Dustin Hoffman credited as playing...
Danny Snyder
- Danny Snyder: I can't do this now. You gotta know that. It's been a long time for me. I mean -ah- you need somebody younger, ya know, somebody like I used to be.
- King Benny: younger is not better. Doesn't have experience, doesn't know his way around the courthouse.
- Danny Snyder: Hey, I'm lucky I can find the courthouse. I had only four cases last year-you know how many I won? None, that's how many, none. In two of them, uh, I, a, I think the jury blamed me personnally.
- King Benny: They must have been innocent. It is tough to get an innocent man off a rap.
- Danny Snyder: I wasn't even planning on going to court with this one. I was just gonna plea it down the best I could and walk away. I wasn't, I wasn't planning on taking this to trial.
- King Benny: Well your plans have been changed.
- Danny Snyder: Well I'm afraid I'll make a mistake and... say the wrong thing and, ya know, uh, uh, make a wrong turn somewhere. You don't want to take that risk.
- King Benny: Life is a risk.
- Danny Snyder: I'm sorry?
- King Benny: Life is risk.
- Danny Snyder: Life is a risk.
- King Benny: Um-huh.
- Danny Snyder: A-huh.I haven't been in here before. What do you need me to do?
- King Benny: Listen. You're going to be given the answers and the questions. All you have to do is read. You can read can't you?
- Danny Snyder: It's, it's, is it in English?
- King Benny: Just don't drift, don't drink, and don't lose.
- Danny Snyder: What if I do lose?
- King Benny: Then you'll go down for the dirt nap.
- Danny Snyder: Never heard that expression before... dirt nap. I'm not cut out for this anymore. I mean a guys gets hit by a bus, ya know, and sues. I like that. Some lady slips in a supermarket, I'm with her, a guy...
- King Benny: The discussion's over.
- Danny Snyder: I'm an alcoholic. This is a murder case. This isn't for me.
- King Benny: It was once. Before you let the drink lead. Be sober by tomorrow and don't look so worried, Snyder. You have nothing to lose, just like the rest of us.
- Danny Snyder: I don't want to be a burden to you, but, I do, you know, aside, or along with my alcohol problem, I have a slight drug problem, I mean nothing big, just...
- King Benny: Go away.
- Danny Snyder: Did you observe these experiences?
- Ralph Ferguson: Ye, ye, ye, yes.
- Danny Snyder: Did you more than *observe* these experiences?
- Danny Snyder: Mr. Ferguson, was there ever any sexual abuse at the Wilkinson Home for Boys?
- [Ferguson is silent]
- Danny Snyder: Was there ever any sexual abuse at the Wilkinson Home for Boys?
- Ralph Ferguson: Yes, I heard that there was.
- Danny Snyder: I'm not asking you what you heard. I'm asking what you saw.
- Ralph Ferguson: Yes, I saw.
- Danny Snyder: Did you and Sean Nokes ever force yourself on any of the boys? Did you and Sean Nokes ever rape any of the boys at the Wilkinson Home?
- Judge Weisman: Counselors, approach.
- [sidebar, to Michael]
- Judge Weisman: Counselor, what the hell is going on?
- Michael: Guess I called the wrong character witness.
- Ralph Ferguson: [weeping under cross examination] Sean Nokes had experiences with some boys.
- Danny Snyder: Were you there?
- Ralph Ferguson: Yes.
- Danny Snyder: Did you observe these experiences?
- Ralph Ferguson: Yes.
- Danny Snyder: Did you more than observe?
- Ralph Ferguson: I was drinking, and...
- Danny Snyder: Were there any other guards around during these experiences?
- Ralph Ferguson: Yes.
- Danny Snyder: With you and Mr. Nokes?
- Ralph Ferguson: Yes.
- Danny Snyder: [rhetorically] On more than one occasion.
- Ralph Ferguson: Yes. Yeah.
- Danny Snyder: Mr. Ferguson, do you still think that Sean Nokes was a good man?
- Ralph Ferguson: He was my friend!
- [breaks down sobbing]
- Danny Snyder: A friend who raped and abused boys he was paid to look after.
- [walks back to the defense table]
- Danny Snyder: I have no further questions.
- Ralph Ferguson: I want this to be over! I want this to be over.