A Time to Kill (1996)

Kevin Spacey: D.A. Rufus Buckley

Photos 

Quotes 

• D.A. Rufus Buckley : Mr. Haley, before you *stepped outside of yourself* and watched yourself shoot Mr. Willard and Mr. Cobb, were you aware that' if convicted, they could be free in ten years?

  Carl Lee Hailey : Yes sir. I've heard some people say that. Yes sir.

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Do you think men who kidnap a child should be free in 10 years?

  Carl Lee Hailey : No sir.

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Do you think two men who rape a child should be free in 10 years?

  Carl Lee Hailey : No sir.

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Do you think two men who hang a child should be free in 10 years?

  Carl Lee Hailey : No sir.

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Well what do you think should happen? What would be a fair sentence?

  Jake Tyler Brigance : Objection!

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Did they deserve to die, Mr. Hailey? Answer that!

  Jake Tyler Brigance : Don't answer that Carl Lee!

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Do you think they should deserve to die?

  Carl Lee Hailey : Yes, they deserved to die and I hope they burn in hell!

• Carl Lee : Ask if he thinks I should go to jail.

  Jake Tyler Brigance : Carl Lee, they amputated his leg because you shot him. He's the prosecution's witness.

  Carl Lee : You're my lawyer ain't ya? Ask him.

  Jake Tyler Brigance : Your Honor, one question.

  Judge Omar Noose : Make up your mind, Mr. Brigance.

  Jake Tyler Brigance : Deputy Looney, do you think Carl Lee shooting you was intentional?

  Deputy Dwayne Powell Looney : No sir. It was an accident.

  Carl Lee : Ask him!

  Jake Tyler Brigance : Do you think he should be punished for shooting you?

  Deputy Dwayne Powell Looney : No, sir. I hold no ill will toward the man. He did what I would have done.

  Jake Tyler Brigance : What do you mean by that?

  Deputy Dwayne Powell Looney : I mean, I don't blame him for what he did. Those boys raped his little girl.

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Objection, your Honor! The witness's opinion on this matter is irrelevant.

  Jake Tyler Brigance : Your Honor, I belive Deputy Looney has earned the right to speak here today.

  Judge Omar Noose : Overruled. Continue.

  Jake Tyler Brigance : Go ahead, Dwayne.

  Deputy Dwayne Powell Looney : I got a little girl. Somebody rapes her, he's a dead dog. I'll blow him away just like Carl Lee did.

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Objection your Honor!

  Jake Tyler Brigance : Do you think the jury should convict Carl Lee Hailey?

  Judge Omar Noose : Don't answer that question.

  Deputy Dwayne Powell Looney : He's a hero. You turn him loose.

  Judge Omar Noose : The jury will disregard...

  Deputy Dwayne Powell Looney : Turn him loose!

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Your honor, you silenced that witness!

  Deputy Dwayne Powell Looney : You turn him loose!

• Judge Omar Noose : Good afternoon, citizens. Be seated. Counsel. And you, sir, are you Carl Lee Hailey?

  Carl Lee Hailey : Yes sir.

  Judge Omar Noose : Mr. Hailey, I am holding a copy of an indictment returned by the grand jury of Mississippi presenting that Carl Lee Hailey did murder Billy Ray Cobb, a human being, and James Willis Willard, a human being, and did attempt to kill Dwayne Looney, a peace officer, against the peace and dignity of the State of Mississippi. Do you understand the charges against you?

  Carl Lee Hailey : Yes sir.

  Judge Omar Noose : How do you wish to plead?

  Carl Lee Hailey : [pause]  Not guilty, Your Honor.

  Jake Tyler Brigance : The defense enters a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, Your Honor.

  Judge Omar Noose : Your trial is set for July 22nd. All pre-trial motions and matters are to be filed no later than July 8th. Is there anything further?

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Yes, Your Honor. In the response to the insanity plea, the state requests the defendant be examined by it's own doctors.

  Judge Omar Noose : Granted.

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Additionally, the state opposes any request for bail.

  Jake Tyler Brigance : But Your Honor, we have not yet asked for bail. Now Governor Buckley cannot oppose a request until one is made. He should have learned that in law school.

  D.A. Rufus Buckley : Your Honor, even Mr. Brigance's meager legal experience should have taught him two things: number one, I have not been elected governor... yet. And number two, he is required to request bail. The state opposes any such request.

  Judge Omar Noose : Well in the future why don't we just wait until he makes the request?

  [DA Rufus Buckley nods lightly with a slight smile] 

  Jake Tyler Brigance : Thank you, Your Honor. Your Honor, we would like to request bail.

  Judge Omar Noose : Denied. I have never allowed bail in a capital murder case and I don't feel that an exception is called for today.

• D.A. Rufus Buckley : Our society cannot condone men who take the law into their own hands.

• D.A. Rufus Buckley : we all fell really terrible about what happend to his daughter but felling terrible doesent give any of us the right to killl and to take justice into our own hands.