they're the ones.
Thank you, sheriff.
Mr. Shuler?
Yeah.
I was wondering,
when do you think would be
a good time for you
and your family
to come in to Fulham
and give me your statements?
We can't do that.
Sir, maybe you don't
understand how important it is
that we have your evidence.
No business of ours,
not anymore.
It's not your business
anymore?
A child has been killed.
I'm sorry, Mr. Shuler, but
I'm afraid I don't understand.
"Vengeance is mine."
"I will repay," saith the lord.
Is he serious?
Afraid so.
Amish don't hold much to laws
other than god's.
You know a murder was
committed.
These are probably
the only witnesses I have.
And you're standing here
telling me they don't...
hey, I'm on your side.
What the hell
have we gotten into?
How old was the baby?
About the same age as Vicky.
Oh, susie, you had to be there
to believe it.
I don't think he's going
to do anything about it.
Well, give him some time
to think about it.
It was only a few hours
after it happened.
Why, you think I pushed
too hard too fast?
You have been known.
Let me try.
Let me try.
So where does that leave you?
Well, it leaves me
hoping Steve gets a confession
from one of the four who did it.
Thank you.
I don't know what I'd do
without you.
I don't either.
Probably have to walk
to work.
Bye.
Let's go!
Maybe I'll talk to you later.
Oh, that looks good.
Okay.
Yeah, what about it?
About 7:00?
Hey, 7:00's a little early
for me.
You Mr. Sandler?
Yes, sir.
Seem like to me
$10,000 bail's pretty high
for criminal recklessness.
It's only a preliminary
charge.
Well, there's no way
for you to know this...
You're not from around here...
But any man and boy
that says he never has been
out claping is a liar.
Now, I'm not trying to make
excuses for what my boy did,
and I'm more than willing
to pay the damage.
But killing someone?
Paul said he didn't do it,
and I believe him.
Here you go, sir.
Mr. Baxter?
Jim.
Jim, um...
Sandler.
Of course.
That's right, I heard
you left Chicago.
You practicing here?
County prosecutor.
Ah, good for you.
Which one of the four
you down here to represent?
Phillip carr.
Why?
Besides the fee.
Because I've had my belly
full of innocent people
being railroaded on the basis
of circumstantial evidence.
Nah, it'll be a lot more
than circumstantial.
Eyewitness?
Wait and see.
Only fair to tell you, Jim,
the boy's father...
Phillip carr's 19.
He's not a boy under state law.
The young man's father
has instructed me
to plead his son not guilty
to any charge more than
criminal recklessness.
Mr. Baxter?
Maybe even to that too.
Yes.
If you would, please,
the judge is ready to hear
the petition for your client's
release on bail.
Thank you so much.
Excuse me.
Do you think I ought to get
a lawyer for Teddy?
I think you better, Anne.
But...
bye-bye, now.
Teddy sign his statement?
Identified Cooper and carr
as the two in the back
of the truck.
Good.
Admitted to most of what
went on that night, including
throwing at the school,
the amish houses and buggies.
Only now he's changed
what he said first
about the creek road.
Says he doesn't remember
they were ever on it.
Oh, come on.
No!
His mother's a good lady,
doesn't need this kind
of trouble.
Stupid kid.
Yeah, well, any chance
she'll get him to tell
the truth in court?
I don't know.
I can talk to her.
Yeah, please do.
I'll do my best.
She's probably the only one
who would.
Yeah, listen.
I ran into Paul Cooper's father
outside.
He says everybody, man and boy,
harassed the amish.
He's wrong.
It's only 50%.
He made it sound like
the rite of passage.
Been that way ever since
I can remember, Jim.
That doesn't make it right.
It's just... Accepted.
Uh-huh.
And there's never been
one case taken into court?
Well, you have to understand
the amish don't just read
the Bible; They live by it,
including "turn"
the other cheek."
Not a bad way to live.
Unless you're the only ones
who do.
Yeah.
Ooh.
A reporter
from the Chicago tribune called.
You want me to get him for you?
No.
Thank you.
As if we didn't have
enough trouble on our hands.
That Chicago hotshot
the carrs hired, how good is he?
The best.
Law clerks in Chicago
would give their eye teeth
to work for him.
I would have.
He's already got his defense
mapped out.
I need a witness, Steve.
I need a witness.
I know.
I should have stayed out at
the shuler place that night.
I should have followed up
with the daughter
about what she saw.
What makes you think
Jacob would have let you?
Yeah.
So did you find anything
on creek road?
I had a crew out there
all weekend.
Some stones, some pieces
of Clay tile, nothing with
even a trace of blood on it.
Okay, okay.
Listen, put out a request
for information statewide:
Any cases current or recent
involving the amish,
preferably where one of them
was willing to testify.
Okay, only don't count on it.
I'm not.
I'm just... you know, I'm looking
for anything that might change.
Jacob's mind.
Decide what the charge
is going to be?
Yeah, reckless homicide.
What?
I think we got a lot of work
ahead of us.
I went out claping myself once
when I was 14, 15.
Thought you'd want to know.
One case at a time.
Where's that word come from,
"claping"?
"Clapes" is...
A derogatory name
some people call them.
It goes back so far,
I don't think anybody remembers
anymore where the word
came from.
So, uh,
what are you going to do
when your boy's old enough
to go out claping?
I hope I'll teach him better.
Unser vater,
der du bist in himmel,
dein name werde geheiligt,
dein reich kommen,
dein wille geschehe auf erden
wie auch im himmel.
Gib uns heute
unser taeglichs brot, und...
No one can say what effect
this tragedy, which struck
the small amish community,
will have on the attitudes
of the larger community
in which they live.
As for the four boys who are
alleged to have killed
the amish baby in a night
of violence that, I am told,
included two dozen
other attacks on the amish,
chances are little or nothing
will be done
to bring them to trial.
Among those I spoke...
She's wrong.
The editor
of the local newspaper said...
Listen, Jim.
I was born and raised
around here.
I know most of the folks
involved personally.
But I am also a peace officer,
have been all my life,
and you don't have a corner
on not liking what happened
or why it happened.
Okay?
Hey, I'm on your side.
This is a very quiet,
peaceful county.
The shame is, a tragedy
like this can happen.
Do you think
that's how most people feel?
Of course, most of them.
Well, then how do you explain
the violence?
It's not as though this is
an isolated incident, is it?
We're going to see
that it is prosecuted
to the full extent...
Jim, we're ready!
Okay.
I hope you're not going
to make it sound
like we got some kind
of crime wave here in Fulham.
Well, I have spoken
with some people here in Fulham,
and one of them said
that they didn't think...
Problems?
No, no, it'll work out.
If the boys had just had
something to do
on Saturday nights.
You don't thrash around
in bed all night when you think
it's going to work out.
Ooh, come on,
we're going to be late.
Hey, I can help you
with this.
Okay.
Okay.
Is the sitter here for Vicky?
Yeah.
[Bells playing
[westminster chime]
"Stop hounding those kids"
unless you want
"what the clapes got."
Yeah, it's just
a crank letter.
It's nothing to worry about.
Jim, how about letting me put
a car out at the house?
No, no, no.
Please.
No, no, bad idea.
I just thought
you should know about it.
All right.
You sure, now?
Yeah, thanks.
Okay.
Can I see you a minute, Jim?
Stay dry.
What is it, Mr. Ames?
You catch that woman
on the TV station
in Winston-Salem?
Boy, she going out of her way
to make it sound like
our favorite sport
is terrorizing the amish.
Well, that's what one of
the four said they were doing,
terrorizing.
Those people turn up
their noses at the way we live.
But that doesn't stop them
coming in to use our phones,
riding in our cars
when it suits them.
Homer's waiting for us.
Now, you don't know
the four boys' families
personally, so you can't have
an idea how tough all this is
on them.
I'm sure it is.
Yeah.
Well, I just...
Just hate to see you
make trouble for yourself, Jim,
by making trouble for others.
I don't think that's what
it's really about.
Do you?
What else?
The kids didn't mean
any harm.
They was just fooling around.
Well, I wonder how
you'd feel, Mr. Ames, if some
kids were just fooling around
and they killed your baby.
Not too smart, huh?
It had to be said.
Maybe not that way.
Well, that's what you get
for marrying
a Chicago street kid.
Spare me.
Let's go.
Hey, they giving you
a rough time up there?
It's all your fault, Paul.
Me?
Yeah, you got me this job,
didn't you?
Guilty as charged.
Well, I figured getting you
appointed to fill out the year
as county prosecutor might help,
what with you being new in town
and all,
starting a private practice.
Yeah, well, I appreciate it.
We really do.
Yeah, I know you do.
I'm not so sure about him.
I'll tell you something;
Next time around, you're going
to have to get yourself elected
to the office,
and the amish don't vote.
So what did you do
in cases like this?
Never had one,
all the years I was prosecuting.
Never once had an amish
come in and bring charges.
Any real damage done
was paid in cash or kind.
That's the way it's always been.
That's the way it's always
going to be.
So what's the price
on a baby?
Jim.
I know what you're feeling,
Jim, and I respect you for it.
But take my advice as a friend.
You want a place here
for you and yours,
don't go trying to change
too much too fast.
What you got here?
Whoa.
Whoa, where you going?
I'm sorry; I didn't mean
to scare him.
He's about the same age
as my son.
Yeah, Peter.
No, no, he just doesn't always
like to talk to people.
He sure can dream, though.
He will get over it.
Why should he?
Boys grow up, Mr. Sandler.
They learn that the ways of god
are different from games.
I suppose you're right.
We are taught to believe
in two kingdoms, one of light
and one of darkness,
god's and Satan's.
What happens
when one invades the other?
"Be transformed"
by the renewal of your faith,
that you may live in the
"perfect will of the lord."
I envy you, Mr. Shuler.
Listen, I came out here
to let you know
what's going to happen.
Excuse me, Mrs. Shuler.
I'm Jim sandler.
Yes, I know.
So the four men are going
to be brought into court
next week to be charged.
And then sometime later,
there's going to be a trial.
You see, maybe if there had been
a trial or two way back,
then things wouldn't have gotten
to this.
You know, the violence
wouldn't have kept growing.
Oh, that's your oldest,
isn't it?
Is it Rachel?
Hi.
Listen, the sheriff and I
were wondering...
Mr. Woodman.
Yes, he is a good man.
I did some carpenter work,
helped him put on the new room
for the baby.
Well, we were wondering if...
Listen, I'd like the chance
to talk to Rachel.
What for, Mr. Sandler?
Well, I'm going to need
her testimony and yours
when the case is tried.
So that you can put them
in jail.
Well, what happens to them
isn't up to you and me.
It's up to a jury.
Rachel, give this
to your brother.
And go inside the house
with him.
But if the boys did it,
their parents should tell them
to speak the truth.
Unfortunately, that's not
the way it works in my kingdom.
That's the way
we would do it.
Well, there's still a chance
that one of them might.
The sheriff's been talking
to Teddy Johnson's mother.
But we can't count on it.
Rachel has nothing to say
to you, Mr. Sandler.
Mr. Shuler, that night...
she has nothing to say.
You know, the law is
something that we're all
responsible to uphold.
When the philistines spoiled.
Isaac's well, the lord said
not to speak vengeance
but to dig new Wells
and he would find water
abundant.
I cannot change what I believe.
Nor can I ask my children
to change.
For 300 years, we have been
taught to believe
in a higher power than man's.
It has been our salvation
in an alien world.
I'm sorry that you had to come
all this way for nothing.
Ain't this Rachel's?
Where did you find it?
Fixing one of the
irrigation gates
down the creek yesterday.
She must have lost it.
Mm.
Or threw it away.
It's hard for Rachel.
She loved Esther so.
I know.
The amish don't want it.
The town doesn't.
What do you want, sue?
I want...
I want a good life
for us and the kids.
I want good friends, like homer,
who like us and respect us.
I want to stay here.
I want the kids
to grow up here.
It's not going to come
to that.
We must go
to different churches.
Oh, what, bill ames?
And everyone else.
No, susie,
it isn't the whole town.
I hope not.
You know, I was making
more money in Chicago.
We spent every penny.
Great apartment.
Theater, wrigley field, trips...
to get away from the city.
Trying to get two kids
in a stroller on a bus every day
to go to the park?
And... and triple locks
on the doors.
We don't have to lock
our door here.
That alone means a lot to me.
That signifies a lot.
So do you think
that what I'm doing is wrong?
No.
Do you think that I'm being
obstinate?
No, but did you listen
to what homer was saying...
it's not his job anymore!
It's mine.
I mean, maybe sometimes
I wish it wasn't,
but I'm not going to kick
the case under the carpet
because some people don't want...
"some people"?
Some people, a lot of people.
They don't want to face
what they've let go on here.
You know, I wasn't prepared
for it either.
A lot of garbage.
I don't think so.
No, I mean that.
Oh, god.
Before this honorable
court, the preliminary hearing
of Roy b. Bowman,
Phillip s. Carr, Paul a. Cooper,
and Theodore b. Johnson.
Information for reckless
homicide, as deposed
and sworn to
by sheriff Steven woodman
of Fulham county.
Now, I want to make clear
to you this is not a trial.
This is a preliminary hearing.
The order of business
for a preliminary hearing
is for you four boys
and your lawyers to hear
the charges brought against you
by the county prosecutor,
as just read by the clerk
of the court, and to decide
what you want to do.
Mr. Bowman?
How do you plead to the charge
entitled "information"
for reckless homicide"?
Guilty, not guilty,
or do you stand mute?
Not guilty.
Mr. Phillip carr?
Yes, your honor.
Do you wish to have more time
to consult with Mr. Baxter
before entering your plea?
No, thank you, your honor.
We plead not guilty.
Mr. Cooper?
How do you plead?
Sir...
Not guilty.
Mr. Johnson?
How do you plead?
What do you think?
I talked some more
with his mother last night.
You do want to plead,
don't you?
Uh, your honor?
Not guilty.
I'll consult
with prosecution and defense
lawyers in my chambers
about setting the trial date.
Your honor?
Yes, sir.
I respectfully ask
that you entertain a motion
for dismissal of all charges
against my client.
On what grounds, Mr. Baxter?
Insufficient evidence.
Nothing that I have seen
links my client or the others
in any way whatsoever
with the death
of Esther l. Shuler.
Any statements they may have
made while in custody
are, of course, inadmissible.
Besides, who knows
how many others were out
on the roads that night?
Out claping?
Well, I'm not as familiar
with the term
as you seem to be, Jim,
but I'm told that there's hardly
a man in the county
who didn't go out claping
one time or another
when they were kids.
Your honor, about that motion
for dismissal...
Motion denied.
But you sure have a good line
of defense there, counselor.
Yeah, I'll put Cooper
and carr on trial first.
They were the two
in the back of the truck
that actually threw
at the shuler buggy.
Allegedly, that is.
Mr. Sandler, are you going
to ask for a change of venue
because...
absolutely not.
I want the trial held here.
Well, does the presence
of the famous Richard Baxter
in any way change your approach
to the case?
Why should it?
That was county prosecutor
Jim sandler.
This is Monica schaefer
reporting for wxii TV,
Winston-Salem.
Hi, sue.
Hi.
Sorry I'm late.
I had to go through stuff
with Steve.
I didn't figure
there was any sense in waiting.
I'm glad you didn't.
Did you eat?
You want me to make you
something?
Kids okay?
Mm-hmm.
When's the trial?
Six weeks.
As you can see here
on the map, is going to bring us
those morning showers
and thundershowers.
You coming up?
In a minute.
Three quarters
of an inch of rain.
Mama...
what is it?
He was one...
Of them in the truck.
Throwing.
Jock straps!
Maybe we'll...
Stop and get some
ice cream cones, huh?
Easy, now.
Easy, easy.
Stay down.
Steady.
Down.
Down!
Papa, make him stop.
Whoa!
Whoa!
Easy.
Easy, easy.
Easy. Easy.
Shh, shh.
Easy, easy.
Shh, shh, shh.
Is everybody okay?
You okay?
Thank you, Mr. Sandler.
It don't change anything.
I didn't think it would.
I should never have brought
the children into town.
Come on; Let's go.
I'm going to get something
to drink.
♪ Oh ♪
♪ ♪
We are here today
for the most beautiful ceremony
the coming to baptism
of these young men and women.
It is a solemn as well as
beautiful occasion.
Having reached the age of
choice, you must choose
whether or not you accept
the rules and orders,
the meidung und ordnung,
whether or not you choose
to be baptized
in the amish faith.
If, among you, there are any
who choose not to be baptized,
please...
Im namen des vaters,
des sohnes,
des heiligen geistes.
Amen.
I've read where with
the English, baptism's
as soon as you're born.
But I think it's better
this way, when you're old enough
to decide for yourself
to follow the rules and orders
of our church.
But what if you die before?
In names des vaters,
des sohnes,
des heiligen geistes.
Amen.
Jacob is a stubborn man,
all right.
So am I.
Well, he...
Stubborn in the faith.
We have a book thicker
than any of your law books,
the martyr's mirror.
Oh, come on, Abe.
What's it got to do
with what he's asking?
Plenty.
All about what happened to us
in your world, 300 years...
I'm talking about
what happened last August.
I'm talking about yesterday
in town.
You don't think I know that,
Mr. Prosector?
All Jim wants is for you
to talk to the shulers
as their bishop, to get Jacob
and Rachel to testify
at the trail so he can show
what really happened.
I can subpoena them
to appear.
Which don't mean
that they will.
And even if they do,
it don't mean
they have to say anything.
"Judge not,
that ye be not judged."
"Be in this world"
but not part of it."
Been doing your homework.
Mm-hmm, and nothing
I've read about your religion
says that it's a sin
to cooperate with the law.
Something that books
about us may not tell you,
one reason we don't hold
too much with your law:
We don't think we get
too much justice from it.
So you'd rather let something
like Esther shuler's death
go unpunished?
That way, you can keep
telling yourselves you're
martyrs in a hostile world?
You always go around
making trouble for people?
Only when it's important.
Ain't nobody going to sing
your praises for it.
I'll talk on Jacob,
tell him what you said.
How soon?
Have to wait for
the right moment, don't I?
I'll let you know.
What do you think?
He carries a lot of weight.
Hope so.
Steve said he wanted to see me,
said it was urgent.
He's inside, waiting for you.
Did you hear from the bishop?
Remember asking me to
send out an information request
about any cases
involving the amish?
Yeah.
Yeah, you got one?
Yeah, over in drexel county,
they picked up three kids
for throwing at amish buggies
night before last.
All right, all right.
The amish brought the complaint?
They caught them in the act.
They were in a red pickup
truck... the same make,
same year as bowman's.
Oh, no!
Driver admitted
it wasn't the first time
he'd been out claping.
He bragged to them
how he'd been in Fulham county
"the night the amish kid
got it."
Subject says that on that
occasion, he and friends unnamed
threw at a buggy
with a lot of kids in it
on creek road.
Okay, let's go talk to him.
You can't.
Why not?
Damn fool parents
hustled him out of town,
won't tell anybody where he is
or when he's coming back.
And sure as hell
your friend Baxter's going to
get himself a copy of this
before our case goes to trial.
Jacob.
Jacob, I have to talk to Rachel.
I'm going to tell you
what I told the bishop.
We ain't gonna testify.
Listen, I'm not asking her
to testify.
I just... I need to show her
these photos, find out
if these are the boys she saw
in the back of the truck
that night.
Same teen, seems to me.
No, li... listen.
There might have been
another truck on creek road
that night, and if that's true,
I might have been wrong
about this the whole time.
Will you just let me talk
to her?
No.
Jacob.
Jacob.
This isn't a trick.
Yeah, maybe.
Bishop says how all this
is causing trouble for you.
Sorry if that's so.
So then why won't you
help me?
What's done is done.
Better it be over and past
as soon as possible.
Mrs. Johnson, when we first
talked to Teddy, he told us
that they did throw at a buggy
on creek road.
God, I'm so confused.
But I read the statement
he signed.
He specifically said
he didn't know if they were
on creek road at all.
Either of his statements
at the trial.
I promise you that anything
he tells me will be
privileged information.
Well, I'm not sure
what that means,
but the lawyer has forbidden us
to talk to you
or to anybody on your side.
Lots of people come up to us
at the store, and they tell me
how hard it must be,
going through all this
and how, but for the grace
of god, it might be their sons.
You know what I say?
When... when my father died,
the amish were the first ones
to come over
and offer to help out.
If you'll excuse me,
we're busy in the store.
All right.
Fine, thanks.
That'll be $7.60.
Thank you.
Bye-bye, now.
Hi.
What can I help you with?
Billy?
Sir?
In a hurry?
Just helping out.
You look so busy.
Well, we like to take care
of our own first.
And Jim and I aren't among
the chosen.
There's lots of folks
figure it that way now.
Hear tell they're finding
themselves a new lawyer...
And not just in town.
That big Chicago company
trying to get the permits
to build a new motel
around here?
Jim's clients?
Uh-uh.
Was Jim's clients.
I guess they know
how important goodwill is.
You want me to fill 'er up?
Forget it.
Mrs. Sandler.
Yes?
You know, not all of us
think like Mr. Ames.
Some of us think
your husband's done right
by bringing it all out.
Thank you.
But it sure would be nice
to have some peace and quiet
around here again.
I could understand
when there was some doubt
in your mind, but now...
you know, I'm still hoping
to find that drexel county kid
and talk to him
before the trial starts.
And even if we don't,
I'm 90% certain we've got
the four who did it.
You give someone like Baxter
a 10% reasonable doubt,
he'll kick your butt
all over the courtroom.
What are you saying, homer?
You saying
I shouldn't prosecute?
I'm saying... I'm suggesting.
I'm suggesting what you need
time to locate
that drexel boy,
time to work on Jacob,
though I don't hold out
much hope for that.
And what is wrong with asking
for a postponement
or a change of venue,
while you're at it?
Let it blow off to Charlotte...
wait, wait, just let
Fulham county off the hook?
Let you off the hook.
Your private practice
is hurting, Jim, real bad.
And it ain't only
the Chicago guy.
It's the locals.
I may as well just put
an ad in the paper, huh?
Yeah, you might as well.
And as for your chances
of being elected prosecutor,
if you don't win this case, Jim,
you're as good as dead.
And maybe even if you do.
Just one more, and that's it?
Okay.
"Tony baloney's fibbing"
again.
Look at him wiggle
and try to pretend.
"Tony baloney is telling a lie."
"Phoney old Tony baloney",
good-bye."
What's this?
One of the kids at school
pushed me, and I pushed them
back.
Why?
We were having a discussion.
What about?
Dad.
Hi.
You know the words
I like best?
Mm-hmm.
Say 'em.
I love you.
You know the ones
I hate the most?
No idea.
"I hear tell."
What?
I hear tell you've been
losing clients, including
Chicago.
Where'd you hear tell that?
My friend bill ames.
Many others?
Yeah, four this week.
Hmm.
And the week's not over.
Davey's been getting
into fights at school.
What about?
You.
Well, that's wrong.
I'm sorry.
I'll go talk to him.
Talk to me first.
What do you want me to say,
sue, huh?
I know you want to live here.
What about you?
I didn't have to bring you here
kicking and screaming.
You hated what you were...
what do you want me to do,
huh?
You want me to give up,
just let the case go,
let everybody feel good
and forget what happened?
They're not going to forget.
You've won.
Won what?
Everybody knows it's not
the same as it used to be.
If they go and do it again,
you're going to go after them
again.
Yeah, well, right now,
I am only interested
in this time.
And what is your chance
of winning?
Not much.
But you'll go on, won't you?
You'll isolate yourself.
You'll let the town hate you
instead of hating
what they've done.
It doesn't make sense.
It doesn't make any sense.
And you won't even be around
when it happens again.
That's not the point.
What is the point?
The point is, what will I do
the next time?
And there will be a next time.
Do I let that case go?
You know, where do you draw
the line, sue?
Where do you draw the line?
Mom.
I'll go.
Who is it?
Ma'am?
My name is Anne Johnson,
and this... this is my son, Teddy.
Hi.
Teddy was one of the boys...
That night.
We won't stay but a minute.
Teddy just wanted to say
something.
I hope it's not inconvenient.
No, it's all right.
Maybe the boy would like
a piece of fruit.
Teddy's wanted to come over
so many times so he could...
Could tell you himself
how bad he feels.
Thank you.
It was the first time
I'd ever done it.
I didn't think...
Sarah?
Who is visiting?
Mrs. Johnson and her son.
We just came to visit you
and Mrs. Shuler for a minute.
We...
the boy wants us to know
how bad he feels
about what happened.
I was in the front seat,
Mr. Shuler.
I didn't do any throwing.
Honest.
I didn't mean to cause you
any pain.
The lord decides these things
in his wisdom.
Yes, sir, he does.
Excuse us.
We gotta go, please, mama.
I'm sorry.
I, uh...
Guess you heard that the trial's
coming up soon.
Two others and then my boy.
My lawyer says
the county prosecutor's
been after you to testify.
Well...
I just wanted you to see
that Teddy's...
Learned his lesson.
They had no call
coming out here.
Do they think we're fools?
Papa.
It's all right.
It's all right.
Oh, now, now, now, now.
It's just that we won't take
any more pestering,
not from nobody.
I promise you that.
Children.
Time for bed, Rachel.
Just a few minutes more,
papa.
This is what you said
just a few minutes ago.
Good night, papa.
Sleep well.
Do you remember
the first time you spoke to me?
I suppose you were four
or five.
And I said, "get out of my way",
you ugly little girl."
No.
No, the first time
you really, truly spoke to me.
At your sister's wedding.
Do you remember
what you said?
Oh, I said a lot of things.
You said, "I'm going"
to marry you, Sarah."
"So don't you go bundling"
with that Jake schmidt no more."
What is that you want
to tell me that you find
so difficult to say?
I want us to have
another child.
It's up to god.
Even god needs
a little help sometimes.
Jacob.
Yes.
Yes, but...
Not yet.
But why not?
That night.
I cannot forget.
We are taught to keep ourselves
to ourselves so that we may live
the life we've chosen,
hurting no one,
taking nothing from them.
But...
They do not let us.
You doubt the faith?
No, but...
I read the parable of job
over and over.
Such a good man
so tested by god.
I don't know if I would have
his strength, his faith.
Is it fair to bring new life
into such a world?
How can we not?
Isn't that the most wonderful
purpose of life,
of two people being together?
I want it to be with us
the way it was always,
from the night we married.
Every part of me,
every part wants it.
To be carrying a child,
your child, says to me
life goes on abundant.
God gives as well as takes.
I yearn for a child...
And for your love.
Please.
Love me.
Esther shuler
was just seven months old
when she died on the night
of August 31st of this year.
Her death was the result
of a skull fracture
caused by a hard object
striking her head
immediately above the left ear.
The object was thrown
from the bed of a 1978
red pickup truck as it passed
the shuler buggy on creek road.
The occupants of the bed
of that truck, as we shall show,
were Paul Cooper
and Phillip carr,
the defendants here today.
Now, the accusation
to be proven against them
is not that they intentionally
set out to kill Esther shuler
but that her death
was the direct result
of their aiding and assisting
in the reckless action
that caused her death.
That's it, Mr. Prosecutor?
Yes, your honor.
Mr. Baxter.
My task is to represent
a boy facing eight years
in prison on a charge to which
he has pleaded not guilty.
As you may have gathered,
the prosecution has seen fit
to change the charge
at the 11th hour
from reckless homicide
to the vague catchall
"aiding and assisting."
You know why?
Because they don't have
the evidence, the eyewitnesses
to prove either charge.
The real crime is that this case
ever came to trial
in the first place,
because when these boys
are acquitted... and I have
no doubt that they will be...
There will always be
one or two people ready
to whisper, "there go the boys",
the ones who threw the rock."
Ladies and gentlemen,
whatever these boys have done
or may not have done, surely
that is punishment enough.
More than enough.
Well, it's past 4:00,
and I'm going to adjourn today.
But before you go home,
I want to warn you
not to discuss this trial
with anybody, and that includes
members of your own household.
Have you got it?
Being married as long
as I have... you don't have to
put this down, Catherine...
I know how difficult it is
to keep something
from a wife or a husband.
Well, this may be
the only chance that you get
to do that.
And I want to make something
clear for you to think about.
The two defendants have chosen
not to testify.
In a criminal action,
the defendant does not
have to testify.
And by his not testifying
is in no way
an admission of guilt.
The defendant does not have to
disprove anything.
The prosecuting attorney
has to prove guilt
beyond a reasonable doubt.
If he doesn't, then it's
your duty to find the defendant
not guilty.
Thank you.
Your honor?
Mr. Baxter.
May we approach the bench,
please?
Yes.
Mr. Sandler's amended charge
reached us only last night.
Now, I request
this Mickey mouse charge
of aiding and assisting
be dropped and we go back
to the original charge
of reckless homicide,
which requires that the state
prove specifically
if it happened and, if it can,
exactly which boy threw
the projectile
that caused the death.
Mr. Sandler.
Co-counsel's apparently
unaware of the validity
of the aiding and assisting
statute in the state penal code.
Co-counsel is aware
that you have no eyewitness
testimony.
Co-counsel is aware
you're trying to railroad
these boys...
are you willing to have
your boy testify?
Oh, so you can introduce
more circumstantial hogwash.
Get hold of yourselves,
gentlemen.
Court of law here.
I want precedent
to back up your request.
And I want a lot of it from you
on the validity of changing
these charges.
Mr. Bailiff,
close the court, please.
All rise.
This court will stand in recess
until tomorrow morning at 9:30.
God bless the state
and this honorable court.
Mr. Sandler.
Mr. Sandler.
What do you think
your chances are, sir?
Good.
I'm very confident.
Bloody but unbowed.
Homer, I know how much
you want to help us.
I only wish
that he could hear you
when you try to talk...
Susan, I'm glad
he doesn't hear me.
I tell you, I've never admired
anybody the way I admire Jim
right now.
You ought to be mighty proud.
In all the years I was
prosecuting, I could never
do that, never do that.
I always thought it would be
better... no, easier...
To forget about the attacks
on the amish, just let it all be
smoothed over, don't look
at the prejudice behind it,
just...
I know this can't be easy
for you, for either of you.
But, Susan, I'll tell you
one thing.
I wished I had his guts
a time or two.
Tell Jim nobody'll think
the less of him for just
going through the motions.
I think you've got
the wrong man.
No, I know you do.
That so?
That's too bad.
What did he want?
Nothing much.
Yeah, I feel like even
the referee's kicking me
in the head.
You won a few rounds.
Yeah?
Hey, I'm glad you're here.
So what do you think?
Jim!
I can give you a hand with
those precedents, if you want.
Yeah, want, want.
Excuse me, Jim.
We got the kid
with the red pickup truck
from drexel county.
I think you better talk to him.
Okay.
I'll call you later.
Good luck.
Thank you for being
such a good friend.
I don't know.
Sounds like he could have
done it.
How you doing?
Are you
the prosecuting attorney?
Uh-huh.
Are you gonna arrest me?
I'd like to go over
your story with you first.
What's to tell?
We were on the creek road
in the pickup,
and we threw at the buggy.
Look, I'm sorry about the baby...
listen, do you realize
you're setting yourself up
for a jail term?
No.
My daddy'll get me off.
He always does.
Spreads some money around.
He's real good at that.
You and your dad get along
okay, huh?
Yeah, sure.
What difference does it make?
I just want to ask you
a couple questions, okay,
Warren?
How many were in the truck?
Four, but I'm not...
did you all throw
at the buggy?
Just the two outside,
like it said in the paper.
In the paper?
Where was the baby?
In the back?
No, up front.
And where was
the little girl?
What little girl?
The one who saw you, the one
who wasn't in the papers?
Where was she?
Huh, Warren, where was she?
Was she in the front?
Was she in the back?
Where was she?
I...
where was she?
Give me...
where was she, Warren?
She was in back.
You sure?
No.
No, she was in front.
See, that's right.
No, Warren, that's wrong.
You're lying to me, aren't you?
You lying to me, Warren?
Are you lying to me, Warren?
Are you lying to me, Warren?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, I am.
Look, you got stuff
to work out with your father.
This isn't the place to do it.
Do you know what time it is?
Look, I'm not asking you.
I'm telling you you have to
testify, you and Rachel.
Jacob.
I know we have the four
who did it.
Seek retribution.
Vengeance, this is
what you tell me to do.
Look, if you don't testify,
they're going to be found
not guilty.
People will forget,
and the whole thing
will start over again.
I cannot break
with the old ways.
I'm not asking you to break.
I'm asking you to bend a little.
And Rachel?
She is already troubled.
If I were to agree to do this,
would it not make her doubt
everything she's learned,
everything she believes in?
Go back upstairs.
You shouldn't be down here
like this.
I will think about it.
I cannot say more.
Now, please.
Okay.
Sorry if I woke you.
It's okay.
How long you been down here?
I don't know.
Want some cocoa?
Sure.
What's bothering you?
As if I didn't know.
You don't know.
So...
How do you think it's going
to look on the resume?
"He was right,
but he couldn't prove it."
You don't think Jacob
will change his mind?
No.
You know, maybe I'm just
stubborn.
I... I know I can be.
I just don't know how
to bow out gracefully.
It's one of the reasons
I married you.
Lack of grace?
I want you to stay the
stubborn s.O.B. That I married,
stubborn enough to believe
that what you do
makes a difference,
because it does.
Even if it means
not being able to stay here?
Life is a series
of trade-offs
us.
If we have to leave here
because you're doing something
that needs to be done,
it probably isn't the place
for us to be anyway.
When did you decide that?
Over a cup of cocoa.
Remember what your father said
when he married us?
"If your heart is right,
your mind follows."
I love your heart.
Welcome home...
Wherever that's going to be.
I like Iowa.
You were up and down
all night.
Yeah, I had to think
on what Mr. Sandler asked.
It's not always easy to know
what is right to do.
It is not our world.
We have to live in the word
of the lord.
Whatever is done, it...
Will not bring Esther back.
It was them did it, papa.
What?
Rachel saw pictures
of two of the boys who were
in the truck that night,
the ones did the throwing.
Where?
In the paper.
Maybe so.
I told Rachel
I would ask you to listen
to what she has to say.
School bus will be here.
Papa?
Sometimes I get so scared
and angry
about what happened.
I know I shouldn't.
Papa, you don't have to,
but I got to do
what Mr. Sandler said.
I got to tell what I saw.
Forgive me, papa.
But I been thinking on it
and thinking on it
for such a long time.
Please let me
so what happened to Esther,
I don't want it to happen
to nobody else
because of me.
School bus.
Yes, papa.
Work to do.
All rise.
Oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes.
The honorable court
of Fulham county
is now in session.
The honorable judge Manning,
judge presiding.
Be seated.
Did you hear anything
from Jacob?
No.
I was hoping
he'd get in touch with you.
I'm going to let
the prosecution amended charge
of aiding and assisting stand.
You better have some strong
evidence to back it up with.
You ready?
Yes, your honor.
If it please the court,
I'd like to add one or two
things to my opening statement.
I want to get this trial
over with today.
I'll try to be brief.
And to the point.
So...
Somebody died.
We can't divorce the deed
from the history of harassment
of the amish,
excused as "high spirits,"
"kids' pranks,"
"everybody does it."
It's violence.
And it's condoned
against a group of people
because they're different,
won't strike back.
And for that, we all
have to share the guilt.
Are you putting us all
on trial here?
Almost as disturbing
as the babies dying
is the action afterwards.
We've got people
in this community who say,
"we've got to protect our own."
We've got to protect
"the good name of our town"
in a situation where,
at the very least, perhaps
it wasn't contempt
that they showed
by what they did.
But it certainly was a heinous
disregard for human life
and a lack of concern or caring
about the tolerance of people
who are different.
Now, let's look at the victims,
the amish.
Those who were not tolerated
have shown the most tolerance
of all.
If we had their tolerance,
then this whole incident
never would have happened
in the first place.
Now, the defendants.
"The defendants are just kids
from our county."
"They're from around here."
"They shouldn't go to jail."
"They're not criminals."
But if you say that,
why lock anybody up?
Objection.
Now, no matter what happens
here, no matter what
the verdict,
for the rest of my life,
I'll be asking myself,
"does this crime mean... "
Does this crime mean
that a human life just isn't
"worth what it used to be?"
And if that's so, well,
that's the greatest crime
of all.
You see, there's a principle
here.
There's a very important
principle.
It's something a teacher of mine
in law school once told us.
He said, "if there isn't justice"
for everyone in the community,
then soon there will be
no justice for anyone
"in the community."
Jim, are you through?
Your honor, I request
that everything
the prosecutor just said
be stricken from the record
as tendentious
and improperly prejudicial
to my client.
So ordered.
Mr. Shuler.
Mr. Shuler, are you going
to testify?
Keep it clear now, folks.
Everybody, just move back.
And that he start
presenting some evidence,
if he's got any.
Order.
Order in the court.
Order, order!
Mr. Bailiff, seat these people.
I don't believe it.
I see it,
but I don't believe it.
How'd you do it?
I don't know.
I don't know, and I don't care.
They're coming in.
They're coming in.
Come on, now.
Come on, y'all.
Clear.
Get those people
off their backs.
One question, mr...
Mr. Shuler!
Mr. Shuler!
Get out of here.
Hi.
Hi, Rachel.
Do we have to go in there
now?
No, no, not right away.
Thank you.
I know the price you're paying.
It was Rachel.
She wanted it so.
She won't have to talk long,
will she?
I'll do my best.
Don't think I don't know
the price you are paying.
Everybody, clear out.
We've been waiting on you,
Jim.
Yes, your honor.
Your honor?
Mr. Baxter.
Once again,
the prosecution has staged
an 11th-hour surprise:
Introduction of new witnesses,
the bereaved family.
Under the circumstances,
I think that it is
in the best interests
of the defendants
and, indeed, of all concerned
that we not go through
the agony of a trial.
It is the desire
of the defendants to withdraw
their plea of not guilty
and to enter a plea of guilty
to the charge, as specified
by the prosecutor,
of aiding and assisting
in reckless homicide.
Any objections, Mr. Sandler?
No, your honor.
Okay.
Sentencing will be ten days
from today at 1:30 P.M.
In view of this change in plea,
your service as jurors
will no longer be needed,
and I want to personally thank
each of you for your attention.
Bailiff, escort these fine folks
back to the jury room.
Mr. Bailiff, close court.
All rise.
The honorable court
of Fulham county
now stands adjourned.
God save the state
and this honorable court.
♪ ♪
Did you have any idea...
What kind of sentence...
♪ ♪
Well, I didn't think
you stood a prayer in hell
of getting them to come in here,
let alone win it.
But shows you how much I know.
Way to go.
Thanks.
Male announcer: Teddy Johnson
and Roy bowman also changed
their pleas to guilty.
All four defendants were fined
and sentenced to
from three to five years.
All four sentences
were suspended.
The election
for county prosecutor was held
a few months later.
Jim sandler was nominated
and won.
As for the claping,
there has not been an incident
of claping reported
in Fulham county
since Jim sandler brought
the case of Esther shuler
to trial.
Yeah.
Whoo! Yeah.
Let's go.
Yeah, come on!
♪ ♪
Neighbor hiltie has prepared
a fine feast for us.
But he sure worked us for it,
ja?
Now...
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
Yeah!
You want to go get it?
You want to go get it?
Okay, let's go get it.
So what do you think?
You've done wonders
with them, Susan.
Well, I had a good teacher.
When they're ready
for preserving, let me know,
and I'll come over and show you
how I do it.
Hi.
Hi.
Have you ever had
homemade preserves
from your very own garden?
Listen, you're talking
to a Chicago street kid.
Spare us; His father's
a minister in the wealthiest
part of the city.
Well, don't worry;
I don't tell anybody.
Thanks for coming.
Susan, I had a great time.
The kids had so much fun.
The kids had a blast.
Bye, guys.
You guys ready
to go home now?
I'm going to bring
those papers by your office
on Monday, okay?
All right, see you guys.
Thanks for coming.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Don't forget, now,
Saturday's our place.
Okay.
Bye.
Bye!
Have you ever seen anything
so lovely?
Beautiful.
What'd you have in mind?
Mom, when's dinner?
Whoo-hoo!
Can I hold Esther for you,
please?
Only till you're in.
Rachel?
I'm up.
Good night.
There's another one up ahead!
Yeah!
Nice.
Quick road.
Nearly to home.
♪ ♪
Get down.
Stay down, children.
Get down.
Stay down.
Whoa!
Oh!
Are you all right?
Whoa!
What happened?
What happened?
Are you all right?
Did they hit you?
Sarah.
No, it's my wrist only.
It doesn't hurt bad.
See?
Jock strap!
Peter.
Better I take a look at it.
It doesn't hurt bad, honest.
Better we go home.
All right.
Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit.
Did you see their faces?
I think we hit someone.
Hey, there's another one
up ahead!
Come on.
Let's get another one.
Yeah! All right!
Whoo-hoo!
Sure you're all right, mama?
Probably needs changing.
Surely does, mama.
Clear through her blanket.
Oh, my god.
Jacob!
Jacob!
Be still.
Mein gott.
Oh, god.
And the Israeli jets
are reported...
Mr. Grant!
Mr. Grant!
I must use your phone.
What's the matter, Jacob?
Some kids, they threw
at the buggy.
Dial 911.
That's emergency.
Where'd it happen?
The creek road,
some kind of old red truck.
Hello?
I need help quick.
An ambulance.
My baby is hurt...
Hurt bad.
Susie, what are you doing?
Listening to the quiet.
Don't ever say that
to anybody else.
But you know what I mean.
I'll get it.
Probably for you anyway.
Nah, I'll meet you out there.
Yeah, I don't know.
Maybe 15 minutes.
I got to get dressed.
Uh-huh, yeah,
I know where it is.
Who was it?
It was the sheriff.
Baby's been killed.
Oh, god.
Who?
One of the amish.
Steve's on his way out there.
He wants me to come.
Don't send anybody else
out here.
We don't need anybody else,
all right?
How many kids?
You didn't say how many kids.
You sure?
Now, folks, I really need you
to go on home.
He didn't recognize
any of the kids?
Didn't tell me if he did.
Hey, Jim.
What happened?
Mr. Grant's
the shulers' neighbor.
He's the one
got in touch with us.
Mr. Sandler's
the county prosecutor.
Terrible, just terrible.
Yes, it is.
The father ran over
to use his phone
to call for help.
Amish don't take
with owning phones.
Don't keep 'em
from using others', though.
He told Hector here
it was some kids
in a pickup truck did it...
Red, he thinks.
We put it out.
I'm surprised I got him
to tell me that much.
He was real upset.
They were throwing rocks
at the buggy.
One of them hit the baby.
She was dead
when the paramedics arrived.
How old was she?
Just seven months.
Did you talk to the father?
A little.
Excuse us, Hector.
I thought you'd better be
in on this from the beginning.
We don't want to make
any mistakes.
No, we don't.
Yeah.
Well, come on.
Jacob?
This is Mr. Sandler.
He's the county prosecutor.
Mr. Shuler,
I am really terribly sorry.
Yeah, yeah.
He moves in strange ways
sometimes.
Yes, he does.
The thing is...
The thing is, we need you
to help us.
Tell us what happened.
Just tell us what you saw.
We were over
at the hiltie place,
helping them with the crop,
coming home in the buggy when...
There was two boys
in the back throwing...
Rachel.
Sheriff, Charlie stone says
they got 'em over in Carson.
Better let me handle this.
Oh, hell.
Evening, Mr. Woodman.
We weren't doing nothing,
sheriff.
So what's all this?
You fixing to start a war,
Phillip?
You knew we weren't doing...
I know you've done
this sort of thing before.
We was just out claping,
that's all.
We was just trying
to have some fun.
Fun?
Yeah.
You killed a kid.
That your idea of fun, bowman?
Charlie!
Take 'em back to Fulham.
Book 'em on a 203,
suspicion of bodily harm,
until the county prosecutor
decides what the charge
will be.
And Charlie.
Nobody's to talk to them
till I get a chance
to get statements.
You understand?
Oh, god, no.
We didn't mean
for nobody to get hurt.
Sorry to bother you, Jacob,
but we've just been over
to Carson and wanted you
to know we're pretty sure
they're the ones.
Thank you, sheriff.
Mr. Shuler?
Yeah.
I was wondering,
when do you think would be
a good time for you
and your family
to come in to Fulham
and give me your statements?
We can't do that.
Sir, maybe you don't
understand how important it is
that we have your evidence.
No business of ours,
not anymore.
It's not your business
anymore?
A child has been killed.
I'm sorry, Mr. Shuler, but
I'm afraid I don't understand.
"Vengeance is mine."
"I will repay," saith the lord.
Is he serious?
Afraid so.
Amish don't hold much to laws
other than god's.
You know a murder was
committed.
These are probably
the only witnesses I have.
And you're standing here
telling me they don't...
hey, I'm on your side.
What the hell
have we gotten into?
How old was the baby?
About the same age as Vicky.
Oh, susie, you had to be there
to believe it.
I don't think he's going
to do anything about it.
Well, give him some time
to think about it.
It was only a few hours
after it happened.
Why, you think I pushed
too hard too fast?
You have been known.
Let me try.
Let me try.
So where does that leave you?
Well, it leaves me
hoping Steve gets a confession
from one of the four who did it.
Thank you.
I don't know what I'd do
without you.
I don't either.
Probably have to walk
to work.
Bye.
Let's go!
Maybe I'll talk to you later.
Oh, that looks good.
Okay.
Yeah, what about it?
About 7:00?
Hey, 7:00's a little early
for me.
You Mr. Sandler?
Yes, sir.
Seem like to me
$10,000 bail's pretty high
for criminal recklessness.
It's only a preliminary
charge.
Well, there's no way
for you to know this...
You're not from around here...
But any man and boy
that says he never has been
out claping is a liar.
Now, I'm not trying to make
excuses for what my boy did,
and I'm more than willing
to pay the damage.
But killing someone?
Paul said he didn't do it,
and I believe him.
Here you go, sir.
Mr. Baxter?
Jim.
Jim, um...
Sandler.
Of course.
That's right, I heard
you left Chicago.
You practicing here?
County prosecutor.
Ah, good for you.
Which one of the four
you down here to represent?
Phillip carr.
Why?
Besides the fee.
Because I've had my belly
full of innocent people
being railroaded on the basis
of circumstantial evidence.
Nah, it'll be a lot more
than circumstantial.
Eyewitness?
Wait and see.
Only fair to tell you, Jim,
the boy's father...
Phillip carr's 19.
He's not a boy under state law.
The young man's father
has instructed me
to plead his son not guilty
to any charge more than
criminal recklessness.
Mr. Baxter?
Maybe even to that too.
Yes.
If you would, please,
the judge is ready to hear
the petition for your client's
release on bail.
Thank you so much.
Excuse me.
Do you think I ought to get
a lawyer for Teddy?
I think you better, Anne.
But...
bye-bye, now.
Teddy sign his statement?
Identified Cooper and carr
as the two in the back
of the truck.
Good.
Admitted to most of what
went on that night, including
throwing at the school,
the amish houses and buggies.
Only now he's changed
what he said first
about the creek road.
Says he doesn't remember
they were ever on it.
Oh, come on.
No!
His mother's a good lady,
doesn't need this kind
of trouble.
Stupid kid.
Yeah, well, any chance
she'll get him to tell
the truth in court?
I don't know.
I can talk to her.
Yeah, please do.
I'll do my best.
She's probably the only one
who would.
Yeah, listen.
I ran into Paul Cooper's father
outside.
He says everybody, man and boy,
harassed the amish.
He's wrong.
It's only 50%.
He made it sound like
the rite of passage.
Been that way ever since
I can remember, Jim.
That doesn't make it right.
It's just... Accepted.
Uh-huh.
And there's never been
one case taken into court?
Well, you have to understand
the amish don't just read
the Bible; They live by it,
including "turn"
the other cheek."
Not a bad way to live.
Unless you're the only ones
who do.
Yeah.
Ooh.
A reporter
from the Chicago tribune called.
You want me to get him for you?
No.
Thank you.
As if we didn't have
enough trouble on our hands.
That Chicago hotshot
the carrs hired, how good is he?
The best.
Law clerks in Chicago
would give their eye teeth
to work for him.
I would have.
He's already got his defense
mapped out.
I need a witness, Steve.
I need a witness.
I know.
I should have stayed out at
the shuler place that night.
I should have followed up
with the daughter
about what she saw.
What makes you think
Jacob would have let you?
Yeah.
So did you find anything
on creek road?
I had a crew out there
all weekend.
Some stones, some pieces
of Clay tile, nothing with
even a trace of blood on it.
Okay, okay.
Listen, put out a request
for information statewide:
Any cases current or recent
involving the amish,
preferably where one of them
was willing to testify.
Okay, only don't count on it.
I'm not.
I'm just... you know, I'm looking
for anything that might change.
Jacob's mind.
Decide what the charge
is going to be?
Yeah, reckless homicide.
What?
I think we got a lot of work
ahead of us.
I went out claping myself once
when I was 14, 15.
Thought you'd want to know.
One case at a time.
Where's that word come from,
"claping"?
"Clapes" is...
A derogatory name
some people call them.
It goes back so far,
I don't think anybody remembers
anymore where the word
came from.
So, uh,
what are you going to do
when your boy's old enough
to go out claping?
I hope I'll teach him better.
Unser vater,
der du bist in himmel,
dein name werde geheiligt,
dein reich kommen,
dein wille geschehe auf erden
wie auch im himmel.
Gib uns heute
unser taeglichs brot, und...
No one can say what effect
this tragedy, which struck
the small amish community,
will have on the attitudes
of the larger community
in which they live.
As for the four boys who are
alleged to have killed
the amish baby in a night
of violence that, I am told,
included two dozen
other attacks on the amish,
chances are little or nothing
will be done
to bring them to trial.
Among those I spoke...
She's wrong.
The editor
of the local newspaper said...
Listen, Jim.
I was born and raised
around here.
I know most of the folks
involved personally.
But I am also a peace officer,
have been all my life,
and you don't have a corner
on not liking what happened
or why it happened.
Okay?
Hey, I'm on your side.
This is a very quiet,
peaceful county.
The shame is, a tragedy
like this can happen.
Do you think
that's how most people feel?
Of course, most of them.
Well, then how do you explain
the violence?
It's not as though this is
an isolated incident, is it?
We're going to see
that it is prosecuted
to the full extent...
Jim, we're ready!
Okay.
I hope you're not going
to make it sound
like we got some kind
of crime wave here in Fulham.
Well, I have spoken
with some people here in Fulham,
and one of them said
that they didn't think...
Problems?
No, no, it'll work out.
If the boys had just had
something to do
on Saturday nights.
You don't thrash around
in bed all night when you think
it's going to work out.
Ooh, come on,
we're going to be late.
Hey, I can help you
with this.
Okay.
Okay.
Is the sitter here for Vicky?
Yeah.
[Bells playing
[westminster chime]
"Stop hounding those kids"
unless you want
"what the clapes got."
Yeah, it's just
a crank letter.
It's nothing to worry about.
Jim, how about letting me put
a car out at the house?
No, no, no.
Please.
No, no, bad idea.
I just thought
you should know about it.
All right.
You sure, now?
Yeah, thanks.
Okay.
Can I see you a minute, Jim?
Stay dry.
What is it, Mr. Ames?
You catch that woman
on the TV station
in Winston-Salem?
Boy, she going out of her way
to make it sound like
our favorite sport
is terrorizing the amish.
Well, that's what one of
the four said they were doing,
terrorizing.
Those people turn up
their noses at the way we live.
But that doesn't stop them
coming in to use our phones,
riding in our cars
when it suits them.
Homer's waiting for us.
Now, you don't know
the four boys' families
personally, so you can't have
an idea how tough all this is
on them.
I'm sure it is.
Yeah.
Well, I just...
Just hate to see you
make trouble for yourself, Jim,
by making trouble for others.
I don't think that's what
it's really about.
Do you?
What else?
The kids didn't mean
any harm.
They was just fooling around.
Well, I wonder how
you'd feel, Mr. Ames, if some
kids were just fooling around
and they killed your baby.
Not too smart, huh?
It had to be said.
Maybe not that way.
Well, that's what you get
for marrying
a Chicago street kid.
Spare me.
Let's go.
Hey, they giving you
a rough time up there?
It's all your fault, Paul.
Me?
Yeah, you got me this job,
didn't you?
Guilty as charged.
Well, I figured getting you
appointed to fill out the year
as county prosecutor might help,
what with you being new in town
and all,
starting a private practice.
Yeah, well, I appreciate it.
We really do.
Yeah, I know you do.
I'm not so sure about him.
I'll tell you something;
Next time around, you're going
to have to get yourself elected
to the office,
and the amish don't vote.
So what did you do
in cases like this?
Never had one,
all the years I was prosecuting.
Never once had an amish
come in and bring charges.
Any real damage done
was paid in cash or kind.
That's the way it's always been.
That's the way it's always
going to be.
So what's the price
on a baby?
Jim.
I know what you're feeling,
Jim, and I respect you for it.
But take my advice as a friend.
You want a place here
for you and yours,
don't go trying to change
too much too fast.
What you got here?
Whoa.
Whoa, where you going?
I'm sorry; I didn't mean
to scare him.
He's about the same age
as my son.
Yeah, Peter.
No, no, he just doesn't always
like to talk to people.
He sure can dream, though.
He will get over it.
Why should he?
Boys grow up, Mr. Sandler.
They learn that the ways of god
are different from games.
I suppose you're right.
We are taught to believe
in two kingdoms, one of light
and one of darkness,
god's and Satan's.
What happens
when one invades the other?
"Be transformed"
by the renewal of your faith,
that you may live in the
"perfect will of the lord."
I envy you, Mr. Shuler.
Listen, I came out here
to let you know
what's going to happen.
Excuse me, Mrs. Shuler.
I'm Jim sandler.
Yes, I know.
So the four men are going
to be brought into court
next week to be charged.
And then sometime later,
there's going to be a trial.
You see, maybe if there had been
a trial or two way back,
then things wouldn't have gotten
to this.
You know, the violence
wouldn't have kept growing.
Oh, that's your oldest,
isn't it?
Is it Rachel?
Hi.
Listen, the sheriff and I
were wondering...
Mr. Woodman.
Yes, he is a good man.
I did some carpenter work,
helped him put on the new room
for the baby.
Well, we were wondering if...
Listen, I'd like the chance
to talk to Rachel.
What for, Mr. Sandler?
Well, I'm going to need
her testimony and yours
when the case is tried.
So that you can put them
in jail.
Well, what happens to them
isn't up to you and me.
It's up to a jury.
Rachel, give this
to your brother.
And go inside the house
with him.
But if the boys did it,
their parents should tell them
to speak the truth.
Unfortunately, that's not
the way it works in my kingdom.
That's the way
we would do it.
Well, there's still a chance
that one of them might.
The sheriff's been talking
to Teddy Johnson's mother.
But we can't count on it.
Rachel has nothing to say
to you, Mr. Sandler.
Mr. Shuler, that night...
she has nothing to say.
You know, the law is
something that we're all
responsible to uphold.
When the philistines spoiled.
Isaac's well, the lord said
not to speak vengeance
but to dig new Wells
and he would find water
abundant.
I cannot change what I believe.
Nor can I ask my children
to change.
For 300 years, we have been
taught to believe
in a higher power than man's.
It has been our salvation
in an alien world.
I'm sorry that you had to come
all this way for nothing.
Ain't this Rachel's?
Where did you find it?
Fixing one of the
irrigation gates
down the creek yesterday.
She must have lost it.
Mm.
Or threw it away.
It's hard for Rachel.
She loved Esther so.
I know.
The amish don't want it.
The town doesn't.
What do you want, sue?
I want...
I want a good life
for us and the kids.
I want good friends, like homer,
who like us and respect us.
I want to stay here.
I want the kids
to grow up here.
It's not going to come
to that.
We must go
to different churches.
Oh, what, bill ames?
And everyone else.
No, susie,
it isn't the whole town.
I hope not.
You know, I was making
more money in Chicago.
We spent every penny.
Great apartment.
Theater, wrigley field, trips...
to get away from the city.
Trying to get two kids
in a stroller on a bus every day
to go to the park?
And... and triple locks
on the doors.
We don't have to lock
our door here.
That alone means a lot to me.
That signifies a lot.
So do you think
that what I'm doing is wrong?
No.
Do you think that I'm being
obstinate?
No, but did you listen
to what homer was saying...
it's not his job anymore!
It's mine.
I mean, maybe sometimes
I wish it wasn't,
but I'm not going to kick
the case under the carpet
because some people don't want...
"some people"?
Some people, a lot of people.
They don't want to face
what they've let go on here.
You know, I wasn't prepared
for it either.
A lot of garbage.
I don't think so.
No, I mean that.
Oh, god.
Before this honorable
court, the preliminary hearing
of Roy b. Bowman,
Phillip s. Carr, Paul a. Cooper,
and Theodore b. Johnson.
Information for reckless
homicide, as deposed
and sworn to
by sheriff Steven woodman
of Fulham county.
Now, I want to make clear
to you this is not a trial.
This is a preliminary hearing.
The order of business
for a preliminary hearing
is for you four boys
and your lawyers to hear
the charges brought against you
by the county prosecutor,
as just read by the clerk
of the court, and to decide
what you want to do.
Mr. Bowman?
How do you plead to the charge
entitled "information"
for reckless homicide"?
Guilty, not guilty,
or do you stand mute?
Not guilty.
Mr. Phillip carr?
Yes, your honor.
Do you wish to have more time
to consult with Mr. Baxter
before entering your plea?
No, thank you, your honor.
We plead not guilty.
Mr. Cooper?
How do you plead?
Sir...
Not guilty.
Mr. Johnson?
How do you plead?
What do you think?
I talked some more
with his mother last night.
You do want to plead,
don't you?
Uh, your honor?
Not guilty.
I'll consult
with prosecution and defense
lawyers in my chambers
about setting the trial date.
Your honor?
Yes, sir.
I respectfully ask
that you entertain a motion
for dismissal of all charges
against my client.
On what grounds, Mr. Baxter?
Insufficient evidence.
Nothing that I have seen
links my client or the others
in any way whatsoever
with the death
of Esther l. Shuler.
Any statements they may have
made while in custody
are, of course, inadmissible.
Besides, who knows
how many others were out
on the roads that night?
Out claping?
Well, I'm not as familiar
with the term
as you seem to be, Jim,
but I'm told that there's hardly
a man in the county
who didn't go out claping
one time or another
when they were kids.
Your honor, about that motion
for dismissal...
Motion denied.
But you sure have a good line
of defense there, counselor.
Yeah, I'll put Cooper
and carr on trial first.
They were the two
in the back of the truck
that actually threw
at the shuler buggy.
Allegedly, that is.
Mr. Sandler, are you going
to ask for a change of venue
because...
absolutely not.
I want the trial held here.
Well, does the presence
of the famous Richard Baxter
in any way change your approach
to the case?
Why should it?
That was county prosecutor
Jim sandler.
This is Monica schaefer
reporting for wxii TV,
Winston-Salem.
Hi, sue.
Hi.
Sorry I'm late.
I had to go through stuff
with Steve.
I didn't figure
there was any sense in waiting.
I'm glad you didn't.
Did you eat?
You want me to make you
something?
Kids okay?
Mm-hmm.
When's the trial?
Six weeks.
As you can see here
on the map, is going to bring us
those morning showers
and thundershowers.
You coming up?
In a minute.
Three quarters
of an inch of rain.
Mama...
what is it?
He was one...
Of them in the truck.
Throwing.
Jock straps!
Maybe we'll...
Stop and get some
ice cream cones, huh?
Easy, now.
Easy, easy.
Stay down.
Steady.
Down.
Down!
Papa, make him stop.
Whoa!
Whoa!
Easy.
Easy, easy.
Easy. Easy.
Shh, shh.
Easy, easy.
Shh, shh, shh.
Is everybody okay?
You okay?
Thank you, Mr. Sandler.
It don't change anything.
I didn't think it would.
I should never have brought
the children into town.
Come on; Let's go.
I'm going to get something
to drink.
♪ Oh ♪
♪ ♪
We are here today
for the most beautiful ceremony
the coming to baptism
of these young men and women.
It is a solemn as well as
beautiful occasion.
Having reached the age of
choice, you must choose
whether or not you accept
the rules and orders,
the meidung und ordnung,
whether or not you choose
to be baptized
in the amish faith.
If, among you, there are any
who choose not to be baptized,
please...
Im namen des vaters,
des sohnes,
des heiligen geistes.
Amen.
I've read where with
the English, baptism's
as soon as you're born.
But I think it's better
this way, when you're old enough
to decide for yourself
to follow the rules and orders
of our church.
But what if you die before?
In names des vaters,
des sohnes,
des heiligen geistes.
Amen.
Jacob is a stubborn man,
all right.
So am I.
Well, he...
Stubborn in the faith.
We have a book thicker
than any of your law books,
the martyr's mirror.
Oh, come on, Abe.
What's it got to do
with what he's asking?
Plenty.
All about what happened to us
in your world, 300 years...
I'm talking about
what happened last August.
I'm talking about yesterday
in town.
You don't think I know that,
Mr. Prosector?
All Jim wants is for you
to talk to the shulers
as their bishop, to get Jacob
and Rachel to testify
at the trail so he can show
what really happened.
I can subpoena them
to appear.
Which don't mean
that they will.
And even if they do,
it don't mean
they have to say anything.
"Judge not,
that ye be not judged."
"Be in this world"
but not part of it."
Been doing your homework.
Mm-hmm, and nothing
I've read about your religion
says that it's a sin
to cooperate with the law.
Something that books
about us may not tell you,
one reason we don't hold
too much with your law:
We don't think we get
too much justice from it.
So you'd rather let something
like Esther shuler's death
go unpunished?
That way, you can keep
telling yourselves you're
martyrs in a hostile world?
You always go around
making trouble for people?
Only when it's important.
Ain't nobody going to sing
your praises for it.
I'll talk on Jacob,
tell him what you said.
How soon?
Have to wait for
the right moment, don't I?
I'll let you know.
What do you think?
He carries a lot of weight.
Hope so.
Steve said he wanted to see me,
said it was urgent.
He's inside, waiting for you.
Did you hear from the bishop?
Remember asking me to
send out an information request
about any cases
involving the amish?
Yeah.
Yeah, you got one?
Yeah, over in drexel county,
they picked up three kids
for throwing at amish buggies
night before last.
All right, all right.
The amish brought the complaint?
They caught them in the act.
They were in a red pickup
truck... the same make,
same year as bowman's.
Oh, no!
Driver admitted
it wasn't the first time
he'd been out claping.
He bragged to them
how he'd been in Fulham county
"the night the amish kid
got it."
Subject says that on that
occasion, he and friends unnamed
threw at a buggy
with a lot of kids in it
on creek road.
Okay, let's go talk to him.
You can't.
Why not?
Damn fool parents
hustled him out of town,
won't tell anybody where he is
or when he's coming back.
And sure as hell
your friend Baxter's going to
get himself a copy of this
before our case goes to trial.
Jacob.
Jacob, I have to talk to Rachel.
I'm going to tell you
what I told the bishop.
We ain't gonna testify.
Listen, I'm not asking her
to testify.
I just... I need to show her
these photos, find out
if these are the boys she saw
in the back of the truck
that night.
Same teen, seems to me.
No, li... listen.
There might have been
another truck on creek road
that night, and if that's true,
I might have been wrong
about this the whole time.
Will you just let me talk
to her?
No.
Jacob.
Jacob.
This isn't a trick.
Yeah, maybe.
Bishop says how all this
is causing trouble for you.
Sorry if that's so.
So then why won't you
help me?
What's done is done.
Better it be over and past
as soon as possible.
Mrs. Johnson, when we first
talked to Teddy, he told us
that they did throw at a buggy
on creek road.
God, I'm so confused.
But I read the statement
he signed.
He specifically said
he didn't know if they were
on creek road at all.
Either of his statements
at the trial.
I promise you that anything
he tells me will be
privileged information.
Well, I'm not sure
what that means,
but the lawyer has forbidden us
to talk to you
or to anybody on your side.
Lots of people come up to us
at the store, and they tell me
how hard it must be,
going through all this
and how, but for the grace
of god, it might be their sons.
You know what I say?
When... when my father died,
the amish were the first ones
to come over
and offer to help out.
If you'll excuse me,
we're busy in the store.
All right.
Fine, thanks.
That'll be $7.60.
Thank you.
Bye-bye, now.
Hi.
What can I help you with?
Billy?
Sir?
In a hurry?
Just helping out.
You look so busy.
Well, we like to take care
of our own first.
And Jim and I aren't among
the chosen.
There's lots of folks
figure it that way now.
Hear tell they're finding
themselves a new lawyer...
And not just in town.
That big Chicago company
trying to get the permits
to build a new motel
around here?
Jim's clients?
Uh-uh.
Was Jim's clients.
I guess they know
how important goodwill is.
You want me to fill 'er up?
Forget it.
Mrs. Sandler.
Yes?
You know, not all of us
think like Mr. Ames.
Some of us think
your husband's done right
by bringing it all out.
Thank you.
But it sure would be nice
to have some peace and quiet
around here again.
I could understand
when there was some doubt
in your mind, but now...
you know, I'm still hoping
to find that drexel county kid
and talk to him
before the trial starts.
And even if we don't,
I'm 90% certain we've got
the four who did it.
You give someone like Baxter
a 10% reasonable doubt,
he'll kick your butt
all over the courtroom.
What are you saying, homer?
You saying
I shouldn't prosecute?
I'm saying... I'm suggesting.
I'm suggesting what you need
time to locate
that drexel boy,
time to work on Jacob,
though I don't hold out
much hope for that.
And what is wrong with asking
for a postponement
or a change of venue,
while you're at it?
Let it blow off to Charlotte...
wait, wait, just let
Fulham county off the hook?
Let you off the hook.
Your private practice
is hurting, Jim, real bad.
And it ain't only
the Chicago guy.
It's the locals.
I may as well just put
an ad in the paper, huh?
Yeah, you might as well.
And as for your chances
of being elected prosecutor,
if you don't win this case, Jim,
you're as good as dead.
And maybe even if you do.
Just one more, and that's it?
Okay.
"Tony baloney's fibbing"
again.
Look at him wiggle
and try to pretend.
"Tony baloney is telling a lie."
"Phoney old Tony baloney",
good-bye."
What's this?
One of the kids at school
pushed me, and I pushed them
back.
Why?
We were having a discussion.
What about?
Dad.
Hi.
You know the words
I like best?
Mm-hmm.
Say 'em.
I love you.
You know the ones
I hate the most?
No idea.
"I hear tell."
What?
I hear tell you've been
losing clients, including
Chicago.
Where'd you hear tell that?
My friend bill ames.
Many others?
Yeah, four this week.
Hmm.
And the week's not over.
Davey's been getting
into fights at school.
What about?
You.
Well, that's wrong.
I'm sorry.
I'll go talk to him.
Talk to me first.
What do you want me to say,
sue, huh?
I know you want to live here.
What about you?
I didn't have to bring you here
kicking and screaming.
You hated what you were...
what do you want me to do,
huh?
You want me to give up,
just let the case go,
let everybody feel good
and forget what happened?
They're not going to forget.
You've won.
Won what?
Everybody knows it's not
the same as it used to be.
If they go and do it again,
you're going to go after them
again.
Yeah, well, right now,
I am only interested
in this time.
And what is your chance
of winning?
Not much.
But you'll go on, won't you?
You'll isolate yourself.
You'll let the town hate you
instead of hating
what they've done.
It doesn't make sense.
It doesn't make any sense.
And you won't even be around
when it happens again.
That's not the point.
What is the point?
The point is, what will I do
the next time?
And there will be a next time.
Do I let that case go?
You know, where do you draw
the line, sue?
Where do you draw the line?
Mom.
I'll go.
Who is it?
Ma'am?
My name is Anne Johnson,
and this... this is my son, Teddy.
Hi.
Teddy was one of the boys...
That night.
We won't stay but a minute.
Teddy just wanted to say
something.
I hope it's not inconvenient.
No, it's all right.
Maybe the boy would like
a piece of fruit.
Teddy's wanted to come over
so many times so he could...
Could tell you himself
how bad he feels.
Thank you.
It was the first time
I'd ever done it.
I didn't think...
Sarah?
Who is visiting?
Mrs. Johnson and her son.
We just came to visit you
and Mrs. Shuler for a minute.
We...
the boy wants us to know
how bad he feels
about what happened.
I was in the front seat,
Mr. Shuler.
I didn't do any throwing.
Honest.
I didn't mean to cause you
any pain.
The lord decides these things
in his wisdom.
Yes, sir, he does.
Excuse us.
We gotta go, please, mama.
I'm sorry.
I, uh...
Guess you heard that the trial's
coming up soon.
Two others and then my boy.
My lawyer says
the county prosecutor's
been after you to testify.
Well...
I just wanted you to see
that Teddy's...
Learned his lesson.
They had no call
coming out here.
Do they think we're fools?
Papa.
It's all right.
It's all right.
Oh, now, now, now, now.
It's just that we won't take
any more pestering,
not from nobody.
I promise you that.
Children.
Time for bed, Rachel.
Just a few minutes more,
papa.
This is what you said
just a few minutes ago.
Good night, papa.
Sleep well.
Do you remember
the first time you spoke to me?
I suppose you were four
or five.
And I said, "get out of my way",
you ugly little girl."
No.
No, the first time
you really, truly spoke to me.
At your sister's wedding.
Do you remember
what you said?
Oh, I said a lot of things.
You said, "I'm going"
to marry you, Sarah."
"So don't you go bundling"
with that Jake schmidt no more."
What is that you want
to tell me that you find
so difficult to say?
I want us to have
another child.
It's up to god.
Even god needs
a little help sometimes.
Jacob.
Yes.
Yes, but...
Not yet.
But why not?
That night.
I cannot forget.
We are taught to keep ourselves
to ourselves so that we may live
the life we've chosen,
hurting no one,
taking nothing from them.
But...
They do not let us.
You doubt the faith?
No, but...
I read the parable of job
over and over.
Such a good man
so tested by god.
I don't know if I would have
his strength, his faith.
Is it fair to bring new life
into such a world?
How can we not?
Isn't that the most wonderful
purpose of life,
of two people being together?
I want it to be with us
the way it was always,
from the night we married.
Every part of me,
every part wants it.
To be carrying a child,
your child, says to me
life goes on abundant.
God gives as well as takes.
I yearn for a child...
And for your love.
Please.
Love me.
Esther shuler
was just seven months old
when she died on the night
of August 31st of this year.
Her death was the result
of a skull fracture
caused by a hard object
striking her head
immediately above the left ear.
The object was thrown
from the bed of a 1978
red pickup truck as it passed
the shuler buggy on creek road.
The occupants of the bed
of that truck, as we shall show,
were Paul Cooper
and Phillip carr,
the defendants here today.
Now, the accusation
to be proven against them
is not that they intentionally
set out to kill Esther shuler
but that her death
was the direct result
of their aiding and assisting
in the reckless action
that caused her death.
That's it, Mr. Prosecutor?
Yes, your honor.
Mr. Baxter.
My task is to represent
a boy facing eight years
in prison on a charge to which
he has pleaded not guilty.
As you may have gathered,
the prosecution has seen fit
to change the charge
at the 11th hour
from reckless homicide
to the vague catchall
"aiding and assisting."
You know why?
Because they don't have
the evidence, the eyewitnesses
to prove either charge.
The real crime is that this case
ever came to trial
in the first place,
because when these boys
are acquitted... and I have
no doubt that they will be...
There will always be
one or two people ready
to whisper, "there go the boys",
the ones who threw the rock."
Ladies and gentlemen,
whatever these boys have done
or may not have done, surely
that is punishment enough.
More than enough.
Well, it's past 4:00,
and I'm going to adjourn today.
But before you go home,
I want to warn you
not to discuss this trial
with anybody, and that includes
members of your own household.
Have you got it?
Being married as long
as I have... you don't have to
put this down, Catherine...
I know how difficult it is
to keep something
from a wife or a husband.
Well, this may be
the only chance that you get
to do that.
And I want to make something
clear for you to think about.
The two defendants have chosen
not to testify.
In a criminal action,
the defendant does not
have to testify.
And by his not testifying
is in no way
an admission of guilt.
The defendant does not have to
disprove anything.
The prosecuting attorney
has to prove guilt
beyond a reasonable doubt.
If he doesn't, then it's
your duty to find the defendant
not guilty.
Thank you.
Your honor?
Mr. Baxter.
May we approach the bench,
please?
Yes.
Mr. Sandler's amended charge
reached us only last night.
Now, I request
this Mickey mouse charge
of aiding and assisting
be dropped and we go back
to the original charge
of reckless homicide,
which requires that the state
prove specifically
if it happened and, if it can,
exactly which boy threw
the projectile
that caused the death.
Mr. Sandler.
Co-counsel's apparently
unaware of the validity
of the aiding and assisting
statute in the state penal code.
Co-counsel is aware
that you have no eyewitness
testimony.
Co-counsel is aware
you're trying to railroad
these boys...
are you willing to have
your boy testify?
Oh, so you can introduce
more circumstantial hogwash.
Get hold of yourselves,
gentlemen.
Court of law here.
I want precedent
to back up your request.
And I want a lot of it from you
on the validity of changing
these charges.
Mr. Bailiff,
close the court, please.
All rise.
This court will stand in recess
until tomorrow morning at 9:30.
God bless the state
and this honorable court.
Mr. Sandler.
Mr. Sandler.
What do you think
your chances are, sir?
Good.
I'm very confident.
Bloody but unbowed.
Homer, I know how much
you want to help us.
I only wish
that he could hear you
when you try to talk...
Susan, I'm glad
he doesn't hear me.
I tell you, I've never admired
anybody the way I admire Jim
right now.
You ought to be mighty proud.
In all the years I was
prosecuting, I could never
do that, never do that.
I always thought it would be
better... no, easier...
To forget about the attacks
on the amish, just let it all be
smoothed over, don't look
at the prejudice behind it,
just...
I know this can't be easy
for you, for either of you.
But, Susan, I'll tell you
one thing.
I wished I had his guts
a time or two.
Tell Jim nobody'll think
the less of him for just
going through the motions.
I think you've got
the wrong man.
No, I know you do.
That so?
That's too bad.
What did he want?
Nothing much.
Yeah, I feel like even
the referee's kicking me
in the head.
You won a few rounds.
Yeah?
Hey, I'm glad you're here.
So what do you think?
Jim!
I can give you a hand with
those precedents, if you want.
Yeah, want, want.
Excuse me, Jim.
We got the kid
with the red pickup truck
from drexel county.
I think you better talk to him.
Okay.
I'll call you later.
Good luck.
Thank you for being
such a good friend.
I don't know.
Sounds like he could have
done it.
How you doing?
Are you
the prosecuting attorney?
Uh-huh.
Are you gonna arrest me?
I'd like to go over
your story with you first.
What's to tell?
We were on the creek road
in the pickup,
and we threw at the buggy.
Look, I'm sorry about the baby...
listen, do you realize
you're setting yourself up
for a jail term?
No.
My daddy'll get me off.
He always does.
Spreads some money around.
He's real good at that.
You and your dad get along
okay, huh?
Yeah, sure.
What difference does it make?
I just want to ask you
a couple questions, okay,
Warren?
How many were in the truck?
Four, but I'm not...
did you all throw
at the buggy?
Just the two outside,
like it said in the paper.
In the paper?
Where was the baby?
In the back?
No, up front.
And where was
the little girl?
What little girl?
The one who saw you, the one
who wasn't in the papers?
Where was she?
Huh, Warren, where was she?
Was she in the front?
Was she in the back?
Where was she?
I...
where was she?
Give me...
where was she, Warren?
She was in back.
You sure?
No.
No, she was in front.
See, that's right.
No, Warren, that's wrong.
You're lying to me, aren't you?
You lying to me, Warren?
Are you lying to me, Warren?
Are you lying to me, Warren?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, I am.
Look, you got stuff
to work out with your father.
This isn't the place to do it.
Do you know what time it is?
Look, I'm not asking you.
I'm telling you you have to
testify, you and Rachel.
Jacob.
I know we have the four
who did it.
Seek retribution.
Vengeance, this is
what you tell me to do.
Look, if you don't testify,
they're going to be found
not guilty.
People will forget,
and the whole thing
will start over again.
I cannot break
with the old ways.
I'm not asking you to break.
I'm asking you to bend a little.
And Rachel?
She is already troubled.
If I were to agree to do this,
would it not make her doubt
everything she's learned,
everything she believes in?
Go back upstairs.
You shouldn't be down here
like this.
I will think about it.
I cannot say more.
Now, please.
Okay.
Sorry if I woke you.
It's okay.
How long you been down here?
I don't know.
Want some cocoa?
Sure.
What's bothering you?
As if I didn't know.
You don't know.
So...
How do you think it's going
to look on the resume?
"He was right,
but he couldn't prove it."
You don't think Jacob
will change his mind?
No.
You know, maybe I'm just
stubborn.
I... I know I can be.
I just don't know how
to bow out gracefully.
It's one of the reasons
I married you.
Lack of grace?
I want you to stay the
stubborn s.O.B. That I married,
stubborn enough to believe
that what you do
makes a difference,
because it does.
Even if it means
not being able to stay here?
Life is a series
of trade-offs
us.
If we have to leave here
because you're doing something
that needs to be done,
it probably isn't the place
for us to be anyway.
When did you decide that?
Over a cup of cocoa.
Remember what your father said
when he married us?
"If your heart is right,
your mind follows."
I love your heart.
Welcome home...
Wherever that's going to be.
I like Iowa.
You were up and down
all night.
Yeah, I had to think
on what Mr. Sandler asked.
It's not always easy to know
what is right to do.
It is not our world.
We have to live in the word
of the lord.
Whatever is done, it...
Will not bring Esther back.
It was them did it, papa.
What?
Rachel saw pictures
of two of the boys who were
in the truck that night,
the ones did the throwing.
Where?
In the paper.
Maybe so.
I told Rachel
I would ask you to listen
to what she has to say.
School bus will be here.
Papa?
Sometimes I get so scared
and angry
about what happened.
I know I shouldn't.
Papa, you don't have to,
but I got to do
what Mr. Sandler said.
I got to tell what I saw.
Forgive me, papa.
But I been thinking on it
and thinking on it
for such a long time.
Please let me
so what happened to Esther,
I don't want it to happen
to nobody else
because of me.
School bus.
Yes, papa.
Work to do.
All rise.
Oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes.
The honorable court
of Fulham county
is now in session.
The honorable judge Manning,
judge presiding.
Be seated.
Did you hear anything
from Jacob?
No.
I was hoping
he'd get in touch with you.
I'm going to let
the prosecution amended charge
of aiding and assisting stand.
You better have some strong
evidence to back it up with.
You ready?
Yes, your honor.
If it please the court,
I'd like to add one or two
things to my opening statement.
I want to get this trial
over with today.
I'll try to be brief.
And to the point.
So...
Somebody died.
We can't divorce the deed
from the history of harassment
of the amish,
excused as "high spirits,"
"kids' pranks,"
"everybody does it."
It's violence.
And it's condoned
against a group of people
because they're different,
won't strike back.
And for that, we all
have to share the guilt.
Are you putting us all
on trial here?
Almost as disturbing
as the babies dying
is the action afterwards.
We've got people
in this community who say,
"we've got to protect our own."
We've got to protect
"the good name of our town"
in a situation where,
at the very least, perhaps
it wasn't contempt
that they showed
by what they did.
But it certainly was a heinous
disregard for human life
and a lack of concern or caring
about the tolerance of people
who are different.
Now, let's look at the victims,
the amish.
Those who were not tolerated
have shown the most tolerance
of all.
If we had their tolerance,
then this whole incident
never would have happened
in the first place.
Now, the defendants.
"The defendants are just kids
from our county."
"They're from around here."
"They shouldn't go to jail."
"They're not criminals."
But if you say that,
why lock anybody up?
Objection.
Now, no matter what happens
here, no matter what
the verdict,
for the rest of my life,
I'll be asking myself,
"does this crime mean... "
Does this crime mean
that a human life just isn't
"worth what it used to be?"
And if that's so, well,
that's the greatest crime
of all.
You see, there's a principle
here.
There's a very important
principle.
It's something a teacher of mine
in law school once told us.
He said, "if there isn't justice"
for everyone in the community,
then soon there will be
no justice for anyone
"in the community."
Jim, are you through?
Your honor, I request
that everything
the prosecutor just said
be stricken from the record
as tendentious
and improperly prejudicial
to my client.
So ordered.
Mr. Shuler.
Mr. Shuler, are you going
to testify?
Keep it clear now, folks.
Everybody, just move back.
And that he start
presenting some evidence,
if he's got any.
Order.
Order in the court.
Order, order!
Mr. Bailiff, seat these people.
I don't believe it.
I see it,
but I don't believe it.
How'd you do it?
I don't know.
I don't know, and I don't care.
They're coming in.
They're coming in.
Come on, now.
Come on, y'all.
Clear.
Get those people
off their backs.
One question, mr...
Mr. Shuler!
Mr. Shuler!
Get out of here.
Hi.
Hi, Rachel.
Do we have to go in there
now?
No, no, not right away.
Thank you.
I know the price you're paying.
It was Rachel.
She wanted it so.
She won't have to talk long,
will she?
I'll do my best.
Don't think I don't know
the price you are paying.
Everybody, clear out.
We've been waiting on you,
Jim.
Yes, your honor.
Your honor?
Mr. Baxter.
Once again,
the prosecution has staged
an 11th-hour surprise:
Introduction of new witnesses,
the bereaved family.
Under the circumstances,
I think that it is
in the best interests
of the defendants
and, indeed, of all concerned
that we not go through
the agony of a trial.
It is the desire
of the defendants to withdraw
their plea of not guilty
and to enter a plea of guilty
to the charge, as specified
by the prosecutor,
of aiding and assisting
in reckless homicide.
Any objections, Mr. Sandler?
No, your honor.
Okay.
Sentencing will be ten days
from today at 1:30 P.M.
In view of this change in plea,
your service as jurors
will no longer be needed,
and I want to personally thank
each of you for your attention.
Bailiff, escort these fine folks
back to the jury room.
Mr. Bailiff, close court.
All rise.
The honorable court
of Fulham county
now stands adjourned.
God save the state
and this honorable court.
♪ ♪
Did you have any idea...
What kind of sentence...
♪ ♪
Well, I didn't think
you stood a prayer in hell
of getting them to come in here,
let alone win it.
But shows you how much I know.
Way to go.
Thanks.
Male announcer: Teddy Johnson
and Roy bowman also changed
their pleas to guilty.
All four defendants were fined
and sentenced to
from three to five years.
All four sentences
were suspended.
The election
for county prosecutor was held
a few months later.
Jim sandler was nominated
and won.
As for the claping,
there has not been an incident
of claping reported
in Fulham county
since Jim sandler brought
the case of Esther shuler
to trial.