GUILT BY ASSOCIATION
A TALE OF TEXAS’S LAW OF PARTIES
Written by
Randy Halprin
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT
We see a small interrogation room. The room is flooded with bright, fluorescent light. On one side of the room is a two-way mirror. Sitting behind a stained fold up table is a young adult in a bright orange jail jump suit. He has a day-old stubble on his face and black rings under his eyes. He nervously sips on a Styrofoam cup of coffee. A detective wearing a sports coat and a loosened tie sits opposite of him flipping through some paperwork. The young adult can’t stop looking at his cuffed hands.
DETECTIVE SPADE
Hello, Robert. I’m Detective Spade.
ROBERT
(voice shaking)
Uh
(beat)
Hello.
DETECTIVE SPADE
How old are you?
ROBERT
I’m
(beat)
uh, nineteen.
DETECTIVE SPADE
(looking up from his paperwork at Robert)
Kind of young to throw your life away.
ROBERT
(looking at his cuffed hands)
I didn’t do anything.
DETECTIVE SPADE
Ya’ll never do. Do you?
ROBERT
(looking at the detective)
What do you mean by that? I didn’t do anything. I swear.
DETECTIVE SPADE
Okay, let’s start there. Tell me what happened. You were driving, right? I find it impossible that you could be the driver and not have any clue as to what your pal was going to do.
ROBERT
Shouldn’t my lawyer be present? Don’t I get a lawyer?
DETECTIVE SPADE
(grimaces and face turns red)
Only guilty people ask for attorneys. I can help you, but if you’re not cooperative with me, I will see to it myself that needle is in your arm. You hear me?
(stands up)
Don’t be like the rest of the punks that come in here. Think about that family that has just suffered a loss. How do you think they feel ‘cause I assure you that you’re not experiencing half the grief they are. Now, tell me what happened.
ROBERT
(close to sobbing, voice quivering)
I want to call home. Can I please call my mom? She knows I’d never hurt anyone!
DETECTIVE SPADE
Son, you don’t tell me the truth as to what happened and what you know and I’ll make sure you never touch your mother again. Y’hear?
Stands with his hands on his hips, staring Robert down and sighs then grabs the folder off the table. He pulls out a crime scene photo, and we get a glimpse of a body sprawled across a convenient store floor in a pool of blood. Detective spade slaps the photo down in front of Robert.
DETECTIVE SPADE
Now talk to me son. Let me help you.
ROBERT
(with a firm voice)
But I didn’t so anything! I was just driving! I didn’t know! I didn’t know!
(starts to sob)
We’re now looking through the two-way mirror. It’s silent and all we see is Detective Spades body language clearly annoyed with Robert. Then, we’re back in the interrogation room.ROBERT
(looking at Detective Spade, wiping his nose with the back of his hands)
I went to pick up Greg…
FLASHBACK
EXT. TEXAS SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD OUTSIDE OF DALLAS - DAY
Car pulls up in front of a modest home in a typical middle-class neighborhood. Robert is sitting behind the wheel, and we can hear the car stereo blasting from inside. He honks the horn a few times and Greg comes running out of his house with the front door slamming.
GREG
(opening car door)
About freakin’ time! Mom’s been ragging on me ‘cause I don’t have a job.
(gets inside car)
INT. CAR - DAY
ROBERT
(reverses car and pulls away)
Yeah, I know. Mom keeps getting onto me about not enrolling into community college. I’m just trying to chill. I mean, we haven’t even been out of school for a year yet!
GREG
Freakin’ tell me about it. All that matters right now is chillin’ and getting some. You talked to Kat?
ROBERT
(shakes head)
Nah, she’s mad at me ‘cause I didn’t call her after the party or something. You know how she is.
GREG
Dude, you should really kick her to the curb. She’s got you so whipped!
(makes a sound like a whip cracking and they both laugh)
A few moments pass. The radio is the only sound we hear as scenery shoots by on the outside.
GREG
Say! Let’s go get some liquor!
ROBERT
(shakes head)
Nuh-uh. Last time we tried that we almost got ourselves put into jail. Mom will kill me if we do that again. Besides, we don’t have the fake I.D.’s anymore.
GREG
Dude, you are such a bitch. Hey, pull into that gas station right there.
(points up ahead)
EXT. GAS STATION - DAY
A gas station appears and we see the car pull in and stop at the pumps. Robert and Greg get out of the car. Robert digs into his pocket and throws Greg a wad of cash.
ROBERT
Hey, go buy me some gas and get me a soda. Get yourself something, too.
Greg shakes his head and runs off to the entrance of the store. We see him go inside. The pump turns on and Robert pumps gas in his car lost in his thoughts. The pump clicks off and he hangs the hose up. He puts the cap back on and gets back into the car.
INT. CAR - DAY
Robert starts the car up and waits on Greg.
EXT. GAS STATION - DAY
A minute or two passes and we see Greg come running out of the store. He’s carrying what appears to be a few bottles of liquor. Something silver flashes in his right hand as he runs to the car. He pulls at the car handle; the door opens and he jumps in.
INT. CAR - DAY
GREG
Go, go, go!!!
Without thinking Robert slams on the gas pedal and the car shoots off, swerving on the pavement.
GREG
(hitting the gun on the dashboard and crying)
Stupid! Stupid! I told him don’t! I told him!
ROBERT
(panicked)
Aww no Greg, what did you do? What did you do?
GREG
(wipes the gun off with his shirt, rolls down the window and tosses it out of the car)
I told him I just wanted to get some alcohol! That’s it. He tried to grab the gun out of my hand!
ROBERT
(yelling)
What the heck were you doing with a gun? Tell me!
(hits the steering wheel with his palm)
GREG
I took it out of my dad’s drawer. I just wanted to play with it!
(looking at Robert his voice lowers and takes on a serious tone)
We don’t say anything. You hear me? Nothing!
There is silence as they drive both looking ahead. Greg looks at his shirt and sees a splotch of blood. He pulls it off and throws it out of the window. It flutters away.
ROBERT
We’re screwed. You know that right?
GREG
Not if we don’t say anything.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
The car drives down the road when we see a police cruiser pull into view. Lights begin to flash and the sirens blare.
INT. CAR - DAY
GREG
(looking back and mumbling)
Dude, just pull over. Be calm. Ain't nothing happened. You hear me? Nothing!
(pushes liquor bottles he stole out of sight)
EXT. ROAD - DAY
Cruiser pulls in behind car as it pulls to the side of the road. Other squad cars pour into view and surround the suspects. Someone on a megaphone begins to bark orders.
COP ON BULLHORN
Step out of the car! Hands raised!
INT. CAR - DAY
Robert and Greg look at each other. Fear is splashed across their face. Greg looks Robert dead in the eyes.
GREG
Please don't say anything, homie. Please, we'll get out of this. It was an accident!
Robert nods his head as if he agrees and both step out of the car with hands in the air.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
We see Robert and Greg exit the car with hands high in the air. Police surround them with guns drawn and yell for them to lay on the ground. Other police pin them down and arrest them. They stand them up and put them into two separate police cars.
Flashback ends...
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT
We're back in the interrogation room. Robert is crying and Detective Spade hands him a Kleenex.
DETECTIVE SPADE
So you had no clue he had a gun?
ROBERT
Look...all I thought was he was going to pay for gas and maybe get a couple of sodas! We're not killers! I didn't know!
DETECTIVE SPADE
What I'm looking at right now is capital murder and I'm going to be honest with you. I've seen the tears before, and I've heard all of the same stories. Nothing here makes you more unique than all of the other creeps I see in this room. You ever heard of the Law of Parties, Robert? See…in Texas we have this rule that says you are responsible for your buddies’ actions. You know what I would've done the second your friend mentioned getting some booze? I would've turned the car around and dropped him back off at home. That's what a good person would've done. Too bad you have to learn the hard way. Think about that when they stick a needle in your arm.
The detective grabs his file, stands up and steps out. We hold a few seconds on Robert...
FADE OUT.
THE END